Ahmadiyya Muslim Community San Diego

AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITYSAN DIEGO

Brief History

San Diego – Southernmost Jamaat of West Coast-

7 Largest city in USA

2nd Largest city in California

Borders Mexico

border city

borders Mexico

San Diego JamaatFirst Ahmadi family Dr Karimullah Zirvi (current editor of Ahmadiyya Gazette USA) 1979

First Missionary to give lecture on Islam in San Diego: Ata-ullah Kalim 1980

The Tortilla connection: Hazrat Khalifa III sent Ch Hamidullah Sahib (Vakil ala Rabwah) to San Diego to go to Tijuana Mexico to learn how tortillas can be mass produced for jalsas in UK and around world 1980

San Diego JamaatFormally established 1991. The late missionary Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad is known to have visited in early 1990s

First President - Ibrahim Naeem (African American)

Followed by Moyenuddin Sirajee (Bengali American)

Current President – Dr Tahir Ijaz (since 2010)

As Jamaat #’s were small, usually met in homes for meetings, until 2010

Meeting at a home

2005 First public symposium

2010 – First Salaat Center for San Diego established

Salaat Center entrance

First Juma at our Center Dec 2010

Formal opening of Salaat Center 2011

First visit by national missionary in charge Naseem Mahdi sahib 2012

Visit of Naseem Mahdi sahib

Our center was used for national distribution of T shirts for Muslims for Life campaign 2011

LA Jamaat’s visit and picnic in San Diego 2012

First Seerat Nabi Jalsa at our Center arranged by Lajna 2013 (current sadr Gazala Sirajee)

Lajna, nasirat with non-jamaat members volunteering at food bank to help needy 2013

Our JamaatDiverse community

Indo-Pakistani origin, Bengali, African.

New Ahmadis: Japanese American, African American, Indian American

Refugees from Pakistan (Five so far, more coming)