Vol. No. 13, Issue Nos. 3-4March-April 2018

IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B.

MOTTO ISLAM: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND

“Read in the name of your Lord Who creates - creates man from a clot (of blood) - read and your Lord is most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught

man what he did not know. No! Man is inordinate, because he looks upon himself as self-sufficient. Surely to your Lord is the return.

Have you seen him who forbids a servant when he prays? Do you

see if he is on the right way, or enjoins observance of duty? Do you see if he

denies and turns away? Does he not know that

Allah sees? No! if he does not stop, We will seize

him by the forelock - a lying, sinful forelock! Then let him sum- mon his council,

We will summon the braves of the army.

No! Do not obey him, but prostrate yourself, and draw near (to Allah)” (96:1-19)

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EDITOR’S NOTE ….

VERDICT OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD

(Peace and blessings of Allah be on him)

ON THE DEATH OF JESUS

In this issue we are reproducing text of the dialogue which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had with the Christian deputation from Najran. We are also reproducing text of the Covenant which the Holy Prophet granted to the Deputation and through it to the Christians of Najran. This was the First charter of a Muslim head of state granted to people of minority commu-nity. This shows how Islam safeguards and guarantees rights and privileges of minority community.

Prophet Jesus is the only prophet among the long line of prophets whose life while he was alive and even after his ‘disputed’ death on the Cross and prophecies regarding his Second Coming in the Latter Age (which is the one we are passing through) is subject of much discussion and controversy. And more so it is of religious importance for the followers of both Christianity and Islam. In fact the subject of the Last Age and various signs and prophecies regarding it concern all people who are in any way attached to any religious denomination. The subject ‘End of Time’ is and has been much-sort after ‘mystery’ which people are interested to know: its nature and when it is going to start. Advent of a Saviour who will usher in ‘ultimate triumph’ for their respective religious thoughts and precepts, Christian call it ‘ultimate establishment of Justice’ through second advent of Jesus and Muslims call it ‘Ultimate triumph of Islam’ which will be brought about by Jesus in his second advent under the command of MAHDI. Unfortunately both nations, in particular, envisage ‘ultimate triumph’, under the ‘Spiritual Leadership’ of each religion - but practically it purports to be accomplished ‘by force or coercion’. Muslims call it ‘Jihad’ and Christians call it ‘establishment of Justice’; while Jews are praying by the Wailing Wall for the re-establishment of State of Israel and re-building of the Temple of Solomon.

It is a strange paradox. All religions, in one way or other, promise reward or punishment for good or bad deeds in the Hereafter – in the form of Hell or Paradise. All religious scriptures contain prophe-cies about rise “of nations” before the End of Time who will reach unimaginable heights of human progress and prowess never attained in human history before. But then their struggle against each other for supremacy will end in destruction of both. Both Bible and the Qur’an name these nations as “Anti-Christ, Gog and Magog” and it is mentioned in the Hadith as Dajjal, The Great Deceiver”. This Great War for supremacy and ‘ultimate triumph’ SHALL COME ABOUT on the Second Advent of Jesus.

It is again a nerve-racking paradox that through arguments and statements, or we may say, cogent inferences are there in the Bible and more explicitly in the Qur’an, that Jesus died like all other prophets, but both Christians and Muslims passionately believe that Jesus, instead of having died on the Cross, was raised to the heaven and will descend before the End of Time to obtain ultimate

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‘triumph’. Christians claim that it will be for them and Muslims believe that Islam shall triumph over all other religions.

At the turn of 19th century founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, reiterated the Qur’anic claim that all revealed religions basically preached unity of Godhead and all the prophets came to educate people to practice basic moral and social truths under divine guidance and it were they who served as models. The Qur’an mentions the Holy Prophet as the Best Exemplar. The most important point which the Qur’an has emphasised is that all the prophets were human beings and were sent by God to prove veracity of revealed moral and social truths and that all died like human beings. And that brings us to ‘the unusual physical nature’ ascribed to the prophet Jesus. Bible depicts him that till Crucifixion of Jesus, he was ‘to all appearance’ a prophet through and through and a human being and behaved and acted like a human being, but once he reached the crucial stage at the Cross, he ‘died’, and assumed a ‘super-human’ identity, was raised alive to heav-en and will descend to earth before the ‘end of time’ to accomplish his ‘un-accomplished mission’. Muslims also believe in the Second Advent of Jesus, but according to them in his second advent he, under the leadership of Imam Mahdi (The promised rightly guided Imam), shall wage a war against all non-Muslims – either kill them or they will accept Islam.

The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement took a very rational stand on this issue and proved from all aspects – religious, historical, archaeological and logical – that prophet Jesus was born as a hu-man being, was appointed a prophet by God, Who thwarted Jewish plan to cause his ‘ignominious death’ on the Cross and gave him “and his mother refuge on a lofty ground having meadows and springs” (23:50).

It is again a surprising paradox that the West who are mostly Christians have started taking serious note of the Ahmadiyya Stand on this issue, but Muslims still passionately believe in the ‘physical return’ of Jesus who will wage ‘war of triumph’ for Islam. Scores of documentaries on BBC, ITV and American channels and numerous books in UK, USA and Germany have expressed their views quite in line with the Ahmadiyya View and they invariably quote “Jesus in India” by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam and “Jesus in Heaven on Earth” by Khwaja Nazir Ahmad as the basic research work on this issue. A well-known author Holger Kersten of Germany and two documentaries on BBC “Who was Jesus” (1977) and “Jesus before Christ” (1977), and the following publications ‘rescue’ Jesus from the myth he has been subjected to throughout the last more 20 centuries: “A Search for Historical Jesus” (1994), “Original Jesus: The Buddhist Sources of Christianity” by Prof. Fida Hassnain and Dr. Elmer R Gruber (1965), and in recent years two novels, De Vance Code and Angels and Demons by Dawn Brown (former book analysing divinity of Jesus and the latter establishing that Mary Magdalene was wife of Jesus and not a keep). Both these novels have been filmed and drew large number of audience. Kurt Berna of Germany in his well-documented book in German, “Jesus Did not Die on the Cross”, made an appeal to the Pope in the 1970’s to organise a thorough investigation into the findings of his Institute about the genuine-ness of the Holy Shroud. It is interesting that now every Pope every year holds a special service in front of the Holy Shroud in Turin and ‘from forged linen’ it is now being regarded as ‘a sign of a living Christ’. And last but not least, the Indian Government has produced a well-documented and detailed documentary about Jesus’ shrine in Srinagar, Kashmir.

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The wrong concept of Jesus’ rising to heaven, either after death on the cross or even ‘before his crucifixion’ has given birth to a totally wrong and baseless belief of his re-appearance as a ‘bloody Mehdi’ who will ‘ wage a sweeping triumph for Islam against all other religions’. It seems after the death of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), ‘Israelite traditions’ (Israiliyyat) made inroads into the Muslim tradition and thought to such an extent about Jesus that clear verdict of the Qur’an and the Holy Prophet (saw) became submerged under their weight.

This issue of the HOPE carries details of the dialogue the Holy Prophet had with the Christian depu-tation from Najran which dealt with Jesus’ birth, his beliefs, nature of his claim and finally his death. This discussion was held at the Prophet’s Mosque when the Holy Prophet was virtually ruler of the whole of Arabia and it finally came to an end with the revelation of the following two verses:

“Allah, there is no god but He, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting, by whom all subsist….

“Whoever then disputes with you in this matter after the knowledge has come to you, say: Come! Let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our people and your people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the curse of Allah on the liars” (3:2, 61).

History tells us that the Christian deputation could not reply to the questions of the Holy Prophet regarding the so-called claim of his divinity and his being alive in heaven and refused to engage in a prayer-dual to let God decide it as to who is right. Finally an agreement was made whereby the Muslim government of the Holy Prophet (saw) guaranteed religious and social freedom to the Christians of Najran in spite of the fact that the deputation could not succeed in proving the divinity of Jesus in a discussion with the Holy Prophet (saw).

A well-known classical publication giving historical background of various v erses of the Qur’an called, Asbab-ul-Nuzul, which carries details of the dialogue, contained a clear cut argument advanced by the Holy Prophet:

“The Messenger of God said: Don’t you know that our God is alive and will never die and that death came over Jesus?

They said: Yes. We know.”

It is extremely regrettable and shameful that a subsequent edition of the book recently published has intentionally omitted the sentence about the “death of Jesus” in a way that a casual reader, who has not read the previous edition minutely, will miss this OMISSION.

We have produced relevant pages from both editions to prove our point. It establish:

1. The Holy Prophet and the Holy Qur’an both uphold that Jesus has died like all other prophets.2. It proves that Muslims are totally wrong in believing Jesus to have arisen to heaven before the

crucifixion and that he will descend physically before the End of Time.

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Therefore it is an absolutely wrong aspersion against the holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement that he is exponent of this ‘utterly wrong concept’ about Jesus that he has died. In 1974 the National Assembly of Pakistan on this basis declared all Ahmadis as ‘Non-Muslim minority’. He is also maligned that he has put forward this ‘mis-conception’ in order to prove himself as the Promised Messiah. This dialogue which the Holy Prophet had with the Christian deputation from Najran proves beyond doubt that it is a fundamental concept of Islam that all prophets were human beings, who were raised to serve as exemplars for human beings and they died like all human beings. Therefore con-cept of Second Coming of Jesus has no basis at all. It is the Ahmadiyya Movement alone which has been working hard to root out this highly dangerous concept of Jihad and appearance of a ‘bloody Mehdi’ and vehemently upheld that “There is no compulsion in Religion”.

The Ahmadiyya Movement has been carrying on ‘Jihad with pen’ to vindicate universal teachings of Islam in its true form and spirit. Wrong concept of Jesus’ being alive in heaven has given birth to the so-called belief of Second Advent of Jesus who is supposed to strike the final blow to achieve ‘tri-umph’ for Islam before the ‘End of Time’. Unfortunately this wrong concept attributed to Christianity and Islam has generated ‘a sense of unknown fear’ among followers of both religions and this ‘false hope’ has generated bitter feelings against each other. Every one today can easily read the writings on the wall which is dragging nations to a colossal head-long collision including the big powers. The Ahmadiyya Movement is the solitary ‘voice of peace’ which upholds that peace can only be maintained by eradicating this false hope of ‘final triumph’. Mutual co-existence and respect for each other is the only way towards world peace.

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COMING EVENTS .....

AT THE BERLIN MOSQUE, GERMANY

*Celebration of completion of

MAJOR PHASE OF RENOVATIONof the Berlin Mosque on 17 April, 2018

On 17th April celebration of the last MAJOR PHASE of renovation of the Berlin Mosque will be held. On this day media, our neighbours and friends of the Berlin Mosque will be invited and a brief presentation will be made of the history and renovation phases of the Berlin Mosque undertaken so far with the help of the Monument Department, generous contributions of members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement throughout the world including Salima Faruqui Trust of Lahore (Pakistan) and other charitable institutions.

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Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed present head of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement

will declare the celebration open and visitors will be allowed to go inside and see the extent of renovation work.

This Programme will be concluded with a Dinner arranged for all the participants and visitors.

Later Hazrat Ameer will travel to Holland to performthe Opening Ceremony of

the new Mosque in Hague, Netherland.To celebrate this auspicious event,

Model of the Berlin Mosque

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A NEW MOSQUE IN HAGUE, NETHERLAND.

The Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Paulkherlaan, Hague has organizedAn International Convention on

Friday 20 and Saturday 21 April 2018under the chairmanship of

Dr. Robbert Mohammedamin and his dynamic colleagues.They have done a remarkable work by

purchasing a huge Church and converting it into a MOSQUE.When the whole project is completed the Mosque will be one of the biggest in

the Netherlandat Abcoudestraat 2, The Hague, Holland.

President of the Hague Jama‘atDr. Robbert Mohammedamininvites members of worldwide Jama‘ats of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement to attend this bless-ed eventFor contact and more information:Mobile: +31-638137843

Email: robmedicor@gmail.com

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LAHORE AHMADIYYA ANJUMAN, AMSTERDAM (NETHERLAND)

According to elections held on 12 November 2017, following is the New Board:Bro R.A.K. (Rafi) Kalloe (chairman)Bro Mahmood Bakridi (secretary)Bro Nawiez Sheikkariem (treasurer)Bro F.A. (Faizel) Muradin (commissioner)Bro E.H.H. (Eugene) Lalmohamed (commissioner)Bro R.A. (Roy) Ramdjan (commissioner)Bro S (Shieda) Jahangier (commissioner)Bro F.W. (John) Jubithana (commissioner)Address:Rafi KalloeAAIIA (chairman)Overpad 3001068 PJ Amsterdamemail: rafi.kalloe@gmail.com (private)tel. + 31 (0) 629531367 (private)

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MORE ………..

AT THE BERLIN MOSQUE, GERMANY

LONG NIGHT OF RELIGIONS

SATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2018

It is a significant annual event being held onSaturday 8 September, 2018.

The Berlin Mosquewill remain open from 10:00 am till Midnight.

Presentations about the history and activities ofTHE BERLIN MOSQUE

Leaflets and other literature have been arranged.

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MONUMENT OPEN DAYS

SATURDAY 8 AND SUNDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2018

This year Open Days of Monument will be organized onSaturday 8 and Sunday 9, September 2018

THE BERLIN MOSQUE

will remain open during these two days for visitors from 10:00 am till late evening.

Last year more than one thousand people visited the Mosque. We are expecting greater number this year.

For further details Contact:Mr. Amir AzizThe Imam,The Berlin Mosque,7/8 Brienner Strasse, Berlin 31Mobile: 00-49-15175629668WhatsApp: 00-92-30004357975

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MI‘RAJ-UN-NABI PROGRAMME

ASCENSION OF THE HOLY PROPHET

(Peace and Blessings of Allah be on him)Organized by

Guyana Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at-i Islam(BERBICE BRANCH)

onSUNDAY 15 APRIL, 2018 at 10 AMat The Ahmadiyya Cultural Centre

Canefield, East Canje, Berbice

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A LANDMARK IN RELIGIOUS HISTORY……

DIALOGUE OF THE HOLY PROPHET (Peace and Blessings of Allah be on him)

WITH THE CHRISTIAN DEPUTATION FROM NAJRANCOMPILED AND EDITED: NASIR AHMAD B.A. LL.B.

“Surely, the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was. This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be one of the disputers” (3:58, 59).

All commentators of the Qur’an, ancient and modern, agree that these verses, along with some others, were revealed when the Holy Prophet was having a discussion with the Christians of Najran in the tenth year of Hijrah. This deputation consisted of sixty men and was headed by Abdul Masih, the chief of the Christians of Najran.

The discussion took place in the Mosque of the Prophet where the visitors have been lodged and permitted to hold their own prayers. In Sirat al-Halabi, the visit of this deputation is described in full detail. The point at issue was the divinity of Jesus. Abdul Masih, the leader of the Christians, opened the discussion and enquired from Holy Prophet:

DETAILS OF THE DIALOGUEThey Four said: What do think of our Lord (Sahib)?The Messenger of God enquired: Who is your Lord?They replied: Isa. Do you take him to be a servant of God?The Messenger of God said: Yes.

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They then asked: Have you seen any one like him, or have you been informed of a man like him? He is God because he had no father, he raised the dead, he gave information of the Unseen, he cured lepers and made birds from clay. Consider this superiority. Do you still call him a servant of God?

The Holy Prophet did not answer at once for at that very moment came the Divine revelation and one of the verses revealed was:

“The likeness of Jesus with Allah is truly as the likeness of Adam: He created him from dust, then said, Be, and he was” (3:59).

It may be noticed that the verse does not say that the creation of Jesus was like that of Adam. I now quote the discussion from Tafsir Ibn Jarir at-Tabari (vol. III, pp. 100, 101) where it is recorded in detail under this very verse:

They questioned: Who was his father?The Messenger of God replied: Don’t you know that no child is born but has likeness to his father in form and appearance?They said: Yes. We know.

The Messenger of God said: Don’t you know that our God is alive and will never die and Jesus had to die?

They said: Yes. We know.The Messenger of God said: Don’t you know that our God is One to Whom everything submits. He is the Custodian and Guardian of all and He gives sustenance to everyone? They replied: Yes. We know.The Messenger of God questioned: Was Jesus possessed of any of these powers?They replied: No.The Messenger of God then asked: Did Jesus know of any of these things except those of which God gave him knowledge?They answered: No.The Messenger of God said: Don’t you know that our God neither eats, nor drinks, nor does He answer the calls of nature?They said: Yes. We know.

Then said the Messenger of God: Don’t you know that Issa was conceived by a woman just as any other woman conceives a child, then she gave birth to him like every other woman gives birth to a child, he was then reared up like other children, then he used to eat and drink and answer the calls of nature like other human beings.

They said: Yes. We know.The Messenger of God then enquired: How can Messiah be the One you take him to be (i.e., God)?

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Rabi‘ narrates that the Christians could not reply to this question, but would not agree either and insisted on their false belief. As a last resort the Holy Prophet invited them to pray against each other in the terms of the revelation:

“ Whoever then disputes with you in this matter after the knowledge that has come to you, say: Come! Let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our people and your people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the curse of Allah on the liars” (The Qur’an 3:61).

The Christians wanted time to consider the challenge and on the next day Abdul Masih and two of his companions informed the Holy Prophet that they had decided NOT TO ACCEPT IT, and that they would not pray against him nor invite him to pray against them. Thereupon an agreement was entered into whereby they were made free to practise their religion.

I have quoted this discussion verbatim to show how the Holy Prophet understood and explained “the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam,” and how he illustrated his interpretation of the verse by referring to two singular facts in the life of any man: likeness of a child with his father in form and appearance, and similarity in the conception and birth of every human child. These illus-trations and the likeness with “Adam” would be inapplicable if “Adam” is taken to mean the Adam of the Bible who had neither a father nor a mother. According to the Bible he was not conceived by a mother.

Besides, the verse in question is universally relied upon by Muslims to refute the divinity of Jesus. But it cannot serve this purpose if Jesus was in fact compared with the Biblical Adam, i.e., if his birth was without a father. No. The word ‘Adam’ in this verse means nothing more than a man. Hazrat Ibn-i ‘Abbas interpreted the word Adam in the verse as man, for he said that man and not Adam (as a distinct entity) was created from dust. This verse, he said, could only be an argument against the Christians if by Adam is meant man. (Tafsir Ibn-i Hisham, vol. 3, p.203).

It may be mentioned that the Holy Qur’an does not accept the Biblical theory of the creation of Adam. Indeed, the Book does not state at all when and how Adam was born.

SOURCES:

1. EnglishTtranslation and Commentary of the Qur’an: Maulana Muhammad Ali, Edition 2002.

2. Jesus in Heaven on Earth: Khwaja Nazir Ahmad, pp. 174-176, office Woking Muslim Mission, Aziz Manzil, Lahore, Ed. 1956.

3. Qindeel-i Sadaqat (Urdu-English-German), Department of Publications, Jama‘at-i-Ahmadiyya (Qadian), Germany, pp. 70-76).

4. Allama Burhan-ud-Din Halabi, Sirat-ul- Halabi, vol.3, p.4.

5. Tafsir Ibn-i Jarir at -Tabari, vol.3, pp. 100-101.

6. Allama Abul Hasan Nishapuri, Asbab-un Nuzul, p. 53, published by Al-Babul Halabi, Cairo, Second edition 1387 AH.

7. Imam Fakhar-ud-Din Razi, Tafsir –i Kabir, r vol. 3, p.166.

8. Maqam-i Maseeh:Ppayam Shahjahanpuri, published by Idara Tarikh-o-Tahqiq, N/23 Awami Flats, Riwaz Gardens, Lahore. 1993, pp. 197-199.

9. Qindeel-i Haqiqat: Department of Publications, Jama‘at –i Ahmadiyya (Qadian), Germany, pp. 70-76.

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FIRST MUSLIM STATE’S DECLARATION FOR THE MINORITIES

GRANTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS TO NON-MUSLIM MINORITIES

ISLAM UPHOLDS PLURALISM AND NOT JUST TOLERANCE

BY SALMAN IBN-I TUFAIL, HARROWGATE, UK

It was in 1983 that I first heard about the Christian Delegation from Najran hav-ing dialogue with the Holy Prophet Muhammad in Madina when he was virtually head of the Arabian Peninsula in the closing speech of the Ninth Convention of The Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Trinidad by the late Maulana Sheikh Muhammad Tufail.

The speech marked the end of a Convention that will always be remembered for the bombing and attempted murder of all of the participants who were there on the opening day of 12th August 1983. The events of 12th August 1983 can

be viewed as a precursor of what was to come, if the ideology at the heart of the attack was not re-butted, but, as can be seen, this ideology has taken hold of extremist elements among the Muslims, and the brutal attacks in Europe and other parts of the Muslim world are testament to this.

Moreover, this false narrative about Islam is not only being disseminated by extremists but also by politicians who have used it to further their own political agenda and views. The results of this have led to 57.5% of all voters in Switzerland (2010 poll) supporting a constitutional amendment banning the construction of any new minarets (on Mosques), and the anti-Islam Freedom Party of MP Geert Wilders has publicly demanded that the Qur’an be outlawed and that Muslim women who wear head scarves be taxed.

The passionate speech of Maulana Tufail was important for many reasons. Firstly, unknown to all of us, it was the last speech he made; and it was fitting, as it was in his much-loved Caribbean Island of Trinidad. Secondly, what he was indicating and pleading for Muslims to do, was to reject the extremist views of the radical Muslims. It mattered not that he was speaking at a Lahore Ahmadiyya Convention, since his message was for all to push back against the corrupt Islam being propagated, and it was significant that, he mentioned the dialogue of the Holy Prophet with the Christian depu-tation from Najran as an example of the true nature of Islam, and the true message of Islam totally discrediting the extremist concepts and views.

Though the contents of the speech are very important to me, personally, the mention of the Christian Deputation from Najran is particularly important, especially in this age when persons of different faiths are being killed in the name of Islam. The encounter of the Holy Prophet with the Christian Deputation from Najran totally dispels any doubts that Muslims who believe it is acceptable to kill people of other faiths because their beliefs are different to Islam, are absolutely wrong.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad said that differences of opinion are a blessing for society.

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The Christian Delegation from Najran in 631ADThe territory of Najran was located south of Bani Khath’am near Yemen, about 450 miles south of Medina. In this area of the Arabian Peninsula numerous Christian tribes lived, and it appears that the Yemeni Christians followed the Melchite Orthodox rite - Byzantine rite - whose centre was Constantinople. Najran Christians had a highly organized religious system and it is not unsurpris-ing that initially few Christians embraced Islam. In reaction to this ‘failed attempt’ at conversion, Prophet Muhammad sent another representative to Najran, Mughira ibn Shu‘ba, who was meant to elaborate on this new religion called Islam. Intrigued by Ibn Shu’ba’s message, the Najran Christians sent a delegation of sixty people to visit the Holy Prophet in Medina. The delegation consisted of about forty-five scholars and fifteen assistants

Significance of the DialogueThe date of the visit of the Christian Deputation from Narjan to the city of Medina is not precisely known but it is thought that it was 631AD, and some sources, such as Ibn Hisham, the earliest historian, seem to think it was before the Battle of Badr. But the exact date matters little, as what is important is the message that emanated from the encounter.

The meeting with the Najran Christians is perhaps the most important interfaith meeting between Christians and the Holy Prophet Muhammad. The religious leaders from Najran (Yemen) arrived in Medina to question the Holy Prophet about the new religion of Islam and about the status of Jesus.

During the dialogue with the deputation from Najran, the Holy Prophet answered their questions, and indicated that Islam was a continuation of the prophetic message of Jesus but rejected the doctrine of Trinity and invited them to worship One God and accept Islam in the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.

The Quran mentions the similarities and the difference of the religions, and at the beginning of the third surah Al-i ‘Imran (The Family of Imran):

‘’I, Allah, am the best knower. Allah, there is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Self-subsisting, by Whom all subsist. He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, as guidance for mankind; and He sent the Discrimination [the Quran]” (3:1-4).

This revelation confirms that the Books did indeed come down to Mankind through both Moses and Jesus and, importantly, that it is in the same monotheistic tradition as the Quran. Further on there are details of the terms of the invitation made to the Christians;

“Say: O People of the Book, come to equitable word between us and you, that we shall serve none but Allah; that we shall not associate with Him aught with Him, and that some of us shall not take others for lords besides Allah. But if they turn away, then say: ‘’Bear witness, we are Muslims.” (3:64).

The above affirms God’s oneness but rejects Trinity and rejects the status of priests in Christianity. However, to me, the most important aspect of this meeting at which the Muslims and Christians debated with each other, is that the Christians refused to accept the message of Islam and there was no repercussion, and the Christians were free to leave without suffering any harm. There is no hint of any forced conversion or threat.

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The Holy Prophet’s example was that Islam demands that Muslims should learn to listen, respect and tolerate other persons’ views. It is, however, argued by scholars that the word ‘tolerance’ is inadequate to describe the relationship that the Holy Prophet’s action represented, and the real message is that of an egalitarian relationship of mutual respect. Moreover, the Holy Prophet, realis-ing that they, the Christians, did not have a place to worship, allowed them to pray in the Mosque itself. There are some commentators who are of the view that some people were even given refuge in the same Mosque.

Religious Pluralism in IslamSome scholars described this historical event as a classic example of religious pluralism in Islam. They suggest that religious pluralism embodies: (1) energetic engagement with diversity; (2) un-derstanding across religious traditions; (3) encounter of commitments; (4) interfaith dialogue. Each characteristic was on display during the meeting between the Christian deputation from Najran and the Prophet of Islam.

The Holy Prophet engaged with those Christians in a theological conversation about the status of Jesus in the light of the teachings of Islam. Both groups sought to understand the perspectives and narratives of the other side. The Holy Prophet Muhammad opened the doors of his mosque to give Christians a safe space to pray, an unprecedented example of engagement with religious diversity. And when they left Medina, they left in peace.

The meeting was a perfect example of the Quranic command, “There is No compulsion in religion’’ (The Quran 2:256).

The Qur’an further says:“You will find the nearest in friendship to believers [Muslims] to be those who say, We are Christians. That is because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not proud” (5:82).

What is happening in Yemen, Syria, Libya and Iraq is clearly anti-Islamic and against the teachings of the Quran and the Holy Prophet. The West also carries immense responsibility in causing this disaster with their intervention in Iraq, Libya and Syria and has, in my view, given the extremists the oxygen and space to carry out these most heinous acts.

Religious freedom is a well-known Islamic principle. So it is clear that each person should be allowed to find his own path in life. People of other religions are free to practise their own faith, as Islam does not force any one to embrace it.

Our Islamic heritage advanced the concept of religious freedom over 1,000 years before America was founded, and the famous political writings of the early American scholars John Locke and Jean-Jacque Rousseau strongly resonate with this concept of freedom of worship.

Not only does Islam demand freedom to practise religion, but also to be treated justly and kindly as any other fellow human being. Quran 60:8;

Here is what the Qur’an says in this regard:

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Allah does not forbid, with regard to those who do not fight you for religion, nor drive you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly. Surely Allah loves the doers of justice” (60:8).

Regarding the protection of churches, Allah says,“And if Allah did not repel some people by others, surely cloisters and churches and syn-agogues, and mosques in which Allah’s name is much remembered, would have been pulled down. And surely Allah will help him who helps Him” (22:40).

Text of the Covenant made to the Christian Delegation from Najran“In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful.’’

This is a security document from Allah and His Messenger written to those who have been given the Book from among the Christians, those who follow the creed of Najran and whoever follows the beliefs of Christianity authenticated by Muhammad son of Abdullah, the Messenger of Allah to all people, a covenant to them from Allah and His Messenger.

It is a covenant which is entrusted to the Muslims after him (after the Prophet’s demise) and which they must comprehend, recognize and safeguard for them. Neither a ruler nor any man who is strengthened by the authority of a ruler has the right to revoke it, nor to replace it with something else, nor to over-burden the believers (Muslims) with anything other than the terms stated in this document. Anyone who safeguards it, observes it and fulfils its contents is surely on the straightfor-ward covenant and is loyal to his commitment to the Messenger of Allah. And anyone who reneges on it or changes it to something else or substitutes it with something else shall bear the burden of his sin, and he is one who betrays the trust of Allah, who reneges on his pledge, who disobeys Him and disobeys His Messenger, and he is counted by Allah among the liars:

First: That I protect them—the Christians—and defend them, their churches, places of worship, places of their prayers, places of the monks, the (sacred) areas which they tour wherever they may be, in a mountain or a valley or a cave or a city or a plain or a sandy track

Second: That I guard their religion and their faith wherever they may be, on dry land or on a sea, east or west, with whatever I guard my own self and whatever belongs to me and the followers of Islam from my creed.

Third: That I include them in my trust, in my covenant, in my security against any harm or anything shunned or any burden or any responsibility, and that I shall be behind them to protect them from any enemy that intends to harm me and their own selves, to do so with my own self, with my sup-porters, with my followers, with the people who follow my creed.

Fourth: That I keep away from them any harm of burdens which people who perform jihad bear, from any assault or khiraj (land tax) other than what they willingly pay without being forced or coerced into doing any such thing.

Fifth: That I do not remove a bishop from his bishopric, nor a monk from his monastery, nor a pil-grim from his pilgrimage, nor demolish any of their churches, nor let any construction of a mosque

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infringe on their own buildings, nor should any house of the Muslims do so; anyone who does any of these things reneges from his covenant with Allah, disobeys His Messenger and swerves from the covenant of Allah.

Sixth: Neither a monk nor a bishop, nor any of them who worships or wears woollen clothes or seeks solitude in the mountains or in areas that are isolated from cities should ever be required to pay an jizya (protection tax) or khiraj

Seventh: Whoever follows the Christian faith must not be forced into becoming a Muslim; mercy must be spread for them and anything harmful must be kept away from them wherever they may be in the land.

Eighth: If any Christian commits a crime or a serious offence, the Muslims must help him, prevent harm from reaching him, protect him and not let him bear the brunt of what he commits; rather, reconciliation must be established between him and his victim: He must either be pardoned or ransom is paid on his behalf.

Ninth: They (Christians) must not be rejected, betrayed or neglected because I have given them Allah’s covenant that they should have what the Muslims have and be obligated to the Muslims’ obligations.

Tenth: Muslims must carry out their obligations towards the pact which the covenant obligates; they should protect sanctities, and they should keep away every harm from them (Christians) so they may become partners with the Muslims: They have what the Muslims have and are obligated to what the Muslims are obligated to.

Eleventh: They may, if they need repairs to their churches and places of worship or anything related to their interests and creed, get assistance from the Muslims to make such repairs; they must be assisted, and this must not be regarded as a debt against them but as support in the interest of their religion and as the fulfilment of the covenant of the Messenger of Allah, as a gift to them and a boon from Allah and His Messenger to them.”

Ahmadiyya PerspectiveWe in the Ahmadiyya Movement have always subscribed to and upheld this concept and have em-braced diversity even within Islam, as was seen when - during an Eid congregation at the Shah Jehan Mosque Woking, Surrey, England - a Shia Muslim was asked to lead the prayer, thereby setting a precedent which, if it could only be followed by Muslims, would bring so much harmony. But, sadly the events of the Middle East are the exact opposite, and different Muslim groups are locked in war with each other, and the other faiths have been caught in this most brutal conflict.

It is significant that the theme of the 9th Lahore Ahmadiyya Convention 1983 in Trinidad was pro-motion of interfaith dialogue and harmony, very much in line with the Holy Prophet’s practice. It consisted of many interfaith meetings, which included representatives of all the major faiths and delegations from throughout the Caribbean, Kashmir in India, the United Kingdom and the USA. The multi-faith dignitaries were to contribute to the session, in their own invaluable way, to the ideal and precedence envisaged by the covenant entered into by the Holy Prophet with the Christian Deputation from Najran in 631 AD.

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Historically, these covenants were written after the Holy Prophet had a serious discussion about the teachings of Islam and the status of Jesus. In spite of the fact that Christian representatives had no answer to the questions put forth by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the Holy Prophet, on the in-structions of Allah, invited them to a Mubahala to which they did not agree and then this Covenant was drafted. (Details of the Discussion are given elsewhere in this issue.)

I, for one, do not recognise the Islam that is being portrayed by the extremists or the media report-ing of Islam, and we collectively must do as much as possible to push back on the corrupt narratives about Islam.

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NEWS FROM THE BERLIN MOSQUE

ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTHS OF JANUARY-MARCH 2018

MR. AMIR AZIZ, IMAM, THE BERLIN MOSQUE, BERLIN

Meeting by president Berlin Police 26 January. President of Berlin Police held annual meeting to have discussion with representatives of all religious communities in connection with promotion of harmonious relation. Imam Berlin Mosque was invited to attend it. Berlin mosque has always played an active role in these activities. It provides good opportunity of meeting with representatives of other religious groups.

Participation in Interfaith Charity Concert 27 January. A charity concert was organized by director of Long Night of Religions. Representatives of all religions participated in this musical event. Participation of the Imam of the Mosque and his active role was much appreciated. Donations were collected for the coming event of the Long Night Religions programme.

Into the fold of IslamIst February. Mr. Patrick Bathige took Shahada and entered the fold of Islam . He was explained briefly about Islam and objectives of the Ahmadiyya Movement . He offered his first prayer with the Imam and was explained its postures and meanings of the prayers recited during it. He was presented a copy of German translation of Holy Quran and other literature.

Visit of students of a primary School15 February. A group of students of Evangelische Falkenssee Berlin Primary School visited the Berlin Mosque with their teacher. They were informed about basic teachings of Islam and importance of Mosque in Muslims’ social life. Children asked questions. A copy of the German translation of the Holy Quran was presented for the school library.

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Visitors from Qadiani Jama‘at16 February. Two groups of Qadiani Ahmadis visited the Berlin Mosque and stayed for one hour. They were explained causes of the Split and views of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Ajuman regarding vari-ous important subjects of Islam in the West.

Visit of Mr. Fessel Christian19 February. Our friend Mr. Fessel Christian who is a professional photographer and gret friend of the Berlin Mosque visited the Berlin Mosque. He stayed for one and half hour. He took some very good photos of the Mosque after its recent phase of renovation. We will try to publish some of these photographs in the next issue.

Visit of State Secretary for Europe to Berlin Mosque20 February. Mr. Gerry Woop visited the Berlin mosque and stayed for one hour. He is State Secretary for Europe and holds ministry of Heritage and Culture. Team from Architect office also came to meet him. The Imam Berlin Mosque gave presentation about the Mosque and message and work of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman. He showed much interest in the translation of Holy Quran in German by Hazrat Mualana Sadr-ud-Din, builder of the Mosque and founder of the Berlin Islamic Centre. Mr. Woop inspected the construction work and was satisfied with it. Imam’s daughter Miss Saleena Aziz thanked him for his visit and presented him a copy of Holy Quran which he appreciated. We hope his future visits will be beneficial for us.

Berlin Mosque Archive ProjectDr.Gerdien Jonker, a research scholar and author and a great friend of the Berlin Mosque is working of the archives of the Berlin Mosque for the last two years. She is trying to involve other scholars and archive institutes to make the archives of the Mosque linked up to national archives. In this connection she visited twice in February and discussed the project. It is a very important project for preserving and linking the Mosque archives to the national archives of Germany. A lot of work has been done and very soon this important project will start taking its formal shape.

Participation in the Meeting by the District Office, Berlin 1st March. An Interfaith meeting of all religious representatives was held at the office of Mayor of Berlin District. The meeting is held every three months which is beneficial for interfaith harmony. All representatives discussed the agenda and also informed about their activities Berlin Mosque activities were also presented.

Acceptance of Islam2 March. Mr. Silvio Richter took Shahda and came into fold of Islam . He was explained about Islam and AAIIL . He was presented a copy of German translation of Holy Quran and other literature. Please pray for his coming life that may Allah bless him to follow true teachings of Islam.

15 March. A group of students from Freie Secondary School, Pankow, Berlin visited the Berlin Mosque with their teacher. The students were very intelligent who asked many interesting questions about the Mosque and Islam. They stayed in the Mosque for two hours. A copy of Holy Quran in German was presented for the school library. Some of the students also showed interest to have copies of the Qur’an for their personal study which were presented to them.

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Interview by AFP Channel16 March. A German-French Channel recorded Friday Sermon and interview of the Imam of the Berlin Mosque for a documentary about the Berlin Mosque. It is available on YouTube now. Peaceful aspects of the teachings of Islam were explained to them and 95 years role of Berlin Mosque in pre-senting peaceful teachings of Islam was highlighted. You can watch this documentary on following link: https://youtu.be/iI_Sqk0WsTc

Interview by BR Channel 17 March. BR Chanel visited the mosque and had by brief interview about the statement of Minister of Interior Germany in which he stated that Islam does not suit Germany. My views were recorded about in which I mentioned that we respect his views but do not agree to it. It was explained that Islam has been presented by this mosque for more than 90 years and it has never created any prob-lem for Germany. There is possibility that some misguided Muslims may be a problem but Islam and majority of Muslims will never be a problem for Germany rather they are an asset.

Visit of an Arabic School 24 March. A group of 30 students of Qurtaba Arabic evening school visited the Berlin Mosque with their teacher. The Imam led them in Zuhr Prayer. They asked questions about the history of the Mosque. Principal of the school was presented three copies of German translation of Holy Quran as he told that they have three branches and each one can have one copy at least. He already had German translation of Holy Quran by Maulana Sadr-ud- Din.

Visit of Students and Priest from Denmark 25 March. A group of students with priest of a Church from Denmark visited the Berlin Mosque. They asked a lot of questions about Islam and also about current situation of Muslim world. They requested for English translation of Holy Quran which were presented to them.

Participation in Interfaith Programme 26 March. HWPL organized interfaith programme on the topic of End of the Age. I presented Islamic point of view and how comprehensively Quran describes this topic. Representatives of Christianity and Buddhism also presented their point of view about the topic.

Model of the Berlin MosqueA well-known late Police officer in Berlin Mr. Werner Textor, made model of the Berlin Mosque with great love and accuracy. He was born on 2.12.1920 and died on 15.06.2015. He wanted to become an architect but joined the Police service. He kept his passion alive by making models of buildings and so he chose the Berlin Mosque. His wife and son Mr. Martin Textor graciously donated this model to us. Members of the Executive Committee of the Central Anjuman in Lahore and Berlin highly appreciate their noble gesture and admire beautiful art presentation of the Berlin Mosque by the late Police Officer. Even after so many years the painting still shines and depicts devotion and great artistic talent. May Allah bless the departed soul. Amin!

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Imam Mr. Amir Aziz delivering presentation about the Mosque to the State Secretary for Europe

Mr. Christian Fessel, professional photographer and Friend of the Berlin Mosque taking photographs just before the scaffoldings were being taken down at the completion of the recent phase of renovation.

Mr. Patrick Bathige(right) with the Imam after entering the fold of Islam

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Another photograph of Mr. Christian Fessel taking photographs Mr. Garry Woop State Secretary for Europe visiting the Berlin Mosque.

A group of members of the Qadian Jama’at at the Berlin Mosque.

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State Secretary with the team of Architects D4 outside the Berlin Mosque.

Bro. Moentaj Ali Mohammed, father of the learned president Dr. R. Mohammedamin Imam of the Hague Mosque

Mr. Robbert Mohammedamin; medical doctor by profession and president of Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Hague, Netherland. Under his dynamic leadership the Jama’at has been able to

buy a church and have converted it into a Mosque. The Jama’at has moved from 16 Paul Krugerlaan, Hague to this new and

spacious place.

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Front view of the Mosque in Hague. When the project is completed, it may be the biggest Lahore Ahmadiyya mosque in Netherland.

A closer view of the front of the New Mosque in Hague, Nether-land.

Seerat-i Halabi, p. 101Actual Arabic text of the dialogue of the Holy Prophet Muhammed about the divinity of Jesus etc. See p. 100

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Asbab al-Nuzul (original edition), p. 68Asbab al-Nuzul, p.45

Title Asbab al-Nuzul, 1990 original edition.Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 68.

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A whole sentence has been omitted. It said: “Do you not know that our Lord is living and He will never die, whereas end of life came over Jesus (fana) (3:1)

Title Asbab al-Nuzul (Subsequent impression)

While commenting on 3:1 of the Qur’an, details of the discussion with the Christian Deputation from Najaran have been given.

Title of Tafsir Imam Fakhar-ud-Din Razi

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A group of Danish students visiting the Berlin Mosque

Maulana Kemal Hydal, religious head, Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Trinidad taking pledge from young members at the Ahmadiyya House, Freeport, Trinidad at the Jalsa 2018. (More photos in the next issue)

Imam lof Berlin Mosque with a group of students from the Frei Secondary School, Berlin

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blessings of Allah be on him). LOVE also generates peace and happiness in the society. Follow the commandments of ALLAH and His Messenger, the Holy Prophet MUHAMMAD and earn an ever-lasting life here in this world and in the Hereafter. May Allah bless you all.

Ahmad Nawaz, Hayward, California I have just finished reading the February 2013 issue of the HOPE Bulletin dedicated to the memory of the late Br. Akbar Abdullah. I must say that your team has worked very hard to collect facts about the life and contributions made by our late Br. Akbar. The formatting of the Bulletin and photographs have made it very impressive and visual. Br. Akbar deserved such a beautiful dedication. I wish to congratulate you for making the Bulletin more than just a news bulletin. The brief life history of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) by our new sister in the fold of Islam, Christiane Backer, is very impressive and shows how his Perfect Example has inspired her thoughts and behaviour. I am sure her book “From MTV to Mecca” must be worth reading. Thanks for introducing the autobiography of a highly popular figure in the Western media, who, by her own study, has adopted Islam, and is facing challenges with firm faith and conviction.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The HOPE Bulletin E-mail address: thehopebulletin@hotmail.com

ISLAM stands for: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND

Photographs : Amir Aziz, Christian Fessel (Berlin), Dr. Robbert Mohammedamin (Netherland) and Sis. Shayama Lee (Trinidad), Khalid Iqbal, (UK)

Design & Formatting : Erwan Hamdani, Jakarta, Indonesia

http://www.aaiil.orghttp://www.Lahore.ahmadiyya.org

For Books on Islam and the Ahmadiyya Movement: Translations of the Holy Quran in Urdu, English, German, French, Russian, Indonesian, Dutch, Spanish and Turkish. Visit our websites.

A young German boy showing interest in reading the Holy Qur’an

Mr. Silvio Richter with the Imam of the Berlin Mosque after entering the fold of Islam