Letters to the Editor

70 Letters to the Editor Dear Sir, I refer to the letter of Squadron Leader M.A. Shaique in your March issue in which he announced his intention to donate his cornea after his death. To my mind, he need have no qualms on religious grounds. Islam is indeed, as your correspondent affirms, the true religion for all times. It is flexible in the sense that what is unlawful in the generality of cases may be lawful in some instances (2:174). If a starving man can find no succour save in the consumption of otherwise unlawful meat to preserve life, he is not only permitted to consume the same to the extent needed — it is in fact his duty. The principle is the balance of good (2:220). A dead body is to be treated with all due respect and it should not be subjected to needless indignities. The human species is the pinnacle of creation (17:71). Even its exhausted shell should not be treated as a mere discarded object. The abhorrent practice of mutilating the bodies of slain enemies was forbidden by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) not only because of the insult to the dead body but primarily because of the hurt suffered by the relatives of the deceased. The surgical removal of organs for the purpose of transplantation does not, to my mind, constitute mutilation in the same sense. Life is a sacred trust and every reasonable endeavour should be made to preserve it and to heal the afflicted. I suggest therefore, that it is probably not only permissable to donate our organs to survivors in need, but a duty to them and our conscience. There are, however, some prerequisites: 1. The relatives of the donor must be fully aware of his or her inten- tions. The procedure should be such so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. 2. All detectable brain activity must have ceased. 3. Every reasonable effort should have been made to save the donor’s life without being influenced by his offer of donation. 4. The body should be afforded all possible respect and dignity and 71 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS the wounds closed in such a way as not to offend relatives washing or preparing the body for burial. 5. Burial should not be unduly delayed. I would like to strongly point out to the readers of your columns that they do not need to wait for the demise before making a gift of or succour to patients in need. Most of us who are between the ages of 18 and 60 — men and women — can easily spare 500 ml of blood every 3 to 6 months, without any loss of vigour, without pain or trouble. A blood donor gives his gift without either sacrifice or thought of reward, to those whom he knows not. Truly love for all … in practice. I congratulate your correspondent for his thoughtfulness and would like to urge the readers both to carry a donor card and to enrol as voluntary blood donors (2:4; 2:6). With best wishes, Yours sincerely, Rafiq Mahmud Davey. ISLAM and HUMAN RIGHTS by SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN This scholarly study by the learned author is an attempt at a comparative study of Islam and The Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. It presents vividly the Islamic point of view on this world famous declaration of human freedom and liberty. THE LONDON MOSQUE, 16 GRESSENHALL ROAD, LONDON, S.W.18 THE MUSLIM PRAYER BOOK by B. A. RAFIQ A 64 page book which deals with Islamic prayer in all its details. It covers the philosophy of prayer, the times of prayer, prayers in the Quran, prayers of the Holy Prophet, as well as Islamic mode of worship with i l lust rat ions. The prayers are beauti ful ly printed in the original Arabic, together with their trans- literation and translation. Price 50p (excluding postage) LONDON MOSQUE 16 GRESSENHALL ROAD, LONDON, S.W.18 A H M A D I Y Y A M U S L I M MISSIONS A F R I C A : BENNIN P.O. Box 69, Portonova. GAMBIA P.O. Box 383, Banjul Tel : 608 GHANA P.O. 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DENMARK Eriksminde A l l e2 , Hvidovre- Copenhagen.Tel: 753502 GERMANY Die Moschee, Babenhauser, Landstrasse, 25, Frankfurt. Tel: 681485 HOLLAND De Moschee, Oostduirlaan, 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, Tolvskillingsgatan 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 Gressenhall Road, London SW18 SQL. Tel : 01-874 6298. Telex: 28604 Ref: 1292 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. 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