Leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has asked Saudi Arabia to ban followers of Ahmadiya sect of Islam, also known as Qadianis, from performing Haj, terming them as "non-Muslims".

The seminary has written a letter to the King of Saudi Arabia through his country's ambassador to India, seeking a ban on pilgrimage for the sect, the acting vice chancellor of Darul Uloom Maulana Abul Kasim Naumani said today.

According to Shariat law "non Muslims cannot be allowed to perform Haj".

The Ahmadiyas are the followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who started the movement from Qadian in Punjab. Ahamdiyas consider themselves as Muslims but a major section of Islamic scholars have declared them non-Muslims.

The Deoband seminary had earlier issued a fatwa declaring that Ahmadiyas were not the followers of Islam.

Naumani said even the Imam of the Mecca mosque Mohd Bin-Abdullah Al Sabil had issued a fatwa to the same effect.

While Muslims believe that Prophet Mohammad was the last prophet of God, the Ahmadiyas are of the belief that he was followed by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.