The Moslem Sunrise, April 1922
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra (1872-1957)
To whom it may concern
“At the rooms of Grand Rapids Lodge Theosophical Society Dr MM Sadiq gave a most illuminating lecture on the subject, ‘What Islam Really Is,’ which was the subject requested or formulated by his audience. The doctor unmistakably cleared up the old superstitions in regard to his religion and gave us a new view of it. It is a pleasure to recommend Dr Sadiq to all who are interested in Truth.
“Respectfully, Erma T Mclouth, FTS. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 7 November 1921.”
No VP system
For the information of our readers abroad, we beg to state that there is no VP system between India and America and all orders for American books and goods must be accompanied with the approximate price in Indian currency notes sent in registered envelopes (not insured).
Mirza Kabir-ud-Din Ahmad
[Mirza Kabir-ud-Din Ahmad is] a volunteer evangelist of Ahmadia Movement who is always ingenious in carrying the word of God to every corner of the society and around Lucknow, the old capital of Mughal kings of Hindustan. We give below an extract from his article specially written for this journal, [The Moslem Sunrise], on [Jehad]:
Jehad
“Islam never allowed the use of the sword for spreading the religion. On the other hand, it strictly prohibits compulsion in matters of faith. It has the plain injunction in the Quran, ‘There shall be no compulsion in religion.’
“When the idolators of Arabia, exasperated at the progress of Islam, came down upon them the Moslems in Medina to extirpate them, only then the Moslems took up the swords to defend their women and children and themselves from aggressing enemy.
“The Moslem battles were, therefore, not undertaken for gaining converts, but to protect innocent Moslem lives.
“It must also be stated here that permission for self-defence and murdering the enemies of Islam was not given to the Moslems until the Arabs had, on account of their excessive oppressions and outrages and innocent bloodshed, rendered themselves culpable and liable to be punished with death. But a clemency was even then shown to such of them as embraced Islam. The unity of religion established the relation of brotherhood and all past wrongs were forgotten. It is here that some opponents of Islam have stumbled and from this they have drawn the conclusion that their new religion was forced upon the unbelievers. In fact, the case is just the reverse of what the objectors have thought.
“The Islamic truths had been brought home to them and they well understood the futility of idol worship, therefore His Mercy offered them an opportunity, even after the sentence was justly pronounced against them, for imploring His pardon and the forgiveness of their sins.
“Islam had to grapple with many difficulties. Religious prejudice was so strong at the time that if a member of any tribe adopted the faith of Islam, he was either put to death or threatened with it, and persecution was so severe that life seemed a burden to him. Islam had, therefore, to face the difficulty of establishing freedom of religious exercises and for this noble object it had to undertake wars. It is deplorable that even in these days of civilization and peace, the barbarous prejudiced nominal Christians cannot conceal their hereditary enmity towards others.
“The recent wanton and unprovoked attacks of the Italians and the Balkan states on the poor Muhammadans in Tripoli and Turkey, accompanied with barbarous slaughter, and the cruel treatment meted out to the poor helpless Moslem women and children coupled with the pope’s declaration of the Holy War have reminded us of the Crusades of the middle ages. While some Christian nations in the East aggressively practicing Jehad, while the poor Moslem is being slaughtered for being a Moslem, the Christian writers are still busy in writing articles to say that Islam preached Jehad.
“However, as a British subject, I must express my thankfulness to the British Government for the religious freedom we are all enjoying in India.”
East meets West
Our learned Sister Rahatullah has been married to our dear brother Mr Mustafa Taha, Ahmadi, with the dowry of 51 dollars and we honestly hope and pray that this marriage will be as successful and happy as many others between the Eastern and Western lovers have been. Allah bless Mr and Mrs Taha with a blissful married life, the sun of love shining through. May joy, peace and happiness be their lot through life, and may we some day meet them both with good Bashir at our headquarters in India.
Love knows no limits of East or West.
Marry the boy you find the best.
West meets East and East meets West.
A mosque in Paris
The cornerstone of the Moslem Mosque has been laid in Paris in sight of Notre Dame Cathedral. It is to occupy whole block dominated by the municipality in the old historic quarters of Paris. The institute will have a library, hotel and Turkish bath in addition to the mosque. […]
I love the Maker
I love the Maker when I see what He has made.
From flowers the praises of the Gardener I recall –
Through every beauty doth my love pervade.
My love, my Lord, my wondrous All-in-All.
Wondrous His beauty, who made the beauteous face –
Wondrous His wisdom, who made man so wise –
How great is He, who planted through His grace,
The seed of His great love in man to rise.
The world is full of nights and full of days.
The nights are dark, but the glad days are bright –
When it is day, I revel in the sun’s warm rays,
When darkness falls, I kindle my inward light.
So, I am never in the dark, for with my clear searchlight,
Which has been granted [to] me through His grace,
I search to find rare pearls and diamonds bright,
And, searching, find my prizes, though they’re somewhat scarce.
Pearls there are in words – diamonds in deeds.
In roses, and in rosy faces everywhere they are.
But best of all, the lofty mind that leads
All to Heaven’s bliss, from both near and far.
I admire those minds of old and new,
From Adam to Noah, Abraham and Moses,
Elijah, David and all the Prophet Hebrew
Muhammad[sa], the Master-mind, and lowly Jesus.
Buddha, Zoroaster, Krishna Celestial –
All spring from the One Great and Good Guardian.
So taught my Master the latest of them all
The Prophet Ahmad[as] of Quadian in Hindustan.
Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, Ventor, IW. December 1917.
[The degree of the Doctor of Orientalistic Sciences]
Oriental University
Washington, DC
Classical, Commercial, Agricultural, Engineering and Psychic Science Colleges, Theological, Philosophical, Medical, Law and Art Schools, Theomonistic and Oriental Seminaries.
To all to whom these presents shall come
Greeting
Be it known that, by the authority of the State of Virginia and the United States of America, in academic jurisdiction vested in us, we hereby confer upon:
Mufti Muhammad Sadiq
who has satisfied the requirements of this University School, the degree of:
Doctor of Orientalistic Sciences
according to the ancient and universal custom of adding dignity to general merit, as with all the rights, privileges and honors, so with all the duties pertaining to this distinction.
In Testimony Whereof, the Board of Trustees by their President and Secretary, and by the Dean of the Oriental University’s Orientalistic Seminary hereunto have subscribed and have affixed the corporate seal in the City of Washington, DC, this second day of January in the year … one thousand nine and twenty-two.
Oriental University
Seal
District of Columbia
HP Holler, PhD STD, President M Liferock, PLD, Dean
Makine Maroon, DC M Burtrum Crabill, DOPC, Secretary JB Holland, PLG MB Geo De Salij, DD
(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, April 1922)