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TRANSCRIPT
In the name of ALLAH, the BENEFICENT, the MERCIFUL
(I N T E R N A T I O N A L)
AHMADIYAH ANJUMAN ISH’AT-I-ISLAM (LAHORE), CANADA
VOL: 3 ISSUE: 7 + 8 SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2005
[email protected] & [email protected]
RAMADAN MUBARAK TO ALL OUR READERS
www.aaiil.org
Noor-I-Islam .. 2
Hazrat Ameer’s Message for the Jama'at
“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for
those before you, so that you may guard against evil” (Al Baqarah 2:183)
Dear brothers and sisters,
The Blessed month of Ramadan will soon start and provide us an
opportunity to fast and pray. In the verse of the Holy Quran that I have
quoted above the main objective of observing this month is to guard against
evil. The foremost reason for fasting is not abstinence from food and water
but abstinence from all forms of sin. By going through this determined
effort to stay away from all forms of sins and attain nearness to Allah, the
human soul is nurtured into complete submission to its Creator. Such soul
is „nufs-ul mutmaaina‟, that is, a soul that is at peace. A person whose soul
is at peace is blessed with a life that, in this world, tastes the fruits of what
is to come in the after life, that is, closeness to Allah.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I pray that Allah will grant you all an opportunity to make every
effort to crave for His nearness and move towards becoming muttaqeen,
that is, those who guard against evil.
The Mujaddid of this century, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, had
made this Jama’at under Divine guidance to spread Islam in the world and
he had set the criteria of its membership as taqwah.
Let us all pray to Allah that we become worthy of being members of
this Jama’at. Let us also pray for Ahmadi brothers and sisters all over the
world and for all the Muslim brothers and sisters to live in peace and
harmony with all their fellow beings and achieve the goal of fasting. Aameen.
Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Ameer-i-Jama’at
International Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement 30 September 2005
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our beloved Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM HIS COMPANIONS
The honor God granted to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is incomparable with anything
people achieve in life. What position could be higher or more honorable than being
chosen as God‟s messenger who is entrusted with delivering His final message to
mankind? It is a position in which the Messenger received direct revelations from God to
provide guidance to all humanity, including all its future generations, on all aspects of
life. Hence, whenever the Prophet is mentioned, his mention is coupled with expressions
of love and high esteem.
This is a manifestation of what God has told him in the Qur‟an: “Have We not given
you high renown?” (94: 4)
Perhaps no community could have appreciated the role of the Prophet better than his own
companions. They experienced what life was like without God‟s guidance, then
experienced life when molded in accordance with such guidance, and were fully aware of
the difference it made. Hence, they loved the Prophet more than they loved their parents,
children or even themselves. When one of them, Khubayb ibn Adiy, who was taken
captive and sold to the Quraysh, was brought forward to be killed, Abu Sufyan, the
Quraysh chief, asked him: “Would you rather swap places with Muhammad, with him
being here with us to kill and you are in your home with your family, safe and sound?”
Khubayb said: “I would not be happy to be safe at home while Muhammad is merely
harmed by a thorn in his side.” Abu Sufyan commented: “I have never seen anyone
loving another more than Muhammad‟s companions love him.”
Later Muslims always wanted to know how the Prophet lived among his companions and
how they treated him. When we consider that the Prophet was at the same time the head
of the Islamic state that was to stretch over the whole of Arabia during his lifetime,
comparison with the behavior of kings and rulers is often suggested. We, however, make
no such comparison because it would never hold. We speak of the Prophet‟s behavior and
let people draw their own conclusions.
Some people visited Zayd ibn Thabit, who was a young man during the Prophet‟s
lifetime and one who learned the Qur‟an by heart. They asked him to tell them about the
Prophet and what he knew of him. He said: “What shall I tell you? I was his neighbor.
When he received revelations from on high, he would call me and I would write it down
for him. On the other hand, when we spoke about this life, he would discuss it with us;
and if we spoke about the life hereafter, he would also speak about it; and if we
mentioned food, he would join our conversation. This is what I can tell you about God‟s
Messenger (peace be upon him.)” [Related by Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Baghawi, and Al-Tabarani.]
This Hadith gives us the image of one who was just a member of a group, or a
community, having the same concerns and interests. But he was the one they loved most,
and he was keen to maintain the feeling that he was truly one of them. Anas reports: “No
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one did they love to see at any time more than God‟s Messenger (peace be upon him). Yet when
they saw him coming, they would stand up to greet him, because they realized he disliked
that they should.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Baghawi.)
That his companions loved to see him most is certainly right. They recognized that he
only told them what was good for them, conveying to them God‟s revelations, and telling
them what sets their life on the right course.
He taught them good manners and fine principles; and he also sorted out their problems.
They learned by experience that nothing but good came to them through him. Hence,
their love of the Prophet was paramount in their feelings. Yet when they saw him
coming, they did not stand up because he disliked that. This means that when they
remained seated, they were only doing what pleased him.
This may beg the question concerning the ruling on whether people could stand to greet
friends or superiors when they meet them.
The first point to mention in reply is that the Prophet‟s companions were fully aware of
his modesty. Secondly, he was keen to teach them by practical example that modesty is
the best way to treat others, including equals or subordinates. Thirdly, they needed to
show the best manners when they dealt with him. Needless to say, good manners require
compliance with the Prophet‟s express wishes. Hence, they did what pleased him most
and they did not stand up when he came to join them.
Having said that, I should add that the Prophet himself used to stand up when his
daughter Fatimah came to visit him. He would welcome her warmly, kiss her and seat her
where he was seated. He also stood up to greet his cousin Jaafar ibn Abi Talib on his
return from Abyssinia. He told his companions to stand up when Saad ibn Mu‟adh was
brought in to judge in the case of the Quraydhah Jews. What this means is that standing
up really depends on the situation. However, if a person loves that people should stand up
when he shows up, then he is totally in the wrong because this is a mark of arrogance.
The proper course is a middle course, where one maintains modesty with all people, but
he might honor some and show them respect and appreciation. This was the Prophet‟s
chosen method. Both Abu Hurayrah and Abu Dharr report: “The Prophet used to sit with
his companions as one of them.
A stranger would come in but he would not know which of them was the Prophet until he
has asked and been told.
We, therefore, sought his approval that we should make for him a seat so that a stranger
would know him. We did so, and built him a position of clay, where he would sit while
we sat on both his sides.” (Related by Abu Dawood.)
We may speak at length about the Prophet‟s attitude, which is a model of modesty. When
he was with his companions, he was indistinguishable from the rest of them. They felt
this and appreciated it. Compare this with the attitude of kings, presidents and rulers,
Noor-I-Islam .. 5
particularly despotic ones, and the difference could not be more marked. Indeed, bosses
in small companies often behave in a way that stresses their superiority of position. This
is the sort of behavior that can easily lead to arrogance becoming a habit. Hence, it is
shunned by Islam.
We have seen similar examples in the life of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmed (may Allah be pleased with
him), reformer and Mujaddid of 14th
Century. Do we practice the same in our lives? We do
need to address and answer this question.
UNAUTHORIZED AUTHORITY
My husband insists that I should obey him whatever he tells me, and he imposes on me a
very strict code, requiring me to wear hijab (parda) in front of other women who are
even related to me. He speaks ill of my mother, which I find very hard. If I am ill and
need to see a doctor, he says that only when he feels that I should see a doctor, he will
take me to see one. He says that my parents have nothing to do with me any more,
because, now that I am married, everything is deferred to him. No one else has any
business with me. If he wants to beat me up, he could do so because he is the man. If he
comes home and finds me reading the Qur’an, he interrupts me and says that nothing of
my prayers or reading is acceptable unless he is happy with me, and he never says that
he is happy with me. Please comment.
(Name Withheld)
After a very long time I have come across a very serious question that I feel hesitant to
reply and at the same time I feel it important to answer due to many social and other
reasons. I feel that my answer may reflect a better picture of Islamic laws and rules in the
eyes of non-Muslims of west society.
Some people give themselves much more than they‟re due, hoping that in this way they
can gain an unfair advantage over those with whom they deal. When this takes place
between man and wife, it leads to a very unhappy home. It is bad for the man, wife and
children. If the lady‟s complaint is true in all its details – and she has given me more
details than I have reproduced – then she has a very hard time with him. Unfortunately,
some men are like that. They take one or two Hadiths out of context to give themselves
an authority that is not authorized and does not belong to them. They not only
misinterpret these Hadiths, but their actions are in direct conflict with Qur‟anic teachings.
Let us take one or two examples: Allah says in the Qur‟an: “Consort with them in a
goodly manner.” (4:19) This statement should be the foundation of marital relations. The
phrase „goodly manner‟ is inadequate to express all the meaning of the Arabic term used
by God. It indicates all that is good in personal treatment. How can a man who listens to
this order by God say to his wife that he could beat her up at will? Would he have
considered this „goodly manner‟ if, as a child, he had a cruel father who beat him up
Noor-I-Islam .. 6
without justification? The Prophet says: “Take good care of women.” This man says
that he decides when his wife needs to see a doctor. He prefers to save the doctor‟s fee,
leaving his wife enduring pain and ill health, simply because he is the man. Is he acting
on the Prophet‟s order when he acts in this way? Is he taking good care of her?
Moreover, God describes marriage as a solemn pledge given by men to women. This is
clearly stated in Verse 21 of Surah 4. he uses the same words in describing the pledge He
takes from His senior messengers: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed (peace be
upon them all). The pledge in the case of marriage requires men to take good care of women
and to look after them well, ensuring their well being. The husband of this lady fails
miserably in honoring his pledge, if what she describes is true. They way he treats her
seems to disregard her feelings and to negate her personality altogether.
Not only so, but this man wants to make Allah‟s pleasure with his wife subject to his own
satisfaction. What an enormity he is saying? He decides for God whether her prayers or
worship is acceptable! That can only be said by a fool or a conceited person who shows
no proper respect to Allah.
My Advice to this lady is to explain her situation to her parents. Let her father try to do
something about it, perhaps with the help of someone respectable in her husband‟s
family. They should explain to this man that he is failing badly in his responsibilities.
They should also make it clear to him that unless he begins to mend his ways, treating his
wife with all the respect fairness Islam requires, then he risks the collapse of his
marriage. If this does not work, then she has to decide what course she should take. From
the Islamic point of view, she may apply to a court of law to dissolve her marriage on
grounds of abuse and ill treatment. If she proves her case, judgment will be granted in her
favor and she gets a divorce with all her rights maintained.