Maryam-Apr-Jun-2014-EN

T H E C O N F E R E N C E O F W O R L D R E L I G I O N S
destroy the religion, he responded with peace
and forgiveness.”
Huzur aba said there was no contradiction between
Islam’s peaceful teachings and the fact that some
wars were fought during the early years of Islam. He
said that those wars fought had been defensive wars,
fought not only to protect Islam, but also to protect
the people of all religions.
Citing the example of the Battle of Badr, where 300
ill-equipped Muslims defeated a much stronger army
comprising 1,000 soldiers, Huzur aba said:
“Where on the one hand this was a victory for
Islam, it was also a timeless triumph for every
person who desires for peace to be established in
the world. It was a victory for every person who
desires for human values to always be preserved
and it was a victory for all people who believe
religion to be a force for good and for establishing
peace in the world.”
Huzur aba clarified that any wars fought during the era
of the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw or his four Rightly
Guided Successors were entirely defensive in nature
and fought only to “end cruelty” and “establish
peace.” However, later wars fought during the eras
of certain Muslim monarchs were fought to expand
kingdoms and gain power.
Commenting on this, Huzur aba said:
“Those wars fought to expand kingdoms and to
increase power were not in any way fought in
accordance with the teachings of Islam as taught
by the Holy Qur’an.”
Huzur aba further stated that Ahmadi Muslims believed
the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community,
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian as , to be the
Promised Messiah and Mahdi and that he had come
to end all religious wars, to bring mankind towards
its Creator and to draw the attention of the world
towards fulfilling the rights of one another.
Huzur aba appealed for the people of all religions to
work together towards creating a just society based
on mutual respect and tolerance:
“I hope and pray that we, who are the
representatives of different faiths and religions,
and who have gathered here today to practically
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Maryam