Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 193
Khilafat Centenary upbringing, training, guidance and counseling of Waqifeen-e-Nau. Census of US Waqifeen-e-Nau The US Waqf -e- Nau department has created an online database to maintain an accurate list of all the US Waqifeen-e- Nau along with their contact details. There are currently 673 Waqifeen-e-Nau in our USA database: 413 boys and 260 girls. Career Counseling Activities The following proposal regarding the Waqf -e-Nau scheme was suggested by Majlis-e- Shura USA 2006 and approved by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih yab a with additional recommendation s: "There is a need to ponder and maximize the way in which Waqf -e- Nau (WN) Ahmadis especially, and Ahmadis in general, can be inspired to join the Jaami'a Ahmadiyya in Canada, so as to enhance this most noble scheme". The US Waqf-e- Nau department has initiated a number of activities as part of the implementation of this proposal. The topic of career counseling in general has been emphasized. National Secretary Waqf -e-Nau, provided directions to all the local Jama'at presidents to initiate career counseling for Waqifeen-e- Nau children above 14 years of age at the local level. Instructions were given on how the career counseling sessions should be structured and the main topics that should be touched upon during these sessions. Presentations of various professionals, such as missionaries, doctors, teachers, engineers etc. , have become a regular part of regional Waqf - e- Nau Ijtema 'at. At the US J alsa Salana 2007, a special journalism workshop was held to help those Waqf -e- Nau interested in pursuing journalism as a career get a better understanding of how to enter the field and what to expect when working as a journalist. Visits to Jaami'a Ahmadiyya Canada A trip to visitJaami'a Ahmadiyya Canada was organized in 2006 and repeated again in 2007. These trips allowed Waqifeen-e- Nau from all over the United States to visit theJaami'a in Canada,,imbibe the wonderful, spiritual atmosphere of this institution and experience for themselves a day in the life of aJaami'a student. Great hospitality was shown by the Waqf-e-Nau department of Canada and the CanadianJama'at in general. Both trips were very successful, with over 50 Waqf-e- Nau participating each time. Insha'Allah this will become a regular annual event in the Waqf -e- Nau calendar. Jaami'a Orientation Course In August 2007, a week- longJaami'a orientation course was held at Baitun Nasr Mosque in Willingboro, NJ. This was the first course of its kind organized by the US Waqf-e-Nau department and was aimed at Waqifeen-e-Nau students in high school who had some inclination towards becoming a Missionary. The objective was to inspire the bo ys to joinJaami'a for all the right reasons, and to inculcate a clear concept of spiritual and educational environment at the J aami'a - its needs and demands. In total 22 students enrolled from 12 Jama' at of the US. A typical day was designed in replication of what goes on atJaami'a. The day started with congregational Fajr prayers and Dars-e-Qur'an, followed by breakfast between 6. 30 and 7. 00am in the dining hall. The general assembly at 7. 15 am in the main mosque was followed by formal classes. These classes comprised of 9 periods of 35 minutes each. The subjects taught were Tajweed rules (rules for correct pronunciation), Urdu, Hadith, Basics of Islam, Islamic History, Qur'an translation, Comparative Religion, Book of Masih- e-Mau'ood and Relationship of Qur'an & Science. In addition there were regular sports activities between 5. 30 to 7. 30 pm. At the end of the week, and even during the days, these students were quizzed and tested. The course was primarily taught by senior students fromJaami'a Canada who devoted their time selflessly and tirelessly. The principal ofJaami'a Canada, Mubarak Ahmad Nazir, also attended towards the end of the course.