Lajna Matters USA

A Publication of Lajna Ima’illah & Nasiratul Ahmadiyya Lajna Matters USA

3 Shawwal 1432 - 5 Muharram 1433 Issue 3—2011 September – November 2011 Special Features Holy Qur’an The Glorious Qur’an Message from Sadr Lajna Correspondence Lajna Jalsa 2011 Update Khidmat-e-Khalq Matters Taleem Matters Tarbiyat Matters Tabligh Matters Publication Matters Ijtema/Camps Local Matters Our Lord, I have settled some of my children in an uncultivable valley near Thy Sacred House, our Lord, Youth that they may observe Prayer. So make men’s hearts incline towards them and provide them with fruits, that Lajna Highlights they may be thankful. Our Lord, certainly, Thou knowest what we conceal and what we make known. And Urdu Matters nothing whatsoever is hidden from Allah, whether in the earth or in the heaven. 14: 38-39

We are pleased to announce that Lajna Matters will now include an Urdu section for our readers!

We hope that you enjoy this new feature.

And when he was old enough to work with him, he said, ‘O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering thee. So consider, what thou thinkest of it!’ He replied, ‘O my father, do as thou art commanded; thou wilt find me, if Allah please, of those who are patient. And when they both submitted to the Will of God, and he had thrown him down on his forehead. We called to him: ‘O. Abra- ham, ‘Thou hast indeed fulfilled the dream.’ Thus indeed do We reward those who do good. That surely was a manifest trial.’ 37:103 – 107 Lajna Matters Publications Team:

Farzana Safiullah Publications Secretary [email protected]

Bushra Mirza Editor, Lajna Matters [email protected]

Aeman Bashir And remember the time when We made the House a resort for mankind and a place of security; and Layout, Lajna Matters take ye the station of Abraham as a place of Prayer. And We commanded Abraham and Ishmael, say- Mabroor Jattala ing, ‘Purify My House for those who perform the circuit and those who remain therein for devotion Urdu Section, Lajna Matters and those who bow down and fall prostrate in Prayer.’ 2:126 [email protected] Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 2 of 36

And remember the time when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House, praying, ‘Our Lord, accept this from us; for Thou art All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 2:128

Their flesh reaches not Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches Him. Thus has He subjected them (the animals) to you, that you may glorify Allah for His guiding you. And give glad tidings to those who do good. 22:38 Ahadith “O, Most Merciful One! A humble servant of Thine, useless and Hadhrat Mu’awiyah Bin Haidah al -Qushairira says while full of errors and without any merit, Ghulam Ahmad, who narrating the story of his acceptance of Islam, I reached the dwells in India supplicates: Holy Prophet saw and I asked him, “What message has our Lord given you for us, and what religion have you brought?” He said, O, Most Merciful One! Be Thou pleased with me and forgive “God has sent me with the religion of Islam.” I asked, “What is my mistakes and sins for Thou art most Forgiving and Merciful. the religion of Islam?” Hudhur replied, “Islam is that you Cause me to do that which should please Thee greatly. Put surrender your entire being to Allah, abandon all other deities, away my ego from me as far as the East is from the West, and establish Salat and give Zakat.” make my life and my death and every faculty that I have, devoted to Thee. Keep me alive in Thy love and cause me to die Narrated by Abu Hurairah ra : Said the Prophet of Allah saw , “ Allah in Thy love and raise me up among Thy perfect lovers. does not see towards your shapes and your wealth, but He sees towards your hearts and your actions.” Most Merciful One! Do Thou by Thy Grace, carry to its conclusion the task for which Thou hast appointed me, and the Writings of the Promised Messiah as service for which Thou has created eagerness in my heart. Note: The Promised Messiah as sent the following prayer in a Establish conclusively the truth of Islam through the hand of this letter to Hadhrat Sufi Ahmad Jan Sahib of Ludhiana and he was humble one in the eyes of the opponents of Islam. Keep this instructed: ‘It is your duty that you should pray in these very humble one and his friends and sincere companions in the shade words, without any change, on my behalf in the House of Allah, and support of Thy Forgiveness and Graciousness. Be thou the before the Most Merciful One. Keep this letter with you to help Provider for them in matters of faith and in matters of the your memory.’ Accordingly, Sufi Sahib, on the day of the great world and transport all of them to the house of Thy pleasure Pilgrimage in the year 1302 A.H. offered this prayer in the and send down peace and blessings to the utmost degree upon House of Allah in a loud voice while his companions continued Thy Messenger and his companions and followers. Amin.” to respond with Amin. MESSAGE FROM SADR LAJNA, USA Sister Saliha Malik Hadhrat Ibrahim’s as powerful prayer: “My Lord, make me observe Prayer, and my children too. Our Lord! Do accept my prayer. Our Lord, grant forgiveness to me and to my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning will take place.” 14:41 -42 My Dear sisters, at this time of year we especially turn our attention to the beautiful examples of self-sacrifice given to us by Hadhrat Ibrahim as , Hadhrat Ishmael as and Hadhrat Hagar ra . We go back to the very roots of our Islam. A few of us will make the special journey, the pilgrimage, to The House of Allah. However whether we will go this year or remain behind, may it be a time for us all to reflect inwardly and to personally assess whether we are living up to our word, as Hadhrat Ibrahim as did, in all our affairs; in both matters of faith and in our worldly responsibilities. Have we established prayer in ourselves and our homes as Hadhrat Ibrahim as beseeched God of his followers in the above prayer? Allah so loved this prayer he included it in the Holy Qur’an. After him the Holy Prophet saw and the Promised Mes- siah as rose to their lofty stations by the means of prayer and the ways of sacrifice, and also beseeched God that their followers would do the same. Therefore, if we wish to come in Allah’s shade and mercy, we must fasten this prayer to our souls. We must establish prayer in ourselves and also pray for each other and our next generations. 3 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 National Correspondence

The Passing Away of Hadhrat Syeda Sahibzadi Nasira Begum of Hadhrat Aqdas Masih-e-Maoud as . Sahiba We, the members of Lajna Ima’illah, USA offer our deepest condolences Letter of Condolence and Resolution to Syedna Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V atba , Sahibzadi Syeda Apa Saboohi Sahiba, and the family of Hadhrat Aqdas Masih-e-Maoud as on this sad occa- Our hearts are struck with deep grief and sorrow at the passing away of sion, and pray earnestly to Almighty Allah to elevate the station of late late Hadhrat Syeda Sahibzadi Nasira Begum Sahiba in Rabwah, Pakistan on Hadhrat Syeda Sahibzadi Nasira Begum Sahiba in the Hereafter and grant July 29, 2011. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un. The late Hadhrat Sahib- fortitude to all her beloved ones to bear this loss. Amin. zadi Sahiba was the granddaughter of the Promised Messiah as , daughter of Hadhrat Musleh Maoud Khalifatul Masih II ra , sister of Hadhrat Khalifatul We, also hereby resolve to: Masih III rh and Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV rh , wife of late Hadhrat Sahib- Z zada Mirza Mansoor Ahmad Sahib (former Nazir-e- A’ala, Sadr Anjuman Affirm and reiterate our belief in the Decree of Allah with which we Ahmadiyya, Rabwah, Pakistan) and mother of our beloved Imam Hadhrat are, and shall ever remain, content. Sahibzada Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib, Khalifatul Masih V atba . Z Affirm and reiterate our servitude and solidarity with Khilafat- The late Hadhrat Syeda Sahibzadi Nasira Begum Sahiba was an eminent Ahmadiyya and Syedna Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih atba . person in the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at who led an exem- Z Strive to emulate the blessed conduct of late Hadhrat Syeda Sahibzadi plary pious life coupled with glorious services for the sake of Islam and Nasira Begum Sahiba, who served as a role model as well as a beacon Ahmadiyyat. She rendered exceptionally brilliant services for Lajna Ima’il- of light for countless maidservants of Allah. lah, the institution of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, and humanity at large. Her demise has been deeply felt by all righteous servants of Islam, especially so Saliha Malik, Sadr, Lajna Ima’illah, USA by our beloved Imam Syedna Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V atba and the family Letters from Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V atba

June 19, 2011 August 23, 2011 Dear Sister Sadr Lajna Ima’illah USA, Dear Sadr Lajna Ima’illah USA As-Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Huzoor Ayadullahho ta’ala has received and read your report for the I have received your letter dated 02 August 2011 along with your kind month of March 2011, Jazakamullah sentiments and prayers. Jazakamullah. Your report demonstrates that Lajna has made progress in all shobas, Al I am pleased to read that your recent visit and attendance of Jalsa Salana Hamdo lilah it is encouraging to see that Lajna are active in the shoba of 2011 was an uplifting and spiritually rewarding experience. May Allah khidmat e khalq and have helped their community by organizing blood Almighty enable all members of USA Lajna to gain inspiration, motiva- drives, arranging for the snow to be shoveled from the drives of the tion and a stronger attachment to the bond of Khilafat Ahmadiyya, as elderly and providing food, clothing and monetary donations. you have achieved from the UK Jalsa. May Allah reward you for your sincere efforts. Please convey my salaam to all members of USA Lajna. Wa ‘alaikum us -salam August 23, 2011 Dear Sadr Lajna Ima’illah USA, September 11, 2011 Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Dear Sadr Lajna Ima’illah USA, I have received and read your Na- Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah tional Program 2011-2013, Urdu I have received and read your reports after the months of April and May and English Taleem and Tarbiyat 2011 and also your quarterly magazine “Lajna Matters”, Jazakallah. Workbooks 2011-2013. Jazakamul- lah. Your reports highlight the many different events held in Lajna Ima’illah USA during this period, including regularity in many shobas, Ma sha’ Ma sha’ Allah a very comprehensive Allah. It is pleasing to read of the efforts that are being made in many program has been included in the syllabus as well as useful information areas including Taleem and Tarbiyat and the way in which members are for effectively running each shoba. May Allah enable all the members to being trained in the field of Tabligh. These events will enable the truth fully benefit from the program. May Allah reward and bless you and of Ahmaddiyat to be spread throughout your country, In sha’ Allah. your team for the dedication and hard work that has been undertaken to compile the program and the Workbooks. May Allah enable Lajna Ima’illah USA to succeed in their sincere endeavors, Amin. Please convey my loving Salam to all the Nasirat and Lajna Ima’illah members in USA. Please convey my loving Salaam to all Nasirat and Lajna Wa ‘alaikum us salam, Ima’illah members in USA. Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 4 of 36 National Correspondence

Letters from Amir Sahib USA

Jamaat Presidents, Members National Amila, Missionaries in USA Jamaat, Sadran Auxiliaries USA Ja- maat. Assalamu ‘alaikum Wa Rahmatullah As we celebrate the last fast of Ramadan and the Eid-ul-Fitr, we thank Allah for all His Blessings, how He has carried us through the storms and quakes of life, given us all hope, and has helped us. At the celebration of Eid, we also need to see how we can open our Mosques with a greater regularity, as we have been doing this month of Ramadan. The grace and beauty of our faith is enhanced and indeed defined by how we welcome each other as well as strangers among us. The purpose which is beholden to Allah in this day and age is the propagation of the message of Messiah Mau’ud as. We display Allah's grandeur when we fulfill His designs for this age, namely the proclamation of the Messiah Ahmad as , which he has grandly propounded into his writings and sayings. Included in this is his consistent illustration of the fact that his is the light coming entirely from the Holy Qur’an and examples and sayings of Hazrat Mohammad saw . I hope and join all in prayers, that we are able to illustrate Ahmadiyyat in a consistent and the best manner, as we move along in our Jama’at activities and get -togethers. May Allah show us our ways in these and all endeavors. May He give us an understanding what are His true ways, so we exhibit our faith and are deemed worthy of His Grace. Amin. Ahsanullah Zafar Copy to Private Secretary Sahib for Huzur, with request for his prayers.

Jalsa 2011

In this section: By the sheer Grace and Mercy of Allah, the Exalted, a successful 63rd Jalsa Salana of Jama’at Ahmadiyya USA was held from July 1-3, 2011 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Har- Jalsa Program risburg. An estimated number of 6,000 guests of the Promised Messiah as attended this blessed Various Booths gathering, which provided a golden opportunity for spiritual rejuvenation, prayers and suppli- Handicraft Competition cations. An atmosphere of sisterhood and bonding prevailed throughout the Jalsa. Rista Naata Mingle JALSA PROGRAM: AWSA Youth Social The 63rd Jalsa Salana USA began with Jumu’ah Prayer in which Maulana Naseem Mehdi Sahib Waqfe Nau Class captured the hearts of the congregation with his powerful reminder to practice Seeking For-

giveness from Allah. This was followed by the first formal session of speeches from the men’s side, transmitted to Lajna Jalsa Gah via MTA. Al-Hamdu Lillah, Lajna Ima‘illah USA conducted their separate all day program on Saturday. This year’s theme was on the beautiful subject of “Prayer”. The program included recitation of the Holy Qur’an, poems and capti- vating speeches on the subject of prayer, which gave us inspiration and a depth of understanding for our own observance of Prayer. 5 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

The morning session began with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, Surah Al Bani Israel 17:79 –83: ‘Observe prayer at the declining and paling of the sun on to the darkness of the night…’ This was followed by a beautiful poem of the Promised Messiah as expressing his profound love for Allah. Dr. Shanaz Butt Sahiba, then gave a thoughtful and important speech on ‘Guide us in the Straight Path,' followed by Sister Tamara Rodney who spoke on ‘What is Prayer’ which perfectly captured how Allah listens to the an- guish in the hearts of those in prayer. Sister Fiona Ahmad from Boston spoke eloquently on ‘Prayers for the Protec- tion of our Jama’at, expressing the compelling words of our Khalifa on the importance of Tabligh. We heard an especially powerful poem of the Prom- ised Messiah as , which expressed his ardent desire for his children to be righteous, to tread the path of Taqwa and be protected from the degradation and tragedies of this world. The last speech of the morning session was in Urdu by Sister Sarah Ammar on the topic of ‘Raising a Family on Prayers’. Sister Attiya Tullateef Ahmad from Pittsburgh gave an English translation of this speech. The morning session concluded with an awards ceremony: students who had achieved outstanding academic excellence received medals and certificates. We congratulated six Lajna members who achieved a certificate to teach the accurate recitation of the Holy Qur’an. We acknowledged those sisters who had learned the 30th part of the Holy Qur’an. We also recognized our new converts with songs of joy. Lastly, we celebrated with our children and Nasirat who had completed their first reading of the Holy Qur’an. Ma sha’Allah The Afternoon session began with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an from Surah Al Ahzab (33: 42 –49), “O ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance; And glorify Him morning and evening...” followed by a poem of the Promised Messiah as , Shaan-e Is- lam. We then went back over the last ten years as recognition of the dedicated work of our previous Sadr Lajna, Dr. Shanaz Butt Sahiba with a video presentation of “A Decade of Jalsa 2011 ReportJalsa memories.” We heard from two sisters JoAnne Maugans and Kiran Khan, who unfolded their moving journey to Islam Ahmadiyyat in their respective speeches entitled ‘My Prayers’. Sadr Sahiba’s keynote address concluded the final session of a very inspiring program. Her speech “‘O Ye who believe, Seek help with Patience and Prayer’ expressed her ardent desire for our women to not only be strong in prayer but also believe in the power of prayers. She said, “As Prayer is at the root of our spiritual journey, all other matters of faith are lifted up by our consistent and proper observance of Prayer, therefore we need to guard our prayers so that they will guard us, Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 6 of 36 and help us always progress in Taqwa – in love and fear of Allah”. Her concluding words resonated a strong message for the entire audience in the following words, “My dear sisters, what we need is; sincere, unswerving resolve. Let us not shy away from striving in the requirements of faith that Allah wishes to strengthen us by. That is giving us flavor. Our peaceful homes, our good marriage, our children’s welfare, our own progress all depend upon this truthfulness to our pledge — no matter what; all depend upon this patience and prayer.” Various Booths at Jalsa Salana: There were many interesting booths in the ladies Jalsa Gah. These booths included a Hospitality booth, set up near the main entrance to welcome the non-Muslim/non Ahmadi guests. Stalls for Homeopathy, First Aid, Humanity first, Waqf-e-Nau, and Taqwa all proved very beneficial for the members. Youth and Nasirat booths displayed photos and appealing presentations of the activities carried out in various Majalis throughout the year. A bookstall was also setup, with a collection of many different books on Islam and Ahmadiyyat. For the first time this year, a Sci- ence Booth was also organized where “budding scientists” could observe or conduct experi- ments during the three days of the Jalsa. This booth attracted a great deal of interest. The Handicraft booth presented an exhibition of arts and crafts. Items made especially for the exhibition by Lajna members from all over USA were displayed and sold there.

Results for the Handicraft Competition at Jalsa Salana 2011

Sewing Handicraft Central Virginia 1st Austin 1st South Virginia 1st Atlanta 2nd Dallas 2nd Central Virginia 2nd Chicago West 2nd Brooklyn Honorable Mention Philadelphia Honorable Mention Central Jersey Honorable Mention Kansas City Honorable Mention

Crochet/Knitting Embroidery Tulsa 1st Central Virginia 1st Silver Spring 1st LA Inland Empire 2nd Chicago East 2nd Baltimore 2nd Central Virginia Honorable Mention Georgia Honorable Mention Brooklyn Honorable Mention 7 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

Ziafat/Fund Raising: Volunteers responsible for serving meals, tirelessly engaged in their duties and served the guests of the Promised Mes- siah as . The dining Hall served breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by a very hardworking team from Langar Khana. Fund raising was also a popular aspect of this Jalsa where ice cream, sodas, pizza and other snacks, raised money for Lajna USA. It was a hit with the young children! Rishta Naata Mingle: The Jama’at organized a Rishta Naata workshop for the benefit of the members at Jalsa Salana USA this year. The session began with recitation of the Holy Qur’an on Friday evening July 1st, 2011, followed by a brief address by Naib Amir and Missionary In Charge, Nasim Mehdi Sahib. He spoke of the Nikaah verses from the Holy Qur’an and the importance of Taqwa. Dr. Padder, Jama’at Rishta Naata Secretary, then gave a brief introduction of the committee and the Rishta Naata process. After this, the meeting was opened for questions. The panel consisted of Dr. Padder, Missionary Azhar Haneef Sahib, Sadr Ansarullah, Sadr Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya and Aziza Rahman Sahiba, National Tarbiyat Secretary Lajna USA. Ladies wrote their questions on cards and sent them over to the men's side. The attendance on the women's side was approximately 50-60 members. This included an equal number of mothers with marriageable boys and marriageable girls. Ahmadi Women Scientists Association: The FIRST open forum for the Ahmadi Women Scientist’s Association (AWSA) was held at the 63rd Jalsa Salana USA, Friday, July 1, 2011, from 7:00-8.30 PM. There were approximately 70 members who attended this Forum. Sadr Sahiba conducted an election for the first founding president of AWSA. The attendees then discussed the goals and objectives of AWSA, the roles and responsibilities of officers and created a working task force to develop the con- stitution for AWSA. Overall, it was a successful forum, where many good ideas were enthusiastically generated. Waqfe Nau Class: By the Grace of Allah, a separate class on the ladies side for Waqf-e-Nau girls ages 11 and up, was organized for the first time at Jalsa this year. This class was held on Friday evening, from 7:00 – 9:00 PM, simultaneously with the Rishta Naata mingle and AWSA open forum. The class began with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, followed by a poem and a panel discussion all given by the Waqf-e-Nau girls. This class provided a great opportunity for Waqf-e-Nau girls from various Majalis to feel revitalized in their commitment and also to connect and mingle with each other. Sadr Lajna Ima’illah gave the closing address to this meeting using the valuable and moving advice of Khalifatul Masih IV ra from his Waqf-e-Nau sermons.

Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 8 of 36 Jalsa 2011

Youth Social: A Youth Social was held on Saturday evening July 2nd, 2011 from 6-8pm. Al-Hamdu Lillah, 180 youth attended this program. Ruqaiya Asad, National Youth In charge moderated the event, which National Sadr Lajna USA also attended. Girls were seated randomly at numbered tables so that they could get to know each other better. Each team was given a logic puzzle to solve which promoted cheerful interaction. Then they were asked, “What would you do if you were the head of the Rishta Naata department to improve the marriage process in the Jama’at?” The girls gave some useful suggestions and interesting comments. They also asked many questions about the Rishta Naata form and process. The questions gave Sadr Sahiba and Sister Ruqaiya Asad, an excellent opportunity to engage with the youth on matters of great importance for them. Their suggestions will be forwarded to Dr. Farooq Padder. Sadr Sahiba also talked a little about her own background as a convert to Ahmadiyyat and discussed Purdah with the girls. The girls enjoyed Pizza, cupcakes and lots of candy! They were also given a souvenir, a “Love Lajna” pin to take with them and they enjoyed the occasion very much.

National Matters

Majlis- e Shura Lajna Ima’illlah USA – Oct 28-30, 2011 Venue: Bai’t -Ur-Rehman mosque 15000 Good Hope Rd Silver Spring MD Phone: 301-879-0110 2011 National Majlis-e- Shura for Lajna Ima’illah -USA will be held, Insh’Allah, from October 28 -30, 2011 at Bai’t -ur- Rehman Mosque in Silver Spring MD. The meeting will begin on Friday after Salat-ul-Juma and conclude on Sunday afternoon (around 2:00 PM) after Salat-ul-Zuhr. Jazak Allah, to Jamaat Sadr, Abdul Hadi Ahmed Sahib, Asiya Mah- mood Sahiba, Lajna Sadr Silver Spring, MD, Aziza Rana, Lajna Sadr Laurel, Tazeen Ahmad, Lajna Sadr Potomac, and Naseerah Bhatti, Central Region President as well as the membership of this entire Region for extending their generous hospitality. All approved delegates/observers must attend Majlis-e-Shura for its entire duration. Prior approval must be obtained from National Sadr Sahiba for exceptional circumstances. For updates check the Lajna website at: http://lajnausa.net/web/majlis-e-shura For Questions and Concerns contact Hifza Hayee at: [email protected] 9 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

Scholarship Opportunities for students Deadlines: The Goldwater Scholarship is awarded to Juniors and Sophomores who demonstrate an interest in December 1, 2011 careers in Math and Natural Sciences. The scholarship awards $7,500 per year to successful candi- January 31, 2012 dates. It is also available for seniors for a maximum of one year. Students must be nominated by their respective institutions (2/year institution). Interested students should contact their representative at their colleges. The deadline to apply is for this scholarship is January 31, 2012, 5 PM. All supporting docs should be submitted by February 1st. Please see the link below and share with your members. http://www.act.org/goldwater/

The SMART Scholarship Program is a tremendous scholarship-for-service opportunity for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. This is a highly selective, prestigious, national program that fully supports their education, including full tuition, a very generous stipend, book allowance, and Sum- mer internship, while they are in school, and then provides guaranteed employment with the Defense Department upon graduation. The Science, Mathematics, And Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship-for-service Pro- gram fully funds undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of technical areas, including all fields of engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and Mathematics. A SMART brochure and a poster are attached and the application web page is at www.asee.org/SMART . The application deadline is December 1, 2011 for the 2012 school year. SMART provides: Z Full Tuition - to any accredited U.S. University Z A very generous stipend while in school Z $25,000 for undergraduates Z $33,000 for masters candidates Z $36,300 to $41,800 for doctoral candidates Z Book allowance - $1,000 Z Health Insurance Taleem Matters Z Paid Summer internships Z All required student fees

Z Travel for internships

Summer internships at Labs are required. In return for fully funding their education, students are required work as a civilian employee at a Service (Army, Navy, Air Force) or DoD Agency (NSA, DIA, DARPA, etc.) laboratory, or other research and development activity for a period equal to the time the program paid for their school. Students must be U.S. Citizens, able to obtain a DoD Secu- rity Clearance, and be willing to work as a civilian in the DoD upon graduation. There will be approximately 300 new awards this year. A list of SMART awards from previous years is listed by University at: http://smart.asee.org/schools/scholar_directory Interested students should visit the following links: www.asee.org/SMART There are links to the application portal and other program related information. Additional applicant and SMART related questions for students can be answered via: Email: [email protected] Phone: (202) 331-3544 Scholarship Opportunities Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 10 of 36 Taleem Matters

It is our Jama’at’s tradition to celebrate the unparalleled life and character of the Holy Prophet saw thorough special pro- grams called Seerat-un-Nabi Jalsa (or meeting). This year Lajna Ima’illah USA has declared October to be Seerat-un Nabi month. Therefore, all Lajna Majalis are requested to hold special Seerat-un Nabi events during this month. Such events should be held to educate Lajna and non-Ahmadi guests on the exemplary life and character of the most influen- tial person in the world, the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw . Discussion and speech topics can include any aspect of his character and life. Some of the suggested topics are Holy Prophet’s saw kindness towards his fellow human beings, including his enemies, his courage and patience, his treatment towards his wives and respect for women’s rights. For Nasirat, additional topics may include his treatment of children and his truthfulness. One topic that must be presented in these meetings and workshops is the love of the Promised Messiah as for his beloved Prophet saw . Kindly make every effort to use Promised Messiah’s writings and poetry that reflect his deep love for Holy Prophet Mohammad saw . Majalis can hold these events at Halqa or local Chapter level. They can be a valuable tool to spread the true message of Islam and remove general misconceptions about the life of the Holy Prophet saw . Lajna in each Majlis should be encouraged to invite and bring Non Ahmadi guests to these events. May Allah help us to follow the life and teachings of our beloved Prophet saw and Promised Messiah as . Amin. Mubarika Shah, National Taleem Secretary

Finance Matters

Waqfe-Jadid Al-Hamdu-Lillah, 59 majalis have sent in their Waqf-e-Jadid Semi-Annual Report, which was due on July 31st. Seven regions have attained 100% reporting. These are: Northeast, Mid Northeast, Central, Southeast, Southwest, South, and West Midwest Regions. Hopefully, the ten majalis that were not able to send the report will do so in the near future. Virginia Central held a workshop on July 10th to increase the knowledge of their members about Waqf-e-Jadid. I would encourage all majalis to follow their example and utilize the presentation prepared by LA East, the FAQ's, and the Do's and Don'ts on the Waqf-e-Jadid page at Lajnausa.net to motivate their lajna and nasirat. The Waqf-e-Jadid year ends on December 31st. Kindly make a concerted effort to obtain 100% participation in this blessed scheme by then, paying special attention towards the inclusion of children and Nau Muba'een.

Shazia Sohail, National Waqf-e-Jadid Secretary 11 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

Tarbiyat Matters

The summer of 2011 provided us with great opportunities to strengthen our relationship to Allah through His worship, which was the topic of the tarbiyat quarter of July-September. During June and July, the Jalsa Salanas of Ger- many, Canada, the UK and USA were held, providing spiritual uplift to us all, whether we attended in person or through MTA. In August, we were engaged in worship through fasting, extra voluntary prayers and charity during Ramadan. Please be sure to listen to Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V’s atba addresses to Lajna Ima’illah at the Germany and UK Jalsa Salanas. It is imperative that every one of us listens with great attention to Huzur’s words and transforms them into action in our daily lives. Both speeches are available on the Lajna Ima’illah website at: http://lajnausa.net/web/ tarbiyat The topic for the next tarbiyat syllabus quarter of October to December 2011 is love of Allah through devotion to sacrifice. The assigned sermon is “Striving in the way of Allah," delivered by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V atba on Septem- ber 9, 2010. Huzur explains that Allah Ta'ala has promised that "and as for those who strive in Our path — We will surely guide them in Our ways." Striving is a long and constant endeavor accompanied by sacrifice which leads to success in many aspects of life. One area where sacrifice may be required is in creating marital harmony and raising children. Please try to include this topic in your discussions. Al-Hamdu Lillah, the discipline in the ladies Jalsa Gah during the US Jalsa Salana was very good. Let us maintain this high standard throughout the year in our local majlis also. I would humbly like to direct your attention to the following: Please remember to maintain silence in the mosque after congregation prayer is over and sisters are offering Sunnahs and nawafil, especially after Jumu’ah prayers. Please leave the prayer area before greeting each other. Please maintain unity and uniformity in congregational prayer when seated on chairs. During congregational prayer, all those seated in a row of chairs should pray in a sitting position throughout the prayer. Sunnahs and nawafil may be offered in a combination of sitting and standing position if desired. Aziza Rahman, National Tarbiyat Secretary

IT Matters

Lajna Ima’illah - USA Website http://www.lajnausa.net Please visit the website frequently for upcoming events, updates in your region and departmental news. Make a frequent use of Lajna Website resources during your General, Halqa and Nasirat meetings/Classes. Please send your feedback to [email protected] . Mabroor Jattala National IT/Website Dept. Lajna Ima’Illah - USA Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 12 of 36 Khidmat-e-Khalq Matters

By the grace of Allah, Lajna has been very active in providing social services to their members and the community around them. They are helping new members who have moved in to their chapters by providing transportation, medical services, and making them aware of local resources. Several chapters are doing an outstanding job of volunteering weekly and monthly at the adopted shelters, thus feeding thousands of hungry individuals on a regular basis. Since May, several Lajna chapters have taken the lead in promoting our “Muslims for Life” Campaign in order to honor the victims of 9/11 on the 10th anniversary, thus providing a positive image of Islam. Kishwar Tahir, National Khidmat e-Khalq Secretary

Miami- Donated water to Broward Boston - Provide “meals on wheels,” and Outreach Center and canned foods volunteer at the hospice center

Queens – 100 Lajna volunteer monthly Brooklyn - Donated 200 at the shelter to serve over 160 people Albany – Helped in prepa- canned food towards, ration of a community "Our Lady of Refuge," garden pantry Orlando - Donated funds for the homeless Bronx – Discussed Qadhaa system of Jamaat and guided Albany - Arranged for Eng- Lajna in the event of Domes- lish lessons for a newly migrated sister, and tic Violence arranged for her transportation Syracuse – Served Brooklyn - Assisted a widow newly migrated sister Long Island – Held coat financially drive, and helped a newly migrated sister New Jersey North – Held blood drive, Brooklyn – Donated 60 and helped the Red Cross cans to the “New York Portland – Hungry Harvest Pro- volunteered at SHARE gram” New Jersey North - Participated in a walk-a LA West – Educated members – Vancouver. -thon against AIDS about recycling LA West Volunteered with LA West - Partici- HF, UCLA hospital and Save Detroit – Gave refund- pated in a hunger Our Community able bail money for walk Thailand refugees Chicago Milwaukee – Donated to- West – Participated in CROP wards a backpack drive Silicon Valley-Hosted Hunger Walk a lunch for Catholic chari- ties “Handicap -able” Rochester – Sent money to flood victims, and donated clothing to a New Jersey Central-Lajna Women’s Shelter was awarded Township Award for beach cleanup Seattle – Served for a year “Together We Build Food Lifeline” 13 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 Khidmat-e-Khalq Matters

Orlando - Lajna contributed towards school supplies for the needy Willingboro – Donations sent to Providence House and Sis- Chicago East – Donated towards a water well in Tanzania ters of St. Claire Dayton —donated gift bags and hygiene items to 2 inmates PA Lehigh – Collected for Zion – Volunteered Syedna Bilal Fund by holding a at a Hospice garage sale Dayton — Kentucky – Provided gas helping a woman with cards for cancer patients Dayton —Gave 60 bus CA Bay Point – Volun- drug rehabilitation pro- tokens to the needy teered at senior home, gram adopted shelter New Orleans-Helped Potomac —Served food to 80 newly migrated sister Baltimore-Helped office people at soup kitchen holders and gave donations to Crisis Center Cypress Houston-Adopted a shelter," Cypress Assistant Ministry" for two LA Inland-Khidmat e Khalq Silver Spring - Held a Food months Department organized a Drive and a Small Toy Drive food to give to two local charity Buffalo-Raised funds for local lajna organizations college funds and volunteered at a VA South —Lajna Adopted a book sale and provided food for volun- Family for Ramadan through the teers at Book sale International Rescue Committee Virginia South-Lajna donated 375 pounds of food Dallas-Lajna also served for the United Food Bank lunch to more then 800 needy people at their Dayton – Served 150 lunches adopted shelters Oshkosh-held a to the homeless food drive and served Aftar to the local community Portland-Food Drive, Clothing Drive, and Hu- manity First School Sup- LA East-300 lbs of nonperishable NC Charlotte – Donated plies Drive food was collected and donated to clothes and items for Ten- the adopted Women's Shelter nessee tornado victims

Philadelphia – Helped non-Ahmadi fam- Potomac-Provided 200 ily with household items Orlando - Gave lunches for Frederick a Walmart gift Rescue Shelter card to impover- ished Boston – Helped a new sister who has moved into the area with transportation and medical appointments Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 14 of 36 Muslims for Life

The Ahmadiya Muslim Community launched “Muslims for Life,” a nationwide campaign to honor the victims of 9/11 on its 10th anniversary and uphold the message that Islam values the sanctity of life. During the month of September and beyond, we held blood drives at most of our mosques and prayer centers in the United States, and in collaboration with other community organizations. Our goal is to collect 10,000 units of blood —which can help save 30,000 lives —during the month. Lajnat who reported making a special effort towards the Muslims for Life Campaign: Potomac, Houston North, Willingboro, Dallas, Detroit, Bay Point, Kansas, Minnesota, LA Inland, North Jersey, Orlando, Central Virginia, Central Jersey, Boston, Albany, Austin, Oshkosh, Dayton, Columbus, Atlanta, Cleveland, Tucson, Virginia Central, Virginia South, Silver Spring, Richmond, York, Miami, Hartford, Silicon Valley, Oakland, Portland, Kansas City, Indiana

News coverage: Mayor Annise Parker was there Houston Jamaat’s Muslim’s for life to donate blood as well. campaign on ABC news Channel The effort is part of a nationwide Houston Muslims say they hope to campaign called Muslims For honor the victims of the 9/11 Life. terrorist attacks by donating blood. The goal is to collect 10,000 units of blood. That could save Members of the local Ahmadiyya 30,000 lives. Muslim Community held a blood drive Sunday at a mosque in Houston is one of 50 cities par- north Houston. ticipating in the month-long campaign.

North Jersey Blood Drive: As part of the ongoing National “Muslims for Life “ Campaign, the Lajna of North Jersey chapter organized and participated in 4 blood drives in the month of September. We contacted many local churches, syna- gogues, community centers and local blood services like the Red Cross. We completed 4 blood drives; Rutherford Fair, Rutgers University, Englewood Hospital, Baitul Wahid mosque on Sept 4, 5, 9 and 11 respectively. We held a Press Conference on Eid day. State Senator Robert Gordon, a High court Judge and other important dignitaries attended the event and offered their full cooperation. All the locals greatly appreciated the Jamaat’s initiative and we have managed to collect 149 bags of blood to date through our drives. The media gave us tremendous coverage including NJ News 12, Fox 5 and ABC 7. ABC 7 went live from our mosque, Baitul Wahid on Sept 11. The region’s largest newspaper “The Record” published a full article on the MFL Campaign in North Jersey. We are planning to conduct 3 more blood drives; Hamilton Park Health care center, Chilton Memorial hospital, First Aid Squad of Totowa on Sept 20, Oct 2 and Oct 8 respectively and hope to achieve our target goal of 200 blood bags very soon In sha’allah. Report Prepared by: Kishwar Tahir, National Khidmat e-Khalq Secretary. 15 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 16 of 36

Tabligh Matters

Interfaith Events and Symposiums

Cypress North-Invited non-Ahmadi guests for Aftar Brooklyn-Congress Woman Yvette D. Clark Attended

at their mosque during Ramadan Aftar on August 27th, 2011 at the Baitul Tahir Mosque in Brooklyn. Lajna members educated her on the impor- LA Inland-Invited 25 guests to their mosque during tance of Ramadan and the purpose of Lajna Ima’illah and Ramadan. all the charitable institutions that Lajna supports. Dallas-Attended a meeting at Unity Church of North Carolina’s Research Triangle -Lajna collaborated Richardson on the topic of “Is God responsible for with The Carrying Place, an organization that unites both Good and Bad?” The Lajna was also invited to groups of various faiths and backgrounds in a concerted attend the ‘National Day of Prayer’ held at the effort to help local families in need help with the cook- Plano City Council Chambers on Thursday, May 5 ing, setting up, serving, and cleaning up of meals. as a result of the article, “We must learn from one another” to promote interfaith dialogue, published Chicago West-Lajna held a very successful and intellec- by our Media Watch Secretary. tually stimulating interfaith gathering at Bait-ul-Jamay Mosque on May 15, 2011, (Al-Hamdu Lillah). 17 Virginia South- Lajna held two Holy Qur’an Exhibi- guests, including a news reporter from a Glen Ellyn tions at Potomac Library and Chinn Park Library. newspaper attended the propitious event. Invitation was open to all and a total of 24 attended with 10 guests. Lajna and Khuddam were available Portland-Interfaith event at a Community Arts Center to answer any questions. On display were copies of highlighting the beauty of the sacred texts; Lajna mem- the Holy Qur’an in over 30 languages, colorful and ber designed a beautiful multimedia Qur'an display. detailed posters, and informative presentation boards.

Philadelphia Lajna participates in Islamic Heritage Festival and Parade The 19th annual Islamic Heritage Festival and Parade was held on June 11th in Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia. This year’s festival was rated 11th in the top 15 June events in Philadelphia. By the grace of Allah, this was also the first year Lajna Philadelphia attended the festival and marched in the parade. With Muslim organizations attending from across the nation and even Canada it was a blessing that the Philadelphia Lajna was able to participate. Looking back, the festival seems almost symbolic in nature, especially for the AMC. Hundreds of Muslims paraded from the heart of Philadelphia and marched to Penn’s Landing, the same port were almost a century ago Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib landed bringing the message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat to America. While the Khuddam and Ansar set up a bookstall, Lajna strolled around the festival doing tabligh and handing out Muslims for Loyalty flyers. The Lajna really enjoyed the festival, which included an open-air bazaar, live Islamic poetry, food, boat rides and a chance to introduce Ahmadiy- yat to other Islamic organizations. More importantly, the festival made a point against Islamophobia. It enabled Lajna Ima’illah to show the onlookers that we are not foreigners, we are not a threat, we are peaceful and loyal Americans. Lajna Philadelphia is looking forward to next year’s festival and invites neighboring jama’ats to come and join the parade. 17 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

Tabligh Matters

Houston Tabligh secretary to train Houston Police force on Islam Saadia Faruqi, Lajna tabligh secretary for Houston Jamaat was asked by the Houston Police Academy to participate in a 1-year training program on cultural sensitivity for all their officers. Saadia has been asked to represent Islam in this training exercise. The aim of the training is to educate police officers on how to treat Muslims respectfully, but at the same time to do their jobs effectively. This training will involve basic religious and cultural do's and don'ts, such as shaking hands with women, touching Qur’an respectfully, etc.

This is an opportunity to represent Islam and train the entire Houston police force on important issues for a full year. Al-Hamdu Lillah! Queens interfaith symposium Queens NY Lajna held an interfaith symposium on June 18, 2011 at Bait ul Zafar at 6pm. The topic of this interfaith gathering was “Women in Society”. The program was set up to discuss how women of different faiths are able to hold on to the fundamental teachings of their religions and still be a large part of this fast paced society. We had one Jewish guest, one Christian guest, and about 11 guests from the Sikh community. Discussion questions were presented to the panel speakers who shared how they dealt with various issues in their religion. At the end of the panel discussions, a question and answer session was held with the speakers. It was evi- dent from the outcome of the interfaith that we all had more in common than not. We all go by different faiths, but we face the same problems and deal with them in a similar manner.

Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 18 of 36

Nau Mubaiyat Matters

Jazak’Allah to everyone who continues to spread the word about our ongoing New Member Book Club Teleconfer- ence. Currently, we are reading the Promised Messiah's book Elucidation of Objectives, pages 1 - 20. Participation in this book club allows new sisters to connect with other sisters while reading and learning from rele- vant Jama’at books. Therefore, continue to encourage the new sisters in your majlis to join the monthly Book Club Teleconferences. I am appealing especially to those majalis who have reported Bai’ats in the last three years. If you have any questions please email or call Tamara Rodney, National Tarbiyat Nau Mubaiyat Secretary, at tarbiyat- [email protected] or at 954-907-7712. Tamara Rodney, National Tarbiyat Nau Mubaiyat Secretary

Health Matters

The national Lajna Sihat-e-Jismani Department has coordinated with Lajna AMMA members a series of health talks for all Lajna members. Please make your best effort to attend and encourage everyone else you know to benefit from these informative health sessions. Schedule for the Health Talk topics

Topic Presenter DATE TIME

SLEEP ISSUES IN WOMEN DR.KHAULA SHAH OCT 11 9PM GERIATRIC ISSUES IN WOMEN DR AYESHA AHMAD NOV 7 9PM OBESITY, DIET AND NUTRITION DR NAZISH KHAN DECEMBER 12 9PM LIFE AND STRESS DR SHAZIA ALI JAN 9 9PM 19 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 Sports Matters

East Midwest Regional Sports Tournament The 2nd Annual East Midwest Regional Sports tournament was held from April 29th to May 1st. By the grace of Allah, it was a success. Almost 130 participants attended and participated wholeheartedly in the event. The highlight of the event was the passing of the lajna flag from the former Sadr Sahiba Shanaz Butt to Sadr Sahiba Saliha Malik during the March past, symbolizing the passing of command from one sadr to the next. Congratulations to Detroit for winning the revolving trophy! We were hon- ored to have our National Sadr Sahiba Saliha Malik, Naib Sadr Sahiba Amtul Hai, National general secretary Sahiba Hifza Hayee, and our former National Sadr Sahiba Dr. Shanaz Butt at the event. The successful conclusion of the event was only possible by the participation of the membership. Mid North East Sports Tournament 2nd annual Sports Tournament from June 3-5 at Willingboro Masjid More than 160 people attended the tournament. National Sadr Sahiba led the march past with the lajna flag and the lajnat and nasirat from each majlis followed, carrying their banners. Respected Sadr Sahiba also joined in and participated in badminton, table tennis and egg and spoon race. Nasirat and lajna enthusiastically participated in sports such as volleyball, basketball, badminton, billiards and table tennis and board games. Nasirat happily participated in arts and craft activities. The youth was privileged to be a part of an informal Q/A led by national Sadr Sahiba. Attendees enjoyed visiting various booths that offered face painting, henna tattoos, variety of food items and clothing. Sadr Sahiba gave away the medals at the closing ceremony. A spirit of sisterhood and unity was experienced throughout the event.

First Annual Sports Day-West Midwest Region On Saturday, September 17 th , 2011 West Midwest Region hosted their First Annual Sports Day for their Lajna and Nasirat members. Al Hamdo’lillah it was a great success with 123 members in attendance. Chicago West Lajna made preparations ahead of time to welcome all the guests with a healthy but refreshing breakfast while members registered upon arrival. We decorated Bait-ul-Jaamay Mosque with balloons and made areas with different games for members to come and enjoy the day. Lajna and Nasirat participated in friendly games of Table Tennis, Tug of War, Spoon Race, Scrabble, Carrom Board, Pictionary, Nazm Chairs, Three legged Race, and 7 Tiles to name a few. The day started with the Recitation of the Holy Qur’an followed by Lajna/ Nasirat Pledge. The everyone took part in two group activities to develop bonds of sisterly love and compassion. Four groups were arranged according to the age groups and Group leaders were assigned to take them to different Game Stations where Game Leaders described the rules of the Games. Four rounds took place over the course of the whole day with breaks for Zuhr/Asr Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 20 of 36

Sports Matters

prayers and lunch. Participants enjoyed themselves thoroughly by playing inside and outside in teams with great team spirits. The program was set up in a way that every member who came to the Sports Day got a chance to participate in the games. This was even true for Game leaders and Group leaders. We also arranged for a health station where participants got a chance to ask health questions and concerns from Chicago West health secretary. She attended to 18 members of the regional lajna group who attended this event. Six members got their blood pressures checked. They were given advice regarding lifestyle measures to reduce blood pressure including diet/exercise/weight manage- ment. In addition, five lajna members requested info on breast self examinations/ menopausal symptoms. This was explained with demonstration and leaflets given for later use. Regular breast/pap smears checks were advised. Four lajna requested information on children’s immunization risks/benefits especially MMR. Three young lajna requested advice on acne/irregular menstruation. Program ended with closing remarks, Du’a and dinner service around 7pm. Al-Hamdu Lillah by the Grace o Almighty Allah, it was a beautiful day for everyone who came, participated, volunteered and enjoyed Allah’s blessings all around. May Allah reward all the members who came, participated and laughed with their sisters. Amin. 21 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 Regional Matters

Dallas Lajna Tarbiyat Camp

Dallas Lajna held a two day Tarbiyat Camp from July 27- 28th.They had group discussions on the true concept of Salat, Ramadan, Zakat, Rituals, Ceremonies and Bidaats and lastly on ‘How to Achieve Marital Harmony.' They had power point presentations on ‘Alcohol and Drug Abuse’ and on Tehrik -e-Jadid and Waqf-e-Jadid. Lajna members were encouraged to increase their pledges for this blessed scheme. Different scenarios were presented to members, on the themes of Purdah and terrorism. We made dessert in our cooking class. We also had a sports activity at the end of the Camp.

Central Region Lajna & Nasirat Ijtema to be held at Bait Ur Rahman Masjid, In sha’Allah, on Saturday No- vember 19, 2011. South Region Ijtema 2011 Al-Ḥamdu Lillah, Ijtema was held on September 17 th -18 th 2011 at Masjid Bait Al-Samee Mosque, Houston TX. All Nasirat and Lajna Ima’illah activities were geared towards the theme “Love of Allah through devotion to His Jama’at.” Main areas of focus and activities included: Punctuality in offering daily Salat including Tahajjud prayer Memorization of the Holy Qur’an with correct pronunciation and self -assessment of Hifz-e- Qur’an Love of the Holy Qur’an by the Holy Prophet saw , the Promised Messiah as , and Companions ra Quizzes from Lajna and Nasirat Taleem-o-Tarbiyyat syllabus Brainstorming sessions for Nasirat in religious and general knowledge Nasirat workshops on Basic Pillars of Islam Different ways Allah bestows His love upon His servants Different ways of showing love to our fellow beings Our duty to spread the message of Allah in our communities To take care of our health that is a gift of Allah for us, be in good shape and health so we can serve Allah’s Ja- maat better as advised by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih al-Saani ra Sports, Meena bazaar/Fund raising Talent show & Bait Baazi Handicrafts activities and sports for all age groups Social time, self discipline By the grace of Allah Ta’alah, we were able to conduct and complete all activities on time that were planned for this Ijtema. Local sadraan, members, secretaries and physicians of the south region worked together and presented workshops. All Ijtema participants were actively involved throughout the program, Al- Hamdu Lillah. May Allah reward abundantly all those who participated, in any capacity, in this Ijtema, Amin (And those who were willing to but were unable to attend due to multiple reasons). South region also acknowledges Houston Ja- ma’at and host Majaalis for their hospitality, healthy food cooked by Lajna members at the Masjid kitchen, accom- modation, etc. Jazakum’ullaho Ahsanal Jaza Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 22 of 36

Z On Friday, August 26th 2011 Lajna Ima’illah Oshkosh hosted a women’s only Aftar dinner open to community.

Informational packets were handed out to guests. These packets included Muslims for Peace and Loyalty flyers, Lajna Oshkosh and President Oshkosh contact business cards, and informational brochures on Islam, Ahmadiyyat, Jihad, etc.

The Ziafat hall in the mosque was beautified with Ramadan and Eid theme items that members provided. A Pakistani style menu was developed for the dinner, as we have found out that our guest particularly enjoy Pakistani food which is an added incentive for attending our events.

About 27 guests attended the event including a large number of new contacts. The event started with the recitation and translation of verses 2:184- 186 from the Holy Qur’an followed by a Power- Point presentation on the significance of fasting during Ramadan and an explanation of celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr after Ramadan. During the Q&A session, we found the guests to be very curious about a variety of topics including fasting practices, segregation of genders, individual and congregational prayers, difference between Ahmadi and non-Ahmadi Muslims, etc. Over all, by the grace of Allah, the event was a very successful with guests leaving positive feedback and showing an eagerness to attend future events.

Towards the end of the event an announcement was made to acknowledge the guests of the National Muslims for Peace Campaign and encourage them to take part in the blood drive to save lives.

Z A "Share Ramadan" LA East event was held during the Holy month of Ramadan at the Baitul Hameed Mosque where non-Ahmadi guests were invited to observe Dars, and Maghrib followed by an Aftar dinner. Twenty Ladies attended, accompanied by their male family members who were hosted on the men's side in the masjid. They all said that the visit was "very informative."

Z Silicon Valley AMC Lajna invited Non-Muslim guests to an Aftar dinner during

The Blessings of Ramadan the Month of Ramadan. Many dignitaries attended this event, they included the Mayor of the city, the ex-mayor, the Police Chief, the Fire chief and even a Mem- ber of Congress and Council member. Leaders of other faiths also attended the event. A total of about 200 guests attended the event, Al-Hamdu Lillah. We were able to get media attention from at least 3 newspapers. http://milpitas.patch.com/ articles/ramadan-at-baitul-baseer-mosque http://www.mercurynews.com/ milpitas/ci_18749398 23 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

Some Reflections on the true meaning of Ramadan by our guests

Ramadan-A New Beginning by Robin Thielsen (Assistant Chaplain)

If you meet someone who is celebrating Ramadan, you can wish him or her “Ramadan Mubarak” (Ramadan blessings) or “Ramadan Kareem” or simply “Happy Ramadan.” There is no need to feel sorry for them, they are fasting voluntarily and are happy to do it.

In order to have a better understanding of Ramadan, I attended an Aftar dinner and went to visit the home of a Muslim family. Upon going to visit the home, I received a better understanding of Ramadan from the view point of a mother who must feed her family and consider the special needs of her community. The Muslim lady is a leader in her community and has a job to do during Ramadan. It is her job to be there for the ladies and for her family members and yet she must keep up her daily job at the Lake County Health Department. It was after visiting her that I under- stood more fully about Ramadan. Having three children of her own, she has experienced the transition from childhood to young adults participating in fasting.

In the case of this Muslim family, there is also a special bond that comes from working together as a family to accomplish a goal. It was a joy to meet this family and learn of their dedication to their faith. It inspires me to do more for God.

As a Christian, I enjoy learning about the traditions of others. I especially enjoyed learning about the Ahmadiyya Muslims who have become my friends and are friends to my church family. Since there are some misconceptions about the Muslim community, it has been my joy to educate people about this special group of people. Af- ter all, don’t Christians teach that God loves all people? Aren’t we supposed to exhibit love to all God’s creation? We should not be afraid of things that we don’t un- derstand and only by understanding them can we show our love to them. So to all my Muslim friends who complete their fast, I will wish them a Ramadan Mubarak (Ramadan blessings) and wait until next year when it begins all over again.

As a Christian, I am encouraged to become better at fasting and at being disciplined in my life after this month of Ramadan. Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 24 of 36

"But believers are strong in their love for Allah" by Ruth Woodruff (an attorney at law)

This was included in the signature line of an email inviting us to join the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in their breaking of the Ramadan fast. And the strong love of God by these believers was exactly what we witnessed during our visit. In response to the invitation, our family and a friend piled into our car and drove to the Zion Mission House, which serves as the house of worship for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. We didn’t know exactly what to expect, though we knew from our Abraham’s Children meetings at WPC that we would be welcomed by these faithful neighbors. We arrived just before sunset and were warmly greeted outside. We were then guided into the building; women to their worship area through one door, men to their space through another door. Inside, we slipped off shoes and were greeted with smiles and hugs. They gave us handouts explaining some of their rituals, the meaning of the Ramadan fast, and the meaning of various prayer postures. At sunset there was a short prayer and then a breaking of the fast with a sweet date and a bowl of fruit. We were given special seats and invited to observe the longer time of prayer. Prayer rugs were rolled out on the floor and the community of folks began to worship together as the prayers were spoken in the men’s area and com- municated by intercom to the women’s area as well. So much seemed different — the gender segregation, the prayers in Arabic, the various postures of prayer and their meanings, the emphasis on fasting as a spiritual discipline, especially in the month of Ramadan. But so much felt fa- miliar at the same time —an instant recognition of commonality among people who worship together. I sat with my daughter and friend in the designated area and began to quiet my own heart for worship. I covered my head with a scarf out of a feeling of solidarity and respect for these devout women, each of whom wore a head cover- ing for prayer. I wondered how my husband and son were faring in the other room and what they might be experi- encing. But soon random thoughts about the surroundings floated out of my head as I became engaged in what was taking place. As the women got down on their knees to pray, I too began to pray. I found myself asking not just about the usual concerns that often crowd my spirit, but for blessings for these dear people. I sensed that the God- ache in their hearts mirrors exactly the God-ache in my own. After these prayers, we were treated to a wonderful meal together and had a great time mingling and telling stories back and forth until it was time for us to leave. There were lots of hugs and goodbyes and a sense of shared hearts and appreciation for one another. We joined up with our guys again outside for the ride home and had a wonderful time discussing all that had taken place. We talked about the openness and sincere spirits in all who were there. My husband and son had had delight- ful conversations about faith and community also. Their Muslim companions shared what it was like to grow up as followers of Islam in the United States, but more importantly, the heartfelt drawing of their own spirits to the worship of Allah. We all acknowledged a desire to continue our conversation with the people of the Ahmadiyya Community. I think we were all moved by the experience, by the depth of their faith, the discipline in their devotion to God, and the amazing hospitality to which we had been treated. What a gift that was! Later as I was reflecting on the whole experience, I remembered a quote I read a few years back in a book by theolo- gian/writer Brian McLaren. It is about learning how to follow the commandment to love one another: “If, as a Christian, I am to love my neighbor as myself and to treat my neighbor as I would be treated, then without question one of my duties in regard to my neighbor of another religion is to value everything that is good that he of- fers me in neighborliness — including the opportunity to learn all I can from his religion. Another duty is to offer everything I have that could be of value to him — including the opportunity to learn from my religion if he can. This is not a compromise of my faith or his; this is a required practice of it.” -- Brian McLaren, A Generous Ortho- doxy, p. 255. 25 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 Publication Matters

Ayesha The fall issue is almost ready! Jazakumullah to all who sent in their contributions. The Spring issue will focus on Women in the Holy Books. We are collecting articles for Ayesha Magazine's upcoming issue, Women in the Holy Books. This can be a specific woman or women in general. Some ideas for article topics could be Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Rebecca, Delilah, Elizabeth, or Pharoah's wife. For some more names of women, please see www.womeninthebible.net. You do not need to limit yourself to just these topics. We are always willing to publish other items besides articles, such as poetry. Please send in your articles to Valerie Bhatti at [email protected] . A few articles have already come in on Mary, mother of Jesus as . In order to avoid several articles on the same woman/topic, we are requesting that you email us ahead of time with your topic idea. A few reminders when writing the articles: Z When citing verses from the Qur'an, please remember to use our Qur'ans which include 'Bismillah' as the first verse. Z Please be sure to read over your articles before submitting them. Make sure all information is factual. Articles will be due January 15, 2012. Please have articles in on time. We will not be accepting submissions after the deadline. Lajna Matters The next issue will be in January 2012 In sha’Allah. Please look for emails later this year for your input. For questions, please contact Bushra Mirza at [email protected] . Keep your highlights coming! If you are interested in helping with assisting the publications team or have other needs, please contact [email protected] . Farzana Safiullah, National Publications Secretary

Youth Matters

Assalamo Alaikum, Jazak’allah to all the majaalis who are already holding youth events in your area! Please continue sending your updates to [email protected] Dallas Lajna held their Youth Camp on 16th and 17th of July, 2011. We had a PowerPoint Presentation on “the importance of translation of the Salat, and we then had an open discussion of how to concentrate in Salat and discussed the 12 methods from the book, “Blessings of Prayers” written by Promised Messiah as . We had another presentation on “Obedience to Khilafat”. We also held discussions on marriage in Islam, arranged marriages and marriages within cousins. We held a cooking Class and the young Lajna prepared a delicious chicken pasta and had it for lunch. We all went out for dinner and had fun. The syllabus of Monthly lajna meeting of July was also covered by the youth members. Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 26 of 36

Blessings of Ramadan

Detroit Nasirat were truly inspiring during the month of Ramadan. They distributed dates to everyone for Aftar and helped collect the pits afterwards. They also helped clean the masjid and maintain cleanliness throughout the month. Southern Virginia Nasirat had a blessed Ramadan with Allah Almighty’s immense blessings, this year some goals were set for the Nasirat for the entire month of Ramadan. Na- sirat were given the first 17 verses of Surah Al-Baqurah to memorize and competed to complete one reading of the Holy Qur’an during the month of Ramadan. Also, Nasirat were encouraged to attend Namaz-e Taraweeh daily and a record was kept of their attendance. Al-Hamdu-Lillah, 75% of Nasirat took part in all of these competitions. Also every Thursday, nasirat Darsul Qur’an and Aftar was held in the center where nasirat had a chance to recite the Holy Qur’an and study it in more depth. All nasirat worked hard to meet their goals. Al-Hamdu-Lillah it was a successful program for the nasirat and their families. May Allah give us the strength to follow the right path and may Allah accept our prayers. Amin

Average Nasirat Tajneed: 815 Summary Report of Average Nasirat Meeting Atten- dance: 67% Nasirat Meetings Nasirat Majalis that participated in Khidmat-e-Khalq:36 Nasirat Majalis that participated in Zara Ahmed,age 7, Toledo chapter Crafts/Cooking activities: 30 Iman Ahmad Chaudhry, Seattle Raghib Zubair Dogar, Cypress Houston. Taha Rahman,Cypress Houston. Mahum Ahmed,age 12, LA Inland Empire Aleena Ijaz , age 8, Dallas Congratulations on Wafa Mangla, Age 7 Detroit Yusra Mahmood Age 7, Detroit finishing the Holy Misbah Mahmood, 9, Phoenix, AZ. Rasheed Mantara, Kansas City, finished the Yassar- Qur’an nal Qur’an at the age of 41/2. 27 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011

Nasirat Ijtemas and Camps

Buffalo Nasirat are preparing for their Local Ijtema which will be held on the 17th and 18th of September 2011. They have competitions in Memorization of the Holy Qur’an and Prayers. They will also be judged in a Quiz competition and Power point Presentation on the fifth Pillar of Islam, Hajj. For Ramadan we held a Qur’an Class every Friday, Saturday, Sunday at the Mosque and Nasirat took an active part in it. LA Inland Empire Nasirat and youth participated in a 5 day Regional Summer Taleem & Tarbiyat Camp arranged in Masjid Baitul Hameed by the Jama’at. Top- ics discussed included Khilafat e Rashida, Khilafat e Ahmadiyya, pillars of Islam, Conditions of Bai'at, Islam and Christianity, etiquettes of Holy Qur’an and Career choices and Peer pressure. They stayed overnight in the Masjid guest house with chaperones. The young ladies regularly performed tahajjud and all five prayers in congregation. The young Lajna members and Nasirat also visited the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles. Nasirat wrote letters to Khalifatul Masih Vatba. They also helped in the serving of food and cleaning of the Masjid. Detroit Nasirat Local Ijtema was held on June 4th 2011. Ma sha’Allah all the Nasirat actively participated in all the competitions and everyone was very impressed by their high standard of learning. May Allah continue to bless us and guide these future members of Lajna Ima’illah on the path of righteousness. Amin. Houston South youth actively participated in an Ijtema presentation on Loving Allah through Devotion to His Jama’at and they also crafted fridge magnets highlighting this theme. These magnets were later presented as souvenirs of the Ijtema. We welcomed the Holy Month of Ramadan with a presentation on Ramadan Resolutions, prayers and code of conduct for achieving spiritual rejuvenation. Dallas held their Nasirat camp for three days. In the three days, Nasirat covered Salat, Qur’an with correct pronunciation, Ramadan and the importance of Khila- fat. Nasirat discussed the book “GOLDEN DEEDS OF MUSLIMS". Nasirat also learned to sew buttons and bake desserts. They played many indoor games and had lots of fun. Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 28 of 36 Local Matters

Lajna Workshops held by Majalis in June 2011

No Topic Majalis 1 Ahmadi Girl LA Inland Empire 2 Basics of Islam Minnesota 3 Chanda Orlando, FL 4 Etiquette of Life Austin, TX 5 Etiquette of Salat Philadelphia, VA South, Austin, TX, 6 Facebook Houston North, TX, 7 Financial Sacrifice Syracuse, NY 8 Halloween Baltimore, MD 9 How to do Tabligh Brooklyn, NY 10 Importance of Jalsa NJ, Central, VA South, Syracuse, NY 11 Improving our Relationship with Allah Columbus, OH 12 Marriage in Islam Chicago West, IL 13 Muslims for Peace Laurel, MD 14 Peer Pressure Cleveland, OH 15 Purdah Long Island NY, LA West, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH 16 Role of Women in Homes Hartford, CT 17 Social Ills LA West 18 Stories from Holy Prophet saw GA/SC 19 Today's music and its effect on children CA-Bay Point

* Based on information gathered from Lajna monthly reports 29 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 Local Matters

Kansas City Lajna celebrated Khilafat Day at the end of August 2011. Respected Murabbi Inamul Haq Kausar presided over the event. The highlight of the meeting was when the children delivered speeches on various topics, such as Qudrat-e-sania and the life of our dear Khalifa Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed atba . Lajna also participated in a question and answer session about Ramadan with respected Murabbi Sahib. In April, Detroit Lajna Celebrated Jalsa Seerat-un-Nabi in which special emphasis was placed on involving our youth and Nasirat. Youth members recited the Holy Qur‘an and gave speeches on many aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet saw , such as his love for children, his message. On Friday, July 29, more than 40 Lajna & Nasirat from Silver Spring Jama’at, congregated at Masjid Bait -ur-Rehman after the Friday Juma Prayer. Together, these young ladies carpooled and brought a taste of hijabi power to Brunswick Zone Columbia bowling alley. For two hours, Lajna & Nasirat bowled in proper purdah and bonded together. After having so much fun, the Lajna & Nasirat are now ready to engage in serious devotion during the blessed month of Ramadan.

Academic Excellence Request for prayers and congratulations to Lubna Roohi Malik (Silver Spring) who completed her J.D. law degree from the University of Chicago Law School and sat for the Bar Exam. Lubna is now beginning law practice at a top law firm in Washington, DC. Maha Muzaffar (Indiana) won third prize in the Fishers (suburb) high school poetry competition. Maha's poem has also been published in the national A.M.C. magazine.

Student Recognition A Student Recognition celebration was held on June 11th in Detroit Masjid. All students from kindergarten to post graduate studies were presented awards in recognition of their dedication to education.

Correction In the last issue of Lajna Matters, there was a misprint. The following was sent by Dallas Lajna and it was mistakenly attributed to Detroit Lajna. Lajna Matters regrets the error. Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 30 of 36 Local Matters

Request for Prayers Z Sister Salma Ghani of Philadelphia Z Ishfaq Bajwa,Houston South Z Nikaah ceremony of Shahrukh Anwar Houston South and Minahil Samee was held on May, 21st 2011. Please remember the families in your prayers. Z Shaheen Hashmi. Z Sr. Aida Lone and her family for the death of her father on June 1st. Z Dr. Fehmida Munir Sahiba. Z Azhar Ahmad Khan, husband of Sister Samira Khan.

Inna Lilahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un May AllahTa’ala grant them all high stations in paradise, Amin. Z Sister Qaiser Begum Sahiba who passed away on August 2011. Z Brother Zahir Khan, son of Sister Shahida Khan passed away. Z Sister Mubarika Mirza mother of SW Regional Sadr, Bushra Bajwa Z Sister Amtul Haiy Chaudry, mother of LA East Local Sadr, Dr Amtul Mujeeb. Z Abdul Sami Khan Sahib, husband of LA East Ziafat Secretary, Shafqat Khan. Z Sheikh Basharat Ahmed, father of LA East member, Amtul Jameel Farooqi Message from Dr. Kishwar Tahir (National Khidmat-e-Khalq Secretary) On behalf of my family, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of the Lajna members for their prayers and help on the occasion of my mother's passing. I would especially like to thank those who organized the delivery of food to my house during the bereavement days. My father in particular is very grateful to everyone who was able to attend the funeral and visit him. May Allah reward all of you abundantly for your assistance and prayers. Jazakallah, Ahsanul jaza!

Prayers requested for health and long life Z Nasreen Malik requests prayers for her husband's (Khalil Malik Sahib’s) health. Z Prayers are requested for Sameena Mia of Brooklyn/Staten Island who has undergone a liver transplant. Z Prayers are requested for Mir Iftikhaar Ahmed and Shahnaz Ahmed of Brooklyn/Staten Island. Z Sister Samina Mariyam (WDC) requested prayer for her mother, Amina Begum. May Allah Grant her long and healthy life. Z Lajna Kansas City and their families 31 of 36 Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 LocalMark Your Calendars Matters

New Baby Additions

Z Muzaffarah and Mashood Ahmad of Oshkosh, WI had a baby girl named Zuha Mahrosh Z Bushra Alia and Ehsan ul Haq of Research Triangle had a baby boy, Haseeb Ahmad Z Razwana Pasha has had a baby boy, Attaul-Hadi Pasha (Waqf-e-Nau) Z Nida Malik has been blessed with twins. The baby boy has been named Saim Ahmad Khan and the baby girl has been given the name Sania Khan. Z Hiba Malik from Dallas Majlis has been blessed with a baby boy (Waqf-e-Nau)

Z Saba Rauf and Irfan Rabbani from Dallas Majlis had a baby boy, Abdul Wakeel on 11 Jun 2011 (Waqf-e-Nau) Z Ismat Mahmood and Daud Nasruallah Khan from Dallas Majlis had a baby boy Daniyal Nasruallah Khan on 10 May 2011 (Waqf-e-Nau) Z Amtul Noor and Brother Salman Luqman had a baby boy, Ayaan born in June Z Saira and Salman Ahmad had a baby girl, Dhalia born in July Z Samra Shahid was blessed with a son, Syed Saqib Mahmood on July 22nd. Z Rabia Alladin Chaudhry and Muhammad Ahmad Chaudhry were blessed with twins (son and daughter): Momin Ahmad Chaudhry and Dania Faizunisa Chaudhry. Z Haroon Nawaaz Bhatti and Hafza Rana of Brooklyn/Staten Island Jama’at had a baby boy, Saad Nawaaz Bhatii (Waqf-e-Nau) Z Mohammed Shahid and Samina Rafiq of Brooklyn/Staten Island Jama’at had a baby girl, Najya Shahid (Waqf-e-Nau). Z Arifa Nuzahat & Inamullah Sahib (WDC) Jama’at had a baby boy, Basim Z Bushra Zartaht (Sadr WDC) & Qudus Malik Sahib (WDC) Jama’at had a baby boy, Us- man Z Ammara Mubashir and Rizwan Mubashir had a baby girl, Anabia Mubashir, on June 7th, 2011 Z Samina Mansoor, Cypress Houston, had a daughter, Labeena Qadir Z Amina Choudhary, Cypress Houston had a daughter, Aleena Maria Lajna Matters 3rd Quarter Issue, 2011 32 of 36 Lajna Highlights

Lajna Highlights January-March 2011

Meetings Outreach (Number of People/Guests) Tajnid as of March 2011: 4,266 People under one-to-one Tabligh: 1,989 Total number of meetings held: 291 Needy served outside the Jamaat: 1,851 Average attendance: 41% Lajna served: 599 Total number of Halqa meetings: 290 Monthly reports received: 100% Average percentage of members active in Tabligh Daee Ilallah Committee: 577/month # of Bai’ats obtained: 2 Al -Hamdu Lillah! Khidmat-e-Khalq: 1,190/month Potomac 1 Listening to Khutba/MTA: 50% Brooklyn 1 Learning Qur’an Nazira: 24%

Congratulations to:

Majalis that consistently had Meetings Attendance > 50% from January to March 2011 : Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, Brooklyn, Lehigh Valley, Bay Point, Merced, GA/ SC, Research Triangle, St. Paul, Oshkosh, Toledo, Columbus, Dayton, Alabama/TN, Phoenix, Las Ve- gas, LA East, San Diego, Baltimore, Laurel, VA South, Richmond Majalis that consistently listened to Hazur’s atba Friday Sermons > 75% from January to March 2011: Binghamton, Brooklyn, NJ Central, Merced, Oshkosh, Toledo, Dayton, New Orleans, Dallas, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Majalis that consistently achieved Qur’an Nasira participation > 50% from January to March 2011: NJ Central, Bay Point, Research Triangle, LA East, Baltimore, York/Harrisburg Lajna Matters

3 Shawwal 1432 - 5 Muharram 1433 Issue 3—2011 September – November 2011

A quarterly publication of Lajna Im ā‘ill āh and Nasiratul Ahmadiyya, USA An Auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

This issue of the Lajna Matters was compiled under the guidance of National Sadr Sahibah, Sister Saliha Malik and with assistance from the National Lajna Publications Team. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.