Why This Call Has Scholars Up in Arms

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) has fast become one of the most visible religious movements in the world, experiencing an unprecedented surge in international followers. With two satellite channels and a strong presence on YouTube and social media, AROPL has a far-reaching, multilingual network that has amplified its message to millions. With this expansion, the call has sparked heated debates and responses from prominent Islamic scholars across Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, and beyond.

Initially, the clerical establishment chose not to publicly address AROPL, aware that direct engagement could further boost the movement’s visibility. However, AROPL’s rise, marked by public missionary campaigns, open street declarations, and a global call for religious freedom through coordinated worldwide marches and outreach efforts, eventually compelled the non-working scholars to respond. 

Iraq - Ayatollah Sistani

AROPL has grown so significantly that it has drawn the direct attention of top non-working clerical figures, including representatives of “Ayatollah” Sistani, such as Rashed Al-Husseini, who have addressed the group on major platforms followed by millions. Al-Husseini recently attempted to downplay the significance of recent events in Syria, which AROPL interpret as prophetic signs (specifically, signs of the emergence of the Sufyani). 

Al-Husseini’s attempt to brush off the clear fulfillment of end-time prophecies in Syria as “ordinary events” reflects a dismissiveness that is difficult to justify. For years, these s0-called scholars have lectured about the Sufyani, the death of king Abdullah and the signs of the Mahdi, yet when those very signs unfold before their eyes, they rush to deny and downplay them. When prophecy is fulfilled, they become its loudest deniers to protect their own thrones.

Unable to challenge Aba Al-Sadiq’s knowledge or proofs, Al-Husseini resorts to the oldest trick in the book: slander, lies, and fear mongering. The attacks on Aba Al-Sadiq are not only baseless but expose the desperation of the Shia non-working scholars. Aba Al-Sadiq’s teachings explicitly reject blind obedience to self-appointed clerics who have no divine authorization. The Qur’an and the Prophet warn against following “leaders and great men” who lead people astray by claiming authority without God’s appointment. 

“And they shall say: O our Lord! surely we obeyed our leaders and our great men, so they led us astray from the path.’” (Qur’an, Chapter 33 (Al-Ahzab), Verse 67)

The real offense is not challenging these men, but submitting to them without evidence of divine legitimacy. 

"A time will come for my Ummah during which nothing will remain from the Quran save it's scripting, and nothing will remain from Islam save it's name. They will be called Muslims while they are as far as one can be from Islam. Their mosques will be filled with people but they will be void of right guidance. The jurists of that time will be the most evil ever under the sky; they have sown disorder and disorder they shall reap." (Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 190-191)

Ignoring the Divine Criteria

Aba Al-Sadiq’s call is grounded in clear criteria set by God and His messenger for recognizing His representative. These criteria are:

• The explicit will of the Prophet Muhammad naming the Mahdis

• Knowledge, which includes unmatched mastery of the Torah, Bible, and Quran, exposing the ignorance of the scholars

• The banner of supremacy belongs to God 

Al-Husseini cannot touch these divine proofs, so he pretends they do not exist. The Imams warned that the scholars of the end times would be the first to reject the Qaim, and Al-Husseini is living proof of this prophecy. 

"When Al-Qa’im appears, he will not have any apparent enemy save for the jurists." (Yanabi’ Al-Mawaddat, Vol. 3, p. 215)

Iran - Ayatollah Qazvini 

Ayatollah Qazvini publicly challenged Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan in a video, where he not only slandered him but also symbolically cut a cake bearing Ahmed Al-Hassan’s image. In response, Aba Al-Sadiq appointed Hamidreza Saghari as the representative for AROPL to meet this challenge. However, instead of debating Saghari directly, Qazvini sent Ali Sharifi, who stated that his own defeat would count as Qazvini’s loss. Sharifi shifted the debate topic away from identifying Imam al-Mahdi and instead focused on attacking Ahmad Al-Hassan.

Sharifi outright rejected the authenticity of the Prophet’s will, declaring: “I have found 104 mistakes in this will.” In response, Hamidreza presented evidence from the Quran and referenced the Hadith of the Calamity of Thursday, as well as traditions stating that the Qaim will appear with the Prophet’s will, banner, and weapon as undeniable proof.

When asked how to recognize Imam Al-Mahdi, Sharifi deflected, promising to answer “in the next session.” Sharifi's evasion on identifying Imam Al-Mahdi exposed his inability to address one of the most fundamental issues in Islam: the clear, established criteria for identifying the Mahdi.

On jurisprudence, Sharifi accused AROPL of legalizing drugs and homosexuality, which Hamidreza refuted by emphasizing that if the Qaim’s infallibility is established, his rulings, no matter how difficult or controversial, are to be accepted without question, as obedience to a divinely guided Imam is a fundamental tenet in Islam.

Central to Hamidreza’s argument was the necessity of allegiance to the living Imam. He quoted the Prophet: “Whoever dies without knowing the Imam of his time dies the death of Jahiliyyah (ignorance),” and declared, “I recognize and pledge allegiance to the Imam of my time, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan, and Aba Al-Sadiq the riser of the family of Muhammad.” This placed Sharifi in the unenviable position of rejecting the Imam of the time, leaving him with, as Hamidreza put it, “a patchwork of contradictory opinions from fallible scholars, none of whom agree even on basic tenets.”

Hamidreza condemned the non-working scholars for usurping  sacred titles such as ‘Ayatollah’ and ‘Ayatollah al-Uzma,’ even going so far as to claim Wilayah (divine authority) like Khamenei. He criticized them for misappropriating religious funds, Khums and Zakat, intended for the Ahlul Bayt, and for distorting the narrations of the Ahlul Bayt and interpretations of the Quran. Hamidreza contrasted this with Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan’s mission as that of “a man who bears the Prophet’s will, divine banner, and heavenly knowledge - confirmed by the criteria set by the Imams themselves.”

Hamidreza Saghari presented clear evidence from scripture, citing the Quran, narrations of the Ahlul Bayt, and the divine laws for knowing the representative of God. He exposed leaders lacking divine legitimacy, and left his opponent unable to answer key questions. Hamidreza decisively triumphed over the empty claims, proving that the rhetoric of non-working scholars cannot withstand the light of scrutiny.

USA - Safina Society

Safina Society, under Dr. Shadee Elmasry, has recently accused Aba Al-Sadiq of self-glorification and criticized him simply for utilizing a YouTube channel to spread his message. These unfounded attacks appear aimed at discrediting AROPL and undermining efforts to share the truth. 

Every prophet and messenger like Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad came with a message from God. Their message was, “God has sent me. Follow me, because I am bringing you God’s message.” Because of this, their opponents often accused them of “calling to  themselves,” or seeking attention, or wanting followers for their own sake. Accusing Aba Al-Sadiq of “calling to himself” is the same accusation made against the prophets. 

Example:

• Prophet Muhammad: He said, “Say: This is my way; I invite to Allah, with insight, I and those who follow me…” (Qur’an 12:108). He invited people to God, but as God’s chosen messenger, people had to follow him to follow God.

  
  

• Prophet Jesus: He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). Again, Jesus was calling people to God, but as the path God had chosen.

The real question is not, “Is he calling to himself?” but “Is he truly appointed by God?” If he is, then following him is following God, just as it was with all the prophets before. 

As for those who attack Aba Al-Sadiq for spreading his message online, their hypocrisy is staggering. These same scholars flood the internet with their own lectures, fatwas, and refutations. Their organizations spend millions on satellite TV, websites, and social media campaigns to spread their own teachings. Yet, when Aba Al-Sadiq uses these platforms to reach a global audience, they cry “Internet Mahdi!” or “YouTube Imam!”  while they themselves use the internet to attack him! Why? Because they cannot answer the real challenge: the divine proofs. Not the substance of Aba Al-Sadiq’s message. Not the scriptural proofs, not the miracles, not the fulfillment of prophecy, not the divine knowledge he brings. No, they fixate on the fact that he uses YouTube, that he has a website.

Throughout history, prophets have used the most effective tools and signs of their era to convey God’s message and establish their authority. Moses confronted Egypt’s magicians with miracles that surpassed magic, Jesus healed the sick when healing was highly valued, and Prophet Muhammad brought the Qur’an, an unmatched work of eloquence and wisdom, in an age when poetry was at its peak. Each approach was tailored to its time, showing that using the most impactful methods of communication is a consistent prophetic tradition.

Far from contradicting tradition, the use of global communication by the Mahdi is actually foretold in Islamic narrations. It is the natural extension of the prophetic mission, enabling the Mahdi to reach every corner of the earth as anticipated in Islamic teachings. The Ahlul Bayt prophesied that at the time of the Qaim (Riser), believers in the east could see and hear their brothers in the west, and the Qaim could speak to his followers wherever they are, without intermediaries. Over a thousand years ago, this seemed impossible, but today, technology like YouTube and livestreams make it a reality. This directly fulfills the prophecy that the Mahdi would have a means to reach the four corners of the earth instantly.

“The believer at the time of the Qaim (Riser) who is in the east, can see his brother who is in the west.” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 391)

Today, the world is connected through the internet and social media, so it is only natural that the Mahdi would use these platforms to fulfill his mission and reach humanity. Thus, the global reach is both prophesied and essential for the fulfillment of his mission in today’s world.

Canada -  Sheikh Nurjan 

AROPL faces fierce opposition not only from mainstream Sunni and Shia scholars, but also from Sufi non-working scholars, a chorus of self-serving voices desperate to protect their crumbling authority.

Sufi sheikh Nurjan’s slanderous accusation that Aba Al-Sadiq is the Antichrist is not only totally unfounded but contradicts Islamic tradition. The Dajjal is the enemy of the Mahdi, a deceiver who hides the truth and leads people away from the family of the Prophet. By contrast, Aba Al-Sadiq’s entire mission is rooted in the will of Prophet Muhammad, and centers on upholding the rights of the Ahlul Bayt. To confuse the two is to distort reality and ignore the guidance of the Prophet and Imams themselves. 

The sheikh's further claim to possessing the names of Imam al-Mahdi's seven wazeers is reckless and entirely unsubstantiated. Not a single name appears in the Prophet Muhammad's will. Tellingly, the sheikh himself avoids any mention of the will. The undeniable proof brought by Aba Al-Sadiq, as with every true hujjah of God, is that their name is mentioned in the will of the preceding prophet or messenger. Sheikh Nurjan expects us to ignore this reality and blindly accept his unverifiable list of wazeers. It is no wonder the Prophet warned of such dangerous men, they ask us to abandon the will of the messenger and follow their falsehoods, away from divine guidance into darkness.

Imam Al-Ridha said: "A man from our companions asked Al-Sadiq Ja'far ibn Muhammad (pbut): 'A group called the Sufis has emerged in this time. What do you say about them?' He replied: “They are our enemies. Whoever inclines toward them is one of them and will be resurrected with them. Soon, there will be people who claim to love us but will lean toward them, imitate them, adopt their titles, and twist their rhetoric. Verily, whoever inclines toward them is not from us, and I'm innocent of them. But whoever rejects them and refutes them will be like one who fought the disbelievers in the presence of the Messenger of God (pbuh&hf).'"

History Repeats: The Scholars Are Always the First to Deny

Every prophet and reformer was denounced by the non-working scholars of his time. The Quran records their arrogance and their downfall. Today’s non-working scholars are simply repeating the same script: denying the living proof, slandering the righteous, and clinging to their crumbling authority.

Ultimately, only one question matters: Has God appointed him? All other arguments are a smokescreen. If he is not sent by God, then refute his proofs directly. If he is, then no amount of mockery or diversion will change the truth.

Aba Al-Sadiq demonstrates his divine appointment by meeting the criteria set by God and His messenger: his name is explicitly mentioned in the Prophet’s will, he possesses unique divine knowledge, and he calls to the supremacy of God. 

Aba Al-Sadiq’s God-given knowledge not only surpasses that of the scholars but also reveals the standard set for God’s representative. Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan has emphasized that the one sent by God must be able to answer the deepest religious questions. The Qaim is prophesied to judge humanity by the Torah, Gospel, and Quran, because his mission is universal and his knowledge encompasses all divine revelations. Aba Al-Sadiq has shown that he knows the Torah, Bible, and Quran better than the people of those books. This is evident in his ability to draw upon all three scriptures seamlessly in his sermons and discussions. This is repeatedly demonstrated in "The School of Divine Mysteries," where he answers complex questions about these texts, clarifies contradictions, and reveals hidden truths that have puzzled scholars for centuries. This comprehensive command of the Abrahamic scriptures is a central sign of his divine appointment and the legitimacy of his claim as the Qaim.

Aba Al-Sadiq's unique and divine knowledge makes it impossible for non-working scholars to debate him in the usual ways; instead, they resort to slander and fabricated accusations. The narrations warn that the scholars will oppose the Qaim and the new matter he brings, fulfilling prophecies that the true inheritor of divine authority will be met with slander and rejection.

The serious seeker should ignore such baseless fabrications and ask: Where is the divine appointment? Where is the knowledge from God? That is where the truth lies, not in the shallow rhetoric of those desperate to maintain their own authority.