Ahmadiyya–Jewish relations
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The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is an Islamic sect that was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in the late 19th century. Judaism is another Abrahamic religious group. Ahmadis and Jews have not interacted much in the history.
Religious figures
Abraham
Both Ahmadis and Jews believe him as a prophet of God and show respect for him.
Jesus
Ahmadis believe Jesus Christ was the true Jewish messiah who had been prophesied by the earlier prophets. He came to guide Jews in the period of darkness. The Holy Quran says: "And their saying, 'We did kill the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah;' whereas they slew him not, nor crucified him, but he was made to appear to them like one crucified; and those who differ therein are certainly in a state of doubt about it; they have no definite knowledge thereof, but only follow a conjecture; and they did not convert this conjecture into a certainty "(An-Nisa 4: 158).[1] Jews differ from this belief and they do not believe Jesus as their messiah.
Muhammad
Ahmadis consider Muhammad as the greatest prophet. They believe in the finality of prophethood with Sharia as final divine law. Prophets can come after Muhammad as his disciples from among his followers. Jews reject Muhammad's message.
Messiah
Ahmadis believes Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the Messiah for whom all of the world is waiting. They believe him as a Messiah and Imam Mahdi however Jews are waiting for their Messiah.
Historical interaction
During the time period of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Ahmadis and Jews have not interacted directly. The first missionary was Jalal ud din Shams who was sent to Palestine in the early 1920s although his primary audience were Arabs. The second caliph of Ahmadiyya community had visited Palestine to meet a small community of Palestinian Ahmadis in 1924 before the establishment of the State of Israel. Ahmadis, like other Muslims, now live in Israel alongside Jews especially in the Kababir neighbourhood in Haifa.
Religious acceptance of Israel
The Ahmadis believe that the coming into existence of the State of Israel is in accord with the prophecies contained in the Bible [2] and the Holy Quran. Inferring from the words in 17:105: '...We shall bring you together out of the various peoples', at the time of the "Promise of the Later Days";.[3] The Second Khalifa of Ahmadiyya Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad in his ‘’Invitation to Ahmadiyyat’’[4] writes:
Therefore in verse 17:105 the warning of the latter days relates to the period after the second coming of Jesus. The words 'shall bring you together' refer to the present influx of Jews [written 1924] into Palestine. Jews from different countries are offered facilities of travel and rehabilitation. The revelation of the Promised Messiah said, 'I will relieve the children of Israel.' This indicated a great change in the position of the Jews. It indicated the end of the opposition which nations of the world had made for so long to an independent home for the Jews.[5][6]
A similar interpretation of the Quranic verse 17:105, in the Ahmadiyya exegesis, The English Commentary of the Holy Quran:
...the Jews would be brought back to the Holy Land from all parts of the World. The prophecy has been remarkably fulfilled by the return of the Jews to Palestine, under the Balfour Declaration and by the setting up of the so-called State of Israel.[7]
The Ahmadiyya “ Muslim Sunrise (USA)” writes: Quoting the Quran 17:105, writes: “It was also under his (Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) Spiritual Reign that the Jews would return to the land of Palestine as was prophesied in the Holy Qura 17:105”.[8] The ‘Ahmadiyya Times’ express similar views. The Ahmadiyya Times July 23, 2010.” ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAEL ‘And after him We said to the Children of Israel, 'Dwell Ye in the promised land; and when the time of the promise of the Latter Days come, We shall bring you together out of various people." (17:105)”. Creation of Israel and gathering of Sephardic, Ashkenazi and the Jews of many other different races in Israel proves the authenticity of this prophecy and hence the Quran.[9]
The Ahmadis refer to older Interpretations like the exegesis of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, who has also interpreted verse 17:105 to indicate the ‘promise of the Latter Days’ pointing towards the time of the advent of the Messiah.[10]
The Head of the Ahmadiyya Community at Kababir, Sheikh Oda Muhammad Sharif invited President Shimon Perez to an Iftar Dinner in Ramadan, the President participated and spoke well of the Community at Kababir.[11]
References
- ↑ The Holy Quran, Tr. by Sher Ali 4:158
- ↑ Bible, Ezekiel, 37:21-24 (1808)
- ↑ The Ahmadi translator Maulvi Sher Ali has translated the verse 17: 105 as "And after him We said to the children of Israel, 'Dwell ye in the land; and when the time of the promise of the latter days comes, We shall bring you together out of various peoples.'"
- ↑ This is a book addressed to the Amir of Afghanistan, Amir Amanullah Khan, written in 1924. History of Ahmadiyya, Dost Muhammad Shahid , Vol. 4 page: 265
- ↑ Invitation to Ahmadiyyat
- ↑ “Therefore in verse 17:105 the warning of the latter days relates to the period after the second coming of Jesus. The words 'shall bring you together' refer to the present influx of Jews into Palestine[1924]. Jews from different countries are offered facilities of travel and rehabilitation. The revelation of the Promised Messiah said, 'I will relieve the children of Israel.' This indicated a great change in the position of the Jews. It indicated the end of the opposition which nations of the world had made for so long to an independent home for the Jews.” (Invitation to Ahmadiyyat , Page 172 ; by Mirza Bashir ud Din Mahmud Ahmad (1924)
- ↑ The Ahmadiyya Commentary of the Quran, See verse 17:105, fn-1658, page: 569, (1968) Also see the detailed The English Commentary of the Holy Quran by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community page: 1470.The English Commentary of the Holy Quran pp: 1470 Also see page 480 Urdu Translation of Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Urdu Translation Mirza Tahir Ahmad page 480 (17:105)
- ↑ The Muslim Sunrise, Fall-2012, page 38
- ↑ The Ahmadiyya Times
- ↑ Tabari, [Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī or Jāmi` al-bayān `an ta'wīl āy al-Qur'ān,by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838-923). See Commentary under Verse 17:104]
- ↑ Shimon Peres visits Jammat Ahmadiyya Mosque Kababir Haifa Israel: Shimon peres was invited at ifftar dinner during the month of ramdhan by jammat ahmadiyya israel and Sheikh Oda Mohamad Sharif Head of Ahmadiyya Jammat in Israel, giving message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to the president of Israel Shimon Peres and his team.(Uploaded on Mar 1, 2011)