The

Friday Bulletin
The Weekly Muslim News Update

Rabbi' ul Awwal 30, 1430/March 27, 2009

Respect Muslims
right to property

HERE IS THE EVIDENCE: Jamia Mosque Commttee chairman Muhammad Osman

Warfa and Assistant Treasurer AbdulHamid Slatch( left) address a press conference
to confirm that Jamia Mosque Committee is the legal owner of Globe roundabout
plot.

he Jamia Mosque Committee has told the authorities to respect the

rights of Muslims to acquire and own property. At a press conference
called to confirm the acquisition of the Globe round about plot by Jamia
Mosque, Starehe MP and the Nairobi City Council Town Clerk were advised to
stop inciting mobs to destroy private properties.
Committee chairman Sheikh Muhammad Osman Warfa spoke of what he said was
a dangerous trend whereby unnecessary difficulties are put in the way for Muslim
institutions to acquire property. This was manifested in the acquisition of the Kigali
plot, adjacent to Jamia Mosque in the Central Business District, South B Mosque,
Baitul Maal Mosque in Eastleigh and several other areas.
We demand for the protection of our rights to property ownership as provided for
by the Kenyan Constitution and request that the concerned authorities accord us
all the protection as law abiding citizens for immediate access to our property, he
said.
Sheikh Warfa dismissed allegations that the plot was a public utility land grabbed
by foreign developers and affirmed that the committee had legally procured the plot
LR no.209/136/259 from its original owners the Hebatullah Family who had been in
possession of the land for close to 50 years. That Jamia Mosque Committee is the
legal and bonafide owner of the plot and the same is evidenced by the sale agreement and the transfer documents from the previous owners of the parcel of land,
he said while stressing that Jamia Mosque had a right to acquire property like any
other institution had anywhere in the country.
The chairman sent a word of advice to area MP Bishop Margaret Wanjiru and the
Town Clerk John Gakuo to obtain facts and to end the culture of inciting mobs to
engage in violence and destroy private property.
On Monday, mobs protesting a court order to vacate the land went on the rampage
and destroyed the fence erected around the plot to facilitate development of the
area.

Issue No. 308

Demand for accountability -Abdullahi Abdi

Kenyans should exert more pressure on the coalition government to fulfill its pledges which include
fighting corruption, tackling insecurity and settling
the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Additionally, the government should put in place
measures to tackle the effects of the drought that
has affected several parts of the country and ensure
that no Kenyan dies of starvation.
The chairman of the National Muslim Leaders Forum
(NAMLEF) Abdullahi Abdi said even though many
Kenyans were not impressed by the performance of
the coalition government, having another round of
elections was not an immediate priority.
Further, after the disbanding of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK), the absence of a body to
supervise the polls does not warrant for an election
to take place, he observed.
Abdullahi pointed criticism at the political leadership
who he said had lost touch with the electorate and
were engaged in politicking instead of fulfilling their
promises.
Instead of addressing pertinent issues facing Kenyans, there are issuing public statements as if the
elections will be held within the next one or two
months., he said.
We have millions who are on the verge of starvation, thousands who are displaced and insecurity is
on the rise. The leadership should address these
pertinent issues, he added.
The NAMLEF chairman urged Kenyans to step up
pressure on the government and political leaders to
stop the culture of impunity and flagrant breaches of
the law. If the leadership is convinced that they will
be held to account for every action done, they will
respect the citizens of this country, he said.
He stressed that Kenyans have a responsibility to
demand for justice, service delivery as well as the
fulfillment of promises made by the government.
Despite the setbacks made by some religious leaders during the last general elections when they failed
Story Continues To Page 7

This Week

National News
Da'wa

The Prostration of Forgiveness

Women Issues

Tips to begin wearing the Hijab

Youth and Children

Dealing with bullies

Guidance from the Sheikh

National News
Story Continues To Page 3
www.islamkenya.com

This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

P2

P3
P4
P5
P6
P7

The Friday Bulletin

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 30 1430/March 27 2009

NATIONAL NEWS

EDITORIAL

Islamic University project unveiled at

Jamia Mosque Cttee AGM

AIDS, Let us fight the stigma

A local Kiswahili television commercial on prime time news
has this message flashing across the screen: Ukimwi umepata njia mpya ndani ya nyumba zetu (HIV/AIDS has got
a new way into our homes) Sadly, this advert reverberates
a similar picture of prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS among the
Muslim community in the country.
When the prevalence rates were announced last year during
the World AIDS day, it emerged that the spread of the deadly
virus among married couples was on the rise as compared
to youth and this has now resulted into the campaign being
shifted to the marriage institution.
In regards to Muslims, this can simply be attributed to one
word, DENIAL. Even though no official statistics has been
compiled in regards to this, Muslim stakeholders in health
matters have raised a red flag that if this trend is not reversed
soon it could have detrimental results for the community.
HIV/AIDS IS REAL. MUSLIMS ARE GETTING INFECTED. IT
IS AFFECTING US.
These words are printed here in full caps but we can not over
emphasize the dangers that this deadly virus pose on our society.
What we would like to put across here is that as Muslims we
are not immune to the virus just like any other person. Muslim
dominated areas where the virus was initially unheard of are
now reporting cases of people getting infected at a rapid rate.
Denial among Muslims has led to little or no concern on how to
prevent the spread of the virus in the community. Couples are
realizing that they are infected only when the expectant wife
goes for ante natal care in health facilities while young people
get the shock of their lives after they go for medical examination, when joining an educational institution or planning to
travel abroad. Unfortunately, many times this is happening too
late when both individuals are already infected.
Both young and old, our people are getting infected as we
bury our heads in the sand. For many of us, this is a taboo
subject that we would love to avoid. You will neither find this
subject being discussed in our homes or even in the mosques
when our scholars get on the pulpit.
The prediction of Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu Alayhi
wasallam has come true as it is reflected in one his famous
sayings where he stated that when immorality becomes prevalent Allah will send a disease that will have no cure. These
prophetic teachings also forbid getting near any illegal sexual
activities.
In this we find the one and only solution for Muslims to fight
the spread of the virus in the community. Unfortunately, as
it is common knowledge, the society today has widely ignored these all important teachings resulting in the HIV/AIDS
scourge. It is interesting to note that even-non Muslims are
realizing this wise saying of the Prophet and are now championing complete abstinence as seen in the Nime Chill campaigns.
All said and done, we need to fight the sitgma-the prejudice
and discrimination directed at people living with HIV/AIDS.
In spite of how some one has contracted the virus we need to
accept them as full members of the society and work towards
ensuring they do not go into a withdrawal state but continue
leading normal lives.
More importantly, the victims have to make their status known
so as not to infect others.
Muslim organizations and individuals need to come out in public in the fight against the scourge which is devastating lives.
We should setup Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT)
centres in Muslim surroundings based on Islamic teachings
where couples can get counselling and confirm their status
before getting married.
Our scholars and preachers have an obligation to educate their
congregations on the importance of observing Islamic moral
discipline to help in the fight against this deadly scourge.

As a means of boosting education standards in the community, Jamia

Mosque Committee has laid down plans to establish an Islamic university
and a secondary school.
A 30-acre plot for the ambitious project which also include a modern hospital has already been secured in Kajiado.
These revelations were made by the chairman of Jamia Mosque Committee Muhammad Osman Warfa during his address to members during
the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday.
After the decline of foreign support coupled with the increased expectations from the Ummah, it was prudent that Jamia mosque moves to
address the challenges facing the community. It is instructive upon the
Ummah to find ways and means of limiting their reluctance on foreign
assistance and revert to local financing and resource pooling so as to
guarantee sustenance, he said.
In his address, the chairman emphasized on the role which Jamia Mosque
Committee is playing in enhancing education standards in the community. Last year, another scholarship programme was unveiled where by
10 students drawn from across the country receive full sponsorship in
their education right from secondary school to university..
This is in addition to the bursary scheme which provides assistance to 60
students from disadvantaged families. To enhance on this programme,
Jamia has launched an education al assistance programme where worshippers are requested to make a donation towards the education fund
every Friday.
Furthermore, Jamia is extending financial assistance to 15 Islamic Religious Education (I.R.E) teachers in an attempt to reduce on the problem
of students being taught the subject by non-Muslim teachers.
Jamia is also providing sponsorship to 16 teachers specializing in IRE
and Arabic studies at various Teacher Training colleges who are.
During the AGM, the members of the Executive Committee were unanimously re- elected to office to serve a further four-year term. The committee comprises of the chairman Muhammad Osman Warfa, Vice chairman Farouk Adam, Secretary General Abdul Bari Hamid and Treasurer
Abdullatif Esajee. Others are Ibrahim Ahmed Yusuf who is the assistant
secretary general and Abdul Hamid Slatch the assistant treasurer. Members include Abdul Kadir Hawa, Munir Chaudry, Billow Adam Kerrow, Dr.
Noor Muhammad Ali, Ibrahim Asmani Amber, Ibrahim Lethome, Hassan
Varvani, Munir Chaudhri, Muhammad Shariff Abdille, Zafar Niaz, Prof.
Muhammad Salim Badamana and Sheikh Suleiman Abdallah Shaqsy, .

Child adoption OK but follow Islamic rules,

Sheikh advices
Islam does not disapprove adoption of children but this should be done
without contravening Islamic principles.
Sheikh Juma Amir, the head of the Jamia Information Centre said Islam places special emphasis on caring of children especially orphans
and abandoned children but insisted that this should be made under the
Quranic guidelines on relationship between a child and his or her adoptive family.
He said the common adoption practices whereby children are named
after their adopted parents was in total contravention of Islamic teachings
and stressed that an adopted child retains his own biological family name
and it should not be changed to match that of the adoptive family. Even
if the real father is not known, as with abandoned babies, the child should
still not be named after the person raising him or her. You can call them
bin Abdallah or bint Abdallah (son or daughter of Abdallah) he said.
Contrary to what it practiced in non-Muslim societies where children grow
up having no idea who their real parents or family are, Sheikh Juma said
in Islam the child's biological family is never hidden and their ties to the
child are not severed.
Sheikh Juma said adopted children cannot also automatically inherit from
their adopted parents though this can only be done through a will and this
is limited to only a third of the inheritance.
Sheikh Juma made these remarks during a lecture on the etiquette of
marriage at Jamia mosque on Saturday last week

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 30 1430/March 27 2009

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA
The Prostration of Forgetfulness

Shaykh Abdullah bin Saalih Al-Ubaylaan

The prostration of forgetfulness is of four

types:
1. It is either done because something was
added to the prayer
2. Or when something was left out from the
prayer
3. Or when one has doubt (as to whether
he added to or subtracted from his
prayer)
4. Or in the case of taharr (which is when
one has doubt then gets it correct).
If it is done because something was left out
from the prayer, then its ruling is found in
what has been reported from Abdullah bin
Buhainah (radhiallahu anhu) that: The
Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) led
them one time in Dhuhr Prayer and then
stood up after performing the first two
rakaaat and did not sit (for tashahhud) in
between. So the people stood up with him
and continued until when the prayer was
finished and the people were waiting for
him to make the tasleem, he (sallAllahu
alayhi wa sallam) said the takbeer while sitting and prostrated twice before making the
tasleem. Then he made the tasleem (i.e.
saying as-Salaam Alaikum on both sides).
What was left out of the prayer in this hadeeth
was the first tashahhud. As for when something is added to the prayer then its ruling
is what has been reported by Abu Hurairah (radhiAllahu anhu) that: The Prophet
(sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed one
of the two evening prayers (either Maghrib
or Ishaa) with two rakaat then he made the
tasleem and then got up to go to a wooden
post in the front of the masjid and rested
his hand on it. Amongst the crowd was Abu
Bakr and Umar but they were afraid to speak
to him. The people left the masjid quickly
saying: The prayer has been shortened. So
a man whom the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi
wa sallam) used to call Dhul-Yadain said:
O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or
was the prayer shortened? He said: I did

not forget nor was the prayer shortened. He

said: Rather you indeed did forget. Allahs
Messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam)
prayed two rakaat and then made the tasleem. Then (while remaining seated) he said
the takbeer and prostrated just like before
or perhaps longer and then raised his head.
Then he said takbeer again and prostrated
just like before or perhaps longer and then
raised his head saying takbeer
In this hadeeth there was something added
to the prayer and it was saying the Salaam
after the (first) two rakaaat. This is why Allaahs Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) prostrated out of forgetfulness after the
Salaam, setting the previous principle as a
guideline.
As for when one has doubt, then he must
prostrate, as mentioned previously, before
saying the Salaam. This is based on the
narration of Abu Saeed Al-Khudhree (radiAllaahu anhu) who reported that Allahs
Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam)
said: If one of you has doubt in his prayer
and he doesnt know how many (rakaat)
he has prayed either three or four then he
should cast away the doubt and base it on
what he is certain of. Then he should make
two prostrations before making the Salaam.
If he prayed five (rakaat), his prayer will intercede for him. And if he prayed his prayer
completely, then in both cases it will serve
as a spite against the devil. [Reported by
Muslim]
In the case of taharr (second consideration),
which is when doubt overcomes the person
praying, then he realizes the correct status
of his prayer and continues, then its ruling
is that he perform the prostration of forgetfulness after the Salaam. This is based on
what has been reported by Ibn Masood
(radhAllahu anhu) who said: The Prophet
(sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) once prayed
an when he (finished and) made the tasleem
it was said to him: O Messenger of Allaah,

something has been introduced into the

prayer. He said: And what is it? They said:
You prayed in such and such manner. So
he bent his knees below him and faced the
Qiblah. Then he made two prostrations and
made the tasleem. Then he turned around
and faced the people, saying: If something
were to be introduced into the prayer, I
would surely inform you of it. However, I am
a human being just like you. I forget just as
you forget. So if I forget, remind me. And if
one of you has doubt in his prayer, and then
realizes what is correct, then let him complete it and then prostrate twice. [Reported
by Al-Bukhari and Muslim] In the report of
Al-Bukhari, it states: Then let him complete
it then prostrate then make the tasleem. In
the report of Muslim: The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) prostrated the two
prostrations of forgetfulness after making
the tasleem and speaking.
We can summarize what has been stated
above in the following manner:
If the forgetfulness in ones prayer causes
one to detract something from it, then he
must prostrate before making the tasleem
based on the hadeeth of Abdullah bin Buhainah.
And if the forgetfulness causes one to
add something to the prayer, whether he
makes the tasleem (after two rakaat) as in
the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah (radyAllaahu
anhu) or he rises to make a fifth rakah during prayer then goes back (to sitting), he
must prostrate after the Salaam.
And if he has doubt he doesnt know how
many rakaaat he has prayed, whether three
or four he must build upon what he is certain of, and this is the lowest (of the choices)
and then prostrate before the tasleem.
And if it is the case of taharr (second consideration), which is when one has doubt
then becomes certain of what is correct, he
must prostrate after saying the Salaam.

Respect rights of Muslims to own property

Continues To Page 1

The crowd attacked motorists and pedestrians along the busy globe round about bringing to a virtual standstill normal activity for
close to six hours. Several people, mainly
members of the Somali community were injured after the protestors directed their anger on Muslims. Some were pulled out from
no. 9 matatus and beaten up.
Bishop Wanjiru who is also the Housing
Assistant Minister arrived at the scene and
told the charged crowd that she would not
allow the land to be taken over by what she
termed as foreigners.
The fencing of the plot was carried out to
enforce a court order obtained on 16 February by the Hebatullah family for the squatters who mainly comprised of mechanics to
move out of the area to facilitate the smooth
handover of the plot to Jamia Mosque as
per the transfer agreement.
The court order issued by Milimani Resident

magistrate M.Kiema further directed the

OCPD Pangani Area and the Administration
Police Officer-in-charge of Ngara-Pangani
area to ensure that the squatters complied.
Among the development planned on the plot
include a mosque to serve the residents of
the area as well as the nearby Ngara and
surrounding areas. This is expected to decongest Jamia mosque which can longer
appropriately cater for the worshippers especially on Fridays.
Speaking at the press briefing, Jamia
Mosque Assistant secretary general Ibrahim
Yusuf also spoke with indignation about the
media xenophobic campaign against the
Somali community.
He said reports carried in the electronic and
print media implying that the developments
in Eastleigh and other areas by the Somali
community are proceeds obtained from piracy in Somalia were unfounded and based

on disinformation and ethnic hatred against

the community. Ibrahim attributed the development to hard work by members of the
community and said as citizens of Kenya,
there was nothing to prevent Somalis and

YOUTH CAMP
WAMY HIGH SCHOOL
10-13 April 2009
Students particularly from secondary
schools urged to attend.
For details call 0722861138/0735451046
Organised by Muslim Network for Da'wa

Saturday Lecture
ETIQUETTES OF MARRIAGE
ADABU ZA NDOA
Ustadhah Hafswa
28th March 2009 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Jamia Mosque Multi Purpose Hall
SISTERS ONLY

The Friday Bulletin

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 30 1430/March 27 2009

WOMEN ISSUES
Tips for Beginning to Wear Hijab
By A Revert Sister

been wearing hijab for quite a long time and it isn't really as bad as
you feared, and Allah helped you get through it. Don't be ashamed.
Sometimes it is like this. The most important thing is to have sabr
and keep your trust in Allah always.
Wear it and spite the shaytan
My dear sister, the worries and fears in your mind are the whisperings of the shaytan. He wants to talk you out of obeying Allah.
It is very easy to keep going around in circles in your mind and to
dwell on all the things that could go wrong. I know that I myself have
a tendency to do this, I put it off and I dither and I wait for "the perfect
time". If I let myself, I would never do anything at all!
So the thing you have to remember is that you do not need to be
perfect in imaan to wear hijab. If perfection were a qualification,
where is the sister who could wear it??
You must also not fall into the trap of thinking that you should wait
until all your worries and fears have disappeared. They never will!
Trust me on this, sister.
True courage is going ahead to do what's right even though you
are still nervous and scared. So don't listen to the shaytan. Ignore
the worries and fears he whispers into your mind. Tell him that you
will not let him keep you from obeying Allah and you will not let him
rule your life.
Make the decision to wear it
Once you have come to know in your heart that you must wear
hijab, then you have to set a day and JUST DO IT !!
This is the only way. Set a day and when that day comes, you have
to do it. Don't back down. Don't give up. Do it.
Offer salat al-istikhara. Make du'a. Make lots of du'a. Do not stop
making du'a. Ask Allah to give you strength. Ask Him to make it easy
for you. Ask Him to help you. He will, I swear it to you. He is always
there for you when you turn to Him. Remember how much He has
given you, how everything that you have, even your very existence,
is due to Him. Remember that He deserves this from you. Remember the promise of Jannah. Remember that remaining patient and
faithful through difficulty now may lead to Jannah, inshallah. Even if
bad things happen, keep these thoughts in your mind. Don't worry
about tomorrow. Just concentrate on getting through today, and
leave tomorrow to Allah until it gets here. That's how you do it.
Final Words of Encouragement
I have been wearing hijab since September 1999. I do not regret

One of the most difficult decisions many Muslim sisters face is the
decision to start wearing hijab. This is certainly true for reverts,
but may also be true for sisters whose families or even whose cultures are not particularly observant. As a revert myself, I have been
through the whole thing. I would like to offer some advice that I hope
inshallah will be helpful to sisters who are considering wearing hijab
but find that something is holding them back.
The first step is to learn about hijab. There is so much information
out there including many Muslim sisters who will assist you in this
regard.
Deciding to wear Hijab
This is where the difficulties usually come in. For many sisters, it
truly is a jihad. I remember very vividly how scared I was the first
day I put on the headscarf and went out into public. As long as you
are just wearing the modest clothes, nobody has to know that you
are a Muslim. Once you complete your hijab with the headscarf, you
are suddenly announcing to everyone who sees you that "I am a
Muslim". Here is some advice based on my own experiences.
Wear it for the sake of Allah
Various statements are made about why you should wear hijab,
such as for modesty or for protection, but the real reason that we
wear hijab is that Allah subhana wa taala has commanded it. Whenever anyone asks you, why do you dress like that, that's the only
answer you need to give them.
Allah is the source of everything we have, our existence, our life,
our capability, even our goodness. If He ever stopped sustaining
us, we would vanish in that instant. If He ever took away what he
gives us, we would never have even a speck of it. If we worked for
millions of years, we could never repay Him for all that He has given
us. And yet He does give it to us, and all He asks in return is that we
do our best to obey what He has commanded us. Surely wearing
hijab is a very small thing that you can do for Him compared to what
He does for you!
Wear it for the hope of Jannah
Allah has promised Jannah to those who remain steadfast in their
faith in Him and who trust in Him. The more difficult it is for you to
have sabr, the greater the reward for it. So what will it be? Ease in
this world, and perhaps the eternal sufferings in Hell? Or difficulty
in this world, and inshallah the eternal bliss of Jannah? Let's face
it, the old cliches are true: there's no such thing as a free lunch and
you can almost never have your cake and eat it too. We've all got
to face difficulties some time. Better by far that they be in the world
than in the Hereafter.
So that's what you should set your mind to. Yes, it may be difficult
to wear hijab. You may be rejected by your family or your friends,
you may face harassment and persecution or be fired from your
job. These are very scary thoughts. But if you have sabr and keep
trusting in Allah, I swear to you sister, this is the path to Jannah, and
when you look back on the Day of Qiyamah you will know that it was
worth it and have no regrets.
Wear it today and trust in Allah for tomorrow
What do I mean by that? What I mean is that you should take it one
day at a time, or even one outing at a time. Sometimes the future
seems to stretch on forever and ever and you don't think you can
make it that long. You want to give up before you even begin.
So sometimes the best thing to do is to keep you mind focused on
what is immediately at hand. Allah will take care of the future. If you
have to go out to the market, then concentrate on being able to
wear hijab just for this activity and on getting through it. If you do get
through it and nothing bad happened, then give thanks to Allah for
making it easy for you, and turn your mind to your next outing.
Or if you have to go out to school or work, then concentrate on being able to wear hijab just for this one day and on getting through
it. And give thanks to Allah SWT when you have made it, and turn
your mind to the next day.
Eventually the outings will turn into days and the days into weeks,
and the weeks into months. One day you will realize that you have

Story Continues To Page 7

The Friday Bulletin Kitchen

Chana Masaladar- Spiced Garbanzo Beans

(chick peas/ Indian peas).
Ingredients
1/2 cup garbanzos, soaked and cooked until tender
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 piece of ginger, finely chopped
salt and cayenne pepper
Method
Heat oil and add cumin seeds and turmeric. When seeds begin to
pop add the onion, garlic, and ginger.
Once the onions are translucent, add tomatoes
Add cooked garbanzos and heat the mixture carefully trying not to
mash the beans.
Add cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix and serve.
Share your favourite recipes with our readers. Send them to P. O. Box 4062900100 or email:fridaybulletin@islamkenya.com or fridaybulletin@gmail.com

The Friday Bulletin

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 30 1430/March 27 2009

Anthea Davis

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Dealing With Bullies

Nearly every young person has experienced bullying in one form or

anothereither as a bully, a victim of bullying, or an onlooker. For sure,
there is nothing positive about being a bully, a victim, or an onlooker, but
things can change and are changing for the better in many places. Most
of the time, these changes take place by a few people making an effort
to organize and educate.
Most bullying occurs at school, although it can happen in ones neighborhood or even at home. Bullying may be in the form of physical violence, but teasing, ridiculing and not being accepted into groups and
teams is often equally as painful as a hit or a pushand sometimes
emotional pain is even worse, as its effects may last longer and take
longer to heal.
If no one tries to stop bullying, both the bullies and the victims are at
great risk of failing at school and taking part in negative behavior like
smoking, drinking, drugs, and skipping class. Continued bullying can
cause the victim to become depressed and hopeless about the future.
They may miss out on school, fall behind, and eventually leave school
early.
What lies at the root of bullying is aggressive behavior, which can
come from different sources. When young people learn to recognize
their emotions and learn how to communicate more effectively, there
is often less bullying. Anger is such a destructive thing; that is why the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, Do not get angry
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Do not get angry.
He (peace and blessings be upon him) repeated this three times to emphasize its importance. A bully needs to learn what makes him or her react in a hostile way. Okay, the bully may feel upset, angry, or frustrated,
but what makes him or her feel like that? Maybe the bully has a problem
but doesnt know how to deal with it and so lashes out at people who are
weaker. Perhaps the bully has learned to be racist or to dislike certain
people because of the way they look. There are many reasons why a
bully acts that way, but what is important here is to recognize that there
is always a reason why people say and do the things they do.
At the same time, that does not excuse bad behavior; such behavior
needs to change. The bully must learn how to deal with his or her anger as well as how to resolve conflict. The victim must be protected
and taught to be assertive. Everyone else, including bystanders, have
to contribute to developing good feelings between each other and help
to foster good relations. Everyone must come to terms with the fact that
if they are not part of the solution, then they are part of the problem.
Everyone should speak out against violence and bad behavior until this
becomes a norm. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) told us, One of you does not have complete faith til he likes for
his brother or sister what he likes for himself (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
So how could we just stand by and watch someone being hurt without
trying to stop it?
If students feel safe and happy at school, there will be more time to
concentrate on learning, so learning to communicate well and to recognize good and bad behavior is a must for everyone. The collective conscience of the community should be developed so that everyone should
find it unthinkable to just stand back and do nothing when someone is
being mistreated. Kill apathy!
The Prophet of mercy, Muhammad, (peace and blessings be upon him)
advised us about this kind of problem. He said, No (unprovoked) harm
is allowed, neither is (provoked) harm (Ibn Majah).
This shows us clearly that this kind of behavior is destructive to mankind,
so it then becomes our responsibility to do our very best to eradicate it.

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S CROSSWORD

ACROSS
1. IQRA 3. MAISARAH 8. ABU LAHAB 11. GHAFIR 14. ASSADIQ
16. NUR I7. ALMUSHAF 18. DAWAH
DOWN
1. IDRIS 2. RUQAYYA 4. SHABAN 5. RAMADHAN 6. HIND 7.
THREE 9. SIX I0. FATIMAH 12. HIRA I3. MUSA I5. QAF

ALLAH SENT MESSENGERS

AND BOOKS

Haroun Yahya

Allah commissioned and sent messengers who set

examples for their peoples with their excellent
conduct. Through these messengers, the pure message and revelation of Allah provide guidance for
mankind.
Through the messengers He sent, Our Lord conveys
to us the right way of living and how to conduct
ourselves correctly in this world. Only through Allah's communications can we know how to conduct
ourselves, and which types of behaviour are better and more in compliance with the values of the
Qur'an. It is only through His communications that
we can ever know the behaviour that earn Allah's
good pleasure and His infinite reward as well as
those that lead to punishment.
In the Qur'an, Allah informs us that throughout
history He sent His messengers to all communities,
and that they warned them. These messengers
summoned their people to worship Allah, to pray
to Him and to comply with His commands. He also
made clear to them that otherwise they would be
punished. In brief, they warned the disbelievers
and those who engaged in wicked deeds, and they
gave glad tidings to believers that they would be
rewarded. The last prophet Allah sent to mankind
was the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace. The Qur'an is the last revealed Book.
The earlier revelations from Allah have lost their
authenticity, since ignorant people and those with
bad intentions have incorporated their own words
and extra pieces into them. Therefore, their originals, the true revelations that were initially sent to
the peoples, did not survive to our day. But Allah
sent us the Qur'an, the Book that is impossible to
alter.
Allah holds the people to whom He sends His messengers responsible for complying with His commands. Having received Allah's revelations, people
will have no right to put forward excuses on the
Day of Judgment. That is because the messengers
of Allah convey to their peoples the knowledge of
the existence of Allah and of what He expects
from people. Once a person hears this message, he
is responsible for it.
Allah created many groups of people on earth.
Some of these groups refused what their messengers brought to them and denied that they were
messengers at all. Because they did not listen to
their words and comply with Allah's commands,
they were punished. Through His messengers, Allah also warned these rebellious people of a terrible life in this world. Despite this, they continued
to oppose their messengers and slander them.

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 30 1430/March 27 2009

The Friday Bulletin

GUIDANCE FROM THE SHEIKH

This is the continuation of a series of articles written by Sheikh Al-Amin bin Ali Mazrui, the former Chief Kadhi of Kenya. The
treatise Uwongozi (Guidance) appeared in a weekly publication called Al Islah between 1930 and 1932 which the Sheikh edited
and freely distributed in mosques around Mombasa. Although written almost 80 years ago by this distinguished scholar, the
powerful message from Sheikh Al-Amin resonates with our times

The blessing of unity and ill of factions No. 6. 10th Rajab, 1349 A. H. [1st December, 1930]
rulers, bowing down to people like Abdul Rahman Nassor and Harun
Rashid in order to seek protection from the Muslim Empire. Even the
King of England, Richard I, offered her daughter to the brother of a
Muslim ruler, Salah-adDin with the intention of establishing close
ties and friendship. This is the blessing of unity, getting along, and
helping each other.
On the other hand let us look at those who disobeyed the commandments of Allah, and started to have factions and hatred [between
themselves), how did they end up? They were driven out of the cities
they had previously liberated, and furthermore, driven back into their
own cities and ruled by their very enemy. They became so weak
after having been so strong. This is the result of partisan.
Closer to home, let us look at the example of Egypt. Westerners
have gone into that country for 50 years [half a century] now, after taking advantage of the animosity between the Muslims and the
Copts. Once these two groups realized that their differences would
result in the continuing presence of the Westerners and potentially
loose their country, they wiped out their differences and united. Although they were only 14 million in number, they were able to triumphant. On the other hand let us look at the example of India.
Due to the differences and animosity between Muslims and Hindus,
Muslims and Muslims, and Hindus and Hindus, they are still under
subjugation (from the British), i.e., they have not achieved the peace
of mind that they yearn for.
When we make a true commitment to exalt Islam, we will be able to
achieve dignity and respect from others, And to start with we must
first iron out our differences, unite ourselves under one banner, help
each other establish what is good, and love one other as Allah has
commanded.

The benefit of uniting and getting along, and the harm of having factions and petty differences, are indeed very clear. Who doubts the
fact that when a group of individuals put all their resources together
they may be able to purchase goods that one of them may be unable to purchase? Or who doubts the fact that one individual may
be unable to perform a task that may easily be accomplished by
three or four individuals? These are just examples in worldly matters. In religious matters, we all know that a congregational prayer
is 27 times better than a prayer performed by one individual on his
own. These examples should be enough to make it apparent to us
that unity is of paramount importance to us, and not partisan. And
Allah has commanded us to unite, to maintain brotherhood, to love
one another, protect each other, and help each other in good deeds.
Allah has also commanded us not to disassociate from each other,
anger one another or harm each other, and to avoid encouraging
each other in evil deeds. We have also been warned that if we disobey Allah, we are not going to be successful, and furthermore we
are going to be weak and loose our sharaf [dignity].
Let us go back in history and look at the Muslims who obeyed the
commandments of Allah. For example, Al-Aus and Al-Khazraj wiped
out their differences, and Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa
Sallam established a brotherhood between the Muhajireen and
Ansar. Each one thought of the other first before their own very
soul. These were truly the Muslims of yesteryears! In those times
Muslims liberated lands, one quarter of the world, although they
were small in number. Their empire extended from Arabia, Sham
(Syria), Egypt, Iran, India, and up to China. They ruled European
cities for more than 800 years, reaching even into French cities,
almost conquering Paris. European Kings respected these Muslim

Tariq Al-Maeena

ICC and travesty of Justice

The International Criminal Courts (ICC) verdict against President

Omar Bashir of Sudan has some people wondering what benchmarks
of justice, if any, are being used by that agency. According to the ICC
charges, some 300,000 people had lost their lives in the Darfur region
of Sudan in an ongoing tribal conflict.
In an immediate response, the Sudanese president, addressing a
Khartoum rally, countered by claiming that the ICC was a tool in the
hands of imperialists targeting Sudan for its oil, natural gas and other
resources. We have refused to kneel to colonialism, that is why Sudan has been targeted ... because we only kneel to God, he told the
crowd outside the Republican Palace.
UN General Assembly President Miguel dEscoto Brockmann regretted that a warrant had been issued to arrest President Bashir stating,
I am sorry about this decision of the ICC and I think its more a decision motivated by political considerations than really for the sake of
advancing the cause of justice in the world.
My issue with the ICC is this: If 300,000 people who died in the conflict in Darfur since 2003 prompted them to sit up and take notice and
issue an arrest warrant, where had they been since 2003 when over
one million innocent civilians have lost their lives as a result of US
President George Bushs illegal incursion into Iraq?
There was no justification for the war on the Iraqi people. There were
no threats directed at the United States of America or its people. There
was no Al-Qaeda operating out of Iraq. Iraqis did not take part in the
bombings of the twin towers of the World Trade Center; nor were they
involved in any conspiracy against the US government.
Where are the arrest warrants for Bush and his partner Tony Blair,
who today pathetically claims he was duped into going along with
the former US president when supplied with misleading information
on weapons of mass destruction. How come Donald Rumsfeld of the
shock and awe fame whose forces indiscriminately bombed Iraqi
civilians into bits and pieces gets away scot-free?

And the rest of Bushs band of neocons and accomplices including Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice,
Douglas Feith and John Ashcroft? Why is it that the ICC has not investigated their crimes and issued arrest warrants against all those
with the blood of over one million innocent civilians on their hands?
Their methods were all based on deception, and their tools, apart
from allowing weapons of mass destruction to be used against the
Iraqi people, included manipulating the media and their political office.
They used lies, lies and more lies, religion, patriotism, manufactured
enemies, and the glory of democracy to motivate, mislead, oppress,
and rob the masses of rational thinking in order to pursue their murderous adventures.
Their strategy of using American soldiers as proxies for Israel to wage
wars on Iraqis or any other people who might rise up against Israel
had eventually led to mistrust and rejection of American policies in the
region and around the world, as well as growing rejection at home.
And lets not forget the atrocities of Ariel Sharon of Israel who today
lies in a comatose state. He aligned himself with Bush soon after
taking office and rained down atrocities on defenseless Palestinians.
Do not his actions of massacre followed by the holocaust perpetrated
against the civilians of Gaza recently by the current Israeli government warrant an investigation by the ICC?
The atrocities that Bush had committed against the Iraqi populace
and the fatality numbers are well documented and yet the ICC did
not dare raise an issue about his unlawful actions. History would undoubtedly depict Bushs presidency as the biggest weapon of mass
destruction in our times, but it is Bashir of Sudan who faces war
crimes charges.
Prosecuting a sitting head of state and letting the crooks off the hook
smacks of gross hypocrisy on the part of the ICC. Is it because the
Sudanese president is a black man and an African?

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 30 1430/March 27 2009

The Friday Bulletin

Imams told to play a bigger role in

fighting graft

Train teachers to imbibe Islamic morals,

says Vice Chancellor
Muslim educationists have been urged to train Teachers who are
competent in both Islamic and so-called secular skills which will
revitalise the Ummah to be the ideal Muslim Society.
Professor Ahmad Sengendo the Vice Chancellor of Islamic University in Uganda(IUIU) said that Muslims ought to adopt to new
strategic measures in the education sector which will improve on
their status in the region and globally. We need to have a strategic
plan and design an appropriate education system that redefines
the philosophy of education in order for us to rediscover the glory
of the past ideal Muslim nations, he said.
Prof. Sengendo who spoke at Jamia Mosque during a one-day
seminar for educationist said teachers have an important role to
play in portraying Islamic moral discipline to their students in order
to achieve the goal of an Ideal Muslims. Teachers must not only be
reservoirs of knowledge but also repositories of Islamic values and
morals, he said. For Muslims, he said a holistic education which
addressed worldly and spiritual needs was vital and these must
also be reflected in the curriculum
The current generation requires a new breed of teachers who must
be knowledgeable, competent and moral role models and also be
able to develop cognitive learning, creativity and ingenuity among
pupils, said the don.
He challenged Muslims parents and teachers to setup ample training environment which is pleasant for learning and growth of their
children. The environment we live in shapes our views, provides or
limits our opportunities and dictates our life styles. We must create
the best social environment for our children and establish Muslim
villages, where our children have the freedom to be the very best
they can become, he said.
Prof Sengendo observed that due to the age old marginalization,
Muslims in the region have been confined to the periphery and are
the majority dwellers in slum areas.
Speaking at the forum, Jamia Mosque Committee Chairman Muhammad Osman Warfa said that it was time for Muslims to groom
their younger generation to take over leadership of the Ummah and
guide Muslims to the right direction.
Ummah Foundation Secretary General Zool Nimjee called on professionals in the educational sector to work together in improving
the education status of the Ummah. He added that such forums
which will re awaken the society need to be organized in other
regions for the community to realize its success in the education
sector.
The one-day seminar was organized by Ummah Foundation.

Tips for Beginning to Wear Hijab

Story From Page 4

it. I have never for one instant regretted it. I do not regret it even
one iota. Inshallah, you will discover that you feel the same. Even
within a few months I came to feel that I would not be properly
dressed if I went out not wearing hijab. This is when you know
that you have made it!
Never feel that you are alone, or that you are the only one who
is scared and worried and nervous. Just about every other sister
who has travelled down this road has gone through the same
things. I know I have. Your sisters are here for you. We have been
where you are. We are encouraging you and cheering you on. We
know what it takes because we had to find that in ourselves too.
We are praying for your success just as we prayed for our own.
Come and join us.
Allah does not burden a soul except what it can bear. For it is what
it has earned, and upon it is what it has made due. "Our Lord and
Sustainer, do not condemn us if we forget or do wrong. Our Lord
and Sustainer, do not put a burden on us like the burden You put
on those who were before us. Our Lord and Sustainer, do not put
a burden on us that we cannot endure. And blot out (our sins) and
forgive us, and be gentle to us. You are our Protector. So help us
against the rejectors." (Surah al-Baqarat ayah 286) (Teachislam.
com)

Imams and preachers have been called upon to use religious teachings which denounce corruption as one of the ways to wipe out graft
from the country.
Imams from Western and Nyanza provinces who converged for a
three day workshop in Kisumu were urged to enlighten their congregations on the Islamic teachings which condemn corrupt practices in
the society.
The Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC) has teamed up
with religious leaders from the Kenya Council of Imams and Ulamaa
(KCIU) in a joint campaign which they say will use a religious approach to fight graft.
KCIU chairman, Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu said that although other
mechanisms have been tried all over the world to fight graft the religious approach has so far been more successful.
The involvement of Imams and other religious leaders in the campaign against graft, by appealing to the spirituality of the people is a
move which we think will help reduce the spread of corruption in the
society, he said.
He described corruption as a social evil which needs to be abhorred
by people of all religions. Sheikh Muhammad said that corruption continues to bedevil the country because human beings have forgotten
about their moral obligation to God to do good deeds and avoid evil
practices.
He expressed concern that the war on corruption had mainly been
focused on petty offenders while rich people are set free.
Saying that as a result, wealthy people continue to engage in corrupt practices because they know when they are apprehended they
can buy their way out of jail. We need to urge Kenyans to be God
conscious and avoid engaging in malpractices because of the fear
of God.
The problems which are being faced in our country such as bad governance and economic woes are as a result of our wrongdoing and
engaging in corruption, he noted.
The conference was also addressed by the chairman of Majlis Ulamaa Kenya chairman Sheikh Khalfan Khamis, Ibrahim Lethome a
constitutional lawyer and officials of KACC.
The joint campaign which was mooted last year has so far covered
Central, Eastern, Nyanza and Western provinces.
The campaign is scheduled to target Imams from all the eight provinces in the country.

Demand for more accountability

Continued From Page 1

to give appropriate leadership to the people, Abdullahi expressed optimism that could still play a positive role in pressuring the government
and parliament to enact the much needed reforms.
Abdullahi Abdi made these remarks when he appeared on Sunday Live
on Citizen TV.
During his appearance, he rejected the call by National Christian Council of Kenya (NCCK) for snap polls saying that Kenyans should instead
exert more pressure on the government to make it accountable to the
people.
Last week, the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) also
scoffed at the idea of fresh polls maintaining that it would only lead to
chaos as the climate was still volatile.
Secretary General Sheikh Khalifa Muhammad pointed out that the
wounds inflicted on Kenya during the last general elections had not
healed and the move to call for elections would return the country to
another round of anarchy as witnessed after the elections.
Instead, the council called on the government to speed up reforms in
major institutions like the Electoral Commission, Judiciary, the police
and enactment of a new constitution.
The NCCK secretary general Peter Karanja last week ignited a storm
when he called for fresh elections to replace what he termed as a
failed Coalition Government.
The council said the country was in a leadership crisis as President
Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga had failed in their respective roles.

BRIEFS

Defiant Bashir
travels to Egypt
CAIRO: Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, has travelled
to Cairo in a show of defiance
after the International Criminal
Court (ICC) issued a warrant
for his arrest on accusations of
war crimes.
Al-Bashir risked arrest by leaving Sudan, but Egypt, which
has close ties with Khartoum,
has called on the UN Security Council to suspend the ICC
warrant.

Palestinians in unity
talks

CAIRO:Palestinian groups will

meet in Egypt on April 1 to discuss moves towards a unity

government, an official loyal to
the Fatah movement of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian
president, has said.
The planned meeting between
Fatah and its main rival Hamas,
which has de facto control of the
Gaza Strip, comes after both
sides failed to reach an agreement in talks on March 19.

Biting water shortage

in Somalia
Most Somalis have little or no
water, with only 29 percent of
the population having access
to clean drinking water, according to the UN Children's
Fund (UNICEF).
"The international community
and Somalis need to ensure
peace and stability in the country to enable the provision of
adequate supplies of clean
drinking water for more children and women," Christian
Balslev-Olesen, UNICEF's Somalia Representative, said in a
statement issued to mark World
Water Day on 22 March.

Israel accused of 'new Gaza crime'

A senior UN official has suggested that Israel should
be held accountable for a "new crime against humanity" during its January assault on the Gaza strip.
Richard Falk, the UN's special rapporteur on human
rights in the Palestinian territories, said Israel had
confined Palestinian civilians to the combat zone in
Gaza, a unique move which should be outlawed.
"Such a war policy should be treated as a distinct and
new crime against humanity, and should be formally
recognised as such, and explicitly prohibited," Falk
said in a report to the UN Human Rights Council in
Geneva on Monday.
Palestinian civilians were prevented from leaving the
Gaza Strip during the three-week bombardment by
the Israeli authorities.
Falk also called for an investigation into Israel's attack
on Gaza, in which more than 1,300 Palestinians were
killed and homes destroyed.
Falk's comments formed part of a much longer report
from nine UN investigators including specialists on the
right to health, food, adequate housing and education, as well as on summary executions and violence
against women. (Al Jazeera.net)

U.S. to put "exit strategy" in

Afghanistan policy
The new U.S. policy for Afghanistan to be unveiled
soon will contain an exit strategy and include greater
emphasis on economic development, President Barack
Obama said.
With violence rising ahead of elections in August,
Obama has already committed an extra 17,000 troops
to Afghanistan, but on Sunday he said military force
alone would not end the war.
"What we can't do is think that just a military approach in
Afghanistan is going to be able to solve our problems,"
he said in an interview with CBS's "60 minutes."
"So what we're looking for is a comprehensive strategy.
And there's got to be an exit strategy ... There's got to
be a sense that this is not perpetual drift."
The interview gave a taste of what to expect from a
comprehensive policy review on Afghanistan and Pakistan expected soon, and which officials have already
said would include more coordination with other stakeholders than practiced by the Bush administration.
Analysts say Washington is going to have to engage
in dialogue with Taliban elements, a point Obama and
Vice President Joe Biden have conceded recently, but
in doing so will also have to juggle the competing interests of India and Pakistan. (islamonline.net)

SUPREME COUNCIL OF KENYA MUSLIMS

(SUPKEM)

We urge all Muslims to register with SUPKEM by sending an SMS with

the words Allahu Akbar to 6364.
You will be receiving the following on your mobile phone:

Important information to Muslims from SUPKEM

Quran verses
SMS

Hadith

Sayings of the Companions
Allahu Akbar

to 6364

Contact Customer care no. 0722375611.

To unregister send off Sms costs 10/=.

Join us to feed the hungry

Kenya is under the throes of a devastating
drought whose embers have resulted in massive shortage of food leading to starvation.
According to the government, more than 10
million Kenyans are threatened with starvation and to cushion the population, President
Mwai Kibaki last year declared the drought
a national disaster and called for foreign intervention to mitigate against the devastating
effects of the drought.
The failure of the rains which were expected
this month has further aggravated the situation.
Press reports continue to give sad tales of
people facing starvation and their enduring
to find food to keep them alive. Many have
turned to wild fruits as a means of survival.
This time round, areas which have traditionally escaped from the perennial drought in
North Eastern Province like Ijara district have
also been affected and are now appealing for
food aid for survival.
The drought has exacerbated the shortage of
water and is also threatening to re-open old
conflicts as different communities scramble
of the little available water sources.
To help in reducing the effects of this problem, Ummah Foundation in partnership with
entities which included Gulf African Bank,
the Libyan Embassy in Nairobi through the
Gaddafi Project and other Muslim organizations has been involved in the distribution
of relief food to some of the worst affected
areas.
Thousands of families have received food
parcels in Turkana, Coast and North eastern
province assisting them in alleviating the effects of hunger.
Additionally, Ummah Foundation has since
last year deployed a water truck to supply water to areas in North Eastern Province which
have been experiencing ware shortages.
Due to the biting drought, the frequency of
distribution has reduced considerably as the
truck has to cover a longer distance to get the
all important commodity.
While thanking those who have partnered
with us in this noble initiative, we again make
an appeal o support us in the campaign to
help our starving people.
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) as saying: He who
alleviates the suffering of a brother out of the
sufferings of the world, Allah would alleviate
his suffering from the sufferings of the Day
of Resurrection and he who finds relief for
one who is hard pressed, Allah would make
things easy for him in the Hereafter.
Ummah Foundation
Village Plaza Ngara
P. O. Box 58717-00100 Nairobi
Tel: 3747612/3 0734845277
Email:info@ummahfoundation.net
website: www.ummahfoundation.net

The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 40629-00100 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: fridaybulletin@islamkenya.com or
fridaybulletin@gmail.com. Printed by Colour Magic Production Ltd-Kirinyaga Crescent P. O. Box 9581-00100 Nairobi