The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held its 60th annual Jalsa Salana convention this weekend in Hampshire with attendance expected to reach approximately 50,000 people from over 100 countries. The event featured increased security personnel numbering in the hundreds, along with enhanced coordination between organizers, police, emergency services, and local authorities in response to a broader climate of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in the United Kingdom.
Rafiq Hayat, head of the UK chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, stated that the decision to proceed with the convention remained firm despite the security challenges. The three-day event opened with prayers, speeches including remarks from the global leader of the faith tradition, and other ceremonial activities. Various political and religious figures were scheduled to attend the gathering.
According to recent data, mosques in Britain experience attacks at a rate of approximately one every five days, while anti-Muslim hate crime in England and Wales increased by 19% in the 12 months through March 2025. Hayat noted that a separate Islamic gathering held in the preceding month had been forced to close prematurely following arrests related to suspected far-right threats. Despite these concerns, Hayat emphasized that the Ahmadiyya community has maintained a presence in Britain for over a century, having established itself in 1913 and built one of London’s first purpose-built mosques in 1926.
Hayat outlined the community’s historical approach to addressing hostility through relationship-building with neighbors and local authorities rather than withdrawal from public life. He referenced efforts during the construction of a community mosque decades earlier, when the organization established regular liaison meetings with church representatives, local government officials, and police. Hayat also acknowledged that members of the faith tradition have faced persecution not only from far-right groups but also from some extremist Muslims domestically and internationally.
The community leader expressed confidence that direct personal engagement and increased visibility in public life represent effective responses to misconceptions and rising tensions.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI