In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
The Qadiyani sect, also known as the Ahmadiyya movement, was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in the late 19th century. He falsely claimed to be a prophet after the final Prophet, who is Muhammad ﷺ. They hold beliefs that contradict explicit statements in the Quran and Sunnah, and they declare that no one is a true Muslim unless they accept the alleged prophethood of Mirza Ghulam.
The emergence of false prophets was foretold by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ long before Mirza Ghulam was born.
Thawban reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَلْحَقَ قَبَائِلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي بِالْمُشْرِكِينَ وَحَتَّى يَعْبُدُوا الْأَوْثَانَ وَإِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ فِي أُمَّتِي ثَلَاثُونَ كَذَّابُونَ كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ وَأَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي
Verily, there will be thirty liars among my nation, all of them claiming to be a prophet, but I am the Seal of the Prophets. There is no prophet after me.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2219, Grade: Sahih
For this reason, virtually all scholarly organizations of Sunni Muslims have declared the Qadiyani to be non-Muslims outside the fold of Islam.
The Permanent Council of Scholars in Saudi Arabia issued a legal verdict:
لقد صدر الحكم من حكومة الباكستان على هذه الفرقة بأنها خارجة عن الإسلام وكذلك صدر من رابطة العالم الإسلامي بمكة المكرمة الحكم عليها بذلك ومن مؤتمر المنظمات الإسلامية المنعقد في الرابطة في عام ١٣٩٤هـ وقد نشر رسالة توضح مبدأ هده الطائفة وكيف نشأت ومتى إلى غير ذلك مما يوضح حقيقتها
والخلاصة أنها طائفة تدعي أن مرزا غلام أحمد الهندي نبي يوحى إليه وأنه لا يصح إسلام أحد حتى يؤمن به وهو من مواليد القرن الثالث عشر وقد أخبر الله سبحانه في كتابه الكريم أن نبينا محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم هو خاتم النبيين وأجمع علماء المسلمين على ذلك فمن ادعى أنه يوجد بعده نبي يوحى إليه من الله عز وجل فهو كافر لكونه مكذبا لكتاب الله عز وجل ومكذبا للأحاديث الصحيحة عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الدالة على أنه خاتم النبيين ومخالفا لإجماع الأمة
The Pakistani government has declared this group to be outside the fold of Islam. The Muslim World League in Mecca, along with the Conference of Islamic Organizations held at the League in 1394 AH, also issued a similar ruling. A letter explaining the origins of this group, how and when it emerged, and other details clarifying its true nature was published.
In conclusion, it is a group that claims that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Hindi was a prophet to whom revelation was sent, and that no one is a valid Muslim unless they believe in him. He was born in the thirteenth century. Allah Almighty has stated in His Holy Book that our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Seal of the Prophets, and Muslim scholars have unanimously agreed upon this. Anyone who claims that there is a prophet after him who receives revelation from Allah Almighty is an unbeliever, for they have denied the Book of Allah Almighty and the authentic Hadith of the Messenger of Allah demonstrating that he is the Seal of the Prophets, and they have opposed the consensus of the Ummah.
Source: Fatāwá al-Lajnah al-Dāʼimah 2/313
Shaykh Jadd al-Haqq, the top scholar of al-Azhar University at the time, answered:
أنه إذا كانت المعتقدات المنوه عن بعضها آنفا لهم كانوا بها خارجين عن الإسلام باعتبارهم قد خالفوا في كثير من الأمور المجمع عليها والتي صارت معلومة من الدين بالضرورة فضلاً عن أن في بعض معتقداتهم تكذيباً لما ورد في القرآن الكريم ولا مراء في أن من كذب القرآن خارج عن الإسلام ولا يعد من المسلمين
If they hold the aforementioned beliefs, then they would be outside the fold of Islam, considering that they had contradicted many of the agreed-upon matters that are necessarily known of the religion, in addition to the fact that some of their beliefs deny what is stated in the Holy Quran. There is no doubt that whoever denies the Qur’an is outside of Islam and is not considered a Muslim.
Source: Majallat al-Azhar 57
And the Dar al-Ifta’ of Jordan issued a legal verdict:
قرر المجلس بالإجماع اعتبار العقيدة القاديانية المسماة أيضًا بالأحمدية عقيدة خارجة عن الإسلام خروجًا كاملاً وأن معتنقيها كفار مرتدون عن الإسلام وأنَّ تظاهر أهلها بالإسلام إنما هو للتضليل والخداع ويعلن مجلس المجمع الفقهي أنه يجب على المسلمين حكومات وعلماء وكتابًا ومفكرين ودعاة وغيرهم مكافحة هذه النحلة الضالة وأهلها في كل مكان من العالم
ومع ذلك ننبه هنا إلى أن الحكم بكفر معتقدات هذه الطائفة لا يلزم منه تكفير جميع الأشخاص المنتسبين إلى الإسلام منهم فتكفير الأشخاص حكم قضائي ينظر فيه القاضي ونحن إنما نتكلم على العقائد والأفكار لا على الأعيان والأفراد والله أعلم
The Council unanimously decided to consider the Qadiyani faith, also known as Ahmadiyyah, have completely left the fold of Islam. Its adherents are unbelievers who have apostatized from Islam, and its adherents’ pretense of Islam is merely a misleading deception. The Fiqh Council declares that it is incumbent upon Muslims—governments, scholars, writers, thinkers, preachers, and others—to oppose this deviant sect and its adherents everywhere in the world.
However, we note here that the ruling that the beliefs of this sect are unbelief does not necessarily entail the excommunication of all those who claim to be Muslims. Excommunicating individuals is a judicial process that must be reviewed by a judge. We are only discussing beliefs and ideas, not individuals and persons. And Allah knows best.
Source: Dā’irat al-Iftā’ al-Urdunīyah Fatwá 341
The Qadiyani’s have no argument against us for declaring them unbelievers, for they claim the same about us!
These verdicts refer to the sect’s core beliefs, not personal judgments on individual followers—many of whom may be unaware or confused about mainstream Islamic teachings. While the Qadiyani sect as a whole is based on beliefs deemed outside of Islam, this does not necessarily justify harshness toward individual members, and certainly not any form of vigilante violence.
Excommunication (takfir) of individuals is a serious matter requiring due legal process; it is not the right of ordinary Muslims without legal or scholarly authority.
Rather, the proper method of calling to Islam (da’wah) and forbidding evil requires wisdom and gentleness with the aim of persuading people and convincing them of the truth.
Allah said:
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
Invite all to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice, and only debate with them in the best manner.
Surat al-Nahl 16:125
And Allah said:
وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ
Respond to evil with what is best, then the one you are in a feud with will be like a close friend.
Surat Fussilat 41:34
And Allah said:
فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا
So allow time for the unbelievers. Leave them awhile.
Surat al-Tariq 86:17
Furthermore, it is among the principles of enjoining good and forbidding evil to be gentle as much as possible.
Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
لا يَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلا يَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ إِلا مَنْ كَانَ فِيهِ خِصَالٌ ثَلاثٌ رَفِيقٌ بِمَا يَأْمُرُ رَفِيقٌ بِمَا يَنْهَى عَدْلٌ بِمَا يَأْمُرُ عَدْلٌ بِمَا يَنْهَى عَالِمٌ بِمَا يَأْمُرُ عَالِمٌ بِمَا يَنْهَى
No one may enjoin good or forbid evil except for one who has three qualities: gentleness in what he enjoins and forbids, justice in what he enjoins and forbids, and knowledge of what he enjoins and forbids.
Source: al-Amr bil-Maʻrūf lil-Khallāl 1/24
And Al-Qadi Abu Ya’la said:
لَا يَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَى عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ إلَّا مَنْ كَانَ فَقِيهًا فِيمَا يَأْمُرُ بِهِ فَقِيهًا فِيمَا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ رَفِيقًا فِيمَا يَأْمُرُ بِهِ رَفِيقًا فِيمَا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ حَلِيمًا فِيمَا يَأْمُرُ بِهِ حَلِيمًا فِيمَا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ
No one may enjoin good and forbid evil unless he understands what he enjoins and forbids, he is gentle in what he enjoins and forbids, and he shows forbearance in what he enjoins and forbids.
Source: al-Amr bil Ma’rūf li-Ibn Taymīyyah 1/21
And Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
فلا بد من هذه الثلاثة العلم والرفق والصبر العلم قبل الأمر والنهي والرفق معه والصبر بعده
One who enjoins good must have three qualities: knowledge, gentleness, and patience. Knowledge comes before it, gentleness comes during it, and patience comes after it.
Source: al-Amr bil Ma’rūf li-Ibn Taymīyyah 1/20
As such, Muslims are obliged to call the Qadiyanis back to true Islam using evidence from the Quran, the Sunnah, and good manners. Excessive harshness is not warranted in most cases, and vigilante violence is certainly unlawful. Islam calls us to persuade the critics, not to push them closer to the Hellfire.
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
