Fatiha Sarwat, Germany

The morning air was cool as the first stream of women entered the jalsa gah – ID cards in hand, prayers in heart and quiet anticipation. Scarves were adjusted; children guided by patient hands; luggage carried carefully. At the entrance, volunteers welcomed arrivals and guided them towards registration and seating. A soft hum of greetings passed between old friends meeting after months, while others were silent, lips moving in prayer. A young volunteer leaned down to help an elderly lady adjust her bag; nearby, a mother shepherded two little ones forward with whispered instructions to keep close.
Inside, the jalsa gah stretched wide, carpeted and ordered, rows waiting to be filled. Volunteers smiled and seated guests in straight lines so the hall would fill evenly. Around the edges, programme and audio-visual teams, Nazm-o-Zabt, Security, and Khidmat-e-Khalq attended to details – from sound to seating, from water to wayfinding – so the guests of the Promised Messiahas could worship in a peaceful, dignified atmosphere.
Jumuah
When everyone had settled, Jumuah began. The hall moved as one, calm and unhurried. After the prayer, attention turned to the screens for the live Friday sermon of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, delivered from Islamabad, UK. Huzooraa continued narrating the blessed life of the Holy Prophetsa, speaking about the Battle of Hunain; for many, that cadence set the spiritual tone for the weekend. Later, the screens displayed prayers that Huzooraa has urged members to repeat often.
Then came a moment of ceremony: flag-hoisting. As the Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat and the German flag rose together, the emotion in the ladies’ marquee rose as well – the formal opening of Jalsa Salana Germany 2025. The first session followed with tilawat and nazm, then two speeches from the men’s side that explored resilience in trials and navigating the digital age. As the evening settled, hearts were grateful and already leaning towards tomorrow.
Before dawn on the second day, we gathered again for Tahajjud and Fajr in congregation. Rows formed in a quiet, steady order – mothers, daughters, nasirat – with the stillness that comes when prayer begins a day. With those blessings fresh, the Lajna programme opened with tilawat and nazm, followed by three speeches from Lajna Imaillah Germany.
Editor’s note: For a detailed report of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa address to the ladies’ session at Jalsa Salana Germany 2025, delivered virtually from Islamabad, please see Al Hakam’s coverage, “Nurturing a blissful & righteous environment.”
1. ‘The living connection with the Living God: the only way of protection from Dajjal’
by Maria Zubair Sahiba, National Secretary Tarbiyat Nau-Mubai’at (German)
Maria Zubair Sahiba opened with a simple thought exercise to show how quickly our surroundings shape what comes to mind. From there, she argued that the surest shield against modern, “Dajjal-like” influences is a living relationship with Allah – rooted in regular salat, seeking forgiveness, and a clear focus on Tawhid. Parents, she said, create the decisive climate at home; since children spend many of their waking hours there, example matters more than instruction. Recognition of Khilafat and obedience to the guidance of the Khalifa-e-Waqt, steady learning, and fulfilling huquq al-‘ibad complete the framework. Protection, in her view, is not a retreat from society but taqwa practised consistently.
2. ‘Consolidation of Khilafat and the responsibilities of Lajna Imaillah’
by Mohsina Mahmood Shaheen Sahiba (Urdu)
Beginning with the Quranic verse about holding fast to the “rope of Allah”, Mohsina Mahmood Shaheen Sahiba reflected on how unity with firmness and humility safeguards hearts and minds. She described true leadership, as seen in Khilafat, as a bond of reciprocal love–care expressed in prayer, guidance, and quiet attention to people’s needs, while the Jamaat responds with gratitude, obedience, and service. For Lajna, she said, this takes practical form in nurturing the next generation, safeguarding modesty, and strengthening homes through knowledge and daily acts of service. Loyalty to Khilafat, she concluded, is a lived discipline: not only an emotion, but a pattern of prayer and action.
3. ‘Islam: True flag-bearer of women’s freedom’
by Hamda Soosn Chaudhry Sahiba, Sadr Lajna Imaillah Germany (German)
Sadr Sahiba set out that rights often described today as “women’s rights” – education, dignity, safety, and property – were granted by Islam more than fourteen centuries ago, grounding women and men as equal before Allah. She pointed to the Prophetic model as practical honour in the home: shared tasks, courtesy, and care. Modesty, including hijab, she said, is a safeguard rather than a restraint, sitting alongside clear obligations on men regarding conduct and responsibility. Against contemporary harms faced by women, she said, Islam provides a clear framework that couples rights with duties, seeking a society where honour, safety and opportunity become lived realities.
Huzoor’saa address to the women’s session
As the time for Huzoor’saa address approached, the MTA team tested microphones and screens; Sadr Sahiba offered brief guidance on decorum; stewards ensured every row was ordered. When the transmission began from Islamabad, the hall fell utterly silent. Many prayed under their breath for themselves, for the Jamaat and for Huzoor’saa health and strength. Faces were intent; some were tearful. Without re-reporting the content here, it is enough to note how the atmosphere was charged with resolve and tenderness.
Afterwards, poems and taranas added harmony to the mood. The rest of the day ran smoothly – refreshments, another session, and Maghrib and Isha in congregation.
Final Day
The final day on the ladies’ side began early, with many rising for Tahajjud and Fajr. Later, the day’s session in the main programme included several addresses from the men’s side, touching on faith, the blessings of Khilafat and aspects of Jamaat history. Among the speakers was Amir Sahib Germany, Abdullah Uwe Wagishauser, who reflected on the historical efforts made by Jamaat-e-Ahmadiya for Palestinians as well as the current situation in Palestine and on our duty to respond with prayer, patience and constructive effort within the law.
After refreshments, the Lajna marquee joined the rest of the site to watch the concluding session. As Huzooraa began his address, the hall fell silent. Without re-reporting the content here, it is enough to note the mood of resolve and tenderness that settled over the hall. When the session ended, attendees departed gradually, carrying the blessings, lessons and memories of these days – trusting that the guidance received would continue to shape their homes and service.
Editor’s note: The concluding address has been fully covered by Al Hakam; see “‘It is your duty to tell the world that the Promised Messiah has already come’: Huzoor addresses the concluding session of Jalsa Salana Germany 2025”.
This year at Jalsa Salana Germany
This year at Jalsa Salana Germany, many thoughtful improvements were made that reflected both spiritual and practical considerations. The qiblah direction was taken into account in the very design of the Jalsa site. Special attention was devoted to accessibility for elderly Lajna members, with golf carts provided to help them move comfortably throughout the Jalsa site.
Dining was arranged to reduce crowding, with an entrance set opposite a clearly signed exit to keep lines moving. Attendees also appreciated the much-improved mobile connectivity across the grounds, making communication and coordination smoother than ever. All these changes combined to create a peaceful atmosphere for the ladies. Most beautifully, there seemed to be more smiles everywhere this year, faces lit with peace and joy that only the blessings of Jalsa can bring. The weather remained mostly overcast, with occasional sunshine and little rain at times, yet the atmosphere of Jalsa stayed bright and full of spirit.
Conclusion
As the crowds thinned and prams threaded back through the lanes, what stayed was the steadiness: stewards who never raised their voices, volunteers who kept finding space for one more, the hush before prayer settling again and again. On the women’s side, the thousand small courtesies become the atmosphere itself – headsets passed along, a chair found for an elder, a child’s lost shoe returned. That, as much as any timetable, is why Jalsa works: worship anchored by service, and service anchored by worship.
May Allah enable us to live by this spirit, to remain attached to Khilafat and to always follow its invaluable guidance. Amin.