Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind backs AP Waqf Board’s stance on Qadianis, terms Smriti Irani’s criticism unwarranted

New Delhi: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has backed the stance taken by the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board regarding Qadianis. The organisation, reiterating its position on the ongoing issue, has said that the stand taken by the Waqf Board reflects the unanimous position of the entire Muslims.

The Jamiat, in a press release issued on Tuesday, said Union Minister Smriti Irani’s insistence on a different view is unwarranted and illogical as the Waqf Board’s primary purpose was to safeguard the endowments and interests of Muslims, as defined in the Waqf Act.

“Therefore, properties and places of worship belonging to a community that is not recognised as Muslim do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Waqf Board. This position was established by the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board in 2009, following the representation made by Jamiat Ulama Andhra Pradesh. Recently, the incumbent Waqf Board reiterated the same stance in its statement in February this year,” the press release said.

Smriti Irani’s Ministry of Minority Affairs sent a strongly-worded letter to the Andhra Pradesh government On Monday calling the Waqf Board’s resolution a hate campaign.

“A representation dated 20.7.2023 has been received from the Ahmadiyya Muslim (Qadiani) community, vide which it has been stated that certain Waqf Boards have been opposing the Ahmadiyya community and passing illegal resolutions declaring the community to be outside the fold of Islam,” said the letter, addressing Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy, asking him to intervene in the matter.

The Jamiat press release said the religion of Islam rests on two fundamental beliefs: Tawheed, affirming the Oneness of Allah, and the belief that Prophet Muhammad is the final Messenger of Allah. Both of these beliefs are integral components of the five basic pillars of Islam.

“Contrary to these essential Islamic beliefs, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani took a position that challenges the concept of the finality of Prophethood. In light of this principled and factual difference, there is no basis to consider Qadianism as an Islamic sect, and all Islamic schools of thought agree that this group is non-Muslim,” the release said.

The Jamiat pointed out that World Muslim League (MWL), the reputed Islamic organisation, had declared that this group was outside the fold of Islam. Representatives of 110 countries unanimously took this decision during the MWL meeting in April 1974, it said.

In 2012, the Andhra Pradesh State Waqf Board passed a resolution declaring the entire Ahmadiyya community as non-Muslim. However, this resolution faced legal challenges, leading the Andhra Pradesh High Court to issue an order temporarily suspending its implementation.

The controversy resurfaced in February 2023 when the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board, referring to the fatwa of Jamait ul Ulema, categorized the Ahmadiyya Muslim community as infidels and officially designated them as non-Muslims.

In response, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community formally lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Minority Affairs on 20th July 2023, expressing their protest against the board's decision.

Also Read: Opposition expresses concerns over Mumbai Police's plan to hire