By
Doris Wu
February 8, 2008
With the prevalence of negative Islamic images in the media, Ahmadiyya Muslim students are hoping to spread their motto of “Love for All, Hatred for None.”
The newly formed Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association (AMSA), based on a specific branch of Islam, was created last spring to bring together Ahmadiyya Muslims in the Seattle community and at the UW.
The group is open to all religious backgrounds and was formed to bring awareness about the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, said Tuseef Chaudhry, a Seattle University graduate student and unofficial liaison between AMSA and the Seattle Ahmadiyya community.
“One of the reasons we created AMSA was to do events on campus and foster better relationships,” said Waqas Malik, a youth leader in the Ahmadiyya community involved in AMSA. “We did seminars about creating awareness about our community [to] bring an understanding, because many people fear what they don’t understand.”
Many Ahmadi Muslims believe in interfaith dialogues to clarify questions that people may have about Islam, said Tahir Ahmad, a UW student and president of AMSA.
Chaudhry said that the UW provides an enriching environment, where students and professors help foster different ways of thinking.
“UW is a great environment,” Chaudhry said. “A lot of people are just open-minded to different beliefs and that’s something that I really appreciate about the campus and the city — Seattle is just respectful of people of different beliefs and curious about it.”
AMSA was formed to give back to the community at the UW and Seattle, Malik said.
“It’s important to get what someone’s faith is about by meeting someone who is in that faith,” Malik said. “Last semester we did a blood drive. We plan on doing similar types of events [that have a] positive impact on the university and on society at large.”
While the number of the UW’s AMSA members is small, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community holds events at the national and international level.
“Each chapter has a department dedicated to humanitarian services,” Chaudhry said. “I know here in the Seattle chapter we regularly go to food banks, package food and [participate in] adopt-a-highway. We also do walk-a-thons, … blood drives and other activities.”
AMSA members don’t attend official weekly meetings but discuss ideas over dinner or coffee. The group maintains a great relationship with the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and participates in some of their events as well, Chaudhry said.
“Although we have the same routes and the same fundamental beliefs as other Muslims,” he said, “there are some differences that exist amongst Ahmadi Muslims and other Muslims, and because of those differences, we’re considered as Non-Muslims by many Muslim nations around the world.”
Some key differences between Ahmadi Muslims and other Muslims include their belief that the promised messiah has already come, Ahmad said.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad started the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in the 19th century. He is believed to be the promised messiah, leading to a revival of Islam, not a change of its original ideals.
Ahmadi Muslims also believe that Muhammad, while being the greatest prophet, is not the last, Chaudhry said. Prophets, or messengers, after Muhammad simply remind people about Islamic ideas but do not change or add to it.
These differences have brought persecution to the community. However, Ahmadi Muslims believe in non-violent forms of retaliation.
Malik said that writing books or editorials to educate others about Islam is more beneficial than violence.
“The promised messiah taught that jihad of the sword is over and today’s jihad is with the pen,” Malik said.
[Reach reporter Doris Wu at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]
12 Comments
#1 Sirajul Haq Khan
on February 8, 2008 at 9:19 a.m.(Wakefield, United Kingdom | Unverified Name)
My reading of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's Claim is that he is a subordinate Prophet to the Prophet Muhammad, and it is through absolutely imbuing within himself the character of the Prophet Muhammad - also known as 'fana fil-Rasool' in sufi terminology - that he attained this rank of being a Nabi, or a Prophet.
Furthermore, it is absolutely imperative to an Ahmadi Muslim's faith that the Prophet Muhammad was the Last Prophet sent by Allah with a Divinely revealed Law or a Book.
The greatness of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, necessitate that, in comparison with other Divine Laws and teachings, the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad and his example were so great that many amongst his true followers would attain the ranks of Prophethood through absolute imitation of Him, exemplifying the greatness of Islamic path.
#2 Sahar
on February 8, 2008 at 5:18 p.m.(Houston, TX | Unverified Name)
Ahmadiyya Muslim community makes efforts to spread message of hope given to world by God. "Keep smiling" is the advice given to community by one of its leaders, Finding peace within and around, each member is aspiring for.Let's make world a peaceful place.
#3 ishtiak
on February 9, 2008 at 1:39 a.m.(Dhaka, Bangladesh | Unverified Name)
it's already mentioned in the glorious Quran, Allah has sealed the sending of prophets and there fore Muhammad(SM) is the last and final prophet. If we turn back pages of history, this Mirza Golam Ahmad was a creation of British, who planned to engage the muslim in constant brawls about religious matters so that they easily carry on their expansion of the British Colony in the Indian Sub continent. How can he be a substitute prophet when he himself died in the bathroom, vomiting faeces! I think the ahmadis should read the Quran and Sahi-Hadith well.
#4 Amani
on February 10, 2008 at 6:52 a.m.(Aurora, Canada | Unverified Name)
Resorting to false controversies is the sign of persons who have lost the argument and nothing positive to contribute. This is exactly what the enemies of the Prophet(saw) did when they failed in their attempt to halt his Mission. They claimed that he died a painfull and accursed death after eating poisoned meat offered to him by an opposing woman and therefore he could not be a true Prophet.
The opponents of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) have also under similar circumstances resorted to false and malicious controversies about his death. This is exactly what Ishtiak, and his peers are trying to do, and their fate will also be exactly the same as opponents of the Prophet(saw) who totally failed in their attempt to halt his mission and were perpetual losers.
#5 an3sth3sia
on February 10, 2008 at 6:57 a.m.(Holt, MI | Unverified Name)
Great Story.
We had an AMSA at my university as well and they were voted "Most Outstanding Student Organization" on campus. They were quite an outspoken and progressive bunch.
This article reminds me of a great saying:
"The ink a scholar is holier than the blood of a martyr." (Muhammad)
#6 ~@mbs~
on February 16, 2008 at 12:03 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
First of all, I would like to mention that every religion and its leader should be respected from every perspective and should not be insulted in anyway (regardless what religion it is)!!
Sometimes, actually most of the time it is very important to be a little open minded because not only will that educate you, it will also teach you so much about other people and their perspective about issues such as religion. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community actually promotes every member to respect every religion
**"even if the other religion cannot agree with the Islamic concept of universality of truth and even if, for instance, from the vantage point of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism etc. other religions are all false and have nothing to do with God, then despite this negation of truth elsewhere, all religions must conform to the Islamic principle of showing the respect and reverence to the Founders and the holy personages of other faiths."**
Thank you!
#7 John Villesvik
on February 20, 2008 at 10:43 a.m.(Location Unknown | Unverified Name)
As a christian, I repect the Ahmadiyya's motto; "Love for All, Hatred for None." There is no room within any religion for insults, disrespect or violence. Love conquers all and Hatred erodes the foundation of Brotherhood that exists between all men, despite our many relative petty differences. We can respectfully disagree with each other without becoming enemies. That is exactly what I think Allah would desire for us. Mohammed's quote; "The ink of a scholar is holier than the blood of a martyr" is forever true. Unless we seek to understand, we will never be undertood.
#8 abdullah
on May 19, 2008 at 3:02 a.m.(Lahore, Pakistan | Unverified Name)
i have researched ahamdi religion for more than 3 years and my reasrch teaces me that there is no one in this world like mirza ghulam ahmad qadiyani he is the bigest lier of the world
#9 abdullah
on May 19, 2008 at 3:31 a.m.(Lahore, Pakistan | Unverified Name)
mirza ghullam ahamad qadian ny hindustan k muslamanoon sy kaha k mien christen sy munzaray k lya aik kitab likhoon ga jis ka nam brahen-e-ahmadia hoo ga aur us ki 50 jildieen hoo gi yeah kah kr musalmanoo sy paisay ly liya aur 5 kitabieen likh kr kahny laga k mien ny apna wada poora kr dya 50 aur 5 mien sirf 0 ka fraq hota hai iss liya iss lya mera wada poora hoo gya bataoo hai na jhoot. knstf@yahoo.com
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