Prayer Of The Month

(Holy Qu'ran, 28:25)

Rabbe inni lemaa anzalta elay’ya min khairin faqir

“My Lord, I am in need of whatever good Thou may send down to me.”

From the Desk of National Ta'lim Secretary

Dear Readers:  Assalamo alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Books are a man’s best friend and are essential for learning. Try to estimate how many hours you have spent reading books, magazines, newspapers, e-mails, blogs, etc. Now, estimate how many hours you have spent reading religious books – Holy Qur’an, Hadith, Roohani Khazain, etc. Muslims are expected to read Holy Qur’an and Hadith regularly. As Ahmadi Muslims, it is incumbent on us to also read Roohani Khazain (Spiritual Treasures) or Writings and Discourses of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi (the Guided One).

As the Imam of this age, it is Hadhrat Ahmad (as) who has elucidated the true spirit of Islamic teachings in his writings and discourses. We are certain that, in this age, one can learn about real Islam only through Roohani Khazain. Therefore, we launched our Roohani Khazain Study (RKS) scheme to urge our secular students and scholars, male and female, to read Roohani Khazain and write about it. We are grateful to Allah that we now have the first fruit of our humble efforts. Three nasirat of Dallas Jama’at wrote their review of Hadhrat Ahmad’s (as) book, Barakat-ud-Dua (Blessings of Prayer). Dallas Jama’at judged the reviews and awarded first place to 14 year-old Irene Ameena. We are delighted to publish her review in this issue.

We hope and pray that you will be the next person to get your book review published. So, in the coming summer holidays, please read some books of Hadhrat Ahmad (as) and send us your reviews. Good Luck!

Wassalam,
Nasir Mahmood Malik
National Ta’lim Secretary

Student Ambassador of the Month

Bilal Bashir (Washington, DC)

Sometimes those around us astound us by their great achievements. While hard work is certainly there, it is Allah’s blessings that provides for those achievements. Such are the blessings that have been showered upon student ambassador of the month, Bilal Bashir. These blessings are a result of Bilal’s service to his faith and connection with Khilafat.

Currently, Bilal is studying mechanical engineering at George Washington University, focusing on Robotics. Before this, Bilal resided in Pakistan. He says, “In Pakistan, I applied to all the top engineering colleges and universities. At that point in my academic career, I was in a state of extreme uncertainty. I wrote extensively to Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih (ab) for prayers. Alhamdulillah, I was granted admission to every university I applied to, including GIK, LUMS, NUST, FAST. I joined the Mechanical Engineering undergrad program at GIK Institute. I studied there for two years and, by Allah’s grace, was among the top students of my class.”

Bilal’s success is rooted not only in his hard work but also in his connection to Khilafat. By writing to Huzur and seeking Huzur’s guidance, Bilal amplified the fruits of his hard work. He states, “I believe that all of my academic achievements are a result of the blessings of my service to Jama’at and the prayers of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih (ab). Throughout my life, I have felt that Allah Almighty has rewarded me much more than I had worked for. I have been fortunate enough to work for the Jama’at in different capacities. Currently, I am serving as Secretary Tehrik-e-Jadid WDC, Nazim Khidmat-e-Khalq MKA-WDC, Nazim Student Affairs MKA-WDC and Director Post-Production MTA-USA. On numerous occasions, I have also personally experienced that whatever time I spent in the name of Allah has never resulted in a loss for me in any capacity; rather, it has always been a source of more blessings and I have always been compensated in unimaginable ways.”

When commencing work with the intention of serving God, He multiplies the fruits of our labor. Khilafat is one of the grandest blessings God has bestowed on Ahmadi Muslims. Bilal’s parting advice to us, “I would suggest my fellow students to always work hard, contribute to Jama’at and regularly write to Huzur (aba) for guidance and prayers.” Indeed, by writing to Huzur (ab), we further our connection with Khilafat, and Allah Ta’ala blesses our humble efforts.

Barakut-ud-Dua (Blessing of Prayer)Book Review by Irene Ameena, 14 (Dallas)

Our beloved Promised Messiah and Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), has written the book Blessings of Prayer with the Jama’at in mind and with full understanding that the pure light emanating from this book should shine down upon hundreds of thousands of Muslims in the future. Huzur begins by acknowledging the criticism of his prophecy regarding the terrible fate of Pandit Lekhram of Peshawar. Addressing those who were skeptical or outright critical of the prophecy, Huzur asserts that his prophecies came from God and are unaffected by any worldly conditions or bias. Huzur also openly admits that if this prophecy is not completely and perfectly filled and Lekhram walks away unharmed, he [Promised Messiah (as)] will accept that he is not from God.

In the next section of the book, titled A Review of Two Booklets, Huzur addresses the criticism of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and two of his booklets, Al-Du'a Wa'l Istajaba and Tahrir fi Usul al-Tafsir. Huzur dispels Sayyid Sahib’s notion in the first booklet that all on Earth are predestined, that prayer to God is, in reality, only worship, and that there is no actual earthly influence of our prayers. Huzur rejects this view and asks if prayer has no effect on our dilemmas, should physicians discontinue use of medicine, as the fate of the person is already predetermined? Huzur writes that Sayyid Sahib is only thinking of predestination when it comes to prayer and provides several metaphors to fully justify his point. Huzur clarifies the true essence of prayer. Huzur explains that when a person is praying with “perfect certainty, perfect hope, perfect fidelity, and perfect resolve...” his soul is stripped of all veils and he is able to “draw the bounties of God Almighty” towards him. Then all the natural and earthly means are shifted to accept the prayer. Huzur assures us that predestination includes everything but does not render science useless or unreliable in the least.

The Promised Messiah (as) continues exploring the Sayyid Sahib’s question that why are all prayers not accepted? Huzur responds that for the prayer to be accepted, the conditions for such an outcome must be perfect, and the prayer must not disrupt the Divine scheme of things. Huzur also says that if prayer is utterly useless and everything is predetermined in this world, prayer must also be worthless when concerning the Hereafter.

Then, Huzur moves on to Sayyid Sahib’s second booklet, which Huzur says is in “complete contrast to the first”. Huzur writes that the second booklet considers predetermination to be useless and God’s divinity to be limited to the past. Huzur states that the second booklet seemed to dismiss the Lord of Destiny. Huzur adds that if this is true, then Sayyid Sahib is saying God does not have all rights over His creation, a notion that is against the very idea of Islam itself. Next, Huzur answers Sayyid Sahib’s plea by challenging a rival to his (Promised Messiah’s) standards for evaluating commentary of the Holy Qur’an. Huzur states seven criteria for interpreting the Holy Qur’an. The first criterion for a perfect interpretation of the Holy Qur’an is the testimony of the Qur’an itself, in order (so as not to shift the perfect dynamic of the Holy Book). When one comments on a verse of the Holy Qur’an, one should see whether there are “other testimonies present in the Holy Qur’an that support that interpretation.” The second criterion is to look to our beloved Holy Prophet (saw) for his interpretation, as there is no doubt that he understood the Holy Qur’an best. The third criterion asks us to compare our interpretation to those made by the Holy Prophet’s (saw) companions. The fourth criterion is to judge one’s interpretation based on “the purity of one’s own self.” This criterion states that the true essence of the Holy Qur’an will be revealed only to one with a pure heart. The fifth criterion is to look towards the Arabic lexicon, as the Holy Qur’an is written in Arabic and interpretations should not contradict the very language of the Holy Book. The sixth criterion is to parallelize physical with spiritual balance, as there should be complete harmony between the two orders. The seventh criterion is the revelations and the dreams that have occurred to Muhaddathin, or those that are “honoured with Divine revelation and bear a strong resemblance to inner power of prophets.” The Promised Messiah (as) explains in a span of ten pages that if not for the institution of the Muhddathin, Islam would be a dead religion and people would view prophethood as an ancient practice. Huzur even refers to himself when he is writing about the fact that Islam has continuously had successors. In the footnotes, Huzur rejects Sayyid Sahib’s idea that revelation is purely an innate quality and that God Almighty places a revelation in one’s heart. Huzur explains the feeling of receiving a revelation as a powerful sense that Godhas taken Huzur’s whole being “in his grip.”

The Promised Messiah (as) continues with the experience of receiving revelations, describing the certainty he feels that his revelations descended from Heaven. Huzur then explores the concept in Sayyid Sahib’s second booklet that the natural occurrences (like, rising of the sun, heat of the fire) hinted in the Qur’an are promises. He presents verses from the Qur’an and demolishes the idea, explaining that if this were true, one would need to regard every statement as an eternal promise. Huzur closes this section of the book by inviting Sayyid Sahib to stay with him or to allow the publication of prophecies regarding him.

In the next chapter, Another Prophecy with Regard to Lekhram of Peshawar, the Promised Messiah (as) publishes another prophecy regarding Lekhram, where Huzur saw a terrible angel inquiring “Where is Lekhram?” It became evident to Huzur then that Lekhram was going to face a terrible chastisement from this man.

The next section of the book, titled A Plea to Chiefs, Noblemen and Officers of the Government, Huzur declares that he is the Reformer of the century and the Promised Messiah that Muslims have been awaiting. Huzur states that Islam is in need of a Reformer to cleanse and purify the religion and its followers. He warns against those who do not accept him as the Mahdi and assures that those who do accept him will be God’s true servants.

In the last chapter, Announcement, Huzoor proclaims that he is compiling a book, titledBraheen-e-Ahmadiyya. In this book, he will publish Divine signs and 300 arguments to prove that Islam is the only true and revealed religion. Also, he will explain that he is the real Reformer and that those who follow him will be rewarded abundantly. Huzur concludes with a prayer for Divine Light to shine upon all.

This book, with its use of clear, concise vocabulary and footnotes that further analyze concepts explored in the book, offers a clear path to fully recognizing the blessings of prayer. Huzur’s belief that his prophecies will prove true and his willingness to accept any punishment for failed prophecies underscore his faith in a Living God and in being the true Reformer of this age. He eviscerates false accusations, criticisms, and refutations surrounding both his prophecies and claims and teaches us the true essence of prayer. Through this book we learn that prayer is not a meaningless form of worship and that the verity of predetermination does not nullify the importance and blessings resulting from prayer.

For me, this book offered a deep insight into not only the idea of fate and destiny in our lives but also the Promised Messiah’s (as) character. He explained prayer’s true importance in our lives in a simple and straightforward way. When correcting Sayyid Sahib's views, his nature shines through his firm, yet kind, revisions to Sayyid Sahib's ideas. Personally, this book strengthened my belief in the verity of the claims of the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as).

College Corner

Tips on Applying for College

Although applying to college can be a challenging process, organizing your application and researching prospective universities alleviate stress.. Like her fellow seniors, Zaineb Syed (LA East) just finally submitted her Statement Intention to Register (SIR) to the university she decided on. She selected Cal State Fullerton and intends to major in biology.

Zaineb chose this school for several reasons, including its proximity to home and excellent biology program. When she attended the Welcome Day, the friendly and welcoming atmosphere impressed her; she knew that Allah had destined this school for her.

“As soon as I got my college acceptance letters and decided on Cal State Fullerton, I discussed this decision with my parents, counselor, friends, and even teachers and sought advice for a successful college career. They told me that as long as I worked hard, got good grades, scored high on the MCAT, and was involved in college, I’d be in great shape to get into medical school,” Zaineb explained.

So how did Zaineb prepare her college application? First, she developed competitiveness throughout high school by taking many Advanced Placement (AP) classes and studied hard to score well on her exams. Next, she took the ACT, SAT, and SAT subject tests, even though the latter wasn’t required. Then, she filed and submitted her FAFSA application early on to optimize her chances of securing maximum financial aid. Lastly, and most importantly, she wrote her personal statement and did this early on. In it, she declared her identity as an Ahmadi Muslim. “To be an Ahmadi Muslim student is a great honor, and it sets us apart from other students,” Zaineb added.

After the effortful application, she waited for acceptance letters, which undoubtedly is the most nerve-racking part of the entire college application process. Students worry whether or not their dream college will admit them or not. Zaineb suggests that those who do not get into their dream schools could enroll at a community college for two years and then transfer to their dream school. Alternatively, students may consider vocational training.

As with any endeavor, regardless of one’s preparation, prayers are most integral for achieving success. As Zaineb says, “always pray for your success and constantly write letters to Huzoor seeking his prayers. Work very hard to achieve your goals and depend solely on Allah. Whatever decision He makes is for our own good. Consult as many people as you can to ensure that you are satisfied with your decision.”

Correction:

May issue of In the Know mistakenly stated 2005 as the year UC Irvine founded its Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association. It was actually founded in 2001.

K-12 Initiative

Code!

Most schools have four primary focus areas for their students: English, math, history, and science. However, one subject which has previously been considered an elective / extracurricular interest is now being brought to the forefront; that is, computer programming. This is a stark change for the field of computer science, an area often equated to trade skills and considered a subject for the select few, rather than a necessary skill for all students. Why the change? With the rise of computing and mobile applications, technology has paved its way into every household. In this struggling economy, the job market in this area is excellent. Teachers and parents now realize that coding is not simply a hobby but a necessary life skill and a potential career option.

It is unprecedented how fast computer programming is being integrated into core curriculums. New York and Chicago school boards have agreed to include computer science in their required high school courses. Even elementary and middle schools are holding after-school coding sessions to teach children of all ages how to code. Technology giants like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg have donated thousands of dollars to code.org, an organization that seeks to promote coding and accessibility to children from all backgrounds. This website features free tutorials and activities, organized by difficulty, so a student of any age may learn programming. Code.org also offers resources to students whose schools do not offer computer classes/do not have access to coding events targeting children. Thus, the real question is: why are you not coding yet?