Wonders of the Universe

Ask The Review of Religions 10

Wonders of the Universe 16

Five Reasons Why Some Christians Are Shroud Sceptics 32

The Economic System of Islam 52

www.reviewofreligions.org

wondersof the

universe

vol. 111 - issue eightaugust 2016

And when you speak, speak only what is absolutely true and fair, even if you testify against a close relative. ISLAM, THE HOLY QUR’AN, 6:153.

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“Verily, truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man may speak the truth until he is recorded with Allah as being truthful. Verily, falsehood leads to sin and sin leads to the Hellfire. A man may tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as being a liar.”ISLAM, SAHIH MUSLIM.

There is hardly anyone in the world who would tell a lie without any motive. Truth that is abandoned at a time of risk can never form part of the true morals. The real occasion of telling the truth is when one apprehends loss of life or property or honour. ISLAM, THE PROMISED MESSIAHAS, THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM.

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace. CHRISTIANITY, THE BIBLE, ZECHARIAH 8:16.

Truth cannot be suppressed and always is the victor. HINDUISM, YAJUR VEDA.

Silence the angry man with love. Silence the ill-natured man with kindness. Silence the miser with generosity. Silence the liar with truth.BUDDHISM, GAUTAMA BUDDHA

The Holy Prophet Muhammadsa prophesied that the Promised Messiahas would be raised near a white minaret, east of Damascus. This prophecy was fulfilled with the advent of the Promised Messiahas

from Qadian, India, a city directly east of Damascus.

The Promised Messiahas

& imam mahdi

© m

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founder of the review of religions

Truthfulnessworld faiths

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India. From an early age he had a keen interest in religion and developed a love for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. He was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve. Over time his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their source but with the passage of time had drifted away from their original teachings; he upheld the dignity of religion and demonstrated its relevance to everyone.

His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah

– a blessing that he continued for the rest of his life.

His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he would bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace.

In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hazrat Ahmadas founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – a community that has since grown in its stature and strength and has remained active in conveying the message of Islam to the ends of the earth.

Hazrat Ahmadas had established himself as a respected writer and had written over 80 books. His writings have been translated into more than 60 languages and continue to inspire readers to this day. One of his greatest scholarly works was The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, prepared as a paper and read out at the Conference of Great Religions in 1896.

He also wrote a fascinating treatise in 1899 entitled Jesus in India, a book that uncovered remarkable evidence of Jesus’sas journey to India. In 1902, the Promised Messiahas initiated The Review of Religions which has covered a vast array of topics on religion, philosophy and contemporary issues of the day. It is the longest running English magazine in defence of Islam and the values it teaches.

From 1889 until the time of his demise in 1908 tens of thousands of people accepted him. This blessing has continued and will continue through his Khulafa (successors).

Currently under the fifth successor, we are seeing that the tide of acceptance is worldwide and that the message of Prophet Ahmadas has really reached the ends of the earth.

8 The Messiah Has ComeHAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS, THE PROMISED

MESSIAH AND IMAM MAHDI

10 Ask The Review of ReligionsIntroducing our new feature in which we invite reader questions on Islam. SHAHZAD AHMED, LONDON, UK

14 Science Cannot Defeat IslamHAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS, THE PROMISED

MESSIAH AND IMAM MAHDI

16 Wonders of the Universe Join us as we explore the world of scientific discovery through images which highlight God’s handiwork.DR. ANNE-MARIE IONESCU, LONDON, UK

30 Life of the Holy Prophetsa

32 Five Reasons Why Some Christians Are Shroud Sceptics

Many people dismiss the Shroud as fake. Barrie Schwortz addresses common misconceptions.BARRIE SCHWORTZ, COLORADO, US

52 The Economic System of IslamIn this thirteenth part of the series, communism’s false ideas of equality are discussed. HAZRAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMADRA,

THE SECOND CALIPH OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM

COMMUNITY

62 Calendar of Religious Events

Front cover picture: Sergi Verdugo Martinez | astrophoto-sv.com | Released under CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0

conTenTs

august 2016 vol.111 issue eight

52

16

32

CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER

Syed Amer Safir

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Nakasha Ahmad, Tariq H. Malik

RELIGION & SCIENCE

Editor: Dr. Syed Muhammad Tahir Nasser

Deputy: Dr. Tauseef Khan

ISLAM & CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

Editor: Shahzad Ahmad

LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS

Editor: Qudsi Rasheed

Deputy: Ayesha Mahmood Malik

ANCIENT RELIGIONS & ARCHAEOLOGY

Editor: Fazal Ahmad

Deputy: Rizwan Safir

CHRISTIANITY

Editor: Navida Sayed

Deputy: Arif Khan

WOMEN’S SECTION

Editor: Aliya Latif

Deputy: Meliha Hayat

BOOK REVIEWS

Editor: Sarah Waseem

WEB TEAM

Mubashra Ahmad, Hibba Turrauf

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Head: Razwan Baig

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mansoor Saqi, Bockarie Tommy Kallon, Professor

Amtul Razzaq Carmichael, Murtaza Ahmad, Fiona

O’Keefe, Hassan Wahab, Jonathan Butterworth,

Munazza Khan, Waqar Ahmedi, Mahida Javed

SUB-EDITORS

Munawara Ghauri (Head), Maryam Malik,

Nusrat Haq, Mariam Rahman

PROOFREADERS

Farhana Dar (Head), Hina Rehman, Amina Abbasi, Aisha Patel

HOUSE STYLE GUIDE

Maleeha Ahmad (Head), Sadia Shah

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tazeen Ahmad (Head), Mala Khan (Deputy), Nudrat

Ahmad, Hajra Ahmad, Mishall Rahman, Shumaila Ahmad

PRINT DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Ahsan Khan

INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION

Muhammad Hanif

ACCOUNTS & MARKETING

Musa Sattar

ART & CREATIVITY

Zubair Hayat, Mussawir Din

INDEXING, TAGGING & ARCHIVING

Mirza Krishan Ahmad (Head). Amtus Shakoor Tayyaba Ahmed

(Deputy). Humaira Omer, Humda Sohail, Shahid Malik, Ruhana

Hamood, Mubahil Shakir, Adila Bari, Hassan Raza Ahmad

MANAGEMENT BOARD

Munir-Ud-Din Shams (Chairman), Syed Amer Safir (Secretary), Mubarak Ahmad Zaffar, Abdul Baqi Arshad,

Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Naseer Qamar, Abid Waheed Ahmad Khan, Aziz Ahmad Bilal

The world is passing through turbulent times. The global economic crisis continues to manifest new and grave dangers at every juncture. The similarities of the current circumstances to the build-up of the Second World War are stark. Events appear to be moving us rapidly towards a Third World War. The consequences of a nuclear war are beyond our imagination.

In this book, the historic addresses of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba, Fifth Khalifah of the Promised Messiah and Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to prominent dignitaries at Capitol Hill, the House of Commons, the European Parliament and other notable locations around the world have been collated. The book also includes the momentous letters sent by His Holiness to the numerous world leaders. Over and over again, His Holiness has reminded all that the only means of averting a global catastrophe is for nations to establish justice as an absolute requirement of their dealings with others. Even if mutual enmity exists, impartiality must be observed at all times, because history has taught us that this alone isthe way to eliminate all traces of hatred and to build everlasting peace.

Read online at: www.alislam.org

Purchase the book here:http://store.alislam.org/

The

Promised Messiahas

& imam mahdi( g u i d e d o n e )


Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas

Brethren, I am a Reformer, not an innovator and, God forbid, I have not come to spread any innovation. I have come to proclaim the truth. I consider everything that

finds no place in the Qur’an or Hadith, and is opposed to them, as heresy and negation of faith. But there are few who can reach the true meaning of the Divine Word and can comprehend its subtle mysteries. I have not added anything to, nor subtracted anything from, the faith. Brethren, my faith is the same as yours. I follow the same Noble Messengersa whom you follow. The same Holy Qur’an is my guide, my beloved and my scripture, believing in which is incumbent upon you also. It is quite true that I believe that Jesus, son of Maryas, died and joined the company of the dead. I also believe with complete certainty that the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah has been ful-filled in me. O brethren, this belief of mine is not the product of my own imagination. Rather God Almighty has informed me, through His revelation, that I am the one who was to come in the name of Jesus, son of Maryas. God has disclosed to me all the conclusive arguments which are contained in the Holy Qur’an and the true Ahadith, which establish the death of Jesus, son of Maryas, Messenger of God, as a certainty.1

endnotes

1. Majmu‘ah Ishtiharat, vol. 1, pp. 231-232.

The Messiah Has Come

of civilization has germinated through the constant nourishment of religious teachings.

The Neolithic Revolution is consid-ered one of the major turning points in human history which caused a change in the way people lived and led to the eventual rise of civilizations. There has been much debate and research as to what exactly was the cause of this sud-den change and it is often said that it was agriculture that gave rise to our civilization. However, the Holy Qur’an speaks of this revolutionary change that occurred and which eventually led to the new social progress of man. Almost over 6000 years ago, God Almighty spoke to Adam and appointed him as His vice-gerent on earth. He revealed to Adam the divine truths, in which he was told that if the divine law were to be followed then “it is decreed for thee that thou shalt not hunger therein nor shall be naked; and that thou shalt not thirst therein, nor shalt thou be exposed to the sun.”1 According to the Holy Qur’an, the divine law formed the precepts which gave birth to a civilized society.

“These two verses point to the fact that to provide food, clothing and shelter to its people – their prime necessities of

life – is the first duty of a civilized gov-ernment and that a society can only be called civilized when all its members are adequately provided with these neces-sities. Mankind will continue to suffer from social upheavals, and the moral tone of human society will never really improve unless economic inequalities of such a serious nature, that some sections of society roll in wealth and others die of starvation, are done away with. Adam is told here that he will live in a place where the amenities and necessities of life will be adequately available to all its inhabitants. This state of affairs has been described elsewhere in the Qur’an in the words, and eat therefrom plenti-fully wherever you will (2:36). The verse

In today’s world, whereby standards of living have so vastly improved and com-mon values of good are enjoyed and practiced by even non-believers of any particular religion or faith, one may per-haps question the validity of religion in modern-day society.

Man’s deep association with religion has been since time immemorial. The followers or believers of any particular faith vary in their reasons for adopting religion; for some it’s a source of peace, and offers comfort when most needed;

whilst for others it ’s a sense of hope and attaches meaning to our existence, as opposed to atheism, which proposes nothing more than a meaningless exist-ence followed by death.

However, the importance of religion is far more significant than perhaps the individual benefits one reaps. Religion, whether or not we are consciously aware of it, has in fact benefited and continues to play a pivotal role in shaping our soci-ety as a whole. Civilization is indeed the essence of our society, yet the very seed

Ask The Review of Religions

Welcome to Ask The Review of Religions, a new regular series where readers can enquire on all

types of theological and religious matters. Email [email protected] with your questions.

Mankind will continue to suffer from social upheavals, and the moral tone of human society will never really improve unless economic inequalities of such a serious nature, that some sections of society roll in wealth and others die of starvation, are done away with.

Shahzad Ahmed, London, U.K.

Does society really need religion or is it just a mere obstacle that has long been in the pathway of man’s progress?

10 THE REvIEw OF RElIGIOns | AuGusT 2016 AuGusT 2016 | THE REvIEw OF RElIGIOns 11

is, man attaining a communion with his Lord and to manifest within him His attributes. However, the laws pertain-ing to society that these holy founders introduced have never been the same, rather each of them carried forward the baton from his predecessor and intro-duced a profound teaching specifically designed to meet the requirements and needs of the society of the time. And in each instance their teachings proved to bring about a revolutionary change. A close study of the lives of prophets such as Moses, Jesus and the Holy Prophet

(peace be upon them all) confirms that their advent took place when their soci-ety was at its lowest ebb and in complete decline and within their lifetime they were able to transform a deteriorating and divided mass into a powerful nation; they enlightened a latent society; they inspired dormant minds and paved the way for the emergence of yet another illustrious civilization that decorates the history of our world. Thus, it is of no surprise to find that among the top 100 most influential people of all time, according to Michael H. Hart’s book, The 100, more than half of those who occupy the top 10 spot are religious figures, with the Holy Prophetsa of Islam being num-ber one. Indeed, the selection was based on those who were the most influential,

‘people who swayed the destinies of mil-lions of human beings, determined the rise and fall of civilizations, changed the course of human history.’4

History bears testimony that the advent of Prophets has had a tremendous impact on its people, the astonishing contrast of the circumstances before their advent and after their departure is a universal theme reflected in the life of every prophet. The transformation they brought in their society and the lasting legacy they left behind helped culminate if not a new era of civilization but most certainly revived a decaying one.

endnotes

1. The Holy Qur’an, Ch.20, V: 119 -120.

2. Farid, M. (2006). The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Short Commentary. Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd.

3. Mann, C. (2011). Göbekli Tepe - The Birth of Religion. [online] Ngm.nationalgeographic.com. Available at: http://ngm.nationalgeo-graphic.com/2011/06/gobekli-tepe/mann-text/1 [Accessed 28 Dec. 2015].

4. Hart, M. (1992). The 100. Secaucus, N.J.: Carol Pub. Group.

under comment also shows that with Adam began a new social order and that he laid the foundations of a kingdom which ushered in the era of a social pro-gress of man.”2

Mesopotamia which is considered ‘the Cradle of Civilization’ is said to have emerged around 3100 B.C.E. Interestingly, the accoutrements of this civilization are said to have appeared around the same time and place that the religious scriptures postulate the advent of Adam. However, the commonly held Biblical view of Adam being the first man created by God on earth is certainly not supported by the modern scientific study of human evolution. In fact, man has roamed the earth for over tens of thou-sands of years and has passed through

numerous cycles of creation and civili-zation. However Adam, the progenitor of the present human race, is only the first link in the current cycle and through whom our present civilization took root.

Indeed, before our present cycle, many nations and civilizations have risen and fallen. However, those that have come to pass before us, it is religion that seems to be at its root yet again. A recent study on one of the world’s oldest tem-ples, Gobekli Tepe, which dates back to 12000 years ago, was recently published and suggested that perhaps agriculture was not the driving force behind the emergence of early civilization. Rather, “the construction of a massive temple by a group of foragers is evidence that organized religion could have come before the rise of agriculture and other aspects of civilization.”3

Even if we confine ourselves to our present civilization alone, we find that religion has continually played a crucial and pivotal role in the advancement and betterment of mankind. A strong proof of this lies in the close study of the advent of the Prophets and the Divine laws which were revealed to them. All of the revealed religions have in essence come with the same universal objective, that

A recent study on one of the world’s oldest temples, Gobekli Tepe, which dates back to 12000 years ago, was recently published and suggested that perhaps agriculture was not the driving force behind the emergence of early civilization.


The

Promised Messiahas

& imam mahdi( g u i d e d o n e )


Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas

Just observing the attacks of science over religion in this age when there is a state of war between the two, one should not become disheartened and wonder what to do. There can be no doubt that in this war, Islam does not need to appease itself as the beaten and humiliated. Rather, it is the time of Islam’s spiritual sword just as it had shown its physical might once. Remember this prophecy that soon the enemy in this war will lose with disgrace and Islam will be victorious.

No matter how furious the attack by science and whichever new instruments of war it resorts to, the end result is its defeat. I say with gratitude that I have been bestowed the knowledge of Islam’s superior powers. Through this knowledge I can say that Islam will not only defend itself from the attacks from modern philosophy but will prove the confronting knowledge to be no more than mere ignorance and backwardness. The kingdom of Islam has no fear for these attacks from science and philosophy. The days of Islam’s good fortune are nigh and I perceive the signs of its victory visible in the heavens. This prosperity is spiritual and the victory is also spiritual so that the powers of false knowledge are so weakened by the Supreme that they eventually vanish.

(A’yeena Kamalaat Islam, footnotes, pp.254-255)

Science Cannot Defeat Islam

We live in an age of scientific progress, and the science section of The Review of Religions is pleased to present the following collection of striking scientific images which illustrate current groundbreaking research in fields as diverse as astronomy and biology.

While there is a popular conception that science and religion must be at odds with one another, the Promised Messiahas wrote that the “Holy Qur’an brings full accord between science and religion.” Browsing through these images, God’s Handiwork is fully evident.

Credit: NASA/JPL Caltech /WISE

wonders of the

universe

Wonders of the Universe

D r . A n n e - M A ri e i o n e s c u, Lo n D o n , u. K .

Fluorescent mouse brain in coronal sectionLuis de la Torre-Ubieta, UCLA | Wellcome Images

Confocal microscopy was used to visualise a subgroup of neurones in the brain, engineered to express green fluorescent protein. Individual images were captured at 5.3 micrometers before being subsequently combined into the single image seen here. All neurones visualised are colour-coded by depth; from red (top) to orange, yellow, purple, blue and green (bottom).

AuGusT 2016 | THE REvIEw OF RElIGIOns 19

Cosmic Optical Illusions in Ursa MajorCredit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

This image shows galaxies that appear as though they are in a galactic tug of war. In reality, the galaxy “above” is actually closer to Earth than the one “below”, and the two are not physically connected. Even more bizarrely, this image actually contains at least four galaxies, with the galaxy “above” actually comprising of three galaxies. Two are spiralling around one another in what seems to be the early stages of a merger, while a third sits separately towards the right of the image. This trio of galaxies are only 600 million light years away from Earth, in the constellation of Cepheus. The blue stream seemingly connecting the galaxies “above” and “below” is believed to have formed as a result of turbulent gravitational interactions from the merger of the two galaxies in the upper half of the image. As the two galaxies collide and merge, they throw off gas, dust, and millions of newborn stars. These young stars clump to form hot, massive, super-clusters and are responsible for the stark blue hue in this image.


Transmission electron microscope image of a T4 bacteriophage in the process of injecting its viral DNA into its host, an Escherichia coli bacterium. Credit: Biozentrum, University of Basel | Science Source

This is an electron-micrograph image capturing the event of a bacteriophage landing on the surface of its host, an E.coli bacterium. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacterial cells. Most bacteriophages are 24-200 nanometers (nm) in size (that’s one-billionth of a metre!) but can be as small as 6.5nm. This image captures the phase at which a bacteriophage anchors to the cell before preparing to penetrate the membrane to inject its genetic load into the bacterial cell. From there, the virus will replicate within the bacterium before bursting out and invading other hosts. Bacteriophages are increasingly being used as alternatives to antibiotics to kill bacteria in humans. Bacteriophages have the advantage over antibiotics of potentially being much more specific to their target, sparing human cells and even human flora1.

1. Keen, E. C. (2012). “Phage Therapy: Concept to Cure”. Frontiers in Microbiology 3.doi:10.3389/fmicb.2012.00238


The Jellyfish Nebula: IC 443 Sergi Verdugo Martinez | astrophoto-sv.com | Released under CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0.

This image captures the constellation of Gemini IC 443. It is approximately 5,000 light years from Earth. It is a galactic supernova remnant, a star that exploded between 3000-30,000 years

ago and is one of the best-studied cases of a supernova remnant interacting with surrounding nebulous clouds. Near the apex of the nebula is a neutron star that is thought to have been the

progenitor of the supernova explosion – the ultimate fate of a massive star. It is a process in which a star collapses in upon its own gravity, before exploding in an event that can momentarily

outshine a galaxy, ejecting its matter at roughly 10% of the speed of light. The shape of this nebula earned it the nickname of the ‘Jellyfish Nebula’.


“Homo Naledi” is the name given to a series of bones found in a cave in South Africa, presumed to belong to the same species...

Skull of Homo Naledi, Discovered in a South African Cave in 2015Lee Roger Berger research team | Released under CC

BY 4.0 “Homo Naledi” is the name given to a series of bones found in a cave in South Africa, presumed to belong to the same species. “Presumed” because, despite the media hype at apparently discovering a new ancestor of ours, there is very little that we know for sure about this creature. The date of the bones found in the cave are unknown, so we cannot place this species as our ancestor, as the bones may be dated to an age younger than our own. The bones are thought by some to belong to more than one species, as the skulls discovered seem to represent two distinct morphologies. Many of the features of this hominid are also entirely unique, making it difficult to know where to place it in the mosaic of evolution. Its tibia, femur, hands and feet all have unique features not found in other hominids. Indeed, its place within the genus of Homo is itself up for debate, with many of its features appearing to resemble the Australopith genus more. Given these issues, Homo Naledi has conjured more questions than answers…


PIA19966: Charon and Pluto: Strikingly Different Worlds CREDIT: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute

This is a composite enhanced image designed to bring Pluto (lower right) and Charon (upper left) together for the purpose of comparison. NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft snapped the images as it passed through Pluto’s orbit on July 14, 2015. The images have been processed identically so as to permit comparison of the different features. For example, note the similarity between Pluto’s red equatorial terrain and Charon’s dusky polar regions. The advantage of this image positioning is that it also gives an approximate idea of the relative sizes of these two planets. Pluto has had a chequered history, having been relegated from the category of planets in 2006 to its current status as a dwarf planet. It was relegated because it was not deemed to have met a third, new and essential criteria: a planet must “clear the neighbourhood around its orbit”. This meant that a planet had to have attained gravitational dominance in its immediate vicinity, having sucked up all other masses into itself. Pluto is surrounded by similarly sized planets such as Eris and Ceres and as such, could not be regarded as a planet, standing on its own two feet.

About the Autor: Anne-Marie Ionescu is a medical doctor based in Leamington Spa. Her interests include photography and the beauty of the natural world.


TRUTHFULNESS

A man once came to the Holy Prophetsa and said: “O Messengersa of Allah! I suffer from three evils: falsehood, indulgence in strong drinks and fornication. I have tried my utmost to get rid of them but have not succeeded. Will you tell me what to do?” The Prophetsa replied: “If you make a firm promise to me to give up one of them I guarantee that you will be rid of the other two.” The man promised and asked the Prophetsa to tell him which of the three he should give up. The Prophetsa said: “Give up falsehood.”

Sometime later the man came back and told the Holy Prophetsa that, having followed his advice, he was now free from all three vices. The Prophetsa asked him for the details of his struggle and the man said:

“One day I wanted to indulge in liquor and was about to do so when I bethought myself of my promise to you and realised that if any of my friends asked me whether I had taken liquor, I would have to admit it as I could no longer utter a falsehood. This would mean that I would acquire an evil reputation among my friends and they would in future avoid me. Thinking thus, I persuaded myself to postpone drinking to some later occasion and was able to withstand the temptation at the time. In the same way when I found myself inclined towards fornication, I argued with myself that indulgence in the vice would expose me to the loss of the esteem of my friends as I would either have to tell a falsehood if questioned by them, thus breaking my promise to you, or I would have to admit my sin. In this way I continued to struggle between my resolve to fulfil my promise to you and my desire to indulge in liquor and in adultery. When some time had passed I began to lose the inclination to indulge in these vices and the resolve to keep away from falsehood has now saved me from the other two also.”

Life of The Holy Prophet Muhammadsa


At first glance, I might seem to be the least likely candidate to be writing an article addressing

Christians’ beliefs about the Shroud of Turin, because I am Jewish. (Of course, so is the man on the Shroud!) On the other hand, I was a member of the only research team ever permitted to per-form an in-depth scientific examination of the cloth. In 1978, I was one of 24 researchers who spent 120 non-stop hours over five days and nights examin-ing it directly and performing a battery of non-destructive tests on the cloth. We spent the next three years evaluating all of our data and writing the results into formal scientific papers, which were sub-mitted and published in highly regarded peer-reviewed scientific journals. Our research ultimately concluded that the Shroud was not an artwork. In spite of that, I remained a die-hard sceptic and it took me another 17 years before the scientific evidence finally convinced me of its authenticity.

In my role as the official “Documenting Photographer” for the research team, I was obligated to document the event and the team’s work in detail. When that work was finished and most of the oth-ers moved on, I felt that my work was somehow incomplete. As an “insider”

with access to all of the scientific research and a media professional myself, I was very frustrated by the inaccurate (and sometimes patently false) reports in the media about the Shroud and realized that my Christian brothers and sisters were not really getting a very accurate accounting of what we knew about it. Let us be honest. The average person does not read peer-reviewed scientific journals! So I created and published the first Shroud of Turin website on the internet in 1996 (www.shroud.com) to provide a platform

Five Reasons Why Some Christians Are

Shroud ScepticsIn 1978, I was one of 24 researchers who spent 120 non-stop hours over five days and nights examining it directly and performing a battery of non-destructive tests on the cloth. We spent the next three years evaluating all of our data and writing the results into formal scientific papers, which were submitted and published in highly regarded peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Barrie Schwortz, Colorado, USA

-

The Review of Religions is pleased to present the following article by Shroud photographer Barrie Schwortz, which was orig-

inally published in The City in Spring 2016 and is reprinted here with permission.


the back of an envelope so I could address each of them directly when I got up to speak. I called it (with apologies to David Letterman) the “Top 5 Reasons Why Some Christians Are Shroud Sceptics” and opened my talk with it. To my surprise, the audience response was over-whelmingly positive and I realized that this information should be made more readily available. Consequently, I cre-ated a PowerPoint to better illustrate the information and now present it as part of my regular presentations to Protestant and Evangelical groups. When I was asked to write this article for The City I realized this was a perfect opportunity to expand on the information I had been presenting at my lectures and dispel in detail some of the misconceptions about the Shroud that many Christians seem to have. Before you make up your mind, I believe you should know the facts. So here are the top Five Reasons Why Some Christians are Shroud Sceptics:

1. The Shroud is a Graven Image This is usually the first reason I am given as to why the Shroud is not credible in some people’s eyes. In my lectures, I always remind folks that being Jewish, I know a little bit about graven images. We had a Golden Calf that cost us 40 years in the desert! But what exactly is a

for more accurate and readily accessible information about the Shroud and began lecturing about it at conferences, univer-sities and churches around the world.

Over the years I have spoken to hun-dreds of Christian groups of nearly every denomination and have probably heard every reason why people either love or hate the Shroud. Everything came to a head in 2013, when I was asked to speak at an Evangelical Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I attended the entire three day event and spent the first two days just sitting at a table with a modest Shroud display and talking with many of the attendees, some of whom were quick to tell me they were not really interested in the Shroud. They were also very happy to tell me why, and their rea-sons were rather stunning, since in most cases they were completely inaccurate or totally incorrect.

I knew this evangelical audience prob-ably would not be thrilled with a Jewish guy getting up and telling them they are misinterpreting their own Gospels when it comes to the Shroud, but I knew I had to do something. I was giving my only lecture in the main auditorium on the third day of the event, so I jotted down the top five reasons folks had given me on

A frontal view of the Shroud of Turin in natural light.

© 1978 Barrie M. Schwortz Collection, STERA, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Photographers Barrie Schwortz and Vernon Miller made large format photographs of the Shroud of Turin in 1978.


Everything came to a head in 2013, when I was asked to speak at an Evangelical Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I attended the entire three day event and spent the first two days just sitting at a table with a modest Shroud display and talking with many of the attendees, some of whom were quick to tell me they were not really interested in the Shroud.

five reasons why some christians are shroud sceptics


fact, it even quenched the pale yellow-green background fluorescence of the cloth itself, thus proving that the Shroud image is not the product of a high tem-perature event. In other words, we proved that the image is not a scorch.

The third theory was that the Shroud image was created in medieval times using a photographic process, even though the first documented photographic negative still exists and was created in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France! There is not one shred of evidence in the historical record that any photographic images were created before then. Since the primary light sensitive material used in the photographic process is silver, the STURP team looked for it using spectral and chemical analyses and not one trace was found. According to proponents of that theory, all the silver was removed during the fixing process. However, the chemicals used to fix the image and make it permanent only remove the UNUSED silver and there would be plenty of it remaining in all of the image areas. Also, such a light sensitive emul-sion would have to be coated onto the entire Shroud in a semi-viscous liquid or gelatine form which would have pen-etrated deep into the fibres of the cloth and some silver would have remained

there until this day. Yet not one trace was found. Again, we proved the Shroud image was not created by a photographic process. Of course, if one takes the time to thoroughly analyze the Shroud’s global image properties (and I am a professional photographer that has had 38 years to do so), one can easily see that, other than the negative-like light to dark reversal, the Shroud image is absolutely nothing like a photographic image. One cannot encode spatial or topographic 3-D information into an image using normal photography. Here is an excerpt taken directly from the official summary of STURP’s 1981 final report:

“No pigments, paints, dyes or stains have been found on the fibrils. X-ray, fluorescence and microchemistry on the fibrils preclude the possibility of paint being used as a method for creating the image. Ultra Violet and infrared evalu-ation confirm these studies. Computer image enhancement and analysis by a device known as a VP-8 image analyzer show that the image has unique, three-dimensional information encoded in it. Microchemical evaluation has indicated no evidence of any spices, oils, or any biochemicals known to be produced by the body in life or in death. It is clear that there has been a direct contact of

graven image? By definition, it is a man-made object or artwork (such as a statue) that is worshipped as a god or in place of a god.

But science itself has PROVEN (and I don’t use that word lightly), that the Shroud is not an artwork of any kind. Our team went to Turin to answer a sin-gle question: How is the image on the Shroud formed? The conventional wis-dom in 1978 was that it was either some form of painting, scorch or photograph,

so our tests included experiments to explore all of those possibilities. Using very sensitive spectral and chemical analyses, along with microscopic and photographic examination, we searched for any traces of paints or pigments on the cloth. In fact, we had with us a complete catalogue of the spectral char-acteristics of every paint and pigment used by man from medieval to modern times. In the end we determined that no paints or pigments were responsible for the image. Thus, we proved scientifically that the Shroud image is not a painting.

Another theory was that someone heated a metal statue, laid the Shroud over it and the hot metal scorched the image onto the cloth. This was an understandable possibility since the colour of the Shroud image is very similar to the colour of the lightly scorched areas on the cloth. The Shroud was heavily damaged by a fire in 1532, leaving it covered with burns and scorches, so there were plenty of docu-mented reference scorches on the cloth for us to compare to. Scorched linen will fluoresce red under ultraviolet excitation, so we photographed the entire Shroud using ultraviolet fluorescence photogra-phy and sure enough, every known scorch fluoresced in the red, just as we expected. But the image itself did not fluoresce. In

But science itself has PROVEN (and I don’t use that word lightly), that the Shroud is not an artwork of any kind. Our team went to Turin to answer a single question: How is the image on the Shroud formed? The conventional wisdom in 1978 was that it was either some form of painting, scorch or photograph, so our tests included experiments to explore all of those possibilities.



safekeeping, they retained ownership of it until the death of King Umberto II, last Duke of Savoy, in 1983. So the church was only the custodian of the Shroud, had no direct control of it and could do nothing with it without first getting the permission of the king. In fact, the scien-tific examination performed by STURP in 1978 was authorized by the king and not by the church. Frankly, had it been the direct property of the church, I am doubtful we would ever have received permission to examine it.

In 1985, after two years in the Italian courts, the king’s will was probated and it was determined that the will was valid. It is most interesting to note that the king did not leave the Shroud to the institu-tion of the church, but rather to one man, the living Pope. I imagine the king real-ized that if 130 cardinals had to vote on what should be done with the Shroud, nothing might ever be accomplished. So technically, the Shroud did not come under control of the Catholic Church until 1985! Consequently, it is not really correct to label it a Catholic relic.

3. The Gospels State That Jesus Was Tied With Linen Strips“The Gospels state that Jesus was tied with linen strips, yet the Shroud is a

single large cloth, so it can’t be real.” That is another statement I hear frequently. I guess most people do not realize that by the first century, even the Egyptians had stopped wrapping mummies with strips. So why are “linen strips” even mentioned in the Gospels?

One has to remember that Jesus and his disciples were Jews and his burial would be conducted according to Jewish law and tradition. The Old Testament requires Jewish men of high stature to be buried in “pure linen raiments.” The

the Shroud with a body, which explains certain features such as scourge marks, as well as the blood. However, while this type of contact might explain some of the features of the torso, it is totally incapable of explaining the image of the face with the high resolution that has been amply demonstrated by photography…”

“Thus, the answer to the question of how the image was produced or what produced the image remains, now, as it has in the past, a mystery. We can con-clude for now that the Shroud image is that of a real human form of a scourged, crucified man. It is not the product of an artist. The blood stains are composed of haemoglobin and also give a posi-tive test for serum albumin. The image

is an ongoing mystery and until further chemical studies are made, perhaps by this group of scientists, or perhaps by some scientists in the future, the prob-lem remains unsolved.”

Science has proven the Shroud is not a manmade artwork, so there is no way it can be considered a graven image. Finally, in my 39-year-involvement with the Shroud, I have never seen one person pray to the Shroud. People may kneel before it in prayer, but the Shroud sim-ply serves as a focal point for their prayers and not the final destination. The Shroud of Turin is NOT a graven image.

2. The Shroud is Just Another Catholic RelicI have heard this argument on countless occasions and it always brings a smile to my face. My first response when this comes up in my lectures is to ask the audience when they believe the Shroud came under the control of the Catholic Church. The answers run the gamut from the 1st century to medieval times, but none of those are correct. For more than six centuries, the Shroud was in private hands and owned by the Savoy family, the ruling monarchy of Italy. Although they did place it in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin in 1578 for

This painting shows how the Shroud of Turin would have been wrapped around the body to create the image.

My first response when this comes up in my lectures is to ask the audience when they believe the Shroud came under the control of the Catholic Church. The answers run the gamut from the 1st century to medieval times, but none of those are correct.



We still follow a similar procedure today and typically cover the face of the dead immediately upon their passing. Frankly, it is the preservation of this second cloth and its presence in the tomb that con-vinces me this was an authentic Jewish burial. Even more amazing is that this second cloth, known as the Sudarium, has survived to the present day and is now kept in the cathedral in Oviedo, Spain, where it has resided since the 7th century!

4. The Man of the Shroud Has Long Hair, Which is Forbidden in the GospelsSceptics will often quote to me from 1 Corinthians 11:14 - “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” (this and other verses in this article are from the King James Version translation). Well, yes, that is what it says. But when exactly was that written? I am not a New Testament scholar, but I know that Paul wrote that about twenty years after the death of Jesus! So this rule would NOT have applied to him or his disciples, since it had not been written yet! What laws did they follow? The best way to address that is to look to the Old Testament, which was the law in Jesus’ time. Here is what it says about long hair and beards:

Numbers 6:5 (Re the Nazarite’s vow) - “All the days of the vow of his separa-tion there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”

And in Leviticus 19:27 - “Ye shall not round [i.e., cut] the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar [i.e., cut] the corners of thy beard.”

Jews were literally forbidden to cut their hair and beards and you can still see that today in any Orthodox or Hassidic Jewish communities, where all adult males have long hair and beards. Jesus followed the Law of Moses!

5. The Prophecies Say the Man’s Beard Was Plucked “The Prophecies say the Man’s beard was plucked, yet the Man of the Shroud has a full beard, so it can’t be Jesus.” This is another popular reason I am given by many Christians as to why the Shroud cannot be authentic. Is there anything on the Shroud that might address this issue? Actually, there is.

If you look closely at the centre of the beard below the chin, you will notice an

Gospels tell us that the shroud of Jesus was provided by Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man. That makes good sense, since such a cloth would have been expensive by first century standards and would most likely have been imported, quite possibly from Syria. Jewish custom requires burial in a large single sheet, as demonstrated in the accompanying De

la Rovere painting (see page 33). Once the body is wrapped in the cloth, it must be bound by linen strips to ensure the cloth does not fall off when the body is transported. That is not only consistent with a first century Jewish burial, but also with contemporary burials, and not just by Jews but by Muslims as well. When my father died in 2003, he was given an Orthodox Jewish burial and was wrapped in a white linen shroud very similar to the Shroud of Turin. When the disciples entered the tomb on Sunday morning, only the cloth and strips remained, so they are mentioned in the Gospels.

Of course, the Gospels also tell us there was a second cloth, folded and separate from the other. I often am told that, since the Shroud is only one cloth and two were mentioned in scripture, that the Shroud must consequently be a fake. Never mind the fact that over two mil-lennia, it is quite possible the two cloths could get separated! So what is this sec-ond cloth and why was it there? Once again, Jewish law requires that anything containing the victim’s blood or bodily fluids be buried with the body. Once Jesus was taken down from the cross, his face and head were wrapped in a smaller cloth or napkin which absorbed the blood and pleural fluids from his nose and mouth.

Once Jesus was taken down from the cross, his face and head were wrapped in a smaller cloth or napkin which absorbed the blood and pleural fluids from his nose and mouth. We still follow a similar procedure today and typically cover the face of the dead immediately upon their passing. Frankly, it is the preservation of this second cloth and its presence in the tomb that convinces me this was an authentic Jewish burial.



As you can see, there is a very plausible explanation for each of these objections. It might seem a bit strange that they are being presented to you by a Jewish guy (especially one who said “no” when I was first asked to be on the STURP team in 1977), but I feel obligated to share with you the knowledge I have been privi-leged to gain over the past 39 years. It is my sincere hope that this information will simply provide you with a new per-spective on the Shroud of Turin. It turns out that I was not in that room with the Shroud for myself. I was there for you!

About the Author: Barrie M. Schwortz was the Official Documenting Photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP), the team that conducted the first in-depth scientific examination of the Shroud in 1978. Today, he plays an influential role in Shroud research and education as the editor and founder of the internationally recognized Shroud of Turin Website (www.shroud. com), the oldest, largest and most extensive Shroud resource on the Internet, with more than fifteen million visitors from over 160 countries. In 2009, he founded the Shroud of Turin Education and Research Association, Inc. (STERA, Inc.), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in order to preserve and maintain his Shroud photographic collection and other important resources and make them available for future research and study. He currently serves as the President of STERA, Inc.

inverted “V” notch that indicates some missing hair. Having worn a beard myself for nearly four decades, I can assure you that plucking even one hair would bring tears to your eyes. Pulling out a clump of hair, as it appears on the Shroud, would have been extremely painful and only added to his torture. Once again, we must consult the Old Testament to see what the Prophecies say:

Isaiah 50:6 - “I gave my back to the smit-ers, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”

It never said they shaved his face or plucked off ALL his hair.

Among people of the Middle East, the beard was held in great veneration, so to pluck a man’s beard was a gross indignity and still would be today. As a Jew follow-ing the Law of Moses, Jesus was NOT clean shaven. How could people pluck hair from his cheeks if he had no beard?

Your feedback is important to us

write to us with comments, feedback and suggestions at info@Reviewof Religions.orgThis is an enhanced contrast view of the

image of the face on the Shroud of Turin as it appears on a photographic negative.


Among people of the Middle East, the beard was held in great veneration, so to pluck a man’s beard was a gross indignity and still would be today. As a Jew following the Law of Moses, Jesus was NOT clean shaven. How could people pluck hair from his cheeks if he had no beard?



Bitcoin: On Behalf of The Future 14

Educating Our Children 24

The Difference Between True Islam & Extremist Groups 30

FGM’ – Not in The Name of Religion 50

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ERADICATING EXTREMISM

Why The Honeybee is Dying and What It Means for Life on Earth 16

Wonders Experienced Through Fasting 26

The Islamic Dilemma Should We Fear the Religion of Peace? 30

Atheism or Belief - Which is evidence Based? 42

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The

ISLAMICDILEMMAShould We Fear the Religion of Peace?

God - His Transcedence and Manifestation 12

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From the Archives: My Visit to Qadian 38

Preaching Activities of Jesusas in the East 46

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EYES CANNOT REACH HIM...

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The Plague 58

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World War One: Centenary of Fulfliment of a Grand Prophecy 102

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EVIDENCE FOR THE

TRUTHYou be the Judge...

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REACTION to

CHARLIEHEBDO...?

SERMONon the

MOUNT


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The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophetssa

52

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From the LETTERS of

MAHMUDRA

A HISTORIC JOURNEY TO THE HOUSE OF GOD

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The Golden Principles for World Peace 16

Three Minutes and Counting 38

Has Science Rendered Religion Obsolete? 66

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RAYOF HOPE?

SERMONon the

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A Guidance for Today’s Muslim Youth

Connecting to Khilafat:

Is the Shroud of Turin a Medieval Photograph? 22

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A Brief Review of Recent CNN Documentary on the Shroud 56

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The RESURRECTIONShrouding The Truth?

Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra – An Early Ray of Western Sunrise 18

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Responsibilities of an Ahmadi Muslim 50


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WORLD PEACE & SECURITY:THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF OUR TIME

The Race to Conquer the Secret of Life 14

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Navigating Life in the 21st Century 32

Visits to Sacred Places 54

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NAVIGATINGLIFE in the21ST CENTURYSpirituality, Morality & Material Progress

Three Gradations of Doing Good 14

Is Religion Truly the Cause of Disorder in the World Today? 20

Apartheid of Ahmadis in Pakistan 52

Women’s Responsibilities: Fulfilling the Conditions of Bai’at 78

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The BLAME GAME

Is religion truly the cause of

disorder in the world

today?

Is Religion Truly the Cause of Disorder in the World Today?

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THE

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ISLAM

MIRZA GHULAM AHMADTHE PROMISED MESSIAH & MAHDIAS

The Review of Religions serialised the famous treatise The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, by the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Initially written for the Conference of Great Religions on December 26-29,1896, each speaker at the conference was asked to present to the audience the beauties of their own religion based upon its scripture, proving that it was the true religion, based on the following topics:

• The Physical, Moral, and Spiritual States of Man;

• What is the State of Man after Death?

• The Object of Man’s Life and the Means of its Attainment;

• The Operation of the Practical Ordinances of the Law in This Life and the Next;

• Sources of Divine Knowledge

SERIALISED IN The Review of Religions

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The life-sized replica of The Shroud of Turin returns this year to The Review of Religions’ exhibition. The Shroud exhibition aims to use the replica of the Shroud as a visual aid to tell the story of the crucifixion of Jesusas.

Barrie Schwortz will also be attending the Jalsa Salana and will be holding seminars and interactive lectures on the significance of the historic relic. Barrie Schwortz is widely considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on the Shroud and was the Official Documenting Photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project, the team that conducted the first in-depth scientific examination of the Shroud in 1978.

Also, this year a replica of the Tomb of Jesusas will also be present at the exhibit which will represent the event of Jesus being taken to rest after being put on the cross. This is an opportunity to see the full story of the crucifixion and speak to experts about the scientific evidence and research they have done over the years.

ExhibitionJalsa Salana UK 2016

After the huge success of his first exhibition at Jalsa Salana UK 2015, Razwan Baig returns

this year with an even bigger display of his unique Islamic art collection.

One of the highlights of this year’s exhibition will be the official launch of Razwan Baig’s Al-Qalam project. We are extremely fortunate that Hazrat Ameer-ul-Momineenaba has graciously approved this project where for the first time in history, a unique and historic manuscript will be compiled where each verse of the Holy Quran will be handwritten by a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. To write a verse in this historic manuscript, visit the Review of

Religions’ exhibition where this project will be running on all three days of the Jalsa Salana.

Razwan Baig is one of the largest private collectors of ancient Islamic manuscripts in the whole of Europe. His Islamic art collection includes items as diverse as textiles and ceramics to Qur’anic manuscripts, and has been shown in several major art museums and international exhibitions.During the Jalsa, Razwan Baig will be delivering a special presentation on the history and significance of Islamic calligraphy.


#RORexhibition2016

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Makhzan-e-Tasaweer is the official image library of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, which is managed and maintained by the centre itself. Reinstated in April 2006 by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Khalifatul Masih V, it is currently based in London.

The primary purpose of Makhzan-e-Tasaweer is to collate, archive and preserve photographs related to the Community. For this purpose, an ongoing project is being pursued in which photographs related to various categories are being collected and collated. This includes photographs of the Promised Messiah, the Khulafa, Companions, other prominent personalities of historic importance and all events of historic nature. This project therefore preserves a pictorial history of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Khalifatul Masih V, officially inaugurated the Makhzan-e-Tasaweer website on 7th February 2016. The website allows members to view as well as purchase from the wide range of historic and latest images of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is available in six different languages. Also, any photograph(s) which may be required to be included in publications (i.e. books, periodicals etc.), calendars and souvenirs by any chapter, auxiliary organisation or other departments of the Community can be ordered through the website.

Makhzan-e-Tasaweer

Tahir House

22 deer Park Road

London

SW19 3TL

email: [email protected]

website: www.makhzan.org

Anyone who is in possession of any

photograph(s) of historical significance

that may benefit this cause, is encouraged

to send these photographs along with the

relevant details (senders name, the date

and place the picture was taken, etc.) to:

Visitwww.makhzan.org

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.makhzan.org

http://www.makhzan.org

Barriers to Foreign Influences in Russia It seems that Russia is aware of its basic weakness and tries to shield itself by restricting contacts with foreign coun-tries. In an article published in the June issue of The Soviet Union, Mr. Stephen King-Hall, a member of the British Parliament, reported his impressions based on his recent visit to Russia. He wrote that the Russian Government did not wish that the Russian people should be exposed to Western ideas or thinking. He went on to say that it was only through official channels—not

directly—that one could get an idea of the Russian way of life, and that this state of affairs would continue for some time. Russian isolation was evident during the recent visit of a group of Russian experts who came along with some Americans to this country. The Russians were sur-prised to find that in India one could travel freely, while in their own country, people had little money to travel on their own. They felt as though they had been transported to a different world. This instance reflected Russia’s lack of expo-sure to other countries. Obviously, the

The Economic System of Islam He wrote that the Russian

Government did not wish that the Russian people should be exposed to Western ideas or thinking. He went on to say that it was only through official channels—not directly—that one could get an idea of the Russian way of life, and that this state of affairs would continue for some time.

by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra We continue with the seri-alisation of the epic lecture delivered by the Second

Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra, later published as a book titled The Economic System of Islam. In this thirteenth part of the series, Communism’s false ideas of equality are discussed.

To read the first twelve parts, visit our website: www.reviewofreligions.org

*The photos used in this article were not used in the original publication, but have been added to our serialisation by The Review of Religions to help illustrate the subject matter. The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in depiction.*

ra

THE ABOUT THE BOOK

‘�e Economic System of Islam’ is an English rendering of a lecture delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (Second Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community) to a gathering of young scholars in Lahore, Pakistan in 1945. It is the �rst comprehensive account given by a Muslim scholar on the topic of Islamic Economics in the perspective of the post World War II era.

�e principles and philosophy of the Islamic economic system explained in the book are based entirely on the teachings of the Holy Quran, traditions and practices of the Holy Founder of Islamsaw and his successors. What is put forward here is not theoretical; rather it is a system that was practically implemented in the early years of Islam in the Islamic states and emirates of Arabia. �e author shows that the Islamic economic system is practical and e�cient. He argues that it combines the best aspects of capitalism and socialism, i.e., individual freedom as well as the care and protection of the poor and vulnerable. �e author asserts that Islam aims at establishing a welfare society in the true sense of the word by enabling man to contribute fully to society, yet not ignoring his individuality and self-esteem. �e author makes a critical evaluation of the inherent �aws in Communism which, he declares, was doomed to failure. He supplements his analysis with divine prophecies about the collapse of the Communist economic system—which the world has started witnessing in the last twenty years.

�e author demonstrates how the economic system of Islam is based �rmly on social and moral principles found in Islamic teachings. With the emerging greater interest in the subject both by Islamic countries and International institutions, this scholarly assessment of the Islamic economic system would bene�t all those who want to study this subject in depth.

Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad

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SYSTEM

of ISLAM

Mirza Bashir-ud-D

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had seen in a country with a proletarian government. If equality really exists in Moscow, does an ordinary Russian get the same lavish dinners as are offered at state banquets? If not, it is evident that Russia has not resolved the problem of inequality, nor is there a prospect that it will in future. The lavishness displayed at state banquets cannot be rationalised on grounds of necessity. During the war, state banquets in England were quite simple. Russia could have kept the ban-quet simple, but their real motivation was to impress Mr. Churchill with Russia’s grandeur. It is this attitude that frus-trates the spirit of equality. This incident also suggests that the notion of equality itself has undergone change over time, and a new class of rich is emerging that is rooted in the power and influence within the Communist Party. In short, inequal-ity persists in the Soviet Union, but its form has changed. While reviewing the manuscript for the speech, I came across a piece of news relating to the absence of equality in Russia. I reproduce it below because it throws light on the subject and lends support to my assessment. It was reported by the Canberra cor-respondent of The Sun, a well-known Australian newspaper, that the Australian Ambassador to Russia gave a statement before a parliamentary party during his

holidays in which he stated:

1. A new class of wealthy people is emerging in Russia because the influ-ential members of the Communist Party, as well as those considered technical experts, get far better treat-ment than ordinary people.

2. In restaurants the food served is graded into five classes, tickets for which can be obtained according to party influence or the nature of a per-son’s job.

3. In consequence, the difference among individuals is as evident today as it was during Czarist Russia.

4. While in other countries the black market is run by the shadier segments of society, in Russia it is in the hands of the authorities themselves.

Russians cannot be kept in ‘cold storage’ indefinitely; one day the wall of isolation would crumble and the world would wit-ness a profound transformation.

Russian Claims of Practising Equality Among its Citizens Are Not Credible I have my doubts about equality in Russia, but since the information about the actual situation is very scanty, one cannot be sure. I do know that ordi-nary Russian soldiers wear worn-out uniforms. I have learned this from our Ahmadi officers and soldiers who were posted in places where they had contact with the Russian army. According to them, the uniforms worn by the soldiers from the Asian part of the Soviet Union were particularly shabby. By contrast, the uniforms worn by Russian Marshals—as can be seen from their pictures in the newspaper—are elegant and resplendent with very expensive medals. The cost of these medals alone dispels any notion of equality in the Soviet Union. The state of equality in Russia can be gauged from a banquet Mr. Stalin gave in honour of Mr. Churchill when he visited Moscow during the war. Mr. Churchill, upon his return to England, said that he wished his capitalist country could afford to feed him on the same sumptuous scale as he

the economic system of islam

Stephen King-Hall was a British naval officer, writer and politician who visited Communist Russia.

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If equality really exists in Moscow, does an ordinary Russian get the same lavish dinners as are offered at state banquets? If not, it is evident that Russia has not resolved the problem of inequality, nor is there a prospect that it will in future.


but in the goal of settling scores with the Czarist government.

Unanswered Questions About Claims of Equality I would like to say something here about the moral and cultural standard of the ordinary Russian soldiers. I learned of the case of a train carrying drums of benzene oil through Iran. When one of the drums leaked, some Russian soldiers mistook it for rum or beer, and started drinking it. About one thousand Russian sol-diers ended up drinking benzene, which resulted in the death of dozens of soldiers while hundreds were taken ill. It was a display of total lack of commitment to national service; the soldiers forgot their sense of duty and responsibility to pro-tecting their country’s property, i.e. the benzene. It also shows that the soldiers assigned in Iran were not paid enough to resist temptation and they had not ben-efited from Russia’s economic progress. With respect to Russian industry, the question arises of whether the nature of work is similar in every industry. Clearly, a coal miner’s work is quite different from that of a shopkeeper. Similarly, a tailor’s needs for capital are different from the needs of a man who wants to start work-ing as a jeweller. How does Communism propose to resolve these differences?

Does the government own all the capital of the shopkeepers and control all their transactions? Further, is an incompetent doctor or a lawyer entitled to charge the same fees as other doctors and lawyers? If the fees can vary according to ability, how can the presumed claim of equality be established? And if the best doctor or lawyer cannot charge a higher fee, would everyone not rush to them for service? In this case, how can they attend to every-one? In short, as soon as the Communist principle of equality is put into practise, a host of questions arise. We are not in a position to know how these questions may be answered in Russia. But so long as satisfactory answers are not forthcoming,

5. As a consequence, important people can obtain whatever they wish, while the ordinary labourer has to do with-out many necessities of life.

The Australian Ambassador subsequently expressed regret at the publication of the report on the ground that it was likely to upset Australia’s relations with Soviet Russia. However, he did not contradict it. This suggests that the expression of regret was politically motivated and was not a contradiction of the state-ment itself. This report also confirms my expectations regarding the future of Russia, as described earlier. It was inevi-table that a new class of wealthy people would emerge in Russia, for the differ-ences in individuals’ capacity and calibre cannot be ignored. Because Communism lacks the restraints on power, privilege and wealth—as ordained in Islam—the new class is bound to drag Communist governments to the old ways. The only consequence of the Communist Revolution would be to give Russia a prominent place among imperial-ist nations in exploiting the profitable opportunities wherever available. The hope of a proletarian world government would turn into an unrealisable dream. This is so because Communist philosophy was not anchored in human sympathy,


Wealth and position influenced the quality of life for people in Communist Russia, even though the communists claimed that universal equality was one of their principles.

© Demjanovich Vadim | Shutterstock.com

If one looks into the unbalanced Communist principle of equality, a host of unanswered questions arise.

© Tribalium | Shutterstock.com

When one of the drums leaked, some Russian soldiers mistook it for rum or beer, and started drinking it. About one thousand Russian soldiers ended up drinking benzene, which resulted in the death of dozens of soldiers while hundreds were taken ill.


the conclusion must remain that the Communist proponents of equality are wrong in their claims.

A Proper Economic System After reflecting over these important matters, a reasonable person would con-clude that a practical economic system must leave room for religion. Short term economic considerations must not per-mit that the longer term consequence of an economic system be ignored. Only that economic system would be benefi-cial to humanity which fulfils everyone’s basic needs, but also promotes healthy competition among individuals while curbing unhealthy rivalry. The fact is that Communism was a reaction to past tyranny. That explains why this philoso-phy spread to areas where people were oppressed, but it did not take root in such countries as Great Britain and the United States. Similarly, it has not been successful in countries where nationalist or socialist governments were in power. Some time ago, an American newspa-per posed an interesting question to the working classes: Do you consider yourself to belong to the capitalist class, the mid-dle class or the poor class? The majority of the respondents said that they consid-ered themselves to be in the middle class. This suggests that it does not occur to an

American worker that he is poor. This is the reason why Communism was an even bigger failure in the United States than in Great Britain. On account of the abundance of wealth in America, the labouring class does not feel that they are impoverished and are in need of a system that redresses their complaints and meets their basic needs. Thus, the real solution to the problem is that:

1. In accordance with the Islamic teach-ing, the rights of the poor should be safeguarded; and

2. The hopes and aspirations of people should be fostered.

In Germany and Italy, people were not distributed money, but their aspirations were nurtured. As a consequence, they started viewing themselves as victorious and triumphant. Hope and aspirations are vital for national progress. A nation, where people no longer have aspirations or where its poor are denied basic rights, is inevitably destined to its ruin.


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Friday 12th– Sunday 14th AugustFaith: Ahmadiyyat IslamEvent: Jalsa Salana UK

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Wonders of the Universe

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