Islam’s Response to Terrorism

Islam means the religion of peace. A person following Islam will find that he or she is surrounded by noble teachings, the aim of which is to establish peace between man and Allah, the Creator of all; between man and man; and between man and the rest of Allah’s creation.

How does such a religion deal with the issue of terrorism? And what does the word terrorist mean? Dictionaries will define a terrorist as one who systematically uses violence and intimidation to achieve political ends – or one who controls or forces others to do something by violence, fear or threats.

All these definitions are covered by two words in the Holy Qur’an, the sacred book of Islam: Fitnah and Ikrâh.

In the Holy Qur’an, God begins to deal with the issue of terrorism by teaching Muslims never to become terrorists in the first place. Two of the very first verses of our Holy Book say: ‘Al-Fitnatu ashad-du minal qatl’ – meaning that in the sight of Allah, ‘persecution, or making people constantly fear for their lives, is much worse than killing’. And also: ‘Lâ ikrâha fid-dîn’ – ‘There shall be no compulsion in religion’, that is to say, that no one has the right to force others into complying with their demands or compelling others to follow their line of thinking.

Allah Almighty warns the believers again and again that they should never abandon Him, the source of all goodness. Allah Almighty reminds us that it is those who have abandoned Him and thrown away all good, and divested themselves of every shred of human decency, that are the ones who will eventually resort to terrorizing others, forcing them into complying with their demands. The believers are repeatedly reminded that they would lose Allah Almighty’s love and His favors if they ever began to behave in that way.

But Islam does not content itself with these injunctions strongly forbidding Muslims from ever becoming terrorists. It also makes sure that the believers are made into highly moral, excellently behaved people, by inculcating those lofty human values that can turn them into people who sincerely love humankind without distinction of religion, race or social status. Islam no doubt encourages the logical and rational discussion of views with people of all creeds in a calm and dispassionate way, with the only aim that truth prevail over error and falsehood. But it also reminds us that it is error and falsehood as such that are to be hated and detested. The people who unfortunately hold on to error are never to be hated. That is why the motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is ‘Love for all, hatred for none.’

In Islam, an amazingly powerful emphasis is laid on developing love for mankind and on the vital importance of showing mercy and sympathy towards every creature of Allah Almighty, including human beings and animals. For indeed, love and true sympathy are the very antidote of terrorism.

It is related by ‘Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, the talented wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that some desert Arabs came to him one day and asked: ‘Do you kiss your children?’ He answered: ‘Yes.’ They said: ‘We never kiss them.’ The Prophet (sa) said:‘What can I do if your hearts have been stripped of compassion?’ He also said that Allah Almighty has no mercy for him who has no mercy for his fellow beings.

The measure of compassion shown by the Holy Prophet (sa) cannot but amaze anyone who knows how rough and violent was the society into which he had been born. Abu Qatâdah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Messenger of Allah told him: ‘It happens that I stand up to lead the prayer, having in mind to lengthen it. Then I hear the cry of an infant and I shorten the prayer fearing lest I should cause inconvenience to its mother.’

Far from inciting hatred and aggressiveness in its followers, Islam keeps on enjoining kindness and sympathy for all. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Charity is incumbent upon every human limb every day on which the sun rises. To bring about reconciliation between two contestants is charity. Helping a person mount his animal or to load his baggage on to it is charity. A good word is charity. Every step taken toward the mosque for prayer is charity. To remove anything from the street that causes inconvenience is charity.’

He incessantly admonished Muslims to behave well towards their neighbors, saying: ‘That one will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not safe against his mischief.’

He also declared: ‘By Him in Whose Hands is my life, you will not enter Paradise unless you believe, and you will not truly believe unless you love one another. Shall I tell you something whereby you will love one another? Multiply the greeting of peace among yourselves.’

One day he found a mother bird beating her wings on the ground in distress. He asked his companions: ‘Who has done this?’ They said: ‘We took her young ones out of her nest.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said: ‘Restore them to her. No mother must be tormented on account of her child.’

On another occasion, he found one of his companions setting fire to an anthill. He immediately told them to put out the fire saying: ‘No one has the right to torment others with fire.’

As Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an that the true believers are: ‘those who suppress their anger and forgive people’, likewise, the Holy Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness in all things. Make things easy and do not make them hard. And cheer people up and do not repel them.’

It is clear that the true believers and all other good, honest people are always on the receiving end of terrorism, never on the delivering end. Whenever such tendencies appear in society by which the peace is being disturbed and people cannot live their lives without fear, Muslims are enjoined to counter them first of all by reasoning with those responsible for the disturbance. The Holy Qur’an says:

Call unto the way of your Lord [that is the way of justice and goodness] with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a way that is best. (Ch.16: v.126)

And the Qur’an repeatedly tells us to seek help from Allah Almighty with patience and p r a y e r. But if reasoning with those people bent on wickedness and praying for them fail to bring about a change in their ways, then Allah Almighty says, again at the end of Chapter 16, verse 127:

‘Then if you desire to punish the oppressors, punish them to the extent you have been wronged.’

Allah Almighty commands the Muslims that when things get out of hand, they should join forces to restore peace by use of reasonable force. They have been enjoined by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to join forces if need be with followers of other faiths to do so. Thus, in the famous document known as the Treaty of Medina, The Messenger of Allah declared:

Article 1:
This is the treaty of Muhammad, the Prophet (the Messenger of Allah) between the Believers and Muslims of the Quraish and the people of Yathrib, and between those who follow them and join them in fighting (the common enemy).

Article 2:
And it is that they constitute an Ummah Wâhidah (One Nation) separate from other people.

Article 25:
And also that the Jews of the tribe of ‘Auf constitute an Ummah Wâhidah with the Believers - even though the Jews will follow their own religion and the Muslims will follow their own - and this will include both their friends and themselves. (Quoted from Reuben Levy in ‘Sociology of Islam, part I, pages 279-282)

Here, all the inhabitants of the city of Yathrib, or Medina, were called upon to join in fighting the forces that were terrorizing the citizens.

Muslims have been made to promise that they will help defend the followers of other faiths from unjust and cruel attacks as well. For example, in his charter for all time to come addressed to all Christians living as citizens under Muslim rule, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, states:

I promise that any monk or wayfarer who will seek my help on the mountains, in forests, deserts or habitations, or in places of worship, I will repel his enemies with my friends and helpers, with all my relatives and with all those w ho profess to follow me and will defend them, because they are my covenant. And I will defend the covenanted against the persecution, injury and embarrassment of their enemies in lieu of the poll tax they have promised to pay. If they prefer to defend their properties and persons themselves, they will be allowed to do so and will not be put to any inconvenience on that account.

No bishop will be expelled from his bishopric, no monk from his monastery, no priest from his place of worship, and no pilgrim will be detained in his pilgrimage. None of their churches and other places of worship will be desolated or destroyed or demolished. No material of their churches will be used to build mosques or houses for the Muslims; any Muslim doing so will be regarded as recalcitrant to Allah and His Prophet. Monks and Bishops will be subject to no tax or indemnity whether they live in forests or on rivers, in the East or in the West, in the North or in the South. I give them my word of honor. They are on my promise and covenant and will enjoy perfect immunity from all sorts of inconveniences. Every help shall be given them in the repair of their churches. They shall be absolved of wearing arms. They shall be protected by the Muslims. Let this document not be disobeyed till Judgment Day.” (Quoted from Balâdhar)

In Islam, every effort is thus made to protect the peace of not only the Muslims, but also of the followers of other faiths. Allah Almighty says:

And if Allah did not defend some men by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques wherein the name of Allah is oft remembered. (Ch.22: v.41)

However, Muslims have been warned by the Holy Founder of Islam, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that when they enter the territory of those who have been terrorizing and harshly persecuting them, they should not lose all sense of perspective and justice, and be tempted to start acting savagely, like the terrorists themselves. The worst crime of ungratefulness would be that committed by a people who, having forgotten that they had just been subjected to terrible cruelties, start meting out the same, if not worse, cruelties to others. The Prophet ordered:

‘You will meet those who remember Almighty Allah in their houses of worship. Have no dispute with them, and give no trouble to them. In the enemy country, do not kill any women or children, or the blind, or the old. Do not pull down any tree; nor pull down any building.’ (Quoted from Halbiyyah, Vol.3).

So the only Jihad permitted in Islam is the war of the oppressed against the oppressor, the war waged to protect the peace of all people irrespective of their religion or creed. Tactics used today such as suicide bombing, etc. are absolutely out of the question for true followers of Islam. Allah Almighty says:

And kill not your own selves. Surely Allah is Merciful to you. (Ch.4: v. 30)

…and cast not yourselves into ruin with your own hands… (Ch.2: v.196)

Islam strictly forbids the killing of innocent, non-aggressive people:…no hostility is allowed except against the aggressors. (Ch.2: v.194)

These three verses alone are sufficient to prevent Muslims from crashing airplanes into buildings, or from sending suicide bombers to blow up innocent civilians.

Once the evildoers have ceased misbehaving and have been justly punished for their crimes, then Allah Almighty says:

And fight them until there is no more persecution, and religion is freely professed for Allah. But if they desist, then remember that no hostility is allowed except against the aggressors. (Ch.2: v.194)

To sum up, Islam advocates three steps against terrorism:

1. To give an excellent moral upbringing to all Muslims, so that they become upright, just, moral, kind and loving people, thereby ensuring that they never disrupt the peace of others.
2. Whenever the peace is disrupted, to reason and argue with the evildoers, and sincerely pray for them, to make them change their ways.
3. If all reasoning fails, then to join forces with all good people to combat the mischief-mongers until peace has been restored, but always keeping the dictates of justice in view.

It is our belief that not only Islam, but no true religion, whatever its name, can sanction violence and bloodshed of innocent men, women and children in the name of Allah Almighty. Terrorists may use religious or political labels, but no one should be deceived by their wily ways and treacherous guiles. They have nothing to do with religion. They are the enemies of peace. They must be combated at every level as advocated by Islam, the religion of peace.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad

Since the beginning of time, there have only been a handful of men who have truly changed the world. These men are timeless, magnificent revolutionaries who are credited with changing the course of history. To millions of Muslims everywhere, the greatest of these men is the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him.

No man has created such a sensation as the Prophet Muhammad(sa). No other man has been so simultaneously revered, idealized, misunderstood and maligned. To Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad(sa) is the epitome of greatness. He is the greatest of all Prophets and men, the “Seal of the Prophets” and the perfect paradigm for how to live one’s life in the service of God. To others, Hadhrat Muhammad(sa) is an enigma. Some view him tolerantly as an ordinary man with an extraordinary message. Others, however, revile him; they criticize his heritage, manners and teachings and blame him for any modern problems that plague the Islamic world.

To make sense of this dichotomy, one must set aside any preconceived notions of either the Prophet or the man, Muhammad(sa). One must delve into his history, extract the facts as represented by his followers, wives and enemies and piece together a story that is altogether inspiring, astonishing and awe-inspiring.

In the year 610, at the age of 40, the Prophet M u h a m m a d (s a) experienced something so magnificent that it would change the course of history. Hadhrat Muhammad(sa) used to regularly meditate and pray in a cave at Mount Hira. On one such occasion, he had a vision of a man who commanded “Recite!” Since he could not read or write, he was shocked by this order and replied that he did not know how. The figure embraced him and insisted again. So, at last, the Prophet said,

“Recite thou in the name of thy Lord Who created, created man from a clot of blood. Recite! And thy Lord is the most beneficent, Who taught man by the pen, taught man what he knew not” (96:2-6).

This first revelation would later become part of the Quran, the Holy Book of Islam. It is particularly significant because it marks the beginning of Hadhrat Muhammad’s(sa) Prophethood. When Hadhrat Muhammad(sa) received this revelation, he trembled with fear because the sheer magnitude of the experience was so overwhelming. He later understood that God had placed a great responsibility upon his shoulders.

The task that was laid before the Prophet(sa) was even more daunting considering the place and time in which it was assigned. The Holy Prophet(sa) was born into a world of utter chaos and mayhem. Any progress that had been achieved by civilization in the last four thousand years was rapidly degenerating into lawlessness, savagery and barbarism. Entire countries fought against each other in a long succession of wars. The new sanctions by Christianity were creating divisions and destruction in the West. Reading, learning and the arts languished. Plagues, pestilence and unsanitary living conditions abounded everywhere. In short, the world seemed to be suffering from the darkest period of the Dark Ages.

In the midst of this turmoil, the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) emerged. After encountering his first vision, he realized that God intended him to be “the man born to unite the whole known world of the east and south” (J.H. Denision, Emotions as the Basis of Civilization. 265-269). Thus, with the help of his small group of followers, the Prophet began to spread his message.

Although most Meccans initially dismissed his claims, some of the slaves, women and young men flocked to his side. As the numbers of converts to Islam grew, the elders of Mecca became so alarmed that they intensified their campaign of persecution against Hadhrat Muhammad(sa) and his followers. As a result, the Holy Prophet and his followers were mercilessly and ruthlessly tormented and tortured for 13 long years in Mecca.

Hadhrat Muhammad(sa) bore this persecution with the greatest resolve, patience and nobility. Despite his enemies’ best efforts, he never wavered in his message, nor did he cease praying for their salvation. He even refused to retaliate or curse the disbelievers. Instead, he spent entire nights weeping and praying so that God’s punishment may be averted from them. God Almighty tells Muslims in the Quran about the compassion and mercy the Prophet showed his enemies. In Sura Al-Kahaf (18:7), God asks his prophet, “Will thou grieve thyself to death for sorrow over them if they believe not in this discourse?”

Yet, the Prophet Muhammad(sa) continued to pray. He prayed for his enemies even when they stoned him on the streets of Taif, when his followers were being dragged by their hands and feet across hot cobblestone paths and when enemies placed camel’s entrails on his back during his prayers so he could not stand up. During the countless years he suffered at the hands of the disbelievers, the Holy Prophetsa never stopped praying for his enemies.

To everyone’s astonishment, the Holy Prophet(sa) forgave his would-be assassins as well. For example, when Dasur, a man who tried to kill him, was captured and brought before him for punishment, Hadhrat Muhammad(sa) forgave and released him instead. He also forgave a Jewish woman who had tried to poison him. His mercy and forgiveness truly knew no bounds. This was most evident in the case of Abdullah bin Ubay bin Salul, the Chief of the Hypocrites, who had treacherously betrayed, abused and opposed him for years. Abdullah bin Ubay’s son, a Muslim, asked the Prophet’s permission to execute his own father for his transgressions. But the Prophetsa replied, “I will treat your father with compassion and kindness”. When this bitter enemy eventually died, Hadhrat Muhammadsa even went to offer his funeral prayers and stayed at the cemetery until Abdullah bin Ubay was buried.

His humanity and compassion were further evident in the heat of battle. During the first battle between the Muslims and the disbelievers, Muhammad’s “army” was severely deficient. It had little resources and only included 300 men, some as young as thirteen years old. Despite this inequity, the small motley group of Muslims overcame the mighty Meccans in the Battle of Badr. When the prisoners of war were captured at the battle, Hadhrat Muhammadsa wept with great emotion at the sight his brethren. He gave strict instructions to his followers to treat all prisoners of war with dignity and respect. Every courtesy was to be afforded to the prisoners. The Holy Prophet was so adamant about these rules, that he declared whoever did not observe them would fight not for God, but for his own mean self (Abu-Dawud). In compliance with these orders, the Muslims would starve themselves in order to feed the POWs their meager rations. They also walked on foot so the prisoners could ride on camels.

Thus, he abolished all barbaric and savage practices during wartime. In addition to treating prisoners like guests, he forbade mutilating the dead and killing women, children, religious or older people. He commanded in battle but personally refrained from shedding any blood. He gave strict instructions that the lives of his enemies should be spared whenever possible. In fact, he personally arranged his battles so they would inflict
the least harm against the enemy. The Prophet’ssa tolerance for others extended to other religions as well. In several laws, such as the Charter of Medina and the Charter granted to the Monks of the Monastery of St. Catherine, the Prophet(sa) established religious freedom and freedom of conscience for Jews and Christians. Under his guidance, people of other faiths were allowed to practice their faiths openly and unabashedly, without fear of persecution or recrimination from the Muslims.

 

Hadhrat Muhammad’s(sa) character was no less remarkable in his personal and private life. In a time when infanticide ran rampant and women were considered chattel with no rights or thoughts of their own, the Prophet(sa) elevated them to a status greater than any man. In oft-quoted sayings of his, the Prophet(sa) said, “paradise lies under the feet of the mother” and “the best among you is one who treats his wives and families the best”. Among other things, he gave women such important rights as owning property and gaining inheritance. He also bestowed them with choices; they now had the ability to choose their marriage partners and to divorce them if they were unhappy.

In his own home, the Holy Prophet treated his wives as equals, often seeking their comfort and counsel on important matters. Hadhrat Aishara once said that Hadhrat Muhammadsa spent his free time helping with household chores and mending his own clothes. She also described his simple and humble habits regarding diet, living conditions and clothing. Hadhrat Muhammadsa, the great prophet and ruler, only had one change of clothes. His main diet consisted of dates, barley and water. He slept on a leather sack filled with twigs and leaves.

This austere, simple life was adopted by choice, rather than by sheer necessity. If he had wanted, the Prophet(sa) could have lived a life of great luxury and comfort. If he had been a lesser man, he would surely
have taken advantage of his stature and enjoyed some of the luxuries that other leaders and kings felt entitled to. However, he was not interested in material goods. His sole purpose and desire was to please and worship God. This he did with such unflinching loyalty that his enemies would proclaim, “Muhammad is intoxicated with the love of God”.

There are countless examples of Hadhrat Muhammad’ssa magnanimous and benevolent conduct. The testimony of his followers, wives and even his enemies demonstrate that he was worthy of the titles bestowed upon him by God. By all accounts, he was a true “mercy to mankind” (21:108). God also described Hadhrat Muhammadsa with attributes that are normally reserved for Him Alone. He has stated that the Prophet(sa) was both “Rauf” and “Raheem” (the most compassionate and the most merciful). Thus, God proclaims that the Prophet(sa) is the perfect embodiment and complete reflection of Divine attributes.

In the end, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, founder of the Ahmadiyyat Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, said it best: “The proof of his spiritual life and holy majesty is that by following him and loving him, we become recipients of the holy spirit and are favored with the bounty of converse with God and witness heavenly signs” (Tiryaqul Quloob,11).

David and Solomon: Kings, Prophets & Servants of God.

The Holy Qur’an states that there is no nation for whom a Warner, Apostle, Messenger or Prophet was not raised. It, however, mentions only a small number of prophets by name. The Qur’an has no genealogies or personal histories of any prophet or people. According to the Qur’anic style, only that part of their life work is mentioned that is necessary in the first instance, for providing comfort and guidance to the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and, thereafter for the continuous reformation of mankind for all times. The Holy Qur’an also provides the correct versions of the prophet’s stories narrated in earlier scriptures, which, over the centuries, in translations and in revisions, has been missed, changed or corrupted.

Prophet Davidas (Daud) is first mentioned in Sura Al Baqarah as he completes the work of the restoration of the Israelites, and finishes off the forces of evil, (Goliath), and is given Wisdom and Kingdom by God. (2:252) In Sura Bani Israel God declares “And we gave David the ‘Zabur’” which signifies scriptures or ‘Psalms’. (17:56) Longer accounts are found in Suras Al Anbiya, Saba and Saad. We learn that Prophet Davidas was a man of much wisdom and physical prowess, who always resorted to God for succor in all matters: He was given mastery over mountains and the birds (121:81), and was given knowledge of working with Iron, which was made ‘pliant’ for him. (34:11). In the allegorical style of the Holy Qur’an, the ‘mountains’ may also mean men of great stature or the rebellious and headstrong highland dwellers. The ‘birds’ may, of course, be actual birds used for carrying messages or trained for other purposes. There is likelihood, too, that the word signifies men of high intellect, and militarily speaking, swift acting forces like light cavalry. There is repeated mention of his being given exceptional wisdom, insight and discerning judgment, in addition to the great kingdom and mastery over the land. King Davidas ruled with a just but firm hand, subjugating the rebellious tribes by force of arms. (21:79)

His wisdom, sagacity and mastery of the affairs of state are further elaborated in Sura Saad, as is his deep adoration and devout obedience to the Almighty to whom he turns repeatedly, seeking His protection against all human lapses. God commends Prophet Davidas to stay firm on his adopted course of righteousness and deal justly without fear or favor between the people, reminding him that he is God’s vicegerent on earth. The Holy Qur’an clears him of all accusations of being unjust, immoral, committing adultery and other calumnies; declaring instead that ‘We gave him our protection, he had a position of nearness with Us and an excellent retreat’ (38:18-27)

In the Hadith literature, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is reputed to have said that Prophet Davidas only consumed what he had earned by the labor of his own hands, that his scriptures were made easy for him to remember and recite. He also said that the best form of fasting is that of Prophet Davidas who would fast continually on alternate days. (Bukhari 646 et seq)

Solomon (Sulaiman) was heir to David. And he said: O ye people, we have been taught the language of the birds and we have had everything bestowed upon us. This indeed is God’s manifest grace. (27:17). This is a unique instance in the history of the prophets that while kingdom, worldly domain and possessions may pass from father to son; prophethood does not. Solomonas was an heir not only to the temporal power of his father but also to his spiritual knowledge and was chosen to continue his mission. The commentators have likened the ‘language of the birds’ to the speech and communications of high spiritual nature, signifying that both were Elects of God who had been given all that was required for the Israelites to attain Power and Glory.

The story of Prophet Solomonas is told in several chapters of the Holy Qur’an. The longest account is in Sura Al Naml. He has a large force of Jinn, men and birds under his command, formed in separate divisions (27:18) Jinn may signify the wild tribes who had not been subjugated before or a ‘stealth’ type of  force whose movements were secret and whose capabilities were unknown to the enemy, or even the heavy fighting contingent, not unlike today’s armored corps. ‘Men’ being the foot soldiers and ‘birds’ as mentioned before, may be light cavalry and/ or intelligence gathering units. These forces were very orderly and certainly more developed than that of Prophet Davidas. Indeed, the discipline and piety of the force was well known and is explained in the next few verses: When they pass the valley populated by the Naml tribe, their chief warns his people to stay within their houses as the Army may unknowingly cause them harm.

From this and other passages the sense emerges that the reign of Prophet Solomonas was indeed a benevolent one. His army was a deterrent to the errant tribes, and he expanded his domain, to the greater glory to God, mainly by superior wisdom, and judicious use of threat of force. Peace and prosperity reigned in his kingdom. And to Solomon We subjugated the wind (34:10). And he made much use of the winds, as his ships were able to cut the passage of a month into a traveling duration of a day. God also gave him access to mineral resources and with the subjugation of hitherto unknown artisans; there was a building boom and greatly enhanced standard of living under King Solomonas. (34:13). He also exploited the wealth of the ocean, and used chains, (block and tackle) to bring about heavy construction. (38:36-38) God did all this so that the House of Davidas would be grateful and appreciate the blessings. Alas, only a few did. And Solomon’sas heirs were neither righteous nor worthy of the duties of state. The internal dissention ate away like termites and the staff of sovereignty passed away from his heirs (34:11-16) His heir is called Mere bodies (38:35). Prophet Solomonas had perceived this, and asked for God’s protection and for a kingdom that would not be suitable to any after him.

The story of Queen of Sheba, Bilqis is related with much detail in Sura Al Naml. Solomonas gets her news from an officer of his court, Hudhud: That the people adored the Sun, and the devil has lulled them into complacency and enticed them away from the worship of God. Prophet Solomonas sends her an epistle that starts with: In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful (This is the first recorded use of the opening benediction of all works of Islam and of Muslims in their daily lives) He invites her to ‘behave not proudly and come to me in submission’ (27:23 et seq) The ‘proud behavior’ was the arrogance in sticking to false beliefs, while the submission refers to peaceful acquiescence of his superior power and also has the benevolent purpose of avoiding bloodshed. The Queen seeks advice from her chiefs who assure her that even though they have military might to meet an onslaught; there are other dimensions, i.e. the matters of faith and beliefs, which only she could decide.

(27:33-34)

The Queen understands warfare, but the question of faith troubles her. So she tries to buy time by sending Solomonas valuable gifts, including a ‘throne,. He is offended by the Queens behavior, and sends her an ultimatum.This, combined with the great efficiency and advanced science and technical proficiency of his court, convinces the Queen and she shows her willingness to submit to Solomonas. On her arrival at his court, he has her enter the palace through a walkway of slabs of clear glass, under which clear water was made to flow. The Queen is perplexed by this and she ‘uncovered her shank’ to meet this difficulty. Solomon advised her that ‘it is a palace paved with slabs of glass’. She recognizes her error that just as she mistook the slabs of glass as running water, she also mistook the Sun to be the real source of light, and not as an instrument of God’s working. She nobly confesses My Lord, I have indeed wronged my soul; and I submit myself with Solomon to God, the Lord of the Worlds (27:45) 

Prophet Solomonas has been cleared in the Holy Qur’an of all charges of misconduct that are mentioned in other scriptures, including that of idol-worship: And Solomon did not disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved. (2:103) He, too, is called an excellent servant, and he preferred the love of good things as this reminded him of his Lord (38:31-33)

Thereupon (Solomon) smiled and said (praying) My Lord! Rouse me up that I may offer thanks for the favors You have bestowed upon me and my forefathers. And that I should do such deeds of righteousness as may please You, and count me through Your mercy with Your righteous servants (Amen) (27:20)

 

Islam and Obedience to the Rule of Law

“Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God. These few words are profoundly rich with wisdom…. Religion and statecraft are two of the many wheels of the wagon of society. It is, in reality, irrelevant whether there are two, four and eight wheels as long as they keep their orientation correct and revolve within their orbits. There can be no question of mutual conflict or confrontation.”

In worldly matters, Islam enjoins obedience to “those who are in authority among you” (4:60) and forbids anarchy of any kind, even that exercised in the name of reform, as is admonished, “And when it is said to them, ‘Create not disorder in the earth,’ they say ‘We are only promoters of peace’. Beware! It is surely they who create disorder, but they do not perceive it” (2:12-13)” Prophet Muhammad(saw) advised, “You are obligated to hear and to obey in prosperity and in adversity, willingly or unwillingly, and even when you are treated unjustly”.

Following the law, and seeking recourse through appropriate means, is not to be abandoned as long as there is freedom of religion in the land. Prophet Muhammad(saw) is reported to have said that, “Your worst rulers will be those whom you hate and who hate you.” When the companions asked him if they should boycott them he said, “Not so long as they maintain the prayer services; not so long as they maintain the prayer services.” Thus, Muslim subjects can never be a threat to any system of governance that does not interfere with their right to pray.

Richardson’s allegation that Prophet Muhammad had the goal of ‘total Islamic supremacy’ is belied by the content of the Constitution of Medina which “is a clear indication of the lines on which the Apostle was building the ummah. It was a multi-religious community.” It is interesting to note that this first constitution of the Arabian Prophet dealt almost exclusively with the civil and political relations of the citizens among themselves and with the outside.”

 Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ra) stated

“The Holy Qur’an says: “There is no compulsion in religion (2:257).” [....] It says there is NO coercion in faith or in matters of faith[.….] So, here is the question: if one religion imposes its law on a society where people of other religions and denominations also live, how will this verse stand against your attempt to coerce. Not only vis-à-vis the people from other religions, but vis-à-vis people from the same religion who are not willing. The only authority in Islam, which was genuinely capable of being given the right to coerce, was the Founder of Islam, Prophet Muhammad(saw)…because he was a living model of Islam….Yet, addressing him, Allah says in the Qur’an: “Admonish, therefore, for thou art but an admonisher; Thou hast no authority to compel them (88:22-23).” You are just an admonisher. No more. You are given NO authority to coerce. Most of Islam and most of Christianity and most of Hinduism can be practiced without their being the law of the country; the more so since the general principle accepted by the modern political thinkers is that religion should not be permitted to interfere with politics and politics should not be permitted to interfere with religion.”

The Question of Divided Loyalties

Don Richardson raises the question of divided loyalties of Muslims living in Western countries, especially the U.S.. He asserts that this question has been resolved for Christians by Jesus but Muslims cannot be obedient to a constitution that is not based on Shariah, and will pose a dilemma for those Muslims who might be asked to fight for their adopted countries.Since the U.S. Constitution is not opposed to shariah, there is no room for confusion or conflict in the minds of intelligent Muslims. Fortunately for the Ahmadiyya Community this matter has been expounded on with such clarity that they are free from the danger of being influenced by the hate-filled rhetoric of the militant factions.

 

The Promised Messiahas, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, laid down very clearly:

“Believers are to obey those in authority, besides God and His Prophet. To say that ‘those in authority’ does not include a non-Muslim-Government would be a manifest error.For,a government-or authority-whose ordinances are in accordance with the Shariah (that is, they are not in conflict with it) is ‘authority from among you.’ Those who are not against us are among us. The Qur’an, therefore, is unequivocal on the point. Obedience to governmental authority is one of its imperatives.”

(Works and Speeches, Vol. (i), p. 261)

So also in the Hadith, the Holy Prophet(saw) says:

“He who obeys me, obeys God; he who disobeys me disobeys God. He who obeys his authority obeys me; he who disobeys his authority disobeys me”
(Muslim, Kitab al Imarah).

 “In this hadith the whole subject of obedience becomes illuminated… Loyalty and obedience belong by right only to God, Creator, Master, Lord of Men and Nations. Others have authority derived from Him….[O]ne who has authority among men is responsible for discipline, for order among God’s creatures; a guardian of their lives, property and honor. Obedience to such a one is most pleasing to God. It is obedience to God.”

The Ahmadiyya Muslim stance on whether a Muslim would fight for America is unequivocal:

“One imaginary situation is often posed. Two countries, both with Ahmadi populations, go to war, Ahmadis in the two countries profess loyalty to their respective Governments. What are Ahmadis going to do in such a contingency? Our answer has always been this: Yes, even in such a contingency, Ahmadis will remain loyal to their respective Governments. This belief…is…taught by God and explained by His Prophet…. If  loyalty to their respective Governments results in the killing of Ahmadis by Ahmadis, well that is there and, there is nothing more to be said or done. It is but a consequence, an obligation entailed by our religious belief. Principles have priority over persons. Persons may be sacrificed for the sake of principles, not principles for the sake of persons. Such mutual killing will be forgiven [and] … will be the result of His Own teaching, of conditions, over which we have no control.”

“To be brief, the Ahmadiyya stand is clear and clean. Need we reiterate that we Ahmadis living in different countries, under different states and Governments, are loyal to the countries in which we live, to the states and Government under which we live…. This is the divine command and the voice of our hearts. And he who does not believe us and attributes some other belief to us, offends against God and grievously wrongs us.”

Islam in the Eyes of History

 Islam has a long history of governing vast empires, comprising populations of diverse religions, cultures, races, and languages with the golden principle of freedom of religion and speech. Islam conquered lands to improve the condition of people by establishing the rule of law and freedom of religion, providing social services, investing in science and philosophy, and eradicating differences in class, gender, and race. Today, the moral and intellectual condition of Muslims is such that they need to look towards their own reformation rather than try to conquer countries that have already adopted the very principles taught by Islam.

Historically, the correct interpretation of Islamic theology led to a concept of human rights that the West arrived at almost a thousand years later. “In the field of human rights, early Islamic jurists introduced a number of advanced legal concepts which anticipated similar modern concepts in the field. These included the notions of the charitable trust and the trusteeship of property; the notion of brotherhood and social solidarity; the notions of human dignity and the dignity of labour; the notion of an ideal law; the condemnation of antisocial behavior; the presumption of innocence; the notion of “bidding unto good” (assistance to those in distress); and the notions of sharing, caring, universalism, fair industrial relations, fair contract, commercial integrity, freedom from usury, women’s rights, privacy, abuse of rights, juristic personality, individual freedom, equality before the law, legal representation, non-retroactivity, supremacy of the law, judicial independence, judicial impartiality, limited sovereignty, tolerance, and democratic participation..”

The charge that Muslims do not feel obligated to obey laws that are not dictated by ‘shariah’ is erroneous since the laws that govern the temporal aspects of a Muslim’s life are secular in nature. “[T]he manner in which an act was qualified as morally good or bad in the spiritual domain of Islamic religion was quite different from the manner in which that same act was qualified as legally valid or invalid in the temporal domain of Islamic law. Islamic law was… focused on ensuring that an individual received justice, not that one be a good person.”

 

In terms of women’s rights, women generally had more legal rights under Islamic law than they did under Western legal systems until the 19th and 20th centuries. For example, “French married women, unlike their Muslim sisters, suffered from restrictions on their legal capacity which were removed only in 1965.” Noah Feldman, a Harvard University law professor, notes: “As for sexism, the common law long denied married women any property rights or indeed legal personality apart from their husbands. When the British applied their law to Muslims in place of Shariah, as they did in some colonies, the result was to strip married women of the property that Islamic law had always granted them.”

In today’s political and religious climate, it is understandable that concerns about the separation of church and state may arise. However, intellectual integrity dictates that answers to these concerns be thoroughly sought. Richardson’s allegations bear the marks of extreme haste in jumping to conclusions and blatant intellectual dishonesty. Without question, Islam does not posit that Shariah be a trump card to state government.

Introduction to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

In the 19th century, Islam as a religion and Muslims as a nation were helpless. Muslim empires were crumbling all over the world.In the subcontinent of India, the Mughal Empire was brought down by the British. Islam was being attacked by all other faiths in such a manner that it was an obvious degradation. Muslims had not experienced such humiliation in 1,300 years of their existence. At one point it was estimated that there were 70,000 Christian missionaries actively working in British India. Even someof the educated scholars of Islam were being converted to Christianity and in turn were converting their congregations to Christianity. There was no one to defend Islam and it manifested in the general helplessness and depressed feelings among the Muslim masses. In 19th century literature, prose and poetry, the Muslim nation was referred to as “Ummat marhooma” meaning the “deceased nation”. This pathetic situation was not limited to a particular area. The same situation existed with the Muslims of British India, in the Middle East or any other region of the world. Even many Muslims thought that the end of Islam was near and there was nothing that could change this phenomenon.

Founder of Ahmadiyya Community

In 1835, a person was born by the name of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in the village of Qadian. God was to appoint him in the defense of Islam. He wrote a book Braheen-e-Ahmadiyya and declared that the only living religion is Islam and the only living prophet is Prophet Muhammad. He challenged all religious scholars of all faiths to debate him.

His announcement was unique because he stated that he has received revelation from God and that he is the Messiah and Mahdi that people were anticipating for several centuries.His argument was that revelation and prophethood can only be achieved by following a living religion and a living prophet. Since other religions cannot and have not produced any person who receives revelation, therefore, their religion cannot be a living one.

He announced this very argument in the following words:

“The recognition of the Living God we have achieved through this Perfect Prophet and through his light. The honor of converse with God, through which we behold His countenance, has been bestowed upon me through this great Prophet. The ray of this sun of guidance falls like sunshine upon me and I continue illumined only so long as I am adjusted towards it “
[Roohani Khaza’in Vol. 22, pp. 115-116].

 He openly and clearly declared that his status in the Eyes of God was only achieved by following the Holy Prophet Muhammad. He states this in the following quote:

“It would not have been possible for me to have attained this grace if I had not followed the footsteps of my lord and master, the pride of all the prophets, the best of mankind, Muhammad, the chosen one, peace and blessings of Allah be on him. Whatever I have achieved, I have achieved by following him, and I know from verified reliable experience that no man can reach God and obtain a deeper understanding of His ways without following that Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on him.”

[Roohani Khaza’in, Vol. 22: Haqeeqat-ul-Wahi, pp. 64-65]

Belief about Jesus

Because of his claim of being the 2nd Messiah, the question arose as to the belief among Christians and Muslims about Jesus son of Mary coming back to the world.The founder of the Ahmadiyya Community announced that Jesus did not die on the cross because it would have been a disgraceful death. Since Jesus son of Mary was a pure and innocent prophet of God, He saved him from the death on the cross. He explained that the real mission of Jesus was to preach the lost sheeps of the house of Israel who were scattered in many countries. He established by arguments and reasoning from the gospels as well as from the history that Jesus traveled to other countries and eventually settled in Kashmir, India. He also announced that the tomb of Jesus is in Srinagar, Kashmir on Khanyar Street. He announced that Jesus would not be coming down from the skies. Hadhrat Ahmad claimed and proved that all the prophecies whether in the New Testament or in the Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad were fulfilled in his person.

Hadhrat Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, restored dignity to the status of Jesus. The Scriptures says that anyone who hangeth on the tree is accursed of God. When someone is accursed, it means that he becomes an enemy of God and God becomes his enemy. That is the reason Satan is referred to as accursed. Ahmad refuted any thought that he was in any way insulting Jesus. Instead he was describing the real status of Jesus, a prophet who taught worship of one God and fulfilled his mission of preaching to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He stated his real feelings about Jesus:

“In Mosaic dispensation the Son of Mary was the Promised Messiah and in the Islamic Dispensation I am the Promised Messiah; so I honor greatly the one whose name I bear. Anyone who asserts that I do not hold Jesus son of Mary in high esteem is a mischief-maker and a liar. I honor not only Jesus son of Mary but also his four brothers, as they were all sons of the same mother. I also regard his two real sisters as holy, for they are all the children of Holy Mary.”

[Roohani Khaza’in, vol. 19, pp. 17-18]

Message of the Founder 

It is remarkable to note that this claim and voice were raised in the small village of Qadian. There was no post office, no bus stop, no train station, telegraph or telephone service. Amazingly, this voice was heard throughout the world.Guests started arriving to visit him from all over the world. This was the fulfillment of the prophecy “wherever the carcass is, eagles shall gather together.” In a short time Qadian was full of life and activity. Young people started to devote their lives and become missionaries. It was an unheard concept of Muslim missionaries to go anywhere to challenge other faiths. They were taking trains; embarking upon the decks of ships and even walking to the far away lands of Africa, Middle East, Europe and America. They were giving the glad tidings that the Messiah, the Prince of peace, had come and peace is at hand for mankind.

 

 Community’s Birth

 

Officially, the Ahmadiyya Community was established in March 1889. Hadhrat Ahmad announced his purpose and mission in the following words:

 

“God almighty has raised me, a humble servant, in this age so that the Islamic teachings may be published and propagated to all nations and all countries and thus leave no excuse for them. For this purpose God has provided me with hundreds of heavenly signs, knowledge about the hidden things, sciences, facts and I have been provided with hundreds of logical arguments. God Almighty has provided for me the means and methods of publicizing the religion, the arguments and proofs to an extent that no other nation in history was equipped with these blessings. All of the hidden opportunities that have been provided to me were not given to any one of them. These are the blessings of Allah and He gives it to whomever He chooses.”

[Braheen-e-Ahmadiyya page 575] 

Name of the Community

 

The name of the community “Ahmadiyya”was chosen by its founder for a very specific reason. Many people may think that the name is used because the name of its founder was Ahmad but this is not the case.

Holy Prophet Muhammad had two names: Muhammad and Ahmad. The name Muhammad reflected his majestic attributes and Ahmad referred to his attributes of peace and harmony. When the Holy Prophet declared God’s message, his first thirteen years of life in Mecca was a reflection of the name Ahmad. He was persecuted; the Meccans punished his followers in diverse ways. His response was of peace and harmony and he showed patience and perseverance. His life in Medina of ten years was the reflection of his name Muhammad when he defeated his enemies and finally became victorious and God established his majestic attributes.

 

The attribute of the name Ahmad would also be revived in the latter days according to the prophecies. This reason for choosing the name of the community was clearly stated by its founder:

“There was a prophecy that the name Ahmad would be manifested again in the latter days and that a person would appear through whom the qualities of beauty, which characterized Ahmad, would be manifested, and all fighting would come to an end. For this reason, it has been considered appropriate that the name of this sect should be the Ahmadiyya Sect, so that everyone hearing this name should realize that this sect has come into being for the spread of peace and harmony and that it would have nothing to do with war and fighting.”

 [Majmu‘ah Ishtiharat, vol. 3, pp. 364-366]

Highlights of Beliefs

Emphasizing where it says in the Holy Qur’an “there is no compulsion in religion,” he explained that Jihad of the sword is applicable, as a defensive measure in very strictly defined conditions and those conditions do not exist today. Therefore, our interaction with other faiths has to be through discussions, dialogue and exchange of ideas. Instead, he declared a Jihad of the pen against all religions and forces who were trying to destroy Islam.

He also taught the community to show patience in face of persecution. Just as Jesus was put on the cross for preaching peace and humility, the followers of the 2nd Messiah faced the same circumstances. They showed humility, perseverance and patience and in turn prayed for their enemies. Whether it be in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Indonesia, the example of this characteristic of the Ahmadiyya Community is manifestly clear.

Success of the Founder

The founder of the community was successful single handedly defending Islam and restoring its dignity. Upon his passing away one of the Indian Muslim leaders Maulana Abul Kalam Azaad wrote the following that is a testament to his success. Referring to the literature produced by Hadhrat Ahmad, he wrote:

“This service rendered by Mirza Sahib will place the coming generations under the debt of gratitude in that he fulfilled his duty of the defense of Islam by joining the front rank of those engaged in Jihad by the pen and he left behind him as a memorial such literature as will last so long as Muslims have blood flowing in their veins and the urge to support Islam remains their prominent national characteristic.”

[Vakeel, Amritsar May 1908]

Second Manifestation

In 1908, when Hazrat Ahmad passed away, another phenomena took place that the world had only experienced at the passing away of other great prophets in history. The system of Khilafat was established in
Ahmadiyya Community. God has promised in the Holy Quran:

“Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those before them”. (24:56)

According to this verse of the Holy Quran, God establishes Khilafat in the community because He considers it to be consisting of believers and people who do good works. No other community has Khilafat among them based on the revelation received by a prophet. Under this system the Khalifa is elected through voting procedures but it is not a position that anyone desires. No one runs for this position or runs a campaign. If anyone does that, it disqualifies him just on this basis. So there is no payback after one is elected. The voters discharge their trust given to them by God. It is not a favor to one they are voting for. If they vote for someone not deserving in their opinion, then they are answerable to God for their mistreatment of the trust.

 System of Love and Authority

It is through this system of Khilafat that Ahmadiyya Community is established in 190 countries.It is established across geographical, racial and national boundaries. It is giving the message to humans of love and invites them to be one community under one religion and one prophet, the Holy Prophet Muhammad. All the prophecies in Islam and Christianity point to Messiah in the latter days who would gather all humanity under one banner and establish paradise on earth.

The progress of the Community is under the system of Khilafat, which is of love and authority. Every member of the Community has access and contact with the Khalifa and is voluntarily obedient to him. No army, no police is kept to enforce this relationship. It is based on love for anyone to choose if they so wish. It is under this system that the ommunity makes financial sacrifices in the way of God and all its work is done without any aid from any government. 

Throughout the last 100 years, not a single terrorist has evolved from this Community, in any part of the world, because of  its teachings of peace and humility. On the other hand, it has produced a person Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan who became the president of General Assembly of United Nations and also Chief Justice of the International Court of Justice in Hague, Dr. Abdus Sallam who was the first Muslim to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics and thousands of other leaders in their respective fields.

How to Recognize the True Messiah?

Jesus gave instructions as to how you will know when the true claimant showed up in the latter days. Jesus clearly explained that false prophets would be known by their fruits. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.” 

[Matthew 7:15-19] 

If every prophet in the future were to be false, there would not have been any need to set such a standard.

Love for All, Hatred For None

Ahmadiyya community today reflects the teachings of Prophet Muhammad through the 2nd Messiah, emphasizing the commandments of love and compassion.

We hear beautiful teachings in the Mosques and churches such as: “Love thy enemy”. What does it really mean and where and how is it practiced? For most people it is a good slogan, makes them feel good but has no practical implication. The community of the 2nd Messiah is the one that has put it into practice.

An incident took place a day before the devastating earthquake occurred in the northwestern Pakistan a few years ago. In the small village of Moong in Pakistan, a few members of the Ahmadiyya Community were in their mosque before sunrise performing their morning prayer. Some individuals came riding on motorcycles and showers bullets at them and fled away. The floor of the mosque was full of blood and bodies of the dead and injured. Among the innocent who lost their lives that day were young, old and children. Since it was a small community, everyone was related to each other so every house was in mourning. Some lost their father, uncle, son or cousin. Even for Pakistan it was a gruesome crime against humanity. These were peaceful poor people who were not involved in activities that could possibly be used as an excuse for this kind of action.

It was such a shocking cold-blooded murder that even the conscience of the Government of Pakistan was shaken. Although persecution and discrimination based on religion takes place all over the world, in Pakistan it takes place under the law with the full support of its constitution, courts and the police.So to affect its conscience is a rare occurrence. The government decided to send one of their high official with large checks for each family affected in the village. The checks were for hundreds of thousands of rupees. Under the TV cameras running and the news reporters all around, the official offered these checks to the relatives of the deceased. However, the official got the shock of his life. The members of this community said that God will take care of them and they would like all this money to be donated to the victims of the earthquake in northwest Pakistan.

The area where the earthquake took place was centered in the city of Muzaffar Abad. It is the city where the opposition and persecution against Ahmadis started long time age. The very first resolution in 1974 by a Provincial Assembly to declare Ahmadiyya community as Non-Muslim was in that city. Slowly over the years,
Ahmadis moved away from that area because of the persecution. That was one reason that Members of Ahmadiyya community were safe from the earthquake.

This is how you love your enemies. The very people who persecuted and showed their animosity were the recipient of gift when they needed it. This is the teaching of the Messiah in practice: “Love thy enemy.”

Invitation to All

We invite all of you to come and taste this fruit and find for yourself that it will give you life and a spiritual uplift. You will find the practical application of the teachings of peace, mercy and compassion. By following the Messiah of the latter days, you could achieve the spiritual status so much so that every morning of your life would bear witness that you spent the night righteously and every evening of your life would bear witness that you spent the day in fear of God, making sure that none of His commandments were broken.

We hope and pray that the day will come soon when all of humanity would get together under one banner and we would have not just one country but the whole world as ‘one nation under God’ and everyone would not just sing but actually practice the slogan: “Love for all, hatred for none.”

O Children of Israel

In Arabic one who submits to the Will of God is called a Muslim. The Holy Qur’an specifically invites the Children of Israel to become Muslims in the true sense of the word. It calls upon them to accept the Will of God, and the Truth coming from the God of Abraham. The Qur’an expresses the utmost respect for Abraham and calls him and his children Muslims because they submitted to God’s Will.

 

In the Qur’an, Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, are considered great prophets of God. For Ishmael, the Qur’an says: “He was indeed strict in keeping his promise; and was a messenger, a prophet. He used to enjoin prayer and almsgiving on his people, and he was well-pleased to his Lord” (19:55, 56).

Isaac’s son Jacob is also revered as a righteous prophet of God. For Isaac and Jacob, the Qur’an says: “And We made them leaders who guided people by Our command, and We sent revelation to them enjoining prayer, and the giving of alms. And they were worshippers of Us Alone” (21:74). To Jacob, God gave the name Israel– the warrior of God. As Jacob had twelve sons, Ishmael too had twelve sons. The Arabs claim to be the children of Ishmael and the Jews are the children of Israel. The Ishmaelite and the Israelite are thus brethren to each other; the progeny of Abraham.

The Qur’an repeatedly draws the attention of the Children of Israel to the blessings bestowed upon them by God. It reminds them of their covenant with God to fulfill certain conditions which, if honored, would bestow upon them certain advantages. God says in the Qur’an: “O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your covenant with Me, I will fulfill My covenant with you, and Me Alone should you fear; and believe in what I have sent down which fulfills that which is with you, and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and barter not My signs for a paltry price, and take protection in Me Alone” (2:41 – 42). According to the Torah, the Children of Israel had taken a solemn pledge with God at Sinai that they would remain submissive to His Will, and  would obey all of His commandments ; and in return God had promised them that He would pour out His Spirit over them, and reward them with prosperity and victory. As recorded in the Hebrew Bible, that covenant was renewed several times.

(Deut.29; Josh.24; Ezra 10; Neh. 9 and 10).

The Qur’an refers to that covenant and invites the Jews to accept the message of Truth brought by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as coming from the same God with Whom they had made the covenant. Islam claims that the divine message given to mankind throughout the ages was the same, that is, submission to God’s Will. Islam professes to be the culmination of all previous religious traditions as preached and practiced by the prophets of God sent to all the nations in the past. Through Prophet Muhammad(saw), God commanded the Muslims in the Qur’an to proclaim: “We believe in God and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob and his children, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to all other prophets from their Lord God. We make no distinction between any of them; to Him we submit ourselves” (2:137).

 

 Prophet Muhammad(saw) claimed to be the prophet prophesied in the Torah who would impart a universal message to all mankind, as the Will of God was to be manifested through him in its perfection. In the Torah, it is written that God spoke to Moses that God would raise a prophet like unto him, and the Israelites were commanded to hear and obey him. Moses said to the Children of Israel:

 

“The Lord your God will raise up for  you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’

 And the LORD said to me: “What they have spoken is good. I will raise them up a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in his mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die’ 

(Deuteronomy 18:15-20).

Many prophets appeared after Moses, but none was like the prophet as described and prophesied by Moses. Only Prophet Muhammad(saw) – who descended from the children of Abraham, among the Ishmaelites, the brethren of the Israelites – was a prophet who received God’s comprehensive commandments and gave the Law of God to mankind. His likeness to Prophet Moses(as) is declared in the Qur’an in these words: “Verily, We have sent to you a messenger who is a witness over you, even as We sent a messenger to Pharaoh” (73:16).

 

Prophet Muhammad(saw) spoke in the name of God. Every Sura (chapter) in the Qur’an starts with the words “In the name of God, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful.” God put His words in Prophet Muhammad’s mouth as was foretold by Moses. The Law brought by Prophet Muhammad(saw) is preserved, word for word, in the Qur’an. The Qur’an itself claims to be the Word of God — “Kalam Allah” (2:76).

The prophecy made by Moses also asserts that a false prophet shall meet with death and defeat as a punishment from God. Conversely, Prophet Muhammad(saw) was most successful in his mission, and won victory upon victory, and passed away naturally at the height of his success.His mission continues to progress to this day. Thus, all the signs of him being “the Prophet” have been uniquely fulfilled in his person. God had made it obligatory for the Children of Israel to listen to the prophesied prophet and to obey him; therefore, God addressed them directly in the Qur’an:

 

“O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I exalted you above all peoples; and fear the day when no soul shall serve as a substitute for another soul at all, nor shall any ransom be accepted from it, nor any intercession avail it, nor they be helped” (2:123).

 

The Qur’an makes it clear that in the past some from among the Children of Israel being unjust had offended God and His messengers:

 

“Those amongst the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress. They would not prohibit one another from offensive conduct which they preached. Evil indeed was that which they used to do” (5:79, 80).

 

For the Jews to step into the fold of Islam, into complete submission to God’s Will, should not be difficult as Islam upholds many of their established traditions and beliefs. Judaism and Islam both take pride in the religious heritage of Abraham who not only questioned and rejected all forms of idolatry prevalent in his time, but actually smashed the handmade idols to pieces. The Torah has a clear commandment from God for the Israelites: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above or on the earth below… you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Ex. 20:4-5). We also read: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I must seize the house of Israel by their hearts, because they are estranged from Me by their idols…Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations” (Ezekiel 14:4-6).

 

In Sinai, Moses had to deal with the tendency of the Israelites for idolatry that they had picked up from the Egyptians.The Torah denounces idolatry and demands its destruction: “You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deut. 7:25).

 

 Similarly, the Qur’an emphatically calls idol-worship an enormity, an abomination, and commands the believers to shun it (22:31). Prophet Muhammad(saw) had to abolish idolatry from Arabia, from among the Ishmaelite tribes who had propped up hundreds of idols at their most sacred shrine, the Ka’aba in Mecca. His main mission was to establish the Unity of God (tauwheed). He succeeded in clearing away all the idols from the Ka’aba in his very lifetime.

 

The Muslims worship the same God Who was worshipped by Abraham. Upon beginning each of their five daily prayers, Muslims make the intention (niyyat) to focus on the worship of the One God. This important prologue to the liturgical daily prayers is made by Muslims by repeating the words of Abraham as quoted in the Qur’an: “I have turned my face towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, being ever inclined to God, and I am not of those who associate gods with God” (6:80). While praying, Muslims repeat many of Abraham’s prayers verbatim as recorded in the Qur’an. Towards the end of each prayer, Muslims seek benediction and God’s blessings upon Prophet Muhammad(saw) and fellow Muslims, saying, “O God, bestow Your blessings upon Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad as You blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham. You are indeed Glorious, the Praiseworthy. O God, grant abundance to Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad, as you granted abundance to Abraham and his family. You are indeed Glorious, the Praiseworthy.”

Similar to Jewish rules and regulations concerning food, the Muslims eat clean (tayyab) and lawful (halal) foods. The Qur’an states, “O you who believe, make not unlawful the good things which God has made lawful for you, and do nottransgress. Surely God loves not the transgressors” (5:88). It also states, “He has made unlawful to you only that which dies of itself, and the blood and flesh of swine, and that over which any other name than Allah has been invoked”(2:174).

Muslims also perform circumcision of all male children as was prescribed by God as a token of the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 17:10-14), and later legalized by Moses (Lev. 12:3) as a symbol of purity of heart and readiness to hear and obey God.

 

Abraham’s faith was tested by God by asking him to surrender to sacrifice the son he loved passionately. Seeing Abraham’s willingness to make the supreme sacrifice, God asked him to substitute it with an animal sacrifice. The Qur’an documents that event, and calls it the supreme sacrifice – zabhe azeem (37:108). To commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice, Muslims all over the world sacrifice animals at the end of the annual pilgrimage, or Hajj, on the festive day of Eid-ul-Adhia.

 

The Qur’an reminds the Jews that among the many favors of God, they were the recipients of prophets and kings, but it also takes them back to their past mistakes as are recorded in the Torah, and warns them of the consequences and punishment as detailed in their sacred scriptures. If they keep their covenant with God, God being the Most Merciful will keep His promise to pour His Spirit over them.