Source & Credit: The Cochrane Times
By Sara Francis | July 21, 2010
Violence against Muslims in Pakistan will be a topic of discussion when the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community meets in Cochrane July 24-25.
Recently a terrorist attack against two Ahmadis mosques in Lahore, Pakistan on May 28 left more than 80 people killed and dozens injured. It was a devastating reminder for Calgarian Sultan Mahmood of the ongoing violence and why he fled Pakistan in 1992 to seek refuge in Canada due to religious persecution.
"Many people in Calgary lost their relatives in the bombing," said Mahmood, adding he knows of an Ahmadis follower in Cochrane who lost her uncle in the bombing.
"Things have gone from bad to worse," he said.
On a more positive note, the Calgary Ahmadiyya Muslim Community received national media attention two years ago this July when Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to northeast Calgary for the opening of the 48,000-square-foot Baitun Nur mosque, the largest mosque complex in Canada.
Mahmood was among the Ahmadis members to re-finance his home in order to cover the cost of the $14-million mosque, a negligible cost compared to the loss of religious freedom he experienced in Pakistan.
"I understand how it feels to be suppressed in a society, how it feels to be not an equal citizen, how it feels to be persecuted and how it feels to remain in continuous fear," said Mahmood.
For this reason he is grateful to be able to openly express his faith in Canada. He is tirelessly coordinating the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Western Canada Convention at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre this weekend and welcomes the Cochrane-area public to attend the Sunday afternoon session starting at 2 p.m., followed by dinner.
"We looked around to see if we could get some place that is beautiful and peaceful and where there are not too many distractions. We were lucky to find a place in Cochrane," said Mahmood.
Mayor Truper McBride has been invited as well as provincial and federal politicians in hopes they will learn more about the Ahmadiyaa Muslim Community and the state of Ahmadis in the world.
"We have been requesting our government in Canada that they should use the diplomatic channels and talk to the government of Pakistan," said Mahmood.
In 1974, the Pakistani government declared the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community non-Muslims, and in 1984 issued legislation criminalizing the practice of their faith.
"All these atrocities that are being committed in Pakistan, they should be stopped and the Canadian government can play a very positive role in that and is playing," said Majeed Ahmad, president of the Calgary Ahmadiyya chapter.
The Ahmadiyya Islamic religious movement was founded in 1889 by the Mirza Ghulam Ahmad who claimed to be the divine reformer and second coming of Christ. Non-Ahmadiyya Muslims have trouble with this claim and consider Mirza a false prophet.
There are several other differences of belief.
Whereas mainstream Muslims believe Jesus is a prophet who did not die on the cross, but was transported to heaven, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes Jesus died on Earth after traveling east to India and his tomb can be found in Kashmir.
Ahmadis struggle with certain fundamentalist Islamic understandings of Jihad — meaning "to struggle." Fundatmentalists place precedence on defending and propagating Islam through holy war rather than focusing on the greater Jihad, which is to master one's soul and internal desires.
"Our motto has been love for all, hatred for none," said Mahmood. "We urge our membership not to take law in their hands in any way, and not to resort to violence at any time even if our own near and dear ones are being persecuted.
"Our base is on peace, we will remain on peace," added Ahmad. "We will be victorious because that's the way God has commanded. If you remain steadfast and patient I am with you."
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community puts a premium on inter-religious dialogue. The local Calgary chapter has held several multi-faith conferences in Southern Alberta including at the Cochrane RancheHouse in an effort to build bridges.
Members of the public who are interested in attending the convention on Sunday afternoon are asked to RSVP by emailing info.calgary@ahmadiyya.ca or by calling 403-680-9926.
Read original post here: Muslim dialogue in Cochrane
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