© Makhzan e Tasaweer
The Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) has warned the world of the possibility of a third world war for over two decades. He has addressed the US Congress, the EU Parliament, UNESCO, and various national parliaments around the world. He has sent letters, notably in 2012 and 2020, to major heads of state and world leaders, warning them that, without significant change, the spectre of war remains imminent. We present just some of the prescient warnings delivered by His Holiness (aba) in this period.
9th May 2003
Friday Sermon, UK
‘These incidents [of nuclear devastation] were witnessed in the Second World War even when those atomic bombs were of low capacity. Now, much more powerful atomic bombs have been developed. It is apparent from the current situation of the world that it is hastily moving towards destruction.’
11th October 2003
Opening Reception of Baitul Futuh Mosque, UK
‘If we fail to act, there appears to be nothing to arrest the destruction towards which mankind is rapidly heading. This destruction would be far worse than the destruction caused by the Second World War.’
October 2004
Inaugural Address, Darul Barakat Mosque, Birmingham, UK
‘The world is apparently rapidly advancing towards destruction because of the envy and hatred that its people have in their hearts. This is because they have forgotten their God. It is a terrible end that you cannot even imagine.’
24th March 2007
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘Remember that the path the world has chosen today, the effect of instability will not be confined to just one country but will spread all over the world. It is quite possible that we will witness many examples like Hiroshima and Nagasaki or even worse.’
16th April 2007
Lecture at Roehampton University, UK
‘Just look at today’s society. When superpowers compel other nations to agree to their terms and conditions and effectively hold them in bondage, a time comes when there is a reaction against this bondage. Past history bears testimony to this and the same is happening today.’
2nd October 2008
Address at British Parliament, UK
‘It is my fear that in view of the direction in which things are moving today, the political and economic dynamics of the countries of the world may lead to a world war. It is not only the poorer countries of the world, but also the richer nations that are being affected by this.’
30th November 2008
Address at the Taj Residency Hotel, Kerala, India
‘Today, quite a number of people are in the selfish pursuit of seeking the fulfilment of their vested interests, without giving a thought towards discharging the rights due to others. If we do not recognise our Creator and discharge the due rights to one another, the world will be lead to a terrible disaster the effects of which will be seen for years to come and the future generations will blame us for this.’
21st March 2009
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘Mankind should have learnt its lesson but regrettably the people of today are failing to learn from the mistakes of the past…Due to the influence of superpowers and the UN, the sphere of unrest is expanding. We cannot simply close our eyes to this. The cause of the Second World War was the existence of such unrest and mini wars.’
20th March 2010
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘If, instead of good feelings, hatred emerges, if restlessness usurps heartfelt peace, then you must accept that this is not progress, but is something that will take you towards horrific destruction.’
June 2011
Address at Hamburg Town Hall, Germany
‘It is with regret that I say that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world closely, we find that the foundation stone for another World War has already been laid…As a consequence of so many countries, both large and small, having nuclear weapons, grudges and enmities are increasing. In fact, people’s hearts are becoming filled with malice. We are seeing the world head towards a terrifying destruction.’
24th March 2012
‘The weapons available today are so destructive that they could lead to generation after generation of children being born with severe genetic or physical defects…Time is running out, and before it is too late we must all pay great heed and attention to the needs of the time.’
27th June 2012
Address at Capitol Hill, USA
‘Some of you might agree with me that due to alliances, blocs may be formed in future – or I can even say they have started forming – and it is not unlikely that disorder will continue to increase in the world, which will ultimately lead to a huge destruction. The effects of such devastation and warfare will surely last for many generations.’
2012
Letter to President Barrack Obama
‘We observe that political and economic problems have once again led to wars between smaller nations, and to internal discord and discontentment becoming rife within these countries. This will ultimately result in certain powers emerging to the helm of government, who will lead us to a world war. If in the smaller countries conflicts cannot be resolved through politics or diplomacy, it will lead to new blocs and groupings to form in the world. This will be the precursor for the outbreak of a Third World War.’
2012
Letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
‘It is my request to you that instead of leading the world into the grip of a World War, make maximum efforts to save the world from a global catastrophe. Instead of resolving disputes with force, you should try to resolve them through dialogue, so that we can gift our future generations with a bright future rather than ‘gift’ them with disability and defects.’
December 2012
Address at the European Parliament, Belgium
‘The cruelties must be stopped, because if they are allowed to spread, then the flames of hatred will surely engulf the entire world to such an extent, that people will soon forget about the troubles caused by the current economic crisis. Instead, they will face a much more horrifying state of affairs. There will be such a huge loss of life that we cannot even comprehend or imagine’
11th May 2013
Address in Beverly Hills, USA
‘The direction the world is moving in suggests that the dark shadow of war is being cast over a very large part of the globe. If war breaks out then countless innocent women, children and elderly people will all die. The destruction will be greater than was witnessed in the previous two World Wars…it is imperative that the world and particularly the major powers reflect upon what efforts are required to save the world from a horrific destruction.’
June 2013
Address at House of Parliament, UK
‘Due to the acts of certain countries, the signs are that another world war is on the horizon. If a world war breaks out, then the Western world will also be deeply affected by its far-reaching and devastating consequences. Let us save ourselves from such destruction. Let us save our future generations from the miserable and devastating consequences of war.’
26th September 2013
Address at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
‘If we look back at history, we realise that a major factor that led to the first two World Wars was the prevailing economic situation and this part of the world where you reside was also caught in its effect. If such circumstances were to prevail again it would be extremely difficult to predict who would be safe and who would be in danger.’
11th October 2013
Address at Prince Court Reception Centre, Australia
‘We are actually seeing the effects already beginning to appear, whereby two opposing blocs, each with differing sympathies, have formed. This division is causing us to reach the devastating precipice of a Third World War…The world has come together like a global village and so such disorder will not be contained, but will encompass and consume the entire world.’
4th November 2013
Address at National Parliament, New Zealand
‘No doubt, the state and circumstances of the world today are extremely precarious and are causing a great deal of concern to the entire world. Whilst some of the major conflicts today are taking place in the Arab world, the truth is that any wise or intelligent person will be aware that such conflicts will not remain limited to just that region. There is no doubt that a conflict between a government and its people can escalate into a much broader international conflict.’
9th November 2013
Address at Mielparque Hotel, Japan
‘Whilst every government claims they wish to end all forms of cruelty and save the world from destruction, yet it looks as if two blocs are being formed in the world before our very eyes. The opposing blocs are engaged in claims and counter-claims against one another and through such statements the friction between them is increasing by the day. The only possible result of such acts will be increasing hostilities and peace will become an ever more distant dream.’
11th February 2014
Conference of World Religions, UK
‘The urgent and critical need of the world today is to establish peace and faith in God. If the world understood this reality then all countries, whether large or small, would not, in the name of defence spending, allocate millions and billions of dollars to expand their military capabilities. Rather, they would spend that wealth to feed the hungry, to provide universal education and to improve the living standards of the developing world.’
8th November 2014
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘The West has now started to realise and acknowledge that this is a war that is actually directly affecting it as well. However, this too is under-estimation – the truth is that this is a war against the entire world.’
14th March 2015
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘For many years I have warned that we are heading towards a horrific destruction and now many politicians and analysts are reaching the same conclusion that we are heading rapidly towards a Third World War. Whilst some are saying that another World War is now unavoidable, I believe that even now there is time for the world to wake up to the stark reality it faces and to arrest this threat.’
6th October 2015
Address at Dutch National Parliament, Holland
‘If we do not pay heed to this [establishing lasting peace and security by means of justice] then the state of today’s world peace will lead to the outbreak of a disastrous world war; whose repercussion will be felt for generations to come and consequently our generations won’t forgive us for this.’
November 2015
Address in Tokyo, Japan
‘In Eastern Europe, hostilities between Russia and Ukraine and other European countries are continuing to flare…Whilst perhaps the major powers keep such weapons as a deterrent, there is no guarantee that the smaller countries will show such restraint. We cannot take it for granted that they will never use nuclear weapons. Thus, it is clear that the world stands on the brink of disaster.’
9th May 2016
Address in Copenhagen, Denmark
‘Conflicts continue to ignite and burn throughout the world and so let us not be in any doubt that the shadow of a fateful war looms before us. Alliances and blocs are rapidly forming before our eyes and so it is my grave fear that we are charging madly towards a calamitous Third World War without pause for thought.’
14th May 2016
Inaugural Address of the Mahmud Mosque, Sweden
In today’s inter-dependent and inter-connected world, no nation or region remains isolated and so the effects of conflicts in the Muslim world have already spread much further afield…We must make every effort to engender peace, so that we do not bequeath upon our children the ‘gift’ of a broken and tormented world; rather, we must ensure that we leave behind a legacy of a peaceful and prosperous world for our future generations to live in.
28th October 2016
Lecture at York University, Canada
‘In the world today, we witness double standards and hypocrisy at so many levels of society and the resulting lack of peace is a cause of the utmost concern and grief for those people who sincerely feel the pain of humanity. As the leader of a worldwide Muslim community, it is this issue that concerns and worries me more than any other.’
25th March 2017
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘I have cited various reports that suggest we are moving towards further warfare and bloodshed. Both at an international level and at a national level, we are seeing polarisation and a hardening of attitudes towards one another…No country or group should be under the illusion that they are safe, because when wars start they evolve rapidly and often unexpectedly.’
18th April 2017
Address After Laying Foundation Stone of the First Mosque in Raunheim, Germany
‘Given the current state of world affairs, in which there is danger not only from [extreme] religious organisations – or, as some say, Muslim terrorist organisations – but also from the new development in the world of an increasing enmity between governments and states. Consequently, there are growing fears in Europe, Korea, the Far East and even in the US that war is imminent.’
9th March 2019
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘If there is a nuclear war, we will not only be destroying the world today but we will also be leaving behind a lasting trail of destruction and misery for our future generations. Hence, we must pause and reflect on the consequences of our actions.
5th October 2019
Address at Annual Convention, France
‘If any of those countries ever use the deadly weapons at their disposal they will not just be destroying the world as we know it, but will be ensuring that we leave behind the most horrific and devastating legacy for our children.’
22nd October 2019
Address at Adlon Kempinski Hotel, Germany
‘Reminiscent of the dark days of the past, opposing blocs and alliances are forming and it seems as though the world is hell-bent on inviting its destruction…All it takes is one miscalculation or misstep for hostilities to trigger the unthinkable. The consequences of such a war are incomprehensible but it is safe to say that the world will never be the same again.’
26th December 2021
Concluding Address of Qadian Annual Convention, UK
‘Indeed, not even the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left the entire world shaken, has managed to remove the animosities harboured within the hearts of people or purged nations of their pride and arrogance over one another. People are not paying heed to this warning of Allah the Almighty and should this same attitude continue to be displayed by people and nations, the ramifications will be incredibly perilous.’
26th March 2022
National Peace Symposium, Greece
‘The horrific conflict taking place in Ukraine has cast a frightening shadow upon the world and, in particular upon Europe. Most regrettably, it is the never-ending craving for power and wealth, whether on the part of Russia, the Western world or other major powers, that has led mankind down such a dangerous path that threatens to shatter the peace of the world.’
4th March 2023
National Peace Symposium, UK
‘We hold such events so we can proclaim our firm conviction that only in peace lies the salvation of the world. Peace is a golden key to unlocking the door to societal progress and development and ensuring that our future generations can thrive and prosper.’
9th March 2024
9th March 2024 – National Peace Symposium, UK
‘It will prove impossible for true peace to emerge so long as nations, either directly or through their powerful allies, can utilise a veto power. Regrettably, due to its inherent lack of justice, the fate of the United Nations seems set to mirror that of its failed predecessor, the League of Nations. And if the system of international law, weak as it may be, completely collapses, the resulting anarchy and destruction is beyond our comprehension.’
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