Purely spiritual event, aimed at developing compassion and goodness

The 46^th Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat UK began yesterday at the vast Oaklands Farm site in Alton known as ‘Hadeeqatul Mahdi’. The three-day international event has attracted global interest with around 30,000 delegates expected to attend from dozens of countries.

During the course of the first day, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the World Head of the community, addressed the delegates twice. Firstly, during his Friday Sermon and then later during the first full session of the Jalsa Salana. Further, as a means to officially inaugurate the event, he also raised the Flag of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat.

During his Friday Sermon, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, spoke of some of the purposes of the Jalsa Salana. He said the event was a purely spiritual event, aimed at developing compassion and goodness amongst the participants.

His Holiness went on to speak about some of the problems faced by the Muslim world today. He said that the much of the Muslim world had forgotten the true and peaceful teachings of the Holy Qur’an.

He said that in today’s world tragically certain Muslim leaders were consumed only by a desire to keep their seats of power and were engaged in the mass killings of members of their own public as a means to try and save their power. His Holiness said that such policies were doomed to fail and that such leaders would not only ultimately lose their power but would come to face punishment for their actions.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued by saying that even where revolutions had taken place in the name of the people in recent past, the new governments were also following policies that consolidated the cruelties of the past and were a means of weakening their countries.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“It is only Allah who can grant the Muslim World wisdom – and we should all pray for this.”

During the afternoon session Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke about some of the companions of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and the way they were divinely guided towards the truth of Ahmadiyyat.

His Holiness prayed that today’s Ahmadi were able to live up to the righteous and moral high standards of those early Ahmadi Muslims.

The session concluded with a silent prayer before the thousands of Ahmadi Muslims dispersed to various locations. Some were camping at Hadeeqatul Mahdi; some had booked hotels nearby, whilst others were commuting. They were however all united in feeling the sense of excitement and spirituality evoked by the Jalsa Salana and in particular the addresses of Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.

At this year’s Jalsa Salana a number of exhibitions have been set up including a photographic exhibition illustrating the history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. Another exhibition highlights the persecution faced by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in certain countries and its peaceful response to all such unjust opposition.

The full proceedings of the Jalsa Salana are being broadcast worldwide on MTA International which can be viewed on Sky 787 in the UK. It can also be streamed online on MTA.tv.