“I assure you that if the political leaders and the religions leaders get together, talk about peace and do their best to promote peace, then peace can be achieved.”
Source/Credit: AMJ Australia
By Press Release | December 1, 2015
On 29 November 2015, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Victoria hosted the 2nd Conference of World Religions at Bait-ul-Salam (House of Peace) Mosque in Langwarrin. The theme of the conference was ‘Role of my religion in promoting peace’.
Over 350 delegates attended the conference, including faith leaders from six major religions, politicians, police officers, academics and representatives of various NGOs.
During the event, various faith leaders discussed what role religion could play in providing peace, harmony, brotherhood and justice in today’s world. National President of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Australia, Imam I.H. Kauser delivered a keynote address to answer these questions in light of Islamic teachings.
Imam Kauser said there is a need for world peace today. He said that the world is being terrorised. Imam Kauser said that Islam is being terrorised and is in need of more help than anyone else. He said that Muslims are suffering as a result of a handful of terrorists. He compares this situation to a mother who is suffering because of her son’s bad deeds.
“I assure you that Muslims are very peaceful. There are only a handful of people who are troublemakers, who are creating the whole trouble. Muslims are not with them. Do not feel that all Muslims verify them and support them. We do not support them. If the 1.8 billion Muslims, God forbids, become terrorists, what is going to happen? They are not terrorists.”
Imam I.H Kauser said that unfortunately the world is heading towards a brink of fire and a Third World War. He said that one of the reasons is because man has gone away from his Lord. Imam Kauser said that man is not paying his dues that are supposed to be given to God. He said that people are not talking about peace but rather they are talking about the differences. Imam Kauser said:
“I assure you that if the political leaders and the religions leaders get together, talk about peace and do their best to promote peace, then peace can be achieved.”
Imam Kauser said there is an urgent need to speak about the commonalities that exist between people. He said that we are all from the same God, Who has sent prophets to every nation for spreading the message of peace. He said:
“ The first commonality is - your God and our God is the same God. As Islam is concerned, the concept of Rabul Alamin (Lord of all the worlds) has been presented. He is not the Lord of Muslims, Christians or Jews. He is Lord of all. The sun rises to everyone. The moon is for everyone. This is what God’s behaviour is. And we must realise that we are the children of God.”
Speaking about how Muslims believe in prophets who have been appointed as mediators between man and God to spread the message of peace, Imam Kauser said:
“As the prophets are concerned, we believe in all prophets. We believe that each and every nation has been given a prophet. No nation or country has been deprived of a prophet because they are the messengers of God. They are the mediators between men and god.”
Imam Kauser said that in its 126-year history since its foundation by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has never participated in any boycotts or terrorists activities. He said:
“ We have educated our youths very well. There is no question that our youths are involved in any terrorist activities in any part of the world. So we are proud of that training and education which we have given to the youth as well.”
Imam Kauser said:
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community members are law-abiding citizens. In each country of the world, we strongly reject violence and terrorism, in any shape or form, for any reason. This is evidenced by the simple fact that no act of terrorism has ever been committed by any member of the community.”
Imam Kauser concluded by urging people of all religions to make special efforts to pray for peace and to establish peace in the world.
Imam I.H Kauser said:
“Oh God, you are the God of all of us. Bring peace to the world. Bring peace in each and every country, in every city and every home and every family and every person. May this country become an abode of peace. May the whole world become an abode of peace.”
Pandit Abhay Anand Awashthi, President of Hindu Council of Australia, said:
“The world is in need of enlightenment. It is in need of peace and prosperity. And I believe that religion as roots of our civilisation has the wisdom and capacity to guide us to achieve our goals.”
Rabbi Lange, Rabbi at Jewish Care Victoria, said:
“I believe that if we work together, if we all work in our inner peace, if we all work within the peace of our family, and if we all work extending outward and the peace of our communities, world peace is attainable and will be attained.”
Dr. Abdul Qadeer Qayoom, representing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, said:
“Islam means peace i.e. to surrender. And it is the duty of all of us to understand the message and to implement it at not only at the public level, but also at the social level and at individual level. Each of us is responsible.”
Rev Philip Manktelow, retired priest of Anglican Church of Australia, said:
“For me participating in this wonderful conference of world religions is both an honour and a privilege. To meet in love and peaceful harmony is a desire that we will all harbour in our hearts and in our minds. We believe that peace is a goal that we can all strive for and that we can live in peace.”
Amar Singh, representative of the Sikh Community, said:
“Right now world peace is a different theory. If you bring it back home, it could be just serving people in your local area and eradicating those misinterpretations, the misunderstandings about different books and different faiths. I think if we start working on a local level. We can achieve so much.”
Hon Robin Scott MP, Minister for Finance and Multicultural Affairs, said:
“On behalf of the Victorian government, and I am sure all people of goodwill in this good state, I would like to congratulate the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association for taking this step to organise such an event.”
Ms. Inga Peulich MP, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Scrutiny of Government, said:
“I have been here on numerous occasions before with the Ahmadi community on various events. Often events that promote intercultural dialogue, interfaith dialogue and could I commend them on really trying to be leaders in our community on building that communication and understanding that I think world peace and certainly peace in our communities we are so dependant upon.”
The Conference of World Religions concluded with a silent prayer led by Imam Kauser. Later in the evening, dinner was served for all the delegates.
-- Over 350 delegates gather at Melbourne’s largest Multi-faith event
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