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May

Content Page

Editorial 2

Jama‘at News

Activities at the Berlin Mosque

Eid ul Adha 2012 in Sydney, Australia

A brief report on the activities of the UK Jama‘at in 2012

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From the Discourses of the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya

Movement in Islam

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Feature articles

Fasting fosters real relationships

Good deeds lead to everlasting life in the Hereafter

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A brief life profile – Dr Gerdien Jonker 19

What Our Readers Say 20

January 2013 Acting Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. Vol No.6 7, Issue No. 6

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

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Editorial Note …

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Assalamu alaikum.

All praise be to Allah. We are attaching the January 2013 issue of The HOPE Bulletin.

We are trying our best to catch up with the variety of news and feature articles as was done by our late Br Akbar

Abdullah. Almost two months have passed since we promised to bring out a special issue in his memory but we

are still making efforts to gather relevant material and facts about his life, which are scattered at various places –

from Fiji to Pakistan to the USA.

It is amazing that Br Akbar Abdullah singlehandedly did so many things under difficult circumstances. It shows his

commitment and devotion to whatever he undertook. This humble and gentle person with a noble soul worked

with zeal and devotion for the welfare of his fellow beings and in promoting the cause of Islam. Patience,

forbearance and untiring work were hallmarks of this memorable brother. His calls and fluent pen travelled all

over the world to gather news, and through his Bulletin he carried sincere supplications, news of the latest

activities and literary contributions of members of the Movement to members living in distant lands.

The HOPE was gradually taking strides towards his vision of a Global Jama‘at. It is our responsibility to carry on

that noble cause with commitment and sincere efforts. You will find that this first issue of the year 2013 is

gradually catching up with the gap, and with your contributions and suggestions will gain momentum.

A word of explanation. In the previous two issues of the Bulletin we retained the name of Akbar ibn-i Abdullah as

the Editor. We did mention the reason in our Editorial Note: It was out of our extreme love and respect for our

late brother. Maybe it was technically wrong, as some of our readers have rightly pointed out. While we do not

wish to enter into any discussion about it, from this issue we have changed it. But still in commemoration of our

esteemed love for our late brother, we have added a line at the bottom of the title: In memory of the late Jalal-

ud-Din Akbar Ibn-i Abdullah.

Regarding whether “Islam stands for: I Shall Love All Mankind” is right or wrong, it was originally started by the

late Maulana Sheikh Muhammad Tufail when he was in Trinidad. It was one of the slogans which he used

extensively when he organised interfaith conventions throughout Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. His stance of

promoting interfaith dialogue in the Western Hemisphere became so popular that even now, 28 years after his

death, a radio station in Trinidad, every year on Maulana Tufail’s death anniversary, relays extracts of his

speeches delivered during those interfaith meetings. This universal message of Islam and its Holy Prophet

Muhammad (sas) is a unique feature of Islam, as we find in the Qur’an: “a guidance to men” (2:185); “Mankind is

a single nation” (2:213); and “We have sent you (O Prophet) to mankind as a Messenger” (5:79). Loving mankind

or considering the whole of humanity under the ambit of Islamic teachings is one of the unique aspects of Islam

and its followers, and ignoring it has made them intolerant and an element of exclusiveness has penetrated into

their attitude towards followers of other faiths. With this idea we adopted this as a slogan. It does not mean that

this is all that Islam stands for.

We wish our readers, contributors and supporters a very happy and joyous New Year. We seek Allah’s forgiveness

and blessings. May this New Year bring to you, your children and families a peaceful, blessed and prosperous

future. Ameen!

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(Card designed by Irfaan Ahmad of the UK.)

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JAMA‘AT NEWS

Jalal Ud Dean on Cyclone Evan hitting Fiji

Dear Friends

Assalaamu 'Alaikum.

Tropical Cyclone “Evan” devastated northern and western parts of Fiji from Friday 14th December 2012 through

to Monday 17th December 2012. Total assessment of damages to the agricultural sector and the general

infrastructure is expected to run into several millions of Fiji dollars, as Fiji is materially a maritime nation with over

300 islands. The total assessment would be known within the next few weeks.

The most important aspect is that your prayers were answered and there was not a single loss of human life.

Thank you very much for your prayers.

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Message of thanks from Noor Ud Dean (Brisbane, Australia)

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you.)

Most of our family and friends have by now known that I have been seriously ill and had to undergo an immediate

open chest surgery to have a benign tumour removed from my chest which was causing problems to my heart

and lungs. Alhamdulillah, the surgery took place … and was a success. The surgeon informed family members who

were waiting patiently outside the theatre that he had removed the tumour and tested it with the outcome being

non-cancerous.

JazakAllah Khair to everyone for your messages, phone calls and Facebook of well wishes, prayers coming through

any language or religion. Alhamdulillah, I have improved in my recovery and have been discharged to go home

today.

May the Almighty Allah Subhan O Ta’ala reward you all and bless you and your families with His choicest blessings

along with a healthy, happy, long and successful life. Ameen!!

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Activities at the Berlin Mosque by Ahmed Saadat, acting Imam

Nikah ceremony

During the month of December, I performed the nikah ceremony of Brother Hisham and Sister Simone. Brother

Hisham is from Turkey and Sister Simone is from Berlin. In my sermon I explained the importance of a Muslim

marriage, and the rights and responsibilities of both partners.

Ahmed Saadat with Br Hisham & Sis. Simone after the nikah ceremony and with a guest

Meeting with a Jewish lady

I visited the Church of Scientology in Berlin. There I met and had

discussion with, among others, a Jewish lady from Israel, on the

topic of human rights, child labour and women’s rights.

I expressed the view that we should not compare Germany with

Pakistan, where young children have to work because they cannot

afford to go to school and have to help their parents financially.

The audience appreciated the idea.

Later I suggested to them a visit to Pakistan to observe the

situation themselves and realise how much needs to be done.

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Meeting with Jewish lady (front left) and Church of Scientology members

Meeting with Police Officers

A group of Police Officers led by a senior officer, Mr Jorg Zillman, visited the Mosque.

I gave a one-hour talk on the history of the Mosque and the basics of Islam.

A question and answer session followed, on topics like the hijab and terrorism.

The group outside the Mosque

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Eid ul Adha 2012 in Sydney, Australia Sameer Khan, General Secretary

On behalf of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam [Lahore] Sydney, Australia Incorporated, it gives me great

pleasure to wish you and all your readers Eid Mubarak. May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala bestow on you all His

choicest blessings. Ameen.

On the 26th of October 2012, we celebrated Eid-ul-Adha. The congregation for Eid prayers was gathered at the

residence of Mr & Mrs Feroz and Zarina Dean in Blacktown. It was heart-warming to see everyone dressed in their

best attire, reciting the Takbeer and later wishing one another Eid Mubarak. Br Ameen Sahu Khan led the prayers

and delivered an inspiring khutba on Prophet Abraham (as). He highlighted the hardships Prophet Abraham (as)

and Lady Hagar had to endure, which brought tears to many eyes.

I pray to Allah that we continue to sacrifice for the welfare of our fellow beings and also for the propagation of

Islam, trying to be perfect exemplars and to eradicate discord and disunity from among the Muslims.

It was concluded with the final du’a. Eid greetings were extended to the Sydney members from family and friends

in Australia and abroad. Hazrat Ameer’s captivating message was read out to all those present and, Insha-Allah,

the same will be published in our next issue of Bashshaar.

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A brief report on the activities of the UK Jama‘at in 2012 by Shahid Aziz, Secretary

Forward Planner: In December the UK Jama‘at publishes a Forward Planner which contains details of the

Jama‘at’s monthly meetings, Ramadaan activities, and dates for ‘Id ul Fitr and ‘Id ul Adha for the coming year.

It was about 30 years ago that we decided to use modern technology to set the dates for the start of Ramadaan

and the two ‘Ids. At first the Secretary would ring up the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and discuss with them

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when the new moon would appear and when it would become visible to the naked eye. After a couple of years Dr

Zahid Aziz was entrusted with this task of consulting various websites and determining the dates and he is doing it

very efficiently. He even lets the readers know what happens in various countries on their respective websites

regarding Eid moon sightings.

At the start the Secretary also sought the religious opinion of the late Maulana Hafiz Sher Muhammad of blessed

memory on this matter. The Maulana wrote a lucid article in Urdu on this subject under his pen name, Abu Zafar,

in which he discussed all aspects of this issue.

The late Mr Arafaque Malik, a sympathizer of the Jama‘at, found it extremely useful and asked me to translate it

into English. Mr Malik then arranged for both the English and the original Urdu to be published in the Daily Jang

(London edition)! Until recently, it was on many non-Ahmadi websites, being quoted to support the use of

modern technology to determine the start of Ramadan and the ‘Ids. Someone even translated it into French.

For about five years since this process was started, after every Ramadan and ‘Id the date is checked to make sure

we have not made an error in the calculation; no error was ever found.

Friday service: Arrangements are made for the Friday service. This is followed by a brief talk on some topic or the

reading of an extract from the writings of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam.

Mrs Bano Anwar, our hardworking Manager of the Mission House at Dar-us-Salaam (London), treats those who

wish to stay, to lunch.

Sunday meetings: From the very beginning the UK Jama‘at has held a monthly meeting where a speech is

delivered, followed by a question and answer session. Some years ago it was decided to fix the monthly meeting

to the first Sunday of every month. A feature introduced into the monthly meetings last year is that at every

meeting a young member also gives a speech.

Ramadan and ‘Id celebrations: During Ramadan Dr Zahid Aziz performs a very valuable service by preparing a

daily lesson based on a few verses of the Holy Quran. This lesson contains the translation of these verses as well

as a commentary on them. Every weekend there is communal breaking of the fast, Iftaar – a custom started by

the UK Jama‘at – which has been gradually adopted by other Muslim organisations. Dinners on such occasions are

prepared by various families of the UK Jama‘at. Even Eid lunch is contributed by families jointly.

In 2012 arrangements were made and ‘Id prayers were held, as usual, at the Centre in Wembley in London, and

also at Bolton. A brief report about it has already appeared in a previous issue of the HOPE. After the ‘Id prayers a

radio broadcast over Panjab Radio takes place. It is usually in a panel format where various members of the UK

Jama‘at talk about what Ramadan and ‘Id mean to them.

Virtual Mosque: This was the very first real-time online broadcasting service introduced by the UK Jama‘at.

Mudassar Aziz of Swindon, UK has since continued to improve the service.

When it was launched, every time when there was to be a broadcast, computer instructions had to be

painstakingly typed in. Systems such as Streamline did not exist then. The line-speed was slow and members

complained of constant buffering. But now a ground-breaking service had been launched. When Streamline was

launched, the UK Jama‘at set up the Virtual Mosque account with them. This meant that many tasks were

automated. Gradually the service has improved with faster transmission speeds and we have not had any

complaints now regarding sound or picture for a very long time.

In 2012 the Jama‘at acquired broadcasting facilities in HD, which greatly enhanced the picture and sound quality.

We can also now do outside broadcasts, although such broadcasts will be expensive. We broadcast all our Friday

services, Sunday meetings, Ramadan activities, and ‘Id services.

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Much work still needs to be done to improve the background of the broadcasts at the Mission House. Mr Nasir

Ahmad took the first step in this direction by having a background developed based on the image of the mehrab

at the Berlin Mosque as a wall-hanging.

The current viewing figures are: around 125 people look at our broadcast on Friday, and about 70 or so on

Sunday. The interesting thing is that people world over watch these broadcasts either live or when videos or

broadcasts are uploaded. A member who went from the UK to Portugal and then Namibia kept in touch by

following our broadcasts. In addition, people from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Surinam, Trinidad etc.

follow Virtual Mosque directly.

YouTube: The shorter talks or readings, especially those at the end of the Friday service, are uploaded to

YouTube, in addition to the Virtual Mosque. More than 47,000 people have visited our various videos on YouTube.

Facebook: The UK Jama‘at has set up a Facebook page where links to Virtual Mosque videos and the Jama‘at’s

publications are uploaded. This has been very successful in that many questions are received from Sunnis and

Qadianis regarding our beliefs, which are answered. This is updated almost every day. This has 134 followers, 340

likes, and around 130 people from all over the world visit our material there on a daily basis.

Twitter: The Jama‘at also has a Twitter account which is updated almost every day. This has 316 followers. In

addition, tweets are sent to many prominent newspapers on a daily basis.

Scribd and Issuu: These websites hold books and magazines in PDF format. Initially there was an upload to these

sites every day. This has been reduced to monthly uploads. There is a small amount of traffic to these sites to look

at our books. Approximately 30,000 people have looked at our publications on Scribd and about 7,000 on Issuu.

The Light: This is the UK Jama‘at’s main organ in English. It contains the English translation of the Promised

Messiah’s books as well as articles on current issues. In 2012 the UK Jama‘at moved to printing in colour and this

has greatly enhanced the magazine’s visual presentation.

The Light is also produced in Urdu, German, French and Polish. It is uploaded to Virtual Mosque, Facebook,

Twitter, Scribd and Issuu.

Translations: In association with Chaudhry Masud Akhtar and his sons, and Mrs Asma Majid from California, USA,

the UK Jama‘at has started a translations project. Its main aim is to translate the literature produced by the

Promised Messiah into English.

His magnum opus, the Baraheen-i-Ahmadiyya, which was translated by the late Mirza Masum Baig and printed in

The Light (Lahore) in instalments, has been compiled into book form. One part had remained un-translated and

this has also been translated and added to the book. Mrs Asma Majid of California is to be commended for typing

in the whole book from print-outs of scans provided by Dr Mujahid Saeed. Chaudhry Masud Akhtar has

painstakingly proofread the material. May Allah grant him a long life to continue this work. It needs a little further

work after which it will be ready for printing.

Ayyam-i-Sulah (Age of Reconciliation) was also printed in The Light (Lahore) and has been compiled into book

form. Once this is completed the material will be converted into book format. This is being translated into French,

Polish and German at the same time.

Izaala-i Auhaam – Work on translating this continues at a slow pace.

Printing: Dr Hameed Jahangiri bore the expenses of printing the French translations of Dr Zahid Aziz’s Introduction

to Islam, the Promised Messiah’s British Government and Jihad, and Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali’s The

Ahmadiyya Doctrine.

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The British Government and Jihad, translated into English by Chaudhry Masud Akhtar, and The Ahmadiyya

Doctrine were also printed.

The English translation of Tuhfa-i Baghdad by the Promised Messiah under the name An Offering to Baghdad is

ready for printing.

The UK Jama‘at was also represented at the International Conference organized by the Jama‘at in Suriname. Of

the three main speakers on the last day, one was Mr Shahid Aziz of the UK Jama‘at.

Hazrat Ameer’s visit to the UK: Hazrat Ameer Dr A. K. Saeed Sahib had undertaken a long and tiring tour of

foreign Jama‘ats during which he visited Canada, the USA, the West Indies, South America, and Europe. On the

last leg of this trip he visited the UK. He led the Friday service and was the main speaker at the Sunday meeting on

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and 9th

December, exhorting members to rise to the challenges faced by Islam and to promote the Jama‘at.

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From the Discourses of

the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam

Treatment of one’s wife Apart from indecency, all other bad qualities and bitterness of women should be tolerated. It seems perfectly

dishonourable to us that being a man we should fight with a woman. Allah has created us as men. It is His blessing

and in gratitude for it we must treat women with kindness and gentleness.

As far as I am concerned, I spoke to my wife loudly once. After that, I felt that my aggrieved heart had caused me

speak to her in a loud voice, and although no harsh or hurtful word came from my tongue, for a long time after

that I sought forgiveness (from Allah). I said extra prayers with utmost sincerity and humbleness and gave

something in charity for (I felt) this harshness with my spouse must have been the result of some unknown

disobedience of the Divine command.

Divine Will Upon hearing that Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din had lost a manuscript Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had sent him

and he had spent much time and effort in looking for it, Hazrat Mirza Sahib went to the Maulana and said: “I am

sorry that such effort and time was wasted in looking for it. I believe that Allah shall grant me something better

than it.”

Dealing with others Once the Promised Messiah (as) was laid low with migraine. Women and children were making a lot of noise near

him. Maulana Abdul Karim of Sialkot asked him if the noise was causing him more pain. He replied: “Yes. Silence is

comforting.” Maulana then asked him to order those people to be silent, but he replied: “You can ask them gently

but I will not tell them off.”

Once, as he walked by, the Promised Messiah (as) saw his family were scolding a servant for stealing some rice.

Upon seeing this, he said: “She is needy, give her some (rice) and do not scold and humiliate her. Adopt the Divine

attribute of forgiveness.”

Some peasant women came to see the Promised Messiah (as), who was a hakeem as well, for treatment and

medication for their children. Maulana Abdul Karim of Sialkot said to him that this was a lot of trouble and wasted

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a great deal of his precious time, but the Promised Messiah (as) replied: “This is the same religious work (as is

writing books and giving lectures). These people are poor. At this place there is no hospital. It is for the sake of

these people that I buy and keep English and local medicines which prove useful at the time of need. This is work

of great reward and a true believer should not be negligent of, or lazy in helping others.”

(Extracts from Malfuzaat, vol. 2, pp. 1-3.)

You can listen to “The Promised Messiah’s Character” by Dr Shahid Aziz at

http://www.virtualmosque.co.uk/the-promised-messiahs-character/. – Ed.

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Feature Articles…

Fasting Fosters Real Relationships Mustaq Ali (Cardiac Physiologist)

(Talk on the occasion of iftar held on 28 July, 2012 at the Lahore Ahmadiyya Centre, Wembley, London.)

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you

may guard against evil” (2:183).

This well-known and often-read verse of the Holy Quran offers new light the more it is reflected upon. Indeed,

this is a recurring theme of the Holy Quran as the Arabic word Quran means a reminder or a recital. Another

fascinating feature of the Holy Quran is that as time goes by we find that the social and scientific information that

is understood today all have a basis in the Holy Quran, and with the passing of time these are brought to light.

Self-restraint and self-discipline

Good examples are the Big Bang theory and the rights of women, both of which have been established in the Holy

Quran and with the passing of time the world has come to understand.

A closer look at the verse mentioned above (2:183) reveals that the Merciful God has given fasting to the world so

that we may practice self-restraint, self-discipline, become righteous, and thus keep ourselves on the right path.

Just as prescription of medication helps us to overcome illnesses and diseases, fasting is a prescription for our

physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual and financial improvement.

However, nothing in life is free, so in order to overcome our illnesses we have to give up something to meet God.

These could be our time, food, family, money and friends. We develop relationships throughout our lives with

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everything and everyone we come into contact with. So in order to foster a real relationship with the Merciful

God and attain nearness to Him we have to give up some of these relationships we have fostered with the gifts

from God.

Benefits of fasting

Fasting has many benefits for mankind, some of which are found in the meaning of the word itself. The Arabic

word siyaam is plural of saum. Its literal meaning is “to give up or refrain from eating, drinking and sexual

intercourse; abstaining from speech or to keep silent” (19:26). Wind is said to be saum when it abates, and the

day when it reaches the midpoint” (Raghib).

In Islamic terminology it means to give up food, drink and sexual relations from dawn to dusk. In an old version of

the Bible, the following phrase is mentioned (that one should avoid excessive talking or better, to observe

silence): “Speech is silver and silence is golden.” Perhaps this could also be considered a kind of fast or abstention.

We read in the Quran as well that Mary said to the angel: “I have vowed a fast to the Merciful God and I shall

speak to no man.”

The Holy Prophet (sas) is reported to have said: “O youths! Whoever among you is able to marry let him do so,

since it restrains the eyes and protects the private parts, and whoever is unable to do, so let him fast because it is

a shield for him” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 30:10).

Here God is asking those who are unable to marry not to enter into an illicit relationship and to protect

themselves from a desire which we share with the rest of the animal kingdom - one of the strongest desires,

which is to procreate. But this prescription strikes at the very root of evil which are hidden from mankind: our

thoughts, the seat of evil and impurity as well as righteousness and purity.

When this God-consciousness becomes stronger and the controls of our thoughts and actions are kept in check,

we become more righteous (muttaqi). It is under these conditions that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) has

said: “I also have a jinn, but I have brought it under control and I have made it Muslim.” When taqwa is reached

then we have lived this verse of the Quran (2: 183).

Further meanings of siyaam

From the word siyaam we can also infer the following meanings: “to give up”; “to leave or avoid something which

takes one astray from the right path,” or “to go beyond or cross the limits.” The last one is also mentioned in the

Qur’an as “limits of Allah” or “hudoo-dul-laah.”

Keeping these meanings in view, the following questions may arise in one’s mind:

1. What is one “giving up” during fasting?

2. How does it keep one on the right path?

3. What is to go beyond or cross the limits in the terminology of Islam?

Fasting has been prescribed by the Beneficent Allah, the Lord of mankind, so that believers should improve their

spiritual state. In this annual exercise one has to discipline one’s eating and drinking timings and sex relationship,

the intensity of one’s prayers, and even one’s behaviour and dealings with others. It is a test of how far a believer

follows Allah’s commands in denying all things which are otherwise allowed. This exercise fosters closer

relationship between him and His Creator. Love of Allah means that a believer attains higher and higher spiritual

levels and behaves in the world as beneficently and mercifully as Allah. This state has been described in the

Qur’an as the “colour of Allah” or sibgha-tullah.

Deeper meanings of the Qur’an

The Quran being the word of Allah is full of wisdom and deep meaning so much so that Western writers have

come to realise that more could be learnt from pondering and meditating on its verses. This sentiment is also

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shared by A. J. Arberry in The Holy Qur’an, An Introduction with Selections, London, 1953: “The Koran, like the

poetry which it resembles in so many ways, is best sampled a little at a time; and that little deserves and needs

meditation …. The reader will become gradually familiar with the Koran’s claim to be a confirmation of earlier

scriptures. He will observe how the Koran assumes knowledge of the contents of those scriptures, and only later

expands the individual narratives into something like connected stories…” (pp. 25-27).

Purpose of fasting

The purpose of keeping fast as mentioned in the Qur’an is “to guard against evil” or “to keep one’s duty.” In most

of the cases this process of purification which one practices during the month of fasting proves to be a passing

phase and a person reverts to his previous state after the month of Ramadan. All the rigour borne by not eating or

drinking, by offering intense worship and studying the Quran fades with time and the increasing of difficulties in

life.

So, how can Muslims break the cycle of forgetfulness and self-negligence after Ramadan? How can we stop

thinking of ourselves and focus on assisting humanity, which is what fasting is all about; that is, taking away the

focus from ourselves and focusing more on the less fortunate in our society. How can we take some time out

from chasing money and security without forgetting that we have a duty to our families, Jama‘at and community?

How can we temporarily give up all these relationships in order to grow spiritually, morally, ethically and

intellectually? The answer is saum.

This is the secret of the Islamic fast; that is, it allows us to develop in ways in which we cannot comprehend. An

uncanny analogy is like withholding petrol from a car and expecting it to go faster! Ironically, this is precisely what

the Merciful God wants from us. That is, to give up all our halal and permissible relationships for a month in order

to foster a stronger relationship with Him and move closer to Him by depriving our bodies of physical food and

drink, and purifying our thoughts and deeds.

Throughout the year we enjoy relationships with our family and friends. We have Caribbean holidays, barbecues

on the weekends, an afternoon siesta, a lay-in on a Sunday, and conjugal relationships with our spouses.

However, during Ramadan we are asked to give up all of these relationships during the period of the fast in order

to foster the ultimate relationship with the Companion Most High. We are asked to give up all our appetites and

foster a feeling of utter destitution and share the pain of those victims of the tsunami, earthquakes and famine.

We are placed in a situation where we can relate to the beggar lying in the dust when he has no food and drink. In

this example we are brought closer to our fellow men who are less fortunate than us in the basic necessities of

life.

When we can give up our all and understand that all that we have given up would bring us joy, then we can

comprehend this quotation from Khalil Gibran: “When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall

find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your

heart and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”

We are usually happy when we have money and our children are doing well, but when these favours of God are

not with us we become sorrowful. When we shed a tear on the day of Eid it is because we have been depriving

ourselves of the love of God and in truth this is our heart’s real desire. In other words, the tears we shed on Eid

day are because we have tasted of the true relationship with God and this is our ultimate desire. When Ramadan

leaves us we cry because we do not want that relationship we had with God to end.

This is the real significance of saum – to hold back on one set of relationships in order to develop two stronger

bonds: one with mankind and the other with God Almighty.

God-consciousness should lead to humanism

The phrase, “No man is an island,” tells us that we cannot exist without one another and therefore we need to

have good relations with one another. Such a realisation takes a believer to God-consciousness which

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consequently earns for him Allah’s grace and blessings. The Holy Prophet (sas) is reported to have said: “He is not

a Muslim who goes to sleep with a full stomach while his neighbour is hungry” (Sahih al-Muslim). In another

hadith the Holy Prophet (sas) said: “The food of two is enough for three, and the food of four is enough for five”

(Sahih al-Bukhari).

As Muslims, we have been enjoined to have good relations with people of other religions, especially People of the

Book, who are Christians and Jews. Though they do not believe in our Scripture or do not believe in our Holy

Prophet (sas), yet we are enjoined to have marital relations and are allowed to eat their food, which has not been

prohibited by the Qur’an.

Today we have gathered here for iftar, and will have dinner followed by ‘Isha and Tarawih prayers. This getting

together and offering thanks and glorifying Allah foster a unique bond of love and affection for our own benefit

and for the benefit of the younger ones and thus generate strength among the members of the Jama‘at who are

committed to uphold the cause of Allah.

During the month of Ramadan, early in the morning when it is time for sehr, we witness a special kind of zeal and

devotion: everyone, including children, gets up for sehr food to start the fast and then performs the Fajr Salaah.

Throughout the day all family members feel the pangs of hunger, thirst, headaches and tiredness. They also feel

the same sense of relief at the breaking of the fast. This develops a special bond between the family members and

this is transferred into the wider community, neighbours and Jama‘at members.

This purification of heart and mind nurtured by fasting has been mentioned in the Bible in a simple but impressive

way: Matthew, 5: 6 and 8 (New International Version): “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for

righteousness, for they will be filled… Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Regarding close relationship with Allah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) has been honoured with the most

intimate relationship with Allah, which has been described beautifully in the Qur’an: “So he (the Prophet) attained

to perfection, and he is in the highest part of the horizon, then he drew nearer yet, so he was at a distance of two

bows (stretched together) or closer still” (53:6-9).

Maulana Muhammad Ali has made beautiful comments on these verses regarding the Holy Prophet’s close

relationship with Allah: “The Holy Prophet’s being in the highest part of the horizon is in reference to the

resplendence of his light, which was to illuminate all corners of the world – a prophecy, in fact, that he will shine

out in the full brilliance of his light as the midday sun. Lane’s Lexicon, an authentic book of lexicology, quotes the

Arab proverb, baina-huma qaaba qausain; that is, between them two is the measure of a bow, which is a proverb

to indicate close relationship between two persons. There is another proverb, ramau-na ‘an qaus-in wahid-in,

meaning they shot at us from one bow, denoting agreement (LL). Whatever significance of the word qab may be

adopted, the mention of a single qab for two bows indicates close union. The two bows seem to indicate the Holy

Prophet’s twofold perfection, i.e., his nearness to the Divine Being and his humility in his relations with men.

The Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, in one of his daily discourses, said: “Show mercy to

yourself and do not follow the people who have broken off their relationship with God and have put their whole

trust in worldly means so much so that they do not utter even the word Inshallah (God willing) to seek His help

and blessings.”

In short, we should try to spend this month in fostering a good relationship with Allah, with fellow human beings,

and above all with members of the Jama‘at who are committed to serving the cause of Islam. Always remember

the assurance given to the Holy Prophet in the Holy Qur’an: “If you love Allah, follow me (the Messenger); Allah

will love you, and grant you protection against your sins” (3:30).

*********

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Good Deeds Lead to Everlasting Life in the Hereafter Dr Jawad Ahmad

(Talk delivered at the monthly meeting of the UK Jama‘at at Wembley on 4 November, 2012.)

“Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High! And Who creates, then makes complete. And Who

measures and then guides. And Who brings forth vegetation, then makes it dried up, dust-coloured…. He

indeed is successful who purifies himself, and remembers the name of his Lord and prays. But you prefer

the life of this world, while the Hereafter is better and more lasting. Surely this is in the earlier scriptures,

the scriptures of Abraham and Moses” (87:1-5; 14-19).

In this chapter, al-A’laa, The Most High, the reason for the preservation of deeds for the future existence has

been explained. We find a more clear statement in this regard in chapter 67, Al-Mulk, The Kingdom, verses 1, 2:

“Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Kingdom, and He is Possessor of power over all things, Who created death

and life that He might try which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Mighty and the Forgiving.”

Purpose of man’s existence

The very purpose of man’s existence in this world is the doing of good deeds, as that should be the end result of

glorifying the name of Allah. That is why we have been commanded to recite: “Sub-bi his-mi rab-ba-kal a’-laa,”

meaning: “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High!” It is recorded in the Hadith that when this verse is

recited, whether in formal prayers or otherwise, we should say “Sub-haa-na rab-bi-yal a’-laa,” meaning: “Glory be

to my Lord, the Most High.”

In the first verse, tasbih, or glorification of Allah, means that we should understand and express the belief that

Allah is perfect and without any trace of imperfection in His attributes.

Unfortunately among the Muslims generally, by tasbih or glorification of Allah is meant verbal glorification of

Allah. Some Muslims use a rosary for this purpose and go on working the beads even when sitting among friends,

conversing, or doing any business. To keep a rosary in one’s hand without using it is also a mere show. Apparently

it is to impress others of one’s prayerfulness or religiosity.

It is narrated that the Holy Prophet (sas) said: “There are two expressions that are light on the tongue but heavy

on the scale: ‘Sub-haa-nal laa-hi wa bi-ham-di-hee. Sub-haa-nal laa-hil ‘a-zeem,’ which mean: ‘Glory be to Allah

with all His praise. Glory be to Allah, the Great.’ ”

The Holy Prophet (sas) frequently repeated these phrases. In our ritual prayers we also glorify Allah by saying

“Sub-haa-na rab-bi-yal ‘a-zeem” in ruku’, or the bowing position, which means: “Glory be to Allah, the Great,” and

“Sub-haa-na Rab-bi-yal a’-laa,” which means “Glory be to Allah, the Most Exalted,” while in prostration.

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The object of repeating all these phrases of glorification not only in different postures of the ritual prayers but

also at other times is that such recitations should affect the heart and should constantly remind a believer about

the divinity and holiness of Allah during his daily life, and such remembrance should find reflection in his deeds.

Ways of glorification of Allah

Extolling Allah’s praises is of two types. One is a declaration by the tongue and a simultaneous affirmation by the

heart of Allah’s glory and His being free from all imperfections and that one should not attribute anything to or

associate anything with Him which is against His perfect attributes.

Correct divine knowledge of Tawhid, or Unity of Allah, depends on glorification of Allah in its true sense, because

polytheism presupposes imperfection and defect in Allah, the Most High. Thus tasbih, or glorification of Allah, and

Tawhid, or Unity of Allah, are co-related. Unless one considers Allah to be free from all imperfections one cannot

obtain correct and true divine knowledge. This type of glorification of Allah is limited to human beings.

The second type of glorification of Allah is all around us and demonstrated through His works. This type of tasbih

means that everything created speaks by itself of the high quality of workmanship and the beauty of the Creator,

because the organs and faculties bestowed on all such things are so perfect for the achievement of their purpose

that no human intelligence can design better than what has been created by the Great Designer.

Thus, every particle which exists and functions in this universe is working according to set rules to achieve its

purpose and thus manifests superb perfection of its Creator and His works. It also shows that every creation in

this world, including human beings, is engaged in the glorification of its Creator through the language of its

condition, which the Holy Qur’an has described in chapter 17, verse 44, as follows: “The seven heavens and the

earth and those in them declare His glory. And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you

do not understand their glorification. Surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving.”

Perfection of divine creation

What a beautiful statement! Allah says that everything,

for whatever purpose it has been created, enjoys such a

perfect creation that just observing a created thing offers

a clear argument for the holiness and perfection of its

Creator. The only difficulty is that since man does not

know the purpose of each creation and has no

knowledge of the extent of the powers and capabilities

inherent in it, he starts to raise objections due to his

ignorance and lack of understanding. Otherwise, if man’s

knowledge were perfect and if he could become aware of

the powers and the purpose of the creation of every

particle of this universe, he would be able to hear or

perceive the glorification of the Creator of the Universe

coming out of every particle, and his own heart would thus join in this glorification.

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates, including humans and some other animals. It has a wide range of

functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion. The

liver is necessary for survival; there is currently no way to compensate for the absence of liver function in the long

term. It is a most complex factory in the body which plays a major role in the metabolism and performs a number

of functions in the body, including glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis ...

and the list goes on. The liver’s highly specialized tissues regulate a wide variety of high-volume biochemical

reactions, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecules, many of which are necessary

for normal vital functions. And look! How the Glorious Maker, after providing all these functions through the

liver utilizing the waste material of the body, see now what happens to the waste product of this gland: it

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produces bile, an alkaline compound which helps in digestion via the emulsification of lipids. Glory be to Allah, the

Great! This fact has been repeatedly mentioned in several verses of the Qur’an. But here I would like to quote just

one, which is as follows: “And We have created not the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain”

(38:27).

With advancement in the fields of science, wonderful discoveries and laws of nature are coming to the knowledge

of human beings and they are harnessing them for tremendous advancement in all fields of life. Let me quote just

one interesting incident. Once, an English man, an atheist, was looking through the microscope at the creation of

life in an egg, and as he kept watching the drama of the creation of life unfolding before his very eyes, he was

thrilled and filled with ecstasy and cried out: “Indeed! There is really some God Who is making this chick with His

hands!”

Dr Basharat Ahmad, the well-known writer and biographer of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, whose Urdu

translation and commentary of part 30 of the Qur’an, known as Anwaarul Qur’an, is the main source of my talk

today. During his service as a medical doctor during the time of the British Raj, he had travelled several times by

ship to East Africa in 1900. Once, when he was at sea, it rained for several days. As he was watching the rainfall

while sitting on the deck, suddenly a strange thought came to his mind: What is the use of rain falling on the sea?

Had it rained on land, it would have benefited the crops. But rain falling on the sea is a waste of good water. Is it

not against the concept that Allah is free from any imperfection and He is All-knowing and all-Wise? Immediately

he sought Allah’s forgiveness for entertaining such a strange misgiving about Allah. At that very moment he

realised that his knowledge is nothing as compared to Allah’s perfect knowledge and he recalled the following

verse of the Qur’an: “Glory be to You, we have no knowledge but that which You have taught us” (2:31).

It so happened that after twenty-five years his misgiving was removed through a book by an English scientist in

which the scientist said that the marine life in the seas gets their oxygen and nitrogen through the rain, and were

it not for rain on the sea, all marine life would perish. On obtaining this knowledge, a spontaneous glorification of

Allah arose from the depths of his heart and his inner soul was thrilled with a conviction that every particle or

phenomenon working in this world or in the atmosphere is a manifestation of the glory of Allah.

In short, it is man’s ignorance that makes him raise objections. How can the limited knowledge and intelligence of

man comprehend the creation of the entire universe and the purpose of its creation? It is essential that we

should have firm belief that what Allah says in the Holy Qur’an is perfectly true though its correct knowledge may

not have been discovered by man as yet. Thus the Qur’anic statement that everything in the universe is

celebrating Allah’s glory is absolutely true. Such glorification can be realised or perceived through the language of

its condition or its manner of working in the universe for the benefit of human beings or in sustaining other

creatures in the world. That is why we are commanded to say “Sub-haa-na rab-bi yal ‘a-zeem,” meaning, “Glorify

the name of your Lord, the Most High.” It is this Supreme Being Who has created you and Who wants to elevate

you to great heights. He is the Nourisher Who provides sustenance and then takes you through various stages of

perfection.

What does glorification mean?

In the verses recited earlier, Allah also explains what glorification by one’s deeds or condition means. Or, in other

words, how human beings and other creatures glorify Allah. He says in the Qur’an: “Allah is He Who creates, then

makes complete, and Who measures, then guides” (87:2, 3).

Here, four reasons or ways of demonstrating glorification are given. First, by creating; second, by leading to

perfection; third, by setting a destiny and a limit for everything; fourth, by providing guidance. In other words

Allah created everything, He gave perfection to everything, He set up a destiny and a limit for everything from

which no one can escape, and finally provided guidance to everything, that is, made it subservient to a law, by

following which it can attain to its perfection. That is why Allah has taught us a prayer in Surah Fatihah to

continuously seek, through supplication, Allah’s help and guidance, by repeating “Ee-yaa-ka na’-bu-du wa ee-ya-

ka nas-ta-‘een. Ih-di-nas si-raa-tal mus-ta-qeem.”

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Allah gives an assurance of success and an ever-lasting life in the Hereafter to such people who glorify Him in their

thoughts and deeds, in these words: “He indeed is successful who glorifies and purifies himself, remembers the

name of his Lord and prays” (87:14-15).

Allah also warns His servants not to consider this world as the be-all and end-all of life, and to do good deeds to

earn His pleasure and an ever-lasting life in the Hereafter in these words of the Holy Qur’an: “But you prefer the

life of this world, while the Hereafter is better and more lasting” (87:16-17).

At the end of this chapter, 87, Allah makes a statement

that what the Qur’an says about beautifying your worldly

life in order to have an everlasting life in the Hereafter is

not something new. This message has been conveyed

before you to all the people and nations through Allah’s

messengers, of whom Prophet Abraham and Prophet

Moses (may peace be on both of them) were the two

prominent prophets: “Surely this is in the earlier

scriptures, the scriptures of Abraham and Moses” (87:18-

19). These two names are given here only as examples of

earlier prophetic revelations, thus stressing once again

the two-fold fact of continuity in mankind’s religious

experiences and of the identity of the basic truths

preached by all the prophets.

The Qur’an epitomises universal truths of religions

There is a specific reason for concluding the chapter by mentioning the names of Prophet Abraham and Prophet

Moses (may peace be on both of them). The former was the great patriarch of both the Israelite and Ishmaelite

nations and the latter is considered as the last prophet of the Israelites by Jews, and these were the two peoples

to whom the message of the Qur’an was initially addressed. Again, the object of mentioning these two prophets,

and commonality of their teachings and prophecies made about the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas),

was to impress upon them the truth which existed in their scriptures.

The Holy Qur’an is full of such universal truths. In this regard, Surah 108, Al-Kausar (The Abundance of Good), is

the smallest, the most beautiful and comprehensive one. Its translation is as follows: “Surely We have given you

(the Prophet) abundance of good. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Surely your enemy is cut off (from good).”

At this point I will only concentrate on one verse: “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.”

This verse summarises amazingly the outlines and working guideline of religion. If a person just keeps the

objective of this one verse before him and acts accordingly, he is in fact following the religious objectives in the

practice of his daily life. We are told to pray to our Lord and make sacrifices for His sake. In other words, to live in

accordance with the objective of religion as outlined in this verse, or, to forge a relationship with Allah and earn

His pleasure by sacrifice. There are only two ways to a “successful life.” To worship our Creator and do good in

accordance with the commands of Allah are the only two ways to “a successful life” as briefly mentioned in the

chapter Al-A’laa, which I recited at the start of my talk.

Firstly, let us take the act of worship. The essence of worship is du‘a (supplication). The Hadith tells us that the

highest form of worship or supplication is salah (ritual prayer), through which a person can demonstrate his

servitude to Allah and seek His assistance and guidance.

Secondly, sacrifice is very much needed to reach that point of perfection where a person can give up everything

for the sake of Allah — his possessions, his deepest attachments, his ego, and all his desires and ambitions. Thus

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prayer and sacrifice both are fundamental for leading a perfect life, in all fields and relationships of life. And this

struggle to achieve perfection has been called in the Qur’an “an uphill road” or “a successful” life.

In a poetic verse, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, says: “Jo

Khaak mein milay usay miltaa hey ash-naa.” That is, whoever wishes to earn the love of the Beloved, Allah, then

he should annihilate his worldly being down to earth as dust.

The Holy Prophet – a perfect manifestation of submission

The life of our Holy Prophet (sas) was a perfect manifestation of the Quranic verse, “My prayer and my sacrifice

and my life and my death are surely for Allah, the Lord of the worlds” (6:163). This envious zenith of perfection

attained by our beloved Holy Prophet (sas) continues to bring forth abundance of all sorts of good, whilst his

enemies became extinct and no mention of them remains in the world. Today, the number of people who are

ready to sacrifice their lives for the name of the Holy Prophet (sas) runs into millions, and the number of spiritual

descendants that Allah has blessed him with is incomparable in the religious history of the world. These devotees

and saintly personalities are called in Islamic terminology as righteous servants, saints, abdaal, qutub, mujaddids,

righteous scholars, who are inheritors of spiritual blessings of the Holy Prophet (sas). This ever-running stream of

abundant good has not dried up but shall continue to flow with vigorous flow and instil freshness and bloom until

the day of resurrection.

In another poetic verse, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement assures believers that Allah still answers

supplications and communicates with those who earn His pleasure and nearness: “Woh khudaa ab bhi banaata

hey jisay chaahey kaleem.” It means that Allah still grants His favour of communication to whom He pleases.

Judaism and Christianity – sister religions

It will not be out of place to mention here that books and articles of the scholars of the Lahore Ahmadiyya

Movement, and in particular the English translation and commentary of the Qur’an by Maulana Muhammad Ali,

the works of Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, the founder of the Woking Muslim Mission and the monthly Islamic Review,

and the encyclopaedic work Muhammad in World Scriptures by Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, a scholar of

Sanskrit and Hebrew, have highlighted and made research that all the previous prophets foretold the advent of

the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) and that the original teachings of all the previous prophets were basically one

and the same. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, through its Islamic centres in the West and its publications and

literature, highlighted the Quranic truth that it is Islam that has brought forth universal truths of religion to

perfection, as has been mentioned in the following verse: “This day have I perfected for you your religion and

completed My favour to you and chosen Islam as a religion” (5:3). It is worthy to note that the Qur’an has used

the words “perfection and completion” and not replacement or abrogation.

In Ahmadiyya literature the words “sister religions” for Judaism and Christianity have been used in accordance

with the Qur’anic view put forward with full emphasis. Muslims have always given special respect and status to

these two religions as they stem from our great patriarch, Hazrat Abraham, on whom we not only send

salutations and blessings in our daily prayers, but the Holy Ka’bah rebuilt by him and his son Hazrat Ishmael is not

only the centre of Islam but the great symbol of the Unity of Allah in the present times.

Allah is the Light - radiating love and forgiveness

A well-known British lady, Sarah Joseph, writes with conviction and expresses the incomparable truth of Islamic

love, tolerance and the message of hope contained in the Divine words of Allah – the Holy Qur’an. I quote an

edited version of a recent editorial of EMEL, of which Sarah Joseph is the editor: “But we have to demonstrate our

love for humanity. Demonstrate goodness, beauty and compassion. Acts of kindness and forbearance will win

hearts. We have to be constructive. We have to be creative... We have to be fearless. Be bold. Fear not loss. Fear

not success. Rather, know that God has power over all things. Know that injustice, arrogance and selfishness

cannot persist. It goes against the natural order of things. Balance and righteousness will always win. Jealousy,

rudeness and arrogance bring disunity, decline and despair in the community. Above all, know that no matter

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how dark it may get, God is the Light, and the brilliance of His Light and glory cannot be extinguished by efforts of

men stricken with selfishness, jealousy and arrogance” (November, 2012).

May Allah give us the wisdom to understand and practise the true message of Islam and may our mosques and

centres all over the world be vibrant centres for carrying the message of peace and harmony to the followers of

the two great religions of the world, and the world at large.

Ameen.

-------

Sources:

English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Qur’an by Maulana Muhammad Ali. The Message of the Qur’an

by Muhammad Asad.

English Translation and Commentary of the Qur’an, Part 30 by Dr Basharat Ahmad (Anwarul Qur’an, Part 1,

translated by Kalamazad Mohammed)

***

A brief life profile…

Dr Gerdien Jonker, Ph.D. (Berlin)

(Dr Gerdien Jonker is a research scholar who has in recent years started research about the Lahore Ahmadiyya Mosque at Wilmersdorf, Berlin. She has spent lot of time and hard work in re-arranging books and journals lying at the Mosque and the Mission House. She is particularly impressed the way the late Dr S. M. Abdullah, who was the Imam of the Mosque before the start of World War II, categorised the books and journals received by the Mosque from all over Europe. We are thankful to Dr Jonker for re-arranging the books and journals and pointing out to us the novel way in which the late Dr Abdullah categorised the books, which we never realised. We are also grateful to her for helping us in obtaining scanned images of all the missing issues of the Moslemisch Revue. Dr Zahid Aziz has kindly uploaded all such issues onto the website Lahore.Ahmadiyya.org under the Berlin Muslim Mission section. Dr Jonker is also doing some further research about the activities of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement during the pre-and post-War period in Europe through the Berlin Muslim Mission, which she hopes will be complete in 2013. We wish her every success in this scholarly research and assure her of every help and cooperation. – Ed.)

Gerdien Jonker is a scholar in the History and Ethnography of Religion. She studied in Amsterdam and Paris (école

pratique des hautes études) History of Religion, Cuneiform and Hebrew. With The Topography of Remembrance,

The Dead, Tradition and Collective Memory in Mesopotamia (Leiden: Brill, 1995), she obtained her Ph.D. at

Groningen University. She is currently affiliated to the Erlanger Centre for Islam and Law in Europe (EZIRE) at the

University of Erlangen-Nuernberg.

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Research 1994-1996: “The Hour of the Women: Mourning and Memory in Migration” (Research Council of the Berlin Senat)

1996: “Religion from the Outside” (Fellow am Rutgers University, New Jersey)

1996-2000: “Institutionalizing Islam in Germany” (Thyssen Foundation)

2001-2003: “Communication Structures of Muslim Communities in Europe” (German Research Council)

2001-2003: “Institutionalizing Islam in Europe” (EU Fifth Framework)

2004-2005: “Living together post 9/11” (Thyssen Foundation / European Social Scientists)

2005 -2011: “The Production of Knowledge on Muslim History and Culture for German Schools” (Aga Khan

Foundation)

Since 2012: History of Ahmadiyya Mission in Europe (EZIRE)

Fields of Publication and Expertise - Ethnographic Studies on Turkish Muslim Minorities (Süleymanci, Nurcu, Milli Görüsh)

- Communication Structures in Muslim Communities

- Historical Representations of Muslims in European Textbooks

- Collective Memory

- Death and Mourning

- Jews and Muslims

*********

What our Readers say…

Shaukat A. Ali, Regional Co-ordinator, Asia/Pacific Region

Dear all

Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatuhu

I pray that you and your loved ones are in best of spiritual and physical health by the grace of Compassionate and

Merciful Allah.

If you are interested in world affairs and haven’t seen and heard the video the link to which I have provided

below, I strongly recommend that you spend an hour listening to the entire video including the questions and

answers. The video is recorded by the son of a former Israeli General but it is a mind-opener for all those

interested in learning the truth about Jews, Zionism and the problems in Palestine. The U-Tube link is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOaxAckFCuQ&feature=youtu.be

***

New Year greetings

Mr. Amir Aziz, General Secretary, AAIIL

Dear brother and sisters,

Assalamu ALaikum.

On behalf of all members of AAIIL across the globe I wish you all a very Happy New Year.

May this year bring happiness, prosperity and peace in your lives. I wish that this year be free of all sufferings and

pain which humanity faced during previous years.

***

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Capt. Abdus Salam Khan, California, USA

New Year Thoughts (2013)

Ah! The New Year stirring new desires,

The thoughtful soul to inward solitude retires.

Lo! The white hand of Moses on the bough

Puts out, and Jesus from ground suspires.

Whatever destruction stupid men may wreak

The Hand of Nature will continue to seek,

Evolved specimens of the human race

Full of wisdom, elegance and grace.

Ruby-red grape shall continue

To kindle on the vine

And many a flower shall bloom on the shoreline.

Wishing you a very happy New Year!

***

Nur Alam, Sydney, Australia

Please wish everyone the very best of health and happiness in 2013 from all of us here.

May Allah keep you all in His care, Ameen.

***

Jalal Ud Dean, Fiji

Assalaamu’Alaikum.

Fiji sits very snugly directly on the International Dateline and Fiji has begun the countdown to end of 2012 and

herald in 2013. Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous 2013. Insha-Allah.

***

Continued publication of the Bulletin

Arjumand Sadiq, UK

Respected Editor of the HOPE

Asalaam o Alaikum.

I was in Libya, when I heard the sad news about our dear brother and my most respected friend Akbar Abdullah. It

was on that day when I realized how selfish a person can be at times. The first thing came to my mind was what

would happen to the HOPE. After a while when I overcome the shock of losing such a dear brother and friend, I

knew that Allah is there and He will arrange for someone to continue this humble service.

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You have chosen to do a great job and this is the only way to pay tribute to Akbar Abdullah. He will be very happy

when he sees his work is continued. The most difficult part is to gather news about what is happening in the

Jamaat. I hope all of us will contribute and will communicate with you on a regular basis.

I would like to congratulate Mr Jala Ud Din on writing this article on Fiji [January 2013 issue], which is full of

knowledge and many of us may not know all these details. May Allah bless him.

Before ending, I have a request to make. Whenever any member of the Community passes away or gets sick,

please try to give the e-mail address/ telephone contact of the family, so other members are able to contact the

family. This always provides a great strength to the family.

***

Arif Rahman, Trinidad

Dear Hope Bulletin Team,

Wa alaikum assalaam.

Jazakallah Khair (may Allah grant you goodness) for your efforts to continue the publication of the HOPE Bulletin

in the wake of the passing of one of the Anjuman’s most dedicated members, the late Br. Akbar Abdullah. I look

forward to the Special Supplement Bulletin in his memory as I never actually knew him personally. Finally I may be

able to discover the man from who brought me “hope” (pun intended).

May Allah guide you as you carry out His work.

*********

CONTACT INFORMATION The HOPE Bulletin

E-mail address: thehopebulletin@hotmail.com

ISLAM stands for: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND