Through Force or Faith? — Page 61
Sanctions for Self-Defence in Islam 61 The Islamic countries, where Ahmad i s are being persecuted or where laws are promulgated against Ahmad i s, should be mindful that on account of excesses in these atrocities, this ordinance of Allah ٍ دَفْع ُ الل َِّ النَّاس َ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْض , that defence of people by Allah, the Exalted, is sometimes enacted by making some groups clash with others ( S u rah al- H ajj, 22:41), may operate against them for their ingratitude. Allah, the Exalted, has not said that this ordinance is only for Muslims that, if Muslims are oppressed, they have the permission to raise the sword, or that this peace and security is only to safe- guard the rights of Muslims, instead, this ordinance is for the fol- lowers of any religion that if they are persecuted, Allah will make provision for them too. Ahmad i s, who are not only Muslims, but due to their acceptance of the Imam of the age, who came in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet s as , they are more compliant with the injunctions of the Holy Prophet s as than all others. They have established the creed, ِ سُوْل ُ هللا َّ ل َ إِلٰه َ إِل َّ هللا ُ مُحَمَّد ٌ ر [There is none worthy of worship except Allah], more firmly in their hearts than all others; they know its spirit and have convic- tion in this creed more than all others. By persecuting them, by destroying their mosques, the adversaries of the Ahmad i s bring themselves under the indictment of the saying in which the Holy Prophet s as said that any Muslim who attacks another Muslim is a Muslim no more. The definition of a Muslim, as I have explained earlier, is that he should believe in the creed, ِ سُوْل ُ هللا َّ ل َ إِلٰه َ إِل َّ هللا ُ مُحَمَّد ٌ ر [There is none worthy of worship except Allah], and he should have faith in it. Thus, the Community of the Promised Messiah as is not going to raise hand against anyone because we live under governments