Taking a
critical look at all kinds of war that the world has witnessed and of cause
suffered for and for which she is still suffering; from inter-personal to intra
and inter-family levels; from intra to inter-tribal spheres; from national to
international arenas and at both intra to inter-religious corners; all of them
stem from personal ego and or sentiment of someone or somebody! We mean a
single person, somewhere and or somehow, solely and unilaterally initiates the
war(s). He conceives it; nurses it; sells it; encourages it and establishes it
along with his buyout innocent or otherwise individuals and or agents. Hence,
the unrest in the entire world! We see it every day. We witness it. We feel it
too. Human being continues to suffer for just what a single person initiates!
And researching deeply into the cause of the ego in man; it is discovered that
it is sheer selfishness in him that makes him to hate so much. He loves himself
only and hates others!
How do we then
combat this menace already endangering the world? How do we right the wrong
that has rooted for so long in man and which is as old as human race itself? I
hope it is by putting on course and in motion the words of this discussion: LOVE
FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE? Am I right?
Opinions on
Love for All Hatred for None
The topic of
this discussion is no doubt the unique slogan or motto of the Worldwide
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It is the motto with which the community is known
throughout the world. It is a slogan that has been published and publicized far
and wide and has also enshrined the Community into the inner-most hearts, souls
and minds of people of different background and orientation throughout the globe.
To underscore the importance of this motto and how people of different status
in the world have acknowledge Ahmadiyya Muslim Community with it; kindly listen
to the following comments:
Baroness Sayeeda
Warsi, a former Minister of State for Faith and Communities in the United
Kingdom remarks:
…And what better motto than one that
you repeat all the time which is “Love for all hatred for none”. The
humanitarian work of the Ahmadi Community in health and in education and in
poverty relief is really the true form of social action. (http://www.loveforallhatredfornone.org)
Lord Eric Avebury, International Human Rights Advocate who once
won the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community United Kingdom Peace Award commented of the
motto:
‘Love for All Hatred for None’, if
that’s the message that we can spread across the globe then we will cure all
these conflicts. (http://www.loveforallhatredfornone.org)
At the inauguration of Baitul Atta Mosque in Woverhampton,
West Midlands in UK, Pat McFadden, Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South
East, said:
‘Love for All, Hatred for None’ was a
‘lesson’ for people. (http://www.alislam.org/egazette/press-release/new-ahmadiyya-mosque-opened-in-wolverhampton-by-world-leader)
On 19th November 2012, Boris Johnson, Mayor of
London paid a courtesy visit to Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V atba.
During their discussion the Mayor says:
... Love for All, Hatred for None...ought
to be the foundation for London’ (http://www.alislam.org/egazette/press-release/mayor-of-london-invites-khalifa-of-islam-to-city-hall
On 18th October 2013, the World Head of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat and Fifth Khalifa, Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
officially opened the Khilafat Centenary Hall in Australia. Kevin Conolly
Member of Parliament (State Member for Riverstone) who received Hudhur at
airport on 1st October 2013 was at the inauguration ceremony.
He says:
It is memorable for New South Wales
to be able to receive a leader of the stature of His Holiness. Certainly,
Ahmadi teachings emphasising ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’ are very welcome
here in Australia. (https://www.alislam.org/egazette/press-release/head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-community-inaugurates-khilafat-centenary-hall-in-sydney)
On 2nd November 2013 the Fifth Khalifa delivered a
keynote address at a Special Reception held to mark the inauguration of the
Baitul Muqeet Mosque in Auckland, New Zealand. David Rutherford (Chief Human
Rights Commissioner, New Zealand) was in attendance. He commented:
The translation of the Quran into
Maori is a great gift to New Zealand. Its translation is a manifestation of
your desire for all people to live together. There is no better statement for
peace than what your community proclaims – that is ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’. (http://www.alislam.org/egazette/press-release/world-muslim-leader-inaugurates-auckland-mosque)
On 18th January 2014, His Holiness Khalifatul
Masih Vatba inaugurated the Noor Mosque in Crawley in West Sussex.
Mayor of Crawley, Councillor Bob Burgess was there and he said:
Your saying is ‘Love for all, hatred
for none’ and surely this is a philosophy we can all learn from and adopt in
our lives. (https://www.alislam.org/egazette/press-release/new-mosque-opened-by-world-muslim-leader-in-crawley)
On 1st March 2014, His Holiness again inaugurated
the Nasir Mosque in Gillingham, Kent, UK. Viscount De Lisle MBE, Her
Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Kent was there and she said:
The Muslim faith is alive and well
and flourishing here in Kent and your motto of ‘Love for All Hatred for None’
is one that we should all aspire to. I am certain that this Mosque will stand
the test of time and come to serve many generations. (http://www.alislam.org/egazette/press-release/new-mosque-opened-by-world-muslim-leader-in-gillingham)
Coming home, a senior lecturer at the Department
of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, University of Lagos, Mr. Oladimeji
Ajikobi highlights the life of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh in his
lecture delivered at the 1994 Majlis Atfalul Ahmadiyya Ijtema. He says:
Khalifatul
Masih IV further explains how religious tolerance is well ground in his family…No
wonder the life of Khalifaul Masih IV was beautiful since his childhood. It is
therefore required that the pronouncement of love and tolerance that members of
Ahmadiyya paste on their property like vehicles be further rooted… (Translation
from ‘Bi Omo Se le Gbe Igbe-Aye Rere, 1994)
History of the Slogan: Love for All
Hatred for None
It will not be out of place if we take us down
memory lane of this popular slogan. It all started in 1970 when Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III, Mirza
Nasir Ahmad rh toured Europe. Spain was one the countries that were prominently
visited. In a speech he gave to the Community he commented on how deeply
anguished he was at the pitiable condition of the Muslims in General Franco’s
Spain; he then supplicated for the resurgence of Islam in Spain.
Speaking
of that visit latter, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III rh himself said:
Muslims ruled there for seven hundred
years. As a result of the conspiracies and perverse activities of some of the
priests of the time, Muslims lost their sway over that land. Not one Muslim was
left there… I suffered great mental torture when I visited there. Muslims were
utterly wiped out from Granada. Being the capital of the country; it had many
libraries; it had a University where leading padres and bishops were enrolled
as pupils of Muslim Professors. All the glory and pomp of Islam, secular,
spiritual and moral, was obliterated. You have no idea of my agony...I could
not sleep the whole of the night, wondering that we lack material resources and
these nations are great powers and have made long strides in material advancement.
We lacked wealth and means. How then are we going to convert them to Islam? ...This was the shape of the thought around
which my prayers revolved...
Then
in 1980, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III’s (rh) total submission to the Will of
God and total reliance on His help was rewarded. The community bought a plot of
land in Pedrobad a few miles from the cultural city of Cordoba, an imposing
site near the busy motorway from the north. After a lapse of more than 700
years, at 3.40 p.m. (local time) on 9th October, 1980, he laid the
Foundation Stone of the first mosque in Pedroabad in Spain.
Addressing
the congregation Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III(ru) said:
Erecting a mosque is a matter of
great importance, and it is always built with the aim that Allah alone be
worshipped there. The lesson that it imparts is that all human beings, in the
eyes of Allah, are one whether they may be rich or poor; whether they may be
learned or illiterate; whether they may be residents of Pedroabad or come from
a distance of 1,000 miles or more and may be residing in Pakistan; as human
beings they are all equal. Islam teaches us to live with mutual love and
affection and with humility. It teaches us no distinction between a Muslim or a
non-Muslim. My message to everyone is that you must have ‘Love for all,
Hatred for none! (http://www.reviewofreligions.org/1966/%E2%80%9Clove-for-all-hatred-for-none%E2%80%9D-historical-trip-to-spain)
This
drew huge applause from the people of Pedroabad. It was in this background that
the spontaneous words uttered by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III rh
became the unique slogan of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. It was repeated again
at a press conference and at the Cafe Royale in Piccadilly in London at another
press conference. Thus this topic was chosen by a Khalifah of Hadhrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmadas, a Prince of Love and the greatest Khalifah of
Prophet Muhammad saw whose character was the entire letters: L, O,
V and E.
What
is Love?
Love
is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from
interpersonal affection to pleasure. It can refer to an emotion of a strong
attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human
kindness, compassion, and affection. It may also describe compassionate and
affectionate actions towards other humans, one's self or animals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love,
Retrieved 10/07/2014]
Furthermore,
in Fehr, B. (2013), Fromm (1956) conceptualizes love as a device to reduce the
sense of loneliness and isolation that afflicts humankind; Harlow (1958)
describes it as “a wondrous state, deep, tender, and rewarding”; Rubin (1970,
1974) says love is an attitude that predisposes one to think, feel, and act in
particular ways toward the love object; Berscheid and Hatfield (1974); Hatfield
& Walster, (1978) argue that love is not a single entity, but rather is
best conceptualized in terms of two basic kinds: passionate love and
companionate love. Passionate love is defined as “a wildly emotional state”
characterized by emotional extremes, physiological arousal, and sexual
attraction while Companionate love is defined as “friendly affection and deep
attachment to someone”.
Social
scientists have divided love into four types: romantic/passionate love,
companionate love, compassionate love and attachment love. For the sake of
time, compassionate love is, perhaps, most appropriate type to discuss in this
exercise. In Berscheid (2006, 2010), Compassionate love is the umbrella term
for types of love such as altruistic love, selfless love, agape and communal
responsiveness (Fehr, B.: Ibid). This is the love that is recommended and
required to be ‘for all’. It is the love that should always paint the picture
of the words of Surah Al-Nur: 36) in the Holy Quran: لا
شرقيَّةٍ وَلا غَربِيَّةٍ;
and hence should transcend colour, race, sex, religion, caste, etc. It is the
kind of love that makes mind tranquil and gives paradise to the one who offers
it. It is the kind of love that sells one’s love to the mind of both God and
human. It is the kind of love that made the Prophet Muhammadsaw to
be loved by all and sundry; even when the enemies did not accept his religion,
it was his love that permeated their minds and thus wanted him to be disloyal
to his Creator. It is this compassionate love that is preached by the Prophets
and their pious successors.
…Remember that God the Almighty likes
good deeds very much, and He desires that sympathy be shown for His creation.
If He desired harm, He would have directed us to be bad; but the Majesty of God
is free from this. (Holy is Allah and Great is His station)…Therefore, all of
you who have established a relationship with me should remember that you should
show compassion for everyone regardless of their religion; and be good to all
without any discrimination because this is the teaching of Holy Qur’an. (Malfuzat, new edition, vol. 4, pp.
218–219)
At
another place, the Promised Messiah as says:
Remember that there are two
commandments of Allah the Almighty. First, associate no partner with Him,
neither in His being and attributes, nor in His worship. Second, be
compassionate to the others. Benevolence does not imply that it should be only
for your brothers and relations, but it should be for anyone, any human, and
any of God’s creation. Do not consider whether someone is a Hindu [a
traditional religionist] or a Christian. (Malfuzat, vol. 9, pp. 164–165)
It is
this love that makes a person to practice Kindness, Sympathy, Honesty,
Sincerity, Forgiveness, Gentleness, Patience, Steadfastness, Charity, Justice, Dignity,
Politeness, Hospitality, Mercy, Self-control, Earnestness, Contentment, Cheerfulness,
Helpfulness, Courage, Perseverance, Gratitude, Selflessness, etc.
Hatred
(or hate) is a deep and extreme emotional dislike. It can be directed against
individuals, entities, objects, or ideas. Hatred is often associated with
feelings of anger and a disposition towards hostility. In psychoanalysis,
Sigmund Freud defines hate as an ego state that wishes to destroy the source of
its unhappiness. More recently, the Penguin Dictionary of Psychology defines
hate as a "deep, enduring, intense emotion expressing animosity, anger,
and hostility towards a person, group, or object." Because hatred is
believed to be long-lasting, many psychologists consider it to be more of an
attitude or disposition than a temporary emotional state. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatred
Last Retrieved 11/07/2014)
Having
the trait of hatred in blood does not allow paradise of mind to exist because
hatred burns both itself and the one who nurses it. It carries along with it
many other moods. The bad moods who are siblings of hatred among others are:
Worry, Revenge, Rebellion, Irritability, Pride, Vulgarity, Excitement,
Jealousy, Dishonesty, Depression, Resentment, Ridicule, Despair, Mockery, Lust,
Despondency, Envy, Maliciousness, Irreverence, Deceit, Intolerance, Obstinacy,
Falsehood, Slander, Selfishness, Cruelty, Backbiting, Scorn, Suspicion,
Impatience, etc. One who wishes to walk in paradise on this earth should strive
to disperse from the mind every dark or improper thought because thought is the
architect of character (Orchard, B.A. (2011). These bad traits negatively
affect their receivers only temporarily and they are sources of Allah’s
blessings for him/her, if endured patiently, while the sender, if unrepentant,
will have a lasting hell and displeasure of Allah and then lose everything in
the day of Qiyaamah.
Holy
Prophet saw was reported to have counselled against these moral
characters:
Allah’s messenger saw
asked: Do you know who is a pauper? The listeners replied: ‘Messenger of Allah,
the pauper among us is the one who does not have money or property.’ Then the
Prophet saw said: ‘The pauper, in my nation is that person who will
come on the day of Resurrection backed with prayers, fasting, Zakat and Hajj;
but also with a number of injustices to others, such as abusing this one,
taking the property of this that one, slandering one, hitting another, or
shedding the blood of someone else. Thereafter his good deeds will be taken one
after the other and given to this person or that person, who were wronged by
him. If his good deeds are exhausted before his wrong deeds are all settled,
some of the evil deeds of the wronged persons will be allocated to him, and he
will be thrown into the fire.
Respected
listeners, in many verses of the Holy Quran and other sources of Islamic knowledge,
believers have been enjoined to stay glued with love (and through other moral
characters) for humanity and to permanently shun hatred:
...and you should forgive and
overlook: Do you not like Allah to forgive you? And Allah is Merciful
Forgiving. (Q24 v 23)
Woe to those... who, when they have
to receive by measure from men, they demand exact full measure, but when they
have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due (Q83: 2–4)
...orphans and the needy; give them
something and speak kindly to them. And those who are concerned about the
welfare of their own children after their death should have fear of God and
guide them properly. (Q4:9-10)
O you who believe! Spend
[benevolently] of the good things that you have earned... and do not even think
of spending [in alms] worthless things that you yourselves would be reluctant
to accept.” (Q2:268)
Again
in a hadith, it is related:
A Bedouin came to the prophetsaw,
grabbed the stirrup of his camel and said: O the Messenger of God! Teach me
something to go to heaven with it. Prophet saw said: “As you would
have people do to you, do to them; and what you dislike to be done to you;
don't do to them. Now let the stirrup go! [This maxim is enough for you; go and
act in accordance with it!]”
At
another place the Prophet saw said:
"None of you is truly a Muslim
until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself". (Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari).
Ali
ibn Abi Talib rd says:
My dear son, so far as your behaviour
with other human beings is concerned, let your 'self' act be scales to judge
its goodness or wickedness. Do unto others as you wish others to do unto you.
Whatever you like for yourself, like for others, and whatever you dislike to
happen to you, spare others from such happenings. Do not oppress and tyrannize
anybody because you surely do not like to be oppressed and tyrannized. Be kind
and sympathetic to others as you certainly desire others to treat you kindly
and sympathetically. If you find objectionable and loathsome habits in others,
abstain from developing those traits of character in yourself. If you are
satisfied or feel happy in receiving a certain kind of behaviour from others,
you may behave with others in exactly the same way. Do not speak about them in
the same way that you do not like others to speak about you. Do not speak on a
subject about which you know little or nothing, and if you at all want to speak
on anything or about anyone of whom you are fully aware, then avoid scandal,
libel and aspersion as you do not like yourself to be scandalized and scorned
in the same manner. (Nahjul Balaghah, Letter to Imam
Hasan or Muhammad Hanafiya)
Conclusion
The
purpose of all the gatherings of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is to establish the
practical demonstration of this golden slogan: LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE. We
should understand its import, its essence, its innate, its position and we
should always display it in our day to day practical lives. We should feel at
home with the slogan. It should be our household word. If given chance, love
can spread- love that knows no boundaries of race, beliefs, language or gender,
pure love, the pure natural inclination of humans instilled by Allah which can
end the world’s misery and conflicts. Love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness
are all important Islamic traits. They are not signs of weakness. On the
contrary, they are true signs of strength because by loving and forgiving, you
cease to be the victim of hatred and anger, and you triumph over your own evil.
(Ayad, A.:2011)
At
this juncture, with love, I call on he/she who is reading this
humble submission to reflect on the meaning of love in his/her life.
Re-evaluate different kinds of love in your life. Are you sincere in your love
for your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, your nation and
your fellow human being? Do you love them for the sake of Allah?
Develop
the characteristics of love within yourself by looking for the good in each
person. Everyone has to have a good side; we are human after all. Try to
indentify each person’s motivations, understand them, show compassion and find
excuses for their mistakes. (Ayad, A.: Ibid)
Let
me close this humble talk with a poem of the Promised Messiahas:
Fling aside
your resentment and malice which spring from worldly and selfish desire.
Pride is the worst impurity of all.
Forget all mutual resentment and
unpleasantness.
You should have no ill feeling for
anyone whosever.
I say that you should forgive and
overlook the faults of others.
Forsake all kinds of low and mean
hostilities and jealousies.
Develop more and more power of
forbearance.
A true Muslim never harbours malice
for anyone.
Take utmost care lest your emotional
reaction should overwhelm you.
Take every hardship and injury with a
proper degree of forbearance!
Spit out all the turmoil of low
emotions, anger and resentment.
Do not speak in terms of ridicule.
There should be nothing low or vulgar in your speech.
Never return evil for evil
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