المحراب

المحراب — Page 163

LAJNA FROM HEARTH TO HAVEN By Talat Mansoor Before I come to the ojectives and achievements of the Lajna during its short history, I would dwell upon the depres- sive and dismal picture of the status of women in those days in the Sub-Conti- nent irrespective of religious or regional consideration۔The influences of the at- mosphere all around played a negative role to restrict any radical reformation۔Traditionally they remained dubbed as a down cast other half of the human race۔Male domination with an index of supe- riority had given rise to a hardened stigma against all logics of human values۔To extricate them from the state of affairs and exhilarate to the expectations of a reformed religious society 'Ahmadiyyat' asked for an institutionalised organisa- tion۔So, as an answer to the challenge, there appeared 'Lajna Imaillah' under the guidance and blessings of its founder, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, Mirza Bashi- ruddin Mahmud Ahmed۔Thus, the Lajna marched ahead culturing, educat- ing and excelling through a systematic process۔Having imbibed collectively the spiritual and moral values and having in- culcated a spirit for sacrifice, they proved their worth by subscribing to many schemes announced by the Heads of the Jama'at from period to period, of which the most significant being the construction of mosques in various countries during the decades gone by۔To limit the subject to a permissible length, I venture to give an account of this very item in some detail۔In 1916 Ahmadi women made their first financial sacrifice by generously con- tributing cash and jewellery for the construction of the London Mission۔In 1920 the Ahmadi ladies partici- pated financially in the construction of the London mosque which was proposed to be built with the contributions of the entire Jama'at at a cost of Rs۔30,000۔And in 1923 our ladies played an important role in raising funds for the Berlin mosque۔The estimated cost was Rs۔50,000 but in response to the call of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, ever obe- dient Ahmadi women۔ended up by contributing Rs۔72,761, much more than the asked amount۔However due to unavoidable circumstances the Berlin mosque could not be built, so the money was spent in building Bait-ul-Fazal London۔Its foundation stone was laid on October 10, 1924 by Hazrat Musleh Mauood Khalifatul Masih II and the inauguration ceremony was performed on 13th Oct۔1926 by Khan Bahadur Sir Abdul Qadir, representative of the League of Nations۔The Lajna Imaillah also contributed a sum of Rs۔10,000 for the repairs of its dome۔By the grace of God the Ahmadi women contributed a total sum of Rs۔83۔000, raised entirely from the Sub-Continent۔In 1950 the Ahmadi ladies of Pak- istan contributed Rs۔143,664 for the construction of Bait-ul-Mubarak in the Hague, Holland۔Hazrat Sir Mohammad Zafarullah Khan laid the foundation stone on May 20, 1955۔He also had the opportunity to inaugurate the mosque on December 9, 1955۔On the fiftieth anniversary of suc- cessful Khilafat of beloved Hazrat Musleh Maud, the International President of the Lajna Imaillah suggested that the members should build a mosque at Copenhagen in Denmark in order to commemorate the auspicious occaison۔The proposal was kindly approved by Hazrat Musleh Mauood 15