Bigotry: How not to define your identity!

Every Pakistani holding a passport knows where to Sign to make sure they are confirmed as Muslims. A majority of them signs it without a second thought. Some probably sign it with a smile, as it reminds them of how correct their anti-ahmadi laws are. Only a handful may object to signing this. One poor fellow posted a scanned copy of his signed declaration on the Internet and expressed his disgust at having to do it.

Pakistani Passport Declaration: Courtesy http://changinguppakistan.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/targeting-the-ahmadis/

But someone picked it up and wrote a response here. According to this blog post, this declaration on the passport form is essential to defend Islamic identity of Pakistanis. For those who don't know, every one wishing to identify themselves as a Muslim must sign the section where they have to declare the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as an impostor. Please don't ask why a person's faith is recorded on the Passport in the first place. For all practical purposes, a person's faith should have no bearing on how they are treated.

The blog post in question then goes to great lengths to create an argument in favour of this declaration. In short, the argument is based on a fictional scenario where a person encounters a 'clone' at his workplace who is pretending to be him. Of course a criminal offence if it happens in real life, as the assumption here is that the 'clone' knows of his own reality and is pretending to be someone else.

Here is my response that I posted on the blog:

This article presents a flawed argument. You are assuming here that Ahmadis are pretending to be Muslims while knowing fully well that their faith is not Islam.

This assumption is totally in line with the Mullah driven narrative that Ahmadiyyat is actually a conspiracy to destroy Muslims from within. British, Zionists and other anti-Islam forces fund and support them. Ahmadis attract adherents by paying them cash sums or promising them other lucerative rewards. Hence it is not only plausible but very much a FACT, that Ahmadis are hijacking the name of Islam and its rituals to confuse other Muslims.

The writer has to look through the history of Ahmadiyyat and find the evidence to support this argument. For example, is there a protocol or a secret little book telling Ahmadis on how to hijack Islam and harm it? Is there a list of do's and don'ts on how best to pretend to be a Muslim? Finally, is there any evidence that such a deliberate lie can be upheld by Millions, in public and in private under the ever scrutinizing eyes of their enemies. i.e., has there been any Ahmadi renegade spilling the beans on what goes on behind closed doors? Any testimony to prove that Ahmadis do not believe in Allah or any of His Prophets or His Books?

I find it totally bizarre that the author has gone to such lengths to defend a law which negates everything Islam has to offer to the world: Freedom of thought, speech and belief. Every citizen a country has the right to self-respect and dignity but this one form takes this right away from ALL Pakistanis. From Ahmadis it usurps the right not to be slandered against and ridiculed. And from non-Ahmadis it takes away the right of being civilized. So, by upholding this idiotic law, the Government of Pakistan is trampling on the rights of all of us. You and me alike.