Maleeha Mansur, Hayes
I remember as a child being curious about the concept of shyness and stage fright, a fascination rooted from alienation with the concept. Why were children and adults frightened of speaking in public? I failed to comprehend the challenge and what I certainly lacked was sympathy – until I was faced with the same difficulty in my son. For me, this was very alien. I felt lost on how I was going to help him overcome this. Little did I know, help was on its way without even my beckoning – Ijtema.
Confidence in public speaking that I had taken for granted was certainly rooted in regularly participating in Ijtemas. Standing boldly reciting the Holy Qur’an, poems, and speeches had made public speaking normal for me.
Ijtema is where many of us have found our public voice. It is a safe haven to speak and recite in front of a varied audience, not only developing one’s confidence in the art of vocal expression and composure, but also a means to shed any inferiority complex. The audience being a well-mannered, appreciative audience means that one is encouraged and motivated; this audience and participants listen attentively, and hearing fellow Muslim women boldly deliver their scripts is a means of inspiration and encouragement for everyone, especially the younger generation. They become true role models of female empowerment.
Competitive it certainly is, but in truth every participant and listener is a winner; it’s always an opportunity to learn and appreciate the intricacies of speech composition, articulation, quotation and time keeping. More so, we learn about our faith. We learn about topics that perhaps time may not have previously allowed us to delve into or about new perspectives we had not reflected upon before. Ijtema also teaches one to overcome defeat and failures in public speaking – of which I can name a few! It provides a safe, non-judgmental environment for character building in the face of unfortunate eventualities – never are these experiences scarring but rather a means and motivation for improvement. Our Ijtemas are a great example of the implementation of the instruction of Allah Almighty to, “vie, then, with one another in good works.”[i] Certainly, the pure and righteous environment that Ijtema provides is encircled by angels, as the participants engage in various means of the remembrance of Allah Almighty.
These benefits are unconsciously gained as early as seven years old, and sometimes even younger in the less formal under-7 competitions. Where else are there such opportunities to develop, hone and harness their ability? Indeed, the skills we learn from Ijtema are not limited to religious circles but are transferable to many secular spheres of life. Indeed, I have seen this first hand in my son, where participation in Ijtema and similar initiatives within the community have enabled him to overcome his timidity, a change that has directly translated to the school classroom, and he is not even seven yet!
The climax of this empowerment of youth lies in the speeches of His Holiness, the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, (may Allah be his Helper) whom we are honoured to be graced by at the concluding session. Words such as the following are pearls of wisdom blessed upon the attendees, and beckoning the youth forward.
“Disregard any hesitation or fear and stand up with certainty and conviction in the truth of your faith and respond to those who seek to defame its pure teachings.”[ii]
I vividly recall the Ijtema of 2010 where His Holiness presented the noble example of Hazrat Umme Ammaarah (may Allah be pleased with her), a female companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). His Holiness said,
“Therefore, it is the job of every woman today to become Umme Ammaarah (may Allah be pleased with her) and respond to every allegation made against the person of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Islam and thus try to fulfil her obligations towards the defence of his person and Islam.”[iii]
Indeed, such motivational words of His Holiness are true inspiration for Muslim women to step forward for our faith and use our public voice.
Were it not for the training gained in Ijtemas, I am doubtful I would have had the confidence, knowledge, or indeed articulation to attempt to write this today. We are indeed indebted to the blessed institution of Ijtema for bestowing us with a powerful voice.
[i] The Holy Qur’an, Ch 5: V 49
[ii] Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) on 6th April 2019 UK National Waqfat-e-Nau Ijtema
[iii] An address by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V aba to Lajna at the National Lajna Ima’illah Ijtema UK (3rd October 2010, Islamabad, UK), taken from Responsibilities of Ahmadi Muslim Women, Lajna Imaillah UK, p.51
Voice of British Muslim Women 
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