By Kelli Wynn
Staff Writer Dayton Daily News

Dayton — Clearing up misconceptions about Muslims and educating non-Muslims about the Islam religion founder are the two main purposes of tonight’s forum hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Dayton.

The event, titled Muhammad, the Messenger of Peace, will start 7:30 p.m. at the Crown Plaza Hotel, 33 East Fifth St.
Guests include Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell, Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl and U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice, according to Dr. Abdul Q. Shahid, member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Dayton. Guest speaker is Imam Irshad Malhi of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Mosque, 637 Randolph St. He is expected to speak on how Prophet Muhammad tried to serve humanity as a way to build peaceful relationships.

“The tainted picture of Islam that you see on television is not the teachings of Prophet Muhammad that we follow,” Shahid said. “We want to show the people who Prophet Muhammad really is. A peace-loving person and a community builder.”
There is a perception in American society that Muslims force their views on other people and either slay or cause terror to those who do not agree with Muslim beliefs, Shahid said, referring to the aftermath of the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept.11, 2001 and the recent suicide bombings that have occurred in the Middle East. “Suicide bombings cannot be justified by the Holy Quran. Suicide is prohibited,” he said.

“Whereas the teachings that we have been given is that if you kill a person unjustly, it is as if you have killed all of humanity,” Shahid said.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in the early 1920s and is believed to be oldest Muslim organization in United States, Shahid said.

“We are a peace-loving community and strongly refute the notion of Jihad in its physical sense and promote inner reflection and community building through interfaith dialogue,” Shahid said in the the letter inviting community leaders to the forum.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in more than 110 countries and has approximately 70 chapters in the United States.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/muslim-misconceptions-purpose-of-dayton-forum/nWggz/

Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell met with leaders of the Fazl-e-Umar Mosque in Dayton. The Mosque belongs to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which was founded in India in 1889. From the left are Imam Irshad Malhi, Dr. C. M. Arshad and Dr. Qbdul Q. Shahid.