Unlike the larger Islamic community of Windsor Mosque, Ahmadiyya Muslims believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad — a 19th century Indian religious leader — was the promised messiah.
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| File photo: Ahmadi Muslims of Windsor chapter, Canada |
Source/Credit: Windsor Star
By Dalson Chen | March 6, 2016
Tolerance, education, and respect were the watchwords over the weekend when two different Muslim communities in Windsor held simultaneous open house events.
There were tours, prizes, free food, and Qur’an giveaways at the Windsor Mosque at 1320 Northwood St. — an association with thousands of members.
But across the city, at 1957 Head Ave., Windsor’s much smaller Ahmadiyya Muslim community held its own open house, seeking to raise awareness of their distinct beliefs and culture.
“Our purpose is to open our doors to our community and spread the message of love and peace,” said Arfan Ahmad, spokesman for the Baitul Ehsan mosque in Windsor.
“We deny terrorism in all its forms, and we have been doing that for over 100 years.”
Unlike the larger Islamic community of Windsor Mosque, Ahmadiyya Muslims believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad — a 19th century Indian religious leader — was the promised messiah.
Arfan said there are about 250 Ahmadiyya Muslims in Windsor — but he doesn’t feel his community is isolated.
“It’s relatively small,” he admitted. “But Canada is a very inclusive country. Everybody has the freedom to practice their faith, so we do not feel excluded at all.”
According to Arfan, there are 86 chapters of Ahmadiyya Muslims across Canada, and the number of believers worldwide is in the millions — with the majority of them in India.
Along with belief in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Ahmadiyya Muslims are distinguished by their refusal of violent jihad. “Our founder said that if you want to do jihad in these days, it has to be done with a pen,” Arfan said.
A banner at Windsor's Ahmadiyya Muslim community centre.
A banner at Windsor’s Ahmadiyya Muslim community centre. Dalson Chen / Windsor Star
The building at 1957 Head Ave. was purchased by Windsor’s Ahmadiyya Muslims about 10 years ago. A former elementary school, it now serves as their prayer and community centre.
Sunday’s open house included a food drive, information booths, and a display of Qu’rans translated into a wide variety of languages: English, Spanish, Greek, Dutch, Norwegian, Japanese, Korean, Bengali, Hindi, and localized Indian languages such as Assamese, Manipuri, and Malayalam.
“We have communities in over 206 countries in the world,” Arfan said.
Asked how he feels about Windsor Mosque also holding an open house event the same weekend, Arfan said he thinks it’s a good thing. “I think it’s important for all Muslim sects and denominations to show the world that we can all co-exist.”
dchen@postmedia.com - Twitter.com/WinStarChen
Read original post here: Canada: Windsor's Ahmadiyya Muslim sect opens its doors
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