Jalsa Salana

The actions of these [Jalsa] workers serve as a means of silent tabligh [preaching] for the non-Ahmadi or non-Muslim guests. These workers, in addition to [performing] their duties, are serving as silent missionaries. (September 1, 2017).
During the Jalsa days, you should attend the Jalsa programs and listen to all the speeches. The Tarbiyat Department should try to implement this. Apart from any genuine reason, everyone should be sitting inside the Jalsa Gah. All the attendees of Jalsa should fully cooperate with those on duty, whether in the parking areas, scanning, toilets or in the eating areas. Help wherever you can and don’t leave everything to those on duty. Cleanliness is part of faith. (August 25, 2017).
Likewise, workers should treat everyone with good manners. Everyone should be mindful of who is around them. This is very important for security. Most importantly, you should focus on prayers. Pray for yourselves, for the Jama’at and for the Muslim Ummah as well that may Allah Almighty grant them wisdom and may they accept the Imam of the Age. Pray that may Allah the Almighty protect it from destruction and may He grant them wisdom and may they be able to recognize God Almighty. (August 25, 2017).
Therefore, the Department of Tarbiyat during Jalsa has also been set up in order to remind guests of the prayers and to wake them all up for the Fajr and Tahajjud prayers, but gently and affectionately. (July 21, 2017).
As I have said, non-Ahmadi guests or press representatives participate in our Jalsa and they often assess our behavior. Therefore, the moral standard of the workers in every department must be very high indeed. (July 21, 2017).
I say this to the supervisors in every department that if their conduct is gentle, their morals are good, they are patient and have the courage to tolerate unpleasant words, subsequently, their representatives and assistants will also demonstrate and manifest such conduct with the guests and will establish excellent examples of hospitality. However, if the supervisors have a harsh demeanor, have a rough tone, are unable to listen attentively and tolerate, their representatives and assistants will also demonstrate such conduct. Thus, in order to establish the highest standards of hospitality, the supervisors in every department should continuously assess themselves and endeavor to elevate their modesty and humbleness to the highest standard. (July 21, 2017).
Team leaders should endeavor to work with humility and lead by example by working as an ordinary volunteer. Signs of humility and gentleness should be apparent on their faces. Their tone should be soft and the highest moral standards should be displayed. They should always remember that hospitality is a very important department. (July 21, 2017).
Many a time I have said to make a “red book” and note down all the errors and weaknesses, and then try to eradicate them. This is how we can improve our system. It is the duty of the Officer Jalsa Salana to have a meeting with all the heads of departments at the end of the Jalsa. He should ask them to bring the weaknesses of their department and discuss these to find solutions so as not to have these in the future. Issues raised by the attendees must be accepted open heartedly and complaints should be removed, and then a proper planning for the future should be made. (September 9, 2016).
I have observed that people keep coming in until very late when I am leading prayer. The guests and the Department of Tarbiyat should pay attention towards this (August 12, 2016).
The department who arrange prayer timings should coordinate with the people who serve the food. And, if due to any reason, people are getting late due to food service, then they should let me know also. (August 12, 2016).
Work of security is not the work of the security team solely. Rather, every worker of every department should keep an eye on their respective environment (August 5, 2016).
The training department should be active in bringing the importance of the Jalsa to the people who come to attend the Jalsa. (August 5, 2016).
Regarding all incidents that happened in previous conventions, management should review them and look at every aspect, and every department facing the issue should review it. Then, they should report to the Officer Jalsa how it can be resolved so that minimum issues arise this year. Small and big issues arise, but efforts should be made to minimize them. (August 5, 2016).
Car parking is another important department. Sometimes, guests show improper behavior and insist on parking against the directions of the volunteer and want to park their way. In such instances, the worker should softly try his best to make him understand and then inform his superior. (August 5, 2016).
All guests should bring the confirmation from the Ahmadiyya Community with them when coming to the convention or should bring their name-cards. If, due to some reason, it is missed, then the related department should provide the amenity so they are seated comfortably. (August 5, 2016).
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ^(sa) said, “Showing the way is also charity.” The department responsible for this function should also keep in mind to greet pleasantly a person coming from a journey and then have them taken by their assistants to their places of lodging. Especially when there are women and children and there are no men with them, then it is the duty of the respective assigned volunteers to accompany them to their lodging. It is an important matter, as sometimes there is a need to transfer belongings where help should be provided. To interact with a pleasant demeanor and smile is not particular only to the welcome team, but also to workers in every department. (August 5, 2016).
When our guests come, they interact with different departments. As they come in, they interact with the Welcome [reception] Department. The Welcome Department usually welcomes guests in quite a good manner. As a guest comes after a journey, he is tired. No matter how many amenities may be available during a journey, there is exhaustion and fatigue of travel even in these times. The Welcome Department should always keep this matter in view. (August 5, 2016).
Many said that children served food with a pleasant demeanor and served water in the convention marquee with a greatly pleasurable appearance. They inquired of needs of water time and again. This treatment by the volunteers was not limited to only special guests, but was extended to every guest. This is the quality of the spirit of service that is and should be the hallmark of every worker of the Ahmadiyya Community. Every volunteer has to keep this quality alive forever, whatever department he may be working in. (August 5, 2016).
[Referring to Jalsa] No matter who the guests are, the family of officeholders or family of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, it is the duty of everyone to do as the workers say. (August 28, 2015).
[Referring to Jalsa] The young people who were on duty became emotional and said they would rather not do duty if people did not listen to them. This is also not right. Workers should show patience and report to their superiors to deal with the situation. (August 28, 2015).
We have tabligh and tarbiyat departments. Providing spiritual sustenance is the task of the officeholders and it should be undertaken in an excellent manner. Good word and deed of volunteers is also part and parcel of hospitality. (August 14, 2015).
The Hospitality Department needs to very careful. No one should have any complaint in any shape or form. (August 14, 2015).
Usually, guests do not draw attention to any deficiencies during Jalsa, but two lady guests from Albania said that a lot of food was being wasted in the ladies’ section. Jalsa management, especially Lajna, should focus on this. (June 12, 2015).
With the grace of God, a large majority of our workers are very courteous, but some people still complain. However, it is the responsibility of the officer of each department, especially the department of food and hospitality, to arrange food for their workers so that they can eat after their duty. (August 22, 2014).
It should be borne in mind that sentiments of any guest should never be hurt and courtesy should be shown at every instance. If someone has a complaint, they should not be dealt with indifferently. Rather, their problem should be alleviated. (August 22, 2014).
At times, over-confidence weakens the system. While confidence should be maintained, it should not cause [one] to overlook and neglect minor details of the task in hand. (August 22, 2014).
Huzoor said these errors [regarding Jalsa administration] which have come to the surface should be put in the “red book” and Jalsa workers should be asked if there are any further points that need noting down in the “red book”. These points should be pondered over and improvements should be made for next year. Only practical improvement will put this right and mere words will not avail. If attention is given, everything can be attained. (June 20, 2014).
Huzoor said people (non-Ahmadis) have their own amazing ways of gauging the Jama’at. All this is happening at the command of God. No individual or officeholder should assume that this is happening because of his hard work. Hard work was put in even before, but there were no results. Now God has willed it, so outcomes can be seen and attitudes are changing. (June 20, 2014).
No doubt, wastefulness is not right and there should be proper planning in this regard. However, there should be no miserliness in any way because this is not your Langar. It is the Langar of the Promised Messiah, which continues to be operational. Sometimes complaints are received about the Ziafat team or the officeholders. (March 21, 2014).
While it is important for the officeholders to be alert and vigilant, especially for security duty, they also need to keep their nerves in control; otherwise, security duty cannot be given. (September 6, 2013).
The audio department is a very important department and emphasis should be given to the quality of sound and no compromise should be made in this regard and even the smallest of shortcomings should be removed. (September 14, 2012).
[After Jalsa] all the respective departments should look into their weaknesses and note them in the “red book” and keep them in view when planning the next Jalsa Salana, because this kind of minor carelessness overshadows good works … Management should pay attention to this. (September 14, 2012).
It is the task of the Hospitality Department to bring it to the knowledge of the Officer Jalsa how many people were fed and how many could not be fed. There should be a proper record of this. If the meeting had taken place, prompt action would have taken place for the next day. (June 8, 2012).
It was the task of the Murrabi Sahib or in-Charge of their respective country to organize this [taking care of new converts]. Departments of Hospitality and Accommodation should have also taken this up. (June 8, 2012).
If a guest makes a request which is not the duty of the department of the person asked, rather than give them a blunt response, the person should guide them to the right place. (July 23, 2010).
[Explaining an example during Jalsa where food was not served as it was not time] Even if food is not to be served at an area, guests should be politely addressed. Car parking, traffic control and security workers should also display courtesy and civility when speaking with the guests. (July 23, 2010).
Workers of each department should present a model of extreme courtesy to them [guests]. Any existing resentment with a guest should be forgotten and should not come in the way of serving them; if it is so, it would be a betrayal of one’s duty. If a worker feels that he/she cannot honor the dues of hospitality towards a certain guest, then they should ask their co-worker to do it on their behalf. (July 23, 2010).
Apart from serving his guests, the Promised Messiah ^(as) had two objectives of his hospitality; their tarbiyat and tabligh. Likewise, the relevant departments should pay attention to this at the Jalsa (July 23, 2010).
At times, there is overcrowding on the transport provided. Workers should remain calm and also calm the guests about the temporary inconvenience, assuring them gently (July 23, 2010).
This department [of hospitality] is very important. Every volunteer should keep this in mind that he has to uphold high moral values and deal with the guests in a kind manner. And this is possible only when love is instilled in hearts. Hospitality is a special trait of prophets and their followers. (July 23, 2004).

Al Islam

Jalsa Salana

I Solemnly Pledge

by

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

Al Islam

Jalsa Salana

I Solemnly Pledge

byHazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

by

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad