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Part 5 of a Review of The Pakistani Government's 'White Paper': Qadiyaniyyat - A grave threat to Islam In 1984 the Islamic government of Pakistan set aside all Islamic injuctions and took upon itself the burden of depriving the Ahmadi Muslims of many basic human rights including religious social freedoms. In an attempt to justify this action, the government of Pakistan published a so-called White Paper under the title <i>'Qadiyaniyyat - Islam kay liya Sangin Khatrah' (Qadiyaniyyat - A Grave Threat to Islam)</i>. Although there was nothing new in this so-called White Paper and the Jama'at literature already included detailed answers to all the issues which were raised, nevertheless Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV, the then Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, answered these allegations in a series of Friday sermons. These sermons (in Urdu) were published by the London Mosque in 1985 and the English translation is now being published. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Khalifatul Masih IV<sup>(rh)</sup> delivered this sermon on <a href="https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/1985-02-22.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">February 22, 1985</a> at the Fadl Mosque London and answered the allegations that questioned the role played by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jama'at in protecting the national security of Indian Muslims. In this context he gave a detailed discussion of the role played by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jama'at in protecting and promoting the interests of the Indian Muslims especially during the Khilafat Movement and the Shudhi Movement.
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat— A Grave Threat to Islam Replies to Some Allegations (5) The National Security of Indian Muslims M i r z a T a h i r A h m a d
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat— A Grave Threat to Islam Replies to Some Allegations (5) The National Security of Indian Muslims The National Security of Indian Muslims and the Decisive Role of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at An English translation of the Friday sermon delivered by Hadrat Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV rta on February 22, 1985 at the Fa d l Mosque, London
(5) The National Security of Indian Muslims The National Security of the Indian Muslims and the Decisive Role of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at An English translation of the Friday sermon delivered in Urdu by Hadrat Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV ( ra h matull a h ‘alaih ), on February 22, 1985, at the Fa d l Mosque, London.Translated by: P i r Wa hi d Ahmad Revised by: Munawar A h med Sa‘eed & Dr.Nas i m Rehmatull a h First Published in Urdu in the United Kingdom in 1985 as: Musalm a n a n-e-Hindust a n k a Qomi Ta h affuz Aur Jam a ‘at-e-Ahmadiyyah k a Fai s lah kun Kird a r Present English translation published in the United Kingdom in 2006.© Islam International Publications Ltd.Published by: Islam International Publications Ltd.“Islamabad” Sheephatch Lane Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ UK Printed in the United Kingdom at: Raqeem Press Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the Publisher.For further information you may visit www.alislam.org ISBN: 1 85372 767 9
Abbreviations Abbreviations......................................................................vii System of Transliteration....................................................ix Glossary of Important Terms...............................................xi Preface................................................................................xv About the Author..............................................................xvii The National Security of Indian Muslims..............................1 A Strange Allegation in the “White Paper”........................2 Muj a hid i n of the Frontline.................................................2 An Invitation to All to Calmly Consider the Matter.........3 Advice to Safeguard Against the Danger of the Khilafat Movement.....................................................5 Mah a tm a Gandhi’s Concoction.........................................7 Background of the Dissension Movement.........................8 Unwise Statements............................................................10 Gandhi in the Assembly of Muslims................................11 The State of Emotions Among the Muslims....................13 Strong Protest by the Imam of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at Against Dishonouring the Islamic Law............14 The Pathfinders Considered Punishable..........................16 Expressions of Regret on the Movement’s Failure..........16 The Sad End of the Emotional Movement......................18
The National Security of Indian Muslims [ vi ] Muslims Unable to Distinguish Between Friend and Foe.................................................................19 The Shudh i Movement and Its Background....................20 Intentions of the Hindus...................................................21 The Announcement of the Imam of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at at This Critical Juncture......................23 An Enthusiastic Response from the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at to Their Imam......................................24 Unique Sacrifices...............................................................26 Nature Never Changes......................................................27 Ahmad i s Turned the Tide of the Shudh i Movement......27 No One Except Ahmad i s in the Battlefield of Shudh i.....28 The Height of Impertinence.............................................28 Accept the Truth When It Becomes Manifest.................30 Invaluable Services of the Muslims of the Ahmadiyyah Jam a ‘at.................................................31 Historical Facts Can Never Be Obliterated......................32 Acknowledgement of the Services of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at...............................................................33 The Peace Conference That Could Not Be Held Without the Ahmad i s......................................................35 The Lofty Character of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jama’at...............................................................36
Abbreviations The following abbreviations have been used.Readers are urged to recite the full salutations when reading the book: sa s al-lAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam , meaning ‘may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him’ is written after the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.as ‘alaihis sal a m , meaning ‘may peace be upon him’ is written after the name of Prophets other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.ra ra d i-All a ho ‘anhu/‘anh a /‘anhum, meaning ‘may Allah be pleased with him/her/them’ is written after the names of the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa or of the Promised Messiah as.rta ra h matull a h ‘alaih, meaning ‘may Allah shower His mercy upon him’ is written after the names of deceased pious Muslims who are not Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa or of the Promised Messiah as.
System of Transliteration This book uses the system of transliteration adopted by the Royal Asiatic Society.at the beginning of a word, pronounced as a , i , u pre- ceded by a very slight aspiration, like h in the English word honour.th , pronounced like th in the English word thing.h , a guttural aspirate, stronger than h.kh , pronounced like the Scotch ch in loch.dh , pronounced like the English th in that.s, strongly articulated s.d, similar to the English th in this.t, strongly articulated palatal t.z, strongly articulated z.‘, a strong guttural sound, the pronunciation of which must be learnt by the ear.
[ x ] gh , a sound approached very nearly by r in the French grasseye and also the German r.It requires the muscles of the throat to be in the gargling position whilst pro- nouncing it.q , a deep guttural k sound.’ , a sort of catch in the voice.Short vowels are represented by ‘ a’ for (like ‘ u’ in ‘ bud’ ); ‘ i’ for (like ‘i’ in bid ); ‘ u’ for (like ‘ oo’ in ‘ wood ’); the long vowels by ‘ a’ for or (like ‘a’ in ‘ father’ ); ‘ i’ for or (like ‘ee’ in ‘ deep’ ); ‘ ai’ for (like ‘ i’ in ‘ site’ ); ‘u’ for (like ‘ oo’ in ‘ root’ ); ‘ au’ for, (resembling ‘ ou’ in ‘ sound’ ).Please note that in transliterated words the letter ‘ e’ is to be pronounced as in ‘ prey’ which rhymes with ‘ day’ ; however the pronunciation is flat without the element of English diphthong.If in Urdu and Persian words, letter ‘ e’ is length- ened a bit more it is transliterated as ‘ ei’ , to be pronounced as ‘ ei’ in ‘feign’ without the element of diphthong; thus is transliterated as ‘ Kei’.For the nasal sound of n we have used the symbol ñ.Thus Urdu word would be transliterated as mei ñ.The consonants not included in the above list have the same phonetic value as in the principal languages of Europe.
Glossary of Important Terms Allah —Allah is the personal name of God in Islam.To show proper reverence to Him, Muslims often add Ta‘ a l a , ‘the Most High’, when saying His Holy name.Adh a n —The formal call for Islamic Prayer.Ahmad i Muslim or Ahmad i — A m e m b e r o f t h e Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at —(Also Ahmadiyyah) The Community of Muslims who accept the claims of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian as the Promised Messiah and Mahd i.The Jam a ‘at was estab- lished by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as , and is now lead by his fifth Khalifah , Hadrat Mirz a Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his help).A h r a r— An organisation of Muslims known for its opposition to the creation of Pakistan and to the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.A ry a Sam aj — A militant Hindu sect.H ad i th —A saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The plural is a ha d i th.
[ xii ] Hadrat —A term of respect used for a person of established righteousness and piety.H u du r —Your Holiness; His Holiness.Holy Prophet sa —A term used exclusively for Hadrat Muhammad sa , the Prophet of Islam.Holy Qur’an —The Book sent by Allah for the guidance of mankind.It was revealed to the Holy Prophet sa over a period of twenty-three years.Imam —The Arabic word for a leader.The head of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at is also referred to as the Imam.Insh a ’Allah —An Arabic term meaning ‘God willing’.Jalsah S ala nah —Annual Convention; Annual Gathering.Jam a ‘at — Jam a ‘at means community.Although the word Jam a ‘at itself may refer to any community, in this book, Jam a ‘at specifically refers to the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.Jihad —The literal translation from the Arabic of this word is ‘striving’.The term is used to mean self-purification as well as metaphorically for religious wars.Kalimah Shah a dah —The declaration of the Islamic faith: to bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, that He is One, without any associate, and
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ xiii ] to bear witness that Muhammad sa is His Servant and His Messenger.Khalifah —Caliph is derived from the Arabic word khal i- fah , which herein means the successor.Khulaf a ’ is the plural of khal i fah.In Islamic terminology, the title ‘righ- teous khal i fah’ is applied to one of the first four khulaf a ’ who continued the mission of Hadrat Muhammad sa , the Holy Prophet of Islam.Ahmad i Muslims refer to each successor of the Promised Messiah as as Khalifatul Masih.Khalifatul Masih II — Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II, Mirz a Bashir-ud-Din Ma h m u d Ahmad ra.He is also called Musleh-e-Mau‘ u d (the Promised Reformer) because he was born in accordance with the prophecy made by the Promised Messiah as in 1886 regarding the birth of a righ- teous son who would be endowed with special abilities, attributes, and powers.Khalifatul Masih IV — Hadrat Khalifatul Masih IV, Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad rta (1928–2003) was the fourth successor of the Promised Messiah as.He was a grandson of the Founder of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah as.Khilafat— The institution of successorship in Islam.Mahd i — ‘The guided one’.This is the title given by the Holy Prophet sa to the awaited Reformer of Latter Days.Maula vi and Mullah— A Muslim religious cleric.
[ xiv ] Nab i — Nab i means a Prophet.Promised Messiah— The Founder of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian, India, who made his claim in fulfilment of the prophecies of the Holy Prophet sa regarding the coming of a Mahd i and Messiah from among the Muslims.Ras u ll a h— Messenger of Allah.Sahib —A term of respect, similar to the diversity of English terms like mister or sir.S u rah —Arabic word for designating the chapters of the Holy Qur’an.
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful Preface A perfect example of the cr uel treat ment of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at by the government of Pakistan is the White Paper.This document, published by t h e g o v e r n m e n t o f Pa k i s t a n u n d e r t h e t i t l e Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam , was written in support of the Federal ordinance dated April 26, 1984.By publishing the White Paper, this ‘Islamic Republic’ has set aside all Islamic values and has done away with many basic human rights including religious social freedoms of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.Using the White Paper as a crutch, the government of Pakistan claims the beliefs of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at compel it to impose restrictions upon the Ahmad i Muslims.As far as the allegations and accusations made in the White Paper are concerned, they are a repetition of the same baseless allegations and accusations that the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at has responded to in the past on the basis of the Holy Qur’an and the A ha d i th.Since much of our literature is currently being confis- cated by the government of Pakistan, sincere seekers of
[ xvi ] truth may have difficulty finding the answers.This series of Friday sermons present the response laid out by Hadrat Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV rta , the then Imam of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, to these allegations.This response to the White Paper was first published in Urdu in 1985, and the English translation is being pub- lished now.This sermon was delivered on February 22, 1985 at the Fa d l Mosque, London, and deals with the deci- sive role played by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at in pro- tecting.The translation of this Friday sermon was done by P i r Wa hi d Ahmad and later revised by Dr.Nas i m Rehmatull a h.The translation team of Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at USA, headed by Munawar Ahmad Sa‘eed, under the direction of Vak a lat-e-Ta s n i f London, finalized this series of Friday ser- mons for publication.M ay Allah bless them all.A m i n.Please note that in referencing the Holy Qur’an, we have counted ‘In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful’ as the first verse of the Chapter in which it appears.We pray to God that this message will reach all people who have a genuine desire to study these issues.May Allah make this a source of guidance for them.A m i n.Mun i r-ud-D i n Shams Additional Vak i l-ut-Ta s n i f London, UK, April 2006
About the Author H A D RAT MIRZ A TA HIR A H MAD r t a was born in Qadian, India, in 1928 to Hadrat Mirz a Bashir-ud-Din Ma h m u d Ahmad ra and Hadrat Maryam Begum ra.He received his early schooling in Qadian.After graduating from the Ahmadiyyah Missionary College, Rabwah with distinction, he obtained an honours degree in Arabic from Punjab University.In 1955, he visited England for the first time with his father, who suggested that he remain behind to improve his knowledge of the English language and European social habits.He secured admission at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where he remained for two and a half years.By the end of 1957, Hadrat Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad rta had seen most of Western Europe.He traveled extensively in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.The experience that he gained during these years would play a crucial role later in his life, when administer- ing his great responsibilities as Khalifatul Masih IV, the fourth Head of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.He was
[ xviii ] elected to this office in 1982, one day after the demise of his predecessor, Hadrat Mirz a N as ir Ahmad rta.The anti-Ahmadiyyah ordinance of April 1984, promul- gated by General Zia-ul- H aq, compelled Hadrat Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad rta to leave Pakistan.He decided to migrate to England where he established his transitory base in exile.Within a few years, he trained and organised thousands of volunteers to help him discharge his global responsibilities.Of all his achievements in England, MTA international is one of the greatest.Through MTA international (Muslim Television Ahmadiyyah), numerous training programs are televised twenty-four hours a day.His activities since departure from Pakistan helped proliferate and spread the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at to over 150 countries of the world.Apart from a religious leader, he was also a homeo- pathic physician, a prolific writer, a gifted poet, and a sportsman.Hadrat Mirz a Ta hir Ahmad rta passed away on April 19, 2003 at the age of 74.He is succeeded by Hadrat Mirz a Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his help), the present Head of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.
A fter reciting tashahhud , ta‘awwudh, and S u rah al-F a ti h ah, H u du r rta recited the following verses of the Holy Qur’an: 1 1.But who could do greater wrong than one who forges the lie against Allah while he is called to Islam? Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.They desire to extinguish the light of Allah with the breath of their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it.He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religions, even if those who associate partners with God hate it.( al- S aff , 61:8–10)
[ 2 ] H u du r rta said: A Strange Allegation in the “White Paper” One allegation that has been repeatedly mentioned in the White Paper is that (God forbid) the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at is an enemy of Islam and an enemy of the country of Pakistan.Furthermore, the nation is in severe danger because of the treachery of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, which is not only a ‘threat’ to Islam itself, but also to the entirety of Muslim countries.It argues that since the Jam a ‘at cannot survive in Muslim countries, it strives to destroy Muslim countries so that these countries may fall under the control of non-Muslim powers.Muj a hid i n of the Frontline The historical perspective of this accusation is a vast sub- ject; it is not possible to discuss it in detail in this short time.However, it is necessary to consider that whenever Islam has faced any dangers, who were the people who fought in the forefront against these threats? Were they the members of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at or the ones who are making the allegations against them? In this con- text, I present some selected and important events from the diverse pages of history.
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 3 ] An Invitation to All to Calmly Consider the Matter The argument is that: since the Ahmad i s cannot survive in Muslim countries, they want to destroy them.It is a strange argument, which is based on completely false premises and is full of contradictions.For example, it is said that the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at has not made progress in Muslim countries, and out of vengeance, it wants to destroy these countries.If this supposition is correct, then one con- clusion is that since the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at has made progress in Pakistan, Pakistan should be in no danger from it.Then what is the explanation of the Pakistani gov- ernment’s restrictions that are being imposed on the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at? Different lawyers in the ‘Religious Court’ presented the same argument that: this Jam a ‘at is spreading far and wide through preaching, and they cannot tolerate it.The most talked about subject dur- ing the 1974 riots—and in earlier incidents as well—was that Ahmad i s seemed unstoppable, and they were progress- ing rapidly.Then why would the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at feel any danger that they would not be able to spread and live in that country [Pakistan].Or you should conclude that Pakistan is not an Islamic country, which would explain why the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at is spreading in it.But, if Pakistan is not an Islamic country, then who are you to be its guardian and its defender? Then you have no concern with it; it is a non-Islamic country
[ 4 ] and whatever may be happening in it, may happen.You would have nothing to do with it.If Pakistan is an Islamic country—considering that it has been established in the name of Islam—since the Jam a ‘at there has spread exten- sively and in every level of society, how could the Jam a ‘at be afraid that it would not survive there? What then is the basis of your supposition that Ahmad i Muslims plan to destroy Muslim countries, because they cannot make any progress in them? Now, I shall deal with historical events.The world needs to view these events with a cool mind.These events have been written on the pages of history and cannot be obliter- ated.When time’s pen writes something and passes on, there is no power in the world that can go back and change what has been written.These people may now raise as much clamour as they wish or try their best to change his- tory itself, but these events have been manifested and no hand can obliterate them.This is a long story.Despite exercising brevity, I think this subject will take a long time.It is possible that this sub- ject may need to be continued in the next sermon or per- haps even in the one after that.So, if some of the sermons become a little long, I hope our friends will remain patient.It is now extremely important for the continuity of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at along with its general inter- ests that we give effective and detailed answers to our critics by presenting our case in such a manner that even common
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 5 ] people may understand it.May it become evident who is wrong and who is right.Advice to Safeguard Against the Danger of the Khilafat Movement I draw the attention of our friends to the Khilafat Move- ment.After the first World War, not only were there polit- ical changes that took place, but also impor tant geographical ones.One of these important changes took place in Turkey, which had decided to side with the Ger- mans, who were fighting against the Allies.The Germans lost in this war.With the victory of the Allies, Sul ta n ‘Abdul H am i d of Turkey was deposed.After that, a great revolution took place in Turkey, which brought Kam a l ‘A ta Turk to power.When the kingdom that had existed in the name of khil a fat ended in Turkey, the Muslims in India started a movement for the revival of khil a fat.It was in fact directed against the British—since they had ended an Islamic khil a fat , the Muslims should now carry out a ‘ jihad ’ against them.But the voice of this jihad never rose from any Arab country.A delegation was sent from India to Turkey, which consisted of certain Muslim scholars and political figures.The delegation met with Kam a l ‘A ta Turk and offered him khil a fat and their allegiance.Kam a l ‘A ta Turk listened with bewilderment and rejected the offer, saying that it was already with great difficulty that he had
[ 6 ] rid Turkey of such outdated ideas, consolidated its unnec- essarily spread out borders, and secured the country.He questioned the intention with which the delegation had come to him and he completely rejected their offer.At that time there was an uproar in India.The scholars— who were completely unaware of the events of the past and of what was happening in the world—were actively starting an organisation among the Muslims, while the control of the organisation remained in the hands of the Hindus.There was one voice at that time that came from Qadian.That voice spoke with force and urgency, and informed the Muslims time and again of the dangers of forming such a movement, whose repercussions would have lasting effects.They were told that it was a meaning- less movement, and were advised to stay away from it.Because of uttering such truth, the Ahmad i s were severely oppressed by a movement that was started against them, and very painful events came to pass.Ahmad i s were boy- cotted in many places, their water supplies were cut off during severe summer heat, and they were stoned while sleeping outside.Fans were not very common in those days, and people were generally poor.They had to sleep— or at least try to sleep—inside their rooms during the intensely hot summers along with their children.They started a movement against Ahmad i s because Ahmad i s had opposed the Khilafat Movement, and they
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 7 ] had opposed the call for dissension against the British rule.They (the non-Ahmad i s) thought that they were doing a service to Islam.They wanted to render the same treatment to Ahmad i s that they saw fit for the British, including kill- ing and beating.But it was a lonely voice that arose from Qadian, warning the Muslims repeatedly of the dangerous error that they were committing.Mah a tm a Gandhi’s Concoction A Dissension Movement which was an invention of Mah a tm a Gandhi, was started by the mullahs 2 that were favoured by the Congress.Under the Movement, Muslims were incited to discord and dissension against the British government.Then this Movement gained such force that it took all the great scholars and Muslim leaders of India in its grip without distinction as to who belonged to the Congress and who did not.Gandhi himself favoured the religious decrees of this movement, which pointed out the great injustice that had been carried out by the British when they wiped out the khil a fat.He asked the Muslim scholars how jihad could be carried out if it was not possible to fight the British.That is, the Hindu leaders were asking for religious decrees for the benefit of the Muslims.Thus, when Gandhi asked for the verdict from the 2.Muslim religious clerics
[ 8 ] Muslims, some five-hundred of the top Muslim scholars passed the judgement that there was only one way open for the Muslims, which was to completely disassociate themselves from the British.Leaving their homeland, they should all migrate to some other Islamic country and attack the British from there, returning with great honour by driving the British out of India.Background of the Dissension Movement In short, it was this verdict that was used as the basis for dissent.There was such a fervour and excitement for the success of the Dissension Movement from one end of India to another, that Muslims were ready to fight and die.Maul a n a ‘Abdul Maj i d S a lik writes in his book, Sar Guzasht , about these conditions, which he had himself witnessed: The same night the meeting of the Khilafat Confer- ence was held in the premises of the Congress.I do not remember quite well whether Gandhi was presid- ing or Maul a n a Muhammad ‘Al i.In any case, all important persons took part in it.On the stage were Mr.Gandhi, Mrs.Annie Bassnet, Jaikar, Kailker, Muhammad ‘Al i , Shaukat ‘Al i , Z afar ‘Al i Kh a n, Seyyed H usain, Maul a n a ‘Abdul B a ri, Maul a n a F a khir Allahab a d i , Maul a n a H asrat Moh a ni, and many other leaders.Maul a n a Muhammad ‘Al i spoke in English.He said that he would first speak in English for the
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 9 ] benefit of those important people in the country who did not understand Urdu so that they could find out about the position of the Muslims regarding the khil a fat.Then, he said, he would speak in Urdu.The speech made by Maul a n a Muhammad ‘Al i was incomparable.It was not only spoken and delivered well, but also covered the subject matter remarkably.And the state of affairs of the emotions can be judged from the statement that they had no religiously sanc- tioned way left but to emigrate from the country.( Sar Guzasht, 2nd ed., p.107) It was this religious decree that Mah a tm a Gandhi had obtained for the sake of the Muslims.Maul a n a ‘Abdul Maj i d S a lik writes that Maul a n a Muhammad ‘Al i said dur- ing the speech that: Now there is no religiously sanctioned way except to emigrate from this country.We will therefore leave this country and will entrust our homes and our mosques [the word mosque particularly needs to be remembered], and the tombs of our ancestors to our Hindu brethren, until we re-enter this country as conquerors, drive the British out, and take back our trust from our brethren.I am sure that the Hindu brethren with whom we have been living together for one thousand years would not hesitate to provide this service to us.( Ibid.)
[ 10 ] Unwise Statements ‘Hindu brethren’ is an interesting phrase.It has been used before and is being used in Pakistan these days as well.An Ahmad i is not a brother, but a Hindu and a Christian is a brother.And why not? They have been living together for a thousand years.Maul a n a ‘Abdul Maj i d S a lik continues: After him, a bamboo trader of Breli, Thar Pathak, stood up.His speech was extremely emotional and v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g.H e o u t s m a r t e d M a u l a n a Muhammad ‘Al i by saying that if the Muslim breth- ren were forced to emigrate from the country as a result of their religious decree, then what would the Hindus do over here.[What a painful statement this is.] If the Muslims go away, then the Hindu castes will also join the Muslims in their emigration, and we will turn this country into a desolate wilderness so that the British may run away in fear, all by themselves.( Ibid., p.108) Maul a n a S a lik writes: How far removed from common sense are these statements? But strange is the world of emotions.At that moment, the convention was in such a state that people were wailing and crying and the Khilafat Conference had turned into a mourning session.( Ibid., p.111)
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 11 ] Gandhi in the Assembly of Muslims In those days, Gandhi had not only become the leader of the Hindus, but also for the Muslims.The affairs of the martyrs used to be presented to him for deliberation.Therefore, Maul a n a ‘Abdul Maj i d S a lik writes further in the same book: Before the start of the Convention, Mr.Gandhi came to the office of the newspaper Zam i nd a r.He was busy talking to some leaders of the Khilafat Movement and I was standing near him with papers concerning Chal Kote Goray and H abibull a h Kh a n Muh a jir Shah i d.When he finally freed himself with great difficulty, I explained the entire matter to him.( Ibid., p.124) This means that the papers concerning Muslim martyrs are being presented in the court of Gandhi.Maul a n a S a lik continues: Meanwhile, thousands of convention attendees gath- ered in front of the office of Zam i nd a r were agitated because of the delays.( Ibid.) The office of the Zam i nd a r newspaper was the centre of the A hra r and the home for the opposition of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.Maul a n a S a lik writes that people came out on the road in front of the office of the Zam i nd a r :
[ 12 ] And they started calling loudly, ‘Long live Gandhi J i , Long live India, Long live Hindus and Muslims, God is Great, Bandi M a tram, 3 Sat Sr i Ak a l.4 ’ ( Ibid.) Non-Ahmad i leaders have always behaved like this.Today they cry in torment when they see the kalimah 5 written on the gates and walls of the Ahmad i mosques.This is because these people have always behaved in different ways.When Ahmad i s call out for the victory of their leader, the Promised Messiah as , these people curse us vehemently.They dislike the kalimah that is written on the walls and doors of our mosques and graced on our hearts.This is because it announces the unity of God.This is because it d e c l a r e s t h e t r u t h f u l n e s s o f t h e H o l y P r o p h e t Muhammad sa.In any case, Maul a n a ‘Abdul Maj i d S a lik describes the arrival of Gandhi in the convention of the Muslims: The car made its way through the crowds.When Mr.Gandhi arrived at the convention, the emotions and excitement was at its peak.First, the other leaders made their speeches and then Mr.Gandhi addressed the gathering.Protesting the arrest of Maul a n a Z afar ‘Al i Kh a n, he made such a remark that remained for a long time a source of much amusement in many friendly gatherings.[I do not want to mention this 3.Hindu slogan 4.Sikh slogan 5.Creed of Islam
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 13 ] remark.] After a few weeks, Mr.Gandhi came back again, this time in the company of many leaders… The Sikhs used to kiss the hands of Maul a n a Abul Kal a m A z a d.The Hindus used to touch the dust from his feet to their eyes, and the Muslims used to accept Mr.Gandhi in such a manner as if a Godly saint had graced Lahore with his steps.( Ibid., p.124–125) The State of Emotions Among the Muslims These events had created strong emotions in the hearts of the Muslims.Therefore, for opposing this foolish Move- ment, the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at was being severely punished throughout India.Nevertheless, the state of the Muslims’ emotions is described by Maul a n a S a lik in these words: It was a common feeling among all the Muslims that there was no other way than migrating from India.Therefore, they should go to the Tribal Territories 6 and Afghanistan and make preparations for the battle that would give them victory over the British and give freedom to India.Am i r Am a null a h Kh a n 7 said in a speech that the brethren who come migrating from India, would be treated like brothers in Afghanistan.( Ibid., p.115) 6.Reference is to the North Western Frontier Province of India (now Pakistan) and contiguous regions of Afghanistan.7.The King of Afghanistan at that time.
[ 14 ] Strong Protest by the Imam of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘ at Against Dishonouring the Islamic Law A voice rose against this movement, which tried to open the Muslims’ eyes; and it repeatedly analysed and explained the existing situation that the movement was wrong from every angle.It warned the Muslims not to use the name of religious law for this purpose.It would be an insult to Islam as well as to the Holy Prophet sa.Even if it was not a political error, the Muslims would definitely be punished for mak- ing such an insult.In the movements for non-cooperation and dissension the words ‘religious law’ were being men- tioned again and again, and the Muslims were being told that it was a religious decree.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra , while addressing the Muslims, said: Why is the word of Gandhi being treated as the word of God? How can this be called religious law? You should simply say that people should do a certain thing because Gandhi says so.Why do you say that it is a decree in Islamic law? ( Tark-e-Maw a l a t aur A h k a m-e-Islam , p.58–59) He then added: If the supporters of dissension consider it as an obli- gation of religious law, then they should act as the religious law is directing.If they consider it a directive from Gandhi, then they should not deceive the public
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 15 ] in the name of the Qur’an, and they should not make a mockery of Islam.( Ibid.) He then added: Do you not see that you are wandering aimlessly after having abandoned the right path? First of all, you have accepted a non-Muslim as your leader in the place of scholars and men of learning.Has Islam now fallen to such depths that there is not even one person among its followers who can take this vessel sur- rounded by a tempest and maelstrom and direct it to safety? Does God brook no honour for this faith that He would not raise someone at such dangerous times who would be from among the servants and pupils of the Prophet Muhammad sa , and who can guide the Muslims towards their place of success? Alas, what fruit have your indiscretions borne? In the beginning, you used to consider the Holy Prophet sa to be under the favour of the Christian Messiah, and now you consider him under the gratitude of Gandhi.( Ibid.) He then said: Jesus Christ as was at least a Prophet of God.The one that you have now taken as your religious leader is not even a believer in God.So now you will see the result of this insult against the Holy Prophet sa greater than before.And if you do not repent, then you may have to be slaves to Gandhi’s people more than the slavery that you say was imposed upon you for the people of the Messiah.( Ibid., p.85–86)
[ 16 ] The Pathfinders Considered Punishable This is the character of the leadership of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, a group that has supposedly ‘betrayed Islam’ (God forbid), as well as the country.This is the char- acter of their leader.In contrast, the character of the people who were claiming sympathy for Islam and the country has already been described.But this dream of the Muslims did not last for long.When the migration took place, thou- sands of simple minded Muslims migrated from India after losing their life’s savings.With their own hands, they entrusted their belongings to their ‘Hindu brethren’.They deserted the mosques.They threw away their businesses and resigned from various departments of the government.It soon became evident that as soon as a Muslim resigned from his job, ten applications were received from Hindu applicants.Not a single Hindu migrated along with the Muslims.In contrast, the people who were showing them the straight path, and displayed true sympathy with the Muslims, were being severely punished by the Muslims.Expressions of Regret on the Movement’s Failure This was the result of instigation and leadership of those scholars who are still dominating Pakistan with the same evil intentions.It took them a long time to come to their senses.At that time, Maul a n a Abul Kal a m A z a d, who was
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 17 ] in the forefront of the movement, had a certain position among the pro-Congress scholars, which involved a deep relationship with the A h r a ri maulav i s.A z a d writes: Critical moments do not come for commanding minds everyday.But when they come, they become true tests for them.It was one such moment when we heard about the Khilafat revolution for the first time.That was the time to test how far we had developed the ability to think on our own.To what extent have we learnt to think and analyse the fine points of such things.To what extent have we developed the ability not to lose sight of our plan of action because of the mistakes of our friends and the mockery of our ene- mies? It was necessary that those among us who pos- sessed the ability to think and act wisely should have acted with caution and prudence and kept both their hearts and their tongues in check.(ed.Ghul a m Ras u l Mehr, Tabarruk a t-e- A z a d , p.238) But then he writes with great regret: But one can stumble due to hastiness and undue free- dom to act.It is a French saying that a bullet that has been fired will not return from its half-way mark no matter how much you try.We have to say with regret that the bullet was fired, and we have nothing to gain from it.( Ibid.)
[ 18 ] The Sad End of the Emotional Movement There is a book, Musalm ana n-e-Hind k i H ay a t-e-Siy a s i , 8 in which Muhammad Mirz a Dehlv i writes, while expressing sorrow at the failure of this Movement.‘It was a plan of the Hindus.’ When just yesterday, the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at was telling you that it was all a plan of the Hindus, you were calling their leader (God forbid) a great betrayer.At that time, you were not ready to hear such things.At that time, the poor Ahmad i s were being punished for say- ing the truth.But when that storm passed, then you your- self started writing that it was a plan of the Hindus.Muhammad Mirz a Dehlv i continues: Hindus were its leaders.The Muslims in this agita- tion were no more than the tool.They used them as long as they wanted to; and, they stopped the agita- tion when they had no need for it.( Musalm ana n-e- Hind k i H ay a t-e-Siy a s i , by Muhammad Mirz a Dehlv i ) Maul a n a ‘Abdul Maj i d S a lik writes about the end of this Movement in his book, Sar Guzasht , in the following words: Human emotions are very strange.With what great emotions were these sincere and zealous Muslim ready to leave their country while acting on a religious decree.And then, only a few months later, 8.The Political Life of the Muslims of India
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 19 ] when Am a null a h Kh a n’s government refused to let this huge crowd settle down, a large majority of these emigrants returned with broken hearts and weeping eyes.Thus this Movement which was based entirely on public emotions came to its pathetic end.( Sar Guzasht , p.116) Muslims Unable to Distinguish Between Friend and Foe Thus, it is a strange state of the Muslims that after suffer- ing repeated losses at the hands of the pro-Congress mul- lahs , they still do not have the ability to differentiate between a friend and a foe.These mullahs repeatedly tell lies against the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at and try to deprive the Muslim public from the Jam a ‘at’s service, guidance, and offer of friendship.The Khilafat Movement came to the same end that the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at had warned them against.Those caravans which were the caravans of false hopes given by these scholars, left India in the condition that I have just described.They lost all their life’s savings.They sold their properties at next to nothing, or entrusted them to the Hindus in such a way that they never got them back.Historians write that on their way back tribal Afghans attacked them and looted what little possessions they had taken with them.Severe diseases spread among them; and, some people died of starvation, while some died defending their belongings.The Muslim caravans returned home in an
[ 20 ] extremely painful manner.Amongst these people there were some who used to live a life of ease and comfort.They returned, clad in torn rags in such a condition that they had no source of livelihood left.Such were the sympathetic scholars to the Muslims who gave such advice, and these were the results of their advice.On one side was the sincere and sympathetic advice of the sons of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, which was (God forbid) considered a betrayal against Islam and the country.By rejecting the advice, the Muslims faced such a shameful end.Once again, it is the same voice of deception being raised in Pakistan that was also raised before in the form of the Movement, which ended in extremely shameful consequences.The Shudh i Movement and Its Background Now, I would like to talk about the Shudh i Movement in India.At the time when Muslims faced grave danger result- ing of the Shudh i Movement in India, what was the charac- ter of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, and what was the character of the A h r a ri mullahs who have unfortunately been imposed upon Pakistan? The Shudh i Movement showed who the true sympathisers of Islam were, and who the false ones were; who loves Islam like a mother, and who simply talks about it with empty rhetoric.The Shu- dh i Movement started near A grah in an area known as
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 21 ] Malk a na.Around 1923, the Hindus started a Movement with the intention that all the Muslims living in the area, who were once Hindus, would convert back to their origi- nal faith.This Movement continued secretly for a long time, and the Muslims remained completely unaware of it.When news first appeared in the papers exposing this con- nection, the poor Muslims sought the help of the Deoband and D a r-un-Nadwah in Lucknow.A riot erupted, and everyone started saying that this Hindu effort must be nul- lified and that a jihad should be waged to keep Muslims attached to their faith.The reaction that took place in Qadian was remarkable.A strong and powerful reaction in response to the Shudh i Movement was started in Q a di an by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, which completely turned the direction of the Shudh i Movement and brought the Hindus to their knees.I would like to shed some light on the other movements that arose in reaction to the Shudh i Movement and their achievements with special reference to A h r a r.I shall also refer to Hindu newspapers and the newspapers of the non- Ahmad i Muslims.Intentions of the Hindus Before I mention the actions of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at or its opponents, I feel that it is important to
[ 22 ] mention the Hindus’ intentions in their own words.A well known Hindu newspaper, Tej Daily, published in Delhi made this announcement with great fervour: Without Shudh i , Hindus and Muslims cannot be one.The purport of the statement is: Why encourage unity between Muslims and Hindus? There is only one way to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity, which is turning all the Muslims into Hindus.There is no better way.When all the Muslims are purified and become Hin- dus, then there would only be Hindus.[This is actu- ally an account of a conference, which includes the report that this statement was followed by repeated clapping.] Then, no power in the world can stop India from freedom.Even if we have to suffer great adversity for the sake of the Shudh i , we still must push it forward.( Tej Daily , Delhi, March 20, 1926) Then, the Part a p newspaper writes: The R a jp u ts are being purified with great speed around A grah.Until now, some forty thousand three hundred R a jp u ts, Malk a na, Gujars, and J a ts have become Hindus.Cases like this are found in every part of India.These people are no less than five to six hundred thousand at the very least.If the Hindu soci- ety is prepared to absorb them into itself, then I would not be surprised if their numbers reach ten million.( Part a p Newspaper )
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 23 ] The Announcement of the Imam of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘ at at This Critical Juncture This was that dangerous attack, which was made on Islam.Whose sense of sympathy was afire at this time? Who were those who jumped into the field of battle in the way of Muhammad sa and sacrificed all that they had? Was it the A hra r and their associates? Or was it the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at? Let us look in the mirror of history to see who fulfilled the obligation of representing Islam in the Indian subcontinent at such a critical juncture.At the time when the Hindus were actively engaged in converting the Muslims, a voice of protest was raised in Qadian.Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra announced on March 9, 1923: At this time, we urgently need about one hundred and fifty persons to work in this area.Everyone of these hundred and fifty persons will have to devote three months for the time being.We will not give them even a paisa (pence) for spending money.They would still have to support themselves and their fam- ilies.Those people who are in service need to arrange for their own leave from work.And those who are not in service, but have their own businesses, should free themselves from their businesses and let us know in which of the four quarters are they willing to work.( al-Fa d l , March 15, 1923) If at least one year’s work was undertaken immediately, a hundred and fifty persons would be required for the first
[ 24 ] quarter, then another hundred and fifty would be required for the next quarter.Therefore, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra stated: Everyone acting under this scheme will have to be responsible for his own affairs.If he has to cook his own food, he should be willing to do so, and if he has to sleep in the jungle, he should be willing to do it.Only those should come forward who are willing to undertake this effort and hardship.They will have to sacrifice their honour and their previous expectations.( Ibid.) An Enthusiastic Response from the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘ at to Their Imam The manner in which the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at responded to the call of its Imam was so extraordinary that it will always be remembered among religious com- munities.It is a chapter in the history of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at that should be written in gilded letters.What of the elders, the young, the men, the women, the children, the youth, the rich, and the poor? All of them presented such magnificent sacrifices that a book of sev- eral hundred pages could be written on the subject.Nev- ertheless, because of time, I shall suffice in presenting only a couple of examples: One Ahmad i la dy w rote to the Imam of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at at the time:
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 25 ] H u du r: I only know how to read the Holy Qur’an, and a little bit of Urdu.I have heard from my son that Muslims are turning into apostates and that H u du r has given an order to go and help them.If I am ordered, I am prepared to go there and will not delay at all.I swear by God that I am prepared to suffer every hardship.Little girls, when they could not offer anything else, presented their scarves.Poor women presented the single goat on which they survived.Those old women who lived on stipends from the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at and had saved only two rupees (over a long period of time and in fact two rupees in those days had a lot of value), presented them to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra saying: T h i s s c a r f on my h e a d b e l on g s to t h e Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.These clothes of mine are also made from the stipend that I receive from the Jam a ‘at.My shoes are given by the Jam a ‘at as well.There is nothing of my own that I could present.H u du r, there are only two rupees that I saved from the stipend that I receive from the Jam a ‘at for some purpose of my own; and, I present them so that the tide of this evil oppressive Shudh i Movement is overturned.( K a rz a r-e-Shudh i , p.46)
[ 26 ] Unique Sacrifices This was the spirit of sacrifice that the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at displayed.In answering to the call against the Shu- dh i Movement, the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at was ready to sacrifice everything.A Bengali friend, by the name of Q ari Na‘ i m-ud-D i n, wrote a letter to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra.He addressed H u du r in the capacity of an eld- erly father: Although my sons, Maulav i Zill-ur-Ra h m a n and Mut i -ur-Ra h m a n, a student in B.A.class, have not spoken to me, I have concluded that the movement that H u du r has urged for devoting one’s time to go to R a jp u t ana to preach and the conditions that H u du r has mentioned for living there, may perhaps have led my sons to believe that if they present themselves in H u du r’s service, then I, their old father, may have to bear unnecessary hardship.But I say to H u du r, taking God as my witness, that if these two even die in the way of God, I would not shed a single tear for them, but rather would be grateful to God.I do not have only these two, but I have a third son, Mahb u b-ur- Ra h m a n, as well.If he is killed in the service of Islam—and if I had ten sons and they were all killed—even then I would not mourn for them.Per- haps, it may not be considered to be something nota- ble to be happy at the suffering of one’s children.There are some people who keep laughing at the death of their relatives; but, I say that even if I am
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 27 ] killed myself in the way of God, it would be a source of great pleasure.( al-Fa d l , March 15, 1923) Nature Never Changes Were these the ‘betrayers’ of Islam and the country? The ones who were ‘betrayers’ like this yesterday are ‘betrayers’ like this even today, because their nature has not changed.Neither your swords, nor your spears, nor those sharp tongues that are used day and night to inflict wounds upon the hearts of Ahmad i s can change their nature.The kinds of ‘betrayals’ 9 that we were doing before, we are prepared to do again.And the kind of ‘Islamic service’ 10 that you did yesterday, you are still doing today—no difference has occurred in the attitude of the two.Ahmad i s Turned the Tide of the Shudh i Movement The questions arise: what was the nature of this religious fight? From whom did the Hindu people feel such danger? And, who actually defeated the Shudh i Movement? Listen to this from the people who were being hurt.The well known Hindu newspaper, Tej Daily , which just yesterday made bold announcements regarding the claims of the Shudh i Movement converting ten million Muslims into 9.i.e., the protection and the service of Islam 10.i.e., damage to the causes of Islam
[ 28 ] Hindus (instead of the previous claims of five to six hun- dred thousand) was forced to write: The Vedas are revealed.They are the very first heav- enly scriptures and the complete religion.The Qadian i s used to say that the Qur’an is the word of God and Hadrat Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets.As a result of this constant effort, no Chris- tian or Muslim now converts to the Arya Sam a j.( Tej Daily , Delhi, July 25, 1927) No One Except Ahmad i s in the Battlefield of Shudh i This newspaper did not see anyone else in the battlefield fighting on the side of Islam, except the Qadian i s.Where were the A hra ri mullahs when the battle of Shudh i was being waged against the Muslims? At that time, there were only Ahmad i s in the field who turned the tide of this move- ment.The Tej Daily writes again: Of all the Muslims in the world, the Jam a ‘at that car- ries out the solid, continuous, and most effective work is the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, and I say the truth of which we are all ignorant.We have never tried to understand this dangerous Jam a ‘at.( Ibid.) The Height of Impertinence Now, see that the Hindus were trembling, even at the time when they had a majority of millions and the size of the
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 29 ] Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at was considerably smaller compared to what it is today.Despite this, with utter shamelessness, the A hra ri maulav i s and the government of Pakistan sometimes refer to the Jam a ‘at as the agent of the Hindus, the agent of the Christians, or even sometimes as the agent of the Jews.Have a little fear of God.After all, there should be some limit to the lies.There is a book called Hindu Dharam aur I s l ahi Ta hri- kain 11 , whose author writes: Arya Sam a j introduced Shudh i , or the process of turning the impure into the pure [converting Muslims into Hindus].Because of this, the A ry a Sam a j came into collision with a proselytising group among the Muslims, that is, the Qadian i sect.( Hindu Dharam aur I s l ahi Ta hri kain, p.43–44) At that time, what were the activities of the ‘standard bear- ers’ of Islam who claimed to be loyal and devoted, and con- tinued to claim that the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at was betraying Islam by giving religious decrees against jihad ? The question is that: when the door was open to actively strive for the sake of religion, who were the ones who cheerfully walked into the battlefields? Was it the Ahmad i lions, or the accusors of Ahmadiyyat? The enemy did not see any sign of them in the battlefield.If they saw anyone 11.A Hindu Faith and Reform Movements
[ 30 ] striving against them, it was the Ahmad i s that they saw.The writer continues: The Arya Sam a j came into collision with a proselytis- ing group among the Muslims.The Arya Sam a j used to say that the Vedas are the very first heavenly Scrip- tures revealed and that they outline a complete reli- gion.The Qadian i s used to say that the Qur’an is the word of God and that Hadrat Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets.( Ibid.) Accept the Truth When It Becomes Manifest I have already read the last part of this excerpt.The reason I read it once more is that it is a stark reality, which is warn- ing these people even today.Whatever they might say when a difficult time comes upon Islam and the clouds of danger sweep down, only the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at is will- ing to face the challenges as it has done in the past.It will continue to give the utmost sacrifice in the defence of Islam.In connection with the Shudh i Movement, the newspa- per, Arya Patreka, from Breli writes on April 1, 1923: At the moment, of all the Islamic associations and communities that are working to keep the Malk a na R a jp u ts from going back to their original tribes, the efforts and zeal of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at of Qadian are truly worth praising.( Arya Patreka , Breli, April 1, 1923)
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 31 ] The Mashriq from Gorukhpur, which was a Muslim news- paper and perhaps still is—I do not know—wrote in its publication of March 15, 1923: The Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at has rendered a severe blow, particularly to the Arya thoughts.And the selflessness and concern w ith which the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at carries out its efforts in preaching and publication, cannot be seen in other communities these days.Invaluable Services of the Muslims of the Ahmadiyyah Jam a ‘ at In any case, the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at started a forceful movement against Shudh i, and considerable news was given to it in the national press.However, I do not mean to say that other communities never came out in the field.The other groups of scholars of other sects indeed leaped into the field, but the enemy never felt their strike.Their mutual differences were such that they spent most of their effort attempting to reconcile them.The Zam i nd a r newspaper writes in connection with these feuds: Those faults that have come to be known through the newspapers regarding the apostasy movement, clearly show that the Muslims of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at are rendering an invaluable service to Islam.( Zam i nd a r, June 24, 1923)
[ 32 ] As the battlefield of Shudh i was heating up, the Ahmad i s had become Muslims, because they were fighting for the sake of Islam and no deception could be engineered.This is the same newspaper that has repeatedly thrown the Ahmad i s outside of the pale of Islam, but at that time it had been forced to recognise that Ahmad i s are Muslims.If it did not, the world would curse it.The aforementioned newspaper writes: The Muslims of the Ahmadiyyah Jam a ‘at are render- ing an invaluable service to Islam.The selflessness, perseverance, good intention, and reliance on God that is evident through them is certainly worthy of infinite respect and appreciation—even if it may not be considered unique in present-day India.( Ibid.) Historical Facts Can Never Be Obliterated Please see the traits and character of these ‘non-Muslims’.What are the beautiful traits of these ‘non-Muslims’: self- lessness, perseverance, good intentions, and dependence on God.If these are indeed ‘non-Muslim’ traits, then adopt them, because they are life-giving traits, and without them, nations cannot survive.Come to your senses.Enter the world of reality.Come learn from us the skills that are needed for staying alive.Those who possessed these traits were visible to the enemy too.But the Muslims who have devoted their entire lives in the opposition of Ahmadiyyat
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 33 ] were definitely not seen by the enemy.The Zam i nd a r news- paper writes: Whereas, our well known saints and scholars of shrines are indolent and totally inactive, this valorous Jam a ‘at has rendered a meritorious service.( Ibid.) Now go ahead and change this entire history, if you can.It has been written.The pen of events has recorded it.The pen held by your own hands has verified the truth of these incidents.Raise as much clamour as you wish, but you will never be able to erase these historical events from the face of the earth.Acknowledgement of the Services of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘ at Sheikh Ghul a m H usain was a non-Ahmad i from Jhelum, where he also worked with the other religious communi- ties.From there, he wrote a letter to the Zam i nd a r newspa- per which was published in its publication of June 29, 1923.Sheikh Ghul a m H usain addresses the editor of the Zam i n- d a r newspaper: The Qadian i Ahmad i s are displaying great selfless- ness.Approximately a hundred of their preachers, under the command of the delegation’s head, are entrenched in various villages.These people have rendered a visible service.All these preachers are working without pay or stipends.Although we are
[ 34 ] not Ahmad i s, we cannot refrain from praising the great work of the Ahmad i s.The selflessness that has been shown by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at cannot be seen anywhere except in the likeness of the early Muslims.( Statement of Sheikh Ghul a m H usain , Head Master, High School, Jhelum, Zam i n- d a r , June 29, 1923) When the Promised Messiah says: By finding me, he joined the ranks of Companions Maulav i s boil with anger and get terribly enraged.But when it is a matter of practically defending Islam and giving time to support Islam, then they are forced to make the same statements about the Jam a ‘at.The angels of God make you write the same words attesting that seeing the behaviour of the Ahmad i s is reminiscent of the early Muslims.That is, seeing the selflessness and the spirit of sacrifice among the Ahmad i s makes one remember the same ancient people who lived at the time of the Prophet Muhammad sa.Sheikh Ghul a m H usain writes: The selflessness that has been show n by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at cannot be seen anywhere except in the likeness of the early Muslims.Every one of their preachers, be he poor or rich, is working in the field without any food or allowance for travelling.They work under their leader in severe heat and hot winds.( Ibid.)
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 35 ] There are many other excerpts and references like these from different Muslim newspapers and well known person- alities that clearly attest to the fact that the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at served the cause of Islam during the Shu- dh i Movement.The Peace Conference That Could Not Be Held Without the Ahmad i s As a result of extreme pressure from the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at, these proud leaders of the Arya Sam a j— who did not even want to talk to the Muslims as they were continuing their unilateral attacks on Islam—were forced to acknowledge their defeat.They decided that the only way out was through reconciliation.The conference that they called attracted top leaders of both sides.But a funny thing happened.Every sect except the Ahmad i s was invited to it.The Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at was the only one not being represented.When the Hindu and Muslim leaders gathered to establish the rules for reconciliation, and the Hindus did not see anyone representing the Ahmad i s, they turned to the Muslim leaders saying: what could we gain by reconciling with you, while the ones who are actually fighting are not even present? You are not the people that we saw in the fields of Malk a na.The ones we fear, and the ones who may still defeat us, are still free and may continue to attack us.
[ 36 ] As a result, the conference was immediately postponed.A telegram was sent to Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra in Qadian apologizing and requesting him to send a represen- tative immediately.This is the history of Islam that has been written forever.This history will neither perish nor will it be allowed to perish.There is no earthly ruler who possesses the power to change the writings that have been decreed by God.These are the decrees of God’s power that have been manifested.All the armies of the world cannot erase these events because they have been engraved on the face of the world forever.The Lofty Character of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘ at This is the character of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at.It was the same yesterday as it is today, and it will be the same tomorrow.Those of you who oppose us, go ahead and be our enemies to your heart’s content.Go on prov- ing your ungratefulness as long as you wish; but I swear by God—in Whose power is my life—that when you are surrounded by adversities tomorrow, the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at will be standing in the first ranks taking the arrows that were meant for you.May your eyes open and may you see who your friend is and who your foe is.There are none who sympathise with Islam more than us.There are none who sympathise with the nation of Islam
A Review of the Pakistani Government’s “White Paper”: Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam [ 37 ] more than us.There are none with more love or devotion to the faith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa than us.The past has been telling you the same thing, but you keep on forgetting.The future will also tell you the same thing.I wish your eyes were opened up so you could see who your friend is and who your foe is.These tales are very long.I thought I would be able to describe the events before the creation of Pakistan with brevity, but I have not completed even half of them.I think that I shall, insh a ’Allah, in the next sermon try to complete the remaining part.I shall also elaborate on the occasions that arose for the service to Islam whether inside or out- s i d e o f Pa k i s t a n.T h e n , I s h a l l d i s c u s s h o w t h e Ahmadiyyah Muslim Jam a ‘at behaved at such times, and how the people who accuse the Jam a ‘at have behaved at such times.I shall present this interesting comparison in the context of the e vents in my future sermons, insh a ’Allah.