Jalsa Salana: Thousands attend UK's largest Islamic convention at Alton farm

News imageAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat AttendeesAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
About 30,000 people were expected to attend the event at the Hampshire farm

Thousands of Muslims have attended the country's largest annual Islamic convention at a farm in Hampshire.

About 30,000 people were expected to join the Jalsa Salana at Oaklands Farm in Alton from Friday to Sunday.

Ahmadi Muslims attended for "prayer, discussion and spiritual rejuvenation", organisers said.

The convention was attended by His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

It was not held in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic and was run on a much smaller scale in 2021.

Organisers hope that it will reach pre-pandemic levels of attendance - about 45,000 - next year.

News imageAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Chefs at the gatheringAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
Organisers said 100 pots of dhal were cooking at one time to feed the attendees, along with others of pasta and rice
News imageAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Flags at the conventionAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
The theme of the convention is "love for all, hatred for none"
News imageAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat The conventionAhmadiyya Muslim Jamaat
The event is held at Oaklands Farm in Alton, Hampshire
News imagePresentational grey line

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.