People of Jalsa – ‘An Extra Special Convention’

ROR Women’s Team

The Promised Messiah (as) stated ‘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’.

In light of these blessed words, we have the pleasure of meeting Raqibat Olabopo Idris, who has travelled with her family from Geneva, Switzerland, to Hampshire, England to attend Jalsa Salana UK. We ask her to tell us a little about her experience of Jalsa Salana. Raqibat is originally from Nigeria and has been blessed with the opportunity to attend Jalsa Salana UK several times, however, it could easily be mistaken as her first time due to the sheer enthusiasm and excitement with which she talks about Jalsa!

We ask her how the Jalsa in Switzerland compares to Jalsa Salana UK and she replies that although it is smaller and quieter in comparison, ‘…it is our Jalsa. Still blessed. Every Jalsa is special.’ Being originally from Nigeria, Raqibat has experienced large-scale Jalsas but referring to Jalsa Salana UK she explains that it is special because of His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) – offering prayers behind His Holiness, the international Bai’at (allegiance) ceremony and having the opportunity to have a private audience with His Holiness makes the Jalsa Salana UK ‘extra special’!

Raqibat is staying in Hadiqatul Mehdi for the duration of Jalsa. We ask her what that has been like and she cheerfully responds that the PAAMA (Pan African Ahmadiyya Muslim Association) accommodation marquee has been ‘buzzing, buzzing, buzzing’ as more and more people started arriving the night before Jalsa Salana UK allowing for emotional and joyful reunions of old friends. Raqibat comments that Jalsa Salana UK is a great place to meet people from all over the world and come together as a community, perfectly emulating the words of the Promised Messiah (as):

’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.’