Muslim youth from the world’s largest organised Muslim community handed over charity cheques totalling £340,000 at the House of Lords yesterday– bringing their total fundraising efforts to £1.5million.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) presented 45 cheques to UK-based charities including the Royal British Legion, Barnado’s, NSPCC, British Heart Foundation, Humanity First, The Silver Line, CLIC Sargent and MacMillan Cancer Support.
The majority of the funds are raised through AMYA’s annual flagship charity event called the Mercy For Mankind charity challenge.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon said: “The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association is reflective of exactly the kind of contribution that many groups make, of different faiths, of different communities, who do the right thing.
“They do not see that there is a division between society but also recognise that their role in society is to contribute to the society of which they are an integral part and in doing so they make it an infinitely better society and the efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association in this respect are there for all to see.”
Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening said: “It goes beyond just raising money, I think what the youth association has really done is to be part of us responding to crisis when they hit.
“I’ll never forget the discussion around young people in the Ahmadiyya Community going as far afield as down to Devon to help people affected by the floods and closer to home in Surrey, helping people.
“Just being part of that response to those crises I think told me a lot about just how a fantastic group of people they are and I think why it gives us so much hope as we look to the future.”
The Caliph of Islam, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, sent a special message for the event.
He said: “Since it was founded in 1889, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been constantly engaged in serving humanity throughout the world without any discrimination to creed, caste or colour. We practice and preach a message of Love For All Hatred for None based upon the teachings of the Holy Quran.”
“[The Promised Messiah] taught that his followers should not rest until they have solved the problems of others and they should be ever ready to bear personal difficulty or anxiety so that others could live in peace and comfort.
“Thus, this is the spirit that underpins the humanitarian efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.”
“I would like to assure all the dignitaries and guests in attendance that as loyal citizens of this country we Ahmadi Muslims will always seek to help those who are in need and will fully co-operate with all organisations that are involved in humanitarian relief.”
For more information about the humanitarian efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslims Youth Association, visit www.muslimsforhumanity.org.uk
