The Ahmadis and the Politics of Religious Exclusion in Pakistan (Anthem Modern South Asian History, 1)

In 1953 the political expediencies of some Mullahs prompted to exploit the Ahmadiyya Muslim issue which resulted in the eruption of mob violence. This agitation was launched by Majlis-e-Ahrar which had no political career in Pakistan because of its anti-Pakistan stance during partition. The leading troublemakers were the ulema (learned scholars), who had consistently opposed the creation of Pakistan. But it was Maulana Abu Ala Maududi, the founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami (the counterpart of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt), who became their voice. They tried to use this issue to seek some political standing in newly established Muslim state by exploiting people's religious feelings a fact that was later established by Munir report. In 1974, seeing its grip loosening on the government, the party in power again exploited the same issue to turn the events in their favor. Being under tremendous pressure from King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, according to The Guardian (UK, 9th Sept. 1974), Mr. Bhutto staged the Rabwah incidence and dumped the matter into the lap of national assembly which turned itself into a special committee. This committee invited the leaders of all the sects considered to be associated with the Islamic faith to hold a debate on the matter of Finality of prophet-hood (i.e. if a prophet could come after Muhammad, peace be upon him, or not) with the leadership of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. At the end of this pseudo-hearing all the leaders of 72 sects unanimously declared Ahmadis to be non-Muslims, which the special committee adopted as an amendment to the constitution of 1973.Thus the government of an Islamic state outrageously contravened the commandment of the Holy Quran: "There shall be no compulsion in religion for guidance and error have been clearly distinguished". (2:257) and the Holy Prophet (pbuh) according to whom a mere recitation of the creed was sufficient to bring someone into the fold of Islam.The government of Pakistan claimed that the decision was based on the belief in finality of prophet-hood Muhammad (pbuh). However the holy Quran sets no such condition for becoming a believer. Quran having described the articles of faith very clearly, invites even non-Muslims to come to terms on what is common in their beliefs with Islam. Clearly according to Holy Quran the way to achieve religious harmony is to put to practice what is common in the beliefs of every differing faction and that would be the first step towards a consensus in the matters of religious beliefs.The government of Pakistan and the leaders of all the rest of Muslim sects contradicted the teachings of the Holy Quran and practice and commandments of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). This decision did ironically provide an interesting distinction of one group of Muslims (Ahmadi) from the other 72 sects fulfilling the prophecy of Holy Prophet (pbuh).