Believes that Islam’s message of peace is universal
“And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, for all mankind, but most men know not.” Holy Qur’an 34:29 A distinctive feature of Islam is that it addresses itself to the whole of mankind. Previous religions only addressed a particular people at a particular time. Islam however is the summit of religious evolution, and addresses itself to every nation on Earth, in whichever era they live. It is thus a unique religion in that it recognises the truth of other Prophets, such as Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster and others, while recognising that over time their messages may have been misinterpreted or distorted. Islam came to restore and excel whatever truth they had, while correcting the shortcomings that had crept into them. Thus a Muslim has nothing but love and affection for other religions, as it sees them all as having emanated from the same Divine Source. We present below an extract of writing from Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (May Allah have mercy upon him ), the Fourth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This was originally published in his short book, Some Distinctive Features of Islam. A Universal Religion BY HAZRAT MIRZA TAHIR AHMAD (MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY UPON HIM ) The very first leaf of the Holy Quran praises the Lord Who is the Sustainer of all the worlds, and its last passage urges us to pray to the Lord of mankind. Thus, both the first and the last words of the Holy Quran present the concept of the entire universe, and not merely that of a God of the Arabs or the Muslims. Verily, no one before the Holy Prophetsa of Islam had beckoned the whole of humanity, and no book before the Holy Quran had addressed the entire world. The first such claim was made in favour of the Holy Prophetsa of Islam in these words: ‘And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, for all mankind, but most men know not.’(Holy Qur’an, 34:29) And then: “Say, ‘O mankind! Truly I am a Messenger to you all.’”(Holy Qur’an 7:159) And when the Holy Quran calls itself a message for all the worlds (8:128), it upholds itself as the guidance with which is linked the true development and advancement of mankind. The Holy Quran has repeatedly been called the Verifier of other Books and Muslims are admonished to believe in all other Prophets (pbut) in exactly the same manner as they believe in their own Prophetsa. In our faith, it is forbidden to make a distinction among any of them, much less to believe in some and reject others. The Holy Quran says: “All (of us) believe in Allah, and in His angels, and in His Books, and in His Messengers.”(Holy Qur’an 2:286) It may not be without merit to examine if universality in itself is a desirable feature, and why Islam has laid such great stress upon it. Ever since Islam has brought the message of the unity of mankind, the pace of the march towards such unity has continued to accelerate in every sphere. An example of this march in our times is the establishment of different international bodies and federations. Indeed, these are but milestones along the long and devious journey towards unity among all mankind. So, the need that is keenly felt by the advanced and civilised man of today had already been fulfilled by planting the seed of its solution in the message of Islam 1400 years ago. Today, of course, the rapid development of travel and communication has lent a new impetus to the march towards unity among peoples and nations. HAJJ, THE ISLAMIC PILGRIMAGE, IS THE ULTIMATE SHOW OF HUMANITY’S UNITY. © CAMERA EYE Differences and Contradictions among Faiths – Their Reality A question that arises is: if all religions were in fact founded by Messengerspbut from God, then why is there any difference in their teachings? Can the same God sends own different teachings? This question is answered by Islam alone, and this, too, is a distinctive feature of this religion. Islam holds that there are two basic causes of differences between various religions. First, that varying conditions had needed varying dictates and rules, and the All-Knowing and All-Wise God had provided guidance for different ages, regions and peoples in accordance with their respective needs. Second, the contents of various faiths faded and wilted under the vicissitudes of time; hence they were not preserved in their original form. In some cases, the followers themselves introduced innovations and variations to suit changing needs, and the originally revealed Books continued to be interpolated for this purpose. Obviously, such adulteration of the Divine Message ultimately mandated fresh guidance from the Original Source. As God has said in the Holy Quran: “They pervert the words from their proper places and have forgotten a good part of that with which they were exhorted.”(Holy Qur’an 5:14) THE HOLY QUR’AN, THE FINAL DIVINE BOOK If we examine the history of differences between various faiths in the light of the principles enunciated by the Holy Quran, we find that the differences tend to diminish as we reach nearer the source itself. For instance, if we limit the comparison of Christianity and Islam only to the life of Jesuspbuh and the four gospels in the Bible, then there will appear only very minor differences between the basic teachings of the Bible and the Holy Quran. But, as we travel further down the road of time, the chasm of these differences becomes wider and wider, till it becomes totally unbridgeable—and all because of human endeavour to revise that which was originally revealed. The history of other faiths also reveals the same basic reality, and we find strong corroboration of the Quranic view, that the direction of human changes and revisions of the Divine Message, has always been from the worship of one God to that of several, and from reality to fiction, from humanity to deification of human
Believes in the Oneness of God
“And your God is One God; there is no God but He, the Gracious, the Merciful.” Holy Qur’an, 2:164. A distinctive feature of Islam is that it addresses itself to the whole of mankind. Previous religions only addressed a particular people in a particular time. Islam however is the summit of religious evolution, and addresses itself to every nation on Earth, in whatever era they live. It is thus a unique religion in that it recognises the truth of other Prophets, such as Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster and others, while recognising that over time their messages may have been misinterpreted or distorted. Islam came to restore and excel whatever truth they had, while correcting the shortcomings that had crept into them. Thus a Muslim has nothing but love and affection for other religions, as it sees them all as having emanated from the same Divine Source. ———————————————– MIRZA TAHIR AHMAD. The Unity of God By Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad FOURTH KHALIFA OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY UPON HIM ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN AN ELEMENTARY STUDY OF ISLAM. This seems to be a rather simple and elementary concept. It should not be difficult for anybody to understand the oneness of God, and there the matter seems to rest. But in fact there is far more to this than meets the eye. When one examines the concept of Unity in depth, the entire world of religion seems to revolve around this pivotal point. This belief influences man’s life in all its aspects. It also implies the negation of all else but God. So belief in the oneness of God is not the end-all of belief, but all other beliefs spring from this fountain-head of eternal truth. This also delivers a message of liberation from all other yokes and releases man from all obligations except such as is born out of his submission to God. This article [of faith] has been further elucidated from different angles, both in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophetpbuh of Islam. For instance, the declaration ‘La houl wala quat illa Billah’ (There is no all-encompassing power except Allah) opens up new windows for a deeper and wider understanding of Unity. It negates all fears other than the fear of God. The second part of the same brings to the focus of attention another very important aspect of Unity, i.e. that the power to achieve good is solely dependent on God and that He is Master of all sources of strength and energy. Hence while the first part relates to the negative aspects of power, the second part relates to the positive. In application to human actions, intentions and motivations etc., these two forces are all-encompassing. Man’s intentions and his subsequent actions are always guided and controlled either by fear or hope and there is no exception to this rule. Those who do good deeds do so out of fear and hope, and those who indulge in vices are motivated by the same. The fears of non-believers belong to the negative ungodly category, and they shape their lives in accordance with these worldly fears. Sometimes they are afraid of earning the displeasure of monarchs and authorities, sometimes they are afraid of society in general or of despots and bullies. Again, sometimes they act evilly out of a fear of poverty and loss etc. So, in a world full of vices, a large part of human actions can be explained with reference to these fears. The belief in Unity dispels these fears altogether and brings to one’s mind the importance of the fear of God, which means that one must not be afraid of the displeasure of the ungodly, but should always endeavour to avoid displeasing God and shape one’s life according to that fear alone. In the positive sense, the same applies to all human motivations and consequent actions. Man always lives by some motive to please someone, himself being no exception. In fact, more often than not, he works to please himself even at the cost of those who are otherwise dear to him. WORSHIPPERS OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE TO THE AHMADIYYA KHALIFA, AND REAFFIRMING THEIR DEDICATION TO THE UNITY OF GOD. A more exaggerated form of this attitude renders man a worshipper of his own ego. To achieve his purpose, man has to please those on whom his pleasures depend. As such, again he has to constantly strive to win the favours of monarchs, authorities etc. What we are describing is the worst form of slavery. The hopes and fears of a slave are completely dependent on the whims, pleasures and displeasures of his master. But a godless man has not one master alone. Every other human being in relation to his personal interests can play as God to him. If you analyse the ultimate cause of social, moral or political evils, it is such human worship which destroys the peace of man’s mind, and society as a whole begins to deteriorate endlessly. From this point of view, when you cast another glance at the fundamental declaration, that ‘there is no God but Allah, the One and Only’, all these fears and hopes relating to objects other than God are dispelled, as if by the waving of a magic wand. In other words, by choosing one master alone you are liberated from slavery to all others. To be a slave of such others as are themselves slaves to numberless gods is a poor bargain indeed! But that is not all. The gods that such people worship are many a time products of their own imagination, which can do them neither good nor harm. Most men, on the other hand, worship nothing but mortals like themselves, their own egos being supreme among them all. Hence each of them bows to numberless egotistic gods, their interests being at clash with each other, creating a situation which is the ultimate of chaos. HAJJ, THE ISLAMIC PILGRIMAGE, IS THE ULTIMATE
Future of Ahmadiyya in Nigeria: Beyond the first century
The root of Ahmadiyya Nigeria Muslim Jamaat was planted in 1916 when the spread of the message of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Ghulam Ahmad was brought to the newly amalgamated Northern and Southern protectorates in Nigeria. Ahmadiyya took its root in 1889 in Qadian, now Pakistan while its flame has since spread the message of peace across all corners of the world. The 64th annual convention (Jalsa Salana) that marks our 100 years anniversary celebration calls for a deep reflection on the contributions of the Jamaat to Nigeria’s development. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat has contributed immeasurably to the spread of Islamic teachings and moral parsimony in the most populous black nation since its debut in a century. With 493 branches across all states in the federation, the Jamaat has widespread acceptance and highest membership in Africa and ‘Top Ten’ among other nations across the world. Ahmadiyya has scored first in many areas of human endeavours in Nigeria. The Truth, the first Muslim newspaper established by the Jamaat in 1966 still publishes regularly till date. Muslim elementary and secondary institutions were pioneered for western, moral and Islamic teachings. In the area of healthcare, Ahmadiyya has contributed in no small measure with the establishment of hospitals, yet the first by any Muslim organization in Nigeria. Ahmadiyya youth has fully participated in virtually all youth programmes in Nigeria. Our members have excelled in all spheres of human endeavour. However, the theme of this convention, “Redefining Moral Revolution for Sustainable Peace and Development: Post-Hundred Years of Ahmadiyya in Nigeria” is a reflection of the current events in our ever-changing world replete with corruption, violence/terrorism and moral decadence. Without moral regeneration in our society today, there will be no meaningful development. Ahmadiyya Jamaat will continue to support efforts to redefine our moral revolution, including creating and maintaining sustainable peace and development. Ahmadiyya has taken giant leap in our quest to creating a nation devoid of vices inimical to our nation’s growth through the training of our youth on moral principles in our schools. We have sponsored radio and television programmes including periodic programmes organized for Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliations to impart moral teachings. Our members are ambassadors who carry the message of peace in their daily endeavour, living up to our principle of “Love for All, Hatred for None”. Our nation’s growth is no doubt inhibited by myriad of vices that bedevil us. Redefining our moral principles must be done now to avert national calamity. The federal government’s effort to rid the country of corruption is a good step in the right direction. We however need to do more. Our school curriculum must be reviewed to include moral teachings for our pupils. The youth must be taught the creed of ‘hard work that pays’ to stem corruption while those who have pillaged our resources must be prosecuted and duly penalized having betrayed the trust reposed in them. Governments at all levels must be fair to all in accessing and distribution of nation’s resources. Equal employment opportunities and social security must be provided for our women, unemployed youth and the aged. Only in this way can we attain sustainable peace for meaningful development. Oguntayo is of the Publicity Committee, Centenary Celebration, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamat, Nigeria. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/future-ahmadiyya-nigeria-beyond-first-century/
100 years of Ahmadiyya in Nigeria: A brief appraisal
“…….and if He(Allah) intends good for thee, there is none who can repel His grace…….”(Q. 10: 108) The history of the establishment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Nigeria in 1916 (formally), for there are some evidence of its having been heard of in the country as early as between 1913 and 1914), was more of circumstantial (borne out of the condition of the Muslims at the time) rather than as a result of a yearning for true religion (Islam) by most of the pioneering converts. This explains why some of the pioneer members broke away from the Jama’at between 1920 to 1924, on various flimsy excuses, to form their own groups/societies, even without having really had any fair understanding of what Ahmadiyyat was really about; having had just a little taste of the Jama’at Administrative standard from the first expatriate Missionary to Nigeria, Malana Abdur Raheem Nayyar. It needs to be recalled that the first five years of the establishment of the Jama’at in Nigeria (1916 -1921) was a period when it was the pioneer members, who were not yet trained in the principles and values (Nizam) of the Jama’at, who were the sole determiners and decision-makers on how the Jama’at was then to be run and at what pace, with little or no input from the Jama’at headquarters, then ONLY based in Qadian, India, which was also the Seat of the Khalifa. Their main and major contact with the headquarters during this early period was through some books and pamphlets being sent to them from Markaz for their guidance, and occasional letters or Tele/Cablegrams on some minor issues. In other words, though they signed the baiat of the Jama’at, they continued to administer the Jama’at along the same line in which they were administering their erstwhile Muslim Literary Society, which later metamorphosed into the foundation of the Jama’at; as there was no well-groomed Ahmadi Missionary to train them. This situation also, perhaps, explains why there was no record/evidence of the Jama’at ever spreading beyond the Lagos Island during this period. However, the establishment of the time it took place in Nigeria (1916 to be specific), twenty-seven years after its inauguration by Allah through the hands of the Promised Messiah (a.s.) in 1889, whatever form or coloration it might assume then, was a clear fulfillment of Allah’s assurance to the Promised Messiah (a.s.) in 1886 that: “I Shall convey thy message to all the corners of the earth.” It was also a vindication of the divine ordination of Hazrat Mirza Ghu-lam Ahmad as the Promised Messiah/Imam Mahdi (a.s.). After all, Allah Himself vows that: “If he had forged (and attributed) any saying to Us, We would Surely, have seized him by the right hand, And then, surely, We would have cut his life vein; And not one of you could have Held (Our Punishment) off him.” (Q. 69: 45 – 48) The First Test of Faith The first test of faith, loyalty, and commitment came on the…
