Unveiling the Struggles of the Ahmadiyyas in Kashmir: A Tale of Persecution
Branded as kafirs by many within the Sunni community, the Ahmadiyyas of Kashmir have become synonymous with the painful narrative of Muslim-on-Muslim persecution. Throughout various parts of South Asia, this marginalized group faces severe discrimination, from legal penalties in Pakistan to being shunned in the picturesque valleys of India.
The Context of Persecution
A Reality Harshly Faced
In Pakistan, Ahmadiyyas can face imprisonment for simply identifying as Muslim. Conversely, in neighboring Bangladesh, their places of worship are frequently set ablaze. While the discrimination in India may appear more subdued, it is no less pervasive. In Kashmir, they endure a social boycott from their fellow Muslims, relegating them to a life of isolation and fear.
During community gatherings, derogatory terms like “Mirzayi” and “Qadiani”—linked to sect founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad—echo through the streets. In some mosques, clergy vehemently encourage this ostracization, asserting, “Qadiani leave Kashmir. Go to your Punjab. Don’t infect our Muslims with your non-Islamic ideas. You are kafirs.”
“Other Muslims treat us like untouchables—just like Dalits are treated in Hindu society," lamented a 60-year-old head of an Ahmadiyya mosque.
Population and Integration
With an estimated 15,000 Ahmadiyyas residing in Kashmir, many are forced to hide their identity. The community has created its alternative frameworks—establishing schools, mosques, and shops—where they embrace the ideology of "Love for all, hatred for none." Yet outside these safe havens, the zealous hostility remains palpable, illustrating their voicelessness in the larger Kashmiri sociopolitical landscape.
The winds of persecution have undoubtedly intensified since the 1990s, a period marked by rising militancy. An octogenarian cleric noted, “Before the 1990s, Ahmadiyyas and non-Ahmadiyyas would even intermarry. But everything changed when the Jamaat gained influence in Kashmir.”
A Tenuous Existence: Hiding in Plain Sight
Noor, a 12-year-old girl, often grapples with her concealed identity. She longs for her Sunni Muslim friend but fears revealing the truth—what if her friendship ends? Such anxieties reflect the broader struggles faced by countless Ahmadiyyas, who navigate daily life shrouded in secrecy.
“What if they find out who I am and stop talking to me?” reflects Noor, capturing the essence of fear pervasive in her community.
Patterns of Discrimination
Apart from social rejection, children like Noor cannot attend nearby schools without exposing themselves. Families often end up withdrawing their children from institutions due to threats and harassment targeting their identity.
“After the children were seen at the Ahmadiyya mosque, they became social pariahs,” explained Isfhaq, a local father whose sons now study in a non-Muslim-run school.
In homes scattered across Kashmir, Ahmadiyyas often find solace in their tight-knit communities, sticking together like an unseen thread woven into the rich tapestry of Kashmiri life.
Reclaiming Identity Amidst Hostility
The Influence of History
The discrimination the Ahmadiyya community faces today is both a consequence of legacy and community dynamics. Once key players in the formation of Pakistan, Ahmadiyyas have since found themselves increasingly embroiled in hostility emanating from both the Indian and Pakistani landscapes.
Their loyalty to India is adamantly asserted: Ahmadiyyas have never rallied for the Azadi movement, yet they continue to endure societal rejection and suspicion.
“It’s less violent but the boycott, discrimination, and hatred still remain,” stated a community elder.
A Struggle for Acceptance
Ghettoization and Interfaith Efforts
In areas where they reside, Ahmadiyyas have essentially ghettoized, forced to create makeshift economies to survive. Their unique cultural identity, marked by their emphasis on interfaith respect, stands in stark contrast to the prevailing narratives directed at them.
To illustrate, the Ahmadiyya mosque in Srinagar represents not only a place of worship but also a community hub, bolstered by principles of interfaith dialogue. Unlike their counterparts, they shun violence and exclusion, articulating a compassionate approach to differences in belief.
Invisible Walls and Overt Discrimination
Everyday Life and Federal Influence
On a typical day, shops in their neighborhoods serve only a handful of customers—mere remnants of a once-thriving community. Discriminatory practices limit their interactions with non-Ahmadiyyas, manifesting even in mundane affairs like purchasing groceries.
Religious Practices Under Duress
Even moments of sacred worship can transform into sources of anxiety. For instance, many Ahmadiyyas feel compelled to mask their identities while visiting religious sites, posing as Sunnis to access shrines2.
“They have fed this narrative that we are different so deeply that even in their mosques, I feel alien,” recounted an Ahmadiyya local.
Conclusion: A Continuing Struggle
The narrative of the Ahmadiyyas in Kashmir is one fraught with challenges, from systemic discrimination to internal community struggles. Yet, they hold steadfast to their beliefs and identities, rallying against a tide of hostility with resolve and camaraderie.
The broader society has to confront this dogged discrimination—a confrontation that is urgently needed, given that the future of communal harmony may depend on it. With growing whispers of solidarity, perhaps there is still hope for acceptance in the valleys of Kashmir.
Learn more about the Ahmadiyya community’s challenges here.
This article reveals the complex interplay between faith, identity, and community in Kashmir, providing a closer look at a group often overlooked yet forever resilient.
