Embracing religion

Embracing religion
is loving peace

Up until quite recently I had never heard of Ahmadiyah, nor
would I have most likely except for the unruly acts of
intolerance visited upon the unfortunate and apparently peaceful
members of that sect by a mob of righteous fanatics who just
happen to be Muslim.

I am a friend of many Indonesians and Muslims of other
countries, including Egypt, Turkey, the occupied territories and
Malaysia. I have been to mosques in Turkey and America and
although I am not a religious person. I felt the peace and
spirituality of the call to prayer. It is a profoundly powerful,
yet peaceful experience that I would like all Americans to share
and feel.

When tragedy strikes we see man reach out his hand to fellow
man, but in times of peace we must also be ready to reach out or
at least live and let live.

Please, my friends, we all have our biases and beliefs, but
listen when I tell you; the greatest threat to Islam is not
from without but from within. Hatred and intolerance will bring
upon you and yours nothing but more pain, misery and suffering.

Do not be distracted by the peaceful acts of others, but look
only to your own well-being and that of your family and your
community. Anything less is a disservice to them and to God and
mankind.

Remember the call to prayer is a call to peace for all
religions. Those who call you to hate and fear are false prophets
with black hearts and will only bring evil and suffering to you
as well as others.

ANTHONY GALLIGANI
New York