Press Release on Gulf Crisis

RKVIKW OK RKI.IGIONS PRESS RELEASE ON GULF CRISIS HazratMirza Tahir Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has commented on the situation in the Middle East in the following terms and has proposed that an honourable and equitable solution of the grave crisis can only be found according to the teachings of Islam. He made the following plea to the leaders associated with this situation: (1) That Iraq should evacuate Kuwait forthwith, (2) That Iraq should submit itself to the arbitration of Muslim nations and should announce that it would abide by their decision. (3) That Iraq should allow all foreign nationals to leave Kuwait and Iraq, if they so desire. (4) Even failing that, food and medical supplies should not be included in the sanctions against Iraq or any other country. Food embargo is neither permissible according to the teachings of Islam nor is it acceptable according to the universally agreed principle of civilised behaviour. (5) All foreign troops other than those belonging to Muslim states should be withdrawn from Saudi Arabia. (6) That the principles of absolute justice and fairplay should be applied to all – friends and foes alike, and to all outstanding problems in the volatile Middle East region. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad stated : It is most unfortunate that a Muslim Arab State has invaded another Muslim Arab State. Iraq’s attack on Kuwait was unlslamic and immoral by any standard of civilised behaviour. But this is not the whole story. There are many other related issues which must be resolved by the West if peace is to be restored in the region. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad was critical of the proposed action of Iraq to treat all foreign nationals residing in Kuwait or Iraq like hostages: “This is strongly disapproved by Islam and is an immoral act,’ he said: Likewise, the proposed embargo on even food and 4ft REVIEW OH RELIGIONS medicinal supplies to Iraq by the West is no less immoral and inhuman and deserves to be as severely censured as confinement of foreigners by Iraq. At the same time Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad strongly disapproves the penalisation of helpless Jordan. The case, of Jordan requires deeper and more sympathetic understanding. The blockade of food is totally unlslamic and unholy and should be condemned in the strongest terms. In fact, the United Nations did not include food and medical supplies in its sanctions against Iraq. Therefore, it is doubly wrong to force Jordan and other countries to join the blockade of Iraq against their own free will. A less emotional appraisal of the situation by Western diplomats should ultimately convince them that the present position adopted by Jordan stands between war and peace in the Middle East. The position of Jordan is already like that between the devil and the deep blue sea: It may lead Jordan to desperation if it is pushed too far. The Ahmadiyya leader advised the West to apply the .principles of absolute justice to all without discrimination, if they want to establish real peace in the world. Unfortunately, this is not happening.For instance, there has been a great hue and cry over the alleged rape of some air hostesses by Iraqi soldiers which was later proved to be false. On the other hand cases of rape by Indian soldiers are alleged to occur on a much larger scale every day in Indian occupied Kashmir and nobody has condemned those atrocities. Similarly, the West failed to condemn Israel for blowing up Iraq’s nuclear installations in an unprovoked attack. Justice and fairplay requires all wrong to be treated under the same unchanging and unwavering principle of absolute justice. Mirza Tahir Ahmad said that the occupation of the West Bank by Israel was just as naked an aggression as the occupation of Kuwait by Iraq. But, when President Saddam Hussain suggested the evacuation of Israeli occupied Arab territories as a package deal for the Middle East peace alongwith withdrawal from Kuwait by the Iraqi army, he was told that these matters wee unrelated. He said that the ‘Gulf crisis’ is a matter of great concern for all Muslims as the most sacred places of Islam, like Mecca and Medina, are now surrounded by forces which pose a serious threat to their sanctity and security. RHVIKW OF RKLIGIONS 47 He advised the Muslim states to unite and. resolve their disputes according to Quranic teachings. The Holy Quran explicitly states: If two parties of believers fight against each other make peace between them; then if one of them transgresses against the other, all Muslims should fight jointly against the transgressor until it returns to the command of Allah. Then if it returns, make peace between them with equity and act justly. Verily Allah loves the Just. Surely all believers are brothers. So make peace between brothers, and fear Allah that mercy may be shown to you. (49 : 10,11 ) There is no mention of seeking assistance from non-Muslim powers in this teaching. There are glad tidings, however, that a unified Muslim force would overcome any aggressor from among the Muslim states. The conflict between Iraq and Kuwait is therefore not merely an Arab affair, rather it is a problem for the entire Muslim world to solve. To ask help from non-Muslim powers is, therefore, against the teachings of Islam as reflected in the Holy Quran. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad said that it was regrettable that Muslims around the world have encamped themselves behind other powers in serving the vested interests of those powers: Islam stands to lose in this approach. Unless Iraq takes the recommen- ded initiative, it would find itself extending the conflict to Jordan and provide Israel with an excuse to step in and launch an attack on Iraq with the object of destroying its military, political and economic strength which will constitute a blow against Islam. The Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community warned rulers of Muslim states not to align themselves indiscriminately with such powers which do not have good intentions regarding the fate of Iraq. They should adopt an attitude whereby the fears of such powers regarding Iraq are alleviated so that the Muslim states stand between Iraq and those forces i.e. between war and peace. He appealed to all Muslims to turn towards God and act righteously in their affairs in accordance with the injunctions of the Holy. Quran. He also suggested that special prayers should be offered by every Muslim so that the world can be saved from the impending catastrophe. For further information contact: Rashid Ahmad Choudhary, 16-18 Gressenhall Road, London SW18. Tel:- 081—870 8517 (Ext 147 ) 48 KKV1KW OK RKLICIONS (from page 36) though there is a bibliography. While on seriousness, Iain Adamson is undoubtedly serious, because, apart from the Khalifa’s first car in his student days being worth fifteen pounds instead of forty five pounds, he has failed to record some of the many side splitting jokes with which the Khalifa punctuates his speeches and conversation. Then the chapters dealing with the Khalifa’s father, and those on Bhutto and President Zia, have too many third person singular so that it is not always clear who is ‘he’. The Khalifa’s ability to answer impromptu questions and the series of sermons delivered in response to the Pakistan Government’s White Paper containing various allegations against Ahmadiyya beliefs and the Founder of the Community is sadly amiss. So also” is the administrative ability and foresight of the Khalifa. Nevertheless, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV emerges as a down to earth, compassionate, forgiving and an adorable ‘Man of God’. The story is far from over. Millions pray for his long life and continuation of good health. Judging by the pace with which he is leading this religious Community at this momentous time when the iron curtain has been lifted and a whole new world awaits Islam, Ian Adamson’s commendable book will need to be lengthened. What is Islam? Islam literally means Peace, Surrender of one’s Will; and to be in amity and concord. The significance of the name Islam is the attainment of a life of perfect peace and eternal happiness through complete surrender to the Will of God. The Quran-—the Holy Book of the Muslims—interprets it to be the religion whose teachings are in consonance with human nature. Islam, as the Quran has stated (5:4), is the completion of the religion inaugurated by God in the beginning of the world, on His sending the Quran through the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. As a child is taught his alphabet, so God taught the religion to the world gradually and little by little, by sending His prophets at different times and to different peoples. When the world reached that stage of understanding when it was ready for the final lesson, He sent the last and complete Book through the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. This Book not only corrects the errors which had found their way into various religions, but preaches the truths which have not been preached before, on account of special circumstances of the society or the early stage of its development. At the same time it gathers together in itself the truths which were contained in any Divine revelation granted to any people for, the guidance of men (The Quran 98:4). Lastly, it meets all the spiritual and moral requirements of an ever advancing humanity. This is Islam which is wrongly called Muhammadanism. According to Islam, the object of man’s life is its complete unfoldment. Islam does not support the idea that man is born in sin. It teaches that everyone has within him the seed of perfect development and it rests solely with a person himself to make or mar his fortune. We created man in the best make says the Holy Quran (95:5). The cardinal doctrine of Islam is the Unity of Godhead. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger. He is free from all defects, Holy and Transcendent. He is All Good, All Mercy and All Power. He has no partner. He neither begets nor is He begotten, because these are the traits of frail and weak humanity. Furthermore, Islam helps us to establish a permanent relationship with God and to realise Him during our earthly life as our Helper in all our affairs and undertakings. This Unity of God is the first and foremost pillar of Islam and every other belief hangs upon it. Islam requires belief in all the prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Confucious and Zoroas.ter. We regard them all (and many more not mentioned here) as heavenly teachers born to reform and regenerate man and lead him to God. Adherents of some other religions may consider it an act of piety to disrespectful words and heap abuse on the prophets of other religions, but if a Muslim were to show the slightest disrespect towards the founder of any other faith, he does so at the cost of his own faith. He has to utter the respectful benediction Alaihis-Salam, peace be upon him, after mentioning the name of every prophet. Thus Islam establishes peace between all religions. The REVIEW of RELIGIONS The Review of Religions is the oldest magazine of its kind published in 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 Promised Messiah himself. During more than eighty-eight years the message of Islam has been conveyed through this magazine to millions of readers and many fortunate persons have recognized the truth of Islam and accepted it through its study. The articles published in it deal not only with the doctrines and teachings of Islam but also set forth a comparative appreciation of the teachings of other faiths. One of its outstanding features is the refutation 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 appreciation of the doctrines of the Ahmadiyya Movement and the teachings of its Holy Founder. Printed by Raqeetn Press, Islamabad, Sheephatch Lane, Tilfofd, Surrey GU10 2AQ, U.K. Published by The Review of Religions, The London Mosque,.! 6 Gressenhall Road, London SW18 SQL