Editorial:: July 2006, Vol.101, No.7

CONTENTS July 2006, Vol.101, No.
Editorial: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Fazal Ahmad, London – UK
Essence of Islam – Part 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Devotion to the Holy Prophet(sa) and some poems in his rememberance.
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) – Promised Messiah and Mahdi
Punishment for Apostasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

How the traditions of Islam have been misinterpreted to suggest that Islam prescribes
death penalty for apostasy.
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru) – Khalifatul Masih IV
The Acropolis: Its significance in the development of religious

philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
History of the Acropolis and Athens and its significance in the development of
spiritual thought. Fazal Ahmad – London, UK
The Teacher of Righteousness of the Dead Sea Scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Study of the Teacher of Righteousness of the Dead Sea Scrolls and whether he
could be Jesus(as). Khalid Saifullah Khan – Australia
Taoist Yin-Yang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

A short look at how the Taoist philosophy of Yin-Yang compares to Islam and
its concept of the existence of God. Asim Rai – London, UK
COVER PIC:
Acropolis at Night – from BigStock Photo Library
Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah

Bockarie Tommy Kallon
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Mansoor Saqi Mr Mubarak Ahmad Zafar Abdul Ghany Jahangeer
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Mahmood Hanif Mr Mirza Fakhar Ahmad
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Navida Shahid All correspondence should The Review of Religions © Islamic Publications, 2006
Sarah Waseem be forwarded to the editor at: The London Mosque ISSN No: 0034-6721
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Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 1
EDITORIAL
Fazal Ahmad– New Malden, UK
Even though the practice in many way, when Islam reached its
so-called Muslim countries may zenith in Spain, Jews, Christians
lead to the opposite and Muslims lived in harmony
conclusion,freedom of speech and together, researched all faiths and
conscience are fundamental tenets beliefs, and inspired by the Greeks
of the faith of Islam. reached new heights in spiritual
understanding.
Recent cases have led to the
impression that turning away from Faith and religion are personal. It
Islam or any other faith (apostasy) is in man’s relationship with God,
is a sin punishable by death. In this that only God can understand the
issue we break that myth intentions and motives of a man in
categorically. This dilemma is not his actions. So if someone decides
limited to Islam. In the context of to accept a faith or to change a
the Teacher of Righteousness, we faith, this is a matter purely for the
can see how theological conflict individual concerned. Seeking
was exercised two thousand years knowledge is always a good thing,
ago in the Jewish community. and can only ever provide more
evidence for the truth. It is through
We also see an example in Athens seeking knowledge that we can
of where as soon as freedom of break down our own ignorance
thought and freedom of just as the Greeks and the early
conscience were established in the Muslims inspired by Islam did. In
5th century BCE, great advances today’s world, we must encourage
were made in theology and dialogue and research to remove
philosophy. A healthy respect for ignorance, and banish false views
and interest in other faiths raised about apostasy and jihad.
the understanding of the ancient
Greeks in a way that is still
appreciated today. In the same
2 The Review of Religions – July 2006

ESSENCE OF ISLAM:
Devotion to the Holy Prophet(saw) and Poems in
Rememberance of the Holy Prophet(saw) – Part 9
This series sets out, in the words of the Promised Messiah(as), Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad, a summary of his exposition of four outstanding topics: ISLAM; ALLAH,
THE EXALTED; THE HOLY PROPHET(sa) and THE HOLY QUR’AN. The original
compilation, in Urdu, from which these extracts have been translated into English, was
collated with great care and diligence by Syed Daud Ahmad Sahib, Allah have mercy
on him and reward him graciously for his great labour of love. Amin. The English
rendering is by the late Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, may Allah be pleased with
him, and is quoted from The Essence of Islam, Volume 1. All references throughout,
unless otherwise specifically mentioned, are from the Holy Qur’an.
In our estimation, there is no prefer to die rather than endure

greater testimony than the the disgrace that they should
testimony of the Holy make peace and become friends
Prophet . My heart trembles
(saw) with such people who are
when I hear that any person who occupied day and night with
is confronted with a decision of abusing the Holy Prophet(saw) and
the Holy Prophet(saw) does not mention his name with contempt
accept it and turns away from it. in their books, journals, and
(Itmam-ul-Hujjah, Ruhani announcements and use vile
Khazain, Vol. 8, p.293) language with reference to him.
Such persons are not the well-
The Muslims are a people who wishers even of their own
are ready to lay down their lives people, for they create num-
to uphold the honour of their berless difficulties for them. I tell
Holy Prophet(saw). They would you truly that it is possible for us
The Review of Religions – July 2006 3

ESSENCE OF ISLAM – PART 9
to make peace with the serpents

of the jungle and the wild beasts
of the forests, but we cannot
make peace with those who do
not refrain from speaking ill of
God’s Prophets and who consider
that abuse and vituperation mean
victory. True victory is that
which comes from heaven.
(Chashma-e-Ma’rifat, Ruhani
Khaza’in, Vol.23, pp. 385-386)
The insults that have been The founder of the Ahmadiyya

offered to Islam and the Holy Muslim community was Hadhrat
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as).
Prophet(saw), the attacks that have The founder of the Ahmadiyya
been made against Divine Law Muslim community was Hadhrat
and the apostasies and heresies Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). In 1891,
that have become widespread, he claimed, on the basis of Divine
revelation, that he was the Promised
cannot be matched in any other Messiah and Mahdi whose advent
age. Is it not true that in a short had been foretold by Muhammad,
while in India alone a hundred the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace
thousand people have become and blessings of Allah be upon him)
and by the scriptures of other faiths.
Christians, and more than sixty
His claim constitutes the basis of the
million books have been beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
published in opposition to Islam, community.
and people belonging to high
families have lost their religion,
and those who used to describe abuse of the Holy Prophet(saw)
themselves as the descendants of have been published? My heart
the Holy Prophet(saw) have put on cries out with tears that if these
the garment of Christianity and people had murdered my
have become his enemies, and children before my eyes, and had
numberless books full of vile cut to pieces my sincere friends,

and had killed me with great Of this full moon that has
humiliation, and had possessed enchanted me.
themselves of all my property, I
would not have been so pained They shed tears in remembrance
and my heart would not have of your beauty;
been so hurt as it has been pained And the pangs of separation
and hurt by the insults offered to from you make them cry.
the Holy Prophet(saw).
( A’ i n a - e - K a m a l a t - e - I s l a m , I find hearts throbbing wildly;
Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 5, pp.51- And tears streaming from the
52) eyes.
Poems in Remembrance of the O ye who in his light and

Holy Prophet(saw) radiance is like the sun and
the moon;
Al-Qasidah – An Ode in Praise And has illumined the day with
of the Holy Prophet(saw) his light.
(Arabic Poem)
O fountainhead of Divine grace O full moon of ours, O the sign
and knowledge! All creation of our Gracious Lord! O the
flocks towards you like the most guided of all guides, and
thirsty. the bravest of all the brave.
O ocean of the grace of the I perceive in your bright face

Generous Benefactor! A quality far superior to human
Multitudes throng towards you qualities.
holding empty cups.
O sun of the kingdom of beauty He is genial, gracious,
and grace! bounteous, lover of
You have illumined the face of righteousness;
deserts and dwellings alike. Generous, and one who has
A nation had the honour to excelled all the youth.
behold you and another heard He surpasses all creation in his

perfection and beauty; between the two.

In his glory, and his pleasant
nature. He is the one and only archer
whose arrows never miss the
No doubt, Muhammad is the target;
best of creation; He is the master archer whose
He is the elect of the elect and arrows hit the target and kill the
chief of chiefs. Satan.
All excellence attained He is like a heavenly garden: I

perfection in his person; see his fruits;
The bounties of every age Whose bunches have been
reached their climax in him. lowered towards my heart.
I call Allah to witness that I found him an ocean of verities

Muhammad is His vicegerent; and guidance:
Through him alone access is Full of lustre like a pearl.
possible to the Divine court.
Verily ‘Isa-Jesus-quietly
He is the pride of every pious breathed his last, but our
and holy person; Prophet is alive;
In him does the spiritual army God is my witness, I have had
take pride. the honour to meet him.
He is superior to all those who I swear by Allah! I have

attained nearness to Allah in witnessed his beautiful
earlier times; countenance;
For the criterion of excellence is With my own eyes while sitting
virtue, not time. in my house.
A light drizzle often precedes Our Holy Prophet is alive-of this

rain; I am a witness; And I have been
But there is a world of difference blessed with the fruit of

converse with him. Are all saturated with your love.
I had the honour of witnessing O garden of my delight, never

his blessed countenance in my for a moment,
early youth; Am I without the remembrance
He graced me with his presence of your countenance.
when I was wide awake.
Overwhelmed with longing, my
Surely, I have been brought back body yearns to fly towards you;
to life by his life glvmg grace, If only I had the power to fly!!!
Praise be to Allah, What a (Aina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam,
miracle! What a life he has Ruhani Khaz’ain, Vol.5, pp.590-
granted me! 594)
O my Lord, shower Your

blessings upon the Holy Qualities of the Holy
Prophet, Prophet(saw) (Arabic Poem)
Ever and always, here and in O my Heart! remember Ahmad;
the hereafter. Source of guidance and
annihilator of enemies.
O my master! I have come to
your door as the one wronged He is pious, kind and
and aggrieved; benevolent;
For my people have hurt me by An ocean of bounties and
calling me a kafir. beneficence.
Do look upon me with mercy He is bright like the full moon;

and compassion! Praiseworthy in all his qualities.
O my master, I am the humblest
of your slaves. His benevolence captures
hearts; His beauty quenches the
O my beloved! My soul, my thirst.
senses, my heart; The oppressors rejected him,

So unjustly, and with such And extinguish the light of his

arrogance! guidance.
No one can deny the truth
When it becomes manifest. Sooner or later,
Allah will manifest his light.
Go and find someone perfect
like him; You will be humbled O rain that pours day and night,
and bewildered. You have been safeguarded from
destruction.
We have not seen anyone like
him You have nourished the trees of
Who so wakes up the sleeping low lands
ones. And high lands with your
bounties.
He is the light of God that has
resuscitated We have found you to be the
All branches of knowledge haven of refuge; Hence after
afresh. finding such a great haven,
We are no longer afraid of
He is the elect, the chosen one; adverse circumstances, Nor are
The guide, and the source of we scared of the horrors of any
grace. sword.
The rain of guidance is but a We fear not the vicissitudes of

part time;
Of the heavy rains of his Nor are we frightened by
generosity. threats.
The world forgot its light At the time of every crisis,

drizzle, We turn to our Lord.
When they saw the torrential
rain from this leader. In many a contest,
Today the mean try to put out Between me and the opposing

hordes, infonned you in time.

I emerged victorious, honoured,
And a recipient of divine No one came for a trial, even
succour. though
I challenged every opponent to
Praise be to Allah! Praise be to compete.
Him! As we have recognised our
guide. Come, O ye people! Herein you
will find the light of God;
My friend! It is Allah indeed, Lo! I have told you the way of
Who has favoured us with this satisfaction.
gift.
Today those lights are surging in
He is the Night of Decree, this humble one;
Whose bounties are perennial. I have coloured my heart with
(Karamat-us-Sadiqin, Ruhani every hue of those lights.
Khaz’ain, Vol.7, pp.70-71.)
Ever since I received that light
from the light of the Prophet,
The Faith of Muhammad(saw) – I have joined myself with the
(Urdu Poem): True One.
I let my fancy fly in all
directions, Countless blessings and peace
But I did not find a faith like the be upon Mustafa(sa);
faith of Muhammad. Allah is my witness: from Him I
received this light.
There is no religion which
shows the signs of truth; This My soul is forever wedded to the
fruit I tasted only in the garden soul of Muhammad(saw);
ofMuhammad. I have filled my heart to the
brim with this elixir.
I tested Islam myself – It is light
upon light; Wake up, I have I swear by your countenance, O

my dear Ahmad(saw); Whether it rises from the border

For your sake alone, have I of Rome or from Zanzibar?
taken up all this burden. (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, part v,
Ruhani Khaz’ain, Vol.21, p.144)
O my Beloved! I swear by Your
Uniqueness;
I have forgotten all about myself Grandeur of Ahmad(saw) –
in Your love. (Urdu Couplet)
(A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Beyond all thoughts and
Ruhani Khaz’ain, Vol. 5, imagination
pp.224-225) Is the status of Ahmad(sa);
Whose servant, you can see,
Is the Messiah of the age!
The Perfect Prophet(saw) – (Urdu (Haqiqatul Wahi, Ruhani
Couplets) Khaz’ain, Vol.22, pp.286,
The ignorant of Europe say: footnote)
‘This Prophet is not perfect;
What was the difficulty in
spreading faith among Our Leader(saw) (Urdu Poem)
theuncivilised?’ He is our leader, who is the
source of all light;
But to convert the uncivilised His name is Muhammad(saw); he
into civilised people is a alone is my beloved.
miracle;
Which manifests the meaning of All Prophets are holy, one better
the secret of Prophethood. than the other;
But from the Almighty, he is the
He brought the light from best ofthe creation.
heavens, he himself was light;
What is the harm if he was born He is far better than those
among an uncivilised people? before him, he is a darling in his
What difference does it make to qualities;
the light of the shining moon; Every eye is focused on him, he

is the full moon which dispels In his hands is the light of faith;
all darkness. he is the fountain of light.
Those who came earlier, were He revealed the weighty secrets

fatigued halfway; He it is of faith;
who brought us to the shore; He is the King who grants
May I be a sacrifice; he alone is wealth.
the guide.
I am a sacrifice at that light; I
He removed the screen, and belong entirely to him;
showed the secret path; He He is all, what worth do I
joined the hearts to the Beloved, possess? This is the final
such a friend he is! verdict.
That Friend, beyond all physical That Unique Beloved is the

limitations, that Unseen source of all learning;
Beloved; All else is a mere tale, this is the
We saw through him, so he is the truth unblemished.
true guide.
We found everything through
Today he is the King of faith; the him, O Allah You are a witness;
Crown of the apostles; He is He is that manifestor of Beauty,
pure and holy, this is his eulogy. who showed us the Truth.
All commandments ordained by We were blind of the heart, with

the True God were demonstrated hundreds of knots upon the
in practice by him; hearts;
He revealed all secrets, an The one who opened the locks is
excellent gift is this. this very Mujtaba – accepted
one.
His vision is far-reaching like a (Qadian Ke Arya aur Hum,
telescope, his heart is close to Ruhani Khaz’ain, vol.20, p.456).
the Friend;

Leader of the Lovers of God – are his devotees;

(Persian Poem) They are like dust at his
That sovereign of all the world; doorstep.
Whose name is Mustafa – the
chosen one; Love for him elevates one to the
Who is the elite of the lovers of heaven;
the True God; And transforms one like the
Who is bright like the midday lambent moon in purity.
sun.
He demonstrates to the
Verily, all light is due to his Pharaohs of every age,
light; Hundreds of signs like that of
He who is accepted by him is the white hand of Moses.
accepted by God. (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani
Khaz’ain, Vol.1, p.627, footnote)
He is the one that, for life, is the
flowing water;
And a limitless ocean of Muhammad(saw) is our Leader
spiritual insight. and Guide – (Persian Poem):
That Prophet whose name is
He it is in support of whose Muhammad;
truthfulness and excellence, We are forever holding on to his
Hundreds of incontrovertible lap.
proofs and arguments have been
made manifest to the world. His love that entered our bodies
with the milk of our mothers;
His countenance radiates the Became our very life, and will
light of God; last till death.
His path manifests the works of He is the best of the Prophets

God. and best of the creation;
Prophethood found perfection in
All Prophets and truthful ones him.

We drink deep the water of his meaning Unique. The line

fountain, purports to say that by freeing
Whoever has been satiated, has himself completely from his
been satiated by it. own self, the Holy Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah
Whatever revelation or upon him) became a true
inspiration is granted to us; manifestation of Allah, the
Is because of him, not because Unique.
of us.
Through him are we blessed

with guidance and
perfection;
Without him, meeting the
Eternal Lord is impossible.
To follow every one of his

commandments is ingrained
in me;
Whatever is proven to be from
him is my faith.
(Siraj-e-Munir, Ruhani
Khaz’ain, Vol.12, p.85)
* Ahmad is composed of four

Arabic letters – Alif, Ha, Mim,
and Dal. When the Mim is
dropped, the three remaining
letters – Alif, Ha, and Dal make
the word Ahad, which is an
attribute of Almighty Allah,

PUNISHMENT FOR
APOSTASY– Part 7, section 2
This is the second section of the seventh extract taken from the book Murder in
the Name of Allah by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru), dealing with the lack of
evidence and contrary arguments from the Holy Qur’an on the subject of
capital punishment related to someone changing one’s faith.
Continued from June 2006: would not dismount until the

person had been executed and
h) Reference needs to be made to observed that this was the
the appointments of Muadh b. judgement of God and His
Jabal and Abu Musa Ashari, each Messenger. This last remark
as governor of a part of Yemen. indicates no more than his
As they were about to leave, the personal opinion of what he
Holy Prophet(saw) instructed them: understood to be the Will of God
‘Make things easy for people and and His prophet. Such opinions
do not put them into difficulty. carry no weight in law unless they
Talk to them cheerfully and not in are completely substantiated by
a manner that might repel them’. references which verify the claim.
One day Muadh came to meet (This principle is elaborated
Abu Musa Ashari and noticed a subsequently in this chapter.)
person sitting there who had been
secured with a rope. When Muadh Now let us examine the reliability
enquired about this he was told of this tradition (of capital
that that person was a Jew who punishment for apostasy). Muaz’s
had become a Muslim and then remark contradicts the instruction
became an apostate. The narrator of the Holy Prophet(saw) to make
adds that for the past two to three things easy for people and not in a
months the Muslims had reasoned manner which might repel them.
with him in order to persuade him To place reliance on one tradition
to become a Muslim but to no without investigating Muaz’s
avail. Muadh declared that he understanding of Islam on a key
PUNISHMENT FOR APOSTASY
issue where human rights are been deferred to the end of this
involved is sheer absurdity. chapter so that justice may be
done to it without interfering with
Considerable doubt prevails the general flow of the subject
regarding this tradition, the chain matter.
of narrators and their authenticity.
Wherever such disputes arise, the Before a detailed examination of
tradition is rejected outright. It this tradition, a few words
should be remembered that these concerning the application of
traditions were compiled some certain principles accepted by
three to four centuries after the Islamic scholars throughout the
advent of Islam and that, over a ages would not be out of place.
passage of time, memories are These principles help to resolve
prone to error. According to one controversies concerning the
tradition, the Jew was beheaded apparent contradiction between
upon Muaz’s instructions.11 In the the Holy Qur’an and hadith
second tradition, Muaz himself (tradition) on the one hand and
beheaded the Jew. When such some traditions vis-a-vis other
fundamental differences occur in traditions.
a key incident, how can anyone
accept the authenticity of these 1. The Word of God stands
traditions? People may forget supreme.
what someone said, but if they 2. This is followed by the actual
were eye-witnesses they would at practice of the Holy Prophet of
least remember what ultimately Islam(saw). This is known as
happened to the ‘apostate’ in sunnah.
question. 3. This is followed by hadith, the
words reported to be those of
Next we turn to a tradition which the Holy Prophet(saw).
has obtained much attention
because it is strongly emphasised a) If the authenticity of the words
and relied upon by the school of the Holy Prophet(saw) is
advocating capital punishment for established unquestionably, the
apostacy. This has deliberately words concerned are words put

into the mouth of the Holy called tradition, but a genuine

Prophet(saw) by God Almighty. attempt is to be made to find an
Where there is no apparent explanation of the tradition.
contradiction between the word of Therefore in all cases of doubt,
the Holy Prophet(saw) and the the tradition is put to the anvil of
Qur’an, the tradition may be the Holy Qur’an and judged
accepted as authentic. accordingly.
b) There are no two opinions e) If there is no contradiction

regarding the accepted fact that between the Holy Qur’an and
whenever any so-called tradition hadith, then their mutual merit of
atttibuted to the Holy Prophet of credibility would be determined
Islam(saw) contradicts any clear according to the reliability of the
injunction of the Holy Qur’an, sources and the chain of narrators.
such a tradition is rejected as false
and is not accepted as the word of f) Such a tradition will also be
the Holy Prophet(saw). compared with other authentic
and widely accepted traditions to
c) If such a tradition does not make sure that the tradition does
glaringly violate any injunction of not conflict with other traditions.
the Holy Qur’an and there is room
for compromise, then ideally an g) Lastly, another reliable method
attempt should be made to search of investigating the credibility of
for a suitable compromise before a tradition is to study its internal
the final rejection of the tradition. evidence critically. If the contents
of the tradition clash with the
d) In attempting to reconcile a image of the Holy Prophet of
tradition attributed to the Holy Islam(saw) which has emerged from
Prophet(saw) with the Holy Qur’an, a study of his conduct and bearing
it must always be borne in mind throughout his life, then such a
that the clear teachings of the tradition would be rejected as a
Holy Qur’an are not to be false attribution to the Holy
compromised for the sake of a so- Prophet(saw) or as being against the

principles of logic and common Tradition

sense. It is recorded in Bukhari that:
In the light of the above ‘Ikramah relates that he heard

principles, let us examine13 the that some Zindeeqs were
tradition in question. presented before Hadhrat Ali
whereupon he directed the
Chapter Verses burning alive of these people.
lbn Abbas stated that had it
2
57, 100, 109, 218, 257,
273
been him, he would not have
ordered this because the Holy
3 21, 73, 86-92, 145
Prophet(saw) had said that the
4 83, 138, 139, 146
torment of the fire may only
5 55, 62, 91-93, 99-100 be decreed by God but the
6 67, 105-108, 126 Prophet had also said, 'Slay
7 124-129 whosoever changes his
9 11-14
religion.’ 14
10 100-109 This tradition, with some

13 41 variation, may also be found in
Tirmidhi, Abu Daud, Al-Nisa’i
15 10
and Ibn Majah’s compilations.
16 83, 105-107, 126 Contradiction with the Holy
20 72-74 Qur’an
It is not possible for a fair-minded
22 40
person to reconcile the following
24 55 verses of the Holy Qur’an with
25 42-44 this tradition:
The following passage is typical:
42 7, 8, 48, 49
17:55, 18:30, 19:47, 26:117, 28:57, Whoso seeks a religion other

29:19, 39:30-42, 40:26-27, 47:26, than Islam, it shall not be
50:46, 51:57, 64:9-13, 66:7, 88:22-23
accepted from him, and in the

life to come he shall be among shall have no helper.

the losers. How shall Allah (Ch.3: Vs.86-92)
guide a people who have
disbelieved after having It is obvious from these verses
believed and who had borne that no punishment is to be
witness that the Messenger is inflicted by one man on another
true and to him clear proofs for apostasy. The words
had come? Allah guides not ‘thereunder shall they abide’
the wrongdoers. Of such the clearly refer to the life hereafter.
punishment is that on them By no stretch of the imagination
shall be the curse of Allah and can any sane person interpret the
of angels and of men, all words ‘curse of Allah’ to be a
together; thereunder shall licence to murder anyone whom
they abide. Their punishment he considers to be an apostate. No
shall not be lightened nor capital punishment is mentioned.
shall they be granted respite; If it had, according to the strict
except in the case of those who requirements of the law, the
repent thereafter and amend. punishment would have been
Surely, Allah is Most clearly defined, as in the case of
Forgiving, Ever Merciful. all other hudud (punishments
Those who disbelieve after specifically prescribed in the Holy
having believed, and then Qur’an). On the contrary, the
continue to advance in Holy Qur’an mentions the
disbelief, their repentance possibility of repentance by such
shall not be accepted. Those persons and subsequent
are they who have gone utterly forgiveness by God. How can
astray. From anyone of those anyone repent and atone for his
who have disbelieved, and die sins in this world if he has been
while they are disbelievers, killed?
there shall not be accepted
even an earthful of gold, The advocates of capital
though he offer it in ransom. punishment for apostasy need to
For those there shall be a consider how, if their tradition is
grievous punishment, and they presumed to be accurate, the clear
contradiction between it and the teachings contained in the Holy

Holy Qur’an is to be resolved. In Qur’an.
particular, they should reconsider
their stance in view of the verses Conflicts with the practice of the
quoted above and re-examine Holy Prophet(saw)
those with an impartial mind. Our second source of law is the
How could anyone accredit conduct and personal example of
greater weight to such a dubious the Holy Prophet(saw). We have
tradition than to these manifestly already demonstrated the
clear dictates of the Holy Qur’an: hollowness of the claim that
anyone has ever been executed for
If thy Lord had enforced His the crime of apostasy.
Will, surely all those on the
earth would have believed After all, what was the stand of the
without exception. Will thou Holy Prophet(saw) against the
than take it upon thyself to Makkans? It was that he should be
force people to become allowed to profess and proclaim
believers? Except by Allah’s the message of God in peace. The
leave no one can believe and Makkans did not grant him this
He will afflict with His wrath freedom and punished those who
those who will not use their began to believe in him. As far as
understanding. the Makkans were concerned,
(Ch.10:Vs.100-1) those who believed in the
message of Muhammad(saw) were
When God Himself does not force the apostates, having recanted
people to believe, who are we to their faith of idol worship.
raise the sword to force belief or to
set Maududian mouse-traps? The The Holy Prophet(saw) spent his
problem with the advocates of entire life fighting in defence of
capital punishment for apostasy is the fundamental human rights that
that they invariably accept literally everybody should be free to
traditions compiled hundreds of choose his religion, no one should
years after the Holy Prophet(saw) change another person's religion
which obviously contradict the by force, and everybody has a

right to change his own religion, The obstinate response of the

whatever that religion is. opponents to this most logical and
humane stance was that they
In fact, this has been the true positively rejected the prophets’
meaning of ‘Holy War’, waged by position and stuck to their claim
all messengers of God against that the prophets had no right to
their opponents throughout the change the faith of their people. If
history of religion. The Holy they did not desist from this
Qur’an has repeatedly mentioned course, the prophets were to be
this with reference to earlier ready to accept the penalty for
prophets of God (see 2.5; 6.113; apostasy which was (in the
21.42; 25.32; 36.8, 31; 43.8). To opponents' opinion) no other than
name but a few, these are death or exile.
Abraham(as) (6.75-9; 19.47; 21.53,
59, 61, 69-70; 37.89-91, 98); The Holy Prophet’s(saw) struggle
Elias(as) (37.126-7); Lot(as) with his opponents was consistent
(26.166-8; 27.57;15.71); Noah(as) with the practice of all prophets of
(7.60; 10.72; 11.26-7; 26.117; the past. How can any sane person
71.2-21); Moses(as) (7.105- deny the lifetime mission of the
6,124¬7; 10.76-9; 17.102-3; Holy Prophet(saw) and challenge his
20.44-5; 50-3; 26.19-34); and firm stance on this fundamental
Jesus(as) (3.52-6; 5.118; 19.37; principle? The Holy Qur’an, the
43.65). What was their struggle practice of the Holy Prophet(saw),
about? It was simply a response to and the other traditions provide
the claim of the opponents of the ample contradiction to the
prophets(as) that they had no right tradition in question. One cannot
to change the faith of their over-emphasise the utter unrelia-
contemporaries. In fact every- bility of this tradition.
body has a right to choose his
faith and as long as the message Reliability of the sources and
of peace and love is spread by narrators
peaceful means, no one has the Prima facie, the tradition refuted
right to prevent this by force. here has been authenticated by the

reputable compilers Bukhari, only one chain of narrators

Tirmidhi, Abu Daud, Al-Nisa’i connected to the same single
and Ibn Majah; it is included in source) because all the five books
five out of the six generally of hadith derive their chain of
accepted compilations of hadith. narrators from Ikramah as their
But there ends its claim to ultimate source.
authenticity.
The late Maulana Abdul Hayy of
For a tradition to be declared Lucknow specifically refers to
authentic, it is not enough for it to Ikramah, pointing out that merely
be found in an authentic because Bukhari had included
compilation. There are other him in his compilation, others
established measures which are followed suit without carrying out
applied to every tradition. The independent research.15
most important among these
measures is the examination in A tradition may be authentic and
depth and detail of the reputation reliable even if it is quoted
and character of the narrators through a single chain of
forming the links in the chain of narrators. However, it cannot be
narrators. regarded as being as reliable as
traditions which have more than
There are scholars who have one chain of reliable narrators.
devoted their whole lifetime to Such traditions are not permitted
such studies and, thanks to their to influence edicts regarding the
most painstaking and thorough rights, liabilities and penalties; in
investigations, we are today in a particular, extra caution is
position to examine every link of required in relation to hodud.
the chain of narrators in any Hudud is a term strictly applicable
compilation. Let us turn our to punishments specifically
attention to the tradition under prescribed in the Holy Qur’an.
consideration. This hadith falls The exponents of death as the
into the category of ahad gharib penalty for apostasy consider their
(i.e., a tradition in which there is view to be based on Qur’anic

injunctions falling within the Abbasid period, (the Abbasids, it

category of hudud. In fact, we should be borne in mind, were
have disproved this claim earlier. extremely antagonistic because of
political apprehensions) to all
It is important to bear in mind that those who were in any way allied
the tradition under discussion is a to Hadhrat Ali’s progeny, Ikramah
tradition quoted by a single chain acquired great renown and respect
of narrators and has no as a versatile scholar, obviously
jurisprudence even if it is because of his hostility towards
considered to be correct by some. Hazrat Ali(ra) and links with the
In this context, it is essential to Khawarij.18
learn more about Ikramah and his
reputation. Dhahbi states that because
Ikramah was a Kharijite, his
Ikramah traditions were unreliable and
Ikramah16 was a slave of Ibn dubious. An expert on the
Abbas, and also his pupil – a very punishment for apostasy, Imam
indifferent pupil, for that matter, Ali b. Al-Madani, is of the same
and a back-bencher of the first opinion. Yahya b. Bekir used to
order. He confirms this himself by say that the Kharijites of Egypt,
saying that Ibn Abbas was so Algiers and Morocco were
infuriated with his lack of interest strongly allied to Ikramah.
in his studies and by his truancy
that he would bind his hand and It has generally been observed
foot to compel him to remain that the traditions of capital
present during his sermons.17 punishment for apostasy emanate
mainly from incidents in Basra,
He was an opponent of Hadhrat Kufa and Yemen. The people of
Ali(ra), the fourth caliph ofIslam, the Hejaz (Makkah and Madinah)
and was inclined towards the were totally unfamiliar with them.
Khawarij in particular at the time One cannot shut one’s eyes to the
when differences between fact that the tradition from
Hadhrat Ali(ra) and Ibn Abbas Ikramah under discussion is
began to emerge. Later, during the known as an Iraqi tradition. Let us
recall the famous Makkan Imam, judge of the character of Ikramah

Taus b. Kaisan, who used to say could there be than Ali b.
that Iraqi traditions were Abdullah b. Abbas? No wonder,
generally doubtful.19 therefore, that Imam Malik b.
That is not all. A great scholar, Anas (95-179 AH), the pioneer
Yahya b. Saeed Al-Ansari, has compiler of hadith and an Imam
strongly censured Ikramah for his of jurisprudence held in the
unreliability in general and has highest repute throughout the
gone to the extent of calling him a Muslim world, held that the
kadhab,20 that is to say an extreme traditions narrated by Ikramah
liar of the first order. were unreliable.22
Abdullah b. Al-Harith quotes a The following scholars of great

very interesting incident which he repute have declared that Ikramah
witnessed himself when he visited had a strong disposition towards
Ali b. Abdullah b. Abbas. He was exaggeration: Imam Yayha b.
deeply shocked and dismayed to Saeed Al Ansari, Ali b. Abdullah
find Ikramah bound to a post b. Abbas and Ata b. Abi Rabae.23
outside the door of Ali b.
Abdullah b. Abbas. He This, then, is the man who we are
expresseed his shock at this dealing with and on whose sole
cruelty by asking Ali b. Abdullah authority the matter of the lives of
b. Abbas if he had no fear of God all those people who change their
in him. What he obviously meant faith is left hanging till the end of
was that Ikramah, with all his time.
renown of piety and so on, did not
deserve such a base and cruel Ibn Abbas
treatment at the hands of his late Whenever the name of Ibn
master's own son. In response to Abbas24 appears at the head of a
this, Ali b. Abdullah b. Abbas chain of narrators, the vast
justified his act by pointing out majority of Muslim scholars is
that Ikramah had the audacity to overawed. They forget the fact
attribute false things to his late that because of his name and
father, Ibn Abbas.21 What better reputation, concocters of false

traditions tended to trace their Qur’an: “Verily no soul can

fabricated chain of narrators back bear the burden of another.”’25
to him. Therefore, all traditions
beginning with the name of Ibn If a man of Hadhrat Umar’s
Abbas must be properly judged stature and integrity can
and examined. misunderstand the Holy
Prophet , however rarely it
(saw)
Moreover, even if Ibn Abbas is might have happened, how much

honestly reported by a narrator, more is there danger of ordinary
the possiblity of human error on narrators misunderstanding the
Ikramah’s part regarding what Ibn reports of Ibn Abbas?
Abbas might have said cannot be
ruled out. The following would be With such wide possibilities for
a good illustration of the case in the miscarriage of the message of
point: the Holy Prophet of Islam(saw),
how can a sane person rely
‘Ibn Abbas says that Umar entirely on the evidence of this
used to say that the Holy hadith and draw conclusions of
Prophet(saw) said that crying far-reaching import regarding
over the dead brought matters of life and death and
chastisement to the dead. Ibn fundamental human rights?
Abbas further said that after
Umar died, he related this It is likely that Ikramah concocted
tradition to Ayesha who said, this tradition, attributing it to Ibn
“God forgive Umar!” By God, Abbas, as it was his wont to do,
the Holy Prophet(saw) said according to Ali b. Ibn Abbas.
nothing of the kind. He only
said that if the descendants of Other internal criteria
a disbeliever cried over his When we examine the subject
dead body, their action tended matter of the tradition under
to augment his punishment, consideration, we find the
and by way of argument, contents to be erroneous in
Ayesha also said: Sufficient several ways.
for us is the saying of the a) A person of Hadhrat Ali’s
stature is presumed to be unaware who became a Muslim, and

of the fact that Islam categorically slaying the pagan who adopted any
prohibits a person to be punished new faith. ‘Whosoever’ also
by fire. transcends the geographical
boundaries of Muslim states,
b) The words ‘slay whosoever implying that anywhere in the
changes his faith’ are so general world, anyone who changes his
that they can be interpreted in faith – be he an aborigine of
many ways. They can apply to Australia, a pygmy of Africa or an
men, women and children, indian of South America – must be
whereas according to Imam Abu slain forthwith the moment he
Hanifa and some other schools of renounces his previous faith and
jurisprudence, an apostate woman accepts another one.
can never be slain.
Islam lays a great deal of emphasis
c) The Arabic word deen on proselytizing, so that it is
(religion) used in this tradition is a binding upon every Muslim to
general word meaning any become a preacher in the path of
religion, not Islam specifically. Allah. How ironic it is therefore
Even the faith of idolaters is that many renowned Muslim
referred to as deen. (Sura Al- scholars today negate the very
Kafiroon). spirit of Islamic jihad by
audaciously sticking to the narrow-
In the light of the general nature of minded view that Islam dictates
the language used, how can one that whosoever changes his faith,
restrict the application of this meaning in this context Islam,
tradition to a Muslim who must be put to death forthwith.
renounces his faith? In strict legal What about those of other faiths?
terms, according to this tradition, Islam declares it to be an
anyone who changes his religion, obligation upon Muslims to stand
whatever that religion is, would committed to the noble goal of
have to be put to death. It would constantly endeavouring to change
mean slaying the Jew who became the faith of all non-Muslims
a Christian, slaying the Christian around them by peaceful means.

This task is so important and sorry picture of Islamic justice

demanding that every Muslim is this presents!
instructed to stick to the endeavour
till his last breath. To conclude, apostasy is the clear
repudiation of a faith by a person
The Holy Qur’an states: who formerly held it. Doctrinal
differences, however grave,
CalI unto the way of thy Lord cannot be deemed to be apostasy.
with wisdom and goodly The punishment for apostasy lies
exhortation, and reason with in the hand of God Almighty,
them on the basis of that which against Whom the offence has
is best. Thy Lord knows best been committed. Apostasy which
those who have strayed away is not aggravated by some other
from His way; and He knows crime is not punishable in this
best those who are rightly world. This is the teaching of
guided. God. This was the teaching of the
(Ch.16: V.126) Holy Prophet(saw). This is the view
confirmed by Hanafi jurists,26
The advocates of the bigoted Fateh al Kadeer,27 Chalpi,28 Hafiz
inhumane doctrine of death upon ibn Qayyim, Ibrahim Nakhai,
apostasy never visualise its effect Sufyan Thauri and many others.
on international and inter- The Maududian claim of
religious human relationships. consensus, concerning the
Why can they not see that tradition they hold to be true, is a
according to their view of Islam, mere fiction.
adherents of all religions have a
fundamental right to change their
faith but not so the Muslims, and References
that Islam has the prerogative of 11. Bukhari, Kitab al-Mustadeen
converting others but all wal Muanadeen wa
adherents of different faiths are Qitaalihim, Bab Hukumul
deprived of any right to convert Murtad wal Murtadda.
Muslims to their faith? What a 12. Abu Daud.

13. The Holy Qur’an urges: 1983, 373.

‘When you hear of it, why did 21. Abu Jafar Muhammed b. Amr
not the believing men and the b. Musa b. Hamad Al-Aqbli
believing women think well Al-Mulki, op.cit.
of their own people, and say:
This is a manifest lie ...’ 22. Mizan Al-Aitadal, Vol.2, 209.
(Ch.24: V.13). The Holy 23. Fateh Al-Bari.
Prophet(saw) said: ‘It is 24. The son of Abbas, an uncle of
evidence enough of the the Holy Prophet(saw). Ibn
untruthfulness of a person Abbas was no more than a
that he should relate, without child during the Holy
examination, whatever he Prophet’s(saw) time.
hears.’ (Muslim, vol.1,
25. Bukhari, Kitab al-Janaiz,
chapter headed ‘Don’ts about
chapter headed ‘Wailing over
Tradition’)
the Dead’.
14. Bukhari Mishkat (Egypt), 9-
26. Hedayah.
10; Bukhari and Fath Al-
Bari, Hadith no. 6922, Egypt, 27. Fateh al-Kadeer, Vol. IV,
Vol.12, 267. 389; Vol. II, 580.
15. Abdul Hayy, Al-Riaf a wal 28. Chapri, Commentary on
Takmeel. Fateh al-Kadeer, 388;
Inayah, 390.
16. Not to be confused with
Ikramah b. Abu Jahl.
17. Ibn Saad, Al Tabqa al-Kabir,
Vol.2, 386.
18. Mizan al-Aitadal, Vol.2, 208.
19. Abu Daud, Vol.II, 35.
20. Abu Jafar Muhammed b. Amr
b. Musa b. Hamad Al-Aqbli
Al-Mulki, Kitab al-Soafa Al-
Kabir, Lebanon Darul Kutb
Al-Almiyya, Al Safr III,

THE ACROPOLIS:
Its significance in the development of religious
philosophy
By Fazal Ahmad – London, UK
Introduction the island of Thera. It was in the

The Acropolis in Athens has for period from 1000 BCE to the
millennia been the religious hub time of Christianity that the
of the Greek world. Today it is a Greek culture reached its zenith
tourist magnet, but the rock and and produced so many world
the adjacent parts of the city have famous scientists and philo-
played a major role in the sophers.
development of religious thought
- both ancient and modern. This The Greeks were not a single
article examines the debates and race at that time. Many tribes
religious thought that have from the Indo-European steppes
surrounded the Acropolis over so moved to Greece and brought
many centuries. with them their own local deities.
Perhaps the need to keep the
Origins of the Greek culture peace resulted in the need to
There had been settlers on the worship all gods rather than the
Acropolis since around 4000 single Creator and led to the
BCE. The first Greek Hellenic pantheon of gods and goddesses
tribes arrived around 2000 BCE. of Olympus that emerged about
Not long after, from around 1550 as a sort of democratic religion.
BCE, the Mycenians settled on The Greeks were agreed that
the Acropolis. Around the same Zeus, the sky god, was the chief
time, the great Minoan culture of deity.
Crete lost its regional power after
the errupton of the volcano on Many cults such as the Orphics

THE ACROPOLIS: ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY
The Acropolis
sprang up. They were more events around the early formation
spiritual and abstained from meat of Greece became intertwined in
and other foods. They believed mythology as captured by Homer.
that ascetism would lead to
salvation just as Hindus believed The Greeks became a sophis-
on the other side of the world. ticated and cultured race. The
Orphics were initiated by a Olympic Games were another
sacrament just as Christians did way of bringing together the
hundreds of years later. various Greek tribes. The deities
had temples built in their honour
By the 9th century BCE, many of and many had mysteries attached
the stories related to the to them such as Demeter and
individual deities and historical Orpheus.

The Greeks became aware of Pythagoras began to think about

nature very early on. Philophers spirituality in the 6th century
in Greece began to awe at the BCE. He travelled widely and
skies and the size of the universe. studied different faiths from the
They wondered at the continents region including Zoroastrianism.
around them and the extent of the He was intrigued by the soul and
world. the concept of reincarnation.
Another scholar of the time,
They developed a religion based Xenophanes taught monotheism.
on the need for protection from Athenian youth were also
bad fate. The Oracle at Delphi is encouraged to learn and absorb
a famous example of a place the Homerian epics such as The
where people would go to learn Iliad (war against Troy) and the
their fate, or to ask for help before Odyssey. These epics captured
a major task such as a long their beliefs and traits of morality,
journey or battle. This form of heroism and poetry.
religion commanded power and a
hierarchy built up around it just Socrates(as)
as would happen in nearby Rome. It was in this climate that
Many of the rulers had become Socrates(as) began to debate his
cruel and tyrannical and used own world view at the Agora, the
their ‘knowledge’ to keep the marketplace of Athens standing
population under control. just below the Acropolis in the
5th century BCE. He would
The Battle of Marathon in 490 debate with people of all ages and
BCE was a turning point. The from all walks of life. He did not
democrats of Athens overthrew restrict himself to theologians or
the invading Persian army and poets, but wanted to reform the
also the tyrants of their own wider Athenian population.
people to usher in a new era of Having been born and brought up
intellectual freedom which in Athens, he had the same
spawned many great thinkers. classical education, and was
developing skills as a sculptor

(some of his work had been in 387 BCE. Academy was

displayed on the road leading to actually a suburb of Athens
the Acropolis). His life changed (thought to derive from the hero
when a series of dreams and signs Academos), and the philo-
(he referred to his (‘Divine sophical school that Plato
voice’) pointed him to his mission founded remained in use until
to reform the people of Athens. 526, over 900 years later, when
He encouraged Athenians to the Roman emperor Justinian had
challenge their long-held beliefs it closed down. Plato expanded
and not to use Homer as a prop. on the debate around the nature
He encouraged his friends to pray of the soul. He described the
for good rather than just for ‘psyche’ as a form of existence
material gain. He shunned the before a man was born, and how
plurality of Greek gods and it departed after death to account
mythology and debated a more for a man’s behaviour and deeds.
practical world view in the
Agora. One of the famous students of
Plato’s Academy was Aristotle
His principled stance led him to who later founded the Lyceum
conflict with the state and he was philosophical school of Athens
arrested in 399 BCE with the after having studied for over 22
charge of having denounced the years in Plato’s college. The
Athenian deities and corrupted Lyceum is thought to be around
the youth. He was imprisoned in the area between Syntagma
a cell on the Filopappou Hill Square and the National Gardens
facing the Acropolis. Having just north-east of the Acropolis
refused to denounce his own (there is current archaeological
beliefs in monotheism, he was work going on to try to confirm
sentenced to death and forced to the location of the Lyceum).
drink hemlock poison. Aristotle is thought to have
returned to his native Macedonia
He was followed by Plato who after Plato’s death to train the
founded the Academy in Athens young Alexander the Great, and

The Agora - Marketplace of Athens
then returned to Athens in 335 the same time. The debate was
BCE to establish hiw own school not just on the nature of the soul
where he encouraged research, and life after death, but also the
debate and dialogue based on his purpose of life. The Epicurians
own concept of logic. Aristotle are famous for their concept of
wrote on many subjects life that it is for the pursuit of
including morality, ethics and the pleasure.
obligations of citizens in Athens.
He seemed to favour a view that In the next few centuries, there
the soul it was a part of the body were many other schools of
and died with the physical body. thought that emerged in Athens
There were many other and elsewhere in Greece such as
philosophers and thinkers at that the Stoics and several Mystic
time such as Democritus, sects influenced by Asia Minor
Anaxagoras and Epicurus who and the East. Poets and theatre
participated in this debate around writers such as Sophocles started

to move away from reliance on philosophy and religion of

the deities for all actions and fate, Zarathustra(as).
and started to show how the
characters in his plays suffered Acropolis or Parthenon
due to their own actions. Many people confuse the
Parthenon and the Acropolis of
Interactions with other Athens. The Acropolis is the
cultures rocky outcrop towering over
The Greeks were not an isolated most of the city (but not the
culture. The mainland of Greece highest point in the city – that is
is largely coastal, so it is no Mount Lykavettos). It is a
surprise that the Greeks plateau on which the locals built
developed naval skills very early many temples such as the
on and came into contact with Parthenon, especially after it was
many other cultures around the declared a religious and holy
Mediterranean. They would have sanctuary by the Oracle of
had dealings with Crete, the Delphi in 510 BCE. It was after
Romans, the Carthaginians, this pronouncement that the
Turks, Persians and Egyptians, Acropolis was exclusively used
and these neighbours represented for ancient worship. The
their world. Alexander the Great common people were banned
expanded their horizons around from living there.
300 BCE to cover the Middle
East and the Indian sub- The earliest temple was devoted
continent. to Aphrodite. By the 6th century
BCE, a temple was erected to
It is the interactions with the Apollo and another to Athena
Persians that are perhaps the (from which the city takes its
most interesting, as there were name). Much of these structures
regular battles, but they also were destroyed by the Persians
came into contact with Cyrus the who had attacked Athens and the
Great (possibly Dhu’l Qarnain as Greek mainland. This was
mentioned in the Qur’an) and the followed by the golden period of

Pericles during which the development was able to flourish.

Parthenon was erected to the
patron Athena and the nearby Over time, as with all polytheistic
gateway to the Acropolis, the cultures such as the Egyptians
Propylaeum, were built. and Romans, the focus shifted to
grandeur and decoration, pomp
In ancient times, only the Priest and rituals rather than theology.
was able to visit the temples, and The noble theology of Socrates(as)
his family and those of a few had been diluted over time, and
select helpers lived on the by the turn of the Millennium and
Acropolis itself. The rest of the the advent of Christianity,
population devoted themselves to although there was a significant
the deities of Athens for their Jewish minority in Athens, much
protection. The Acropolis was of the population was absorbed in
opened to the general population what amounted to idol-worship.
of Athens only once every ten
years. This preserved the Athens began to lose some of its
mystique about their religion and status from the 4th century BCE
kept the general population in when the Greeks lost the
awe. Their concept of religion Peloponnesian War to the nearby
was not an accessible deity open Spartans. Although it peaked
to all as we have now in modern again after the death of
religion. Their faith was based Alexander the Great, soon the
upon fear and the need for Romans arrived and the city was
protection rather than gratitude eclipsed by Rome, Egypt and
and love. Constantinople (modern
Istanbul).
However, it was during this
period of security for Athens and During the Roman period, they
democracy (fuelled by the efforts built their own Agora and a
of Solon and Cleisthenes who Tower of the Winds commis-
guaranteed rights for the poorest) sioned by the Syrian astronomer
that the period of philosophical Kyrrestes who built a weather

vane and water clock. The Bible describes how he preached

Romans also erected temples to to the ancient Greeks of Athens:
their own deities in the city, and
built a temple dedicated to the ‘While Paul was waiting for
Emperor Augustus. them (Silas and Timothy) in
Athens, he was deeply
Paul and Christian Byzantium distressed to see that the city
When Paul began to preach to the was full of idols. So he
non-Jews in Europe, his focus argued in the synagogue with
was on the Greek civilisation. A the Jews and the devout
brief glance at the cities where persons, and also in the
Paul sent letters (the bulk of the marketplace every day with
modern Bible New Testament) those who happened to be
shows that much of his effort was there.’
spent in Greece. The Bible (Acts 17:16-17)
preserves letters that he wrote to
the Corinthians, Ephesians, The Agora, the marketplace of
Philippians, Colossians and the Athens was more than just a
Thessalonians. All these seven traditional market on the foothills
letters were to people in Greece. of the Acropolis. It was also the
administrative heart of the city,
In his travels to preach his the place where there were many
version of Christianity, both his temples to ancient Greek deities,
second and third journeys took and there were open spaces here
place in Athens and nearby were poets would read out their
towns such as Corinth, works, and philosophers would
Thessaloniki and the area of debate various issues, so it would
Attica. have been a natural place for
Paul to preach just as Socrates(as)
In Athens, he is said to have had done a few hundred years
stood on a rocky outcrop next to earlier. Paul encountered both
the Acropolis (the Areopagus) to Stoic and Epicurian thinkers
start spreading his message. The while in Athens.

Paul had been disturbed at the into the worship of Jesus(as)

wealth of temples and idols in the himself. It is difficult to say
city and began to tell the whether Paul preached a
Athenians about his concept of a monotheistic message which was
living God: later distorted, or whether Paul
himself had distorted the
‘The God who made the message of Christianity to suit
world and everything in it, he the idol worshippers of Europe.
who is Lord of heaven and It is perhaps more likely that Paul
earth does not live in shrines himself had changed the message
made by human hands, nor is to some extent as he had been
he served by human hands, as summoned to the Council of
though he needed anything, Jerusalem in 49 CE for taking the
since he himself gives to all message to non-Jews and
mortals life and breath and all relaxing the conditions asso-
things. From one ancestor he ciated with being a Jew.
made all nations to inhabit the
whole earth, and he allotted Either way, the debates that he
the times of their existence had in the Agora of Athens about
and the boudaries of the not worshipping lifeless forms
places where they would live, and understanding the nature of a
so that they would search for living God are very interesting.
God and perhaps grope for
him and find him – though Gradually, Orthodox Christianity
indeed he is not far from each took hold in Athens, but the
one of us.’ Greeks still held their old schools
(Acts 17:24-27) of thought in great esteem. When
the Odeon of Athens was rebuilt
Unfortunately, many of the in the 2nd century, it contained
original Jewish teachings of statues of prominent members of
Jesus(as) about a living God that the Stoic, Platonist, Aristotelean
people could have a relationship and Epicurean schools of
with were distorted in his name thought.

Renaissance of
Europe.
Christianity con-
tinued to take a
stronger hold, and in
841, the Parthenon on
the Acropolis was
turned into a
cathedral.
The Ottomans
The Ottoman Turks
had a long rivalry
with their Greek
cousins, a rivalry that
is still strong today.
The Ottomans began
to extend their
Islamic empire across
The Tower of the Winds Europe, North Africa
and the Middle East,
In 390, Emperor Theodosius I but faced stiff resistance from the
made Christianity the state Greeks. However, it took them
religion, and soon the Olympic many decades to get control of
Games were banned. A century nearby Constantinople in 1453,
later, in 529, the schools of and Athens was not taken until
Aristotle and Plato were closed 1456.
and classical thought was
discarded, not to be revived until Thereafter, Athens and Greece
the Muslims started translating became part of the Islamic world
the classic works a few hundred of the Ottomans, and new
years later sparking the mosques sprang up around the

Agora of Athens such as the During Ottoman rule, Christians

Tzisdarakis Mosque in were given full rights to worship,
Monastiraki Square. Mehmet the and Islam was not imposed on
Conqueror visited Athens in the the Greeks. The Ecumenical
late 15th Century, and the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox
Fethiye Mosque which stands at Church was made accountable to
a corner of the Roman Agora was the Ottoman Sultan for the native
built to mark that visit. The Greeks, and in return he was
nearby Tower of the Winds given wide powers over courts,
became a sanctuary for Sufi schools and the Church. So the
mystics and the famous whirling Orthodox Church began to take
dervishes (Muslim ascetics) who more political control in society
used to do a weekly frenzied than had previously been the
dance in the Tower. case.
Many Jews migrated to Athens At this time, Athens remained

under tolerant Ottoman rule autonomous while neighbouring
fleeing persecution following areas had Ottoman governors.
the cruel Inquisition in Spain. The Orthodox Patriarchs had
more freedom than when the
By 1687, the Ottomans had Catholic Venetians had
crudely turned the Parthenon controlled the city, and they were
from a Mosque (at least it still relatively content.
had a religious use at that stage)
into their Arsenal. Knowing this, Some Greeks hid their Christian
when the Venetians of Italy faith and pretended to be
attacked that year, they fired on Muslims in order to pay a lower
the Acropolis and managed to rate of tax, but there was no
destroy much of the Parthenon. major drive by the Ottomans to
The city was captured by the convert them to Islam.
Venetian admiral Morosini but As the Ottoman Empire fell into
was later recovered by the decline, there was an increase in
Ottomans in 1690. corruption and in-fighting and

gradually many parts of Greece such as Socrates, Plato and

fell beyond Ottoman control. Aristotle taking the concept of
This resulted in greater militancy the soul and God to new levels.
by the Ottoman rulers. The
reaction from the Greeks was
increased resistance. References
1. Athens - Between Legend and
It was in the 19th century that History, Maria Mavromataki,
Greece gained its independence Hatalis Publishing, Athens,
and returned to its Orthodox Greece 1995.
Christian religion after four
centuries under Muslim rule. 2. The Holy Bible (New Revised
Standard Version), Thomas
Conclusion Nelson Inc., Nashville, USA
The Acropolis of Athens has 1989.
been the scene of the debate and
creation of philosophy for 3. The Greek Achievement - The
centuries, and has had an impact Foundation of the Western
on much of the religious thinking World, Charles Freeman,
of the Mediterranean region. Its Penguin Books, London, UK
prominent position overlooking 1999.
the city meant that for centuries it
held a position as a place of 4. Revelation, Rationality,
worship. Knowledge and Truth,
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad,
The many tribes that came Islam International
together to form the Greek Publications Ltd, Surrey, UK
civilisation brought their own 1998.
beliefs with them, but it was after
the battle of Marathon that a 5. The Early Greek Concept of
unified and free Athens was able the Soul, Jan Bremmer,
to take its theology and science Princeton University Press,
to new levels, with great thinkers New Jersey, USA 1983.

6. The Encyclopedia of Myths 8. The Religions of the Roman

and Legends, Stuart Gordon, Empire, John Ferguson,
Headline Book Publishing, Thames & Hudson, London,
London, UK 1993. UK 1982, p.190 - 203.
7. Cities of the Biblical World,

Lamoine DeVries,
Hendrickson Publishers,
Massachusetts, USA 1997,
p.351-358.
References to the Holy Qur’an item count ‘Bismillah...’ (In the Name of
Allah...) as the first verse of each Chapter. In some non-standard texts, this
is not counted and should the reader refer to such texts, the verse quoted
in The Review of Religions will be found one verse less than the number
quoted.
In this journal, for the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(saw)’ or ‘saw’ after
the words, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the name ‘Muhammad’, are used. They
stand for ‘Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ meaning ‘Peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him’. Likewise, the letters ‘(as)’ or ‘as’ after the name of
all other prophets is an abbreviation meaning ‘Peace be upon him’ derived
from ‘Alaihis salatu wassalam’ which are words that a Muslim utters out
of respect whenever he or she comes across that name. The abbreviation
‘ra’ or (ra) stands for ‘Radhiallahu Ta’ala anhu and is used for Companions
of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased with him or her (when followed by
the relevant Arabic pronoun). Finally, ‘ru’ or (ru) for Rahemahullahu Ta’ala
means the Mercy of Allah the Exalted be upon him.
In keeping with current universal practice, local transliterations are

preferred to their anglicised versions, e.g. Makkah instead of Mecca, etc.

The Teacher of Righteousness
of the Dead Sea Scrolls
By Khalid Saifullah Khan – Australia
Introduction fatherless at a time just preceding

The central figure of the Dead the start of Christianity. His
Sea Scrolls, who is talked about mother dedicated him to God. He
or quoted therein time and again, believed in the absolute Unity of
is a person referred to as the God. He claimed to have been
‘Teacher of Righteousness’. It sent by God as the Messiah for
appears that after a serious the Jews and was helped by the
attempt on his life, his identity Holy Spirit. He interpreted the
was concealed for his security. Torah through God’s guidance
The secrecy maintained about and was bitterly opposed by
him also suggests that he must Jewish priests, particularly by
have been living at the time when their chief referred to as the
the scrolls were written, as ‘Wicked Priest’.
otherwise such a precaution
would not have been necessary. He was severely persecuted and
an attempt was made to kill him,
Scholars hold diverse opinions but God saved his life. He was
about his identity. J.L. Teicher forced to migrate to some distant
thinks that he was Jesus(as), while lands where his voice was heard
Barbara Theiring thinks he was and his claim accepted. Before
John the Baptist(as) and Eisenman leaving his country he
prefers James the Just (brother of prophesied that his opponents,
Jesus(as)). the opponents of Truth, would be
punished by God for their
The Righteous Teacher iniquities and that his followers
The Righteous Teacher depicted would always prevail over those
in the scrolls belonged to the who rejected him.
House of Israel. He was born

THE TEACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
Could the Teacher be Jesus(as)? there is no disagreement on the

James was a follower of Jesus(as). facts quoted in the passage. He
How could it be that he was writes:
given such high status as to be
written about and to have his The Galilean Master, as he is
writings included in the presented to us in the writings
collections of the community in of the New Testament,
preference to the person he appears in many respects as
himself followed as a Prophet of an astonishing reincarnation
God? It is surprising that a of the Teacher of
scholar like Eisenman should Righteousness. Like the
have missed such an important latter, he preached penitence,
point in developing his theory poverty, humility and love of
that the Teacher was James the one’s chastity. Like him, he
Just. prescribed the observance of
the Law of Moses, the whole
John the Baptist(as) could also not Law, but the Law finished
be the Teacher because his and perfected, thanks to His
message was different to that of own revelations. Like him, he
the Qumran community as was the Elect and the Messiah
discussed by Dr Will Varner in of God, the Messiah redeemer
his Christian Answers Network. of the world. Like him, he
was the object of the hostility
My view that the Righteous of the priests, the party of the
Teacher was none other than Sadducees. Like him, he was
Jesus(as) is based on the striking condemned and put to death.
resemblance between the two. Like him, he pronounced
The well-known French scholar judgement on Jerusalem,
Dupont-Sommer, counts some which was taken and
similarities between the two in destroyed by the Romans for
his book, The Dead Sea Scrolls, a having put Him to death. Like
Preliminary Survey. Though he him, at the end of time, he
draws a different conclusion, yet [(The Teacher) Ed.] will be

the supreme judge. Like him, literature that the Teacher of

he founded a Church whose Righteousness was killed.
adherents fervently awaited
his glorious return. In the Ahmadiyya Point of View
Christian Church, just as in Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as)
the Essene Church, the of Qadian, the holy founder of
essential rite is the sacred the Ahmadiyya Movement in
meal, which is presided over Islam, wrote in 1899:
by the priests. Here and there,
at the head of each ‘Let it be noted that though
community, there is the Christians believe that Jesus
overseer, the ‘bishop’. And (on whom be peace) after his
the ideal of both Churches is arrest through the betrayal by
essentially that of unity, Judas Iscariot, and crucifixion
communion in love even – went to heaven, yet from the
going so far as the sharing of Holy Bible it appears that this
common property. belief of theirs is altogether
(Dead Sea Scrolls, a wrong. Matthew 12:40 says
Preliminary Survey, Dupont- that just as Jonah was three
Sommer, p.99-100) days and three nights in the
belly of the fish, so the Son of
It may be noted that according to Man shall be three days and
Dupont-Sommer, the Teacher of three nights in the bowels of
Righteousness was condemned the earth. Now it is clear that
and put to death by his enemies. Jonah did not die in the belly
But there are clear passages in of the fish, the utmost that
the scrolls which say that though happened was that he was in
an attempt was made on the life swoon or a fit of fainting. The
of the Teacher, he was saved by holy books of God bear
God. Edmund Wilson mentions witness that Jonah, by the
in his book Dead Sea Scrolls grace of God, remained alive
1947-1969 that there is no in the belly of the fish, and
definite evidence in the Scroll came out alive, and his people

ultimately accepted him. If etc. viz. the ten tribes of the

then Jesus (on whom be Israelites who 721 years before
peace) had died in the belly of Jesus, had been taken prisoner
the earth, what resemblance from Samaria by Shalmaneser,
could there be between a dead King of Assur, and had been
man and the one who was taken away by him. Ultimately,
alive, and how could a living these tribes came to India and
one be compared with one settled in various parts of that
dead? The truth rather is, that country. Jesus(as) at all events
as Jesus(as) was a true prophet must have made this journey;
and as he knew that God, for the divine object
Whose beloved he was, would underlying his advent was that
save him from an accursed he should meet the lost Jews
death, he made a prophecy in who had settled in different
the form of a parable, revealed parts of India; the reason being
to him by God, in which he that these in fact were the lost
hinted that he would not die on sheep of Israel who had given
the Cross, nor would he give up even their ancestral faith in
up the ghost on the accursed these countries, and most of
wood; on the contrary, like the whom had adopted Buddhism,
prophet Jonah(as), he would relapsing gradually into
only pass through a state of idolatry. Dr. Bernier, on the
swoon. In the parable he had authority of a number of
also hinted that he would come learned people, states in his
out of the bowels of the earth ‘Travels’ that the Kashmiris in
and would then join the people reality are Jews who in the
and, like Jonah, would be time of the dispersal in the
honoured by them. So this days of the King of Assur had
prophecy was fulfilled; for migrated to this country.’
Jesus(as), coming out of the (Jesus in India, Hadhrat Mirza
bowels of the earth, went to his Ghulam Ahmad, Qadian, India
tribes who lived in the eastern 1899, pp. 22-23)
countries, Kashmir and Tibet

The Promised Messiah(as) went on Before proceeding to quote

to make the following passages from the Scrolls which
observation: support the above-mentioned
description of the Teacher of
‘We have no alternative, Righteousness, let us begin with
therefore, than to some background to the Scrolls.
acknowledge in this
connection that God had Who wrote the Scrolls
willed – it had been destined Dr Will Varner, Professor of the
by Him – that this bright Old Testament at Master’s
weapon and this truth- College, Israel says:
revealing proof which
destroys the belief about the ‘After six seasons of
Cross, should be explained to intensive excavation, the
the world by the Promised scholars were sure beyond
Messiah; for the Holy any reasonable doubt that the
Prophet(saw) had prophesied scrolls found their origin in
that the faith of the Cross the community which
shall not decline nor shall its flourished between 125 BC
progress be arrested until the and AD 68. The scrolls had
Promised Messiah appears in been stored in haste in the
the world. It was the caves as the community fled
Promised Messiah at whose the encroaching Roman army,
hands was to be brought which was in Judea to put
about the ‘Breaking of the down the Jewish Revolt of
Cross’. The hint in the AD 66-70… The contents of
prophecy was that in the time the Dead Sea Scrolls indicate
of the Promised Messiah, that their authors were a
God would bring about group of priests and laymen
circumstances which would pursuing a communal life of
lay bare the truth about the strict dedication to God. Their
Crucifixion.’ leader was called the
(Jesus in India, pp.60-61) ‘Righteous Teacher’. They

viewed themselves as the mainstream Jews, the Essenes

only true Elect of Israel; they were also divided into two
alone were faithful to the parties who despised each other.
Law. They opposed the Dr. Thiering also believes that
‘Wicked Priest’, the Jewish Jesus(as) did not die on the Cross,
High Priest in Jerusalem who but survived it.
represented the establishment
and who had persecuted them Similarities between the
in some way. ... Most scholars Scrolls and the New Testament
have identified the Qumran Highlighting a few notable
brotherhood with the similarities between the Dead
Essenes, a Jewish sect of Sea Scrolls and the New
Jesus' day described by Testament, Prof. Geza Vermes
Josephus and Philo.’ says:
(Christian Answers Network)
‘…We note
The Dead Sea Scrolls were (a) fundamental similarities
discovered in caves near the of language, (both in the
excavations at Qumran, and there Scrolls and in the New
are strong links to the Essenes Testament the faithful are
there, so it is natural to assume called ‘Sons of Light’’);
that they authored the Scrolls, (b) ideology (both
especially when their views communities considered
correspond so closely. themselves as the true Israel,
governed by twelve leaders,
Dr Barbara Thiering of Sydney and expected the imminent
University writes in Jesus of the arrival of the Kingdom of
Apocalypse that Jesus’ father God);
Joseph was an Essene and lived (c) attitude to the Bible (both
by their marriage rules and that considered their own history
the Essenes were the immediate as a fulfilment of words of the
predecessors of Christians. She Prophets).’
claims that just like the (Vermes, p.22)

HADHRAT MUHAMMAD(SAW) AS ‘ABD SHAKUR’
The Teacher of Righteousness Jerusalem Bible will take five

founded a new religious years to complete ...
community and was persecuted.
Prof. Vermes continues: Father Gianluigi Boschi, a
Dominican theologian at the
‘The Teacher and his Pontifical University of St.
followers were compelled to Thomas Aquinas in Rome
withdraw into the desert, and a leading expert on the
where they awaited the scrolls, said the recent growth
impending manifestation of in scroll scholarship, and the
God's triumph over evil and publication of previously
darkness in the end of days, inaccessible scrolls, meant
which had already begun.’ that some of the changes
(Vermes, p.3) would be radical…Father
Boschi said that the project
Some fundamental differences would link “the whole picture
exist between the Bible and the of the origins of Christianity”
Dead Sea Scrolls leading to to the findings at Qumran. He
potential modifications to the declined to say which of the
Bible at the Vatican as reported passages would be modified
by Richard Owen of The Times: but he predicted that the
changes would be “surprising
‘The Vatican is to abandon and innovative...”’
decades of secrecy and
obstruction to allow changes Minor adjustments already
in the Bible based on have been made to the
revelations in the Dead Sea Jerusalem Bible in the light of
Scrolls more than half a the two scroll versions of the
century after they were Book of Isaiah.’
discovered. The extent of the (The Times reproduced by
changes is expected to be ‘The Australian’, Sept 12,
revealed this month but the 2001)
revised version of the New

The Teacher in the Scrolls Hymns give expression to

The Teacher of Righteousness thoughts and sentiments
described himself as fatherless, common to all members of
poor, dedicated (abandoned) to the sect, others particularly
God by his mother, God's elect nos. 1,2,7-11, appear to refer
(prophet), mortal, (creature of to the experiences of a
clay) and metaphorically a son of Teacher abandoned by his
God. friends and persecuted by his
enemies.’
The Dead Sea Scrolls contain (Vermes, pp.243-244)
poems or hymns, which were
most likely written by the In the following Hymn (taken
Teacher of Righteousness from the Thanksgiving Hymn
himself. Prof. Geza Vermes found in Cave 1), the Teacher
introduces the poems : calls himself fatherless, poor and
devoted to the service of God by
‘Two fundamental themes his mother:
running through the whole
collection are those of ‘I thank Thee (corrected:
salvation and knowledge. The Blessed art Thou) O lord, for
sectary [a member of a sect – Thou hast not abandoned the
Ed] thanks God continually fatherless or despised the
for having been saved from poor.’
the ‘lot’ of the wicked, and (1QH 9, Vermes, p.268)
for his gift of insight into the
divine mysteries. He, ‘a ‘Until I am old Thou will care
creature of clay’ has been for me; for my father knew
singled out by his Maker to me not and my mother
receive favours of which he abandoned me to Thee; for
feels himself unworthy, and Thou art the father to all the
alludes again and again to his sons of Thy Truth; and as a
frailty and total dependence woman who tenderly loves
on God. Whereas some of the her babe, so dost Thou rejoice

in them, and as a foster father and describes his advice to his

bearing a child in his lap, so followers,
carest Thou for all Thy
creatures.’ ...Surely, Allah is my Lord and
(1QH 14, Vermes, p.284) your Lord, so worship Him
alone, this is the right path.
The Holy Qur’an (Ch.3: Vs.46- (Ch.19: V.37)
64 and Ch.19: Vs.17-37) also
says that Jesus(as) was born So in all of these passages, it is
without the agency of a father clear that Jesus(as) worshipped the
and that from his early childhood One True God and was grateful
his Godliness was obvious. to Him for his salvation and
mission.
The Teacher believed in the
absolute Unity of God as he The coming of the ‘Messiah’
shows in one of his poems while The Israelites were expecting a
beseeching God: Messiah when Jesus(as) came.
Prof. Vermes says:
‘For Thou art an eternal God;
all Thy ways are determined ‘The third figure, “the
for ever and ever and there is Prophet”, is mentioned
none other beside Thee.’ directly, though briefly only
(1QH 12, Vermes, p.277) once; we are told that his
arrival was expected together
‘Announce and say: Blessed with that of the Messiahs of
be God, Creator of the Aaron and Israel (1QS ix,11).
heavens by His power, The whole messianic phrase
Designer of all their devices is absent, however, from all
by His strength, of the earth the extant 4Q manuscripts of
by His might.’ the Community Rule. Viewed
(Vermes, p.300) in the context of inter-
Testamental Jewish ideas,
The Qur’an tells about Jesus(as) “the Prophet” was to be either

an Elijah returned as a cerning the rising of the dead.

precursor of the Messiah Fragment 7, line 6, repeats
(Mal. iv, 5; 1 Enoch xc, the same idea, referring to
31,37; Matth., xi, 13; xvii, God as 'He who revives the
12), or as a divine guide sent dead of His people.’
to Israel in the final days (1 (Vermes, p.391)
Mac., iv, 46; xiv, 41; Jn. i,
21), no doubt identical with Prophesying the advent of ‘The
“the Prophet” promised by Messiah’ (the ‘’New Moses’’ or
God to Moses (“I will raise the ‘Like of Moses’ who was
up for them a Prophet like linked with the ‘Kingdom of
you… He shall convey all my God’’), the Teacher said:
commands to them”, Deut.
xviii,15-18, cf. Acts iii, 22-3; ‘The Heavens will listen to
vii, 37).’ His Messiah and none therein
(Vermes, pp.86-87) will stray away from
commandments of the holy
The title given to one of the ones…. Over the poor His
scrolls is, ‘A Messianic spirit will hover and will
Apocalypse’ i.e. the Messiah’s renew the faithful with His
Revelation, because it contains a power. And He will glorify
prophecy concerning 'The the pious on the throne of the
Messiah' identified with the eternal Kingdom. He who
arrival of the ‘Kingdom of God’. liberates the captives, restores
Introducing the Scroll ‘A sight to the blind, straightens
Messianic Apocalypse’ (4Q521), the bent (Ps. cxlvi, 7-8). And
Prof. Vermes says: forever I will cleave to the
hopeful and in His mercy…
‘As in the Gospels, healing And the fruit will not be
and resurrection are linked to delayed for anyone. And the
the idea of the Kingdom of Lord will accomplish
God. Line 12 furnishes the glorious things which have
most explicit evidence con- never been as He. For He will

heal the wounded, and revive over you, even as We sent a

the dead and bring good news Messenger to Pharoah.
to the poor (Isa. lxi, 1)'…He (Ch.73: V.16)
will lead the uprooted and
knowledge… and smoke (?)’ Therefore, the prophecy of
(Vermes, pp.391-392) Moses (Deut..18:18-19) as well
as of Jesus(as) (quoted above),
This prophecy of Jesus(as) is concerning the advent of a
mentioned in the Qur’an as ‘Prophet like Moses’ were
follows: fulfilled in the person of Prophet
Muhammad(sa).
And (call to mind) when
Jesus, son of Mary, said, ‘O Helped by the Holy Spirit
Children of Israel, surely, I In Hymn 15 (formerly 11), the
am Allah’s Messenger unto Teacher thanked God for
you, fulfilling that which is strengthening him with the Holy
before me (of the prophecies) Spirit. He said:
of the Torah, and giving glad
tidings of a Messenger who ‘I thank Thee, O Lord, for
will come after me, his name Thou hast upheld me by Thy
will be Ahmad.’ And when he strength. Thou hast shed Thy
came to them with clear Holy Spirit upon me that I
proofs, they said, ‘This is a may not stumble.’
manifest sorcery’. (Vermes, p.275).
(Ch.61: V.7)
Similarly in Hymn 18 (formerly
Reference to the fulfilment of 14), the Teacher addressing God
Prophet Moses(as) prophecy is says:
found in the following verse of
the Holy Qur’an; ‘Thou hast upheld me with
certain truth, Thou hast
Verily, We have sent to you a delighted me with Thy Holy
Messenger, who is a witness Spirit and hast opened my

heart till this day.’ those who practice truth and

(Vermes p.284) to test those who love
correction. To the interpreters
The Qur’an also says about of error I have been an
Jesus(as): opponent, {but a man of
peace} to all those who see
…And to Jesus, son of Mary, true things.’
We gave manifest Signs, and (Vermes, p.257)
strengthened him with the
Spirit of holiness.' God saved him from an
(Ch.2: V.88) attempt on his life
In Hymn 13, the Teacher thanks
Interpretation of the Law God in the following words:
aroused severe opposition
The Teacher faced opposition ‘I thank Thee, O Lord, for
from his people, because he Thou hast not abandoned me
interpreted the Torah through whilst I sojourned among a
God's guidance, opposing the people burdened with sin’ …
views of the common priesthood. ‘For Thou O God, hast
He said: sheltered me from the
children of men, and hast
‘These things I know by the hidden Thy Law within me
wisdom which comes from against the time when Thou
Thee, for Thou hast shouldst reveal Thy salvation
unstopped my ears to to me. For Thou hast not
marvellous mysteries.’ forsaken me in my soul's
(Vermes, p.254) distress, and Thou hast heard
my cry in the bitterness of my
‘But to the elect of soul; and when I groaned,
righteousness Thou hast Thou didst consider my
made me a banner, and a sorrowful complaint. Thou
discerning interpreter of hast preserved the soul of the
wonderful mysteries to try poor one in the den of lions

which sharpened their tongue Thou hast placed my soul in

like a sword. Thou hast the bundle of the living, and
closed up their teeth, O God, hast hedged me about against
lest they rend the soul of the all the snares of the Pit.
poor and needy…. The Violent men have sought after
wicked and fierce have my life because I have clung
stormed against me with their to Thy Covenant. For they, an
afflictions; they have assembly of deceit, and a
pounded my soul all day. But horde of Belial, know not that
Thou O my God, hast my stand is maintained by
changed the tempest to a Thee, and that in Thy mercy
breeze; Thou hast delivered Thou wilt save my soul since
the soul of the poor one like my steps proceed from
[a bird from the net and like] Thee…They have themselves
prey from the mouth of lions.’ fallen in the snares which
(Vermes, p.267-268) they laid for my life. But my
foot remains upon level
In Hymn 6, the Teacher thanks ground; apart from their
God saying: assembly I will bless Thy
Name.’
‘They have cast towards the (Vermes, pp.257-258)
Pit the life of the man whose
mouth Thou hast confirmed, In Hymn 8, the Teacher thanks
and into whose heart Thou God for keeping him under His
hast put teaching and care and saving his life, by
understanding, that he might foiling their plan:
open a fountain of knowledge
to all men of understanding.’ ‘I thank Thee, O Lord, for
(Vermes, p.257) Thou hast fastened Thine eye
upon me. Thou hast saved me
In his Hymn 7, the Teacher says: from the zeal of lying
interpreters, and from the
‘I thank Thee O Lord, for congregation of those who

seek smooth things. Thou hast but the Teacher was saved from it
redeemed the soul of the poor and was rather raised to
one whom they planned to everlasting (spiritual) height by
destroy by spilling his blood God. The Qur’an attests this by
because he served Thee.’ saying:
(Vermes, pp.258-259)
And their saying, “We did kill
God had made a New Covenant the Messiah, Jesus, son of
with the Teacher, in the land of Mary, the Messenger of
Damascus to which he clung: Allah”, whereas they slew him
not, nor did they crucify him,
‘For they have spoken but he was made to appear to
wrongly against the precepts them like one crucified; and
of righteousness, and have those who differ therein are
despised the Covenant and the certainly in a state of doubt
Pact - the New Covenant - about it; they have no
which they made in the land of definitive knowledge thereof,
Damascus’ but only follow a conjecture;
(The Damasus Document, and they did not convert this
Vermes, p.135) conjecture into a certainty. On
the contrary, Allah exalted
The Qur’an also mentions a him to Himself. And Allah is
Covenant made with Jesus(as) as Mighty, Wise.
with other prophets (Ch.33:V.8). (Ch.4: Vs.158-159)
The Teacher's enemies planned
that he should die an accursed The Teacher was banished from
death on the Cross, but God’s plan his land to a far off land, close to
was that he (Jesus(as)) should be a spring of waters. In Hymn 12 in
saved from that death the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Teacher
(Ch.3:V.55). The hell of Abadon seeks God’s help to accomplish
(eternal hell), from which the His design, as his enemies have
Teacher was saved, is the lot of despised and banished him from
those who die an accursed death, his land, causing all his friends

and brethren to be driven far from ‘I thank Thee, O Lord, for

him: Thou hast placed me beside a
fountain of streams in an arid
‘I thank Thee O Lord, for land, and close to a spring of
Thou hast illumined my face waters in a dry land, and
by Thy Covenant… I seek besides a watered garden [in a
Thee and sure as the dawn wilderness.]’
Thou appearest as perfect (Vermes, p.278)
Light to me. Teachers of lies
have smoothed Thy people It appears from this poem that the
with words, and false prophets Teacher was forced by his enemy
have led them astray; they to migrate to some far off arid and
perish without understanding dry wilderness, and took shelter
for their works are in folly. For near a place of running waters,
I am despised by them and fountains and gardens. Many
they have no esteem for me, historic records suggest that
that Thou mayest manifest Jesus(as) travelled far and wide,
Thy might through me. They presumably to convey his
have banished me from my message to the Lost tribes of
land like a bird from its nest; Israel. People of Israeli stock had
all my friends and brethren are dispersed in various lands and to
driven far from me and hold find them he probably travelled
me for a broken vessel….But from Jerusalem to Mosul, Tehran,
Thou O God, dost despise all Herat, Kabul, Peshawar,
Belial's designs; it is Thy Rawalpindi and Maree before
purpose that shall be done and finally settling in Kashmir. (Jesus
the design of Thy heart that in India, p.65)
shall be established for ever.’
(Vermes, p.263) Taken in this larger context,
Kashmir is a place of fountains,
In another poem (Hymn 18), the running springs and gardens
Teacher thanks God for providing surrounded by a mostly arid, dry
him shelter in a land of fountains: and rocky part of the world.

The Qur’an corroborates the Is there any wonder, therefore, if

description of the final home of the Teacher referred to the place
Jesus(as): of his refuge as an area of
fountains, running waters and
And We made the son of Mary gardens amidst vast tracts of arid,
and his mother a Sign, and We dry and rocky lands, where he
rescued them and helped might have travelled and stayed
reach an elevated land, a en-route? When the Teacher was
restful place with springs of living at this place, all his friends
gushing waters. (Ch.23: V.51) and brethren were far from him –
as expressed by him in his poem.
Hadhrat Ahmad, peace be upon
him says: The Teacher prophesied that the
wicked will continue to be
‘I, however, do not approve of punished till eternity. The Teacher
the way European investi- prophesied in his poem (Hymn 5),
gators wish to prove that the that the wicked people who
principles of Buddhism planned to kill him would remain
reached Palestine in the days under the wrath of God, till
of Jesus(as). It is, indeed, Doom’s Day (Day of Judgement).
unfortunate that when the He said:
name and mention of Jesus(as)
are contained in the ancient ‘But the wicked Thou didst
books of Buddhism, these create for the time of Thy
investigators should adopt the wrath, Thou didst vow from
awkward course of trying to the womb to the Day of
find traces of Buddha's faith in Massacre, for they walk in the
Palestine. Why should they way which is not good. They
not search for the blessed have despised Thy Covenant
footprints of Jesus on the and their souls have loathed
rocky soil of Nepal, Tibet and Thy truth; they have taken no
Kashmir?’ delight in all Thy
(Jesus in India, p.78) commandments and have

chosen that which Thou ‘And God observed their

hatest. For according to the deeds, that they sought Him
mysteries of Thy wisdom with a whole heart, and he
Thou hast ordained them for raised for them a Teacher of
great chastisements before the Righteousness to guide them
eyes of all Thy creatures, that in the way of His heart.’’
for all eternity they may serve (Vermes, p.127)
as a Sign and a wonder, and
that all men may know Thy The Teacher made the following
glory and Thy tremendous prophecy in "The Exhortation":
power.’
(Vermes, p.250-251) ‘But all those who hold fast to
these precepts, going and
The Qur’an also mentions that coming in accordance with
Jesus(as) cursed the Jews and they the Law, who heed the voice
incurred the wrath of God: of the Teacher and confess
before God, saying, Truly we
Those amongst the children have sinned, we and our
of Israel who disbelieved, fathers, by walking counter to
were cursed by the tongue of the precepts of the Covenant.
David and of Jesus, son of Thy judgements upon us are
Mary. That was because they justice and truth; who do not
disobeyed and used to lift their hand against His
transgress. holy precepts of His righteous
(Ch.5: V.79) statutes or His true
testimonies; who have
The Teacher made certain learned from the former
exhortations to his followers, judgements by which the
which included a prophecy that members of the Community
they would always prevail over were judged; who have
the worldly people (sons of the listened to the voice of the
earth) who rejected him. Among Teacher of Righteousness and
other admonitions he said: have not despised the pre-

cepts of righteousness when spiritual significance and

they heard them; they shall message of the Scrolls to the
rejoice and their hearts shall world of religion? The Jews,
be strong, and they shall Christians and mainstream
prevail over all the sons of the Muslims might feel it difficult to
earth. God will forgive them recognise Jesus(as) in the guise of
and they shall see His the Teacher, because none of
salvation because they took them believe that he survived the
refuge in His holy Name’. Crucifixion and travelled to the
(Vermes, p.135-136) lost Israelite tribes. It may
interest them to know that in
The Qur’an also mentions this 1891, the holy founder of the
prophecy of Jesus(as): Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
received the following Arabic
When Allah said, 'O Jesus, I revelation:
will cause thee to die a
natural death and will exalt ‘Jesus, son of Mary,
thee to Myself, and will clear Messenger of Allah, has died
thee of the charges of those and you have come, as
who disbelieve, and will place promised, in his spirit.
those who follow thee above (Arabic): Allah’s promise is
those who disbelieve, until the always fulfilled’.
Day of Resurrection; then to (Izala Auham, p.561)
Me shall be your return, and I
will judge between you And subsequently in 1899, he
concerning that wherein you wrote a book: Jesus in India, in
differ. which he proved from the Holy
(Ch.3: V.56) Qur’an, the Bible, ancient
Buddhist and Hindu records and
Message of the Dead Sea old medical and historical books
Scrolls that Jesus(as) was taken down
Who was the Teacher of from the Cross, in a state of
Righteousness and what is the coma, his wounds were treated

and when sufficiently healed, he Edmund Wilson, Fontana

secretly travelled to the East in Books, 1971.
search of the Lost Tribes of
Israel. He conveyed God’s 4. Jesus in India, Hadhrat Mirza
message to them and died at an Ghulam Ahmad, Islam
old age in Kashmir – land of International Publications,
springs, water and gardens – Tilford, UK, 1989 (first
after completing his mission as a published 1899).
Messenger of God.
5. Jesus of the Apocalypse: The
It is surprising how the story of Life of Jesus after the
the Teacher of the Scrolls, Crucifixion, Barbara Thiering,
discovered 40 years after the Corgi Books, Australia, 1997.
death of the Promised Messiah(as),
coincides so closely with what 6. James the brother of Jesus,
was told about Jesus(as) by him Robert Eisenman, Penguin
under Divine inspiration and Books, Victoria, Australia,
guidance. 1998.
References
1. The Complete Dead Sea
Scrolls in English, Geza
Vermes, Penguin Books,
London, 1998.
2. Dead Sea Scrolls, a

Preliminary Survey, A.
Dupont-Sommer, Basil
Blackwell Publishers, 1952,
p.99-100.
3. Dead Sea Scrolls 1947-1969,

Taoist Yin-Yang
A short study of how the Taoist philosophy of Yin-Yang compares to
Islam and explains the existence of God
By Asim Rai – UK
Taoism does not uphold any belief Islamic description and expla-
in God. The main aspect of Taoism nation of God.
is derived from the first three
letters of this philosophical belief Having briefly introduced Taoism,
namely, ‘Tao’. Tao means 'path' or I set the scene in answering how
‘way’ and its core ideas were Taoism ultimately compliments
manifested by a Chinese teacher Islam in explaining the existence
called Lao-Tzu in 604 BCE. of God. In Taoism, the path (Tao)
According to Lao-Tzu, the Tao is is sustained in the universe by an
the origin and nature of the older doctrine which has been
universe. It is the way of life for all incorporated into Taoism called,
species on our planet, including ‘The Old Dualism’ or in short the
human beings living in tribal ‘Yin-Yang’. This belief in
societies. dualism, yin and yang, describes a
state in which the universe is
This explanation of the Tao gives seemingly divided into two
rise to the possibility that the Tao opposing but equal forces. The
in actual fact describes God as the dualistic world of yin and yang
creator of the universe and that however, is not seen as good
God's 'way' namely Islam, is the versus bad. It is divided along
exact way of life which Lao-Tzu other lines. Yang, represented by
envisaged for all civilisation in the white in the yin-yang symbol,
this world. In his celebrated book, stands for the creative principle
Revelation Rationality Knowledge while yin, represented by black, is
and Truth, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir dissolution and return (to
Ahmad(ru) best describes the creation). Yang came to represent
similarities in meaning between hot, dry, male, light, hardness,
the Tao and the Qur’anic and movement and initiative. Yin

TAOIST YIN-YANG
symbolises coolness, moistness, is evil,

female, darkness, softness, still- Being and not being,
ness and receptivity. The yin and Having and not having,
yang forces are believed to be Create each other.
cyclical, moving and evolving into
each other, represented by the Difficult and easy,
white dot on the black yin side of Long and short,
the symbol, and by a black dot on High and low,
the white yang side. In this view, Define each other,
the universe depends on the Just as before and after follow
interaction between these two each other.
forces which arise from the Tao. (Verse 2: Relativity)
The book of Taoism, The Tao Te From the two verses we

Ching, describes the implications understand that much of what
of the yin and the yang. I have exists, only exists through the
chosen two verses: realisation of its opposite. We
cannot define things as being easy
The Tao is like stringing a if we never experience something
bow, more difficult. If we cannot
Pulling down the high, become ill, the term ‘good’ health
Lifting up the low- would cease to exist as there
would be no general purpose to
Shortening the long, pursue health, as we cannot
Lengthening the short, become ill. It seems that
To take from the excessive everything in this world has come
And give insufficiency in ‘pairs’ to define and create each
support. other and to create balance. Such a
(Verse 77: the Opposite notion is clearly upheld in the
Processes) Holy Qur’an:
We know beauty because there Holy is He Who created all

is ugly, things in pairs, of what the
We know good because there earth grows and of themselves,

TAOIST YIN-YANG
and of what they know not. the Malhiusian theory is that the
(Ch.36: V.37) Earth could not possibly sustain an
infinite amount of creation. Thus
He is the Prime Creator of the death is the vital balancing factor
heavens and the earth. He as being opposite to life. However,
made pairs from among you death itself implies the physical
and also pairs from among the nature of man (body), which can
cattle for your benefit. He never be infinite. When we die,
multiplies you therein. our body perishes. Yet Islam
(Ch.42: V.12) teaches us that our souls continue
to exist for a very long time. How
And of everything have We can this belief be reconciled with
created pairs, that you may the idea of yin-yang? The answer
reflect. is quite simple. Humans are
(Ch.51: V.50) mortals – The Holy Qur’an
explained that God made
The Qur’an prompts man to reflect everything in pairs. Through
on how God made everything in reflection we can realise that the
pairs (Ch.51:V.50), and it is this only ‘opposite’ to balance
exact prompt which allows one to mortality is immortality itself.
view the doctrine of yin and yang Therefore, there exists a realm of
as one which ultimately explains immortality alongside mortality to
the existence of God. balance the universe. God cannot
die and will never cease to exist,
Having established that the and He Himself balances
universe is in its totality bound by mortality, by His attribute, which
the doctrine of the yin and yang as is found in this world.
further established by the Qur’an,
we now know that for one thing to One may argue that even if God is
exist, it must be put into balance Immortal, that it does not
by another thing which exists as its necessarily mean God is All
opposite (i.e. good and bad). If Knowing and All-Powerful.
there was no death, life on Earth Therefore, how can we be sure.
would be severely unbalanced as The answer to this lies in the

TAOIST YIN-YANG
reflection of our surroundings. that has intrigued many minds

Life can never on its own create about Taoism, is its fondness for
itself from nothing. Atheists find it the much older idea of the yin and
hard to explain how the first the yang. Having noticed that the
organisms ever came into doctrine of ‘pairs’ as read in the
existence. Physical matter cannot Qur’an was similar to the yin-
originally create life. Life is not yang, the truth of God’s existence
physical in its entirety. Thus is no mystery. By understanding
creation of all sorts needs a that opposites need each other to
Creator, and we know this Creator define and sustain each other,
to be God. By looking at this universal mortality needs
world, it would require perfect universal immortality in the form
knowledge to have created all that of God, Who has the knowledge to
we could through our senses. sustain the entire 'tao' or universe.
Moreover, God is All-Powerful. Therefore Taoism and its doctrine
He is Immortal, and the All- of yin and yang, compliments
Knowledge. Qur’anic teachings in proving
God’s existence.
The study of Taoism is quite
paradoxical. Taoism overtly
expresses that God is not the factor
that created all, nor is He the
maintainer of the universe. What
is He then? Taoists are very
conclusive about this idea and yet
dwell in the teaching of Lao-Tzu
who says in one of his verses in
the Tao Te Ching, that ‘the spirit of
life never dies, it is the infinite
gateway to mysteries within
mysteries.’ One must surely
always be cautious when trying to
make conclusive statements
involving mysteries. One aspect

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CONTENTS July 2006, Vol.101, No.

Essence of Islam – Part 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Punishment for Apostasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Acropolis: Its significance in the development of religious

The Teacher of Righteousness of the Dead Sea Scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Taoist Yin-Yang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah

Fauzia Bajwa Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar Proofreaders: Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah

2 The Review of Religions – July 2006

In our estimation, there is no prefer to die rather than endure

The Review of Religions – July 2006 3

to make peace with the serpents

The insults that have been The founder of the Ahmadiyya

4 The Review of Religions – July 2006

Poems in Remembrance of the O ye who in his light and

O ocean of the grace of the I perceive in your bright face

The Review of Religions – July 2006 5

perfection and beauty; between the two.

All excellence attained He is like a heavenly garden: I

I call Allah to witness that I found him an ocean of verities

He is superior to all those who I swear by Allah! I have

A light drizzle often precedes Our Holy Prophet is alive-of this

6 The Review of Religions – July 2006

converse with him. Are all saturated with your love.

I had the honour of witnessing O garden of my delight, never

O my Lord, shower Your

Do look upon me with mercy He is bright like the full moon;

The Review of Religions – July 2006 7

So unjustly, and with such And extinguish the light of his

The rain of guidance is but a We fear not the vicissitudes of

The world forgot its light At the time of every crisis,

8 The Review of Religions – July 2006

hordes, infonned you in time.

The Review of Religions – July 2006 9

my dear Ahmad(saw); Whether it rises from the border

10 The Review of Religions – July 2006

Those who came earlier, were He revealed the weighty secrets

That Friend, beyond all physical That Unique Beloved is the

All commandments ordained by We were blind of the heart, with

The Review of Religions – July 2006 11

Leader of the Lovers of God – are his devotees;

His path manifests the works of He is the best of the Prophets

12 The Review of Religions – July 2006

We drink deep the water of his meaning Unique. The line

Through him are we blessed

To follow every one of his

* Ahmad is composed of four

The Review of Religions – July 2006 13

Continued from June 2006: would not dismount until the

The Review of Religions – July 2006 15

into the mouth of the Holy called tradition, but a genuine

b) There are no two opinions e) If there is no contradiction

16 The Review of Religions – July 2006

principles of logic and common Tradition

In the light of the above ‘Ikramah relates that he heard

10 100-109 This tradition, with some

17:55, 18:30, 19:47, 26:117, 28:57, Whoso seeks a religion other

The Review of Religions – July 2006 17

life to come he shall be among shall have no helper.

contradiction between it and the teachings contained in the Holy

The Review of Religions – July 2006 19

right to change his own religion, The obstinate response of the

20 The Review of Religions – July 2006