Ahmad, a bright and ambitious medical student, woke up early one morning filled with hope and excitement. After months of intense study and exhausting exams, he was finally about to embark on a long-awaited trip with his friends to explore the beautiful northern areas of Pakistan. After praying the Fajr namaz, Ahmad called his friends to confirm the departure time for the train. The trip had been in the works for a long time, and the anticipation made the air feel lighter.
Before leaving, Ahmad’s parents offered heartfelt prayers for his safe journey, as they always did. He felt a deep sense of gratitude toward them, thinking of the day he would finally complete his medical degree and be able to support them. Ahmad had been dreaming of buying a beautiful dress for his younger sister once he started earning, and he hoped to be a source of comfort for his father as he approached retirement.
His friend soon arrived to pick him up, and the excitement built as they reached the train station. The group of friends met up, exchanged cheerful greetings, and boarded the train, eager for the adventure ahead. Ahmad sat by the window, gazing at the fresh morning sky as the train rolled forward. He found himself daydreaming about the future, feeling a sense of calm as the scenery rushed by.
As the train stopped at one of the stations along the route, a group of boys boarded and began distributing pamphlets. Curious, Ahmad and his friends took one each and started reading. Almost immediately, they noticed something that filled them with disbelief and anger. The pamphlets referred to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement, with the honorific phrase “peace be upon him” – a title reserved exclusively for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Moreover, the pamphlets referred to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s wife as “Um ul Momineen” (Mother of the Believers), another title that belongs solely to the wives of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These honorifics had deep religious significance, and their misuse felt like an intentional deception.
Ahmad and his friends were deeply offended by this disrespectful misuse of Islamic titles. The fact that this pamphlet was distributed among students, misleading them about fundamental religious matters, was unacceptable. Anger swelled in their hearts, and they began to protest. They chanted slogans in support of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (the belief in the finality of Prophethood) and raised their voices against the disrespectful content.
As tensions rose, the students who had distributed the pamphlets – followers of the Ahmadiyya movement – confronted Ahmad and his friends. The situation grew heated, but no one could have predicted what lay ahead.
Later, as the train approached Rabwa, a large group of around 500 Ahmadi followers, armed with dangerous weapons, surrounded the carriage where Ahmad and his friends were seated. The group stormed the carriage and brutally attacked the Muslim students, beating them without mercy. The attackers humiliated the students, stripping them of their clothes, and in an appalling display of cruelty, even urinated on their faces. The violence was relentless, and many of the Muslim students suffered broken bones and severe injuries. What made the situation worse was the utter helplessness of Ahmad and his friends—none of the passengers or railway staff came to their aid.
This shocking incident sent waves of outrage throughout the country. Protests erupted nationwide, with people demanding justice and calling for action against such acts of religious disrespect and violence. The tragedy prompted lawmakers to take a firm stance. As a result, the Pakistan government introduced Ordinance 298-B and 298-C, which legally prohibited members of the Ahmadiyya community from posing as Muslims, using Islamic terminology, or propagating their faith as Islam.
On June 30, 1974, the National Assembly officially declared the Ahmadiyya as non-Muslims, cementing the legal framework that would prevent similar incidents in the future. Had these laws been in place earlier, Ahmad and his friends might have been spared the brutal assault they endured. The incident marked a turning point in Pakistan’s religious and legal history, leaving an indelible mark on the nation.
Repealing Anti-Ahmadiyya Laws Could Ignite Religious Unrest in Pakistan
As the Ahmadiyya community continues to grow and spread misleading information, concerns have arisen about the potential removal of crucial laws that safeguard the religious beliefs of Muslims in Pakistan. There is increasing pressure on the government to repeal Ordinance 298-B, 298-C, and Section 295, laws that were enacted to prevent the Ahmadiyya from posing as Muslims and misusing Islamic terminology. This move is viewed by many as a dangerous step that could reignite tensions and give rise to incidents like the brutal attack on Ahmad and his friends years ago.
The laws in question were introduced to protect the religious integrity of Islam and to ensure that deceptive practices aimed at altering the core beliefs of Muslims could be restrained. The use of titles and honorifics reserved exclusively for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions by the Ahmadiyya community was seen as a direct affront to the beliefs of the majority Muslim population. Ahmad and his friends were among the many who felt personally attacked by this misuse, leading to their tragic confrontation.
Should these laws be abolished, the risk of further violence, unrest, and confusion among Muslims could increase dramatically. The Ahmadiyya community’s claim to Islam, despite rejecting the finality of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, presents a fundamental contradiction to the basic tenets of Islamic faith. Allowing them to propagate this belief without legal boundaries may lead to further divisions within the Muslim community and potentially ignite more instances of religious conflict and unrest.
Such extreme behaviors, driven by what many Muslims view as an untrue and deceptive belief system, must be addressed and restrained to preserve unity and peace in society. By removing these laws, the government could inadvertently give rise to more *fitnas* (trials and divisions) among the Muslim population, leading to a breakdown of religious harmony.
The current generation of Muslims in Pakistan is particularly concerned that without these protections, there will be an increase in the spread of false information about Islam, misleading both Muslim and non-Muslim populations. If the laws come to an end, it is feared that this will not only embolden groups like the Ahmadiyya to promote their false doctrines more freely but also open the door for other sects and groups to challenge the core beliefs of Islam, leading to more disunity and fitnas.
In conclusion, the protection of Pakistan’s Islamic values must remain a priority. The removal of these laws could have far-reaching consequences, resulting in further unrest and religious strife. As history has shown, unchecked movements that seek to distort religious truths can lead to violence, confusion, and the erosion of faith within communities. For the sake of peace and unity, it is essential that laws like Ordinance 298-B, 298-C, and Section 295 remain intact, ensuring that Islam’s integrity is preserved and that incidents like Ahmad’s are never repeated.
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