Abstract
The Ahmadiyya community integrates core Islamic tenets with unique doctrines that separate it from mainstream Muslim beliefs. This short article outlines the fundamental beliefs of the Ahmadiyya community, which include adherence to the Five Pillars of Islam, profound reverence for Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as the final law-bearing prophet, the sanctity and unaltered preservation of the Quran, the recognition of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as a non-law-bearing prophet, the promised Messiah and Mahdi, and the divinely guided institution of Khilafat (Caliphate). Despite their alignment with the essential principles of Islam, Ahmadis believe in ongoing divine communication and assert that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad fulfills the role of the Messiah and Mahdi prophesied in Islamic tradition. This belief, particularly the acceptance of a non-law-bearing prophet after Muhammad (SAW) and the arrival of the Messiah and Mahdi, has led to significant contention with mainstream Muslim communities. The Islamic view maintains that Muhammad (SAW) is the final prophet and that no prophet, law-bearing or otherwise, will follow him. These doctrinal differences have resulted in accusations of heresy against Ahmadis, leading to their exclusion and persecution in several Muslim-majority countries.
Introduction
The Ahmadiyya community adheres to the Five Pillars of Islam, the reverence for the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the sanctity of the Quran, the arrival of the non-law-bearing prophet, the promised Messiah and Mahdi, and the Khilafat (Caliphate).
1. Adherence to the Five Pillars of Islam
The Ahmadis, like all Muslims, adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam. They include:
- Kalima: Proclaiming the unity of God
- Salat (Prayer): Offering the five daily prayers is a fundamental practice.
- Zakat (Charity): Financial sacrifice in the form of Zakat
- Sawm (Fasting during Ramadan)
- Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca): Performing the pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, at least once in a lifetime is required of those physically and financially able.
2. Belief in the Finality of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
The Ahmadis hold a profound reverence for the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), acknowledging him as the “Seal of the Prophets” and the final law-bearing prophet [1] sent by God. For Ahmadiyya, the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) life and teachings serve as the ultimate guide for human conduct and spirituality. They believe that his prophetic mission brought the final and complete message of Islam, encapsulated in the Quran and that no new law-bearing prophet will follow him.
3. Reverence for the Quran
The Ahmadis uphold the Quran as the ultimate and perfect guide for humanity. They believe that the Quran, as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), remains unchanged and preserved in its original form.
4. Belief as a non-law-bearing prophet and promised Messiah and Mahdi
Ahmadis believe that, although Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) is the Seal of the Prophets and no new law-bearing prophetwill come after him, divine communication and non-law-bearing prophets can still exist. However:
- Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is seen as a non-law-bearing prophet [2] whose prophethood is subordinate to that of Muhammad (SAW). This belief underscores that while Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s prophethood does not introduce a new Shariah (religious law), it serves to revive and rejuvenate Islam, aligning it with the needs of changing times while remaining rooted in its original principles.
- While the concept of a future redeemer i.e., Messiah and the Mahdi is a belief shared by many Muslims, the Ahmadiyya community holds that this prophesied figure has already come in the form of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.
5. Khilafat (Caliphate)
Following the demise of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the community believes that God continued to guide through a system of successorship, known as Khilafat. This Caliphate is seen as a divinely appointed leadership that ensures the continuity of the community’s mission and the propagation of peaceful and truthful teachings. The Ahmadiyya Caliphate has been established for over a century, and the community is currently under the leadership of the fifth Caliph, Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
Conclusion
The Ahmadiyya belief in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as a non-law-bearing prophet, Messiah, and Mahdi, has caused major disagreement among mainstream Muslims. Muslims believe Muhammad (SAW) is the final prophet, and no one can claim to be a prophet after him. Many of the Muslims also expect the Messiah and Mahdi to come in the future. Because of these differences, Ahmadis are often seen as heretics, leading to their exclusion and persecution in many Muslim-majority countries.
Footnotes
[1] A law-bearing prophet is a prophet who introduces a new religious law (Shariah) and scripture, establishing a comprehensive framework for worship, ethical conduct, social interactions, and legal principles. This prophet brings a divine revelation that serves as a foundation for a new religious community or significantly reforms an existing one, providing guidelines and commandments that believers are to follow. In Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) is considered a law-bearing prophet because he brought the Quran and established the final and complete Shariah for humanity.
[2] The concept of a non-law-bearing prophet in Ahmadis refers to a prophetic figure like Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who is believed to hold a subordinate role to Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). Unlike Muhammad (SAW), whose mission included delivering a new Shariah (Islamic law) through the Quran, a non-law-bearing prophet does not introduce new laws or scripture. Instead, such a prophet focuses on reviving, explaining, and reinterpreting existing teachings to address contemporary challenges and correct deviations. The role focuses on spiritual leadership and guidance while fulfilling expectations about the return of a Messiah, and it upholds the finality and completeness of the Quran and the teachings of Muhammad (SAW).