Ordinance XX

Ordinance XX (Urdu: آرڈیننس 20) is a legal ordinance of the Government of Pakistan that was promulgated under the regime of General Zia-ul-Haq and is meant to restrict the practice of Islam and the usage of Islamic terms and titles as well as religious freedom of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This ordinance bars Ahmadi Muslims, who are deemed non Islamic under Pakistani constitution, from practising their faith and also disallows them from using any Islamic texts for praying purposes.

The ordinance also debars Ahmadis from the use of any honorific titles and modes of address specific to the Prophetic community such as the greeting "As-salamu alaykum" (peace be upon you), reciting the Six Kalimas or the shahada (declaring belief in the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad) etc., from building mosques and calling the Adhan (call to prayer), from undertaking Muslim modes of worship, from worshipping in non-Ahmadi mosques or public prayer rooms, and from making any citations from the Quran and Muhammad's hadith. Punishment for anyone convicted of doing any of the above is two years imprisonment. Ahmadis, who self-identify as Muslims and practice Islam, claim that the ordinance criminalises their everyday life. Reciting the Kalima (Muslim creed) and greeting with peace in the Muslims way is a criminal offence for Ahmadis in Pakistan.