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The Ahmadiyya community in Mumbai have expressed concerns after some Muslim organisations recently organised a meeting to oppose the Pakistan Supreme Court’s easing of the stringent restrictions on Pakistani Ahmadiyyas.
The Ahmadiyya or Ahmadis, who call themselves as a reformist Islamic movement, are not recognised as Muslims in Pakistan. Apart from not being allowed to call themselves Muslims, members of the sect cannot offer Islamic prayers and are not allowed to call their prayer houses as Masjids. Their passports do not identify Pakistani Ahmadiyyas as Muslims because of which they cannot do the annual Haj pilgrimage. India recognises the community as Muslim.
In February, the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court released an Ahmadiyya man who had been accused of blasphemy, saying that ‘every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion’. Last week, a member of a far-right Islamic party was arrested on charges of ordering the assassination of the judge.
In Mumbai, a meeting was organised last week by groups like Raza Academy, a Barelvi organisation, to condemn the Pakistani court order. “The court said they are free to carry on their religious activities within the four walls of their homes. How can there be different rules for what is being done inside homes and in the public? Will they condone a murder if it happens within the walls of a house?” asked Saeed Noori of the Raza Academy.
Ahmadiyyas in Mumbai said that they were surprised at the reaction in India to the Pakistani court order. “The order has nothing to do with our nation,” said Masarrat Ahmed of the Ahmadiyya community in Mumbai where they have one mosque.
Ahmed added, “The reaction in India will create law and order problems. We have been approached by the state police who are concerned about our safety.”
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 claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. The Ahmadiyyas believe that Ahmad recognised the teachings of the great religious founders and saints, including Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu and Guru Nanak. Mainstream Muslim sects consider these beliefs as heretic as they consider Muhammad as the last prophet. The claim by Ahmadiyyas that the founder of their sect was a prophet in the line of Abraham and others, is blasphemous.
The Ahmadiyyas say that their founder declared that 'jihad by the sword' has no place in Islam. The community also endorses the separation of mosque and state. The community is led by a Khalifa, the current leader Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad being the fifth in the line after Ahmad. The Khalifa is based in London where the Ahmadiyya community has its headquarters.aqf
