Ata-ul-Haye Nasir, Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre
October is a month which has great significance in relation to the Fazl Mosque – known as the London Mosque – as its foundation was laid in October 1924 and the inauguration took place in October 1926.
Since its inception, the Fazl Mosque of London has served as a great means for the spread of Islam Ahmadiyyat, not only in England, but around the world.
Focusing on the London Mission’s impact in Europe, we find that the Ahmadi missionaries serving there would get invitations to attend various conferences and interfaith gatherings as the representatives of Islam where they would highlight the beautiful and peaceful teachings of Islam.
The influx of such invitations increased manifold following the foundation-laying ceremony of the mosque in October 1924.
Just a few weeks after this ceremony, the head of the London Mission was invited to deliver lectures in Amsterdam. These lectures were delivered in May 1925.1
The London Mission continued to raise its voice to defend the honour of Islam and its Holy Foundersa, for instance, responding to the disrespectful cartoon by The Star of London in 1925 and the subsequent apology (see below) from the said newspaper.2
It was the same year when the London Mission organised a protest meeting against the inhumane killings of Ahmadis in Kabul and it was covered by the press globally.3
This all happened in 1925 alone, exactly a hundred years ago, and one can assess the Fazl Mosque’s impact even prior to its inauguration that was held in October 1926.
In the coming years, the Ahmadi missionaries stationed at the London Mosque continued to receive invitations to attend various interfaith events as Islam’s representatives.
For instance, Ahmadi missionaries were invited to represent Islam at the Universal Religious Peace Conference of Geneva in 1928 and the World Fellowship of Faiths of London in the 1930s.
World Convention of Religions on the Foundations of Peace
Another such event where the Ahmadi missionary was invited to represent Islam, was the “World Convention of Religions on the Foundations of Peace” in 1950, i.e. 75 years ago.
The Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre has been able to uncover historical documents related to this convention which provide significant details about this interfaith event.
This article will present some details of this event that was held from 18 to 24 August 1950, at the Denison House, 296 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1.4
In this convention, Islam Ahmadiyyat was represented by Zuhoor Ahmad Bajwa Sahib, the then imam of the Fazl Mosque, London.
The invitation was originally received by Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib, who served as the imam of the Fazl Mosque before Zuhoor Sahib. Mushtaq Bajwa Sahib not only participated in the preparatory events of this convention, but also sent the “Message of Goodwill” for the convention.5
Official records of this convention suggest that it aimed at the coordination of the moral and spiritual forces of the world in order to strengthen the foundations of peace. It was organised on the initiative of the Vedanta Movement – started by Swami Vivekananda who represented Hinduism at the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago. The aim of this movement was to foster mutual understanding between all religions, races and nations.6
In 1949, The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore reported about a “pacifist convention” in London, which was termed as the “prelude to a world convention of religions on the foundations of peace, to be held in London in a few months’ time.”7
According to the official report of this convention, this preliminary conference was held “with the moral support of the following sponsors: Ronald Allen, M.A., Rev. Alexander Amias, Rev. W. M. Andrew, Swami Avyaktananda, Imam M. A. Bajwa, Dr. S. P. Bhatia, Dame Elizabeth Cadbury […].”8
The committee of this convention included Swami Avyaktananda (Chairman), Vyvyen Jenkins (Secretary) and George Smith (Assistant Secretary).9
More than 300 delegates, members and visitors from 25 countries, consisting of representatives of nine religions, and 50 religious, cultural and political organisations, assembled in London, from 18 to 24 August 1950, to discuss the problems of peace, and to devise means for constructive peace-activities throughout the world.10
As stated above, the invitation was originally received by Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib, hence, the official records of the convention mention the following “Message of Goodwill” that was sent by him:
“We, the representatives of the Ahmadiyya Movement under the guidance of the Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, the present Head of the Community, are trying to inculcate and develop the spiritual attitude all over the world. You have embarked upon the noble task of holding a World Convention of Religions on the Foundations of Peace. I have great pleasure in associating myself with it, as Imam of the London Mosque, and am offering full support and sympathy. I trust it will evoke quick response from the leaders and followers of great religions of the world and advance the cause of universal brotherhood and peace.”11
An announcement about this convention stated that an appeal was made to “Mr. Truman, Marshal Stalin, Mr. Attlee, Nehru and other world leaders to solve the world’s economic and political problems. The leaders of the great faiths should preach peace, and the United Nations should be developed into a world federal Government.”12
We learn from its schedule in the official records that Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib was to deliver a speech on 20 August 1950 during the evening session of the convention, titled “Islam and World Peace”.13
However, Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib had to return to the Markaz in Pakistan, as we read in the South Western Star’s report about the 1950 Eid-ul-Fitr reception at the Fazl Mosque that “the present Imam, Mr. M. A. Bajwa, who has been in this country for five years, is returning to Pakistan.”14
Hence, a report of Al Fazl tells us that Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib reached Rabwah on 16 August 1950.15
The official report of the World Convention of Religions on the Foundations of Peace makes it clear that Zuhoor Ahmad Bajwa Sahib – the missionary who reached London in June 1950 to replace Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib – represented Islam Ahmadiyyat at this convention.16
Endnotes:
- De Tempel, 15 May 1925
- The Star, 9 September 1925
- Harrow Observer, 13 March 1925
- League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, File WILPF/072_05
- Ibid., File G.XIV 01/02/143
- Ibid., File WILPF/072_05
- The Civil and Military Gazette, 23 August 1949, p. 12
- League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, File WILPF/072_05
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid., File G.XIV 01/02/143
- Belfast News-Letter, 19 August 1950, p. 6
- League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, File G.XIV 01/02/143
- South Western Star, 21 July 1950, p. 5
- Al Fazl, 16 August 1950
- League of Nations Records, UNO Archives, File G.XIV 01/02/143