Canada: Follow-up to CAN33192.E of 23 November 1999 on whether the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Canada has any restrictions on issuing membership certificate to people who joined the Ahmadi faith less than two years ago

There are two branches of the Ahmadi faith. The Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam Lahore Inc. (USA) in Columbus, Ohio, is a Lahori (Ahmadi) Muslim organization, whose headquarters, the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore, are located in New Garden Town, Lahore, Pakistan. The Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Canada is a Qadiani (Ahmadi) Muslim organization. It's headquarters are located in Maple, Ontario, and the Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community [Caliph] is based in London, UK.

In a correspondence dated 8 December 1999, the President of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Canada in Maple, Ontario, stated the following:

There is no such thing as a membership card for members of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Canada.

In the matter of new converts and issuance of certificates for immigration purposes, our approach has always been to keep religious belief and conversion separate from all other extraneous matters. If we have any suspicion regarding the ulterior motives of a particular individual in seeking conversion, we adopt a straightforward approach and advise him or her to wait out the resolution of their immigration case before formally applying to join the community.

However, in cases where we have been satisfied that the person in question was genuine in his/her interest in the community, and where they had participated earnestly in our activities for some time, we have allowed them to apply for membership even whilst their immigration cases were pending. In such cases, once approval was received from the Head of the Community, we have also issued certificates attesting to their belonging to the community.

However, we have made it a rule, from the outset, that in all such cases we always disclose the date of the conversion to the Immigration and Refugee Board.

There is also no such thing as a fixed two-year waiting period between the date of "conversion" and the issuance of some sort of "membership card." It must be clarified that when a person submits an application to join the Community, he/she does not automatically become a member. Depending on the circumstances, we may process the application immediately, or wait until we are satisfied that the conversion is genuine. This period may extend from a few weeks to a few years.

The next step is that the application is submitted to the Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in London, UK, with our recommendation. Once the latter accepts the new member, a Letter of Acceptance in the Community is received and handed over to the individual in question. At that point in time, we also register the details of the new convert in our own records here in Canada and a unique member code is issued. This is used for the accurate processing of internal administrative, financial and mailing matters.

There is no restriction imposed on new members. The closest thing that exists in that regard, is that during the first six months or so of a male person converting, we discourage any marriage arrangement to be settled with him.

This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Reference

Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Canada, Maple, Ontario. 8 December 1999. Correspondence from President.