Mishaal Baten, Paraguay Correspondent
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Paraguay celebrated its 5th Jalsa Salana on 2-3 May 2025. The theme of this Jalsa was “All Goodness Lies in the Holy Quran.”
The first session was held in the courtyard of the mission house in Asuncion on Friday evening. After a recitation from the Holy Quran, Abel López Sahib delivered a speech titled “Navigating the world as a new Ahmadi Muslim”. After this, Benjamin Lopez Sahib spoke on “The Promised Messiah’sas love for the Holy Quran.” Naib Amir Jamaat Paraguay, Mubshar Ahmed Sahib, delivered a speech on “The Ahmadiyya Community’s humanitarian work across South America”. The main address was delivered by Abdul Rashid Anwar Sahib, Missionary-in-Charge Canada, followed by a question and answer session, Maghrib and Isha prayers and dinner.
The second session was held the following day at a rented hall about 15 minutes away from the mission house. The day started with lunch and Zuhr and Asr prayers. Following a recitation from the Holy Quran, an introduction to Jalsa Salana was given by Elias Oliveira Sahib. Yousaf Khan Sahib from Uruguay gave a speech on “Prophecies of the Holy Quran”. Academic awards were presented to Ahmadi children, after which Abdun Nur Baten Sahib delivered a speech on “The Holy Quran – a healing for the believers.” After a short coffee break, a special message from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa was read out in Spanish. This message was also printed on a large poster and hung up in the jalsa gah. Some inspiring convert stories were shared by Carlos Bernal Sahib with the topic “Why I Am An Ahmadi”.
Sister Jazmín Diaz from Coronel Oviedo writes:
“In a country full of prejudice and misinformation (about Islam) […] and in the worst moment of my life, I found a community that I would have never imagined; I found a beautiful and united community and I found Allah in the middle of an immense darkness that seemed eternal. Islam is my anchor and my peace in difficult moments; I understood that I was born for this faith. For me, it was a wonderful and very special encounter. I am Ahmadi because I found a place to belong, to grow and to learn more about my faith.”
Brother Elias Olivera from Encarnación writes:
“I found the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in an unexpected way. A missionary came to my city; moved by curiosity, I approached him to talk to him. What started as a simple linguistic interest became the beginning of a spiritual path. Through our talks, I discovered teachings of Islam that I had never heard before: an Islam of peace, love, service and deep connection with God. Over time, I came to understand that this was no coincidence. I learned to pray, to see life from another perspective, and above all, to feel God in a real and close way. Today I am an Ahmadi because I found in this community a truth that transformed me and a family that accompanies me in my faith.”
Abdul Rashid Anwar Sahib gave the keynote address on “All goodness lies in the Holy Quran”. After this, a question-and-answer session was held where people asked questions regarding Ahmadiyyat, the Promised Messiahas, prophets and women’s rights, among others.
The total attendance over both days was 135 people, with representation from four countries: Uruguay, Canada, Chile and Paraguay. Here are some comments that were left by the attendees after the event:
Alejandro Muñoz from Chile said:
“Attending the Jalsa Salana was a deeply enriching experience. From the very beginning, you could feel an atmosphere of peace, brotherhood and mutual respect. I was impressed by the organisation, hospitality and above all, the commitment of the attendees to the values of faith, service and community. The talks were inspiring, addressing topics that invite reflection: spirituality, justice, interfaith coexistence, the role of Islam in today’s world and the question-and-answer session at the end. Meeting people from different countries and cultures, united by the same purpose, reaffirmed my belief in the importance of dialogue, mutual understanding and progress in peace.”
Liza Bernal from Asunción said:
“One of the speeches I heard really touched me, where it was said that participating in the Jalsa is a blessing; we leave everything behind and come to the Jalsa with the intention to learn and strengthen our faith. I arrived at Jalsa that day with worry, anguish and sadness, but I left with peace and the reminder that we only need to really and fully trust in Allah, whatever the situation we find ourselves in. By His side will always be the best for us, alhamdulillah for the miracle we received from Allah (after the Jalsa) and alhamdulillah for the prayers of the Promised Messiahas.”
Fabio Pintos from Capitán Meza said:
“The Jalsa is a sacrifice that may come with losses, but it also brings great rewards. One may lose a job but find a better one. I may have left behind responsibilities and crossed an entire country, but what I gained was far more valuable. I connected more deeply with Allah, met new Ahmadi brothers, reconnected with old ones and witnessed the growing recognition of our community – even a representative from the Christian church attended. Every second of that 8-hour journey was worth it. I am already looking forward to Jalsa Salana 2026.”