Atif Mian
On Thursday, June 5th, the principal of Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, expelled every student who belonged to the Ahmadi community from the college.
A total of twenty three students, fifteen female and eight male, across the five years of medical school have been expelled as a result. Further details regarding the incident can also be found in reports from the BBC and from the Daily Times.
The Ahmadi students were “accused” of preaching their religious beliefs. The principal was pressured into expelling the entire Ahmadi student body by a mob of protesters belonging to Islami Jamiat e Talaba. The mob circled the Principal’s office and demanded the expulsions. The same day, a mob of about 300 college students also barged into Ahmadi students’ rooms, beat them and threw their luggage out of their rooms.
What makes this incident especially troubling is the fact that the decision to expel Ahmadi students was taken by a government-run medical school, under full knowledge of the relevant Punjab ministries.
As an academic, and a Pakistani, I am totally appalled by this latest incidence of religious fanaticism. One hopes that the present Punjab government turns a page, and instead of supporting the forces of extremism, comes to the protection of its ordinary citizens.
Atif Mian is Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business.
@ Ibrahim
MashaAllah, finally a Muslim who actually has knowledge of his religion shows up on this site. You are absolutely right in that non-Muslims are allowed to practice their religion in an Islamic state. However, they must do so in their EXISTING churches, temples, synagogues etc. It is forbidden for them to open new ones, and it is forbidden for them to preach kufr – hence it is called an Islamic state, one that proclaims La ilaha illallah.
In the time of Abu Bakr RA’s caliphate, there was a false prophet called Musailmah Al Kazab. Abu Bakr waged jihad on this man and all his followers until they were crushed. Whoever opposes Abu Bakr’s view and methodology, and instead chooses the western view (batil), is at best a jahil fasiq.
My humble message to Pakistanis (and I myself am of Pakistani parents) is to give up nationalism. Our ummah is one ummah, and it is not permissable for us to divide ourselves along the lines of nationality. It is time to strive for the return of the caliphate system. If you look to history – it is only under that caliphate that Muslims and non-Mulims have lived in peace and harmony. No poverty, no hatred, no corruption. Economic liberation. No taxes, except the zakat, yet an abundance of wealth and prosperity. This is how Allah rewards the believers.
Ibrahim:
These students deserve their education, and their rights, despite being Qadianis. A jahil mullah like you can never understand that.
Jahil Mullahs are all about attacks and restriction, they never build anything.
A shameful and cowardly act by Punjab Provincial Government and its lackeys.
Islam teaches us tolerance and understanding not bigotry.
I read this post, the BBC article and the Daily Times article. It seems like this matter was going on for some time before the protest occurred. Outside of the matter of protest, I completely agree with what has occured. IJT is nothing more than slogan mongaring, protesting people now, but still they have benefit. And, it doesn’t seem like protest was their first action (although today I won’t put it across IJT to make protest as the first “resort”).
Of course, the rights of minorities are protected in a Muslims. Their right to practice their religion, property, health, etc. But, nobody is allowed to preach his religion in a Muslim country. Forget about what West does or doesn’t do in this case. Islam is not run by what West thinks. If people following religions that are spread out in the West don’t emphasize limiting the preaching of religions, it doesn’t mean that if somebody else does it, it has to be wrong.
Elite, you kept accusing others of lying in another post. Now, show me where does it say in the Qur’an that in a Muslim country, non-Muslims should be freely allowed to preach their religions. Show me. Practice, yes. Preach, no. As for the constitution of Pakistan, send me a copy, and I’ll use it to blow my nose.
When Rasoolullah (saw) expelled the Jews from Hijaaz, what would you call that? Did Rasoolullah (saw) violate the principles of Islam that protect the minority? No, but this action was taken because the Jews failed to live up to the conditions that allow them peaceful living in a Muslim country/state. Same thing today: One of the condition for Qadiyanis here is that they shouldn’t do missionary works no matter what the constitution says because that’s the principle that Muslims follow and want. What about Abu Bakr going out to deal with murtads in Arabia? Was that also a violation? There are many examples.
The point in this story should be whether the investigation was fair. But, not surprisingly the post and most of the comments argue about the validity of the act of expulsion from the university. If these students preach for even a minute, they should be first warned and then expelled. I take that the investigation was fair, going by The Daily Times article. However, the university is going to do another investigation.
Also, clearly, it seems like the Qadiyanis did tear up posters that were put against them and against the finality of prophet hood; however, the spokesperson for them didn’t admit to tearing up the posters of the finality of prophet hood (read the BBC article).
Somebody suggested that IJT should join hands with others to do good works, which I assume include Qadiyanis, rather than create issues. Yes, Muslims can join hands with others in ma’roof…in goodness. But, of course, with conditions and the right circumstances. Allowing Qadiyanis to preach in a Muslim country while “joining hands” with them is healthy at all.
Somebody here ws posting that Pakistan can never become another Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. It increasingly looks like that may not be true. When law and order breaks down far enough, the people will get so sick of it that they will ask the mullahs to control it, because they will be the only ones with any power, as demonstrated by the helplessness of the school in the face of radical insistence.
I hope this is proved wrong.