Voice of British Muslim Women

Yusra Dahri, Islamabad

This year, we thought that the Jalsa would be defined by the pandemic.

Turns out – in true British fashion – it ended up being defined by the weather. Masks were not the talk of the makeshift village, but the humble wellington boot. Social distance doesn’t seem that big of a deal when you’re standing in over 200 acres of field, and good ventilation seems like a non-issue when the wind does it all for you. And the rain…well, the rain.

On a serious note, I believe that this reveals the blessings of Jalsa. A pandemic doesn’t define Jalsa. And all jokes aside, the weather doesn’t define Jalsa either.

Jalsa, defines Jalsa.

The duty holders, whose badges are like badges of honour. The travellers, who get stuck in traffic for hours on end. Those at home, who haven’t been able to attend Jalsa for one year or one decade, but whose prayers are still as sincere as if they were breathing the air of Hadeeqatul Mahdi.

And Huzoor’s addresses, which inspire every single one of these people.

And so no matter where we are in the world, no matter what the state of our countries are, none of us are isolated, because Jalsa is something that we share.

The ground I am standing on right now, isn’t just the ground of the Gardens of Mahdi, blessed as they are. It is the same ground that an Ahmadi in Fiji stands on. It is the same ground an Ahmadi in Ghana stands on. It is the same ground an Ahmadi in Pakistan stands on.

It is the ground of gratitude. Gratitude, that we belong to this Jamaat. Gratitude, for the system of Khilafat. Gratitude, that we are Ahmadis. That is the ground we stand on.

And no matter how lost we feel in this world, this ground can never be taken from under our feet. It can never be claimed, it can never be broken up. It can only be shared.

We don’t know what the next Jalsa will bring. But we are planting.

We are planting seeds of hope. And no matter what happens, we know these seeds will grow, because this is fertile ground.

The rain will come. It must.

But the sun will follow, and when it shines – this ground will sparkle.