Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | US Desk
Source & Credit: India Post News service
April 24, 2010
LOS ANGELES: Ahmadiyya Muslim messages of peace, epitomized by their motto: "Love for All - Hatred for None," are being spread across Los Angeles' Inland Empire on 167 buses.
One of them stops across the street from the Baitul Hameed Mosque on Ramona Ave. in Chino, one of two Southern California chapters of this peaceful, worldwide denomination of Islam.
The campaign by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire aims to assert the Islamic principles of peaceful co-existence as part of a nationwide effort to denounce extremism and terrorism, and promote the true guiding principles of Islam, which are peace with God and with mankind, freedom, loyalty to one's country, and justice for all.
Islam teaches that a Muslim's duty is always to promote peace whenever and wherever possible, through one's righteous actions and compassionate example.
The advertisement banners have been placed on 98 busses in Riverside County and 69 busses in San Bernardino County. Later on, the community plans to expand the advertising campaign to other parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Southern California.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Asim Ansari, president of the Inland Empire chapter said: "The true peaceful Islam is nothing like the hatred that is preached by a very small but violent minority.
"A handful of extremists do not represent Muslims or Islam, but their words and deeds are having a devastating effect on the community at large."
A similar campaign of carrying messages of peace on buses has been undertaken by the members of the community in the UK with great success. In the UK, members have also distributed 100,000 'peace pamphlets' door-to-door.
Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, worldwide leader of the International Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, said: "A true Muslim can never raise his voice in hatred against his fellow citizens, nor for that matter against the ruling authority or Government of the time”.
"He should remain loyal and fully abide by the laws of the land of which he is a subject."
He said: "The initiative will bring communities closer together. By condemning extremism in a peaceful way the campaign will promote a better understanding of Islam and help with community cohesion."
Imam Shamshad Nasir, southwest U.S. regional missionary for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said: "We intend to emphasize the true values of Islam through this campaign, and we hope to create a better understanding of Islam so that people are able to judge for themselves the actions of those falsely claiming to speak and act in its good name.
"Islam places the highest importance on the promotion of peace in words and in deeds," Imam Shamshad further stressed.
"The community feels that the campaign is necessary to share understanding and awareness of the emphasis Islam places on peace and harmony," said Monas Chaudry, a community representative for Interfaith Outreach and Dialogue.
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