Elder Muslims Say Age is no Barrier for Raising Charity Funds

LONDON, June 14, 2011 -

- Ahmadiyya Muslim Elders set
£240,000 Target for
UK Charities

- SUNDAY 19 JUNE, 10.30AM START, BAITUL FUTUH MOSQUE,
MORDEN

Age will prove no barrier when elders of a British Muslim
community take part in a national charity walk raising funds for
the British Heart Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital and a
host of local charities.

Thousands of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will
converge on Britain’s biggest mosque, in Morden, Surrey, on 19 June
to start the 2011 Ansar Charity Walk.  The Ansar are the
members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community who are over 40 years old
and, in previous years, walkers well into their 70s have taken
part.

The annual walks - one of two taking place annually - is part of
the Ahmadiyya Muslim community’s on-going effort to give something
back to the country in which they reside. Ahmadiyya Muslims believe
God rewards good works and therefore acts of charity are of utmost
importance.

This year, the Ansars have set themselves a target of £240,000
-in the past three years alone, the elders have amassed £450,000
for UK-based charities.  This has been matched by over
£400,000 raised by the youth of the community in their charity
walks over the past three years.

Waseem Ahmad, President Ahmadiyya Muslim Ansar UK, said:

“Charity is an act of faith and an integral part of Islam. We
believe that, as Muslims living in the UK, we have a duty to
support our country and contribute to its well-being. Ahmadi
Muslims never accept any public funding- instead we believe virtue
springs from giving.

“Islam is often in the news when extremists hit the headlines.
Well here is an opportunity for us to show that Islam is a religion
of peace.  Charity is a fundamental pillar of Islam and a core
teaching to promote peace.”

The Worshipful the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Oonagh Moulton,
added:

“As I come to the end of my mayoral year I would like to add my
personal thank you for the opportunity to send this message of
goodwill to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK and wish them a
successful walk for peace event on 19 June 2011. I would like to
recognize the commitment of the Ahmadiyya organisation and
acknowledge the members and families of all those involved in the
work of the community based here in the United Kingdom.”

A number of MPs will be among the guests at the launch of the
event at 10.30am on Sunday 19 June at Baitul-Futuh Mosque, 181
London Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 5PT

More information at: href="www.ansar.org.uk/CharityWalk/CharityWalkBrochure2011.pdf">
www.ansar.org.uk/CharityWalk/CharityWalkBrochure2011.pdf

Note to newsdesk:
Media are invited for opportunity to photograph; film and
interview
Please email media@ahmadiyya.org.uk or phone:
Mahmood Rafiq +44-7971-060-962
Basharat Nazir +44-7703-483-384
href="www.loveforallhatredfornone.org">www.loveforallhatredfornone.org

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