Letters to the Editor

LOTGRS TO THE EDITOR Dear Sir, It is a pleasure to write comments on the most attractive copies of Review of Religions so kindly sent to me. My comments are, “Well Done!” The motto of “go ahead” of Ahmadiyya Movement as given to us by Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad Khalifatul Masih III (May Allah be pleased with him) will, by the Grace of Allah, hold good for ever. I sincerely wish that every new issue of this wonderful Magazine may testify to the truth of the afore-mentioned motto. I could not lay my fingers on any lapse in the form or contents of these issues. Scholarly written articles by carefully selected contributors speak high of the editorial staff. Most inspiring sermons and thought provoking guidance generated by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Khalifa- tul Masih IV (May Allah assist him in all his undertakings) have given a new lease of life to the rank and file of this highly blessed community representing Nashat-i-Thania of Islam. Let every one of us bow down, body and soul, before our beloved God Who has enriched us with the treasures of faith and dedication through His Holy Messenger and Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Khatamul Anbiya and Rahmatun-Lil-Aalamin. In our time the promised manifestation of the Holy Prophet of Islam appeared in the person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mehdi (peace be on him) who was given the keys of those treasures and after him in the person of his beloved Khalifas (Successors) who have injected new spirit in the veins of those who follow them. The Messianic utterances of Qum- be-Iznillah blown through the trumpets of truth and guidance carried by their followers are once again working miracles of raising the dead from the graves. Let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear. Let the modern scientists and technologists know that the atom of faith is much stronger than the physical atom dis- covered by them because the masters of the atom of faith are under the umbrella of God, the Protector whereas the masters of physical atom are vulnerable to the attacks of their opposite forces holding similar atoms and have no umbrella of any kind. The crux of our preaching is to give the widest possible publicity to this message and our organs particularly Review of Religions can play more 60 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 61 effective part in this respect. May Allah grant you success in your undertaking. Ameen. With best wishes and kindest regards. Yours fraternally, Rabwah Major (Retd.) Abdul Hamid Dear Sir, In his letter to the Review of Religions of December, 1983 Hezo Cane of Milwaukee raises the question as to why there is no book comparable to the New Testament gospels which is concerned with Jeuss’ long stay in Kashmir. There are few points which might help to shed some light on this question. Firstly it is important to remember that Jesus was not a law-bearing prophet. We read: Think not that I come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matt: 5.17 The disciples were instructed to preach to the twelve tribes of Israel and not to take the message of Christ to others: These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matt: 10-56. It appears that the early evangelists, failing to have much of an impact on the Jewish people addressed themselves to a wider audi- ence. There was thus a need for written account of the life of Jesus Christ to be kept. Although not much is known about the very first versions of the Gospels it is known that some modifications have taken place taking into account the communities to which the evan- gelists were preaching to. It is believed that Mark wrote for a Roman audience, Matthew and Luke wrote for people in Syria and Johns’ communities were based in Asia Minor. Keeping together some written accounts would thus be important for taking the story of 62 THE REVIEWOF RELIGIONS Jesus to bigger audiences. When Jesus had found the ten tribes of Israel who had migrated to Kashmir, and preached his message to them, his mission had been fulfilled. Thus there was no need for an account such as the New Testament to be kept as such. However, there certainly exists mention of Jesus in Kashmir in historical writings of the time. More may be discovered in time. Yours sincerely, Kings College, University of London, Mansur A. Saqi London U.K. ******************* THE TREE OF AHMADIYYAT You have said And it will be But who and who Will share this tree? The seed is sown And it will grow Its mighty grandeur It will show Down and deep Will go the root Up in the skies The branches will shoot Let me pray For me and mine Whatever the weather Rain or shine All the time We should be Under the shade Of this tree. Naseem Saifi Natural sweetness Natural energy Natural goodness _ from Pakistan’s largest ^_ network of fresh fruit farms From the largest network of fresh fruit farms in Pakistan Shezan picks and processes nature’s pure products for your Nourishment and Refreshment • Squashes • Cordials • Marmalade • Chutney • Sherbat • Jams • Pickles • Desserts • Juices • Jellies • Achar • peas The delicious moments Shezan International Limited, Lahore-Karachi. AHMADIYYA MUSLIM MISSIONS ox 69, Portonova. Box 383, Banjul. A F R I C A : BENNIN P.O. GAMBIA P.O. Tel : 608 GHANA P.O. Box 2327 , Acc ra (OSU New Estates) . 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TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Freeport Mis- sion Road, Upper Carapichaima, Trinidad, W.1. U.S.A. 2141 , Leroy Place, N.W. Wash- ington 8, D.C. 20008. Tel: 202 23 2 -3737 . Cables: ISLAM. ASIA: BANGLADESH 4 Baxi Bazar Road, Dacca-1. BURMA 191-28th St reet , Rangoon. FIJI P.O. Box 3758 , Samabula (82 Kings Road), Suva, Tel: 38221. INDIA Darul Masih, Qadian. Tel: 36. INDONESIA |alan Bal ikpapan 1 , No.10, Djakarta Pusat 1/13. Tel: 36 5342 JAPAN Ahmadiyya Centre, 643-1 Aza Yamanoda, O-Aza Issha, Idaka-cho, Meito-Ku, Nagoya 465.Tel. 703-1868 PAKISTAN (Headquarters) Rabwah, Dist. |hang. PHILIPPINES Haji M. Ebbah, Simunal, Bongao, Sulu. SINGAPORE 111 Onan Rd, Singapore 15 SRI LANKA Colombo M.E.M. Hasan, 24 San Sebast in S t ree t , Ratnum Road, Colombo 1 2. EUROPE: BELGIUM Maulvi S.M. Khan, 76 A \ due Pantheon Bte 5 1080, Brussels. DENMARK Eriksminde Al le 2, Hviclovre- Copenhagen.Tel: 753502 GERMANY Die Moschee, Babenhauser, Landstrassc, 25, Frankfurt. Tel : 681485 HOLLAND De Moschee, Oostduii laan, 79, Den Haag. Tel : (010-3170) 245902 Telex: 33574 Inter NLA30C NORWAY Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Frognerveine 53,Oslo-2. Tel: 447188 SPAIN Mission Ahmadiyya del Islam, Mezquita Basharat, Pedro Abad, near Cordoba. Tel: 160750 Ext. 142 SWEDEN Nasir Moske Islams Ahmadiy- ya Forsamling, Tolvskil l ingsgatan 1. S-41 4 82 Goteborg, Sverige. Tel: 414044 SWITZERLAND Mahmud Moschee, 323, Forschstrasse 8008, Zurich. Tel: 535570. Telex: 58378 MPTCH Islam 374 /XA UNITED KINGDOM 16 Grcssenhal l Road, London SW18 5QL. Tel: 01-874 6298. Telex: 28604 Ref: 1292 REGD. No. L 5746 The REVIEW of RELIGIONS The Review of Religions is the oldest magazine of its kind published in the English language in the Indo-Pakistan Sub- Continent. Its first issue was published in 1902 and it has been continuously published since. It bears the distinction that it was initiated under the direction of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promis- ed Messiah himself. During more than eighty-one years the message of Islam has been conveyed through this magazine to hundreds of readers and many fortunate persons have recognised the truth of Islam and accepted it through studying it. The articles published in it deal not only with the doct- rines and teachings of Islam but also set forth a comparative appreciation of the teachings of other faiths. One of its outstanding features is the refutations of the criticism of Islamic teachings by orientalists and non-muslim scholars. It also presents solutions in the light of Islamic teachings of the problems with which the Islamic world is from time to time confronted. A study of this magazine is indispensable for the appre- ciation of the doctrines of the Ahmadiyya Movement and the teachings of its holy Founder. Printed by Unwin Brothers Limited, The Gresham Press, Old Woking, Surrey Published by The Review of Religions, The London Mosque, 16 Gressenhall Road, London, SW18 5QL