Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 188
Khilafat Centenary many cities and new Muslim sisters were taking part in propagation work with great enthusiasm. He announced that American Ahmadi women would henceforth call their Sewing Circle, "Lajna Imaillah," a name that was applicable internationally. It was of special significance for American sisters because it suggested a Society of the Maidservants of God. However, the Lajna constitution was not available in English and there was no concept of the auxiliaries operating nationally. In America, Amtul Raheem wife of Sufi Bengali, did special work to awaken religious responsibility in Ahmadi women. For this purpose, she spent one month in Indianapolis and about one month in Pittsburgh. She held four meetings every week. She taught sisters salaat. She taught recitation of Holy Qur'an. She did other works as well such as holding discussions about women's education and Lajna Imaillah. Because of her hard work, women's propagation work in these two places was reinforced greatly. Around 1935-1936, Sufi Bengali, appointed Aliyya Muhmmad of Pittsburgh, PA as Lajna Imaillah USA's first local president. At this time the USA organization became officially attached to Lajna Imaillah and Lajna branches were established in America's Mid West area. Lajna lmaillah's First Elected National President (1940-1960) It was at the 1950 Convention that Missionary Khalil Nasir announced to Lajna delegates that it was time to "elect" a National President. Amtul Hafiz Nasir had been the acting National President, appointed by her husband, who was also the Missionary-in-Charge. The delegates unanimously agreed that since Amtul Hafiz Nasir had lived at the Central Headquarters in India and Pakistan, she was more familiar with Lajna procedures than Americans were. Amtul Hafiz Nasir was elected and re-elected twice more at subsequent conventions. This was the Jirst definitive step toward laying the foundation for centralized leadership in Lajna USA. Sister Hafiz Nasir's presidency focused primarily on education. By the end of her presidency, having served for five years (1948-1953), Lajna Imaillah, USA, had gone from locally autonomous groupings, to a nationally organized homogeneous institution. When the scheme for soliciting donations for the construction of a mosque in Holland was announced, the US Lajna also participated by collecting chanda for this blessed cause. During this time, there would be four more National Lajna Presidents: Aliyya Ali (195 3 -56), Zakiyya Ashraf- Mahmud (1956-57), Moneerah Ahmad (1957-58), and Saeeda Lateef (1958-63). The Lajna Constitution (1960-1980) After 26 years of functioning under the name of Lajna Imaillah, without an English-rendered constitution, the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of Lajna Imaillah, was received in America from Pakistan Central Headquarters, onJune 9, 1961 by Sister Saeeda Lateef, National President at the time. Thus began the more efficient structuring of Lajna programs and procedures, and the expansion of national officer categories from four to eleven, with eleven counterpart officers in each local Lajna. Numerous new procedures and directives were adopted under each National President. Th e first publication Jf L j na Imaillah, USA was launl:1 ed in 1963 and was named American Lajna News and Other Events. By the mid 1970s, it was replaced by the Ayesha magazine and Lajna News. Lajna News became the intern al newsletter for organization al and communication purposes and Ayesha became a literary religious mag azine, containing origin al articles, speeches and reprin ts fr om other Ahmadi pu l- li cations. Th ere were four National Presidents during the 1960s: Saeeda Lateef (195 8-63), Aliyyah Shaheed (1963 - 66) , Saeeda Lateef (1966-67), Nycemah Ameen -Yaqub _ (1967-69), and Lubna Ijaz (19 69 -71). Observance of Purdah As Lajna sisters became more concerned about their spiritual development, the concept of "purdah" was first introduced in the Midwest and pra cticed by a few sisters. The face veil was initially met with some anxiety, but, within two to three years, the number of American Lajna who wore the face veil had grown considerably, as more of them came to understand the true significance of the practice. By the beginning of the 1980s, the majority of the sisters in Lajna America were observing some form of purdah, whether it was complete (with face veil), or modified (full covering except for the face). The visits from Khalifatul Masih III, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ra during these years also had a positive reinforcement. This is not to say that the adoption of the face veil was not