Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association of Canada (AMYA) are spreading a message of love and peace in Northern Ontario.

“We have been doing these faith outreach programs for many years,” said Noman Khalil of the AMYA. “This is our second trip to Timmins, we did another trip in Northern Ontario last year.”

The 12-member group is currently travelling across Northern Ontario, knocking on doors and setting up exhibits to share a message of “Love for All — Hatred for None” and help spread the word on Islam.

Ahmadiyya Scholar (Mohammad Hanif) displaying Holy Qur'an at Open house in Timmins, Ontario.

In doing so, the group hopes the set the record straight regarding some misconceptions about Islam.

“We are having an open house on the holy Qur’an and our purpose is to show people the real teachings on the holy Qur’an and not the ones that have been misinterpreted and corrupted, as put forward by other muslims, the East, the extremists and terrorists,” said Khalil.

“Our community is one that condemns terrorism and violence and we want to go out there and spread the message of peace and show people that the holy Qur’an is actually a very peaceful book.”

Khalil noted that the tour has visited more than 100 cities across Ontario since November 2010, and began partially because of what U.S. pastor Terry Jones did last Sept. 11, 2010, when he held the “International Burn a Koran Day” in Florida.

“We asked what can we do about that, so we said the best and most peaceful way to react, to follow our slogan Love for All — Hatred for None, is to spread (our message) with a pen, and meet people, let them ask questions and teach them.”

He said there are still some misconceptions today that even some muslim groups believe about Islam and the holy Qur’an.

“The biggest one is the Jihad,” said Khalil. “The other muslims believe that the holy Qur’an has allowed a holy war. Whereas, our promised messiah came and he showed the truth of the holy Qur’an, and he showed that Jihad is just a word that means struggle.

“It is a struggle within yourself to get rid of those sinful thoughts, and that is the greatest Jihad.”

The AMYA has been travelling across the province for the past few months and have been well received in communities across Northern Ontario.

“We had a good response in Timmins last year, and we are expecting the same this year,” said Khalil. “We came to Timmins again because this city gave us a very good reception.”

The AMYA is in Timmins until Saturday at the Timmins Public Library, and will hold an exhibit there sharing a message of peace and love through the written word of the holy Qur’an.

“The pen is mightier than the sword,” said Islamic scholar, Mohammad Hanif, “If we have to do Jihad, our struggle is with the pen because we defend Islam with knowledge and with the pen.”

Article by, The Daily Press.

http://www.thedailypress.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3206044