Are Lahori Ahmadis ‘Kafir’ according to Mehmudi Ahmadi? Did Mirza Bashir Ahmad (RA) takfir the lahori ahmadis?

Introduction

Claiming that the Paighami Ahmadis (Lahori Ahmadis) had been declared as disbelievers is one of the consistent accusations that have been levelled against Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (M.A) R.A. This allegation is generally grounded in a quote of Kalmatul Fasl in which Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad R.A. stated that those who accept Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad A.S. merely as a reformer and who deny his person as the Promised Messiah cannot be considered Muslims.

یہاں مسلمانوں میں ایک ایسا گروہ بھی پیدا ہو گیا ہے جو کہتے ہیں کہ ہم مرزا صاحب کو بڑا بزرگ مانتے ہیں اور ور یہ کہ مرزا صاحب نے اسلام کی بڑی خدمت کی ہے بلکہ بعض تو یہاں تک کہنے لگ گئے ہیں کہ ہم مرزا صاحب کو اس صدی کا مجدد ماننے کے لیے تیار ہیں مگر مسیح موعود کا دعویٰ نہیں مانتے ایسے لوگ یا تو لا مذہب ہیں اور یا منافق کیونکہ یہ کس طرح ہو سکتا ہے کہ مرزا صاحب کو ایک طرف تو مجدد مان لیا جائے اور دوسری طرف انکو مسیح موعود کے دعویٰ میں مفتری علی اللہ سمجھا جاوے ظلمت اور نور جمع نہیں ہوسکتے اگر مرزا سچا ہے اور مسلمان ہے تو وہ اپنے تمام دعاوی میں صادق ہے ورنہ وہ نعوذباللہ مفتری علی اللہ اور دائرہ اسلام سے خارج ہے۔ دو ہی راہیں ہیں، یا تو مرزا صاحب کو مسیح موعود مانکر انکی بیعت میں داخل ہونا چاہئیے اور یا پھر ان کو مفتری علی اللہ قرار دیکر کافر سمجھا جاوے- تیسری راہ تو کوئی ہے نہیں۔ یہی وجہ ہے کہ حضرت مسیح موعود نے حقیقت الوحی میں لکھا ہے کہ جو مجھے نہیں مانتا وہ مجھے مفتری علی اللہ قرار دیکر کافر ٹھہرتا ہے۔
Among the Muslims here, there has arisen a group who say that, indeed, we regard Mirza Sahib as a great saintly figure, and that Mirza Sahib rendered great service to Islam. Rather, some have even gone so far as to say that we are ready to acknowledge Mirza Sahib as the Mujaddid (Reformer) of this century, yet we do not accept him as the Promised Messiah. Such people are either irreligious or hypocritical, for how can it be that on the one hand Mirza Sahib is accepted as a Mujaddid, and on the other hand, in his claim to be the Promised Messiah, he is considered an inventor of lies against Allah? Darkness and light cannot be combined. If Mirza Sahib is true and a Muslim, then he is truthful in all his claims; otherwise, God forbid, he is a fabricator against Allah and outside the pale of Islam. There are only two paths: either one must accept Mirza Sahib as the Promised Messiah and enter into his allegiance, or else declare him a fabricator against Allah and a disbeliever. There is no third way. This is precisely why the Promised Messiah wrote in Haqiqatul-Wahi that whoever does not accept me, in reality, declares me to be a fabricator against Allah.

[Kalmatul Fasl page 174]

Allegation

Critics argue that: In Kalmatul Fasl Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad R.A. mentioned the Paighamis. For this reason, he viewed Paighamis as disbelievers because they did not accept Hazrat Mirza Mirza Ghulam Ahmad A.S was the Promised Messiah.

The Reality

The accusation is baseless. Text quoted from Kalamtul Fasl did not even mention the Paighamis. What he wrote was aimed at a still other category of people, those who were respectful of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad A.S, who recognized his reformative work, and who even believed that he was a Mujaddid.

Who Were These People?

They were people who publicly acknowledged Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad A.S as a reformer of Islam but did not accept him as the Promised Messiah. Such scholars include:

Maulana Shibli Nomani
Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Clarifying the Principle

It was a straightforward principle as demonstrated by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad R.A., Islam must believe all the claims of a divinely appointed one. Semi acceptance – the recognition of the service of a prophet or of an inquisitor, and the rejection of his own assertion, are irreconcilable with the real needs of the faith.

Conclusion

The imputation that Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad R.A. gave takfir against the Paighami Ahmadis is altogether untrue.

Opponents are trying to divide Ahmadis by misrepresenting his words. The reality, however, is evident Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad R.A. never did takfir of the Paighamis.