Mumbai: A group of Muslim organisations in the city has said they will protest outside Pakistan diplomatic offices in India if the Supreme Court of that country does not withdraw a recent order that relaxed some of the stringent rules placed on the Ahmadiyya sect.
Pakistan’s constitution does not recognise the Ahmadiyya, or Ahmadis, as Muslim, denying them the right to offer Islamic prayers, preach, festivals, or the right to call themselves Muslims. Pakistan’s passports do not identify the group as Muslims. However, the country’s Supreme Court recently allowed them to observe and preach inside homes and other private spaces.
The order has been opposed by some Indian Muslim groups who consider the Ahmadiyya as heretics. On Tuesday, at a press conference in the city, the Jamiyat Ulama-e-Ahlesunnat, All India Sunni Jamiyatul, and Raza Academy said they did not agree with the Pakistani court’s easing of restrictions on the Ahmadiyyas.
“We will not allow any interference by any courts in our religious beliefs. Muslims all over the world are upset with the Pakistani court’s order. If the order is not withdrawn, we will gherao Pakistani government offices in India,” said Maulana Eijaz Kashmiribif Jamiyat Ulama-e-Ahlesunnat.
The Ahmadiyya movement was founded in 1889 by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) who was born in Qadian in the Indian Punjab. In Pakistan, the sect is also called Qadianis. Ahmad preached that he was a prophet along the lines of Adam, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad – a claim that other Muslim sects consider heretic as they consider Muhammad as the last prophet.
“In pre-independence India, the British promoted their supporters and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was one of them. He declared himself as a prophet,” said Saeed Noori of the Raza Academy. “The Pakistan parliament has declared the Ahmadiyya as non-Muslim. The Ahmadiyya say they believe in the Koran, but the Koran says that Mohammad was the last prophet. The Pakistani parliament should conduct an inquiry into the court’s order,” said Noori who added that Muslims all over the world were upset with the order.
In response to the announcement by the organisations, the Ahmadiyya community in the city said that no organisation or academy has the right to declare a person who professes the Kalima (Islamic declaration of faith) as outside the fold of Islam. They said that the Indian government recognised them as a Muslim sect
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community strongly condemns the baseless allegations made against it by Raza Academy Mumbai. Raza Academy Mumbai is attempting to spread religious hatred and disturb the peace of the nation,” said Tariq Ahmad K, Press & Media incharge, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at India.
The Ahmadiyyas said that the ‘inappropriate language’ used against the community and its founder has hurt their sentiments. “India is a democratic country and is home to various ideologies, where people of different faiths and religions live together with love and brotherhood. The Indian Constitution grants every citizen the right to identify with any religion. Despite this, some Muslim organisations seek to undermine the religious rights of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,” the Ahmadiyyas said in a statement.
The community said that they accept and practice the main tenets of the Muslim religion, including reverence for the Prophet Muhammad, the five pillars and six articles of faith in Islam.
Mumbai’s Ahmadiyya Community Raises Concerns Over Opposition To Pakistan Supreme Court Ruling
Calling for a social boycott of Ahmadi Muslims, creating religious hatred against them, inciting harm, and calling them British and Israeli agents is aimed at spreading hate against them. The community urged the state government to take action to prevent such organisations and academies from issuing such statements.
