Canada: Ahmadiyya Muslim tour aims to break down barriers

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The community emphasizes non-violence and believes ISIS and other terrorist groups are ignoring the teaching of Islam for their own murderous ends. 

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Metro News Canada
By Ryan Tumilty | August 14, 2016

Community has toured Canada this summer to break down barriers, open dialogue.

The first thing Omer Ahmed wants his fellow Canadians to know as he travels across the country is how thankful he is.

The second thing he wants them to know is that not everything they hear about Islam is accurate.

Ahmed is part of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is touring the country as part of a good will tour, called Mobile Muslims, marking the 50 years the community has been in Canada.

Visting communities all over the country was their way of thanking Canada for taking in the first members of the community 50 years ago as refugees from Pakistan and giving them the freedom to practice their religion.

“We wanted to go coast to coast thanking Canada, meeting as many people as possible,” he said in front of the group’s trailer filled with information on the religion.

With a near constant barrage of bad news stories linking Islam with terrorism and violence, Ahmed said they also wanted to clear up some of the misconceptions about his faith.

“Somebody is hijacking my faith and using it for their own political power games,” he said.

Ahmed said his community emphasizes non-violence and believes ISIS and other terrorist groups are ignoring the teaching of Islam for their own murderous ends.

The group travelled through Eastern Canada beginning in St. John’s and travelling through to Toronto, before heading out on a Western Canadian trip that has taken them through Northern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and now Alberta over the last 14 days.

He said the response in every community has been positive.

“They have been saying there should be more of these initiatives,” he said.

Dr. Mohyuddin Mirza, with the local Ahmadiyya community, said they have always felt welcome in Edmonton.

“I think Edmonton is one of the unique places where that respect is there, where that tolerance is there,” he said.

He said the tour helps break down misconceptions and sets up a mutual level of respect.

“If the misunderstandings are removed than it can be the start of a good relationship.”




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