Jalsa Salana

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Freelance journalism course article by Maryum Samar

Jalsa Salana Memories around the globe

Jalsa Salana- one word that is so rich with emotions. It is a gathering of Ahmadis
(Muslims belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community) in different parts of the
world at different times during the year. Guests of other faiths are always welcome at
these events. Usually it is a 3 day event and during these three days everyone
attending is the guest of the Community i.e free boarding and lodging, free food etc.
All Jalsa Salana attendees are blessed with the prayers of the Promised Messiah
alehsalam. Though every Jalsa is special in its own way but the presence of Khalifa
tul Masih (May Allah strengthen his hands) (our Community leader) makes any Jalsa
even more special.
I have been blessed by God to have been able to attend many Jalsas around the world.
I attended my first Jalsa Salana as a baby in my mother’s arms of which I have no
memory..but it was unfortunately the last Jalsa that was held in Rabwah, Pakistan.
The government of Pakistan has ever since banned Jalsa Salanas in Pakistan due to
their hostile and racist attitude towards the Community.
In my childhood I attended the Jalsas of Sierra Leone and Ghana(West Africa). I can’t
recall the Jalsa of Sierra Leone but Ghana Jalsa Salanas are fresh in my memory as if
it was yesterday. First the Jalsa Salana of Ghana used to be in . I remember it was a
long jouney from our place and I can never forget how there were many cars in front
of us and behind us that were all going in one direction. The strong bonds between us
though we were all not just from different regions of Ghana but of different
nationalities. Then the Jalsa shifted to a place called Salt Pond. It was near Cape
Coast where we lived. We used to go by car and it was a nice drive except for a small
part near Saltpond where the road was very bad. The place was beautiful with huge
coconut trees. They were so tall they reached the skies. It was a coconut farm since all
the trees were in proper rows. A stage was made and one could see many khuddams
(young boys who are members of KhuddamulAhmadiyya –an auxiliary organization
consisting of boys aged 16-40) dressed in black trousers and white shirts and black
and white scarves. All women used to wear white clothes during Jalsa and they all
would have white handkerchiefs which they would raise in the air when slogans of
“God is great” etc were raised. We used to stay at a home nearby and I was friends
with the kids. Since there were few Pakistani families in Ghana..Jalsa was an occasion
when we all kids would get together and play around when the Jalsa proceedings of
the day were over. It’s interesting how the Jalsa memories of Ghana are the ones I
remember most clearly. We would listen to speeches in local dialects of Ghana and
though all of us foreigners especially kids knew some Ghanian which we had learnt at
school, but even then it was the emotions, confidence and sense of strong faith in
Allah that used to come across in these speeches.

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Without understanding a word, one could sense the strength and courage of the
speaker.
Truth is universal- one doesn’t have to understand the language to understand it! The
speeches would be highlighted by the slogans raised and well the kids’ voices would
be the loudest and strongest.
One memory I cherish the most is when once it suddenly started raining and it rained
heavily, but the rain did not have any effect on the speaker who continued his speech
rather his voice became stronger. What was more interesting was that the gathering
remained seated on the mats under the open skies and not a single person got up from
his place. The coconut trees provided some shelter but even then not a single kid nor
elder got up from his place and suddenly the rain stopped. The Bait (initiation) was
always inspiring when everyone repeated the initiation words in one voice. The Jalsa
would conclude with silent prayers and I remember how everyone used to be so sad
that the Jalsa is over. I still recall how everyone used to spread around under those tall
coconut trees when the proceedings of the day were over. Out of no where suddenly
there were throngs and throngs of people all having a sense of achievement- all
singing songs of praise of God in their special Ghanaian way. Though it’s been ages
since I have been to Ghana but I know the Jalsa now is held in a new bigger place in
the outskirts of the capital city Accra since the Community is growing day by day.
Till 1986, I attended the Ghana Jalsas without missing them a single year and now
that I have attended so many Jalsas around the world, I must admit Ghanaian Jalsas
have their own ambience.
UK Jalsa Salanas 1987 and 2005 are the ones I have attended. Interestingly some of
our family members had joined us from Pakistan too in both these Jalsas, so it was all
the more fun. The Jalsa was at a place called Islamabad in the outskirts of London.
The weather was great. I remember we bought pullovers from a store because it was
extremely cold and yet a day didn’t pass by when we kids asked our maternal uncle to
buy us ice-cream from the ice-cream cart. I also remember getting the hot air balloons
and how after a short while I lost hold of it and it flew up in the air. Everyday there
were many in the air mostly lost by kids who forgot to keep a strong hold of them. It
rained once, but everyone was under a huge covered marquee. Amazingly no one ever
fought for the free food that was given at all three times of the day. Everyone knew
there was enough for all. The lush green environment surrounding that Jalsa area still
refreshes my mind. I remember the UK police would be roaming around freely. They
had nothing to worry about since everyone in the community is peace loving. Since I
am mentioning my experience of UK Jalsa, I would also mention my memories of
attending the UK Jalsa Salana of 2005. The trip was gift from my ever loving mother.
We were received at the airport by Atfal (boys belonging to Atfalul Ahmaddiya –an
auxiliary organization of boys aged 7-16) with Welcome cards! We were then taken
in a bus along with other Jalsa guests to the Jalsa area- this time the Jalsa was at a
rented place – Rushmore Arena. It was very near the army headquarters and this made
the Jalsa even more special.

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The area was a very large piece of grassy land with green
bushes and trees surrounding it. The crisp air and the beautiful weather of July made
the experience even more worthwhile. We got to stay in huge marquees with guests
from different parts of the world, mostly Pakistanis and Germans.
Women guests from Pakistan were given a free mattress, bedding and pullover. It was
a bit cold the first day. I went to attend the Taleem and Terbeyat Seminar.
(Knowledge and Upbringing).
The topic was how to spread the true message of Islam through media.
This is where my interest in journalism developed. Many speakers gave awareness on
the need for more journalists as the media has become a very powerful tool today. The
western media in particular propagates a wrong image of Islam and if we had our own
journalists, we could convince the readers more. All in all, it was an excellent
opportunity to hear the views of people /journalists from around the world. A
documentary was shown in the end as well. I then returned to my marquee and on my
way I saw volunteers putting up television sets in different places in the marquee.
Guests keep coming in till the next morning when the Jalsa was to begin. The
breakfast was so tasty I had it twice and it was given at the right time so people who
were early risers didn’t have to wait and people who preferred getting ready first and
then having breakfast also had it on time. There was milk available for the babies
attending Jalsa. The bathrooms were being cleaned constantly throughout the day by
volunteers with smiles. I remember them so fondly and was impressed by their
professionalism with gloves and masks! Though there were queues at times even
though there were so many bathrooms available, no one was ever found fighting for
their turns.
Jalsa proceedings amazingly began on time on all three days. The best part was that
mothers with small kids were given a separate place to sit and thus it was less noisy in
the other area. The speeches were great and spell binding and there was always
something new to learn from each speech. There was a huge television screen in the
ladies marquee so we could watch the proceedings from the mens’ side live. There
was not a single moment when the audio or video quality was not up to mark. Water
was provided by young girls who carried Jugs and glasses walking around the
marquee.
On the 2nd day, girls who had scored excellent in academics were given medals by
His Holiness. I met many of my old friends who I had not met for ages. I also made
new friends of different nationalities. Interestingly, I am still in touch with them via
email. Both these Jalsas were more memorable and special because of the presence of
our spiritual leader and we were honoured to have been granted approval to meet
them in person as well.I say ‘them’ because in 1987: it was Khalifa tul Masih IV
Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmed (May Allah be most pleased with him) and in 2005: it was
Khalifa tul Masih V Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed (May Allah strengthen his hands).


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In the 2005 Jalsa, I remember what a miracle moment it was when my eyes first saw
Khalifa tul Masih V (May Allah strengthen his hands), coming down from a hill to
address the gathering on the first day.

The glow that surrounds him is extraordinary.
His walk was fast but most graceful. It was drizzling slightly and thus a guard had an
umbrella protecting him. Those moments though hardly a minute I have cherished all
my life. Sometimes the smallest moments in life that become the biggest – the most
cherished ones. The initiation ceremony was an angelic experience. Everyone formed
a chain and repeated the words of initiation behind our spiritual leader (May Allah
strengthen his hands). When the Jalsa days were over, the guests were shifted to our
mosque in Morden called Baitulfutooh which is the largest mosque in Western
Europe.
There were 2 halls, one for ladies and one for men. All our luggage including the
bedding we got were transferred here and since there were still some days left in the
hospitality period we were all provided free food here too. We came in double
deckers from Rushmore to Morden. I have never seen so many double deckers in one
place before. Long queues of Ahmadies awaited their turns to sit in them. The view
was awesome and the weather made it all the more special. Though everyone was sad
that the Jalsa was over, the excitement of shifting to Morden was indescribable. The
volunteers had started cleaning the area, packing all the material in the late night
hours of the last day of Jalsa and by morning when we were leaving the place, their
work was near completion. Its amazing how people leave their homes, their
workplaces and come together and make all the Jalsa arrangements and they do it all
for the sake of God. This work is not of days but stretches over months. The
volunteers at Morden were equally dedicated and we had a great time there too. The
day we were leaving for Pakistan, we were driven to the airport in a bus also. I must
admit Jalsa UK was hospitality at its best and I was most impressed by the humble
and friendly nature of the volunteers even though they all belonged to well off
families settled in the UK.
Although all Jalsas I have attended have registration cards, but the 2005 UK Jalsa
Salana had computerised registration cards which were checked at all entry points.
This was an incredible addition to Jalsa procedures because it increased the security
and safety of those attending. In 2001, my ever loving father gifted us a trip to USA
and Canada on completing our
A levels. We took advantage of this and attended both the US and Canada Jalsa
Salanas. It was all due to the efforts of our very dear Aunty and Uncle who despite
their old age drove us to Maryland, Washington all the way from North Carolina for
the US Jalsa. As if this wasn’t enough my Uncle decided to drive us all the way to
Toronto, Canada for the Canadian Jalsa too, not to mention the tasty snacks my Aunty
had prepared for us to have on our way.

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I remember the US Jalsa very fondly because
I got more opportunity to help the volunteers and was also part of the proceedings
since I got the opportunity to sing a poem praising the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) on the 2nd and 3rd day. It was fun learning how to arrange the homeopathic
medicines for the medical stall. We stayed at a nearby hotel. I was most impressed by
the organizational skills of the volunteers. The food was distributed in the most
organised way I have ever seen at any Jalsa. There were queues for the
lentils/rice/pasta and each table already had packets of bread on it and volunteers
made sure to provide bread and water at each table if more was required. The
volunteers at the washrooms were also very well mannered and most helpful to
everyone.
They were very quick to clean and efficient. What impressed me was their
cheerfulness inspite of the work. I had a different image of people living in the US
and attending the Jalsa totally changed that image. They are more humble than I
thought they would be. The Mosque in Maryland is very beautiful and it stands out
around the lush green area. There were book stalls and clothes stalls and food stalls. I
enjoyed the ice-cream a lot. The speeches were inspiring and were in very easy
language for all to understand. One more memorable event was the prize distribution
ceremony, in which prizes were distributed to the most talented regions of USA. All
in all, it was a very memorable Jalsa for me.
After a week, we went to Toronto, Canada from North Carolina by road to attend the
Canadian Jalsa. Going up country was beautiful in its own way and we got to see
many nice places on our way. We stayed at a nearby motel in Toronto. The mosque is
amazing and I was taken aback by its beautiful interiors. The Peace Village itself is a
remarkable little township. The most amazing experience about the Canadian Jalsa
was that everyone used to be in time for the daily prayers in the mosque. I really liked
a special glass area which was built inside the mosque for mothers with small kids.
The glass was noise proof and it stopped the noise from coming to the adjoining
rooms. Amazing! The atmosphere was warm and friendly. I recall my Uncle giving
me 20 Canadian pounds to spend..and I spent 19..i spent it on nazms (religious songs)
cassettes which I love listening to this day and ice cream. Now the interesting thing
here about ice cream was that it was available in vanilla, pistachio and strawberry
flavours whereas it was only in vanilla flavour at the USA Jalsa. What was stranger
was how come the ice cream had the exact same flavour across the border? Anyhow,
all in all we enjoyed every moment of Jalsa Canada and on our way back saw the
amazing Niagara Falls too!
Then I had the opportunity to attend the 2006 Qadian Jalsa Salana in India. God made
it more special because I attended this Jalsa with my mother. My maternal Uncle
drove us from Islamabad to Lahore and we stayed the night in Lahore. The
Community in Lahore took excellent care of us. The sleeping arrangements were most
comfortable and they had arranged for heating as well since it was cold.

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They served us very tasty breakfast, arranged a bus for all of us to go to the border. At
the border, there was a long queue and it took long, they had arranged for food and
water at the border also with tents around and special areas for ladies. It seemed like
the Jalsa had already started.
We then crossed the border and the moment we did so was unbelievable. The border
authorities on the Indian side were friendly. We were then
taken to buses waiting for us after the paper work was done. Khuddam on duty carried
our luggage. After a short while, the bus started and as if there was a rush of
emotions. Everyone doesn’t get to go to Qadian and more over everyone doesn’t get
to attend the Qadian Jalsa. It’s the village where our Promised Messiah Mirza Ghulam
Ahmed (Peace be upon him) came and lived. I was lucky and blessed to be getting
this opportunity. Our ancestors also had lived in Qadian; they had a beautiful house
there too. So it was all very emotional and tears just rolled down every now and then
and I certainly wasn’t the only one in the bus who was feeling this way. It was a short
trip; we crossed Amritsar on our way. Then the moment came, when my eyes saw the
beautiful white minaret called Minaratul Masih from afar. It stood there with all its
glory and despite the surrounding scenes changing as we approached Qadian, my eyes
were glued to the Minaret. When we reached the stop where everyone got down, I
thought I was in a dreamland.
The khuddams on duty helped us with the luggage. All through our stay in Qadian, I
felt it was all a dream. The place gave a feeling which I have never felt anywhere in
the world. I have visited around 10 countries in my life and I certainly say this with
certainty: there is no place like Qadian. There is warmth in the air despite the chilling
winter of December. There is brotherhood despite no one being a relative. There is
humbleness, friendliness, cheerfulness, you name every good human quality and
Qadian is where you are bound to find it. Since the Messiah (Peace be upon him) was
no ordinary man, his city is no ordinary city as well. We were served lunch in our
room by our hosts. We were so tired we went to sleep after that. We offered our
prayers in congregation in Mubarak Mosque every day. It was always crowdy and we
were lucky to get the first row twice. After prayers, we would go to Bait u dua (a
room where the Promised Messiah peace be upon him offered prayers) and the
adjourning rooms to offer prayers too. At home, I have often tried to cry in my
prayers at home and it was always hard, but there is something about Qadian; the
place makes you worship in the way worship should be done! There were times early
in the morning when it was yet dark when it would drizzle but it was the passion to
please God that we wouldn’t care for the rain and just walk towards the Mosque.
Hearing the call for prayer in Qadian seemed to please the heart so much since we are
not allowed to do so in Pakistan. Jalsa Qadian was crowded that year. Many had come
from all over the world not to mention India itself which has a huge population of
Ahmadies.


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I was on top of the world to be given a duty right near the stage on all
three days of Jalsa. We young girls used to sometimes get tired standing and take
turns to sit but there was an old lady of Karachi who never sat during duty time and
we used to feel embarrassed watching her tirelessly performing her duty. She was
none other than the wife of our famous poet Late. Obaidullah Aleem sahib. During
Jalsa, i became friends with Hiba. I would always be grateful to her for helping me in
finding my great great maternal grandfather’s {Hadrat Babu Akbar Ali (may Allah be
pleased with him)}tomb! He was also a companion of The Promised Messiah (peace
be upon him). To have been able to pray at the tomb of The Promised Messiah (Peace
be upon him) was a moment I would cherish all my life. I used to go there everyday
twice, one during the lunch break and once in the morning. Such a wrong doer I am
and yet God’s blessings are countless and unlimited. It’s strange there are some in this
world who don’t even believe in God where as I see moments every day in my life of
God’s love.
Speeches were heard with silence I have never seen anywhere. It’s amazing how
much our translation department has improved. India alone, has so many languages
and to cater to everyone’s needs is something most remarkable and commendable.
The food tasted great. The environment was super clean and every one made an effort
to keep it clean too. Even small kids were throwing their toffee and chips wrappers in
the dustbins. After the morning prayers, we would buy boiled eggs from a shop right
in front of Mubarak Mosque and eat them on our way to the graveyard called
Beheshti Maqbara where there are graves of many a noble people including The
Promised Messiah (Peace be upon him). Then come back and get ready for Jalsa. We
used to go as early as possible to the Jalsa and as soon as session one ended, we
would all enjoy the lunch and prayer break and then came back to attend the second
session. Then we would take some rest and go out sight seeing. One day we visited a
Sikh household where some of our relatives were staying for Jalsa. The Sikhs are a
very peaceful community in Qadian. We also did some shopping the last day. The
shop dealers were very eager to sell as they had brought stuff from all over India just
for Jalsa visitors and it’s their most rewarding time in the whole year. We also visited
Dr and Mrs. Tariq who are very close family friends. This was the routine on all three
days but the third day was the saddest day as Jalsa was ending. Everyone was sad, the
hosts, the guests. The way slogans were raised on the last day with tears and fully
charged emotions, I don’t have words to describe especially when we sat in our buses
to go back to Pakistan. We were taken very good care by our hosts – Uncle
AbdulRahman and his family especially his very caring and loving mother. We can
never forget their warmth and hospitality. God Bless their family.
It’s interesting how everyone would forget the worldly things during these days. I
would forget my home works and school fellows, no one even thought about checking
their emails or watching their favourite television show etc. The Jalsa’s spiritual
environment engulfs you and it feels like being surrounded by angels.


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Everyone talks of love and peace and one hardly ever finds anyone fighting or even
arguing at Jalsa.
May God bless all the volunteers of Jalsa everywhere in the world and I pray I get to
attend many more.


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Jalsa Salana

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