islam today april 2016

issue 34 vol. 4April 2016

islam today

A Spiritual Weekend

The Hawza Experience

Sahifat ul Mahdi(aj)

Publisher

The Islamic Centre of England140 Maida ValeLondonW9 1QBTel: +44 20 7604 5500 ISSN

22051-2503

Editorial team

Managing Director M. Saeed Bahmanpour

Chief Editor Amir De Martino

Managing Editor Anousheh Mireskandari

Layout and Design Innovative Graphics

islam todayissue 34 vol. 4

April 2016

islam today magazine is a monthly magazinepublished by the London based Islamic Centre ofEngland. It focuses on the activities of thecommunities affiliated to the Centre, reflecting aculture of openness and respect towards otherreligious communities both Islamic and non.The magazine is available in paper and digitalformat.

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Contents

islam today April 2016 3'Inclusiveness as a Strategy for Preventing and CounteringRadicalisationSheikh Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali's speech - Brussels 3 March 2016

A Spiritual Weekend with Dr Mohammad Ali ShomaliOrganised by Kawthar Learning Circle - 5th & 6th March 2016, Montreal

The ABSoc Presidential RetreatOrganised by the Muslim Student Council (MSC) – report by MaryamHaneef

‘Islam and violence’ - conferenceOrganised by ‘Dimore della Sapienza’ and the ‘Link Campus University’,Rome - Report by Hossein Morelli & Abbas Di Palma

The Sahifa Al Sajjadiyah WorkshopsLebanese Mosque - London 3rd March 2016

Alliance of Abrahamic faiths; the need of the Hourby Adnan Oktar

The NHS and religionby Revd Frank Julian Gelli

The Hawza Experienceby Ezra Hashme

The Sahifat ul Mahdi(aj)

Book review

Artby Moriam Grillo

Children Cornerby Ghazaleh Kamrani

What & WhereListing of Events

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Reports

e have about 19 years of relations betweenShiites and Catholics and so far we have hadsix rounds of discussions, the last one beingin Assisi. The 7th programme will be in Qum

in May 2016. We have published six volumes and the lastthree ones are called Monks and Muslim 1,2 and 3 which iscoedited by myself and father William Skudlarek from theMonastic Interfaith Dialogue. Although I have been incontact with many Christian denominations but for some –perhaps historical reasons and some theological reasons,dialogue with Catholic Church has become more advanced. Ihope these meetings will be inspired by God Almighty as youare performing a great undertaking. You are thinking andplanning about how peace in Europe can be helped andmaintained.

What I want to share is a reflection on human history.Something seems to be a repetitive pattern in human historyand whether we are religious or not we all face similarproblems. Although religions came to help us to deal with

these problems but we manage to create the same problemsand just give them a new form and shape, sometimes evendeceiving ourselves. For example, one of the biggestproblems for humankind is the lack of commitment to thetruth.The Qur’an tells us in the second chapter, verse 213, thatinitially people lived a very simple life; we did not have acomplicated community life. But people started disagreeingand arguing among themselves. They started fighting over‘what is mine what is yours’. And God sent them prophetsand books to help them to overcome conflicts. The idea wasto benefit from the guidance coming through the revelationto get rid of these conflicts (ekhtelaf). Then God says, whenthe prophets came people started arguing about themessage of the prophets. The same human problem hasnow taken the name of religion. So maybe in the past theyfought over a piece of land - now they fight over religions for

the minds of people. But the mentality is the same. What wefind in human history is that no religious community isimmune to these problems. Unless we equip ourselves withdeep love for truth and God, we would not be immune fromthese problems.

A few years ago, when I was visiting Rome, it occurred to me

W

Sheikh Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali's address at the:

PPrreevveennttiinngg aanndd ccoouunntteerriinngg rraaddiiccaalliissaattiioonn ddeebbaatteeOrganised by COMECE (the Catholic Church in the European Union) Brussels 3 March 2016

The Islamic Centre of England

4 islam today April 2016

Those who have no God in theirlives, they are orphans in the real

sense and they suffer. This could createreal problems for them and othersbecause there is no principle of love, ofbeauty, of justice and of thetranscendent...

'

how we suffer in this world,due to no love for God. Somepeople have no experience ofthis love. Religious people arenot able to understand howsomeone suffers if they don’thave this love. This is akin towhat an orphan feels, but ifyou are not an orphan youcannot feel it. Those who haveno God in their lives, they are orphans in the real sense andthey suffer. This could create real problems for them andothers because there is no principle of love, of beauty, ofjustice and of the transcendent, the reality that regulates andguides their lives. But there are people who have love forGod, but their love is not of good ones.

Sometimes love for God can be very destructive. There aretwo ways to love God. Some religious people, even maybepseudo mystics, people who are very much into spirituality,think they have love for God, but their love for God ispossessive. They love God in a sense that they want to ownGod. Like people who love their car as a belonging. Theywant to own it, control it, and it is us who decide who canhave it. This is destructive, because we bring God to the levelof selfish human beings, and we put our own interest andideas in the name of God. So whatever selfish act we want todo we say that is what God wants me to do. That is the Godthat tells us to kill, to get rid of other people. A god which isbrought down to the level of a tribe has no interest in othertribes. A god, who is brought down to the level of onereligion, does not care about other religious communities.

But there are other ways of loving God and that is instead ofpossessing God, you are possessed by God. Instead ofbringing God down to our level we want to risetowards God and we have a Godly look at the world.Then no one would only be concern about theirown tribe or religion.

So we have one of these ways to choose from. Thesad reality is that in the most of cases we havepossessive love for God. This possessive love can befor one person or one religion. There might be onebillion people, but not for six billion people. Thisgod can be the god of Christians or Muslims only,but not for everyone. This is the sad reality. But wehave in all traditions, people who have really tried tolove God, be possessed by God and rise to the levelof being able to see everyone and have concern foreveryone, in a Godly way.Something which I believe comes with true

spirituality is that youalways measure yournearness to God bybeing humble and haveconcern for otherpeople especially forpeople who differ fromyou. Love for Godcannot be onlymeasured with concern

for my fellow mosque people or church people. If I am reallytrying to get close to God, it means I am really trying toexpand my love for people, even for animals, plants andanything which is created by God. How can we think that weare true lovers of God, and remain narrow minded and onlycare for our own tribe or religion?

I think this is a very important issue that lies deep in secularforces or some extremist religious forces. They don’t have areal experience of love of God. If this love exists, it would beimpossible to even see the suffering of others, let alone bethe cause of that suffering. A true lover of God cannot seeanyone being misplaced, lose their houses or jobs. So whydo some people in the name of religion commit all theseacts? Because they do not have this experience of the truelove of God. I have said many times that actually what wesee in extremists is that they are new to religion or have noproper religious background. Many of these people are notpeople who used to go to places of worship and learningregularly. These are late arrivals and they want to fast track.There is some gap in their life. Many of these people are noteven very religious, but now there are a lot of big changes inthe world and because they feel guilt they want to move fastto compensate and that is creating problems.

islam today April 2016 5

A god which is brought down to

the level of a tribe has no

interest in other tribes. A god, who

is brought down to the level of one

religion, does not care about other

religious communities.

'

he Kawthar Learning Circle students hosted 'ASpiritual Weekend with Dr. Mohammad AliShomali' on March 5th and 6th at the ShianeHaidery Islamic Association in Montreal. The two-

day programme was attended by Muslims from differentschools of thought and three cities of Montreal, Toronto andyouth from Ottawa. There were approximately 120participants from diverse cultural backgrounds, aged from 11years old to mature adults. Attendants attentively listened toShaykh Shomali’s presentations which provided thoroughand clear illustrative examples. The audience’s engagementwith the lectures on Imamah (divinely-appointed leadership)which included its definition, prerequisites and our currentresponsibility towards it and on Self-Development, whichdelineated its journey and its endpoints, was apparent fromthe questions during the Q&A sessions.

The first lecture was a historical analysis of theunderstanding of Imamah, held by Muslims over time,showing how it was reduced from being defined as;

1) A supreme leadership of the Ummah in both its worldlyand religious affairs to any leadership that affords order.Shaykh Shomali refuted this interpretation, illustrating thatImamah first and utmost is a matter of the Command,Covenant and Vicegerency of God (Qur’an 2:124);2) A position beyond the reach of Angels (2:30-33);3) A position only granted to a person who has successfullypassed trials of prophetic difficulty (2:124); and

4) The person whoembodies thecontinuity of directdivine guidancethrough the personof the Imam tohumankind asmentioned in theHoly Qur’an, “Andthose whodisbelieve say: Whyhas not a sign beensent down uponhim from his Lord?You are only awarner and (thereis) a guide for everypeople”. (13:7)

Knowing that the depth and breadth of Islam would requiregenerations before being fully grasped by the Ummah, Sh.Shomali explained the Messenger left behind the twoweighty things (al-thaqalayn), namely the Holy Qur’an andthe Ahl ul Bayt(a) and he elaborated on the responsibilitiesdivinely commissioned to the Imams, stating that they inheritthree major roles from the Messenger of Islam; teaching ofIslam, judgment over disputes and supreme governance.Over eleven generations, the Imams directly presented andguided people towards true Islam, continuously revealingmore of its depth and detail in line with the evolution of thecollective human mind.

Sh. Shomali also explained that during the period ofoccultation, qualified godly scholars must continue to fulfilthe three major roles with important differences in rank andknowledge and that the quintessential connection from thebeliever to the godly scholars, to the Imams, and to theMessenger of God, is an inevitable milestone for our ultimatesalvation.

In the subsequent lecture, Dr. Shomali elaborated on theknowledge held by the Imam, which is bestowed on himdirectly from God. For further clarification, he introduced thelofty position of the truthful witness (shahid) who is asked tobear testimony over the actions and realities of preset groupsof people on Judgment Day. By cross-referencing a numberof verses, he showed that this position of immenseknowledge is not restricted to the Messenger, the ProphetMuhammad(s) (4:41) but that it carries over to the Imam ofthe time who is from the people (16:89), lives among them(5:117), has knowledge of the Book (13:43) and is from him(11:17).Dr Shomali’s lectures continued with his talk on the heavyresponsibility upon every Muslim to continuously strive toattain recognition and gnosis of the Imam of their time. Heasserted that this knowledge is not a function of physical ortemporal proximity to the Imam. Rather, it is a function ofspiritual, behavioural and emotional proximity. Hence, thosewho identify themselves as his followers cannot be certain ofhaving knowledge of the Imam of their time unless they havedeveloped an intimate knowledge of the Imam and of theirtimes.On the subject of self-development, Sh. Shomali began bystating that our only worthy purpose is the pursuit ofperfection and purity and realisation of self-purification.Tazkiyah is so significant that it is part of the historic

T

A Spiritual Weekendwith Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali

Organised by Kawthar Learning Circle - 5th & 6th March 2016, Montreal.


supplications of the Prophet Ibrahim(a) (2:128-129). He thenexplained that birr, meaning purity and growth, can only beachieved by giving up and letting go of all forms of materialattachments (3:92, 9:103). Above and beyond reduction infood, sleep and other unnecessary interactions, he assertedthat self-purification is, above all, a matter of the heart asper the following verse, “The Day whereon neither wealthnor sons will avail, but only he (will prosper) that brings toAllah a sound heart” (26:88-89). He concluded that someof the most important signs of self-purification are absenceof arrogance, readiness to quickly admit one’s mistakes,pursuit of the truth, and being critical with oneself. In otherwords, the pure find their honour in complying with theTruth, rather than endeavouring to make the Truth complywith them.Sh. Shomali then stated that people cannot attain self-purification through detachment alone; they must alsoattach themselves to God through prayer (salah). Throughprayer our relationship with God is strengthened, just asthrough zakat (alms giving) our relationship with humanbeings is solidified. Heasserted that everything wedo to travel towards God isultimately part of a journeycomprised of a series ofchallenges. People may startat different places, howeverthe journey itself is infinite foreverybody. After exertingone’s full effort, if one puts alltheir trust in God alone, Heguides the traveller to thenecessary techniques andmeans and He covers most ofthe distance to reach thesincere traveller. (17:19, 47:7).

In the final lecture of the spiritual retreat, Sh. Shomalirecounted the most important outcomes of becoming close(muqarrab) to God. He derived inspiration from theinferences that can be made from the Quranic depiction ofPharaoh’s promise to the magicians (7:113-114; 26:41-42).He noted that although these are Quranic verses that quotethe words of Pharaoh, they are nevertheless the words ofGod and continue to provide invaluable insight. Using theanalogy of being close to the King, he made severalcompelling deductions. Next, he asserted that theremembrance (dhikr) of God is the means to attain HisProximity. Dhikr is an activity of the heart that defines itsdirectedness towards God. Dhikr of God needs orientationand direction, and orientation and direction needsrecognition and obedience to the Imam of the time.

Over 200 books, which were either written by Dr Shomali orwritten under his supervision, were sold during this event.


ne of the trends seen in university studentsocieties is that towards the middle of theacademic year they tend to lose motivation andbecome overwhelmed by the problems that arise.

These issues together with the urgency of academic studiescan make it difficult to find solutions and lead societies tolose morale.

In response to this trend the Muslim Student Council (MSC),the umbrella body that governs the Ahlul-Bayt Societies(ABSoc) in Britain held its annual weekend retreatprogramme in scenic Shropshire at Condover Hall.MSC sends an invitation to all ABSoc’s across the UK. Theinvitation is aimed at the ABSoc president (or representative)and a committee member or an aspiring president for thenext Academic year.

The members that register for the retreat apply online andchoose the activities and workshops they prefer and whatthey hope to gain from the retreat. These are all taken intoaccount and the most popular choices are selected for theretreat programme.Once the registration period is over, MSC sends a starterpack with details of the programme, participants are put intogroups for workshops that require separate teams, and themeans of transport are organised.

The retreat itself is held over two and half days. The typicalprogramme would be a workshop followed by activity andreflection before prayer. All prayers are done in jam’at(congregation) and are led by a religious scholar.Each workshop has its own instructor. These are from arange of backgrounds. Most of the workshops are done byMSC members who have either recently graduated fromuniversity or are in their final year. They all have ABSocexperience or are active members of the community.

The aim of the retreat is also to connect the ABSocs withthe MSC so they can work together more effectively. Duringthe retreat there are meetings with the MSC president,committee and the ABSoc presidents to improveperformance. After the retreat there is a Skype meeting todiscuss campaigns. There is also an ABsoc summit in thesummer when newly elected ABSoc presidents meet up formore leadership building programmes.

The retreat sought to bring together ABSoc presidents andcommittee members from across the UK for a weekend offun activities, interactive workshops, spirituality andleadership skills development.

I had the privilege of being part of this year’s retreatprogramme. What immediately stood out for me was thefriendly atmosphere and the quality of the workshops. Manyof us were first timers in the programme, yet thecamaraderie was such that it seemed as if we had knowneach other for years.

There were many activities packed into the weekend. Someworkshops explored our passion when we communicatewith others, our motivations in being the change we want tosee in the world, and our mindfulness of our surroundingsand ourselves amidst the hustle and bustle of university life.

Archery, fencing and the workshops notwithstanding, thebest part for me was the opportunity to connect with otherABSocs in the UK, from Leeds, Manchester and Bradford toCardiff and London. Here we realised that the issues we faceare not as big as we had previously thought. From eachother we learned how to deal with these issues and move on.Often the answers to our problems are really simple, it’s justthat our present conditions and mindsets prevent us fromseeing clear solutions.

O


This retreat helped me to be aware of the importance ofsharing our concerns with others who might be able seethem from a different perspective and reveal unforeseensolutions.There were many opportunities for increased spiritualdevelopment during the retreat. These included sharing ourinspirational ahadith (narrations) and Quranic versesaround a camp fire, talks on life and death and my favourite,communicating with God.Talking with God is intimate. He does not see me just as astudent, or from this or that social category, God sees thetrue ME and it is this soul that He calls upon to talk to Him.Talking with God doesn’t follow a ritual or a guideline;rather it is a conversation between the soul and the Creator.Fascinating!

It is our love for the Ahlul Bayt(a) that unites us. We all striveto make ABSoc a society whose message is heard, whosevalues are known and respected and to build on our love forthe Ahlul Bayt(a) and share it with others. In this respectevery step we take on this path is an important one andevery challenge we face and overcome will only make usstronger.

We left the retreat spiritually refreshed, mentally motivated,with new friends for life and a reinforced love for the AhlulBayt(a) accompanied by a sense of duty as Muslims to be thechange we want to see in the world.

Marayam Haneef is amember of ABSoc anda medical student.



slamic civilisation and its profound teachings was thetopic of a recent conference, organised by theInternational Study Centre ‘Dimore della Sapienza’(Houses of Knowledge) and the ‘Link Campus

University’ in Rome. In this conference titled ‘Islam andviolence’, the distinguished guest speakers addressed a hallfull of attendants at the Link Campus UniversityThe conference moderator Tiziana Ciavardini, journalistand anthropologist, welcomed the attendants and guests forthis special occasion.The first speaker, Professor Mario Polia, archaeologist,anthropologist and historian of religions stated that duringhis numerous travels to Islamic countries, he had theopportunity to visit several Islamic religious authorities, and

ordinary believers. This enabled him to deepen hisknowledge about Islam in addition to simply reading books.He referred to many common points between Islam andChristianity particularly on spiritual matters. He focused onthe common idea that God, besides being Creator, is alsoGuide and Educator of His creation which He does notabandon or isolate. Professor Polia underlined theimportance played by all religions, especially the role ofChristianity and Islam, saying that they should worktogether, while keeping their specificity, in order to face theprevailing onslaught of secularism against everythingdeemed holy.The second talk was given by Carlo Corbucci, a barristerand expert in metaphysics and the scholarly works of Rene’

Guenon. Corbucci referred to the talk by Professor Poliaadding that in order to really comprehend every religion,with special focus on Islam in our day and age, we need tofocus on its fundamental and most profound teachingsrather than more contingent aspects. He reminded us thatIslam has in itself both the possibility of salvation forordinary believers and liberation for those subjects morepredisposed to an inner spiritual way that is the overcomingof human limits and achieving proximity to God.

The conference continued with a speech by Professor AnnaMaria Cossiga, an anthropologist and lecturer of geographyand daughter of an eartwhile President of the ItalianRepublic. Professor Cossiga said that the element ofviolence is undoubtedly inherent to most religions, andparticularly monotheistic religions, as is evident from theirholy books, but obviously the interpretation and theexplanation of the verses related to such aspects must betaken into consideration. She quoted a book on ‘Jihad’written by the Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan that she

‘Islamand violence’

Conferenceby Hossein Morelli & Abbas Di Palma


Conference

I

found interesting and relevant to the topic, saying that it isvery significant that both Muslims and non- Muslims carryout the necessary responsibility of reciprocal acquaintancenot only at the religious level but also culturally.

The fourth guest, Dr Ghorban Ali Pourmarjan, Director ofthe Cultural Institute of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Italy,explained that the message of Islam is essentially peaceful,as is signified by the root of the Arabic word ‘Islam’ whichlinguistically denotes the concept of ‘peace’. A derivation ofthe root is used in the Islamic greeting that Muslims sharewhen they meet each other, and is present in the ritualprayers performed daily by Muslim believers. Dr. Pourmarjanmade a reference to the second letter of Imam Khamenei toWestern youth wherein the Supreme Leader referred to

terrorism as a ‘common pain’ between Muslims andWesterners.Subsequently Hujjatulislam Abolfazl Emami, Head of the‘Imam Mahdi’ Islamic Centre in Rome, explained that whilesome aspects such as justice and oppression haveintrinsically their own values (the former positive and thelatter negative), violence and non-violence are not positiveor negative in themselves but subordinated to the absolutevalue for which they are utilised. He reminded us of the factthat no state in the world has declared violence asabsolutely negative. The Shia scholar said that if violence issubordinated in the service of justice, it brings a positivevalue; therefore it is very important to understand the realmeaning of justice and he quoted the words of Imam Ali(a)

in this regard: “put everything in its right place”. ThenHujjatulislam Emami explained that the definition of theterm ‘kafir’ used in the Qur’an with a negative connotation,which erroneously is often interpreted indicating all non-Muslims, but which actually refers to those who know the

truth and knowingly conceal it. In his view most of theworld’s non-Muslims should be classified in the category ofthe ‘mustad’afeen’ or “oppressed”.

Next up was Omar Camiletti, representative of the CulturalCentre of the Great Mosque in Rome. In his brief speech heunderlined three major causes of the current situation ofviolence and turmoil as; 1) a general incapacity of thepolitical class at the international level; 2) a seriousimpoverishment of the populations; 3) millenarian andmessianic trends which would like to create a paradise onearth.The last speech was given by Dr Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, afamous journalist, writer and intellectual, who denouncedthe grievous political and mass media demonisation ofthose who try to discuss, or even ask natural questionsabout facts and events that are affecting the world. Byquoting TV broadcasts and articles published by someItalian newspapers, he pointed out the subtle attempts ofmystification and Islamophobia exercised on the commonItalian citizens in order to lead them towards hatred andrejection of Islam and Muslims.The ‘Islam and violence’ conference was concluded by alively and interesting debate between the attendants. Duringthe conference the brochure ‘Messaggio all’Occidente’ (AMessage to the West), including the two letters of ImamKhamenei to Western youth, was also distributed.


he first programme in a series of annual seminars onSahifa Al Sajjadiyah organised by the Islamic Centre ofEngland, was held in the Lebanese Mosque in London. Anenthusiastic audience participated in the programme.

The programme started with the recitation of the Holy Qur’anfollowed by the recitation and Du’a Tawassul.The first speaker, Sheikh Mirza Abbas, delivered his speech inEnglish on the importance of the Sahifa Al Sajjadiyah to our life. Hesaid that Sahifa Al Sajjadiyah is a source of enlightenment andenhancement and contains adieyat (prayers) that connect us to God.In the Sahifa, Imam Sajjad(a) has guided us on how to connect toGod through the Munajaat (supplications) such as the Munajaat alShakireen.Dr Ali Ramzan Alawsi, the next speaker, delivered his speech inArabic. He discussed some of the supplications from the Sahifa andtheir impact in our life in the light of the Holy Qur’an.The programme was followed by a lively Q & A session for half anhour. Sheikh Mirza Abbas and Dr Ali Ramza Alawsi answered thequestions.At the end Dr Ali Ramzan Alwsi and Dr Azhar Hassan Raza, eachexplained the Ahl ul bayt Assembly’s initiative to create awareness ofthe Sahifa Al-Sajjadiya. They also introduced the Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyah Seminar and its schedule in detail.

Lebanese Mosque - London 3rd of March 2016

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The Islamic Centre of England

https://www.youtube.com/user/islamiccentre1998/

Message for New Year, Norooz 1395, by Sheikh Dr Shomalihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuZJCmg3_os



Faith

oday the world needs peace, friendship, andsolidarity more than ever. The conflicts thatdefined the twentieth century still persist, andinnocent people all around the world continue to

suffer. There is an urgent need for solidarity andcooperation between people of good conscience fromamong Christians, Jews and Muslims, as they are capable ofpreventing the scourges of our day when they unite. This isnot difficult considering the common ground between theIslamic civilisation and the Judeo-Christian culture thatconstitutes the basis of Western civilisation.

Today, hundreds and thousands of children, women andmen are being killed, displaced, or persecuted due tohostility, hatred and anger instilled in people through anti-religious sentiments. In other words, the lifeblood - faith inGod - has been cut off from people, and the world turnedinto a scene of madness with new terrorist attacks andkillings every other day.

This plague of unbelief is hurting all people of the world.The only way to end this tyranny is via an alliance of devoutpeople of Abrahamic religions as only such unity can helpbuild societies of peace, happiness, and safety. In essence,Muslims, Christians, and Jews have common principles offaith, worship, and moral values. The followers of thesefaiths believe that God created the universe from nothingand sustains all matter with His Endless Power; that Godcreated all life forms in a miraculous way; and that man hasa soul given by God; that God sent Prophets to humanitythroughout history, like the Prophet Muhammad(s), and theProphets Jesus(a), Moses(a) along with the ProphetsAbraham(a), Noah, David, Isaac, and Joseph; and they lovethem all; that God created our lives according to destiny;and they all believe in the Resurrection, Hell, Heaven, andthe existence of the angels. In addition to matters of faith,

the followers of Abrahamic religions also have commonvalues about morality such as the importance of honour,chastity, modesty, selflessness, honesty, compassion, mercy,and unconditional love.

Although Jews and Christians were given a different Law toMuslims, all sincere believers are required to submitwholeheartedly to God, do what is good, and compete indoing good deeds. All who believe in the existence of Godand the Hereafter and do good deeds are, in reality,following the true religion our Lord revealed to the ProphetAbraham(a). In the Qur’an God reveals that the religion ofAbraham(a) was a haneef religion. The word haneef means:one who surrenders to God’s Will, not compromising in anyway on His Religion, and being devout. In one verse, Godcommands the Prophet Muhammad(s) to abide by thehaneef religion of the Prophet Abraham(a): “Then Werevealed to you: ‘Follow the religion of Abraham, a man ofpure natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters.’” (An-Nahl: 123)

The Prophet Abraham’s(a) devout descendants all followedhis haneef religion. In the Qur’an this truth is revealed asfollows: “Who would deliberately renounce the religion ofAbraham, except someone who reveals himself to be a fool?We chose him in this world, and in the Hereafter he will beone of the righteous. When his Lord said to him: ‘Become aMuslim!’ he said: ‘I am a Muslim who has submitted to theLord of all the worlds." Abraham directed his sons to this,as did Jacob: ‘My sons. God has chosen this religion for you,so do not die except as Muslims.’ Or were you present whendeath came to Jacob and he said to his sons: ‘What will youworship when I have gone?’ They said: ‘We will worship yourGod, the God of your forefathers, Abraham, Ishmael andIsaac – One God. We are Muslims submitted to Him.’” (Al-Baqara: 130-133)The religion followed by the Prophet

Alliance of Abrahamic faiths;the need of the Hour

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Abraham(a) represents the common ground betweenMuslims, Jews, and Christians. Love, faith, and respect forthe Prophet Abraham(a) are just as important to Muslimsas they are to Christians and Jews. Essentially, allProphets have invited their nations to believe in andworship God and to abide by the limits He hasestablished for humanity. All nations are expected tofollow God’s will without fail and to do good deeds inorder to earn His reward. So, Muslims, Jews andChristians, people believing in God and obeying Hisrevelation, should unite in this common premise of thehaneef religion which commands all to love and obeyGod, our Creator and our Lord, and pray to Him to leadus to a truer path.

When Muslims, Christians, and Jews unite under thesepremises, when they realise that they are friends and notenemies in their intellectual efforts, the world willbecome an altogether different place. The pure religion

of the Prophet Abraham(a) who submitted himself to Godis the path that will guide them to unity and peace.When this great task of unity is achieved, pain andsuffering will be replaced by peace, happiness, wealthand good fortune for all humanity.

Every step to bring faithful Jews, Christians and Muslimstogether will be another step towards ending thedarkness that is afflicting our world. Faithful believersshould not even miss a second to start working on thiscrucial mission and seek to be a means to provide peaceand security for all the downtrodden who ask forsalvation from the Creator.

Adnan Oktar is a Turkish author andan Islamic writer


Interfaith


In the midst of the NHS’ obvious struggles, Frank Gelli asks what religious bodies coulddo to help save the NHS

The NHS and religion

hat does the future hold for Britain’s beloved National HealthService? Many warn of an impending crisis. They believe thepressures are such that the NHS will not survive in its currentform till 2023. The political debate rages on, often acrimoniously.

Time to think outside the box. What if religious bodies could help? Here aretwo outstanding examples from the Christian tradition.

The Hospital Brothers of St John of God operate in 50countries, with 400 hospitals and medical centres, lookingafter the sick and the needy. Their founder, John, born in1495, was a Portuguese soldier who had led a disordered lifetill he was about forty. After experiencing an intense religiousconversion, John saw his vocation was to look after the sickand the destitute. With the support of pious people, he hireda house in Granada, harbouring and caring for all sorts ofneedy people, including tramps and prostitutes. That was thehumble beginning of the worldwide Order of Charity, namedafter John, later made a saint and surnamed ‘of God’, alludingto his burning love for suffering humanity.

Like many holy persons, John had to suffer ignorance and prejudice from right-minded folks. Accused by a bishop of having sheltered idle beggars, heanswered: ‘Christ came to do good to all, even to the sinners and the lost. Theyare my brothers, because I too am a sinner.’ Indeed, ‘Do good, brothers!’became the motto of John’s religious community. Worn out after ten years ofhard service in his hospital – he often carried around the sick on his back –John fell ill. The whole city was in tears. John died on his knees, while at prayer.Today his community of medical and paramedical workers continues thefounder’s good works. The Brothers operate alongside state structures, as wellas local healthcare services. In under-developed countries, they run centresproviding assistance for the mentally ill, AIDS and Alzheimer sufferers. Theyalso run rehabilitation programmes for drugs and alcohol addicts. Nor do theyneglect to point to Heaven. In an increasing materialistic world, love ofneighbour and love of God are inextricably linked.

My second example comes from Italy. Camillus de Lellis, founder of theMinisters of the Sick, also called ‘Camillians’, was born in 1550. Like manyyoung men he joined the Army to escape grinding poverty. While there hebecame addicted to the terrible vice of gambling. Having lost everything, hewas reduced to working as the lowest labourer. God’s grace reached out to

W

St John of God

Camillus de Lellis, founder of the Ministers of the Sick


him, however, because Camillus heard a sermon thatchanged his life. Forsaking gambling, he sought to become amonk but a lifelong running sore in his leg prevented him.So, he struck out on his own, serving the sick in Rome’s StJames Hospital for the incurable. His zeal, affection and pietyshown to the wretched patients got him the job of hospitalmanager. His vision was to found a community of nursingpriests, also including care for the dying. Despite his ownbodily infirmities, he succeeded.

It was risky being sick in Camillus’ times. Hospitalconditions were often primitive. In some cases dying patients

were carelessly buried while still alive. Welearn of a man who was found walkingaround in the burial vault when the nextcorpse was brought in! Plagues also werefrequent. Camillus had his nurses labouringin the midst of pestilences to relievesuffering, regardless of personal peril. Manyindeed died while relieving the sick.Camillus’ project was to revive Christ’s ownministry to the sick, especially the mostneedy. One of the instructions the Saint gaveto his nurses was to offer additional, lovingsolicitude, comfort and assistance to thegravely ill and the dying. He told his disciplesto combine prayer and care and also toencourage patients to have faith. The love ofGod had to be demonstrated in practice,both for the carer and for the patient. If anurse failed in proving that, Camillus said, hewas like ‘a diamond ring without a diamondset in it’.What is a Camillian religious worker today?He or she receives an education inhealthcare. Camillians may be doctors,nurses, x-ray technicians or physiotherapists.They may work in a modern hospital or ahut but as a rule they share a community life– live and work as ‘a team’. Men and womenall take vows of evangelical poverty. Thatdoes not mean indigence but a simple lifeuntrammelled by the pursuit of riches. Theyaffirm not just the alleviation of pain andcare for sickness but also for its prevention.The promotion of health, both physical andspiritual, is their key mission. Moreover, SOSmedical teams fly in to assist victims ofnatural and man-made disasters. Theyintervene to bring relief and to preventdisease from spreading. ‘Living angels ofmercy’, some have called them.Could the models of caring communities likethe Hospital Brothers and the Camillians

inspire the contemporary Church into practical, novel waysto help? Something that would not replace the NHS, no, butsupplement the services offered by the State? I believe itshould.

The Muslim tradition also has much to offer. The hospital isa key feature of Islamic culture, along with the water,fountains and baths required for both religious and hygienepurposes. Muslims always considered it a religious and amoral obligation to treat and minister to the sick and thesuffering, regardless of status or wealth. Thus, hospitals inIslamic lands had many functions – from centres of medicaltreatment to places where patients could rest and recoverfrom illness or distress. Furthermore, if an aged and infirmperson had no family, the hospital would care for them.

Where did the money come from? Many hospitals in Islamexisted thanks to money from the State but also from fundsprovided by waqfs, religious bequests. A waqf is anendowment of property held in trust and used for charitablepurposes. The income from the waqf paid for the costs,maintaining the hospital and its services. A patient who wasleft invalid or incapacitated could even be paid a regularsum of money after being discharged, for his upkeep. Thus,this is a valuable healing model the Muslim communitiescould contribute to the national life.

Is it all a matter of philanthropy, love of humankind,practical benevolence? There are many secular organisationswhich do that and good luck to them. Still, philanthropiccapitalism is not enough. Given its skewered economicsystem, it creates new problems. Besides, it is vital toremember that charity or love of neighbour in the name ofGod is different from mere secular philanthropy. Because itis rooted in transcendence. In God’s divine revelation asdisclosed to Man.Of course, a critic could argue that it is primarily the Statewho has a duty to provide proper healthcare for its citizens.By setting up subsidiary, faith-based institutions andinstruments would we be diverting attention from the realtask? It is true that the capitalist economy and the socialsystem it fosters are in deep crisis. Yet we cannot wait for therevolution or any ‘round the corner’ utopia. People are sickand are suffering here and now. And that is where help issorely needed – here and now.

Revd Frank Julian Gelli is anAnglican priest, cultural criticand a religious controversialist,working on religious dialogue.His last book ‘The Dark Side ofEngland’. An exposé, is availableon Amazon Kindle.


Life&

Community

llow me to take you through a journey, only afew steps but worth its weight in gold, into atimeless world of knowledge and wisdomacquired from the Holy imams(a). Being a revert

to the Ithna Ashari school I was initially oblivious to whatthe word Hawza meant.

It’s a place which has established an influential footing intoday’s world and which also has a deep history tracing itsroots backs to the knowledge of the prophets and Imams.This captured my attention and just like a seed grows so didmy eagerness for the Hawza. The following hadith is aninteraction between a Jewish man and Imam Ali(a):

One day a Jewish man came to Imam Ali(a), with theintention of delaying his prayers asked: “You claim to knoweverything in this world, then tell me, which animals lay eggsand which animals give birth?”

The Imam looked back athim, smiled and said: “Theanimals with ears protrudingout give birth and the oneswho have ears inside theirheads lay eggs.”

I was amazed by what I’dread but how accurate is theanswer? Nowadays we havethe ability to find the answerwith a click of a button. Ilooked into this matter andfound Imam’s statement tobe as true today as it was

then. Just to be sure I asked around and someone suggestedI ought to check animals like dolphins and whales becausethey are mammals - they give natural birth but they arecreatures of the sea. On closer inspection they do haveexternal ears, a small pinhole behind each eye and theseears are up to seven times more sensitive than our ears.

While writing this I thought about making one last thoroughcheck just to be sure. To my surprise a few animals withinternal ears did give birth. One of them is a snake called aboa constrictor. If this statement was made by any ordinaryperson we would all congratulate him/her for such anaccurate prediction, but this statement came from aninfallible Imam. Could this snake be outside his knowledge?Or could the narration of this 1400-year-old hadith beincomplete? The Imam(a) could have said “all animals withthe exception of x, y, and z follow this rule.” Therefore, thispart did not reach us through the narrations. Another

reason could be, theImam gave him ageneral answerwhich is plausible inits own right. I’llleave that for you todecide.

This Hadith(narration) was oneof the reasons why Ijoined the Hawza.The answer isaccurate, eloquentand stood the test oftime. This could

The HawzaExperience

A


by Ezra Hashme

only mean Imam Ali(a) had the proof for his claim of“knowing everything in this world.” I wanted to have accessto this knowledge and the place they teach it is at theHawza. So I joined Hawza Ilmiyyah of England. Like going toschool for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect. Ididn’t have any Shia friends to answer my questions; I cameequipped only with what I learnt on the internet. Irrelevantquestions like; will I be accepted? Is it like university? Am Imaking the right choice? How long will it take to fullyunderstand the Qur’an?

Walking 10 minutes late into my first lesson, about hadith ina room filled with unfamiliar faces all sat facing the teacher,the men at the front the ladies at the back. Nothing seemedright, I was out of my comfort zone and didn’t understandsome of the terminology. At the same time I felt a sense ofrelief, the sort of feeling you get after a long journey, butonly to realise my journey had just begun.

Later that evening the opening ceremony was held. I tried tolisten intently, we were sat on Persian carpets and after a fewminutes my legs started to ache. Adjusting to anotherposition; a few minutes later the pain came back so I movedthis way and that trying not to annoy anyone around me. Itseemed impossible to find a comfortable position. I heardone of the sheikhs quote his teacher in Qom: “coming to the

Hawza you’ve defeated one shaytan (Satan), to stay in theHawza you’ll have to defeat hundreds more. I was thinking afew shayateen are already at it, making it hard for me to finda good seating position.

After nearly two years at the Hawza, I would say it is similarto a university but very different at the same time. Forexample the focus is more on the students learning theconcepts rather than getting ready for exams. The labour oflove can be felt in every aspect of the Hawza, which isunique. At university I was taught what to think but in theHawza I’m being taught how to think.

Among the topics we are learning at the Hawza is Akhlaq(noble traits of character). What is Akhlaq? I was raised welland taught good morals; do I really need to know aboutAkhlaq?The Prophet Muhammad(s) “I have been sent by God only tocomplete the noble traits of character”.

In the Arabic text, the word ‘innama’ (only) is used to giveAkhlaq exclusivity, which places Akhlaq in the same leagueas Aqa’id (Islamic belief) and Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence). Inthis life we are on the path to perfection and Akhlaq plays avital role. Everything we learn in Akhlaq is theory; the aim isto have a complete noble character and the only way to getthere is with practice.

Further material: the lectures titled Akhlaq by SheikhShomali on YouTube.

The labour of love

can be felt in

every aspect of

the Hawza, which is

unique. At university I

was taught what to

think but in the Hawza

I’m being taught how to

think.

'


is name is al-Mahdi (the Guided One) and God isprotecting him. In Shi‘a Imamology he is the onewho will redeem this corrupt world and establishdivine rule on this planet. One of his names is al-

Hujja (God’s Proof) and he is expected to reappear to putan end to the iniquities of this world.

His return has been foretold by Prophet Muhammad(s) andall other Imams of the Shi‘a faith. His other name is Sahibal-Zaman (i.e. The Master of the Time) as Time issubservient to him, not him to Time. Time has bowed tohim for more than a millennium and by the will of God hisyouthful existence has remained unperturbed by theravages of Time.His name is also Baqiyat Allah (i.e. The Remnant of God) ashe is the last of the pure Progeny of Prophet Muhammad(s)

who is treading on this planet, praying to God for his returnand for his followers while remaining in touch with hisselect followers.

He is the Living Imam who brings blessings unto ourplanet. He is the only Proof whose existence is a surety forthe survival of the planet. His followers have been awaitinghis return for centuries, supplicating to God every day toexpedite his reappearance. The gathering of his followersevery Friday morning is called the Nudba session. In such agathering, the believers shed tears for their separation fromthe Hidden Imam and beseech God for his return. Thesupplications recited during the Nudba sessions are onlyone of out of more than 40 supplications related to theLiving Imam.Now there is a book in English that contains allsupplications related to Imam Mahdi(aj) in one volume.Sahifat-ul-Mahdi(aj), or Divine Supplications, is the latestbilingual (Arabic-English) book published by theMuhammadi Trust, a London-based Islamic organisationthat three decades ago gave us the superb edition ofanother Sahifa, Sahifa Sajjadiyya, also known as The Psalms

ofIslam.Whereas Sahifa Sajjadiyya,translated by William Chittick, was acollection of prayers of Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn(a),known as Imam Sajjad or Zain al-Abedin, the latest Sahifa,translated into English by Hamid Tehrani and Afzal Sumar, is acompilation of prayers attributed or related to Imam Mahdi(aj),the Living Imam.These supplications reflect man’s yearning to be with God,to talk with Him as a Friend, a Confidant, a Beloved, and asthe Creator of all beings, as the Master of this world and theworld to come. They also reflect the yearning of ImamMahdi’s followers who have been awaiting his reappearancefor more than a millennium.Sahifat-ul-Mahdi(aj) was originally compiled around threedecades ago in Iran and only in Arabic. Later a bilingual

H

Sahifat ulMahdi(aj)

BookReview


edition was also compiled in which Arabic prayers werepresented along with their Farsi translation.

The compiler of the new Sahifa is Shaykh Isa Ahari, anIranian Azeri scholar who explains in the introduction howafter a meeting with the late Allameh Muhammad HusaynTabataba’i in the northwest Iranian city of Tabriz in 1968, hedecided to compile the prayers.He relates how Allameh Tabataba’i had engaged earlier in adialogue with the renowned French philosopher andIranophile, Henri Corbin, regarding prayer:“AllamaTabataba’i said, ‘I once had a discussion with Henri Corbinabout supplications. I asked him, ‘What do you do whenyou feel that you need to supplicate?’… Corbin said, ‘I availmyself of the supplications reported from your TwelfthImam. Since the person who has composed thesesupplications is alive, they inspire special fervour.’”

The statement above obviously proves the position ofAllameh Tabataba’i as the preeminent Muslim scholar andQuranic exegete of his time and his dialogue with one ofthe most respected philosophers of the West. It also showsthe highest regard for the Shi‘a Imams and thesupplications attributed to them by a well-known Westernphilosopher.

It is noticeable here that although Corbin refers to ImamMahdi(aj) as ‘your Twelfth Imam’, later according to anumber of accounts including Ahari’s, he converted to theShi‘a faith. Ahari refers to this point in his Persianintroduction, ‘Corbin became mustabsir’ (converted to Shi‘afaith).Sayyid Hussein Nasr is another world class scholar who hastestified that Corbin identified so strongly with the Shi‘afaith, that he would use the French phrase ‘nous Shi’ites’, i.e.‘we Shi‘as’.The meeting with Allameh Tabataba’i and admiration ofCorbin for Imam Mahdi(aj), seems to have inspired ShaykhAhari to search and compile supplications attributed to theLiving Imam.From the first edition-the Arabic version in 1968 to 1986,Shaykh Ahari visited a number of libraries to ensure hecollected all the extant authoritative supplications. The finaltally came to 42 supplications.

Although it would have been enough if the latest editionhad been published in English only, the beauty of thishardcover bilingual, gilded edition makes the Arabic textalso readily available for the reader.Those who only have a rudimentary knowledge of Arabiccan follow the translation in English as the typesetting issuch that all corresponding Arabic and English paragraphs

are facing each other almost line by line on each page.

The publication of bilingual editions of classics of Islamicliterature in recent years has become more prevalentbecause it makes the original text visible to the Englishreader. Even if the reader does not know Arabic or Persian,it evokes a sense of authenticity when one is reading theEnglish translation.

Sahifat-ul-Mahdi(aj), or Divine Supplications, provides 18pages of endnotes. About half of the 99 endnotes provideprecise references to classical Shi‘a texts where thesupplications were recorded. The other notes provideexplanations about how the supplications originated fromthe Imam Mahdi(aj) and reached his followers. The work is,therefore, of benefit to both the laity and scholars of Muslimculture and civilisation.


Art Editor Moriam Grillo

Art

FilmWhy can't I be a Sushi

“My main focus (of the film) was to breakdown themisconceptions so that some kind of bridge can be builtbetween the two sects once they realise that they have somuch in common." - Independent filmmaker HodaElsoudani & creative director of Spoken Iris Films.

On a wet Saturday afternoon in Kilburn, North WestLondon, the film ‘Why Can't I Be a Sushi?' was premiered toa packed auditorium. The documentary, the brainchild ofindependent filmmakerHoda Elsoudani, reflectsthe quest of two young girlsNiamh and Sofia, aged 10and 8 respectively. Both aretrying to come to terms withsectarian conflict andignorance. They are eager tounderstand the motivationsbehind sectarianism and whybelief can lead to hatred andeven killing. Through the film themachinations of belief aredissected. And by way of the light-hearted and innocent outlook of the girls we are offered achance to see what is currently taking place around us, andto take a clearer look at ourselves.The feature was preceded by the recitation of the HolyQur’an, that which unites us before being taken on a lightand philosophical exploration of what divides us. We areguided through the film with humour and grace by a seriesof inquiries which include the initial question on which thetitle of the film is based; why it is necessary to choose a sectto which one must belong?The narrative of the film is carried by the two protagonists'need for answers, much in the same way ancient tales tell ofthe age-old practice of travelling hither to thither seekingdeeper understanding, deeper meanings. Watching the girlspursuing answers infused me with notions of seekers ofknowledge seated at the feet of sages who, through theiryears of painstaking study, can offer enlightenment.

The film tackles a series of hard hitting and pertinent pointswithout causing offence or apportioning blame. It offers itsaudience a chance to consider how religious choices andpractices may appear to the outside world, and through theeyes of two innocents.

The girls hold discussions with a wide range of scholars,academics and members of the public. All spoke vehementlyagainst sectarianism, but held differing opinions about theneed for unity. One scholar believed that sectarianism iscaused by us regressing in to an identity of nations andtribes. This connects to our innate nature as human beings

to be tribal. Co-dependency isentrenched in our need foridentity, belonging andcommunity. Anotherreminded us that whatunifies us as practisingMuslims is far greater andmore powerful than ourdifferences. Throughboth of these outlooksthe film reminds us ofthe social shift that

has taken place in recent years.We hear one respondent speak of how commonplace it wasfor families of differing sects and religious persuasions to livetogether in harmony. Just as it was for Sunni and Shia tointermarry, a trend which is increasingly returning to socialconsciousness.From a filmic point of view, the handheld camera andintermittent loss of focus lend to the innocence withwhich the film as a whole is constructed. As does thesoundtrack, which alludes to the slapstick style ofChaplin, who was well known for his use of humour toenable pathos to be conveyed more readily. As in thisdocumentary, the tools of innocence, humour and light-heartedness make the modes of persuasion - pathos,ethos and logos - more accessible by using a playfulrefrain to lay the ground for delivery of a timely message.“The point of the film is not to ask why there are differencesof opinion, but rather why these differences have led toviolence and animosity." - Independent filmmaker HodaElsoudani.

© Spoken Iris Films

2016 has been a great year for engaging with Islamic Art. There are signs that there is a growing body of Muslim artists, and an increasing

appreciation indicated by audience participation. I have been up and down the country enjoying an array of creative expression. From story

and cinema, to craft and song art, I have seen many wonderful ways to explore our shared history and culture. And each artist featured

encourages us to remember what unites us.


StorytellingKhayaal Theatre Company

Across Luton,Bedfordshire, KhayaalTheatre Company havebeen presenting theirunique style of storytellingby Asya Ali in conjunctionChristian storyteller CarlTaylor. The series includesstories from history aswell as stories of wonderwhich remind us of what

unites us by exploring our shared history and values. Eachnarrative alludes to sacred texts and fables with theintention of instilling heightened moral traits and revitalisingthe notion of shared story.Listening to the stories, I felt, created a matrix ofunderstanding in my mind. A place where meaning resided,

because, although I could not recall each spoken word, whatI had heard and subsequently digested, fused with what Ialready knew. I could resonate with the qualities and valuesrelayed in the stories, making the transaction betweenstoryteller and listener a wholesome one based on harmony.This gave me not just a deeper understanding of the powerof story, but a sense of ownership of the shared journeybetween the listener and the orator as with any story shared.Orally handed over, it became my story, my memory.Something I can retell and explore in both the machinationsof my mind and my imagination. A chance to reflect on,convey and even live the values jointly shared and exploredin those sacred momenA powerful communion.

TextilesShams Un-Nisa

Using golden threads and semiprecious stones, textile artist Shams Un Nisa createshand embroidered Islamic calligraphy on a range of fabrics. I first came across herwork in Skipton, Yorkshire as part of the Faith in Art exhibition. Shams Un-Nisainterprets the work of calligraphers into stitch work, a refreshing approach whichlends a new focus, reviving an art form often associated with domesticity to newrevered heights.

SongAl Firduas EnsembleAs the musicians tune their instruments, so they need totune their hearts to receive the inspiration of the momentand transmit that to the audience.

As Spring emerged,the Birminghamuniversity musicrooms were gracedby the beautifultones of mysticalverse by way of AlFirduas Ensemble,

bringing new life to the century old auditorium, establishedunder the tutelage of classical composer Edward Elgar.Having recently been refurbished and designed by renownedacoustician Nicholas Edwards, the halls were the perfectenviron for this spiritual meeting. Led by English violinist Ali

Keeler, the quintet, also featuring artists from Spain andMorocco, recited salutations on the Prophet(s) to a mixedaudience from all walks of life. The classical compositionfrom traditional instruments such as drum, cello, violin andlute created a soothing and sedate atmosphere, a reverentialbackdrop to a harmony of voices which convey an ongoingyearning for the Divine. It’s a feast for the ears especiallywhen performed acapella or simply accompanied bypercussion. The album Safa is currently on sale.

For more info:http://www.alfirdaus-ensemble.com/en/inicio-en/al-firdaus-ensemble

©Shams Un Nisa

©Saleh Ahmed

©Saleh Ahmed

©Fi

rdua

sE

nsem

ble

Moriam Grillo is an international artist.She holds Bachelor degrees in Photography& Film and Ceramics, her current projectsinclude a commission for the QueenElizabeth hospital in Birmingham.


Children Corner

Illustrator Ghazaleh Kamrani


nbar the little girlof our story hasbeen put incharge of her

little brother Ali. Ali isonly three, and already ahandful. Whenever theirmother is busy andcannot look after him,Anbar steps in. Althoughshe is only seven shedoes a wonderful job. Alilikes to play with herolder sister butsometimes Anbar needsher own time too. As wesaid in our previousissue, Anbar is trying toget into the habit ofpraying.

A

image 1


As in the image 1, she is doing herprayers together with her mother. Alion the other hand, wants Anbar toplay with him and so is trying to pullher away from her prayer. Anbar isgetting distracted but she doesn'twant her little brother to get upsetand start crying. She knows duringprayer she should be concentratingin the words she is reciting. Thepayer does not take long and shouldnot be rushed.

Now if you look at the image 2, itshows a different situation. This timeAnbar is aware that Ali may notrealise that praying is an importanttime for her and all he wants is forher sister to play with him. So before

Ali starts distracting her, she puts allhis favourite toys in front of him toplay with and not to get bored. SoAnbar and her mother would beable to pray with full attentionwithout making Ali feel left alone.

Ghazaleh, our illustrator, hascaptured these events so as toexplain how they took place. But shecleverly left some differences in eachimage.

Now without looking at the answerson the left, try to find five differencesGhazaleh has purposely madebetween these two images.Have fun!

image 2


Through March

Commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qur'an

Conducted by Shaykh M S Bahmanpour

Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140Maida Vale, London W9 1QBTime: Every Friday starting at 7:30 PM

2 April

Syria is Calling, We will answer Part II

A fundraising event for ladies and childrenorganised by ‘One Nation’. Fun-packedevent with food & drinks and a liveauction along with stalls and activities.

Venue: 25-28 Princess Street, CommunityCentre, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire,DE14 2NWTime: 12.00 PM - 4.00 PMFee: £1 (Under 1 year - Free)

3 April

Islamophobia Causes & Cures

Women's programme organised by theMuslim Engagement and Development(Mend) Community, a not-for-profitcompany working towards enhancing theactive engagement of British Muslimcommunities in national life.

Venue: Masjid-e-Sajedeen, Plane Tree Rd,Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5NQTime: 1.35 PM (After Zuhr)Fee: FreeRegister : To reserve a place [email protected]

5 April

Islam and Peaceful Relations Conference& The Third Crusade

Co-hosted by MBRN (Muslims in BritainResearch Network) and CTPSR (Centre forTrust, Peace and Social Relations. Thisconference will focus its discussion aboutIslam on dialogue, peace and peacefulrelations by talking about Islamictheological traditions aroundpeacebuilding, historical precedents ofpeaceful existence with Muslims andcontemporary lived experiences of intra-

faith and inter-cultural dialogue, improvedsocietal understanding of difference andpeaceful relations.

Venue: Centre for Trust, Peace and SocialRelations (CTPSR) - Coventry UniversityJaguar Building, Coventry CV1 5PJTime: 9.15 AM - 6.00 PMMore

info:http://www.mbrn.org.uk/conference-islam-and-peaceful-relations/

9 April

Mount Snowdon Challengeslim

Organised by 'InTouch Foundation' - a notfor profit organisation, and is a communitybased effort to address the plight ofhomeless men and women on the streetsof Yorkshire.

For information & Registration: 07578623993 or 07803 446455

9 to 30 April

Geometric Design in Islamic Manuscript

Illumination Course

Taught by artist Ayesha Gamiet, this coursewill focus on the fundamental role ofgeometry in manuscript illumination.Students will construct and analyse severalgeometric manuscript patterns, choosingone to recreate as an illuminated page.This course will give students theopportunity to learn about traditionalpainting and gilding techniques used inIslamic manuscript illumination.Students are asked to bring a good qualitydrawing compass to the course. Otherwise,all art materials, including gold leaf andpigments are covered in the course fee.

Venue: Prime Studios, 1-6 Ward RoyalParade, Alma Road, SL4 3HR, WindsorTime: Four Saturday sessions from 10.00AM - 4.00 PMFee: £300More info: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/

13 April 11 May

Introduction to Islamic Art and Architecture

This introductory course on the art andarchitecture of the Islamic world covers

some of the most iconic cities of the world.Starting from the Syrian capital, Damascus,and its Umayyad Mosque, handsomelydecorated with unrivalled golden mosaics,moving to Cairo and the narrow alleys ofthe Islamic quarter, where the noteworthybuildings of the wealthy Fatimid andMamluk sultans have been sheltered forcenturies. The virtual journey will continueto Cordoba and Granada, and end bylooking at the pencil-like minarets of theOttoman mosques in Istanbul and thecolourful pottery made in Iznik togetherwith the shining white marble of the TajMahal in Agra.

Tutor: Roberta MarinVenue: The Arab British Centre, 1 GoughSquare, London, EC4a 3DETime: Wednesdays, 6.00 PM - 8.00 PM

Through 15 April

International Photography Competition

Ahlan Art and The Productive MuslimInternational have announced aPhotography Competition. This initiativeaims to utilise the art of photography tonot only inspire, educate and enlightenglobal viewers, but also to challenge thestereotypical image of Muslims in themedia.Selected finalists of the photographycompetition will have their photographsprinted on Fine Art Gallery Paper andshowcased during the Muslim LifestyleShow on 30th April - 1st May 2016, andhave the chance to win various prizes.

Judging Period: 15th April - 21th April2016For details on how to enter the

competition visit:

http://www.ahlanart.com/theproductivemuslim

16 April

Lessons on Islamic Beliefs

Interactive Session with Sheikh DrMohammad Ali Shomali. Suitable foreducations staff; teachers, activity heads orheadteachers.

Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140Maida Vale, London W9 1QBTime: 2PM to 5PM

What&

Where


17 April

Luminous Stars: AlAyn UK Dinner 2016

The latest project of Al Ayn Foundation‘Sadaqa Jariya’ is to provide services fororphans for generations to come. TheLuminous Stars Centre will help in thepsychological rehabilitation of orphanswho have witnessed the horrors of war andterrorism, in addition to facilitating theirfuture self sufficiency, through providingthem with vocational training.

Venue: Premier Banqueting, 1Canning Road, Harrow, HA3 7TSTime:4:30 PMEntry: £50

17 18 April

Palestine Fair Trade (PSC) at ExCel London

The Palestine Fair Trade NGO fromRamallah is visiting London for the Natural& Organic Products Exhibition at theExCeL Centre. The stall will be selling fairtrade food products.

Venue: ExCel Centre London, WesternGateway, E16 1AATime: 9.00 AM - 5.30 PMEntry: FreeVolunteer: [email protected]

21 22 April

Arabic of the Ottoman Empire (Conference)

The Woolf Institute will hold aninternational conference entitled Arabic ofthe Ottoman Empire about the writtenArabic of the Ottoman Empire from the16th to the 19th Centuries. The textsdisplay a proximity to the vernacular thatcannot be encountered in earlier materialand provides unprecedented access to thespoken language. In order to approach thetopic from all its angles, the conference willbring together scholars working on literacyand appreciation of Arabic in the OttomanEmpire, Arabists working on thephilological parameters, and sociolinguistsworking on the various sociolects ofOttoman Arabic.

Venue: Rooms 8-9, Faculty of Asian andMiddle Eastern Studies (FAMES), SidgwickAvenue, Cambridge CB3 9DA

Time: Thursday: 1.00 PM - 7.30 PM /Friday: 9.15 AM - 7.30 PMRegistration: contact [email protected]

22 24 April

Ben Nevis Challenge Reach The Peak

A challenging trek to climb Ben Nevis –the highest peak in the UK! All proceedswill go towards lifesaving heart operationsto little children with Congenital HeartDefects from underprivileged familiesirrespective of gender, race or religion (oneheart operation costs just £1500). Travel,accommodation and food will be arranged.

Venue: Ben Nevis, ScotlandRegistration Fee: £100Minimum Fundraising Target: £350Info & Details:

http://www.muntadaaid.org/ben-nevis-challenge/

29 April (Booking Deadline)

Advanced Avicenna (Ibn Sina) WeekendIntensive Study

Studying the impact of his thought on theWest, Ghazali, Razi and Ibn Taymiyya withProfessor Yahya Michot [HartfordSeminary, USA] and Dr Jules Janssens [KULeuven, Belgium].As the course is aimed at the advancedlevel, participants must be familiar with thebasics of Ibn Sin's/Avicenna's life, workand thoughts, reasonable understandingclassical Arabic and classical IslamicSciences including kalam, metaphysics,philosophy, and epistemology. Places arelimited so pre-registration is required.

Venue: Birkbeck College, Malet Street,London, WC1E 7HXDates: 14 - 15 May 2016Time: Sat 9.00 AM - 5 PM/Sun 10.00AM -4.00 PMFee: £50 only for Early Bird bookingsmade before 29th April 2016Bookings: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/

30 April

Water world Splash for Gaza

An event for BROTHERS ONLY. Facilities

have been rented exclusively to provide ahalal environment. A coach will be leavingat 5.00 PM from the Bordesley Centre(Stratford Road, B11 1AR Birmingham) at£5 per head.

Venue: Waterworld Festival Park, Etruria.Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, , ST15PUEntry: £15More info: Email [email protected] call 0121 285 2468

30 April 1st May

Muslim Lifestyle Show

An opportunity to experience the best inMuslim culture and heritage from acrossthe globe, taking place at the OlympiaLondon. The show is a gateway forbusinesses and organisations in thegrowing halal economy to reachconsumers. It features many attractionsincluding Islamic arts, entertainment,seminars, fashion shows and over 130exhibitors from more than a dozencountries.

Venue: Olympia London, Olympia,London, W14 8UXTickets: Range from £10- £30http://www.muslimlifestyleshow.com/

1 May

HHUGS Ride for Hope

Charity ride for novice and experiencedbrothers. Three routes to choose from:Novice - 35 Miles Off Road (MountainBikes, Hybrid, Road Bikes), Intermediate -45 Miles On Road (Hybrid and RoadBikes) and Experienced - 75 Miles OnRoad (Road bikes only). Barbeque eventafter the ride.

Venue: East London Mosque, WhitechapelRd, London E1 1JXTime: 7.00 AM - 6.00 PMFee: £10 Minimum Target: £150Registration: www.hhugs.org.uk/ride

Disclaimer: islam today does not necessarlyendorse or recommend any of these events. Theircontents and individuals or groups involved inthem. We are not responsible for changes to times,fees or venues. Further information should besought direclty from the organisers.

islam today april 2016

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