Mostly I watch your program at Geo TV and admire your understanding and explanation of Islamic Teachings. Today while you were talking about the status of Ḥadīth (part I), you told that it is not difference (ikhtilāf) in the opinion but the problem is attitude toward difference (ikhtilāf). This is exactly what the holy Prophet (sws) said in a ḥadīth, “ikhtilāfu ummatī raḥmah“. No disagreement, totally agreed. In continuation you said that no one has the right to label or declare any one non-Muslim.
Based on your great logic, now the question is how were Aḥmadis declared a non-Muslim sect. According to your very true logic don’t they have the right to have a difference (ikhtilāf) based on their understanding of the Holy Qur’ān and Ḥadīth. Hope you will bless with a kind response.
Answer
Of course every human being has the right to differ with others based on his honest understanding that has been resulted from a reasonable study of the subject. On this basis, when a group of people consider themselves to be Muslims, no individuals or groups of Muslims can deny this title from them and calling them Non-Muslims.
The above is from the perspective of personal relationship. However when it comes to rules of citizenship and rights and obligations of citizens, it will be the duty of the state to decide (where deemed necessary) whether a group subscribed to a particular belief can be considered as Muslims or not. This (in principle) is not to deny their right to differ; this is to deny their rights as a Muslim citizen.
To give you an example, an employee of a company has every right to differ with the company’s policies. No other employee has any right to declare this employee as disqualified or not fit to work in the company. However the governing body of the company too has every right to reposition or even fire this employee when it is deemed necessary for the health of the company.
There is therefore no conflict between what Mr. Ghamidi has said and the declaration of the state about Aḥmadis. Mr. Ghamidi is talking about personal relationships and obligations of people towards each other while the declaration about Aḥmadis (whether we agree with it or not) is a legal issue.
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