Author name: min_ad

The Importance of Arabic By Akram Ghauri As we all bide our time in a nationwide Covid-19 enforced lockdown, there’s definitely a case for encouraging people to try something new. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) instructed members of his own community to “make an effort to learn Arabic little by little”[1]. So why not use this time to start? Admittedly, Arabic is viewed by some as being both mysterious and even inaccessible. However, it is a language of great importance, as it is not only intriguing linguistically, but also central to the rise of Islam and the history of the Arab world. Firstly, Arabic is very precise and intricate, which can understandably make a translator’s life difficult. For example, when it comes to talking about camels, you need to be fairly exact. Whether your camel is obese, thirsty, weak or bad-tempered, there’s a specific term to use for each. Arabic also employs an intriguing root system, in which words revolving around a certain concept are derived from the same three letters. For instance, a kitaab is a “book”, a maktaba is a “library” and a maktuub is a “letter”, yet all three words contain the letters “k”, “t” and “b”. In fact, the more you think about this system, the more you realise its profound logic. Say an Arab was to stumble across a word they’d never seen before – by delving into their vocabulary and plucking out words with the same consonants, they would most likely be able to figure out its rough meaning. Additionally, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) writes how Arabic has the ability to express “the most delicate and deep things”[2]. This eloquence made Arabic the perfect language for the Quran. Since the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), many Muslims have been able to memorise the entire holy book. This is a testament to the Quran’s succinct, poetic nature and its preservation in its original form. Compare this to the Bible – written in a less memorable prosaic style and almost ten times longer than the Quran, this would be much more susceptible to being altered, or even forgotten, over time. Besides, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be upon him) even declares how other languages appear “lame, maimed, blind, deaf” [3] in comparison to Arabic. Arabic was also important in creating a sense of unity among Muslims during Islam’s infancy. As Islam united the Persians and Arabs, the cultural barrier softened as the former began using Arabic as the language of religious and legal learning. Outside of Islam, some Eastern churches even started using Arabic, as well as the Jews living in Spain under the Umayyads. Furthermore, many intellectuals and academics ought to be grateful to the Arabs because, without them, we would not be so well-acquainted with the works of Plato, Aristotle and Hippocrates. Many medical and scientific texts were sent from Byzantium for translation into Arabic. Syrian Christians converted the Greek texts into Arabic, often using their native Syriac as an intermediary. Centres were set up in Umayyad Spain where the Arabic translations were rendered into Latin form. These works, along with other works and developments by Muslim philosophers and scientists were ultimately availed by the rest of Europe, enlightening them with some of the most profound philosophical ideas. If you didn’t enjoy maths at school, your love for Arabic might start to dwindle! As the Persian mathematician, al Khwarizmi, is often called the “father of algebra” and from his own name, “algorithm” is derived. Next time you see someone doing a Rubik’s Cube, they are actually doing a Rubik’s Ka’ab, and always remember a right angle originally had ninety daraja before it had ninety degrees. However, the most crucial part of Arab mathematics was arguably Arabic numerals. Originally invented in India but developed further by the Arabs and Persians, this numeral system was to almost completely replace the Roman one in Europe by the fifteenth century. The main reason for this was the rise of the printing press: no-one wanted to waste ink writing LXXXVIII when you could just say 88. Some of the world’s best folk tales also came from the Arabs. “One Thousand and One Nights” is a collection of Middle Eastern tales and gave us the likes of Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor and Ali Baba. Finally, Arabic is still really important in today’s society. Globally, there are over 300 million Arabic speakers, making it the fifth most spoken language. Of course, to the 1.8 billion Muslims out there, the exposure to the Quran and prayer from a young age has instilled within them the idea of Arabic as a higher form of communication. Ultimately, as stated by the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), a person cannot enjoy the Holy Quran without knowing Arabic well[4]. Akram will be starting a Bachelor’s Degree in ‘Arabic and Islamic Studies’ at the University of Oxford later this year   [1] Malfoozaat, Part II, Page 17 [2] ‘Arabic Mother of all languages’ by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadianas, page 17 [3] Dia-ul-Haq, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 9, pp. 250 [4] Malfoozaat, Part II, Page 17

Since the start of the Covid-19, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has instructed Ahmadi Muslims worldwide to take necessary precautions and to follow all instructions or guidance received from their Government. In light of the current situation, His Holiness has instructed Ahmadi Muslims in the United Kingdom of the following: Ahmadi Muslims (members) must follow all directions of the Government and public health authorities pertaining to Covid-19.  In terms of social distancing, His Holiness has instructed members to avoid all unnecessary travel, as per the instructions of the UK Government, and to maintain proper social distancing rules during essential travel.  Congregational prayers and any other services in Mosques or centres should be suspended until deemed safe by the authorities. Similarly, all forthcoming Mosque events are to be postponed or cancelled until deemed safe by the authorities.  Members should offer daily prayers and the weekly Friday prayers within their home with members of their household only.  All members must practice good hygiene at all times to minimise the risk of spreading the virus i.e. regular handwashing and the use of sanitiser where water is not available. Further, all surfaces they come into contact with should be kept clean and wiped down with anti-bacterial wipes.  His Holiness has also instructed all members to do whatever they can to remain well. For example, he has advised they maintain a healthy diet and rest as much as possible in order to keep their immune system resilient. In terms of mental wellness, His Holiness has advised members to use their time at home productively, to keep a routine, keep themselves intellectually stimulated by reading and learning and to take benefit of the increased opportunity to spend quality time with their families.  His Holiness has instructed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the UK and in other countries to serve their country and vulnerable members of society, according to the rules and regulations of society. For example, many members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the UK have joined the NHS Volunteer scheme set up by the UK Government in response to Covid-19. Furthermore, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association UK has contacted all local councils in order to offer its assistance in delivering medicines, groceries etc to vulnerable people or assisting in any other way required.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad says Coronavirus pandemic forcing people to consider limitations of human endeavour Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad drew attention towards adopting precautionary measures against the virus and becoming more devoted towards God. Speaking at the Mubarak Mosque in Islamabad, Tilford during his Friday Sermon delivered on 20 March 2020, His Holiness said that the outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) is forcing people to consider the limitations of human endeavour and may lead to people being drawn back towards religion and a return to faith. His Holiness quoted several media articles published in the recent days about the impact of the Coronavirus on society and how the 21st century has seen an exponential rise in infectious diseases. Amongst others, His Holiness quoted a recent article published in the Daily Telegraph, in which columnist Philip Johnston writes how the world has been turned upside down in the span of a couple of weeks. The columnist spoke of how the virus had exposed the vulnerabilities of the seemingly impregnable might of Western society. His Holiness said that after highlighting that these are extraordinary times unimaginable to those born after World War Two, Mr Johnston concludes: “How many times have we heard people say “Everything will be OK because scientists will work something out”, whether it be global warming or the pandemic? We are about to find out whether such optimism is justified. If it isn’t then I might be heading back to church.” Referencing the column, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “This virus has forced people to think about returning towards God. The true God and the Living God is that of Islam. He is the One Who has announced that He will guide those Who make an effort in coming towards God. He has stated that he will come fast towards those who take even one step towards Him and has said that He will take them into His shelter.” Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further stated: “In these circumstances, not only does it become more important for us to reform ourselves, it also becomes incumbent to increase in informing others about the peaceful message of Islam… We must tell people that for the ultimate result to be good, we must turn towards God and realise that true life is that which is in the Hereafter and we must not associate any partners with Him and fulfil the rights of His creation” Furthermore, His Holiness once again cautioned all members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to strictly follow the precautionary measures and instructions of the government and health authorities. Amongst other measures, His Holiness said that the elderly and those suffering from illnesses should avoid leaving their homes as much as possible and Ahmadi Muslims should only pray in their local Mosques in smaller gatherings rather than the central Mosques where more people come into contact with one another. His Holiness also said that in addition to drinking plenty of water, people should rest sufficiently and adopt a healthy diet avoiding junk foods. After emphasising the significance of the precautionary measures that should be adopted, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “The ultimate tool we have at our disposal is that of prayer. We should all pray for the entire world that Allah the Almighty may save mankind from the harmful effects of this virus. Furthermore, may Allah grant health to all Ahmadi Muslims alongside the ability to become stronger in their faith.”