Sufis and Ahmadis persecuted in Pakistan

Ahmadiyya Community Flag    (Public Domain)

The recent murder of Sufi singer Amjad Sabri in Karachi, Pakistan has tragically underscored the dangers that Islamic minorities face.  Sufis and Ahmadis have long been persecuted by Taliban extremists who accuse them of blasphemy.

Wikipedia defines Sufism as "the inner mystical dimension of Islam.”  Some consider Sufism to be so universal in nature that even non-Muslims can practice it.  Author Idries Shah particularly adhered to this latter viewpoint.

Although most Sufis believe in Paradise, many wish to experience God here and now.  Through a combination of inner and outer disciplines, Sufi masters instruct individuals on how to embrace this divine connection.  Dhikr (“remembrance of Allah”) practices include singing, whirling, recitation, meditation and the repetition of holy names.

Ahmadiyya teaches that Islam will triumph through peaceful means.  Hell is thought to be just a “temporary abode” in which “souls are cleansed of their sins.”  Ahmadis believe that Jihad primarily refers to the war against one’s own “low desires such as anger, lust and hatred.”  They instruct that the pen is far mightier than the sword.

The sword, however, continues its persecution.  Just this week, an Ahmadi was also gunned down in Karachi.  

Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadiyya

Copyright June 23, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved