By Ishola Balogun

AS dignitaries from far and near from no fewer than 207 countries who attended the 2015 World convention in London returned to their various countries, the lesson of hatred for none, love fore all still reverberates. The Ahmadi tenet of love for all, hatred for none is a fantastic ideology that is capable of bringing peace to the world. It is a mantra we desperately need to halt the impending conflagration.

This is particularly important at this time when parts of the world is in turmoil, when values within families, communities, nations have gone down to the lowest ebb; when terrorism and violence have become synonyms for religion; when even Ulamas and those who should know are shielding the truth for selfish gain and when our youths are being brainwashed to take up arms against the state and fellow human beings.

A close examination at challenges facing the West, the emergence of the Arab spring or the turbulence facing countries across the Middle East, peace has remained elusive. Many have been radicalised, joining the evil regime of Boko Haram, ISIS, al-Qaedah and host of others. Love which the Holy Prophet Muhammad emphasised has taken a dive while man’s inhumanity to man has become commonplace. Governments and institutions know nothing but politics of hate.

This community has however set an example with the message of love for all, hatred for none.  This is one of the few Islamic organisations who have been vociferous against the bad name given to Islam. They  continue to say loud and clear, that Islam is about love, Islam is about peace and Islam tolerates, and abhors violence. In fact, the only one way to save the world from imminent conflagration, is that we must all endeavour to spread love, tolerate ourselves and show mutual respect irrespective of religious background.

It does not only start and end with the Muslims and all the Islamic sects, but the entire human race. This is the duty the entire Muslims have merely because the pain and anguish in our hearts when Islam is mentioned at the slightest conflict and violence in any part of the world is enough drive us into making a generous jihad for change. Islam has been perceived in the bad light and we need to give the direction for achieving peace. This is what the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is doing.

This was the message at the recently concluded London Jalsa Salana. We could see good charity works, inter-religious harmony; friendliness; brotherhood; service to humanity, high volunteering spirit to serve humanity, et cetera. There were testimonials of fantastic water projects in some developing countries provided by the Jamaat to help humanity.

The vice President of Serria Leone also recounted the immeasurable assistance provided by the Jamaat to his country particularly during the Ebola crisis. In one of my interactions with some volounteers, the Chairman of Ahmadis Architects Association, the European Chapter, Muhammad Akram Ahmad, said a lot of charity works are on-going in over 12 countries in Africa including Nigeria.

According to him, “At the moment, we are working in at least 12 different countries in bringing water to different villages.  In the last 6-7 years when this project started, we have been doing a lot of work in ensuring that communities and villages get water and electricity.  So far, we have touched over 1500 villages in all parts of Africa in the area of water supply. We have also brought electricity to 250 villages. 

These projects will provide water and electricity and they can concentrate on other basic needs and this will make life a lot better for them. We are going to have a village project in Nigeria where we will not only provide water and electricity, we will also embark on educational programme.  We will teach young boys and girls, commuters.  This particularly is aimed at empowering the younger ones.  We don’t want them to go begging.  They should not only stand on their feet, but also be of immense benefit to their communities,” he said.

As other Ahmadis reeled out details of their voluntary services to help the Jamaat and humanity; several other non-Ahmadis at the occasion gave different remarks praising the Jamaat for showing love, compassion and brotherhood in Islam as preached by Prophet Muhammad and above all the message of peace to the world.

Besides, more than 5000 people from different professional background volounteered to serve over 35,000 delegates and guests at the event. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, high networth businessmen and individuals worked like labourers, serving people in different areas. Hospitality and brotherhood were at its best. And for more than the three-week period, food and drinks were in abundance. We gathered that 85% of the cost were borne by donors from different parts of the country who declined their identities.

Whatever doctrinal and dogmatic differences that various sects may hold at this point, do not matter. The basis for being a Muslim is to hold and believe the Kalimah- the existence of only one God, Allah and that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is His messenger. Every other thing falls under the kalimah. This is one fact that those who persecute the Ahmadis must understand. If they persecute those who believe in the Kalimah and carry out other pillars of Islam, what then will they do to those who do not believe in all of these.

The right of judgment is the exclusive preserve of Almighty Allah whom we serve. It should be noted that tolerance and freedom of religion are cornerstone for the world peace. I wonder if 80 per cent of the all Muslim organisations have been so boisterous on the true values of Islam;

if apart from our normal ibadah of salat, zakat, saum and hajj, we all imbibe these values of love, we serve humanity with all our strength and wherewithal, that of course could have been a better Jihad that would have placed Islam on an enviable pedestal and may be our youths would not have been victims of brainwash to take up arms against fellow humans. It will also go to show that Islam is not only a religion of peace but it is the one that spreads peace.

And like Barrie Schwortz, an Amerian-Jew researcher who was also invited to discuss a Christian relics cum Islamic organisations said at the event, “Before, we did not know the good news, we only hear the bad news about Islam, but now I can say Ahmadiyya with its ‘love-for-all and-hatred-for-none’ model, it is the good news.”

What is your own opinion? Send it to me if you care?