By A. Abdul Aziz,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at, Sri Lanka.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at will be holding its International Annual Convention on 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^thƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  July, 2011 at Hadeeqa-tul-Mahdi in Alton, Hampshire, U.K. Dignitaries from all over the world including Sri Lanka are expected to attend. The Convention will commence with Friday Prayers led by His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the World Leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Renowned Muslim scholars will address this UK convention on topics, which are of grave importance to humanity. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is expected toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  address the gathering on all three days.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Speeches will also be made by the distinguished Non-Muslim guests, MPs from UK and African states and special representatives of some Heads of the state.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This three-day Convention will include a world-wide Initiation (BaiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at) Ceremony that is held every year at the time of Annual Convention in which large numbers of people from different countries gather at some places in their respective countries and then via satellite take an oath of allegiance at the hand of the Caliph of the Ahmadfiyya Muslim Community Hazrat Mirza Masroor AhmadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This historical ceremony is to be held on Sunday 24^th of July 2011 (last day of the Convention) at 5.30 P.M. local time. In Sri Lanka too, Ahmadi Muslims across the country assembling in their mosques situated at Colombo, Negombo, Pasyala and Polonnaruawa and taking part in this Initiation Ceremony via MTA (Muslim Television Ahmadiyya) ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” CommunityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s FREE satellite TV.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The convention will conclude on the same day with the Concluding Address of His Holiness, Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The purpose of this gathering is to review the work done by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worldwide for the service of mankind. Economic, Social and political problems that face the world today and their remedies will be discussed.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The proceedings of the Convention will be broadcast LIVE by Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA), which can be viewed anywhere in the world. This is theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  CommunityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 24-hour free satellite TV channel which will also offer simultaneous translations into several languages.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Objectives, Purposes & Blessings of the Convention (Jalsa Salana) In the Words of the Founder of the Community ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” The Promised Messiah (Peace be on him)

Purpose of the Convention (Jalsa Salana)

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The primary purpose of this Convention is to enable every sincere individual to personally experience religious benefits; They may enhance their knowledge and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”due to their being blessed and enabled by Allah, The Exalted- their perception [ of Allah ] may progress. Among its secondary benefits is that this congregational meeting together will promote mutual introduction among all brothers, and it will strengthen the fraternal ties within this Community..ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
(Ishtihar 7 Dec. 1892, Majmoo`ah Ishtiharat Vol. I, Page 340).

Not an Ordinary Convention

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-It is essential for all those who can afford to undertake the journey, that they must come to attend this Convention which embodies many blessed objectives. They should disregard minor inconveniences in the cause of Allah and His prophet (peace be upon him.). Allah yields reward to the sincere persons at every step of their way, and no labour and hardship, undertaken in His way, ever goes to waste. I re-emphasize that you must not rank this convention in the same league as other, ordinary, human assemblies. This is a phenomenon that is based purely on the Divine Help, for propagation of Islam.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
(Ishtihar 7 Dec. 1892, Majmoo`ah Ishtiharat Vol. I, Page 341)

Prayer

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- I conclude with the prayer that everyone who travels for [attending] this Convention that is for the sake of Allah: May Allah, the Exalted, be with him, reward him in abundant measure, have mercy on him, ease up for him his circumstances of hardship and anxiety and eliminate his anguish and grief. May He grant him freedom from every single hardship and lay open for him the ways of [achieving] his cherished goals, and raise him up, on the day of Judgment, among those of His servants who are the recipients of His blessings and Mercy. May He be their Guardian in their absence until after their journey comes to an end. O Allah! O Sublime One and Bestower of bounties, the Ever Merciful and One Who Resolves all problems, do grant all these prayers, and grant us Victory over our opponents with scintillating signs, because You alone have all the prowess and power. Aameen! Aameen!!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
(Ishtihar 7 Dec. 1892, Majmoo`ah Ishtiharat Vol. I, Page 342)

The Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at was founded in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be upon him) in a small town called Qadian in the Punjab region of India. Under Divine guidance Hazrat Ahmad claimed to be the Promised Messiah as awaited by all major religions. Since Hazrat AhmadƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s passing in 1908 the Community has been led by virtue of the Institution of Khalifat ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Spiritual SuccessionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Commnuity is currently led by the Fifth Khalifa of its Founder, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad who resides in South West London. AhmadiyyatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  stands for the brotherhood of mankind and tries to establish peace on earth through love, persuasion and tolerance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is a spiritual organization and has no political agenda.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The proceedings of the Convention recorded in CDs are available by contacting Tel. No. 00 94 777 753440.