USA: Muslim Community Stands For Peace

“We’re here to reveal the peaceful and loving face of Islam against the dirt that has been put on the face of Islam by extremists and terrorists. We want to tell the general public … that Muslims are for peace. We knock on your doors to inform you about and invite you to the true peaceful Islam and to convey the glad tidings that the Promised Messiah has come.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: Creedible |
By Tracy Simmons | April 2, 2011

MERIDEN – Connecticut’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Community isn’t very large compared to other mosques in the state, but its members are working full force trying to educate residents about Islam’s teachings on peace and patriotism.

“Our motto is love for all, hatred for none,” said Zahir M. Mannan, outreach director and youth auxiliary leader.

Ahmadi Muslims are distinct from mainstream Muslims, believing in Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the spiritual re-advent of Jesus and the promised messiah awaited by the world's major religions to unite mankind in the latter days.

Each month members of the Meriden mosque go various places throughout Connecticut and hand out pamphlets on the faith’s teachings. Mannan explained that the publications focus on two things – peace and loyalty.

According to the Quran terrorism has no place in Islam.

“Whosever killed a person…It shall be as if he had killed all mankind,” Quran 5:33.


And regarding patriotism, Quran 4:60 reads, “O Ye who believe! Obey God, and obey His Messenger and those who are in authority among you.”

Mannan said these are Islamic teachings that the community needs to hear.

“We’re here to reveal the peaceful and loving face of Islam against the dirt that has been put on the face of Islam by extremists and terrorists,” he said. “We want to tell the general public … that Muslims are for peace. We knock on your doors to inform you about and invite you to the true peaceful Islam and to convey the glad tidings that the Promised Messiah has come.”

Ahmadiyya Muslims, called Muslims for Peace, go to various neighborhoods to spread this message, and also visit town greens and other public places. The response, Mannan said, has been positive.

Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslims believed and enacted these teachings but today our Ahmadiyya Community is at the forefront of propagating the true peaceful nature of Islam, Mannan said.

Mannan explained that most Muslims believe Prophet Muhammad was the final prophet.

"We believe that Muhammad was the greatest of the Prophets and the final Divine Law-bearing Messenger (the last messenger to bring a Law from God to the people). Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was sent by God in the spirit and power of Jesus to remind the world of Islam’s true teachings," he said. “Because of a lapse of time that has occurred over the last 1,300 years, the Muslim people have forgotten the original teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the person who re-taught the teachings of Islam as taught by Prophet Muhammad.”

Muslims for Peace gather at Baitul Aman Mosque, a former Jehovah Witness Hall, at 410 Main St. in Meriden.  Visitors are always welcome, Mannan said, especially for the Friday afternoon and Quran classes on Friday nights.  The community also remains involved in numerous interfaith activities, including an upcoming symposium “Sanctity of the Holy Books” which will be held at the Hilton Hartford Hotel, 315 Trumbull Street in Hartford on May 3 at 6 p.m. And on May 7 the mosque will host a blood drive for the general public beginning at 10 a.m.


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