Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada

Ahmadiyya Gazette CanadaAn Educational and Spiritual PublicationVolume 39 - No. 9 - September 2010Shawwal 1431 - Tabuk 1389Pearls of WisdomSelection from the Holy Qur’ān and Ahadīth p.2Writings of the Promised Messiah as p.3Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aaSummary of Friday Sermons p.4ArticlesRamadān Verses (2:184-186) p.10Definition of Hadīth p.16Can only the Muslim Places of Worship be called Mosques? p.20The 19th National Ta’līmul Qur’ān Class p.22Atfal ul Ahmadiyya Canada -23 rd National Ijtima 2010 Report p.25Amīr Jamā`at:Lal Khan MalikChief Editor:Prof. Hadi Ali ChaudharyEditors:Ansar RazaS.H.HadiAssitant Editor:Hana MalikManager:Mubashir KhalidGraphics Layout:Farhan A. NaseerPrinting:Jamnik GraphicsWeb Magazine:Muzaffar AhmadOfficial Photographers:Bashir NasirMuzaffar AhmadWWW.AHMADIYYAGAZETTE.CACurrent Issues - Archives - Contribute - Register - ContactThe official publication of the Ahmadiyya MuslimJamā`at CanadaAhmadiyya Muslim Jamā`at Canada Inc., 10610 Jane Street, Maple, ON L6A 3A2, CanadaTel: 905-303-4000 Fax: 905-832-3220 - editor@ahmadiyyagazette.caThe Ahmadīyya Gazette Canada is published by the Ahmadīyya Muslim Jamā`at Canada. The editors of the AhmadiyyaGazette Canada shall be solely responsible for all errors or omissions contained in the publication herein of the writingsof the Promised Messiah as or any of his successors ra , as well as the summaries of the sermons or addresses of HadratMirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V aa .Articles published in the Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada reflect the views of their respective authors and may not reflectthe views, beliefs and tenets of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at Canada.ISSN 0229 56441. Ahmadiyya -- Periodicals.I. Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam Canada.BP195.A34 1972297.8605-20dcCANADA POSTSECOND CLASS MAILMail Registration No: 40026877Table of Contents

1. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, theMerciful.2. Surely, We sent it down on the Night ofDestiny.3. And what should make thee know what theNight of Destiny is?4. The Night of Destiny is better than a thousandmonths.5. Therein descend angels and the Spirit by thecommand of their Lord — with every matter.6. It is all peace till the rising of the dawn.(Chapter 97 - Al-Qadr Verse 1-6)The Holy Qur’ānNarrated Ibn `Umar:Hadīth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad saSome men amongst the companions of theProphet sa were shown in their dreams that thenight of Qadr was in the last seven nights ofRamadān. Allah’s Apostle said, “It seems thatall your dreams agree that (the Night of Qadr)is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants tosearch for it (i.e. the Night of Qadr) should searchin the last seven (nights of Ramadān).”(Bukharī – Book of Fasting)2 Pearls of Wisdom

So Said the Promised Messiah asDo you know what the night of power is? The Night of Power is a time when terrible darkness envelopesthe world. That time - so dark it is - demands light, light to dispel darkness. It is a metaphoricalexpression. It is a dark time, called a dark night. It is not a night literally. It is a time, which because ofits darkness is described as a night. It begins to settle down 1,000 months after a prophet or his spiritualsuccessor has come and gone. One thousand months is equal to an individual life span. At the end ofthis period, human senses also come to an end. When so much time has elapsed, heaven sows the seedfor the birth of one or more reformers to appear at the head of the new century. We have a further hintin the words of God,“The night of power is better than one thousands months.” - Holy Qur’ān, 97:4This means that those who are able to see the heavenly light descend during the night of power arebetter than the 80 year olds who were not present at the time of the descent of this light. One momentof light received during this night is better than a thousand months before the night. And why? Becauseduring this night, angels of God and the Holy Spirit descend with the permission of the God of Majestyalong with the reformer of the time. Not for anything, but in order that they may move willing heartsand show them the many paths to spiritual security. They - the angels and the Holy Spirit - open thenew paths and draw the curtains. Then the darkness of indifference and ignorance disappears. Andinstead appears the dawn of spiritual life and light.(Victory of Islam, pg. 20)Pearls of Wisdom3

Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masih V aaBiography of the Martyrs of Lahore (Part IV)Summary of Friday Sermon delivered on July 2 nd , 2010On July 2, 2010, Hadrat KhalīfatulMasīh V aa delivered the FridaySermon at Baitul Futūh Mosque,London. In this Sermon, Hudūr aamentioned some more Ahmadīmartyrs of Lahore and spokeabout their family backgrounds,their services, their devotion to theJamā’at and their personal qualities.The following is a very briefsynopsis of Hudūr’s aa sermon.467. Abdur Rahman Sahib(21) was a new Ahmadī. Hewas doing his MBBS and wasmartyred in Dārul Zikr.68. Nisar Ahmad Sahib (46)was martyred in Dārul Zikras he tried to save Ashraf BilalSahib. His family belonged toNarowal.69. Dr. Asghar Yaqūb KhanSahib (60) was martyred inDārul Zikr. He was the grandsonof Hadrat Sheikh Abdur RashidKhan Sahib, a Companion ofthe Promised Messiah as . As adoctor, he served the rich andthe poor without distinction.70. Ghulām Muhammad SaeedDard Sahib (80) was martyredin Baitun Nur. His familybelonged to Gujrat. His fatherHadrat Mian MuhammadYusuf Sahib and his grandfatherHadrat Hidayatullah Sahib wereCompanions of the PromisedMessiah as . He was employed inthe National Bank and had thehonour of performing the Hajjsix times as well as numerousumras.71. Muhammad Yahya KhanSahib (77) was martyred inBaitun Nur. His father HadratMalik Muhammad AbdullahSahib and grandfatherHadrat Barkat Ali Sahib wereCompanions of the PromisedMessiah as . He was a very kindand modest person.72. Dr. Umar Ahmad Sahib (31)was seriously injured in DārulZikr and died in the hospital on4th June 2010. He was among thedescendants of Hadrat MunshiAbdul Aziz Sahib, a Companionof the Promised Messiah as . Hewas a veterinary doctor.73. La‘al Khan Nāsir Sahib (52)was martyred in Baitun Nur. Hebelonged to Adrahma, DistrictSargodha. He was a budgetaccounts officer of the 17thgrade. He had the honour toserve as Qaid and then Amīr ofDistrict Muzaffargarh.74. Zafar Iqbal Sahib (59) ofArifwala, Distirct Layyah, wasmartyred in Dārul Zikr. Heperformed the Hajj five timesand many umras. He ran atransport business.75. Mansoor Ahmad Sahib (36)of Shahdarah, Lahore, wasmartyred in Dārul Zikr. He wasemployed in an import andexport company and had greatzeal for serving humanity.76. Mubarak Ali Awan Sahib(59) was from Qasur. He wasmartyred in Dārul Zikr. Hisgrandfather Mian Nizam DinSahib and his great grandfatherwere the first in the family toaccept Ahmadīyyat despitestrong opposition. He was thematernal grandson of HadratMaulana Muhammad IshaqSahib, a Companion of thePromised Messiah as . He wasemployed in the EducationDepartment.77. Atiq-ur-Rahman Zafar SahibGuidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa

(55) of Saidanwali Gharbi,District Sialkot was martyredin Dārul Zikr. He acceptedAhmadīyyat in 1988 and hiswife also joined the Jamā`at ayear later. He ran a personalbusiness and was an excellentpreacher of Ahmadīyyat.78. Mahmood Ahmad Sahib (53)was martyred in Dārul Zikr. Hisgrandfather Umar Din SahibVaince and great grandfatherHadrat Karim Baksh Sahib wereCompanions of the PromisedMessiah as . For fifteen years hehad been serving as a securityguard in Dārul Zikr.Hudūr aa said he would continuewith the remembrance of themartyrs in the next sermon. Hudūr aaalso informed the Jamā‘at of the saddemise of Sarwar Sultana Sahiba,wife of the late Maulana AbdulMalik Khan Sahib and spoke abouther steadfastness and services forthe Jamā‘at. Hudūr aa prayed thatAllāh may grant her a lofty stationin heaven and announced thathe would lead her Namaz JanazahGha’ib after the Jumu‘a.Tribute to the Martyrs of Lahore (Part V)Summary of Friday Sermon delivered on July 9 th , 2010On July 9, 2010, Hadrat KhalīfatulMasīh V aa delivered the FridaySermon at Baitul Futūh Mosque,London. In this Sermon, Hudūr aaspoke about some more Ahmadīmartyrs of Lahore, shedding lighton their family backgrounds, theirservices and devotion to the Jamā‘at and their personal qualities. Thefollowing is a very brief synopsis ofHudūr aa ’s sermon.79. Ihsan Ahmad Khan Sahib(26) was martyred in Dārul Zikr.His great grandfather, HadratMunshi Diyanat Khan Sahib wasa Companion of the PromisedMessiah as . His ancestors camefrom Kangra and he belongedto the Yusufzai clan. He wasemployed in the Shezan factory.80. Munawar Ahmad Qaisar(57) was martyred in DārulZikr. His family hailed fromQādiān and he was among thedescendants of Hadrat AbdulAziz Sahib, a Companion of thePromised Messiah as . He was aphotographer by professionand was on duty on the maingate of Dārul Zikr at the time ofhis martyrdom.81. Hasan Khursheed AwanSahib (24) came from Dulmial,District Chakwal. He wasmartyred in Dārul Zikr.82. Mahmood AhmadShad Sahib, an Ahmadiyyamissionary, was martyred inBaitun Nur at the age of 48.He belonged to Gujrat andhad served in various placeswithin Pakistan and for 11years he served as missionaryin Tanzania. He had beenappointed as missionary inModel Town about three monthsbefore his martyrdom.83. Wasim Ahmad Sahib (38),son of Abdul Quddus Sahibof Puran Nagar was martyredin Dārul Zikr. He was relatedto Hadrat Mian Nizam DinSahib and Hadrat Babu QasimDin Sahib, Companion ofthe Promised Messiah as . Hewas working as manager in asoftware firm.84. Wasim Ahmad Sahib, son ofAshraf Sahib was martyred inDārul Zikr at the age of 54. Hebelonged to Ratoocha, DistrictChakwal, and had previouslyserved in the army. Since 2009he had been working as securityguard in Dārul Zikr.85. Nadhir Ahmad Sahib (72)was martyred in Dārul Zikr.He was the only Ahmadī inhis family but he remainedsteadfast to the end despitesevere opposition.86. Muhammad Hussain Sahib(80) was martyred in Dārul Zikr.His family belonged to DistrictGurdaspur. He worked forsome time as a carpenter and asLabour Supervisor in MilitaryEngineering Service. He alsohad the honour of serving inFurqan Force.Hudūr aa gave further detailsabout the life and qualities of Dr.Umar Ahmad who was amongthe martyrs of Lahore. With thisHudūr aa concluded the mention ofthe Lahore martyrs and said: Allof them possessed great qualitiessuch as their love for the Jamā`at,their obedience to Nizām-e-Jamā`at, their willingness to sacrificetheir time for the Jamā`at, their loveand obedience to Khilāfat, theirkeenness for offering the obligatoryprayers as well as Tahajjud, theirdesire for martyrdom and theirpassion for financial sacrificesGuidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa5

and Da‘wat Ilallāh. They helpedKhilāfat through prayers and gooddeeds and set the highest standardsin this regard. In their own spheresthey safeguarded and strengthenedKhilāfat. They were the Sultan-e-Nasir or the devoted helpers theKhalīfa desires and prays for. MayAllāh grant them lofty stations inheaven close to those whom theyloved.Hudūr aa said: All these martyrsattained what they desired, butthrough their sacrifice they havereminded us that we too shouldfulfil our pledge of Bai‘at and keepalive their virtue and their gooddeeds. What these sacrifices requirefrom us is that we bring about apositive change in ourselves. Whilethe Jamāat should look after theirfamilies and children, all individualAhmadīs should pray for themthat Allāh may protect them fromevery adversity. May Allāh protectall Ahmadīs against mischief andgrant them perseverance. Āmīn.At the end Hudūr aa informedthe Jamā`at of the sad demise ofNadhir Shafiq Al-Muradi Sahib, expresidentof Jamā`at Ahmadiyya,Syria. Hudūr aa led his Namaz JanazahGha’ib after the Juma prayer.Faith Inspiring Incidents from the Livesof the Companions of the Promised Messiah asSummary of Friday Sermon delivered on July 16, 2010On the July 16, 2010, HadratKhalīfatul V aa delivered the FridaySermon at Baitul Futūh MosqueLondon. Hudūr aa said that thePromised Messiah as drew pureheartedand pious people aroundhim and established a Jamā`at thatcontinued to advance in virtuesand spiritual transformation.In this regard, Hudūr aa quotedcertain incidents narrated by theCompanions of the PromisedMessiah as who had pledgedallegiance of bai’t at his hand,remained in his company andpersonally experienced his graceand benevolence. Such narrativesnot only reveal the pure nature ofthe seekers after truth but also throwlight on the grace, beneficence,spiritual power and exaltedstation of the Promised Messiah as .Furthermore, they illustrate whatthe Promised Messiah as reallyexpected of his Jamā`at.to falsehood out of fear. Theynever hesitated to speak the truth,shunned bad morals and adoptedhigh moral qualities. They were veryproud of their Lord Who alwaysstood by them and disgraced theirenemies. Therefore, the PromisedMessiah as ’s companions were evergrateful to their Lord and theirhearts were brimming with Hislove. All their actions and deedswere purely for the sake of God andthey abhorred ostentatiousness, forthe Promised Messiah as declared itto be a dangerous evil that led oneto hypocrisy.Hudūr aa said that the PromisedMessiah as was never seen with hiseyes wide open, his eyelids wouldusually cover his eyes, but wheneverhe spoke of the Holy Prophet sa hiseyes were fully opened. Normally,his eyes remained half-closed out ofmodesty and humility. He had greatlove for the Holy Prophet sa andwould often remark that if the HolyProphet sa had not come into theHudūr aa said that the PromisedMessiah as , through his spiritualpower, brought about suchtransformation among hiscompanions that they trusted inGod alone and never resortedCompanions of The Promised Messiah aswith Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh IV rh6 Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa

world, there would be no guidanceleft in it, and the world would havegone astray.Hudūr aa said that the PromisedMessiah as always urged his Jamā`atto shun bad morals and exhortedthem to adopt high moral qualitiesso that they may come to reflectDivine attributes and thus becomeHis beloved. He would often saythat he found his God more Lovingthan a mother. The morals of thePromised Messiah as were so loftythat whoever closely observedthem fell in deep love with him andfell at his threshold and would notpart with him even in the face ofappalling hardships.Hudūr aa said that the PromisedMessiah as exhorted his Jamā`at notto think ill of others. He would saythat one who thought ill of otherswould never be illumined by thelight of faith, for such suspicionsalso makes one despair of God.Our Jamā`at, therefore, ought toeschew this evil. It is the hallmarkThe Promised Messiah as always urged hisJamā‘at to shun bad morals and exhortedthem to adopt high moral qualities sothat they may come to reflect Divineattributes and thus become His beloved.He would often say that he found hisGod more Loving than a mother.of the Holy Jamā`at of God thatno such persons can be a part ofit. Our Jamā`at should believe theHoly Qur’ān to be the only sourceof Divine knowledge and of gooddeeds, for the Holy Qur’ān aloneteaches such actions as wouldbenefit man in this world andthe hereafter. Hence, our Jamā`atshould regard this Holy Book as thesole code of their lives.Hudūr aa said that may Allāh exaltthe station of the Companions ofthe Promised Messiah as , who havereported such faith-enhancingevents and episodes. May He alsoenable us to be prepared everyminute of our lives for any sacrificein the cause of Islām. We musttransform our lives according tothe real teachings of Islām as isexpected of us by the PromisedMessiah as and as was exemplifiedby his companions. May Allāhenable us to do that. Amīn.Hospitality at Jalsa SalanaSummary of Friday Sermon delivered on July 23, 2010On July 23, 2010, Hadrat KhalīfatulMasīh V aa delivered the FridaySermon at Baitul Futūh Mosque,London.Hudūr aa said that with the helpand grace of Allāh, Jalsa Sālāna UKwill be starting from next Friday.Ahmadīs should put more andmore efforts in their prayers andSadaqat for the success of this Jalsa.Reminding the volunteers of theirduties and obligations, Hudūr aasaid that the duty of Jalsa Sālāna isnot an ordinary duty. You have beengiven the opportunity to serve theguests who come here in answer toGuidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aathe call of the Promised Messiah as inorder to quench their spiritual thirst.Volunteers in every departmentshould exhibit the highest moralstandards. They should hold theirresponsibilities above everythingelse and should bear even harshwords from the guests withequanimity. They should care forthe sentiments of the guests andserve them with kindness. In thiscontext, Hudūr aa gave detailedinstructions to volunteers of everydepartment.Hudūr aa said that the residents ofUK should also show hospitality totheir relatives who may be comingfor the Jalsa from abroad. Hudūr aasaid that Non-Ahmadīs and nonreligiouspeople who come to ourJalsa take great note of the conductof our volunteers and, for themost part, take away a favourableimpression. In this way thesevolunteers are also silently fulfillingthe duty of Da‘wat Il-Allāh. Theywin double rewards by serving theguests of the Promised Messiah asand demonstrating the beautifulmodel of Islām for the benefit ofoutsiders who, if they are fortunate,are able to recognize the true faith.In this manner, all the volunteers,7

men and women, are able to winAllāh’s pleasure.Referring to security issues,Hudūr aa said that we should notoverlook even the slightest flaw inour system. The security checkingshould be thorough as was donein Jalsa Sālāna Germany. Youngvolunteers on security should beaccompanied by at least member ofa mature disposition. At the sametime we must remember that ourreal trust lies in Allāh and we mustkeep praying to Him all the time.Hudūr aa also gave instructionsregarding the safeguarding ofprovisions such as food and water.Hudūr aa said that the Holy Prophet sahimself presented the best exampleof hospitality and he said that abeliever is known by three things:(1) He always says what is good; (2)he always respects his neighbour;(3) and he always honours his guest.In other words, hospitality is also ameans of strengthening our faithand drawing us closer to Allāh.Hudūr aa said that the HolyProphet sa was also very generousand consistent in his hospitality.According to the account relatedby the Companions, he was verypleased at the arrival of guests andinstructed the Langar Khāna to caterfor the needs of visitors and provideThe Holy Prophet sa himself presentedthe best example of hospitality and hesaid that a believer is known by threethings: (1) He always says what is good;(2) he always respects his neighbour; (3)and he always honours his guest.them with food according to theircustom. The Promised Messiah aswould make personal sacrifices forthe guests and would accord themhonour them according to theirstatus. In serving the guests, thePromised Messiah as had also beforehim the aim of Da‘wat Ilallāh andthis is something all the departmentsof Jalsa Sālāna should bear in mind.The Promised Messiah as did notdifferentiate between friend or foewhen serving his guests. Even ifopponents came to him as guests, hewould order his followers to servethem to their best ability. May Allāhenable us to emulate the exampleof the Promised Messiah as and fulfilour duties to our guests to the bestof our ability.At the end of the sermon, Hudūr aainformed the Jama`at of the saddemise of Mubarka Begum Sahiba,wife of Sufi Nadhir Ahmad Sahiband mother of Muhammad JalalShams Sahib, Incharge of theTurkish desk, and Munir JavedSahib, Private Secretary, London.Hudūr aa led her Namaz JanazahGha’ib after the Jumu‘a prayer.Counsel to Guests and the Duty Holders at JalsaSummary of Friday Sermon delivered on July 30 th , 2010On July 30, 2010, Hadrat KhalīfatulMasīh V aa delivered the FridaySermon at Hadiqatul-Mahdī,Hampshire, UK. Hudūr aa recitedverse 112 of Sūrah Al-Taubah, whichis translated as follows:“They are the ones who turn toGod in repentance, who worshipHim, who praise Him, who goabout in the land serving Him,who bow down to God, whoprostrate themselves in prayer,who enjoin good and forbidevil, and who watch the limitsset by Allāh. And give gladtidingsto those who believe.”(9:112)Hudūr aa said that this verse containsthe attributes of a believer. Thosewho have come to this Jalsa enduringhardships and undertaking longjourneys in order to become guestsof the Promised Messiah as shouldnot be content with being honouredand served but should strive toacquire the qualities mentioned inthis verse. Addressing the visitorsto the Jalsa, Hudūr aa said that oneof the aims of the Jalsa mentionedby the Promised Messiah as was tostrengthen the bonds of love andbrotherhood between members of8 Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa

the Jamā`at. But a believer shouldalso be conscious about the properuse of his time. Therefore, whilethe Jalsa is in progress you shouldattend to its programs and leaveyour meetings with friends forafterwards. Hudūr aa said that insuch a large gathering there isalways fear of unsavoury incidentsand unpleasantness, but a believerhas the quality of being able to keephis emotions in check. Participantsshould always bear in mind thesanctity of the Jalsa and practicepatience and forbearance.Hudūr aa said that young peopleon security duty should beaccompanied by mature membersso that there may be no occasionfor complaints. The visitorsshould also allow themselves tobe searched with patience andshould not feel offended. Try toattain the purpose for which youare gathered here. The hosts andthe guests should all try to set loftyexamples of love and brotherhoodaccording to the wishes of thePromised Messiah as .Hudūr aa said that visitors fromabroad, particularly from Pakistan,India, Bangladesh and Africancountries, should not avail thehospitality of the UK Jama‘at formore than two or three weeks, asthis poses problems for the hosts.If they wish to stay longer, theyshould arrange to stay with friendsor relatives. The Holy Prophet sa hasforbidden the guest to stay for solong as to inconvenience the host.Hudūr aa said that when you meetone another you should do so withthe greetings of Salām or peace.It is a prayer that draws blessingsfrom Allāh and this is the kind ofenvironment that Allāh wants topromote. The Holy Prophet sa alsosays that you should offer Salām toeveryone regardless of whether youare acquainted with them or not.If you acquire the habit of sayingSalām during these days, it willstay with you and help to fosterlove and brotherhood. How good itwould be if people who are not onspeaking terms with one anotherwere to come together today withgreetings of peace and forgiveand embrace one another. Let thebelievers become one so as to reapthe blessings of this holy journey.Hudūr aa said that we should followthe example of the PromisedMessiah as and show patience andforbearance and gratitude. If therehas been any shortcoming on partof the hosts, you should overlookit. May Allāh enable us all to fullybenefit from the Jalsa.At the end, Hudūr aa again stressedthe need for vigilance, cleanliness,abiding by the detailed instructionsgiven in the program and spendingmaximum time in prayer.Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa9

RAMADĀN VERSES (2:184-186)From the Five Volume CommentaryChapter 2 -Al-Baqarah - Verse 184O ye who believe! Fasting isprescribed for you, as it wasprescribed for those beforeyou, so that you may becomerighteous. (2:184)Important Words(Fasting) is derived frommeaning, he kept back or refrainedfrom doing something; or herefrained from eating or drinkingor talking or walking, etc. TheArabs say, i.e., the windbecame calm or motionless.Means, a horse from which food hasbeen withheld, or a horse which isconfined to its manger and not madeto walk or race. Thus means: (1)keeping back or refraining fromsomething; (2) refraining fromeating and drinking, etc.; and (3)formally refraining from eating,drinking, going in unto wives, etc.i.e. fasting from dawn till sunsetas ordained by Islam. is onewho so refrains from food, etc. i.e.,one who keeps a fast (Aqrab &Mufradāt).An interesting feature of the Arabiclanguage is revealed when wenotice that the word thoughderived from a different root,yet, owing to its having two rootletters common with , gives asomewhat similar meaning, for,whereas means refraining fromfood, drink or speech, means:(1) refraining from speech; and (2)intensity of thirst, the latter statebeing the direct result of refrainingfrom drink (Aqrab).COMMENTARYAs the preceding verses containa reference to patience in trialsand sacrifices as well as refrainingfrom disputes and temptations,the Qur’ān here fittingly turnsto the subject of fasting, which isthe most effective means of selfdiscipline.The command to fast,whatever its details, is to be foundin most religions in one form oranother. The early devotions andfasting of Buddha (see Lalitavistara& Buddhacharita), the fastingof Moses, prior to his receivingthe Ten Commandments (Exod.34:28; Deut. 9:9), the fasts of Jesusbefore his receiving the heavenlyCall (Matt. 4:2), all testify to theimportance of this institution. Infact, fasting is a form of devotionand self-discipline which has anatural appeal to man. “By thegreater number of religions,” saysthe Encyclopaedia Britannica,“in the lower, middle and highercultures alike, fasting is largelyprescribed: and when it is notrequired, it is nevertheless practisedto some extent by individuals inresponse to the promptings ofnature.” The verse under comment,however, does not mean thatfasting has been prescribed for theMuslims in the same form in whichit was prescribed for the peopleof earlier faiths. Islam has greatlyspiritualized this institution byattaching to it a number of highlyuseful regulations and restrictions.The clause, so that you maybecome righteous, explains thedeep philosophy underlying thecommandment relating to fasting.It is a special characteristic of theQur’ān that, whenever it givesan important commandment, itdoes not give it arbitrarily but alsoexplains its usefulness so that theaddressee may be convinced of,and satisfied about, the wisdomunderlying it. The object of …or fasting has been stated in thisverse as the attainment of …i.e.,righteousness.As explained in 2:3 the word… or… from which the word … used in10 Commentary on Ramadān Verses

the present verse is derived means,to guard oneself against (1) harmand suffering, and (2) evil and sin.Thus, the verse points out that thereal object of fasting is, first, to besaved from harm and suffering,and secondly, to be saved from sinand evil. The first object is attainedthrough fasting in two ways: (1)when a man commits evil deedsand becomes deserving of God’spunishment on account of thosedeeds, but later feels ashamedof them and turns to God inrepentance, then fasting serves asatonement for his sins. (2) Fastingnot only makes a man fit and able tobear hardships but also makes himon the basis of personal experience,that a certain degree of severancefrom physical relations andworldly connections is essentialfor spiritual advancement and thisseverance has a powerful purifyingeffect on the mind. On the otherhand, it cannot be denied that tocarry such severance too far issure to weaken the body to suchan undesirable extent as to rendera person unfit not only to fulfil hissocial and religious obligationsbut also withstand temptationswhich require a certain amount ofstrength. Islam, therefore, followsthe path of the golden mean. Whileit does prescribe a certain degree ofcomplete sacrifice. One who fastsnot only abstains from food anddrink, which are the chief means ofsustenance and without which onecannot live, but also from going inunto one’s own wife which is themeans of assuring one’s future race.Thus he who fasts really expresseshis readiness, if need be, to sacrificehis life for the sake of truth. Fastingindeed affords a wonderful trainingground for man.It must be noted here that this versedoes not actually contain a commandto fast, which follows in the versecoming after the succeeding verse.It only prepares Muslims for thecoming commandment by sayingThe verse under comment, however, does not mean that fastinghas been prescribed for the Muslims in the same form in whichit was prescribed for the people of earlier faiths. Islam hasgreatly spiritualized this institution by attaching to it a numberof highly useful regulations and restrictions.realize the sufferings of his brethrenin distress and feel sympathy forthem. Thus, fasting goes a long wayto remove and minimize the painand suffering of humanity.The second object, viz., that ofbeing saved from sin and evil, isattained through fasting because,while fasting, a person has not onlyto abandon eating and drinking butalso, to a certain extent, keep himselfaloof from worldly connectionsand to abstain from indulging inhis desires with the result that histhoughts naturally tend towardsspiritual things. Spiritual men ofall religions unanimously testify,Commentary on Ramadān Versesabstention from material pleasures,it does not permit such a weakeningof the body as should incapacitate itfor performing its normal functions.This is why the Holy Prophet sahas forbidden continuous fasting,saying, “Your self has a claim uponyou and your family has a claimupon you and your guests have aclaim upon you.” (Tirmidhī) Onanother occasion, he is reported tohave said, “Verily, I am the mostrighteous of you all, yet sometimesI fast and sometimes I abstainfrom fasting, and so must you do.”(Bukhārī)Fasting also stands as a symbol forthat (1) the fasting which is goingto be prescribed for them is not anew thing but was also prescribedfor the people that had gone before,and that (2) it is a most usefulthing which is sure to benefit themgreatly. It will be seen that veryoften the Qur’ān does not give acommandment all of a sudden butfirst prepares the ground for it bymaking some general remarks. Inthis connection see also 2:143-145where a similar process has beenadopted.11

12Chapter 2 -Al-Baqarah - Verse 185The prescribed fasting is for afixed number of days, butwhoso among you is sick oris on a journey shall fast thesame number of other days;and for those who are able tofast only with great difficultyis an expiation — the feedingof a poor man. And whosoperforms a good work withwilling obedience, it is betterfor him. And fasting is good foryou, if you only knew. (2:185)IMPORTANT WORDS(are able to fast only with greatdifficulty) is derived from Theysay or meaning, hewas able or fit to do it; or he had thestrength and power to do it (Aqrab).But the word is not used ofstrength generally but of suchstrength only as, so to speak, lieson the border i.e., just the strengthwith which a thing may be doneand no more—a strength requiredto do a thing only with difficultyand trouble (Mufradāt & Lane).This is why the word is neverused to express the power of Godfor which words like andare used; for whereas the latter twowords express the sense of vastnessof power, the former expresses onlythat of its narrowness. The Qur’ānuses the word only twice andat both these places it uses it in anegative sense, i.e., viz, “wedo not even possess the requisitestrength to do that.” (2:250 & 287)Thus, the correct rendering of theclausewould be, “forthose who are able to fast but canfast only with great difficulty”.(Tawwaqahū) which is from thesame root means, he put a collaror a neck-ring round his neck,i.e., he imposed on him a thingthat was difficult, troublesome orinconvenient. also means, asingle strand which after combiningwith others goes to make a rope(Lane), i.e., the weak part of a ropewhich cannot stand tension alone.The word (an expiation) isderived from . They saymeaning, the man secured hisrelease from captivity, etc. by payinghis ransom. Thus means, suchpayment as is made for obtainingrelease of a person’ or suchexpenditure as is made in expiationof some sin or shortcoming, etc.(Aqrab).COMMENTARYThis verse again refrains fromgiving the actual commandmentregarding fasting but preparesfurther ground by pointing out thatthe fasting about to be prescribedis not meant for all days but onlyfor a limited number of days.Again, the commandment to comeis not meant to be observed in allcircumstances; for those sufferingfrom disease or those on a journeywill be exempt from it. In fact,Islam is a practical religion. It doesnot give any commandment whichis impossible of compliance. Hence,while referring to its injunctionsabout fasting, the Qur’ān makes itclear that whosoever is ill or is on ajourney should not fast but shouldredeem the omission by fasting anequal number of days at some othertime when the sickness is gone orthe journey is over.The pronoun (those) in theclause, those who are able, refers tobelievers in general, the wordsmeaning, those who areable to fast but can fast only withgreat difficulty. This interpretationis supported by another readingof the verse in which the word(yutawwaqūnahū) has beensubstituted for (yutiqūnahū)(Jarīr), the former word meaning,The verse mentions three classes ofbelievers to whom concession is allowedwith respect to fasting: (1) the sick; (2)those on a journey; and (3) those neither ona journey nor actually sick but otherwisetoo weak to fast except with real risk totheir health.Commentary on Ramadān Verses

those to whom fasting is like a tightcollar, i.e., those who are not actuallysick but whose physical conditionor general health is such that theyare unable to fast without runningthe risk of injuring their health.Such people, who include old menand raw youth and the weak andpregnant women and mothersgiving suck to their children, maynot fast but should make amendsfor their non-observance of eachday’s fast by feeding a poor manaccording to their standard of food.Another reading of the wordis (yutayyaqūnahū) (Jarīr)meaning, they can do it only withgreat difficulty, which also bears outthe above meaning. Thus, the versementions three classes of believersto whom concession is allowedwith respect to fasting: (1) the sick;(2) those on a journey; and (3) thoseneither on a journey nor actuallysick but otherwise too weak to fastexcept with real risk to their health.Some commentators do notrecognize the last-mentionedclass as being separate from, andindependent of the first two, buttake it as being an exception fromthem. In this case the verse wouldmean that such of the sick and ofthose on a journey as can afford tofeed poor men should also do so,besides fasting the same number ofdays after the sickness or the stateof journey is over.Commentary on Ramadān VersesChapter 2 -Al-Baqarah - Verse 186The month of Ramadan isthat in which the Qur’ān wassent down as a guidance formankind with clear proofs ofguidance and discrimination.Therefore, whosoever of you ispresent at home in this month,let him fast therein. But whosois sick or is on a journey, shallfast the same number of otherdays. Allah desires to give youfacility and He desires nothardship for you, and that youmay complete the number, andthat you may exalt Allah for Hishaving guided you and thatyou may be grateful. (2:186)IMPORTANT WORDSRamadān is the name given tothe ninth month of the lunar year.The word is derived from the verband can be said i.e.,the day became intensely hot. Theword means, the man hadhis feet burnt by the earth whichhad become intensely heated bythe sun. means, his insidebecame very hot with thirst owingto fasting.means, hebegan to burn, i.e., he was greatlydistressed, with grief and sorrow.means, the first rain ofautumn which finds the earth hotand burning (Aqrab & Lane). Themonth of is so named because(1) fasting in this month causesheat and burning due to thirst;(2) worship and devotion HolyProphet sa (`Asakir and Merdawaihas quoted by Fath al-Qadīr); and(3) its devotions produce in theheart of man the necessary warmthof love for his Creator and hisfellow-beings. The name is ofIslamic origin, the former nameof the month being (Muhīt andMāwardī, as quoted by Fath al-Qadīr).(the Qur’ān) is the namegiven by God Himself to the Bookrevealed to the Holy Prophet ofIslam, containing the final law formankind. The word is derived fromThey say meaning: (1)he read the book, i.e., he read it tohimself; or (2) he recited the booki.e., he read it aloud so that othersmight hear it; also means, heconveyed or delivered a message,etc., as they saymeaning,convey or deliver my salām tohim; (3) means, he collectedor drew together the thing; (4)means, the woman becamepregnant and brought forth a child(Aqrab and Lane). Thus Qur’ānmeans: (1) a book which is meant toread. The Qur’ān is indeed the mostwidely read book in the world (Enc.Brit. 11 th edition, article on Koranby Nöldeke); (2) a book or messagewhich is meant to be conveyedand delivered to other people. TheQur’ān is indeed the only revealedbook whose delivery or messageis absolutely unrestricted; forwhereas all other books are meantfor specific times and specific13

peoples, the Qur’ān is meant forall times and all peoples (34:29;also Bukhārī); (3) a Book whichcomprises and has collected in itselfall truth; the Qur’ān is indeed astorehouse of knowledge which notonly comprises all eternal truthsrevealed in previous Books (98:4)but also all such truths as mankindmay stand in need of at any timeand in any circumstances (18:50);(4) a Book which contains not onlyvisible truth which may be seenand felt by all but, like a pregnantwoman big with a child, it containstruth that lie hidden from the eyesof most men and, like a new bornchild, come to light only as andwhen time ripens (15:22). All thesemeanings are not only expressive ofan existing state of affairs but alsoserve as mighty prophecies of thetruth which has been established inall ages.14COMMENTARYThe ground having been suitablyprepared in the preceding twoverses, this verse gives theawaited commandment aboutfasting. But even here the actualcommandment is preceded by asuitable description of the monthof Ramadān in which fasts were tobe observed. The month was notchosen arbitrarily but was selectedfor the purpose of fasting becauseit was a sacred month in whichthe Qur’ān was revealed. And theQur’ān is not an ordinary book. It isa Book full of right guidance and ofbright signs and of things that helpto differentiate between truth andfalsehood. This sublime forwardplaced before the commandmentabout fasting contains an impliedquestion to the effect: will you notnow fast when fasting is a triedthing, when it is so useful, whenit is to be observed only for a fewdays, when even in these fewdays suitable facilities have beenprovided, and lastly when thesefew days correspond with a monthwhich is full of blessings?As hinted above, this versementions the reason for which themonth of Ramadān was selectedfor the purpose of fasting. It wasin this month that the Qur’ān wasrevealed. The revelation of Qur’ānin the month of Ramadān may meantwo things: (1) that the revelationof the Holy Book commenced inthe month of Ramadān, for it is onrecord that it was on 24 th of Ramadānthat the Holy Prophet sa receivedhis first revelation (Musnad &Jarīr); (2) that the revelation of theQur’ān was repeated to the HolyProphet sa every year in the monthof Ramadān, for it is also on recordthat the angel Gabriel rehearsedevery year to the Holy Prophet sa thewhole of the revealed portion of theQur’ān during this month and thishe continued to do till the very yearof the Prophet’s sa death (Bukharī,ch. On Manāqib). Thus in a wayeven the whole of the Qur’ān maybe said to have been sent down inRamadān.The words, clear proofs of guidanceand discrimination, point out thatthe Qur’ān is a Book which isnot content with making mereassertions. It supports everyassertion it makes with necessaryreasons and arguments which areboth clear and convincing, and italso adduces heavenly Signs whichgo to discriminate right from wrongwith such clearness that they leaveno room for doubt. This excellencebelongs exclusively to the Qur’ān.Indeed, other scriptures, too havebeen spoken of as “a light andguidance” but about none of themit has been said that they supplyreasons, arguments and Sign insupport of their assertions.Although former Prophets alsowere given Signs that people mightaccept them as divine Messengers,yet the scriptures they broughtcontained nothing that might beartestimony to their truth. It is onlythe Qur’ān that contains all kindsof evidence—rational, scripturaland heavenly—to demonstrate thetruth of its teachings so that it mightitself furnish necessary evidenceof its truth, and that, unlike otherscriptures, tales and stories of thepast might not form its sole support.This clause, let him fast therein,signifies that it is necessary tofast all the days of the month ofRamadān; it will not do to fast onlyfor a few days. Thus out of everytwelve months in the year one atleast—that of Ramadān—must beso devoted to the worship of God.The clause, whoso is sick or is on ajourney, he shall fast the same numberof other days, at first appears to beunnecessary repetition of what hasalready been said in the precedingverse in identical words, but really itis not so; for whereas in the previousverse this clause formed part of averse that was meant to preparethe ground for the commandmentto fast, in this verse it forms partof the actual commandment. Theclause signifies that if in the monthof Ramadān one happens to be sickor is on a journey, one should notfast, owing to the extra hardshipentailed, but should fast the samenumber of other days when onehas recovered from sickness orCommentary on Ramadān Verses

when the journey is over. TheQur’ān, however, wisely refrainsfrom defining the terms “sickness”and “journey”, leaving them to bedefined by the common usage ofthe people.The clause, He desires not hardshipfor you, points to the veryimportant principle that divinecommandments are not meant tocause trouble or inconvenience butto afford ease and facility. In thisconnection, it may well be notedthat St. Paul looks upon the Lawas an entanglement with “yoke ofbondage” if not as an actual curse(Gal. chs. 3 and 5). But he forgets thattrue freedom, and for that matter,true happiness lie only in willingobedience to a good and righteouslegislation. The Islamic law, even“in meats and drinks and diverswashings, and carnal ordinances,”is a real help and guidance ratherthan a hindrance and bondage. Theclause, so that you may complete thenumber, indicate that God’s purposein prescribing a fixed of days is thatbelievers may be able to completethe number which in His sight, isessential for their spiritual welfare.A fixed number was essential; for,otherwise, some people might havefailed to fast even the minimumnumber, while others would haveunduly suffered for doubt as to theirhaving completed the necessarynumber even after they had longexceeded it.The clause, that you may exalt Allāhfor His having guided you, pointsto yet another object underlyingthe commandment. All suchexpressions in which the offeringof a particular praise to God isenjoined signify two things: (1)that man being God’s creationCommentary on Ramadān Versesshould continuously offer praiseto Him, invoking the particulardivine attribute that may suit theoccasion; (2) that he should alsotry to reflect in his person the selfsameattribute of God. “ExaltingGod” would therefore mean notonly God’s glorification but theuplift and exaltation of the devoteehimself. In fact, God stands inneed of no praise. He is what Heis whether we praise Him or not.So truly speaking, everything isfor the benefit of man himself, andthe benefit underlying fasting isthe exaltation of man, morally andspiritually and in a sense physicallyas well.The final clause, that you may begrateful, is also full of deep meaning.God is not cruel or unkind; He hasdue regard for our weaknesses andHe does not put us to unnecessarytrouble; and whatever seemingtrouble He puts us to is for our owngood. This kind and loving attitudeof God towards us ought to giverise to a corresponding feeling oflove for Him in our hearts and weought to feel grateful to Him forHis love and kindness.To a superficial observer, thelanguage of the Qur’ān as used inthis verse might appear to be ratherunconnected, forming independentclauses. But a closer study revealsa beautiful arrangement betweenthem. In fact the four clauses inthe concluding portion of thisverse furnishes reasons for thefour commandments contained inthe first portion of the verse, thesucceeding reasons following thereversed order of the precedingcommandments in a most naturalmanner. The first reason given bythe verse is contained in the clause,Allāh desires to give you facility and Hedesires not hardship for you. Thoughthe apparent wording of this clauseis different from the wordings of thesucceeding clauses, actually it is alsoone of those that supply a reason,for in reality the clause stands likethis, “that you be afforded facility,etc.” Corresponding to this clausewe have the last commandmentof the verse, i.e., whoso is sick oris on a journey, etc. The secondclause supplying a reason is,that you may complete the number,corresponding to which we havethe commandment, whosoever ofyou is present at home in this month,let him fast therein, hinting thatGod means the Muslims to fastthe whole month. The third clausesupplying the reason is, that youmay exalt Allāh for His having guidedyou. Corresponding to this we havethe words, a guidance for mankind,etc. Finally comes the clause, thatyou may be grateful, correspondingto which we have the clause, themonth of Ramadān is that in which theQur’ān was sent down, hinting thatthe wise God has chosen the mostsacred and the most blessed partof the year for fasting so that youmay be doubly benefited by it. Suchfigure of speech in which parts ofa sentence correspond with othersoccurring in the same sentence in areverse order, the first clause of theformer group corresponding withthe last clause of the latter, is knownin Arabic rhetoric as(Muţawwal).15

Definition of HadīthHadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib raTaken From, Forty Gems of Beautyby Hadrat Mirza Bashir AhmadSahib raHadīth (plural Ahādīth) is anArabic word, its root meaning is ‘astatement which may either be anentirely novel one or may have beenput in a novel way.’ Since the speechof the Holy Prophet sa is filled withnovel and priceless truths, it hasbeen terminologically described asHadīth. Hadīth thus stands for theholy words that our Master, theNoble Prophet sa actually utteredor which relate some incident ofhis holy life, in terms of ocularevidence, and were committed towriting after the lapse of some timethrough his companions and theMuslim narrators of a later date.Arabs were gifted with anextraordinarily excellent memory,as is acknowledged even by theChristian historians. Whateverthey would hear or see, they couldremember distinctly and with theutmost sense of responsibility andsince Hadīth is a holy and religiousdiscipline and an important branchof learning, greatest care wasespecially exercised in dealingwith it with a scrupulous regardfor truth and veracity. The Ahādīthof the Holy Prophet sa were thustransmitted to the succeedinggenerations with more than usualcaution. There is no doubt that somenarrators were not so reliable inrespect of memory or intelligence,or, for that matter, even in pointof integrity, that their reports maynot be relied on fully. But the earlyscholars of Ahādīth, who collectedthe whole body of the sayings andAhādīth of the Holy Prophet sa ,have laid down such inviolablecannons and criteria as to make adiscrimination of the stable fromthe unstable Hadīth an easy task,through proper scrutiny.The Method of NarrationThe method of narrating Ahādīthconsisted, on the part of acompanion, who had personallyheard the Holy Prophet sa makea statement or seen him do aparticular thing, in communicatingit, for the purpose of disseminatingknowledge, to such others as hadnot so heard or seen the HolyProphet or had not seen the blessedperiod of the Holy Prophet sa . Thestatement, narrating the Hadīth,would ordinarily run like this, “Iheard it from so and so that he heardfrom such and such companion ofthe Holy Prophet sa that he heardthe Holy Prophet sa say on such andsuch occasion or saw him do suchand such a thing.” They wouldthus convey the report to the otherwith a view to refreshing faith orspreading knowledge. Thus, itwas that the Ahādīth of the HolyProphet sa were preserved for thesucceeding generations, througha regularly linked and unbrokenchain of narrators.Categories of NarratorsNarrators of Hadīth are dividedinto several categories. The highestof them is the Muslim narrator whoheard or saw personally the HolyProphet sa say or do a particularthing. He is called companion.To the second category belongsthe narrator who heard from acompanion and transmitted itfurther. He is called Tābi`ī andthe one in the lower category iscalled Tab`a Tābi`ī. Thence forwardruns the whole chain of ordinarynarrators. Similarly the narratorshave been classified accordingto their respective memory,intelligence and integrity.Standard Works of HadīthThe Ahādīth were collected andcompiled in book form, roughlyspeaking, from the middle of thesecond century of the Hijra, to theend of the third century. There area large number of books on Hadīth,but six of them are considered to16 Definition of Hadīth

e of great reliability and treatedas standard works. They are,therefore, known as ṢihāH Sittah,i.e., six authentic books of Hadīth.Their names are as under:1. HAHĪH BUKHĀRĪ: Compiledby Imām Muhammad binIsmā`īl Al-Bukhārī (A.H. 194to A.H. 256). This work ofImām Bukhārī is authenticbook on Hadīth and ImāmBukhārī is regarded as the mostoutstanding figure among thecompiler-scholars of AHādīth.The Ṣahīh Bukhārī has thereforebeen termed as the mostgenuinely correct book after theQur’ān, the Book of Allāh.2. SAHĪH MUSLIM: Compiledby Imām Muslim bin Al- HajjājAn-Nīshāpūrī (A.H. 204 to A.H.261) His work is considered tobe the second best among thesix standard books of Ahādīthand is regarded an excellentand reliable collection. Mostof the scholars of Hadīth havenamed theṢahīh Bukhārī and the Ṣahīh Muslimas the two correct works. (Ṣahīhain)3. JĀMI‘ TIRMIDHĪ: Compiledby Imām Abū ‘Īsā Muhammadbin ‘Īsā al-Tirmidhī (A.H. 209 toA.H. 279) He was a disciple ofImām Bukhārī. His collection ofAhādīth has been held in highestimation.4. SUNAN ABŪ DĀWŪD:Compiled by Imām Abū DāwūdSulaimān bin al-Ash‘ath as-Sijistānī (A.H. 202 to A.H. 275)In the collection and collationof legalistic material he holdsa high place. But scholars aredivided on the question ofassigning priority of merit ofDefinition of HadīthJāmi` Tirmidhī and Sunan AbūDāwūd.5. SUNAN AN–NASĀ’Ī:Compiled by Imām Ahmad binShu‘aib an-Nasā’ī (A.H. 215 toA.H. 306) Imām Nasā’ī is one ofthe leading scholars of Ahādīthand his work is generallyaccorded fifth place amongthe six standard books (ṢihāhSittah).6. SUNAN IBN MĀJAH:Compiled by Imām Muhammadbin Yazīd bin Mājah al-Qizvainī(A.H. 209 to A.H. 273). Thisbook is placed sixth among thestandard Ṣihāh Sittah (the sixthcorrect works). It is a really goodbook. All these Muhaddiththin(compiler-scholars or editorsof Hadīth) spent the whole oftheir lives in search of Ahādīthand compiled their collectionsout of a vast store of hundredsof thousands of Ahādīth. Theentire Muslim world owesthese savants a heavy debt ofgratitude. May Allāh give themthe choicest reward.In addition to the above listed sixbooks the under-mentioned twoworks on Hadīth are also very wellknown.1. MU’ATTĀ: Compiled byImām Mālik Ibni Anas Al-Madanī (A.H. 95 to A.H. 179)Imām Mālik, in addition toholding a leading positionamong the scholar-compilersof Hadīth, is regarded as aleading jurist and is one of thefour celebrities of jurisprudencewhom the vast majority ofMuslims seek to follow in allquestions pertaining to Fiqh,(jurisprudence). The followersof Imām Mālik are calledMālikīs. Having been born at atime nearest to the period of theHoly Prophet sa and for receivingearly training in Medina,Imām Mālik holds a positionof great eminence. HaḍratShah Waliyyullāh MuhaddithDehlavī, Mujaddid of the 12 thcentury Hijra regarded hiswork, on account of his personalpredilection, superior to ṢahīhBukhārī. But there is little doubtthat the Mu’aṭṭā is a great bookindeed.2. Musnad Imām Ahmad binHanbal Al-Baghdādī. (A.H.164 to A.H. 242). Imām Ahmadbin Hanbal is also regarded asa leading scholar of Hadīth aswell as a celebrated doctor ofjurisprudence like Imām Mālik.The Muslims who follow hisschool of jurisprudence arecalled Hanbalīs. His collectionis definitely of a high standard.Due to lack of vigilance on thepart of his son, some weakAhādīth found their way intohis great work. The other twoImāms of Fiqh (jurisprudence)are the Imām Abū Hanīfah(A.H. 80 to A.H. 150) and ImāmShāfi`ī (A.H. 105 to A.H. 204).Imām Abū Hanīfah, popularlyknown as the Imām A‘ẓam, hasthe largest following. He hasbeen recognized as the leadingfigure among the Imāms ofjurisprudence. He devotedmost of his time to questions ofFiqh. (Imām Shāfi`ī’s collectionof Aādīth entitled Kitābul-Imām is also a work of repute.)17

18Categories of HadīthScholars have divided Ahādīth intoseveral categories. Of these, thefollowing are well-known:1. HADĪTH QAULĪ: This typeof Hadīth quotes the words ofthe Holy Prophet sa as actuallyuttered by him, as for example,a companion narrates that theHoly Prophet sa made such andsuch speech on a particularoccasion or conversed insuch and such word with aparticular person or gave suchand such command to so andso companion and so on and soforth.2. HADĪTH FI‘LĪ: This Hadīthdoes not quote any word orstatement of the Holy Prophet sabut narrates some act of his, as,for instance, it says the HolyProphet sa did such and suchthing on such and such occasionor performed such and suchreligious duty in such and suchmanner.3. HADĪTH TAQRĪRĪ: This typeof Hadīth relates neither astatement nor an act of the HolyProphet sa . Instead it recordswhat a particular person didor said in the presence of theHoly Prophet sa and that he didnot forbid him to do or say it.In fact, the word taqrīr in theArabic language does not meanspeech. Instead it means tokeep up or uphold something.Hadīth Taqrīrī would thereforestand for a Hadīth whichconfirms, as correct a statement,or, an act of a companion madeor done in the presence of theHoly Prophet sa and to which hedid not object.4. HADĪTH QUDSĪ: In thisHadīth, the Holy Prophet saascribes a word or act to Godthe Excellent, saying that Godhad commanded him thus.Such a statement is other thanthe Qur’ānic revelation.5. HADĪTH MARFŪ‘: ThisHadīth traces a statement direct to the Holy Prophet sawithout any break in the chainof reporters.6. HADĪTH MAUQŪF: TheHadīth cannot be traced to theHoly Prophet sa but stops shortand does not proceed beyonda particular reporter. But thenature of the Hadīth and thetenor and tone of the testimonyshould warrant the conclusionthat the Holy Prophet sa musthave been heard making thestatement.7. HADĪTH MUTTAHIL: Thereporters of this Hadīth areknown and mentioned and areknown and placed in a serialorder and none of them is foundmissing or left unidentified.8. HADĪTH MUNQAHI‘: Allnarrators of this Hadīth arereliable in point of (a) memory,(b) intelligence and (c) integrity.A little reflection will show thatthese three criteria suffice to testthe reliability of a narrator.10. HADĪTH HA‘ĪF: The Hadīthwith an unreliable narrator,either in respect of memoryor intelligence or integrity, somuch so that even if one ofthe narrators is unreliable, inspite of the rest of them beingreliable, the Hadīth will betreated as weak (ḍa‘īf).11. HADĪTH MAUHU‘: A hadīthwhich is proved to have beeninvented by a lying narrator.12. ATHAR. (plural āthār): Itis nothing more than a reportconsisting of a statementmade by a companion. It doesnot ascribe any statement tothe Holy Prophet sa . It is clearthat athar has no place in theclassification of Hadīth but issomething apart from it. Asthe books of Hadīth happengenerally to embody atharas well, the common peoplesometime fail to make anydistinction between the two.Difference betweenHadīth and SunnahAn important point which shouldbe borne in mind is that, thoughthe general mass of people makeno distinction between Hadīth andSunnah, the two are, in fact, quitedistinct. Hadīth consists of the actualwords or details of the deeds of theHoly Prophet sa as reported downthe line of successive narrators.But these Ahādīth or reports werecommitted to memory, jealouslysafeguarded and treasured in thehearts of the reporters and werecommunicated verbally at first.They were later collected andedited with great care in the formof books at different times, varyingfrom hundred to two hundred andfifty years after Hijra. However,the Sunnah is not the name of arecorded report but stands forthe actual practice of the HolyProphet sa in respect of a religiousmatter and which his companions,adopted in his own lifetime andunder his own supervision. Eachgeneration held fast to this actualform in which the Holy Prophet sapracticed religion, and in its turnDefinition of Hadīth

was passed on to the succeedinggenerations. For example, whenthe Qur’ānic command aboutPrayers was revealed to the HolyProphet sa , it did not contain, in anexplicit manner, full details suchas the number of times a Muslimmust pray during the course of theday and night, respective timingsof different Prayers, the numberof raka`āt in each, and the mannerin which each rak`ah was to beperformed, etc. In this regard, heset to his companions a practicalexample of compliance with thesecommands, guided as he was bythe implicit inspiration from Godand which again was a divine gift;and established the companionsfirm in keeping with this example.And the companions in their turn,carried this practical form to theTābi`īn and the Tābi`īn passed it on,through their own example, to theTab`a Tābi`īn. Thus was establisheda mode of practiced religion thatwas immutable in form and thatwas passed on from generation togeneration.The Sunnah is evidently, therefore,distinct and apart from Hadīthand carries much greater weightand stability than Hadīth. We,therefore, hold that the IslāmicSharī`at is based originally on theHoly Qur’ān and the Sunnah. For,the Qur’ān is the word of Godand the Sunnah is the practicalexplanation of this word, whichthe Prophet of God sa establishedthrough his personal example andthen, through the personal exampleof the companions, it reached thesucceeding generation, and thuswas one torch lighted from theother torch. But, as against this,the Hadīth is, in fact, a collectionof verbal reports (so much so thateven the Fi`lī and Taqrīrī AHādīthhave come down to us throughverbal reports), and has the statusof a supporting witness. No doubt,it is a forceful supporting witnesswhich cannot be ignored. In anycase, it is not as basic as the Qur’ānand the Sunnah. Nevertheless,there is no doubt that the Hadīth isthe most precious treasure-house ofhistorical, intellectual and spiritualwealth. So long as a Hadīth is notfound contrary to a Qur’ānic verseor a more reliable Hadīth, it is theduty of every Muslim to acceptit, in obedience to the Qur’āniccommand, “Obey Allāh and theProphet” and make it for life asource of divine guidance. It isa matter of regret, however, thatsome of the so-called Muslims ofour day seem bent on minimizingthe importance of this pricelesstreasure of wisdom.An important point which should beborne in mind is that, though the generalmass of people make no distinctionbetween Hadīth and Sunnah, the twoare, in fact, quite distinct.Definition of Hadīth19

Can Only the Muslim Places of Worship becalled Mosques?by Ansar RazaAccording to the law of Pakistan,Ahmadī Muslims cannot call theirplaces of worship mosques. Thereason given that only “Muslim”worship places are entitled to becalled mosques. Let us see whetherthis concept is found in the HolyQur’ān and Hadīth.All Worship Places ofChildren of Adam areMosquesO children of Adam! Look toyour adornment at every timeand place of worship, and eatand drink but exceed not thebounds; surely, He does notlove those who exceed thebounds. (7:32)In this verse Allāh advises all theChildren of Adam, which includesMuslims and non-Muslims alike,to look to their adornment at everymosque. Obviously, neither non-Muslims go to a mosque for theirprayers nor do they call their placesof worship mosque. Even then,Allāh asks them to look to theiradornment at every ‘mosque’. Thisproves that any place of worshipcan be called a ‘mosque’.Worship Place ofHypocrites of Medina iscalled ‘Mosque’And among the hypocrites arethose who have built a mosquein order to injure Islām and helpdisbelief and cause a divisionamong the believers, andprepare an ambush for himwho warred against Allah andHis Messenger before this. Andthey will surely swear: ‘Wemeant nothing but good;’ butAllah bears witness that theyare certainly liars. Never standto pray therein. A mosque whichwas founded upon piety fromthe very first day is surely moreworthy that thou shouldst standto pray therein. In it are menwho love to become purified,and Allah loves those whopurify themselves. (9:107, 108)The hypocrites of Medinaconstructed a mosque whereinthey plotted against Islām and theMuslims. They invited the HolyProphet sa to come to their mosqueand pray there, but Allāh strictlyprohibited the Holy Prophet sa notto go there and pray in it. In spite ofthis strict prohibition and declaringthe building harmful, it was calledmosque like the other mosquewhich was declared by Allāh to befounded on righteousness from dayone.Shrine of the Peopleof The Cave is calledMosqueThe Holy Qur’ān calls the shrinebuilt for the people of the cave,many centuries before Islām, asmosque.20Can Only the Muslim Places of Worship Be Called Mosques?

And thus did We disclose themto the people that they mightknow that the promise of Allahwas true, and that, as to theHour, there was no doubt aboutit. And remember the timewhen people disputed amongthemselves concerning them,and said, ‘Build over them abuilding.’ Their Lord knewthem best. Those who won theirpoint said, ‘We will, surely,build a place of worship overthem.’ (18:22)Shrines of Prophets andSaints of the Jews andthe Christians are called‘Mosques’Likewise, the shrines and tombsbuilt by the Jews and the Christiansover the graves of their Prophetsand Saints have been mentioned inahadīth as mosques.Um Salama told Allah’s Apostleabout a church which she hadseen in Ethiopia which was calledMariya. She told him about thepictures which she had seen init. Allah’s Apostle said, “If anyrighteous man dies amongst them,they would build a place of worshipat his grave and make these picturesin it; they are the worst creatures inthe sight of Allah.”“May Allah curse the Jews andChristians for they built the placesof worship at the graves of theirProphets.”The Whole Earthis made ‘Mosque’ for theHoly Prophet saNarrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:The Prophet said, “I have beengiven five things which were notgiven to anyone else before me. 1.Allah made me victorious by awe,(by Him frightening my enemies)for a distance of one month’sjourney. 2. The earth has beenmade mosque for me (and for myfollowers) and a thing to performTayammum, therefore anyone ofmy followers can pray whereverthe time of a prayer is due. 3. Thebooty has been made Halal (lawful)for me yet it was not lawful foranyone else before me. 4. I havebeen given the right of intercession(on the Day of Resurrection). 5.Every Prophet used to be sent to hisnation only but I have been sent toall of mankind.The Holy Prophet sa declares it ashis distinctive mark that the wholeearth has been made a mosque itsdust pure for him so that Muslimsdo tayammam if they don’t find waterand pray wherever and wheneverit is prayer time. Ironically, the lawof Pakistan insists to cut down thisdistinction of the Holy Prophet saand adamantly claim that thoseparts of earth upon which theAhmadīyya places of worship arebuilt cannot be called mosques.Now, if anyone prohibits theAhmadīyya Muslim Jamā`at tocall its place of worship mosqueand deem this prohibition as partof their religion, notwithstandingthe above explicit statements fromthe Qur’ān and Hadīth, then it isquite obvious that his religion is notbased on the Qur’ān and Hadīthbut on the dogmas and fabricationsof mullahs.Can Only the Muslim Places of Worship Be Called Mosques?21

The 19th National Ta’līmul Qur’ān ClassReport by: Sheikh Abdul Hadi, National Secretary Ta`līmul Qur’ān and Waqf-e-`Ardi)Concluded on July 25, 2010 in BaitulIslām Mosque in a Faith-InspiringEnvironment of Love for the HolyQur’ānAlhamdu lillāh, the 19 th NationalTa`līmul Qur’ān Class, inaugurated onJuly 23 with Friday Sermon, concludedon July 25, 2010 with its traditionalfaith-inspiring environment at BaitulIslām Mosque. At its peak, more than1800 participants attended the classand the regular daily attendance variedfrom 750 to 1500 men, women andchildren of all ages above seven years.They showed great love, fervor andenthusiasm to learn the Holy Qur’ānand general religious knowledge ina fascinating and well-disciplinedspiritual environment. Moreover,many Jamā`ats of Eastern and WesternCanada, held similar Ta`līmul Qur’ānClasses at local Jamā`at level. This year,the two main themes of the Class were:the Mission of the Promised Messiah asand the Holy Qur’ān, and the HighStatus of Martyrdom according to theHoly Qur’ān.Background of theNational Ta`līmul Qur’ānClasses in Canada:It was in August 1992, whenMuhtaram Maulāna NaseemMahdi, the then Amīr Jamā`atCanada advised the NationalDepartment of Ta`lim to hold theFirst National Ta`līmul Qur’ānClass in Canada in line with theinstructions of Hadrat KhalīfatulMasīh-IV rh . Accordingly, anexceptionally successful Class washeld for ten days at Fairwind PublicSchool, Mississauga from August 7to August 16, 1992 with an amazingparticipation of 450 to 750 men,women and children. Since then,by the grace of Almighty Allāh,we have been holding CanadawideNational Ta`līmul Qur’ānClasses every year in Spring andin summer with increasing success.Al-hamdulillāh, these Classes havebeen very popular among Ahmadisand highly commended by HadratKhalīfatul Masīh–IV rh and HadratKhalīfatul Masīh–V aa .The Class Strategy,Program and Syllabus:All the participants were advisedto attend various Classes accordingto their Age Groups such as: AG-1(13 years and above), AG-2 (10-12years), AG-3 (7-9 years). Each groupwas further divided into male andfemale groups. When the number ofchildren exceeded a limit, the Classwas further divided in sub Groups.Thus, there were about 10 to 12Classes being run simultaneouslyand taught by about 30 women and20 men teachers.The National Department ofTa`līmul Qur’ān prepared the ClassProgram and Syllabus Outline thatwas reviewed and approved byMuhtaram Lal Khan Malik, AmīrJamā`at Canada. It was circulatedto all Canada Jamā`ats a few weeksprior to the Class. The Class atBaitul Islām was organized for allthe GTA Jamā`ats, and a conciseSyllabus Booklet was preparedbased on the approved SyllabusOutline. During the Classes in theMosque, the education material wasalso displayed on the big screen forconvenient teaching and learningby the participants.Inaguration with FridaySermon on July 23:As instructed by MuhtaramLal Khan Malik, Amīr Jamā`atAhmadiyya Canada, who had tobe present in Calgary for the JalsaSalana Western Canada, the Classwas inaugurated with Fridaysermon delivered by Sheikh AbdulHadi, National Secretary Ta`līmulQur’ān. He invited attention ofthe audience to the importance oflearning and teaching the HolyQur’ān with special referenceto the Mission of the PromisedMessiah as as foretold by the Holy22 The 19th National Ta’līmul Qur’ān Class

Prophet Muhammad sa . He referredto the Commentary on SurahYunas (10:58-59), by the PromisedMessiah as in Izala Auham:‘… this is the wealth of Qur’ānicknowledge concerning which it hadbeen prophesied in AHadīth thatthe Messiah would distribute it somuch that people will have their fillof it.It is also stated clearly in AHadīththat the Promised Messiah wouldcome to this world when knowledgeof the Holy Qur’ān would be lost andignorance will prevail. That is the timewhich is referred to in the Hadīth: ‘…Even if Faith ascended to the Pleiades,there would be some one from Persiandescent who would restore Faith backto the earth’.Concluding the Friday sermon, heurged all Ahmadis to always keepin view the important Mission ofthe Promised Messiah as and payspecial attention to acquire thewealth of Qur’ānic knowledge anddistribute it among all the nationsof the world. Keeping this blessedgoal in mind, we are holding theCanada-wide National Ta`līmulQur’ān Classes and all Ahmadisare urged to derive maximumbenefit from them and also holdsimilar Classes in their Jama`arsthroughout the year.Daily Proceedings of theClasses: Friday, July 23:After the Friday Prayer and theLunch break, the regular classesstarted from 3:30 p.m., whenHafiz Ataul Wahab taught TartilulQur’ān. First, he beautifully recitedthe selected portions from the HolyQur’ān and then all the participantsrecited with him. This was followedby recitations by a few from amongthe participants. One could seeThe 19th National Ta’līmul Qur’ān Classthe eagerness of the participantsto get their recitation corrected,out of their love for the HolyQur’ān. Then, Ansar Raza sahibtaught the Qur’ānic vocabularywith basic Arabic Lessons, andMaulāna Muhammad Afzal taughttranslation of the selections. Inthe end, Kaleem Ahmad Malikmade an impressive presentationon, Importance and Etiquette ofObservance of Salāt, and the Classconcluded at 7:30 p.m. with silentprayer.Saturday, July 24:The class started at 10:45a.m., whenHafiz Ataul Wahab continuedteaching selections from the HolyQur’ān. It was followed by theperiod of Translation by MaulānaAsif Ahmad Khan sahib, andthe Commentary by MaulānaMuhammad Afzal. After Zuhrand Asr prayers, it was fascinatingto see everyone including thechildren saying Tasbih-Tahmidsilently in a discipline manner.After the lunch break, at 3:00 p.m.,there was an interesting powerpoint presentation by Dr. HameedAhmad Mirza on Alteration of theNight and the Day- the Signs of Allāhbased on the Holy Qur’ān and theScience. Then Maulāna GhulamMisbah taught the Qur’ānic Prayerswith short commentary.At 4:15 p.m., the special Sessionwas presided by Abdul Aziz Khalifsahib, Naib Amīr Jamā`at Canada.After recitation from the HolyQur’ān by Syed Mubashar Ahmedand poem from Durr-e- Saminby Tariq Rashidud Din, a veryinteresting Quiz competition onthe Holy Qur’ān was held betweenGroups of Majlis Ansārullāh, LajnaImaillāh and from the Audience. Inthis Quiz competition, which wasled by Abdul Wadood Sheikh, theLajna Imaillah Group stood first. Inthe end, an interesting power pointpresentation was made by KaleemAhmad Malik sahib on Love of Allāhand the Word of Allāh. The Sessionconcluded with silent prayer at 6:30p.m.Sunday, July 25, Morning Session:On Sunday, Hafiz Ataul Wahab,continued teaching Tartilul Qur’ānat starting from 10:45 a.m. Then,Dr. Saleem Rahman made histraditionally excellent and well23

prepared power point presentationon the famous book, Tazkira-tushShahādatain. During this veryinteresting presentation, theMosque was full to its maximumcapacity and everyone listened tohim with utmost attention. It wasfollowed by a multiple-choice teston the book, written by about 700participants. These papers weregraded during the lunch breakand 5 participants (4 women andone man) were declared in the firstposition with 100% marks.Sunday Afternoon, theConcluding Session:After lunch break and Zuhr andAsr prayers, the concluding sessionstarted at 3:30 p.m., that waspresided by Abdul Aziz Khalifasahib, Naib Amīr Jamā`at Canada.After recitation from the HolyQur’ān by Hafiz Ataul Wahab andpoem from Durr-e-e Samin by FarhanQureshi, Maulan Asif Ahmed Khanpresented Dars-e-e Hadīth andMaulāna Muhammad Afzal madehis excellent presentation on TheMission of the Promised Messiah andthe Holy Qur’ān. It was followed byan impressive presentation of PrizesDistribution by Abdul Aziz Khalifa,Naib Amīr Jamā`at Canada.After the prize distribution, SheikhAbdul Hadi, Nazim-e- `Ala Ta`līmulQur’ān Class, presented a shortreport on the 19 th National Ta`līmulQur’ān Class and said that by thegrace of God Almighty, since 1992,the Department of Ta`līmul Qur’ānhas been holding 18 most successfuland very popular Annual Ta`līmulQur’ān Classes. Al-hamdu-lillah,this year also, the 19th Ta`līmulQur’ān Class at Baitul Islām isending very successfully, in a wellorganized and well disciplinedmanner. He emphasized thatduring these Classes, we can teachonly a few selections from theHoly Qur’ān. Now it is up to theparticipants to make a pledge tocontinue learning and teaching ofthe Holy Qur’ān throughout theyear in line with the Mission of thePromised Messiah aa as prophesizedby the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa .He thanked Muhtaram Lal KhanMalik, Amīr Jamā`at Canada andhis Naib Amīrs for their guidanceand to all the organizers andteachers for their dedication andhard work. In this regard, hespecially mentioned Khalid IqbalQureshi, Abdul Wadood Sheikhand Nasir Ahmad Khan, NationalSecretaries Ishā`at, Waqf Nau andZiafat respectively along withtheir teams. He also thanked Col.(retired) Dildar Ahmed sahib,Mian Muhammad Saleem withhis Audio/Video team, and theHeads of Auxiliary organizations,especially Sadr Lajna Imaillah withher large team headed by AmatulSalam Malik sahiba.In his concluding remarks,Muhtaram Abdul Aziz Khalifasahib, expressed his appreciationto all the organizer and teachersheaded by the Nazim `Ala to makethis Class a great success. Thus,this grand 19 th National Ta`līmulQur’ān Class concluded at 6:00p.m. in a spiritual environmentof satisfaction and thankfulnessto Allāh, with silent prayer led byMuhtaram Khalifa Aziz Sahib.24 The 19th National Ta’līmul Qur’ān Class

Majlis Atfalul Ahmadiyya Canada23rd Annual National Ijtima` Report - July 17-18, 2010By the grace of Allah Almighty Majlis Atfalul AhmadiyyaCanada held its 23rd Annual National Ijtima`, a total of 807Atfal attended from 8 Izl’a across Canada. The following is aZil’a by Zil’a Breakdown of the AttendanceZil’a Total Tajnid AttendanceCentral East 134 92Central West 200 159Central South 175 161Central North 292 254Peel South 146 101Eastern Canada 72 32Prairie 2 -Calgary 6 -British Columbia 0 -Total Tajnid withoutWestern Canada1019 807Total Tajnid of 1334 807CanadaMajalis breakdown of those who traveled far distances isas follows; 2 from Saskatoon, 4 from Calgary North West, 2from Calgary North,, Similarly, out of the 32 Atfal fromEastern Canada, 8 are from Montreal East, 13 from MontrealWest, and 11 from Ottawa.Opening session was presided by Respected Sadr MajlisKhuddamul Ahmadiyya Canada Shahid Mansoor Sahib.After the Tilawat and Translation pledge was read followedby beautiful poem presented by group of Atfal.competition was held at this year’s Ijtima`. For the Mayare-KabeerAtfal, Volleyball and Kabaddi exhibition matcheswere held, as well as Soccer Exhibition Match was held for7-8 year olds. Special prizes were also awarded to Atfal whomemorized full Qaseeda or one full part of Holy Qur’an orat least 40 sayings of the Holy Prophet saBy the Grace of Allah Almighty, the total numbers of Majaliswith 100 % Attendance at this Ijtima` were 17. This yearan exhibition was held along with the Ijtima’ in which 104projects were submitted from Atfal. Also, Zil’a Central WestMajalis Brampton Springdale, Brampton Heart Lake andBrampton Center came to Ijtima’ on bicycles leaving afterFajr and reaching the Ijtima’ Gah at around 8 AM. ClosingSession was presided by Respected Naid Ameer Jamm’atCanada Abdul Aziz Khalifa Sahib. Prize ceremony washeld for the Atfal and Majalis who has held positions incompetitions. After the Dua Ijtima’ was concluded.Finally, I would like to mention that this year by the grace ofAllah Majlis Atfalul Ahmadiyya broadcasted its Ijtima’ livevia internet for the first time in Atfalul Ahmadiyya History.May Allah Almighty bless the efforts of all the organizersof the Ijtima` and also enable the Atfal to benefit positivelyfrom this experience. Ameen!At this year’s Ijtima`, 10 different educational competitionswere held. While Atfal had to qualify in their Zil’a toparticipate in the competitions at the National Level, 5educational competitions were open to all Atfal. Similarlytwo presentations were also given to Atfal on educationaland tarbiyati topics. Question Answer session were alsoheld separately for Mayar-e-Sagheer and Mayar-e-Kabeer.A total of 4 team sports competitions and 1 individual sportMajlis Atfalul Ahmadiyya Canada 23 rd Annual National Ijtima Report25