After being named home to the largest mosque in Western Europe (The Baitul Futuh Mosque, Morden) and now also home to the oldest mosque in London (The Baitul Fazl Mosque, Southfields). The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association can now also proudly look back at the prosperous 100 years they have been in the UK. From the first day their message has been of peace and love, their slogan of ‘Love for all Hatred for none’ is set out to prove what they are spreading. London was the destination of the first overseas missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad- who was the second successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the community- laid the foundation for the Baitul Fazl mosque in October 1924. In October 1999 the foundation for the Baitul Futuh Mosque was laid by the fourth Succesor- of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Mirza Tahir Ahmad. This mosque- Baitul Futuh had acted as the centre for the Peace Symposium in 2010 and it was here where the first Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize was awarded to Lord Eric Avebury for lifetime contribution to the cause of Human Rights.
I held an interview with an active member of the Muslim Association, to get a taste of lifestyle as she give her time to this community with much full dedication, this 16 year old has not just her studies to balance but her life with her beloved community .I asked her what role she played in the Muslim Association, she replied by saying, ‘My main role in my community is that of conveying the true message of Islam, Ahymadiyyat to people for interfaith connections, in my local community in Morden, which has been primarily assigned to us through the head of the whole community’.
I then questioned her on what duties she carried out, ‘As head of department it is my duty to form a team of willing members to carry out assigned tasks which include raising awareness of our community in the locations they tend to have daily access to such as universities, schools, colleges and even work placements. By talking to their peers co-workers or sending out leaflets containing information about the community. Also in groups we tend to also hold exhibitions which enlighten people about Islam. We believe it is important to carry put such duties in order to show the real and beautiful teachings of Islam against the propagations made by media and society’.
Finally I asked her on how she felt about the 100 years centenary of The Ahmadiyya Community in the UK she said ’I am delighted to be part of the centenary and been able to celebrate all the achievements made by my fellow members. I’m proud of the sacrifices my elders have made to get here, and the motto of ‘LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE’, successfully proved throughout the UK, in fact throughout the world through their hard work and message.’
This is how one community spends their time trying make a world a better place and they seem to flourish in whatever they do whether opening new mosques to holding Peace interventions. Whether it’s inviting Members of Parliament to interfaith dialogues or being the invitee to the UK Parliament and European Parliament. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association seems to be on the positive side of life. And I guess that can be a lesson we can all learn, no matter how hard or impossible the task seems we should have the will power to get there. This Association started from one man-Mirza Ghulam Ahmad-who just reflected the teachings of the prophet of Mohammad (SAW) onto the people, if one man can accomplish so much in his life, then what’s from stopping us accomplishing what we want? It wasn’t easy for him, sure he faced persecution and troubles along the way but he achieved what he wanted. And till this day his community face persecution in different parts of the world, because of what they believe in, but that doesn’t stop them and whatever you want to achieve you can do too, with perseverance!
