Page 6 - Pakistan Link - October 20, 2023
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P6 - PAKISTAN  LINK - OCTOBER 20, 2023                                                                                                       OPINION
             n By Craig Considine                 Illuminating Book Spotlights                                                Furthermore,  the  Messenger  of  Allah
            Trinity College/ Dublin                                                                                           has exempted you from jizyah (a tax)
                                                                                                                              and compulsory labor."
             o other leader in world histo-  Prophet Muhammad’s Interfaith Views                                                 In  touching  upon  the  Prophet's
             ry has been more scrutinized                                                                                     covenants  with  Christians  and  Jews,
       Nand  ridiculed  than  Prophet                                                                                         Morrow  makes  it  clear  that  Muham-
       Muhammad.  Since  the  founding  of                                                      religion. Be they heathen, People of the  mad  did  not  try  to  make  the  Islamic
       Islam in 632 AD, Christians and Jews                                                     Book, or Muslims, all those who were  world  only  Muslim.  He  adds:  "...  the
       have described the Prophet of Allah                                                      subject to the Constitution belonged to  Prophet recognized that there were na-
       as a blasphemer, bigot, terrorist, and                                                   the same ummah. In doing so, he cre- tions  and  peoples  within  the  Muslim
       pedophile,  among  other  slurs.  How-                                                   ated a tolerant, pluralistic government  ummah... Whether they were Jews or
       ever, according to a recent book The                                                     which  protected  religious  freedom.  Christians, and later Hindus and Bud-
       Covenants  of  the  Prophet  Muham-                                                      The  importance  of  this  is  so  extraor- dhists, these communities represented
       mad with the Christians of the World                                                     dinary that it is often misunderstood."  a kind of United Nations under Islamic
       (published by Angelico Press, 2013),                                                        Moreover,  Prophet  Muhammad's  rule." Morrow's point is significant as it
       these accusations are found to be dis-                                                   "Medina  Constitution"  created  a  so- alerts us to the idea that Christians and
       honest, prejudiced, and not based on                                                     ciety  which,  Morrow  claims,  is  one  Jews were intended to be a part of - and
       sound scholarship.                                                                       where "every single member... enjoyed  protected by - the global Muslim com-
         Dr  John  Andrew  Morrow,  author                                                      equality before the law as all privileges  munity.
       of The Covenants of the Prophet Mu-                                                      of  class  were  abolished.  The  rich  and   Perhaps  the  greatest  strength  of
       hammad, is a scholar who received his                                                    the poor; the noble and the laymen; the  Morrow's  brilliant  piece  of  scholar-
       PhD  from  the  University  of  Toronto                                                  Arabs  and  the  non-Arabs;  the  blacks  ship lies in its ability to reach the hearts
       and completed the full cycle of Islamic  these  experiences  confirm  that  Mu- sengers, and Imams."  and the whites; the men and the wom- and minds of Muslims, Christians, and
       seminary  studies.  He  was  raised  in  a  hammad had "confidence in his ability   Saint Catherine's Monastery is con- en; and the children and the adults all  Jews. He teaches us that Muslims must
       multilingual  family  in  Montreal  and  to count on the spiritual solidarity of  sidered  to  be  the  only  monastery  in  had the same rights. Even Muhammad,  do a better job of protecting their non-
       Toronto, Canada. Morrow is also a Na- the People of the Book," or members of  the world to serve both a church and  as  the  Messenger  of  Allah,  was  not  Muslim  minority  populations,  or  else
       tive North American of the Metis na- the Abrahamic tradition. Morrow also  a mosque. Morrow writes that for cen- above the law."  they risk apostasy in violating Muham-
       tion and proudly identifies himself as  affirmed that Muhammad "had much  turies  "the  sound  of  ringing  church   In  this  context,  the  "Medina  Con- mad's teachings on religious tolerance.
       an "Aboriginal Person."       more in common with the followers of  bells came from the monastery's tower  stitution" was not only a revolutionary  The  Covenants  of  the  Prophet  also
         In his book, Morrow applies a doc- Christ than with the idol-worshippers  while  the  Muslim  call  to  prayer  was  document for human rights, but it also  instructs  Christians  to  carefully  con-
       umentary  analysis  of  textual  and  his- who surrounded him."  emitted  from  the  minaret."  Morrow  expresses a democratic spirit. Morrow  sider  Muhammad's  covenants,  which
       torical  research  to  the  covenants  cre-  One  of  the  covenants  analyzed  describes the location of these two reli- believes that Muhammad was an ulti- provide  examples  to  counter  popular
       ated by Prophet Muhammad. Notable  by  Morrow  is  the  "Covenant  of  the  gious buildings an "aural manifestation  mate defender of diversity, as he men- stereotypes  of  the  Prophet  as  a  crazy
       American  poet,  Charles  Upton,  notes  Prophet Muhammad with the Monks  of  monotheistic  unity  [which]  would  tions  that  the  Prophet  "established  a  and violent leader. Similarly, Jews are
       in the foreword that these documents  of Mount Sinai." This agreement cham- have  made  the  Messenger  of  Allah  form of social justice rare in any time." encouraged to consider the Prophet of
       -- letters, covenants, treaties -- which  pioned  universal  peace  and  harmony  [Muhammad] proud."  The Covenants of the Prophet also  Allah's legacy, as they can learn that he
       Morrow  accesses  "have  largely  been  between  Christians  and  Muslims.  In   In  addition  to  the  covenant  with  offers an analysis of how Prophet Mu- had reverence and respect for their an-
       neglected  by  both  traditional  Muslim  the text, Prophet Muhammad calls on  the Christians at Mount Sinai, Morrow  hammad  embraced  Jews.  Morrow  cient faith, Judaism.
       and modern Western scholarship and  Muslims  to  respect  Christian  judges  examines  "The  Constitution  of  Me- argues  that  Muhammad's  stay  in  the   The  Covenants  of  the  Prophet
       are practically unknown to the mass of  and  churches,  and  for  no  Muslim  to  dina," a key document of the Prophet's  Cave of Moses at the top of Mount Sinai  Muhammad  with  the  Christians  of
       believers." In reviewing Muslim, Chris- fight  against  their  Christian  brother.  concerning the importance of human  shows that he had a deep connection to  the  World  recognizes  that  although
       tian, and secular documentary sources,  As  Morrow  rightly  claims,  the  Cov- rights in Islam. According to Morrow,  Moses.  Morrow  writes:  "Muhammad  there  are  differences  between  Islam,
       Morrow's  study  of  the  covenants  of  enant with the Monks of Mount Sinai  the  "Constitution"  created  a  commu- also  insisted  that  the  Law  of  Moses  Christianity,  and  Judaism,  Muslims
       the  Prophet  brings  "out  their  light  in  is "a clear rejection of classism, elitism,  nity out of "a unique system which had  remained  binding  with  some  minor  are  nonetheless  advised  by  Prophet
       this  period  of  darkness  in  which  the  and racism... all are equal before God  never  existed  before  and  which  has  modifications which resulted from the  Muhammad  to  respect  and  embrace
       People  of  Scripture,  Jews,  Muslims,  for whom the most important thing is  never been since despite honest efforts  final  revelation."  Furthermore,  in  the  Christian  and  Jewish  communities.
       and Christians, have strayed from their  not language, skin color, social status  to  emulate  it."  He  adds  that  through  Treaty  of  Maqnah,  which  was  made  The covenants of the Prophet of Al-
       sacred traditions of tolerance and co- or  class  position,  which  exclude  oth- the 'Constitution of Medina' "[i]dentity  between Muhammad and Jews in Banu  lah,  as  Morrow  notes,  paint  a  clear
       existence."                   ers, but rather the degree of piety, hu- and loyalty were no longer to be based  Janbah, a city in the Gulf of 'Aqabah,  picture  of  how  Muslims  are  to  treat
         The Covenants of the Prophet Mu- manity, love for others (which includes  on family, tribe, kinship, or even reli- the Prophet stated that Jews "may be in  their  minority  communities.  Mor-
       hammad  provides  a  detailed  account  not only human beings but the entire  gion: the overriding identity was mem- peace... When this letter of mine comes  row's book reminds us of the possibil-
       of the Prophet's character and conduct  natural  order),  sincerity  of  faith,  the  bership in the ummah of Muhammad.  to you, you are in security [under his  ity that Muslims, Christians, and Jews
       as seen through his lifelong encounters  acceptance  of  His  Commandments,  The  Constitution  of  Medina  decreed  rule] ... Towards you is no wrong and  can  live  side-by-side  in  peace  and
       with Christian hermits, monks, priests,  and complete certainty as to the special  that  the  citizens  of  the  Islamic  state  no enmity. After today you will not be  harmony if only they heed the advice
       and communities. Morrow states that  place occupied by His Prophets, Mes- were one and indivisible regardless of  subjected  to  oppression  or  violence...  of Prophet Muhammad.


           n By Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai    Ending Global Poverty Must Be                             should  be  the  elimination  of  poverty  our commitment to ensure that dignity
                 Chairman                                                                       and the securing for every man, wom- in  practice  for  all  becomes  a  reality.”
         World Forum for Peace & Justice   the Prime Concern of the UN                          an,  and  child  the  right  to  flourishing  ‘The Concept Note’ quotes the “United
               Washington, DC                                                                   health, a clean environment, comfort- Nations, Report of the Secretary Gen-
                                                                                                able  housing,  healthcare,  nutritious  eral,  A/61/308,  para.  58),  which  says,
            hrough resolution 47/196 ad-                                                        food and education. The goal is not a  “It  represents  an  opportunity  to  ac-
            opted  on  22  December  1992,                                                      choice but a moral obligation.  knowledge the efforts and struggles of
       Tthe  United  Nations  General                                                              As suggested by the Secretary gen- people living in poverty, a chance for
       Assembly  (UNGA)  declared  17  Oc-                                                      eral, we must also focus on universal  them  to  make  their  concerns  heard,
                   tober  as  the  “Inter-                                                      literacy  and  education.  As  Socrates  and a moment to recognize that poor
                   national  Day  for  the                                                      explained,  the  unexamined  life  is  not  people are in the forefront in the fight
                   Eradication of Pover-                                                        worth  living.  Or  as  philosopher  Sam  against poverty."
                   ty”. It proclaimed that                                                      Johnson  amplified,  there  is  the  same   The  ’Concept  Note’  further  added
                   “poverty is a violation                                                      difference  between  the  learned  and  that  “The  World  Bank  estimates  that
                   of  human  rights  and                                                       unlearned  as  between  the  living  and  one  billion  young  people  will  try  to
                   affirmed  the  need  to                                                      the dead.  And as Al-Qur’an says, "Are  enter the job market, but less than half
       come  together  to  ensure  that  these                                                  those  who  know  equal  to  those  who  of them will actually find formal jobs.
       rights are respected.”                                                                   do not know? These observations are  People  directly  impacted  by  extreme
         President Nelson Mandela was ab-                                                       made not to deride or degrade the un- poverty  will  face  discrimination,  un-
       solutely right when he said, “Overcom-                                                   educated, but to underscore the criti- able to obtain decent work because of
       ing poverty is not a gesture of charity.  President Nelson Mandela was absolutely right when he said, “Overcoming   cality of education to making life mor- their socioeconomic status, lower lev-
       It  is  the  protection  of  a  fundamental  poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is the protection of a fundamental human   ally meaningful and fulfilling between  els of education and training received
       human right, the right to dignity and  right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” – Photo Pakistan Christian Post  ashes to ashes and dust-to-dust.  as well as the stigma attached to being
       a decent life.”                                                                             The ‘The Concept Note’put forth by  poor.”
         Csaba Kőrösi, President of UNGA  complete eradication.”   lenge we can win… On this important  the United Nations says, “October 17   I  could  not  agree  more  with  the
       (2022) in his message elaborated that   Likewise,  the  message  of  Mr  An- day, let’s renew our commitment to a  shines as a ray of hope, a day to honor  analysis  of  the  World  Bank  on  this
       “In  our  age,  poverty  is  not  a  natural  tonio Guterres, the Secretary General  world  free  of  poverty.  Over  a  billion  the millions of people enduring the si- approach. One of the top priorities of
       phenomenon. It is now a matter of a  of the United Nations is on the mark,  people are deprived of basic needs like  lent and sustained violence of poverty.  world powers should be the ending of
       policy choice… It is a matter of choos- “In our world of plenty, poverty should  food, water, health care and education.” It's our chance to live up to the promise  all racial, ethnic and religious discrimi-
       ing to end poverty. Nationally and in- have no home…Ending poverty is the   I  totally  agree  with  the  Secretary  of putting the furthest behind first, to  nation, like Islamophobia, Xenopho
       ternationally… And committing to its  challenge of our time. But it is a chal- General that the most urgent approach  stand  together  with  them  and  pledge   (Continued on page 23)
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