Published on May 29 2010 by Atif Malik - Nottingham

Still grieving from the events of yesterday, it is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I write this desperate letter of plea; first, for the public condemnation of the recent horrific terrorist attacks on our two mosques in Lahore, Pakistan, but moreover, to demand the Pakistan Government repeals its oppressive laws which effectively gives State backing for these vicious attacks.

 

The horrendous incident

As you will now know more than 80 innocent Ahmadi Muslims have been slaughtered (regrettably the final total is expected to be more) and more than 100 critically wounded in a coordinated attack on two mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Lahore, Pakistan. The two-pronged assault was committed by suicide bombers and men wielding AK47s and grenades. Police said that at least seven attackers were involved, including three bombers and a gunman mounted atop a minaret who sprayed bullets into the crowds of worshippers below. Hundreds and hundreds of British and European citizens have family and friends affected by this cold-blooded attack and are looking to for international condemnation as the Government of Pakistan is taking this matter leniently, perhaps given its legal standing with Ahmadis (explained below).  Our Ahmadi neighbour’s brother-in-law and his kids were caught by one of the bombs, not fatally but he’s had to have his feet amputated, he must feel lucky. To make matters worse our neighbour is already a widow from a previous fatal attack on her late husband for the same reason; his faith. Only tears can express our feelings and emptiness.

 

The anti-civil-liberty laws

The Constitution 2nd amendment passed in 1974 declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims and the Penal Code which was amended under Ordinance Act XX in 1984 specifically targets Ahmadi Muslims, making it a criminal offence for us to call ourselves a Muslim and to practice Islam - an offence punishable by imprisonment and under the blasphemy law punishable by death.

 

The persistent danger

In a text message sent to media outlets, the Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for yesterday's attacks. "This is a final warning to the [Ahmadis], "leave Pakistan or prepare for death at the hands of Muhammad's devotees."

 

This is not an isolated incident; it is the latest in a series of escalating attacks against Ahmadis.  In Pakistan, prior to this incident, more than 100 have been killed since 1984, 6 in this year alone. Extremist Mullahs in Pakistan have been preaching hatred and violence against our Ahmadis for decades, declaring us as Wajibul Qatl (making us legitimate targets liable to be killed).  To give another example of the consequences of this law, in 2008, GEO, a national news channel broadcast a show during the holy month of Ramadhan, where an Islamic scholar told the viewers to find and kill Ahmadis. Days later, 3 assailants in cold blood murdered a respected physician, Dr Siddiqi, in the hospital he set up (Fazl-e-Umar in Mirpurkhas), where he often provided free treatment to the poor. Without this law neither the TV channel nor the scholar would have had the freedom to issue an unimaginable order to kill.

 

Less obvious than death statistics is the suffering, suppression and incrimination millions of Ahmadis are living under for decades, with the fear of life imprisonment for nothing other than who they are and what they believe, as a result of these laws.

 

The request

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community never responds with violence and follows its principle of Love for All Hatred for None.  As well as tackling extremism, we first and foremost must have the law in the right side, protecting the innocent and not facilitating the killers. Hence we humbly beg for your assistance in applying strong international pressure on the Government of Pakistan to repeal these laws forthwith to give any hope of reversing the escalation of violence against innocent human beings and restore basic civil liberty and religious freedom for all.

 

Who are we?

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community is a dynamic, fast growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889, it spans over 195 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions. Its current headquarters are in the United Kingdom - where tens of thousands of members of the community live peacefully. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism in any form. Similarly, it endorses a separation of mosque and state. Followers are instructed to protect the sanctity of both religion and government by becoming righteous souls as well as loyal citizens. Followers are taught against irrational interpretations of Qur'anic pronouncements and misapplications of Islamic law.  The Community champions the empowerment and education of women. Its members are among the most law-abiding, educated, and engaged Muslims in the world, including amongst others the late Sir Chaudry Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, First Asian President of the International Court of Justice, President of the UN General Assembly, Pakistan's first foreign minister, and renowned international jurist.

We promote peace and tolerance, and regularly organise Charitable events at local and national levels to support our local communities and strive towards an integrated civil society. Another example is the creation of an independent non-discriminatory global charity, Humanity First, in 1995, in response to the escalation in worldwide humanitarian disasters. I cannot emphasise enough we really do practice our motto of Love for All, Hatred for None.

 

Why is our community persecuted?
The Ahmadiyya Muslim community is the only Islamic organization to believe that the long-awaited Messiah has come in the person of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) (1835-1908) of Qadian. Ahmad(as) claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus(as) of Nazareth and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Hadhrat Muhammad(sa). Ahmadiyya Muslim community believes that God sent Ahmad(as), like Jesus(as), to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. Ahmad’s(as) advent has brought about an unprecedented era of Islamic revival. Ahmad(as) penned over 80 books and tens of thousands of letters, delivered hundreds of lectures, and engaged in scores of public debates. His rigorous and rational defence of Islam unsettled conventional Muslim thinking. As part of its effort to revive Islam, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community continues to spread Ahmad’s(as) teachings of moderation and restraint in the face of bitter opposition from parts of the Muslim world.

 

The National President of the community in the UK, Rafiq Ahmed Hayat said yesterday:
"The extremists have vilified Ahmadi Muslims as ‘agents of the West’ to carry out all manner of atrocity against us for decades- while the powers that be have looked on. Thousands of Ahmadi Muslims have fled – many to the West where they have integrated and led peaceful lives as beacons of how Islam is compatible with life in the 21st century......Ahmadi Muslims represents a renaissance of Islam - a chance for peace to find a way. Let it not be shot down in flames."
 

The worldwide leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, said yesterday:

"These attacks took place in mosques, which are places of worship and at the time of the Friday prayers, which all Muslims know is a holy and sacred time. No true Muslims could ever countenance such attacks, such cruelty and such barbaric behaviour. No form of terrorism has any place in Islam and thus those who were behind these attacks may justify their acts in its name, but let it be clear they are Muslim only in name and never in deed.
May Allah protect all good natured people from the evil acts of those opposed to peace.”

 

I look forward to hearing how you can aid us, through perhaps awareness and media pressure, in our desperate plea for basic human rights and protection from fundamentalism.

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

Atif Malik BAcc (Hons) CA, a law-abiding loyal British Citizen and member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community