September 2013 - Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at-e-Islam Lahore

24 Pages·2013·1.07 MB·English

September 2013 Acting Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B.Vol. No. 7, Issue No. 14
IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
CONTENTS Page
Editorial Note 2
Our Contributors 2
Hazrat Ameer and members of the UK in Suriname 3
Dr Zahid Aziz
Glimpses of the Visit to Suriname 6
Top Islamic Diplomats visit to the Synagogue and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Mosque, Paramaribo,
Suriname 8
Ray Chickrie, Correspondent: Caribbean News Now
Eid-ul-Fitr and Friday Prayers in Bolton, UK 11
Dr Zahid Aziz
Eid-ul-Fitr or Celebration of Charity 12
Dr Jawad Ahmad
Power of Words 18
Mrs Nazra Ali
Physical and Spiritual Benefits of Ramadan 23
Mr Ahmed Saadat
Formatting and Designing: Erwan Hamdani, Jakarta
Photographs: Dr. Zahid Aziz & Mr. Shahid Aziz, UK and Ahmad Saadat, Berlin
Photographic editing: Faizaan Ahmad
EDITORIAL NOTE
First of all we wish to thank various branches of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement in the world
for sending us news and activities. The response has been so overwhelming that it has become
difficult to keep pace with the timings of events happened. We are already late by one month. In this
issue we have hardly covered Eid-ul-Fitr in UK and Germany. The ones in Oakland, Indonesia, Fiji
and other places are awaiting their turn. In order to accommodate all incoming material we issued
some of the previous issues consisted of 32 pages. But as it is circulated through email, our readers
complained of their being too long to glance through sitting on a computer. So we have decided to
contain it to 24 pages and try to accommodate the contributions and reports as far as possible. Hope
our readers will understand our position for the delay of some of the events which should have been
reported in that particular month in which it happened.
In this issue we would like to highlight a very brilliant British Muslim lady whose writings are not
only thought-provoking but inspiring too. She is highly qualified lady with an award of OBE from the
Queen and has earned name and fame among the British Muslims in the UK. In the next issue we will
reproduce her excellent article “The Transformative Power of the 5 Pillars of Islam” from monthly
EMEL of which she is the editor. Just to introduce the article, here is an extract from her contribution
about “Al-Saum, Fasting in Ramadan”:
“Self-control is one of the ultimate skills to learn in life. To control one’s anger in the face of provo-
cation, and desires in the face of temptations, is to have immense power and inner strength. All of
these attributes are built by fasting, which helps us manage our weaknesses and desires, for fasting
helps us to act on conscious intention as opposed to responding to every base desire on a whim.”
(Monthly EMEL, August, 2012).
One of members will be away from UK for a couple of months, but we hope to keep it up-to-date
and regular..
Members of the Team
The HOPE Bulletin
* * *
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Dr. Zahid Aziz Mrs. Nazra Ali
Mr. Ahmed Saadat Dr. Jawad Ahmad
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Hazrat Ameer and UK members of the Delegation
in Suriname
Ten-day visit to Paramaribo, Nickerie and other Branches 30 May– 8 June 2013
Brief report by Dr. Zahid Aziz
Hazrat Ameer Dr A.K. Saeed, Bro Sjaikh Kassiem of Hague, Holland and Bro. Shahid Aziz and I (from
UK Jama’at) flew from Amsterdam to Paramaribo on Thursday 30th May 2013, arriving there in
the afternoon. Our visit was arranged by Bro. Sjaikh Kassiem, president of Paulkrugerlaan Jama’at,
Hague. Its main purpose was for us to give courses to the imams of our mosques on the subject
of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, its mission and beliefs, showing the great necessity of this
Movement for the work of the progress and defence of Islam in the present times.
Evening in Holland
Bro Shahid Aziz and I had arrived in Holland from UK on the day before our departure to Suriname,
but our arrival sadly coincided with the funeral of Mr Abdul Shakoer Hoeseni of Stichting Ahmadiyya
Anjuman, Hague who had passed away on 26th May. We were able to attend a memorial service
for the marhoom, at which Bro Noer Sardar invited Bro Shahid Aziz to address the gathering on this
mournful occasion.
Later on in the evening there was a meeting at the Paulkrugerlaan Mosque, addressed by myself,
Bro Shahid Aziz and Hazrat Ameer My speech was on the topic of what I had recently read in book
The Preaching of Islam by Sir T.W. Arnold (published about a hundred years ago), that Islam spread
outside Arabia due to the superior moral example shown by the Muslims to Christians and others,
and the tolerance, justice and humanity with which Muslims ruled over non-Muslims in regions such
as Eastern Europe and North and East Africa. The speeches of Shahid Aziz and Hazrat Ameer were
on the necessity of pledging allegiance to the Ahmadiyya Movement by means of taking the bai‘at,
which was an affirmation that the person taking the pledge would strive to act on the teachings of
Islam. They both explained that this practice of re-dedicating oneself to Islam, by those who were
already Muslims, originated in the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s time, and why it is so necessary. The
responsibility for carrying forward the ideals of our Jama‘at to the future, they both emphasised,
now lay upon all of us. The same subject continued to be the theme of the speeches of Hazrat Ameer
and Shahid Aziz afterwards while in Suriname. Each speech, in Urdu, was followed by a summary in
Dutch ably presented by Bro Haroun Badloo.
After Hazrat Ameer’s speech, several persons came forward and took the bai‘at at his hand, in the
form of one group, as he read out the words of the pledge from the pledge form. We were guests of
Bro Sjaikh Kasiem in Almere.
Arrival in Paramaribo
The following morning we boarded the flight in Amsterdam for Paramaribo. After landing in
Suriname, we were taken to a house of the relations of Sjaikh Kassiem, where we were welcomed
by a gathering of our members.
We stayed in guest rooms in the Jamaat’s centre, which were situated in a building right next to the
Jamaat’s huge mosque in Paramaribo. This mosque, located in a road called Keizerstraat, is a na-
tional landmark of Suriname. If you conduct a Google search for ‘Paramaribo Mosque’, you will find
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a large number of webpages where visitors to
Suriname mention this mosque, displayed pho-
tographs which they took of it, and comments
how greatly impressive it is. A unique feature
of the Mosque’s location, which is pointed out
with pride by the people of Suriname, and is
mentioned in the above websites, is that it is ad-
jacent to a synagogue, and this has the symbolic
significance that Muslims and Jews can live as
neighbours in harmony.
Staying next to this Mosque meant that the three
Side view of Keizerstraat Mosque, Paramaribo
of us were able to say the five daily prayers in it,
taken from the Mosque car park
except when we were visiting elsewhere.
Friday 31st May
Our first public occasion was the Friday prayers on 31st May at the great Keizerstraat Mosque. The
khutba was of course delivered by Hazrat Ameer, and it was recorded on video by Bro Shahid Aziz.
(Other speeches as well as the course presentations were also recorded on video by him.)
On Friday evening there was a large gathering of Jama’at members at another mosque, where a
meeting was held after Isha prayers. Again, the three of us delivered speeches on the same topics as
at the previous meeting in Holland, and these were summarised in Dutch by the Jama’at President,
Dr Robert Bippat. After Hazrat Ameer’s speech several people took the bai`at, some of whom had
taken it some years earlier at the hand of the late Hazrat Ameer Dr Saeed Ahmad Khan.
At the weekend we socialized with members of the Jama’at. On Sunday a group of members took
us on an outing to Brokopondo reservoir, and in the evening there was a function at the Imdadia
Mosque. (See: http://www.imdadia.org/).
Educational Courses
The courses presented by myself and Bro Shahid Aziz, were delivered in Urdu, began on Monday
morning and continued till the morning of Saturday 8th June. During the following week Bro Shahid
Aziz, who remained in Suriname till Thursday 13th June, continued the teaching sessions.
The course was presented in the lecture room in the offices of the Jama’at which was within the
vicinity of the Mosque. All sorts of facilities including a laptop connected to a data projector, along
with Internet access, were available. I covered the life of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement
in Islam, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, in a fair amount of detail. About three weeks earlier I had
advised Bro Sjaikh Kassiem that participants in the course should take a preliminary look at chapters
1 and 4 of Maulana Muhammad Ali’s Urdu book, Tahrik-i Ahmadiyyat, and I sent him pdf files of
these chapters. When the course began, I was impressed to see that the participants had brought
with them printed copies of those chapters, bound in folders. I know that, in the world at large,
learners on a course usually ignore any advice relating to preparing for the course!
Apart from this book, I also projected on the large screen a file of the English book Founder of the
Ahmadiyya Movement by Maulana Muhammad Ali, as it provides a more detailed account of his
life. The salient points and events of the life of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad were covered during
this course, and towards the end we went through some of the distinctive features of the Lahore
Ahmadiyya Movement as listed by Maulana Muhammad Ali in chapter 4 of Tahrik-i Ahmadiyyat.
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Bro Shahid Aziz dealt with the principles which we must apply to studying the books of Hazrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad to understand them correctly. Knowing those principles also helps very greatly in
answering the numerous objections raised against his statements by his bigoted critics. Bro Shahid
gave some examples of such accusations and showed how to answer them. He also played clips on
the screen, directly from the Internet, of furious speeches of certain Muslim religious leaders to show
how they incite hatred against Ahmadis in Pakistan with impunity, and call for them to be murdered.
He also played clips illustrating that these religious leaders misrepresent Islam as an intolerant faith.
Part of a TV interview with Dr Zakir Naik of India was played, in which this preacher of Islam, who
propagates Islam in his non-Muslim homeland, argued that in a Muslim country non-Muslims must
not be allowed to preach their religions, while they can be allowed to practise them. This would
mean that if Dr Zakir Naik should succeed in turning India into a Muslim country through his preach-
ing of Islam, then those Christian and Hindu religious scholars whom he now invites to speak at his
meetings will no longer be allowed by him to appear in his programmes!
There was plenty of scope for participants in the course to ask questions, which were answered
by all three of us. Hazrat Ameer sat with the participants throughout the sessions, making notes
himself, and was a great help in answering the questions.
It so happened that our visit coincided with the national commemoration in Suriname of the 140th
anniversary of the arrival of the first ship from India, called Laala Rookh, carrying indentured labour-
ers. Wednesday 5th June was a national holiday in this connection. Our members too were involved
in aspects of this commemoration.
Visit to Nickerie
On Thursday at mid-day, we left Paramaribo for
a visit to Nickerie, a town which is at a distance
of a 3 to 4 hours’ drive. We were driven comfort-
ably by Mr Ishaq Roshan (son of the late Roshan
Ghani) accompanied by his wife, who served
us with a great many refreshments on the long
journey. Our Jama’at has three mosques in
this town. A meeting was held at one of these
mosques after ‘Isha prayers, at which our mem-
bers from all over the town gathered. The three
Mosque in Nickerie by night in Suriname of us addressed the gathering in turn. I pointed
out some distinctive interpretations of Islamic teachings stressed in modern times by our Movement,
in particular clarification of what is meant by jihad.
Second Friday, 7th June
Early on Friday morning we left Nickerie for Paramaribo so as to arrive well before Friday prayer
time. Hazrat Ameer gave the khutba, which was recorded on video.
On Friday evening, after the ‘Isha prayers, a large farewell meeting was held in the Jamaat’s Cultural
Centre hall, next to the Mosque building. Again, the three of us addressed the gathering in turn. I
referred to verse 260 of chapter 2 of the Holy Quran, in which Abraham asks Allah to show him how
the dead will be raised to life, and Allah tells him that if he were to take four birds and tame them to
incline to him, then even if they were placed on remote mountains and he called out to them they
would come flying to him. This also represents our work, which is taming them with gentleness and
patience, so that instead of being repelled away from us, as birds are repelled away from people,
they are attracted towards us.
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Bro Shahid Aziz and Hazrat Ameer, as in earlier speeches, emphasized the vital need for all of us to
accept responsibility for continuing the work started by our elders and devoted members of the
Jama’at and to pledge ourselves to it formally, whole-heartedly and without reservation, by taking
oath of bai‘at. At the conclusion of Hazrat Ameer’s speech, several persons came forward to take or
to renew their bai‘at.
The Jamaat President, Dr Robert Bippat, speaking on behalf of all members of the Suriname Jama’at,
thanked us for our efforts and prayed for our welfare and safe return. Each of us was presented with
a gift of quite a voluminous, beautiful, and illustrated book about Suriname.
Although Hazrat Ameer and I were due to catch our return flight from Paramaribo on Saturday
evening, 8th June, our work continued into Saturday morning when I concluded my course while
Hazrat Ameer was taken to a television studio to give a live interview conducted by Faried Pierkhan,
son of the late Rashid Pierkhan, former President of our Jama’at ( SIV) , who runs his father’s radio
and television company. Bro Shahid Aziz and Sjaikh Kassiem remained in Suriname till the follow-
ing Thursday.
* * *
Glimpses of the Visit to Suriname
Inside the Mosque: Men’s area and women’s area
Meeting on the evening of Friday 31st May
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Opening day of the Three-day Educational Course about the Ahmadiyya Movement
Later sessions of the Course
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Taking Baiat
Another view of Farewell Function
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Farewell Function
On 7th June, Friday evening, a well-organised and warm Farewell function was held at the “Cultural
Centre”. It was held in the “Cultural Centre” of the Jama’at, which is adjacent to the Mosque. One
photo shows the outside of the Cultural Centre. Another shows members taking the bai`at of
Hazrat Ameer (although he is hidden from view behind them). The remaining four photos are of
the audience.
Hazrat Ameer and I were due to take the flight from Paramaribo on the evening of Saturday 8th.
After the passengers boarded, we waited two and a half hours on the ground while repairs were
attempted to the plane’s air circulation system. Then they announced that the plane needed a spare
part, to be flown over from Holland. So the flight was postponed for 24 hours and we all had to
disembark, collect our luggage and re-enter like arriving passengers! We were given hotel accommo-
dation (an hour’s bus drive away), and returned next day for the flight.
When a Jamaat member heard on the news that the flight was postponed, he alerted the Jamaat
and they sent someone to receive us at the hotel at midnight and help us settle in! The next day, the
Jamaat President took us to his house and later drove us to the airport. Thanks very much to them!
* * *
Top Islamic diplomats visit the synagogue and the
Mosque in Paramaribo, Suriname
Published May 29, 2013
Ray Chickrie
Caribbean News Now Contributor1
PARAMARIBO, Suriname—During his two-
day visit to the Dutch-speaking Republic of
Suriname, a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
member state on the northern coast of
South America, the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) secretary general, Dr
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, on Monday toured two
iconic landmarks in downtown Paramaribo—a
synagogue and a mosque that face each other.
During a tour of the city and to get familiar with
the multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-reli-
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) secretary general,
gious make up of Suriname, the OIC secretary
Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (third right), visiting a synagogue
and a neighbouring mosque in Paramaribo, Suriname. Photo: general and his wife, Fusun Ihsanoglu, visited
courtesy Henry McDonald the Neve Shalom synagogue and the neigh-
bouring Keizerstraat mosque.
1 This news item can be read in ‘Caribbean News Now’ at the link:
www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Top-Islamic-diplomat-visits-synagogue-in-Suriname-16073.html
Page | 9
The synagogue was built in 1719 by Ashkenazim Jews.
Henry MacDonald, Suriname’s ambassador to the UN, accompanied Ihsanoglu and his delegation
during the tour of the city.
MacDonald said, “What impressed me most during our visit to the mosque and the synagogue was
the statement that the Jews in Suriname consume halal food since, due to the small size of the
Jewish community in Suriname, presently, there is no production of kosher food in the country.”
According to an OIC press release, Ihsanoglu met leaders of different faith based communities of
Suriname including Muslim leaders and discussed different aspects of peaceful coexistence through
practicing tolerance and respect for each other.
“Secretary General Ihsanoglu qualified the multicultural experience of Suriname as an asset for the
OIC and humanity,” MacDonald added.
Ihsanoglu is visiting Guyana and Suriname, the two only OIC member states in the Americas. Guyana
and Suriname joined the OIC in 1996 and 1998 respectively, and each has considerable Muslim com-
munities who arrived from West Africa during the period of slavery, from the Indian sub-continent
and from the largest Islamic country, Indonesia.
Ashkenazi Jews began arriving in Suriname in 1652 and later Sephardic Jews also arrived. Historically,
Jews in Suriname enjoyed great freedom such as the freedom of religion, permission to build syna-
gogues and Jewish schools, the right to have their own court of justice and private civic guard (army).
In 1667, the first synagogue was built in Jodensavanne.
The OIC is the second largest multi-lateral organisation of 57 countries from mainly Africa, the Middle
East and Asia. The OIC includes many rich states such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran,
Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Brunei Darussalam, Gabon, Turkey,
Malaysia and Indonesia. The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) is an organ of the OIC of which
Suriname is also a member.
The Muslim communities in both Guyana and Suriname have come under Washington’s watchful
eyes since 9/11. Local Muslims now face travel delays and profiling, growing suspicion of Muslims
and even politicians in the region question why Guyana and Suriname are part of the OIC bloc.
Former home affairs minister of Suriname, Maurits Hassan Khan said, “I do hope that the govern-
ment will strengthen ties with the OIC, because I believe Suriname has a lot of opportunities within
the OIC. Unfortunately, these opportunities have not been utilized, because of suspicion among
many politicians and non-Muslims.”
In response to these suspicions and anti-Muslim sentiment because of his visit to the region,
Ihsanoglu assured the public that Guyana and Suriname ties with the OIC fall "within the limits of
their national legislatures and with complete respect for the local culture and diversity."
Ihsanoglu said, “We work within the legal framework of the countries concerned.”
”The OIC does not discriminate against women,” he added. “We have many programs to sup-
port woman."
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