Jalsa Salana, the UK’s largest Muslim gathering organized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, proceeded this weekend with several hundred additional security staff and coordinated support from police and local authorities. The convention, in its 60th year, drew approximately 50,000 attendees from more than 100 countries to a temporary site in Hampshire. The event included opening ceremonies featuring prayers, speeches from community leaders including the global head of the Ahmadiyya tradition, and attendance from various public figures including MPs and bishops.
The decision to proceed followed a significant security incident earlier in the month when another major Islamic gathering was forced to close early following the arrest of 12 people, including three on suspicion of conspiracy to murder related to a suspected far-right threat. Rafiq Hayat, head of the UK Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, stated the organization had not reconsidered holding the event. Hayat noted that the community has operated in Britain for over a century, establishing itself in 1913 and constructing one of London’s first purpose-built mosques in 1926.
Recent data highlighted the context of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in the country. Police statistics indicated that one mosque is attacked in Britain approximately every five days, while anti-Muslim hate crime in England and Wales increased by 19 percent during the 12 months ending in March 2025. Hayat reflected on the community’s experiences with historical opposition, referencing various far-right movements from the 1960s onward and recalling that hundreds of British National Party supporters had protested during the construction of the Morden mosque in the 1990s.
Rather than withdrawing from public engagement, Hayat described the community’s approach of building relationships with neighbors and local institutions. He cited the establishment of a liaison group at their Morden mosque that included church representatives, local officials, and police, meeting monthly for three decades. Hayat emphasized that the Ahmadiyya community’s response to current hostility involved increased visibility and public engagement rather than retreat.
Hayat acknowledged that hostility toward Ahmadis has come from multiple sources, including extremist groups within Muslim communities, both internationally and in Britain. He referenced the 2016 killing of Ahmadi Muslim businessman Asad Shah in Glasgow in a religiously motivated attack. Despite these challenges, Hayat expressed confidence that personal encounters and community engagement remained effective means of building understanding and peaceful coexistence among people of different backgrounds and faiths.
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