RR 198505

ISSN 0743-5622
The REVIEW
of
RELIGIONS
VOL LXXX NO. 5 MAY 1985
IN THIS ISSUE
• WAS MUHAMMAD A PROPHET OR A KING?
• REVIEW OF SOME CHRISTIAN

DENOMINATIONS
• MUHAMMAD—THE HOLDER OF THE SEAL
• THE ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTER
AND REGULAR FEATURES
• COMMENTARY ON A VERSE
OF THE HOLY QURAN
• FROM THE WRITINGS OF HAZRAT AHMAD
• EDITORIAL—
WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?
• CURRENT TOPICS-
DEHUMANIZING ISLAM
• BOOK REVIEW -
Cfhere is no deity lut 70.Hk, Muhammad is His Messenger
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THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS

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/VOL-LXXX NO.5\Y 1985

The Review of Religions is
an organ of the Ahmadiyya
Movement in Islam which
represents the pure and CONTENTS
true Islam. It is open to all
for discussing problems Commentary on a Verse of
connected with the reli- the Holy Quran
gious and spiritual growth
of man, but it does not ac- From the Writings of the
cept responsibility for views Promised Messiah ............................... 2
expressed by contributors.
When was Jesus Born?
All correspondance and Editorial ................................................. 3
enquiries pertaining to the
Review of Religions should Was Muhammad a Prophet or
please be directed to: a King?
Sh. Mubarak Ahmad .............................. 5
The Editors,
Review of Religions, Review of Some Christian
2141 Leroy Place N.W. Denominations
Washington DC 20008 B. A. Orchard ....................................... 22
Ph: (202) 232-3737
Muhammad — the Holder of
the Seal
Subscription Rates: Saleem Nasir Malik ............................. 27
For USA & Canada:
The Islamic Method of Slaughter
Annual $15.00 A. R. Dard ............................................ 31
Single copy $1.50
For UK & Europe: Current Topics —
Annual £10.00 Dehumanizing Islam
For Pakistan:
Dr. Syed Barakat Ahmad ................... 35
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Book Review
Shakoora Nooriah
MAY 1985 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS
WHAT IS ISLAM?
Islam means peace, surrender. The significance of the name Islam is the
attainment of a life of perfect peace and eternal happiness through complete sur-
render to the Will of God.
Absolute and uncompromising belief in One God is the central doctrine of Islam.
There is none worthy of worship but the One and Only God (Allah) Who possesses
all excellences and Muhammad is His Messenger. This is the most important
doctrine of Islam.
Islam helps us to establish a permanent relationship with God to realize Him
during our earthly life as our Helper and Guide in all our affairs.
Islam requires belief in all the prophets and spiritual guides including Abraham,.
Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius and Zoroaster. Islam represents the
completion of the mission of all the prophets from the dawn of history. It teaches
that all the prophets of God came -with one and the same mission. Thus Islam
establishes peace and unity between all religions.
The Holy Quran—the Muslim Scripture—was revealed to the Master Prophet
Muhammad 1400 years ago and has been preserved intact without the slightest
change. A large number of Muslims know the whole Book by heart. It is an
inexhaustible treasure of spiritual truths capable of satisfying the needs of all people
hi all countries and all stations of life.
The establishment of true democracy and universal brotherhood without any
discrimination of caste, creed, color or country is the unique and unrivalled distinc-
tion of Islam. Islam has fulfilled and realized the splendid principles of democracy in
the actual life and action of human society.
According to Islam, life after death is a continuation of life on earth. Heaven and
Hell begin right in this life. Heaven is eternal and everlasting, while hell is
temporary. Hell is a hospital for the treatment of the human soul. As a soul is cured,
it goes to Heaven. Heaven is the attaiment of a life of everlasting progress and
complete joy and happiness through union with God and by the development of the
fine spiritual qualities and the unlimited capacities which have been implanted in
human beings.
A few of the distinctive features of Islam are:
1. Liberation of women by establishing the equality of both sexes, safeguarding
their rights and liberties and raising their status.
2. Absolute veto on all intoxicants.
3. Equitable solution of all economic problems.
4. Furnishing mankind with the noblest practical ethics.
5. Promotion of science and education.
Some of the obligatory duties laid down by Islam are:
1. Five daily Prayers.
2. Fasting in the month of Ramadhan.
3. Paying Zakat for the relief of poverty.
4. Pilgrimage to Mecca, once in one's lifetime, if circumstances allow.
MAY 1985 HOLY QUR'AN COMMENTARY
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful

We praise Him and invoke His blessings on His Noble Prophet
COMMENTARY
ON A VERSE OF THE HOLY QUR'AN
Laqad Mannallaho Alal Mo'mineena Is Ba'asa Feehim

Rasoolan Min Anfosehim Yatloo Alaihim Aayaatehee Wa
Yozakkeehim Wa Yo'allemohumul Kitaaba Wai Hikmata,
Wa In Kaanoo Min Qablo La Fee Zalaalin Mobeen.
"Verily, Allah has conferred a favor on the believers by
raising among them a Messenger from among themselves
who recites to them His Signs, and purifies them and teaches
them the Book and Wisdom; and, before that, they were
surely in manifest error." (3:165)
The expression, by raising among them a Messenger from among
themselves, is intended to awaken in the hearts of Muslims a desire
to follow the example of the Holy Prophet who was like them and
one of them. The Prophet was not only a man like them but was ac-
tually one of them. If he could rise to such spiritual heights, why
could not they?
All Messengers of God are raised from among human beings and
they possess the same faculties and are actuated by the same desires
and aspirations as other human beings, and therefore they can serve
as true models for their fellow-beings. But a so-called "son of God"
does not possess the same desires and the same faculties as we have,
and cannot therefore be a model for us. Our model should be from
our own kind. He who is not of our kind, being a divine being, free
from human passions and human weaknesses, cannot be held out to
us as a model for imitation.
The verse also points to the fulfilment of the prayer of Abraham
THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS MAY 1985
contained in 2:130 in which the different functions of the Promised

Prophet have been mentioned just as they are mentioned here.
FROM THE WRITINGS OF HAZRAT AHMAD

Our Holy Prophet, peace be on him, was a great Reformer for the
proclamation of truth, and restored to the world the truth that had
been lost. No Prophet shares with him the pride that he found the
whole world in darkness and by his appearance that darkness was
converted into light. He did not die till the people among whom he
had appeared had cast aside the garment of paganism and had put.
on the robe of the Unity of God. Not only this, but they achieved
high grades of faith and performed such works of righteousness and
fidelity and certainty which are not matched in any part of the
world. Such success was not achieved by any Prophet other than the
Holy Prophet, peace be on him. It is a strong argument in support of
the truth of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, that he was raised in
an age when the world had fallen into deep darkness and called for a
grand Reformer. He departed the world at a time when hundreds of
thousands of people had abandoned paganism and idol worship and
had adopted the Unity of God and the straight path. Such perfect
reform was particular to him that he taught a people, who were at
the level of animals the ways of humanity; in other words, he con-
verted wild beasts into men, and then turned them into educated
men, and then made them men of God, and breathed spirituality in-
to them and created a relationship between them and the True God.
They were slaughtered like sheep in the cause of God and were trod-
den under foot like ants, but they did not abandon their faith, and
marched forward in the face of every calamity. Doubtless, the Holy
Prophet was a second Adam and indeed was a true Adam for the
establishment of spirituality through whom all human excellences ar-
rived at their perfection, and all good faculties were devoted to their
proper task and no branch of human nature was left barren. Pro-
phethood ended with him not only because he was the last Prophet
in point of time, but also because all the excellences of Prophethood
reached their climax in him. As he was a perfect manifestation of
Divine attributes, his law had the qualities both of majesty and beau-
ty. That is why he was named both Muhammad and Ahmad; and
there was no miserliness in his Prophethood, it was for the benefit of
the whole world from the beginning (Lecture Sialkot, pp. 4-7)
MAY 1985 EDITORIAL
Editorial:
WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?

SOME CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
That Jesus is the central figure and the very soul of Christian
theology is manifestly clear. Without some kind of belief in his
Christhood, whichever way may it be defined by various denomina-
tions and scholarly theologians, the very foundations of Christianity
are totally altered. Throughout the last two thousand years, hun-
dreds of millions of Christians have been sustained in their beliefs
through their deep faith in the life of Jesus. The miraculous
character attributed to his birth, the stories of the miracles he per-
formed, his encounters with the Romans, Israelites and other gen-
tiles, and finally, his crucifixion provide the basic ingredients which
have continued to nourish this leading religion of the Western world
not only today but through the centuries past.
Yet, it is rather strange, indeed ironic, that most important events
of his life have always remained veiled in mystery. Was he born of a
virgin mother? When was he born? Why is hardly anything known
about his life from early infancy to the time when he proclaimed his
ministry? How long did his ministry last? Who were really responsi-
ble for his being led to the cross—hostile Jewish leaders or the
Roman rulers? Did he really die during the few hours that he was on
the cross or was he only unconscious when he was taken off the cfoss
with unusual haste? If there was a resurrection, who were the eye
witnesses, if any? What is the significance of the blood stains of the
shroud in which he was temporarily wrapped and which is now
preserved in the Cathedral of Turin, Italy? Did he leave Palestine for
the eastern regions to accomplish his proclaimed mission of having
come for the lost tribes of Israel? These and several other issues
about the life of Jesus of Nazareth have continued to challenge the
curiosity of the Christian as well as the non-Christian scholars.
To illustrate, let us briefly comment on just one issue of his birth.
Since as early as the second century A.D., the Christian world has
been celebrating his birth on the 25th of December. The Christian
calendar leads us to assume that he was born on this date, 1985 years
ago. On the other hand, Christian scholars have never come to a
consensus either on the exact year or the exact date of his birth. Mr.
David E. Anderson, UPI Religion Writer, commented:

"Scholars say that there is no hard exidence to determine the
precise date of Jesus' birthday although most biblical experts now
place the date about 6 B. C." (Newsday, December 22, 1983)
Most biblical scholars of our times not only conclude that Jesus
was born 6 years earlier than the popularly acknowledged year but
they also do not accept the widely-held belief that he was born on
December 25th. As David Anderson explains, this practice of
celebrating Christmas on this date started in "reaction to the Roman
Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter solstice—the
return of the sun—and honor to Saturn, the god of sowing." In
other words, Christmas became "a means of replacing the worship-
of the sun with worship of the Son." He further observes that:
"By 529 A.D., after Christianity had become the state religion
of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civil
holiday and prohibited any work on that day."
From then on the observance of Christmas became so firmly
established that even though English Parliament outlawed this holi-
day on June 3, 1647; it was forced to repeal this law and restore
Christmas observance under popular pressure.
It is distinctly clear that the popular beliefs of both the year and
the date of the birth of Jesus are totally erroneous and quite contrary
to the findings of th^e historians, scholars and the experts of the
Christian faith. The 'question is this: if the same kind of fictional
bases surround the story of the "resurrection," does it not strike a
fatal blow to the most fundamental pillars of the Christian theology
such as atonement and belief in Jesus as the Savior?
THE PROMISED MESSIAH SAID: "O my friends who have

entered into a covenant with me, may God enable you to do what
should please Him. Today your number is small and you are
treated with contempt. You will be persecuted in every way and
you will have to bear all sorts of disagreeable things ... and you
will have to pass through some heavenly trials also that you may be
tried in every way... Your way to victory will not be through dry
logic or your returning abuse with abuse... If God does not wish to
destroy us, we cannot be destroyed by anyone... How shall we win
His support? Through righteousness! Put forth every effort that
you become righteous.'' (Izala A uham, pp. 446-47)
MAY 1985 THE HOLY PROPHET—PROPHET OR KING? 5
WAS MUHAMMAD A PROPHET OR A KING?

THE REAL STATUS OF THE PROPHET
By
Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad, Missionary Incharge, USA
The Holy Messenger of God (Peace and blessings of God be on

him) had the real status of a Prophet and not that of a king or a ruler
upon this earth. He was the 'Seal of the Prophets,' i.e., the best and
the most perfect of the prophets; the embelishment and ornament of
the prophets, instead of being a monarch or an emperor. Almighty
God in His Holy Book, the Quran, described his status in this way:
"And Muhammad is not the father to any men among you but he
is a Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets" (33:41)
Although his status was that of a Prophet of God and Seal of the
Prophets yet there is no reason to doubt that from another aspect he
could also aptly be regarded as a King. Looking back at his life in
Medina, it becomes very clear that he was in fact not only a king, but
was also truly an emperor. His position in fact, was so unique and
multi-dimensional that even the question and the debate whether he
was a Prophet or a king appears unnecessary.
Apparently the topic chosen for this discussion reflects as if Pro-
phethood and kingship are two totally separate positions, of which
one was applicable to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and the other was
not. If we set aside the facts, this doubt grows even stronger. Look-
ing at his life in Medina, the above mentioned calculation does not
apply; this means that the title has some other connotations, and
that according to his real status, he was a Prophet of God and
kingship and kingdom were not his main aim. But as said in the holy
Quran:
"And in the Messenger of God, you have a perfect model"
Because he was a perfect example for all walks of life, it was
necessary that he be given kingship also, to enable him to
demonstrate the supremacy of character and perfection of behavior
which should be associated with kingship. This of course, was sub-
sidiary to what he strived hard to achieve, the perfection of religious
laws and human character and values, during the tenure of his
ministry. But while exercising the responsibilities of a king, he cer-

tainly remained innocent of the ill-effects of character which
sometimes accumulate in a person who is granted a kingship; and the
opponents of Islam, placing and presenting him in the line of world-
ly kings, have done great injustice to his noble person.
In what follows I have tried to prove that the Holy Prophet
(pbuh), from the study of his life and sayings, from his acts and
excellent character, was not only a Prophet but was also free from all
undesirable elements and blemishes associated with many worldly
kings. On one side he was an ideal to follow in his deeds, sayings,
character and excellence of behavior; on the other, he demonstrated
such a perfect example of political acumen and supreme leadership
that anyone could seek valuable guidance from him in this field also.
The Orientalists and other Western scholars often misinterpret the
life and work of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Their errors
must be pointed out and refuted by facts. The renowned British
historian, the eminent Arnold Toynbee, is clearly misguided in his
writings about the character of the Holy Prophet. He is only an
example of Euro-centric authors who, throughout the centuries have
attempted to smear the innocent name of the Prophet of God who
was named by Almighty Allah as Khataman Nabiyyeen, the "Seal of
the Prophets", the best and most perfect of all the Prophets of God,
peace be upon them.
Toynbee's unfounded thesis alleges that the lifework of the Holy
Prophet (pbuh) was accomplished in two stages:
"Beginning around 609 A.D., in the first stage, Muhammad was
concerned .exclusively with his religious mission; in the second
stage, the religious mission was overlaid, and almost overwhelmed,
by the political enterprise."
Toynbee further states:
"Muhammad left Mecca as a hunted fugitive. After seven years
absence (622-629), he returned to Mecca, not as an amnestied exile,
but as lord and master, not only of Mecca itself but of half of
Arabia. It will be seen that the first state in Muhammad's career is
comparable to the career of Solon and the second stage with the
career of Caesar."
Were Solon and Caesar appointed by God? Is the comparison
apt? Fortunately, there are a few Western scholars who deal fairly
with their investigations of Islam and the Holy Prophet (pbuh). It is
a sad story that a famous historian, known for his liberal views, was
misled. Now when the facts were scrutinized and closely examined
by other historians, they rejected Toynbee's assertions outright.
It may also be mentioned that Toynbee has most probably bor-
rowed heavily from David Margoliouth's Muhammadanism because
he too mentioned that Muhammad (pbuh) may have changed.
However, Margoliouth, although he tried his level best to establish
that the Prophet (pbuh) had changed, had to admit that he never
neglected his roles of preacher and teacher. A most biased enemy of
Islam, Margoliouth contradicts the allegations of Toynbee and calls
the Prophet (pbuh) Head of State as well as refers to his operations
as a Prophet. He says:
"His duties as a ruler of a constantly increasing realm and com-
mander of a constantly increasing army were accommodated to
and combined with his operations as a Prophet ... the main doc-
trines of Islam, the unity of Allah, and the future life, are no less
repeatedly emphasised than before."
In Muhammad and Muhammadanism, R. Bosworth Smith admits
the sincerity of the Holy Prophet's belief up to the tune of Hijrah
(i.e.-, migration to Medina) and says that any change in his character
and aims must be considered in the context of the general conditions
of his life. Contrary to To5Tibee's assumption, Smith here states
firmly that Muhammad (pbuh) "preserved to the end of his career
that modesty and simplicity of life which is the crowning beauty of
his character; .... the Prophet became more than a prophet; he
became a temporal ruler, aided by the Holy Quran and temporal
means".
The writer goes on to note how surprisingly little the Prophet
changed, under very different circumstances, intimating that it is a
misconception to attribute any moral decline to him:
"If one reads the account of Muhammad's entry into Mecca
along with the account of Marius Sulla as he entered Rome, one
would be in a position to recognize the magnanimity and modera-
tion of the Prophet of Arabia. There were no proscription lists, no
plunder, no wanton revenge."
Smith boldly asserts that "Muhammad never wavered in his belief
in his mission nor, what is more extraordinary, in his belief as to its
precise nature and well defined limits. He was a Prophet charged
with a mission from God; nothing less."
Another example of enlightened scholarship and objectivity is to
be found in Thomas Arnold's The Preaching of Islam. He decries
the frequent assertion of some European writers that the Holy Pro-
phet (pbuh) adopted an entirely new character from the time of the
Hijrah. Arnold presses his case by saying that it is "false to suppose
that Muhammad in Madina laid aside his role of preacher and a mis-
sionary of Islam, or that when he had a large army at his command,
he ceased to invite unbelievers to accept the new faith". ^
In what follows, I have tried to discuss the life and character of
the Holy Prophet (pbuh) by emphatically proclaiming that he never
changed his mission from the time he was commissioned by
Almighty Allah.
The Holy Prophet's life sketch, sayings, actions and loftiness of
character prove positively that he was not only the greatest of all
prophets but even in his secular role he was unique. The whole of his
life is recorded in the minutest detail and is like an open book. Had
he lived like an ordinary ruler, history would certainly have pointed
out his acts of omission and commission and would never have
spared him for any shortfalls in moral imperatives.
Kings ordinarily are very fond of outward exhibitions of pomp
and show and, in fact, this is one of their primary means of express-
ing this exalted status. But the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was absolutely
free from all such trappings. We do not find this grandeur in his life.
In Hadith—which is a compilation of his sayings—it has been stated
about him that someone sent a silk dress to him as a present. He put
it on and offered his prayers. Afterwards he took it off and remark-
ed: "For simple people these dresses are unsuitable." (Bokhari)
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) personified humbleness. This is obvious
from the incident that once Hazrat Omar, thinking that, now and
then, ambassadors and representatives from other places came to
visit the Holy Prophet, he should wear impressive clothes on these
occasions and also on religious gatherings like the Friday gatherings
and the festivals of Eid. Once Hazrat Omar was walking with the
Holy Prophet (pbuh) in a shopping area where he saw some silk
cloth; taking this opportunity he suggested to the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) that he should buy that cloth and wear it. But the Prophet
(pbuh) replied: "Only he wears this who does not want any share
from the life hereafter." (Bokhari)
Until the end of his life the Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to wear
thick and coarse cotton dresses.
Once he was lying down on a coarse mattress. When he got up the

impression on his back was so plain that his Companions said to
him: "Shall we provide something made of soft material instead?"
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) replied, "I have no connection with this
world; my relation with this world is only of a transitory kind like
that of a rider who stops by a shady tree while travelling. He rests for
a short while in the shade and then takes off." (Jamia Tirmidhi).
Once during the period when the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was living
separately, away from his family, Hazrat Omar went to see him. He
was amazed at the sight of the place bereft of all comforts; the Holy
Prophet (pbuh) was sitting in a small room with a loose cloth wound
round his body; there was a bare cot and at the head of the cot was a
pillow stuffed with date leaves. In one corner there was some barley
and in another corner was a piece of animal skin to store water.
Looking at this simplicity of the place where the king of kings was
living, Hazrat Omar was overwhelmed and tears rolled down his
face. The Holy Prophet inquired, "Omar, why are you crying?"
Hazrat Omar replied, ' 'Why should I not cry? I can see the marks of
weaves of the cot on your body. On one side I look at your humble
belongings and on the other, I imagine the luxury of the kings of
Egypt and Persia. They are enjoying such an easy life and you are
living in such hardship. To this the Holy Prophet (pbuh) replied,
"O, Omar, would you not like that they take this world and I get the
Hereafter?" (Muslim). In short, what else could be simpler than
when the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was sitting amongst his Companions
and wanted to go to his house, he just got up and walked to his
house barefooted. It has been mentioned in Abu Daud:
"The Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to sit on the floor and we used
to sit around him. He used to get up and if he intended to return,
. he used to take off his shoes."
I have briefly described from the thousands of examples of the life
of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), his simplicity, unostentatiousness and
humility. When this is compared with the pomp and show of worldly
kings, we are left with a feeling of utter amazement. In ordinary
dealings and conversations, wordly kings have a peculiar style of
ceremony and grandeur; but the Holy Prophet (pbuh), while talking
to and dealing with thousands of people, never even let them feel
that they were conversing with a superior person and kept such a low
profile that he appeared as just an ordinary person. It has been
reported that, in Medina, he owed some money to a Jew who came
10 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS MAY 1965
to him and demanded it in a haughty and insolent manner; address-

ing the Prophet (pbuh) he said: "You people from Banu Hashim,
whenever you take anything you are reluctant to pay back." Hazrat
Omar who was present at the occasion was very upset with the nasty
attitude of the Jew; but the Prophet (pbuh) said, "O, Omar, you
should advise both of us, to the person who lends that he should
demand in a nice way, and to the indebted that he should repay
promptly."
Similarly, once a Beduin came and demanded a debt from the
Holy Prophet (pbuh) in a harsh manner. The Companions of the
Holy Prophet (pbuh) were around him at that time. They were very
annoyed at that and said to the Beduin; "Do you know to whom you
are talking?" On which the Beduin reiterated that he was demanding
his right. On this, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: "It is the right of a
lender to demand the return of his debt."
Once the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was with his Companions in a
jungle where they were getting ready to cook. He distributed the
work-load and himself participated in making food. (Seerat Khairul
Bashaf). In spite of being the benefactor for the whole world, he
worked like an ordinary person. In household chores, his participa-
tion was a routine. His wife Hazrat Ayesha used to say that the Holy
Prophet (pbuh) worked in the house like an ordinary person and
never gave the impression of being a superior person than the rest.
Once he came out of his house and the Companions who were
waiting outside, stood up as a mark of respect; upon which he said:
"Do not stand up like the people of the Ajam, (i.e., as is customary
among Non-Arabs) on seeing me." (Abu Daud)
It has been narrated that once a person came to see the Holy Pro-
phet (pbuh) and was so impressed by his personality that he started
trembling from nervousness; at this the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Do
not be afraid; I am the son of a Quraishi woman who used to eat
simple dry meat." (Tirmidhi). Have ever worldly kings bowed low in
such humility? If the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had been a king in the
ordinary sense, he would have shown the usual arrogance, pride and
pompousness of the kings.
Kings ordinarily find it hard to keep their covenants and easily
break them if they find it convenient. About Henry the Third it has
been mentioned that "He promised to keep the Great Covenant
several times but always went against it." (History of England by
Garette, p. 30). The Kaiser, disregarding treaties, pushed his forces
MAY1985 THE HOLY PROPHET—PROPHET OR KING? 11
from Belgium to Paris without the slightest hesitation. On the con-

trary, looking at the Holy Prophet (pbuh), the picture is basically
different. Abu Rafi' was a slave and a disbeliever; he was sent to
Medina as an ambassador by Meccans. Reaching Medina, he was so
impressed by the truth of Islam and by the personality of the Holy
Prophet (pbuh) that he wanted to accept Islam and remain at
Medina. But the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said to him, "It is a treaty
among us and Meccans that we cannot hold you; so you should go
back to Mecca and if you still feel the same way, only then can you
return and embrace Islam." (Abu Daud).
About the Treaty of Hudaibia it has been written that while the
terms of truce were being written, Abu Jandal managed to come to
the Holy Prophet (pbuh) while still in chains, from Mecca, and re-
quested help from the Holy Prophet. The companions of the Holy
Prophet (pbuh) were immensely moved when they saw him in that
pitiable condition; but the Holy Prophet (pbuh) respecting the prior
covenant with the Meccans, said, "If a new Muslim convert at Mec-
ca will make his way to Medina, he will be returned to Mecca." He
addressed Abu Jandal saying, "O, Abu Jandal, we cannot break our
covenant. God Almighty will open some new doors for you."
(Bukhari).
At the battle of Badr, the odds were against the Muslims; the
enemy was heavily armed and outnumbered the believers. On the
other hand, the Muslims were fewer in number; they did not have
enough equipment, were practically starving, being short of food
and other supplies. But they had trust in Allah. In this precarious
condition, two Muslims from Mecca approached the Holy Prophet
(pbuh). They told him that they had a pact with the Meccans
stipulating that they could go to Medina but were not permitted to
take part in any fighting against Meccans. They now sought permis-
sion of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to take part in the battle of Badr
along with the other Muslims. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) answered,
"you will honor the pact in any case. You should not take part in the
fighting. We only need the help of God." (Muslim).
Can anybody describe a person with a character like that of the
Holy Prophet (pbuh), as a king in the ordinary sense? There have
been thousands of kings in this world. Can anyone present a single
example akin to this?
A philosopher had a saying: "Revenge is a natural instinct and is
universal to all mankind; the tortured one avenges not only the
tortured but all human beings." The worldly kings operate exactly
according to the above saying. Thousands of examples can be cited
where kings took revenge for their personal grievances. But the Holy
Prophet (pbuh) never took revenge for personal rancours. Hazrat
Ayesha, the wife of the Holy Prophet narrates: "The Holy Prophet
(pbuh) never took revenge for a personal grudge; the only time he
would react was for the sake of God and His Commandments."
(Bukhari).
It happened in the early days of Prophethood, when the Holy Pro-
phet (pbuh) went to Taif for propagation of Islam. The people of
Taif treated him badly; so much so that they threw rocks at him,
thereby hurting his feet so badly that they became soaked with
blood. But inspite of the Divine indication of the destruction of the
people of Taif, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) uttered a prayer: "God,
grant them understanding because they do not know what they are
doing, and bring them into the embrace of Islam." Some of the very
same people came as a delegation in 9th Hijra, to Medina. The Holy
Prophet (pbuh) treated them very hospitably and took the best care
of them and even arranged their stay in the Holy Mosque. (Abu
Daud).
The above mentioned examples of forgiveness and leniency shown
to his deadliest opponents by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) are unique
and are not to be found anywhere else in recorded history. There was
a time when he was weak and helpless and could not punish his
enemies. But a time soon came when he became powerful and his
enemies were lying prostrate before him and completely at his mercy;
but with the exception of a few murderers, all others were pardoned.
The worldly kings are usually greedy; to add to their piles of riches
is their fondest aim. In the case of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), it was
quite the opposite. Valuables and riches came to him in abundance,
but he never let a night pass without distributing everything among
his followers. Hazrat Abu Bakr said that once he was passing by the
mountain of Ohad in company with the Holy Prophet (pbuh). On
this occasion, he said, "If the mountain of Ohad turns into gold for
me, I will not let three nights pass with even a dinar with myself."
(Bukhari).
Once a rich man from Fidak sent four camel loads of grain. The
Holy Prophet (pbuh) asked Hazrat Bilal to sell the grain and to
distribute the cash received from the sale. At the end of the day,
Hazrat Bilal returned and said that he could not find many people,
therefore, all the money could not be distributed. The Holy Prophet
(pbuh) did not go home that night; he spent the whole night in the
mosque until the following day when Hazrat Bilal came with the
news that he had distributed the entire amount. Only then did the
Holy Prophet (pbuh) go home. (Abu Daud).
In this connection there is another example. Once he received a
huge amount of valuables from Bahrain. He had never received so
much booty before. He had it all piled up in the courtyard of the
Mosque and then started distributing it. Whoever came, he gave him
according to his share. He gave Hazrat Abbas, who had grown poor
after the Battle of Badr, so much that he could hardly carry it. When
all of it was gone, he brushed his hands clean and went away.
(Bukhari).
In contrast to what the Holy Prophet (pbuh) did, wordly kings are
so greedy that some of them are jealous even of their own people if
some of them are a little better off. About Henry the Seventh, it is
written that once he went to see the Earl of Oxford. After meeting
him, when the king was going to return, the guards of the Earl, in
splendid uniforms, were lined up as a mark of respect for the king.
The king thanked the Earl for his hospitality and also charged him a
huge sum to pay him immediately. (History of England by Garette).
In this connection, Garette further records that in the last days of
his rule, Henry the Seventh grew even more greedy, and for this
reason lost his popularity. He always used to think of ways to
squeeze money out of his people.
Look at the noble actions and examples of the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) and see the contrast with the doings of the worldly kings. Is
there any comparison at all? Not to speak of any accumulation of
wealth, he does not let anything stay with him, but is in great hurry
to distribute whatever he gets. Is there any such example in the life of
any king?
In dealing with near relatives, his attitude was quite different from
worldly monarchs who, to gain benefit for their near ones, get all
sorts of loopholes in regulations and even make changes in laws
when needed. They strive hard that after their death, their family
continues to live in luxury. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) had quite a dif-
ferent approach and advice for his relatives. He was so imbued with
righteousness and meekness that he advised them all to follow
righteous and simple life styles, rather than join in a race for worldly
riches. He directed their attention towards the Quranic verse:

"The most honored among you is one who is the most righteous."
His daughter, Hazrat Fatima (God be pleased with her), was very
dear to him and whenever she came to see him he used to stand up
and offer her his seat. As his dear daughter, she used to complain to
him about hard household work, grinding flour herself and bringing
water for household use and so she requested for a helper. His
response was: "Unless we can make some arrangements for Ashabe
Suffah (i.e., those living entirely on charity), we cannot do anything
for you." (Abu Daud).
In another narrative it has been mentioned that addressing his
daughter, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: "On you the orphans of
Badr (the children of those who laid down their lives in the battle of
Badr) have preference." (Abu Daud). In short, what he gave his dear
daughter was the advice to recite Subhan Allah (God is exalted), thir-
ty three times before going to sleep at night. He added, ' 'All else that
you are asking me is not even remotely related to the benefits which
would accrue to you by reciting praises of Allah. This will be far bet-
ter for you than helpers." (Abu Daud). Can anyone present even a
single example from the worldly kings who could do that?
Most kings and sometimes even their near ones are regarded as
above the law of the land in most cases. But the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) never considered himself above the law. Once he hit one of
his Companions accidentally and quickly offered him to hit him
back or accept compensation. At the time of the battle of Badr, his
uncle Abbas was among the prisoners of war. After paying ransom
adequately, some of the prisoners were being released. Some of the
Companions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) thought that his uncle
could perhaps be shown some leniency. The Holy Prophet (pbuh)
came to know of it and said: "I swear to God! I would not allow him
the benefit of one dirham (i.e., slightest preference) in treatment
over others."
Once a woman from the tribe of Mukhzoom was caught stealing.
Osama Bin Zaid, who was very close and dear to the Holy Prophet
(pbuh), was sent to him to gain favor on her behalf, to lessen the
punishment for the woman; upon which he said, "Are you trying to
get a favor against the decree of God?" Then he said:
"Nations have perished before because if a wealthy person com-
mitted a crime they used to excuse him and if an ordinary person
did the same, they used to punish him. I swear to God that if my
daughter Fatima would have committed 'theft, I would have
ordered her hand severed." (Bukhari)
Worldly kings are usually very fond of praise and flattery and
when someone showers on them exaggerated praises they love that
gesture. Elizabeth I of England and Henry VIII were particularly
known for this trait. But our Prophet (pbh) was quite different from
the worldly rulers. There was of course, no question of tolerating
false or exaggerated praises, even that which was his due was also
discouraged by him. Once Abdullah Bin Sakhir came to see him and
addressed him with the words "Our Master". But the Holy Prophet
(pbh) forbade him from uttering such platitudes. He was called by
different names, such as Muhammad, Abul Qasim and so forth; but
was never called by the title "emperor", "king" or the like.
Likewise, he never built any castles or thrones and he never kept
bodyguards, which are so common for all worldly kings. Reverend
Gulam Masih writes about him:
"His names and labels reflect his character and personality:
Muhammad, Shahid, Nazir, Bashir, and Rasool Allah, and are
well-known. Out of these names we do not find any chiefs, such as
"Chief of Quarish", "Chief of Arabs", "Conqueror of Arabs"
or "king of Arabs". This really amazes us. No doubt the history
of Islam has mentioned in his life sketch his contributions, his bat-
tles and victories, his bravery and boldness, but has never mention-
ed any throne, castle, crowns or special robes or dresses. In all his
life, he only got one building constructed, and that was Masjid-i-
Nabwi, which was a place of worship. Shall we not be amazed at
the knowledge of these facts?"
He goes on to say:
"It is hard to believe, me being a Christian and following the
common belief of Christians, that I will exaggerate the qualities of
the Holy Prophet and would try to project an elevated impression
of the Holy Prophet which would be out of the knowledge of
educated people. Nevertheless, from a Christian who is unbiased,
the pious-.personality of the Prophet can be expressed if he is really
an impartial Christian who has studied the Islamic literature in
depth."
Would that these people, who consider the Holy Prophet (pbh) as
a worldly king, study the Islamic literature in depth and get to know
the truth.
Kings in general fight battles, usually for selfish reasons; and in-
stead of maintaining peace and harmony in the world, create calamity
and chaos. But the Holy Prophet (pbh) fought battles for the sake of
establishing peace and maintaining freedom of conscience. The critics
have said that if the Holy Prophet (pbh) was not a king, why did he
fight battles? But if we look carefully, it is very obvious that the cir-
cumstances in which he took up arms were quite unavoidable and that
all the wars were forced upon him and were merely defensive in
nature. None of his battles were for worldly gain, as has been clearly
mentioned in the Holy Quran, and even by some of his opponents.
Historians write that the first verse which permitted taking up
arms was revealed to the Holy Prophet (pbh) on 15th August 623,
one year after his arrival in Medina. The verse runs as under:
"It is allowed to Muslims to take up arms against those who
make -war against them because these (Muslims) are transgressed
upon and definitely Allah has all the power to help them. They
were unjustly expelled from their homes, the only reason being
that they said that Allah is their Lord and Guardian. And if Allah
did not allow defensive wars, then the places of worship of Jews,
Christians, and Muslims where God is oft remembered, would be
destroyed by each other's transgressions and Allah surely supports
His helpers and He is indeed Powerful, Mighty and Prevailing."
(Holy Quran, 22:40-41)
The purpose of Islamic wars has been very well defined in the verses
above mentioned. In the book Sirat Khatam-un-Nabiyeen, (Life of
the Holy Prophet), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad has written an elabo-
ration of the verses mentioned above, which is one of the best illus-
trations in this regard. Part of his Commentary is presented below:
"If we look carefully, we deduce four points from the verses.
First, that the wars were initiated by the non-believers, as is obvious
from the words 'against whom war is made'. Second, that the non-
believers used to beat Muslims with utmost cruelty and this cruelty
was the cause of religious battles, as is clear from the words 'because
they have been wronged.' Third, that the purpose of non-believers
was to destroy Islam with sword, as is reflected from the word
'pulled-out'. Fourth, that the declaration of war by the Muslims was
in self-defense, is clear from 'if Allah did not repel some men by
means of others'. In short, the main reason for this verse is to indi-
cate that the reason for defensive war by Muslims was to protect
themselves and to guard against the transgressions of the non-
believers, who wanted to destroy Muslims by the might of the
sword."
In a nutshell, this single verse is enough to rebut all of the objec-
tions which are often raised by critics regarding the wars waged by the
Muslims, which were purely defensive.
Christian writers often present the incident of the Banu-Qureza as

an example of transgression by the Holy Prophet (pbh). There is no
doubt that the incident happened; but the circumstances under which
it occurred are such as would clarify and justify the steps taken by the
Holy Prophet (pbh) in this regard. This is not the occasion to go into
details of the incident, but the following account by a Christian writer
may clarify some of the doubts. He writes:
"The Great Invasion (Battle of Ahzab) which Mohammad
declared had been miraculously frustrated, was due to, or believed
to be due, to the propaganda of members of Banu-Nazir, whom the
Prophet (pbh) had punished with banishment only. Should he
banish the Qureza, he would thereby be setting free a fresh set of
propagandists. On the other hand, those who had taken part openly
with the invaders of Medina could not very well be permitted to
remain there. To banish them was unsafe; to permit them to remain
was yet more dangerous. Hence, they must die." (Margolis)
In fact, these people were traitors and never kept their promises.
Even then, the Holy Prophet (pbh) did not make any decision himself,
but the Qurezas themselves picked Saad Bin Maaz as an arbitrator,
and there was no direct involvement of the Holy Prophet (pbh) in the
decision.
This is particularly noticeable that the purpose of battles fought by
the Holy Prophet (pbh) was never to acquire or conquer territory or to
kill or to exterminate people. If it had been so, he would never have
issued an order to keep peace in the area, and to avoid damage to pro-
perty and crops or damage to anything of public utility; nor would he
have issued orders not to harm women, children and the old and the
sick. These are factors which are entirely overlooked by worldly kings.
It is said in Hadith that whenever he would send a section of his arm-
ed people on assignment, he would advise them:
"O, Muslims! Go in the name of Allah and fight only for the sake
of Allah! But beware, do not be dishonest in what you get and do
not cheat or break promises or covenant with your enemy. Do not
kill children, women, the old, or the clergy; and maintain law and
order and treat people nicely, and God likes people who treat other
people nicely."
It has been said of Hazrat Abu Bakr that he used to advise his army
not to cut fruit-bearing trees and not to make barren areas that were
inhabited by people. In the light of these facts, can it be said that the
Holy Prophet (pbh) took up arms to kill, destroy or conquer?
In worldly kingdoms, people want to keep close contact with the
monarchs and are obedient to them only to gain material and political
favors. Their hearts are far from what they outwardly show to their
rulers. But the Companions of the Holy Prophet (pbh) had real love
and devotion for him in their hearts. Their minds and bodies moved in
total compliance with his wishes because they obeyed him from the
core of their hearts. Such devotion is unsurpassed in history.
Americans, in spite of their efforts, have failed to control abuse of
alcohol; on the other hand, with just one word against its use, all the
Companions of the Holy Prophet (pbh) suddenly and completely
abandoned the use of alcohol. It has been narrated by Anas Bin Malik
that when consumption of alcohol was forbidden, the Holy Prophet
(pbh) asked one of his Companions to declare it in the streets of
Madina. Anas said that at that time "I was serving Abou Talha An-
sari and some other Companions with drinks when we heard of this
new order. Upon hearing this, Abou Talha said: 'Let us investigate
what this new order is so as to obey it as soon as possible.' Then,
without even confirming it, he said, 'Let us first break our containers
of alcohol.'" (Bukhari.)
Does the personality of a worldly king have such a profound and
lasting effect on his people? It was only the Holy Prophet (pbh) who
generated such a charisma, charm, devotion and loyalty never before
seen in anyone else.
From what I have stated so far, it will be clear that the Holy Pro-
phet (pbh) had none of the ordinary qualities of worldly kings; on
the contrary, whatever he did or said was to exhort simplicity,
meekness, hospitality, selflessness, equality, peace, and love and ser-
vice to all human beings. Knowing this, it would be decidedly unfair
to describe him as an "ordinary king".
The Holy Prophet's kingdom was, in fact, the Kingdom of the
heavens. It is obvious that the Holy Prophet (pbh) was not a king in
the ordinary sense of the word. As is customary, worldly kings are
called by certain titles, such as emperor, Kaiser, and so forth, which
the Holy Prophet (pbh) never assumed. Then the question arises:
What shall he be called, bearing in mind that at one time he had con-
trol and command of several dominions like an emperor?
For this purpose, we turn to books and literature from which we
find that kingship has two forms. One form is called dominance
(Taglab) and another is termed leadership (Imamat). The worldly
kings belong to the former and the Holy Prophet (pbh) belonged to
the latter. That is why it is written that "kingship and politics have
two forms; one is perfect politics, called Imamat; the second is im-
perfect politics called taglab. The former teaches character and obe-
dience in a sublime order and the ruler is just and humble and con-
siders his people as brothers and friends; and he, himself, is never
swayed by selfish motives. The latter is autocratic, stubborn, and
believes in self-aggrandizement.
From what is stated above, it is clear that the kingship under con-
sideration in regard to the Holy Prophet (pbh) was of the order of
Imamat, not taglab. And not only ordinary Imamat. His leadership,
or Imamat, was of the highest order, the kind such as the like of
which had never been seen., We can say that Imamat and Khilafat
are one and the same thing. Imamat, according to the saying: "The
king is the shadow of God" bears a perfect description of the Holy
Prophet (pbh). That is why throughout his life, all of his actions
were the reflection of Divine attributes. Whereas on one side his Pro-
phethood is glittering with grace and grandeur, on the other side his
kingship is studded with the heavenly qualities.
Maulana Shibli, in his well-known book on the Holy Prophet
(pbh), aptly describes him thus:
"In spite of the fact that he owned all the wealth of Arabia, in
his simple house he never had a cushioned bed, luxurious food,
flashy robes or gold and silver in his possession. Looking at the
degree or obedience that his words carried, one could be mistaken
in considering him as Kaiser, a king, or an emperor; but in reality,
he looked more like the simply clad orphan of Mecca, in the form
of an angel."
His life in Medina is proof that he was a true vicegerent of God on
earth. When his state of helplessness was transformed into that of
sovereignty in Medina, even then he shunned every form of pomp
and show, arrogance or grandeur, and remained the same simple in-
dividual that he was previously. As Noldeke states:
"On the whole, after he became ruler of all Arabia, he maintain-
ed the original poverty and simplicity of his establishment; he
never stored up money or estates nor did he spend his time eating
and drinking and wearing soft clothing. He continued to fast and
watch and pray after his earlier fashion; and that was plainly out
of a heartfelt need and without any ostentation." (Ecyclopedia
Britannica)
Washington Irving, a renowned Christian writer, relates:
"His Captains were sent on more distant expeditions than
formerly, but it was always with a view to destroy idols and to

bring idolatrous tribes to subjection; so that his temporal power
kept pace with the propagation of his faith."
Again, Irving says:
"His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vainglory, as
they would have done had they been effected for selfish purposes.
In the time of his greatest power, he maintained the same simplici-
ty of manners and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So
far from affecting regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a
room, any unusual testimonial of respect was shown to him."
(Muhammad and His Successors)
Will Durant, in his voluminous book, The Age of Faith, writes
about the life of the Holy Prophet (pbh) in Medina:
"The furniture (in his rooms) was a mattress and pillows upon
the floor. He was often seen mending his clothes or shoes, kindling
the fire, sweeping the floor, milking the family goat in his yard or
shopping for provisions in the market ... his staple foods were
dates and barley bread; milk and honey were occasional luxuries ...
he put on none of the pomp of power, rejected any special mark of
reverence, accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner and asked no
service of a slave that he had time to and strength to do for
himself. Despite all the booty and revenue that came to him, he
spent little upon his family, less upon himself, much in charity."
Such was Muhammad, the Holy Prophet (pbh) the like of whom
the world never knew before nor would it ever witness again till the
end of time. It is not our intent, nor is it our purpose to shower
unmerited praises on a person to whom we owe allegiance in some
form or other. But the language of history is such that no impartial
person can ignore it except at his own undoing. The Orphan of
Mecca indulged throughout his life in the sort of activity which built
its own field of reference. His career was crowned with success at
every level. But nothing ever changed his lifestyle. The lonely
preacher who roamed the streets of Mecca for thirteen long years,
unmoved and undaunted by a most primitive opposition, never
changed his frugal habits even when he became the undisputed ruler
of the whole of the Arabian peninsula. Despite the affluence at
Medina, he spent litle upon his family, less upon himself, much in
charity.
From the above, it is abundantly clear that Arnold Toynbee, with
all his flamboyant knowledge of history, missed the mark completely
when he asserted that the Holy Prophet (pbh) and preacher of Mecca,
on attaining power at Medina, was overlaid and overwhelmed
by political enterprise. This assertion is not borne out by history.

The Holy Prophet (pbh), in his dying hour, when there could be no
longer a worldly motive for deceit, still breathed the same religious
devotion and the same belief in his apostolic mission. The last words
that trembled on his lips were a muttered trust that he would soon be
entering into blissful companionship with the One Whom he had
loved throughout his life—Allah the Merciful, the Benevolent.
Michael H. Hart, in his famous book "The 100", ranked the most
influential persons in history. He designated neither Jesus nor Marx
but Muhammad as the most influential man in history. This, he said,
was because:
"Muhammad was the only man in history who was supremely
successful on both the religious and secular level. The influence of
Muhammad through the medium of the Koran had been enor-
mous. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on
Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus and St.
Paul on Christianity."
MEANING OF REVELATION
Revelation does not mean that an idea should arise in the mind
of a person who sets himself to ponder over a thing as, for in-
stance, a poet having thought out half a verse seeks the other half
in his mind and his mind suggests the other half. This is not revela-
tion but is the result of reflection, in accordance with the law of
nature... Revelation is the living and powerful converse of the
Holy and Mighty God with a chosen servant of His, or with one
whom He designs to make His elect... Sometimes revelation is
vouchsafed to a person by way of trial and is not equipped with
full blessings. In such a case, the recipient is put on his trial at this
elementary stage so that having tasted somewhat of revelation, he
should order his life along the lines of those who are true recipients
of revelation, in default of which he would encounter frustration.
If he does not adopt the ways of the truly righteous, he is deprived
of the fullness of this bounty and is left only with vain boasting.
Millions of the virtuous have been recipients of revelation, but
they were not of equal standing in the estimation of God... Revela-
tion is a pure divine grace and is not evidence of exaltation; that
being according to the degree of truth, sincerity and faithfulness of
the recipient, which is only known to God... There is no doubt that
if revelation takes the form that the recipient submits a question
and God responds to it, and there is a sequence between question
and answer, and the revelation is characterized by divine majesty
and light, and comprehends knowledge of the unseen and true
understanding, it is truly the word of God. (The Teachings of
Islam, by the Promised Messiah) ^
REVIEW OF SOME CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS
By
Bashir Ahmad Orchard
ROMAN CATHOLICS
The largest Christian denomination is composed of Roman
Catholics. It has been estimated that they comprise one sixth to one
fifth of the world's population. The supreme head of the Church is
the Pope who resides in Vatican City, Rome.
The Church claims to be the only true representative of the Chris-
tian faith. This claim is based partly on the New Testament, tradi-
tions, history and other considerations. The Church claims that
Jesus appointed Peter as the first head of the Church for which the
Biblical authority is:
"And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven." (Matthew 16:18-19)
Roman Catholics believe that Peter travelled from Palestine to
Rome where he was appointed the first bishop of that city. They also
believe that both he and Paul suffered the death of martyrdom. The
Bishop of Rome was the head of the Church and it was not until a
few centuries later that he assumed the title of Pope. The Pope is
elected by seventy senior priests known as cardinals.
There are six fundamental rules which Roman Catholics are ex-
pected to observe:
1. Attend the mass service on Sundays and Holy days.
2. Confess their sins to a priest at least once in a year.
3. Receive communion at Easter time. This involves the eating of a
small portion of bread and the drinking of a little wine which has
been blessed by the priest and believed, thereafter, to have
become transmuted into the flesh and blood of Jesus.
4. Observe certain fasting and abstinence days.
5. Give contributions.
MAY 1985 REVIEW OF SOME CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS 23
6. Marriage within a proper circle of relations.

Contrary to the belief of other Christians, Roman Catholics
believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, ascended physically into
heaven although there is no scriptural nor historical evidence quoted
in support of this pronouncement which was proclaimed officially by
Pope Pious 12th in 1950 and known as the Doctrine of the Assump-
tion of Mary. They also believe in the Doctrine of the Immaculate
Conception which states that Mary was free from both original and
all other kinds of sin.
Roman Catholics accept most of the Apocrypha as inspired scrip-
ture. These writings consist of fifteen books which were included in
the Old Testament until the time of the Reformation in the 16th cen-
tury when they were deleted by Protestants on the ground that they
do not fall within the category of inspired scriptures. The names of
these books are:
1st Esdras. 2nd Esdras.
Prayer of Manesses Tobit
Judith Rest of Book of Esther
Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus
Baruch the Prophet Letter of Jeremiah
Song of the three Holy Children The Story of Susanna
Bel and the Dragon
1st Book of Maccabee. 2nd Book of Maccabee.
Roman Catholics believe these books to be divinely inspired scrip-
tures except the first three. Martin Luther—the German
reformer—was the first to extract them from his translation of the
Bible in 1534. On the other hand, their divine authenticity was
ratified by the Roman Catholics at the Council of Trent in 1541. The
New English Bible and the Jerusalem Bible are two of a number of
publications of the Bible which contain the Apocrypha.
The priests are not permitted to marry and take an oath of
celibacy.
MORMONS
Mormons are active in the propagation of their faith. They are
members of the Church of Latter Day Saints which was founded in
America by Joseph Smith. They are persons of integrity with
abstemious habits.
Joseph Smith was born in the State of New York in 1806. At the
age of fourteen he claimed to have had a vision in which two celestial
beings appeared before him. One of them spoke to him. In 1823 he
described another vision in which a holy messenger called Maroni
appeared to him and announced to him that God had selected him
for a special mission. He was told to go after three years to a .par-
ticular place where he would find buried a set of golden plates on
which he would find written the religious history of the ancient peo-
ple of America. These plates were purported to have been buried
fourteen hundred years earlier by Maroni himself who is said to have
been a prophet of his time. The story goes that Joseph Smith col-
lected the plates as commanded and during a period of three years
translated the weird script into English which he published under the
name of the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon tells the story of a family living in
Jerusalem about 600 B.C. Lehi, the father of the family, was warned
of the destruction of Jerusalem. He built a ship and sailed westward
with his family eventually landing somewhere on the American con-
tinent. As the family multiplied, there emerged from it two nations
of people—The Nephites and Lamanites. Later on, after the
crucifixion, Jesus descended among them for a short while.
It is asserted that the book was compiled by a prophet called Mor-
mon about 400 A.D. It contains the abridged history and teachings
of the Nephites and Laminites. Mormon entrusted the book to his
son Moroni who buried it prior to a destructive war between the
Nephites and Laminites. There it remained unknown and unseen
until Joseph Smith excavated it after being informed of its
whereabouts by Maroni in the vision he claims to have witnessed.
Joseph Smith goes on to say that after he had completed the transla-
tion, he returned the golden plates to Maroni thereby leaving them
unavailable for examination. Some of his followers testified that
they had seem them during the period they were with Joseph Smith.
The Book of Mormon was first printed in 1830.
Mormons believe that both the Bible and the Book of Mormon are
the Word of God. The latter, they say, reveals a clearer understand-
ing of the Bible. They consider as corrupt the present day teachings
of Christianity.
The Mormons suffered considerable persecution during the first
two decades of their growth. In 1843 Joseph Smith was assassinated
MAY 1985 REVIEW OF SOME CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS 25
in prison by an unruly mob which burst inside. He was succeeded by

Brigham Young. Severe opposition compelled them to migrate
westwards. After a long and hazardous journey they settled in the
state of Utah where in 1847 they established their centre in Salt Lake
City.
At one time the Church of the Latter Day Saints sanctioned
polygamy but later abandoned it under Government pressure. It is
no longer permitted. Four commodities which are forbidden to
Mormons are alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee. They are active in the
mission field and their missionaries are usually young men who
devote two years of their life to the propogation of their faith. They
work in pairs and stay together usually in lodgings. Should one be
unable to participate in the daily outdoor work on account of
sickness or any other reason then the other will not carry on alone.
They move around only in pairs. They receive no salaries or
allowances and are usually financed by their parents.
JEHOVA WITNESSES
Jehova Witnesses are members of the Watch Tower and Bible
Tract Society. They are well known for their diligent preaching ac-
tivities. Like the Mormons they visit homes from door to door and
usually work in pairs although this is not binding. Their plan of cam-
paign in Great Britain demands that every house be visited at least
twice annually. All members are called upon to devote considerable
time in the propagation of their faith. Those known as regular
members pledge a hundred hours voluntary service a month while
others known as special workers dedicate one hundred and fifty
hours.
The Watch Tower and Bible Tract Society originated in America.
The first leader and organizer was Charles Taze Russell. He wrote
and compiled six large volumes under the title 'Studies in the Scrip-
tures' in which he has presented his interpretation of the Bible which
is accepted by Jehova Witnesses. The Society was incorporated in
1884 with Charles Russell as its president. He died in 1914 and was
succeeded by Joseph Franklin Rutherford—better known as Judge
Rutherford. There was a schism at that time and the smaller splinter
group re-named itself the Dawn Bible Students' Association.
Judge Rutherford was a dynamic leader charged with considerable
personal magnetism. He re-organised the administration and the ac-
tivities of the Society. It was not until 1931 that its members became
known as Jehova Witnesses which they adopted from the Biblical

verse:
"Ye are witnesses, says Jehova, and I am God."
(American Standard Version of the Bible, Isiah 43:12)
Judge Rutherford was a prolific writer. He wrote more than a
hundred books and major pamphlets besides hundreds of articles.
Jehova Witnesses are pacifists. Thousands have been imprisoned
for refusing to enter the armed forces. They believe killing is against
the Christian teachings. In 1918 Judge Rutherford himself was
sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for allegedly encouraging
some of his conscripted followers to refuse to carry out their duties.
He was released after one year. Jehova Witnesses also refuse blood
transfusions even in the face of death. They quote the Old Testa-
ment:
"Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh." (Leviticus 17:14)
They hold the view that there is no difference in taking blood into
the body through the veins than there is by taking it through the
mouth.
They do not believe in the divinity of Jesus; nor do they believe in
the Doctrine of Trinity. They believe that the second advent of Jesus
took place in 1914 in the manner of an invisible appearance and that
he is helping them to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
The first issue of the Watch Tower magazine was published in
1879 and today it is printed in fifty four different languages.
Another regular magazine is The Awake which is printed in more
than thirty languages. Jehova Witnesses are working in more than
one hundred and seventy countries.
So said the Promised Messiah: As you are the heirs of

truth you are bound to be treated with enmity. Then be
warned and let not your egos prevail over you. Endure every
hardship and reply gently to all abuse so that you may be
rewarded in heaven... Do not deride and do not indulge in
mockery. Your speech should betray no meanness or
ribaldry, so that the fountain of wisdom may be opened for
you. Wise words conquer hearts. Coarse and vulgar language
promises disorder. [Naseem Dawat, pp. 3-4]
MAY 1985 MUHAMMAD—THE HOLDER OF THE SEAL 27
MUHAMMAD—THE HOLDER OF THE SEAL

BY
Saleem Nasir Malik
God appointed the Holy Prophet Muhammad the Holder of the

Seal. This degree of excellence was barred to all other Prophets since
the beginning of time. One who meticulously follows his footsteps,
can be awarded the attributes of Prophethood. But the Holy Pro-
phet is gifted with much more than this. A spiritual and intimate
linkage with him can elevate an "Ummati" to the exalted status of a
Prophet.
It was thus that thousands of the followers of the Holy Prophet
were converted by his grace into saints of a high order. But there was
'One' among the Ummah who was wrapped in the silver linings of a
Prophet. He was none other than the Mahdi and the Promised
Messiah whom the Holy Prophet had himself described as a Pro-
phet, on four occasions (Sahih Muslim).
The perfect man to whom the Holy Quran was revealed, was not
limited in his vision nor was there any deficiency in his sympathy in
the sharing of sorrows. Both from the point of view of time and
space, his soul was charged with perfect sympathy for human beings.
He was, therefore, bestowed a full share of the manifestations of
nature and he was made Khatamal-Anbia, meaning not that no one
would henceforth receive any spiritual grace from him, but that he
possessed the Seal of Prophethood and that without the attestation
of that Seal, no grace could reach anyone and that for his people, the
door of converse with the Divine would never be closed. Beside him,
there was no Prophet who possessed the Seal. It is only through this
Seal that a Prophethood can now be bestowed for which it is a con-
dition that the recipient must be a follower of the Holy Prophet.
His (the Holy Prophet's) high courage and sympathy did not wish
to leave his people in a condition of inferior status and bar to them
the door of revelation, which is the root of all spiritual and temporal
understanding. Yet in order to preserve the sign of the closing of all
(previous) prophethoods, he desired that the grace of revelation
should be reserved for the ranks of his followers only. It was in this
sense that the Holy Prophet had been appointed as Kahlamal-Anbia.
It is, therefore, established till the day of judgement that a person

who does not show true obedience to him (the Holy Prophet) and
who does not devote his full being to obeying him, cannot become
the recipient of perfect revelation (Wahi-i-Nabuwwat). Direct Pro-
phethood has been ended with the Holy Prophet. But Prophethood
which means the receipt of (perfect) revelation through the grace of
Muhammad will continue till the Day of Resurrection. This is so that
the door of perfection of mankind should never be closed and this
sign should never disappear from the world' (Haqiqatul-Wahi).
God does not create another God like Himself because His at-
tribute of Unity and of being Peerless, is eternal and it prevents Him
from doing so. But He does create a sample of His Peerless Being by
investing in one of his creation a reflection of His attributes. This
process started with the beginning of the world and would continue
till the ultimate cloud of dust, the final frozen wasteland emerges
and puts an end to all that is animate in the universe. The lineage of
Prophethood can, therefore, never lapse nor can its true profile ever
change. This has been the Divine intent so far and this is His purpose
for which mankind was created. The institution of Prophethood is
eternal and its denial is delusive sophistry.
We are not dealing here with the birth pangs of a new idea nor
with some aberration from the thoughtful thinking of the renowned
muslim theologians of the past. This 'Ummat' has never suffered
from a paucity of religious scholars and there are few instances
where the idea of the finality of Prophethood has synchronized un-
conditionally with the meaning of Khataman-Nabiyyin in any of the
Ahadees or commentaries of the Holy Quran during the last 1400
years. This is not the end of the line. The Quran and the Traditions
are replete with prophecies about the appearance of Mahdi and the
Promised Messiah in the Latter Days. The Messiah, in accordance
with the Quranic Nuss is a Prophet, not only in his second advent
but till eternity. The truth of the matter is that there is a consensus in
the 'Ummah' about the appearance of a Prophet after the Holy Pro-
phet, notwithstanding the loud but empty protestations of the
present-day brand of ulema.
The core of the controversy however, rests with the identification
of the coming Jesus. Our opponents allege that Jesus of Nazareth
who appeared among the Jews 2000 years ago, is still physically alive
somewhere in the heavens and is destined to be the Promised
Messiah for the Muslims and the rest of mankind. The Ahmadiyya
MAY 1985 MUHAMMAD—THE HOLDER OF THE SEAL 29
view is that Jesus son of Mary died a natural death in his own time.
The Quran and the traditions clearly state that a man from among
the 'Ummah' would appear in the Latter Days in the power and
spirit of Jesus and would.be designated 'ISA' and the Promised
Messiah. The Holy Prophet distinguished beyond a shadow of doubt
Jesus of Nazareth from Ahmad, the Promised Messiah for the
Muslims by clearly describing the distinctive features of both the
Prophets in 'Sahih Bukhari.' It proves, if nothing else, that Jesus
son of Mary and the Promised Messiah of this 'Ummat' are two en-
tirely different persons; one was already dead and the other had yet
to appear. It does nothing for Jesus of Nazareth and less than
nothing for the Mullahs who await the resurrection of the dead in
this world and not the Hereafter.
As already pointed out, the freeze on Prophethood applies to such
claimants only as are outside the pale of Islam and the Quran. An
'Ummati' Nabi cannot bring a new shariah nor could he operate out-
side the zone of the eternal Prophethood of the Holy Prophet. This
is the true meaning of Khatmi-Nabuwwat as explained in the Quran
and the 'Ahadees'. There are thousands of instances of this type of
Prophethood in the Mosaic Dispensation. The only difference is that
after the appearance of the Holy Prophet, all spiritual denomina-
tions are restricted to the Muslim Community till the Day of Judg-
ment.
It is thus clear that it is not the Ahmadis who violate the prestige
of the Holder of the Seal. In fact we are dealing with a determination
of the Maulvis to destroy the basis on which Islamic values have been
built. The appearance of Jesus of Nazareth among the Muslims
would demolish for all times the supremacy of Islam on all other
religions. Not only this; it would also shatter the Seal of Pro-
phethood of Muhammad, the Leader and Chief of all mankind.
There are no doors that could not be unlocked; except the door of
Khatmi-Nabuwwat which could never be unlocked by an outsider.
True theology has never been the metier of half-baked Mullahs. If
you sow the wind, you can only reap the whirlwind. Our Maulvis ex-
alted the status of Christ so much that they never felt contended till
he sat on the right hand of God in the Heavens. On the other hand,
the Holy Prophet lay buried on earth. A true Muslim would shudder
even to think of the consequences of a situation such as this.
The wrath of God fell on this people for this insult to the holiest
and noblest of all mankind—the Holy Prophet. Physical might and
30 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS_ MAY 1985
power of the world was transferred to the Christians for this reason
only. All scientific knowledge and sophisticated technology became
the hand-maiden of the non-Muslims. The Muslim nations of the
world with all their oil wealth, man-power and immense resources,
stood like beggars at the door of their Christian Lords for seeking
crumbs of favor from here and there.
Less dear to the heart of our Maulvis, but equally important is this
issue; there is yet time to make amends. The Ahmadis are at present
at the top of the hate-list of their co-religionists. The Muslims have
been living in the middle of nowhere for the last one hundred years.
Let them reconsider their anti-Ahmadiyya stance, so painfully
primitive uptil now.
O, our Muslim friends; Spare a glance of sympathy.

For the sake of Muhammad, the Chosen one,
the Best of the Creation, if for nothing else.
The Promised Messiah said: It is my principle that till one prays

for one's enemy, one's mind is not wholly cleared. God has said:
'Call on Me, I shall respond to you' (40:61). He has not said that
He will not accept a prayer in respect of an enemy. I believe that to
pray for an enemy was the practice of the Holy Prophet, peace be
on him; that is how Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,
became a Muslim. There should be no personal enmity with
anyone and one should not be miserly and tyrannical. I am grateful
that I can recall not one among my enemies for whom I have not
prayed more than once. That is what I tell you and teach you. God
Almighty is as much averse to anyone being persecuted and being
treated as an enemy as He is averse to anyone being associated with
Him... He does not desire that man kind should cut asunder from
each other, and He does not desire that anyone should be
associated with Him. This is the way that entails praying for those
who deny us. Thereby one's mind is cleansed and expands and
one's resolve becomes firm.... It is an attribute of God that He
forgives the evil ones for the sake of the good ones. You, who have
established a relationship with me, should become a people concer-
ning whom it has been said that whosoever keeps company with
them will not encounter misfortune. [Malfoozat, Vol. Ill, pp.
26-7]
MAY 1985 ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTER 31
From Our Archives:
THE ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTER

By
A.R. Dard
The head of the felled animal or bird having been extended, the
slaughterer takes hold of a portion of the skin of the neck between
the thumb and forefinger. Then saying: Bismillah Allaho Akbar—in
the name of Allah, Allah is Great—he slaughers the animal usually
with a sharp and smooth knife. The large blood vessels of the neck,
the carotid arteries' and jugular veins which supply the brain with
blood containing oxygen, are completely divided; and the cut severs
all structures on the central side of the vertebral column. The central
muscles being severed, the dorsal muscles at once pull back the head,
leaving an unrestricted vent for the blood. Immediately, blood spurts
from the severed carotid arteries in a jet. The blood contained in the
body is rapidly pumped out by the heart, which continues to beat for
a few minutes.
The cut is continuous and uninterrupted and the knife is not press-
ed down vertically but it is drawn across the neck horizontally. The
cut is not a stab. It is neither low down nor high up, but in the centre
of the neck.
This is a description of the ordinary Muslim process of slaughter-
ing animals for food. But it should be remembered that there is no
blind rigidity in Islam because such rigidity really tends to defeat its
own purpose. A universal and practical religion must have a measure
of elasticity in its regulations to make it really serviceable in meeting
the varying requirements of man. For instance, if a knife is not
available, Islam allows in an emergency, the use of anything sharp-
edged which would bleed the animal, but it allows no cruelty. In the
same way no rigid method of 'casting' the animal is prescribed by
Islam. If necessary the 'casting' may be dispensed with altogether.
All that is required is that the method should be humane, convenient
and effective. It should involve unnecessary hardship, suffering and
pain neither to animal nor to man. Camels for example may be bled
standing with their legs tied. Game is also permissible in Islam. A
bird or an animal killed with a gun or an arrow is lawful, but not the
one which is strangled, knocked down, gored or beaten to death with
a stick or blows.
It should also be remembered that the essential condition of mak-
ing flesh lawful is that the bird or beast should be shot, slaughtered
or killed by bleeding in the name of God. The formula, Bismillah,
Allaho Akbar—In the name of Allah, Allah is Great—must be
recited at the time of killing. Otherwise the flesh would be unclean
and unlawful. The space at my disposal does not allow me to discuss
here the necessity, significance and importance of this Islamic in-
junction. All that I would like to remark here in passing is that it has
a moral and spiritual value. Man cannot live by flesh alone.
Whatever be the method of ordinary slaughter, animals have to be
driven to market and pushed, pulled, poked, and tail-twisted by
drovers in order to make them go first into the pens outside and then
into the slaughter house itself. By no means can they escape some
measure of rough handling. Some animals must be 'cast' or thrown'
so that their throats may be in a position such as to render the cut ef-
fective. From the nature of the case the slaughter of large animals
for food purposes must always be a repulsive sight to the ordinary
person whose emotions, being powerfully stimulated, lead him to
draw conclusions as to the animal's sensations which are contrary to
physiological facts.
In a sense all killing is cruel, and if we are to avoid cruelty to
animals we should logically abstain from the use of flesh as food and
be vegetarians. But Divine Law permits the consumption of the flesh
of certain animals; they are created for the service of man, even for
his consumption. Hence all that can be reasonably said is that
animals should be killed with a minimum of suffering and with due
regard to the sentiments and principles of humanity. So the Islamic
method forbids the inflicting of unnecessary pain.
The only pain felt by an animal killed in the Islamic way of
slaughtering is that of the cut in the skin. This is slight. Children
often cut their skin without being aware of it. And herbivorous
mammals are said to be less sensitive than human beings.
When the cut is made the bleeding is extremely rapid. Cutting of
the carotid arteries, by depriving the brain of its blood supply, pro-
duces practically instantaneous loss of consciousness. A continuous
supply of fresh blood at a high pressure is essential to maintain con-
sciousness. Sir Wm. M. Bayliss, Professor of General Physiology in
University College, London, says: "It is really indeed the oxygen
MAY 1985 ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTER 33
carried by the fresh blood that is the necessary agent for the conti-
nuance of the activity of the brain."
Sir Leonard Hill throws further light on this subject. He says:
"Many suppose that the movements of the head, legs and tail which
quickly follow the cutting of the throat and the efforts at raising of
the head and body from the recumbent position which may occur in
the case of an unfastened beast, likewise the presence of the cornea!
reflex, and the deep, noisy respiration, are signs of consciousness. It
is asserted that this consciousness is brought about by a compen-
satory supply of blood by way of the vertebral arteries.
"In veterinary circles the assertion of a persistent or returning con-
sciousness and capacity of feeling pain is based on the fact that the
unfastened beast may make efforts to get up and escape. The opi-
nion, however, of all leading physiologists, including that of our
worldwide authority on the nervous system, Sir Charles Sherrington,
is that these movements are merely signs of reflex action carried out
by the lower nerve centers. They are seen in pigeons, rabbits, cats
and dogs after removal of the great brain. Human experience of
anaesthesia shows that the sensory areas of the great brain are far
more sensitive than the lower centres; so, too, in the case of an in-
terference with the supply of blood and oxygen by the brain. A
monkey shuts its eyes and goes to sleep when the oxygen supply is
greatly diminished in the air which it breaths, continues to sit and
balance its movements; but it is at first difficult and then impossible
to wake it up and make it open its eyes. Later, with still less oxygen
supply, the motor centres fail and the animal falls over and con-
vulsive movements occur. Convulsive escape movements are made
when the oxygen is greatly and rapidly diminished, but the animal is
by then unconscious."
The Director, Department of Applied Physiology, National In-
stitute of Medical Research, writes in the Lancet, 1923, II, 1382, that
when the throat is cut the centres in the lower parts of the nervous
system viz., the spinal bulb and cord, continues to act for a time.
Deep, gasping respirations occur, and convulsive movements which
press the blood out of the muscles and organs of the belly... The
whole of these actions result in almost complete drainage of blood
and tissue-lymph out of the body." Openshaw says that by no other
method can all the blood be removed from the body. Blood is for-
bidden in Islam.
The ordinary Islamic method of slaughtering animals for food is
very much like that of the Jews. The chief difference appears to be
that in modern Judaism the Shochet (ritual slaughterer) must be ex-
amined, passed and certified by the eccliastical authority as
theoretically proficient and practically competent. A Jew who
publicly violates the Sabbath is also ineligible to act as Shochet.
THE OBJECT OF MAN'S LIFE

The true purpose of the internal and external limbs and
faculties that have been bestowed on man is the understand-
ing of God and His worship and His love. That is why,
despite occupying himself with diverse projects in this life,
man does not find his true welfare except in God. Having
had great wealth, having held high office, having become a
great merchant, having ruled a great kingdom, having been
known as a great philosopher, in the end he departs from all
these involvements with great regret. His heart constantly
rebukes him on his total preoccupation with worldly affairs
and his conscience never approves his cunning and deceit and
illicit activities. An intelligent person can appreciate this
problem in this way also, that the purpose of everything is to
be determined by its highest performance beyond which its
faculties cannot operate. For instance, the highest function
of a bullock is ploughing or irrigation or transportation. Its
faculties are not adapted to anything else. Therefore, the
purpose of a bullock's life are just these three things. It has
no power to do anything else. But when we look into the
faculties of man and try to discover what is their highest
reach, we find that he seeks after God, the Axalted. He
desires to become so devoted to God that he should keep
nothing as his own and all that is his should become God's.
He shares with the other animals his natural urge towards
eating, sleeping, etc. In industry some animals are far ahead
of him. Indeed the bees extracting the essence of different
types of flowers produce such excellent honey that man has
not yet been able to match them. It is obvious, therefore,
that the highest reach of man's faculties is to meet God, the
Exalted. Thus the true purpose of his life is that the window
of his heart should open towards God. (The Teachings of
Islam by the Promised Messiah)
MAY 1985 DEHUMANIZING ISLAM 35
Current Topics:
DEHUMANIZING ISLAM
by
Dr. Syed Barakat Ahmad
On October 16, 1983 an Israeli patrol in Lebanon attacked 50,000

Shiites of Nabatieyeh commemorating Ashura—the martyrdom of
Hussain (October 680). Two Shiite mourners were killed and 15
wounded. On October 6, this year the Sunnis of Pakistan did better.
They attacked an Ashura procession in Karachi. Five people were
killed, 300 were wounded and two Shiite mosques were burnt. The
Shiite persecution continues and the Sunni ulema are now demand-
ing restrictions on this minority (15 percent). Burning and destroying
mosques is, unfortunately, not a new thing in Muslim history. In
1801, on the day of Eid festival, the followers of the Najdi reformer,
Abdul-Wahab (1703-1787), sacked the Shiite mosque of Kerbala
where Hussain is buried. It was stripped of the rich hangings, the
gold and silver plates, the girdles of precious stones and the priceless
carpets which were accumulated for centuries.
The tradition goes back to Yazid bin Muawiah who in 683, hardly
fifty years after the Prophet's death, sent an army which included
the Christians of Syria to capture Mecca and Medina. After sacking
Medina, Yazid's army proceeded to Mecca which was besieged.
Catapults were directed against the inviolable sanctuary of the Holy
Mosque and the Kaba was burnt to the ground. The Black Stone
(Hajri Aswad) was split in three pieces. That tradition endures. In
1924 the Ikhwan army and its commander, Luwai, classed the Mec-
cans with other unbelievers as kafirs, smashed the decorations of the
Grand Mosque and demolished some of the tombs and shrines
sacred to the whole Muslim world. The Grand Mosque in Mecca was
again occupied and desecrated by Muslim extremists in November
1979.
ENDURING TRADITION
Now, in Pakistan no day passes when an Ahmadi mosque is not
desecrated or destroyed. Some mosques have been locked, some
others have been disfigured. The Muslim profession of faith, "There
is no God, but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger" has been
forcibly removed from those mosques where prayers are still held.
In Doshipura (Varanasi) a Shiite community had to be protected
by an elaborate Supreme court order. Anticipating Sunni-Shiite
clashes on the Ashura day, the Supreme Court restrained the Sunni
community from causing any hindrance or disturbance to the perfor-
mance of religious rituals and rites by the Shiites on the eight plots in
dispute during the period of the Muharram mourning. The court
further ordered that the graves of the Sunnis on the plots should be
cordoned off by barbed wire fencing on all sides, except that of
Hakim Badruddin where the Sunnis would be allowed to recite
Fatiha and lay chadar on specified dates only.
Culturally and educationally better off than the Sunnis and with a
greater consciousness of their religion, Shiites as a minority have not
always been well treated by the Sunnis. Though Shiites contribution
to Muslim thought, education and political consciousness has been
prominent in any age, they have been usually the victims of Sunni
prejudice. But as a majority community under Ayatollah Khomeini,
Iranian Shiites have not shown that tolerance which they themselves
expect in the Sunni world. The suffering and tribulations of the
Shiite people in Iran deserve world sympathy and their religious fer-
vour warms the hearts of the Muslim ummah. But the use of that
fervor by Iranian leaders has not been that glorious. Iran is now link-
ed with world-wide terrorism, from suicide bombings in Beirut to
street violence in Jakarta.
Last month, Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Abdul Kadir
Sheikh Fadzir, said that religious extremists had established contacts
with militant groups in Iran. "The activities of these groups are
regarded by Malaysians as interference by the Iranian Government",
the Minister added.
SUNNI VIOLENCE
Although Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran has attracted greater atten-
tion, Sunni Muslims have not been far behind. In 1981 President
Anwar al-Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists (The Muslim
Brotherhood) while in February 1982 the Alawi President of Syria,
Hafez al-Assad, pounded the Sunni town of Kama for almost three
weeks with tank and artillary fire, killing an estimated 20,000 people.
Whole neighborhoods had been plowed up like cornfields and
bulldozed. In fact, Ayatollah Khomeini is far behind President
Hafez al-Assad and General Zia-ul-Haq in political repression and
ruthless religious persecution. There is no other country, except

Pakistan, where minions of people were deprived of their fundamen-
tal right to call themselves Muslims and practice Islam. The enormity
of this human rights violation is shocking beyond words. For the
time being the resurgence of fanaticism has been diverted towards
Ahmadis and to a smaller extent Shiites, but it is bound to consume
the very fabric of Pakistani society.
The sponsoring of the death squads by the Libyan leader,
Muammar al-Qadafi, and Hujjat-ul-Islam Muhammad Musawi's at-
tempts to use Hajj as a cover for subversion in Saudi Arabia are well
known. The purpose is to incite the Saudi Shiite minority concen-
trated in the eastern oil fields of Saudi Arabia. It is reported that Ira-
nian agents have made contacts with some of the 10,000 Pakistani
soldiers who serve as guards for the Saudi regime.
Nine years of civil war, the mutual distrust, fear and greed have
driven Christians, Sunnis and Shiites in Lebanon to their most ex-
treme positions. On a larger scale this is the position of the whole
West Asia where Syrians are involved in the anti-Saudi plotting, Li-
byans are trying to overthrow the Egyptian government and Iranians
are attempting to destabilize the Gulf. All these plots to subvert the
neighboring Muslim regimes are of course overshadowed by the self-
destructive Iran-Iraq war. Compare all this with the teaching of the
Qur'an: "Whoso saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the
life of mankind." (5.32).
EUPHORIA AND FRUSTRATION
The fifteenth century Hijrah began with a great deal of un-Islamic
fervor. But it soon became apparent that religious revival is not a
political or academic exercise. Inaugurated by bemedalled heads of
state and military dictators, dressed up with scriptural verses and
high sounding theological terms, but devoid of spiritual and devo-
tional content, such as an exercise can only stimulate euphoria. And
euphoria always leads to frustrations. Having enjoyed the festivals
of Islam and five-star celebrations, the Muslim world sank deep in
frustration. There is a spiritual vacuum, a tormenting feeling that all
the oratory of the mulla, the erudite narration of Muslim past by the
historian and all the elucidation of the ' 'Islamic'' political system by
the time-serving political scientist have proved to be ineffective and
incapable of solving the social, economic and political problems of
Muslim societies. They looked to their non-Muslim neighbors which
were liberated along with them from the European dominance and
are doing well as stable democracies with a high degree of in-
dustrialization. This has produced a sense of impotence and created
frustration. This void has now been filled by extreme religious fun-
damentalism.
A mulla does not wield a sword, but he knows how to wield
words. He understands the importance of language. He also
understands the importance not only of language but of simplicity.
He is willing and able to simplify his position into short cliches and
divert attention from the complexities of the real problem. "Jihad"
and "kufr" are two important items of his armory. When he fails
with them he exploits the love and reverance in which Muslims hold
their Prophet. Iqbal summed up that love in his Javidnama in the
following words: "you can deny God, but you cannot deny the Pro-
phet!" The Canadian orientalist, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, put it in
another way: "Muslims will allow attacks on Allah: there are
atheists and atheistic publications, and rationalistic societies; but to
disparage Muhammad will provoke from even the most 'liberal' sec-
tions of the community a fanaticism of blazing vehemence." So
anyone who is to be condemned is accused of showing disrespect to
the Prophet. This charge so infuriates the Muslim masses that the ac-
cused is not given even a chance to deny the charge. It is a simple
cliche which answers emotional needs of finding a scape-goat. It was
this simple cliche which was used by the mulla to divert the public at-
tention from the movement to restore democracy in Pakistan.
Ahmadis were accused of showing disrespect to the Prophet and the
Pakistani people, who were demonstrating against President Zia,
started burning Ahmadiyyah mosques instead. When the Ahmadis
appealed to the highest court in the country saying that the charge
was false, it was dismissed. It may be recalled that Pakistan's
relatively independent judiciary was dismissed when in March 1981,
nineteen Supreme Court and provincial High Court judges refused
to endorse an order allowing General Zia to amend the Consitution.
Today in Pakistan there are no enforceable rights. Infact there is no
Muslim country, except probably Malaysia, where there are en-
forceable rights with an independent judiciary. It is a sad commen-
tary on the followers of a religion which enshrines human rights in
its holy book, the Qur'an.
GOETHE AND ISLAM
The well-known orientalist, Sir William Muir, who lived among
Muslims and wrote his Life of Mahomet after a painstaking study of

Arabic sources, has made an unfortunate remark about Islam. He
wrote: ' 'the sword of Mahomet and the Koran are the most stubborn
enemies of Civilization, Liberty and Truth which the world has yet
known." Sir William, a British civilian, served in India in the later
part of the nineteenth century and learnt Islam from the mulla, who
opposed Sir Syed Ahmad Khan; Muir was still under the influence of
1857 mutiny. The tragedy is that the fundamentalist mullah of today
still confirms what Sir William Muir wrote. During the last forty
years Muslim armies have been soundly and repeatedly defeated by
their non-Muslim neighbors and yet the mulla's sword of "Jihad"
cannot be sheathed and the Muslim blood flows freely.
Faith has been replaced by "ideology", the Sharia courts have
taken the place of persuasion and consul, the denunciation ofdisserb___
ting faiths has supplanted retrospection and hypocracy"has superced-
ed piety. The mulla has dehumanized a religion which taught com-
passion, charity and grace.
Goethe's West Ostlicher Divan contains the most beautiful and
Islamic approach to the Prophet's message in European poetry:
Thus the right thing seems to be
the way by which Muhammad succeeded:
Only by the concept of One
has he conquered this world. — ~—--— — __. „
Fortunately Goethe was not influenced by the Mulla's intolerant in-
terpretation of Islam nor did he live among the Muslims. Another
German scholar. Prof. Annemarie Schimmel, who read her Islam
from the Qur' an and the life of the Prophet without the benefit of
the Mulla's tones of interpretation has some pertinent advice for the
Muslims: "Just as Muhammad was the 'Seal of Prophets' Muslims
should be the 'Seal of Nations', and as he was sent as 'mercy for the
world', Muslims, too, should become mercy for the world."
FORGIVENESS AND FORBEARANCE

"Those who suppress their anger and forgive people and Allah
loves the benevolent. (The Holy Quran, 3:135)
"Make forbearance thy rule and enjoin equity and turn away from
the ignorant." (The Holy Quran, 7:200)
Book Review:
Islam in the World

by Malise Ruthven
New York, Oxford University Press, 1984, 400 pp., $8.95 (paperback).
What is the essential message of Islam to late 20th century

mankind? Journalist-author Malise Ruthven, in his most recent
work, Islam in the World, concludes that even more important than
the injunctions to the faithful to build the good society by obedience
to Quranic Law, ' 'is the message that proclaims the Eternal Trandes-
cent and man's special responsibility as guardian of this planet. It is
a message which calls on men and women to show gratitude for the
-world's Jbounty, to use it wisely and distribute it equitably. It is a
message phrased in the language and imagery of a pastoral people
who understood that survival depended upon submission to the
natural laws governing their environment, and upon rules of
hospitality demanding an even sharing of limited resources. In a
world riven by the gap between rich and poor nations, and in cons-
tant danger of nuclear -catastrophe, this message has an urgent
relevance and it is one that we ignore at our peril."
An avowed agnostic, he nevertheles presents a refreshing examina-
tion j3f_the-4mpact of Islam in the world. He makes the obvious
~ assertion that political agitation against corrupt or unjust Muslim
governments will continue for decades, fired by Quranic prohibi-
tions against social injustice and improbity and by the activist exam-
ple of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him).
Ruthven envisions a time when Islam, like other religions, will
become subsumed into an amorphism of international culture: he
predicts that high Sufism, whose occult ritualism is more universal
than Judaism and less "anthropocentric" than Christianity, could
become less rigid in terms of literal interpretation of the Shari'a;
thus he infers that the way may be opened for the scientific age to
have a much greater interchange with Islam. Wise reading of the
Holy Quran, even for a non-Muslim, makes it clear that Almighty
God has taught man how to use both spiritual and natural Law for
his own benefit (22:19, 64:4, etc.). The number of Muslims now
engaged in scientific and technological pursuits indicates clearly that
Islam enjoins upon man to use whatever the Creator has placed in
the earth for his salutary utility. The purpose of Islamic teaching is
MAY 1985 BOOK REVIEW 41
not to undevelop man, but to aid his spiritual and material progress
in the right direction. Islam has entered the scientific age light years
ahead of the Western awakening.
Islam in the World is a well-documented, updated Western look at
the religion, and its treatment of the Holy Quran and of the Holy
Prophet is respectful. Ruthven assures the' reader in his opening
statement that while he is neither Muslim nor non-Muslim, nor a
specialist in Middle Eastern affairs, he has nevertheless attempted to
clearly explain how Islam became a political force in the modern
world, something which few people writing in English have been able
to do without detracting from the faith.
His method aids the general reader to examine several elements of
the subject: Islam as a "potentially" ideal system; Islam in history;
regional patterns of Islamic culture; contemporary Islamic political
systems evolving from centuries old political activism; and at various
points he parallels Judaic and Christian views with Islam. He is ap-
parently successful in some areas, however one may question the ef-
ficacy of encapsulating such wide-ranging themes in one small
volume. As an introductory survey of the subject, it is generally
credible. He respectfully uses Quranic sources and the traditions to
show "what Muslims believe about God and about mankind's duties
in the world" and "how historically Muslims have sought to put
their beliefs into practice by observing divine law and sometimes by
attempting to recreate the ideal community of Medina as founded by
the Prophet "Muhammad."
His other sources include the Bible, Ibn Khaidun, Yusuf All,
Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, Ali Shariati, Maxime Rodision, Rumi,
Carl Jung, Muhammad Iqbal, The Encyclopedia of Islam,
Toshihiko Izutsu, W.M. Watt, C. A. Julien, Thomas Carlyle, and
many others of note.
After musing over some of the miserable earthiness of the Hajj ex-
perience for some pilgrims, he tends to concentrate on the pagan,
Judaic, and political aspects of that great ritual, which is unsurpris-
ing judging from his background. The Pilgrimage which brings
together Muslims from every part of the globe, is fertile ground for
germinating political action in terms of universal justice and equali-
ty, as witness the failed revolt of one Juhaiman al Utaibi and his
fellow extremists in the 1979 occupation of the Grand Mosque. Ap-
parently, the aim was to denounce the Saudi regime; however, even
the Ayatollah Khomeini, no friend of the royal family, criticized the
42 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS ' MAY 1985
revolt as the work of United States or Israeli agents, which set off a
round of anti-American demonstrations in many Muslim countries
and in some western cities as well.
Rutven, in dealing with this problem of idealism vs. political reali-
ty, refers to the political astuteness of the Holy Prophet in his ac-
commodation of the hostile Quraish after the conquest of Mecca, as
being parallel to Ibn Saud's betrayal of the Ikhwan when he declared
himself king of Saudi Arabia, pursuing his own worldly dream. Does
he intend to suggest that the goals were the same? He cites the Chris-
tian solution of that classic problem which "pronounced that since
Christ's kingdom was not of this world", secular authority, however
vicious or irreligious, must be obeyed; pious Christians could take
refuge in "their own private worship," "private morality" and
almsgiving. There are millions of witnesses to the deleterious results
of this stratagem.
• In discussing the spectrum of Muslim interpretation of the Hajj, -
he identifies the range of opinion from the "ultra-symbolic" to the
"ultra-literalistic," interpretations which spur activity escalating
from "passive acquiescence" to "militant activism". To the Saudis,
the Hajj is a religious festival, while to Iranian revolutionaries and
other activists, Hajj must lead to the "creation of a true Islamic
order, a world free from injustice and oppression."
On page 39, the author attempts to deal with the nature of this
"original Abrahamic" religion, in terms of idolatry. This reviewer
strongly recommends that he study the Ahmadiyya commentary of
the Holy Quran, for greater comprehension of the facts. The same
applies to his reading of the differing presentations of the positions
of Isaac and Isma'il in relation to their father Abraham, in both the
Bible and Holy Quran.
In the chapter on the Holy Prophet Muhammad, he makes the im-
portant assertion that there is no evidence in the Holy Quran nor in
the traditions that the Prophet was well-acquainted with Christian
beliefs and practices before prophethood was bestowed upon him, by
Almighty God; and notes that the Holy Prophet was probably
"unusually taciturn and self-controlled; an introvert, quite unlike
the societal values of excited, exuberant, loquacious, and boastful
conduct" in the society around him; and that he did possess those
qualities of manliness, bravery in war, persistence in virtue, and pa-
tience in adversity. Like C. G. Jung, Ruthven diverges from Maxime
Rodison's theory that the Prophet received the revelations from his
own consciousness; this atheistic version cannot be substantiated

against the powerful refutation found in the Holy Quran, nor even
against the evidence uncovered in the psychological experiments of
Jung, whose evidence "inferred the existence of a 'collective un-
conscious' transcending the boundaries of individual self-hood."
The author sees the Muslim community, the Umma founded by
the Holy Prophet, as the antithesis of the asabiya or tribal solidarity.
The social and ideological values of the "Five Pillars" (and the Holy
Prophet's own address at the Farewell Pilgrimage) were intended to
destroy tribal barriers and to solidify equality and justice in opposi-
tion to false assumptions of class or racial superiority. Today these
are still dynamic factors in the expansion of Islam.
In "The Quranic World-view", he praises the beauty of the
Arabic language, calling it "the key to Muslim culture, much more
so than Hebraic and Christian scriptures, which have undergone
various translations and revisions, may be said to to keys to their
respective cultures." Ruthven defines the Quranic world-view as "a
system of ethics from a divine source which aims to bind human
behavior; a legal commitment to human freedom, liberating the
human consciousness from limited objectives, expanding the
brotherhood of all existing things into a unifying whole reality, term-
ed the divine (Creator). Man must take al-Ghaib, the hidden, on
trust as being beyond human limitations. Man cannot do as he likes,
regardless of moral law. Muslims and non-Muslims alike can find
guidelines to these limits if they take the trouble to investigate the
teachings of the Holy Quran''.
In the chapter entitled "Law and Disorder", he raises the ques-
tion: 'Was Islam an obstacle to capitalist development?' He avers
that some Marxist writers cite factors other than religion, as
obstacles, i.e., the availability of cheap labor; the Eastern tradition
of strong state dependency on public works; and the waves of
marauding invaders from Central Asia. He brings into focus the
issue of the much vaunted "European rationality" which he at-
tributes to the heritage of Roman legalism, in contrast to the socio-
political elements in Islamic society which deterred innovation in
fechnology. He censures the Shari'a as the major impediment to
economic developent in Islam, holding at it stymied the growth of
European-style merchant guilds. In his opinion, the dissension over
this issue is more than "a debate about the origins of capitalism in or
out of the Muslim world; it concerns the fundamental difference in
social and political behavior which still accounts for many divisions
and misunderstandings between Westerners and Muslims."
He goes on to point out that sectarian divisions in Islam, when
compared to those in Christianity, "stem more from politics than
from religious dogma," and includes the assabiya as one of the of-
fending causes. In his chapter on "Sects and Solidarity" he has in-
vestigated several Muslim sects which contribute to this division:
Ibadi, Druze, Khoja, Mahdist (Sudan), Sunni, Nizari Isma'ili, and
Shi'ite, among others. He focuses closely on Shi'ism and the Iranian
revolution. He has evidently not heard of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
community, which oversight is an unfortunate deficiency of this
book. Ahmadiyya Islam has been termed the most vibrant mis- •
sionary movement in existence today, due to the prodigious
teachings and writings of the Divinely inspired Founder, Hazrat
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India and his Khilafat.
. In attempting to identify the movers and shakers of the "Spiritual
Renewal'' in Islam, Ruthven chooses Sufism as one of the leading
elements, while he also explores the influence of the Naqshbandiya;
Tarika-i-Muhammadiya; Ibn 'Abd al Wahhab; and the Mahdi
Muhammad Ahmad of Sudan. He concurs that "the revitalizing
force of Islamic spirituality is comething that will always find
political expression when the occasion demands it, deriving its
legitimacy from the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad." To
reiterate, it is a pity that he did not invetigate the origins of
Ahmadiyya Islam and its present day missionary endeavors around
the world, the outstanding example of spiritual renewal in Islam.
In "Challenge From the West", Ruthven mentions the ambivalent
attitude of many Middle Easterners toward Europeans; the role of
both Western and Muslim women in Muslim society; and the
dominating intrusion of European colonialism and its continuing in-
fluence today. He delineates the varying responses of Muslims to this
brutal intrusion, responses which range from acquiesence, to
modern intellectualism, to reformism, to the radical activism as
found in the Muslim Brotherhood.
In the conclusion of this useful work, Malise Ruthven states that
' 'the ideal Islamic state was probably never more than a pious fiction
because power politics, assassinations, war and plunder" have
always been a tragic part of its history. Therefore, "there will always
remain this constant creative tension between the reality "of human
frailty and the striving for the "ideal to realize true Islam in a violent
and wicked world." This theme recurs throughout the book. "The
failure of the super powers of the West and the East to solve the
overwhelming problem of Palestine, in addition to Third World
disillusionment with the economic systems of both spheres has
taught Muslims in general that neither capitalism nor socialism is the
solution for their societies. Islam, correctly understood, stands mid-
way between these two less attractive extremes. Its followers, the ser-
vants of Almighty Allah," are working out their own "social-
capitalism" in terms of trying to implement a free market economy;
social responsibility, private property; and interest-free banking in
an effort to conform to the Shari'a in imaginative new ways;" thus
setting the optimistic example for those suffering Third World na-
tions which are "floundering between super-power" enslavement.
Even an agnostic writer can disseminate the open secret that Islam is
the healing power for a world in turmoil.
WARNING FROM DIVINE WARNER
"Remember, God has informed me of many earth-

quakes. Rest assured, therefore, that as earthquakes
have shaken America and Europe, so will they shake
Asia. Some of them will resemble the Day of Doom. So
many people shall die that revulets of blood shall flow.
Even the birds and the beasts will not be immune
against this death. A havoc shall sweep the surface of
the earth which shall be the greatest since the birth of
man. Habitations shall be demolished as if no one had
ever lived in them. This will be accompanied by many
other terrible calamities which the earth and the
heavens will send forth, till their extraordinary nature
will become evident to every reasonable man. All the
literature of science and philosophy shall fail to show
their like. Then mankind shall be sore distressed and
wonder what is going to happen. Many shall escape and
many shall perish. The days are near, in fact, I can see
them close at hand, when the world shall witness a terri-

ble sight; not only earthquakes but also many fearsome
calamities shall overtake man, some from the skies and
some from the earth. This will happen because mankind
have stopped worshipping their true God and have
become lost in the affairs of the world with all their
heart and their effort and. intent. If I had not come,
these afflictions would perhaps have been delayed a lit-
tle. But with my coming the secret purposes of an af-
fronted God which were hidden so far, became
manifest. Says God:
"We never punish unless We send a Messenger."
Those who repent shall find security and those who
fear before calamity overtakes them shall be shown
mercy. Do you think you will be immune from these
calamities? Or can you save yourselves through artifice
or design? Indeed not. That day all human schemes
shall fail. Think not that earthquakes visited America
and other continents but that your own country shall re-
main secure. Indeed, you may experience a greater
hardship. O Europe, you are not safe and O Asia, you
too, are not immune. And O dwellers of Islands, no
false gods shall come to your rescue. I see cities fall and
settlements laid waste. The One and the Only God kept
silent for long. Heinous deeds were done before His
eyes and He said nothing. But now He shall reveal His
face in majesty and awe. Let him who has ears hear that
the time is not far. I have done my best to bring all
under the protection of God, but it was destined that
what was written should come to pass. Truly do I say
that the turn of this land, too, is approaching fast. The
times of Noah shall reappear before your eyes, and
your own eyes will be witnesses to the calamity that
overtook the cities of Lot. But God is slow in His
wrath. Repent that you may be shown mercy! He who
does not fear Him is dead, not alive." [Haqiqatul
Wahy, pp. 256-57].
THE AHMAD1YYA MOVEMENT
The Ahmadiyya-Movement was founded in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad, the expected world Reformer and the Promised
Messiah. The Movement is an embodiment of true and real Islam. It
seeks to unite mankind with its Creator and to establish p.eace
throughout the world. Th.e present Head of the Movement is Hazrat
Mirza Tahir Ahmad. The Ahmadiyya Movement has its Headquarters
at Rabwah, Pakistan, and is actively engaged in missionary work at
the following centers: •
AHMADIYYA MUSLIM MISSIONS
AFRICA: ASIA:
BENIN: P.O. Box 69, Portonova. BANGLADESH: 4 Baxi Bazar Road, Dacca-1.
GAMBIA; P.O. Box 383 Banjul. Tel. 608 BURMA: 191-28th Street, Rangoon.
GHANA: P.O. Box 2327, Accra (OSU New FIJI: P.O. Box 3758, Samabula (82 Kings
Estates). Tel: 76845 Road), Suva. Tel: 38221
IVORY COAST: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, INDIA: Darui Masih, Qadian. Tel: 36.
03_ BP 416, Adjame-Abidjan 03. INDONESIA: Jalan Balikpapan 1, No. 10,
KENYA: P.O. Box 40554, Nairobi (Fort Hall Djakarta Pusat 1/13. Tel: 36 5342
Road.). Tel: 264226. Telex: do 22278. JAPAN: Ahmadiyya Center, 643-1 Aza
LIBERIA: P.O. Box 618, Monrovia (9 Lynch Yamanoda, O-Aza Issha, Idaka-cho, Meito-
Street). Ku, Nagoya 465, Tel. 703-1868
MAURITIUS: P.O. Box 6 (Rose Hill). PAKISTAN:'(Headquarters) Rabwah, Distt.
Jhang.
NIGERIA: P.O. Box 418, Lagos PHILIPPINES: Haji M. Ebbah, Simunal,
(45 Idumagbo Avenue). Tel: 633 757. Bongao, Sulu.
SIERRA LEONE: P.O. Box 353, Freetown, SINGAPORE: 111 Onan Rd., Singapore 15.
Tel: 40699/22617
. SRI LANKA: Colombo M.E.M. Hasan, 24 San
SOUTH AFRICA: Mr. M.G.. Ebrahim, P.O. Box SebastinStreet, Ratnum Road, Colombo 12.
4195, Cape Town (Darut-Tabligh-il Islami).
TANZANIA: P. 0. Box 376, Dares Salaam EUROPE:
(Libya Street). Tel: 21744
BELGIUM: Maulvi S. M. Khan, 76 Av. du
UGANDA: P.O. Box 98, Kampala. ; Pantheon Bte 5 1080, Brussels.
ZAMBIA: P.O. Box 32345, Lusaka. DENMARK: Eriksminde Alle 2, Hvidovre-
Copenhagen. Tel: 753502
AMERICAS: GERMANY: Die Moschee, Babenha.user,
Landstrasse, 25, Frankfurt. Tel: 681485.
CANADA: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, 1306
Wilson Ave., Downsview, Ont. M3M 1H5. HOLLAND: De Moschee, Oostduirlaan, 79,
Tel: (416) 249-3420 Den Haag. Tel: (010-3170) 245902 Telex:
33574 Inter NLA 30C
GUYANA: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, 198
Oronoque and Almond Streets, P.O. Box NORWAY: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission,
736, Georgetown. Tel: 02-67634 Frognerveine 53, Oslo-2. Tel. 447188
SURINAM: Ahmadiyya Muslim Misssion, SPAIN: Mission Ahmadiyya del [slam,
Ephraimszegenweg, 26 P.O. Box 2106, Mezquita Basharat, Pedro Abad, near
Paramaribo. Cordoba, Tel. 160750 Ext. 142
SWEDEN: Nasir Moske Islams Ahmadiyya
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Freeport Mission
Road, Upper Carapichairria, Trinidad, W.1. Forsamllrig, Tolvskillingsgatan 1. S-414 82
Goteborg, Sverlge. Tel: 414044
U.S.A.: 2141 Leroy PI. N.Wii Washington, DC SWITZERLAND: Mahmud Moschee, 323,
20008. Tel: (202) 232-3737. Cable: ISLAM. Forschstrasse 8008, Zurich. Tel: 535570.
Telex: 58378 MPTCH Islam 374/XA
AUSTRALIA:
UNITED KINGDOM: 16 Gressenhall Road,
Dr. Ijazul Haque, 19 Brom Borough Road, London SW18" SQL Tel: 01-B70 8517.
Rose-Villa 2069 N.S.W., Sydney. Telex: 28604 Ref. 1292
ISSN 0743-5622
The REVIEW of RELIGIONS

The Review of Religions is the oldest magazine of its kind
which began its publication in the English language in the
Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent. Its first issue was published in
1902 from Qadian, India, and it has been continuously
published since. It is currently being published in the U.S.A.
It bears the distinction that it was initiated under the

direction of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the
Promised Messiah, himself.
During the more than eighty-two years, the message of

Islam has been conveyed through this magazine to hundreds
of readers and many fortunate persons have recognized the
truth of Islam and accepted it through studying it.
The articles published in it deal not only with the doctrines

and teachings of Islam but also set forth a comparative
appreciation of the teachings of other faiths.
One of its outstanding features is the refutation of the

criticism of Islamic teachings by orientalists and non-
Muslim scholars.
It also presents solutions, in the light of Islamic teachigs,

of the problems with which the Islamic world is confronted
from time to time.
A study of this magazine is indispensable for the appre-

ciation of the doctrines of the Ahmadiyya Movement and
the teachings of its Holy Founder.
Published by the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam. Inc.

2141 Leroy Place, N.W., Washington, DC 20008
Printed at the Fazl-i-Umar Press, Pomeroy Road, Athens OH 45701

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ISSN 0743-5622

• WAS MUHAMMAD A PROPHET OR A KING?

• REVIEW OF SOME CHRISTIAN

• MUHAMMAD—THE HOLDER OF THE SEAL

• THE ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTER

AND REGULAR FEATURES

• FROM THE WRITINGS OF HAZRAT AHMAD

THE AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT

The Ahmadiyya Movement was founded in 1889 by Hazrat

Please address all inquiries to the business office:

THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS

/VOL-LXXX NO.5\Y 1985

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful

Laqad Mannallaho Alal Mo'mineena Is Ba'asa Feehim

contained in 2:130 in which the different functions of the Promised

FROM THE WRITINGS OF HAZRAT AHMAD

WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?

David E. Anderson, UPI Religion Writer, commented:

THE PROMISED MESSIAH SAID: "O my friends who have

WAS MUHAMMAD A PROPHET OR A KING?

The Holy Messenger of God (Peace and blessings of God be on

ministry. But while exercising the responsibilities of a king, he cer-

Once he was lying down on a coarse mattress. When he got up the

to him and demanded it in a haughty and insolent manner; address-

from Belgium to Paris without the slightest hesitation. On the con-

riches. He directed their attention towards the Quranic verse:

Christian writers often present the incident of the Banu-Qureza as

formerly, but it was always with a view to destroy idols and to

by political enterprise. This assertion is not borne out by history.

REVIEW OF SOME CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS

6. Marriage within a proper circle of relations.

in prison by an unruly mob which burst inside. He was succeeded by

known as Jehova Witnesses which they adopted from the Biblical

So said the Promised Messiah: As you are the heirs of

MUHAMMAD—THE HOLDER OF THE SEAL

God appointed the Holy Prophet Muhammad the Holder of the

It is, therefore, established till the day of judgement that a person

O, our Muslim friends; Spare a glance of sympathy.

The Promised Messiah said: It is my principle that till one prays

From Our Archives:

THE ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTER

THE OBJECT OF MAN'S LIFE

On October 16, 1983 an Israeli patrol in Lebanon attacked 50,000

ruthless religious persecution. There is no other country, except

Muslims and wrote his Life of Mahomet after a painstaking study of

FORGIVENESS AND FORBEARANCE

Islam in the World

What is the essential message of Islam to late 20th century

own consciousness; this atheistic version cannot be substantiated

WARNING FROM DIVINE WARNER

"Remember, God has informed me of many earth-

them close at hand, when the world shall witness a terri-

The REVIEW of RELIGIONS

It bears the distinction that it was initiated under the

During the more than eighty-two years, the message of

The articles published in it deal not only with the doctrines

One of its outstanding features is the refutation of the

It also presents solutions, in the light of Islamic teachigs,

A study of this magazine is indispensable for the appre-