Chandigarh: Despite facing several hurdles in many countries around the world the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is nevertheless flourishing with millions of followers spread across 204 countries.
Announcing the 122nd annual three-day International Ahmadiyya Muslim Conference to be held at the Ahmadiyya Muslim headquarters in Qadian, Gurdaspur district, Punjab, from December 27 to 29, representatives of the Jama’at Mohd. Hameed Kousar, Shaikh Mujahid Ahmad Shastri and Syeed Nayyar Ahmad said Pakistan has the highest strength of followers of the community and it is not surprising that the largest number of foreign delegates to the conference, an estimated 5,000, are coming from there. The first batch of delegates from Pakistan, numbering 700, are reaching Qadian today.
Ahmadiyya Muslims also have a large presence in Ghanna, Germany, Canada and UK. In terms of strength of the community, India lies around 10th position with their population mostly concentrated in Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Orissa. Notable members of the community include a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, the late Prof. Abdus Salam, and a Chief Justice of the International Court of Justice and President of the United Nations General Assembly, the late Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan.
Regarding the conference, 20,000-25,000 followers of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at from 25-30 countries are expected to participate. The main aim of the conference is to share with the people the true teachings of Islam and to generate in them feelings of love, peace, tranquility and mutual brotherhood. On December 28 an all religion peace conference will also be organised in which leaders from all religious denominations will participate and from one platform share with the people the teachings of their respective religions so as to bring people following various religions closer.
The concluding session of the conference will be addressed by fifth Ruhani Khalifa of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed from London via direct telecast on Muslim Television Ahmadiyya. The conference will have a separate enclosure.for women from where they can listen to the proceedings. Currently Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed Khalifa Tul Masih is guiding the Jamaat from London (UK). Ahmediya Jamaat has got translated and presented the Holy `Quoran’ in 7 different languages to the people and work is apace to translate it in many other languages.
Ahmadiyya Muslims believe that when Muslims had forgotten the teachings of Islam, then, as prophesized by Hazrat Mohammad Mustafa Sallahoalahevasallam, on 23 March 1889 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani proclaimed himself as the Imam Mahidi of this age and founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. He staunchly opposed the forces bent upon spoiling the fair name of Islam and presented the true teaching of Islam before the world. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at considers Hazrat Mohammad Mustafa Sallahoalahevasallam as `Khatmul Nabi’ and stands by his teachings.
No religion is bad and also no religion preaches terrorism. But a handful of people professing to be the custodians of religion are bad and they don’t hesitate in misusing religion for their narrow selfish interests. Islam is a wonderful peace-loving religion which protects the rights of humanity. No religion preaches violence. Those who propagate terrorism in the name of Islam are in fact not Muslims at all. They may be donning the garb of Islam but whatever they do is just the opposite of what Islam teaches.