SIMILARITY OF THE OPPONENTS OF AHMADIYYA WITH OPPONENTS OF MUHAMMAD

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad & Prince Edward

O ye who believe: Say not 'raina,' but say, 'unzurna,' and hearken and for disbelievers is a painful punishment (Quran 2.104/105) 

Seething with jealousy, some of the Medinite disbelievers of 14 centuries ago began to refer to Muhammad s.a.w using words such as 'raina'. Raina, which means 'have regard for us' is not especially disrespectful. However, it is not particularly respectful either. The incredibly sly strategy that the disbelievers employed was to use the words in front of believers, so that sincere believers would also unwittingly start using this word. Their aim was to undermine the respect believers had for Muhammad s.a.w. In response to these efforts, Allah revealed the verse above to remind the Muslims not to fall into such traps.

Isn't it interesting how history repeats itself? Today we see anti-Ahmadiyya websites using similarly nefarious strategies against Islam Ahmadiyya. They refer to Islam Ahmadiyya as 'The A' and to religious personalities by their first name, 'Mirza'. They call Ahmadi Muslims Qadianis' and shorten the names of office bearers and administrators to just three letters. None of this is foul or objectionable language, however it is designed with a purpose to subconsciously undermine the respect for and significance of Ahmadiyya Khulafa. 

In fact, the use of such ideas was initiated in Medina by Jewish groups who wished to incite a rebellion against Islam, which reminds me of the following:

‘My ummah will face the same conditions as the Children of Israel have faced. The similarity will be so complete that it is like one shoe of a pair resembling the other. If someone among the Children of Israel had committed adultery with his mother, there will also be a wretched one in my ummah to do the same. The Children of Israel were divided into seventy-two sects, but my ummah will be divided into seventy-three. All will be hell-bound except one.’ The Companions asked which sect this would be. The Holy Prophet answered: ‘The sect that will follow me and my Companions.’ (Tirmidhi)

While the anti-Ahmadis align their ideas with those of the Jewish rebels of Medina, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community follows the instruction of Muhammad s.a.w to accept his Messiah.