Ismail Peck passes away in Cape Town: “Second Plaintiff is declared to be a Muslim”
It is with the deepest grief that we report the death in Cape Town today, 27th July, of Mr. Ismail Peck, inna li-llahi wa inna ilai-hi raji`un.
Mr Peck was the plaintiff in the Cape Town civil court case, 1982-1985, against various bodies of the anti-Ahmadiyya Ulama, in which he laid the claim that he, an Ahmadi, was a Muslim and it was defamatory to call him kafir, and it was a denial of his legitimate rights to refuse him burial in a cemetery that was designated for Muslim burial.
While knowledgeable in the Quran and the Bible, Mr Peck was a humble man of an ordinary position in life. But it took extraordinary courage to stand up as the plaintiff when the Ulama did all they could to get the case withdrawn. Once the litigation process began, Mr Peck was at risk of his life since if he had died the case would have terminated. Despite all dangers, he stood firm like a rock and saw the case through to the end, including appearing in court to give personal testimony.
When the judge, Mr. D.M. Williamson, read out his judgment on Wednesday 20 November 1985 and, near the end, announced the words “Second Plaintiff is declared to be a Muslim”, those who heard these words, including myself, were overcome by an undescribable ecstasy and sense of gratitude to Almighty Allah. In the post 1974 and 1984 atmosphere, it made life worth living just to hear these words.
To read full details of that court case, please follow this link.
My prayer is that may Allah now pronounce the same judgment on Mr Peck, and admit him into His mercy and forgiveness, ameen.
From Rashid:
inna li-llahi wa inna ilai-hi raji`un
Extraordinary courage of marhoom Ismail Peck sahib has done great service to mission of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib. The South African court decision, a direct result of Ismail Peck’s courage to stand up against injustice, will help Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement to present their position on beliefs to an impartial mind for generations to come. May Allah SWT grant deceased highest status in Janaat-e-Firdous. Ameen.
From ikram:
May Allah bless the soul of late Ismail Peck and grant him the abode amongst the best, and solace to his survivors. Amen.
He left us with his courageous footprints in the South Africa case. For those of us who never met him in person, can read his book that reflects the Tauheed, clarity and simplicity of his faith, the very basis for the courage that he will be remembered for.