In a press release issued recently, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (an organisation of Indian Muslim scholars) has backed the decision of the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board that declared the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as “non-Muslim”. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community India strongly denounces the stance of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, considering it divisive and against the principles of inter-religious harmony. The press release contains false and misleading information about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and its legal status in India.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has always proclaimed with utmost sincerity and conviction that we pronounce the Islamic creed La Ilaha Ilallah Muhammadun Rasulullah, meaning, “There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad^sa is the messenger of Allah”. The Community also believes that Prophet Muhammad^sa is Khatamunnabiyyeen (the seal of the Prophets) and that the Holy Quran is the final law. We completely adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam and believe in the Six Articles of Faith. After this, no one has the right to declare Ahmadi Muslims as non-Muslims.

It should be remembered that various Indian High Courts have upheld the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s right to be recognised as an Islamic sect. For instance, Justice V R Krishna Iyer, an important figure in the Indian Judiciary, stated in his historic judgement dated 8 December 1970 that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a part of Islam. He made it clear in the judgement that “looking at the issue devoid of sentiment and passion and in the cold light of the law I have no hesitation to hold that the Ahmadiya sect is of Islam and not alien”.

Similarly, the Patna High Court in 1916 and the Madras High Court in 1922 recognised the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as a sect of Islam. Moreover, in the 2011 census report, the Community was counted as an Islamic sect.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind’s reference to certain fatwas by different organisations is regrettable and goes against the spirit of religious pluralism that India upholds. Fatwas, which hold no legal significance, should not be used to question the religious identity or status of any community. It is essential to remember that fatwas do not carry the weight of law in a secular country like India. Moreover, the fatwas issued against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are not based on Islamic teachings but rather on the whims of the clerics.

We urge all religious organisations and leaders to act responsibly and refrain from making statements that could potentially harm social cohesion and religious harmony. Instead, we should promote inter-religious harmony and foster an environment of mutual respect and understanding, as this is what Islam stands for.