Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurates the Jalsa Salana UK 2021 duties and addresses the volunteers
Hadeeqatul Mahdi, Alton, 5 August 2021
Today, just after 2:30 pm, Huzooraa arrived in the Jalsa Gah, where the fortunate volunteers had the honour of offering Zuhr and Asr prayers behind their Imam after a very long period of Covid-related restrictions, which had deprived most of them of this blessed opportunity.
After a break, at around 5:30 pm Huzooraa arrived back at the Jalsa site and took a brief tour of the various sites, including the Langar Khana, Roti Plant and the Lajna scanning area before proceeding to the main Jalsa Gah at 6 pm to address the volunteers.
The session started with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by its translation:
وَ اِذَاۤ اَذَقۡنَا النَّاسَ رَحۡمَۃً فَرِحُوۡا بِہَا ؕ وَ اِنۡ تُصِبۡہُمۡ سَیِّئَۃٌۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ اَیۡدِیۡہِمۡ اِذَا ہُمۡ یَقۡنَطُوۡنَ۔ اَوَ لَمۡ یَرَوۡا اَنَّ اللّٰہَ یَبۡسُطُ الرِّزۡقَ لِمَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَ یَقۡدِرُ ؕ اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِکَ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ یُّؤۡمِنُوۡنَ۔ فَاٰتِ ذَاالۡقُرۡبٰی حَقَّہٗ وَ الۡمِسۡکِیۡنَ وَ ابۡنَالسَّبِیۡلِ ؕ ذٰلِکَ خَیۡرٌ لِّلَّذِیۡنَ یُرِیۡدُوۡنَ وَجۡہَ اللّٰہِ ۫ وَ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
“And when We make mankind taste of mercy, they rejoice therein; but if an evil befall them because of that which their own hands have sent on, behold! they are in despair. Have they not seen that Allah enlarges the provision to whomsoever He pleases, and straitens it to whomsoever He pleases? In that truly are Signs for a people who believe. So give to the kinsman his due, and to the needy, and to the wayfarer. That is best for those who seek the favour of Allah, and it is they who will prosper.” (Surah ar-Rum, Ch. 30: V. 37-39)
Huzooraa came to the podium and conveyed the greetings of assalamo alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu to everyone. After reciting Tashahhud, Ta’awwuz and Basmalah, Huzooraa delivered an address, a summary of which is as follows:
Last year, we were unable to hold the Jalsa Salana due to the Covid pandemic. This year, although the situation may be almost the same or it may have slightly improved, but some Covid-related restrictions are still in place. These restrictions fluctuate from sometimes being relaxed to later being tightened again. Anyhow, it was decided that, albeit at a smaller scale, Jalsa will be held, so that people may be able to attend the Jalsa to quench their spiritual thirst and to benefit from it in various ways and so that the workers, who are passionate about serving the guests of the Promised Messiahas, may also attain the pleasure of Allah the Exalted by fulfilling their duties. It was also the desire of the workers that they be given this opportunity.
However, it seemed at times that the administration of the Jalsa was not convinced that the Jalsa would actually take place. That is why they would sometimes become slightly slack with regards to the arrangements. However, I told them that, whether the Jalsa is small or a full-scale convention, it will definitely take place, insha-Allah, so that the tarbiyat and training of the workers may continue to take place. As a principle, what should have happened is that the workers should have been called upon throughout the year and given regular training. In Rabwah, Jalsa has not been held for decades due to the restrictions placed by the government. However, they continue to train the workers in one way or the other.
Anyway, if there is a long period of time where all Jamaat activities are completely put on hold, then it can lead to slackness and people start to forget. By the grace of Allah the Exalted, the workers here are now well-trained. Forgetting their training within a year’s time would be out of the question. However, this year, some of the workers may experience some difficulties due to some of the restrictions. Others will not face huge difficulties due to the reduced number of attendees.
The hygiene department may not face any significant difficulties on account of the reduced attendance. However, the weather has become such that it will not lead to a reduction in their workload. So, cleanliness will definitely have to be looked after properly, especially the cleanliness of the washrooms and the toilets. Likewise, there is the traffic department. They too may not have to bear a huge burden on account of the reduced attendance but, here I would like to add again, that due to the weather and the lack of some of the usual facilities, they may face some degree of harsh attitude by some of the people and will have to bear that with patience. Then, there are the food arrangements. Discipline will have to be maintained in a new way. Social distancing rules will have to be adhered to. Food will have to be served in a way that people take the food while maintaining a safe distance. Previously, people would stand very close together to take the food and would eat it while being gathered together in groups. However, now a safe distance will have to be maintained and those on duty will have to ensure this with love and compassion so that none of the guests feels aggrieved.
As for other departments such as the Roti Plant or cooking etc., by the grace of Allah, our workers are now trained to the extent that they can manage the Jalsa, be it small or have a large attendance of hundreds of thousands of people.
Allah the Exalted has granted you the opportunity to serve the Jalsa guests over the next few days, to fill the gap in the training that had been created in the previous year and to renew and further strengthen your skills. Thus, you should fulfil your duties while being grateful to Allah the Exalted. There is no further need to say much.
May Allah the Exalted grant all of you the ability to execute the assigned tasks in the best possible manner. Moreover, that matter towards which I always draw your attention, which is the most important and crucial matter, is that you should pay special attention to prayers during these days. Pay full attention to offering your prayers on time. May Allah the Exalted grant you the opportunity and ability to serve in the best possible manner.
In the end, Huzooraa led everyone in silent prayer before proceeding to inspect the MTA compound and the Makhzan-e-Tasaweer exhibition. Finally, Huzooraa went to the dining marquee where he joined the volunteers for some refreshments.
At around 7:00 pm Huzooraa returned to his residence.