Taking the status of ‘Muslims’ away from the Ahmadis should at least mean that the majority cannot automatically take ownership of their places of worship.
Source/Credit: The Nation
By The Nation | December 20, 2016
The attack against the Ahmadi community in Dulmial now threatens to turn into a legal battle, making things worse for the residents belonging to the minority sect in the area. As if the mob attacking the mosque was not enough, it has now been sealed by the judicial magistrate, pending court proceedings and resolution over the ‘contentious’ issue of ownership.
The fact that the application for the case was submitted to the judicial magistrate by the Station House Officer (SHO) of the area tells us exactly where the loyalties of the local law enforcement lie; with the majority of the area. The court is not at fault, but it is hoped that the hearing/s are conducted in a fair manner to resolve this issue early, before even more Ahmadi families are harassed and threatened by the local Sunni majority in an effort to dilute the evidence coming in from the minority’s side.
And this is not the first time either. After the mosque had been in possession of the Ahmedi community (by all accounts) since its construction, members of the Sunni community of the area first lodged a case against the ownership in 1997, with the mosque sealed in similar circumstances, until the Ahmedi residents appealed against the order at the sessions court level.
The case like the one before it in 1997, holds no water. The mosque under contention was built by the Ahmadi community in Dulmial as far back as 1860 – the village once had more members of the Ahmadi community in the village, before many left the country as crimes against them increased. Once known as the ‘Minar wali masjid’, it was only renamed Darul Zikr and declared a ‘place of worship’ instead of a mosque after the Bhutto government declared the Ahmedi community non-Muslim in 1974.
The argument of the Sunni Muslims in the community is laughable – their claim that the mosque was once constructed by Muslims is only valid because Ahmadis were not declared non-Muslims until 1971, meaning that they could call themselves Muslims when they were building it. Taking the status of ‘Muslims’ away from the Ahmadis should at least mean that the majority cannot automatically take ownership of their places of worship.
It is easy to see why the legal case has been filed now, specifically after the attack failed, by the Sunni residents of the area. Their plan to use the mob in order to drive the community away has been thwarted in parts by the police presence in the area, and they are now trying other avenues to gain possession of a mosque that is not theirs to begin with. This must not be allowed, the state has already failed the Ahmedi residents of Dulmial more than once, it is only hoped that this practice will not be repeated yet again.
Read original post here: Perspective: Ahmadis and Pakistan's Pressure Tactics
This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Times of Ahmad. Times of Ahmad is not an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites.
Seizing someone's property is unlawful,illegal. That's what Islam says. But look at these people,who call themselves true followers of holy Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him),they are the ones who are illegally claiming right on mosque who belong to Ahmadis.They are going against the teachings of Islam. And its not just first time this is happening. From years and years they are doing such horrible things that were most disliked by our beloved Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him). Are they worthy to be called Muslims? A Muslim is the one from whose hands and tongue others are safe.
ReplyDelete