Perspective: Let's join and engage in public interfaith dialogue to establish peace | Ijaz Ahmed, PhD

---

Because of our Islamic belief, we have engaged in serving humanity through disaster relief, as well as building schools and hospitals across the world.

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Telegram.com
By Ijaz Ahmed, PhD | April 14, 2016

I was pleasantly surprised to read the column by Rev. David Miller (Apr. 8, “Diverse Interpretations of Islam”).

While I believe Islam is a religion of peace, the reverend cited examples of outrageous laws upheld in Muslim majority countries, along with claims of extremists that contradict my view. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I understand the repercussions of blasphemy laws and actively support eradicating such baseless laws.

When the Quran states that “there should be no compulsion in religion” (Quran 2:256), it is inappropriate for Muslims to ignore this injunction by denying freedom of religion to others. This is a point of the true Islam campaign (trueislam.com) and, thus, these laws undermine the true Sharia law established in the Quran.

I agree that Muslims across the world need reform. I cannot speak for other Muslim groups, but the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the largest unified Muslim organization with tens of millions of adherents worldwide, has demolished a violent Jihad of the sword and replaced it with an intellectual Jihad of the pen. Because of our Islamic belief, we have engaged in serving humanity through disaster relief, as well as building schools and hospitals across the world. We want to prevent youth from becoming radicalized, and believe it is necessary for both Muslims and non-Muslims to be united in this effort.

Therefore, I invite Rev. Miller and other religious leaders across Worcester to join us and engage in public interfaith dialogue to establish peace and understanding within our own community.

    Ijaz Ahmed, PhD
    Worcester


http://www.telegram.com/article/20160414/OPINION/160419649

Read original post here: Perspective: Let's join and engage in public interfaith dialogue to establish peace | Ijaz Ahmed, PhD


This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Times of Ahmad. Times of Ahmad is not an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites.