Calendar of Religious Events & Festivals - December 2009: Management Board

MANAGEMENT BOARD CONTENTS December 2009, Vol.104, No.
12
Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman)
Mansoor Shah (Secretary)
Naseer Ahmad Qamar Calendar of Religious Events &
Mubarak Ahmad Zafar Festivals – December 2009
Mirza Fakhar Ahmad
Abdul Baqi Arshad ....................................................................................... 4
CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER

Mansoor Ahmed Shah The Victory of Islam
With the Muslim world in utter disarray, the Promised
EDITORIAL BOARD
Messiah(as) invites Muslims to join him in his divinely
Adam Walker appointed mission for the victory of Islam
Syed Amer Ahmad (Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised
Bockarie Tommy Kallon
Fareed Ahmad Messiah and Mahdi) ..................................................... 5
Fauzia Bajwa
Fazal Ahmad
Khullat Munir
Mansoor Saqi Africa – The Invisible Continent
Sarah Waseem An analysis of how the effects of war, trade and debt
Tanveer Khokhar
have left Africa in trouble, and how religion can help
to bring about change
PROOFREADER (Mujeebur Rahman – Keighley, UK) .......................... 15
Abdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan
DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Tanveer Khokhar
Contact With Spirits?
DISTRIBUTION Can souls or spirits of the dead be recalled and can
Muhammad Hanif they speak to the living?
PUBLISHER (Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru), Khalifatul
Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah Masih IV, Fourth Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
All correspondence should be community) .................................................................... 34
forwarded to the editor at:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
The Review of Religions IN BRIEF: Hanukkah
Tahir House Background and significance of the Jewish festival of
22 Deer Park Road
London, SW19 3TL Hanukkah and how it is celebrated
United Kingdom (Khullat Munir – Germany) ......................................... 42
TELEPHONE AND FAX:
+ 00 44 20 8544 7614
© Islamic Publications, 2009
Significance of Christmas
ISSN No: 0034-6721 Examining the birth of Jesus(as), December 25th and the
EMAIL:
wise men of the East
info@reviewofreligions.org (Fazal Ahmad – UK) .................................................... 46
Views expressed in this publication are
not necessarily the beliefs of the
Cover pic: Bethlehem ©dreamstime.com
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
EDITORIAL by Fazal Ahmad – UK
Religious Symbols British Airways was forced to

There seems to have been a remove a Christian symbol as it
considerable amount of adverse might offend travellers.
reaction to the wearing or display
of religious symbols in recent Even senior politicians have
years including ministerial joined in the debate on whether or
comments, new corporate policies not religious symbols have a place
and even legislation. This has in the public domain. Concerning
ranged from opposition to the the wearing of turbans in France
wearing of crucifixes by by Sikhs, French President
Christians, bracelets and turbans Sarkozy addressed Indian Prime
by Sikhs, skull-caps by Jews and Minister Manmohan Singh by
headscarves by Muslim girls and saying:
women.
“Sir, we have rules, rules
A recent ruling by the European concerning the neutrality of
Court of Human Rights on a case civil servants, rules con-
in Italy where a school had a cerning secularism, and these
Catholic crucifix on display went rules don’t apply only to
against the school on the grounds Sikhs, they apply to Muslims
that the school had violated or others.”
religious and educational
freedoms. Elsewhere, France, How bizarre. Nobody seems
Belgium and Turkey have banned offended when people wear t-
headscarves for Muslim girls and shirts with provocative or vulgar
women, and there have been messages. Nobody seeks legal
individual cases raised in the UK redress when abused by opposing
against Islamic dress and the fans at a sports event. This seems
wearing of Sikh articles. A UK- to be taking human rights to an
based female airline worker at extreme. Just because a symbol is
2 The Review of Religions – December 2009

Editorial
shown somewhere in the modern In actual fact, it is often people of

age does not mean that someone is faith who show the most tolerance
compelled to adopt that religion, due to their religious beliefs. They
or to accept the views represented are encouraged to show respect for
by that symbol. others. Their history is full of
examples of prophets who were
For a religious person, the wearing tortured and yet endured hostility
or not wearing of a symbol should with patience. Their faith teaches
not affect their faith. For example, them to love their neighbour, shun
a Muslim may function without a abusive language and be charitable
cap in daily chores but would and helpful in society. Surely, with
expect to wear a cap when recent events in mind, society
praying. A Christian would not needs more people with a moral
stop being a Christian if forced to backbone.
remove a crucifix. Faith schools
could equally function perfectly And what does the alienation of
well without minarets, candelabras peace loving people on the
or crucifixes. grounds that they wear a turban,
headscarf, skull-cap or crucifix
However, some aspects of clothing say about the values and tolerance
go beyond that. For example, of modern secular society? A
people of all faiths would find it swastika is fine, but a crucifix is
offensive to be in public without not?
modest attire. For Muslim girls
and women, not wearing a There is a fine balance to be
headscarf falls under this category, drawn, but society should look
and for a woman accustomed to more at people’s behaviour rather
wearing a headscarf, being forced than their clothing or symbols.
to operate without it and similarly
for a Sikh man forced to remove
his turban would result in a feeling
of nakedness.
The Review of Religions – December 2009 3

Calendar of Religious
Events & Festivals
(December 2009)
Day Event Significance

Bodhi Day Celebration of Buddha’s enlightenment
8 (Nirvana) under the Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya
(Buddhism) in India.
Hannukkah Festival of Lights commemorating the

12 restoration of the Temple Mount in
(Judaism) Jerusalem by the Maccabees c.164 BCE.
Jewish fast day which is related to the siege
10th Tevet of Jerusalem in 588 BCE by the Persian King
17 Nebuchadnezzar. It would be another
(Judaism) Persian, Cyrus the Great, who would restore
the Temple to the Jews.
Islamic New Year marked in history by the
day on which the Holy Prophet
18 Al-Hijra (Islam) Muhammad(saw) migrated from Makkah to
Madinah in 622 CE.
Winter Solstice Shortest day of the year in the Northern

21 Hemisphere which is celebrated at signicant
(Paganism) sites such as Stonehenge.
Christmas Day Celebration of the birth of Jesus(as) to the

25
(Christianity) virgin Mary.
10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram

observed by Shias as a holy day
commemorating the martyrdom of Hadhrat
27 Ashura (Islam) Hussain(ra), the grandson of the Holy
Prophet(saw) at the battle of Karbala in 680
CE.

VICTORY OF ISLAM - part 1
This is an extract from Victory of Islam, an English rendering of
the Urdu Fath-e-Islam, written by the Promised Messiah and
Mahdi, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), Founder of the
Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam in 1890. It is the first public
statement and invitation which spelt out the divinely appointed
plan for the Victory of Islam in our time. Announcing his claim
to be the Messiah and Mahdi and the Restorer of Islam promised
in earlier scriptures, he called upon Muslims – rich and poor – to
consider to what a sorry state Islam had been rendered – how it
and the Holy Prophet(saw) were being attacked and insulted by the
enemies of Islam. In this the earliest writing foreshadowing the
establishment of the Ahmadiyya movement and its institutions,
the Promised Messiah(as) called upon Muslims to come forward
and help him in the task he had undertaken for establishing the
truth and dignity of Islam.
Lord, infuse the blessings of Thy

TIDINGS OF THE Spirit into this writing of mine
VICTORY OF ISLAM and make the hearts of people
turn to it with zeal and
AND OF A GREAT
enthusiasm.
MANIFESTATION OF
THE ALMIGHTY GOD
Readers! May God protect you
Here and Hereafter! After a long
and an invitation to paths
time, this humble one invites
of obedience to Him,
your attention to this important
and to the ways and means essay – on a divine workshop to
of earning His Help which God has appointed me for
the promotion of the faith of
Islam. In this Essay – with such
power of communication as God

Victory of Islam – part 1
has given me – I wish to explain

to you the importance of the
“CORRUPTION HAS SET workshop and the need to help it,
so that the duty to explain and
IN – IN MEN’S FAITH AS
invite which lies with me may be
WELL AS IN THEIR
done. In addressing you, I am not
ACTIONS. A SWIFT AND concerned with how my essay
EVIL WIND BLOWS ON ALL will influence your minds. All I
SIDES SPREADING ERROR am concerned with is my duty,
AND TRANSGRESSION. the duty to deliver this message;
WHAT IS CALLED FAITH which I owe to you as one owes
AMOUNTS TO WORDS
a debt to some one else. It
matters not whether the message
REPEATED IN MECHANICAL
falls on willing ears or deaf,
FASHION AND WHAT ARE whether it is welcomed by them
CALLED GOOD WORKS or not, and whether readers trust
AMOUNT TO A FEW RITES, my good intentions or not, and I
TO SOME EXTRAVAGANT resign my cause to Allah and
PRACTICES OR HYPO- Allah watches well over His
CRITICAL ACTIVITIES. people.
TRUE PIETY AND VIRTUE
Ye who seek truth, and ye who
HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN. faithfully love Islam! Ye know
THE PHILOSOPHY AND that the time is very dark in
SCIENCE OF THIS AGE RUN which we live. Corruption has set
COUNTER TO SPIRITUAL in – in men’s faith as well as in
ASPIRATIONS.” their actions. A swift and evil
wind blows on all sides
spreading error and trans-
gression. What is called Faith
amounts to words repeated in
mechanical fashion and what are

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)

The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community
In 1891, he claimed on the basis of Divine revelation,
that he was the Promised Messiah and Mahdi whose
advent had been foretold by Muhammad, the Holy
Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) and by the scriptures of other faiths.
His claim constitutes the basis of the beliefs of the

Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
called good works amount to a Existence of God are not serious

few rites, to some extravagant propositions with them. A great
practices or hypocritical activ- many are anti-religious, steeped
ities. True piety and virtue have in naturalistic thinking and born
been forgotten. The philosophy and bred as Muslims they
and science of this age run become hostile to religion.
counter to spiritual aspirations. College-going young men, even
The influence they exert is bad to before they are out of college, bid
an extreme and conducive to good-bye to their faith and their
spiritual blindness. They duties towards the faith.
stimulate thoughts dangerous
and impulses satanic. Those who And this is but a part of the scene
become engrossed in these full of obnoxious error and
studies lose their religious misguidance. There are other
convictions, so much so that they parts of the scene – by the
begin to hold Divine Truths in hundred – all as obnoxious. It is
contempt and prescribed ways of but true that honesty and
worship – prayers, fasting etc., – integrity have disappeared from
in ridicule. The Being and the earth, as good as not more.

Cheating and lying have gone to lampooning the Holy Prophet(saw),

extremes, all in the pursuit of the perfect man who proved
worldly ends. The most himself the pride of holy men of
mischievous men are said to be all times and chief among the
the ablest and the most saints and apostles of the world.
competent. Deception, They hesitate not to caricature
dishonesty, sin and delinquencies him in theatrical shows. They try
of various kinds, lying, and project a most hateful image
fabricating, the worst kind of they can invent of him. The worst
intriguing and scheming are on that vicious and unchaste minds
the increase. Add to these, those can think of is levelled against
bitter quarrels and disputes Islam and the Holy Prophet(saw) of
which excite animal passions and Islam to lower them in the eyes
violence. All like a terrible of the world.
storm. The more enlightened
people become in new sciences, Now O Muslims, hear and hear
the more deficient they become attentively that this campaign
in decent and good behaviour against Islam and Islam’s holy
and in disposition of modesty influence cannot be defeated by
and shame, in the fear of God, ordinary methods and means.
and love of straight dealings. The campaign is backed by the
most complex fabrications and
The Christian teaching is laying the most carefully planned
so many mines to blow up truth devices that Christians can
and faith. Christians are out to design. It is pursued mercilessly,
destroy Islam and ready to use with no thought of the
lies and fabrications in ways expenditure involved. It does not
most subtle, and on all occasions exclude some most shameful
and with the help of ever new devices which decency forbids us
techniques – all directed to to detail. It is a campaign let
beguile and lead people astray. loose on a large scale and pushed
Christians are defaming and by the worst possible wizardry

by Christian peoples, followers is a miracle to dispel the darkness

of Trinity. Such a campaign of Western magic. Was it not
cannot be countered by ordinary imperative that this magic should
methods. It cannot be beaten be dispelled by a miracle? Do
unless its magic and wizardry are you think it strange and
confronted by the miraculous incredible that to confront and
power of the Hand of God. Only defeat the terrible intrigues –
miraculous power can and will which I call magic – there should
smash this campaign and not be a dazzling manifestation by
without it can we save our simple God with the compelling power
souls from this vicious Western of a miracle?
magic. To think of anything else
would be sheer folly. No wonder, Ye wise ones, do not be surprised
therefore, God Almighty has that right in the time of need, to
chosen from amongst the true dispel darkness of this depth,
Muslims of our time, this humble God has sent a light from Heaven
one and blessed him with His and appointed one of His
revealed word and with other servants for the benefit of all and
Divine favours that this vicious sundry to raise again the Voice of
magic may be undone. Islam; to spread the light and
knowledge we owe to the Holy
He has taught me the special Prophet(saw), to support and assist
ways by which we can reach the interests of Muslims, and also
Him. He has gifted me with other at the same time to bring about
divine favours – miraculous their internal reform. You would
powers and knowledge of the have had more cause to be
subtleties of the waxen idol, surprised if God had remained
which Western magic has raised silent at such a time. And yet He
in our time. has promised always to guard
and support the Faith of Islam,
In short, O Muslims, the coming and never to let it lose its power
of this humble one is a miracle. It and popularity and influence in

the world. Could such a God Religion. Of these, the last one
have stood still and done nothing amounts to promoting Satanic
at this moment of darkness when institutions, subversive of true
there was such utter need to deal religion. To publish and circulate
with the internal and external the Holy Qur’an and authentic
dangers of Muslims? I say it Ahadith is undoubtedly laudable.
again, there would have been This may be done with the
more surprise if at such a time utmost care and attention, with a
God had done nothing, if He had keen eye on all the formal
forgotten His promise of help requirements; and yet fail to
contained in the clearest possible measure as true service. True
terms in His own Holy Words. service springs from a state of the
Occasion for surprise there heart: which accepts the
would have been if the promise influence of the Qur’an and
contained in the sayings of our Hadith. Without it service of the
Holy Prophet(saw) had gone Qur’an and Hadith remains
unfulfilled. The Holy Prophet(saw) lifeless, without meaning. Such
said that God will raise at the lifeless service only needs some
head of every 100 years a servant learning, and such service we
of His to reform His own Faith. have known always. It has no
bearing on true Tajdid.
To publish translations of the
Holy Qur’an as a profitable In the eyes of God it is trading in
business or as a custom, to dead dry bones, nothing more.
prepare and circulate Urdu or Says God:
Persian translations of religious
books and books of Hadith, to Why do you say what you do
reach new and lifeless exercises not? Most hateful is it in the
which has become the custom of sight of Allah that you say
our time – these are not matters what you do not…
which can be described as Tajdid- (Holy Qur’an, Ch.61:V.3)
ud-Din or Restoration of

and: teach only word of mouth but

both by word and deed. The
O ye who believe, take care of revelation of God illumines their
your own selves. He who goes hearts. In times of difficulty they
astray cannot harm you when receive guidance from the Holy
you yourselves are rightly Spirit. Their speech and conduct
guided. are not mixed with the love or
(Holy Qur’an, Ch.5:V.106) fear of this world. They are made
transparently clean inside and
He who is blind himself cannot out. They are drawn wholly to
show the way to the blind and he God.
who is a leper cannot take away
the disease from other people’s What I say is not an occasion for
bodies. Tajdid (passion for true surprise, therefore, it is an
reform) springs from a holy state occasion, rather, for rendering
which first descends on the heart thanks – repeated thanks – to
of someone blessed with the gift God. It is an occasion for
of divine revelation. From him it renewing faith; certainty of faith,
passes on to others. Those who that is to say, God Almighty
receive this reforming zeal from through sheer Grace and Mercy
God do not trade in dead bones. has fulfilled His promise. The
prophecy His Apostle made has
On the contrary, they play the been true without a minute’s
part of deputies to the Holy delay. Not only has a prophecy
Prophet(saw) and spiritually been fulfilled, but the door has
speaking are his successors or been opened for the fulfilment of
Khalifas. They inherit the thousands of other prophecies –
blessings with which God the showing of other miracles. If
favours His prophets and you have faith, therefore, you
apostles. What they say comes must render thanks to God. You
effortlessly and spontaneously must prostrate again and again in
from their hearts. They do not gratitude to Him. This is the time

“I HAVE BEEN SENT EXACTLY AS WAS SENT MY

PROTOTYPE TO FOLLOW THE MAN OF GOD THEY
CALL KALIMULLAH. I HAVE COME LIKE HIM WHOSE
SPIRIT UNDERWENT HARDSHIPS IN THE REIGN OF
HEROD AND WAS AT LAST RAISED TO HEAVEN.”
your fathers waited to see but it said in the Holy Book:

did not come. Generations went
by and it did not come. It has We have sent unto you a
come for you. It is for you to be Messenger as witness over
grateful for it, for you to benefit you, even as we sent to
from it. I must say and I cannot Pharaoh a Messenger.
be stopped from repeating that I (Holy Qur’an, Ch.73:V.16)
am the Promised One who has
been sent to restore the faith, to In accordance with this the
re-establish it in the hearts of second Kalim, similar to the first
men. I have been sent exactly as but superior to him in spiritual
was sent my prototype, to follow rank, was also promised a
the man of God they call Messiah similar to the first. This
Kalimullah (Word of God). I have second Messiah has come in the
come like him whose spirit power and character of the first,
underwent hardships in the reign at a time similar to his and after
of Herod and was at last raised to the lapse of a similar length of
heaven. My coming became time after his own Kalim: that is
imperative after the coming of after about 1,400 years. His
the second Kalim, he who is coming is described in
greater than the first Kalim being prophecies as a descent from
the chief of all prophets. This heaven but the descent is a
second Kalim came to defeat and spiritual descent. In holy idiom
disgrace the Pharaohs of his men who achieve perfection rise
time. It is of him that it has been to heaven. When they come to

reform their people they may be these evils, one and all, raised
said to descend from heaven. The their head in our time. Things
second Messiah has descended at lawful are not accepted and used
a time which resembles in all with the gratitude and humility
essentials the time of the first which are their due. Things
Messiah, the Messiah(as) son of unlawful are not avoided with the
Mary, that it may serve as a sign nausea and disgust they deserve.
for those who understand. Important ordinances of God are
put aside by cheap excuses and
Our time is a time in which inventions. Our ‘Ulema are no
emphasis on external forms and way behind the scribes and
indifference to inner spirit and pharisees of those times. They
true piety are at their maximum. also would swallow a camel but
So are absence of honesty and strain at a gnat. The Kingdom of
integrity and disregard of truth God is closed by them upon
and purity. So are love of riches everyone. They enter it not
and love of the world. These themselves.
evils are rampant today as they
were rampant among the Jews of They do spend a long time over
the time of Jesus(as) son of Mary. Namaz (Salat), the daily prayers.
The Jews at the advent of Jesus(as) But their hearts are devoid of
had become strangers to true love of the True God and of a
morality, its place in their life sense of His Majesty and
having been taken by outer forms Greatness. From the pulpit they
and customs. Probity and deliver sermons which would
truthfulness and inner purity and move men to tears. But their
sense of fairness and justice had works tally not with their
disappeared from amongst them. sermons. Their tears roll down
Fellow feeling and charity had easily and this is amazing. For,
become unknown. Creature- their hearts are so different – ill-
worship of many different kinds intentioned and rebellious. Their
had become established. So have speech is full of professions of

faith and this also is amazing. similarity of character with the

For at heart they are so different. Jews, that they will be doing
The well-known Jewish everything the Jews did in their
character is writ large over them. time. So much so that if any Jews
Piety and fear of God are on the ever attempted to enter a rat’s
decline. Loss of true faith has hole, there will be men in the
made people cold and indifferent Ummah who will try to do the
towards God. Love of the world same. At such a time, the
has taken the place of the love of prophecy goes on, a man of
God. And all this was inevitable. Persian descent will arise and
For, the Holy Prophet(saw), our begin to restore the old faith
Chief, our Patron had prophesied among the people.
that a time will come when this
Ummah will have acquired great [To be continued]
NOTE FOR THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS

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

are preferred to their anglicised versions, e.g. Makkah instead of Mecca, etc.

AFRICA
The Invisible Continent
by Mujeebur Rahman, Keighley – UK
The tragic plight of the people of been poor governance,

Africa who have suffered the corruption and mismanage-
effects of war, poverty and ment in Africa. However, the
disease is often missing from the briefing reveals the context –
global news radar screen. This the legacy of colonialism, the
article focuses on some of those support of the G8 for
problems in order to highlight the repressive regimes in the
needs of Africa and to consider Cold War, the creation of the
the solutions offered by Islam, a debt trap, the massive failure
living faith, to help resolve the of Structural Adjustment
problems of this troubled Programmes imposed by the
continent. IMF and World Bank and the
deeply unfair rules on
For the June 2002 G8 summit, a international trade. The role
briefing was prepared by the of the G8 in creating the
Action for Southern Africa and the conditions for Africa’s crisis
World Development Movement. It cannot be denied. Its
states the following with regard overriding responsibility
to the economic and political must be to put its own house
problems of the African in order, and to end the unjust
continent: policies that are inhibiting
Africa’s development.’
‘It is undeniable that there has

Africa – The Invisible Continent
A world of gentleness, com- surely, bestow more favours

passion, sharing, co-operation, on you; but if you are
justice, mercy, equality, non- ungrateful, then know that My
discrimination, progress and punishment is severe indeed.
prosperity is not a fool’s dream. (Ch.14:V.8)
However, the way to such a
world is only through God Hence, a clear warning that a
Almighty. With the effort of the misuse of Divine bounties would
African people supported by the convert them into instruments of
sincere, patient and persistent ruin and misfortune. History is a
effort of the First World, we will continuous dynamic process.
see great progress but success Prosperous nations of today may
will only come through Divine become the vanquished nations
Grace. of tomorrow.
Hunger, disease and ignorance War in Africa

are today not ineradicable. A Africa at present is the theatre of
tithe of the effort, energy and the greatest number of conflicts
resources that are once again to on the face of the earth.
be diverted towards the According to the international
manufacture of weapons of mass development organisation, since
destruction, if employed in the 1980, no less than 28 Sub-
service of man, would eliminate Saharan African states have been
hunger, preventable or curable at war, the vast majority of them
disease and ignorance. What is intra-State in origin. At present,
needed is a deep sense of 14 of the 53 countries of Africa
accountability to God, for all His are afflicted by armed conflicts,
bounties. Every accession of accounting for more than half of
knowledge is a Divine bounty all war-related deaths worldwide
and His Law regulating this is: and resulting in more than 8
million refugees, returnees and
…If you are grateful, I will, internally displaced persons. The

consequences of those conflicts are all common reasons heard for

have seriously undermined some of the causes of Africa’s
Africa’s efforts to ensure long- problems. Although, not the only
term stability, prosperity and reasons, some root causes are
peace for its peoples.1 often overlooked.
Wars in the Developing World are Despite the diversity and

a great boon for arms traders in complexity of the problems facing
helping to enrich their own Africa after independence, most
economies. However, for Africa have their roots in the unfair
wars have been a great divisions of the continent by
catastrophe, an obvious obstacle to foreign powers. The effects on the
economic growth. The Holy colonised continent are well
Qur’an has repeatedly con- known. Yet, as it has been said, the
demned war, declaring it to be a purpose of studying history is not
destructive fire running counter to to deride human action, nor to
the object of creation: weep over it or to hate it, but to
understand it. And hopefully then
…Whenever they kindle a fire to learn from it as we contemplate
for war, Allah extinguishes it. the future.
And they strive to create
disorder in the earth, and Having abandoned the principles
Allah loves not those who of absolute justice and thereby
create disorder. relinquishing any chance of peace,
(Ch.5:V.65) the colonial powers scrambled for
territory and arbitrarily divided
Root Cause of Instability – The African king-doms, states and
Legacy of Colonialism communities in 1885; unrelated
High levels of poverty, failed areas and peoples were just as
political institutions, economic arbitrarily joined together for the
dependence on natural resources, sole benefit of the colonisers.
nepotism, lack of respect for rule The artificial boundaries led to
of law and human rights violations ethno-linguistic fragmentation of

the countries and to bringing economic power and the

together many different ethnic suppression of political
people within a nation that did pluralism leading to a pattern of
not reflect, nor have, in such a corruption, nepotism, compla-
short period of time, the ability to cency, the abuse of power,
accommodate or provide for, the ethnically-based decisions and
cultural and ethnic diversity. human rights abuses.
Their economic interests were
disregarded when dividing the Predictably, political
natural wealth or minerals. Some monopolies often led to
states were left too small to be corruption and the challenge of
able to economically sustain forging a genuine national
themselves; others were made so identity from among disparate
large as to compromise and and often competing commu-
endanger the interests of smaller nities has remained.
neighbouring states.
The character of the commercial
The newly independent African relations instituted by colo-
States inherited those colonial nialism also created long-term
boundaries in the 1960s as they distortions in the political
attempted to achieve national economy of Africa. An export
unity. The challenge was economy was created that
compounded by the fact that the extracted raw materials and
framework of colonial laws and returned manufactured goods.
institutions, which some new Transportation networks and
States inherited, had been related physical infrastructure
designed to exploit local were designed to orientate trade
divisions, not overcome them. towards the metropolitan
Too often, the necessary country, not to support the
building of national unity was balanced growth of an
pursued through the heavy indigenous economy.
centralisation of political and

Democracy in Africa heightened in many cases by

In his thoughtful report entitled reliance on centralized and
“The causes of conflict and the highly personalised forms of
promotion of durable peace and governance. Democratisation
sustainable development in gives people a stake in
Africa”, former Secretary- society. Ensuring that people
General Kofi Annan stated: feel represented in the
political life of their societies
‘There is a growing recog- is essential.’
nition among Africans
themselves that the continent He continues:
must look beyond its colonial
past for the causes of current ‘Where there is insufficient
conflicts. Today more than accountability of leaders, lack
ever, Africa must look at of transparency in regimes,
itself. The nature of political inadequate checks and
power in many African balances, non-adherence to
States, together with the real the rule of law, absence of
and perceived consequences peaceful means to change or
of capturing and maintaining replace leadership, or lack of
power, is a key source of respect for human rights,
conflict across the continent. political control becomes
It is frequently the case that excessively important, and
political victory assumes a the stakes become danger-
“winner-takes-all” form with ously high. This situation is
respect to wealth and exacerbated when, as is often
resources, patronage, and the the case in Africa, the State is
prestige and prerogatives of the major provider of
office. A communal sense of employment and political
advantage or disadvantage is parties are largely either
often closely linked to this regionally or ethnically
phenomenon, which is based. In such circumstances,

the multi-ethnic character of Democratisation may or may not

most African States makes give people a stake in society and
conflict even more likely, it would be wrong to present it as
leading to an often-violent a panacea for the political ills of
politicisation of ethnicity. In the whole of Africa. Democracy
extreme cases, rival com- is in vogue today and has been
munities may perceive that much lauded by the West. As the
their security, perhaps their fourth Head of the Ahmadiyya
very survival, can be ensured Muslim community, Hadhrat
only through control of State Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru), explained
power. Conflict in such cases that Islam does not present any
becomes virtually inevitable.’ political system, nor could it do
that and still retain its claim to be
With regard to the relationship a true world religion. This is
between God and humanity, the because no political system can
Holy Qur’an clearly states: be conceived to be suitable for all
the people of the globe at one
…Surely, Allah changes not single moment in history or in
the condition of a people until the future: their attitudes, their
they change that which is in traditions, their education and
their hearts… social systems; many factors are
(Ch.13: V.12) involved to create a political
system.
This verse has a dual meaning.
Firstly, God will protect those Some countries are travelling
blessings granted to them by Him towards democracy and some are
as long as the people themselves travelling away from democracy
do not squander them. Secondly, after having attained it. Islam
God will not alter the fate of such could not have disregarded these
nations that do not initiate an factors when it remains silent on
earnest effort to change their presenting a single political
situation.2 system. However, Islam does

mention that which is most left of democracy? Hence,

important in politics for democracy in Pakistan would
mankind. The ways to dispense mean a different thing, as would
justice and responsibilities democracy in Africa while the
towards the people have been first two principles are the same.
made manifestly clear in the The result is that very few
Holy Qur’an. democracies would reach the
pinnacle of democracy, which is
Democracy is popularly defined “for the people”. Most often than
as the government “of the not they are for the individual
people, by the people, for the rather than the people who have
people” (Abraham Lincoln). The chosen them.
most essential part of democracy
is “for the people”. It so often Islam leaves aside the first two
happens that the government “of elements and lays stress upon the
the people” is only in name. third, “government for the
Most people are only represented people”. Here, the standards set
in name for a short while. Most are so high and absolute that they
parties do not go for what is good have no relativity in them. Take
for the people and most often go justice as an example. Justice as
for power and for popular applied by all modern
slogans. democracies has a relative
meaning and is only applied
The slogan “of the people, by the when it favours one’s own side.
people” has also been used by The Holy Qur’an teaches:
some of the grimmest
dictatorships of modern times. O ye who believe!, be
This democracy is evident in steadfast in the cause of
Russia and China and in so many Allah, bearing witness in
other countries where the people equity; and let not a people’s
choose politburo members and enmity incite you to act
other representatives. So what is otherwise than with justice.

Be always just, that is nearer nisms of impending crisis are

to righteousness… widely regarded as serving an
(Ch.5:V.9) important role in conflict
prevention. The African Union
The African Union, the force can intercede before
Security Council and Peace tensions erupt into violent
Leaders in the G8 Summit (2002) conflict.
urged the African leaders to take
concrete steps to tackle the The stand-by force needs to be
difficult question of peace and deployed quickly on the ground,
stability in the continent. In as the need arises. As Africa is a
response to this, the African very large continent, it was
Union was launched as a new decided to have 5 regional
continental organisation by forces, which would be available
African leaders at their 2002 for deployment, by the Peace and
Summit in Durban, empowered Security Council.
with a broad political mandate to
aid conflict prevention and The Council is considered as the
management. The Summit also cornerstone of the peace and
created a new institution, the security architecture, however,
Peace and Security Council to the sub-regional organisations,
support this mandate by being the ‘building blocks’ of the
the focal point for issues of peace architecture are considered to be
and security in Africa. equally important. Numerous
conflicts, war crimes and
A Panel of the Wise, a conti- genocides have led to a change in
nental early warning system and thinking and a strong African
an African stand-by force would determination to tackle their
support the Council, comprising problems, as evidenced by such
15 elected Member States initiatives as the New Partnership
representing all regions of on African Development
Africa. Early warning mecha- (NEPAD) launched in 2001.

NEPAD is an integrated socio- …And help one another in

economic development frame- righteousness and piety; but
work for Africa to steer the help not one another in sin
continent towards unification, and transgression…
integration and development. (Holy Qur’an, Ch.5:V.3)
This resolve found tangible
expression when the African There is a great need to
Union set up a peacekeeping harmonise the policies and
force in Burundi and the regional actions of the international
organisation, Economic community. In many cases, both
Community of West African in Africa and elsewhere, the
States (ECOWAS), did likewise failure of the major external
in Liberia and the Ivory Coast. actors to maintain a common
The decision by ECOWAS political or humanitarian
countries to harmonise their approach to an erupting or on-
policies and actions in Liberia going crisis is one of the
was a key turning point in the principal impediments to pro-
peace process in that country. gress towards a solution.
Disparities in the International Most if not all the G8 countries

Response and the Need for have bilateral agreements with
Harmonisation individual African countries.
The success of any initiative However, this needs streamlining
relies on whether the external as each of the G8 countries, for
actors can show consensus of example, may be training and
opinion. In relation to united working with particular countries
action, the Holy Qur’an teaches on the African continent that may
pursuing all noble goals to attain not necessarily be consistent with
peace, stability and economic what is planned by the Peace and
progress, without bringing Security Council. This empha-
religion into the fold: sises the need to reaffirm
commitment to the G8 Africa

Action Plan. This is all- which are not available and must
embracing and limits the be imported from abroad. Many
possibility of pulling in different of those who have the skills
directions because of particular migrate to other more prosperous
national agendas. An example of parts of the globe. The South
this is the Millennium Challenge African economy is strong
Account, where the US decides enough to be able to offer
which countries to target based training to some of its unskilled
on various criteria. Again, the workers. This is impossible for
African leaders want to target the the poorer countries.4
whole continent by sticking to
the G8 Africa Action Plan. This The Africans have been looking
plan also includes a compre- to the European Union example in
hensive African agricultural tackling the problem in poorer
program. This has also been countries. The European
completed. However, due to Structural Funds are designed to
weak infrastructure how does assist poorer regions of Member
Nigeria move its surplus of States that compare unfavourably
cassava, for example, to with the Union’s average levels of
countries of West Africa? All this prosperity to help them regenerate
requires support from the EU and their economies and create new
the G8 to strengthen the jobs. Hence, easing the burden of
agricultural trading system.3 debt and transferring resources
from the developed to the
In some parts of Africa, such as developing countries becomes an
South Africa, the country does urgent matter.5
all the right things and still has a
high level of unemployment. Africa’s Debt Crisis
High economic growth does not One politician has described
translate into low unemploy- Africa’s debt burdens as “the
ment. The modern economy as it new economy’s chains of
grows, needs skilled workers, slavery.” The All Africa

Conference of Churches, which and running. For the developing

groups more than 150 world as a whole, US$550 billion
denominations from around the has been paid in both principal
continent, calls the debt “a new and interest over the last three
form of slavery as vicious as the decades, on US$540 billion of
slave trade.” The imagery loans, and yet there is still a
invoking these historical crimes US$523 billion debt burden.
against Africa is powerful. Yet it Hence, debt replicates itself on an
is still hard for many of us to see even greater scale; only
the connections between human cancelling the debt can break this
suffering and the seemingly cycle. The G8 Africa Action Plan
impersonal workings of the was also committed to reassess
international economy. When the question of debt. Some
debt payments come first, with progress has been made but there
macro-economic adjustment is still a long way to go. There
policies imposed by creditors, was plenty of spin to go round
health and education budgets are prior to the 2005 G8 Summit in
squeezed to the bone. So are the UK. Many were led to believe
other long-term investments that public pressure had
necessary for development. succeeded in getting the G8 to
make positive changes. Only a
The debt crisis is partly the result few of the countries got their debt
of the unjust transfer of the debts relief. The relief is spread over
of the colonising states. The some 40 years and is still tied to
newly independent States had many economic conditions,
US$59 billion of debt imposed which have caused poverty and
upon them. This debt increased debt in the first place.6
rapidly due to an interest rate that
was set at 14%. They were Fair Trade
saddled with a heavy burden of Rich countries limit and control
debt even before they had a the poor countries’ share of the
chance to get their economies up global market by charging high

taxes on imported goods. This According to Oxfam, if the

means poor countries can only developing world increased their
afford to export raw materials, share of world exports by just
which give far lower returns than 1%, the resulting gains could lift
finished products. Poor countries 128 million people out of
are threatened with having loans poverty.
withheld unless they open their
markets to rich countries’ exports. Economic Sanctions
This forced liberal-isation means A popular tool employed to put
their infant industries do not have pressure on the principal actors
a chance to grow, as they have no in a conflict by the international
control on imports. Instead of community is the use of
trading with rich countries, they economic sanctions. Dr. Kofi
have to rely on aid that comes Annan suggests that in many
with many strings attached. cases, the hardship imposed on
the civilian population is greatly
The practice of dumping is killing disproportionate to the likely
off Africa. This is where a rich impact of the sanctions on the
country and a poor country sell behaviour of the ringleaders.
the same product. The farmers in Greater use should be made of
the rich countries are subsidised sanctions aimed at decision-
thereby making their products makers and their families,
cheaper. Over-production by including the freezing of
farmers is encouraged by the rich personal and organisational
nation and the surplus is exported assets as well as restrictions on
to the poor country. Local travel. The international arms
farmers of the poor country merchants make heavy profits
cannot compete with these from conflicts in Africa. Public
artificially cheap imports and are identification of international
driven deeper into poverty while arms merchants and their
the rich get richer. activities has proved elusive, but
perhaps no other single initiative

would do more to help combat ruled. As Confucius(as) admon-

the flow of illicit arms to ishes:
Africa – a trade that is made
possible largely by the secrecy ‘The accumulation of wealth
that surrounds it. Where arms is the way to scatter the
embargoes are imposed it is people; and the letting it be
necessary for countries not only scattered among them is the
to refrain from official way to collect the people.’
transactions but also to seek to (Great Learning, 10:9)
discourage their nationals or
corporations from violating such The developing world extends its
sanctions.7 begging bowl to the affluent
nations. A beggar can never live
Steps Towards Economic with dignity and freedom but
Prosperity must settle for dishonour and
According to Islam, in these humiliation. The developing
circumstances, the first step nations must rise up for their own
towards economic progress is to defence. Without this they can
campaign for austere living. The neither gain freedom from their
gap between the rich and the own armies nor from their ills or
poor is widening in Africa bad morals. It is true that diseases
generating many problems. The develop from bacteria. However,
leaders ought to take the lead bacteria cannot harm a healthy
and demonstrate to the masses body.
how to lead simple lives. They
ought to lower their own Based upon the philosophy of co-
standard of living by channelling operation enunciated by the Holy
money from the rich to the poor. Qur’an (Ch.5:V.3), the need to
In this way they would be establish common markets for
rendering a service to their economic co-operation is
people. This in turn would create essential. Economic indepen-
trust between the ruler and the dence is essential for the nations

of Africa by forming economic In some parts of Africa, slavery

commonwealths like the EU in or colonial administration had
Europe to become self-sufficient almost erased cultures and
in food and industry. This would community with an “education”
help in securing independence and “civilising” program that
and freedom. Regional conflicts gave Africans only a minimal
must be resolved for this to be skill set that served colonial
possible; otherwise, all avenues interests. In addition to frequently
for the developing world are imposing unfavourable terms of
sealed off. African States can trade, economic activities that
help to diminish the need for were strongly skewed towards
large military expenditures by extractive industries and primary
implementing transparency and commodities for export
confidence-building measures in stimulated little demand for
the military and security fields. steady and widespread
This can be achieved through the improvements in the skills and
signing of non-aggression pacts educational levels of the
and security co-operation workforce. The present Head of
agreements, participation in joint the Worlwide Ahmadiyya
military training exercises and Muslim community, Hadhrat
patrols, and the harmonisation of Khalifatul Masih V, offered the
policies against illicit arms community’s services and
trafficking. The pooling of resources to education, the
sovereignty in the consolidation highest priority in Africa.
of regional economic associ-
ations, as building blocs of an Literacy remains a major barrier
African Economic Union, will to the development of African
help make Africa’s voice heard countries. According to
in the capitals of a world UNESCO, 136 million Africans
increasingly defined by regional were illiterate in 2000.
blocs within the global economy. Development will have little
Importance of Education meaning unless much more

money is spent on primary Africa you come across a

education. Nelson Mandela in his different state of affairs.
speech to the London School of Children who go to school
Economics in 2000 had this to without any learning aids,
say about education in Africa: taught in a language which is
not theirs, by teachers often
“One of the greatest mistakes not so very qualified. A child
which is made by serious comes back from school
political commentators today normally to parents who
is to judge us on the same have no educational back-
basis by which you judge ground at all. Poor children
opinion makers in the old and eating porridge in the
advanced industrial countries, morning, porridge at lunch,
forgetting that for more than porridge as their dinner,
three centuries our people unable to concentrate, large
were denied the privileges families with little room to
which you take for granted. move about, a child who
You went to the best schools shares a room with about
in the country - well equipped three or four others, no table,
with highly qualified no chairs, doing their
educators; classrooms pro- homework on the floor.
perly equipped with learning These are the people who
aids; where the language at live in Africa today and I
school was identical to the hope that when you make
language at home; with your assessment you will
parents with a high level of bear in mind this back-
educational accomplishment, ground. The people who run
who could help their children the governments in Africa
to grasp sophisticated con- today are people who were
cepts at an early age. But never given any opportunity
when you consider the to train in government, as
situation of the blacks in many of you are. And I have

no doubt that you will bear problem. It is a directive of the

this in mind, not only in our World Health Organisation that
discussions here but when medical infrastructure is put in
examining the whole situation place in order to dispense the
in Africa.” medicines. This has to be done
under very strict medical
Health and the AIDS Epidemic supervision because of the
Unknown in 1984, twenty years potential toxicity and patients
later AIDS was killing 6,000 need to be monitored day by
people a day. Only one in 400 day. A weak infrastructure only
victims were taking retroviral exacerbates the problem. On top
drugs.8 Retroviral drugs available of this, there are diseases
from the West are too expensive opportunistic to AIDS (due to
even at reduced prices. They lower immunity) such as TB,
would consume the totality of the Meningitis that have to be
health budget of South Africa, a treated. Hence, a very
relatively strong economy in the comprehensive program is
continent. The multinational required to deal with the whole
pharmaceutical companies are situation. On top of all this there
more worried for their profits than are other diseases such as
the plight of African nations, for malaria, which is the biggest
they have resisted African killer in the continent, that have
nations’ attempts to use generic developed resistance to the
versions of their expensive drugs existing drugs.
or pursue other related policies.
Oxfam went as far as accusing 39 Equality of Mankind and the
of the world’s biggest drug Peaceful Coexistence of
companies of contributing to Religions
human rights violations by trying Most Westerners are apt to make
to prevent access to the needed the facile assumption that the
drugs.9 nearer we approach to the global
Affordability is not the only village the more the rest of the

world will adopt the patterns and by the colour of his skin, his
assume the trappings to which wealth, rank or social status, but
they have become accustomed, his moral goodness and the
and that the world at large will manner in which he fulfils his
take on ways that conform to duty to God and mankind. God
their desires. The Islamic divided humanity into tribes,
concept of equality is one that nations and races to give them
challenges the Western idea that better knowledge of each other
equality means everyone should and to benefit from one another’s
be the same. Rather, God says in characteristics and qualities.
the Holy Qur’an that He has
created many different kinds of The cause of international
people in order to promote differences is this superiority
diversity and progress. All complex of some nations that
mankind is spiritually equal in gives birth to racism and looking
the sight of God, but cannot down upon other people. The
possibly be physically equal or Holy Qur’an condemns such an
the same: attitude and directs:
O mankind, We have created Let not one people deride

you from a male and a another people, who may be
female; and We have made better than they.
you into tribes and sub-tribes (Ch.49:V.12)
that you may recognise one
another. Verily, the most The last word may go to Nelson
honourable among you in the Mandela as his exhortation is
sight of Allah, is the most completely in line with Islamic
righteous among you. Surely teaching. He says:
Allah is All-Knowing, All-
Aware. “As we enter the new
(Ch.49:V.14) millennium, as we strive to
The worth of a man is not judged close that circle started five

centuries ago, as we embark experience of our own

upon the regeneration of the country during the struggle
much neglected continent of against apartheid. The
Africa to take its full place in strength of inter-religious
the emerging new world solidarity in action against
order, can we join hands in a apartheid, rather than mere
partnership for justice and harmony or co-existence, was
peace? And can we again call critical in bringing that evil
upon the great spiritual values system to an end. This
to help inspire humanity to approach, rather than verbally
rise to the best potential in competing claims, enabled
itself, and this time truly to each tradition to bring its best
achieve those shared ideals forward and place it at the
for a better world for all its service of all. I am confident
inhabitants? Ladies and that the religions of our
gentlemen, when the Prophet continent will walk a similar
Muhammad sent his path in the reconstruction and
oppressed followers to the renewal of our continent. And
African Christian King Negus in that way we shall play our
of Abyssinia for safety, and full role in the creation of the
they received his protection, new world order.”10
was that not an example of
tolerance and co-operation to
be emulated today? Is that not
a profound pointer to the role
that religion can play, and the
spiritual leadership it can
provide, in bringing about the
social renewal on our
continent and in the world?
…. If I may conclude with
one more reference to the

References
1. ‘The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and
sustainable development in Africa’ by UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan.
2. The Gulf Crisis and the New World Order by Hadhrat Mirza
Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV(ru), p.296.
3. The Africa Agenda: A discussion with South African President
Thabo Mbeki, 9th June 2004, authors Princeton N. Lyman and
Thabo Mbeki, Africa Policy Studies, Council on Foreign
Relations
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. http://www.globalissues.org/ TradeRelated/Debt.asp as at 25th
August 2009.
7. ‘The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and
sustainable development in Africa’ by UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan.
8. ‘Why Africa?’ The Bar Human Rights Committee 2004 bi-
annual lecture at St. Paul’s Cathedral by Sir Bob Geldof.
9. ‘Drug giants set to cause violation of human rights’, Oxfam
Press Release, April 11, 2001
10. Lecture by President Nelson Mandela at the Oxford Centre for
Islamic Studies ‘Renewal and Renaissance – towards a new
world order’ Oxford, 11 July 1997.

Contact
with Spirits?
We present below part of a question and
answer session with Hadhrat Mirza Tahir
Ahmad(ru), Khalifatul Masih IV, Fourth Head of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, held in
London in November, 1995.
Transcribed by Amatul Hadi Ahmad
Question:
Can the souls or spirits of the dead be recalled? Is it possible to speak
to them, ask them questions and receive answers from them?
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir the dead people but if it is

Ahmad(ru): possible, it is so only through
If you study the Holy Qur’an visions and not directly.
and the Traditions of the Holy However, what is impossible,
Prophet(saw) and in the light of the what is false and what is wrong
writings of the Promised is also stated by the Holy
Messiah(as) and his own Qur’an, by the Hadith and by
experiences and the opinion of the other sources mentioned
my predecessors, the previous above. The first thing that I
Khulafa, then you come to a would like to remind you of is
very clear understanding of this the statement of the Holy
issue. One cannot say that it is Qur’an regarding the parting
impossible for a person to souls. The Holy Qur’an states:
communicate with the souls of

Contact With Spirits
Until, when death comes to Paradise. More particularly, in

one of them, he says the case of a companion who
entreating, ‘My Lord, send was martyred in the battle of
me back, that I may do Uhud, the Holy Prophet(saw)
righteous deeds in the life witnessed, in a state of vision,
that I have left behind’. the conversation that took place
Never, it is but a word that he between God and the com-
utters. And behind them is a panion after his death. The
barrier until the day when Holy Prophet(saw), seeing the
they shall be raised again. sorrow and sadness of his son,
(Ch.23:Vs.100-101) asked him if he would like to
This is a very clear declaration hear something that might
of the Holy Qur’an that they, lighten his sorrow. The Holy
‘the parted souls’, shall never Prophet(saw) told him that he saw
return back to this world. his father in Paradise and was
told of what passed between
However, having understood him and God. When he
this message, there may still be appeared before God, God was
an opening for the ‘return’. The very pleased with him at the
question is what sort of opening way he had offered his life and
could it possibly be? It could be said He would like to reward
argued that the spirit can return him with something of his own
but not the body – discounting choice – he could ask whatever
also reincarnation – otherwise it he wished. The companion’s
can ‘return’. This is a possible response to this was to ask to be
argument in favour of the sent back to this world in order
‘return’ of spirits but it is that he may be martyred once
negated by the experiences again, and upon his return to
recounted by the Holy Prophet God, he should be sent back
Muhammad(saw) of Islam. The again and again, to be martyred
Holy Prophet(saw) was shown, in a hundred times because the
a vision, the spirits abiding in wonder, the enjoyment and the

ecstasy of being martyred in the what God promised us to be

cause of God has no parallel. true. Have you found what God
God stated in reply that this promised you to be true?’
could not be as He had made it Hadhrat ‘Umar(ra) enquired of
a binding law that whosoever him, “O Prophet of Allah are
dies shall never be returned to you talking to the dead who
this world. This is a very clear cannot hear?” The Holy
declaration made in the Holy Prophet(saw) replied that when my
Qur’an. Here, it is being stated message is conveyed to them
that there is no return, for the perhaps they hear better than
body or for the soul. The soul you people here on earth. This
(of a righteous person) is kept particular Hadith is often quoted
with God where it is in a state in support of the misguided
of pleasure and enjoyment and belief that the spirits of the dead
there is no purpose for it to be return to earth and one can
sent back. Why should God do speak to them. However, in both
something that is purposeless? of the above cases the return of
Should the soul return to this the spirits themselves is not
world, it could not participate in mentioned anywhere. What is
the things of life here - it could stated is that they somehow hear
neither do good nor bad. This is whatever is being said and this
a very important point. is a different matter altogether.
Another aspect of this issue is Furthermore, the Holy

highlighted when we read in the Prophet(saw) taught his followers
Hadith about the Holy that when they enter the
Prophet (saw) addressing directly graveyard they should say
the dead of his sworn enemies of “Assalamu ‘alaikum, ya Ahl al
Makkah. Standing on the pit quboor!” – Peace be upon you,
where they were buried, O people of the graves. If the
speaking words of admonish- message could not somehow be
ment to the effect, ‘We found conveyed to them, how would

they hear this greeting? The

inference drawn from this
“One point that requires should be, not that their souls
further consideration here are hovering around the graves,
is the question as to why but that the message is somehow
conveyed to them from those
the Holy Prophet(saw) did
living on earth through some
not teach us to go on
system of communication that
talking to the dead, day
exists – and this aspect is of
and night, at home or great importance.
anywhere else? Other than
the greeting to be offered One point that requires further
at the graveyard, he consideration here is the
advised no other such question as to why the Holy
action. This implies that Prophet(saw) did not teach us to go
perhaps there is a spiritual on talking to the dead, day and
relationship between the night, at home or anywhere
grave of a person and the else? Other than the greeting to
soul of that person. There be offered at the graveyard, he
advised no other such action.
is some inexplicable link
This implies that perhaps there
between the soul and the
is a spiritual relationship
grave but that link does
between the grave of a person
not mean that the soul and the soul of that person.
leaves its abode in the There is some inexplicable link
other world and comes between the soul and the grave
personally to appear on but that link does not mean that
the grave – this is what the soul leaves its abode in the
cannot be inferred.” other world and comes
personally to appear on the
grave – this is what cannot be
inferred. If the concept of

‘appearance’ is to be accepted it actually talking to the spirit.

should be accepted with this
condition that the souls have This, however, is a completely
some link with their graves. different thing from what the
However, it has not been modern day ‘spiritualists’ claim.
mentioned anywhere that the The spiritualists claim that the
Holy Prophet(saw) ever advised spirit comes or appears
that the ‘souls’ can talk back to wherever you command it to and
us. If we claim that they can talk it is not conditional upon close
back, how is such a claim to be proximity to the grave of the
justified? It is only through dead person. Furthermore, their
visions that such events occur claim is that the spirit comes and
and this is supported by a large talks to you while you are fully
number of Muslim Sufis over a awake and not in a state of
long period of time. The Sufis, vision. This means that you can
unlike the present day hard- be conversing with others
hearted Mullahs, were known to around you while, at the same
be God–fearing people who time, talking to a spirit and
spent their whole lives in the receiving messages from it.
love and worship of God. From However, this is something that
some of their authentic cannot be supported – it cannot
accounts, we read that when be supported by the Qur’anic
they went to pray on the grave statements, the traditions of the
of a saintly Sheikh or Master, Holy Prophet(saw) or the
they did not beg anything from experience of the saintly people
the dead person – they only in Islam.
prayed for him and then they
passed into a state of vision. It [The state of] vision is a
was always through vision that spiritual experience (that is
they saw the spirit appear and perceived as a distinct reality
that vision was so real as to give but one that is not based within
the impression that they were the realm of the physical world).

In a state of vision one can see within it. He began observing

things of the other world. Does these and describing it to the
this mean that one’s spirit goes people. The whole city of
there or do the things physically Jerusalem could not have come
move? In visions one can see physically and materially to
things and places that one has appear before the Holy
never seen before but the person Prophet(saw) because in that case
experiencing the vision all the people should have seen
physically remains wherever he it. No person other than the Holy
is and nothing from the Prophet(saw) was able to see
visionary experience comes to anything of the vision.
the person physically as was the
case when the Holy Prophet(saw) In Islamic tradition, the visits
saw the vision in which he and meetings with spirits are,
visited Jerusalem. While he was firstly, reported on the graves of
addressing the people, a Jew dead persons because it is stated
requested the Holy Prophet(saw) that the souls have some
to describe the city to him. This relationship with their graves.
person had himself visited However, it is a relationship that
Jerusalem. According to we do not under stand. The
traditions, the Holy Prophet (saw) Promised Messiah(as) has fully
was, for a few moments, unable supported this. He has stated
to give a response because he that whatever the atheists or the
had seen the city in a vision but non-believers may say, he
he had not observed what the knows from his personal
city actually looked like. It was experiences that the soul has
at this time that he was shown some link with the graveyard
another vision. While he stood where its body is buried and if
on the pulpit there appeared you are a pious person, if you
before him the full picture of pray to Allah, if you undertake
Jerusalem with the Temple of spiritual exercise to develop
Solomon and other places inner purification and refine-

ment and when the mental conveyed to other people as

faculties and the heart become something they must obey. The
purified and polished only then spirits do not enter the system of
is one shown those visions in communication of God which
which one seems able to involves only angels and men as
establish a contact with the souls Messengers – spirits are nowhere
of the dead persons and that mentioned or implied.
contact, although it is a vision, is
real in the sense that what I would like to clarify one point
transpires is true. Sometimes the in relation to the spirits talking
soul in the vision tells you back to the living. Other than in
something which is real and it is visions, this is not reported
something that you did not know anywhere in Islamic tradition.
beforehand. So these are the When earlier I cited the example
basis of ‘contact’ with the souls of the Holy Prophet(saw)
and spirits of the dead. addressing the dead of the
Makkan enemies, there is no
At the end I wish to warn you report of their reply. There is no
about one thing – it has never other report where the Holy
been stated that the souls or Prophet(saw) might have advised
spirits are authorised by God to us of some soul or spirit visiting
advise or admonish people that him and talking to him.
they should act according to However, we have strong evi-
what the spirits tell them as if the dence from the history of the
spirits were working as Sufis and other pious, saintly
messengers of God. No reference people that they talked with the
can be found anywhere in the souls of persons who had died –
Holy Qur’an, or in the Hadith or but not with their physical form.
in any book written by the This is because their conver-
Promised Messiah(as) or by any sation with the souls of the dead
previous holy persons that the always occurred in a state of
messages of the spirits are to be vision or kashf. In a vision, what

is seen is not the actual thing or soul is closest to the material

being, and the proof of this is form when a person is dying –
that such appearances of the when it is just about to leave the
souls were all seen in the form of body. If a spirit were to be
their human body to which, in visible, that is the time when it
reality, they can never return nor should be the most visible – yet
were they living in that form at no one sees it.
the time of their appearance in a
vision. By talking to a soul of a When the saintly people
person who is dead, whose spirit positively advise us that they
appears in the form of the body have talked with the spirit of a
that it had left, clear proof is certain person at his grave,
provided for the theory that it is sometimes even sitting with him
a vision and that the spirit itself and eating with him, it means
did not return to the body that it is definitely a vision but a
because this is not permitted by vision so true that God somehow
God – and, in any case, the body organises a system of commu-
has disintegrated. Hence, what is nication such that whatever was
seen in the form of a body of a spoken was also conveyed to the
dead person cannot be the real spirit which also goes through a
thing – it has to be a vision. kind of a state of ‘vision’. This is
similar to what we see these days
Moreover, if one considers other when two people converse face
possibilities, one would realise to face through television
that it is impossible for any screens, without physically
person to see the spirit with his being together in one place –
physical eyes because the spirit what is seen is not the physical
has no body as the human beings reality but what is heard is the
have bodies. As such spirits are reality that has been conveyed.
never seen. No one has ever seen
a spirit or soul of a person leave
the body of a dying person. The

In brief:
Hanukkah
by Khullat Munir – Germany
Known as the Festival of Lights, the rededication of the Temple of

Hanukkah (also known as Jerusalem. During the era of the
Chanukkah) is an eight day Jewish Second Temple, when Judea was
festival noted for its historic ruled by the Seleucids (successors
origins. Celebrated normally of Alexander the Great), people of
during November or December the Jewish faith struggled to
each year, Hanukkah always preserve their religious principles
begins on the 25th day of the and practices in the face of
Jewish month of Kislev progressively expanding Greek
commemorating the victory in influence. Though the Jewish
165BC of the Maccabees over people were shown religious
Antiochus Epiphanes (C.215 – tolerance, the rising of Antiochus
164BC). IV brought a shift. Throughout the
Seleucid Empire, Israelites were
The most commonly accepted persecuted and forced to
theory by practising Jews is that of assimilate to the Hellenistic life-

In Brief: Hanukkah
style. Even amongst the most claim the Temple once again. The
devout of Israelites, there were Talmud relates that upon re-
some who began to succumb to entering the Temple, the
the idolatrous practices of the Israelites were dismayed at the
Greeks. As the commonly state in which they found it. The
accepted accounts of the story Greeks had defiled everything,
relate, in 167 BCE, Antiochus including the sacred olive oil that
ordered the placement of a was needed to keep the menorah
monument devoted to Zeus in the (7 branched candlabra) lit at all
Temple in Jerusalem. As was the times. In their attempts to restore
custom with such monuments, the Temple, the Israelites found a
Hellenistic ritual dictated that single container of the sacred oil
pigs must be sacrificed at the and used it to light the menorah
altar of Zeus. When the Greeks with the expectation that it would
ordered the Israelites to conduct only be enough to sustain one
the ritual at the Temple, an day. Much to their surprise, they
individual stepped forward to found that the oil maintained the
comply. It is said that Mattathias, flame for eight days, enough time
a prominent Jewish priest who to produce more olive oil to
was leading a revolutionary replenish the Temple’s store.
group against foreign influence,
killed both the acceding Jew and The leaders of the Maccabbees
the guard who gave the order on consecrated the 25th day of
the spot. Though Mattathias died Kislev every year to com-
soon after, his son went on to lead memorate the success of the
the movement of Maccabbees Israelites against the Seleucids
dedi-cated to the struggle against and the rededication of the
the Greeks. Temple. Thus, in keeping with
tradition, Hanukkah is celebrated
The Jewish people finally over a period of eight days, each
succeeded in their revolt against day symbolising the strength of
the Seleucid monarchy in 165 the flame in the rededicated
BCE, when they were able to Temple. While no Jewish

In Brief: Hanukkah
scripture explicitly speaks of playing dreidel. During the time

Hanukkah, the lighting of candles of Antiochus’ oppression,
on the menorah during the resisting Israelites would study
festival is seen as a religious the Torah in the presence of
prescription. The Hanukkah guards under the guise of playing
Menorah is a candela-brum with this game. The dreidel is
nine branches, called in Hebrew composed of a square top marked
Chanukiyyah. Eight branches of with four Hebrew letters
equal size represent the eight constituting the phrase: “A great
miracle days. The ninth candle miracle happened there.”
holder, usually placed separately,
is for Shamesh. Because Another remnant of the period of
Hanukkah candles can only be oppression is represented through
used for viewing purposes, the the consumption of dairy
Shamesh candle is used to light products. During Antiochus’ rule,
the other eight candles. Starting it was decreed that women would
on the first day of Hanukkah, have sexual relations with a
Jewish families are to light one Greek governor before marriage.
candle per day for eight days. The One woman, by the name of
symbolism of this action is Yehudis (Judith), was summoned
intended to commemorate the by a nearby governor and acceded
success and miraculous nature of to his wishes. She managed to
the Jewish struggle against the intoxicate the governor with
Greeks. The Jewish people have cheese and wine and then
been encouraged, in fact, to proceeded to behead him. To
display their menorahs outside remember Yehudis’ achievement,
their doors or in their windows dairy foods are often an important
when it is safe in order to part of Hanukkah celebrations.
disseminate the story of their
success and survival. Accompanying these traditions is
the prayer recited three times a
Other rituals include eating fried day during each day of the
foods (to emphasise the impor- celebration of Hanukkah:
tance of oil in this festival) and

In Brief: Hanukkah
‘We thank You for the righteous, and the arrogant

miracles, for the redemption, into the hands of the students
for the mighty deeds and of Torah. You made a great
triumphs, and for the battles and holy Name for Yourself
which You performed for our in the world, and for Your
fathers in those days at this people You performed a great
season. In the days of the deliverance until this day.
Hasmonean High Priest And after this, Your children
Mattathias ben Yohanan and entered the shrine of Your
his sons, when a wicked house, cleansed Your Temple,
Hellenic government rose up purified Your sanctuary,
against Your people Israel to kindled lights in Your holy
make them forget Your Torah courts, and established these
and transgress the laws of eight days of Channukah for
Your will, You in great mercy giving thanks and praise to
stood by them in the time of Your great Name.’
distress. You championed
their cause, defended their Though Hanukkah is not
rights and avenged their considered by Jews to be the
wrong; You delivered the festival of most religious signi-
strong into the hands of the ficance, its importance is rooted
weak, the impure into the in its historical symbolism and
hands of the pure, the wicked remembrance of success in the
into the hands of the face of oppression.
References:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday7.html
http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm
http://www.torah.org/learning/halacha/classes/class139-8.html
http://www.hillel.org/jewish/holidays/chanukah/default.htm

The Christian world celebrates Christmas Day on December 25th across
most parts of the globe as the day that Jesus(as) was born to the Virgin
Mary in Bethlehem, Palestine.
In this article, we consider the latest views on the significance of the

events being celebrated in its historical context including the virgin
birth, the date of the celebration and other events surrounding the birth
such as the wise men and the Star of Bethlehem.
by Fazal Ahmad – UK
Introduction of Jesus(as) is narrated in the

In many parts of the world Gospels of Matthew and Luke
Christians celebrate the 25th of whilst the Gospels of Mark and
December as the birthday of John start the story from Jesus’
Jesus(as), born to the Virgin Mary ministry and give no importance
in the Palestinian town of to the birth. According to these
Bethlehem in the year 1 CE (i.e. gospel writers, the story runs as
the start of the Gregorian follows:
Calendar).
‘When his mother Mary had
The story also includes details of been engaged to Joseph, but
a Star of Bethlehem which guided before they lived together, she
3 wise men from the East to the was found to be with child
new baby bearing gifts, and King from the Holy Spirit.’
Herod’s discomfort and fear of (Matthew 1:18)
the new boy messiah that led him
to take drastic action. Luke provides more detail about
the Immaculate Conception and
Biblical Account how the angel Gabriel addressed
The Biblical account of the birth Mary:

‘Greetings, favoured one! The son, and you are to name

Lord is with you. ...Do not be him Jesus, for he will save
afraid, Mary, for you have his people from their sins.’
found favour with God. And (Matthew 1:20-21)
now, you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem
and you will name him Jesus. at the time of the first global
He will be great, and will be census that had been ordered by
called Son of the Most High, the Roman Emperor Augustus.
and the Lord God will give to Luke provides the detail that
him the throne of his ancestor Quirinius was the Roman
David. He will reign over the Governor of Syria at the time.
house of Jacob forever, and of Joseph and Mary went to
his kingdom there will be no Bethlehem to be registered
end.’ because Joseph’s family line
(Luke 1:28-34) came from David(as) and
Bethlehem was known as his city.
Luke goes on to describe Mary’s It was whilst in Bethlehem that
shock and concern and how she Mary gave birth to Jesus(as).
was reassured by the angel.
Thereafter, the story focuses on
According to Matthew, Joseph King Herod’s search for the boy
was perturbed about Mary’s and the threat he felt by a reported
pregnancy and had doubts about new messiah, and also the
their intended marriage until he journey of the wise men from the
saw a dream in which an angel East to visit the new messiah and
gave him the following message: give him gifts. Matthew describes
the journey that the wise men
‘Joseph, son of David, do not took having spoken to Herod:
be afraid to take Mary as
your wife, for the child ‘When they had heard the
conceived in her is from the king, they set out; and there,
Holy Spirit. She will bear a ahead of them, went the star

that they had seen at its rising Bethlehem of 2 years or younger

until it stopped over the place killed in an attempt to eradicate
where the child was. When this new messiah, but eventually
they saw that the star had he himself died, and Joseph was
stopped, they were over- instructed to return to Israel with
whelmed with joy. On Mary and Jesus(as).
entering the house, they saw
the child with Mary his So whilst only two of the four
mother; and they knelt down Synoptic Gospels have an
and paid him homage. Then, account of Jesus’ birth, those two
opening their treasure chests, that do also have a few
they offered him gifts of gold, contradictions. The Gospel of
frankincense and myrrh. And Matthew describes the angel
having been warned in a repeatedly talking to Joseph, the
dream not to return to Herod, husband of Mary, whilst Luke
they left for their own country carries the narrative between the
by another road.’ angel and Mary. This may reflect
(Matthew 1:9-12) the differing cultural attitudes and
backgrounds of the different
Again Joseph was warned by an gospel authors. Those from a
angel: Jewish background may have
found it offensive that angels
‘Get up, take the child and his were talking to Mary rather than
mother, and flee to Egypt, and to her husband, and would have
remain there until I tell you; altered the story, whereas, as we
for Herod is about to search will see, the Qur’an which came
for the child, to destroy him.’ later, also describes a conver-
(Matthew 2:13) sation between the angels and
Mary herself, and in fact, the
Interestingly, Luke does not cover Qur’an does not acknowledge
the story of Herod at all. Having Joseph at all in this whole
moved to Egypt, Herod in his situation.
fury had all boys around

The dating of events is also in account of the birth of Jesus(as) in

question as Quirinius is unlikely which he is born in a cave in the
to have been the Roman desert (Porter, pp.130-136).
Governor of Syria until at least 6
CE when the Romans annexed Although this and other Gnostic
Judaea; King Herod died in 4 texts are not considered authentic
BCE, so any events concerning or in the same vein as the Bible,
Herod would have to date from they spawned many sects that
before 4 BCE. In general, there turned Mary into the object of
are many nuggets of truth in the their worship, and the impact is
story as it is conveyed, but the still felt today in Christianity.
accounts are neither entirely
chronological, nor historically Jewish Account
accurate and reflect the bias of the Although there is no Jewish
communities from which the account of the birth story of
gospel authors originated. A truly Jesus(as) as officially they have not
Divine book would not show any accepted him as their messiah,
inconsistencies. there are many clues as to what
Jews were anticipating at the time
Other Early Christian Sources of the advent of their messiah in
As the story of Mary and Jesus(as) the Torah in books such as Isaiah,
became widely known, other as we shall see later in this article.
texts emerged and new cults These stories shed light on the
sprang up. An example is the expectation of the messiah being
Protevangelium of James thought born in Bethlehem (the home of
to date from 150 CE in Palestine David(as)), the arrival of foreign
(the oldest known copy is from kings bearing gifts and following
the 5th century) which covers the a morning light. As the Jewish
birth of Mary, her background messiah, it is essential to
and family, and events in her life. understand the Jewish context
We are not sure if the version we into which the messiah would be
now have is the original, but the understood in order to make sense
version available also has an of the nativity story of Christmas.

Qur’anic Account And relate the story of Mary

The Holy Qur’an focuses more as mentioned in the Book.
on the life and death of Jesus(as) When she withdrew from her
once he began his ministry. A people to a place to the east,
detailed account is provided in and screened herself off from
Surah Al-‘Imran (Ch.3) and them, then We sent Our angel
Surah Maryam (Ch.19). Surah to her, and he appeared to her
Al-‘Imran describes how the in the form of a perfect man.
angels spoke to Mary: She said, ‘I seek refuge with
the Gracious God from thee if
When the angels said, ‘O indeed thou dost fear Him.’
Mary, Allah gives thee glad He replied, ‘I am only a
tidings of a word from Him; Messenger of thy Lord, that I
his name shall be the Messiah, may bestow on thee a
Jesus, son of Mary, honoured righteous son.’ She said, ‘How
in this world and in the next, can I have a son when no man
and of those who are granted has touched me, neither have I
nearness to God; and he shall been unchaste?’ He replied,
speak to the people in the ‘Thus it is.’ But says thy Lord,
cradle and when of middle ‘It is easy for Me; and We
age, and he shall be of the shall do so that We may make
righteous.’ him a Sign unto men, and a
(Ch.3:Vs.46-47) mercy from Us, and it is a
thing decreed.’ So she
The chapter then goes on to conceived him, and withdrew
describe Mary’s shock and the with him to a remote place.
explanation given to her about the (Ch.19: Vs.17-23)
high status that Jesus(as) would
attain and his mission to the Jews. According to the Qur’an, the fact
of the matter is that Mary
The chapter named after Mary consumed ripe dates upon giving
relates incidents in the following birth to Jesus(as) (placing his birth
verses: nearer summer than winter) and

what is mentioned is the reaction and resolve of Mary that this had
when she took the baby back to been a Divine plan.
her family. However, when she
pointed them at her baby, Jesus(as) The Qur’an does revert to a
began speaking saying: couple of other issues, one of
which is the parentage of Jesus(as).
‘I am a servant of Allah. He The Qur’an says:
has given me the Book, and
made me a Prophet; and He It does not befit the Majesty
has made me blessed of Allah to take unto Himself
wheresoever I may be, and a son. Holy is He. When He
has enjoined upon me Prayer decrees a thing, He says to it,
and almsgiving so long as I ‘Be!’, and it is. Said Jesus:
live.’ ‘Surely Allah is my Lord, and
(Ch.19:Vs. 31-32) your Lord. So worship Him
alone; this is the right path.’
So in many ways, the Qur’anic (Ch.19:Vs.36-37)
account corroborates the Bible on
the virgin birth and on Jesus’ The Qur’an is clear that Jesus(as)
maturity from a very young age. was born of a virgin, but is not
However, the Qur’an does not the actual son of God. On the
mention the wise men, the Star of other hand, Adam was ‘born’
Bethlehem or Herod’s actions, so without the agency of a father or
these must have been insigni- mother.
ficant. Indeed if these elements of
the story were so significant, it is Birth Date
strange that neither Mark nor The Gregorian Calendar used
John cared to mention them at all. globally for business is based
However, if there is any truth in upon the birth date being in the
the shepherds or the wise men Year 1, and we commonly
seeing signs and visiting Mary to describe years as CE (Christian
see the baby messiah, it would Era i.e. years since the birth of
have served to reinforce the faith Jesus(as)) and BCE (Before the

Christian Era i.e. years before the commentators believe that it was
birth of Jesus(as)). more likely to have been in the
spring or summer.
Yet, a significant event in the
early years of Jesus(as) would have Christianity seems to have
been the census and the killing of adopted the 25th of December
Jewish boys by King Herod. As (the winter solstice and
King Herod died in 4 BCE and significant date of the Roman Sol
the census is likely to have been Invictus cult) in the early
after 6 CE when Judaea came centuries under Roman patronage
under Roman rule, clearly the to gain security and empathy
events, if authentic, would not from the Romans particularly
have occurred in the first year with Emperor Constantine at the
CE, so the Gregorian calendar has helm (Wilson, p137). But for
the wrong start date. But that is a Constantine, just as in his forcing
minor point. the Nicene Creed on the Global
Church in 325 CE, the acceptance
So we have determined that the of the 25th of December as the
year of the birth is inaccurate. birth date and main celebration of
What of the date – 25th Christianity may have cynically
December? A common belief in helped his cause to unify the
Judaism was that prophets died Roman Empire through this new
on the same date as their birth or faith.
conception. According to ancient
calculations, Jesus(as) was cruci- Sol Invictus (victorious Sun) was a
fied on 25 March and that was Roman cult dedicated to the
presumed to be the date of his worship of the Sun with patronage
conception. Nine months after from Roman Emperors such as
that leads to 25 December which Diocletian (who led much of the
is a bizarre justification for this persecution of Christianity). Sol
date. Nobody knows which date Invictus was related to
Jesus(as) was born on or even the Mithraism, and they also
month of the year, but many worshipped Cybele, the ‘mother

of god’. December the 25th was a accepted as the celebration of the

significant date for these birth of Jesus(as).
worshippers as it was considered
the birthday of Mithra and was Even early Christian leaders such
the celebration day for Sol as St. Clement of Alexandria were
Invictus and Cybele. Some not convinced that the birth month
commentators suggest that it was was December and instead
the day Romans celebrated the preferred April or May, but this
birth of the Sun by the mother of compromise suited Constantine
god, Cybele. and reduced Christian perse-
cution during the 4th century as
So when Constantine became Christianity gradually became the
Emperor, it was an easy transition religion of the Roman Empire.
to encourage Christians to
worship the Sun god as the Son Virgin Birth
god, and so Sol Invictus was The Virgin birth by Mary is one of
morphed into a Christian deity the most striking parts of the story.
and Christians were able to The Christian aspect of this story
worship on December 25th is well known, but Islam also has a
without attracting attention. similar account of the virgin birth
as described earlier.
This view has been gaining
currency, but is not accepted by Modern research and analysis
all scholars including R. L. Fox shows that such a birth could be a
who argues that Constantine had natural phenomenon, as natural
to tread warily in order to keep processes such as Parthenogenesis
his largely pagan subjects under become better understood.
control, and claims that this is
why Constantine was not baptised Wise men of the East
until his deathbed. Some of his The Bible refers to the wise men
arguments make sense, but this of the East following a Star of
still does not explain how Bethlehem to visit Jesus(as) and
suddenly the 25th December was bringing him gifts of gold,

Sol Invictus Frieze
frankincense and myrrh. It does In fact, in the preceding verses of

not mention three wise men, but Isaiah, it says:
wise men bringing three gifts, and
as Spong (p.187) identifies, there ‘Nations shall come to your
is no mention of Camels. Spong light, and kings to the bright-
goes on to relate that actually the ness of your dawn.’
subconscious imagery of camels (Isaiah 60:3)
comes from the prophecy in
Isaiah in the Old Testament: We will soon consider the Star of
Bethlehem, but here we have an
‘A multitude of camels shall early reference to that light, to
cover you, the young camels that bright dawn.
of Midian and Ephah; all
those from Sheba shall come. Most commentators accept that
They shall bring gold and these wise men would most likely
frankincense, and shall have been Zoroastrian Magi
proclaim the praise of the priests from Persia. Indeed, the
Lord.’ Persians had interactions with the
(Isaiah 60:6) Jews for many centuries when

first Nebuchadnezzar sacked Moon and Saturn on April 17th 6

Jerusalem and led the Israelites to BCE would have been bright
slavery, and then Cyrus the Great enough to have been seen in the
freed the Jews and enabled them East and to attract some attention.
to return to Jerusalem. However, Many are also looking at similar
not every-one accepts the Persian alignments to announce the return
link, and given that myrrh is only of Jesus(as) for the latter days.
found in Yemen where there were
many Jews, this has led some Certainly the connection between
commentators to suspect that the the star and the wise men would
wise men may have been Jews have been that Zoroastrian
from Yemen excited at the astrologers were heavily reliant
prospect of the advent of the upon such alignments for their
Jewish messiah. predictions and would have been
actively seeking such alignments
Star of Bethlehem to herald significant religious
There have been many theories events.
about the ‘Star of Bethlehem’ and
astronomers have been looking at Santa Claus or Father
comets, novae and planetary Christmas
alignments for centuries to In the modern Christian
explain this phenomenon. In celebrations in the West, Father
1603, the famous astronomer, Christmas or Santa Claus plays a
Kepler, calculated that there prominent role in the mythology
would have been a conjunction of of Christmas by distributing gifts.
Mars, Saturn and Jupiter in 7 However, there was a historical
BCE (Wilson, p.49). Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of
Myra in southern Turkey, who
More recent analysis by Grant used to provide gifts for
Mathews in the USA suggests vulnerable children, and this is
that alignments of Mars, Jupiter perhaps from where the modern
and Saturn on February 20th 6 Santa derives.
BCE, and the Sun, Jupiter, the

Conclusion and the reindeer, and the Elves.

Religious communities get very The earliest followers of Jesus(as),
excited about historical details the Judaeo-Christian groups such
and often neglect the spiritual as the Ebionites and Elchasites
message that was delivered. It is would not have recognised any
interesting that only Matthew of these trappings. More
and Luke cover the birth story fundamentally, they would have
and even then each covers detail considered Jesus(as) to be their
on certain aspects. There is no human messiah, and Mary to
single complete account of the have been his mother, but would
birth story in any single book of not have associated any divinity
the Bible, and there are to either.
discrepancies over who the
angels spoke to, whether Herod Certainly there are many details
was actually involved, whether in the modern Christian account,
the events took place at the time in particular the divinity,
of Herod or at the time of the salvation, crucifixion and
Roman Census, whether and celebrations of Jesus’ birth, that
how many wise men from the cannot be considered accurate or
East arrived and where they authentic, but Muslims and
came from, and the nature if at Christians share a common
all of the Star of Bethlehem. The understanding on a few points
date of December 25th is almost that:
certainly wrong.
• Mary was a very pious lady
Many European pagan rituals chosen for this special task by
and accounts have made their God.
way into the Christmas story and
festivities over the centuries, and • Jesus(as) was born to Mary
add very little to our under- whilst she was still a virgin.
standing of Jesus’ birth and its
significance; for example, the • Jesus(as) was blessed with
Christmas tree, Father Christmas wisdom from a very early age.

• He would go on to become accepting her role despite her

one of the many significant shock, then that is something we
Prophets whose influence is can all appreciate and all agree
felt globally even today. upon, and something that the
religious community can draw
At this time of Christmas, if we inspiration from, whether or not
focus on the greatness of Jesus’ we agree upon the historical and
teachings and ministry and the technical details.
piety of his mother Mary in
References
1. The Holy Bible – New Standard Revised Version, National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA, Thomas Nelson Inc, USA
1989.
2. The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulawi Sher Ali, Islam
International Publications Ltd, Tilford, UK 2004.
3. Jesus: The Evidence, Ian Wilson, Pan Books Ltd, London 1985.
4. Christianity: A Journey from Facts to Fiction, Mirza Tahir Ahmad,
Islam International Publications Limited, Tilford, UK 1994.
5. The Lost Bible – Forgotten Scriptures Revealed, J. R. Porter,
Duncan Baird Publishers, London 2001.
6. The Religions of the Roman Empire, John Ferguson, Thames and
Hudson, London 1982.
7. Pagans and Christians, Robin Lane Fox, Penguin Books, London
1986.
8. Liberating the Gospels – Reading the Bible with Jewish eyes,
Bishop John Shelby Spong, Harper Collins Publishers Inc., USA
1996.
9. From Jesus to Christ, Paula Fredriksen, Yale University Press,
USA 2000.

Index of Articles – 2009
JANUARY 2009 FEBRUARY 2009
Essence of Islam Part 28: The Law of The Future of Islam – Part 1
Nature demands Revelation In this epic piece, the Promised
The laws of nature show that God must Messiah(as) elucidates the fact that of all
have the power to communicate just as world religions, only Islam has the
His creations have, and that there must be ability to avoid natural decay
revelation from God to His creations Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) ❖
❖ Establishing Peace, Love and
My Claim to Promised Messiahship Harmony in the Society
Reproduced from a lecture (Eng. Real justice requires that even if you
Translation 1904) setting out his claims as have to testify against a close relative
the Promised Messiah(as) and Mahdi, his then you should do so
advent being the need of the Age to re- Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
establish the unity of mankind in the
worship of God ❖
Forefathers of the Promised
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
Messiah(as)
❖
A remarkable and detailed insight into
Making the World a Haven of Peace the ancestral lineage of Hadhrat Mirza
Acquiring good and shunning evil in the Ghulam Ahmad(as), portraying his
hope that the inauguration of this new Iranian origins and his ancestral roots
mosque in Sheffield will act as a catalyst in Samarkand, one of the oldest
to bring the various faith communities inhabited cities in the world
together in a spirit of peace and tolerance Hadhrat Maulana Abdur Raheem
Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Dard(ra)
❖ ❖
Islam in China There is no Compulsion in Religion –
Analysis of how Islam entered and Part 1
established itself in China, and how An in-depth rebuttal to the prevalent
Muslims are living in China today misconceptions particularly in the
Fazal Ahmad – UK Islamic world of the use of force and the
meaning of Jihad according to
Qur’anic teachings
Syed Mir Mahmood Ahmed Nasir –
Rabwah, Pakistan

MARCH 2009 APRIL 2009
The Future of Islam – Part 2 The Future of Islam – Part 3

Continuation of a lecture from the Continuation of a lecture from the
archives on the truth of prophets and the archives (see February 2009)
need of the reformer of the age Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) ❖
❖ Peace Depends on Justice
Islam and Women’s Rights If the current global situation prevails,
The rights of women in Islam and their then the world will be engulfed by
role in shaping society catastrophe, and our future generations
Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad will blame us for this
❖ Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
Book Review: The Jewel of Medina ❖
A critical review of a novel allegedly The Future of Western Society
based on the history of the life of Hadhrat How the pursuit of pleasure and liberty
‘A’ishah(ra) from all bondage that binds man to his
Sarah Waseem – UK Creator is damaging Western society
❖ Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru)
There is no Compulsion in Religion – ❖
Part 2 Islam is not a Religion of Terror
Qur’anic teachings on Freedom of A study of the Holy Qur’an reveals that
Religion Islamic teachings promote peace
Syed Mir Mahmood Ahmed Nasir – Maulana Ataul Mujeeb Rashed – UK
Rabwah, Pakistan ❖
The Holy Prophet’s Love of Allah
An insight into the unshakable and all-
consuming love that the Holy
Prophet(saw) had for Allah
Bockarie Tommy Kallon – UK
❖
There is no Compulsion in Religion –
Part 3
Examining the true interpretations of
Qur’anic verses
Syed Mir Mahmood Ahmed Nasir – Pakistan

MAY 2009 JUNE 2009
The Essence of Islam – Part 29: Islam Evidence from Buddhist Scriptures
on Arrogance that Jesus(as) traveled to Kashmir
How arrogance is deeply rooted in man By drawing comparisons in the lives,
and can only be removed by Divine mercy, attributes and backgrounds of
purity of heart, meekness and humility Buddha(as) and Jesus(as), the Promised
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) Messiah(as) seeks to prove that Jesus(as)
traveled to Kashmir
❖
Discharging Equal Rights can Help Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
Establish Peace ❖
The failure of the UN to restore peace is The Corruption of the Text of the
rapidly drawing the world towards the New Testament
brink of another world war. The 1929 An analysis of how textual alterations in
Depression led to World War II and a the Bible were made largely for
similar situation prevails today doctrinal reasons and the effect these
Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad modifications have on the overall
❖ authenticity of the New Testament
Ways to One World Syed Mashhood Ahmad – UK
Providing solutions to global problems ❖
and issues The Purity of the Text of the Holy
Muhammad Zafrulla Khan(ra) Qur’an
A detailed account of how the Qur’anic
❖
text was compiled and preserved
Views of Scientists on the Existence of
God Review of Religions, May 1907
The search for scientific truth has resulted ❖
in the inevitability of the existence of God Islam – the Religion of Peace
and the realisation that the Universe was Explaining the religious system in Islam
not created by chance and its practical methods to eradicate
Prof. Saleh Muhammad Allahdin – India the obstacles to world peace
Review of Religions, March 1933
❖
Portents of War
A study of how mankind, ignoring
warnings from the past, is moving
closer to the Third World War
Abdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan – UK

JULY 2009 AUGUST 2009
Our Teaching Our Teaching

An extract from an important book of the An extract from an important book of
Promised Messiah(as) in which he sets out the Promised Messiah(as) in which he
his teachings sets out his teachings
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
❖ ❖
Existence of God Investment, Interest & Islam
An attempt to answer the fundamental Why interest and hoarding money are
question: Does God exist? An analysis of forbidden in Islam
the views of Atheists and Theists on the Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru)
origins of the universe
❖
Rafi Ahmed – USA
Muslim Fasting
❖
The philosophy of fasting in Islam
The Changing Views of the Crucifixion
Hadhrat Maulawi Sher Ali(ra)
Examination of how Islam, Christianity
and Judaism interpret the events of the ❖
Crucifixion of Jesus(as) The Blessed Month
Arif Khan –UK Religious activities during Ramadhan
❖ Muzaffar-ud-din Chaudhry
The Qur’an and Poverty Alleviation ❖
In this study of why poverty is so Hadhrat ‘A’ishah Siddiqah(ra) – The
widespread in Pakistan, the author offers circumstances of her marriage to the
solutions based on Qur’anic teachings Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw)
Dr. Ahmad Kaleem – Lahore, Pakistan Analysis of conflicting reports
surrounding Hadhrat ‘A’ishah’s age at
❖
the time of her marriage to the Holy
Is Africa Lagging Behind? Prophet(saw)
This article explores how religion evolved Hamdah Sanori Farooqi – UK
in the continent, and disproves the
stereotype of Africa as an undeveloped ❖
and backward place The establishment of Lajna Ima’illah
Fazal Ahmad – UK and the sacrifices of early Ahmadi
Muslim women
Study of the formation of an
organisation for women
Shmaila Nagi – UK

SEPTEMBER 2009 OCTOBER 2009
The Holy Prophet(saw) Our Teaching

A section from the Essence of Islam The means of deliverance of sin
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
❖ ❖
Our Teaching Removing Some Common
The elevated position of the Holy Qur’an Misunderstandings about Islam
compared to the Sunnah and Hadith Islam teaches that everyone is free to
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) change his faith and Muslims are
instructed to defend the places of
❖
worship of all religions
Yom Kippur – The Jewish Fast
Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
A glimpse into the concept of fasting in
Judaism ❖
Attainment of Inner Peace
Mehri Niknam MBE
A Question & Answer session
❖
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru)
Layla-tul-Qadr – ‘Night of Decree’
The night ‘equal to one thousand nights’ ❖
IN BRIEF: Tzedakah – The Concept
Adam Walker – UK
of Charity in Judaism
❖
Giving to the poor is obedience to the
‘Eid ul Fitr’ highest commandment in Judaism
The philosophy behind this festival Maidah Ahamd – Canada
Hadhrat Maulana Abdur Raheeem Dard(ra) ❖
❖ The Philosophy of Punishments in
Ban the Burqa? Islam
Reflecting on the French President Explaining the Islamic penal system
Sarkozy’s comments Dr. Iftikhar Ayaz O.B.E – UK
Sarah Waseem – UK ❖
❖ Fulfilled Prophecies Prove God Exists
Qur’anic Teachings on Intimate A fascinating analysis of how the train,
Human Relationships camels, Galileo, Hubble’s Law, and
Qur’anic advice on healthy living Einstein help demonstrate the presence
Dr. Latif Ahmad Qureshi – Scotland of a Supreme Being
Prof. Saleh Mohammad Allahdin –
India

NOVEMBER 2009 DECEMBER 2009
The Holy Qur’an The Victory of Islam

The Holy Qur’an should be judged by how With the Muslim world in utter disarray,
its teaching frees its followers from a life the Promised Messiah(as) invites
of sin Muslims to join him in his divinely
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) appointed mission for the victory of
Islam
❖
The Holy Prophet(saw): A Messenger of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
Peace and Reconciliation ❖
The ‘Prince of Peace’ merited this name Africa – The Invisible Continent
though his impeccable character, kindness An analysis of how the effects of war,
and tolerance trade and debt have left Africa in
Tommy Kallon – UK trouble, and how religion can help to
bring about change
❖
Solution to the Problems of the Islamic Mujeebur Rahman – Keighley, UK
World ❖
The whole Muslim world is floundering in Contact with Spirits?
dissension. Equity, justice, tolerance and Can souls or spirits of the dead be
amity are practices rarely visible in the recalled and can they speak to the
Muslim World today – the solution exists; living?
Muslims need only accept it Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru)
Rafiq Hayat – UK ❖
❖ IN BRIEF: Hanukkah
The Need for Religion and its Background and significance of the
Importance Jewish festival of Hanukkah and how it
Religion and the answers thereto is celebrated
Ghulam Rasul Rajeki(ra) Khullat Munir – Germany
❖ ❖
Pillars of Religious Tolerance Significance of Christmas
Internal conflicts must be avoided Examining the birth of Jesus(as),
Maulawi A. Wahab Adam – Ghana December 25th and the wise men of the
East
Fazal Ahmad – UK

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MANAGEMENT BOARD CONTENTS December 2009, Vol.104, No.

CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER

Religious Symbols British Airways was forced to

2 The Review of Religions – December 2009

shown somewhere in the modern In actual fact, it is often people of

The Review of Religions – December 2009 3

Day Event Significance

Hannukkah Festival of Lights commemorating the

Winter Solstice Shortest day of the year in the Northern

Christmas Day Celebration of the birth of Jesus(as) to the

10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram

4 The Review of Religions – December 2009

Lord, infuse the blessings of Thy

The Review of Religions – December 2009 5

has given me – I wish to explain

6 The Review of Religions – December 2009

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)

His claim constitutes the basis of the beliefs of the

called good works amount to a Existence of God are not serious

The Review of Religions – December 2009 7

Cheating and lying have gone to lampooning the Holy Prophet(saw),

8 The Review of Religions – December 2009

by Christian peoples, followers is a miracle to dispel the darkness

The Review of Religions – December 2009 9

10 The Review of Religions – December 2009

and: teach only word of mouth but

The Review of Religions – December 2009 11

“I HAVE BEEN SENT EXACTLY AS WAS SENT MY

your fathers waited to see but it said in the Holy Book:

12 The Review of Religions – December 2009

The Review of Religions – December 2009 13

faith and this also is amazing. similarity of character with the

NOTE FOR THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS

In keeping with current universal practice, local transliterations of names of places

14 The Review of Religions – December 2009

The tragic plight of the people of been poor governance,

The Review of Religions – December 2009 15

A world of gentleness, com- surely, bestow more favours

Hunger, disease and ignorance War in Africa

16 The Review of Religions – December 2009

consequences of those conflicts are all common reasons heard for

Wars in the Developing World are Despite the diversity and

The Review of Religions – December 2009 17

the countries and to bringing economic power and the

18 The Review of Religions – December 2009

Democracy in Africa heightened in many cases by

The Review of Religions – December 2009 19

the multi-ethnic character of Democratisation may or may not

20 The Review of Religions – December 2009

mention that which is most left of democracy? Hence,

The Review of Religions – December 2009 21

Be always just, that is nearer nisms of impending crisis are

22 The Review of Religions – December 2009

NEPAD is an integrated socio- …And help one another in

Disparities in the International Most if not all the G8 countries

The Review of Religions – December 2009 23

24 The Review of Religions – December 2009

Conference of Churches, which and running. For the developing

The Review of Religions – December 2009 25

taxes on imported goods. This According to Oxfam, if the

26 The Review of Religions – December 2009

would do more to help combat ruled. As Confucius(as) admon-