The System of Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya — Page 43
T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ‘ at - e -A hmadiyya on the occasion o f Jalsa Salana 1908, from 8 to 10 pm on 26th December, in Masjid Mubarak, Qadian. It was convened by the Secretary Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. Present in the meeting were representatives from Jama'ats all over the country as well as members o f the Anjuman. This meeting has historically been referred to as a Conference. The major issue discussed was whether to continue the religious institution set up by the Promised Messiah3 1 5 or to close it down. Here we give details o f this meeting: Despite being a member of the Anjuman, Hadrat Mirza Bashfruddin Mahmud Ahmad Sahibra could not be in formed o f this meeting beforehand. It was towards the close o f the meeting that he learnt that the Shura was go ing on in the mosque and that the question o f the Madrasa was being debated. When he entered the mosque Khawaja Kamaluddln was making a passionate speech. After he finished, Hadrat Sahibzada Sahib stood up and spoke briefly for about ten minutes. He said: “The work o f the Jama'at is not going to end today. These are matters whose influence w ill be felt for hun dreds and thousands o f years to come, and people are going to scrutinize them. . . This is the first meeting of representatives o f the Jama'at after the demise o f the Promised Messiah35. Just imagine how history w ill judge us: That the religious institution set up by the Promised Messiah35, in consultation with all members o f the Jama'at, just 2 years before, was closed down by his Jama'at immediately after his dem ise!. . . ” 43