Ahmad Ghozali from Majalengka wrote a letter entitled "All the Muslims must be saved" (The Jakarta Post, June 14).
I agree that all the Muslims must be saved but from the extremism, murder and terror in the name of Islam not from the Ahmadis.
The writer said: "The followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claim himself a prophet of God, have been trying to cheat the Muslims.
"I say Ahmadi Muslims believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who founded their movement in 1889, was the messiah and Imam Mahdi was foretold by Prophet Muhammad."
I have different opinion to Ahmad Ghozali in the matter of calling the Ahmadis non-Muslim. Islam does not belong to Ghozali. Islam belongs to Allah and Allah sent Muhammad as his messenger to teach what Islam is and say who the Islamic people are. Ahmadi Muslims have not been trying to cheat the Muslims because they practice Islamic traditions too.
Islam is based on five pillars as taught by Muhammad: Bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad is His servant and His messenger; observance of sholat (daily prayers), paying zakat, the pilgrimage to Mecca and fasting during Ramadhan.
Ahmadis believe and practice those pillars. Ahmadis also believe in a sixth Islamic tenet (rukun iman): Muslims should believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His prophets and in the Last Day.
The fact is: Ahmadis are considered heretical by the Indonesian Ulema Council (not by Allah and his Prophet) and have been living in the shelter for four years after being evicted from their homes in West Lombok by an angry mob.
Before being placed in Wisma Transito, they were evicted several times from their own land and homes in East Lombok, (the Post of May 15). So, who has the power to persuade? Other Muslims have more power to persuade and then to evict the Ahmadis from their homes.
The second fact: Ahmadis can leave the Ahmadiyah community or belief, as there is no prohibition from the Ahmadiyah organization to do so.
Ahmadis truly have freedom of belief and thus respect fundamental human rights.
