Mosques around the World — Page 30
30. Li. Bait-ur-Rahman Mosque Groundbreaking Ceremony. A Speech by Sahibzada Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad,. Amir, USA Jama'at et me first of all extend a warm welcome to all of you-and in particular to our guests-who have taken the trouble and time to be with us in our moment of joy and bliss. We have gathered today for the ground breaking ceremony of the Ahmadiyya mosque whose foundation was laid sometime back by. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadaba, the Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya community. . As many of our guests are not familiar with the. Ahmadiyya community, allow me to say a few words about it. The community was established under divine command by its founder Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas in 1889. He claimed to be the Mahdi and Messiah of the age the latter day Reformer whose advent was prophecied by the Holy Prophet of Islamsa and by scriptures of other faiths. . From a remote unknown village of Qadian, cut off from the rest of the world, he predicted under divine revelation that the community, which represents the renaissance of Islam, will spread to the corners of the. Earth and would attain a commanding presence all over the world. Today, Ahmadis are estimated to be ten million strong and are established in 135 countries in all parts of the world. Despite a strong and bitter opposition the community has grown fast and Hazrat. Mirza Tahir Ahmadaba, at our recent U. K. Jalsa Salana (Annual Gathering), took the covenant of over 200,000 new members who joined the community during the last year. The covenant's symbolic representative ceremony was telecast by satellite the world over in eight important languages. . The solid core of the community's work centers around homage to and communion with our Creator and service to humanity regardless of faith, color, or creed. For the spread of Islam and its teachings, just to give an example, it has translated the Holy Qur'an into 51 languages, a service unequaled by any other Muslim organization or any combination of them. . In the area of service to humanity it has established a large number of schools and hospitals and this work has been strongest in the African countries where the need was and remains most acute. . Here in America we have established Ahmadi communities in 40 cities/locations, have 16 mosques. and mission houses, and have an ambitious program of expansion. . As regards Ahmadiyya beliefs and teachings these are none other than those of Islam in its true form. Islam teaches us that God has sent His prophets and reformers to every group of people. Consequently, the source and origin of every religion is the same. No. religion can therefore claim a total monopoly of truth. A believer in Islam must believe in all prophets like. . Mosesas or Jesus Christas and others, or he cannot call himself a true Muslim. Islam's claim is that whereas other religions were limited in time or restricted to a particular people, Islam is the complete, final, and perfect faith embodying all that was best anywhere, any time. . It is a pity that religion, which should be a source of harmony and peace, has through its misuse, abuse or exploitation been turned into a source of conflict and strife. Islam prohibits abuse or disrespect to leaders of other faiths, even idols worshipped by idolaters. It categorically rejects the use of force for conversion and is against violence or terrorism under any circumstances for any cause. . As the ceremony is for a mosque, I might add that the mosque enjoys a pivotal position in Islamic society. The believers gather here five times a day to offer prayers in congregation. It is used to impart knowledge to children and becomes a focal point for many religious and social events. In the Holy Qur'an, the mosque is referred to at no less than 13 different places. It speaks of the first. House of Worship founded for all of mankind as that at. Mecca, abounding in blessings and guidance for all peoples. The Qur'an categorically condemns ill use of places of worship and their destruction. Thus, in chapter two, verse 115, it claims, "Who is more unjust than he who prohibits the name of Allah being glorified in Allah's temples and strives to ruin them?". Ahmadiyya Muslim Association USA: 1994 Souveni