The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Blog

Dilemma of a Modern Muslim Mind

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri

Modern Muslims living in free societies of Europe and Americas are coming up with questions that were at least asked over 100 years ago. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib and his companions answered it then.

On Pakistan Tea House blog, an article ‘The Journey of a Pakistani Muslim’ by Omar K (based in United Kingdom) writes:

“It was “If God created the world then who created God?” and “Why does he need to be worshiped for doing acts which occur to him naturally?” This was really the start of a very doubtful journey through Islam which would eventually make me into the person I am today. I would ask the “naive” question about who created God and was always told to remember Surah Ikhlas and Ayat-ul-Kursi. This would apparently answer my query. From what I could recall I was told that the question was the wrong type of question to ask and that I had to re-adjust my perspective. That question was never answered.”

“What I also did was in the disguise of this relative I would email questions to very well known and respected Muslim scholars in the west. So in a way I was trying to alleviate my doubts in a covert way. Sometimes they would respond and sometimes they wouldn’t. I even went out to see the scholars thinking that if I saw the best of them my doubts would be resolved. What I did find in the answering technique was that I was either told that the premise of the question was incorrect and that I was using the wrong terminology such as being “objective” or that my questioning had no basis in reality and that the questions that I was posing were really questions to which “I” knew there were no answers to, or better still my questions were circumvented and instead rather than answering the question directly, I was answered with a question to go back and ask my relative. I would humbly go away feeling numb and empty thinking that I’d been snubbed but nevertheless giving the scholar the benefit of the doubt. I also started reading and listening to scholars such as Hamza Yusuf and others like him hoping that my answers would be in their writing and talks. I did realise soon enough that their writing and talks were fairly much preaching to the choir.”

“The mistake I made at this time was shutting out material evolution and all the arguments and books against the existence of God because I didn’t want anymore doubt to penetrate and do more damage. I wanted to resolve the issue and be able to believe. I concentrated on Islamic sources and it was there that I found that Islam was not as water tight as what I was led to believe. There were two things I found and it was the scholars were always doing apologetics and squaring the circle to justify the absurdities written in the hadith and the events in the sura.”

“There were also issues of abrogation and technicalities which for a religion that was claiming to be the “final” and unalterable word of God was posing more questions for me than it was answering. There were many other things regarding Islam that were simply left unanswered. My friends thought that I was barking up the wrong tree and that I should “trust” the scholars’ hard work and piety. This just didn’t answer the question and I immediately thought that this is the same excuse that the Christians use, so why should I take this excuse from the Muslims? Using excuses like Imam Bukhari prayed before adding the hadith into his collection was simply begging the question and thinking along those lines didn’t cut it in the academic world.”

“I eventually realised that my real problem was the existence of God…”

“I still read works like this and other ideas now that I have freed myself from Islam.”

Read at this link.

Deobandi conference on militancy

Submitted by Usman.

Recently a large gathering of “Ulemas” organised by the Deoband school took place in Lahore. The issue was the rise of militancy and terrorism. The following quote from an editorial in the Dawn Newspaper (4th May 2010) of Pakistan commenting on the conference is telling and sadly not surprising; highlighting the the rapidly shrinking space for the moderate voices in Islam.

Of course we can trace this back to when the Ahmadiyya movement took up the banner of reforming Islam by going back to its roots but was rejected by the Mullahs. Sadly in Pakistan despite being under the attack of militants, the authorities have no issues with the rabid Mullahs openly projecting hate. I guess the only encouragement is that in the West Muslims are coming around to the Ahmadiyya point of view. In Pakistan now is a golden moment for the leaders to take out the extreme voices because the public is quite sick of the militants and the Mullahs. Unfortuantely this is not happening and I think this is due to the fear of the Mullah that politicians have, and once again we can trace this back to anti-Ahmadi legislations when the rot already setting in was sanctioned and institutionalised by the state.

“But when a group of religious leaders comes together to discuss the issue of militancy, it is odd, to say the least, that it can find a voice to condemn everyone other than the militants themselves. Of course, not all those who attended the Deobandi conference in Lahore could be labelled as extremists. Indeed, observers have noted that ‘moderate’ voices were present, but in the end they were perhaps too intimidated by the hardliners in attendance to speak their minds.”

Read article here.

Connection between physical cleansing and moral purity

Here is some interesting research on the effect of washing of hands on one’s moral and mental attitudes:

“Cleanliness is Next to Self-Righteousness”

Muslims have started to take a rational approach

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement takes pride in presenting Islam and its injunctions based on rationality and reason. We LAM members are very glad to see that now even our opponent Muslims are also taking this path, although they are taking it under the global political situation. Following quote from Al Jazeera English article supports my point:

Quote–Shah says that more Muslims are planning on casting a vote on May 6 than in any previous UK election, with concerns over whether voting is consistent with Islamic faith becoming a thing of the past.

“There have been record numbers of people of all backgrounds registering to vote,” he said.

“We have detected that the Muslim community here is becoming increasingly politicised. The vast majority of Muslims now believe that voting is permissible.”—Unquote.

UK-Muslims ‘backing Lib Dems’
By Andrew Wander
See this link.

Abdul Aziz Shora of Kashmir Passes away

Death of veteran Lahore Ahmadi journalist
Authority and reseacher into tomb of Jesus in Kashmir
Asked Quaid-i Azam at press conference “Who is a Muslim”

Obituary by Dr Khurshid Alam Tareen

With great sorrow and grief I am to inform you that one of the founding members of AAIIL (Kashmir) Mr Abdul Aziz Shora Alias Aziz Kashmir breathed his last on April 27, 2010 in SMHS Hospital after a brief illness. Mr Shora was 90 years old, and was born in 1919. He is survived by six sons and one daughter.

He joined journalism at the age of 19. Initially he worked with Urdu weekly ‘Al-Baraq’ and also with Khalsa Gazette. He founded Urdu paper Roshani in 1943, which was a weekly in the beginning but has come out as State’s reputed daily.

Mr Shora hailed from an Ahmadi Family. He had very strong convictions for the jamaat. When Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali appealed Ahmadi youth to come forward and get enrolled in Mubaligh Class. He also joined as an honorary member of the class. He was the only young man with a clean shave, all other members had beard. One of the old members questioned Late Hazrat Amir, Sir isn’t this a class of Ahmadiyya Mubalighs? He wanted to highlight the non-existence of Shora Sahib’s beard. To his question Hazrat Amir Replied aren’t you one of them?

Shora Sahib’s paper regularly published articles on Islam and Ahmadiyyat. He wanted to give this paper to Jamaat, but Jamaat didn’t have funds to run it. Hazrat Amir suggested that let Shora Sahib run the paper of his own since he is also spreading the light of Ahmadiyyat so Jamaat will give him some financial help. This was given in the shape of books.

Because of his sincerity and hard work he was chosen as General Secretary to the Press Forum of Jammu & Kashmir. Just before partition of India Hazrat Qaid-e-Azam Mr Muhammad Ali Jinnah spent his holidays in Srinagar. The press people wanted to interview the Qaid. Mr Shora was also among the journalists who met the Qaid. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan and his Ahrari counterparts had put a demand that Ahmadis should be declared Kafirs, and as such shouldn’t be allowed membership in Muslim League. Mr Shora posed same question to the Qaid-e-Azam to which he replied in English:

“What right I have to declare a person non-Muslim when he claims to be a Muslim. Any body who wants to get enrolled in Muslim League can do so irrespective of caste and creed.”

This interview was published in almost all leading papers of India including “Inqilaab” of Lahore. When Pakistan Assembly declared Ahmadis as Non-Muslims in 1973, the same article was reprinted in both Roshani and Paigham-e-Sulah Lahore.

Mr Shora Sahib was well read and had very good aptitude for research work. He also helped Khawja Nazir Ahmad during compilation of his monumental book “Jesus in Heaven on Earth.” Mr Kashmiri published his individual research as an independent venture under the title “Masi Kashmir Mein”, which was later translated into English with lot of new material. This English version bears the title “Christ in Kashmir.” This book has undergone several editions so far. He was acknowledged as a living authority on the Tomb of Jesus Christ at Rozabal Srinagar.

All the researchers who have worked on this subject met Mr Shora without fail. BBC team which was working on the Rozabal Tomb made a documentary of their research. YouTube has a video clip of the same, in which Mr Shora has been referred as an authority on the subject.

Mr Shora Sahib’s demise is great loss to Kashmir and Lahore Jamaat. May Allah bless his soul and grant him Jannat al-firdos. All Jamaat’s are requested to offer Namaaz Janaza for this noble soul.

Another controversy regarding image of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Submitted by Rashid Jahangiri.

Muslims around the world are in love with Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Muslims love him more than their biological fathers. They know more about his life than lives of their biological fathers.

Unfortunately, non-Muslims do not seem to understand Muslims love of their beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is not clear that people who make fun of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) person are doing it “just for laughs” or there is conspiracy to demean his image, insult him, and ignite Muslims emotions with a purpose to stir-up global reaction by Muslims and encourage them to do acts that casts negative image of Islam, and in the process politically help one country, one community, and one lobby.

In last few decades fun was made of Jesus image in newspapers, and movies. Christians did not show their abhorrence towards such depiction of Jesus. Now cartoonists have turned towards Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Unfortunately, Muslims are taking to violent means to stop this kind of blasphemy. In 1980s when West needed Muslims support to defeat Communist threat, such kind of blasphemy was discouraged. Even fatwa by Imam Khomani (spiritual leader of Iran) regarding Salman Rushdie (author of Satanic Verses) was dealt with an appeasing approach. Now global situation has changed. There is no threat of USSR, and Communist block and ideology.

After Danish Newspaper cartoons of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), cartoon show ‘South Park’ has portrayed him wearing a teddy bear outfit. This is bound to ignite controversy and violence and bring bad name to Islam.

Question is given changed global political situation, how Muslims can educate non-Muslims to refrain from insulting their beloved, and hurting feelings of Muslims, from extremists to liberals. In Europe, and North America teachers in elementary schools teach pupils to be respectful of others, and not to hurt anyone’s feelings. But when it comes to Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), this basic norm of decency and mannerism are absolutely forgotten in the name of freedom of speech. People in West forget they are hurting feelings of one fifth of world’s population by making fun of their beloved i.e. Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

On this forum I ask readers to share their suggestions, on how at least Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement can play their role in preventing derogatory and insulting imaging of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

A few years ago I attended a debate on this subject and wrote a report in The Light –London edition: http://ahmadiyya.org/uk/light-jun06.pdf

Link to news item on ‘South Park’

Spread of Christianity among Muslims in Indonesia

Submitted by Usman.

The following article in Time magazine is about the rise of Christianity in the World’s largest Muslim nation. The article notes when talking about reasons for Muslims converting to Christianity:

“At the same time, the attempted hijacking of Muslim theology by a small band of homegrown terrorists who have killed hundreds of Indonesians in recent years has led some to question their nation’s majority faith.”

In short, the rejection of Ahamdiyya view of Jihad and the death of Jesus is resulting in Christianity spreading in the Muslim world.

Read more at this link.

Parallels of Moses and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Submitted by Ikram.

Allegorical parallels for everyone to see in the excerpts below:

Moses (before he left for the Mount) = Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Moses (after he returned from the Mount) = Musleh Mohoud
Aaron = Muhammad Ali
Samiri = Mirza Mehmood Ahmad

Calf = Khilafat
Bani Israil = Qadianis

20:80. O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy and made a covenant with you on the right and blessed side of the Mount (Sinai), and We got Manna and quail to be sent down to you. [Followers of HMGA did excel in various professions and wealth]

20:81. (And it was also said,) `Eat of the good and pure things We have provided you, and do not exceed the limits in this respect or My displeasure shall descend upon you. Indeed, lost are those on whom My displeasure descends.’

20:82. But surely I am greatly protecting to him who turns (to Me) in repentance and believes and does righteous deeds and then sticks to guidance.

20:83. (When Moses went to the Mount, God said,) `Moses! what has made you depart from your people in such haste?’ […and similarly when HMGA departed from this world to meet his God (like anyone else)]

20:84. Moses said, `They are close on my heels and I have hastened to You, my Lord, that You might be pleased.’ [Similarly HMGA expected this followers to be “close on my heels” expecting that his followers will follow the true spirit of his message in his absence, if nothing else at-least the absolute finality of Muhammad PBUH]

20:85. (The Lord) said, `We have distinguished your people, the good from the bad in your absence and the Sâmirî has led them astray?’ [How different is Samiri from Mirza Mehmood? Both divided and diverged the followers of their respective messengers]

20:86. So Moses returned to his people indignant and sorrowful. (Reaching there) he said, `My people! did your Lord not make you a gracious promise? Did then the promised time (of forty nights and days) seem too long to you. Rather you desired that displeasure from your Lord should descend upon you that is why you failed in (your) promise with me.’ [Will not the Muleeh Mohoud have the same questions to Qadianis as Moses had for his followers?]

20:87. They said, `We have not willfully failed to keep (our) promise with you but (the thing is that) we were laden with loads of the jewelry of the (Egyptian) people and we threw them away (into the fire). That was what the Sâmîri suggested.’ [It only proves that the mass followers of any leader follow a leader more from a herd mentality and less for intellectual reasons]

20:88. Then (it came to pass that) he (- Sâmirî) produced (an effigy of) a calf for the people (to worship), a mere body (without a soul) which emitted a lowing sound. And then they (- Sâmirî and his followers) said, `This is your god as well as that of Moses,’ so he (- Sâmirî) gave up (the religion of Moses). [Just like Israelites who in mere absence of Moses reverted to their ancestral practices, the Qadianis too as a group reverted to no-questions-asked pir-mureed relationship of Mirza Mehmood and their reverence to Khilafat which could be summarized as (to worship), a mere body (without a soul). The Kkilafat, which emitted a lowing sound…]

20:89. Could they not see that this (calf) made them no answer and could neither avoid harm to them nor do good (to any). [so could be said about the Khilafat]

20:90. Aaron had, indeed, said to them before (the return of Moses from the Mount), `My people! you have only been tried by this (calf). Surely, the Most Gracious (God) is your Lord, so follow me and carry out my biddings.’ [Just like Aaron, this too is what Muhammad Ali had to say about the Khilafat of Mirza Mehmood]

20:91. They said, `We will never give up to cleave to the worship of this (calf) until Moses returns to us.’ [This is the same argument of Qadianis, who will keep up the blind fellowship till the return of Musleh Mohoud]

20:92. (Moses turning to Aaron) said, `Aaron! when you saw them going astray what prevented you

20:93. `From following me (and punishing them)? Dared you then disobey my biddings?’

20:94. (Aaron) said, `O son of my mother! do not hold me by my beard nor (pull me) by my head. (If I was not strict to them it was because) I was afraid lest you should say, “You have caused a disruption among the Children of Israel and did not preserve my word”.’

20:95. (Moses now called upon Sâmirî to account for it and) said, `What were you after (by acting as you did) O Sâmirî?’

20:96. He said, `I perceived that which they did not perceive. (My perception and insight being stronger than theirs.) I had adopted only some of the traditions (and the teachings) of the Messenger (- Moses), but that (too) I cast away. That is what my mind made fair-seeming to me.’ [Now think for a moment, how different can be the verbatim reply of Mirza Mehmood than Samiri: `I perceived that which they did not perceive. (My perception and insight being stronger than theirs.) I had adopted only some of the traditions (and the teachings) of the Messenger (- Moses), but that (too) I cast away. That is what my mind made fair-seeming to me.’]

20:97. (Moses) said, `Begone then (if it is so). It shall be your punishment to proclaim (yourself) an untouchable throughout (your) life. Not only that there awaits yet another threat (of punishment of the Hereafter) for you from which you will have no escape. Now, look at the god to which you remained so ardently devoted (as a worshipper). We will destroy it utterly and then we will scatter it away into the sea.’ [This is exactly what happened to Khilafat: We will destroy it utterly and then we will scatter it away into the sea.]

20:98. (Moses then addressing his people said,) `Your God is only Allâh, there is no other, cannot be and will never be One worthy of worship but He. He comprehends all things in (His) knowledge.’

Quran is for all times to come. Its historical narratives have moral lessons for our times as well:

20:99. In this way do We relate to you some of the important news of the days gone by. And We have indeed granted you from Us a (sublime) Reminder (- the Qur’ân).

[Holy Quran – Allamah Nooruddin]

An intolerant nation

Submitted by Rashid.

Fruits of the tree planted by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto

An intolerant nation
Editorial in The Dawn
Monday, 19 April, 2010

We are reaping the harvest of the seeds of hatred sown in the seventies and eighties. Pakistan is becoming an increasingly intolerant nation where religious and sectarian minorities live in fear and are awarded little or no protection by the state. Difference is unacceptable to the obscurantists who want everyone to toe their line. And if that takes intimidation, torture or even murder, then so be it, for no option is unavailable to the self-righteous who believe that they alone have seen the light.

Read at this link

Mirror Neurons

Submitted by Ikram.

Just like smoke makes one infer the presence of fire underneath it, so do the human interactions indicate presence of “mirror neurons” in the brain. These mirror neurons actually “mirror” the behavior, speech, and emotions of others. For example, even if a total stranger picks up a baby, s/he soon starts making funny faces and cuddly noises. Why? Answer is simple that the mirror neurons of that adult reflect the expression of face and eyes and sounds of the child. Remember, it is all a psychologically unconscious behavior. Once the adult recognizes the absurdity of his/her behavior, s/he retreats from acting as such, usually with some embarrassment.

These mirror neurons we see at play in areas of interest of this site as well. A rigid remark, begets a rigid remark. An appreciation is responded by appreciation. What mirror neurons tell us that unless one thinks at a higher and mature intellectual plane, one will imitate like apes, which is a level of low intellect.

This low level of intellectual function extends into societal behavior to which Quran makes a reference and is commonly observed in the Muslim culture, where a firebrand Mullah will lash out a dogma from the pulpit and everyone in the audience affirms it. Clearly both are mirroring each other.

This is what Quran has to say about mirrored behaviors. Make your own inferences:

5:60. Say, `Shall I inform you of those who shall receive from Allâh a recompense worse than that of those (who try to find fault with Us)? They are those whom Allâh has deprived of His blessings and upon whom He brought His displeasure and indignation and of whom He has made (as) apes and swine and who serve the transgressor (- the devil). It is these who are indeed worse-placed and farther astray from the right path.’

5:62. And you will find many of them vying one with another in committing sin and transgression and being too much given to eat things forbidden. How evil is that which they practise!

5:63. Why do not the teachers of divine knowledge and those learned in the Law prohibit them from their blasphemic talk and deeds and their being too much given to eating things forbidden? Evil indeed is their machination.

[The Holy Quran – Allamah Nooruddin]