The Review of Religions December 2017

Christmas and Jesusas
:
What's The Connection?
12
Exclusive Interview:The
Man Behind Al-Qalam
48
What True Islam Is
Really All About
68
Effort vs Natural
Aptittude
82
VOL. 112 - ISSUE TWELVEDECEMBER 2017 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
Imagining The Divine - Art & The Rise Of World Religions
BEHIND
the SCENES
at OXFORD
UNIVERSITY'S
ASHMOLEAN
MUSEUM

The Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa
prophesied
that the Promised Messiahas
would be raised near a
white minaret, east of
Damascus. This prophecy
was fulfilled with the advent
of the Promised Messiahas
from Qadian, India, a city
directly east of Damascus.
The Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
©makhzan-e-tasaweer
founder of
the review of religions
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, the Promised Messiah
and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India.
From an early age he had a keen interest in religion and
developed a love for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
. He
was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve.
Over time his knowledge and understanding of religion
and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim
it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their
source but with the passage of time had drifted away
from their original teachings; he upheld the dignity of
religion and demonstrated its relevance to everyone.
His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed
when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah
– a blessing that he continued for the rest of his life.
His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions
held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It
was through this that he would bring mankind together
and establish everlasting peace.
In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hazrat Ahmadas
founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – a
community that has since grown in its stature and
strength and has remained active in conveying the
message of Islam to the ends of the earth.
Hazrat Ahmadas
had established himself as a respected
writer and had written over 80 books. His writings
have been translated into more than 60 languages and
continue to inspire readers to this day. One of his greatest
scholarly works was The Philosophy of the Teachings of
Islam, prepared as a paper and read out at the Conference
of Great Religions in 1896.
He also wrote a fascinating treatise in 1899 entitled Jesus
in India, a book that uncovered remarkable evidence
of Jesus’sas
journey to India. In 1902, the Promised
Messiahas
initiated The Review of Religions which has
covered a vast array of topics on religion, philosophy
and contemporary issues of the day. It is the longest
running English magazine in defence of Islam and the
values it teaches.
From 1889 until the time of his demise in 1908 tens
of thousands of people accepted him. This blessing
has continued and will continue through his Khulafa
(successors).
Currently under the fifth successor, we are seeing that the
tide of acceptance is worldwide and that the message of
Prophet Ahmadas
has really reached the ends of the earth.
WORLD FAITHS
Brotherhood
And hold fast, all together, by the
rope of Allah and be not divided;
and remember the favour of Allah
which He bestowed upon you
when you were enemies and He
united your hearts in love, so that
by His grace you became brothers;
and you were on the brink of
a pit of fire and He saved you
from it.Thus does Allah explain
to you His commandments
that you may be guided.
ISLAM, THE HOLY QUR’AN,
3:104
Do not hate each other, do
not envy each other, do not
turn away from each other, but
rather be sevants of Allah as
brothers. It is not lawful for a
Muslim to boycott his brother
for more than three days.
ISLAM, SAHIH BUKHARI,
HADITH 5718
You should bear the burden of
your weak brothers. You should
know their deficiencies in faith
and lack of means and share them
by removing these things. You
should treat their physical ailments,
too. No Jama’at [Community]
is worth its name unless the
strong support the weak and
the only way of doing it is that
shortcomings should be covered.
ISLAM, HAZRAT MIRZA
GHULAM AHMADAS
,
MALFUZAT, VOL.3, 347
Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity!
JUDAISM, TORAH, PSALMS
133:1
If a man say, I love God, and
hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he
love God whom he hath not seen?’
CHRISTIANITY, THE BIBLE,
JOHN 4:20
One is my brother and the other
is not - is the thinking of a narrow
minded person. For those who are
broad-minded, liberals, or noble
people, the entire world is one big
family.
HINDUISM, UPANISHAD 6.72
There is only one breath; all
are made of the same clay; the
light within all is the same.
SIKHISM, GURU GRANTH
SAHIB, ANG 96

8 Never Tire of Supplication
HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS
, THE PROMISED
MESSIAH AND IMAM MAHDI
12 Notes and Comments |
: What's
The Connection?
It's Christmas time, and the streets
are filled with glittering gold
decorations, sparkly lights, and
beautifully decorated Christmas
trees. But what is the real connection
between the festive celebrations of
Christmas and the birth of Jesusas
?
NAVIDA SAYED, UK
22 Fatima Al-Fihri:Pioneering
Education for Muslim Women
Visiting one of the oldest universities
in the world, one educator ponders
the legacy of Fatima Al-Fihri, and
Islam's emphasis on education.
SAMANTHA ISSAM, CHICAGO, USA
30 Imagining the Divine - Art
& the Rise of World Religions
The Ashmolean Museum at Oxford
University debuts a new exhibit
focusing on iconography across world
religions - join us for a behind-the-
scenes look at the exhibit.
RIZWAN SAFIR, LONDON, UK
44 A Glimpse into the Life of the
Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
48 Exclusive Interview:The Man
Behind the Al-Qalam Project
Founder Razwan Baig gives us an
insight into the inspiration behind
this truly historic project in which
people from around the world unite,
irrespective of caste, creed or religion,
to write a verse of the Holy Qu'ran.
Front cover picture:
The Bowl with Kufic Script, Ashmolean
Museum, University of Oxford
CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2017 VOL.112 - ISSUE TWELVE
22
30
58 The Al-Qalam Project
Islamic calligraphy is on of the most
venerated forms of calligraphy and
is considered to be the pinnacle
of Islamic art.The Al-Qalam
Project reignites this ancient art
form in today's generation.
SHAHZAD AHMAD, LONDON, UK
64 What Does the Minaret
Symbolise
, THE
PROMISED MESSIAH AND IMAM MAHDI
68 What True Islam Is Really
All About: Women Speak Out
Freelance journalist Sarah Linney had
the opportunity to visit the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community's Annual
Convention in Alton, Hampshire.
After spending a whole day with
over 35,000 Muslims, she reflects on
her experiences and what the true
teachings of Islam are really about.
SARAH LINNEY, UK
82 Effort vs Natural Aptitude
Salvation: achieved through one's
own effort or natural ability, or both?
, THE PROMISED
MESSIAH AND IMAM MAHDI
88 Calendar of Religious Events

MANAGEMENT BOARD
Munir-Ud-Din Shams (Chairman), Syed Amer Safir (Secretary), Mubarak Ahmad Zaffar, Abdul Baqi Arshad,
Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Naseer Qamar, Abid Waheed Ahmad Khan, Aziz Ahmad Bilal
WORLD
CRISIS
M I R Z A M A S R O O R A H M A D
PEACE
andthePathwaytoThe world is passing through very turbulent times.The
global economic crisis continues to manifest newer and
graver dangers almost every week. The similarities to
the period just before the Second World War continue
to be cited and it seems clear that events are moving
the world at an unprecedented pace towards a horrific
Third World War.
In this book, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad,
the Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community warns the world of the fast approaching
dangers and how it can avert disaster and chart a
course to peace.
WORLD
CRISIS
PEACE
andthePathwayto
9 781848 808584
ISBN 184880858-5
9 781848 808577
ISBN 184880857-7
WORLDCRISISandthePathwaytoPEACEMIRZAMASROORAHMAD
Please Note.
Background colour:
C=10
M=10
Y=0
K=100
From His Holiness – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
– comes a groundbreaking vision for how to estab-
lish long-lasting peace in a world fraught with rapidly
increasing disorder and unrest. His Holiness reminds
world leaders that the flames of war are already burn-
ing through local and regional conflicts and we stand
at the precipice of another world war. If these sparks
were to truly ignite we could witness the horrific
reality of a nuclear war, whose consequences are
unimaginable. His Holiness is the Worldwide Head
and Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
– which has tens of millions of followers in over
200 countries.
World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace is a collection
of the historic addresses and letters by His Holiness to
world leaders and influential figures. In this book, His
Holiness offers consummate analysis on all aspects
of the global crisis; political, economic, social and
spiritual and provides the golden keys to resolving
the critical problems the world faces. In a world where
existing strategies for peace have failed and peo-
ple are desperately looking for a new direction, His
Holiness presents fresh and practical solutions, giving
hope that we can still prevent a global catastrophe.
(continued on back flap)
s,
d
y,
n
e
-
t
e
r
c
-
e
m
f
-
f
n
s
s
o
.,
e
s
d
a
f
e
y
d
r-
ll
s
d
r-
The world is passing through turbulent times.The global economic crisis
continues to manifest new and grave dangers at every juncture.The
similarities of the current circumstances to the build-up of the Second
WorldWar are stark. Events appear to be moving us rapidly towards a
ThirdWorldWar.The consequences of a nuclear war are beyond
our imagination.
In this book, the historic addresses of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
, Fifth
Khalifah of the Promised Messiahas
and Supreme Head of the worldwide
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to prominent dignitaries at Capitol Hill, the
House of Commons, the European Parliament and other notable locations
around the world have been collated.The book also includes the momentous
letters sent by His Holiness to the numerous world leaders. Over and over
again, His Holiness has reminded all that the only means of averting a global
catastrophe is for nations to establish justice as an absolute requirement of
their dealings with others. Even if mutual enmity exists, impartiality must
be observed at all times, because history has taught us that this alone is
the way to eliminate all traces of hatred and to build everlasting peace.
Read online at: www.alislam.org
Purchase the book here:
http://store.alislam.org/
CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER
Syed Amer Safir
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Nakasha Ahmad
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Tazeen Ahmad
NORTH & SOUTH AMERICAN COORDINATOR
Tariq Haroon Malik
ISLAM & CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Editor: Shahzad Ahmad
Deputy: Zafir Malik
RELIGION & SCIENCE
Editor: Dr. Syed Muhammad Tahir Nasser
Deputy: Dr.Tauseef Khan
LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS
Editor: Ayesha Mahmood Malik
ANCIENT RELIGIONS & ARCHAEOLOGY
Editor: Fazal Ahmad
Deputy: Rizwan Safir
CHRISTIANITY
Editor: Navida Sayed
Deputy: Arif Khan
WOMEN’S SECTION
Editor: Aliya Latif
Deputy: Meliha Hayat
RACE & EQUALITY
Editor: Hassan Wahab
BOOK REVIEWS
Editor: Dr. Sarah Waseem
WEB TEAM
Mubashra Ahmad, Hibba Turrauf
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Head: Razwan Baig
EDITORIAL BOARD
Sayed Mubashir Ahmad Ayaz, Mansoor Saqi, Bockarie
Tommy Kallon, Professor Amtul Razzaq Carmichael, Mansoor
Zia, Jonathan Butterworth,Tamim Abodaqa, Murtaza Ahmad,
Qudsi Rasheed, Fiona O’Keeffe, Waqar Ahmedi
ART & DESIGN
Art Editor: Ahsan Khan
Deputy Art Editor & YouTube Coordinator: Zubair Hayat
Design & YouTube Assistants: Musawer Din, Usman Shahzad Butt
INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION
Muhammad Hanif
ACCOUNTS & MARKETING
Musa Sattar
SUB-EDITORS
Munawara Ghauri (Head), Maryam Malik, Nusrat Haq,
PROOFREADERS
Farhana Dar (Head), Hina Ahmedi, Amina Abbasi, Aisha Patel Mzien
HOUSE STYLE GUIDE
Maleeha Ahmad (Head), Sadia Shah
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Mariam Rahman, Mahida Javed, Munazza Khan
SOCIAL MEDIA
Mala Khan (Head), Hajra Ahmad (Deputy), Mishall Rehman (Deputy),
Nudrat Ahmad, Shumaila Ahmad, Saniya Ahmad, Adeeba Tahir
INDEXING,TAGGING & ARCHIVING
Mirza Krishan Ahmad (Head). Amtus Shakoor Tayyaba Ahmed
(Deputy). Humaira Omer, Humda Sohail, Shahid Malik, Ruhana
Hamood, Mubahil Shakir, Adila Bari, Hassan Raza Ahmad

The
Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
( g u i d e d o n e )
founder of
B
lessed are the prisoners who never tire of supplication,
for they shall one day be freed.Blessed are the blind who
are not listless in their prayers,for they shall one day see.
Blessed are those lying in graves who supplicate to God for help
and succour,for one day they shall be taken out of their graves.
Blessed are you who never tire of supplication,your soul melts
in prayer, your eyes shed tears, and a fire kindles in your breast
which takes you to dark closets and wildernesses so that you
may taste solitude and drives you to restlessness and near mad-
ness, for you shall finally receive Divine bounties.The God to
Whom I invite is very Gracious, Merciful, Modest, True and
Faithful. He bestows His mercy on the humble ones. You too
should be faithful and pray with all sincerity and faith so that
He may bestow His mercy on you. Dissociate yourselves from
the commotion of the world and do not give religious com-
plexion to your egoistic disputes. Accept defeat for the sake of
God so that you may become heirs to great victories.God will
show miracles to those who supplicate and those who ask will
be blessed with extraordinary grace. Prayer comes from God
and to Him it returns.Through prayer God becomes as close to
you as your very life.The first blessing of prayer is that it brings
about a holy change in a person, as a consequence of which
Never Tire of
Supplication

God also brings about a transformation in His attributes. His
attributes are indeed immutable, but for such a transformed
person He shows a different manifestation of which the world
knows nothing. It would seem as if He had become another
God, whereas, in fact, there is no other God.The truth is that
it is a new manifestation of His which portrays Him in an
altogether different light.It is then that God,in honour of this
special manifestation, does for the transformed one what He
does not do for others.These are what are known as miracles.1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, Lecture Sialkot, (Tilford, Surrey: Islam
International Publications, 2007), 32-33.
TRUE ISLAM
finding the
spiritual
path
will God respond to
my call?
Find it at the 3-day True Islam
Spiritual Retreat
VENUE:
BRANKSOME PLACE,
HASLEMERE, SURREY,
GU27 3PN
NATURE WALKS
SPIRITUAL TALKS
MEDITATION & PRAYER
WORKSHOPS
FIND OUT MORE
& BOOK ONLINE:
WWW.TRUE-ISLAM.UK
22-24
DECEMBER
2017
www.True-Islam.uk
@True_IslamUK
www.reviewofreligions.org

people know what the true meaning of
Christmas actually is, this is a time for
giving and sharing. There sure is a lot
going on at Christmas; however a pause
for thought and one wonders what is
Christmas really about?
The first thing people associate with
Christmas is the birthday of Jesusas
.
However,the topic of the exact birthday
of Jesusas
has been debated for decades.
Scholars and theologians,including Pope
Benedict XVI, agree that Jesusas
was not
born on the 25th
of December.1
One
would naturally turn to the scriptures as
an authoritative document but the prob-
lem we face is that there is no mention of
Jesus’as
birthdate on December the 25th
or any other date in the New Testament.
What we do find in the New Testament
W
alk into any shopping mall
this season and you are
sure to come across the
famous song ‘I’m Dreaming of a White
Christmas’ playing somewhere in the
background. As temperatures plummet,
in some places people eagerly anticipate
at white Christmas – the perfect scene for
Santa and his sleigh.But Santa isn’t only
confined to the snowy parts of the world.
He also makes his way to Christmas par-
ties on the beach with barbeques in the
heat of Australia on 25th
of December.
The season is also peak time for the
entertainment world with blockbuster
movies about the nativity or Santa,theat-
rical plays and pantomimes.In the midst
of all the hustle and bustle of Christmas
preparations, this is the busiest time for
charities around the world feeding the
homeless and providing shelter.
Charities play a pivotal role in ensuring
that no one is left out of Christmas fes-
tivities by providing presents, food and
shelter for the homeless, and this chari-
table effort extends to poverty-stricken
countries to raise funds for them too.
By far the most important aspect of
Christmas is that it unites family and
friends, even if it means travelling from
the other side of the world to be with
their nearest and dearest. Regardless of
any family disputes or disagreements,the
goodwill of the Christmas celebration
unites loved ones and enables every-
one to gather in one room at the same
time to enjoy a traditional Christmas
dinner. Regardless of whether or not
:
What's the
Connection?
The shepherds were watching
their sheep at the time of
Jesus’as
birth. It is highly
unlikely that the shepherds
would have been watching
over their flock at night in the
cold month of December, so
this indicates that the spring
lambing season was probably
in a warmer season, not in
the month of December.
Many Christian scholars are of the
opinion that Jesusas
was not born on
the 25th
of December as is commonly
believed. His Holiness Pope Benedict
XVI has also agreed with this point.
Frippitaun | Shutterstock
BY NAVIDA SAYED, UK
NOTES
&
COMMENTS
12 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS | DECEMBER 2017 DECEMBER 2017 | THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 13

high and mountainous regions about
Bethlehem. But the exact time of his
birth is unknown; there is no way to
ascertain it.’3
Many other biblical commentators sug-
gest that the birth of Jesusas
took place in
the warm season. The Holy Qur’an also
sheds light on this:
‘...the angel called her from beneath her,
saying, “grieve not. Thy lord has placed
a rivulet below thee; and shake towards
thyself the trunk of the palm-tree; it will
drop upon thee fresh ripe dates; so eat
and drink and cool thine eye.”’4
These verses about the birth of Jesusas
mention how Mary took advantage of
the shade under a date tree during labour
and God provided her with the dates to
eat; yet this would not be possible in
December, when dates are not ripe.
The question arises, then, that if
December 25th
is not the birthdate of
Jesusas
then how and when did Christmas
celebrations and traditions enter the folds
of Christianity?
Historical evidence informs us ‘the rea-
son why Christmas came to be celebrated
on December 25th
remains uncertain,but
most probably the reason is that early
Christians wished the date to coincide
with the pagan Roman festival mark-
ing the “birthday of the unconquered
sun” (natalis solis invicti); this festival
celebrated the winter solstice, when the
days again begin to lengthen and the sun
begins to climb higher in the sky.’5
As researcher David Ingraham writes,‘In
A.D. 375, the Church announced that
Christ’s date of birth had been discov-
ered to be December 25th
. This date was
without biblical or historical grounds,
however and became official for the sake
of convenience so that the celebration of
the birth of Christ could be merged with
are clues as to when the birth of Jesusas
may have occurred; the gospel of Luke
sheds some light on this:
‘And there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night.’2
According to the above verse, the
shepherds were watching their sheep
at the time of Jesus’as
birth. It is highly
unlikely that the shepherds would have
been watching over their flock at night
in the cold month of December, so this
indicates that the spring lambing season
was probably in a warmer season, not in
the month of December. In relation to
this, Albert Barnes, an American theo-
logian of the 19th century, writes in his
commentary,
‘It is probable from this that our Saviour
was born before the 25th
December, or
before what we call “Christmas.” At
that time it is cold, and especially in the
The Qur'an mentions the miraculous birth
of Jesusas
and states that under divine
command, Mary, the mother of Jesusas
, took
shelter under a ripe date tree, indicating
that the time of birth was summer, rather
than December as popularly believed.
Rahhai | Shutterstock
Historical evidence informs
us ‘the reason why Christmas
came to be celebrated on
December 25th
remains
uncertain, but most probably
the reason is that early
Christians wished the date
to coincide with the pagan
Roman festival marking the
“birthday of the unconquered
sun” (natalis solis invicti)'
christmas and jesusas
: what's the
connection?

pagan festivities of the season.’6
The festival of Christmas was simply
assimilated by the church via a process
of syncretism solely for their purposes
claiming it as the time of the Jesus’as
birth
and celebrating it accordingly. The New
Catholic Encyclopedia states,
‘Christmas originated at a time when the
cult of the sun was particularly strong at
Rome.This theory finds support in some
of the Church Fathers’ contrasting the
birth of Christ and the winter solstice.
Though the substitution of Christmas for
the pagan festival cannot be proved with
certainty, it remains the most plausible
explanation for the dating of Christmas.’7
Christmas began in Rome with a birth-
date for Jesusas
and the traditions of
Saturnalia and Yule festivities morphed
and gradually spread across the globe.All
popular forms of Christmas traditions
such as the Christmas tree, mistletoe,
gift-giving and Santa Claus all have a
historical background in pagan customs.8
Many individuals see Christmas as a
religious festival where families come
together and celebrate, but there is no
real connection between Christmas
and Jesusas
at all. Christmas, however,
having been established for centuries,
is exceedingly popular, fun and such a
deeply-rooted tradition for people that
it would be difficult for them to abandon
or stop celebrating it.
Even the story of Santa has been debated,
particularly as to whether or not lying
to children about Santa Claus is dam-
aging. Writing in The Lancet Psychiatry,
psychologist Christopher Boyle and
researcher Kathy McKay state that the
story may lead to distrust: 'If they are
capable of lying about something so spe-
cial and magical,can they be relied upon
to continue as the guardians of wisdom
and truth?'.9
Whilst there are differing parental views
when it comes to explaining the origins
of Christmas to children,the majority of
parents may overlook things. The point
is that if everything about Christmas
including Jesus’as
birthdate is not accurate
then children may grow up to have doubt
in their faith,questioning what the truth
is.From a religious perspective this could
be seen as a tough test of faith especially
because celebrations such as Christmas
don’t match up with the Biblical accounts
and cannot be perceived as reality.
Regardless of the popularity of Christmas
celebrations on 25th
December, the
In 375 CE Church elders declared 25th
December to be the official birthdate of
Jesusas
. It seems that this was intended
to coincide with the pagan festival of
the sun called natalis solis invicti.
Mountainpix | Shutterstock
Despite the enigma surrounding the birth
of Jesusas
, his mission was clear: to gather
the lost tribes that had been exiled from
Jerusalem, first by the Assyrians and
then the Babylonians. As the Promised
Messiahas
has revealed, they travelled
along the silk route, some settling in
Afghanistan and others at Kashmir.
Thoom | Shutterstock
Even the story of Santa has
been debated, particularly
as to whether or not lying
to children about Santa
Claus is damaging. Writing
in The Lancet Psychiatry,
psychologist Christopher
Boyle and researcher Kathy
McKay state that the story
may lead to distrust.

are at liberty to conclude that I have not
come from God Almighty. However, if
this wisdom and understanding – which
serves as the water of life for those whose
hearts are dead – is not procurable from
any other source,then you have no excuse
for the crime of having rejected the foun-
tain that has been opened from heaven.
No one on earth can stop it.’12
...............................................................
About the Author:Navida Sayed is a long
serving member on the Editorial Board of
The Review of Religions and is currently
Editor of the Christianity Section. She has
been the Coordinator of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community’s Women’s Research
Team UK since 1992, whose work has
predominantly revolved around Biblical
studies.
...............................................................
endnotes
1. Pollak, S. (2017). Pope Benedict
Disputes Jesus’Date of Birth | TIME.
com. [online] TIME.com. Available at:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/22/
pope-benedict-disputes-jesus-date-of-birth/
2.The Bible, Luke 2:8.
3. Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on
Luke 2:8". "Barnes' Notes on the New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/
commentaries/bnb/luke-2.html. 1870.
4.The Holy Qur’an, 19:25-27.
5. POSS, J. (2017). Articles by Subject. [online]
Graceandtruthministries.org. Available at:
https://graceandtruthministries.org/why_
december_25th.html
6. Ingraham, D. (2000). Pagan traditions of the
holidays. Oklahoma City, Okla.: Hearthstone
Pub. pg.102
7.The New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 3 (New
York: McGraw Hill, 1967), 656.
8. Rätsch, C. and Müller-Ebeling, C. (2006).
Pagan Christmas. Rochester, Vt.: Inner
Traditions.
9. Boyle, Christopher & McKay, Kathy. (2016).
A wonderful lie.The Lancet Psychiatry. 3. 1110-
1111. 10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30363-7.
10.The Bible, Matthew 5:17.
11.The Bible, Deuteronomy 12:29-32.
12. https://www.alislam.org/library/books/
Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya-Parts1-2.pdf
problem is that there is no theologi-
cal evidence in any Biblical ancient
documents or scriptures to support its
connection with Jesusas
. Jesusas
neither
observed Christmas nor taught others
to observe it.
Jesusas
was definitely born to his pious
mother Mary of a miraculous virgin
birth and came to earth for a purpose.
Reflecting on the purpose of Jesusas
com-
ing to earth and his mission, we learn
from the New Testament that Jesusas
was
a devout follower of the Old Testament
which taught against idol worship,there-
fore it seems highly unlikely that Jesusas
would ever wish for his followers to wor-
ship him as an idol after his death.
‘Do not think that I came to abolish the
Law or the Prophets; I did not come to
abolish, but to fulfill.’10
This verse in the Gospel of Matthew tells
us how Jesusas
was a devout follower of
the Old Testament law, which warned
against adopting pagan worship customs
to honor Him.11

The celebrations of Christmas in some
parts of the world such as partying or
merry making and excessive indulgence
are certainly not what Jesusas
may have
guided his followers to do. Christmas
has probably continued to be celebrated
without a pause for thought about its
exact origins or true meaning. However,
there are good things that occur during
the festive season in many countries such
as charitable efforts to feed and support
the homeless and acts of kindness,which
Jesusas
humbly taught.
This festive season is a good time to
reflect on the true purpose and life of
Jesus’as
true mission on earth to fulfill and
guide people to follow the Mosaic Law,
and to gather the lost sheep of Israel. At
the same time Jesusas
also guided peo-
ple about the prophecies for the future
especially relating to his second coming.
As followers of the true Promised
Messiahas
, we feel it is incumbent upon
us to disseminate the message that the
Promised Messiahas
has come.
The Promised Messiahas
says:
‘I tell you truly that those who were
revived by the Messiahas
[Jesus] are dead,
but he who will drink of the cup that has
been bestowed upon me will never die.
If there is anyone else who can also utter
the life-giving words that I speak and
proclaim such wisdom as I do, then you
christmas and jesusas
: what's the
connection?

TheHONOURofPROPHETS
another. The
s of religion.
hless, yet the
alvation. So
e Promised
ure is weak,
o, owing to
or humanity,
ra, God has
ts, but none
of Islam in
present age,
ercessor that
ree mankind
hilosophy of
ilty and his
HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD
The Promised Messiah and Mahdi
Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
HAZRATMIRZAGHULAMAHMAD
The
HONOUR
of
PROPHETS
E
very human being seeks salvation in some form or another. The
concept of salvation holds pivotal importance in matters of religion.
A faith unable to deliver its followers from sin is worthless, yet the
progress and benefit of society depends on this very salvation. So where
should one turn to attain it?
In this work, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah
and Mahdi, explains that since human nature is weak, salvation can only be
attained through a mediator who, owing to their perfect relationship with
God and deep sympathy for humanity, can serve as a link between God and
man. In every era, God has conferred salvation upon humanity through His
prophets, but none can match the unparalleled status held by the Prophet
of Islam in this respect, who was the paragon of perfection. In the present
age, it is this pure and blessed prophet who is the only intercessor that can
grant humanity a living relationship with God and free mankind from the
shackles of sin.
The author presents an exquisite exposition on the philosophy of divine
intercession, sinlessness, forgiveness, human frailty and his advent as the
Promised Messiah.
NEW
BOOK
The
HONOUR
of
PROPHETS

A teacher reflects on the legacy of Islam’s
strong emphasis on education while visit-
ing a university founded by Muslim woman
Fatima Al-Fihri.
__________________________
R
ecently, I was blessed with the
opportunity to visit Fez in
Morocco. I walked through
slender maze-like alleyways filled with
tourists and local residents, selling eve-
rything from fruits to leather shoes. My
husband and I were deep inside the exu-
berant and colourful medina when we
arrived at our destination,a truly histori-
cal site.We could have missed it if it were
not for the signs. Tucked away behind
a small door and the towering walls of
the medina was the entry to the oldest
degree-granting university in the world,
which is still in operation today.Hidden
Of course, as someone who
knows Islam’s stance on
the empowerment and
education of women, I was
less surprised and more
inspired by this woman who
was undoubtedly driven by
the true teachings of Islam.
The University of Al Quaraouiyine is the
oldest continuously-operating university
in the world. It is commonly alleged that
women in Islam are inferior to men, yet this
ancient university was founded by a Muslim
woman named Fatima Al-Fihri in 859 CE.
Maurizio de Mattei | Shutterstock
Fatima Al-Fihri: Pioneering
Education for Muslim
Women
SAMANTHA ISSAM, CHICAGO, USA
POINT
OF
VIEW
Saiko3p | Shutterstock
DECEMBER 2017 | THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 23

behind the small doors and narrow alley-
ways was an impressive courtyard with
beautiful fountains and stairs to vast
prayer halls.
Universities date back to medieval
Europe, specifically the Universities of
Bologna, Paris, Oxford and Cambridge.
However, I visited and learned about an
institution of higher learning that pre-
dates even these storied institutions.
The University and Mosque of Al
Quaraouiyine, founded in 859 CE, was
the largest mosque in the entirety of
North Africa at the time of its construc-
tion.Not only is it inspirational to know
that the oldest degree-granting university
was founded by a Muslim, it may shock
some to know it was initiated, planned
and funded by a Muslim woman, over
1100 years ago.
Of course,as someone who knows Islam’s
stance on the empowerment and educa-
tion of women, I was less surprised and
more inspired by this woman who was
undoubtedly driven by the true teach-
ings of Islam.
Fatima Al-Fihri was the daughter of a
wealthy merchant and is defined in his-
tory as a pious Muslim woman. When
she inherited a large sum of money from
her father, instead of squandering it on
herself, she made the selfless choice to
use it to advance her community by fund-
ing and building a mosque and madrassa
(school). Her financial sacrifice is the
perfect example of putting one’s faith
over all worldly things and the emphasis
she put on education and religion show
how devoted she was to the teachings
of Islam.
Personally, as an elementary school
teacher and a lifelong student, I have
Courtyard of the University of Quaraouiyine, Fez, Morocco. Fatima Al-Fihri was
the daughter of a wealthy merchant and inherited a large sum of money, which
she used to promote education by building and maintaining the university.
Milosk50 | Shutterstock
Islam places great emphasis on education.
The founder of Islam, the Holy Prophetsa
stated that seeking knowledge is incumbent
upon every Muslim man and woman.
Islam ensured that women had the right
to education from the very outset.
Fongbeerredhot | Shutterstock

always found solace in and appreciation
for the emphasis on education within
Islam.With my experience of teaching in
low-income neighbourhoods,I can easily
recognise the impact a quality education,
or the lack thereof,can have on a person’s
life. Proper schooling is a blessing that
most of us have been given, but all too
many people go without.
Education is the key to moving human-
ity forward.Making schools and teachers
available to all, allows for more equal
opportunities for every person and will
provide us with the cures to today’s
world’s problems. Whether it is the
earth’s climate crisis or making peace
between nations, education lights the
path to the solution.
That is why I am grateful to be a member
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
which has invested in education and built
schools worldwide, hoping to eliminate
disparities in schooling based on gender
and economic status. This community
recognises the essential role of educa-
tion in Islam,just as earlier Muslims did
as well.
It is no coincidence that many of the
Muslim men and women I have met
since my conversion in 2014 are among
the most educated people I know. Our
faith clearly encourages, nay, obliges us
to seek education.
'It is the duty of every Muslim man and
every Muslim woman to acquire knowl-
edge.' With this Hadith (oral tradition),
the Prophet Muhammadsa
makes it
known that all of humanity should take
full advantage of every opportunity for
learning. He was also known to have
said that one must search for education
from the cradle until death, even if it
meant travelling to China.The scholarly
Fatima Al-Fihri enabled her community
to be successful servants of God by pro-
viding them with resources for greater
fatima al-fihri: pioneering education for
muslim women
Muslims following the
instructions of Prophet
Muhammadsa
understand
the importance placed
on education, especially
for girls. As a result, we
have countless examples of
historical Muslim women
who have been excellent
contributors to society at
large, like Fatima Al-Fihri.
knowledge.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that today
there are many people who misunder-
stand the teachings of the true Islam.
Many believe that Islam teaches the
oppression of women, whereas that is
completely contrary to the Islam that we
find in the Qur’an and Ahadith. Before
the advent of Prophet Muhammadsa
,
families would bury their infant daugh-
ters out of shame. But when he came,
he outlawed this horrendous practice
in Arabia and transformed the people
by teaching men to respect women and
value their daughters.The Holy Prophetsa
said, 'He who gives the best upbringing
and education to his daughters shall enter
Paradise.' Here, again, he encouraged to
spend their resources not only on their
sons, but also on their daughters.
Some see men as oppressors of Muslim
women,when in fact they are asked to be
a source of empowerment and education
for their daughters.While some Muslims
are plainly going against the teachings of
the Holy Prophetsa
, oppressing women
or depriving them of an education, the
difference between them and Muslims
adhering to true Islamic teachings is
striking.
Muslims following the instructions of
Prophet Muhammadsa
understand the
importance placed on education, espe-
cially for girls. As a result, we have
countless examples of historical Muslim
women who have been excellent con-
tributors to society at large, like Fatima
Al-Fihri.
This woman made an enormous sacrifice
and founded a religious and educational
establishment that changed history, and
she is not alone. Empowered and edu-
cated Muslim women around the world
are doctors,lawyers,educators,politicians
and are successful in other fields as well.
They are persevering high-achievers who
are staying true to their faith.
In the centre of this stunning mosque
and madrassa stands an elegant fountain.
Created in honour of Fatima Al-Fihri,it
is a reminder to us all. Never forget the
lessons that can be learnt from such a
pious woman. She made immense sac-
rifices by staying true to the teachings
of Islam and valuing education for all in
her community.
Let us pray to be among the true follow-
ers of Islam, who, like Fatima Al-Fihri,
set an example for other Muslims. We
must recognise that education is a wealth

Let us pray to be among the
true followers of Islam, who,
like Fatima Al-Fihri, set an
example for other Muslims.
We must recognise that
education is a wealth that
cannot be taken from us.
that cannot be taken from us.
'He grants wisdom to whom He pleases,
and whoever is granted wisdom has
indeed been granted abundant good;
and none would take heed except those
endowed with understanding.'1
Let us always show gratitude to God for
the knowledge He has blessed us with,
continue striving for self-improvement
and be advocates for equal education
around the world.
...............................................................
About the Author: Samantha Issam is a
preschool teacher in Chicago, Illinois. She
has traveled extensively in Morocco, speaks
French and is studying Arabic. She accepted
Islam in 2014 after her own independent
study and joined Islam Ahmadiyyat in
2015.
.................................................................
endnotes
1.The Holy Qur’an 2:270.
Saiko3p | Shutterstock
YOUR FEEDBACK IS
IMPORTANT TO US
Write to us with comments,
feedback and suggestions at
info@Reviewof Religions.org

Imagining The Divine -
Art & The Rise of
World Religions
Behind the scenes at Oxford
University's Ashmolean Museum
EXCLUSIVE
Base of an oval, gold-glass serving dish:
a married couple surrounded by Biblical
scenes of salvation. Italy, 3rd-4th century
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

critical point.In March 2001,the Taliban
destroyed two monumental statues of
Buddhaas
in the Hazarajat region of
Afghanistan. The statues had stood for
almost 1500 years, each over 100 feet
tall and carefully carved into sandstone
cliffs, before the Taliban government
ordered their destruction (incidentally,
by dynamite).
'To associate the entire history of Islam
with that act is as absurd as the act of
destroying it'
Elsner’s reminder was timely, given
the current context of the destruction
of religious iconography in the Islamic
world.Thousands of years and hundreds
of Muslim rulers came and passed,
yet the Bamiyan Buddhas, along with
O
n October 18th
2017, The Review
of Religions were invited to a
press preview of the Ashmolean
Museum’s new exhibition entitled
‘Imagining the Divine: A journey through
the art of religions from India to Ireland’.
The BBC, various newspapers and maga-
zines as well as foreign media were present
for the exclusive guided tour by the exhibi-
tion curators in Oxford, UK.
The exhibition was born out of the Empires
of Faith research project, a joint collabora-
tion between Oxford University and the
British Museum, with funding from the
Leverhulme Trust. Three curators accom-
panied the delegation on the tour:
Professor Jas Elsner: A professor in Classical
Art at Oxford University, holding previous
prestigious positions in France, Germany
and the USA.
Dr Stefanie Lenk: A DPhil candidate at
Oxford University in Art History specialis-
ing in pre-Christian imagery.
Dr Robert Bracey: A numismatics (coins)
specialist and curator at the British Museum
responsible for south and central Asian
collections.
________________________
'For a thousand years,Islam tolerated the
[Bamiyan Buddhas].What happened is a
one-off.Unfortunately,it’s a very destruc-
tive one-off.'
It appeared somewhat of a tangent,
but Professor Jas Elsner was making a
Imagining the Divine -
Art & The Rise of
World Religions
The world of religious
iconography is a complex one.
Islam’s position is clear. Images
and objects used to depict
God, or used to intercede
in contact with God, are
avoided. Instead, prayer and
scripture occupy the central
fabric of religious worship.
The Bamiyan Buddhas stood for hundreds
of years in Afghanistan, carved into the
side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley (above
left). Yet the Taliban used dynamite to
destroy them in 2008, shown above right.
Carl Montgomery | Wikimedia Commons
| Released under CC BY-SA 3.0
RIZWAN SAFIR, LONDON, UK

which preceded them.
The world of religious iconography is
a complex one. Islam’s position is clear.
Images and objects used to depict God,
or used to intercede in contact with
God, are avoided. However, intolerance
towards other faiths and their religious
emblems is equally discouraged. In this
matter,the Taliban and other such groups
should look no further than the words of
the founder of Islam, the Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa
:
'You will meet those who remem-
ber Almighty Allah in their houses of
worship.Have no dispute with them,and
give no trouble to them. In the enemy
country, do not kill any women or chil-
dren,or the blind,or the old.Do not pull
down any tree; nor pull down any build-
ing' (Quoted from Halbiyyah, Vol. 3)
Prayer and scripture occupy the cen-
tral fabric of religious worship in
Islam. Other religions, indeed even a
few sects of Islam, hold religious ico-
nography as fundamental to worship.
The Ashmolean Museum’s exhibition
countless statues and iconography of var-
ious religions,remained unmolested and
survived, only for exceptionally rare acts
of demolition to remove them entirely.
Unfortunately,it is such exceptional acts
that occupy historical memories, rather
than the extensive periods of preservation
Footprints of the Buddha - Slab sculpture
carved on the front with Buddhapada
(footprints of the Buddha), each foot
bearing a dharmacakra (wheel of the law)
and lotuses. Deccan, India, 2nd
Century.
Trustees of the British Museum Central
art and the rise of world religions
Central roundel from the Hinton St Mary
Mosaic, Dorset, early 4th
Century.
Trustees of the British Museum

remarkably well,but the broader mosaic,
which is somewhat damaged, included
a depiction of a typical Roman pagan
scene.It provides a clear reminder of how
pagan myths, adopted from the Roman
Empire,permeated into Christian theol-
ogy and iconography.
Elsewhere in the Christianity section,
iconography on display show how early
images of Jesusas
alternate between
bearded and non-bearded, as Christians
grappled with what image of Jesusas
to
settle on. Professor Elsner noted,
‘As Christianity develops, it takes about
delves into this complex discussion by
showcasing incredible objects from
around the world, but centring on the
world’s five major religions; Hinduism,
Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and
Islam. Guided by Professor Jas Elsner,
Dr Stefanie Lenk (both of Oxford
University) and Dr Robert Bracey
(from the British Museum), the exhibi-
tion negotiates several centuries and vast
geographic lands,drawing together care-
fully selected objects relating to religious
worship.
In one space, visitors are able to observe
and explore the importance of iconogra-
phy which has, and continues to, relate
to billions across the globe. One exam-
ple which stood out – admittedly,due to
it being used in most of the exhibitions
promotional material – was a vast set of
footprints,presenting an incredible story.
‘For the first 300 years of Buddhism,
people extensively make images,but they
do not depict the Buddha. Only around
100 AD…people suddenly start to make
images of Buddha’.
Dr Bracey focuses our attention on enor-
mous stone feet placed on a low plinth,
apparently one of only two early pieces
of Buddhist art in Europe. European
collectors of the 18th
and 19th
centuries
favoured the later image of Buddhaas
– one of the famed seated figure in a
meditative or trance-like state, now
ubiquitous in modern Buddhist culture.
The assumption was that such Buddhist
statues were traceable to the time of
Buddhaas
himself, but for the first three
centuries after his demise only wheels,
footprints, motifs (such as the swastika
symbol, later maladapted for use by the
Nazi’s) or even void spaces were used as
representations.
Why was this the case? The curators say
this remains debated.But it appears some
instruction would have prevented early
Buddhists from creating images of this
sacred individual.
Continuing through the exhibition,now
in the Christianity section, we are pre-
sented with the oldest image of Christas
known in northern Europe,certainly the
oldest in the UK. Found in Hinton St.
Mary’s Church in Dorset (UK), it was
part of a larger, truly astonishing mosaic
floor. The Greco-Roman influences on
this image are striking.
In the background, circling the image
of Christ is the ‘chi-ro’ symbol, refer-
ring to the first letters of Jesus Christ’sas
name in Greek.The image has preserved
Bowl with Kufic script - Eastern
Iran 10th
Century.
Victoria and Albert Museum

the time – decorate objects such as pot-
tery.Literature and writing dominate this
section.
‘The materiality of the written word plays
an enormously central part in the very
earliest spread of Islam.’
Dr Bracey stressed the above as we
filtered through this segment of the exhi-
bition.It was through the dissemination
of manuscripts and leafs of the Qur’an,
believed by Muslims to be the Word of
God,that Islam was able to briskly spread
in the century following the Prophet
Muhammadsa
.However,one aspect of the
written word spread through a medium
that is often overlooked; Islamic coin-
age heralded somewhat of a revolution in
how coins were meant to appear. At this
point,Dr Bracey – a numismatics (coins)
specialist – naturally grew in excitement
400-500 years before they really deter-
mine that they’re going to have a bearded
Christ.’
It was impossible not to pause at this
point. The image and sanctification
of Christas
through visual means had
appeared to become the forefront of
debate, rather than his teachings. Jesusas
,
the man who endeavoured so valiantly
to remove pagan traditions and foster
a spiritual community, was instead the
centre of a deliberation over his beard!
That said, it is safe to assume he was
bearded, given the traditions of Jewish
men around 2000 years ago.
Moving into Judaism,emphasis on scrip-
ture was apparent. Known as from the
People of the Book,Jewish communities
experimented in numerous formats with
presentations of the Torah. On display
are early manuscripts from a synagogue
in Cairo,including lengthy scrolls,a tra-
dition which has persisted into modern
Judaic culture.Transmission of text, and
indeed movement of text,was considered
critical.
A remarkable piece is a 1000 year old
Karaite Book of Exodus, stunningly
endowed with ornate flowers and gilded
geometric borders – influenced by Islamic
manuscript illumination. This Hebrew
Biblical scripture is written in Arabic,
with the vowels and diacritics delicately
penned in red and green ink.The Karaites
were a Jewish sect who often used Arabic
to translate the Hebrew Bible. They
broke away from conventional Judaism
and regarded the Hebrew Bible as their
only authority.Such manuscripts empha-
sise the distinction they afforded to this
Holy Book.
Entering the Islamic section, a sud-
den lack of figurative imagery contrasts
strikingly with the preceding segments.
Incredibly rare and early Qur’anic leafs
and manuscripts furnish the showcases,
whilst perfectly proportioned Kufic
Arabic script - unreadable to many at
Jesusas
, the man who
endeavoured so valiantly to
remove pagan traditions and
foster a spiritual community,
was instead the centre of a
debate over his beard! That
said, it is safe to assume
he was bearded, given the
traditions of Jewish men
around 2000 years ago.
Karaite Book of Exodus - Egypt 10th
Century
to 11th
Century CE. Ink on paper with gold.
The British Library Board

and enthusiasm,
‘The moment when they [the Muslims]
make a new type of coin, they do some-
thing incredibly radical.Previously,coins
had a picture of a ruler on one side and
a religious image on the other.That had
been the way coins have looked from
Western Europe to Northern India for
a thousand years at this point. All coins
had looked like that. Here, the radical
thing they [the Muslims] do is to get rid
of the images and replace them with text.’
It was an incredible insight. But, the
Muslims went further in this coinage
revolution.
‘…then they do something even more
radical.In these very first coins,they don’t
mention the ruler. The coins only men-
tion the Kalima (proclamation of faith).’
It may appear trivial but this was a funda-
mental shift in the way people consumed
media.In antiquity,well before the print-
ing press or other such mechanisms had
developed, visual imagery was used
to convey a message much like media
today, and coins were perhaps the most
common and widespread image avail-
able. Every individual carries currency,
even today almost all currency bears the
image of a monarch, ruler, or historical
figure. Indeed, most Muslim countries
have returned to this concept. But early
Hajj Pilgrimage Certificate - Ink
and gold on paper.
The British Library, London
Muslims,emphasising the importance of
the Creator above all else, were at pains
to ensure the word of God, rather than
any image,remained the most prominent
concept.
Professor Elsner drew interesting paral-
lels with the modern day to this episode
of the past:
‘The kinds of questions and problems
that we face with modern media, with
the move from the book to the tablet or
iPad and how text is digitised – these are
parallels with the past.The effects are as
great, because these religions would not
have crossed Eurasia without being in
such [portable] forms.’
This historical comparison was refresh-
ing. Indeed, the establishment of this
magazine immediately came to mind.
,believed
by Ahmadi Muslims to be the Messiah
and Mehdi of the latter days, founded
The Review of Religions in 1902 with the
intent to spread his teachings across the
world.
Since then, past and future editions of
The Review of Religions are digitised and
published online,pushing the availability
of such literature to millions instantly.
Similarly, the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community has translated the Qur’an
in over 70 languages, utilised all forms
of print and digital media and continues
to explore the boundaries of the com-
ing digital age. Early Muslims equally
experimented with forms of literature
consumption, allowing the Word of
God to reach distant lands in a very short
space of time.
Hinduism remained on the tour.
Vishnuism, as Dr Bracey explained,
was the aspect of Hinduism the cura-
tors chose to focus on in this part of the
exhibition.
Elaborate statues of
gods, often a mixture
between zoomorphic and
anthropomorphic, cascaded
the shelves whilst images of
avatars (a manifestation of a
deity or released soul in bodily
form on earth) were abundant.

‘We focused on one set of images asso-
ciated with the god Vishnu. Vishnu
incarnates himself in many forms that
allow him to restore order and balance
to the world.’
It was, again, a movement through con-
trasts as a dearth in iconography from the
Islamic section unfolded into an explo-
sion of imagery here. Elaborate statues
of gods, often a mixture between zoo-
morphic and anthropomorphic,cascaded
the shelves whilst images of avatars (a
manifestation of a deity or released soul
in bodily form on earth) were abundant.
It was interesting to see how little text
was visible in this section of the exhibi-
tion. Imagery, or ‘visual language’ as the
curators referred to it,was the overriding
focus in Vishnuism.
As the tour concluded, the curators
were keen to emphasise the importance
of influence and interaction between
the religions featured. This influence is
undeniable,the infiltration of Greek and
Roman mythology into Christianity is
one example of this. However, what is
also apparent is the abrupt stoppage or
movement away from using iconography
for worship in the immediate years after
many of the religions of this exhibition
are founded.
Thus, Judaism emphasises the scripture,
Buddhists do not depict Buddhaas
for
several hundred years, the first image of
Jesusas
does not surface until the 2nd
cen-
tury AD, and Islam shifts all emphasis
from the visual to the written.
That said, the legacy of the Bamiyan
Buddhas seems to linger. Whilst this
exhibition presents the visitor with an
opportunity to view objects collected
from around the world, many places
are not so fortunate – under threat by
extremist groups proclaiming destruction
in the name of God.
If only they realised how hundreds of
Muslims leaders before them left these
aspects of history unharmed, encour-
aged to do so by their belief. Should the
Taliban,ISIS or any other such group do
so much as read the book they proclaim
to be their guide, they would realise that
far from destroying and causing pain to
non-believers, their duty is to protect
them:
‘And if anyone of the idolaters ask pro-
tection of thee, grant him protection so
that he may hear the word of Allah: then
convey him to his place of security…’
(The Holy Qur’an 9:6)
The Imagining the Divine Exhibition
is a joint project between the Ashmolean
Museum and the University of Oxford’s
Empires of Faith research project. It runs
from 19 October 2017 – 18 February 2018,
open 10am to 5pmTuesday to Sunday, and
Bank Holidays.
To find out more, visit www.ashmolean.org
Interested in learning more about the
destruction of cultural heritage and
Islam’s perspective on this issue? Read
this article from our archives http://
www.reviewofreligions.org/12238/
islams-response-to-the-destruction-of-
cultural-heritage/
About the Author: Rizwan Safir is an
archaeologist specialising in the Middle East.
Over the past decade, he has extensively
researched and excavated across the Middle
East for institutions such as the British
Museum, Humboldt University Berlin,
Copenhagen University and others, whilst
completing a masters in archaeology from
the University of Leiden. He is the Deputy
Section Editor of the Ancient Religions
and Archaeology Section at The Review of
Religions.
Chinese translation of the Heart Sutra
(Buddhist scripture). Dunhuang, China
c. 9th
century, ink on paper.
The British Library Board
If only they realised how
thousands of religious
leaders and civilisations
before them left these aspects
of history unharmed.

A Glimpse into the Life of
the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
The Prophet’ssa
Purity of Mind and
Cleanliness of Body
It is related of the Holy Prophetsa
that
his speech was always pure and that he
was (unlike most of his contemporaries)
not given to the use of oaths (Tirmidhi).
This was something exceptional for an
Arab.We do not imply that the Arabs at
the time of the Holy Prophetsa
habitually
indulged in foul language, but there is
no doubt that they were in the habit of
punctuating their speech with a gener-
ous measure of oaths,a habit that persists
among them even to this day. The Holy
Prophetsa
,however,held the name of God
in such reverence that he never uttered it
without full justification.
He was very particular, even punctilious,
with regard to physical cleanliness. He
used to brush his teeth several times a
day and was so keen on the practice that
he used to say that were he not afraid
that the ordinance might prove onerous,
he would make it obligatory upon every
Muslim to brush his teeth before every
one of the five daily prayers. He always
washed his hands before and after each
meal and after eating anything that had
been cooked,he always rinsed his mouth
and considered it desirable that every
person who had eaten anything cooked
should rinse his mouth before joining in
any of the prayers (Bukhari).
In the polity of Islam, a mosque is the
only place of gathering prescribed for the
Muslims. The Holy Prophetsa
, therefore,
laid particular stress upon the cleanliness
of mosques,especially on occasions when
people were expected to collect in them.
He had directed that on such occasions
incense should be burnt in the mosques
to purify the air (Abu Dawud). He also
gave directions that nobody should go to
a mosque on the occasion of a congrega-
tion or gathering after eating anything
that was likely to exhale an offensive
odour (Bukhari).
He insisted upon streets being kept clean
and clear of twigs, stones, and all arti-
cles or matter which was likely either to
obstruct or to prove offensive.Whenever
he himself found any such matter or arti-
cle lying in a street he would remove it,
and he used to say that a person who
helps to keep streets and roads clean and
clear, earns spiritual merit in the sight of
God.He is also reported to have enjoined
that public thoroughfares should not be
so used as to cause obstruction nor should
any unclean or undesirable matter or arti-
cle be thrown on to a public street, nor
should a street be defiled in any other way,
as all such acts are displeasing to God.
He was very keen that all supply of water
conserved for human use should be kept
clean and pure. For instance, he prohib-
ited anything being thrown into standing
water which might befoul it and any res-
ervoir of water being used in a manner
which would render it impure (Bukhari
and Muslim, Kitab al-Birr Wassila).1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ah-
madra
, Life of Muḥammad (Tilford, Surrey, U.K.:
Islam International Publications Limited, 2013),
196-197.

One person, one verse.
A Qur'an that recreates the ancient art of
Islamic Calligraphy while highlighting the
modern-day diversity of Islam.

practice.
It so happened that one day I woke up for
Fajr (the pre-dawn morning prayer) and I
thought to myself,how can I involve dev-
otees of the Holy Qur’an in this sacred
art of calligraphy? I was inspired by a
Hadith of Hazrat Aishahra
, the blessed
wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
,
in which she narrated that there are
6666* verses in the Qur’an. I thought
of the history behind Qur’anic revela-
tion and compilation and how earlier
companions of the Holy Prophetsa
con-
tributed to this journey.Through Allah’s
Grace this thought was converted into
a noble idea: why not produce a Qur’an
which would be written by more than
6000 people, who would not only be
non-calligraphers but also followers of
the Qur’an?
What are the unique aspects of this pro-
ject and why is it significant?
The Al-Qalam Project is penning the first
Qur’an that will be collaboratively penned
by over 6000 people. Founder Razwan
Baig talks about project’s past, present and
future and his inspiration for this incredible
endeavour.
How did the Al-Qalam Project first
come about and what was the inspira-
tion for it?
Many years ago, I read a fascinating
Hadith (oral traditions of the Holy
Prophetsa
handed down over the centu-
ries) related to Islamic calligraphy that
stated whoever writes bismillah with the
intention of glorifying God Almighty
it will be mandatory for him to 'enter
paradise',1
be forgiven their sins, espe-
cially if they write it with the 'intention
of praising God'.2
My journey to writing my first Qur’an
started at the age of 12. At the time I
was neither a calligrapher nor a collec-
tor. It took several years to develop and
mature my love for the Qur’an through
consistent and intensive practice. Now
as a khataat [calligrapher] in the dis-
cipline of Islamic calligraphy, my life
has changed completely. The content-
ment and blessings that I have received
through the Greatest Book – the Holy
Qur’an – are beyond my wildest imagi-
nation. I am truly humbled before my
Lord that He gave me the perception of
understanding life through this practice.
In fact, for many years I have held free
workshops and presentations to try and
inspire people with knowledge of this
Razwan Baig:
The Man Behind
the Al-Qalam Project
It so happened that one day
I woke up for Fajr (the pre-
dawn morning prayer) and
I thought to myself, how
can I involve devotees of
the Holy Qur’an in this
sacred art of calligraphy?
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW
Al-Qalam Project founder Razwan
Baig is also a calligrapher in his own
right, having practised the art of
calligraphy from a young age.
The Review of Religions

Furthermore, another unique aspect of
this project is that women will also have
an equal opportunity to take part in writ-
ing verses from the Qur’an.
Thus, this is the first Qur’an of its kind
where people from all continents of the
world will unite together without any
distinction of race, gender, colour, reli-
gion or culture.
In addition, both Muslims and non-
Muslims will be able to participate in this
project.When the Al-Qalam visited the
Jalsa Salana Germany 2016,the national
president of the Ahmadiyya Community
Germany, Abdullah Wagishauser,
asked His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza
Masroor Ahmadaba
, worldwide head of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
about non-Muslims contributing to
the Al-Qalam project. His Holiness
replied that the Qur’an is for all people
and religions, not just for Muslims, and
therefore anyone could contribute.Many
non-Muslims have therefore taken part
in this blessed project since then.
This is a unique moment in history
whereby people from different faiths will
unite under one umbrella to acknowledge
that God is One and He is the Creator of
the Universe and the Qur’an, the Word
of God, is not for solely one religion
or sect, rather it is for the benefit of all
mankind.
Another distinctive aspect of this Qur’an
has been written on handmade acid free
paper,which can last for many hundreds
of years without any special preservation.
Those people participating in in will have
their writing and names preserved in
history, so people will always remember
them in the future.
You mentioned that the idea for this
project came about four or five years
ago.Why was it only officially launched
last year?
During the first two and a half years
when this Qur’an project first started, I
used to invite people to my humble home.
I would conduct calligraphy workshops
and give presentations with different
groups and invite people to write a verse
of the Qur’an, but I was unable to even
complete the first two parts.
During that time, I was fully supported
by Hafiz Fazal-e-Rabbi (In-Charge of
the Hafizoon school,Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community UK, which trains youth
to memorise the Holy Qur’an) dur-
ing monthly Qur’an classes within the
Ahmadiyya Muslim community, where
In the past all written Qur’ans have been
written by calligraphers – normally by two
or three different master calligraphers.
With the invention of mass printing this
art of calligraphy and writing Qur’ans by
hand was largely lost as Qur’ans are now
printed en masse.To restore this forgotten
Islamic practice, the Al-Qalam Project
was launched to have individual people
each write one verse of the Qur’an. The
beauty of this project is that people do
not need to be calligraphers.Rather,each
verse will be written by a different person,
even one who may not have ever written
Arabic before. To my knowledge, not a
single Qur’an has been written in this
way in the past fourteen hundred years.
With each verse penned by a different
person, the Al-Qalam Project will produce
a unique copy of the Qur'an that highlights
the diversity of Islam and Muslims.
exclusive interview: the man behind the
al-qalam project

His Holiness then enquired how long it
would take to for the Qur’an project to
reach completion.Whilst replying to His
Holiness, I was overcome with emotion
and had tears in my eyes. I said that if
one verse was written every day,it would
take approximately another 14 years to
finish, but that I would love to complete
this endeavour during my lifetime! His
Holiness smiled and said that he could
give me 30,000 people to write this
Qur’an. Overcome with joy I asked how
that would be possible,and His Holiness
then instructed The Review of Religions
to launch the Qur’an writing project
at their exhibition at Jalsa Salana UK
[annual convention of the Ahmadiyya
Community,held in Alton,Hampshire].
Thus, with the blessing and guidance of
His Holiness this project was launched
in collaboration with The Review of
Religions. Their efforts in this regard
are commendable and they have imple-
mented a structure whereby this project
can run smoothly anywhere in the world.
Without every single individual,this pro-
ject would not be possible to achieve at
this scale.
One point also worth mentioning is that
the name ‘Al Qalam’, given to this pro-
ject, was initially proposed by Shahzad
Ahmad (The Review of Religions Islam
Section Editor) and finally chosen and
approved by His Holiness.
After its initial debut in the UK, the
Al-Qalam Project has travelled the
world. Could you describe its recep-
tion worldwide and what is next for
the project?
I am very fortunate that His Holiness
graciously approved this project to be
launched at Jalsa Salana UK 2016,where
for the first time in history, people from
all around the world participated during
an annual convention. It was so popular
that in that first year, 900 people par-
ticipated. Then 1500 at Germany’s Jalsa
Salana, 200 people participated in the
Middle East, and 1500 in India at their
Jalsa Salana that same year. Many non-
Muslims from all over the world joined
in writing one verse of the Qur’an in
their own writing and became part
I would carry out workshops to present
the idea for this unique Qur’an project.
At the same time, I started exhibiting
my ancient Qur’an collection at the Jalsa
Salana UK with The Review of Religions
team.
Around this time, I discussed this pro-
ject with Amer Safir (Chief Editor of
The Review of Religions) and the idea
of launching it on a large scale. He
suggested that we present the idea to
His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor
Ahmadaba
, worldwide head of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for
guidance and subsequently he arranged
an audience with His Holiness. Hence,
in February 2016,The Review of Religions
team and I met His Holiness.My initial
consideration was that with his blessing,
if His Holiness participated in writing
even one word in this Qur’an, the pro-
ject would be immensely blessed.During
this meeting, the complete proposal for
the Qur’an writing project was discussed
with His Holiness.
Could you speak more about His
Holiness’ support for the Al-Qalam
Project?
His Holiness liked the concept of the
Al-Qalam Project and expressed his
support for it. I humbly asked him if he
would be willing to contribute to it by
handwriting a verse of the Qur’an him-
self. After a few seconds’ deliberation,
His Holiness replied by saying that he
would Inshallah [God Willing] take part
in this project at a later date and that he
would write Surah Al-Fatihah,the open-
ing chapter of the Holy Qur’an.
It was one of the greatest moments of
my life when His Holiness blessed this
project by giving it so much support.
al-qalam project
I said that if one verse
was written every day, it
would take approximately
another 14 years to finish,
but that I would love to
complete this endeavour
during my lifetime!
Razwan Baig is blessed with the company
of His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor
Ahmadaba
, at the annual youth convention
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in
UK. On display was Baig’s collection of
rare and ancient Qur’anic manuscripts.

simply phenomenal.During the Annual
Convention, there was an unbelievable
line of people waiting to participate. At
times people waited until midnight in
order to try and pen a verse.This is such
an inspirational project that people queue
for hours on end just to get the opportu-
nity to take part.The dedicated Review of
Religions team used all their resources to
ensure the maximum number of people
were accomodated.
In the first year the Al-Qalam Project was
open at Jalsa Salana UK, His Holiness
very graciously made an unexpected visit
to The Review of Religions exhibition
marquee,during the time designated for
women to participate (men and women
had access to the tent at different times).
His Holiness walked right into the heart
of the Al-Qalam section and commented
to one lady who was writing her verse
that perhaps she was a calligrapher,since
her handwriting was so good.
Every person who writes a verse in the
Al-Qalam Project is also encouraged
to write a guestbook entry afterwards
with their name, place of residence
and their thoughts about participating.
I read one such entry from a lady who
was present when His Holiness visited,
as described earlier.This lady wrote that
she had been waiting hours and hours
for her turn for Al-Qalam, when all of a
sudden His Holiness arrived in the mar-
quee and came to the Al-Qalam section
where she was and in one instance all
her exhaustion and tiredness completely
disappeared and all the waiting became
completely worth it.
During Jalsa Salana Germany,one person
made a poignant point that it is only the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at who have
this special position in relation to the
Qur’an today.He was explaining that the
Qur’an has mentioned how the ‘earlier
ones’ met with the ‘later ones’, which is
through the Qur’an.The companions of
of this unique project. Indeed, at Jalsa
Salana UK 2017,His Holiness graciously
mentioned the Al-Qalam project in his
Friday Sermon on the very first day! I was
completely humbled and thanked Allah
the Almighty for His immense grace and
favour.
Due to the huge popularity of the
Al-Qalam Project,His Holiness has also
recently directed The Review of Religions
to arrange a permanent section at the
Baitul Futuh Mosque, London, where
people, especially women, can come
and write a verse of the Qur’an during
assigned timings. I am currently col-
laborating with The Review of Religions
so people can easily participate in the
Al-Qalam Project.
Can you describe the emotions of those
who have taken part in this project?
Whydoesthismeansomuch,especially
to Ahmadi Muslims?
History will remember the participants
of this project and Allah the Almighty
will shower His blessings upon those who
participated. As Hazrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmadas
,the Promised Messiah,has said,
those who honour the Holy Qur’an will
be honoured in heaven.
I have countless memories of people who
have taken part in this project.
Sekiguchi Mansoor San, travelled from
Japan solely to take part in this project.
Her love for the Qur’an compelled her
to travel thousands of miles to share in
these blessings.
The late Imam B.A. Rafiq, formerly
Imam of the London Mosque, UK, was
one of those initial people who encour-
aged and supported me in this project.
I will never forget the tears in his eyes
while he wrote a verse in this Qur’an
and his saying that his future genera-
tions would remember the way Allah
the Almighty had blessed him with this
opportunity.
The overall response has been
al-qalam project
Over three days of Jalsa Salana (annual
convention of the Ahmadiyya Community),
the Al-Qalam Project allows over 900
people to pen a verse of the Holy Qur'an, an
undertaking that involves months of planning
and organisation and dozens of volunteers.
The overall response has been
simply phenomenal. During
the annual convention,
there was an unbelievable
line of people waiting to
participate. At times people
waited until midnight in
order to try and pen a verse.

the Holy Prophetsa
devoted their lives to
spreading the revolution of God through
writing and memorising and preserving
the Holy Qur’an for posterity. Ahmadi
Muslims are repeating this during the era
of the ‘later ones’.
You are also a professional calligrapher;
what has the response been from the
people in the field of calligraphy and
Islamic art who have come to learn of
this project?
The Islamic world of calligraphy has
been so inspired by this project that I
was invited by a Muslim group in the
UK to present a major conference in
Birmingham this year. I have also been
approached by numerous Muslim and
non-Muslim TV channels to introduce
this project to their audience. Countless
non-Ahmadis have visited my home
and written in this sacred Qur’an. The
great calligraphers Nassar Mansoor from
Jordan,Taha Al-Hitti from Iraq and Abu
Mustafa from Palestine deemed this
project as an inspiration. Taha Al-Hitti
even considered this project as the idea
of the century in the history of writing
the Qur’an.
Since this Qur’an is being handwrit-
ten by non-calligraphers, there is the
possibility of mistakes while writing,so
how do you correct it if someone makes
a mistake?
Humans are not perfect; only Allah is
perfect, and therefore mistakes do occur
in a process such as this one. However,
we ensure that there is always a Hafizoon
team (Hafizoon are those who have
committed to memory the entire Holy
Qur’an) during Jalsa as well as after com-
pletion,who check and make corrections
before this project is finalised. We have
techniques that can be used to beautify
the area where mistakes were made so
that they do not stand out and are cov-
ered nicely, whilst ensuring we identify
any mistakes and correct them to ensure
complete accuracy of this sacred text –
the Holy Qur’an.
endnotes
1. Maujibatul Jannah, Al-Asbihani, page 282.
2. Man Kataba bism-I ALLAH al-rah man al
Rahim, Tafseer Al-Dur Al-Manthur, Imam
Jalaluddin Suyutirh
, Lahore page 24.
* There is no disagreement on the actual text of the
Holy Qur'an, however there is varying opinions on
the numbering of the verses held by various scholars.
The total number of verses in the Holy Qur'an
officially published by the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community is 6348.
al-qalam project
The English Rendering of the
5 Volume Commentary of the
Holy Qur’an
One of the most comprehensive commentaries of the
Holy Qur’an ever written.
Commentary by
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra)
Read it online at: http://www.alislam.org/quran/
Or Purchase the print version at: http://store.alislam.org/
©AMAGALLERYUK
56 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS | DECEMBER 2017

The Al-Qalam Project was founded by
Razwan Baig and officially launched by
the worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community,the Fifth Khalifah
(Caliph), His Holiness Hazrat Mirza
Masroor Ahmadaba
in 2016. Razwan
Baig is a British Islamic calligrapher and
a collector of Islamic manuscripts and
Islamic art. His collections have been
shown in over several major museums
worldwide and has contributed to more
than 20 international exhibitions.
The Al-Qalam Project is the first of
its kind in which each participant
contributes a single verse and thus the
complete text of the Holy Qur’an will
be entirely handwritten by members of
the public. Since its official launch, the
Al-Qalam Project,in collaboration with
Al-Qalam: Penning The
Word of God
SHAHZAD AHMED, LONDON, UK
By the inkstand and the pen and by that
which they write
—The Holy Qur'an, 68:2
I
slamic calligraphy is one of the most
venerated forms of calligraphy and
is considered to be the pinnacle of
Islamic art. According to Muslims, the
Holy Qur’an is the sacred word of God
revealed to Prophet Muhammadsa
and
thus has been one of the major sources of
inspiration for Islamic calligraphy since
early Islam, as it represents a medium
to convey the word of God. One of the
most renowned artists of our modern
times, Pablo Picasso, was so inspired by
Islamic calligraphy that he said,‘If I had
known there was such a thing as Islamic
calligraphy, I would never have started
to paint. I have strived to reach the
highest levels of artistic mastery, but I
found that Islamic calligraphy was there
ages before I was.’1
Prior to the invention of the
printing press, scribes bore the heavy
responsibility for reproducing the
scripture of the Holy Qur’an. They
would often spend decades learning the
craft and would spend many years on
producing just a single copy of the Holy
Qur’an. However, in the age of modern
technology,print media rapidly replaced
the traditional art forms and gradually
the practice of learning this ancient art
form also declined.Thus,this was one of
the inspirations behind the Al-Qalam
Project - to reinvigorate this ancient art
form in today’s generation.
Prior to the invention of the printing
press, scribes bore the heavy
responsibility of carefully copying
down the words of the Holy Qur'an.
The Al-Qalam Project
is the first of its kind in
which each participant
contributes a single verse
and thus the complete text
of the Holy Qur’an will be
entirely handwritten by
members of the public.

reasons, disappeared with the advent of
printing but I hope and believe that this
will inspire a lot of Muslims.’
Among the many participants of the Al-
Qalam Project were those who had fled
from countries where Ahmadis faced
severe persecution and were not allowed
to even call themselves Muslims, let
alone be able to own and read the Holy
Qur’an. However, through this project
they were able to write the verse of the
Holy Qur’an with their own hands
which was a truly emotional experience
for them. Abada Barbouche, who is
originally from Tunisia, expressed his
feelings after completing his verse,
‘As members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community we have felt an electric
current going through us while we are
writing the words of God with our
hands. In this, there is a strong message
to those forces who are trying to hold
back the progress of the community.
With conviction I can say there is
no power on earth that can stop the
progress of this community. Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia and other countries, they
cannot deprive our community from
rendering services to the Holy Qur’an.
God once again is honouring the
community and the world is witnessing
this special favour. And God bestows
al-qalam: penning the word of god
The Review of Religions, has travelled
across the world, most recently to India,
Canada and Germany. The unique and
historic initiative returned to the UK in
July 2017, at the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community’s UK Annual Convention,
where the project was first introduced
and where it is now in its final phases of
completion.
There are over 6000 verses of the Holy
Qur’an and almost over 5000 verses
have been written across the world by
both men and women, young and old.
Another unique aspect of this project
is that it is open to Muslims and non-
Muslims alike, since the Holy Qur’an
is the word of God and revealed for
the whole of mankind and calls for
people to respect and love one another
regardless of race, colour, religion or
creed. The Al-Qalam Project has had a
monumental impact and has achieved
global recognition. Dr Kaleem Malik
from the US took part in the Al-Qalam
project for the first time this year at the
UK annual convention and said,
‘This is a unique distinction that again
proves the truth of the living text of
the Holy Qur’an, that this is how it
was compiled fourteen hundred years
ago. And once again, Razwan Baig has
now assembled and reproduced this
history within the last 3 years and this
time it has been blessed by Khalifah-
tul-Masihaba
[His Holiness Hazrat
Mirza Masroor Ahmad]. So I had an
opportunity myself to write a verse of
the Holy Qur’an in this project and
I think it is now expanding to every
country – Muslims, non-Muslims –
in every continent of the world there
are people who are taking part in this
exhibition and putting together the
copy of the Holy Qur’an, the first and
only of its kind.’
Among the many guests who attended
the annual convention was The Rt Hon
Earl Howe. Describing this historic
project, he said,
‘I think the Qur’an writing project is
inspirational, the idea that after all this
time we should celebrate the writing
of the Qur’an by real people in real
handwriting.Some skill that,for natural
The Al-Qalam Project was founded by
Razwan Baig, who owns of one of the largest
collections of Islamic artefacts in Europe.
Among the many participants
of the Al-Qalam Project
were those who had fled from
countries where Ahmadis
faced severe persecution and
were not allowed to even
call themselves Muslims, let
alone be able to own and
read the Holy Qur’an.
There are over 6000 verses
of the Holy Qur’an and
almost over 5000 verses
have been written across
the world by both men and
women, young and old.

people of different countries and faith
which in essence is the very purpose
of this book. The historic script being
compiled does not only demonstrate the
great love Ahmadis have for this holy
text but is also reintroducing the sacred
art and inspiring the next generation of
Islamic calligraphers.
........................................................
About the Author: Shahzad Ahmed is a
staff member of The Review of Religions
and is editor of the Islam & Contemporary
Issues section. He is an Imam of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and also
has a BA (Hons) in English Literature.
He is a regular panelist on worldwide
television channel MTA International.
...............................................................
endnotes
1. Jurgen Wasim Fremgen, The Aura of Aliph:
The Art of Writing in Islam, (New York: Prestel,
2010).
His favours on whom He pleases.’
Serjeel Ahmad, a young Imam
who recently graduated from Jamia
Ahmadiyya, the training seminary for
missionaries of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, also had the opportunity
to take part in the Al-Qalam Project.
Sharing his experience, he said,
‘I am a missionary from Canada and
you know, going through the seven
years [the length of the program at
Jamia Ahmadiyya] you really get a
good feel of what the Holy Qur’an is,
of the translation and of the essence
and how beautiful the commentary
behind it is. Especially if you look at the
commentary of Hazrat Musleh Maudra
[Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud
Ahmad, second worldwide head of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
between 1914-1965] and you ponder
over the Holy Qur’an and it really,really
widens your mind. And pondering over
the verse that I was writing today it felt
as if those words were specifically meant
for me and I think that is the beauty of
theHolyQur’an.AndIthinkthisproject
is amazing because Allah the Almighty
has promised that He Himself is going
to safeguard the Holy Qur’an and
Alhamdulillah, we as Ahmadis, today
we’re proud to be flag bearers of those
who are defending the faith. And so it
was a great feeling writing everything
down and Alhamdulillah I’m very, very
happy being part of this project.’
The Holy Qur’an is the sacred word
of God revealed as the final law for
all mankind and grants everlasting
peace and security to all. The Al-
Qalam project has proved to be a truly
influential initiative, bringing together
The Al-Qalam Project has attracted
participants from all over the world,
including Germany, Canada, the
United States, and India.

The
Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
( g u i d e d o n e )
founder of
D
arkness has completely pervaded the world and the
flickering lamp of righteousness is about to die out.
Customary belief, traditional knowledge and super-
ficial prayers can no longer bring back its faded light. Can the
blind lead the blind? Can darkness dispel darkness? No! A
new minaret has to be built on the earth which rises above the
lowly dwellings,so that the heavenly lamp may be placed on it,
and the whole world may be illuminated by its light.How can
light reach distant places unless it is placed somewhere high?
What does the minaret symbolise? It represents the holy, pure
and resolute soul,which is given to that perfect man who is wor-
thy of heavenly light,and this meaning is inherent in the word
‘minaret’ itself. The loftiness of the minaret signifies the high
resolve of such a man,its strength signifies the fortitude which
he shows at times of trial,and its pristine whiteness represents
his innocence,which must ultimately be established.And when
all this has taken place, i.e. when his truthfulness has been
established with arguments, and his fortitude, steadfastness,
patience and perseverance has become apparent like a shining
minaret, the period of his first advent – which was marked by
trials and tribulations – comes to an end, and the time is now
What Does The
Minaret Symbolise?

ripe for him to appear in glory. Spirituality, which is imbued
with Divine glory, descends upon him who is like a minaret,
and invests him with Divine powers by God’s permission. All
this happens in his second advent, and this is exactly the man-
ner in which the Promised Messiah was supposed to appear.
The traditions prevalent among the Muslims which speak, for
instance, of his descent near a minaret, are only meant to sig-
nify that his advent will be a glorious one and that he will be
accompanied by Divine power.Heaven holds him back until the
time God has appointed for his advent,but this does not mean
that he was not [physically] present on the earth before that.1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, How To Be Free From Sin (Tilford,
Surrey: Islam International Publications, 2008), 6-7.
Deep in the heart of the Arab
Peninsula, amidst the desert
and the valleys of Pharan,
stands a modest bricked
structure. This monument is
undisputedly the single most
sacred, revered and Holy
Shrine of Islam; the compass
point for which the Muslim
world aligns itself on a daily
basis in prostration to God.
Its name is the Ka’bah, literally
translating from Arabic as ‘the cube’,
but is synonymously referred to as
Baytul Haram or ‘the Sacred House’. It
was established for the benefit of the
whole of mankind, to act as a centre
for the unification of humanity.
Does its inception lie with the
earliest human populations – viz-a-
viz Adamas
and his Community – or
were Abrahamas
and his son Ishmaelas
the individuals responsible for its
initial erection? And what purpose
does the Ka’bah actually serve?
Purchase print copy: http://store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html

And hardly without cause.Many Muslim
countries have serious issues with wom-
en’s rights – in Saudi Arabia,probably the
most notable example, women are con-
trolled by a male guardian, usually their
father or their husband, for their whole
lives.Until this year,when the rules were
relaxed somewhat, they could not work,
study or even see a doctor without his
permission; in public, they must be cov-
ered head-to-toe.
The abuse of women’s rights under
Islamist fundamentalist regimes like the
Taliban and ISIS is well documented.
And even in the UK,cases like the mur-
ders of Celine Dookhran and Shafilea
Ahmed, the latter by her own parents,
certainly suggest that in some Muslim
The annual convention ( Jalsa Salana) of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK is a
unique event that brings more than 35,000
participants from more than 110 countries
to increase religious knowledge and promote
a sense of peace and brotherhood.
While speakers discuss a range of religious
topics and their relevance to contemporary
society, the most distinguishing feature of
this convention is that it is blessed by the
presence of His Holiness Hazrat Mir-
za Masroor Ahmadaba
, the Head of the
worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Com-
munity, delivering four faith-inspiring
addresses over three days.
Journalist Sarah Linney attended Jalsa
Salana for the first time in 2017 and pub-
lished her thoughts on the event in our
August 2017 issue – here, she returns to nar-
rate her unique experience on the women’s
only side of the convention and on being a
Muslim woman in the west.
__________________________
A
s well as all being Britain-hating
terrorists, Muslims are horren-
dous misogynists too – the men
sadistic oppressors, the women mousey
nonentities too terrified to speak from
behind their burqas.
Sorry, sorry, I got confused there – that
was meant to be the intro to my piece of
Britain First propaganda. But seriously
– bring up the subject of Islam with a
few people you know and you’ll soon find
many of them don’t consider it a religion
that treats women well.
What True Islam Is
Really All About:
Women Speak Out
Many Muslim countries
have serious issues with
women’s rights – in Saudi
Arabia, probably the most
notable example, women are
controlled by a male guardian,
usually their father or their
husband, for their whole lives.
BY SARAH LINNEY, KENT, UK
People often believe that Islam promotes
sexism because of groups such as the
Taliban in Afghanistan, who sought to
confine women. However, true Islam
encourages women to use their skills
and talents. Above right, women from the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community participate
in a workshop on disseminating the
truth about Islam and women’s rights.
Travel Stock | Shutterstock
Lajna Imaillah UK

institution, and was founded in 859 by
Fatima Al-Fihri.
‘There was a whole culture before Islam
where they believed that whereas a son
would take care of your property and take
your name forward,daughters were like a
curse,’explained Zain, one of my guides
around the site. ‘The Holy Prophetsa
replaced this culture totally.’
Subby added:‘What has happened in the
past 200 years is that some places have
lost the Islamic spirit and gone back to
what their culture was – so it does appear
that the West has advanced but other
countries are oppressing women.’
There was so much to see, do and read
on the men’s side that it was around 6pm
by the time I headed over to the women.
As I slipped and slid through the mud
(it had rained all day; the people who
told me it was the ‘Muslim Glastonbury’
weren’t wrong), I was keen to see if the
ladies would bear out the men’s words.
I was welcomed by Samia Ahmad,a sci-
ence teacher from Guildford, and Sadia
Khan,32,who is originally from Toronto
but now lives in south London (Samia
won’t tell me her age.) Sadia’s greeting - ‘I
love your eyeshadow!’– got things off to a
families,women and girls are still viewed
as little more than chattels who only have
the right to live as long as they surrender
their independence.
So is this actually how Islam is supposed
to be – or is it a case of people misin-
terpreting the teachings, accidentally or
deliberately, for their own agenda?
Because it doesn’t tally at all with the
Muslim women I know,nor indeed with
the men. The idea of anyone trying to
oppress my friends Faiza and Jamila is
less plausible than the idea of Donald
Trump giving up Twitter – and many
of the Muslim men I’ve met exude gen-
tleness, kindness and attentiveness. Do
Muslim women really feel like second-
class citizens – or are those of us who
think there’s only one, western way to
be emancipated actually the unenlight-
ened ones?
This was one of the things I intended to
find out at this year’s Jalsa Salana – the
UK’s biggest Muslim convention, held
on farmland in Hampshire in July and
attended by almost 38,000 people from
around the world.
The site is divided into men’s and wom-
en’s sections – you can read about my
experiences of the men’s site here – and
the men have already given me their take
on the matter. Subby, who picked me up
from the station, told me as we drove in:
‘Women in Islam have a lot of rights.
They were given the right to own property
and the right to vote by Mohammedsa
,
who made it very clear that daughters
are just as important as sons. The first
university was built by a Muslim lady.’
The University of Al Quaraouiyine in
Fez, Morocco, is indeed the world’s old-
est continuously operating educational
The University of Al Quaraouiyine, shown
above, is the world's oldest continuously
operating educational institution – and
was founded by a Muslim woman.
Jose Ignacio Soto | Shutterstock
So is this actually how
Islam is supposed to be
– or is it a case of people
misinterpreting the teachings,
accidentally or deliberately,
for their own agenda?
what true islam is really all about:
women speak out
In Islam, a woman's money is entirely
her own. Nobody, including her husband,
has a right to that money. This right
was only established in the UK in the
1800s, while it has been established
in Islam for over 1400 years.
BigTunaOnline | Shutterstock

at women and not to be promiscuous,
and to observe modesty.’Women are also
told to do the same, of course – but the
Qur’an mentions the requirements for
men first.
And yet. I like my hair, and I would not
want to cover it routinely with a head-
scarf. Do Muslim women not find such
a requirement restrictive?
Samia tells me she doesn’t – that it’s more
about keeping a bit of mystery, some-
thing special between herself and the
man she’s married to that the rest of the
world’s males don’t get to see.
‘If you are displaying your beauty to eve-
ryone,there’s nothing special about it.A
woman’s beauty is just for her husband
and the people close to her – her father
or her son,’she said.
‘Here there is a concept that if your body
is beautiful,you must show it off.People
do look at you and judge you – but if you
look at the teachings of Christianity and
Judaism, they teach modesty for women
too. We’re told to follow the example of
Mary,the mother of Jesus,and she always
covered her hair.’ (Men are also told to
look to Mary as an example of modest
and pious behaviour.)
‘Women feel more secure when they are
covered up.But we can dress up as much
as we want.And you never have to worry
about a bad hair day,’she added.
good start: not only do I love makeup,I’m
well disposed to anyone who tells me it
still looks nice after I’ve spent four hours
outside in the drizzle.
Over the three days of the festival, there
will be 10,000 women here – and just
like on the men’s side,every aspect of the
event is run by a team of around 2,000
volunteers.Women from all walks of life
pile in to do everything from cleaning the
toilets to security-checking everyone who
comes onto the site.And a woman’s place
is definitely not in the kitchen here – the
one thing the men do for the women is
the cooking, and with 30,000 meals a
day to prepare, I didn’t see any women
shedding any tears over renouncing that
particular responsibility.
There are tents for everything from wor-
ship to clothes and jewellery shopping,
three dining halls and a huge dormitory
where up to 1,000 women can camp on-
site, sleeping side by side on mattresses
on the floor.
After a quick tour of some of the tents,
the three of us sit down to talk about their
status as women in Islam. According to
Sadia – the more vocal of the two - the
subjugation of women that happens in
some Muslim countries and communities
doesn’t actually derive from what Islam
says.
‘A lot of it has to do with culture,not the
proper teachings of Islam,’she explains.
‘Islam was the first religion to give
women the right to divorce and have an
inheritance.It’s in the Quran: if a woman
makes money it’s her own. Her husband
has no right to that money. We’ve had
those rights for 1,400 years; the Western
world only got them within the last hun-
dred years.’
But what about the hijab – the require-
ment for Muslim women to cover their
hair,and dress in a way that doesn’t reveal
their bodies, every time they leave the
house or are in the presence of a man
outside their close family?
In fact, although hijab has come to be
shorthand for the headscarf Muslim
women wear, it also has a much broader
meaning: the Islamic requirement for
both men and women to dress and behave
modestly.
Muslim scholar Qasim Rashid explains:
‘The primary responsibility of observing
hijab is not on women – it is on men.
Too many men forget it applies to us
first. Men are commanded not to stare
Mary, the mother of Jesusas
, always
covered her hair, showing that Christianity
also has a strong tradition of modesty.
i7do | Shutterstock
In fact, although hijab
has come to be shorthand
for the headscarf Muslim
women wear, it also has
a much broader meaning:
the Islamic requirement
for both men and women to
dress and behave modestly.
what true islam is really all about:
women speak out

The Review of Religions December 2017

The Review of Religions December 2017

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to The Review of Religions December 2017

Similar to The Review of Religions December 2017 (12)

More from muzaffertahir9

More from muzaffertahir9 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

The Review of Religions December 2017