The president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association (Lajna Ima’illah), Hajia Anisa Nasirdeen-Iddrisu has charged all Ahmadi women across the country to rededicate themselves to their duties as Muslim women.
Their duty to acquire beneficial knowledge, care for their families and nurture their children are all acts of worship which please Allah and bring great reward to them and society, she added.
Hajia Anisa made this call on Friday 23rd December after a special Friday (Jummah) prayer held at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Osu as part of the Global Centenary Celebration of the women’s wing.
Across the country, various congregations converged at various Ahmadi mosques to observe the special prayer. The occasion was also used by members to outdoor the special anniversary cloth nationwide.
Ahead of the Friday prayer, a national day of fast was observed by Ahmadi women with a special commemorative dawn prayer (Tahajjud) to express gratitude to Allah for His mercies unto the community and the country.
It will be recalled that in November this year, the association launched a year-long celebration in commemoration of the global Centenary Anniversary under the theme: Building Resilience in Self Reformation: A Path to Peace and Sustainable Development.
So far donations have been made to various children’s wards and orphanages across the country including Korlebu. On December 4th the National Executive led a delegation to visit the Shai-hills Forest reserve to check on the over 3000 mahogany seedlings planted as part of the afforestation and tree planting project embarked upon by the association. Some 7000 seedlings have been planted across the country to mark the anniversary celebration.
Other activities planned for the period include several spiritual, social and health education seminars, conferences, outreach and philanthropic events.
The Women’s Association of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established on 25th December 1922 to foster unity, promote spiritual and moral education, and advance the welfare issues of women and children within the community across the world. It is in over 200 countries across the world with the international headquarters in the United Kingdom.
ABOUT LAJNA IMAILLAH (AHMADIYYA MUSLIM WOMEN’S AUXILIARY ORGANIZATION)
Lajna Imaillah is the women’s auxiliary organization within the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which believes that the long-awaited Messiah has come in the person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on whom be peace) of Qadian. Lajna Imaillah is an Arabic word that means ‘Maidservants of Allah.’ The organization is for members above the age of 15 years. Lajna Imaillah was established by the 2nd Caliph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), Hazrat Mirza Bashirudeen Mahmood Ahmad (peace be upon him) on the 25th of December, 1922. The auxiliary organization was the first to be established. Its establishment was initiated by Hadrat Amatul Hayi (peace be upon her), the second wife of Hazrat Mirza Bashirudeen Mahmood Ahmad (peace be upon him).
Hazrat Mirza Bashirudeen Mahmood Ahmad (peace be upon him) felt that the vigorous participation of Ahmadi women was as essential for the success of the community, as that of men, and started activating them for this purpose. In the pursuance of this objective in 1922, he wrote a letter to some prominent ladies in the community, detailing therein the role which Ahmadi women should play in the progress of Islam. He called upon them to disseminate his views among the sisters, win their sympathies for his plans, and to form an association to help the resurgence of Islam. This led to the establishment of Lajna Imaillah. Lajna Imaillah began with fourteen members and His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Bashirudeen Mahmood Ahmad (peace be upon him) remarked at its launch, ‘Aside from gaining personal and spiritual knowledge, henceforth the successful progress of the Community is also dependent on efforts by women’.
Lajna Imaillah is now a major International Women’s Association with branches all over the world. The organization has its own Majlis-e-Amila (Cabinet/executive body) which consists of women responsible for education, moral training, health and fitness, welfare activities, finances, and publication among others. The activities of Lajna Imaillah are decentralized to local branches through regional and district management and each branch is headed by a Sadr (President).
In Ghana, Lajna Imaillah was officially initiated in the Brong Ahafo Region by the tireless effort of Mr and Mrs Muneer Shams in 1967. During one of his routine visits to Sunyani, Maulvi Wahab Adam who was serving as the Regional Missionary of Brong-Ahafo from 1960 to 1969 and later became the Ameer and Missionary In-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana from (1975 until his demise in the 22nd June 2014) advised members of the Sunyani Jama’at to contact Mr. Muneer Shams and his wife Mrs. Naeema. Mr. Munir Shams and his wife were both Pakistani teachers who taught at the Sunyani Secondary School. They were dedicated Ahmadis who later played a very important role in the day-to-day running of the Sunyani Jama’at. Mr. Munir later became the Imam of the Sunyani Jama’at and his wife Madam Naeema spared no effort in organizing the women of the Jama’at.
Lajna Imaillah Ghana, at its inception, had fifteen (15) members. Meetings were held fortnightly and each member was obliged to pay five (5) pesewas during meetings. This was an agreement amongst members in order to meet certain expenses and to execute its plans as an association. Alhamdulillah through the contributions from members and with the help of some dedicated members of the Jama’at, the first Lajna Center (Office) was constructed with plywood at Fiapre under the auspices of Mrs. Naeema Muneer Shams. Some of the officials who were present during the inauguration of the centre include the former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Hon. Lawyer Owusu, the former Regional Missionary, Maulvi Wahab Adam, and the late Chief of Fiapre, Nana Kofi Yeboah. The event also marked the official inauguration of the Lajna Imaillah in Ghana. Lajna Imaillah Ghana expanded to the other regions of southern Ghana after the first Regional Conference was held in Techiman in 1970. An announcement was made by the Regional Missionary
(Maulana Wahab Adam) about the formation of Lajna Imaillah in the Brong Ahafo Region and encouraged all regions to emulate it. Mrs. Wahab (the wife of the then Ameer, Maulvi Wahab Adam) and Hajia Dr. Ayesha Salma Hakeem, and many other Lajna members played critical roles in the history of Lajna Imaillah in Ghana.
As Muslims, love for one’s nation is also considered as part of faith. Since its inception in Ghana, Lajna Imaillah has served its members as well as Ghana in many folds. The association holds moral and physical training for its members. In her services to the nation, Lajna Imaillah Ghana assists the needy and less privileged and provides skill training for its members including sewing, baking, the making of detergents among others. The association at its regional, zonal, and circuit levels organize conferences, to educate members on various topics, including religious, moral, and circular issues. Welfare activities including donations and clean-up exercises and visits to the sick and the aged are also carried out from time to time.
The organization has also contributed to the environment by planting trees across Ghana. As part the celebration of the Lajna Imaillah Centenary globally, each country is expected to plant at least 1000 trees and the Ghana branch has been able to plant over 7000 trees. As Muslims, planting trees is regarded as a continuous charity to mankind. To participate in the Green Ghana Programme, Lajna Imaillah Ghana planted Three Thousand (3000) mahogany seedlings on 5.87 acres of land at Shai Hills Resource Reserve in the Greater Accra Region.
We are grateful to the Almighty Allah for bringing us this far and pray that He continues to protect, guide, and direct the affairs of this noble association. Amen.
ALL PRAISE IS DUE TO ALLAH, LORD OF ALL THE WORLDS.