MARRYING A NON-AHMADI MUSLIM

PEACE! (not to be confused with Sister Peace) is an Ahmadi Muslim lady from Mauritius. She recently wrote us an interesting article about Ahmadi-Sunni marriages:

Often the allegation is made that the Jamaat restricts its members from contracting marriages with non-Ahmadi Muslims. This blog has already discussed the issue of marriage of Ahmadi muslims to non-Ahmadi muslims. It can be found here. 

Such allegations are usually made in a manner as to suggest that the non-Ahmadi Muslim Community are waiting, doors wide open to welcome Ahmadi Muslim brides/grooms and we, Ahmadis are just being ‘uppity’. 

Well, before such allegations is made, one must find out how the non-Ahmadi Muslim Community view Sunni/Ahmadi marriages and whether as they claim, they are ever eager to welcome Ahmadis as part of their family. 

I post here a report by the Australian government (2011) which details intermarriages between different Muslim sects in Mauritius. There are sunni, shia and ahmadi muslims in Mauritius and these are further divided in different groups. The report states that there is no information about sunni/shia marriages and how these are viewed within the Islamic community. 

However, there is a report which deals with sunni/ahmadi marriages. And lo and behold..here is what it said: 

One report was however found referring to a stigma against Sunni Muslims marrying members of the Ahmadiyya community...While, in general, relations between Sunni and Shi‟a Mauritians appear cordial, sources note a fractious relationship between the Ahmadiyya sect, which has approximately 4,000 members, and Sunni Muslims. Although the Ahmadiyya are considered by Mauritian authorities (when counting religious affiliation for censuses) to be Muslims, they are not accepted as Muslims by Sunni Muslims. Hollop notes that Sunni Muslims will not marry members of the Ahmadiyya sect and that relations between the two have not always been amicable... 

...No reports were found from Mauritius of people receiving adverse treatment from family members or other Muslims for marrying someone from a different Muslim sect. As noted in the answer to question one, reports were located to indicate a stigma exists when Muslims marry members of the Ahmadiyya sect who other Muslims do not regard as Muslims. (Australian Government Report, 27th April 2011)

Maybe our dear commentators would like to comment on why the sunni muslims act in such a way? And also, why is it that despite being fully aware that the sunni muslim community, as a whole, doesn’t generally approve of such marriages and such marriages are stigmatized , they continue raising the issue? 

NOTE: I do not intend any disrespect towards any non-ahmadi muslim commentator, and do understand that all non-ahmadis do not hold such views. However, as a whole, the sunni muslim community (in Mauritius at least) does. Therefore, making such allegations against the Ahmadiyya Jamaat while fully aware that the Sunni community itself doesn’t approve of such marriages..smells of hypocrisy.