The Holy Prophet Muhammad's Example: Keeping Company with Ex-slaves and Poor Muslims

One day the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was sitting with Salman (Persian ex-slave), Bilal ibn Rabah (African ex-slave), Ammar (Yeman ex-slave), Suhayb (Roman ex-slave), Khabbab (African ex-slave and the 6th person to accept Islam) and a group of poor Muslims. When some unbelievers passed by and saw these 'unimportant' people with the Prophet, they said, "Have you chosen these persons from among your people? Do you want us to follow you along side them? Has Allah bestowed His favor on them, that they have believed, and not us? You better remove them from around you; if you do so, then perhaps we would follow you." The Prophet did not agree to their demand, and Allah sent down the following verses in respect to this scenario.

"And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening seeking His pleasure. Thou are not accountable for them nor are they at all accountable for thee. In case you do it you would be counted as the unjust. In this way have We made a distinction in some of them from the other with the result that they say: Are these lowly ones whom Allah has favored by choosing them from among us? Does not Allah know best the grateful? And when those who believe in Our signs come to you, say: "Peace be upon you, your Lord has taken Himself to show mercy..." (Holy Qur'an 6:53-55)

Salman, Bilal, and 'Ammar said, "When Allah revealed these verses, the Prophet turned towards us, called us to come nearer to him, and said, 'Your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself.' Then we used to sit with him, and when he wanted to stand up to leave, he did so. Then Allah revealed:

"And keep yourself attached to those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, constantly seeking His pleasure; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them, seeking the adornment of the life of the world;..." (Holy Qur'an 18:29)

"When this was revealed, the Prophet used to make us sit so near him that our thighs almost touched his thighs; and he did not stand up before us. When we felt that the time had come for him to stand, we took his leave; and then he stood up after we had gone. And he used to say to us, 'I thank God, who did not take me out of this world until He ordered me to keep patience with [this] group of my community. I shall spend my life with you, and after death, shall remain with you.' " *

Back in the days of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) many of those who were attracted to Islam were ex-slaves and poor people. Like wise, in America today, many of those who have accepted Islam are ex-slaves and poor people. This scenario has repeated itself going back, in American history, to the Islamic movement, which began here in the early 1900's. During the 1920's the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community began to preach the true Islam, which was taught and practice by the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The Occident is the "unbeliever" in this day and age. They are the people who look upon themselves as being above the ordinary, belong to what is called higher society and would consider it beneath them to join a Divine movement where there are ex-slaves and the poor in it. They're message of material prosperity, sympathy, kindness, godliness and gentle behavior, plays magic on ears with its mellow music. It is this world of romance which generally attracts people to Occidental culture. However, at the same time they maintains systems that result in cruelty, suppression, gross injustice and large scale subjugation of defenseless ex-slaves and the poor from having an equal footing with them.

True Islam is the way to end this inhuman cruelty and the true followers of Islam will dismantle those systems, not by physical means, but by spiritual means. The true representatives of Islam will be engaged in prayer and divine worship day and night. Ex-slaves and the poor have the promise of success and Divine Mercy from Almighty Allah.

* Source: Al-Majlisi, M.B., Hayatul Qulub, vol. II, Tehran: Kitabfurushi-e Islamia, 1371 AH, pp.562-3; Abu Naim Ahmad al-Isfahani, Hilyatul Awliya, vol. I, Beirut, 1967, pp. 146-7

Happy 4th of July

As an Ahmadi Muslim I can say, "Happy Independence Day America" and really mean it. My patriotic realization wasn't something that happen all of a sudden, but was gradual with deliberate reservations.

We grew up celebrating the 4th of July like everyone else in the neighborhood. It was barbecue, home made ice cream, fireworks, family get-together and a day off work. If we were lucky we would go to the amusement park for rides in bumper cars, Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds and the haunted-house. I vaguely remember the 4th of July as a holiday relating to America's independence. At the most, perhaps on a test in school, we had to recall "July 4, 1776" as an important date concerning the adoption of a "Declaration of Independence" document. The long and short of the 4th of July was this: fireworks yes, but singing the Star-Spangled Banner" no.

During my service in the military the 4th of July wasn't much different. Saluting the flag was a daily routine, but not associated with celebrating Independence Day...even on the 4th of July. The "4th" was a day off work and an all day round robin of Bid Whist.

After accepting Islam, as my religion and way of life, celebrating the "4th of July" became questionable: Is it Islamic? As a Muslim I'm I also an American? Is America my country? However, the most compelling question was; Can I be a Muslim and be patriotic to the United States of America?

National events brought me face to face with my own patriotism as a Muslim in 1970. I worked among an all white staff during the period when Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali and refused induction into the military because of his religious convictions. Muhammad Ali angered these white conservative patriotic World War II veterans and he had a "big mouth" too. My name was Dhul-Waqar Yaqub and I was "one of them" as far as they were concerned. I was their scapegoat.

Being "one of them" meant being a "black Moslim racist" regardless of how many times I conveyed to them that I belong to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and I didn't hate white folks. One day a co-worker, Woody by name, started talking to me about his military service during World War II. He took this opportunity to inform me that he could think differently about me if I had served in the military.

I was shocked and stunned by his remark. Realizing I never shared the fact that military service was a part of my past I responded, "You've got me all wrong Woody. I served in the military and was honorably discharged, my father served in the military during World War II and my grandfather served in the military during World War I. Both my father and grandfather received honorable discharges."

Woody, by the look on his face, was equally stunned. He remarked, "I didn't know that." As he tried to composed himself he blurted out, "Well, why are you in that religion?" At that time the buzzer sounded off signaling clean-up time so I asked him, "Woody, can we talk about this tomorrow?" He agreed.

Subsequently, I started going through the Holy Qur'an and the writings of the Promised Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and writings of the Ahmadiyya Khulafa looking for answers about where my patriotism should be as an Ahmadi Muslim. I stumbled upon a booklet titled, "The Question of Divided Loyalty: Some Parallels From History" by Mirza Bashir Ahmad (1893-1963). In that booklet the author pointed to the relevant Qur'nic verse, which says,

"O ye who believe obey God and obey the Prophet and obey those in authority from among you." (4:60)

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement (upon him be peace), writing about the above quoted verse specified very clearly what Islam commands:

"The Holy Qur'an commands, 'Obey Allah and obey His Prophet and obey those in authority among you.' Believers are to obey those in authority, besides God and His Prophets. To say that 'those in authority' does not include a non-Muslim Government would be a manifest error. For, a government or authority whose ordinances are in accordance with the Shariah (that is, they are not in conflict with it) is 'authority from among you.' Those who are not against us are among us. The Qur'an, therefore, is unequivocal on the point. Obedience to government authority is one of its imperatives." (Works and Speeches, Vol. 1, p. 261).

So also in the Hadith, the Holy Prophet (saw) is reported to have said:

"He who obeys me, obeys God; he who disobeys me disobeys God. He who obeys his authority obeys me; he who disobeys his authority disobeys me" (Muslim, Kitab al Imarah).

In this hadith the whole subject of loyalty and patriotism to one's country became illuminating. Loyalty and patriotism belong by right only to God, Creator, Master, Lord of Men and Nations. Others have authority derived from Him. This would include the United States of America, which reflect the Authority of God.

In accordance with all this (the Holy Qur'an, the Holy Prophet's Hadith, the writings of the Promised Messiah), the then Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hadrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, impress upon my mind loyalty and patriotism to one's Nation by clearly stating:

"Our belief is that Islam requires every one to be loyal to the state under which he lives...Loyalty to a Government or State, according to us, is ordained by the Holy Qur'an and the Qur'an is the Book of God...The Ahmadiyya Head or Khalifa has no right to alter an ordinance contained in the Holy Book. The Khalifa is a deputy, not a dictator. A deputy is bound to authority in the same way as are all others." (Al-Fazl, April 5, 1949)

After several months of study I felt ready for the Woody's of the world. However, more importantly I was beginning to comprehend the concepts of patriotism from an Islamic perspective. For the first time in my life I had a desire to learn about the principles my country stood on. I started studying the United States Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and its twenty-seven amendments. The first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights and of special importance was the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolishes slavery and authorizes Congress to enforce abolition. I didn't find any of these documents to be in conflict with the Holy Qur'an.

My follow up dialog concerning my new found concepts of patriotism with Woody and other co-workers brought about an inconclusive reserve on their part. I tried to make it clear to them that I am a Muslim who belong to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I came from a family line that had three generations of men who served in the U.S. Military and that military service invested me and my future generations with a free exercise of religion.

During the seven years of employment there and as a result of our many discussions, Woody secretly admitted that he listen to "negro" spirituals (gospel music) on Sunday morning radio. He claim that it was the only aspect of religion which gave him the "feeling". Another co-worker shared with me that in his village, an "Underground Railroad" station operated there years ago. That seemed to be a source of pride for him. Anyway, people just don't make this stuff up.

To all Americans, from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, we wish you a happy 4th of July!

American Ahmadi Muslims in Rabwah

This photo was taken in Rabwah, Pakistan about 1977-78. We were at a dinner party hosted by M.S. Shahid who, was a Chief Missionary of the USA Jamaat. Five of his children are in this photo.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community-Chicago 1948