Closing Address: Jalsa Sālāna Canada 2011
Closing Address: Jalsa Sālāna Canada 2011
Lal Khan Malik, Amīr Jamā`at Ahmadīyya Canada
What does Islām Offer to the West?
Honorable Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of the Provincial Legislature, Mayors, Councilors, and Heads of the diplomatic corps, Police and Law enforcement
officers, dignitaries, guests and members of the Ahmadīyya Muslim Community: I extend to you the Islāmic greeting of Assalāmo alaikum wa Rahmatullāh wa Barakātohu - May Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allāh be upon you, Āmīn!
Alhamdulillāh, we are coming to the successful conclusion of the 35th Jalsa Sālāna of our Community. I pray that all the prayers offered by the Promised Messiahas for the participants of such Conferences are accepted by Allāh.
After attending this Conference, as we leave for our homes, let me ask a few questions of you all but in particular, I pose these questions to myself:
What knowledge have I gained after attending this important convention?
Have I become a better person?
Have I become a better husband or a better wife?
Has my belief in the unity of God been further strengthened?
Has my love for all the Prophets of God and in particular the love of the universal Prophet Muhammadsa increased?
What is the level of my communion, my personal contact with my Creator?
How much peace do I find in the remembrance of Allāh?
Have I become a better law-abiding citizen of this great country, Canada?
Have I become a better and more caring neighbour?
Will I become more compassionate towards my siblings?
Will the children, who attended this conference, be more respectful, more caring and more obedient towards their parents?
The number of participants, or the number of dignitaries who attended this conference, is not the only criterion of judging the success of this conference. It also hinges on the answers to the questions, I have posed.
We are Ahmadī Muslims. If the answers to these questions are overwhelmingly in the affirmative, then we have the right to profess before the West and the world that Islām indeed has a Message that begs their attention; their consideration.
Ladies and gentlemen, today a key issue of the world is peace or rather, a lack of peace. The erosion of peace is on everyone’s mind. Some attribute this to economic causes, others to social issues whether on an individual, national or international level, yet others point to political causes, whilst others attribute it to religious differences and as a consequence to the very concept of God.
Today the entire world is restless. If the East is restless, the West is even more restless. There is turmoil in Asia and turmoil in the Middle East, Europe is also in turmoil.
One can somehow understand the restlessness of the third world or the developing countries, but we fail to understand why the most affluent nations of the world, particularly in the West, are so restless?
Despite all the comforts and amenities, we are still restless. We are all craving for peace of mind. We grope to find peace of mind maybe in having a beautiful house, or in having a good education, or having an excellent job, or having a good spouse. The trouble is that the fulfilment of one desire gives birth to countless other desires.
Why are we so restless? Why is there so much depression? Why are the most affluent nations relying on countless medications just to sleep at night? Why is it, that even the richest of the rich are dependent on powerful drugs for a few hours of comfort?
The root cause for this state of restlessness is man’s selfishness and neglect of the purpose of his creation. It is this selfishness and discord with the purpose of life in our bosoms that breeds restlessness in the family. And then this restlessness creeps onto our streets and towns and cities and finally extends its malignant tentacles around the entire country and the entire world.
Where is true peace of mind? Where is real happiness? Does Islām have an answer to this malice?
This life is transitory and sooner or later, we all have to depart. The filling graveyards bear testimony to this fact that we are ordinary human beings and we have an end awaiting us. If not today, then tomorrow, we will be claimed by the pall-bearers, or by the funeral homes.
According to all religions, and in particular Islām, surely, there is a day of accountability – a Day of Judgment. Sixty years, seventy years, eighty years, or hundred years, but our departure is definitely a sure thing. The pertinent question is: what preparations have I made, for this questioning?
If for my speech of just twenty minutes, I made many hours of preparation, then how seriously should I consider the questioning by our Lord on the Day of Judgment?
But is there any purpose of our creation? Is there life after death? Are we accountable for all the time we spent in this world? Is there a conscious being called God – call Him Lord – call Him Allāh, Pramatemah – Or Jehovah? Is there an Omnipotent God?
Even an ordinary human being does not labour on making a thing without purpose. Then how could God create this world, the countless stars and galaxies without any purpose? What about the countless Prophets, maybe as many as 124, 000 Prophets -were they sent to all nations and all countries without any purpose? Cast a glance at the testimony of all these Prophets and Reformers. They all gave testimony in unison that there is a Creator; that there is a purpose of life; that there is a way to salvation; there is a way to redemption; and there is a way to an everlasting life.
What can Islām offer
to the West?
When I talk about Islām, I am talking about the real Islām that was revealed in the book called the Holy Qur’ān. I am talking about the true Islām that was presented to humanity by the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. My perspective on Islām is based on the direct guidance received from God Almighty by the Holy Founder of the Ahmadīyya Muslim Community, which he conveyed to us and by means of which we have been shown the ways of establishing peace in the world. The True Islām, the Islām that I believe in and practice, is poles apart from terrorism, or from these terrorist hijackers, or those suicide bombers who roam about torching schools, mining and butchering innocent people. I am not talking of those so-called Muslims who burn down Churches, Synagogues, or Mosques of their adversaries. I am not talking about those so-called Muslims who kill worshipers as they kneel before their Creator. Such people are a blot on the fair face of Islām – on the fair face of Muhammadsa. In fact, they are a blemish on humanity.
The true Islām offers the West not only a perfect concept of God but also teachings which are perfect and cover all aspects of life. The Qur’ān is a living book and contains teachings for all aspects of life, disclosing it to those who are pure and to those who reflect. It is guidance for the righteous.
Furthermore, Islām offers not only a flawless concept of God and teachings, but also a flawless role model who practiced and demonstrated the application of these teachings.
Regarding peace of mind, why should we not consider the prescription as taught in the Holy Qur’ān? God Says:
Aye! It is in the remembrance of Allāh that hearts can find comfort. (13:29)
As if God is saying:
“O My creation! To attain true peace of mind, you must always keep Me in Remembrance.”
In another verse of the Holy Qur’ān, God has given the real purpose of the creation of humanity. He Says:
And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me. (51:57)
God says that the prime purpose of humanity is, that they serve Me, and obey My commandments. I should perhaps explain what worship really means to an Ahmadī Muslim. For an Ahmadī Muslim, worship means to discharge the rights owed to the Creator, to bow down before the Lord and to discharge all the rights of His creation which include all kinds of personal, social, economic and moral rights.
This is the purpose of our creation. Can a created being conjecture to appoint a purpose of its own life? No!
Islām teaches us to believe in a loving God; in a compassionate God; in a forgiving God. He is not a vindictive God at all. On the contrary, he is such a compassionate God that He seeks excuses to forgive our trespasses. The Holy Prophetsa once said that if you take just one step towards Him – He reciprocates by taking two steps towards you. If you walk towards Him, He runs towards you. This is the Benevolent God of Islām to which we humbly invite you.
Islām teaches that one should be tolerant towards other religions. Islām emphasizes interfaith dialogue and cooperation. It is God who will decide on the Day of Judgment who is right and who is wrong.
Islām teaches that one should be kind to the creatures of God and be kind to animals. The Holy Prophetsa once said that a sinner (prostitute) quenched the thirst of a dog, and she was forgiven by Allāh for this kindness.
Islām and the Holy Prophetsa taught that love of your country is part of your faith. Two days ago in this very hall, on July 1st, we celebrated Canada Day. When 12,000 of us were celebrating here, in Calgary, another crowd of 10,000 was celebrating Canada Day in front of Baitun Nūr Mosque. This is only one way of showing our love of our land which we have made our home. We pray that Allāh may grant peace and prosperity to our homeland Canada.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Islām that I believe in and this is the Islām that the Ahmadīyya Muslim Community invites you to consider. In this Islām, lies the salvation for the mankind. We Ahmadī Muslims can say:
To a godless society, Islām proves the existence of God.
To a society void of good manners, Islām provides guidance.
To an unruly society, Islām provides teaching to become law-abiding citizens.
To a restless society, Islām provides means for obtaining peace of mind.
Dear honorable guests! Is it too much of an asking that you gain knowledge about Islām, not from hostile individuals, but from its Holy Book? Or from the life of the Holy Prophetsa or from the life of the Promised Messiah and the Mahdīas; who was a foot-servant of the Holy Prophetsa.
I invite you all, Ahmadīs and non-Ahmadīs, that you should correct your bearing and make sure that you are treading on the right path.
I know you are all busy. You have spent a precious part of your time this day in attending our Conference, for which we are very thankful. But at the same time, we give you this gift, an introduction of Islām – which will give you peace of mind and will prepare you for a better ‘life after life.’
In the end, I plead that you drive home safely. May Allāh grant you abundance of good, may Allāh solve all your problems, and grant you a healthy and long life so that at the time of your departure to the heavenly abode, you may be pleased with Allāh, and most important of all, Allāh be pleased with you. Assalāmo alaikum wa Rahmatullāh!
This article was published in Nov-Dec 2011 issue of Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada
