By A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiya Muslim Jama’at, Sri Lanka.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Head of the World-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, returned to London recentlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  after a four week tour of Europe. During the tour, His Holiness visited France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. The weekly Friday Sermons were broadcast live worldwide on MTA International throughout the tour as well as the concluding address delivered by His Holiness at the JamaatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Annual Convention in Spain.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On both the 2^nd and 9^th of April 2010 the Friday Sermons were delivered from the Basharat Mosque in Pedro Abad, Spain. His Holiness used these sermons to highlight the need for self-reflection and analysis. He said that each person needed to continually improve his or her actions and deeds. This was the message taught by the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and was the reason that he was sent by God Almighty.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ His Holiness spoke also about SpainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s past Islamic history that was brutally brought to an end in the Middle Centuries. He said that it was now the task of Ahmadi Muslims to re-establish Islam in the country through the peaceful means of spreading its message of love for all, regardless of creed, caste or colour. The teachings of Islam were universal and this distinguished it from all previous religions.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On 16^th April 2010 His Holiness delivered the Friday Sermon from Baitul Tauheed in Pietro de Castel in Bologna. It was the first time that the Friday Sermon had been broadcast live on MTA from Italy. His Holiness spoke of how Italy was the centre of the Roman Catholic faith and thus the concept of Trinity prevailed. It was, he said, the duty of Ahmadi Muslims to establish the Unity of God throughout the country by elucidating the beautiful teachings of Islam.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Further, His Holiness also spoke about the state of the wider Muslim world. He said that apart from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, all other Muslims were wholly disunited. The majority accepted the need for unified spiritual leadership in the form of Khilafat but GodƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s promise of Khilafat was limited to those who embraced true Islamic principles of goodness, peace, tolerance and love. Only the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat embodied such principles and thus they were the community upon whom God had bestowed the true spiritual leadership of Khilafat.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The final Friday Sermon of the tour took place at the Noor Mosque in Wigoltingen in Switzerland on 23 April 2010. During the sermon His Holiness spoke in appreciation of the fact that Ahmadis who had previously been persecuted in Pakistan and elsewhere were able to live in peace and security in Switzerland and other western countries. Ahmadis were under a duty to show their appreciation by always remaining loyal citizens to the country in which they lived.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Speaking about issues currently causing controversy such as Minarets and the Hijab, His Holiness said that in the name of so called freedom some countries were actually curtailing freedom. He said that minarets had been banned in Switzerland due to a fear of Islam but this would have no practical effect on the peace and security of the country. Those evil extremists who wished to plot and conspire against the State would continue to do so whether their mosques had minarets or not. The fact that they had now been banned was an affront to the honour of Islam and so His Holiness advised Ahmadis to continually take up this issue with politicians and the media in an attempt to have the ban overturned. He said that it should be brought to the attention of the authorities that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat was spread in 195 countries and in each country the Ahmadis were law abiding and loyal citizens of State.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Regarding the issue of Hijab, His Holiness said that Islam had, since its inception, championed the rights of women. It had done so before any of the western countries who today wrongfully claimed that Islam violated the rights of women. The issue of Hijab was one of modesty and through its observation Muslim women gained the respect that they deserved.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Following the four week tour His Holiness returned to the Fazl Mosque in London at 9pm on Sunday 25 April 2010.