The passing of Pope Francis means two Christian denominations are without a leader right now – the Anglicans, where Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, resigned some months ago, and the Roman Catholics, who lost their pontiff earlier today. (“Statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury”, www.archbishopofcanterbury.org, 12 November 2024)
At a time when leadership crisis is one of, if not the most, concerning issues facing the world, this is undoubtedly a challenging time for the Vatican. Realising how vital the matter of religious leadership is, we hope they will be able to successfully navigate through the procedures and protocols of choosing their leader.
Through the example of its leaders, the Ahmadiyya community knows that, despite religious differences, one can still wish well for people of other faiths on a humanitarian plane. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, the head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, wrote a letter to Pope Francis when he assumed the office of papacy back in 2013. In a detailed letter, he wrote:
“I hope and pray that in the forthcoming era the Pope uses his influence to develop peace and harmony in the world. There is a great need to join together upon our common teachings and particularly upon the Unity of God.” (“World Muslim Leader congratulates Pope Francis and Catholic Church”, www.pressahmadiyya.com, 14 March 2013)
This is in line with the Quranic teaching of calling the ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book) to common grounds to resolve mutual conflicts and misunderstandings. (Surah Aal-e-`Imran, Ch.3: V.65)
In the same letter, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa referred to what he had written to Pope Francis’ predecessor:
“In my letter to [Pope Benedict XVI] I also requested him to use his great influence to bring the people of the world together towards peace, reconciliation and mutual understanding and to strive to prevent the world from destruction. I send the same message to the new Pope as well.” (“World Muslim Leader congratulates Pope Francis and Catholic Church”, www.pressahmadiyya.com, 14 March 2013)
In the autumn of 2022, two Ahmadi missionaries had a private audience with Pope Francis. One of them, Marwan Gill, wrote in his report for Al Hakam:
“After giving [the Pope] a detailed background of our Jamaat, we introduced to him the magnificent work of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa as a worldwide ambassador of peace. We presented the Pope with an Italian translation of the book World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace. We also presented him with the letter that Hazrat Khaliftul Masih Vaa had specifically written for this audience. The Pope received the letter with great respect and acknowledged gratitude for this gesture of Huzooraa.” (“Ahmadi Muslim missionaries meet Pope Francis, who pays homage to Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad”, www.alhakam.org, 4 November 2022)
Right: Pope Francis’ personal response to Huzooraa
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa had previously written a special message for Pope Benedict XVI, delivered to him personally by Mohammad Sharif Odeh, the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in the Holy Land. Part of the message read:
“It is with regret that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world closely, we find that the foundation for another world war has already been laid. As a consequence of so many countries having nuclear weapons, grudges and enmities are increasing and the world sits on the precipice of destruction.
“I believe it is essential, that we urgently increase our efforts to save the world from this destruction. There is an urgent need for mankind to recognise its Creator as this is the only guarantor for the survival of humanity.” (“World Muslim leader sends Message of Peace to Pope Benedict”, www.ahmadiyyauk.org, 1 January 2012)
In the messages above, we see that Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, introducing the emphasis on societal peace, invited the Pope, leader of around one billion people around the world, to play his role in global peacebuilding through the common grounds of major world faiths.
Going just over a hundred years back in history, we see that such efforts by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community remained an integral part of its peacebuilding campaign, highlighting a rich legacy for interfaith harmony in the light of Islamic teachings.
En route to England in 1924, the second head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra stopped over in Rome. While there, he expressed his desire to meet Pope Pius XI. The request was declined, stating that, owing to the refurbishment of the papal offices underway, such a meeting was not possible.
Press reporters, by the likes of La Tribuna, interviewed Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra and asked about what he had intended to do during the meeting, had it taken place. He replied by saying that since the Pope is a noble man, he would have offered the Pope a gift befitting his status and position – the gift of an invitation to Islamic teachings.
This meeting, however, could not take place, but the message must have reached the Pope through the press.
Going even further back, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, had invited Queen Victoria, the then head of the Church of England, to the message of Islam. He urged her to organise a conference of world religions in London, the heart of the British Empire, where all faiths could present their teachings in their true form – a dire need at a time when interfaith conflicts had left all religions mystified through the fog of propaganda, slander, and misinformation.
The conference could not happen before 1924 when the then head of the Ahmadiyya community, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadaa travelled all the way from India to London with the message of “Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam”.
Similarly, Justin Welby, the (now former) Archbishop of Canterbury, visited Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa at the London secretariat of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa in October 2017.
We wish that the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church around the world are able to choose a leader who can lead them through the most challenging times – challenging not only for both the denominations but the world at large.
We end this piece with a hope and prayer that world faiths can soon come together under one banner and strive for global peace and harmony – a call made by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa.
