Souvenir on 50th Jalsa Salana USA — Page 3
TllE Alll\i1AI>IYYA 1\ill SI l:\tl ( ():\tll\ll NITY AN IN I RODt;( I IO The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a religious organi1ation within blam. international in its scope. which was established in 1889 by Hadlm11 Mir. rn Ghulam Ahmad (AS) in a small. remote and unknown village. Qadian, in the Punjab. India. He claimed to be the expected reformer of the latter days, the Awaited One of the world community of religions and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (AS). The movement he started is an embodiment of the benevolent message of Islam - peace, universal brotherhood. and submission to the Will of God - in its pristine purity. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was created under divine guidance with the objective of reju- venating Islamic moral and spiritual values. Hadlm11 Ahmad (AS) proclaimed Islam as the future religion of man. With this conviction and prediction, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. within a century. ha'> reached the corners of the Earth. Wherever it is established, it endeavours to exert a constructive innuence of Islam through Islamic publications. con'>truction of mosques, social pro- jects. educational institutes, and health services despite being bitterly persecuted in some countries. In pursuance of Islam\ true teachings. Ahmadi Muslims have earned the distinction of being a law- abiding. peaceful, persevering and benevolent community. The Community encourages interfaith dialogue. and diligently tries to correct misunderstanding'> about Islam in the West. It advocates peace, toler- ance, love and understanding among followers of different faiths. It firmly believes in and acts upon the Qur'anic teaching: "There is no compulsion in religion. " (2:257) It strongly rejects violence and terrorism in any form and for any reason. The Community offers a clear presentation of Islamic wisdom. philosophy, morals and spirituality as derived from the Holy Qur'an and the practice (Swuwh) of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (SA). Some Ahmadi members, like late Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan (RA) (who served a'> the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan; President of the 16th General Assembly of the UNO; President and Judge of the International Court of Justice, at the Hague) and Dr. Abdul Salam (the Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1979), have also been recog- ni1ed by the world community for their out. The prc'>ent Head of the Movement. Hadhrat Mirta Tahir Ahmad (ABA), was elect- ed in 1982 as the fourth successor. His official title is Khalifatul Ma'>ih IV. He has launched sever- al social project'> to help poor countries in Africa, and under his personal supervision and guidance the Holy Qur'an has been translated in 52 major languages of the world. He has also initiated a global satellite-based tcle"Vi'>ion program (Muslim Televi'>ion Ahmadiyya) which provides moral and spiritual guidance to mill ions in more than 150 countries around the clock. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has established branches in 153 countries in Africa. Americas. Asia. Australia. and Europe. At present. its total membership is about 15 million world- wide, and the numbers are increasing day by day. More than 3 million people accepted Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam, during 1997. This is the most dynamic denomination of Islam in mod- ern history.