I never really cared for Ahmadis

I think the writer is being a bit too harsh. Pakistan is generally suffering from terrorism (mainly US, Indian, Israeli, and to some extent and indirectly our local taliban, if they exist that is). We the public, the people of Pakistan are generally extremely vulnerable. Had it been a first incident of such kind targetting just a certain religious group/sect only then such strong phrases would have been justified. Shias, Sunnis, Barelwees, AhleHadees, Christians, Hindus, Punjabis, Sindhis, Pathans,,,no matter how u divide people of Pakistan they are all suffering, they have all been targetted. Incidents of Moon market, nishtar park, 12 May, Lal Masjid, FIA building, 18 OCt, 27 Dec, and even current target killings in Karachi….i dont seee any connection between them except that Pakistan is being targetted, destablized, and attention of people being diverted and they are fed with unauthentic views/judgements by media/politicians/religio political leaders about how just a group is being targetted. Recommend

Well we are all under attack right now by a particular brand of islam which is in control of the majority of world oil reserves. This particular sect has enormous wealth and is capable of running many thousands of madressas inside pakistan and many thousands of madressas internationally. This particular brand of islam was responsible for the destruction of prophet muhammad’s house in 2005 and made a parking lot on top of it. It made public toilets where once the grave of prophet muhammad’s mother existed. It plans to demolish ghar e hira as well. This brand has destroyed and desecrated the graves of prophet muhammad’s entire family.

The brand continues to fund and propagate itself in pakistan and is responsible for the majority of the funding of alqaeda and taliban terrorist. 15 of the 19 hijackers in 911 belonged to a particular country controlled by this brand of islam.

Isn’t it time that we woke up against this fitna, as prophet muhammad once refused to bless Najd because the two horns of the devil would appear from there.

And this probably wouldn’t be publishedRecommend

one word “Bravo” and I say that with the greatest of compliments to you as a writer. Though I have reserved views on the ahmadis but as a human and a muslim the atrocities towards current day ahamdis is outrageous….Recommend

Fasi – you are awesome. Although i would have liked it if there were a more practical conclusion near the end. Recommend

I reluctantly and with shame state that the Ahmadis are being treated by the ultra-conservatives like the early Muslims were treated by the non-believers.

Our legislators have declared them to be non-Muslims. The Supreme Court has rejected the Ahmadis right to use Islamic nomenclature and symbols. Their right to preach, their right to Azan and Islamic Kalima is blasphemy. Their uttering ‘Asalam o Alaikum’ can land them in jail!

What else do the ultra-conservative want? If only doctrinal differences were to be highlighted to protect Muslims from accepting Ahmadis as Muslims, the legislators, the superior courts and the state have done an exceptionally good job.

The Pakistani passport has a religion column to identify Ahmadis. The NADRA and electoral records, lists them as Ahmadis. All government and semi-autonomous bodies records the sects of all their employees.

Its time to highlight in a civilized pattern the grievances the ultra-conservatives have against the Ahmadis. Discussions should be held in a free and democratic atmosphere. The Ahmadis should be invited to give their point of view. The media should play a constructive and problem solving role in these deliberations. The purpose of this process would not be make Ahmadis appear to be Muslims, as it has been legislated that they are ‘not-Muslims’. The sole purpose would be to give peace and democracy a chance to flourish. One prerequisite of this interaction would be to release the record of the 1974 National Assembly proceedings which lead to the Second Amendment of the Constitution declaring Ahmadis ‘not-Muslims’.Recommend

Just to straighten the records, Saudi Arab has also restricted Ahamdi’s hajj, but as no other passport has the ‘religion’ column so Ahamdi Musllims not possessing green passport can enter Mecca. As for Indonesia I would add the Indonesian Supreme Court recently upheld a blasphemy law targeted at persecuting Ahmadiyya Muslims. Likewise, Bangladesh has banned all literature of Ahmadiyya Muslims.

http://www.thepersecution.org is a great website for up to date information.Recommend

Its a race to the bottom. If only the same people had the same intolerance towards terrorism as they hold towards Ahmedi’s. After all, the same people who have condemned Mr. Sharif for showing solidarity with the Ahmedi community are the same people who refused to condemn terrorism at a recent conference. Recommend

very good man i am agree with you ahmadis are human aswellRecommend

Every citizen of this country must play its part to curb the activities of the religious hardliners and also support the minorities present in the country.Recommend

Thank you Fasi Zaka for this article.

@ Tabrez Durrani: Yes Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. However, this community was targeted for its beliefs. In Garhi Shahu, the terrorists called out names of a few prominent people and shot them at point blank range. Three days later, an Ahmadi man was stabbed to death and his son seriously injured by a man who claimed that he will not leave any Ahmadi alive. Two days ago explosives were thrown in Shezan’s factory in Lahore because it is owned by Ahmadis (For the record, Shezan bakeries are not owned by Ahmadis anymore).

So where the terrorism argument has weight, one can not deny that they were targeted as a community. The man they caught from Model Town admitted that he was told Ahmadis were behind the latest cartoon controversy which is why they needed to be taught a lesson. Recommend

“What really helped me see the inhuman treatment of the Ahmadis in Pakistan is the absence of condemnation for it”.

Dozens of Mosques of Deobandies attacked since and thousands lost their life since 1999.

Mr. Zaki have you ever write any article for Deobandies?

Article consisting tons of sympathies for Ahmadies brothers is a fashion.Recommend

thankyou fasi! as for tabrez, stay in denial, dude!Recommend

Fasi that is awesome. Keep on writing.Recommend

Fasi Zaka’s excellent analysis has emboldened me to share this with you.

I would encourage every one to listen to the Friday sermon of Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad of 2/21/1986. He has given a very thoughtful political analysis of the dictatorship and theocracy of General Zia Ul Haq. The sermon can be located at the following page:

http://alislam.org/archives/year-1986.htmlRecommend

Excellent articleRecommend

Fasi, feeling good after reading your article. I agree with one of the commentator that you didnt conclude with some solid suggestion and hoping do in near future with an another amazing column.

You only talked about Nawaz Sharif, but you couldnt mention Prime Minister Gillani who couldnt even appear on TV for any condolence message, neither President Zardari nor Shahbaz Sharif as he could visit hospital or could condole with deceased families. No leader from ANP, No strong reaction from MQM ….Recommend

Jazakallah for being honest!Recommend

The Article is a commendable piece of work, and the comments do highlight the perspective of certain segments in our society.
Being impartial, i support the notion of equality of all Pakistani citizens and that discrimination on any grounds in unwarranted and condemnable.

Keeping the aforementioned in mind, its a shame that divisions in the world, not just in Pakistani society, do exist on the grounds of religion, ethnicity, even worthless grounds such as political affiliation. A persons inclinations, be they toward an individual or a group, based upon religious dogma or ideological similarities, tend to be forcibly defended by the individual in question, often by violent means.

Whether we consider the followers of the sect in question to be Muslims or out of the fold of Islam, is a different discussion altogether. The crux of the issue is perhaps the intensity by which both sides collide.

The solution is perhaps already highlighted in the Holy Quran, where the instruction is to “Come to common terms, as between us and you, That we worship none but Allah …”

Iqbal, in his reply to the complaint,put it thus in perhaps the most eloquent form of verse:

Munfiyat ek hai is qaum ki, nuqsaan bhi ek…
Ek hi sab ka nabi, deen bhi, emaan bhi ek…
Haram e Pak bhi, Allah bhi, Quran bhi ek…
Kuch bari baat thi hotey jo musalmaan bhi ek…
Firqa bandi hai kaheen, aur kaheen zaatein hein…
Kya zamane mein panapne ki yehi baatein hein !

Your community is one, share your gains and woes.
You’ve the same Prophet, same religion, same Faith.

One Ka’aba, one Allah, one Quran!
It would have been wonderful had Muslims been one and united too.

There are sects, there are classes …
Tis this all that is left to contemplate in the world ?Recommend

I forwarded this article all day long to family and friends because I think you were spot on this article.. The majority of Pakistanis have a deep hatred for Ahmadhis,and there is no hiding of this fact.. They have been silent spectators as their fellow countrymen are slaughtered. There are rumors that in certain circles there was actually jubilation (distribution of sweets),that see they killed the Qadianis!!!! If there was not jubilation in other quarters, there was the silent indifference…. Good job Muslims of Pakistan for showing to the world how fellow humans should be treated in you Islamic state!!!!Recommend

Good article Fasi,
I sincerely hope more people speak up against the hate that has consumed Pakistan and the muslim nation. If they were Jeddi’s they would surely be on the dark side of the force:)
Just one note I have to inject is that comparing Ahmadi’s to Palestines is not fair because the Palestinians fight back (rocks, rockets, bombs etc) while no Ahmadi has ever lifted a finger against those who mean to destroy us. Ahmadi’s dont believe in violence no matter how bad it gets, hence their logo: love for all….
OmarRecommend

Pakistanis need to wake up. Where has the peace gone? My memory tells me that I saw it once, but looking at Pakistan today I have to try hard to imagine that it ever existed. Do you not long for it or are you all too busy saving your lives? Please think and try to find out what has gone wrong. Try to change it. Only Pakistan’s collective conscience can save it from the path it on, but everyone immediately despairs of the possibility of being able to make a change, so the collective conscience never comes.Recommend

I really appreciate the realisation of the real cause of this state-sanctioned persecution going against the Ahmadi’s for decades. I would really say thanks to Fasi Zaka for this write-up and to Faseeha Arjumand and Sharjeel Jawaid for their comments. God Bless you all for your kind heartedness and sweet words.Recommend

Bravo! In the words of Mr Dylan: The times they are a-changing.Recommend

Dear Fasi Zaka,

I condemn killings of innocent Muslims and Non Muslim, but I do not agree to all of your crap.

When writers like you want to persuade people to agree with you, they start to concoct things which are too obviously crooked. For example:
“..Pakistani Ahmadis aren’t allowed to go for Hajj, but Ahmadis from other countries are….”… you are mixing facts with fiction. You are claiming that Saudi Govt. knowingly allows Ahmedis from other countries to perform Hajj. This is one baseless accusation among others.

You are just being a knee-jerk reactionary. One wrong does not justify other wrongs.

But then you would loose fans if you were to call a spade a spade. Keep twisting and keep fabricating… Good Luck.Recommend

you hit it spot on. good job.Recommend

As ahmadis seems to reserve their ‘comments’ about the state of moral health of rest of mulslim world (which is obvious to its darkest levels like the time before Prophet Muhammad PBUH), the same treatment they deserve to have. Then we will know the inside truth.

We really need to know more about their believes that gave them the strength to submit to Allah at this inhuman time of massive proportion. Very Impressive at spiritual levels!!Recommend

@ ahmed!
Can you please explain your comments a bit further about this brand of islam controlled by maojority of world oil reserves?Recommend

After the brutal killings of Ahmadi’s in the recent Lahore attacks, I feel guilty as well as ashamed to be a Pakistani. I would like to ask my fellow countrymen, Is this how ISLAMIC republic Of Pakistan Treat its people? Its Hard to believe that the Islamic teachings preached here in Pakistan are similar to the Ones preached by the Prophet(PBUH). Prophet(PBUH) was known for his kindness, Tolerance, Patience and above all his behaviour with others. Are we Kind to Ahmadis?? Do we show tolerance to their believes? Do we behave well with them?? But then again, We’re not Ahmadis so we are obviously not wrong. Its shameful that we being Muslims are far away from the teachings of Prophet(PBUH). Recommend

BULLS EYE!Recommend

Well said Fasi.Recommend

To all who have responded esp Meher and Adil:

Dont intent to start up an arguemnt nor am i preaching; just giving my view, my right, which i assume we all have respect for each other’s. I was brought up in a religious background with strict sunni beliefs. I was always told Ahmadis are (excuse me)’wrong’ in their beliefs just as anybody is who doesnt believe what we believe. So thats another story and nobodys discussing that for the timebeing.

Ya, declaration of Ahmadis as non-muslims was a totally political one rather than religious one- agreed.

But the fact remains that who isnt targeted in Pakistan? Who is safe in Pakistan these days? and who is the beneficiary?

There are a lot of people who believe what actually happened on 9/11 is because on tv they always show Osama/Al-Qaeda (they exist or not, thats another story!) pics whenever they show the twin towers tumbling and the planes crashing. People asking me to be realistic have as much evidence to believe what they believe as much as i have reason to disagree with them – or with those who force/dictate/propogate the world to believe what they want them to believe.

Let me just request you guys to please not to take it as it comes (or given to u). Wahtever happens in Pakistan, believe me, is not as simple as it appears…the cat-mouse story is beyond they-attacked-america-so-we-attack-them-and-in-turn-they-attack-Pakistan….to me it makes more sense as we-make-them-attack-wehrever-we-want-so-dat-we-can-keep-on-attacking-weherever-we-want..think think..Recommend

Mr. Fasi that very article of yours was a folderol. Did u ever show fellow feeling and wrote any article on the dupes of blast at jamia naeemia lahore, supply depot mosque nowshera and many other..? This sympathy for ahmedis is a belly laugh for me because every sound muslim knows and has firm believe that the one who takes issues of Muhammad (PBUH) as a last Prophet is liable for capital punishment and so is a qadiani. i have lived with a qadiani as a room mate and i know what actually their intention and organized plan of investing time as a friend is…
And i can bet the people who are endorsing your this piece of writing are those who didn’t get any single word of it but just supporting it because they are the fans of FASI ZAKA. Recommend

much has been said! much has been read!!
i wish if much has been understood and acted upon too!!

i wish to see end of this brutality in my life.

Hats off Fasih! Good jobRecommend

I think this article should be translated in Urdu and all of our other regional languages so that its outreach is in every corner of this intolerant society.Recommend

I think, fasi wrote excellent article. he really depicted the harsh realities of the society and injustice with Ahmedis in Pakistan. The claim at every legal document that “i consider Mirza…..” is really pathetic. we are discriminating these people. The issue raised by the writer that if this type of situation arises in those countries where Muslims are living as minorities, then i could become impossible for those Muslims to live there freely. I think the same rule should be applied in Pakistan as well, which is the ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN , unfortunately encouraging injustice, discrimination and intolerance.Recommend

The literaary value of this article must be in multiple coefficients. In spite of a very serious and sad issue its an enjoyble raeding. This is the time to try to contribute towards the awakening of those with conscience….like yourself (sadly very few and far between). We all must do our utmost at individual level to condone such support. Currently in Pakistan, the Govt, the media, the itelligencia, all have been made a hostage by the Extremist Mullahs (who have nothing to do with Islam) who are gradually strangling the whole system into a state of pathetic & pitiful inertness. Likea very well-known columnist of Pakistan told me yesterday that Turks needed Ata-Turk…. pakistan needs a 100 of them…so sad! And that is because successive govts have utilized these self-serving extremists for their own perssonal goals, just as the current Panjab govt is doing… by supporting madrasaas known for talibanization. Well why shouldnt they…They come from Raiwind…dont they?Recommend

Excellent article. I think cutting off diplomatic relations may not suffice. We must immediately stop the financial and material aid which we provide to Saudi Arabia and Indonesia and give final warning to rest of the world for cutting diplomatic relations. By threatening the entire world of diplomatic isolation we can easily force them to stoop against our demands. I think they deserve this treatment. Recommend

Dear Fasi:
This is not funny. Although I must congragulate you having written a good piece with all sensitivities balanaced.

As for the issue of signing the declaration of declaring the founder of Ahmadiyya community to be an imposter, this is serious and one expects people of even minimal integrity to at least read something written by him before signing the declaration.

In one sense, actually it was this declaration that saved me. Once I read it and decided to first at least read what the founder of Ahmadiyya movement had to say, I was utterly surprised to discover that he was right. He argued passionately for observing secularism as as religious value, giving fatwa against all militancy garbed as Jihad and the value of being loyal to your country first. If this is written by an imposter than I would prefere such a enlightened imposter over our bigoted mullahs anytime (you must make your choice also).

So please tread carefully. This is the crunch time. Decisions must be made and sides must be taken. In the struggle between oppressors and oppressed, there is only one side that is right and silent bystanders are accomplices.

May Allah guide us all to the right path.Recommend

Fasi zaka can u tell me a thing with truth that before writing this artical what was your feeling….???????? you are optimistic person but in your urdu newspaper express abbas athar wrote a provoked artical..perhaps abbas athar coax mullahs or want more fame….very sad don’t you think that gernalist becoming also a gang..??? i think islam and our politics in the sinking stage in pakistan…???? Recommend

Great pieceRecommend

The style of the article highlights the content in such a way that the injustices against Ahmadis becomes undeniable and deserving of condemnation.
Mr. Zaka, I am glad you wrote this column so that people can begin to wake up to the chaos that is being brewed in Pakistan. Recommend

Excellent article. Since the atrocity in Lahore, I too have been reading about the Ahmadis and the way they have been treated. Like you, I too have been appalled at the bigotry or callous indifference of fellow Pakistanis.
I am ashamed of us as a nation on this issue.Recommend

i need to correct mr shahid banglore the website is
http://www.alislam.org this is the only official website of AHMADIYA Community.
thanx..Recommend

Very well spoken.

I was born in Pakistan, but raised in Canada. While not religious myself, I am from an Ahmadi family. My parents left Pakistan in 1978 because of the intolerable expectation for them to denounce their faith in an abhorrent, humiliating way if they had any hope of earning a living.

Members of my extended family have been victimized and, in recent months, killed, solely because of their beliefs.

I am sad to say, that I am ashamed of where I come from. The lack of any real condemnation for atrocities against fellow human beings leave me embarassed to identify as being Pakistani.

I hope that in my lifetime, I can tell my friends, my family, and the world, that I am proud of my country of birth for standing up for established and recognized human rights, and protecting its citizens of various faiths from unjust persecution for the crime of just existing.

Even if you don’t share their beliefs, they are people and have a right to live and exist.Recommend

excellent article. Very good analysis and you made your point, well that is if some of us do understand what exactly you are saying. But it might be hard for some of us to realize that what we are doing with Ahmedis is wrong because as one of the anchor in a talk show said that our nation is a dead nation. We don’t care what is happening with our neighbour as long as i am ok. but in the case of Ahmedis it is even worst because we make sure they Ahmedis are treated the worst and if they are not we go to our mosque and ask the imam to say something against ahmedis or give a fatwa that will embark us to kill the innocent humans. And with killing of the Ahmedis although is chain of the attacks that were happening in pakistan but has a lot to do with the hatred towards them. The imams tell us to kill them in order to go to Jannah.. I will rather not go to their Jannah if i have to kill innocent civilians, i will go to the jannah that is mentioned in Quran. I would like to see the kids of these imam’s doing these terrorist activities, i would like to see the jamat e islami leader to go and kill ahmedis and khtme nabuwat leader to go and kill ahmedis and then i will say that atleast they follow what they teach.

Again i will say that us pakistanis are morally and ethically a dead nation. We are the worst nation on planet earth, if you don’t belive me look around and see that we have disasters after disasters of Allah, this taliban is also Allah teaching us lesson. We are the most hated nation in the world. Thank you Molvi Sahib, Thank you very muchRecommend

Yes, you really hit the target. Pakistan needs to do a lot for human rights and all of us should be vocal on this issue whenever and wherever we had a chance.

Pakistan Gov’t should give equal rights to all Pakistanis irrespective of their faith & religion and those stupid ammendments either made in 1973 or in 1984, which are spreading hatered in the society should be slashed immediatly. Recommend

Excellent articleRecommend

Most of the comments that have been posted here generally appreciate Fasi Zaka as a good (and obviously sarcastic) writer.But in my opinion the writer is only trying to make everybody look in only one direction.He’s making the Ahmedi’s look like a bunch of innocent babies who are cowering in shadows in Pakistan because of the inhumane(!!!) declaration of them as non-Muslims.Well isn’t this declaration right…???
Anyone who’s familiar with the primary definition of Muslims will know that a Muslim is one who
1-believes in oneness of Allah.
2-believes Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) to be the last prophet of Allah.
3-and believes in holy books,angels n day of judgement.
(Mr. Meher Ali please pay attention)
so according to #2,Ahmedi’s are non Muslims.
And as a matter of fact everybody knows that Ahmedi’s have made it sure that the REAL MUSLIMS also get their share of unpleasantness and hatred.
Also, the writer shouldnot just bring forth one side of the whole scenerio.He’s just mixing the facts of one tragedy with his assumptions.
And in the end,he is very diplomatically evading a conclusion.Recommend

Ahmadism is not a part of Islam and they are not Muslims as they have rejected the fundamental aspect that Mohammad (pbuh) is the last Prophet of Allah, therefore if a person says that he or she is a prophet then naturally according the rules of Islam they are not Muslims and cannot be a part of Islam. They can have their own religion but it would have no connection with Islam, period.

All Ahmadis should be given proper respect as human beings and should have equal rights no matter where they reside. As far as performing Hajj or similar Islamic rituals is concerned then naturally they cannot be allowed to do so as they are not Muslims. That is something no one can debate about.

I suggest that rather than acting all cool and ‘open minded’ get your fundamentals sorted and figure out why they were declared non-muslims and don’t just sit in front of the computer and type out a sensationalized article which has no substance and is just misleading and twisted.Recommend

brilliant. Dear Mr Zaka, its a fabulous article, and i m glad u changed ur mind towards Ahmadiyyat. Alhamdolillah.

Keep up ur good work :)Recommend

A very well written article with the balance of words. I am glad to see more and more unbiased people in this country. Recommend

A very thought provoking article.Recommend

please read the first amendment of US constitution:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

They have not acted against it since 12/15/1791.
Can constitution experts in pakistan read this amendment and the history of US, and learn some lesson from this great country.

Why pakistani constitution has conflict in it, it says in one part freedome and then take it out from some sections and then ban it in other sections?????

God Bless America! , it has nice laws for human biengs. We also pray that may God bless pakistan with the nice laws for human beings.Recommend

I agree with you, If you compare Pakistan and Israel there are lot of similarities including the one that the way Ahmadies are being treated in Pakistan by so called Muslims is same as Muslims are being treated in Palestine by Jews.Recommend

its really a wonderment for me that if u are talking about Humanity and Mankind then why only Ahmedi community is your subject? why not Hindus and Jews or any other sect..? I believe that to give care to Humankind is the biggest humanity but one should be of that sound mind to differentiate b/w what is right and what is wrong. If we talk here about Jews as our subject i bet no one will regard them as human beings but will consider them as their biggest enemies blanking out that they are also human being.
When Allah says that “yahud, hanood aur nasara tumhare dost nahi ho saktay” then how will u take these people, as an enemy of Islam or as a human being?? Recommend

Attack on Ahmidia worship place is very tragic n painful incident……
but we cant match them to Hindus & Christans…. coz hindus n christans neither believe on Oneness of Almighty Allah nor Muhammad (PBUH) whereas these Ahmadias believe on Allah n also on Muhammad (PBUH) n then they believe another prophet(Mirza Gulamm Ahmad Qadiyani)… this is the basic fact which is not bearable in Islam at any cost as we c When Musalma Kazab declare that he is also a prophet of Allah…Hazrat Abu Bakar shows no patience n peace on that matter…. then how can we…. they r the minority of pakistan….. they pretend that they r very peaceful but whenever n where ever they find chance they start preaching their teachings……….Recommend

Mr. Zaka,
I was born a Pakistani, and then at the age of two was forced to flee with my family. For a very long time, I refused to call myself a Pakistani – I didn’t want to belong to a country that condemned me for my beliefs. Even today, it takes me a minute before I tell someone where I’m from. This isn’t because I hold hatred for the country – no, rather I long to be able to set eyes on my homeland once more. What impedes me is the close-minded, corrupt and cowardly ways of the political government of Pakistan, and even to some degree its people. This is the very same country that couldn’t even leave the grave of a dead man alone – no, the Nobel Prize winning Physicist that brought Pakistan onto the map of Science – had the word “Muslim” rubbed off his gravestone. Even today, if they do bother putting his name in textbooks, they refrain from mentioning he was an Ahmadi—what they don’t realise is that it was because he was Ahmadi, that he was able to see and do what he did.

I applaud you for your article. My faith in Pakistan has always be precarious at best, especially after the events in lahore – my utter shock and pain ripped me of any remaining sympathy I had for the country…but since then, pakistanis have come forward. It took the lives of 94, and the blood of 100 others, but at last, pakistan has shown signs of having a heart. Just wonder how long it’ll be till this again wears off, and mullahs regain their rule…history dictates that Pakistan has a very short and selective memory when it suits them.

And for the record, I like your conclusion. Dramatic, but truer words were never said. As long as Ahmadi’s are alive, the Mullah’s livelihood and power is at stake – we are the only ones capable of calling their ficticious lies and self-suiting interpretations for what they are. They have the people of pakistan and its politicians eating out of their fingers, you can’t expect them to want to let go of that kind of power…and therefore Ahmadi’s must be destroyed.Recommend

I agree with Iffat Raheem and Tabrez Durrani. The writer is a bit too harsh and some of the facts are being twisted just for the sake of argument.

Certainly, the killing and any social or criminal injustice towards any part of the community (including Ahmadis) is condemnable. However, if we call ourselves an Islamic state, we must also accept the principles. An Islamic state SHOULD and MUST protect the rights of all minority non-Muslim sectors BUT it is not an atrocity to declare one community a minority on the basis that they dont conform to the basic definition of being “Muslims”. Also, I dont think that Ahmadis are generally discriminated against. They have all right to profess their religion and profess it openly, get education, jobs, run businesses… anything whatsoever that’s a ‘right’ for a minority.

Muslims suffer from poverty just as much as Christians and Hindus. We dont raise our voice against killing of a whole sector of our population by our own army and drone attacks and justify it. I must ask how that silence is different from the silence against Ahmadis? It is fashionable to call anyone who wears a turban one of “taliban” and anyone who has a beard a “Mullah”. I’d say poor Muslims are actually under more persecution from the media and our “enlightened” educated youth than Ahmadis, may be. So, if we want to be right, we must bring justice to ALL.

Killing and any injustice towards Ahmadis is just as condemnable as against any other part of the society. Please dont use it to get an applause for your lopsided ideals! Thanks.Recommend

Dear All, 1st of all let me remind you in 2009 3,300 Pakistani deid in Terrorist attack, none of us find such kind of “huge coverage” on those…

fasi, i just want to ask a simple question, if i start to use your id, and start publishing articles on your name than what you will do????
You will treat me as a human being like others???? Recommend

Dear Fasi,
Its awesome. Your point is eye opening, but there is yet an other thing. There is no country where jubilation for any sect is a crime. But in Pakistan the case is so. We Ahmedies were beaten and put to jails by the government machinery just for enjoying on our centenary celebrations. We were prohibited to wear the T.Shirts with the happy centenary message, No fancy lights were allowed on our houses and even the Law-enforcement agencies were appointed in front of our sweet shops so that we cant buy sweets and distribute them. Why is it so when no Ahmedie has ever been accused of any crime against the state. On the contrary we had been among the builders of the Nation.
Any ways Thank You Very Much for raising such a voice. May Allah give you prosparity in your life.Recommend

Excellent and very bold article. May Allah enable others to also act on the teachings of Islam that if you cannot correct a wrong with your hands and words, at least consider it wrong in your hearts, and that is the weakest form of belief. Ahmadis were declared non muslims by the state in 1974, since then Pakistan has never seen peace. A wise man said it is no longer a democracy when rights of the minorities are violated. Probably that is why Pakistan is cursed and has never seen anything other than Army or elected dictatorship. Today Pakistan is the 5th most unstable country in the world – try giving a thought towards ‘why’ and what will be the consequences, how will this affect our next generations, Pakistan and Pakistanis are slowly being alienated in the world. Sanity must prevail somewhere.

To Ms. Iffat Rahim: yes Ahmadis, living in other countries, have performed Hajj and Umra and continue to do so. My friend performed Hajj in 2009. My father went for Umra a few years ago, the author is absolutely correct. He is not being a “knee-jerk reactionary” but you are showing your bias. A spade is a spade – you can call it by any name – it will always be used to haul garbage out.Recommend

By the far the best article i have read on the issue. Puts our head to shame as the article really hits home. Well done Fasi.Recommend

These attacks have been considered in the most terrible ones. It’s time we should call for the rights of our Ahmadi Muslim brothers and sisters.
I know Ahmadis; they are very peaceful people and good Muslims.
Above all, they do believe in Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) as a last Prophet.
I wish those people would stop spreading misconception regarding them.
I have so much to say and prove.
I know 2 Ahmadi Muslims and and i have myself researched a lot.
They are Muslims.I think we should stop calling their Mosques as Worship places. Those killed are called ‘Martyred’.I won’t deny the truth even if someone Punishes me for that.Atleast according to me,they are Muslims and should be called Muslims.Never think that my those 2 Ahmadi friends made me change my thoughts,no,it’s my own research.I feel sorry for what many of our great Sunni and Shia scholars have mentioned about them.I wonder where does PEMRA go at that time?
God bless Pakistan.Recommend

@ Farah Akhtar, Iffat Raheem and Tabrez Durrani,
Saying that Ahmadis are enjoying all sort of freedom in Pakistan is against the facts. From my personal knowledge and experience again, I can quote many instances where an Ahmadi was just denied promotion or given a job merely because his superior was an ultra Islamist Sunni.

There have been many instances also where Ahmadi properties were burnt, looted and Ahmadis persecuted just because of their being Ahmadis.

Then to say that a country has every right to declare someone as Muslim or non Muslim is similar to sending Pakistan, our beloved country into the days of “Divine right of Kings” and to the times when Christian priests used to issue certificates of going into paradise by charging them hefty sums of money, higher the money better the place in heavens. Fortunately the Christian Europe shed of its prejudices and follies years ago and unfortunately we in Pakistan are clinging to the same divine right of the state, the kings and the Mullahs to declare a Pakistani a Muslim or a non Muslim.

Nayyar Hashmey
http://wondersofpakistan.wodpress.com/Recommend

Excellent article. The part where you wrote that “Why don’t the Muslims wear special collars to identify themselves?” I had the chilling image of when the Jews had to wear the Star of David on their arms to identify themselves. Are we going to regress again? Recommend

You’ve exposed the hypocricy of our fanatics bare naked!Recommend

Please dont blend this terrorism act with the convenctional terrorism becasue in this country people are free to announce openly in the roads that , Ahmadis are LIABLE TO DEATH , (WAJIB UL QATAL) ,look at this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhu4haPx5PA&feature=player_embedded

so the last act is an episode of ongoing hate movement against Ahmadis .Ahmadiyya persecution in Pakistan is systematic and having a sort of “Legal” impression , there are discriminatory Laws against this specific community in this country !

Infact Pakistan is totally hijacked by these Mullahs who are historically proved anti Pakistan, they will not leave any body now , this is what Justice Munir told in his 1953 Lahore disturbance inquiry report , that this society will become like a hostile .Recommend

Glad to see that the voice of reason is still alive in there and even more so when a brave soul such as yourself takes the initiative to speak out against the masses. All in all, an eye-opening article that I hope will hit home and make for renewed efforts in pressuring governments to do what they should and stop catering to those in whose minds would be anything but thoughts of peace and betterment. I hope that someday soon your mindset will take root in the high places that desperately need it today..Recommend

Fasi, bravo on the article.

Moving on, our nation’s collective biggest fault, of which i am also a victim is that we are ignorant. We reach conclusions without consulting the parties concerned. We state our own views brazenly without finding out whether they are based in fact or fiction. I am a non-Ahmadi and my best friend is an Ahmadi. For 5 long years i have asked him to explain what he believes in again and again and again. How humiliating it must be for him every time i’ve asked him to justify his beliefs.

The sad part is that even when we are offering condolences to the aggrieved persons, we inadvertently end up discussing their religion and their beliefs. Pray tell me, when a person says the Kalima-e-Tayyaba, he becomes a Muslim. Why then do we keep going after the Ahmedis when they say it? And how shallow does one sound when one says that they say the Kalima but don’t believe in it? Why would they even bother saying it if they didn’t believe in it my mind wonders. Aren’t there better issues to be discussed? What about illiteracy, ignorance, lawlessness? Aren’t these bigger issues than our constant infatuation with Ahmedis and their beliefs?Recommend

Why are you talking about the differences in beliefs and not about the oppression and pain the Ahmadi community has suffered?Recommend

Some commentators here are denouncing the act of May 28th 2010, as unjust and horrific but in the same breath are quick to follow with statements like … this does not mean we can give Ahmadis any rights because after all we the Muslims don’t believe them to be Muslims. The question that Mr Fasi has so eloquently addressed is that no matter what you think of them, do they not have any human rights to life, liberty and speech. These are basic human rights that Islam fosters, and are upheld by all civilized nations. Do you allow them to pray as they wish, gather as they wish and present their point of view?

I found amusing the comment by Humza Baloch..
” fasi, i just want to ask a simple question, if i start to use your id, and start publishing articles on your name than what you will do????
You will treat me as a human being like others????”

This comment demonstrates the mind-set of some Pakistani Muslims who thinks they have a monopoly on religion. On top of it he is asking shall I treat all others as humans?? If Mr Baloch is really the sole custodian of the faith, and YOU have stolen his ID…. then let me take a guess at what I think people with this mind-set will do to YOU in that case. They will prevent you from explaining yourself. They will put up banners all over the city telling the world that their ID has been stolen and it is the only authentic one and the so called imposters should be killed by anyone, and will ultimately kill you, without you ever being given a chance to explain. And maybe at the end of the day you just have the same ID… Think about it….Recommend

Hi all, i read this article many times since it is online, as i cannot have paper publication in Europe. I have commented many times on event of Lahore at various pages of this site.
1 Denounce the killings of Ahmedi People and their IBADAT GAH, there is no ambiguity here.
2 Matter of their concept of Islam, and denouncing Ahmedis as Muslims, i am not the one to decided to kill them. But being a Muslim i never challenge Islam (Quran and Hadith). Many people have sent links in comments and that are one sided picture (Ahmedi Point of View). I am not with any sect of Islam (or any Religio-Political Party in Pakistan) , yet here i give a link to study the whole picture before declaration of Ahmedis as non Muslim
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9743588/qadyani-masla
people may read the back ground. It might be commented by people that it is Jama’at e Islami version, but when each is considering to ponder the Ahmedi view point then it too might be considered.
3 I am personally hands up in presence of QURAN and SUNNAH (Quran aur Hadith).
4 Please please it is requested that try not to make it simple attack on Ahmedis, it is attack on Pakistan.
5 I am not one to declare the fate of people, it is Allah Almighty, His Book the Quran and Hadith. Nothing else.

Note for the Indians commented about live and let live,
It is our personal and internal matter, and you people speak of live and let live, but you too are in the same in not allowing people letting live. Recommend

According to my opinion we should think and fear about our duties.Attacks were made on an innocent people but our religious and political leaders are still talking their declaring about their believes.
1-I’m very proud of their reaction that We leave this matter on Allah.I think all proclaimers of religious and political parties never showed such reaction.We should think and try it.
2-I think this is also unique in our history that attackers were caught by the community.Thank God
And thanks to writer of this column May Allah keep you under His protection.Recommend

Brilliant job Fasi! What Muslims today need is probably a push to go back to the very basic teachings of Islam. Is a true Muslim not suppose to be the model of righteousness and Justice? Muslims in their times of rule were known for their justice which earned winning of hearts and as a result brought massive influx of people under the flag of Holy Prophet PBUH. This is how you define Muslims and that’s how Muslims have been. Contrarily today we have “Islamic Republic of Pakistan” with the least realization of basic human rights, what a paradox!

I have non-muslim friends here in west and they tend to show way more respect and admiration toward who I am and what my religion is than most Pakistanis do. What I can see quite apparently is the fulfillment of Holy Prophet SAW’s hadith that the sun will rise from West. Today many non-Muslims portray behaviors that testimony them of being more enlightened than Muslims. High time to ponder!

P.S. When The Moors Ruled In Europe is a great documentary by an honest English Historian Bettany Hughes, a reminder to who Muslims have been and what glories they were blessed with. Recommend

http://www.ahmadiyya.us/
Pakistan has 4 million Ahmadis[62] and is the only state to have officially declared the Ahmadis to be non-Muslims;[60] here their freedom of religion has been curtailed by a series of ordinances, acts and constitutional amendments. In 1974 Pakistan’s parliament adopted a law declaring Ahmadis to be non-Muslims;[63] the country’s constitution was amended to define a Muslim “as a person who believes in the finality of the Prophet Muhammad”.[43] In 1984 General Zia-ul-Haq, the then military ruler of Pakistan, issued Ordinance XX.[64] The ordinance, which was supposed to prevent “anti-Islamic activities”, forbids Ahmadis to call themselves Muslim or to “pose as Muslims”. This means that they are not allowed to profess the Islamic creed publicly or call their places of worship mosques.[65] Ahmadis in Pakistan are also barred by law from worshipping in non-Ahmadi mosques or public prayer rooms, performing the Muslim call to prayer, using the traditional Islamic greeting in public, publicly quoting from the Quran, preaching in public, seeking converts, or producing, publishing, and disseminating their religious materials. These acts are punishable by imprisonment of up to three years.[19] In applying for a passport or a national ID card, all Pakistanis are required to sign an oath declaring Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to be an impostor prophet and all Ahmadis to be non-Muslims.[66] Because of being an Ahmadi, the word “Muslim” was erased from the gravestone of the Nobel prize winning theoretical physicist Abdus Salam.Recommend