Abdullah Tahir, Jamia Ahmadiyya UK
On numerous occasions, Sunni debater Adnan Rashid has expressed the disturbing belief that when Jesusas, son of Mary, returns, he will give people two choices: Islam or death.
In a recent debate at Speakers Corner, he said: “He [Jesusas] will come and give the Ahl-ul-Kitab [People of the book] two options: death or belief. Belief in what? Belief in him [Jesusas], because he’s the bone of contention.” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbzzxx7h_K8, 00:19:25)
In a live stream held a week later, he doubled down on this belief on three separate occasions.
He claimed that: “All the reports we have about the second coming of Jesus Christ are about Jihad, that he will come back and he will fight the enemies of Allah.” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p7Sy2Pyy7g, 2:39:20)
When presented with the clear hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari which states that the Messiah would not wage war, but would come to end it, he continued espousing this view.
He also said: “When we read all the ahadith about the Prophet Isa[as] and his return, every single one of them is talking about physically fighting the enemies of Allah. He will be fighting Dajjal, he will be fighting the forces of Yajuj and Majuj, he will be fighting injustice; he will be fighting, fighting, fighting. So, yadha-ul-harb has to be read in light of those reports.” (Ibid., 3:09:52)
Every single hadith does not mention that he will be fighting. Instead, other ahadith describe different attributes and signs of the Messiahas. Some speak about the location he will appear, some about his works, and others about his circumstances.
He continues to say: “Even though it is yadha-ul-jizyah – that he will remove the jizya (tax for non-Muslims under Muslim rule) – it means he will give people (the Ahl-ul-Kitab) two choices, either you accept him or you fight him.” (Ibid., 3:10:50)
This is in line with the view of the elders of the Ahl-ul-Hadith, who believe in a bloodthirsty warrior Messiah who would wage war, plunder the lands of Christians, forcing them to accept Islam with the sword, and carry out widespread massacres and bloodshed.
This belief is highly problematic for a number of reasons.
1. It is un-Islamic to force someone to convert to Islam
2. It supports a violent and extremist worldview akin to terrorism
3. It goes against the established practice of the prophets
Adnan, while living peacefully in a Christian land and spreading his religion, eagerly awaits the coming of a bloodthirsty Messiah who will force people to accept Islam with the sword. Although he claims to be a human rights activist in his Twitter bio, he secretly, or not so secretly, holds this extremist belief of a terrorist Messiah who will compel everyone to accept Islam.
This notion that he will force the disbelievers to become Muslims is baseless. There is no verse in the Holy Quran that supports this idea. On the contrary, the Holy Quran teaches us the complete opposite:
“There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.257)
“For you your religion, and for me my religion.” (Surah al-Kafirun, Ch.109: V.7)
“We know best what they say, and thou hast not been appointed to compel them in any way. So admonish, by means of the Quran, him who fears My warning.” (Surah Qaf, Ch.50: V.46)
“And if thy Lord had enforced His will, surely, all who are on the earth would have believed together. Wilt thou, then, force men to become believers?” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.100)
“And say, ‘It is the truth from your Lord; wherefore let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve.’” (Surah al-Kahf, Ch.18: V.30)
“Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in a way that is best.” (Surah an-Nahl, Ch.16: V.126)
Other verses from the Holy Quran (Ch.3: V.56, Ch.5: V.15 and Ch.5: V.65) reveal that disbelievers will always remain on the earth until the Day of Judgement.
God forbade the Holy Prophetsa to force people to convert to Islam, yet, according to Sunnis, his Messiah will disregard the Holy Quran and will have more authority and power than the Holy Prophetsa to make people believe (we seek Allah’s refuge from such beliefs). He believes that the shariah of the Quran is the final unalterable law, yet according to him, the bloodthirsty Messiah will have the power to change it.
His Messiah will call towards Islam with no wisdom or goodly exhortation, but rather he will be forceful, and even slaughter those who are against him.
For any right-minded sincere Muslim, the above verses are enough to debunk this false ideology.
This dangerous belief is the root cause of the many terrorist groups created by so-called Muslims. Do these people never wonder why such extremist groups are born among them and not among us? And why is he introducing changes to the laws of Islam and disregarding clear Quranic verses?
The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas addressed this issue in his own writings and explained why Ahmadis could never hold such a false belief. He writes:
“Do they await the warrior Messiah and Mahdi so that they may spill blood –killing all enemies and smiting their necks – and to spread Islam by the sword? This is not, however, proven by the authentic hadith, or from the text of the Holy Quran; in fact, the opposite has been proven by the scholars.” (The True Nature of the Mahdi, p. 53)
Authentic ahadith narrate that the Messiahas will be حَكَمًا عَدْلاً i.e. a just arbiter who will judge mankind with justice (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3448) and will be حَكَمًا مُقْسِطًا i.e., a just judge. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 155a)
In another narration of Sahih al-Bukhari, it is said that the Messiah will abolish war.
Can a mass slaughterer of innocent people be called just? Adnan’s beliefs are patently against the Holy Quran and authentic ahadith.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Furthermore, these facts are denied by the sound mind and rejected by straightforward thinking – so ask those who reflect. You are aware that this era of ours is one in which no one attacks us with swords and spears on account of our religion. No one forces us to recant the Religion of Allah – the best of religions – and follow another religion. So in these days, we do not require war and reprisal; there is no need for lances to be prepared and swords to be unsheathed.” (The True Nature of the Mahdi, p. 53)
The latter-day Messiahas was never going to raise the sword and shed blood to spread Islam. Instead, he would end wars and conflict by spreading the message of Islam through peaceful means, creating an environment of love and harmony.
This is how the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is changing hearts and spreading the message of Islam to the far corners of the earth.