Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community condemns terror attacks in Europe and calls for peace in the world

Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community condemns terror attacks in Europe and calls for peace in the world

July 30, 2016 Press Releases
  • Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad addresses disintegration of Muslim countries
  • His Holiness praises Pope Francis for saying today’s atrocities do not equate to a religious war

The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has called on Muslim nations around the world to return to Islam’s true teachings of peace.

Speaking during his weekly Friday Sermon delivered at the Baitul Futuh Mosquein London, His Holiness said that the world was facing incredibly precarious and challenging times in light of recent terror attacks in Europe, which he deemed as completely against the teachings of Islam. His Holiness also addressed the increasingly volatile situation in Turkey and other Muslim nations.

Speaking about the increasing instability in the Muslim world, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“With each day that passes, the power and strength of the Muslim nations is continuing to decrease. The fundamental cause is that Muslim leaders and their so-called religious scholars are blinded to Islam’s true teachings and are leading their nations on a destructive and ruinous path.”

His Holiness continued:

“We see chaos and disorder in every Muslim country because the leaders are prioritising their self-interest over and above the rights of their people and the progress of their nation.”

His Holiness also added that the disintegration of Muslim countries benefitted only those who opposed Islam and so instead of destroying one another, Muslims should unite in peace.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“The Muslim world and its governments have not learned the lessons of the very recent past. They have seen what has happened in Iraq, Syria and Libya and how those countries have been torn apart and how the future of those nations has been destroyed. The Muslim leaders should urgently reflect upon these examples and ask themselves who it is that benefits from turmoil and disorder in the Muslim world?”

His Holiness also responded to the recent spate of terror attacks in Europe. He said that such attacks were a complete deviation of Islam’s teachings. For example, he said that the recent murder of Father Jacques Hamel in France was “abhorrent and entirely opposed to Islam’s teachings”.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Recently, terrorist organisations have started to regularly commit the most barbaric atrocities in Western countries by taking the lives of innocent people. The terrorists have no knowledge of Islam because otherwise they would realise that the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) forbade the murder of innocent people under any circumstances. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited the targeting of innocent children, women, elderly people and he forbade the targeting of religious leaders and places of worship such as Priests and Churches.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:

“The only thing the terrorists are achieving is to completely violate the teachings of the Holy Quran and of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Let it be clear that they are not practicing Islam, rather it seems as though they have invented their own hate-filled and poisonous religion.”

Speaking about the meaning of the word ‘Islam’, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Allah the Almighty has named our religion as ‘Islam’ which literally means peace and so even the name itself rejects all forms of terrorism, extremism and compulsion. Rather, Islam is that religion that champions peace, freedom, love and security for all mankind.”

His Holiness also praised recent comments made by Pope Francis in which he said that whilst the “world is at war, it is not a religious war. His Holiness said that the Pope was right to make the distinction that today’s warfare was not motivated by religion but by greed and a desire for power and wealth.

Concluding, His Holiness said that in today’s turbulent times the onus lay upon Ahmadi Muslims to counter the extremist narrative by spreading the true and peaceful teachings of Islam, through both their personal conduct and through the media and other relevant platforms.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Spread peace to all parts of society. Spread love amongst all of mankind. Bring people towards God Almighty and the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) by winning their hearts through the power of love, grace and compassion.”

His Holiness said there was an urgent need for Ahmadi Muslims to pray for peace in the world.

Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community condemns terror attacks in Europe and calls for peace in the world