by A. Abdul Aziz

The Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at was held on Sunday the 10 September 2017 at Ahmadiyya Fazl Mosque premises Periyamulla, Negombo chaired by National President A.H. Nasir Ahmad. Ahmadi Muslims throughout the country attended this one day convention. Topics on various subjects include the blessings of Khilafath (Spiritual Leadership) and the History of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Sri Lanka were delivered.

In his address A.H. Nasir Ahmad – National President put forward the history of Jama’at Ahmadiya Sri Lanka.      He said: It was during the life time of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at that some of his books reached Ceylon as they reached Europe,  America and  Africa. A prominent Muslim gentleman who had been the trustee of the Mardana Mosque at the time Mr. I.L.M. Abdul  Aziz, after reading a few of such books had sent his Bai’at (oath of allegiance) to enter the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam by post direct to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Islam in 1907.

Mr. I.L.M. Abdul  Aziz published an article entitled ‘A short sketch of Ahmadiyya Movement’, in a magazine named Muslim Guardian”, (Sept. 1907 issue) authored by him. This way the first introductory article about  Ahmadiyya  Jama’at appeared in Ceylon in September, 1907. He died in 1915 and buried at Mardana Mosque in Colombo.

In 1915, Hazrat Sufi Ghulam Muhammad, a companion of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him) arrived in Colombo and stayed there for 3 months on his way to Mauritius. The first public announcement of the advent of Imaam  Mahdi was made by the said Hazrat Sufi Ghulam Ahmad in the country during the course of his public lecture arranged by the Young Muslim Literary Association in Colombo. The teachings of Ahmadiyyath got influenced into leading Educationalist personals such T.B. Jeya, Lyc and Manthara – belongs to Malay Community. His tireless efforts were very helpful to establish the Jama’at in Sri Lanka in 1915. 15 members took Bai’at iin the beginning.

Another Companion of Promised Messiah (a.s.) Dr. Mufti Muhammad Saidq Sahib (r.a.) also visited Sri Lanka in the early period of Ahmadiyyath in Sri Lanka. A.P. Ibrahim Sahib and Moulavi B. Abdullah Sahib from India also visited Sri Lanka to serve Ahmadiyyath in the early period of its history. Moulavi Ismail Munir  from Pakistan served a lot for the propagation of Ahmadiyyath in the Island.

Moulavi Mohammed Ismail Munir arrived in Ceylon in 6th of August, 1951.  He had been appointed as the Missionary-in-Charge for Ceylon Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at by the International Headquarters in Rabwah, Pakistan.

In 1920, the community bought its own property in Slave  Island,  Colombo to be used as a place for prayers, press and propagation centre. In 1923, a branch was established in Negombo. In 1932, the first  Ahmadiyya  Mosque and a burial ground were built in Negombo.

This is the way history goes, National President added and said that there are five centers  in the Island and recalled the services rendered by the forefathers of Ahmadiyyath in Sri Lanka.

In his address Chief Missionary Moulavi A.B. Musthq Ahmad dealt the subject of martial life in Islam and quoted verses of Holy Qur’an on this issue. He also quoted from the advice of Hazrat Khalifathul Masih V on the subject of blessed married life.

Mr. Sriyananda – Chief Officer of Public Library, Colombo, in his address praised the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at for its tireless efforts to establish peace in the world and also expressed his thanks for the contribution of Ahmadiyya Community   to his social services. Since 2013, he is participating in important events organized by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Sri Lanka and also extended his full cooperation to the Jama’at in launching the Holy Qur’an Sinhala Translation, he added. In his busy schedule he accepted the Jama’at invitation and the Jalsa Salana.

Mr. Sriyananda was presented a book – the Sinhala translation of Ahmadiyya Supreme Head’s address at U.K. Ahmadiyya Convention – 2015, titled: The Real Justice and Peace.

Mr. S. Nizam Khan and Moulavi M.Z. Munafjan also addressed.  Urdu Poem and Arabic Kasheeda composed by Promised Messiah (a.s) were recited.