On 27 June 2012, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad was welcomed to Capitol Hill, in Washington D.C. where he delivered a keynote address entitled ‘The Path to Peace – Just Relations between Nations’ to an audience filled with more than 30 members of the United States Congress, including Honourable Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives.
Also in attendance were members of the Diplomatic Corps, White House and State Department staff, Professors, NGO leaders, religious leaders, media representatives, State representatives and various other sectors of society.
Following the event, His Holiness was given a tour of the Capitol Hill building, before being escorted to the House of Representatives where a Resolution was introduced in honour of his visit to the United States.
The event began at 9.55am with recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Maulana Azhar Hanif, before a welcome address was given by Amjad Mahmood Khan, the National Director of Public Affairs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the United States.
The first Muslim Congressman, Keith Ellison (US MN-5) said that the United States was ‘honoured by the presence of His Holiness’ and he said that under the leadership of its Khalifa, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was proving to be a ‘true blessing for the people of the United States’.
Katrina Lantos Swett, Chairwoman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said that she felt the entire room was filled with a ‘special blessing and undoubtedly it is a reflection of the blessing His Holiness brings to the Capitol’. She went on to speak about and condemn the continued persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in various countries.
Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10) welcomed Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad to the United States and said that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was ever ready to support all human rights efforts.
Congressman Mike Honda (CA-15) spoke about his pleasure at meeting His Holiness privately the evening before at the Baitur Rahman Mosque.
He said that he hoped that Ahmadis remained forever safe in the United States so that they could continue to propagate their message of peace.
Thereafter a copy of the Special Congressional Resolution was presented to His Holiness by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
Democratic Leader, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi said she was proud that such a bipartisan welcome had been given to Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
She said the leadership of Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad was characterised by ‘wisdom and compassion’. She further said that despite facing grave persecution, ‘His Holiness has refused to turn to bitterness or vengeance’.
The National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the United States, Dr Ahsanullah Zafar, spoke about how under the leadership of its Khalifa, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community never responded to the persecution it faced with cruelty but instead with prayers.
The keynote address of Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad commenced at 10.40am. His Holiness enlightened the assembled audience about the teachings of the Holy Qur’an in terms of international relations.
His Holiness said that the key principle in maintaining peace was true justice.
His Holiness said that Islam taught that all people were born equal and were deserving of equal human rights.
His Holiness said that wealthy nations should make great efforts to assist the developing countries; however they should not do so in an effort to fulfil vested or national interests.
Rather they should act with a desire to serve humanity and with the ambition to end the restlessness and anxieties of those in need.
Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad concluded with a message calling for peace.
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