The Review of Religions June 2017

Churches, Synagogues
and Mosques
10
The Caliph’s Tour of
Germany
22
Zika Virus: Past and
Future
38
Resurrection:
Three States of Existence
90
VOL. 112 - ISSUE SIXJUNE 2017 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
The50TH
MOSQUE
andthe
FUTURE
of GERMANY

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.

Thy Lord has commanded,
‘Worship none but Him, and show
kindness to parents. If one of
them or both of them attain old
age with thee, never say unto them
any word expressive of disgust nor
reproach them, but address them
with excellent speech. And lower
to them the wing of humility out
of tenderness. And say, “My Lord,
have mercy on them even as they
nourished me in my childhood.”’
ISLAM, THE HOLY QUR’AN,
17:24-25
One companion asked, ‘O Apostle
of God! Who is the person
worthiest of my consideration?’
He replied, ‘Your mother.’ He
asked again, ‘And second to
my mother?’The Prophetsa
said,
‘Your mother.’The companion
insisted, ‘And then?’The
Messengersa
of God said, ‘After
your mother, your father.’
ISLAM, SAHIH BUKHARI AND
SAHIH MUSLIM
Whosoever does not respect
his parents, does not render
obedience to them in things
which do not run counter to the
Holy Qur’an, and is neglectful
in rendering to them the service
to which they are undoubtedly
entitled, is not of my community.
ISLAM, HAZRAT MIRZA
GHULAM AHMADAS
, OUR
TEACHING, 9
Honour your father and your
mother, that your days may
be long in the land which the
Lord your God gives you.
JUDAISM, THE OLD
TESTAMENT, EXODUS 20:12
For God commanded, ‘Honour
your father and your mother.
CHRISTIANITY, THE BIBLE,
MATTHEW 15:4
Brethren, one can never repay
two persons, I declare. What
two? Mother and father.
BUDDHISM, ANGUTTARA
NIKAYA I.61
Son, why do you quarrel with
your father, due to him you
have grown to this age? It is
a sin to argue with him.
SIKHISM, ADI GRANTH,
SARANG, M.4, P. 1200
Attend strictly to the commands
of your parents and the
instructions of your teachers.
Serve your leader with diligence;
be upright of heart; eschew
falsehood; and be diligent in
study; that you may conform to
the wishes of the heavenly spirit.
SHINTO, ORACLE OF
TEMMANGU
The gentleman works upon
the trunk. When that is firmly
set up, the Way grows. And
surely proper behaviour towards
parents and elder brothers is
the trunk of Goodness?
CONFUCIANISM, ANALECTS
1.2
Parents
WORLD FAITHS

8 God Creates Powers
and Capacities
HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS
, THE PROMISED
MESSIAH & IMAM MAHDI
10 Churches, Synagogues
and Mosques
Keeping in mind the Qur’anic
injunction to defend all places
of worship, we take an in-depth
look at mosques, synagogues, and
churches – all places where people
gather to remember God.
22 The Caliph’s Tour of Germany
In March of 2017, His Holiness,
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
,
delivered four historic addresses
at four different ceremonies to
celebrate the construction of mosques
in Germany.These four speeches,
delivered in the cities of Waldshut-
Tiengen, Augsburg, Raunheim and
Marburg, touch on important themes,
including the obligations Ahmadis
have to be the best of neighbours
and the need to both pray for
peace and to work to establish it.
24 Serving Humanity without
Discrimination
36 Planting Trees of Love
46 Pray for Peace and Serenity
58 True Muslims Defend All
Places of Worship
HAZRAT MIRZA MASROOR AHMADABA
, WORLDWIDE
HEAD OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY
72 A Glimpse into the Life of the
Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
HAZRAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMADRA
,
SECOND KHALIFAH AND WORLDWIDE HEAD OF THE
AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY
74 Zika:The Future and Where
It Came From
In the past few years, Zika virus
has become a public health threat.
Originating from the yellow fever
mosquito, the virus is particularly
problematic because it leads to
microcephaly in newborn babies
who contract it from their mothers
while in the womb. Here we look
at the origins of the virus and
the implications for the future.
DR SHAHZAIB AHMAD, LONDON, UK
CONTENTS
JUNE 2017 VOL.112 - ISSUE SIX

Front cover picture:
© Makhzan-e-Tasaweer 46
24
88 God is Ever Merciful
, THE PROMISED
90 Resurrection:Three States
of Existence
A special feature in which we highlight
the writings of the Promised Messiah,
, on
various topics.This month, we feature
the second part on resurrection.
, THE PROMISED
36

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)
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e
-
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e
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-
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-
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.,
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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
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The
Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
( g u i d e d o n e )
founder of
the review of religions

God Creates Powers
and Capacities
A
speciality of God’s Power by virtue of which He is called God, is the
power whereby spiritual and physical faculties are created.For instance,
in His bestowing eyes on animates,His true excellence is not that He
made the eyes but that in the body cells He had already created hidden pow-
ers invested with the capacity of sight. Were those powers self-existing, God
would be nothing. It would amount to giving credit to the wrong person. It
is false to assert that sight is bestowed by those powers on their own and that
God has nothing to do with it, and that if the particles of the universe had
not had those powers,God’s Godhead would have been rendered useless.The
truth is that He Himself has created all the capacities of the souls and of the
particles of the universe and He continues to create them and He Himself has
put certain qualities in them and goes on putting them. Those very qualities
when brought in juxtaposition exhibit their wonders.That is why no inventor
can equal God.
An inventor of the locomotive,or of the telegraph or of photography or of the
press or of any other instrument would confess that he is not the inventor of
powers by the use of which he prepares the instrument. All inventors make
use of existing capacities, as, in making a locomotive work, use is made of the
power of steam.The difference is that God Himself has created these capaci-
ties in the elements and the inventors are not able to create those powers and
capacities. Thus unless God is accepted as the inventor of all the capacities
and powers of the particles of the universe and of the souls, His Godhead is
not established. In that case, He would rank only as a builder or a carpenter
or a smith or a potter and no more.This is obvious and irrefutable.1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, The Essence of Islam, vol. 1 (Tilford, Surrey: Islam Inter-
national Publications, 1993), 114-115.

PLACES OFWORSHIP
This month The Review of Religions features four keynote addresses
from historic mosque openings in Germany. But as His Holinessaba
has
emphasised many times, it is important to remember that Islam guards
the sanctity of all places of worship. So this month, as we celebrate
the construction of new mosques, we also take an in-depth look at the
houses of worship of other faiths: places where the name of God is
often remembered and glorified. Read on to find out more…
Kajohnwit Boonsom | Shutterstock

SPECIAL FEATURE
User hikcrn | Shutterstock
Anton Balazh | Shutterstock

The Ka’bah – The First House of Worship
According to the Holy Qur’an, the first house of worship
was founded by Prophet Adamas
in the heart of the Arabian
peninsula, which is known today as the Holy Ka’bah:
Surely, the first House founded for mankind is that at Becca,
abounding in blessings and a guidance for all peoples.1
With the passage of time, the Ka’bah was reduced to ruins
and its religious significance was neglected.
However, God Almighty decreed that mankind should be united under
one belief and raised Prophet Abrahamas
, the patriarch of prophets:
And remember the time when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the
House, praying, ‘Our Lord, accept this from us; for Thou art All-Hearing, All-Knowing.2
This universal message was revealed to the Holy Founder of Islam,
Muhammadsa
,and it contains the complete and perfect teaching to bring back
mankind to the first House of Worship, established by God Almighty.
Whilst expounding on the great objectives of the Ka’bah, the third Head of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmadrh
stated:
The first objective of the House of Allah is that it is the first
House of Allah which contains temporal and spiritual benefits
for all mankind. It was built for the welfare of all the people,
who, irrespective of the colour, race and difference of certain
other distinctions which distinguish one from the other, would
derive both material and spiritual benefits from this House.3
endnotes
1.The Holy Quran, 3:97.
2.The Holy Quran, 2:128.
3. Hazrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmadrh
,Twenty-three Great Objectives of Building the House of
Allah (Tilford: Islam International Publications, 2012), 8-9.
Door of the Ka’bah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Samet Guler | Shutterstock

The Synagogue
As with all other major world religions, worship is a key component of the
Jewish faith, which takes place in a synagogue.The word synagogue is derived
from the Greek word synagein, which means ‘to bring together’. In the Hebrew
language it is also known as bet ha-tefilla, or the house of prayer.Traditionally,
Jewish worship requires a minimum of ten adult males, known as a minyam.
Therefore, although Jews do worship outside of the synagogue, there are
certain prayers which must be performed in congregation at the synagogue.
Another function of the synagogue is signified by another common term used to
describe it: bet ha-kneset, or the house of assembly, where the Jewish community
congregate for social as well as charitable causes to serve the wider community.
The orthodox term for synagogue is also known as shul, which means school.
Therefore another purpose of the synagogue is that it is used as a centre of
learning, so it is also known as a bet ha-midrash, or the house of learning.
Jewish children attend the synagogue to receive their religious education
and many synagogues contain libraries which house sacred texts.1
In orthodox synagogues, the service is usually conducted in Hebrew
and men and women sit separately. During the service, everyone must
have their heads covered out of respect, except young girls.
A common feature in all the synagogues is the ark, which is a
wooden chest that contains the Torah scrolls.The doors of the ark are
ceremonially opened during the service and the particular passages
chosen for that day’s reading are unrolled. While the doors of the
ark are open, the congregation is expected to remain standing.2
endnotes
1. Synagogue. 2017. Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/
topic/synagogue.
2. BBC - Religions - Judaism: The Synagogue. 2009. bbc.co.uk. Accessed May 25, May, 2017. http://
www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/worship/synagogue_1.shtml.
Neue Synagogue, Berlin
Kiev Victor | Shutterstock

The Church
The Greek word ekklesia, from which the word church is derived,
was originally used to denote a gathering of people. In the
Old Testament several references can be found that indicate
ekklesia to mean any gathering for a religious purpose.
Despite persecution, the early Christian community began to spread
the message of Jesusas
and used facilities for the adherents, basing
its essential features on the synagogue. With the passage of time
the church slowly built its own identity and distinctive features.
The altar, symbolically regarded as the table used in the Last
Supper, is used to hold the Bible alongside the wine and the bread.
Another prominent feature of the church is the pulpit, an elevated
platform from which the priest delivers the sermon. In addition to
this, almost all churches feature a pew, a wooden bench where the
worshipers can sit.Traditionally, it was designated for dignitaries,
but later it was extended to all the members of the congregation.
Today, the church plays a significant role in society and is not
only a place of worship, but is also used for serving members of
the community through various charitable causes. Many churches
regularly feed the homeless, provide shelter for the poor, and
provide a variety of services to help the underprivileged.
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Myanmar
User thaagoon | Shutterstock

Masjid Al Nabawi, or the Prophet’s
Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
User hikrcn | Shutterstock

The Mosque
The word mosque comes from the Arabic word masjid, which is derived
from the root word sa-ja-dah (prostration), indicating a place where one
prostrates. As a house of worship, it is open to all those who wish to pray
to God. Indeed, in the time of the Holy Prophetsa
, a Christian delegation
from Najran performed their service inside a mosque, at his invitation.
The word indicates how central to Islam prayer is: Muslims are
obligated to pray five times a day in congregation in the mosque.
Since the central focus is on prayer, mosques are built to minimise
distraction: there are separate prayer halls for men and women and the
inside of a mosque is free of images and paintings so that worshipers are
not distracted. Key features that are found in almost every mosque are the
mehrab, a semicircular chamber at the front of the mosque facing in the
direction of the Holy Ka’bah in Makkah, where the Imam (person leading
the congregation) stands for prayer. Other features include the dome and
the minaret: a tall column where the muezzin (person who calls to prayer)
would pronounce the azan (the call to prayer). In Islam, mosques are
symbols that express the unity of God and project peace and harmony.
From the early history of Islam, mosques not only functioned as buildings for
the worship and remembrance of God, they also served for the general welfare
of mankind: as meeting places, for social gatherings, as centres of learning, for
respite and even for essential water supplies. So, as mosques play a vital role in the
community, the Holy Prophetsa
emphasized the building of mosques and stated,
‘Of all buildings, the most beautiful and attractive in Allah’s Sight is a mosque.’
Speaking about the true objective of mosques, His Holiness, Hazrat
Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifah (Caliph), said:
A Muslim who offers his prayers with humility is a person who is kind, caring and
merciful and who strives to stay away from immorality, illegal activity and all
forms of evil. Rather than promoting disorder or division, Mosques are a means
of bringing people together in humility for the worship of their Creator.1
endnotes
1. “No Need To Fear True Mosques” – Head Of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,” Press & Media
Office (2016). http://www.pressahmadiyya.com/press-releases/2016/11/no-need-to-fear-true-
mosques-head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-community/.

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

MARBURG
RAUNHEIM
WALDSHUT-TIENGEN
The CALIPH’S
TOUR of
GERMANY
2017
110DIGNITARIES &
GUESTS ATTENDED
135DIGNITARIES &
GUESTS ATTENDED
160DIGNITARIES &
GUESTS ATTENDED

AUGSBURG
135DIGNITARIES &
GUESTS ATTENDED
39 millionTOTAL
ESTIMATED
COVERAGE
54NEWS OUTLETS
136NEWS REPORTS

Serving Humanity
without Discrimination
KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE INAUGURATION OF BAITUL
AAFIYAT IN WALDSHUT-TIENGEN, GERMANY,
by His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
, Worldwide Head of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
On 10th
April 2017, the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
inaugurated
the Aafiyat Mosque in the southern German city of Waldshut-Tiengen. It
was the 50th
mosque built by the Ahmadiyya Community in Germany.
In the keynote address His Holiness outlined the objectives of building
mosques and explained the true teachings of Islam. He highlighted the
fact that although Waldshut-Tiengen was a city inhabited by people of
different faiths and ethnicities, they all lived together peacefully. His
Holiness explained that the Holy Qur’an is a means of bringing people
together, rather than driving them apart. This speech has been translated
from the Urdu, and The Review of Religions takes responsibility for all
errors in translation.
24 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS | JUNE 2017

A
fter reciting Tashhahud,
Taawwuz and Bismillah,Hazrat
Khalifatul Masih Vaba
said:
‘All the respected guests, Assalamo
Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahe Wa Barakatohu
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon you
all). I had written notes for my address
based on the portion of the Holy Qur’an
that has just been recited and on some of
the remarks of our guests.
However, I am grateful to the priest, Mr
Stockburger, as he has made my task
much simpler. He has discussed many
aspects of religion and peace that I was
going to mention, and for this I thank
him.
In any case,it is a very positive thing that
there are different religions—that is,it is
a good thing if they live in mutual peace.
This is why the Holy Qur’an gives a mes-
sage through the Holy Prophetsa
to the
Christians and the Jews, the People of
the Book,that they should work together
and cooperate with one another on a
creed that is common and equal to us
all. That common creed is the existence
of God the Almighty.
This is why the Holy Qur’an
gives a message through
the Holy Prophetsa
to the
Christians and the Jews,
the People of the Book, that
they should work together
and cooperate with one
another on a creed that is
common and equal to us all.
JUNE 2017 | THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 25

Here I will differ from one point [Mr
Stockburger] made, where he said that
Hindus do not believe in one God.In fact,
Hindus also ultimately do reach to One
God, despite having their other deities.
We believe that all religions were made
by God the Almighty and they appeared
for different peoples and in different eras.
And if they were all made by the same
God, the God Who created this world
and the God Who created man as the
best of all creation, then surely the mes-
sage of all these religions should be one
and the same. Indeed, they did all bring
a common message: to worship the One
God,to not consider anyone His partner
or equal and to live together in love and
brotherhood. This is why we Muslims,
true Muslims,believe in all the prophets.
We believe that prophets appeared in all
nations and religions, who Allah sent as
chosen ones and righteous people who
established religion. And so, since they
came from Allah the Almighty, He says
we do not have the right to wage war,
fight one another and engage in conflict
with each other.
In fact, if one reads the Holy Qur’an
carefully, it reveals that when permis-
sion for war was granted to the Holy
Prophetsa
, it was given after a very long
period of persecution of Muslims and
of him personally, which is why permis-
sion was granted after he migrated to
Madinah.The verse of the Holy Qur’an
granting this permission mentions very
clearly that if the Muslims and the Holy
Prophetsa
did not stop the actions of the
oppressors at this point, the oppres-
sors would intensify their cruelties and
injustices. Thus it was necessary to stop
them because if the oppressors were left
unchecked – and the Holy Qur’an actu-
ally says this – no church would remain,
no synagogue would remain, no temple
would remain and nor would any mosque,
where the name of God is remembered
and where people gather for worship.
We believe that all religions
were made by God the
Almighty and they appeared
for different peoples and in
different eras. And if they
were all made by the same
God, the God Who created
this world and the God Who
created man as the best of
all creation, then surely the
message of all these religions
should be one and the same.
serving humanity without discrimination

Thus it is necessary for a true Muslim
that just as he or she enters a mosque
for worship and always wishes for it to
remain safe, it is his or her duty to simi-
larly also safeguard the churches and to
safeguard the synagogues of the Jews,and
display love and affection to them. And
these are the very teachings,which,when
acted upon,spread love,compassion and
friendship.
A portion of the Holy Qur’an was recited
before all of us earlier. The gist of this
verse is that we should fulfil the rights
of other people; the rights of the poor,
the rights of the orphans and the rights
of those who are travelling and that we
should carry out service to humanity.The
verse also mentions that we should pray
and give zakat [a form of alms-giving].
The very meaning of zakat is to purify
one’s wealth.And how is wealth purified?
It is purified when it is spent in the way
of God’s creation and towards serving
mankind.True Muslims believe this and
we Ahmadis claim that with the Grace of
God, we do this. And this is why, wher-
ever the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
is established in the world and conveys
the message of Islam, it also undertakes
the work of service to humanity.
His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
prays at the inauguration of Baitul Aafiyat
Mosque in Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

That is why our schools,colleges and hos-
pitals are established in various parts of
the world – and in some of the poorest
countries of Africa and Asia – so that we
can serve humanity. Moreover, we serve
others without discrimination. Ninety
percent of the patients in our hospitals
are Christians, and similarly ninety per-
cent of the students that study in our
schools are either Christians, people of
no faith or belonging to other faiths.We
also award scholarships to those students
among them who are very talented and
again this is done without any sort of dis-
crimination or bias. We do this because
people have basic human rights and, if
because of their situation or circum-
stances,some people have been deprived
of certain necessities, then we must pro-
vide for them and alleviate their state of
deprivation to the greatest extent possible
– and this in fact is service to mankind.
We are discussing the subject of mosques
- mosques are built for the worship of
Allah the Almighty.Yet the Holy Qur’an
also states that a person’s prayers can
become a means of his or her ruin, but
why is this? On the one hand, Allah the
Almighty instructs man to worship Him
and on the other hand He states, ‘Your
prayers will be thrown back in your face,
because you did not take care of the poor
or the orphans and you created disor-
der on the earth, and that is why your
prayers shall not be accepted.’Thus, true
Muslims cannot even imagine that any
His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor
Ahmadaba
, delivers the keynote speech at
the inauguration of Baitul Aafiyat Mosque.
This is the fiftieth mosque built by the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Germany.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

kind of unrest and disorder can be attrib-
uted to them nor can they even imagine
committing such misdeeds.
Just now when I inaugurated the mosque,
one of the reporters of a national TV
channel asked why we wanted to build
a mosque in such a small town. My
response to the reporter was that there
are Ahmadis that live here as well as
Christians, Jews and people of other
faiths – it is said that people from 120
different nations live here. Everyone has
built their respective places of worship
in order for them to pray according to
their respective religious traditions.Thus,
Ahmadis also needed to build their own
place of worship,so that they could wor-
ship Allah the Almighty, and to better
plan improvements to their service to
humanity.This is our objective [for build-
ing mosques] and that is why we seek
to build mosques all over the world, as
well as to propogate the true message of
Islam.
Previously, this area was a marketplace,
and today it has been converted into a
mosque. Similarly, elsewhere in a city in
Germany,whose name I cannot recall at
this time, there was also a marketplace
which had been converted into a mosque,
and there too I said to them that this
was a marketplace wherein people used
to come in order to purchase material
goods. However, now it has been con-
verted into a mosque, so that those
who come will purchase spiritual goods
instead; they will be worshipers of Allah
the Almighty, listeners of His message
and helpers who will make plans to serve
God Almighty’s creation.
People might fear that now that a mosque
has been built, perhaps Muslims will
congregate to devise goodness-knows-
what type of schemes to cause harm to
the people of other religions in this town.
But this misconception is false. In fact,
wherever the Ahmadiyya Community
constructs its mosques, it proclaims its
However, now it has been
converted into a mosque,
so that those who come
will purchase spiritual
goods instead; they will
be worshipers of Allah the
Almighty, listeners of His
message and helpers who
will make plans to serve
God Almighty’s creation.

slogan, ‘Love for All Hatred for None’
even more strongly than before. And it
lets both the world and its neighbours
know that this is the true purpose of
a religious person. Religions were not
made to create disorder and strife. As I
mentioned earlier, all the prophets and
the founders of all the religions came
to spread love and affection. They all
came from the God Who loves His
creation.Thus, this is the message of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and
this is the message which I deliver to
you today.
Our neighbours will see that now that
this marketplace has been converted into
a mosque, its worshipers will not only
derive spiritual benefits for themselves
but they will also spread love and affec-
tion to their surroundings.Previously,you
purchased items here by paying money;
but now,without spending anything you
will be able to find perfect examples and
gifts of love and affection. Before, you
used to purchase worldly items, spend-
ing from your pockets; but now it will
be those who come to worship in this
mosque who will spend out of their
own pockets and will distribute love
People might fear that now
that a mosque has been
built, perhaps Muslims will
congregate to devise goodness-
knows-what type of schemes
to cause harm to the people of
other religions in this town.
But this misconception is false.
The crowd listens as His Holiness delivers
the keynote address. Over 100 guests
and dignitaries attended the event.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

and affection to their neighbours. This
in fact is the true model of the teach-
ings of Islam and this is the model which
the Ahmadis here should reflect. If they
do not reflect this, then they will not be
worthy of being called Ahmadi Muslims.
Now, with the construction of this
mosque, the responsibilities of the local
Ahmadis have increased more than
before. They should look after their
neighbours and assist them in their times
of difficulty.Furthermore,you should not
cause them any sort of inconvenience,
physical or emotional. When such an
atmosphere is created, only then will
we be able to uphold the sanctity of this
mosque’s name and become those who
implement it. And that name is Aafiyat
[to grant protection].
Aafiyat is also one of the attributes of
God Almighty, and when man comes
under this attribute, he is shielded from
all evil. Thus, Allah the Almighty states
in the Holy Qur’an that we should adopt
His attributes according to our capacity.
This attribute of God Almighty war-
rants that the Ahmadis who live in this
area should grant the utmost protection
and comfort to everyone who resides in
this town,especially to their neighbours.
They should never suffer any injustice
from us.If we endeavour to do this,then
God Willing, those residents who har-
bour any sort of reservations [will be at
ease]. Although I have been informed
that the local residents and neighbours
cooperated fully with us, there are many
residents of this town who are unaware
of the Ahmadiyya Community, or as I
have been told, are less familiar with the
Ahmadiyya Community as compared
with other towns [who are more famil-
iar with the Ahmadiyya Community].
The creation of this mosque will provide
more opportunities to become better
acquainted.
I believe it was the respected Deputy
Mayor who expressed her viewpoint
that the example of a mosque is like that
of a diamond. It is a diamond indeed,
but only only if Ahmadi Muslims are
successful in portraying the identity of
this mosque will people be able to rec-
ognize this diamond. If we fail in our
responsibilities towards our neighbours
and create disorder in this area, then the
people will say that the thing we assumed
to be a diamond was in fact a forgery.
Thus, our responsibilities have now
increased after the construction of this
mosque. I would urge the guests not
to harbour any sort of worry or fear, as

they will never receive any harm from
any Ahmadi Muslim.Instead the mosque
will be a symbol of peace, harmony, love
and affection.
At the same time I would urge the
Ahmadis to act on the teachings of the
Qur’an and always fulfil the rights of your
neighbours.The rights owed to a neigh-
bour are so extensive, that the Founder
of Islam, the Holy Prophetsa
stated:
“God Almighty stressed upon the rights
of neighbours to such an extent, that at
one point I thought that they would also
receive a share in the inheritance.”This
is the status Islam has given to neigh-
bours.When such importance is granted
to neighbours,how can it be possible for
any of them to be troubled or hurt by us?
God Willing,we will always alleviate the
troubles and concerns of our neighbours.
We will work together with people from
other faiths. And residents should not
fear or worry that we will cause any sort
of disturbance or disorder or think that
we are also like the other Muslims,since
in the present climate,Muslims are often
stigmatised.
One speaker gave the example of the
atrocity committed in Belgium, the
murder in Stockholm and the attack in
London.Some Muslims are carrying out
these attacks even in their own countries
in the name of Islam. Muslims are kill-
ing other Muslims. So the matter is not
that Muslims wish to kill non-Muslims;
rather,these people are using the name of
Islam to pursue their vested interests and
so they kill anyone who stands in their
way. Consequently, there are hundreds
of Muslims being murdered by other
Muslims also.
Thus,if the world is in need of something
today, it is love, affection and brother-
hood. It is in need of the slogan we
affirm: ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’.
If people understand this slogan, then
Muslims will begin to fulfil the rights
of other Muslims, as well as people of
When such importance is
granted to neighbours, how
can it be possible for any
of them to be troubled or
hurt by us? God Willing,
we will always alleviate
the troubles and concerns
of our neighbours. We
will work together with
people from other faiths.
serving humanity without discrimination

other faiths. This is the fundamental
purpose of the advent of the Founder of
the [Ahmadiyya Muslim] Community
when he stated: “There are two reasons
for why I am establishing this commu-
nity.Firstly,it is to make mankind aware
that there is one creator,and by accepting
God Almighty you must fulfil his dues by
worshiping Him,in whichever manner it
may be. Secondly, it is so that mankind
can recognise the rights of each other,
irrespective of the fact that the other per-
son may be a Jew, Christian or Hindu,
or the follower of any other faith. Every
individual has rights, and irrespective of
the other individual’s religious orien-
tation, they should be given their due
rights. Whenever they are in any sort of
need, they must be helped.
May Allah enable us Ahmadis to abide
by this in this area and may we serve you
in the correct manner.To those who have
even the slightest reservations,may Allah
remove those doubts and misgivings and
may He enable them to understand that
Ahmadis are in fact,the symbols of love,
harmony and brotherhood.
Thank You.’
Write to us with comments,
feedback and suggestions at
info@Reviewof Religions.org

“The points raised by the Caliph touched my heart.
The address counters the extremism that is happening
in the world.This message is for humanists also. I am
able to understand this message and I agree with it
completely.”
TOUR OF GERMANY 2017
Mr Robert Maier

Planting Trees
of Love
KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE INAUGURATION OF
BAITUN NASEER MOSQUE IN AUGSBURG, GERMANY,
, Worldwide Head of
On 11th April 2017, the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
inaugurated the Baitun Naseer
Mosque in Augsburg, Germany. A special reception was held in which more than
130 dignitaries and guests attended. The highlight of the event was the key-
note address delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Community. His Holiness
mentioned the purpose of constructing mosques and highlighted the important
Islamic teaching of fulfilling the rights of mankind. His Holiness explained with
reference to the founder of Islam – the Holy Prophetsa
– that one of the major
responsibilities of a Muslim is to fulfil their dues to God Almighty, but equally
important is that one should serve God’s creation and eliminate the difficulties
faced by the majority of the people in this world. His Holiness then highlighted
the huge humanitarian work carried out by the community in some of the most
remote parts of Africa under the charity organisation Humanity First.
This speech has been translated from the Urdu, andThe Review of Religions takes
responsibility for all errors in translation.

A
fter reciting Tashahhud,
said:
‘All respected guests – Assalamo Alaikum
Wa Rahmatullahe Wa Barkaatohu (may
the peace and blessings of Allah be upon
you). May Allah the Almighty always
bestow you with peace and security. As
one of the esteemed guests just said in
his remarks, we have been commanded,
in the portion of the Holy Qur’an that
has just been recited,to perform virtuous
deeds in parallel with offering prayers.
True piety involves serving humanity,
taking care of the impoverished, look-
ing after orphans and doing other similar
good deeds. Thus, when we construct
a mosque, we do it with the hope and
expectation that we will act upon the
aforementioned teachings. Where we
aim to fill mosques for the purpose of
worship,there we also intend to conduct
the task of serving humanity.
This is the fundamental teaching that
an Ahmadi Muslim always keeps in
view. In poor countries of the word we
serve humanity on this basis. Whilst we
construct mosques on the one hand, we
build schools and hospitals on the other.
© Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
Thus, when we construct
a mosque, we do it with
the hope and expectation
that we will act upon the
aforementioned teachings.
Where we aim to fill mosques
for the purpose of worship,
there we also intend to conduct
the task of serving humanity.

In fact, we have built model villages in
remote areas of poor countries, to pro-
vide water and electricity where there had
been no facilities and where the locals
could never previously imagine having
access to them.
I have always said, by way of example,
that here in the developed countries
we do not truly value water, in spite of
the fact that there are signs in hotels
and other places asking people to con-
serve water and utilise it appropriately.
However, we get a real sense of the
value of water when we visit the far-off
regions of Africa, where village children
are unable to go to school, to attain an
education, because of poverty. And not
only are they deprived of an education,
but they also have to walk for miles with
buckets on their heads to fetch filthy
water from ponds so that at home they
can use this water for cooking and drink-
ing.When you then install water pumps
or hand pumps in these areas, and pro-
vide clean drinking water to people,their
excitement is a sight to behold.They are
,
plants a tree at Baitun Naseer Mosque
in Augsburg, Germany. In his keynote
address, he stated that in addition to
planting trees to beautify the atmosphere,
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community also
plants trees of love and affection.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
And not only are they
deprived of an education,
but they also have to walk
for miles with buckets on
their heads to fetch filthy
water from ponds so that at
home they can use this water
for cooking and drinking.
planting trees of love

overjoyed and their happiness knows no
bounds.Here in the West,in Europe and
in Britain as well, people win lotteries
and sometimes they win millions of dol-
lars or pounds or Euros, and are ecstatic
and jump with joy as a result. However,
if you could understand the feelings of
destitute children who are able to get
clean drinking water at their doorsteps,
you would realise that for them, this is
equivalent to winning millions of Euros
in a lottery. In short these are the feel-
ings in our hearts and this is why, where
we invite people towards Allah,there we
will also carry out the work of serving all
humanity.
And this is why Allah the Almighy sent
the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, in accordance with the
prophecies of the founder of Islam, the
Holy Prophetsa
, to further these very
aims. Indeed, the founder of Islam had
said that there would be a time when the
majority of Muslims in the world would
have forgotten the true teachings of
Islam. At such a time a person would be
sent by Allah the Almighty who would
revive and re-establish the true teachings
of Islam and spread these true teachings
throughout the world. And this is what
we have learned from the founder of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He
declared that extremism, terrorism and
wars based on jihad have nothing to do
with Islam.True Islam means connecting
man with God, connecting oneself with
God,and the founder of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community said that this was
the purpose of his advent. The second
purpose of his coming was that mankind
fulfil the rights of one another.These two
principles are the basis of the teachings
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
The caliphate of the Promised Messiahas
[Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community] continues to further these
same teachings.
There is one caliphate that has become
infamous in the world,called Daesh.They
have spread disorder and chaos in the
world.They commit terrorism not only in
the West,but even in their own countries
such as in Iraq, Syria and other Muslim
nations. Thousands and thousands of
people have been massacred for no rea-
son whatsoever. This is not a caliphate,
because it does not operate upon the true
teachings of Islam.Indeed,it cannot be a
caliphate at all,since it was not formed in
the manner prophesied by the Founder of
Islamsa
. The true caliphate was destined
to appear after the advent of the divinely
commissioned Promised Messiahas
, and
would continue the mission that the
© AMA Gallery

Promised Messiahas
had been sent to
the world for by God the Almighty: to
connect mankind with God and for man-
kind to fulfil the rights of one another.
And so this is the fundamental difference
between the true caliphate and the false
caliphate. We should always remember
this. Thus a non-Muslim should have
no reason to fear or hold any misgivings
about the true teachings of Islam.
The mayor of this area mentioned that
they planted a tree here in the mosque.
Trees are planted to beautify the sur-
roundings,to grow fruit and also to make
the environment greener and more pleas-
ant.These days there is a lot of emphasis
on climate change and pollution, there-
fore a lot of plantation is taking place.
However, aside from physical trees, we
endeavour to plant trees of love.We wish
to plant trees that not only beautify the
area,keep the atmosphere clean and bear
fruit, but trees that will also bear fruits
of love. From us, our neighbours should
receive only love and affection and the
The audience listens as His Holiness
delivers his keynote address. Over 130
dignitaries attended the inauguration of the
mosque, including the mayor of Augsburg
and several Members of Parliament. His
Holiness assured the guests that members
of the Ahmadiyya Community will strive
to fulfil the rights of their neighbours.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
If you do not stop them,
then no church will be
left, no synagogue will be
left, no temple will be left
and no mosque will be
left, wherein the name of
Allah is oft commemorated.

fulfilment of their rights.Thus,a tree has
a physical identity, but this tree also has
a spiritual identity for which we keep in
mind and which every Ahmadi should
keep in mind.
The honourable MP, Mrs Kamm, if I
am pronouncing her name correctly,also
spoke well on this matter and I thank
her for that. She said that ‘people live
here with mutual cooperation and under-
standing. After the construction of this
mosque, this atmosphere of compassion
and understanding will only increase,
God Willing.’
Wherever there are any disturbances
in the world, we always raise our voice
against it. Everywhere there is terrorism
in the world,we raise our voice against it.
It is our aim that instead of disagreeing
and opposing one another,people should
live together in mutual love and harmony.
Different religions exist in the world
today.In fact,we as Muslims believe that
God Almighty sent messengers to every
nation,who carried His message to them.
And every nation’s messenger came with
the message to worship God Almighty
and to spread virtuous deeds. And this
is the very essence of the teachings of
Islam and we believe the Holy Qur’an
has expanded on this in great detail.
People assume that the Qur’an contains
teachings about jihad and terrorism,and
this is the reason why Muslims become
terrorists. But actually, the teachings of
the Qur’an consist mainly of peace, love
and harmony. And where there is some
discussion of jihad,one should remember
that jihad comes with certain conditions.
One thing that needs to be understood
is that the real meaning of jihad is striv-
ing to end evil.This is the true meaning
of jihad and this is what the Ahmadiyya
Community are doing.
There was a time when the Muslims were
persecuted. We believe that the Holy
Prophetsa
never committed any injustices
against anyone,but that only when others
had committed atrocities and injustices
against him,God Almighty commanded
the Holy Prophetsa
to retaliate and he
was given permission to reply to their
actions. And even this permission was
granted with certain conditions, as it is
written in the Qur’an that these cruel
people wanted to eradicate not just Islam,
but religion altogether. And the Qur’an
clearly states, ‘If you do not stop them,
then no church will be left,no synagogue
will be left,no temple will be left and no
mosque will be left, wherein the name
of Allah is oft commemorated.’ This

has been explained in the Qur’an in
detail.Thus, it is not possible that a true
Muslim, who attends the mosque, could
commit an act against any other religion.
And yes, it is the case that when the
Muslims were attacked, they retaliated
and consequently wars were fought.This
is why, on returning from one of these
battles,the Holy Prophetsa
stated:‘We are
returning from a lesser jihad – which was
forced upon us – to a greater jihad,where
we will spread the teachings of love and
harmony,the teachings of the Qur’an and
where we will live with mutual love and
respect.’
So these are the teachings of the true
Islam which the Ahmadiyya Community
practises and it is this Islam that every
Muslim needs to accept. Indeed, the
founder of Islam,the Holy Prophetsa
told
the Muslims that in the future, when a
man would appear who would explain
the true teachings of Islam, they were to
accept him. Therefore, the motto of the
His Holiness leads the audience in silent
prayer at the end of the inaugural event.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
Therefore, the motto of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community,‘Love for All,
Hatred for None’, is not a
new teaching: it is in fact
part of the fundamental
teachings of Islam that are
found in the Holy Qur’an.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community ‘Love
for All, Hatred for None’ is not a new
teaching; it is in fact part of the funda-
mental teachings of Islam that are found
in the Holy Qur’an.The Muslim clerics
distort these teachings and present them
in a warped manner to achieve their own
vested interests.Muslims do not take the
opportunity to find out for themselves
what the true teachings of Islam are and
understand that it is the corrupt leader-
ship that has led them on to this path.
True Islamic leadership is the one that
appeared in accordance with the proph-
ecy of the Founder of Islamsa
, and now,
through the effort of the Ahmadiyya
Community it is advancing further.
These are the fundamental teachings of
Islam and the reason for building the
mosque. Therefore, if our neighbours
previously had any reservations, they
should now have been resolved as the
purpose of a mosque,aside from the wor-
ship of God Almighty, is to ensure the
rights of others are fulfilled and to spread
the message of peace and love. The very
name of Islam means peace and seren-
ity. We firmly believe – irrespective of
the fact that another person belongs to
a different faith or no faith at all – that
our God is the Lord of All the Worlds,
which means he is the Lord of all people.
He grants every provision to every per-
son who believes in a faith, whilst at the
same time He also grants every provision
to those who do not believe in any reli-
gion. Since it is our belief that everyone
will be held accountable after they pass
from this world,therefore we do not have
the right to pass any judgement about
anyone.It is,however,our duty to spread
the true message, to spread a message of
love and harmony and to invite people
to come towards God Almighty. This is
what we are doing and God willing,what
we shall continue to do.
I hope that having built this mosque,the
Ahmadis residing here will work even
harder in this regard, and that whilst
attending the mosque and fulfilling their
dues of worship, they will also fulfil the
rights owed to their neighbours, their
friends and associates. I hope they will
greet you all with more love and affection
than before and I am certain that this will
be the case. May Allah enable them to
act in this manner.
Thank You.’

“I was previously unaware of the [Ahmadiyya
Muslim] community. Your Caliph has all the
attributes that should be present in a religious leader.
He explained the world situation in a most positive
manner, especially highlighting the peaceful teachings
of Islam.”
Mr Stefan Wasmuth

Pray for Peace
and Serenity
KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE FOUNDATION STONE CEREMONY FOR
THE FIRST AHMADIY YA MUSLIM MOSQUE IN RAUNHEIM, GERMANY,
, Worldwide Head of
On 18th
April 2017, the Supreme
Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, His Holiness, Hazrat
Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
laid
the foundation stone for the first
Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque in the
German town of Raunheim. In his
keynote address, His Holiness spoke
about the true objective of mosques
and explained how Islam promoted
religious freedom and democracy.
This speech has been translated
from the Urdu, and The Review
of Religions takes responsibility for
all errors in translation.
A
fter reciting Tashhahud,
said:
‘To all our distinguished guests,Assalamo
Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahe Wa Barkaatohu
(may the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon you). May Allah the Almighty
always grant you all peace and serenity,
especially now, given the current state
of world affairs, in which there is dan-
ger not only from [extreme] religious
organisations – or, as some say, Muslim
terrorist organisations – but also from
the new development in the world of
an increasing enmity between govern-
ments and states. Consequently, there
are growing fears in Europe, Korea, the
Far East and even in the US that war is
imminent. Therefore, we all must make
an effort to establish peace and also pray

for it. This is why, at the very outset, I
gave you greetings of peace and harmony,
so that every person who loves human-
ity should understand this and strive to
spread the message of peace and tran-
quillity.Politicians should convince their
governments that instead of waging war,
they should work to establish peace, and
work more towards achieving reconcili-
ation and finding solutions.
The name of Islam stands for peace and
the very name itself means peace and
tranquillity. Unfortunately, some groups
and extremist organisations have tar-
nished the name of Islam. Because of
this, even in Muslim countries, there is
bloodshed and conflicts between gov-
ernments and their citizens, as well
as fighting between extremist groups.
Similarly, some terrorist groups in the
western world have also carried out
attacks, including some instances that
have occurred in Germany, France and
Belgium, which has led to Islam being
portrayed in a negative light in the non-
Muslim world.Consequently,people are
unaware of the true teachings of Islam.
Your attendance here proves
that you wish to understand
something more of Islam,
especially since this is mostly
a religious function for a
Muslim community gathering
to lay the foundation for
their mosque. Your coming
here, then, cannot be for
any worldly purpose.

Perhaps some of you here may also be
among those who believe that Islam is
a religion that promotes extremism and
violence. As a result of this, some peo-
ple may have qualms or worries when a
mosque is under construction.However,
I am pleased that all of the speakers here
have mentioned that Ahmadi Muslims
not only have a positive impact on the
society but also promote love, affection,
peace and brotherhood and do their part
to integrate within the community.
Thus,this is the true Islam,and after the
construction of this mosque, these good
deeds will be expanded and increased in
an even better manner. Only then will
it be understood that minarets do not
resonate with chants of hatred; rather,
only love and adoration will come from
them,along with chants of devotion and
affection.
In the Qur’an, it is mentioned – and
Ameer Sahib [National President of
in Germany] also mentioned this in
his speech – that when the Prophet
Abrahamas
was raising the foundations
of the Ka’bah alongside Prophet Ismaelas
(and which is the model for our mosques
in which we worship one God),even they
prayed for the peace and serenity of the
area. Therefore, if our mosques are con-
structed on the model established by
Prophet Abrahamas
and Prophet Ismaelas
– and they should be constructed in this
manner – then our mosques should also

be a source of peace and tranquillity,and
this is the purpose of their construction.
I am also grateful for the sentiments of
the honourable mayor. He spoke about
the rights of neighbours by saying that
Ahmadis always fulfil the rights of
their neighbours and always facilitate
mutual understanding. In the teachings
of Islam, the rights due to a neighbour
are so extensive and significant, that the
founder of Islam, the Holy Prophetsa
stated: ‘God Almighty emphasised the
rights of neighbours to such an extent,’
(and this is also mentioned in detail in
the Qur’an) ‘that at one point I thought
they would also receive a share in the
inheritance.’This is the significance of
the rights owed to neighbours as men-
tioned by Islam.The circle of neighbours
is so vast that it not only extends to those
living next to you, but also to all those
living in your vicinity, who are also con-
sidered to be neighbours; those travelling
with you are considered neighbours,your
co-workers are considered neighbours,
and so the circle expands even further.
In fact,it is written that your neighbours
range up to forty houses. If one were to
consider forty houses in all directions,
this would mean that each Ahmadi has
Guests and dignitaries listen to His Holiness’
keynote address at the foundation stone
laying ceremony at Raunheim, Germany.
Over 130 dignitaries attended the event,
which marked the construction of the first
Ahmadiyya Muslim mosque in the city.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
In fact, it is written that your
neighbours range up to forty
houses. If one were to consider
forty houses in all directions,
this would mean that each
Ahmadi has 160 neighbours.

160 neighbours. In other words, if this
is placed into context then it means
that virtually the entire town becomes
the neighbour of an Ahmadi. And the
same will be true when our mosque is
constructed. When the mosque is com-
plete,it will be the responsibility of those
coming to the mosque to fulfil the rights
of their neighbours.The mosque should
not become a source of annoyance; rather,
those living here should be able to say
that the reservations they once had about
traffic implications or difficulties due to
other activities, have proven to be false,
and that furthermore, they have bene-
fitted greatly through the construction
of this mosque, and that Ahmadis are
ensuring the rights of their neighbours
more than ever before.
Likewise,obeying the law is an extremely
important quality. If any Muslim does
not abide by the law of the land, then
he has no right to live in that country.
In terms of obeying the law of the land
and love for one’s country,the founder of
Islam,the Holy Prophetsa
has considered
it so important that he has declared it
to be part of one’s faith. Laws are estab-
lished to safeguard citizens, to make life
easier for them and to prevent any injus-
tice to them.
Thus, if the teachings of Islam state that
one must spread peace and tranquillity as
well as end injustice, then it is not pos-
sible for an Ahmadi Muslim,or any true
Muslim to break the law. Every sincere
Muslim will always be a law-abiding
citizen, and should always remain so.
However, if they are not, then they have
no association with the Islamic faith.
Therefore, in this regard if anyone has
any reservation or harbours any doubts,
they should remove these misconcep-
tions. Islamic teaching does not permit
for any sort of disturbances or for the law
to be broken. If some individuals carry
out such acts in the name of Islam, they
do so to tarnish Islam’s name, because
Islamic teachings completely and totally
forbid such acts.
In addition, I would like to thank the
honourable MP for her righteous senti-
ments and also for mentioning freedom
of religion.In this country we enjoy free-
dom of religion and we are extremely
grateful to the people and the gov-
ernment for this. It is because of this
freedom of religion that,despite the fact
that the majority of the local popula-
tion is non-Muslim, and is Christian
or belong to some other faith, they have
still allowed Muslims – who are few in
number – to construct a mosque here.
pray for peace and serenity

For this I am grateful to the residents,
the neighbours and the local council for
allowing us to build a mosque in this area.
God Willing,when this mosque is com-
pleted it will become evident to everyone
that by granting permission to construct
a mosque here, they fulfilled the rights
of those people who themselves strive to
carry out their obligations to their neigh-
bours and fulfil their rights in the best
manner.
Thus,I am also grateful to you that owing
to this freedom of religion we can per-
form our worship without hindrance and
also carry out other activities.In truth,it
is freedom of religion that is the founda-
tion for peace and harmony.
It is our firm belief that God Almighty
sent a prophet to every nation.To every
nation, He sent His chosen ones to
reform the people, and to teach them
their faith as well as manners and mores.
Therefore, every religion comes from
God Almighty.And we affirm that every
prophet sent from God Almighty, from
the time of creation through the pre-
sent, was truthful and was sent by God
to spread His message. For this reason,
we cannot even imagine usurping the
rights of anyone,let alone harming them
His Holiness delivers the keynote address,
in which he praised Germany’s granting
of religious freedom to all people, and
warned that the world was facing an
impending crisis as governments and
nations increase in hostility to one another.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
In terms of obeying the law
of the land and love for
one’s country, the founder of
Islam, the Holy Prophetsa
has
considered it so important
that he has declared it to
be part of one’s faith. Laws
are established to safeguard
citizens, to make life easier
for them and to prevent
any injustice to them.

in any way.In fact,after a lengthy perse-
cution, when the founder of Islamsa
was
granted the permission to wage war, it
was granted on the condition – which
is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an – that
‘those people who wish to eliminate you
are in fact attempting to wipe out reli-
gion all together.’And it is essential that
those who want to eradicate religion be
stopped, because if they are not stopped
through war and through weapons,then
no church will be left,no synagogue will
be left,no temple and no mosque will be
left standing, because these people are
opposed to all religion.
Islam and the Holy Qur’an have declared
that freedom of religion is a fundamental
part of its teachings. I would therefore
commend you in this regard,that in these
His Holiness leads the silent prayer
after the foundation laying ceremony.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
Islam and the Holy Qur’an
have declared that freedom
of religion is a fundamental
part of its teachings. I would
therefore commend you in this
regard, that in these countries
you have understood better
the importance of allowing
freedom of religion than some
other Muslim countries.

countries you have understood better
the importance of allowing freedom of
religion than some other Muslim coun-
tries. It is because of this that Ahmadis,
who are deprived of religious freedom in
Pakistan,settled here and now can freely
worship and carry on their activities.And
is it is this religious freedom that also
allows them to build mosques.For this I
am very grateful to you all.
The subject of democracy was mentioned
earlier,and being a true democratic coun-
try led you to understand the importance
of permitting freedom of religion. Islam
also promotes a free and fair democracy.
In fact,the Holy Qur’an states that ‘when
choosing your leaders and advisors or
when electing government officials, you
should choose those individuals who will
do justice to the trust bestowed to them.’
Only those politicians should come to
power that will do justice to their trust,
which is to work for the betterment of
the people and the country.
Islam teaches that everyone should
exercise their right to vote. Instead of
looking at party affiliation, one should
always look to elect people who will not
only fulfil the rights of the citizens, but
will also work towards the progress of
the country.
So with this teaching, we spread our
message throughout the world, while
also striving to act upon it ourselves. It
is the responsibility of every Ahmadi that
where they are grateful to the people for
this religious freedom, they should also
obey the law to such an extent that they
become a model and example for oth-
ers.Furthermore,they should elect those
leaders who can provide an outstanding
service to their country.
I hope that when the construction of this
mosque is completed the Ahmadis liv-
ing here will be able to gather together
and carry out their programs with ease.
Alongside their worship they will be able
to perform other activities, but also, [I
hope] they will become pivotal in helping
the progress of their nation and country.
May Allah the Almighty enable them to
do so.When this mosque is constructed,
may Allah enable them to live up to the
standards that are expected of Ahmadis,
and the standards that I expect from
them, and also enable them to openly
introduce their neighbours to the true
and beautiful message of Islam. May
Allah enable them to fulfil this.
Thank You.’

“During the address by the Caliph, I repeatedly
switched off my translation device in order to feel
the personality of the Caliph. Jihad-e-Kabir [self-
restraint] is indeed extremely difficult to follow. It is
something all of us must adopt and pertains to our
own desires. As a Christian I can understand this
matter and substantiate it.”
Mrs Ursula Kramann

Read online: https://www.alislam.org/library/books/Noahs-Ark-Kashti-Nuh.pdf
Purchase print copy: http://store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html
F
rom 1896 to 1914 the plague ravaged British India, and
more particularly, the province of Punjab. During these
perilous times, as towns and cities were devoured, the
British government undertook efforts to save the people from this
pandemic through inoculation. It was in this backdrop that Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian penned Noah’s Ark in 1902. In it the
author elaborates the essence of his teachings and states that those
who sincerely follow its tenets would be saved miraculously from
the onslaughts of this epidemic, even without inoculation. This
was a prophecy vouchsafed to him by God. History testifies to the
magnificent fulfilment of this prophecy.
The book Noah’s Ark shines as a beacon of hope not only for the
people of the past, but also now and shall continue to grant salvation
to the world in all ages. It is a book that stands as one of the most
influential works of the Promised Messiah and Mahdi,and continues
to transform lives even today.
NEW
BOOK
NOAH’S
ARK
AN INVITATION TO FAITH

A
fter reciting Tashahhud,
said:
‘Firstly, I would like to extend the
greetings of Assalamo Alaikum Wa
Rahmatullahe Wa Barkaatohu (may the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon
you) to all our guests and give them the
gift of peace, harmony, love and affec-
tion. I can see that a large number of
our local neighbours are in attendance
today. The fact that you have accepted
this invitation testifies that you are warm
and open-hearted people and no matter
how much one extends the gift of love,
True Muslims Defend
All Places of Worship
KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE FOUNDATION
CEREMONY AT MARBURG, GERMANY,
, Worldwide Head
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
On 19th
April 2017, the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His
Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
laid the foundation stone for the first
Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque in the German university town of Marburg. In his
keynote address, His Holiness explained Islamic teachings in relation to integration
and building a harmonious society. Explaining the concept of heaven, he said that
we can experience heaven in this very world when we manifest peace and morality.
He also spoke about the great significance Islam attaches to the education of women
for the betterment and progress of society. This speech has been translated from the
Urdu, andThe Review of Religions takes responsibility for all errors in translation.

peace and affection to such open-hearted
people,it is simply not enough.In actual-
ity, it is only when we are open-hearted,
when we understand one another and
listen to each other’s views and opinions
that we can establish peace and harmony
in society.
Therefore,not only do I extend the greet-
ings of peace to you all, but I would also
like commend you for this quality of
yours, that you desire to listen to what
other people have to say and it is because
of this that you are here today.
Your attendance here proves that you
wish to understand something more
of Islam, especially since this is mostly
a religious function for a Muslim com-
munity gathering to lay the foundation
for their mosque.Your coming here,then,
cannot be for any worldly purpose.
Surely many of you will be thinking,
‘‘We have known Ahmadis for a very
long time and have good relationships
with them and are well-acquainted with
them and their activities. But although
we know this,we should also attend this
function in which the foundation stone
of their own mosque is to be laid and
Your attendance here proves
that you wish to understand
something more of Islam,
especially since this is mostly
a religious function for a
Muslim community gathering
to lay the foundation for
their mosque. Your coming
here, then, cannot be for
any worldly purpose.

see what they do and say at their own
events.’’
Therefore, in this respect, you are cer-
tainly worthy of praise. I am also very
happy with the local Ahmadis who live
here, because having come here, they
have strengthened their relationships
with their neighbours. And it is because
of these relationships with Ahmadis
and their integration among you that
you have accepted their invitation and
graced our event.
As far as the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community is concerned, wherever we
go, we spread the message of love, affec-
tion, peace and harmony and this is the
teaching of Islam.The National President
[of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
in Germany] mentioned that we serve the
community here by volunteering at old
people’s homes and similarly by work-
ing with various other charities. Serving
the creation of God is a duty of every
person; it is the duty of every man to
help his fellow brother,irrespective of his
faith. As humans, we must try and learn
His Holiness addresses the audience at
the foundation stone ceremony for the first
Ahmadiyya Muslim mosque in the university
town of Marburg, Germany. Over 150
guests and dignitaries attended the event.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

to understand one another,to be of assis-
tance to one another and also to fulfil the
needs of one another. This is extremely
important and if this does not happen
then there is no benefit to one’s worship
either. This is why the Holy Qur’an has
clearly stated that those who come to the
mosque and offer their prayers but then
hurt people, do not help others, do not
care for orphans,do not serve the elderly
or help the poor and fail to serve others
and do not spread peace, love, affection
and harmony, their prayers will not be
accepted. In fact, their prayers essen-
tially become their sins. Thus, the Holy
Qur’an goes to such lengths in regards to
the injunction of serving others. It is for
this reason that the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community – which follows the true
teachings of Islam – strives to excel in
serving and helping others.
The Lord Mayor in his address men-
tioned the university.As far as education
is concerned, the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community is playing a huge role in
trying to spread education in the poorer
countries of the world. But before I dis-
cuss how the Ahmadiyya Community is
working to widen access to education,let
me make an interesting point in regards
to women, as I can see that there are
many women present among the guests,
and that is that women are far more edu-
cated in comparison to the men in the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. These
As humans, we must try
and learn to understand one
another, to be of assistance
to one another and also to
fulfil the needs of one another.
This is extremely important
and if this does not happen
then there is no benefit
to one’s worship either.

include university students and also those
who are acquiring further education in
various professions and disciplines. This
is because when a woman attains an edu-
cation, her education is not just limited
to her. Certainly, when men and women
seek higher education and then spread it
further,then in some way or another they
serve their country and nation through
their education.However,in this instance,
women have an added significance over
men because after a woman completes
her education, she nurtures and raises
her children. And this is why the Holy
Prophet Muhammadsa
, the founder of
Islam, stated that paradise lies beneath
the feet of the mother. Paradise lies
beneath her feet because after acquiring
education, she then imparts that educa-
tion to her children and thereby makes
them worthy citizens and valuable assets
of the country and its people. Thus, she
becomes a means of leading them into
heaven. The concept of heaven in Islam
is of two types; there is one heaven that
is experienced in this life and one in the
hereafter. And the heaven in this world
begins when a person becomes exem-
plary in his character and possesses high
morals, and so, where he worships God
His Holiness lays the first brick of the
foundation of the future mosque. With
the construction of this mosque, His
Holiness urged the Ahmadis of Marburg
to become even better neighbours than
before, and to focus on serving humanity.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

Almighty,he also treats his fellow broth-
ers and humans with love and affection
and promotes peace, harmony and tran-
quillity.Surely a person who spreads and
promotes peace, harmony and tranquil-
lity will not only protect himself as if
he is in a state of heaven but will also
become a means of creating a heaven for
others in this world.
On the one hand we see that there are
extremists who are carrying out terrorist
acts: going to a club and killing inno-
cent civilians, or killing people through
suicide bombs or by creating chaos or
disorder in other places. We also find
that in the Muslim countries that
Muslims are killing one another and are
also killing people here in the West too.
Consequently, these people have turned
the world, which God Almighty had
created as a heaven, into a hell, and for
that reason, they will never be worthy
of praise.
On the other hand, there are also good
Muslims and other good people,whether
they be Christians, Jews or followers of
other religions, who strive to spread
peace, harmony and love and thus in
other words they have transformed this
world into a heaven.Those who help oth-
ers and so create a heaven in this world,
as I mentioned earlier, will have their
prayers accepted by Allah the Almighty,
and it is these very prayers that enable
one to enter heaven in the hereafter.
As I have already mentioned, one’s wor-
ship cannot be truly performed unless
one also serves his fellow beings.The acts
of worship of a person who is devoid of
sympathy, compassion and love are of
no benefit. Therefore, only those people
who are peace-loving and spread love
and affection will be truly able to expe-
rience the life of heaven in this world
and only those will be able to experi-
ence the heaven of the hereafter and
lead others to it as well. The founder of
We also find that in the
Muslim countries that
Muslims are killing one
another and are also killing
people here in the West too.
Consequently, these people
have turned the world, which
God Almighty had created
as a heaven, into a hell, and
for that reason, they will
never be worthy of praise.

the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said
that he has come in order to fulfil two
grand objectives.Firstly,to have mankind
recognise God Almighty and to worship
Him and to fulfil the rights He has over
us.Secondly,for mankind to respect and
honour one another and also to fulfil the
rights they owe to each other. Someone
once asked me how peace and harmony
could be established in the world. I told
him that if you truly want to establish
peace and harmony then it is impera-
tive that instead of seeking the rights
owed to us, we should instead seek to
fulfil the rights we owe to others.We can
only spread love and affection when we
are striving to fulfil the rights of others.
Thus, this is the view of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community regarding worship
and service to mankind.
The Member of Parliament also came
and spoke about tolerance and certainly,
tolerance is something that is extremely
important and as I have also previously
mentioned, it is only through tolerance
that we can help one another and can live
in harmony with one another. There are
various religions in the world – there are
Muslims, Christians and Jews – and we,
who are true Muslims,firmly believe that
all of the religions have been originally
His Holiness addresses the audience
as local dignitaries listen to the keynote
address. In his speech, His Holiness
emphasized how important education is
for women, since they train the citizens of
the next generation, and noted that in the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, women
are even more educated than the men.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

sent from God Almighty and we also
firmly believe that the founders and
prophets of every religion were truthful
people.We believe in all the prophets and
the holy founders of all religions from
Prophet Adamas
to the Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa
and this is the true teach-
ing of Islam.And this is the teaching that
promotes tolerance.No true Muslim can
ever say that he does not believe in a par-
ticular religion, or that its holy founder
is false or is able to speak ill of it. In fact,
Allah the Almighty has gone as far as to
say in the Holy Qur’an that one should
not speak ill even of the idols of the
idolaters, because in response they may
speak harshly about your God,and if they
do, then this will cause you to feel mali-
cious towards them and subsequently this
will then lead to disorder and for you to
scheme against one another and cause
harm to others. And so, instead of love,
hatred will grow.
Therefore,it is the duty of a true Muslim
that while he respects the followers of
all religions and affirms his belief in all
the prophets and messengers, he should
also remember not to speak ill against
even idols, which people associate with
the divine status of God Almighty,
because this can potentially cause con-
flict. Thus, these are the standards of
spreading peace,harmony,love and affec-
tion which Islam has taught us.There are
different religions and different customs.
But Allah the Almighty has said in the
Holy Qur’an that there is no compulsion
in religion, even though we believe that
Islam is the final religion and that all the
good qualities of other religions can be
found in Islam. A true Muslim follows
all of these teachings. As I mentioned
previously,Allah the Almighty has stated
very clearly in the Holy Qur’an that one
should believe in all the prophets. Thus,
when we firmly believe in and adhere to
these principles, different traditions and
Therefore, it is the duty of
a true Muslim that while
he respects the followers of
all religions and affirms his
belief in all the prophets and
messengers, he should also
remember not to speak ill
against even idols, which
people associate with
the divine status of God
Almighty, because this can
potentially cause conflict.

religions can never create any kind of
feeling of hate for anyone in us.
People claim that Islam is a religion of
extremism, a religion of terrorism. But
this is not the reality of what Islam
teaches. Those who perpetrate such acts
have never understood Islam and nor
have they ever practised it. In fact, last
year a French journalist travelled to the
area occupied by Daesh and he asked
some of their members whether all the
cruelty and injustices they had been per-
petrating were part of the teachings of
Islam. Many of them replied that they
had never read the Holy Qur’an and were
ignorant of its teachings.They said,‘all we
know is that we must do whatever our
leaders say.’The beheadings,murder,vio-
lence and the killing of innocent civilians
have nothing to do with the teachings of
Islam and are simply their own personal
actions which they carry out because of
their leaders.
Thus it is not possible for Islam to teach
such things.After enduring a long period
of persecution, the Holy Prophetsa
was
compelled to migrate from Makkah to
Madinah and, according to authentic
historical accounts, the non-believers
attacked him there as well, and it was
then that Allah the Almighty granted
permission for the Muslims to take
part in battle. However, it is also stated
in the Holy Qur’an very clearly that if
the oppressors were not stopped, then
they were in fact the enemies of faith in
general. It has been written in a verse
of the Holy Qur’an that if the hand of
the oppressors was not stopped then no
church,no synagogue,no temple and no
mosque would have remained wherein
the name of God would be oft commem-
orated and people would gather for the
purpose of worship.
Therefore, this is the true teaching of
Islam on tolerance and living with others
who share different religions and faiths.
And, this is the reason that wherever we
build our mosques, we strive more than
ever to spread the true teachings of Islam.
I have often said that this verse of the
Holy Qur’an – which talks about how,if
the enemies of the faith are not stopped,
they will try to eliminate religion alto-
gether – draws our attention to the fact
that Ahmadis are obligated to protect not
only their mosques, but also to protect
churches, synagogues, and the houses of
worship of other faiths.
Therefore, we build our mosques based
on this beautiful teaching and concept
true muslims defend all places of worship

of Islam. And just as it becomes incum-
bent upon us to protect our mosque,keep
it clean, and create a pure atmosphere
around it,it is also our duty to protect the
other places of worship around us which
belong to other faiths, and to create a
pure atmosphere around them as well.
The speaker from the National Assembly
also expressed his thoughts. Regarding
this, I would also like to say that it is
a very great thing that all the speakers
have expressed that the members of the
Ahmadiyya Community have become a
vital part of this nation and have fully
integrated into society.This is an attrib-
ute which every Ahmadi should have and
if they do not,then it means that they are
not following the true teachings of Islam.
After acquiring German citizenship,
then, whether an Ahmadi has originally
come from Pakistan, Africa or some
other country,since he is now a German
citizen, it is his duty to be loyal to his
country. His previous citizenship has
ended and now he is a German citizen.
Those who have migrated from Pakistan
are now German citizens and they are
obligated [to be loyal to their coun-
try] because the founder of Islam, the
Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
, has stated
that the love of one’s nation is part of
After acquiring German
citizenship, then, whether an
Ahmadi has originally come
from Pakistan, Africa or some
other country, since he is now
a German citizen, it is his
duty to be loyal to his country.
After acquiring German citizenship, Ahmadis
are bound through their faith to be loyal to
Germany, regardless of their country of origin.
The Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
has said that
loyalty to one’s country is part of one’s faith.
REX | Shutterstock

one’s faith. Therefore, this is a prerequi-
site of our faith that whichever country
an Ahmadi resides in, he must love that
country and strive for its betterment and
also to spread and propagate the message
of love, peace and affection to its people.
If one practises this, then it is not pos-
sible for anyone to have any reservations
about the teachings of Islam. And we
Ahmadis strive to follow this teaching
and also inform the world that this is
the true teaching [of Islam] and that
they will not find anything but love,
affection and tolerance from us. After
building the mosque, God willing, you
will find that the Ahmadis living in this
area will strive to fulfil the rights of oth-
ers even more than before because the
founder of Islamsa
and the Holy Qur’an
have both stated that your neighbours
have certain rights over you – and neigh-
bours include those who live next to your
house, your work colleagues and those
who are on a journey with you. Every
day, people commute to work for many
miles on buses and trains and so they
also are considered to be your neighbours,
whether you are acquainted with them
or not.The founder of Islamsa
stated that
Allah the Almighty had exhorted him
so strongly towards the kind treatment
of neighbours that he thought that they
may also be included among the heirs of
one’s inheritance.Thus, this is the status
of the neighbour in Islam and it is our
duty to fulfil the rights of our neighbours,
and we must fulfil this right.
I hope that when this mosque has been
built then the neighbours of our mosque
and also the neighbours of all those who
come to worship in their respective places
of worship will receive the message of
peace, harmony, love and affection even
more than before. And, God willing, we
will not only express this message of love
and affection through our words alone,
we will also practically demonstrate this
through our conduct; otherwise, there
is no benefit to be found in either reli-
gion or education. If, having graduated
from universities, we are to commit acts
of extremism, then our education is
worthless. If we are to believe in a reli-
gion while committing acts of terror,then
that religion is useless. True religion is
one that spreads love and affection and
this is found in the teachings of Islam
and I am certain that after this mosque
has been built, you will receive the mes-
sage of love, affection, sympathy and
brotherhood from the Ahmadis here,
God willing.
Thank You.’
true muslims defend all places of worship

THE
PHILOSOPHY
OF THE
TEACHINGS
OF
ISLAM
MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD
THE PROMISED MESSIAH & MAHDIAS
The Review of Religions
serialised the famous treatise
The Philosophy of the Teachings
of Islam, by the founder of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community. Initially written
for the Conference of Great
Religions on December 26-
29,1896, each speaker at the
conference was asked to present
to the audience the beauties
of their own religion based
upon its scripture, proving that
it was the true religion, based
on the following topics:
• The Physical, Moral,
and Spiritual States of Man;
• What is the State of
Man after Death?
• The Object of Man’s Life and
the Means of its Attainment;
• The Operation of the Practical
Ordinances of the Law in
This Life and the Next;
• Sources of Divine Knowledge
SERIALISED IN
The Review of Religions
Read online:
www.alislam.org/books/
Or purchase here:
store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html

“You received us with a warm welcome. I really felt
like I was coming to our own place with familiar
people. I have had the opportunity to attend many
Christian events, but I have never felt so welcome as
I have coming here. Christians can learn a great deal
from you.”
Mr Michael Saulheimer

A Glimpse into the Life of
the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
Tolerance and Brotherhood: Christians Worship
in the Mosque
The Holy Prophetsa
not only emphasised the desir-
ability of tolerance in religious matters but set a very
high standard in this respect. A deputation from a
Christian tribe of Najran visited him in Madinah
to exchange views on religious matters. It included
several church dignitaries.The conversation was held
in the mosque and extended over several hours. At
one stage the leader of the deputation asked permis-
sion to depart from the mosque and to hold their
religious service at some convenient spot.The Holy
Prophetsa
said that there was no need for them to
leave the mosque, which was itself a place conse-
crated to the worship of God, and they could hold
their service in it (Zurqani).1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ahmadra
, Life
of Muhammad (Tilford, Surrey, U.K.: Islam International
Publications Limited, 2013), 246-247.

ZIKA
THEFUTURE&
WHEREIT
CAMEFROM

D
uring the month of April
in 1947, caged rhesus mon-
keys were introduced into the
Ugandan forest of Zika1
as part of a
research study looking into viruses that
are transmitted by mosquitoes. Routine
vital observations such as temperature
were being recorded in a periodic man-
ner. On April 18th
, one of the monkeys,
designated monkey 766, developed a
fever.This monkey was pulled out of the
forest into a laboratory, where simple
monitoring was carried out. Apart from
the fever,the monkey developed no other
abnormality.On April 20th,the third day
of the illness, blood was taken from the
monkey and injected into both the peri-
toneum of mice (a membrane that covers
the abdominal organs), and the brains
of mice. Interestingly, the mice that had
been injected inside the peritoneum did
not develop a febrile illness, but those
mice that had been injected inside the
cerebrum – a part of the brain - became
ill.2
The importance of this observation
will become apparent later.The causative
agent, isolated from the brains of these
mice, was named after the Ugandan
forest where this experiment was being
carried out,becoming known as the Zika
virus (ZIKV). At this point, what led to
the infection of monkey 766 was still
unknown.
In a separate experiment carried out in
January 1948 by the same team, mos-
quitoes were captured from the Zika
forest in order to isolate a virus from
these mosquitoes known as yellow fever
virus.3
What scientists thought was yel-
low fever virus,which had been obtained
from these mosquitoes, was inoculated
into mice.However,when the mice died
or developed an illness,it was discovered
Origins of the
Zika Virus
Dr. Shahzaib Ahmad, London, UK

that it was actually the ZIKV that had
been isolated. Thus, an important piece
of the puzzle fell into place, and ZIKV
was designated an arthropod-borne virus.
Arthropod-borne viruses, also known
as arboviruses, are transmitted through
arthropods,or invertebrate animals.And
in the case of ZIKV,the virus was trans-
mitted primarily,though not exclusively,
through the arthropod Aedes aegypti,
commonly known as the yellow fever
mosquito.4
It remained unknown at this
point that ZIKV could cause disease in
humans.
ZIKV Takes on Humans
In order to assess whether ZIKV affected
humans or not, serosurveys were car-
ried out. Serosurveys are studies in
which batches of blood samples taken
from humans are analysed to assess the
prevalence of certain viruses in a given
population. Although these studies
showed that ZIKV affected humans,5
these surveys were unreliable, often
yielding inconsistent results because of
the cross-reactivity of related viruses such
as yellow fever virus and dengue virus.6
It
was in 1952 and 1953 that the first cases
And in the case of ZIKV, the
virus was was transmitted
primarily, though not
exclusively, through the
arthropod Aedes aegypti,
commonly known as the
yellow fever mosquito. It
remained unknown at this
point that ZIKV could
cause disease in humans.

of ZIKV causing an illness in humans
were reported. Three individuals were
affected with symptoms of fever, cough,
joint pains,jaundice,pain behind the eye,
and headache.7
For over half a century following these
case reports, only 13 cases of ZIKV
affecting humans were recorded.8
Little
research was devoted to the study of
this virus as other viruses in the same
Flavivirus family, such as yellow fever
and the dengue virus, caused a much
greater burden of disease.
In 2007, the first outbreak of ZIKV was
reported in Yap state of the Federated
States of Micronesia,where an estimated
75% of the population was affected with
similar symptoms to those described
above.9
Since then, the pace has picked
up and further outbreaks have been
reported in French Polynesia (2013 and
2014), Cook Islands, Easter Island and
New Caledonia.10
Additional outbreaks
have occurred in Samoa and American
Samoa, as well as individual cases in
Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines,
East Malaysia and Indonesia.11
Despite
this, however, little attention was paid
to this virus as most affected individuals
suffered a mild illness with a very good
prognosis.
Microcephaly is a condition
characterised by a head
size that is smaller than
expected for a given age and
sex.The size of the head is
determined by the growth of
the brain; a small head implies
that brain development is
stunted or has arrested.
Initially it was difficult to test the extent
to which the Zika virus affected humans,
especially since the symptoms were
easily mistaken for other viruses, such
as yellow fever and dengue. It was
not until 1952 and 1953 that the Zika
virus was first reported in humans.
User Hasan1981 | Shutterstock
origins of the zika virus

The Review of Religions June 2017

The Review of Religions June 2017

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The Review of Religions June 2017