Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 5
5 anyone give up such a name? The name Islam is dearer to us than our lives, and we consider Islam to be the source of life eternal. However, since different groups of Muslims have adopted different names reflecting their specific beliefs, it became neces - sary for us to adopt a name that would distinguish us from oth - ers. Considering the state of the current age, the name ‘Ahmad i ’ seemed most appropriate, for this is the age for the propagation of the Message brought by the Holy Prophet s as and for the spread of God’s praise and glory. This being the time for the manifestation of the Holy Prophet’s attribute of ‘ Ahmadiyyah ’, there could not be a better name to distinguish us. In short, we are Muslims to the core of our being. We believe everything that is obligatory for a Muslim to believe and reject all that a Muslim is obliged to reject. If, despite our sincere affir - mations of the verities of Islam and adherence to Divine injunc - tions, anybody attributes unbelief, or kufr , to us and describes us as innovators or as people who subscribe to a new religion, such a person does an injustice to us and will be answerable to God for this. A person can only be held accountable for what he says, not for what he holds in his heart. Who, indeed, can say what is in a person’s heart? If someone accuses another of saying one thing while believing in another, he in effect claims divinity, for God alone knows the innermost secrets of the heart. No one had greater insight than the Holy Prophet s as but even he says regarding himself: ٍ تِه ِ مِن ْ بَعْض َّ ُون َ أَلْحَن َ بِحُج ک َ ی ْ ُم ْ أَن ک بَعْضَ َّ مَا أَنَا بَشَر ٌ وَلَعَل َّ وَإِن َّ ی َ ُم ْ تَخْتَصِمُون َ إِل َّک إِن ْ َأْخُذ ی َ ار ِ فَال َّ مَا أَقْطَع ُ لَه ُ قِطْعَة ً مِن َ الن َّ ُم ْ بِشَيْء ٍ مِن ْ حَق ِّ أَخِيه ِ فَإِن ک ْ َحَد ٍ مِن ِأ فَإِن ْ قَضَيْت ُ ل 7 مِنْه ُ شَيْئًا