religion

U.S. places Pakistan on watch list for religious freedom violations

The U.S. State Department has placed Pakistan on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedom,” it said on Thursday, days after the White House said Islamabad would have to do more to combat terrorism to receive U.S. aid. The State Department also said it had re-designated 10 other nations as “countries of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act for having engaged in or tolerated egregious violations of religious freedom. The re-designated countries were China, Eritrea, …

Opinion: The Crazy Fanatics.

Crazies. Everybody’s got them—from religions to nationalities to political parties. Every social unit in humanity has its share of fanatics. Unfortunately, we Muslims have them in droves, and in recent years their fanatical, narrow-minded view of what defines a religion has moved to the driver’s seat and become the mainstream in Islam. Indeed, it seems that it’s becoming a rare site to see a religious person who is not a crazy lunatic. For many, matters of religion have gotten so …

Pakistan’s Hypocrisy on Freedom of Religion and Belief

“We believe that states have the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of its people.” So said Mr. Qazi Saleem Ahmed Khan of Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on the floor of the UN Human Rights Council just a few weeks ago. Mr. Khan would later lament what Pakistan sees as an “increase in religiously motivated crimes.” It was heartening to hear such remarks from Pakistan. However, as …

How a Pakistani Immigrant to the U.S. is trying to fight religious intolerance at home

A young Pakistani Muslim immigrant to Washington has built a platform for fellow immigrants to come together and do their part to promote peace and tolerance in Pakistan. Her biggest motivation is an unbreakable bond with the country she grew up calling home — in spite of the systemic persecution her community has faced there for decades. Zaineb Majoka, 28, grew up moving across small towns in Pakistan’s Punjab province, now considered a hotbed of religious extremism in the troubled …

Pakistani clerics fight over status of Ahmadiyya sect

Two Pakistani clerics have come to blows at a meeting of the religious establishment over the fraught issue of the status of Ahmadis, a Muslim sect that hardliners want declared apostates. A scuffle broke out on Tuesday between the two at a gathering of Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) when the chairman, Mohammad Khan Sherani, called on the group to consider whether Ahmadis, who are declared non-Muslims by the constitution, should be considered murtads that have rejected Islam.

Ghanaian Vice President calls on National President of Ahmadiyya Ghana

The Vice President, Mr K. B. Amissah‐Arthur, yesterday met with the National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana at its headquarters in Accra. They discussed a range of issues including the protection of minority rights, religious tolerance and how to sustain the prevailing peace and stability of the country.

Ahmadiyya Muslims denied permission to hold conference by Kashmir Government

The Jammu and Kashmir Government Thursday made it clear that it will not allow Ahamaddiya’s to hold any peace conference in Srinagar city on October 10 (Saturday). Meanwhile Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led Mudahida Majlis Ulama has also filed an application to organize a parallel seminar. District Development Commissioner Srinagar Mushtaq Ahmed Shah told CNS that an Ahmadiya organization “Ahmadiyya Jama’at Srinagar” has written a formal letter to us seeking permission for holding a “Peace Conference in Srinagar on October 10. …

Ten Ahmadiyya Muslims injured in sectarian attack in West Bengal, India

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of West Bengal, India came under attack by local Muslim extremists which resulted in 10 people being seriously injured On 7th August 2015, a mob of local muslim extremists forcefully invaded the home of a local Ahmadi Muslim yielding knives, bricks and metal rods and attacked the residents. Ten people including women were seriously injured in this horrific attack. The attackers then surrounded the house for the entire night and refused access to the Police and emergency services.

Imran Khan backs off statement that he will make Ahmadi economist his Finance Minister

Pakistan’s cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan last night backtracked over his support for the Ahmadi economist Atif Mian after receiving serious backlash from Islamist Clerics. Since August 15th Mr Khan has been leading a sit-in demonstration against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad. On September 13th while addressing the protest he announced that after coming into power, he would never compromise on merit and have people like Professor Atif Mian as his finance minister rather than appointing a relative like Nawaz Sharif’s Samdhi (daughter’s …

State of religious freedom in Pakistan considered “Dire”

Panelists at a religious freedom session on Pakistan called for reform of the nation’s laws, calling the situation for minorities dire. In June alone, 47 religious minorities were killed in Pakistan, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The victims included an 18-year old Christian man tortured to death by police after he was suspected of kidnapping a Muslim woman, the commission said. “Basic law enforcement and legal reform are desperately needed,” Knox Thames, director of policy and …

“Muhammad: Messenger of Peace” event to be held in Washington DC

As part of a nationwide campaign launched this month Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is inviting members of the public to come and learn more about the Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad SAW. All across the USA over 70 chapters of the community are taking part in this first ever nationwide “Muhammad Messenger of Peace” campaign. The campaign aims to afford all Americans the opportunity to understand Prophet Muhammad’s views on human rights, women’s rights, war and peace, and interfaith harmony in …

Ahmadis, Why it’s not a minority issue?

1400 years ago in the city of Medina, the political ruler of the time whose name was Muhammad ordered a census. My guess is that it was because he wanted to figure out the total number of the residents living in that area and the demographic makeup of the society. This would then help him to lead that polity in the best and most just way possible (because administering justice is what he was famous for).  Therefore, He gave the …