By A. Abdul Aziz
55th Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) UK
concludes with an inspirational address by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
If governments and leaders do not understand their
responsibilities, particularly with regards to warfare and conflicts, and if
they do not fulfil the rights of others, I fear the onset of an unthinkable
global war, the destruction of which will be beyond all comprehension.” –
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
On 8th August 2021, The World Head of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness,
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad concluded the 55th Annual
Convention (Jalsa Salana) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
More than 8,800 people from across the UK attended the
Convention, which took place at Hadeeqatul Mahdi in Alton, Hampshire.
Prior to last year’s global pandemic, over 35,000 people from
all over the world attended the last full Convention, held in 2019. This year,
only UK residents aged 18 to 65 who had been double vaccinated were permitted
to enter the ballot to attend this gathering.
In addition to the thousands of Ahmadi Muslims who attended the
site physically, provisions were also made in regional hubs across the country
and worldwide for people to attend the Convention virtually. The entire event
was also broadcast live on MTA International.
In his concluding address Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad enlightened
the attendees on the rights owed to different groups within society including
friends, the sick, orphans, those with whom covenants are made and those
against whom war is fought, all in light of the teachings of Islam.
His Holiness stated that his address was a continuation of his concluding
address of Convention (Jalsa Salana) 2019 in which he focussed on the rights of
other groups in society including parents, children, spouses, widows, the
elderly, non-Muslims, neighbours and others.
Speaking about the concept of gratitude and the fulfilment of
one another’s rights, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
It
is a matter of fact that the rights of the different groups within society
cannot be truly established until and unless it is realised that we are all
created by One Supreme Creator and that we must also fulfil His rights.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Gratitude
to Allah the Almighty who is All Powerful, The Provider and Sustainer of the
whole world is essential. Further, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) has stated that if someone does good by you, and you do not show them
gratitude, then you are also ungrateful to Allah the Almighty. So, Allah has
told us at every instance that, ‘You must fulfil one another’s rights and that
only then can you fulfil My (God’s) rights’. So, this is the beautiful teaching
of Islam, and this is the God of Islam, Who admonishes us to fulfil the rights
of one another.”
His Holiness also shone light on the true significance of ‘friendship’ and explained the
lofty standards required to fulfil the rights of those we call our friends.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
True
friends can only be those whose hearts are pure and who are sincere. If one’s
heart is not pure then what kind of friendship can it be? Once you make friends
with those people whose hearts are pure, you must also fulfil the rights due to
them.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Fulfilling
the rights of friendship should be for the sake of God and this alone can
maintain true friendship. Friendships that are void of the love of Allah the
Almighty are but temporary friendships.”
His Holiness narrated a saying of the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) who said:
Whichever
Muslim prays for his brother in his absence, an angel says, ‘may it be so in
your case as well.’”
His Holiness also reiterated the immense importance of
fulfilling the rights of a friend, regardless of the situation that they may
find themselves in.
Quoting the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), Hazrat Mirza
Masroor Ahmad said:
The
Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) states, ‘Our principle is such that even
if one of our friends has become intoxicated with alcohol and is lying on the
ground in the marketplace and there is a crowd of people around him, we would
go to his aid and bring him back without any fear of criticism or reproach…’
This is the standard required of real friendship, that once you have declared
someone to be your friend then you must fulfil his rights and be loyal with
them till the very end, through thick and through thin.”
During his address Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad also discussed the
importance of visiting and caring for the sick, as well as the significance
placed on fulfilling the rights of orphans in society.
His Holiness quoted Chapter 93, verse 10 of the Holy
Quran, So the orphan, oppress not” and
explained that protecting and safeguarding the vulnerable is a fundamental
requirement for being a true believer.
His Holiness went on to speak about the conditions of warfare
and the shining example in this regard set by the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs who succeeded him.
Comparing their noble example with the hypocrisy of many
modern-day leaders and governments, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
The
state of the major governments of the world – who declare themselves to be the
standard bearers of justice and fairness and whose existence is considered to
be the guarantor of world peace – is such that they are perpetually (whether
openly or covertly) threatening to destroy any nation that opposes them with
nuclear weapons. In fact, in the last world war, nuclear bombs were dropped on
the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent
Japanese men, women and children. Moreover, even in the present time so many
wars and unjust attacks take place – for example the war in Iraq, the cruelties
inflicted in Palestine, in Syria and the brutalities taking place currently in
Yemen. Yet, these abhorrent cruelties are being extolled proudly as a grand
achievement for the sake of world peace!”
Towards the end of the address, His Holiness reiterated the need
for world leaders to fulfil the rights of others and warned that if this advice
was not heeded, the world may very soon once again come to witness a
catastrophic global conflict with unfathomable ramifications.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
It
is through the fulfilment of these rights that I have spoken about that we can
establish peace in society and the world. Otherwise, there can be no guarantee
of world peace. If
governments and leaders do not understand their responsibilities,
particularly with regards to warfare and conflicts, and if they do not fulfil
the rights of others, I fear the onset of an unthinkable global
war, the destruction of which will be beyond all comprehension.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Thus,
we should all pray that may Allah the Almighty grant sense to these worldly
people and governments so that they recognise the folly of their ways and
satisfying their own egos and instead focus all their energies upon protecting
and safeguarding humanity.”
Reminding Ahmadi Muslims of their responsibility in this regard,
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
Today,
it is the responsibility of every Ahmadi Muslim to pray that the world is
safeguarded from chaos and destruction and comes to believe in the One True God
and comes to understand and implement the teachings of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). For this is the true salvation, the
guarantor of salvation of mankind and indeed the guarantor of the salvation of
the future generations.”
Over the course of the Convention, His Holiness delivered five
addresses, including the Friday Sermon, an address at the Lajna (ladies) side
of the Jalsa and an annual report of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
During the Friday Sermon on 6th August,
His Holiness spoke about the immense blessings of attending the Convention and
explained that although many would not be able to physically attend due to
COVID related restrictions, those participating virtually could still benefit
from the blessings.
On Saturday 7th August His Holiness delivered an address to the
Ladies side of the Jalsa Salana in which he expounded upon the honour and great
status and high rank afforded to women in Islam. Throughout his address, His
Holiness advocated, according to the teachings of Islam, women’s rights,
including the right to education for all girls.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
If
a woman attains good education for the purpose of safeguarding the future
generations, then this in itself gives her glad tidings of entering heaven as
it is also mentioned in the Hadith, ‘heaven lies beneath the feet of one’s
mother’. So, the good upbringing of children and attaining a good education
does not only serve as a means for the mothers to enter heaven but for the
children too. How grand is this honour and station, which is reserved for women
and not given to men!”
Speaking to the women of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community about
their role and responsibilities in this regard Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
Every Ahmadi Muslim woman and girl should recognise and
understand her status and should beautify her life by adhering to the teachings
of Allah the Almighty and as shown by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) as opposed to blindly following worldly people under their
hollow claims of ‘freedom’ and ‘rights’.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
Today it is the responsibility of every Ahmadi Muslim woman and
girl to tell the world about the true status, honour and rank of women. Each
and every individual should endeavour for this purpose without any sense of
inferiority complex. May Allah the Almighty enable us all to do so.”
On Saturday afternoon Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad presented the
annual progress report of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
A few key points from the report
of His Holiness are as follows:
§ The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community over the past year has been
established in 403 new locations.
§ Despite the pandemic which restricted outreach activities, with
the Grace of God, 125,221 new converts from across the world entered the
Community. This is an increase of over 13,000 from the previous year.
§ In total, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has acquired and built
211 mosques this year, with Ghana (31) leading the way.
§ Raqeem Press in Farnham, UK has printed more than 315,000 books
and pamphlets.
§ MTA International is now running 8 channels – 24/7.
§ A total of 27 Ahmadiyya Muslim Radio stations around the world
have been established, with the most in Mali (17) and a new internet radio in
the Turkish language.
§ The various international language desks are continuing to
translate the Holy Qur’an and the books of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon
him).
§ Through the Nusrat Jahan Scheme, 37 hospitals and clinics of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are running in 12 countries. In these facilities, 49
Markazi (Central) and 14 local doctors are serving. 593 school are being run
with 21 Markazi teachers serving along with local teachers.
§ Majlis Ansarullah (Ahmadiyya Elders’ Association) UK have
built an eye clinic in Burkina Faso – the Masroor International Eye Clinic –
which will be ready soon to treat patients.
After presenting the report, His Holiness quoted the Promised
Messiah (peace be upon him) who said:
Day by day, you [the opponents of the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community] are diminishing. Do you not see that your numbers are reducing and
yet we are ever increasing?”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
May Allah the Almighty grant sense to the opponents [of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community] and enable the people of the world to recognise and
understand the message of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and the true
message of Islam.”
The Annual Convention UK 2021 concluded with a silent prayer led
by His Holiness.
(The word ‘Promised Messiah’ refers to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
– Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam.)
Source: www.alislam.org
