"Mirza Ghulam Ahmad divested Muslims from fanaticism. He's recognized as one of the great religious leaders. We are one of the leading Muslim communities to reject terrorism. Violence is against the teachings of Islam."
Source/Credit: CantonRep.com
By Charita Goshay | December 14, 2013
He's just 14, but Labeeb Ahmad is mature beyond his years. The St. Thomas Aquinas High School freshman has become an ambassador of sorts for his faith.
NORTH CANTON
He's just 14, but Labeeb Ahmad is mature beyond his years. The St. Thomas Aquinas High School freshman has become an ambassador of sorts for his faith.
Ahmad and his family are adherents of a little-known sect of Islam known as "Ahmadiyya."
Founded in 1899, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community has about 10 million members in more than 200 countries.
The American community was started in 1921. Regionally, most members worship at the Baitul-Ahad Mosque in Bedford, which was renovated in 1986 from a former Presbyterian church.
Just like the majority of the world's Muslims, Ahmadis believe in the Koran, the basic tenets of Islam, and eschew extremism and violence.
Where they differ is in their belief that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India, was the "Imam Mahdi," or metaphorical second coming of Jesus of Nazareth as foretold by the Prophet Muhammad.
"We believe the Promised Messiah (Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) is the second coming of Jesus and the miracles and teachings of him," Ahmad said.
Because Ahmadiyya Muslims believe Jesus survived his crucifixion and died in Kashmir, India, while seeking the lost Tribes of Israel, they view prophecies referring to his return as metaphorical. They believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was divinely commissioned to end warfare, reform Islam, and to re-establish justice and morality.
"Mirza Ghulam Ahmad divested Muslims from fanaticism," Ahmad said. "He's recognized as one of the great religious leaders. We are one of the leading Muslim communities to reject terrorism. Violence is against the teachings of Islam."
Over his lifetime, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who died in 1908, wrote 80 books. His writings acknowledged the contributions of the leaders of other religions, believing that their teachings converged into the quintessential definition of Islam.
"Another difference in our faith is, we endorse the separation of church and state," Ahmad said. "We also believe there should be universal human rights in all countries."
PERSECUTED
However the Ahmadiyya community is not universally accepted in the Muslim world.
"In Pakistan, Ahmadiyya Muslims are not considered Muslims," Ahmad said. "They're also persecuted in Indonesia, and have even been killed."
Persecution has not dampened followers' enthusiasm for charitable work, Ahmad said. Since its founding, the sect has built more than 30 hospitals, 500 schools, and 1,500 mosques. Ahmadi scholars have translated the Koran into 60 different languages.
Earlier this year, on behalf of Why Hunger, a group of Ahmadi youth in Edison, N.J., broke a record previously held by WalMart employees, for packing 300 sack lunches for the needy, in three minutes.
Humanity First, a Ahmadi disaster relief agency, recently raised $100,000 through its inaugural "Walk for Humanity" fundraiser.
"There's a lot more awareness in the last several years," said Qasim Rashid a national spokesperson for Ahmadiyya, USA. "We're recognized as unique because we believe in a messiah. (It) has enabled us to main a strong unity, worldwide.
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