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The Promised Revival -- To Bring Faith Back Even If It Had Gone To Pleiades (i.e. weakened).

Inter-Faith Solidarity – London’s World Religion Conference 2014 for World Peace.

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Peace be on you. London’s Guildhall was the venue for World Religion Conference 2014 on February 11. Scholars and representatives of various religions came to address. The theme was ‘God in 21 st century’. The conference was organized by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community U.K. to commemorate its 100 years in Britain. Holy Khalifah of Ahmadiyya Promised Messiah Mahdi delivered the keynote address.

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The following are the few words from the speeches or messages from dignified scholars.

Chairman, Hindu Council in Britain, Umesh Sharma said that today’s topic means surely God exists. Political leaders have failed to bring peace. We have to come back to faith. We should lead by example.



The Dalai Lama’s message said that, all religions teach the virtue of love, altruism and patience. We should respect them all. They play significant contribution to humanity. We should encourage contact between followers of different religions.



The Spiritual Head of Druze Community in Israel, Sheikh Moafaq Tarif said that they have strong relations with all religions including Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the Holy Land. Let us join our hands in denouncing violence in all forms and sow seeds of love by developing peace, not only in the East but worldwide.



Archbishop Kevin McDonald represented the Catholic Church, said it was the sign of the times that such gathering should take place.



President of the Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice, Cardinal Peter Turkson sent message of gratefulness, especially as various faiths had gathered to consider peace.



Chief Rabbi of Israel was represented by Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber and he said that we lived in a society where materialism is seen as a positive value of the highest order, and where the gap between the haves and the have-nots has become very great. We are depleting world’s natural resources and ecology is being destroyed. The name of God and His messages are trampled underfoot. Everyone should get together and work against these aspects.



President of Ghana’s message said that the event reminds us that God sent His beloved Prophets in this world who gave their message to people of all races without discrimination that mankind should live peacefully and in mutual harmony. A Peace Council has been established in Ghana and the country has religious tolerance where everyone has representation.



Barroness Warsi
said that it was the testament to the openness, pragmatism and the humility of Ahmadiyya Community that this flagship global event is not just about their own faith but all faiths. In Britain, Ahmadiyya Community is making huge contribution in all walks of life, especially charity and social action. It has clearly been an important moment for so many faiths to come up here and express their solidarity to each other and their solidarity and commitment to inter-faith work.



The Vice-Chair, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett said that Ahmadiyya Community are living proof that religion can indeed be a true friend of peace, understanding, liberty and voice against oppression toward all people. ‘We, like you, stand for tolerance and freedom. We, like you, stand for a world where people of all backgrounds and beliefs can come together and learn from each other. To learn implies listening and to listen implies respect and tolerance. I am grateful indeed that the Ahmadiyya community is about respect for our fellow human beings…May we redouble our efforts to do just that.’




The British Attorney General, Rt Hon. Dominic Grieve said, ‘I don’t think I can think of a more apt location for this interfaith conference looking forward to the 21 st century that we should meet in a great hall of merchants, the very people who took Britain, England outward towards the rest of the world and had the miraculous consequence of bringing all of you together in this place…As a person of Christian faith it has always seemed to me that it is very much easier for somebody who has faith to understand people of other faiths than it is for those who have no faith at all.’



Prime Minister David Cameron’s message said, ‘I send my sincere greetings to the Ahmadiyya Muslim community as you come together with faiths around the world to unite for social and international peace. I recognise the great work you do here in Britain from inter-faith events across the country to helping communities who had been affected by the recent floods and today highlights the significant work you do for inter-faith relations and peace overseas. I am delighted that the British Government is represented today. We join His Holiness and faiths leaders around the world to discuss how faiths can come together to help bring about peace.’



Her Majesty the Queen, the supreme governor of the Church of England and defender of the faith: Her message read, ‘The Queen was pleased to receive your kind message sent on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK on the occasion of the conference of world religions being held today at Guildhall as part of your centenary celebrations. Her Majesty was interested to learn of the aims of the conference and appreciates your thoughtfulness in writing as you did. In return, the Queen sends her best wishes to you all for a most successful and memorable gathering.’



Ahmadiyya Muslim Khalifah (a.t.) of Promised Messiah – the Mahdi (a.s.) said that God Wills to reform human and His rights and rights of creation of God should be paid. For this purpose, God sent Prophets. Those who listen to them are successful; the rejecters of God, His existence, Prophets and Accountability eventually reached a sorry state and ending. Holy Quran is full of such mentions, as the history of other religions does.



== I believe in Holy Quran as the heavenly Scripture which mentions that by sending Prophets God Wills to establish high level of spirituality in human, connection with God and by attaining high morals human fulfill rights of creation of God.



== When God sent the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him) to reform the whole world, he spread the message best. To obtain results, he spent his nights in focused prayers. God said, as Holy Quran says: ‘So haply wilt thou grieve thyself for sorrow after them if they believe not in this discourse.’(18:7). God the exalted Who listens to heartfelt prayers answered the supplications. History is witness that the ignorant and uncivilized people became the people of most magnificent morals. It was pure the Grace of God. Never could any worldly power brought such spiritual revolution.



== His opponents witnessed that he responded to their brutality, hatred and vicious assaults with forgiveness, mercy and compassion. When he gained victory over them at Mecca, his forgave them with the condition to live with peace. By observing this benevolence, they believed that only Prophet of God can do so and they accepted Islam.



== In Holy Quran, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is called ‘Mercy for all People’. There are thousands of examples that prove it. One may ask why religious wars were fought then? To understand, the true history of early Islam must be learned. Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) never initiated a war. Even impartial non-Muslim Orientalists recognise that, right from the start, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and his followers were subjected to the most barbaric and horrific persecution in Mecca. Yet the Muslims did not seek any revenge. After years of sustained persecution, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions migrated to Medina. However when the people of Mecca invaded Medina to eliminate the Muslims, they responded by Divine command which is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: ‘Permission (to fight) is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged — and Allah indeed has power to help them — Those who have been driven out from their homes unjustly only because they said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ — And if Allah did not repel some men by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft commemorated. And Allah will surely help one who helps Him. Allah is indeed Powerful, Mighty ‘(22:40 – 41)



In light of these verses, the oppressed were given the right to defend themselves.
The verses also safeguard other religions.
The verses proved the existence of God. It is state that God is Powerful and has the power to defend Muslims. God helped those Muslims to defeat the mighty, large and well equipped army. The wars fought by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and his Rightly Guided Khulafa were in defense and to establish peace and were not for power or governance.



== The Holy Quran and Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) prophesized that a time would come when Muslims would forget the true teachings of Islam and they would decline. Today it can be seen.



== But this is not to be the ultimate condition of Muslims, just as the prophecy of the deterioration of Muslims has been fulfilled, the other prophecy of revival of their spiritual condition will also come true. This was to take place through the advent of the Promised Messiah. Holy Khalifah told the conference that he and the Ahmadiyya Jama’at believed that the Promised Messiah came in the person of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at and he established the teaching of true Islam among his followers. He formed a community that tries to practice true Islam. God’s help and support is with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Just as sample, here are three examples [from countless] of his truthfulness. First, he had said that in this age, many earthquakes and natural disasters will occur and this has been proven right, as compared to previous centuries, a lot of earthquakes occurred in the previous century. He had also foretold that the Russian Czar will be overthrown and this was proven correct. He also foretold about great wars and the world has seen two great wars since then. The world is trying to head that way once again. Defense budgets around the world are disregarding other needs and attention is focused on enhancing military capability. The world needs to reflect once again. Absence of peace in the world is not due to religion, on the contrary it is due to greed and politics.



God’s help is with the one He sent in this age, otherwise how could a claimant from a small village in India become renowned throughout the world. And following his passing away, without God’s help he could not have left behind such a flourishing community -- a community, which, due to being firmly attached to the institution of Khilafat, is furthering his mission throughout the world.



Holy Khalifah told the conference, ‘The founder of our Jama’at has given us the insight that the Word of God is not old fables, rather God is alive today too and speaks to His righteous servants and shows them true signs. It is our duty to pay heed to the reformer of the age and recognize our God’s true spirit. Instead of laying the blame of our mistakes upon God and upon our religions, we should take a look in the mirror and assess our own shortcomings. May God enable the world to practice this!




There were positive comments about conference by several guests:
Secretary general of the European Council of Religious Leaders, Stein Villumstad,

High Commissioner for Grenada to the UK, Joslyn Whiteman,

Commander of London Metropolitan Police, Mak Chisty,

Member European Parliament, Charles Tannock,

Chair of All Parliamentary Group on International Religious Freedom, UK, Baroness Berridge,

A member of the All-Parliamentary Group on International Religious Freedom,

Chief Rabbi’s another message,

A Councillor,

Norway’s political party, a member,

University of Amsterdam, a professor,

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Fr. AEthelwine,

Ireland, a guest,

European Council of Religious Leaders, Jehangir Sarosh,

A teacher of religious studies,

Catholic Chuch, a guest from,

University in Antwerp,, two academics,

Spain, a university professor from Madrid, author of many books, Mr Santiago,

Spain, a former mayor of the Pedro Abad town, Mr Garcia, in his capacity, he had allowed the construction of Basharat Mosque, in spite of opposition.

Reference: Friday sermon of March 7, 2014, by Hazrat Khalifah of Hazrat Promised Messiah Mahdi (a.s.), London, U.K. alislam.org and mta.tv