‘Peace for Humanity’ Conference was held in historic Wembley Arena under the banner of Minhaj-ul-Quran International UK on September 24, 2011. Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri presided over the Conference, which was also attended by human rights and peace activists, religious scholars, opinion leaders and key leaders and followers of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism.

The representatives of all religions made special prayers for the establishment of peace in the world according to the teachings of their religions. Later on, the faith leaders gave their hands in hands of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri to make a collective peace prayer. The peace candles were also lit on the occasion. Thousands of people, attending the historic Conference, stood up from their seats and the venue resounded with chants of ‘Allah is Great’.

Over 11 thousand people from North America, South Africa, Europe to Asia including Sahibzada Pir Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jamal-ud-Din Al-Gillani, Pir Sayyid Abdul Qadir Shah Gillani, Sahibzada Pir Amin-ul-Hasnat Shah, Dr Usama al-Abd, vice chancellor of renowned Al-Azhar University of Egypt, Dr. Abdel Dayem Nosseir, Shaykh Muhammad al-Nanowy (USA), Dr Joel Hayward (UK), Noor Muhammad Jarral Mesut Kurtis (Macedonia), Ms Naeema Jaleel, Sahibzada Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Ms Ghazala Hassan Qadri, Ms Khadija Atkinson, Ms Swaba, Sahibzada Pir Fayyaz-ul-Hassan, Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi, G. M. Malik, Jawad Hamid and Qari Sayyid Sadaqat Ali. Shaykh-ul-Islam delivered his keynote speech on the occasion.

The proceedings of the Conference got underway with the recitation from the Holy Quran followed by recital of ‘Qaseeda Burda Shairf’ and Naat in different languages of the world. At the outset of the program, the leading participants and scholars held one another’s hands to show their solidarity for promotion of peace in the world.

Ms Khadija Atkinson read out a document with regard to establishment of global peace, which was named as ‘London Declaration’ meant to promote peace and foster resistance and opposition to extremism. The participants were told that about one million people from across different nationalities, cultures and regions would sign this document till December 2011 to demonstrate their support for peace. The document has been launched online as well as through broachers. Ms Atkinson said that MQI has done justice to its task of representing the Muslims at the international level. She said that Islam is a religion of peace, which espouses equality, social and economic justice in the world without any discrimination of any kind. Its followers have been ordained to take care of even animals and plants. She said that the Conference has given a clear message to the world that terrorism and extremism have nothing to do with Islam and it is unfortunate that actions of a select group of misguided individuals were being associated with Islam, which was unfair. She said that it was wrong to blame Islam in this regard. She demanded that the anti-Islam policies framed on these erroneous perceptions should be discarded. She reminded the international human rights organizations and the world powers of their moral duty to rid the Islamic countries out of oppression. She said that doing so would guarantee the establishment and durability of international peace.

Address of Shaykh-ul-Islam

Addressing ‘Peace for Humanity Conference on the subject of “Islam and establishment of global peace’, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the founding leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, said that the world needed peace, security and brotherhood more than before. He said that after 9/11, the difficulties of the Muslims around the globe have increased manifold. The picture of Islam spread in the world has nothing to do with Islam and 99% of Muslims are peace-loving. He said that terrorism and extremism had affected the Muslims more than the world. He said that thousands of people were killed in terrorist incidents, affecting millions of families. Extremism, he said, divided people and produced pessimism and despondency. He congratulated MQI UK on holding such a grand and purposeful Conference.

Addressing the leaders of different religions, who were present in the meeting, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri invited them to join their forces and collectively launch a peace drive in the world. He said that the entire world had become global village and humanity had a shared stake in the establishment and maintenance of peace. He said that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) gave the lesson of brotherhood, tolerance, moderation and peace. All Prophets and religions propagated the message of peace and harmony in the world. He said that it was important to prove ourselves a true inheritor of this legacy and dedicate ourselves to establishment of peace in the world. He hoped that ‘Peace for Humanity’ Conference would become the basis for further strengthening interfaith ties between the Muslims and the non-Muslims.

Addressing the Muslim youth, Shaykh-ul-Islam asked them to unite for the establishment of peace, respect, dignity and welfare of humanity. He asked them to dissociate with the Islam of Osama Bin Laden and become the true followers of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He urged them to reject the ideology of Al-Qaeda and submit themselves to the real teachings of Islam. He said that MQI had established think tanks and planned lectures, conferences, and seminars for training and guidance of the Muslim youth. These think-tanks are playing their due role in promotion of peace.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that after the 9/11, the blood of thousands of innocent people has been shed and the millions of families have been ruined. He said that the human life and values have lost their meaning. “It is about time, this process of de-humanization was stopped forthwith. The way the migration to the holy city of Medina paved the way for the beginning of a new age, likewise, the Wembley Conference would lay the foundation-stone for reviving the lost glory of Islam founded by the Holy Prophet (SAW). The Muslim youth should launch a sustained struggle for spreading the Islamic message of love and peace and expose and foil the conspiracies hatched enemies of Islam,” he added.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the Western media supports 99% peaceful voice of majority Muslims, while only one percent is bent on projecting radicalized, bigoted minority. This one percent part of media should change its policy as well. “Gone are the days when extremist and terrorist mindset held sway. It is about time democracy replaced dictatorship, which is essentially part of Islam. The people must have inviolable right to enjoy fundamental rights and a free life,” he maintained.

Shaykh-ul-Islam made it clear that the time to heal wounds and bridge gulf had long come and the conduct of Peace for Humanity Conference condemned all forms and manifestations of terrorism and extremism in clear terms. He said that the people of the world must join their forces to eliminate fear, hatred and bigotry from the world and carve out a new direction for humanity where people have access to the necessities of life, enjoy socio-economic justice, live in an amicable and harmonious environment and have equality of opportunities to flourish in their lives. He urged upon followers of all regions to get united on the minimum agenda of humanity by keeping individual identities intact. “This is how peace can be established in the world,” he added.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said that he wanted to see the world transformed into a hub of happiness and peace from which issued forth the fountains of love, freedom, compassion, generosity and morality. He hoped that the international peace conference would lay the basis for establishment of brotherhood between the Muslims and non-Muslims.

The thousands of participants expressed their support and approval of Shaykh-ul-Islam’s mission by extending him a standing ovation, chants and slogans punctuated in between his speech.

The proceedings of the Conference were broadcast live throughout the world via Minhaj.tv and ARY QTV. The gatherings were also arranged in different parts of the country where people watched the proceedings of the Conference live from London.