As anti-Muslim hostility rises, 50,000 Muslims will gather in Hampshire with a different message – peace

At a time when anti-Muslim hostility is reaching record levels in Britain and conflict continues to fuel division across the world, more than 50,000 Muslims will soon gather in rural Hampshire to deliver a message of peace, service and unity.

From 24 – 26 July, Hadeeqatul Mahdi in Hampshire will host the 60th Jalsa Salana UK, the country’s largest annual Muslim convention. Bringing together participants from more than 100 countries, the three-day gathering is organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is expected to welcome people from every continent, united by its motto: “Love for All, Hatred for None.”

The temporary 208-acre site has been built and operated almost entirely by more than 7,000 volunteers. They will provide accommodation, security, transport, healthcare, sanitation and one of the UK’s largest pop-up kitchens, preparing tens of thousands of freshly cooked meals every day, all free of charge.

But beyond its impressive scale, this year’s convention carries particular significance.

It comes amid growing hostility towards Muslims in Britain and around the world.

Earlier this year, the government published its new non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hatred, acknowledging that Britain’s Muslim communities have experienced increasing discrimination, abuse and violence. Home Office figures show that 4,478 anti-Muslim hate crimes were recorded in the year to March 2025, a 20 percent increase on the previous year and almost half of all religiously motivated hate crimes. Experts also believe many incidents continue to go unreported.

Public attitudes have also become increasingly concerning. A YouGov survey commissioned by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community last year, found that 41 percent of Britons believe Muslim immigrants have had a negative impact on the UK, while only 24 percent believe they have made a positive contribution. Almost one in three respondents said they believed Islam promotes violence, higher than perceptions of any other major faith.

The findings reflect a climate in which Muslim communities increasingly face harassment online and in public, while mosques, schools and businesses have become targets of abuse and attacks.

The convention also follows heightened security concerns after police arrested 12 people in connection with what authorities described as an alleged extreme right-wing terrorism plot targeting an Islamic gathering in Suffolk last weekend.

Jalsa Salana UK presents a different narrative, one centred on dialogue rather than division, compassion rather than confrontation, and faith as a force for peace rather than conflict.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is Britain’s oldest established Muslim community, having been present in the UK since 1913. It now has more than 130 branches nationwide.

Throughout the convention, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, will deliver a series of keynote addresses focusing on global peace, justice and the moral challenges facing today’s world.

Rejecting the notion that religion is responsible for today’s conflicts, His Holiness has consistently argued that authentic religious teachings offer solutions rather than problems.

His addresses are expected to examine some of the defining issues facing the international community, including war, religious extremism, social division and the urgent need for justice and reconciliation.

One of the convention’s most symbolic moments is the ceremonial raising of both the Union Jack and the flag of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, reflecting the Community’s longstanding belief that loyalty to one’s country is an essential part of faith.

Adeel Shah, an Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and an East Hampshire District councillor, believes the convention offers people an opportunity to experience a side of British Islam that is rarely seen in public debate. He said:

“What makes Jalsa even more special is the opportunity to see firsthand the incredible charitable and humanitarian work carried out by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community across the UK and around the world.”

At a time when public debate is often dominated by suspicion, polarisation and fear, the organisers hope that the sight of 50,000 Muslims gathering not in protest or conflict, but in prayer, service and dialogue, will serve as a reminder that the loudest headlines are not always the truest reflection of a community.

Image credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community