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It was just one year after the second world war ended, which brought death and destruction over Europe, when three young Muslim Missionaries from British India, arriving via England, stopped over in Switzerland on 13th October 1946.
The actual destination was Germany, but at that moment the entry was not possible. Therefore Sheikh Nasir Ahmad – one of the three Missionaries – put up his Headquarter in Zurich and started his Mission: to win the hearts of the people for Islam. In spite of difficult conditions and efforts to get rid of himself and his two colleagues he was successful and could remain in Switzerland. He could convince the first Swiss of the peaceful teachings of Islam. Out of ‘Gottlieb’ became ‘Habibullah’.
 The 13th October marked the beginning, of the later on coined phrase “Islam belongs to Germany” and the same applies to Switzerland. The construction of the first Mosque in Switzerland, the Mahmud Moschee in Zurich in 1963 as well as the first translation of the Holy Qur’an into the German language are only two large mile stones in the 70 year History of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Switzerland.
On this occasion the Community celebrates on ‘open day’ on the 15th October 2016 as from 10 am. The public will be given a ‘tour’ of the Mosque at each full hour and a lecture at 5 pm.
 The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is an Islamic reform community, founded in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India (1835-1908) on God’s order. The community stands for Integration, Love and Tolerance. His duty given by Allah was NOT to found a new religion, but to revive Islam to its original peaceful form and to reform the Muslims and Humanity at large through love, patience and prayers to return it to God (Allah).
Today 70 years later, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at with around one thousand members in 14 sections, 4 Imams and its two Mosques, belongs to one of the larger organized Islamic Communities in Switzerland.
Today, 70 years later, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, with about a thousand members in 14 sections, 4 imams and its two mosques, belongs to one of the largest organized Islamic communities in Switzerland. The main concern is also to cleanse Islam of human abuses and mistakes, and to remove the prejudices against Islam through information stands, lectures and exhibitions. Away from blind fanaticism, the community rejects all violence and terror in the name of religion.
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Categories: Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Europe, Europe and Australia, Switzerland, The Muslim Times
Looking at my grey hair some people ask whether I was the first Swiss Ahmadi-Muslim. Well, no, I was two years old only at the time and many others were before me. (See photos above).
I was however at the opening ceremony of the Mahmud Moschee in 1963
Wonderful. Love to all Ahmedys of Switzerland.
Please do remember my uncle Mushtaq Bajwa Sahib in your prayers.