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IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST GRACIOUS, EVER MERCIFUL

REPORT ON 2022 PAAMA-UK FAMILY PICNIC

Alhamdulillah, PAAMA UK organised a Family Picnic on the 27th of August 2022 at the premises of Jamia Ahmadiyya UK. The committee which was set up and headed by Mr Shafiq Kusi sahib held several meetings in preparation for the event. A total number of 250 people made up of 120 ladies and 130 gentlemen attended the picnic.

There were series of arrangements prior to the event. Transport was arranged for people who would have struggled to get to the location from Peckham and Baitul Futuh mosque in Morden. Members were advised to undertake a Covid-19 Lateral Flow Test before attending the event. However, test kits were also made available at the site for those participants who needed them.

Participants started arriving at 09:30am. They had between 09:30 and 11:00 to register and have some breakfast. During this time, some members helped to mount and set up the barbeque stands. Other members also helped with cooking of some African dishes at the kitchen. There were play stands mounted for the kids and some members of the Atfal team were tasked to cater for the kids whiles they play.

The Formal Session of the event started at 13:00 with a recitation of a verse from the Holy Quran by Dr Jubreel Temitope Shittu and the English translation was done by Faiz Rahman Bakare. The chairman for the occasion, Mr Tommy Kallon Sahib gave a warm opening address as he welcomed participants to the event.

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PAAMA UK President, Tommy Kallon addressing attendees

Master Bilal Bonsu was invited to deliver a speech on ‘My Journey to Jamia Ahmadiyya UK’. In his speech, he was grateful to Almighty Allah for his admission into Jamia Ahmadiyya, UK and that he was scheduled to start in October, Insha’Allah. He shared his life journey to Jamia. He was born into the Waqf-e-Nau scheme, and it indicated the wishes of his parents for him to serve Islam Ahmadiyya to the best of his abilities. Hence, they believed that the best place was Jamia Ahmadiyya.

The whole course is estimated to take 7 years and a Shahid degree will be awarded at the end. He shared his fears that it may be a bit challenging, learning Urdu and Arabic languages. However, he finds comfort in the opportunity to be closer and have a stronger bond with our beloved Huzur. He encouraged members to participate in jamaat functions as well as subsidiary organizations like PAAMA. This he believes will afford us the opportunity to enjoy the blessings of Khilafat. He concluded by requesting for prayers from all for himself and all those who are embarking on a similar spiritual journey.

Professor Zikrullah Adigun Sanni then delivered a speech on ‘Seeking Knowledge from Cradle to Grave’. He started with a saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) that ‘seeking knowledge is an obligation of every Muslim’. He said, ‘a child is a natural knowledge seeker and Allah Himself is the first teacher’. He used the various stages of the development of a human being to elaborate on the topic. He concluded that, we should continue to be humble and ready to learn continuously. He added that, ‘the Promised Messiah (as) admonished us to seek knowledge and that the minimum level should be a Nobel Prize’.

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Participants were engrossed in the addressees being delivered

Imam Nooruddeen Jahangeerkhan led participants in the Kahoot quiz. Over 80 members participated in the quiz. It was very interesting. There were 40 questions and participants had 10 seconds to answer each question. Bilal Bonsu came first, Andrew came second, and Basim-Ahmed came third.

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Imam Nooruddeen Jahangeer khan administering the Kahoot Quiz

The closing remark was delivered by Mr Tommy Kallon Sahib. He, amongst other things, mentioned how Master Bilal Bonsu topped his cohort during their selection interview for Jamia Ahmadiyya UK. Thereafter, Imam Nooruddeen Jahangeer khan led the closing Prayer to end the formal segment of the event.

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Members joining in the Closing Prayer

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Members offering their Salat

The Picnic in full swing

The picnic, barbecue and fun games continued after salat. Members enjoyed African dishes as well as drinks and ice cream. Sports activities included Table Tennis, Volley, and Football.

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Reported by:

The PAAMA UK ISHA’AT TEAM