http://www.examiner.com/interfaith-spirituality-in-columbus/spirituality-and-islamic-fall-celebrations-101continued from my examiner column . . .
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a rapidly growing group within Islam (see http://www.alislam.org/) for more information. It’s a revival movement started in 1889 based on the teachings of Ahmad. There have been five spiritual successors since. The current leader, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, lives in the UK. [photo is Muslims in Singapore celebrating Eid ul Fitr; Flikr creative commons license 2.0 wikimedia commons]
Here’s what the official website says of this strand of Islam, namely that its the ‘only Islamic organization to believe that the long-awaited Messiah has come in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) (1835-1908) of Qadian. Ahmad(as) claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus(as) of Nazareth and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad(sa).
Here’s what the official website says of this strand of Islam, namely that its the ‘only Islamic organization to believe that the long-awaited Messiah has come in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) (1835-1908) of Qadian. Ahmad(as) claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus(as) of Nazareth and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad(sa).
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes that God sent Ahmad(as), like Jesus, to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. Ahmad’s(as) advent has brought about an unprecedented era of Islamic revival. He divested Islam of fanatical beliefs and practices by vigorously championing Islam’s true and essential teachings. He also recognized the noble teachings of the great religious founders and saints, including Zoroaster(as), Abraham(as), Moses(as), Jesus (as), Krishna(as), Buddha(as), Confucius(as), Lao Tzu and Guru Nanak, and explained how such teachings converged into the one true Islam.’
But there’s more. The ‘Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism in any form. Over a century ago, Ahmad(as) emphatically declared that an aggressive “jihad by the sword' has no place in Islam. In its place, he taught his followers to wage a bloodless, intellectual 'jihad of the pen' to defend Islam.’
This is no small movement, but is responsible for constructing 15000 mosques, 500 schools and over 30 hospitals according to it’s official site and translated the Quran into 60 languages. There is a 24-hour satellite TV program and ongoing contribution through Humanity’s First toward disaster relief. Mainstream Muslims believe Ahmad is a heretic; Ahmaddiyas believe he was a reformer. This is a familiar refrain to students of all religious background. I generally find something to like about 'heretics'; perhaps it is their passion to reform what's gone haywire.
Maryam Chaudry writes about The Role of Women in an Islamic Society. This is also a key difference for her in converting to Islam from Christianity, ‘Islam's approach is proactive (not waiting for problems to occur then trying to find solutions). Islam's approach is positive. There are more than 700 commandments of positive things to do in the Holy Qur'an and a few things not to do. Islam's approach is systematic. It addresses change in the entire society, not just in the individual. These three conditions make Islam educationally sound. Islam gives a system for producing maintaining a social climate in a society that is conducive to allowing human beings to achieve the real goal of their creation which is the worship of God (Allah is the same God that people of all faith understand to be the Creator and Supreme Being)’.
But there’s more. The ‘Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism in any form. Over a century ago, Ahmad(as) emphatically declared that an aggressive “jihad by the sword' has no place in Islam. In its place, he taught his followers to wage a bloodless, intellectual 'jihad of the pen' to defend Islam.’
This is no small movement, but is responsible for constructing 15000 mosques, 500 schools and over 30 hospitals according to it’s official site and translated the Quran into 60 languages. There is a 24-hour satellite TV program and ongoing contribution through Humanity’s First toward disaster relief. Mainstream Muslims believe Ahmad is a heretic; Ahmaddiyas believe he was a reformer. This is a familiar refrain to students of all religious background. I generally find something to like about 'heretics'; perhaps it is their passion to reform what's gone haywire.
Maryam Chaudry writes about The Role of Women in an Islamic Society. This is also a key difference for her in converting to Islam from Christianity, ‘Islam's approach is proactive (not waiting for problems to occur then trying to find solutions). Islam's approach is positive. There are more than 700 commandments of positive things to do in the Holy Qur'an and a few things not to do. Islam's approach is systematic. It addresses change in the entire society, not just in the individual. These three conditions make Islam educationally sound. Islam gives a system for producing maintaining a social climate in a society that is conducive to allowing human beings to achieve the real goal of their creation which is the worship of God (Allah is the same God that people of all faith understand to be the Creator and Supreme Being)’.
Of course, for a Christian that’s a lot of commandments. Jesus boiled down the 613 Jewish commandments to one. Love God first and love your neighbor as yourself. We can’t even get that right. http://www.alislam.org/library/links/00000144.html It is certainly a system of social engineering and a lot of mandates.
Within the Sufi tradition, which is the experiential mystical branch of Islam, God is immanent more so than transcendent (at great distance). http://www.uga.edu/islam/Sufism.html For Sufis, the ecstatic experience of God and sublime union is a goal; united in love. http://www.ias.org/ Conservative Muslims think both of these groups are raving heretics- as are mainstream Sunnis. Regardless, its important to understand as much of this pivotal religion, Islam, its teachings and adherents in our very wide, very interconnected - and oil dependent- world. We’ve poured money into Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan which Americans will be paying for years to come. We’ve sent thousands of young men to foreign shores with little understanding of the cultural norms, beliefs and practices for questionable purposes.
When I compare the passionate editorials, raving politicos, rallies, hate-filled rants in forwarded e-mails, I have to wonder about brainwashing on both sides. Yesterday, after reading a positively vicious rant by a columnist and an equally dogmatic letter to the editor, and then an environmental piece on destruction of species and habitats, I reflected that perhaps animals are a cut above humans and the biblical book of Hebrews has it wrong that we’re just a little lower than angels. Evolution might continue just fine without homo-sapiens and ALL religions. Physicist Stephen Hawking certainly seems to think so. Humanity- if you can call it that- really is superfluous in the epochs of this planet and vast galactic span. A favorite Rilke poem snippet about ‘God’ is this: ‘wind, waves roaring on the edges of Christendom.’ Seek That: The Reality outside prescribed boundaries. With that, the shelties and I are headed for our walk at the lake.
After a cold front we have sparkling water, shimmering leaves, fluffy white clouds against an incredibly blue sky and it is good. It's all good.
Within the Sufi tradition, which is the experiential mystical branch of Islam, God is immanent more so than transcendent (at great distance). http://www.uga.edu/islam/Sufism.html For Sufis, the ecstatic experience of God and sublime union is a goal; united in love. http://www.ias.org/ Conservative Muslims think both of these groups are raving heretics- as are mainstream Sunnis. Regardless, its important to understand as much of this pivotal religion, Islam, its teachings and adherents in our very wide, very interconnected - and oil dependent- world. We’ve poured money into Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan which Americans will be paying for years to come. We’ve sent thousands of young men to foreign shores with little understanding of the cultural norms, beliefs and practices for questionable purposes.
When I compare the passionate editorials, raving politicos, rallies, hate-filled rants in forwarded e-mails, I have to wonder about brainwashing on both sides. Yesterday, after reading a positively vicious rant by a columnist and an equally dogmatic letter to the editor, and then an environmental piece on destruction of species and habitats, I reflected that perhaps animals are a cut above humans and the biblical book of Hebrews has it wrong that we’re just a little lower than angels. Evolution might continue just fine without homo-sapiens and ALL religions. Physicist Stephen Hawking certainly seems to think so. Humanity- if you can call it that- really is superfluous in the epochs of this planet and vast galactic span. A favorite Rilke poem snippet about ‘God’ is this: ‘wind, waves roaring on the edges of Christendom.’ Seek That: The Reality outside prescribed boundaries. With that, the shelties and I are headed for our walk at the lake.
After a cold front we have sparkling water, shimmering leaves, fluffy white clouds against an incredibly blue sky and it is good. It's all good.
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