ISSN 1596 - 3187 Volume 51, No. 2 August 2012
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A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria
ISLAM Solution to World Problems
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AL-‘IRFAN
About MKA
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ajlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya (MKA), literally meaning 'Association of Servants of the True Islam' and also known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Organization (AMYO), was founded in 1938 by Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) and is the youth section of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Consisting Ahmadi members between ages 15 and 40, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya (MKA) is an auxiliary organization of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Community, saddled with the task of organizing members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at between the ages of seven and forty years to present the peaceful message of Islam to the entire world. Its aims are to train and educate its members, including Atfal-ulAhmadiyya, (male children between ages 7 and 15) in the true Islamic teachings, selfless service to Islam, country and mankind at large. The Nigerian Branch of the Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya was established in 1972 with branches across twenty States of the Federation. Objectives One of its principal objectives is the moral and spiritual training of youth through a mixture of religious and secular activities. It is dedicated to ensuring its members develop and excel in qualities such as piety, honesty and fair dealing so that they can better contribute to the country in which they live. The activities of MKA are not limited to the Muslim community. It serves the needs of all members of society irrespective of colour, race, religion or creed and promotes interfaith dialogue and cooperation in order to promote peace and harmony. Service to Humanity MKA Nigeria has a longstanding reputation of working with charities and bringing succor to people affected with disasters. This work ranges from assisting the charities with fundraising to organising charity events. Additionally, MKA Nigeria has been working with the National Blood Transfusion Service for several years and is now a regular donor provider throughout its branches in Nigeria. Blood donation sessions are now held at various mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. MKAN also participates in monthly environmental sanitation exercises across many states of Nigeria. Educational Services MKA Nigeria has been at the forefront of providing excellent educational services to both its members and non-members. It has established, in conjunction with other individual Ahmadi members, an elementary school, the Fazl-Omar Nursery and Primary School at Ojokoro Lagos State in1996 to provide qualitative education to members of the Community. It also organises free tutorial for students preparing for public examinations. Health and Fitness Sports events such as football, Taekwondo, ping pong are held on a national, regional and local basis. At national events, which are rotated annually with different regions given the responsibility of organising them, regions compete against each other for the crown in that particular sport. Apart from the physical competitiveness of these events, and regional or local rivalries, members get the opportunity to meet, network and, most importantly, develop bonds of brotherhood with other members from all around Nigeria.
MKA Nigeria also promotes a biennial National Sports Festival. Islam Awareness MKA is actively engaged in presenting the peaceful message of Islam and removing common misconceptions and misunderstandings about the faith. It firmly believes that tolerance, engagement, interaction and debate are vital to understand the true teachings of Islam. It is involved in a number of programmes ranging from providing Islamic literature to a wide-ranging public. It also publishes a biannual magazine Al-'Irfan to educate youth and promote the reading culture. MKA Nigeria also runs a website (www.mka-ng.org) where information about the organization and its activities are updated. Annual Ijtema (Convention) This is MKA Nigeria's flagship event of the year when thousands congregate for a three-day convention. Members participate in religious education and sporting competitions which add an extra element of healthy rivalry between members. Its first Ijtema (convention) was held in 1972 in Ibadan, Oyo State. The Ijtema sees the culmination of a whole year's work for the various regional and local branches of MKA with awards given to the most outstanding achievers. More importantly this event enables members to strengthen and foster new relationships in the spirit of brotherhood. Since its establishment, Majlis Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya Nigeria has been lead by the following National Presidents (Sadr) Bro A.W.A. Aina 1972 -1978 Bro H.T.Z. Okunnu 1978-1980 Bro A.H. Oyetunji 1981-1986 Dr. M.A. Fashola 1986-1990 Bro A.O. AbdusSalam 1990-1995 Bro A.W. Matepo 1995-2000 Bro A.O. Iromini 2000-2005 Dr. Saheed Timehin 2005-2009 Bro T.A. Oladoja 2009-2010 Bro A.O. Abdul Qadir 2010-till date
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AL-‘IRFAN
Contents -
AL-‘IRFAN A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria
Editorial Board
Sadr Muhtamim Isha'at Editor-in-Chief Members
AbdulQadir Abdul Rafi Murtadha Oriolowo AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh AbdurRaheem Ismail Sulaiman Ogunkanmi AbdulGaniyy Omopariola Hamid Bolaji Ahmad Talabi Tajudeen Olawole Abass Agbaje Luqman Al-Ghazal Oriolowo Saheed Lukman Olabanji
Contributors
Abdul Qadir Awwal Abdul Fatah Edun Ismail AbdurRaheem Sohaib Saheed
Layout & Design
Layipo Concepts Ibadan, Oyo State info@layipo.com www.layipo.com 07098709154
About MKA 2 Holy Qur'an 4-5 Hadith 5-7 A Message of Peace 8-9 The Path to Peace 10-13 Editorial 14 Building The Nation Through Patriotism 15 Islam: What’s in a Name? 16-18 Islam as Solution to World Problems 19-20 Engendering Peace & Good Governance 21-26 Practicability of Islamic Morals 27-31 Introducing the MKAN Uniform 32-33 Introducing the MKAN Epaulette 34-35 From Servants to Helpers 36-37 ATFAL Zone: 38 The C-BEST Initiative 39-40 Being an Entrepreneur 41-42 10 Conditions of Baiat 46
ISSN 1596 - 3187 Volume 51, No. 2 August 2012
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A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria
ISLAM Solution to World Problems
Al-'Irfan Magazine is published by the Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya Nigeria, the youth organization of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Nigeria. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily representative of the official position of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or any of its affiliate bodies. All correspondence should be forwarded to: The Editor Al-'Irfan Magazine Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Nigeria P.O. Box 418, Lagos State, Nigeria Email: sadr@mka-ng.org Tel: 08079165432; 08026980159; 07056547478
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AL-‘IRFAN
From the Holy Qur’an
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n the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. O ye who believe! Let not one people deride another people, who may be better than they, nor let women deride other women, who may be better than they. And defame not your own people, nor call one another by nicknames. Bad indeed is evil reputation after the profession of belief, and those who repent not are the wrongdoers. O ye who believe! Avoid most of suspicions; for suspicion in some cases is a sin. And spy not, nor back-bite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his brother who is dead? Certainly you would loathe it. And fear Allah, surely Allah is Oft-Returning with compassion and is Merciful. O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.
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he principal theme of the Sura is the establishment of concord, amity and goodwill between muslim individuals and groups and therefore it has mentioned some of those social evils which cause discord, dissensions and differences, and corrode, corrupt and contaminate a society, eating into its vitals, and
enjoins Muslims to be on their guard against them. Ridiculing and taunting others, spying, and calling by nick-names, and suspicion are some of these social evils. The main cause, which lies at the root of these evils is conceit and a false sense of superiority, which the verse 14 expressly deals with. By removing the basic causes of disharmony PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN
From the Holy Qur’an and disagreement among the Muslims the Sura has laid the foundation of a firm and solid Brotherhood of Islam. From the subject of islamic Brotherhood to which reference has been made in the preceding two verses, the Sura proceeds to lay down, in verse 14, the basis of an all-comprehensive, all pervading brotherhood of man. The verse, in fact, constitutes the Magna Carta of human fraternity and equality. It has firmly laid the axe at the false and foolish notions of superiority, born of racial arrogance or national conceit. All men having been created from a male and a female as human beings have been declared equal in the sight of God. The worth of a man is not to be judged by the pigment of his skin, the amount of wealth he possesses or by his rank or social status, descent or pedigree, but by his moral greatness and the way in which he discharges his obligations to God and man. The whole human race is but one family. Division into tribes, nations and races is meant to give them a better knowledge of one another, in order that they might benefit from one another’s national characteristics and good qualities. This, according to Islam, is the criterion
of a person’s greatness and this is the only true and real criterion. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained the beautiful idea of the brotherhood of man inculcated in this verse in his own inimitable way on the occasion of the Last pilgrimage at Mecca, a short time before his death. Addressing a vast concourse of Muslims, the Prophet said: “O ye men! Your God is One and your ancestor is one. An Arab possesses no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an arab. A white is in no way superior to a red, nor, for that matter, a red to a white, but only to the extent to which he discharges his duty to God and man. The most honoured among you in the sight of God is the most righteous among you.” (Baihaqui). These noble words spoken by the Prophet during his Farewell Pilgrimage which have resounded through the centuries epitomize one of Islam’s loftiest ideals and strongest principles. It goes to the credit of the Holy Prophet that in a society riven with class distinction, he preached a message intensely democratic.
From the Hadith
The Seven Deadly Sins Narrated by ? a?rat Abū Hurairah, Allāh be pleased with him: Commanded the Prophet of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allah be on him): “Abstain ye from seven destructive evils.” They (the companions) asked ‘And what are they, O Prophet of Allâh?’ He said: “Shirk (i.e., association of someone with God as a partner or an equal or ascription to Him of a spouse or a son or adviser), preoccupation with illusory objects and deceptive things, slaying any man without just and good cause, usury, consuming the property of orphans, turning tail to the enemy in battle and accusing falsely innocent believing women.” (Bukhârî) PAGE 5 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN From the Hadith
The Seven Deadly Sins
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he Holy Prophet (peace of Allāh be on him and His blessings) has in this ? adīth pointed out seven social evils which ultimately bring utter ruin both upon individuals and nations. The foremost and the first in importance is Shirk which means association of aught as partner in person and attributes to God. Shirk is offence No. 1 in the field of faith. And indirectly human morals are seriously affected as a consequence of Shirk. Shirk is of two kinds. One is manifest Shirk and the other is hidden Shirk. The manifest Shirk consists in ascription of a man, an idol, or any other object, as partner to God in His dominion or in His attributes or setting up an equal to Him; as, for instance, the Hindus, believe in many deities, besides God, as His partners. Or, as the Christians believe Jesus Christ to be the one of God and a partner in His attributes and in His dominion. The hidden Shirk consists in practically honoring someone (other than God) as God alone should be honored, while simultaneously setting up no partner with God and claiming to be believing in His unity; or relying on somebody (other than God) as is worthy only of the honor of God, or loving someone (other than God) as God alone deserves to be loved, or fearing someone as God alone deserves to be feared. The hidden Shirk of this variety is, unfortunately, found in many Muslims in our times. But Islām teaches perfect unity and emphatically warns us of both the manifest as well as the hidden Shirk. Another tradition indicates that in the connotation of shunning Shirk, in other words, in the conception of unity, belief in God includes belief in the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be on him), for it is through prophethood that real unity is established in the world. In short, there is extreme stress in the teachings of Islām, against Shirk and it is the duty of every true Muslim to shun both its hidden as well as its manifest variety. In respect of hidden Shirk, the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) says in a captivating style: “All that has abode in your heart besides God is an idol of thine, O ye of weak faith. Be wary of these hidden idols and keep the apron of thy heart clear of them.” The second evil mentioned in this ? adīth is si?r. It stands in Arabic for something illusory, an object which is projected in a different shape, its reality being covered up, and showing a lie as a truth. This type of si?r is the worst kind of falsehood, for, in addition to lie, it partakes of element of cheating and cunning. Therefore gilding is also called si?r in Arabic. As, for instance, if a silver article is gold-plated and offered as a gold article, it will be termed si?r in Arabic idiom. Anything underhand or surreptitious, having an element of secrecy with the object of deception, will be called si?r in Arabic language. Islām declares all
these things unlawful as they adversely affect morals, and tend to breed an involved and crooked habit of mind, and give rise to mutual suspicion, dissension and discord. The deceptiveness and fraudulence which characterize what is called si?r in common parlance, are too well-known to need further exposition. Also si?r means mischief and disruption and the evil of si?r in this shape is a manifest and clear feature and in the following paragraph the reference to murder bears a supporting testimony to it. The third evil to which attention has been invited is murder without a just cause. Islām lists murder among serious offences and prescribes death for murder with intent, which can be changed into blood-money compensation only when the parties, as well as the concerned authority, agree. The wisdom underlying this concession is that if the affected families of the parties hope for a true reconciliation, they may he saved thereby from the continuing cycle of vendetta. The proviso of “without just cause” with “murder” has been appended as an exception to such killings as take place in war or as a result of due process of law. Murder without “good and just cause” also applies to murders committed by people who lose their heads and fanatics who killed someone in the belief that they are meting out a deserving punishment, without the sanction of a legal court, in defiance of the prescribed course of law. Islām strictly forbids such high-handedness and forbids taking the law in one’s own hands. For, without such an injunction, peace of the land could not be maintained. In fact, Islām considers “murder without just cause” a most heinous crime, so much so that the Holy Qur’ān observes: “One who killed a person without just cause, killed the entire mankind.” [5[Al-Mā’idah]:33] For, murder without just cause not only leads to a long and offensive cycle of mutual vendetta, but, at the same time, undermines feelings of respect for law in the country. As a result of incidents of this kind, human conscience is frightened into slow death. It was essential that murder should be listed among the most heinous crimes. The fourth evil to which the ? adīth under reference points is usury. No doubt because of a centuries-long period of non-Islāmic environment, usury has become an inalienable part of the economic system in vogue, in almost the whole of the modern world, and a substantial part of Muslims is also, indirectly involved in this filth. But there is little gainsaying the fact that usury is a great curse, destructive not only of human impulses of sympathy and fellow-service, but also a great cause of fanning the fires of disputes and wars in the world. Usury leads to (1) destruction of the fine impulses of human nature, (2) encouragement to contract debts far heavier than one can afford, and (3) undue prolongation of conflicts and wars, for, people, in the heat of animosity PAGE 6 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN From the Hadith
The Seven Deadly Sins rush into debts headlong and thereby add fuel to the fire of war. Islām has therefore declared usury unlawful, and confines lending and borrowing to the following three forms: One, Simple credit, in common parlance known as Qar?ah ? asanah (debt of honor), which a relation or friend or neighbor lends to another relation, friend or neighbor. Two, Mortgage loan, or, loan raised against property, movable or immovable, which is pledged, and Three, Business loan, or, lending money to someone, in loss and profit partnership with him, in trade, industry or craft. Islām does not permit of any loan transaction outside the above three forms and declares usury, irrespective of the fact whether the rate of interest is low or high, as unlawful. To think that it is hard to get along without raising loan on interest is a mistaken idea which is the creation of the contemporary environment of misleading notions. During the heyday of Islām, the vast international commerce flourished without the help of interest. And so shall it flourish again when the wheels of fortune turn in favor of Islāmic supremacy and people wake up to its realities after blunders and falls. The fifth evil to which attention has been invited is the eating up of the property of the orphans. This vice is also destructive of families and nations. For, it leads on the one hand, to the ruination of the youth of the community and, on the other, to an elimination of the feelings of human sympathy and to a spread of dishonesty. Thirdly, it opens the way to the oppression of the weak, and fourthly, the spirit of sacrifice wanes among the people. Members of a community used to the spectacle of orphans being robbed and ransacked can never boldly take to the path of selfsacrifice. For, in that case, there would naturally arise in their hearts the fear that in the event of their death, their orphans would meet a similar fate. Islām has, therefore, declared the care of the orphans as a most grave responsibility and the Holy Qur’ān has laid extreme stress on it. The sixth vice which has been mentioned in the ? adīth is turning tail to the enemy, in battle. This is a weakness that has largely contributed to the decline of nations. The truth is that a cowardly people have no right to live as they fall easy preys to oppressive and aggressive nations. Islām therefore considers it a heinous offence to turn tail and show the white feather on the battle-front. The Holy Qur’ān says, accordingly: “O ye believers, when you meet the enemy in the battle, as an army, turn not your backs under any circumstances, and whoso does so, except that he does so as a tactic for battling, or, to join another party of believers for purposes
of offering battle later, he will incur the wrath of Allāh and his abode is the hellfire.” [8:[Al-Anfāl]16-17] This is the golden teaching which contributed to the victories of early Muslims, leading them to the conquest of the then-known world, with lightning speed. The point is worth pondering. Even in our apparently highly advanced times no experienced general could give a better order to his army. The seventh and the last point mentioned in this ? adīth is leveling false accusation against innocent, believing women. This is a vice which in truth greatly undermines national character. But, it is a matter of deep regret that many people indulge in this weakness; they hear libelous stories with great relish and give them wide currency, so much so, that they spread like a jungle blaze, destroying in their wake an innocent heart. A slight consideration will show that indulgence in obscene, libelous, sinful talk is far more destructive of society than actual sinfulness. For, it poisons the hearts of the weak-minded and undermines the awe of sinful indulgence. If an act of sinfulness is committed, and its knowledge is limited to two persons, its effect is likewise restricted. But when a sin is talked of by many tongues, many a weak-minded youth becomes infected with its bad effect and slowly the natural fear of sin which is inherent in human nature and is greatly instrumental in restraining evil, loses its grip. It is, therefore, that Islām has not only taken preventive measures against sinful tendencies, but has, at the same time, shut the door to libel and indulgence in stories of sinfulness, and this is the one way of wisdom that leads to national reformation. A closer examination in the light of the different aspects of moral conduct and social ethics reveals another great excellence of [this] ? adīth: and that it has kept in view, in a very charming manner, basic points relating to faith, morals, public peace, economics, security of the rights of the weak, national survival and manifest evil. For instance, the reference to abstention from Shirk has been listed for the preservation of faith; the unlawfulness of si?r, for elevation of character and cleanliness of habits; “murder without just cause” has been forbidden in the interest of public peace; unlawfulness of usury has been mentioned for economic reform; care of the orphan has been commended for the firm establishment of justice and equity in respect of treatment of the weak; the warning against turning one’s back in the battlefield is in the interest of national survival, and slander has been made unlawful to bang the door on shamelessness. Thus has our Lord (peace and blessings of Allāh be on him) by this golden command sealed up for us an ocean in a nutshell. Bless Mu?ammad, O Lord! and grant him peace and safety.
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AL-‘IRFAN
From the Malfoozat
A Message of Peace
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my Almighty God, my Beloved Guide! Show us the path which leads the righteous and the sincere to Thee. And save us from treading the path which leads to carnal desires, malice, spite and worldly pursuits. Having done that, I now draw your attention to the following: notwithstanding the hundreds of differences between us, Muslims and Hindus alike share one thing in common, i.e., we all believe in God, the Creator and Master of the Universe. Also, we belong to the same denomination of God's species and are referred to as humans. Furthermore, as inhabitants of the same country, we are mutual neighbours. This requires that we become friends to each other, with purity of heart and sincerity of intentions. We should dispose kindly to each other and be mutually helpful. In the difficulties pertaining to religious and worldly matters, we should exercise such sympathy towards each other as if we have become limbs of the same body.
My countrymen, a religion which does not inculcate universal compassion is no religion at all. Similarly, a human being without the faculty of compassion is no human at all. Our God has never discriminated between one people and another. This is illustrated by the fact that all the potentials and capabilities which have been granted to the Aryans have also been granted to the races inhabiting Arabia, Persia, Syria, China, Japan, Europe and America. The earth created by God provides a common floor for all people alike, and His sun and moon and many stars are a source of radiance and provide many other benefits to all alike. Likewise, all peoples benefit from the elements created by Him, such as air, water, fire and earth, and similarly from other products created by Him like grain, fruit, and healing agents, etc. These attributes of God teach us the lesson that we, too, should behave magnanimously and kindly towards our fellow human beings and should not be petty of heart and illiberal. Friends! Take it as certain that if either of our two nations would not treat God's attributes with respect and will not shape its conduct in accordance with the conduct of God, then, that nation will soon be wiped out from the face of the earth. Not only will it destroy itself but it will also jeopardise the future of its generations to come. The righteous of all ages have testified that following God's ways works like an elixir for the people. Moreover the survival, both physical and spiritual, of human beings depends on the same eternal truth that man should follow the virtuous attributes of God Who is the Fountainhead of all that is essential for survival. God commences the Holy Qur'an with the following verse which is contained in surah al-Fatihah: Alhamdulillahi robbi l'alameen, that is, all perfect and holy attributes belong exclusively to Allah, Who is the Lord of all the worlds. The word 'alam comprises all different peoples, all different ages and all the different countries. The commencement of the Holy Qur'an with this verse was designed to counter the views of such people as attempted to monopolise God's unlimited providence for their own nation and imagined that the other nations did not belong to God or that having created these other people, God discarded them as being of no consequence, or else perhaps they were shelved to oblivion by Him, or (God forbid) they were not even created by Him. God made it clear in several places in the Holy Qur'an that His Messengers have been appearing in different lands all over the world. In fact He did not neglect any PAGE 8 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN From the Malfoozat
A Message of Peace
people or any country. The Holy Qur'an explains through various examples that just as God has been looking after the physical development of the people of every country, in accordance with their requirements, so has He blessed every country and every people with spiritual upbringing. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an: there is no people to whom a Warner has not been sent. Therefore there is no question that the True and Perfect God, to believe in Whom is essential for every person, is the Lord of all the worlds. Furthermore, His providence is not confined to any particular people, age or country. In fact, He is the Lord of all peoples, the Lord of time and space, and He is the Sovereign of all the countries. He alone is the through His revelations, communications and miracles but in our time He remained hidden.' Thus, by demonstrating His universal beneficence, He left no justification for such possible accusations. He displayed His virtues boundlessly so that no people remain bereft of physical and spiritual bounties from Him. He also did not treat any age as doomed. My dear ones, there is nothing like peace and compromise. Let us unite with the blessing of this treaty and be one nation. You know full well that denial on both sides has thrown us apart and that our country is suffering greatly. Visualise how blessed it could prove to testify to each other's truth. Come, give this a try now. This is the best course for achieving peace. Pursuing any other course would be like ignoring a dangerous abscess merely because it looks clear and shiny, while, in reality, it contains rotten and putrid matter. I need not elaborate on the ever-increasing, mutually hypocritical, attitude and discord between the Hindus and
Muslims. This is rooted not in religious differences alone, but has also secondary causes which pertain to worldly ambitions. How can you achieve a sound, healthy relationship unless you take appropriate remedial measures against this root cause? It is possible that you may temporarily enjoy a friendship, but only superficially. The ultimate sincerity of heart, worthy of being called sincerity, can only be achieved if you genuinely change your attitude towards the Vedas and the Vedic Rishis by accepting them to be from God. Likewise, the Hindus should also change their niggardly attitude by testifying to the truth of our beloved Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Remember, and remember it well, that this is the only principle which can establish a genuine truce between you and the Hindus and this is the only water which can wash away all malice embittering your relationship. If the hour has finally come when these two nations, who have for so long fallen apart, are destined to be reunited, then God will open up their hearts to this purpose as He has already opened up our hearts to the same.
This redacted article is an excerpt form A Message of Peace by the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). It was intended as a treatise seeking a common platform for peace between Muslims and Hindus of India. It has been featured here as a response to the many conflicts among religions in Nigeria as at publication time.
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AL-‘IRFAN
The Sermon
The Path to Peace: Just Relations Between Nations Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Assalamo alaikum wa rahmatullahe wa barakatohu, All distinguished guests (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all) efore proceeding, I would like to first of all take this opportunity to thank all of you for taking the time to come and listen to what I have to say. I have been requested to speak about a subject that is extremely vast and wide ranging. It has many different aspects and therefore it is not possible for me to cover all of them in the short time available. And the subject that I have been asked to speak about is the establishment of world peace. Certainly this is the most vital and pressing issue facing the world today. However, as the time is limited, I shall only briefly give the Islamic viewpoint on the establishment of peace through just and equal relations between nations. The truth is that peace and justice are inseparable you cannot have one without the other. And certainly this principle is something that all wise and intelligent people understand.
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Leaving aside those people who are determined to create disorder in the world, no one can ever claim that in any society, country or even the entire world, that there can be disorder or a lack of peace, where justice and fair dealing exists. Nevertheless, we find that in many parts of the world disorder and a lack of peace are prevalent. And such disorder is visible both internally within countries, and externally in terms of the relations between various nations. Such disorder and strife exists even though all governments claim to make policies that are based on justice. And all claim that the establishment of peace is their primary objective. Yet, in general, there is little doubt that restlessness and anxiety is increasing in the world and so disorder is spreading. This clearly proves that somewhere along the line, the requirements of justice are not being fulfilled. Therefore there is an urgent need to try and end inequality, wherever and whenever it exists. And so as the worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I would like to make a few
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AL-‘IRFAN The Sermon
The Path to Peace: Just Relations Between Nations observations about the need for, and the ways to achieve peace based on justice. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a purely religious community. It is our firm belief that the Messiah and Reformer who was destined to appear in this age and enlighten the world as to Islam's true teachings has indeed arrived. We believe that the Founder of our Community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, was that very Promised Messiah and Reformer, and thus we have accepted him. Based on his teachings, we act upon and propagate the real and true teachings of Islam that are based on the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, everything that I will say in relation to establishing peace and in relation to conducting just international relations, will be based on Qur'anic teachings. In relation to achieving world peace, all of you regularly express your opinions and indeed make great efforts. Your creative and intelligent minds allow you to present great ideas, plans and indeed a vision of peace. Thus this issue does not require me to speak from a worldly or political perspective, but instead my entire focus will be based on how to establish peace based on religion. And for this purpose I shall, as I have said, present some very important guidelines based on the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. It is important to always remember that human knowledge and intellect is not perfect, but is in fact limited. Thus when making decisions or forming thoughts, often certain factors enter human minds, which can cloud judgement and lead to a person trying to fulfil his own rights. Ultimately, this can lead to an unjust outcome and decision being made. However God's Law is perfect and so no vested interests or unfair provisions exist. This is because God only desires for the good and betterment of His Creation and therefore His Law is based entirely on justice. The day the people of the world come to recognise and understand this crucial point, will be the day that the foundation for true and everlasting peace will be laid. Otherwise we continue to find that although efforts are endlessly made to establish world peace, yet they are unable to provide any worthwhile results. After the conclusion of the First World War, the leaders of certain countries desired for good and peaceful relations between all nations in future. Thus, in an effort to achieve world peace, the 'League of Nations' was formed.
Its principal aim was to maintain world peace and to prevent future wars from breaking out. Unfortunately, the rules of the League and the Resolutions it passed had certain flaws and weaknesses and so they did not properly protect the rights of all peoples and all nations equally. And so one by one countries began to withdraw from the League. And so as a result of the inequalities that existed, long term peace could not prevail. The efforts of the League failed and this led directly to World War II. We are all well aware of the unparalleled destruction and devastation that ensued, where around 75 million people globally lost their lives, many of whom were innocent civilians. That war should have been more than enough to open the eyes of the world. It should have been a means to developing wise policies that granted all parties their due rights, based on justice and thus prove to be a means of establishing peace in the world. The world's governments at the time did endeavour to some extent to try and establish peace and hence the United Nations was established. However, it soon became quite apparent, that the noble and overarching objective underpinning the United Nations, could not be fulfilled. Indeed today, certain governments, quite openly make statements that prove its failure. What does Islam say in relation to international relations that are based on justice, and so a means of establishing peace? In chapter 49, verse 14 of the Holy Qur'an, God Almighty has made it clear that whilst our nationalities or ethnic backgrounds act as a means of identity, they do not entitle or validate any form of superiority of any kind. The Qur'an thus makes clear that all people are born equal. Furthermore, in the final sermon ever delivered by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) he instructed all Muslims to always remember that an Arab is not superior to a non-Arab and nor is a non-Arab superior to an Arab. And he taught that a white person is not superior to a black person and nor is a black person superior to a white person. Thus, it is a clear teaching of Islam that the people of all nationalities and all races are equal. And it is also made clear that all people should be granted equal rights without any discrimination or prejudice. This is the key and golden principle that lays the foundation for harmony between different groups and nations and for the establishment of peace. PAGE 11 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN The Sermon
The Path to Peace: Just Relations Between Nations However today we find that there is division and separation between powerful and weaker nations. For example, in the United Nations we find that there is a distinction made between certain countries. Thus in the Security Council there are some permanent members and some non-permanent members. This division has proved to be an internal source of anxiety and frustration and thus we regularly hear reports of certain countries protesting against this inequality. Islam teaches absolute justice and equality in all matters and so we find another very crucial guideline in chapter 5, verse 3 of the Holy Qur'an. In this verse it states that to fully comply with the requirements of justice, it is necessary to treat even those people, who go beyond all limits in their hatred and enmity, with fairness and equity. And the Qur'an teaches that wherever and whoever counsels you towards goodness and virtue, you should accept it. And wherever and whoever counsels you towards sinful or unjust behaviour, you should reject it. A question that naturally arises is that what is the standard of justice required by Islam? In chapter 4, verse 136, the Holy Qur'an states that even if you have to testify against yourself or your parents or your most loved ones, then you must do so in order to uphold justice and to uphold the truth. Powerful and rich countries should not usurp the rights of the poor and weaker countries, in an effort to preserve their own rights, and nor should they deal with the poorer nations in an unjust fashion. On the other hand, the poor and weaker nations should not seek to inflict harm on the powerful or wealthy nations, whenever the opportunity arises. Instead, both sides should endeavour to fully abide by the principles of justice and indeed this is a matter of crucial importance in maintaining peaceful relations between countries. Another requirement for peace between nations based on justice is given in chapter 15, verse 89 of the Holy Qur'an where it states that no party should ever look enviously at
the resources and wealth of others. And similarly no country should seek to unjustly appropriate or take over the resources of another country on the false pretext of trying to assist or support them. Thus on the basis of providing technical expertise, governments should not take advantage of other nations, by making unjust trade deals or contracts. And similarly, on the basis of providing expertise or assistance, governments should not try to take control of the natural resources or assets of the developing nations. Where less educated people or governments need to be taught how to properly utilise their natural resources, then this should be done. Nations and governments should always seek to serve and help those less fortunate. However such service should not be rendered with an aim of achieving national or political benefits or as a means to fulfil vested interests. We find that in the past six or seven decades the United Nations has launched many programmes or foundations aiming to help the poor countries to progress. Towards this effort they have explored the natural resources of the developing nations. However despite these efforts, none of the poorer countries have reached the stage or level of the developed nations. One reason for this is certainly wide-ranging corruption by many of the governments of those poor nations. With regret though, I must say that as a means to further their own interests, the developed nations have continued to deal with such governments. Trade deals, international aid and business contracts have continued to be processed. And as a result, the frustrations and restlessness of the poor and deprived segments of society have continued to increase and this has led to rebellion and internal disorder within those countries. The poor people of the developing countries have become so frustrated that they have turned against not only their own leaders but also the Western powers as well. This has played into the hands of the extremist groups,
If governments and organisations in power, or indeed international organisations do not fulfil their roles to establish peace in the world, then despite holding power, such powers are ultimately rendered useless.
SEPTEMBER | AL- ‘IRFAN PAGE 122011 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN The Sermon
The Path to Peace: Just Relations Between Nations who have taken advantage of the frustrations, and so have been able to encourage such people towards joining their groups and supporting their hate filled ideology. And the ultimate result of this has been that the peace of the world has been destroyed. Islam has drawn our attention to the means for peace: It requires absolute justice. It requires truthful testimony to always be given. It requires that our glances are not cast enviously in the direction of the wealth of other. And it requires that the developed nations, put aside their own vested interests, and instead help and serve the less developed and poorer nations with a truly selfless attitude and spirit. If all of these factors are observed then true peace will be established. Remember, where injustice occurs there can never be peace. And so if a country transgresses all limits and attacks another country and seeks to unjustly take control of its resources, then other countries should certainly take measures to stop such cruelty. But they should always act with justice when doing so. The circumstances for taking action, based on Islamic teachings, are detailed in chapter 49, verse 10 of the Qur'an. It teaches that where two nations are in dispute and this leads to war, then other governments should strongly counsel them towards dialogue and diplomacy so that they can come to an agreement and reconciliation on the basis of a negotiated settlement. However if one of the parties does not accept the terms of agreement and wages war, then other countries should unite together and fight to stop that aggressor. When the aggressive nation is defeated and he agrees to mutual negotiation, then all parties should work towards an agreement which leads to long-standing peace and reconciliation. Harsh and unjust conditions should not be enforced that lead to the hands of any nation being tied, because in the long term that will lead to restlessness which will ferment and spread. And the result of such restlessness will be further disorder. In circumstances where a third-party government seeks to bring about reconciliation between two parties, then it should act with sincerity and total impartiality. And this impartiality should remain even if one of the parties speaks against it and so the third party should display no anger in such circumstances and should seek no revenge or act in an unfair manner. All parties should be afforded their due rights.
Thus for the requirements of justice to be fulfilled, it is essential that the countries who are negotiating a settlement, should themselves not seek to fulfil their own personal interests or to try and derive benefit unduly from either country. They should not interfere unjustly or pressure either of the parties unfairly. The natural resources of any country should not be taken advantage of. Unnecessary and unfair restrictions should not be placed upon such countries. Because this is neither just and nor can it ever prove to be a source of improving relations between countries. Due to time constraints, I have mentioned these points only very briefly. In short, if we desire peace to be established in the world, then we must leave aside our personal and national interests for the greater good and instead we must establish mutual relations that are based entirely on justice. Otherwise, as all of you are also aware, that due to the many alliances and blocs that exist, it is not unlikely that disorder will continue to increase in the world, which will ultimately lead to huge destruction. The effects of such devastation and warfare will surely last for many generations. And so the United States, as the world's largest power, should play its role in acting with true justice and with such good intentions as I have described. If it does so then the world will always remember with great admiration your great efforts. It is my prayer that this hope becomes a reality. Thank you very much. Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Khalifatul Masih V of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community gave this address at Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. on 27 June 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN
Editorial
S
yria has been in turmoil for close to two years now as Syrians, erstwhile neighbours, face one another with guns and other deadly weapons, snuffing out of one another's life. Egypt saw its deadly clashes; so was Libya and Tunisia. As all these crises rage on, the role of the international community to bring succor to the people and end the impunity was called to question. Does the United Nations, the world's umbrella body has anything to give us except its battle helmet? Yeah, once we see the blue helmet, we know there is a crisis, and we know that the world is interested in this conflict. But then, we get to ask ourselves: what has been the dimension of the UN peacekeepers in resolving conflicts? Have they been fighting on the side of one of the parties, fuelling the conflict or fighting their own battles for their own ends? One could not but be wary of the various forms of lethal aid that developed countries have provided factions in conflicts? The situation described above is so scary one cannot but quicken to locate at least one source of succor, one way through which we can arrest the crises and continue to live together as one again. Economic models have been proffered; political systems have been suggested; however, how far have these suggestions gone in really arresting the conflict or perpetuating the conflict? It is important that the root causes of conflicts are understood before any suggestion can work. In many situations, conflicts have started due to economic hardships; political disagreements or ethnic/racial differences. How can these root causes be addressed? As a Muslim organization, we believe that Islam offers the basis upon which peaceful and prosperous societies could be built. This is exactly the purpose of this edition of Al-Irfan. We however know also that some of the conflicts could be located at the doorsteps of people who call themselves Muslims but scarcely understand the religion itself, who hardly comprehend the peaceful messages of the Holy Qur'an nor read into the historical contexts of some of the actions of our Beloved Prophet (saw). We understand that some nonMuslims have understood Islam to be synonymous with violence and would hardly spend time to read through the articles in this edition. It is an understanding of the preceding that has prompted us to take some time to introduce Islam, basically what it means as a word and as a creed. We have not rehashed the accusations against Islam. Our purpose is to present the Islamic perspectives on how world problems could be solved. Therefore, we have picked verses of the Qur'an that deal with human and societal conduct for review; we have explained the sayings of the Holy Prophet on some Seven Deadly Sins; we have redacted a book “A Message of Peace” on
ISSN 1596 - 3187 Volume 51, No. 2 August 2012
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A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria
ISLAM Solution to World Problems
how to create harmonious relationship among followers of different religions. We have also reproduced a speech of the Spiritual Leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at on the role for justice in creating peace. We have also published articles on some identified problems and what Islam could have wanted us to do. In essence, this edition of AlIrfan, while not exhaustive has tried to bring in a volume the perspective of Islam on resolving the challenges confronting our world. We hope that while you enjoy this edition, you may let us know your comments through email on sadr[at]mka-ng[dot]org. Be blessed. AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh Editor-in-Chief
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AL-‘IRFAN
From the Sadr’s Desk
Patriotism among the Youths and the task of Nation Building 'Nigeria na my country, I must to do better for am’ he above was a phrase from a radio jingle aired across Nigeria in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. Produced by the Directorate for Social Mobilization, Self Reliance and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), precursor to the present National Orientation Agency (NOA), the jingle sought to rally the audience towards a patriotic zeal for the country. If the objectives underlying the jingles were to be met, many Nigerians would think of Nigeria first, would be very patriotic and would not partake in actions that would jeopardise the credibility of the nation. A look at the present state of things reveal that the jingle and many others like it has had no visible impact on Nigerians. Nigerians today have a jaundiced opinion about their own local languages; they prefer to buy imported goods instead of made-in-Nigeria goods, and they prefer foreign entertainment to their indigenous entertainment. An American would be so appalled at the level to which Nigerians talk down their country. This lack of patriotism could be illustrated in the reactions to the recent bashing of the Nigerian Male Basketball team D'Tigers by the US National Male Basketball team in the recently concluded London Olympics. True it was that the game was for the most time one-sided, with the American team walloping the Nigerian side by a record 153 76. However the reactions of Nigerians especially the youths in the social media was unwarranted. Rather than commend the efforts of the Nigerian team who went through a rigorous qualification process to qualify for the Olympics, Nigerian youths vilified the team, painting both the team members and the crew in a bad light. Compare this attitude to some other nationals who cheered their athletes even when they could not win a medal in the games in order to encourage them. The American says “God Bless America” when he exclaims; the British says “God Save the Queen”; what does the Nigerian say? These are isolated examples of the lack of belief of Nigerians in the corporate entity of Nigeria. One of the cardinal principles in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Projects I have learnt over the years is that apart from the output produced, which in this case is the production of the attitude enhancement jingles, there are other performance indicators that should be used to measure the success or otherwise of projects. These are (i) outcome indicators, which measure what has changed over the short or intermediate term as a result of the project; and (ii) impact assessment indicators, which measure the longer-term results of outcomes. If one was to put the impact of these jingles, that is the level of patriotism the jingles have been able to imbibe in Nigerians, under the scrutiny of the M&E performance evaluation principles, then there leaves much to be desired about their success. This is because the psyche of the average Nigerian regarding patriotic ideals still lacks. I am very sure that it takes more than jingles to improve the level of patriotism of citizens.Manpower development is important as this will enhance patriotism. As stated earlier there are other factors to be considered in ensuring that the citizens of a nation are patriotic. Some of these factors are: (i) Promotion of Civic Education in school curricula; (ii) Promotion of good governance; and (iii) Promotion of justice. The second and third factors will solidify the lessons learnt under Civic Education. In 1978, the Nigerian Educational Curriculum was reviewed whereby Civic Education was expunged from the curricula. The reason for this removal is still very hazy but Nigeria is still reeling from the effects of poor civic education amongst the youth which has continued to plague the Nigeria since then. Nigeria's youth are not educated about why they should be patriotic. This lack of education, aided with the poor leadership the country has experienced in the last thirty years, has led to the breeding of a generation of youth who do not care a hoot about their fatherland.
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Recently, the National Council on Education re-introduced the study of Civic Education into the nation's educational curriculum. This is indeed a good development in Nigeria's troubled educational sector. However, the government must enhance this reintroduction of Civic Education with good governance. political office holders and other public servants at all levels should encourage patriotism by leading the torch. We should let our actions speak for us rather than we saying something and doing the opposite. Nigerian leaders should learn from the verse of the Glorious Qur'an which says: O ye who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? Most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. Qur'an 61 vs 2-4 This is a golden advice for all. If the government will want to see that citizens, especially the youths enjoy the maximum benefit from the re-introduction of the study of Civics, it must match every word with action and ensure that it promotes good governance at all levels. This is perhaps the only way through which Nigeria can enjoy all round development in all facets of the economy because a nation with patriotic citizens will always develop.
Abdul Rafi’ Abdul Qadir Saadr (President)
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AL-‘IRFAN
ISLAM: The Antithesis of Extremism, Terrorism
Islam: What's in a Name? Sohaib Saeed
I
t is a common practice of Muslim scholars writing on some field of knowledge to define its basic terms; when it comes to Arabic words, this involves looking at their root meanings as well as their usage. This practice is certainly useful when seeking to understand Islam as a faith and way of life, as there are many things to learn from the very fact that it is so named. Generally speaking, when naming something new, or a new addition to the family, we choose a name that reflects the appropriate and desired meanings. In this article, we shall explore five significant features of the name Islam, making special reference to how the Qur'an speaks of Islam and being Muslim. We shall note that the word reflects the concept of peace, that it is a name used right from the start, that it was specially chosen by the Creator, that it reflects an action and way of life, and that its meaning has a universal meaning and appeal. A Meaning of Peace The root S-L-M, from which the word Islam derives, has the essential meaning of being free of any flaws or harmful things. Thus the derivatives of this root include salāmah which indicates soundness and safety, and of course salām which means “peace”. The verb-form islām thus conveys entering into a state of peace and security; in short, this is what we refer to as
“submission”. The active participle of the verb, i.e. the word for “submitter”, is muslim. It may not be clear how important it is to look at the threeletter root of a word to understand its import, but this is something significant in the Arabic language. At the same time, it may seem like an exaggeration to state, as Muslims often do, that “Islam means peace”. Some critics point out that submission is not the same as peace, and some go further and suggest that submission is something undesirable. In fact, the Qur'an uses a number of different terms to refer to this religion, and one of them is the word Peace itself. In the second chapter [2:102], God says: {O you who believe, enter into Al-Silm completely and do not follow the footsteps of Satan.}This word form means the opposite of war (i.e. peace!) and is used here as an exact equivalent to saying “Islam”, according to commentators. This means that our religion is indeed called Peace, just as it is called Submission and numerous other secondary names. Islam is not only “a religion of peace”: it is the religion of life, which means that it provides guidance for all situations that arise in our troubled world. Yet even aggression is to be met with high virtues in the pursuit of peace. The goal is not to “make the world submit”, as some PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN Article
Islam: What's in a Name? misunderstand, but to invite each soul to its own wilful surrender to the Creator alone, not to any human force or worldly desire. This is the true source of inner and outer peace, and is the most liberating concept ever taught to humanity. As well as attention to linguistic roots, we also must differentiate between the general meanings of a word, and its technical meaning in context. In this case, the difference is between what we may describe as “small-i islam” which means to live a life submitted to God, and “big-I Islam” which is the well-known religion, whose adherents declare that “There is none to be worshipped but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” This declaration is what entitles a person to be known as a (“big-M”) Muslim, a member of the worldwide community of Islam. Of course, the Arabic language does not have capital letters, so what we really intend is to distinguish between submission as a religious ideal in general, and its usage as a proper noun or what philosophers call its “reified” meaning. When we look at the numerous references to “Islam” in the Qur'an, some could be understood in both ways, but others clearly show that Allah has chosen this name for His religion and named those who follow it “Muslims” (submitters). A Historical Name Almighty God declares in the Qur'an that all of creation is submitted to Him [3:83] and that He, being the only true Deity, is the One to Whom human submission is due [22:34]. The “best religion” is to “submit one's face to God and do good” [2:112]. The same term appears frequently in the stories of the Prophets, from which we shall mention a few examples. The patriarch Abraham (on whom be peace) is declared as having been neither Jewish nor Christian, but in fact “upright in religion, a Muslim” [3:67]. When he was commanded to submit, he said immediately “I have submitted myself to the Lord of the Worlds” [2:131]. When he was called upon to sacrifice his first-born son Ishmael, they both submitted to this divine command [37:103], until Allah announced that they had passed the test. When building the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, they prayed together that God would raise up from their descendants “a Muslim nation” [2:128]. The prophets after Abraham are described as “those who submitted” [5:44], which of course does not deprive those before him of the same virtue. Prophet Jacob (on whom be peace) entrusted his children on his deathbed that they must follow the religion of their forefathers Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac (peace be upon them) and not die except
as Muslims [2:133]. The Pharaoh who opposed Moses (on whom be peace) vainly declared at the moment of death that he believed in the God of Israel and was “one of the Muslims” [10:90]. The disciples of Jesus (on whom be peace) were inspired to believe, so they did so and said: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.” [5:111] All of this goes to show that the “Religion of Submission” (Deen al-Islam) is both grounded in nature and rooted in history. As for its usage in the context of the last chapter of prophethood, we find a number of relevant passages in the Qur'an: {Truly the religion in the sight of God is Islam…} [3:19] {Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.} [3:85] {…This day I have perfected for you your religion, and completed My favors upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your way of life…} [5:3] {He it is Who named you Muslims before and in this (Qur'an)…}[22:78] {Who is better in speech than one who invites to God, works righteousness and says, 'I am of the Muslims'?} [41:33] A Divine Gift One may question what the relevance is of showing that the Qur'an is the source for the name used by Muslims everywhere today in reference to their own identity and way of life, in addition to showing its history on the tongues of prophethood. The fact is that a name is an essential component to identity, and so one should take pride in the virtues embodied in a name that was chosen by the Creator. The names of certain modern religions were chosen by their human founders, while the older religions tend to have more mystery surrounding the origin of their names. We also find names that were coined by people external to the tradition. New Testament passages suggest that the first people to use the word “Christian” (or rather, its original language version) were the religion's critics, but then the term became used by its followers as a badge of honour.[1] Followers of Muhammad (on whom be peace) have also had various unwanted labels attached to them, yet none of these was adopted by Muslims in preference to their original name. For example, “Mohammedan” implies worship of Muhammad in the way that Christians worship the Christ. Furthermore, while it cannot be correctly said that Jesus was a Christian or that Jesus or Moses (peace be upon them) taught Christians and Jews to use these names it is
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AL-‘IRFAN Article
Islam: What's in a Name? the case that Muhammad (on whom be peace) was indeed a Muslim submitted to God, thus providing the perfect example of a worshipper in front of his people. Just as the imam who leads any congregational prayer will stand ahead of the others but perform the same submissive actions facing the same direction, so did the Prophet like those before him show all men and women how to worship Allah in all aspects of life. {Say (O Muhammad): 'Truly my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for God, Lord of the worlds; He has no partner. Thus I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.'}[6:162-3] Thus the Prophet was first in line to submit to Allah, and the foremost in obedience to Him. Chronologically, he was the first member of the Qur'anic community to follow its message, but of course, as we have shown in the verses above, he was not the first Muslim in history. Muhammad was a believer and submitter just as his brother-prophets (peace be upon them all), including the Messiah Jesus and those who followed his way, as opposed to the religion built upon claims surrounding his noble person. A Way of Life It is worth taking a closer look at the word Islam. What type of word is it? It is a verbal noun, i.e. the name for an action, and this fact has its own significance. It means that Islam as a religion is defined by this act of submission, which goes beyond a single action to being a comprehensive way of life. When someone becomes a Muslim, the way of speaking about this in Arabic is not to say that she “converted” or even “reverted” as many Muslims prefer to say. Rather, the word that is used is islam, so it is as though we have said: “Sarah islam'd (submitted) last month.” This meaning of repentance and conversion is also found in the Qur'an, such as in the story of the Queen of Sheba [27:44] and the Bedouin Arabs [49:17]. The People of the Book, namely Jews and Christians, are addressed with an invitation to “submit” [3:20], meaning to recognize the last Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) and live by the law revealed to him. Studying the etymology of the names of world religions, it becomes clear that many have been named in one way or another after their followers. For example, Judaism is the religion of the Judaic people[2]. Even Christianity, with its [3] linguistic connection to Christ , derives from the name of the Christians rather than the other way round. Muslims, on the other hand, take their name from Islam. They are named by the action that defines them: their submission to God, manifested in absolute monotheism as well as belief in the final Prophet and divine Book.
A Universal Message It follows that Islam is a universal meaning not bound to any group of people, nor even to any particular figure or event in history. It is another word for true religion itself, and is the direct relationship between any worshipper human, animal or even inanimate and the only Being worthy of worship. Thus everyone who believes that submission is the duty of all creatures towards their Creator will strive to perfect his islam (small-i) even if he is not among those who have chosen to follow the guidance brought by Muhammad, the last in the line of prophets teaching and exemplifying this submission. When Muslims invite others to their religious path, they are inviting neither to something strange or novel, nor to an exclusive club. It is the revival of the human spirit; the echo of the prophetic call. . [1] See Acts 11:26 and 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16. [2] “Judaism” derives from Yehudah (Judah), the fourth son of Jacob and thus one of the Israelite tribes. Since Judah is not considered a founder of the religion in the way that Moses is, the use of his name is actually due to various political and historical factors. [3] Even though the name “Christian” comes from “Christ”, which originates in the Greek translation of Moshiach (Messiah), the name of the religion comes from “Christian” as shown in the biblical references provided in Note 1. Of course this observation applies to the name used in the English language. Sohaib Saeed is a Scottish Muslim writer and translator. He majored in Quranic Studies at the Faculty of Theology, Al-Azhar University. He is the founder of Quranica, an arts organization promoting Quranic recitation.
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AL-‘IRFAN
Islam as Solution to World's Problems: An Overview Abdulraheem Ismail O. & AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh Introduction he world is enmeshed in a myriad of problems and challenges. These spread over but are not limited to political, economic, religious and social upheavals which the world continues to experience. As a matter of fact, everyone is looking for a way out. This is presumably why there are many bodies in the world today that seeks the solution. The search for the ideal solution itself has led to a clash of ideas. Could that solution be in the political, economic, social or religious reformation? Scarcely explored is the role of religion in the establishment of a peaceful world. However, the divine nature of Islam makes it the religion that offers genuine solutions to world problems. Before addressing this issue, it is important to understand Islam.
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What Islam Is A look at the etymological foundation of the term “Islam” shows it is a verbal noun originating from the triliteral root [s-l-m] which forms a large class of words mostly relating to concepts of wholeness, completion and bonding/joining. In a religious context it means "voluntary submission to God". The word sometimes has distinct connotations in its various occurrences in the Qur'an. In some verses (ayat), there is stress on the quality of Islam as an internal conviction: "Whomsoever God desires to guide, He
expands his breast to Islam." Other verses connect islām and dīn (usually translated as "religion"): "Today, I have perfected your religion (dīn) for you; I have completed My blessing upon you; I have approved Islam for your religion." Still others describe Islam as an action of returning to Godmore than just a verbal affirmation of faith. Another technical meaning in Islamic thought is as one part of a triad of islam, imān (faith), and ihsān (excellence) where it represents acts of service (`ibādah) and Islamic law (sharia). The last meaning of Islam, given above, portrays a religious creed which is imbedded with excellence. This is thus played out in acts of service, to God and to humans in accordance with stipulated divine laws. Bearing this in mind, Islam is a way to live. In essence, armed with the correct interpretation of Islam and carrying out its tenets, one could attain perfection and peace. Believers in the Islamic creed need to live out the tenets of Islam in order to show the great example of how Islam could be the ideal solution to world's problems. This is the essence of the verse “O ye who believe! come into submission (Islam) wholly and follow not the footsteps of Satan; surely, he is your open enemy.” [Quran 2 vs 209] The Problems As noted earlier, the world is contending with a number of PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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Islam as Solution to World's Problems: An Overview problems. In the contemporary world, there are wars, social upheavals, political instabilities, poverty, destitution, prostitution, and homicide, addiction to drugs and alcohol, instability in the family, juvenile delinquency, suicide, HIV/AIDS and many other undesirable situations. The Islam Intervention Islam is not only a religion but also a complete code of life. All facts of life, public and private alike are covered in Islam. Islam seeks to regulate acceptable behavior in both the private and public life. In most cases, teachings of Islam start at the micro level (personal conduct) and evolve to the macro level (societal conduct). The teachings of the Quran in Sura Al-Hujurat, Chapter 49 verses 11 14, explained in this edition under the “From the Holy Quran” is a veritable example of such teachings. The rationale for this is that when individuals are able to conduct themselves in acceptable manner, the whole society becomes peaceful and nobody is denied his/her right while they in turn carry out their obligations. Islamic Law is the epitome of Islamic thought, the most typical manifestation of the Islamic way of life, the core and kernel of Islam itself. When one looks at each directive of Islam aimed at the individual being, one finds out that it is eventually aimed at forestalling grave consequences for the whole of the society. A case in point is the teaching on sexual permissiveness or the unhindered/unregulated mixing of sexes. The first teaching here is that women should cover their bodies and men should lower their gazes. This teaching incorporates the need for moderation in the relations between men and women. Assume for a second that this teaching is heeded, then a case for prostitution, adultery or other forms of promiscuity can never arise. Through this teaching, Islam has closed the gate to some of the problems ailing the world today. However, Islam has not prescribed punishment to those who did not cover their bodies or to those who did not lower their gazes. Assume now that such people go a step further by engaging in illicit relationship which could either be fornication or adultery, depending on the marital status of any of the partners. This is when Islam prescribes a punishment either to restrain them or to deter others if their situation seems irredeemable. The portions of the Quran which teach against adultery and fornication and give a ruling about it is thus: “Nor come nigh to adultery, for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road to other evil” Chapter 17 vs 32 “The man and woman guilty of adultery or fornication, flog each of them with a hundred stripes. Let no compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah if you believe in Allah and the Last Day and let a party of believers witness their punishment” Chapter
24verse 2. As the earlier verse (17.32) points out, adultery and fornication “open the road to other evils”, put sexually transmitted infections in big bold capital letters here. Quickly imagine how infections like gonorrhea, staphylococcus, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and its resultant offspring, the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) could have been easily avoidable. It could be seen from the example on sexual permissiveness how Islam could help in providing solutions to the world's problems. Another area of contention for the world today is the principle of equality and justice. In international circles, nations are grouped into blocs only for the purpose of antagonizing themselves. The behavior of some of these powerful nations at the United Nations is sometimes puerile. One sees the United States of America, United Kingdom and France support a cause only for the Russian Federation and China to oppose., and vice versa. Some of their disagreements sometimes do not fall on tangible reasons except that a bloc does not want to be seen as agreeing with a proposition of another bloc. At other times, members of the bloc agree to proposition of a member of their bloc only because they don't want to be seen as disagreeing to a proposition by their ally. It is a situation like this that has continued to perpetuate the IsraelPalestine conflict. According to Islam, justice and equity are nonnegotiable. It establishes that one should always be just and fair in dealings or testimonies even if being truthful would impair his own position. Could this injunction be followed, it would be hard for false testimonies to be given, bearing in mind that it is such false testimony that led to the Iraqi War where thousands of lives were lost, people were displaced; infrastructure were destroyed, and a country was set back many generations. Conclusion Indeed, the teachings of Islam cater to humanity at large. All problems affecting man and his environment can be solved through proper implementation of Islamic ethics. It is important that at this time, Muslims should resolve to carry out Islamic ethics and invite others to such moral code of conduct, even if they will not profess faith in Allah and His Prophet. Muslim men and women should be convinced and be committed to cooperate along this path and shun indecency and other aberrations to acceptable conduct. It is important that we “help ourselves in righteousness and piety, but help not one another in sin and rancor.” (Ch 5:2).
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Engendering Peace and Good Governance Abdul Qadir Awwal Introduction oing by modern trends and events around the globe, the need to address the issue of peace becomes inevitable and imperative. Good governance, being a major tool in both peace attainment and sustenance will thus constitute an important area in addressing the topic under discussion. The recent perceived advancement in terrorist activities, civil wars, wars across borders, and the 'beloved' interest which some people have developed for suicidal activities have not only continued to diminish societal peace but also move to annihilate it and in place instill fear, restlessness and insecurity. Although many have been said and many have been written to address the subject matter, but in as much as the object of restoring the societal peace is yet to be achieved, this article thus becomes time fitted. In this article, I wish to explore Islamic approach, an approach that is not just practicable and universal, but has also proven its efficiency in transforming a society that was full of hatred, malice, war, enmity, and hostility to a place of peace and tranquillity. The effect of which still remains a model for present world after more than 1,400 years.
G
Individual Peace “He that lacks never gives”
Peace as it sounds corroborates so many features within the phases of human life, ranging from individual, communal and global peace. The coming together of many peaceful persons brings a peaceful community, while the coming together of various peaceful societies translate to global peace and tranquillity, thus a need to start the search for global peace from personal and/or individual level. Islamic provision for attainment and sustenance of individual peace is such that it is global in nature. It transcends all sectional and factional limitation. Islam starts with the re-definition of moral and explains the need to be moral conscious. It distinguishes between the natural impulses of man and that which is to be considered moral. It disposes off of the notion that people are naturally born good while others are naturally bad. Instead, it explains that these are natural impulses which can also be found in animals. On this, the Promised Messiah has this to say: “Natural states alone do not make man worthy of praise until they take on a moral complexion, because these states can also be found in other animals and even in physical matter.”(1) This natural state is described in the Holy Qur'an as follows: “...Surely the soul is prone to enjoin evil...”(2) As regard the moral state of man, Quran says: “Nay, I swear by the self-accusing soul”(3) PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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Engendering Peace and Good Governance It is this state that Quran uses to explore the true concept of moral. It is a state that man's awakened conscience upbraids him for doing bad deeds and restrains his passions and appetites. At this stage the human in man gets the upper hand'(4) In short, for moral to be established, the following must be present: 1. Capability and freedom not to observe the moral act. For instance, a castrated man who abstain from adultery could not be described as morally upright as he lacks the capability to be an adulterer. 2. Actions must be properly regulated for a moral act to be established. For instance, one should not keep mute on occasion that refutation is ideal and claim to be morally upright with the underlying characteristic of patience. It is therefore important that one's conscience is kept flourishing and alive to guide one's attitude before a moral quality is established. With this understanding, man appreciates the need to display moral qualities such as love, courage, justice, goodness having full regard to the fact that they must be displayed in appropriate time under appropriate circumstances. Likewise, he develops a better understanding of vices and sees the rationale behind why he should not take part in it. He develops better understanding of attitude such as hatred, revenge, fear etc and the need to abstain from them. It is this, which will make man attain the real internal and personal peace that will help him to contribute to the development of communal and global peace. Therefore, some of the current happenings which are currently threatening the world peace would have been averted while others reduced, if this true fundamental theory is understood and put into practice. The suicide bombers in the Middle East, or the Salafists of Nigeria under the name of Boko-haram would not have taken the assignment had this concept being known to and understood by them. Family as a Tool in Attaining Societal Peace After Islam taught man how he can attain internal peace, it then goes ahead to describe how societal peace can be established and maintained. Thus, Islam started with the marital life and the making of peaceful family. The rationale behind this approach can be better understood in light of the modern description of every family to be the microcosmic image of a nation. Islam describes in an unequivocal term that the object of marriage is the attainment of peace (Q30vs22; Q7vs190). It then moves further to emphasize this institution as an inevitable tool in peace attainment with the garment concept (Q2vs188). Commenting on this verse, Hazrat Bashirudeen Mahmud Ahmad wrote:
“The real object (of marriage) is the comfort, protection and embellishment of the parties, for such are the uses of garment as explained in 7:27 & 16:82.” The family which the coming together of a man and a woman establish is to be the training ground for their children that such children may be peace keepers. Islam then goes further to describe the act of not giving the required level of upbringing in terms of qualitative nourishment, qualitative education and enabling environment by the parent as killing such children (Q17vs32). The reason for such classification is that such children do not only become useless in the society but also become parasites as they distort societal peace. However, children that are properly brought up, do not only become agents for establishment of societal peace but also become active peace keepers. Communal Peace and Good Governance Islam makes an unreserved pronouncement of what is to be fundamental requisite, if communal and societal peace is to be attained. Allah says: “O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may know one another...”(Q49vs14). The above quoted verse establishes that mankind at large have been created from a single soul. This gives two very important messages: 1. Having been created from a single soul infers that human race is but a single family and the division into tribes is to aid identification and nothing more 2. Since the creation into tribes is to aid identification, no tribe is superior to another. And no tribe should consider another inferior to it. The white should not consider the black inferior and vice-versa. Emphasising this points, the Holy Prophet (saw) in the Last Pilgrimage pronounced: “O ye men! Your God is one and your ancestor is one. An Arab possesses no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an Arab. A white is no way superior to a red, or, for that matter a red to a white, but only to the extent he discharges his duties to God and man...” The verse above pronounces the equality of man, and request from all and sundry to respect one another. It purports that everyone is important and everyone is to be honoured and no one should be condemned for belonging to a different tribe. No tribe should be blacklisted as bad and another as good. It is this, the famous German dramatist and critic Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (17291781) echoed when he said: “There are good men in every land. The tree of life has many branches and roots. Let not the topmost twig presume to think that it alone has sprung from the mother
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earth...We did not choose our races by ourselves. Jews, Muslims, Christians-all alike are men. Let me hope I have found in you a man” Islamic Approach to Good Governance Islamic approach to good governance is such that is unique and un-beatable both in principle and application. Islam sets a new political arena with a new fragrance by condemning a political set up where a handful of people, like a family rotate governmental posts among themselves. Instead, it advocates for elected system of leadership whereby only credibility, merit and worthiness of individuals make them emerge as political leaders. Islam describes political offices as trust, for which both citizens and the emergent leaders will be both accountable. As regard this, Allah says: “Verily, Allah commands you to give over the trusts, to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between men, you judge with justice. And surely excellent is what Allah admonishes you with! Allah is all Hearing, AllSeeing” Q3vs59 The citizen's responsibility is that people of credibility, competence, and who have the willingness to serve are elected, while attitudes such as favouritism, tribalism, and nepotism should be avoided so that purposeful leadership
may be constituted. On the part of those who emerge as political leaders, the verse tells them that they should be conscious of the responsibilities they owe to their electors and that they shall be questioned about the trust given to them. It further emphasises this that today, they emerge as leaders and need to put things right for those they lead, they themselves will be in need as the position might be taken away from them. As regard this, Allah says: “Say, 'O Allah, Lord of sovereignty, Thou giveth sovereignty to whomsoever thou pleasest; and takest away sovereignty from whomsoever thou pleasest and thou abasest whomsoever thou pleasest. In thy hand is all good. Thou has power over all things”Q3vs27 Islam extols the same moral standards on both the ordinary citizens and on the statesman. It extols highest level of justice in application of the law on all and sundry. It describes equitable treatment and fair dealing for a government not only towards its own people, but also, as in the case of individuals, towards its neighbouring governments. I consider important to make reference to an incident during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (saw) when an Arab was convicted for theft, and his hands were to be amputated. The family of the convicted Arab tried to PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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FEBRUARY 2012 | AL- ‘IRFAN
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Engendering Peace and Good Governance vindicate him by seeking the help of Zaid, the adopted son of the Holy Prophet (saw) to appeal to the Prophet that the judgement be averted. When he approached the Prophet (saw), the Holy Prophet was not only disappointed but was very annoyed with his act and stood up in annoyance and said: “If Fatimoh, daughter of Mohammed was to be convicted of theft, by Allah I will surely cut off her hands” Later the Holy Prophet (saw) warned the Muslims against selective application of the law, for it caused the ruin of earlier generations. “If people among the ruling class committed crimes against the law, they are freed but when ordinary citizens commit against the law, Allah's judgement is made to apply,” he noted. Having described the position of authority as trust, the Quran then explains the components of that trust. The basic responsibility of people in government is to establish and maintain a healthy society as described in Q20 vs 119120. Allah says: “It is provided for thee that thou shall not hunger therein, nor will thou be naked. And that thou shall not thirst therein, nor will thou be exposed to the sun” These verses describe the primary duty of government to provide food, clothing and housing to its people as primary necessities of life as the first duty of any civilized government and that a society can only be called civilized when its members are provided with these necessities. Any government that fails to provide these things has really failed and people at the helms of affairs of such government are due for resignation. Mankind will continue to suffer from societal upheavals and the moral tone of human society will never really improve unless economic inequalities of such serious nature where there is class distinction between the haves and the have-nots are obliterated. To make these principles described above work, Islam describes a collective responsibility in matter of state affairs. It makes an important good governance practice that people should be involved by consulting in matter of the state. Quran reads: “...and consult them in matters of admonishing and when thou art determined...”Q3vs160 Thus, Islam has made it incumbent on those who lead to consult with a varying number of the people. In modern times, these could be likened to a referendum on urgent national matters. When the people have a say in the decisions of their governments, there would be no or less need for revolts, strike actions or civil protests. In the same way, it places a responsibility on the governed to provide good guidance to the leadership. When the citizenry are involved in the affairs of the government, they can institute adequate monitoring
strategies to ensure that the government redeems its electioneering promises. In a scenario as the above, the whole society has shown itself to be morally responsible for the success of the state, and therefore, all individuals are bound to keep the peace. It is important at note that Islam does not confer any special status on the leaders of people except that they have additional responsibilities for their people. It is a burden they have agreed to carry, and they should be ready to carry out their responsibilities conscientiously. Politics should not be taken as a profession. One of the ills of governments in many nations of the world today is that there have been career politicians. In many countries, especially the poor countries, politicians feed fat while the ordinary citizens wallow in poverty. They pay themselves huge salaries and stupendous non-taxable allowances. This is against the teachings of Islam. Leaders should be ready to sacrifice for their people. A story is told of Hazrat Amirul Muminin, Umar bin Khattab, the second Caliph after the Holy Prophet who make it a duty to go around the town to listen first-hand to the comments of people towards his leadership. On one such occasion, he was saddened that a mother had nothing to feed her children and she had been deceiving them, by making them believe she was cooking a meal for their dinner. She hoped that the children would eventually sleep off. On hearing the woman's story, Hazrat Umar carried food stuff to the woman herself telling porters who were ready to help him that it was his responsibility that the woman and her children do not starve. It is to be noted that when people are not starved they could direct their energies towards productive work. However, people who have lost hope that they could ever achieve some greatness on their own considering their situations are the ones who turn into beggars or robbers, prostitutes and the like. Conclusion Islam views the attainment of peace as a gradual process which starts from the individual, family, communal, national and global level. Islam has prescribed a form of democracy whereby both the ruler and the citizens have direct inputs in the governance process. Moreso, the leaders are enjoined to provide for the needs of their people and that they should not capitalise on their disadvantages to feather their own nests. If the teachings of Islam are adhered concerning governance, no doubt the world would take several steps towards the attainment of peace.
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Practicability of Islamic Morals and Implications for the 21st Century Muallim (Barrister) A. A. Owoade Introduction slam was perfected and spread throughout the Arabia world and beyond over a period of 1400 years. It was from the onset identified as a new world order which gave ordinances, decrees and laws guiding mankind to the path of salvation. From the onset, Islam aimed at establishing a good relationship between man and God, and also within man himself. This relationship was that of love, peace, unity and progress; a relationship of love bound in worship. This relationship of course had to come with certain sacrifices. Man must desist from his sinful self. He has to take Allah as One and as his only Saviour. He must desist from evil practices, must be decent in speech and deeds and must love and care for all beings. This was exactly what God meant when He said in Chapter 3 vs 111 of the Holy Qur'an: “You are the best people ever raised for the good of mankind. You enjoin what is good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah…. The Islamic order which was about being created was necessary because Allah is already aware of the distraught and decay which has rocked the world. This was exactly in accordance with Quran 30 verse 42: “Corruption has appeared in land and sea because of what men's hand have wrought, that He may make them taste the fruit of some of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil.”
I
Appraisal of the Importance/Significance of Morals Goodness of conduct is an innate nature of man. This is because man is born pure and is naturally endowed to identify good and evil in form of conscience. “We have created man from a mingled sperm-drop that We might try him; so We made him hearing, seeing. We have shown him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful (Q76 vs 3-4). Exactly as above was what Sir Walter Scott noted when he said on his death bed. Speaking to his son, he said: “I have but a minute to speak with you. My dear, be a good man, be virtuous, be religious, nothing we will give you any comfort when you come to lie here.” The renowned Scottish author and poet understood that there is an abode somewhere, where retribution of deeds shall take place. Moral behaviour is advocated for everywhere. There are many religions that call for moral behavior though unfortunately their adherents have not been heeding this call. Just what is popularly quoted when people say, “water everywhere but not a drop to drink”. Morality will lose all relevance to a generation, which no longer blindly accepts its traditional views as valid. Such a generation is to pass through a critical transitional injury. The process of inquiring may or may not lead to the discovery of a better and more satisfying code of conduct. It may, on the other hand end up in total chaos or a state of PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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Practicability of Islamic Morals and Implications for the 21st Century moral anarchy. Thus, exploitation, dishonesty, hypocrisy, selfishness, oppression, greed, mad pursuit of pleasure, indiscipline, corruption, nepotism, theft, robbery, violation of human rights, fraud, treachery, lack of responsibility, and loss of mutual respect and trust have become the hall-marks of modern societies. Societies are beginning to crumble everywhere alike for absence of morality. There is a need for the purification of soul of man in order to avoid the crisis which would result from all these. Hence God, Almighty says “He indeed prospers who purifies it. And he is ruined who corrupts it” (Q: 91: 1011). Definition of Morals A moral virtue is the proper control and regulation of thought and conflict in conformity with what is right as against what is wrong. It is an acceptable standard of behaviour in any particular society, by its members, and this is always, different from society to society, because it is a relative word. For instance, love becomes a moral virtue or morality when demonstrated correctly and on appropriate occasion otherwise if it is merely instinctive or channeled in the wrong direction, then it is not a display of moral virtue/morality. The love and care animals show for their young ones are instinctive and cannot be an act of virtue. Again, love is regarded as a virtue or morality only when expressed within proper and lawful bounds. The mother who showers an excessive love upon her child and allows the child to do and have all he/she wants is not exemplifying the moral virtue of love, nor does a man who runs away with someone else's wife on account of his affectionate feelings for her. Exercising correct conduct on appropriate occasions formulates morality. However, from the Islamic point of view, morals are the proper use of God given faculties and facilities in strict adherence to His dictates and directives. This is what we call or always refer to as “TARBIYYAT”. Morality embraces numerous personal qualities like respect for others, kindness, sympathy, honesty, forgiveness, simplicity, cleanliness, gentleness, courage, generosity, nobility, patience, steadfastness, perseverance, charity, generosity, politeness, hospitality, moral justice, selfcontrol, contentment, cheerfulness, helpfulness, gratitude, chastity, tolerance, love, usefulness, and many more. It also includes our relationship with inanimate things. However, when it is done in relation to God, it becomes spirituality. Principles and Dimensions of Morality Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi in his book, The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam noted that there are two aspects of
the birth of man. They include the “Khalq” which is the physical birth and “Khulq” which is the inner or moral birth. It is the Khulq which when it exists in man manifests in his physical self (Khalq) as a rational being. It is when this man manifests his Khulq that he can be differentiated from an animal, a lower one acting only on instincts not minding the consequences of his actions. The Muslim stand for what is right, shuns falsehood and evil deeds, taking on what is beautiful and expressing disdain for the ugly and indecent. This truly is in accordance with Abdalati when he stated that “humbleness and simplicity, courtesy and compassion are his (the true Muslim's) second nature. To him, arrogance and vanity, harshness and indifference are distasteful, offensive and displeasing to God”. Morality in Islam could be said to be based on the following principles: a. That Allah is the creator and source of all goodness, truth and beauty. b. That man is a responsible, dignified and honorable agent to Allah. c. That Allah has put everything in the universe in the service of mankind. d. That by His mercy and wisdom, Allah does not expect the impossible from man, nor does He hold him accountable for anything beyond his power, by the same token, Allah does not forbid man to enjoy the good things of life. (Q 2:286). e. That moderation and balance are guarantees of higher integrity and sound morality. f. That all things are permissible expect those things that are singled out as obligatory which must be observed and what is singled out as forbidden which must be avoided. g. That man's ultimate responsibility is to Allah and his highest goal is the pleasure of Allah. h. And that man should serve God through His creatures by benefiting them. Thus, the range of morality in Islam is so inclusive and integrative that it combines at once, faith in Allah, religious rites, spiritual observances, social conducts, decision making, intellectual pursuits, habit of consumption, human relations, manners of speech, dressing, eating, gathering etiquettes, segregation of sexes and all other aspects of human life. As already stated, moral teachings are repeatedly stressed in various contexts throughout the Holy-Quran. In order to help entrench the ideals of Islamic morals, Islam prescribes certain precautionary measures which helps to facilitate the practicability of the virtues listed above. Islam prohibits certain foods, drinks and activities, thus helping to strengthen the sanctity of man and preventing PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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Practicability of Islamic Morals and Implications for the 21st Century him from swerving into insanity, degradation or degeneration, and into indecency and temptation. They include: a. Intoxicants of all kinds (Holy Quran 2 vs. 219, 4:43, 5:93-4) b. All forms of gambling and vain sports (2:219, 5:93-4) c. Meat and product of swine like pork, bacon, ham and lard; flesh of wild animals that use claws or teeth to kill their victims like tiger, wolves, leopard; all birds of prey, like hawk, vulture, crows, etc., rodents, reptiles, worms and the like of dead animals and birds that are not slaughtered properly; these are prohibitions stated in the Quran 2:172-3 and 5:46. d. All sexual relations out of wedlock and all manners of talking, walking, looking and dressing in public that may instigate temptation, arouse desire, stir suspicions or indicate immodesty and indecency, these are clearly stated in the Holy Quran 33:5-7, 24:30-33 & 70. Morality is a sign of Allah's mercy. This is because most of the prohibitions are to help us. For us to know that it is truly to our advantage, we should remember that Allah grants exception of the obedience of these prohibitions in emergencies or extraordinary circumstances. For example if one is at a point of starvation and cannot find any food except an unlawful one like those mentioned above, one is permitted to take it as long as the circumstances prevailed and to the extent that one cannot help the situation. Also if one by chance violates these principles, Allah often forgives one the moment he repents and amends his conduct as Allah is Most forgiving, the Merciful. A major difference between the Islamic moral system and others is that it does not leave moral virtues to be admired. It prescribes it in several quantities, emphasizes it, and also tells us the implication of doing the opposite as well as to draw the line to the limit of all things. Islamic morals are not to intimidate man. They are meant to drive him to lofty height, for man cannot move ahead in spirituality and closeness to God if he is not moral, after all morality becomes spirituality when it is in relation to God. Examples and Citations of Morals in Islamic Shariah Having being established that morality of man is the true essence of life; and that it is needed to help cement the activities of men in relation to God and himself, Islam lays great emphasis on good character that the Holy Prophet (SAW) was quoted to have said; “the faith of that believer is most perfect who is the noblest in character; and the best among you is the best to his wife”. Mercy, forgiveness, modesty, charity, kindness, fair mindedness, justice, piety, generosity, and many other such qualities are divine attributes which the Shariah has enjoined us to furnish ourselves with. Allah says in the
Quran; “and yield not to any mean swearer, backbiter, one who goes about slandering, forbidden of good, transgression, sinful, ill mannered, and in addition to that of doubtful birth” The prophet said in the following traditions: “On the last day the biggest loser will be the hypocrite who, when he goes to one party talks in one voice and when he talks to the other party, talk in another voice”. “He who harbors vanity in his head even equal to an atom shall not enter paradise”. “A woman will find her way into hell simply for the reason of her cruelty to a cat which she held in captivity and gave it not a morsel of food till it died of starvation”. “Allah will show no compassion to him who shows no compassion to his fellow beings”. “Anyone who engage in malicious fault-finding or pries into the secrets of others and gives publicity to them shall not be admitted into paradise”. The Shariah is emphatic upon morality and the consequence of not observing it. It counts murder as a crime against person while adultery is considered as crime against society. This is because it destroys the basis of human dignity. Drinking is another serious crime which makes the drunkard unable to distinguish good from evil when under influence. Gambling is also not left out. In contrast however, to these vices, virtues exist which illuminate the heart, and raises the soul. They include respect for parents and elders and in return, they are to take care of their children. This reciprocity and practice is seen in our acts of worship. We stand shoulder to shoulder in prayer, starve in fasting to know how the poor feels, we wear the same cloth in Hajj and so on. This gives a sense of belonging and show of concern to people. Hence, it is a moral vice to ignore the needs of fellow beings. This vice is enough to make man enter hell. Once the Prophet declared, “I swear by Allah in whose power lies my life, that no one can be a believer unless he attains the state of desiring for his brother what he desires for himself”. All we have studied so far has made us realize that Islam some fourteen hundred years ago conferred certain basic and fundamental human rights on man which is devoid of religious, ethnic or racial rancor. This it had done before the orientalist of the West even thought of it. This is not only evident in written but in practice as well. This we shall see as the discourse goes on. Practicability of the Islamic Concept of Morals and Implications for the 21st Century Moral degradation is everywhere. The age old ideals of moral and Islamic ways of life had fallen into oblivion. Man had fallen into disrepute. However, all hope is not lost
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if only we trace back our footings. Basic to the development of man is the socialization which takes place at home. On this the Holy Prophet was reported to have told a young man “You and your possessions belong to your father”. This puts forward the morality of good family relationships, goodness to parents and inclusively involves the good treatment of friends of parents and their relatives. Corroborating this in another hadith he said, “The best of good things to do is to do good to the friends of one's deceased father”. As much as Islam preaches love and care for younger ones, it also preaches that we use the rod when it was necessary never becoming partial when it came to dealing with our children. Honesty has being highly valued and encouraged in all our dealings. “O ye who believe! Be strict in justice, and be witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or parents and kindred. Whether he be rich or poor, Allah is more regardful of them both than you are. Therefore follow not low desires so that you may be able to act equitably. And if you conceal the truth or evade it, then remember that Allah is well aware of what you do”. (4:36). The above verse is practicable in the story of an old man in the colonial days of India when a dispute erupted over a land wherein is built a place of worship. Every attempt to
solve the problem failed until the British tax collector asked the Muslims in secret if they knew an honest Hindi who could bear witness. They said no. On asking the Hindus in secret if they knew an honest Muslim who they could trust his witness, they pointed a Muslim divine. So, they summoned him. However, the Maulana was not ready to bear witness or stand in face with a white man. But after a lot of persuasion on the need to settle such a matter, he agreed but covered his face and backed the court. The man then gave his opinion, he let the court know that the land never belonged to the Muslims, it was the property of Hindus. This was alarming, and many Hindus accepted Islam at the hand of Maulanas. He spoke the truth even as it is against his brothers. Another example was shown in Quran 3:135; “And those who suppress anger and pardon men, and Allah loves those who do good”. This verse stands for the principle and intricacy of Islamic morality. It was noticed in a tradition when Hassan, son of Alli and grandson of the Prophet (SAW) was offended by his slave. He became so angry and decided to punish him. Thereon, the slave recited the first part of the verse i.e. “those who suppress anger”. He in accordance with the verse stood still where he was. Then, the slave recited the second part i.e. “and pardon men” Hearing this, Hassan promptly complied with the divine PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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Practicability of Islamic Morals and Implications for the 21st Century behest and said “Go, I pardon thee”. Then, the slave recited the last part of the verse i.e. “and Allah loves those who do good”. In obedience to this command of God Hassan at once set the slave free. The case described above showed the three stages of dealing with people i.e. the levels of morality. At first, a spiritual wayfarer when offended, restrains or suppress anger. In the second he goes a step further and grants forgiveness and free pardon. In the third stage, he grants a pardon plus some sort of favours. The life of Umar (ra) is replete with examples of the life of a man who is not just the spiritual leader of the Muslims, but an epitome of morality. He used to carry food on his back for a helpless old woman who lives out of town. Umar felt the need to cater for his people and knew he would be held accountable for his doings. Another soul lifting example was the case of the Makh Zumiyah woman who stole a property and Usman (ra) was called to intercede on her behalf with the messenger of Allah. The Messenger replied with a sermon which reads “O ye people! Verily the cause of destruction of those nations before you is that whenever a noble among them stole they left him, but when a weak among them stole they executed the punishment on him/her”. He added, “if Fatimah bint Mohammad should steal, I would have cut her hand”. He then ordered for the amputation of the woman's hands. Overcoming Vices In order to achieve morality and virtue, it is necessary that a resolve comes from our hearts to change. After all, as a man thinketh in his heart so he is. An earnest desire to attain goodness is all that matters. Quran 13:12 corroborates this fact. In our tumultuous times, it is important that man should turn to prayer and istighfar which are necessary for him to locate the path unto his Lord and help him to remain on that path. Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmad Ahmad (ra), the second successor of the Promised Messiah (as) had given an exposition on how to grow in the morality and spirituality cadre. He identified that the distinction which existed between morality and spirituality exists only in that one is in relation to man, the other, God. Hence, he believed both could be tackled by eliminating vice, exhorting virtue and
seeking forgiveness. He particularly identified the following: ? Acquisition of thorough knowledge of right and wrong/vice and virtue ? Knowledge of appropriate vice of each of the above ? Self examination ? Frequent recourse to Istighfar ? Effort to acquire cognition and recognition of God ? Reflection over the consequences of good and evil ? Effort to reflect divine qualities It is important that the ego of our thoughts is channeled. This is especially important for us all and children in particular as they need to be modeled towards good. On prayer, we should be regular, and pray for protection against the incitements of Satan. We should uproot every evil in our mind such that we keep our minds free of filth. Just as a gardener keeps his garden free from weeds and grows only the flowers and fruits of his own choice, so may we cultivate the garden of our minds by weeding out undesirable thoughts and planting only noble, pure, and virtuous ones which will grow, bloom and colour our character with their fragrance and splendour. In the battle against sin, we should remember that a strong mental attitude, built in a physically fit and exercised body with proper diet and right attitude to life is important in creating an individual without psychosomatic extrapolations of spiritual illness. This is because in many cases spiritual maladies are occasioned by imagination like physical illness. Conclusion It is important to note that the basics morality lies in the mind. This is the initial place where actions take place. Hence, in order to build a strong mind with moral virtues, it is important we built a strong mental attitude, or ego with decision to imbibe virtue and shun evil while praying for forgiveness and mercy of Allah in our resolve to doing this. The above exposition aims to open our eyes that those who were epitome of morality in our life were humans and though the 21st century is filled with all sorts of temptations, it is indeed possible. Posterity shall judge if we fail. Hence, we must not fail.
Question: What is Islam? Answer: Find out here www.alislam.org; www.askislam.org; www.ahmadiyyang.org; www.mka-ng.org PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN
Introducing the MKAN Uniform Edun Abdul-Fatai A. Introduction uniform is worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. A uniform can provide group identity to members of such organisations. Members of the MAJLIS Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Nigeria, the youth group of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam also has a uniform. This article seeks to introduce to readers the uniform of MKAN. However, before delving into a detailed write up, it is pertinent we give an explanation of the three key concepts in the first phrase: (i) Majlis (ii) Khuddamul Ahmadiyyah (iii) Uniform. Majlis is an Arabic word which means body; association; committee; organization. Khuddamul-Ahmadiyyah is a compound word. In this word, Khuddam identifies the subgroup within the larger Ahmadiyyah group. The former literally means servants. It connotes youths. The latter is the name given to the (Jam'aat) movement founded by the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). In the technical translation therefore, Khuddamul Ahmadiyyah means Ahmadiyyah youths. Majlis Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya is the youth branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It is for male members of
A
the community from the age of 15 until age of 40. Uniform: The word 'uniform' could be used in both the adjective and noun form. In its adjective form, the Online Free Dictionary describes it as: 1. Always the same, as in character or degree; unvarying. 2. Conforming to one principle, standard, or rule; consistent. 3. Being the same as or consonant with another or others. 4. Unvaried in texture, color, or design. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, a uniform is the special set of clothes worn by all members of an organization or a group at work, or by children at school. The Online Free Dictionary says it is “a distinctive outfit intended to identify those who wear it as members of a specific group.” The uniform of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyyah is therefore the special set of clothes that are worn by the members of Ahmadiyyah between the ages of fifteen and forty (15 40). The Majlis has four sets of uniform namely: (i) The Standard Uniform: This is the Black and White uniform usually worn by all members of the Majlis. It is the standard uniform for MKAN members. (ii) The Jungle Uniform: This is meant for the special squad and the Sadr Sahib. This is also black and white. (iii) The Ceremonial Uniform: This is meant for Sadr PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN Article
Introducing the MKAN Uniform and the national Zaiq Atfal. This uniform is purely white. (iv) The Brown and Black Uniform: This is meant for all the members of the Majlis. It is worn during waqare'amal (Physical labour) exercises. Proper Way of Wearing the Uniform According to the definition given above, uniform is the set of clothes worn by the members of an organization to ensure a level of sameness. Therefore, it will be an aberration to wear the uniform according to the wishes of an individual member. In order to prevent the improper use of the MKAN uniform, this article strives to educate us about the way the uniform should be worn. First of all, if we want to wear the general uniform which is meant for all the members; it must not be mixed up with that of the special squad uniform. General uniform consist of normal black trousers; not a jean trouser, a model white jacket that is recently reviewed by the Mulk and not an haphazard jacket; a normal black shoe not sandals and finally a black cap that is taped round with white. The Jungle Uniform: Unlike the general uniform, this set of uniform is worn by only the Sadr and the special squad. This set of uniform consists of a jungle or combat trousers; the white jacket; jungle hat or cap; belt; boot. The jacket should be tucked in. The Ceremonial Uniform: The beneficiaries have already been mentioned above. The uniform is purely white together with a white shoe. The Waqare amal Uniform: It is worn whenever there is any physical labour to do. It can be worn with sandals or shoe or even slippers, depending on the nature of the work.
says: the mahdi will descend by the white minaret in the eastern direction of Damascus. The minaret denotes light but technically, it means that the person who bears is a bearer of divine light. The bearer should combine divine knowledge with personal purity. Crescent is also part of the symbols which means the symbol of Islam, the bearer should also be mature enough to represent Islam anywhere he is. Sun: The Holy Prophet himself is the sun that gives light and illumination to all other things. On the final note, the white jacket on the black trousers connotes the light on darkness. Therefore, the office bearers should represent the light. Conclusion All the foregoing could be summarized in a table of Do's and Don'ts. ? If you wear the general uniform, don't wear the jungle boot; cap or the big belt. ? If you don't have a complete uniform, don't wear the uniform at all. ? If you wear a special squad uniform, you must tuck in the jacket and wear the boot and not ordinary shoes. ? Don't wear a jean trouser with any of the MKAN uniform. ? Don't wear the epaulette that is not meant for your office. ? Don't wear your cap while eating. ? Put on your uniform anytime there is a meeting of the Majlis and any other time there is a Jama'at program. On the final note, I implore all members of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyyah, not only the officers, to be in the best of their character wherever they find themselves.
Epaulettes and its Connotations Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyyah's motto is models for world youths. One of the recent achievements of the organization is the conspicuous change in the officers' epaulettes, where “stars” have been made part of some officers' ranks, most especially the Sadr; his Naibin; Ilaqa Qaideen; Muhtamim; Dilla Qaideen; Muqamin Qaideen etc. This star has a spiritual connotation; we should not equate it or compare it with stars placed on the shoulders of officers in other uniform organizations. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said: “My companions are like stars…” In other words, any of the Majlis officers who has a star should know he is representing the prophet. Therefore, the more the star; the more the responsibility on one's shoulders. In addition, apart from the star, there are also other symbols on the epaulette. The Minaret is also part of the epaulette which signifies the advent of the Promised Messiah. The Holy Prophet
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AL-‘IRFAN
Introducing the MKAN Epaulette
Sadr
State Qaid
Mulk Officer
Dila Qaid
Dila Officer
Naib Sadr
State Naib Qaid
State Officer
Dila Naib Qaid
Muqami Qaid PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN
Introducing the MKAN Epaulette
Muqami Officer
Zaiq Atfal National
Zaim
Naib Zaiq Atfal National
Zaiq Atfal State
Zaiq Atfal Dila
Saeeq Atfal Muqami
Missionary
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AL-‘IRFAN
From Servants to Helpers The Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, the male youth wing of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at recruits its members fbetween the ages of 15 and 40. Literally, Khadim means a servant, that is somebody who uses his physical strength. As the internal structure of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is an age-grouped one, male members move on to join the Majlis Ansarullah on the attainment of age 40. Ansarullah literally means the Helpers of Allah. As a tradition, the Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Nigeria celebrates its members as they reach this golden age, bidding them farewell as they join the Elder’s Club. This year, 2012, many members move from being servants to being helpers. In this short biographical note, we celebrate our heroes.
Abdus-Samiu Adewale Morenikeji
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orn in Ibadan, B r o t h e r Morenikeji AbdusSamiu Adewale attended the St. Luke's Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan between 1983 and 1988 before proceeding to the then Ogun State Polytechnic, now known as the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta between 1989 and 1995 to study Architecture. Architect Morenikeji joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at just after his high school education, and has remained committed to serving the Jama'at in varying capacities. Between 1987 and 1989, he was the President of the Ahmadi Muslim Students' Association (AMSA) in Ibadan. This was the formative years of the dynamic student body and the leadership qualities of Mr. Morenikeji came to bear on the solid foundation he laid for the organisation then. He soon assumed other positions within the students' group, among which were as Financial Secretary of the Ogun State Branch (1992 - 1995) and later as the President of the organisation in South-West states of Nigeria comprising six Yoruba speaking states between 1996 and 1999. As a member of the Khuddam Organisation, Architect Morenikeji served as the Coordinator (Zaim) for the Coca-Cola Zone (1997 - 1999), Finance Officer (Nazim Mal) Coca-Cola Chapter (1998 - 1999), Deputy Officer for Children (Old Ibadan Dil'a) (1999 - 2000), District President (Dil'a Qaid) Ibadan (2001- 2006), Oyo State President (Qaid) (2007 - 2010) and as National Deputy President in Charge of Administration (Naib Sadr Admin) (2010 - 2011). Architect Morenikeji has also used his professional expertise in serving the Ahmadiyya community, having served as a member of the National Building Committee of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at in Nigeria. Married with children, Architect Morenikeji is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. May Allah reward him for his sacrifices. Amin.
Sarafa Olawale Abdullah
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rother Sarafa O l a w a l e Abdullah was born in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. Schooled at the Muslim Primary School and Ijebu Ode Grammar School in his native Ijebu Ode, Mr. Abdullah desired to learn more. To do that, he enrolled at the then Ogun State College of Education, which later became Tai Solarin College of Education to study Political Science & Economics between 1990 and 1993. He earned a Bachelor Degree in Economics in 1999 from the Ogun State University Ago-Iwoye. He later studied at the prestigious University of Lagos between 2006 and 2008 to earn a Master of Science Degree in Measurement & Evaluation. Mr. Abdullah joined the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, Abeokuta in 1995 awhere he has risen in ranks. He has taught in Social Science Department in high schools and served as the Assistant Secretary of National Association of Small Scale Industrialist (NASSI) in Ogun State. An avid learner and industrialist, Mr. Abdullah is competent in making soap, cream, candle, beads and has attended programs on the use of computer in speeding up processes. To add to this, Mr. Abdullah is a seasoned politician and community mobiliser. As a member of the Majlis Khuddam, Mr. Abdullah has served variously in his native Ijebu land on Ahmadi committees, rising through the Ahmadi student group (AMSA) to becoming the President of the Ahmadi community in Ikenne, a position he has held since 2007. Happily married with children, Mr. Abdullah has demonstrated his unalloyed love, devotion to the development of Islam and progress of not only Islamic organization but to humanity in general.
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AL-‘IRFAN Biography
From Servants to Helpers Abdul-Hafiz Akintayo Omoyele
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orn in Lagos, Brother Abdul Hafiz Akintayo Omoyele started his education at the Ahmad Memorial Muslim School, Agege, Lagos State. From there, he continued his post primary school education at the Community Grammar School, Akowonjo and Ikeja High School, Ikeja both in Lagos State. He also attended the African Church Teachers' College, Ifako, Lagos State, where he obtained Grade II Teacher's Certificate. He later graduated with an LL.B (Honours) in Common and Islamic Law at the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Mr. Omoyele started his stewardship with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at in 1990 when he was appointed the Coordinator for Children (Nazeem Atfal), Agege Chapter, Lagos State. He became the Muhtamim Umumi (Minister for Special Duties) for the Majlis Khuddam in 1992. He stayed in this position till 1995 when he was appointed as the Muhtamim Atfal (Deputy Minister for Children). He served concurrently as the Officer in Charge of Preaching (Tabligh) at his local mosque in Agege Lagos. By 1997, he served as the Deputy Minister for Ethics and Moral Conduct (Tarbiyya) for the Khuddam Organisation. In 1999, Mr. Omoyele was elected as the President of the Ahmadi Muslim Students' Association at the University of Ilorin. He rose to become the National President of more than a thousand strong Ahmadi Muslim Students' Association in Nigeria in 2002. He led the association which focuses on the educational excellence and spiritual growth until 2007. Being the leader of the Ahmadi students in Nigeria, Mr. Omoyele sat on the executive council of the Khuddam Organisation as an ex-officio member. At the expiration of his tenure as student leader in 2006, he was appointed as the Minister in Charge of the Good Path Scheme (the Tahrik-Jadid), a special Charity scheme in the Ahmadiyya Jama'at which seeks to help the needy and raise people of forlorn hope. Among the many aims of the Tahrik Jadd scheme was the building of schools, hospitals, mosques, and publishing of educational materials. In 2008, he was appointed Minister for Ethics and Moral Conduct (Tarbiyya) and later as the Minister for Education (Taleem) in 2010. His last appointment with the Khuddam Organisation was as the Minister for Children which he assumed in 2011. Over his two decades as a leader in the Khuddam Organisation, Mr Omoyele distinguished himself as a person of clear vision and capable of achieving tasks. May Allah reward him for his sacrifice. Amin.
Abdul-Hakeem Salaudeen & Abdur Rashid Ashiru
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et me introduce you to the stories of two brothers, both from Iseyin, a city about 100 kilometres, north of Ibadan, in Oyo State. A description of Iseyin people notes them as tenacious and people endowed with an abundance of will power. And that tenacity is the common bind that binds these brothers in this story. One left his hometown to learn how to become a roadside mechanic in Ibadan. Today, he can boast of a National Certificate in Education. The other rose from being a mere factory worker to becoming a Fleet Manager. These are two brothers who arebound together not only by a common ancestry but also by the spiritual bond of being Ahmadi Muslims. Brother Abdul Hakeem Salaudeen had his elementary education in his native Iseyin and proceeded to the Muslim Secondary School. Thereafter, Ibadan came calling. He left his native town in 1990 to train in auto-mechanics. This training was not by any standard curricula. It was an observe-and-follow-suit situation. He completed this training in 1994 and became a mechanic. But it was the tenacity characteristic of the Iseyin blood that made him want to continue his studies. Being a roadside mechanic was not enough. So Mr. Salaudeen enrolled in classes until he graduated from the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun with a National Certificate in Education in 2009. Mr. Salaudden joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at in 1995, and was soon integrated into the Khuddam Organisation. Here, he became physically involved in physical labour, becoming the Officer in Charge for Manual Labour in the Apata Sector of Oyo State. He soon became the state coordinator in this department. As the officer in charge, Mr. Salaudeen extolled the dignity in physical labour especially when this is done for the good of the community. During his service, he led Khuddam members on activities such as cleaning community water ways, cutting down bushes, helping direct traffic when congestion might disturb traffic flow and so on. Brother Abdur Rashid Ashiru also had both his elementary and high school education in his native Iseyin town. By 1988, he worked as a farm manager in Kwara State. Within his career journey, he had worked in a factory, rising through many positions to become a Fleet Manager with a major transport network. A 2004 graduate of Economics from the Lagos State University, Mr. Ashiru is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management. As an Ahmadi Muslim, Mr. Ashiru has served in various capacities including as the leader of the local Festac Town chapter of the Khuddam Organisation. May Allah accept their sacrifices. Amin.
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AL-‘IRFAN
Atfal Zone
How To Perform Ablution
W
udu is not just a ritual, but a practical means by which Muslims and others may seek to remain clean and maintain good hygiene. It mentally Prepare Muslims for the Salat (prayers),As Salat(prayers) is an Important Pillar (among Five Pillar) of Muslim Faith.It is this period when a person is most nearer to his Lord-Almighty ALLAH (swt) Muslims need to be in a state of Wudu in order to perform Salat or read and handle The Holy Qur'an. Say Bismillah; "In the name of Allah,"(silently, in your head, not out loud)
1 Wash your hands. Use your left hand to wash your right hand (3 times). After that, using your right hand, wash your left hand. (3 times). 2 Wash your whole mouth & upper part of throat Do this thoroughly to get all the remaining food in your mouth out. (3 times). 3 Inhale (or "throw") water into your nose. After which you will blow the water out. (3 times). 4 Wash your face completely by spreading your hands from your right ear to the left, and
from the edge of the hair to the chin. (3 times). 5 Wash your lower arms from wrists to elbows,leave no part dry Wash your right arm with your left hand (3 times) and then wash your left arm with your right hand (3 times) 6 Wipe your head. Using your wet hands, just gently wipe your head from front to back and back to front (once). 7 Wipe your ears inside and out by putting finger in all crevices of ear and thumb behind it, wiping down. (Once). 8 Wash each of your feet. Do so up to the ankles (3 times)and be sure water goes between the toes. Or instead you can perform mas-h, if you have the needed requirements for doing it. 9 Recite the following: Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahuu laa shariikalah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhuu wa rasuuluh Allahumaj'alni minat-tawwabina waj'alni minal mutatah-hirin. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is his servant and messenger.� O Allah make me of those who seek forgiveness and make me of those who are cleansed.
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AL-‘IRFAN
The Lagos State MKAN C-BEST Initiative
I
n March 2011, MKAN Lagos State launched her integrated human development programme tagged 'C-BEST' Initiative. The initiative was developed by experts drawn from various fields of human endeavor. C-BEST is an acronym representing Career Development Forum; Business Forum; Employment Forum; Social Forum and Technical Forum. The main aim of the Career Development Forum is to render regular Tutorial Programmes and Guidance and Counseling Sessions for students in the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions towards improving their education standards. The Business Forum has as its core function the development of business skills, writing business proposals and basic business management skill for the self employed youths. The Employment Forum aims at encouraging the employed and job-seekers to pick up further professional qualifications in their respective fields of human endeavor through organizing regular purpose-oriented seminars and workshops. Job-seekers are also trained on self packaging skills including development of a job-winning CV, Cover Letters, etc. Riding on the belief that human beings are social beings, the Social Forum aims at educating the target audience on basic relationship management and human interaction skills towards a more friendly, socially acceptable and accommodating attitudes. The Technical Forum has two core functions- to train youths on the use of computers through intensive regular practical-based coaching sessions, and to encourage youth artisans to sit for trade test examinations in their chosen disciplines. Modest Achievements: Since inception, the following activities have been implemented and/or ongoing: 1. Success Seminars for Youth: The Seminar is organized annually to re-orientate youth on seeking success and opening up their visions for greater achievements though the use of interactive MsPowerPoint Presentations, Life experiences and case studies. The target audience includes fresh school leavers, undergraduates, fresh graduates and artisans. Some of the topics discussed at the Seminar include: Vision and Aspirations, Friendship and Peer Pressures, Principles of Success, Confidence Building and Selfesteem, Choosing a Career, etc. We have held two editions of the Seminar in April 2011 and January 2012 respectively at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Hall, Somolu. 2. Examination Preparation Training: This training programme is designed to provide adequate tips
that would aid students' preparations for their examinations. Apart from the Team's Focus on individual subjects, this training also provide participants with reallife experiences on best ways to handle types of examination conditions including proper time management, question-answering skills, etc. The target audiences are the students preparing for UTME and SSCE Examinations. This programme is an ongoing event at our Ahmadiyya Muslim Hall, Somolu. Large proportions of the participants at the maiden event have confirmed their admissions into different Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education. 3. Computer Training Programme: This is a 6month training programme designed for youth to develop their basic computer skills. The programmes handled include Ms-Office Suites (Ms-Word, Ms-Excel, MsPowerPoint and Ms-Access), Internet Appreciation and basic computer operation and data management skills. The maiden edition of the programme held between May and November, 2011 at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Hall, Somolu. Members of the Team donated 3 desktop computer system and a Laptop to train the first batch of the participants. To maintain high level standard of the training, only computer graduates were allowed to train students in the classes, and 60% was stipulated as the mandatory pass mark. At the completion of the theoretical exams (40%) and practical evaluations (60%), only 7 students were successful and awarded certificates. A lady came first in the Class. The second batch of the Computer training programme commenced in May 2012 at Ahmadiyya Muslim Jammat, Mushin. The programme for this batch is upgraded to include Networking and GSM Repairs. 4. Leadership Training Programme: This is an annual event designed to empower youths become great leaders. Due to the maturity required for a programme of this nature, only experienced speakers/leaders are invited to present at the events. The maiden event was held in June 2011 at the Youth House, Yaba. Some of the speakers invited at the maiden event include: Dr. Hakeem Bakare; Group Head, Corporate Strategy at SystemSpecs Limited, Lagos; 08191241808 and Dr. AbdRahman Abdullah; Associate Professor at Babcock University, Ogun State; 08035363338 The theme of the programme is: Building Quality Leaders for Great Successes. The second edition is planned for July 2012.
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AL-‘IRFAN Spotlight
The Lagos State MKAN C-BEST Initiative 5. Business Seminar: This is an annual event designed to empower youths become business managers and employers of labour. The seminar aimed at providing youth with proposal writing skills, basic accounting and business management skills, importance of saving and financial discipline, project financing sources, etc The maiden event of this seminar was held at the Ahmadiyya Mosque, Somolu in November, 2011. Only business men/experts are also invited to present at these events. Some of the speakers invited at the maiden event are: Mr. Abass Iromini, Senior Manager at Union Bank Nigeria Plc and Mr. Fisayo Akinlolu, a real-estate consultant with multi-million Naira projects across the South-Western part of Nigeria. The second edition is planned for October 2012. 6. CBEST Success Magazine: Production of the CBEST Success Magazine is at the final stage. The magazine is designed to be a quarterly magazine that will regularly discuss contemporary issues on leadership, success tips, visions and aspirations, health tips, etc 7. Financing of Project Proposals: The CBEST Team does call for business proposals from youth. These proposals are screened. Individuals that submitted shortlisted proposals are later linked up with MicroFinance Banks for financing. At the moment, projects of 2 youths are at final stage of review by 2 MFBs in Ogun and Oyo States. The projects are on Livestock and Crop Plantation.
8. CBEST Online Page The CBEST Online page has proven to be a veritable tool for sharing quality information on Islam and tenets of the Deen; job opportunities, motivations and other self empowerment initiatives. As at August 2012, the Forum has about 210 Ahmadi members (male and female). We do encourage more members to join the forum towards benefiting from the opportunities offered therefrom. 9. Proposed Agricultural Projects on Ahmadiyya Land, Ilaro, Ogun State: In its determination to further empower the Khuddam and provide employment opportunities to members, the CBEST has drafted plans to commence agricultural productions. The projects which are estimated to generate more than 500 jobs for members are to be managed as a commercial venture to ensure its sustainability. The CBEST Agro-Project is designed into five phases namely; Phase 1- Fishery Phase 2- Poultry and Crop Plantation Phase 3- Food Processing Phase 4- Biotechnology Phase 5- Training and Development We implore all members to identify with and support this initiative towards bringing about the much needed improvement in the Majlis in particular and Jamaat in general. Yours in Islam (234) 7068820428 mkancbest@gmail.com
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AL-‘IRFAN
Being an Entrepreneur AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh
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tarting a business is never easy even in more advanced countries, not to talk of Nigeria where there are enormous environmental challenges to drive such businesses. In Nigeria, challenges confronting businesses include manpower, capital base, electricity and security issues. This is why it is important to salute the courage of entrepreneurs in the country, like Hajiya Risikat Brimoh who established and run a livestock farm. In a chat with AlIrfan, she leads us on an insight into her source of motivation. Starting Up Hajiya Brimoh started poultry business as a hobby. According to her, she has never learnt to give up on ideas so the more there are stumbling blocks in the way of attaining her dreams, the more she pressed forward to do more. But it is not always rosy, she said, noting that any prospective entrepreneur needs three levels of skills and competencies in order to be successful. “Education is very significant for several reasons. It provides the entrepreneur with the means by which information about the business environment could be acquired and processed. A level of knowledge acquired through formal and informal education is required. Also, technical and managerial training and expertise enable the
entrepreneur to overcome production and supervisory problems. In-between all of this, experience plays a major role in the organization and management of the enterprise,� she said. One of the challenges of start-up businesses is gathering sufficient capital. For Hajiya Brimoh, the initial capital came from personal family savings and support from her husband, whom she described as a bastion of support. Getting On It is not enough to start a business. The mark of successful businesses is their sustainability and their ability to draw a large customer base. This definitely is impacted upon by the attitude to work of the entrepreneur. For Hajiya Brimoh, a typical day starts with the offering of the Tahajjud prayer. Other household chores come in line and she ensures that she personally drops off her child at school before heading for her shop. She personally attends to the farm each day for her routine supervision. It is after these that she retires to the family front once again. On an average, she puts in five hours to the farm in a day. Sustaining the business also means that she acquaints herself with new ideas. To do this, she reads, attend relevant seminars and relate with people from whom she can learn. She said that the most enduring part of her job has been marketing her products. This she does through
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AL-‘IRFAN Spotlight
Being an Entrepreneur
advertisements. Her life as an entrepreneur could just be characterised as busy, she said, noting that the sacrifice she has had to made in order for the business to be successful is denying herself of ordinary pleasures to devote her attention to work and family. Thoughts on Success For Hajiya Brimoh, the need to achieve more is the major drive. It is the inner drive for excellence. According to her, success is when one is able to achieve his/her set goals. To achieve long-term success, one must have both adequate planning and adequate funding. It is also important that the product/service being rendered to customers are of the highest quality they could ever get. However as much as one tries, one still needs the grace of God to be able to achieve one's full potentials as an entrepreneur. This is why she advises prospective entrepreneurs to be Godfearing, determined and modest. Moving Forward For many entrepreneurs, the greatest fear has been the sustainability of the business in the face of many challenges, especially cash-flow issues. This is because funds are needed for business expansion. Hajiya Brimoh
noted that this fear makes her wants to do more and put in her best in everything she does in her business. As she looks onto the successes of other entrepreneurs in her field, Hajiya Brimoh still dreams of expanding her farm into a fully mechanised poultry farm. She owes her success to Allah, the Almighty and to her husband who has been her source of inspiration. The Holy Qur'an has always been a source of inspiration too. Drawing a line between entrepreneurs and employees, she said: “the entrepreneur owns the business and is deeply attached to it. The workers work for the entrepreneur, many times with little attachment to the business.� PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
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AL-‘IRFAN
From the Holy Qur’an ‘Al-Irfan Advertisement Specifications
FULL PAGE
FULL PAGE Trim 8.5" x 11" Safety 7.75" x 10.25" Full Bleed 8.625" x 11.5”
PRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: Trim 8.5" x 11" Safety 7.75" x 10.25" Full Bleed 8.625" x 11.75”
1/3 PAGE VERT
1/2 PAGE HORIZONTAL
1/3 PAGE VERTICAL Ad space 2.5" x 10” Image 2.25" x 9.75"
HALF PAGE HORIZONTAL Ad space 7.5" x 5" Image 7.25" x 4.75"
1/4 PAGE
1/4 PAGE Ad space 3.75" x 5" Image 3.5" x 4.75"
1/8 PAGE 1/8 PAGE Ad space 3.75" x 2.5” Image 3.5" x 2.25"
* Note all single page Fractional ads will have .125” white border around them and are not to bleed. File Submission Specs: Acceptable file formats: JPEGS@ 300 dpi, TIFFS@300 dpi, High Res Print ready PDF, Illustrator EPS & AI, & Adobe Indesign CS4. Note: When submitting Art files, please ensure fonts and images are provided. Al- ‘Irfan is not responsible for any font substitution, due to fonts not being provided. All Ad’s will be scaled to fit proportionally within the purchased ad space. Please design ad to image size in specs provided. For further info please email: al-irfan@mka-ng.org.
PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2012
10 Conditions of Bai’at Condition I The initiate shall solemnly promise that he/she shall abstain from shirk [associating any partner with God] right up to the day of his/ her death. Condition II That he/she shall keep away from falsehood, fornication/adultery, trespasses of the eye, debauchery, dissipation, cruelty, dishonesty, mischief and rebellion; and that he/she w ill not permit himself/herself to be carried away by passions, however strong they might be. Condition III That he/she shall regularly offer t he five daily Prayers in accordance with the commandments of God and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and shall try his/her best to be regular in offering the Tahajjud and invoking durud on the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. That he/she shall make it his/her daily routine to ask forgiveness for his/her sins, to remember the bounties of God and to praise and glorify Him. Condition IV That under the impulse of any passions, he/she shall cause no harm whatsoever to the creatures of God in general and Muslims in particular, neither by his/her tongue, hands, nor any other means. Condition V That he/she shall remain faithful to God in all circumstances of life, in sorrow and in happiness, in adversity and in prosperity, in felicity and in trial; and that he/she shall in all conditions remain resigned to the decree of God and keep himself/ herself ready to face all kinds of indignities and sufferings in His way and shall never turn away from Him at the onslaught of any misfortune; on the contrary, he/she shall march forward. Condition VI That he/she shall refrain from following un- Islamic customs and lustful inclinations and shall completely submit himself/herself to the authority of t he Holy Qur'an; and that he/she shall make the Word of God and the sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa his/her guiding principles in every walk of his/ her life. Condition VII That he/she shall entirely give up pride and van it y and shall pass all his/her life in humbleness, cheerfulness, forbearance and meekness. Condition VIII That he/she shall hold faith, the honour of faith and the cause of Islam dearer than his/her life, wealth, honour, children, and all loved ones. Condition IX That he/she shall keep himself/ herself occupied in the service of God's creatures for His sake only and shall endeavour towards the beneficence of mankind to the best of his/her God-given abilities and powers. Condition X That he/she shall enter into a bond of brotherhood with this humble servant of God, pledging obedience to me in everything good for the sake of God, and remain faithful to it until the day of his/her death. That he/she shall exert such a high devotion in the observance of this bond as is not to be found in any other worldly relationship and connection
LAGOS STATE MKAN C-BEST
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