Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Peace Conference
Peace conference organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Watford, to be held in Abbots Langley
From Watford Observer
12:03pm Tuesday 23rd November 2010
By Amie Mulderrig »
A peace conference organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Watford, is to be held in Abbots Langley this weekend.
Visitors are invited to the Henderson Hall, in the High Street, on Sunday, November 28.
The keynote speech will centre on “Respect to all holy scriptures – an Islamic perspective”, and will be delivered by Faiz Ahmad Zahid, Hertfordshire Imam of the community.
Muhammad Rafiuddin, president of the association, said: “This will be second such event held in Abbots Langley in recent years.
“We had very good turn out last time. The local community responded really well to our invitation and showed keen interest in learning about Islam’s peaceful message.”
There will be an opportunity to ask questions about Islam and refreshments will also be served.
Anyone interested in attending the event should email watford.ama@gmail.com or call Mr Rafiuddin on: 07725 722 726 for an invitation.
From Watford Observer
12:03pm Tuesday 23rd November 2010
By Amie Mulderrig »
A peace conference organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Watford, is to be held in Abbots Langley this weekend.
Visitors are invited to the Henderson Hall, in the High Street, on Sunday, November 28.
The keynote speech will centre on “Respect to all holy scriptures – an Islamic perspective”, and will be delivered by Faiz Ahmad Zahid, Hertfordshire Imam of the community.
Muhammad Rafiuddin, president of the association, said: “This will be second such event held in Abbots Langley in recent years.
“We had very good turn out last time. The local community responded really well to our invitation and showed keen interest in learning about Islam’s peaceful message.”
There will be an opportunity to ask questions about Islam and refreshments will also be served.
Anyone interested in attending the event should email watford.ama@gmail.com or call Mr Rafiuddin on: 07725 722 726 for an invitation.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
On Iqbal day, 2010
Growing up in Pakistani educational system in the eighties, I was made aware of Allama Iqbal from the first day when I heard "lab pe aati hay dua" being recited in the school. The poem is prayer by a child that God may make his life a guiding light for others. Iqbal teaches the child that he must stand by the poor and help those in need. To be honset, children at school assembley just followed the tune. We had no idea what it meant. This was a generation which will grow up to live the democracy of post-Zia era and post-democracy Musharraf times. And now post-Musharraf democracy. We learnt that our collective lives were not a glowing beacon for people to follow, neither were we a generation to help our nation's poor and downtrodden. Iqbal's first dream is being broken every single day in Pakistan.We have seen enough carnage of racial, sectarian violence, a war in Kashmir, an insurgency in Baluchistan, a mutiny in tribal areas and the rise and further rise of terrorism. We have suffered natural calamaties of Biblical proprotions. Iqbal's prayer, recited by millions of Pakistani children remains unanswered.
During my middle school years, I was told that Iqbal was the person who saw the vision of Pakistan and Quaid e Azam fulfilled his dream. I imagined Iqbal, the wise sage, waking up from his dream in his candle-lit quarters, looking for a piece of paper to write down the description of this Divinely inspired vision. It turned out that this "dream" was a well thought out speech in a political conference, and later explained in a letter to the Daily Times, London. In these days, I became fond of Iqbal and borrowed his poetry books from the library and tried to memorize many of his poems. His Shaheen Momin was my hero, my ideal. His rhetoric of superiority of a praciticing Muslim and his message of revolution was very appeasing to me. At that time, I was also a keen reader of Naseem Hijazi, Barbara Cartland of urdu literature. Except for he was a man, and wrote novels around the glorious Muslim conquests in Middle-East and Europe. The comparison with Barbara Cartland is due to his fixation with just one era and with one aspect of history.
Iqbal's portrait appears in many offices across Pakistan. In many of his protraits, he appears in a contemplative pose with an eagle soaring in the background. The eagle or falcon represents a true Muslim. A soldier of Islam who is proud of his Islamic heritage and superior understanding of the world around him. To us, Iqbal was one of these super-Muslims. How bravely did he stand up to the British and Hindus to guide the Muslims to find their pride and recover their prestige. And Muslims of India did just that by creating Pakistan. I read about Captain Sarwar, Major Aziz Bhatti etc. and thought of them as personifications of Iqbal’s Shaheen. In the 80s, Gen. Zia’s american Jihad was taught in school books. India was always evil, Israel a mortal enemy and Russian was the official language in Hell. Iqbal’s selective poetry in school books, and many religious sunni teachers, no wonder Pakistanis have such a one-sided view of Iqbal.
Then I found Ghalib and Meer. Iqbal’s poetry did not seem as brilliant when I compared them. I discovered in college, that to consider Ghalib better than Iqbal was to confess that you preferred wine and women over your faith. But Ghalib’s poetry agreed with my thoughts more than Iqbal. Ghalib’s honesty and humour had much more to offer than Iqbal’s dry slogans. But when it came to politics, I was still in agreement with Iqbal. Muslims needed the strength of character, the military advantage to win their place in the world. Ghalib was always busy ruing his bad luck and failures. Meer was crying himself to sleep. But Iqbal was challenging the accursed satan himself. He even went as far as questioning God's Wisdom on why Muslims were in decline.
But then I found Faiz. Ghalib had a match. Iqbal was No. 3 in the list. Faiz teaches us to be stubborn in the face of adversity, but he also keeps one foot in the dreamland. He trusts God's Wisdom and accepts that pain and persecution is all a part of our collective experience. He may have been a communist, but his metaphors are more closely connected to the Holy Scriptures than Iqbal's.
What was my reason to demote Iqbal from my list of literary heroes? (He still is on the list.. but somewhere at number 25 or below). I read a comment once that Ghalib resorted to writing Qaseedahs for the British Monarch. I also found a lament Iqbal wrote at the death of Queen Victoria, where he equated the day of her death to Muharram. I have no problems with people writing praises for the Kings and Queens. Both did what they though was right. But Iqbal’s deep study of Greek and modern European philosophy had an impact on his own thinking. He was a student of history, but was not such a great revolutionary as portrayed in the books. He himself denied in a letter that he never wanted a separate homeland for muslims, but was only throwing options to ensure peace in India. I think muslims in India made Iqbal into a celebrity too soon. As soon as he returned after his overseas education, he was treated like a leader. His poetry was lauded as the best in the whole country. But was his phiolsophy as sound as his linguisitic abilities? I find that today, everyone claims Iqbal to be one of them. Secularists love him because he condemned the mullah. Mullah quotes him as he was a Jihadist. Scholars like Ghulam Ahmad Pervez (of Tolu-e-Islam) claim that Iqbal was a rationalist like Sir Syed. Indians revere him, Pakistanis claim the ownership over Iqbal. What was Iqbal? I think, he was a poet, who could never make up his mind.
A freethinker like he was, Iqbal dismissed orthodoxy for most of his life, until he required guidance (or was pushed to seek it) by the Ahrar. In 1935, just three years before his death, Dr. Iqbal felt the urge to oppose the Ahmadiyya Sect, despite his four decades long active relationship with them. His close relatives were Ahmadis. His eldest son, Aftab Iqbal was sent to Qadian to study in the Ahmadiyya boarding school. These last three years of his life, gave Iqbal the popularity among the ultra-orthodox Ahrar, and later Jamaat e Islami and other deobad and even salafi-wahabi movements.
I would like to believe that Iqbal’s vision was a federation of fucntioning muslim provinces who followed rationalist Islamic ideology like his. But who can tell? Our Jihadis find the ailing, angry and vindictive Iqbal more agreeable.
During my middle school years, I was told that Iqbal was the person who saw the vision of Pakistan and Quaid e Azam fulfilled his dream. I imagined Iqbal, the wise sage, waking up from his dream in his candle-lit quarters, looking for a piece of paper to write down the description of this Divinely inspired vision. It turned out that this "dream" was a well thought out speech in a political conference, and later explained in a letter to the Daily Times, London. In these days, I became fond of Iqbal and borrowed his poetry books from the library and tried to memorize many of his poems. His Shaheen Momin was my hero, my ideal. His rhetoric of superiority of a praciticing Muslim and his message of revolution was very appeasing to me. At that time, I was also a keen reader of Naseem Hijazi, Barbara Cartland of urdu literature. Except for he was a man, and wrote novels around the glorious Muslim conquests in Middle-East and Europe. The comparison with Barbara Cartland is due to his fixation with just one era and with one aspect of history.
Iqbal's portrait appears in many offices across Pakistan. In many of his protraits, he appears in a contemplative pose with an eagle soaring in the background. The eagle or falcon represents a true Muslim. A soldier of Islam who is proud of his Islamic heritage and superior understanding of the world around him. To us, Iqbal was one of these super-Muslims. How bravely did he stand up to the British and Hindus to guide the Muslims to find their pride and recover their prestige. And Muslims of India did just that by creating Pakistan. I read about Captain Sarwar, Major Aziz Bhatti etc. and thought of them as personifications of Iqbal’s Shaheen. In the 80s, Gen. Zia’s american Jihad was taught in school books. India was always evil, Israel a mortal enemy and Russian was the official language in Hell. Iqbal’s selective poetry in school books, and many religious sunni teachers, no wonder Pakistanis have such a one-sided view of Iqbal.
Then I found Ghalib and Meer. Iqbal’s poetry did not seem as brilliant when I compared them. I discovered in college, that to consider Ghalib better than Iqbal was to confess that you preferred wine and women over your faith. But Ghalib’s poetry agreed with my thoughts more than Iqbal. Ghalib’s honesty and humour had much more to offer than Iqbal’s dry slogans. But when it came to politics, I was still in agreement with Iqbal. Muslims needed the strength of character, the military advantage to win their place in the world. Ghalib was always busy ruing his bad luck and failures. Meer was crying himself to sleep. But Iqbal was challenging the accursed satan himself. He even went as far as questioning God's Wisdom on why Muslims were in decline.
But then I found Faiz. Ghalib had a match. Iqbal was No. 3 in the list. Faiz teaches us to be stubborn in the face of adversity, but he also keeps one foot in the dreamland. He trusts God's Wisdom and accepts that pain and persecution is all a part of our collective experience. He may have been a communist, but his metaphors are more closely connected to the Holy Scriptures than Iqbal's.
What was my reason to demote Iqbal from my list of literary heroes? (He still is on the list.. but somewhere at number 25 or below). I read a comment once that Ghalib resorted to writing Qaseedahs for the British Monarch. I also found a lament Iqbal wrote at the death of Queen Victoria, where he equated the day of her death to Muharram. I have no problems with people writing praises for the Kings and Queens. Both did what they though was right. But Iqbal’s deep study of Greek and modern European philosophy had an impact on his own thinking. He was a student of history, but was not such a great revolutionary as portrayed in the books. He himself denied in a letter that he never wanted a separate homeland for muslims, but was only throwing options to ensure peace in India. I think muslims in India made Iqbal into a celebrity too soon. As soon as he returned after his overseas education, he was treated like a leader. His poetry was lauded as the best in the whole country. But was his phiolsophy as sound as his linguisitic abilities? I find that today, everyone claims Iqbal to be one of them. Secularists love him because he condemned the mullah. Mullah quotes him as he was a Jihadist. Scholars like Ghulam Ahmad Pervez (of Tolu-e-Islam) claim that Iqbal was a rationalist like Sir Syed. Indians revere him, Pakistanis claim the ownership over Iqbal. What was Iqbal? I think, he was a poet, who could never make up his mind.
A freethinker like he was, Iqbal dismissed orthodoxy for most of his life, until he required guidance (or was pushed to seek it) by the Ahrar. In 1935, just three years before his death, Dr. Iqbal felt the urge to oppose the Ahmadiyya Sect, despite his four decades long active relationship with them. His close relatives were Ahmadis. His eldest son, Aftab Iqbal was sent to Qadian to study in the Ahmadiyya boarding school. These last three years of his life, gave Iqbal the popularity among the ultra-orthodox Ahrar, and later Jamaat e Islami and other deobad and even salafi-wahabi movements.
I would like to believe that Iqbal’s vision was a federation of fucntioning muslim provinces who followed rationalist Islamic ideology like his. But who can tell? Our Jihadis find the ailing, angry and vindictive Iqbal more agreeable.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Death of Tolerance; Angela Merkel, Melanie Phillips and Rupert Murdoch
Melanie Phillips in her recent Spectator article has painted a grim picture for the future of Europe. This was in the light of Chancellor Merkel's recent comments about the failure of multiculturalism in Germany. I have no doubt that the German Chancellor's concerns are legitimate and Europe is indeed failing to assimilate the large number of non-EU immigrants into the mainstream culture.
I also agree with the opinion that various religious views held by these immigrants may be a reason for their failure to be accepted by their ethnic European neighbours. Radical Islam is a concern for everyone, Including a vast majority of those immigrant who have come to Europe to escape the tyrannical "Islamic" governments in their homelands.
Here is my problem. The far-right has always been around. Germany has seen its fair share of this in the past. Many European countries have seen a resurgence of right-wing politics in recent years. This is expected during every economic downturn. When jobs are scarce, when the state benefits system is under pressure, it is always immigrants who become the scapegoat.
Melanie mentioned Ahmadi Muslims in London being persecuted by the local extremists. This was apparently an example of how bad things are. Extremist Muslims are running amok in the heart of the western world! Tower Hamlet is an independent Sharia state and Hijabis are terrorizing innocent Londoners. This is not a good argument against immigration. Against Bigotry and misplaced cultural practices yes, but not against immigration.
I am an Ahmadi Muslim. There are many thousands of us living in London. Yes, we suffer from persecution in various Muslim countries, and yes, even in this country, orthodox Muslims oppose us at every opportunity they get. They have even campaigned against building of our mosque and have helped EDL and BNP to prevent our community projects from going ahead. The problem is bigotry. Its not only brown people from overseas bringing their evil ideologies to our shores. We have our own, home grown bigotry to deal with as well.
Ms. Philips also states that a lady burnt alive in Bradford was somehow a victim of Islamic extremism. That as a gruesome murder. As far as I know, murder have been happening in England before immigrants arrived on their boats.
The West has always taken the higher moral ground when it comes to "lesser" nationalities. They have always been backward and ignorant, they have always shown resistance to reform or they have always been stubborn, stuck in their ways. This is why they come in their droves to enjoy a lifestyle of luxuries by exploiting our benefit system. They multiply and increase by being a burden on our state and we "the white people" must pay for it. During the years of plenty, increasing number of people, from all ethnic backgrounds started living on state benefits as in many cases it paid more than working for a living. Immigrants appear to have benefited more than the rest because they were the most disadvantaged. It was the state's job to make the best use of its human resource by discouraging dependence on benefits.
Western economies have increased because skilled and highly educated immigrants have moved to the financial capitals in search of a better life. While money has been generated through industry and innovation and by war mongering in the third world, the immigrant diasporas have influenced their surroundings. Like all immigrants before them, Normans and Norse, Turks and Romans, their influence can not be categorized as bad or detrimental. What is Western culture any way? Is it a set of practices which are required to remain unchanged forever? With increasing frequency, the cultures and practices of third world change to suit the demands of a changing world. New and more humiliating ways of finding daily sustenance are being invented in African and Asian slums. Thoughts of austerity frighten us. While it is the part of immigrant nature to live on meagre incomes, to fit their families within less than adequate housing , but to work hard and to provide for their dependants at home and in their homelands also is their duty. An immigrant is more cost effective for the West than an indigenous European. They cost less but have to offer their youth, their taxes and and their loyalties to a country for a very cheap price. Rejecting them will only create more suffering.
Then Melanie quotes Rupert Murdoch on a completely unrelated matter. Mr. Murdoch links immigration with the rise of anti-semitism in Europe. So now Muslims have caused this too? Hating Jews has been a very European/Christian trait. Melanie Philips thinks that Jews have an "ancient" right over Palestine. Same Jews who were doing fine until some anti-semites thought that they did not belong in Europe. Jews were immigrants who were stuck in their ways. They did not abandon their religion to conform to the Christian European customs. They stuck to their culture and Europe punished them for being so Jewish after all those centuries they had lived among them.
I guess it is time for another revolution in Europe. Philips, Murdoch and their ilk would love another cleansing of the West to bring it back to the pristine whiteness it was all those years ago.
I also agree with the opinion that various religious views held by these immigrants may be a reason for their failure to be accepted by their ethnic European neighbours. Radical Islam is a concern for everyone, Including a vast majority of those immigrant who have come to Europe to escape the tyrannical "Islamic" governments in their homelands.
Here is my problem. The far-right has always been around. Germany has seen its fair share of this in the past. Many European countries have seen a resurgence of right-wing politics in recent years. This is expected during every economic downturn. When jobs are scarce, when the state benefits system is under pressure, it is always immigrants who become the scapegoat.
Melanie mentioned Ahmadi Muslims in London being persecuted by the local extremists. This was apparently an example of how bad things are. Extremist Muslims are running amok in the heart of the western world! Tower Hamlet is an independent Sharia state and Hijabis are terrorizing innocent Londoners. This is not a good argument against immigration. Against Bigotry and misplaced cultural practices yes, but not against immigration.
I am an Ahmadi Muslim. There are many thousands of us living in London. Yes, we suffer from persecution in various Muslim countries, and yes, even in this country, orthodox Muslims oppose us at every opportunity they get. They have even campaigned against building of our mosque and have helped EDL and BNP to prevent our community projects from going ahead. The problem is bigotry. Its not only brown people from overseas bringing their evil ideologies to our shores. We have our own, home grown bigotry to deal with as well.
Ms. Philips also states that a lady burnt alive in Bradford was somehow a victim of Islamic extremism. That as a gruesome murder. As far as I know, murder have been happening in England before immigrants arrived on their boats.
The West has always taken the higher moral ground when it comes to "lesser" nationalities. They have always been backward and ignorant, they have always shown resistance to reform or they have always been stubborn, stuck in their ways. This is why they come in their droves to enjoy a lifestyle of luxuries by exploiting our benefit system. They multiply and increase by being a burden on our state and we "the white people" must pay for it. During the years of plenty, increasing number of people, from all ethnic backgrounds started living on state benefits as in many cases it paid more than working for a living. Immigrants appear to have benefited more than the rest because they were the most disadvantaged. It was the state's job to make the best use of its human resource by discouraging dependence on benefits.
Western economies have increased because skilled and highly educated immigrants have moved to the financial capitals in search of a better life. While money has been generated through industry and innovation and by war mongering in the third world, the immigrant diasporas have influenced their surroundings. Like all immigrants before them, Normans and Norse, Turks and Romans, their influence can not be categorized as bad or detrimental. What is Western culture any way? Is it a set of practices which are required to remain unchanged forever? With increasing frequency, the cultures and practices of third world change to suit the demands of a changing world. New and more humiliating ways of finding daily sustenance are being invented in African and Asian slums. Thoughts of austerity frighten us. While it is the part of immigrant nature to live on meagre incomes, to fit their families within less than adequate housing , but to work hard and to provide for their dependants at home and in their homelands also is their duty. An immigrant is more cost effective for the West than an indigenous European. They cost less but have to offer their youth, their taxes and and their loyalties to a country for a very cheap price. Rejecting them will only create more suffering.
Then Melanie quotes Rupert Murdoch on a completely unrelated matter. Mr. Murdoch links immigration with the rise of anti-semitism in Europe. So now Muslims have caused this too? Hating Jews has been a very European/Christian trait. Melanie Philips thinks that Jews have an "ancient" right over Palestine. Same Jews who were doing fine until some anti-semites thought that they did not belong in Europe. Jews were immigrants who were stuck in their ways. They did not abandon their religion to conform to the Christian European customs. They stuck to their culture and Europe punished them for being so Jewish after all those centuries they had lived among them.
I guess it is time for another revolution in Europe. Philips, Murdoch and their ilk would love another cleansing of the West to bring it back to the pristine whiteness it was all those years ago.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Don’t fight God. It is not for you to destroy me!
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, The Imam Mahdi and The Promised Messiah (alyhis Salam) writes;
"The world does not know me, but He knows me Who has sent me. Those who wish my destruction are mistaken and extremely unfortunate. I am the tree which has been planted by the Lord God with His own hands.....
“O People! You must understand this for sure that I am accompanied by that Hand which shall remain faithful to me till the end of time. If your men and your women, and your young and your old, and your insignificant ones and your notables: all committed themselves to praying for my destruction—so much so that your noses get withered and wasted away due to your endless prostrations, and your hands become numb, even then God will most certainly not accept your prayers, and He will not
relent until His will is done. Even if I do not have a single human being with me, the angels of God will be on my side. And if you withhold your testimony, the stone will well night testify for me.
Therefore, do not wrong your souls. God leaves nothing unresolved. I consider as accursed a life which is tainted with falsehood and lies, and which, out of the fear of the creatures of God, evades to comply with Divine imperatives. It is certainly impossible for me to show any slackness—even if the Sun moved from one side and the Earth from the other to crush me between them—in carrying out the duty which God Almighty has at the moment entrusted to me, and for which Alone He has sent me. What is man? A mere worm and nothing more than a clot! How then can I, for the sake of this lowly creature, fail toabide by what the Self-Subsistent Being has commanded. Just as God decided between His prophets and those who rejected them, so shall He decide now. There is a time for the prophets to come and a time to depart: do mark it for sure, that I have neither made a seasonless appearance, nor shall my exit be unseasonable.
Don’t fight God. It is not for you to destroy me!"
[Tohfae Golarviyyah, Roohaani Khazaa’in vol. 17, pp. 49-50]
“O People! You must understand this for sure that I am accompanied by that Hand which shall remain faithful to me till the end of time. If your men and your women, and your young and your old, and your insignificant ones and your notables: all committed themselves to praying for my destruction—so much so that your noses get withered and wasted away due to your endless prostrations, and your hands become numb, even then God will most certainly not accept your prayers, and He will not
relent until His will is done. Even if I do not have a single human being with me, the angels of God will be on my side. And if you withhold your testimony, the stone will well night testify for me.
Therefore, do not wrong your souls. God leaves nothing unresolved. I consider as accursed a life which is tainted with falsehood and lies, and which, out of the fear of the creatures of God, evades to comply with Divine imperatives. It is certainly impossible for me to show any slackness—even if the Sun moved from one side and the Earth from the other to crush me between them—in carrying out the duty which God Almighty has at the moment entrusted to me, and for which Alone He has sent me. What is man? A mere worm and nothing more than a clot! How then can I, for the sake of this lowly creature, fail toabide by what the Self-Subsistent Being has commanded. Just as God decided between His prophets and those who rejected them, so shall He decide now. There is a time for the prophets to come and a time to depart: do mark it for sure, that I have neither made a seasonless appearance, nor shall my exit be unseasonable.
Don’t fight God. It is not for you to destroy me!"
[Tohfae Golarviyyah, Roohaani Khazaa’in vol. 17, pp. 49-50]
Monday, September 13, 2010
میں یہ کس کے نام لکھّوں
میں یہ کس کے نام لکھّوں جو الم گزر رہے ہیں
مرے شہر جل رہے ہیں مرے لوگ مر رہے ہیں
کوئی غنچہ ہو کہ گُل ہو کوئی شاخ ہو شجر ہو
وہ ہوائے گُلستاں ہے کہ سبھی بکھر رہے ہیں
کبھی رحمتیں تھیں نازل اسی خطّہء زمیں پر
وہی خطہء زمیں ہے کہ عذاب اتر رہے ہیں
وہی طائروں کے جھرمٹ جو ہَوا میں جھولتے تھے
وہ فضا کو دیکھتے ہیں تو اب آہ بھر رہے ہیں
بڑی آرزو تھی ہم کو نئے خواب دیکھنے کی
سو اب اپنی زندگی میں نئے خواب بھر رہے ہیں
کوئی اور تو نہیں ہے پس ِ خنجر آزمائی
ہمیں قتل ہو رہے ہیں، ہمیں قتل کر رہے ہیں
مرے شہر جل رہے ہیں مرے لوگ مر رہے ہیں
کوئی غنچہ ہو کہ گُل ہو کوئی شاخ ہو شجر ہو
وہ ہوائے گُلستاں ہے کہ سبھی بکھر رہے ہیں
کبھی رحمتیں تھیں نازل اسی خطّہء زمیں پر
وہی خطہء زمیں ہے کہ عذاب اتر رہے ہیں
وہی طائروں کے جھرمٹ جو ہَوا میں جھولتے تھے
وہ فضا کو دیکھتے ہیں تو اب آہ بھر رہے ہیں
بڑی آرزو تھی ہم کو نئے خواب دیکھنے کی
سو اب اپنی زندگی میں نئے خواب بھر رہے ہیں
کوئی اور تو نہیں ہے پس ِ خنجر آزمائی
ہمیں قتل ہو رہے ہیں، ہمیں قتل کر رہے ہیں
عبید اللہ علیم
Monday, September 6, 2010
Error of their ways; Where Muslims have gone wrong.
Promised Messiah, and Imam Mahdi, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) writes;
"It is a remarkable coincidence that Christians erred with respect to the rights of God, while Muslims erred with respect to the rights of human beings. That is, the Christian faith raised a humble man to Godhood, thereby compromising the obligations due to the All-Powerful, All-Sustaining Being Who has no equal in heaven or earth. But Muslims violated human rights by unjustly raising the sword and calling it jihad. In short, Christians adopted one path of violating rights, and Muslims adopted the other. Unfortunately for this era, both of these groups consider their own transgressions to be desirable. Each therefore emphasizes its own doctrine, certain that this alone is the straight path and best way to Paradise. Although violation of God’s rights is the greatest of sins, it is not my intention here to discuss this dangerous offense of which the Christian people are guilty but rather to make Muslims aware of the transgressions that they are committing against their fellow human beings.
It should be remembered that today’s Islamic scholars (who are called maulavis) completely misunderstand jihad and misrepresent it to the general public. The public’s violent instincts are inflamed as a result and they are stripped of all noble human virtues. This is in fact what has happened. I know for certain that maulavis who persist in propagating these blood-spattered doctrines are in fact responsible for murders committed by ignorant, egotistical people who know nothing of why Islam was forced to fight battles in its early history."
It should be remembered that today’s Islamic scholars (who are called maulavis) completely misunderstand jihad and misrepresent it to the general public. The public’s violent instincts are inflamed as a result and they are stripped of all noble human virtues. This is in fact what has happened. I know for certain that maulavis who persist in propagating these blood-spattered doctrines are in fact responsible for murders committed by ignorant, egotistical people who know nothing of why Islam was forced to fight battles in its early history."
British Government and Jihad, Published more than 100 years ago.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
WARNING FROM DIVINE WARNER
"Remember, God has informed me of many earth-quakes. Rest assured, therefore, that as earth-quakes have shaken America and Europe, so will they shake Asia. Some of them will resemble the Day of Doom. So many people shall die that rivulets of blood shall flow. Even the birds and the beasts will not he immune against this death. Havoc shall sweep the surface of the earth which shall be the greatest since the birth of man. Habitations shall be demolished as if no one had ever lived in them. This will he accompanied by many other terrible calamities which the earth and the heavens will send forth, till their extraordinary nature will become evident to every reasonable man. All the literature of science and philosophy shall fail to show their like.
Then mankind shall be sore distressed and wonder what is going to happen. Many shall escape and many shall perish. The days are near, in fact. I can see them close at hand, when the world shall witness a terrible sight: not only earthquakes but also many fearsome calamities shall overtake man, some from the skies and some from the earth. This will happen because mankind have stopped worshipping their true God and have become lost in the affairs of the world with all their heart and their effort and in-tent. If I had not come, these afflictions would perhaps have been delayed a little. But with my coming the secret purposes of an affronted God which were hidden so far, became manifest. Says God: 'We never punish unlessWe send a Messenger.' Those who repent shall find security and those who fear before calamity overtakes them shall be shown mercy. Do you think you will be immune from these calamities? Or can you save yourselves through artifice or design? Indeed not. That day all human schemes shall fail. Think not that earthquakes visited America and other continents but that your own country shall remain secure. Indeed, you may experience a greater hardship. O Europe, you are not safe and O Asia, you too, are not immune. And O dwellers of Islands, no false gods shall come to your rescue. I see cities fall and settlements laid waste. The One and the Only God kept silent for long. Heinous deeds were done before His eyes and He said nothing. But now He shall reveal His face in majesty and awe. Let him who has ears hear that the time is not far. I have done my best to bring all under the protection of God, but it was destined that what was written should come to pass. Truly do I say that the turn of this land, too is approaching fast. The times of Noah shall reappear before your eyes, and your own eyes will be witnesses to the calamity that overtook the cities of Lot. But God is slow in His wrath. Repent that you may be shown mercy! He who does not fear Him is dead, not alive."
(Haqiqatul Wahy, pp.256-57).
Friday, August 20, 2010
Mullah per capita
According to estimates, Pakistan has over 40,000 religious seminaries spread across all major towns and cities. Traveling through vast expanses of Punjab and Sindh, or through hills of Northern Pakistan, and among the arid, desolate landscape of Baluchistan, scattered among villages are mosques attached to a Madrassah. This brings the income for the local mullah, and economic relief to over populated families of poor farmers who can easily get rid of a couple of extra mouths which they can't feed.
While studying in Faisalabad, a crowded city in the heart of Punjab, I was surprised to see the number of children attending dozens of Madrassahs scattered around the University. We often used to remark on the number of graduates coming out of these seminaries each year and their job prospects. Faisalabad alone must have been producing 5000 qualified Maulvis every year. A figure outnumbering the total number of Doctors graduating in the whole of Pakistan each year.
By this estimate, these Madrassahs are producing at least 100,000 graduates fully conversant with the knowledge of Quran, Hadith and Fiqh in Pakistan. This must make the total number of model Muslims in the country in its Millions. My Maulvi friends.. don't despair as the number will increase even further when the flood ravaged nation will dump the rest of their male progeny at your mercy in the coming months and years.
My question to my Mullah friends is this.. In the presence of such piety just pouring forth from these fountains of religious knowledge and moral excellence, why is Pakistan steeped in all kinds of moral and social ills? Crime of all kind is on the increase for the past many decades. Streets are living exhibits of a society worthy of Divine Wrath of biblical proportions. And yes, I believe that is happening as I write these words.
Are your prayers and supplications going unheard sir? Why, when you rant and rave in your loudspeakers about the futility of worldly life, about the infidelities of other sects, about the interference of foriegn hands and anti-Islam agents in the country; the country still seems to be dying a slow and agonizing death? You wail and shriek in the loudspeaker after each Jumma prayer, cursing the enemies of Islam and imploring God to destroy the enemy; you call your followers to rise up in Jihad.. You make them promise to hate and despise everyone not practicing proper Islam.. Its you and millions of your colleagues.. constantly and eagerly preaching the Islam you were taught in these seminaries.. but to what end?
There must be something seriously wrong with the kind of Islam being taught in these seminaries. My dear Maulvis, you will be quick to blame western ways of life and Jewish-Christian conspiracies for the state of our country. But, has the sheer number of people practicing the correct kind of Islam not been able to make even a tiny bit of difference to the nation?
A country's health care status can be easily assessed by the number of Physicians per capita. A nations spiritual health, by the same standards should be directly related to the number of Maulvis per capita.
Ladies and gentlemen, I can proudly announce that no other nation in history has had so many spiritual/moral surgeons per capita as Pakistan. We must be a nation destined for paradise. And our surgeons are eager to get us there post-haste.
While studying in Faisalabad, a crowded city in the heart of Punjab, I was surprised to see the number of children attending dozens of Madrassahs scattered around the University. We often used to remark on the number of graduates coming out of these seminaries each year and their job prospects. Faisalabad alone must have been producing 5000 qualified Maulvis every year. A figure outnumbering the total number of Doctors graduating in the whole of Pakistan each year.
By this estimate, these Madrassahs are producing at least 100,000 graduates fully conversant with the knowledge of Quran, Hadith and Fiqh in Pakistan. This must make the total number of model Muslims in the country in its Millions. My Maulvi friends.. don't despair as the number will increase even further when the flood ravaged nation will dump the rest of their male progeny at your mercy in the coming months and years.
My question to my Mullah friends is this.. In the presence of such piety just pouring forth from these fountains of religious knowledge and moral excellence, why is Pakistan steeped in all kinds of moral and social ills? Crime of all kind is on the increase for the past many decades. Streets are living exhibits of a society worthy of Divine Wrath of biblical proportions. And yes, I believe that is happening as I write these words.
Are your prayers and supplications going unheard sir? Why, when you rant and rave in your loudspeakers about the futility of worldly life, about the infidelities of other sects, about the interference of foriegn hands and anti-Islam agents in the country; the country still seems to be dying a slow and agonizing death? You wail and shriek in the loudspeaker after each Jumma prayer, cursing the enemies of Islam and imploring God to destroy the enemy; you call your followers to rise up in Jihad.. You make them promise to hate and despise everyone not practicing proper Islam.. Its you and millions of your colleagues.. constantly and eagerly preaching the Islam you were taught in these seminaries.. but to what end?
There must be something seriously wrong with the kind of Islam being taught in these seminaries. My dear Maulvis, you will be quick to blame western ways of life and Jewish-Christian conspiracies for the state of our country. But, has the sheer number of people practicing the correct kind of Islam not been able to make even a tiny bit of difference to the nation?
A country's health care status can be easily assessed by the number of Physicians per capita. A nations spiritual health, by the same standards should be directly related to the number of Maulvis per capita.
Ladies and gentlemen, I can proudly announce that no other nation in history has had so many spiritual/moral surgeons per capita as Pakistan. We must be a nation destined for paradise. And our surgeons are eager to get us there post-haste.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Ahmadis being persecuted even when the country drowns in a Biblical flood!
The politics of relief: Aliens in their own land
MUZAFFARABAD: The government and local clerics refused to shelter around 500 flood-affected families belonging to the Ahmadiya community in South Punjab’s relief camps. Not only that, the government also did not send relief goods to the flood-hit areas belonging to the Ahmadiya community, The Express Tribune has learnt during a visit to the devastated Punjab districts of Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.
For its part, the government claims that all relief goods are being distributed among survivors without discrimination. And that all survivors have been sheltered in relief camps without distinction. The flood-devastated families from the Ahmadiya community have strongly criticised the government’s “discriminatory attitude” even at a time when the entire country is reeling from the ravages of the worst flooding in living memory.
Of the 500 Ahmadi families, 350 belong to DG Khan, 60 to Muzaffargarh and 65 to Rajanpur district. According to Ahmadiya community leaders, over 2,500 members of their community have been displaced and are now living with their relatives while some of them have left for Rabwah, the community’s headquarters.
Aziz Ahmad Khan, a local leader of flood victims from the Ahmadiya community in DG Khan, told The Express Tribune that all members of his family have complained of discrimination in DG Khan. He said 200 families from Basti Rindan and Basti Sohrani, 60 from Chah Ismaeel Wala, three from Rakh Mor Jangi, 18 from Ghazi Ghat and 12 from Jhakar Imam Shah of Ahmadpur. Khan alleged that 200 families, who have been displaced from Basti Rindan and Basti Sohrani by flooding, took shelter in a state-run school at Jhok Utra but within days the local administration forced them to leave the school. He said the local administration later told them that people from the surrounding areas did not want the Ahmadis in the relief camp. And that the administration could not allow them to stay at the camp as it could create a law and order situation.
“So we left our cattle and other belongings in the area and took refuge in the homes of our community members on higher grounds,” he said, adding that some of them even migrated to Chanabnagar.
Muhammad Iqbal Sohrani, a member of the Ahmadiya community told The Express Tribune that around 40 Ahmadi families who took shelter in a state-run school at Jhakar Imam Shah near Sumandri, some 40 kilometres from DG Khan, have not received any relief either from philanthropists or from the government. He alleged that relief packages were being distributed through local lawmakers who have been told by the district administration that the Ahmadis are not eligible for any support.
Saleem Chandia, another Ahmadiya community member, said that he along with 40 other community members rented a house but after two days their landlord was forced by local clerics to evict them. Chandia said they were offered help by their own community members after wandering for several days in search of shelter.
Mansoor Ahmad, a resident of Muzaffargarh, told The Express Tribune that over 800 members of the Ahmadiya community were displaced from Bait Nasirabad, Masroornagar, Hussainwala and Shahjamal. At least 100 members of the community, from Hussainwala and Masroorabad, were trapped at Shahjamal. He claimed that they had asked the district police officer (DPO) and the district coordination officer (DCO) to provide them a boat or to rescue the trapped people but they did not take notice.
Ahmad claimed that the trapped Ahmadis were rescued by their fellows on a broken boat. He said local clerics have issued an edict that the Ahmadis should not be provided help.
Naseem Ahmad, from Rajanpur, told The Express Tribune that their 500 community members from the areas of Basti Lashari, Basti Allahdad Dareeshak and from Basti Azizabad were displaced. Their houses were washed away and the government and local clerics ignored them. He said that they were not allowed to stay in state-run schools or in camps, therefore the majority of them were living on the rooftops of their inundated houses.
“The Ahmadiya community itself rescued trapped people and delivered relief to them,” community spokesperson Saleem-ul-Din told The Express Tribune by phone.
He said that the community did not want any relief package from the government for its members. However, the government should protect the property and livestock of the Ahmadis.
Hassan Iqbal, Commissioner DG Khan, told The Express Tribune that he would check the situation. He asked the Ahmadis to directly approach him if they face discrimination anywhere in the district. However, DCO Muzaffargarh Farasat Iqbal said that the Ahmadis have not contacted him.
For its part, the government claims that all relief goods are being distributed among survivors without discrimination. And that all survivors have been sheltered in relief camps without distinction. The flood-devastated families from the Ahmadiya community have strongly criticised the government’s “discriminatory attitude” even at a time when the entire country is reeling from the ravages of the worst flooding in living memory.
Of the 500 Ahmadi families, 350 belong to DG Khan, 60 to Muzaffargarh and 65 to Rajanpur district. According to Ahmadiya community leaders, over 2,500 members of their community have been displaced and are now living with their relatives while some of them have left for Rabwah, the community’s headquarters.
Aziz Ahmad Khan, a local leader of flood victims from the Ahmadiya community in DG Khan, told The Express Tribune that all members of his family have complained of discrimination in DG Khan. He said 200 families from Basti Rindan and Basti Sohrani, 60 from Chah Ismaeel Wala, three from Rakh Mor Jangi, 18 from Ghazi Ghat and 12 from Jhakar Imam Shah of Ahmadpur. Khan alleged that 200 families, who have been displaced from Basti Rindan and Basti Sohrani by flooding, took shelter in a state-run school at Jhok Utra but within days the local administration forced them to leave the school. He said the local administration later told them that people from the surrounding areas did not want the Ahmadis in the relief camp. And that the administration could not allow them to stay at the camp as it could create a law and order situation.
“So we left our cattle and other belongings in the area and took refuge in the homes of our community members on higher grounds,” he said, adding that some of them even migrated to Chanabnagar.
Muhammad Iqbal Sohrani, a member of the Ahmadiya community told The Express Tribune that around 40 Ahmadi families who took shelter in a state-run school at Jhakar Imam Shah near Sumandri, some 40 kilometres from DG Khan, have not received any relief either from philanthropists or from the government. He alleged that relief packages were being distributed through local lawmakers who have been told by the district administration that the Ahmadis are not eligible for any support.
Saleem Chandia, another Ahmadiya community member, said that he along with 40 other community members rented a house but after two days their landlord was forced by local clerics to evict them. Chandia said they were offered help by their own community members after wandering for several days in search of shelter.
Mansoor Ahmad, a resident of Muzaffargarh, told The Express Tribune that over 800 members of the Ahmadiya community were displaced from Bait Nasirabad, Masroornagar, Hussainwala and Shahjamal. At least 100 members of the community, from Hussainwala and Masroorabad, were trapped at Shahjamal. He claimed that they had asked the district police officer (DPO) and the district coordination officer (DCO) to provide them a boat or to rescue the trapped people but they did not take notice.
Ahmad claimed that the trapped Ahmadis were rescued by their fellows on a broken boat. He said local clerics have issued an edict that the Ahmadis should not be provided help.
Naseem Ahmad, from Rajanpur, told The Express Tribune that their 500 community members from the areas of Basti Lashari, Basti Allahdad Dareeshak and from Basti Azizabad were displaced. Their houses were washed away and the government and local clerics ignored them. He said that they were not allowed to stay in state-run schools or in camps, therefore the majority of them were living on the rooftops of their inundated houses.
“The Ahmadiya community itself rescued trapped people and delivered relief to them,” community spokesperson Saleem-ul-Din told The Express Tribune by phone.
He said that the community did not want any relief package from the government for its members. However, the government should protect the property and livestock of the Ahmadis.
Hassan Iqbal, Commissioner DG Khan, told The Express Tribune that he would check the situation. He asked the Ahmadis to directly approach him if they face discrimination anywhere in the district. However, DCO Muzaffargarh Farasat Iqbal said that the Ahmadis have not contacted him.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2010.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/40435/the-politics-of-relief-aliens-in-their-own-land/
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
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
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.
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.
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.
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)
Monday, June 7, 2010
A Letter to Abbas Ather. Daily Express Pakistan.
Dear Abbas Ather sahib,
AssalamoAlykum,
I saw you on Point Blank where Ahmadiyya spokesman was invited for the first time in the history of Pakistan media to speak for our community. I thank you for taking part in such an historic programme and congratulate you on your bravery and honesty. May Allah protect you and all those who are supporting the Ahmadi right to citizenship of Pakistan.
While reading your Urdu column Ahmadiyon ka masla, I was disappointed to see that you considered Ahmadiyya spokesman's effort to answer Shami sahib as Tabligh (proselytizing). Mujeebur Rehman Shami is a known anti-ahmadi who published a whole issue of Urdu digest against the Jamaat, and his questions (rather comments) were loaded with prejudice. When confronted with such questions, neither I, nor any ahmadi can leave them without answers because the ordinary listener takes the impression that we indeed ridicule Islam or consider them "kafirs".
I have no problems with your assertions that there can be no punjabi nabi. My problem starts when it is implied that Ahmadis do not love or respect the Holy Prophet (saw) like other Muslims. This misconception has been exploited by the mullah to stir hatred against us in Pakistan and I urge you not to fall prey to such fallacies. Attaulla shah Bukhari used to repeat the same trick in every speech, so did all his colleagues in Ahrar, which resulted in murders and agitation across the country. May I also remind you that barelvis say that wahabis and deobandis are disrespectful of Holy Prophet (saw) and vice versa. In fact, I believe that it is only Ahmadis who know and believe in the true status of Holy Prophet (saw), and follow his example in the truest manner.
Ahmadis believe that Tabligh is the Jihad of our times and thus, this email is also a form of Jihad. I also don't mind if you think that Ahmadis take every opportunity to do tabligh. I may disagree with some anecdotal evidence you provided in your articles as I am personally not aware of "a house in paradise" for those who become Ahmadis. Yes, I do know that their lives in Pakistan become hell if they accept Ahmadiyyat.
I also know that many Pakistanis and Bangladeshis who claim asylum in the West are not Ahmadis but claim to have been converted and now face death. Infact, it is believed that a majority of asylum applications in these countries are from those who pretend to have converted. You will understand that any ideological movement can not accept "fake" members who have been lured into becoming members. This simply doesn't work and you may have seen from the reaction by the Jamaat in Pakistan, that Ahmadis are Ahmadis by conviction and not due to promise of a better life in Europe or North America.
You have mentioned the "prophecies" about the death of Bhutto and Zia. If these prophecies are tabligh, then I am afraid this tabligh continues. Our Khalifatul Masih has prayed that all the enemies of Ahmadiyyat will be punished by the truth of Kalima we recite. InshaAllah. Lets be witnesses of this in the coming days.
May Allah protect ordinary Pakistanis from the punishment that these extremists are bringing on to themselves. Maybe it is people like you who can spread tolerance which may save Pakistan one day.
wassalam,
Lutf ul Islam.
AssalamoAlykum,
I saw you on Point Blank where Ahmadiyya spokesman was invited for the first time in the history of Pakistan media to speak for our community. I thank you for taking part in such an historic programme and congratulate you on your bravery and honesty. May Allah protect you and all those who are supporting the Ahmadi right to citizenship of Pakistan.
While reading your Urdu column Ahmadiyon ka masla, I was disappointed to see that you considered Ahmadiyya spokesman's effort to answer Shami sahib as Tabligh (proselytizing). Mujeebur Rehman Shami is a known anti-ahmadi who published a whole issue of Urdu digest against the Jamaat, and his questions (rather comments) were loaded with prejudice. When confronted with such questions, neither I, nor any ahmadi can leave them without answers because the ordinary listener takes the impression that we indeed ridicule Islam or consider them "kafirs".
I have no problems with your assertions that there can be no punjabi nabi. My problem starts when it is implied that Ahmadis do not love or respect the Holy Prophet (saw) like other Muslims. This misconception has been exploited by the mullah to stir hatred against us in Pakistan and I urge you not to fall prey to such fallacies. Attaulla shah Bukhari used to repeat the same trick in every speech, so did all his colleagues in Ahrar, which resulted in murders and agitation across the country. May I also remind you that barelvis say that wahabis and deobandis are disrespectful of Holy Prophet (saw) and vice versa. In fact, I believe that it is only Ahmadis who know and believe in the true status of Holy Prophet (saw), and follow his example in the truest manner.
Ahmadis believe that Tabligh is the Jihad of our times and thus, this email is also a form of Jihad. I also don't mind if you think that Ahmadis take every opportunity to do tabligh. I may disagree with some anecdotal evidence you provided in your articles as I am personally not aware of "a house in paradise" for those who become Ahmadis. Yes, I do know that their lives in Pakistan become hell if they accept Ahmadiyyat.
I also know that many Pakistanis and Bangladeshis who claim asylum in the West are not Ahmadis but claim to have been converted and now face death. Infact, it is believed that a majority of asylum applications in these countries are from those who pretend to have converted. You will understand that any ideological movement can not accept "fake" members who have been lured into becoming members. This simply doesn't work and you may have seen from the reaction by the Jamaat in Pakistan, that Ahmadis are Ahmadis by conviction and not due to promise of a better life in Europe or North America.
You have mentioned the "prophecies" about the death of Bhutto and Zia. If these prophecies are tabligh, then I am afraid this tabligh continues. Our Khalifatul Masih has prayed that all the enemies of Ahmadiyyat will be punished by the truth of Kalima we recite. InshaAllah. Lets be witnesses of this in the coming days.
May Allah protect ordinary Pakistanis from the punishment that these extremists are bringing on to themselves. Maybe it is people like you who can spread tolerance which may save Pakistan one day.
wassalam,
Lutf ul Islam.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Burqa Ban; What next?
Mime artists, Circus clowns, Emos, Goths, Carnival of Venice, Hooded Tops, Facial hair etc....Ban them all!
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