Ahmadiyya Founder's Day:

Islam, a religion of peace

by A. Abdul Aziz

Islam, the Holy Prophet and the Holy Qur'an

Islam means 'Peace and submission to the will of Allah'. It was the message brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah upon him). Muhammad received a revelation from Allah in which he was told that Allah alone was worthy of worship and nothing else was equal to Him and that Islam was the final and complete religion for mankind. Muhammad helped the poor liberated slaves and established equal rights for women.

He told his followers to be patient during hardship and to pray to Allah. His mission was to eradicate evil and inequity, implant goodness and piety and draw mankind nearer to its Creator. Muhammad led a simple, pious and peaceful life.

The Holy Qur'an is the holy book of Islam. It is the word of Allah and was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over 23 years.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad	Hazrat Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad t Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

It has 30 parts and is divided into 114 chapters. It contains a vast array of teaching and is a comprehensive code of conduct for mankind.

It also contains numerous prophecies, many of which have been fulfilled and many that remained to be fulfilled and many that remained to be fulfilled.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community teaches the true Islam in all its purity. Islam is a religion of peace.

It is a religion that meets the demands and challenges of the changing world.

The followers of all great religions awaited the advent of a promised One in the latter days as predicted in their Holy Scriptures. Under the divine guidance, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, (1835 - 1908) declared that in fact only one person representing all the qualities of the one promised in different religions was to appear and humanity would ultimately be brought into the fold of one universal religion. Hazrat Ahmad (a.s.), the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, claimed to be that promised one awaited throughout the world in various faiths.

The birthplace of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is Qadian, in Punjab, India. Under the Divine Command, the first initiation ceremony was taken place on March 23, 1889 and was thus laid the foundation of the community.

Islam believes in absolute morality and enjoins justice and fairness to friends and foe alike, in every sphere of human interest. It is the firm belief of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community that Islam is the cure for all maladies and ailments of suffering in humanity today.

Islam teaches us that unless man learns to live at peace with himself and his fellow human beings, he cannot live at peace with God. In Islam you shall find peace and tranquillity of the heart which is the fruit of submitting to the will of God.

Islam believes in all the founders of all religions appointed by God. Islam regards them all as heavenly teachers sent to reform humanity and establish communion with God - the Creator, Islam testifies that the original teachings of various faiths come from the same One God.

Islam also emphasises that men, women and people of all races are equal before Allah and only righteous deeds elevate one person above another. It permits no exploitation, be it social, political, economical or religious.

Islam and mankind

Islam reinforces the concept of humanity and respect for individual liberty. It also reminds man of his fundamental human right of being free to choose his own religion.

The Qur'an states that there is no compulsion in religion.

Serving humanity

Islam states that service to humanity is a part of faith. In this spirit, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has established schools - opened to all - in many countries. Many of the schools have become some of the most sought after institutions in their respective countries.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is also noted for its active engagement in social welfare and in meeting the medical and educational needs, not only of its own members but also of the communities in which they reside.

The community has also opened many medical clinics and hospitals that offer free medical assistance. In Africa these efforts have served the local people for decades.

Spiritual leadership

One of the greatest bounties of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is that it has been blessed with the institution of Khilafat in Islam. Khilafat, (God's vicegerent) - or successor to a prophet) - the spiritual system of leadership - was reinstated by the Promised Messiah (a.s.) and after his demise it has served to unite the community in one platform.

The first successor of Hazrat Ahmad (a.s.) was Hazrat Moulavi Nooruddin (r.o.), a renowned scholar of the Holy Qur'an and an imminent physician.

In 1914, he was succeeded by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mohmood Ahmad (r.a.), a renowned scholar of Islamic studies who also enjoyed a vast knowledge of other religions. He led the community for 51 years and firmly laid the administrative structure of Ahmadiyyat as an international community.

The third successor was Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad (r.a.), a distinguished educationalist, who placed a great emphasis on service to Africa.

In 1982, hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (r.a.) was elected as the fourth successor. His leadership projected the wonderful teachings of Islam into the 21st century on a truly global scale through numerous community projects and the creation of a unique satellite television channel (MTA - Muslim Television Ahmadiyya).

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is now passing through another golden era of a fifth Khalifa Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, who holds the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community together as one.

He ensures that every step is taken in the right direction, fulfilling the mission of the Promised Messiah (a.s.). The Khalifa is particularly dedicated to ensure that Islam is viewed and understood as a religion of peace throughout the world.

He has repeatedly emphasised the fact that Islam rejects violence in any form and for only reason as it is completely at odds with Islam - a word which itself means "peace".