A Call to Peace

After signing the Treaty of Hudaibiya, the Holy Prophet^sa wrote to major political leaders and heads of states of his time and introduced them to the peaceful teachings of Islam. 

He wrote to the Caesar of the Byzantine Empire, Heraclius, Emperor of the greatest Empire of the world. He also wrote to Armah the Negus, the then King of Ethiopia and to Munzir bin Sawa Al Tamimi who was the Governor of Bahrain and to Muqawqis, the Ruler of Egypt. 

The wording of the letters, as recorded in history, show how peacefully the Holy Prophet^sa of Islam invited them to peace. The central theme of all letters was: “Establish peace, and you will have peace”. 

A similar practice is recorded in the history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, where the Promised Messiah and the Imam Mahdi^as, following in the steps of his Holy Master wrote to influential political leaders of his time to establish peace, which in Arabic, means “submitting to the will of Allah”. 

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as wrote to Queen Victoria – the Empress of the largest empire in his time – on more than one occasion and invited her to accept Islam. Not only this, he suggested that she hold a conference of world religions in London so that the whole world could know what every religion stood for. 

This memorial was published on 27 September 1899, distributed extensively and sent to the Queen Victoria, the Empress of India.

The Promised Messiah^as claimed in clear words that with such a conference, not only would world-faiths get the opportunity to introduce their teachings but Allah the Almighty would, within a year, show the message of Islam – as presented by the Promised Messiah^as – prevail and its truthfulness become manifest through Divine signs.

Before this, he had written two books – directly addressing Queen Victoria – in which Huzoor^as had conveyed to her the true message of Islam and invited her to accept it so that a vast population of the world could follow suit and come under the refuge of Allah the Almighty. 

The first of these books, Tohfa-e-Qaisariyah (A Gift for the Queen) was written on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s coronation. 

The British Library holds records of the gifts sent by world leaders to the Empress on this occasion. All Muslim leaders sent precious gifts like Persian rugs, jewels, jewellery, paintings and other gifts of great material value. 

It must be remembered that all these Muslims leaders had unanimously declared the Promised Messiah^as and his community out of the pale of Islam. But on this occasion, no other Muslim leader remembered to send to the Queen the most precious of gifts – an invitation to accept Islam. This was achieved by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as; another proof of him being the true successor of the Holy Prophet^sa. 

Other letters of similar nature include letters to Arab scholars, prominent persons of Sufi orders and the Amir of Kabul; all written in an attempt to invite them and their following to the true message of Islam.