Muslim Youth waging Jihad on our streets!

Instead of welcoming the New Year with partying, dancing and drinking, a group of 30 Muslims decided to wage Jihad on our streets around Auckland.

At 4am, before the break of dawn on New Year’s Day, they gathered in the largest purpose built mosque in New Zealand, Masjid Baitul Muqeet, located in Manukau. After offering supererogatory prayers and listening to the sermon of the Imam, this band of Muslim Youth embarked to wage their Jihad on the streets, fully armed with litter pickers, brooms, dustpans, and garbage bags. Their mission: to rid their communities of rubbish, beautify the parks and beaches, and fulfil their pledge of sacrifice to their country of residence.

This was the same Jihad being waged by the members of this international community, the Ahmadiyya Muslims, all around the world.

In the USA, UK, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands, Indonesia, Australia and many more countries, under the guidance of their worldwide leader, the Caliph, they awoke in the night to offer prayers for peace and coexistence in the world, and to pray for the prosperity and progress of their respective nations. They then departed to clean up the mess left from the New Year’s celebrations.

This, they argue is part of their true Jihad campaign. Jihad literally means to ‘struggle’ or ‘strive’. Jihad is to strive to reform oneself morally and spiritually; Jihad is to strive to establish peace in the world according to the true Islamic teachings; Jihad to this group of Muslims is also fighting the negative image presented by some extremists with their good actions.

Azeem Zafarullah, a young professional who also serves as the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) in NZ, said cleaning the streets was the Muslim way to welcome the New Year. He further said:

“Loving one’s country of residence is part of the Muslim faith. New Year Day is a day when we see lots of festive waste, so we decided the best way to love the country at this time would be to do litter picking.”

The AMYA in the UAE decided to take their Jihad one step further by shedding blood! After the early morning clean-up next to the Burj Khalifa, they had organised blood donation sessions. That’s right, Muslims waging Jihad to help save and protect lives!
The AMYA is an auxiliary organisation of the young men of the community. However, the ladies of the community, also working under their own auxiliary organisation, waged their Jihad by not only joining in with the men in some countries, but also by organising visits to nursing homes and care centres with gifts, supplies and goodwill to usher in the New Year.

The President of the AMYA NZ emphasised, “Regular attendance at the mosque, and engagement in our charitable work and community service allows the youth to see and experience the peaceful and pluralistic teachings of Islam. They become integrated into society, and it becomes impossible for them to be influenced by extremist clerics.”

So whilst you may hear of the actions of violent so-called Muslim extremists around the world, be rest assured that there is a Muslim community waging their peaceful Jihad under the banner of ‘Love for All Hatred for None’. Throughout the coming year they will continue their past initiatives such as blood donations, charity challenges, food donation for the needy and visits to care homes. They are proud New Zealanders and show their patriotism by lending a helping hand at events like the Armistice Day, Anzac Day and of course their annual New Year’s Day clean-up.

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