What is history of Rabwah. When did it come to existance. Who proposed its name and why?
Brother Abrar:
Could you extend your question to other members of the forum too? Becasue other members (Other than Qadianees)of this might know the History of Rabwa as well.
Yes all member are wellcome.
Dear Abrar,
Rabwah (Translation: City of God) is an Ahmadi city. I don't know much about the History of Rabwah, but I have fond memories of the place, as my family would go there when I was a kid every year during December for a few days to attend the annual convention (Jalsa). This was back in the days when it was allowed. It is no longer allowed, and the city has been opened to all Pakistanis (which is good, that's the way it should be). But what is not so good is that the name has also been changed to Sadiq-Abad. Why change the name?
Ahmadis (as I was told) purchased the city from the Government of Pakistan to setup their religious centers and headquarters. More recently, the City experienced a lot of expansion due to construction of a new Motorway between Lahore and Islamabad, that passes through Rabwah. The Motorway was built entirely by the stone-stock of Rabwah Hills.
It is a beautiful, calm and clean city. By Punjabi standard, it is pretty modern. It has public swimming pools, a fairly modern cnetral hospital, a graduate college, an undergraduate college, high schools, and many libraries run by Ahmadis. Ahmadiyat being a very conservative sect of Islam, there are no movie theaters, or bars, or any entertainment centers.
The life in the city revolves around Gol Bazzar (a circular construction hosting a number of consumer material shops). It is fairly small and one can visit all the shops in less than 2 hours). Other than that, there is a Train Station, where many locals and one express train stop en route to other cities of Punjab. The city is situated on the banks of Chanab River. There is fish and many Rabawittes are dyed-in-the-wool fishermen. There is a yacht club, with not so modern facilities. Run and managed by the college students.
Women in Rabwah wear very conservative style of Burka (a black chadoor) and cover their faces with only eyes exposed. They look rather nice! They have been referred to as Hoors of Rabwah. There is some truth to that. Men wear traditional Punjabi dress, many with a Bukram cap (like Jinnah), and some can be seen wearing Faiz (Moroccan cap). Rabwah women have a good sense of fashion and style. Although not encouraged by Ahmadiyat, many Ahmadi Women have introduced fashions in Punjab. Ranging from sun-glasses, to styles in Shalwar-Kameez.
Other mention-able part is the central Mosque (called Msajid e Aksa) named after the famous Aksa. However, Ahmadis are not allowed to refer to their places of worship as mosques. There are many other mosques (I mean places of worship) in the city. There is a burial ground called Bahishti Maqbara (Heavenly graveyard).
The city, generally speaking, is a very calm city by Pakistani Standards. I last visited there about 4 years ago on my younger brother's engagement (he married a Mirzian). A lot of my relatives live in Rabwah. Like every other place, It is changing now.
NY Ahmadi. Thanks for explaining in such a details. Are you a writer.
I am still looking for the history of Rabwah, anybody knows.
Abrar,
Sorry for changing the subject, but I want to ask NYAhmadi a question. I hope someone answers your question about the history of Rabwah.
NYAhmadi,
You say that Ahmadiyat is a very conservative sect of Islam. Your nickname identifies you as an Ahmadi, but yet your posts do not seem "conservative" at all. Any explanation? I'm curious!
Zara
Dear Abrar and Dear Zaraatif,
I am not a practicing Ahmadi. In fact, far from being practicing anything. I consider myself to be an agnostic. It is better that way. It makes me open to alternative views and ideas.
Ahmadiyat is considered to be a Conservative sect. There is absolutely no flexibility in terms of what is allowed and what is not. It follows Muslim laws and ways of life to the T. A little astray and you are out. Simple matters such as marrying someone outside of Ahmadiyat can mean getting kicked out. This rule is enforced for both, male and female Ahmadis. If my sister marries someone who is not an Ahmadi, not only will she become a non-Ahamdi, my father and mother may also be given an exit. In cases (similar to mine) where a boy or a girl marries a non-Ahmadi, parents can say that the boy or the girl did so without parental consent, and that allows them (the parents) to stay within Ahmadiyat. These strict laws made me re-evaluate my own thoughts about religions. My parents and most of my relatives are very committed and practicing Ahmadis. I am considered one of many blacksheeps of my clan. There are a number of us (both men and women). Most have left the country, some are still there. We, the agnostic herd, believe that religion should not dictate rules of governance and should only guide humans spiritually (that's what the purpose of religion was - at least in the beginning). I, being somewhat liberal, also believe that even state should not dictate rules of law that infringe upon personal choices and liberties. But that is a separate debate.
My name is just a name. I am not a writer. I am an economist, who are not known for their writing skills. I apologize for my crappy prose. I am much better in poetry (only kidding).
I will ask someone about history of Rabwah, and will post it here in a few days. May be some other Ahmadis can post something. There are a number of Ahmadi members here.
dear all!
assalamo alaikum. about rabwah, mr.ny ahmadi has delivered a good prose but i'd like to add a few things. firstly, the meaning of rabwah is not city of god.it is rather " a high place". the word has been derived from quran. it was bought in 1948 and
mirza bashir-ud-din sahib (the second caliph
of ahmadia community) anaugrated it.please keep on asking if u wanna know more about jama'at ahmadia. thanks for the query.good luck!
Dear Tempest101,
Thanks for the correction. I had always thought it meant City of Rab (God). In the 50s, my father took a year at college in Rabwah, and was a student of Khalifa Mirza Nasir Ahmad. He knows a lot about Rabwah and gets very emotional about the city. I will ask him to share his memory of the city. When I get some info back from him, I will share that with you all. Many of my ancestors are buried in Rabwah. Part of my family is offspring of Hakeem Noor-ul Deen, Khalifa Awal.
Welcome to Guppshupp. A new Ahmadi. Cause –el e celebre!
Dear friend, nyahmedi,
Sir although you might be someone who regards ahmediyyat as a "conservative" sect of islam, i never believe in it.
i am a non practicing ahmedi too. i play in a rock band, and have acted on tv too. yet no one from the ahmediyya community has ever imposed any islam on me or tried to stop me.
i also know that one of the people, sitting very close to our supreme head in the meetings, mr. rustam, is a popular pakistani film actor. He has often been "advised" on a lot of things by our supreme head, yet nothing has been imposed on him to stop him.
Mr. ibrahim ( of veejay fame) is a very popular comedian and tv actor/director, who also sings in one of the popular bands of pakistan, dr. aur billa. i havent seen anything being imposed on him.
The ahmediyya community believes in, and preaches freedom of conscience, and favours advise rather than imposition.
However, the point that you mentioned is a valid one, and although ahmedis forbid the members of the community to marry outside the community, they give valid reasons for that. what those reasons are, is a seperate topic, which it seems you are not interested in.
Dear nyahmedi,
following a rule is not conservatism! if someone gets punished by the american government for doing an illegal activity, will you say that the the american government is conservative?
If you want to associtae yourself to a system, you must follow its rules. thats not conservatism!
mind the term, when you use it!
saallaam
Broth. abrar Why are you so interested in Rabwah's history any particular reason or just for the heck of it?
Dear ‘a man - tutoured possesed’:
That’s wonderful to know that no one from Ahmadiyat has tried to impose his or her views upon the fields of your choice. That’s the way it should be. Religions should have no place in telling people what to do with their lives. That’s one of my biggest complaints against religions. All of them!
My use of the term “conservative” was not in any negative sense. In general all religions tend to be conservative and Ahmadiyat is no exception. What I meant to infer was that the Ahmadiya movement has conserved the most basic of Islamic tenements and follows it to the T. It is described as such in many encyclopedias, and by many religious scholars. For example, the concept is “Peeri-Mureedi”, and “Taweez-Gun-da”, and “ God-like status given and devotion at the mausoleums of Religious Figures”, and other such activities that have been pretty much accepted as legitimate chronicles of Islam by many sects, is very foreign to Ahmadiyat. The Ahmadiyat has been very resistant to such things, which are in essence against the fundamentals of Islam. That’s what I meant by Conservatism. I hope it makes sense now. (Please note that the examples I have cited are by no means my own opinion but the opinions of many religious critics. I have no opinion about the above example, I believe in “do what makes you happy”).
I will be very interested in your views. In fact I am interested in views of all religious denominations. I am rarely in agreement with any particular view, but I like to listen to them all.
I respect all religions equally; I only have problem when each religion starts talking about how superior it is over others. I read books on religions, and the 19th century American religions are one of my favorite areas of interest. I am also interested in reform movements in Judaism.
Your example about American laws makes no sense to me. What is it that you are trying to say? Why would following law make someone a conservative? It is not the follower, it is the Law!! Is that what you meant to say?
Good to have you on guppshupp. Each Ahmadi counts!!
Rock on!
NYAhmadi - Could you please elaborate on
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Each Ahmadi counts!!
[/quote]
I understand that you are an agnostic but that quote does not go in the context though. Just curious.
Dear Roman,
It was just a simple welcoming gesture to a new member. Every new member counts. Sometimes I do feel that some religious denominations are underrepresented here. Ahmadis are just about right proportionally, but I feel that Shias are under represented. I welcome all perspectives. Being an agnostic does not necessarily mean to have no appreciation of dissimilar opinions and conflicting views. In truth, that is the beauty in being "doubtful", so that one can see the broader picture rather than living in one's tiny little imaginary world.
Each Caesar count!
I wanted to see Ahmedi's views on Rabwah. That's all. Nothing special.
Hope it answers the question
[This message has been edited by abrar (edited June 28, 1999).]