The Chronicles
26th September 2013
Volume 5 Issue 4
Newham Islamic Learning Centre
Prophet Abraham’s Trial (poem by Artistic Alauddin Fatima)
3
Everybody Needs Good Neighbours
6
Madrassah Fun
14
NILC Update Oct 13
18
Naseehah Training Part 2
24
Reviving the Sunnah of Moonsighting—Islamic Crescent Sighting for UK
28
Living Happily (Islamic Marriage Solutions)
50
Asalaaaamu alaykum! Eid Mubarak to all our supporters and readers! These past two weeks have been hectic! Two weeks ago I got invited to Islam Channel, to go on Women’s AM and talk about the rights of neighbours! I included some of the points we covered in last weeks Halaqah, which you can find in this Issue of TC. I was quite nervous to be going on live TV and while travelling there I was wondering why I agreed to it in the first place! But Alhamdulillah everything seemed to go fine, and knowing what to expect I wouldn’t mind going back again! Our madrassah has been growing rapidly! I seem to be buying Qaidas every week! We have now recruited a new sister and a new brother to teach Quran and Qaida on weekday evenings. We are committed to keeping class sizes small and manageable! As well as this due to extra students we have expanded in to Unit 7 Mon—Thurs We also want to make sure that children’s hearts get attatched to the Quran and it is something they love doing, so in this issue of TC I have included some pictures of the fun we have in madrassah! I would also like to thank Yaz and Hana our madrassah admin who volunteer their time to mentor the kids, check homework and competitions and get to know the children. We believe that the children in our madrassah are our children, for us to nurture and advise. I have had many deep and interesting discussions with the children while mentoring on weekends, ranging from doing things for the sake of Allah, to making dua for those who are misguided. As well as this we have now started a youth group for girls aged 11-16 on Friday Nights 5pm—7pm, and for boys 7pm—9pm. This was due to requests from the parents, and so far the girls are loving it so much they asked if we could run it twice a week! After half term we will be running Cake and Crafts Sister’s coffee mornings on Thursdays 10am—12 am, where sister’s will have the opportunity to do canvas painting, knitting, or just sit and eat cake! Our Parenting workshops have also been extended and we will be doing another 3-4 sessions after half term, but the times have changed to Wednesday 11am—1pm, On 2nd November we will be hosting a Human Aid event for Syria which will be run by two of the sisters who volunteer at our tuition centre. We are also selling tickets for the Eid Funday on 9th Novemeber Ifor £18. Jazakallah khayr Naila (Nalini) NILC Director
Prophet Abrahams Trial .... You must all wonder why we have Eid-ul-Adha.. Well, its about a son and a father.. One night while the prophet was a sleep He saw a strange sight that made him weep.. Abraham was ordered by the Almighty one .. To sacrifice Ismail..his only son .. He could not hide from this nor run .. An obligation, that had to be done . So, He told his dear wife , He will be taking his son very far tonight .. As you know Shaytan was playing his part , Of trying to keep them away from their task He wanted them to fail and lose heart.. but Abraham was strong and held on tight.. His son comforted him saying "do what is right"! .. NOW ..was the time for the ultimate test .. He lay his son down on the floor to rest .. Holding back his tears he covered his sons eyes .. He took a deep breath and got out his knife .. And was prepared to sacrifice his sons life .. But Alas!..Allah commanded him to stop.. And Abraham was relieved and full of Hope .. As a reward Allah was satisfied .. He sent down from Heaven a sheep to sacrifice .. This is a lesson for us to learn how much are we willing to sacrifice for Allah To have hope and yearn.. To please our Creator .. By Artistic Alauddin Fatima Like ArtisticAlauddin Fatima in FB and view her amazing calligraphy Come to our Cake and Crafts Coffee mornings to learn Canvas painting with Fatima! Starting Nov, Thursdays 10-12
Everyone Needs Good Neighbours Nalini Naidoo
What does Islam say about neighbours? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"A man who commits adultery with ten women has committed a lesser sin than one who commits adultery with his neighbour's wife." "A man who steals from ten households has committed a lesser sin than the one who steals from his neighbour's house.".
´How many people will be hanging on to their neigh‘Jibreel kept on enjoining the good treatment of neighbours on the Day of Resurrection, saying: 'O my Rabb bours to the extent that I thought that he would include He shut his door in my face and denied me his kind neighbours as heirs.” treatment and help The best of companions with Allaah is the one who is best to his companion, and the best of neighbours with Him is the one who is best to his
“Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, AlMasaakeen (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side…”[al-Nisaa’ 4:36
“He will not enter Paradise from whose harm his neighbour is not safe.” “Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him honour his neighbour.”
Rights of neighbours include; initiation of greetings, visiting him if he is sick, offering condolences if calamity befalls him, congratulating him at times of joy, overlooking his mistakes, concealing his faults, bearing his annoyance with patience, giving him gifts, lending him money if he needs it, lowering one’s gaze from looking at his womenfolk, and guiding him to that which will benefit him in his religious and worldly affairs What is a good neighbour?
As Muslims we define what is good and bad according : "O Messenger of Allah, such-and-such a woman to the rules of Allah SWT. A good neighbour is not spends her nights in prayer, fasts during the day, and one that is not seen and not heard as many may so on, and she gives charity, but she offends her think. neighbours with her sharp tongue." The Prophet (s) said: The Muslim who is truly aware of the teachings of his Her good deeds will be of no avail: she is among the religion is the best of people in his dealings with his
people of Hell.'
They said, ´And so and so prays only the obligatory prayers, gives charity in the form of left over curds, but does not offend anyone.'
The Prophet (s) said: ´She is among the people of Paradise.'
neighbours, and the most respectful, kind and considerate towards them. Tolerant - He does not stop him from using and enjoying his home,
´There are three worst types of people: a ruler who, if ´No one should prevent his neighbour from fastening a you do well, does not appreciate it and if you do piece of wood to his wall. wrong, he does not forgive you for it; a bad neighbour who, if he sees something good, he conceals it, and if he (Bukhari and Muslim) sees something bad he broadcasts it; and a wife who, when you are present, she annoys you and if you go Treats him the way he would like to be treated away, she betrays you.'
´By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no servant tru- favours is a basic Islamic trait which the Prophet (s) ly believes until he likes for his neighbour (or he said: strongly encouraged: his brother) what he likes for himself.' ´The one who does not give thanks to people does not
give thanks to Allah.' 1
Social responsibility -
´If you cook some broth, add extra water to it, then
think of the families in your neighbourhood and send some of it to them.' (Muslim) The Muslim's conscience will not let him ignore his
Closest first -
´O Messenger of Allah, I have two neighbours, so to which one should I send a gift?' He said, ´To the one whose door is closer to yours. (Bukhari) What about non Muslim Neighbours?
neighbour's poverty and difficulty while he is living a life of ease and plenty.
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr had a sheep slaughtered and asked his slave,
´He does not believe in me, who eats his fill while his neighbour beside him is hungry, and he knows about it' "Did you give some meat to our Jewish neighbour? For Treats them in the best way he can -
I heard the Prophet (s) say, 'Jibril kept on enjoining the good treatment of neighbours to the extent that I thought he would include neighbours as heirs.'
O Muslim women, do not think that any gift is too insignificant to give to a neighbour, even if it is only a (Bukhari and Muslim) sheep's foot. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Gratitude - gratitude engenders friendship among neighbours and encourages mutual support and help. This is in addition to the fact that thanking people for
Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for [your] Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and Mustly with them: for Allah loves those who are Must.} (Qur’an 60:8)
Everyone Needs Good Neighbours continued
tious. We care and want to make our communities a better place. Neighbours are of three kinds: -empathy and understanding, one off parties, wed(1) that one who has got one right upon you;
dings,
(2) that one who has got two rights upon you;
-Don’t limit yourself to Muslim activities. Community issues effect Muslims, and we need to be represented on Governing bodies, health groups and so on.
(3) that one who has got three rights upon you. The neighbour having three rights upon you is the one who is also a Muslim and a relative. The neigh-
-Parable of the ship. We need to work together. If those on the top deck ignore those on the bottom deck who are desperately trying to plug a hole, the
bour having two rights is the one who is either a nonwhole ship will sink. Muslim or a non-relative Muslim. The neighbour having one right is the one who is neither a Muslim nor a relative. Still he has got all the claims of neighbourhood-rights upon you. How can I be a better neighbour? Be aware of the Islamic rulings and reccomendations
What are the benefits of being a good neighbour? Islam focuses on benefits to whole society over benefits to individual
´The believers are like a wall whose bricks are fitted tightly together; each one of them supports another. (Bukhari) The rulings on rights of neighbours exist, to create an harmonious cohesive society.
-Greeting and smiling. Islam pays attention to the issue of neighbours, -Offering to help
whether they are Muslim or not, because of the interests served by that in making the nation like one body.
-We don’t know our neighbours, lack of community spirit, so be the catalyst that can cause the creation If the ship sinks we will all drown. Therefore we of community. Send food at Ramadan, Eid cards, be have to support each other. friendly and approachable, offer to drop neighbours kids to school etc if you can see they are struggling. At the moment, in the societies we live in, the ship is sinking. -Dawah through actions. Show that we care, that Islam makes us better, more caring people. We don’t Implications of being a better neighbour? backbite, we help where we can, we are conscien-
-Our communities are more cohesive, those people who are alone and struggling would be supported and cared for. -Also we create a better environment for our children to grow up in. Helping your neighbours and community is the same as creating opportunities for your own children and family. - It is our duty to create a good environment for our children -lack of family structure, need to create that network of support in different ways. -Do you think your own children wont be effected just because they say they are Muslim?
So Islam counts a good neighbour, one whose presence is a source of comfort, security and safety, as one of the joys of a Muslim’s life. The Prophet (s) honoured the good neighbour by describing him as one of the pillars of happiness in a Muslim’s life:
´Among the things that bring happiness to a Muslim in this life are a righteous neighbour, a spacious house and a good steed.’ The salaf appreciated the value of good neighbours so much that they considered having a good neighbour to be a priceless blessing. One story which reflects this tells that the neighbour of Sa’id ibn al- ‘As wanted to sell his home for 100,000 dirhams, and told the would-be purchaser,
“This is the price of the house, but what would you give for having Sa’id as a neighbour?” When Sa’id heard about this, he sent his neighbour the price of the house and told him to stay there.
NILC’s Muslimah Directions Halaqah are held every second Wednesday 1pm— 3om at Unit 4 Church Rd Studios, E12 6AF You can view previous Halaqah at MuslimahDirections.wordpress.com Our next Circle will be 16th Oct InshaAllah
,
Madrassah Fun
End of class bayaan with older kids.
Beat the goals during madrassah break
Younger class (above) Teen girls class (below)
Making a card for Mum as she has had a baby (above) Draw a Masjid comp (below)
Draw a masjid comp (above) Beat the golay (right)
Draw a masjid comp (above) Getting out the pet spider (below)
Mentoring diary (above) Younger class in New Unit 7 (below)
In the Name of Allah the most great and high: I have been working for for Newham Islamic Learning Centre for a while now. I believe that when we teach our kids about Islam its not just merely reading Qaidah and memorising. Islam also teaches us to be happy and joyful within the boundaries of (Allah swt). The experience we have with young Muslim students is excellent here. Recently we have been taking kids to enjoy days out in the park. This has made me gain a perspective and brought about a realisation of the importance of play to childrens learning and development. The kids enjoy these outings very much and they help me get to know them and bond with them. My thoughts are that we need more of these outgoing activities in our Islamic schools and to be more interactive with our students. Lets make it fun and different! Our Prophet SAW enjoyed being with children and gave them alot of attention because he knew they are the future of our Ummah who will carry our beacon of Islam for generations to come. We need to follow his example in the love, care, attention and education we give to, not just our own children, but all the children in our community. Safian Khan
Our Madrassah is open Monday to Thursday 5pm to 7pm and Saturday & Sunday 2pm to 6pm. It is run by fully qualified professional staff, and covers Qaidah and Islamic Studies. If you are interested in sending your child please call 07949641815 or feel free to drop in.
Parenting Courses @ NILC Wednesday 11pm—1pm
Behind the scenes at Islam Channel!
Knitting blanket Squares: Knitter Natter, to make blankets for Syria Women’s Tajweed Mondays 2pm—3pm
SISTER’S NASEEHAH
RAHENA BINT ALA OF N
Focusing on yourself Understanding the human condition Carl Rogers Theory Rogers (1951) believed that humans have one basic motive that is the tendency to actualise- to fulfil ones potential and achieve the highest level of human beingness However, we know that our purpose of life is to ESTABLISH DEEN INTO OUR LIVES. So like a flower that will grow to its full potential if the conditions are right, but which is constrained by its environment, likewise people will flourish and reach their potential if their environment is good enough. However, unlike a flower, the potential of the individual human is unique, and we are meant to develop in different ways according to our personality. We can take from this analogy and say that this is whereby the fitrah remains but the human deviates from its path. Rogers also believe that we hold in our mind an image of ourselves as we are and an image of our ideal self- I.e. what we would like to be. If the two images are congruent we will develop good self esteem (a very important part of our self concept). The development of congruence and resultant self esteem is dependent on unconditional positive regard from others; this comes in the form of acceptance, love, mercy, non-judgemental attitude, positivity and warmth. Without this, according to Rogers, one would find it difficult to self actualise.
Characteristics of a Nasih | Be humble | Firstly, you have to humble yourself and break down your walls of arrogant. This opens up a foundation for Naseeha to operate on. Renew your intentions and remind yourself why and for whom you are doing this for.
| Be genuine| remove any selfperceived “rank” or “status” in your head. Look beyond, age, nationality, relation, skin colour, a pious, a sinner, sheikh, student, whoever; every Muslim has the right to advise you when you do wrong. Imām Malik (RA) once came into a masjid after '‘aṣr and was commanded by a boy to pray two rak'ah of Tahayyatul masjid even though it was clearly contradictory to his Fiqh position. His students saw this and later asked him why he prayed the two rak'ah. Imām Malik replied: “My opinion has not changed, nor have I gone back on what I taught you earlier. I merely feared that had I not prayed the 2 rakas as the young boy commanded, Allāh may include me in the ayah
“And when it is said to them “Prostrate yourselves!” They do not so” 77:48 | Accept naseeha | yourself or be open to it. It is easy criticising others, but how many times have you taken it on board? The Prophet )ﷺ said: none of us are true
believers until “you want for your brother what you want for yourself.” Working on yourself is key for Naseeha to run efficiently. Think of it like the golden rule: Do unto others as you would like done unto yourself. You have to be willing to accept Naseeha yourself before you can expect others to take it from you. Ibn Rajab writes: “All the scholars admit that no one has complete knowledge of the Deen, nor no one from the early scholars or those who came after them makes this claim. This is why the a'imah (imams) of the salaf are united upon the fact that one is
H TRAINING PART 2
NEWHAM DAWAH TEAM
obligated to take the truth whoever it comes from, even if it is a small person. They used to advise their
your relationship with the person. Never underestimate the power of a smile (or a smiley face via message)
students to accept the truth even if it is from other than themselves. Some famous scholars used to say, “this is our opinion, whoever comes with a better one we accept it from him.”
Giving Naseeha to others Effective communication Sincere Naseeha Be able to advise this person to please Allah (SWT) Its not a winners-losers game or whether this person is holy enough Both parties should strive for the truth and avoid debate and slander Ibn Rajab writes: “Even more amazing is where he (imām As Shafi'i) said,
“I have never debated with someone except that I wished the truth becomes clear; regardless whether it comes from his tongue or mine”. This indicates that his intention was only that of to make the truth apparent, whether it is from himself or the from
Secret Naseeha Naseeha has to be given secretly. Public embarrassment scars people for life and advising people in front of others can ruin everything you have to say to them. It also makes the Naseeha turn into Ta'eer, or chastising, because other people now hear about the mistakes and faults you're advising your fellow Muslim on. Ibn Rajab says about Naseeha in secret: Naseehah is accompanied by covers (of faults) and Ta'eer is accompanied by publicity, asimām Ash-Shafi'i said in a poem to the meaning of:
“whenever you want to advise me do so privately, and avoid advising publicly, because advising in the presence of people, is a form of embarrassment I am not pleased to listen to” Be smart about the setting of the naseeha If you don’t know what to do or say, then say “you don’t know!” Be patient Non Judgemental Be open minded Know when to stop Do not force it!
the person whom he differed with, and whoever thinks like "Do not give advice only on condition that it is followed. Otherwise you are a tyrant, not an adviser; you are this then there is no problem in refuting his statements by demanding obedience, you are not allowing religious making clear his contradiction to the Sunnah, whether he feeling and brotherly spirit their due. Neither reason is alive or dead. nor friendship gives you the right to insist. It is rather the right that a ruler has over his subjects or a master Kindness over his slaves."- Ibn Hazm In naseeha how you say things can have more influence than what you are actually saying. A sheikh once said that Naseeha is like a weapon, it can be used to destroy evil and lead to good but if it is not Newham Dawah Team Sisters, Halaqahs used or done properly it can do more harm than inevery Saturday at 174 Rythm Centre, Plaistended. Rudeness in Naseeha is usually the root of tow please contact Bint Ala on harm, it is what makes people unwilling to accept it. 07917396786 Being too harsh will destroy both your advice and
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Mentors commit to support young person for 6-12 months (Could extend depending on support need) 6-12 months relationship with each young person On average 1-2 hours per week per young person Women’s Consortium provides extensive training and support to our mentors - our goal is to be there for our mentor so mentors can be there for your youth! Qualified and experienced mentors will be provided, with outstanding desire just to help a young person reach his or her full potential. Mentors are age 21 or above - give us a call to talk more about it! We make sure that mentors be able to keep their commitment to their mentee through attending the scheduled sessions. We ask mentors to show up, role model participation, be genuine, and be themselves. We conduct an interview, background check, and mentor training to ensure the safety of our mentors and mentee’s, and to prepare mentors for what to expect. From there - the rest of the magic happens on its own through the mentoring process! To Learn More & To Apply
To find out more about YME or book our mentor, please email info@womensconsortium.org.uk or call us at 07944436770
Kind Regards, Khaleda Khan Khaleda Khan | Founder & Director | Women's Consortium ACS. 10a Montagu Road, Hendon, London, NW4 3ES. T: 020 3411 2660 ext: 200 M: (0) 781 496 0713 | E: khaleda@womensconsortium.org.uk W: www.womensconsortium.org.uk Working Towards Strengthening Valuable Lives... Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Womens-Consortium/7115661411 Twitter @womenconsortium Linkedin Women's Consortium linkedin.com/pub/khaleda-khan/32/6b0/744
Islamic Crescent Observation for the UK REVIVING THE SUNNAH OF MOONSIGHTING
When is Eid-ul Adha 1434 AH Report by Qamar Uddin (York): It is a well-known fact that the Islamic lunar months start with the first sighting of the crescent moon (Hilal) and the duration of the months are either 29 or 30 days. Since, our obligatory worships (Ibadah) such as Ramadan/Eids are dependent on the first sighting of the Hilal, it is most important for Muslims all over the country to try sighting the Hilal in all 12 months of the year to avoid accumulating any mistakes or doubts. It is a Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) to look for the Hilal on the 29th day of each month after sunset. Alhamdulillah (all praise be to Allah), the Islamic Crescent Observation for the UK (ICOUK) volunteergroup regularly attempt to sight the Hilal on the UK horizon in all 12 months of the year and also collect reliable/verified observation reports from other countries in the east of UK/Morocco. These reports are made available to the Muslim Scholars (Ulama) in the UK to make rapid decisions based on actual human eye sightings to fully comply with the Shariah. Accordingly, on Friday 6th September 2013 (29th Shawwal 1434 AH) many people from the UK have attempted to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) of Dhul Qaidah after sunset. None of the groups were able to sight the Hilal as most places had cloudy sky conditions. However, we had received reliable sighting report (Muhaqaq-Ruyat-Basari) from the Jamiat-eUlama South Africa of a positive sighting. Therefore, the UK Ulama had decided that the month of Shawwal 1434 AH would have 29-days and the month of Dhul Qaidah 1434 AH was to start from Saturday 7th September 2013, which was also the same date as the Saudi Ummul Qura calendar (by coincident). Therefore, 29th Dhul Qaidah 1434 AH will be on Saturday 5th October 2013 when we will be looking for the Hilal of Dhul Hijjah after sunset as per the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). If reliable/ verified sighting reports
were received from either the UK or any countries in the east of the UK/Morocco then 1st Dhul Hijjah 1434 AH may start from Sunday 6th October 2013, otherwise it will start from the next day (Monday 7th October 2013), Insha-Allah.
Eid-ul Adha Prediction. From a scientific point of view, the Hilal of Dhul Hijjah 1434 AH will not be possible to be sighted anywhere in the UK or in the east of the UK/ Morocco on 5th October 2013 (after sunset) and hence the month of Dhul Qaidah 1434 AH is likely to complete 30 days. The Dhul Hijjah moon will be born on Saturday 5th October 2013 at 0:34 GMT (New Moon Conjunction). It will be under 17 hours old at London sunset, but will set with the sun, hence it will not be possible to be sighted anywhere in the UK. In Makkah, the moon will be 14.5 hours old and it will set 15 minutes after the sun. However, it will not be possible to be sighted after Makkah sunset, as the moon will be too close to the horizon (2 deg altitude) and too close to the sun (8 deg elongation). Also, the phase of the moon will be so thin (0.4% illuminated) that it will be beyond the resolution of the human eye to detect it! The predicted crescent visibility map for Dhul Hijjah 1434 AH [see Fig. 1] clearly shows that the moon will not be possible to be sighted anywhere in the UK or the east of UK/Morocco on the evening of 5th October 2013. The red shaded area on the top of the visibility map shows the moon will set before the sunset. There is a good possibility that it might be sighted in South America if the weather was perfect, it will not be considered in the UK to avoid undue hardships, since any reliable sightings reports may not arrive in the UK until the next morning. Furthermore, it is a rule of Fiqh
(Jurisprudence) that all months must start on the same basis after sunset, without any exceptions! Therefore, 1st Dhul Hijjah 1434 AH in the UK is most likely to be on Monday 7th October 2013 and hence Eid-ul Adha will be on Wednesday 16th October 2013 Insha-Allah.
means, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi WaSallam) celebrated Eid-ul Adha in Madinah without having any possible connection with the day of Arafah/Hajj in Makkah for over 7 years. Also, from these dates and the fact that a month has either 29 or 30 days, it can be proven that the calendar of Makkah was different from the calendar of Madinah, even though a horse rider could have conveyed the Hilal news from Makkah to Madinah within a day (24 hours). Furthermore, many of the Sahabah (Radhi Allahu It should be pointed out that for those who live in Anhum) who subsequently relocated to foreign (or are visiting) Saudi Arabia, only their date of Eid- countries outside Saudi Arabia and the later Musul Adha is on the next day after Hajj. The day of lims over past 1400 years of Islamic history, have Hajj/Arafah is on 9th Dhul-Hijjah, as decided by the never tried to connect/synchronise their day of EidSaudi Justice Department in Riyadh. According to ul Adha with the day of Hajj in Makkah. They all celthe advice given by many eminent scholars, such as ebrated Eid-ul Adha on 10th Dhul Hijjah and kept the Mufti Taqi Uthmani Pakistan) and Shaykh Saleh Ibn fast on the “Day of Arafat” on 9th Dhul-Hijjah with Uthaimeen (Saudi Arabia), all those who live outthe sighting of the moon on their local horizons. side Saudi Arabia, such as in Europe/USA, should Therefore, it must be understood that to connect or follow the lunar calendar of their own country synchronise Eid-ul Adha in the UK (or Europe/USA) (which may be different from that of Saudi Arabia). with the day of Hajj in Makkah has no basis in ShariThis advice is consistent with the noble practice of ah (Islamic Law). In fact, some scholars consider Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) such a practice is an innovation (Bi’dah) of the modwhen he started celebrating Eid-ul Fitr and Eid-ul ern communication system that did not exist in the Adha from 2 AH, well before Hajj becoming obliga- past! tory in 9 AH. During the lifetimes of the Khulafa-eRashideen and Sahabah (Radhi Allahu Anhum), Islam had spread to many foreign regions and all It should be mentioned that due to the adverse those Muslims were reported to have celebrated weather conditions in UK where the moon cannot be sighted for consecutive months, many Fuqaha (Muslim Jurists) have given permissions to UK Muslims to act on the reliable/verified Hilal sighting “Eid-ul Adha 1434 in the UK is news from any countries in the East of the UK/ most likely to be on Wednesday Morocco, provided: 16th October 2013, (1) an earnest effort has been made to sight the Hilal locally in the UK after sunset, (2) reliable news can beobtained directly from Eid-ul Adha by sighting of the moon in their own the foreign authority and region and not with Hajj or the sighting of the moon (3) the news is easily obtained within a reasonain Makkah. They all considered local moon sighting ble time(e.g. within 2 hours of London sunas the rule of the Shariah (e.g. see Kuraib Hadith in set). Sahih Muslim). Fortunately, news from a few countries does fulfil the above conditions, including Morocco and South Africa. According to the Muslim historians, the Prophet However, more efforts need to be made to estabMuhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) perlish contacts with other countries in the east of the formed his one and only Hajj on Friday 9th DhulUK/Morocco. A recent attempt to share the Hilal Hijjah 10 AH in Makkah and passed away on Mon- sighting news from the Muslims of Portugal has day 12th Rabiul Awwal failed because they simply follow the Saudi Ummul 11 AH in Madinah (i.e. 3 months after his Hajj). This Qura calendar or the announcement of Saudi Ara-
Is Eid connected with Hajj
Reports from foreign countries
bia. As explained in the Ramadan report (“When is Ramadan 1434 AH�), the Hilal sighting news from Saudi Arabia have been found to be unreliable. If there is a difference in Hilal sighting reports between Saudi Arabia and other nearby countries, then unfortunately there will be a split in UK Muslim communities for the date of Eid-ul Adha, since some large UK mosques strictly follow Saudi announcements only. This type of chaos/divisions in the UK Muslim communities is likely to continue every year until our scholars are united, unfortunately. Finally, we would like to request all our Scholars, Imams and Masjid Committee members to refrain from making any announcement for the start of Dhul Hijjah (or any other lunar months) based on the prediction of crescent visibility (or foreign news) until after our 29th lunar day sunset times so that we have the opportunity to look for the Hilal on our own horizon according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) before considering any foreign news. Report by Email/SMS For regular moon sighting reports and discussions from the UK and around the world, please join our group of from the ICOUK website (www.moonsighting.org.uk). We pray to Allah Almighty to unite all the Muslims of the UK on a Shariah compliant moon sighting criteria based on evidence and not emotions (Ameen
PARENTING WORKSHOPS By Afshan Khan
Asalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, I am a counsellor with over 26 years experience of providing various types of counselling all within an Islamic framework. I currently practice in East London, but am also available for telephone and Skype consultations for those further afield. My fields of specialty include: Marriage Counselling Youth Counselling Confidence Building & Assertiveness Training Dealing with Depression Mentoring Mediation I began my career as a Nursery Nurse and Youth Worker and am qualified in both. From this, I went on to run various support groups for women within my local community in East London, working with the Local Authority in Newham assisting and supporting women in crisis who were suffering from problems such as domestic violence and mental health issues. My passion for helping others led me to gain my Certificate in Counselling, further to which I have undertaken training in the fields of mediation, domestic violence, self-harm and NLP. In addition to my counselling, I am currently running support groups for Muslim women, tackling issues such as coping with stress and depression, building self-confidence, dealing with relationships within marriage and families, health related issues and relaxation techniques. I also undertake workshops on marriage and good housekeeping skills as well as assisting in life coaching and assertiveness seminars. After 26 years of running support groups and counselling women, I have come to understand that many underlying issues are linked to childhood trauma and these have manifested in the adults that I see. These issues of parenti g urgently need to be addressed in our community and with this In mind, I will be running Islamic Positive Parenting workshops insha’Allah. My many years of experience, coupled with my approach from an Islamic perspective has enabled me to tailor my counselling to suit my clients individual needs and by Allah's permission, I have many clients who have found counselling has allowed them to lead happier, more emotionally stable and fulfilling lives.
Mashaallah, I did enjoy the workshop and I found it very beneficial mashaallah. I liked that it was interactive. Sister Afshan has experienced many things mashaallah and she is able to talk about alot of aspects for one thing. Sister Zainab Allachi
I was very happy to be on the parenting workshop. It was excellent, I liked her approach to parenting, the recommendations, everything. Mashaallah. I'm liking forward to the other sessions. May Allah reward u both.
Dear Sister Afshan Asalamu Alaikum Alhamdullilah the first parenting workshop was excellent. Very informative and thoroughly planned. Handouts were excellent. Tips and advice given through various case studies were very beneficial. The interactive approach through a 2 way discussion and via group work reinforced concepts/theory. Mind was always kept alert and engaged. Parents sharing each others opinions and experiences helped understand concepts. The flexibility to be able to say anything at any point kept atmosphere very relaxed and comfortable. And above all your approach was very friendly and sincere mashaAllah, which enabled the audience to benefit alhamdullilah. Very positive feedback from sisters who attended workshop also, who are already practicing the tips given by yourself! May Allah SWT reward you abundantly. Ameen Looking forward to your marriage workshop with us InshaAllah! Saima Khalil Al Hidaayah Academy
MEOC Cambridge Islamic Sciences Seminars London Presents
Raising A Muslim Child in The 21st Century Preparing The Leaders of Tomorrow By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford)
Special Guest: Dr Muhammad Zeyn Green-Thompson (Consultant Psychiatrist, Cambridge) Date: Saturday 12th October 2013 Time: 9.45AM - 6.00PM Venue: Queen Mary, University of London - Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS Online: Worldwide Live & Recorded Access Parking: Free whole-day parking available
Special Offer: Group Discount (save at least £20) + Young Persons Go For Free (save £20)
Offer Code: YOUNGPERSONSPECIAL (for seminar attendance, age 11-17 years)
This seminar explores the issues surrounding raising confident, bright and responsible Muslim children in these challenging times and turbulent environment. Priceless lessons will be drawn from the examples of many of the prophets including Ibrahim (AS) and the seal of the prophets Muhammad (PBUH), his family, his companions and the greatest of scholars and leaders to follow in his footsteps. It also features the experience and the deep insight of Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi in raising a Muslim child particularly in the West in this highly informative yet very practical seminar. This is an essential seminar for parents, teachers and anyone involved in the welfare of children. It covers child development & upbringing from an Islamic perspective for people living in the West in a way that has never been covered before. Limited places available, please book as soon as possible.
Features: Crèche facilities (with play and activities) throughout the seminar at subsidised rates Free refreshment provided throughout the day and lunch sold on site Interactive question and answer sessions Good location with public transport access and free whole day parking Registration: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/ Wassalaam Cambridge Islamic Sciences Seminars Muslim Education & Outreach Cambridge (MEOC) Tel: 07736 779448 / 01223 655223 Email: courses@meoc.org.uk
Gear up for the London to Willowbrook Farm cycle challenge to raise funds to tackle the root causes of global poverty! 100km scenic ride to the UK’s first organic halal farm set in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. Enjoy an ethical BBQ with tayyib food produced on the farm to mark the end of the incredible journey. Chance to see off-the-grid sustainable living in action including unique cob house! • Spaces for 15 riders (good level of fitness and cycling experience required) • Family and friends can come to the farm for the BBQ and greet you on arrival! (booking required) • Organic meat and other products will be available to buy including Qurbani meat (needs to be ordered in advance) • Minimum £400 fundraising commitment per person • £30 non-refundable registration fee • £25 per person to cover travel (including bike) back to London To register or find out more email: martyna@madeineurope.org.uk
Sun, Sea and Halal - The Islamic Beach Holiday LAST SPACES FOR AUTUMN - BOOK NOW BEFORE THE WINTER ! Away from the alcoholic resorts, located all across Turkey, enjoy up to 14 beach hotel & spa resorts with all the activities but within an Islamic environment.
To book or for more information please Call 020 3355 3987 www.sunseahalal.com
RECIPE 4 SUCCESS SISTER’S WORKSHOPS Surrender to the Role that Allah has decreed upon you Date: Thursday 7th November 2013 Time: 11.30am – 1.00pm Cost:
£5
Venue: Al-Ansar Islamic Education Centre 833-835 High Road Goodmayes Essex IG3 8TD First Floor **Places limited so register ASAP** NEW TOPICS TO BE COVERED
Being Patient and having Gratitude Dealing with Positives and Negatives 3C of Harmony Showing Love and Affection How to complement each other rather than competing Against eachother
INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORKSHOP The workshop is about surrendering yourself to the role Allah has given you. Recently a lot of marital problems seem to be related to the imbalance between the wife and husbands' role in the marriage. This inequality / misunderstading results in resentment and leaves room for little else but a tug of war for control. The husbands gives up and the wife becomes exhausted, which leads to anger and even more conflict. The aim of the workshop is to discuss and understand the expectations and roles that Allah has given us, as well as learning how to accomplish them with out any party losing out. Mashallah Sister Afshan (through the help of Allah) has been successful in solving these problems by using her techniques of educating & understanding through discussion. Due to this success she would like to teach her techniques on a larger scale to benefit more people The ever increasing rate of divorce and family breakdown is a topic that is imperative and needs to be covered. To register for this exclusive workshop at Al-Ansar please register NOW by e-mailing your Full Name, E-Mail and Contact Number: E-Mail: ansarsisters@yahoo.co.uk
Problem Solving Between Couples A husband comes home from a long and hard day’s work. His wife, who has been under strain herself all day, tells him how bad her day has been; a number of problems have arisen, the kids have really played up, in essence, she’s had a lousy day. He tries really hard to listen, to stay focused, but his mind is spinning with all the problems of his day, and he just wants to come home and relax. While she’s talking, he screws his face up in sympathy, but he’s really thinking ‘you don’t know how easy you have it!’. Its a familiar scenario that I hear frequently in my counselling sessions with couples. To husbands I would say, (and it often comes as a surprise to them), your wife doesn’t want you to fix the problem, she just needs to be listened to and her pain to be acknowledged and validated. Just saying to your wife, ‘I know that you must have had a bad day, especially with the kids playing up’ will weather many a storm in a marriage. To wives, I would say, when your husband walks into the house from a hard day at work, he wants to walk in as though he has become invisible. You may find that even when he does respond to you there is a distinct lack of vocabulary coming from him! If you want to find a solution to this strange and frustrating behaviour, I would suggest, wait until the kids are in bed, and your husband has had a chance to relax, its then that you’ll find him much more receptive and responsive to your concerns.
LIVING HAPPILY ISLAMIC MARRIAGE SOLUTIONS
Islamic Marriage Solutions (Immediate Advice)
If you get angry sit down if this does not work lie down.
Perform ablution if you get angry.
It is for your mutual benefit that we share with you some advice and solutions for day-to-day Spend a few more minutes in your place of domestic problems that arise between spouses. prayer (ask Allah for guidance).
From our experience we have seen that spous Say something good otherwise keep silent. es are in need of immediate help and you are not alone. Sometimes the situation is not Overlook the day-to-day trivial things (yes both of you). pleasant and it intensifies in a very short peri od. We have therefore listed for both spouses Greet with ‘Salam’ every time you meet. a number of immediate solutions that they can turn to. We advise that a person ponders upon these points and ask themselves if it is worthwhile acting contrary to these points.
Do not make decisions that affect both of you on your own.
Keep all doors wide open for communication.
Do not talk about the past mistakes of your partner.
Apologise quickly if you make a mistake.
Smile.
Reflect on the prophet Muhammad and his relationship with his wives. Move away from heated arguments; don’t wait, be the first to do it.
Assess yourself at the end of each day (your behaviour towards your partner).
Do not rush; take your time.
Be truthful with your partner and yourself (i.e. admit if you are also wrong).
Do not indulge yourself upon the things that your partner despises.
Make an introspection of yourself.
Refer the long term unresolved problems to a marriage counsellor.
These are some immediate points that will help couples in the long run (if maintained) and especially if immediately acted upon. Problems arise and sometimes it is difficult to get hold of an arbitrator, I am a qualified scholar and an experienced marriage counsellor. Email islamicmarriagesolution@yahoo.com or Contact Imam Fadhlul Islam Khan on
07943888099/07946445460
Islamic Marriage Solutions The sole objective is to recreate and regain mutual harmony, love and understanding between spouses. We aspire to improve the relationship through better communication and cooperation. This should result in a more successful marriage. Although many couples are faced with general problems, others may encounter more complex situations; therefore it is imperative to treat each case individually. We aim to look at the immediate needs of both parties to enable appropriate assessment with a view to reach a safe and sound conclusion. NOTE: For the first free, fully comprehensive consultation, contact Imam Fadhlul Islam Khan on 07943888099/07946445460 Email islamicmarriagesolution@yahoo.com Follow us on Twitter
Newham Council Free Cycle Training Learn to cycle with skill and confidence If you want to learn to ride a bike or just improve your skills to feel more confident on the road, then there is a cycle training package to suit you. Training caters for all, from complete beginners to experienced cyclists. If you do not currently own a bicycle you can normally borrow one from the provider of the training (sub to availability). If you are interested in receiving free training please email cycle.training@newham.gov.uk or call 02030316730.
Give Blood An appeal has been made to find more blood donors in Newham. Award winning borough blood donor champion, Abdul Mlik, is urging residents to give blood. He says: "Anyone aged between 17 and 65, who weighs more than 50 KG (7st 12lbs) and is in good health could potentially start saving lives by becoming a blood donor." To become a blood donor is really easy. To check if you meet the criteria visit www.blood.co.uk/councils or call 03001232323.
07949 641 815
NILC FUNDRA
PLEASE SUPPO
I will be attempting to climb Mount Snowdon in order to raise money for Newham Islamic Learning Centre. This Centre provides various activities to their local community as well as a fully functioning madrassah. I am hoping to raise enough money so that we can purchase the following.. Revamp the madrassah as its in a poor state at the moment, purchase of islamic reading / teaching materials including Qur'an and to also pay for madrassah staff so that the centre can fully function and be maintained for years to come. The Centre also provides tuition and home work help as well and martial arts and organised swimming events.
Please try and help no matter how much you donate it all helps. Do not close the door of opportunity to claim Jannah.. for many of us there may be no more doors.
May Allah accept it from us all.
AISING TREKS
ORT OUR WORK
Br Hanan Khan, a former NILC student, will be running from Manor Park to Brighton (in sha Allah) on the 30 th of September for our very own Newham Islamic learning Centre. He wishes to enable others to benefit from the support and guidance he received at NILC, and help us to remain in operation. Some of our staff team will also be walking from London to Brighton (58 miles) on this day. I know my brothers and sisters have donated generously in Ramadan to various causes (home and abroad).However, there comes a time when we have to come together to support causes on our very own doorstep. If I didn’t need your support, I wouldn’t ask you. Brothers and sisters with Hikmah and empathy for The Ummah, now is the time that we need your help to keep NILC going. I pray to Allah that I can continue to help children and families within our community but I need all of you to dig deep and donate. Time will tell the benefit in sha Allah to the local community of the work we are doing and what impact NILC has on bridging people from various backgrounds and bringing them closer together. What do we offer: Madrassah/Qur’an classes, Sisters Halaqas, Sisters Tajweed classes, Homework Help, Support for families and support for youngsters and many other initiatives. Why NILC? NILC is a place that Muslims can go to for help and Alhamdulillah is expanding on many fronts and we need your help to make sure that we can c ontinue to operate and deliver. I could have chosen the nice and easy life but I suppose someone has to rise to the challenge and make change from within, from within a community. So I end with a quote: When the light has sharply faded And you have lost your way Let another's love guide you It can turn the blackest night into day. And for many: NILC is the Centre/ Madrassah where they can find that s upport and comfort and they can be helped to find their way. May Allah reward each everyone of you for your efforts but more for your intentions. Wa asalam Newham Islamic Learning Centre 07949641815
Newham Islamic Learning Centre exists to support the communities we live in. We aim to build the believers, mind, body and soul through our numerous community intitiatives. We want the children and families in our area to be able to positively contribute to the society we live in. Abu Musa (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah said, "The relationship of the believer with another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other.'' He illustrated this by interlacing the fingers of both his hands. [AlBukhari and Muslim].
Ne w h a m Is l a m i c L e a r n i n g C e n t r e Unit 4 Church Rd Studios 56 Church Rd Manor Park London E12 6AF
Phone: Brothers 07949641815 Sisters 07852882428 E-mail: Nalini.nk@gmail.com Web: Muslimah Directions.wordpress.com FB: Newham Islamic Learning Centre
Support NILC If you would like to advertise within our publication which gets distributed to our network of over 4000 families please get in touch.
NILC also welcomes donations as we do not run to make a profit and we aim to make our services as affordable as possible for the families we serve. If you would like to donate to any specific charity collection or initiative please get in touch. Newham Islamic Learning Centre HSBC ACC: 42063859 SC: 400234
We also welcome contributions for this publication and out blogs.
If you would like to get involved or volunteer please contact Naila: Nalini.nk@gmail.com 07852882428
Jazakallah khayr.