“ISIS feeds on young people who are angry and don’t have a proper education. They have a political agenda and have no purpose in bringing any kind of peace. The actions and statements of ISIS run entirely contrary to Islam.”
Source/Credit: Kincardine News
By Troy Patterson | October 28, 2014
After two weekends canvassing and holding open houses on Islam in Kincardine this October, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is even more determined to promote peace and understanding after last week’s killing of two Canadian soldiers.
“Such acts have no basis in Islam. Islam actually speaks against this and against any kind of harming of others,” said Noman Khalil, the national executive director in the Department of Faith Outreach for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC). “Islam says “If you kill a single person, it is as if you have killed all of mankind.”
Khalil made the comments last week following the Oct. 22 fatal shooting of a Hamilton-based reservist at Ottawa’s National War Memorial, and the vehicular homicide of another soldier in Quebec that wounded a second. Both culprits were shot dead and were confirmed converted Canadian-born Islamist extremists who supported the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Evidence has revealed their actions were in response to Canada’s current involvement in a joint international airborne assault against ISIS in the Middle East.
“Islam also says “A Muslim is one from who’s hands all others are safe,” said Khalil.
But he’s not naive to the contradictions to Islam being practiced around the world in the name of his faith, or how they are covered in the media. Born in Pakistan and raised in Germany and Canada, Khalil remembers more of Canada than any other he grew up in and considers himself a patriot.
An Oct. 18, 2014 open house at the Kincardine Library saw dozens of members of the public and local church groups, who Khalil invited to learn about Islam and how the AMC teaches it to its members.
Displays on major passages on Islam and books were made available to the public. They also had numerous volunteers on hand in order to answer questions on the AMC’s stance on ISIS and other recent Islamist actions.
He also explained the challenges and patience required when promoting the AMC’s slogan of ‘Love for all, Hatred for none’. Though he said the majority of Canadians are open-minded and willing to learn about their faith, those who say hateful things or write aggressive messages to them are responded to with love and understanding.
He referenced a negative response to a Kijiji ad for the Kincardine open house, with the author’s name in the e-mail, which reads “Your religion is so backwards and you should go back to your people.”
“We try to respond to them with respect and love, and try to explain to them the proper ways of Islam,” he said. “The majority do want to listen. But there are a lot who remain hidden and we don’t notice until we get these hateful e-mails.”
But on the positive side, during their Oct. 4, 2014 canvassing of the Kincardine area brought about many positive responses from residents.
In one case, Khalil was invited into a couple’s home where he spoke with them for an hour in which they allowed him to explain their purpose for canvassing and spreading a message of peace.
“It gives me great joy to know that we have people like that in Canada, and makes me proud to be a Canadian,” he said.
AMC’s efforts in educating people in places like Kincardine are directed at showing people the differences in ‘Muslim’ extremism, which is politically motivated and unrecognizable to the religion he holds dear.
“ISIS feeds on young people who are angry and don’t have a proper education,” said Khalil. “They have a political agenda and have no purpose in bringing any kind of peace. The actions and statements of ISIS run entirely contrary to Islam.”
Khalil said loyalty to one’s country is also sacred to Islam, so the acts to injure and kill soldiers has no basis in their faith and is also in contradiction to the Quran.
“One of Holy Prophet’s teachings states, “Loyalty to your country is part of your faith,” Khalil said. “Islam teaches love, peace, justice and equality, it does not teach violence, hate or oppression. Our heart, condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo.”
Thousands of Ahmadiyya call Canada home, as it’s a place of refuge from the religious persecution they face in Muslim nations where their form of Islam is not recognized. In Khalil’s birthplace of Pakistan, the ‘Blasphemy Law’ does not allow Ahmadis to call themselves Muslims and has seen regular attacks against and murders of his people without repercussion.
An example of this was the assassination of Canadian-American cardiologist Mehdi Ali Qamar in May, 2014. Ali Qamar was the brother of AMC’s Maple, Ontario mosque’s lead missionary Hadi Ali Chaudhary and the eighth of his family to be ‘martyred’ in Pakistan due to his faith.
Ali Qamar was on a two-day humanitarian mission working at the Tahir Heart Institute in Pakistan, which he returned to annually to volunteer his time and expertise, Khalil said. He was shot 10 times by gunmen on a motorcycle after morning prayers, in front of his wife and three-year-old child, who were uninjured. He was also father to two other children. Khalil said the Columbus, Ohio resident had planned to move to Toronto soon.
Even their own AMC members have been “marked for death” in Pakistan because of their outreach work in Canada, Khalil said. But the Ahmadi response is always to protest and provide non-violent opposition, because as a peace-loving people they have to follow what they teach.
“We do not stand up physically, because if we do what they do, there is no difference between us,” he said.
During canvassing in Kincardine, their volunteers and missionaries follow a strict policy never to pressure those who don’t want to hear what they have to say. Unlike what is occurring in many Muslim nations, Islam is supposed to teach that there is “no compulsion” in religion and that it’s supposed to be accepted freely.
“Terrorists put a bad name on our religion,” said Khalil. “We must condemn violence, terrorism and extremism. We are united with you to create peace in this world.”
Khalil said they were well-received in Kincardine during both events, as well as the communities of Norwich and Chatham. They are planning more outreach projects over the next year and are open to those who wish to ask questions about terrorism and extremism in relation to their faith.
“Canadians should not let any kind of terror or fear come into their hearts,” he said. “Don’t let these acts intimidate you. Let us become united under the banner of peace and work towards peace.”
Khalil said both the toughest and saddest part of his job is to convince people not to walk away from any type of faith due to the actions of others. Education is the key to resolving misunderstandings and fighting hate that may come from it.
“When people bring hatred to us, we counter it with love... and it might be that he becomes your friend.”
For more information visit www.ahmadiyya.ca
Read original post here: Canada: Ahmadiyya Muslims visit Kincardine, continue outreach on ISIS, terrorism after Ottawa, Quebec attacks
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