Youth winter excursion organised by Lajna Imaillah Canada

Syed Mukarram Nazeer Canada Correspondent

Lajna Imaillah Canada arranged a special “Youth Winter Excursion” to Ottawa for girls aged 18-24 from the Greater Toronto Area, reported Secretary Tarbiyat Lajna Imaillah Canada, Nadia Mahmood Sahiba. Ottawa is the capital of Canada, located in the province of Ontario, with the Ottawa River on its northern border separating it from the province of Quebec.

The intent of the trip was to allow

Lajna members an opportunity to engage in recreational activities with their fellow sisters and to provide them a “safe space” to potentially advance in their respective spiritual journeys.

On 18 February 2023, 22 Lajna members and 6 stewards travelled 495 kilometres (308 miles) from the Baitul Islam Mosque to the Baitun Naseer Mosque in Ottawa. They were received by Sadr Lajna of the Eastern Ontario region and members of her amila Later, the Lajna members were joined by six Lajna students from neighbouring jamaats

President Santokhi of Suriname visits Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Laiq Ahmad Mushtaq Missionary-in-charge, Suriname

Earlier this year, in 2023, Jamaate-Ahmadiyya Suriname invited the President of the Republic of Suriname, His Excellency Mr Chandrikapersad Santokhi, for a dinner meeting with the national amila . For this occasion, a request was also made to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa to send a message for the President. In his letter dated 26 February 2023, Huzooraa prayed:

“May Allah make your meeting with the President successful in every respect and may you be able to convey to him the peaceful message of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

“May Allah enable the uncertain situation of the country to stabilise soon. May Allah bless all your activities with success and may He be your Guardian, and Helper at all times. May the Jamaat in Suriname advance and progress in all fields. Allah be with you.”

On 2 March 2023, President Santokhi visited the Nasir Mosque, the headquarters of the Jamaat in Suriname. Sadr Jamaat Samseerali Sheikh-Alibaks and my humble self received Mr Santokhi. After a brief introduction of the amila members, the national sadr delivered a short speech in which he highlighted the teachings of Islam regarding the duties of leaders, and the rights and duties of the countrymen. He also spoke about hospitality in Islam and the special bond the President has with our Jamaat. of Ottawa West, Ottawa East, and Kingston for dinner and team-building activities and games.

Thereafter, the President was invited for a short speech in which he mentioned that many wise lessons are anchored in the objectives of Islam. Prophet Muhammadsa brought a message of peace, love, respect and justice to the world. He also stated that religious organisations make an indispensable contribution to the wellbeing and development of society. Mr Santokhi thanked the Jamaat for its continuous support and asked for prayers for the betterment of the country. He also mentioned that he felt honoured and delighted to be at the mosque.

After the formal session, the attendees enjoyed dinner with the President. Before his departure, the President was presented with some gifts on behalf of the Jamaat. This concluded a successful second visit of Mr Santokhi, as the head of state, to our mosque. The event was covered by the media team of the President’s cabinet. Through an article and video report shared on social media, the message of the Jamaat also reached the public.

On 19 February, Lajna members crossed the Ottawa River and explored the Snowflake Kingdom in Gatineau, Quebec. Here they enjoyed snow tubing, zip lining, tug of war, and other winter sports activities. They also enjoyed some of Canada’s most iconic culinary delights.

In the afternoon, Lajna members crossed back into Ontario to discover some of the tourist offerings of Canada’s Capital Region. These included the Parliament buildings, the Rideau Center, and the ByWard Market. They also marvelled at the various artwork, activities and ice sculptures on display on Sparks Street in Ottawa.

On 20 February, Lajna members had a session with Sadr Lajna of the Eastern Ontario region. She shared some of her personal memories of Khilafat and brought items from the tabarruk of Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra. The Lajna members learned firsthand about the life of Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra and the exemplary model he set in offering sacrifices for the advancement of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

With 2023 being Lajna Imaillah’s centenary year, it was particularly enthralling to hear of the foresight of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra in empowering women by creating an organisation that catered specifically to their spiritual and secular needs. Throughout the weekend, Lajna members had impromptu discussions on their faith, the importance of fostering a strong bond with Khilafat, and recognising their role and responsibility as members of Lajna Imaillah.

Lajna members returned to Toronto on the evening of 20 February. Overall, the trip was successful and most participants indicated that it made a positive impact on their lives. Some of the feedback is given below:

Irum Sahiba said:

“I wanted to express my love and appreciation for the entire weekend with a huge Jazakumullah! It was such a unique experience and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in it.”

Shawnzay Sahiba expressed:

“I just wanted to extend my appreciation. I am very grateful for this experience and I enjoyed everything that came from this opportunity. Jazakumullah.”

Fazia Sahiba said:

“We all had a wonderful time, made many friends, and really enjoyed all the activities. I really appreciate all the efforts put into organising this trip and am looking forward to any future Lajna Imaillah trips.”

Tahira Sahiba said:

“I had an amazing time on the trip. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.”

Shumaila Sahiba expressed:

“It was honestly amazing. Everything about the trip was great. I really hope more Lajna get to go on these trips and I’ll definitely be recommending this to everyone who can go. Jazakumullah.”

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Belize help renovate local orphanage

Stephen Ata’ul Haq Gabb Missionary, Belize

The country of Belize is home to about 13 orphanages. Countless Belizean children have been traumatized by gang violence, domestic violence, losing loved ones to murder, traffic accidents, and illnesses.

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Belize, knowing of this situation, was very fortunate to provide an assisting hand to one of the local orphanages in Belize City. Upon a visit to the orphanage, it was noticed that it was in need of some renovations. As these are children who are often neglected, Jamaat Belize ensures they support the local orphanages

in every possible manner.

The Khuddam of Belize worked together to help renovate the orphanage. This gesture brought great joy to the children and was a very humbling experience for Khuddam of Belize as well.

It is noteworthy that the khuddam of Belize, who are all converts, may not have had prior experience in selfless service to mankind before joining Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Belize. Nonetheless, they are now committed to serving others without any expectation of personal gain. Serving mankind in countries like Belize is a unifying force for members of the Jamaat, bringing them together in a shared mission to alleviate the suffering of those in need.