MORE than 300 people are expected to attend a symposium next month at the Baitul Salam Mosque, Langwarrin to explain that “Islam’s teachings” have no links to terrorism.
The event is being run by the Victorian chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia to promote “peace and unity between all people”.
The Langwarrin mosque is regarded as the largest in the state and Sunday 3 December will be the second annual event of its type at the mosque.
Imam Syed Wadood Janud said the symposium’s theme “World crisis and the pathway to peace” will “focus on reaffirming that Islam is a religion of peace at a time when rising extremism and nationalism are escalating in the world”.
The keynote address will be presented by the Ahmadiyya community’s national president and grand imam Inam-ul-Haq Kauser.
“This symposium was launched in 2003 by His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the fifth Khalifa and leader of the global Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who is based in London, in response to growing extremism in Europe and around the world. The message is just at pertinent today as it was in 2003,” Imam Janud said.
“We are passing through very difficult times where the name of Islam is being used to conduct terrorism. As Ahmadi Muslims, we want to promote the true and real message of Islam. We want to inform all Australians that Islam’s teachings have no connection with violence and disorder that we see in the world today.”
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was founded in 1889, and claims “membership exceeding tens of millions” across 200 countries.
It sees itself as “the leading Islamic organisation to categorically reject terrorism in any form” and is the only Islamic organisation to endorse a separation of mosque and state.
Details: Ahmadiyya.org.au