In dilemma over Peshawar killings response: blog readers please advise
In the wake of the Peshawar mass massacre, the last thing, the very last thing, I wish to do is to use it as an opportunity to score debating points over those who have quite rightly condemned this outrage and to bring up their past behaviour.
So I ask blog readers' advice. I read the news "Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community [i.e. Mirza Masroor Ahmad] condemns Peshawar School Attack and Prays for Victims". See this link.
I am sure he and his followers prayed for them with sincerity.
But should it not be pointed out that his community holds the belief, and practises it, that the janaza prayers of Islam should not be said by them (behind their own imam) for any non-Ahmadi Muslim? Is it not true that their Khalifa number 2 wrote the following directions for his followers:
“Now another question remains, that is, as non-Ahmadis are deniers of the Promised Messiah, this is why funeral prayers for them must not be offered, but if a young child of a non-Ahmadi dies, why should not his funeral prayers be offered? He did not call the Promised Messiah as kafir. I ask those who raise this question, that if this argument is correct, then why are not funeral prayers offered for the children of Hindus and Christians, and how many people say their funeral prayers? The fact is that, according to the Shariah, the religion of the child is the same as the religion of the parents. So a non-Ahmadi’s child is also a non-Ahmadi, and his funeral prayers must not be said. Then I say that as the child cannot be a sinner he does not need the funeral prayers; the child’s funeral is a prayer for his relatives, and they do not belong to us but are non-Ahmadis. This is why even the child’s funeral prayers must not be said.”
(Anwar-i Khilafat, p. 93 of the original edition; underlining is mine. This book is available on the Qadiani Jamaat website as number 5 from the link www.alislam.org/urdu/au/?j=3, see pages 150-151)
If this post is regarded as in bad taste at this delicate time, or if anyone is offended, I apologise.
Sincerely,
Zahid Aziz
From Rashid Jahangiri:
Bottom line: Mahmudies are MUNAFIQ PEOPLE.
Bottom line is Mahmudis (those who believe QK2 Mirza Mahmud Ahmad as their "Musleh Mahud") are DISHONEST PEOPLE. They change their beliefs and doctrine as time and situation needs and then easily go back to their original cult peinciples. Shame on Mahmudies and their Mahmudi Khalifa.
In recent the past head of Mahmudis in Pakistan, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, in a TV talk show after 2010 massacre of his fellow Mahmudies gave a reason, "we offer janaza of a Muslim when there are no Muslims to offer". How come Mahmudies offered funeral prayer of Muslim children whose funeral prayers were already offered by Muslims who consider Mahmudis are Kafir, and Mahmudis consider them Kafir???
From Rashid Jahangiri:
I copy/pasted Dr. Zahid Aziz's post on 'The Muslim Times'. Let's see if it passes their moderation. Here is stamp:
Rashid Jahangiri
December 22, 2014 at 8:50 pm
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Read more: http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2014/12/asia/head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-community-condemns-peshawar-school-attack-and-prays-for-victims#ixzz3MhhHYwkU
From Mohammed Iqbal:
Their past behaviour can be condemned, but this is not the time and place to do it. Our first priority should be to think how to cleanse the Pakistanis of their Taliban mindset, which unfortunately is harboured by a majority of them. This is also the time to highlight the service rendered by HMGA in correcting the Jihadi doctrine espoused by a vast number of Muslims of the time.
From Regis:
100% agree with Mohammed Iqbal.
From Zainib Ahmad:
I think that along with praying for the deceased, and the countless other students whose studies have been interrupted, who have been threatened with similar barbarity, it is not out of place to point out what happened in the past. The past is for us to learn from. Insha Allah as people begin to turn to the Ahmadiyya movement, it is important that they know where the two groups stand. Which group has had the same original concepts presented by Hazrat Mirza Sahib throughout, and which one has been changing views. If this is done in a civilised manner, as Dr. Zahid Aziz has used, I do not think it is offensive at all, rather I think it is beneficial.
From Yahya:
The doctrine of takfir (declaration of muslims as non-muslims) is very dangerous. The early Kharjis used it to justify jihad and killing of other muslims and it has been used by other movements such as wahabis to justify war on similar grounds. The Taliban no doubt use it to justify the killings they have inflicted.
The Jamaat Rabwah has to my knowledge never utilized Takfir to justify war. Nonetheless one of the lessons of this tragic act is the dangers of this doctrine and how it divides the muslims and causes them to act in ways against the basic purpose and fundamentals of islam.
It is also right to remind our brother muslims, as Atif Mian has done, that the roots of religious extremist violence lie in the act of declaration of Ahmadis in 1974 as non-muslims. It is indeed heartening to read on social media that more and more people are questioning this as well as the discrimination and violence to Ahmadis.
Among Hazrat Mirza Sahib's services to Islam was to remove the use of Takfir and to establish the principle that no muslim could be declared non-muslim. He renewed the teachings of the early great Imams such as Abu Hanifa who had established similar principle.
But even furthermore Mirza Sahib established that offensive war against non-muslims is against the teachings of islam and he established this as a deeply pious muslim who was immersed in the love of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet.
I do believe that the Lahori Jamaat should never tire of repeating these two principles – that is the removal of takfir and the removal of agressive war. These are highly important and beneficial to the muslim community and this is a true memorial and lesson that we owe to the innocent children and their suffering families. This is not a matter of scoring points but to follow the footsteps of our great imam and his compassion for the muslims and his calling of them to the true spirit of islam.