Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Times
By Imran Jattala | March 25, 2012
Adopted from reports by Shahid Pervez and Zafar Basith
Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque at Saidabad in Hyderabad, India was attacked and hundreds of worshipers were barricaded inside for more than 3 hours today, it has been reported.
The community had planned meetings in commemoration of the founding of their community – known as Promised Messiah Day - at many of their mosques and mission houses around India.
At the Saidabad Mosque “Masjid Al Hamd” the event had begun at 11am, it was learned from early reports.
A few of the members were outside the gates managing a bookstall organized by the community, selling books and distributing free literature.
At about 2:30pm, it is reported, few mullahs (clerics) along with their followers appeared at the gates and started quarreling, attempting to stop the literature distribution.
A verbal quarrel broke out and soon the mob increased to over 600; and the mullahs started rising slogans against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, it was reported.
The clerics instigated their followers towards violence and soon the mob started pelting stones at the Mosque where there were over 400 members in attendance, including women and children.
The members of the Ahmadiyya community closed the gates from the inside to protect against mobs attempts to rush in.
The parts of structures made of glass in the mosque and of vehicles parked outside the mosques were reported damaged.
Police responded to the scene of attack, however after failing to disperse the crowd, asked the Ahmadi members not to come out citing an out of control crowd.
The Ahmadi members stayed locked inside the mosque for several hours.
Further to the bizarre actions of mullahs, some local Muslim political leaders steered the mob to go to the police station where they lodged a counter complaint against the Ahmadis, citing injury to Muslim feeling by Ahmadis' events.
About 150 policemen including, Rapid Action force, turned up at the mosque and they dispersed the remaining crowd from around the mosque.
The members of the Ahmadiyya community were able to come out at about 5pm, unharmed.
According to the reports, most of the people who were a part of the attacking mob didn’t know why they were there.
When asked why they joined the attacking militants, they said they were informed that Islam and the Honor of the Holy Prophet (saw) was under attack.
The militant clerics and their followers were reported to have made cell phones calls asking all Muslim citizens to come out and join them in 'defending Islam.".
A mullah told “Four TV” a Muslim owned television channel that when on the 18th of February the local WAKF board had declared Ahmadis to be Non-Muslims, the Police had assured the “Kalima” would be removed from Ahmadiyya mosques in the City.
The militants were unhappy about the Ahmadis being allowed to continue as normal Muslims.
The clerics warned on the TV that books, leaflets and other literature of the Jamaat must not contain any Islamic images and personalities; like the images of Mecca, Medina and should not make any references to the Holy Prophet(saw) and Quran.
The Ahmadis can propagate, the cleric said, "but like how non-Muslims (Hindus and Christians) are doing" - i.e. without referring to anything Islamic.
The Muslim cleric demanded Ahmadi bookstalls must not contain any material related to the Holy Prophet of Islam or the Holy Quran.
Ahmadis, the mullah said, must not make any efforts to change the minds of general masses by 'posing' as Muslims and the Ahmadiyya mosques must not be referred to a “Masjids” (the Arabic word for a place of worship).
The police in their shortsightedness, it is reported, had assured militants of stopping Ahmadis from continuing to practice and propagate their faith.
Many have alleged that in the largest democracy in the world attacks on the freedom of religion are being allowed by the authorities.
Posters and Banners have started turning up around many places in the city calling Ahmadis non-Muslims.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held a press conference and the print and TV media recorded the Ahmadiyya ordeal.
Masjid Al Hamd has come into focus of Militants after its successful charitable works such as a blood drive in February and the free medical camp planed during today's event, which some suspect, may have been the point of jealousy.
-- India: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque Attacked by Militant Clerics and Mob in Hyderabad
-- Ahmadiyya Times
-- Imran Jattala, Shahid Pervez, Zafar Basith
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By carrying out such terrorist activities, these so called Muslims spoil the name of Islam, meaning of which is nothing but submission and peace.
ReplyDeleteDon't they know by such acts they are creating the feeling of hate in the minds of non Muslims against the type of islam these Mullas preach and prcataice.?