contents april 2006, vol.101, no - review of religions · issn no: 0034-6721 contents april 2006,...

Special contributors:Amatul-Hadi AhmadFarina QureshiProofreaders:Abdul Ghany JahangeerKhan and Shaukia Mir

Design and layout:Tanveer KhokharPublisher:Al Shirkatul IslamiyyahDistribution:Muhammad Hanif

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Basit AhmadBockarie Tommy KallonFareed AhmadFazal AhmadFauzia BajwaMansoor SaqiMahmood Hanif Mansoora Hyder-MuneebNavida ShahidSarah Waseem.Saleem Ahmad MalikTanveer Khokhar

Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

All correspondence shouldbe forwarded to the editor at:

The Review of ReligionsThe London Mosque16 Gressenhall RoadLondon, SW18 5QLUnited Kingdom

© Islamic Publications, 2006ISSN No: 0034-6721

CONTENTS April 2006, Vol.101, No.4

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Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah

Management Board:Mr Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman)Mr Mansoor Shah (Secretary)Mr Naseer Ahmad QamarMr Mubarak Ahmad ZafarMr Mirza Fakhar AhmadMr. Abdul Baqi Arshad

The Holy Prophet(saw) and the Holy Word of God – part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5The Holy Qur’an presents clear proofs that the Holy Prpohet(saw) was raised in anage when the world had fallen into darkness and he died when thousands hadabandoned their evil ways.

The Maududian Law of Apostacy – Part 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31An extract from Murder in the Name of Islam. The punishment for apostacy is ofmedieval Christian origin that Maududi borrowed and made Islam a mouse-trap.

Freedom of Speech and Tolerance in Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21An address by Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V – Islam is a religion of tolerance and allows freedom of belief and expression of opinion.

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) – Promised Messiah and Mahdi

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Khalifatul Masih V

Surah Al- Lahab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47A commentary on the significance of Gog and Magog and this Chapter for our times.

Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Ahmad(ra), Khalifatul Masih lI

Ahmadiyyat Bound to Triumph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60God’s promise of the triumph of Ahmadiyyat.

Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Ahmad(ra), Khalifatul Masih lI

Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru) – Khalifatul Masih IV

COVER PIC: Photos from the Freedom of Speech and Tolerance in Islam Seminar, (page 21) BACK COVER: From Shutterstock Photo Library

Editorial: Is there punishment for apostasy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Sarah Waseem – UK

The Afghan government releasedAbdul Rahman, a 41 year oldman who converted 16 years agoto Christianity.

In 1990, Mr. Rahman leftAfghanistan and started to workas a medical aid worker for aninternational Christian grouphelping Afghan refugees inPakistan. During the course of hisjob, he converted to Christianity.

In February of this year he wasarrested after the police found himcarrying a Bible. His ‘crime’ wasthat he has become an apostateand according to Muslim clericsin Afghanistan, should now facethe death penalty.

In 2004, the constitution ofAfghanistan was written and itenshrined personal freedoms andrecognised the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rightswhich guarantees the freedom tochoose one’s religion.

But the constitution also draws

from both civil and Islamic Sharialaws and explicitly states that nolaw can ‘contravene the tenets andprovisions’ of Islam. Islamic cler-ics in Afghanistan argue that thedeath penalty is the prescribedpunishment for apostasy. Intenseinternational pressure was placedon the government to release Mr.Rahman. The case was droppedon ‘technical grounds’ with theprosecutor declaring that medicaltests confirmed that Mr. Rahmanwas mentally unfit to stand trial.Many have interpreted this as anappeasement gesture to winfavour with the West.

There is no mention in the HolyQur’an or anywhere else of anypunishment for an apostate whichmay be meted out to him by anyother person. The consequencesof his apostasy in this world andin the next life lie solely in theHands of God. Man is free toaccept or reject whatever beliefshe chooses. God says in the HolyQur’an:

2 The Review of Religions – April 2006

Sarah Waseem – UK

EDITORIAL

There should be nocompulsion in religion. (Ch.2: V.257)

It is the truth from your Lord;wherefore let him who will,believe and let him who will,disbelieve. (Ch.18: V.30)

Islam recognises the right offreedom of conscience andfreedom of belief. As far as one’sreligious belief is concerned, oneis answerable to God alone. Noman has the right to punishanother for his choice of belief.There is absolutely no compulsionwhatsoever in Islam and nopunishment of any kind permittedin the Holy Qur’an for apostasy.

Those who believe, thendisbelieve, then again believe,then disbelieve and thenincrease in disbelief, Allahwill never forgive them norwill He guide them to the way.(Ch.4:V.138)

This verse proclaims that personswho renounce Islam have theopportunity to re-enter Islam ifthey so choose. This verse

disproves the assertion thataccording to the Holy Qur’an anapostate should be put to death. Ifdeath was the automatic punish-ment for an apostate then noquestion would arise of having theopportunity to join Islam again.This verse mentions apostateswho again accept Islam.

Human rights are laid down in theHoly Qur’an which guaranteeman the right of perfect freedomof faith and conscience. In suchmatters God is the Judge – notman.

In this edition of The Review ofReligions, in his speech on‘Freedom of speech andTolerance in Islam’ HadhratKhalifatul Masih V emphasisesthe extent to which tolerance andforgiveness was displayed by theHoly Prophet of Islam(saw) at thetime of the victory of Makkah.

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih Vquotes the example of Ikramahwho was the greatest enemy ofIslam. When Ikramah’s wifepleaded for his forgiveness, theHoly Prophet(saw) forgave him.However, Ikramah went to the

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EDITORIAL

The Review of Religions – April 2006

Holy Prophet(sa), and arrogantlysaid that he had no intention ofbecoming a Muslim merelybecause he had been forgiven. Heinsisted that he still believed in hisfaith.

‘The Holy Prophet(saw) replied“You can, no doubt, remainsteadfast on your faith. You arefree in every way.” Moreover,thousands of Makkans had notaccepted Islam and despite theirdefeat exercised their right offreedom of faith. So this is theteaching of the Holy Qur’an andthe example set by the HolyProphet(saw) on this matter.’

‘People who persecute in thename of religion are totallyignorant of the essence ofreligion. ‘Religion is ametamorphosis of hearts.Religion is not politics andits adherents do not make uppolitical parties. Neither is ita nationality with limitedloyalties, nor a country withgeographical borders. It is thetransformation of hearts –transformation for the goodof the soul. The home of

religion is in the depths of theheart. It is beyond the swayof the sword. Mountains arenot moved by the sword, norare hearts changed by force.While persecution in thename of religion is therepetitive theme in thehistory of human aggression,freedom of conscience is theQuran’s repetitive theme.’(Murder in the name ofIslam, by Hadhrat KhalifatulMasih IV(ru))

Islam presents the greatestexample of forgiveness andtolerance to be found in anyscripture or internationalconvention. The Muslim clericsof Afghanistan and their Wahabibrethren who have spilled over toother countries, need to study andreflect on the true meaning oftheir faith.

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EDITORIAL


5The Review of Religions – April 2006

The Holy Qur’an hasemphatically claimed that it

is the Word of God and that ourlord and master, Muhammad(saw)

is His true Prophet andMessenger, on whom that HolyWord has descended. This claimis clearly set forth in thefollowing verses:

Allah is He beside Whomthere is no God, the Living,the Self-Subsisting and theAll-Sustaining.He has sent down to thee the

Book containing the truth.(Ch.3:Vs.3-4)

Again:

O mankind, the Messengerhas indeed come to you withTruth from your Lord...(Ch.4:V.171)

Again:

And in truth We have sent itdown and with truth has itdescended...(Ch.17:V.106)

Again:

O ye people, a manifest proof

This series sets out, in the words of the Promised Messiah(as), Hadhrat Mirza GhulamAhmad, a summary of his exposition of four outstanding topics: ISLAM; ALLAH,THE EXALTED; THE HOLY PROPHET(saw) and THE HOLY QUR’AN. Theoriginal compilation, in Urdu, from which these extracts have been translated intoEnglish, was collated with great care and diligence by Syed Daud Ahmad Sahib, Allahhave mercy on him and reward him graciously for his great labour of love. Amin. TheEnglish rendering is by the late Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, may Allah be pleasedwith him, and is quoted from The Essence of Islam, Volume 1. All referencesthroughout, unless otherwise specifically mentioned, are from the Holy Qur’an.

The Holy Prophet(saw) and the HolyWord of God – Part 7


has indeed come to you fromyour Lord, and We have sentdown to you a clear light.(Ch.4:V.175)

Again:

Say. “O mankind! truly I am aMessenger to you all fromAllah... (Ch.7:V.159)

Again:

But as for yhose who believeand do good works andbelieve in that which has beenrevealed to Muhammad – andit is teh truth from their Lord.(Ch.47:V.3)

There are hundreds of otherverses in which the claim hasbeen put forward clearly that theHoly Qur’an is the Word of Godand that Muhammad, the chosenone(saw) is His true Prophet. Butthe verses that we have set outshould suffice.

We would remind our opponentsthat this claim is not put forth inany other book as forcefully as ithas been put forth in the Holy

Qur’an. We are very eager thatthe Aryas should show from theVedas that the four Vedasclaimed to be the word of Godand set forth clearly that theywere revealed to such and such aperson at such and such a time.For a book, on behalf of which itis claimed that it is from God, itis a primary necessity that itshould set forth this claimclearly; for a book, which givesus indication of its being fromGod, to be attributed to God,would be an impertinance.

A second matter which is worthmentioning is that not only hasthe Holy Qur’an claimed that it isfrom God and that the HolyProphet(saw) was the Messenger ofAllah, but has also establishedthis claim with strong andpowerful arguments. We shall setforth all these arguments in theirorder, but for the moment wepresent the first argument so thatseekers after truth should be ableto compare in this respect otherbooks with the Holy Qur’an. Wealso invite every opponent that ifthis method of proof establishesthe truth of a book and is found

THE HOLY PROPHET(SAW) AND THE HOLY WORD OF GOD


in their books also, they shouldset it forth in their papers andjournals; otherwise, we wouldhave to conclude that their bookslack this proof of high degree.We affirm with full confidencethat this method of proof will notbe found in their religion and ifwe are in error, they should pointout our error.

Grand Revolution brought bythe Holy Prophet(saw)

That first argument which theHoly Qur’an has set forth insupport of its claim of being fromGod Almighty is that sane reasonholds it to be a strong argumentfor accepting a true Book and atrue Messenger of God, that theyshould appear at a time when theworld should be plunged indarkness, and people should haveadopted paganism in place of theUnity of God, and vice in placeof purity, and wrong in place ofjustice, and ignorance in place ofknowledge, and a Reformershould be sorely needed. Thensuch a Messenger should departfrom the world when he shouldhave accomplished his work ofreform in a fine manner and

should have been safeguardedfrom his enemies while he wasoccupied in that work. He shouldhave appeared under commandlike a servant and should havedeparted under command. Inshort, he should appear at a time


The founder of the AhmadiyyaMuslim community was Hadhrat

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as).The founder of the AhmadiyyaMuslim community was HadhratMirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). In 1891,he claimed, on the basis of Divinerevelation, that he was the PromisedMessiah and Mahdi whose adventhad been foretold by Muhammad,the Holy Prophet of Islam (peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him)and by the scriptures of other faiths. His claim constitutes the basis of thebeliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslimcommunity.


when the age should demand thata heavenly Reformer and Bookare needed and he should becalled back in accordance with arevealed prophecy after he hadfirmly planted the tree of reformand a grand revolution shouldhave appeared.

We state it with great pride thatthe brightness with which thisargument has been established insupport of the Holy Qur’an andour Holy Prophet(saw) is lacking inthe case of other Prophets andother Books. The claim of theHoly Prophet(saw) was that he hadbeen sent to the whole ofmankind; so the Holy Qur’anconvicts all people of beinginvolved in all types of paganismand vice and disobedience as itsays:

Corruption has appeared onland and sea; (Ch.30:V.42)

and then says:

... so that he (Muhammad)may be a Warner to all theworlds; (Ch.25:V.2)

that is to say, that the HolyProphet(saw) should warn allpeople that on account of theirmisconduct and false doctrines,they have been accounted verysinful in the estimation of GodAlmighty.

The word Warner that has beenused in this verse concerning allthe peoples, which means to warnthe sinners and evildoers, is a sureindication that the Qur’anclaimed that the whole world hadbeen corrupted and that everyonehad given up the way of truth andgood behaviour, inasmuch as awarning is meant for thedisobedient and pagans andevildoers, and a warning isadministered to offenders and notto the well behaved. Everyoneknows that it is only the viciousand faithless ones who arewarned, that it is the way of Allahthat a Prophet is a bearer of goodtidings for the good and is aWarner for the evil ones. When aProphet is designated as a Warnerfor the whole world, it wouldhave to be accepted that by therevelation vouchsafed to thatProphet, the whole world has



been held to be involved inmisconduct. This is a claimwhich the Torah did not make inthe case of Moses(as), nor theGospel in the case of Jesus(as), butwas put forward only by the HolyQur’an. Then it was said:

..and you were on the brink ofa pit of fire... (Ch.3:V.104)

Meaning that before the adventof this Prophet you had arrived atthe brink of hell.

The Jews and the Christians werewarned that they had pervertedthe Books of God and had led allthe people in every type ofmischief and misconduct, and theidol worshippers were chargedwith worshipping stones, men,stars, and the elements and thatthey had forgotten the TrueCreator and were guilty ofdevouring the property oforphans and of killing childrenand of doing wrong to theirpartners, and that they hadtransgressed beyond measure ineverything. It was said:

Know that Allah quickens theearth after its death. (Ch.57:V.18)

that is to say that the whole earthhad died and would now berevived afresh by God.

In short, the Holy Qur’ancharged the whole world withmisconduct and idol worship,and held the Christians and theJews to be at the root of all eviland set out all the types of vicesin which they indulged. TheQur’an drew such a picture of themisconduct of the world thatexcept in the case of the age ofNoah, no other age appears toresemble it.

We have contented ourselveswith citing only a few verses andwould urge our readers to studythe Holy Qur’an carefully so asto discover how forcefully andwith what effective words theHoly Qur’an has set forth that thewhole world had been corruptedand had died, and that mankindwas standing on the brink of hell.It urged the Holy Prophet(saw) towarn the whole world that it was


in a serious condition. A study ofthe Holy Qur’an reveals that theworld was steeped in paganism,idol worship, misconduct and allmanner of sin, and was sunk inthe deep well of vice.

It is true that the Gospelmentions some of the misconductof the Jews, but it nowhere saidthat the whole world had beencorrupted and had died and hadbecome filled with paganism andmisconduct. Nor did Jesus(as)

claim that he was a Messenger tothe whole world. He addressedthe Jews, who were a smallpeople and inhabited a fewvillages within sight of Jesus(as).But the Holy Qur’an mentionsthe death of the whole world anddescribes the evil condition of allpeoples. The Jews were thedescendants of the Prophets andprofessed faith in the Torah,though they did not act inaccordance with it; but in thetime of the Holy Prophet(saw), inaddition to all sorts of corruptionin conduct, their doctrine too hadbeen corrupted.

Thousands of people were

atheists and thousands deniedrevelation and all sorts of evilswere rife on the earth. Jesus(as)

mentioned the misconduct of theJews who were a small people,which shows that the Jews werethen in need of a Reformer. Butthe argument that we put forwardin the case of the HolyProphet(saw) to affirm that he wascommissioned by God, that hecame at the time of generalcorruption and was called backafter effecting a full reform, andthe presentation of both theseaspects in the Holy Qur’an, andhis calling the attention of theworld to it, is a matter which isnot to be found in the Gospel andindeed not in any other Bookexcept in the Holy Qur’an.

These arguments are put forth bythe Holy Qur’an itself and itclaims that its truth is establishedby a consideration of both theseaspects. It appeared at a timewhen misconduct and falsedoctrines had become widespreadand the world had drifted far awayfrom truth and reality and theUnity of God and purity. Theaffirmation of the Qur’an in this

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respect is confirmed by a study ofcomparative history. There isevidence of the confession ofevery people that that age was sofull of darkness that every peoplehad become prone to creatureworship and that is the reason thatwhen the Holy Qur’an charged allpeople with misguidance andevildoing, not one of them wasable to prove its innocence.Observe how forcefully GodAlmighty speaks of the vices ofthe people of the Book anddescribes the death of the wholeworld. He says:

..they should not become likethose who were given theBook before them and theterm was prolonged for thembut their hearts werehardened and many of themwere wicked. Know that Allahquickens the earth after itsdeath. We have made thesigns manifest to you, thatyou may understand.(Ch.57:Vs.17-18)

This means that the believers areadmonished thay they should notbehave like the people of the

Book who were given the Bookbefore them and a long timepassed and their hearts werehardened and most of thembecame disobedient and vicious.They are reminded that the earthhad died and that God is nowreviving it. These are signs of theneed and truth of the HolyQur’an which are beingexplained to you so that youmight understand.

Now you will realise that wehave not put forward thisargument from our own mind,but that it is the Qur’an that putsit forward and after setting forthboth parts of the argument, itsays that:

Know that Allah quickens theearth after its death (Ch.57:V.18)

These are Signs in support of thetruth of the Holy Prophet(saw) andthe Holy Qur’an which havebeen set forth so that you mightreflect and arrive at the reality.

The second part of this argumentis that the Holy Prophet(saw) was

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called back from the world to hisLord at a time when he hadcompleted his task fully and thisis also clearly set forth in theHoly Qur’an, as Allah theGlorious says that:

This day have I perfectedyour religion for you, andcompleted My favour uponyou and have chosen Islamfor you as religion. (Ch.5:V.4)

meaning that by the revelation ofthe Qur’an and by the reform ofthe people your faith has beencompleted for you and God haschosen Islam as your religion.

This was an indication that therevelation of the Qur’an had beencompleted and it had carried outsurprising and wonderful changesin eager hearts and had perfectedtheir training and that Divinefavour had been completed forthe Muslims.

These are the two aspects whichare the purpose of the advent of aProphet. This verse announcesforcefully that the Holy

Prophet(saw) did not depart this lifetill Islam had been perfected bythe revelation of the Qur’an andthe proper training of theMuslims. This is a sign of Divineorigin which is not bestowed on afalse claimant. Indeed before theHoly Prophet(saw) no true Prophethad shown this high example ofperfection that on the one side theBook of God should becompleted in peace and on theother side the training of peopleshould be perfected and thedisbelieving people should bedefeated in every direction andIslam should be victorious onevery side.

At another place it is said:

When the help of Allah comes,and the victory, and thoseseest men entering thereligion of Allah in troops,glorify they Lord, with Hispraise, and seek forgivenessof Him. Surely He is OftReturning with compassion.(Ch.110:Vs.2-4)

This means that the succour andvictory that had been promised

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having come and you havingseen, O Prophet, that people areentering into Islam in great hosts,then praise and glorify God, thatis to say, confess that whateverhas happened was not your doingbut was the grace andbeneficence of Allah, andsupplicate Allah in final Istighfarfor He is Oft-Returning withcompassion.

When Prophets are urged toIstighfar, it is wrong to concludethat this means that they have toseek forgiveness like sinfulpeople. In their case, it is aconfession of their nothingnessand humility and weakness and isa respectful way of seeking help.As these verses affirm that thepurpose of the advent of the HolyProphet(saw) had been fulfilled,that is to say, thousands of peoplehad accepted Islam and this wasan indication of the approachingdeath of the Holy Prophet(saw) – hedied within a year of the receiptof this revelation - it was naturalthat as these verses had givenpleasure to the Holy Prophet(saw)

he should also be concerned thatthe garden having been planted,

what about its future irrigation?So God Almighty, in order toremove this concern of the HolyProphet(saw) urged him toIstighfar.

The meaning of maghfirat is soto cover up a person that heshould be safeguarded againstcalamities. Thus, mighfar meansa helmet. Istighfar means that thecalamity that is feared or the sinthat is apprehended, may becovered up and stopped frombecoming manifest. In this case itwas to convey reassurance to theHoly Prophet(saw) that he shouldnot grieve over the faith, thatGod Almighty would not let it bedestroyed and would ever turn toit in mercy and hold back themisfortunes which could followupon some weakness.(Nur-ul-Qur’an, No. I, RuhaniKhaza’in, Vol. 9 pp. 333-356]

It is a clear proof of theProphethood of the HolyProphet(saw) and of the truth of theHoly Qur’an, that the HolyProphet(saw) was sent into theworld when by its circumstances,it was demanding a grand

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Reformer and that he did not die,nor was he killed, till he hadestablished the truth upon theearth. When he appeared as aProphet, he at once proved hisneed by the world andcondemned every people fortheir paganism, unrighteousnessand wrong-doing. The HolyQur’an is full of suchadmonition, for instance:

Blessed is He Who sent downthe Discrimination to Hisservant that he may be aWarner to all the worlds.(Ch.25:V.2)

Blessed is He Who has sentdown the Holy Qur’an to Hisservant that he may be a Warnerto all the peoples; that is to say,he was to warn them of theirfalse doctrines and their goingastray.

This verse is proof, and theQur’an claims, that the HolyProphet(saw) appeared at a timewhen the whole world and all thepeople had been corrupted; andhis opponents have accepted thisclaim not only by their silence,

but also by their confession. Itfollows that the Holy Prophet(saw)

had come at a time when a trueand perfect Prophet should haveappeared. Then when weconsider the time at which hewas called back, we find that theQur’an is explicit that he wascalled back when he hadcompleted his task. He wascalled back after the verse wasrevealed that the code of teachingfor the Muslims had beenperfected and all that had to berevealed in that context had beenrevealed. Not only this, but it wasannounced that the support ofGod Almighty had also beenperfected and that people in largenumbers had accepted Islam. Itwas also revealed that God hadfilled their hearts with faith andrighteousness and had madethem averse to disobedience andvice. They had acquired goodmorals and a great change hadtaken place in their morals,conduct and souls.

Then was revealed the Surah Al-Nasr, the purport of which is thatall the purposes of Prophethoodhad been fulfilled and Islam had

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achieved a victory over peoples’hearts. The Holy Prophet(saw)

announced that this Surahindicated the approach of hisdeath. He then performed thePilgrimage and called it theFarewell Pilgrimage, in which hedelivered a long address from theback of a camel and called uponthe people to bear witness that hehad conveyed to them all thecommandments which he hadbeen commissioned to announceto them. Every one confirmed ina loud voice that he hadconveyed everything to them.The Holy Prophet(saw) thenpointed to heaven and said threetimes: Bear witness, O Allah. Hethen said that he had admonishedthem at length as he might not bewith them in the following year.He then returned to Madinah anddied the following year. Senddown on him Thy blessings andpeace, O Allah. All theseindications are given in theQur’an and are confirmed by thehistory of Islam.

Can any Christian, Jew or Aryaput forward the instance of anyof their Reformers whose advent

was at the time of great need, andwhose departing was after thefulfilment of that need, andwhose opponents bore witness totheir own unrighteousness andmisconduct? I know that no oneoutside Islam can offer thisproof. It is obvious that Moses(as)

was sent for the destruction ofPharaoh, and to rescue his peoplefrom his tyranny, and to guidethem along the right path. He wasnot concerned with thecorruption of the world. It is truethat he rescued his people fromthe tyranny of Pharaoh, but hecould not rescue them fromSatan, nor was he able to leadthem into the promised land. Thechildren of Israel were not able topurify themselves at his handsand repeatedly fell intodisobedience, till Moses(as) diedwhile they were still in thatcondition.

So far as the disciples of Jesus(as)

are concerned, the Gospel bearswitness to their condition; nofurther explanation is needed.Nor is it a matter unknown, as tohow little Jesus(as) was able toguide the Jews for whose

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guidance he had been sent as aProphet. If the Prophethood ofJesus(as) were to be judged by thismeasure, one would becompelled to affirm that it is inno way established by thisstandard.(Nur-ul-Qur’an, No. I, RuhaniKhaza’in, Vol. 9, pp. 358-369)

The Holy Prophet(saw) was raisedat a time when the whole worldwas involved in paganism,misguidance and creatureworship and all peoples hadabandoned true doctrines andforgetting the straight path, everygroup was following its owninnovations. Idol worship wasrife in Arabia, Persia wascommitted to fire worship, inIndia in addition to idol worship,creature worship of diverse typeswas widespread. Many bookshad been written, whereby scoresof human beings had beendeified, and the foundation ofAvatar worship had been laid.According to Rev. Mr. Bourt andseveral English writers, noreligion had been so corrupted asthe Christian religion and it hadfallen into serious disrepute on

account of the misconduct andwrong doctrines of its ministersof religion. In Christian doctrinenot one or two persons, butseveral objects had been deified.The advent of the HolyProphet(saw) at this time of generalmisguidance, when the circum-stances demanded an exaltedReformer and there was greatneed of Divine guidance, and hisillumining a whole world withthe Unity of God and righteousconduct and his putting an end topaganism and creature worship,which is the mother of all ills, areclear proof that he was a trueMessenger of God and wassuperior to all Messengers. Histruth is established by the factthat in that age of generalmisguidance, the law of natureand the way of God demanded atrue Guide.

It is the eternal law of the Lord ofthe worlds that when some typeof suffering reaches its climax inthe world, Divine mercyaddresses itself to its removal.When through a prolongeddrought people are faced withextinction through famine, God,

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the Compassionate, sends downrain. When hundreds andthousands of people begin to dieof an epidemic, the air iscleansed by some means or someremedy becomes available.When a people is caught in thewiles of a tyrant, a just andcompassionate ruler appears. Inthe same way; when peopleforget the way of God andabandon His Unity and worship,God Almighty, having bestowedperfect insight upon a servantand having honoured him withHis word, sends him for theguidance of mankind so that heshould reform the corruption thathad set in.

The truth of the matter is thatProvidence, Who sustains theworld and supports its existence,does not hold back or suspendany of His attributes ofbeneficence. Every one of Hisattributes manifests itself on itsproper occasion. As it isestablished by sane reason, thatto overcome every calamity, therelevant attribute of GodAlmighty manifests itself and ithas been established by history,

and by the confession ofopponents, and by the clearaffirmation of the Holy Qur’an,that at the time of the advent ofthe Holy Prophet(saw) thiscalamity was at its height, that allthe peoples of the world hadabandoned the straight path ofthe Unity of God and allsincerity, and of Divine worship,and it is known to every one thatit was the Holy Prophet(saw) aloneand no one else, who reformedthat corruption and rescuing aworld from the darkness ofpaganism and creature worship,established it on the Unity ofGod, then it follows inevitablythat he was a true Guide fromGod Almighty. The Qur’an hasset forth this argument in thefollowing verses:

By Allah, We did sendMessengers to the peoplesbefore thee; but Satan madetheir works appear beautifulto them. So he is their patronthis day and they shall have agrievious punishment. AndWe have not sent down to theethe Book except that thoumayest explain to them that

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concerning which they differand as a guidance, and amercy for a people whobelieve. And Allah has sentdown water from the sky, andhas quickened therewith theearth after its death. Surely,in that is a Sign for a peoplewho would believe. (Ch.16.Vs.64-66)

We call attention to the fact thatthe three elements that we hadmentioned which lead to theconclusion that the HolyProphet(saw) was a true guide, arementioned in an excellent mannerin these verses. First the hearts ofthe misguided ones, who hadbeen caught in error overcenturies are likened to a dry anddead land, and the Divine word isdescribed as the rain whichcomes from heaven, and anindication is given of the eternallaw that in case of drought Divinemercy always rescues mankindfrom destruction. It is indicatedthat this law of nature is notconfined to material water, butthat spiritual water also certainlydescends at a time of hardship,that is to say, when misguidance

becomes general. In suchcircumstances, Divine mercycomes into play for certain toovercome the calamity thataffects the hearts.

Then these verses point to thesecond element that the wholeearth had been corrupted beforethe advent of the Holy Prophet(saw)

and finally a reference is made tothe fact that those spiritually deadhad been revived through thisHoly Word of God. Theconclusion is that this is a sign ofthe truth of this Book and seekersafter truth are invited to concludethat the Holy Qur’an is the Bookof God.

As this argument establishes thetruth of the Holy Prophet(saw) italso establishes his superiorityover the other Prophets,inasmuch as the Holy Prophet(saw)

had to contend against the wholeworld and the task that wascommitted to him was in truth thework of a thousand or twothousand Prophets.(Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, RuhaniKhaza’in, Vol. 1 pp. 112-116,footnote 10)

19



The time of the advent of theHoly Prophet(saw) needed a grandDivine Reformer and heavenlyguide, and the teaching that he setforth was true and was greatlyneeded and comprised everythingthat fulfilled the needs of thetime. That teaching was soeffective that it pulled hundredsof thousands of hearts to the truthand impressed on hundreds ofthousands of minds the creedthat:

‘There was none worthy ofWorship save Allah.’

He fulfilled the ultimate purposeof Prophethood, that is to say,teaching the principles ofsalvation so perfectly that noother Prophet was able to fulfill itto such perfection in any age.These facts compel one to beareager witness that the HolyProphet(saw) was a true guide fromGod.

There is no remedy for a personwho denies out of bigotry andobstinacy even if he repudiatesGod, but all these signs ofrighteousness and truth which are

combined so perfectly in theHoly Prophet(saw) cannot beestablished in the case of anyother Prophet, not even in thecase of one of them. (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in,Vol. 1 pp. 112-114)

Our Holy Prophet(saw) was a greatReformer for the proclamation oftruth, and restored to the worldthe truth that had been lost. NoProphet shares with him the pridethat he found the whole world indarkness and by his appearancethat darkness was converted intolight. He did not die till thepeople among whom he hadappeared had cast aside thegarment of paganism and had puton the robe of the Unity of God.Not only this, but also theyachieved high grades of faith andperformed such works ofrighteousness, and fidelity andcertainty which are not matchedin any part of the world. Suchsuccess was not achieved by anyProphet other than the HolyProphet(sa).

It is a strong argument in supportof the truth of the Holy

20



Prophet(saw) that he was raised inan age when the world had falleninto deep darkness and called fora grand Reformer. He departedthe world at a time whenhundreds of thousands of peoplehad abandoned paganism andidol worship and had adopted theUnity of God and the straightpath. Such perfect reform wasparticular to him that he taught apeople who were at the level ofanimals, the ways of humanity.In other words, he convertedwild beasts into men, and thenturned them into educated men,and then made them men of God,and breathed spirituality intothem and created a relationshipbetween them and the True God.They were slaughtered like sheepin the cause of God and weretrodden underfoot like ants, butthey did not abandon their faith,and marched forward in the faceof every calamity.

Doubtless, the Holy Prophet(saw)

was a second Adam and indeedwas the true Adam for theestablishment of spiritualitythrough whom all humanexcellences arrived at their

perfection, and all good facultieswere devoted to their proper taskand no branch of human naturewas left barren. Prophethoodended with him not only becausehe was the last Prophet in pointof time, but also because all theexcellences of Prophethoodreached their climax in him. Ashe was a perfect manifestation ofDivine attributes, his law had thequalities both of majesty andbeauty. That is why he wasnamed both Muhammad andAhmad(sa); and there was nomiserliness in his Prophethood itwas for the benefit of the wholeworld since the beginning.(Lecture Sialkot, RuhaniKhaza’in, Vol. 20, pp. 206-207)

All the distinguishedguests, ladies andgentlemen, Peace and blessings ofAllah be upon you.

Some months ago, a Danishnewspaper published somecartoons about the Holy Founderof Islam, Hadhrat Muhammad(saw)

in which, unfortunately, anattempt was made to show thatthe law and teaching brought byhim is one of extremism. As aresult, terrorism and cruelty hasbegun to grow in the hearts of thefollowers of Islam. It is allegedthat and Muslims believe that thesolution to all their problems liesin adopting a cruel and barbaric

attitude. According to them thereis no concept of tolerance,reconciliation or love andaffection in Islam.

Non-Muslims draw thisconclusion based on the incorrectbehaviour and improper actionsof the so-called Jihadiorganisations (that is to say thosewho are trigger-happy and calltheir act a holy war) and theattacks of their suicide bombers.Instead of solving issues through


Freedom of Speechand Tolerance in Islam

An address by HadhratMirza Masroor Ahmad,Head of the worldwideAhmadiyya Muslimcommunity delivered inBaitul Futuh Mordenon 25 March 2006

love and understanding, theydisplay obstinacy and intoler-ance. Then, some scholars oftoday, unfortunately, supportsuch Jihadi organisations eventhough their actions are totallyopposed to the teachings ofIslam.

But I wish to say just one thingthat may perhaps be construed asif I am supporting such Jihadiorganisations. The ultimatedecisive authority assumed bythe superpowers in respect of thepoor and under-developednations and the double standardsin the manner in which thesuperpowers deal with thesenations, is the cause of thisviolent natural reaction by thesenations. Admittedly, this is not anIslamic method and is totallyagainst the teachings of Islam.However, in this day and age, thetrend not to conform to theteachings of one’s faith is asprevalent amongst followers ofother religions as it is amongstMuslims whose majority is bylip-service Muslim even thoughtheir deeds are not Islamic.

In due course, a reformer isneeded to make the act of thepeople conform to the teachings.This is why the AhmadiyyaMuslim community holds thebelief that when, with thepassage of time, the people beginto forget the teachings of theirfaith, then equipped withguidance from God, God sendsprophets or reformers who bringmankind back to the ways ofGod, and thus remind man todischarge the obligations due tothe Creator and His creation.

We Muslims believe that therehave been 124,000 messengerswho have come to the world.They identified the One God andtaught man to live in love andaffection with each other. Thelast person to bring a new Lawand teaching was HadhratMuhammad(saw) . In other words,a Muslim believes in all prophetsand reformers from Adam toMuhammad, peace and blessingsof Allah be upon them all.

Moreover, an Ahmadi Muslimbelieves that in accordance withwhat past prophets prophesied

22

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND TOLERANCE IN ISLAM


about a Reformer for the latterdays, that Reformer has indeedcome and we believe in him.Nevertheless, the Law andteaching is, of course, the sameas that brought by HadhratMuhammad(saw).

The purpose of this introductionis that a religion that requiresbelief in and respect of allprophets and believes that theteachings revealed to them at thetime of their advent was true,then how can it be said that sucha religion does not teachtolerance of other faiths? Howcan it not teach reconciliationand harmony with other faiths?How can it teach the habit ofreligious intolerance andadvocate living with others inanything but love and affection?It is impossible. That there is noforbearance in this religion andno freedom of opinion or speechis an unfounded allegationagainst Islam.

In keeping with the constraints oftime, I shall highlight a fewexamples of what the teachingsof Islam are about tolerance;

what the meaning of the freedomof expression and the right tohold an opinion are; whatpractical example the Prophet ofIslam established of thisbeautiful teaching; and, thetradition set by those Muslimswho followed in his footsteps. Ihope that as a result, someprominent aspects of thisbeautiful teaching will becomeclear.

But firstly, I would like to saythat the very name ‘Islam’contains an antidote for cruelty,the inability to put up with othersand the absence of tolerance. Ishall define some of the mainmeanings that the word ‘Islam’incorporates. One meaning ispeace, another meaning issubmission and obedience, yetanother is making peace andachieving reconciliation. Onemeaning is to leave someonewhen he is likely to cause youharm, another meaning is to walktogether in harmony. Thepurpose of telling you aboutthese definitions of the name ofIslam given by God Almighty tothis religion is because the sum

23



total of its teachings and theMuhammadan Laws includewithin it love, tolerance,endurance, and freedom ofconscience and speech and theright to express an opinion.

After this brief clarification, letme mention the teachings aboutthe freedom of conscience, beliefand opinion and tolerance thatthe Holy Qur’an (the SacredBook of Muslims) gives us. Itshould be remembered that whensomething is attributed to areligion, then the first point ofreference has to be that religion’sbook of law in which the legalcode, tenets, and teachings areset out.

When the Holy Prophet(saw)

claimed that he was a Messengerand by the command of AllahAlmighty proclaimed that he wasthe Prophet sent with the finalLaw and the only means ofsalvation was to accept Islam andadapt their lives in accordancewith the commandments of GodAlmighty, then this proclamationwas stated as follows by GodAlmighty:

And say, ‘It is the truth fromyour Lord; wherefore let himwho will, believe, and let himwho will, disbelieve.’…(Ch. 18:V.30)

Thereafter, God has preservedthis task unto Himself as to howto treat the one who does notbelieve. God will determine thismatter whether in this world orthe Hereafter. Therefore, OProphet and O ye who believe inthis Prophet, your work is only toconvey the Message. In theinterest of maintaining anenvironment of love andaffection and tolerance, youshould promote this messagewith kindness. Because youbelieve that in accordance withthe teaching given to you byGod, your religion is right andbased on the truth, it is arequirement of kindness tomankind that what you hold to betrue for yourself, you shouldshare it with the rest of mankindand include them also in thiscommandment.

It may be objected that thepermission to let people believe

24



or disbelieve was given to thepeople of Makkah at a time whenthe position of the Muslims wasvery weak. It may be said thatthis is why such words were usedso that the disbelievers ofMakkah do not cruelly destroyall the Muslims.

This objection is a weakargument. Despite thiscommandment, the disbelieversof Makkah did not flinch amuscle in their cruelty to theMuslims. They persecuted thembecause of their faith. Some werelaid on burning coal, others weremade to lie on the burning sandin the mid-day sun. Some weretied with their legs to two camelsand the camels driven in oppositedirections cutting asunder theMuslim in two halves. Even thewomen were beaten and notspared this torture. So if the verseI quoted earlier was meant tosave the Muslims from cruelty,then history proves that it did notserve that purpose. Thiscommandment was not limited tothat time but is preserved in theHoly Qur’an to this day.

I have given this example ofbarbaric cruelty so that you cankeep this context in your mind.Once again, in keeping withinthe constraints of time, I hopethat you will understand from theone or two events that I willrelate, the extent to which Islamgrants the freedom of conscienceand requires tolerance andreconciliation.

Fed up with the cruelty inflictedby their fellow countrymen, theMuslims migrated to Madinah.First of all, the poor and weakMuslims migrated followed bythe Holy Prophet of Islam(saw).Upon his arrival, a pact wasdrawn with the Jews of Madinahwho had not become Muslim atthat time stating how thecommunities were to livetogether and remain free and howeach other’s rights were to bedischarged.

I shall mention one or twocovenants of this pact of co-existence. But before that ateaching of the Holy Qur’anstates:

25



There should be nocompulsion in religion…(Ch.2:V.257)

This commandment wasrevealed in Madinah. Let meremind you that by that time, amajority of the inhabitants ofMadinah had become Muslim, orthey were people who had nointerest in religion and theyjoined the Muslims as birds ofthe same flock. When seen fromthat vantage point, the Muslimpopulation represented adominant majority. On the otherside were the Jews who ruled andin whose hands lay the powerbefore the arrival in Madinah ofthe Holy Prophet(saw). But now theJews were reduced to a minority.As a consequence, and being theHead of State, the governance ofthe Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw)

was firmly established. Now heheld the power. However, thecommandment was that ‘you willnot use compulsion in religion,nor shall you use force againstthose weak persons who eventhough they are not Muslim,have joined you as your kith andkin, nor shall you use force

against the Jews who live underyour domain.’ But you can seefrom the pact that was drawn uphow an atmosphere of love andaffection, freedom of belief andtolerance was created. The pactruns somewhat as follows:

• Muslims and Jews shall livetogether with each other inkindness and sincerity andshall not commit any excessnor be cruel to one another;

• The Jews will keep to theirown faith, and Muslims totheir own;

• The life and property of allcitizens shall be respectedand protected save in the casea crime has been committedby someone;

• All disputes will be referredfor the Prophet of Allah’sdecision because he has thedetermining authority but alldecisions in respect ofindividual people shall bebased on their respectivelaws.

26



And there are, of course, otherterms of this agreement inaddition to the four I havequoted. Now, see what effort hasbeen used to establish a liberaland compassionate atmospherein society. At that time there wereno national laws. Each personlived in accordance with thetraditions and laws of his or herown clan or tribe. The HolyProphet(saw) did not say that youare a minority, and as might isright, you have to comply withthe laws of the Muslim majority.Instead, the condition of theagreement was that your affairswould be determined on the basisof your own laws. This is the firstcharter of freedom of conscienceand faith in Islam.

Giving other excellent examplesof toleration, the Holy Qur’anexplains that no matter what thecircumstance, you are not toabandon tolerance. Irrespectiveof the cruelties inflicted on you,you are not to act other than withjustice and take revenge by beingjust as cruel. If you do that, youare misguided. To call you aMuslim would be meaningless.

The Holy Qur’an states:

…and let not a people’senmity incite you to actotherwise than with justice.Be always just, that is nearerto righteousness. (Ch.5:V.9)

This is the standard of toleranceand justice in Islam. Islamadvocates that do not respond tothe low and base allegations ofthe opponents because to do thatwould make you just as cruel. Ifyou can forgive, then forgive,that is better. If you must seekrevenge, then the recompense ofan injury is no more than theinjury inflicted on you.

An excellent example of thistolerance and forgiveness was setby the Holy Prophet of Islam(saw)

who forgave all the persecutorsat the time of the victory ofMakkah. History bears testimonyto this event. Ikramah was thegreatest enemy of Islam. Despitethe general amnesty proclaimedby the Holy Prophet(saw) on theday of victory, Ikramah picked afight with the Muslims, suffered

27



a defeat and then fled. WhenIkramah’s wife pleaded for hisforgiveness, the Holy Prophet(saw)

forgave. Immediately afterforgiveness, when Ikramahappeared before the HolyProphet(saw), he said to himarrogantly that ‘if you think thatbecause of your forgiveness Ihave also become a Muslim, thenlet it be clear that I have notbecome a Muslim. If you canforgive me while I remainsteadfast on my own faith, thenthat is fine, otherwise I leave’.The Holy Prophet(saw) said: ‘Youcan, no doubt, remain steadfaston your faith. You are free inevery way.’ Moreover, thousandsof Makkans had not acceptedIslam and despite their defeatexercised their right of freedomof faith. So this is the teaching ofthe Holy Qur’an and the exampleset by the Holy Prophet(saw) onthis matter.

I shall present some otherexamples of freedom of speechand tolerance.

Once the Holy Prophet(saw) boughta camel from a Bedouin in

exchange for about 90 kilos ofdried dates. When the Prophetgot home, he found that the dateshad all gone.

In all honesty and simplicity, hewent to the Bedouin and saidfrankly to him, ‘O man of God! Ibought a camel in exchange fordried dates and I thought that Ihad that much dates with me butwhen I reached home, Idiscovered that I did not havethat many dates.’ The Bedouinsaid: ‘O defrauder!’ The peoplebegan to tell the Bedouin off fortalking to the Messenger of Godin that manner but the HolyProphet(saw) said: ‘Let him be.’(Masnad Ahmad bin HanbalVol.6 p.268 published Beirut)

Now see this is how the ruler ofthe day dealt with an ordinaryman. This was the standard ofgranting the freedom of speechand the standard of hisforbearance.

Then let me present an incidentabout the freedom of faith withreference to people of otherfaiths. Once a delegation of

28



Christians from Najaran came tothe Holy Prophet(saw). During thismeeting with him in theProphet’s Mosque in Madinah,the time for the Christians to saytheir prayers arose and theybegan to go outside. The HolyProphet(saw) invited them to offertheir prayers in the Mosque.Then the pact drawn with theseChristians of Najaran grantedthem full freedom of faith and itwas made incumbent upon theMuslims to protect theirchurches. No church should bedestroyed nor should any priestbe evicted or expelled. Norshould any right of theirs bediminished. Nor should anyChristian be required to changehis faith. The proclamation wasthat the Holy Prophet(saw) herebywarrants his personal assurance.The pact went so far as to saythat if the Muslims wish to helpfund the repair etc. of theChristian churches, it would bean act of benevolence on theirpart.

With regard to justice, truth andthe freedom of faith, the Founderof Jama’at Ahmadiyya, Hadhrat

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) statesthat it is proven that once adispute between a Muslim and aJew came before the HolyProphet(saw). The Holy Prophet(saw)

determined that the Jew was trueand decreed against the claims ofthe Muslim. Then quoting theHoly Qur’an, he states that thisverse means ‘O Prophet! ask thepeople of the Book and theignorant people of Arabia toenter the religion of Islam. So ifthey enter Islam, they haveattained guidance but if they turnaway, then your work is only toconvey the Message of God.’ It isnot written in this verse that it isyour task to wage war againstthem.

It is obvious from this verse thatwar was only permitted againstthe criminals who killed theMuslims or interfered with themaintenance of peace and werebusy in theft and robbery. Thiswar was as a result of his being aCommander and not because ofhis prophethood. Allah says‘fight in the cause of the Lordagainst those who fight withyou’, that is to say, ‘be

29



disinterested in others and do notcommit any excess’. God doesnot like those who commitexcesses.

So this is the beautiful teachingof Islam and the excellentexample of the Holy Prophet ofIslam(saw), a specimen of which Ihave laid before you. It is a greattravesty to allege that there is noconcept of freedom of faith andconscience in Islam. We shouldnot construe the vested interest ofa few individuals as Islam norcan it be construed as such.

In any case, it would havebecome abundantly clear thatwhereas there is freedom of

speech and tolerance in Islam,there is also the respect formankind and forbearance.

In keeping within the constraintsof time, I rest my case. I am mostgrateful to all of you. I think thatthe food is ready, and I do notwish to come between your foodand you. I am most grateful toyou who have come here todayand listened to me, tolerantly. Ifwe can meet together, manymisunderstandings about eachother can be removed. I onceagain thank you from the bottomof my heart for sparing your timeto be with us today.

Thank you.

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In this journal, for the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(saw)’ or ‘saw’ after thewords, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the name ‘Muhammad’, are used. They stand for‘Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ meaning ‘Peace and blessings of Allah beupon him’. Likewise, the letters ‘(as)’ or ‘as’ after the name of all otherprophets is an abbreviation meaning ‘Peace be upon him’ derived from‘Alaihis salatu wassalam’ which are words that a Muslim utters out of respectwhenever he or she comes across that name.

The abbreviation ‘ra’ or (ra) stands for ‘Radhiallahu Ta’ala anhu and is usedfor Companions of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased with him or her (whenfollowed by the relevant Arabic pronoun). Finally, ‘ru’ or (ru) forRahemahullahu Ta’ala means the Mercy of Allah the Exalted be upon him.


Verily, this is a Reminder. Sowhoever wishes may take theway unto to his Lord.(Ch.76.V.30)

‘In our domain we neitherallow any Muslim to changehis religion nor allow any otherreligion to propagate its faith.’(Maulana Maududi)l

Maulana Maududi’s desire forpolitical power knew no bounds.The law of apostasy which heevolved was an extension of hisdictatorial and intolerantpersonality – it had nothing to dowith Islam. Dr Israr Alunad, whoworked closely with Maududi,said that Maududi borrowed theprinciples of his movement fromMaulana Abul Kalam Azad andthe Khairi brothers and the style ofhis presentation from NiyazFatehpuri. But he was so

egocentric that he never acknow-ledged that his ideas came fromanyone but himself.2

Similarly, the Maulana’s ideas onapostasy, though originating froman interpretive error of earlyMuslim jurisprudence (fiqh) are,in fact, based on medievalChristianity. The Deobandschool,3 which was on one handcollaborating with a pre-dominantly Hindu politicalorganisation – the Indian NationalCongress – and on the otherfighting a rearguard action againstthe shuddi campaign, providedthe gloss to Maududi’s thoughtson the subject. The influence ofMarxist writings, which theMaulana seems to have read as ayoung and impressionable editor,is markedly noticeable in histhinking. The Tahrik-i JamaatiIslami is a curious blend of

THE MAUDUDIAN LAW OFAPOSTASY– Part 5

This is the Fifth extract from the ‘Murder in the Name of Allah’ by HadhratMirza Tahir Ahmad, dealing with Jama’at Islami’s founder, MaulanaMaududi’s misinterpretation of the Islamic concept of Jihad.


medieval Christian practices,Deobandi/Wahabi intolerance andMarxist incitement to disruption.

As we saw in the first chapter ofthis book, the concept of religiousliberty is not evolutionary or lineal– it is a cyclical phenomenon.Whenever one of God’s prophetsor a religious reformer appears, heis opposed. He is accused ofdividing the community andbreaking traditional conformity.He is pilloried as an apostate.Ultimately a prophet alwayssucceeds in establishing religiousfreedom. The true faith spread bythis religious freedom is hardenedin rigid dogma, which actuallyresults in the loss of the right todissent.

On his last visit to the Temple,Christ(as) said: ‘Render unto Caesarthe things that are Caesar’s, andunto God the things that areGod’s.’ (Mark 12:17)

This very clear statement separatesreligious belief from politicalauthority. However, within a yearof obtaining political authority(312), the Christian Church wastorn by schism. For more than 300

years Christians had beenpersecuted and flourished, and yet,soon after Constantine’s con-version, the Church was confrontedwith monastic secession, Donatistschism and Arian heresy.Throughout the history of theChristian Church, heresy, ordeviation from orthodoxy, has beena matter of deep concern. Itinvariably involves the veryconcept of deity, the divinity ofChrist(as).

If Christ was divine in anabsolute sense, yet distinctfrom God, there were twoGods and Christianity was aform of ditheism, notmonotheism. On the otherhand, if the filial relationshipwere literally interpreted, thenGod the Father would be theprogenitor of God the Son. Butthe logic of this relationshipmeant that Christ would not befully God, since there musthave been a time when he ‘wasnot’ and God the Father aloneexisted.4

Orthodox Christians held Christ(as)

to be identical in being(homoousian) to God the Father,

THE MAUDUDIAN LAW OF APOSTASY – PART 5


while Arius (c. 256-336)considered him only similar inbeing (homoiousian) to Him. Thenthere was the question of hismother. Nestorious (died c. 451)declared that Jesus(as) was twodistinct persons, one human, onedivine; and that Mary(as) was themother only of the human, not thedivine Christ. It would be better,therefore, to call her the mother ofChrist(as). The orthodox doctrine isthat Mary(as) is the true mother, notof the Godhead itself, but of theincarnate legos, or Word of God,containing both the divine and thehuman natures of Christ(as). 5

The first ecumenical Council ofthe Church met in 325 inBithynian Nicea and issued acreed on the mystery of theTrinity. The unrepentant Arius wasanathamatised by the council andexiled by Emperor Constantine.The emperor also ordered that allArius’s books should be burnedand their possession should bepunished by death.

The cycle of religious libertywhich began with Jesus ofNazareth(as) came full circle whenJustinian (483-565) prescribed the

death penalty for apostasy. Thepenalty became part of thecodification of Roman law inAD535.

It is a tragic twist of fate thatfreedom of conscience wassnuffed out by the very RomanChristians whose newly convertedforefathers were burned to providefire and fun in Nero’s Rome(AD64). As long as Christianswere persecuted by non-Christianpolitical authorities, Christianwriters defended religious liberty.But once the imperial throne waswon over to Christianity, theChurch looked ‘with the samehostile eye upon individualism inbelief as the state upon secessionor revolt’.6 By the middle of thefifth century things that were andstill are God’s were rendered untoCaesar. Political authority hadbecome the right arm of theChurch. In the course of hiscampaign against the Donatists, StAugustine (354-430) argued:

‘There is a righteouspersecution which the Churchof Christ inflicts upon theimpious. She persecutes in thespirit of love. . . that she may



correct. . . that she may recallfrom error. . . [taking]measures for their good, tosecure their eternal salvation.’ 7

In 385 a Spanish bishop,Priscillian, was accused ofpreaching Manicheism anduniversal celibacy. He denied thecharge, but was tried, condemnedand burned at the stake with severalcompanions.

Martin Luther (1483 -1546), theGerman leader of the ProtestantReformation, concurred with hisRoman Catholic predecessor,Augustine, and said: ‘The clergyhad authority over conscience, butit was thought necessary that theyshould be supported by the Statewith absolute penalties of outlawry,in order that error might beexterminated, although it wasimpossible to banish sin.’ 8

But it was the French Protestanttheologian John Calvin (1509-64)who really inspired MaulanaMaududi.

‘He [Calvin] wished to extendreligion by the sword andreserve death as the punishment

of apostasy. . . Catholics shouldsuffer the same penalties asthose who were guilty ofsedition, on the grounds that themajesty of God must be asstrictly avenged as the throne ofthe king’.9

While the inspiration came to theMaulana from Calvin, the rationalewas provided by the Englishthinker Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) in his book, Leviathan. Sincethe power to work miracles is oneof the signs of a true prophet, and,according to Hobbes, the days ofmiracles were over, there was nopossibility of guidance by a prophetor through divine inspiration. Thesovereign alone had civil orreligious authority. He alone hadthe power to make law, ‘Forwhosoever hath a lawful powerover any writing, to make it law,hath the power also to approve ordisapprove the interpretation of thesame.’(10)

Heresy, in Hobbes’s view, wasprivate judgement and actioncontrary to popular belief as laiddown by the sovereign:

It is not the intrinsic error of the



judgment that makes the heresypunishable, but the privaterebellion against authority. Tomake loyalty to the commands ofconscience the ruling principlewould sanction all private men todisobey their princes inmaintenance of their religion, trueor false. (11)

According to Hobbes, this issubversion.

There is no apostasy without heresyand no heresy without dogma. TheChristian dogma was carefullyspelled out in the AthanasianCreed, which says: ‘That weworship one God in Trinity, andTrinity in Unity; Neitherconfounding the Persons: nordividing the Substance.’

It is in this tradition of medievalChristianity, and not of Islam, thatMaulana Maududi developed theoriginal ideals of Maulana AbulKalam Azad and the Khairibrothers’ Hukumat-i-Ilahiyya(Kingdom of God).(12) StAugustine, Martin Luther, JohnCalvin and Thomas Hobbesprovided him with the non-Islamicconcepts of orthodoxy, dogma and

heresy – and also with the rhetoricof intolerance.

Even the orientalists, who nevermiss an opportunity of criticizingIslam, agree there is no dogma andheresy in Islam. Goldziher says:

‘The role of dogma in Islamcannot be compared to thatwhich it plays in religious lifeof any of the ChristianChurches. There are noCouncils and Synods which,after lively controversy, laydown the formulae, whichhenceforth shall be deemed toembrace the whole of the truefaith. There is no ecclesiasticalinstitution, which serves as themeasure of orthodoxy; nosingle authorised inter-pretation of the holyscriptures, on which thedoctrine and exegesis of thechurch might be built. TheConsensus, the supremeauthority in all questions ofreligious practice, exercises anelastic, in a certain sensebarely definable jurisdiction,the very conception of whichis moreover variouslyexplained. Particularly in



unanimity what shall haveeffect as undisputedConsensus. What is acceptedas Consensus by one party, isfar from being accepted assuch by another.13

The contemporary Jewishorientalist, Bernard Lewis, whowould never be accused of beingpro-Muslim, observes:

‘What matters was what peopledid – orthopraxy, rather thanorthodoxy and Muslims wereallowed on the whole to believeas they chose to do, so long asthey accepted the basicminimum, the Unity of Godand the apostolate ofMuhammad, and conformed tothe social norms.14

True Islam had ceased to be theinspiring force for MaulanaMaududi. Having introduced theconcepts of heresy and apostasy hecould not escape from Calvin’slogic which prescribed ‘death asthe punishment of apostasy’. Butthe Maulana had the audacityfalsely to attribute the authority forthis punishment to the HolyProphet9saw). The Maulana wrote a

pamphlet on the subject in whichhe confidently quoted Abu Bakr’smilitary action against the rebeltribes as a proof that there was adeath penalty for apostasy. Beforediscussing this, one ought to quotethe Maulana’s writings to showhow heavily he was influenced byhis Christian models.

But first, in summary, to theChristian fathers of medievalEurope, recantation fromChristianity was punishable bydeath and the only acceptabledefinition of Christianity wastheirs. Similarly, the punishmentfor recantation from Islam wasdeath and the only definition ofIslam was the one the Maulana orhis successors laid down. It is clearthat under a Maududian gov-ernment, the Maududian rulerwould decide who was and whowas not a Muslim. What wouldthat decision be? The Maulana’swritings are quite clear.

According to Maududi, Ahmadisare apostates and a ‘non-Muslimminority’. But Ahmadis are not theonly heretics – the Ahl-i-Qur’an,the followers of Mr Parvez’sschool of thought, are also heretics.



They are kafir and apostates. Infact, their heresy is far moreserious than that of the Qadiyanis.The following order of banishmentgiven by Maulana Amin AhsanIslahi, who had not yet renouncedthe Maududian teaching – and wasstill considered the right-hand manof Maududi – was published in theTasnim, the official organ of theJamaati Islami:

‘Some people advise that sincethere is no possibility of thepromulgation of the IslamicSharia, the government of thiscountry [Pakistan] should beformed on the principles laiddown in the Qur’an. If, by this,these people mean that theSharia is confined only to theQuran and that other rules arenot Sharia, then it is clearlyheresy. This heresy is similar tothat of the Qadiyanis, in fact,much more serious.15

This verdict is clearly against theAhmadis and the Ahl-i-Qur’an. Todiscover whether ‘heresy’ andconsequent apostasy is confined toonly these two groups needs acloser look.

According to Maulana Maududi’swritings, anything not Maududianis heresy. The Maududianteachings are like the AthanasianCreed and any deviation fromthem is kufr. The Maulana says:

‘Ninety-nine point nine percent of the Muslim nation hasno knowledge of Islam or theability to tell right from wrong.They have directed neithertheir moral values nor theirthoughts towards Islam. AMuslim is a Muslim becausehis father was a Muslim andthe faith is passed fromgeneration to generation.These Muslims have notaccepted this right becausethey believe it to be right, andneither have they rejected thewrong because they know it tobe wrong. If Muslim affairs areever handed over to thesepeople and anyone thinksMuslim affairs will be properlyrun, he’s living in a fool’sparadise.’16

He continues:

‘The process of democraticelections is like churning milk



to obtain butter. If poisonedmilk is churned, the butter willbe poisonous too. So peoplewho think that the Kingdom ofGod [Hukumat-i-Ilahiyya] willautomatically result if Muslimareas are liberated from theHindu majority, are wrong.They will end up with a hereticgovernment of Muslims[Kafirana hukumat].’17

The Maulana is more explicit inthe following passage of the samebook:

‘The nation called Musulmanis made up of all kinds ofrubbish. All types of charactersfound among unbelievers arefound here. The number ofliars appearing in law courts isno less than in the courts ofother nations. Bribery, theft,adultery, falsehood, in short,there is no form of moraldepravity in which they aresecond to the unbelievers[kuffar ].18

These Maududian edicts andinjunctions are very compre-hensive. However, some may stilldoubt that these injunctions refer

to the ordinary 99.99 per cent ofMuslims and that Muslimleadership and intellectuals areexempt from these constraints. Butthe Maulana made anotherstatement about Muslim leadersand ulema to make it clear that anyMuslim who does not accept theMaududian creed has gone astray.The Maulana says:

‘Western educated politicalleaders, ulema, and thescholars of Muslim juris-prudence, all these leaders areas misguided as each other,both in their means and theirends. They have lost the pathof truth and have wanderedblindly into the darkness. Notone of them has a Muslimpoint of view.’19

So, according to the Maulana,neither the 99.99 per cent ofMuslims nor their religious orsecular leaders are on the rightpath. They have gone astray, theirpoint of view is not Muslim, andall types of criminals found amongthe kuffar are also found amongMuslims. If one were to havedubbed the umma a ‘bunch ofapostates’ on hearing this



description, Maududi would havereplied: ‘You said it.’ He was notin the habit of mincing his words.Referring to those who quit theJamaati Islami, he said: ‘This isnot the path on which to retreat. Toretreat means to apostasise.’20 Ifquitting the Jamaati Islami andjoining another Muslim group isapostasy, then that otherorganisation is automatically kafir.So are Muslims who pray forfavours at saints’ tombs and alsothe Shiites, who consider the firstthree caliphs to be usurpers. It iswell known that according to theMaulana – and all the ulema ofDeoband agree with him – themainstream Ahli Sunnat walJamaat of India and Pakistan,known as Brelavis, are kafir.

Now that the Maulana has,virtually declared all non-Maududians to be apostates, hedeals in great detail with thesubject of people who are Muslimby birth. It is one of the mostdifficult pieces of Maududi’sargument. Discussing his ownIslam, the Maulana said: ‘I havecast away the collar of inheritedIslam. . . . I read the Qur’an andstudied the life of Muhammad(saw) .

. . and now I am a new (converted)Muslim.’ On the same basis, hedevised a scheme for thereconversion of other Muslims. Heunveils his plan in the followingwords:

‘Whenever the death penaltyfor apostasy is enforced in anew Islamic state, thenMuslims are kept withinIslam’s fold. But there is adanger that a large number ofhypocrites will live alongsidethem. They will always pose adanger of treason.

My solution to the problem isthis. That whenever an Islamicrevolution takes place, all non-practising Muslims should,within one year, declare theirturning away from Islam andget out of Muslim society.After one year all bornMuslims will be consideredMuslim. All Islamic laws willbe enforced upon them. Theywill be forced to practise allthe fara id and wajibat of theirreligion and, if anyone thenwishes to leave Islam, he willbe executed. Every effort willbe made to save as many



people as possible from fallinginto the lap of kufr. But thosewho cannot be saved will bereluctantly separated fromsociety forever [executed].After this purification Islamicsociety will start afresh withMuslims who have decidedvoluntarily to remainMuslims.’21

The Maulana does not tell us underwhat rules of ijtihad a law layingdown the death penalty forapostasy will be relaxed. In anycase this law will be relaxed onlyat the time an Islamic state isestablished – a one-off concession.After this period of grace, Muslimswho are born kafirs will lose out.The Maulana explains why he isunable to make any exception forthese unfortunates. He says:

There is one final questionabout capital punishmentwhich may disturb many of us.A non-Muslim who freelyembraced Islam then returnedto kufr can be said to havemade a deliberate mistake. Hecould have remained a dhimmi,so why enter a religion ofcollective responsibility from

which there is no escape? Butwhat of the person who wasborn of Muslim parents andwho has not embraced Islam?He is a Muslim by birth. If, onreaching adulthood, he wantsto reject the faith, you threatenhim with execution and heremains Muslim; this would beunjust. And it also providessustenance to the ever-growingnumber of born hypocrites inMuslim society. There are twoanswers to this question, onedeals with the practical aspect,the other with the principle. Inprinciple there can be nodistinction between the bornfollowers of a religion and thatreligion’s converts. And noreligion has ever made thatdistinction. Both converts andborn followers are governed bythe same laws. It is bothimpossible and a logicalabsurdity to treat the childrenof the followers of a religion askufar or aliens till they areadults, then give them thechoice of choosing or rejectingthe religion (or citizenship, forthat matter) of their birth. Nosociety in the world couldmanage its affairs in this way.22



Even if we accept the Maududianlaw that Islam prescribes death forapostasy and that all Muslimsexcept Jamaati Islami are kufar,we cannot treat non-MaududianMuslims as apostates – evenaccording to the Maulana’s ownlogic. They are ‘born kafir’. TheMaulana wants to have his cakeand eat it too! Muslims whodisagree with the Maududianconcept of Islam are firstdescribed as both ‘born Muslims’and kafir, because they werebrought up by their parents in akafirana environment. Then theyare called apostates because onreaching the age of consent theydid not reject their parents’ Islamin preference to Maududian Islam.A non-Muslim who joins Islamand then recants should beexecuted because he becameMuslim knowing full well therewas no escape. Similarly, a non-Maududian-born Muslim shouldalso be treated as an apostatebecause he did not accept MaulanaMaududi’s version of Islam onreaching adulthood. This is theargument which clearly shows theMaulana’s dictatorial, manipu-lative and intolerant personality.No Muslim, convert or born, is out

of his reach. The Quranicordinance that ‘there shall be nocompulsion in religion’ isexplained away in the followingwords:

‘This means we do not compelanyone to embrace ourreligion. This is true. But wemust warn anyone who wishesto recant that this door isimpassable to free traffic. Ifyou wish to come, do so withthe firm decision that youcannot escape.’

A leading scholar of the Ahl-iQuran, Ghulam Ahmad Parvez,referring to this Maududiancommentary on the Quranic verse,said ‘Maududi Sahib’s Islam is amouse-trap: the mouse can get intoit, but cannot escape.’

The central point of the Maulana’sargument is that every religionconsiders the descendants of itsfollowers as its followers.Therefore, descendants of Muslimparents – even where the parentsare practically kafir – will beIslamic property. If a right ofownership has been establishedover these children, how can they



be free to choose another religionon reaching adulthood? Inexplaining this point, the Maulanaseems to have overlooked thefollowing saying of the Prophet(saw)

‘Every infant has an in-bornpredisposition to be a Muslim, buthis parents make him a Jew or aChristian or a Zoroastrian.23 If thecentral point of the Maulana’sargument is correct, then whyconfine it to the descendants ofMuslims? Why not apply it to thoseof non-Muslims too, since they,according to the hadith, were alsoborn with a ‘predisposition to beMuslim’? This would give fullcontrol of every non-Muslim childto the Maududian government Itmakes no difference whether achild is within the Maududianrealm or not. While the Maulanaseems to have overlooked thathadith quoted above, the force ofhis logic leads him to this absurdity.

Maulana Maududi has, in fact,reproduced medieval Christianityalmost word for word in theJamaati Islami movementCommenting on his policy ofintolerance, Elisabeth Labrousse,an historian of medievalChristianity, observes: ‘On the

individual level, it creates onlymartyrs or hypocrites.’24 Nowcompare Labrousse’s observationwith the following passage fromMaududi’s The Punishment ofApostasy in Islam: ‘If he [theapostate] is really so honest in notwishing to live as a hypocrite andreally does wish to remainsteadfast in his own faith, whydoes he not present himself fordeath?25

Since the Maududian concept ofreligion is the only way tosalvation, the Maulana would notallow the same rights andprivileges to the followers of anyother religion. The missionarywork of other religions would beforbidden in a Maududian state.The Maulana says:

‘The execution of apostateshas already decided the issue.Since we do not allow anyMuslim to embrace any otherreligion, the question ofallowing other religions toopen their missions andpropagate their faiths withinour boundaries does not arise.We cannot tolerate it.’26



But can a kafir propagate hisreligion among other kufar? Forinstance, can Christian openmissions to work among Jews orHindus? Could Arya Samajists,who do not believe in idol worshipand believe in one God, preach tothe followers of pantheist SanatanDharma? The Maulana says:

‘Islam can never tolerate thatfalse religions should spread inthe world. How can themissionaries of false religionsbe given a licence to spreadfalsehood and attract others tothe fire towards which theythemselves are advancing?’27

Maududi himself accepts that Jewsand Christians are Ahl-i-Kitab(people of the Book). But if theywish to convert idol worshippers,fire worshippers or polytheists tothe worship of one God – the Godof Moses(as) and Jesus9as) – thusbringing them nearer to Islam,they would be forbidden.

In short, the Maulana concedesonly that a born kafir cannot bekilled if he does not accept Islam.But if this is so, why kill a newkafir who has recanted? If a new

kafir is to be punished at all, whythe death penalty? Why not exile,or life imprisonment, so thatMuslim society may not bedisrupted? Here Maulana Maududi,true to St Augustinian logic,explains that the apostate isexecuted in his own interests. Hesays:

‘There are only two methodsof dealing with an apostate.Either make him an outlaw bydepriving him of hiscitizenship and allowing himmere existence, or end his life.The first method is definitelymore severe than the second,because he exists in a state inwhich ‘he neither lives nordies’.28 Killing him ispreferable. That way both hisagony and the agony of societyare ended simultaneously.’29

But the punishment to which theMaulana is sentencing apostates isnot actually St Augustine’s ‘spiritof love’ persecution. There is a lifeafter death and by killing anapostate, the Maulana is directlyconsigning him to the fires of hell.By saving an apostate from thetemporary agonies of an outcast’s



life, the Maulana is sending him tothe far greater agonies of hell.Above all, the Maulana isdepriving the tragic apostate of theopportunity of repentance andtherefore salvation. While a kafirhas the opportunity of repenting atany stage in his life, the apostatecannot return to Islam and benefitfrom the compassion of the GreatForgiver (Al-Ghaffar) and theAcceptor of Repentance (AL-Tawwab).

Reducing the Maulana’s logic toits absurd conclusion, one mightas well ask: ‘Since the deathpenalty is meant to discouragepeople who take change of faithlightly from entering our society,how do you propose to stop suchwavering people from being borninto Muslim homes?’

This draconian policy of force andbrutal intolerance is not restrictedto the Maududian state. Its foreignpolicy is also based on force andintolerance. The Maulana says:

‘Islam does not want to bringabout this revolution in onecountry or a few countries. Itwants to spread it to the entire

world. Although it is the dutyof the ‘Muslim Party’ to bringthis revolution first to its ownnation, its ultimate goal isworld revolution.’

Of course, the final goal of Islamis world revolution. But Islamwants a spiritual revolution, notthe communist revolution whichthe Maulana has borrowed fromcommunist ideology. It is noaccident that Maududian polemicclosely follow communistargument. Substitute the words‘Communist Party’ and you findthe echoes of Marx and Lenin inMaulana Maududi’s writings. TheMaududian revolution is not basedon adl (justice) but on materialismand consequent personaldictatorship. Maududian policytowards neighbouring states andcommunist foreign policy are notvery much different. He writes:

‘Human relations are sointegrated that no state canhave complete freedom ofaction under its principlesunless the same principles arein force in a neighbouringcountry. Therefore, both for itsown safety and the general



reform, a ‘Muslim Party’ willnot be content with theestablishment of Islam in justone area alone. It should try toexpand in all directions. Onone hand it will spread itsideology, on the other it willinvite people of all nations toaccept its creed, for salvationlies only therein. If this Islamicstate has power and resourcesit will fight and destroy non-Islamic governments andestablish Islamic states in theirplace.’30

The paragraph is virtually a copyof the Communist Manifesto.

The Maulana has no hesitation inattributing his aggressive policy tothe Holy Prophet9saw) himself. TheMaulana says:

This was the policy adopted by theProphet(saw) and his rightly guidedcaliphs. Arabia, where the MuslimParty was first formed, was thefirst to be subdued. After this theProphet(saw) sent invitations to allneighbouring countries. But he didnot wait to see whether they wereaccepted or not. As soon as heacquired power, he started the

conflict with the Roman Empire.Abu Bakr became the leader of theParty after the Prophet(saw) andattacked both the Roman andPersian Empires, and Umar finallywon the war.31

This is a general declaration ofwar against all non-Muslimneighbouring states – they are safeonly as long as the Maududianstate is weak. As soon as theMaududian state has given oneyear’s notice to its Muslim-bornsubjects to opt for MaududianIslam or get out and has subdueddomestic opposition, it willengage in a war of conquestagainst its neighbours. Maududidoes not agree with the generallyheld Muslim view that war wasforced upon the Prophet(saw), AbuBakr and Umar by powerfulChristian and Zoroastrian empireswishing to crush Islam, and thatMuslims, with fewer resources,had to fight back in self-defence.

References1. Maulana Abul Ala Maududi, Murtadd

ki saza Islami qanun main, (Lahore: Islamic Publications Ltd, 1981 8th ed.),32.

2. Dr Israr Ahmad, Islam aur Pakistan,Tarikhi siyasi ilmi aur thaqafati pas


manzar (Lahore: Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an, 1983),72. Dr Ahmad is theformer chief (Nazim-i-Ala) of theJamaati IsIarni student organisationand, later, the Amir of Jama’ati IslamiMontgomery. He is also the author ofTahrik-i Jamaati Islami – a ResearchPaper. Dr Ahmad resigned from themembership of Jamaati Islami after tenyears of involvement in variouscapacities.

3. The Deoband seminary (Dar-al-ulum)was founded in 1867. Deoband is asmall town near Delli.

4. S.G.F. Brandon, Dictionary of theHistory of Ideas (New York, 1973),vol.11, 342.

5. C.J. Hefele, History of the ChristianCouncils’ (Edinburgh, (1894), Vol. III,12: see also Durant, Will, The Historyof Civilisation (New York, 1950),Vol.IV, 48.

6. Will Durant, The Story of Civilisation,48.

7. P. Schaff, Select Library of Nicene andPost-Nicene Fathers, 1st series,(Buffalo, 1887), vol. IV, 640.

8. lEE. Dalberg-Acton (Ist Baron Acton),The History of Freedom and OtherEssays (London: Macmillan, 1907),163.

9. ibid., 178-9.10. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, or Matter,

Form and Power of a CommonwealthEcclesiastical and Civil (Chicago:Great Books of the Western World,Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., 1952).

11 . id., 210.12. Dr Israr Ahmad, Islam aur Pakistan,

op.cit., 72.13. I. Goldziher, Vorlesungen uber den

Islam, 2nd ed. (Heidelberg, 1925), 183-4; see Bernard Lewis, Islam in History:Ideas, Men and Events in the Middle

East (London, 1973),231.14. Bernard Lewis, The Jews of Islam

(Princeton: Princeton University Press,1983),53.

15. The Daily Tasnim, 15 August 1952, 12;see also Mizaj Shanasi Rasul, 372.

16. Maulana Maududi, Musalman aurmaujuda siyasi kashmaksh, (Pathankot:Maktaba Jamaati Islami, 1941-2), vol.ill, 130.

17. ibid., 132. 18. ibid., 166.19. Musalman aur maujuda siyasi

kashmakash, op.cit., vol. III, 95.20. Ruidad-I Jamaati Islami (Ichhra,

Lahore: Shu’ba Nashr wa Ishaat,Jamaati Islami, 1970), part 1, 16.

21 . Murtadd ki saza Islami qanun main(1950), 80-1.

22. Murtadd ki saza Islami qanun main(8th ed.), op.dt., 72-3.

23. Al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jana’iz.24. Dictionary of the History of Ideas

(New York), vol. IV,116.25. Murtadd ki saza Islami qanun main,

51.26. ibid., 32.27. Murtadd ki saza Islami qanun main,

35.28. Qur’an, 87. 14.29. Murtadd ki saza Islami qanun main,

51.30. Maududi, Haqiqat-iJihad (Lahore: Taj

Company Ltd, 1964),64; emphasisadded.

31. ibid.; emphasis added.

46

THE MAUDUDIAN LAW OF APOSTACY – PART 5



In the name of Allah the Gracious,the Merciful.

Perished be the two hands ofAbu Lahab, and so perish he.His wealth and what he hasearned shall avail him naught.Soon shall he enter into ablazing fire; (Ch.112:Vs.1-2)

Perish the two hands of Abu-Lahab and perish he!

The Holy Prophet(saw), right fromthe time of his commissiondeclared emphatically that hewould be victorious. He predictedthat despite being opposed to thehilt he would prevail. He facedterrible trials; attempts were madeon his life; grand schemes werestaged to wipe out his communityof followers. But like thecornerstone which shatters any-thing striking against it, heprevailed against all opposition.

History stands witness that hisclaims were entirely vindicated. Incircumstances where there couldbe no hope of survival for him orfor his community, he continued toproclaim that he would indeedtriumph and that Islam wouldspread both in the East and in theWest; the entire mankind wouldassemble under his banner; therule of Islam would spread far andwide. He also talked of the timewhen followers of his faith wouldabandon the Qur’an and turndecadent. Their dominion wouldbe abolished and new nationswould rise to subjugate them. Itwould be at that time that Allahwould raise the spirit of the HolyProphet(saw) to make Islamdominant once again. Theseprophecies can be found in theQur’an and in the books of Hadithwhere they have been furtherexplained by the Holy Prophet(saw).

All have been literally fulfilled.

Surah Al-LahabCommentary by Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, KhalifatulMasih lI(ra). (Translation by Asif Omer from Tafsir-e-Kabeer , Vol 10)


Victory foretold from a position ofutter powerlessness and predictionof the fall that would follow theeminence of a mighty victorycannot be a creation of the mind.The fulfillment of theseprophecies under the mostextraordinary circumstances canonly mean that the news of thefuture of Islam was divinelyrevealed to the Holy Prophet(saw),thereby making it a positive proofof his truth and demonstrating hisholy origin.

Today the might of Europe standssupreme. Their culture, innovationand technology stand unchal-lenged. The world is in awe ofthem and looks up to them. Theyare considered masters and sourceof all areas of knowledge andwisdom. Where Europe is pointingto its ascendancy and presenting itas a proof of the superiority of itsways, the Muslim nations of today,who until yesterday were the solebearers of power and prestige,who were the teachers of theoccident, whose horses gallopeduntrammeled on its soil, findthemselves restricted andencircled. The lion, in front ofwhich nations of Europe were like

insignificant mice, today is lameand enfeebled. The mice prancearound its body and take bites offits flesh, yet the lion cannot find itin its power to swat them away.

The Muslim of today is despairingand considers Islam to be in itsterminal stage. When he visitsEurope and sees its materialprogress, he gives up tohopelessness and returns homecarrying the message of defeat.For him, Islam is beyond the pointof recovery. On the one hand Islamhas been dealt defeat in thepolitical realm, and on the other itsown followers have bidden itfarewell and have taken the Westto be their guide, subservience towhich they consider a matter ofpride and satisfaction. They haveforgotten that their Book containsguidance which is complete andleaves no area of human interestuntouched. It obviates the need tosearch elsewhere. Its light canillumine the soul and by followingits teachings one may profit bothspiritually and materially.

The prophecies made by the HolyProphet(saw) about the decline ofIslam and the progress of the

SURAH AL-LAHAB


European West serves as apowerful test to the truth of hisclaim. It is mind-boggling howover l300 years ago these matterswere foretold with all the attendantdetails. He describes these eventsas if a film is running and theevents of the future are playing ona screen. That these events didcome to pass is an irrefutableproof that the knowledge thereofwas revealed to him from the All-Knowing God.

Therefore the current feeble stateof Islam should not cause Muslimsto despair. The same God Whorevealed through His Prophet(saw)

that Islam would come to a declinealso gave the tidings of its re-emergence and regaining ofascendancy over its foes. Thoseattempting to destroy it wouldthemselves crumble and its bannerwould once again fly over thisworld. This would happen throughthe agency of God’s own Will andas it happened at the time of theemergence of Islam, the HolyProphet(saw) would reappear in theend-times, not in person but inspirit and would act as a magnet toattract God’s help and succourmanifesting as multitudes of

angels and granting once againdominion to the weak and thehelpless. Muslims need not losehope. Instead they should hangtight to the mantle of the HolyProphet(saw) and should prepare andwait with certitude for the timespromised to them.

We narrate below certainprophecies from the Holy Qur’anand the books of Ahadith about thepresent times and to which SurahAl-Lahab is closely related.Reading it and pondering over itstrengthens conviction within abeliever that with the decline ofIslam having come to pass andexactly as foretold, surely itspromised progress will also followin due course.

In the Latter Days, among thetrials that Islam was to face, twoadversaries find particularmention. Their special mention ison account of the profound harmthey would inflict to the cause ofIslam. One has been given thename of Dajjal, and the other isknown as the Appearance ofYajooj-Majooj (Gog-Magog). InSahih Muslim it is narrated:

SURAH AL-LAHAB


‘Hudhaifa bin Usaid Al-Ghifari(ra) reported: Allah’sMessenger(as) came to us all ofa sudden as we were busy in adiscussion. He asked: What doyou discuss? We said: We aretalking about the Last Hour.Thereupon he said: It will notcome until you see ten signsand he made a mention of theSmoke; the Dajjal; the risingof the sun from the West; thedescent of Jesus son of Mary;Gog and Magog and land-sliding in three places, one inthe East, one in the West andone in Arabia at the end ofwhich fire would burn forthfrom Yemen, and would drivepeople to the place of theirassembly.’

With some reflection one maydeduce that Dajjal and Gog-Magog are different aspects of thesame turmoil. This is why onlyone, Gog-Magog, finds mention inthe Holy Qur’an without any di-rect reference to the other, whereaswe find tremendous importanceattached to the Dajjal in thetraditions of the Holy Prophet(saw).In one Hadith it is stated:

‘While speaking of the Dajjal,he(saw) said: There has been noProphet who has not warnedhis people of the (Dajjal).Noah(as) warned his peopleabout him and likewise I dotoo.’

A portent of this magnitude couldnot have been ignored by the HolyQur’an. Dajjal and Gog-Magogare different names of the samereality; rather they are namesgiven to aspects of what ultimatelyis a single threat that Islam wouldface. This is also supported by thecommon period of their expectedappearance. Both would dominatethe world, which further points tothe commonality of these twoentities.

The literal translation of Dajjal is:the deceiver; the pretender. Thegreat turmoil of the Latter Daysabout which the prophets haveforewarned their peoples has twodefining properties: perversion ofthe religious beliefs and ideals,and corruption of politics and thebreakdown of world peace. Theaspect relating to the perversion ofreligious beliefs has been calledthe Dajjal: one who falsifies and

SURAH AL-LAHAB


deceives. Its aspect to do withdisturbance in the realm of politicsand the shattering of world peacehas been personified as Gog andMagog.

Gog and Magog, in Arabic Yajooj-Majooj, are derived from the wordajja, which means ‘fanning theflames’. The title Yajooj-Majoojwould be applied to such as wouldhave power over fire. They woulduse fiery weaponry to gaindominance over the world.

With this preliminary explanationlet us turn to the narration in theHoly Qur’ an relating to Gog andMagog:

It shall be so even when Gogand Magog are let loose andthey shall hasten forth fromevery height. (Ch.21:97)

For a while Gog and Magog willbe kept restricted to the edges ofthe earth until a time when thebarrier confining them would bebroken. The breaking down of thebarrier means that Islam wouldlose its political power and thespiritual state of its followers

would be greatly diminished.Muslims will have forgotten theirfaith. With reference to these timesin Chapter Al-Sajdah, Allah theAlmighty says:

He will plan the Divine Ord-nance from the heaven unto theearth, then will it go up to Himin a day the duration of whichis a thousand years accordingto what you reckon. (Ch.32:V.6)

This means that in the time of theHoly Prophet(saw), Islam would seegreat progress. This period ofprogress, as described in varioustraditions, would last threehundred years, after which itwould begin to decline and wouldcontinue to do so for a thousandyears. Therefore the period inquestion in the above mentionedverse extends to thirteen hundredyears from the time of the HolyProphet(saw). From Ch.21:V.97 itcan be gathered that the nationswhich have been referred to asGog-Magog are distant peopleliving beyond the mountains andseparated by the sea. The wordused there is hadab, which meanselevated land as well as the crest

SURAH AL-LAHAB


of a wave. When the eventsforetold here come to pass, theseforeign nations would ride thecrests of waves across the ocean,as well as they will descend acrosselevated lands, onto the lands ofAsia. We mention Asia here sinceit was the birthplace of the HolyProphet(saw) of Islam, and would bethe natural point of reference inthis verse.

Similarly in Surah Al-Kahf, Allahthe Almighty says:

…when he reached the placebetween the two mountains, hefound beneath them a peoplewho would scarcely under-stand a word.

They said ‘O Dhu’l Qarnain,verily, Gog and Magog arecreating disorder in the earth.shall we then pay thee tributeon condition that thou set up abarrier between us and them?He replied: ‘The power withwhich my Lord has endowedme about this is better, but youmay help me with physicalstrength; I will set up betweenyou and them a rampart. “Bring me blocks of iron”.

They did so till, when he hadleveled up the space betweenthe two mountain sides, hesaid: ‘Now blow with yourbellows. They blew till, whenhe had made it red as fire, hesaid: ‘Bring me molten copperthat I may pour it thereon.’ So they (Gog and Magog) werenot able to scale it, nor werethey able to dig through it.Thereupon he said: ‘This is amercy from my Lord’ But whenthe promise of my Lord shallcome to pass, He will break itinto pieces. And the promise ofMy Lord is certainlty true.’And on that day We shall leavesome of them to surge againstothers and the trumpet will beblown. Then shall We gatherthem all together.And on that day We shallpresent Hell, face to face, tothe disbelievers. Whose eyes were under a veilso as not to heed My Warning,and they could not even hear. Do the disbelievers think thatthey can take My servants asprotectors instead of Me?Surely We have prepared Hellas an entertainment for thedisbelievers.

SURAH AL-LAHAB


Say, ‘Shall We tell you of thosewho are the greatest loserswith regard to their works? Those whose labour is all lostin search after thingspertaining to the life of thisworld, and they think that theyare doing good works.’(Ch.18: 94-105)

It can be deduced from these versesthat the two nations of Gog andMagog will dominate the entireworld in the Latter Days, leading tointense rivalry and friction betweenthem. Eventually they will turnagainst each other and in fierybattles cause mutual destruction.Furthermore, it says that thesewould be highly industrialisednations steeped in technology andinnovation, but forgetful of theirduties towards God. Their grandmaterial works and knowledge willnot protect them from ruin.

This prophecy clearly applies to thepresent times. The decline ofIslamic political power started inthe seventeenth century, which wasfollowed by a struggle for su-premacy among the westernnations and was accompanied bytremendous progress in knowledge

and sciences. Religion waschallenged by philosophy andmaterialism rendering it ananachronism. New economic andsocial models were proposed whichwere anchored in logic andrationality.

The world beheld thesedevelopments in awe andwonderment. One such model isCommunism. If one disregardsGod and His teachings and useslogic and reason alone, in myopinion, there can be nosatisfactory socioeconomic modelshort of either Communism orFascism. Without God entering thepicture, there are only two availablechoices for guiding man’seconomic direction: Either oneaccepts that all men are equal so allmaterial wealth should be equallydivided among them, by force ifnecessary; or one believes in theprinciple of ‘might is right’; poweralone would dictate who gets toenjoy the bounties of this world.Logic and reason has nothing moreto offer in this regard. It is onlyreligion which brings God andhigher moral principles into thepicture and prescribes a balancedapproach.

SURAH AL-LAHAB


The Biblical prophecy about Gogand Magog also speaks of therivalry that will develop betweenthe two powers leading them intowar where they will employ weap-onry of fire. In Ezekiel, Chapter 38verse 18 to 22 we have:

‘And it shall come to pass atthe same time when Gog shallcome against the land of Israel,saith the Lord God that My furyshall come up in My face. Forin My jealousy and in the fireof My wrath have I spoken,Surely in that day there shall bea great shaking in the land ofIsrael; So that the fishes of thesea and the fowls of the heaven,and the beasts of the field, andall creeping things that creepupon the earth and all the menthat are upon the face of theearth, shall shake at mypresence, and the mountainsshall be thrown down, and thesteep places shall fall, andevery wall shall fall to theground. And I will call for asword against him throughoutall My mountains, said theLord God: every man’s swordshall be against his brother.And I will plead against him

with pestilence and with blood;and I will rain upon him andupon his bands, and upon themany people that are with him,an overflowing rain, and greathailstones, fire, and brimstone.’

It further says in Ezekiel, Chapter39 verse 4 to 7:

‘Thou shall fall upon themountains of Israel, thou andall thy bands, and the peoplethat are with thee: I will givethee unto the ravenous birds ofevery sort, and to the beasts ofthe field to be devoured. Thoushall fall upon the open field:for I have spoken it, said theLord God. And I will send afire on Magog, and amongthem that dwell carelessly inthe isles: and they shall knowthat I am the Lord. So will Imake My Holy Name known inthe midst of My people Israel;and I will not let them polluteMy Holy Name any more: andthe heathen shall know that Iam the Lord, the Holy One inIsrael.’

From the texts quoted above, takenfrom the Holy Qur’an and the

SURAH AL-LAHAB


Bible, we can see that both sourcesagree on Gog and Magogconfronting each other in thebattlefield. The Qur’an mentions inaddition, that the political systemsand ideologies represented bythese powers would perish withthis war and that neither would beable to sustain itself much longerbeyond that.

The Ahadith tell us that at the timeof the emergence of Dajjal andGog-Magog, Islam will be weakand defenseless. In its protectionAllah will send the Messiah whowill make his appearance in theEast. After his appearance theDajjal would be killed. At thattime Muslims will be dispossessedof material power, yet the Messiahand his followers will strive intheir mission through propagationand power of the prayer. GodHimself would bring about thedefeat of Gog and Magog. Islamwill once again flourish and willregain its lost ascendancy. God’sfavor will return to this world suchthat a little shall suffice and greedand avarice will go away and peo-ple will turn away from mate-rialism and towards spirituality.

Chapter Al-Lahab contains theprophecy of these Latter Dayturmoils and their final disposition.Allah says: tabbat yada-abi lahab-in wa tab, meaning that God willfrustrate and destroy those nationsand their confederates that willwage a fiery war upon Islam.Tabba means to be destroyed; to bekilled; to fail in one’s objective. Ithas also been translated as beingdevoid of all goodness. Yadunmeans hands as well as prestige,power and sovereignty. Yad alsomeans a confederacy or alliance.Hence tabbat yada-abi lahabwould mean the following:

1. Perished be both hands ofAbu-Lahab.

2. The two alliances of Abu-Lahab were destroyed andthey failed to meet theirobjectives.

3. The power, prestige anddominion of Abu-Lahab weredestroyed.

4. The two groups in alliancewith Abu-Lahab were ren-dered devoid of any goodnessor advantage.

SURAH AL-LAHAB


Abu-Lahab literally translates toFather of the Flame, butidiomatically it would meancreator of such things as producefire and flame. Commentatorshave also taken it to mean a fairand ruddy countenance.

We have indicated above that Abu-Lahab here does not stand for anindividual, but it is a nation thatwould dominate the world in theLatter Days and would create agrave threat against the mission ofthe Holy Prophet(saw) of Islam andhis faith. It will gain mastery overfire, and will invent instruments offire. It will form mighty allianceswith other nations that will act asits hands. We see today that thereare only two such alliances in theworld, one comprising of thewestern powers and the other ofthe eastern. Abu-Lahab is acollective name given to thesegroupings, to which a mostappropriate title is given that thepeoples of these alliances are byand large of fair complexion, andare also the creators of confla-gration causing weapons such asthe atomic and hydrogen bombs.Therefore the title of Abu Lahabaptly describes them in literal and

metaphorical sense. Their destinywould lead them into the fire oftheir own wars. Moreover, theyhave monstrously calumnised theHoly Prophet(saw) of Islam in theirliterature and have thereby createda fire in the world, thus deservingthe title of Abu-Lahab from thatangle as well.

In tabbat yada-abi lahab, the wordtabba has been used in the pasttense. In Arabic when an event iscertain to occur, it is expressed inthe past tense to convey the senseof finality about it. Here tabbameans: Take it for granted. Abu-Lahab and his allies will perishand will be frustrated in theirobjective of destroying Islam.

In this verse the destruction ofAbu-Lahab’s hands is mentionedbefore his own destruction,meaning that those nations towhich the name Abu-Lahabapplies, that is the western andeastern powers, will try to makeother countries join them and willsucceed in forging these alliances.These satellite countries will act asthe hands of their masters and willbe a source of pride for them andcontributing to their hegemony.

SURAH AL-LAHAB


But Allah will first createcircumstances that will result inthe destruction of the satellites andwhich will culminate in thedestruction of their focal point, theentity described as Abu-Lahab.

In the Ahadith wherever we findthe discussion of the future threatsagainst Islam, there we also findthat Allah will cause the Messiahto descend who will fight thesethreats through his prayers. It isclear from the Ahadith that no onehas been granted the power tofight these foes: la yada-ni la-ahadin liqitalihim.(Mishkat Kitab-ul-Fitan)

Muslims will be in a state ofweakness, yet Allah will hear theprayers of the PromisedMessiah(aas) and will createcircumstance which will cause theenemies of Islam to crumble anddissolve like salt in water. Theywill fight amongst themselvesthrough wars. The Holy Qur’anuses the term yada, which meanshands, to describe the allies ofAbu-Lahab, while the Hadith usesthe same term to describe theLatter Day turmoil, which showsthat the Holy Prophet(saw), was

given detailed knowledge of theseevents and was shown that it wouldnot be possible to vanquish them inthe battlefield through any materialmeans. In conclusion: tabbat yada-abi lahab-in wa tab contains theprophecy that the world powersand their satellites which will wagewar on the Muslims will facedestruction and will be unable towipe out Islam.

His wealth and what he hasearned shall avail him naught.

The word ma in ma aghna can actboth as a negative or aninterrogative. As negative it wouldmean that the wealth of Abu-Lahab will not avail him, and asinterrogative it would mean: ofwhat use would be his wealthwhen it fails to protect him fromdestruction?

This verse purports to say thatthese nations would generate greatwealth through industrialisationand innovation. Furthermore theywould invest their capital in othercountries and on the pretext ofengaging in trade would occupy

SURAH AL-LAHAB


them and appropriate their wealth.The expression used to describewealth is maluhu, which signifiesan abundance of wealth, meaningthat even the enormity of theirwealth will not save them. Ma-luhu is followed by ma kasabawhich is wealth that is acquired.Hence their wealth would bedivided into two parts: thatgenerated through their ownindustry and the other acquiredfrom other countries. This aptlydescribes the western nations oftoday which on the one hand haveamassed enormous fortunesthrough industrialization, and onthe other have invested heavily inother countries and through it haveusurped their wealth and despoiledthem of their resources or evenoccupied them in many cases.

This verse also disproves thenotion that Surah Al-Lahab isabout Abd al’Uzza, the HolyProphet’s(saw) uncle and hisinveterate enemy and persecutor.As discussed Ma-louhu wa ma-kasaba implies enormous wealth,which Abd al’ Uzza did notpossess. He was not consideredamong the wealthy of his times.Owning a few camels does not

make one rich. These terms mostappropriately describe the westernnations of today whose claim towealth is universally accepted.Some commentators have takenma-kasaba to mean works, effortand offspring. In that sense thesenations would boast of theirinnovation, industry and alliances,none of which would avail them atthe time of disaster, instead thesewould be its very cause.

Soon shall he burn in a flamingfire;

In Arabic the word naar, literallymeaning fire, can also be used forwar. For example, in Ch.5:V.65naar has been used together withwar: Whenever the enemies of theHoly Prophet(saw) kindle a fire forwar, Allah extinguishes it. Hencethis verse would mean that thenations described as Abu-Lahabwould get embroiled in acatastrophic war in which firewould be the primary agent ofdevastation and would be on ascale not seen before in history.This indicates the usage of nuclearweapons, which release enor-

SURAH AL-LAHAB


mous heat and have the ability toscorch large areas.

The Arabic letter seen on a verbindicates its proximity in time,whereas saufa indicates itsremoteness. Here the seen in theverb sayasla signifying nearnessin time, tells us that once themachinations of the enemies ofIslam reach their high point itwould not be long before they arethrust into the fire of war. We seethat the western machinationsagainst the Islamic world reachedtheir zenith in 1914, which wasquickly followed by war thatlasted until 1918. The next war,which was related to the first,started in 1938 and extended until1945. 1945 saw the use of the firstatomic bomb, followed by thetesting of the Hydrogen bombbringing the world to the thresholdof disaster.

And his woman too who goesabout carrying firewood.

Imra’tun literally means a wife,but it can also be used for someonesubordinate or submissive. In

Ch.2:V36 Allah addresses Adamand says: Dwell thou and thy wifein the garden. There wife meansnot just his consort, but also hisfollowers who were submissive tohis wishes. Hence this verse tellsus that the nations to whom thetitle of Abu-Lahab applies willhave satellite countries acting asits hands and in addition they willhave agents in other states whichwill coax and egg on their leadersto work against Muslims andbreak its power. They will help inpropaganda and will incite them towar, in other words they willprovide fuel for the fire.

Round her neck will be a halterof twisted palm-fibre.

Though apparently free, thesenations will be enslaved to theirrespective political ideologies andsystems that they will not be ableto break away from them. UntilGod sets them free their state ofbondage will continue.

SURAH AL-LAHAB


The following is a summarizedEnglish version of a sermongiven January 29, 1937 byHadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-DinMahmood Ahmad(ra) in Qadian.This summary is reprinted fromthe February 13, 1937 issue ofThe Sunrise, Lahore.

If a nation is destined to advanceGod grants it high ambitions andlofty ideas, but if it is destined todecline its aspirations arelowered. A study of the rise andfall of nations reveals the fact thata nation’s decline begins with thedecline in its ideas, and its ad-vancement with the advancementof its ideals. Small and low-thinking nations remain contentwith petty things but advancingnations are inspired by highaspirations. A Persian coupletsays: ‘one’s thoughts are

coextensive with one’scapacities’.

A Tiny CloudAlmighty God has ordainedgreatness and glory for theAhmadiyya Jama’at (AhmadiyyaCommunity).

Greatness it must and shall attain,whenever it attains it. Thebeginning would be small – andaccording to divine custom itmust be so – but that smallbeginning shall be the forerunnerof future greatness just as a seedsown is the means of producingso many grains.

Some of the great powers todayhave armies numbering eight,nine or even ten million men.Compared to them, what were ahandful of men (313 in all) it was

AHMADIYYAT Bound to TriumphThe Community’s Humble Beginnings only in Keeping with DivineLaw. High Aspirations, and Conduct in Conformity with PromisedMessiah’s Prophecies will Lead to the Desired End.

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AHMADIYYAT BOUND TO TRIUMPH


who faced the hosts ofunbelievers at the Battle of Badr!After straining all their resourcesthe Muslims had been able tobring only this number of men tothe battlefield. The Battle of Badris regarded by us as the greatestbattle that was ever fought. Allthe same, the number of mentaking part in it was less than inskirmishes on our frontier. Amodern general would haveregarded the Battle of Badr asmere child’s play. But thediscerning know that the battlefought by those three hundredodd men was a battle in whichthe future destiny of the worldwas to be decided. Those threehundred men added more to theirnumber and became one hundredthousand, the latter growing up tobe millions and spreading all overthe world. Their enemies werelike the clouds overspreading theskies but without a drop to senddown to earth. Yut that smallband of Muslim fighters was likethe tiny cloud appearing after adrought and a spell of severe hotweather at dawn. To outwardappearance such a cloudlet is onlya speck in the skies but in a few

minutes it spreads itself in theheavens and sends down water intorrents flooding the wholecountryside. The first cloudspanning the vault of heaven butwaterless, is blown about bywinds; the other, a speck of acloud, arising from a corner of thehorizon covers the whole earthand turns it into a huge sea.

Believers’ Sacrifice Does NotGo to WasteSuch is our own case. Fools maylaugh at us, laughing at thesmallness of our resources, andsaying: ‘What a people, theseAhmadis!’ Some foolish peopleof the community too, wonderand say, ‘What have we to dowith worldly glory,’ whereas, ifthere was a grain of faith left inus, we should have known thatgreatness is meant for us alone towhom the same has beenpromised.

If we have nothing to do withworldly glory, who else has? Howstrong must our effort and howhigh must our aspirations bewhen we have been told by God:‘When there comes the help of

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Allah and the victory, and thouseest men entering the religion ofAllah in large numbers;’ whenwe have the Divine promise:‘Kings shall seek blessings fromthy garments’ and when we havethe assurance that we shall spreadover the world, and, comparedus, the other nations would be oflittle or no importance? Howgreat must be our sacrifices inthat case; how great our self-denial? The sacrifice of thesoldiers of other nations may goto waste. They know that it goesto waste. But the sacrifice of aman belonging to a nation forwhom triumph has been destinedby God never goes to waste. Thesacrifice of the victors is like thebrick which forms part of thebuilding; but that of the losers islike the brick which is throwninto the sea where it crumbles,and is not used in building up theworld’s structure. The other brickforms part of the wall and raises itstill higher.

Not Defeat But VictoryThe sacrifice of a believer, there-fore, is never wasted. Theundiscerning may regard it as a

defeat. But those who probedeeper regard it as a great victory,for God rears a new tree as theresult of every fresh sacrifice of abeliever. Just as the sower ofseeds appears to a child to bethrowing away the grain, whereasin reality everyone knows that itis not being thrown away, but itwould grow and produce manymore grains like itself.

Make Your Conduct ConsistentWith Future GreatnessI should like to advise theJama’at, therefore, to make theirconduct conform to the pro-phecies contained in the PromisedMessiah’s(as) revelations.

I have been pointing out for thelast two or three years that friendsshould study these revelations, sothat they might know howglorious is their future. Many aman is slothful and indolent justbecause they do not know howbright their future is. Study theserevelations so that you might geta glimpse of your great future andthen bring your conduct up to themark to which God wishes you tobring it up. Is there a man more

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unlucky than him who standsunder the light and still findshimself shrouded in darkness?The unlucky man has spreadbefore him delicacies of all kindsbut who has not the power to eatthem?

This, indeed, is the state of thatunlucky man who has before hiseyes the prophecies andrevelations of the PromisedMessiah(as) proclaimed fifty yearsago when there was no sign of theJama’at; who has seen many ofthem fulfilled with his own eyes,but who stops at them and ignoresthe others which are more glori-ous. He forgets them and contentshimself. He is like the frog in thewell, with the little he has seen,saying, that all that he could have,he has had. He is unlucky indeed!Would that he had not been bornso that he had not denied theWord of God!

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