Guest Speakers & Dignitaries
Guest Speakers & Dignitaries - From the 35th Jalsa Sālāna Canada
Hon. Peter Kent
MP Thornhill
Assalāmu Alaikum,
Good afternoon, it’s a real honor and a pleasure to bring greetings from Prime Minister Stephen Harper, my cabinet colleague Jason Kenney, to be on stage with my conservative cabinet and caucus, and senate colleagues here today. To bring greetings from the Prime Minster and your government of Canada. This 35th annual convention is a wonderful opportunity to appreciate and to reflect upon the Ahmadī communities continued contributions to our shared Canadian identity, particularly in this weekend as we celebrate Canada’s 144th birthday. Prime Minister Harper in his personal greetings for this great gathering today writes: The government of Canada considers diversity to be one of our greatest assets and we remain committed to strengthening our pluralism and our national cohesion. Every year, close to a quarter million people migrate to Canada from every corner of the world to embrace our core values of freedom and democracy, human right and the rule of law.
We recognize that our modern growing Ahmadī Community lives these core values and by encouraging interfaith dialogue and promoting understanding and respect for other cultures, Ahmadīs have truly added a worthy new dimension to Canada’s proud heritage.
Your community knows all too well, in less inclusive, even hostile societies, hateful persecution, and discrimination focused against your religious beliefs. We recognize that our modern growing Ahmadī Community lives these core values and by encouraging interfaith dialogue and promoting understanding and respect for other cultures, Ahmadīs have truly added a worthy new dimension to Canada’s proud heritage. Your community knows all too well, in less inclusive, even hostile societies, hateful persecution, and discrimination focused against your religious beliefs. And you understand, to a tragically profound degree the importance of promoting understanding and mutual respect; the essential foundation of peace and security, social stability, whether here in Canada or anywhere around the world. Our government is committed to preserving and enhancing respect for the values and dignity of all Canadians. And we appreciate the role that your community has played and continue to play in helping us to meet that objective. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said on many occasions that our unique pluralism allows individuals to retain their cultural, linguistic, and their religious heritage within a framework of shared citizenship. And the prime minister has saluted his Holiness Hadrat Mirzā Masroor Ahmadaa as a courageous champion of religious freedom and peace.
Hon. Christopher Bentley
Attorney General of Ontario
Assalāmu Alaikum,
Delighted to be here on behalf of Premiere Dalton McGuinty, and the government of Ontario, and from many of my colleagues from the caucus we are very well-represented, my colleague Bob Delaney has spoken already, Minister Jeffrey is here, Helena Jaczek is here, Dr. Kular is here, Laura Albanese, Dr. Reza Moridi, Dr. Shafiq Qaadri, and of course a very dear friend of the Ahmadīyya Community, my friend and colleague Greg Sorbara. You will know Greg for many, many reasons. You will know him as one of those reasons because decades ago when it was a question of establishing a mosque. Greg, as a lawyer was one of the voices that stood together with the Ahmadīyya Community to make sure that that could be done.
National President it is a great honor to be here and to deliver greetings on behalf of Dalton McGuinty and if I could share with you a few of the words that he has provided.
And can I add to the Premier’s words that Ontario and Canada are magical places. We are people from all over the world, we are all religions, we speak all languages, we are from every culture, and we are able to live in this great province, and work in this great province and be in this great province together. We are a province that respects. In fact, derives strength from our diversity in all ways. The very foundation of our society is the strength we draw from our diversity. The government of Ontario has for many years has stood as one to support that great strength, has stood as one to respect human rights, has stood as one to respect the rights of all. It is not something that happens by chance, it is not something that happens accidently. It requires the constant and determined effort. But when we work together, when we love together, when we are together and we stand as one we can achieve a great foundation, we can achieve the great place to live that this province and this country absolutely is. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you today at this convention. I look forward to being with and meeting with you again Inshā’Allāh. Have a wonderful convention.
Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario
July 1st to 3rd 2011
I am delighted to extend warm greetings to everyone attending the 35th annual Ahmadīyya Muslim Convention. In Ontario we derive strength and vitality from the cultural and spiritual diversity that makes up our great province. My colleagues and I recognize the important role faith can play in the life of our citizens. We understand the value of gatherings like this one which deepen our faith and strengthen ties within communities. For 35 years this annual convention has helped participants grow on a personal and spiritual level. And I am confident that this year’s event will once again be a great success, and that those in attendance will find inspiration and a strengthened sense of community. Please accept my best wishes for a memorable and inspirational gathering.
Your Premier,
Dalton McGuinty
Hon. Judy Sgro
MP York West
Assalāmu Alaikum President Malik, brothers and sisters.
Especially pleased to be here today to be celebrating 35th anniversary of your convention. I have not been here for all 35 but I certainly have been here for the last 12, 13, or 14 years. I’m pleased to be here today with all of you.
Listening to the previous speaker talk about how much we have in common – the religious take on life – it’s a very strong message to all of us. We have far more that unites us, including the believers and who and how we pray to our God. For what is called on all of us, is to have respect and courage to stand up for each other and with each other. We live in a time of unrest that continues in our world. It takes conventions like this to bring us all together, to remind us what ultimately our message needs to be which is love and respect. Love for all, hatred for none. It’s a motto that needs to be spread throughout the world to so very many people. That is where peace and happiness comes from.
It does not come from hate it comes from love. And that’s clearly always exhibited in the Ahmadīyya Community. No matter how persecuted many of you or your families were or continue to be, you continue to say, “love for all, hatred for none.” It’s a message that is not only wonderful for Canada but it’s a message that is needed to be spread throughout the world. On behalf of my many colleagues that are here today with us that have been here over the weekend. Honorable Bob Rae was here yesterday and many of my colleagues are here. I thank you so very much for you prayers, for your goodwill all of the time, and I will continue to work with all of you as I have before, as we move forward. Thank you all very much.
Assalāmu Alaikum
Hon, Bob Delaney MPP Mississauga-Streetsville
Assalāmu Alaikum,
Thank you to my good friend Mr. Lal Khan Malik who is the president of the Ahmadīyya Jamā`at Canada, Mr. Mubarik Nazir and of course my very dear friend Shahi Rashdie, and all my Muslim brother and sisters here present for the 35th Annual Ahmadīyya Muslim Jamā`at Convention. It is always an honor and a privilege for me to mark the start of my summer by being among my Muslim friends and brothers as we are all still enjoying the spirit of Canada day. Islām is not just a religion but a complete way of life as described in the Holy Book the Qur’ān. My personal understanding of Islām has always been by way of example of my Muslim friends. I am looking around the room and the number of attendees should tell everyone what it means to spread goodwill among your fellow countrymen. Thank you very much for the invitation to come and visit to start my summer the way it always starts. Thank you, Allāh Hāfiz.
His Worship
Maurizio Bevilacqua Mayor of Vaughan
Thank you very much. Asif I want to, President Malik to express to you my warmest and sincerest gratitude for your very kind invitation. I was listening very attentively to the message delivered here today. A message of compassion, a message of caring, a message that speaks to a higher purpose in life. But I want to, in some ways, share with you the actualization, the crystallization, of all that has been spoken about. And I do that very proudly as the Mayor of the city of Vaughan – a city that I get the pleasure to represent day in and day out alongside Marilyn Lafrate and Micheal DiBiase who have been introduced earlier. I represent a city, a great city, with a place called Peace Village. Who lives in Peace Village? Your community. What makes this Peace Village truly a ‘Peace Village.?’ Is it lives in harmony with the rest of the city. Not only does it live in the harmony with the rest of the city, but it is an integral part of that city.
We spend a lot of time at this conference, obviously talking about faith, and that nourishes our soul, it enriches our spirit. But there are people out there who from time to time want to see the manifestation of this faith in real concrete terms. We in the city of Vaughan see that every day, 365 days of the year. We see it in the building of P.V., we see it when you pray peacefully in your Mosque. We see it when you build a community center that you are willing to share with the rest of the community. That is part and parcel of your faith. I saw the other night, President Malik, when I was at Maple High School participating at the graduation and there was and there was a scholarship in the community’s name. That is the manifestation of your faith. I saw it a few weeks ago President Malik when I walked through your neighbourhood and people were giving of themselves, literally, their blood at the donor clinic. Young people, people of all ages, understanding that we collectively as a community need to give to one another. That is the manifestation of your faith. I see it in our city, every single year, when we draw people no only from the city of Vaughan but from neighbourhoods beyond our borders that come to run or to walk to build our hospital and for that we are very grateful. That is the manifestation of your faith. And although there are so many, so many other examples I could give of this great community that embraces those values that speak through all that we in the city of Vaughan, in the province of Ontario and in our country need. That commitment to be peaceful. That commitment to engage in interfaith dialogue, to promote social cohesion in our country. You do that every single day. “Actions are judged by motives.” I see it right there. Your actions in the city of Vaughan make you very very proud citizens of our city because you are willing to participate fully as full partners in building the strongest community, the happiest community, the healthiest community that we can build.
And for that I am very grateful, thank you.
Hon. Jim Karygiannis MP Scarborough-Agincourt
Assalāmu Alaikum
It’s a pleasure to be with you here today. I have been to, if not all of them, to a couple of Jalsa Sālānas in England and I visited His Holiness a number of times but this year I made a Hajj, and the Hajj* was not to Mecca, the Hajj* was to Qādiān. I have visited Pakistan and India over 30, 35 times. But I never had the opportunity to visit Qādiān. And this year, we visited Qādiān. I visited the grave of the founder, I visited the Mosque, I visited the place where the founder was born, and where he taught, and where it all started. And I have to tell you that for about twenty kilometres out until we reached Qādiān there was an anxious feeling inside me. It was like, I was going somewhere that I could not describe and for a lot of you that is when you take your first Hajj* to Mecca, and to Christians when they take their first Hajj* to Bethlehem.
But to me it was a feeling of finally reaching a place where it was holy, finally I would say that my soul was lost and I was finally reaching a place where I could find it. It was a pleasure to go and to see it and I will never forget and I promise to go back because I know that the Canadian House in Qādiān is much bigger and much better than some of the houses of other people but that’s a different story.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Ahmadīyya has been persecuted and if you are an Ahmadī you are called a Kāfir, and this is not only in Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka. In India there has been a few incidents, in Bangladesh a few incidents, but you go to a lot of places, even in England when you say I am an Ahmadī people look at you strange and when you say to people that Ahmadīyya is a sect of Islām, they look at you and say “no no no, they are not Muslims.” And when you have a conversation with them and a lot of people shake their heads and say, “hmm… you know what, they are our brothers and sisters.” But there is a lot of work that we have done collectively together all of us and I mean people that are sitting there, colleagues behind me. A lot of work we have done to move the Ahmadīyya file forward and there is a lot more work that needs to be done. I hope to be alive and I hope to be active when Pakistan finally takes the identity card and does not write Ahmadīyya on the national identity card but writes the word Muslim. I hope to be alive and with you when Ahmadīs can run in Pakistan and get elected in the national legislature. I hope to be alive when no more blood of Ahmadīs gets sprayed on the walls, when terrorists in Pakistan kill my brethren because what happened a year ago last May and what happened back in 2005 when I personally visited a Mosque in Mung And I have seen the blood of Ahmadīs on the walls. People who had gone to pray and some crazy individual went in and just sprayed the bullets. That is the terrorism to the extreme! That has to stop! And I am sure that nobody in this room and I am joined by all my colleagues, former colleagues, present colleagues that will disagree with me. And I bet you they will join me shoulder to shoulder as we speak right here that states that religious persecution be it against Ahmadīs, be it against Christians, be it against Muslims, be it against Buddhists, be it against anybody in the world, has to stop.
Therefore, I join you here today, I take your hand, I salute you and I will continue to work with you as long as there is an ounce of blood in my veins to make sure that persecution, religious persecution, and especially religious persecution against your faith, stops, and its got to stop right here, right now, today. I hope that the rest of the international world that is listening to us takes heed of this message. And it says enough is enough. Enough blood has been shed and enough people have been killed, and enough people have been in jails. And as we speak today, there are Ahmadīs in Pakistan on death row for what they believe. Why? Because you dare to believe something that is slightly different. Why? Because you dare to announce your faith and say I am an Ahmadī? That should not be the case. I thank you for having me, I know I was given one minute but the clock here says zero so maybe tells me to go sit down, maybe to continue. I would like to acknowledge my colleagues. Navdeep Bains, Omar Alghabra, Maria Mina, Judy Sgro, Christian Duncan, but on behalf of Mr. Rae I thank you for inviting us. And we from the Liberal Party will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with you to make sure that religious persecution does not exist, it gets eradicated completely out of the dictionary and I am going to leave four words with you: “Respect, Accept, Celebrate, and Embrace” and when you take the first four letters of those words RACE, very simple folks, we are all part of the human race. Khūdā Hāfiz.
*The speaker’s intent in using the word Hajj is only to signify a pilgrimage, which is a journey to a sacred place. This should not be misconstrued to suggest Islāmic Hajj can be made to any other place aside from Mecca.
His Worship
David Barrow
Mayor of Richmond Hill
Assalāmu Alaikum and Good morning, afternoon maybe.
I am honored to be joining you today and all the other dignitaries here and I too attended the Richmond Hill High School but certainly a lot earlier than you did. It is actually under partial demolition in order to reinvent it as another learning institution in the town of Richmond Hill. I too have great respect for the Ahmadīyya Community. Being a Major in York region we certainly feel your presence in Maple. Being a member of Richmond Hill I know of your positive influence that you have on our community in the work you do. As the previous speaker said, not only are those words on the wall, “love for all, hatred for none,” but that is well-practiced by each member of your community. We are proud to have you in our community, we are proud that you are residence and business owners and peace be with you. Thank you.
Hon. Mauril Belanger
MP Ottawa-Vanier
President Malik, honored guests, friends.
I bring you greetings from the nation’s capital and I was not here last year because this event was held on July the 1st and as a member of Parliament representing riding in the nation’s capital, I thought I had to be there so I hope you will forgive me for that. I want to salute my colleagues who are here with me, Jim Karygiannis, and Christian Duncan, and Judy Sgro, and my good friends past and future colleagues Mary Amina, Navdeep Bains, Omar Alghabra and Jean Augustine. I come here for one purpose and one purpose mainly. Every time I come and listen and watch, it reaffirms my unshakeable belief in pluralism, in diversity, and in humanity. And I thank you for that. A few years ago, in the House of Commons, I presented a motion which was adopted unanimously, which made October Islāmic History Month.
My wish is that your community–the Ahmadīyya Community–would use the opportunity to help non-Muslims better understand Islām and its many complexities. Help your fellow Canadians obtain a more profound appreciation of your beliefs. And I have two wishes as well, one, that you may consider making Ottawa your venue once, just once, perhaps in 2017, when Canada celebrates its 150 anniversary. And if you do, [my second wish is that ] I will be there to greet you. Thank you very much, merci.
Hon. Greg Sorbara
MPP Vaughan
Assalāmu Alaikum,
May the peace and blessings of God be upon all of us. I am thrilled to be here again this year and particularly because something very special is happening across the continent today. As some of you may know, down in Pennsylvania there is also a Jalsa being convened under the leadership of our dear friend Naseem Mahdī. I think its really just a great symbol for the Ahmadīyya Community that right across the continent today we are meeting together to celebrate our faith, to renew our faith, and to build the strength right within our spirits of commitment to this great religion. And by the way I want to say, very publicly, that I endorse and support a comment that has been made this morning about the blasphemy laws in Pakistan and call once again for their repeal so that Ahmadī Muslims in every corner of this great globe can live and practice their religion in perfect freedom.
Now, one of the speakers earlier today spoke of, I think appropriately, that religions of all kinds around the world are somewhat of an endangered species. While I understand the comment, I don’t think it applies to this community. I’ve seen this community grow from a really small band, establishing itself in Maple 26 years ago, to a community that is growing certainly in every part of Canada, and North America, and around the world. This is a great thing, and I wish this growth to continue unabated. Within this Movement, you are raising young men and women with a strength and integrity that will be the foundation, not only for Ontario but for Canada and the world, over the course of the next many decades. And you should be very proud of that. I know the depth of that faith and this morning I just want to congratulate you and point to one part of your work, all of you have seen the pamphlet, of course, the work of humanity first. Now, whether it’s locally, feeding families that are hungry, providing disaster relief at Slave lake Providing shelter for the homeless, providing programs for the seniors, and internationally, can I list them? Pakistan Floods, Brazil Floods, Japanese Earthquake, Haiti Earthquake, Bangladesh, Philippines, and Nigeria. Humanity First has carried resources and help for those most in need. As you complete your prayers and work this weekend, may I urge you to continue this great work that you do right here at home in York region and in the province of Ontario, and across this precious planet. May God bless you all.
Hon. Baljit Gosal
MP Bramalea-Gore-Malton
Assalāmu Alaikum,
Good afternoon to colleagues from the parliament, provincial and federal. Good afternoon to everyone
“United we stand and divided we fall,” that is the motto, I think that is an excellent motto. Words are very wise, its recited from nation to nation, for generations reaching the true unity. The Ahmadīyya Muslim Community has a very similar motto as well as very famous, “love for all, hatred for none” Exactly two months ago, May 2 I was elected member of parliament for this riding Bramalea-Malton. So first of all, I welcome you all to beautiful Bramalea – Gore – Malton this afternoon. I hope you are enjoying this great convention, and we look at the crowd, it’s an amazing crowd and amazing speakers. And right after that Right Honorable Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed me to the cabinet as a minister of state for sports.
And this is the first time that I am here at an Ahmadīyya Muslim event and I really want to thank a good friend of mine Faisal Raja, and the community for inviting me for their annual Jalsa Sālāna. This annual convention brings together people from all over the nation and even the globe. The Ahmadīyya community encourages people, Ahmadī or not, to join in their three day convention to learn and spread the message of peace and love. For hosting this year’s marathon of interfaith, and as well as blood drives the community has shown its versatility and respect and earned itself a reputation for a very well-good community in Canada. The Ahmadīyya Muslim community has made it apparent that they are very actively involved in promoting healthy living for Canadians and I would like to commend them for this, for leading Canadians in the right direction when encouraging physical activity and ultimately healthy living is assured which makes my job a lot easier. So for sure, Cricket and Kabaddi will be well represented in Canada and for that we will try together. The Ahmadīyya Muslim Community is an asset to Canada and it is dedicated to encourage Canadians to know what they represent. The community encourages individuals within the communities as whole to learn and to understand the message of unity. Through the Ahmadīyya motto, “love for all, hatred for none,” is the foundation of for the reasoning of “united we stand, divided we fall.” For how can we be united unless we open our minds and our hearts to our fellow Canadians. Once again, I want to thank the organizers for inviting us. Enjoy the afternoon, thank you, may God bless you all.
Hon. Tim Hudak
Ontario PC Leader
Assalāmu Alaikum,
Good afternoon and thank you very much for having me here today. I want to thank Asif for the very kind introductions and congratulations and thanks to President Lal Khan Malik for his strong leadership on the 35th successful year of the Jalsa Sālāna Annual Convention. Before I begin I want to recognize some of my Conservative Provincial reps that have joined with us here today: Karlene Nation from York-West, Farrid-Wassef from Oak Ridges – Markham, and Pam Hundal from Brampton-Springdale.
Friends! It is a great honor to join you and recognize the accomplishments of Canada’s Ahmadīyya Muslim Community. We have seen the hard work of Ahmadī Muslims, not just here in Ontario, but across the world. With the Community numbering tens of millions in over 189 countries.
The Ahmadī Muslims have the reputation for being a peace loving people. Community builders, building dozens of hospitals, hundreds of schools, thousands of places of worship, and a champion of the rights of women, while promoting tolerance for all. As a grandson of immigrants myself who came from Eastern Europe to escape the instability there. I understand the healing effects of tolerance, on the wounds of persecution. Friends! Events like these are entirely reflected upon the success you’ve had and the vision you have for the future. As one of the most progressive denominations of Islām around the world the Ahmadīyya Community has so much to be proud of. Ontario Conservatives stand with you and support you in your efforts to promote peace and tolerance in Canada and right across this great world. When religious minorities are persecuted for their faith as in case like countries like Pakistan where blasphemy laws are used against your brethren, against your brothers and sisters. The world needs strong voices to come together in opposition. We have a responsibility to speak out and to say this will not stand. Members of the Ahmadīyya Muslim Community are renowned for their promotion of “love for all and hatred for none.” This inspired view of society is what makes your contribution to Ontario, to Canada and everyone of the 189 communities of Ahmadīyya presence so importance. And in closing, as we approach the provincial election, I look forward to a chance to work with you to build a stronger, more prosperous Province of Ontario. One that will build upon your hard work and celebrate the work of your families.
I want to thank you again for having me here and my colleagues. May God be your protector, and your Helper, and keep you from faltering. On behalf of the Ontario PC team I want to say to you all Mubarakbad and congratulations on what has been a very successful convention. Shukhrīyyah.
Mr. Jim Jones
Regional Councillor Markham
Assalāmu Alaikum, President Malik, distinguished guests, Muslim brothers and sisters. On behalf of members of council, I have two on stage with me Regional councilor Gordon Landon, and councilor Howard Shore. From the town of Markham I pleased to extend our best wishes for all those attending the 35th Annual Ahmadīyya Muslim Convention. Our community is immensely rich by the diversity of its people, and by the special gifts of heritage and culture we each carry within. I therefore applaud the Ahmadīyya Muslim Jamā`at for hosting this annual conference which will enable our Muslim residents to personally experience religious benefits and enhance their knowledge.
Unfortunately, due to previous commitments I am unable to join you for this convention but I am pleased to have this opportunity to show our support for the services you provide to the Muslim Community, many of whom have made their home in Markham.
As Mayor, I am proud of your efforts and I am delighted to have this opportunity to extend our best wishes for successful convention.
Yours sincerely, Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham
His Worship Doug White
Mayor Bradford West Gwillimbury
Good morning, Assalāmu Alaikum Mr. President, and distinguished guests. It’s my honor to be here today. I just like to say that if anybody wants to get to know the Ahmadīyya Community the words, “love for all, hatred for none,” are words but that is how you act. And when you came to the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury you made a couple of promises to me and our council I am joined here today by one of our members, Councilor Raj Sandhu. You said we will be good members of the community, we would start businesses in the community, and we would give back to the community. And in a short couple of years that is exactly what you have done. We have a couple of businesses that have been founded. Just on June the 12th we had the first ever “Run for Bradford West Gwillimbury”, and its modeled after the now famous, “Run for Vaughan.”
Mr. Munawar Chaudhary who organized that event promised me that it will be successful and that you will have more people attend than the very first “Run for Vaughan,” and that is exactly what happened. We had 500 people show up, over 300 people ran or walked. And I am very proud to say that our Canada Day celebration, just after we sang ‘O Canada,’ Mr. Chaudhary presented our town with a check of $33,000 that was raised for our community. And I want to say thank you very much that. And we have big plans in Bradford, working with the Ahmadīyya Community. And one of the things that is perhaps going to happen in the next few years is that a convention like this will take place in Bradford. What do you think about that? So my friends, thank you very much for inviting me here today, it is my honor to share a few words with you. Thank you very much, Shukhrīyyah, enjoy the rest of your convention, Thank you.
This article was published in Nov-Dec 2011 issue of Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada
