9 th Sep 2016

Statement of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community about Anti Muslim Pamphlets distribution in Whanganui

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community New Zealand strongly condemns the reported distribution of anti Muslim leaflets in Whanganui. The message of the leaflets seems to be simple – to create a wedge between different members of the wider community by spreading misinformation without any evidence to back it.

“Our community has been established in New Zealand for over twenty five years, and Islam has been part of the Kiwi religious landscape for over a century. Yet there have been no instances where any of the actions claimed by this group may have occurred” says Mr Bashir Khan, the National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

“Indeed we as a community have made integration into the wider society, and spreading a message of peaceful coexistence a part of our everyday practice. We would like to invite the individuals who are spreading this message of hate and distrust to come and visit us in our mosque to judge for themselves how far the message contained in their pamphlets is from truth”.

The Muslims in New Zealand, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in particular, remain committed to countering such false propaganda by actively reaching out to
the other faith groups. The truth of this claim can be judged by the Ahmadiyya community’s holding of an annual peace conference, where leaders of different faith groups are invited to speak about how cohesion can be achieved in New Zealand society. The next such conference entitled “Justice: the foundation of lasting peace” will be held on the 17 th of September at the Fickling convention centre in Mt Albert, Auckland. Race Relations commissioner, Dame Susan Devoy will be the chief guest at the conference.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, fast-growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) in Punjab, India, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spans over 206 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions. Its motto of ‘Love for all and hatred for none’ is evidenced through the peaceful actions of its millions of followers. The New Zealand branch of this community was established in 1987 and has just over 400 members. It is a registered charitable organisation and endeavors to be an active and integrated community within New Zealand society.

ENDS

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