{"id":94435,"date":"2019-10-28T18:27:16","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T01:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=94435"},"modified":"2019-10-28T18:27:16","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T01:27:16","slug":"head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-community-delivers-historic-address-at-unicco-headquarters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/10\/28\/head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-community-delivers-historic-address-at-unicco-headquarters\/","title":{"rendered":"Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Delivers Historic Address at UNICCO Headquarters"},"content":{"rendered":"

By A. Abdul Aziz.<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

\u00a7  Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad calls for respect and tolerance\nbetween people of different faiths and beliefs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a7  His Holiness stresses importance of education for girls<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a7  Caliph says access to education is key to world peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a7  His Holiness says Holy Quran inspires Muslims towards\nintellectual advancement and the pursuit of knowledge<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a7  His Holiness says that there is no contradiction between science\nand religion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the\nFifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivered\nan historic keynote address on 8th October 2019 at the United Nations\nEducational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters\nin Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event was attended by over 80 dignitaries and\nguests, including diplomats, politicians, academics and the\nrepresentatives of think tanks, as well as business leaders and various\nother professions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his address, the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim\nCommunity commended the foundational objectives of UNESCO, which included\ndeveloping sustainable peace, promoting the rule of law, the protection of\nhuman rights, safeguarding the cultural heritage of different groups and\ncommunities and seeking to ensure the future prosperity of the world.\nThereafter, His Holiness said that over 1400 years ago, Islam instructed\nMuslims to pursue these same goals in the interests of the peace and\nprosperity of mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness stressed the importance of education\nacross society. He said that access to education was the means of ensuring\npeace and stability and that Islam emphasised the importance of ensuring\nthat girls were educated and given equal opportunities as boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, His Holiness refuted the allegation that\nIslam was a religion that failed to encourage intellectual advancement.\nRather, he emphasised how from the very outset Islam taught that human\nbeings should continually seek to push the boundaries of human knowledge\nand that there was no contradiction between science and religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke about the utmost\nimportance of education for the establishment of peace and how the\nteachings of Islam have laid down the foundations for a model society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such teachings had motivated and inspired generations\nof Muslim scholars and philosophers who had advanced the cause of the\nintellectual progress of mankind through the Middle Ages. Now, in the\nmodern era, it was the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that sought to draw on\nthat rich intellectual history by encouraging learning and the pursuit of\nhuman knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the outset, His Holiness praised the founding\nprinciples of UNESCO. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The founding objectives of UNESCO are excellent and\npraiseworthy. Amongst its objectives, are fostering peace and respect,\npromoting the rule of law, human rights and education across the world.\nUNESCO also advocates for press freedom and protecting different cultures\nand heritages. Another of its stated goals is to eradicate poverty and to\npromote sustainable global growth and development and to try to ensure\nthat humanity leaves behind a positive legacy from which future\ngenerations can benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be surprised to learn that Islamic teachings\nrequire Muslims to work towards fulfilling these same objectives and to\ncontinually strive for the progress of humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness said that the Holy Quran has stated that\nAllah the Almighty is the \u2018Lord of All the Worlds\u2019, and hence Muslims\nbelieve him to be the Creator and Provider for all humankind, regardless\nof creed or colour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, it was an incumbent religious obligation\nplaced on Muslims to serve humanity without distinction of their\nreligious, social or ethnic background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The very first chapter of the Holy Quran states that\nAllah the Almighty is the \u2018Lord of all the Worlds\u2019. This verse is central\nto the Islamic faith whereby Muslims are taught that God Almighty is not\njust their Lord and Provider but He is the Provider and Sustainer of all\nhumankind. He is the Gracious and Merciful and so, irrespective of caste,\ncreed or colour, God Almighty fulfils the needs of His Creation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given this, true Muslims firmly believe that all\nhumans are born equal and that regardless of differences of belief, the\nvalues of mutual respect and tolerance must be firmly embedded within\nsociety.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness said that the Prophet of Islam, the Holy\nProphet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was the perfect\nmanifestation of the teachings of Islam. Following his migration to\nMedina, and under his leadership, a thriving, multicultural society was\nestablished which continued to serve as an example for mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of the reasons for his migration and what\ntranspired thereafter, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After he founded Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad\n(peace and blessings be upon him) and his followers were subjected to\nbrutal and inhumane treatment by the non-Muslims of Makkah, which they\nendured with patience and restraint. Finally, after suffering years of\nrelentless persecution, they migrated to the city of Medina where the Holy\nProphet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) formed a covenant of\npeace between the Muslim migrants, the Jewish people and the other members\nof society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to its terms, the divergent groups pledged\nto live peacefully, to fulfil the rights of one another and to foster a\nspirit of mutual sympathy, tolerance and cooperation. The Holy Prophet\nMuhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was elected as the Head of\nState and, under his leadership, the covenant proved to be a magnificent charter\nof human rights and governance and it ensured peace between the different\ncommunities<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thereafter, His Holiness very carefully analysed and\ndiscussed the key characteristics and achievements of that first\ngovernment of Medina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness said that its system of governance was\nunderpinned by an entirely impartial system of law and order and justice,\nwherein all people were equal under the law of the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon\nhim) established an impartial judiciary for dispute resolution. He made it\nclear that there would not be one law for the rich and powerful and\nanother for the poor and weak. Rather, in what was a revolutionary\nconcept, all people were treated equally according to the law of the\nland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad explained how the Holy\nProphet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) established various\nprogrammes and schemes designed to ensure the progress and stability of\nsociety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These included establishing an education system, a\ntaxation system designed to raise the standards of the poor, a public\nhealth system focused on sanitation and educating citizens about health, a\ntransport system and a code of conduct for business and financial ethics\nleading to tremendous social progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the 7th Century, under the government led by the\nProphet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him), astonishing progress\nwas made in Medina to advance the cause of individual and collective\nrights. Indeed, for the very first time amongst the Arabs, an orderly and\ncivilised society was established. In many ways, it was a model society \u2013\nin terms of infrastructure, services and, more importantly, in terms of\nthe unity and tolerance displayed in what was a multicultural society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness expressed \u2018profound sadness\u2019 that a\nconcerted effort had taken place in the modern world to malign and defame\nthe character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon\nhim)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be\nupon him) has been branded as a belligerent leader \u2013 when nothing could be\nfurther from the truth. The reality is that the Prophet of Islam (peace\nand blessings be upon him) spent every moment of his life championing the\nrights of all people and, through the teachings of Islam, he established\nan incomparable and timeless charter of human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness condemned those who sought to attack or\nmock religion and the Prophets of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my view, it is deeply regrettable, that the\nprinciple of mutual respect, which is the means of establishing love and\nunity, has been sacrificed in the modern world in the name of so-called\nfreedom and even in the name of \u2018entertainment\u2019. Even the Founders of\nreligion are no longer spared mockery and contempt, even though their\nderision causes anguish and pain to millions of their followers around the\nworld.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In stark contrast to how he was oft portrayed by the\nopponents of Islam, His Holiness explained that the Holy Prophet Muhammad\n(peace and blessings be upon him) set a timeless example of compassion and\nhumanity. He forever sought to care for the weak and vulnerable members of\nsociety and established many schemes to ensure their welfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad also spoke about the Holy\nProphet\u2019s (peace and blessings be upon him) continuous efforts to\neradicate slavery. In an era when slavery was rampant and considered a\nfundamental part of society, the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be\nupon him) sought to emancipate those who were shackled by the chains of\nbondage and servitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon\nhim) repeatedly advocated the freeing of slaves and instructed that if it\nwas not immediately possible for them to release them, then at the very\nminimum, they were to feed and clothe them in the same way they fed and\nclothed themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness said that another allegation often raised\nis that Islam fails to protect women\u2019s rights or advocates discrimination\nbetween the sexes. However, this was entirely false and unfair. From the\nstart, Islam prescribed the equal rights of women and taught that\neducating girls was of primary importance and a religious requirement for\nall Muslims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Islam established the rights of women and girls for\nthe first time. At a time, when women and girls were discriminated against\nand often looked down upon, the Holy Prophet of Islam instructed his\nfollowers to ensure that girls were educated and respected. Indeed, he\nsaid that if a person had three daughters who they educated and guided in\nthe best way they would be sure to enter Paradise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based upon the teachings of the Prophet of Islam (peace\nand blessings be upon him) Ahmadi Muslim girls across the world are\neducated and are excelling in various fields. They are becoming doctors,\nteachers, architects and entering other professions through which they can\nserve humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answering the allegation that Islam is a religion that\npromotes violence or permits violence in the name of religion, His\nHoliness said that the wars in the early period of Islam were defensive\nand fought as a last resort in order to protect the rights of Muslims and\nnon-Muslims alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is that, as is stated in the Holy Quran,\npermission to fight back was granted to (the early Muslims) to establish\nand preserve the principles of freedom of belief and freedom of conscience\nfor all mankind. The Quran states that if the Muslims did not defend\nthemselves against the Meccan army, then no church, synagogue, temple,\nmosque or any other place of worship would be safe because the opponents\nof Islam were determined to eliminate all forms of religion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, if the early Muslims engaged in warfare\nit was always defensive and fought for the sake of establishing long-term\npeace and to protect the right of all people to live with freedom. If\ntoday, there are Muslims who have adopted extremist tactics or who preach\nviolence it is because they have abandoned Islam\u2019s teachings or are wholly\nignorant of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he graced the audience at UNESCO, His Holiness\nrefuted the suggestion that Islam was an \u2018archaic and backward religion\u2019\nand one that did not promote intellectual advancement. His Holiness\nbranded such a claim as a lazy stereotype that is based on fiction rather\nthan fact\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness presented an extensive array of\nhistorical examples illustrating the contribution of Muslims to the cause\nof intellectual enlightenment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is that the Holy Quran and the teachings of\nthe Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) inspired the\nworks of generations of Muslim intellectuals, philosophers and inventors\nin the Middle Ages. Indeed, if we look back more than a millennium we see\nhow Muslim scientists and inventors played a fundamental role in advancing\nknowledge and developing technologies which transformed the world and\nremain in use today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad mentioned ground-breaking\ncontributions to medicine, technology, chemistry, physics, ethics,\nphilosophy, mathematics amongst others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this era, it was the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community\nthat had taken up the mantle of promoting education and furthering the\ncause of intellectual progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Holiness mentioned the distinguished contribution\nto science and human knowledge Professor Dr Abdus Salam and how he had\nbeen inspired by his faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Grace of Allah, the very first Muslim Nobel\nLaureate was an Ahmadi Muslim, Professor Dr Abdus Salam, an eminent\nphysicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1979. Throughout his\nlife, Professor Salam spoke of how Islam, and the Holy Quran in\nparticular, was the inspiration and guiding light behind his work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, His Holiness spoke of the charitable endeavours\nof the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which sought to alleviate the suffering\nof mankind. He also stated that breaking the cycle of poverty that\nafflicted generations of families in economically weak nations was the\nmeans of establishing peace in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In remote and poverty-stricken parts of Africa, we\nhave established primary and secondary schools and we have also opened\nhospitals and clinics. We are providing clean running water in remote\nvillages, which mean that children are free to go to school, instead of\nspending their days travelling for miles seeking to collect pond-water for\ntheir domestic family use. We have also set up a project of building model\nvillages, which include community halls, access to clean water, solar energy\ninfrastructure and various other facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where, out of human sympathy, we seek to eradicate\npoverty and destitution, we also consider it to be the key to developing\nsustainable peace in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only if people have food to eat, water to drink,\nshelter, schooling for their children and healthcare will they be able to\nlive in peace and escape the deadly clutches of frustration and resentment\nthat lead people towards extremism. These are all basic human rights and\nso until we help people flee poverty and destitution we will not see true\npeace in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concluding, His Holiness called for a change in the\npriorities of mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end, I pray with all my heart that mankind\nforsakes greed and forgoes the pursuit of narrow self-interests and\ninstead focuses on relieving the pain and anguish of those who are\nsuffering in the world. Ameen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the keynote address, several distinguished\nspeakers took to the stage and spoke of their admiration of the Ahmadiyya\nMuslim Community and its efforts to propagate Islam\u2019s message of peace\nacross the world, as well as its commitment to serving humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambassador Oumar Ke\u00efta, Delegate of Mali to UNESCO,\nsaid:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Holiness, the Caliph (Hazrat Mirza Masroor\nAhmad), we salute all the contributions you have made (in Mali) such as\nthe building of hospitals mosques and schools and the various projects you\nhave set up through Humanity First\u2026 Your Holiness, I congratulate you for\nthe message of peace that you propagate, it consolidates our society in\nMali and is in line with the ideals of UNESCO.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religious Advisor of Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr Jean\nChristophe Auge said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am happy to welcome His Holiness the Caliph (Hazrat\nMirza Masroor Ahmad) here today\u2026 We are very familiar with what the Caliph\nand the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community represent both in this country and\naround the world. I would like to salute the visit of His Holiness to this\ncountry and I wish you every success for this visit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director of the Central Religion Advisory Board to the\nInterior Ministry of France, Mr Cl\u00e9ment Rouchouse said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am very pleased to be here today to salute the\nCaliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community\u2019s visit to France. I would like\nto welcome you to France in this country which has a tradition of\nwelcoming different religions based on the principle of secularism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayor of Eaubonne, Mr Guillaume Dublineau, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the differences in colours and cultures and\nlanguages we are all pursuing the same principles wherever we live and in\nwhatever town we are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We aspire to live in peace and justice, with tolerance\nand a sharing of our values. I would like to praise the Ahmadiyya Muslim\nCommunity, as it is a community that brings love and warmth but also\nfriendship and brotherhood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President of the NATO Memorial, Mr Willy Breton also\nspoke and commended the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for its continued\nefforts to promote peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An introduction to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and\nthe Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) was given by the National\nExternal Affairs Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in France, Mr\nAsif Arif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event concluded with a silent prayer led by His\nHoliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full address of His Holiness \u2013 the link of which is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n