The irony of Islamic Pakistan, by Umer Ali
Everyone
here has been termed non-Muslim, one way or another
Chairman
of Council of Islamic Ideology recently suggested to move in some issues to
discuss in their meetings – the first one being, are Ahmadis just non-Muslims
or apostates too? In a country which is almost on a threshold of destruction
due to Islamist terrorism at its peak, growing radicalisation among youth and
increasing penetration of religious extremism among the educated class, can we
afford having such a dangerous discussion at this point?
Established
in 1962, the chief purpose of Council of Islamic Ideology is to advise the
government and Parliament on matters pertaining to Islam and its teachings.
The
council constitutes of clerics from all major Islamic sects in Pakistan, except
Ahmadiyya community which is considered non-Muslim.
The kafiri-zation of
Ahmadis in 1974 was the result of decades-long movement against them by
religious parties. The final blow came when Deobandi, Barelvi, Jamat-i-Islami
and Shia clerics formed an alliance to move in a resolution in National
Assembly, as well as convincing Bhutto for the big step.
The
coalition between far-right parties is not a past story. These clerical
organisations forged an alliance under the banner of Muttahida
Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) to counter the ‘Westernised Musharraf’.
After the
American bombing at Salala check post, killing 24 Pakistan Army soldiers,
another religio-political coalition was established, named ‘Difa-e-Pakistan
Council’.
All of
these religious parties have common demand: to implement the system of Sharia
in Pakistan.
The big
question here is: which Sharia? A study of original text of existing sects
shows that from founding fathers to the followers, every sect has apostatised
all others in Pakistan.
Starting
with Jamat-i-Islami, which is famous for apostatising Jinnah and rabidly
opposing Pakistan Movement, its founder Maudoodi wrote, “Political leaders or
religious scholars – all of them, due to their ideology and policy, are equally
ignorant and have been detracted from the path of righteousness.” (Musalman
Aur Moujooda Siyasi Kashmakash, Volume 3, page 77)
On the
other hand, Hussain Ahmed Madni, a Deobandi cleric, about Maudoodi said,
“Maudoodi talking about Quran and Sunnah is just fraud. He believes neither in
Quran, nor Sunnah. He is actually formulating a new religion.” (Maudoodi
Mazhab by Qazi Mazhar Hussain, page 132)/
Another
Deobandi scholar Khair Muhammad Jalandhari said, “Some of Maudoodi and his
followers’ beliefs are against Ahle Sunnat and he is against the following of
great Islamic scholars. Thus, I consider him an infidel (non-believer).” (Page
135)
On 1
August, 1951, at the Delhi office of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, it was decreed
decisively by the whole leadership that, “Maudoodi and Jamat-i-Islami’s beliefs
have affected Muslims in a very negative manner and lead to the path of
ignorance. Their beliefs are very dangerous for Muslims.” (Page 137).
Yousaf
Ludhianvi, in his book ‘Shia Sunni Ikhtilafaat Aur Siraat-i-Mustaqim’,
has apostatised Shias with historical references from early religious scholars,
including those touted as the ‘founders’ of Two-Nation Theory.
Barelvis
are not far behind as well. “Devil is up to establish new sects in Muslims like
Deobandism, Wahhabism, Shiaism, Ghamadism, and Isamailism and so on. Since
their beliefs are based on infidelity, they can’t be righteous.” (60
Zehreele Saanp Aur Maslak-i-Haq Ahle Sunnat by Muhammad Tufail Rizvi)
“Among
all those who claim to be Muslims in subcontinent, only Sunnis (Barelvi) are
Muslims and the rest are infidels and apostates.” (Tajanib-i-Ahle Sunnat,
page 116).
When
asked about his opinion on Shah Ismail, Ahmed Raza Khan replied, “I believe he
was like Yazid. If someone calls him an infidel, don’t stop him.” (Malfoozat
Ahmed Raza,Volume 1, page 110).
“All the
followers of Ahle Hadith sect are infidels, pure devils and are inspired by evil.”
(Daman-e-Bagh Subhan-as-Subuh, page 134)
On
Deobandi scholar, Ahmed Raza Khan wrote, “People will be sent to hell for
following Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi.” (Hassamul Harmain, page 21)
“Don’t
suspect the infidelity of those who suspect the infidelity of Ahsraf Ali
Thanvi.” (Fatawa Africa, page 124)
To
further understand the amount of hatred between Deobandis and Barelvis, readers
can go through ‘Razakhani Mazhab’ by Saeed Ahmed Qadri and ‘Deobandi
Mazhab’ by Ghulam Mehar Ali.
Proving
Hanafis to be against the teachings of Quran and accusing them of committingshirk,
Ahle Hadith scholar Badi’ ud-Din Shah decreed it was not allowed to offer
prayer behind a Hanafi imam.
Mufti
Naeem Jamia Binuria, often comes on TV talk shows, posing to be a moderate
Muslim. On the contrary, on the website of his madrasah, www.jamiabinoria.net ,
the Muftis have decreed almost all other sects to be out of the circle of
Islam.
Organisations
belonging to Deobandi, Ahle Hadith, Jamat-i-Islami and Barelvi sects have been
seen rallying in the favour of Saudi Arabia under the cover of the protection
of holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Interestingly,
Saudi ulema themselves have declared Deobandi and Barelvis to
be non-Muslims and ‘innovators’.
When
asked about Deobandi Tableeghi, Jamaat Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee said,
“Their going out is not [regarded as] in the Path of Allah, rather it is in the
path of Iliyaas. They do not invite to the Book [of Alaah] and nor the Sunnah,
rather they invite to Iliyaas, their Shaykh in India.” (Fataawa wa Rasaail
Samaahhtush-Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee, Volume 1, page 174).
About
Barelvis, “Most of their characteristics and attributes are of kufr (disbelief)
and bid’ah(innovation) which negate the tawheed (oneness)
with which Allah had sent His messenger and revealed in His Book, and that
which conflicts with the Quraan” (Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daaimah lil-Buhooth
al-‘Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa, Volume 2, page 396, Fatwa No 3090).
We have
seen the curse of fatwa-mongering when in 2004, after Wana
Operation started, Deobandi ulema decreed a fatwa of
heresy against the officers and soldiers of Pakistan Army.
“Any army
officer or solider who acts on the orders of his commander will be committing
the biggest sin and if died, must not be termed as shaheed.
Moreover, it is not advisable for a true Muslim to either lead or take part in
his funeral.”
When
asked about those killed by army soldiers, the response was: “Because those who
got killed were ‘innocents’, they would be termed as shaheed.”
The fatwa was signed by all the leading Deobandi scholars; few
of whom include names like Nizamuddin Shamzai, Abdul Razzaq Sikander, and
Doctor Sher Ali Shah, Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid and Hameedullah Jan of Jamia
Ashrafia, Lahore.
Under
these circumstances, when every sect apostatises others, is it possible to
implement a system of Sharia acceptable to everyone? Things seem to be standing
exactly where they were in 1953, when Justice Munir Commission filed its
report, concluding there was no definition of a Muslim on which scholars from
all sects agreed.
Neither
have the clerics of these sects detested the fatwas of
apostasy by their elders, nor have they stopped practising it themselves.
Hence, demand of implementing Islamic system by all sects combined, who
otherwise apostatise each other, seems ludicrous.
The only
way out of this ongoing problem is to secularise the constitution, confine
religion to personal lives, pulling it out of statecraft whatsoever, and
criminalise all sorts of sectarian discussion. Otherwise, this sectarian
conflict is the getaway to the path of destruction and any move to implement an
Islamic system (of a particular sect) could be the end.
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