The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Blog

A suggestion to the Government of Pakistan: ask Muslims to declare that they could be munafiq

The Constitution of Pakistan makes reference to how to categorise someone as a Muslim or as a non-Muslim. The Holy Quran, however, contains mention not only of believers and non-believers but also of munafiqeen (i.e. hypocrites), as can be seen from even the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah (believers in 2:3, non-believers in 2:6, hypocrites in 2:8). The first statement in the Quran about hypocrites is the following:

"And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day; and they are not believers." (2:8)

This makes clear that a munafiq can only be from among those who claim to be Muslims. Now we notice that on the Government of Pakistan's official forms where a person is required to state his religion, anyone who declares that he is a Muslim is also required to make certain other declarations. I suggest that a further declaration be added as a requirement for anyone who states that he/she is a Muslim, and it should be as follows:

"In stating that I am a Muslim, I am aware that a person who states that he or she is a Muslim may, in the terminology of the Holy Quran, be a munafiq or hypocrite."

The verse quoted above (2:8) could also be added at this point.