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CONTENTS March 2006, Vol.101, No.
Editorial: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Mansoor Saqi – UK
The Holy Prophet(saw) Alone is the Living Prophet – part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The truth of the Holy Prophet(sa) is established by the remarkable way the message
of Islam spread and how the Word Of God has been safeguarded.
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) – Promised Messiah and Mahdi
Prophets and Troopers – A Study in Contrast, Part 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

God’s messengers have followed a method of reform based on reason and
persuasion and not on the use of force. Is there a death penalty for changing one’s
faith? A potent message for the Jihadist organisations.
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad – Khalifatul Masih IV
Prophets of God – Part 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Prophet Moses(as), a truly great Messenger of God who safely took the people of
Israel from the cruel rule of the Pharaoh to freedom.
Daud Hanif – USA
The Impact of Religion on Ghanaian Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

The importance of understanding the fundamentals of religion to dispel superstition
and appreciate the true meaning of accountability. Maulvi A. Wahab Adam – Ghana
The Purity of the text of the Holy Qur’an – Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

The Holy Qur’an was revealed, recited in full repeatedly, memorised by heart by many
and preserved in written form during the life-time of the Holy Prophet(saw).
From The Review of Religions archive, 1907
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Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 1
EDITORIAL
Mansoor Saqi – UK
In the study of religion it is Islam is a living religion. In this

important to go back as close as issue of The Review of Religions
possible to the original scriptures an extract from the writings of
to understand the real meaning of the Promised Messiah(as) is
the message. Among religious presented which discusses this
scriptures the Holy Qur’an is fact:
unique as the text has been
preserved and is exactly the same ‘There was a time when their
as that revealed to the Holy number did not exceed the
Prophet of Islam(saw). The texts of number of the members of
other scriptures have changed one family and today they
over time (corruption and are counted in hundreds of
interpolation) and the original millions. God had said He
message may not be apparent would safeguard His word,
from the versions of these texts and is it not true that the
that we currently have. teaching which the Holy
Prophet(sa) conveyed as
The fact that the text of the Holy coming from God Almighty
Qur’an has been safeguarded in in His Word is still
this manner is mentioned in the safeguarded in that Word ...’
Holy Qur’an itself:
The purity of the Holy Qur’an is
Verily, We Ourself have sent examined in detail in an article
down this Exhortation, and on page 54 which has been
most surely We will be its continued from the previous
Guardian. (Ch.15:V.10) issue. Here it is explained how
the text was preserved in written
This is a testimony to the truth of form during the lifetime of the
the Message and the fact that Holy Prophet(saw).
2 The Review of Religions – March 2006

EDITORIAL
History has shown that the The importance of persuasion,

spread of the message of the reasoning and of tolerance are
Prophets has always been particularly pertinent in these
through persuasion and times, if the true meaning of the
reasoning and never through the message of Islam is to be
use of force. This is the way that correctly conveyed to mankind.
the spiritual reformation of
people has come about in an
article featured in this edition.
‘Even a cursory glance at

history will reveal that for
spiritual and moral revo-
lutions God asks his
servants to win over the
people with truth and
patience. Patience and
prayer are the integral part
of religious revolution and
they should continue to be
exhorted till God’s promise
is fulfilled.’
And later
And, above all, the Seal of

the Prophets, the leading
reformer of all time, our
Master Muhammad(sa) was
sent to bring about a
universal spiritual revo-
lution with nothing but
persuasion and reasoning.’
The Review of Religions – March 2006 3

The Holy Prophet(saw) Alone is the
Living Prophet – Part 6
This series sets out, in the words of the Promised Messiah(as), Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad, a summary of his exposition of four outstanding topics: ISLAM; ALLAH,
THE EXALTED; THE HOLY PROPHET(sa) and THE HOLY QUR’AN. The original
compilation, in Urdu, from which these extracts have been translated into English, was
collated with great care and diligence by Syed Daud Ahmad Sahib, Allah have mercy
on him and reward him graciously for his great labour of love. Amin. The English
rendering is by the late Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, may Allah be pleased with
him, and is quoted from The Essence of Islam, Volume 1. All references throughout,
unless otherwise specifically mentioned, are from the Holy Qur’an.
T he miracles that were

performed by all the other
Prophets came to an end with
years before. We have before us
no other teaching by acting on
which a person might claim that
them; but the miracles of our he has been bestowed its fruits,
Holy Prophet(saw) are fresh and blessings, and graces and that he
alive in every age. Those has become a Sign of God. By
miracles being alive and not the grace of God Almighty, we
having succumbed to death is find the fruits and blessings of
proof that the Holy Prophet(saw) is the Holy Qur’an present among
alone the living Prophet and that us, and we still find those graces
true life is that which has been and signs which are bestowed in
bestowed on him and not upon consequence of true obedience to
any other. His teaching is a living the Holy Prophet(saw).
teaching because its fruits and
blessings are experienced today Thus has God Almighty estab-
as they were experienced 1,300 lished this Movement so that it

THE HOLY PROPHET(SAW) ALONE IS THE LIVING PROPHET
should be a living witness to the lonely and humble person

truth of Islam, and should prove announced the spread of his faith
that those blessings and signs and the establishment of his
which had appeared 1,300 years religion at a time when he had no
ago have appeared in this age one with him except a few
also through perfect obedience to indigent companions, and the
the Holy Prophet(saw). Hundreds total number of Muslims could
of signs have so far been be contained in one small room
displayed. We have invited the and their names could be counted
leaders of all peoples and all on the fingers of two hands, and
religions that they should exhibit they could be destroyed by a few
the signs of their truth in men of the town. They were
opposition to us, but there is not opposed by the rulers of the earth
one of them who can put forth a and they had to deal with the
practical sample of the truth of peoples who were determined to
his religion. destroy them and whose numbers
(Malfuzat Vol. III, p38) ran into millions. But now look
at the ends of the earth how God
The promises of success which Almighty spread those few weak
God Almighty gave by the Glory people all over the earth, and
of His Divinity in opposition to how He bestowed upon them
all opponents, all enemies, all power, wealth and kingdom, and
deniers, all the wealthy, all how for thousands of years
powerful rulers, all philosophers, thrones and crowns were be-
all followers of other religions, to stowed upon them. There was a
that humble, weak, poor, time when their number did not
unlearned, untrained one, and exceed the number of the
which were fulfilled at their time members of one family and today
and continue to be fulfilled, they are counted in hundreds of
could not be the work of any millions. God had said He would
human being, nor can any honest safeguard His word, and is it not
seeker after truth have any doubt true that the teaching which the
concerning them. That poor, Holy Prophet(saw) conveyed as

coming from God Almighty in

His Word is still safeguarded in
that Word and there have always
been hundreds of thousands who
have committed the Holy Qur’an
to memory? God had said that no
one would be able to match His
Book in wisdom and under-
standing, in beauty of compo-
sition, in comprehending the
knowledge of the Divine, and in
setting forth religious arguments,
and so it has proved. The founder of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim community was Hadhrat
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as).
If anyone questions this, let him The founder of the Ahmadiyya
come forth and produce its Muslim community was Hadhrat
match, and let him produce from Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). In 1891,
any other book the equal of the he claimed, on the basis of Divine
revelation, that he was the Promised
verities, fine points, and wonders Messiah and Mahdi whose advent
which we have set forth in this had been foretold by Muhammad,
book from the Holy Qur’an with the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace
the promise of a reward of ten and blessings of Allah be upon him)
and by the scriptures of other faiths.
thousand rupees. So long as he
His claim constitutes the basis of the
fails to do so, he is convicted in beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
the estimation of God. God had community.
promised that He would take
Syria out of the possession of the are not merely like the boasts of
Christians and would bestow it astrologers that there would be
upon the Muslims. So it came earthquakes, famines, epi-
about, and the Muslims became demics, plagues and the assaults
the heirs of that land. All these of nation against nation, etc.
claims are accompanied by
Divine Power and Might. They By following the Word of God

and through its effect, those who The Christian divines, Pundits,
obey the Holy Qur’an, and Brahmos, Aryas and other
believe sincerely in the Holy opponents of our time need not
Prophet(saw) and love him, and wonder where are the blessings
consider him better and holier and heavenly lights representing
and more perfect and more which the followers of the Holy
exalted than the whole of Prophet(saw) are sharers with
creation and all Prophets and all Moses(as) and Jesus(as) and where
Messengers and all holy ones and is the heritage of those lights
all that has happened or might which are bestowed on Muslims
happen, continue to partake of and from which all other people
those bounties and drink thirstily and followers of other religions
and copiously of the draught that are debarred? To set their doubts
was given to Moses(as) and at rest, we have stated it several
Jesus(as) to drink. They are lit up times in this footnote, that we are
with Israeli lights and enjoy the responsible for setting forth the
blessings of the Prophets who proof of these things before any
were descendants of Jacob. Holy seeker after truth who would be
is Allah, once again, Holy is ready, on witnessing the
Allah!! How high is the status of particular superiority of Islam, to
the Seal of the Prophets(saw) and become a Muslim.
how grand is the light the
humblest of whose servants In the second footnote(1), we
arrived at the ranks that we have have set out in brief, how God
mentioned. O Allah, send down Almighty manifests His Divine
Thy blessings on Thy Prophet powers and graces and blessings
and Thy loved one, the Chief of in the case of Muslims, and how
the Prophets, the best of He has promised and given good
Messengers and the Seal of the news of events that are beyond
Prophets, Muhammad, and his human power. So if any
people and his companions and Christian divine, Pundit or
bestow Thy bounties and peace Brahmo denies these things, on
upon them. account of his inner darkness, or

any Arya, or a follower of other (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani

faiths, is truly and sincerely a Khazain, Vol. 1 pp. 266-275,
seeker after God, it is incumbent footnote 11)
upon him that like a true seeker,
he should discard all pride,
arrogance, and hypocrisy, and
worship of the world and obsti- 1. The reference is to the second
nacy and contention and, footnote in Barahin-e-
seeking only the truth and Ahmadiyya, which starts on
wishing only for it, should come page 293 in Ruhani Khaza’in,
straight to us like a poor and Vol. 1.
humble person and should then
be patient and steadfast,
obedient and sincere like the
righteous so that by God’s will
he might arrive at his object. If
even now anyone turns away he
becomes witness to his own lack
of faith.
In this journal, for the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(saw)’ or ‘saw’ after
the words, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the name ‘Muhammad’, are used. 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.

PROPHETS AND TROOPERS
A Study in Contrast – Part 4
This is the third extract from Murder in the Name of Allah by Hadhrat Mirza
Tahir Ahmad, dealing with Maulana Maududi’s misinterpretation of the Islamic
concept of Jihad.
Remind them for thou (O has now been toned down by

Prophet) art an admonisher. modern orientalists. Even the
Thou art not at all a warder well-known Jewish scholar,
over them. Bernard Lewis, with his dry
(Ch.88:Vs.22-3) British humour, had to admit that
the picture, ‘is not only false but
‘It (Jamaati Islami) is not a also impossible – unless we are
missionary organisation or a able to assume a race of left-
body of preachers or handed swordsmen. In Muslim
evangelists, but an practice, the left hand is reserved
organisation of God’s for unclean purposes, and no self-
troopers.’1 respecting Muslim would use it to
Maulana Abu Ala Maududi raise the Qur’an.’3
The picture of Muhammad, the But there is one ‘self-respecting’

Prophet of Islam(saw) painted by Muslim, Maulana Maududi, who
nineteenth century orientalists has clutched his drawn sword in his
been examined in the previous right hand, irrespective of its lack
chapter. It was a picture of a of relevance to the teachings of the
fanatical warrior riding out of the Holy Qur’an and the practices of
Arabian deserts with a drawn the Holy Prophet(saw).
sword in one hand and the Qur’an
in the other, offering his helpless The Maulana claims to be a loyal
victims a choice between the two. follower of the Prophet(saw), and, as
The harshness of this picture, such, one would expect him to talk
popularised by Edward Gibbon1 admiringly of his Master. Beauty

PROPHETS AND TROOPERS – A STUDY IN CONTRAST
is in the eye of the beholder. But 3. That the Maulana is obsessed –

how can he see defects in his Lord obsessed with a desire for
which even Islam’s modern political power and authority.
enemies reject? There are three Obsession has been defined as
answers to this question. ‘A persistent or recurrent idea,
usually strongly tinged with
1. That the Maulana’s claim to be emotion, frequently involving
a loyal follower of Islam is an urge towards some form of
false. In view of what the action; the whole mental
Maulana wrote in Al-Jihad fil situation being pathological.’4
Islam and his other works, the
reader may reasonably be led Pierre Janet found that an
to believe that the author is not obsessive person was scrupulous,
even remotely concerned with ever-conscientious and stricken by
the teachings of the Holy a sense of worthlessness.5 Elton
Prophet(saw) and that his claim Mayo has summarised Janet’s and
to be a loyal follower is false. his own characterisation of
That would be a very serious obsessives in these terms: ‘They
charge. Since I belong to a sect are the experts in arduous
which has been falsely accused rethinking of the obvious – they
of showing disrespect to the substitute an exaggerated
Holy Prophet(saw), I would be precision in minor activities for
the last to doubt the Maulana’s that activity in major affairs of
loyalty to our Lord and Master, which they are or feel themselves
Muhammad – may Allah bless to be incapable.6
him and grant him peace.
The Maulana’s childhood memo-
2. That the Maulana’s sense of ries and adolescent experiences in
values has been confused, so Hyderabad, as we have seen
he has as much difficulty in earlier, led him towards one source
telling good from evil as a of behavioural control – political
colour-blind person does in power. Kurt Lewin has observed
telling red from green. that if an individual’s behaviour is
to be understood, it must be in

terms of his life-space – one has to another explanation of his

relate the individual to his obsessive behaviour. Whatever the
environment over the course of explanation, the Maulana’s vision
time and at the particular moment. has undoubtedly been blurred by
Lewin’s field of interest is thus: obsession. He trips and at times,
‘the life-space, containing the stumbles into paths which have
person and his psychological envi- been traversed before him by the
ronment.’7 Woodsworth and enemies of God. It is this
Sheehan elaborate Lewin’s theory obsession which causes him to
and say: The psycho-logical (or support capital punishment for
behavioural) environment is, of those who switch religions.9 This
course, the environment as punishment has always been
perceived and understood by the demanded for prophets and their
person, but more than that, it is the followers who change from their
environment as related to his traditional religion. It is the same
present needs and quasi-needs. obsession which impels him to put
Many objects which are perceived a sword into the Holy Prophet’s(saw)
are of no present concern to him hand and in doing so, to support
and so exist only in the those enemies of Islam who paint
background of his psychological a gory picture of Muhammad(saw).
environment. Other objects have Since persuasion and force are
positive or negative ‘valence’ – mutually exclusive, the Maulana
positive if they promise to meet adopts the sword as a means of
his present needs, negative if they reform and rejects reasoning as a
threaten injury. Objects of positive method of conversion. Persuasion
valence attract him, while objects and reasoning are difficult tasks of
of negative valence repel him.8 which he is or feels himself to be
incapable. They entail sacrifice
Psychology is not an absolute and long suffering in the face of
science and it is still evolving, but opposition, as the Prophet’s(saw)
Maulana Maududi’s ‘obsession’ Makkan life showed. So the
seems to fit the theory we have Maulana rejects them as objects of
discussed. That is not to say, of negative valence. Force through
course, that there might not be political power seems to meet his

present needs, so he adopts it and effective and also easier than

relates it to the Holy Prophet’s(saw) persuasion, which requires
life with a process of arduous patience and persistence in the
thinking. face of ridicule, rebuffs and snubs.
It is so easy to convert people by
When I refer to the Maulana’s force. There is no comparison
obsession, I do not mean to show between the two methods. One is
him any disrespect, although, by easy and quick; the other difficult
putting a sword into the hands of and time-consuming, requiring the
my Lord and Master patience of Job(as). All reformers
Muhammad (saw) he has shown have had to endure ridicule and
disrespect to the Prophet(saw) and rejection. This is how the Qur’an
all he stood for. Reviewing Israel describes their lot:
Shenker’s book, Coat of Many
Colors, a collection of essays on Those who were guilty used to
Judaism, Hugh Nissenden says: laugh at those who believed;
‘Mr Shenker dramatises his and when they passed by them,
obsession in a way that makes the they winked at each other. And
history of his people accessible when they came back to their
and illuminating to everyone.’10 I families, they exulted over
only wish the Maulana could put them; and when they saw them
his obsession to good use. Instead, they exclaimed: ‘These indeed
he justifies force, not only as are the lost ones.’ But they
legitimate, but also as an essential were not appointed keepers
method of reform. He says: ‘It is over them.
not possible that they [the enemies (Ch.83:Vs.30-34)
of Islam] would sacrifice their
interests in the face of persuasion The verses quoted above explain
and reasoning. All that one can do why the Maulana would not
is to acquire political power11 and follow the path of the reformers
force them to stop their sent by God. People laugh at
mischief.’12 reformers and say: ‘Look at these
people whose only weapon is
This method of reform seems to be persuasion! They are so weak we

can crush them whenever we wish; with truth and patience. Patience
and yet they claim to win people and prayer are the integral part of
over by their reasoning and religious revolution and they
advice.’ So the Maulana rejected should continue to be exhorted till
peaceful argument and said God’s promise is fulfilled. It is
instead: foretold that ‘the [pleasing] end is
for the righteous’. (Ch.7:129)
Anyone who wants to uproot
mischief and disorder from this All God’s messengers have
world and wants to reform followed this method of religious
mankind should realise that he reform, one which is totally
cannot do so by mere sermonising opposed to the Marxist use of force.
and counselling. It is useless. He The Qur’an preserves the account
should rise against the government of many prophets and evangelists.
of false principles, he should seize According to this divine account,
power, remove the wrongdoers Noah’s(as) instrument of revolution
from authority and set up a was persuasion and Abraham’s(as)
government based on sound was also. It was the instrument of
principles and just admin- Shuaib(as) and Saleh(as). Lot(as) was
istration.13 also sent as a counsellor and so was
Moses(as). Jesus(as) caused a
But the Maududian method of revolution with his sermons. And,
reform, which is modelled on above all, the Seal of the Prophets,
Marxism, is not the divine way of the leading reformer of all time, our
saving mankind. In God’s plan, Master Muhammad(saw) was sent to
persuasion is so important that, bring about a universal spiritual
even in an age of general moral revolution with nothing but
decline, only pious believers ‘who persuasion and reasoning. But the
exhort one another with truth and Maulana not only ignores this
steadfastness’ (Ch.103:V.4) will tradition of God’s holy messengers;
succeed. Even a cursory glance at he also contradicts it in the
history will reveal that for spiritual following words: ‘Anyone who
and moral revolutions God asks wants to uproot mischief and
his servants to win over the people disorder from this world and wants

to reform mankind should realise consider me a fool because of the

that he cannot do so by mere harmlessness of the advice; you
sermonising and counselling. It is are not seeing the real me. In fact,
useless.’ I am an oppressor and one day I
will seize power from the hands of
Let us compare this Maududian those who have rebelled against
dictum with the unbroken tradition God and give it to my own,
of God’s messengers. When righteous, people.’ Indeed, he did
Noah’s” people accused him of not. Instead, he followed the
spreading ‘manifest error’, he tradition of the prophets and said:
replied:
... O my people, there is no
... O my people, there is no foolishness in me, but I am a
error in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the
Messenger from the Lord of the worlds. I deliver to you the
world. I deliver to you the messages of my Lord and I am
message of my Lord and give to you a sincere and faithful
you sincere advice, and I know counsellor.
from Allah what you do not (Ch.7.Vs.68-69)
know. (Ch.7:Vs.62-63)
The people of Thamud, like those
This is God’s account of Noah’s (as) of Ad, rejected Saleh(as) and
ministry. According to the accused him of all sorts of things.
Maududian dictum, Noah(as) But, following Noah(as) and Hud(as),
should have said: ‘I am the he told them:
Messenger of God and I shall
impose upon you, whether you ‘O my people, I did deliver the
like it or not, a body of righteous message of my Lord unto you
men who will take away your and offered you sincere
power.’ counsel, but you love not
sincere counsellors.’
When the people of Ad told Hud(as) (Ch.7.V.80)
he was lost in foolishness, he did
not say: ‘Do not be deceived and And then God sent Lot(as), whose

followers also made no attempt to The Qur’an, which for Maulana

seize power from the misguided, Maududi and all Muslims is the
and continued to reason with them Word of God, tells us that all
till they were punished. Before the God’s messengers give sermons
appointed punishment came, and advice and when these are
Lot(as) and his followers left their rejected, they cry and pray before
homes with God’s permission. their Lord. They have an
And then came that morning about unshakeable belief in their
which tyrants have always been message and, instead of seizing
admonished: ‘But when it power from their enemies, they
descends into their courtyards, it continue to offer love and
shall be an evil morning to those kindness. They reason gently,
who have been warned.’ impart advice with humility and
(Ch.37:V.178) leave the result to God. He alone
is the Lord and He bestows the
The seventh chapter of the Qur’an earth on whoever He pleases. The
continues with the story of the wishes of all His messengers are
misguided people and the epitomised in Moses’s(as) words:
messengers(as) of God who tried to ...‘O Lord, send down on us
reform them. After telling the steadfastness and make us die as
story of Lot(as), the Qur’an tells us men who have surrendered to
how Shuaib(as) reasoned with his Thee.’ (Ch.7:V.127) Moses(as)
arrogant people and pleaded with advised his people, ‘to seek help
his cruel tormentors. When all his from Allah and be steadfast’
advice was rejected, he turned (Ch.7:V.129) and told them that
away and said: ‘ the ‘Verily, the Earth belongs to
Allah; He gives it as a heritage to
...O my people indeed, I whoever He pleases’...
delivered to you the messages (Ch.7:V.129) It is not for
of my Lord and gave you righteous men to seize power by
sincere counsel. How, then, force. All that we know is that ‘the
should I sorrow for a end is best for the God-fearing’.
disbelieving people?’ (Ch.7:V.129)
(Ch.7:V.94)

After Moses(as), Jesus(as), too, spent the authority of a policeman, but

his life exhorting and counselling also the powers of a magistrate. It
and never considered seizing is surprising that God did not give
power. Finally, the Chief of all the Prophet(saw), His greatest
prophets, Muhammad(saw), was reformer, temporal authority over
sent as an exhorter and counsellor the hearts of unbelievers, but gave
to invite the people to be virtuous, it instead to Maulana Maududi
not as a kind of a policeman or a and his followers. The Holy
soldier. God named him Prophet(saw) – the embodiment of
‘admonisher’ and said: ‘Admonish mercy and compassion – prayed
them, for thou art but an hard that he should become
admonisher. Thou hast no instrumental in showing the path
authority to compel them.’ of righteousness to all mankind.
(Ch.88:Vs.22-23) But God answered: ‘Wilt thou,
then, take it upon thyself to force
But the Maulana insists that he people to become believers?’
and his followers ‘are not a body (Ch.10:V.100) As far as believers
of religious preachers and are concerned, God told the Holy
evangelists, but an organisation of Prophet(saw): ‘And if Allah had
God’s troopers so that they “may enforced His will, they would not
be a witness against mankind”’. have set up gods with Him. And
(Ch.4:V.42) The task of these We have not made thee a keeper
‘troopers’ is to use force to wipe over them, nor art thou over them
out ‘injustice, mischief, disorder, a guardian.’ (Ch.6:V.108)
disobedience and exploitation
from the world’.14 In contrast to the established
conduct of all the messengers of
God tells the greatest of his God mentioned in the Holy
prophets: ‘... And We have not Qur’an by name or in general,
appointed thee a keeper over Maulana Maududi gave himself
them, nor art thou over them a the authority to oppress and
guardian’. (Ch.6:V.108) But compel God’s servants so that the
Maulana Maududi reserves for Jamaati Islami could eradicate
himself and his followers not only injustice, mischief, disorders,

disobedience and exploitation to jihad and establish the

from the world’.15 government of God.16
The Maulana’s ambition of seizing No religion in the world preaches

power knew no bounds: he would such a materialistic concept of
go to any lengths to achieve it. He worship. But even the worship of
was totally obsessed with political God can become nothing more
authority and considered that the than an army drill for a person
worship of God had been who is obsessed.
prescribed to train Muslims to
usurp power and rule the world. Ambition is impatient by defi-
For him, worship had no spiritual nition, but of all ambitions, power
purpose. It was not a religious mania brooks least delay. So the
experience, a meeting ground Maulana would not take the
between man and his Creator, but straight path – it was too narrow
a ritual of self-discipline. God and too long for him. And
says: ‘And I have not created the Marxism, too, will not take the
Jinn and the men but that they may long and hard route of democracy
worship Me.’ (Ch.51:V.57) The to liberate the oppressed. Instead,
world was created for the worship it adopts violence to try to
of God. Worship was not created overthrow the elected government
for any other purpose. But the of the day. The Maulana’s method
Maulana insists: of reform is no different from the
Marxist ideology of violent
The prayers (salat), fasting, struggle. The Maulana says:
charity (zakat) and pilgrimage ‘Stand up to reform people
have been prescribed to prepare wherever you can. Try to replace
and train us for this purpose wrong principles with correct
(jihad). All the governments in the ones. Snatch away executive and
world give their armies special and legislative powers from those who
specific training, their police and do not fear God.’17
civil service too. In the same way,
Islam also trains those who join its It is surprising that a journalist of
service - then requires them to go Maulana Maududi’s long political

experience could not understand creatures so that he may exercise

the principle that governments absolute power over them.18
should not be overthrown by
force, whatever the reason. To One problem in uttering such
break this basic rule is to destroy uncontrolled rhetoric is that even
law and order. The fires of civil an experienced journalist like
war would consume the very Maududi forgets the inherent
fabric of society. contradictions within his writings.
If the very thought of power can
Firstly, no party can be its own bring a dangerous change of heart,
judge and decide its intentions are what guarantee is there that the
good. Secondly, even if those ‘upright’ members of the Jamaati
intentions are good, the opposition Islami would not be corrupted by
parties cannot be condemned out of absolute power? No doubt these
hand. It is inconceivable that every ‘upright’ men have undergone the
member of the opposition is cruel, ‘civil service training’ prescribed
unjust or evil, while every member by God, i.e. Islamic worship
of ‘God’s troopers’ is pious, God- (prayers, fasting and zakat), but
fearing and free from greed and this ‘service training’ is not
lust. The fact is that parties which restricted to the Jamaati Islami.
start the work of reform with high-
flying claims are the ones which Ahmadi worship is not accepted as
soon become greedy for power, Islamic worship, according to
their good intentions burned up by Maulana Maududi, but what about
the flames of greed. The Maulana Barelvi and Deobandi worship? Is
himself explains how uncontrol- Shiite worship not Islamic
lable is the desire for power: worship? Would anyone say that
the prayers offered by Ahli Qur’an
As everyone knows, power is such are non-Islamic? If so, why should
a dangerous demon that the very not these Muslim sects ‘rise against
desire of it is accompanied by an governments based on faIse
all-consuming greed. Man eagerly principles, seize power, remove the
looks forward to owning earthly wrongdoers and establish a
treasures and controlling his fellow government based on sound and

just administration?’ ‘False’, the movement was developed to act

‘wrongdoers’, ‘sound’ and ‘just’ as a fifth column to destroy the
are relative terms. What is false Muslim umma from within.
according to the Jamaati Islami
may not be false according to the But the Ahmadi self-image is very
Deobandis. What is sound and just different from that of the Jamaati
according to the Deobandis may Islami. Ahmadis believe their
not be sound and just for the movement was founded to
Barelvis. Then, what about non- establish supremacy and to bring
Muslims? They, too, have their about a Muslim rebirth. It was not
own views about what is right and the British, but God Himself, who
wrong. If their views were no planted its seed to fulfil a promise
different from those of Muslims, He made to the people of
they would have queued to join Muhammad(saw). He promised to
Islam. Would they also have had a send a Mahdi for the reform of the
right to overthrow the government umma and raise a Messiah who,
of the day? with his irrefutable reasoning,
would destroy the Cross, the Cross
Good intentions or reform projects which inflicted suffering on
cannot become an excuse to Jesus(as). It is that Mahdi and that
overthrow governments. There are Messiah who founded this
such vast differences in the defini- community, now busy in the
tion of ‘uprightness’ between selfless service of mankind. On
different political parties that if all one hand, the community humbly
these differences were accepted, no counsels and advises people to
party could be considered change themselves, while, on the
‘upright’. For instance, according other, it fights and defeats
to the Maulana, the Ahmadiyyah Christianity on every front. How
Movement has no connection with can one believe that the
Islam; the British government Ahmadiyya Movement was set up
created it to divide the Muslim by the British – themselves
umma so that Muslims would be Christian? Does one expect the
dissuaded from jihad and their British to support, let alone found,
strength sapped. It is alleged that a community which is devoted to

eradicating the Trinity and According to the Ahmadis, their

planting the holy tree of the Unity belief is deeply rooted in the love
of God? Wherever Ahmadis have of the Seal of the Prophet,
gone, the weed of the Trinity has Muhammad(saw). But Maulana
withered and the ever-beautiful Maududi asserts that their roots go
plant of the Unity has flourished deep into the British soil of
with fragrant flowers and sweet imperialism. The two views are
fruits. If that is the fruit of a plant entirely opposed.
sown by the British, then one only
wishes they had sown a few more, Let us examine the converse view.
so that the revival of Islam and the The Maulana asserts that the
dissolution of Christianity had Jamaati Islami has been founded
been accelerated! to create a body of ‘upright’ men
through a long discipline of
What Ahmadis believe about Islamic worship. These people
themselves is exactly the opposite should reach such a point of
of the Maulana’s views about readiness that Islam can say to
them. In the Ahmadiyya view, the them: ‘Yes, now you are the most
founder of their movement was upright servants of God on earth.
deeply immersed in the love of the Forward, Muslim soldiers, fight
Holy Prophet, Muhammad(saw). the rebels of God, dispossess them
The following lines from one of of authority and take the reins of
his poems show the ecstasy of his government in your hands.’
love and the depth of his devotion Thanks to the Maulana’s efforts,
for the Holy Prophet(saw): that body of upright men is now
ready and waiting to gain strength
My intoxication in the love of to overthrow the government of
Muhammad(saw) is second the day.
only to that of God.
If this can be dubbed as The Maulana really believes that
disbelief, then God be my this body of ‘upright’ men was
witness that I am the greatest created to reform mankind and
of disbelievers. raise Islam’s flag in the world. It
(Durre Thameen) will abolish everything ungodly

and carve with the sword the name becomes manifest, both in words
of Allah on every heart. and deeds.
Therefore Ahmadis totally reject
The Maulana’s claim that the Maulana Maududi’s claim that
members of Jamaati Islami are the the Jamaati Islami was founded to
most upright servants of God is raise the flag of Islam. That is, in
believed to be baseless by the fact, a degrading and defaming of
Ahmadis. As a matter of principle, the religion which he professes to
everyone has the right to consider follow. The followers of Maulana
himself and his followers to be in Maududi can claim whatever they
the right. To be right is one thing. want within the safety of a
To be upright is quite another. We Muslim country like Pakistan or
cannot claim we are righteous and Saudi Arabia, but let them take
upright. Man is lost in a maze of their creed of ‘Islam by force’
self-deception, delusion and elsewhere and just see what
outright hypocrisy, so that he is reception it gets. Can they
unable to describe himself with convert Christians, with their
any accuracy. belief in Jesus(as) living since his
crucifixion in heaven, to Islam?
Who knows the secrets of the Can they destroy the Cross? Can
heart, the lust of the mind and the anyone raise the flag of Islam
hidden desires, except God? Only with these Maududian beliefs?
He knows who is upright and who
sins. There are exceptions, of There is no doubt in an Ahmadi
course. Some people exhibit mind that the teaching of
unmistakable and conclusive signs Maulana Maududi brings Islam
of their uprightness, so that the into disrepute and makes it a
love of God is evident from their target of ridicule. The Jamaati
behaviour. God talks with them as Islami is not only not a friend of
He talked with the upright people Islam, but also it is a form of
of the past. His light shines over communism. Devoid of spiritual
them as it did over the great values, hungry for power, the
mystics and saints of the umma Jamaati Islami is inspired by
and His succour and support Moscow, not Makkah.

In short, Ahmadis censure the seeking to promote peace.

Jamaati Islami as greatly as the Beware! most certainly it is they
Maulana censures the Ahmadiyya who create disorder, but they
for supposedly being abusive and realise it not.’
vituperative. Multiply these two (Ch.2:Vs.12-13).
opposing views among other
sects and groups of the umma and
you will see each of them tearing
apart the other’s claim of REFERENCES:
uprightness. Who, then, should
‘Stand up to reform people and 1. Maulana Maududi, Haqiqat-i-
snatch away the executive and Jihad (Lahore: Taj Company
legislative powers from people Ltd, 1964), 58.
who have no fear of God?’
2. Edward Gibbon, Decline and
Power obsession is the focal point Fall of the Roman Empire,
of Maulana Maududi’s concept of Vol.5, ed. J.B. Buey (London:
reform. He sees the Prophet’s(saw) 1909-14), 332.
life in political terms, explains
Islamic worship in military jargon 3. Bernard Lewis, The Jews of
and interprets the Qur’an as pure Islam (Princeton: Princeton
power politics. The Maulana University Press, 1983), 3.
knows he is incapable of reform-
ing by persuasion, patience and 4. James Drever, A Dictionary of
humility, so he puts forward a Psychology, revised by
policy of violence and disorder. Harvey Wallerstein, (1964),
The most generous interpretation 191.
of his aims is that his intentions
were good. But the road to hell is 5. Pierre Janet, Les Observations
paved with good intentions. The et la psychasthenie (Paris:
Qur’anic verdict, however, is Alcan, 1903); see Robert S.
explicit ‘And when it is said to Woodsworth and Mary
them: ‘Create not disorder in the Sheehan, Contemporary
land’, they retort: We are only School of Psychology (New

York: The Ronald Press 12. Haqiqat-i-Jihad, op.cit., 10.

Company, 3rd ed., 1964), 253.
13. ibid., 11.
6. Elton Mayo, Some Notes on
the Psychology of Pierre Janet 14. ibid., 58.
(Cambridge, Massachusetts:
Harvard University Press, 15. ibid.
1948); see Robert S.
Woodsworth and Mary 16. ibid., 16-17.
Sheehan, op.cit., 253.
17. ibid. The original Urdu
7. Kurt Lewin, The Conceptual sentence is involved and the
representation and the Maulana has used the Urdu
measurement of psychological word hukumat twice in the
forces’, Contributions to sentence in two different
Psychological Theory, 1, (4), meanings.
2.
18. ibid., 15.
8. Robert S. Woodsworth and
Mary Sheehan, op. cit., 241.
9. The conversion of religion is

called irtidad and treated as
apostasy by Maulana
Maududi.
10. Hugh Nissenden, Scripture

and Survival, The New York
Tunes Book Review, 17
March 1985, 12.
11. The Maulana’s original Urdu

word for ‘political power’ is
iqtidar.

God
PROPHETS this, he gave order to his people,
saying,
of ‘Every son that is born, ye

shall cast into the river, and
every daughter ye shall save
alive.’ (Exodus 1:22)
Part 3
We have in the Holy Qur’an:
A brief introduction to some of the
major prophets. Last month we
… Pharaoh behaved
looked briefly at the life of Prophet
Noah(as). In this issue, we look at
arrogantly in the earth, and
Moses(as). divided the people thereof
into parties; he sought to
By Daud A Hanif – USA weaken a party of them,
slaying their sons and sparing
Hadhrat Musa(as) (Moses) their women...
Israelites were living in bondage (Ch.28:V.5)
in Egypt. The King had subjected
them to very hard and difficult Such was the scene in Egypt
conditions. To perpetuate their when Moses(as) was born there in
control over Israelites, one of the the house of Imran during the
measures taken against them was despotic reign of, probably,
that the male children of Ramses II. God decided to help
Israelites be slain. The King had the weak Israelites and bring
ordered the midwives to carry about a complete change in their
out this evil task quietly at the position. They were to be
very birth of the children of delivered from the bondage of
Israelites (Exodus 1:16). But the Pharaoh and were to become
Will of God prevented the leaders and inheritors of favours
midwives from such an evil act. and bounties of God.
When the King came to know of

PROPHETS OF GOD - PART 3
God’s ways are mysterious and him an ark of bulrushes and

human beings cannot perceive daubed it with slime and with
them. The case of the freedom of pitch, and put the child
Israelites is a marvellous one. It therein; and she laid it in the
establishes beyond doubt that flags by the river’s brink. And
Allah’s decision always comes to his sister stood afar off, to wit
pass and that no power can be a what would be done to him.
hindrance in the way of its And the daughter of Pharaoh
fulfillment. came down to wash herself at
the river; and her maidens
Let us see how the events had walked along by the river-
unfolded for the liberation of the side; and when she saw the
Israelites. ark among the flags, she sent
her maid to fetch it. And
The Holy Qur’an says about the when she had opened it, she
birth of Moses(as), that God saw the child; and behold, the
revealed to his mother saying: babe wept. And she had
compassion on him; and said,
… Suckle him; and when thou this is one of the Hebrews’
fearest for him, then cast him children. Then said his sister
into the river and fear not, to Pharaoh’s daughter, shall I
nor grieve; for We shall go and call to thee a nurse of
restore him to thee, and shall the Hebrew women, that she
make him one of the may nurse the child for thee?
Messengers. And Pharaoh’s daughter said
(Ch.28:V.8) to her, go. And the maid went
and called the child’s mother.
The Old Testament, although it And Pharaoh’s daughter said
has undergone many changes, unto her, take this child away,
contains the following statement: and nurse it for me, and I will
give thee thy wages. And the
‘And when she could no women took the child, and
longer hide him, she took for nursed it. And the child grew,

and she brought him unto beautiful Israelite baby. She was
Pharaoh’s daughter, and he attracted towards the infant and
became her son. And she pleaded with the husband saying:
called his name Moses; and
she said, because I drew him … He will be a joy of the eye
out of the water.’ for me and for thee. Kill him
(Exodus 2:3) not. Haply he will be useful
to us or we may adopt him as
This statement from the Bible in a son.
essence is very close to what we (Ch.28:V.10)
have in the Holy Qur’an as an
accurate account of what Then she sent for wet nurses for
happened to Moses(as). the baby. The baby did not accept
any one of those who came.
The mother of Moses(as) was a Meanwhile Moses’s(as) sister
very sincere believer and had a man-aged to reach there and
living relationship with God. offered a solution to the problem
After the birth of Moses(as) she saying:
suckled him as God had directed
her and when she felt otherwise, … Shall I lead you to a
then without any hesitation she household who will bring him
placed the infant Moses in the up for you and will be his
ark (Ch.28:V.8, Ch.20:V.40) and sincere well-wishers?
floated it in the river and directed (Ch.28:V.13)
her daughter to follow it. The
daughter kept watch over the ark They agreed and Pharaoh
in such a way that no one could approached the mother of
perceive it. The ark was picked Moses(as) for the nursing and
up by a member of the family of upbringing of the child. She
Pharaoh who happened to be readily agreed to their proposal
bathing in the river. The ark was and the baby was given to her for
brought to the palace of the upbringing and training at the
Pharaoh, where his wife saw the expense of Pharaoh. The mother

of Moses(as) was so delighted at of Egypt had developed totally

the return of her child according against the Israelites and even
to Allah’s promise that she could ordinary Egyptians carried out
hardly control her emotions. Her atrocities against them. Moses(as)
faith in Allah became even more had a great aversion to
solid. She was fully convinced oppression and was very helpful
that this child would be a prophet to the weak. An incident for
of Allah in due course as Allah illustration may be of interest.
had informed her earlier. So she The Holy Qur’an says:
spared no efforts in bringing him
up in the best manner. Moses(as) And he entered the town
had such a holy mother for while people were still asleep
benevolent care and guidance and he found therein two men
and a mighty monarch as fighting—one of his own
guardian until his manhood. He people and the other of his
had the healthy and wholesome enemies. And he who was of
effect of his mother, overriding his people sought his help
the evil ways and manner of his against him who was of his
guardian monarch. He developed enemies. So Moses punched
manly qualities of might and him with his fist; and thereby
power and valour from the palace caused his death. He said,
on the one hand, and learned ‘This is of Satan’s doing, he is
good manners and self-control indeed an enemy, a manifest
over them from the pious mother deceiver.’
on the other. (Ch.28:V.16)
As Moses(as) advanced toward Moses(as) had no intention of

maturity his observation of daily killing the Egyptian but his
life of the people of Egypt single punch had caused the
became intense. He was able to death of the Egyptian. At this
see very clearly the cruel Moses(as) became very upset and
treatment meted out to the implored God for forgiveness
Israelites. The whole atmosphere and made a solemn promise to

Him saying, ‘I will never be a Moses(as) Departs for Midian

helper of the guilty.’ The next Moses(as) secretly left home
morning he left his home being praying and moving watchfully.
watchful of the situation. After travelling for a while, he
Suddenly he heard the call of decided to go to Midian. After a
help from the same Israelite, who few days’ journey Moses(as)
was again engaged in some arrived in the vicinity of Midian.
dispute with another Egyptian. On the outskirts of Midian he
Moses(as) said to him, ‘You are found shepherds watering their
definitely a misguided person.’ animals. Among them were two
And when Moses(as) made up his young ladies who were holding
mind to take hold of the man, back their flocks. Moses(as) asked
who was an enemy of both, the them what their problem was?
Israelite thought that Moses(as) They replied:
was about to hold him, and cried
out loudly, ‘O Moses(as) dost thou We cannot water our flocks
intend to kill me as thou didst kill until the shepherds take away
a man yesterday?’ (Ch.28:V.20) their flocks, and our father is
This cry disclosed the incident, a very old man.
which had taken place a day (Ch.28:V.24)
earlier. The Egyptians were
already in search of the killer of Moses(as) watered their flocks and
the Egyptian. So the condition of returned to the shade of the tree
Moses(as) became very vulner- while praying to God for help
able. He, therefore, confined and guidance. When the two
himself to his home. A well- ladies came back and narrated
wisher of Moses(as) who the story to their father, he sent
happened to know the evil design one of them back to Moses(as).
of the authorities came to him She came and bashfully
with the news that the chiefs approaching Moses(as) said: ‘My
were counselling together to kill father calls thee that he may
him and advised him to depart reward thee for thy having
from the area immediately. watered our flocks for us.’ On his

arrival at their home Moses(as) Moses(as) Commissioned to

narrated the incident, which had Prophethood
happened in Egypt. The old man After completing the term of
replied, ‘Fear not; thou hast service, Moses(as) set forth from
escaped from the unjust people’ Midian with his family. On the
(Ch.28:V.26). way, he saw a manifestation of
God. He told his family to wait
It seems that the household was for him while he went up the
already in search of some good mountain, where he had seen the
servant. So his daughters light and was expecting great
suggested employing Moses(as) as communication from God. On
he had proved himself to be a arrival at the spot, he was called
strong and honest man. The by a voice from the right side of
father was fully convinced of the the valley, in the blessed spot, out
nobility of Moses(as); he, of the tree:
therefore, offered him one of his
daughters in marriage. In due …O Moses, surely I, none but
course a marriage contract was I, am Allah, the Lord of the
made. The old man, Shuaib, was worlds;….. Throw down thy
a holy man and perhaps knew rod. And when he saw it move
through revelation that his son- as though it were a serpent,
in-law would be a prophet of he turned back retreating and
God. So he wanted him to remain did not wait.’‘ O Moses, come
with him for a long time and forward and fear not; surely
benefit from his company. He thou art of those who are safe.
made eight to ten years of service Insert thy hand into thy
an essential condition for bosom; it will come forth
marriage. Moses(as) accepted the white without evil effect, and
condition of service and draw back thy arm toward
remained with Hadhrat Shuaib thyself to be free from fear. So
for this time. these shall be two proofs from
thy Lord to Pharaoh and his
chiefs. Surely, they are a

rebellious people. We will strengthen thy arm

(Ch.28:Vs.31-33) with thy brother, and We will
give power to you both so that
With these words Moses(as) was they shall not be able to reach
commissioned to return to you. Go with Our signs. You
Pharaoh and his people for their two and those who follow you
guidance and reformation. will be the winners.
Moses(as) had lived among them (Ch.28:V.36)
and was aware of their
arrogance, cruelty and inhumane Allah said again:
behaviour. The responsibility of
guiding them seemed to him very So go to Pharaoh and say,
heavy and the task extremely ‘We are the Messengers of the
difficult. No doubt the Lord of the worlds, to tell thee
responsibilities of prophethood to send the children of Israel
are indeed very heavy, and with us.
Moses(as), it appears, felt that he (Ch.26:Vs.17-18)
was not equal to the great task
with which he was being The Bible also mentions this in
entrusted. That is why he said: Exodus, chapter 5 but in a
different way.
And my breast is straitened
and my tongue is not fluent; The name of Pharaoh to whom
therefore send word to Aaron Moses(as) gave the message of
(Ch.26:V.14) God, has not been mentioned in
the Holy Bible or the Holy
He also recalled the incident in Qur’an. Some historians say it
which an Egyptian had died at was Ramses II while more recent
his fist and the blame of killing ones say it was Merneptah, the
him was placed on him. Allah, son of Ramses II. However, it
the Wise, granting the request of does not make much difference,
Moses(as), said: as both were despotic and most
cruel to the Israelites.

Moses(as) in the Court of punishment shall come on him

Pharaoh who rejects and turns away.
Moses(as) and Aaron(as), with a (Ch.20:Vs.48-49)
mighty message and full
assurance of victory from God, On hearing this message, the
reached the capital of Egypt. On following dialogue took place
arrival they first contacted the between Moses(as) and Pharaoh.
Israelites and gave them the glad
tiding of achieving freedom from Pharaoh said, ‘Who then is
the bondage of Pharaoh and the Lord of you two, O
persuaded them to prepare for the Moses?’
impending departure. Then they He said ‘Our Lord is He who
went to Pharaoh. Moses(as) gave unto everything its
conveyed to him the message of proper form and then guided
God in a very plain and polite it to its proper function’.
manner saying: Pharaoh said,’ What then will
be the fate of the former
O Pharaoh truly, I am a generations’?
Messenger from the Lord of He said, ‘The knowledge
worlds. It is not meet that I thereof is with my Lord
should say anything of Allah recorded in a Book. My Lord
except the truth. I have come neither errs nor forgets.’
to you with a clear sign from It is He Who has made the
your Lord; therefore, let the earth for you a cradle and has
children of Israel go with me. caused pathways for you to
(Ch.7:Vs.105-106) run through it; and Who
sends down rain from the sky
… and afflict them not. We and thereby We bring forth
have indeed, brought thee a various kinds of vegetation.
Sign from thy Lord; and peace Eat ye and pasture your
shall be on him who follows cattle. Verily, in this are Signs
the guidance. It has, indeed, for those who are endued with
been revealed to us that reason.

From it have We created you, while and call all the skillful
and into it shall We cause you sorcerers from all over the
to return, and from it shall we country for combating Moses(as).
bring you forth once more. Then they asked Moses(as) for the
And We did show him appointment of a date for the
(Pharaoh) Our signs, all of final contest. Moses(as) said:
them; but he rejected them
and refused to believe. Your appointment shall be for
(Ch.20:Vs.50-57) the day of the Festival and let
the people be assembled when
Miracles of Moses(as) the sun is risen high.
Pharaoh then demanded some (Ch.20:V.60)
miracle saying, … ‘If thou hast
indeed come with a Sign, then The discussion ended there and
produce it, if thou art of the the people dispersed. Moses(as)
truthful.” So he flung down his and his brother returned to the
rod and behold! It was a serpent Israelites and continually
plainly visible. And he drew forth conveyed the message of God to
his hand, and lo! it was white to them and kept assuring them of
beholders.’ the impending victory.
(Ch.7:Vs.107-109)
Moses(as) returned to the
These miracles were so impre- appointed place on the fixed date
ssive and imposing that Pharaoh and time. Pharaoh and the chiefs
was dumbfounded but his had already gathered all the
courtiers, the chiefs of his people and their skillful sor-
people, came to his aid saying cerers. The record of the contest
that Moses(as) was most surely a that ensued between them
skillful sorcerer and desired to according to the Holy Qur’an is
turn the people out of their land. given below:
The other chiefs joined in and
advised Pharaoh to put off They said, O Moses, either do
Moses(as) and his brother for a thou throw first, or we shall

be the first to throw’. over them.

He said, ‘Nay, throw ye. Then (Ch.7:V.128)
lo! their cords and their
staves appeared to him, by Thereafter Pharaoh and his
their magic, as though they chiefs intensified their brutal
ran about. treatment of Israelites while
And Moses conceived a fear Moses(as) intensified his
in his mind. exhortation to the Israelites for
We said, ‘Fear not, for thou becoming more steadfast in their
wilt have the upper hand; faith and seeking help from God.
And throw that which is in thy The Israelites complained about
right hand; it will swallow the evil treatment, while
that which they have Moses(as) encouraged them to
wrought, for that which they bear it with patience:
have wrought is only a
magician’s trick. And a They replied, ‘We were
magician shall not thrive, persecuted before thou
come where he may’. camest to us and even after
(Ch.20:Vs.66-70) thou camest to us.’
He said, ‘Your Lord is about
This contest did establish the to destroy your enemy and
truth of Moses(as) but Pharaoh make you rulers in the land,
and his people did not pay heed that He may then see how you
to it, rather, advancing in their act.’
transgression said: (Ch.7:V.130)
‘Wilt thou leave Moses and Other Signs Shown to Pharaoh

his people to create disorder and His People
in the land and forsake thee God Almighty afflicted the
and thy gods?’ He answered, people of Pharaoh with drought,
‘We will ruthlessly slay their scarcity of fruits and by sending
sons and let their women live. upon them storms, locusts, lice,
And surely we are dominant frogs and blood as clear Signs.

But they behaved proudly and Under this direction of God,

were a sinful people. When a Moses(as) convinced the Israelites
punishment fell upon them , they to dwell very close together so as
said: to be able to help one another in
time of need. This is only
O Moses, pray for us to thy achievable when people build
Lord according to that which their houses near or facing each
He has promised to thee. If other. It also indicated that they
thou remove from us the should have a common goal or
punishment, we will surely ideal and remain focused on it.
send with thee the children of Thus Moses(as) and Aaron(as)
Israel. (Ch.7:V.135) concentrated on having the
Israelites united and prepared
Nine miracles were shown to fully for migration on the one
Pharaoh and his people through hand and implored God against
Moses(as) but they did not benefit Pharaoh on the other hand in the
from them. Due to the fear of following way:
persecution by Pharaoh and the
chiefs, only a few youths from Our Lord, You have bestowed
among them believed in upon Pharaoh and his chiefs
Moses(as) (Ch.10:V.84). After the ornaments and wealth in this
defeat of his sorcerers Pharaoh life. Our Lord, it results only
became more furious. At this in their leading people astray
critical hour God revealed to from Your path. Our Lord,
Moses(as) and his brother: obliterate their riches and be
severe on their hearts
Build houses for your people because it seems they would
in the city and make your not believe until they see the
houses facing in the same grievous punishment.
direction and observe Prayer. (Ch.10:V.89)
And give glad tidings to the
believers. God heard their prayers and gave
(Ch.10:V.88) them final orders for departure

from Egypt saying: and on their left. And the

Egyptians pursued and went
Take away My servants by in after them to the midst of
night, and strike for them a the sea. And the Lord said
dry path through the sea. unto Moses, ‘Stretch out thine
Thou wilt not be afraid of hand over the sea.’ And
being overtaken, nor wilt thou Moses stretched forth his
have any other fear. hand over the sea and the sea
(Ch.20:V.78) returned to its strength. And
the waters returned and
In order to fully understand the covered the chariots, and the
nature and significance of this horsemen, and all the host of
incident which indeed con- Pharaoh that came into the sea
stituted a great divine sign, it is after them; there remained not
necessary to read this verse along so much as one of them.’
with other relevant verses such as (Exodus 14:21-28)
Ch.2:V.51, Ch.26:Vs.62-64 and
Ch.44:V.25. The Holy Qur’an says:
The Bible mentions the crossing And remember the time when
of the sea in the following words: We divided the sea for you
and saved you and drowned
‘And Moses stretched out his Pharaoh’s people while you
hand over the sea; and the looked on.
Lord caused the sea to go (Ch.2:V.51)
back by a strong east wind all
the night and made the sea dry And when the two hosts came
land, and the waters were in sight of each other the
divided. And the children of companions of Moses said,
Israel went into the midst of ‘We are surely overtaken’ ….
the sea upon the dry ground; Then We revealed to Moses
and the waters were a wall saying, ‘Strike the sea with
unto them on their right hand thy rod.’ Thereupon it parted

and every part looked like a views in sight, “What is most

huge mountain. probable is the fact that from Tal
(Ch.26:Vs.62 and 64) Abi Sulaiman which was the
capital of the Pharaohs in the
Along with it read also: time of Moses(as), the Israelites at
first went to north east to the gulf
And leave thou the sea at a of Timsah but finding that a net
time when it is motionless. of gulfs barred their way, they
Surely, they are a host that are turned south and crossed the Red
doomed to be drowned. Sea near the town of Suez where
(Ch.44:V.25) it is hardly more than 2/3 mile
wide and started for Qadas.”
When Moses(as) and the Israelites (Enc. Bible Col 1437)
arrived at the northern extremity
of the Red Sea, the ebb of the tide In short, Moses(as) and Aaron(as)
had begun. As the water receded, ‘led the Israelites out of Egypt
it left behind dunes, the tops of into Canaan. The Israelites left
which were gradually uncovered, secretly by night, and when
leaving the intervening depres- Pharaoh learnt of their flight, he
sions full of water. The Israelites pursued them with his hosts and
crossed over at that moment. On was drowned in the Red Sea.’
arrival at the spot, the Egyptian
forces saw a bare stretch of the As Pharaoh was drowning, he
shore and pursued the fugitives. proclaimed belief in the God of
Their chariot wheels stuck fast in the children of Israelites.
the wet soil and the water Acknowledging his belief God
returned upon them when the said:
wind shifted. They were thus
destroyed by God. What! Now! while you have
been disobedient before and
Historians differ as to the exact were of those who do
place from where Moses(as) mischief.
crossed the Red Sea. Keeping all

So this day We will save thee that he was entrusted with the
in thy body alone that thou mission of a Prophet (Jew
mayest be a Sign to those who Enc., vol 9, p.500 & Enc.
come after thee. And surely Bib., under “Pharaoh” and
many of mankind are heedless under “Egypt”).” (Large
of Our Signs. Commentary, Vol 1, Page
(Ch.10:Vs.92-93) 448).
According to one research: Moses(as) and the Israelites in

Sinai
It is remarkable that the After having crossed the sea
Qur’an alone, of all religious safely, Israelites saw the
scriptures and books of destruction of the powerful
history, mentions this fact. enemy with their own eyes and
The Bible makes no mention thanked God. God called
of it, nor does any book of Moses(as) for thirty nights on
history. But in what Mount Sinai and then this period
wonderful manner the word was extended for another ten
of God has proved true! After nights. Before leaving for the
the lapse of more than 3,000 meeting with God, Moses(as) said
years the body of Pharaoh has to his brother Aaron(as), ‘Act for
been discovered and it now me among my people in my
lies in a preserved state in the absence and manage them well,
museum at Cairo. The body and follow not the way those who
shows Pharaoh to have been a came disorder’ (Ch.7 V.143).
lean, short-bodied man, with
a countenance expressive of Moses(as) was blessed with
anger and stupidity. Moses(as) special communication from
was born in the time of God. It made him bold, and he
Rameses II and was brought requested God to show him that
up by him (Exodus 2:2-10), perfect manifestation which He
but it was in the reign of his promised the prophet prophesied
son, Merneptah (Meneptah) in Deuteronomy 18:18. Upon

this God manifested himself on not bow down thyself to them,

the mountain, and it broke into nor serve them: for I the Lord thy
pieces and Moses(as) fell God am a jealous God, visiting
unconscious. On recovery he the iniquity of the fathers upon
thanked God and said, ‘Holy art the children unto the third and
Thou, I turn towards Thee and I fourth generation of them that
am the first to believe’ hate me. And shewing mercy
(Ch.7:V.144). unto thousands of them that love
me, and keep my com-
He was then given the Ten mandments.
Commandments for Israelites.
The words of those command- Thou shalt not take the name of
ments were not preserved. the Lord thy God in vain; for the
However, they are found in the Lord will not hold him guiltless
current Bible in the following that taketh His name in vain.
words. Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou
The Ten Commandments labor, and do all thy work; But
And God spake all these words, the seventh day is the Sabbath of
saying, I am the Lord thy God, the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt
which have brought thee out of not do any work, thou, nor thy
the land of Egypt, out of the son, nor thy daughter, thy
house of bondage. manservant, nor thy
maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor
Thou shalt have no other thy stranger that is within thy
gods before me. gates: For in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea,
Thou shalt not make unto thee and all that in them is, and rested
any graven image, or any the seventh day: wherefore the
likeness of any thing that is in Lord blessed the Sabbath day,
heaven above, or that is in the and hallowed it.
earth beneath, or that is in the
water under the earth. Thou shalt Honor thy father and thy mother:

that thy days may be long upon let him go free for his eye’s
the land which the Lord thy God sake.
giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill. And if he smite out his
Thou shalt not commit adultery. manservant’s tooth or his
Thou shalt not steal. maidservant’s tooth, he shall
Thou shalt not bear false witness let him go free for his tooth’s
against thy neighbor. sake.’
Thou shalt not covet thy (Exodus 21:23-27)
neighbour’s house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor The Holy Qur’an describe this
his manservant, nor his law as follow:
maidservant, nor his ox, nor his
ass, nor any thing that is thy And therein We prescribed for
neighbour’s. them: a life for a life, and an
(Exodus 20:1-17) eye for an eye, and a nose for
a nose, and an ear for an ear,
Besides these commandments, and a tooth for a tooth, and
the law of retaliation, which was for other injuries equitable
vigorously followed by the retaliation. And whoso waives
Israelites, is mentioned in the the right thereto, it shall be an
following words: expiation for his sins; and
whoso judges not by what
‘And if any mischief follow, Allah has sent down, these it
then thou shalt give life for is who are wrongdoers.
life. (Ch.5:V.46)
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
hand for hand, foot for foot. During the absence of Moses(as)
Burning for burning, wound the Israelites due to their weak
for wound, stripe for stripe. faith, returned to the worship of
And if man smite the eye of the calf, which Samiri prepared
his servant, or the eye of his with their ornaments. They did
maid, that it perish, he shall not heed the polite admonition of

Aaron(as). On his return from Thus revitalised, they were to be

Mount Sinai, Moses(as) rebuked led to the Promised Land and
them and was hard on his made rulers of it. The Israelites,
brother. He excommunicated however, failed to understand
Samiri and frightened the the real purpose of God or,
followers a great deal, then having understood it, failed to
picked up seventy leading men appreciate it and foolishly
and went back to the mountain insisted upon living in a town.
for repentance. An earthquake God wanted to prepare them to
took place, which struck terror rule over the Promised Land but
among the Israelites. They those unfortunate people hun-
joined in repentance with gered after husbandry. So they
Moses(as) and were forgiven by were told to go down to a town
God. where they would get the desired
things.
Moses(as) introduced the Divine
Commandments on the tablets Promised Land and the
and advised them that their Israelites
progress and prosperity lay in Reference to the Promised Land
obedience to them. Israelites has been made in the Holy
were to be trained in Sinai for Qur’an in the following verse:
the victory of Canaan.
And already have We written
Having lived for a long time in in the Psalms of David, after
bondage and in a state of the exhortation, that My
dependence, the Israelites had righteous servants shall
become cowardly and indolent. inherit the land.
So God intended them to stay in (Ch.21:V.106)
the desert for some time and to
live on game and wild herbs in Moses(as) and Aaron(as) encour-
order that they might shed their aged Israelites to march forward
cowardice and laziness by living from Sinai to conquer Canaan,
an independent life in the desert. the Promised Land, and assured

them of victory, provided that prophecies of Moses(as).

they strove to enter the gates
thereof. But they replied saying, ‘And this is the blessing,
wherewith Moses the man of
O Moses , there is, in that God blessed the children of
land a haughty and powerful Israel before his death.
people, and we shall not enter And he said, The Lord came
it until they go forth from it. from Sinai and rose up from
… Go thou and thy Lord and Seir unto them; he shined
fight, and here we sit. forth from Mount Paran, and
(Ch.5:Vs.23, 25) he came with ten thousands of
saints: from his right hand
When the Israelites behaved in a went a fiery law for them.’
cowardly manner, God decreed (Deuteronomy 33:2)
that they should continue to
wander in the wilderness for forty In this passage three prophecies
years in order that the life of the have been mentioned:
desert should invigorate them and
infuse in them new life and should Manifestation of God on
strengthen their morals. Moses(as) in Sinai.
God’s manifestation on Jesus(as)
Moses(as) had succeeded in in Seir, the area in which many
bringing the Israelites out of miracles of Jesus(as) took place.
Pharaoh’s bondage and brought
them freedom, but could not God’s manifestation on
convince them to conquer Muhammad which was to take
(saw)
Canaan. He died in Sinai. place at Mount Paran. The Holy

Prophet Muhammad(saw) con-
Future Disclosed to Moses(as) quered Makkah at the head of ten
Allah alone possesses the thousand companions. Paran in
knowledge of the future. He Arabic is called Faran, the name
imparts it through His chosen of the hill that lies between
ones. We mention a few Makkah and Madinah. The fiery

law mentioned is the Holy Qur’an Moses(as) was a law-bearing

– a permanent law for mankind. Prophet and all those appeared
after him including David,
God spoke to Moses(as) and said: Solomon and Jesus(as) followed
his law. His dispensation came to
‘I will raise them up a Prophet an end with the death of Jesus(as)
from among their brethren, in Kashmir, India.
like unto thee, and will put
My words in his mouth; and
he shall speak unto them all
that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that
whosoever will not hearken
unto My words which he shall
speak in My name, I will
require it of him.’
(Deuteronomy 20:18-19)
In this prophecy Moses(as) was told

that God would raise a Prophet
from among their brethren, that is,
the Ishmaelites, who would be a
law-bearing Prophet like
Moses(as). This was fulfilled in the
person of Muhammad(saw). The
word of the prophecy ‘and will
put My words in his mouth’ are
very significant as the Holy
Qur’an introduced by
Muhammad (saw) claims to be the
very Word of God. There is no
other religious book, which claims
to be the exact Word of God.

The Impact of Religion on
Ghanaian Society
By Maulvi A. Wahab Adam, Amir (Head) & Missionary-In-Charge of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana on 76th National Annual Convention of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, held at the Mission’s conference
centre, Bustan-e-Ahmad, (Garden of Ahmad), Ashongman, Accra, on 8th-
December, 2005.
Assalaamu Alaikum Man shares all these instincts with

Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh! all other lesser creatures. What,
then, what is the difference
May the peace, mercy and between man and the other
blessings of Allah be upon you all. creatures? Man has been given the
intellect to distinguish between
Our special welcome goes to His good and evil.
Excellency Alhajj Aliu Mahama,
Vice President of the Republic of This is also called conscience. It
Ghana who despite his pre- enables him to distinguish what is
occupation with enormous State good from what is bad; what is
duties, has honoured our invitation proper from what is not proper,
to be with us this morning. what is appropriate from what is
not appropriate.
The theme for this year’s
Convention is ‘The Impact of Then on top of it all, he has been
Religion on Ghanaian society’. given the capacity to choose what
is right from what is wrong. It is
A human being is like any other the capacity to choose that raises
lesser creature. He feels hungry man above the angels.
and therefore eats to satisfy his
hunger. So does he feel thirsty and The Holy Qur’an says:
drinks to quench his thirst. He
feels sleepy and, therefore, sleeps. So when I have fashioned him

THE IMPACT OF RELIGION ON GHANIAN SOCIETY
in perfection and have of all religions are the same.

breathed into him of My Spirit,
fall ye down in submission to It must be stressed that Allah is not
him. a partial God. Ever since the
(Ch.15:V.30) creation of the world, God has
been providing guidance for all
With these qualities, he becomes a nations. He cares for all His
moral being. He may feel hungry creation. He cares not only for the
and thirsty but unlike the lesser people of Israel but also for the
creatures, he will not consume people of India, Arabia, Europe,
what does not belong to him. Australia and Africa. According to
Besides, he will not consume what the Holy Prophet or Islam(saw) there
is not wholesome. So will he not have appeared 124,000 prophets in
have intimacy with his mother or the world.
sister as do lesser creatures. By the
same token, he is expected not to The Holy Qur’an says:
have intimacy with one who is not
his legitimate married partner. Verily, We have sent thee with
the truth, as bearer of glad
When man is said to have been tidings and as a Warner; and
created in God’s image, that is there is no people to whom a
what it means. It does not mean Warner has not been sent.
that God has a nose like that of (Ch.35:V.25)
man or a mouth like man’s mouth!
What it means is, man has been The Holy Qur’an also says:
endowed with the capacity to
imbibe the attributes of God. Say ye: ‘We believe in Allah
and what has been revealed to
To help us attain to these heights, us and what was revealed to
God has been sending guidance to Abraham and Ishmael, and
all nations. This guidance from Isaac, and Jacob and his
God is what constitutes religion. children, and what was given
Religion teaches purity of thought to Moses and Jesus, and what
and of action. The basic teachings was given to all other Prophets

from their Lord. We make no country. I am aware of the Joint

difference between any of Pastoral Letters that leaders of
them; and to Him we submit Religious Bodies in this country
ourselves.’ have been signing to bring hope
(Ch.2:V.137) and solace to the people of Ghana
in times of great fear and despair. I
So we hear of Confucianism, also know the efforts of leaders of
Taoism, Hinduism, Budhism, Religious Bodies in organising
Zoroastrianism, Judaism, programmes of Compassion for
Christianity and Islam. All these those living with HIV/AIDS.
great religions have made a
tremendous impact on society. There is also no gainsaying the
fact that religion has made
It is generally believed that invaluable contribution to the
religions have been the cause of provision of quality education,
wars and conflicts in the world. health care facilities and has also
This may be true of followers but developed agriculture in the
not of the teachings. country.
In Ghana, two of these great The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission,

religions are predominant, i.e. for instance, is well-known for its
Islam and Christianity . schools and hospitals: It is the first
religious body to have set up
The theme of this year’s homeopathic clinics in the
Convention is to enable us to make country. It the first in the country
a frank, honest and unbiased to have made successful
assessment of the impact of the experiment of wheat cultivation.
two great religions on the
Ghanaian society. As from this year, a special
Department has been opened at the
I am a personal witness to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Missionary
collaboration of leaders of Training College at Ekrawfo – a
Religious Bodies in ensuring Department whose first intake is
relative peace and stability in the 41. The students will commit the

entire text of the Holy Qur’an to whose avowed aim is to provide

memory. material prosperity to their clients.
These institutions are not only
Apart from other advantages, the concerned with the provision of
forty-one Ghanaians committing material wealth but are also
the entire text of the Holy Qur’an experts in the field.
to memory will provide an
irrefutable proof to Ghanaians, as What such institutions lack, and to
it has to many countries across the which they do not make any claim,
world, that the Holy Qur’an is the is the ability to equip their clients
one Scripture that is indestructible with morality and communion
because it can be reproduced, with the Creator.
word for word, by at least 41
individuals, here in Ghana, should It is religion that makes these
the need arise. claims. In this age of spe-
cialisation, it is easy to understand
Already, students from 12 that the principal responsibility of
countries of the sub-continent are religion is to lift man from an
pursuing courses in theology at the animalistic state to a moral being.
College.
That is why it would be tragic if the
Contributions of various religious high-sounding claim of religion to
bodies, therefore, are no doubt, develop man morally and link him
highly commendable when to his Maker remains a dead letter
viewed against the background of as is the case with mundane
religious leaders in other countries institutions and organisations.
who for political and other
considerations create disunity, It is in this light that one needs to
conflict and pain to the detriment evaluate the impact of religion on
of their respective countries. the Ghanaian society.
What needs to be noted, however, Here is a country where super-

is the fact that there abound in the stition is so deep-rooted that
world today, many institutions religion or no religion, we still

believe in a concept which is well the hospital bill that the man was
captured by a University Professor presented to the members of the
that ‘if you do not perform funeral family as a living being! They
rites properly, the passage of the were terribly disappointed to see
ancestors becomes a little him alive!
difficult.’
Excessive drinking is the bane of
The result is, we spend hours, days, our society. Most of the accidents
weeks and even months so as to on our roads are caused by drivers
‘ease’ the passage of our dead. who either do not heed the oft
Time aside, we also spend scarce repeated warning: ‘Don’t drink and
resources that are better reserved drive’ or through vehicles that are
for orphans and widows on the not road-worthy or both.
purchase of expensive coffins,
choicest drinks and in recent times, Yet superstition is so deep-seated
sumptuous ‘take away’ meals! In in our society that we ascribe these
our part of the world, more money tragic accidents to the devil!
is spent on the dead than on the
living! Widows are tortured and
humiliated in our society. They are
The story of the man who connived turned out of the homes they
with his doctor to inform his helped their husbands to build.
relatives that he is dead in order to Pepper is literally put into their
get them to pay his hospital bills is eyes because it is taken for granted
still fresh in our minds. that it was the wife who ‘killed’
the husband. So she must be
None of the relatives paid him a punished! All these boil down to
visit when he was lying in pain at superstition and it is a pity that
Korle Bu. The moment the doctor adherents of religion indulge in
informed the family that he was these practices in the name of
dead, they did not only find the culture.
money to purchase an expensive
coffin, but also enough to settle the Culture is dynamic, not static. So
hospital bill. It was after settling every cultural practice that is

inimical to society should be only a fraction is devoted to

discarded. And it is religion that instilling true moral values, or if, in
should help us do that. some cases, sermons are delivered
in a language that the congregation
Imagine that in the 21st Century we does not understand, how are
spend a lifetime ‘catching’ witches. worshippers expected to know the
Yes, always witches, not wizards, fundamentals of religion?
and generally, old and vulnerable
women. Who is a prophet? What moral
attributes does he possess? Can one
In so doing, we ascribe to these see the footprints of angels on sand
poor women things that they cannot in a wakeful state? What is prayer?
even dream of doing – eating up Do we have to shout at the top of
young grandchildren, placing our voices before Allah or God
‘barrels’ in the wombs of their hears us? Do we please Allah or
daughters so that they become God by offering ill-gotten money to
barren, afflicting prosperous Him? If not, is there a system of
relations with deadly diseases, and retribution in this world and in the
hanging poverty perpetually world to come?
around their necks!
If we knew such simple
These are ‘secrets’ which are fundamentals of religion, we
‘uncovered’ only by men of God, would not be persuaded to believe
with devastating consequences. that prayers are best answered if a
Seeds of suspicion and hatred are man of God places his hands on
sown in the hearts of close his subject when she is stark
relations. Houses of suspected naked. So would one not be
witches are set on fire. Some are persuaded to believe that the way
beaten to death. The result is the to fertility is to abandon one’s
witches’ village at Larbanga. It is a husband to have intimacy with a
blot on the face of an otherwise man of God.
beautiful body called religion.
It is unbelievable that a wor-
If out of many hours of worship, shipper can be persuaded to

pretend to be ‘blind’ or ‘lame’ in because we would, from then on,

order that he or she could be not behave like the ostrich that
declared as ‘seeing’ or ‘whole’, in buries its head in the sand but
public, through the ‘miracle’ of a tackle the problem head-on with a
man of God! view to solving it.
How surprising that a worshipper According to the Holy Qur’an, the

can be made to believe that a man problem lies in disbelief in life
of God can predict his or her after death: that there is life
future merely by looking into a beyond this material world, that
bowl of sand! every deed of man is recorded and
that the All-Knowing Allah or
What a pity that the celebration of God will sooner or later call each
an important religious observance one to account for his or her
cannot be complete without stewardship while in this transient
amorous dance and public world. Then each will be, without
nuisance! doubt, rewarded or punished in
strict accord with his or her deeds.
Let us admit that, so far, we, as
Religious bodies, have not found The Holy Qur’an says:
any satisfactory answer to the oft-
repeated question that if the As to those who believe not in
majority of the people of the the Hereafter, We have made
country are worshippers of Allah their deeds appear beautiful to
or God, how come there is so them, so they are wandering
much of indiscipline, immorality, blindly.
and embezzlement in our society? (Ch.27:V.5)
While we have every right to It also says:

celebrate the achievements and
successes of religion, we should And We will certainly question
also be honest and humble enough those to whom the Messengers
to admit the failures. Such an were sent and We will certainly
admission is battle half-won question the Messengers.

Then will We certainly relate to And come not near unto

them their deeds with adultery; surely, it is a foul
knowledge, for We were never thing and an evil way.
absent. (Ch.17:V.33)
And the weighing on that day
will be true. Then as for those In other words, all avenues
whose scales are heavy, it is through which adultery can be
they who shall prosper. committed should be carefully
And as for those whose scales watched and avoided. These
are light, it is they who shall include free intermixing of the
have ruined their souls sexes, indecent dressing and lewd
because of their being unjust to or profane songs.
Our Signs.
(Ch.7: Vs.7-10) When any of these is projected
through the radio or television, it
It is only with such a realisation has the same effect.
that materialism will give way to
spirituality, immorality to morality Indeed the Holy Prophet of
and indiscipline to discipline. Islam(saw), has said:
Religious bodies must view with ‘It never happens that permis-
justifiable concern the recent calls siveness overwhelms a people
for legalisation of prostitution as a to the extent that they display
check against the spread of their acts of sex shamelessly
HIV/AIDS. and they are not uniquely
punished through the spread of
Whatever reasons lie behind these such diseases the like of which
calls can only be found in have never been witnessed by
philosophies that fail to take into their forefathers.’
account the teachings of God. (Sunan Ibn-e-Majah. Kitabul-
Fitan, Baabul Uqoobah)
The Holy Qur’an is explicit on
this: That should be the rationale of
accepting abstinence as the

number one line of action as a How true are the words of Dr.
check against the spread of the Giles Frazer: ‘God created two
HIV/AIDS pandemic. persons male and female. Now the
world of homosexuals has created
Not only that the call to legalise a third – a homosexual, neither
prostitution will not be the correct male nor female – strange two-in-
antidote against the spread of the one human.’
dreadful disease but also it will
encourage immorality and the These trends present a serious
break-up of families. challenge to Religious Bodies and
all men and women who are
It is equally important that concerned about morality in the
Religious Bodies should be Ghanaian society.
seriously worried about the
growing acceptance of same-sex The idea of same-sex marriages
relationship as a fact of life. When defeats the purpose of marriage
the matter was raised at the which is holy matrimony and
Lambeth Conference some years ordained by the Almighty for
back and the Bishops from Africa procreation and the continuity of
and Asia dismissed it as the human race.
unsupported by Scripture, they
were branded as backward and Ghana is a great country, the first
superstitious. in Africa South of the Sahara to
have gained Independence. It is
However, a few days ago, the destined to play a pivotal role in
South Africa Constitutional Court the affairs of Africa and the world
ruled in favour of same-sex at large. To do that the citizens of
marriages. The Court went further Ghana, each and all, need to play
to define marriage not as ‘a union his or her part, not in talking but in
between man and woman’ but as a doing what it takes to bring to
union between two persons. So Ghana peace, stability, honour and
the trend which seemed distant is above all, a deep consciousness of
getting closer and closer. morality and accountability that
will make Ghana truly great. Here,

religion has an important role to Let all the Religious Bodies in

play. this, vigour, steadfastness and in
all sincerity, pursue that objective,
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, and the country will witness a
Khalifatul Masih IV (Allah’s positive impact of religion on the
mercy be on him) has lamented in citizenry.
these words:
The Founder of the Ahmadiyya
‘As far as human moral Muslim Community, Hadhrat
conduct is concerned, it seems Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), had
to be universal in its sinfulness. prayed for all those who
Those who claim to be participate in these Conventions
religious are unfor-tunately no whose only aim is to develop
less immoral than the ourselves morally and spiritually.
irreligious. The so-called
believers in God are no longer It is our humble prayer that Allah
clearly distinguishable from may, out of His grace, make each
those who do not one of us a recipient of the
believe………’ blessings of those humble
supplications.
The Holy Qur’an pronounces its
judgement on the people of the Once again, it is my honour and
latter days: privilege to welcome you all to
this Convention.
We call that age to witness,
That man is most certainly at Thank you.
loss. Save for those who believe
and do good deeds and
admonish righteousness by
righteous means, and admonish
patience with patience.’
(Ch.103:Vs.2-4)
(Revelation Rationality Knowledge
and Truth, Page 651-2)

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The Purity of the Text of the
HOLY QUR’AN – Part 2
From the Review of Religions, 1907
2. Arguments showing that the odes known as ‘the seven

Holy Qur’an was written in the suspended ones’. These odes were
lifetime of the Holy Prophet(saw) so named from the circumstance
by his own direction. that they were suspended upon the
Ka’aba by their authors, as odes
I will now consider the circum- of unequalled poetic beauty, at the
stances which assisted in the pilgrimage season, and there they
preservation of the text of the remained placarded for some
Holy Qur’an. The first and the time. There were seven different
most important of these is that odes by seven different famous
every verse of the Holy Qur’an poets of the pre-Islamic days and
was written in the lifetime of the were suspended in succession.
Holy Prophet(saw) before his eyes.
Writing was generally known at Various anecdotes preserved to us
Makkah and Madinah before the in the traditions show that the
advent of Islam, and though the whole of the Holy Qur’an existed
Arabs generally trusted their in a written form in the lifetime of
wonderfully retentive memories the Holy Prophet(saw), while the
for the preservation of thousands Holy Book itself contains many
of verses and long lists of references showing that it was
geneologies, yet they reduced to written at the time. But before
writing their more important referring to these two sources of
compositions and hung them in evidence, I would give a quotation
some public place where their from Sir William Muir, showing
compatriots could see and admire that there is such an overwhelming
them. Hence the seven famous evidence of the Qur’an having

THE PURITY OF THE TEXT OF THE HOLY QUR’AN
been reduced to writing before the The Holy Qur’an itself furnishes
eyes of the Holy Prophet(saw) that ample evidence that it existed in a
one of the most hostile critics of written form. It is again and again
Islam has found it impossible to called the kitab which means a
deny its truth. He writes: book or a thing written. The
Qur’an is also designated as the
‘But there is good reason for ‘suhuf’ which means written
believing that many papers. Thus in xcviii: 2, we have
fragmentary copies, embrac- the Arabic which means ‘a
ing amongst them the whole messenger from God reading to
Coran, or nearly the whole, them pure pages in which are
were during his lifetime made unchanging books.’
by the Prophet’s followers.
Writing was without doubt The pure pages are the pages of
generally known at Makkah the Holy Qur’an and the
long before Mahomet assumed unchanging books are its chapters,
the prophetical office. And at for not only is the entire Qur’an
Madinah many of his followers called Alkitab or the Book, but its
were employed by the prophet different chapters are also called
in writing his letters or books, Again in Ch.29: Vs.11-15,
despatches. . . . . . The poorer Rodwell renders the Arabic as
captives taken at Bedr were follows: ‘Verily it (the Qur’an) is,
offered their release on a warning (and whoso is willing
condition that they taught a beareth it in mind) written on
certain number of Madinah honoured pages, exalted, purified
citizens to write. And although by the hands of scribes, honored,
the people of Madinah were righteous.’ The word sahifa (pl.
not so generally educated as suhuf) which is used here is the
those of Makkah, yet many are very word applied to the
noticed as having been able to collections made by Zaid in the
write before Islam’. caliphate of Abu Bekr and later in
(Introduction to Muir’s Life of that of Othman. Thus we see that
Mahomet, p.28) the Holy Qur’an describes itself in
clear words both as a kitab and as

sahifa, words used in the Arabic written in the preserved Book: let
language to denote a written book, none touch it but the purified’ (76-
a fact to which every dictionary of 78). These verses establish two
the Arabic language testifies. points; firstly, that the Qur’an
From the same root sahaf is asserted to be a preserved Book,
derived the word mushaf, a name i.e., a book which none could
to this day applied to the Holy alter, and secondly, that it claimed
Qur’an, which means a book or a to be written at that early date,
volume consisting of a collection because the impure are forbidden
of sahifas or written pages (see to touch it. If it was not found in a
Lane’s Lexicon under the root: written form, it could not be
described as a thing which could
be touched. Rodwell gives the
following footnote under this
The word Qur’an is derived from passage:
the root Qara which means
reading or reciting, and the Holy ‘This passage implies the
Book is called the Qur’an showing existence of copies of portions at
that it was meant for reading or least of the Koran in common use.
reciting. Every portion of it was It was quoted by the sister of
both written and recited and hence Omar when, at his conversion, he
it is the Qur’an as well as the desired to take her copy of Sura
kitab. 20 into his hands. Verses 77, 78,
were directed by the Calif
There are many other references Muhammad Abulcasim bin
in the Holy Qur’an showing that Abdulla to be inscribed on all
its chapters existed in a written copies of the Koran’ (Rodwell’s
form at an early date. The fifty- Koran, p.54).
sixth chapter of the Holy Book
which is entitled alwaqiah or the To say that the passage affords
‘Inevitable’ is among the earliest evidence of copies only of some
chapters revealed at Makkah, and portions of the Holy Qur’an is not
in it occur the following verses: true. The verse does not contain
‘Verily it is the honorable Qur’an any word which can lead us to the

conclusion that some portions of same desire to preserve every

the Holy Book were not written. word of the Holy Qur’an was not
It speaks of the whole of the shown by the Holy Prophet(saw) or
Qur’an and not of some portions his followers.
of it to the exclusion of others.
The testimony afforded by the The Holy Qur’an was a ‘book,’
verse is that the Holy Qur’an was ‘written in honored pages’ which
written and to show that any ‘none but the pure should touch’
portion of it was not written there and these descrip-tions apply to
must be opposing evidence. But in each and every word of the Holy
the Holy Qur’an and the traditions Book.
there is not to be met with the
least trace of any such evidence. Again, it is in a chapter revealed
and proclaimed at Makkah that we
On the other hand, it is an meet with the following challenge
admitted fact that every portion of to the unbelievers who looked
the Holy Qur’an was looked upon upon the Holy Qur’an as a
with the same reverence by the fabrication of the Prophet. ‘If they
Muslims and every word of it was shall say, “The Qur’an is his own
believed to be the Word of God. It device”, say, “Then bring ten
is, therefore, quite unreasonable to Suras like it of your devising, and
suppose that some portions of the call whom you can to your aid
Holy Qur’an were written while beside God, if you are men of
others were not. There is not a truth”’ (Ch.11:V.14). A similar
single circumstance in the whole challenge is contained in a chapter
history of Islam which should of a still earlier date:
entitle us to make any such
distinction between the different ‘Say, Assuredly if mankind and
portions of the Holy Qur’an and the Jinn should conspire to
to suppose that while some produce the like of this Qur’an,
chapters were written, the others they could not produce its like,
were not thought fit to be written, though the one should help the
or that the same care was not other’
taken of all the parts or that the (Ch.17: V.89).

And in a chapter revealed at revelation it was at once reduced

Madinah, we have: to writing. The first revelation
which the Holy Prophet(saw)
‘And if you be in doubt as to received was brought to him
that which we have sent down written on a paper1, which the
to Our servant, then produce a angel asked him to read, and
Sura of like sort, and summon probably it was a hint to the
your witnesses besides God if prophet that every revelation
you are truthful: But if you do which was brought to him should
it not, and by no means shall be written down.
you do it, then fear the fire
prepared for the unbelievers’ However, that may be, it is a fact
(Ch.2: Vs.24-25) that every verse or chapter of the
Holy Qur’an when it was revealed
Now all these challenges to the was put to writing in the presence
opponents to produce one sura or of the Holy Prophet(saw). Thus in a
ten suras like the Qur’an imply tradition related by Abu Daood,
that the suras of the Holy Qur’an Tirmadhi and Ahmad, the Caliph
existed in a written form at the Othman thus explained the
time of the challenge, because practice as to the writing of the
otherwise the challenge would revelations of the Holy Qur’an:
have been meaningless. The
unbelievers could not be expected ‘It was customary with the
to commit to memory the whole or Messenger of God(saw), when
several chapters of the Qur’an, and portions of different chapters
therefore, they could not be were revealed to him, that
challenged to produce its like when any verse was revealed,
unless they could have access to he called one of “those persons
the written chapters. who used to write the Holy
Qur’an and said to him; ‘Write
In traditions of the highest these verses in the chapter
authority there are numerous where such and such verses
anecdotes showing that when the occur’.”
Holy Prophet(saw) received a

This tradition mentions, not what

the Holy Prophet(saw) did on one
occasion, but what he always used
to do, when any verse of the Holy
Qur’an was revealed to him. The
person who describes this practice
of the Holy Prophet(saw) is Othman,
one of the earliest converts to
Islam and a son-in-law of the Holy
Prophet(saw). Thus we have the
clearest testimony that every verse
of the Divine revelation was put to was revealed, the Prophet(saw) said,
writing by the order and in the ‘Bring Zaid to me and he should
presence of the Holy Prophet(saw), come with the tablet and the
while additional care was taken by inkstand.’ Then he said to him
him to point out the place and (Zaid), Write
chapter of a verse when there were
two or more unfinished chapters,
so that the Scribes might not
confuse verses of one chapter with (the verse revealed).’
those of another. This evidence is
conclusive because there is not the In another tradition reported by
slightest evidence that any portion Bukari under the same heading,
of the Holy Qur’an was left Abu Bakr(as) addresses Zaid, the
without writing. same man who was ordered to
write the verse in the above
Other traditions of the highest tradition, in these words: ‘Verily
authority support the evidence of thou didst use to write the
Othman. Thus Bukhari reports revelation for the Messenger of
under the heading ‘The God, may peace and the blessings
Amanuensis of the Prophet ’ the
(saw) of God be upon him.’
following tradition from Bara:.
‘When the verse: Besides Zaid, who being the
official scribe did by far the

greater part of writing the every verse of the Holy Qur’an

revelations of the Holy Prophet(saw) was written at the time of its
at Madinah, many other persons revelation there are many other
are mentioned who did this work anecdotes supporting the same
at Makkah, and in the absence of conclusion. For instance, Muslim
Zaid, at Madinah. Among these reports a tradition according to
are mentioned the names of Abu which the Holy Prophet(saw) said to
Bakras), Omar(as), Othman(as), Ali(as), his com-panions: ‘Do not write
Abdulla bin Sa’d bin Abi Sarh from me anything except the
(who became an apostate but Qur’an’. This direction which was
embraced Islam again after the meant as a precautionary step
conquest of Makkah), Zubeir, son against the confusion of the Holy
of Awam, Khalid and Aban, sons Qur’an with what the Holy
of Said, Ubayy son of Ka’b, Prophet(saw) spoke on other
Hanzala son of Rabi, Muaiqab son occasions, also shows clearly that
of Abu Fatima, Abdulla son of arrangements had been made for
Arqam, Sharhubail son of Hasana the writing of the Holy Qur’an by
and Abdulla son of Rawaha2. the Holy Prophet(saw). The
direction takes it for granted that
But it is not to be supposed that the Holy Qur’an was written.
these were the only persons among
the companions who could write If it had not been the practice to
or actually transcribed copies of write every verse and chapter of
the Holy Qur’an. These were the the Holy Qur’an, no objection
men who did the work of would have been taken to the
amanuenses for the Holy writing of other words uttered by
Prophet(saw) and whose names have the Holy Prophet(saw). This
been preserved to us in traditions. conclusion is further corroborated
Nor is the list given above a by the circumstance that where
complete list of all the there was no danger of confusion
amanuenses. on the part of the writers, the
writing of certain traditions was
Besides these traditions which also allowed(3).
directly establish the fact that

There is another tradition when he entered the house, was as

mentioned by Ibn-i-Hisham in the to what they were reading. They
story of the conversion of Omar replied, ‘Thou hast not heard
which shows that written copies of anything.’ He said, ‘Yes I have
the chapters of the Holy Qur’an heard and I have been informed
were in common use among the that you have followed
early Muslim converts at Makkah. Muhammad in his religion.’ Then
Omar with a drawn sword in his he caught hold of his brother-in-
hand made for the Holy law, Sai’d, son of Zaid. His sister
Prophet(saw) one day to murder him. advanced towards him to protect
On the way he learnt that his own her husband and was severely hurt
sister and brother-in-law were in the struggle. Then Omar’s sister
hidden converts to Islam. So he and her husband told him that they
turned his steps to his sister’s were really converts to Islam and
house. that he might do what he liked.
‘At that time there was in the When Omar saw his sister
house a third man, Khabbab son of bleeding, he was sorry for what he
Art, who had with him a volume in had done and asked his sister to let
which was written Ta Ha (the him have the book which they
twentieth Chapter of the Holy were reading, so that he might see
Qur’an) which he was teaching to what it was that Muhammad had
Omar’s sister and her husband. brought to them. Omar himself
When they perceived Omar could write. On hearing his
coming, Kabbab hid himself in a demand, his sister expressed the
corner of the house, and Fatima, fear that he might destroy the
Omar’s sister, took the volume and document. Omar gave her his
hid it under herself. But Omar had word and swore by his idols that
already so far approached them he would return to her the
that he had heard the voice of document after perusing it.
Khabbab’s recital of the Holy
Qur’an. Then she told him that being a
Musharik (one who set up false
So the first question he asked, gods with God) he was impure and

could not touch the Qur’an hand, this statement is made

because it said that none should incidentally in a narrative reported
touch it except the pure. Then with quite a different object, and
Omar washed himself and his hence it is only illustrative of the
sister handed over to him the book practice of the Holy Prophet(saw)
which had Ta Ha written in it. and the Muslims at that early date.
Omar read a portion of it and
began to admire it and showed a Even if there were no other
reverence for the book. Thereupon evidence of the writing of the Holy
Khabbab seeing that he was well Qur’an except this anecdote. still
disposed towards Islam, asked him we would be justified in drawing
to accept Islam.” from it the conclusion that the
portions of the Holy Qur’an
This long quotation which is a part revealed up to that time existed in
of the lengthy tradition of the a written form and that it was the
conversion of Omar shows practice to write the revelation.
conclusively that at that early The twentieth chapter did not
period copies of the Qur’an were possess any peculiarity which
commonly used by the believers. should have entitled it to be
It is sometimes argued that such written while the other chapters
anecdotes only show that some were only orally recited. On the
chapters were written and that other hand, it is not one of the
therefore there is no evidence that chapters which are mentioned as
every verse of the Holy Qur’an being commonly recited in public
was reduced to writing. But there prayers, while numerous other
is a fallacy in this argument. The chapters, some of them much
statement that the twentieth longer than it, are mentioned as
chapter of the Holy Qur’an existed being thus recited, and it can be
in a written form before the easily seen that written copies of
conversion of Omar is not made to chapters which were commonly
give any importance to that recited in prayers must have been
chapter, so that one may think that in use to a far greater extent.
the reporter mentioned it because
of its peculiarity. On the other Hence the existence of the

twentieth chapter in a written the Holy Prophet(saw) to read

form, the use of the manuscript and his reply that he was
made in Omar’s sister’s family unable to read show
which shows that similar use was conclusively that the
made of this and other chapters revelation was shown to him
among the believers, and that written, on a paper, and
lady’s consciousness that the Holy further that, the Holy
Qur’an forbade the touching of its Prophet(saw) could not himself
manuscripts by impure hands read or write.
afford to us the clearest evidence
that written copies of every 2. See Fath-ul-Bari, Vol IX,
chapter of the Holy Qur’an existed page 19, under the heading
even at Makkah at a time when the ‘The Amanuenses of the Holy
converts to Islam were very few in Prophet.’
numbers.
3. See Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Ilm.
REFERENCE
1. The tradition from which I

draw this inference is given in
the beginning of the Sahih
Bukhari, and runs thus: ‘The
angel came to him (the Holy
Prophet(saw)) when he was in
the cave of Hira and said to
him “Read.” He replied: “I
cannot read”.’ The tradition
states that this was repeated
three times, and after this the
angel dictated to him the
opening verses of the ninety-
sixth chapter which is entitled
the ‘Alaq’. The angel’s asking

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CONTENTS March 2006, Vol.101, No.

The Holy Prophet(saw) Alone is the Living Prophet – part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Prophets and Troopers – A Study in Contrast, Part 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Prophets of God – Part 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

The Impact of Religion on Ghanaian Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

The Purity of the text of the Holy Qur’an – Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah

Fauzia Bajwa Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar Proofreaders: Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah

In the study of religion it is Islam is a living religion. In this

2 The Review of Religions – March 2006

History has shown that the The importance of persuasion,

‘Even a cursory glance at

And, above all, the Seal of

The Review of Religions – March 2006 3

T he miracles that were

4 The Review of Religions – March 2006

should be a living witness to the lonely and humble person

The Review of Religions – March 2006 5

coming from God Almighty in

6 The Review of Religions – March 2006

The Review of Religions – March 2006 7

any Arya, or a follower of other (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani

8 The Review of Religions – March 2006

Remind them for thou (O has now been toned down by

The picture of Muhammad, the But there is one ‘self-respecting’

The Review of Religions – March 2006 9

is in the eye of the beholder. But 3. That the Maulana is obsessed –

10 The Review of Religions – March 2006

terms of his life-space – one has to another explanation of his

The Review of Religions – March 2006 11

present needs, so he adopts it and effective and also easier than

12 The Review of Religions – March 2006

The Review of Religions – March 2006 13

to reform mankind should realise consider me a fool because of the

14 The Review of Religions – March 2006

followers also made no attempt to The Qur’an, which for Maulana

The Review of Religions – March 2006 15

After Moses(as), Jesus(as), too, spent the authority of a policeman, but

16 The Review of Religions – March 2006

disobedience and exploitation to jihad and establish the

The Maulana’s ambition of seizing No religion in the world preaches

The Review of Religions – March 2006 17

experience could not understand creatures so that he may exercise

18 The Review of Religions – March 2006

just administration?’ ‘False’, the movement was developed to act

The Review of Religions – March 2006 19

eradicating the Trinity and According to the Ahmadis, their

20 The Review of Religions – March 2006

The Review of Religions – March 2006 21

In short, Ahmadis censure the seeking to promote peace.

22 The Review of Religions – March 2006

York: The Ronald Press 12. Haqiqat-i-Jihad, op.cit., 10.

9. The conversion of religion is

10. Hugh Nissenden, Scripture

11. The Maulana’s original Urdu

The Review of Religions – March 2006 23

of ‘Every son that is born, ye

24 The Review of Religions – March 2006

God’s ways are mysterious and him an ark of bulrushes and

The Review of Religions – March 2006 25

26 The Review of Religions – March 2006

of Moses(as) was so delighted at of Egypt had developed totally

As Moses(as) advanced toward Moses(as) had no intention of