The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta strongly rejects, and unreservedly condemns the attacks on Christians and burning their homes in Lahore, Pakistan.
The Ahmadiyya Community condemns the attack in strongest terms, and demands the authorities to bring the culprits in front of justice as soon as possible; and give full protection and security to all the citizens living in the country irrespective of their colour, creed, politics and faith.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is a peace loving community, which believes in love, respect, tolerance, harmony and brotherhood. It respects the sentiments of the believers of all the faiths. And believes that all mankind is like a family and it can only look after the peace and security of each member, only if it lives like a close-knit family.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat believes in the Quranic teachings of freedom of faith, and rejects any kind of violence and force in the matters of faith. The Holy Quran states:
“There is no compulsion in religion.” (The Holy Quran – 2:257)
The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, in his Farewell Address once again underlined this very principle and said:
| “0 men, lend me an attentive ear for I know not whether I will stand before you again in this valley and address you as I address you now. Your lives and your possessions have been made immune by God to attacks by one another until the Day of Judgment… Even as this month is sacred, this land inviolate, and this day holy, so has God made the lives, property and honor of every man sacred. To take any man’s life or his property, or attack his honor, is as unjust and wrong as to violate the sacredness of this day, this month, and this territory. What I command you today is not meant only for today. It is meant for all time. You are expected to remember it and to act upon it until you leave this world and go to the next to meet your Maker.” (Farewell Address of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him) |
The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, wrote a series of letters to various kings and communities declaring his intention for peace and cooperation. One such letter was written to the monks of the St. Catherine Monastery of Mt. Sinai in 628 A.D. and known today as the “Charter of Privileges.” In this letter he declared very clearly that the lives and properties of Christians living under Muslim governments should be protected.
The letter reads:
| “This is a message from Muhammad, son of Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian it married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation of (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).” |
As far as the issue of blasphemy is concerned, Islam promotes respect and dignity for all the prophets and founders of different religion, however, does not prescribe any worldly punishment for disrespecting them. Please read this article for more information.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120926/opinion/Time-to-repeal-blasphemy-law.438446
We, the members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta express our sincere wishes to all the families who suffered from these attacks. And we hope for swift action against the perpetrators of this heinous, inhuman and barbaric act. And we pray to God the Almighty that He makes this world a haven of peace, tolerance, harmony, liberty and universal brotherhood. Amen
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta 