Post by Abdullah on Feb 12, 2017 1:39:13 GMT
An Extract from Prophecy Continuous by Yohanan Friedmann - 1989 - University of California Press
This extract is especially important considering the current Qadiyani position that they do not call anyone a disbeliever for denying Ghulam Ahmads Prophethood. It also evidences the rationale for them not praying behind non-Ahmadi imams, and opens their claim of his statements being abrogated to embarrassing scrutiny as these claims non-Ahmadis are Infidels are close to the time of his death.
Section III
As he did on the question of his prophetic claim Ghulam Ahmad expressed his views on non-Ahmadi Muslims on several occasions. The diversity of his pronouncements enabled both the Lahoris and the Qadiyanis to claim that the founders original message was faithfully reflected in their particular view. In his Tiryaq al-qulub (Pp. 258-259), Ghulam Ahmad maintained that
“It has been my belief since the beginning (of my mission) that nobody can become an infidel or dajjal by denying my claim; such a person certainly is erring and deviating from the straight path… but I do not call any person who pronounced the shahadah infidel”.
Explaining his stand, Ghulam Ahmad says that only deniers of legislative prophets may be called infidels; deniers of a mulham or a muhaddath eventually lose the light of faith but do not become infidels.
This comparatively moderate view of non-Ahmadi Muslims is, however not the only one to be found in Ghulam Ahmad’s works. Several statements of his can be seen as implying that non-Ahmadis are infidels; in others the idea is quite explicit. We are told that those who do not accept Ghulam Ahmad’s revelation err, die a jahili death, and are rejected in the divine presence (Mawahib al-Rahman (r. Kh., vol. 19, p.288) cf. Tufhat al-nadwa (R. Kh., vol 19, p.95).
Several times Ghulam Ahmad’s stringently enjoined his followers not to pray behind a non-Ahmadi imam. This injunction applies not only to those who reject Ghulam Ahmad and explicitly declare him liar and infidel (mukadhdhib, mukaffir), but also to those who are undecided (mutaraddid) with regards to his religious message. In view of the hadith which says that after the descent of Jesus “your imam (will be) one of you”, Ahmadis must pray solely behind an Ahmadi imam. It is incumbent upon them “to abandon totally the other groups who claim to be Muslim (Zamima-yi Tuhfa Gokarwiyya (R. Kh., vol.17, p.64, marginal note). Elsewhere Ghulam Ahmad says that those that oppose him actually oppose Allah and are consequently deprived of their faith (Surat wa al-‘asr ki tafsir, pp. 6-7). The clearest statements declaring non-Ahmadis to be infidels can be found in two of Ghulam Ahmads latest works. In one of them he states that people who believe in the false doctrines which he came to dispel are not considered Muslims by Allah (Ahmadi awr ghayr Ahmadi men kya farq hay, p.16). In the fifth volume of the Barahin-i- Ahmadiyya, Ghulam Ahmad explicitly states that “he who denies this (Ghulam Ahmad’s) mission, will be declared infidel (Barahin-I Ahmadiyya, vol.5 (R. Kh., vol.21, p.82, marginal note).
In the Haqiqat al-wahy, which was published for the first time less than one year before Ghulam Ahmad’s death the idea of takfir was expounded in its most comprehensive form. This exposition characterised by the fact that Ghulam Ahmad removed in it any distinction between people who actively opposed and abused him and those who did not join his movement but remained neutral in the controversy that surrounded it. In response to an inquirer who found his pronouncements on the issue of takfir contradictory, Ghulam Ahmad explained that there is no difference between people who pronounced him infidel and those who “only” refrained from responding to his call. Even the passive posture of the latter group implies takfir: after all, its members refused to join the Ahmadi movement because they considered Ghulam Ahmad an imposter and liar who is in the eyes of Allah the worst of all infidels. Furthermore, he who does not believe in Ghulam Ahmad does not believe in Allah and Muhammad either. Ghulam attempts to support this extreme position in several ways. The death of Jesus, which is a cardinal tenet of Ahmadi faith is explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an. Those who reject it reject therefore a divine word. Moreover Allah supported Ghulam Ahmad by numerous miracles and by causing his predictions to come true. The denial of his mission involves the denial of these heavenly signs. As for the Prophet SAW, he predicted the emergence of the Messiah in the Muslim community. Since Ghulam Ahmad was utterly convinced that there would never be a Messiah except himself, the repudiation of his messianic claim amounts in his eyes to the rejection of a trustworthy prophetic tradition. Finally Islamic law stipulates that a person who unjustly imputes infidelity to a believer becomes an infidel himself. It is therefore immaterial whether Ghulam Ahmad pronounced the non-Ahmadis infidels or not; they brought infidelity upon themselves by deed and creed (Haqiqat al-wahy, pp. 163-165).
This extract is especially important considering the current Qadiyani position that they do not call anyone a disbeliever for denying Ghulam Ahmads Prophethood. It also evidences the rationale for them not praying behind non-Ahmadi imams, and opens their claim of his statements being abrogated to embarrassing scrutiny as these claims non-Ahmadis are Infidels are close to the time of his death.
Section III
As he did on the question of his prophetic claim Ghulam Ahmad expressed his views on non-Ahmadi Muslims on several occasions. The diversity of his pronouncements enabled both the Lahoris and the Qadiyanis to claim that the founders original message was faithfully reflected in their particular view. In his Tiryaq al-qulub (Pp. 258-259), Ghulam Ahmad maintained that
“It has been my belief since the beginning (of my mission) that nobody can become an infidel or dajjal by denying my claim; such a person certainly is erring and deviating from the straight path… but I do not call any person who pronounced the shahadah infidel”.
Explaining his stand, Ghulam Ahmad says that only deniers of legislative prophets may be called infidels; deniers of a mulham or a muhaddath eventually lose the light of faith but do not become infidels.
This comparatively moderate view of non-Ahmadi Muslims is, however not the only one to be found in Ghulam Ahmad’s works. Several statements of his can be seen as implying that non-Ahmadis are infidels; in others the idea is quite explicit. We are told that those who do not accept Ghulam Ahmad’s revelation err, die a jahili death, and are rejected in the divine presence (Mawahib al-Rahman (r. Kh., vol. 19, p.288) cf. Tufhat al-nadwa (R. Kh., vol 19, p.95).
Several times Ghulam Ahmad’s stringently enjoined his followers not to pray behind a non-Ahmadi imam. This injunction applies not only to those who reject Ghulam Ahmad and explicitly declare him liar and infidel (mukadhdhib, mukaffir), but also to those who are undecided (mutaraddid) with regards to his religious message. In view of the hadith which says that after the descent of Jesus “your imam (will be) one of you”, Ahmadis must pray solely behind an Ahmadi imam. It is incumbent upon them “to abandon totally the other groups who claim to be Muslim (Zamima-yi Tuhfa Gokarwiyya (R. Kh., vol.17, p.64, marginal note). Elsewhere Ghulam Ahmad says that those that oppose him actually oppose Allah and are consequently deprived of their faith (Surat wa al-‘asr ki tafsir, pp. 6-7). The clearest statements declaring non-Ahmadis to be infidels can be found in two of Ghulam Ahmads latest works. In one of them he states that people who believe in the false doctrines which he came to dispel are not considered Muslims by Allah (Ahmadi awr ghayr Ahmadi men kya farq hay, p.16). In the fifth volume of the Barahin-i- Ahmadiyya, Ghulam Ahmad explicitly states that “he who denies this (Ghulam Ahmad’s) mission, will be declared infidel (Barahin-I Ahmadiyya, vol.5 (R. Kh., vol.21, p.82, marginal note).
In the Haqiqat al-wahy, which was published for the first time less than one year before Ghulam Ahmad’s death the idea of takfir was expounded in its most comprehensive form. This exposition characterised by the fact that Ghulam Ahmad removed in it any distinction between people who actively opposed and abused him and those who did not join his movement but remained neutral in the controversy that surrounded it. In response to an inquirer who found his pronouncements on the issue of takfir contradictory, Ghulam Ahmad explained that there is no difference between people who pronounced him infidel and those who “only” refrained from responding to his call. Even the passive posture of the latter group implies takfir: after all, its members refused to join the Ahmadi movement because they considered Ghulam Ahmad an imposter and liar who is in the eyes of Allah the worst of all infidels. Furthermore, he who does not believe in Ghulam Ahmad does not believe in Allah and Muhammad either. Ghulam attempts to support this extreme position in several ways. The death of Jesus, which is a cardinal tenet of Ahmadi faith is explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an. Those who reject it reject therefore a divine word. Moreover Allah supported Ghulam Ahmad by numerous miracles and by causing his predictions to come true. The denial of his mission involves the denial of these heavenly signs. As for the Prophet SAW, he predicted the emergence of the Messiah in the Muslim community. Since Ghulam Ahmad was utterly convinced that there would never be a Messiah except himself, the repudiation of his messianic claim amounts in his eyes to the rejection of a trustworthy prophetic tradition. Finally Islamic law stipulates that a person who unjustly imputes infidelity to a believer becomes an infidel himself. It is therefore immaterial whether Ghulam Ahmad pronounced the non-Ahmadis infidels or not; they brought infidelity upon themselves by deed and creed (Haqiqat al-wahy, pp. 163-165).