Muslim Leader Calls for Mosques to Combat Homegrown Terrorism

LONDON, March 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

An Islamic leader has backed greater monitoring and regulation of social media and internet traffic in the war against extremism.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the fifth worldwide Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, has warned of young Britons being turned into mindless mechanical extremists by preachers of hate who are poisoning minds with their mantra of intolerance and violence.

His Holiness, who will be the keynote speaker at a national gathering of multifaith leaders and senior politicians, has cautioned that when the security of the state is threatened, urgent measures need to be taken for the greater good.

The Peace Symposium at Western Europe's largest mosque takes place on Saturday 14 March and will focus on Religion, Freedom and Peace.

The Caliph, whose Friday sermons are broadcast live globally from London and simultaneously translated in English and multiple languages, has championed the need for religious freedom for all. In a recent sermon he said:

"Humanity is at the core of all religious teachings. There can be no murder in the name of Allah and the taking of even a single innocent life is tantamount to a crime against all of humanity. 

"The Ahmadiyya Muslim community has consistently condemned all violence in the name of Islam, in line with our underlying philosophy of Love for All Hatred for None. We believe there is no place in Islam for the atrocities which are occurring every day in Iraq and Syria and the violence which has taken place here in Europe." 

The national symposium will also address what a proper Islamic response to perceived blasphemy should be as well as the ways in which Ahmadiyya Muslims have coped with terror and hatred from extremists for decades.

His Holiness will be joined by the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion Professor Heiner Bielefeldt and senior politicians and diplomats from around the world. The symposium, which will take place at Baitul Futuh Mosque in London, is expected to be attended by around 1,000 delegates.

Notes to Editors: 

1. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community is established in more than 200 countries, numbering tens of millions of followers. The community was founded in Qadian, India in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, whose mission was to revive the peaceful teachings of Islam.

2. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community is now the largest organised Muslim community globally and makes an active contribution to civic life having:

• Built over 15,000 mosques
• Built over 500 schools and over 30 hospitals
• Raised over £3M for British charities
• Translated the Holy Qur'an into over 70 languages
• Established the world's first global satellite Muslim television channel (MTA International)

3. For all media enquiries, please contact Basharat Nazir at +44-7703-483-384 or email media@ahmadiyya.org.uk