meriden

Muslims Celebrate 100th Anniversary in the U.S. With a Nationwide Day of Celebration

NBCUniversal, Inc.

Across the United States, Muslims are celebrating their 100th anniversary by giving back to their community.

The establishment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community dates back to February 15, 1920, and is the oldest Muslim organization in the country.

The centennial anniversary is an opportunity to serve local communities in each of its 62 chapters throughout the country.

In Meriden, volunteers prepared more than 600 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and meals to give to those in need.

Wajid Amed is a proud Muslim American. Amed has lived in the U.S. since he was 9-years-old.

"The goal is to spread the message of true Islam and work to spread the message of peace and unity," said Amed. "Our motto is love for all, hatred for none."

The day started with thousands of worshipers gathering to pray for peace, prosperity and another 100 years of progress for the nation.

"A lot of the members who are here, came to this country to escape religious prosecution," said Ahmed. "We're lucky to be in the United States and that we're able to practice our religion."

Imam Salman Tariq works for many mosques across New England.

"We have a few key principles; Worship God Almighty, and to serve humanity," said Imam Salman Tariq. "This morning we worshiped God Almighty, then we wanted to prepare these sandwiches to help the poor and needy people and serve humanity."

The Connecticut chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community-USA started in the 1980s and has continued to work to build a united community.

Worshipers say the opportunity allows them to spread peace, love, and service.

"We continue to grow because of our message of love and unity," said Ahmed. "I think it's important that our youth understand these key principles."

The group delivered the meals to the Wallingford Food Bank and hosted a variety of programs at their mosque.

The Mosque hosts community chats on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 7p.m. and encourages the community to attend.

Contact Us