Sabiyyah.co.uk: The Ahmedi community has always been a topic of fascination to me. Growing up I was taught that Ahmedi’s were not Muslims, they were traitors and hypocrites and should not be associated with. I remember, in particular, my friend’s dad once telling me that if he could, he would sanction a boycott against all Ahemdis. His exact words were ‘they are an evil group of people.’

What didn’t help him was that I was naturally very inquisitive, so when I questioned his beliefs he could only reply that they, the Ahmedis, did not accept Muhammad PBUH to be the final messenger. I have long wondered what the cause of concern is against the Ahmediya community. When I read that in the recent elections in Pakistan, the Ahemdi community were completely disenfranchised it both worried and frustrated me. Here I was sat in the UK, rooting for Imran Khan and his plan for a new Pakistan, but he was eliminating and disempowering 4 million Pakistanis in that process! It was a blatant denial of human rights.

Although I do not know many Ahmedis I wanted to know more about their beliefs and their struggle, so I took it upon myself to interview Qasim Rashid who is the national spokesperson for the Ahmedi community in the USA. Qasim has recently written a book entitled “The Wrong Kind of Muslim,” which is available to buy now.

1) Why, in your opinion, of all minority groups are the Ahmedis prosecuted in Pakistan and abroad?

There are three main reasons why Ahmadi Muslims are persecuted throughout nearly the entire Muslim world.

First, because Ahmadi Muslims are Muslims who believe in the Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian. We believe Ahmad (as) is that same Imam Mahdi and Messiah that the Prophet Muhammad (sa) foretold would come to revive Islam, unite Muslims, and bring about the conditions for peace on Earth. The Holy Qur’an says, “Alas for My Servants! There comes not a Messenger to them but they mock at him.” (36:30).  Thus, the Qur’an has made clear that whenever Allah sends a Messenger, he is always mocked and opposed. That Messenger is mocked and opposed because people are spiritually corrupt, hence why Allah sent the Messenger to reform them in the first place. And while Allah’s Prophets and Messengers are always mocked and opposed, because they are from Allah, they are always successful and victorious.

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