By: Mohamed Jalloh
Musa Mewa Esq. the first Sierra Leonean Amir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat has explained the importance of the Pan African Ahmadiyya Muslim Association (PAAMA) international symposium, to promoting global peace.
The peace symposium which was held in the United Kingdom at the Baitul Futuh mosque in Surrey, London, focused on the theme: Economic Equity and Eradicating Poverty: Keys to Peace.
Amir Mewa said, the peace symposium was started few years ago and the event seeks to remind the world, particularly the world powers and stakeholders in every society that peace is very important for human development.
Given that the agonies and sufferings of humanity across the world has been occasioned by lack of peace, he said this years` PAAMA event looked at one of the key factors responsible for the difficulties humanity is going through and the absence of peace which he noted is the economic inequality that runs deep in every society.
The desire of the event, he stated is to bring to the world, the realities of responsibility of human beings, particularly the wealthier nations by bringing them to book that they must distribute their wealth and maintain global peace.
He reechoed the point made by the keynote speaker at the event, noting that if all the resources that were spent on wars and related activities are utilized to eradicating poverty and illiteracy, then the world would be a better place for humanity.
Amir Mewa said it is very rare, if not impossible to see other diaspora institutions engaged in the same mission as the Ahmadiyya, which is to maintaining peace and to call on world powers to participate in the development of poorer nations and people to eradicating poverty.
Among the practical steps to be taken for the attainment of global peace, Amir Mewa underscored the importance of educating the people to get them to understand that justice is vital in any given society and people should be peaceful by themselves.
“People should stand up for justice, be tolerant and ready to accept the different societal strata irrespective of race, colour, nationality and creed,” he pointed out.
He urged global bodies such as the United Nations to reconfigure the present world order by way of wealth redistribution to benefit poorer countries and people, as according to him, a hungry man is an angry man, and if wealthier nations can help poorer nations alleviate poverty, it is a giant step to attaining global peace.
Making allusions to the holy Quran, prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Jamaat, Amir Mewa said humanity should not be discouraged or become tireless in combating the challenges that pose threat to global peace.
“Our desire is to continue until our last breath. Whatever effort we can put into supporting humanity in peace and security across the world, in our own little way, we can do it,” he assures.
For that reason, he discloses that for up to 5 or 6 Jumah sermons, the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim jammat has been calling for prayers for the people of Palestine, after telling the hard truth to western powers and those in power to act directly, and they have failed to act.
He therefore reechoed the appeal of the worldwide Ahmadiyya leader who calls on believers to seek divine intervention by way of praying to Allah to protect and save the people of Palestine.
Because Allah`s help is the best of help, Amir Mewa urges humanity not to get tired, but rather, should work towards achieving the values of their religion in-terms of maintaining peace in human society.
He laments the disunity among the Islamic world, numbering about 54 states, which are supposed to be the strongest voice behind Palestine, are disunited and have no common agenda, which according to him, has made bringing peace to Palestine very challenging.
Amir Musa frowns at Islamic nations that have taken economic interests and bilateral agreements with Isreal at the expense of pursuing peace for the people of Palestine, irrespective of the vivid and graphic images of children and women being bombarded in hospitals.
He regrets the economic premium Islamic Nations place with regards international relations as opposed to bringing solace to Palestine, as according to him, Muslim nations have not learned from what has happened in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan etc.
“The Muslim world needs to unite and put aside its differences, and form a common front to defend their interests,” he urged. He went on to advice Islamic nations to espouse the teachings of the holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad as models to achieving global peace and fighting against injustice and economic inequality.
“The principles to adopt when intervening in a conflict between brothers are stipulated in the holy Quran and the Sunnah,”Amir Musa simplifies, in relation to bringing peace to Palestine.
Amir Mewa intimated on how PAAMA exists beyond holding peace symposiums, given that PAAMA supports initiatives within the Ahmadiyya community that are primarily focused on humanitarian work across the world and particularly in Africa.
He reveals the enormous gains Sierra Leone has derived from the humanitarian work of the Ahmadiyya, by citing the Water for Life project and the works of the NGO humanity first which communities in need are benefitting country wide.Amir Mewa recounts that the mission in Sierra Leone has been serving humanity for 202 years, and it has built 313 schools as a way to supporting government infrastructure and providing education to Sierra Leoneans.