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For the governorate in Kuwait, see Ahmadi, Kuwait. Ahmadis ( Ahmadiyya), are followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. They comprise two subsects, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement (Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam).
History The Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam claims to represent the latter day renaissance of the religion of Islam. At the end of the 19th century, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian proclaimed himself to be the "Reformer of the age" Mujaddid, Promised Messiah, Mahdi and Prophet of the age. (Note that the two subsects of the Ahmadiyya interpret this last claim very differently). He claimed to have fulfilled the prophecy of the return of Jesus. He and his followers claimed that his advent was foretold by Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and also by many other religious scriptures of the world. In 1889 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad laid down the foundation of his community, which was later given the name of "Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat". Since its inception, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat's objective has been the revival of Islam. Soon after the death of the first Khalifa, the movement split into two sects over the question of the Finality of Prophethood. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement affirmed the traditional Islamic interpretation that there could be no new prophet after Muhammad and viewed itself as a reform movement within the broader Ummah. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, however, claimed that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had indeed been a prophet (albeit a "non-law-bearing" one) and that mainstream Muslims who rejected his message were guilty of disbelief. The question of "Khilafat" was also an issue in the split of the Ahmadiyya movement. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement believes that an "Anjuman" (body of selected people) should be in charge of the Jamaat. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, however, believes that Caliphs are appointed by God and they are in charge. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community claims to have established offices in 182 countries with population of over 200 million and claims that their numbers are growing in hundreds every day. There is no reliable count of the population of members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Current status Pakistan has declared Ahmadis to be non-Muslims. In 1974, the government of Pakistan amended its constitution to define a Muslim "as a person who believes in finality of Prophet Muhammad". As a result, Ahmadis have been the target of many attacks led by various religious groups. Since both groups claim to be the true heirs to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's legacy even though they have radically different interpretations of his teachings (see below), the term can be quite ambiguous. Ahmadis claim that mainstream Muslim critics of Ahmadis often fail to note the important distinctions between the groups, treating all "Ahmadis" as members of the "Ahmadiyya Muslim Community." Doctrines compared between major sub-groups and to mainstream Muslims Although the central values of Islam (prayer, charity, fasting, etc...) are shared by all Muslims, distinct Ahmadi Muslim beliefs include the following: Views of mainstream Muslims Orthodox Muslims consider both Ahmadi sects to be heretics for a number of reasons, chief among them being the question of finality of prophethood, since they believe members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community do not regard the Islamic prophet Muhammad to be the last prophet (the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement does not subscribe to this belief ). Ahmadis claim that this may be a result of misinterpreting Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's statements referring to his coming "in the spirit of Muhammed", (similar to John the Baptist coming in the spirit and power of Elijah ). Both Ahmadi sects believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to be the Mahdi and promised Messiah, while mainstream Muslims refute this claim. Ahmadis believe that rejecting Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the true Promised Messiah runs contrary to the teachings of Muhammad. Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, the son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and the second Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community group, declared that Muslims who do not believe in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's teachings are “kafirs” (rejectionists). However, members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement do not subscribe to this belief, either. Since both Ahmadi groups are considered non muslims by the Saudi Arabia government, they are not allowed to enter the holy shrines in Mecca and Medina. Some mainstream Muslims group both Ahmadi sects together and refer to them as "Qadianis", and their beliefs as "Qadianism" (after the small town of Qadian in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab in India, where the movement's founder was born). Most, if not all, Ahmadis of both sects dislike this term, however, as it has acquired derogatory connotations over the years and because they prefer to differentiate their two separate movements. Furthermore, some Muslim groups will not use the term "Muslim" when referring to Ahmadis, even though both sects refer to themselves as such. In earlier times in Pakistan and India, there was widespread persecution of Ahmadis by certain Muslim groups. Sporadic violence as well as persecution of a more subtle nature against Ahmadis continues even today. Chronology with leaders Only two leaders were recognized by both branches of the sect: Leaders recognized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (Qadian Branch), referred to as Khalifas ('Successors'): Leaders recognized by the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement (Lahore Branch), referred to as Emirs: Resources on other sites Articles | ||||||||
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