The System of Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya — Page 213
something that has already been said. Something new comes into their mind, but before they get a chance to say it, someone else has already said it, but they still stand up and repeat it. This wastes a lot o f time and we are already short o f time. Some years ago, four days were allocated for Shura, but it has again come down to three days, and I forgot about it. In the future, Inshaallah, the Shura w ill be for four days. But if w e are to properly deliberate upon all the issues, even four days are not enough. It is important to save time as far as possible, and this can only be done if you express your opinions briefly and clearly. Use minimum words and do not repeat what has already been said. Repeating an argument merely tells us that you agree with it, and this we w ill know anyway when you are asked to vote on it. We do not need to know it at this stage. We do want to know, but the mem bers should tell us at the proper time. 4. Do not give your discussion the form o f a debate. It is wrong to do so in Shura as a matter o f principle, because everyone who gets up and presents his viewpoint before the Khalifa, addresses him self to no one but the Khalifa, and there is no one to debate with. You should not get into a debate, so that my time is not wasted in stopping you. 5. It is most important to pray when you stand up to give your opinion. We do pray collectively, and it pleases me to look at the faces in front o f me and know that they are not only listening but also praying. But you should pray particularly when you stand up to express your view s, so that God Almighty may guide you to say the correct thing in the correct manner, and if He approves o f what you want to say, He might make your speech effective and others may also be convinced. ________T he S ystem of M ush A warat in J am A‘ at - e -A hmadiyya ________ 213