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Hazrat Ameer’s visit to the

Houses of

Parliament, UK

2011

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

.......... The HOPE Bulletin ………..

Health, Ongoing Projects, Education

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Akbar Ibn Abdullah, Editor

We are indeed grateful to Dr. Mujahid Ahmad Saeed for submitting for publication in THE HOPE

Bulletin this most comprehensive report on the visit of our beloved Hazrat Ameer to the Houses of

Parliament in the United Kingdom. May Allah reward him for his dedication in advancing the cause of

Ahmadiyyat and Islam; may He also strengthen his “stamina, sincerity and faith” so he may continue to do

more. Aameen.

In his communiqué we are elated to read that Hazrat Ameer presented the distinguished Member of

Parliament with copies of the revised edition of Maulana Muhammad Ali’s Translation and

Commentary of the Holy Qur’an, and the book Islam, Peace and Tolerance, written by our learned

scholar, Dr. Zahid Aziz. Jazak Allah!

We thank Hazrat Ameer for the most productive tour activities of Switzerland, Holland, Berlin and the

United Kingdom which we reported with great pleasure in The HOPE Bulletin for the benefit of our

worldwide readers. Jazak Allah!

Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum, Professor & Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib, after a very successful and

fruitful tour of the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, has safely returned to the Darus Salam Center,

Lahore, where, without taking a much-deserved rest, he will actively be involved in the planning of the

Salana Duaiyya 2011 which convenes in Lahore towards the end of this month. Please pray for the well-

being of Hazrat Ameer and the complete success of the Salana Duaiyya.

Now we propose to publish in quick succession all the remaining supplements of Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum’s

tour activities in the UK and mainland Europe in the following order: Supplement 1: Hazrat Ameer’s

meeting with the distinguished Parliamentarians; Supplement 2: Azharuddin Ahmad’s luncheon party in

honour of Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum; and finally Supplement 3: Jumu‘ah prayer at the Wembley Mission

with the Vice-President of the Federation of Peace, and a farewell tea party given in honour of Hazrat

Ameer by Nasir Ahmad family.

As always, we welcome your comments and feedback.

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HAZRAT AMEER PROF. DR. ABDUL KARIM SAEED’S

HISTORIC FIRST VISIT TO THE BRITISH HOUSES OF

PARLIAMENT

10th

November 2011

Reported by Dr. Mujahid Saeed (with support of the entourage)

Please click the blue links for further information available online

Hazrat Ameer Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed was able to fulfil a long-standing invitation to visit the

Houses of Parliament, in London, on 10th November 2011. This invitation and visit had been organised by

Mr. Nasser Butt, a British Ahmadi — Liberal Democrat Politician. Hazrat Ameer was also accompanied

by Jamaat members, Mr. Assad Ross and Dr. Mujahid Saeed from the United Kingdom.

Hazrat Ameer before entering the Houses of Parliament

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Hazrat Ameer arrived at the Houses of Parliament at 1300hrs and was met by Lord Eric Avebury at the

Peers Gate. Lord Avebury is a former member of the House of Commons for the Liberal Democrats and

has been serving several Human Rights causes for many years and has received many international

awards for this.

Lord Avebury led the entourage on a tour which included The Queen’s Robing Room and The Royal

Gallery. Hazrat Ameer presented Lord Avebury with a copy of the recently revised English Translation

and Commentary of the Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali (revised and edited by Dr. Zahid Aziz)

in the Queen’s Robing Room.

The entourage followed Lord Avebury to The Lords Chamber (The Chamber of the House of Lords)

where the House was in session and the debate on War Veterans was witnessed for a few minutes. On exit

from the Chamber, members were introduced to Baroness Floella Benjamin of Beckenham, whose

political interests include equality and diversity.

Lord Avebury then hosted lunch for the visiting party in the Jubilee Café where Hazrat Ameer introduced

the beliefs of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Jamaat (Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-e-Islam Lahore) and the

oppression that it has to face in certain parts of the world. After lunch, Lord Avebury was presented with

Dr. Zahid Aziz’s book, Islam, Peace and Tolerance.

They then proceeded to the Balcony of the Palace of Westminster along the River Thames (photos below).

They had some photos taken, one of which now appears on Lord Avebury’s daily Blog (see entry 13th

November 2011).

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Dr Mujahid Saeed, Nasser Butt and Lord Avebury with Hazrat Ameer

Nasser Butt (left) and Lord Avebury (middle) with Hazrat Ameer on the Balcony

Assad Ross, Nasser But, Lord Avebury and Hazrat Ameer

From there, Lord Avebury led everyone to the Central Lobby where Rt Hon Tom Brake, Member of

Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington, was awaiting to meet the entourage for the rest of the tour.

Tom Brake MP is Co-Chair of the new Liberal Democrat Backbench Committee on Home Affairs, Justice

and Equalities.

Tom Brake MP took the entourage from the Central Lobby, through St Stephen’s Hall, to the Westminster

Hall (photos below), and finally into the New Palace Yard (photos below). Along the way he introduced

some historical aspects of these parts of The Palace of Westminster’s interiors and exteriors, including the

The Clock Tower (Big Ben). Members were introduced to Lord Graham Tope in the Westminster Hall,

who is the current Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

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Tom Blake, Nasser Butt and Hazrat Ameer in the New Palace Yard

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The tour of Westminister Hall was followed by some tea and coffee at the Pugin Room where Hazrat

Ameer introduced the Jamaat to Tom Brake MP and a discussion followed. Hazrat Ameer gifted a copy

of the Holy Quran and the aforementioned book by Dr. Zahid Aziz to him after the Coffee.

Nasser Butt, Tom Black Hazrat Ameer on Steps of Westminster Hall

Tom Brake MP then led the delegates back to the Central Lobby and arranged for some passes for the

entourage to sit in the live debate in The Commons Chamber (The Chamber of the House of Commons)

and said his farewells to Hazrat Ameer and companions. In the Chamber, the team witnessed the debate of

Veterans of the two World Wars.

The tour concluded with some refreshments in the public cafeteria next to the Westminster Hall around

6pm.

We express our deep thanks to our Honourable Members of the British Houses of Parliament for their

hospitality, love and affection shown to Hazrat Ameer and his team. Lord Avebury has invited the

Jamaat to actively work with him to combat the human rights abuses against Ahmadis in Pakistan and

elsewhere around the world. The UK Jamaat hopes to work to strengthen this link forged by Hazrat

Ameer on this historical visit, Insha-Allah.

Big Ben

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Akbar Abdullah

Editor, The HOPE Bulletin

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 232023

Sacramento, California 95823-0430, U.S.A.

E-mail Address: akbar_786us@yahoo.com

Telephone Number: (773) 539-6892

“ISLAM” stands for “I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND”