WOMEN IN THE QURAN

Islam confers on women all the political and social rights, which man enjoys. She is entitled to all the privileges bestowed upon man. Beside worldly matters, women are also equal to men in the spiritual sense. Allah says in the Quran: Surely, men who submit themselves to GOD and women who submit themselves to HIM, and believing men and believing women, and obedient men and obedient women, and truthful men and truthful women, and men steadfast in their faith and steadfast women, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their chastity and women who guard their chastity and men who remember ALLAH much and women who remember HIM - ALLAH has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a great reward (33:36) This verse makes it clear that Muslim women stand on the same level with Muslim men and that they can attain to all those spiritual heights to which men can attain. At several places in the Quran, believing men and believing women are addressed in the same language and are made equally subject to the same commandments and entitled to the same rights and privileges. Only their duties are different because their spheres of activity are different. When the Quran speaks about the souls of human beings, it does not differentiate between man and woman. O ye people ! fear your Lord who created you from a single soul and of its kind created its mate, and from them twain spread many men and women; and fear ALLAH, in Whose name you appeal to one another, and fear him particularly respecting ties of kinship. Verily ALLAH watches over you (4:2) The words single soul in this verse signifie man and woman taken together. They are spoken of as one because they are two things jointly performing one function. This verse affirms that women and men belong to the same kind and species and that they have the same propensities. The chains of the physical body are broken in the spiritual sphere and man and woman are regarded as one. The equality of the status of the souls of man and woman is further emphasized when Allah also hints at the fact that man and woman complement one another. So their Lord answered their prayers saying, I will not allow the work of any worker from among you, whether male or female, to be lost. You are from one another. Those therefore, who have emigrated, and have been driven out from their homes, and have been persecuted in My cause, and have fought and been killed, I will surely remove from them their evils and will cause them to enter gardens through which streams flow - a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best reward. (3:196) The Quran does not stop at this level, it continues to explain these facts by different means and from different angles. The Quran mentions the vision Hazrat Moses (peace be upon him) and as an explanation of one of the incidents in his vision we read: And as for the youth, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should cause them trouble through rebellion and disbelief. Here the expression his parents means the human body and soul because the parents or the source from which springs all moral qualities is the combination of the human body and soul which is the human being himself. Allah has created man as a free agent. He bestowed upon him great natural powers to enable him to perform the highest deeds of virtue. The human being can fulfill the great object of his life by making use of these powers which spring from a combination of his body and soul. But if these powers are not kept under proper control, they lead him to disbelief and transgression. These powers have been brought under proper control and their undue vehemence curbed by the commandments and ordinances which Allah has revealed to the world in His religion. Every human being is free to chose whether or not to follow the guidance of Allah. His freedom is of two components. The freedom of thought controlled by the mind and the freedom of feeling controlled by the heart. The feeling of the heart is a consequence of the thought of the mind. The former is subordinate to the latter. This is why the two components of the inner self of the human being can be expressed figuratively by the words his parents where the mind is likened to the father who is the head of the family and the heart is likened to the mother who is its body. As the peace and tranquility of the children in the family depends on the relation between the father and the mother and the combined efforts of both of them, also the peace and tranquility of a person depends on the harmony between his mind and heart as they form his spiritual parents. The morals and behaviour of any person are a result of the combination of the actions of his mind and heart. If he does not profess the religion of Allah, then this combination is, in Divine estimation, a forbidden relation which produces illegitimate fruit. The person is cast away from Allah and he lives in a ruinous hell. But when he answers the call of Allah and embraces His religion and submits to Him, his mind and heart combine together to fulfill the purpose of his existence. Then this relation becomes legal and bears legitimate blessed fruit. The person is brought to a new spiritual life and attains to the peace and harmony of his inner self and he is rewarded by the love and nearness of Allah. Allah has hinted to this similarity when referring to women: They are a garment to you, and you are garment to them. (2:188) To understand this fully we need to understand the meaning of the word garment which is mentioned here. The Quran itself explains the meaning of this word: O children of Adam, we have indeed sent down to you raiment to cover your shame, and to be an elegant dress; but the raiment of righteousness - that is the best. That is one of the signs of Allah, that they may remember. (7:27) Here the Arabic word which was translated as raiment is libaas. A raiment is used to cover our nakedness and also to to serve as a decoration and embellishment and make us look elegant. But this verse tells us more. It continues to tell us that the apparel of piety is in fact the really fine raiment for us. Ordinary dress covers our physical nakedness, while the apparel of piety covers our spiritual and moral nakedness. So the verse reminds us that when we consider it to be necessary to have good clothing to cover our physical nakedness and use elegant dress to to look graceful, we should all the more be anxious to cover our moral and spiritual nakedness. And the best raiment for us is the apparel of righteousness and piety. The word raiment is further explained in another verse of the Quran: And Allah has made for you, of that which He has created,things affording shade, and He has made for you in the mountains, places of shelter and He has made for you garments which protect you from heat and coats of mail which protect you in your wars. Thus does He complete His favours on you that you may submit to Him. (16:82) The verse show that garments are used for protection form heat and also for protection in battles. But again the verse tells us more. The verse ends with the phrase Thus does He complete His favours on you, that you may submit to Him. This draws our attention to the fact that the real purpose of this favour from Allah is to enable us to submit to Him. Hence we start to think about this verse in the spiritual sense. The heat from which our garments are protecting us can be understood as the ruinous hell within the inner self of a person who is disobedient to his Creator. He creates this hell himself out of his own choice and he has the ability to protect himself from it through following the guidance of Allah. Also, the protection in wars can be taken as protection in spiritual battles. Islamic Jihad (striving for the cause of Allah) does not only involve killing and being killed but in striving hard to win the pleasure of Allah. This can best be done by serving the cause of truth with all one's might under the command and guidance of a Divinely appointed reformer. This is Jihad in the truest sense of the word. It can take the form of preaching and dissemination of the teachings of Islam by peaceful means or of defending it by the sword from being destroyed by its enemies. But the Great Jihad as termed by the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Jihad against one's baser self. i.e., against one's evil desires and propensities or against Satan. So when we protect ourselves against our enemies in this spiritual battle, we can attain to victory in the form of true submission to Allah. If we now combine the meaning of this verse with the meaning in the previously mentioned verse, we understand that Allah has bestowed upon us the ability to be righteous and pious so that we can protect ourselves from all evil which prevents our souls from surrendering to Allah. We can also see that the word garment is used to signify the raiment of piety which us the means of the protection of the soul against all evil and hence, it is the means of attaining to true submission to Allah. With this understanding of the word garment, we can now return to the original quotation: They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. (2:188) In the light of the above, we can now see that this expression can be applied to the two components of the human inner self. Exactly as the husband and wife complement one another and protect one another against the enemies who threaten the peace of their family, the two components of the inner self of the human being complement one another and protect one another from all evil in their Great Jihad. Righteousness will prevent a person from thinking wickedly and hence it will protect from his heart from inclining towards evil and at the same time righteousness will prevent him from evil desires which can poison his mind with evil. Thus, righteousness protects a person from the ruinous hell which can be created by him through his disobedience to his Creator. The two components of his inner self protect each other and adorn one another with the raiment of piety and this will lead him to complete submission to Allah. After attaining to true submission to Allah and after following His guidance, a person naturally awaits some results and gains. This is again similar to the case of a husband and wife who, after establishing their marriage, desire to have children. In this connection Allah says: Your wives are a tilth for you, so approach your tilth when and how you like, and send ahead some good for yourselves and fear Allah and know that you shall meet Him, and bear good tidings to those who obey. (2:224) The word tilth means a piece of land ploughed for sowing or actually sown with some crop or even under crop. It also means crop or produce of a land. It is also used to signify gain, acquisition or earning and also reward and recompense. The wife is likened to a tilth here because she is like a tilth in which the seed of progeny is sown to bear crop in the form of children. A wise husbandman selects the best soil, prepares the best tilth, secures the best seed and chooses the best time and manner of sowing it. Similarly, a man should select a wife who is best suited as a tilth, i.e., pious and well qualified and of loving nature for the benefit of his children. He should love her and treat her well and look after her so that her life will be happy and contented and she may become best disposed to bring up the children well. Lastly, he should keep himself in a state of good physical and moral health so that his seed for his tilth may also be healthy in every respect. Then he will ensure that he will reap a good harvest in the form of pious and righteous children. Considering this verse in the spiritual sense, we see that it is giving advice for attaining to true and complete submission to Allah. It tells a person to be careful about his ideas and opinions because whatever good or evil he conceals in his mind will serve like a seed for his inclinations and actions and it will bear good or evil fruit for himself. So the words send ahead some good for yourselves means plant a seed in your tilth for the good of your own selves. The means of sending this good is found in the words fear Allah which shows that if a person wants to reap a good harvest for his actions, he should prevent evil from its very roots through being righteous. The phrase and know that you shall meet Him can be taken as a continuation for the words fear Allah which means that you should fear Allah because one day you shall meet Him, on the Day of Judgment. The phrase can also be taken as glad tidings, for those who will be righteous will have the honour of meeting Allah in this life, which is the aim of every true and sincere servant of Allah. This is followed by the words and bear glad tidings to those who obey, which means that this glad tiding is for the true believers. So this means that those who believe sincerely and follow this injunction and become righteous will secure for themselves the best results and gains. They will reap good fruit and they will enjoy the love and nearness of Allah and the true relationship with Him. The will be brought to a new life like a newborn child and they will enjoy a life of peace and tranquility, and inner paradise. When a person gains good fruit out of following the guidance of Allah, he becomes encouraged and he tries to strive more in this path so that he can achieve more results and increase the good he gained out of it. His inner self reaches the phase of parenthood. His will and behaviour combine together to look after his faith and protect it. Exactly like the parents who combine their efforts to look after their children and protect them. His will submits completely to his Creator and he becomes devoted to Allah's religion and protects and nourishes it like the mother who nourishes her young children with love and care. The Quran has given us a practical example of this advanced stage of human spiritual ascent in the person of Mary, the mother of Jesus (peace be upon him): And remember when the angels said: O Mary, Allah has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of all peoples. (3:43) Mary is the example of a righteous believer and a sincere follower of the guidance of Allah. Again we read about Mary: Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said 'O Mary thou hast done a strange thing. O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother an unchaste woman'. Then she pointed to him. They said, 'How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' He said, 'I am a servant of Allah. He has given me the book and made me a Prophet; And He has made me blessed wheresoever I may be and has enjoined upon me Prayer and almsgiving so long as I live. And He has made me dutiful towards my mother and He has not made me haughty and unblessed. (19:28-33) These verses tell us the story of Mary when she went to her people carrying Jesus (peace be upon him). The word for carrying him means that Mary believed in Jesus (peace be upon him) and helped him in his mission. When her people told her that she has done a strange thing, she silently pointed to Jesus (peace be upon him) who started introducing his religion to them. In the spiritual sense, Mary signifies a true believer and a sincere follower of a prophet of Allah, who is acting upon the guidance furnished by this prophet and who is preaching his religion to others. The words carrying him means that she has embraced his religion and reflected it in her person. When she declared this to her people and preached her religion to them, they rejected it because it was strange and unknown to them. So she silently started introducing her faith. She pointed to the truth by her behaviour and conduct, by her complete submission to Allah and her true devotion to His service. She became a manifestation of the Unity of Allah. The disbelievers could see the spiritual station to which she had attained. The fruits she achieved and gained proved the truth of her beliefs and the prophet she followed. She taught the people to follow the guidance of Allah through her actions which were in full compliance with the commandments and ordinances of her religion. The verses explain to us the perfect way of preaching a religion. Mary signifies every sincere and true follower of a prophet of Allah whether this follower is a man or a woman. A female example is used because she is representing a person who reached this spiritual level through sincerely following the example of a prophet of Allah and though being a reflection of the prophet. Mary is also introduced as a mother to indicate that she represents the true believer who who has already attained to true submission to Allah and who has already gained his fruit. He was granted a new spiritual life and has established a strong relationship with Allah. He has now reached the stage of looking after his faith and protecting it and nourishing it. So he has spiritually reached the stage of motherhood of his religion. This fact has been explained in the Quran: Allah sets forth for those who disbelieve the example of the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two righteous servants of Ours, but they acted unfaithfully towards them. So they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said to them, `Enter the Fire, ye twain, along with those who enter.' And Allah sets forth for those who believe the example of the wife of the wife of Pharaoh when she said, `My Lord! build for me a house with Thee in the Garden, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from the wrongdoing people; And the example of Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity - so We breathed there in of Our Spirit -and she fulfilled in her person the words of her Lord contained in His books and was one of the obedient. (66:11-13) In these verse we can see three examples of three different states of the inner self of a human being. The wives of Noah (peace be upon him) and Lot (peace be upon him) represent the disbelievers who reject the truth and do not benefit from the companionship of a righteous man or a prophet of Allah. Their inner self is in a state which incites the soul to evil. The wife of Pharoah stands for those believers who, vthough passionately desiring and praying to get rid of sin, yet cannot fully dissociate themselves from evil influences, represented by Pharoah, and having arrived at the stage of the self-accusing soul, sometimes fail and falter. Mary represents those righteous servants of Allah, who have closed all avenues of sin and have made peace with Allah and as a result, they are blessed with Divine inspiration. They have reached the stage of the soul at rest. Mary here represents those who attained to the true submission to Allah. Her example can be followed by both men and women. The human race was created for one purpose, the worship of Allah. Every person whether a man or a woman is responsible to fulfill the purpose of his existence. Starting with himself, he should combine the efforts of his inner self together to attain to true submission to Allah. When he reaches the state of peace and tranquility of his own self, he can bring this paradise to his own home and family. This can be achieved by the combined efforts of the members of the family, who should all, individually and together as one unit, submit truly to Allah. Once this is achieved, the sphere of their effort can be increased to include other members of the society who should in the same manner combine their efforts together to bring more people to the true submission to Allah. Hence, the whole world can be brought to true submission to Allah and peace and tranquility can spread in the earth thus bringing paradise to earth. This is the essence of Khilafat which springs from the inner depths of the human self. Khilafat combines together the efforts of the true servants of Allah under one leadership to bring the whole world to the true submission of Allah. We who live in this age are very fortunate. We have witnessed the rebirth of Islam, the true religion of Allah, which was brought to the world by the best Prophet of mankind (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) revived this religion by following in the steps of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he planted the seed of Khilafat which is growing into a blessed tree by the efforts of his sincere followers under the leadership of his true successors. This tree needs the combined efforts of both men and women to keep it growing. May Allah enable us all to nourish this tree and to be of the fortunate ones who will bring the whole world to the true submission to Allah and spread His unity throughout the universe. Amen.

Rank & Authority of the Khalifa

Rank & Authority of the Khalifa
In this world we see, People makes thier own rules & regulations for thier own inventions. They consider different ranks for different kinds of people. They may be wrong. They may give high rank to such a person who is not high in status in the eyes of God. or They may give low rank to such a person who is high in status in the eyes of God. So, the acts and thoughts of the people may be wrong.

But when we talk about the Holy book Quran. we as an Ahmadi Muslims believe that Quran can never be wrong in any statement. If Allah has given high rank (status) to someone. No one can change it. So, Allah has given a special type of high Rank (status) and Powers (authority) to the person who is mentioned in sura al-nur verse 56. in the word "Khalifa".

That person is chosen by God, through election or without election of Muslims. in both cases the person is known to be the Khalifa and rejecting him will makes you Fasiq.

In case of election, a person is elected by a group of Muslims. But In case of without election. Person is identified by his works which he has done in favor of ISLAM. like, Mujaddids مجدد who appears at the beginning of every century, this is prophesiced by the Holy prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Mujaddid may be one or more than one at the same time. There are many Mujaddids who are appeared in the Ummah, like Hadhrat Shah Wali Ullah, Hadhrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, Hadhrat Imam Al-Ghazali, Hadhrat Abdul-Qadir Gilani, Hadhrat Imam Abu Hanifa, Hadhrat Muhi’yuddeen Muhammad ibn Arabi and many more. (complete list can be found here). So, these all Mujaddids have the same rank, status and authority which is proved by the Quranic verse Sura Al-nur: verse 56. Because, they are included in the word "Khalifa". as Hadhrat Promised Messiah has said;

"It should be remembered that the mujaddids do not add anything to the religion, nor take anything away from it; they reinstate lost faith in the hearts. And to say that it is not obligatory to believe in the mujaddids is to deviate from the command of God because He says: "And whoever disbelieves after this, they are the transgressors" (24:56), i.e. after the sending of the khalifas, whoever remains a denier of them, he is among the transgressors".
(Shahadat ul quran. by Promised Messiah, page: 48)

It means Mujaddids are included in the word "Khalifa" mentioned in Sura Al-nur: verse 56. So, their status and Powers (authority) is not less than the Khalifas of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

We as an Ahmadi Muslims believe that our Khalifa is the Imam of the age. He is Hakm Adl حکم عدل. He is appointed by Allah. So the same attributes are applicable on the Mujaddids.

So, Khilafat is not something which is only limted with the Time of the Promised Messiah, or the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). It was exist throughout 14 hundred years, in the form of Mujaddids. as Promised Messiah said;

"The person who accepts the khilafat of only thirty years ignores its real object through his folly. He does not know that it was most certainly not God’s purpose that it is only essential to continue the blessings of apostleship after the Holy Prophet’s death through the khalifas for a mere thirty years, and after that He would not care a whit even if the world was facing destruction.""Can sound sense propose the despicable idea about the Merciful, Kind God, that He cared about this Muslim people for only thirty years and then left them wandering permanently, and the light which from ancient days He had been showing within the followers of previous prophets in the mirror of khilafat, He did not approve of showing for this people? Most certainly not."
(Shahadat ul quran. by Promised Messiah, page: 58)

So, the style of working or the mission of Mujaddid and Khalifatul-Masih may be vary. because one is a khalifa through election, and another is a khalifa without election. But thier status and rank and Powers (authority) is equal and same, because both are included in the word "khalifa" as mentioned in Sura al-nur verse 56.

So It is Allah who makes up the Powers (authority) and status of the Khalifa. It is not any Human, it is not any Prophet, it is not any reformer. It is only Allah.

Now, if some one ask, What are those Powers (authority) which Khalifa or Mujaddid can use it on the Muslim Ummah. Then the answer would be found in the islamic shariyah. We all know that Islam is a complete Deen. as Allah has said in the Quran. الیوم اکملت لکم دینکم so, the answer must be mentioned by "Complete Deen". Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said; that "After me, you will face some Ekhtelaf اختلاف in the Ummah. Sahaba ask; then what should we do at that time? Prophet said; Hold tightly my sunnah and the sunnah of Khulafa-e-Rashideen." So, this Hadith shows that the concept of Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Hadhrat Umar, Hadhrat Usman, and Hadhrat Ali about the Powers (authority) of the Khalifa, is the Best example for the future Khalifas. No one can say that Khulafa-e-Rashideen were Mistaken about the "Concept of Powers (authority) of the Khalifa". because, they were better aware about Islamic teachings more than us. So, the answer can be found in the Sunnah of Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Hadhrat Umar, Hadhrat Usman, and Hadhrat Ali. How did they implement Islamic Law and teachings in Muslims and non-muslims? How did they interact or deal with Muslims in various circumstances? We should try to find out their answers in their History and sunnah.

RETURN OF JESUS

Jesus Versus Finality

THE BELIEF that the last prophet, Muhammadsa, has already come and gone and the assertion that Jesusas would descend to earth as a prophet after him are so inconsistent that they cannot be owned simultaneously. In fact this cocktail of two unrelated issues was made by some Ulema of the late medieval times. At the time of the revelation of the Holy Quran any connection between the two was unthinkable.

For the sake of the unfamiliar non-Muslim reader we need to explain the historical background of this issue lest they should fail to understand what the row is all about. The verse () Khatamun-Nabiyyeen is one of the most fundamental verses of the Quran which is profoundly rich in meaning and contains many possible connotations. But none of its connotations can even remotely be related to the so-called ascent of Jesus Christas. Hence the Mullah's plea that Jesusas was lifted to the fourth heaven because this verse of finality was to be revealed by God is absolutely ridiculous and melodramatic. This so-called bodily ascent of Jesus has nothing to do with this verse nor with any verse in the Quran. The idea of raising Jesus Christas to heaven had never occurred to God. The entire Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophetsa absolve God of this absurdity by a total absence of any such reference to the ascent of Jesusas. For the Mullahs to maintain that God had lifted him to forestall the problem created by this verse is a blatant lie and an unfounded allegation against the Quran. Thus it is the Mullah who is creating the problem himself and resolving it in the name of God. To bind this unfounded conjecture to one of the most fundamental verses of the Quran is an act of abomination. The reasons which motivate the medievalist clergy to do this and the deceptive manner in which they attempt to fuse these absolutely unrelated issues is the main subject of discussion here. Having familiarized the reader with the background, now we proceed to tell the tale of the Mullah's desperation. With this in mind we hope that the reader will fully understand that which follows.

Jihad

Jihad - Supreme Efforts in the Way of Allah

Jihad means, exerting one's utmost power contending with an object of disapprobation, and this is of three kinds, namely, (1) with a visible enemy, (2) with Satan, and (3) with one's self.

The Quran teaches that when war breaks out, it should be waged in such a way as to cause the least possible amount of damage to life and property; and that hostilities should be brought to a close as quickly as possible.

22:40 Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged - and Allah indeed has power to help them -

22:41 Those who have been driven out from their homes unjustly only because they said, 'Our Lord is Allah' - And if Allah did not repel some men by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft commemorated. And Allah will surely help one who helps Him. Allah is indeed Powerful, Mighty -

60:9 Allah forbids you not, respecting those who have not fought against you on account of your religion, and who have not driven you forth from your homes, that you be kind to them and act equitably towards them; surely Allah loves those who are equitable.

60:10 Allah only forbids you - respecting those who have fought against you on account of your religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and have helped others in driving you out, that you make friends of them, and whosoever makes friends of them-it is these that are the transgressors.

61:11 O ye who believe! shall I point out to you a bargain that will save you from a painful punishment?

61:12 That you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your persons. That is better for you, if you did not know.

29:70 And as for those who strive in Our path-We will surely guide them in Our ways. And verily Allah is with those who do good.

9:20 Those who believe and emigrate from their homes for the sake of God and strive in the cause of Allah with their property and their persons have the highest rank in the sight of Allah. And it is they who shall triumph.

9:111 Surely, Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their property in return for the Garden they shall have; they fight in the cause of Allah, and they slay and are slain - a promise that He has made incumbent on Himself in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Qur'an. And who is more faithful to his promise than Allah? Rejoice, then, in your bargain which you have made with Him; and that it is which is the supreme triumph.

4:96 Those of the believers who sit still, excepting the disabled ones, and those who strive in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their persons, are not equal. Allah has exalted in rank those who strive with their wealth and their persons above those who sit still. And to each Allah has promised good. And Allah has exalted those who strive above those who sit still, by a great reward.

From Selected Verses of the Holy Qur'an

Humanity First

Humanity First

Humanity First is a humanitarian organization that has sent huge consignments of non-perishable food, clothing, and medicine to many countries including Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra leone, Liberia, & Tanzania. Physicians belonging to the Ahmadiyya Medical Association, USA have volunteered their time to go to the worn torn countries to provide urgent medical help and to perform eye surgeries.

The Community is actively providing help to the needy and the poor in Third World countries. It also provides assistance to victims of natural or man made disasters. After the devastating earthquake in Turkey in August 1999, which took the lives of 15,000 people, the Community gave large sums of donations to the Turkish government. Ahmadi youths have been at the forefront in giving blood donations in many countries of the world like Canada, Nigeria, Indonesia, & Pakistan. In Rabwah a permanent blood donation center is established for this purpose.

It is worthy of note that in 1985 one thousand Indonesian Ahmadi ladies donated their eyes. The opening ceremony of Noor Eye Donor Bank took place on November 20th, 2000 in Rabwah with branches in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. Ahmadi eye specialists and volunteers of Khudam al-Ahmadiyya operate the Eye Bank.

Messiah and the Mahdi

The Messiah and the Mahdi
One and the Same Person

From the Traditions of the Holy Prophet it is evident that the Promised Messiah was to be a follower of the Holy Prophet. One Tradition tells us that

'the Mahdi is no other than the Messiah' [Ibn-e-Maja]

Another Tradition says:

'How would it be with you when the son of Mary will descend among you and you will have a leader raised from among you?" [bukhari, kitabul-anbiya, chapter nuzul isa bin maryam]

These two Traditions leave no doubt that the Messiah himself will be the Mahdi. He would lead followers of the Holy Prophet and would be one from among them, not an outsider. To think that the Messiah and the Mahdi are two different persons is wrong. It is against the clear indication in the Tradition: 'The Mahdi is no other than the Messiah.' It behoves good believers to ponder carefully over the utterances of the Holy Prophet. If the utterances seem contradictory, it is for us to try and resolve the contradictions. If the Holy Prophet said, on the one hand, that the Mahdi will appear before the Messiah, and the Messiah will then join the Mahdi and his followers in worship; and, on the other, that the Messiah himself is the Mahdi, what are we going to do? Accept one utterance and reject the other? Is it not rather our duty to consider the two utterances carefully and try to reconcile one to the other? The two utterances can be reconciled at once if we use one of them to interpret the other. It seems that the promise of the advent of the Messiah was couched in words which suggested that the Messiah and the Mahdi were two different persons. This suggestion is corrected by the Tradition which says 'No Mahdi but the Messiah' This Tradition makes it plain that the other Tradition is metaphorical. It means that a follower of the Holy Prophet will arise for the purpose of revivifying the world, but would not have that rank of a prophet. Then the promise relating to the second coming of Jesus will be fulfilled in his person and he will announce himself the Promised Messiah. The Tradition, therefore, tells us that the Promised One will start his career as a Muslim reformer who will become invested with the office of Messiah. Divine prophecies have to employ metaphors. They would convey very little otherwise.

If our interpretaion of these Traditions is not correct, then there are only two alternatives left for a seeker-after truth, both of them absurd and dangerous. Either, we admit that the Tradition, which describes the Messiah and the Mahdi as one and the same person, is not a true Tradition, or, we admit that the Messiah and the Mahdi are two different persons and that the intention of the Tradition is to point to a difference of spiritual significance in the two. It may mean that the true Mahdi would be the Messiah. The other, Mahdi would be insignificant compared with the Messiah. It would be like saying, "Nobody knows but so and so." When we say such a thing, we do not mean literally that nobody else knows. What we mean is that the given person knows very much more. However, both interpretations are dangerous. One requires us to treat, without good reasons, as spurious a Tradition which is a well authenticated one, true on all sound criteria. The other implies that the Mahdi, in comparison with the Messiah, will be as nothing. Such a thought would be contrary to the Traditions which teach that the Mahdi will be the Imam and the Messiah a follower who stands behind the Imam in a congregation. Both alternatives, therefore, are absurd. The only worthwhile interpretation we can put upon the Tradition is that they foretell the coming of a Messenger from among the followers of the Holy Prophet. This Messenger will first present himself as a reformer and later announce himself the Messiah of the prophecy. The same person will be the Mahdi as well as the Messiah. Except for this interpretation, there can be no plausible interpretation of the Traditions on the subject.

PROPHET JESUSas HAS DIED

PROPHET JESUS^as HAS DIED - INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES

There was a time when the circumstances surrounding the crucifixion of Hadhrat Jesus^as was a matter of great debate between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadi Muslims.

Whereas Ahmadi Muslims believe Hadhrat Jesus^as was a prophet who died like all other human beings, a great majority of Muslims held the view that Hadhrat Jesus^as was taken to Heaven by Allah and a Jesus-look-alike was crucified by the Jews instead.

Few non Ahmadi scholars today like to raise the topic of the death of Hadhrat Jesus^as. To most it has become a non issue. They would rather vigorously propound their interpretation of khatam nabiyyin. It has become the "flavor of the month" so to speak. The majority of Muslims appear to be indifferent or just plain uninterested.

A more interesting change in the attitude of Muslim scholars has been in the total abandonment of the belief that Hadhrat Jesus^as is alive in Heaven. Only recently I ordered books from the Juma Masjid in Toronto, the largest non-Ahmadi Mosque in Toronto. One book entitled "Myth of the Cross" by Al Hajj Ajijola gave full support to the Ahmadiyya view that Hadhrat Jesus^as died a natural death. Similarly, well known Muslim scholars such as Ahmed Deedat back the Ahmadiyya position on Hadhrat Jesus^as. Moreover, several commentaries of the Quran from Egypt, one of them endorsed by Al Azhar, now interpret the verses regarding the death of Hadhrat Jesus^as as Ahmadis do.

A four part series of articles on the death of Hadhrat Jesus^as, based on the Quran, the Hadith, and books of history is presented.

The Five Pillars of Islam (Declaration of the Islamic Faith)

The Five Pillars of Islam (Declaration of the Islamic Faith)

In order to enter into the fold of Islam i.e. to be Muslim, one has to know, believe, accept totally and sincerely apply the five basic principles (Pillars) on which Islam is based: Ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah - Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said: Islam is based on the following five pillars (principles).

1. Bearing witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
2. Observance of Prayer
3. Paying Zakat
4. Fasting during Ramadhan
5. Pilgrimage to the house of Allah.

Why I believe in Islam

• An article

ISLAM

Islam, a name given by Allah to this religion (Quran 5:4), is an Arabic word which literally means obedience and peace. ISLAM is derived from the Arabic root "SALEMA": peace, purity, submission and obedience. So 'Islam' would mean the path of those who are obedient to Allah and who establish peace with Him and His creatures. Its follower are called Muslims.

Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all prophets before Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Allah says in the Qur’ân:

"Say, `We believe in ALLAH and that which has been revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus and other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and to HIM we submit." (Qur’ân 3-85)

Six main Articles of faith in Islam

• To believe in the Oneness of Allah.
• To believe in all His Angels.
• To believe in all His Books.
• To believe in all His Prophets.
• To believe in the Day of Resurrection.
• To believe in the Decree of Allah

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MARRIAGE

The significance of marriage and the aims and advantages that are associated with it are self-evident. Peace of mind and a happy life are greatly dependent on the mutual relationship that develops between husband and wife.

The main objects of marriage are that both parties enjoy the pleasures of life with purity, (which can only be possible through wedlock) and that the continuity of the human race be, and is, maintained with dignity. These objects can be realized best when the relations between husband and wife are good and there is love, sympathy and good understanding between them.

The main purpose of the Prophet's teachings, regarding the rights and duties of marriage, is that the marriage proves to be a source of joy and satisfaction to both husband and wife, that their hearts remain united and that the aims of the marriage be attained in the best possible manner.

According to the Prophet's teachings, the wife should regard her husband over and above everyone else and she should remain faithful to him. She should leave nothing to be desired with regards to devotion and earnestness and should believe that, for her. the happiness of both worlds lies in his good pleasure. The husband, on his part, ought to consider his wife as a blessing of Allah and he should give her. ungrudgingly, his love, hold her in high esteem and look after her needs and comforts to the best of his ability. If she makes a mistake, he should over look it and try to correct her with tact and patience.

Obedience And Loyalty To The Husband

• Aisha (ra) says that the Prophet (saw) said "The greatest claim on a woman is that of her husband and the greatest claim on a man is that of his mother".
  
  
• In the marriage agreement it is necessary that the husband has the position of leadership. Man has been declared the head of the family in the Islamic Shari'ah and great responsibilities have been assigned to him. The Quran says ‘Men are the protectors and maintainers of women".
  
  
• As for the women, the commandment is that they obey the husband as the head of the household and fulfill the domestic duties. Regarding them, the Quran says "The righteous women are obedient and protect (the husband's interest) in his absence, as Allah has protected them."
  
  
• If the wife fails to submit to her husband, and instead of serving him devotedly, she adopts an attitude of defiance and stubbornness, then it will be disastrous for both and they will be losers in this world and the hereafter.
  
  
• The Prophet (saw), therefore, stressed upon the wives to be loyal and faithful to their husbands and to seek their pleasure, -(A great reward has been promised for this, in the hereafter.)
  
  
• It is related by Anas (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said "if a woman offers five times daily prayer, keeps the fasts of Ramadan, guards her honor and obeys her husband, then she will enter Paradise by whichever gate she pleases."
  
  
• Here, loyalty and obedience to the husband has been mentioned along with the Salah and Fast. It denotes that, in the Shariah, submission to the husband is as important as the principal duties of Islam.
  
  
• The Prophet (saw) has said "A woman who dies in the state that her husband is pleased with her, shall go to Paradise."

It should be noted here, that, if a man is displeased with his wife, without any fault of hers, she will be innocent in the sight of Allah and the responsibility for annoyance shall rest with the husband.

Advice On Kind Treatment To The Wife

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) relates that the Prophet (saw) advised, "O people. Follow my advice concerning the kind treatment of wives. (I order you to treat your wives with kindness and love). The woman has been created from the rib, and the rib is curved, by nature, and the greatest curve is in its upper part. If you try to straighten the curved rib by force, it will break, and if you leave it alone, it will remain curved forever. So follow my advice and treat your wives kindly and well."

• If a man dislikes his wife for some reason, he should not adopt an attitude of hatred towards her, and start thinking in terms of divorce, but he should look for the good qualities in her, and learn to admire her because of them.
  
  
• The Prophet (saw) has said, "No believing man hates his believing wife. If there is a bad quality in her, there will also be a good quality."

This is the claim of Faith on a believing husband and the privilege of a believing wife.

• Addressing the Muslims, the Prophet (saw) said "The best of you are those who are best to their wives."
  
  
• It is related by Aisha (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said, "Good among you are those who are good to their wives; and I, on my part, am very good to my wives."

This shows that there is a special goodness in treating one's wife well. To make the advice more effective, the Prophet added that he himself was good and considerate to his wives.

Getting closer to Allah

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2, verse 186)

After mentioning the rules of fasting and significance of the month of Ramadan, Allah says that He is indeed Qarib or close to his servants. Allah, of course, knows His whole creation. He is aware of every one and every thing. He knows the believers and the non-believer. He knows those who are truthful, honest, sincere and righteous and those who are sinners and wrongdoers. But His closeness is a special honor that He grants to special people. Who are those people and how they become closer to Allah and what benefit they draw when Allah comes closer to them?

The people who become closer to Allah are those who love to be closer to Him. They make an effort to come closer to Allah. Allah then grants them the honor of His closeness. Taqarrub ila Allah, getting closer to Allah or drawing near Allah is thus a very important Islamic value. The Prophet (PBUH) was the closest person to Allah and he used to teach people the way of this closeness.

We all can try to come closer to Allah and Allah in His glory and majesty can be closer to all of us at the same time. It is possible for every person to draw near to Allah. But we have to make an effort. The question is how to make this effort. In the Qur'an and Sunnah we are given various ways and methods to come closer to Allah. We should try all these ways and may try to excel in one or the other. The possibilities are immense and reward are many.

Ways To Come Closer To Allah

1. Way of Devotion and Worship:
   
   This is a way to come to closer to Allah. People close to Allah are those who are most devoted to Allah. They love Allah more than any one and anything. Worship is a very important way of coming closer to Allah. Allah says:

   Nay, heed him not: but bow down in adoration, and bring thyself the closer (to Allah)! (Surah Al Alaq 96 - Verse 19)

In a Hadith the Prophet (PBUH) said:

"..my servant does not come closer to Me with anything more dear to Me than that which I made obligatory upon him. My servant keeps coming closer to Me with more volunteer deeds, until I love him. When I love him, I become His ear by which he hears, his eyes by which he sees, his hand by which he holds and his foot by which he walks. If he asks Me any thing I shall give him. If he seeks My protection I shall grant him My protection… "(Al-Bukhari 6021)

2. Way of Piety and Righteousness:
   
   Taqwa (piety) and righteous deeds also bring us close to Allah. People close to Allah are those who are foremost in doing good things. They want to go ahead of every one in their faith, deeds of charity and goodness. Allah says:
   
   

   And the pioneers who compete with other (in Faith and righteousness). These will be those Nearest to Allah. (Surah Al-Waqi'ah 56 - Verses 10-11)

   Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for Allah loves not those who trespass beyond bounds. Do no mischief on the earth, after it hath been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts): for the Mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do good. (Surah Al-A'raf 7 - Verses 55-56)

3. Way of Charity and Kindness:
   
   This is another way that can bring us very close to Allah. The Prophet (PBUH) mentioned that Allah identifies with the poor and those who help the poor and needy they find Allah and they come closer to him.

   "Allah will say on the Day of Judgment, O son of Adam, I was ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant so and so was ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant so and so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant so and so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me." (Muslim 4661)

All these are the ways to come closer to Allah. Those who strive in this direction they become the beloved of Allah and they become the people of Paradise:

Thus, then, if he be of those Nearest to Allah, there is for him Rest and Satisfaction, and a Garden of Delights. (Surah Al-Waqi'ah 56 - Verse 88)

THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM

THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM

Paper read on behalf of Syed Abul Ala Maududi at the International Islamic Conference in London, April 1976).

Let me begin by clarifying that for us Islam is not the name of some unique faith presented for the first time by Mohammad (peace be upon him) who should, on that account be called the founder of Islam. The Qur’an makes it abundantly clears that Islam—the complete submission of man before God—is the one and only faith consistently revealed by God to mankind from the very beginning. Noah, Abraham, Moses and Christ—prophets who appeared at different times and places—all propagated the same faith. They were not founders of faiths to be named after them. They were each reiterating the faith of their predecessors.'

II. What distinguishes Mohammad from the other Prophets?

(i) He was the last Prophet of God.

(ii) God revived through him the same genuine faith, which had been conveyed by all the Prophets.

(iii) This original message was corrupted, and split into various religions by people of different ages, who indulged in interpolations and admixture. God eliminated these alien elements and Islam, in its pure and original form, was transmitted to mankind through Mohammad.

(iv) Since there was to be no messenger after Mohammad, the Book revealed to him was preserved word for word2 so that it should be a source of guidance for all times.3

(v) The life of Mohammad, and the manner in which he conducted himself, was also recorded in a unique manner by his companions and by later compilers of the Tradition. A more complete and authentic account of the life, sayings, and actions, of any Prophet or historical personage, has never been compiled.4

(vi) In this way, the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet together became a reliable source of knowing what is Islam, what it stands for, what guidance it provides, and what obligations it places upon us.

III. As Muslims, we believe in all the Prophets who preceded Mohammad— not only those who are mentioned in the Qur’an, but also those who are not so mentioned and this is such an integral part of our faith that if we were to abandon it we should cease to be Muslims. But for instruction we turn to Prophet Mohammad alone Not on account of any prejudice, but because

a) As the last of God's Prophets he brought us the latest divine dis­pensation,

b) The Word of God which reached us through Mohammad is pure divine language, free of human admixtures, and preserved in its original form Its language is a living language, spoken, written and understood by millions of people, and whose grammar, vocabulary, idiom, pronunciation, and script have remained unchanged from the time of revelation till today

c) As 1 have said earlier, we have a complete historical record of the life, character, conduct, sayings, and actions of the Prophet Mohammad, preserved with meticulous care, accuracy and detail since this cannot be said of other prophets we can believe in them but we cannot emulate them

IV. It is our belief that Mohammad's mission was for the world as a whole and for all times, for,

(i) Its universality has been clearly confirmed by the Qur’an,

(ii) It is a logical consequence of the finality of his prophet hood. A prophet, after whom there was to be no other, had to be a guide and leader for all men and for all ages,

(iii) God has provided through him a complete code which man needs to follow the right path, and this in itself, supports the concept of finality, because without completeness the need for other prophets would remain

(iv) It is a fact that during the last 1400 years no man has arisen whose life and work bears even the slightest resemblance to that of a prophet. Nor has anyone presented a book, which could be remotely considered as divine communication. Still less has there been a man to claim legitimate authority as a lawgiver for mankind.

V. It must, at this point, be understood why the need arose for God to communicate with man through His prophets. This has to be examined in the context of the sources of human knowledge .At the preliminary stage we gain knowledge through empirical observation. At higher levels comes deductive reasoning accompanied by scientific investigation. Man is sufficiently well equipped in these fields not to require direct divine assistance. Though, no doubt, there is an ever present divine will help man in his research and innovative endeavors and revealing to him progressively the mysteries of His creation. Some gifted individuals achieve, in moments of rare inspiration, new insights or discover new laws of nature. But there is another type of knowledge, which is beyond the reach of our senses or scientific study. This sphere of knowledge does not submit to any instrument of scientific examination. Philosophy and science can only speculate about it. Human theories about ultimate realities, based on reason, never achieve the level of certainty, and their authors, conscious of their limitations do not present them as conclusively proved. In respect of these realities man is dependent on whatever knowledge is communicated to him by God. How is this knowledge conveyed? Not through the operations of some publishing house, where books are printed and handed over to each man, with instructions to read them, and to discover the truth about himself, about the universe, and about the manner in which he should organize his life. To convey this knowledge to mankind, God chooses prophets as His messengers. He reveals the truth to them and they communicate it to the people.

VI. The work of a prophet is not limited to communication of the knowledge alone. He has to explain, according to what is revealed to him, the relationship between God and man and man and man as it factually is, and, as it actually should be He has to prescribe a moral code, enunciate the principles of culture and civilization, lay down the mode of worship, establish a frame-work of belief, and define the moral imperatives, which must govern our life. The Prophet determines the rules, which should form the basis of social and cultural relationship, economic. Judicial, and political dealing, matters of war and peace, and international affairs. The Prophet does not transmit merely a code of rituals commonly regarded as 'religion'. He brings with him a whole system of thought and action, which is called Al-Deen (a complete way of life) in Islamic terminology.

VII. The mission of a prophet does not end with the announcement of this way of life to the world at large. He has to guide the people who follow him, explaining to them the implications of the Islamic creed, the moral code, the divine injunctions and commandments, and the form of worship that sustains the whole system. He has to demonstrate, by practice, the faith he preaches, and his life should be a model which people may be able to follow to organize his own lives. He must give training to the individuals and the Muslim society as a whole to prepare them for practical participation in the evolution of Islamic culture and civilization. The believers must grow under his guidance into an organized community engaged in establishing the Islamic system of life so that God's word should prevail upon all other words.

Not all the Prophets completely succeeded in this mission. There were many who failed not because of any personal fault or inadequacy. They did not succeed because of the prejudice and intolerance of the people or because the circumstances were not favorable. But every prophet had the same mission, and it is a fact of history that Mohammad succeeded in establishing the Kingdom of God on earth, as it is in the heavens.

VIII. The audience of the Qur’an and the Prophet Mohammad was the whole of mankind from the very outset, and those who accepted the Word acquired the status of believers without any distinction. At no time was the invitation of the Qur’an addressed to the people of any particular area, race, tribe, colour or language .The Qur’an always calls upon the "progeny of Adam” or "the mankind” to accept Islam. The specific instructions and injunctions are meant for those who have come to believe in Islam, and they are always addressed as "those who believe " That the message of Islam was universal in character is proved by the fact that those who accepted the message acquired equal rights and status as believers, regardless of all differences of origin. The Qur’an says, “The believers are all like brothers”. The Prophet said: "those who subscribe to our beliefs, and adopt the Islamic way of life, have the same rights and the same obligations as we have. The Prophet announced, “Listen! You have one God as you have one father (Adam). There is no distinction between an Arab and a non-Arab. There is no preference for the black over the fair, or the fair over the black. There is distinction only in submission to God. The most virtuous among you is the most honourable in the eyes of God”.

IX. Among the fundamentals of Islam, the most important is belief in one God, —not just the conviction that He exists or that He is one—but that He alone is the Creator, Master, Ruler, and Administrator of all that exists. The universe exists because God wills it to exist, it functions because God wills it to function, and God provides the sustenance and the energy, which everything of the universe requires for its existence and growth. All the attributes of Sovereignty reside in God alone, and no one else has a share in them in the slightest degree. He alone possesses all the attributes of Divinity, and no one other than God possesses any of those attributes. He views the whole universe, and all that it contains, in a single instantaneous glance. He has direct knowledge of the universe, and all that is there in the universe. He knows not only its present, but its past and its future as well. This omnipresence and omniscience is an attribute of God alone and of no other. There was no ‘before’ him and there is no ‘after’ him. He has been there always and will be there always—eternal and abiding. All else is transient. He alone is eternally living and present. He is no one’s progeny and He has no progeny. Whatever exists, besides His self, is His own creation, and no other can identify himself in any manner with the Lord of the universe, or claim to be his son or daughter. He is man's single Deity. To associate anyone in His worship is as great a sin as it is an act of infidelity. He responds to man's prayers and He alone has the power to accept or reject them. Not to ask of him is senseless arrogance, and to turn to others is sheer ignorance. To seek of him and also of others, is to associate equals with him.

X. The sovereignty of God in Islam is not just a supernatural phenomenon. It covers all aspects of political and legal sovereignty also and in these too no one other than God has any share. In God alone vests the rightful authority to exercise power on this earth, and over those whom God has created in it. No monarch, no royal family, no elite class, no leader of any religious group, no demkcracy established on the basis of the sovereignty of the people, can participate in God's sovereignty. Whoever claims such a position is a rebel, as are those who leave God and turn to other people in obedience. Similarly, any institution or individual attempting to assume political and legal sovereignty and restrict the jurisdiction of God to spheres of personal law or religious duties is really a usurper and a rebel. The truth is that no one can claim to be a lawgiver on God’s earth, and no one can challenge the supreme authority of God Almighty in any sphere.

XI. Certain natural consequences flow from this Islamic concept of God.

(a) God alone is the real Deity and no one other than God has any right to be worshipped by man.

(b) God alone has authority over the forces of the universe, and he alone can fulfill or frustrate man's hopes. Man should turn to Him alone in prayer. He should never imagine that prayers could be addressed to anyone but God.

(c) God is the Master of man's destiny and no one else can interfere with the fate of others or with his own fate. Man’s hopes and fears must, therefore, be directed only to God. No one else should be an object of fear or source of favour.

(d) God is the Creator of the world and He alone has complete and direct knowledge of the reality of man and of the world. Only He can guide man through the complicated course of life and instruct him regard­ing good and evil. Since God alone is the Creator and the Master He has exclusive authority over the universe and man. It is an act of blasphemy for man to become independent or claim authority over other men. For man to become his own lawgiver to accept the authority of any other individual or institution as such is equally blasphemous. The ultimate Lawgiver and Master of His creation on this earth is no other than God, and His law has the status of the supreme law. Man can legislate subject to his Supreme law. Beyond that he has no legislative authority.

XII. We now come to our second most important belief---belief in Mohammad's prophet hood. God conveyed His message to man through Mohammad. This took two forms:

(a) God revealed the Qur’an to the Prophet in his own language.

(b) The Sunnah of the Prophet, which is an unerring guide to man in respect of all that, is permissible and all that is prohibited in the eyes of God. Without this belief in the Prophet, belief in God would become a mere theoretical proposition. It is the example of practical leadership, and the ideological guidance provided by the Prophet, which transforms belief in God into a culture and a civilization, and enables man to evolve a way of life. We get through the Prophet not only rules of guidance, but a complete scheme of values and a prac­tical code of conduct. No one can be a practicing Muslim unless he believes in the Prophet as he believes in God.

XIII. The position of the Prophet has been so clearly defined in Islam that we can know what he was and what he was not. The Prophet is no more than a servant of God. He was to make people servants of God and not servants of himself. At least seventeen times a day Muslims recite in their prayers: “1 bear witness that Mohammad is a servant of God and is His prophet.” The Qur’an leaves no doubt that the Prophet is but a human being and has no share whatever in Divinity. The Prophet is neither superhuman nor is he free of human weaknesses. He owns no treasure of God, nor does he possess knowledge of the unknown that he should become all knowing like God Almighty. Leave alone being able to benefit others or cause them harm, the Prophet cannot do so even in respect of himself. The precise task of the Prophet is to communicate the message of God. He has no powers to make people righteous and faithful. Nor can he call to account those who refuse to believe, and he certainly has no power to punish them for their disbelief. Should the Prophet himself choose to defy God or fabricate things on behalf of God or make any change in the message revealed to him, he will incur divine displeasure and punishment. Mohammad is one of the Prophets of God, and above that he has no status. He cannot by himself prohibit or permit anything. Without a mandate from God he cannot legislate for the people. He has to strictly conform to Divine commandments. Islam ensured that the believers should not turn the Prophet into a demi-god. Some of the earlier prophets suffered this fate at the hands of their followers. They attributed all kinds of supernatural powers to their leaders and made them into God's equals or progeny or incarnation. By discouraging such exaggeration Islam has established the true position of the Prophet as follows:

No one can claim to be a believer without believing in the Prophet. He who obeys the Prophet, in fact, obeys God. God has not designated any Prophet except to be obeyed according to His will. The path of the Prophet is the path of Divine guidance. Whatever the Prophet ordains must be accepted, and whatever he instructs to avoid, must be avoided. The Prophet clarified this when he said: I am a mortal like you. In matters revealed to me by God, you must obey my instructions. But you know more about your own worldly affairs than I do so my advice in these matters is not binding. The Sunnah of Mohammad is, in fact an exposition of the purpose of the Qur’an, and this exposition too was conveyed lo the Prophet by God Himself, as the author of the Qur’an. The Prophet’s explanation of the Qur’an enjoys divine sanction, and no one else can interpret Qur’an which may be in conflict with or repugnant to the explanation given by the Prophet. God declared the life of Mohammad as a model life. No one can be a true believer unless he accepts the decision of the Prophet. Muslims have not an independent position in a matter determined by the Prophet. Before deciding any matter Muslims must first ascertain whether God and His Prophet decided any analogous matter earlier, and if a precedent exists they must follow it.

I hope I have clarified that God conveyed, through the Prophet, to mankind not only a supreme law but also a permanent scheme of values. That which is good, according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, is good for all times, and that which is evil, shall remain evil forever. That which is enjoined as duty, in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, shall always be a duty. What is declared permissible is permissible forever, and what is prohibited is prohibited for all times. In this law no amendment, deletion, addition, or abrogation, is possible unless some person or community decides to renounce Islam. So long as Muslims remain Muslims, it is impossible in their social and legal system that something, which was evil yesterday, turns into good today, and reverts to evil tomorrow

XIV. The third fundamental creed of Islam is belief in the hereafter (Akhirah). Denial of the hereafter is the denial of Islam even though one may have belief in God, in the Prophet, and in the Qur’an. In its detailed form, this belief is composed of the following essential elements:

(i) Man has not been unleashed on the earth as an irresponsible savage. He is accountable to God for his actions. Today's life is only a test and an examination At the end we will all be called upon to render a complete account of our acts of commission and omission to God.

(ii) The time for accountability is fixed by God The tenure Allotted to mankind, on this earth, shall terminate on the doomsday, when the present order will be annihilated and replaced by another The whole human race will rise once again in the new world.

(iii) That will be the time when they will appear before God Almighty, and every one will face the consequences of his personal acts in his in­dividual capacity.

(iv) I he Judgment will rest not on God's own knowledge alone. The requirements of due process of justice will be fully observed. A complete record of the actions of every individual, without the slightest alternation, will be put in the open Court, and evidence, of different categories, will be presented to prove what was done by man in private or in public, and the motives which inspired his conduct.

(v) 1 here will be no undue intercession. Neither bribery, nor advocacy against the truth will be tolerated No one will be able to shift his burden to another. Even the closest relations, friends, leaders, religious guides, or self-styled deities, will not be able to offer any help to anyone man will stand by himself—helpless and alone and render his account, and await the pronouncement of the judgment, which shall be in the power of God alone.

(vi) The judgment will rest on one question Did man conduct himself, in submission to God, in strict conformity with the truth revealed to the Prophets, and with the conviction that he will be held responsible for his conduct in life on the Day of Judgment? If the answer is in the affirmative, the reward will be Paradise, and if in the negative, Hell will be the punishment.

XV. Belief in the hereafter divides people into three distinct categories. First, there are those who do not believe in the hereafter and regard life on this earth as the only life. Naturally, they judge good and evil by the results which manifest themselves in this world If an action produces beneficial results it is good, and if it brings about harmful results it is evil. Quite often the same action is regarded as good when the results are good, and bad when its results are bad. Second, those people who do not deny the hereafter, but who depend on the intercession or atonement of some one to absolve them of their sins. Among them there are some, who regard themselves as God's chosen people, who will receive only nominal punishment however grave their sins. This deprives them of the moral advantage, which they could have derived from their belief in the hereafter. As a result they also become very much like the people who deny the hereafter. Third, arc those people who believe in the hereafter in the form in which Islam presents it. They do not delude themselves that they have any special relationship with God, or that anyone can intercede on their behalf. They know that they alone are responsible for their actions. For them the belief in the hereafter becomes a great moral force. A person who has the conviction that he is fully accountable for all his actions finds a permanent guard, stationed within himself, who cautions him and admonishes him whenever he deviates from the right path. There may be no court to summon him, no policemen to apprehend him, no witnesses to accuse him, and no public opinion to press him, but the guard within him is ever on the alert, ready to seize him whenever he transgresses. The consciousness of this inner presence makes man fear God even when he is all by himself. He discharges his duties honestly, and refrains from doing anything, which is prohibited. Should he succumb to temptation, and violate the law of God, he is ever ready to offer sincere regrets, and to enter into a firm contract with the future that he will not repeat the mistake. There can be neither greater instrument of moral reformation nor any better method to help man to develop a sound and stable character. It is the hereafter, which helps men, under all circumstances, to conform to God's scheme of permanent values. It is for this reason that Islam attaches great importance to the belief in the hereafter, and without it even the belief in God and the Prophet is not sufficient for man's guidance.

XVI. A little earlier, I mentioned that Islam represents a whole civilization, a complete culture, and a comprehensive world order. It provides moral guidance in all walks of life. That is why Islamic values arc not for the ascetic who renounces the world, but for him who actively participates in different spheres of life, and works within them. The moral values which people look for in convents, monasteries, and cloisters, arc presented by Islam right in the current of life. Heads of governments, governors of states, judges, members of the armed forces and police services, elected representatives of the people in the parliaments, leaders of finance, trade and industry, college and university teachers, and students alike receive guidance to organize their lives according to the principles of Islam. There is no distinction in Islam between private and public conduct. The same moral code, which one observes at home, applies to one's conduct in public. Every institution of society and every department of Government must conform to the laws of Islam. Politics must be based on truth and justice. Nations should deal with one another, on the basis of mutual recognition of rights, and due discharge of obligations. Even if there has to be war, those engaged in it should conduct themselves not as barbarians but as civilized human beings. When man decides to submit to the will of God, and accepts His law as the supreme law, and organizes his life in accordance with the revealed moral code, on the principle of accountability to God, the quality and character of his life cannot be limited to the precincts of prayer halls. It must extend itself to every sphere of his work as a man of God.

This briefly is what Islam stands for. This is no dream or Utopia The Prophet of Islam, and his companions, developed and established a complete model of Islam on this earth for mankind to follow.

Translation of the few Verses from The Holy Qur’an

This is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guidance to the god fearing who believe in the Unseen, and perform the prayer, and spend of that We have provided them; who believe in what has been sent down to these [Mohammed] and what has been sent down before thee, and have faith in the Hereafter; those are upon guidance from their Lord, those are the ones who prosper. (Surah II, 1-4)

Say you: “We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophet, of their Lord; we make no division bet­ween any of them, and to I inn we surrender.” (Sura II, 130)

It is not piety, that you turn your faces to the East and lo the West. True piety is this; to believe in God, and the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the Prophets; to give of one’s substance, however cherished, to kinsmen, and orphans, the needy, the traveller, beggars and to ransom the slave; to perform the prayer; to pay the alms. And they who fulfil their covenant…. and endure with fortitude misfortune, hardship, and peril, these are they who are true in their faith, these are the truly god fearing. (Sura 11, 172, 173)

Surely this Qur’an guides to the way that is the straightest and gives good tidings to the believers who do deeds of righteousness…. Thy Lord has decreed you shall not worship squander…. And keep not thy hand chained to thy neck, nor outspread it widespread altogether, or thou wilt sit reproached and denuded…. And approach not fornication; surely it is a shameful, and evil as a way. And slay not the soul God has for­bidden…. And fill up the measure when you measure, and weigh with the straight balance…. And walk not in the earth exultantly; certainly thou wilt never tear the earth open, nor attain the mountains in height. (Surah XVII, 9, 23-37)