My point here is only to lay bare the hypocrisy that comes along with defending a religious sentiment of only one group at the level of the state (which Imran Khan is doing) while ignoring how the same arguments can be used by members of other sects/beliefs against you.
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Times
By Dur-e-Aden | May 7, 2012
Recently social media has been abuzz about the “clarification” that was issued by Imran Khan regarding the controversy which alleged that his party was guilty of procuring Ahmadi votes (or more appropriately, the “Qadiani” votes as this is the term that is most favoured by his supporters on twitter). To be fair, Imran Khan has a right to clarify his position regarding any matter which involves his party, and especially when someone is attributing something to it that he didn’t authorize or approve. Therefore in this case, if someone who claims to be associated with his party goes around asking for votes on his behalf when he didn’t order them to do so, he has a legitimate right to defend his position and clarify the misconception.
However, the issue that Dear Mr. Khan cannot seem to comprehend is that there is a difference between clarifying a legitimate falsehood attributed to him vs. going around bashing someone’s beliefs and calling them a liar when such a belief is not even associated with the issue at hand. Even though I am a strong supporter of freedom of speech and firmly believe that nobody’s religious beliefs are beyond criticism or scrutiny, the problem with Mr. Khan’s statement is not that he is criticizing someone’s belief from an ethical or theological perspective by giving alternative arguments from relative texts of religion or secular philosophers. What he is doing is calling people who apparently don’t believe in the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (that too according to him as there was not any Ahmadi in that video who said that) liars.
I just have one question from Mr. Khan. Since he always goes on preaching on international and even national news channels that nobody should misuse the blasphemy laws; however they should be upheld because otherwise people will take the laws into their own hands and it will disturb peace of the society. It is because for Muslims, the religion and its holy figures are important and blasphemy hurts their sentiments, just like denying the holocaust hurts Jewish sentiments and world should understand that. My question however is that since Imran Khan called that anybody who doesn’t believe in the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a liar, and let’s just assume for the sake of the argument that Mirza Ghulam Ahmed and Ahmadis in general do believe that, has he committed blasphemy against their religion? Has he hurt their sentiments? Are only Muslim sentiments important when it comes to matters of religion or can non-Muslims also complain when they feel that Muslims are blaspheming against their beliefs? Would it be acceptable if Ahmadis lobby through some legal means to have Imran Khan be answerable for his blasphemy against their faith? Also let’s just assume for the sake of the argument that Ahmadi or “Qadiani” religion prescribes death for blasphemy? Should Imran Khan be punished according to their laws?
All the above statements are only mere hypothesis and are not connected to reality regarding Ahmadi beliefs. My point here is only to lay bare the hypocrisy that comes along with defending a religious sentiment of only one group at the level of the state (which Imran Khan is doing) while ignoring how the same arguments can be used by members of other sects/beliefs against you. The hypocrisy is not limited to this particular statement but throughout the two minute video and in almost every statement that he makes. Addressing his opponents, Imran Khan says that “the people who are giving a fatwa against me without asking me, they should know that they are performing a sin” while completely ignoring how just moments ago in the same video, he also issued a fatwa by saying that “Qadianis” are not Muslims. He goes on to say that “when a judge issues a judgment, he does it after listening to two sides. Why didn’t they ask me? Wasn’t it their responsibility to ask me?” Mr. Khan, did you go around asking Ahmadis what they believe before issuing a “judgment” that they don’t believe in the finality of the prophet hood and hence are not Muslims? After all, you should listen to both sides before reaching any conclusions, shouldn’t you?
He ends the video by saying that “I say it with great regret that whoever is behind it is doing it for political purposes.” I also want to inform Mr. Khan with great regret that the decision to declare Ahmadis (Oh I am sorry, “Qadianis”) was also a political decision as per reported by various Pakistani investigative programs and I assumed that a person of your calibre who has seen the various political turns that this country has taken would have known that because after all, you are not a “dooghla insaan” (hypocritical person).
I think asking for amendments in the constitutional provisions regarding Ahmadis is too much to ask from anyone in the current environment and I don’t think Ahmadis themselves expected this from you. However, they also didn’t expect the statements regarding their religious beliefs which you issued without even consulting or asking them. But you know what, it doesn’t matter because Ahmadis follow just one path which states that “Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een” (We only worship You (God) and only see Your (God’s) help).
P.S. I have a piece of advice for PTI followers (even though I know that you will not accept it); please stop the comparisons between Imran Khan and Muhammad Ali Jinnah as this is very, very disrespectful to the memory and legacy of Mr. Jinnah. Jinnah appointed Sir Zafarullah Khan as his foreign minister and when specifically asked about Ahmadis, contrary to explanations given by Imran Khan, Jinnah’s response was: “Ahmadis are Muslims, if they say they are Muslims and no one, not even the sovereign legislature, has the right to say otherwise.” (5 May, 1944).
-- Imran Khan-Not a Hypocrite?
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