Elder Muslims Say Age is no Barrier for Raising Charity Funds

LONDON, June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- 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: http://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
http://www.loveforallhatredfornone.org