By the grace of Allah a remarkable event concluded yesterday at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, Surrey. Over 150 guests attended from the British Legion, Armed Forces, and other supporters of charitable works. The guests were looked after by over 100 members of AMEA UK UK.

High tea was served from 5pm onwards including vegetable samosas, cakes, chicken cutlets, papri chart, fruit, mixed nuts, mixed savouries, cup cakes, tea, coffee, Indian sweets, soft and fruit drinks and juices, sandwiches.

The session started with recitation of the Holy Quran promptly after Maghrib prayers, and ended with silent prayer before members joined the Ishaa prayers at 7.30pm.

President of the British Legion, East Surrey, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Brigadier Paul Evans OBE delivered the welcome address and appreciated the efforts and organisation of the members of AMEA UK UK and explained that after much research, he has concluded that today is the first time in history where such an event has taken place in a Mosque complex, and where the bugle was played to remember those brothers and sisters who sacrificed their lives for their country.

Children from both the British Legion and AMEA UK UK held hands and then distributed poppies to all the guests.

Rafi Ahmad, Vice President AMEA UK UK, explained about the community’s peace initiatives, sharing both the loyalty to ones country as guided by beloved Huzoore Aqdas, and the beautiful teachings of Hazrat Masih Maud as.

He said:

Our current Caliph, His Holiness, The 5th successor to the Promised Messiah, a man of peace recently said …

“Muslims are obliged to be loyal to the country in which they live. Honouring those who fought to defend and safeguard one’s country is an important principle of Islam and in fact is an important principle of peace – especially when it is carried out with a sincere heart and for the sake of winning God’s pleasure.”

Rafi sb added that:

The founder of our community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, whom be believe to be The Promised Messiah and Mahdi^(as)  wrote a book titled, Message of Peace

In a world plagued with intolerance for cultural, racial and religious differences, A Message of Peace serves as a panacea to the ills of the society. Prophetic in foresight and universal in scope, this book lays out a path to the peaceful existence of all humans based on the central theme of worshipping the One God.

It is not surprising therefore that A Message of Peace forms the last work of a man who was destined to lay the foundation for the establishment of peace in this day and age and whose advent was prophesied in all major religions of the world-the Promised Messiah and Reformer of the Latter Days. “My countrymen!” writes the Promised Messiah, “A religion which does not inculcate universal compassion is no religion at all. Similarly a human being without the faculty of compassion is no human at all.”

Wonderful comments have been made by guests and the British Legion have offered all possible assistance with the Poppy Appeal Campaign which starts the next day, 26^th October 2019.

Address by Rafi Ahmad Bhatti sb

Bismillah Hirah Ma Nira Heem

In the name of Allah most gracious ever merciful

It is indeed a great honour for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Elders Association UK to host such a truly historical event here at the Baitul Futuh Mosque – The House of Victory, here in Surrey.

We are sitting in one of the halls, which is part of the complex that can house 10,000 worshippers at any one time, and this Mosque is the largest in Western Europe.

On behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community I thank you all, especially the 2 gentlemen who approached us initially to host the event, our friend Peter Wakeham of the Royal British Legion with whom we have been working for a number of years , and our senior Poppy Appeal Organizer, Mr Naseem Dar.

The Poppy Appeal is a poignant way for us to remember the courage and sacrifice of our Armed Forces and support those still serving today. It’s wonderful to join thousands of people across the country to help our brave servicemen and women, veterans and their loved ones. I hope this year’s appeal will continue the proud tradition of our whole nation coming together to support our troops.

Our current Caliph, His Holiness, The 5th successor to the Promised Messiah, a man of peace recently said …

“Muslims are obliged to be loyal to the country in which they live. Honouring those who fought to defend and safeguard one’s country is an important principle of Islam and in fact is an important principle of peace – especially when it is carried out with a sincere heart and for the sake of winning God’s pleasure.”

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Elders Association UK, through its associated Charity Walk for Peace, have raised millions for charitable causes and supported over 500 UK registered charities, of one is the British Legion Poppy Appeal, to which we have been able to donate over £500,000 in 2018, and over £850,000 in total. Our target this year is to enhance on last year’s target.

The founder of our community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, whom be believe to be The Promised Messiah and Mahdi^(as)  wrote a book titled, Message of Peace

In a world plagued with intolerance for cultural, racial and religious differences, A Message of Peace serves as a panacea to the ills of the society. Prophetic in foresight and universal in scope, this book lays out a path to the peaceful existence of all humans based on the central theme of worshipping the One God.

It is not surprising therefore that A Message of Peace forms the last work of a man who was destined to lay the foundation for the establishment of peace in this day and age and whose advent was prophesied in all major religions of the world-the Promised Messiah and Reformer of the Latter Days. “My countrymen!” writes the Promised Messiah, “A religion which does not inculcate universal compassion is no religion at all. Similarly a human being without the faculty of compassion is no human at all.”

As one of the oldest established Muslim communities here in the UK, we humbly share with you our heartfelt need within society to share true values of peace and love for all, hatred for none.

Amongst our activity to serve mankind we are involved in

Tree planting
Blood donations
Street cleaning
Various charitable causes
Homeless feeding
Peace symposiums

In the coming months Charity Walk for Peace, a UK charity, will be signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant.

Thank you for your time today, and we look forward to hosting similar events in the future.

Thank you.

Address President of British Legion, East Surrey, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Brigadier Paul Evans OBE (PE)

Vice President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Elders Association, Chairman Charity Walk for Peace, Chairman Surrey County Council, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I would like to welcome you to the 2019 East Surrey Poppy Launch and the distribution of the first poppies in East Surrey.

We at the Royal British Legion do not underestimate the significance of this evening. We understand that we are making history as this, we believe, is the first time that a County Poppy Appeal has been launched in a Mosque complex and the first time that the Last Post has been played here. That said, I know that you have been a huge supporter of Surrey RBL over many years.

The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s major source of income. The public responded magnificently during the 2018 Poppy Appeal and their generosity helped to raise some £52M. Surrey raised some £1.4M of which 10% was raised by army, air and sea cadets.

Included within these totals is the support from your community throughout the country and, in particular, this Mosque.

It is a truly impressive achievement and we in the Royal British Legion are very proud of our association with you and the contribution you have made. I know that I can speak for the Royal British Legion in saying, thank you to all those who collected and donated to what is a critically important military charity.

Most people, when they think about money donated during the Poppy Appeal, focus on the grants given to individuals to help them with some sort of immediate crises. While this is understandable, that support represents only 15 % of the money spent of service personnel, veterans and their families.

The remainder of the money helps to ensure that the Legion achieves its main objectives: assisting those in need in the service and ex-service communities, not forgetting their families; fostering comradeship and mutual support; acting as the custodian of Remembrance and representing the interests of the Armed Forces at national and local level.

The number of calls for help received by the Legion remains high. Indeed, the RBL is experiencing more demand for support as individual needs are increasingly more complex. Many individuals of course can have multiple needs.

I would particularly wish to thank all your volunteers who collect donations on our behalf. I know that they volunteer so much of their time to collecting, often at this time of the year, in the cold and the rain. I can assure you that we recognise that without such volunteers we would be much less effective as a military charity. We salute them all.

Tonight provides me with the opportunity to thank you for maintaining a strong relationship with our hard working East Surrey Community Fundraiser, Peter Wakeham. Indeed, it would be difficult to find a more enthusiastic, energetic and committed member of the Royal British Legion.

Perhaps I could end, by taking us back to why we are here today and to the iconic symbol of remembrance, the Poppy. Within the last verse of the famous poem, In Flanders Field, written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae who died in 1918, we are handed the torch which I would argue is symbolised by the Poppy. The verse reads:

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

I am absolutely certain that with your continued help and encouragement we will enjoy a very successful 2019 Poppy Appeal, which will enable the Royal British Legion to provide service personnel, veterans and families with the level of support they need, when they need it most. Is there anything more important than being able to support those who defend and have defended our country and our freedom?

On behalf of Surrey Royal British Legion could I thank you for your support this evening, for generously hosting this event and, for, as John McCrae requested, holding the torch and for shining a light on the 2019 Poppy Appeal. His event is a perfect example to emphasis the Royal British Legion’s theme of “Remember Together”

We simply cannot thank you enough and very much look forward to our partnership over many years to come.

Thank you

Dr Irfan Malik

Presentation: Indian Subcontinent Contribution in the First World War

At the Baitul Futuh Mosque East Surrey Poppy Appeal launch on Friday 26th October I presented a 5 minute powerpoint talk highlighting the 1.5 million soldiers from undivided India in the Great War, this included 400 000 Muslim troops. Overall the worldwide figure of Muslims fighting with the Allies was 4 million.
I spoke about the first Indian and Muslim Victory Cross recipient Subedar Khudadad Khan.  I mentioned my ancestral village of Dulmial, present day Pakistan, supplying a record 460 men for the Great War including my two GreatGranfathers. The village was rewarded with a cannon in 1925.
I also showed several photos of the Indian soldiers on the Western Front 1914-18.
I displayed images of the deceased Christian and Muslim soldier gravestones side by side in France and Belgium.
My aim was to highlight our strong shared history and interfaith unity amongst the troops.
I also exhibited my travelling military museum which was very well received by many of the guests.