Jalsa Salana passes peacefully as Muslim convention attracts global audience
If you build it, they will come and they came in their tens and thousands to a field of dreams in East Hampshire late last week, all in the name of peace and brotherhood. More than 43,000 people Muslims from across the world travelled to a farm near East Worldham last Friday and the following weekend for Jalsa Salana. The three-day event at Oakland Farm is Britain’s biggest Muslim convention and attracts members of the Ahmadiyya Community from afar as Mauritius and Malaysia. It’s also the biggest global event in the Ahmadiyya calendar, covering 208 acres and overseen by a huge army of several thousand volunteers.
This year’s event had a special emphasis on prayers and peace with Muslims being urged to play their part in reducing global volatility and uncertainty. And the message of ‘peace for all, hate for none’ was reinforced throughout with the Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community urging followers to ‘say Salam’ and ‘develop high levels of tolerance’ during a moving sermon.
“Spread companionship, peace and love in all directions,” said His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad during Friday morning prayers to a colossal crowd inside the convention’s vast main tent. “We should try to free ourselves from all sorts of selfish, egotistical desires and bring about a redirection.
“Say ‘Salam’ to one another, whether you know that person or not, just spread the habit. Because the greatest protection we have is love.” Jalsa’s resonance cannot be downplayed with millions tuning in around the world to watch His Holiness and Rafiq Hayat, national president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, raise the Ahmadiyya and British flags, respectively, on Friday afternoon. Just a walk around the car parks gives an indication of how far people are prepared to travel, with cars adorned with numberplates from Germany, Croatia, Poland and further afield.
Although there were some gripes about attendees using lanes around Blackmoor and Binsted instead of following the main routes into the site, there was no repeat of last year’s congestion chaos. Bordon councillor Adeel Shah gave updates on social media about expected ‘busy times’ with only minor delays being reported.
Proceedings from throughout the weekend were aired with further highlights including the formation of a vast human chain in the hope of world peace on Sunday. Guest speakers from Uganda and Canada gave speeches while organisers also received messages from faith leaders and His Majesty King Charles. The convention – which serves as a platform for spiritual renewal and the promotion of world peace – is split into sites for males and females and includes a variety of shops and exhibitions devoted to science, humanitarian projects and education among others. And that’s before we talk about food, with free meals being provided to guests and convention-goers by an amazing team of volunteers with a “roti-house” and kitchen being in operation for nearly 24 hours a day. But the most amazing thing is probably the fact it’s all temporary and volunteer-run, with the site being constructed and dismantled within 28 days.