Extreme Lies and Verdicts of Disbelief Against the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at

After reciting tashahhud, ta‘awwudh, and Surah al-Fatihah, Huzoor (rta) recited the following verses of the Holy Quran:

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Huzoor (rta) said:

Since the beginning of Islam ‘disbelief other than [formal] disbelief ’ and ‘faith other than [formal declaration of] faith’ has been a well-accepted term. The purport is that someone may be considered a believer according to the generally accepted criteria or his own claims, but he may have certain traits—a character contrary to the basic tenets of Islam, or certain elements of rebellion—which render him a disbeliever in the sight of Allah. But as far the Muslim Community is concerned, such a person has been, and would be, called a Muslim.

A Wise Injunction of the Holy Quran

The crux of the argument is to be found in numerous saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) and in the verses of the Holy Quran which I have just recited. Allah the Almighty gives the news to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) that:

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Meaning that the Bedouins claim to be believers, and that they have adopted the faith:

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You should tell them that you have not truly accepted the faith yet:

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However, you can say that you have entered into the fold of Islam, while, in fact, the faith has not even entered your hearts:

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But if you obey Allah and His Messenger (sas), then none of your actions will be wasted. Allah the Almighty is Most Forgiving and is Ever Merciful. Indeed, a believer is the one who puts full faith in Allah and His Messenger (sas) and then keeps that belief firm in his heart without a hint of suspicion. The believers are those who have no doubts regarding the truthfulness of Allah and His Prophet (sas) and show their sincerity by striving. They spend their wealth and sacrificing their lives in the path towards God. These are the people who are truthful. [Allah tells the Holy Prophet (sas)]: Say, ‘Will you acquaint Allah with your faith, while Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and Allah knows all things full well?’ The meaning of the first verse which I recited is:

O mankind, We have created you from male and female; and We have made you into clans and tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

No One Can Take Away the Right of Someone to Call Himself a Muslim

There is a connection between all the verses that I have recited and the matter which has just been raised, but there is a direct relationship with these issues in the verse:

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Allah the Almighty says that the people of the desert claim that they have become believers. No human being has the right to say that another person is faithless, but God Himself tells the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) that Allah know that in their hearts they have not truly believed yet.

The opposite of a believer is a disbeliever, and the opposite of a Muslim is a non-Muslim and in these two things God has placed a difference—for God says [to the Holy Prophet (sas)]: Tell them that God, Who is the Knower of the Unseen, has given me the knowledge that belief has not yet entered in your hearts. Therefore, do not claim to be mo’min [believer], but we do not take away your right to call yourselves Muslims.

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You have every right to say that you are Muslim, despite the fact that belief has not penetrated your heart.

The Definition of a True Believer

Instances arise where a fatwa [edict] is placed against a person, and the person against whom the fatwa is issued is truly undeserving of it. No fear should be caused by such a fatwa because for those who truly obey Allah and His Messenger (sas), God has made the promise that He will not let their actions go to waste. God is Most Forgiving, and it can never be expected that He would let anyone’s actions go to waste in view of someone’s wrong fatwa—as long as the person remains sincere in faith. It is only a pronouncement to expose the negative habits or characteristics of the people who make such announcements. This is accompanied by a positive statement that believers are those who, after believing in Allah and His Messenger (sas), entertain no suspicion in their mind, nor display it in their actions. They are always engaged in striving in the way of Allah with their lives and wealth.

According to this definition there is no moment in the life of a mo’min [believer] when he is not striving in the way of God by means of his wealth and lives. Similarly, the believers as a Community are always engaged in such striving.

The Holy Quran adds that these are the people who are true in their belief and can call themselves true as well, because their actions bear testimony to the signs of true faith in their hearts.

A Question to the Government of Pakistan

All these are the things which God the Most High, has Himself conveyed in these verses to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). Firstly the people concerned were told not to claim to be believers—because they were not believers in the eyes of God—but they were still given the right to call themselves Muslims. This right has been so well granted [by Allah] that no worldly power can take it away, because there is no greater proof of someone’s kufr [disbelief] than that the Knower of the Unseen should so inform the Truest of the truthful, i.e., the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). At the same time, Allah also says: ‘O Prophet (sas)! You shall not call them non-Muslims’. In the whole life of the Holy Prophet (sas) there was not even one incidence of the desert-dwelling Arabs—whom God had Himself declared to be without faith in their hearts—being called non-Muslims by the Holy Prophet (sas).

The other side of the story is even more remarkable. The injunction that they should not call themselves believers is such that the present day ulema would have declared jihad against them if they continued to claim to be believers. If their interpretation of Islam were correct, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) would have taken the initiative along those lines. But history bears witness that such people have always called themselves believer. Those who were told: ‘You are not believers and that you should desist from calling yourselves such,’ continued calling themselves believer and there is not one instance of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) depriving them of the right to call themselves believer despite this commandment.

This is the greatness of Islam and the greatness of Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny. People who have disfigured this remarkable faith were only born afterwards. I will expound later on how they distorted Islam. At this time, I would like to speak about the stance that the government of Pakistan has taken against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at. For this, we have a logical argument: the rancorous stance that [the government of Pakistan] has taken against us in the name of Islam is in complete contrast to the Holy Quran and the sayings and actions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). By this cruel conduct, the present government is trying to snatch away our rights [to call ourselves Muslims] while God, the Judge and the All-Aware, has told the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) that: ‘O Prophet! Even you cannot take away that right from anyone’. So we feel we have the right to ask the government of Pakistan: ‘How did you acquire this right?’

A Lame Excuse for the Cruel Conduct

Some of the excuses that have been crafted for the cruel course and to make the government’s stance credible are given in a chapter titled ‘The Secrets of the New Faith.’ It tries to argue that since the Jama‘at-e-Ahmadiyya calls other Muslims kafir [non-believers], so it is only rational to call them kafir. Therefore, what reason is there for Ahmadis to object to this rationale? The outside world that does not understand these intricate differences is misled in this way to make their position credible. They say that Ahmadis in their books address those who do not believe in Ahmadiyyat as kafir. But when we call them kafir, they start protesting and defaming us in the world; while based upon their claim, it was natural and logical for us to call Ahmadis kafir.

The second argument that they present is that not only do Ahmadis call them kafir, but also have severed all relation with the Muslim ummah; since Ahmadis have already cut off all civil, cultural, and religious relationships by themselves, and have separated from the Muslim ummah, why should they be offended when they are thrown out of it? According to them, since Ahmadis have already broken all relations with other Muslims it is no crime to separate them. At surface, this seems to be a valid argument, but when we analyze it in detail, it will become increasingly clearer that the situation is quite different from what they portray.

The Truth About the Verdict of Kufr by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at

To begin with, it is a totally false accusation that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at was the first in issuing an edict kufr [disbelief]. This issue was also raised in the lifetime of the Promised Messiah (as). He answered it as following:

Can any maulavi, or other among our opponents, or a custodian of any shrine, prove that I was the first to declare them disbeliever? If there is any such document or announcement or book which I have published before they declared me a disbeliever, let them bring it forward. Otherwise, let them ponder how unjust it is that, having issued the fatwa of kufr themselves, they are blaming me that I have declared all Muslims to be disbelievers.8

No One Has the Right to Declare Another to Be a Non-Muslim

Here I would like to make it clear that according to the verse that I have just recited, no human being has the right to call anyone non-Muslim as long as he professes belief in Islam. Even if such a person does not have a grain of faith in his heart, he is still permitted by Allah to call himself a Muslim. However, those who have received revelation from Allah, or have other conclusive proof, are allowed to determine that someone is a kafir. There is a great difference between the two. When Allah says:

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That is, indeed, a verdict of disbelief. So the right of giving such a verdict is granted, but based on firm information, conclusive evidence, and incontrovertible testimony. We cannot declare each other kafir without any rhyme or reason for minor differences.

When the Promised Messiah (as) declared some people to be kafir, his proclamation was made in the spirit of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). He put forward all the arguments from the Holy Quran and ahadith [sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas)] to make it clear why such persons deserved to be called kafir. Accordingly, he based his argument on the hadith that ‘whosoever calls a mo’min a kafir, the kufr [disbelief] reverts to him and he becomes a kafir himself.’

There are many references to show the Promised Messiah (as) gave repeated admonitions to his opponents and warned them that if they did not desist from calling him a kafir then he would be forced to view them in the light of the hadith. He repeatedly asked them to desist, otherwise their kufr would revert to them. We would have no choice except to consider them non-believers, because that is the saying of the Holy Prophet (sas), from which no Muslim can deviate even one bit.

The Maulavis Were the First to Issue Verdicts of Kufr

As far as the Promised Messiah (as) is concerned, his fatwa can be distinguished from the fatawa of the maulavis. It was given after the fatwa of the maulavis declaring him to be a kafir. The fatwa of the Promised Messiah (as) was very civil and in the gentlest of tones with many arguments to explain the reasons which made them non-believers. The fatawa of those who initiated the process, constitutes a chapter that some Muslims of today have knowingly or unknowingly ignored. This chapter is so ugly and terrifying that I cannot present all its details. I have selected a few excerpts by way of illustration.

I shall first present to you in the writings of the Promised Messiah (as) the kind of treatment that was given to him by the maulavis. He writes:

When Maulavi Muhammad Husain Batalavi had the audacity to label me dajjal [Antichrist] and—by sponsoring his verdict of kufr against me—made hundreds of maulavis of Punjab and India to curse me; and when he deemed me to be worse than the Jews and Christians and named me a liar, troublemaker, dajjal, deceitful, vagabond, mischief-maker, sinner, and treacherous, then Allah the Almighty inspired me to contradict those writings sincerely. I bear no enmity towards anyone out of personal rancour and want to do everyone well. But what can I do if someone exceeds the limits. God will do me justice. All these maulavis have caused me pain, and a lot of it. They have mocked and ridiculed me in every way. So what can I say except:10

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A Few Examples of Fatawa of Apostasy Against Ahmadiyyat

The above was a clear enunciation of the earliest position taken by the Promised Messiah (as). As far as the fatawa of the opposing maulavis to which the Promised Messiah (as) has referred, let me present a few of them before you. I will first take the fatwa of Maulavi ‘Abdus-Samad Ghaznavi. Referring to the Promised Messiah (as) he writes:

He is a secret apostate and misleads. Indeed, he is worse than his Satan who is causing him to make his moves. If he dies upon his present belief, his funeral prayer is not to be offered. Nor is he to be buried in the Muslim graveyard to spare those in the other graves the agony of his presence.12

Similarly, Miyan Nadhir Husain, who is called Sheikhul-Kull (Most learned of all scholars) wrote in his fatwa:

Out of ahl-e-Sunnat! His practical life resembles that of the hidden disbelievers etc., who have lost the right path. In view of his claim, propagation of falsehood, and manners of disbelief, he can be considered one of the thirty dajjals [AntiChrist], about whom the hadith has forewarned. His followers and associates are the progeny of dajjal. He has uttered lies against God. His interpretations are filled with disbelief, perversion, falsehood, and distortions. He is dajjal, ignorant, stupid, and of those who introduce innovations in faith and have lost the right path.

What I have written in response to the question about the Qadiani is correct … Now it is incumbent upon the Muslims to avoid such duplicitous liar. He should not be accorded the religious courtesies which are due from one Muslim to the other. Do not entertain any love for him, nor be the first to give him (salam) the greetings of peace. Do not invite him in the customary way, not accept his invitation. Do not pray behind him, nor are you to offer his funeral prayers … 13

Again in 1893, Qadi ‘Ubaidullah of Madras issued a fatwa against the Promised Messiah (as) which was based on the concept that anybody who does not believe in the physical ascension of Prophet Jesus (as) to the heavens, and also does not believe in his descent in the physical body, is a disbeliever. He wrote:

According to the Noble Law of Islam, He is an apostate, infidel and disbeliever. In accordance with the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (sas), he is one of the thirty dajjals. Whoever obeys him, is also a disbeliever and apostate. According to Islamic Law, the marriage of an apostate is annulled and his woman is no longer lawful for him. Any relation he establishes with his woman will be adultery and any children so born would be deemed illegitimate. If the apostate dies unrepentant, do not offer his funeral prayer, nor bury him in the graveyard of the Muslims. Cast him into a pit like a dog without any bath or shroud.14

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at Was Forced to Separate Itself

Look at the language of the fatawa of the maulavis. I have only given a sample. Countless fatawa like these were published and spread throughout the country, and practical steps were taken to implement them. These were not the fatawa that remained confined to the books of the maulavis. Rather, they were widely published throughout the country and the public was incited to implement them. The common people were so incited against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at that according to Maulavi ‘Abdul Ahad Khanpuri:

When the Mirza’i15 faction was utterly insulted and humiliated in Amratsar, expelled from observance of Friday Prayer and congregational prayer, were repeatedly forced out of whichever mosque they entered for congregational prayers, and were ordered out of every public park, they begged Mirza Qadiani to permit them to construct their own new mosque.

Such are the events that forced the separation. Nowadays the maulavis keep repeating relentlessly that the Jama‘at-e-Ahmadiyya took the initiative in declaring fatwa of apostasy and then started separating themselves. They hide all the events described above from the common Muslims. This is their character. This is their history, which shows clearly how the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at at was forced to separate itself.

Then take a look at the fatwa the Promised Messiah (as) issued and compare it with their fatawa. There should be a limit to everything and a minimum of modesty should be maintained. But the fatawa of the maulavis contain so much falsehood and distortion that one trembles at it. People are being incited against Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at and the original causes of the instigations are being kept hidden. Note that the above quoted statement clearly says that the Ahmadis were forced away from wherever they tried to pray. When they were left with no other choice, they sought permission to construct a separate new mosque. But now our opponents object to our constructing mosques.

The quotation continues:

Then Mirza said to them: Have patience, I will try to bring about a reconciliation. If it is achieved, there would be no need for a separate mosque.

Marvellous is the patience and fortitude of the Promised Messiah (as). Despite the provocations, he advised his followers to wait and that he would seek reconciliation. If reconciliation took place, there would be no need for a separate mosque.

The quotation continues:

They suffered many other indignities. Muslims stopped all their dealings and associations with them. Women who had been duly married with Islamic nikah [the announcement of marriage in Islam] and sermon, were taken away on account of mirza’iyyat, corpses were cast into pits without Islamic rites etc. then … the Qadiani issued the announcement for reconciliation.16

Retaliatory Fatwa Based on Quran and Sunnah

In Lecture Ludhiana, when the Promised Messiah (as) issued a fatwa in response to the fatawa against him, he remained within the limits imposed by the Holy Quran, taking due care of all the requirements of the teachings of the Holy Quran. He said:

Muslims of today are no doubt included among those who say: 17, but they are not those who can claim: 18.19

By saying this, he expressed all the subtleties of the situation in very few words. In the matter of Muslims, he did not permit the Ahmadis to go beyond the point the Holy Prophet (sas) adopted under divine command. Allah the Almighty had commanded the Holy Prophet (sas): ‘O Prophet, even you are not permitted to deny them the right to call themselves Muslims; indeed, you are not even permitted, on your own, to deny their claim of being believer or to make any such demands.’ The light that the history and actions of the Holy Prophet (sas) throw upon the subject in respect of these limits and conditions is that nobody has the right to label someone else as non-Muslim [contrary to his own claim]. Accordingly, the Promised Messiah (as) has never used the term non-Muslim for his opponents. However, as regards the issue of declaring a Muslim as disbeliever, he said:

This is a matter of Sharia. Anybody who calls a believer as kafir [disbeliever] becomes a kafir himself. Therefore, since 200 maulavis declared me a kafir, and applied the fatwa [edict] of kufr [disbelieve] upon me, the natural consequence—fully supported by their own fatawa is—that someone who addresses a believer as kafir becomes a kafir, and similarly, someone who declares a kafir as believer also becomes a kafir.20

That is to say, the response of the Promised Messiah (as) was the natural consequence of the situation caused by the opponents; he was left with no other choice. The Promised Messiah (as) also referred to the hadith that I mentioned earlier. He says:

The Holy Prophet (sas) says: Whenever a Muslim declares another Muslim as kafir, such caller himself becomes a disbeliever.21

Again, in an answer to a question that was posed to him, the Promised Messiah (as) said:

We do not declare anyone, who adheres to the kalimah [creed of Islam], outside the pale of Islam.

See how consistent and uncontradictory his position is. It is based on the Holy Quran and on a saying of the Holy Prophet (sas). Within those limits, he issues his fatwa with due respect:

We do not declare anyone who adheres to the kalimah outside the pale of Islam, unless he renders himself a kafir [disbeliever] by calling us kafir. You may not be aware that when I announced that I am a commissioned one, Muhammad Husain Maulavi Abu Sa‘id prepared a fatwa with great effort in which he stated: This man is a kafir [disbeliever], dajjal [Antichrist], and misguided. His funeral prayer shall not be offered. Anyone who says Assalamo ‘Alaikum22 to them, or shakes hands, or calls them Muslim, would also be a kafir.

Now listen! It is an agreed doctrine that anyone who calls a mo’min [believer] a kafir, becomes a kafir himself. How can we go against this agreed doctrine. Tell us, what option is left for us under these circumstances. I have never been the one to issue such a fatwa first. But when we call them kuffar [disbelievers] now, it is because of their own fatawa of kufr. Someone had asked me for a prayer-duel, and I told him: It is not lawful for one Muslim to engage in a prayer-duel against another Muslim. But he answered that he considered me a staunch disbeliever.

Ponder over it. Despite the plethora of fatawa containing such filthy language that they cannot even be considered religious fatawa, the response of the Promised Messiah (as) showed remarkable patience and fortitude. He told the questioner that it was not lawful to engage in prayer-duel with a Muslim.

The man who had initiated the question to the Promised Messiah (as) said:

Let them call you kafir if they wish. But what is the harm if you do not call them a kafir.

Please note that although the Promised Messiah (as) had explained fully that they were suffering from the consequences of their own fatawa, yet the questioner kept repeating his point, that even though the others have issued such declarations ‘what is the harm if you do not call them a kafir.’ The Promised Messiah (as) replied:

We certainly do not call anybody a kafir if he does not call us a kafir. But as far those who have called us kafir, if we do not consider him kafir we would be going against the hadith and the agreed doctrine; this we cannot do.23

Unnatural and Illogical Attitude of the Government of Pakistan

Notwithstanding who initiated the fatawa of disbelief— Ahmadis or non-Ahmadis—the question arises that if the government of Pakistan is honest and sincere in stating that it has no other choice, then the government should be consistent in applying the fatawa. The argument then would be that if someone considers another to be kafir, and has severed all relations with him, the government of Pakistan has no choice but to declare him non-Muslim and deprive him of all rights as a Muslim.

The logic that has been framed against us demands similar actions against others who have announced fatawa of disbelief against each other. Let me share some of them with you.

Fatwa of Kufr Issued by the Barelwis24 Against Deobandis25

I will start with the fatwa of the Barelwis. They are not only opposed to us, but are also against the Wahhabis26 and Deobandis who are the favourites of this government [of Pakistan]. The fatwa that I will quote is from one of their top scholars. It is a long fatwa. I will cite it in parts. It is written:

In their writings the Wahhabis of Deoband have defamed all auliya’27 and Prophets and even the Holy Prophet (sas), and indeed Almighty Allah Himself, and are therefore absolute murtad [apostates] and kafir [disbeliever]. Their apostasy and disbelief has reached a very, very, very, extreme limit. Anyone who entertains the slightest doubt about the apostasy and disbelief of such apostates and disbelievers, would be an apostate and disbeliever like them.28

What choice is now left for the government of Pakistan? If it entertains the slightest doubt about the apostasy of these [Deobandi] people, it would go outside the pale of Islam itself. Despite that, the government is not issuing any fatwa against the Wahhabis of Deoband nor upon those who issued the above fatwa. Now listen to the other details of the fatwa. They accuse the Ahmadis of severing relationships, but what is their own approach in the light of this fatwa. It is written:

Muslims should stay away from them and guard themselves completely. There is no question of praying behind them. But do not let them pray behind you either.29

Voice of Moderation in the Midst of Mutual Clamours of Apostasy

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at has never given such teaching. What we advise is to establish mutual relations, visit each others, have good social relations, deal with love and courtesy, and serve other Muslims. The history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at shows how it dealt with other Muslims. However, we do not pray behind them. Why not? There are good reasons. I have mentioned one of them already, but there are others that I will mention later; but we have never forbidden others to pray behind us. There has never been even a hint of such attitude in the Jama‘at, and nobody has ever been deprived of the opportunity to pray in our mosques.

Actually, we invite people to our mosques. We invite them and tell them that if they wish to pray behind us, they are welcome; and if they wish to pray on their own, they may do so in our mosque, whether individually or in congregation.

Such events did take place in Rabwah [Pakistan] quite frequently. When non-Ahmadi friends visited Rabwah for Question and Answer sessions, there were, at times, two prayer services in the Mubarak mosque—one led by an Ahmadi, and one led by a non-Ahmadi. We told them that they were free to join in their own Prayer service, and at times, they did. No one ever stopped them from doing so. But the fatwa under review says:

There is no question of praying behind them. But do not let them pray behind you either—nor permit them to enter your mosques, nor eat the meat slaughtered by them, nor visit them on occasions of joy or sorrow.30

Combined Verdict of the Muslim World Against the Wahhabis of Deoband

Of the relations mentioned above, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at has not swerved any such relations, despite their fatawa, because that is not the way of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at. The fatwa continues:

Do not permit them to visit your homes. If they are sick, do not visit them. If they die, do not attend the burial rites nor permit them a place in the Muslim cemetery. In short, stay completely away from them.

The above is a summary of the fatawa issued by the scholars of ahl-e-Sunnat. Those who issued the fatwa are not confined to India. When the writings of the Wahhabis were translated and sent to Afghanistan, Khewa, Bukhara, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Mecca and Medina, all Muslims areas of Arabia, Kufa, Baghdad, in short, all ahl-e-Sunnat Muslims of the world, gave the same verdict that:

These writings are a cause of dishonouring auliya’, prophets, indeed Allah the Almighty Himself. Therefore the Wahhabis of Deoband are very, very, staunch apostates and kafir. Anyone who does not call them kafir would render himself a kafir. His woman will go out of his wedlock and any children born would be illegitimate and will not be entitled to inheritance according to the Islamic Law.31

Such are the fatawa of these maulavis. But publicity is being given to the fatwa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at which is accompanied by sound reasoning, courteous speech, and is based on the verses of the Holy Quran. The question arises: what treatment should be accorded to those who have issued such a devastating fatwa of kufr against the Wahhabis of Deoband. The details of other such fatawa can be viewed in the following books:

• Taqdisul Vakil

• As-Saiful Maslul

• ‘Aqa’id-e-Wahhabiyyah Deobandiyyah

• Tarikh-e-Deobandiyyah

• Hasamul Haramain

• Fatawa al-Haramain

• As-sawarimul Hindiyyah ‘ala Makre Shayatinid-Deobandiyyah etc.

Fatwa of Deobandis Against Barelwis

Now listen to the fatwa of the Deobandis against the Barelwis. They have answered the entirety of the above fatwa in one sentence. It is written:

All these declarations of disbelief and the invocations of curses will boomerang upon Barelwis, and his followers at their time of death in order to commence their torment in their graves, and be the cause of the nullification of their faith and effacement of their earlier affirmations of truth and certitude. Because the angels will say to the Holy Prophet (sas):

[You are not aware of what they did in your absence].

And the Holy Prophet (sas) will say about the dajjal of Barelwis and his followers:

‘Grind them to dust, grind them to dust.’

He will deny them access to the fountain of his abundant grace and intercession, and will spurn them as creatures even lower than dogs and they will be deprived of the spiritual reward and recompense of the Muslim ummah, and its degree of ranks and Divine favours.32

That was about the two large sects in Pakistan who constitute the large majority in Pakistan. Given above are their mutual fatawa. If the position taken by the government of Pakistan is based on honesty, it should deal with them much more harshly that it has dealt with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at.

Shias33 Are also Victims of Fatawa of Apostasy

Now listen to the fatwa about the Shia:

The definitive, unequivocal, decree by general consensus against these Rafdis and Tabarra’is is that they are, in general, disbelievers and apostates. An animal slaughtered by them is carrion. Inter-marriage with them is not just unlawful—it is unmitigated adultery.

They are so fond of this filthy expression that they keep repeating it.

The fatwa continues:

God forbid, if the man is a Rafdis and the woman is Muslim, that would be an instance of the utmost wrath of God. If the man is a Sunni34, and the woman belongs to these despicable creatures, even then it would not constitute a valid marriage. It would be wanton adultery and the resulting progeny would be illegitimate; not entitled to inherit from their father even if it adheres to Sunni doctrine, because the Islamic Law does not recognise anyone as the father of a bastard. The woman will not share the inheritance, nor be entitled to dower-money (haqq mehr), because an adulteress is not entitled to dower-money.

Such filthy language has been used in these fatawa and still they claim to be scholars of Islam. These maulavis have spared none of the Muslims.

The fatwa does not stop here. It is written:

A Rafdi cannot receive inheritance from anyone whatsoever—neither son from a father nor a daughter from her mother. Not to speak of inheriting from a Sunni, a Rafdis cannot inherit from any Muslim— nor indeed from any non-Muslim. Indeed, in reality, a Rafdis is not entitled to inherit from his own co-religionists.

[All such properties should apparently revert to the issuers of this fatwa!]

Social interaction or greetings of peace to any of their men, women, scholar, ignoramus, is greatly, strictly, forbidden. Anyone who, after being apprised of their accursed doctrines, still considers them to be Muslims, or has any doubts about their being disbelievers, is, by the consensus of the scholars of faith, a faithless infidel. All ordinances announced about them will fully apply to such a one. It is incumbent upon the Muslims to listen to this fatwa with full attention, and become true Sunni Muslims by acting accordingly.35

Why is the Government of Pakistan Quiet?

There are several other equally terror-striking fatawa, which I will not quote at this time. There is such big pile of alarming fatawa against each other that one is stunned. It seems that there are factories manufacturing the fatawa and every factory is emitting filth. Despite all this, the allegation upon the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at is that it has declared them as disbelievers. The fact of the matter is that the fatwa issued by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at has an argument, and solid reasoning based upon the Holy Quran. Moreover, it does not deprive anybody of basic human rights. Rather, it only says that you may deem yourselves and call yourselves Muslims, and keep claiming to be true believers, we have no concern with that. However, we are forced to consider otherwise, because that is the verdict of the Holy Prophet (sas). This position taken by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at is considered so unacceptable that relations with it have been cut off and it has been declared that it should be turned out of the pale of Islam, its mosques be burned, domes destroyed, and if the mosques cannot be burned, their faces be turned around, and finally, since they have become apostates, the government, if it is Islamic, must kill them indiscriminately. None of them [Ahmadis] should be spared. But it [government] does not listen to the filthy talk being used and the filthy fatawa being issued against each other.

What Do Shia Think About Their Opponents?

It might be considered that perhaps the Shia would be more courteous. So let us take a look at the fatwa issued by the Shias about the Sunnis. It is written:

The righteous sect of Shia does not consider it legitimate that a Shia woman accepting the twelve A’immah [leaders] should marry a non-Shia because we do not consider them believers. Any Muslim who does not subscribe to the Shia doctrine of twelve A’immah is not a mo’min [believer], but he is a Muslim.

So far, the statement is reasonable and needs to be appreciated. Now we can say why they call themselves believer—they have based this upon the Holy Quran and have, in this respect, used better sense and judgment that the Sunni ulemas. Their statement that if anyone calls himself Muslim, let him do so, is very sensible. But what is the verdict if a Shia gets married to a non-Shia? ‘Allamah al-Ha‘iri was a great Shia scholar. His son writes:

… If such a nikah36 does take place, the nikah will be null and void and the children would be illegitimate according to Islamic Law.37

Listen to another fatwa:

Those who entertain doubts about the leaders of the innocent, you may marry their daughters, but do not give your daughters in marriage to them, because the wife adopts the manners of her husband. The husband does bring her by force and coercion to his faith.38

These two fatawa use relatively more civilized language and do contain an element of rationality. It does not seem that someone is uttering profanities. There is some logic that is offered. But there is no fatwa issued by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at which directly or indirectly calls such marriages illegitimate or considers the relationships of wife and husband in such marriages to deserve the profanities which others have used.

Pervezis and Chakrhalavis Are Also Outside the Pale of Islam

That leaves the Pervezis and Chakrhalavis. Listen to what the Barelwis, Deobandis, and Maududi say about them:

The Chakrhalavi school of thought is sworn enemy of the blessed ahadith [sayings] of the Holy Prophet (sas) and negates his status and rank, and his position in the Sharia [Islamic Law]. These unabashed rebels against the Messenger of God have established a strong front against the Messenger (sas). Do you know what is the punishment for one who is guilty of such high treason? Only a bullet!39

Wali Hasan Tonki mentions the religious ordinances applicable to the Pervezis in the following words:

Ghulam Ahmad Pervez is a kafir, according to the faith of Muhammad, and he is outside the pale of Islam. Neither a Muslim woman can remain in valid marriage with him, nor can any Muslim woman now marry him. Neither his funeral prayers will be held, nor shall it be legitimate to bury him in a Muslim graveyard. This decision is not only applicable to Pervez but to all the disbelievers. It would also apply to every one of his followers who subscribes to the disbelief entertained by him. Since he is affirmed as an apostate, therefore, it is illegitimate, according to Islamic law, to retain any kind of Islamic affiliation with him.40

Also listen to the fatwa of Maulavi Amin Ahsan Islahi, who used to entertain the way of Maududi at one time. He writes:

If those who give this advice mean to say that the Sharia is limited to what the Quran contains, and the rest is not a part of Sharia, then that amounts to utter disbelief. It resembles the disbelief of the Qadianis—indeed, it is somewhat harder and worse.41

But they are not treating them as such. What are the reasons and rationale will insha’Allah [God-Willing] be the subject of another sermon. There is also a fatwa that:

The funeral of a child belonging to the Pervezis is forbidden.42

Ahl-e-Hadith Are Also Disbelievers and Apostates

There are ahl-e-Hadith other than the Deobandis. Basically, they are similar in their beliefs, but there is a subtle difference of being a muqallid (follower of one of the four A’immah) or a non-muqallid. Therefore, a separate fatwa has been issued against the ahl-e-Hadith. It is written:

The Wahhabis etc., the contemporary muqallidin, are disbelievers and apostates by the consensus of the ulema of the two Holy Cities (Mecca and Medina). Such that, after being apprised of their accursed statements, if someone still does not consider them kafir—or even if he as much as doubts it—then he himself is a kafir. There is no prayer behind them. Animal slaughtered by them is unlawful to eat. Their wives have gone out of their wedlock. They cannot have a valid nikah with any Muslim, disbeliever or apostate.

Poor ahl-e-Hadith! They cannot even marry a disbeliever or apostate. The reference continues:

Socializing with them, having meals with them, keeping their company, uttering common salutations (salam)—all of these are forbidden. Detailed injunctions about them are contained in the valuable book, Mustatab Hisamul Haramain Sharif .43

Blazing Fire of Anger

There are many other amusing fatawa, but I will leave them out for lack of time. They state that the reason they are issuing these fatawa is not that those targeted cannot be married to a Muslim; they cannot be married even to the disbelievers or apostates. Whatever they do, the progeny would be deemed illegitimate. These strong words not having satisfied them, it is added:

What is more, even if they marry an animal, even that supposed progeny would be illegitimate and deprived of inheritance.44

Such is the blazing fire of hatred and revenge that is raging within the hearts of the mullahs against each other. As a consequence, they are uttering and writing unfair and unjust statements. But our opponents have closed their eyes to all of this. All they can see is the fatwa issued by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at, which is the ultimate in courtesy, respect, dignity and logical statement. It is impossible to find another fatwa which come even close in this respect.

Maududi Is Dajjal, Misguided and Disbeliever

Let us now look at the Maududi group. Listen to the fatawa against them too. Someone might imagine that they might have been treated differently. Not at all.

Muhammad Sadiq, Manager Madrassah Mazhar-ul-‘Ulum Mahallah Khadda, Karachi, says:

The Holy Prophet (sas) prophesied that prior to the appearance of real dajjal, there would appear thirty dajjals to pave the way for the real dajjal. I deem Maududi to be one of thirty.45

You might say that the above fatwa is issued by an unknown maulavi. Maulavi Mufti Mahmud is a well-known personality. He says:

I hereby issue this fatwa in Press Club Hyderabad, that Maududi has deviated from the straight path, and is a kafir and outside the pale of Islam. It is not permissible to pray behind him or behind any imam who associates with him. To belong to his community is utter disbelief and misguidance. He is an agent of America and the capitalists. He has now reached the brink of death. No power can save him now.46

Contradictions Between Belief and Deeds

There are two powers on which the present government depends. One is Deobandi, represented by Mufti Mahmud and his associates. The other is Jama‘at-e-Islami whose leader was Maulana Maududi, against whom Maulavi Mufti Mahmud has given the above fatwa. Now look at the picture which is emerging. There is conflict, misguidance and contradiction all around. They say one thing and do another; but the complaints are against us. One of their biggest complaint is that Zafrullah Khan did not offer the funeral prayers for Quid-e-A‘zam. But they totally forget the fatawa that they have themselves given about each other that whoever offers the funeral prayer would be rendered a disbeliever and his wife would be unlawful for him. Quid-e-A‘zam, whom our opponents dubbed as kafir-e-A‘zam, and added that he forsook Islam for the sake of woman of evil character, is not thrown outside the pale of Islam despite all these statements. Moreover, according to your fatawa the funeral of a Shia should not be offered and he who does so would go outside the pale of Islam. There is no rhyme or reason in your stand. There is no balance.

Your opposition is a mumbo jumbo of contradictions, foul talk and is nothing else.

Views of Maududi About Muslims in General

That leaves Maududi Sahib. He is considered to be a rational man who has a balanced and learned Islamic view in these matters. The general impression is that he has influenced many Muslims and is more enlightened and aware of modern knowledge than the other ulema. Even if he is not fully enlightened, at least he is believed to have traces of rationalism. What does he say about establishing relations with others. I have cited some of his reference about his concept of the Muslims in general earlier. He writes:

People who have been called ahl-e-Kitab [people of the Book] were Muslims by descent. They believed in Allah, Angels, Prophet, Book and the Day of Judgment. They also followed the commandments formally. But the real spirit of Islam—that is, servitude and obedience to Allah purely for His sake, and shirking any partners with Allah—were no longer present in them.47

This extract shows clearly that according to Maududi, the relationship which the ahl-e-Kitab had with Muslims is exactly the same as the relation that now exists between Muslims and the so-called Jama‘at-e-Islami. The next excerpt that I will present is also from the same Book (Siyasi Kashmakash), but from page 16, it says:

Therefore, I am really a new Muslim. I have adopted these doctrines after fully examining them and my heart and mind have borne witness that there is no other way of salvation for man. Therefore, I invite not only the non-Muslims, but also the Muslims, to Islam.

To summarize, all sects other than Maududiyyat are non-Muslims [according to Maududi]. He declares them not just kafir, but also non-Muslims. Here then is the response to the fatwa that Mufti Mahmud issued against them: You are also non-Muslims. You are outside the pale of Islam. That is why he says: ‘I invite you to Islam’. He is telling them that they should come to him and become new Muslims. He then says:

The first and the basic mistake is to assume that all members of a community, merely because they are descended from Muslims, are Muslims in the real sense and whatever is done by their consensus would be Islamic.48

Now listen to his views about marriage. Bear in mind that it was Maududi who had raised the clamour that—notwithstanding the fact that according to him, all Muslims other than the Maududi adherents are outside the pale of Islam and are confirmed non-Muslims—since the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at has forbidden its girls to marry among the non-Ahmadi Muslims, hence they are proven to be non-Muslims. He himself invites all who call themselves Muslims to Islam. What is the natural consequence of this position? That marriage with them is forbidden. Accordingly he says:

This is the natural consequence of the development of true religious insight. Anyone who develops that awareness would never marry among those who have turned away from faith and morality. Indeed, he would also not like to keep their friendship and company.49

The above fatwa was given by Maududi in Majlis-e-Shura of Jama‘at-e-Islami which was deliberating on the issue of whether marrying someone who does not subscribe to Maududi doctrine is permitted or not. Maududi gave the above verdict which amount to saying: This is a simple matter, why don’t you understand? Why did you even raise the question? It is easy to understand that you should not marry them. Actually, you should also have no relations with them.

A Moment of Reflection for the Opponents of Ahmadiyyat

This is the summary of the situation according to which allegations that are totally false and misleading are being levied against Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at. If all these allegations were proven true, and their description of our beliefs were valid, and if their action based on those assumptions were considered justified, then you will not find a single Muslim in Pakistan, nor indeed, in the whole world. The dagger of their decisions will cut the necks of all Muslims. Nobody will be secure from the clamour of the maulavis to declare mutual apostasy. All will be put to this sword and annihilated. Islam and all its sects will be affected, because there is not a single sect against whom a fatwa harsher than those levied against Ahmadis is not present.

Thus there are only two possibilities:

1. Either they should accept that all those fatawa are correct. That would put an end to all mutual relations. You can well imagine the turmoil facing the Muslim world as a consequence.

2. Or they should declare all these fatawa to be false.

There is no third option.

They are telling us that: ‘Your fatwa is wrong’, but by issuing this false fatwa they have become liable themselves. Now let them spare any sect from the natural consequences of this action. Thus the opponents of Ahmadiyyat have no other option. They will have to reach the Pleiades to bring faith and the Muslims back on earth.