The
world of Islam today is splintered on denominational and sectarian lines. The lineages of the great
divide
among the Muslims go
far back into history, originating
in the disputes over obedience
to authority and
the
sharing of power in
the times after the Holy Prophet (sa) and his rightly-guided
successors, the pious Caliphs.
It’s a searing fact of history that after that
first century of Islam, the
Muslims had never been united as a single spiritual and political
order. With the
great schism
among
the
believers leading
to the formation
of
sectarian
identity among
them;
the
lofty identity of Islam receded to the backdrop and the Muslims were
reduced to be either Sunnis
or
Shiites and in
course of time, with the entrenchment
of deep
divisions over questions of Islamic law, new groups emerged among them on sectarian lines.
Indeed, there is no monolithic/single/unified ‘Islam’ in our times; there are many ‘Islams’ as the proliferation of religious groupings among the nearly two billion Muslims around the world so clearly demonstrate. This is unfortunately true as well, even in the relatively humble and small world of Ahmadiyya Islam- the community of Muslims assembled originally by the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian in the previous century. Today, despite all that the Promised Massih (as) had taught about the unity of all religions in Islam, the Ahmadis or the people who claim themselves to be the followers of that great saint of Islam, themselves are splintered into numerous sects and groupings. For instance, the different Ahmadi sects include the following: Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Qadian, Anjuman Ahmadiyya Lahore, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Al Muslemun, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Islah Pasand, Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Haquiqui.
No
one can deny that the
Holy Qur’an had
indeed warned the Muslims about the lessons of human history. Whereas
unity and cohesion leads to progress and blessings, disagreement and
splintering leads to decline and fall. The Divine Book says, “This
community of yours is one single community, and I am your Lord. So
fear Me. But they are divided into sects, each sect rejoicing in its
belief.” (23:
53-54). “And
if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community.
Yet they continue to disagree (among them) except those upon whom
your Lord has bestowed His Mercy. This is why He created them ...”
(11:
119-120). It is possible to look at the diversity of situations and the plurality of opinions among Ahmadis as the existential condition of the times we are living in. In dealing with questions where we differ among ourselves, however, it is important to keep the big picture in mind all the time- including the obligations of brotherhood left behind by the Holy Prophet (sa) when he stated: “A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. Do not hate each other and do not be jealous of each other and do not desert each other, O worshipers of Allah! Be brothers! And whoever meets the needs of his brother, Allah will meet his needs”. Indeed, the Ahmadi believers have a duty to respect the integrity and religious choices of our fellow humans found in different sects of Islam. Rather than seeking to project narrow interests, group-based prejudices and sectarian mindsets; engage with the brethren in faith in a spirit of solidarity and kindness in furthering the shared ideals of Islam.
An Appeal to All
In
October 2008, in the seventh year of the present Divine Manifestation, Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim
Saheb (atba) of Mauritius made a fervent, Divinely-inspired Appeal to all mankind,
especially to his Ahmadi brothers found in various sects of the
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya to improve
the quality of their spiritual engagements and public debates and to rise
above their sectarian
perspectives
so as to truly
embrace
the purpose of a spiritual life.
Read
the Document Below:
In
the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
An
appeal to all Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha`at Islam Lahore & Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community & A Special Appeal to all Mankind
If
two groups of believers fought with each other, you shall reconcile
them. If one group aggresses against the other, you shall fight the
aggressing group until they submit to Allah’s command. Once they
submit, you shall reconcile the two groups equitably. You shall
maintain justice; Allah loves those who are just.
The
believers are members of one family; you shall keep the peace within
your family and reverence Allah, that you may attain mercy.
(Al-Hujurat, Ch.49 V.10-11)
It
is unfortunate that though we all belong to the Ummaté
Muhammadiyya
(s.a.w) and the Jamaat of Hazrat Massih Ma’oud (a.s), each group is
putting forward arguments to belittle the faith and values of each
other. It is really painful to see brothers fighting, arguing and
belittling each other in the name of their own misconceptions. Why
are we fighting when we should be like one family in Islam and
Ahmadiyyat as taught to us by our Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and
Hazrat Massih Maoud Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s)?
When
Ahmadi Muslims are fighting each other, it gives the other Muslims
and the other religions the opportunity to ridicule more the Jamaat
of our beloved Massih Maoud (a.s). Be it if you belong to the
“Ahmadiyya
Anjuman Isha`at Islam Lahore”
or the “Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community”,
you should bear in mind the things that we have in common instead of
flaunting around the differences which there are between us, and by
these differences denigrating each other in endless debates,
discussions and fights.
We
Ahmadis are all believers in the proclamation of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad (a.s) as the Promised Messiah and Mahdi; the Mujaddid of his
time.
Now
we must all work hand in hand to propagate the teachings of Islam as
one like the Promised Messiah (a.s) did in his own time. But now we
are living in such times that we have the latest technologies to help
us in better propagating the teachings of Islam. We must not misuse
these technologies to calumniate each other. In the final go, all
must account before Allah Tabarak
Wa Ta’ala for each and every action of ours. Only Allah knows the faith of His
servants.
We
are brothers of one same breed – We are first of all humans and at
our birth, we were all born Muslims, without defects. Our environment
made us take different directions in life. Our beliefs, through
Allah’s mercy got solidly established in the religion of Islam,
like the like we were all born from. But now why are we fighting?
Arguments
will go on and on, but no solution is being found to bring us all
together. Allah has talked in the past, is talking today with His
Chosen One and will ever continue to talk to His Chosen ones till the
end of time.
If
as Muslims we are fighting like this, each of us at our brothers’
throat ready to pounce on them at any moment, when will we become
one? When will the community of Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w) become one?
When will humanity become one? When will the true believers rejoice
of the Promise of an “Ummaté
Waahida”
(One Community) if brothers and brothers are fighting among each
other?
It
is really sad that though Allah has sent numerous signs and warnings
in this era, but no one is taking heed to them. Calamities and
economic crisis are coming in great sea-waves ready to devastate the
whole world, from great countries to little islands. Humanity is in
danger. Faith in Allah and His Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w) is
in danger of being lost in the tides of fights and hatred which have
perpetrated into the hearts of Muslims, whatever their groups or
sects.
It
is our moral duty not to calumniate the prophets and envoys of Allah,
whatever their titles they have got from Allah. Only Allah will be
witness to their truthfulness. The one who calumniates a prophet of
Allah, be it past prophets before the appearance of Hazrat Muhammad
(s.a.w) or those who have come after his advent and those who will
continue to come in the future, will be accountable to Allah.
The
Messenger of Allah is here only to pass on the message. He has not
got the capacity and power from Allah to instill faith into the
hearts of people. Only those who are “Ulul
Al Baab”
(People of Understanding) will come to realize the importance of this
message. These people may not be rich in terms of livelihood or not
highly educated people, but they are those people who are connected
deeply with Allah and His words. They are those who understand that
come what may, one must always do the efforts to reunite instead of
going far from their brethrens of the same faith.
Religion
can be debated in many aspects, but what about making the effort to
come forward for the love of Allah to gather together the pieces of
the community of Islam as one big community of the world so as to
preach Tawheed
and love
for one another, instead of letting Satan divide us further and
further.
This
humble one does what he does through the instructions of Allah. Allah
knows his heart thoroughly. He knows that His Messenger wants to
accomplish the mission that he has been sent for, for the benefit of
mankind, and especially so Muslims who should have been first to
recognize the Promise of Allah through the comings of His Messengers
through time and time on.
The
heart of a Messenger of Allah is sensible on these matters. He wants
to unite and not break bonds. Everyone has the option to either come
forward in brotherhood for the Love of Allah, or lack behind because
of hatred or resentment. This must not be the case.
One
must respect the beliefs of others. Even after each one of you have
done the efforts to put forward your point of views on the subject
which matters to you, but you must also hear what others has to say
without pouncing on him, in a never-ending tug of war. I would like
to address to the members of the Ahmadiyya
Anjuman Isha`At Islam Lahore to
stop criticizing and blaming Hazrat Musleh Maoud (a.s) Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (r.a). All of you (Ahmadiyya
Anjuman Isha`At Islam Lahore & Ahmadiyya Muslim Community),
respect the beliefs your brothers and cease these never-ending
discussions. Instill
love for all hatred for none in your heart and
never
boycott your brothers and do not hurt their feelings & beliefs.
Instead when you meet each other, greet each other with the
Salutation of Peace which is a vital Islamic teaching to remove any
hatred from your hearts. Also, whenever there is a function, invite
each other, to foster brotherhood and love among you like our beloved
Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the Perfect model for mankind had
advised us.
We
are Muslims. So let us all take our responsibilities as Muslims.
Allah has said: “La
Ikraaha Fid-Deen”
(No Compulsion in Religion). Only Allah knows what to do with people
who take the wrong path.
Messengers
of Allah have special works from Allah to reunite people together in
the name of Allah and feed them with the food of spirituality, to
make them realize that whatever wrong they are doing, they should
cease to do it. Instead one must try to develop goodness in him. In
fact, goodness is inherent in him, but he should do all the more
efforts to make this goodness develop intensely in him. He must not
let any hatred into the compound of his heart.
The
Holy Quran has given us many ways to deal with people. There are
those who are given the right to apply the Law of Moses (a.s): “an
eye for an eye”; others are permitted to apply the law of Jesus
which is only forgiveness (no violence); but our Final Religion Islam
teaches us the middle way, which depends according to circumstances.
A
“Messenger of Allah” is not like the “Common People” – Yes
all are humans, but the Messengers have special and hardest tasks
which they have to accomplish, because if they do not obey Allah
accordingly, their consequences will be very bad. Even if Allah
punishes them, but Allah never abandon them, because they are from
His waters, from His essence; for it is Him who has sent them
especially for this mission, as special ambassadors to put forward
the truth of His existence before people and to denounce falsehood.
So,
all Human Ahmadi Muslims (from Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha`at Islam Lahore) must realize that each one of
you has a moral duty as per the Quran to discard your differences and
base yourselves on the same belief which you profess to have in the
Holy Book of Allah the Quran and the Holy Prophet of Allah, Hazrat
Muhammad (s.a.w). Each and Every Messiah, Mujaddid, Prophet,
Messenger, Muhyi-ud-Din, Khalifatullah who will come in each era to
proclaim themselves in the name of Allah should be looked into so
that you may be counted among the closest to Allah through the pact
that you have made with Him before you came into this world.
Hold
Islam firmly in your heart. Do not let your blood pressure to rise up
at the call of the enemy whose sole aim is to distance you from the
mercy of Allah. I have humbly come in the power vouchsafed to me from
Allah to advice you, to guide you towards Him and not me. Guiding
people to accept me is not my duty. My duty is to give you the glad
tidings that if you leave all your wrongdoings and repent sincerely
before only Allah and worship Allah alone, and believe in all
his prophets, his angels, holy books, in life after death – in the
existence of paradise and hell, and his decree,
then you are among those whom Allah has graced with Islam. Now, each
of you must perfect your Islam so that you may have perfect
Imaan,
for Imaan
(faith) is
found only in the hands of Allah,
if he will give it to you or not.
When
you obey Allah and his Rassool (the Rassool of Allah of his time),
and stay firm with him for
the love of Allah
and to do
the works of Allah
along with him – to
propagate the Deen-é-Islam
in every heart, then definitely you will be among the luckiest
persons of this world and the next. You will become rich
in terms of spirituality and love of Allah and his messenger.
The one who breaks his pact which he has established with Allah and
turns his back to the revelations and messages of Allah which he has
witnessed, falls into the categories of hypocrites who were each time
present in the times of
all prophets – even our beloved prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was not
made an exception;
whereby hypocrites were crowded around him. But then Allah little by
little removed them from his circle. Allah
knows best what to do with them.
O
ye brothers, sisters and children who are anxious of the love of
Allah and His mercy, never turn your backs to the words of Allah, to
His revelations, for if you do so, you will not be turning your backs
to the Messenger of Allah, but you will be turning your backs to
Allah Himself, who have given you all in life.
Reflect
carefully upon each and every action and word that you do or say. You
will have to account for all these in front of Allah. Let
us join hands for
the sake of Allah – to spread goodwill instead of hatred.
I, the Khalifatullah have come into this world for your own good,
your own well-being. I do not ask you for any payment or salary for
this work. My life, honour, food and drink are found in the hands of
Allah. Even if the world reject this humble one, and do not take heed
of the divine message, but Allah will always be with His Messenger
and all the angels will be in the ranks of my army against all evils
of this world.
Calumnies
have always poured down upon Messengers of Allah from every direction
and nook. Only Allah stands to support His Chosen One, to guide him.
O mankind, O my brothers, sisters and Children, I am a Spiritual
Father to you all, wanting only your betterment. Listen to the
message coming from Allah who wants you to forego all evils to grip
firmly His Unicity.
Come
forward like the true soldiers of Allah to eradicate evil, to banish
Satan and his enemies from the realm of your own hearts and souls.
When you will succeed in cleaning yourselves from that darkness, you
will better appreciate the Light which comes from Allah; to such
extent that you also can experience revelations from Allah, to guide
you to Him.
Become
a little Muhammad (s.a.w) and turn towards your Lord. Do Good, see
Good and reap Good. Bear in mind, that one day, be it today, tomorrow
or any other day you will have to return back to your Creator to
account before Him for all your actions.
Allah
has sent a Messenger towards you so that you may be counted as the
lucky ones to come closest to Allah; seize this golden opportunity to
be graced with the favours of Allah and His blessings like those of a
thousand “Laila-tul-Qadr”.
Make
peace among you; love all your brothers and sisters and children in
faith for the love of Allah so that tomorrow Allah may be satisfied
with you completely. Reach to others to preach them the Unicity of
Allah. Love them and instill the fear of Allah in your heart. Become
true “Dai-illallah” so that Allah may count you among those who
have spread His Deen
and Unicity to people. Even if one person becomes a sincere Muslim
through your humble effort, your reward will be countless before the
eyes of Allah. Thus develop Taqwa,
and put into practice the commandments of Allah in the Holy Quran.
Keep yourselves pure. Be pious devotees of Allah who wish goodness to
one and all. Truth is bound to be victorious over falsehood. Our duty
is to make ourselves an embodiment of truth and love of Allah, so
that tomorrow the world may recognize the truthfulness of Islam as
the faith of all people from the beginning till the end of time.
May
Allah bless all those who follow the Guidance coming from Him,
Munir
Ahmad Azim
Hazrat
Amir’ul Momeneen Muhyi-ud-Din Al-Khalifatullah
JAMAAT
UL SAHIH AL ISLAM
23
October 2008