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Friday Bulletin
Rabi' ul Thaany 21,1435/February 21,2014
A parliamentary committee is to commence investigation into the February 2 police raid on Masjid Musa in Mombasa County which left eight people dead. The chair of the departmental committee on administration of justice and national security Asman Kamama acknowledged that the matter was a weighty issue among Muslims and pledged to give a statement in a weeks time. He was responding to a demand for a statement from the MP for Mvita Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir who called for action to be taken against police officers who was involved in the raid which led to the death of innocent people. The MP accused the police of violating the sanctity of the mosque and said there was no reason which warranted the storming of the mosque which occurred after the worshippers had concluded afternoon prayers. Police officers raided masjid Musa and attacked worshippers all on the fighting terrorism, he said. During the raid, eight innocent people who had no inclination whatsoever to any terror organization were killed and a number of them injured, he added. Among those who were arrested, the MP said, were 55 minors some of whom were mentally unstable. Abdulswamad wondered why the police saw it fit to attack a place of worship without taking the necessary restraint which could have prevented loss of lives. The legislator further demanded the security agencies to produce Salim Hemed whose arrest was captured by television cameras but his whereabouts remain unknown. The chair of the departmental Committee Asman told the police that they have an obligation to produce the missing person and pledged that Muslim leaders will be invited to present their evidence to the committee on the probe to get to the bottom of what happened during the fateful day.
INSET: The CEO of Da'awa Development Group Sheikh Musa Ismail distributes food to Akai Ekomua, the Turkana woman who was driven by famine to slaughter a dog to feed her children. ABOVE: Relief food from the Da'wa Group ready for distibution to famine stricken victimins in Turkan
This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred
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EDITORIAL
The Dawa Group in partnership with a United Arab Emirates charitable organization Dar al Ber Society donated foodstuffs worth Sh 1.8 million to the starving people of Turkana. Areas which benefitted from the progamme include Kakuma and Lopur in Turkana West. More than 400,000 people face starvation in the county and scores of families have migrated to the neighbouring Uganda in search of food and pasture for livestock.
Da'wa
As adults, we lose much of the simplicity we once knew as children. Islam is very simple; but as adults we make it seem so very complicated. The message of Islam has existed since the beginning of time, and its message is for all people. The message of Islam can be summed up as follows: There is one Allah; and that Allah speaks to His Creation. All the rest is amplifying that message. Such a simple message speaks to the hearts of all. Imagine those miners in Chile who were trapped underground for many weeks. Whether they were religious men or not, they would each one of them have prayed to be saved. Whether or not people accept the fact that Allah exists, troubles and tragedies often mean He is the first one they should turn to. In a simple way, Islam answers that need of men and women. Without popes or priests interceding on their behalf, Islam teaches that we can all bow down to our Creator and speak to Him directly. As Muslims, we should never forget this simplicity of Islam. It is when we do forget it in talking to others, that we can make it sound like any other organized religion. And modern men and women are not too fond of organized religion. There comes a point, though, when we need to deepen our faith. Those new to Islam want to grow in their faith. They want to become better and better all the time. It is relatively easy to declare the words of Shahadah (testimony of faith: that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger), but it takes the rest of one's life to live up to those words. If we don't progress from that first day when we accepted Islam, then we have not made much progress in becoming better Muslims, have we? This deepening comes both in terms of knowledge and in the way we behave. To become better Muslims, then, we need to make progress. This applies either to those who accepted Islam when they were seventy years old or to those who were born Muslims. New Muslims can often feel overwhelmed with all the details they have to learn about Islam. The danger here is that all these details can turn into facts to be learned, rather than ways of helping us to become better. It isn't always helpful to use Arabic words in explaining things to those who have newly embraced Islam, but there is one Arabic word which is very important here, which we need to understand. This word is Ihsan. From the beginning of time He planned that we would be Muslim, the person He wanted us to be. And when we are laid in the grave we will finally have become that person. So, how do we grow as Muslims? How do we become better? How can we possibly ever be like Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Translating it into an English word, though, is very difficult. Enough to say, that when we have reached the level of Ihsan as Muslims, we have reached the level Allah wants us to be. When we understand what Ihsan is, we will have understood what it is to be a Muslim. The word Ihsan comes from an Arabic root word that means a number of things. This root word can mean: to do right; to improve; to be in a desirable condition or in a proper state; to decorate or embellish; and to treat with kindliness. The word also means perfection / excellence while doing anything. In Arabic, one who practices Ihsan is called a Muhsin. The plural of Muhsin is Muhsineen. We know that Allah loves Muhsineen, because he tells us so in the Quran: Whoever submits himself to Allah and is a Muhsin (one who is good) then his reward is with his Lord, on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (2:112) What a remarkable progress we will have made in life if we no longer fear or grieve. Isn't that something the whole world is looking for? Being Muslim, though, means more than knowing the correct way
Topic: Sababu ya Imaan Kudhoofika By: Ustadha Amina Atilala 23rd February 2014 TIME: 2.00 pm -4.00 pm Venue: Makina Mosque Kibera
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SUNDAY LECTURE
WOMEN
Shannon Abulnasr
Valentine's Day...ahhhh, the day of love! I'm not going to jump into the evolution of Valentine's day to what it is today, nor the innovation it is to practice in Islam. Instead of a history lesson, or barking rules, I would rather give warnings to Muslims and new Muslims about the traps we can fall into, and how we should feel about the intended methods of expressing love in Islam. New Muslims usually learn very quickly that in Islam love has a different approach than it did before accepting Islam. Since in Islam, we do not date and intermingle with the opposite sex, it can cause a new Muslim to feel lost in their journey of love. While learning about the tricks of Satan (shaitan), which are well hidden behind the mask of red roses, and boxes of chocolate, we can be more on guard and prevent ourselves from falling into such traps. The Single New Muslim Traps Single new Muslims, still having the lingering emotional attachment that comes with Valentine's Day, can really play a number on them. Many become depressed because they still don't know how to find a spouse, or to find one they are compatible with, leaving them to feel they will forever be alone. This is most prevalent amongst the new Muslim brothers, more so than the sisters. I've had numerous new Muslim brothers telling me that they are fed up with their search for a spouse, and have considered looking for a non-Muslim spouse instead. This shows me that there is a big problem for new Muslim brothers when it comes to finding a mate. This is potentially dangerous because it can tempt them into haram (unlawful) relationships with non-Muslims. Although they are permitted to marry from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), the approach is what makes it difficult because they don't want to approach marriage in the same regards a Muslim is required to do so. As a result, the brothers tend to resort back to their pre-Islam way of interacting with the opposite sex when they feel they can't find a Muslim to marry but not always of course. Non-Muslims in the West will not agree to be in a relationship without touching and kissing, and even without intercourse. Many do not respect the sanctity of marriage and chastity in these days and times. It is difficult to find a non-Muslim in the West that would accept such a cold seeming relationship. This is a jihad for the new Muslim brothers. So, what should they do to overcome these feelings during the time period leading up to and including Valentine's Day that has engulfed the non-Muslim mindset? The In a Relationship New Muslim Traps Some new Muslims may actually still be in a relationship with a non-Muslim, or even a Muslim that they were dating from before they accepted Islam. It is complicated, especially when holidays that revolve around love and intimacy come around. It all boils down to avoiding haram situations. We can't even think about Valentine's Day, when the bigger issue we face is that we are in a haram relationship to begin with. New Muslims in this situation are stuck in a state of limbo. They love their boyfriend/girlfriend, and don't want to break up simply because they accepted a new religion. Some feel they should stay in it for the sake of dawah too. So, what should they do? No one will ever like to hear the typical advice for this situation, which I agree with, which is to end such relationships. More harm can come from staying in these relationships than leaving them. We need to worry more about pleasing Allah instead of people. If they truly care about your relationship with Allah, they will understand and accept, and if they don't, then that is a clear indicator that they are not a good match for you in regards to protecting your deen.
Dress-making Tutor/Seamstress Well established Training Institute in Nairobi CBD is looking for a person to fill a full time position for a tutor in dressmaking department. A suitable candidate should: --Be a Muslim lady A Diploma holder of Fashion design & garment making from a recognized institution or Have successfully passed Trade test -Grade 1 from the Directorate of Industrial Training Have at least TWO years working experience Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills Computer literate. The candidate must be able to work with minimum or no supervision. She must have a high commitment to quality. Closing date for applications: Friday 28th February 2014. NB: ONLY SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL BE CALLED FOR AN INTERVIEW.To apply, Drop your CV and relevant testimonials to: The Administrator , Jamia Mosque Committee Nairobi
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YOUTH
Sadaf Farooqi
Nowadays, one of the greater obstacles that young Muslims face when it comes to marriage is the opposition they face from their family elders regarding their choice of spouse. There can be many grounds for this opposition, e.g. race, ethnicity, cultural disparity, level of religious commitment, age difference, chosen profession of the prospective spouse, and family background, to name a few. There are more chances of conflict between generations when they are not on the same page in other areas as well, e.g. lifestyle choices, frank and friendly communication, mutual respect and compassion, as well as moral and religious inclination. For example, a young, single person might want to marry someone belonging to another ethnicity or religion only on the basis of sexual attraction/physical desire, and their parents might not agree with their choice because they can clearly see the red flags of incompatibility leading to future marital disaster. If this conflict persists, the youngster might be ill-advised by friends or colleagues to go ahead with their choice of spouse and marry them any way, ignoring their parents opinions, and go off to live an independent life away from their elders eyes. However, before any youngster decides to jump the gun in such a manner, and take such a drastic measure, they should pause and try to rationally and objectively reflect upon why their parents are refusing to let them marry the person they like. What are the reasons for their parents opposition to that person as a spouse? They should try to communicate in a calm and controlled manner with their parents to find about this. Next, they should reflect upon the relevance, correctness and validity of their parents concerns. Nine times out of ten, parents are justified in their reservations about their adult offsprings decisions, and want to protect their offspring from suffering and getting hurt ahead in life. Their more advanced life experience enables them to see the long-term results and outcomes of the choices made by people during young age, and they are all the wiser because of it. The only rare situations in which the opinions of parents can (and should) be undermined when a young singleton is seeking a spouse for marriage, is when their parents are non-Muslims, or much less religiously inclined than them, and their prime reasons for opposing an otherwise religiously compatible match, are purely worldly or cultural in nature e.g. the guy is too short, or he has too many siblings; the mahr being given is not high enough; their daughter will not have her own home to live in after marriage; they only marry within the extended family, not outside; the girl their son likes (their future daughter-in-law) doesnt yet know how to cook, or she doesnt have a college degree because she is only 19. As long as the reasons for parents reservations regarding their offsprings choice of spouse are related to things that can change with time (e.g. educational qualification, visa status, professional establishment, size or location of residence, or living arrangements), a young singleton should not allow them to turn away good proposals. They should gently and respectfully educate their parents about the commands of Deen related to marriage, to persuade them to let the small things slide, and not stick to rigid and irrelevant cultural traditions. The best way for a singleton to deal with marriage proposal conflicts with parents, is to regularly turn to Allah in earnest and sincere istikharah prayers, to supplicate for the best decision and decree regarding their marital future. Single people should remember that, even though it might outwardly seem as if their parents are in-charge of their future, and are turning away perfectly nice proposals for trivial reasons; ultimately, all matters related to their future provision and decree have been preordained by Allah, and nothing can turn away from them
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OPINION
2- In order to be good we need to do good things. In fact, we become good people by the good things we do. Praying five times a day cannot but alter our lives. Helping the poor or those in need cannot but touch our own hearts. 3- We need to think very carefully who our friends are. If we are surrounded by bad people, or by people whose lives are consumed in materialism or violence, their behaviors will affect us, too. If our friends are gentle and kind, surely some of their kindness will rub off on us? 4- We need to be constantly asking ourselves what our motives are, what our hopes and aspirations are, and why we want to be good Muslims. By constantly asking ourselves questions we avoid the danger of complacency and of doing things just because we have always done them. 5- It is important for us to take time out and to reflect. If it is important in a football game for the players to take time out and discuss their strategy to win the game, how much more important it is for us, as Muslims, to take time out and consider our strategy in life. Apart from the formal times for prayer, we should set aside a few moments from time to time to ponder on where we are in our spiritual journey. At such times we can give thanks for all the blessings in our lives. How often we take for granted the things that are most important to us. We only cry when we have lost them. In rendering thanks to Allah for His kindness, we become better people. 6If we need a benchmark, a measure of how we are progressing as Muslims, we need only to look at the way we treat
compromising on their childrens upbringing by placing them in daycare because they have to go to work to provide for them, will make us appreciate the command of Allah that deters men from using women just for pleasure and procreation and guards single women like jewels, not available for all and sundry to use and discard at will. Conclusion: Both the single Muslim youth today and their parents should aim to strike an optimal balance when the time comes for them to marry, which allows their parents to be involved in their choice of spouse, yet provides them with enough freedom of choice to not feel restricted due to adherence to obsolete and trivial cultural and worldly beliefs.
NATIONAL
Muslim parents have been urged to support and participate in education matters of their children by instilling and building the culture of reading in them at early stage in order to build their confidence and self esteem. These remarks were made by Asim Ismail the founder of Tarbiyyah International of Karachi Pakistan, who reminded parents of their primary obligation to provide for the physical and emotional needs of their children with special emphasis on teenagers. ''Mentoring begins at home; this is the primary reason as to why it is very important for parents to act as role models for their children. Islam teaches us to read and as parents we are supposed to inculcate the same to our children,'' he said. He noted that the lack of reading culture in the Muslim community was among the contributory factors of Muslims lagging behind in socio-economic and political development. Asim advised parents to have quality time with their children as this fosters proper upbringing and guidance, adding that busy schedules were becoming a big challenge for the proper growth of their children. He emphasized on upbringing of children based on Islamic values, stating that this will lead to a well mannered and disciplined society. Speaking over the weekend at a workshop on the concept of integrated education adopted by Fajr Academy of Pakistan, Asim stressed that there is need to integrate education system where students master the Quran and Islamic knowledge while at the same time learn contemporary education. The presentation which attracted stakeholders in the education sector was organized by the Girls Training Institute (Maahad).
The vice chairman of Jamia Mosque Committee Farouk Adam congratulates a jovial Abdinassir Muhammad after he received his visa to perform the Umra (the minor pilgrimage). Abdinassir emerged the winner in the Quran memorization competition which was held during Ramadhan at Jamia Mosque. A well wisher awarded him and his father a fully paid umra package and he leaves the country tomorrow for the pilgrimage which will take him to the sacred cities of Makkah and Madina in Saudi Arabia.
The Engaged New Muslim Traps Alhamdulilah, you have found a mate! However, you are not married yet, and can still fall into the traps of Satan, especially during the time surrounding Valentine's Day. You have to fight the urges to do the romantic things that non-Muslims do on this day. Do not make a special day out of it. If you find yourself wanting to do these things with your mate, then you need to re-analyze your boundaries in the relationship. It means that you are starting to lean into the haram areas of relationships outside marriage. It calls for hearts to be preoccupied with foolish things that contradict the way of the righteous believers. The engagement time should still have boundaries in place, and you shouldn't be infatuated with the other. You should simply be just getting to know one another, and not dating while engaged. Does this mean that you can't have feelings for the other? Absolutely not. It just means that you have to avoid falling into lust, and infatuation. If you are staying within the guidelines of Islam, you will not get overly attached to the point you would fall into a deep depression if it fell through. You can care about someone without being in love with them. Romantic love comes in time. Love will blossom once you are married, so don't preoccupy yourselves with Valentine's Day in trying to gain their affection, because it may cause you to lose respect in the end. Always keep in mind that pre-marital relationship is not always a guarantee for a successful marriage. Usually a couple finds love and happiness and their world revolves around each other, and once they marry, they start to see the real world, and real life problems that married couples will encounter and feel when they are sloping downward, and ultimately contemplate if they ever were a good match to begin with. That's worth thinking about, so while you can care about a person, don't invest too much of your emotions into it before marriage. Also, for the sake of Allah, do not plan your wedding day to be on Valentine's Day! Don't begin your marriage upon innovation. Marriage takes lots of effort, and you need Allah's blessings in it. The Married New Muslim Traps And of His Signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. (30:21) This verse does not end with ... on Valentine's day. This expresses my point to be made for those that are married already. It is important for a Muslim to express their love and appreciation for their spouse every day, instead of focusing their efforts to make them feel special only on one measly day of the year. Make it a daily habit to show your love and affection, instead of trying to prove it in a once-yearly tradition. Your spouse would rather have it regularly than just every now and then anyway. When you love someone, make sure that you are loving them for the sake of Allah, and that your love for them does not overpower the love you have for Allah. If you feel that you would die without them, or would lose your mind if they were to leave you, then you need to take a step back and purify your heart and mind, because it is pushing the limits Allah sets. If you are not careful you can fall into the trap of idolizing your partner. This sneaks up on people and they don't even realize they are doing it. Allah tests us with things we love, and people we love, so don't let them become a false idol of the heart.
The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: fridaybulletin@islamkenya.org. Printed by Graphic Lineups Limited-Kweria Road info@graphic.co.ke
Criminal rehabilitation is gaining popularity among many who are forward thinking. Such forms of rehabilitation can help to reduce the number of repeat offenders who return to jail after being unable to adapt to life outside of jail. This can also help to solve some of the more serious cases, such as sexual offenders who may continue in their heinous ways after being released, preying on women or children. Criminal rehabilitation can help to solve the problem of overcrowding in most prisons. The criminal population continues growing, as the death penalty has been abolished, and the state would need to spend more on facilities to house criminals. There are statistics showing that only 35 percent of inmates do not make their way back to prison upon their release. This leaves us with a large percentage of released criminals who do commit crimes and end up being repeat offenders. This poses a major difficulty to society as well as a strain. The government has to fork out huge sums to keep tabs on these possible repeat offenders as well as maintaining the prison systems. Needless to say, the possibility of releasing prisoners who might be repeat offenders is a threat to social safety. However, the scenario does have a light at the end of the tunnel. There seems to be a good reason why some former inmates do not return to jail: it appears that their time in incarceration was spent productively, changing some vital aspect of their personality. Education is one of the ways in which this positive change can be effected. Ummah Foundation through its Prisoners Rehabilitation Program has been in the forefront in bringing change in prisons through Islamic teachings and other technical programs. In Naivasha maximum prison, Ummah Foundation has established an Education Centre that serves as a mosque for the inmates and an Education hub that inmates come together every day to learn and watch prominent Muslim scholars give lectures from the video and Tv set that the Foundation has provided for them. In a very short period ever since Ummah Foundation found its space there, quite a number of new Muslim revertees have embraced Islam. In Kamiti Maximum Prison, Ummah Foundation in collaboration with PRP has started construction of another centre that is similar to the one in Naivasha. With the same setup and programs we anticipate to rehabilitate a bigger number than before through Daawah. Other Prisons like Nairobi Remand, Athi River, Langata Womens Prisons are equally in need of the same services and that is why we call upon all well-wishers to join hands with Ummah Foundation through its Prisoners Rehabilitation Program to see changes in our Prisons through Daawah work. With your help and support we expect to achieve the following: 1-Have an adequate number of educational (secular and spiritual), vocational and work programs being provided to rehabilitate prisoners. 2-Cater for the special needs of our Muslim Sisters at Langata Womens Prisons who need to be provided with sanitary facilities and children clothes. 3-There are certain groups of prisoners remand and short term, young offenders and prisoners with mental health problems- who need our care and satisfactory rehabilitation. We can also help those with minor offences to be bailed out of the prisons. For your participation in this noble initiative contact us: Ummah Foundation Village Plaza,2nd Floor Ngara Road P.O.Box 58717-00200 , Nairobi, Kenya Tel:+254-20-2680610/13, Mobile: +254734845277 E.Mail: info@ummahfoundation.net Web: www.ummahfoundation.net