News Release

Women of Faith

The Baitul Tauuhid Mosque in Huddersfield West Yorkshire held the annual Peace Conference of the Lajna Ima’illah, the Women's Auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This year's theme was, "The Role of Women in Integration, Peace and Security". Among the guests were Paula Sherriff, MP for Dewsbury and Mirfield, Assistant Chief Constable for West Yorkshire, Angela Williams and Church representative, Eileen Webb.

 

The event included a presentation about the role that Muslim women play in their local community and on the wider global stage to help alleviate suffering wherever it is found. To illustrate their efforts, a film was shown of an Ahmadiyya project that digs wells in remote areas of Pakistan, bringing clean water to the people of that region. 

Paula Sherriff MP spoke of her inspirational grandmothers and of her work in hospitals and the victim support service before entering Parliament. She told of her experiences there, in what was once a male domain.

Angela Williams spoke of her twenty six years in the police force as a woman whilst also being a wife and a mother. She promoted her desire to see more women take up leadership roles within the police force.

The importance of good role models was emphasized with Malala Yousufz and Rosa Parks being held up as good examples. The expression, "What extremists fear most is a girl with a book", was particularly striking. 

Eileen gave a brief history of goals and accomplishments of the Relief Society, the women’s organisation within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, since it was established in 1842. Eileen commented, “The Relief Society’s aims of developing faith in Christ and the atonement, strengthening home and families and caring for the poor and needy were well received and seen as being in harmony with the theme of the day. Stickers were given out of the Relief Society emblem bearing the motto, "Charity Never Faileth". The majority of the women present accepted these, stuck them on their clothing and wore them for the rest of the meeting”.

The afternoon ended with an opportunity for silent prayer, after which a delicious Asian meal was served. Each guest was presented with a gift of literature explaining more about the Muslim faith and customs.

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