Sameea Jonnud asks Lajna members to tell us of their special memories of Ijtema
Rearranging a glass cabinet recently, I positioned some shiny gold trophies with ‘Lajna UK National Ijtema’ written on them and thought back to when my daughters had received them after months of preparation. On the shelf below were some children’s books including ‘Golden Deeds of Muslims’ which, I told my daughters, I had received when I had taken part in Ijtema myself; whether our prizes were books or trophies, they still hold special memories of the principal event held by our auxiliary. With the 2024 Ijtema coming up I asked some fellow Lajna members to share their special memories of National Ijtema.
My Miracle of Prayer
Mubarka Tahir, Balham
An incident which I will never forget was one from a UK Jalsa Salana a few years ago, when I was witnessing the academic awards ceremony, where student Lajna were receiving awards for excellence in their studies from beloved Huzoor (His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, may Allah be his Helper, worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.) In my hearts of heart, I questioned and prayed to Allah that “would it not be brilliant to receive any award from Huzoor?” But as a mature Lajna there was no chance of that happening.
Lo and behold that same year at the National UK Lajna ljtema there was an announcement that certain Presidents of some Majalis (Lajna branches), should be by the stage as they would be receiving an award from Huzoor. We were told our Majlis, Balham, had come first in the annual grading and at that time I was serving as President. It was beyond my wildest dreams that my prayer or wish, whatever it was, had been so truly fulfilled in such a short space of time – it was beyond belief. Alhamduillah, by the grace of Allah, I was able to receive an award from Huzoor (may Allah be his Helper) personally.
What is more surprising is that a fellow branch president asked me how I had achieved such an award and I related the wish or prayer I made at Jalsa Salana UK, and she followed the same procedure; the following year she also received the same award from Huzoor, (may Allah be his Helper). I think this was a case illustrating the Hadith (tradition or saying of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him), ‘Deeds are judged by intentions’, as Allah alone knows the reality behind one’s undertakings and their results. Alhamduillah.
As children we have grown up attending Ijtema with our mothers and this has given us a sense of community even at a young age, leaving us with very particular memories.
Childhood Memory
Aleem Butt, Aldershot South
Childhood memories touched by nostalgia make them seem like a distant dream, but times, as our elders often say, truly were the best back then. The ‘80s and ‘90s had a charm that no other era did. Technology, though a significant part of those times, hadn’t yet fully encompassed our simpler lives, which we lived with no mobile phones. A few mics and a simple sound system were all we had at the Lajna Ima’illah and Nasirat National Ijtema, which was a relatively small affair held in the Mahmood and Nusrat halls at Fazl Mosque in London. At a day-long event filled with competitions, food, and congregational Prayers, 8-year-old me felt distinctly at ease, with a sense of belonging knowing that none of my classmates in school had the privilege of being part of such a beautiful community. Of the two of us, my elder sister Atiyya usually took part in Urdu speech in her age group.
I was a quiet participant and spectator by dint of being a Nasirat. I remember, by the afternoon, feeling lulled into a sleepy tiredness with the sound of the announcer, competitors and of the District Line train passing by rhythmically behind the mosque. Dressed in my white uniform shalwar kameez and London region purple coloured dupatta (headscarf), I would sit on a carpet grouped with Nasirat from my branch of Wandsworth, where Nasirat would sit at the front, while the remaining half of the hall was filled with chairs for Lajna.
It was beautiful to see the same familiar faces at each national event. Masha’Allah, even in those days, the space in the hall was becoming too small for our growing jamaat with Lajna squeezed in standing at the back. In front and above us was the mahogany wood panelled and green carpeted stage from which the first prize holders of local and regional ijtemas, would deliver their Tilawat (recitation of the Holy Qur’an), speeches and nazms (melodious poems). The Ijtema was chaired by the President of Lajna UK who was seated at a table with a lectern and mic to the right. The walls were adorned with Ijtema banners and on the right, above the wooden staircase was hanging a big picture of His Holiness Mirza Bashir-ud-Deen Mahmood Ahmad, second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (may Allah be pleased with him). After all competitions were complete, we would eagerly await the then Caliph His Holiness Mirza Tahir Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) and his esteemed wife Asifa Sahiba, affectionately known as ‘Apa Jaan’ meaning older sister, to grace us with their presence and the day would come to a beautiful close with His Holiness’s address and the prize distribution ceremony by Apa Jaan.
These beautiful memories are forever ingrained in my heart, placed amongst others from having the privilege of growing up in the beautiful shadow of the Khalifa of the time.
In the early years Ijtema consisted of academic competitions including English and Urdu speech. More recently these became presentations delivered in both languages by teams from each region.
Presentations
Bareera Ghaffar, Nottingham
An Ijtema memory that comes to mind, which for me completely underpins the need of the Ijtema gathering, is from when I used to be part of the team from my region who, at the national level, presented a topic that we had, for weeks, researched, written a script for, created a PowerPoint on, and practiced to keep us on our toes for answering questions afterwards. Now, this can be a very daunting thing in itself, but it is especially daunting when you see all the other regions, with their presentations, and their delivery.
But, when you’re there at Ijtema, you forget about those feelings, as it instead becomes about how much knowledge is being distributed which you want to soak up, about learning from all the other speakers, and about how interesting and thought provoking the questions the judges asked were. It is no longer a ‘competition’ in the traditional sense, because to be completely honest, you are rooting for everyone, and everyone is rooting for you. I remember coming off stage after presenting, and a girl from another region who was waiting for their turn, was beaming at me and just seemed so proud of our team. That is the spirit of Ijtema and the sisterhood it garners.
While presentations have become a different, more visual way of delivering a topic, many of us still recall the days of speeches in different forms and prizes received.
Looking at My Journey of Development Through Ijtema Prizes
Hamdah Sanori Farooqi
As I looked through the books on my bookshelf, a small hard bound blue book caught my eye. As I opened it, I found that it was a book by The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. I opened the cover and, lo and behold, it was signed by Shaukat Gohar sahiba, secretary Nasirat ul Ahmadiyya Karachi. The rest of the detail said: “3rd Prize, Urdu Speech competition, group 1” and was dated 8th December 1963. So, Alhamdulillah (all praise belongs to Allah) I was 9 years old when I received it. How carefully I had preserved the book titled “Islam and Jihad”.
Whenever I pick up a book of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) to read, I select it from the set of ‘Ruhani Khazain’, a collection of works by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). That’s why the ones individually bound, such as this one, are kept separately to the rest, as they have a different significance to me.
Another book was placed next to it, also written by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). I opened it and found the inscription “2nd Prize English Speech competition, Annual Ijtema 1973” and it was signed by the international President of Lajna Ima’illah Hazrat Syeda Maryam Siddiqa Sahiba, Alhamdulillah.
Interestingly, the next book I picked up, “Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam”, had the inscription “First Prize” and was received for extempore speech competition from Hazrat Syeda Amtul Sabooh Begum Sahiba, the noble wife of His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, May Allah be his Helper, and was inscribed “National Ijtema Lajna Ima’illah UK, 19th October 2003”.
I was amazed that these precious prizes reflected the journey of my very humble self from 1963 to 1973 then to 2003, the first prepared speech probably written by an elder member of my family. The speech in 1973 I still remember writing myself, by studying “History of Lajna Ima’illah Vol 1” in Urdu – as that was the only language it was available in at the time – and then, based on its facts, preparing the speech in English! Once the competition was over, I was called over by the panel of judges, one of whom was Mrs Farkhanda Shah Sahiba principal of Jamia Nusrat Rabwah, who gave me very kind encouragement for participation in public speaking competitions.
I realise what wonderful opportunity ijtemas are for polishing these qualities with a healthy spirit of competition. This, with the grace of Allah the Almighty, is the fulfilment of one of the aims of establishing this organisation for girls and women, as it provides a definite journey for members to experience what in today’s terminology is called “the empowerment of women.”
May Allah the Almighty grant us the blessings of these sacred gatherings where we meet and greet, learn and teach, cleanse our souls, and pick up inspiration for creating peaceful minds and peaceful societies. May Allah the Almighty grant us true blessings of Ijtemas. Ameen
Whatever our memories of Ijtema down the changing years, a few key themes emerge; the privilege of nearness to Khilafat, a feeling of solidarity with our fellow competitors, and the knowledge of the numerous blessings gained from attending. Reading these lovely stories, we can look forward to the next Lajna National Ijtema, and add to our own store of memories.
Voice of British Muslim Women 
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