On The Real War Front Against Islamist Extremism

What do you imagine the front line against Islamist extremism looks like?

Will this war fix anything? Image courtesy Stars and Stripes.

Does it comprise of  NATO led troops, security agencies and hired guns fighting against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan?

Or is it the Iraqi and Kurdish military forces retreating against the
rising tide of the Salafist terrorists in the Middle-East?

Is it the unmanned drones raining fire upon the militant hideouts in tribal Pakistan or in far-flung areas of the Yemen? Or is it yet another battlefield getting ready in Sub-Saharan Africa?

What if I told you that none of the above have anything to do with fighting extremism. These wars have everything to do with the world economy and its dependence on oil and arms trade.

But the righteous soldiers who fight the real war are not armed with any weapons. Most of them haven't committed a single violent act in their lives. And another thing, bad guys don't die in this war. Good guys do.

Three of its latest casualties were a 60 years old lady, a 7 years old girl and an 8 months old baby. They all died fighting the good fight against a blood thirsty mob in a city called Gujranwala, in Pakistan. The mob, charged in religious frenzy, angered by the false accusation of blasphemy torched the houses of Ahmadi Muslims and in the process, killed three of them.

The War has been on for over a hundred years. Since then, the world has seen cycles of pointless destruction the latest of which is being conducted in the guise of 'war on terror'. This senseless violence is bringing us closer to a nuclear apocalypse.

The only way to save the world is to join the real struggle. The quest for Absolute Justice. The real Jihad to reform ourselves to change the world around us, one person at a time. I know it is cliched and perhaps too boring for those who wish to see the good triumph against evil in a fairytale fashion.

But for those who join the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community find themselves pitched against all forms of adversity on a daily basis.


From Abdul Lateef, who stood buried waist deep in a Kabul square in 1902, telling his executors that he will never renounce his belief in the Living God; to 7 year old Hira Tabassum, who recited the Kalima while she choked to death in the toxic smoke of her burning home in Gujranwala, hundreds have laid down their lives for this cause.

The Gujranwala mob: Dancing and celebrating after murdering two little girls and their grandmother. Courtesy: Dawn.com

Ahmadiyya Muslims believe in true Islamic teachings of freedom of concience, thought and speech. They understand Quran and the Islamic tradition through the prophetic guidance of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed to be the Divinely Guided Imam Mahdi who will reform the world.



Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.



Through his claims and extensive writings, Hazrat Ahmad declared Jihad on the false beliefs and doctrines which had caused mankind to forget God and to follow their own vain desires.



He also announced that the false notion of violent Jihad has no place in Islam. Surely enough, religious leaders from various faith groups started opposing him. Soon, this opposition turned into hatred and widespread persecution followed.

The first and foremost indicator of militant, extremist Islamist activity is 'Takfir', the declaration of a person, group or community to be lesser humans, worthy of persecution and even death.



Ahmadis were perhaps the first victims of a global Takfiri movement facilitated and funded by those who think that they have monopoly over Islam.

After 125 years of valiant and constant struggle, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is now established in almost all countries of the world. It is the fastest spreading Islamic sect in the world and is gaining adherents from all nations of the world, including the Arabic speaking communities.

It may not be so apparent, but the war against bigotry and injustice is being won, one person at a time. Those who are too eager to partake in the violent wars are destined to be forgotten by history.

Each year an English country town, Alton, Hampshire receives over 30,000 delegates who attend the three day Jalsa Salana.. It is the annual gathering of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which becomes the spiritual focal point for the millions around the world.

Over 30,000 delegates, men, women and children attend the 3 day event every year.

When some misguided Muslim youths raise black banners in London while demonstrating for Gaza, news media is quick to point out the creeping Islamist agenda among the mainstream British Muslims. The black banner of Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam has been flying over  the UK Jalsa Salana for almost half a century. This banner represents the peaceful, spiritual and unifying message of Islam.

Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat, the black flag of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community flies over the Jalsa Salana.

The Khalifatul Masih, fifth successor of the Promised Messiah takes the pledge of allegiance from the thousands who join the community. Existing members also renew their ba'iyah (pledge). The pledge binds each of them to promise their lives for the cause of God and the Jihad for the soul of Islam until the final victory.

Ahmadi Muslim delegates at Jalsa Salana waiting for the Khalifatul Masih to pledge their allegiance

If you want to see the real front line of the real 'War' against terrorism, extremism and injustice.. Come visit Jalsa Salana UK.



Our weapon of choice: Books.



Follow the event on twitter @JalsaUK

On TV on www.mta.tv or sky channel 787

I was on BBC 3 Counties Radio's JVS show on Friday, discussing ISIS, Timothy Furnish and the causes of extremism https://t.co/wydqhyOrag

— Lutf (@Lutfislam) August 25, 2014

Not Forgotten. Abdul Haleem and Abdullah Khan- Martyrs of Kabul:

Alfazl, 17 Dec, 1926 published this article.

Hadhrat Maulvi Abdul Haleem Sahib and Hadhrat Maulvi Abdullah Khan Sahib; Eye witness account of Stoning of the Prisoners of Kabul (1925)- As told to Fazl Kareem

“The person who narrated to me the event related to Hazrat Maulana Abdul Haleem Sahib and Maulvi Abdullah Khan Sahib, had me promise him not to divulge his name. He has narrated the events after swearing to God Almighty, and as far as it is possible, I will reproduce his words accurately. I and a relative of mine were listening to this story. We had our emotions under control. But the narration was of such nature that Ahmadi or not, even the most cold hearted person would have shivered after listening to it. There was a lady, a relative of the narrator sitting close by. He eyes welled up and she started crying Mercy, Mercy and asking forgiveness from God. She said “Only God knows why these Kabulis are so cruel and stone hearted- Will they not be punished for this? Did they not feel a little bit of mercy that they slaughtered men like sheep and goat?” She started cursing the Kabulis and for many hours she stayed in the same state crying for forgiveness.”
From near my shop, ten or fifteen policemen were escorting two prisoners to some place. One of them was a youth, of about 30 years of age. And the other was a middle-aged man of more than 50 years. Both had chains around their feet. Both had turbans on their heads and were wearing trousers and coats with shoes on their feet. Behind them was a great procession of people which kept swelling as they walked through the market. People were chatting and laughing like they were going to watch an entertaining show.

A town crier was announcing that these two Qadianis will be stoned to death according to the decision of the Qazi after Asr (afternoon) prayers. Both criminals were silent, with ashen faces. The older man (Abdul Haleem) had a prayer bead and he was reciting something. We knew that the stoning will take place at Asiya Bai, so I arrived there with some of my friends. Then we were told that it will be done at Sherpur instead. So we went to Sherpur. We saw a huge crowd there and many people were still arriving. After a while, the Qazi arrived on a carriage. As soon as he arrived, he ordered the chains to be broken and the condemned were told that they can now pray salat or nafls as they wished. Both of them prayed two or four raka’ats each (I don’t remember exactly). People were standing on high spots around the ground where the condemned were standing. After prayers, both had their turbans and coats removed, leaving only their shirts and trousers on them. Then they were pushed towards the lower ground. I did not hear it myself, but people said that both of them were saying that it will be decided on the day of judgement about who is right.

Finally the Qazi picked up a stone and threw it at them. As soon as he did that, people who were already standing with stones gathered in the fronts of their shirts started raining stones at them. They were about 15-20 yards from them.

Here I asked the narrator if the condemned cried or shrieked at all. He said that I was very near them, but did not hear anything from them. Then he said that the old man (Abdul Haleem) was being hit by the stones, he placed both his hands on his face and kneeled to the ground; until he was buried half under the stones. Then a stone hit his head and as with immense pain he sat up with his hands still on his face, as one sits in prayer. His face and head were dripping with blood and in the same state he passed away.

The other criminal who was younger (Maulvi Abdullah Khan) kept standing. Every time when a stone hit him, he fell, but then stood up again; fell again and stood up again; he kept struggling to get up every time, but could not keep standing. And this is how he died too. Both had so many stones thrown at them that they were buried under the stones and we could not see anything but stones after some time.

When asked if he also thew stones, the narrator said that yes, I threw 20-25 stones. I asked, how big were the stones thrown by the people? He said that they were about 2-3 kilos each. It was a hill and whatever one could find was thrown. When asked what was he thinking when he threw the stones, he did not answer directly and said that at that time his thoughts were very different.

In this context, I (Fazl Kareem) should also narrate another incidence that Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih (Mirza Basheerudeen Mahmood) also mentioned in one of his speeches. A man belonging to Rawalpindi wrote to a friend from Kabul that those two Qadianis whose stoning you were waiting so eagerly and were postponing your departure to India for the very same reason were finally stoned to death recently. I have also thrown a few stones on your behalf so that you may also partake of the blessings of the event. Congratulations to you! When this man read the news he shared it with much happiness and glee with his friends and also mentioned this to Ahmadis as a gesture of mockery. We were not aware of this news in Qadian yet. As if this was a great victory to these people. Alas these people do not understand that this was no great victory, but a humiliating defeat. Victory went to those who attained eternal life and whose name will be remembered for days to come and generations will be praying for them. And the same land of Kabul will bear fruit from this blessed blood.

(The above has been translated from Urdu to keep the memory of the two Martyrs alive, 85 years after the event took place in Kabul, Afghanistan)