Muslims who are firing rockets in the name of Islam are violating the principles of their faith.



That will be a central theme of an annual American-Muslim convention that will take place Aug. 15-17 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The convention by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, in its 66th year, is expected to draw about 5,000 people from across the country.



It takes place amid escalating crises in areas including Iraq, where the United States carried out an air strike on Friday, Syria and Gaza.



Harris Zafar, a spokesman for the organization, said the Islamic faith is founded on the use of dialog, education and community to peacefully solve problems and achieve justice.



He said the faith, according to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, opposes the use of violence to spread Islam, as is being done by some Muslims in areas including Iraq.



He further said there is no justification for violence that injures bystanders, even if they are governed by unjust leaders.



The convention will feature a slate of sessions to discuss such topics and to advance peaceful solutions.



It is open to people of all faiths, in order to further an accurate understanding of Muslims and Islam, and to advance peaceful methods of resolving conflicts.



"Our belief has always been if you don't have open dialog, that just breeds more mistrust and misunderstanding. That's why we want people of other faiths, or of no faith, to join us at this convention, so we can have that dialog," Zafar said.



He said a central tenant of Islam is to look inward and focus on personal reform and moral behavior. An acceptable government, he said, is a secular one that provides justice and opportunity for everyone.



"We are in a critical point in a conflict-ridden world," Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah, the national vice president of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA said in a news release. "The world cries for a solution and we are here to offer that solution through dialog, education, and a sense of community."



The convention is called the Jalsa Salana Peace Conference.