Gurdaspur: 3-day Ahmadiyya Muslims convention ends

Ravi Dhaliwal

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Qadian (Gurdaspur), Dec 31

Curtains came down on the three-day 128th annual convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community that concluded here today with the highlight being a speech delivered from the community’s London office by the movement’s supreme head, the fifth Khalifa of the community Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.

The speech, which was instantly translated into seven languages by interpreters, was telecast live on a screen specially put up for the purpose. It was telecast through the community’s in-house satellite TV channel (Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International).

A distinct feature of the speeches on all three-days was that the speakers were encouraged to highlight the good points of other faiths without maligning any particular religion. Muslim speakers were asked to speak on Krishna and Hindu speakers were encouraged to speak on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

When spiritual head Hazrat Mirza started his discourse from London, there was complete silence in the hall. “Islam teaches that one must adhere to the limits set by the Almighty. For instance, a person who is financially well-off can purchase whatever is lawful. However, if a person who is unable to afford something attempts to purchase it by employing illegal means or by incurring a debt just for the sake of personal fulfilment, this is equivalent to giving precedence to one’s selfish desires over the injunctions of the Almighty,” he said.

Hundreds of volunteers ensured that everything went off according to plan.

The community had decorated the entire town and also assured that electricity did not play a spoilsport throughout the convention. Special arrangements were in place to ensure that the participants got potable water.

“We always engage ourselves in humanitarian activities whenever natural calamities occur in the shape of earthquakes, floods or epidemics. Our movement is spread to more than 200 countries and we bear malice towards none,” said volunteer Majid.

The first convention was held at Qadian in 1891 where 75 members were in attendance. Over decades, it has grown into one of the biggest events of any religion held in Punjab.

Teachings of Islam

Islam teaches that everyone must adhere to the limits set by the Almighty. If a person who is unable to afford something and he attempts to purchase it by employing illegal means, this is equivalent to giving precedence to one’s selfish desires over the injunctions of the Almighty. — Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, community’s fifth khalifa