We are not confronting Qadianis vigorously enough!
One would have thought that having observed the experience of Pakistan, its degeneration into chaos, on account of religious extremism, starting from the anti-Ahmadiya agitation of early 1950s, Indian Muslims would seek to steer a different course. This is all the more imperative as we are faced with a variety of serious challenges of our own. But some Muslims here too would rather like to follow in the footsteps of Pakistani Muslims and accelerate sectarian wars of various kinds, confrontation with Ahmadis being pre-eminent on their minds. Such a person is the author of the following article Mr. Khurshid Alam who thinks Indian Muslim divines and intellectuals are not fighting Ahmadis diligently enough. New Age Islam is presenting a translation of his Urdu article syndicated by several newspapers to show how serious some people are in promoting the ongoing war within Islam. Of course, following hardliners in Pakistan some people here too would say that Ahmadis are not Muslims altogether; but this cannot be taken very seriously. For them no one else is Muslim either. Every Muslim is a kafir in the eyes of all other sects. As Justice Munir Ahmad commission report showed in graphic detail (published on New Age Islam in full), no two ulema, of any one sect either, could agree on a definition of who a Muslim is. Let us not go in the direction of Pakistan; let us learn from their experience. – Sultan Shahin, editor, New Age Islam
One would have thought that having observed the experience of Pakistan, its degeneration into chaos, on account of religious extremism, starting from the anti-Ahmadiya agitation of early 1950s, Indian Muslims would seek to steer a different course. This is all the more imperative as we are faced with a variety of serious challenges of our own. But some Muslims here too would rather like to follow in the footsteps of Pakistani Muslims and accelerate sectarian wars of various kinds, confrontation with Ahmadis being the most pre-eminent on their minds. Such a person is the author of the following article Mr. Khurshid Alam who thinks Indian Muslim intellectuals are not fighting Ahmadis diligently enough. New Age Islam is presenting a translation of his Urdu article to show how serious some people are in promoting a war within Islam. Of course, following hardliners in Pakistan some people here too would say that Ahmadis are not Muslims altogether; but this cannot be taken very seriously as for them no one else is Muslim either. Every Muslim is a kafir in the eyes of all other sects. As Justice Munir Ahmad commission report showed in graphic detail (published on New Age Islam in full), no two ulema of any one sect either could agree on a definition of who a Muslim is. Let us not go in the direction of Pakistan; let us learn from their experience. – Sultan Shahin, editor, New Age Islam
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Can we confront the Qadianis with our present speed and style?
By Khurshid Alam
Much has been written and spoken about the intrigue of Qadianism, but to assume that the intrigues of Qadianis have come to an end or the activities of the Qadianis have struck a low would be wrong. It is active with its full force.
Earlier it was seen that the Qadianis used to work clandestinely but the situation is changing due to the support of different elements and forces. I have earlier written in this column with reference of the mouthpiece of the Qadianis, Badr, how Azmatullah Quraishi of Bangalore challenged all the ulema and launched a campaign through his pen against the editor of the Rahstriya Sahara, Aziz Burney and also told Maulana Habibur Rahman Ludhianvi working for Tahaffuz-e-Khatme Nabuwwat (Protection of the finality of Prophethood) that he has not been given the contract of Islam.
Currently a book titled Ahmadiyyat Ek Asmani Sadaqat (Ahmadiyyat a Divine Reality) is being widely circulated by the Qadianis. In fact, the book has been written as a rejoinder to renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Shoaibullah Khan Miftahi. The growing influence and the enormity of their work can be gauged by the fact that its publications division has been shifted to Qadian and its literature is being published on a large scale. If we could not present a befitting challenge to it, it might possibly have serious implications. The above-mentioned book has been published by its publication division Nazareth.
The speed with which Qadianism is growing does not mean that it is true but it is happening because of the deceitful activities and explosive publications and telecasts by the Qadianis. A number of channels of the Qadianis telecast programmes 24 hrs as also they are propagating their beliefs through different websites.
Recently, I saw the footage on a website and a TV channel of an assembly of people who have accepted Qadianism in the last one or two years. In the gathering, at the behest of the Emir of the Qadianis, the people are taking the oath by raising their hands that they will make all the financial and physical sacrifices for the propagation of Ahmadiyyat. A careful study of the anti-Qadiani activities reveals that we are not doing practically and on publications level as much as we should and there are many questions and doubts that should be addressed.
For that purpose I wrote to the intellectuals and scholars particularly associated with Deoband, Nadwatul Ulema Lucknow and persons associated with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and asked them to clear the confusion about the stand of Maulana Obaidullah Sindhi, Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Maulana Azad and others whom the Qadianis have been citing to propagate their belief and theory. It is regrettable that my request was not taken seriously and there was an attempt to deal with the matter on an ad hoc basis.
It had become all the more necessary in the light of the confusion created recently by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s theory on the death and descent of Christ. In spite of speaking on the real issue, Mr Abdul Aziz of 25, Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata even said that I wanted the publicity of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s nonsensical views and that the publicity of the confusion created by Mr Khan was a crime and sin though there was nothing in the letter which could create the impression that I was propagating Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s views.
I have seen the books of Maulana Maududi, Mufti Md Shafi and Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani Mr Abdul Aziz has cited. The books do not have explanations of the points I have raised or the doubtful assertions with which the Qadianis hook people not having access to the main sources. And if there are, he should give the references of the books in which the doubts and confusion arising out of the statements of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Sindhi, Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Maulana Shibli and others have been cleared and the explanations of the points I have raised are given. He says that they had retracted.
The first question in this regard is: where was the retracting statement published? Secondly, from the issue of retraction, it is evident that earlier they believed in the theory regarding the life and death of Christ. I have the knowledge of what Allama Iqbal had written to the Qadianis in response to Jawahar Lal’s article. It is surprising that Mr Abdul Aziz has written that the above-mentioned personalities had a soft corner for the Qadianis. The truth is that people are coming forward on the issue of Qadianism but the people associated with Tahaffuz-e-Khatme-e-Nabuwwat (Protection of the Finality of the Prophet) are not working on the level the Qadianis’ activities are going on nor the desired interest is seen in this issue.
Even Dawat, the mouthpiece of the Jama’at Islami Hind which came into existence with the slogan of the rule of God and the establishment of Deen is not willing to publish my articles on Qadianism whereas it has been publishing my writings on less important topics. It has certain reservations about publishing writings on Qadianism. With reference to the mouthpiece of Jama’at Islami, ‘Tarjumanul Quran’, it is written in the book ‘Qadianiat Ek Asmani Sadaqat’ that ‘I see the success of Mirza Sahab as endless and when I look at the failures of Mirza’s opponents they too are endless. Why is it so?”
It is the responsibility of the Jama’at Islami to ascertain to what extent the statement is true because the Qadianis mislead gullible youth and general Muslims with such statements and references. Recently, Maulana Habibur Rahman Ludhianvi was seen inaugurating the special issue of the Hilal fortnightly in Urdu newspapers. I had expected some articles in the special issue exposing the Qadianis with analyses and rebuttals but it is regrettable that the special issue only features some emotional writings on the holy Prophet. It can in no way be considered intellectual and in-depth and is no match to the publications of the Qadianis. The problem is that there is more exhibition and less solid work on our side. We are more interested in publicity in newspapers than in doing solid work. Can we compete with the Qadianis with this speed? That is a million dollar question.
Source: Hamara Samaj, New Delhi
11:07 PM
Sultan Shahin
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