Published on Jan 09 2009 

| Download Audio |

Respected Guest Speaker, Honoured Guests, Dear Brothers Khuddam and Aftal.

One of the greatest ironies is that a religion whose very name means peace should be tainted with so much violence. What is even more ironic is that such an image is painted by the very followers of this great religion. Islam has had many an opponent throughout its history. Its teachings have been misrepresented, its followers have been misunderstood, its Holy Founder has been maligned. I doubt whether any has done more damage to the image and honour of Islam as much as the pseudo-clergy of today who incite violence in its name.

Islam possesses a missionary character. Muslims are duty bound to seek to persuade others about the truth of Islam and of the beneficent values it advocates. This is because the message of Islam is universal. While some religions have set territorial or racial limits to participation in their communion, Islam brooks no such limitation. Claiming to be based on truth, it invites the whole of mankind to its fold. Islam seeks to establish the Unity of Allah by persuading mankind to accept it since it is the acceptance of the Unity of Allah that can bring about unity among mankind. The portrayal of Islam in such a negative light has been a real and genuine obstacle in the way of its progress and the fulfilment of its purpose.

However, it is my sincere hope and prayer that today has served to reaffirm and reassure you that not only Islam but no true religion can ever sanction violence, indiscriminate killing and hatred in the name of God. Islam does not in any way advocate wanton slaughter, suicide bombings, carnage and atrocity. Every stone in the streets of Makkah over which the early Muslims were dragged bears witness to this. Every grain of burning Arabian sand where helpless people were tortured for professing faith in Islam does the same. The cobbles of Taif where the blood of our beloved Master, His Holiness, Hadhrat Aqdas Muhammad Mustafa (saw) was spilled bear witness to the fact that Islam does not endorse violence and bloodshed in the name of God.

On behalf of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya UK, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, therefore, I express our gratitude and appreciation to Maulana Laiq Ahmad Tahir Sahib for taking the time out of his manifold duties to travel all the way from Huddersfield to come and deliver an excellent and enlightening lecture here this evening and also for responding to subsequent questions raised.

I also record our sincere thanks to all our guests who have spared their precious time, in spite of multifarious engagements, to be with us here this evening. I hope that, if nothing else, we have been able to dispossess you of some of the misgivings you might have entertained towards Islam generally and, in particular, as regards the concept of Jihad in Islam.

Let me also avail myself of this opportunity to thank you the Khuddam and Atfal who have taken it upon yourselves to come and attend this function. Without your attendance this event would not have been a success.

Finally, I congratulate the Mohtameen Ta’leem, Kalim Tahir Sahib and the members of his department on a highly successful Ta’leem Lecture. May Allah bless their efforts and all others involved in the organisation of this event.

May Allah so ordain that our voices – the voices of tolerance, reason, love and brotherhood – resonate higher than the echoes of the guns and bombs that have ushered humankind to this era of intensifying strains, jaded loyalties and crumbling institutions. Ameen.

Thanks for having me. Wassalamu Alaikum.