USA: The Holy Quran and Muslims for Life | Reasons to visit LA County Fair in Pomona

"If you are among 5.5 billion people of the world chances are that you will find the translation of the Holy Quran ( Muslim Holy Scripture) in your language. This is the first time at LA County Fair, this rare collection is being displayed."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Los Angeles Islam Examiner
By Imran Jattala | July 18, 2011

This year's Los Angeles County Fair is set for September 3, - October 2, 2011

In 2010 Evelyn Barge jotted down her 10 reasons (in Pasadena Start – News) to visit the famous LA County Fair that takes place yearly in Pomona California.  The 11th reason to visit the Fair came from one Hillel Rzepka.

From the two writers and between the 11 reasons many will have learned about the full scope of enjoyment available at the Fair; from fried food to petting the goats, and from going uphill on a ferris wheel to going downhill on water slides. And, of course the art exhibit mentioned in the 11th reason.

Now, I too regularly visit the fair and I confirm that last year, and just about every prior year, these attractions were in effect available there. But, there was one more thing that I am always particularly interested in -something to nurture my mind beyond the visual arts. I am always interested in books, a lot of books.


Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of LA-Inland Empire has been organizing a bookstall at the Fair that had started sometime in mid-90s (I think,) and I have gotten used to the idea of searching through the books there and reviewing any new titles.

But now, for the 2011 LA County Fair, here comes the 12th reason – something of real interest to me. This one is offered by Anwer Mahmood Khan of Chino Hills, California who is going to oversee the Ahmadiyya Muslim Qur'ān Exhibition / booth at the Fair.  He writes:

    # 12 - Here is another reason to be excited about the LA County Fair this year. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Booth in Building 9 where you will find a rare collection of the Holy Quran translations in 70 languages. If you are among 5.5 billion people of the world chances are that you will find the translation of the Holy Quran ( Muslim Holy Scripture) in your language. This is the first time at LA County Fair, this rare collection is being displayed. Moreover if you are blind and have sight problems, you still can read the Holy Text in English preserved and produced in Braille language.

Mr. Khan is very excited about the forthcoming event and says this would be the first time for a large scale exhibition about the Holy Qur'ān translations at the LA County Fair.

“This would be a real treat to the seekers of religious thoughts,” Mr Khan wrote. “Please visit our booth in Building 9. Our Motto is "Love for all, hatred for None". May God Bless you.”

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has translated the Holy Qur'ān in 70 key languages.

Anwer Khan is not new to organizing beautiful exhibitions. Most recently, some of my readers from Ahmadiyya Times would recall the stories about Ahmadiyya Muslim Holy Qur'ān Exhibition at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, held at the University of Southern California campus a few months ago.

In the past Mr. Khan served as the chairman of Zion Conference Committee that produced the “MESSIAH 2000” Exhibition in Zion, IL on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, USA.

Now, please allow me to make up one more reason of my own.

    #13 - The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC), the oldest Muslim organization in the United States, is arranging their largest-ever blood drive, (MuslimsForLife.Org) aiming to collect 10,000 bag of blood on 9/11 to honor the lives of those 3000 innocents who had fallen victims to the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Centre in New York. 

The campaign by AMC is entitled “Muslims for Life” and many members of the community will be on hand to pass out flyers about the blood drive taking place throughout the United States.

Dr. Waseem A. Sayed, also a Chino Hills resident, is coordinating the Muslims for Life national campaign.

Dr. Sayed has traveled across the country to oversee this monumental task. In his recent message to his volunteers he wrote:

    “The Muslims for Life initiative of the Ahamdiyya Muslim Community, USA aims to help save 30,000 lives with the help of all our friends and acquaintances built over the last 90 years while we have been here spreading Islam's message of love and peace.”

’30,000 is a nice number,’ I thought to myself. This is, like, 10 times the number of brethren we lost on 9/11.

“We want to emphasize practically on September 11, 2011 that Islam stands for the sanctity of life,” Dr Sayed asserts.

Dr. Sayed has participated in organizing of the two previous campaigns by AMC - “Muslim for Peace” and “Muslims for Loyalty” - where community knocked on millions of doors to spread the Ahmadiyya message of peace.

“We are [again] going to go to the neighborhoods of all our 71 Chapters and knock on doors,” says Dr. Sayed.

Note to myself: They say ‘you are known by the company you keep’ and I think I should move to Chino Hills, California.

  -- Follow Imran Jattala on twitter: http://twitter.com/ijattala

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