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In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil.” (Quran, 2:183)

“And when My servants ask you (O Prophet) about Me, surely I am near. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should hear My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.” (Quran, 2:186)

Dear brothers and sisters:

A year has passed since we prayed to Allah at the end of the last blessed month of Ramadan to grant us another opportunity to do the same in the year to come. For many of us this prayer has been granted. We have not only been blessed with our wish to pray and get closer to Allah but also another opportunity to revisit the significance of this Sacred Month.

The main significance of Ramadan is stated in the first of the two verses I have cited above. Fasting, it is said is prescribed so that we may guard against evil i.e. observe Taqwah (attainment of nearness to Allah). It is observance of Taqwah that brings us close to Allah. He only enters the hearts of those who shun evil. So we should, foremost, try in this month to plant the seed of Taqwah in our lives. I use the word plant as all sowing is done in certain seasons and periods of time. The plant of Taqwah is best sowed in Ramadan and we are exhorted to do so through fasting which implies not only abstaining from food and drink but also shunning of all evil. The latter has to continue throughout our lives and not finish with Ramadan coming to an end; like all plantations pruning and weeding has to continue.

In addition, in Ramadan we also get a reminder that it is the month in which the Holy Quran, the Last Message from Allah, was revealed for mankind. We are reminded that this Book is not to be enclosed in silken cloth and placed high in the house but placed in our hearts, minds and souls. It is to be read, understood, practiced and preached.

This too is the month in which the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was granted prophethood. Thus the month of Ramadan is a reminder that the message of the Quran has to be preached through practice, as was done by the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
I, therefore, exhort you to make the best of this God-given opportunity to get closer to Him through prayers, especially the Tahajjud prayers, recitation of the Quran, understanding of its meanings, and above all following and conveying its message to followers of other faiths as this is a Book with a Universal Message.

Brothers and sisters:

In the end I pray to Allah that He grants us an opportunity to observe fasting in its true spirit; to pray and get the answer to our prayers as He has stated in the second verse I have cited above:

“And when My servants ask you (O Prophet) about Me, surely I am near. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me…”

I pray that we become worthy of His response to our prayer as He also says:

“…so they should hear My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.”

Aameen.

Professor Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed
Ameer and President
Worldwide Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

Mayor Bloomberg of New York City, Speaker of New York City Council and religious leaders from different religions made speeches in connection with construction of Mosque and Islamic Center near Ground Zero.

See this link.

Around Christmas in 1997 I visited the estate/ house of America’s founding father Thomas Jefferson. It is called Monticello, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson was third president of USA. I visited his gave, located on the property. On his epitaph there is no mention that he was 3rd US President. Rather it says:

AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

I don’t know who authored “Statue of USA for Religious Freedom” in US Constitution. But it’s associated with Thomas Jefferson for advocating it. So, for his this act, I did what I will do if I get chance to visit Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) grave. I offered Fatiah at Thomas Jefferson grave.

Submitted by Ikram.

Florida Church Plans ‘Burn a Quran’ Day to Mark 9/11 – The Christian Post.

If we analyze the above linked news article, it highlights the following:

Hate masqueraded as protest: “We only did it because we felt there needed to be an outcry against Islam, because Islam is presenting itself as a religion of peace,” explained Dr. Terry Jones, senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center, to The Christian Post on Tuesday.

Underlying fears of the church coming to surface: “We see the effects of Islam on Europe. As it has done nothing, Islam is beginning to take over there,” he added.

Religion as the last refuge of the scoundrel: Participants of the burning plan to light up Qurans on the church property to remember the victims of 9/11 and to “stand against the evil of Islam,” according to the group’s Facebook.

A rational response from Muslims: The Council on American-Islam Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group, has responded to news of the “International Burn A Quran Day” by announcing an educational “Share the Quran” dinner on Sept. 11, which falls during Ramadan. “American Muslims and other people of conscience should support positive educational efforts to prevent the spread of Islamophobia,” remarked Ibrahim Hooper, national communications director of CAIR.

The work cut out for Muslims to change the negative perception: A survey released by LifeWay Research in April found that 42 percent of Protestant pastors believe Islam “promotes violence” and more than half agree with a statement by well-known evangelist Franklin Graham, who said Islam is an “evil” religion.

See also the blog post on Time Magazine:
Following Newt’s Advice – link

Something that AAIIL can do is to call the said pastor, Dr. Terry Jones to a dialogue and debate on this forum. And to send him and Newt Gingrich the book “Islam, Peace and Tolerance” by Dr. Zahid Aziz

Submitted by “A”.

(Note: “A” is not an anonymous poster. I know her and have talked to her.)

>>Volume 1, Book 6, Number 301:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

Once Allah’s Apostle went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) o ‘Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, “O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women).” They asked, “Why is it so, O Allah’s Apostle ?” He replied, “You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you.” The women asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?” He said, “Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?” They replied in the affirmative. He said, “This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn’t it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?” The women replied in the affirmative. He said, “This is the deficiency in her religion.”

Volume 2, Book 24, Number 541:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri

On ‘Id ul Fitr or ‘Id ul Adha Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) went out to the Musalla. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, “O people! Give alms.” Then he went towards the women and said. “O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women).” The women asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! What is the reason for it?” He replied, “O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. O women, some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray.” Then he left. And when he reached his house, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Masud, came and asked permission to enter It was said, “O Allah’s Apostle! It is Zainab.” He asked, ‘Which Zainab?” The reply was that she was the wife of Ibn Mas’ub. He said, “Yes, allow her to enter.” And she was admitted. Then she said, “O Prophet of Allah! Today you ordered people to give alms and I had an ornament and intended to give it as alms, but Ibn Masud said that he and his children deserved it more than anybody else.” The Prophet replied, “Ibn Masud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else.”

>>

it can’t be acceptable that prophet had uttered such words “Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?”

There is no such injuction in Quran.

What is jamaat’ stance on it or translation?

Please see this news item.

It is deeply distressing news that there has been a bombing attack at the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore, killings dozens of innocent people. See news here.

LAM members condemn this attack, as they condemn all such attacks, and as they condemned the attacks against Qadiani mosques in Lahore in May. All those killed are entirely innocent.

We must also say that the causes must be tackled, the main one being the glorification of such violence by religious leaders who present it as jihad and claim preposterously that those who perpetrate it are received by Allah into heaven as a reward.

I hope I am not offending anyone by calling for “introspection” and self-searching by all Muslims of Pakistan, as to whether they have allowed such religious leaders to prosper by not challenging them, by turning a blind eye to them, or, worse, believing that they are true spokesmen for Islam.

I personally suggest that the bereaved and injured of the attacks against the Qadiani mosques and the bereaved and injured of the Data Darbar attacks meet each other and hold a joint meeting to express condolences to each other. I suggest that at that meeting each party prays for the forgiveness of the souls of the dead of the other party. Of course each party will have already prayed for the dead of their own party, so now is the time to extend their prayers to the deceased of the other side. They need only raise their hands in prayer. In any case, they can share feelings and experiences, and find common ground.

It was only a day or two ago that I learnt of the death in April of a great scholar of Islam and its relations with the West, Fred Halliday, Professor of international relations and Middle East politics at the London School of Economics. He was opposed equally to the critics of Islam in the West, who condemn Islam for preaching intolerance, oppression and violence, and to Islamic fundamentalists who approve of the same image of Islam. He was the voice of reason and true understanding, but was passionate and forthright about his rational views.

As someone writes, one of his books “repudiating the idea of a clash between Western and Islamic civilisations, has provoked hostile reaction from both Muslim and non-Muslims”. I am sure you can guess which type of Muslims and non-Muslims these would be.

See his obituary in The Times, London, here.

There is one in the Daily Telegraph, illustrating more clearly what I mean. The link to it is here but unfortunately the obituary is followed by a comment from a bigoted reader who is suffering from a deep malice against Islam, and indulges in false anti-Islamic propaganda.

At this link is an interview with Prof Halliday, which will give you a good idea about his views. For example:

“The dogmatic image of Islam, which is both projected by the enemies of Islam and enforced by fundamentalists, is false to the great richness of Islamic tradition.”

“The reason in my view why fundamentalism has made such an advance here in Europe is because people [meaning Muslims in Europe] are not educated and literate in their own history and culture.”

“People who don’t like Muslims say ‘Islam can’t be democratic’ and certain Muslim rulers say ‘this is a Western system, we don’t want it’ – but it’s got nothing to do with Islam. … I don’t see democracy or human rights conflicting with Muslim culture.”

I first saw Prof Halliday in a TV panel discussion in the early 1980s. Appearing also was one Kalim Siddiqui, a UK Muslim scholar and fundamentalist supporter. Siddiqui said that things had gone wrong in the West since the age of reason began 500 years ago because people no longer accepted religious teachings obediently without question.

Fred Halliday was enraged by this comment. He replied something like: I am proud of the age of reason, and I know you don’t represent Islam, and I look forward to the day when Muslims, exercising reason, throw mullahs like you out of politics.

Yes, Fred Halliday did not mince his words. He will be missed terribly by all those non-Muslims who don’t demonise Islam and all those Muslims who know that the Mullahs have perverted the teachings of Islam in order to gain power over the Muslim masses.

by Zahid Aziz, admirer of Professor Fred Halliday.

Today, Friday 28th May, gunmen attacked Qadiani Jamaat mosques in
Model Town and Garhi Shahu in Lahore. See:

http://www.jang.com.pk/

Our own Jamaat members in Darus Salaam for Jumua prayers heard the explosions from Model Town. The gathering had to be sent home. Our members are safe but extremely worried.

Please pray that all remain safe.

See also:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/10181380.stm

Message from General-Secretary of AAIIL in Lahore

Dear brothers and sisters
Assalamu Alaikum

We would like to inform you that yesterday’s attacks on Ahmadiyya mosques were on Qadiani jamaat’s mosques in Lahore. All our members are safe with the blessings of Allah.

We condemn these attacks and this cowardly act which has taken lives of a hundred innocent people. All members are requested to keep on praying for us.

Yours truly,
Amir Aziz
General Secretary
AAIIL

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib under divine guidance reinterpreted Holy Quran i.e. death of Jesus. This encouraged his followers starting from Maulana Noor Ud Din to Maulana Muhammad Ali and others to continue the tradition to better understand Holy Quran. As a result today’s interpretation of Holy Quran published by those who accept HMGA as Mujaddid of 14th Islamic Century is very palatable than the previous interpretation.

The reinterpretation of Holy Quran is not limited to HMGA followers but has also influenced modern commentators of Holy Quran, including people like Marmaduke Pickthall, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Asad, Dr. Shabbir Ahmad. This idea of reinterpreting Holy Quran has started to permeate among Muslims as evidenced by article on Pak Tea House blog. Unfortunately, Muslims have started to give thought to reinterpret HQ under current domestic and global political situations. Had this thought given importance earlier, may be Pakistani Muslims could have avoided current fiasco in their country:

Rethinking Islam
By Ziauddin Sardar

“We have failed to respond to the summons to ijtihad for some very profound reasons. Prime amongst these is the fact that the context of our sacred texts the Quran and the examples of the Prophet Muhammad, our absolute frame of reference has been frozen in history. One can only have an interpretative relationship with a text even more so if the text is perceived to be eternal. But if the interpretative context of the text is never our context, not our own time, then its interpretation can hardly have any real meaning or significance for us as we are now. Historic interpretations constantly drag us back to history, to frozen and ossified context of long ago; worse, to perceived and romanticised contexts that have not even existed in history. This is why while Muslims have a strong emotional attachment to Islam, Islam per se, as a worldview and system of ethics, has little or no direct relevance to their daily lives apart from the obvious concerns of rituals and worship. Ijtihad and fresh thinking have not been possible because there is no context within which they can actually take place.”

“The freezing of interpretation, the closure of the gates of ijtihad, has had a devastating effect on Muslim thought and action. In particular, it has produced what I can only describe as three metaphysical catastrophes: the elevation of the Shariah to the level of the Divine, with the consequent removal of agency from the believers, and the equation of Islam with the State. Let me elaborate.”

“As such, the Shariah is a problem-solving methodology rather than law (1). It requires the believers to exert themselves and constantly reinterpret the Quran and look at the life of the Prophet Muhammad with ever changing fresh eyes. Indeed, the Quran has to be reinterpreted from epoch to epoch which means the Shariah, and by extension Islam itself, has to be reformulated with changing contexts (2). The only thing that remains constant in Islam is the text of the Quran itself its concepts providing the anchor for ever changing interpretations.”

See this link

Submitted by Ikram.

Quran gives no immunity, stresses justice for all [Pak Tribune]

- “Now that the ‘revelation’ of ruling PPP’s Central Information Secretary Fauzia Wahab that there was no constitution in the era of Hazrat Omar (RA) has ignited a new debate in Pakistan’s religious and legal circles, a thorough research of Islamic jurisprudence on the concept of equality and justice reveals that the Holy Quran had provided complete guidelines in this context over 1,400 years ago.”

- “It has also been reported on the authority of Abdullah Ibn-e-Zubayr in the famous Hadith book Abu Dawood, “The Messenger of Allah has ordered that the two disputing parties should sit before a judge.”

- “Therefore, any citizen whether Muslim or non-Muslim, must be brought before a judicial court and the case must be investigated by a judge.” [Excerpts]
—

Above is a very poignant essay about Justice in Islam. The issue arose after Secretary Information Pakistan People’s Party Fauzia Wahab came to defense of the Pakistan President by emphasizing the guidelines of Constitution whereas the Clergy in Pakistan emphasizes the Quran e.g. Mufti Naeem stated “…it is wrong to believe for a Muslim that there was only Holy Quran in the past era and now there is only a Constitution.” [Religious scholars slam Fauzia Wahab’s views - The News]

See for yourselves the double bind of the same PPP and the Mullahs who declared Ahmadis non-muslims in 1974 and were mutually proud to make tall claims i.e. Z.A. Bhutto claiming to solve the “the hundred year Ahmadi problem” and Mullahs claiming for themselves the huge success of ingraining their fatwas in the Constitution of the state. Lets not forget that both PPP and Mullahs circumvented the due judical process and investigation by a neutral judge.

Question to PPP and Mullahs: Are you willing to re-consider the clauses in the Constitution about Ahmadis and make Quran the sole basis of Justice especially in the matters of Religion?

Before they answer, I would like to draw their attention to how they gave short measure to Ahmadis then, and now that the argument is mutually between them, each is trying to short justice the other, i.e. PPP emphasizing The Constitution and Mullahs the The Quran. Quran is very clear in its admonishment about such double standards:

83:1. Woe be to those who make a default in any of their duties and give short measure.

83:17. Then it shall be said (to them), `This is that (very punishment) which you used to cry lies to.’

[The Holy Quran – Nooruddin]