The Review of Religions September 2015

The Economic System
of Islam
10
The Institution of Hajj
20
Mahmud’s Letter From
the Land of the Dearest
One [Muhammadsa
]
24
The Life & Character of
the Seal of Prophetssa
52
vol. 110 - issue nineseptember 2015 www.reviewofreligions.org
Fromthe
lettersof
mahmudra
A HISTORIC JOURNEY TO THE HOUSE OF GOD

Surely We have given thee
abundance of good; So pray to
thy Lord, and offer sacrifice.
Islam, the Holy Qur’an,
Ch.108:V.2-3.
The believer who participates in
human life, exposing himself to its
torments and suffering, is worth
more than the one who distances
himself from its suffering.
Islam, the Holy
Prophetsa
, Hadith of Ibn
Majah.
The meaning of Islam is to stretch
forth one’s neck for slaughter; that
is to say, to place one’s soul at the
threshold of God with complete
willingness.The name Islam is
the soul of all law and is the life
of all commandments.To stretch
forth one’s neck for slaughter
willingly and cheerfully demands
perfect love and devotion, and
perfect love calls for perfect
understanding.The word Islam
indicates that for true sacrifice
perfect understanding and perfect
love are needed and nothing else.
Islam, the Promised
Messiahas
, The Essence of
Islam, p. 253-254.
Greater love has no man than
this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends.
Christianity, The Bible,
John, 15:13.
As long as these beings are in
sore suffering, I will not go.
From my presence the denizens
of hell grow happy. Fie on the
sickly protection-begging life of
that man who shows no favour
to one distressed, even though
he be a resolute foe! Sacrifices,
gifts, austerities do not work for
the welfare of him who has no
thought for the succour of the
distressed.To grant deliverance
to these men excels, I consider,
the joy of heaven. If many
sufferers shall obtain happiness
while only I undergo pain, shall
I not in truth embrace it?
Hinduism, Markandeya
Purana, 13-15.
At all costs I must bear the
burdens of all beings. In
that, I do not follow my own
inclinations. I have made the
vow to save all beings. All beings
I must set free.The whole world
of living beings I must rescue
from the terrors of birth, of old
age, of sickness, of death and
rebirth, of all kinds of moral
offense, of all states of woe.
Buddhism,
Siksasamuccaya, 280-81.
One man gives freely, yet gains
even more; another withholds
unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will
himself be refreshed.
Judaism, Mishlei, 11:24-25.
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
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.
©makhzan-e-tasaweer
founder of
the review of religions
Sacrifice
world faiths

8 Untold Stories
10 The Economic System of Islam
Rights of slaves and prisoners of war.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
20 The Institution of Hajj
, the Promised
Messiah and Imam Mahdi
24 Mahmud’s Letter From
the Land of the Dearest One
[Muhammadsa
]
Before becoming the 2nd Caliph of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
the young Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmad embarked on
a historic journey to perform the
Hajj. During his stay he penned
several letters to the first Caliph of
the Ahmadiyya Community relating
his fascinating experiences. The
Review of Religions has translated
these letters and publishes their
English rendering for the first time.
Swaneh Fale Umar, Vol.1
52 The Life and Character of the
Seal of Prophetssa
, Vol II
Marriage of Hazrat ‘A’ishahra
and an exposition of her age at
the time, the issue of polygamy
and two fabricated incidents.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra
contents
september 2015 Vol.110 issue nine
52
24
THE ABOUT THE BOOK
‘The Economic System of Islam’ is an English rendering of a lecture
delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (Second
Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community) to a gathering of
young scholars in Lahore, Pakistan in 1945. It is the first
comprehensive account given by a Muslim scholar on the topic of
Islamic Economics in the perspective of the post World War II era.
The principles and philosophy of the Islamic economic system
explained in the book are based entirely on the teachings of the Holy
Quran, traditions and practices of the Holy Founder of Islamsaw
and
his successors. What is put forward here is not theoretical; rather it
is a system that was practically implemented in the early years of
Islam in the Islamic states and emirates of Arabia. The author shows
that the Islamic economic system is practical and efficient. He argues
that it combines the best aspects of capitalism and socialism, i.e.,
individual freedom as well as the care and protection of the poor and
vulnerable. The author asserts that Islam aims at establishing a
welfare society in the true sense of the word by enabling man to
contribute fully to society, yet not ignoring his individuality and
self-esteem. The author makes a critical evaluation of the inherent
flaws in Communism which, he declares, was doomed to failure. He
supplements his analysis with divine prophecies about the collapse
of the Communist economic system—which the world has started
witnessing in the last twenty years.
The author demonstrates how the economic system of Islam is based
firmly on social and moral principles found in Islamic teachings.
With the emerging greater interest in the subject both by Islamic
countries and International institutions, this scholarly assessment of
the Islamic economic system would benefit all those who want to
study this subject in depth.
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad
THEECONOMICSYSTEMofISLAMMirzaBashir-ud-DinMahmudAhmad
1024

In recent times vested interests have
launched a ‘crusade’ against Islam.
Islam is labelled as a religion of terror,
backwardness and suppression.
Based on Quranic teachings, the author of
this book goes about disproving these notions
and professes that Islam provides practical
solutions to current issues; and argues that:
(1) Swords can win territories but not hearts,
forces can bend heads but not minds; (2) The role
of women is not of concubines in harems nor a
society imprisoned in the four wall of their houses;
(3) Richer nations provide aid with strings attached
and yet the flow of wealth continues to be in the
direction of the rich while the poorer sink deeper
in the red; (4) Religion does not need to be the
predominant legislative authority in the political
affairs of the state; (5) Irrespective of the thawing
of the cold war, the issue of war and peace does not
only hang by the thread of superpower relationship.
(6) Without God there can be no peace.
It also contains comprehensive discussion
on interest; financial aid; international
relations; and the role of Israel, America and
the United Kingdom in a new world order.
The message of this book is timeless and chalks
a blue print for the future prospects for peace.
Read online: http://www.alislam.org/books/
Purchase print copy: http://store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html
CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER
Syed Amer Safir
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Nakasha Ahmad,Tariq H. Malik
RELIGION & SCIENCE
Editor: Dr. Syed Muhammad Tahir Nasser
Deputy: Dr.Tauseef Khan
ISLAM & CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Editor: Shahzad Ahmad
LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS
Editor: Qudsi Rasheed
Deputy: Ayesha Mahmood Malik
ANCIENT RELIGIONS & ARCHAEOLOGY
Editor: Fazal Ahmad
Deputy: Rizwan Safir
CHRISTIANITY
Editor: Navida Sayed
Deputy: Arif Khan
GENDER & EQUALITY
Editor: Aliya Lateef
Deputy: Meliha Hayat
BOOK REVIEWS
Editor: Sarah Waseem
WEB TEAM
Mubashara Ahmad, Hibba Turrauf
EDITORIAL BOARD
Mansoor Saqi, Bockarie Tommy Kallon, Professor
Amtul Razzaq Carmichael, Murtaza Ahmad, Fiona
O’Keefe, Hassan Wahab, Jonathan Butterworth,
Munazza Khan, Waqar Ahmedi, Mahida Javed
SUB-EDITORS
Munawara Ghauri (Head), Maryam Malik,
Nusrat Haq, Mariam Rahman
PROOFREADERS
Farhana Dar (Head), Hina Rehman, Amina Abbasi, Ayesha Patel
HOUSE STYLE GUIDE
Maleeha Ahmad (Head), Sadia Shah
SOCIAL MEDIA
Tazeen Ahmad (Head), Mala Khan (Deputy), Nudrat
Ahmad, Hajra Ahmad, Mishall Rahman, Shumaila Ahmad
PRINT DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Ahsan Khan
INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION
Muhammad Hanif
ACCOUNTS & MARKETING
Musa Sattar
ART & CREATIVITY
Zubair Hayat, Mussawir Din
INDEXING,TAGGING & ARCHIVING
Mirza Krishan Ahmad (Head). Amtus Shakoor Tayyaba Ahmed
(Deputy). Humaira Omer, Humda Sohail, Shahid Malik, Ruhana
Hamood, Mubahil Shakir, Adila Bari, Hassan Raza Ahmad
MANAGEMENT BOARD
Munir-Ud-Din Shams (Chairman), Syed Amer Safir (Secretary), Mubarak Ahmad Zaffar, Ataul Mujeeb
Rashed, Naseer Qamar, Abdul Baqi Arshad, Abid Waheed Ahmad Khan, Aziz Ahmad Bilal

called Al-Wassiyyat (‘The Will’).Its head-
quarters are in Pakistan,but it is a global
scheme and its branches are established
throughout the world. This company
is very popular and its membership is
increasing very rapidly. Not only does it
give me life insurance, but also after-life
insurance! After listening to all of this
his final remarks were, “This is, no doubt,
a very good offer. Although it has a high
premium, yet it is very good.”
This incident illustrates how even in
the eyes of non-Muslims, the blessed
schemes of the revival of Islam are con-
sidered very prudent and beneficial. All
praise belongs to Allah Almighty!
Fezia Maqsood, London
Divine Insurance
The following incident is narrated by
Imam Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, who served
as National President and Missionary in
Charge in Japan during the years 1975 to
1983.
Once, a young man from an insurance
company came to our mission house in
Tokyo. As the two of us sat down, he
asked me if I had life insurance.My reply
was,“Yes, I do.”He continued,“Then how
much is the premium which you have to pay
them?” I informed him that the insur-
ance which I have taken requires me to
pay 10% of whatever I earn, monthly.
I continued to tell him that I had also
committed 1/10th
of whatever money
or property I left behind posthumously
to this company, before my inheritance
was distributed. His response was,“That
is very high!That is too high! What company
is it and what do they give you in return
for this?” I answered that this insurance
company undertakes to look after me
and my family for the next seven gen-
erations in return for what I pay.He then
said,“That is a very good policy, though the
premium you have to pay is very high. Tell
me, what is the name of this company and
where is it located?” I told him that it is
[UNTOLD]
STORIES
I informed him that the
insurance which I have taken
requires me to pay 10% of
whatever I earn, monthly. I
continued to tell him that I
had also committed 1/10th
of
whatever money or property
I left behind posthumously
to this company, before my
inheritance was distributed.
Do you have an
“Untold
Story”
you wish to share
with us?
Email us your unique story at
editor@reviewofreligions.org
8 The Review of Religions | september 2015 september 2015 | The Review of Religions 9

Measures to End the Institution
of Slavery
It should be remembered that the basic
source of unnatural and iniquitous
treatment—which existed since time
immemorial and which Islam brought
to an end—was the institution of slavery.
It may not be possible for people today
to appreciate the intimate link between
slavery and the rise of global commerce
and economy; indeed, this is the reason
that Islam put a stop to the practice of
slavery.
Role Played by Slave Labour in World
Economy
Before the inception of Islam, in fact,
even after its rise, the institution of
slavery prevailed over a large part of
the world. On examining the history of
ancient Rome,Greece,Egypt and Persia,
we find that slave labour was used as the
instrument of economic progress in all
of these countries.
Slavery was made possible basically
through two channels. One way was
when countries at war with neighbour-
ing states captured the citizens of their
opponents and turned them into slaves.
For example,when the opportunity arose,
the Romans would capture the Persians
as slaves, or the other way around.Thus,
each side would enslave people of the
other side, expecting thereby to deal a
The Economic
System of Islam It may not be possible for
people today to appreciate
the intimate link between
slavery and the rise of global
commerce and economy;
indeed, this is the reason
that Islam put a stop to
the practice of slavery.
by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
We continue with the serialisation
of the epic lecture delivered by the
Second Worldwide Head of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
later published as a book titled, The
Economic System of Islam. In
this third part of the series, Hazrat
Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmadra
speaks about how the rise
of global commerce, including in the
USA, was reliant on slavery, and the
means of ending the cruel practice.
To read the first three parts,
visit our website,
www.reviewofreligions.org.
ra
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad
THEECONOMICSYSTEMofISLAMMirzaBashir-ud-DinMahmudAhmad
U
*The photos used in this article were not used in the original
publication, but have been added to our serialisation by The Review
of Religions to help illustrate the subject matter. The Review of
Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in depiction.
september 2015 | The Review of Religions 11

slavery no longer exists in that coun-
try, some 20–30 million Americans are
descendants of people who were brought
as slaves.
The main motivation behind slavery in
advanced countries was to further their
economic might through cheap slave
labour. The slaves were exploited in dif-
ferent ways.They were assigned to work
in factories, or ships, or any other work
involving heavy manual tasks required
for economic development. Similarly,
slave labour was used on plantations in
order to minimise production costs and
to maximise profit.
Prohibition of Unjust Forms of Slavery
In both of the above-mentioned forms,
slavery denied equality in treatment to
a cross-section of mankind. Islam cat-
egorically prohibited both channels of
enslaving people.The Holy Qur’an says:
August 2015
Economic System of Islam




[1]
.......
:::1::
:
......
The P
[1]
Meaning that: It was not lawful for any
Prophet before you, nor is it for you, to
take prisoners without engaging in a
war. If there is a war—and that too, reli-
gious—prisoners can be captured in the
battlefield.
The condition laid down in this verse
blow to the opponent’s political power.
The second way to enslave people was
to capture women and children from
the backward parts of the world. While
the first means of enslaving people was
adopted at opportune occasions,the sec-
ond method became a sustained practice
over time.
In fact, that approach to slavery con-
tinued well into the 18th
century when
hordes of West Africans were brought
over into the United States. Although
the economic system of islam
Above: First slave auction in 1655 at New
Amsterdam, by American illustrator Howard
Pyle (1853-1911). America owes a debt of
gratitude to the slaves who helped build its
economy (accessed via wiki commons).
Above right: “Charges and net proceed
of 118 new slaves,” bookkeeping entry
(between circa 1754 and 1755) from ledger
of the firm of Austin & Laurens, Charleston,
South Carolina, recording purchases and
sales, and including accounts relating to
sale of slaves by the firm. Courtesy of the
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library,
Yale University (accessed via Wiki Commons).
Movement of slaves in America between
1790 and 1860. Author: Willard Cope
Brinton, New York City, Brinton Associates
(accessed via Wiki Commons).

what happens if neither the prisoner nor
his country or family have the resources
to pay ransom? Islam then allows the
prisoner to pay his ransom in regular
instalments and thereby earn his free-
dom. Allah the Almighty says:
.......
:::1::
:
......
:::2:::
......
[2]
...


...
[3]



[3]
That is,If you have a prisoner whom you
cannot release as a favour, and his rela-
tives cannot pay the ransom,then if such
a prisoner desires a deed of manumis-
sion in writing, write it for them if you
know any good in them; and give them
out of the wealth of Allah which He has
bestowed upon you.
In situations where the slave is unable to
pay the ransom, this verse enjoins that a
bond be executed between a master and
his slave, which binds the latter to pay
the ransom in agreed instalments. After
this bond has been executed, the slave is
immediately restored to freedom,and he
is free to take up any trade he may have
an aptitude for. As a beautiful, crowning
gesture of goodwill,the master,out of his
own assets,is directed to provide the pris-
oner with some capital to start him on
the new venture. Out of these earnings,
the master is not entitled to anything
beyond the agreed fixed instalment.
When one considers the Islamic teach-
ings regarding slavery, it becomes clear
that Islam leaves absolutely no avenue
open for any person to make another per-
son a slave. Even when prisoners of war
are taken, the captors are encouraged to
set them free as a favour or else they must
be set free on payment of a reasonable
ransom. If there is a prisoner who can-
not ransom himself and his friends or his
government take no steps towards pay-
ing his ransom, he can gain freedom by
giving an undertaking that would enable
him to pay his ransom in instalments out
of his earnings. Destitute prisoners are
even helped with some capital to ena-
ble them to earn their livelihood and
gain freedom. If in the presence of such
extraordinary concessions, a prisoner
does not avail himself of the opportu-
nities offered, it can only mean that he
finds his ‘bondage’among Muslims more
agreeable than free life among his own
people.
does not permit anyone to imprison
the civilian population of any country
where war has not been declared. Nor
does it permit enslaving any citizen of
the opponent who has not been part of
the attacking force. The imprisonment
of those who actively engage in combat
is allowed because they would otherwise
go back to join forces in attack.
Then Allah says in these verses that:
August 2015




[1]
.......
:::1::
:
......
:::2:::
......
[2]
...


...
[3]
The Plague
ِ‫ر‬‫َّا‬‫الد‬ ِ‫ِف‬ ْ‫ن‬َ‫م‬ َّ‫ل‬ُ‫ك‬ُ‫ظ‬ِ‫اف‬َ‫ُح‬‫أ‬ ‫ي‬‫إِّن‬
:::1:::
:::2:::
World War 1
...
*...
[1]
ِ‫ة‬َ‫اع‬َّ‫الس‬ َ‫ة‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ز‬ْ‫ل‬َ‫ز‬
:::1:::
َ‫أ‬ ‫ا‬ْ‫و‬ُ‫ق‬ ،ِ‫ة‬َ‫اع‬َّ‫الس‬ َ‫ة‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ز‬ْ‫ل‬َ‫ز‬َ‫ع‬َ‫م‬ ‫اهلل‬ َّ‫إن‬ ،ْ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬َ‫س‬ُ‫ف‬ْ‫ن‬
ُّ‫ق‬َ‫ح‬‫ال‬ َ‫اء‬َ‫ج‬ ،ُ‫ل‬ْ‫ض‬َ‫ف‬‫ال‬ َ‫ك‬ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ َ‫َن‬َ‫د‬ ،ِ‫ر‬‫ا‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫األب‬
ُ‫ل‬ِ‫اط‬َ‫ب‬ْ‫ل‬‫ا‬ َ‫ق‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ز‬َ‫و‬
:::2:::
َ‫ل‬َّ‫الز‬َ‫و‬ُ‫د‬ِ‫ائ‬َ‫َّد‬‫الش‬ :ُ‫ل‬ِ‫ز‬
3


[94]

[95]



[99]
‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬َ‫ه‬ َ‫ت‬ْ‫ق‬َ‫و‬ ْ‫ر‬‫ي‬‫خ‬‫أ‬ ‫ي‬‫ب‬َ‫ر‬
[103]
‫ى‬َّ‫م‬َ‫س‬ُ‫م‬ ٍ‫ت‬ْ‫ق‬َ‫و‬ َ‫إَل‬ ‫اهلل‬ ُ‫ه‬َ‫ر‬َّ‫أخ‬
[104]
“You desire the frail
goods of this world”meaning: O Muslims,
do you desire to behave like other nations
and enslave their people to augment your
power
August 2015




[1]
.......
:::1::
:
......
:::2:::
......
[2]
...


...
[3]
The Plague
:::1:::
:::2:::
World War 1
...
*...
[1]
:::1:::
:::2:::
3


[94]

[95]



[99]
[103]
‫ى‬َّ‫م‬َ‫س‬ُ‫م‬ ٍ‫ت‬ْ‫ق‬َ‫و‬ َ‫إَل‬ ‫اهلل‬ ُ‫ه‬َ‫ر‬َّ‫أخ‬
[104]
nay, Allah
does not want you to follow other
nations. He wants to guide you to the
course that is better for you in the end
and entitles you to win Allah’s pleasure.
God reminds Muslims that nearness to
God is better than any worldly gain.And
God decrees that it is better for you that
you do not take any prisoners except
when war is imposed on you.
This rule was strictly enforced in the early
days of Islam.During the reign of Hazrat
Umarra
, a deputation from Yemen came
and complained that before the advent
of Islam,they had been made into slaves
without any cause by a neighbouring
Christian tribe. Hazrat Umarra
replied
that though the event took place before
the Muslims were in power, he would
look into the case and have them set free
if their complaint was borne out by facts.
In contrast to this enlightened Islamic
stand, the Europeans continued to use
slavery for advancing their trade and
agriculture until the 19th
Century.
There is no doubt that some instances
of the un-Islamic custom of slavery can
be found in Islamic history, but slavery
was never practised to promote domestic
industry or trade.
Exhortations for Freeing Prisoners
of War
With respect specifically to prisoners of
war, Islam decrees:
[2]
August 2015




[1]
.......
:::1::
:
......
:::2:::
......
[2]
...


...
[3]
The Plague
:::1:::
:::2:::
World War 1
...
*...
[1]
:::1:::
:::2:::
3


[94]

[95]



[99]
That is: Then afterwards either release
them as a favour or by taking ransom.
No third option is given.The captor can
either release prisoners of war out of
compassion and rest assured that God
is pleased with his action or if financial
hardship does not allow the captors to
set prisoners of war free without recom-
pense,then it is permissible to charge the
customary ransom for release. However,

him. In any case, he must not be abused.
If he is a freedman, working for wages,
he should be paid promptly. If the mas-
ter happens to physically hit a freedman,
he has the right to lodge a petition with
Qaza (Islamic judicial system) and sue
his master for compensation. A servant,
who has not yet been freed, can also go
to a court of law, for physical abuse. If
the complaint is justified, the courts are
instructed in such cases to determine that
the master is not fit to keep the prisoner,
and grant him freedom.
A person possessing prisoners is
instructed to feed them the same food as
he eats and to clothe them in the manner
he clothes himself. It is no wonder that
many prisoners of war in Muslim hands
refused to go back to their own people.
They felt that if they went back home,
they might not get the same quality of
food as they got as prisoners and their
quality of life would actually be worse.
Thus, when Muslims became rulers,
prisoners of war often refused to return
home, even though they were offered
payment of their ransom to gain their
freedom. This was so because they real-
ised that their life was more comfortable
as ‘slaves’ than as free men back home.
If, under such circumstances, a few men
chose to remain slaves, who can object?
Slavery and Economics
Although the subject of my address today
is not slavery, economics and slavery are
inextricably woven together in human
history. The development of Siberia in
Russia was dependent on the work of
Careful consideration of these injunc-
tions makes it obvious that Islam leaves
no room for anyone to enslave another
free person. The first commandment is
to free the slaves as a favour, without
any ransom.If that is not possible,Islam
enjoins freeing the prisoners with an
appropriate ransom. If a prisoner can-
not arrange for the ransom from his
own resources, or from his relatives, he
can execute a bond and would, for all
practical purposes, be totally free owing
nothing more than the agreed instalment.
The slave who stabbed and martyred
Hazrat Umarra
was himself set free
according to the ransom guidelines given
above. One day, the slave approached
the Muslim who he lived with, and pro-
posed payment of a fixed instalment of
ransom out of his income in exchange
for his freedom. A contract was signed
that mandated the slave to earn his free-
dom by paying the agreed instalments.
However, one day he complained to the
Khalifah that his instalment was too
heavy and that it should be reduced. On
investigation, Hazrat Umarra
found that
the man’s income was many times greater
than the agreed instalment.His applica-
tion was therefore rejected, which made
him furious.He thought that justice had
been denied to him on racial grounds,as
he was a Persian while his former master
was an Arab. So the next day he stabbed
Hazrat Umarra
with a dagger, who was
martyred because of the wounds.
To sum up,Islam gives a right to any pris-
oner of war to gain his freedom by paying
ransom in cash or in agreed instalments.
If he is then unable to embark upon an
economic activity for lack of capital, the
master or the government is enjoined to
assist him in procuring the needed funds
to gain his freedom.
Fair Treatment of Prisoners
Islam instructs that,when working at the
master’s home, a prisoner of war must
not be given tasks beyond his capacity.If
the task is too onerous for the prisoner
to do by himself, the master should help
If in the presence of such
extraordinary concessions, a
prisoner does not avail himself
of the opportunities offered, it
can only mean that he finds
his ‘bondage’ among Muslims
more agreeable than free
life among his own people.
Roman collared slaves. — Marble relief,
from Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey), 200 CE.
Collection of the Ashmolean Museum,
Oxford, England. Via Wiki Commons.

acts performed voluntarily in this world.
These voluntary acts turn life in this
world into a field where you cultivate the
spiritual seed and gather its fruits in the
life to come. A farmer would not plant
a seed that gave no yield; human actions
performed under duress are similar to the
seed that remains barren in the next life.
However virtuous a person’s actions may
seem on the surface,they yield no reward
if done under compulsion. Meritorious
life in the hereafter is wholly dependent
on good deeds done in this world volun-
tarily.Those who believe in the hereafter
can never support a system that compels
humans to behave in a specified way, for
in a system based on compulsion, the
field of moral excellence and virtue is
greatly constricted. A believer therefore,
must out of necessity, demand an eco-
nomic system where he is free to choose,
except in areas where state intervention
is unavoidable.
endnotes
1. Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 68.
2. Holy Qur’an, Surah Muhammad, Verse 5.
3. Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Nur, Verse 34.
serfs and political prisoners. Similarly,
the United States of America developed
because of the hard work of millions
of Africans brought across from West
Africa. America today takes pride in its
wealth and economic might, but it owes
a debt of gratitude to the slaves.Similarly
Greek and Roman history tells us that
their commerce and industry was for the
most part based on slave labour; it is the
same for ancient Egypt. The economic
development in France and Spain two or
three hundred years ago was also mainly
due to slave labour. Thus, slavery and
world economy are intertwined in history
no matter where we look.But Islam put a
ban on this institution from its inception
and pronounced that the development
achieved thereby could not be considered
moral or praiseworthy.
Impact of Religion Upon Economic
Systems
Before discussing the prevailing eco-
nomic systems in the world, I wish to
point out that any religion that believes
in the life after death has to firmly
uphold the individual’s right to economic
freedom.
The fact is that the world contains two
kinds of nations: those who believe in
religion and those who don’t. The lat-
ter may adopt any economic system
that appeals to their reason; however,
those who follow religion would insist
upon an economic system that does not
bear adversely on the life in the hereaf-
ter. From this perspective, religions that
believe in the life hereafter, must insist
on individual choice and freedom. It is
only then that a person’s good actions
will find him a place in heaven, where
he will attain God’s nearness, cognition
and pleasure. God’s Holiness will pro-
tect him and free him of the weaknesses
that afflicted him in this world.The non-
believers may dismiss this conviction as
false, but believers in the hereafter will
always give preference to the permanent
life in the hereafter, in contrast to the
temporary abode here on earth.The idea
of spiritual merit in the life to come is
fundamentally dependent upon virtuous
Similarly, the United States
of America developed because
of the hard work of millions of
Africans brought across from
West Africa. America today
takes pride in its wealth and
economic might, but it owes a
debt of gratitude to the slaves. Your feedback is
important to us
Write to us with comments,
feedback and suggestions at
info@Reviewof Religions.org

The
Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
( g u i d e d o n e )
founder of
the review of religions
Another form of worship is Hajj—the Pilgrimage; which does not
mean that a person should carry out the formality of the Pilgrimage
by providing for his journey across the ocean with money lawfully or
unlawfully acquired, and having repeated the prayers and formulas
according to the directions of the servitors of the Ka’bah,should come
back and boast that he has performed the Pilgrimage.The purpose that
God Almighty has appointed for the Pilgrimage is not achieved in this
manner.The truth is that the last stage of the seeker’s journey is that
withdrawing himself altogether from the demands and desires of self,
he should be completely engulfed by the love of God and complete
devotion to Him. A true lover sacrifices his soul and heart; and the
circuit of the House of Allah is a visible sign of such a sacrifice. As
there is a House of Allah here below on the earth, so there is one in
heaven. Until a person performs the circuit of the House above, his
circuit of the House below is not truly performed.One who performs
the circuit of the House below puts aside all garments, retaining only
one of them to cover his body, but he who performs the circuit of the
House above discards all garments altogether and becomes naked for
the sake of God. The circuit is a sign of the lovers of God. They go
round the Ka’bah as if they have no will of their own left and they are
devoted wholly to Him.[1]
Allah desires to make all mankind as if they were all one person.This
could also be called a democratic singularity. Under this concept the
diverse mankind could be considered as one individual.The purpose
of religion is also that the human race be united in the form of the
beads of a Tasbeeh (rosary) through one thread.

The congregational prayers or Salat is also for such unification so that
all the worshipers are counted as one.The reason why we are prescribed
to stand shoulder to shoulder is so that who ever has greater wisdom
or spiritual charisma is able to influence the weak. It is hoped that
The Institution of Hajj

spiritual influence of the wise will diffuse into the weak. The Hajj is
also for the same plan.
Allah started the plan of democratic singularity by instructing that all
Muslims of a locality should say the five prayers in congregation in the
local mosque; so that the moral qualities can be exchanged and the
wisdom and light replaces weaknesses. By such interaction Muslims
are introduced to each other and develop affection for each other.Such
introduction is very important as that leads to affection which is the
basis of the unification. […]
The second Divine instruction is that on Friday for the Friday prayer
Muslims should gather in the main mosque of the township.It is hard
for all the people of the town to get together on a daily basis.Therefore,
it was suggested that all the citizens of a town should at least weekly
get acquainted with each other and promote unity. By such a scheme,
eventually, all of them will unite in one body or singularity. Then on
an annual basis Allah has prescribed that the Eid prayers be said at
a regional level so that acquaintance and affection grows wider and
helps in the process of democratic singularity.

In the same theme, for the unity of the whole world, Allah has
prescribed, to perform Hajj at least once in one’s lifetime so that rep-
resentatives of all people assemble together in the expanse of Makkah.
In summary, this is Allah’s desire that affection and love among man-
kind progresses.[2]

endnotes
1. Speeches to Jalsa Salana, 1906, pp. 20-21 (Eng. Translation: The Essence of Islam,
Vol. 2, p. 317).
2. Malfuzat, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, Vol.4, p.100.
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
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H
ajj is the fifth pillar of Islam
and is an obligatory pilgrim-
age to Makkah, Saudi Arabia,
that every able-bodied Muslim with
the means must make at least once in
his life. Performed on set dates of the
Islamic calendar, it commences from
the 8th
of Dhul-Hijjah, last month of
the lunar calendar, until the 12th
or 13th
of the same month. With its intricate
blend of deeply symbolic rituals, Hajj is
the ultimate source of spiritual rebirth for
Muslim pilgrims. Millions of Muslims
make this significant journey from all
corners of the Earth to unite at the
Ka’bah and shun base desires in favour
of a more spiritual state of absolute love
and gratitude for Almighty Allah.In pre-
vious years The Review of Religions has
extensively covered, through numerous
articles, the rites, rituals and philosophy
of Hajj. This year, we are covering the
Hajj from the personal perspective of one
who undertook the journey and described
his unique experience in minute detail.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmadra
(1889-1965) was the second
Successor of the Promised Messiahas
and the Second Worldwide Head of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He
became the Caliph of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community at the young age
of 25 and steered and nourished it to its
maturity for more than 50 years with his
spiritual guidance, incredible wisdom,
prayers and exceptional administrative
acumen. Also, a renowned scholar with
a remarkable depth of both religious and
secular knowledge; his scholarly excel-
lence has been preserved in a 19 volume
set known as Anwarul’ Ulum amounting
to over 200 books, lectures and essays
expounding on a vast array of subjects.
In 1912, at the young age of around 23
and prior to his Caliphate,Hazrat Mirza
Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
per-
formed the Hajj.During this historic and
blessed journey, he continued to remain
in contact,seeking prayers and guidance
from his beloved leader, Hazrat Maulvi
Hakeem Nuruddinra
, the first Caliph
and worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community. Some of these
letters were later published in the news-
paper, Al-Hakm. The Review of Religions
has translated these historic letters from
Swaneh Fazle Umar into English for the
first time. These letters give a wondrous
insight into the life and character of
Ahmadra
and a very detailed and inspi-
rational personal account of the great
pilgrimage, the Hajj.
This year, we are covering
the Hajj from the personal
perspective of one who
undertook the journey
and described his unique
experience in minute detail.
Mahmud’s Letter From
the Land of the Dearest
One [Muhammadsa
]
Makkah Prayer, 1889
© Wiki Commons

strong inclination felt towards prayers, I
stated that once Huzur himself had also
mentioned that among the many bless-
ings of Makkah Muazama and Madinah
Munawara [Makkah and Madinah are
the two holiest sites in Islam—Makkah
is where the House of God is found and
was where the Holy Prophetas
was born
and Madinah was where he passed away],
are that they provide many opportuni-
ties for prayers. Anyhow, the Leader of
the Faithful [referring to the first Caliph]
was very joyous after reading these let-
ters. It is by the Grace of God Almighty
that I have those letters which had been
written by Mahmud from the land of our
Beloved One [the Holy Prophetsa
], and
have the great honour of publishing them
for the benefit of all Ahmadis.After read-
ing these letters one is able to learn of the
virtuous life and the pure intentions of
Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib, as by studying
a person’s intentions and prayers one can
learn a great deal about his life. I wish
the European biographers could under-
stand this fine principle and view the life
of the Holy Prophetsa
with this insight.
I have an ardent desire, God willing, to
portray the life of the Holy Prophetsa
in this manner. Nonetheless, you shall
recognise the life of Hazrat Sahibzada
Sahib through his prayers. I do not wish
to make any more remarks in regards to
these letters.Although my utmost affec-
tion drives me to write more, the speedy
publication (of this letter) is compelling
my pen to stop. That is why I shall now
present these letters and request mem-
bers to fervently pray for this determined
servant, who is praying for them at the
Holy Sites. It would be of interest for
readers to know that on the one hand
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihra
[means Caliph
of the Promised Messiahas
– and refers
here to the first Caliph] wrote a letter
to Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib asking him
to return from Hajj to Qadian and yet
on the other hand, God Almighty made
such arrangements whereby he shall be
able to return in January or February.
May Allah the Almighty be his helper.”
- (Editor)
Translated by Atta-ur-Rahman Khalid,
Rabeeb Mirza and Shahzad Ahmad
Mahmud’s Letter from the Land of the
Dearest One [Muhammadsa
]
The Editor of Al-Hakm,wrote in the edi-
tion of 7th
December 1912:
“In the foreign post that came this week,
there were some letters of our determined
servant Hazrat Sahibzada Mirza Bashir-
Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
which are
addressed to our Imam [Leader], the
Leader of the Faithful [referring to the
first Caliph]. By reading these letters,
every Ahmadi’s heart shall be roused with
the zeal to pray. My own state of affairs
was such that when the Leader of the
Faithful read the content of these letters
aloud to me today, on the 2nd
December,
a state of ecstasy overcame me due to
his immense affection. By looking at
Huzur’s [‘Huzur’ is a term of affection
used in the Ahmadiyya Community
to describe the Caliph and means ‘His
Holiness’. ‘Huzur’ used in this article
refers to the first Caliph, who the letters
were addressed to] face and listening to
his voice,it seemed to me that the age of
youthfulness had once again overcome
him. Happiness (such happiness that
is intertwined with the glorification of
Allah) was gleaming from his face and
there was passion in his voice - such
passion that was immersed with glorifi-
cation and gratification to Allah. When
Huzur read out a sentence of Hazrat
Sahibzada Sahib’s [respectfully refer-
ring to Mahmud], which referred to the
By reading these letters, every
Ahmadi’s heart shall be roused
with the zeal to pray. My
own state of affairs was such
that when the Leader of the
Faithful read the content of
these letters aloud to me today,
on the 2nd
December, a state
of ecstasy overcame me due
to his immense affection.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-din
Mahmood Ahmadra
with
his companions during
their visit of different
religious institutions of India
Lukhnao, April 1912. He
is seen here seated in the
middle - at the young age
of 23, approximately the
same age he performed the
Hajj. This picture does not
in any way directly represent
his visit to Hajj, but gives
readers a general impression
of the time period when
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmadra
embarked
on the historic pilgrimage.
© Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
*The photos used in this article do not in any way portray Hazrat Musleh Maud’sra
exact journey
to the Hajj, but rather are general photos added by The Review of Religions to give readers an
impression of the circumstances around the decades Hazrat Musleh Maudra
would have performed
the Hajj. The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in depiction.

knew English, French and Italian as
well as Arabic. By the Grace of God
Almighty such an impression was left
upon them that they all took my contact
details and the person fluent in many lan-
guages promised that he would publish
these concepts in the local daily newspa-
per Al-Ilm.He further said that he would
remain in contact with me regarding our
discussion. He then carried all my lug-
gage to the hotel and did not leave until
he was fully satisfied that we would no
longer experience any kind of difficulty.
If not for this, it would have been very
difficult for us in Suez.
It is by the Grace of God Almighty that
this person decided, with this friend
who was a railway inspector, to establish
a similar committee for the purpose of
propagating Islam and uniting Muslims
in the future.At the same time my health
is weakening - today, I had such a terri-
ble headache that I had to sleep during
the day, which had a further adverse
effect on my health. Last night I saw
in a dream that Nasir’s [Hazrat Mirza
Nasir Ahmadrh
, Mahmud’s son] mother
is somewhat ill, as if suffering from
symptoms of TB. Due to the fact that
his mother has been through this illness
once before, I am worried about what
the interpretation of such a dream means,
but Huzur should please pray. Women
become affected by separation from their
husbands and due to this there is a risk
of illnesses.There is a need for prayer. It
is due to the prayers of Huzur that until
now,God Almighty has made me inter-
act with moral people only. Arab Sahib
[an Arab Ahmadi who accompanied
Mahmud to the Hajj] is also engaged in
propagating the message of Islam.
Wasalam
Yours Humbly,
Mirza Mahmud Ahmad from Suez”
Letter No.1:WrittenWhilstTravelling
From Suez to Makkah
“Beloved Master!
May Peace be upon you.
Yesterday I reached Suez by the Grace of
God Almighty,and the dream that I had
previously written about has been ful-
filled because I could not get a place on
the ship that was to set sail on Monday
[for Jeddah].I was told that tickets were
no longer available; and places would be
made available on the next ship - just as
I was told in my dream.There is another
ship that is setting off on Tuesday, 29th
October which I am trying to obtain a
ticket for. However, it seems impossible
because there are thousands of pilgrims
who were here before me. Currently,
there are two ships that sail daily from
Egypt to the Hajj, and the last of those
ships was the one that I initially intended
to sail on. If I had travelled upon that
then it was well-nigh possible that I
would have been left behind [from reach-
ing Jeddah]. Even though I have come a
week in advance,it is still problematic to
obtain a place. 71 thousand tickets have
been printed from Egypt for the pilgrims.
Yesterday, whilst coming to the Suez
from Saeed, there were five other men
travelling with me in second class. One
was European and four were Muslims.
Two among them were Bedouin chiefs,
probably from southern Egypt, one
was an officer in the postal department
and the other was a Railway Inspector.
I conversed with them and drew their
attention to the current state of Islam. I
told them how Muslims are deteriorat-
ing both religiously and materialistically,
whilst Christians are gaining strength. I
then presented the subject of the death
of Jesusas
and the Promised Messiah’sas
[Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
of
Qadian] claim.I further emphasised the
importance of unity and widening the
scope of mutual relationships. This dis-
cussion continued for about three hours.
The gentleman from amongst them,who
was an officer in the postal department,
mahmud’s letter from the land
of the dearest one [muhammadsa
]
Antique illustration of a ship convoy
sailing through Suez canal.
© Shutterstock | Marzolino
Map of Sinai Peninsula.
© Shutterstock | G.D Mohamed

a temperature. I have not checked my
temperature; therefore I am not certain
of whether I have a high temperature or
whether it is due to a stomach abnor-
mality. Daily, I suffer from a headache.
Sometimes I experience stomach pains,
perhaps owing to the change in diet.
On the first day in Egypt I met some
intellectuals and thought that all
Egyptians speak in the manner they
did. However, after three days I learnt
that it is a much distorted language. To
understand the language of the general
public is very difficult.I am obviously not
familiar with the spoken language but
in many instances even Arab Sahib said
that he was not able to understand them
and that they have completely changed
the words. In such a country it would be
almost impossible for someone to learn
the language, even in five years. On the
ship,I met some people from Cairo.Their
language was the same, even though
there were some very prominent indi-
viduals amongst them.However,I cannot
draw an entirely accurate conclusion due
to the fact that I could not stay there long
enough.In Jeddah however,all the people
I have met thus far,speak in a very artic-
ulate manner. However, I do not know
whether this view of mine shall persist
or not. The language of the Arabs I saw
in Qadian varied from them.Yesterday a
ten or eleven year old boy said:
‘Marakib Al-HijajTakunu Mashuna’[the
ship is filled with pilgrims].
Upon hearing the word Mashun [filled],I
became very pleased that it is a Qur’anic
word.In Egypt I would hear many utter:
‘Arba’ah Yaum, Sittah Yaum, Khamsah
Yaum’ [four day, five day, six day].
Another boy from here said, ‘Arba’at
Ayam’ [four days] but there [in Egypt]
I did not hear any educated person
utter the words ‘Ayam’ [days]. Everyone
would say ‘Yaum,Yaum’[day].Miyan Abu
Letter No.2:Written After Arriving in
Jeddah on 2nd
November 1912
“Beloved Master and Teacher!
May Peace be upon you.
By the Grace of God Almighty, yester-
day on 1st
October, (It is more likely to
be November, as the stamp of Jeddah is
dated as 2nd
November-Editor) I reached
Jeddah safely.Yesterday when I departed
the ship, I had a temperature and a ter-
rible headache, but as they do not check
the passengers of the Egyptian ships,
by the sheer Grace of God Almighty
I did not experience problems of any
sort and I passed through without trou-
ble. I thought that Mir Sahib [Mir
Sahib also accompanied Mahmud to
the Hajj] would have reached here by
now, but I discovered that he had not
reached because his ship was delayed
by two days. So InshAllah (God willing)
he will arrive here today or tomorrow. I
shall InshAllah wait for him in Jeddah
and when he arrives, we shall set off for
Makkah. Arab Sahib is in good health;
however, my health is quite poor. I have
a mild cough and I feel as though I have
Yesterday when I departed
the ship, I had a temperature
and a terrible headache, but
as they do not check the
passengers of the Egyptian
ships, by the sheer Grace
of God Almighty I did
not experience problems
of any sort and I passed
through without trouble.A camel caravan traveling to Makkah for
the annual pilgrimage, circa 1910.
G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph
Collection. Accessed via Wiki Commons.
]

were Arabs,yet all the third class passen-
gers had made Arab Sahib their Sheikh
[leader/teacher]. They would come to
him to seek edicts and ask about the rit-
uals of Hajj. Meanwhile, the passengers
of the first and second classes pursued
me,especially the Egyptians.They would
start a conversation with me wherever
they saw me and would make me sit next
to them. Since I am not in the habit of
drinking herbal tea or coffee,they would
feel hurt and surprised that I would not
join them. To drink a cup of herbal tea
is nonetheless easy but to drink coffee is
a very difficult task. Coffee is very bitter.
They were surprised by this and would
show compassion towards me for being
deprived of this blessing. One person
enquired from me that ‘Do Indians drink
coffee? This is a great blessing.’
The value of Hajj and its grandeur cannot
be comprehended without performing
it. Indeed, the prayers and attention
drawn towards God which I have wit-
nessed during this journey have never
been witnessed before. By seeing peo-
ple of various languages on-board a ship
together and to hear them recite ‘Labaik
Labaik’ [“Here I am!” – this is part of
a longer prayer pilgrims recite on route
to the Hajj], such emotions and affec-
tion were sparked that one is astounded
by the excellences of the Holy Prophetsa
and how that light which once emanated
from Makkah has now reached the cor-
ners of the world.After all,what was that
Quwat-e-Qudsi [divine force] which did
not take thousands, but millions out of
misguidance and showed them the path
of guidance? While boarding [ship] from
Rabigh and hearing the slogan of ‘Labaik
Labaik’ [Here I am], and when witness-
ing the Turks reciting ‘Labaich Labaich’
[Here I am – but in their distinct accent]
my eyes filled with tears. As although
these people could not recite the words
properly, yet the prayers and weeping of
the Holy Prophetsa
had brought them to
the path of Islam. It was near Rabigh
that God Almighty filled my heart
with prayers and I was enabled to pray
extensively.May I be sacrificed upon the
blessings of God Almighty’s sovereignty!
Bakr Sahib tells us that the language of
Makkah is far more refined than here.
I have heard from some Egyptians and
others that in Egypt there are some great
scholars of lexicons and hadith. If this
is true, then one can stay in Egypt for
two years and acquire such knowledge
from them.However,a person like myself
who has the intention of staying for six
months at the most,cannot benefit from
them whatsoever. If I had not made the
intention for Hajj, then this journey of
mine would have become very difficult.
I am shocked when I come across such
ignorance in the world. From a religious
aspect, India excels other countries and
Qadian is indeed a mercy, which has no
similitude. People do not understand
the importance of religion. I had the
opportunity to speak to many people
during my four-day stay in Egypt and
also during my journey on the ship.A lot
of them questioned me that there is an
urge to propagate the message of Islam
amongst those who are erring.However,
those who are guided to truth,what is the
purpose of preaching to them? If some
are led astray then let them be; we by
the Grace of God Almighty are Muslims.
When I explained to them, they were
astonished and admitted that up until
now they had not understood the true
importance of preaching and education,
and neither did they pay heed to it.Even
though I stayed there for four days only,I
spent most of three days on board in the
company of the Egyptians. Many of the
noble people of Egypt were travelling for
Hajj and I had the opportunity to meet
all of them. Owing to the fact that they
have no prejudice like we do [in the Sub-
continent], they were willing to accept
after some initial opposition and did
not persist. Also, after a brief conversa-
tion they began to grow in affection and
invited us to speak to them.Even though
they took great pride in the fact that they
I had the opportunity to
speak to many people during
my four-day stay in Egypt
and also during my journey
on the ship. A lot of them
questioned me that there is an
urge to propagate the message
of Islam amongst those
who are erring. However,
those who are guided to
truth, what is the purpose
of preaching to them?
Ka’bah, 1880. © WIki Commons
]

Letter No.3:Written by Mahmud from
Baitul Haram
“My master, my Imam and my teacher -
Peace be upon you.
By the Grace and Bounty of Allah the
Exalted, we safely reached Makkah
Mukarramah yesterday,the 9th
November,
along with Mir Sahib. Thousands upon
thousands of thanks be to God the
Exalted,Who out of His bounty granted
the opportunity to visit His pure and
holy place. Yesterday, when the camels
were coming towards Makkah,my heart
was in a strange state, beyond descrip-
tion. My heart swelled up with love and
as we approached closer and closer, my
enthusiasm grew.I am amazed as to how
Allah the Exalted,under His wisdom and
planning, brought me from one place to
another.First,the thought of Egypt had
arisen. Then it occurred that we should
visit Makkah as it is on the way. Then
I thought that as it is the days of Hajj,
they should also be availed. Hence, the
intention of going to Egypt developed
into that of visiting Makkah and Hajj
and in the end Allah the Exalted brought
me here. I had a long-standing desire to
observe Hajj and had been praying for
this. However, no apparent means were
visible as the difficulties of the journey
caused anxiety. Moreover, there was the
thought that opponents may also cre-
ate mischief. However, the intention of
going to Egypt made me think that to
go to Egypt and overlook Makkah on
the way would be disrespectful. There is
no doubt that the journey from Jeddah
to Makkah is extremely gruelling and
Mir Sahib almost became ill. I also suf-
fered a great deal and all the joints in
my entire body were aching. However,
great bounties demand great sacrifices.
In exchange for this great bounty what
relevance does this suffering have! The
road to Madinah is even longer and gru-
elling. However, what is a few days of
suffering in exchange for seeing the holy
places where the Holy Prophetsa
,may my
parents be sacrificed for his sake,spent a
glorious era of his prophetic mission? My
As two Turks who knew neither Urdu
nor Arabic, one stood to my right and
the other to my left and both very emo-
tionally recited ‘Ameen! Ameen!’ [please
accept our prayer] aloud. It suddenly
was made apparent to me that it was a
moment for the acceptance [of prayer]
because God Almighty had sent these
two men to recite ‘Ameen! Ameen!’ for me,
even though they were not aware of what
I was saying. At that moment I prayed
extensively for Huzur [His Holiness –
the first Caliph], for Huzur’s family, for
my mother, my entire family, the people
of Qadian [in India – birthplace of the
Promised Messiahas
], for Ahmadis and
for the state of Islam. Whilst the two
Turks continued reciting ‘Ameen!’ - All
praise belongs to Allah for this, I was
astonished.
Even though being ignorant, I found a
place at the threshold.
By what did God Almighty enable me to
visit this Holy land? His Grace! Grace!
Grace! I am in need of lots of prayers.
Though in this country my heart is joyful,
yet my body is sick.I intend,God willing,
to return to India, Qadian in January or
February,from Madina to Syria,en route
Egypt. May Allah enable this.
Wasalam
Yours Humbly,
Mirza Mahmud Ahmad”
It suddenly was made
apparent to me that it was a
moment for the acceptance [of
prayer] because God Almighty
had sent these two men to
recite ‘Ameen! Ameen!’ for me,
even though they were not
aware of what I was saying.
]
Tent City of Makkah, 1910. G. Eric and
Edith Matson Photograph Collection.
Accessed via Wiki Commons.
Camels and Tents of pilgrims, Makkah
1910. G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph

events that it was the divine will to have
me perform Hajj, and the intention of
Egypt was a means for it. I am humbled
to the point of death at this favour of
Allah the Exalted.What worth did a sin-
ful person like me have, that He looked
upon me with such a degree of love and
compassion, and in this manner engi-
neers for me to visit such holy places.
However, the love of Allah the Exalted
for His servants cannot be compre-
hended. He is the Benefactor, but there
is a lack of gratitude on our part. I seek
refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed.
Yesterday,I performed Umrah and Allah
the Exalted enabled me to pray beyond
my expectations. I prayed as much as
possible for Huzur, Huzur’s family, the
entire Ahmadiyya Community, Islam
and Muslims,while visiting the Baitullah
[House of Allah] and during the Sa’ee
[running] between Safa and Marwah
[Two hills situated next to the House of
Allah]. I especially prayed for the pro-
gress of the Community and for mutual
unity and love.And Allah is the Acceptor
of Prayers.
Peace.
Humbly,
Mirza Mahmud Ahmad”
Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib’s Letter to the
Caliph from Port Sa’eed
“Although my physical health has been
poor during this journey, I have derived
great benefit in a spiritual sense. I have
had the opportunity to pray to such a
degree that I seldom had previously.
Alongside myself I prayed as much as
I could for others, for Huzur’s family,
my entire family, the people of Qadian
and then for the entire Ahmadiyya
Community. I also prayed a great deal
for Islam. On the 19th
in particular, the
state on the ship was such that I felt as
though the entire earth and sky has been
filled with light.There was such fervour
for prayer in my heart that I had never
felt before. Then I felt the certainty and
satisfaction within me that all my prayers
were being accepted, and my disposi-
tion was not made anxious by prayer.
heart is overwhelmed with sentiments of
thankfulness at this favour of Allah the
Exalted and with what wisdom he has
brought me here. This is Allah’s Grace;
He bestows it on whom He pleases.
The wisdom of Allah the Exalted is man-
ifest from the fact that we missed the ship
which goes to Egypt.However after hav-
ing insisted, when we boarded the next
ship,I had a dream upon reaching Egypt
that the Promised Messiahas
or perhaps
the Holy Prophetsa
said, ‘Immediately go
to Makkah; you may or may not get another
opportunity.’Hence,two ships left and we
were unable to board them; and this veri-
fied the dream. In this manner, we were
unable to tour Egypt. Moreover, when
we reached Makkah we learned that we
could no longer travel to Egypt because it
is a rule of the Government of Egypt that
no one can travel to Egypt from Hijaz
or Syria after Hajj for four months,with
the exception of those people who are
residents of Egypt. Hence, if I want to
travel to Egypt I would not be permit-
ted to go there until April; I could go
there towards the end of April. Initially,
I considered this news to be a fabrica-
tion.However,later I learned from Hajji
Ali Jan Walai, who is a merchant from
Delhi where he has merchants, that this
is in fact the ruling. Since his business is
on-going in these countries he has defin-
itive knowledge.Another person narrated
that last year he waited in Syria for three
months and only after the elapse of this
period was he able to gain permission
to enter Egypt. In these circumstances
it seems pointless to return to Egypt. It
is pointless to wait for four months to
gain entry into Egypt after Hajj. I have
deduced by collectively looking at these
Although my physical health
has been poor during this
journey, I have derived great
benefit in a spiritual sense. I
have had the opportunity
to pray to such a degree that
I seldom had previously.
Ka’bah 1880. © WIki Commons Port Sa’eed. © WIki Commons
]

feels anxious.
Humbly,
Mirza Mahmud Ahmad from Port
Sa’eed”
A Letter From Jeddah
“On the day of Hajj my health had
improved so much so that, by the Grace
of Allah, the Hajj came to an excellent
conclusion and gave me a sense of wellbe-
ing. In many such places where it is said
prayers are particularly accepted, I saw
such blessings of Allah the Exalted that
left me in awe.At Arafat [Arafat,approx-
imately twenty kilometre from Makkah
and is where the Holy Prophetsa
deliv-
ered the Farewell Sermon to Muslims
who accompanied the Prophet for Hajj]
I had the opportunity to pray for over
four hours and saw signs of the mercy
of God, which made it appear as if all
prayers were being accepted. Moreover,
prayers were being taught to me by God
Himself, which had never come to my
mind before.All praise belongs to Allah!
The inclination towards prayers, being
taught prayers and the signs of the mercy
of God,which I experienced especially in
Makkah and during the days of Hajj,was
a completely new experience for me. A
passion arose in my heart that if a person
is able to,he should perform Hajj repeat-
edly, as it is a source of many blessings.”
Moreover, most of the time during our
journey I would have the opportunity to
pray.The journey by sea was very pleasant.
On one day the sea was fairly turbulent;
however, I did not suffer. There were
many students from England on board
with me; Muslims as well as Hindus. I
also found an opportunity to thoroughly
preach to them.They were all atheists and
would ridicule God.The Hindus did not
desist from cow meat whatsoever,because
now they were at complete liberty from
religion. I persisted with them as much
as possible during the journey and they
also became accustomed to me. When
they were finished with their matters,
they would sit by me and talked about
religion.There were three barristers; they
were the most outspoken. However, by
the Grace of Allah the Exalted, my
efforts were not in vain. Although they
did not openly admit it, however one
confessed,‘Although I was previously com-
pletely fearless, now my heart trembles if I
mock God or listen to another. Moreover, a
desire has developed in me to look into this
matter.’Hence,he also said,‘Even though
I cannot respond to your arguments and
because my old doctrines are deeply rooted,
I am not completely satisfied. I have one
bar examination remaining. After sitting
it, when I return to India after five months,
I will come to Qadian and meet you and
verify this matter.’The other Hindu, who
had already passed all his bar examina-
tions and had only one more term left,
said,‘Until today I have never seen religion
being presented in such a manner. Similarly,
until today we were made to follow religion
without any reasoning.This is a new method
that I am observing when you present argu-
ments.’However, he was so discourteous
that he would repeatedly say that if Allah
the Exalted had any power then He
should ruin him, God forbid. Another
student noted down my contact details
with the intention that he would write
to me from England regarding. I have
taken a promise from everyone to meet
Khawaja Sahib in England. Some even
requested some books in order to study
them. All praise belongs to Allah. Apart
from this benefit, the most remarkable
benefit I derived from this experience
was that by observing the condition of
these people, a picture was drawn of the
current state of Islam. I have never seen
such staunch atheists like these before,
who were very bold and outspoken.
I notice that the concern that I had for
Islam before, has undoubtedly greatly
increased now. There is great need for
prayers; I am in dire need. Even at pre-
sent I have a headache and when my
condition declines significantly,my heart
All praise belongs to Allah! The
inclination towards prayers,
being taught prayers and
the signs of the mercy of God,
which I experienced especially
in Makkah and during the
days of Hajj, was a completely
new experience for me.
]
Old Makkah, 1880. G. Eric and Edith
Matson Photograph Collection.

Lajpat Rai Jee had arrived. Thus, what
harm was there in him saying this? They
replied that I was not aware that he was a
policeman and his intention was for them
to praise Lala Lajpat Rai so that he could
report them. I don’t know whether this
was the truth or perhaps they had just
imagined this in their minds and thus
responded accordingly.Nonetheless,such
things occur in the world.”
He further stated:
“When a person looks towards the
Baitullah [House of Allah – namely the
Ka’bah] and his eyes fall upon it,there is
a special feeling in the heart and there
is a strange moment for the accept-
ance of prayer. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih
Ira
[the first Caliph of the Ahmadiyya
Community] would often state that when
he performed Hajj,he read a Hadith that
at the very first instance upon seeing the
Ka’bah, whatever prayer is made at that
point is accepted.He further said that at
the time there were many prayers that his
heart desired for but suddenly a thought
arose that if he made those prayers and
they were to be accepted and later he
was met with another need then what
would he do? He would neither be able
to perform the Hajj nor be able to see
the Ka’bah. He stated that he pondered
and eventually decided to supplicate the
prayer:‘O Allah! Whatever I pray for, accept
it.’ So that this state of affairs contin-
ued in the future also. I had heard this
from the first Caliph,and so while doing
the Hajj, I remembered it. Therefore, as
soon as we saw the Ka’bah,my [maternal]
grandfather raised his hands and said to
pray.While he was making various other
prayers, I only prayed: ‘O Allah! It is not
every day that I will get the opportunity
to see this Ka’bah. Today, I am fortunate
enough to have witnessed it in my lifetime.
You have promised Your Messengersa
that
you will accept the prayer of whosever wit-
nesses [the Ka’bah] for the first time on the
occasion of Hajj, therefore I pray that may
my prayers continue to be accepted for the
rest of my life.’”
On another occasion, speaking of
the pilgrimage to the House of God,
Ahmadra
states:
“I have had special experiences of prayer
in certain places.Firstly,the prayer made
whilst looking at the Ka’bah.During that
moment, I witnessed a strange sight in
which light was descending from the
skies. This was not a feeling that sim-
ply emanated from the heart, in fact, it
was something real and I witnessed it.
Apart from these letters some memo-
ries of this journey are found preserved
in some of his later speeches and writ-
ings.Some of these are also given as an
example:
“When I went for Hajj in 1912,a similar
incident occurred there as well. Another
five men were accompanying me on this
journey. Three of them were elderly and
were all barristers. One of them was a
Hindu, who has now gone to India
and two were Muslim. One of them
has passed away and the other one is a
barrister in Multan. The three of them
used to talk to me regarding religion and
politics on a daily basis and used to say
that we should join the Congress, as the
betterment of the Muslims lies in doing
so. Thus, we used to have many discus-
sions.When our ship reached Yemen,we
went out to tour the country. The three
barristers, the two boys, one of whom is
currently the Director of Education but
was a child at that time, were all present
as well as myself.Nevertheless,we all set
forth.When we were about to enter a city,
a very simple clothed man approached us.
We were speaking in Punjabi at the time
and he recognised that we were Punjabi.
Thus, as soon as he approached us he
said,‘The fortunate people of the country of
our Lala Lajpat Rai Jee have arrived.’He
had only mentioned so much when they
started hurling extremely foul language
at him. I felt it to be grossly uncivilised,
as the poor man had only mentioned
that we were coming from there and they
started cursing him.
At the time I remained quiet, how-
ever when we returned I said to them
that they had not exhibited good mor-
als. He was a traveller and seeing some
Punjabis, he too desired to say some-
thing in Punjabi and so he said to them
that the people of the country of Lala
O Allah! It is not every day
that I will get the opportunity
to see this Ka’bah.Today, I
am fortunate enough to have
witnessed it in my lifetime.
You have promised Your
Messengersa
that you will
accept the prayer of whosever
witnesses [the Ka’bah] for
the first time on the occasion
of Hajj, therefore I pray that
may my prayers continue to be
accepted for the rest of my life.
]

Makkah, ca. 1910.
Bird’s-eye view of Ka’bah crowded
with pilgrims. G. Eric and Edith
Matson Photograph Collection.
Makkah, ca. 1910.
G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph

Photograph of the Ka’bah published in 1905
The New International Encyclopædia, v. 11, 1905,
facing p. 358. Accessed via Wiki Commons.
The photograph shows pilgrims in the valley of Arafat, from
a series of hajj photographs by Snouck Hurgronje and the
physician Abd al-Ghaffar collected in an album, Bilder aus
Mekka in the Leiden University Library, published in 1889.
Broadhurst, R.J.C., tr. The Travels of Ibn Jubayr. London:
Jonathan Cape, 1952, pages 191-193. Image credit:
Photograph by Abd al-Ghaffar in C. Snouck Hurgronje.
Bilder aus Mekka, Plate XIII. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1889.

but he would not reveal himself openly.
When I preached to him,he told me that
whatever I said was logical, however he
said he would like to advise me not to
go to a particular person, for he would
cause me harm if he heard me stating
these things.I told him that I had already
spent two hours preaching to him and
apart from hurling verbal abuse he said
nothing else.
I also gained a lot of popularity there; we
were once walking along a street when
a young individual greeted me in a very
sober tone:‘O Son of the Messenger of God’
or ‘O son of the Prophet of God’ and then
went away.I am not aware of whether he
was mocking me or really meant it but
there did not seem to be any indication
of mockery.It is possible that perhaps his
heart was inspired and out of fear did not
reveal himself.”
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Fourth
Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Commnity,
writes in Swaneh Fazle Umar: “Upon
returning from Hajj, Hazrat Sahibzada
Sahib (respectfully referring to Mahmud)
was given a splendid reception by all the
[Ahmadiyya] Community from Bombay
to Qadian. People flocked to the vari-
ous stations to meet him and welcome
him. This was not simply a worldly
tradition; even then, the service towards
faith was given precedence. At each sta-
tion he would address the members of
the Community and relate the various
accounts of his expedition of Hajj and
would also counsel them about faith.
Despite the constraints of time,he would
deliver brief but inspirational speeches.
Among those who had convened to
greet Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib (respect-
fully referring to Mahmud) at Amritsar
station was respected Prof. Qazi
Muhammad Aslam Sahib, MA (former
Principal of Government College Lahore
and Professor for the Department of
Psychology at the Punjab University).
It was the first time he met Hazrat
Sahibzada Sahib and this occasion
proved to be one of the most cherishable
memories of Qazi Sahib,because Hazrat
Sahibzada Sahib personality had such a
profound impact upon his heart. Owing
to Qazi Sahib, we too have been able to
gain an insight into the personality of
Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib in his younger
days,as Qazi Sahib related this incident:
‘In 1912, when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih
IIra
[referring to Mahmud – who later
became the 2nd
Caliph of the Ahmadiyya
Community] completed the Hajj and
was returning back, the members of the
Secondly, when in Arafat – which is a
central part of Hajj, in this place bless-
ings also descended.The third place was
the Cave of Hira [Hira is a cave on a
mountain called Jabal al-Nur,some three
kilometres from Makkah. Hira is the
cave where the Holy Prophetsa
received
his first revelation from God]; a special
feeling is produced in the heart whilst
praying there.One of the reasons for this
feeling is because people do not give it
the respect it truly deserves.
I noticed in the open of Arafat people
were busy in buying and selling as if
it were a festival; eating, drinking and
strolling and no one could be seen to be
occupied in prayer. Although, after the
speaker had delivered his sermon and
the cloth moved,people became slightly
attentive.Otherwise,the rest of the time
people were eating and drinking.
There [in Arafat] I witnessed particular
blessings.We were given three hours and
for three hours I prayed.When there was
hardly any time left, I was told that we
should leave. However, it seemed as if I
had only spent 10-15 minutes praying.
I also started to preach there and God
Almighty protected me through His spe-
cial Grace.TheTurkish government at the
time had no influence whatsoever. Now,
the King of Hijaz is under the influence
of the British Government,therefore the
Indians cannot be ill-treated. However,
this was not the situation then, at the
time they could arrest anyone they
pleased. However, I openly preached
there.When we left that house,the next
day it was raided and the owner of the
house was questioned whether someone
of a certain description had been seen
there.
There was also a Maulvi [cleric] by
the name of Maulvi Abdul Sattar Tajir
Kutub,who was a scholar and also a very
noble and wise man. He disagreed with
the mainstream Muslims in his beliefs,
I also gained a lot of
popularity there; we were once
walking along a street when
a young individual greeted
me in a very sober tone:‘O
Son of the Messenger of God’
or ‘O son of the Prophet of
God’ and then went away...
It is possible that perhaps his
heart was inspired and out of
fear did not reveal himself.
]

met him in his later years never thought
about his age, owing to the passion in
his heart and enduring stamina for work.
Right from my childhood until many
years after the Partition of India, I too
never took notice of his age. Although
in the final years of his life, due to the
sorrow of migration [from Qadian] and
also the illness which developed after
being attacked, many of his relatives
and community members observed with
great anguish that he was entering the
latter stages of life. It was in the years
soon after 1950, that our uncle, Hazrat
Mirza Bashir Ahmadra
– who we used
to call Amoo Sahib, drew my attention
to the fact that it was the first time he
had witnessed the signs of old age in
Huzur. Therefore, Qazi Sahib’s account
is very interesting,whereby this aspect of
Huzur’s character was evident even dur-
ing his years of youth.
When Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib arrived at
Batala,which is situated twelve miles west
of Qadian, he saw his blessed mother,
Hazrat Ummul Momineenra
[mother
of the believers, the blessed wife of the
Promised Messiahas
] waiting with great
affection. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira
[First Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community] gave special instructions for
his welcome; both educational institu-
tions were closed [in commemoration].
Aside from the students, thousands of
members of the Community travelled
from Qadian to the river which was two
miles away, in order to welcome him.
Despite Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I’sra
weakness and frailty, he walked a great
distance to welcome Hazrat Sahibzada
Sahib.The students organised a grand tea
party in honour of him,in which Hazrat
Khalifatul Masih Ira
also attended and
delivered a speech. The students asked
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira
as to how
they should express their immense joy,
His Holiness told them a pure method
of expressing their happiness in the fol-
lowing way:
‘Pray that may Mia Sahib’s [i.e. referring
to Mahmud with reverence] life be one of
blessings, a benefit to mankind and for the
service of Islam.You should collectively pray
for this and offer two Rakats [units] of Salat
[prayer] after having praised God Almighty
and seeking His forgiveness.’
Thus, the person who set out from
Qadian with only prayers as his provi-
sion for travel, was met on his return
with greetings of prayers also, and good
wishes.”
Community from Amritsar welcomed him
at Amritsar station. It was the first time I
saw Hazrat Sahibzada Sahib and I think
he was sat in the second class carriage. It
was my first ever instance of seeing him and
till this day that memory remains with me.
I wish I was able to describe that strange
feeling. I observed an extremely handsome
man who was very wise; a leader, revered
and who was to become a great person. It
is rather strange, but I could not discern
whether he was old or young. When Huzur
[referring to Mahmud – who later became
His Holiness the 2nd
Caliph] travelled to
England in 1944, one of the newspapers
wrote that the Imam of the Ahmadiyya
Jama’at was a young man – only after
reading that did I realise that our Huzur is
a young man. God Almighty had granted
him such great awe so early on in his life,
due to which Huzur’s young age remained
concealed.There was a smile on his face, but
at the same time a sense of seriousness pre-
vailed. He was wearing a traditional white
cloth tied around his head and wore shin-
ing traditional Subcontinent shoes, similar
to pump style shoes. His face, his clothes, in
short his whole image, was captivating.
One would become refreshed after seeing
him because he was the son of our Imam,
the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community.
He too was handsome and enchanting like
his father.This feeling remained in me right
until the end. Huzur got off the train and
shook hands with members and continued
to speak with them informally.’
What Qazi Sahib felt on account of his
foresight and intelligence at the time of
meeting Huzur, was in fact an integral
part of Huzur’s character. By looking at
Huzur’s face or after meeting him, one
would never take notice of his age.People
who met him would be immersed in his
everlasting personality, which was free
from the shackles of time.It would seem
as if the passage of time had no bearing
on him whatsoever.Those who witnessed
him during his younger years never took
notice of his age due to his mature mind
and great wisdom. Likewise, those who
Pray that may Mia Sahib’s
[i.e. referring to Mahmud
with reverence] life be one of
blessings, a benefit to mankind
and for the service of Islam.
You should collectively pray
for this and offer two Rakats
[units] of Salat [prayer] after
having praised God Almighty
and seeking His forgiveness.
]

Deep in the heart of the Arab
Peninsula, amidst the desert
and the valleys of Pharan,
stands a modest bricked
structure. This monument is
undisputedly the single most
sacred, revered and Holy
Shrine of Islam; the compass
point for which the Muslim
world aligns itself on a daily
basis in prostration to God.
Its name is the Ka’bah, literally
translating from Arabic as ‘the cube’,
but is synonymously referred to as
Baytul Haram or ‘the Sacred House’. It
was established for the benefit of the
whole of mankind, to act as a centre
for the unification of humanity.
Does its inception lie with the
earliest human populations – viz-a-
viz Adamas
and his Community – or
were Abrahamas
and his son Ishmaelas
the individuals responsible for its
initial erection? And what purpose
does the Ka’bah actually serve?
In recent times vested interests have
launched a ‘crusade’ against Islam.
Islam is labelled as a religion of terror,
backwardness and suppression.
Based on Quranic teachings, the author of
this book goes about disproving these notions
and professes that Islam provides practical
solutions to current issues; and argues that:
(1) Swords can win territories but not hearts,
forces can bend heads but not minds; (2) The role
of women is not of concubines in harems nor a
society imprisoned in the four wall of their houses;
(3) Richer nations provide aid with strings attached
and yet the flow of wealth continues to be in the
direction of the rich while the poorer sink deeper
in the red; (4) Religion does not need to be the
predominant legislative authority in the political
affairs of the state; (5) Irrespective of the thawing
of the cold war, the issue of war and peace does not
only hang by the thread of superpower relationship.
(6) Without God there can be no peace.
It also contains comprehensive discussion
on interest; financial aid; international
relations; and the role of Israel, America and
the United Kingdom in a new world order.
The message of this book is timeless and chalks
a blue print for the future prospects for peace.
Read online: http://www.alislam.org/books/

(PART III)
Polygamy Practised by the Holy
Prophetsa
and its Wisdoms
Along with the Rukhsatanah of Hazrat
‘A’ishahra
, the practice of polygamy
began in the life of the Holy Prophetsa
.
Therefore, at this instance, it would not
be inappropriate to write a brief note on
this issue. However, prior to mention-
ing anything with regards to polygamy,it
seems necessary to mention the purposes
of marriage, as stipulated in the Islamic
Shari‘at.The reason being that along with
all its additional purposes,to some extent,
polygamy depends upon reasons which
are an offshoot of these very same origi-
nal purposes.As such,it should be known
that there are four purposes of mar-
riage, which are derived from the Holy
Qur’an. Firstly, for an individual to be
safeguarded from various physical,moral
and spiritual ailments and from their ill
consequences. This aspect is referred to
as Ihsan in the Arabic language, which
literally means to be protected within a
fortress. Secondly, the continuation of
human life. Thirdly, life-long compan-
ionship and peace of heart.Fourthly,the
growth of relations of love and compas-
sion.The Holy Qur’an states:
September 2015
The Life and Character of the Seal of
Prophetssa
1


2

“O Ye Muslims! Allowed to you are all those
women, except for those which have been
alluded to above, that you appoint for them
their dowries and marry them. However,
volume 11
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra
c h a p t e r v i
Rukhsatanah of Hazrat ‘A’ishahra
The Issue of Polygamy and Two
Fabricated Incidents
Masjid Quba,
the first Mosque
built in Islam
First ever serialisation of the newly translated Volume II of Hazrat
Mirza Bashir Ahmad’sra
outstanding biography, Sirat Khatamun-
Nabiyyin, on the life and character of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
.
Translated from the Urdu
by Ayyaz Mahmood Khan
As such, it should be known
that there are four purposes of
marriage, which are derived
from the Holy Qur’an.
Firstly, for an individual
to be safeguarded from
various physical, moral
and spiritual ailments and
from their ill consequences.
september 2015 | The Review of Religions 53

The Review of Religions September 2015

The Review of Religions September 2015

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The Review of Religions September 2015