Voice of British Muslim Women

Bareera Ghaffar, Nottingham

I find on the search to becoming closer to God and doing right by the people around you, certain individuals I have witnessed have a calmness and ease to them. But something else that stands out is that this is not done in isolation, it is done in plain sight. His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, (May Allah be his Helper) current worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, consistently speaks regarding service to humanity and mankind. To continue to strengthen our relationship with a Living God one must have true conviction in Tawhid – the oneness of God, and in addition the remaining articles of faith, believing in the books of Allah, the Prophets of Allah, the Angels of Allah, the Last Day, and the decree of Allah. This encompasses teachings from the major religions. Muslims believe in the Torah given to Moses (peace be on him), the Gospels of Jesus (peace be on him), The Psalms of David (peace be on him) and the Scrolls of Abraham (peace be on him). So, by its very nature Islam recognises and encourages interfaith, and how closely related these faiths are, neither of them independent of the next and each book given to a people, at a point in time.

The Holy Quran chapter 49 verse 14 states “…and We have made you into clans and tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware.” Allah states that He has made us different, but what sets us apart is our righteousness and our spirituality.

As stewards of this planet, humankind has a duty to care for ourselves, those around us, and the natural world and there would be great improvement to the moral fabric of society if this duty was upheld – however, this cannot happen independently, for sustainable change to take place we must work together. We are all familiar with the saying “if you want to go fast, go alone; and if you want to go far go together”. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has an exceptional model when it comes to showcasing and being at the forefront of interfaith dialogues. No matter where you are in the world, the Ahmadiyya Community near you will host an interfaith get together – where individuals in the local community with faith or without can come together and bask in their similarities but also to promote peace, unity and love within one another. The aim of such gatherings is not to change people’s minds in their own personal beliefs as “There should be no compulsion in religion…” (2:257) but rather to introduce ideas and inspire conversation. We reside in this world together and when a community is built on the foundations of mutual interest, trust, open dialogue and a willingness to learn, there is little that those whose aim is to spread division and friction can do; we know that the Bible says, “love thy neighbour” and the Langar (public kitchen) in Sikh Gurdwaras serves the same meal for everyone who enters. When in doubt, or if questions arise, you know that that there are individuals of that faith to discuss these matters with and not allow others with ulterior motives to write the story of their faith for them.

When one looks at the life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), we see beautiful displays of how interfaith harmony comes into action. One such example is the relationship between the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his uncle, Abu Talib. Abu Talib played a great role in the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) early childhood. After the call to prophethood, although Abu Talib did not accept Islam, he remained steadfast in his support, offering protection during tumultuous times. The passing of Abu Talib is also part of what is marked as the ‘Year of Sorrow’ for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), this was also the year the Prophet’s beloved wife passed away. This beautifully illustrates that respect, loyalty, and compassion can transcend differences in faith. Another such example is that at one point a group of Christians from Najran came to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Masjid-e-Nabwi and when prayer time came, they were anxious about where to pray, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), assured them they need not worry, they share one God, and they are welcome to worship there.

Therefore, our faith does not grow in isolation. For sustainable and meaningful change to take place it is incumbent that we all strive for open and meaningful interfaith dialogues.