The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Blog

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Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

PESHAWAR: Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has said those who are fasting on Sunday stand by the side of Qadianis and ‘we’ can only be Muslims if we celebrate Eid with Saudi Arabia.

He said this while talking after offering Eid prayers on Sunday, according to a private TV channel.
‘Some Ulemas have made Eid a matter of their ego while this is not in any way a question of someone’s prestige. This is a religious matter, as the Eid moon was sighted in Lahore and Karachi and later the NWFP government announced to celebrate Eid,’ he underlined.
‘We should celebrate Eid ul Fitr with Saudi Arabia and this way no conflict or dispute would emerge. Those who are not celebrating Eid on Sunday are politicking. When there are no differences over Eid-ul-Azha then why it does arise on Eid-ul-Fitr’, he questioned.

He was of the view it was a grave sin to fast on Eid Day, adding those who observed fasting on Sunday they were on the side of Qadianiat.
‘Muslims all over the world should have to associate themselves with Makkah and Madinah,’ he stressed. –Online

My comment:
I do not know when Qadianis celebrated their Eid ul-Fitar this year, but we members of Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement (LAM) in USA celebrated our Eid on Sunday September 20, 2009.
I am somewhat disappointed with ANP leader. Their founder Wali Khan did not sign 2nd constitutional Amendment in 1974 that declared both LAM and Qadianis a non-Muslim.

Readers may like to read comments that followed above news item:
http://pkpolitics.com/2009/09/20/people-not-celebrating-eid-with-sauids-are-qadianis-anp-leader/

I would like to wish all our readers and contributors a very happy Eid. May Allah keep us all safe and well, spiritually and physically, ameen.

Here is a link to the Eid-ul-Fitr message of Dr A.K. Saeed, Head of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement.

Zahid Aziz

Submitted by Ikram:

Blasphemy: An Editorial…

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009/09/18/story_18-9-2009_pg3_1

Update:

My Internet connection is unpredictable at present. Hopefully, it may be working normally by late on Friday.

I have an Internet connection problem at the moment and cannot post your comments.

Zahid Aziz

Bashir has submitted the following new topic.

I just researched the mi`raj and the Isra.

Ibn Ishaq claimed that this was a vision. All other scholars that I have found so far claim that this was physical ascent and descent.

This is why muslims believe that Jesus did the same. the fact is Muhammad did the same. These events are from before hijra. Jesus’ story of survival are after hijra. Muslims must have believed both stories equally. Remember Muhammad did it first, then they heard the story of jesus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isra_and_Mi%27raj

Many Muslims believe that the Isra and Mi’raj describe a physical journey of Muhammad, but some Islamic scholars consider it as a dream. Ibn Ishaq, author of the first biography of Muhammad, says it was the latter. Ibn Isḥaq has been accused of being a Qadari, as some have questioned his dependability. Because of this, highly notable scholars including Imam Bukhari hardly ever used his narratives. He has a tradition from Aisha, one of Muhammad’s wives, that only Muhammad’s spirit had journeyed to “the distant place of prayer”, although later material written by Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir differ in this opinion.[1] Some argue that the journey was a type of metaphor – a mode of revelation for Muhammad in symbolic form, for the guidance of the Muslim nation. The event could be interpreted as foretelling Muslims that God would now raise Muslims up as a superpower, and Jerusalem would soon fall into their hands. This did happen within less than three decades of this event.[8] Other hadith material suggests that it was a physical journey and it is argued that this event wouldn’t be a “trial” for believers if it were a dream.[3][9]

This is a test post to check that the upgrade of this blog to WordPress version 2.8.3 (from 2.7) has worked.

A basic test of the upgrade has been successful. If you notice any new features, I hope that: (1) they work, and (2) they are an improvement!

Zahid Aziz

Submitted by Ikram.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8179823.stm

It is a repeat sad situation. The video reminds one of the mob killings and burning of the mosques and houses of the Ahmadis in 1974. But there are differences now i.e. there is some police actually fighting the rioters, some mention of official inquiries, and the biggest of all (without being mentioned) that the victims will not be referred to the parliament to stand trial. 

These zealots do not recognize that there is no precedence of any use of force to preserve the dignity of the Quran or Muhammad PBUH during the latter’s own time.  There is no precedence of mob justice in the Book or Sunnah. 

Alas! These zealots do not read their Book that they are trying to protect; else they might have acted otherwise:

49:6. O you who believe! if a wicked person brings you any news, examine it carefully, lest you should harm some people in ignorance and afterwards you may have to repent for what you did. 

4:83. And when there comes to them news (a mere rumour), be it a matter of peace or of fear, they spread it around. But had they referred it to the perfect Messenger and to those in authority among them, surely those of them who can elicit (the truth) from it would have understood it (and could make correct deductions). And had it not been for the grace of Allâh upon you and His mercy you would all have followed satan, excepting a few. 

Even though these believing zealots have the Book, the history is witness to the parallels in the Quran about them: 

62:5. The case of those who were charged to observe (the law of) Torah but did not carry out (its commandments in its true spirit), is like the case of a donkey that carries (a load of) volumes (of Books; he neither understands them nor gathers any advantage from them). Wretched is the case of the people who cry lies to the Message of Allâh. And Allâh guides no unjust people to success. 

Sorry to reiterate, but Wretched is the case of the people… 

[The Holy Quran – translation by Allamah Nooruddin]

The Dawn carries the news of the death of Mr Khan Mohammad, well known as fast bowler in the Pakistan cricket team during the 1950s. Please read this link.

See also this link.

Inna li-llahi wa inna ilai-hi rajioon.

Although we had heard of the distinguished name of Khan Mohammad since childhood, little did we know that a time would come, as it did in the last eight years or so, when we would meet him regularly and sit in his company, as we did at the Lahore Ahmadiyya centre in London.

Mr Khan Mohammad, while not being formally an Ahmadi, was one of the most regular people attending the Friday prayers, and monthly and other functions, at our Darus Salaam in London. He was of an absolutely humble, quiet and unassuming nature, a gentleman in all senses of the word. You would not know that he was a man of such fame that some 5 or 6 years ago President Pervaiz Musharraf bestowed a national honour on him and a cricket stand was named after him in a stadium in Pakistan.

Almost nothing could prevent him from attending our centre. Even when receiving his cancer treatment as an out-patient on Friday mornings, he would try to make it for Friday prayers. Many a time I prayed alongside him in congregation, or I gave the khutba and led the prayers with him in the congregation (the latter happened as recently as twice this year).

A year or so ago I asked him about fasting during Ramadan, assuming that he would not be fasting while under treatment, but he said that since he couldn’t eat much anyway due to his condition and the treatment, so he had decided that he might as well fast.

It was only his confinement in hospital in the last few weeks that prevented him from attending our meetings.

He showed extraordinary patience in his illness and made light of it. He prayed with deep concentration and humility. Behind the scenes, he quietly helped people, including members of our Jamaat, in many a matter.

Although apparently not an Ahmadi, he expressed in his will that the Lahore Ahmadiyya Jamaat should say his funeral prayers. As the Holy Prophet Muhammad said: A man is with those whom he loves.

The pleasure of a humorous chat with him will, unfortunately, not be experienced by us again.

We pray that Allah accepts all his humble prayers that he said in our company, grants him forgiveness and mercy, and admits him to His highest places to join His righteous servants in heaven, Ameen.

These few personal observations of mine will be borne out by many others.

Zahid Aziz

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

In The Light, UK edition, May 2009 , Dr. Zahid Aziz has written an article ‘The Muslim State of Bhopal in India and British rule’. In his article the author pointed out how Muslim opponents of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (HMGA) sahib took pride in acknowledging loyalty of prominent Indian Muslims to their British rulers. But when it comes to writings of HMGA in which he called himself as law abiding citizen of crown, he is accused of being a ‘creation’ and ‘subservient agent’ of British imperialism by same Muslim of Indo-Pak origin.

On April 29, 2009 I was visiting Windsor Castle (England), as a tourist. In rooms open to public there are glass show cases displaying gifts presented to British Kings and Queens. In one such room there is a glass show case that has swords, shields, and body armor/ battle dress of Sultan Tippu of Maysore, India. On the lower shelf of this show case are two swords studded with jewels, that were presented to King George V of UK on occasion of Delhi Durbar by Sultan Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum of Bhopal (granddaughter of Sikandar Begum) in 1911.

It is mind boggling to see double standards of Muslim opponents of HMGA. On one hand public display of loyalty of Indian Muslims is proudly narrated by Muslim opponents of HMGA and on the other hand statements of HMGA in which he iterates his faithfulness to government, that provided freedom of religion to her Muslim subjects, to answer charges of rebelliousness are construed as ‘agent of British rulers working against interests of Muslims and Muslim unity’.

Rashid Jahangiri has submitted the following post.

In 1974 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto used religion to rule Pakistan and declared innocent Kalima Tayyaba reciters as kafir. Today Taliban are using religion (Shariat-e-Muhammadi) to rule Pakistan.

On April 22, 2009 the Dawn editorial says:

Sufi’s world

The position held by people who kill those who don’t subscribe to their point of view is diametrically opposed to that of all right-thinking persons. From day one, the stance of these militants who murder in the name of religion has been all too clear. These people are savages, yet we don’t put them behind bars. Why?

I wonder where were people like author of this editorial in 1974 when INNOCENT reciters of Kalima Tayyaba were declared Kafir.

Link to editorial