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 But it took extraordinary courage to stand up as the plaintiff when the Ulama did all they could to get the case withdrawn.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.
From Rashid:
Qadiani Jamaat –UK and Khatam-e-Nabuwat Council –UK
On HMGA opponents forum I came across couple of posts. Below are two quotes:
“It has come to my knowledge that couple of weeks ago a circular was read at the time of friday prayer all over UK in [Qadiani] Ahmadi mosques that UK Ameer (Rafiq Hayat) has decided to take legal action against Khatim-e-Nabuwat council UK due to their ongoing negative propaganda against AMA, UK.”
“I have friends from that community and recently I was in the discussion about the difference between them [Qadianis] and Muslims, during that conversation they told me that now Rafiq Hayat, the Ameer of AMA [Qadiani Jamaat] UK is taking the Tehrik Khatim-e-Nabuwat UK people into court so that he can prove that they are muslim too.” (Bold is mine).
It will nice to know if some Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement-UK friend can find about it. I wonder if Rafiq Hayat is trying to imitate the LAM court cases in South Africa?
Marhoom Ismail Peck, LAM-SA member, was plaintiff in SA court case. His petition was that he should not be called Kafir and he should be allowed to be buried in cemetery designated for Muslim burial. The case of Qadianis is different, they don’t go to other Muslims mosques for prayers and they don’t want to be buried in other Muslims cemeteries. So, I wonder on what basis they will file lawsuit?
If question of belief, claims and status of HMGA comes in court discussion, it will nice if LAM-UK, may also apply to become party to the case, and represent LAM point of view. And may be Shahid Aziz sahib would like to represent LAM. The UK court might provide LAM an impartial venue to have open and fair trial of HMGA beliefs, claims and status, which was denied in 1974 in Pakistan National Assembly. And it is quite possible Qadiani Jamaat may take advantage of opportunity to officially change their position regarding HMGA beliefs, claims and status, just the way Qadiani Jamaat Khalifa 2 Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, intelligently, changed his belief regarding HMGA in 1953 Munir Inquiry Court. Unfortunately, Qadiani Jamaat Khalifa 3 Mirza Nasir Ahmad missed opportunity to change his position in 1974 Pakistan National Assembly.
From Zahid Aziz:
I would guess that the basis of any such legal action would be the inflammatory literature being distributed in parts of the UK inciting Muslims to commit acts of violence against Qadiani Jamaat members.
On many grounds, the situation in Cape Town was much simpler and more clear cut to enable a defamation suit to be launched than is the situation in the UK.