The Review of · PDF fileHInduISm, SVeTaSVaTaRa uPanISHad 6:11 He is the Sole Supreme Being;...

Climate Change or a Time of Reckoning? 8

God in Islam 34

Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets22

The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam12

vol. 106 - issue tenoctober 2011

HaLLoween HaRmLeSS oR HaRmfuL

fun?

The Holy Prophet

Muhammad(saw) prophesied

that the Promised Messiah(as)

would be raised near a

white minaret, east of

Damascus. This prophecy

was fulfilled with the advent

of the Promised Messiah(as)

from Qadian, India, a city

directly east of Damascus.

The Promised Messiahand imam mahdi and founder of

the review of religions

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India. From an early age he had a keen inter-est in religion and developed a love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw). He was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve. Over time his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their source but with the passage of time had drifted away from their original teachings; he upheld the dignity of religion and demonstrated its relevance to everyone.

His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah

– a blessing that he continued for the rest of his life.

His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he would bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace.

In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hadhrat Ahmad(as) founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – a community that has since grown in its stature and strength and has remained active in conveying the message of Islam to the ends of the earth.

Hadhrat Ahmad(as) had established himself as a respected writer and had written over 80 books. His writings have been translated into more than 60 languages and continue to inspire readers to this day. One of his greatest scholarly works was The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, prepared as a paper and read out at the Conference of Great Religions in 1896.

He also wrote a fascinating treatise in 1899 entitled Jesus in India, a book that uncovered remarkable evidence of Jesus(as)’s journey to India. In 1902 the Promised Messiah(as) initiated The Review of Religions which has covered a vast array of topics on religion, philosophy and contemporary issues of the day. It is the longest running English magazine in defence of Islam and the values it teaches.

From 1889 until the time of his demise in 1908 tens of thousands of people accepted him. This blessing has continued and will continue through his Khalifas (successors).

Currently under the fifth successor, we are seeing that the tide of acceptance is worldwide and that the message of Prophet Ahmad(as) has really reached the ends of the earth.

© m

akhz

an-e

-tas

awee

r

Say, He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He neither begets nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him.ISLam, THe HoLy QuR’an, CH.112

Jabir narrates that he heard the Holy Prophet(saw) state: The most excellent way of remembering Allah is to proclaim. There is no one worthy of worship except Allah. And the best supplication is to profess. All praise belongs to Allah.ISLam, THe HoLy PRoPHeT(Saw ), TIRmIdHI

The Unity of God is a light which illumines the heart only after the negation of all deities, whether they belong to the inner world or the outer world. It permeates every particle of man’s being.ISLam aHmadIyyaT, THe PRomISed meSSIaH and Imam maHdI(aS), HaQIQaTuL waHI, P.148 In RuHanI KHaza’In VoL.22

Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.JudaISm and CHRISTIanITy, BIBLe, deuTeRonomy 6:4

He is the one God, hidden in all beings, all-pervading, the Self within all beings, watching over all works, dwelling in all beings, the witness, the perceiver, the only one, free from qualities.HInduISm, SVeTaSVaTaRa uPanISHad 6:11

He is the Sole Supreme Being; of eternal manifestation; Creator, Immanent Reality; Without Fear, Without Rancor… SIKHISm, adI GRanTH, JaPuJI, P.1:THe muL manTRa

Godis One

world faiths

october 2011

6 editorialPlay a Part in The Review of ReligionsAmer SAfir, UK

8 notes & CommentsNatural Disasters – Climate Change or a Time of Reckoning?HibbA TUrrAUf, UK

12 The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Part 10

Continuing the serialisation of the acclaimed and profound essay based solely on the Holy Qur’an. This section looks at what is really meant by the ‘drinks’ of ginger and camphor alluded to in the Qur’anHAdHrAT mirzA GHUlAm AHmAd(AS),

THe PromiSed meSSiAH And mAHdi

22 The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets(saw) — Part 11

After the Prophet Muhammad(saw), Hadhrat Umar(ra) was the second Khalifa of Islam. This is the story of his conversion. Also how Hadhrat Hamzah(ra), the powerful leader, decided to become a MuslimHAdHrAT mirzA bASHir AHmAd(rA)

34 from the archives: God in Islam

In Islam, God is believed to be One, Unique and All-Powerful. Muslims attribute to God what others attribute to men and other beings, and therefore he can comprehend God’s existence better.mUbArAK AHmAd fUellinG

12 22

cOntents

46 Halloween – Harmless or Harmful fun?

Halloween is associated with pumpkins, scary costumes and trick or treating. Behind the innocent fun, however, is the reality and history of the darker side of sorcery, occultist rituals and spiritism, still practiced today.nAvidA SAyed, UK

64 Calendar of Religious events and festivals

October 2011

manaGemenT BoaRdMunir-ud-din Shams (Chairman)Syed Amer Safir (Secretary)Ataul Mujeeb RashedNaseer Ahmad QamarMubarak Ahmad ZafarAziz Ahmad BilalAbid Waheed Ahmad KhanAbdul Baqi Arshad

CHIef edIToR & manaGeRSyed Amer Safir

edIToRIaL BoaRdBockarie Tommy Kallon, Fazal Ahmad,Hibba Turrauf, Mansoor Saqi, Munazza Khan, Nakasha Ahmad,Sarah Waseem

PRoofReadeRSAbdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan, Farhana Dar, Munavara Ghauri

dISTRIBuTIonMuhammad Hanif

deSIGn and LayouTAhsan Khan

SPeCIaL ConTRIBuToRSArif Khan, Maleeha Ahmad, Khullat Munir, Mansoor Clarke, Sami Ullah, Shehzad Ahmad

PuBLISHeRAl Shirkatul Islamiyyah Ltd.

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

All correspondence should be forwarded to the Editor at:

The Review of ReligionsTahir House, 22 Deer Park RoadLondon, SW19 3TL, United KingdomTelephone: + 44 20 8544 7614Fax: + 44 20 3044 [email protected]

34

46

At the first Jalsa Salana (Annual Convention) held by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in 1891, the Promised Messiah(as) invited members to put forth suggestions for how the true Islam, Ahmadiyyat, could be conveyed to the West and the English-speaking world. Members suggested that an English magazine could be launched. Subsequently, the Promised Messiah(as) formally announced the launch of The Review of Religions. 109 years after its launch, The Review of Religions today benefits from the insightful and visionary guidance of the Fifth Successor of the Promised Messiah(as), Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Khalifatul Masih V, Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim community. Under his auspices The Review of Religions is entering into a new phase of progress and success. Here

we are opening up an aspect of The Review of Religions to our readers so that you can help us shape this magazine.

appealing to a wider audienceOver the years several different logos for The Review of Religions have been used. As The Review of Religions rapidly expands, the need to have an instantly recognisable and consistent logo was felt necessary. In late 2010, it was decided for a complete rebranding to take place to raise the standard appealing to a wider audience whilst remaining loyal to the roots of The Review of Religions. After extensive research our aim was to align the new rebranded magazine on par with other major magazines. Working with our new designer, 6 logos were initially designed. A cross-section of readers was selected to provide feedback and

editorial

Play a Part in The Review of Religions

Amer Safir, UK

6 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS | OCTOBER 2011

2 logos were shortlisted. From January 2011 until August 2011 “Logo A” (see above) was used. Since September 2011 “Logo B” was used and will continue until the end of this year. Which of the 2 logos do you like best and why?

new Look and new articlesFrom January this year significant changes to The Review of Religions have occurred. We started printing in full-colour for the first time since its launch in 1902. We have also considerably changed the layout and style of the magazine by using more photos, incorporating a colour scheme for each edition, changing the font style throughout and improving the paper quality. We have also tried to widen our scope of writers and include more articles relevant to the events and religious festivals occurring during

the month of publication. Hence, we featured an article on Muharram in January, an article on Easter in April, in this October edition our main article is on Halloween and in our next edition we will feature an article on Hajj to coincide with its start.

new TeamMany new faces joined The Review of Religions staff over the past year, whilst others have been with us for over 10-15 years. From the compilation of articles to reviewing and editing, proofreading, design and typesetting, distribution and despatch worldwide, administration, web development, our coordinators in various countries and the Management Board, all team members, both old and new have been working with great dedication to ensure the best quality for our readers.

Please do provide us feedback regarding our new design, logo and also articles. Email us at [email protected] or [email protected] with your comments.

Logo A:

Using an all-caps ‘News Gothic’ style

bold sans typeface, its roots can

be traced back to the 1900s when

the ‘Review’ was established.

Logo B:

A twentieth century modern typeface,

‘Melior’ is based on the squared-off

circle known as the super-ellipse.

The result, a modernised classic.

OCTOBER 2011 | THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 7

The Promised Messiah(as) and Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, said over 100 years ago:

‘Remember, God has informed me of many earthquakes. Rest assured, therefore, that as earthquakes have shaken America and Europe, so will they shake Asia.’ (Haqiqatul Wahi, pp.256-57)

‘…the world shall know for certain that they are in fact signs from God which have appeared in support of His servant, the Promised Messiah.’(Essence of Islam – Vol. V, p.142)

Natural disasters have been occurring since time immemorial; however their intensity, frequency and severity have increased over the last 100 years. This year, floods in Australia and Pakistan, earthquakes in New

Zealand, tsunami in Japan and the recent Hurricane Irene to hit the Caribbean, United States East Coast and Atlantic Canada, have all left extensive damage in their wake. An analysis by UNEP/GRID-Arendal shows an exponential increase in the numbers of natural disasters from 1900 to 2000.1 According to a report issued by the International Development Ministry, major disasters like the Japanese earthquake and tsunami or Pakistan’s floods are likely to increase. Scientists believe recent natural disasters were not an aberration, but “the beginnings of a new kind of future in which mega-disasters are going to be more frequent. The scale, frequency and severity of rapid onset humanitarian disasters will continue to grow in the coming years, and at an accelerating pace,” says Paddy Ashdown a member of the British House of Lords.2

Why are scientists predicting this huge rise

notes & comments

natural Disasters - climate change or a time of Reckoning?

Hibba Turrauf, UK


in “mega-disasters”, and why has there been such a dramatic increase in natural disasters over the last 100 years?

Scientists don’t really have an answer, with most blaming global warming, climate change and consumerism. The giant reinsurer, Munich Re, explained: ‘The high number of weather-related natural catastrophes and record temperatures both globally and in different regions of the world provide further indications of advancing climate change.’3 But scientists and climate change experts negate this view. Sapir, Director of the CRED said for example: ‘It is not clear that climate change itself is an important factor.’4

Earthquakes are not linked to climate change, so what explanation could be given for the sharp rise in their occurrence? Earthquakes made up 60 percent of the natural disasters from 2000 to 2009.5 The governor for Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara was quoted as

saying the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan was “divine punishment” for excessive consumerism. Similarly, the rightwing Fox News radio talk show host and TV presenter Glenn Beck said the earthquake could be “a message from God”. Obvious from such statements is that even in this contemporary and secular world, the question of a supernatural, divine force causing these does arise.

All religions, especially Islam, Judaism and Christianity believe it to be a form of divine act , that is, God showing His wrath. Both the laws of nature/climate changes (as scientists posit) and divine wrath are causes. Natural disasters caused by climate changes or the laws of nature happen unexpectedly, in accordance with existing climatic conditions, whereas a disaster that occurs as divine punishment has been foretold to us in detail. Chapter 71 of the Holy Qur’an

Trends in natural disasters.

(2005). In UNEP/GRID-

Arendal Maps and Graphics

Library. Retrieved October

3, 2011 from http://maps.

grida.no/go/graphic/

trends-in-natural-disasters.


describes how Prophet Noah(as) forewarned his people about the impending deluge that would occur if they disobeyed God. Prophet Noah(as) states:

I said to them: seek forgiveness of your Lord; He is the Great Forgiver. He will send down rain on you in abundance, and will help you with wealth and children, and will bestow gardens on you, and will cause rivers to flow for you. (Ch.71:Vs.11-13)

However, those rejecting his claims came under the might of the great deluge. Describing this, Surah Al-Qamar of the Qur’an states:

Thereupon, We opened the gates of Heaven with water pouring down (Ch.54:V.12).

The Holy Qur’an gives numerous examples of how a people were annihilated because they

rejected the prophets sent by Him. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) in his Friday Sermon of 18th March 2011 explained:

“It is true that natural disasters occur due to natural laws or that climatic changes are a trigger, but noteworthy is that, is there someone commissioned by God in the current age who foretold earthquakes and natural disasters to support his advent? The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Promised Messiah(as) has indeed connected his advent with earthquakes and other natural disasters.”

The Promised Messiah(as) said:

‘…the world shall witness a terrible sight: not only earthquakes but also many fearsome calamities shall overtake man, some from the skies and some from the earth. This will happen because mankind has stopped

The Holy Qur’an gives numerous examples of how a people were annihilated because they rejected the prophets sent by Him.


worshipping its true God and has become lost in the affairs of the world…But with my coming the secret purposes of an affronted God which were hidden so far, became manifest.’(Haqiqatul Wahi, pp.256-57)

Being informed by God, he foretold that natural disasters would take place as a sign of his advent. His warning was an act of mercy, so we recognise our Creator, accept his Chosen Messiah and hence not fall under His wrath. His book Haqiqatul Wahi– Essence of Islam, Vol. V explains this further. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been propagating this true message of Islam to convince mankind to recognise its Creator and accept the Messiah of Muhammad (saw) thereby saving it from God’s wrath and also warning mankind of the consequences if they do not. Resources of the Community such as Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA)

International, The Review of Religions, its thousands of missionaries etc. are all helping to further the message of the Promised Messiah: to bring man closer to God and to discharge the rights due to His creation.

endnotes

1. Trends in natural disasters, http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/trends-in-natural-disasters (Last visited September 10, 2011)2. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications1/HERR.pdf?epslanguage=en3. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/natural-disasters-killed-295000-in-2010-20110104-19e06.html4. http://english.sina.com/technology/p/2010/0128/302222.html5. http://english.sina.com/technology/p/2010/0128/302222.html

His warning was an act of mercy, so we recognise our Creator, accept His Chosen Messiah and hence not fall under His wrath.


The Philosophy of the teachings of Islam

part 10

Hadhrat mirza Ghulam ahmad(as), the Promised messiah and mahdi

translated from urdu by sir muhammad zafrulla khan

The meaning of drinks Prepared from Camphor and GingerWe have already explained that the word Kafur has been used in this verse for the reason that the Arabic word Kafara means suppression and covering up. This is an indication that these people have quaffed the cup of cutting asunder from the world and turning to God with such sincerity, that their love of the world has become quite cold. It is well-known that all passions originate in the heart, and when the heart withdraws altogether from all undesirable fancies and never reverts to them at all, these passions begin to decline until they disappear altogether; that is what is conveyed in this verse, that is to say, that such people draw far away from the passions of self, and incline so completely towards God that their hearts become cold to worldly pursuits, and their passions are suppressed as camphor suppresses poisonous matter. Then it is said: They will be given to drink therein of a cup tempered with ginger. The Arabic word for ginger (Zanjabil) is a compound of Zana’ and Jabal. Zana’ in Arabic idiom means ascending and Jabal means a mountain, thus Zana’ Jabal means: He ascended the mountain.

It should be remembered that after a person recovers from a poisonous disease

he passes through two stages before he is restored to full health and strength. The first stage is when the poisonous matter is completely overcome and dangerous tendencies are reformed, and poisonous conditions are safely averted and the attack of the fatal upsurge is completely suppressed; but the limbs are still weak, strength is lacking and the patient treads wearily. The second stage is when the patient is restored to full health and his body achieves full strength, and he feels that he can climb hills and run along the heights. This condition is achieved in the third stage concerning which God Almighty has said, that godly people of the highest rank drink of cups that are flavoured with ginger; that is to say, that arriving at the full strength of their spiritual condition they can climb high mountains; meaning that they carry out great projects and make great sacrifices in the cause of God.

It is well-known that all passions originate in the heart

The Holy Qur’an, upon which The Philosophy

of the Teachings of Islam was based.


The effect of GingerIt should be remembered that one of the qualities of ginger is that it strengthens the system and relieves dysentery and warms it up so that a person becomes capable, as it were, of climbing a mountain. By placing camphor and ginger in juxtaposition it is intended to convey that when a person moves from a condition of subordination to his passions towards virtue, the first reaction is that the poisonous matter from which he suffers are suppressed and the surge of passions begins to subside, as camphor suppresses poisonous matter. That is why it is found useful in the treatment of cholera and typhoid. When poisonous matter is completely suppressed and the patient recovers his health to a degree in which he still feels weak, the second stage is that he derives strength from a drink flavoured with ginger. In spiritual terms, this drink is the manifestation of

Divine beauty, which is the nourishment of the soul. When he derives strength from this manifestation he is enabled to climb high mountains, that is to say, he performs such surprisingly difficult feats in the cause of God, that no one whose heart is not inspired by the warmth of love can perform. In these verses, God Almighty has employed two Arabic terms to illustrate these two conditions; one term is camphor, which means suppression, and the other is ginger, which means climbing.

These are the two conditions, which are encountered by seekers after God. [The Qur’an states] that for the disbelievers who have no inclination towards accepting the truth, we have prepared chains and collars for the neck, and the burning sensation of a blazing fire.1 This means that for those who reject the truth and have no inclination towards accepting it, God has prepared chains and collars and a blazing fire. The meaning is that those who do not seek God with a true heart suffer a severe reaction. They are so involved with the world as if their feet are secured by chains, and they bend down so much towards worldly pursuits, as if there are collars round their necks which do not permit them to lift their eyes towards heaven. They have

the philosophy of the teachings of islam

In spiritual terms, this drink is the manifestation of Divine beauty, which is the nourishment of the soul.


a burning desire for the things of the world: property, authority, domination, wealth, etc. As God Almighty finds them unworthy and committed to undesirable pursuits, He inflicts them with these three sufferings. This is an indication that every human action is followed by a corresponding action on the part of God. For instance, when a person closes all the doors and windows of his room, his action is followed by a Divine action whereby the room becomes dark. All the inevitable consequences of our actions that have been appointed by God Almighty under the law of nature are all God’s actions, inasmuch as He is the Cause of causes. For instance, if a person swallow’s poison, his action would be followed by the Divine action that he would suffer death. In the same way if a person acts in some improper way which attracts an infectious disease, his action would be followed by the Divine action that he would be afflicted with that disease.

Thus, as we observe clearly that in our worldly life, there is an inevitable result for every action of ours, and that result is the act of God Almighty. The same law operates in religious matters also. For instance, it is said that in consequence of the full striving of a person in seeking

God, the inevitable act of God is to guide him along the ways that lead to Him.2 As a contrast it is said: When they deviated from the right course and did not desire to tread along the straight path, the Divine action followed in that their hearts were made perverse.3 To illustrate this even more clearly it is said: He who remains blind in this life will be blind in the hereafter also, and even more astray.4 This is an indication that the virtuous see God in this very life and they behold their True Beloved in this world. The purport of this verse is that the foundation of the heavenly life is laid in this very world, and that the root of hellish blindness is also the vile and blind life of this world. Then it is said: Give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteously, that for them there are gardens beneath which rivers flow.5 In this verse, God Almighty has described faith as a garden beneath which rivers flow, and has thus indicated that faith is related to righteous action,

The meaning is that those who do not seek God with a true heart suffer a severe reaction.


as a garden is related to the water of the river or stream. As a garden cannot flourish without water, faith cannot survive without righteous action. If there is faith but no righteous action that faith is vain; and if there are actions but not faith, the actions are mere show or display.

The reality of the Islamic paradise is that it is a reflection of the faith and actions of a person in this life, and is not something that will be bestowed upon a person from outside. A person’s paradise is developed inside him and everyone’s paradise is his faith and his righteous actions, the delight of which begins to be tasted in this very life, and one perceives the hidden gardens and streams of faith and righteous action which will become concretely manifest in the hereafter. God’s holy teaching instructs us that pure and perfect and firm faith in God, His attributes and His designs, is a beautiful garden of fruit trees, and righteous actions are the streams that

irrigate the garden. The Holy Qur’an says that a word of faith that is free from every extreme defect and falsehood and vanity, and is perfect in every way is like a tree, which is free from every defect.6 The root of that tree is firm in the earth and its branches spread into heaven. It brings forth its fruit at all times and at no time are its branches without fruit. Thus, it will be seen that God Almighty has described a word of faith as a tree that bears fruit at all times, and has set forth three of its characteristics.

The first is that its root, that is to say, its true meaning should be firm in the earth, meaning that its truth and reality should be acceptable to human nature and conscience.

Its second characteristic is that its branches should spread out into heaven, meaning that it should be supported by reason and should be in accord with the heavenly law of nature which is the work of God. In other words, the law of nature should furnish arguments in support of its correctness and truth, and those arguments should be beyond the reach of criticism.

Its third characteristic should be that its fruit should be permanent and unlimited,


If there is faith but no righteous action that faith is vain; and if there are actions but not faith, the actions are mere show or display.


that is to say, the blessings and effects of acting upon it should continue to be manifested at all times, and should not cease to be manifested after a period. Then it is said:

The case of an evil word is like that of an evil tree, which is uprooted from the earth and has no stability; meaning that human nature rejects it and it cannot be established by reason, nor the law of nature or human conscience.7 It has no more stability than an idle tale.

As the Holy Qur’an has said that the trees of true faith will appear in the hereafter as grapes and pomegranates and other good fruits, in the same way the evil tree of faithlessness is called Zaqqum, as is said: Are the gardens of paradise better entertainment or the tree Zaqqum which We have made a means of trial for the wrongdoers? It is a tree that springs forth from the root of hell, that is to say, it grows out of arrogance and self-esteem. Its fruit is, as if it were, the heads of Satan, meaning that he who eats it would be ruined.8 Then it is said: The tree of Zaqqum is the food of the deliberately sinful. It will boil in their bellies like molten copper. The sinful one will be commanded: Now suffer this, thou who didst hold thyself mighty and noble.9 This is a wrathful expression

meaning that if he had not been arrogant and had not turned away from the truth out of pride and a false notion of his dignity, he would not have had to suffer in this fashion. This verse indicates that the word Zaqqum is compounded of Zuq, meaning taste it, and Am, which is formed by the first and last letters of the remaining portion of the verse.10

Thus, God Almighty has described the words of faith uttered in this life as the trees of paradise. In the same way He has described the words of faithlessness uttered in this life as the tree of hell, which He has called Zaqqum, and has thus indicated that the root of paradise and of hell is laid in this very life. At another place hell is described as a fire, the source of which is the wrath of God and which is kindled by sin and overcomes the heart.11 This is an indication that at the root of this fire are the sorrows and grief ’s and torments which afflict the

God Almighty has described the words of faith uttered in this life as the trees of paradise.


heart. All spiritual torments arise in the heart and then envelop the whole body. At another place it is said: That the fuel of the fire of hell, which keeps it blazing, is of two types.12 One, those men who turn away from God and worship other things, or who require their own worship; as is said: False deities and their worshippers will all be thrown into hell.13 The second type of fuel of hell is the idols. If there had been no false gods and no idols, nor any worshippers of these, there would have been no hell. All these verses show that in the Holy Word of God, heaven and hell are not like the physical world. Their source is spiritual, though it is true that in the hereafter they will take on concrete forms, and yet they will not belong to this world.

means of establishing a Perfect Spiritual Relationship with GodThe method of establishing a perfect

spiritual relationship with God that the Holy Qur’an teaches us is Islam, meaning devoting one’s whole life to the cause of God and being occupied with the supplications which we have been taught in Surah Fatihah [opening Chapter of the Holy Qur’an]. This is the essence of Islam. Complete surrender to God and the supplication taught in Surah Fatihah, are the only methods of meeting God and drinking the water of true salvation. This is the only method that the law of nature has appointed for man’s highest exaltation and for his meeting the Divine. Those alone find God who enter into the spiritual fire of Islam and continue occupied with the supplication set out in Surah Fatihah.

Islam is the blazing fire that burns up our life, and consuming our false deities, presents the sacrifice of our life and our property and our honour, to our Holy God. Entering it, we drink the water of a new life and all our spiritual faculties establish such a relationship with God as subsists between kindred. A fire leaps up from our inside like lightning, and another fire descends upon us from above. By the meeting of these two flames all our passions and our love for anything besides God are totally consumed and we become dead vis-à-vis our previous


Complete surrender to God and the supplication taught in Surah Fatihah, are the only methods of meeting God and drinking the water of true salvation.


life. This condition is named Islam in the Holy Qur’an. Through our complete surrender to the will of God our passions are killed, and through supplication we acquire new life. This second life is signalised by the receipt of revelation. Arriving at this stage is interpreted as meeting with God, in other words beholding God. At this stage, a person establishes a relationship with God by virtue of which he becomes as if he were beholding God, and he is invested with power and all his senses and his inner faculties are illumined, and he feels the strong pull of a holy life. At this stage, God becomes his eye with which he sees, and becomes his tongue with which he speaks, and becomes his hand with which he assaults his enemy, and becomes his ear with which he hears, and becomes his feet with which he walks. This stage is referred to in the verse: Allah’s hand is above their hands.14 In the same way it is said that: it was not thou who didst throw, but it was Allah Who threw.15

In short, at this stage there is perfect union with God and His holy Will pervades the soul thoroughly, and the moral power that had previously been weak becomes firm like a mountain, and reason and intelligence are sharpened to the extreme.16 This is the meaning of the

verse; at this stage the streams of love for and devotion to Him surge up in such a manner that to die in the cause of God and to endure thousands of torments for His sake, and to become disgraced in His path, become as easy as breaking a small straw. One is pulled towards God without knowing who is pulling. One is carried about by a hidden hand, and to do God’s Will becomes the purpose of one’s life. At this stage God appears very close, as He has said: We are closer to him than his jugular vein.17 In this condition the lower relationships of a person fall away from him, as ripe fruit falls away automatically from the branch of a tree. His relationship with God deepens, and he draws far away from all creation and is honoured with the word and converse of God. The doors of access to this stage are as widely open today as they were at

At this stage, a person establishes a relationship with God by virtue of which he becomes as if he were beholding God.


any time, and Divine Grace still bestows this bounty upon those who seek it, as He did before. But this is not achieved by the mere exercise of the tongue, and this door is not opened by vain talk and boasts. There are many who seek but there are few who find. Why is that so? It is because this stage demands true earnestness and true sacrifice. Mere words mean nothing in this context. To step faithfully onto the fire from which other people run away is the first requirement of this path. Boasts avail nothing; what is needed is practical zeal and earnestness. In this context God, the Glorious, has said: When my servants enquire from thee concerning me, tell them I am close. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls on me. So should they seek me through their supplications and have firm faith in me, that they may be rightly guided.18

Continues in the next edition

endnotes

1. Verily, We have prepared for the disbelievers chains and iron-collars and a blazing Fire. (Ch.76:V.5)2. And as for those who strive in our path—we will surely guide them in Our ways… (Ch.29:V.70)3. …So when they deviated from the right course, Allah caused their hearts to deviate... (Ch.61:V.6)4. But whoso is blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter, and even more astray from the way. (Ch.17:V.73) 5. And give glad tidings to those who believe and do good works, that for them are Gardens beneath which flow streams… (Ch.2:V.26) 6. Dost thou not see how Allah sets forth the similitude of a good word? It is like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches reach into heaven. It brings forth its fruit at all times. (Ch.14:Vs.25-26)7. The case of an evil word is like that of an evil tree, which is uprooted from above the earth and has no stability.(Ch.14:V.27) 8. Is that better as an entertainment, or the tree of Zaqqum? Verily We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. It is a tree that springs forth in the bottom of Hell; The fruit thereof is as though it were the heads of serpents. (Ch.37:Vs.63-66) 9. Verily, the tree of Zaqqum. Will be the food of the sinful, Like molten copper, it will boil in their bellies, like the boiling of scalding water……‘Taste

There are many who seek but there are few who find. Why is that so?



it! You did consider yourself the mighty, the honourable. (Ch.44:Vs.44-47, 50)10. You did consider yourself the mighty, the honourable. (Ch.44:V.50) 11. It is Allah’s kindled fire, Which rises over the hearts. (Ch.104:Vs.7-8) 12. …whose fuel is men and stones… (Ch.2:V.25) 13. ‘Surely, you and that which you worship beside Allah are the fuel of Hell… (Ch.21:V.99) 14. The hand of Allah is over their hands... (Ch.48:V.11)15. …And you threw not when you did throw, but it was Allah Who threw... (Ch.8:V.18) 16. …and whom He has strengthened with inspiration from Himself… (Ch.58:V.23)17. …and we are nearer to him than even his jugular vein. (Ch.50:V.17)18. And when My servants ask you about Me, say:

‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to me. So they should hearken to me and believe in me, that they may follow the right way.’ (Ch.2:V.187)

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The Life and characterof the seal

of the Prophets(saw)

part 11Hadhrat mirza Bashir ahmad(ra)

cHAPteR VII – Days of Struggle

departure of Hadhrat abu Bakr(ra) with the Intention of migrationIt is narrated by Hadhrat ‘A’ishah(ra), that after the Muslims migrated to Abyssinia, at one time, Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra) also left Makkah with the intention of migra-tion. While travelling south, when he reached Barikul-Ghimad, he coinci-dentally met Ibni Daghinah who was a Chieftain of the Qarah tribe. When Ibni Daghinah inquired as to the cause of this trip, Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra) responded,

“My people have exiled me. For this reason, I have decided to travel throughout the land of Allah freely, and worship my Lord.”“A man of your calibre should not leave Makkah on his own accord, nor should he be exiled,” said Ibni Daghinah, “Come, I take you into my protection. Return and wor-ship your Lord in Makkah.” As a result, Abu Bakr(ra) returned as per his request. On reaching Makkah, Ibni Daghinah rebuked the Chieftains of the Quraish saying, “Do you exile a man of such and such virtues?” After this, Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra)

made a small mosque in the veranda of his home, where he would observe prayers and recite the Holy Qur’an. Since he was exceedingly soft-hearted, he

would often weep while reciting the Holy Qur’an. This sight would especially move the hearts of the women and children of the Quraish, who were relatively simple and free of religious prejudice. Since Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra) was extremely revered among the Quraish, his fervent worship would pull the hearts of people towards Islam. Upon this, the Quraish complained to Ibni Daghinah that Abu

Continued serialisation of the English rendering of Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra)’s outstanding biography, Seerat Khatamun Nabiyyin, on the life and character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw). Seerat Khatamun Nabiyyin has been translated into English for the first time, and is being serialised in The Review of Religions. This section of the series looks at the conversion to Islam of Hadhrat Hamzah(ra) and Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) and the attempts by the leaders of the Quraish to dissuade the Holy Prophet(saw) from preaching Islam.

“My people have exiled me. For this reason, I have decided to travel throughout the land of Allah freely, and worship my Lord.”

translated from the urdu by ayyaz mahmood khan


Bakr(ra) recited the Qur’an aloud and due to this their women, children and weaker ones were put to trial, thus he should be forbidden. Ibni Daghinah attempted to stop Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra), but he refused saying, “I cannot leave this on any account. However, if you are fearful, then I leave your protection, the protection of my Lord is sufficient for me.”1 After this, the Quraish inflicted many hardships upon Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra)

, but he remained steadfast like a resolute rock.

acceptance of Hamzah(ra) In an attempt to narrate all the events related to the migration of Abyssinia in one place, many other concurrent events were left out, which shall be mentioned now. Until now the apparent state of the Muslims was very weak, because among them there was not a single person (excluding Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra)), who possessed influence among the Quraish,

or who at least from whom the Quraish were somewhat pressured. But now, by the Grace of Allah two such persons entered the fold of Islam, who, to some extent by their dignity and awe, proved to reinforce the apparent glory of Islam. Our intent is (to mention) Hadhrat Hamzah bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib(ra) and Hadhrat ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab(ra), who accepted Islam one after the other in 6 Nabawi.

Hamzah(ra) was the biological paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet(saw). He loved the Holy Prophet(saw) dearly, but until now, he was an idolater. It was his prac-tice to set out in the early morning, bow and arrow in hand, and hunt all day long. In the evening, he would return to per-form the Tawaf [circumambulation] of the Ka‘bah and he would then hold ses-sions with the various gatherings of the Quraish, which were held in the court-yard of the Ka‘bah, in groups of twos and fours. Afterwards, he would return home. One day, when Hamzah(ra) returned from hunting, a female servant said to him,

“Have you heard that Abul-Hakam [that is, Abu Jahl] just went on to say awful things to thy nephew, and cursed at him in filthy and profane language, but Muhammad(saw) did not react at all?” Upon hearing this, Hamzah’s(ra) eyes gorged with blood in

the life & character of the seal of the prophets

The Quraish inflicted many hardships upon Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra), but he remained steadfast like a resolute rock.


rage and his family honour was infuri-ated. He immediately started off towards the Ka‘bah, and first performed circuits of the Ka‘bah. After this Tawaf, he moved towards the gathering in which Abu Jahl was sitting. Upon reaching there,

he firmly struck Abu Jahl’s head with his bow and said, “I have heard that you cursed Muhammad(saw). Then listen, I too follow the religion of Muhammad(saw) and I also say what he says. Hence, if you possess even a little courage, speak before me!” The associates of Abu Jahl rose in his sup-port and a brawl almost erupted, but Abu Jahl, who was struck in awe of the bravery and courage of Hamzah(ra), stopped his associates saying, “Hamzah(ra) is true, I did

Night view of the minarets of Masjid al-

Haram where Hadhrat Hamza(ra) would return

in the evenings after hunting all day.

Credit: Basid D Soufi


in fact act unjustly,” and in this way the matter was settled.2

In his outburst Hamzah(ra) said, “I am also upon the religion of Muhammad(saw)” but when he returned home and his anger subsided, he was somewhat appre-hensive and began to ponder over the

best course of action. Ultimately, his heart decided that it was now best to forsake polytheism. Consequently, he came to the Holy Prophet(saw), recited the Kalimah [i.e. the Muslim creed: there is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad(saw) is His Messenger] and entered the fold of Islam.3 This incident is from the sixth year of prophethood, when the Holy Prophet(saw) was still situ-ated in Dar-e-Arqam.4 In happiness of


The Ka’bah in Makkah, where the

encounter between the Makkan leaders

and Hadhrat Hamzah(ra) took place.


Hadhrat Hamzah’s(ra) acceptance of Islam, or perhaps in the ardour of his sincerity, Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra) openly announced the unity of God in the courtyard of the Ka‘bah, the same day Hadhrat Hamzah(ra) accepted Islam. At that time, the Holy Prophet(saw) and various other Muslims were also present. When the Quraish witnessed the boldness of Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra)

, they attacked him. They beat him so mercilessly that when the people of his tribe helped him up and took him home, he was completely unconscious. Due to the severe beating, his body was seriously injured. When he regained con-sciousness, his first question was “How is the Holy Prophet(saw)”, and until Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra) received word of his security, he did not feel at ease.5

acceptance of ‘umar(ra)

Only a few days had passed after the acceptance of Hadhrat Hamzah(ra), when Allah the Exalted blessed the Muslims with another instance of happiness, in other words, Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) who was a vehement enemy, accepted Islam. The story of his acceptance is very interest-ing. The disposition of Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) enclosed a kind of stiffness which was further increased by his enmity towards Islam. Therefore, prior to his accep-tance of Islam, ‘Umar(ra) subjected poor

and weak Muslims to great torture on account of their [belief in] Islam. But when he was exhausted by inflicting this agony, and saw no signs of their return, he thought, why not finish the founder of this very ‘disease’. Upon this thought, he took hold of his sword and set out in search of the Holy Prophet(saw). On the way, when someone noticed him walking with an unsheathed sword in hand, he inquired, “O ‘Umar(ra), where to?” ‘Umar(ra) responded, “I have set off to slay Muhammad(saw).” He replied, “By slaying Muhammad(saw) can you remain safe from the Banu ‘Abdi Manaf? Why not then look after your own home first? Your sister and brother-in-law have accepted Islam.” Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) immediately turned and started off towards the home of his sister Fatimah(ra). As he approached the home, he could hear the sound of the recitation of the Holy Qur’an from inside, which Khabbab bin Al-Arat(ra)

Due to the severe beating, his body was seriously injured. When he regained consciousness, his first question was “How is the Holy Prophet(saw)”


was reciting very melodiously. When ‘Umar(ra) heard this voice, he was further enraged and entered the home. As soon as Khabbab(ra) heard his footsteps, he hid somewhere, and Fatimah(ra) also hid the various pages of the Holy Qur’an here and there.6 When Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) entered, he shouted, “I heard that you have left your faith!” Then, he attacked his brother-in- law Sa‘id bin Zaid(ra). Fatimah(ra) was also wounded as she moved forward, in an attempt to save her husband, and very courageously said, “Yes ‘Umar! We have become Muslim. Do as you wish, we shall not leave Islam.” Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) was a very stern man, but beneath this veil of stiffness was also a touch of love and tenderness, which showed its colours on certain occasions. When he heard the courageous words of his sister, he glanced at her and noticed that she was covered in blood. This sight

had an inexplicable impression upon the heart of ‘Umar(ra). After a short silence, he said to his sister, “Show me the word that you were reading.” “I shall not,” responded Fatimah(ra), “for you will destroy the leaf-lets.” ‘Umar(ra) replied, “Nay, Nay! Please show me, I shall indeed return them to you.”

“But you are unclean,” said Fatimah(ra), “and the Qur’an should be touched in a state of purity. First bathe, then read.” Perhaps


As he approached the home, he could hear the sound of the recitation of the Holy Qur’an from inside.

Qur’anic Manuscript from the 7th Century

written on vellum in the Hijazi script. Hadhrat

‘Umar(ra)’s sister had parchments with verses

of the Qur’an on them which she gave

to her brother Hadhrat Umar(ra) to read.


her desire was also that by taking a bath, ‘Umar’s(ra) rage would fully subside, after which he would be able to reflect with a cool heart. When ‘Umar(ra) had taken a bath, Fatimah(ra) placed the leaflets of the Qur’an before him. When he took hold of them and saw, they were the open-ing verses of Chapter Ta Ha. Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) began to read them with an awe-inspired heart, and every single word deeply impressed the heart of this well-natured man. While reading, Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) read:

“I am the one and only Creator and Master of this world. There is none worthy of worship except Me. So worship Me alone and devote your prayers to My remembrance. Lo! The promised hour cometh, but we have kept it secret, so that everyone may be recompensed for his endeavours.”7

When Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) recited this verse, it was as if his eyes was opened, and his latent disposition was suddenly aroused. He powerlessly said, “What a strange and holy word this is!”

When Khabbab(ra) heard these words, he immediately came out, thanked God, and said:

“This is due to the prayer of the messenger of

Allah. By God, it was only yesterday I heard the Holy Prophet(saw) pray that, ‘O Allah! Do bless either ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab or ‘Umar bin Hisham (meaning Abu Jahl) with Islam.’”

Each and every moment was now becoming difficult for Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra)

, and he said to Khabbab(ra), “Tell me the way to Muhammad(saw) at once.” In the fervour of his excitement, he kept his sword unsheathed. At this time, the Holy Prophet (ra) was in the Dar-e-Arqam; as such, Khabbab(ra) gave him the location. ‘Umar(ra) went there, and firmly knocked at the door. When the Companions peered through the crack in the door, and saw ‘Umar(ra) holding an unsheathed sword, they were reluc-tant in opening the door, but the Holy Prophet(saw) said, “Open the door.” Hadhrat Hamzah(ra) also said “Open the door. If he has come with pure intentions then well and good, otherwise, if his intentions are evil, by Allah, I shall sever his head off by

When Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra)

recited this verse, it was as if his eyes was opened, and his latent disposition was suddenly aroused.


his own sword.” The door was opened, and ‘Umar(ra) entered, unsheathed sword in hand. Upon seeing him, the Holy Prophet(saw) moved forward and taking hold of Hadhrat ‘Umar’s(ra) mantle he yanked it, saying, “O ‘Umar, with what intention have you come? By Allah, I see that you have not been created for the chas-tisement of Allah.” “O Messenger of Allah,” responded ‘Umar(ra), “I wish to become a Muslim.” When the Holy Prophet(saw) heard these words, in the fervour of his happiness he said “Allahu Akbar!”, and his companions called out the slogan of

‘Allahu Akbar’ so loudly that the moun-tains of Makkah began to resonate.8

At that time, Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) was thirty-three years of age, and he was the Chieftain of his tribe, the Banu ‘Adiyy. Among the Quraish he also held the responsibility of being an ambassador, and was very awe-inspiring, valiant, and courageous. By his acceptance of Islam,

the Muslims gained significant strength. They left the Dar-e-Arqam and began offering their Salat openly in the Masjid-e-Haram. Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) was the last companion to accept Islam in the Dar-e-Arqam. This occurred in the last month of the sixth year after the prophetic commission. At that time the number of Muslim men totalled forty.9

When news of Hadhrat ‘Umar’s(ra) acceptance spread, the Quraish became exceedingly furious. In this very state of fury, they besieged the home of Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra). When Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) stepped out, a large party of people gath-ered around him. It was nigh that various enraged young men attack Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra), but he stood his ground with extreme audacity. At last, in this state, a Chieftain of Makkah, ‘As bin Wa’il, arrived and upon noticing this multitude, he moved forward in his authoritative manner and said, “What is the matter?” The people said, “‘Umar has become a Sabi.” After judging the situation he said, “All right, even still, there is no need for this commotion. I give ‘Umar my protec-tion.” At this voice, in accordance with the Arab custom, people were compelled to silence and they gradually dispersed. After that, Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) remained in security for a few days, because no


Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) was the last companion to accept Islam in the Dar-e-Arqam.


one would confront him on account of the protection of ‘As bin Wa’il. But the honour of Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) could not bear this state for long. Hence, much time had not passed before he went to ‘As bin Wa’il and said, “I leave your protec-tion”. Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) relates, “After this, I would remain in a constant brawl in the streets of Makkah.”10 However, Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) never lowered his gaze before anyone.

Shortly after Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) accepted Islam, his son, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar(ra) also became Muslim. At that time ‘Abdullah(ra) was only a child, but after the demise of the Holy Prophet(saw) he acquired great status, and was looked upon as a great scholar of Islam.

endnotes

1. Sahih Bukhari, Kitabu Manaqibil-Ansar, Babu Hijratin-Nabiyyisa wa Ashabihi ilal-Madinah, Hadith No. 39052. * Tarikhut-Tabari, by Abu Ja‘far Muhammad bin Al-Jarir Tabari, Vol. 2, pp. 235-236, Babu Dhikril-Khabri ‘amma kana min Amri Nabiyyillahi(sa) ‘inda Ibtida’illahi Ta‘ala..., Darul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)

* As-Siratun-Nabawiyyah, by Abu Muhammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hisham, p. 219, Babu Islami

Hamzah(ra), Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)3. Ar-Raudul-Anf, by Imam Abul-Qasim ‘Abdur-Rahman Suhaili, Vol. 2, pp.44-45, Babu IslamiHamzah(ra), Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)4. Sharhul-‘Allamatiz-Zarqani ‘alal-Mawahibil-Ladunniyyah, by Muhammad bin ‘Abdul-Baqi Az- Zarqani, Vol. 2, p. 3, Babu Islamil-Faruq, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)5. Tarikhul-Khamis, by Husain bin Muhammad bin Hasan Dayar Bakri, Vol. 1, p.294, Dhikru IslamiHamzah, Muwassasatu Sha‘ban, Beirut6. This instance should be remembered, because through it we find that even from the early era, the Holy Prophet(saw) had the Holy Qur’an written along the way and these manu-scripts were preserved by numerous companions

When news of Hadhrat ‘Umar’s(ra) acceptance spread, the Quraish became exceedingly furious. In this very state of fury, they besieged the home of Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra).


of the Holy Prophet(saw). (Author)7. Surah Ta Ha (Ch.20:Vs.15-16)8. * As-Siratun-Nabawiyyah, by Abu Muhammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hisham, p.253, Babu Islami ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab(ra), Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)

* Ar-Raudul-Anf, by Imam Abul-Qasim ‘Abdur-Rahman Suhaili, Vol. 2, pp.120-124, Babu DhikriIslami ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab(ra), Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)* Sharhul-‘Allamatiz-Zarqani ‘alal-Mawahibil-Ladunniyyah, by Muhammad bin ‘Abdul-Baqi Az-Zarqani, Vol.2, p.8, Babu Islamil-Faruq, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)

* With regards to Hadhrat ‘Umar’s(ra) acceptance of Islam there are various other narrations as well, but here, we have only taken the well-known narrations of the scholars of Sirat. (Author)9. Sharhul-‘Allamatiz-Zarqani ‘alal-Mawahibil-Ladunniyyah, by Muhammad bin ‘Abdul-Baqi Az-Zarqani, Vol. 2, p.3-4, Babu Islamil-Faruq, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)10. Sharhul-‘Allamatiz-Zarqani ‘alal-Mawahibil-Ladunniyyah, by Muhammad bin ‘Abdul-Baqi Az-Zarqani, Vol. 2, pp.9-10, Babu Islamil-Faruq, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)

the life & character of the seal of the prophets noTe aBouT RefeRenCeS

Verse references to the Holy Qur’an count ‘Bismillah…’ (In the Name of Allah…) as the first verse of each Chapter. In some non-standard texts, this is not counted. Should the reader refer to such texts, the verse quoted in The Review of Religions will be found a verse earlier, i.e. at one verse less than the number quoted in this journal.For the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(saw)’ or ‘saw’ after the words, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the name ‘Muhammad’, are used normally in small letters. They stand for ‘Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ meaning ‘peace and blessings of Allah be upon him’. Likewise, the letters ‘(as)’ or ‘as’ after the name of all other prophets is an abbreviation meaning ‘peace be upon him’ derived from ‘Alaihis salatu wassalam’ which are words that a Muslim utters out of respect whenever he or she comes across that name. The abbreviation ‘ra’ or (ra) stands for ‘Radhiallahu Ta’ala anhu and is used for Companions of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased with him or her (when followed by the relevant Arabic pronoun). Finally, ‘ru’ or (ru) for Rahemahullahu Ta’ala means the Mercy of Allah the Exalted be upon him. In keeping with current universal practice, local transliterations of names of places are preferred to their anglicised versions, e.g. Makkah instead of Mecca, etc.

Front cover of the recently published book, ‘Seerat

Khatamun Nabiyyin’, The Life and Character of the

Seal of Prophets’. Since December 2010 The Review

of Religions has been serialising this book.


mubarak ahmad fuelling

GOD In IsLAM

froM the ArchivesThe Review of Religions, January 1932 edition


The fundamental doctrine of the religion of Islam is that of the existence of Almighty God and His Unity. The Holy Qur’an teaches us that in the Unity of God are crystallised all the perfect attributes to an infinite capacity. It also teaches us that the attributes of God are all-inclusive and inter-dependent. It is not logical according to Islam, that any single attribute or perfection could be distinguished from any other attribute or perfection so as to justify a separate God. We cannot, therefore, in believing that a God exists, further believe in a multiplicity of gods. The God-head cannot be triply decentralised for example, into a Creator, a Preserver and Sustainer, and a Destroyer. For, according to Islamic doctrine, we should find it ridiculous and illogical to conceive or believe in a deity who was all-powerful to the exclusion of other attributes, for in everything else that deity would command a status inferior to that of mankind. It is therefore wrong to stress the fact that God is Love, or Fear-inspiring, or All-Merciful, or All-Knowing, to the detriment or exclusion of other necessary and essential attributes.

If Almighty God, such as we believe in, were in any way to be deprived of any attribute or perfection, He would cease

to command our total submission to His Will. To the Muslim it is essential that God should possess every moral attribute conceivable. If Almighty God is to command our everlasting love, submission and worship for all time, in all climes and in all conditions, it is positively necessary that we delegate to Him the highest qualities conceivable. The attributes of God, which we consider to constitute His Perfect Essence, are innumerable. Although the Holy Qur’an quotes many of them in explaining how they are applicable to the actions of human beings, it by no means claims to mention them all. The attributes of God are such that often their subtlety and wisdom are lost on the ordinary human being, and there are millions of

Islam holds that God has not only infused into our minds a belief in Him, but that God has given us a book wherein we can find out how to use that belief to our profit.


factors working for our good for which, although Almighty God is responsible, we never really appreciate or realise in our life-time.

It is interesting here to remark that the pious Muslim can find more workings of God in this world than can any other mortal, for, the Muslim constantly attributes to God what obviously cannot be attributed to man.

The belief in Almighty God, whilst a natural one, is a very involved belief. It is really a stupendous mental task to conceive Him fully in the correct light, and it is difficult to conceive by one mental expression the vast perfection embodied in Him. We must not conceive God through the channels of His Love

rather than through the channels of His Mercy or His Justice, but one must conceive Him collectively through as many of His attributes as possible. The clearer we perceive His attributes the clearer image we have of Him. The magnitude of each attribute is far beyond the bounds of mortal perception, and we can only basically define it and partially realise it. To know to what depths and to what extent these attributes are employed, is too subtle a task for our poor brains. But, the Muslim has a great consolation. The Muslim believes that God so employs His capabilities that if we take advantage of His Grace, we cannot but raise ourselves in an ever nearing position to His Throne. We know, too, in a positive way that the purposes and the methods of Almighty God are

god in islam

The Holy Qur’an is the reflections of God’s thoughts and ideas. Because it is His Word, His Ordinance, it is natural that we should know more of Him by studying His Word.

Close-up of front cover of the Holy Qur’an


so wonderfully combined, interlaced, inter-dependent and consistent, that the huge superstructure of our physical and metaphysical laws is ever respondent to our lawful needs, and ceaseless in its sameness.

In our concept of God we must at first understand His existence introspectively. It must be from inside us that we find the spark of the realisation of the existence of God. Although we are surrounded by the wonders of nature, from the infinitesimal protozoa to the complex structures of matter, this material should not be the source of our belief in God. In other words, we should not believe in God because we believe in a Creator. It can be argued logically or metaphysically that God exists, but these arguments must not convince the Muslim that God exists. The Muslims must believe in God because his soul, his innermost being naturally impels him to that belief. Man should be able to believe in God without God’s manifestation in this world. I want to stress this point because it is important to understand that we should not necessarily believe in God because of His creation, but because we instinctively, by the nature of our soul, find that we know Him to exist. When we have fired the spark of realisation within ourselves,

we can feed it by our good actions and cause it to glow when we look about and see His wonderful creation. By realising more deeply the outward manifestation of God and by doing good deeds to all men and by constantly remembering Him, we no doubt feel within us the fire of the truth of His existence. The realisation of the existence of God grows more deeply in us as we deal uprightly and remember Him, for it is thus that the attachment between God and a human being is made more sweet and enduring. The manifestations of God can only deepen our belief in Him and His Will. The existence of God is the only existence about which a man can be certain, for if philosophers could convince us that we ourselves are not realities, they could never convince us otherwise as to the

It must be from inside us that we find the spark of the realisation of the existence of God.


existence of God. To the Muslim the only reality worth investigating is the reality

of God Himself; for if the universe and its glory were to vanish in a trice, the true Muslim would find God just as real as before.

god in islam

The Orion Nebula is 24 light years across and

is the closest region of massive star formation

to Earth, visible to the naked eye from earth.

Credit: NASA/ESA


The Holy Qur’an as the Word of God is not, however, the primary proof of His Existence. A man may believe sincerely in the Existence of God without having ever heard of the Holy Qur’an or the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw), or indeed of any scripture or prophet. But his belief will not bear fruit, neither will his actions reap any reward unless he knows how to practise his beliefs and what constitutes good actions. Just as the theorist is a poor practitioner, if he possesses no instruments wherewithal to make an experiment, so a man who merely believes that there is a God, unless he makes use of that belief for his moral uplift, cannot benefit from it. Islam always, as a religious principle, upholds the theory that if a thing is to be believed

in, it must be of some use to humanity. Muslims uphold the Holy Qur’an in as much as they claim that fired with the belief in Almighty God, any man can benefit by that belief by accepting the injunctions laid down in the Holy Qur’an. Islam is essentially a practical religion, for in exchange for the acceptance of its doctrines it offers an everlasting reward. The Muslim, therefore, is told in the Holy Qur’an what to do with himself in his actions towards his fellow creatures and towards God. Islam holds that God has not only infused into our minds a belief in Him, but that God has given us a book wherein we can find out how to use that belief to our profit. It is foolish merely to profess by lip our belief in anything, unless we can show to the world what that belief means to us. It is a unique point that in Islam there are no injunctions which, if practised, do not reap a spiritual reward. We therefore find a double tie with God. For, not only does He teach us but gives us the means with which we should use our knowledge to our benefit.

The imparting of knowledge of spiritual guidance from God, called Divine Revelation, is an essential doctrine. Our belief in Almighty God evolves into a belief in a Living God, a God in

We shudder at the magnitude of the universe and at the multitude of thoughts flowing therein, and we gaze at the beauty of this world, and realise the comparative insignificance of a single man.


everlasting contact with His creation. The Muslim believes in an Ever-Watching Deity and Ever-Helping Master.

We believe that God, in His Love for mankind, constantly communicates to His creatures in all ages. To call Him a God of Love and at the same time to believe that after Jesus Christ(as) He has not spoken to the world by means of a Messenger, is to believe in opposite and contrary doctrines. Those who are fond of citing that that love is best of all, are usually those who with the same breath deny a Guide after the prophet Jesus(as). A shepherd who loves his flock of sheep will keep them from wandering astray at all times of the day, for he sleeps not. Muslims do not believe in the power of Jesus Christ(as), to foster righteousness in

man for all time. History has repeatedly shown to the world the disastrous effects resulting from man believing in the powers of a man, rather than in the Power of God.

The basic communication from God to mankind is the Holy Qur’an, and it is really the covenant between man and God. For if a man is conscious of the existence of God, he will next become conscious of the nature of God, and finally of His Wishes and Prohibitions; for, all these consciousnesses are contained in His Word—the Holy Qur’an.

A Muslim not only sows a good seed by his beliefs, but reaps a fruitful harvest from them. The Holy Qur’an is an inexhaustible mine of spiritual treasures, and whoever troubles to stoop before His Throne, cannot fail to find the most precious of gems. The Holy Qur’an is the reflections of God’s thoughts and ideas. Because it is His Word, His Ordinance, it is natural that we should know more of Him by studying His Word. Muslims, born after the desire of God, must live to earn His Pleasure and must die to claim His Paradise. Truly, it is said that if all the sea were ink there would not be enough wherewithal to write of His Glory.

god in islam

A Muslim believes, in this respect, that God could, if He so willed, either cause this huge machinery of National or Scientific Laws to cease functioning or to function otherwise.


If we meditate sincerely for a fraction of time and really endeavour to concentrate our attention upon Him, we shall always realise how much we are indebted to Him, and the infinite extent to which we owe Him gratitude.

Whilst we shudder at the magnitude of the universe and at the multitude of thoughts flowing therein, and we gaze at the beauty of this world, and realise the comparative insignificance of a single man, we should also realise that, incapable as man is, sinful and corrupting and vile as his actions are, yet the love

of God for mankind goes beyond our wildest thoughts. He is the Almighty Deity Who hears the prayers of both the wretched and the rich, Who is cognisant of the destruction of even the smallest of the animal world, Who is cognisant of all ideas and intentions and actions of mankind, since creation began and to all futurity. It is enough for the good man that he understands the significance of His attributes, for to comprehend them deeply overwhelms our faculties with awe.

We have found the material of this earth a ready servant to our desire, for we have harnessed most of nature’s forces—the air, the land and the sea—to our whims, yet there are men who are ungrateful. A Muslim believes, in this respect, that God

We have harnessed most of nature’s forces—the air, the land and the sea—to our whims, yet there are men who are ungrateful.

High altitude view of earth

with the moon visible


could, if He so willed, either cause this huge machinery of National or Scientific Laws to cease functioning or to function otherwise. He is therefore essentially one who relies on the constancy of scientific laws, and on Him Who created or conceived those laws.

It is as well to understand what a Muslim believes as regards his relations with God. A Muslim lives a life of consolation. Consolation on the one hand because he is created by God and bears the stamp of God on his soul, and consolation on the other hand because he must ultimately return to his Maker. For, it is absurd to suppose that those mortals whom God has created shall ever be consigned to eternal damnation. It would be admitting that the power of evil, as opposed to God,

has won against Him. The religion of Islam plainly points out the ridiculous and absurd conclusion that is to be drawn from the Doctrine of Eternal Damnation. All mankind, according to Islam, must, of necessity, return to the Essence from which it sprang, for it is the Muslim’s belief that in the battle between Good and Evil, no life can be lost forever. As Good must ultimately prevail, it will prevail with each and every individual that has ever been born. It is a beautiful doctrine and a great consolation to know that God will never repudiate mankind whatever vileness it commits, for while our ultimate return to His Grace may be preceded by an agonising physical or mental operation or treatment, we shall nevertheless return to Him.

In the face of this doctrine, Islam has been accused by our Christian contemporaries of stressing the God of Power rather than the God of Love. Might I point out that if the Christian God of love is content to allot to the non-Christian eternal damnation, then the Muslim concept is ten thousand times more justifiable, and infinitely more lovable and loving.

The soul of man, since it is created by God, bears the stamp of God upon it, and there is no shadow of doubt that all

The Holy Qur’an is the reflections of God’s thoughts and ideas. Because it is His Word, His Ordinance, it is natural that we should know more of Him by studying His Word.

god in islam


human beings possess in them an instinct which, if developed, would cause them to do good constantly and act uprightly and shun evil, and to try to seek the Pleasure of God, and imbue themselves with the attributes of God, so that they are constantly drawing nearer to Him.

Man is like a mirror and if he would turn towards the light which emanates from the Divine Being, he would reflect that light in his person, in his actions and in his heart. Indeed, there is nothing as natural and pleasing to the soul of man as the capability of reflecting, however imperfectly, the attributes of God. With all men, even with the vilest of mankind, there exists that potential, that capability to reflect the Divine Light of God. The Islamic idea is that if man endeavours to turn towards God, God will help him. If any man sins, he does so under an influence which cannot emanate from the Divine Being. God can prevent sin, but the great purpose of the free-will of man is lost if he were to become a machine of the Divine Will. The true believer is one who constantly treads the path leading to God. If a man dallies, or loiters, or looks back, or retraces his steps then he himself is the loser. God is a magnet for all mankind and whoever moves away from that magnet is necessarily using a force

to do so. The path leading to the Throne of God brings to one the realisation of what is good and what is evil, and also prompts one to bear good-will to one’s fellow creatures. It promotes hundreds of virtues and extinguishes thousands of vices. Such is the path of righteousness. The Muslim believes that God judges each and every man by his relative and comparative morality, for it is known that all men have not had the same opportunity to manifest what is best in them. But it shall be enough that a man who cannot bestow charity, act charitably and has the intention, should he ever be in the position to do so, of bestowing charity. A man is judged by his thoughts, especially if he cannot realise his good intentions through no fault of his own.

Man is like a mirror and if he would turn towards the light which emanates from the Divine Being, he would reflect that light in his person.


In this light, according to Islam, a man who has never heard of the religion of Islam cannot ever be ranked so low as a Muslim who, whilst he knows them, neglects to follow the precepts laid down in the Holy Qur’an. A rich man has more opportunity and more time to help others, yet a Muslim believes that a poor man shall not be the loser on this account. He who has abundant time all day to read and imbibe the Holy Qur’an and glorify God, shall not be counted by God higher than he, who, by force of necessity, is working in a busy place and has not so much time to give to religious knowledge. God judges a man by what he makes of the life that is given him, whether he is a prince or a sweeper. This is a truth that is more clearly brought home to us in the mosque, the House

of God, where we all stand shoulder to shoulder before the Majesty of God, equal in His Sight. It is unique in Islam that in the House of God all men are equals, for who shall speak of values in the presence of God, and what an absurd status that of emperor becomes in the presence of the Master of Judgment. All pomp and display with which men herald the great among them, appears so insignificant in the mosque. To earn the Pleasure of God a rich man may spend a thousand pounds and a poor man but a penny. It is comforting to realise that whatever we may be, we can all achieve the greatest ambition of our life—that of having earned the Pleasure of the Divine Being. The mosque expresses relations between God and man better than anything else, for it is in that place that our souls are clothed in the best light.

This is a truth that is more clearly brought home to us in the mosque, the House of God, where we all stand shoulder to shoulder before the Majesty of God, equal in His Sight.

god in islam


It is our duty to depend upon the Mercy of God, for we cannot ever dispense with it. It is our duty to depend upon God for all the success that should accrue from good works. Furthermore, we should ever treat Him as our Helper, as a loving Guardian and as a Judge. Whilst we feel His proximity, we should realise His altitude and while we reflect His attributes, we must remember that our reflection is incomparable with His Light.

We are comforted as Muslims to know that while God is so infinitely removed from us His presence is nearer to us than our jugular vein. Whilst He is remote, He knows all our most trivial thoughts and ideas. It is, therefore, according to Islam, foolish to think or to intend evil, for God knows all thoughts and intentions. A judge condemns a man only after a crime, but God knows the criminal before the crime is committed. Also, if we advance towards the Throne of God we shall be divinely assisted, but if we turn from His Throne we shall never profit by our worldly actions.

This fundamental doctrine of the existence of God, therefore, is to a Muslim nine-tenths of his religion. A Muslim can reveal his respect and

submission to the Divine Will by sincere prayer and prostration, whilst other men must spend hours in chant, helped by organs, exotic music and instruments of gold. A Muslim can pour out his heart before a Potent Deity with serenity and tranquillity, whilst others must hire a confessor. A Muslim can summon his brothers to prayer with an intelligent and beautiful call from his lips, whilst others must use jangle bells. A Muslim can lavish his surplus money on the poor, whilst others lavish theirs in adorning their places of worship. A Muslim cannot find a sentence in his Scripture which does not ring with purity and truth, whilst others must search their books from beginning to end to find justifiable statements. Shall not then the Muslim find pleasure in prostrating himself in gratitude before the Lord of the Worlds? Shall not a Muslim hold his head high among the people of mankind? For, in his belief in the Existence of Allah, a Muslim finds the perfect expression of the Soul, and thus evolves as the most contented of mankind.

Halloween is a festival celebrated around the world on 31st October. It is a day which has become commercialised, most people being unaware of its true origins. Instead, most associate Halloween with only pumpkins, scary costumes, bonfires and trick or treating. Societies go to great lengths to ensure that no one misses out on this festivity. Even a pregnant mother can obtain an outfit of a witch or a devil to wear. Supermarket aisles are the centre of attraction with their vast variety of Halloween themed goods, and the bookshelves are loaded with Halloween themed books. Advice and special tips are given out at this time of year, on how to include and be sensitive to the vulnerable senior citizens in society during Halloween.

In short, Halloween is considered by many around the world as a harmless day of fun. But how did Halloween actually begin? Behind all the innocent celebrations is the reality and history of a darker side of festivities linked to sorcery, spiritism and occultist rituals.

The History and origins of HalloweenThe history and origins of Halloween are predominantly linked to pagan beliefs. ‘The word ‘pagan’ was originally used by the Urban Romans to refer to people who preferred the faith of their local ruling body, it was later applied to people who worshipped local deities, or people who practiced polytheism.’1 Pagans are people who practice non-Abrahamic religions. Paganism or Neo paganism (modern paganism) promotes reverence for the

navida sayed, uk

Halloween – Harmless or Harmful Fun?


earth and/or deities of pre-Christian religions. Halloween or Samhain is a very important Holy festival in their calendar. Throughout history, the Church (the “church” is not only a building, but

a body of religious people), attempted to invite pagans to Christianity by including religious ceremonies or holy dates coinciding with pagan festivals, so that the pagans could keep some of their traditions and come into the folds of Christianity. One of these festivals was Halloween.

Celtic origins and druidsHalloween, or Samhain, is one of the eight festivals in the Celts wheel of the year. The Celts are one of the groups who branched off from the Norse/Germanic people (originating in Scandinavia, Norse/Germanic people were several

halloween – harmless or harmful fun?

Throughout history, the Church attempted to invite pagans to Christianity by including religious ceremonies or holy dates coinciding with pagan festivals.


groups of people whose beliefs varied, but had some similarities).

The origin of Halloween is from the Celtic festival of death marking the beginning of their New Year, called ‘Samhain’, pronounced sow-en or saw-win, celebrated on 31st October or 1st November.

‘From the earliest records, Samhain is seen not simply as a day for the dead but when the dead might reach out to the living.’2

This came to be known as the feast of the dead, because the Celts believe that on this night the veil or border between the worlds of the living and dead is the thinnest, enabling souls of the dead to re-enter the world. This was a time when the Celts anticipated communing with the dead spirits, in the hope that their dead ancestors would guide them about the forthcoming new year.

On this day ‘…the spirits of the dead left their graves and roamed the earth or visited their former homes and families.’3

During Samhain, Druid priests believed that the evil spirits were responsible for bringing about the advent of cold

weather and shorter hours of daylight, (a druid could be a priest, teacher, judge or philosopher). The Celtic Druids lit bonfires to mark Samhain and to combat the powers of darkness, and offered sacrifices as a request and plea to the gods’ to return sun and warmth after the cold and dark winter. Many historians believe that ancient Druids performed human or animal sacrifices and ‘there is evidence of human ritual sacrifices being offered to the gods in exchange for the troubled life of the people... these were sacred and magical acts made in great times of need.’4 However, ‘modern Druids do not offer human or animal sacrifices and they have not revived this practice.’5 Druids past and present, celebrated or celebrate the festival of Samhain, and their prime focus is to honour the dead on this Druidic New Year Day.

The ancient Druids believe that the soul is immortal, that after a person dies their soul reincarnates and lives again in another living entity—either in a plant or the body of a human or animal. The Druid priests and priestesses acted as mediums through which the spirits could be summoned and heard. Samhain is a time for divination and magic. The Druids foretell the future on this powerful night.


witches’/wiccans Holy nightWitches or wiccans (wicca is the name for the modern witchcraft movement) honour many gods and goddesses. Wicca is amongst the fastest growing religions in the United States. In 1999 results based on a voluntary poll estimated that there were around 768,000 Wiccans and Pagans in the United states.6 Witches or

Wiccans have their magical tools (wand, chalice, pentacle etc.), and they may dress mainly in the colours purple and black. ‘For witches black is the colour of deep creativity, the inner-self and the mysteries of the universe, however the witch clad in black is an old image.’7 Contrary to popular belief, they do not wander the world in pointed hats waving their magic wands, this is the stereotypical image which was created and is illustrated in children’s stories and films.8 The wiccans do not follow any sacred text, but they follow a rule not to harm others. The Wiccan Book of Rites and Rituals states ‘...whatever harm is done to others will come back threefold....’ 9

‘On Samhain, or Halloween, the wiccans/witches believe that the God is dead. Some say the goddess is in mourning and enters the crone stage. For most wiccans, she is in the mother stage for although she mourns, she is pregnant with the god’s child and due to give birth...’10

Wicca is amongst the fastest growing religions in the United States.


Pentagram Parchment. The Pentagram is a

symbol used by many followers of Wicca


The ‘crone’, or old hag, is associated with the witches Samhain season of the dead. They believe that this is the time when the crone prepares the shrouds for the dead, and she is the midwife who receives the dead at the end of their life when they are reborn into the otherworld.11 Samhain, or All Hallows Eve, is one of the eight major Sabbats, of the witches/pagan calendar.

‘A Sabbat is a gathering of witches for the purposes of celebrating allegiance to the devil, casting spells, plotting evil and indulging in feasting, drinking, dancing....12.’

Samhain is considered to be the highest holy day and the busiest night of the year for witches, who are deeply engrossed in casting spells, fortune-telling and magick. They believe that:

‘This is the time to perform rituals dealing with communication with the

dead, honouring the deceased, psychic abilities, divining...and to pay special homage to the dead. Because the real magick begins at midnight on October 31st, and continues for a full twenty-four hours to November 1st.13

On this night, witches perform many rituals including honouring and communicating with the dead. This

On this night, witches perform many rituals including honouring and communicating with the dead.

Witches perform many rituals on this night

involving the use of candles, cauldrons,

incense and other ingredients


process involves the use of candles, cauldrons, incense, spider-webs and many other ingredients depending on the ritual, followed by citing incantations. Some of these spells or rituals involve visiting graveyards. Witches or wiccans honour the dead and celebrate Samhain by forming circles, either on their own or with other witches and perform various rituals in a process of inviting and communing with the dead. Black cats, owls, toads and bats are an important link between Halloween and the occult, which are known as “the witch’s familiars.”

‘A familiar is a demon or imp, usually in the outward form of an animal that was assigned to a witch or sorcerer to carry out a magic on their command.’14

The witches’ Sabbats holidays are still celebrated today, by modern-day pagans.

Roman Influence on HalloweenThe Romans believed in many deities, ‘their laws were based on logic, but also on omen, and divination was common.’15 Alongside the worship of deities, the Romans celebrated several festivals, and two of their festivals influenced the celebration of Halloween. ‘Around A.D. 50, the Romans had conquered most of the Celtic lands, the Romans brought their traditions with them.’16 One was the traditional festival – Feralia, (a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead) and the other festival was a day to honour Pomona (the Roman harvest goddess of fruit and trees).

‘The Romans pictured Pomona as a beautiful young maiden, her arms filled with fruit, and a crown of apples on her head. To thank Pomona for good harvests, the Romans laid out apples and nuts in her honour. They played various games, held races and celebrated throughout the day and night.’17

The Roman festival of the dead – Fernalia and Pomona, became mingled with Samhain, because they were celebrated at

Wiccan/Celtic Wheel of the Year



the same time. It is believed that: ‘many Halloween customs and games including apples, such as apple bobbing and apple peeling probably dates from this time’.18

Halloween and the Christian ChurchIn Christian tradition, Halloween is the abbreviated term for All Hallows of Eve, the day before All Saints Day, a day when Christians commemorate all the known and unknown deceased saints of the church.

On May 13, 609/10, Pope Boniface IV declared November 1st to be All Saints Day to honour Catholic saints and martyrs. November 1st became known

as ‘All-Hallowmas’ and ‘All-Hallows’, thus making October 31st All-Hallows Eve, which in turn came to be known as Halloween. Around A.D. 1000, the Catholic Church expanded the holiday to November 2nd – All Souls Day – a day to honour all of the dead.19 ‘This was the Church’s attempt to associate their own Saints with the time of the pagan spirits’.20

It is believed that:

‘As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the church sought to eliminate the pagan practices of the Celts by giving the Samhain a new meaning. Most cultures set aside a day for remembering the dead, so the Roman Church designated November 1st as All Hallows Day to eulogise departed saints.’21

‘The first testimony to All Souls Day is found around the tenth century.....and probably represents an attempt on the part of the church to turn the minds of the faithful away from the pagan belief in and tendance of “ghosts”, to the contemplation of saints in the glory of paradise.’22

On this holy day of obligation for the Catholics and many other Christians, a custom of singing the ‘Litany of the

Pope Boniface IV, who was Pope from

608AD until his death in 615AD, declared

November 1st to be All Saints Day, thus

making October 31st All Hallows Eve.


Saints’ follows, where the names of the Saints are invoked. Following the invocation of the saints, the Litany concludes with a series of supplications to God to hear the prayers of the worshippers.

Unfortunately, even though the Church tried to Christianise (adapting and accommodating parts of pagan festivals into the Christian faith, by giving them new names and celebrating them on the same days or seasons,) this pagan holiday, they did not succeed, because they could not influence witches or pagans to turn away from and abandon their witchcraft, divinations and sorcery, instead it became a mockery for the Witches.

‘Halloween became known as the “night of the witch.” It was then, according to superstition, that the devil and all his followers – witches, warlocks, and demons – gathered. They would mock the coming of the Church’s festival of All Saints Day on November 1st by

performing unholy acts.’23

Creating a day such as All Hallows to remember the departed saints or souls, in the name of Christianity, only alludes to the spiritual weakness of such believers. This day is not an instruction of the Bible either, nor is it a teaching of Jesus(as). It is ironic that any follower of Jesus(as) could ever contemplate creating such a day, which goes against the teachings of the Old Testament. Many devout followers of the Bible do not celebrate Halloween and its pagan customs, bearing in mind the teachings of the Bible:24

It is evident that Halloween is a day of the dead and the peak moment of Sorcery, divinations and occultist practices associated with harmful innovations. Many of these practices date back thousands of years and over time. Prophets warned people about the harms of such practices, Prophet Moses(as) warned:

When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or

The Church tried to Christianise this pagan holiday, they did not succeed.



an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of

times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. [Deuteronomy 18:9-14]This is a very clear message, and a scriptural injunction forbidding the

Creating a day such as All Hallows to remember the departed saints or souls, in the name of Christianity, only alludes to the spiritual weakness of such believers.

Nowhere in the Bible is there mention of

All Hallows nor did Jesus(as) instruct it.

Photo: Handwritten Latin Bible written

in Belgium from 1407 AD on display

in Malemusbury Abbey, England.


people of Israel from having anything to do with the satanic practices of people around them. There is obviously some logic and wisdom in following this scriptural principle. What is most striking are the verses which immediately follow;

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; [Deuteronomy 18:15]

According to the above verses, not only does the Old Testament warn people against the practice of harmful innovations, but it clearly goes on to inform people about the coming of a Law giving Prophet who was to appear after the time of Moses(as), to whom they should listen . The fulfilment of this

prophecy relates to none other than the Promised Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw), through whom the wonderful religion of Islam and its beautiful teachings were revealed, in the form of the Holy Qur’an. Thus, the glad tiding was given to the people of Israel of the advent of a prophet from their brethren, who would be far superior in his guidance than any “diviners”, “witches” or “enchanters”, that had previously been mistakenly perceived as sources of Divine knowledge.

Many Abrahamic Prophets warned to keep away from practices relating to divinations, sorcery, and the occult, and many devout believers follow the teachings of their scriptures. But the scripture revealed through the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw) – the Holy Qur’an, takes this subject a step further by defining the wisdom and logic in not partaking in any such harmful innovations, by introducing and explaining the concept of shirk (associating partners with God).Regarding this the Holy Qur’an clearly states:

Surely, Allah will not forgive that any partner be associated with Him; but He will forgive whatever is short of that to whomsoever He pleases. And whoso

Many Abrahamic Prophets warned to keep away from the practices relating to divinations, sorcery, magic, superstition and occult practices.



associates partners with Allah has indeed devised a very great sin. (Ch.4:V.49)According to the F ive Volume Commentary of the Holy Qur’an by Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra), Khalifatul Masih II:

‘The reference in this verse not only refers to idol worship but also to also to such idolatrous practices as are in vogue among common people, even among present-day Muslims, such as the adoration of Saints and offering prayers and oblations to them. All such abominable practices are shirk in the sight of God. But loving or trusting in a thing or being as one should love and trust in God may be forgiven, if done in ignorance and through lack of proper care. This is provided one is a sincere believer in God and his Prophet, and strives to do good works. The expression, Allah will not forgive, does not mean that an idolatrous person can never repent or that his or her repentance cannot be accepted even in the present life. The expression relates to the time after death i.e. one who dies in a state of ‘shirk’, will not be forgiven.’25

Explaining the sin of shirk, the Promised Messiah(as) writes:

‘Similarly, Allah has said in the Holy

Qur’an that every sin is forgivable except shirk. Therefore, do not go near shirk and consider it to be a forbidden tree.’26

Warning against shirk, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V(aba) states:

‘Among the i l ls that take over imperceptibly is shirk. Even a hint of shirk is unacceptable to God. A Muslim who claims to be firm on the Unity of God, needs to understand the subtlety of the concept of Unity of God and the subtlety of shirk and be extremely careful in this fast developing world.’27

Anything associated specifically with Halloween would equally be tantamount to shirk, therefore it would be preferable to avoid association with any Halloween activity or festivity.

Halloween customs and traditions Over the decades the commercialisation of Halloween has downplayed and

Anything associated specifically with Halloween would equally be tantamount to shirk.


shifted the Christian emphasis of All Saints Day, to Halloween costumes, decorations, partying and entertainment. This can also be a dangerous and harmful day especially for teenagers who are at the greatest risk of being lured into the occult. The pagan roots of Halloween associate it with evils spirit, satanic rituals and a day of the dead, therefore, one can hardly call it fun. There are many traditions and customs associated with Halloween celebrations.

Bonfires – Bonfires around the time of Halloween depict the huge bonfires built by the Druids at the time of Samhain.‘These fires served double duty: they warded off demons and such which roamed around, but they also provided for a sacrifice to the sun god. In enormous wicker baskets, they caged both human and animal sacrifices and burned their victims alive. By observing the way they

died, the priests predicted good or evil for the future.’28

Pumpkins – This is a tradition which can be traced back to the Middle Ages, ‘Celts often hollowed out a turnip and carved a grotesque face on it to fool demons. They carried such lanterns to light their way in the dark and to ward off evil spirits at the same time. While the turnip continues to be popular in Europe today, the pumpkin has replaced it in America. “Jack is a nick name for John which is a common slang word meaning “man”. “Jack O” Lantern then, means, “man with a lantern.”’29 It was thought that the jack-o-lanterns would scare away earthbound ghosts. Thus, people hollow out pumpkins and turnips, placing candles inside to scare evil spirits from their houses.

Trick or treat and costumes – “Trick or treating” dates back over two thousand years.30 This custom can be traced back to the Celtic rituals :

‘...for the sake of their safety and well-being, people put out sweets and other good things to eat to placate evil spirits and keep them from doing harm. Some people, hoping to fool the demons, disguised themselves as evil spirits and roamed the countryside, committing


The pagan roots of Halloween associate it with evils spirit, satanic rituals and a day of the dead, therefore, one can hardly call it fun.


malicious pranks, until dawn sent the ghosts and devils back to their unholy realm.’31

This custom continued to grow over the centuries and it was very widely believed, that if people failed to please the evil spirits by tricking them with nice foods and treats, then the evil spirits would intrude into their houses. This led to a custom of making and giving of “soul-cakes” on All Saints and All days, mainly in English counties and Scotland. Youngsters would go door to door begging for cakes in return for praying for the dead relatives of the household. Over time, this custom also included giving the beggars apples or money.32 Over the years this custom became a day of fun especially for pranksters. For example:

‘In Tyrol All Souls is a licensed day of begging, which has become a serious abuse. A noisy rabble of ragged and disorderly folk with bags and baskets to receive gifts, wanders from village to village, claiming as a right the presents of provisions that were originally a freewill offering for the departed, and angrily abusing those who refuse to give’.33

Halloween parties, telling of Ghost Stories and Horror movies – It is widely becoming ever more popular to party throughout the night, dressed in scary costumes, decorate the house with haunted decorations, make Halloween foods and watch horror movies all night. However, this can be extremely dangerous and harmful for children, who cannot differentiate between reality and fantasy. They can become engaged in harmful acts and can become traumatised by watching horror moves all night.34 Sometimes this is the first time that children become exposed to the occult,

It was thought that the jack-o-lanterns would scare away earthbound ghosts.


“The word “occult” means “hidden.” Included in a catalogue of occult practices are the following: Divination, astrology, spiritualism...demonology, diving with rod or pendulum and numerous other related practices.35

“Watching ‘Friday the 13th’ with your child is probably not a good idea. Children

under the age of five may be too young to actually watch and understand violent movies; however, they are psychologically affected by the scenes they are exposed to,”36 says Dr. Daniel S. Schechter, the study’s principal investigator and director of the Infant-Family Service at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry (in paediatrics) at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

Haunted attractions, Ghost hunts and fright nights in theme parks –Haunted attractions are held in Castles, abandoned asylums, old prisons, ships, boats, or any place that would be suitable to host a haunted attraction. Some of these attractions also include ghost hunts. “Fright nights” in Theme parks around the world are the transcendent horror destinations on Halloween nights, having extended opening hours through the night for people to go on the rollercoaster’s and rides in the dark, surrounded by scary images, lights and spooky music playing in the background.

Many people may be unaware that, the traditions and customs associated with Halloween have pagan origins, which are tantamount to shirk. Believing that


“Watching ‘Friday the 13th’ with your child is probably not a good idea. Children under the age of five may be too young to actually watch and understand violent movies”

Horror movies inundate the TV schedule

during Halloween, which can have

negative effects on children


anyone other than Allah shares His powers constitutes shirk. As Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra) explains:

‘To associate anyone in the name, action, or worship of Allah constitutes shirk, and to carry out all good deeds solely for the pleasure of Allah is called worship. People believe that there is no Creator except Allah, and they also believe that life and death are in the hands of Allah Who has complete control and power over them. Even though they believe in this, they prostate in front of others, tell lies, and perform circuits before others. Instead of worshipping Allah, they worship others; instead of fasting for Allah, they fast for others; and instead of praying to Allah, they pray to others and give alms for them. To uproot these false notions, Almighty Allah raised the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw).’37

ConclusionHadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Fifth Successor to the Promised Messiah(as) and Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim community provides us most crucial guidance relevant to our time through his Friday Sermons. During a Friday Sermon about Halloween, he said that the reality of Halloween entails the belief in the existence of witches, evil

spirts and satanic worship. Whilst people celebrate Halloween on the pretext of having ‘fun’, it is entirely wrong and dangerous to ‘believe in’ things that are supernatural for ‘fun’. Ahmadi children in particular should therefore avoid this. Even until recently some villagers would offer something to children believing that it would save them from sprits. This also emboldens children to commit wrong acts for the sake of fun. For example, rude manners towards elders is becoming common. Movies also give wrong messages and in particular when children are encouraged to watch them by adults—the result is the society will only deteriorate. Hudhur said:

“For us, the biggest matter is the bringing

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V(aba), Head

of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim

community explained the reality behind

Halloween in his Friday Sermon


of dead spirits, as if, equal to God and thus committing shirk.”

Hudhur further said, that rituals at Halloween are not limited to wearing scary costumes and going door-to-door; rather, some older children deliberately frighten people in their homes, cause trouble and disturb the surrounding population. Hence, Ahmadi Muslims should avoid this and should instead focus on strengthening their connection with God, in Whose hands rests all real power. Thus, it is evident that Halloween is indeed “harmful” rather than “harmless” as people are drawn into indulging in hidden shirk. We should pray that Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V(aba)’s prayer that “May God protect everyone from this”, is accepted on behalf of all of us.

endnotes

1. Silverwind, S. (2006), Everything You Need to Know About Paganism, Devon: David & Charles, p.32. Mackillop, J. (2005), Myths & Legends of the Celts. London: Penguin, p.97 3. Ingraham, Dr. D A. (2000), Pagan Traditionsof the holidays. Oklahoma: Bible Belt Publishing, p.714. Worthington, C. (2005), Druids a beginners guide. London: Hodder and Stoughton.5. Moran, S. (1999), The Secret World of Cults. Surrey: Bramley Books.6. Silverwind, S. (2006). Everything you need to know about Paganism. Devon: David & Charles, pg207. Gallagher, A.-M. (2001). Inner Magic a guide to witchcraft. London: Octopus, pg. 678. Pickering, D. (1996). Dictionary of Witchcraft. London: Cassell, pg.2449. Moon, S. (2004), The Wiccan Book of Rites and Rituals. New York: Citadel Press, p.xiii10. Silverwind, S. (2006), Everything you need to know about Paganism. Devon: David & Charles, p.4511. Gallagher, A.-M. (2001), Inner Magic a guide to witchcraft. London: Octopus, p.1412. Pickering, D. (1996), Dictionary of Witchcraft. London: Cassell, p.406 13. Moon, S. (2004), The Wiccan Book of Rites and Rituals. New York: Citadel Press, p.17114. Pickering, D. (1996). Dictionary of


Hence, Ahmadi Muslims should avoid this and should instead focus on strengthening their connection with God.


Witchcraft. London: Cassell, p.18215. Silverwind, S. (2006). Everything you need to know about Paganism, Devon: David & Charles, p.616. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Tarditions of the Holidays, USA: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7217. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Tarditions of the Holidays, USA: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7318. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Tarditions of the Holidays, USA: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7319. Encyclopedia of the Early Church, 1992 , p.1420. Nozedar, A. (2010), Signs and Symbols Sourcebook, London: Harper Collins, p.477. 21. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Tarditions of the Holidays, USA: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7422. Miles, C. A. (2010). Christmas In Ritual and tradition, Christian and Pagan. Emereo Pty Ltd p.12023. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000). Pagan Traditions of the Holidays. Oklahoma: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7424. Leviticus 19:31, 2 Chronicles 33:6, Isaiah 8:19, 2Kings 23:2425. The Holy Qur’an and English Translation with Commentary, Islam International Ltd (Note 523)26. Damimah Tohfah-e-Golarhviyyah, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 17, pp.323–324, footnote27. Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad,

(2006), Conditions of Bait & Responisbilities of an Ahmadi. Tilford: Islam International Publications Ltd.28. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Traditions of the Holidays, Oklahoma: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7129. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Traditions of the Holidays, Oklahoma: Bible Belt Publishing, p.8030. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Traditions of the Holidays, Oklahoma: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7231. Limburg, P. R. (1991), The complete book of Halloween, Camelot.32. Miles, C. A. (2010), Christmas In Ritual and tradition, Christian and Pagan, Emereo Pty Ltd.p.12233. Miles, C. A. (2010), Christmas In Ritual and tradition, Christian and Pagan, Emereo Pty Ltd.p.12334. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/ 35. Ingraham, Dr D A. (2000), Pagan Traditions of the Holidays. Oklahoma: Bible Belt Publishing, p.7036. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/ 37. Khutabat-e-Nur, pp.7–8


Saturday 8th octoberfaith: Jewishevent: Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is the great fast of Judaism. Jews will refrain from work and set aside time to atone for shortcomings in the past year, and to return to the Lord in repentance. Yom Kippur Is the only day of fasting mentioned in the Bible (Leviticus, 23:23-28) and falls on the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Although fasting is mandatory for mature men and women, pre-adolescent children, those whose illness would mean fasting would harm their health and women in childbirth are not permitted to fast (see article, Yom Kippur – the Jewish Fast, from the September 2009 Edition).

Sunday 9th octoberfaith: Sikhevent: Birthday of Guru Ram Das

Guru Ram Das (1534-1581) was the fourth of the ten Sikh Gurus. He was born in Lahore, Punjab and his father-in-law, Guru Amar Das, was the third of the ten Sikh Gurus. One of his main achievements was the establishment of a structure in Sikh society. He was also the author of Laava, the four hymns of the Sikh Marriage Rites. 688 of Guru Dam Das’ hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Scripture.

cALenDAR OF ReLIGIOuseVents & FestIVALs


wednesday 26th octoberfaith: Hindu, Jain, Sikhevent: Diwali

Commonly known as “the festivals of lights”, Diwali, or Deepawali, is a significant festival for Sikhs, Hindus and Jains. Jains celebrate Diwali to mark the moksha, or nirvana of Mahavira, who established the core tenants of the Jain faith today. For Sikhs, Diwali marks the Celebration of Freedom, or Bandhi Chor Diwas, and for Hindus Diwali is celebrated to commemorate the return of “Lord Rama” from his exile. To celebrate Rama’s return residents of Ayodhya, Capital of Rama, lit diyas, or oil lamps all over the land, a tradition that continues today.

monday, october 31stfaith: Christianityevent: All Hallows Eve (Halloween)

All Hallows Eve is the day before All Hallows Day, also known as All Saints Day. Although Halloween has become commercialised with most associating it with pumpkins, scary costumes and trick or treating, behind the innocent fun is a reality of dark side of sorcery and occult practices that has its roots in the pagan festival of Samhain (for further reading see main article in this edition – Halloween, Harmless or Harmful Fun?)

october 2011


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