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Ahmadiyya conference to tackle current global crises, offers special prayer for the nation

By Shakirah Adunola
16 December 2022   |   3:17 am
In an effort to provide solutions to challenges overwhelming the country, most especially leadership, deficit insecurity and materialism among others.

[FILE] Amir, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamat, Nigeria, Dr. Mashhud Adenrele Fashola addressing muslim faithful at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamat, Nigeria Eid -el -Fitr celebrations in Lagos…

In an effort to provide solutions to challenges overwhelming the country, most especially leadership, deficit insecurity and materialism among others.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Nigeria is holding its 68th Jalsa Salana (Yearly Conference) themed, ‘Our Paradise is in our God’slated for Ilaro, Ogun State. From Friday, December 23 to 25, 2022 .

Personalities from various leadership strata including political, religious and traditional would grace the three-day yearly historic event, which will feature special prayer for the nation, advocacy and promotion of education for all, academic awards to members who distinguished themselves in academics in the last three years from various institutions of higher learning at home and abroad. Other features of the event will include an exhibition, solemnisation of mass Nikah (marriage) and medical outreach, among others.

The Amir (National Head) of the organisation, Dr Alatoye Folorunso, said the rationale behind the theme is to provide solution to contemporary issues.

“Nigeria, in particular, and the entire world in general, have been wallowing in pervasive insecurity and lack of true peace and happiness due to humanity’s drifting away from God, amid the unbridled pursuit of crass materialism in the form of acquisition of all forms of power, fame and wealth.

He said Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at believe that God is the Absolute Peace and Ultimate Source of peace, security and prosperity, as the Holy Quran chapter 59 verse 24 declares: ‘He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of peace, the Bestower of Security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Subduer, the Exalted. Holy is Allah far above which they associate with Him.’

He added that prosperity, peace, security and happiness could only be realised through recognition of the centrality of the place of Allah in the destiny of humanity, which is through total submission to His Will and commandments and worship of Him to gain nearness to Him and harvest both spiritual and material bounties from Him. “This cannot be realised through ungodly and corrupt means which, sadly, have been characterizing world pursuit of crass materialistic interests and goals, as evident in our politics of bitterness and selfishness, pervasive embezzlement of public funds, terrorism and incessant killings, rampant kidnapping for ransom or ritual and other various fraudulent practices, fictitious subsidy and overburden interest affecting all facets of our individual, national and global affairs.”

He said that as love for one’s nation has been declared in a Prophetic Tradition as part of faith, the conference will also hold special prayer sessions for the success of the forthcoming 2023 elections in Nigeria so that Allah, Who is the Ultimate Elector, may choose for us leaders of His own choice at all levels of political leadership in the country.”

He stated that Jalsa Salana is a long tradition within the fold of Ahmadiyya that dates back to December 1892 when the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) held the first-ever annual conference. Ever since then, it has become an yearly tradition across the over 200 countries and territories where the Jama’at has been established. While declaring the fundamental purpose of Jalsa Salana, He (as) stated in a published announcement that:

“The primary purpose of this convention is to enable every sincere individual to personally experience religious benefits they may enhance their knowledge and due to their being blessed and enabled by Allah, the exalted, their perception may progress. Among its secondary benefits is that this congregational meeting together will promote mutual introduction among all brothers, and it will strengthen the fraternal ties within this community.

“It is essential for all those who can afford to undertake the journey that they must come to attend this convention, which embodies many blessed objectives. They should disregard minor inconveniences in the cause of Allah and His Prophet (saw) at every step of their way, and no labour and hardship undertaken in His way ever go to waste. I reemphasize that you must not rank this convention in the same league as other ordinary human assemblies.”

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