ANTIQUES SHOPS

NEW DELHI: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JuH), the largest body of imams, on Saturday sought social boycott of Qadyani, also known as Ahmadiyas, a sect who call themselves Muslims but are not accepted as such by the community.

In a resolution adopted at the end of its two-day conference here, JuH accused Ahmadiyas along with Christians and RSS of trying to convert Muslims.

"Preachers of Qadyani and Christian missionaries are trying to convert poor Muslims by offering them a better life. They mostly lure them in the net woven of the dreams of better job opportunities, health facility, cash and easy loan," the resolution said.

Ahmadiyas or Qadyanis have been declared apostates in Pakistan, and face persecution and violence, with Sunni hardliners targeting them. Many of them have been killed in a wave of targeted killings. Ahmadiyas or Qadyanis, who face persecution also in Indonesia, are called so after the founder of their sect Mirza Ghulam Ahmed who was born in Qadian in undivided Punjab. They see the founder as a mujaddid. Although they claim that they don't dispute the Islamic view about Mohammad being the last Prophet, the Sunnis have argued that their belief in Ahmed being the reformer disputes that Mohammad was the last Prophet.

JuH also sought steps to expel Qadyani from state waqf boards. Citing RSS attempts to convert Muslims, JuH said, "Few days ago, it was learnt that some Muslim youths joined it for spiritual peace."

"Christian missionaries are organizing programmes to defame the Prophet of Islam. Some channels are teaching Bible in the name of Holy Quraan. They are spreading hatred and misconceptions about the Islamic Shariyah," the resolution said.

"So-called spiritual movements with deceiving tactics, employing Islamic and Sufi terms are attracting people in the name of teaching art of life... due to lack of knowledge some people get deceived," it added.

The imams stressed on the need to confront such movements "with full preparation".