Editorial: October 2004, Vol.99, No.10

Contents October 2004, Vol.99, No.
10
Editorial The true purpose of our lives is to win the pleasure of Allah.
By Fareed Ahmad - UK ....................................................................................................... 2
The Essence of Islam: Allah the Exalted - Part 5 Describes in detail the four
principal attributes of Allah as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, and how they are related
to each other and have been described in the correct order.
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) ........................................................................................... 3
Distinctive Features of Islam Some of the unique features of Islam

ranging from the unity of God, prophethood, the Holy Qur’an, rights of women and
life after death that attracted the author to join Islam.
By Bilal Atkinson - Hartlepool, UK ....................................................................................... 20
The Holy Qur’an – The Perfect Guidance for Mankind Discussion on how the
Holy Qur’an uses the emotions of Hope and Fear to guide mankind towards God..
By Fauzia Bajwa - Montreal, Canada.. ................................................................................. 37
The Task Ahead A plea to engage in personal reformation and to ignore the
fashions and distractions of the outside world.
By Sir Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan . ............................................................................................ 47
The Concept of Jihad in Islam A study of the life and teachings of the Holy
Prophet(as) towards other faiths co-exisiting with Muslims. Proof that concepts such
as forced conversion are alien to the original notion of Jihad, and that actually Jihad
is a personal battle of reformation.
By Amjad Mahmood Khan - Boston, USA . ............................................................................. 56
Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah

Bockarie Tommy Kallon
Management Board: Special contributors: Design and layout:
Fareed Ahmad.
Mr Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman) Amatul-Hadi Ahmad Tanveer Khokhar
Fazal Ahmad Mr Mansoor Shah (Secretary) Farina Qureshi Publisher:
Fauzia Bajwa Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah
Proof-reader:
Mansoor Saqi Mr Mubarak Ahmad Zafar Abdul Ghany Jehangeer Khan Distribution:
Mahmood Hanif Mr Mirza Fakhar Ahmad Shaukia Mir Muhammad Hanif
Mr. Abdul Baqi Arshad
Mansoora Hyder-Muneeb
Navida Shahid All correspondence should The Review of Religions © Islamic Publications, 2004
Sarah Waseem be forwarded directly to the The London Mosque ISSN No: 0034-6721
editor at: 16 Gressenhall Road
Saleem Ahmad Malik London, SW18 5QL
Tanveer Khokhar United Kingdom
Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 1
oneself in different capacities –
Editorial as a husband, father, leader,
statesman, General, judge to
name but a few. They comprise a
By Fareed Ahmad set of ideals to which we all must
aspire. His every action was
Several articles in this month’s underpinned by serving and
issue highlight the distinctive winning the pleasure of Allah.
features of Islam – from the vast Undoubtedly it is this that holds
treasure of knowledge contained the key for us even today.
within the Holy Qur’an to
specific aspects of Islam that are Our deeds and actions do not
not found in other religions. happen without reason and only
we can determine what that
These timeless and global reason is. Indeed our thoughts
aspects of Islamic teachings were and hearts are the source of our
revealed to Holy Prophet goodness or evil and they play a
Muhammad(sa) over 1400 years crucial role in moulding our soul.
ago, and his life was a practical The emphasis in Islam of Allah’s
example of how man should live. attribute of being ‘al-Aleem’ i.e.
This is a struggle to channel the All-Knowing, is vital to our
material resources for the benefit success as it reminds us of the
of the soul. This does not mean objective of this life – to develop
that one should live in isolation characteristics that bring us
or disengagement from the world closer to Allah and so win His
but rather one should strive to pleasure. If we are able to master
inject a sense of spirituality into our thoughts only then will we be
every aspect of life. In this able to truly benefit from the
respect the world is indebted to profound wisdom that underlies
Prophet Muhammad (sa) as his every aspect of the beautiful
example, during both times of teachings of Islam.
peace and war, of how to conduct
2 The Review of Religions – October 2004

The Essence of Islam: Allah the Exalted – Part 5
This series sets out, in the words of the Promised Messiah(as) Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad, a summary of his exposition of four outstanding topics: ISLAM; ALLAH, THE
EXALTED; THE HOLY PROPHET (sa); and THE HOLY QUR’AN. The original
compilation, in Urdu, from which these extracts have been translated into English, was
collated with great care and diligence by Syed Daud Ahmad Sahib, Allah have mercy on him
and reward him graciously for his great labour of love. Amin. The English rendering is by
the late Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, Allah be pleased with him, and quoted from The
Essence of Islam, Volume 1. All references throughout, unless otherwise specifically
mentioned, are from the Holy Qur’an.
Four Principal Attributes of

Allah
God Almighty has four principal
attributes which may be called the
mothers of all attributes. Every
one of them makes a demand upon
our humanity. These four are
Rububiyyat, Rahmaniyyat,
Rahimiyyat and Malikiyyat of the
Day of Judgement.
For its manifestation, Rububiyyat

The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
community was Hadhrat Mirza demands nothingness, or a state
Ghulam Ahmad(as). resembling nothingness. Every
In 1891, he claimed on the basis of Divine form of creation, whether animate
revelation, that he was the Promised or inanimate, comes into being
Messiah and Mahdi whose advent had through it. For its manifestation,
been foretold by Muhammad, the Holy
Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Rahmaniyyat demands the
Allah be upon him) and by the scriptures absence of existence and its
of other faiths. operation is related only to
His claim constitutes the basis of the animates and not to inanimates.
beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
community.
The Review of Religions – October 2004 3

Rahimiyyat demands for its In Surah Fatihah, God Almighty

manifestation an affirmation of has set forth four of His attributes,
their nothingness and non- namely, Rabb-ul-'Alamin,
existence from the part of creation Rahman, Rahim and Malik-i-
which is endowed with reason and Yaum-id-Din. The order in which
relates only to man. they are mentioned is the natural
order of these four attributes and
Malikiyyat of the Day of they are manifested in this order.
Judgement demands for its Divine grace is manifested in the
manifestation humble supplication world in four types.
and pleading and relates only to
such of mankind as fall like The first is the most general grace.
beggars on the threshold of Unity This is the absolute grace which
and spread forth their mantle of perpetually envelops everything
sincerity in order to receive grace from the heavens to the earth
and, finding themselves empty without distinction of animate or
handed, believe in the Malikiyyat inanimate. The coming into being
of God. of everything from non-existence
and its fullest development is
These four attributes are in through this grace. Nothing is
operation all the time. Of these outside of it. All souls and bodies
Rahimiyyat moves a person to were manifested and are mani-
supplication and Malikiyyat fested through it and all were
consumes a person in the fire of developed and are developed
fear and terror and gives birth to through it. This grace is the very
true humility, for this attribute life of the universe. Were it to be
establishes that God is the Master withdrawn for an instant the
of recompense and that no one has universe would come to an end;
the right to demand anything. and had it not been for this grace,
Forgiveness and salvation are there would have been no creation.
through grace. In the Holy Qur’an this grace is
[Ayyam-us-sulah, Ruhani named Rububiyyat and by virtue
Khaza'in, Vol. 14, pp. 242-243] of it God is called Rabb-ul-
'Alamin, as is said at another place:

“THE COMING INTO BEING OF EVERYTHING FROM NON-

EXISTENCE AND ITS FULLEST DEVELOPMENT IS THROUGH
THIS GRACE. N OTHING IS OUTSIDE OF IT. A LL SOULS AND
BODIES WERE MANIFESTED AND ARE MANIFESTED
THROUGH IT AND ALL WERE DEVELOPED AND ARE
DEVELOPED THROUGH IT. THIS GRACE IS THE VERY LIFE OF
THE UNIVERSE. WERE IT TO BE WITHDRAWN FOR AN
INSTANT THE UNIVERSE WOULD COME TO AN END.”
He is the Lord of all things. everything whether animate or

(Ch.6: V.165) inanimate.
God is the Rabb of everything. The second type of grace is

general grace and the difference
Nothing in the universe is devoid between this grace and the one
of His Rububiyyat. So the attribute previously mentioned is that the
of Rabb-ul-'Alamin is mentioned first one comprehends the whole
first of all in Surah Fatihah (the of the universe and the second one
first chapter of the Holy Qur’an) is a special Divine bounty which is
and it is declared: bestowed upon animates. In other
words, the special attention of the
All praise belongs to Allah, Divine towards living things is
Lord of all the worlds. called the general grace. It
(Ch.1: V.2) operates in respect of all living
things according to their needs
As of all the attributes of grace, without their having any right or
this has natural priority, both title to it. It is not the consequence
because it comes into of, or reward for, any action. It is
manifestation before the other by the blessing of this grace that
attributes of grace and because it is every living thing lives, eats,
the most general in its scope, drinks and is safeguarded against
inasmuch as it comprehends dangers and has its needs fulfilled.

Through it, all the means of life bestowed these numberless

which are needed by every bounties upon mankind. It is thus
animate or its species for their own established that this grace which
continuance, are made available. It is manifested in thousands of
is the consequence of this grace ways for the comfort of all
that whatever the souls need for animates is an ex gratia bounty,
their physical development has all which is not bestowed in
been provided, and for those who consequence of any action but is a
in addition to physical devel- manifestation of Divine
opment are in need of spiritual compassion, so that every animate
development, that is to say, they should achieve its natural purpose
possess the capacity for such and all its needs may be fulfilled.
development, the Word of God has By virtue of this grace, Divine
descended through eternity at the bounty provides for the needs of
time of their need. mankind and all animals and
affords them protection so that
It is through the operation of this their capacities should not remain
grace of Rahmaniyyat that man in the realm of potentiality.
fulfils his millions of needs. He
has available to him the surface of The existence of this Divine
the earth for residence, the sun attribute is established by the
and the moon for light, air for observation of the law of nature.
breathing, water for drinking, all No reasonable person would deny
varieties of food for eating, that the sun, the moon, the earth,
millions of medicines for and the elements, and all other
treatment, a large variety of necessary things which are found
garments for wearing and Divine in the universe, and upon which
Books for guidance. No one can the life of all animates depends, are
claim that all this has been manifested through this grace. The
provided through the blessing of name of this grace, of which
his actions, that he had performed everything that breathes takes
some good action in some advantage according to its needs,
previous existence in without distinction of man or
consequence of which God has

beast, believer or non-believer, This means that: When the

good or bad, and of which no disbelievers, pagans and atheists
animate is deprived, is are admonished that they should
Rahmaniyyat, and by virtue of it prostrate them-selves before the
God has been called Rahman in Rahman, they feel aversion
Surah Fatihah after Rabbul- towards the name Rahman and
'Alamin. The attribute Al-Rahman enquire: What is Rahman? The
is referred to at several other places answer is that Rahman is the
in the Holy Qur'an. For instance: Blessed Being, Who is the
perpetual source of all good and
And when it is said to them, Who has made mansions in the
‘Submit to the Gracious God’, heaven and has placed the sun and
they say, ‘And who is the the moon in those mansions which
Gracious God? Shall we provide light to the whole creation
submit to whatever thou without distinction of believer and
biddest us?’ And it increases disbeliever. The same Rahman has
their aversion. Blessed is He made for all mankind day and
Who has made in the heaven night which follow each other so
mansions of the stars and has that a seeker of understanding
placed therein a Lamp should draw benefit from this wise
producing light and a moon arrangement and should find
that reflects light. And He it is release from the coverings of
Who has made the night and ignorance and indifference and so
the day, each following the that he who is eager to be grateful
other, for the benefit of him should render thanks.
who desires to remember, or
desires to be grateful. And the The true worshippers of Rahman
true servants of the Gracious are those who walk humbly upon
God are those who walk the earth and when the ignorant
humbly and when the ignorant ones address them harshly they
address them, they avoid them reply to them in words of peace
gracefully by saying, ‘Peace!’. and compassion.
(Ch.25: Vs.61-64)
That is to say, they offer kindness

in place of harshness, and in return by virtue of Rahmaniyyat that He

for abuse, they pray for their grants respite to the disbelievers
revilers and thus they exhibit and pagans and does not seize
gracious qualities, for the them quickly. At another place
Gracious One bestows the Rahmaniyyat is referred to as:
bounties of the sun, the moon, the
earth and other countless favours Do they not see the birds above
upon all His creatures regardless them, spreading out their
of whether they are good or bad. wings in flight and then
drawing them in to swoop
In these verses, it has been down upon their prey? It is
expounded that the word Rahman none but the Gracious God
is used for God because His mercy that keeps them from falling
encompasses all good and bad down.
alike. At another place this mercy (Ch.67: V.20)
has been referred to in the verse:
This means that the grace of
‘I will inflict My punishment Rahmaniyyat so encompasses all
on whom I will; but my mercy animates that even birds which
encompasses all things’. seem to have little value, fly
(Ch.7: V.157) joyously in the current of this
grace.
At another place it is said:
As this grace follows naturally
Say, ‘Who can protect you by after Rububiyyat, it has been
night and by day from the mentioned in that order in Surah
Gracious God?’ Fatihah.
(Ch.21: V.43)
The third type of grace is special
Tell these disbelievers and the grace. The difference between
disobedient ones that were it not this and general grace is that in
for the attribute of Rahmaniyyat, the case of the general grace, a
they could not have averted divine beneficiary is not under obligation
chastisement. In other words, it is to make himself good, or to bring

THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE MENTIONED IS THE

NATURAL ORDER OF THESE FOUR ATTRIBUTES AND THEY
ARE MANIFESTED IN THIS ORDER.
his ego out of the coverings of grace, in the Holy Qur'an, God's
darkness, or to put forward any name is Rahim. Because the
effort to take advantage of it. By attribute of Rahimiyyat is special
virtue of general grace, God and follows upon the fulfilment of
Almighty bestows upon every certain conditions, it is mentioned
animate all that it needs according after Rahmaniyyat, for
to its nature without asking and Rahmaniyyat was manifested
without any effort on its part. But before Rahimiyyat manifested
in the case of special grace, itself. On account of this natural
striving and effort, purification of order Rahimiyyat is mentioned
the heart and supplication, after Rahmaniyyat in Surah
attention towards God and all Fatihah and Allah the Exalted
kinds of appropriate efforts are says:
needed. He alone receives this
grace who seeks it and this grace The Gracious, the Merciful.
descends upon one who works for (Ch.1: V.3)
it. The existence of this grace is
also proved by observation of the This attribute is mentioned at
law of nature. It is obvious that several places in the Holy Qur'an.
those who strive in the cause of For instance, at one place it is said:
God and those who are indifferent
cannot be equal. And He is Merciful to the
believers.
Without doubt, a special mercy (Ch.33: V.44)
descends upon people who strive
truly in the cause of God and This means that God's Rahimiyyat
withdraw from every darkness is confined to the believers and
and disorder. By virtue of this that a disbeliever and a rebellious

one have no share in it.
It is worthy of note that the

operation of the attribute of
Rahimiyyat has been confined to
the case of believers, but What kind of a lover is he
Rahmaniyyat is not so limited. towards whom the Beloved does
Nowhere is it stated that God is not incline?
Rahman towards believers. The
mercy which is specially related to O my master, what is lacking is
the believers is always described pain, for the Physician is
as Rahimiyyat. At another place it available.
is said:
The fourth kind of grace is the
Surely, the mercy of Allah is most special one. This grace
nigh unto those who do good. cannot be achieved merely by
(Ch.7: V.57) striving and effort. The first
condition for its manifestation is
The Rahimiyyat of Allah is close that this world of means which is
to those who do their duty to the narrow and dark should be
utmost. At another place it is said: demolished altogether and the full
power of the Lord of Unity should
Those who believe and those manifest its perfect brilliance
who emigrate and strive hard nakedly without the intrusion of
in the cause of Allah, it is these other means. This last degree of
who hope for Allah’s mercy; grace where all other graces end,
and Allah is Most Forgiving, is distinguished from other graces
Merciful. (Ch.2: V.219) by being perfect in the sense that
it is open and clear and there is no
This means that His Rahimiyyat is covertness or deficiency in
certainly bestowed upon those respect of it. That is to say, there
who deserve it. There is no one should be no doubt left with
who seeks Him and does not find regard to the determined bestowal
Him. of this grace, nor with regard to

the reality and pure and perfect no stage of manifestation and

mercy of this grace. The gener- certainty should be left out and no
osity of and the rewarding by the veil of material means should
Eternal Master, the Bestower of obstruct it. Every detail of
the grace, should appear as bright complete understanding should
as the day. The recipient of this come into operation in full force.
grace should know with certainty The manifestations should be so
and should feel it as a matter clear and definite that God
which is patent that the Master of Himself should convey that they
the kingdom is bestowing a grand are free from every test and trial.
bounty, and great delight upon This manifestation should carry
him by His determination, with it high and perfect delights
attention and special power. And possessing so completely one's
that for his righteous conduct he is heart and soul and every spiritual
receiving the reward which is and physical faculty to such a
perfect and everlasting, most clear degree as could not possibly be
and superior, most desirable and exceeded.
loved, and that there is no aspect
of a test or trial involved. This world which is defective in
its essence, clouded in its
To become the beneficiary of that appearance, mortal in its being,
complete, perfect, lasting and doubtful in its conditions, and
superior grace, it is necessary that narrow in its extent, cannot bear
the person concerned should be these grand manifestations. Pure
transported to another world from lights and eternal bounties, and
this defective, opaque, narrow, those perfect rays which are
confined, mortal and doubtful everlasting cannot be contained in
world, because this grace is an it. For this manifestation, another
experience of grand mani- world is needed which should be
festations in which the beauty of wholly free from the darkness of
the true Benefactor should be material means and should be the
clearly seen and should be perfect and pure manifestation of
experienced as a certainty, so that the power of the One Supreme
Being.

This most special grace is to some is deprived of this grace is

degree enjoyed in this very life by condemned forever to hell. By
those perfect personalities who virtue of this grace, God
tread completely along the path of Almighty has named Himself
truth and, discarding their selfish Malik-i-Yaum-id-Din in the Holy
designs and desires, lean wholly Qur'an. The recompense referred
towards God. They die before to in this juxtaposition is the
their death, and though they perfect recompense, the details of
appear to be in this world, they in which are set out in the Holy
truth dwell in the other world. Qur'an. That perfect recompense
Inasmuch as they withdraw their cannot be manifested without the
hearts altogether from the manifest-ation of complete
material means of this world, Mastership. This is referred to at
breaking away from the habits of another place where it is said:
humanness and turning away
altogether from that which is ‘Whose is the Kingdom this
beside Allah, adopt the way day!’ It is Allah’s, the One, the
which is above the ordinary. God Most Supreme.
Almighty treats them in the same (Ch.40: V.17)
way and, in an extraordinary
manner, manifests those lights for This means that: On that day God's
them which in the case of the Rububiyyat will manifest itself
others are only manifested after without the intervention of
death. They experience to some material means and it will be
degree this most special grace in observed and felt that everything
this life. besides the great power and might
of Allah is non-existent.
This is a very special grace and is
the ultimate end of all graces. He Then all comfort and joy, and all
who achieves it arrives at the reward and punishment, will
greatest good fortune and enjoys appear clearly as coming from
eternal prosperity which is the God. There will be no veil in
fountainhead of all joys. He who between and there will be no room
left for any doubt. At that time,

those who had cut themselves is necessary and is demanded by

asunder from every-thing for His the rule of good composition.
sake will find themselves in a state When the book of nature is
of perfect bliss which will studied, the first attribute of God
envelope their bodies and souls, which comes to notice is
their outside and inside, and no Rububiyyat, then His
part of their beings will be Rahmaniyyat, and thereafter His
deprived of this great good Rahimiyyat and finally His
fortune. Malikiyyat.
Malik-i-Yaum-id-Din also indi- Perfect composition demands that

cates that on that Day comfort or the order followed in the book of
suffering and pleasure or pain, nature should also be kept in view
whatever is experienced by man, in the revealed book. To reverse
will proceed directly from God the natural order in composition is
Almighty, and He will be the to reverse the law of nature. For a
Master of all conditions. In other perfect composition it is necessary
words, meeting with Him or being that the order of the composition
cut off from Him will be the cause should be in such accord with the
of eternal good fortune or eternal order of nature as if it were its
misfortune. Those who had photograph in which that which is
believed in Him, adhered to Unity natural and in fact prior should be
and had dyed their hearts in His prior in description also. Thus in
pure love, will experience the these verses the highest eloquence
lights of His mercy clearly and is displayed in which the natural
openly; and those who had not order is perfectly observed. The
achieved faith and love of God verses follow the order which
will be deprived of this delight and everyone possessing insight would
comfort and will be involved in observe in the order of the
painful torment. universe. Is this not the straight-
forward way that the order in
.... It will thus be seen that the which Divine bounties appear in
priority given to the attribute the book of nature should be
Rahman over the attribute Rahim followed also in the Revealed

Book? To take exception to such nents of the universe which is not

an excellent and wise order is the the creation of God.
characteristic of those blind ones
who have lost at once both their Through His perfect Rububiyyat
sight and their insight. God Almighty controls and rules
over every particle of the universe.
His Rububiyyat is in operation all

the time. It is not that after having
created the world God has
The eye of the ill-wisher, withdrawn from its control and
wherever it lands; that He has committed it to the
Is prone to see evil even where law of nature so that He Himself
there is good. does not intervene in any way. It
is not like the maker of a machine
We revert to the subject and who has no concern with it after it
proceed to expound what is set out has been made. The creations of
in Surah Fatihah from Rabb-ul- the True Maker are not unconn-
'Alamin to Malik-i-Yaum-id-Din. ected with Him. The Rabb-ul-
As expounded in the Holy Qur'an, 'Alamin exercises His perfect
it comprises four grand verities: Rububiyyat all the time over the
whole universe and the rain of His
The first verity is that God Rububiyyat falls perpetually upon
Almighty is Rabb-ul-'Alamin, that the whole universe. At no time is
is to say, that God is the Rabb and the universe deprived of the
Master of all that which is in the benefit of His grace. Even after
universe. All that appears, is seen, the creation of the universe, that
felt or perceived by reason, is His Source of Grace is needed every
creation, and that true existence moment, without interruption, as
belongs only to God Almighty and if He had not yet created
to nothing else. In short, the anything. As the world depended
universe with all its components is upon His Rububiyyat for its
created and is the creation of God.
coming into being, it is equally
There is nothing in the compo-
dependent upon it for its

continuation and sustenance. 'Alamin. We have already

explained that all animates,
It is He Who supports the world whether gifted with reason or not,
every moment and every particle good or bad, have been furnished
of the universe is kept fresh and and continue to be furnished with
flourishing because of Him. He all that is needed for their
exercises His Rububiyyat in maintenance, preservation of life,
respect of everything by His will and the continuation of their
and intent. It is not as if His species out of the general mercy
Rububiyyat were exercised in of God Almighty. This is an
respect of anything without His absolute bounty that does not
intent. In short, this verity means depend upon anyone's actions.
that everything in the universe is
created and is dependent upon the The third verity is Rahim, which
Rububiyyat of God Almighty in follows after Rahman. This means
respect of all its excellences and that, as demanded by His mercy,
conditions, at all times. There is God Almighty brings about good
no spiritual or physical excellence results in consequence of the
which any created thing can efforts of His creatures. He
acquire on its own without the forgives the sins of those who
determination of the Absolute repent. He bestows upon those
Controller. Besides, it is latent in who ask. He opens for those who
this and other verities that the knock.
divine attributes, such as Rabb-ul-
'Alamin etc., are special to Him The fourth verity is Malik-i-
and that none else is associated Yaum-id-Din. This means that
with Him in that respect. The God Almighty is the Master of all
opening phrase of the Surah, perfect recompense which is free
namely, Alhamdu lillah, makes it from all test and trial and the
clear that all worthiness of praise intervention of beguiling means
belongs to God alone. and is purified of all uncleanness
and is free from doubt and defect
The second verity is Rahman, and is a manifestation of His great
which follows upon Rabb-ul- powers. He does not lack the

power to make manifest His what is great misfortune. Great

perfect recompense, which is as good fortune is that condition of
bright as the day. The supreme triumph in which light,
manifestation of this grand verity joy, pleasure, and comfort en-
has as its purpose to make the compass the inside and outside,
following matters clear to the body and soul, of a person,
everyone as a certainty. and no limb or faculty is left out.
The great misfortune is the
First, that reward and punishment torment which, in consequence of
are a certainty, which are imposed disobedience, impurity, distance
upon His creatures by the True and separation, is set ablaze in the
Master as the result of His special hearts and envelopes the bodies so
determination. This matter is not that the whole being feels like
possible of exposition in this being on fire and in hell.
world for it is not clear to the
average person why and These manifestations cannot be
wherefore does he experience observed in this world because
good or ill, and comfort or pain. this narrow, constricted and
No one hears the voice out of opaque world, which puts on the
whatever he experiences that this mantle of physical means and is in
is the recompense of his deeds, an imperfect condition, cannot
nor does anyone observe or feel bear their being made manifest.
that whatever he is passing This world is subject to tests and
through is the consequence of his trials and its comfort and its pain
actions. are both temporary and defective.
Whatever a person experiences in
Secondly, the exposition is this life is under the veil of
desired that material means are physical means which hide the
irrelevant and that it is the Grand countenance of the Master of
Being or God Who is the recompense. Thus this world
fountainhead of all grace and the cannot be the true and perfect and
Master of all recompense. open day of recompense. The
Thirdly, it is desired to expound true, perfect and open Day of
what is great good fortune and
Judgement or of Recompense will privation proof that God

be the world which will follow Almighty is displeased with him.
this one. That world will be the Both these are a trial so that a
place of the grand manifestation wealthy one may be tried in
and of the demonstration of glory respect of his wealth and a poor
and beauty. one may be tried in respect of his
poverty. These verities are set out
Whatever hardship or ease, in detail in the Holy Qur'an.
comfort or pain, sorrow or joy, is
experienced by people in this [Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani
world is not necessarily Khaza'in, Vol. 1, pp. 444-461,
attributable to God's bounty or footnote 11]
His wrath. For instance, anyone's
being rich is not a conclusive
proof that God is pleased with
him, nor is anyone's poverty or
In this journal, for the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(sa)’ or ‘sa’

after the words, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the name ‘Muhammad’, are
used. They stand for ‘Salallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ meaning
‘Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him’. Likewise, the
letters ‘(as)’ or ‘as’ after the name of all other prophets is an
abbreviation meaning ‘Peace be upon him’ derived from
‘Alaihis salatu wassalam’ for the respect a Muslim reader utters.
The abbreviation ‘ra’ or (ra) stands for ‘Radhiallahtala and is

used for Companions of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased
with him or her (when followed by the relevant Arabic pronoun).
Also ‘ru’ or (ru) for Rahemahullahu Ta’ala means the Mercy of
Allah the Exalted be upon him.

Distinctive Features of Islam
By Bilal Atkinson - Hartlepool, UK
An address delivered at the Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya

Muslim Association (UK) held at Islamabad, Tilford, Surrey on 31
July 2004. The author is an English convert and serves as the
Regional Amir for the North East of the UK.
Introduction » The Unity of God,

For those who may read this » The Universality of Prophet-
article, be they Muslim or non- hood and Religion,
Muslim, believer or non-
believer, I can, by the Grace and » The Holy Qur'an,
Mercy of Allah only attempt to » The Rights of Women,
cover a few of the very many
» Life after Death and
distinctive features of the
religion of Islam. I must claim » Khilafat.
from the outset that I believe a
feature can only be claimed as The Unity Of God
distinctive when it is shown to The cardinal doctrine of Islam is
stand out above and beyond all the Unity of Godhead and the
other comparisons in meaning, belief of all Muslims is - ‘La
interpretation and philosophy. ilaha illallah’ - `There is none
From this base, I will humbly try worthy of worship but the One
to describe and explain some of [and only] God’. This Unity of
the features of Islam which I feel God is the first and foremost
are distinctive from among all Pillar of Islam and every other
the great religions. The features I belief hangs upon it.
have chosen to briefly review
are: - Islam's primary beauty lies in the

fact that it provides its followers This verse further indicates that
with the purest concept of the God is the Guide for the whole of
Creator. The concept is of only mankind equally, and He
one unique God Who possesses entertains no special attachment
all His attributes in absolute to any particular people. Those
perfection and none of the who sincerely strive to attain
attributes carry the stigmata of nearness to Him, He guides them
human imperfections or decay. along the paths that lead to Him.
All people are equal in His sight
God, as conceived by Islam, is a as He is the source of all creation.
personal God and not a He alone is the Unity that is the
philosophical concept. He is source from which the
One, Unique, Alone, Absolute, multiplicity of the entire
without beginning or end, not Universe is born.
having succeeded any one and
above the need for succession. The last verse also categorically
The Holy Qur'an says: refutes any allegation that there
may be any other Gods in
He is Allah the One: Allah the existence by proclaiming; `And
Independent and Besought of there is none like unto Him'. The
all. He begets not, nor is He Holy Qur'an further substantiates
begotten: and there is none this claim by declaring:
like unto Him.
(Ch. 112: Vs. 1-5) If there had been in both the
heaven and the earth gods
This small chapter covers all other than Allah, then both
aspects of the Unity and the heaven and the earth
Uniqueness of God. The Unity of would have ended up in
God is meant both in physical chaos. Glorified then be
terms as well as in the unique Allah, the Lord of the Throne,
powers, qualities and attributes above what they attribute.
of God in which He has no rival (Ch. 21: v. 23)
or competitor.

Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin a particular period and they were

Mahmood Ahmad(ra) comments not universal and never claimed
on this: to be universal. Jesus(as) clearly
stated:
`This verse constitutes an
effective and conclusive I was sent only to the lost
argument against any form of sheep of Israel.
polytheism. Even atheists (Matthew 15:24)
cannot deny that a perfect and
unifying order pervades and Meaning that his message was
permeates the whole limited only to the Jews. The
Universe. If there had been scriptures, which he claimed to
more than one God, then fulfil and not to change, were not
more than one law would meant to cope for the human
have governed the Universe needs of all time. This task was
because for a god it is reserved for a great and universal
necessary to create a universe Law Bearing prophet who was to
with its own laws; and thus come at a later date. Jesus(as) told
disorder and confusion would his disciples that after him the
have been the inevitable Counsellor or Comforter would
result and the whole universe appear and would teach them all
would have gone to pieces.' the things he was not commi-
(English Commentary of The ssioned to do.
Holy Qur ’an by Hadhrat (John 14:15-16, 14:25-26,16:7)
Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood
Ahmad(ra) Vol.4, p.1684) This is exactly the claim of the
Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa). In
The Universal Prophet and the the Holy Qur'an God Almighty
Universal Religion commands the Holy Prophet(sa) to
The teachings and scriptures of declare:
other religions were meant for
certain people or nations at a Say "O mankind! I truly am a
given time. They were limited to Messenger to you all from

Allah." (Ch. 7: V. 159) from stipulating details, which

can be filled according to chang-
No other prophet or scripture ing times or geographical needs.
lays down such a claim, because Its beauty is that it conforms to
they were not meant to be human nature. It provides a
universal. comprehensive code of conduct
in individual, collective or
The Holy Qur'an then says: international dealings.
‘This day have I perfected All the teachings of Islam were

your religion for you and put into practice in the best
completed My favour upon possible way by a human being,
you and have chosen for you the beloved Holy Prophet(sa), who
Islam as religion.’ reflected these teachings in his
(Ch.5: V.4) life with such excellence that he
became the best example for the
This unequivocal declaration of entire human race. If the Holy
the perfection of God's message Prophet(sa) as a human being
cannot be found in any other could put the teachings of the
religion. It eliminates the need Holy Qur'an into practice, no
for any change or interpolation. excuse is open for any other
It is a grand sign that God, in His person to say that it is
Mercy, has provided the whole of impracticable.
mankind with a complete and
perfect code for the satisfaction The Holy Qur'an
of its spiritual hunger. The Holy Qur'an forms the very
words that God put in the mouth
Islam claims to be a complete of `That (The) Prophet' as
religion, and therefore no aspect mentioned in the Bible in
of human life is left without Deuteronomy (18:18 and John
guidance. It lays down funda- 1:21). It contains all the truths for
mental principles for addressing the guidance of mankind and its
all types of problems but refrains message is Universal. It affirms

the truth of all previous purity has been lost forever. God
revelations and the righteous- has therefore taken it upon
ness of all the prophets. Himself to safeguard the Holy
Qur'an from being tampered
The Holy Qur'an was revealed in with. A verse from the Holy
Arabic by Divine revelation to Qur'an states:
Prophet Muhammad (sa) over a
period of about twenty-two and a Verily, it is We Who have sent
half years. From the very outset, down this Exhortation, and
the Holy Prophet (sa) used two most surely We will be its
independent but complementary Guardian.
methods for preserving the (Ch.15: V.10)
integrity of the revelations. The
two methods used were memor- Today, even non-Muslim
isation and inscription. Besides scholars admit that the text of the
ensuring independently the trans- Holy Qur'an is exactly the same
mission of the revelations, the as it was at the time of the Holy
two methods also served as inter- Prophet(sa). This great prophecy
nal checks to ensure their accu- protecting the integrity of the text
rate preservation. of the Holy Qur'an has been
fulfilled every day over the last
Upon investigation it can be 1400 years.
found that all previous religions
have suffered from one common Islam is a living religion and
problem - that their original Arabic is a living language. For a
scriptures have been lost and complete and living message it
only copies are available and was essential that it should be
even these have been tampered preserved in a living language.
with or changed by man The significance of this sign can
whenever he found that the be judged from the fact that even
teaching could not cope with the the English language has
demands of the society of the undergone tremendous changes
time. Consequently their Divine over this period - and it is now

difficult for an ordinary man in others are being fulfilled and still
the street to understand the others wait to be fulfilled. In fact
English language of Chaucer. every verse of the Holy Qur'an is
This is not so with the Holy called an Ayah i.e. a sign, a
Qur'an and its Arabic is still proof, an argument. Not one
spoken, used and understood in verse nor even one word is
the Arab world. superfluous or out of place and
any change would undoubtedly
The Holy Qur'an explains all that result in a profound decline in the
is or may be needed by mankind meaning and the beauty of its
for the complete fulfilment of form.
life. It seeks to create faith in
God and makes full provision for Other religions more or less
mankind's welfare - material, agree with man's spiritual needs,
moral and spiritual. but fail to describe how to fulfil
them. For example, they agree
It teaches all that is needed for that there is a God, but they
the regulation of human life and expect everybody else to accept
also the philosophy underlying it. this fact without giving good
It explains the significance of reason that there is a God.
establishing and maintaining Similarly, they may describe a
communion with God. The few attributes of God, but
Qur'an is so comprehensive that provide no proofs of these
it makes provision for guidance attributes. The Holy Qur'an on
in all aspects for all peoples for the other hand, provides strong,
all times. incontro-vertible proofs of the
existence of God. It also gives
But, the Holy Qur’an is much complete and full descriptions of
more than simple injunctions and all those Divine attributes that
commands. It is a treasure house are concerned with man and it
of spiritual knowledge. It is also also provides the proofs. Even if
full of prophecies - some of them man were to make in a thousand
have already been fulfilled, years a most powerful and

ISLAM IS THE ONLY RELIGION THAT HAS TAKEN STEPS TO

SAFEGUARD THE MORAL, ECONOMIC AND SPIRITUAL RIGHTS
OF WOMEN AND BRINGS THEM ON AN EQUAL FOOTING WITH
MEN. T HE QUR'AN REPEATEDLY DECLARES THAT MEN AND
WOMEN ARE SPIRITUALLY EQUAL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD
AND WILL BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS.
comprehensive computer, it Atonement is repudiated by

could never match the power and Islam, which declares:
the knowledge contained within
this glorious Holy Qur'an. And no burdened soul can
bear the burden of another;
The Equality of Mankind and if a heavily laden soul
Islam proclaims that every call another to bear its load,
human being is born without sin naught of it shall be carried
and starts with a clean slate. As a by the other, even though he
former Christian, when I heard be a kinsman.
this claim it immediately (Ch.35: V.19)
released me from my previous
belief that I, like all men and Islam gives us the assurance that
women, according to Christian we are just as capable and
doctrine, was born with the qualified to achieve the purpose
stigma of sin even before I took of our creation as any other
my first precious breath of life. It fellow human being. In this
also appealed to my logic and respect, Islam teaches complete
common sense and was the equality of mankind. The Holy
precursor to my further Qur’an for example says:
investigation into the claims of
the religion of Islam. O mankind, we have created
you from male and female:
As for Jesus(as) suffering for the and We have made you into
sins of mankind, this doctrine of clans and tribes that you may

recognise one another. Verily, would have been against His

the most honourable among justice to make one people
you, in the sight of Allah, is he superior to another. The Holy
who is the most righteous Qur’an declares:
among you. Surely Allah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware. Surely We have created man
(Ch.49: V.14) in the best of creative plans.
(Ch.95: V.5)
The message from this verse
totally eliminates any sense of A man's riches, colour, rank,
superiority among people, tribes, position or intellect are all
nations or races. We have blessings of God, and He can
acquired different features, take them away whenever He
colours and characteristics due to wants to do so. God can also
the distribution of the human bestow all these blessings and
race in different parts of the even more on a person who does
world - it is not due to a different not possess or deserve them.
or superior origin. No matter How, then, can a believer in God
who or what we are, the method be arrogant about the possession
of our birth is a common one. of anything worldly?
Whether he is a King or a
President or an ordinary man in Rights of Women in Islam
the street or a man in South Islam is the only religion that has
America or someone from the taken steps to safeguard the
remote parts of China - all are moral, economic and spiritual
born in the same way. Our rights of women and brings them
requirements are the same, our on an equal footing with men.
natures are the same and our The Qur'an repeatedly declares
needs are the same. Our God is that men and women are
the same One God, Who is very spiritually equal in the sight of
just in His dealings. He created God and will be judged
all men with equal spiritual according to their deeds. The
opportunities and rights, as it Qur'an states:

Whoso does evil will be fathers, brothers or others who

requited only with the like of treated them as mere property.
it: but whoso does good
whether male or female, and Islam, for the first time,
is a believer - these will enter vindicated the rights of women
the Garden: they will be and gave them a status in society.
provided therein without Islam has given women
measure. (Ch. 40: V.41) complete economic indepen-
dence and the right to inherit
Islamic philosophy is based on money and property. Even after
the nature of human beings. It, marriage they still have this
therefore, takes into account the economic independence.
special anatomical and biological
variations between man and Today in the West, we hear a lot
woman and lays down certain about the rights and status of
rules that cover these variations. women yet only one hundred
years ago, in England, a woman
It does not blindly apply all rules automatically lost all her
to both sexes, but takes into property and belongings to her
account their special needs and husband the day she married
requirements. This sometimes him. In the Middle Ages it was
appears strange to an untrained the Western woman who was
eye, but upon reflection, burdened with the respons-ibility
provides a proof that the of providing her future husband
Provider of this teaching must with a dowry and even in today's
also be the Creator of human Western (Christian) society the
beings Who knew the intricate cost of a wedding and all it
and inner feelings and entails, such as the use of the
requirements of both sexes. church or licensed wedding
Before the advent of Islam, the establishment and provision of
majority of women had no food for all guests is generally
position in society. They were at borne by the bride's parents.
the mercy of their husbands,

Islam on the other hand, 1400 The best of you is one who is
years ago, gave full protection to best in his treatment of his
the rights of women - making wife and I am the best of you
them equals of men, both in the in the treatment of my family.
spiritual and religious spheres of (Tirmidhi - Kitabun Nikah,
life. For instance it now became Book of Marriages)
the responsibility of the husband
to offer a dowry to his wife The Holy Prophet(sa) attached
according to his means. The great importance to a husband's
dowry then became her sole kind treatment of his wife, so
property to do with as she saw fit. much so that in the eyes of God
Islam makes it clear that a he considered the best of
husband has no rights over his Muslims to be the ones who
wife's property and that it is the treated their wives best.
duty of the husband to provide
for the running of the household Abu Hurairah relates that a man
even if his wife has an came to the Holy Prophet(sa) and
independent source of income. asked:
Another important right given to 'Messenger of Allah, which

women by Islam 1400 years ago of all the people is best
was their right to divorce their entitled to kind treatment and
husbands. Divorce is not good companionship from
encouraged in Islam because of me?' He answered, ‘Your
the devastating effect on all mother’ The man asked ‘and
concerned, especially the after her?’ He said, ‘Your
children. Nevertheless the right mother’ And after her? He
of divorce was accorded to said, ‘Your mother’ And after
women so that they did not have her? ‘Your father’
to spend the rest of their lives (Bukhari – Kitabul Adab,
living in discomfort or torment. Book of Manners)
It is narrated by Hadhrat Jabir
that the Holy Prophet (sa) said: Again the Holy Prophet (sa) is

reported to have said: For thirteen centuries people

wondered what on earth these
‘Paradise lies at the feet of two verses could possibly mean.
mothers.’ (Nisai, Kitabul Yet we in this day and age have
Jihad, Book of Jihad) been privileged to understand
what they mean in a physical
Surely these statements by the sense. The verses refer to the
Prophet(sa) of God make it crystal construction of the Suez and
clear that a woman has such a Panama canals. They could have
high status in Islam. still other meanings but as I said,
in a physical sense, God in His
Life after Death wisdom knew that one day, the
To believe in the unseen does not needs of man to trade in other
mean that we should believe in parts of the world using huge
unreal, magical or imaginary ships would require the linking
things. The Holy Qur'an does not of oceans.
invite us to believe in things
blindly. Just because the Qur’an The Big Bang theory was
may contain things which not revealed by the Holy Qur'an, yet
everyone can at this moment in it has taken 1400 years for man
time comprehend does not mean to reach a similar conclusion
to say that they cannot be proved (Ch.21: V.31). As mankind is
right by reason or experience. now in the infancy of space
For instance the Holy Qur'an travel, the Holy Qur'an tells us
says: that if He wished, God could join
us with others from other worlds
Verily He will merge the two indicating that there are other
oceans, joining them forms of life in His Universe
together; between them is (Ch.42: V.30).
now a barrier; they encroach
not one upon the other. It is therefore inconceivable that
(Ch.55: Vs.20-21) God, Who is All-Wise, Creator
of the Universe and Master of the

Day of Judgement would fail to after death. For instance, the

provide for the spiritual needs of Qur'an states that he who is blind
mankind. If the prophecies in the in this life will be blind in the life
Holy Qur’an have come true then after death and will find himself
why should man doubt about a even more astray.
spiritual life after physical death?
This does not mean that a person
The Qur'an teaches that on a who is physically blind in this
man's death his soul enters a new life will be blind in the next.
universe and assumes a new Blindness here means spiritual
body. That body is different from blindness. A person who has
his physical body that is adjusted failed to develop a spiritual
to the requirements of life on insight in this life will be blind in
earth. the life to come. On attaining life
after death, the Qur’an describes
Sahl ibn Sa'ad relates: “I was their fate through the following
present in the company of the verse:
Holy Prophet(sa) in which he
described the condition of But they who will disbelieve
Paradise and said: 'In it there and treat Our Signs as lies,
is that which no eye has seen, these shall be the inmates of
no ear has heard nor has the the fire; therein shall they
mind of man conceived it.’” abide. (Ch.2: V.40)
(Bukhari - Kitabul Tafseer -
Book of Commentary All our actions, good or not so
Chapter Al-Sajda, verse 18) good, leave a permanent
impression upon our souls and
The whole concept of life after when we pass away our souls
death is illustrated in the Holy will carry the sum total of all
Qur'an, where certain types of these impressions into the life to
conduct in this life are described come. Whatever we have done
as defects and shortcomings that has been recorded on our souls
will affect the soul in the life and we take them with us and are

judged on them. The record of a therefore the next life will be an

man's acts and their consequ- eternity - a living eternity for all
ences will be presented to him as souls. And as for those that strive
if it were an open book. He will towards righteousness, the Holy
be told to read his book and he Qur'an gives the following
will have to follow the course promises:
that it lays down for him. He will
have to render an account of the And those, who feared their
manner in which he spent his life Lord, will be conducted to
on this earth and that account Heaven in groups until when
will constitute his rewards and they reach it, and its gates are
his punishments. The Holy opened and its Keepers say to
Qur'an states: them, ‘Peace be upon you! Be
ye happy, and enter it abiding
And every man's record of therein.’ And they will say,
deeds have we fastened to his ‘All praise belongs to Allah
neck; and on the Day of Who has fulfilled His promise
Resurrection We shall bring to us, and has given us the
out for him a book which he land for an inheritance,
will find wide open. It will be making our abode in the
said to him, ‘Read thy book. Garden wherever we please.’
Sufficient is thy own soul this How excellent is the reward
day as a reckoner against of the righteous workers!
thee’. (Ch.39: Vs.74-75)
(Ch.17: Vs.14-15)
According to the teachings of
The life we lead on this earth is Islam, Hell is only temporary
extremely short compared to the whilst Heaven is a permanent
next life. We are ruled by the abode.
dimension of time in this life and
are therefore subject to decay and Khilafat
death. Time does not exist as we The Holy Qur'an holds out a
know it in the next life and promise to Muslims that if they

carry out the programme of life giving the Zakat and on obeying
which God has laid down for the Messenger of God in all
them, they will become leaders religious and temporal matters.
of the world both in spiritual and When they have fulfilled these
temporal matters and that their conditions, the boon of Khilafat
religion will become firmly will be bestowed upon them and
established in the world. they will be made leaders of
nations. As the Holy Prophet(as) is
The Holy Qur'an states: now humanity's sole guide for all
time, his Khilafat must continue
Allah has promised to those to exist in one form or another in
among you who believe and the world till the end of time.
do good works that He will (From the English Commentary
surely make them Successors of the Holy Qur’an by Hadhrat
in the earth, as He made Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood
Successors from among those Ahmad Vol.4, p.1869)
who were before them.
(Ch.24: V.56) In one Hadith, the Holy
Prophet(sa) said:
This verse embodies a promise
that Muslims will be granted ‘O ye Muslims, the present
both spiritual and temporal prophethood period amongst
leadership. The promise is made you will last as long as Allah
to the whole Muslim nation but Wills. On its conclusion there
the institution of Khilafat will will be a period of Khilafat on
take a palpable form in the the design, pattern and
person of certain individuals who succession of Nabuwwat (in
will be the Prophet's successors continuation of the Prophet's
and the representatives of the mission). This Khilafat will
whole nation. This verse further be followed by a succession
says that the fulfilment of this of kingship, which will be
promise will depend on the dictatorial regimes of tyranny
Muslims' observing prayer and and oppression, which will be

followed by non-democratic relationship with Him. He said

regimes. On its conclusion that this is the blessings of the
there will then begin real Holy Prophet (sa) and that by
Khilafat on the model and following in his footsteps, union
pattern of prophethood’. with God is possible, so that our
(Musnad Ahmad Vol.5 p.404) hearts can see God and our souls
can hear His voice and see His
In the 19th Century CE, the signs repeatedly.
fulfilment of this prophecy came
to fruition and the world In fulfilment of the prophecy: ‘I
witnessed the Holy Prophet's will carry thy message to the
greatest spiritual Khalifa in the ends of the earth’ (Tadhkira)
person of Ahmad, the Promised revealed to the Promised
Messiah(as) who established the Messiah(as) in his remote Indian
Ahmadiyya Muslim Comm- village of the nineteenth century
unity. The re-establishment of by Allah, the message of the
Khilafat on the pattern of Promised Messiah(as) has and is
prophethood in the latter days reaching the ends of the earth.
has been fulfilled by the Indeed, the proceedings of this
Promised Messiah and Mahdi, gathering are being transmitted
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam simultaneously by satellite all
Ahmad(as) who also claimed to be around the globe by Muslim
an Ummati Prophet, a deputy Television Ahmadiyya (MTA).
and a Khalifa of Prophet
Muhammad(sa) in this age. The Promised Messiah (as) said
that Khilafat would follow after
The Promised Messiah(as) once him unbroken and would last
again established faith in the forever until the Last Day (The
hearts of people: that God exists, Will, p.10). By the Grace and
that God still communicates and Mercy of Allah the Almighty, the
that it is always possible to Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
develop a personal and direct continues to be led and guided

by the institution of Khilafat. beautiful a sentence, and so

meaningful, that the like of it
Khilafat is a great and Divine is not to be found in any of
blessing which brings about the Scriptures, be it Torah, or
solidarity, cohesion and unity the Gospels or any other
among the believers. This is so in Book: no other Book contains
the Worldwide Ahmadiyya so comprehensive a teaching.
Muslim Community, which has (Malfoozat Vol 3 p187)
at its head, Hadhrat Mirza
Masroor Ahmad, the fifth I hope I have conveyed some of
Khalifa (Successor) of The the many distinctive features of
Promised Messiah(as) and whose Islam that turned me towards this
members epitomise Unity in great religion. I sincerely invite
their daily lives, Unity and love all people to investigate with an
of God and Unity and love for open mind and to their own
Mankind. satisfaction the guidance offered
in the teachings of Islam, Therein
Finally, I would like to end with is a vast treasure available to us if
an extract from the writings of only we all knew it.
the Promised Messiah (as):
(All Biblical references taken
All the prophets have been from the New International
teaching the same thing: that Version of The Holy Bible 1986,
has been the main subject of Hodder & Staunton)
their propagation. ‘La ilaha
illallah’ (There is none
worthy of worship but the
One and only God) teaches us
to believe God to be One and
at the same time it also
teaches that one should be
perfect in the love of this One
God. La ilaha illallah is so

THE HOLY QUR’AN - The Perfect
Guidance for Mankind
By Fauzia Bajwa - Montreal, Canada
In one of its first verses the Holy ‘guidance’ and ‘mankind’. Let us
Qur’an makes the proclamation: examine each one in turn.
This is the Perfect Book; there Perfect: A perfect entity must

is no doubt in it; it is a possess the following attributes:
guidance for the righteous. 1. It should be free of flaws and
(Ch.2: V.3) contradictions.
2. It should be comprehensive and
Such a bold claim should be complete.
supported by compelling proofs. 3. It should be balanced and
In this essay we intend to (1) harmonious.
evaluate the claim; (2) examine 4. It should be universal and
the Holy Qur’an for evidence to eternal.
support the claim and (3) show, as
far as is humanly possible, that Guidance for Mankind: A guide
this is indeed a just proclamation. should lead its followers to their
Throughout this essay we take for destination(s). In other words it
granted that man was created by must not only provide a passive
God and that the Holy Qur’an is roadmap for reaching one’s goal, it
the revealed word of God. should also be an active prompter
prodding one along and bringing
Perfect Guidance for Mankind one back to the correct path should
There are three key words in the one go astray. In other words a
above sub-title, ‘perfect’, good guide would be actively

The Perfect Guidance for Mankind
involved in the journey and it must objective is the wholehearted and

be a living entity not a static one. persistent use of our God-given
In qualifying ‘guidance’ with faculties, our time and our money
‘mankind’ we are stating that the to reach Him and to earn His
guidance provided in the Holy pleasure.
Qur’an is intended only for human
beings and not for animals, insects Guidance in the Qur’an
etc. Having established that the
purpose of our life is to become
Objective of Man’s Creation godly we need to know how to
Before determining whether or not achieve this purpose. For this we
the Holy Qur’an guides man to his turn, once again, to the Holy
objective we must first determine Qur’an. It would be impossible in
what that objective is. For this we this short essay to expound on all
turn to the Qur’an: the Qur’anic teachings that prompt
man to become godly and
And I have not created the Jinn admonish him to abstain from
and the men but that they may vice. We will, therefore, select just
worship Me. a few verses to illustrate the points
(Ch.51: V.57) being made.
Given that God is our Creator it is As stated earlier the purpose of

His prerogative to define the man’s creation is to worship Allah
purpose of our existence. Here He and we are told in the very early
tells us that the sole purpose of our verses of the Qur’an that this is not
being is to worship Him. Worship an easy task – Thee alone do we
of Allah encompasses much more worship and Thee alone do we
than paying homage to Him, implore for help. (Ch.1: V.5)
although this is important. It When we delve further into the
means total obedience and Qur’an we find that Allah has
submission to Allah. It means provided the help we need to
imbibing in oneself the attributes achieve our objective. To worship
of Allah. It is to know, to Allah it is necessary to have firm
understand and to love Him. The faith in Him, to fear Him and to

love Him. These motivating strong arguments in favour of each

factors are amply provided in the of these articles. For example,
Qur’an. It tells us what faith is and concerning the Unity of God we
how it may be acquired. Faith or are told that we will find nothing
Iman is a stage beyond belief; it but harmony in God’s creation,
encompasses belief, security and that we will find no contradiction
trust. It is derived from the word between the word of God and the
aman which means to feel safe and act of God. (Ch.67: Vs.2-5). This
to put one’s trust in someone or harmony points to the Oneness of
something. The Holy Qur’an sets the Creator.
man on his journey to faith in the
following verse: Angels are the spiritual agencies
created by God to serve man. They
O ye who believe! Believe in transmit God’s messages to
Allah and His Messenger and prophets and other pious and holy
in the Book which He has people or those who are near to
revealed to His Messenger and God. They also administer the
the Book which He revealed laws of nature. They are also
before it. And whoso responsible for keeping a record of
disbelieves in Allah and His man’s good and bad deeds. Man’s
angels and His Books and His thoughts and actions have an
Messengers and the Last Day ongoing effect on his soul; it is the
has surely strayed far away. angels who are responsible for
(Ch.4: V.137) maintaining this complex system
of cause and effect.
Here Allah lists the five articles of
faith as faith in the One God, the In short angels execute God’s will
angels, the Messengers, the Books in the material universe and the
and the Day of Judgement. spiritual universe. They form the
Together they form the starting link between the Books and the
point of the journey towards faith. Messengers which are the next
It is necessary to accept them two articles of faith. It is through
before continuing the spiritual their agency that the Books are
journey. The Qur’an furnishes revealed to the Messengers. These

two articles of faith not only us hope of earning unending

require belief in the Holy Qur’an rewards and it warns us to fear the
and the Holy Prophet wrath of Allah should we be lax in
Muhammad ( s a ) but in all the discharging our duties towards
revealed books of God and in all Him. Belief in the Oneness and
of His prophets. And finally, the Omnipotence of God induces one
Qur’an enjoins belief in the Day to place all one’s hopes and fears
of Judgement where man will give in Him alone. It liberates man
account of his deeds and misdeeds from all other yokes. The Qur’an
and will receive the appropriate tells us that:
rewards and penalties.
As for those who believe and
The Role of Hope and Fear do good works, they will have
Hope and fear are the two major Gardens of Eternal Abode, as
motivating factors in man’s life. an entertainment, in return for
His intentions and actions are what they used to do.
prompted either by hope of reward (Ch.32: V.20)
or fear of suffering. According to
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the Here we see why belief in the Day
Fourth Khalifa: of Judgement is a fundamental
article of faith. Without belief in
Man’s intentions and his the hereafter the above verse
subsequent actions are always would not inspire anyone to do
guided and controlled by either good nor would the following
fear or hope and there is no verse deter anyone from doing
exception to this rule. Those evil:
who do good deeds do so out
of fear and hope and those who And as for those who are
indulge in vices are motivated disobedient, their abode will
by the same. 4 be the Fire. Every time they
desire to come forth therefrom,
The Qur’an motivates man they will be turned back into it,
through hope and fear to become and it will be said to them,
godly, his objective in life. It gives ‘Taste the punishment of the

Fire which you used to deny’. The Holy Qur’an is full of verses
(Ch.32: V.21) which discuss Allah’s wrath and
punishment as well as His
But even in the face of such a compassion and mercy. The
terrible punishment the Qur’an former inspire fear of Him in His
once again gives us hope: servants, the latter hope. Hope and
fear, as stated above, are what
And most surely We will make motivate man’s intentions and
them taste of the nearer actions. To fulfil his objective,
punishment before the greater man needs an adequate dose of
punishment, so that they may both these motivating factors and
return to Us with repentance. the Qur’an provides exactly that.
(Ch.32: V.22)
Godliness
In other words even when we fall The Qur’an teaches man what
into error, God gives us ample godliness is. It does this by
opportunity to mend our ways and describing the attributes of Allah
hence save ourselves from hellfire. thereby giving man a blueprint for
And once again the Qur’an gives his self-development. To become
us hope by telling us that: godly one must develop in oneself,
as far as is humanly possible, these
Say, ‘O My servants who have same attributes. The Holy Prophet
committed excesses against Muhammad(sa) was the most
their own souls! Despair not of perfect reflection of Allah’s attri-
the mercy of Allah, surely butes. By enumerating these
Allah forgives all sins. Verily, attributes the Qur’an provides
He is Most Forgiving, man with ample reasons to love
Merciful.’ (Ch.39: V.54) and fear Allah. It tells of His
beauty, grandeur, compassion,
The above verse not only inspires benevolence etc. inspiring us to
hope, but the love with which love Him. It tells us that He is
Allah addresses His servants omnipotent and vengeful inspiring
generates in His servants love for us to fear Him.
Him.

Some of His attributes invoke fear non-believers. This provides

and hope at the same time; for checkpoints for us in our daily
example, the Qur’an states that lives. Some of the characteristics
Allah sees everything, that nothing to be found in believers are:
is hidden from His sight. This
motivates us to do good and it And those who are watchful of
prevents us from doing evil as He their trust and their covenants,
sees all that we do. We are told and those who are upright in
time and time again that Allah is their testimonies, and those
forgiving and merciful. This who are strict in the
teaches us that we should develop observance of Prayer. These
the same qualities in our will be in the Gardens, duly
relationships with the rest of God’s honoured.
creation. (Ch.70: Vs.33-36)
The Qur’an tells us that Allah is And:

just; hence we should practise
justice in all our dealings. Allah is Verily, Allah commands you to
patient, therefore we should be give over the trusts to those
patient and steadfast even in the entitled to them, and that,
face of adversity. In summary, by when you judge between men
giving us a comprehensive you judge with justice.
‘character sketch’ of Allah, the (Ch.4: V.59)
Qur’an shows us the qualities we
should develop in ourselves. If we In the above verses, believers are
develop the attributes of Allah in described as people who are
our persons to the extent we honest, upright and just. This gives
humanly can, we become godly man guidance on the qualities that
which is the objective of our he should develop in himself in
existence. order to become godly. Similarly
the Qur’an paints a picture of
Believers and Non-believers disbelievers so that man can
We are told in the Qur’an the safeguard himself against
characteristics of believers and disbelief:

Surely they are too proud of The Relationship between Faith

themselves and have greatly and Deeds
exceeded the bounds. According to the Qur’an, faith
(Ch.25: V.22) should lead to action and all action
should be rooted in faith. If faith,
And which is a condition of the heart, is
not accompanied by right deeds
And they are certainly liars. then it is in danger of being
(Ch.6: V.29) extinguished. There is a strong
inter-relationship between the two;
And again: faith leads to good deeds which in
turn strengthens faith which then
And woe to the idolaters, who leads to even better deeds. Thus a
give not the Zakat. virtuous cycle is formed. Faith and
(Ch.41: V.8) good deeds go hand in hand.
When both co-exist both the
The disbelievers are depicted here individual and society reap the
as being arrogant, deceitful and benefits.
niggardly. The Qur’an lists some
vices that should be eschewed if We have described above the
we wish to become godly. fundamentals of faith. We now
examine the Qur’an to determine
Hence, the Qur’an provides what kinds of actions should
descriptions of both believers and proceed from faith. We read in the
disbelievers so that man can Qur’an:
endeavour to develop in himself
the qualities of the former and O ye who believe! Be strict in
avoid the failings of the latter. This observing justice, being
gives us checkpoints in our daily witnesses for the sake of Allah
lives which can be used to even though it be against
determine whether we are moving yourselves or against parents
towards faith and hence our or kindred.
objective, or away from both. (Ch.4: V.136)

THE QUR’AN MOTIVATES MAN THROUGH HOPE AND FEAR

TO BECOME GODLY, HIS OBJECTIVE IN LIFE. I T GIVES US
HOPE OF EARNING UNENDING REWARDS AND IT WARNS US
TO FEAR THE WRATH OF ALLAH SHOULD WE BE LAX IN
DISCHARGING OUR DUTIES TOWARDS HIM. BELIEF IN THE
ONENESS OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD INDUCES ONE TO
AND
PLACE ALL ONE’S HOPES AND FEARS IN HIM ALONE. IT
LIBERATES MAN FROM ALL OTHER YOKES.
And: required of believers is absolute

justice. But they are then told to
Verily Allah requires you to not remain content at that; they
abide by justice, and to treat should move on and do more than
with grace, and to give like the justice by entering into the realm
giving of kin to kin; and of benevolence. Forgiveness,
forbids indecency and manifest charity and generosity fall into this
evil, and transgression. He category.
admonishes you that you may
take heed. Passing through this stage, the
(Ch.16: V.91) Faithful should then continue their
journey by further developing
In these two short verses the their conduct with their fellow
Qur’an gives a most human beings so that their
comprehensive teaching for the relationship with them resembles
moral and spiritual perfection of that of a mother’s to her children,
man and for establishing peace on where doing good becomes
earth. Believers are told that they spontaneous. At this stage there is
must hold fast to the principles of no thought of reward and no
absolute justice at all costs even to thought of doing or returning a
the detriment of their own self- favour; one is prompted to serve
interests or the interests of their others through selflessness. Thus
kith and kin. The very minimum the journey towards virtue is a

progressive one, the first step and to celebrate His praises and to
being absolute justice. All good become a living embodiment of
must be built upon this foundation. His attributes which, as stated
previously, is the purpose of man’s
The first half of verse 16:91 maps creation. Thus the Faithful are
out the believer’s journey towards given the glad tidings that if they
virtue. The second half maps out adhere to the injunctions of this
the journey away from vice. one verse alone they will fulfil the
Indecency means such vices as are purpose of their existence.
practised in private known only to
the practitioner, for example This verse on its own provides
jealousy. Manifest evil describes perfect guidance for mankind. It is
such evils as are done in the open balanced and harmonious; the
and the harm is confined to the three commandments are counter-
doer alone. Transgression balanced with three corresponding
comprehends all vices which do prohibitions. It is universal and
positive harm to others. eternal; the principles of absolute
justice, benevolence and kinship
Acting on this one verse alone can be applied in all eras and in all
would bring about peace in places. It is comprehensive and
society. It is the absence of justice complete; the principles given in
that is at the root of all evils. the above verse apply to all
spheres of human activities. There
Cultivating virtues and eschewing are no contradictions or flaws.
vices leads us to God and this brief These are the characteristics of
verse of Surah Al-Nahl lists all the perfection given earlier. Hence it
phases that must be passed is a perfect teaching.
through on this journey. It ends
with the words ‘that you may take Conclusion
heed’. The Arabic word zikr is In this essay we have argued that
translated as ‘take heed’ but it has the objective of man’s life is to
a much wider meaning. It means worship the one and only God. We
to remember the obligations that stated that this means the
one owes God and His creatures acquiring of His attributes. This

can be achieved through faith, Introduction to the Study of the

hope, love and fear. The Qur’an is Holy Qur ’an, Islam
a comprehensive guide to International Publications Ltd.
acquiring and strengthening faith
and it motivates man to become 2. AHMAD, MIRZA GHULAM
godly by inspiring him with fear, (1981) The Essence of Islam,
with hope and with love. By Volume II, The London
detailing the attributes of Allah it Mosque.
gives man a blueprint for his life’s
purpose. 3. AHMAD, MIRZA TAHIR
(1998) Absolute Justice,
Furthermore, every Qur ’anic Kindness and Kinship, Islam
injunction when closely examined International Publications Ltd.
will be found to be perfectly
balanced, harmonious and free of 4. AHMAD, MIRZA TAHIR
contradiction. We therefore (1996) An Elementary Study of
believe that the Qur’an is the Islam, Islam International
perfect guide for mankind as it is Publications Ltd.
balanced in itself and it leads man
to his objective. However, it 5. AHMAD, MIRZA TAHIR
should also be noted that while it (1997) Islam’s Response to
is intended as a guide for the Contemporary Issues , Islam
whole of mankind, only the God- International Publications Ltd.
fearing among them will be guided
aright by it: 6. AHMAD, WAHEED (1988) A
Book of Religious Knowledge.
This is a perfect Book; there is
no doubt in it; it is a guidance 7. (1988) The Holy Qur’an with
for the righteous. English Translation and
(Ch.2: V.3) Commentary, Vols. 1-5, Islam
International Publications Ltd.
Bibliography
1. AHMAD, MIRZA BASHIR-
UD-DIN MAHMUD (1996)

The Task Ahead
The following is an extract of a speech

delivered by Sir Muhammad Zafrulla
Khan in 1972 at The London Mosque.
The author served as the President of
the United Nations General Assembly
and then as the President of the
International Court of Justice at the
Hague.
The message of his speech remains relevant even today.
The subject of my address this which the second advent of the

afternoon is "the task ahead" Holy Prophet of Islam(sa) was
which may be described in designed which found its
various ways. For instance it may fulfilment towards the end of the
be said that the task ahead of us second half of the last century
is determined by the present and the beginning of this one. We
juncture and history in which on Ahmadis have covenanted at his
one side man's intellect has hands as one of his sincere
arrived at a higher point than it devoted servants but spiritually
had reached at any previous stage at the hands of the Holy
in its history, and on the other Prophet(sa) of Islam himself and
hand there is almost complete that we shall undertake to fulfil
annihilation between man and his that task to bring mankind back
Creator on a scale and over such to its Maker.
vast areas as has never happened
before. Our task is to bring about That is the task ahead. As I have
reconciliation between man and said it has been described in
his Maker. This is the purpose for various ways but I do not want to
The Task Ahead
spend time on defining the task. I God, which alone is what

wish so far as it may be given to matters.
me to draw attention to what is
needed for the fulfilment of that We have been told time and
task. How must we equip again beginning with the Qur’an
ourselves so that we may be itself and the admonitions of the
enabled to discharge that duty Holy Prophet(sa); then the very
and responsibility? How shall we detailed explanations by the Holy
prepare ourselves so that the Founder of our Community, that
fulfilment of that duty may go Islam does not forbid us to
forward from year to year, month pursue what other people
to month, week to week, day to describe and consider as secular
day and moment to moment? pursuits. In Islam there is no such
division between secular and
I enjoin you humbly, sincerely religious pursuits. In American
and respectfully but in the name terminology we only kid
of the Maker of all of us, to ourselves in thinking that we
consider honestly in examining have been successful in this thing
your own selves without any or that thing. We have achieved
kind of make-believe. Have we nothing except being false to our
taken full advantage of equipping pledge if we have pursued other
ourselves for the discharge of goals, ideals and purposes for
that duty? Are we doing all that their own sake. We will only be
is possible for us to do towards blessed with success if we
the discharge of that duty? To subordinate everything to the
what degree are we inspired by purpose of winning the pleasure
the delicacy and the loftiness of of God, so that what might be
the purpose ahead? To what called our secular pursuits then
degree have we succeeded in take on the colour of spiritual
subordinating ourselves to this pursuits.
task we have undertaken? If we
have not then we may be The earning of our livelihood,
accounted false in the eyes of marriages, bringing up of

The Task Ahead
children, amusements etc. are not is the purpose of his life then
prohibited and every one of them everything else will be sub-
is a means of the achievement of ordinated to this purpose and will
that purpose only if we knew become the means of the
how to employ them. Maulana achievement of this purpose. I
Rumi said at one place that if a myself have had many occasions
person is devoted to his Maker of talking about a person who
then you say it is self-indulgence adopts a profession which
for him to have four wives. For becomes, as we would say, a
such a person forty thousand means of his physical livelihood.
wives are not an indulgence Let us assume that he is an
because his concept of life and honest worker. Fewer and fewer
marriage is different from the today are honest workers even in
person who thinks this is self- the sense of ordinary labours.
indulgence. That makes a whole Life has become altogether
revolution in one's life and it is comparatively dishonest rather
my purpose to try to persuade than honest. However, leave that
you that this revolution, however aside and let us assume a certain
difficult or unattractive it might person is an honest person. He
be to begin with, is easy, works well, pleases his
rewarding, and enriching and employer, brings home his
joyful. It is the only true means money and does not gamble nor
of attaining happiness. drink alcohol. He spends it on
looking after his family. If,
A total commitment to our however, this is his only purpose
Maker and a burning consuming to which he devotes the working
desire that if we are blessed with time of his life then it is not a bad
the ability of carrying out that purpose. It is a good purpose and
commitment then every one of it will bear him certain benefits
His creatures shall be led to the and advantages. It is, however, a
same commitment, if God so very harmful, very wasteful and
pleases, through us. If a person a very losing bargain he makes to
truly feels and believes that this give his life in return only for this

The Task Ahead
purpose although in itself it is not not on the hilltops. You may go

bad. I am not talking of those to the summit of Mount Everest,
who waste even these to the bottom of the ocean or
opportunities. Leave them aside. raise your hand until it becomes
But if he carries on his dry and useless in seeking God
employment or occupation so and guidance, but you are only
that he may fulfil the purpose destroying yourself. We have to
that God has appointed for him seek Him and find Him through
and this is the means of keeping our ordinary daily occupations,
himself alive; maintaining his but they must have that quality
family and bringing them up as courage and stand which is given
true servants of God so that all of only to those who are true
them by virtue of their seekers after God and set their
relationship to one another and faces in His direction. If my
through the help of that yard-stick in life and my value is
relationship and the comfort that determined by my neighbours,
it brings, may be able to have the by my fellow workers, by what
strength, vision and capacity to the newspapers say, by what the
fulfil all required purposes television says or by radio
backed by his example, i.e. if he broadcasts, then these are my
might be able to lead himself and gods… Wherever things stand in
all others towards the the way of our purpose we must
establishment of communion discard them, overlook them and
with his Maker. This is the great pass them by. As the result of all
need of his age of spiritual that, therefore, we should be
malaise and sickness, which has walking examples of people who
overtaken mankind today. are devoted to that purpose. We
should radiate it more strongly
I am not asking you that you than any other radiation before
become hermits and discard life we can help others in a godless
on the hilltops pretending to be world to worship and have
seekers after God in isolation. communion with God.
God has to be sought here and

The Task Ahead
The moment we are in the today's distressful world, which

company of others, our principle is hurtling towards destruction
desire should be to please the every moment before your eyes.
company in which we are. Let us If we are to prove that factor
not deceive ourselves by saying which can save not only
these things are little things. ourselves but the whole of
Look at it this way. A person who mankind against the wrath of
does not have the courage to God and bring mankind’s
change himself in little things, allegiance back to Him and
could he honestly say he would unless we illustrate it in our lives,
have the courage to change his all our preaching and
life in big things which matter a announcements will be without
great deal more? He who is not result.
capable of small sacrifices, it is
for you to think how he will We have to be living examples of
make great sacrifices. Train those who experience God daily.
yourselves to give a lot of Without that nobody today is
everything for the sake of God going to believe in God. You
and taking out only that much cannot convince anybody
that God says. through any kind of reasoning
that God exists. He has so
It is related of Syed Abdul Qadir ordained it Himself that He must
Jilani who said he eats good food be sought through experience of
and wears good clothes, but he Him and not through arguments
did not put a morsel of food into about Him. He does not leave
his mouth until God told him to reason and arguments out of it.
eat. Nor did he put on a garment They are only adjuncts. They are
until he was told by God to wear not the essence but they only
it. That should be the standard help you in that direction to see if
and understanding in everything. there may be one but they will
Everything else should be not bring you to God's Presence
discarded. That is the change with a capital 'P' which that
which we must carry out in experience alone can achieve.

The Task Ahead
WE SHOULD BECOME THE GREATEST SOURCE OF

BENEFICENCE FOR THE COUNTRY IN WHICH WE LIVE,
SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE, FOR OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD IN
WHICH WE DWELL AND FOR THE CHILDREN WHO COME IN
CONTACT WITH OUR CHILDREN.
Unless we experience it con- ke fashion se dur ja pare"

stantly at every moment by being meaning keep far away from the
in His presence, all our other fashion of this world. After all
efforts will be without result. The we do have a fashion. Fashion
first thing you need, therefore, is just means the fashion, which is
to have the courage that comes pursued. We follow a fashion.
from certainty of faith. Nothing We leave our beds and get up in
can overcome that. No one will the late hours of the night to offer
be able to displace such a person prayers. Our fashion is to get up
from the stand he has taken in at that time to hold communion
obedience to God. Every effort with God. That is our fashion. It
that is made will only evoke a is our fashion, irrespective of
pitiful endeavour and nothing what time the sun rises, that an
more. Yet how many are there of hour and a quarter before sunrise,
us who are ninety percent of even having got up an hour and a
what we do and which we pursue quarter before and then having
just do so as a fashion? There is washed and held communion
not much harm in following a with God in tahajjud prayers, we
fashion but that way must be then say fajr (morning) prayers
God's fashion and not man's and further prayers through the
fashion. It must be the fashion of day. This is our fashion; what we
life and not the fashion of death. earn is not ours. It belongs to
God. Out of that we should use
There is a revelation of the only that much for ourselves and
Promised Messiah (as) which for our children which barely
points in this direction "zindigi suffices for our needs and it is

The Task Ahead
our fashion that the rest is for the a joke. Every penny, every cent,
service of our follow creatures. matters. Why? Because of the
There is nothing wrong in a value that one attaches to the
fashion but what matters is what penny and the cent. It is God's
fashion. What are our young bounty and has to be put to the
people worried about? Whether best possible use. I am not saying
the side hair on their faces has that this is the only thing that
grown down to here or there. was necessary to do. I could
easily have gone to East Putney
How long they spend before the or Southfields station and I
mirror I do not know because I might have saved a little more
do not do it myself but time which would other wise not
presuming it is five minutes have been employed for
wasted when the world is in a anything else and if I can save
conflagration and the future of six pence then that is something.
mankind is being consumed and We have been endowed by God
burnt and when every moment of with all that is very valuable. Our
our time is needed for beneficent thinking capacity, our physical
occupation. I have often frame all the wonderful
mentioned that in the older days incomprehendable machinery
when the fares of the which is the human being; and it
underground had not gone up I is still underestimated capacity
used to come to the mosque from which no one yet knows the end
the West End of London and of.
alight at Putney Bridge station
from where I would take either Each of us is a universe in
bus number 85 or 93. Everybody himself if he will but realise it.
asked me why I do that. I said We have to devote to that
first of all the bus stop is a little purpose everything connected
nearer to the mosque than Putney with us. If we are not doing so,
station. Secondly because I we are not only failing in our
saved a penny in fare. This is not duty but we are cheating, we are

The Task Ahead
embezzling and putting to use in which we dwell and for the

that which was given to us for children who come in contact
use and a purpose quite different. with our children. How should
We must therefore carry out a our being different make us
whole revolution in our lives. We unwelcome to anybody because
must not be affected by what we would then have to become a
other people think. Someone has hundred percent beneficent
said a very simple and wise thing whereas other people are
in a few words, ‘They say, what normally only five or ten percent
do they say, let them say’. That beneficent. If we want to make
contains the whole philosophy of of our lives something that
the matter. Did the companions would be welcome to our Maker
of the Holy Prophet(sa), let alone when we depart from this life,
himself, worry about what the and this is the resolution that we
people said? Would they have must carry out, I am warning
got anywhere if they had worried myself as well as warning you
what people might say? that the span of life passes faster
than the fastest super-sonic plane
To discard the fashion of others which is now on the blue print
institute your own fashion and which has not yet been
external, internal, moral, made. Use every moment while
spiritual and physical. We should you have the opportunity to do
not merely out of stubbornness so. Make up your mind and go
and prejudice go against other forward with courage.
people. In fact a righteous person
is much more in accord with
other people because he acts in a
beneficent way. We should
become the greatest source of
beneficence for the country in
which we live, society in which
we live, for our neighbourhood

The Concept of Jihad in Islam
By Amjad Mahmood Khan - Boston, USA
The concept of Jihad is often misrepresented both by Muslims and

non-Muslims. True jihad remains a key force for good and one
that promotes peace at all levels, yet today perhaps no other word
generates more confusion than jihad, as it has been misused as a
result of multiple erroneous translations.
This article aims to unpack the notion of jihad as explained in the

Holy Qur’an, and effectuated by Muhammad (sa). It further aims to
dismiss some of the most prominent criticisms levelled against
Islam that flow from a misinformed understanding of jihad,
namely that Islam breeds religious intolerance and that
Muhammad(sa), spread Islam with the sword.
The Arabic word jihad literally self-defence only if he is denied

means to ‘strive’ or ‘struggle’. It forcibly his ability to practice his
refers to a Muslim's inner faith. We read:
spiritual quest to vanquish evil
inclinations in his or her heart. And fight in the cause of
Ultimately, jihad-e-akbar or Allah against those who fight
‘great jihad’ is that of over- against you, but do not
coming the self that incites evil transgress. Surely, Allah
and achieving nearness to God. loves not the transgressors. 1
The word jihad has also been (Ch.2: V.191)
used in the Qur’an in the
physical context of war, how- And:
ever such an act of force is
strictly a defensive measure in Permission to fight is given to
Islam. A Muslim is entitled to those against whom war is

made, because they have instead been wielded as a

been wronged and Allah, political weapon to justify
indeed, has the power to help territorial and ideological
them. (Ch.22: V.40) expansion. The sublime spiritual
significance of the term that
These verses suggest that if an millions of Muslims cherish is
aggressor initiates the use of tragically undermined by the
force for purposes of religious whims and ambitions of zealots.
persecution, then and only then
is forceful reaction of self- Many Western scholars,
defence justifiable2. The use of however, refuse to accept that
force is contingent upon jihad has any deep spiritual
emergency conditions and only significance or tolerant bent.
when a Muslim is morally 3, Rather, they maintain, jihad has
rather than religiously, provoked always constituted aggressive
to fight. The suggested limits to conversion and compulsion since
religious tolerance in Islam are the days of the Holy Prophet(sa).
founded upon the rational These scholars fail to glean the
precept that self-defence of one’s reality of Muslim history.
own belief offsets an outward
compulsion for another to Arabia before the time of
believe. Muhammad(sa) was in moral
disarray. Infanticide grew
With this brief framework laid rampant in selected areas, and
out, it is surprising, even the dispossession of another was
terrifying, to observe how considered a birthright.4 At the
militant so-called Islamists have age of forty, Muhammad (sa)
hijacked the concept of jihad for received the first Qur ’anic
political ambition and self- revelation, and this was the
aggrandisement. In their prop- beginning of the formation of a
aganda Jihad has lost its moral code. Muhammad (sa)
Qur’anic meaning and has preached a belief in one God - a

revolutionary teaching in the they encompass nothing of

polytheistic Arab world of the His knowledge except what
time. Within twenty years, the He pleases. His throne
religion of Islam dominated extends over the heavens and
Arabia, and Muhammad(sa) stood the earth; and the care of
as a spiritual leader of an entire them wearies Him not; and
empire. It was in this historic He is the High, the Great.
setting that the Qur’anic verse (Ch.2: V.256)
was revealed: ‘There should be
no compulsion in religion’ Arab scholars label this verse
(Ch.2: V.257). The sweeping ‘Ayat al-Kursi’ meaning the
verse was a strong reminder that verse of divine power. Here, the
force was not something God only entity worthy of granting
condoned in Islam. When placed protection to man is God
in the context of the preceding Himself. Man’s knowledge is
and subsequent verses, however, limited, incomplete, and ineffe-
it becomes part of a larger ctive as opposed to the endless,
rational argument against full, and powerful knowledge of
compulsion. In the preceding God. The verse hints at the folly
verse, we read: of human presumption and the
need for a constant reminder of
Allah, there is no God but He, God’s absolute and exclusive
the Living, the Self-Subsisting capacity to judge man.
and All-Sustaining. Slumber
seizes Him not, nor sleep. To The rest of verse 257 reads:
Him belongs whatsoever is in
the heavens and whatsoever Surely, right has become
is in the earth. Who is he that distinct from wrong; so
will intercede with Him whomsoever refuses to be led
except by His permission? by those who transgress, and
He knows what is before them believes in Allah, has surely
and what is behind them; and grasped a strong handle

which knows no breaking. Say, ‘O ye disbelievers! I

And Allah is All-Hearing, worship not that which you
All-Knowing. worship. Nor worship you
(Ch.2: V.257) what I worship. And I am not
going to worship that which
Here, a distinction is drawn you worship. Nor will you
between those who believe, i.e., worship what I worship. For
the Muslims, and those who you your religion, and for me
transgress, namely the pagan my religion.’
Arabs of the time. Anticipating (Ch.109: Vs. 1-7)
the possible use of force on the
part of Muslims against non- Not only are believers enjoined
Muslim Arabs, the verse makes not to employ force on a non-
it plain that God bestows on the believer, but also they are urged
Muslims sublime guidance, and to proclaim emphatically that
that such guidance should not be they will not force another to
regarded as humanly concocted. believe what they believe. In
Thus, the believers should not direct terms, the chapter insists
compel others to their belief that believers declare their
system, for they have no such tolerance for non-believers: ‘For
Divine right. Moreover, truth is you your religion, and for me my
distinct from falsehood, so the religion.’ So here, Islam
believers need not force the demands tolerance for people of
issue; it is an absurd, illogical other faiths and refrains from
action. forced conversion.
At another crucial place in the The Qur’an leaves no doubt in

Qur’an, Chapter 109 entitled Al these and other passages that it
Kafirun ‘The Disbelievers’ regards idolaters as profoundly
fleshes out further the distinction in error. However, a group of
described above: scholars including Adolph L.
Wismar have misconstrued this

to imply that the Qur’an contra- believers? (Ch.10: V.100)

dicts itself when it says: ‘There
should be no compulsion in One notes how the case of the
religion.’ They ask how the non-believing Arabs is not with
Qur’an can stand for tolerance man, but with God. They are
when it rebukes unequivocally immune from punishment (from
the non-believing pagan Arabs at their fellow beings) and
the time of Muhammad (sa)?5 The compulsion in relation to their
Qur’an, however, stresses that an religion and practices.6 In pure
individual’s spiritual destiny is Islamic teaching, it is irrational
strictly between him and God to show religious intolerance
without interference from because it is tantamount to
outside. True religious belief associating partners with God,
requires both intense personal which for a Muslim is the most
commitment and individual egregious sin man can commit.
consent. We read:
With the rising influence of
And if Allah had enforced His Islam in Arabia by 628 CE,
Will, they would not have set Jewish and Christian tribes on
up gods with Him. And We the southern frontier of the
have not made thee a keeper Roman Empire intrigued to turn
over them, nor art thou over the Chosroes of Iran and the
them a guardian. Governor of Yemen against
(Ch.6: V.108) Islam. They met resistance from
Muslim forces in Khaiber, a
At another place we read: town near Madinah. 7 Amid
severe struggles between the
And if thy Lord had enforced Muslims, and Jews and
his Will, surely, all who are Christians, Muhammad(sa) sent a
on earth would have believed series of letters to various kings
together. Wilt thou, then, surrounding the Arab peninsula
force men to become declaring his intentions for peace

and co-operation. Among these anyone take any of these, he

letters included one written in would spoil God’s covenant
628 CE to the monks of the St. and disobey His Prophet.
Catherine Monastery in Mt. Verily, they are my allies and
Sinai. In it, he issues a ‘Charter have my sincere charter
of Privileges’ offering secure against all that they hate. No
protection of fundamental one is to force them to travel
human rights to Christians living or to oblige them to fight.
in the Muslim empire. He The Muslims are to fight for
declares: them. If a female Christian is
married to a Muslim, it is not
This is a message from to take place without her
Muhammad, son of approval. She is not to be
Abdullah, as a covenant to prevented from visiting
those who adopt Christian- church to pray. Their chur-
ity, near and far, that we are ches are to be respected.
with them. Verily, I, the They are neither to be prev-
servants, the helpers, and my ented from repairing them
followers defend them nor the sacredness of their
because Christians are my covenants. No one of the
citizens; and, by Allah, I hold nation of Muslims is to
out against anything that disobey this covenant until
displeases them. No the Last Day of Judgment.8
compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be The text demands scrutiny. At
removed from their jobs nor the outset, the Holy Prophet(sa)
their monks from their mon- appeals broadly to Christians
asteries. No one is to destroy living not only under Muslim
a house of their religion, to rule, but also ‘near and far’
damage it, or to carry around the world. One gets the
anything from it to the sense here that his pronounce-
Muslims’ houses. Should ments, though buried in a letter

to a monastery, are nonetheless letter. Christians, as concerned

meant for a much larger citizens, are awarded a
Christian audience. Obversely, protective status in a Muslim
9
his reference to all Muslims state. He states that he ‘holds out
defending Christians, ‘servants, against anything that displease
helpers, and followers’, shows them’ meaning he assumes a
the onus he places upon his responsibility to take heed to
Muslim audience. His immed- their concerns. This
iate audience, namely Christian responsibility is not outlined in
monks living within the Muslim any constitution or written
empire, earn the title of ‘citizens’ document, but rather is
of the Holy Prophet (sa). constructed ‘by Allah’ as a part
of his covenant to Muslims.
The import of this word should
not be underestimated. By Prophet Muhammad (sa) next
referring to non-believers as proceeds to outline the Qur’anic
‘citizens’, Muhammad(sa) sets up injunction of refraining from
the possibility of divergent compulsion in religion. He cites
religious interests living several potential compulsive
peacefully under a Muslim State. acts, such as removing judges,
Citizenship implies an adherence damaging Churches, forcing one
to the customs and practices of to fight or travel, or even forcing
the supreme governing body of a a Christian to marry a Muslim.
State; yet it also connotes an Here, tolerance, as he explains,
independent voice that has a extends beyond civil to social
deliberative stake in the matters; it is used in positive,
functions and operations of sweeping terms. He negates the
government. His use of the term value of such acts and, in doing
certainly rings of the latter so, lauds the St. Catherine monks
connotation, particularly when for regarding their covenants; his
understood with respect to his own covenant, namely the
remaining declarations in the charter of privileges is a ‘sincere

response to all that they hate’. privileges to their Christian

Historian and critic Marmaduke brethren, but are also bound by
Pickthall comments on the God to uphold such a compact.
intentions behind the letter thus: The enforcing power behind the
compact is God Himself. The
The Charter which he granted Holy Prophet(sa) regards the
to the Christian monks of covenants of Muslims and
Sinai is extant. If you read it Christians alike because they
you will see that it breathes implicate Divine backing. This
not only goodwill, but also is the sum and essence of how
actual love. He gave to the tolerance works in Islam: that by
Jews of Medina, so long as appealing to a higher spiritual
they were faithful to him, sovereign, namely God, a
precisely the same treatment Muslim’s respect and accord for
as to the Muslims. He never different religions becomes a
was aggressive against any sublime virtue rather than a civil
man or class of men; he never necessity. When understood in
penalised any man, or made this context, the scholarly
war on any people, on the concept of jihad as ‘holy war’ or
ground of belief but only on ‘aggressive conversion’ is
the ground of conduct. The rendered suspect.
story of his reception of
Christian and Zoroastrian In 632 CE, the Holy Prophet(sa)
visitors is on record. There is delivered his final sermon to
not a trace of religious 10,000 followers. In it, we find
intolerance in all this. 10 mention of some important
corollaries for religious toler-
Prophet Muhammad’s call for ance. Of key significance is the
religious tolerance is couched in section that reads:
his repeated use of the phrase
‘covenant’. Muslims are not only All mankind is from Adam
commanded to grant necessary and Eve, an Arab has no

superiority over a non-Arab, and ethnic equality pre-suppose

nor a non-Arab has any the existence of diverse groups
superiority over an Arab; also within a single nation. But his
a white has no superiority grounding of this value after his
over a black, nor a black has initial declaration, ‘All mankind
any superiority over a white is from Adam and Eve’, shows
except by piety and good the intimate connection he places
action. Learn that every between religion and equality.
Muslim is a brother to every Equality flows from the
Muslim and that the Muslims recognition of the fundamental
constitute one brotherhood. religious precept that man comes
Nothing shall be legitimate to from Adam and Eve.
a Muslim that belongs to a
fellow Muslim unless it was He suggests that superiority is
given freely and willingly. wholly exclusive from religious
Do not, therefore, do affiliation; it depends on ‘piety
injustice to yourselves ... and good action’, which are
Remember, one day you will religion-blind. The ‘brother-
appear before God, the hood’ among Muslims cannot be
Creator, and you will answer misconstrued as intolerance to
for your deeds. 11 other religious groups. That is,
to maintain solidarity, Muslims
For religious tolerance to work, cannot employ force against
the Holy Prophet(sa) here implies non-believers or ‘non-members,’
that a Muslim must fully but rather should allow them to
acknowledge and commit to commit ‘freely and willingly’ to
social and civic equality. By Islam if they desire. Any action
making the distinction between to the contrary is ‘an injustice to
ethnic and racial equality, he [themselves]’ and presumpt-
demonstrates the complexity and uous of God’s unique capacity to
universality of the equality he judge man.
desires in a Muslim state. Racial

Here, the use of the phrase tolerance, values antithetical to a

‘injustice to yourselves’ deserves construal of jihad as ‘holy war’
consideration. He suggests that or ‘aggressive conversion.’
intolerance of another’s belief Indeed, from the examples
system brings more harm to during the time of the Holy
oneself than to another because it Prophet(sa), it is clear that jihad
forces a Muslim to relinquish the was not a concept used to
core teachings he or she lives by, convert non-Muslims to Islam or
rendering one a hypocrite rather to wage a holy war. Character-
than a righteous believer. In ising Muhammad’s treatment of
other words, religious non-Muslims, the Qur’an reads:
intolerance is a self-defeating act
that breeds hypocrisy. And it is by the great mercy of
Allah that thou art kind
The Holy Prophet(sa) concludes towards them, and if thou
by admonishing Muslims to hadst been rough and hard-
remember their covenants and hearted, they would surely
accountability to God. Again, have dispersed from around
just as in his letter to the thee.
Christian monks, he elevates the (Ch.3: V.160)
status of one’s covenants,
treating them as binding Islam, in its purest practice as
contracts. For the Holy demonstrated by Muhammad(sa),
Prophet , tolerance for human
(sa) advocates religious tolerance. In
life and possessions ‘had the fact, religious tolerance proves
same sacredness which belonged to be the very crux by which the
to sacred days, sacred months, entire Islamic system of
and sacred places.’12 governance rests.13 The funda-
mental teaching of religious
A Muslim’s covenant entails a tolerance in Islam supplants the
corroboration of civic equality, concept of jihad to create a
citizenship, and religious spiritually rich frame-work for

morality and governance in 3. In Ch.22: Vs.41-42, one notes

Islam. It is a framework that is how Islam regards the
tragically tainted by militant importance of freedom of
Islamists and frequently the conscience. Any assault on
scholars who study them. this freedom threatens the
sanctity of a Muslim’s life. A
References call to arms in Islam is
1. Maulawi Sher Ali, The Holy contingent upon a direct and
Qur’an, Islam International clear threat to one’s freedom
Publications, UK, 1997. of conscience; in other words,
it is grounded in the idea of
2. Islam regards the breaking of preserving one’s basic moral
treaties or agreements as right.
grounds for aggression. The
Arabic word Dhimmah means 4. Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din
literally ‘covenant,’ ‘treaty,’ Mahmud Ahmad, Life of
or ‘obligation.’ The Muhammad, Islam
expression Ahl al-Dhimmah International Publications,
refers to non-Muslim people UK, 1990.
with whom the Muslim State
has made an agreement and 5. Adolph L. Wismar, A Study
who pay poll tax to the State, in Tolerance As Practised by
in return for which the State is Muhammad and His
responsible for their security Immediate Successors (New
and freedom. Those non- York: AMS Press Inc., 1966),
Muslims who paid no respect 5.
to such a treaty proved
treacherous or perfidious and 6. David Little and others, eds.,
were, thus, attacked by the Human Rights and the
Muslims. See commentary Conflict of Cultures: Western
note in Ref.1, p.397. and Islamic Perspectives on
Religious Liberty (Columbia:

University of South Carolina of eight lectures given at the

Press, 1988), 29. invitation of the Committee of
Madras Lectures on Islam in
7. See W. M. Watt, Muhammad: 1927. Reprinted in Pickthall’s
Prophet and Statesman Islamic Culture (Hyderabad,
(London: Oxford University India: Islamic Culture Board,
Press, 1961), 189. 1927), 25.
8. The text of this letter may be 11. Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud

found online from Ahmad, Life of Muhammad
< h t t p : / / w w w. a l h e w a r. c o m / (UK: Islam International
labibkobti.html>. Publications, 1990), p.161-
162.
9. Watt points out the limits of
protection granted to 12. Ibid., p.163.
minorities in an Islamic State
and asserts that the sword 13. The term Mushawarah or
spread Islam. See W. M. ‘consultation’ in verse 3:160
Watt, Islamic Political sets the basis for
Thought: The Basic Concepts administration and republic-
(Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh anism in the Islamic State.
University Press, 1968), 50. The idea of deliberative
Here, however, he concedes: decision-making and consent
"On the whole there was more are essential components of
genuine toleration of non- Islam. It is important here to
Muslims under Islam than note that such basic governing
there was of non-Christians in principles follow directly
medieval Christian States" after a historical reference to
(51). the religious tolerance
employed by the Prophet
10. Marmaduke Pickthall, Muhammad(sa).
Tolerance in Islam. The fifth

Subscription
The Review of Religions
We hope you have enjoyed reading this edition of the
If you would like to order a copy of any
magazine. The Review of Religions will continue to
issue published in 2003, please send provide discussion on a wide range of subjects and
£1.50 (or equivalent) providing us with welcomes any comments or suggestions from its
your full name and address. Delivery readers.
will be on a first come, first served basis,
To ensure that you regularly receive this monthly
and in the absence of a copy being
publication, please fill in your details below and we
available your money will be returned
will put you on our mailing list.
The cost of one year’s subscription is £15 Sterling or
• Are you a subscriber to The US $30 for overseas readers (Please do not send
cash). Payments by US residents should be by
Review of Religions? check payable to “AMI” (US dollars 30) and sent
• Have you renewed your sub- direct to ‘The Review of Religions’, Baitul Zafar,
scription for the next year? 86-71 PALO ALTO ST, HOLLISWOOD. NY
11423-1203 (USA). All other subscription payments
should be made payable to the London Mosque and
Why not sponsor a reader to The sent to the address below:
Review of Religions by subscribing
for him/her and we will send the The Review of Religions
first edition on your behalf with The London Mosque Please tick in box if
your compliments 16 Gressenhall Road you wish to receive
London SW18 5QL The Review of Religions
2003 CD
United Kingdom
Please put me on the mailing list for the Review of Religions for 1 year. I enclose
subscription payment of £15.00 or US $30.00 (please see instructions above for US residents).
OR if you wish to receive a CD of all the articles published in 2003, please tick the white
box above and enclose payment of £5.00, please also add an appropriate sum for postage.
Name: ___________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Editorial: October 2004, Vol.99, No.10

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Editorial: October 2004, Vol.99, No.10

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Editorial: October 2004, Vol.99, No.10

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Contents October 2004, Vol.99, No.

Distinctive Features of Islam Some of the unique features of Islam

Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah

2 The Review of Religions – October 2004

Four Principal Attributes of

For its manifestation, Rububiyyat

The Review of Religions – October 2004 3

Rahimiyyat demands for its In Surah Fatihah, God Almighty

4 The Review of Religions – October 2004

“THE COMING INTO BEING OF EVERYTHING FROM NON-

He is the Lord of all things. everything whether animate or

God is the Rabb of everything. The second type of grace is

The Review of Religions – October 2004 5

Through it, all the means of life bestowed these numberless

6 The Review of Religions – October 2004

beast, believer or non-believer, This means that: When the

The Review of Religions – October 2004 7

in place of harshness, and in return by virtue of Rahmaniyyat that He

8 The Review of Religions – October 2004

THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE MENTIONED IS THE

The Review of Religions – October 2004 9

one have no share in it.

It is worthy of note that the

10 The Review of Religions – October 2004

the reality and pure and perfect no stage of manifestation and

The Review of Religions – October 2004 11

This most special grace is to some is deprived of this grace is

12 The Review of Religions – October 2004

those who had cut themselves is necessary and is demanded by

Malik-i-Yaum-id-Din also indi- Perfect composition demands that

The Review of Religions – October 2004 13

Book? To take exception to such nents of the universe which is not

His Rububiyyat is in operation all

14 The Review of Religions – October 2004

continuation and sustenance. 'Alamin. We have already

The Review of Religions – October 2004 15

power to make manifest His what is great misfortune. Great

Judgement or of Recompense will privation proof that God

In this journal, for the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(sa)’ or ‘sa’

The abbreviation ‘ra’ or (ra) stands for ‘Radhiallahtala and is

The Review of Religions – October 2004 17

An address delivered at the Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya

Introduction » The Unity of God,

18 The Review of Religions – October 2004

The Review of Religions – October 2004 19

Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin a particular period and they were

20 The Review of Religions – October 2004

Allah." (Ch. 7: V. 159) from stipulating details, which

‘This day have I perfected All the teachings of Islam were

The Review of Religions – October 2004 21

22 The Review of Religions – October 2004

The Review of Religions – October 2004 23

ISLAM IS THE ONLY RELIGION THAT HAS TAKEN STEPS TO

comprehensive computer, it Atonement is repudiated by

24 The Review of Religions – October 2004

recognise one another. Verily, would have been against His

The Review of Religions – October 2004 25