Media Release For public release – 29 December 2014

New Year’s Day Clean-up by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Keeping up with New Zealand’s ‘Clean Green’ image, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in New Zealand believes in setting the pace for the rest of the country to keep our beautiful environment clean by organising a clean-up programme on New Year’s day.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s auxiliary youth organisation known as Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya New Zealand is organizing a New Year’s Day clean-up of selected parks in Auckland. Last year around 25 volunteers took to the parks in central Auckland equipped with council supplied gear to clean up after New Year celebrations. This is just a small step towards ensuring that we all take responsibility of keeping our country clean and beautiful as citizens of this country.

The auxiliary youth organisation’s national president, Mr. Azeem Zafarullah said ‘The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community considers it a religious responsibility to maintain loyalty to our country by making a positive contribution to the society. Not only will this enable Muslims to fulfill their duties as citizens, it should help to promote a greater appreciation of the true teachings of Islam among the local population’.

‘Cleanliness is part of our faith as stated in various sayings of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Islam teaches us that body and soul have a deep connection and the soul’s condition affects the body, as indeed does the body’s condition affect the soul... Allah Almighty is Holy and Pure; therefore, for one who wishes to obtain His nearness, it is important to keep his heart clean—to keep his body, mind, attire and environment pure and clean, so that this cleanliness affects his heart and soul and he is not a source of trouble for humanity’, said Mr. Zafarullah.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, fast-growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) in Punjab, India, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spans over 204 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions. The New Zealand branch of this community was established in 1987 and has just over 400 members. It is a registered charitable organisation and endeavours to be an active and integrated community within New Zealand society.

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