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Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Celebrates Centenary

Mar 25, 2008, 5:20 AM | Article By: By Modou Sanyang

The Almadiyaa Muslim Jamaat The Gambia last Friday held its annual Jalsa Salana convention at Nusrat Senior Secondary School in Bundung. Speaking on the occasion the Amir of Ahmadiyya Jamaat The Gambia, Baba F. Trawally, said that the promised Messiah (AS) had repeatedly stressed that the purpose of the Jalsa is to realise God, attain righteousness and strengthen love and unity among brothers and sisters.

Amir Trawally stated that the purpose of religion is to worship Allah Almighty and serve humanity. He noted that this was why when morality and spirituality disappeared from the earth and the world was engulfed in darkness, social injustice became the order of the day just as idolatry became the practising region. At that point of degradation, he recollected, Allah Almighty raised the best of mankind, Hadrat Muhammed Mustafa (SAW) as the seal of the prophets to reform the world.

Amir Trawally further posited that Prophet Muhammed (SAW) transformed a once savage people to godly men so that from every quarter, the might and glory of Allah Almighty was remembered. "Their hearts were filled with the love of the divine and their actions spread fragrance of righteousness all around them," he stated.

After the demise of the holy prophet, the Amir added, his Khulafa (representatives) continued the noble work that he started. However, he noted, this blessed period of morality and spirituality lasted for three centuries before a thousand years of darkness, moral and spiritual decadence set in.

Amir Trawally asserted that Holy Prophet Muhammed Mustapha (SAW) had prophesied that the last glory of Islam would be re-established in the latter days by a man of Persian descent. He disclosed that many signs have been advanced for the recognition of the man, all which have been fulfilled in the person of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi (AS), the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. Speaking on the activities of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, he said: "He spent his whole life in defending the glory of Islam," adding that after his demise, he has been succeeded by Khulafa and "we are now in the period of the fifth Khilafat."  Amir Trawally further noted that "The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is continuously striving to lead mankind back to their true lord. And it is serving humanity in different aspects regardless of race, creed or religion.

This year's Jalsa Jalana coincided with the 100 years of the investiture of the first Khilafat of the jamaat in May 1908 and the delegates numbering over 6000 came from Spain, Germany, Holland, Senegal, Guinea Bissau and The Gambia.