Business Standard: The Ahmadiyya community, which is being persecuted in Islamic nations across the world from Pakistan to Indonesia and from Africa to West Asia, traces its origins to India. Though scattered across India, the Ahmadiyyas are concentrated in Qadian in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab where the community’s founder was born. Although they have been counted as Muslims in Census 2011, the Muslim Personal Law Board considers them to be non-Muslims owing to which the community does not find representation on the board. The Mahmud Mosque in the port city of Kababir in Israel is the only Ahmadiyya mosque in West Asia. Israel is also the only country in the region where Ahmadiyya Muslims can follow their faith without fearing state persecution.
In an interview Tariq Ahmad, spokesperson of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in India talks about the issues confronting the community in the light of PM Modi’s visit to Israel
Q: What are the expectations of your community from PM Modi’s Israel visit
A: All foreign tours of PM Modi have contributed to the development of the nation and we expect the same from his Israel visit as well.
Q: Can you tell us more about the Ahmadiyya mosque in Israel?
A: The Mahmud Mosque is the mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Kababir, Haifa. This was built by the Ahmaidyya Muslim community in 1970’s. This Mosque and its minarets bear a resemblance to peace, love and harmony and is spreading this message since half a century.
Categories: Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, India, Israel, The Muslim Times
The link ‘more’ did not work. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Kababir (now in Israel) existed there of course already before Israel was ‘born’.