October 2013 Acting Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B.

IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Vol. No. 7, Issue No. 15

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Formatting and Designing: Erwan Hamdani, Jakarta, IndonesiaPhotographs: Cecep Fuad Mukhlis Indonesia and Faizaan Ahmad UK, Ahmed Saadat & Mr. S. M. Khalid Iqbal, Berlin

CONTENTS

Editorial Note ... 2

Fast Track to Spiritual Flight 3Nasir Ahmad

True Concept of Sacrifice 5Mushtaq Ali

Eid-ul Fitr at Oakland, California, USA 10Mr. Muhammad Mustapha

News From the Berlin Mosque 10M. Khalid Iqbal

Reviews and Views.... 13

What our Readers Say ..... 16

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EDITORIAL NOTEWe are sorry for late publication of the October issue. Due to absence of one of our team members, compiling and formatting has been delayed. The present issue consists mostly of news about UK, Germany, California and Indonesia. The next issue will consist of November and December issues and will cover extensive ten-day tour of Hazrat Ameer of Indonesia and his participation in the grand 66th Anniversary celebrations of the Education Board of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Indonesia (PIRI). It will carry a brief report about the educational institutions of the Indonesia Jama’at which are widely appreciated in the private and Government circles. Since last visit of Hazrat Ameer, the Central Anjuman is very keen about its educational activities specially publication of the Indonesian translation of the Qur’an. The funds for the publication of the Indonesian translation and its free distribution among hundreds of the students have been provided by the Saleema Faruqui Trust, Lahore, Pakistan. On his recent visit Hazrat Ameer has finalised further plans for the publication and distribution of the Indonesian translation of the Qur’an and to further improve vocational training institutes of the Educational Board.

A Plan for of translation of some of our literature about the differences between the Lahore and Qadian Sections into Indonesian has also been finalised and soon work will be started.

Contributors are requested to continue sending their reports and photos.

Team Members

The HOPE Bulletin

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Nasir Ahmad

Mr. S. M. Khalid Iqbal

Mushtaq Ali

Mr. Ahmed Saadat

Dr Jawad Ahmad

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A Fast Track to the Spiritual FlightNasir Ahmad B.A., LL.B.

(Text of talk delivered at the Lahore Ahmadiyya Centre, Wembley, London on 3rd August, 2013)

“Surely Allah enjoins justice and doing of good to others and the giving to the near of kin, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion. He instructs you that you may be mindful. And fulfil the covenant of Allah, when you have made it, and do not break your oaths after making them firm, and you have indeed made Allah your surety. Surely Allah knows what you do” (16:90, 91).“The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best of you in conduct” (49:13).

Fast track to spiritual flightBefore I explain the significance of fasting with reference to the two verses just recited, I would like to share with you an interesting example to show the importance of fasting as compared to other modes of worship enjoined by Islam.

There is a beautiful lake near our home in Aylesbury. I usually stroll along it and take a brief rest on a bench nearby. One day I was enjoying the soothing ripples of the lake being driven by a gentle breeze towards the bank where I was sitting on a bench, when an interesting idea of comparing the word “fast” with “fasting” came to my mind. The word fast means speed and fasting as an Islamic termi-nology means abstaining from food, drink and other acts of pleasures specifically forbidden by Allah.

People who travel by air know that there are three classes in the aeroplane: Economy, Business, and First Class. Passengers travelling in Business and First Class are entitled to more luggage allowance and “check in” through a fast track facility, and as the number of passengers is comparatively low, it takes a shorter time and one does not have to wait in long queues.

But to buy a Business or First Class ticket you have to pay quite a lot more money than for Economy Class. And to afford that much money you must have a high-paying job and be working hard. So, in a way, you have to earn a larger amount of money to get to this higher class in a plane and then you can enjoy the allowances, comfort and better food choices. Similarly, in order to earn a closer relationship with Allah and His pleasures, which ultimately take you to Paradise, you have to under-go hardships and do intensive zikr ilaahi, which include fasting.It is reported that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) used to increase voluntary ibaadat and was more generous in giving charity during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. These are the ways that a believer can earn Allah’s pleasure and bounties. So the month of Ramadan or Fasting is a month when you get a chance to undergo a crash course to refine your physical and spiritual faculties; this is the way to acquire a higher spiritual position in the sight of Allah.

For the fastest way to acquire the fast track to a spiritual flight where a believer is sure to attain Allah’s pleasure, the Qur’an has used the word ta-taw-wa. It means, to do a good or charitable act besides what is prescribed. George Sale has translated this word as “who voluntarily deals better with the poor man than he is obliged”. Abdullah Yusuf Ali has translated it as “to give more”, while Maulana Muhammad Ali has rendered it as “whoever does good spontaneously”. George Sale has restricted it to “dealing with the poor man more than he is obliged”, whereas Maulana Muhammad Ali has used “doing of good” in a wider sense. I feel the latter sense seems to be more plausible.

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Month of intensive prayer and charityThe month of Fasting provides an opportunity to have a deeper realisation and enlightenment about performing good and charitable acts. That is why this objective has been kept to a minimum even for those who have been exempted from keeping fast and who are enjoined to at least feed a needy person. Again, it has not been restricted to feeding a person only; it is left to the discretion of the one who is to give out the charity in lieu of not keeping fast. So it is a month to do more: more prayers, more charity, more discipline, more humility, more patience, more politeness and nobler behaviour. To explain all this I used the example of “fast track”.

As you all know, during this month extra or voluntary prayers are highly recommended, and the Tahajjud or late-night prayer is specially mentioned in the Qur’an. It says: “And during a part of the night, keep awake by it, beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory” (17:79).

The last words of this verse, “rise to a position of great glory”, refers to a position to which I wish to draw your attention by giving the example of “the fast track” which leads one to Allah’s nearness and His special graces.

Now, a few words about what is the significance of the word saum and how the month of Ramadan is a blessed month as compared to other months.

Fasting means all-embracing ImprovementThe primary meaning of the word saum is to abstain. But in Islamic terminology it signifies abstaining from food, drink, sexual relations and all other indecent and bad manners. So it is not just abstaining; it is more than that. In fact, it is a month to generate a realisation to improve our behaviour and attitude which is not only beneficial for our personal development but also creates a pleasant atmo-sphere in the immediate surrounding and the society as a whole. Even our way of talking or calling out to someone or pointing out someone’s mistake should be courteous. For instance, if someone has done a wrong thing intentionally or unintentionally, there are two ways to do it. One, by saying, “O, what you have done?” Or, “It is very wrong.” On the other hand, you can say, “The proper way of doing it is this way.” Or, you can also say, “I think the best way is to do it in this way.”

Sometimes your harsh tone of saying even a good thing is devoid of good manners. For instance, in English, if you say “Pardon” in a loud voice it is considered rude. But if you say the same word softly, it is considered polite.

In fact, the object of Ramadan is not just abstaining from food, etc. but it is abstaining from bad acts, bad habits, bad behaviour, bad attitudes and manners, and regulating and disciplining our-selves and our thoughts and actions in accordance with the command of Allah and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). So regulation and discipline are of greater importance than mere abstaining.

The two words in the first two verses recited by me are ihsaan and baghi. Ihsan means to do good for the sake of good and not in return for goodness done to you. And the word baghi means defiance, or to react wrongly to what is being told to you or a situation which demands restraint from you. That is why the Holy Prophet (sas) said: “If one can assure me that he does not harm anybody with his tongue and hands, I can assure him of Paradise.”

The tongue and the hands are the two main organs of the human body which inflict all kinds of harm to others. It can be physical, verbal or by writing. So, if during the month-long observance, abstention

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and strict discipline are observed, and if these are effectively maintained during the remaining part of the year, you can imagine how much a person can improve his thoughts and actions.

EthicsIn short, Ramadan provides a yearly crash course to train and develop our attitude and behaviour for living a righteous life. For good manners the Holy Qur’an has used the word adab, which in English means ethics. Maulana Muhammad Ali, in his wonderful and precise compilation entitled A Manual of Hadith, has arranged selected verses of the Qur’an and sayings of the Holy Prophet (sas) in a chapter called “Ethics”.

I will just read out to you the summary of the sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) done by the Maulana which will give you an idea of what ethics means in Islam.

“The adab signifies discipline of the mind, or every praiseworthy discipline by which a man is trained in any excellence.Good morals and good manners are the real test of a man’s excellence.Goodness to one’s parents occupies a very high place in the moral code of Islam, the mother coming first, so much so that paradise is said to be beneath the mother’s feet.Kindness and love for children is highly appreciated, and suffering on account of them is called a screen from hellfire.Doing good to relatives is a source of blessings, and they must be kept in good fellowship.The best of men is said to be one who is kindest to his wife and it is recommended that one should help her in her work.Muslims are brothers – members of one body and parts of one structure – and they must help one another; their blood, property and honour being inviolable. They are forbidden to hate and boycott one another, to call one another kafir or fasiq, and to fight with one another.A neighbour, whether Muslim or a non-Muslim, must be treated kindly. One must be kind and generous to one’s servant, who must be treated on a basis of equality.Looking after widows and orphans is an act of highest merit. Even an enemy must be treated generously.Divine mercy is shown to him who is merciful to God’s creatures, even to the dumb animals.Man must cultivate the habit of being truthful, for truth is the basis from which virtue springs, while falsehood leads to vice.

Special stress is laid that a man must be fair and forgiving in his dealings with other people, and must avoid everything which hurts them.” (pp. 372, 373)

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True Concept of Sacrifice Its Spiritual and Social Significance

(Text of Eid al-Adha sermon delivered by Bro Mushtaq Ali at the Lahore Ahmadiyya Centre at Wembley, London on15th November, 2013)

“Verily We have given you the abundance of good, so pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Surely your enemy is cut off (from good)” (The Qur’an 108).

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Today we have gathered here to observe the day of Sacrifice, commonly known as Eid al-Adha, or “The Greater Eid”.

Significance in the HadithThe tenth day of Dhul Hijjah is the greatest day of Hajj. It is known as Yawm an-Nahr (the day of Sacrifice), as it marks the end of the main ritual of Hajj with the offering of sacrifice. It is on this day that Muslims celebrate a day of thanksgiving for the bounties and blessings of Allah. It has been recorded in a hadith by Imam Ahmad (Musnad vol. 4, No. 350) that the day of Nahr is the most virtuous day to Allah. The Messenger of Allah (sas) said: “The greatest day of Hajj (Pilgrimage) is the Day of an-Nahr ” (Abu Dawud, No. 1945]

On this day the pilgrims leave Muzdalifa before sunrise for Mina to perform the offering of sacrificial animals in obedience to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). Then the pilgrims head for Greater Aqaba to throw seven pebbles at the Satan as a gesture of cursing him and also sacrific-ing animals. The throwing of seven pebbles at the Satan symbolises one’s hatred and preparedness to repel and resist temptations of the Satan towards evil and evil inclinations.

In fact throwing of pebbles symbolically indicates a believer’s resolution to resist and guard against evil as Prophet Abraham (as) did demonstrate a historic example of rejecting Satanic insinuations while he was going to offer his first-born son Ishmael as a sacrifice to Allah, otherwise throwing of pebbles directed towards a rock means nothing unless it has a bearing on our own selves showing our hatred and effort to keep away from it. After making intense supplications and seeking repen-tance to purge ourselves of past sins, pilgrims then become like a sacrificial animal willing to submit their soul and body to the Lord of the worlds, seeking His forgiveness and protection. The wearing of two pieces of white cloth and shaving off the head is again a symbolic gesture meant to foster feelings of brotherhood transcending distinctions of Ego, Status, Wealth and Nationality as will be the scene on the Final day of Judgement. Thus exalting the Glorious Allah assuring one’s complete submission expressed by a pilgrim from the day he enters the Ka‘bah and continuously reciting the Talbiyya till the end of pilgrimage:

Lab-baik. Al-laa-hum-ma lab-baik, lab-bai-ka laa sha-ree-ka la-ka lab-baik. in-nal ham-da wan-na‘-ma-ta la-ka wal-mulk. Laa sha-ree-ka la-ka lab-baik.Here I am at Your service, O Lord! Here I am. Here I am at Your service You have no partners. You alone deserve all Praise and all Bounty And You alone are the Sovereign. You have no partners. Here I am in Your August presence.

The day at Arafat also holds great importance as it is the Day when Allah completed his revelation on His Messenger (sas). It is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih al-Muslim on the authority of Umar ibn al-Khattab (rd) that a Jewish man said to him: “O head of the Righteous! There is a verse in the Qur'an, which if revealed for us, the Jews, we would have taken that day as an Eid (celebration).” Umar asked: “Which verse?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3). Umar (rd) said: “We know on which day and at which place was this verse revealed to Allah's Messenger (sas). It was when he (The Prophet) was standing in Arafat on a Friday.”

Self-realisation through SacrificeThe Holy Qur’an in the words of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) has revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas): “Surely my prayers, my sacrifice, and my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” On a lower level it means that one is asked to sacrifice baser interest of life viz.,

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money, time, wife and children and one’s love of this world for higher objectives of life. The two high objectives of Islam are Love of God and Love of human beings.

As Muslims we fast during the long hours of summer in Ramadan for 29 or 30 days and deny things which though permissible are denied in order to elevate our spirituality and to create a sense of empathy for the fellow human beings. This annual exercise is prescribed in spite of offering salah, giving charity and Zakat, but still Eid al-Adha is considered to be the greater of the two Eids.

This festival is mainly related to Prophet Abraham (as) the great Patriarch (the Father of the Prophets) who is called “The Friend of Allah” (or Khaleel al-Allah) because of his superb willingness to sacrifice his beloved son Ishmael.

Apparently it seems that it was actually Ishmael who fulfilled the dream and was ready to sacrifice his life in obedience to the command of God, but it is equally true, as stated in the Qur’an, that Abraham considered the dream as a command and sought willingness of his beloved son about it. Undoubtedly it is highly commendable that the son as a very obedient and God-loving person agreed to full the dream in its word and spirit (37 :101). It is a precious lesson for the youth of today to follow the commands of Allah and the practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) and sacrifice what you can for the love of God and for the service of His human beings.

Hazrat Hajarah HonouredHowever a study of the story of prophet Abraham (as) shows that Hazrat Hajarah played a vital role in obeying the commands of Allah given to Prophet Abraham (as) first in taking care of the infant child in that wilderness and then allowing her beloved son for sacrifice – this has been perpetuated as part of Hajj and is enacted in running between the two mounds – Safa and Marwah. What a great reverence and honour has been shown to a mother and her love for her child and her submission to the command of Allah. Millions of Pilgrims from every corners of the world converge to Makkah to commemorate this event. The Zam zam is a living memory of that bounty which was bestowed on Hajarah and the posterity.

Traditionally sermon given on this day highlights the slaughter of an animal as our willingness to slaughter our baser self for higher spiritual and moral upliftment, as the Quran says, “neither their flesh nor their blood reaches Allah but to Him is acceptable observance of duty on your part” (22: 37).

Interestingly this verse goes deeper into the concept of sacrifice. Why the Quran talks about the ‘blood and flesh of the animal’ for the sacrifice done, former of which is impure and abhorrent while the latter is not of any significance? The Encyclopaedia of Religions mentions that some of Hindu cultural rites require sacrifice of cows at the shrines of Idols and are bathed them in blood, and sometimes even the meat is cooked and offered to the deities.”Regarding such practices Allah admonishes in the Quran: “And the cattle are made lawful for you, except that have already been specified, therefore avoid the uncleanness of the idols and avoid false words" (22: 30). In the story of Moses (as) on receiving revelation from Allah he commanded his people to sacrifice the cow which they secretly worshipped. Here Allah also emphatically says that He does not stand in need of any sacrifice:

“I have not created the Jinn and the men except that they should serve Me. I desire no sustenance from them, nor do I desire that they should feed Me. For Allah is the Bestower of sustenance, Lord of Power and Strong”(51:56-58).

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The sacrifice of various forms was in practice even in previous cultures and faiths before Islam as we read in the Qur’an :

"And for every nation We appointed acts of devotion that they may mention the name of Allah on what He has given them of the cattle quadrupeds. So your God is One God, therefore to Him should you submit. And give good news to the humble” (22:34).

Even the command of mentioning the name of Allah while slaughtering an animal, was given to those before us. The other significance of sacrificing an animal is the human being’s taking control of an animal and making him submit to his will. Submission of the animal fulfils its duty for which it was created. But what about the highest creation of God – the human being? Do we submit ourselves in a manner the animal submits?The Quran gives more detail about the animals and its benefits for the understanding of human beings:

"And (as for) the camels, We have made them of the signs appointed by Allah for you; for you therein is much good; therefore mention the name of Allah on them as they stand in a row, then when they fall down eat of them and feed the contented one and the beggar. Thus have We made them subservient to you that you may be grateful" (22:36).“And verily there is a lesson for you in the cattle: We give you to drink of what is in their bellies from between faeces and blood–pure milk and agreeable to those who drink it” (16:66).“And the cattle, He has created them for you. You have in them warm clothing and (oth-er) advantages, and of them you eat” (16:5-6). “And therein is beauty for you, when you drive them back (home) and when you send them out (to pasture). And they carry your heavy loads to regions which you could not reach but with distress to yourselves. Surely your Lord is Compassionate, Merciful. And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge” (16:7-8).

Economic and Medical benefits of the QuadrupedsThe benefits of these animals for mankind are numerous. From the cattle we get milk, meat, use its skin for drums, decorations and even for food. The dung is used for fertilizer, fire and for housing. We can also get biofuel for cooking and electricity from the methane gas produced from their waste. In medicine we can use the heart valves in humans. In some African countries the bones of goats and sheep are used in surgery. Amongst tribal people and the Bedouin it is a sign of great wealth to have herds of cattle, sheep and goats. They were used as an important item of trade, barter and even given as dowries. The camel is popularly known as “ship of the desert” as it is the only animal which is capable of travelling long distances without water in deserts.

Real Object of SacrificeOne could ask: what is the point of sacrificing an animal if it has no bearing on improving our own selves? Does God really want our money spent on sacrificial animals? If we have all comforts of life and no financial difficulties then slaughter an animal is no problem. May be we lose the real essence of the sacrifice. But when we struggle to find the means to perform a sacrifice or face difficulties such a sacrifice has a desired effect on our spirituality an earns reward from Allah. The Qur’an beau-tifully explains its significance in the following:

“Therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful” (64:16).

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“If you set apart or Allah a goodly portion, He will double it for you, and forgive you. And Allah is the Multiplier (of rewards), Forbearing” (64:17).

Historically the concept of sacrifice was a duty incumbent on the sons of Adam as we find in the Bible:

"And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respected unto (Genesis 4:3-5)Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and his offering" (Genesis 4:3-5)

The Bible clearly questions the intention behind Cain’s sacrifice and goes on to say

“By faith Abel offered unto God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was com-mended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead”. (Hebrews 11:4)

Indeed here we see congruity between the Quran and the Bible in questioning our intention behind our sacrifice, hence the Quran says: “to Allah is acceptable your observance of duty”. Thus it is the intention behind the sacrifice that really means the most to God.

Similarity between our Jama‘at and the Family of AbrahamAbraham, Ishmael and Hagar also had their Hijrah when they left their people, land and other pos-sessions. Abraham was tried as a youth having to stand up against his father and his people, Hagar also had to make sacrifices and give up everything for the sake of Allah more than once. The first time was when she was left by Abraham in the desert with the baby Ishmael. The second was when Abraham was making preparations to sacrifice Ishmael. There are lessons for our Jama‘at as well . Our predecessors and their children made similar sacrifices for this Jama‘at. They left their family, land and possessions even careers for the sake of religion.

In the 21st Century similar and even greater sacrifices are required. Look at our predecessors and see what fruits their work have brought and continues to do so. Their life and work are embodi-ments of the word, wanhar from the Arabic root word nahr which means sacrifice as well as a river. Combining the two meanings of the word nahr (sacrifice and river) the Qur’an tells us how submis-sion to Allah and making sacrifices for the truth earns abiding abundance for a believer. Chapter 189, The Abundance, of the Holy Qur’an very briefly summarises it in the following words:

“Verily We have given to you the abundance, so pray to your Lord and (let your) sacrifice (be like a River). Indeed your enemy is the one who is cut off.”Just as a river starts as a trickle from high up in the mountains so do our sacrifice though at the start appears small. Just like melting ice up on the mountains trickles down forming streams, then tributaries and finally merges into a river. Similarly we develop our spirituality performing various acts of sacrifice and service to fellow human beings. As a river sustains life for humans and animals similarly our sacrifices should do the same and even-tually becoming source of earning ‘abundance’ from Allah. Just as Allah has given the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) ‘Abundance’ so He has promised the same for us provided we fulfil the conditions.Let our lives be a river of sacrifice which may have humble beginnings by sacrificing all the pleasure and comforts of this life for some higher objectives. May be the results are not in sight now, but the story of Abraham ensures that noble deeds and sacrifices do bring abundant rewards.

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Eid al-Fitr at Oakland, California, USAMr. Ahmad Nawaz

On 8th August,2013 Eid-ul- Fitr was celebrated at Oakland mosque in California. At 9:30 am Maulana Mohammad Mustapha, Imam of the Mosque welcomed the guests at the entrance. The congrega-tional prayers started at 10.00 am and were lead by Imam Mohammad Mustapha. It was followed by an illuminating khutbah by our learned brother Dr. Hameed Jahangiri. Dr. Sahib explained some of the social and spiritually elevating aspects of fasting After wards Mr. Zafar Abdullah read out the Eid message from Hazrat Ameer Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed. At the end a delicious brunch jointly prepared by the ladies was served to the guests. In spite of the fact that it was a working day appreciable number of people turned up and it was quite an enjoyable gathering.

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News from the Berlin Mosque

Groups of School Children, Architects and Imams of local mosques are prominent among the visitors

S. M. Khalid Iqbal M.A

Here at the Berlin Mosque everyday a few surprise visitors come and keep us on our toes. My wife Mahpara's presence is very helpful as more and more ladies have started coming in to see the Mosque and feel at home when entertained at the Mission House.

I am surprised that women are coming in greater numbers as compared to men and are keen to know about the message the Holy Quran gives about moral code relating to family set up, relation-ship between husband and wife and upbringing of children.

Friday, 1st November. A batch of kindergarten School came to attend the Friday prayer. They stayed for over two hours. Three lady teachers were there as well. One of the Lady teachers asked me about the chapter of the Holy Quran I spoke about in the Friday sermon. She said she has a copy of the Holy Quran and would read Chapter 102 to know more about the subject dealt therein. There were some German Christian ladies as well who attended the Friday Prayer. They asked specific questions about the message–"I Shall Love All Mankind" and so on. Some of the Muslim men were surprised to see so many young children in the Mosque.

Mrs. Romana Tarkand , daughter of late Dr. Farooq Abdullah and her husband with their children visited the Mosque. It was their first visit and they were pleased to see us at the Mosque . Sister Romana is grand daughter of late Dr. S. M. Abdullah, Imam of the Berlin Mosque as well as Imam of the Shah Jehan Mosque, Woking.

Tuesday, 5th November. Two gentlemen from Bangladesh came to pray Maghrib prayer at the Mosque. One of them was Assistant Imam of a local Mosque. They promised to come again and talk about the two sections of the Ahmadiyya Movement . One of them called out the Adhan and was very pleased for the opportunity to do so.

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Wednesday , 6th November. Mrs. Khalid Mahpara invited around 15/16 ladies to have a ladies get together. They stayed for a couple of hours and enjoyed being at the Mission House.

Thursday, 7th November. It was a busy day as there were two appointments one after the other. In the morning about 13 architects from a local University came to assess and report about the Repairs for the Mosque. They thoroughly checked the Mosque from inside and appreciated the architectural beauty of the dome and arches and their colour scheme. Some of the architects said the prayer in the Mosque as well. There were two Muslim girls who took special interest in the pictures taken by our professional photographer and friend of the Mosque Mr. Christian Fessel. The group spent a couple of hours at the Mosque Grounds and then enjoyed refreshments at the Mission House. This gave us an opportunity to discuss various matters about the repairs to the Mosque etc. Then the group went around the outside of the building. The architect from the Council Office briefed them about the plan of repairs assessed by them and then a fruitful discussion ensued between the visiting architects and the architect from the Council.

Later that evening we were invited by 'Runder Tich/Rat/Forum der Religionen fur Berlin at Grand Festival Hall in Rathausstrasse, Berlin. It was an interesting and educative occasion to attend a Conference about interfaith dialogue. There were over 100 people representing various Religious groups. The Coordinator knew our learned Sister Dr. Gerdien Jonker's work about the Mosque. It provided a good opportunity to introduce myself and the activities at the Mosque to all three main organisers of the Conference.

Nikah ceremony at the MosqueMr. S. M. Khalid Iqbal performed the Nikah ceremony between a Turkish lady Aysun Kilis and a new Polish Muslim Mr. Arthur Dollicher at the Mosque . Witnesses were Sister Lamia Samir B. Ragheb, an Egyptian student doing Masters at the Berlin University and Mr. Abu Baker Koppen. As the couple did not know much English so two versions of the Nikah sermon and other details were prepared both in German and Polish with the help of the two witnesses. The couple’s ages were 45 and 53 respectively.

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Eid al-Adha or Commemoration of the Sacrifice by Prophet Abraham (as)

Participation of a group from a local School with the camera crew

It wasthe first important appointment for me when I arrived in Berlin. The local school was in contact with me through Mr. Ahmed Saadat who was going on leave. When I mentioned to the teacher of the group that we are going to celebrate Id al Adha or the commemoration of the Sacrifice ofProph-et Ishmael (as) by Prophet Abraham (as) a day before their visit, they became excited to paarticipate in the Eid celebration as well.

The school film crew with their teachers came on time and attended the Eid congregation and joined us in the Mosque for the Lunch especially prepared by my wife Mahpara and other ladies. This time we made proper arrangements at the Mosque. As planned and decided after the prayers we rearranged the setting at the Mosque, spread long white sheets which is traditional orietntal way of serving food in a formal dinner andon the sheets we arranged have disposabledinning table sheets (Dastarkhawan).

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In order to make Mosque hall comfortable thefloor heating was switched on the night before and around fajar time three oil-cum- electric radiators were switched on and two gas heaters were put on an hour before Id prayers. In this way the Mosque hall became quite warm. We invited some German visitors also to sit at the back sofas as special guests.

On the day around 7.00 am the door-bell rang. There was our first guest, a French Muslim who came to join the Id prayers. He was in Berlin to attend a Bank Meeting and was interested to come for Id . I asked him to come in and offered him tea. He told me he had to go back around 11 O'clock. While waiting for Id prayers he helped us in tidying up the lounge and cleaned it with vacuum cleaner all around. He stayed for the whole day and enjoyed the Id at the Mosque.

It was my first experience of Eid at the Berlin Mosque. It reminded me of the Ids at the Shah Jehan Mosque, Woking London where lunch was served to thousands who came from all parts of Britain and lunch was served at the lawns of the Mosque. Here instead, we were around 100 plus, but the hustle bustle inside the Mosque was not much different from that of Id at the Woking Mosque but on a small scale. The children were in a festive mood and brought balloons and some games to occupy them in a corner, while girls made some castles with plasticine at the big table in another corner of the Mosque.

The lady teachers of the school took part fully and helped other ladies and young folks to serve food and drinks while the film crew carried on filming . They interviewed one lady and some guests freely. The Moregeneration Project students and the lady teachers came from Kaubstrasse, one of the side street of the Mosque.

Those who attended the Id al Adha went quite late and enjoyed tea, coffee with some home-made cakes. The Film Crew said good bye to all and promised to be back the next day.

On the 16th November the School Film Society came around 10-00 o'clock with a list of questions and set up the cameras in the lounge area of the house. They had a written list of over thirty ques-tions. I have listed the questions and already e-mailed to you. This session was completed around 2-00p.m local time.

It was the first important appointment for me when I arrived in Berlin. The local school was in con-tact with me through Mr. Ahmed Saadat who was going on leave. When I mentioned to the teacher of the group that we are going to celebrate Id al Adha or the commemoration of the Sacrifice of Prophet Ishmael (as) by Prophet Abraham (as) a day before their visit, they became excited to paarticipate in the Eid celebration as well.

The school film crew with their teachers came on time and attended the Eid congregation and joined us in the Mosque for the Lunch especially prepared by my wife Mahpara and other ladies. This time we made proper arrangements at the Mosque. As planned and decided after the prayers we rearranged the setting at the Mosque, spread long white sheets which is traditional orietntal way of serving food in a formal dinner and on the sheets we arranged have disposable dinning table sheets ( Dastarkhawan).

In order to make Mosque hall comfortable thefloor heating was switched on the night before and around fajar time three oil-cum- electric radiators were switched on and two gas heaters were put on an hour before Id prayers. In this way the Mosque hall became quite warm. We invited some German visitors also to sit at the back sofas as special guests.

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On the day around 7.00 am the door-bell rang. There was our first guest, a French Muslim who came to join the Id prayers. He was in Berlin to attend a Bank Meeting and was interested to come for Id . I asked him to come in and offered him tea. He told me he had to go back around 11 O'clock. While waiting for Id prayers he helped us in tidying up the lounge and cleaned it with vacuum cleaner all around. He stayed for the whole day and enjoyed the Id at the Mosque.

It was my first experience of Eid at the Berlin Mosque. It reminded me of the Ids at the Shah Jehan Mosque, Woking London where lunch was served to thousands who came from all parts of Britainand lunch was served at the lawns of the Mosque. Here instead, we were around 100 plus, but the hustle bustle inside the Mosque was not much different from that of Id at the Woking Mosque but on a small scale. The children were in a festive mood and brought balloons and some games to occupy them in a corner, while girls made some castles with plasticine at the big table in another corner of the Mosque.

The lady teachers of the school took partfully and helped other ladies and young folks to serve food and drinks while the film crew carried on filming . They interviewed one lady and some guests freely. The Moregeneration Project students and the lady teachers came from Kaubstrasse, one of the side street of the Mosque.

Those who attended the Id al Adha went quite late and enjoyed tea, coffee with some home-made cakes. The Film Crew said good bye to all and promised to be back the next day.

On the 16th November the School Film Society came around 10-00 o'clock with a list of questions and set up the cameras in the lounge area of the house. They had a written list of over thirty ques-tions. I have listed the questions and already e-mailed to you. This session was completed around 2-00p.m local time.

* * *

Reviews & Views….

Conference on Islam in Germany(The Deutsche Islam Konferenz)

We have received five publications at the Mosque which are the result of seven years of work about Islam in Germany. It is a summary of the proceedings of conference dealing with various Muslim communities living in Germany and how their social and religious ideas and practices are seen by the people and the authorities in Germany.

In 2006, Minister of Interior, initiated this body. It consists of: (a) representatives of major Muslim communities and umbrella organisations in Germany, (b) Muslim individuals (intellectuals, writers, artists), and (c) representatives of relevant federal ministries. It is surprising that for some reasons the two Ahmadiyya organisations which have worked for almost 90 years for the cause of Islam and Muslims in Germany, the AAIIL( Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-i Islam, Lahore–generally called The Lahore Section) and the AMJ (Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at–generally called the Qadian Section), are not represented.

Meeting once a year, Conference on Islam in Germany, tries to address all the relevant topics and issues, which can foster better inter-religious and inter-social relations of all living in Germany. The

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Federal Government has shown strong interest in security matters arising out the unfortunate mil-itant groups working in Germany and in the region as a whole. Muslim communities have taken advantage of this platform and have put forward their issues relating to religious education and Imam training so that religious centres may get a feedback to issues arising out of Muslim cultural and religious issues, needs and reservations.1. In between the yearly meetings, lot of ground work is done by a range of working groups, which are organised in the form of special workshops to discuss and tackle issues which arise from time to time.

1. Conference on Islam in Germany (edition)Recommendations and conclusions concerning Practices and Rituals (2006-1013)

(Bundesministerium für Inneres1, 2013.)

The recommendations addressed the following topics:• Mosque building and mosque maintenance in Germany (2008)• Muslim cemeteries (2008)• The legal framework of Muslim religious education in public schools (2009)• Declaration of the Muslim representatives in Conferenceon Islam in Germany (2009)• No Tolerance for domestic violence and forced marriages (2012)• Towards Societal Cohesion–No Polarisation (2013)

2. Conference on Islam in Germany (edition.)Issues regarding Gender arising out of Tradition and Modernity

(Berlin: Bundesministerium für Inneres, 2013).

These are recommendations for out-of-school pedagogues who work with Muslim children and youths. In order to illustrate the large scale of gender understandings, the booklet starts with 10 portraits of Muslim men and women. It continues to address:

• Modern youth – conservative parents• The importance of non-violent education• Choosing one’s partner• Conflicts in partnership• Professional training for people working in schools

In the annex there are short declarations of Muslim organisations on:• Sunni perspectives on gender• Alavi perspectives on gender• Shi’ite perspectives on gender

3. Conference on Islam in Germany (edition.)Better Integration of Muslims in the Labour Force.

(Berlin: Bundesministerium für Inneres, 2013).

• Muslims in Germany: Statistical data• The Services of the Federal Office of Labour• Advisory and Information Agencies• Literature

1 Federal Ministry of Interior

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4. Conference on Islam in Germany (edition.)Animosity against Muslims . Phenomena and Counter-Strategies.

(Berlin: Bundesministerium für Inneres, 2013.)

This booklet is the result of a conference on the topic of animosity against Muslims and Islam in Germany that took place in December 2012. It offers:• Descriptions of the phenomenon of discrimination against Muslims• Discussion of the borders between liberty of speech and racism• Discussion about the difference between criticism of Muslims/Islam and animosity against them• Introduction to six different local practices and rituals projects

5. Conference on Islam in Germany (edition.)Initiation of Dialogue and Recommendations for Training Religious Personnels and other

Multipliers in Local Muslim Communities.(Berlin: Bundesministerium für Inneres, 2013).

These are recommendations for German communes and local Muslim communities alike based on intensive discussions in order to foster better ways of communication. It targets:• Enhancement of communication competence• Language courses for Hocas and Imams• Information about the Constitution• How to Handle Local Conflicts• Financial Implications• Information about the work of an Imam

These five publications show how serious is the ministry of interior in bringing cohesion and under-standing among different communities belonging to different religions and ethnic groups living in Germany. (Dr. G.J.)

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Open Day at the Berlin MosqueAhmed Saadat B. Com

Open Day was observed on Thursday 3rd October, 2013. Around 100–125 people visited t the Mosque from morning till evening. Most of the visitors asked questions about the history of the Mosque and watched congregational prayers with interest and asked questions about various postures observed during the prayers. The last visitor left the Mosque at 7:30 pm.

Couple of old people who long ago were attached to the Mosque visited and were excited to see the Mosque and the visitors. One old woman Mrs. Margrit whose Muslim name is Mahmudah became Muslim through our Mosque during 1960 at the hand of late Maulana Imam Yahya Butt. She was interested to know about him. I told her that he had died .

Another old lady Mrs. Irmelin küttner is the grand-daughter of Mr. K.A Hermann , architect who designed the Mosque in 1920’s. She only speaks German . It was through Dr. G. Jonker that we talked to each other and exchanged addresses. She promised to visit the mosque again.

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What our Readers Say…..Miss Elisha Hoeseni, Hague, HollandThank you so much for sending me a printed copy of the special issue of the HOPE dedicated to our dear Nana late Mr. Shakoer Hoeseni. This special issue about my Nana is really heart-touching. The whole issue has been well written and produced covering the funeral service and also some of impressive aspects of his life. Thank you for honouring my Nana in this way. The speeches of the funeral day delivered in Dutch were also translated very nicely. I really liked the introduction of my speech. Thank you once again!

Mr. Shaukat Ali, Bangkok, Thailand.Alhamdulillah, the members in the region are doing well from the information available. I have just returned from a visit to Indonesia with Hazrat Ameer, Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha and the General Secretary, Amir Aziz Al-Azhari. We were able to visit eleven branches of the Indonesia Ahmadiyya Anjuman from Jakarta in West Java to Kediri in East of the island of Java and addressed gatherings from scores of members to over a thousand at one Mosque. It was the 66thAnniversary of the Anjuman’s schools in Indonesia and in this respect we also visited a number of schools; for in-stance with over 1,200 students at Purwokerto in Central Java to about 3,000 students at Yogjakarta.

* * *Eid al-Fitr at Purbalingga, Indonesia

by Cecep Fuad Mukhlis

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Eid al-Adha at Wembley, UKby Faizaan Ahmad

Congratulations on obtaining excellent positions in O and A level exams:Simra Khayyam,Adeeba Ali, Aaisha Ahmad, Faizaan Ahmad and Inshaal Ahmad

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Glimpses of Long Night of Religions and Open Day in Berlin

by Ahmed Saadat

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Mr. S. M. Khalid Iqbal at the Berlin Mosque

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blessings of Allah be on him). LOVE also generates peace and happiness in the society. Follow the commandments of ALLAH and His Messenger, the Holy Prophet MUHAMMAD and earn an ever-lasting life here in this world and in the Hereafter. May Allah bless you all.

Ahmad Nawaz, Hayward, California I have just finished reading the February 2013 issue of the HOPE Bulletin dedicated to the memory of the late Br. Akbar Abdullah. I must say that your team has worked very hard to collect facts about the life and contributions made by our late Br. Akbar. The formatting of the Bulletin and photographs have made it very impressive and visual. Br. Akbar deserved such a beautiful dedication. I wish to congratulate you for making the Bulletin more than just a news bulletin. The brief life history of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) by our new sister in the fold of Islam, Christiane Backer, is very impressive and shows how his Perfect Example has inspired her thoughts and behaviour. I am sure her book “From MTV to Mecca” must be worth reading. Thanks for introducing the autobiography of a highly popular figure in the Western media, who, by her own study, has adopted Islam, and is facing challenges with firm faith and conviction.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The HOPE Bulletin E-mail address: thehopebulletin@hotmail.com

ISLAM stands for: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND www.aaiil.org www.lahore.ahmadiyya.org