Faisalabad, Pakistan: Three Muslims who believe in the Messiah murdered for their faith

Since its creation, Pakistan has witnessed no less than 167 murders of Muslims who believe in the Messiah on account of their faith.  The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has responded only with peace and patience, as per the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.  Violence has never, nor ever will be an option.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | Editorial
Source & Credit: Chicago Islam Examiner | April 2, 2010
By Qasim Rashid | Chicago, IL

April 1: Faisalabad, Pakistan.  Three Muslims who belong to the peaceful Ahmadiyya Muslim Community were brutally murdered around 10:30pm local time on account of their faith. (Inna Lillah-e-wa inna ilaihe rajeoon - From God we are and to God must we return).


As the victims, Mr. Ashraf Pervaiz, Mr. Masood Shaikh and his young son Asif Masood, reached and sat in their car at a location known as Rail Bazaar, they were intercepted by unidentified gunmen.  The gunmen opened fire and sprayed the car with bullets using automatic weapons. All three victims were immediately rushed to a local hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. Mr. Pervais, Mr. Shaikh, and Mr. Masood operated a respectable jewelry business in Faisalabad for several years.  However, they faced verbal threats and harassment for quite some time on account of their faith before last nights vicious attacks.  Early reports indicate that the local police did nothing to prevent the attack.

The Holy Qur'an says about those who are killed for their faith, "Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of God, as dead. Nay, they are living, in the presence of their Lord, and are granted gifts from Him...on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve." (3:170-171)

Indeed, God himself will be the reward of these three peaceful Muslims, who's only crime was to accept the Imam Mahdi and Messiah sent by God and foretold by the Master Holy Prophet.
However, a practical issue remains.  These murders are only the latest in an ongoing Pakistani government endorsed campaign against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.  In 1974 Pakistan passed blasphemy laws, officially declaring Muslims who believe in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the Messiah as 'non-Muslim.'  Ten years later, Ordinance XX imposed criminal penalties up to and including the death for Ahmadiyya Muslims because of their beliefs.
How much longer will Pakistan endorse the persecution and murder of their religious minorities?  Dozens of Christians too have been murdered at the hands of similar extremists.  On one hand Pakistan claims to stand for moderation and progression.  On the other, their own Constitution endorses societal discrimination of religious minorities.

The respected founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, made clear that Pakistan is a State for Muslims, not a Muslim State.  Jinnah made this statement because a major force behind the creation of Pakistan in 1947 was to free minority Muslims from the majority Hindu oppression in India.  Indeed, those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them.

Since its creation, Pakistan has witnessed no less than 167 murders of Muslims who believe in the Messiah on account of their faith.  The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has responded only with peace and patience, as per the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.  Violence has never, nor ever will be an option.

Yesterday's attack was the worst since October 7, 2005 when three extremists attacked an Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque during Fajr prayer, murdering 8 and wounding over a dozen.  The attackers in yesterdays case have not been apprehended, as if often the case in these types of murders.

Killing Muslims who believe in the Messiah will not stop the peaceful progression of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.  However, every attack, every murder, and every escaped murderer only proves to the world that the Government of Pakistan does not stand with peace, but instead it stands with terrorism.  Pakistan must take immediate and decisive action to repeal their blasphemy laws.  Save Pakistan while there is still something left to save.





Read original article here: Three Muslims who believe in the Messiah murdered for their faith


Qasim Rashid is a contributing member of Majlis Sultanul Qalm, USA (MSQ USA) and regularly writes for Examiner.com and various other publications on topics ranging from Islam to human rights. Leave your thoughts and comments, or email Qasim at 1muslim.examiner@gmail.com