Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 118
balance. " 16 In relation to nature, Allah thus instructs mankind, the guardian of the earth, to do the following: Firstly, to comprehend and appreciate the intricacies of God's creation, and promote its understanding among humans at large. Secondly, we are urged to safeguard and protect our natural world from all forms of pollution, while at the same time advance health and purity. And thirdly, we are reminded that we should maintain the delicate balance that exists in nature as set by Allah Himself, and should not interfere with it. If we are to follow these golden principles, we are assured of great physical and spiritual victory, whereas any deviance from them may lead to catastrophic consequences. These lessons are especially true today, when even "local" environmental decisions and changes may have global impact. Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya and the Environment No individual or group in modern times has practically demonstrated these commandments of the Holy Qur'an more effectively than the Khulafa of Jama'at Ahmadiyya. Below I shall present only a few such examples from the history of Ahmadiyyat, which spans a little more than 100 years. Promoting an Under~tanding of Nature The Successors of the Promised Messiah as, in addition to providing moral and spiritual guidance for mankind, have expounded on the true knowledge about God's creation. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I, Alhajj Hakeem Nooruddinra, was a learned man, a physician of great repute and an excellent teacher. His comprehension of the sciences was extraordinary, as evidenced by his enlightened writings on medical matters and exceptional success in healing with natural substances. In his book Faslul Khitaab, published in 1879, he detailed man's interaction with his natural surroundings, tying them all together with the profound meanings contained within Surah Al- Fatihah (first chapter of the Holy Qur'an). In False Theory of Reincarnation, he cited 35 strong arguments, several of which were based on natural phenomena, to refute the incorrect doctrine of reincarnation. During his Khilafat, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I ra initiated the publication of a number of periodicals, including Al-Haq and Al -N oor, and inaugurated the first public library in Qadian, all of which helped build a solid foundation in the understanding of nature. Perhaps the greatest literary achievement by Khulafa-e-ahmadiyya in explanation of Allah and His creation is Hadhrat Musleh Mau'ood's ra 10-volume Tafsire Kabir (long commentary) of the Holy Qur ' an. This monumental work contains countless secrets of nature previously unknown to man. In it, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih nr a tackles every aspect of human existence - from the creation of the universe, the multi-step process of embryonic development, the theory of evolution, the occurrence of natural disasters, the explanation of miracles, the experiences of so-called supernatural phenomena, to the ultimate destruction of the world - all is included in great detail in Ta/sire Kabir. Such is the extent of this epic work that for the shortest Surah of Al- Kauthar comprising only four concise verses, Huzurra dedicated well over 150 pages for their detailed explanation! Similarly, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV 's rta Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge and Truth may be considered a complementary text for the modern man. Published in 1998, the book elucidates, in simple terms, complex models of natural selection, evolution, and chirality,