The National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Canada, Lal Khan Malik, has encouraged the Muslim community to live the life prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to counter the negative perception a section of the world has against Islam.
He said it is only through living at peace with others and caring for people of other religious backgrounds that the dislike for Muslims and hatred of Islam will be eradicated.
Lal Malik reiterated that “being Muslims, we should do our best to convey the message that brings peace into the entire world.” He said all Muslims should “spread peace to every soul, every heart, and every land.”
The National President was answering questions from the media at a press conference during the 45th Jalsa Salana Canada 2023 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.
Lal Khan Malik also cautioned Muslims in pursuing wealth, saying, “Wealth is not in having many possessions but feeling sufficiency in the soul.” He said most people are focused on what they do not have rather than being happy about what Allah (God) has blessed them with.
He advised Muslim men that “when you lose sight of basic contentment and try to achieve financial goals beyond your immediate needs, you are losing the value of time that you could spend with family and also improve your spiritual wellbeing.”
The annual Jalsa Salana event is 132 years old this year and though returning from a 3-year break because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it recorded 21,297 participants, with men totalling 10,473 and women making up 10,824.
The primary purpose of this event is to facilitate greater spiritual awareness among community members, strengthen ties and promote peace.
Participants were taken through topics such as the existence of God, the life of the Holy Prophet, the role of men and women in society, and the impossibility of loving wealth as well as loving God amongst others during the 3-day event from July 14 – July 16, 2023.
Source: Ebenezer Amankwah and Emmanuel Ayiku, Toronto – Ontario
