Ahmadi Muslims in U.S. eager to spread message of nonviolence

Rehmatullah and other leaders are pushing the Muslims for Peace movement, a public awareness campaign started by the Ahmadi community. The campaign advertises Islam as a peaceful religion, condemns terrorism and advocates for the separation of religion and state and human rights.

Ahmadis differ from mainstream Muslims on the issue of prophethood. Most Muslims believe that Muhammad was God's final prophet, but Ahmadis believe that their founder was also a prophet. Otherwise, Ahmadis observe almost all Muslim practices, including reciting the Koran, praying five times a day and fasting during the month of Ramadan.

In 1974, Pakistan amended its constitution to declare that Ahmadis are not Muslims; Ahmadis are not allowed to greet each other as Muslims or refer to their houses of worship as mosques. Extremist Muslims, who see Ahmadis as heretics, have carried out a campaign against them in Pakistan ever since.

Harris Zafar, 31, who was born into the faith, heard about the Lahore attacks in an early morning phone call. "I felt a mixture of feelings -- devastation, sadness," he said. "The loss of a life is tragic. And, in a minor way, there was anger as well, that these were not random attacks, that people are teaching such hatred and misleading others in the faith."

The Ahmadi motto is "Love for all. Hatred for none." To that end, the movement's founder wrote 80 books and thousands of letters in an effort to rid Islam of what he considered fanatical beliefs.

"The ink of a scholar is holier than the blood of a martyr," Zafar said, repeating a quotation that Ahmadis attribute to Muhammad but one that other Muslims say is fabricated.

--Religion News Service

Nancy Haught writes for the Oregonian in Portland. Religion News Service reporter Maggie Hyde contributed to this report.