Does the fact that we seek to establish shari‘ah go against loyalty to our country?

We are loyal to our country, but that does not mean we are loyal to the un-Islamic ideals that are prevalent in our country. Our responsibility as Ahmadis is to stand against these negative influences and to change the ideals of our society. Hudur ^aba said:

If an Ahmadi believes in the Promised Messiah ^as then he should not be intimidated by society, rather he should give precedence to faith. The Promised Messiah ^as prayed that his progeny and his followers be saved from coming under the awe of Dajjal. If those living in the West come under this awe of Dajjal, then what is left? 

(Friday Sermon, Feb 4, 2011, p. 6)

One of the reasons people are averse to the concept of shari‘ah is because they do not first understand the Islamic environment that is necessary for it to be established. Instead, they picture it being imposed in the context of the ideals that are prevalent in our society right now. However, trying to impose shari‘ah in our present environment is impossible. It would be like planting a cherry tree in a desert. First, the environment has to be reformed and only then can the tree be planted. The aversion people feel to shari‘ah is because they are accustomed to an immoral environment. However, “it is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” shari‘ah will be established when this illness is cured, when the entire environment and culture of society in the world will have changed through the spread Ahmadiyyat. In a Sermon on the topic of Establishing a True Islamic Government in the World through Permissible and Peaceful means is our Obligation, Hadrat Musleh Mau‘ud ^ra said:

We have never hidden the fact that we wish to establish an Islamic government in the world. Rather, we openly say that we will establish an Islamic government over the world insha’Allah. What we deny is that we will establish an Islamic government through the sword and disorder. Rather, we will establish an Islamic government by winning people’s hearts. If I had the power to make all the people of England into Muslims, bring all of their ministers into Islam, make their members of parliament into Muslims and establish an Islamic government there, can anyone imagine that I would refuse to use this power? I would not delay even one minute, rather, I would strive to immediately make them Muslims and establish an Islamic government in England. However, since this is not in my power, so I cannot do it.

(Khutbat-e-Mahmud, 1936, p. 128–129).

Hadrat Musleh Mau‘ud ^ra said:

These verses of the Holy Quran and revelation of the Promised Messiah are quite clear that his mission is to eradicate the prevailing western civilization, and to establish in its place the Islamic philosophy of life, the Islamic shari‘ah, the Islamic civilization, the Islamic economic structure, and the Islamic moral and social values.

(Real Revolution, p. 146).

The mission of the Promised Messiah ^as is to establish both the religious and the secular shari‘ah of Islam throughout the world. Hadrat Musleh Mau‘ud ^ra explained:

The mission having a twofold object: (i) to bring people to Islam with persuasion on the basis of reason and argument, and (ii) to eliminate other cultures and civilizations, to make the Islamic civilization prevail everywhere in the world.

(Real Revolution, p. 143).

This mission will ultimately reach its culmination with the complete establishment of shari‘ah. Hadrat Musleh Mau‘ud ^ra said:

The fourth stage will be reached when the movement shall present a spectacle of fastawa ‘ala suqihi [and stands firm on its stem], i.e., Islamic states would come into being and even those principles which pertain to the Islamic conception of a state shall come into practical operation, giving one civilization and one culture to all mankind. The Islamic civilization, to be established through Ahmadiyyat would be so grand and glorious that it would make other nations open their eyes with wonder, saying that here was indeed a goodly crop.

(Real Revolution, p. 158)

Through the divine initiative of Tehrik-i-Jadid, we participate in this revolutionary change that Islam will create in the world through persuasion. It is part of love for our country that we seek to make a positive change in the ideals of our society and create the Islamic environment where shari‘ah can be established.