Prophecy after the Prophet, albeit lesser prophets? The Ahmadiyya Jama’at in Pakistan

Contemporary Islam, DOI: 10.1007/s11562-014-0293-z

S. R. Valentine
Bradford, UK

Abstract
The Ahmadiyya Jama’at, a little known reform movement within Islam, has the majority of its estimated 12 million members living in Pakistan. Believing that there can be prophecy after the prophet Muhammad, albeit lesser prophets, the Movement has been subjected to vehement opposition from mainstream Muslims who regard Muhammad as the seal and the last of the prophets. This essay considers the history of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at in Pakistan, the legal and political context since partition in 1947, the Movement’s beliefs and practices and the reasons why there is ongoing persecution of the group in Pakistan today. Drawing on personal contact with the Ahmadi in the UK and America and visiting the Ahmadi at their centres at Rabwah, Pakistan, and Qadian, India, the author discusses the discrimination and marginalization faced by Ahmadi under the aforementioned legislation. The paper concludes with tentative suggestions and recommendations.

 Within this Article

    What is the Ahmadiyya Jama’at: towards a definition
    Ahmadi beliefs and the reasons for persecution
    What is the legal status of Ahmadi under Pakistani law and how are they persecuted?
    Specific examples of persecution of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at in Pakistan
    Conclusion
    References 

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11562-014-0293-z