by A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary AMJSL

All praise belongs to Allah, who enabled us to become Ahmadi Muslims and it is He alone that we worship. We believe, just like all other Muslims, that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the greatest of all the prophets and Khatamun-nabiyyeen (seal of Prophets), Allah gave him the eternal guidance, the Holy Quran, and thus perfected Islam, the religion that reflects the natural state of Man. We follow all the teachings of Islam, as contained in the Holy Quran, the Sunnah (practice) and Ahadith (sayings) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Let us look at this statement in detail.

We believe in the six articles of Faith, which are described in the Holy Quran, and summed up in the following sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

The requirements of Faith are that you should believe in Allah and His Angels and His Books and His Prophets and in the Last Day and that you should believe in Allahs determination of good or of evil (Decree of Allah). (Muslim – Book of Ahadith)

Accordingly, we, as Ahmadi Muslims, believe in the absolute Unity of Allah, believe in the Angels, believe in all Divine Books, revealed to various Prophets by Allah. However, the Holy Quran is the only one free from human alteration. It is the final, and the eternal guidance. We believe in all the Prophets that Allah raised for the guidance of humanity.

Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) is the Leader and the Seal of all of them. He brought the final Law and he was the perfect human being. We believe in the Day of Judgment to be an indubitable fact.

We believe in the Decree of Allah. Allah is the All-powerful, and we have firm faith in all His determinations.

Our Practice Five pillars of Islam. (1) Bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad is His Servant and His Messenger (Declaration of faith) (2) Observance of prayer (3) Paying Zakah (4) Pilgrimage of kabah, the house of Allah (5) Fasting during Ramadhan. (Bukhari)

After describing our beliefs and our practice, let us see what distinguishes from the other Muslims. The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) had foretold the appearance of grand reformer (named Messiah and Mahdi) in the latter days for the revival of Islam.

We believe Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (peace be on him) to be this Promised Messiah and Mahdi. The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) came according to the prophecies of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), who had also instructed every Muslim to recognize the Messiah and partake of his blessings.

Hazrat Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, followed and taught the exact same religion that was practiced by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). If this is so, then- What is the basic difference that distinguishes his followers from other Muslims? Is the difference confined to the acceptance of the Promised Messiah only, or does it go beyond that? The answers are: Ahmadi Muslims are those who accepted the Promised Messiah as commanded by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). However, mere acceptance is not enough.

As a result of the acceptance of the Promised Messiah (peace be on him), Ahmadi Muslims have corrected the errors that had, over time, found their way into the beautiful religion of Islam. Let us see what these were: Meaning of Khatamun-nabiyyeen- Both Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis believe that the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) is khatamun-nabiyyeen (Seal of the Prophets) but they differ as to the interpretation of this Quranic term. The relevant verse (33:41) is: Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the prophet.

The prophecy of the second advent of Jesus, the Ahmadi Muslims believe, has been fulfilled by the advent of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him), who came in the spirit and power of Jesus, just as John had come in the spirit and power of Elijah. Non-Ahmadis are excepting a Mahdi who will wage war and spread Islam by means of the sword. The Ahmadi Muslims reject all such incorrect doctrines. The Mahdi according to them, is no other than the Promised Messiah who was to come to spread Islam, not with the sword, but by heavenly sings and arguments.

In the 1880s Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian declared himself to be the Promised Messiah and the Mahdi under Divine commandment. For all Muslims, it is very important to understand his mission, as foretold by the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH). He would resort faith back to the earth even if (figuratively) it had ascended to the Pleiades i.e. he would re-establish faith by means of heavenly signs (Muslim).

As hakam and adal (Divinely appointed arbitrator and judge) he would show by clear arguments, the wrong beliefs and practices that had crept into religion (Bukhari).

Hazrat Ahmad, peace be on him, rendered an inestimable service not only to Islam but to humanity at large by his powerful refutations of incorrect doctrines.

As a result of this, his followers have been and still are severely persecuted by ignorant Mullahs and their followers.

In March 23, 1889, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat under Divine guidance. Its main objective is to re-establish the original purity and beauty of Islam. In The beginning he was all alone, lacking all worldly resources, and only a few responded to this call. His opponents who were strong and powerful raised an unprecedented storm of hostility.

In this moment of trial, Allah the Almighty stood by him with the Divine assurance: I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the earth. Today, there is an organized and dynamic community of millions of Ahmadi Muslims living in more than 196 countries of the world. They are now led by his fifth successor (Khalifa) Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah strengthen his hands).

It is certainly fortunate that through the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, the grand spiritual revolution of the latter days, as foretold by the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) is gaining momentum throughout the nations of the world. This is a Divine mission which is bound to succeed and no power on earth will ever be able to Block its onward march, Insha Allah (if Allah so wills).

In Sri Lanka, this Community was established in 1915 and now it has considerable members in various places. Mr. S. Nizam Khan is the National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Sri Lanka. To mark the event, special programs were organized in all Ahmadiyya Centers in the country.

The writer can be reached at: pressamjsl@gmail.com

LOVE FOR ALL; HATRED FOR NONE.