“Speak to everyone with a smile” – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

On 20 February 2022, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad held a virtual online meeting with members of Lajna Imaillah from Germany.

His Holiness presided the meeting from MTA Studios in Islamabad, Tilford, whilst more than 250 Lajna members gathered at the Baitus Sabuh Mosque in Frankfurt.

Following a formal session starting with recitation of the Holy Quran, members of Lajna Imaillah had the opportunity to ask His Holiness a series of questions regarding their faith and contemporary issues.

An attendee asked His Holiness about how Muslims should deal with questions they have about Islam’s teachings.

His Holiness said that it is natural for a person to have questions about the teachings of their religion.  In this regard, His Holiness mentioned how the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community questioned his belief in God and Islam during his childhood and sought answers and upon doing so, he found satisfactory arguments in support of Islam and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“For an inquiring mind, questions will arise regarding one’s faith. However, one should not merely make an allegation for the sake of doing so. Rather, just like Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) [Second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community] said, he searched for the answers and said that he will not get up from where he was until he found the answers. So you should develop a thirst for answers. If you do not find the answers the same day, then search again the following day. Ask others about it and read literature. There is a great deal of literature in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community by the grace of Allah.”

Further elaborating, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“You should ask knowledgeable people around you, such as the missionaries or women who are well-versed. If you do not find an answer, you can write to me about it. A true religion is that which you can understand. Only then can a person truly act according to his religion. If you believe in a religion simply because your parents follow it, then there is no benefit until you know what Islam Ahmadiyyat is… So questions will naturally arise in an educated mind and they should arise. However, you should not stubbornly leave it at the stage of questions, rather you should focus on finding the answers and do not desist from researching until you have found the answer to your question.”

Another attendee asked His Holiness how a person can develop humility.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Pray during your five daily prayers that Allah the Almighty saves you from being arrogant because Allah does not like arrogance. So, always pray that you are saved from being arrogant. Also, you should show good morals to people when you meet them, say the greetings of ‘Salam’ to all and speak to everyone with a smile…You should realise that you are an Ahmadi Muslim and you must act upon the teachings of Islam and you must gain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty.”

Another woman asked His Holiness how they should respond if caricatures depicting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) were published in their school books.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“You should tell your teachers that there cannot be true peace in school and society if they are speaking against the religious leaders and founders and prophets of other religions…If we are to maintain peace in the world then we have to care for the sentiments of one another. If someone offends the parents of the other person, it will lead to fighting between the two. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) should be dearer to us than our parents! So tell them that such depictions cause you great offence and grief. And if we are to live in peace and with love, then we have to live with respect. Tell them that you respect the Prophets Jesus and Moses (peace be upon them) and all other prophets and this is what the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) taught us so that there is peace and love between people. You should tell them that you will be hurt and pained if they are disrespectful.”