The document discusses head-transplant surgery and religious unity. It includes:
1. An article on the history of head-transplant surgery and the potential future resurgence of the procedure in humans due to scientific progress.
2. Quotes from religious texts of various faiths promoting unity, brotherhood, and peace between people.
3. Biographical information on Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, and his teachings of establishing religious harmony.
Life Lessons to Learn ~ A Free Full-Color eBook (English).pdf
The Review of Religions March 2017
1. Losing Your Head,
Keeping Your Cool
12
A Glimpse into the Life
of the Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa
22
The Berlin Mosque Plan
of 1923
24
Jihad with
the Sword
44
vol. 112 - issue threemarch 2017 www.reviewofreligions.org
of Head-Transplant Surgery
T h e
Resurrection
4. 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
Women’s Section
Editor: Aliya Latif
Deputy: Meliha Hayat
BOOK REVIEWS
Editor: Sarah Waseem
WEB TEAM
Mubashra Ahmad, Hibba Turrauf
Special Collections
Head: Razwan Baig
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, Aisha 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, Abdul Baqi Arshad,
Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Naseer Qamar, Abid Waheed Ahmad Khan, Aziz Ahmad Bilal
WORLD
CRISIS
M I R Z A M A S R O O R A H M A D
PEACE
andthePathwaytoThe world is passing through very turbulent times.The
global economic crisis continues to manifest newer and
graver dangers almost every week. The similarities to
the period just before the Second World War continue
to be cited and it seems clear that events are moving
the world at an unprecedented pace towards a horrific
Third World War.
In this book, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad,
the Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community warns the world of the fast approaching
dangers and how it can avert disaster and chart a
course to peace.
WORLD
CRISIS
PEACE
andthePathwayto
9 781848 808584
ISBN 184880858-5
9 781848 808577
ISBN 184880857-7
WORLDCRISISandthePathwaytoPEACEMIRZAMASROORAHMAD
Please Note.
Background colour:
C=10
M=10
Y=0
K=100
From His Holiness – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba
– comes a groundbreaking vision for how to estab-
lish long-lasting peace in a world fraught with rapidly
increasing disorder and unrest. His Holiness reminds
world leaders that the flames of war are already burn-
ing through local and regional conflicts and we stand
at the precipice of another world war. If these sparks
were to truly ignite we could witness the horrific
reality of a nuclear war, whose consequences are
unimaginable. His Holiness is the Worldwide Head
and Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
– which has tens of millions of followers in over
200 countries.
World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace is a collection
of the historic addresses and letters by His Holiness to
world leaders and influential figures. In this book, His
Holiness offers consummate analysis on all aspects
of the global crisis; political, economic, social and
spiritual and provides the golden keys to resolving
the critical problems the world faces. In a world where
existing strategies for peace have failed and peo-
ple are desperately looking for a new direction, His
Holiness presents fresh and practical solutions, giving
hope that we can still prevent a global catastrophe.
(continued on back flap)
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/
5. The
Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
( g u i d e d o n e )
founder of
the review of religions
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
I
believe that beating children in a manner that the ill-
behaved child-beater pretends to be Allah’s partner in
guiding and training children is a type of polytheism.
Pray for Children Instead of Punishing Them
When a hot-tempered person is provoked and punishes a child,
he takes on the role of an enemy in the stress of his anger and
imposes punishment far in excess of the wrong which has been
done.An individual with self-respect and control over himself,
who is also forbearing and dignified, has the right to correct
a child to a certain extent as the occasion demands or seek to
guide the child. But a wrathful and hot-headed person who is
easily provoked is not fit to be a guardian of children. I wish
that,instead of punishing children,parents would have recourse
to prayer, and should make it a habit to supplicate earnestly
for their children; for the supplications of parents on behalf of
their children meet with special acceptance.1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, The Essence of Islam, vol. 3 (Tilford,
Surrey: Islam International Publications, 1993), 335.
Proper Upbringing
of Children
6. TheAdventofthePROMISEDMESSIAH
ran
evive
nd to
d of
and
Holy
Allah
come
otten
ould
this
e be
ed to
l the
the
the
o be
The Advent
of the
PROMISED
MESSIAH
HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD
The Promised Messiah and Mahdi
Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
HAZRATMIRZAGHULAMAHMAD
Read online: https://www.alislam.org/library/books/The-Advent-of-The-Promised-Messiah.pdf
Purchase print copy: http://store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html
At a time when injustice,immorality and sin ran rampant,
the religion of Islam dawned to revive the bond between
humanity and its Creator, and to establish peace in
the world. It was at the hand of the Prophet of Islam
that an unparalleled moral and spiritual transformation
took place. But the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, prophesied that
a time would come when the true teachings of Islam
would be forgotten and at this time a divinely appointed
reformer would appear to rejuvenate Islam. In fulfilment
of this prophecy, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace
be upon him, appeared in Qadian, India, and claimed
to be the divinely appointed reformer awaited by all the
world religions.
This book comprises an address delivered by the
Promised Messiahas
, in which he speaks about the
purpose of his advent and what it means to be
an Ahmadi.
new
book
The Advent
of the
Promised
Messiah
10. work deserves respect.The Frankenstein
approach he initiated on dogs in the
form of head transplants was revived in
monkeys but potentially sees its resur-
rection in humans. However, the Italian
surgeon Sergio Canavero would need to
amass 11.1 million dollars and a team of
150 doctors and nurses, to accomplish
the proposed 36-hour ground-breaking
operation.Whether this mission impos-
sible will thus become possible, remains
to be seen. If successful, the result could
raise profound questions at the medical,
psychological and even spiritual level,
relating to human identity and the rela-
tionship of the soul to the body.
About the Author: Azhaar Ashraf is a first-
year Ph.D. student in neuroimaging/neuroscience
at King’s College London studying Alzheimer’s
dementia. He is a senior member of Ahmadiyya
Muslim Research Association UK (AMRA) and
serving as the Editor of AMRA Scientific Journal.
The AMRA serves to promote science and research
based careers to its members as well as highlighting
the intrinsic harmony between religious and
scientific thought. AMRA members actively explore
and develop approaches towards using the Holy
Qur’an as a source for secular knowledge with
special emphasis on prospective research ideas.
endnotes
1. Igor E. Konstantinov, “At the Cutting Edge
of the Impossible: A Tribute to Vladimir P.
Demikhov,” Texas Heart Institute Journal 36, no.
5 (2009): 453-458.
2. Florentia Papastefanaki et al.,“Intraspinal
Delivery of Polyethylene Glycol-coated Gold
Nanoparticles Promotes Functional Recovery
After Spinal Cord Injury,” Molecular Therapy 23,
no. 6 (2015): 993-1002, doi:10.1038/
mt.2015.50.
3. Sergio Canavero,“The “Gemini”Spinal
Cord Fusion Protocol: Reloaded,” Surgical
Neurology International 6, no. 1 (2015): 18,
doi:10.4103/2152-7806.150674.
However, the Italian surgeon
Sergio Canavero would need
to amass 11.1 million dollars
and a team of 150 doctors
and nurses, to accomplish the
proposed 36-hour ground-
breaking operation.
Summary of the futuristic human head-
transplant surgery. The upper-most aspect
of the spinal cord, i.e., the cervical cords, of
the donor and the recipient will be severed
with either a sharp specially-fashioned
diamond microtomic snare-blade, or a
nanoknife, made of a thin layer of silicon
nitride with a nanometer-sharp cutting
edge. The axons/connections of the
spinal cord would be reconnected and
this process would be accelerated using
electrical stimulation via application of
a spinal cord stimulator straddling the
fusion point. A sealant substance such as
polyethylene glycol would be used to glue
the repairing spinal cord cells together.
Sergio Canavero I Released under Creative
Commons BY-SA 3.0 Germany
Your feedback is
important to us
Write to us with comments,
feedback and suggestions at
info@Reviewof Religions.org
18 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 19
11. entre
s the
sider
s the
while
g on
y. In
ulam
and
s. He
Jesus
hmir,
ward
on a
a and
HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD
The Promised Messiah and Mahdi
Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
HAZRATMIRZAGHULAMAHMAD
Read online: https://www.alislam.org/library/books/A-Hidden-Truth.pdf
Purchase print copy: http://store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html
The life of one man has perhaps never been the centre
of such passionate debate as with the case of Jesus the
Messiah, peace be upon him. While some consider him an
imposter,others believe he appeared as the savior who would
atone for the sins of mankind, while still others believe
he was saved from being hung on the cross by ascending
into the heavens physically. In this book, with compelling
testimony, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be upon him,
presents the true and accurate biographical findings on the
life of Jesusas
. He argues with conclusive historical evidence
that Jesusas
survived the crucifixion and travelled to Kashmir,
India, where he died at the ripe age of 120.Toward the end
of this treatise the author also sheds light on a prophecy
regarding Muhammad Husain of Batala and the purpose of
a prayer-duel with the same.
new
book
12. Deference Towards Servants of Humanity
He paid special deference to those who devoted their
time and substance to the service of mankind. The
Arab tribe, the Banu Ta’i, started hostilities against
the Prophetsa
and in the ensuing battle their forces
were defeated and some were taken prisoner. One
of these was the daughter of Hatim Ta’i, whose
generosity had become a proverb amongst the
Arabs. When Hatim’s daughter informed the Holy
Prophetsa
of her parentage he treated her with great
consideration and as the result of her intercession he
remitted all the penalties imposed upon her people
on account of their aggression.1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ahmadra
, Life
of Muhammad (Tilford, Surrey, U.K.: Islam International
Publications Limited, 2013), 376.
A Glimpse into the Life of
the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa
22 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 23
15. start. As the day there starts much later
than here, 9 o´clock Berlin time means
that at this time of Juma, is 9 o´clock
there. Which means that the excavation
work is just now being done.As this is the
time of acceptance of prayers, I request
the Jama’at to pray that God may bless
this work and may Islam spread there
stronger than Christianity did.”11
When we consider the blueprints12
of
the mosque, it becomes evident what
a tremendous and ambitious plan had
been launched by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-
Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
, the Second
Khalifah. It would have probably been
the biggest mosque of the Jama’at at that
time.The mosque had huge proportions;
the minarets were approximately 60
metres high and a hostel for students
was planned for construction in addi-
tion to multiple rooms for students and
staff in the main building. In addition, a
restaurant and shops had been proposed
for inclusion on the ground floor. The
mosque itself was on the second floor,
bearing a huge dome of 13 metres in
diameter. The costs for the mosque was
from the British colonies were warmly
welcomed into the city, amongst whom
many were Muslims.5
In these turbulent
times, Maulvi Mubarak Ali arrived in
Berlin with the aim of spreading the mes-
sage of Islam in this part of Europe. He
first took residence in Charlottenburg,
a thriving and international borough
of the city, in Dahlmannstresse 9.6
Two
other Ahmadis, brothers Dr. Attaullah
and Abdullah Butt, who were probably
pursuing their studies, also resided in
Berlin in the Hannoversiche Str. 1 near
the Charité hospital.7
All three appear
in the list of attendees of the meet-
ing of the Islamic Society of Berlin in
November 1922.8
Shortly after arriv-
ing, Maulvi Mubarak Ali succeeded in
purchasing a piece of land near the tram
station of Witzleben, which was at that
time an agricultural land.9
He bought it
for £200 on 16th
of February 1923.10
The
architect K.A Hermann was assigned
by Maulvi Mubarak Ali to design the
mosque and after receiving the required
permission, the excavation work for the
mosque started on Friday,27th July,1923.
Precisely at the same time,Hazrat Mirza
Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
,sec-
ond Khalifah and then-Worldwide Head
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
was delivering the Friday sermon in
Qadian, in which he said about the
Berlin mosque:
“How thankful we should be that in this
short period, the weak and small part of
a small community has collected the
required amount and the construction
of the mosque has started. I am men-
tioning this because I had written to be
informed when the excavation work for
the foundation starts,so that the Jama’at
could pray for this work. Today a tele-
gram came which stated,that at 9 o´clock
Berlin time the excavation work would
the berlin mosque plan of 1923
It would have probably
been the biggest mosque
of the Jama’at at that
time.The mosque had huge
proportions; the minarets
were approximately 60
metres high and a hostel for
students was planned for
construction in addition to
multiple rooms for students
and staff in the main building.
In addition, a restaurant and
shops had been proposed for
inclusion on the ground floor.
This drawing by the architect was
published in the German newspaper
Vossische Zeitung in August of 1923. The
caption at the bottom of the picture
reads, “The new face of Berlin: the first
Mosque in Berlin W at the Kaiserdamm.
Designed by architect Hermann.”
28 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 29
16. “This mosque is donated by the Ahmadi
women for their new Muslim brothers.”14
Maulvi Mubarak Ali expressed this in
his words stating: “This mosque will be a
monument to prove that Muslim women
have souls and that they not only care
for their own souls but for the souls of
their brothers and sisters thousands of
miles away.”15
On the 6th of August at 5 pm,the official
ceremony for the laying of the founda-
tion took place.Maulvi Mubarak Ali had
sent 500 invitations to various dignitar-
ies, scholars and other people for this
occasion. But there was also opposition
to the mosque. In particular, a group of
Muslims under the leadership of the
two Indian brothers Abdul Jabbar and
Abdus Sattar Kheiri, who not only had
good relations with the German Foreign
Ministry but were at times on their pay
roll,opposed the mosque.16
Additionally,
the Egyptian Dr.Mansur Rifat from the
Egpytian Nationalists, was also against
its construction.When Maulvi Mubarak
Ali invited the different governmental
officials to the ceremony, the German
Foreign Ministry circulated a letter to
different ministries on the 4th
of August
with the heading “very urgent”stating:
estimated at £2500.13
As stated earlier,
the money for this project was collected
in a relatively short period of time, by
the women of the Ahmadiyya com-
munity. The speeches of Hazrat Mirza
Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
, the
Second Khalifah, and the reports pub-
lished in the Al-Fazal newspaper during
those years, spoke volumes of the great
sacrifices of the poor Ahmadi women
of India. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmadra
,second Khalifah and
then-Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community instructed the fol-
lowing words to be displayed on the
mosque:
The original plans for the Berlin Mosque show
the grand scale of the project in the 1920s.
“This mosque will be a
monument to prove that
Muslim women have
souls and that they not
only care for their own
souls but for the souls of
their brothers and sisters
thousands of miles away.”
30 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 31
19. III E226 5/29.
18. Maulvi Mubarak Ali writes him as Imam of
Bukhara. In the Moslemische Revue of October
1934, his name is given as Imam Idris from
Turkestan, who was the head of the so-called
Tatar Camp (formerly Halbmondlager).The
camp was for Muslim war prisoners of World
War I.
19. Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung 08 August
1923; Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923), 15;
Dr. Mansur Rifat, Die Ahmadia-Sekte (Berlin,
1923) 14.
20. Al-Fazal (Qadian) 5 Oct. 1923. Maulvi
Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923), 11.
21. The speech itself was published in The
Moslem Sunrise from January 1924. See: The
Moslem Sunrise, January 1924, 13.
22. Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Berliner
Tageblatt, Berliner Lokal Anzeiger, Vossische
Zeitung, 07 August 1923; Maulvi Mubarak Ali,
“Diary”(1923), 11.
23. Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung Morning Issue,
07 August 1923. Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”
(1923), 11.
24. Ibid.
25. E.g, Die Rote Fahne.
26. See: Mansur Rifat, Die Ahmadia Sekte
(Berlin, 1923); Mansur Rifat, Der Verrat der
Ahmadis an Heimat und Religion (Berlin,
1923); Mansur Rifat, Die Ahmadia Agenten
(Berlin, 1924); Mansur Rifat, Vollständiger
Zusammenbruch der Ahmadia-Sekte (Berlin,
1924).
27. Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923).
28. Al-Fazal (Qadian), 28 March 1924, 14.
29. Mansur Rifat, Vollständiger Zusammenbruch
der Ahmadia-Sekte (Berlin, 1924).
30. For details see Al-Fazal (Qadian), 21 Sept.
1923.
31. See Mubarak Ali, Ahmadija-Bewegung oder
Reiner Islam (Berlin, 1924).
32. Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923), 22.
For details on hyperinflation, see: Wolfgang
CH Fischer, German Hyperinflation 1922/23: A
Law and Economics Approach (Lohmer-Cologne,
Germany: Eul Vehrlag, 2010).
33. Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923), 26.
34. A. Mikowiak Baugeschäft Spandau, let-
ter to the district office Charlottenburg, 26
Publications Director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, Germany.
endnotes
1. Al-Fazal (Qadian), November 1922.
2. K.M. Mahmudul Hassan, Germanyte
Prothom Bangali Missionery/First Bengali
Missionary In Germany (1993).
3. Al-Fazal (Qadian), 23 August 1922.
4. K.M. Mahmudul Hassan, Germanyte
Prothom Bangali Missionery/First Bengali
Missionary In Germany (1993).
5. Gerhard Höpp, Fremde Erfahrungen: Asiaten
Und Afrikaner in Deutschland, Österreich Und
in Der Schweiz Bis 1945, Studien / Zentrum
Moderner Orient, Geisteswissenschaftliche
Zentren Berlin e.V (Das Arabische Buch,
1996).
6. Members list of Islamische Gemeinde, e.V. 04,
November 1922.
7. Al-Fazal (Qadian) 5 Oct. 1923. Members
list of Islamischen Gemeinde zu Berlin e.V. 04.
November 1922. Interestingly, the brothers
Abdul Jabbar and Abdul Sattar Kheiri also
lived at the same address, for more details see:
Members list of the Islamische Gemeinde zu Berlin
e.V. 04. November 1922.
8. The Islamische Gemeinde zu Berlin e.V. was
established in April 1922 by the brothers Abdul
Jabbar and Abdus Sattar Kheiri.
9. Letter of the District Court III, Berlin, 31
January 1927, 1. XV.15/A.1005.3.
10. Ibid.; Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923),
9; The Muslim Sunrise, January 1924, 14.
11. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmadra
,“Friday Sermon of 27 July 1923,”
Khutubat-e Mahmud Vol. 8 (Qadian), 146-147.
12. The blueprints and construction files were
found in a copy of the Islamarchiv Soest. For
this the author traveled with Ml. Ashraf Zia,
Hafiz Fareed Khalid , Dr. Dawood Majoka
und Ilyas Majoka in December 2015 to the
Islamarchiv in Soest. Director of the archive Mr.
S. Abdullah was very helpful in the research.
13. Maulvi Mubarak Ali,“Diary”(1923), 9.
14. Khutubat-e Mahmud, Vol. 8, (Qadian), 21.
15. Ibid.
16. Kris Manjapra, Age of Entanglement,
German and Indian Intellectuals across Empire
(London, 2014), 168.
17. Letter of the foreign office, 04 August 1923,
the berlin mosque plan of 1923
36 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 37
20. February 1925.
35. Hausgemeinschaft Witzleben GmbH, let-
ter to the district office Charlottenburg, 15
January 1925; in the Mushawarat of 1924 this
option was discussed. For details see: Report
Mushawarat (1924), 46 – 47.
36. Letter of district court III in Berlin, 31
January 1927, 1. XV.15/A.1005.3.
37. K.M. Mahmudul Hassan, Germanyte
Prothom Bangali Missionery/First Bengali
Missionary In Germany (1993).
38. Report Mushawarat (1924), 46 – 47.
39. The mosque was designed by architect
Mubashra Ilyas.
the berlin mosque plan of 1923
Deep in the heart of the Arab
Peninsula, amidst the desert
and the valleys of Pharan,
stands a modest bricked
structure. This monument is
undisputedly the single most
sacred, revered and Holy
Shrine of Islam; the compass
point for which the Muslim
world aligns itself on a daily
basis in prostration to God.
Its name is the Ka’bah, literally
translating from Arabic as ‘the cube’,
but is synonymously referred to as
Baytul Haram or ‘the Sacred House’. It
was established for the benefit of the
whole of mankind, to act as a centre
for the unification of humanity.
Does its inception lie with the
earliest human populations – viz-a-
viz Adamas
and his Community – or
were Abrahamas
and his son Ishmaelas
the individuals responsible for its
initial erection? And what purpose
does the Ka’bah actually serve?
Purchase print copy: http://store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html
Write to us with comments,
feedback and suggestions at
info@Reviewof Religions.org
38 The Review of Religions | march 2017
21. The
Promised Messiahas
& imam mahdi
( g u i d e d o n e )
founder of
the review of religions
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
W
hen you stand up in prayer, you should know it for
certain that your God has the power to do all that
He wills.Then your prayer will be accepted and you
will behold the wonders of God’s power that we have beheld.
Our testimony is based on seeing and is not a mere tale. How
should the supplication of a person be accepted and how should
he have the courage to pray at the time of great difficulties when
according to him he is opposed by the law of nature, unless he
believes that God has power over everything? You should not
be like that.Your God is One Who has suspended numberless
stars without any support and Who has created heaven and
earth from nothing.Then would you think so ill of Him as to
imagine that your objective is beyond His power? Such thinking
will frustrate you.Our God possesses numberless wonders,but
only those observe them who become wholly His with sincerity
and fidelity. He does not disclose His wonders to those who
do not believe in His powers and are not faithful to Him. 1
endnotes
1. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
, The Essence of Islam, vol. 2 (Tilford,
Surrey: Islam International, 2004), 213.
God Does Not Disclose
His Wonders to Those
Who Do Not Believe in
His Powers
23. Extracts from
The Essence of
Islam
Volume III
JIHAD with
the SWORD
The truth behind...
Extracts from
The Essence of
IslamVolume III
Kamelia Ilieva | shutterstock
24. me for a while and observe for himself
that Islam proves through reasoning and
divine signs that it is a living faith. God
Almighty now desires and has so deter-
mined that all such objections as have
been raised against Islam by evil minded
people should be effectively repelled.
Those who allege that Islam was spread
by the sword will now be put to shame.
[Malfuzat, vol. III, p. 176.]
The Promised Messiah will not Fight
Disbelievers with the Sword
The commonly held doctrine professed
by some of the divines that the Promised
Messiah will descend from heaven and
will fight the disbelievers and will not
accept the poll tax and will offer only the
choice of death or Islam, is utterly false.
T
he Promised Messiah has come
into the world so that he should
repel the notion of taking up the
sword in the name of religion, and that
through his reasoning and arguments
he should establish that Islam is a faith
which does not at all need the help of
the sword for the purpose of its propa-
gation, but that the inherent qualities of
its teaching and its verities,insights,rea-
sons, proofs and the living support and
signs of God Almighty and its inher-
ent attractions are the factors that have
throughout contributed to its progress
and its propagation. Let all those who
proclaim that Islam had been spread by
the sword take note that their claim is
false.Islam is not in need of any coercion
for its propagation.Should anyone doubt
this, let him come to me and stay with
Let all those who proclaim
that Islam had been spread
by the sword take note that
their claim is false. Islam is
not in need of any coercion
for its propagation. Should
anyone doubt this, let him
come to me and stay with me
for a while and observe for
himself that Islam proves
through reasoning and divine
signs that it is a living faith.
Jihad with
the Sword
The Promised Messiahas
wrote over
80 books in Arabic, Urdu, and
Persian. Excerpts of his collected
works have been translated into
English and organised by topic. The
Review of Religions is pleased to
present these excerpts as part of a
monthly feature. Continuing from
part I, published in February 2017,
we continue the examination of the
origins of Jihad in Islam and what
its true purpose is.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas
,
the Promised Messiah & Imam Mahdi
PART II
46 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 47
25. It is brimful of all types of error and mis-
chief,and is utterly opposed to the Holy
Qur’an and is only an invention of the
impostors.
[Nur-ul-Haq,Part 1,Ruhani Khaza’in,vol.
8, p. 67.]
There is no compulsion in Islam. There
are only three types of wars in Islam:
(1) Those undertaken in self-defence.
(2) Those undertaken as chastisement for
aggression.
(3) Those undertaken for the establish-
ment of freedom of conscience, that is
to say for breaking up the strength of
those who inflicted death upon such as
accepted Islam.
As Islam does not permit the use of force
or coercion for the purpose of its propa-
gation, it is altogether vain and absurd
to wait for a bloody Mahdi or a bloody
Messiah; for it is not possible that anyone
should appear who should convert people
to Islam by the sword contrary to the
clear teaching of the Qur’an.
[Masih Hindustan Mein, Ruhani Khaza’in,
vol. 15, p. 12]
It is worthy of reflection that if a person
does not accept the true faith because
he is not yet aware of its holy teaching
and its inherent good qualities, then
should he be immediately put to the
sword? Indeed such a person deserves
to be treated mercifully and should be
informed gently and courteously of the
truth and excellence and spiritual benefi-
cence of the faith and not that his denial
should be repelled by the sword or the
gun.Therefore,the commonly held doc-
trine of Jihad put forward by certain
Muslim sects—and their teaching that
the time is approaching when a fight-
ing Mahdi will appear whose name will
be Imam Muhammad, and that Jesusas
will descend from heaven to join him
and help him, and that the two together
It is worthy of reflection that
if a person does not accept
the true faith because he
is not yet aware of its holy
teaching and its inherent good
qualities, then should he be
immediately put to the sword?
As Islam does not permit the
use of force or coercion for the
purpose of its propagation, it
is altogether vain and absurd
to wait for a bloody Mahdi
or a bloody Messiah; for it
is not possible that anyone
should appear who should
convert people to Islam by
the sword contrary to the
clear teaching of the Qur’an.
Left: While Islam is falsely supposed to be
spread by the sword, the fact of the matter is
that Islam was never imposed on a people.
When the Holy Prophetsa
and his successors
wielded the sword (at left, a sword alleged to
be that of Hazrat Umarra
), it was only in self-
defence or in the defence of others’ religious
freedom—never to force others to convert.
Copyright: Mohammad Adil | Released under Creative
Commons BY-SA 3.0
jihad with the sword
48 The Review of Religions | march 2017 march 2017 | The Review of Religions 49
29. Makhzan-e-Tasaweer is the official image library of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community, which is managed and maintained by the
centre itself. Reinstated in April 2006 by Hazrat Mirza Masroor
Ahmad Khalifatul Masih V, it is currently based in London.
The primary purpose of Makhzan-e-Tasaweer is to collate, archive and
preserve photographs related to the Community. For this purpose, an ongoing
project is being pursued in which photographs related to various categories
are being collected and collated.This includes photographs of the Promised
Messiah, the Khulafa, Companions, other prominent personalities of historic
importance and all events of historic nature.This project therefore preserves
a pictorial history of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaba
, officially
inaugurated the Makhzan-e-Tasaweer website on 7th
February 2016.The website allows
members to view as well as purchase from the wide range of historic and latest images
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is available in six different languages.
Also, any photograph(s) which may be required to be included in publications (i.e.
books, periodicals etc.), calendars and souvenirs by any chapter, auxiliary organisation
or other departments of the Community can be ordered through the website.
Makhzan-e-Tasaweer
Tahir House
22 Deer Park Road
London
SW19 3TL
email: info@makhzan.org
website: www.makhzan.org
Anyone who is in possession of any
photograph(s) of historical significance
that may benefit this cause, is encouraged
to send these photographs along with the
relevant details (senders name, the date
and place the picture was taken, etc.) to:
Visit
www.makhzan.org
30. Of Mice and Men
10
The Keys to Peace in a
Time of Global Disorder
20
Opening of the Baitul
Ahad Mosque in Japan
40
The Economic System
of Islam
52
VOL. 111 - ISSUE ONEJANUARY 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
Is Religion Truly the Cause of Disorder
in the World Today? Spreading Peace &
Security
RETURN OF
THEABSOLUTE
EVIL…?
World in Crisis -
How do we Cope?
10
True Mosques Transmit
Only Love and Peace
28
Qur’anic History and
the Role of Islamic
Calligraphy
46
The Philosophy of
Eid ul Fitr
58
WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
WORLD IN CRISIS
HOW DO WE COPE?
VOL. 111 - ISSUE SEVENJULY 2016
Are Religious Parents
Brainwashing Their
Children?
14
Pray for Children
Instead of
Punishing Them
24
Apartheid of Ahmadis
in Pakistan
32
The Economic System
of Islam
50
VOL. 111 - ISSUE TWOFEBRUARY 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
Is Religion Truly the Cause of Disorder
in the World Today? Spreading Peace &
Security
Are
RELIGIOUS PARENTS
BRAINWASHING
Their CHILDREN?
Ask The Review
of Religions
10
Wonders of
the Universe
16
Five Reasons Why
Some Christians Are
Shroud Sceptics
32
The Economic System
of Islam
52
WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
WONDERSof the
UNIVERSE
VOL. 111 - ISSUE EIGHTAUGUST 2016
End Times, Armageddon
& the Return
of the Messiah
10
What are the Signs of the
Second Coming
of the Messiah?
28
Real Peace
on Earth
40
Recognising the
Celestial Signs of
Almighty God
48
VOL. 111 - ISSUE THREEMARCH 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
NO MORE
WAITING?
NO MORE
WAITING?
Hajj—Pilgrimage to the
House of God
10
The Review of Religions’
Exhibition: An Interfaith
Event
32
My First Visit to Jalsa
Salana
36
The Economic System
of Islam
76
VOL. 111 - ISSUE NINESEPTEMBER 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
CELEBRATING SACRIFICE:
EID-UL-ADHA
Good Mosques,
Good Neighbours
14
Jonahas
and the
Big Fish?
28
Why Alcohol is
Prohibited in Islam
42
The Economic System
of Islam
62
VOL. 111 - ISSUE FOURAPRIL 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY,
LEARNING FROM LEICESTER
Building Bridges
of Peace
10
Glimpse into the Life of
Prophet Muhammadsa
26
A Short Sketch of
Muslim History
28
The Economic System
of Islam?
52
VOL. 110 - ISSUE TENOCTOBER 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
BUILDING BRIDGES
of PEACE
Terrorism Was Never
Justified by the Prophet
Mohammadsa
10
Peace Requires
Compassion
32
Gene Editing:
Harnessing the Power
of Nature
36
The Economic System
of Islam
62
VOL. 111 - ISSUE FIVEMAY 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
TERRORISM
WAS NEVER
JUSTIFIED
bythe
PROPHET
MOHAMMAD
Islam: Restoring
Women’s Rights
8
Deliverance of
Afflictions
28
Justice in an
Unjust World
32
The Qur’an on War
and Peace
50
VOL. 110 - ISSUE ELEVENNOVEMBER 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
ISLAM:
Restoring Women’s Rights
Should Islam Really
be Feared...?
10
Qur’anic History &
the Role of Islamic
Calligraphy
26
On Fasting
46
The Economic System
of Islam
50
VOL. 111 - ISSUE SIXJUNE 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
SHOULD
ISLAM
REALLY
BE
FEARED...?
Human Values – The
Foundation for a
Peaceful World
12
A Glimpse into the Life
of The Holy Prophet
Muhammadsa
32
Justice –The Prerequisite
to a Peaceful World
34
Mary: A Personal
Reflection
52
VOL. 110 - ISSUE TWELVEDECEMBER 2016 WWW.REVIEWOFRELIGIONS.ORG
A historic address at Canada’s
National Parliament
WHAT ARE THE
FOUNDATIONS
for a PEACEFUL
WORLD?
To order back issues email info@reviewofreligions.org
The front covers of our 12 Editions in 2016
Subscribe
12 editions
for just
£15gbp
or $30 Usd
or $36 cad
Students!
12 editions
for just
£5gbp
or $10 Usd
or $12 cad
31. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
12 Issues for only £15
For more information Visit: ReviewofReligions.org/Subscription
Call (UK Head office) : +44 (020) 8544 7614
Email: Accounts@ReviewofReligions.org
Youtube.com/theReviewofReligions @ReviewReligions facebook.com/theReviewofReligions @ReviewReligions
The magazine devoted to promoting intellectual and
lively debate that is based on respect for all religions.
or $30 Usd
or $36 cad
Students!
12 editions
for just
£5gbp
or $10 Usd
or $12 cad
32. Note about references
Verse references to the Holy Qur’an
count ‘Bismillah…’ (In the Name
of Allah…) as the first verse of each
Chapter. In some non-standard texts,
this is not counted. Should the reader
refer to such texts, the verse quoted in
The Review of Religions will be found a
verse earlier, i.e. at one verse less than
the number quoted in this journal.
For the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘sa
’
or ‘(saw)
’ after the words, ‘Holy Prophet’,
or the name ‘Muhammad’, are used
normally in small letters. They stand
for ‘Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ meaning
‘peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him’. Likewise, the letters ‘as
’ or ‘(as)
’
after the name of all other prophets
is an abbreviation meaning ‘peace
be upon him’ derived from ‘Alaihis
salatu wassalam’ which are words
that a Muslim utters out of respect
whenever he or she comes across
that name. The abbreviation ‘ra
’ or ‘(ra)
’
stands for ‘Raziallahu Ta’ala anhu and
is used for Companions of a Prophet,
meaning Allah be pleased with him
or her (when followed by the relevant
Arabic pronoun). Finally, ‘rh
’ or ‘(rh)
’ for
Rahemahullahu Ta’ala means the Mercy
of Allah the Exalted be upon him.
In keeping with current universal
practice, local transliterations
of names of places are preferred
to their anglicised versions, e.g.
Makkah instead of Mecca, etc.
Wednesday 1st
March - Monday 13th
April
Faith: Christianity
Event: Lent
Lent is a religious observance where Christians fast
for 40 days, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending
just before Easter Sunday. By observing the fasts,
Christians reflect on the forty days Jesus spent in the
desert. During this period Christians are to abstain
from luxuries and devote their time to worship.
Sunday 12th
March
Faith: Judaism
Event: Purim
The story of Purim relates to the biblical Book
of Esther, a Jewish woman who was married to
Ahasuerus, the king of Persia. According to the
account mentioned in the Bible she is said to
have prevented Hamaan – a Persian Noblemen
– from the killing of innocent Jews in Persia.
During this festival Jews render thanks by the
giving of alms and reciting the story of Esther.
Monday 13th
March
Faith: Hinduism
Event: Holi
Also known as the “Festival of Colours,”Holi is a
Hindu festival celebrated in the spring. It begins
on the day after the full moon in the Hindu
month of Phalguna – which usually falls between
the end of February and the middle of March
according to the Gregorian calendar.This festival
involves applying or throwing coloured water
or powder on friends and family.The ritual is to
celebrate a tussle between Krishna and Radha.
Krishna, being of darker complexion asked his
mother why Radha and other girls were fairer
than him.Tired of seeing her son in despair she
advised him to see how Radha’s complexion
would change if he applied colour to her face.
Tuesday 28th
March
Faith: Zoroastrianism
Event: Khordad Sal
Khordad Sal is a special time for the Zoroastrians
as it symbolically represents the birthday of their
founder Zoroaster; the actual birthdate of Zoroaster
is unknown.The day is celebrated with special prayers
and a grand feast is prepared to mark the occasion.
Calendar of
Religious
Events &
Festivals
march 2017
SUBSCRIPTION
Subscription Contacts:
India - Khursheed Ahmad
Email: india@reviewofreligions.org
Tel: +91 1872 500970
Tel: +91 981 544 6792
Fax: +91 1872 500971
USA - Adnan Ahmed Bhalli
Email: usa@reviewofreligions.org
Tel: +1 412 639 9108
Canada - Muhammad Dawood Khalid
Email: canada@reviewofreligions.org
Tel: +1 647-779-1810
Nigeria - Qasim Oyekola
Email: nigeria@reviewofreligions.org
Tel: + 23 481 2221 1949
Ghana - Naeem A. Cheema
Email: ghana@reviewofreligions.org
Tel: +23 320 0517 181
+23 324 2105 652
UK - Athar Ahmad Bajwa
Email: uk@reviewofreligions.org
Tel: +44 745 339 1205
For all other subscription issues or for
general enquiries email
info@reviewofreligions.org
or contact Head Office:
Tahir House
22 Deer Park Road, London SW19 3TL