Ahmadiyya Times: Chicago, USA: Muslims who believe in the Messiah celebrate 121 years

Ahmadiyya Times: Chicago, USA: Muslims who believe in the Messiah celebrate 121 years

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Chicago, USA: Muslims who believe in the Messiah celebrate 121 years
They [Ahmadiyya Muslim Community] comprise of a Nobel laurete, President of the UN, President of the World Supreme Court, Director of the World Bank, Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy Award winners, artists, authors, scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and certainly scholars in Islamic Jurisprudence. They emphasize that any success achieved is solely by the Grace of God and the perfect example of the Holy Prophet (sa).


Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, (1835-1908)
The Promised Messiah
Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | Articles
Source & Credit: Chicago Islam Examiner | March 23, 2010
By Qasim Rashid | Chicago, IL

March 23: Muslims in Chicago and around the world who accept Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the Messiah today celebrate 121 years of the establishment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Ahmad claimed to be the spiritual re-advent of Jesus Christ, awaited by Muslims and Christians alike.

In March 1889, Ahmad issued a leaflet in which he stated:

"God desires to found a community of the faithful to manifest His Glory and Power. He will make the Community grow and prosper, to establish the love of God, righteousness, purity, piety, peace and goodwill among men. This shall be a group of persons devoted to God. He shall strengthen them with His own spirit, and bless them and purify them. He shall multiply them exceedingly as He has promised. Thousands of truthful people shall join His ranks. He shall Himself look after them and make the Community grow, so much so that its numbers and progress shall amaze the world.
The Community shall be a lighthouse so high as to illumine the four corners of the world. The members thereof shall serve as models of Islamic blessings. My true followers shall excel every other people. There shall always rise among them, till the Judgment Day, personages who will be the chosen ones of God in every respect. So has the Almighty decreed. He does as He wills."

A well known hadeeth of the Holy Prophet (sa) says, "Dajjal will be stopped at the gates of Lud." (Muslim). The city where Hazrat Ahmad first accepted bai'at (allegiance) was a small town in India called Ludhiana. Forty righteous souls took bai'at that day. Since that day, this Community of Muslims has grown to tens of millions of members, established over 15,000 mosques, hundreds of schools, and dozens of hospitals worldwide. They have translated the Holy Qur'an in full into over 60 languages. They comprise of a Nobel laurete, President of the UN, President of the World Supreme Court, Director of the World Bank, Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy Award winners, artists, authors, scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and certainly scholars in Islamic Jurisprudence. They emphasize that any success achieved is solely by the Grace of God and the perfect example of the Holy Prophet (sa).

Perhaps most relevant to contemporary issues, Muslims who believe in the Messiah categorically reject any and all forms of violence in the name of religion. In now officially 121 years, they have never once engaged in a single act of violence for any reason. This, despite facing intense governmental and societal persecution and martyrdom in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

The current Khalifa, Mirza Masroor Ahmad stated, "A true Muslim can never raise his voice in hatred against his fellow citizens, nor for that matter against the ruling authority or government of the time. It is the responsibility of a true Muslim that he should remain loyal and fully abide by the laws of the land of which he is a subject.” (Address at the opening of the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, Surrey in October 2003)

As Muslims celebrate this day, festivities are kept modest, generally including prayer, reflection, family time, and giving alms to the less fortunate.

Read original article here: Muslims who believe in the Messiah celebrate 121 years

Qasim Rashid is a contributing member of Majlis Sultanul Qalm, USA (MSQ USA) and regularly writes for Examiner.com and various other publications on topics ranging from Islam to human rights. Leave your thoughts and comments, or email Qasim at 1muslim.examiner@gmail.com