Because it was a leadership conference, the first speech dealt with techniques and methods to motivate others and solve problems to achieve effective and lasting results.
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
By Press Release | January 21, 2013
More than 170 Ahmadi Muslim men age 40-and-over gathered from all over the country to attend a three-day Leadership Conference at the Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino. The men are members of an auxiliary within the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community called Ansarullah, which means “Helpers of Allah.” (The men are collectively referred to as Ansars.) The event started Friday morning, Jan. 18th at 8:00 am with meetings by the national-level cabinet members of Ansarullah to coordinate and prepare for the weekend slate of discussions and seminars on various topics related to improving leadership abilities and addressing concerns of the Ansars. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were served to all conference attendees beginning on Friday and ending on Sunday, Jan. 20th.
The annual conference drew participants from the West to the East coast, including members from California, Washington, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Texas, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, North & South Carolina, Maryland and Florida.
The event focused on instilling and improving leadership skills in members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community age 40 and above. These members, called Ansars (Arabic for Helpers), have the responsibility to guide and mentor the younger members of the Community. They do this by example and through their religious training, wisdom, and life and work experience. And, since most Ansars have families where many of their children are now married with families of their own, the Ansars are doubly committed to doing all they can to help themselves, their families and their fellow Ansars be the best Muslims and leaders in their mosques, homes and communities.
Topics covered at the Chino Mosque over the weekend of Jan. 19-20 included: Moral Training of Children, Correct Recitation of the Holy Quran, How to do Effective Preaching, and Maintaining Good Health. There were also two keynote speeches, the first on Saturday by Rizwan Alladin titled: “How to be a Good Leader” and the second on Sunday by Imam Shamshad A. Nasir titled: “How to be Effective Role Models for the Next Generation.”
Because it was a leadership conference, the first speech dealt with techniques and methods to motivate others and solve problems to achieve effective and lasting results. The duties and responsibilities of an Ansar in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community often revolve around the training or education of children, young adults and people within their own group. This requires an Ansar to be able to identify problems and arrive at workable solutions for a variety of different situations and age groups within the Community. This was a central element of Rizwan Alladin’s speech.
Imam Shamshad’s speech stressed the importance of the Ansars being effective role models for future generations. The Imam emphasized this by reminding the audience of men over 40 that the duty of an Ansar was reflected perfectly in the mission of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi Hadhrat (his Holiness) Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian. Hadhrat Ahmad started the Community under divine command in March of 1889 in the Punjab, northern India, for the purpose of bringing mankind back to a true, spiritual relationship with God. This was only possible through a community of sincere believers who dedicated themselves to self-purification, humility, performing Islam’s five daily prayers with heartfelt devotion, striving to embody righteousness and serve humanity. In this way, the Promised Messiah’s goal to bring people back to God was mirrored by the actions and devotion of the members of his Community.
Imam Shamshad highlighted the points that Ansars should pay attention to in their daily lives. He said Ansars must present a practical example as a role model for the children in everything they do, big or small. Ansars should be kind to their spouses, obedient to the system of authority within the Ahmadiyya Community, from the Khalifa at the top on down to the department heads and those in leadership positions above them. Ansars must also be loyal to the country they live in, as this is a commandment from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from the very beginning of Islam over 1,400 years ago until the Day of Judgment.
The Imam further counseled the Ansars to always show respect for each and everyone, no matter if they are younger or older. Adopt a simple life and remember: actions always speak louder than words. Give good moral training to your children, as this is the only means to safeguard the next generation. In closing, Imam Shamshad quoted the Promised Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), who said: “Practice the good to such as extent that it reaches its highest perfection.”
-- 170 Muslims attend national leadership conference at Ahmadiyya Mosque in Chino
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