USA Souvenir 1989 — Page 48
MIGHTY SIGN OFTHEALMIGHTY ALLAH IN SUPPORT OF AHMADIYYAT Ziaul Haq's Death in Plane Crash was an Act of God Ahmadiyya Movement in Isl am was made the target of an utterly false and world - wide ca mpaign to malign the Movement, its holy founder an d its present head. This was a state-sponso red, ruthless persecution spearhea ded by Paki sta n's President Muhammad Zia ul Haq and was fully supported by his administration. Among other atrocities involving the deprivation of the basic human rights of the Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan , the following are prominent : Ahmadis were debar - red from affirming their faith through the re c itation of the credo (Kalima tayyaba); calling their places of worship as mosques; and calling the azan (call to prayer). All such activities were made punishable by three years rigoroius imprisonment and unlimited fine. Zia's persecution was implemented through public beatings, mob violence, assas - s inations , and dishonoring of Ahmadis; damaging, defiling, sealing and destruction of their mosques; false criminal prosecutions; imprisonment and death se ntences of innocent Ahmadis and their socia l boycott. The campaign also included the character assassination of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of this Community and its religious leaders as well. This persecution continued unabated for years. Hundreds of false allegations were made against the Ahmadiyya community, including that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV had abducted and murdered a Pakistani maulvi , Muha mmad Aslam Qureshi. This massive campaign with obvious encouragement by the government continued unabated for 5 years. The Pre ss, TV, radio and even local newspapers broadcasted these al legation s almost on a daily basis. Apparently, thi s malicious campaign had put the safety of the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to lihe risk of danger. 48 "It is my principle that till one prays for one 's enemy, one's mind is not wholly clea r ed. " The Promi se d M ess iah and Muhd1, peace be on him. During this time a ll atte mpts on the part of the Ahmadiyya Movement to make the leaders of the campa ign desist from persecution and to restore Ahmadis' basic human right s and religious freedom failed. General Zia ul ll aq exceeded all limits through his promulgation of his Martial Law Ordinance XX of 1984 banning Ahmadis all avenues of r edress and forcing the present Supreme He ad of worldwide Community into exile. In his Friday se r mon of June 10 1988 the Supreme I le ad of Ahmadiyya Community invited the General to desi st from persecution and falsification campaign against the Community an d it s beliefs or face the judgment of Allah in a Mubahela (P rayer Duel) in the Court of God in accordance with Isl a m' s Holy Book, the Quran.