A. Abdul Aziz,by Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at – Sri Lanka.

(Given below is an excerpt of the Friday Sermons of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivered recently at: ‘Baithul Futhuh’, London, U.K. gave a discourse on recently concluded Ahmadiyya International Convention in United Kingdom.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said:

I would like to thank all the men and women who worked in any department and in any capacity in the Jalsa. All workers, from helpers to officers, men, women, children, young and old, everyone performed their duties diligently and selflessly. They presented the true picture of Islām for the nonMuslim guests. Particular gratitude is due to the workers who volunteered in large numbers to serve the guests of the Promised Messiah (May peace be upon him), and they are the ones who do the real work. May Allāh bless them all.

His Holiness cited the feedback of foreign guests who attended the Convention (Jalsa Salana).

Malay Yaqoob Sahib, President of the Muslim Community in Benin participated in the Convention for the first time and gave his impressions as follows: “I have performed Hajj more than twenty times but I have never seen such excellent arrangements as at this Jalsa Salana. The atmosphere of the Convention was such that I have never experienced it anywhere else. From the airport to the residence, everything was so well taken care of that it seemed like home. In the Convention, I met people from every walk of life, doctors, professors, eminent scholars, and yet everyone served us with humility. The Khalīfa gave us the true message of Islām, and this is the message that the Muslim world needs so that people’s misperceptions about Islām can be corrected. I have learnt much by coming here that Ahmadiyyat is the true Islām. It is only Ahmadīs who are making the true status of the Holy Prophet (May Allāh’s Blessings be upon him) known to the world.”

Mr. Simeon Sawadogo, Minister of State and Religious affairs from Burkina Faso, said: As a minister for religious affairs, I honour all religions. I found answers to many of my questions with my participation in the Convention. I even got answers for the questions I did not ask. I was given every assistance. It is the first time I have participated in the Jalsa and the holy thoughts and pure atmosphere have spiritually uplifted me. It is only by following the principles of love and morality that we can live together in harmony. I saw volunteers in the Convention cleaning toilets and washing dishes, and I saw small children serving drinking water, and all this is not possible without selfless devotion. The zeal to serve others was extraordinary. The International Initiation Ceremony (Bai’at – Oath of allegiance) – a unique feature of the Convention – was like a chain of sincerity, devotion and obedience. It should serve as an example for the world to follow. People do not try to understand what the Khalīfa is saying and are instead running after materialism and are suffering consequently. The Khalīfa in his address gave guidelines for the betterment of society.”

Mr. Yoshida Nichiko, Chief Priest of a Buddhist Temple in Japan, visited the Convention. He said, I found true peace in the atmosphere of the Jalsa. Everyone is checked and body searched by security and yet I did not see anyone quarrelling. All arrangements, from food to the speeches, were very well organised. The Khalīfa’s address with regard to religion was very timely. It is indeed necessary to tell the world today that the high moral standards taught by religion can help us fulfil our obligations to one another. The Japanese society is also facing the problem of estrangement between parents and children and we are unable to deal with it despite all efforts. We can use Ahmadiyya Khalifa guidance for the betterment of our society as well. I did not have a negative impression of Islām even prior to this, but, having witnessed the atmosphere of this Convevtion, when it came time for the International Initiation Ceremony – Bai’at, I could not hold back and decided that I have to offer my hand to yours for the establishment of peace in the world and for a harmonious and loving society. So I participated in this Ceremony – Bai’at. I accept your leadership and promise to be with you in all your efforts to bring peace to the world”, he said. Ahmadiyya Khalifa said: This does not mean that he has pledged the Bai’at but that he is with us in our aim of establishing peace in the world.

A lady guest from Argentina attended the Jalsa. Her husband accepted Ahmadiyyat ten months ago but she is a Christian. She says, I am a lawyer by profession. My favourite speech of the Convention was the address of the Imām (Khalifa) of Jamā’at Ahmadiyya in which he beautifully and comprehensively shed light on how the teachings of Islām uphold human rights. Prior to coming to the Jalsa, I was a bit apprehensive. I thought that when so many people are gathered, there is bound to be some unpleasantness. But your gathering was very different from our gatherings. Despite the crowding and the huge number of people, the atmosphere was full of love and harmony and there were smiles everywhere. I was apprehensive that I might be pressurised to conform to the Islāmic veil while I was here, but from beginning to end I remained comfortably without veil and men and women treated me with great courtesy, she added.

A minister from Liberia attended the Convention. He said, All the programs were so beautifully organized that I did not find any flaw. Various departments such as the kitchen, public relations and all others were working in coordination. What is most surprising is that all this work was being done by teams of volunteers who worked with each other in a brotherly atmosphere. Never in my life have I seen such commitment to one’s duty as I did among these volunteers. The participants treated each other with respect and affection. It was astonishing for me that a program catering for 39,000 went smoothly without any unpleasantness.

A lady guest from Uruguay said: For over thirty years I have been studying Islāmic countries and organisations. There are two distinctive features of this Convention that I have not witnessed anywhere else. The first is your being united under one leader that is something unparalleled. Each and every individual has an extraordinary relationship of sincerity and devotion with the Khalīfa.” Here, Ahmadiyya Khalifa said: This is what causes envy among our opponents and they try to create hurdles for us, and it is this that we have to safeguard through prayers and through our actions. She continued, The other distinction of your community is that there is no racial or national prejudice among you.” Ahmadiyya Supreme Head said: This is not something that we should demonstrate for a few days, rather we should always uphold this principle. That was the last message the Holy Prophet (May Allāh’s Blessings be upon him) gave us that: The white person has no superiority over black, nor any black over white; and no Arab has any superiority over nonArab, nor any Non-Arab over an Arab.” Thus as humans, all are equal.

The former Prime Minister of Gabon also attended the Convention. He said: To witness thousands of people from over a hundred different countries in one place was a unique experience for me. The volunteers worked day and night and there was no unpleasantness whatsoever. I got to know a lot from various speeches during the Jalsa about Islām and Ahmadiyyat in particular.”

An advisor to the President of the Central African Republic said: The arrangements were excellent. All the volunteers of Jamā’at Ahmadiyya, including children, young and old, made the best arrangements with obedience to their Khalīfa.”

A retired judge from Bangladesh attended the Jalsa. He said, I am not an Ahmadī but I know that Ahmadīs are Muslims. Ahmadīs have been persecuted in many countries for a long time. Being a human rights activist, I support Ahmadīs on the basis of humanity. Everyone has the right to propagate their beliefs. I was impressed by the discipline of Ahmadīs and their love for the Khalīfa and their thirst for knowledge. I listened to all the speeches attentively and many of my misconceptions were removed. Ahmadīs should speak up more so that the misunderstandings about them are corrected. I had previously thought that Ahmadīs do not believe the Holy Prophet (May Allāh’s Blessings be upon him) to be Khatam-un-Nabiyyin (seal of prophets), but after coming here I have found that this is not so. In short, I have learnt a lot from this Convention. I thank you all and particularly the Imām of Jamā’at Ahmadiyya.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said: Now I will present a report regarding press and media coverage about the Convention . 183 media reports have been published so far which have conveyed our message to more than 173 million people. Many TV channels covered this Convention. 19 channels covered the event through MTA Africa. According to the impressions of non-Ahmadīs, they were very much impressed by what they saw and heard. May Allāh make this Convention (Jalsa) a source of spiritual progress for all the participants. May we be able to act upon what we have learnt and may people’s hearts be inspired by what they have heard. Amīn.

The full address – the link of which is as below: