Sharif Rasel, Secretary Tabligh, Jamaat Adelaide West
On 10 September 2022, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Adelaide West, Australia travelled to the Yorke Peninsula and visited its beachside town, Wallaroo, where the Wallaroo Lions Market is held. This market is organised by the Lions Club once a month in the historic Wallaroo Town Hall.
After Fajr prayer, a group of five members, led by the missionary Atif Ahmed Zahid Sahib, commenced their trip in the Jamaat van. Atif Sahib led the silent prayer before the two-hour trip to Wallaroo.
After reaching the town hall, the Jamaat members set up a marquee in which the message of Ahmadiyyat was displayed. Two pull-up banners were placed at the front of the marquee – on one of them, the picture of the Promised Messiahas was shown. Its impact was clearly visible as one lady came to the stall to ask about the Promised Messiah’s picture and who he was.
Inside the marquee, the Jamaat members exhibited various translations of the Holy Quran, and books published by the Jamaat to present the true teachings of Islam. The local community members and tourists visiting Wallaroo stopped by and asked questions – Jamaat members responded to their questions, which removed many misconceptions about Islam.
From the Copper Coast Council, Councilor Cathy Vluggen came and stayed at the stall till the end to show support for the Jamaat initiative. She also provided information on other markets in the region. Jamaat members congratulated the councillor on her reelection.
Pamphlets along with the book Some Distinctive Features of Islam were distributed among the community members.
In the stall, discussions with the community members were held on the topic of terrorism and how the mainstream media wrongly portrayed Islam in Western countries.
Following the discussions, Atif Sahib presented the true teachings of Islam, which was highly appreciated by the visitors.
One newly converted Muslim, Daniel Copping visited the stall to see the Jamaat members whom he first met at the Kadina Rotary Markets. He commented:
“People say to me, ‘How do you manage to pray five times a day?’ It’s not hard. When you pray – if you are having a difficult day and you say your prayers, there is a sense of feeling comfortable. You are never on your own, and I looked, and I met these gentlemen here from the mosque in Beverley. And the one thing about Islam – there is no colour distinction, no race distinction, everyone is equal – we are all brothers and sisters before God. And we are about peace, and I think more and more people need to know the truth about what Islam stands for.”
Another visitor, Neil commented:
“I just think that the world is in a terrible situation where we all need to be brothers and sisters, we need to be a peaceful nation and planet, but we are not having that. And there are too many radical people coming up with their own ideas who turn away from their real traditions. And I think we have got to fraternise more and become more [aware] of each other.”
The market started at 9 am and ran till 1 pm. During this time, by the grace of Almighty Allah, the stall successfully reached out to the regional community to spread the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat.