At 16:17 BST on Saturday, 28 September 2024, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah strengthen his hand, graced the stage at the 2024 Lajna Imaillah and Nasirat-ul-Ahmadiyya UK Ijtema for its concluding session.
After conveying salaam to those present as well as MTA viewers, Huzooraa invited Tahira Majoka Sahiba to recite a portion of the Holy Quran (Ch.41: V.31-36). Hala Hadi Sahiba was invited to present the English translation of the recited verses.
Huzooraa then stood for the Lajna Imaillah pledge, which all Lajna members repeated.
Dunya Shahbaz Sahiba was then called to recite an Urdu poem, who recited verses written by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.
Sadr Sahiba Lajna Imaillah UK was then invited to present a report of the ijtema.
She thanked Huzooraa for gracing the event and went on to say that the second day had reached its successful conclusion. She noted that the theme for this year’s ijtema was “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation” (Ch.16: V.126).
Various talks and presentations were given on topics such as “Important personal characteristics for tabligh”, “Exercising wisdom in tabligh” and “The propagation of Islam through practising its teachings”. Academic competitions for Nasirat included tilawat, nazm, Urdu and English speech competitions and a poetry competition – these were held in the Nasirat ijtema gah and competition marquee.
Academic excellence awards for university students were distributed the previous day to those students whose names were announced at Jalsa Salana UK 2024. For GCSE and A level students, awards would be distributed the following day.
AMRA held talks on various topics covering religion, science and health. New features this year for Nasirat were a special science show of experiments, an exhibition showcasing tabligh related topics such as signs and truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas and female role models from early Islam. Regional and local awards were also distributed.
Sadr Sahiba then offered thanks to various individuals and groups for their support in making the ijtema a success. After thanking Huzooraa for gracing the occasion, she requested Huzoor to pray for the future of Lajna Imailllah UK.
A video report was then presented showcasing various aspects of the ijtema and features that were new this year.
At 16:39, Huzooraa took to the podium to deliver the concluding address.
Following the recitation of tashahud, ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Huzooraa said that with the grace of Allah, Lajna Imaillah UK was holding its ijtema as well as Lajna Imaillah Bangladesh – who were joined via live stream.
Events such as the ijtema were held in the Jamaat for the spiritual, moral and physical betterment of its members. Unfortunately, today is a day when people in the world pursue materialism as their life goal, a desire that is unsatiable. As Ahmadi Muslims, it is our duty to not just protect ourselves from this worldly race, but to inspire the coming generations to pursue a relationship with Allah. We have a duty to illuminate those around us with the light of Islam’s teachings – an immense responsibility that rests on the shoulders of every Ahmadi man and woman.
The cause of all disputes, whether on a personal or community level, is because people have forgotten their Lord, and this distance is only growing. Money and wealth have now become their gods.
Worldly people have long been degrading women in unimaginable ways. Nowadays, intelligence agencies have been found to use women, using them as bait, to lure men into compromising situations. These tactics are used to extract secrets, classified information and to forge secret deals through coercion. So those nations that claim to stand for women’s rights think nothing of demeaning women by using them to fulfil their economic and other interests. It lies on Ahmadi women to stand for human rights by observing the highest standards of values.
Ahmadi women must always try to serve their community but also work towards protecting the coming generations – something that can only start in one’s home. Women have the power to transform the dynamics of their households in a positive manner, but also in a negative manner. They can, if not careful, cause rifts and discord within the family unit.
Within the wider society, Ahmadi women ought to use their voice and skills to promote peace and harmony as opposed to discord. The free intermixing, without any degree of restraint, that we saw widespread today has corroded the fabric of society today. This has also affected some of our own Ahmadi men and women, who through their own naivete have forged relationships that they deem harmless but are in fact harmful.
“Thus, Ahmadi women and girls should aways maintain appropriate boundaries with men so that their modesty and dignity is never compromised or questions. Due to Allah’s sheer grace, most Ahmadi women and girls comprehend the value of these Islamic principles. They recognise and proudly affirm the value of protecting their modesty and prioritising their faith and bond with Allah over all world matters. Nonetheless, the world is so immersed in immorality and vice that supreme caution and a constant effort is required to protect oneself.
“At all times, be mindful that attaining God’s grace and pleasure is the principle objective of a believer. Thus, every Ahmadi man and woman should strive to preserve their chastity at all costs. Your target should be to excel in righteousness and goodness purely for the sake of attaining God’s pleasure.
“Further, it should not be that good habits and qualities come and go like the wind; rather, every virtue we adopt – whether linked to fulfilling the rights of the worship of Allah, or serving humanity – should become a permanent feature of our lives.”
If we have noble aspirations, then we will continue to climb the ladder of spiritual success. Lajna must strive for this.
“Strive to increase your religious knowledge and understanding and remain constantly focused on the moral upbringing and futures of your children, ensuring that they learn the best morals and develop a sincere love for their faith.
“The hearts of every Lajna member should be restless and filled with profound sorrow observing how mankind is rapidly moving away from Allah the Almighty. Indeed, this should be a cause of desperate heartache for every Ahmadi and we must strive to arrest this moral and spiritual decline.
“Thus, consider it your sacred duty to enlighten and convince others that true salvation lies solely in servitude and devotion to God Almighty.”
Prophets were sent to all parts of the world for this very purpose, which resulted in Islam’s universal teachings being revealed to Prophet Muhammadsa. Through God’s grace, Allah sent the Promised Messiahas as a guiding light for mankind. It is our good fortune that we have taken his bai‘at in which we have promised to give precedence to our faith above everything worldly.
This must inculcate within us high spiritual and moral standards. Ahmadi women and girls must never forget that they have pledged to act righteously to fulfil the rights of God and to fulfil the rights of mankind.
“Do not think the Lajna pledge you took a few minutes ago was offered as a mere formality or ritual. Instead, remember that God Almighty states that believers will be held accountable for their pledges by Him.
“It is solely due to the grace and favours of Allah that you have all, irrespective of any difficulties or fatigue, journeyed from all over the country to attend this ijtema, eager to listen to the words of Allah the Almighty and his messenger. Masha-Allah! This is a testament to your desire to uphold your pledge to give precedence to your religion over all worldly affairs. Nevertheless, worldly desires can overcome a person at any moment and cause them to neglect their religious obligations.
“Thus, never forget what your cause purpose is. If, today, there exist women in the world who willingly and joyfully detach themselves from worldly pursuits for the sake of Allah and unite to collectively pursue spiritual growth and moral excellence, those women should undoubtedly be Ahmadi women, and by the grace of Allah, instilled within many Ahmadi women all around the world is piety, sincerity and goodness. They abstain from evil and wrongdoing. They are firm in faith and possess religious knowledge.” They serve the Jamaat with devotion.
“However, lurking in the shadows at all times, ready to pounce, lies Satan. He seeks to exploit any moment of weakness in order to sow division and divert people from the path of truth and morality.”
In the Holy Quran, Allah has laid out specific attributes of a believing woman. They are fully obedient to Him and reject all forms of shirk – associating partners with Allah. Indeed, shunning shirk is the bedrock of our faith, yet sometimes, without realising, a person becomes guilty of it. So, we must remain ever vigilant against it to safeguard ourselves. For this, worship of Allah is necessary and keeping His various attributes in mind.
Huzooraa said that as mentioned in a Friday Sermon a few weeks ago, all Ahmadis should spend as much time in durood and isitghfar as possible. This would encourage them to naturally focus on the worship of Allah. This would become an example for their children to follow. As Huzooraa repeatedly said, the moral and spiritual betterment of their children was an utmost responsibility of women. Hence, every Ahmadi mother ought to consider it her primary duty to instil within her children the eternal value of forming an unbreakable bond with Allah so that they may grow to become torchbearers of righteousness for the future.
While ensuring that they gain secular education, they must ensure that their religious knowledge is also increasing. This will lead to a righteous society in the world.
Huzooraa said that all Ahmadi women had pledged to obey any ma‘ruf decision made by Khalifatul Masih. This means they should follow any directive given by Allah and His Prophetsa. It requires women to follow all teachings of the Promised Messiahas. And it requires them to follow the directives given by Khalifatul Masih.
The Quran also says to “discharge the trusts placed in you, inculcate a spirit of sacrifice within yourselves; it states that you should speak the truth. Whether intentionally or naively, people sometimes speak in half-truths or in a misleading manner. This is wrong and a sin. One must never speak in a way that deceives others to any extent.
“Thus, if the Lajna tarbiyat department makes a concerted effort to encourage Lajna and Nasirat about the immense value of truthfulness, it can spark a profound spiritual and moral transformation. In fact, I believe that if all Lajna members cultivate the habit of speaking and acting honestly, more than half the weaknesses and shortcomings that exist personally or collectively will be eradicated.”
Huzooraa said the Holy Quran also discouraged fuelling animosity and resentment amongst people and also to never engage in backbiting – some Ahmadis succumb to this vice, which is a grave sin in Islam. The Quran also prohibits mocking and taunting people as it inflicts pain on others and disturbs the peace of society. We must care for the feelings of others. Jealousy is another evil that is prohibited as it consumes people like a fire.
“Always remember that our mission is to create a pure and righteous society that will be a means of peace and security for the world and filled with love and compassion. As I said earlier, it all starts from one’s home. So, you must ensure that your home lives are pure and filled with love. Thereafter, strive to ensure that your towns, cities, nations and the wider world are filled with peace, love and harmony. And always consider it a great favour of Allah the Almighty that you are amongst those fortunate people who, in fulfilment of the promise of Allah the Almighty, are united at one hand under the shade of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya.”
The pledge Lajna and Nasirat had made regarding obeying ma‘ruf decisions must always be remembered by keeping a bond of loyalty with Khalifatul Masih and listening to and obeying his instructions without any hypocrisy. Such an attachment will solidify future generations’ positive impact.
“Let there be no doubt that when Allah’s blessings descend upon a person, it is akin to that pure rain that pours abundantly from the heavens, revitalising even the dryest and most barren of lands into a vibrant tapestry of lush green.”
Towards the conclusion of his address, Huzooraa prayed:
“May Allah the Almighty enable all of us to reform ourselves and to live our lives in accordance with the true teachings of Islam. May All Ahmadi women and girls light up the path leading to the grace and mercy of Allah the Almighty for their children and the rest of society to walk upon. And I pray that may all Ahmadi women and girls live up to the true objectives of Lajna Imaillah to live their lives as devoted and faithful servants of Allah the Almighty. May Allah the Almighty grant you all the ability to do so.”
Huzooraa then led all attendees in dua (silent prayer). Following dua, Huzooraa affectionately listened to taraney (choral poems) of Lajna Imaillah and Nasirat.
At 16:19 BST, Huzooraa departed the ijtema gah.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)