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Mission The aim of CounterCurrent is to engender God-consciousness and spirituality in a material-oriented world. It particularly aims to present the true picture of Islam and do away with the false negativity that has been associated with it. It is not a business venture and relies solely on donations and individual sponsorship. If you wish to be part of this noble cause, please contact us. For now, we are available only through email [stated below]. Availability CounterCurrent is currently available at major public outlets and some smaller establishments. For personal subscription please contact us through our email. Disclaimer The opinions and views expressed by contributors are their own, and do not necessarily express CounterCurrents viewpoint or position. CounterCurrent does not accept responsibility for views expressed in articles that appear in its pages. Contribution of Content We welcome your articles for publication in the magazine. We do however reserve the right to edit them or not publish them at all. Articles should be of a standard quality and with a positive message. They should be written preferably in Microsoft Word and forwarded with the contact details of the writer to our email address below. Worthy articles of others can also be proposed with/without their permission. We would of course seek their permission on approval. Copyright Notice No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the editor. E-mail: countercurrentmag@yahoo.co.uk

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From wherever you are seated, cast a glance around you, and you will see that everything that your sight falls on has been produced by careful design and planning. Nothing has appeared from nowhere or come into existence of its own accord; from the mighty skyscraper to the tiny pin; from the huge soaring planes to the humble ball pen; and from the complex chips of computers to a simple toothpick. Everything has its origin in the design of a maker; something which all rational minds must acknowledge. If such is the case with man-made items, how then do we explain the expansive and multifarious phenomena, where man has no say or input, and the efficiency and consistency of which continues to baffle him to this day. The beautiful panorama of nature all around us with the flawless mechanism with which it functions and thrives is itself the most conspicuous and evident proof of God. The solar system with its immaculate precision, the defense mechanisms innate within all living species, the marvelous water cycle, the blood circulation and the elaborate system of digestion of living creatures, the symmetry observable in the arrangement and positioning of organs, the sophistication in the functioning of just a single organ, the eye, and with millions of living creatures being equipped with a pair of these mindboggling tools of vision ask yourself can this all be the product of random chance or a mere accident? If you cannot imagine a single pin without a maker and designer, how can

editorial

you attribute all this and much more most of which not even probed by human observation to accident or an incomprehensible theory such as evolution? The more we advance in science the closer we should be getting to God and the more certain about the role of religion and Afterlife. For science is in no way contrary to religion; rather, science can only confirm religion; it cannot reject it. The two are complementary, as science tells us the how of things while religion explains the why. The fact that many great scientists have been and are believers in God also refutes the theory that science is contrary to religion. This is what Max Planck, the great physicist of the twentieth century and recipient of the Nobel Prize [1918] had to say at the time of being awarded: As a man who has devoted his entire life to the most clearheaded science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research this much: there is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter. There is no doubt that religion can be twisted and warped to suit vested interests and even to promote violence, but to reject faith in God on that basis is no different from denying the existence of medicine due to the abuse of it by some doctors.

Contents
Editorial..... Page 3 - God-oriented Life..... Page 4 - The Veil Unveiled..... Page 7 - Miracles of Jesus [Eesaa, pbuh]..... Page 11 Achieving Your Goals.... Page 13 & 17 - The Miracle in the Defence System.....Page 14 - Islam and Slavery.... Page 18 - What is the Secret?.... Page 20 3

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GOD-ORIENTED LIFE
By Wahiduddin Khan The earth is the suns satellite. It constantly orbits around the sun. It takes one year to complete such a rotation. This movement of the earth around the sun is essential for the healthy functioning of life on earth. If the earth did not revolve around the sun, its existence would have no meaning, and life would come to an end. This is a practical example of how we should lead our lives in this world. This example is indeed a physical demonstration that shows how man must revolve around God, just as the earth revolves around the sun. It means that all of mans activities should be based on God. The earth rotates as compelled to by the laws of nature. But man, of his own free will, should surrender to God. He should build a life, which is based on the concept of God. This consciousness is the real ascension of man. In this consciousness lies the secret of all success. Discovery of God The God-oriented life begins with the discovery of God. When individuals, whether men or women, discover God, it means that they have found the truth. And this truth pervades their whole being. This feeling of having discovered the truth becomes such a thrilling experience that it fills them with everlasting conviction. This everlasting conviction removes all frustrations from their lives. Therefore, losses are no longer such, for, in spite of them, they never lose the feeling that their greatest asset, i.e. God, is still with them. Man experiences this realization by pondering upon Gods creations. The truth is that the present universe is an expression of Gods attributes. In this respect, the present universe is a complete introduction to God. God is visible in His creations, just as a human being sees his own reflection in the mirror, without having any doubts about it. The vastness of space tells man that God, its Creator, is boundless. The observation of the sun and the stars shows us that God is all light. The heights of the mountains show us the greatness of God. The waves of the sea and the flow of the river tell us that God is a storehouse of boundless blessings. We see Gods bounties in the greenery of the trees. Mans existence becomes a proof of Gods existence. In the waft of air he experiences a divine touch. In the chirping of the birds, he hears Gods songs. Remembrance of God The God-oriented life for man starts by his remembering God. He begins to feel the presence of God. Everything serves to remind him of God. Gods remembrance is never absent from his heart and mind. His mornings and evenings should be spent as if he is living in Gods neighbourhood. Just as rain replenishes the crops, so does he remain ever immersed in the remembrance of God.

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God: A Source of Spiritual Awakening God is a spiritual focus for man. One whose heart is attached to God undergoes spiritual experiences at every moment. Belief in God becomes a source of spiritual development for him. Filled with the love of God, he does not need anything further. God becomes a vast ocean for him to continue to swim in without ever experiencing any limit. In the form of spiritual awakening, he receives such great wealth that he does not feel any need for anything else. For one who discovers God, the entire universe becomes an open book of God for him. Every leaf of a tree becomes a page of the divine book. When he sees the sun, he feels as if God is lighting His heavenly torch so that he may read His book clearly. The Universe becomes, as it were, a supernal university and he its student. Finding God is to find his centre of Love. Man by birth is a seeker of a Supreme Being who is far above him, who is free from all limitations and who may form the centre of his feelings, in short, a Being after finding whom the grown man becomes as

satisfied as a child after being held in the embrace of his mother. This discovery of God saves one from regarding something other than God as God and mistakenly and unrealistically thinking it to be the answer to the urge inherent in his nature. The discovery of God is to fulfill his or her real urge to find God. And the failure to discover God means failing to find that which is mans greatest need. One who fails to find God is compelled by his natural urge to give the place of God to something other than God. This place is sometimes accorded to a certain human being, sometimes to a certain animal, sometimes to a phenomenon of nature, sometimes to a certain material power, sometimes to a certain supposed concept and sometimes just to the self. Even if one fails to discover God, or he becomes a denier of God, it is not in his or her power to stifle the urge in his nature to find God. That is why those men and women who have not found God inevitably come to hold something other than God as God. And this supposed God is always some creature or

the other of God. By nature, it is possible for man not to accept the real God as God, but it is not possible for anyone to save himself or herself from granting the status of divinity to something other than God. Making God ones object of worship raises mans position. On the contrary, regarding something other than God as God amounts to descending from the level of humanity. God is therefore indispensable to man. His life is incomplete without God. A philosopher has aptly remarked that had there been no God, we would have had to invent one. Fortunately, God exists in reality. We can believe in God with conviction, not as a supposition, but as a fact. And we can accord Him the place He deserves in our lives. Accountability of God It is essential that man should have within his reach, a super formula for lifes management. God provides just such a formulaa complete principle for lifes management. Human beings are not like machines controlled by a mechanical system, nor are they like animals who are

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governed by their instincts. Human beings enjoy freedom. They take decisions about their actions of their own free will. Now the question arises as to how to keep man to the right course, how to make him consistently disciplined in his behaviour. History shows the ineffectiveness of all worldly measures in this connection, whether social pressures, enforcement of the law of the land or the appeals of reformers. Experience shows that the pressure of society is limited, if not totally ineffective. There are so many loopholes in the law that it is not difficult for wrongdoers to find a way out. The reformers bid to reform people are nothing but appeals, and appeals alone cannot bring about a revolution in human life. The truth is that for the attainment of disciplined behaviour, it is essential for one to be convinced of the existence of a power far superior to himself, a Being Who is aware of mans activities at every moment; who can reward and punish man, and from whom it is impossible to escape. There can be only one be-

ing of this nature and that is God. Belief in God functions at two levels at the same time. On the one hand, man finds in God a guardian who is aware of all his activities and who has unlimited power to chastise him. It is not possible for man to escape Gods chastisement. Belief in God compels man to steadfastly adopt a proper attitude in all situations, privately as well as publicly. Only then can he save himself from the wrath of God. Another point is that belief in God is a storehouse of limitless hope. Man can lead his life in this world with the conviction that if he incurs any loss because of treading the path of truth, or if he suffers from any other adversity, he will be able to endure it. For if he adheres to the path of truth, God will grant him a reward in the form of eternal paradise, and there can be no reward greater than this. It is not possible for man on his own to bind himself to moral values or adhere to justice. This is possible only when he is convinced of the fact that he is under a super powera super power who observes justice to the extent of perfection; for whom it is fully possible to guide man to

the true path and also punish those who deviate from this true path. This present, limited world is totally inadequate for punishing a criminal. Similarly, this world is also inadequate for granting great rewards for ones good deeds. The concept of God tells us that God can create a far better world free from all the limitations of the present world, where reward and punishment both can be satisfactorily awarded. The concept of a living and powerful God is necessarily accompanied by the concept of accountability. And the concept of accountability guarantees right thinking and right actions on the part of man. It makes man cautious by reminding him of Gods chastisement. Moreover, this gives him the conviction of receiving Gods reward if he adheres to the right path at all costs and in all situations. The concept of God provides man with an ideology in which loss is turned to gain and in which adversity brings with it good tidings. It is therefore submission to God that is the only way of life for both man and the universe.

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THE VEIL UNVEILED

The Islamic veil or hijab refers to the loose-fitting, plain and opaque outer garments which cover a Muslim womans body. While basically identical to the clothing depicted in traditional Christian representations of Mary (Peace be upon her), and every nun who has sought to emulate her since, the hijab is readily singled out as a sign of extremism, the supposedly inferior status of Muslim women. Those who see women as little more than sex objects are dismayed at the phenomenon of educated, professional or, in any case, free Western women turning to Islam. The claim that female converts are either brainwashed fanatics blinded by their veils or suppressed victims frantic to be liberated is no longer accepted, although, sensationalist and often politically motivated reports of oppressed Muslim women in some contemporary backward societies still enforce the negative stereotype. What follows is a brief look at the status of women in Islam through comparing the role of the veil in both Islam and Christianity. Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to them We will give a new life, good and pure. And We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions. (Quran 16:97) In what would form part of a New Testament, St. Paul obligated the then common practice of the veil for all women: And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.[1] For this reason, and because of the angels, woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. (I Corinthians 11:4-10) St. Tertullian, in his treatise, On the Veiling of Virgins, even obliged its use at home: Young women, you wear your veils out on the streets, so you should wear them in the church; you wear them when you are among strangers, then wear them among your brothers. So Islam didnt invent the veil, it merely endorsed it, presenting it as a sign of faith, modesty and chastity which serves to protect the devout from molestation. O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their cloaks over their bodies (when outdoors) so that they be recognized as such (decent, chaste believers) and not molested... (Quran 33:59) In truth, the Muslim womans veil is but one facet of her noble status a status due in part to the tremendous responsibility that is placed upon her. Simply put, woman is the initial teacher in the building of a righteous society. This is why from the most important individual obligations upon a person is to show gratitude, kindness and good companionship to their mother. Once, the

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Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was asked: O Messenger of God! Who from amongst mankind warrants the best companionship from me? The Prophet replied: Your mother. The man asked: Then who? The Prophet said: Your mother. The man asked: Then who? The Prophet repeated: Your mother. Again, the man asked: Then who? The Prophet finally said: (Then) your father. (Bukhari, Muslim) While the mother is given precedence over and above the father in kindness and good treatment, Islam, like Christianity, teaches that God designated man to be the natural head of the household. And they (women) have rights (over their husbands) similar (to the rights of their husbands) over them according to what is equitable. But men have a degree (of responsibility) over them (Quran 2:228) In Islam, mans authority is in proportion to his socio-economic responsibilities,[2] responsibilities which reflect the psychological and physiological differences with which God created the sexes. And the male is not like the female... (Quran 3:36)[3]

Marriage is the means by which both sexes can fulfill their different but complementary and mutually beneficial roles. And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves; that you may dwell with them in serenity and tranquility. And He has put love and compassion between your hearts. Truly in that are signs for those who reflect. (Quran 30:21) Islams appeal, wherever it has triumphed, has been in its simplicity. It requires submission to some basic, straightforward rules which are easily kept, and in return it offers that most wonderful and rare commodity, peace of mind ... its discipline, safety and certainties have an appeal for girls lost in the churning seas of permissiveness, whose own families have been weakened by the crumbling of the two-parent family, the absence of fathers and the impermanence of husbands, if there are husbands in the first place rather than boyfriends and baby-fathers. And in most societies it is the women who sustain religions in the home and among children. (Peter Hitchens, Will Britain Convert to Islam? Mail on Sunday, 2/11/03)

They (your wives, O men) are a garment for you and you (men) are a garment for them (Quran 2:187) Sex itself is not taboo in Islam. On the contrary, lawful sexual relations are regarded as deeds of charity! Renowned scholar and former nun, Karen Armstrong, writes: Mohammed certainly did not think that women were sexually disgusting. When his wife had her period he used to make a point of reclining in her lap, of taking his prayer mat from her hand, saying for the benefit of his disciples, Your menstruation is not in your hand. He would drink from the same cup, saying, Your menstruation is not on your lips ... The harsh sexual punishments meted out to sexual offenders in some Islamic countries is because sexuality is valued and the ideal has been debased, not, as in the past in the West, because sexuality is abhorrent. (The Gospel According to Woman, 1986:2) Linguistically, the Quranic terms for womb and mercy are synonymous. This is because, rather than Gods punishment, childbirth in Islam is seen as one of His countless blessings. Besides, the notion that God

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condemns the innocent is quite blasphemous! Moreover, Islam teaches that all children are born innocent and sinless upon the fitrah: a natural monotheistic and righteous disposition. Hence, one who embraces Islam is said to revert back to their natural religion. It is only the childs immoral upbringing that converts him / her into a rebellious sinner. Whosoever works evil will not be requited except with its like; and whosoever works righteousness, whether male or female, and is a true Believer, such will enter Paradise, wherein they will have provision without limit. (Quran 40:40) In the field of learning and knowledge too, women are encouraged, rather obligated, to obtain their rightful share. The Prophet said: The seeking of knowledge is compulsory upon every (male or female) Muslim. (Ibn Maja) Furthermore, the most honoured position one can reach in Muslim society is that of a scholar. The Prophets wife, Aaishah, from whom leading Companions acquired knowledge, is but one example of learned women who continue to greatly influence Islamic society. As were several female teach-

ers of the celebrated sage and master of the Islamic sciences, Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328). Are those who know equal to those who know not? It is only those with understanding who will remember. (Quran 39:9) Many of the resurgent preIslamic cultural practices that have tragically come to be associated with Islam, such as forced marriages, female genital mutilation, bridal (as opposed to groom-paid) dowries, honour killings and the criminalization of rape victims, only resurfaced following the disruption caused by colonialism and the resulting disconnect between the common Muslims and their sources of knowledge. It is always the learned scholars of Islam, men and women, who are the first victims of any imperialist purge. Nevertheless, in light of the Quran and Sunnah [Prophetic tradition], the veil of misinformation cloaking the true status of women in Islam is easily removed. Moreover, Islam continues to grow faster than any other way of life with women, accounting for some 75% of all European and American converts - ironic, given the widespread Western prejudice that Islam oppresses women!

Westerners despairing of their own society - rising in crime, family breakdown, drugs and alcoholism - have come to admire the discipline and security of Islam. (Lucy Berrington, Why British women are turning to Islam, Times, 9/11/93) These women have acknowledged the same truth that led King Negus of Abyssinia to embrace Islam following a speech in which the Companions of the Prophet informed him: Gods Messenger forbade us to speak evil of women. (Ibn Hisham) Verily, those who slander chaste women; innocent unsuspecting believing women: they are cursed in this world and the next. And for them will be a great torment. (Quran 24:23) Today, many nuns and devout women of the Orthodox, Catholic, Near Eastern and African churches still wear the Christian veil. The Muslim woman too wears her hijab, declaring her faith in humility and servitude before God. Only those given divine sanction - her immediate family and other believing women may view her. In effect, she is saying: Judge me for my faith, not my body - I give you no other choice. When faithfully implemented, as

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it was by its earliest adherents, Islam offers women the freedom, dignity, justice and protection that have long remained out of their reach. Mankind inherited from the Prophet a great Islamic tradition when he said: The best of you (men) are those who best treat their women. The believing men and women are protectors of one another. They enjoin the good and forbid the evil; they establish prayer and give alms (to the needy); and they obey God and His Messenger. These, God will have mercy on them. Lo! God is Mighty, Wise. (Quran 9:71) Islam granted women contractual rights, conjugal rights, the right to inherit, to initiate divorce, to independently own and control wealth and property, to set up and run businesses, to earn and receive equal pay, to retain their maiden names, etc., over 1400 years ago while the democratic West granted similar rights only in the last 50 years of the 20th century! In fact, besides casual abortion, much of what feminists still fight for had already been sanctioned by Islam. Not to mention that Western-style emancipation - essentially women copying

men has not only imposed impossible demands on the weaker sex, but has also left womanhood without any intrinsic value. As for the veiled Muslim celebrating her womanhood, she is but a reflection of chastity, humility and dignity, a mirror of her devotion to and belief in God - factors which liberate, not subjugate - and for this she can expect a great reward. For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for truthful men and women, for patient men and women, for humble men and women, for charitable men and women, for fasting men and women, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Gods praise: for them has God prepared forgiveness and a great reward. (Quran 33:35) Footnotes: [1] Islam teaches that God is not a man, but the Creator of man (and woman); and He created both sexes for one noble purpose: I have not created jinn (spirits) and humans except that they may worship and serve Me (alone). (Quran 51:56) [2] Hence, the Muslim man

is granted a greater share of inheritance than the woman. He is legally bound to provide for and maintain all the females of the household from his personal wealth while the womans wealth is hers alone to spend, invest or save as she pleases. [3] Dr. Alexis Carrel, the French Noble Laureate, reinforces this point when he writes: The difference existing between man and woman do not come from the particular form of the sexual organs, the presence of the uterus, from gestation or from the mode of education. They are of a more fundamental impregnation of the entire organism ... Ignorance of these fundamental facts has led promoters of feminism to believe that both sexes should have the same powers and the same responsibilities. In reality, woman differs profoundly from man. Every one of the cells of her body bears the mark of her sex. The same is true of her organs and, above all, of her nervous system. Physiological laws ... cannot be replaced by human wishes. We are obliged to accept them just as they are. Women should develop their aptitudes in accordance with their own nature, without trying to imitate males. (Carrel, Man and the Unknown, 1949:91)

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Continued from previous issue

THE MIRACLES OF JESUS [Eesaa, pbuh]

by God with these miracles. In the following verse, God indicates that it is time for the people to recognize the values Jesus has brought and to surrender to them: We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an Apostle with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called imposters, and others ye slay! (92/87) It is implied here that every command supported by God requires absolute obedience and, at the same time, that we must not stray from the divine path because of doubts raised by our egos and Satan. Generally there have always been those who prefer to take a reactionary attitude towards all the prophets and to remain closed to new things. Such travellers on the path of darkness label every extraordinary miracle they see as magic. They did not think any differently about Jesus or the events that occurred than they did to any other previous miracles. Jesus reply to this was no different from that of the former prophets. With the satisfaction of performing his duty without fault, Jesus said, as every prophet before him had: God is truly your Lord and my Lord; so worship Him. That is a straight path. (19/36) Saying this, he left everyone alone to follow their will. This was necessary, as after this, those who wanted to come would; they would be able to find the right path and gain salvation, while those who prefer the darkness will be sacrificed to their own egos. It is possible to summarize Jesus miracles as follows, according to the way in which they appear in the Quran: 1- Raising the dead. 2- Breathing life into a bird made from clay. 3- Making the blind see. 4- Curing leprosy. 5- Giving news of what was going on inside houses. 6- Being strengthened by the Holy Spirit. 7- Bringing down a banquet from the heavens. The first thing that strikes one about all of these is that most of Jesus miracles were related to the field of medi-

Another of Jesus miracles is the feast that was provided when his people wanted to eat food from heaven. This event is related in the Quran in a chapter entitled Al-Maidah: Behold! The Disciples said: O Jesus the son of Mary! Can thy Lord send down to us a Table set (with viands) from heaven? Said Jesus: Fear God, if ye have faith. They said: We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may be witnesses to the miracle. Said Jesus the son of Mary: God our Lord! Send us from heaven a Table set (with viands), that there may be for us -- for the first and the last of us a solemn festival and a Sign from Thee; and provide for our sustenance, for Thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs). God said: I will send it down unto you: but if any of you after that resisteth faith, I will punish him as I have not inflicted on any one among all the peoples. (5/115, 116, 117, 118) Jesus was made superior from the beginning with extraordinary acts and strengthened

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cine. During his time there were important developments in this area and people were frequently confronted with these. For this reason, his miracles of healing, which cured many problems that were not curable at that time, gained the attention of medical authorities, especially since he had not been educated in this field and had no equipment. They agreed that his results had to have been accomplished with divine assistance. As we have discussed here, miracles not only contain certain messages for those witnessing the event, but they also demonstrate many things to those who come after. When looked at from this perspective, God is saying many things to the people of today through the miracles performed by Jesus. At first glance, the most obvious message is that it is possible for many things that we perceive as inanimate to be animated by giving them energy; problems with sight and every kind of skin disease can be cured, even if we have not yet found the cure today. All of these are important matters that medicine should be addressing today; there is a cure for every illness. One of the most important duties of experts in the medical field is to find cures from the pharmacy of the universe. If we look at the banquet that

came from the heavens and the way in which the people benefited from the divine blessings in this feast, we can understand that there are many blessings hidden in the heavens, and that it is the duty of man, who has been blessed with intelligence and judgement, to fully investigate these. If we can knock on the doors of mercy in the language of science and technology in the light of this miracle of Jesus, it may be possible for man to reach many feasts full of blessings beyond this world. Jesus Departure Like his birth, Jesus departure from mankind was another miracle. God did not leave Jesus in the hands of those who wanted to kill him and, in the words of the Quran, he was raised to the heavens with another miracle, being taken from among mankind to a different plane of life. According to the Quran, that they said (in boast), We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. Nay God raised him up unto Himself; and God is Exalted in Power, Wise. (4/157, 158)

This detail can be found in another verse explaining this matter: Behold! God said: O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return to me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute. As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help. (3/55, 56) As can be seen, Jesus life, which was full of miracles, changed dimension with yet another miracle, and he was honoured with immortality. Moreover, some narrations regarding his return close to the time of Doomsday to call people to the truth once more are proof that these kinds of miracles will continue in the future. The End of Time and Jesus Almost all religions mention a final saviour in the future who will turn mankind to the true path once again. There are some narrations in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that Jesus will come again at the end of time and eliminate the idea of atheism. Comment-

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ing on these narrations and stating that they are absolutely authentic, Bedizzaman Said Nursi said, Only a wondrous and miraculous person with an esteemed following will be able to kill and change the calling of the Antichrist who will protect himself with acts of magic, magnetism and spiritualism and enchant everyone. That person is Jesus.

The second coming of Jesus is, of course, within the realm of possibility, when Gods power is taken into consideration and the consistency with which this has been narrated in the Prophetic statements. Upon his return, falsehood and evil will be eliminated and victory of faith will be experienced. In this way the calling of Jesus and the calling of all Prophets will be united, and

humanity, once again knowing goodness, beauty, peace and contentment, will live a life imbued with faith. It is true that prophets are like children of the same mother. All their values are shared ones; their Lord is one; their guidance is one; their aim is one. The world is in need, more than ever, of their message, a message that is to be presented by people whose goal is faith.

ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS

One of the big questions most of us have in our lives is how to achieve our goals. Have you ever felt that most things in your life just seem to happen to you, rather than you exercising conscious control over them? This is quite a common feeling. Its as if we are simply fulfilling other peoples expectations, whether those people are our colleagues, our boss, our friends, or even our children. One of the reasons people find it difficult to break out of this sort of trap and achieve the things that they want to achieve is because they simply dont know how to make a goal and achieve it. Its not one of the things we are taught about at school, and when we get into the world of work we only learn how to meet targets which other people have set for us, not learn how to invent and carry out our own projects. The right way to achieve a goal is very simple. By that I dont mean that achieving the goal will necessarily be simple it may involve a lot of hard work and experimentation. What I mean is that to move from failing to achieve goals to achieving them is a very simple adjustment in our mindset. If we know how to do it, it be-

By Mark Forster

comes much easier. Most people make the mistake of thinking that to achieve a goal one needs to set up a detailed plan. In order to write out a detailed plan, you need to know what actions are necessary in order to achieve the goal. This is exactly what most people dont know when they want to set out to do something new. So they are put off trying going for the goal because they dont feel capable of drawing up a plan. Or perhaps they do draw up a plan, and then they find that it doesnt work. Deadlines get passed, and difficulties arise. The plan gets abandoned and work stops. So the goal dies of neglect. What they didnt realise is that deadlines and plans are just tools they are not the essence of how to achieve a goal. In fact during many stages of achieving a goal they may be more of a hindrance than a help.The right way to go about achieving a goal is to know where you want to go and keep moving to get there. Its as simple as that. You dont need to know every step of the way. You just need to know the next step. Continued on page 17...

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The Miracle in the Defence System

By Harun Yahya

Defence is an issue that has to be given top priority by a country for the continuance of its existence. Nations have always to watch out for all kinds of internal and external threats, assaults, risks of wars and terrorist actions. This is why they allocate a great part of their official budgets to defence. Armies are provided with the most advanced aircraft, ships, and arms, and the forces of defence are always kept at the highest level of preparedness. The human body is surrounded by a great number of enemies and threats. These enemies are bacteria, viruses, and similar microscopic organisms. They exist everywhere; in the air we inhale, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the environment in which we live. What most people are not aware of is that the human body has an excellent army, the immune system, which fights against enemies. This is a real army made up of many soldiers and officials with different assignments, who are specially trained, employ high technology and fight with conventional and chemical weapons. Every day, even every minute, a permanent war is fought between this army and the enemy forces, but away from our knowledge. This war can also be in the form of minor, local skirmishes as well as battles in which the whole body is involved and alarmed. We call these battles diseases. The general conduct of this war almost never changes. The enemy attempts to fool the other side by camouflaging itself

when intruding into the body. The trained investigative forces are assigned by the defence to identify the enemies. The enemies are identified and appropriate weapons are produced to exterminate them. Then there is close contact, the defeat of the enemy, cease-fire, and clearance of the battleground. Last, there is storage of every type of information about the enemy as a precaution against the possibility of a later attack.... Now let us examine this interesting war closer. The Besieged Castle: The Human Body We can liken the human body to a castle besieged by enemies. The enemies look for various ways to invade this castle. The human skin is the wall of this castle. The substance of keratin in the cells of the skin is an impassable barrier for bacteria and fungi. Foreign substances that reach the skin cannot pass through this wall. Moreover, although the outer layer of skin that contains keratin is continuously rubbed off, it is renewed by skin growing from beneath. Thus, all unwanted guests that have squeezed between the skin are ejected from the body together with dead skin, during renewal of the skin from inwards to outwards. The enemy can only make its way in through a wound that is inflicted on the skin. The Front Line One of the ways through which viruses enter the body is air. The enemy pushes its

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way to the body through the air inhaled. However, a special secretion in the nasal mucous membrane and cell-swallowing defence elements in the lungs (phagocytes) meet these enemies and take control of the situation before the danger grows. Digestive enzymes in the stomach acid and small intestine eliminate a great number of the microbes that seek to enter the body through food. The Clash Of The Enemies There are some microbes that have settled in various parts of the human body (such as skin, skin folds, mouth, nose, eye, upper respiratory canals, digestive canal, the genitals) yet do not cause illness. When a foreign microbe enters the body, these domestic microbes - thinking that their habitation would be invaded- and not wishing to give way to the foreigners who invade their habitation - fight strenuously. We can define them as professional soldiers. They try to protect their territory for their own ends. Thus, the complex army in our body is reinforced by these micro supports. Step By Step To Hot War If a microscopic intruder entering the body can overcome defence elements on guard and bacteria serving as soldiers, it causes war to begin. After that, the body, with its ordered army, fights a perfect offence-defence war against this foreign army. The war fought by the defence system is comprises four parts: 1. Identification of the enemy. 2. Fortification of defences and preparation of offensive weapons.

3. Attack and battle. 4. Retreat to normal state. The cells that first meet the enemy units are macrophage cells that make phagocytosis, i.e., that engulf the enemy. These cells are involved in close contact with the enemy, and fight a hand-to-hand war. They are just like infantrymen who fight a bayonet war against enemy units and struggle at the distant front line of the army. Moreover, macrophages function as intelligence units, or as the secret service of an army. They hold one portion of the enemy they destroy. This portion is used to identify the enemys identity and to determine its features. Macrophages pass this portion to another intelligence unit, messenger-T cells. General Alarm When a country is involved in war, a general mobilisation is declared. Most of the natural resources and the budget are spent on war expenses. The economy is re-arranged according to this extraordinary situation and the country is involved in total action. In a war, which the defensive army of the body will fight as a whole, mobilisation is also declared. Do you wonder how? If the enemy is more than they can handle, the cavalcades (macrophages) that launch an attack secrete a special substance. The name of this substance is pyrogen and it is a kind of alarm call. After travelling a long way, pyrogen reaches the brain and stimulates the fever-increasing centre of the brain. Following this stimulation, the brain sets off alarms in the body and the person develops a high fever. The patient with a high fever naturally feels a need to rest. Thus, the energy needed by the defence

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army is not spent elsewhere. As seen, there exists an extremely complex plan and design at work. The Ordered Army Swings Into Action The war between the microscopic intruder and the immune system becomes more complicated after mobilisation, that is, your falling ill in bed. At this stage, infantrymen (phagocytes) and cavalrymen (macrophages) have proved insufficient, the whole body is alarmed, and the war becomes heated. At this stage, lymphocytes - (T and B cells) - intervene. Cavalrymen (macrophages) pass the information they have on the enemy to T helper cells. These cells summon T cytotoxic and B cells to the battleground. These are the most effective fighters of the immune system. Weaponry Production As soon as B cells receive information about the enemy, they start producing weapons. These weapons, just like ballistic missiles, are only produced to hit the enemy on whom information is available. This production is so perfect that the three dimensional structure of the microscopic intruder and the three dimensional structure of the weapon fully match each other. This accord is like that between a key and its lock. Antibodies advance towards the enemy and clamp tightly on it. After this stage, the enemy is neutralised like a tank that has its treads, cannon and gun destroyed. Afterwards, other members of the immune system come and eliminate the neutralised enemy. Here, there is a very important point to consider: there are millions of types of enemy

that the immune system will confront. B cells can produce an appropriate weapon for all types of enemy no matter what they are. This means that the immune system innately has the knowledge and capability to produce the keys appropriate to millions of different types of locks. These unconscious cells have the ability to make millions of types of antibodies, and their using it in the best way proves the existence of a creation by the Owner of an exalted power. Furthermore, the system is more sophisticated. As B cells destroy the enemy with ballistic weapons, T cytotoxic cells also fight a tough war against the enemy. When some viruses enter a cell, they can hide from the weapons produced by the B cells. The T cytotoxic cells find the diseased cells in which this camouflaged enemy hides and destroy them. After The Victory After the enemy is defeated, the T suppressor cells swing into action. These cells give the army of defence the command to cease fire, and cause the T cytotoxic and B cells to stop their activities. Thus, the body does not carry on in a state of mobilisation in vain. After the war is over, most of the T and B cells produced specifically for the war complete their lifecycle and die. This tough war, however, is not to be forgotten. Before the war, a short time passed while the enemy was identified and the necessary preparations made. If the enemy ever comes back, the body will be much better prepared. A group of memory cells, which have come to know the features of the enemy, will constantly serve in the immune system in future. In a possible second attack, the immune system, with the information in the memory cells, will have the means to react before the enemy gains force. The reason why we

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do not catch mumps or measles again, after we have once caught them, is because of the memory of our immune system. Who Is He Who Creates The System? After all the information we have examined, we have to take our time and think about how this perfect immune system to which we owe our lives has come to exist. There is a flawless plan at work. Everything needed for the operation of this plan is intact: macrophages, the pyrogen substance, the fever raising centre of the brain, the bodys fever raising mechanisms, B cells, T cells, weapons... How, then, has this perfect system come into being? Not surprisingly, the theory of evolution, which proposes that living beings have come into being by coincidence, cannot explain how this complex system came about. The claim of the theory of evolution is that living beings and living systems have originated step-by-step by the accumulation of little coincidences. However, the immune system cannot by any means have originated step-by-step. The reason is that in the case of the absence or malfunction of even one of the factors that make up the system, the system cannot work and the person
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could not survive. The system must have come into being completely and flawlessly with all its components intact. This reality renders the notion of coincidence meaningless. Who, then, makes this plan? Who knows that the bodys fever must rise, and that only that way the energy needed by the army of defence will not be spent elsewhere? Is it the macrophages? Macrophages are merely tiny cells. They do not have the capacity to think. They are living organisms that obey an established superior order and that fulfil their duties. Is it man? Certainly not. People are not even aware that such a perfect system is at work in their own bodies. However, this system, of which we are unaware, protects us from certain death. It is obvious that the one who created the immune system, and who created the whole human body, should be a Creator Who has exalted knowledge and might. This Creator is Allah, the One and Only God, Who has created the human body from a drop of fluid. Harunyahya.com

The absolutely essential key to achieving any goal is to keep taking the next step, in other words to keep moving. Its a very simple formula: if you keep moving towards a goal you will progress; if you stop moving the goal will wither and die. If you keep moving, you will have setbacks of course, but provided you keep moving you can take the setbacks one at a time and continue. What everyone finds when they start moving towards a desired result is that opportunities start arising which they could never have predicted. Thats one of the reasons why detailed plans at the wrong stage may get in the way. The worst thing you can do with any goal is to sit around waiting for the circumstances to be exactly right or for inspiration to strike. Inspiration comes to those who are actively working on the subject, and you will then find yourself making your own circumstances.

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ISLAM AND SLAVERY

Among the many misconceptions about Islam that have wrongly defamed the faith is the notion that it allows, or at least has allowed, slavery to flourish. This, however, remains an unsubstantiated allegation in which there is not a grain of truth, as we shall now see. On the contrary, it completely forbids these practices. It is quite outrageous to associate such barbarities with a religion revealed to upgrade humanity. The point which needs to be appreciated and which, perhaps, is the real cause of the misconception is that Islam had adopted a gradual process to abolish the institution of slavery because of the social conditions prevalent in Arabia at that time. It must be kept in mind that slavery was an integral part of the preIslamic Arab society. There were scores of slave men and women in almost every house. This was largely due to two reasons: First, during those times, the standard practice of dispensing with prisoners of war was to distribute them among the army who captured them. Second, there were extensive slave markets in Arabia in that period where men and women of all ages were sold like animals. In these circumstances, in which slavery had become an essential constituent of the Arab society, Islam adopted a gradual way to eliminate it. An immediate order of prohibition would have created immense social and economic problems. It would have become impossible for the society to cater for the needs of a large army of slaves, who were, otherwise, dependent on various families. Also, the national treasury was in no position to provide them all on a permanent basis. A large number among them were old and incapable of supporting themselves. The only alternative left for them, if they were instantly freed, would have been to turn to beggary and become an economic burden for the society. The question of slave girls and women was even more critical, keeping in view their own low moral standards. Freeing them, all of a sudden, would have only resulted in a tremendous increase in brothels. Perhaps, the reason behind this gradual eradication can be understood better if one considers the economic position of modern society which is largely based on interest. How the parasite of interest has crippled many a society and continues to widen the gap between the rich and the poor is apparent to every keen eye. However, there is no denying the fact that without it our present, self-inflicted economic system cannot sustain itself. Every reasonable person will acknowledge that today if a government wishes to rid the economy from this menace then, in spite of its abomination, it will have to adopt a gradual methodology. During this interim period interest oriented deals will have to be tolerated and temporary laws will have to be enacted to handle them, just as the Quran had given certain provisional directives about slaves during the interim period of their gradual eradication. An alternative economic framework will have to be steadily incorporated in place of the existing one. A sudden abolition, without another parallel base, will only hasten the total collapse of the economic system, which, of course, will be disastrous for the country. To avert a similar disaster and to ward off a similar catastrophe, Islam had adopted a progressive and a gradual scheme, fourteen hundred years ago, to do away with the inhuman institution of slavery. Following are some of the measures it took in this regard: 1. In the early Makkan period, it pronounced that slave emancipation was a great deed of piety. The very initial Makkan chapters of the Quran appealed to the Mus-

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lims to liberate as many slaves as they could. 2. The Prophet pbuh, unequivocally, directed the Muslims to raise the standard of living of the slaves and bring it equal to their own standard. This, of course, was meant to discourage people from persisting with them. 3. For the atonement of many sins manumission of slaves was divinely ordained. 4. All slave men and women who could support themselves in the society were directed to marry one another, in order to raise their moral and social status. 5. A permanent head in the public treasury was fixed to set free slave men and women. 6. Prostitution, which was largely carried out through slave women, who were mostly forced by their masters to do so, was totally prohibited. 7. The affronting names of abd (slave-man) and amah (slave-woman) by which slave men and women were called, were abrogated so that people would stop regarding them as slaves. In their place, the words fataa (boy) and fataah (girl) were introduced. 8. Finally, the law of mukaatabah provided very easy access for slaves to the gateway of freedom. Every slave who was capable of supporting himself was allowed by law to free himself, provided that he either gave a certain monetary amount to his master or carried out certain errands for him. After this, he could live as a free man. [Ap-

plying to females too] A special head in the treasury was fixed for this purpose; also, wealthy people were urged to help the slaves in this regard. The net result of this law was that only handicapped and old slaves were left to be provided for by their masters, which not only went in their own favour but also prevented them from becoming an economic burden on the society. The following is a passage of Roger Du Pasquier, from his book Unveiling Islam: ...To answer this question, it should first be remarked that Islam has tolerated slavery but has never approved of it, and that all its teachings and prescriptions in this regard lead to its alleviation as far as possible in the short term, and, in the longer term, conduce to its progressive suppression. To abolish it would have been impossible in a world in which it was generally practiced by all the states which bordered on the new Muslim empire, and in which the idea of challenging the principle itself had not occurred to anyone. It was the custom to enslave prisoners of war -- when these were not simply massacred -- and the Islamic state would have put itself at a grave disadvantage vis-a-vis its enemies had it not reciprocated to some extent. By guaranteeing them humane treatment, and various possibilities of subsequently releasing themselves, it ensured that a good number of

combatants in the opposing armies preferred captivity at the hands of Muslims to death on the field of battle. It should be very clearly underlined that the slavery once practiced in the Muslim world cannot be compared to the form it had assumed - for instance -- in the Roman Empire. Islamic legislation subjected slaveowners to a set of precise obligations, first among which was the slaves right to life, for, according to a hadith, Whoever kills his slave shall be killed by us. In consequence, the murder of a slave was punished like that of a free man. There are many other hadiths which define Islams true attitude in this regard. The Prophet said: Your slaves are your brethren; therefore whoever has a brother who depends upon him must feed and clothe him in the way he feeds and clothes himself; and should not impose upon him tasks which exceed his capacity; should you ask them to do such things, then you are obliged to help them. The Shariah takes this injunction, among many others, into account when defining the responsibilities and duties of slaveholders. It should be noted that it was not long before the institution of slavery was completely abolished, and now slavery, thanks to the wisdom of Shariah, is an alien concept, rather an abomination, in the Muslim society.

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What is the Secret?

Our death is our wedding with eternity. What is the secret? God is One. The sunlight splits when entering the windows of the house. This multiplicity exists in the cluster of grapes; It is not in the juice made from the grapes. For he who is living in the Light of God, The death of the carnal soul is a blessing. Regarding him, say neither bad nor good, For he is gone beyond the good and the bad. Fix your eyes on God and do not talk about what is invisible, So that he may place another look in your eyes. It is in the vision of the physical eyes That no invisible or secret thing exists. But when the eye is turned toward the Light of God What thing could remain hidden under such a Light? Although all lights emanate from the Divine Light Dont call all these lights the Light of God; It is the eternal light which is the Light of God, The ephemeral light is an attribute of the body and the flesh. ...Oh God who gives the grace of vision! The bird of vision is flying towards You with the wings of desire.
By Jalaluddin Rumi