We, the members of the Ahmadiyya Lawyers Association USA (AMLA), humbly express our profound sadness on the passing of Advocate Mujeeb ur Rahman, a legal titan and exemplar for so many of us, and offer our deepest condolences to the bereaving family. Mr. Rahman was a distinguished jurist, eminent Islamic scholar, courageous advocate, eloquent orator, beloved lecturer, intrepid commentator, adoring father and, above all, a devoted a loyal Ahmadi Muslim servant. Truly, he was among the most brilliant legal minds in the history of Pakistan. His dedication to humanity and the just rule of law continues to be a guiding light for our legal body. May Allah rest his soul: “We belong to Allah, and to Allah shall we return.”

Mujeeb ur Rahman was a senior advocate of the Pakistan Supreme Court, and a founding partner at Rahman & Rahman Law Associates in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. In more than half a century of legal practice, Mr. Rahman established himself as one of Pakistan’s most renowned advocates, personally arguing scores of cases before the Pakistan Supreme Court, including the ignominious Zaheeruddin v. State of Pakistan, which legitimized persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan by affirming the power of the state to legally define both form and the content of religion.

Mr. Rahman Devoted the lion’s share of his legal career to the cause of religious freedom and was referred by some as the “Thurgood Marshall of Pakistan.” He defended hundreds of cases registered against Ahmadi Muslims under the anti-blasphemy laws, most notably in Zaheeruddin, where five AHmadi Muslims were charged for professing to be Muslims, under Ordinance XX, which is specifically targeted at Ahmadi Muslims.

In addition to Mr. Rahman’s courageous advocacy in the Pakistani courts, he has important publications to his credit. He has authored numerous books, including Error at the Apex, an incisive analysis of the Zaheeruddin decision, and “1974”: In Camera Proceedings of the Special Committee, An Objective Study, which examines the legal and constitutional aspects of the decision by Pakistan’s National Assembly, 45 years ago, to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims under Pakistan’s Constitution.

Mr. Rahman also had occasion to travel extensively in connection with his human rights work. Both the United States and the German governments invited him to testify regarding his work and to consult with them regarding issues of international religious freedom and human rights. He also delivered numerous lecturers, and held dozens of meetings, with non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, around the world (including in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Bangladesh, and Nepal).

Our body shares fond memories of Mr. Rahman’s visit to the United States in 2014 when a delegation of AMLA members accompanied him on his historic lecture tour, during which he spoke about Pakistan, human rights and Islamic jurisprudence at Harvard Law School, Princeton University, Comlumbia Law School, New York University Law School, University of California Irvine and the U.S. Library of Congress. In addition, in 2016, Mr. Rahman was invited as a guest of The Boniuk Institue at Rice University to deliver a keynote lecture on “The Qur’an and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,” which was recently published by Professors Emran El-Badawi and Paula Sanders, Communities of the Qur’an: Dialogue, Debate and Diversity in the 21st Century. We cherish our precious time with him and value his deep intellectual contributions.

Signed,

Members of the Ahmadiyya Lawyer Association, USA

Amjad Mahmood Khan Esq., President

Mahmood Ahmad, Esq., Vice President

Osaama Saifi, Esq., General Secretary

Lubna Malik, Esq., Treasurer

July 30, 2019