Article by Shahid Qureshi

Qadiyanis: Weapon of Psychological Warfare & Z A Bhutto’s Vision

By Dr Shahid Qureshi

“Qadiyanis were created as a strategic weapon during the British Rule in India as part of the ‘psychological warfare’. It happened when invading or occupying powers need local collaborators to do their dirty jobs for example similar kind of group was created in Vietnam by the US but not on religious lines, a minority group was also patronised by the Israelis in South Lebanon, which was later abandoned. US also patronised a group in Iraqi Kurdistan. Now Qadiyanis are like ‘decommissioned ship’ permanently harboured in London waiting desperately to be re-used”, said a senior analyst.

Here is what British Intelligence (Punjab Office Version) reported in 1919: “The Growth and Development of The Ahmadya Movement (1919)”:

“They (Qadiyanis) took NO part in the Muhammadan agitation over the Turkish question beyond expressing the opinion that consideration should be paid to the feelings of the Muhammadan world, and admitted frankly that they owned no spiritual allegiance to the Sultan (of Turkey), but recognized as their temporal sovereign the Power (British) under whose rule they lived. They were opposed to the ‘hijrat’ movement, maintaining that Islamic conditions governing the necessity for ‘hijrat’ had not been fulfilled.

The Khilfat and non-cooperation movements found them to be firmly on the side of (British) Government (in India). The Qadiyani section published pamphlets on the “Turkish Peace and “Non-cooperation and Islam”, in which non-cooperation, ‘hijrat (migration)’ and ‘Jehad’ were unqualifyingly condemned. Throughout the Punjab disturbances of 1919 they (Qadiyanis) remained loyal to the (British Government).”

No one can deny the special links of the community with the British Government as Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiyani (1838-1908) the shadowy prophet declared himself that Islam consisted of two parts: one, obedience to God and two, obedience to the British government. He admitted he could 'pursue his mission neither in Makkah, nor Madinah; neither in Syria, nor Iran or Kabul save under this Government for whose good fortune we pray'. On 24th February 1898, Mirza sent a fawning petition to the British Lt-Governor of the province, he referred to his loyal services to the government of Britain and reminded him that he was their 'their own plant' (khud sakhtah pauda) and, then went on to request that his followers be given special consideration by officials.

Mirza's 'khalifah' and son, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, wrote proudly in the cult's paper Al-Fazal dated 1st November 1934, that: 'The whole world considers us to be the agents of the British. That is why a German minister who attended the opening of an Ahmadiya building in Germany was asked to explain as to why he went to the function of a community, which was the agent of the British.

All the minorities of Pakistan including Qadiyanis should be protected under the constitution of Pakistan and UN Declaration of Human rights. No one has ever said that Qadiyanis living in Pakistan are not Pakistanis. There should be no problem if Indian Qadiyanis collect donations for Indian Army after Kargil in occupied Kashmir. The question is how loyal Pakistanis they are? It is not a loyalty test in anyway but the actions of this minority over the years were/are undermining the state of Pakistan. They started undermining even before the creation of Pakistan.

According to a “Qadiyani Prophecy”, revealed few months before the independence of Pakistan in 1947: ‘if at all India and Pakistan did separate, it would be ‘transient’ and Qadiyanis were asked to try to bring an end to this phase soon”. (Published in Qadiyani Magazine: Al-Fzal, 4th April 1947 – 17th May 1947)

Their undermining was to the extent that a liberal Statesman and leader like Zulifqar Ali Bhutto realised what they were up to and banned Dr Abus Salam visiting Pakistan’s nuclear sites. He told his security chief in Jail (Col Rafi), ‘Ahmadis want same position as Jews in the USA i.e. they want every policy to go through with their approval… (‘Last 323 days of Z A Bhutto’ by Col Rafiuddin, pp67).

Surely the assessment of the visionary Statesman of Pakistan Zulifqar Ali Bhutto was on the spot as the following Israeli study proved it to be true in terms of mindset and following of tricks and treachery.

An Israeli study (P R Kumaraswamy: _Beyond the Veil: Israel ­Pakistan relation,_ Jaffe Centre for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, March 2000) brings to light, that Pakistan has its own `pro-Israeli' lobby’ (Qadiyanis) has been doing since the word go.

Pakistan and its people have been facing terrorism in mosques, churches and temples for many years. What happened at ‘Qadiyani Centres in Lahore is surely regrettable and sympathies should be extended to the victims. They are Pakistani Qadiyanis and their rights should be protected.

As far as changes in the laws are concerned government should be cautious and careful as what is the agenda to change now and why was it changed in the first place? What is it to hide and what is to achieve? If one does not have any ‘intention’ to be blasphemous in a 95% Muslim country then there should be no problem, unless one has an intention to be blasphemous. Is it stopping people to practice their religious beliefs or some people want to be in two boats as Sir Allama Iqbal mentioned.

In 1935 Sir Mohammad Iqbal, a lawyer, poet and philosopher asked the British Government to declare the Qadiyanis as separate community just as they done with the Sikhs. Sir Iqbal said, ‘the Qadiyanis while pursuing a policy of separation in religion and social matters ‘, however, anxious to remain politically with the fold. The Qadiyanis will never take initiative for separation’, argued Sir Iqbal because their small number (56,000) according to 1931 census would not entitle them ‘even to a single seat in any legislature. The Qadiyanis asked the British Government that, ‘our rights too should be recognised like those of Parsees and Christians reported (Al Fzal, 13th November 1946).

It was/is not The State of Pakistan that declared them non-Muslims but just confirmed the division, i.e. it is Qadiyanis who declared rest of the Muslims non-Muslims long time before the state declaration. The onus lies on them (Qadiyanis) to integrate and renounce their views on the finality of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and not the other way around.

The Qadiyani view of their relationship with rest of the Muslims was well summarised by their second caliph, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad: “Our worship has been separated from the non--Ahmadis, we are prohibited from giving our daughters (in marriage) to them and we have been stopped from offering prayers for their dead. What then left that we can do together? There are two kinds of ties: one religious the other mundane. The greatest expression of the religious bond is in common worship and in matters mundane, these are the ties of family and marriage. But then both are forbidden (haram) to us. If you say that we are permitted to take their daughter (in marriage), then I would reply that we are allowed to marry the daughters of Christians as well. If you say why do we Salam (salute) to non- Ahmadis, then the reply to this is that … the Prophet (Muhammad) has said Salam to the Jews… Thus the Promised Messiah (Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) has separated us, in all possible ways, from the others; and there is no kind of relationship which is particular to Muslims and we are not forbidden from (entering into) that”, (Kalimatul Fazsl’, by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad in Review of Religions).

As an open-minded Muslim leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah father of nation appointed Sir Zafarullah Khan a Qadiyani, his first foreign minister of Pakistan who did not attend his funeral conducted by a Sunni scholar Shabeer Ahmed Usmani, considering Mr Jinnah as non-Muslim (non Ahmadi). In a hypothetical scenario as far as the integration of the Qadiyanis with the rest of the Muslim community is concerned doors for the non-Ahmadis are shut.

Qadiyanis should rejoin the larger Muslim fold by renouncing their beliefs concerning the finality of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) no one has shut the doors for them. They are an expired by date weapon used against Muslims but Qadiyani minority is not ready to let go?