Pakistan, persecution of the Ahmadi Islamic community: united for the rights of freedom and the rejection of violence

ROME – There are 100 million in the world, scattered across every continent, rooted in every geographical area, but far from their places of origin which is the area on the border between Punjab and Pakistan, where they are severely persecuted: imprisoned for blasphemy, abused, killed because they are considered a heresy of Islam. In reality they are faithful interpreters of Islam, they faithfully follow its principles and profess a return to the origins of purity, non-violence and the promotion of justice and rights. Ahmadis are this and much more.

An international religious community. Founded in 1889 in Qadian, in present-day Punjab, India, by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, a Muslim mystic author of over 90 texts, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is an international religious community, currently present in over 180 countries around the world, which has about 100 million faithful. Known everywhere for the motto “Love for all, hate for none” and united under a single spiritual guide – currently His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad the V successor – the Ahmadiyya community professes a faith which is based not only on the Koran but also on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, on the assumption that Islam – like other revealed religions – was created to ensure the rights and freedoms of humanity, to proclaim the rejection of violence and to build a peaceful, never warlike society.

United in the idea of ​​peace. Between 16 and 18 June last, the Italian component of the Ahmadiyya community – a thousand faithful – gathered in San Pietro in Casale, Bologna, where the main center is located, to celebrate the Jalsa Salana, the gathering that every community in the world organizes once a year. “The Jalsa – explains the Imam of the Italian Ahmadiyya Community Ataul Wasih Tariq – is more than a simple event. It is a tangible embodiment of our aspiration for unity, peace and universal brotherhood. This fifteenth edition welcomed over 400 participants from every corner of Italy with representatives of more than 15 different nationalities. This demonstrates that, despite cultural, ethnic and geographical differences, we can all unite under the aegis of peace and universal brotherhood”.

Non-violence and equality. When visiting them, from the outset one notices some characteristics that stand out, the radically non-violent approach, summed up by the motto-mantra “Love for all, hate for none”, and an equal concept of the role of women in the community. These two principles, deeply felt by the members, are practiced in everyday life. “The characteristics of non-violence and equality between the sexes are essential pillars of the Ahmadiyya – the Imam continues – they are principles that are deeply rooted in our theology”.

Heavy persecutions in their country. Despite their radical rejection of violence, or perhaps because of it, as well as the equal role of women, Ahmadis are severely persecuted in Pakistan and other areas where fundamentalist Islam is predominant. For this reason, they are essentially a community in permanent exodus that manages, however, wherever it settles, to integrate and establish a peaceful presence.

The project to take root in Italy. “But we – says Ataul Wasih Tariq again – in addition to denouncing the constant harassment, we persevere in our faith in non-violence. And we aim to be a peaceful presence where we choose to live. This is why we cultivate dreams about our presence in Italy. We are planning the purchase of additional properties in several Italian cities, to ensure that each of the 15 different congregations present throughout the country has a dedicated center. This will allow us to continue our humanitarian missions and offer a welcoming place to those who wish to better understand Islam and our community”.