Ahmadiyyat in America — Page 18
VIEW P 0 INT What others have to say about Ahmadiyytat "As Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Human Rights and Inter - nat i onal O rganizations, I have had the plea- s ure to be co me more a wa re of the tremen- dous cont ributi on th at the ten million Ahmadi Muslims have made to the count ri es and soci- et ies in which they live. Ahmadis have en- riched all of our lives with their participation in the entire realm of positive human endeavor. In education , medic i ne, law and other profes- sions , in the arts and culture and in phi l an- th ro py the work of the Ahmadi Community has been manifested. My admiration for the Ahmadiyya Movement in I slam is hightened by the fact that in some 117 countries the Community faces various forms of di scrimination and per- secution, yet, the Ahmad i people remain a peaceful , presevering and benevolent Com- munity. " Gus Yatron, Chairman, Subcommit- tee on Human Rights and International Or- ganizations , United States Congress. ". . . The doctrines of the Ahmadiyya agree on th e whole with those genera l ly taught by the Islam. The most str iki ng di f ferences con- cern on ly the Christo l ogy , t he vocation of Mahdi and the Jihad (t he holy war). As to the fi rs t mentioned doctrine, they assume that Jesus did no t die on the cross, but after his apparent dea th and resurrection m ig ra te d to I ndia, strictly speaking to Kashmir, in order to preach the gospel in th e country. There he is sa id to have died at t he age of 120 years; his tomb at Sirinagar is still known, but is mi staken for that of prophet ca l led Yuz Asaf (which accord- ing to the Ahmadiyya must not be explained as corruption of Bodhisatwa!). . . . Regarding the vocation of Mahdi and the Jihadthe Ahmadiyya teach that the task of the former is one of peace, and that the Jihad against the unfaith - ful must be conducted with peaceful means instead of instruments of war ; under all cir- cumstances sincere obedience must be given to the Government. . . . " From: Shorter Encyclo- pedia of Islam, edited by H. A. R Gibb and J. H. Kramers, Cornell University Press, 1965, p. 24 "In Ahmadiyyat we appreciate Muslim piety and sense the via bility of Islam as a power force in the modern world. " Dr. Louis J. Ham- mann , Professor of Relig io n, Gettysburg Col- lege , Pennsylvania. "Ghu l am Ahmad was an examplary religious fig ure , a seeker of truth who contributed much to the advancement of Isla m. In f undamen ta l be l iefs Ahmadiyyat is very compassionate and tolerant religio n. Ghulam Ahmad re qu ired that his fo llowers refrain from injuring any person , no matter what his or her religion. " Dr. Garth N. Jones, Professor of Public Policy and Ad- ministration , University of Alaska, Anchorage.