Voice of British Muslim Women

Iffat Mirza Rashid, Bentley

I do not think I need to remind anyone just how much the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of society, community, and human interaction. That was the first time in my life that the Jalsa Salana UK (in its usual scale and format) was cancelled. Bad phone signals, muddy tracks, and traffic jams, all things we associated with Jalsa, suddenly became something we missed. The following year, in 2021, we were fortunate to have the annual gathering once again…but the fields, which would usually be hustling and bustling with the colourful dupattas (scarves) of thousands of women fluttering about, were empty due to a much-reduced capacity to make it Covid safe. Though I was lucky to be able to attend three days of the event, there was certainly a feeling of something missing still. It wasn’t until last year, that by the grace of God, we were able to return to a full-scale international event. 

As cliché as it may be, it’s true: you don’t know what you have until you lose it (there’s a reason such truths become cliché). The women’s space at Jalsa Salana was certainly one of those aspects of my life that I never even considered something which I should be consciously grateful for. I cannot think of any other space in my life where so many women can come together to create, at such a large scale, a safe space where sisterhood and community are at the forefront. From the little girls serving water to attendees, to the security team, from the first aid team to the creche and childcare team, this a space where women’s freedom is not just a possibility but is facilitated.  

Today there is much debate about women’s spaces; the debate regarding the need for such spaces itself aside, I think we must also focus on the feasibility of them. It is not enough to simply have a room which has a door sign stating ‘women only’, or to hand out a few flyers for an event suggesting women should attend. We have to create spaces that attend to women’s practical needs in order for women to feel comfortable and welcome enough to be truly liberated.  

Once these hurdles are removed or accounted for, as I mention the ladies’ area at Jalsa Salana allows for, the true potential for a community of women and sisters can flourish. As His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) stated in 2019 ‘My philosophy is, if women work outside the shade of men, they flourish better’. Unsurprisingly, I see this in full force at the Jalsa Salana. 

Most importantly, the result of the organisation of this exclusive space, is that the ability to socialise, and build networks of community is strengthened at Jalsa Salana. Bonding through the singular motive of spreading the word of love and peace, the space of Jalsa itself becomes a microcosm of a utopic society. 

As humans, we are social creatures and need spaces where we feel welcome and safe. In the digital age, physical spaces for such interactions are becoming increasingly rare. Lamentably, we live in a very individualistic era – profits and losses have completely dominated our days, saving time is a priority, saving energy even more so. What’s better than three days where we can convene to enjoy each other’s company and worship as one community? Such an event and such spaces, if appreciated in their full, can be the antidote to the touch-and-go lifestyle to which we have become accustomed. With the facilities to welcome women into such a freeing and safe space, combined with the absolute lack of phone signal, there is no better space for community to flourish. Perhaps, the lack of signal in the Hampshire countryside is a blessing in disguise.