The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Tooting held their fourth Peace Conference on 25th November 2018 to promote peace, loyalty, freedom and equality.

The theme of the conference was "Fundamentals of Establishing Lasting Peace" and was attended by Deputy Mayor of Wandsworth Councillor Jane Cooper, Mr Brig Goyal (President of the Tooting Hindu Society), Ven PM Bhatsakorn Piyobhaso (President of the Buddhapadipa Temple), Rev Mae Christie (Priest In Charge of All Saints Church), Councillor Mary Curtin (Mayor of Merton) and many more faith leaders and Wandsworth councillors.
 

The speakers addressed various aspects of peace in society. Ahmadiyya Muslim Tooting President Shakeel Ahmed gave a brief introduction about the community and expressed the organisation’s gratitude to attendees for their work in the community. National Vice President of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community & Chairman of International Association of Ahmadi Architects and Engineers Mr Mohamed Akram Ahmedi spoke about Islam's teachings on peace, tolerance and brotherhood: “In the first verses of the Quran, God has been described as Rahman & Rahim, which means he is the Gracious and Merciful. He is the Source of Peace. Thus, when Islam stipulates that a Muslim should seek to inculcate the Attributes of God Almighty, it becomes impossible for a true Muslim to harm others. Rather, the faith of a true Muslim compels him to love all of mankind and to treat every person with respect, grace and sympathy. 
 

“In terms of establishing world peace, an extremely momentous principle, ensuring universal religious freedom, is enshrined in chapter 22, verse 41 of the Holy Quran. The Quran states that if permission for war was not granted then, in addition to mosques, churches, synagogues, temples and the places of worship of all religions would be in grave danger. Thus, where Allah the Almighty permitted the use of force it was not just to save Islam but to save religion itself.”
 

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Awards for 2018 were presented to the following members of the community: local police officers Sam Samiullah, Denny Gallagher, Charina Boys and Alex Blackmore; Wandsworth Mayor Secretary Council Staff Pat Battista, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Tooting Volunteer Nasir Ahmed; local historian Geoff Simmons; St George's Hospital Charity (who also received a £500 donation from The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association); Kate Allan of BATCA, and our own Dave Mauger, Tooting Daily PRSS’s publisher. There was a posthumous award for Ms Judith Lawton, who died earlier this year. She also received a Wandsworth Civic Award earlier this month.