Ahmadis restricted from offering Eid prayers
An Ahmadi place of worship — File Photo
RAWALPINDI: According to Saleemuddin, spokesperson of Ahmadiyya community, Ahmadis were restricted from offering Eid prayers at Ewan-e-Tauheed located at E-Block, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi reported DawnNews.
Saleemuddin said, “Ewan-e-Tauheed is where most of us offered Eid and Friday prayers, however, the situation changed nine months ago when a hate campaign against our community enticed residents of the area to restrict our activities. Prior to the Eid prayers, we sought approval from the local law enforcement agencies to let us pray on Eid or suggest an alternative site where we could congregate.”
According to Saleemuddin, police approved of the idea, however, at the last minute informed Ahmadis that it is best if they offer Eid prayers at Bait-ul-Hamd, Murree Road, which only has a capacity to accommodate 100 worshippers.
He went on to say that early in the morning, police officials surrounded Ewan-e-Tauheed to deter Ahmadis from gathering and praying.
“An estimated number of 2,000 Ahmadis were expected to congregate and offer Eid prayers, however, were unable to do so because of the sudden change of events triggered by influence of local powerful businessmen,” added Saleemuddin.
However, Azhar Hamid Khokhar, CPO Rawalpindi, denied the allegations and said, “We had made it clear to the Ahmadis that they will not be able to pray at Ewan-e-Tauheed on Eid and advised them to congregate at Bait-ul-Hamd. This was our understanding from day one”
“Local residents object to their activities and say that Block-E is a residential area and should be treated as one. Since no NOC was obtained from them before constructing this worship site, they do not feel too happy about its existence,” he added.
Sharjeel Mir, President of Anjuman-e-Tajiran Rawalpindi and a local businessman said, “We object to Ewan-e-Tauheed and all that it stands for because it was acquired through illegal means. Fifteen years ago an Ahmadi bought a house and later on donated it to the Ahamdiiya community. Since then it has been used as a praying site despite of the fact that NOC was not obtained from the district government and local residents as is required according to the law of land.”
Mir also said that Ahmadis were given no approval to offer congregational prayers on Eid by local police authorities or government.
Mir went on to add that, “In May of 2010, Ahmadis and their worshipping site were attacked in Lahore enticing people praying at Ewan-e-Tauheed to beef up security. They barricaded all the roads that led to their worshipping site. There are several mosques in the area and most of the time local residents were not allowed to pass through the barriers. Even ambulances transporting patients to and from Holy Family Hospital were stopped and not given free passage.”
Mir went on to say that Ahmadis left them with no option but to report this abuse to the local authorities who then took action against them.
“According to the constitution, Ahmadis are not allowed to call their praying sites mosques and term their call of prayers as namaz. They do not follow the rules and policies which is why we have been taking action against them. We believe in coexistence. In fact countless Christians live in Rawalpindi and we live in harmony, however, we will not have Ahmadis call themselves Muslims and go against the law. They should live like other minorities,” added Mir.
Ahmadis and Pakistan
Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah!
I tend to agree with Bashy Quraishy’s thoughts.
Despite such severe atrocities and death meted out to Pakistani Ahmadi Muslims, they still love their country, if they adopt a foreign land they still go back to visit their homeland and are exceptionally loyal to the nation which has literally disowned them.
I also know a very large majority of educated Pakistanis (based on my personal friendship here in the San Francisco Bay Area where I am well known as an Ahmadi – some even call me Qadiani) do not approve of Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law.
In addition, the Pakistani media, (Dawn and Tribune, TV channels) many reporters and news writers have come a long way in reporting a lot that is being done wrong in Pakistan against minorities whereas 10 or 20 years back they lacked the courage to write so openly.
The Human Rights advocates are being given a good coverage on some of the popular TV channels.
Ultimately, it is people who have the power to change government policies and laws such as the Blasphemy Law and Constitutional changes specific to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that continue to exit from the dreadful days of Zia.
The power to change the mind set (from the worldly point of view) rests in the hands of news writers and anchor persons like Bashy Quraishy.
Trials and tribulations will be part of the life of Ahmadiyya Jamaat and any resolute changes in their favor will come from Allah Tabarak O Ta’ala in whom we repose our absolute trust.
Even those of us who are not born in Pakistan develop an affinity and a romancing affiliation with Pakistan due mainly for the fact that millions of our brothers and sisters far too dear than our blood brothers and sisters live there. Their homeland is our homeland because our seat of Khilafat is there.
It hurts us deeply when we hear, read and see how brutally and savagely some of Ahmadi Muslims are beaten to death by those who are said to be Pakistani Muslims while Pakistan government ignores the felonious crimes and over 90% Pakistanis remain mute. Immediate condemnation is rare. It comes only with the convenience of time when all is said and done and when the dead are buried the injured have returned home and recovered.
I went to Methodist School and learned Bible before I read a word of the Holy Quran and resented for not going to downtown Muslim School to learn Urdu and with it perhaps Islam that I held was religion of Pakistan. At Methodist I took Hindi and Hindu tails in the books left me with the impression India is a Hindu country in my elementary days. I had the bias towards Pakistan and longed to learn Urdu which I did in my teen when I joined the Ahmadi Jamaat in revolt against my family.
My fondness and affection for Pakistan skyrocketed as I got deeper and deeper into the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, its seat of Khilafat in Pakistan and all that we read and heard from the many Pakistani Ahmadi Muslim missionaries who served in Fiji. We looked to them and Pakistan as the model of Muslim country an image I never wanted to be tinted and smudged by any stretch of imagination.
But what Bhutto and later Zia did in the name of Pakistan and lovely religion of Islam left distaste in me.
I will not be lying if I say that all non-Pakistani Ahmadis have the same sentiments of love and respect for Pakistan despite the horror that our beloved brothers and sisters continue to face in their own homeland.
We seek refuge with Allah and beg for His Mercy and Love.
Zulfiqar ali bhutto PM at that time delared them non muslim after long debates and proof in national Asembly of pakistan and then in Senate.
this thing must be kept in mind, if any one think that decision wrong then they can challenged it now.
WOW.
Who r u to declare someone muslim or not muslim.
Zulifiqar ali bhutto is just a politician.
We can challenge it but first open that in camera session which was recorded in 1973 when all 72 sect scholars had debated with Ahmadi scholars.
You can only stop in Pakistan and ahmadi muslims are declared non-muslims only in Paksitan all other muslim nations are big fools that they do not declare them as non muslims.
You are muslim i am glad to hear if you have the true religion then why do not you capture whole world what r u doing from last 1400 years.why people are not accepting you. You are so called muslim. i am amazed by your thoughts.
If some body says that Muhammad salalah peace br upon him is not the last prophit, why not leave it to God who will send him to hell fire. If a non muslim reads quran,offer prayers,fasts in ramzan is he not better than the one who does not do all these?
I totally agree
But i dont agree.
Why do we tend to become enemy of one who abuses our sister, mother or wife? Are these relations more important than relationship of a Prophet. and mind it, keeping silence on blasphemous acts from qadianis and ahmadis will provide an escape route for whatever faith resides in heart.
My view is that police should not have let them offer prayer at any place and should have used their application to pray as their misrepresentation for application of related section of PPC. This is what they deserve with an attitude to continueing hurt sentiments of billions of Muslims.
I don’t know you follow teaching of Mohammad or teaching of your scholars who you trust more then anything. but anyhow answer me this only ” What would Mohammad do ” if he was present now ? would you follow Mohammad or the one who tells you anything and you believe on them blindly ?
My brother, this is religion, not a game that you can pick and chose what you like and change what you don’t.
These 50-50 type is worst of all.
-Ahmadis declared non-muslims by Govt of Pakistan (and rightly so, there is ample literature on it).
-Ahmadis are unlike other minorities for e.g. (christians & jews : are considered People of the book in Islam), Hindus (polytheists). Ahmadis can be best classified if not non-muslims than Hypocrites. (thats more dangerous to an islamic society than any other minority).
-Had police allowed them to pray on EID as muslims do, one could apply blasphemy law in this case. ”298-B and § 298-C prohibit the Ahmadiyya from behaving as Muslims behave, calling themselves Muslims, proselytising, or “in any manner whatsoever” outraging the religious feelings of Muslims. Violation of any part of § 298 makes the violator liable to imprisonment for up to three years and liable also to a fine”.
Dear AMZ,
Please don’t be that rigid.There should be tolerance and respect amongst Sunnis,Shias, Ahmedis, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians in Pakistan. Tolerance and respect towards Pakistanis of other faiths and religions would lead to permanent peace in Pakistan. Permanent peace leads to new thinking,ideas and progress. Progress and well being of a nation is much more important than the religion one practices. I wish you and Pakistan good luck.
This is not something rigid. Ahmadis are rather rigid. You may abuse me to have a cup of ice from me but if one abuses my Prophet, or anything pertinent to my faith, i find it difficult to tolerate.
That what i am stressing to you, such intolerance is not good for Pakistan.Ultimately the nation is bigger than one’s faith.You may not like it, but it is an eternal truth.
I think the issue of Talibans is more serious that Ahmadis.Talibans / Alqaida/this Jaish that jaish are certainly non Muslims. They kill Muslims of any Fiqh, burn mosques and schools without caring who are effected.. They are guilty of undermining Islam. Some Moulana, Moulavi, Allim should go in Waziristan showing them translation of holy verses. Even if they desist they are Wajub ul Qatl. If these so called Ulema turned politicians do not carry out this important duty then they also deserve the same punishment.Howww long Pakistanis will tolerate these Khat Ulmas.
Our religion ISLAM is the best, but that gives us no right to criticize other religion.
We should not stop others from doing their religion duties.
We living in the UK, and we are allowed to practice our religion, freely.
This year, EID was on Sunday, and we had our eid prayer in a cricket ground.
When we can practice Islam freely in the west, why can we not do the same for other religion,
to practice in Pakistan. We must learn to be understanding, and respect other people from different
parts, from different religion, and speaking different languages
I wish everyone here in pakistan thought like you.
Parveez – your views are intolerant to other faiths.
Parveez,
Don’t give example of those countries. They have absolute freedom (like jungle), a man can marry a man, same for women. you can have kids without weddings. they don’t care who is doing what until they are paying taxes.
these countries/societies are not good enough to be exemplified.
Mr Shafiq – thats their part of culture and the same way they find you strange. The point which you are missing is that their is religious freedom in the west. Its not a Jungle here, its a jungle in Pakistan look at the Sialkot case and the recently 11 year old mentally ill girl in jail. If you find the west Jungle, than you better start looking whats in your society is jungle.
Mr. hmayon
no one is same person there is alot of people who want to do the work for Khatam-e-Nabowat. Because we believe that our last sermon is only only Muhammad (peace be upon him) and we are same here for our beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him) sunnah.
May Allah give you better understanding
keep it up parvez good open mind always works like one you have god bless you
What is “best” to you may not be the case for others. If you can get above ” Islam the Best” …..God will love you for that!
Parvez starts off with a highly judgemental and biased statement despite the fact that it is impossible to objectively establish one religion to be better than the other or over no-religion. Yet somehow the appeal for reciprocation comes off as a moderate and tolerant view. I think this is the symptom of a the disease that is pervading the society – the middle keeps shifting to more and more conservative positions.
So what if they are nonmuslims by anyones interpretation? Can you be rational and broadminded enough to love and respect others who are “different” than your thoughts & believes? Oh, remind me we are talking about the Land of Pure,
Living in europe we ask for religious freedom …why this group of people is restricted then?????
Because Mr Janjuah, Muslims are hypocrites and that is why we in Europe do not trust them. We look at examples in your country and say, we do not want them. That we allow you religious freedom is because we are true believers in God and have fear of God through Jesus Christ. We do not kill you Muslims because you do not accept Jesus as Son of God. We know that you are wrong but we have been thought to respect others by Jesus. Please learn from your stay in the West.
hear, hear
like jesus said in bible
they dont know what they are doing so pls god forgive them .
Well said Bob!
Amazing how many of the posters here claim Ahmadi’s should not be allowed to pray and then will turn around and cry foul if a Mosque in the US or UK is not allowed due to the bias there. Islam teaches tolerance first and foremost. Who are we to claim Ahmadi’s are not Muslims and should not call their prayers Nimaz. What rubbish. If a community wants to be called Muslim then we should encourage it. If you haven’t noticed being called a Muslim in many parts of the world these days is not exactly a badge of honor. So by being snobs and pretending that we have an oh so exclusive club is moronic. If you are true Muslims then get rid of the hatred in your hearts.
Well said.
Pakistan has opened its roads again for American equipment to get through.
But so many Americans simply want to use those roads to pick up, turn around and get out of there.
What is happening to your country?
Ahmedis , after all are Pakistani.Be liberal.They are also human beings.Respect them if you can. instead of killing them or stopping them from praying, Invite them to mosques for prayers. Intolerance and living in past is not good for Pakistan.
Pakistan needs ATTATURK we need a big boat put all the mullahs in it and then put a big hole in the middle of the ocean and then be ssad that we lost a good boat.Shoot every mullah that comes out on the street to hold on to Blasphamy law. I am a suuni muslim but ashamed
if you knew your history you would not been ashamed on yourself, read correct histroy first which you would not find in pakistani books or articles.
in pakistan history is mistry
I completely agree with the action proposed by Mr. Khurram. Nothing will change in Pakistan until all the Mullahs and religious bigots who impose their interpretation of Islam on all the others, are eliminated totally and ruthlessly! A revolutionary action is the only solution to changing the current intolerant mindset in Pakistan.
I sincerely appreciate the efforts and courage of the writer of the article. Well dpne and keep it up Dawn. As for Ahmadies they are to be judged like others on the day of judgement by the God Almighty Himself and not the mullas, their patrons or people like Mr Mir. Unfortunately these people are influenced by the ONE SIDED propaganda done by the mullas and those who exploit religion for their political gains. They do not know the true faith of Ahmadis as described by them. If the Ahmadis try to explain their faith they are prosecuted by the authorities due to fear created by the bigots and those who believe in militancy and violence in violence.Ahmadis believe in One God, his prophet Muhammed pbuh.They recite the Kalama -Shadat ,pay zakat. go to Haj fast during Ramazan and believe in the teachings of Quran. Let them be judged by God. They propagate Islam all over the world, establish missions in africa,Europe and other countries. They. offer, darud on the holy prophet PBUH daily. daily and consider it a source of salvation .Most of them pray Tahajjad .They do not believe in Dharnas, strikes or vioience. They are true and loyal Pakistanis are are always ready to sacrifice their lives for the honour and glory of Pakistan and Islam. They pray for the safety ,prosperity and advancement of Pakistan. May grant peace of mind and a sense of of tolerance to those who oppose the peace of the country in the name of religon without going into the point of view of those whom they oppose with a un prejudiced mind.Ahmadis pray for them and believe in LOVE FOR ALL AND HATRED FOR NONE. May Allah keep our country safe and peaceful.
What an irony that the Ahmadiyas should be legally disallowed to be Muslims when they did participate in the demand for the creation of the Pure State!
As an Ahmadi who has left Pakistan and live freely in the West, I think Ahmadies made a big mistake supporting the creation of Paksitan. They should have stayed in India. Hoever, whatever happens , is in accordance with the pans of God Almighty. Today most Ahmadi Muslims live in the West. This has allowed them to get highly educated and therefore serve humanity more effectively. Ahmadi Muslims are the msot respected community in the West becuase of our peaceful and tolerant nature. Every Western Government has prasied us becuase of the communal harmony that we crwate. Also Ahmadi Muslims have converted more non Muslims to ISlam becuase of the example that we provide. Paksitan ,unfortunately due to religous bigotory crerated by uneducated Mullahs have created this wedge and as aresult Pakistan is the looser and not Ahmadi Muslims. Ahmadi Muslims no matter where they live are loyal to their country wether it be Pakistan, India, USa, Canada,UK , France, etc. and beleive in univeral brotherhood,repect of others. These rae the true teachings of Islam and not the bigotory and hatred taught and practised by Mulklahs.
Khan saab, why don’t you take rest of your brothers with you?
well said Khan sb -
Ahmadies fought for Pakistan in the greater interest of muslims of the sub-continent.
.
When qaidanees belief is fractured one, they are out of Islamic way of life and circle why they offer Eid or jumma prayers.
What is this?
They don’t have for their own religion any disciplined worship plan and other their own religion celebrities and celebration and they follow the Muslims and Islamic practices where as they are not Muslims.
If such a status of their religion prevails, they them should wake up and accept Islam and take the belief as Muhammad (PBUH) their last prophet who is rematalameen wa khatim nabeyeen.
The picture of qaidanees, which when one zee-shuoor person analyzes, he comes to the conclusion it is a false and fake bogus belief and not even a deen (religion for itself)
This, itself proves qaidanees are wrong and mistaken,, will not get any reward of their good deeds from Allah as they don’t believe upon risalat of Muhamamd PBUH.
I invite them,. Plz think and get the allah blessings and get haqdar of janna t and shafaat –e Rasuol Kareem Muhammad PBUH
I advice qaidanees to embrace Islam and come under the flag of holy Rasool last prophet of Allah, the Hazrat Mohammad salu wassalam
Dr Ghayur
Islamabad
0346-5391712
Dr Ghayur, are you a Mohammadan? I am not a Qadyani but a Ahmadi Muslim. I invite you to learn the true teachings of Islam . Please read the Holy Quran again and again till you understand it. Many people in the West also beleive that your religon is a bogus and a cult? Do you agree? Then why do you take aid from them and live of “kafir” money? Ahmadies are Muslims and only Allah can decide who is a true Muslims. Reading by your post , I do not think that you even understand Islam. Again as I said, read the Holy QUran with meaning and understand it. We have Allah’s blessings. Do you know any other religion that has prospered so much? In Pakistan you may prosecute us because of your religious bigotry and un islamic teachings that you follow. But in all civilized societies we are not only prospering but have also built the greatest number fo mosques, Schools, hospitals, food banks, etc. What have you done in spite the oil money that the rest of the Arabs Muslims have? Just fight and kill each other? Who is killing each other in Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Iraq? Why is a Muslim country like Saudi and Qatar killing people in Syria? Please follow Islam properly.
I am ashamed to see all these hypocritical comments. If you go to a foreign land and want to worship God All Mighty the way you want to, Then why do you wish to restrict the Ahmedis from their right to worship. They pay their taxes hence making that Jaziyah so if the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) allowed communities of other religion to worship after taxing them.Then whats our problem.
Allah is the best judge who is Muslim, and who is not. Can we call the target killers ‘Muslims,? Who kill, mutilate and cut up other moslems and stuff them in gunny bags. Yet we allow them to say their Eid prayers amongst us in Mosques. Can we call the drug dealers, who are the merchants of death, Muslims, and allow them to pray in our mosques? Can we call the barbarians who rape five year old and kill them, Muslims? Yet we allow them to say their Eid prayers amongst us. Come on people, get your heads straight and see where we need to focus.
well said SAH
I have the feeling it is always the same person who is posting anti-ahmadi comments
I feel even sadder after reading these comments than the news report which was bad enough.
…..And everyone knows Ahmadies live and want to live like other Moslems all over the world. They are a sect of Islam. It’s different thing that Moslem sects have zero tolerance of each other. They would kiss nonMoslem rather than spare a life of other sect-Moslems……..Suspicion must add that Anti-ahmadi crusade is supported by anti-Islamic powers (to which mullahs play as puppets)so that Ahmadies beg asylum in the West creating a bad picture of Islam in Pakistan. It’s high time all the sects including Ahmadies, Shias, Sunnis etc. understand this core agenda of enemies of Islam, stop blaming each other, stop playing in the hands of common enemies and join hands in the name of Allah and His only Great prophet. Even the cozy asylums abroad at present for Ahmadies would be made hell one day by enemies of Islam, because the enemy knows more than Mullah that Ahmadies are but a part of Moslem fraternity. So come on and unite before enemy destroys all of us.