Mirza Masroor Ahmad’s khutba, 8th February
Through an e-mail sent to many people by a retired missionary of the Qadiani Jama`at, I have learnt of the khutba delivered by Mirza Masroor Ahmad on 8th February, the summary of which in English is at this link on their website.
On the events in Indonesia, the summary says:
“Huzur said there has been strong opposition in Indonesia for the past few years now. Ahmadi homes and Ahmadi mosques have been vandalised and burnt. In light of the persistence opposition and the way our Jama’at handled the matter the federal government made a treaty. The news of this pact spread to the internet via a newspaper. Huzur said some Ahmadis expressed themselves, admitting that they did not have the requisite knowledge, that in order to curb the mischief if we had to agree to certain things we should. They cited the reference of the incident of ‘Treaty of Hudaibia’ in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had agreed to erase the words ‘Prophet of God’. Huzur explained that first of all it was the Prophet himself who had erased the letters, something that Hadhrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) could not bear to do. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had explained that the treaty was being made with people who did not believe him to be a Prophet of God. Huzur said we have no business adopting flattery and take a step that would be embarrassing for the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). We consider Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani to be the Messiah and the Mahdi and we have no significance without this. Our beauty is in entering his community having accepted him as the Messiah. It is him who has taught us the ways and means to be absorbed in the love of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him) and it was the Prophet himself who had given him the title of Messiah and Mahdi. Should we give up calling him Messiah and Mahdi to temporarily please others? Should we, despite being cognisant of all the Signs that have appeared in support of his truthfulness, try and appease the world? Be those who reject Divine testimony? Should we on one hand believe in the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) but on the other hand not believe the revelation that was given to him which said ‘Certainly you are the Promised Messiah and the Promised Mahdi who was awaited?’
Huzur said denying the Messiah and the Mahdi is denying the Ahmadiyya concept. Huzur said the context in which a newspaper published the news in Indonesia gave people a chance to raise a hue and cry that Ahmadis have changed their viewpoint and do not consider Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad a prophet but consider him a Mujaddad (a reformer). In its communication with the government of Indonesia the Indonesian Jama’at did not even hint the above as indeed no Ahmadi can ever entertain this thought. Huzur said the Indonesian Jama’at is a Jama’at of the highest order and their sincerity is second to none. Accepting the clauses in the treaty with the government did not denote any weakness of faith, however, as the words of Messiah and Mahdi were not specifically used in it, the newspaper got a chance to appear smug.”
Immediately after the above, Mirza Masroor Ahmad targets the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement as follows:
“Huzur said he had clearly repudiated this in one of his Friday Sermons and the newspaper also clarified the issue but this gave the Lahore Movement a chance to show their inflexibility. Huzur said he would reiterate to the Lahore Movement and those who have not taken the pledge of allegiance to Ahmadiyya Khilafat to have some fear of God in terms of what our stance about the Promised Messiah is. Huzur remarked who has progressed in leaps and bounds: those who accept the Anjuman or those who consider Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the Messiah and the Mahdi? Who is established in 189 countries of the world? Who has Allah’s practical testimony with them? Those who accept him as a Messiah or those who consider him a guru? Huzur went on to read an extract from the writing of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) elucidating his own truthfulness as the Messiah and as a prophet. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that the only instance in which he denied prophethood for himself was with regard to being a bearer of a new Shariah but said that he had knowledge of the Unseen from Allah and that he was indeed a prophet. Huzur asked does this leave any room for doubt. Huzur said with the greatest of respect he would ask his lost brothers to come and join in the spiritual revolution and take the message of this zilli (in shadow of/in subordination) prophet to the corners of the world. Huzur said if any one is witnessing the fulfilment of Divine promises it is those who accepted him as a prophet and then went on to accept his Khilafat as well.”
His statement that “this gave the Lahore Movement a chance to show their inflexibility” at least indicates that Mirza Masroor Ahmad and his Jama`at take notice of this blog, for it is only here (as far as I know) that the Lahore Movement has commented on the events in Indonesia. We are happy to know that our comments were of such strength and substance that Mirza Masroor Ahmad was compelled to refute them before his whole Jama`at.
From Abdul Momin:
Is Huzur ignorant about the beliefs of the Lahore Movement? Why does he even bring up the issue of Messiah and Mehdi concerning AAIIL? Is he not aware that as far as beliefs are concerned the main difference between the two jamaats is whether HMGA was a prophet or a wali? That both jamaats consider HMGA as the Promised Messiah and Mehdi?
The third of the 12-point statement by the Qadiani Jama`at in Indonesia reads:
So calling HMGA a "guru" which in Hinduism means one’s personal spiritual advisor or teacher would be more applicable to the Indonesian Qadiani jamaat than the Lahori jamaat which usually refers to HMGA as a Mujaddid, Muhaddas, Saint, or Waliullah.
Was Huzur taking a dig at his own jamaat in Indonesia?
From Tariq:
You can see this khutba on youtube (in 6 parts):
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Khutba+Jumma+08%2F02%2F2008&search_type=&search=Search
From Abdul Momin:
Some more quotes from Huzur’s khutba:
Some years ago, the claim was made that in India alone in one year, there had been 40 million new Ahmadi converts (Qadianis). One would think that by now that number would have increased substantially. Unless the number of non-Ahmadi Muslims has increased dramatically too, it is hard to imagine that Qadianis would still let themselves be persecuted by other Muslims in India. Surely such a large number of Qadianis must have a substantial political clout as well.
Further Huzur says:
Those who are talking about Khilafat whether Ahmadis or non-Ahmadis should realize that the Muslim world is now split in so many different sects that nobody would ever agree on any single Khalifa. At best each sect can have its own Khalifa, but that is about it. Most of the Muslim heads of State often cannot agree on the seating arrangements at Muslim Conferences, let alone agree on a single head of state (secular or spiritual) for the entire Muslim world.
If Huzur has the extremist Muslims in his mind (who also want to revive the Caliphate), then the way they plan to do it is by the sword. So maybe that is not a very good example.
From Rashid Jahangiri:
36 Ahmadis ‘convert’ to Sunni Islam
The Jakarta Post, Thu, January 17 2013, 6:20 PM
Thirty six followers of Ahmadiyah “converted” to Sunni Islam during a ceremony conducted at Agung grand mosque in Tasikmalaya, West Java, on Thursday.
“We really appreciate the move from those former Ahmadiyah followers,” said Tasikmalaya Religious Affairs Ministry office head Dadang Romansyah.
Dadang said that the ministry expected more Ahmadiyah followers would change religion and turn to Islam by pronouncing the syahadat (creed) as a sign that they acknowledge true Islamic teaching.
“There have been around 400 out of 3,000 Ahmadiyah followers that have convert to Islam,” Dadang said as quoted by tempo.co.
Amid rampant persecution against Ahmadiyah followers, who are accused of practicing “deviant” Islam, Dadang claimed that the ministry and social organizations used a friendly and soft approach to persuade them to convert to Sunni.
According to Muhammad Sofyan, a figure from the Tasikmalaya branch of the hard line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), the FPI is one of the organizations helping Ahmadiyah followers to turn to Islam.
Sofyan also said that the FPI would give religious counseling and guidance to the converts, who mostly came from Kutawaringin and Tenjowaringin villages in Salawu district.
“We do the counseling in a casual way. I often visit Kutawaringin to preach. Thank God, they were encouraged [to convert to Islam],” he said.
Sofyan said that the FPI would initiate a group called the Association of Ahmadiyah Former Victims (Inkasa).
“We and the ministry promise to give attention to their financial situation,” he said.
He said the FPI and the ministry would give the converts training in animal husbandry, fisheries and agriculture.
A former follower of Ahmadiyah, Rani Rahmawati, 26, said she followed her personal’s desire when converting to Sunni Islam. She said that she only followed Ahmadiyah teachings because her parents are Ahmadis.
Being a minority group among Sunni believers in Indonesia, Ahmadis often received physical and psychological threats from radical Islamic groups. In 2011, hundreds of people stormed an Ahmadiyah’s village in Cikeusik, Banten, brutally killing three, injuring five and displacing dozens of others.
In West Nusa Tenggara, the Ahmadis have been forced to live in temporary shelters for years after being evicted from their homes. (cor/lfr)