Monday, February 10, 2014

When will murders on the basis of religion end?

An Ahmadi man, Raziullah Din, was shot at and killed by unknown assailants in Aurangi Town area of Karachi, Pakistan, on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Raziullah Din, accompanied by his wife, and nephew, had left their house when two unknown assailants began firing at him and one of the bullets hit his neck and damaged his windpipe. His wife rushed him to a nearby hospital where he passed away. 

Another Ahmadi man martyred. Did he hurt someone? No. Did he kill someone? No. Was he a criminal or involved in illegal activites? No. Why then? Because he was an Ahmadi. He had a different belief. He believed in one Allah, and he believed in the finality of the Holy Prophet (SAW) as a law-bearing Prophet. But there is one tiny area where his belief differs from the "normal" Muslims of Pakistan. He believes that Hazrat Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani is the Promised Messiah and Mehdi, the one whose arrival was awaited by the whole world. 

He was 27 years old. He left behind a wife and a 2 year old daughter. Can you imagine the daughter growing up without her father? Can you imagine the kind of life that wife will live without her husband, her protector, being there for her? Can you imagine his mother, his father, his family living their lives with a hole that he left in their heart, albeit unintentionally? Can you imagine the hurt and pain everyone around him has to go through with him gone?

There is one thing I can never understand. How can anyone have so much hatred be instilled into someone, how can a person detest another person, a person he barely knows, for his beliefs? How can anyone hate to the extent of murdering someone? I read this quote somewhere - "In every murderer breathes the man he murdered." How can these savage beasts not feel remorse after murdering an innocent human soul? I refuse to believe that it doesn't eat them alive, even if they have been brainwashed into believing that Ahmadis are Wajib-ul-Qatal. How can they kill a human like he's an insect? Is there no value for human life anymore? And if the answer to this question is no, then why so? 

My point here is not to question anyone's beliefs. Everyone needs something to believe in order to maintain their sanity. But if I can believe that, if I can respect a difference of opinion, why can't everyone else? Why is hatred, instead of tolerance, being drilled into our minds? Why is every religion, every sect adamant on declaring war on the other? Why can't we all live in harmony, all religion peacefully co-existing? Why is it too much to ask?

Yesterday, a man died because of his belief. It could be any one of us tomorrow. Raise your voices for discrimination on the basis of religion. Stop this injustice. Let yourselves be heard. Let no more blood be spilt on the basis of religion. Let the value of human life be restored. Let peace prevail.

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