Uniting the Muslim Ummah: the Big Question

An Encounter with the Mullahs in Triolet

On Thursday 20 February 2014, I was in the North of Mauritius in one of its biggest villages called Triolet. On the way I met two Mullahs coming from Bangladesh. They presented themselves to me after greeting Salaam, and with very good and sweet words they invited me in the mosque at about 10:00a.m. I met many other Muslims coming from Bangalore and India. They asked me my name and before I have finished giving my full name, when I reached: Munir Ahmad, one of the Mullahs told me that his Burzuq’s name is Munir Ahmed, but then when I gave completed my full name: Munir Ahmad Azim, all of them looked at me with big surprised eyes and they suddenly turned aggressive.

Gone were the good and sweet words! Their tone changed and they immediately asked me: “You have proclaimed that you are the Mohyuddin, Khalifatullah etc.”

Without any hesitation and fear to creatures, although they were in great numbers in the mosques, I replied them in the affirmative.

They then asked me a series of questions pertaining to the titles I have received from Allah, wanting to know who told me that I was the Khalifatullah, Mohyuddin etc. I told them that it is my Creator, my Rab, in whose hands my life, health, food, dignity and honour are found.  They did not believe me and called me liar and thus started a debate on the finality of prophethood in which they believe.

Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah as Final Guidance

Among other questions concerning the Mahdi and Messiah to come, they put to me put a question to me regarding a Hadith, “I have left for you the Book of Allah and the Sunnah, if you hold fast to it you will never go astray.”

Mubahila: Khalifa Sani and the Ahmadiyya Sects

Today, among the followers, or those who have accepted the claims, of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, one can count six different, denominational sects: 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. 

The recent Mubahila between two of the Ahmadiyya sects- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and the Jamaat-e- Ahmadiyya Islah Pasand is entering into a different stage now, with the Mujaddid claimant Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib and his Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Islah Pasand declaring for himself a “clear victory” through his recent speeches. The boastful claims from the Janbah Sahib came after the completion of two years of publishing/uploading the official Mubahila Document in the respective official websites.

In contrast to the approach of the Janbah Sahib, Hadhrat Imam Muhyi-ud-Din Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba)  and the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam  has taken the position that the Janbah Sahib is gravely mistaken in his approach and perceptions and also in his appreciation for himself in the context of the Mubahila. Janbah Sahib is ignoring a profound fact about the situation: he had entered into the Mubahila, half-hearted and reluctant, as is so apparent from the way he conducted himself and his failure in fulfilling the simple procedural requirements in their full measure. He should not have abused the fact that Allah (twa) is compassionate and overlooks the mistakes and sometimes extends the days of people in His Wisdom. Insha Allah, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam is certain to serve the purpose of renewal of faith in our times, and there are glad tidings for those who are steadfast and do good deeds in the path of Allah.

The result/consequences of the Mubahila is itself a trial for the believers, especially for all Ahmadis found in the various sects of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya today. Given that all parties to the Mubahila are alive and positive factors that give personal and subjective satisfaction can be, and had been, shared from both ends, whose claims of decisive victory needs to be accepted may yet remain shrouded for many believers, especially those who have veils over their eyes which haze their spiritual vision. In his Friday Sermon of March 21, 2014 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius spoke about the questions that are most relevant for those who analyse the Mubahila situation.

Nikah-related Sanctions in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya

Ahmadis are among the finest and ardent advocates of freedom of conscience. Yet, the Jamaat today is   practicing thought control through intimidatory strategies of expulsion and boycott. If an Ahmadi today wholeheartedly believes in the continuity of Divine guidance as explained in the tenets of the Promised Massih (as) and acts upon that belief by recognizing and accepting the new Divine Manifestation, he or she could and would be expelled by the Jamaat system. Such a person is further liable to be socially boycotted by the community of his own people. Individual Ahmadis, including close relatives, are obliged by the system to break the ties of kinship with those who accept the new Mujaddid. 

A central offence is deemed to be committed by, or attributed to, a member when he or she invites such a relative to the family functions, including Nikah. The punishment for such independence of thought may range from loss of office functions to even the expulsion from Nizam and the common workers are deprived of their  basic rights and even their very livelihoods. The scales of justice are blatantly uneven and tilted invariably in favour of the elites and their cronies who can and will manipulate the unscrupulous in the system to get out of difficult situations. The situation in Maurititus is illustrative of the wider malaise of thought control, lack of empathy and dreadful intolerance, systemic injustice and mindless nepotism plaguing  the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya today. 

Ahmadi Elites and the Politics of Boycott

‘Will a Mujaddid come after You?’

A man asked this pertinent question to the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) on 29 September 1905, before noon. And he [the Promised Messiah] replied: 

“What is wrong with a Mujaddid coming after me? The prophethood of Moses (as) had come to an end, and that is why his chain of successors ended with Jesus (as). However, the dispensation of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) will last till the Day of Judgment through the Mujaddidin who will arise in it till the Day of Judgment. As long as the Day of Judgment withholds its destruction, there is no doubt that someone else could come. We most certainly do not deny that good and righteous people will continue to come, and then all of a sudden the Day of Judgment will come.” ( Ruhani Khaza’in, p. 16180 , Malfoozat. volume 4, page 452; (2008 edn.)       

  

Despite the existence and vital presence of this important instruction from the Promised Massih (as) in his writings, endorsed by the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya through its own series of publications, the Ahmadi scholars today challenge common sense. They assault the intellects of Ahmadis and their spiritual expectations. The Ulema and the chiefs declare with their own mouths that no Mujaddid will ever come, even in a new century of Islam. They, thus, foreclose the possibility of any discussion on spiritual blessings possible in this age. The hedonistic elites of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in Mauritius enforce the policy of intimidation and social stigma on those who wish to know about the new Divine Manifestation.  

I ask these arrogant people who are taking themselves as great scholars in the Jamaat Ahmadiyya : Where have they seen that they must establish boycott? Is there a Quranic verse which stipulates to boycott someone who receives divine revelations and those who have believed in the revelations which he is receiving from Allah, and to expel them from the Jamaat Ahmadiyya and boycott them?

Prove this to me, or even show me a Hadith on this subject. Prove if you can, and prove also if even their family members had to break ties (of kinship) with them and not to greet them Salam and not to invite them. What law have they applied? The Quranic law? The rulings of Hazrat Muhammad ^(saw) and Hazrat Massih Ma’ud ^(as)? The law of the country?

Rule by Family Elites in the Mauritius Jamaat

Or have they invented their own laws to make people fear them, because the Jamaat Ahmadiyya of Mauritius is governed by only a handful of families:  Taujoo, Jowahir, Sookia etc.? As if there exist no other people in this Jamaat who can take care of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya in Mauritius.

Years go by, new years come, the same people are found at the head of the Jamaat! In the several programmes also, they are the ones to come forward to get honour, as if there are no other wise people, even better than them, who can come and address them on the question of religion! This is a Jamaat which is managed only by a handful of families, family feelings!