Ten Years of Jalsa Salana in Belize

Today, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is getting ready to celebrate its tenth annual Jalsa Salana in Belize. This week-long spiritual event brings people together to promote brotherhood in the community and welcomes visitors to join in the festivities. This year’s peace-themed conference kicks off at 10 a.m. on April 4th at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at mosque. News Five’s Britney Gordon has more on this story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

It’s been ten years since the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community started the Jalsa Salana Conference in Belize. What began as a small gathering of about thirty people blossomed into a celebration with hundreds of attendees. The Jalsa Salana brings people together to learn about the Islamic community and join in exciting activities. Missionary Ata’ul Haq warmly invites every Belizean to join the festivities.

 

Ata’ul Haq, Missionary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at

“Jalsa Salana is, an event, again, a spiritual event in which we want to invite every single person. It’s not just a Muslim event. We want to invite our Christian friends, our Hindu friends, Jewish friends, every single person. You are more than welcome to come and to sit with us, because this year the theme is Islam, a Religion of Peace, and we want to show you that we are truly peaceful and loving people. Our motto is Love for all and hatred for none.”

 

As the community celebrates the ten-year anniversary of Jalsa Salani in Belize, National President Arslan Warraich reflects on their impact over the past decade.

 

Arslan Warraich, National President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at

“Belize has enabled us and welcomed us with such open arms. The media, you know this, that in America and stuff, they don’t give, they don’t give publicity or even any care towards other fates, right? But they give us a fair chance to speak and to invite and to host people, right? So now with these conventions, the thing is that people like yourselves, humble, kind, kindhearted people that come to this event and they see that wait, everything that the media is seeing in the US or wherever is all nonsense. That these are such peaceful, loving people, and then they feel much more comfortable. So the annual convention is just one aspect of that, to remove these misconceptions, right? And for us to break bread together because that helps bridge these gaps that society tries to create.”

 

Even though the community is growing fast, the event isn’t about changing anyone’s beliefs. It’s all about celebrating and appreciating the unique differences.

 

Ata’ul Haq

“Tomorrow they will be having a ladies session, ladies only session as well. Three thirty P.M. tomorrow for the Jalsa Salana here at the Maji. No, on a mile and a half George Price Highway. Every single person can also bring their children because we will have a kids’ play zone as well, in which they will be taken care of, so you as a parent can come. Don’t worry. Your children will be well taken care of, and they will be safe, and you can enjoy the proceedings of the Jasa Solana bouncy castle. They will have a bouncy castle and snacks and everything. There is no fee, not a single dollar you need to pay to come here and enjoy. All right. We also have a exhibition that we would like for everyone to come and see, just to see the history of our community in Belize as well.”

 

The Ahmadiyya basketball league will also be joining in on the celebration. Belizeans are invited to attend and cheer for their favorite teams to bring the gold home.

 

Ata’ul Haq

“We will be having the semi-finals for the U18 and the U22 at St. John’s College. And then followed by that. We’ll, at 10 o’clock in the morning, we will start all the final matches at Civic Center, right? And there, there’s gonna be the U50, the U12, U15, the U18 for the females, U18 for the males, and the U22. So all of that will be happening at the Civic. All of that will be happening at the Civic. Please note that usually there is an entrance fee, but for the finals, there will be no entrance fee, and we want to encourage everyone to come out and support their teams. We have teams that, we have five teams from Mexico that are still in the playoffs, so they’ll be making their way over to Belize as well. Everyone is encouraged to come out and support their local Belize team Belize teams and, give that support.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.