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The<br />

Friday Bulletin<br />

The Weekly Muslim News Update<br />

Ramadhan 10 1431/August 20 2010<br />

Issue No. 381<br />

Where is justice?<br />

Above: Reverend John Kamau who was arrested<br />

with ready to explode materials and linked<br />

to the deadly Uhuru Park bombings was swiftly<br />

served with justice and he is now a free man after<br />

he was granted bail. On the Right are three<br />

Kenyans Idris Magondu, Muhammad Adan Ab<strong>do</strong>w<br />

and Hussein Hassan who were shipped<br />

to Uganda without being allowed to challenge<br />

their detentions in a court of law.<br />

Muslim launch Pakistan flood appeal<br />

In response to the current flood disaster in Pakistan, Muslim leaders have launched an<br />

emergency relief programme to assist the suffering people of the South Asian nation.<br />

Leaders from various organisations sent out a joint appeal to <strong>Muslims</strong> and other wellwishers<br />

to provide financial assistance, food and essential relief items like medicine to<br />

the flood victims.<br />

The programme will be coordinated with Muslim Aid, a UK based Muslim organisation<br />

which is currently on the ground providing rehabilitation and emergency relief assistance.<br />

Jamia Mosque will be the main receiving centre while other major mosques in Nairobi will<br />

serve as collection centres for the relief items.<br />

“During this month of Ramadhan where generosity is highly emphasised, it is imperative<br />

to extend a hand of support to the people of Pakistan who are facing one of its worst hu-<br />

manitarian disaster in history, ''said Abdullahi Abdi, the National Muslim Leaders Forum<br />

<strong>“Nyinyi</strong> <strong>Waislamu</strong> <strong>hamna</strong> <strong>haki</strong>.<strong>”</strong> (<strong>You</strong> <strong>Muslims</strong> <strong>do</strong> not have any<br />

right). This was the words of an officer from the terror police unit<br />

responding to queries as to why the security agents had arrested<br />

Muhammad Hamid Suleiman, a Nairobi based travel agent without<br />

following the due process of the law.<br />

The detainee was later swiftly renditioned to Uganda where he was charged<br />

with other Kenyans for murder and terrorism relating to the July 11 bombing in<br />

the Ugandan capital.<br />

This action to deport the Kenyan was taken even before the ink had dried from<br />

the statement from Muslim leaders who had complained about the arbitrary<br />

arrests and deportations of Kenyan <strong>Muslims</strong> in clear violations of the laid <strong>do</strong>wn<br />

procedures.<br />

The police action was a deliberate slap in the face for Muslim leaders who had<br />

told the government to uphold the constitutional rights of those arrested.<br />

The unregulated and draconian powers handed to the dreaded police squad<br />

has effectively given it the mandate to operate with impunity to violate the<br />

rights of <strong>Muslims</strong> without any fear of any consequences.<br />

Since the so-called war on terror was initiated in 2003, the violations of the<br />

rights of <strong>Muslims</strong> has turned out to be the norm rather than an exception.<br />

Story Continues To Page 2<br />

Editorial<br />

Ramadhan<br />

This Week<br />

Da'wa<br />

Taqwa valuable fruit for Ramadhan P3<br />

Women Issues<br />

Ramadhan and the Baby P4<br />

<strong>You</strong>th and Children<br />

Drawing closer to Allah in Ramadhan P6<br />

(NAMLEF) chairman.<br />

Story Continues To Page 6<br />

www.islamkenya.com<br />

This Newsletter contains some of Allah’s names. Please <strong>do</strong> not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred<br />

P2<br />

P7


The Friday Bulletin<br />

Story From Page 1<br />

While the law is clear that suspects should be produced in court<br />

within 24 hours, those arrested in connection with alleged terrorism<br />

activities have been kept incommunica<strong>do</strong> in secret locations for<br />

longer period some stretching to more than a month without access<br />

to lawyers and family members effectively denying them justice.<br />

Against prescribed police regulations, the detainees details are not<br />

even recorded in the police occurrence books, apparently to ward<br />

off those who could trace them.<br />

Interestingly, almost all of these individuals who were paraded as<br />

dangerous people were vindicated by the courts after they wee<br />

found innocent.<br />

The ongoing extra judicial renditions which involve shipping of prisoners<br />

in the dead of the night are a grim reminder of the 2007 US<br />

backed rendition exercise where innocent Kenyans and foreigners<br />

were hounded, mercilessly thrown out of the country. The renditions<br />

are a legacy of the Bush administration and have generated<br />

intense criticism as there are an affront to international law. Before<br />

he was propelled to the high office, US president Barrack Obama<br />

strongly criticized the policy saying that it goes against the ideals of<br />

building a better and freer world. He had this to say about the brutal<br />

policy: “We have to end the practice of shipping away prisoners in<br />

the dead of the night to be tortured in far off countries, off detaining<br />

thousands without charge, or trial, of maintaining a network of<br />

secret prisons to jail people beyond the reach of the law.<strong>”</strong><br />

There is no <strong>do</strong>ubt that the police have a duty to ensure that security<br />

prevails and also weed out perceived criminal elements in the society.<br />

Maintaining security is fundamental to ensuring that a culture<br />

of normality and stability thrives in a given society. But while <strong>do</strong>ing<br />

this, it is important that the rule of the law should be followed to the<br />

letter. This is the first and important stage in effecting justice.<br />

The country’s laws are clear. Regardless of the offence committed,<br />

one is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty by the courts. Going<br />

against this fundamental premise is simply applying jungle law.<br />

The danger in applying draconian measures which go against the<br />

prescribed laws is that it perpetuate a culture where the citizens<br />

will lose faith in the judicial system. Further, its ripple effects will<br />

lead to some wayward individuals to take a cue from the police’s<br />

failure to stick to its ethical code of utumushi kwa wote and engage<br />

in activities which are against the law.<br />

More so it will make it easy for rogue police officers to again indulge<br />

in the trade of exhortation from people falsely incriminated<br />

on so-called terrorism links. At the peak of the terror campaign in<br />

EDITORIAL<br />

From a far, it looks like one of the many kiosks <strong>do</strong>tting the sprawling Gachie trading centre in Kiambu district. A closer look will however,<br />

reveal that the structure with the Arabic inscription of “There is no god worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger,<strong>”</strong><br />

is the place of worship for the growing number of Muslim residents<br />

of the area.<br />

The mosque which also act as a madrassa can only handle<br />

less than 20 people at a time. It is currently housed in a rented<br />

mabati structure and can barely serve the needs of the faithful.<br />

“We need to have a descent place where we can conduct our<br />

prayers,<strong>”</strong> said the Imam Ayub Itwika Kinyanjui.<br />

The Nur mosque and Madrassa committee has identified<br />

a piece of land at a cost of Sh 4.5 million where a bigger<br />

mosque can be established. “We are appealing for assistance<br />

towards realizing our dream of having a mosque which will<br />

act as the community centre for <strong>Muslims</strong> in the area and the<br />

environs,<strong>”</strong> he added.<br />

The Kihara District Officer Muhammad Amani Akida also echoed<br />

the plea saying that the area has a growing Muslim population<br />

and it will be prudent for a bigger mosque to be established<br />

to cater for them.<br />

Any assistance towards accomplishing the goal of having a<br />

mosque in the area can be channeled through<br />

Jamia Mosque Committee Nairobi.<br />

A painful cry for justice<br />

Gachie <strong>Muslims</strong>' cry for a Mosque<br />

2<br />

Ramadhan 10 1431/August 20 2010<br />

2007, scores were arrested ostensibly for terrorism and made to<br />

pay hefty bribes to secure their free<strong>do</strong>m. Those who refused to be<br />

blackmailed like Kamilya Tuweil, an investor from the United Arab<br />

Emirates prospecting for investment opportunities in the tea industry<br />

–were declared dangerous terrorist and renditioned to Somalia<br />

and Ethiopia undergoing horrifying experiences. The latest craze<br />

has put Uganda as the rendition destination.<br />

The <strong>do</strong>uble standard approach by the ATPU in handling those<br />

arrested for the same crimes is strengthening the notion that the<br />

campaign is specifically targeting <strong>Muslims</strong> brewing more resentment<br />

in the community who are increasingly feeling that the State<br />

harbours ill will against them.<br />

The Hague based International Court of Justice has indicted several<br />

Kenyans of war crimes for their alleged role in the deadly post<br />

election violence. But in keeping the spirit of the law, the suspects<br />

are yet to be handed over for trial. For <strong>Muslims</strong> suspected in socalled<br />

terrorism activity, the law is ignored in broad day light.<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> went to the polls during the referendum exercise with high<br />

hopes that the new constitution will play a pivotal role in ending the<br />

years of injustice the community has suffered. This was the driving<br />

force by millions of <strong>Muslims</strong> who came out in large numbers<br />

to vote Yes for the constitution. But as the clock is ticking towards<br />

ushering in the new constitutional dispensation questions are being<br />

asked if the new constitutional rule will still be applicable to<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong>. At the brink of the birth of the second republic, the current<br />

policy of kidnapping worshippers coming from the mosque<br />

by security agents and shipping them in the dead of the night to<br />

other countries is sending wrong signals in the community that the<br />

anticipated change might not be applicable to <strong>Muslims</strong>.<br />

As the SUPKEM secretary general Adan Wachu said, confrontation<br />

with the government is the last thing on the minds of <strong>Muslims</strong> during<br />

the month of Ramadhan but it appears that the terror police is<br />

bent on driving <strong>Muslims</strong> to this situation with its illegal activities who<br />

ultimate goal is to dehumanize those who say we believe in Allah<br />

and Muhammad is His Messenger.<br />

The essence of justice is that it treats all citizens on an equal footin<br />

avoiding any form of discrimination. Should there be a leeway<br />

against this principle, the whole essence of justice would become<br />

void going against the spirit of our National Anthem which clearly<br />

states that Justice should be our shield and defender. Our humble<br />

call remains… Justice must not only be <strong>do</strong>ne, it must BE SEEN to<br />

be <strong>do</strong>ne.<br />

Some of the Muslim residents of Gachie outside the makeshift<br />

mosque


Ramadhan 10 1431/August 20 2010<br />

DA'WA<br />

The Islamic fast is unique and different from other types of fasting<br />

observed in other religions. It is obligatory, for a specific period of<br />

time from dawn to dusk, and in a specific lunar month called Ramadhan.<br />

It involves a voluntary renunciation of all appetites and desires of<br />

the flesh during that month for defined hours, with a cheerful and<br />

willing acceptance of this beneficial divine mandate.<br />

Sunset signifies the achievement of one s victory over his self during<br />

the day.<br />

This blessed month of Ramadhan inculcates a spirit of fortitude<br />

and gratitude. The atmosphere of the month is such that positive<br />

thoughts are automatically invoked on a 24-hour basis. Such<br />

thoughts, which wish the welfare of one and all, <strong>Muslims</strong> as well as<br />

non-<strong>Muslims</strong>, including those who have wronged us!<br />

A stable monotonous environment of eating three times daily tends<br />

to produce stereotyped reactionary patterns. Fasting gives a variable<br />

environment with rigid strategies and sufficient degrees of free<strong>do</strong>m<br />

to cope with the changing conditions.<br />

Some of us may be habituated to a particular type of vice or wrong<strong>do</strong>ing<br />

- e.g. gambling, smoking, drinking, backbiting, fraud, hot temper,<br />

<strong>do</strong>mestic violence, etc.<br />

Whatever foul we are habituated to, becomes our routine and it<br />

becomes difficult to resist. Fasting helps to overcome such habits<br />

either gradually for some of us or immediately for those with a<br />

stronger will power, especially if supported by constant supplications<br />

seeking Allah's assistance. The usual anti<strong>do</strong>te is to put an entirely<br />

opposite thought in the mind to displace the negative trend.<br />

This act of self-restraint in Ramadhan strengthens the will and<br />

hence, the will power. This extra will power helps to overcome obsessions<br />

and addictions. In fact, fasting also reduces a criminal's<br />

urge to commit dangerous crimes.<br />

During the Islamic fast, every organ in the body that has been given<br />

to us as trust by Allah is put to a critical test.<br />

A hunger strike is not an Islamic fast. We must not see evil, hear<br />

evil, utter evil nor act evil. This is a training session for us to develop<br />

Taqwa (God-consciousness) and piety, as well as to show gratitude<br />

for the great favor of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an during the<br />

month of Ramadhan in the night called Lailatul-Qadr.<br />

Taqwa is the most valuable fruit of fasting. Just as plants have their<br />

own season of flowering, so is Ramadhan the season of the year<br />

for blossoming of goodness, virtue and piety in the Muslim ummah<br />

(nation). Not one, but millions of people jointly water the garden of<br />

virtue in the same lunar month, all over the world.<br />

The purpose of the Islamic fast is to obey Allah's command.<br />

Through this exercise, <strong>Muslims</strong> can develop a balanced personality<br />

and a strong sense of a community of believers. It trains all those<br />

who volunteer for service to Allah, before allowing them to take on<br />

the job of His vicegerency and establish Allah s message of mercy<br />

on Earth.<br />

The fasting Muslim is continuously tied with rules and regulations<br />

for one full month and then released for 11 months to see whether<br />

the training has been adequate and effective, and if not, any deficiency<br />

found in the personality and will power could be corrected<br />

and made up in the following year'sss refresher course, in the Ramadhan<br />

program. This is because Allah wants us to make the choice<br />

and behave well, when left alone and unattended. The personality<br />

develops when a person is free to <strong>do</strong> any wrong as he would like,<br />

but <strong>do</strong>es not <strong>do</strong> it under unrestricted conditions; e.g. during the 11<br />

months following the Ramadhan fast.<br />

If we have passed this first part of the examination, then as <strong>Muslims</strong><br />

who adhered to the five pillars of Islam and fasted, we are entitled<br />

to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr (Feast of breaking the fast), also called<br />

Eid Al-Saghir (the Minor Feast).<br />

Then Allah gives us two months and 10 days to prepare for Eid<br />

Al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), also called Eid Al-Kabir (the Major<br />

Feast).<br />

3<br />

Taqwa: Valuable Fruit of Ramadhan<br />

The Friday Bulletin<br />

The Minor Feast will entitle us to climb up the ladder one step toward<br />

becoming mu mineen (believers), because we must now learn<br />

to sacrifice our time, money, leisure, pleasure, skill, along with other<br />

talents, God-given gifts and bounties, then be prepared to share<br />

them with our fellow human beings.<br />

As believers adhering to the seven branches of iman (faith and<br />

belief) we must not only think of, but actually perform good deeds.<br />

This in turn, will now prepare us for the second examination of<br />

higher spiritual achievement. And, if successful, we will be entitled<br />

to celebrate the Major Feast as believing men and believing women<br />

then go up one more rung on the ladder up Sirat Al-Mustaqim (the<br />

Straight Path).<br />

During Ramadhan, we get up for suhoor before dawn, then stop<br />

eating and drinking at the break of dawn, abstain from such and<br />

such actions during the day and take Futoor (break the fast) in the<br />

evening, at the exact time of sunset. This is precise timing. The<br />

month of fasting teaches us to respect time and be precise in our<br />

dealings and timings and to be punctual at all times.<br />

The exact timing of initiating of the fast at the break of dawn and<br />

breaking it at sunset with the right count<strong>do</strong>wn to the last minute,<br />

teaches us the limits between right and wrong, between halal (permitted)<br />

and haram (prohibited), which is so essential for the elevation<br />

of the soul to a higher level on the spiritual scale.<br />

A person who can rule his/her desires and make them function as<br />

he likes, has attained true moral excellence! A 425-hour of intensive<br />

study in any particular subject of one s choice in any university<br />

would qualify one in that particular subject.<br />

Similarly, 425 hours of intense devotion in Ramadhan should certainly<br />

uplift a practicing Muslim to a state of higher spiritual achievement<br />

and earn him a reward from Allah.<br />

During Ramadhan, we also learn to inculcate in ourselves the art<br />

of patience. This, together with lessons and reminders to forgive<br />

all those who wronged us, add their own quota of enhancing our<br />

personality and outlook on life, with multiple benefits, not only in this<br />

life but also in the Hereafter.<br />

VACANCY<br />

Quran Memorizaon (Hifdh) Teacher<br />

Qualificaons<br />

●Must be a Hafidh<br />

●At least Thanawi level cerficate<br />

●Experience in teaching in a madrassa<br />

Send your applicaon with CV an tesmonials to<br />

The Secretary General<br />

Pangani Mosque and Madrassa Commiee<br />

P. O. Box 10350-00100 Nairobi<br />

Deadline: 31st August 2010<br />

Daily Urdu Lectures<br />

Daily Urdu lectures will be offered at Jamia Mosque<br />

every day during the Holy Month of Ramadhan<br />

after Dhuhr Prayers<br />

ALL ARE WELCOME<br />

Saturday Lecture<br />

Victories in Ramadhan<br />

Sheikh Abdullatif Abdulkarim<br />

Sat. 21st August 2010 2.00 pm-4.00 pm<br />

Jamia Multi Purpose Hall


The Friday Bulletin<br />

WOMEN ISSUES<br />

Ramadhan…with baby!<br />

Tips on making a mother’s fast last<br />

Ramadhan 10 1431/August 20 2010<br />

Allah The Most High Says what means: "To Allah belongs the <strong>do</strong>- a full belly, the baby will most likely be content while the mother<br />

minion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what He wills. He engages in acts of worship or other activities.<br />

gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He<br />

wills males.." [Quran 42:49]<br />

Children are God’s gifts to whomever He so pleases. As such, they<br />

should not become obstacles to our thankful efforts in Ramadhan to<br />

increase our worship of a Most Gracious and Generous Lord.<br />

Strategies for a sweet Ramadhan<br />

Aasiya, another stay-at-home, remembers being all alone during<br />

Ramadhan with her then 1-month-old baby Safa. "I was recovering<br />

from a C-section and could not <strong>do</strong> much around the house. I relied<br />

on an 'old wives' technique to make my baby sleep longer during<br />

Ramadhan is back again, Al-Hamdulillah—and not a moment the Ramadhan nights." Aasiya bathed her daughter every night be-<br />

too soon! We should be grateful we are granted another precious fore bed then swaddled her firmly in a blanket. "She would sleep<br />

chance to fast, increase our acts of worship, and pile up as many tight through the night. I would be able to recite Quran and [make]<br />

good deeds as possible in just a month's time. It is often over in a dhikr or warm up my heart in prayer without interruption."<br />

blink of an eye. So it's a race to make the most of each day and night<br />

in devotion to, and sincere worship of Allah, our Lord and Creator.<br />

Aasiya also made it a habit of getting up an hour before the Suhoor<br />

meal so that she could perform the Tahajjud Salah night vigil and<br />

But for a worshipper who's also a wife, this goal can be an oh so prepare things for the next day while her baby snoozed.<br />

difficult one to achieve—balancing a Ramadhan schedule for the<br />

soul against taking care of a home and a family in a fasting and<br />

night intensive time. This is exponentially truer for mothers who are<br />

breastfeeding and caring for a baby while fasting and running a fasting<br />

household.<br />

What helped Aasiya most during Ramadhan was keeping the<br />

Iftaar menu simple. "I stuck with preparing one appetizer, one main<br />

course and fruit salad every day during Ramadhan." She also kept<br />

the cleaning of her home to a bare minimum. "Being a cleaning<br />

freak, I had to make myself understand one thing in Ramadhan: I<br />

How often a new mother is up all night with her baby tending to its am supposed to perform my prayer and Quran recitation properly.<br />

needs and settling it to sleep! She barely closes her eyes before it's Nobody is going to award me medals for keeping the house super<br />

the wee hours of the night and its time to get up and start the fasting clean. All energy I have would be my baby's requirement when she<br />

day. The loss of sleep, weakness from fasting, and the substantial was awake in the daytime, so I should be loyal to Allah and my<br />

calorie and time losses of nursing a hungry baby can leave a wor- daughter in Ramadhan."<br />

shipping mother exhausted, even depressed.<br />

For breastfeeding mothers who want to fast but fear their milk sup-<br />

These are the last feelings of spirit a Muslim seeks to mine, espeply will diminish or they will feel extra thirsty, Aasiya shares some<br />

cially during the auspicious month of Quran. When that Muslimah advice that helped her during Ramadhan with her baby. "I always<br />

is also a mother, she struggles both to fulfill her family's needs and ate yogurt during the Suhoor meal, as someone told me it helps<br />

that of the home, in addition to her own Ramadhan worship. There prevent thirst. It worked like a charm for me. I also drank a lot of<br />

can be no <strong>do</strong>ubt that fasting, Prayer, and recitation of Quran own fluids, mostly water, during Suhoor and after Iftar." As a result, sister<br />

a higher priority over her, even as Allah Almighty reminds us in the Aasiya had no trouble fasting in Ramadhan and rarely felt thirsty,<br />

Noble Quran: "O you who have believed, let not your wealth and even though she maintained her regular breastfeeding schedule to<br />

your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever keep up with the demands of her baby.<br />

<strong>do</strong>es that – then those are the losers.." [Quran 63:9] Yet a Muslim ...If only you knew<br />

mother's household and care-giving worship <strong>do</strong> not desist.<br />

It's important to note that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are<br />

Yet while maintaining the fast and sustaining increased acts of wor- not required to fast during Ramadhan and can make up the missed<br />

ship in Ramadhan presents such women with particularly arduous days at a later date.<br />

challenges, it nonetheless remains true that she can excel on the<br />

Allah, Transcendent and Exalted, Says in the Gracious<br />

Siyaam (fasting) and Qiyaam (night Prayer) side and in the admin-<br />

Quran:"[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among<br />

istration and nurture of home and baby too. Indeed, it is not only ab-<br />

you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of<br />

solutely possible, but utterly spiritually invigorating. With substantial<br />

days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but<br />

organization and pre-planning, motivated new mothers (and new<br />

with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person<br />

mothers again) can reap all the rewards of Ramadhan and then<br />

[each day]. And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him. But<br />

some, and enjoy this special month too.<br />

to fast is best for you, if you only knew.<strong>”</strong>[Quran 2:184]<br />

Down-home Ramadhan advice<br />

Thus many Muslim women opt to fast during Ramadhan and it is<br />

Sister Alayah, a stay-at-home mother has this counsel for Ramad- permissible for them to <strong>do</strong> so, in accordance with the approval of<br />

han mothers: Do as much preparation as possible well before Ram- the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. Remember!<br />

adhan even begins. "I have fasted during pregnancy, while breast- All the missed fasts from Ramadhan must be made up at a later<br />

feeding, and [while] coping with colicky babies. <strong>You</strong> name it and I date.<br />

went through it.<strong>”</strong> What worked best for Sister Alayah was making a<br />

Moreover, not fasting in Ramadhan truly makes the heart heavy<br />

balanced Ramadhan schedule and sticking to it. "I just made sure<br />

and sad. "When you are determined to fast in Ramadhan so that<br />

that everything had its time and place. I planned the Ramadhan<br />

you <strong>do</strong> not have to make up the fasts later all alone, you show cour-<br />

Suhoor and Iftaar meals beforehand. I created the daily menus and<br />

age," observes Aasiya. "Ask Allah for help. It is His blessing that will<br />

went shopping."<br />

energize you during the fast. <strong>You</strong> will feel successful after a whole<br />

For older children, Alayah recommends having crafts and simple month of Ramadhan worship while juggling the care of your baby<br />

toys on hand to keep them occupied so that you can perform prayer, and the house-work."<br />

read the Quran, or work in the kitchen. "I make Ramadhan folders<br />

Ramadhan is like a rainbow that appears in the sky after a cloud-<br />

for my children. They have their own schedule for fun activities durburst<br />

on a sun-drenched day. Its beauty and mercy last only as long<br />

ing the Ramadhan day, as well as Quran and Hadeeth study pages.<br />

as the time it is permitted by Allah. <strong>Muslims</strong> must seize the Ramad-<br />

I also print coloring and craft pages from the Internet, which is an<br />

han days and nights in utter worship of Allah while striving to keep<br />

excellent resource."<br />

distractions at bay.<br />

As for caring for a baby, Alayah says: "I always make sure that my<br />

"Ramadhan is a beautiful month, so have patience," says Sister<br />

baby is well fed and cared for first before I tend to other activities."<br />

Alayah. "Get the whole family involved in worship and lending a<br />

By <strong>do</strong>ing this, the baby is less likely to be fussy when the mother<br />

hand to the mother of the home so that she, too, can worship."<br />

wants to perform prayer or read the Quran. With a clean diaper and<br />

4


Ramadhan 10 1431/August 20 2010<br />

Altaf Hussein<br />

<strong>You</strong> know the routine. <strong>You</strong>r body goes<br />

into shock the first day of Ramadhan.<br />

All of a sudden, one morning you wake<br />

up before the time for Fajr Prayer, devour<br />

your food up until the last second<br />

before the time for Fajr prayer comes<br />

in, pray your Fajr Prayer, and then, before<br />

anyone can say “Ramadhan mubarak,<strong>”</strong><br />

you’re back under your warm<br />

covers, dreaming about iftar. When<br />

you wake back up later that morning<br />

and go about your day, your body is<br />

in shock. It has no idea why all of a<br />

sudden you won’t quench your thirst.<br />

Or why you won’t grab that candy<br />

bar—you know, the one with the layers<br />

of chocolate, then caramel, then<br />

peanuts, then more chocolate, and<br />

yes, a wafer somewhere in-between.<br />

<strong>You</strong>r mouth waters, you are salivating<br />

uncontrollably, and yet you know you<br />

can’t eat because it’s Ramadhan and<br />

you are fasting!<br />

That’s right, somehow you forgot to<br />

warn your body that for the next month<br />

you would be experiencing a special<br />

routine of praying, fasting, reading the<br />

Qur’an, being more generous, and<br />

exercising self-restraint.<br />

It is beneficial to begin with a reminder<br />

about the significance of Ramadhan<br />

from the Qur’an itself. Allah<br />

tells us in the Qur’an: “the month of<br />

Ramadhan in which the Qur’an was<br />

revealed, a guidance for mankind and<br />

clear proofs for the guidance of the<br />

Criterion between right and wrong. So<br />

whosoever of you sights the crescent<br />

for the month of Ramadhan, he must<br />

fast that month<strong>”</strong> (Al-Baqarah 2:185).<br />

Among the countless blessings associated<br />

with Ramadhan, one that<br />

should not escape us is the fact that<br />

Ramadhan is the month in which the<br />

Qur’an was revealed. This beautiful<br />

book of guidance is ours, so let us<br />

strive during Ramadhan to draw closer<br />

to Allah by increasing our reading<br />

of the Qur’an and increasing our voluntary<br />

prayers. This month is blessed<br />

because of the countless opportunities<br />

we have to mention the name of<br />

Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings<br />

be upon him) stated that “no people<br />

gather in a house from the houses<br />

of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and<br />

studying it amongst themselves, except<br />

that tranquility descends upon<br />

them, mercy envelops them, the angels<br />

surround them, and Allah mentions<br />

them to those that are with Him<strong>”</strong><br />

(Sahih Muslim).<br />

Reading the Qur’an<br />

Think back to this past year, all the<br />

way back to last Ramadhan. What<br />

has been your relationship with the<br />

Qur’an? How often were you reading<br />

the Qur’an? What efforts did you<br />

YOUTH AND CHILDREN<br />

Drawing Closer to Allah in Ramadhan<br />

5<br />

The Friday Bulletin<br />

make to memorize portions of the Qur’an? What specific surahs or verses had an impact on you<br />

this past year? Take some time to write <strong>do</strong>wn your responses to these questions. Be frank with<br />

yourself because the responses are known only to you and Allah. Let your responses also be a<br />

checkpoint of some sort so that you can compare them with this Ramadhan. Ramadhan presents<br />

to all of us an opportunity to develop a personal routine as a result of efforts of maximizing selfrestraint<br />

and enhancing self-development.<br />

Why exactly is it important that we spend time reading the Qur’an? First, in Ramadhan the mood<br />

around us is very advantageous for reading and reflection. Throughout the year, we might read on<br />

our own, sometimes in a rush, sometimes heedlessly. In Ramadhan people are trying to complete<br />

reading the entire Qur’an in one month. In addition, abstaining from food and drink helps us to<br />

suppress our lowly desires in pursuit of higher level, intellectual and spiritual desires such that we<br />

can actually reflect upon the meaning of the verses we are reading from the Qur’an. That reflection<br />

is intended to help us to internalize the teachings of the Qur’an to the degree that all aspects<br />

of our lives are aligned with those teachings.<br />

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6700 slide, 6303i and 2710.


The Friday Bulletin<br />

OPINION<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> deliberately locked out of Cabinet implementation committee<br />

Mwenye N. Said<br />

The Coast and North Eastern people in general<br />

and <strong>Muslims</strong> in particular cannot and should not<br />

be marginalized and shut out when it comes to<br />

the implementation of the new constitution.<br />

In the just established 16-member cabinet team<br />

tasked to oversee the implementation of the new<br />

constitution to be headed by President Mwai<br />

Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga there is<br />

no single Muslim in the team. It is very saddening<br />

that the implementation of the new constitution<br />

seems to be starting on a wrong footing right from<br />

the top. Prime Minister Odinga has been quoted<br />

publicly telling Kenyans that the constitution is for<br />

all Kenyans and its implementation will<br />

be an all inclusive exercise. He claims that<br />

even the “No team<strong>”</strong> legislators will be included in<br />

its implementation process in the National<br />

Assembly.<br />

While the implementation of the constitution will<br />

not involve the “Reds,<strong>”</strong> the fact is that even a section of the “Greens<strong>”</strong><br />

is being excluded and not forming part of the prime minister’s socalled<br />

“all inclusive<strong>”</strong> tag line. Here is why. The cabinet team to oversee<br />

the implementation of the new constitution, is not an all inclusive<br />

team and it <strong>do</strong>es not represent the true face of Kenya.<br />

More to this, the composition of the team will raise more eyebrows<br />

as there is also no representation from the country’s two provinces<br />

of Coast and North Eastern.<br />

While these two provinces are not represented in this key cabinet<br />

team all other provinces have more than two members in the team.<br />

Its insulting Kenyans intelligence if Kibaki and Raila think the public<br />

will assume that the omission to be just a coincidence that the two<br />

Learn sign language to help<br />

the hearing impaired<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> have been urged to learn sign language<br />

to effectively communicate with the hearing impaired<br />

members of the society.<br />

AbdulWahab Ali, a sign language instructor at Jamia<br />

Training Institute (JTI) said it was imperative<br />

for <strong>Muslims</strong> to know the art to communicate in<br />

sign language as this is also an important tool to<br />

propagate Islam.<br />

“There are only 10 <strong>Muslims</strong> sign language interpreters<br />

in the country yet we have many <strong>Muslims</strong><br />

who are hearing impaired and need to learn Islam.<strong>”</strong><br />

he said.<br />

In Muslim <strong>do</strong>minated areas, Abdulwahhab said<br />

Christian evangelical workers have taken advantage<br />

of this deficiency and using sign language to<br />

propagate their faith among the Muslim faithful.<br />

The Principal of JTI Fatma Khamis challenged<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> to ensure they learn the sign language<br />

saying that many people with hearing impairment<br />

have been neglected in relation to Islamic knowledge<br />

due to lack of appropriate communication.<br />

She lamented over the few number of Muslim students<br />

taking up the subject at the institute saying<br />

that since the introduction of the course, few <strong>Muslims</strong><br />

have enrolled and non-<strong>Muslims</strong> happened to<br />

be the main beneficiaries.<br />

During the current school holidays, JTI has organised<br />

special madrasa classes for the deaf where<br />

they will be taught various principles of Islam.<br />

Jamia training Institute is the only Islamic institution<br />

in the country that offers sign language<br />

classes.<br />

Mandera Central MP Abdikadir<br />

Hussein Muhammad<br />

Ramadhan 10 1431/August 20 2010<br />

pre<strong>do</strong>minantly Muslim provinces missed out in<br />

the selection and that they jointly and or separately<br />

have no hidden motive behind this act on<br />

their respective parts. Any average intelligent<br />

and progressive Kenyan can figure it out that it<br />

was a deliberate attempt on the part of the two<br />

principals to exclude the pre<strong>do</strong>minantly Muslim<br />

provinces. Plain and simple.<br />

It is very sad day in Kenya today, sad day to the<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> who are observing the fast in the month<br />

of Ramadhan to have been shut out on the cabinet<br />

implementation committee.<br />

Experience tells me that, the two principals knew<br />

of this fact and they chose to ignore it. It makes<br />

one wondering as to what kind of message the<br />

president and the prime minister are sending to<br />

the residents of the two provinces in general<br />

and to the Muslim community in particular by ex<br />

cluding them in this important cabinet committee?<br />

Is the message to be summed that <strong>Muslims</strong> <strong>do</strong> not matter<br />

when it comes to matter concerning Kenya.<br />

If <strong>Muslims</strong> and the two provinces missed out be to selected to the<br />

16-cabinet implementation team where the total number of entire<br />

cabinet is nearly 42, what are the chances of any of the two provinces’<br />

legislators’ (and <strong>Muslims</strong> for that matter) to be selected to join<br />

the remaining 13 slots in the proposed 15-member Constitutional<br />

Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) in a 220-member parliament.<br />

<strong>You</strong>r guess is good as mine.<br />

At the moment we should thank God that the Mandera Central MP<br />

Abdikadir Muhammad is already being proposed to be co-opted<br />

into CIOC.<br />

JTI is now an Islamic Online University<br />

examination centre<br />

Jamia Training Institute has been appointed as a national examination centre for the<br />

Qatari based Islamic Online University (IOU). In the partnership, students enrolling in<br />

the academic programme of Bachelors Arts in Islamic Studies (BAIS) will sit for their<br />

examination at the Institute.<br />

The degree programme is the first tuition free online Islamic Studies course which<br />

allows students from across the world to utilize online learning technology to attain<br />

university level Islamic education at virtually no cost. “This will utilize, to the fullest<br />

extent, opportunities provided by unprecedented access to the Internet, enhanced<br />

online learning technology, and rising desire among <strong>Muslims</strong> worldwide to learn their<br />

religion at an academic level,<strong>”</strong> says a statement from the website.<br />

Students are only required to meet the cost of registration and examination fees which<br />

for Kenya the rates are pegged at a modest US$20 (Sh 1,600).<br />

Full information on Course Description and Details can be obtained from http://bais.<br />

islamiconlineuniversity.com/ For admission inquiries contact Registrar@islamiconlineuniversity.com<br />

The Islamic Online University (IOU) is the brainchild of the renowned Canadian Muslim<br />

scholar, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Phillips. It was established with a vision to offer<br />

online intensive, undergraduate, and graduate courses in Islamic Studies completely<br />

tuition-free.<br />

It opened its <strong>do</strong>ors in 2007 with 1,500 students and currently the IOU boasts of a<br />

student body of over 15,000 students from over 160 different countries<br />

Pakistan flood appeal<br />

Story From Page 1<br />

More than 1,500 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands stranded by<br />

flooding and landslides triggered by the annual monsoon rains. Survivors have been<br />

left without food and shelter as houses and livestock have been destroyed. The floodwaters<br />

have washed away millions of hectares of crops, submerged villages and<br />

destroyed roads and bridges. Disease is spreading among Pakistani flood victims.<br />

More than 12 million people affected in the disaster whose ripple effects have eclipsed<br />

those of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.<br />

6


The Friday Bulletin<br />

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Eid around 9/11 puts US <strong>Muslims</strong> in a tizz<br />

NEW YORK: The lunar calendar that<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> follow for religious holidays is<br />

creating a potential for misunderstandings<br />

or worse in a year when American<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> are already confronting a spike<br />

in assaults on their faith and protests<br />

against new mosques.<br />

Eid Al-Fitr, a joyous holiday marking the<br />

end of the holy month of Ramadan, this<br />

year falls around Sept. 11. Muslim leaders<br />

fear that their gatherings for prayer<br />

and festivities could be misinterpreted by<br />

those unfamiliar with Islam as a celebration<br />

of the 2001 terrorist strikes.<br />

The Muslim Public Affairs Council, an<br />

advocacy group based in Los Angeles,<br />

is contacting law enforcement and the<br />

Justice Department civil rights division to<br />

alert them to the overlap.<br />

The Islamic Circle of North America,<br />

which organizes Muslim Family Days<br />

at the Six Flags amusement park in<br />

several cities around Eid Al-Fitr, this year<br />

planned nothing for Saturday, Sept. 11,<br />

because of the anniversary.<br />

A founder of Muslim Family Day, Tariq<br />

Amanullah, worked at the World Trade<br />

Center and was killed in the attacks. The<br />

Council on American-Islamic Relations,<br />

a Washington-based civil rights group,<br />

FROM THE BOOK<br />

OF ALLAH<br />

Lo! Allah will<br />

cause those who<br />

believe and <strong>do</strong><br />

good works to<br />

enter Gardens<br />

underneath<br />

which rivers<br />

flow, wherein<br />

they will be allowed<br />

armlets<br />

of gold, and<br />

pearls, and<br />

their raiment<br />

therein will be<br />

silk.<br />

(Quran 22;23)<br />

is urging mosques to review the group’s<br />

security guidelines, including clearing brush<br />

where people could hide and installing<br />

surveillance cameras.<br />

“The issue I can sense brewing on hate<br />

sites on the Internet is, ‘These <strong>Muslims</strong><br />

are celebrating on Sept. 11,<strong>”</strong>’ said Ibrahim<br />

Hooper, national spokesman for CAIR.<br />

“It’s getting really scary out there.<strong>”</strong> The<br />

exact date of Eid Al-Fitr this year is not yet<br />

known.<br />

<strong>Muslims</strong> follow different authorities on<br />

moonsightings and astronomical calculations<br />

to decide when a holiday begins.<br />

In North America, the Eid could fall on<br />

Thursday, Sept. 9, Friday, Sept. 10, or<br />

Saturday, Sept. 11.<br />

It is one of the two biggest Muslim holidays<br />

of the year, the other major holiday is Eid<br />

Al-Adha, at the end of the Hajj, the annual<br />

pilgrimage to Makkah.<br />

In pre<strong>do</strong>minantly Muslim countries, the<br />

celebration can last for three days. But<br />

because of work and school obligations in<br />

the US, American <strong>Muslims</strong> generally attend<br />

congregational prayer on the day of the<br />

holiday, then continue the festivities over<br />

the next weekend or two.<br />

Recently the debate over a proposed<br />

mosque and Islamic center near Ground<br />

Zero has become a national issue.<br />

A million reasons to<br />

support Ummah Foundation<br />

A significant number of Kenya’s population is<br />

Muslim. We could not be the largest percentage<br />

of the populace, but our numbers are significant.<br />

They are significant enough to bring<br />

change in and out of the community. The unity<br />

of purpose in the just successfully concluded<br />

referendum is a good example of our strength.<br />

To add more spice, the success has just come<br />

to the country at the start of the Blessed month<br />

of Ramadhan.<br />

Millions of people in our community are in the<br />

throes of poverty. They are struggling through<br />

poverty, hunger, disease and ignorance occasioned<br />

by among other reasons years of<br />

neglect in national development programmes.<br />

Most of these affected areas are found in the<br />

arid, semi arid areas of the country and urban<br />

slum areas like the Majengos of Nairobi and<br />

Mombasa.<br />

Ummah Foundation has very developed<br />

project plans, intermediate plans, as well as<br />

strategic plans of lifting up the Muslim Ummah<br />

to a comfortable level out of poverty, hunger,<br />

disease and ignorance. With your support, we<br />

have been able to achieve the following:<br />

● Provision of bursaries and scholarships to<br />

the needy and deserving students.<br />

● Provision of medical assistance to the<br />

needy. This includes organising eye operations<br />

for the needy.<br />

● Distribution of relief food and clean water<br />

during the long drought.<br />

● Distribution of Iftar to the needy Muslim families<br />

across the country.<br />

● Provision of wheelchairs to the needy physically<br />

challenged persons.<br />

● Provision of computers to a number of Islamic<br />

institutions.<br />

● Developing a high level Madarassah system<br />

for the whole country as well as providing<br />

teacher’s salaries and learning materials.<br />

● Construction of low cost housing for the<br />

poor.<br />

● Assistance in the Prisoners Rehabilitation<br />

Program.<br />

● Zakat distribution as directed by the Holy<br />

Qur’an.<br />

Burial and funeral arrangements for the<br />

needy.<br />

To be able to come closer to achieving our<br />

goals of caring for our people, we still need<br />

your support. <strong>You</strong> may send your <strong>do</strong>nations<br />

through the following accounts:<br />

Ummah Foundation,<br />

First Community Bank, Wabera Street, AC No.<br />

101943-01 (Ksh) or 101943-02 (US $)<br />

Or Gulf African Bank- Kenyatta Avenue<br />

AC No.s 0720 002001 (Ksh) 0720 002002 (US<br />

$) or 0720 002003 (Zakat Account)<br />

Or visit our offices Village Plaza, Ngara Rd,<br />

Suite A2, P.O.Box 58717-00100, Nairobi.<br />

The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: fridaybulletin@gmail.com.<br />

Printed by Colour Magic Production Ltd-Kirinyaga Crescent P. O. Box 9581-00100 Nairobi

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