Faith and Birth: A Call for Conscious Reflection on the Qadiani Question (1st August, 2018)

Epigraph: Faith is a personal journey, not an inherited status. "No soul can bear the burden of another. Every person is accountable for their own deeds." — Qur’an 6:164

Faith and Birth: A Call for Conscious Reflection on the Qadiani Question

A person born into the Qadiani community arrives at their faith by the same means as someone born into any other sect of Islam—through the circumstances of birth and upbringing. Just as a Deobandi, Barelvi, Shia, or Wahhabi inherits their religious identity, so too does a Christian, Jew, Hindu, or Buddhist. If faith is largely a matter of birth, then how can one justify hatred or exclusion based on this?

What purpose is served by alienating or avoiding those whose beliefs differ from ours? Does distance achieve anything meaningful, or is engagement the key to deeper understanding? I believe that by fostering genuine friendship and dialogue, we create opportunities to share perspectives on the Qur’an amicably—not with arrogance or condescension, but with humility and sincerity.

However, history bears witness that people often resist change, clinging to inherited traditions without questioning them. The Qur’an highlights this very tendency in the Quraysh’s response to the Prophet (peace be upon him):

"Rather, they say, ‘Indeed, we found our forefathers upon a certain practice, and we are guided by their footsteps.’" (Qur’an 43:22)

To this, the Prophet was commanded to ask them:

"What if I bring you better guidance than what you found your forefathers upon? Still, you would reject it?" (Qur’an 43:24)

And in another instance, the Prophet boldly challenged them:

"Say, then bring a scripture from God that is better in guidance than these (the Torah and the Qur’an), so that I may follow it—if you are truthful." (Qur’an 28:49)

These verses underscore a fundamental truth: Blind adherence to inherited beliefs is not a guarantee of righteousness. What truly matters is our conscious and sincere relationship with God, grounded in reason, truth, and moral integrity. It is not sectarian labels that will determine our fate, but our pursuit of divine guidance and righteousness. God Himself assures:

"And those who strive in Our cause—We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, God is with the doers of good." (Qur’an 29:69)

Thus, the only thing that truly benefits us is our conscious pursuit of God’s path, through sincerity, knowledge, and moral integrity—not merely the faith of our forefathers.

— Aamir Yazdani