The Muslim Jesus
TV Documentary - shown on Sunday 19 August 2007 on ITV1, UK
Islam and Christianity have been portrayed as mortal enemies for 1400 years. Locked in combat until the end of time when finally on the day of judgement God will announce the winner. This so called 'clash of civilisations' has defined Christian and Muslim relations from the wars of the crusades to the current 'war on terror'.
But there is another story. It’s a story that revolves around one man. The man whom a billion Muslims and 1.2 billion Christians call the Messiah but who is seen by both in very different ways – Jesus.
The Muslim Jesus uses the Quran and other Islamic texts to explore the differing ways in which Christian and Muslim faiths both acknowledge Jesus. Scholars, teachers, parents, rappers, poets and historians come together for the one hour special narrated by Melvin Bragg. Full text - Click here
Watch the documentary:
Google Video
or on youtube as below:
Part 1/5
Part 2/5
Part 3/5
Part 4/5
Part 5/5
Sunday, 24 December 2017
The Muslim Jesus
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
The Story of Jesus, Son of Mary
The Story of Jesus, Son of Mary
Taken from islamonline.net
By Marwa Elnaggar
In relating the story of Jesus, the Qur’an describes how Mary, the mother of Jesus, was approached by an angel from God, bringing her tidings she had never imagined: that she will give birth to a son, a Messiah, who will be of the righteous and will be a prophet of God, calling the Children of Israel (the Israelites) to the straight path of God.
[(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah).
He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous.] (Aal `Imran 3:45-46)
Naturally, for Mary, this news was both strange and seemingly impossible.
[She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.
And He will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.] (Aal `Imran 3:47-48)
The very nature of Jesus is so special, that God compares the uniqueness of his creation to that of the first man and prophet, Adam.
[Lo! The likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is.] (Aal `Imran 3:59)
Jesus and His Miracles
Jesus became one of the greatest prophets of God, and was sent to the Children of Israel in order to confirm the teachings of his predecessor, the Prophet Moses. His birth was a miracle, and, like all prophets of God, he was granted several miracles. He approached his people, telling them:
[Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what ye eat and what ye store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a portent for you, if ye are to be believers.
And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.] (Aal `Imran 3:49-51)
Jesus’s Followers
The Qur’an continues the story of Jesus by relating several incidents of his life and his disciples.
[But when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried: Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We will be Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear thou witness that we have surrendered (unto Him).
Our Lord! We believe in that which Thou hast revealed and we follow him whom Thou hast sent. Enroll us among those who witness (to the truth).] (Aal `Imran 3:52-53)
In another incident, after which an entire surah of the Qur’an is named, the disciples of Jesus asked him for another miracle.
[Behold! the disciples, said: “O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to us a table set (with viands) from heaven?” Jesus said: “Fear Allah, if ye have faith.”
They said: “We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may be witnesses to the miracle.”
Jesus the son of Mary said: “O Allah our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set (with viands), that there may be for us—for the first and the last of us—a solemn festival and a sign from thee; and provide for our sustenance, for thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs).”] (Al-Ma’idah 5:112-114)
God sent them the table they had asked for, but not without a warning.
[Allah said: “I will send it down unto you: But if any of you after that resisteth faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on any one among all the peoples.”] (Al-Ma’idah 5:115)
The End of the Story?
The story of Jesus never really ends in the Qur’an, as we are told that Jesus was not killed, but that rather, God raised his beloved prophet up to him.
[Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.
As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.”
As to those who believe and work righteousness, Allah will pay them (in full) their reward; but Allah loveth not those who do wrong.] (Aal `Imran 3:53-55)
The Qur’an also points out that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified. Speaking of the Children of Israel, Allah faults their accusations against Mary as well as their claim that they killed Jesus.
[That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge;
And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! Those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain.
Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.] (An-Nisaa’ 4:156-158)
The Qur’an confirms that Jesus was raised up by God, and the Prophet Muhammad reassured us that Jesus will be sent down to earth once again before the Day of Judgment. In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet Muhammad said: “By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Maryam will soon descend among you as a just judge, and he will break the cross, kill the pig, and abolish the jizyah (tribute), and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it, until a single prostration will be better than the world and everything in it.” (Al-Bukhari)
The Islamic and Christian views of Jesus: a comparison
The Islamic and Christian views of Jesus: a comparison
Taken from soundvision.com
Source of information about Jesus in Islam
Most of the Islamic information about Jesus is actually found in the Quran.
The Quran was revealed by God to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and memorized and written down in his lifetime. Today, anyone who calls him or herself a Muslim believes in the complete authenticity of the Quran as the original revealed guidance from God.
Source of information about Jesus in Christianity
Christians take their information about Jesus from the Bible, which includes the Old and New Testaments.
These contain four biblical narratives covering the life and death of Jesus. They have been written, according to tradition, respectively by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are placed at the beginning of the New Testament and comprise close to half of it.
Encyclopedia Britannica notes that none of the sources of his life and work can be traced to Jesus himself; he did not leave a single known written word. Also, there are no contemporary accounts written of his life and death. What can be established about the historical Jesus depends almost without exception on Christian traditions, especially on the material used in the composition of the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, which reflect the outlook of the later church and its faith in Jesus.
Below are the views of Islam and Christianity based on primary source texts and core beliefs.
ISLAM
1. Do Muslims believe he was a Messenger of One God? YES
Belief in all of the Prophets and Messengers of God is a fundamental article of faith in Islam. Thus, believing in Prophets Adam, Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them) is a requirement for anyone who calls him or herself a Muslim. A person claiming to be a Muslim who, for instance, denies the Messengership of Jesus, is not considered a Muslim.
The Quran says in reference to the status of Jesus as a Messenger:
"The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before whom many Messengers have passed away; and his mother adhered wholly to truthfulness, and they both ate food (as other mortals do). See how We make Our signs clear to them; and see where they are turning away!" (Quran 5:75).
2. Do Muslims believe he was born of a Virgin Mother? YES
Like Christians, Muslims believe Mary, Maria in Spanish, or Maryam as she is called in Arabic, was a chaste, virgin woman, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus.
"Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her family, to a place in the East. She screened herself from them; then We sent to her Our spirit (angel Gabriel) and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: I seek refuge from you in God Most Gracious (come not near) if you do fear God. He said: Nay, I am only a Messenger from your Lord, to announce to you the gift of a pure son. She said: How shall I have a son, when no man has ever touched me, and I am not unchaste? He said: So it will be, your Lord says: ‘That is easy for Me; and We wish to appoint him as a sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': It was a matter so decreed" (Quran 19:16-21).
3. Do Muslims believe Jesus had a miraculous birth? YES
The Quran says: "She (Mary) said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.' He (God) said: ‘So (it will be) for God creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: ‘Be!'- and it is" (3:47).
It should also be noted about his birth that: "Verily, the likeness of Jesus in God's Sight is the likeness of Adam. He (God) created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!'-and he was" (Quran 3:59).
4. Do Muslims believe Jesus spoke in the cradle? YES
"Then she (Mary) pointed to him. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' He (Jesus) said: ‘Verily! I am a slave of God, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; " (19:29-30).
5. Do Muslims believe he performed miracles? YES
Muslims, like Christians believe Jesus performed miracles. But these were performed by the will and permission of God, Who has power and control over all things.
"Then will God say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favor to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit (the angel Gabriel) so that you did speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold: you make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and you breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by My leave, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers by My leave. And behold! you bring forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the children of Israel from (violence to you) when you did show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic' (5:110).
6. Do Muslims believe in the Trinity? NO
Muslims believe in the Absolute Oneness of God, Who is a Supreme Being free of human limitations, needs and wants. He has no partners in His Divinity. He is the Creator of everything and is completely separate from His creation.
God says in the Quran regarding the Trinity: "People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and attribute to God nothing except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of God, and His command that He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and in His Messengers, and do not say: ‘God is a Trinity.' Give up this assertion; it would be better for you. God is indeed just One God. Far be it from His glory that He should have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. God is sufficient for a guardian" (Quran 4:171).
7. Do Muslims believe that Jesus was the son of God? NO
"Say: "God is Unique! God, the Source [of everything]. He has not fathered anyone nor was He fathered, and there is nothing comparable to Him!" (Quran 112:1-4).
The Quran also states: "Such was Jesus, the son of Mary; it is a statement of truth, about which they vainly dispute. It is not befitting to the majesty of God, that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be' and it is" (Quran 19:34-35).
8. Do Muslims believe Jesus was killed on the cross then resurrected? NO
"“They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did.” (Quran 4:156) “God lifted him up to His presence. God is Almighty, All-Wise” (Quran 4:157) .
CHRISTIANITY
1. Do Christians believe Jesus was a human being and Messenger of God? YES & NO
With the exception of Unitarian Christians, who like all the early followers of Jesus, still do not believe in the Trinity, most Christians now believe in the Divinity of Jesus, which is connected to the belief in Trinity. They say he is the second member of the Triune God, the Son of the first part of the Triune God, and at the same time "fully" God in every respect.
2. Do Christians believe he was born of a Virgin Mother? YES
A chaste and pious human woman who gave birth to Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity, the Son of God, and at the same time "fully" God Almighty in every respect.
Christians believe however, that while she was a virgin, she was married to a man named Joseph (Bible: Matthew:1:18). According to Matthew 1:25, Joseph "kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus".
3. Do Christians believe he had a miraculous birth? YES"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit" (Bible: Matthew 1:18)
4. Do Christians believe he performed miracles? YES
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretches out thy hand to heal, and sign and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus (Bible: Acts 4:30).
Christians believe that Jesus performed these miracles because he was the Son of God as well as the incarnation of God.
5. Do Christians believe in the Trinity? YES
With the exception of the Unitarian Christians, who do not believe in the Divinity of Christ, the Trinity, according to the Catholic encyclopedia, is the term used for the central doctrine of the Christian religion. The belief is that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three Persons or beings are distinct from each another, while being similar in character: uncreated and omnipotent.
The First Vatican Council has explained the meaning to be attributed to the term mystery in theology. It lays down that a mystery is a truth which we are not merely incapable of discovering apart from Divine Revelation, but which, even when revealed, remains "hidden by the veil of faith and enveloped, so to speak, by a kind of darkness" (Const., "De fide. cath.", iv).
The First Vatican Council further defined that the Christian Faith contains mysteries strictly so called (can. 4). All theologians admit that the doctrine of the Trinity is of the number of these.
The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that of all revealed truths, this is the most impenetrable to reason.
6. Do Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God? YES
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (Bible: John 3:16).
However, it is interesting to note that the term "son of God" is used in other parts of the Bible to refer to Adam (Bible: Luke 3:38), Israel (Bible: Exodus 4:22) and David (Bible: Psalms 2:7) as well. The creatures of God are usually referred to in the Bible as children of God.
The role of Paul of Tarsus in shaping this belief and the belief in Trinity
The notion of Jesus as son of God is something that was established under the influence of Paul of Tarsus (originally named Saul), who had been an enemy of Jesus, but later changed course and joined the disciples after the departure of Jesus.
Later, however, he initiated a number of changes into early Christian teachings, in contradiction, for instance, to disciples like Barnabas, who believed in the Oneness of God and who had actually lived and met with Jesus.
Paul is considered by a number of Christian scholars to be the father of Christianity due to his additions of the following ideas:
that Jesus is the son of God,
the concept of Atonement,
the renunciation of the Law of the Torah.
Paul did these things in hopes of winning over the Gentiles (non-Jewish people). His letters are another of the primary sources of information on Jesus according to the Christian tradition.
The original followers of Prophet Jesus opposed these blatant misrepresentations of the message of Jesus. They struggled to reject the notion of the Divinity of Jesus for close to 200 years.
One person who was an original follower of Jesus was Barnabas. He was a Jew born in Cyrus and a successful preacher of the teachings of Jesus. Because of his closeness to Jesus, he was an important member of the small group of disciples in Jerusalem who had had gathered together following the disappearance of Jesus.
The question of Jesus's nature, origin and relationship with God was not raised amongst Barnabas and the small group of disciples. Jesus was considered a man miraculously endowed by God. Nothing in the words of Jesus or the events in his life led them to modify this view.
The Gospel of Barnabas was accepted as a Canonical Gospel in the Churches of Alexandria till 325 CE Iranaeus (130-200) wrote in support of pure monotheism and opposed Paul for injecting into Christianity doctrines of the pagan Roman religion and Platonic philosophy. He quoted extensively from the Gospel of Barnabas in support of his views. This indicates that the Gospel of Barnabas was in circulation in the first and second centuries of Christianity.
In 325 (CE), a council of Christian leaders met at Nicaea and made Paul's beliefs officially part of Christian doctrine. It also ordered that all original Gospels in Hebrew script which contradicted Paul's beliefs should be destroyed. An edict was issued that anyone in possession of these Gospels would be put to death.
The Gospel of Barnabas has miraculously survived though.
7. Do Christians believe he was killed on the cross? YES
This is a core Christian belief and it relates to the concept of atonement. According to this belief, Jesus died to save mankind from sin. However, this is not stated explicitly in the four gospels which form the primary source texts of Christianity. It is found, however, in Romans 6:8,9.
Christians believe Jesus was spat on, cut, humiliated, kicked, striped and finally hung up on the cross to endure a slow and painful death.
According, to Christian belief, the original sin of Adam and Eve of eating from the forbidden tree was so great that God could not forgive it by simply willing it, rather it was necessary to erase it with the blood of a sinless, innocent Jesus.
Resurrection
The four Gospels and the Epistles of St. Paul are the main sources of Christianity which discuss the Resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion. According to St. Matthew, Jesus appeared to the holy women, and again on a mountain in Galilee. Mark's Gospel tells a different story: Jesus was seen by Mary Magdalene, by the two disciples at Emmaus, and the Eleven before his Ascension into heaven.
Luke's Gospel says Jesus walked with the disciples to Emmaus, appeared to Peter and to the assembled disciples in Jerusalem. In John's Gospel, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the ten Apostles on Easter Sunday, to the Eleven a week later, and to seven disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
Another account of the resurrection by St. Paul is found in Bible: Corinthians 15: 3-8.
According to Christian belief, Resurrection is a manifestation of God's justice, Who exalted Christ to a life of glory, as Christ had humbled himself unto death (Phil., 2: 8-9). This event also completes the mystery of Christian salvation and redemption. The death of Jesus frees believers from sin, and with his resurrection, he restores to them the most important privileges lost by sin (Bible: Romans 4:25).
More importantly, the belief in the resurrection of Jesus indicates Christian acknowledgment of Christ as the immortal God, the cause of believers' own resurrection (Bible: I Corinthians 4: 21; Phil., 3:20-21), as well as the model and the support of a new life of grace (Bible: Romans 4: 4-6; 9-11).
Further Reading:
Saturday, 14 July 2012
What type of dates are you breaking your fast with?
With the exception of Ajwa dates (those favoured by the Prophet Muhammad - P.B.U.H), Medjool dates are probably the most expensive but also the most delicious dates in the world. They stand out compared to other dates mainly because of their size.
Last Ramadan I ventured to a halal grocery store (in a predominantly Muslim area) and was about to purchase some of these delicious dates until I saw the sign "produce of Israel" on the box – I was really angered and left the store immediately. Again a couple of days ago I ventured to a local supermarket and noticed the same dates – this time labelled produce of West Bank - again I did not purchase these dates.
The reason for this is mainly due to the fact that produce from Israel (fruit and vegetables) such as dates are mainly produced in occupied Palestinian land such as the West Bank (these are some of the most beautiful and fertile lands in the Arab world) – but most of these lands are run by illegal settlers who employ Palestinians with some of the harshest working conditions. Investigative reporting by Israeli newspapers such as Haaretz had exposed these findings.
The European Union and some of our largest supermarkets in Europe turn a blind eye towards this. An even greater worry is the ignorance set by owners of halal grocery chains who in one way during the month of Ramadan might have a collection box from charities to help oppressed Palestinians yet at the same time will be financing their oppressors by selling profitable crops such as dates from Israel and occupied Palestine in their shops!
It’s time for an ethical campaign – a campaign on the type of food we buy. Innovative Minds and the Islamic Human Rights Commission are calling on campaigners to create awareness in their communities about the boycott of Israeli goods, and in particular Israeli dates, this Ramadan.
BOYCOTT ISRAELI DATES
Most of the Israeli date crop – up to 80%, is exported, mainly to Europe where it has around 10% market share. In 2005, dates were Israel’s leading fruit export. The two major Israeli companies involved are Agrexco and Hadi-klaim.
Agrexco, half owned by the Israeli government, handles 60-70% of all goods produced in the illegal Settlements. Its dates have brand names Carmel, Jordan Plains and Jordan Valley.
Hadiklaim sells 65 percent of the all dates produced in Israel. Its dates have brand names King Solomon and Jordan River. They also supply Israeli dates to supermarkets and retail chains who market them under their own brand names. These include Marks & Spencer's, Sainsbury's, Tesco's, and Waitrose.
In order to educate our communities on this issue two videos had been produced by Innovative Minds (see below). There are also leaflets and posters available from their website. Click here http://inminds.co.uk/boycott-israeli-dates.php
Boycott Israeli Dates 1 of 2
Boycott Israeli Dates 2 of 2
If you find this information useful please pass this to other brothers and sisters. It’s time to start campaigning with our wallets – its time we stopped trading with these oppressors. Make sure you look before you buy. If you find a halal grocery store that sells dates from Israel then notify them of their error and if they don’t change then find alternative places to shop.
If you want to break your fast with delicious dates from Palestine as well as sample other produce then there are various shops listed on the Zaytoun.org website. Zaytoun is an ethical business established to support marginalized farming communities in Palestine. Zaytoun helps Palestinion farmers access the UK market and ensures that the money made from sales goes back to the right people.
More info: http://www.zaytoun.org/files/2009/03/palestinian-agricultural-relief-committees-media-pack.pdf
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Rare giant 500-year-old copy of Koran to be published online
Taken from The Daily Mail, 20/01/2011
A rarely-seen manuscript of one of the world's most important copies of the Koran is to be published online. The hand-written holy book, estimated to be around 500 years old, is so precious and fragile scholars have been unable to put it on display.
Now experts at the University of Manchester's John Rylands Library are using digital technology to photograph each page and publish the book online to enable scholars and students to study it.
Analysis of the digital images should aid scholars to date the manuscript more accurately.
It is believed to have originated from Cairo from the library of Kansuh al-Ghuri, one of the last Mamluk Sultans of Egypt.
Known as the Rylands Koran of Kansuh al-Ghuri, it has two missing pages, or leaves, which were discovered in the 1970s at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.
The missing pages will also be captured in digital images and reunited with the book on the internet.
At least 950 images will be captured - which will be between 80 and 120MB each - allowing their study in intricate detail.
It will eventually be freely available for research, teaching and learning using Turning the Pages technology on a dedicated website.
Project manager Carol Burrows, collection and research support manager at the John Rylands Library, said: 'Because of its size and weight, reading room access has been severely restricted to all but a handful of scholars. It cannot be used in exhibitions, seminars or public close-ups.
'It will certainly be challenging to photograph this enormous manuscript, as it is too large and heavy for the equipment we normally use.
'However, we have constructed dedicated equipment which will achieve this aim.'
Dr Andreas Christmann, senior lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University’s school of Arts, Histories and Cultures said: 'Although one of the biggest assets of the John Rylands Library, this Koran has not been available for either research or teaching because of its delicate state.
'We know it represents one of the finest, most lavishly illuminated and calligraphically significant Qur’an manuscripts from the late Mamluk period.
'Because of its time of writing - 14th or 15th century – it bridges the gap in chronicling Qur’anic calligraphy between the late classical period - 9th-12th century and the early modern period - 16th-18th century.
'By digitising the entire manuscript and adding the missing chapters it will produce an almost complete Qur’anic manuscript of magnificent size and splendid craftsmanship.
'I’m delighted scholars, including students of my class in Qur’anic Studies, will have free access to studying this text, which will provide a great stimulus for further research into Qur’anic calligraphy.'
The Koran was purchased by the library in 1900 as part of the Crawford collection of manuscripts, a collection of artefacts acquired by various Earls of Crawford.
The project has been funded by the Islamic Manuscript Association.
Other info
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# Each of the 470 pages measures 35in by 24in, the size of a large plasma screen TV. # The ornate book was written by several scribes and illuminators for Kansuh al-Ghuri, the penultimate Mameluke sultan of Egypt.
# The paper it is written on was made from bombycine, a silken fabric which after sizing is polished with smooth stones so that the ink sits on the surface rather than being absorbed (similar in properties to vellum).
# Historians disagree on when it was written, with estimates ranging from the second half of the 14th century to 1500.
# It was kept in the sultan's library in Cairo and was eventually acquired by the Earl of Crawford.
# The Koran was one of several manuscripts which formed the Crawford Collection, artefacts acquired by various Earls of Crawford, which was bought by Enriqueta Rylands in 1900 and became part of her husband's library the John Rylands Library.
# The library eventually formed part of the University of Manchester in 1972 which is where it is now.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Mohammed is top boys' names in England
Taken from Daily Express, By Sarah O'Grady,
Thursday October 28,2010
MOHAMMED is now the most popular given name for newborn boys in England and Wales
The Muslim name – which means “one who is praiseworthy” in the Islamic religion – outnumbered traditional names like Jack and Harry for the first time last year.
The name, when 12 different spellings were included, was given to 7,549 youngsters in 2009, official statistics reveal.
Oliver was the second most popular and it was given to 7,364 boys in England and Wales. Jack – which had been the top name for baby boys for the previous 14 years – was third, Harry fourth and Alfie in fifth place.
Because official figures did not take into account the variations in the spelling of Mohammed, Oliver was officially named as the most popular boys’ name by the Office of National Statistics.
The official list put Mohammed in only 16th place. But when the other 11 different spellings of the same name are taken into account it is the most popular.
Mohammed was given to 3,300 boys, while Muhammad was given to 2,162 youngsters. There are in fact 14 recognised variations of the spelling – although only 12 of them were given to newborn British boys last year.
The most popular Muslim girls name is Aisha – and was given to 541 girls last year ranking it 101 on the list, up from 110 in 2006.
While Oliver was beaten to first place by Mohammed, in the girls list Olivia came out on top. Ruby, Chloe, Emily and Sophie made up the top five in the list of girls’ names in 2009.
Murtaza Shibli, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he was not surprised Mohammed had become the most popular boys’ name.
He said: “Parents choose it because of their love of the prophet Mohammed and they believe the name will bring happiness and abundance. Also, there’s a belief they will follow the good example of the prophet.”
More generally, the trend of the past 10 years of the popularity of names common around the start of the 20th century like Evie and Lily continues.
And there were also 16 newborn Kings in 2009, three King Davids, 68 Princes, eight Dukes, 11 Earls, four Barons and four Lords. Amongst the girls, there were 12 Queenies, seven Queens, 109 Princesses and five Ladys.
Mothers of newborn and slightly older babies are urged by the ONS to include their babies’ details in the 2011 Census, taking place in March.
“Babies often go unrecorded in the census as new mothers sometimes don’t realise they need to enter the details of even the very newest member of the household,” ONS spokesman William Mach said yesterday.
“There is a strong link between filling in the census and the authorities being able to plan and provide public services in years to come – for example, in setting numbers of school places.”
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
What is Halloween and where did it come?
What is Halloween and where did it come from?
Taken from www.alhudapk.com
Halloween today is defined by children going house to house on the night of October 31st, dressed up in a variety of costumes collecting treats.
Although Halloween may seem like a time for children to have fun carving pumpkins and collecting candy, not many know the origins of this ‘festival’ and its traditions that date back centuries.
The origins of Halloween date back to the time of the Celtics or ‘Celts’. They were a group occupying the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France about 2,000 years ago. This group celebrated their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of the summer and was reflected upon as a time of darkness and cold as winter approached. The Celtics associated this dark time of year with death.
On October 31st (the Celtic new year’s eve) they celebrated a festival called Samhain. This celebration was supported by the belief that the ghosts of the dead roamed the earth. Priests (‘Druids’) were believed to be able to communicate with these ghostly spirits and tell the future by doing so; by telling the ‘future’ many were given hope for the long, dark winter ahead. The Priests built large fires on this night and the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities/gods. During the festival they wore animal heads and skins as costumes.
Customs
Dressing up in costumes: This was done so that the ‘spirits of the dead’ would not recognize people. It was also done by people imitating supernatural beings that were believed to roam the earth at that time.
Trick-or-treating: The Priests/Druids would go from house to house on October 31st and demand specific types of food (to offer to the spirits in order to calm them). If their demands were not met, it was believed the people and their homes would be cursed with trouble, sickness, and death. Prosperity was promised to those who generously donated (hence the phrase, ‘trick or treat’, implying a demand for treats or else a certain consequence would have to be given).
Jack-o'-lantern: This started off as a legend associated with a man of Irish origin named Jack who supposedly enjoyed playing pranks on the Devil. The legend states that after his death, Jack did not go to Heaven or Hell and therefore, had to wander the earth carrying a lantern, providing him with some light to see where he was going. Pumpkins that were hollowed out and had candles lit inside were representative of this legend. They were also supposed to scare evil spirits away (this is why odd looking faces are carved on the pumpkins).
Bats & Black cats: These animals were believed to communicate with the dead. It is also believed black cats were able to house the souls of witches.
How Halloween came into Christianity
By the 800s A.D., the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st as All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas, (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be known as All-hallows Eve or Holly Eve (because it was the eve of a holy celebration the next day) and eventually, Halloween.
Quick Fact: The word Halloween does not appear in the bible at all. Jeremiah 10:02 clearly warns: “Do not follow the ways of other heathens (pagans)”.
Halloween Today
Each year people spend billions of dollars on candy and costumes at this time of year. A survey conducted by BIGresearch found that an estimated $3.29 billion was spent on this holiday in 2005. In a world stricken with poverty and malnutrition in many underprivileged countries, this amount seems rather Ridiculous to be spent on candy and costumes.
Quick Facts: In 2003, the major pumpkin producing states in America produced an estimated 805 million pounds, valued at $81 million.
United Nations World Food Program
- more than 800 million people go to bed without food everyday
- one child dies every five seconds in the world form hunger and other related causes
Many devil worshippers and occult groups now ritualistically recognize Halloween as the Devil’s Day. Over 60% of costumes are sold to adults who become outrageous exhibitionists.
The Islamic Perspective
“We have sent them the truth, but they indeed practice falsehood” (Quran 23:10)
“You must keep to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation, andevery innovation is misleading.” (Bukhari).
In order to save one self from falling into and following the practices of a society, one must have firm knowledge of the teachings and rulings of ones own religion and belief system. Clearly all that deviates from the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and leads to wrong practices is contrary to the beliefs of Islam.
Halloween is a celebration that rejoices in all things magical and evil. In the Quran Allah says of magic that it only harms and brings no benefit (Surah Al-Baqarah, V.102).
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The final hour will not come until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit” (Bukhari).
“Whoever imitates a nation is one of them” (Abu Dawud).
Islam propagates the idea of conscious living, and upon the advent of Islam, it served to cleanse ignorant and superstitious practices. Muslims have been ordered to work for a purposeful, beneficial cause for mankind. Indulging in prehistoric and ignorant practices can only lead to frittering away ones life and thus making one an ultimate loser in the Hereafter.
References:
http://www.agday.org/tc/tc-funfacts.html
http://islam.about.com/library/weekly/aa103098.htm
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/misc/halloween_an_islamic_perspective.htm
What we can do tonight when the children come for candy?
This is an extract of letter response to the above article sent to alhudapk.com
Alhamdulillah, my children never went trick or treating on halloween ever, instead we always tried to educate ourselves and others about this event. We tried different strategies every year.
Couple of times I gathered my children and invited their friends to share the reality of Halloween on that evening that helped them stay away from the influence of this event.
Alhamdulillah, children responded very well and they were shocked as well as disgusted when they found out the reality behind this tradition. They were so exited that they even wanted to tell all this information to the children that were coming to the door for candy.
About the candy giving issue we tried different strategies as well. One year we just went to the Masjid during that time and came home after it was over. One year my children made different signs and put them on the entrance door facing outside. They had different messages like “sorry! No candy, your dentist will be mad! Etc.
Last year we tried a different approach as we are always apprehensive and skeptical whether to give candy or not because generally it is not a good manner to let someone go empty handed when they come to your door for whatever reason. So along side the candy we gave books. The book was “An illustrated guide to understanding Islam”, which we have been distributing in our community for some time now, Alhamdulillah. Tonight, Insha Allah we plan to give the book “One Message” along side the candy. Alhamdulillah, I believe this is a blessing from Allah SWT because the people are already coming to our door so we can do dawah work instead of letting this opportunity slip by or just get mad at them.
We are fortunate in this way that we have a facility here which provides us with books for dawah in large quantity, Alhamdulillah. People can look for similar options in their areas, e.g. masaajid, Islamic libraries or dawah centers to provide them with materials or just print out something good and relevant to the occasion from the internet if possible.
I hope that we can all learn and practice our beautiful Deen the way we are supposed to and help others do the same. I hope and pray that this can be beneficial for others as well. Any ideas or comments to improve our ways further will be greatly appreciated.
Monday, 11 October 2010
Hajj pilgrims to ride first Makkah metro
Taken from emirates247.com
By Nadim Kawach, Sunday, October 10, 2010
Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims will ride a new railway metro transport system for the first time when they converge on the Saudi holy city of Makkah next month, according to the local media.
The Gulf Kingdom, where millions of Muslims from around the world gather every year for their annual haj (pilgrimage) season, has just completed the first stage of a train that will eventually transport nearly two million people.
Officials said around 170,000 pilgrims would be able to use the Chinese-built metro during this haj season, which is expected to start in mid November.
“The train will have a capacity to transport around 170,000 pilgrims this year, mostly from Saudi Arabia and nearby Gulf countries,” said Prince Mansour bin Mutab bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Municipal Affairs.
The Prince was speaking on Tuesday following a 10-minute test trip by the train through Makkah, Islam’s holiest shrine. His trip was apparently intended to refute claims by some Saudis that it was not up to international standards.
Pic Source: SaudiPressAgency
Pic Source: SaudiPressAgency
Prince Mansour said his ministry has set up a committee to study transport fees for passengers using the train that will transport pilgrims through Makka’s holy sites during the four-day Haj season.
Saturday, 11 September 2010
The prayer room within the Twin Towers
There has been a lot of debate about the proposed islamic centre near gound zero as well as the hate pastor of Florida Terry Jones but little has been said of the Muslims that died in the Twin Towers on 9/11 (estimated to be 60) nor about the prayer rooms that existed in the twin towers.
Here is a article taken form The New York Times, Published: September 10, 2010
Muslims and Islam Were Part of Twin Towers’ Life
By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN
Sometime in 1999, a construction electrician received a new work assignment from his union. The man, Sinclair Hejazi Abdus-Salaam, was told to report to 2 World Trade Center, the southern of the twin towers.
In the union locker room on the 51st floor, Mr. Abdus-Salaam went through a construction worker’s version of due diligence. In the case of an emergency in the building, he asked his foreman and crew, where was he supposed to reassemble? The answer was the corner of Broadway and Vesey.
Over the next few days, noticing some fellow Muslims on the job, Mr. Abdus-Salaam voiced an equally essential question: “So where do you pray at?” And so he learned about the Muslim prayer room on the 17th floor of the south tower.
He went there regularly in the months to come, first doing the ablution known as wudu in a washroom fitted for cleansing hands, face and feet, and then facing toward Mecca to intone the salat prayer.
On any given day, Mr. Abdus-Salaam’s companions in the prayer room might include financial analysts, carpenters, receptionists, secretaries and ironworkers. There were American natives, immigrants who had earned citizenship, visitors conducting international business — the whole Muslim spectrum of nationality and race.
Leaping down the stairs on Sept. 11, 2001, when he had been installing ceiling speakers for a reinsurance company on the 49th floor, Mr. Abdus-Salaam had a brief, panicked thought. He didn’t see any of the Muslims he recognized from the prayer room. Where were they? Had they managed to evacuate?
He staggered out to the gathering place at Broadway and Vesey. From that corner, he watched the south tower collapse, to be followed soon by the north one. Somewhere in the smoking, burning mountain of rubble lay whatever remained of the prayer room, and also of some of the Muslims who had used it.
Given the vitriolic opposition now to the proposal to build a Muslim community center two blocks from ground zero, one might say something else has been destroyed: the realization that Muslim people and the Muslim religion were part of the life of the World Trade Center.
Opponents of the Park51 project say the presence of a Muslim center dishonors the victims of the Islamic extremists who flew two jets into the towers. Yet not only were Muslims peacefully worshiping in the twin towers long before the attacks, but even after the 1993 bombing of one tower by a Muslim radical, Ramzi Yousef, their religious observance generated no opposition
“We weren’t aliens,” Mr. Abdus-Salaam, 60, said in a telephone interview from Florida, where he moved in retirement. “We had a foothold there. You’d walk into the elevator in the morning and say, ‘Salaam aleikum,’ to one construction worker and five more guys in suits would answer, ‘Aleikum salaam.’ ”
One of those men in suits could have been Zafar Sareshwala, a financial executive for the Parsoli Corporation, who went to the prayer room while on business trips from his London office. He was introduced to it, he recently recalled, by a Manhattan investment banker who happened to be Jewish.
“It was so freeing and so calm,” Mr. Sareshwala, 47, said in a phone conversation from Mumbai, where he is now based. “It had the feel of a real mosque. And the best part is that you are in the epicenter of capitalism — New York City, the World Trade Center — and you had this island of spiritualism. I don’t think you could have that combination anywhere in the world.”
How, when and by whom the prayer room was begun remains unclear. Interviews this week with historians and building executives of the trade center came up empty. Many of the Port Authority’s leasing records were destroyed in the towers’ collapse. The imams of several Manhattan mosques whose members sometimes went to the prayer room knew nothing of its origins.
Yet the room’s existence is etched in the memories of participants like Mr. Abdus-Salaam and Mr. Sareshwala. Prof. John L. Esposito of Georgetown University, an expert in Islamic studies, briefly mentions the prayer room in his recent book “The Future of Islam.”
Moreover, the prayer room was not the only example of Muslim religious practice in or near the trade center. About three dozen Muslim staff members of Windows on the World, the restaurant atop the north tower, used a stairwell between the 106th and 107th floors for their daily prayers.
Without enough time to walk to the closest mosque — Masjid Manhattan on Warren Street, about four blocks away — the waiters, chefs, banquet managers and others would lay a tablecloth atop the concrete landing in the stairwell and flatten cardboard boxes from food deliveries to serve as prayer mats.
During Ramadan, the Muslim employees brought their favorite foods from home, and at the end of the daylight fast shared their iftar meal in the restaurant’s employee cafeteria.
“Iftar was my best memory,” said Sekou Siby, 45, a chef originally from the Ivory Coast. “It was really special.”
Such memories have been overtaken, though, by others. Mr. Siby’s cousin and roommate, a chef named Abdoul-Karim Traoré, died at Windows on the World on Sept. 11, as did at least one other Muslim staff member, a banquet server named Shabir Ahmed from Bangladesh.
Fekkak Mamdouh, an immigrant from Morocco who was head waiter, attended a worship service just weeks after the attacks that honored the estimated 60 Muslims who died. Far from being viewed as objectionable, the service was conducted with formal support from city, state and federal authorities, who arranged for buses to transport imams and mourners to Warren Street.
There, within sight of the ruins, they chanted salat al-Ghaib, the funeral prayer when there is not an intact corpse.
“It is a shame, shame, shame,” Mr. Mamdouh, 49, said of the Park51 dispute. “Sometimes I wake up and think, this is not what I came to America for. I came here to build this country together. People are using this issue for their own agenda. It’s designed to keep the hate going.”
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Rare Quran inscribed by Aurangzeb to be auctioned
Taken from Gulf News, By Samihah Zaman, Published: September 3, 2010
Abu Dhabi: A 300-year-old manuscript of the Quran, parts of which were inscribed by the son of the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal, will soon be auctioned by its Emirati owner in Germany.
The 14.5x24cm manuscript has lavish golden insets and consists of sheets of paper, handcrafted from rice and natural materials, and inlaid with ruby, lapis lazuli and garnet.
The 14.5x24cm manuscript was part of the collection of the Mughal emperors of India, and was made during the rule of Emperor Aurangzeb (1658-1707), son of Emperor Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal.
It will be auctioned at the Auktionshaus Sebök (Seboek aution house) in the German city of Bamberg by its current Emirati owner, who wished to remain anonymous.
The manuscript has lavish golden insets and consists of sheets of paper, handcrafted from rice and natural materials. The script is written in ink made from valuable minerals, and it is inlaid with ruby, lapis lazuli and garnet.
Emperor Aurungzeb is known to have inscribed several passages of the manuscript himself, and he had reserved a special section of his palace for the artists who completed it.
Starting price
Stefan Sebök, an auctioneer at the auction house, told Gulf News that the starting price for the item has been set at 900 euros (Dh 4,221).
"The manuscript is extremely rare and was passed down to the last of the Mughal emperors by Emperor Aurangzeb. So we expect it to receive one of the highest bids at our art and antique auction in October," Sebök said.
Sebök also said that a comparable manuscript was sold to the Sultan of Brunei in 2006 for $10 million (Dh36.7 million), and a similar item went to an anonymous bidder for $4.3 million (Dh 15.781 million).
According to Sebök, the current owner of the manuscript acquired the ancient copy of the Quran from his great-grandfather. The owner's great-grandfather had been governor to Oudh, a northern region in India, and had served the Mughal dynasty.
Before the British Raj had dismissed the last Mughal emperor, the emperor had asked his loyal confidants to select gifts from his collection for themselves.
The great-grandfather of the current owner has personally selected the manuscript, and it has since been passed down through generations of the family.
Other interesting articles:
(1) Record price for 13th-century Quran(2) 800-year-old key to the Kaaba
Sunday, 29 August 2010
My journey to Islam
The following is an article taken from Saudi Gazzette, 23.08.2010
By Nazeeha Renard
You can ask me what I had for dinner yesterday, and I will stop and think. But ask me at any time, on any day, when I reverted to Islam… and the answer comes quickly to the surface of my mind.
Before I tell you “when,” I will answer the question of “why?” I was waiting to die. No, there was no illness of the body. My heart and soul were dead. My body felt like it existed without purpose.
It was not a morbid feeling; I just didn’t connect spiritually, in my mind, to any faith. My family (who will remain private) and I were raised under the religion of Catholicism. Believing in God and knowing God, I believe, are very separate concepts. I attended church on the obligatory holidays. I would drop my coins in the faded gold box that was firmly welded to the candle offerings table. Kneeling down, I closed my eyes and prayed to any and all saints to help me.
College life, married life and divorce – all were basically lived without a firm grasp on faith. I was always spiritual (or so I thought), but did not claim any one religion as my own. It was only after having my son that I contemplated something more, a desire to be better and to find something greater in this world.
I was a stay-at-home mom doing my best to raise a “good person.” To give my son unconditional love, and provide him the opportunity to give back to this world. The strange thing for me was I could teach my son how to pray, however, I was unable to teach him about faith.
One day while I was doing my routine housework, I started watching a documentary about the fastest growing religions in the world. Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism were the featured religions. When the history of Islam was featured, I thought, “This is it!” My heart literally changed its rhythm. I can’t explain it… it can only be experienced. My eyes cried over the sound of the Adhan (the call for prayer) until I could barely see the screen. I remember going to the PC and searching frantically for this “music” I had heard. It was not music, but a call to worship Allah.
The year was 2007 and I said my Shahada and became a Muslim. I have a faith that is more important to me than anyone and anything in my life! Life for me revolves around Islam, not the other way around. I have lost some friendships, but I will not compromise my beliefs for anyone.
My family is very small, and is not what I would call practicing Catholics. My announcement that I was a Muslim came over dinner and was greeted with complete silence. I mean, crickets chirping… But as time passed and my mother and son (who is 21) saw that I was very serious, they still said nothing. My son is accepting and my mother feels I am “sad and unhappy” or going through a phase. You have got to love her. Well, at least I have to love her.
That is all I will say about them for now. I love them deeply and will always make supplication for my mom and son to accept Islam, Insha Allah. Each day, I love more, and learn more. Does Islam assure me happiness? No, but it does give me the freedom to be a stronger woman.
I started wearing the Hijab in stages. Six months after taking my Shahada, I felt the desire to cover yet, I was still nervous of public reaction. The wearing of a bandanna became my introduction to my new life as a Muslim. The first time I went outside a sense of calm overwhelmed me… even though my neck was still visible a transformation of spirit was occurring.
Within two months I was wearing the Hijab full-time! I still tear up thinking about seeing myself for the first time in the mirror. No longer was I seeing myself. Subhan Allah, the reflection looking back at me was of a woman who was grateful. For the very first time I saw an outward appearance, that matched my feelings inside. I saw a Muslimah at peace with herself.
I wear my Hijab only to please Allah. There are no Muslims in my family, and I am not married. So the answer to if I am being forced to cover is a happy and sincere “No.”
My beauty and femininity are not displayed for the public, or defined by what the fashion magazines say is beautiful. In fact, my makeup routine consists of a clean moisturized face and vanilla scented lip balm.
My Hijab is not worn as a political symbol. The way I tie it, or the pins which may adorn it are not the issue. More recently increasing government pressure is mounting to ban the wearing of the Hijab and veil. It is beyond comprehension how a group of non-Muslim elected government officials can speak for the choices made by Muslim women!
They say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Maybe someone should tell these government leaders and their supporters… “Don’t judge the Muslimah for her cover!” – SG
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Makkah Tower, the biggest clock in the world starts operation in Ramadan
Taken from Globalarabnetwork.com, 11.08.2010
Saudi Arabia (Makkah ) - With many countries in the world celebrating the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Saudi Arabia's and the world's biggest clock perched on the Makkah Clock Tower started the trial run since Wednesday morning.
The project was ordered by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdelaziz in an attempt to provide an alternative for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), currently used as international reference.
The design of the project has traditional Islamic architectural features and the clock is to be run with the latest operating systems and gear.
The tower is 601 meters high and the clock has four faces, one in each direction, with the name of Allah on top of each. The face of the clock is over 40 meters in diameter and is over 400 meters above surface level.
The call for prayer from the Holy Mosque would be heard from the new landmark's loudspeakers for a distance of almost seven kilometers. The tower itself could be seen from a distance of eight kilometers.
More pics (taken from arabianbusiness.com)
Friday, 2 April 2010
1001 Inventions Exhibition @ The Science Museum, London
Are you sitting at home, bored with nothing to do? Why not visit the Science musuem in London and have a look at the special exhibition by 1001 Inventions?
1001 Inventions is a global educational initiative that promotes awareness of the scientific and cultural achievements of Muslim civilisation, during the thousand year period from the 7th century onwards, and how those contributions helped build the foundations of our modern world.
The exibition opened in mid January and closes on the 25th April.
Exhibits include numerous electronic interactives, a reproduction of a 9th century flying device and a five-metre high replica of the “Elephant Clock”. The exhibition features more than sixty exhibits and a large screen displaying a mini-movie starring Oscar-winning actor Ben Kingsley as Al-Jazari, inventor of the fabled Elephant Clock. Find out more at the exhibition website.
Here is the short promotional clip...
Entry is free for both children and adults.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Ex-Christian helps Welsh-Muslim converts adapt
New project set up to switch to Islamic way of life
Taken from alarabiya.net
Deciding to change religion can be a daunting and confusing process; luckily for those in Wales that decide to convert to Islam there is something called the New Muslim Project Wales (NMPW)--an initiative set up to help new Muslims make the transition.
Whether it is dealing with negative family reactions or finding the nearest Halal meat shop, the project aims to welcome people to the faith and offers educational classes, social activities and a buddy system.
Abdul Rahman, a 57-year old previously called Richard Fairclough, set up the initiative with fellow "reverts" as they are known, basing it on the U.K.-wide New Muslim Project.
The group said it is compiling a register of new Muslims across Wales, and noted the number of people converting to Islam had rapidly grown in a short time frame.
“I don’t want to play the numbers game…but I was surprised when I was updating the database that we had such a large number in such a short time,” Abdul Rahman was quoted on the Welsh website, WalesOnline, as saying.
Conversion
The report said Abdul Rahman was an active Christian for most of his life until he moved to South Africa, where he was intrigued by the call to prayer and felt compelled to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad.
“I went there [Capetown] in 1992, just post apartheid, when Muslims were put on a par with the main black group…I noticed that every Friday [Islam's holy day] many of the shops that were run by Muslims shut and that there was something spiritual going on," the website quoted him as saying.
“And in my neighborhood there were three or four mosques. I heard the call to prayer and it was lovely…Then I heard about the Prophet Muhammed and wanted to find out more,” he added.
“I had belief and understanding as a Christian, but what I have found with Islam is so much more straightforward," said Abdul Rahman.
A new Muslim's life
Abdul Rahman—who converted to Islam in 2002 when he returned to Wales—said he was well equipped to help deal with the negative reactions some converts face from family and said most new Muslims may have to give up some of their old ways of life.
This includes drinking alcohol, which can mean changing social habits and even finding new friends.
“As a Muslim I don’t drink because Allah doesn’t want us to drink, it says so in the Quran, so that meant I had to part company with all the friends I used to go drinking with,” he said.
“As a revert to Islam, people may have to cope with negative reactions because of the way the media often portrays Muslims as terrorists [but] as with all belief systems, you will get fanatics who interpret things badly and perhaps use religion as justification for their actions, but that is simply not true with the vast majority of Muslims," Abdul Rahman said.
Abdul Rahman stressed that the initiative was only for adults that had made the decision to convert by themselves and said the only purpose was to help people come to terms with Islam.
Members can gain access to a variety of services ranging from a pack that includes a copy of the Quran, a prayer mat and a biography of Prophet Muhammad. Although the website is still bare boned there is also a mailing list on offer that promises to connect converts to other members of the community.
"We are not converting people. These are adults who have already made that decision and just want to know where their nearest mosque is, where they can buy halal meat or if they have to wear funny clothes – which they don’t." he said, adding “we don’t go around banging on doors. The only time a Muslim will knock on your door is to offer hospitality.”
According to Abdul Rahman many of the NMPW members are converts, but the organization is open to born Muslims who want to learn more about their religion or those who have strayed but have decided to return to the fold.
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Muslim footballer fined for supporting Gaza!
Kanoute says he does not care about Spanish fine
Taken from Al Arabiya News Agency, 10 January 2009
A Muslim footballer has been fined by the Spanish Football Federation for uncovering a T-shirt with the word 'Palestine' written on it in several languages after he scored a goal in the Spanish Cup.
Sevilla's Malian international striker Frederic Kanoute was reprimanded for lifting his shirt in what he said he had to do as an act of support for Palestinians in Gaza where an Israeli assault has claimed at least 800 lives since it began on Dec. 27.
"It was something that I felt that I should do. Everyone should feel a bit responsible when there is such a big injustice. I am 100 percent responsible for what I did and I don't care about the sanction," he told private television Telecinco on Thursday.
Federation rules prevent players from displaying any sort of publicity or slogan during matches. The federation did not reveal the amount of the fine but Spanish media said it was between 2,000 and 3,000 euros ($2,700 and 4,000).
The federation said it was not penalizing the political nature of the message but the fact that the player had displayed a message in violation of the rules. The incident happened after he scored a goal during his team's 2-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna in the Spanish Cup.
'Brave person'
France-born Kanoute, a Sevilla player since a 2005 move from English Premiership side Tottenham, is a Muslim who has supported various humanitarian causes in the past.
In 2006 he set up a foundation to help orphans in Mali and the following year he reportedly spent around 500,000 euros ($700,000) of his own money to save a privately owned mosque in Seville from being sold after a contract to use the premises by the local Muslim population had expired.
Raphael Schultz, Israel's ambassador in Madrid, told Radio Marca on Thursday that Kanoute's gesture "had gone beyond his profession and FIFA rules to this respect."
"I saw the match and the T-shirt bore nothing more than the name of Palestine. It was not an incitement against Israel. I don't think it extolled violence," Schultz said.
Meanwhile, Palestine embassy official Mahmoud Aluanen told the same station that Kanoute "has shown himself to be a very brave person to support our people at a public event."
"Sportsmen are human beings and cannot contain their feelings. They have all the right in the world to express their opinion about matters which contravene human rights. I'm sure that all Palestinian children, those who love football, will be happy about this gesture," Aluanen added.
Saturday, 3 January 2009
How to help the people of Gaza
How to help the people of Gaza
Taken from Muslim Council of Britain Website
Join a Peaceful Protest and Let Your Voice be Heard
You will by now have witnessed the horrific scenes of murder of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli missiles. There has been widespread revulsion about this massacre and a sense of helplessness from people around the world, unable to do anything about it. Aside from our prayers to Allah to seek His Mercy, many of us may wonder what we can do to help the people of Palestine and persuade our government to condemn the Israeli military machine and stop giving it diplomatic cover to carry out its task with impunity.
You can join other MCB affiliates to make a difference, and do things yourself in your own community and call for change from the grassroots:
1. Donate Money
The Palestinian people are in urgent need for your donations for urgent medical aid and you can donate to:
MCB affiliate - Interpal, the specialist charity helping Palestinians:
Phone: Call the Interpal hotline: 02089619993
Online: Go to website and follow the online instructions
Interpal Account Details: Account Name: Interpal, Bank: Islamic Bank of Britain, Sort Code: 30-00-83 Account Number: 01095401 BG52LOYD3096401024192
Other MCB charity affiliates specialising in the region are: Islamic Relief, Muslim Aid, Muslim Hands and Ummah Welfare Trust.
2. Join a Peaceful Protest and let your voice be heard
• Emergency Demonstration:
Sun 4 January 2pm Israeli Embassy, High St, Kensington, London (Nearest tube High Street Kensington.)
• Daily protests:
5 - 9 January, 5.30pm-7.00pm Israeli Embassy, High St, Kensington, London
• National Demonstration:
Saturday 10 January March to Israeli Embassy, High St Kensington, London
Check the MCB website for further updates.
3. Sign the petition. (Demand that Israel immediately stops its bloody campaign in Gaza)
There is also another petition underway on the Downing Street website: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Israel-Sanctions
4. Lobby Your MP.
Get your community to write, call and meet your Member of Parliament. Our MPs have been elected to serve us and we should make sure that we contact them and pressurise them to do something against this Israeli brutality. Lobby your MP to sign or initiate an Early Day Motion that calls on our government to condemn the Israeli government for massacre of Palestinians. Be polite, to the point and make your request specific. You can find out you your MP is here.
5. Get yourself heard.
Participate by writing letters to the editor and taking part in television, radio and online discussion forums. Remember to keep your points succinct and polite. You can find some letter-writing tips here.
6. Seek Coalitions.
Change starts at home so you might also wish to seek local coalitions and work with people around you, of all faiths, to highlight the plight of the Palestinians. This is an issue of humanity and we should work to seek coalitions across faiths.
7. Call the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Express your concern with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, please call 020 7008 1500.
The MCB has written to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and has asked for tougher action against Israeli war crimes. We sought a meeting with the Secretary of State to make our points known. Click here for further information. In addition, a wide coalition of groups has published an open letter in the national press, click here for the letter.
8. Remember the power of prayer.
MCB is initiating amongst its affiliates and the ulema Special prayers, Qunooot Al-Nazilah, this prayer of the Prophet is recited when Muslims face calamities. For further information, Click here
Boycott Apartheid Israel - Boycot their products!
Boycott Apartheid Israel - Boycot their products!
People of good conscience have chosen to boycott Israeli products and companies supporting the zionist entity.
Innovative Minds (INMINDS.co.uk) have carried out extensive research to identify companies that trade with Isreal and Israeli products in the UK - sometimes products produced by settlers from illegally occupied Palestine. The reasons why we should be boycotting the companies (listed below) can be found on their website: Click here!
COMPANIES TO BOYCOTT
AOL Time Warner
Time Life magazine, CNN, ICQ
Apax Partners
Jonny Rockets, Sunglass Hut.
Arsenal Football Club
Coca-Cola
Fruitopia, Fanta, Kia Orange, Lilt, Sprite, Sunkist..
Caterpillar
Danone
HP foods, Evian, Volvic, Jacob
Delta Galil
Hema, Barbie, Carrefour, Auchan, Tchibo, Victoria's Secret, GAP, Banana Republic, Structure, J-Crew, JC Penny, Pryca, Lindex, DIM, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Playtex, cK, Hugo Boss, M&S
Disney
Emblaze
Estée Lauder
Aramis, Clinique, DKNY, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, Stila, Jo Malone, Bumble & Bumble, Kate Spade
Home Depot
Villager's Hardware, Georgia Lighting, Apex Supply, EXPO Design Centres
IBM
Intel
Johnson & Johnson
Kimberly-Clark
Kleenex, Kotex, Huggies, Andrex
Lewis Trust Group
River Island, Isrotel hotels, Britannia Pacifi
The Limited Inc
Express stores, Lerner New York, Structure, New York & Company, Mast Industries, Intimate Brands, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, White Barn Candle Company, Henri Bendel
L'Oreal
Giorgio Armani, Redken 5th Avenue, Lancome Paris, Vichy, Cacharel, La Roche-Posay, Garnier, Biotherm, Helena Rubinstein, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren, Carson
Marks & Spencer
M&S, St.Michaels
McDonald's
Motorola
Nestle
Nescafé, Perrier, Vittel, Pure Life, Carnation, Libby's, Milkmaid, Nesquik, Maggi, Buitoni, Cross & Blackwell, KitKat, Milkybar, Quality Street, Smarties, After Eight, Aero, Polo, Lion, Felix cat food, L'Oréal
News Corporation
TV: Fox, Sky, Star, Phoenix, Granada, CNBC.
UK newspapers: Standard Newspaper, News of the World, The Sun, The Times.
Australian Newspapers: The Telegraph , Gold Coast Bulletin, Herald Sun, Independent, Sunday Mail.
US newspapers: New York Post. Publishers: Harper Collins Ragan, Zondervan, National Geographical. Nursery World, Rawkus, NDS, Mushroom Records, ChinaByte.com, Festival Records
Nokia
Revlon
New World Entertainment, Forbes
Sara Lee
Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Leggs, Douwe Egberts, Bryan, DIM, Ambi Pur, Bali, Superior Coffee, Just My Size, Kiwi, Maison Cafe, Nur die, Pilao, Lovable, Outer Banks, Wonderbra, Sanex, Pickwick, Gossard, Body Mist, Brylcreem, Aqua Velva, Radox
Siemens
Selfridges
Starbucks
Seattle Coffee, Pasqua, Hear Music, Tazo
Timberland