Answering-Ahmadiyya.org is dedicated to clarifying the confusion created by the Ahmadiyya or Qadiani religion that they are somehow a sect of Islam. Ahmadiyya is NOT Islam. It is a religion that is distinctly different from Islam in its core tenets. If you are looking to understand Islam, then do not be confused by the Ahmadis or the Qadianis. This website is created to clarify the Islamic beliefs and expose the Qadiani creed while providing evidence from the writings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani himself.
This website is created and maintained by Shubban Khatm-e-Nubawwat, an organization based in Lahore, Pakistan, under the patronage of Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Hassan Sahib.
A Note on Terminology: Qadiani or Ahmadi?
The terminology by which the Qadianis are known is a source of contention. Qadianis prefer to be called Ahmadis, and consider being termed Qadiani as derogatory.
The term Qadiani actually refers to the town of Qadian in Gurdaspur District of India, where Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was born and where Qadiani followers go for pilgrimage. There is an established tradition in India, especially in religious circles, of naming scholars or religious movements by their place of birth, such as Thanvi, Bulandshehri, or Deobandi. It does not necessarily mean any affront, in fact, it is considered patently respectful and proper.
Muslims, however, do not wish to refer to Qadianis as Ahmadis, because of the explanation given for this name by Ahmadis themselves. The Qadianis assert that in Quran 61:6, when Sayyidna Isaؑ says “a messenger who will come after me, whose name will be Ahmad”, this refers to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. This obviously offends the Muslims, who unanimously understand this verse as a reference to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Hence, Muslims do not fancy this name that Ahmadis have chosen for themselves, and would rather refer to them as Qadiani, after the birthplace of Mirza, or Mirzai, referring to the name of their founder. Both are not necessarily disrespectful references per se. In fact, it is quite puzzling to Muslims why Qadianis consider being referred to by their founder’s name or the birthplace of their religion as derogatory rather than a source of pride and gratification.
We have used both terms, Qadiani and Ahmadi, in translations and articles. We use the term Ahmadi rather grudgingly, and only because many of our readers may know this group only by this term. This is done while fully acknowledging that indeed Quran 61:6 refers to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and the Qadiani followers have no right to reinterpret this verse contrary to the established and unanimous understanding of the Muslims.
Original References for the “Out-Of-Context” Excuse
We provide quotes from Qadiani sources to establish their heretical beliefs, which are antithetical to Islam. Every quote is accompanied by reference from Qadiani books. We can provide actual scan on request if needed. The reason for providing actual references is that many Qadianis themselves are oblivious to these writings by Mirza. Moreover, when confronted with evidence from their own sources, they often accuse us Muslims of quoting Mirza’s writings out of context. We wish to emphasise that “out-of-context” cannot be a blanket excuse for justifying anything and everything – rather, the discerning reader may establish what is being quoted out of context and what is being understood as indeed how the original author intended it to be.
A Note on Translation
Most of the written material related to Qadianism is either in Urdu or Arabic, with some of it in Persian. We have tried to translate quotes from the original texts while remaining faithful to their original contextual meaning. We, however, acknowledge that translations themselves can be controversial. Thus, original page scans are included for most references, so that the discerning readers well-versed in these languages can judge for themselves.
Honorific Phrases and Symbols
Where we refer to honorific personages, we often use an Arabic phrase or a symbol after the name, as a mark of respect and honour. These are commonly used in Islamic writings, but some readers may be unfamiliar with them. They are explained below.
| Allah ﷻ | Allah, His Glory is Great |
| Muhammad ﷺ | Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him |
ؑ | Peace be upon him or her (referring to the prophets) |
ؓ | May Allah be pleased with him, or her (referring to the Companions) |
ؒ | May Allah’s mercy be upon him or her. |
| نعوذ بالله | We seek refuge with Allah (stated on a blasphemous or sacrilegious uttering) |