Alton, United Kingdom — The worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has called on women to deepen their religious knowledge, understand the rights Islam grants them and take a leading role in educating future generations, saying informed women are central to the strength of families and society.
Addressing nearly 20,000 women during the Ladies’ session of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana UK) at Hadeeqatul Mahdi in Alton on Saturday, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said women should not limit themselves to personal spiritual growth but should actively participate in religious outreach and intellectual engagement.
He said Islam places no restriction on women participating in the propagation of faith, pointing to the example of Hazrat Aishah (RA), whose scholarship helped preserve and explain the teachings of Islam.
“Women should advance so greatly in knowledge and spirituality that they surpass even men,” he said, adding that such progress would enable them to provide the strongest moral and spiritual foundation for future generations.
A significant part of his address focused on the rights of women, urging Ahmadi Muslim women not to be influenced by misconceptions surrounding Islam’s treatment of women.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said Islam had granted women rights unmatched by any other religion or government and encouraged women to study those teachings thoroughly so they could confidently respond to criticism and misconceptions.
He said the Promised Messiah had clearly explained the honour, status and rights accorded to women in Islam, stressing that women should strengthen their relationship with God while equipping themselves with knowledge and reason to defend their faith.
The Ahmadiyya leader also encouraged women to pursue education, saying Islam does not discourage the acquisition of knowledge. However, he cautioned that education should strengthen rather than weaken one’s faith and values.
He urged women living in Western societies to study the Holy Quran and its commentaries so they could independently answer questions and objections commonly raised about Islam instead of relying solely on others for explanations.
While reaffirming women’s rights, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad also reminded them that rights are accompanied by responsibilities. He said women should uphold high moral standards, foster harmony within families and contribute to building peaceful homes through patience, kindness and respect.
He warned against allowing disputes within families, particularly between daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law, to undermine the values of compassion and humility expected of believers.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim leader concluded by urging women to play a greater role in raising children with strong moral and religious values, saying mothers have a critical responsibility to prepare future generations to understand their faith and face modern challenges with confidence.
The address formed part of the women’s proceedings of Jalsa Salana UK 2026, which drew an attendance of 19,695 women from around the world.
