By Muhammadul Waa’iz Apooyin
Jalsa Salana (Urdu: جلسہ سالانہ, literarily translated as ’Annual Gathering’) is a formal, annual gathering of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It was initiated in 1891 by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(AS), The promised Messiah and Awaited Mahdi of the age, the founder of the community, in Qadian, India. Usually, the gathering spans three days, beginning with the flag hoisting[broken anchor] ceremony following the Friday Sermon. This Jalsa Salana is annually featured in the entire world across the countries wherein the Ahmadiyya Muslim community is firmly rooted, Our dear Country Nigeria inclusive.
Allah The Exalted gives clear-cut injunctions on holding gatherings and conferences in the Qur’an and the merits thereof, such gatherings according to our Creator and Benefactor, are to be held only within the precincts of Sadaqah (Sacrificing in the cause of Allah) Ma’hrūf (core moral values & good conducts ) and finally, Islāh (Bonding in love with one another). For the attendees of such gatherings, Allah promises a mighty reward.
For such a gathering to be well defined, Allah mentions the elements of a truly religious assembly, the like of which is the annual Jalsa Salana. Allah says;
Surah An-Nisa, Verse 115:
لَّا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
There is no good in most of their meetings except (such gathering) which enjoins sacrificing (in the cause of Allah)or goodness or reconciliation between people; and whoever does this seeking Allah’s pleasure, We will give him a mighty reward.
Therefore, The Promised Messiah (AS) had under Divine Inspiration and Guidance, initiated Jalsa Salana(a pure religious gathering conforming to the above-listed conditions), so that members of his holy community, generation after generation, may ceaselessly partake of “the great reward ” as promised by Allah in His own words. As such, this vision of the promised Messiah is indeed a timeless mission! How lucky are we as Ahmadi Muslims?!
Regarding the Jalsa Salana, the promised Messiah(AS) said and I quote;
“The primary purpose of this Convention is to enable every sincere individual to personally experience religious benefits; They may enhance their knowledge and – due to their being blessed and enabled by Allah, The Exalted – their perception [of Allah] may progress. Among its secondary benefits is that this congregational meeting together will promote mutual introduction among all brothers, and it will strengthen the fraternal ties within this Community..”
(Ishtihar 7 Dec. 1892, Majmoo’ah Ishtiharat Vol. 1, Page 340)
He goes further to say that;
“Do not consider this Jalsa to be equivalent to any ordinary worldly gathering. The fact of the matter is that it is founded upon the pure support of truth and the propagation of Islam. The foundation stone of this Jamaat has been laid by Allah the Almighty Himself, and nations have been readied that will soon come to join its fold. This is due to the fact that it is the work of the All-Powerful God, for Whom, nothing is impossible.” (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat [2019], Vol. 1, p. 361)
Dear Readers, I think it is necessary to state here very unequivocally, that the Jalsa Salana as envisioned by the Promised Messiah is an empirical fulfilment of what has been stated in the holy Qur’an in this regard.
In the same vein, Allah instructs keeping to the etiquettes of such gatherings and staying off the vices that can vitiate the meritoriousness attached to it, to maximize one’s reward and earn Allah’s Pleasure. Allah The Most High says;
Surah Al-Mujadila, Verse 10:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُولِ وَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
O you who believe! when you confer together ( in an assembly ) do not give to each other counsel of sin and revolt and disobedience to the Apostle, and give to each other counsel of goodness and guarding (against evil); and be mindful of (your duty to) Allah, to Whom you shall be gathered together(for reckoning).
You will agree with me that the etiquettes mentioned here are strictly adhered to at our Jalsa Salana, as such, the words of the Qur’an have in this respect been proven to have been fulfilled through the clairvoyant vision of the promised Messiah.
The Holy Prophet of Islam(S A W) is reported to have said that going out in the cause of Allah is a form of Jihad, Jalsa Salana readily offers that leverage, even if the time is not fit for the Jihad of sword, one can have their desire come to fruition by partaking physically, spiritually, and financially in a religious gathering, the like of which is our annual Jalsa Salana.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي، ثَابِتٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْهِجْرَةِ فَقَالَ ” لاَ هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْحِ وَلَكِنْ جِهَادٌ وَنِيَّةٌ وَإِذَا اسْتُنْفِرْتُمْ فَانْفِرُوا ” .
‘A’isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about migration, whereupon he said:
There is no migration after the Conquest (of Mecca), but Jihad and sincere intention. When you are asked to set out (for the cause of Islam), you should set out,
(Saheehul Muslim, Hadith No 1864
In-Book Reference: Book 33, Hadith 127
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 20, Hadith 4599)
He is also reported to have said that Divine Bliss hovers around the attendees of a pure religious gathering, Divine Mercy encircles them, angels descend on them with Divine Grace and favour from the heavens and finally, Allah makes reference to their devotion in the presence of the legions of angels. This is also made possible for us as Ahmadi Muslims through the initiation of Jalsa Salana by the Promised Messiah(AS) who envisioned a timeless mission for the lucky members of his enviable community.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، سَمِعْتُ
أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ الأَغَرِّ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَأَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ
أَنَّهُمَا شَهِدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ” لاَ يَقْعُدُ قَوْمٌ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
إِلاَّ حَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ ”.
وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، فِي هَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ.
Agharr Abi Muslim reported:
I bear witness to the fact that both Abu Huraira and Abu Sa’id Khudri were present when Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) ﷺ) said: The people do not sit(in a conference) but they are surrounded by angels and covered by Mercy, and there descends upon them tranquillity as they remember Allah, and Allah makes a mention of them to those who are near Him. This hadith has also been narrated on the authority of Shu’ba with the same chain of transmitters.
(Saheehul Muslim, Hadith No 2700)
In-Book Reference: Book 48, Hadith 50
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 35, Hadith 6520).
Dear Readers, we can not thank the Promised Messiah(AS) for the brilliant initiative of Jalsa Salana, you all can now see how highly meritorious and rewarding it is to partake in a religious conference for the sake of Allah and in pursuance of His Grace and Mercy, this rare opportunity in this time and age, and spanning through all the days of life, has been made available to us exclusively (members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community), on a platter of gold through the annual Jalsa Salana.
Conclusively, let me leave you with the golden prayers of the promised Messiah (AS) for all attendees of the Jalsa Salana, past and present throughout the world. In fact, this prayer further confirms that the holy founder of the community affords us a timeless mission to gain monumental reward and earn Allah’s Pleasure continually, through the vision for Jalsa Salana.
The Promised Messiah (as) has prayed for all participants of the Jalsa – past, present, and future – in the following words;
“I pray to God that He be with all those who are coming to attend the Jalsa. May God grant them great rewards, may He show Mercy on them and remove their hardships and sorrows. May He let them have what they desire and raise them on the Day of Resurrection along with those to whom He has shown Mercy and His Grace. ‘O God, O You who are the great Granter, the Benevolent and Merciful, the Remover of hardships, do listen to all these my prayers and grant us victory over our opponents with great glaring signs, for You have the power to do whatever You like. Ameen.’ ” (Ishteharat, Vol.1 p.342 – December 7, 1892)
