Deobandi Ashraf Thanwi: No Difference with "Qadianis" Over Tawhid

A common but baseless accusation against the Ahmadiyya, or “Qadianis” (followers of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) is that they follow a completely different religion than Islam; believing in a different god, a different prophet, a different scripture, and different rites. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth; the Ahmadiyya are a sect of Islam who adhere to the Six Articles of Faith and practice the Five Pillars of Islam. But in an attempt to whip up a frenzy among the mobs of ignorant and illiterate Muslims and to poison their minds against their co-religionists, the Mulla asserts that the “Qadianis” believe that Mirza is god and are thus polytheists and heretics of the worst kind.

Thankfully, some of the Ulema are not so blinded by bigotry and prejudice and point out that the tactic of dishonesty is ultimately self-destructive and in no way benefits the cause of Islam. A Deobandi scholar, Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi (1892-1977), relates an anecdote from his spiritual mentor Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (1863-1943):

ذکر مرزاۓ قادیانی اور ان کی جماعت کا تھا اور ظاہر ہے کہ ذکر خیر نہ تھا حاضرین میں سے ایک صاحب بڑے جوش سے بولے: حضرت ان لوگوں کا دین بھی کوئی دین ہے، نہ خدا کو مانیں نہ رسول کو۔ حضرت نے معًا لہجہ بدل کر ارشاد فرمایا کہ: یہ زیادتی ہے، توحید میں ہمارا ان کا کوئی اختلاف نہیں، اختلاف رسالت میں ہے اور اس کے بھی صرف ایک باب میں یعنی عقید‌ۂ ختم رسالت میں بات کو بات کی جگہ پر رکھنا چاہیۓ

Translation: Mirza Qadiani and his Jama’at were mentioned, and obviously it was not in a positive light. Among those present one fellow got excited and said: “Hadrat, is the religion of these people [Qadianis] even a religion? They neither believe in God nor in the Prophet.” Hadrat [Ashraf Thanwi] suddenly changed his tone and said: “This is being excessive. They and us have no difference when it comes to Tawhid [Oneness of God]. Our dispute is concerning Risalah, and even that is only in a single aspect, i.e., the Finality of Risalah. The matter should be kept within its bounds.”

 

Reference: Sachchi Baatain; p. 213