Credit: CNN Belief Blog via Wasim Sroya.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Republican Sen. John Cornyn were among the many lawmakers who showed up to meet Ahmad, a Muslim leader who was in town last week on a rare U.S. visit from London.
At a time when the United States is struggling with its views about Islam – as Islamists gain power in the Middle East and with ongoing concerns about Quran-citing terrorists – it’s not hard to see Ahmad’s appeal to both parties. As he said in his Capital Hill speech, he has “love for all, hatred for none.”
It’s a sentiment that Sen. Robert Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, echoed in introducing Ahmad, praising the “leadership you have shown to tolerance and to peace.”
It’s not just Ahmad who espouses his can’t-we-all-get-along read on Islam. The 61-year-old is the spiritual leader of the global Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, whose friendliness toward the West and whose criticism of other Muslims has earned the sect allies at the highest level of the U.S government, even as it faces mortal enemies in other parts of the world.
Unlike most Muslims, Ahmadis believe that the 19th century founder of their sect was the Second Coming of the Prophet Mohammed, who founded Islam in the 7th century.
Categories: Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Americas
“Unlike most Muslims, Ahmadis believe that the 19th century founder of their sect was the Second Coming of the Prophet Mohammed, who founded Islam in the 7th century.”
Above is statemetn contianed in the report. Humble request to Shah Sahib and others following the events in US to comnfirm if all in the reported interview is correct.
Besides that the article is nice (except also for the word ‘sect’ which we should also try to avoid).
Br Rafiq, Amir of Germany commented as followings.
Assalamo Alaikum waRahmatullahe waBarakatohu
Of cause you have to correct this wrong statement, that he is not Muhammad saw instead Jesus’s as second coming! Tell Rafiqu Tschannen that sect in english is correct, only in German it’s wrong!
Wassalam
Abdullah Uwe Wagishauser
Amir u. Bundesvorsitzender
Oxford Dictionary has the following to say about the expression ‘Sect’:
noun
a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong.
often derogatory a group that has separated from an established Church; a nonconformist Church: two of the older sects—the Congregationalists and the Baptists—were able to increase their membership dramatically
a philosophical or political group, especially one regarded as extreme or dangerous: the radical sect Friends of the Earth campaigned against aerosols containing CFC gases
unquote.
Therefore even in English I would not favor this term. (and, yes, in German it sounds even worse).
Cambridge Dictionary: defines the word sect:
a religious group which has developed from a larger religion and is considered to have extreme or unusual beliefs or customs.
In the case of Ahmadiyyat it is the ‘main group’, which seems to have developed ‘extreme or unusual’ beliefs and it is Ahmadiyyat who retains the belief in the True Islam.
Al-Hamdollih,this epoch-making, historical meeting of American Representatives and Senators with the Caliph of Islam, Hadhart Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib(atba) will
ensure a more to the point, purposeful/gainful role for the largest State of today, USA, as the speech of His Holiness points out the role and responsibilities of the United States and its Congress towards mankind and its safe and secure future with love of all, hatred for none and establish peace within and without, throughout the world and ensure justice an role in their mutual attempts for World Peace and
Justice,world-wide, God willng, InshaAllah.
Dear All
Assalamo alaikum warehmatUllah
(Peace and Blessings of God be upon you)
I would sincerely wish to add the following comment – and earnestly request your gracious attention, please. Thanks.
Part – A :-
The word in the news report
The word “SECT” in English is defined the same way as Mr. Tschannen has quoted from various “diction sources” – but there is no other word worthy enough to translate the Arabic Word “FIRQA” which again is derived from the “FRQ” root.
Therefore, the closest translation of “Firqa” is SECT, no matter how the Englishmen define it to be out of their linguistic culture(s) and context(s).
The objective of the news reporter is clear and seems to identify that “ONE SECTION OF THE MUSLIMS …….”
During the Grand Indian Census of 1901; The Holy Founder of Ahmadiyya Community advised all His followers to register themselves as Members of “Islamic Firqa Ahmadiyya” – thereby legally (and collectively) constituting Ahmadiyya Community (Jamaat).
Therefore, calling it a branch, section, sect, division OR a segment, etc., becomes irrelevant to FIT WITHIN THE ENGLISH LINGUISTICS.
Firqa, Tafriq, Farq and other derivatives from the FRQ root carry a latent meaning of “Comparative Realism” – and therefore, should not become worthy of a Question !!
Part – B :-
Second Coming of The Holy Prophet of Islam Hadhrat Muhammad (paramount peace and exalted blessings of God be upon Him now and always)
YES and a big bold YES that the “ADVENT” of the Holy Founder of Ahmadiyya Community Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (peace and blessings of God be upon him now and always) is the SECOND COMING OF:-
1.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) – as per the prophecies in Chapter Jumuah of The Holy Quraan. Al-Jumu`ah Chapter 62 : Verse 3
2.
The Holy Prophet Jesus son of Holy Mother Mary of Nazareth – as per the prophecies of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, PBUH.
3.
The Holy Prophet Krishan Ji Maharaj – as per the prophecies in Hindu Scriptures; and the proclamation in Lecture Sialkot.
4.
The Holy Prophet Noah – as per the narrations of Kashti-e- Nooh.
5.
And of ALL those Holy Prophets (peace and blessings of god be upon ALL Holy Prophets, now and always); whose followers await of a “Religious Reformer in the Latter Days“.
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Second Coming of Holy Personage is NEVER a “Materially-Physical One“ and NEVER is constituted to be a SPOT of INSULT; rather it is ALWAYS, Metaphorical and Spiritual in its own concept – and becomes a SOURCE of GRACE and ELEGENCE for the ONE who came in the First Place.
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Mein kabhi Issa kabhi Moosa kabhi Yaqoob hoon
Niz Ibrahim hoon, Naslein hein meri Beshumaar
There have been almost countless saints in Islamic History and many similar numbers in other religions, who acclaimed themselves as “second coming of an early day`s prophet or saint“.
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This is categorically a pure phenomenon of religious doctrines and MUST NOT be confused with MATERIAL EMBODIMENTS.
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Part – C:-
The fundamental Proclamation by The Holy Founder of Ahmadiyya Jamaat (Community) is for His Baroozi Prophethood of Islam – “Barooz“ means “True Reflection of the Original“.
Following are a few quotes from the writings of the Holy Companions of the Holy Founder of Ahmadiyya Community:-
Qazi Zahoor uDin Akmal (r.a)
“Muhammad Utrein hein Qadian Mein“
The Holy Prophet Muhammad has descended in Qadian
Maulana Ghulam Rasool Rajeki (r.a)
“Sunian ni Sayoo Mahi Badle nein Weis ni
“Chod Madina Aa gaiy Sadrey Deis ni
“Nabi Muhammad Hoye Mahdi dey beis ni
“Qadiaeyn wasya kul Nabian da Noor ni
Listen my chum; our Beloved has altered His attire.
From Madina has He come to our vicinity.
Prophet Muhammad reappeared as Mahdi.
In Qadian has sparkled the light of All prophets.
This is the concept of Second Coming – absolutely true – BUT – simply and EXCLUSIVELY spiritual in nature – AND – it MUST NOT BE conceived as MATERIAL EMBODIMENT.
No one should get startled on this sort of statement(s); rather should look back into the Religious History to find innumerable examples of “Barooz“ and “Second Coming“.
I am traveling these days and so could not pay much attention to this article. Thanks to a note from Brother Shahid, that I learned about the quote in question. I wrote something which I paste below.
The author of the article says:
“Unlike most Muslims, Ahmadis believe that the 19th century founder of their sect was the Second Coming of the Prophet Mohammed, who founded Islam in the 7th century.”
The second coming of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was never foretold in the Quran and Hadith and Ahmadis strictly follow the Quran and Hadith. On the other hand Prophet Muhammad foretold/promised the advent of a Messiah among Muslims and we the Ahmadis believe that Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the holy founder of Ahmadi sect, is that Messiah.
Some of the main differences between Ahmadi Muslims and non-Ahmadi Muslims are the following:
(1) Non-Ahmadis believe that after the revelation of the Quran God Almighty stopped communicating with humans. On the other hand we the Ahmadis believe that while the Quran completes the law, God Almighty communicates with His chosen servants, if He so pleases. Both Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis believe that Muhammad (SAW) was the last law-bearing prophet.
(2) Non-Ahmadis believe that Muhammad (SAW) was the Khatem, the last of Prophets. On the other hand Ahmadis, on the basis of sound reasons, believe that Muhammad (SAW) was the Katam (as written in the Quran), the seal of the prophets.
(3) Non-Ahmadis believe that there can be no prophet after Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and we Ahmadis hold that we cannot tell God what He can do or cannot do.
(4) The non-Ahmadis believe that Jesus son of Mary (AS) ascended to the heavens and that he will eventually be the Messiah for the Muslims, yet they are not clear whether Jesus’ descent from the heavens will be his descent from Prophet hood or not. On the other hand Ahmadis, while prepared to discuss how to untangle the meanings of ascension, hold that Jesus son of Mary (AS) is not coming back, on the basis of the dialogue between God Almighty and Jesus on the Day of Judgment. (The reader may look up Al-Quran [5:117-118] to see that such a dialogue would be illogical if Jesus were to come back, to set everything straight.) In fact we Ahmadis believe that Jesus (AS) was taken down from the cross alive and that he survived and had a long life after that and that he fulfilled his promise of reaching the lost sheep of Israel. We believe that Jesus died at the age of 120 and was buried at Srinagar in Kashmir.
To be fair to the author we can assume that the author or the source of the author made an honest mistake and erroneously interpreted some of the terms used by the Promised Messiah (AS)(Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS)). One of the terms used in his various writings was baroozi nabuwwat (mirroring prophet hood). He laid claim to a prophet hood that was given to him for being a faithful servant of Prophet Muhammad. That may not cause the author’s mistake, but barooz can also be interpreted as avatar and avatars are often taken to be the same person reborn, especially in Buddhist circles.
Finally a word about “sect”, I cannot quarrel with a dictionary but I do not seem to mind it as it indicates a (well defined) subset in the followers of a religion. Besides, I looked up dictionary.com and found as one of the descriptions of “sect” the following:
a body of persons adhering to a particular religious faith; a religious denomination.
Thanks Muhammad Zafarullah. The editor of the original article has already pasted correction note at the end of the artilce. Might be beneficial if you can join a very interesting discussion already goin on in the comments column of this article.
محمدﷺ کا مولا ہمارے ساتھ ھے۔