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Content Page

English Translation of the Holy Quran with Abridged Notes

Dr Zahid Aziz 2

Lailatul Qadr or The Night of Majesty Nasir Ahmad 4

Development of Sense of Discipline and Humanity

Mobarack Aziz

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Eid-ul-Fitr – Ever-recurring happiness

Yamin Alibaksh 10

Gender Equality and Feminism in Islam

Simra Zafar

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The Endless Memories

Irfaan Ahmad 13

A Forgotten Gift

Shayaan Ahmad

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Sept. 2015 Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. Vol. No. 7, Issue No. 30

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

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English Translation of

The Holy Quran with Abridged Notes By Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali

(Revised Edition 2010 – Now Available on e-Book) Edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz

Some of the features of this Edition extracted from the Preface The English translation of the Holy Quran with extensive explanatory footnotes, by Maulana Muhammad Ali (d. 1951), was first published in 1917. It was the first English translation and commentary by a Muslim to be generally available in the world. The 1917 and several subsequent editions were printed in England and distributed from the Woking Muslim Mission at the Woking Mosque in England. This work remained the only Muslim English translation for several years. It was widely acclaimed as being an accurate, faithful, and true rendering, one which was desperately needed. It influenced all the major later English translations. Maulana Muhammad Ali’s translation was not merely an academic or literary exercise. It was done to refute the vast mass of misrepresentations of Islam by its Western critics, to convey the faith-reviving and heart-inspiring light of Islam to the world, to show how Islamic teachings are applicable to solving the problems of modern times, and to teach and guide both the Western-educated Muslims and English-speaking new Muslim converts. Towards the end of his life, Maulana Muhammad Ali thoroughly revised his translation and commentary, the revised edition being published in 1951. The translation was made simpler and the commentary was brought up to date with the changed circumstances prevailing after the Second World War. The language of the translation was solemn and dignified, as befits a Divine scripture, yet it was also plain and easy to understand, aimed at the level of an educated reader having a reasonable standard of English. However, due to changes in the usage and teaching of English in the second half of the twentieth century, such a reader today is much less familiar with certain forms and styles of literary expression used in the translation than was the case with previous generations. To bring the language closer to the general readership, it became necessary to replace some expressions by more modern forms. This has been my aim in producing the present updated version of the translation, while showing reverence to the original work and remaining as close as possible to the language used by Maulana Muhammad Ali. The factor of greatest assistance during this editing work has been that the Maulana has himself in some places used more modern terms and in other places older styles to translate the same original words. Utilising this, I have been able to select his own phraseology to replace the older expressions. Thus, in the work of updating the translation in various places, I have applied the wording used by him elsewhere if such could be suitably found. The most noticeable change is the replacement of the second person singular forms, ‘thou’, ‘thee’, ‘thy’, etc. by ‘you’ and ‘your’. In fact, in the Preface to his first edition published in 1917, the Maulana wrote: “I have, however, given up the antiquated thou (except when the Divine Being is addressed)”. In that edition he added a marginal column on the left of the translation, in which he indicated whether ‘you’ in the line of text opposite was the singular ‘thou’. In his revised 1951 edition, he removed this margin as unnecessary and used the ‘thou’ forms within the translation itself. I have reverted to the usage of the 1917 edition, but have employed the convention that whenever ‘you’ is in the singular the letter y is printed in italics as in: you, your. When God is addressed, which is always in the singular in the Quran, I have also used “You”, with capital “Y”, instead of “Thou” and “Thee”.

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The next most prominent change is also a reversion to the first edition, and that is in the use of the negative. In the revised 1951 edition the Maulana has used constructions such as “you know not”, “they see not”, etc. I have restored the style of his 1917 edition in which these are of the form: “you do not know”, “they do not see”, etc. In clarification of certain points, I have consulted not only the 1917 edition of the Maulana’s English translation but also his Urdu translation with extensive commentary known as Bayan-ul-Quran. I would also mention that in case of some verses I have compared other English translations of the Quran, old and new, to form a judgment as to the most suitable level of language. It is clear that Maulana Muhammad Ali produced his translation to the highest standard of literary scholarship and he used words, expressions, phrases and styles that reflect the original Arabic with great precision, perhaps unmatched by any other English translation. In my effort to update its language, and bring it closer to current usage, it was inevitable that in some places its high literary level would be reduced and the new expressions employed be somewhat less precise than those which they replace. Maulana Muhammad Ali had also produced two editions of his translation without including the Arabic text and with much condensed footnotes, in order to make available a handier book for the general reader. Following the same approach in the present work, the Arabic text has not been included, and the footnote content has been abridged although not nearly by the extent of reduction in the Maulana’s two editions. Taking the footnotes from his revised 1951 edition (as also found in its subsequent reprints), I have eliminated the detailed lexical discussion of the range of meaning of words and the explanation of the variety of views about the interpretation of the text. Only the conclusion reached by the Maulana as to the explanation of the verses is retained. Occasionally the abridgment has required some insignificant re-phrasing of his original words. Those who wish to benefit from the Maulana’s full, scholarly commentary are referred to the reprints of his 1951 edition. At certain points in the footnotes it was necessary to make some further comment on a text, due mainly to issues and questions that have arisen in recent years. To meet this need I have added my own comments, marked as Editor’s Note. These occur within existing footnotes and also as additional footnotes. … The introductory notes at the head of the chapters have had to be abridged considerably and therefore they have been re-worded. As in the two editions produced by the Maulana which do not include the Arabic text, I have laid out the translation in continuous running form, not starting each verse on a new line. However, for ease of reading as well as comprehension I have divided most sections further into paragraphs. … This edition carries an Introduction consisting of a life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and some information about the Quran, its teachings, and the history of its compilation, all taken from writings of Maulana Muhammad Ali as indicated there. The responsibility for all aspects of this revision rests with me, and I crave forgiveness from Allah as well as from the readers of this edition for any flaws in this production. Zahid Aziz September 2010

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Lailatul Qadr or The Night of Majesty

Nasir Ahmad

Lailatul Qadr in the Qur’an Lailatul Qadr literally means the Night of Majesty (or Grandeur or Greatness). It has also been called a blessed night in Chapter 44 (Al-Dukhaan), verse 3 of the Holy Qur’an. Firstly, I would like to read out the translation of the verses from the two chapters which give details about this Night. Chapter 97, verses 1-7 say: “Surely We revealed it on the Night of Majesty – And what will make thee comprehend what the Night of Majesty is? The Night of Majesty is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord – for every affair — Peace! It is till the rising of the morning.” Further details of this Night have also been mentioned in Chapter 44 (Al-Dukhaan), but here, instead of the word Qadr, the word mubarakah, which means the blessed, has been used. “Beneficent God! By the Book that makes manifest! We revealed it on a blessed night – truly We are ever warning. There is made clear every affair full of wisdom – a command from Us – truly We are ever sending messengers – a mercy from your Lord – truly He is the Hearing, the Knowing” (44:1-6). Significance of the month of Ramadan First of all, we must note that the month of Ramadan in itself is not important. It has gained importance for two reasons: (1) because of fasting being prescribed in it, and (2) because of the revelation of the Qur’an. As we all know, the whole month of fasting is said to carry immense blessings of forgiveness, mercy and salvation. Does it mean that worship and charity in other months do not carry any blessing? The fact is that there are certain moments and days when attention is more focussed on certain objectives and that special emphasis carries an effect on your mind and your future plan of action. During the month of Ramadan, a Muslim pays special attention to the message and commands of the Qur’an and also tries to inculcate them in his daily activities with the intention that he will continue with this during the rest of the year. In other words, this month is a sort of refresher course for him to remind him of what sort of life the Qur’an commands us to live and how the spiritual exercise prescribed in it can enable him to achieve the objectives highlighted in the Qur’an. This month, and specially the last ten nights, do not provide any shortcut. The common belief that worship and charity in this month clear all evil deeds and omissions done in the previous year or years is to underestimate and negate the mandatory nature of all the commands and prohibitions prescribed in the Qur’an and the righteous acts demonstrated in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. While mentioning the prescription of fasting, the Qur’an clearly mentions the objective, which is, to achieve righteousness. Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali has translated the word tattaqun as to keep up one’s duty. Practice of Qazai umri There is another very common shortcut innovated regarding the last Friday of Ramadan. The practice is called qazai umri, which means that if one offers prayers on the last Friday then all the prayers one has missed in the past are forgiven. Just to remind you, every Friday, in the second part of the sermon, we repeat the Qur’anic verse 90 of Chapter 16 (The Bee), the translation of which is: “Surely Allah enjoins justice and the doing of good (to others) and

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the giving to the kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion. He admonishes you that you may be mindful” (16:90). How can we justify the practice of qa-zaa-e umri in the light of this verse of the Qur’an, which invariably reminds all Muslims to do good works and shun evil and indecency? In this connection, Allah lays down a rule as to how to efface a wrong: “And keep up prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely good deeds take away evil deeds. This is a reminder for the mindful” (11:114). Please note, too, that the message of Ramadan is to attain righteousness and not to suggest or allow shortcuts. It is a month when, through abstention, resistance and observance of strict rules, purity of heart and good human relationship are to be developed. Prayer is obligatory in all circumstances, even during war, though its shortening or variation in postures according to circumstances have also been mentioned. After explaining the rules for unusual circumstances like war, a journey, illness or bad weather, the Qur’an lays down the remembrance of Allah as the object of prayer and that it should be said at appointed times: “So when you have finished the prayer, remember Allah standing and sitting and reclining. But when you are secure, from danger, keep up regular prayer. Prayer indeed has been enjoined on the believers at fixed times” (4:103). Truth about Shab-i Bara’at There is another misconception generally prevalent among Muslims about Lailatul Qadr. A distinction has wrongly been made between the Lailatul Mubarakah mentioned in Chapter 44 and the Lailatul Qadr mentioned in Chapter 97, although both mean one and the same night. The former, according to common belief, falls on the fifteenth of Sha’ban and is celebrated as Shab-i Bara’at. It means a day of celebration or repentance. According to this belief, Allah makes decisions regarding ‘every affair’ for the following year, then these are entrusted to the angels to be enforced on the day of Lailatul Qadr in the month of Ramadan. It has also been inferred that if delicious dishes are prepared and given away as charity, Allah grants blessings in worldly affairs and relaxes punishment or increases His forgiveness for the deceased. Details of blessings of the Night falling on 15 Sha’ban have been mentioned in several books of tradition. The reason to consider the fifteenth of Sha’ban as a significant night most probably is the Holy Prophet’s extraordinary keenness and fervour about keeping fast and giving charity during this month. It was also the practice of the Holy Prophet that he would take Hazrat Zaid with him to collect the zakah. It is reported that he was vigorous in his zakah collection drive. We must not forget that it was also the practice of the Holy Prophet to keep fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of every month, but during the month of Sha’baan his keenness about fast and prayer would be intensified. According to Hazrat Ayesha, these three days are the best days in a lunar month. They are called ayyam-i Beez, that is, “white days”, meaning pure and blessed days. The month of Sha’baan can rightly be regarded as the month of charity which is followed by the most blessed month of fasting, which excels in reward and blessings. It is also reported that the Holy Prophet was extraordinarily active and enthusiastic in the month of Sha’baan and made preparations for the month of Ramadan. Most probably his unusual interest and fervour gave the impression to the Companions that the fifteenth day of this month meant something special. They also kept fast and gave charity on this day. It is interesting that commentaries of the Qur’an, while accepting as true that, according to the Qur’an, the nights of Lailatul Mubarakah and Lailatul Qadr mentioned at two different places in the Qur’an both mean one and the same night, yet at the same time taking support of the narrations consider Lailatul Mubarakah as different from Lailatul Qadr. Consequently, a strange view has been formed that though decisions are taken on the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan (Lailatul Mubarakah), yet these are implemented on Lailatul Qadr.

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Here I would like to refer to the Urdu commentary of the Qur’an written by Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, which clearly mentions this in its commentary. This commentary was published in 1953 by the Ministry of Auqaf, Government of Saudi Arabia. It seems, however, that later on they realised this wrong inference about Shab-i Bara’at and the publication was withdrawn. The new commentary is by Maulana Salah-ud-Din Yusuf and it has regarded all the narrations about Shab-i Bara’at as weak and unreliable. The fact remains, as we all know, that Shab-i Bara’at is celebrated throughout India and Pakistan with unusual devotion and fervour. Interestingly, according to common belief, the Divine decisions taken on Shab-i Bara’at relate to birth, death, promotion and demotion, the rise and fall of communities, and the occurrence of calamities, and also the granting of abundance of food and other forms of sustenance for life. According to this wrong belief about Shab-i Bara’at, which has no basis in the Qur’an and authentic traditions, all those decisions taken on Shab-i Baraat are kept in abeyance for almost one and a half months and are enforced on the day of Lailatul Qadr. In other words, during this period Allah does not, or perhaps cannot, make any further decisions. On the day of Shab-i Bara’at, it is observed, all kinds of charities and delicious dishes are generously distributed with the idea that the angels come down to Earth and then report back to Allah what has been done by a particular believer in this regard, and on the basis of such report Allah shows favour to the people living on Earth or mercy is shown to the people who have died. The Qur’an is very clear that what Allah wishes to do, He acts upon it instantly and there is no delay as such as conceived about decisions supposedly taken on Shab-i Bara’at. The Qur’an says in 11:107: “Fa’-aa-lul li-maa yu-reed.” It means: “Surely your Lord is Doer of what He intends.” True significance of Lailatul Qadr It seems the confusion about Lailatul Qadr and Lailatul Mubarakah arose because of the words “fee-haa yu-farr-ri-qu kul-lu am-rin ha-keem,” which mean “every affair of wisdom and mercy.” If we study these words in the light of the context, they relate to spiritual matters and have nothing to do with decisions regarding worldly affairs. But instead of going into any discussion about what these words mean, let me quote the commentary of Dr Basharat Ahmad in this regard. It is not only simple and explicit but is also very inspiring. “Many people infer from the expression min kulli amr (meaning for every affair) that on this night all decisions for the following year regarding the administration and other affairs of the world are determined. This deduction is not correct. Kul (meaning every) is a relative word and its application depends on the context or the situation, and covers only such matters that are under discussion. For example, if on the occasion of a feast it is said that all people have arrived, it cannot mean that all the people of the world are present there. What it means, in fact, is that all the invited guests are present. Similarly, when Noah was given the following command in Chapter Hud: We (Allah) said: Carry in it two of all things, a pair’ (11:40), it did not mean that he had to take a pair of all the animals on earth, but the order extended only to those animals that he would need later on. So here the expression min kulli amr (meaning for every affair) does not refer to all the affairs of the world, but only to such spiritual blessings and favours which are directly related to that glorious and honourable Night on which the Holy Qur’an was revealed.” Brothers and Sisters, blind faith and over-zealous religious feelings sometimes give simple words such meanings that a whole wrong concept evolves out of them, which has no rational or authentic basis at all. In the present case, from the words “from every affair” the idea of Allah making all decisions for the following year regarding the administration and other affairs of the world and entrusting them to the angels to be enforced on Lailatul Qadr is simple conjecture, which reason cannot accept, nor has it the support of the Qur’an and the authentic hadith. Let me again quote Dr Basharat Ahmad about the true significance of Lailatul Qadr: “It has been called the Night of Majesty because it is a night of great grandeur and honour and one which man should value with total respect and reverence. There is no doubt that the night in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed – an extraordinary gift and an incomparable book of guidance to mankind – should be regarded with the highest honour and respect. This Night receives its eminence from the fact that the Holy Qur’an was revealed in it,

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and the anniversary of the revelation of the Holy Qur’an on this Night has been laid down for all times as a night of great blessings and honour, so that every year when the Night comes, Allah opens the doors of His mercy and blessings for His servants. This is not just a mere anniversary, for just as the rivers of Allah’s mercy gushed forth on that sublime night when the first revelation of the Holy Qur’an came, so, too, the same thing obtains every year on that particular Night when Allah showers His mercy and blessings on the hearts of all those who endeavour to seek His grace.” And that is why when Hazrat Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) once asked the Holy Prophet (sas) what du‘a (or supplication) she should make if she ever experienced that extraordinary Night of Grandeur, this is the prayer she was asked to make: “O Allah! You are the Forgiving and You love forgiveness, so please forgive me.” The last ten blessed days have started. It was during one of these nights that the Holy Qur’an was revealed. It is because of it that it has been called the Night of Majesty or the Blessed Night. Undoubtedly, the Divine gift of the Qur’an is not only a unique book of guidance for the physical and spiritual progress of human beings, but it also unfolds the Glory and Majesty of the Creator of the universe. The Qur’an explains to a believer subtle matters of spiritual significance by taking him to the lofty mountains, green lush vales with streams flowing through, glittering stars, blazing sun during the day and the soothing pleasant moonlight in the dark nights, to establish beyond doubt that Allah is the Creator and has impregnable control over the universe. It also points out the creation of the human being from dust and how Allah made it perfect by blowing into it His Spirit. The Qur’an provides guidance “to men and the clear proofs of the guidance” as to the evil way and the good way and proves it with magnificent examples from the universe that those who will follow the good way shall be successful. Let us see how beautifully Allah describes it: “By the sun and its brightness! And the moon when it borrows its light from him! And the day when it exposes it to view! And the night when it draws a veil over it! And the heaven and its make! And the earth and its extension! And the soul and its perfection! So it reveals to it its way of evil and its way of good! He indeed is successful who purifies itself” (91:1-9). Elsewhere, Allah tells us that all that He has enjoined in the Qur’an is a reminder or sincere advice: “Surely this is a reminder; so let him, who will, take a way to his Lord” (73:19). This advice has been specifically mentioned in the verse enjoining fasting: “… and you should exalt the greatness of Allah for having guided and that you may give thanks” (2:185). It is through fasting that we realise our dependency; we realize our weakness; we realize how a change in schedule (of eating, in this case) can affect us so much. And we realize how much we actually need God in every moment of our lives. It is in this moment of realization that we should think of one of the meanings of the name of God, As-Samad. He is the Eternal Refuge. He does not need nourishment, nor does He change actions because He is not dependent on anything. He is Ever-constant, while we—we are not. But that is not the only thing we learn about ourselves during this month. We also learn what we can do. We learn that during this month we can push away things that normally would be difficult. We realize that we do have time for the Qur’an in our daily schedule, even though we usually think we are just too busy. We realize that we can be nice even when we just want to be mean and rude. We realize that we do have that extra dollar to spare for someone who actually needs it. And when we realize this, we have to realize why, suddenly, in Ramadan, we have figured that out. It is not because we become superheroes during this month. It is not because we make a conscious, active decision that we would do this for a month (even though it may sometimes seem that way). It is because God sends down blessings during this month and makes things easier for us to do acts of worship and good deeds. Knowing this, we also know that the Lord of Ramadan is the Lord of all the other months. So if we want our actions, outside of Ramadan, to be just as filled with

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blessings, we have that option. All we have to do is to ask. Ask the Lord of Ramadan to make all our days like our Ramadan days and to make all our nights like Lailatul Qadr. Brothers and Sisters, ask the Lord Who willed for us to be a companion of the Qur’an during Ramadan to make us a companion of the Qur’an even after Ramadan, and to bless us with the conviction and commitment that He will certainly bless our humble efforts to thank Him for all the bounties He has bestowed on us. Amin.

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Development of Sense of Discipline and Humanity Mobarack Aziz

(Text of Eid-ul-Fitr sermon delivered on 17 July 2015 at the Wajidali Memorial Mosque, California, Trinidad)

May the peace and blessings of Almighty God be showered upon us all on this morning of Eid-ul Fitr, and may He continue to guide us and protect us, and keep us on the path of righteousness, which He has so chartered for us. The Muslim world has completed the holy month of Ramadan during which we were engaged in prayer, fasting, and charitable acts over and above what is normally prescribed. It is a time for us when the principles of self-restraint and self-denial, together with God-consciousness, take priority and are developed so that we can become better people and feel closer to Almighty Allah. Challenges of ignorance and extremism Today, of the many problems which beset our families, communities, the nation at large, and even the international community, is an increasing Islamophobia. The great challenges of ignorance and extremism – two diseases – have invited others, in and out of the Ummah, to target us, followers of the faith. Al-Qur’an addresses this issue, stating: “O mankind, We have created you from a single (pair of) male and female, made you into tribes and nations so that you may come to know each other. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most conscious of Him. Truly Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware” (49:13). To add to this dilemma, we are also confronted with high incidences of crime and violence, drug trafficking and drug abuse, the breakdown in family life, the uncaring and inconsiderate behaviour of people, and in some cases complete disregard, of moral standards and norms, all of which stem from a lack of personal discipline and self-restraint, virtues which we, as Muslims, are reminded of and attempt to develop on a daily basis during the holy month of Ramadan. The solutions to most, if not all, of these problems can be successfully addressed through the lessons and knowledge acquired from the rigours of the exercise undertaken during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Principles of self-denial and self-restraint The principles of self-denial and self-restraint can be applied to almost every aspect of our personal lives. The sacrifice can produce tremendous rewards for self, family, community and the nation. The acts of caring and sharing as practised during this month should be an attitude adopted by all of us as a matter of everyday existence. Human beings are losing the ability and capacity to merge themselves with Almighty God as they find it easier to focus on external material things to satisfy their passions and desires. Mankind has learnt and understood the laws of the material world in which we dwell to satisfy its urges and desires, but has fallen short in comprehending and understanding the laws that would conquer its lower passion and desires, and lead to greater happiness and a better life.

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Human personality and character must be developed and enhanced to be adored. As we enhance our personality and improve in doing acts of goodness, others will love us, and we, in turn, will love them. We, as human beings, have been selected and empowered by Allah and hold a high place and honour which we were destined to occupy in the whole of God’s creation. This is confirmed in the Holy Qur’an, which states: “And when thy Lord said to the angels, I am going to place a ruler in the earth, they said: Wilt Thou place in it such as make mischief in it and shed blood? And we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness. He said: Surely I know what you know not” (2:30). Opportunity to strengthen our Faith During Ramadan, we were given the opportunity once again by Allah to strengthen our faith and to resolve in fulfilling our obligations and observances of fasting, reflection, devotion, generosity, self-control, tolerance, gratitude, satisfaction, humility, forgiveness and sacrifice, as prescribed in Al-Qur’an (2:183-187), thereby establishing the platform for us to do the things which would be in accordance with the expectations of Allah in order to achieve nearness to Him. Our belief in Almighty Allah is the first requisite of spiritual advancement. Without this, our fasting would not be significant, and there would be no taqwa to gain from whatever acts we perform and consider good deeds. Taqwa, which is understood as self-restraint and God-consciousness, is achieved from all our efforts and sacrifices, our generosity, forgiveness, patience, devotion, treating our fellow beings with love, care and consideration, and many of the virtues which I mentioned earlier. Al-Qur’an states: “It is not taqwa that you turn your faces towards the East or West, but to believe in Allah, the last day, and the angels, and the book, and the messenger, to spend of your substance [wealth, knowledge, skills etc.] out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom from enslavement of members of the brethren and community [from alcohol, drug trafficking, drug abuse, gambling, smoking and other devices detrimental to our health and overall wellbeing]; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity, which must be spontaneous, without any show, and with sincerity, and of one’s own free will” (2:177). Strengthen will to change Allah does not require that any person should deprive himself of the things that are necessary for his own well-being and development. The Holy Prophet (saw) stated that “A man’s wealth is never diminished by charity.” To fulfil contracts and promises you have made, to be firm and patient in adversities of pain, suffering, destitution, or affliction, who guard themselves against evil and who keep their duty. These are the ones who would attain taqwa” (2:177). After Ramadan, many people are spontaneous while some are coerced into making changes to their life for the remaining months of the year in order to raise the level of their consciousness of Allah, and curtail some of their activities, actions, and behaviour, to benefit from the lessons experienced and learnt during the fasting period. There is no way for us to move forward unless and until we take responsibility for changing our conditions. Al-Qur’an addresses the concept of change when it states, in part: “Verily, never will God change the condition of a people until they initiate the change themselves” (13:11). Change is an elusive concept. It is dynamic, inevitable and yet paradoxical and depends on the will and actions of individuals. Although we embrace change, yet something in the nature of man fiercely resists it when it presents itself. We can ask ourselves the question: How do we know when a change has occurred? It is in most cases difficult to measure change, although you have recognised that it may have happened spontaneously or over a period of time. If we examine change in our own life cycle, we would appreciate that

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a curve can be produced to show birth, growth and development, maturity, decline and death, which is a natural law of progress and a natural phenomenon. Our highest development can only be acquired through righteousness and faith, and only then can we fully enjoy the gifts of mercy, forgiveness, and grace from Almighty Allah. In Al-Qur’an, Allah addresses Muslims as “the best of people raised up for mankind since we enjoin what is good and forbid all evil and believe in Him” (3:109). As the chosen people of Allah, we are now called upon to be the standard-bearers of Truth in the universe and are declared to be the best of the people chosen for this purpose. This is the challenge we face as Muslims following from the excellence of the great leader, our Holy Prophet (saw). May Allah continue to bless us with knowledge and wisdom to understand and appreciate the benefits of Ramadan, and grant us the courage, strength, patience and determination to apply these lessons to our everyday life to make us better people, a better community and a better nation. May He bless us and accept our efforts and sacrifices during this holy period and thereafter.

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Eid-ul-Fitr Ever-recurring happiness

(Text of interview with Mr Yamin Alibaksh by Carol Quash, Correspondent, Newsday [18 July 2015, p. 3])

Muslims around the world have ended their fasting during the month of Ramadan and are celebrating Eid ul Fitr. A special prayer called salatul Eid or Eid prayer is said, followed by a sermon. After the sermon Muslims greet each other by saying “Eid Mubarak!” or “Happy Eid”. Many visit relatives and friends. Children often receive money and new clothes, and sweets and other delicacies are served to guests. Yamin Alibaksh, member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Literary Trust (AMLT) in Carapichaima, says the celebration embraces a recognition and appreciation of that part of the Lord ’s Prayer offered by Jesus in the Bible that says “give us this day our daily bread”. “Eid is the Arabic word for ‘ever recurring happiness’ and Chapter 5, verse 114 in the Holy Quran is the only place Eid is mentioned. ‘Jesus, son of Mary said, Oh God/Allah, our Lord, send down to us food from heaven which should lead to the ever recurring happiness (Eid) to the first of us and last of us, and a sign from Thee and give us sustenance and Thou art the best of sustainers.’,” Alibaksh quotes. “That is the reason why we celebrate Eid. It’s all about the spiritual food that Allah provides.” He says the AMLT is an organisation committed to the dissemination of knowledge on Islam for the propagation and defence of Islam. “The AMLT and its international affiliates advocate ideological underpinnings that seek to preserve the pristine teachings of Islam and to clear up some of the misconceptions about its teachings,” ideologies under which the significance of the practices surrounding the celebration of Eid ul Fitr fall. “Islam is international. Prophets from all nations around the world were sent, of which the Prophet Muhammad is the last in the chain. Allah was fair to every single race,” Alibaksh explains.

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“Islam is tolerant. Criticism against Islam must be answered only by word and not by any form of violence, as violence is alien to the practice of Islam. Islam is peaceful and condemns all forms of force.” He describes Jihad as a spiritual, intellectual and moral struggle to reform oneself and others. “Ramadan is a Jihad in itself.” Ramadan is one of the most sacred months in Islam. It was the month in which the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur’an by Allah. It was delivered by the messenger angel, Gabriel. During the month of Ramadan Muslims fast every day from dawn until sunset. They abstain from food and drink, including water, avoid participating in useless discussion, avoid using raised and angry voices, and stay away from activities that distract them from the remembrance of Allah. They are encouraged to participate in extra acts of worship – extra prayer at the masjid, serving and helping those in need, feeding the hungry, and giving sadaqah or charity. Ramadan begins with the sighting of the new moon and continues for 29 or 30 days (depending on the sighting of the next new moon of the next month), and culminates with the Eid celebration. Alibaksh highlights that the true meaning of the fast is operational in the heart and soul, and that all the other activities are only means to an end. “The real reason for the fasting is for the development of the inner faculties of the human being.” Clean and pure thought, a kind and loving heart and a holy and spirited soul infused by the Holy Spirit, using Chapter 2, verses 183-88 of the Holy Qur’an as his point of reference. But he does not hesitate to highlight that fasting did not begin with Islam. “The Holy Quran does not lay claim to the belief of fasting. It was not initiated by Islam. It was spoken of in Deuteronomy 9:9 and Matthew 4:2 in the Holy Bible. We acknowledge in all fairness that it was given to prophets before. There are beautiful messages from all the prophets. They are all intertwined.” Alibaksh maintains that contrary to some theories, Islam is non-sectarian, and that it is rational. “Islam urges the use of knowledge and reason in all matters – religious and secular. It disallows the blind following of religious leaders. And as it regards women, he is resistant to the view that Muslim women are oppressed and seen as less than men. “Islam is the supporter of women. There is a great deal of misunderstanding on this point. A woman is a fully responsible human being, just like a man. She makes her decisions regarding her life.” “And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women.” – (Qur’an – 2:228) He says it is a living religion in which there is contact with a living god, who responds to his believers. Islam, he says, advocates a highly moral realisation in which Muslims are required to develop and practice the highest moral virtues – personal and national – just like the Prophet Muhammad. “And this is the reason for the fast in Ramadan.” He describes Islam as heart-warming, and seeks to conquer hearts and minds through the beauty and truths of its teachings. “There is no compulsion in Islam. It is complete and has perfect guidelines for all men. The Holy Prophet was the perfect example and followed these guidelines.” He identifies the giving of alms during Ramadan as an integral part of Islam. “Muhammad was very generous during this month. If you love God it shows in your service to mankind. Isaiah 58:3-10 has depicted what we try to do during Ramadan. It is the same message in Chapter 2 of the Holy Qur’an.” [Courtesy: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.]

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Gender Equality and Feminism in Islam Simra Zafar

(Text of a talk given at the Family Day held at the Lahore Ahmadiyya Centre, Wembley, UK, on 2 August 2 2015)

Today the topic of my speech is “Gender Equality and Feminism in Islam”. Before I start, I just want to say there’s a difference between culture and religion, so please don’t categorise them together. Okay, firstly, would you put your hand up, please, if you consider yourself to be a feminist …. Feminism. What is it? When most people hear the word feminist they immediately think man-hater or a masculine girl, but that is far from the truth and these are ridiculous stereotypes. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Feminism is a concept that women and men should be treated as intellectual and social equals. Feminists can be either male or female, although the ideology is commonly and incorrectly associated mainly with women. Western feminism has to an extent failed Muslim women. They portray the hijab as a symbol of a patriarchal religion forced upon indoctrinated women; it doesn't take the time to listen to the voices of Muslim women and instead paints its own perception. Feminism should be the freedom to wear the hijab or not, to work or not, and to not be judged on personal choices. Islam gave equal rights to men and women 1500 years ago, whereas Western feminism has only been around for the last 100 years or so. So, what does Islam have to say on feminism? According to the Qur’an, men and women have the same spirit; there is no superiority in the spiritual sense between men and women. [Quran 4:1, 7:189, 42:11] There is no restriction in Islamic law that says a woman cannot work or not have a profession and that her only place is in the home. In fact, by definition, in a truly Islamic society, there must be women physicians, women nurses, women teachers. And if she chooses to work, or if she’s married, with the consent of her husband, she’s entitled to equal pay, not for equal work, but for equal worth. In modern day, equal pay is still an issue. It is more complicated in America than it is in the UK, but roughly in the UK for every pound a man earns a woman earns 80 pence. In America, pay is not only gender-based but on race-based. In Islam, husbands’ and wives’ duties are mutual responsibilities. They might not be identical duties, but the totality of rights and responsibilities are balanced. Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. The approval and consent of the girl to marriage is a must for the validity of marriage in Islam. She has the right to say yes or no. If she says no, the marriage isn’t valid. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband’s. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. Here is a quote I found interesting because it shows the equality between the genders in Islamic terms. “Verily, men who surrender unto God, and women who surrender, and men who believe and women who believe, and men who obey and women who obey, and men who speak the truth and women who speak the truth ... and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard (their modesty), and men who remember God much and women who remember – God hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward” (Holy Qur’an, 33:35).

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Today a prominent feminist role model in our society is Malala Yousafzai. As most of you know, she was shot by the Taliban for promoting education but that didn’t stop her, and even now she is encouraging education. Recently, her 18th birthday passed, and she opened a school for Syrian girls in an informal refugee settlement in Lebanon’s Beka’a Valley. To end, a quote: “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.”

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Two teenaged budding poets

The Endless Memories Irfaan Ahmad

I have no idea where they came about, Or how it was decided, But we are all part of families, Every day I am reminded. They’re watching you grow as a person, They’re proud of the being they nurtured, took care of, cherished, lived for. As they look at you, Passing the odd comment on how you have your mother’s eyes, They realise you are their legacy, Their reminder to people: this is who we were, This is who we will be. A family unit is infinitely important, For support, care, comfort, For knowing someone’s there, For advice, help and love, For knowing someone cares. Our planet passes through seasons again and again, As does a family, passing through seasons, Some bitter, some sweet, But all perfectly memorable, All perfectly complete.

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As our Lord looked down, He realised we needed guidance, Someone to help us, teach us, Look up to, depend on, Gently nurture us. As our Lord looked down, He realised we needed a family, The closest bond between human beings, That there has been or ever will be. Every one of us has so much to be thankful for, For times spent together, The endless memories created, All full of joy and laughter, all full of tears. If it were not for all of you, I don’t know where I’d be, To show me love, compassion and support, Like only you can do.

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A Forgotten Gift Shayaan Ahmad

The wind blows the leaves together, As they form an outline on the bench, Salty teardrops fall from his eyes, While he sits alone in mourning. His baggy blackened eyes turn from side to side, Taking in the sights of the park, Bringing back vivid memories to life, Only to be blown away by a sly, stinging wind. His old dark grey hands quiver, He reaches into his pocket, He pulls out a small brown box, Which had once been a gift from his mother. Just at that moment, a ball strikes him. Chuckles are heard from behind.

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He whimpers and whines like a kitten, In pain the box tumbles, The stinging wind lashes again, It has been thrown to the water, Never to be seen again. He rubs the soft silk on his hat Then places it On his heart, “Thank you for staying with me the whole way,” he muttered, With his cut, crispy lips. – Every word hurt. The sky wraps itself in a pink-orange cloth, For his time was diminishing as fast as he once ran Life had seemed an endless dream until now, It just seemed a game And he was the toy. He places his forehead onto the bench, Which was filled with light, joyful memories, He was a few heartbeats away from greeting his Once feared companion – death. The sun has now disappeared into the night, Alongside, follows his inner soul, seeking the light, All that is left of him is his torn and cut trousers, Darkened shirt, and a discoloured blazer; He was to become a forgotten gift. (These two poems were presented at the Family Day held at the Lahore Ahmadiyya Centre at Wembley, London, on 2 September 2015. – Ed.)

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ISLAM stands for: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND