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19 Reminders about Jalsa UK Arrangements

DawudTalut

Peace be upon you.
Peace be on you…. From Friday (Aug 12), Allah willingly, the Jalsa Salana (annual convention) of Jama'at Ahmadiyya UK will start. Guests have started to arrive from various countries. May Allah the Exalted enable the administration of the convention, serve the international and local guests in an excellent manner. Men and women of all ages present themselves as volunteer to serve the guests of the Hazrat Promised Messiah (may peace be upon him). They believe this service as favour of Allah the Exalted. This thought has become international.

Recently, US Ahmadiyya Jama'at held their annual convention. In an interview, a 19/20 years old youth volunteer was asked, What do you get for all the work you do? How much money you will get? The reply of the youth born and raised in the US, where materialistic approach reigns, was, We work as volunteers, our compensation is beyond the apprehension of the worldly understanding, we do this work to gain the pleasure of Allah

This is the character of Ahmadis living whether an Africa, Indonesia, Island or in the developed countries of the West. No matter if annual convention is in summer, the zeal is same. It is time when other people go for sports and sightseeing.

In UK Jalsa, arrangements are required by the Council to be rolled of within 28 days. Thus some volunteers have to do huge work for longer than this time.

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1-Certainly all volunteers work with the spirit of service. Patience and knowledge about how to serve is essential.

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2--Holy Quran states the hospitality of Hazrat Ibrahim (on whom be peace). Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has mentioned the importance and duty of hospitality. In this era Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) too has especially drawn our attention to it. He (a.s.) said:

“The third branch of this (divine) workshop is travelers/guests, journey-makers to seek truth and those who come with miscellaneous motives, Who continue to visit to meet due to urge of their respective intentions. This branch too continues to grow.”

In those early days, people were coming in thousands to small village of Qadian. Provisions were to be brought from Batala or Amritsar.

To save him from any trouble, Allah revealed to him that People will come to you in large numbers so it is upon you not to be crass with them and it is incumbent upon you that you do not get tired seeing their great numbers.

Today, these annual conventions are worldwide, people come in great numbers. In UK, due to the presence of Khalifa, guests comes from all over the world just to gain knowledge of faith and satiate their spiritual thirst. Servants of Hazrat Promised Messiah (a.s.) serve guests selflessly and tirelessly. Non-Ahmadis and Non-Muslim guests are always surprised how small children discharge their duties with great responsibility.

Every volunteer has to keep high quality alive forever whatever department he may be working in.

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3-Guests’ first interact is with welcome-department, it should keep in mind the fatigue of journey even in these times. This department work at airport with good practice. Guests comes from neighbouring countries by cars or buses.

Guests should be greeted as Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) taught:Meet your brother smiling and it is a charity.

He (s.a.w.) also said - Do not take as insignificant even a small good deed. It is a good deed to face a brother pleasantly.

Note the teachings of Islam, how beautiful it is.

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4-The Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Showing way is also charity.

The related department for this duty should also keep in mind to greet guests coming from a journey and then have them taken by their assistants to their places of lodging.

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5-Workers in all department should interact with guests with pleasant demeanor and smile.

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6-Making of name-cards require assurance, all guests should bring proper confirmation from Ahmadiyya Community and during the subsequent procedure guests should have proper seating.

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7-Food service is part of hospitality. Feeding officers and assistants should interact with guests politely and with extreme patience.

Once Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) asked a Companion (r.a.) to take a guest with him. In home, food was only enough for one person. Companion and wife somehow made children asleep and extinguish the lamp and sat with guest as if they were eating too….Next morning Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) told the Companion that due to his strategy of the night before even Allah smiled.

Today each of our workers should serve with sense that he is serving the guests of the True Servant of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.).

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8-Once, some guests were treated very well while others were ignored. Allah the Exalted informed Hazrat Promised Messiah (a.s.) and he took actions and got the arrangements in his own hands.

Thus when we present ourselves for service, then we should serve everyone without distinction. Every guest coming to convention is the guest of the convention.

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9-In general Ahmadi guests, even if one is office-holder,should eat at one place. They should not be taken to special places made for outside guests.

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10-One should also be praying all along that may Allah accept this small service to the guest of the Promised Messiah and that our work is devoid of any kind of show and is purely for Allah.

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11-During the time of Hazrat Promised Messiah (a.s.) sometimes there were so many guests that their stay seemed difficult as Qadian was small place, he (a.s.) and family had to make informal arrangements. Allah had comforted him by revelation not to get tired with large number of guests.

A story told by him (a.s.) to strengthen hearts:

A traveler came upon the evening in a jungle. Night was dark. There was no village nearby. There was no place, no town, where he could go and rest. The poor soul lied down under a tree to spend his night. There was a nest of birds on the tree. The male and female decided that the person lying under their nest was their guest therefore it was their duty to be a host to him. How did they host him? First they thought that the night was cold so they should provide him something to warm himself with fire. They thought that they did not have anything else. They could break their nest and throw it down. By making fire from its leaves and twigs, the guest could light a fire and warm himself. So they threw down their nest. The person put it on fire and started warming himself. Birds decided that they did not have anything to feed the guest but they themselves could fall into the fire and when they are roasted in fire the guest could eat them. So they did so and arranged food for the guest.

The purpose of telling this story by the Promised Messiah was that rather than being perplexed on the arrival of guests, one should entertain the guests through as much sacrifice as is possible for man.

Thus, this is a lesson for all of us especially those who present themselves for Islam that they make full effort to discharge duties assigned to them.

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12-Car Parking: Workers should be patience with those who insist on going against direction and inform the superior. Discussions obstruct traffic and cause subsequent interference to audience by late comers in Jalsa place.

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13-Incidences of previous years should be reviewed.

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14-Scanning and checking should be done with all cautions but should not make delays. Announcements should be made that entrants should keep cards ready and keep in lines for people may pass throught quickly.

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15-Reminder announcements should be made that users should keep washrooms cleans….Workers should never leave hold of patience. General cleanness is their responsibility…..Training department should play its part.

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16-The worker who presents himself for service, it is duty to serve selflessly. Politeness should be shown in every situation.

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17-Every worker in all departments should keep eye on security issues though there is security department present.

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18-Every worker should stay after the conclusion of the convention until any guest is present there or until their respective officers do not relieve them… There are wind up workers.

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19-Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah V (may Allah be his Helper) also said that all workers and the member of the Ahmadiyya Community should pray that may Allah the Exalted enable everyone to fulfill their responsibilities in an ample way. May Allah the Exalted keep all workers safe in all ways. Sometimes heavy work has to be done and there is chance of getting hurt. May Allah the Exalted keep everyone safe in every way. May Allah make the convention blessed and successful in every aspect. May Allah keep Ahmadiyya Community safe from every adversary and mischievous person. And may Allah give the opportunity to every worker that they continue to serve the guests of Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) at the convention in the best way. Workers, who have attained high standards of service, may they present even higher level every next time above the levels they have already achieved, and perform this time too better than before. There should never be decline in their level of service. Every step of ours should fall forward and when such service takes place then Allah sees with the eye of love. May Allah give everyone this opportunity. [Aameen]

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Reference: Based on Friday sermon (August 5, 2016) by Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah V (may Allah Help him with His Mighty Help), UK, alislam.org and mta.tv
 
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