The Moslem Sunrise, October 1921
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra (1872-1957)
I do not blame the Bible
Dr AH Warner of New York addressing the sessions of the Allied Medical Associations of America proclaimed that the secret of longevity lies in psychology and not in medicine.
“Because the Bible says that a life shall be three-score years and ten, the people expect to die when they reach that age,” he asserted, blaming the Christian Holy Book for putting the people to a wrong thought.
“It’s all wrong. They have just hypnotized themselves into the belief because it’s in the Bible. Given a sound constitution and clear record, there is no reason why a man or woman should not reach 150 years.”
There is no such verse in the Holy Quran which limits the age of man. But I do not even blame the Bible which has passed through many hands of interpolators and translators before appearing in the present form. Maybe that three-score and ten is not to limit the age of man but it is rather a prophecy about the age of some great man to appear in the world. The Bible is full of prophecies and symbolic talks no doubt. We get convinced to this suggestion especially when we see that a great man has really appeared whose age according to other prophecies was also about 70. He is Ahmad of India, the Muslim Christ of the present age. This may be taken as one of the prophecies about him in the Bible.
A surprise for the Christian missionaries
Legions of American missionaries have been working in India for scores of years spending millions of dollars (bulk of which goes to the personal expenses and luxuries enjoyed by the worthy missionary himself) to convert Hindus to Christianity.
On the other side, Hindus never sent any mission to this country, but I see that the number of such Americans, who believe in Hindu philosophy consider Christ only an avatar like Krishana and Budha and have firm faith in the doctrine of transmigration of souls, is far more than the number of Hindu converts to Christianity in India. Another thing noticeable is this, that the majority of these American Hindus belong to the respectable, learned class, while the Christian missionary’s converts in India chiefly come out of outcasts and illiterates who never understand what a religion is. Not being able to argue with those who can read and write and who have some knowledge of religious thought, some missionaries remain contented to work among the scavenger and sweeper class only.
Indian sailors in trouble
Mr Dulli Gulshair Khan, the famous Indian chutney maker in this country, has shown an admirable spirit sympathizing with his fellow-countrymen (33 Hindoo sailors who had trouble with their officers and were driven off the ship as they say at New York) in allowing them to use the factory at 44 St. Felix St., Brooklyn, as their lodging-place. The United States court has given the judgement in favor of the sailors to be awarded the amount of $20,235 for wages, maintenance and passage back to India by the Steamship Company, who are going to appeal against the decree.
We thank the good-hearted attorney, Mr Silas B. Axtell, on behalf of Indian Brotherhood for pleading the case of the poor sailors without charging them any fees. May Allah grant him and Mr DG Khan their rewards. […]
Appreciations
Mrs Zeinab F El Deen, Dowagiac, Mich.:
“In my morning mail was a large envelope, containing two copies of a new magazine. When I drew forth the booklet, its artistic beauty, in shape and coloring, caused most pleasurable sensations. So, I continued to look and admire it.
“I noticed first the US outlined in the attractive shade of blue matching that used in the lettering and outlining. Then the pictured emblem of a rising sun. How appropriate, how very beautiful; light after darkness is its mission. The cover contains an actual ‘Greeting’, after which it would be impossible not to peruse the contents. Once inside, the pages continue to attract and interest the reader, as the cover promised. I anticipated something fine; The Moslem Sunrise surpasses my expectations. I congratulate you upon its beauty and excellence. Your subscribers will surely be gratified.”
Miss Kealing, Indianapolis, Ind.:
“The Moslem Sunrise – I enjoyed reading it very much. I wish you great success with it. The readers will have a genuine appreciation of the message written by Dr Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, as coming from the pen of a sincere interior and faithful teacher chosen to be a leader by his own folk in India, from whence she comes to America.
“The Moslem Sunrise will no doubt elicit a surprising correspondence of congratulation. Let us welcome Dr Sadiq in our own America and wish him God-speed in his studies. You have accomplished very much since you left India. I hope you may continue with success.”
Mr N McConwell, Darby, Pa.:
“You appear to have had a very successful pilgrimage in this great country and reflects great credit in you.”
Mrs Gregson, South Africa:
“Your religion is nice to read about and seems very true.”
Mr Ralph Totten (Bashir), writes from New York: “Through you, dear doctor, and Ahmadia Movement in Islam, have I received new hope for the future, new courage and strength with which to meet worldly trials which confront me daily.”
This young man had met me first in New York, when I was staying in that city last year. As he is fond of visiting Orient, no wonder Indian Brethren will some day see him there.
Shaikh Abdullah Din Muhammad (Mr JL Mott) has been busy in distributing literature among the people to arouse their interest in Islam. He writes to me in some of his recent letters:
“Literature is well distributed. It has gone from one end of Louisiana to the other and will eventually bear fruit; not all of it, of course, but enough to prove to you that I have not been idle. The hardest part of this work is to induce people to read up on the subject. The masses of the people have a very crude idea, some no idea at all, of what Islam really is and many appear to be afraid of it. It is a blessed thing that the Ahmadia Movement was started and sent out its Missioners to explain in plain, simple language – the Western mind would never have accepted the old methods.
“Your splendid work in this country is beginning to tell; thinking men and women are beginning to sit up and ask, ‘What about this Muhammadan religion? What is this Ahmadia Movement?’ Many of them will be sufficiently interested to read on the subject and a good percentage of these people will come to us.
“I cannot praise Moslem Sunrise too highly; it is clean-cut exposition of your mission in this country; it is nicely printed, attractive, convenient size, and should interest any fair-minded person. I predict for it a long, useful and prosperous existence. It will remain as a monument to your splendid efforts in this Western World long after you and I have crossed to the ‘Great Beyond.’ So be it.”
Brother Abd-al-Haqq (Mr CF Sievwright) writes:
“Greeting you will fraternal regard, let me also compliment you upon your zeal in ‘carrying on’ the Ahmadia Movement in the successful way which you have pictured in the first issue of ‘The Moslem Sunrise’. Its arrangement betokens are very newsy periodical of doings of yourself and followers in America and elsewhere and if this is the future plan of conducting the contents of the following issues I am sure your objective in publishing the journal as a literary messenger or ‘go-between’ to all souls interested in the welfare and mission of your own good self will obtain a consensus of opinion tantamount to an oft-quoted quotation you deserve also, e.g. ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’
“I accept with much appreciation the greeting on the third page from His Hazrat Mirza Mahmud Ahmad. The quotations on pages 4 and 5 from Al-Quran and the sayings of the Master-Prophet could never be bettered. To strangers these words will create profound respect and conversion of mind towards Islamism. You and I feel that within these quotations we have everything to be proud of in having accepted them and holding to them during the best years of our lifetime when reason causes men to want to know the truth above all other influences, even as ‘Doubting Thomases’. A page from the writings ‘Ahmad,’ on page 6, will give all of us a lasting direction on the highway of Allah or whilst sailing across the ocean of life or along the great river with all its tributaries and outlets. It is fitting contribution to the other two quotations already referred to by me herein.
“The poems on pages 7 and 8 [published in the 30 July 2021 issue of Al Hakam (English)], as translated by yourself and Madame Rahatullah from the original Urdu of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, are a proverbial philosophy equal to the best efforts of the greatest philosophers of the age, whose words I have read through and deeply studied.
“In regard to these several departments of the Moslem Sunrise I, with hundreds of others, will be full of expectancy three months hence, of getting something as good (if it be impossible) to read, learn and inwardly digest in the next issue of the periodical. The testimonies printed on the social work you have already performed in ‘Fighting the Good Fight’ against almost overwhelming forces in America, inspire in your readers greater faith in you and yours than even the expected to obtain earlier in your career since coming into the great battleground of the USA, the first severe conflict in which you took part alone being so pitifully and effectively related in the article on page 9, entitled, ‘No Polygamy’.”
Rev. V Cooper-Mathieson writes from Australia:
“Yes, Teachers and Priests after God’s own heart we do not expect to arise in the world to instruct the New Humanity, and I am willing to recognize your Prophet Ahmad one such, for it is stated in our Bible, ‘In the latter days, I will give you Teachers and Ministers after my own heart.’ The advent of Ahmad is only confirming this promise of the Lord God Almighty to the New Israel or the New Humanity who shall rise after the Great Spiritual Armageddon, those who shall come out of the great tribulation having made their robes white by true thinking, pure living and holy actions.
“We thank the Reverend Sister for her kind thoughts and beg to draw attention to the decision given by Jesus Christ as regards the advent of Elias (or Elijah). Was not the blessed Jesus at the same time explaining how his own second advent is to be? He used to speak in parables.”
Mrs Beassley, Detroit:
“I note that your good work is progressing and I rejoice. Several have asked me about and want to study the Ahmadia teachings.”
Mr EA Bovshover, the Founder of the Universal Messianic Brotherhood, Oceanside, Cal.:
“Your magazine, Moslem Sunrise, is fine. Keep up the good work of education and enlightenment. This is to be a wonderful spiritual age.”
Lady Mary Amelia Hunt, the Aurora Poet-Laureate, writes from Chicago:
“Your magazine is a grand Sunrise to America that will dispel the darkness, eliminate the prejudice that exists in the underdeveloped and unenlightened and awaken the spiritual forces to the realization of Brotherhood: The Eternal Principle of Unity.”
Mrs Mary Beasley:
“Moslem Sunrise has a splendid beginning and I am sure it will take the message to many who can not get it otherwise. It is a beautiful book of life.”
(To be continued…)
(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, October 1921)
