islam today intends to address the concerns and aspirations of a vibrant Muslim community by providing readers with inspiration, information, a sense of community and solutions through its unique and specialised contents. It also sets out to help Muslims and non-Muslims better understand and appreciate the nature of a dynamic faith.

August 2014Issue 22, Vol. 2

Editorial team

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Contributors

Managing Director

Information

Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour

info@islam-today.net

Ahmad Haneef

Hannah Smith

Health Editor

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Laleh Lohrasbi

www.facebook.com/islamtodaymag

Cleo Cantone

Managing Editor

Article Submissions

Anousheh Mireskandari

submit@islam-today.net

Mohammed Khaku Shah Waseem

Layout and Design Raha Design Group

Chief Editor

Letters to the Editor

Amir De Martino

letters@islam-today.net

Harun Yahya

Art Editor Moriam Grillo

Frank Julian Gelli

Copy Editor

www.islam-today.net

Kawther Rahmani

Batool Haydar

Design and Production Nasser Hasani

Disclaimer: Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher or islam today. All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. However, islam today shall not be liable or responsible for loss or damage arising from any users’ reliance on information obtained from the magazine.

Back CoverTaza Pir Mosque - Baku, AzerbaijanIts construction began in 1905 andwas finished by 1914.

Publisher:Islamic Centre of England140 Maida ValeLondon, W9 1QB – UK

ISSN2051-2503

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C o n t e n t s

An Islamic Centre with an American architecture

Masterpiece/s

Towards a just socio-economic order

Addendum

Heritage

Heavenly Interiors: the Furnishings of Paradise in the Qur’an

Nostalgia for the Lost Garden

6

8

5

Khaled Jarrar

A corrupted economic and administrative system in a society is a direct result of its social and cultural edifice. Shah Waseem explains why

‘Here and Elsewhere’ and ‘New York New Museum’

1927 Palestinian 2 mills bronze coin

Cleo Cantone looks at the Quranic symbolism of Paradise and how this might has influenced some aspects of Islamic Art

In the Spotlight12ARTS

Bushra Shanan - Graphic designer from Hebron in the West Bank

Mohammed Khaku, president of the Al-Ahad Islamic Centre, tells us of the history and development of a Muslim community with a great responsibility

Photography

Poetry

Ibrahim Faraj - PalestineSlim Letaeif - TunisiaMuhammed Muheisen - Palestine

Rafeet Alareer

What if your entire memory was erased...

24Faith

Thanking God for gifting us with a memory, Harun Yahya imagines what our world would be like if we woke up tomorrow to discover that all our memories have been wiped out

The image of Paradise20Cover

The concept of Paradise exists in many religious traditions. Ahmad Haneef takes a look at the Quranic description of Paradise and its impact on the Islamic lifestyle

3

From the Editor

Life & Community

C o n t e n t s

Listings and Events

Glossary of Islamic Symbols

The letter(s) after the name of the Prophet Muhammad(s) stands for the Arabic phrase sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, meaning: ‘May God bless him [Muhammad] and grant him peace’. The letter(a) stands for the Arabic phrase ‘alayhis-salaam, ‘alayhas-salaam (feminine) and ‘alayhimus-salaam (plural) meaning respectively: (God’s) Peace be with him/ her/ or them.

Islamic Cultural Fayre - Bristol Muslim Cultural Society

Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and Empire - SOAS University

Three Cities Cycle Ride for Charity - Islamic Relief

Batoul S’Himi: World Under Pressure - Rose Issa Projects

Living Eden - www.enjoyeden.com

Storytelling Session with Hajera Memon - Islamic Human Rights Committee

Journey of the Hearts - www.alkauthar.org

Slavery Remembrance Day at National Museums Liverpool

31What & Where

St. John the Baptist; martyrdom and mystery

28Interfaith

Known in Islam as Prophet Yahya(a) John the Baptist is one of the early martyrs of Christianity. Frank Gelli looks at his life and death

An Islamic response to the Assisted Dying Bill

26Opinion

As the Assisted Dying Bill passes the second consultation stage in the UK parliament, Hannah Smith believes Muslims should also contribute to the debate providing an Islamic perspective

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F r o m t h eE d i t o r

Where do we come from? Where are we going? These are questions that all of

us have asked at least once. Though they may appear to be two separate questions, the reply is probably the same. We come from a ‘lost garden’ to which we must return. But what is this garden, why we have lost it and why we have left it in the first place?In the Book of Genesis in the Bible it is said that God planted a garden in the East in Eden and in it He made to grow all kinds of trees ‘beautiful to look at and whose fruits are enjoyable to eat’. The Qur’an corroborates this, but does not tell us the location where this Paradise was; commentators agree that it is not on the earth.In it God placed Adam(a) and Eve(a), and they dwelt in tranquillity in Paradise. Their staying in this Garden of Bliss was conditional to their obedience to God, who had instructed them to take anything they wanted from it - 'eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you will...' (2:35) - except the fruits from a particular tree. And so it is narrated that Adam(a) and Eve(a) lived there free to do whatever they wanted. Apart from some differences in the narration of this story, all three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) agree that it was this very freedom that ultimately caused Adam(a) and Eve(a) to be removed from this garden. God had created them with a free will which encompasses the ability to choose, and in a sense man’s disobedience is a symbol of the freedom granted to him by God. Yes, they had disobeyed

Him by eating the fruits of the prohibited tree, so in God’s system of creation, based on cause and effect, expulsion from the garden was the outcome for their action. In the Qur’an, God orders them to 'Both of you get down from it'. (20:123)The descent of Adam(a) and Eve(a)

from Paradise represents the beginning of humanities’ struggle for existence. Their reproach by a benevolent God was not permanent. As the result of seeking forgiveness, God promised that they would be allowed to return. The rest we all know - humanity had to fend for themselves.Since then a double nostalgia for this lost garden of bliss, termed Paradise in some cultures, has never abandoned humanity. This was the magic place tied to our origins and to a lost and forgotten happiness. Some scholars have called this desire a ‘nostalgia for origins’, the memory of a time when Adam(a)

and Eve(a) lived free of restlessness without fear of death, and at peace with their Creator.The Qur’an and the prophetic traditions confirm the concept of a privileged place where believers will dwell after the Day of Judgement, providing both descriptive and allegorical imagery for us to understand. In the cover story of this issue, Ahmad Haneef explains the concept of Paradise according to Islamic Tradition, clarifying how we should understand such evocative imagery and what impact such belief has on the individual.The Qur’an itself provides us with some insight into how Paradise will be and who will be the one allowed

to enter. One picture is quite clear - those allowed there will be the purified ones. To return to the Original Garden we need to have the same state and condition that Adam(a) and Eve(a) had prior to their expulsion. Unfortunately, it was the very first son of Adam(a) to set the precedence for an action that would complicate the human return to the Original Garden. The very first murder of another human being was committed by Cain, who murdered his brother Abel out of envy. Cain will forever represent that part of humanity to whom access to Paradise will be denied, at least not until it has tested the punishment of Hellfire.After recounting this terrible event in the Qur’an, God Almighty sets for us an important command explaining how great is the importance of human life: ‘That is why We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, without [its being guilty of] manslaughter or corruption on the earth, is as though he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life is as though he had saved all mankind’ (5:32).Shamefully, today some of the descendents of Adam who claim to follow the Abrahamic faiths have in reality become true followers of Cain in both actions and words in contempt of the above directives. They have forgotten the cries of Adam(a) and Eve,(a) who maintained their purity despite all the earthly temptations setting their hearts and minds upon one wish only - to return to the proximity of God in that Blessed Garden..

Nostalgia for the Lost Garden

Amir De Martino

Chief Editor

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Life &Community

Islam’s first mosque, built in Medina in 622, was a simple rectangular structure constructed of palm logs and

adobe bricks, however mosque architecture has greatly evolved since then. Mosques which have been built in the West, such as those constructed in the USA in the last few decades, are almost universally designed by architects, and feature minarets, domes and verses of the Qur‘an written with exquisite calligraphy. The Al-Ahad Islamic Centre, the largest in Lehigh Valley – an area which borders Eastern Pennsylvania and Western New Jersey – blends well with the existing environment.

The current building, built in 2002 – 2003 by architect Kazim Dharsi, is a reinterpretation of tradition combined with elements of American architecture. The centre includes two main halls and two multi-purpose halls, twelve classrooms, a library, a commercial kitchen, a room for the ritual washing of the deceased, a resident clergy quarter, an eighteen-foot dome and a thirty-foot minaret standing in elegant contrast to the one-hundred-sixty space parking lot. The style of the interior furnishings is multi-ethnic, with a beautiful zarih (a scale replica of the gilded latticework which covers the tombs of Ahlul Bayt(a)), huge chandeliers

with matching fourteen wall lights, calligraphy of the 99 Names of God, and calligraphy of the names of the Ahlul Bayt.

Situated in Allentown, only an hour drive from New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC, makes its location very strategic.

The name ‘Al-Ahad’, or the One, was chosen among fourteen names which were submitted by the madrassa students; it is an appropriate name as well since the centre is surrounded by a large number of churches and synagogues. The centre is actually one of North America’s oldest institutions. It was

An Islamic Centre with an American architecture

6

established in 1972, with the help of a handful of Ugandan immigrants who settled in Allentown after fleeing East Africa. Most of these immigrants, such as my own family, were born in Mombasa, Kenya, and have a long history of migration from India to East Africa.The Asians of East Africa made up one percent of the total population there and most originated from the Gujarat, Kutch and Kathiawar regions of Western India.When my forefathers set off for Africa from the ports of India in throngs in the late 19th century, they were leaving famine and economic hardship. Later, the descendents of the first Asian immigrants to East Africa moved to the United States and Europe for safety and a better education.In the early 19th century, a large population of Indians moved from British-ruled India to build the railway from Mombasa to Lake Victoria in Uganda. Many Asians migrants took jobs as civil servants, but most relocated and became traders, shopkeepers and merchants.However, Asians were discriminated against in favour of the British, but nevertheless were quite privileged compared to the indigenous Africans.

The situation began to change after the independence of Uganda (1962), Kenya (1963) and Tanzania (1964). Many Asians began leaving East Africa during the Zanzibar Revolution (1964) and the Arusha Declaration (the Africanisation policy) by President Nyerere in 1967. This period is known as the ‘Asian Exodus’.The largest exodus was in 1972 when Idi Amin gave the country’s 75,000 Asian (Muhindis) 90 days to leave Uganda. Amin, a self-styled Muslim, said he was acting on the orders of God and that he received a message in his dreams to expel all Asian shopkeepers (dukavallas) from Uganda. Amin’s actions were

part of an overall bias against the Asian immigrants, built up over many years of hatred, resentment and mutual distrust.In some ways, the attitudes were nurtured by Asians themselves, who claimed to be living on borrowed time. They never thought of East Africa as their homeland.The history of Indian migration from East Africa to Lehigh Valley dates to 1972. Three families of refugees left Uganda amid the political turmoil and eventually relocated to the United States due to the sponsorship of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Allentown.These three families established the tradition of holding services

(majalis) and religious observance in their homes, and at times held special services such as Eid-ul Fitr and Eid-ul Adha at St. John’s.This continued for years even as the community grew with immigrants from East Africa, India, Pakistan and the Middle East. By 1980, the community had grown large enough to be registered as a non-profit organisation. It purchased a centre at 1335 Chew Street, which had been a prayer hall for the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Meanwhile, the community continued to grow.In 2002, as a leader of the community, I embarked on the journey of building a new Islamic centre in South Whitehall Township. It reminded me of the first immigrants who some 25 years ago purchased and renovated the Chew Street Centre. Although they had limited resources, their faith paved the way to what is now a most vibrant and respected Islamic

institution. With faith in God and persistence, we as a community were able to build a new place of worship which stands as a symbol of our devotion, with all thanks and praise to our Lord.Throughout the years, al-Ahad has had the pleasure of serving the needs of Muslims in the greater Lehigh Valley area as well as throughout the United States. The Centre has a long rich past that embodies the American Muslim community’s search, struggle and triumph to find a place to belong.Our centre has been dedicated to the education of the general public, spiritual growth and the betterment of our community. It has

a rich history of education and community leadership under the guidance of our parent organisations NASIMCO and the World Federation.Al-Ahad Islamic Centre’s success is attributed to the dedication of the community to preserving Islam in North America and their commitment to the education of future generations of

Muslims. With the grace and mercy of God, we share our faith and our house of worship with all those who are willing to learn about Islam and Muslims.The past 40 years are only the start of a new era of serving the community and educating the American public about Muslims and the Faith of Islam.Al-Ahad Islamic Centre is open to all Muslims, regardless of their ethnicity, socio-economic background or language. Our task is to reach out and extend the platform of unity to all Muslims who are committed to the mission and movement of Islam.‘Hold fast to the rope of God all together and be not divided among yourselves’ (3:103)..

Mohammed Khaku,former President of Al Ahad Islamic Centre 1996 - 2013

As Muslims settle outside the countries of their forefathers, new communities arise. Mohammed Khaku gives us an account of the Al-Ahad Islamic Centre

located in Pennsylvania USA

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If one was asked to state in one word what would be the main cause of the malevolence and troubles with which individuals, society and nations have frequently been afflicted with, one can certainly mention such things as poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, selfishness, tyranny, oppression,

repression and many other socio-economic ills. Yet there is no other word but ‘injustice’ which can cover all illogical, deceitful and exploitative thoughts and actions. No economic system, and for that matter no administrative system, can work healthily, if the social and cultural edifice of a society is disturbed and corrupted. In order to develop positive socio-economic relations with others, it is therefore essential to instil within the population a higher, more ethical culture as we see promoted in testament of Ali ibn Abi Talib(a). Imam Ali(a) in his testament wrote to his son, Hasan(a): ‘O’ my child! Make yourself the measure (for dealings) between you and others. Thus, you like for others what you like for yourself, and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress, as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others, as you like good to be done to you. Regard bad for others whatever you regard bad for you…’

There is a definite relationship between the social and cultural construction of a society, and its administrative and economic system. Shah Waseem believes

that to avoid the economic injustice, one needs to inject a more ethical culture

Towards a justsocio-economic order

8

To effect this change, both men and nations must help sustain cordial and humane relations within the frame-work of ‘mutual responsibility’ and ‘social balance’, for there is only One Creator – God – and there is only one family of man on this earth, and thus each person is responsible for the wellbeing of society. For socio-economic interactions, the concept of ‘Mutual Existence’, rather than ‘Co-Existence’, is preferred, as the latter is reminiscent of divisive politics and separate identities; therefore, the concept of ‘Mutual Existence’ must be put to work immediately as an overriding factor for current socio-economic realities and relations.With this being said, it is a matter of current concern that, in spite of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, these same rights have been violated by some of the signatories themselves. Look to the existing disparities in income and assets. 10% of the world’s richest individuals acquire the same amount of income that is received by 60% of the population at the bottom of the economic scale. If we put this into numerical terms, then we can say that 70 million people obtain the same amount of money that is earned by 3.2 billion people. The assets of 400 billionaires in developed countries, is equal the holdings of nearly half of the world’s population.

9

While the UN has resolved that the rich countries should give 0.7% of their GDP as aid, the United States has administrated only 0.2% of its GDP. The global holdings of the multi-national corporations, which mostly hail from developed countries, particularly the West, stood at 16% in 1960, increased to 24% in 1970, and reached 32% in 1990 thanks to unbridled globalisation. These corporations frequently operate in developing countries and use a great deal of local resources, including those which are non-renewable. As stated by Heidi Hautala, an environmentalist and former President of the Green Party of Sweden: ‘Sadly countries like India do not have any laws for protecting their natural resources, even their water’. As such, it seems that it is only just that some country-specific mechanism needs to be established regarding the investment in the education and training of migrant workers in proportion to the benefits derived by developed countries. The importation of goods, several of which are not compatible with local culture, also poses a problem – one has to think of the accompanying acculturation as well – that inevitable assimilation and acceptance of foreign culture when it ‘invades’, for ‘globalisation is an act of integration and conversion of world cultures, economies and information technology’. It is also a function of ‘the influence of free market forces through international investment, development and

communication’. In addition, it is instrumental in causing the impact of free market forces on local, regional and global economies. Needless to say, the weaker economies tend to get hit by a kind of economic earthquake - with all its ripples,

shocks and possible dislocations. Hence, adjustments become sine qua non. We must also take the international banking and finance system, founded on interest-based banking, into consideration as well. Since interest adds to cost and price, there is an ever-increasing competition between interest, cost and price. To mitigate and then remove the ill effects of interest-based banking on local economies – and on global economy as well – Islamic banking, on an increase since the early l960s, enjoins the owner of capital and its user in a mutually beneficial relationship: the bank serves as an agent and is therefore paid its price for creating a positive economic relationship. There are a number of systems under which the owner of capital and its user may work. Islam encourages trade and prohibits riba’ (interest), the concept of trading includes mudarba and musharika (joint venture), etc. In mudarba, the one who provides capital is called mudarib, and ‘amil is the

No economic system, and for that matter no administrative system, can work healthily, if the social and cultural edifice of a society is disturbed

and corrupted.

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one, who, using his expertise and intellect, and the begotten capital, works to produce and do trading. Under mudarba, the bank works as an intermediary, which helps make available the required capital to the ‘amil from its owner.

In Islamic jurisprudence, mudarba is a special agreement between the owner of the capital and the entrepreneur. Thus, capital comes from one party and the other puts it to use, utilising his expertise, intellect and labour with the proviso that both shall divide the profit on an agreed basis. Thus, banks act as agents, facilitating contact between the two parties and offering their expert advice. One party uses its expertise and intelligence, and the other provides funds. Of course, permitted provisions can be inserted into the terms of the contract. If there is no loss and no profit, the provider of funds will have his financial assets returned in full, simply because the ‘amil (the active partner) was required to safeguard the resources (money) by taking intelligent decisions. Consequently, the ‘amil’s labour will be lost and he will get nothing. Of course, if the funds were given as a loan, then, in case of loss, the businessman/entrepreneur will have to bear the loss and

return the amount in full to the provider. In musharika (joint venture), both would provide capital as agreed and would share profit and loss accordingly. To facilitate investment and trade, Islamic banks do exist in a number of countries including

Sudan, Egypt and the Islamic Republic of Iran, etc. In fact, the Islamic Development Bank was formed on the initiative of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC). In his instructive letter to Malik al-Ashtar, Governor-Designate to

Egypt, Imam Ali(a) wrote: ‘Do justice to God and do justice to the people, as against yourself, your near ones and those of your subjects for whom you have a liking, because if you do not do so, you would be oppressing, and when a person oppresses the creatures of God, then instead of the people God becomes his enemy’. It was perhaps appropriate that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in its Arab Human Development Report in 2002, quoted a number of Imam Ali’s wise sayings and instructions for the benefit of the Arab rulers. One hopes that such wisdom can be acted upon to change the current financial and socio-economic landscape today, not only to reflect the advice given in Nahj al-Balaghah but to give rise to a mutual, ethical, just and prosperous existence..

Professor Shah Waseem is the former Dean of the Faculty and Chairman, Department of Commerce, Aligarh MuslimUniversity, Aligarh, India.

…that inevitable assimilation and acceptance of foreign culture when it ‘invades’, for ‘globalisation is an act of integration and conversion of world cultures, economies and information technology’.

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ARTSArt Editor Moriam Grillo

In the spot l ight Bushra Shanan is a young graphic designer from Hebron in the West Bank. She is part of a collective who are trending a new art form called Smoke Art photography. Shanan uses graphic skills to manipulate images of bombings, to create something beautiful out of the grotesque war waged against Palestinians. Her ulterior motives are manifold. Firstly, to counter how media content is read and understood. Secondly, to portray Palestinians as people who value life and whose lives are of value. In addition, but not finally, this craft is testimony to the power of the imagination. To respond with beauty and creativity in times of desperation and tragedy is a reflection of how faith has the ability to conquer all. One is also reminded of what this new young generation, who were born into conflict, see. Like us, in our youth, looking up into the clouds and seeing fictive images that expand our perception of the world. Further, these youths, despite their heritage have managed to remain connected to the expansive nature of their imagination which could so easily have become stunted by the traumas they have endured.

Jarrar, 38, is a photography and video artist from Ramallah in Palestine. He made international headlines this July when Israeli authorities refused to let him travel to New York for the opening of his exhibition. Although they claimed to have no reason for detaining him, in reality Jarrar was being deterred from using art to propagate the fatal plight of the Palestinian people. The issue was based on artwork created by Jarrar which listed the names of Palestinian victims killed in the current conflict. To date, over 2,000 have been killed in the recent Israeli offensive, a figure which remains coy in reportage of the current crisis.

Although the holy month of Ramadhan has just departed as a time of introspection and retreat for the world, it is impossible to be unaware of the crisis and conflict in Palestine that began during this time. This month, I dedicate these pages to all those who have been martyred, maimed or injured, be it physically, emotionally or mentally. Creativity is like prayer: a physical reflection of a spiritual reality, which is both limitless and filled with possibility. Let’s take a few moments to celebrate the creative expression of individuals who are using their craft to pray for peace, making Hijra in their hearts, from crisis to calm. ‘These works of art are a way for these Palestinians to tell their own stories, an opportunity to show what Western media won’t allow them to. These artists are challenging the portrayal of Palestinians in mainstream media and taking it upon themselves to change it’. - Writer Mariam Elba Art is a very practical way to wage a nonviolent response to the happenings in Gaza. It is important at this time to relate to Palestinians as our brethren in humanity and not just victims whose number of fatalities increase daily.

Mas

terp

iece

‘Jarrar’s work effectively raises the question of what the role of art should be in addressing a complex political situation’. - Art critic Deborah Solomon

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Addendum“Here and Elsewhere” is a major exhibition of contemporary art from and about the Arab world.The exhibition brings together more than forty-five artists from more than fifteen countries and is the most recent in a series of exhibitions that intend to introduce urgent questions to Western audiences.The exhibition borrows its title from a 1976 documentary film by French director Jean-Luc Godard. The film, ‘Ici et Ailleurs’ [Here and Elsewhere], was initially conceived as a pro-Palestinian documentary, but evolved into a complex reflection on the ethics of representation and the status of images as instruments for political change.The exhibition Here and Elsewhere is on show at the New Museum in New York until the end of September 2014.

Although Jarrar was eventually allowed to travel, he did miss the grand opening of his exhibition in New York. Nevertheless, the evidence had been gathered and the stage set to convey the truth of what had been thus far hidden from public consciousness. Situated on the wall of a darkened room five and a half thousand miles away from his homeland, Jarrar has presented this installation to an audience eager to learn the truth. The individual victims are listed by name only with no indication given of age. A crucial point when considering that the number of children who have lost their lives since the turmoil began is thought to equate to almost half the overall death toll. Each name, in Jarrar’s installation, is projected against a wall without the perfunctory addition of a screen. Something perhaps that Jarrar felt would detract from the urgency of what is being relayed. The identities of the slain are remembered and given life as they are read by a computer-generated voice. This itself is done in a cold and emotionless manner, which reflects the way in which these forgotten martyrs have died. Through this piece, Jarrar gives voice to the voiceless, highlighting the plight of a people whose children have not known anything different. In addition to this work, Jarrar has also produced a 70-minute-long award winning film for the exhibition. Entitled Infiltrators, the film documents Palestinians who illegally cross into Jerusalem via the infamous wall that separates Israel from the West Bank. This ‘infiltration’ is practiced by many daily, simply to visit their families, look for work, or other basic activities.By following Palestinians in this way, Jarrar is seeking to highlight the unnecessary struggle they have been forced to endure. With a population of 1.8 million people, Palestinians are currently suffering from an incremental genocide. In response to this, we are now seeing the third Intifada.‘A virtual project inspired by this dream of mine, of living a normal life in a normal country, like a normal human being. Justice for Palestine!' - Khaled Jarrar

Her i tage

1927

Pal

estin

ian

2 m

ills b

ronz

e co

in

‘This is a cherished coin from my collection. I will mail it to whoever pledges the most for medical aid in Gaza’. - Peter GouldAwarded ‘Artist of the Year’ in 2011, the international success of artist Peter Gould is growing in leaps and bounds. While his latest projects utilise his graphic design skills to create art for the digital age, Gould has turned his attention to Islamic heritage. In a bid to highlight the atrocities occurring in Palestine and to raise much-needed funds, Gould has offered to part with a piece of antiquity which would take pride in anyone’s collection. This two mills coin is part of a limited edition of Palestinian currency, which was minted on demand over a period of two decades. It is important to note that the only world coins minted for general circulation that bear the name ‘Palestine’ were issued from 1927 to 1947. This happened when the British Mandate to govern Palestine was granted to Great Britain by the League of Nations in 1923. There were 59 different coins in total.

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Poet ry

Photography

Rafeet Alareer is a young writer, academic and the editor of Gaza Writes BackHe believes that it is through words and writing that the Zionist movement managed to occupy Palestine well before its actual infiltration. This ended in the occupation of Palestine, resulting in the killing and displacement of millions of defenceless civilians. In response to this reality, Alareer and many other writers have decided to act and not react - to write back instead of bite back - a nonviolent intervention which is hoped to have more far reaching repercussions. Alareer’s poetry speaks volumes, giving the reader an intense peak into a very different world - a world that one cannot comprehend without a feeling of discomfort and a yearning to return to the familiar. ‘We endeavour to use all efforts and pens and to gather all material there is that helps promote our cause to enlighten both ourselves and all the peoples of the world’. – Rafeet AlareerRafeet Alareer blogs at www.thisisgaza.wordpress.com

‘A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells us, the less we know’. - Photographer Diane ArbusSince a picture paints a thousand words, I will let these images speak for themselves. These are juxtaposition of images from a variety of photographers. What meaning lies within the photographs is for you as viewer to decide. But what is unceasingly apparent is the thread of crisis that has seamlessly stitched each of our experiences together. Whether physically, economically, psychologically, socially or other - we are all being challenged in some way - some more than others. While in the West, our prosecution may be subtle, it is clearly reflected in the crises that our brothers and sisters are suffering in other lands. After all, we are one body. May these images act as a reminder bringing home the imminence of a struggle that remains closer than we may have the courage to think. It is important for us to observe, reflect and consider this at all times…lest we forget.

Ibrahim FarajIbrahim Faraj is a young Palestinian photographer who produces stunning photographs of Gaza. Although Faraj photographs objects and spaces which are seen every day, his work is far from ordinary and certainly not prosaic. His images are larger than life and depict a superficiality which acts as an elixir to the brutal realism witnessed daily.

Slim Lataeif

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Moriam Grillo is an international artist. She holds Bachelor degrees in Photography, Film and Ceramics. She is also a freelance broadcaster, photographer and writer.

Slim LetaeifSlim Letaeif is a Tunisian photographer. His main themes are street photography, landscapes and portraiture. A former airline pilot, Letaeif now enjoys photographing the places of his travels, from the Ivory Coast to Paris. But more so, he enjoys capturing the character of people. He believes ‘a human face can be the most thought provoking subject a viewer can see’ and takes great effort to convey this truth.

Muhammed MuheisenPulitzer Prize winner Muhammed Muheisen was born in Jerusalem in 1981. His biography is a testament to how efficiently history often repeats itself. After graduating with a degree in journalism and political science, Muheisen went on to work for the Associated Press.His first assignment covered the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He then went on to photograph the Iraq war. In his work, he says he has been ‘touched by how people adapt to tragedies’, still able to utter ‘Al Hamdulilah’. Muheisen says being born in a region that is in conflict has its advantages for those who want to become journalists or photographers. Because they have adapted to the environment, it is easier to observe and record events without emotional responses getting in the way. .

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Heavenly Interiors: the Furnishings of Paradise in the Qur’an

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Cleo Cantone explores how the Quranic images of Paradise may have provided inspiration for Muslims to recreate a fragment of its environment in their everyday life

The image of the Garden of Paradise, or Jennat-ul-firdaws, is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an in its various manifestations. What I find interesting

is that there are also references to Islamic interiors and furnishings, which we see depicted much later in illustrated manuscripts from Iran to Central Asia. I would like to explore how these Quranic interiors might have been interpreted and transposed into Muslim households across the ages. Since there is virtually no extant material heirloom from the time of the Prophet(s), we have to look at the descriptions used in the Qur’an and their possible interpretation. We can then cite some examples of textiles found at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, in an attempt to reconstruct the Paradisiacal interior. In the Qur’an, Paradise is described as a state of perpetual bliss and purity: ‘ Who has settled us in the everlasting Abode (Dar) by His grace. In it we are untouched by toil, and untouched therein by fatigue’. (35:35)

It is as if the lack of toil and weariness are totally absent from the Dar because there will be no need to do housework: no dust, no dirt! Yet the seemingly immaterial place is also furnished with tangible and familiar household objects, albeit of luxurious rather than ordinary quality: ‘Reclining on green cushions (rafraf) and rich carpets of beauty (‘abqarii)’. (55:76) Therein will be thrones (suruur) of dignity raised on high, goblets (akwaab) placed (ready) and cushions (namaariq) set in rows and rich carpets (zarabii) all spread out’. (88:13-16) ‘For them will be Gardens of Eternity: beneath them rivers will flow; they will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and they will wear garments of fine silk and heavy brocade; they will recline therein on raised thrones (araik). How good the recompense! How beautiful a couch to recline on!’ (18:31) ‘They will recline on thrones of dignity (‘ala sururin masfufah) arranged in ranks’. (52:20) ‘They will be on thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones) (‘ala sururin mawdhunatin), reclining on them, facing each other’. (56:15-16)

Raised seating, which indicates higher rank, dates back thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, for instance, were known to decorate thrones with golden sheaths, ivory plaques and hard stones. At the time of the Prophet, the minbar was introduced. The root of the word ‘n-b-r’ means to elevate or raise and it is connected to majlis, sarir, takht and kursi.

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Later the Caliphs of Islam adopted the types of thrones used by pre-Islamic rulers in the lands they conquered; their thrones thus became increasingly opulent and reached their zenith under the Ottomans. The throne of Bayram Tahti preserved in the Topkapi Palace is heavily decorated with precious stones and said to be a replica of the Peacock throne of Shah Jahan in Mughal India.Similarly, in spite of its ancient roots in textile weaving, the origins of carpet-making are not entirely known. Evidence of early carpets, however, suggests they may have originated in southern or western Iran. Owing to the fragility of textiles, few fragments survive. Nevertheless, a fairly recent archaeological excavation

at Qaryat al-Faw, the ancient capital of Kinda in Saudi Arabia, demonstrates the existence of a weaving industry dating from pre-Islamic times. Situated on the trade route between Southwest Arabia, the Persian Gulf and the Fertile Crescent, the woven woollen and linen fragments are dated between the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century CE. But what kind of carpets are described in the Qur’an? Some indication is that they are made of multi-coloured silk rather than the coarser wool of traditional Bedouin carpet weaving: ‘carpets (furush) whose inner linings will be of rich brocade (min istabraq)’. This leads to a different line of enquiry.

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Dr Cleo Cantone holds a PhD from the University of London. Her book “Making and Remaking Mosques in Senegal”, based on her doctoral research, has recently been published by Brill.

Silk was discovered in China in the Stone Age, some 4500 years ago. The technique of sericulture, or the cultivation of silk, spread to the West around the 3rd or 4th century CE. In Iran techniques used for wool weaving were applied to silk until a new weaving technology was introduced: this produced a type of fabric called samit.By the 6th century the Byzantines resented Persian control of the silk trade and Emperor Justinian ordered silkworm eggs to be brought to Byzantium to be cultivated. The Sassanid figurative iconography of Persian textiles were highly prised and widely traded to both Christian and Muslim lands. Indeed, when the Arabs conquered Iran they took over the Sassanid workshops and incorporated existing designs into their own silk weavings with little alteration. As little is known about Sassanid workshops, attribution to pre-Islamic Persia remains problematic and Sassanian motifs are sometimes interchangeable with Byzantine patterns. Nevertheless, from the few surviving fragments kept in museum collections throughout Europe, it is possible to identify the predominant weaving techniques, colours and designs.Given their fragility, most fragments are kept in storage but the Victoria & Albert Museum has an online database with two Sassanian silk woven fragments, both of which depict the mythical part-bird and part-beast figure known as the senmurw, or simurg, and which feature yellow motif on a green background and red, green and white motifs on a blue background, respectively.By the time of the birth of the Prophet, silk cloth and clothing were widely available and much sought after in the Near East. Not only was it seen as a desirable luxury, because of its connotation with the next world, silk was associated with the righteous:‘God will admit those who believe and do good works to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will be allowed armlets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk’. (22:23)While the Qur’an does not forbid men from wearing silk, the Prophetic Hadith does so in the interest of piety and humility; silk is reserved for the youths in Paradise (76:21). Scholars, however, disagree on the permissibility of reclining on silk furnishings:‘They will recline on carpets (furush) whose inner linings will be of rich brocade (min istabraq): the fruit of Gardens will be near (and easy to reach)’. (55:54)This may explain why the elites of the Muslim world did use silk to furnish their palaces, as the examples at the V & A Museum illustrate. Indeed, the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphs introduced the tiraz, or textile factory, in their palaces to produce the copious amounts of fabric required for clothing and furnishings. Clearly overturning the Prophetic prohibition, the Caliphs’ garments were made of silk. The Sassanian kingly tradition of embroidering images of rulers on garments was replaced with calligraphic bands bestowing good wishes on the Malik in keeping with Islamic precepts.Muslim patrons commissioned furnishings inspired by Quranic verses so that from Caliph to humble subject across the Muslim world, the prevalence of carpets, textiles and cushions are a leitmotif even in contemporary households. Indeed, if synthetic imitations of silk for making curtains or carpets continue to permeate sitting rooms today, it is to ensure that a symbolic fragment of Paradise abides in every Muslim home..

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C o v e r

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The image of

ParadiseThe Holy Qur’an provides us with very graphic details of Paradise. Ahmad Haneef looks at the concept of Paradise according to Islamic Tradition, explaining how we should understand such evocative imagery

There is no doubt that for a vast number of Muslims the belief in Paradise is an encouragement to

believe in God and do good works to attain to the heavenly spheres, but Paradise is not just religiously useful as a goal. The Qur’an and the ahadith (Prophetic traditions) give us much to contemplate upon regarding heaven as a source of enlightenment concerning such realities as being, divine justice, and the nature of man.

Paradise has already been createdMany theologians have said that heaven has been created either before or after the Day of Judgment. They say that the creation of heaven is mentioned in the past tense in the Holy Qur’an, for example:‘And hasten towards your Lord’s forgiveness and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth

that has been prepared for the Godwary’ (3:133).Again in the Qur’an it talks about the Mi’raj, or Heavenly Journey of the Prophet, where he saw Paradise on his journey of ascent to his Lord:‘Will you dispute with him about what he saw? Certainly he saw it yet another time, by the Lote Tree of the Ultimate Boundary, near which is the Paradise of the Abode’.(53:12-15)At the same time, Islam teaches us that our good deeds are manifested in Paradise as trees, palaces and other things that give us joy. For example, fasting in the month of Rajab is manifested as a river in paradise which is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey that the fasting person has the privilege to drink in Paradise. The two realities are not contradictory if we consider that the already-created Paradise as the context or locus within which we create our own paradisiac realities.

...there are more gates to Paradise than Hell which indicates that God’s mercy is vaster

than His wrath.

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Paradise is a place of complete freedom, which means freedom from all forms of determination by external agents. The people of Paradise have the Godlike ability to manifest whatever they desire.

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Ahmad Haneef is a Canadian Islamic scholar. He currently lives and works in London as a researcher and lecturer on Islam.

Paradise has many gatesThe Holy Qur’an says, ‘... the Gardens of Eden which they will enter....And the angels will call on them from every gate ...’ (13:23)The number of gates to Paradise is not mentioned in the Qur’an; however, the number of gates to Hell is mentioned. ‘And indeed Hell is the tryst of them all. It has seven gates and to each gate belongs a separate portion of them’. (15:44)The numbers of gates to Paradise are mentioned in ahadith, many of which say are eight. Thus, there are more gates to Paradise than Hell which indicates that God’s mercy is vaster than His wrath. This gives credence to accounts that say that certain acts of worship, such as giving charity in the month of Rajab makes Paradise wajib (obligatory) upon the believer, or the tremendous blessings that flow upon the fasting believer in the month of Ramadhan and other such statements by the Holy Imams of Ahlul Bayt(a).

Some of the pleasures of Paradise are ‘physical’God says in the Qur’an;‘... they [believers]shall have gardens in which rivers flow; whenever they shall be given the fruit thereof,.. they shall have pure spouses therein and in them shall they be forever’. (2:25)This verse indicates that the fruits are familiar to the inhabitants of Paradise because they remember that before, i.e., when they were on the earth as physical beings, they enjoyed fruits like these in their earthly forms. This indicates that although the fruits of Paradise are vastly superior and lacking all the imperfections of the fruits of the earth, nevertheless there is enough of a similarity for the inhabitants of Paradise to recognise them.There is a philosophy behind this that says if the rewards and punishments were absolutely alien, the very meaning of punishment would be lost. One has to be familiar with freedom to be able to comprehend the suffering that accompanies restriction, or to taste sweetness to know how awful bitterness is. It’s the same with rewards; one has to taste pain to know the meaning of relief. New experiences, like certain pleasures and pains can also be added to the mix, but the previous familiarity provides the context for new and unfamiliar experiences. Thus the pleasures of Paradise are not restricted to just the ‘physical’ pleasures, like food, drink, relaxation

and spouses, but they extend to things that go far beyond the previous experiences of its inhabitants. As the Noble Qur’an says:‘No soul knows what is hidden for them that will delight the eyes’. (32:17)When we say ‘physical’, we do not mean in terms of earthly bodies made up of perishable substance, however we do acknowledge the existence of forms without material substance, that, like the fruits, are reminiscent of earthly bodies but vastly more perfect and enduring. To enjoy these joys reminiscent of earthly joys, one must have a similar but perfect ‘body’ to enjoy them with, so in Paradise everyone is a perfect everlasting youth of incredible beauty and perfection. In Paradise one is and encounters the essences of all that is positive, from the human form to the lowest entities. Everything there is alive and conscious, imbued with the divine Name, al-Hayy, the Ever-Living. In the tradition it is mentioned that the fruit of Paradise would tell the people of Paradise, ‘O friend of God, eat me before you are inclined to something else’, that when the believer sits on his throne it would become extremely elated, and when the believer eats the fowl of Paradise they would reconstitute themselves after being consumed.Paradise is a place of complete freedom, which means freedom from all forms of determination by external agents. The people of Paradise have the Godlike ability to manifest whatever they desire. As Fayz Kashani, the foremost student of Mulla Sadra, and an expert traditionalist, mystic and philosopher of the 17th century, said in his book, ‘Usul al Ma’aarif (The Foundation of Knowledge), human desire is determined by things in this world, but in Paradise people would determine their desire. Whatever they desire would be given to them only by wishing for it.Muslims have been sneered at by the deniers of the the divine, for their ‘literalist’ and ‘sensuous’ ideas of Paradise, but that literalism does have some reality to it, even though it does not convey it completely. This literalism and sensuality has grasped the imagination of all Muslims from the artist to the soldier, and has been responsible for inspiring many to pursue it, whether in the form of the garden woven as a design in exquisite rugs or firing up soldiers and statesmen to seek to attain the heaven beyond this life by striving to establish its shadow on the earth..

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F a i t h

What if your entire memory

was erased...Thanking God for gifting us with a memory, Harun Yahya imagines what our world would be like if we woke up tomorrow to discover that all our memories have been wiped out

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It is our memories and our past that make us who we are. Every morning, we wake up as the same person. God creates us again every morning, and helps us retain the knowledge that tells us who we are, where we live, what

our past is and what memories we have. The people we met, our family, our job, our memories remain the same. Thanks to God's boundless beneficence, we don't have to get used to or try to adjust to the people we see around us or the house we live in every time we wake up.Think about it for a second; you wake up one day and your whole memory is gone. You have no idea who you are or that you live in the house you wake up in or any idea who the people looking at you are. Think how you would feel if you had strangers telling you ‘I am your spouse’, ‘Mom, don’t you recognise me?’ and that all the details like the school you went to, the courses you took, your date of birth, your friends and your family are all lost irretrievably. Surely, losing your memory like that would be a great test for you but probably now you have a little bit more appreciation of this great blessing you have and will be more thankful for it. ‘They said, “Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."’ (Qur’an 2:32)People usually live their lives taking their memories for granted, not even realising that it is an amazing miracle. They are not aware of the fact that they go through a sort of resurrection after sleep and that their memories are recreated completely after sleep. But the truth is that God creates every cell again each time, along with every bit of memory with it. Have you realised how you remember your past when you are asked about it? All the information you’ve learned so far was turned into proteins called ‘memory molecules’ in the ribosome. These protein molecules were turned into electric impulses and thus allowed millions of bits of information to be stored in your brain; you call that ‘your past’ and all this accumulation of data makes up your past. When you say ‘I remember’, you are retrieving that data stored in your brain.

So when you are asked ‘Which school did you go to?’, you are given the relevant data about your school and only then you can answer. If there were no such thing as a memory, what would happen? Our lives would be in disorder and disarray. Since we wouldn’t ever store the information we had learned in our memory, we would have to learn everything from scratch every time we needed it, just like a newborn baby. People with short or long-term amnesia understand very clearly how difficult this can be. Those with short-term memory loss, or those who cannot remember what happened more than five minutes ago, will have to find their way home every single time. They will not remember which food upsets their stomach and they will eat it again only to fall ill once more. They will not remember the details about their loved ones, the lovely times they shared or their experiences, and this is not the worst part of it; they will be unaware of potential dangers they may face as they will be devoid of the past experiences that would give them a fair-warning of those threats. God protects people by giving them such a precious blessing called memory. God allows us humans to use our memories with a simple principle. People keep benefiting from this amazing blessing, yet most of the time they take it for granted. Memory is not crucial only for our social lives; we need it just as much in our education and careers as well. If it weren’t for our memories, we would have to learn even the simplest things like the alphabet and the multiplication tables over and over again. And we would have to learn everything we learned at school again when we started a job.

For example, a lawyer would have to go through and reviews all the laws again, a doctor would have to peruse the medical books and a physicist would have to re-learn all the laws of physics. A person that does a technical job would have to learn everything all over

again, because there would be no experience and no past memory that could help them do their job. Memory is a great blessing bestowed on us by our Almighty Lord, and we should be profoundly – and properly - thankful for it. .

Adnan Oktar, also known as Harun Yahya, is a Turkish author and

an Islamic creationist

People usually live their lives taking their memories for granted, not even realising that it is an amazing miracle. They are not aware of the fact that they go through a sort of resurrection after sleep and that their memories are recreated

completely after sleep.

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O p i n i o n

An Islamic response to the Assisted Dying Bill

The Assisted Dying Bill was debated for the

second time on 15th July 2014. After ten hours

of emotive debate, the motion championed by

Lord Falconer passed on to the next stage of the

parliamentary process with a narrow margin of 65

peers in favour of the bill and 62 against. Hannah

Smith argues that assisted dying defies the Islamic approach to life whose essence is dignity and

compassion for all

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As a follower of the Islamic tradition, which shares much of its principles and tenets with Christianity, its close relative in monotheism, I am shocked to hear about the huge support that

the Assisted Dying Bill has gained from religious people in Britain, including some of the most prominent Church of England’s leaders such as former archbishops Lord Carey and Desmond Tutu. Amongst the British public there is overwhelming support for the bill, including religious people whom are 71% for the bill, and of those considered more religious due to monthly attendance at a place of worship, support is even higher at 78%.Just like former archbishops Lord Carey and Desmond Tutu, I vehemently believe that compassion is a central value and universal norm of humanity that Christians and Muslims take very seriously. I also believe, like Christians, that the human creature was created in the image or likeness of God, and that compassion is one of God’s attributes, or names. In fact, compassion is such an important virtue of God and his relationship with his creation that every single chapter of the Qur’an begins with the phrase, ‘In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful’ and thankfully for us humans we have been told that God’s Mercy over-rules His Wrath!However, on matters of death, the Islamic revelation makes it very clear where the line should be drawn. Unlike humans, God is known as al-Muhyi, The Giver of Life and al-Mumit, The Taker of Life, and the Qur’an gives clear guidelines about the taking and preserving of any life, for example saying, ‘Do not kill yourselves as God has been to you very merciful’ (4:29) and ‘Anyone who has saved a life, it is as if he has saved the life of whole mankind’ (5:32). The integral values of compassion and sanctity of life pervade the Islamic tradition, with human beings commanded to minimise pain and suffering to animals whether in laborious work or slaughter, and to maintain plant life wherever possible. However all such guidance always comes with the key understanding that only God can take life, hence the most important aspect of lawful (halal) Islamic slaughter is the recognition through blessing that only God has the right to take life and it is God alone that has bestowed this right upon man.In the Islamic tradition, it is always desirable to ease the suffering of one’s fellow human being, but where unpreventable pain is endured by the ill, disabled, dying, or even expectant mother, it is known to bring spiritual growth whether perceived such as through increased patience and strength of character or the expiation of unjust actions one has previously committed. Thus, the dignity of person is actually increased by their suffering. Desmond Tutu has complained of the undignified state of Nelson Mandela at a press conference before he died,

but wasn’t the indignity a product of his own perception? Islamically, a person’s dignity and value is linked to his ethics when they are fit and mentally mature, such that neither a child nor insane person is held accountable for their actions and a disabled person is only judged according to their capacity. To think that a person’s dignity is reduced by a physical condition over which they have no control is abhorrent and extremely shallow. We can’t just ‘put people down’ like animals just because it makes us feel uncomfortable. Whether Mandela courted the press in such a frail condition was either his or his carers’ choice and the presses’ call as to whether they felt it appropriate or sensitive.In such serious matters of life and death, we must make sure we have developed well-considered opinions as a duty of care to ourselves and to our fellow citizens. Many arguments have been put forward for and against the Assisted Dying Bill, and as Muslims living in a democratic society we have a duty to get to grips with such debates, form an opinion and lobby our political representative appropriately. If we do not, we are not fulfilling our duty as responsible British citizens.

The Assisted Dying Bill: The Facts

The proposed bill would give terminally ill patients, whom doctors have predicted less than six months to live, the option of ending their own life. A patient’s doctor would be able to prescribe a lethal concoction of pills, which, if the patient is unable to administer themselves, can be administered by a healthcare assistant. Under proposed legislation, any person assisting in the process would not be liable for criminal prosecution. .

Hannah Smith has an undergraduate degree in Geophysics

from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, and

a Masters degree in Geology from the University of Michigan.

The integral values of compassion and sanctity of life pervade the Islamic tradition, with human beings commanded to minimise pain and suffering to animals ... and to maintain plant life wherever possible. However all such guidance always comes with the key

understanding that only God can take life,

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I n t e r f i a t h

Men of God have always been the target of tyrants and despots. Frank Gelli looks at the life and death of St. John the Baptist, who is also mentioned in the Qur’an as Prophet Yahya(a)

J esus(a) has said that ‘among those born of women there has

arisen no one greater than John the Baptist’, thus acknowledging John’s supreme dignity. It is fitting that the life and mission of such a great saint should have reached its climax in the glory of martyrdom. The Church honours him with several yearly festivals, with that of his beheading commemorated on August 29th. Moreover, he figures several times in the Qur’an, most of his narrative

occurring within chapters three and nineteen. John appears therefore as a bridge between Muslims and Christians, which is something to rejoice in and to celebrate. Yet, there is also an air of mystery about this great figure.Like the Biblical prophets who had been sent before him, St. John delivered a strong and stern message, though combined with the assurance of God’s mercy through the Anointed One, the Messiah. He summoned men and women

to a radical change of heart. There was nothing soft or weak about John’s call. He lashed out at all classes of men for their vices and abominations. The Gospels relate that he castigated the leaders of the people, as well as the multitudes, as ‘broods of vipers’. The prophet warned them not to take their Abrahamic descent for granted. Unless they repented, their fate would be like that of an unfruitful tree: cut down and thrown into the fire.

St. John the Baptist; martyrdom and mystery

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The Gospels’ description of St. John the Baptist is telling. He lived in the desert, wore rough clothes made of camel’s hair tied at the waist by a leather girdle and lived on a diet of wild honey and berries. Such details emphasise the ascetic, world-denying personality of the man but they also hark back to one of John’s great Old Testament predecessors, the prophet Elijah. Of him too we are told that he wore ‘a garment of haircloth, with a girdle of leather about his loins.’ Just as Elijah had attacked the sins and idolatries of Israel’s wicked King Ahab and his pagan Queen Jezebel, likewise St. John assailed the infidelities of his generation, including those of Herod and his wife and family.‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’, John exclaimed when he saw Jesus. ‘For this I came baptising with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ Holy Scripture makes clear that the function of John’s ministry was that of introducing Jesus Christ to the world. Christian art has conveyed that in graphic ways. A church in Colmar, France, contains an extraordinary painting by German painter Grunewald. It shows John the Baptist with an exceeding elongated finger, gesturing towards Jesus on the cross. With that theatrical feature the artist has put the theology of St. John in a nutshell: his whole raison d’etre is not to draw attention to himself but to direct to another, to indicate to the world the presence of one greater than him, the Christ of God.Yet there is something mysterious about St. John. We know that apostles like Peter, Andrew and the Evangelist - another John - were all disciples of John the Baptist before they joined the followers of Jesus. Yet St. Luke says that when the prophet was in prison for having reproached Herod he sent word by way of his disciples to ask of Jesus, ‘Are you he who is to come or shall we look for another?’ Jesus’ response was affirmative. He told them to go back and tell John the proof. It was his mighty deeds of power that was the proof of his miracles. ‘The

blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear. The dead are raised up and the poor have good news preached to them.’ Very good but…if he had beheld Jesus well before he was put in jail, why did he have to send his disciples to check? Had perhaps the disciples become envious of Jesus and refused to recognise him as the Messiah? Maybe he had sent the doubters to Jesus so that he would have convinced them with clinching evidence, envy or not. But what had John the Baptist done to be imprisoned? It was the doing of Herod Antipas, the son of the monstrous King Herod who, in trying to kill the Messiah, had ordered the massacre of the male children of Bethlehem. The son was only a puppet ruler, the creature and instrument of Roman occupiers. They had given him the paltry rule of Galilee and Transjordan. Herod had contracted an incestuous marriage to his sister-in-law, Herodias. St. John, the prophet of God, had told him: ‘It is not lawful for you to have her [as a wife]’. The tyrant would have wanted to kill John straightaway but he feared the reaction of all the pious people. However, at Herod’s birthday, Salome the dancing girl, the daughter of his unlawful wife, danced before him and the court. Herod, a lustful swine, was so excited that he swore solemnly to give her whatever she would ask. Prompted by her vengeful mother, Salome then demanded the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod at first was sorry but because he had committed himself in public he dispatched his henchmen to have the prophet beheaded in prison. The Gospels relate that the head was indeed brought to Salome on a platter and the girl gave it to her mother. Muslim tradition affirms that the head of martyred prophet was buried in Damascus, where his tomb can still be seen today.In the Qur’an, John is called Yahya. According to some commentators the name is derived from the Arabic hayya, meaning to make alive, to animate. This is perhaps a reference to John the Baptist’s mission to

quicken the faith of his hearers but is also an allusion to his extraordinary birth. Not only was he born to a barren mother and an elderly father, his birth was announced by an angel. It was the will of Heaven that his father Zachariah should remain mute for three days. Zachariah had prayed: ‘My Lord! Bestow upon me the bounty of a pure offspring.’ The angels then told Zachariah that God had granted his prayer. A son would be born to him named Yahya, ‘noble, chaste, a Prophet of the righteous’. In chapter nineteen, God tells John/Yahya to hold fast to the Book. Some Muslim commentators interpret this to mean that the prophet was to proclaim the Taurat, the Old Testament Law, because John was not sent bearing his own revealed text. Very significantly, John is praised in the Qur’an with words and a blessing that he shares with Jesus: ‘Peace on him the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he shall be raised alive!’ (19:15)

St John the Baptist’s prophetic voice was a powerful, resounding and formidable one. He was a strong character and our heedless world today needs very strong characters. I wonder what response this man sent from God would get in our world today. ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ he shouted in the wilderness to those who had come to hear him, thirsting after righteousness and truth. It is difficult to see a hedonistic and materialistic culture like ours taking kindly to such rebuke. They would not kill him, no, but I suspect that he would be termed either a religious fanatic – an extremist – or an example of mental illness and be shunned. Only a few would ‘get it’. Repentance, a radical change of heart and mind is what this faithless world urgently needs..

Revd Frank Julian Gelli is an Anglican priest, cultural critic and a religious controversialist, working on religious dialogue. His last book ‘Julius Evola: the Sufi of Rome’ is available on Amazon Kindle.

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W h a t & W h e r e

10 August

Islamic Cultural FayreThe Annual Fayre, now in its fifteenth year, is organised by Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS). The Fayre will include stalls and a football tournament.Venue: Eastville Park, BristolTime: 12.00 PM – 6.00 PMMore info: bmcs@bmcs.org.uk

Through 15 August

Batoul S’Himi: World Under PressureIn World Under Pressure, Batoul S’Himi transforms potentially hazardous household cooking appliances and utensils– such as stovetop coffee pots, Butagaz, pressure cookers, and meat cleavers – into unique artworks that convey a sense of anxiety about the world in a witty and visually striking way, as if it could be about to explode or hacked to pieces.By carving maps of the world – and the Middle East in particular – from the surface of these domestic objects, S’Himireferences the history of mapmaking, with its international rivalries and claims over territories.Venue: Rose Issa Projects. 82 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7NWTime: Monday – Friday, 12.00 PM – 6.00 PMMore info: http://roseissa.com/upcomingexh.html

20 August

Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and EmpireAfter intensive field research travelling across Europe with his research team studying Islam and inter-cultural relations in Europe, Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, DC and the former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK, will discuss the preliminary findings at SOAS.The Journey into Europe project examines the historical relationship between Europe and the Muslim world and current complicated and controversial issues including Sharia, immigration, and Muslim female dress and the new pressures of security, globalisation, and multiculturalism.Journey into Europe, which will yield a book and documentary film, is the fourth part of a quartet of award-winning books published by Brookings Institution Press examining the relations between the West and the World of Islam after 9/11.Ambassador Akbar Ahmed’s Journey into Europe research project, studying Muslim life in Europe, is supported and funded by the Stiftung Mercator Foundation, the RCUK-funded Muslims, Trust, and Cultural Dialogue Project and the British Council.Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Venue: SOAS University, Russell Square: College Buildings, Kamran Djam Lecture TheatreRegistration:This event is free but registration is essential.Contact email: centres@soas.ac.uk Tel +44 (0)20 7898 4893

22 August

Storytelling Session with Hajera Memon Encourage the imagination of your children this summer! Have them read and listen to an amazing story that will engage their young hearts with the magnificent historical event of Abraha’s army of Elephants going to destroy the Kaaba. Through storytelling children not only learn about the life of the Prophets but also develop their social skills through interaction with others just like them.School is out for the summer so bring along your children to hear the well known and beloved tale - ‘The Story of the Elephant’ from Surah Al Feel; Chapter 105 of the Holy Qur’an with author Hajera Memon! All children must be accompanied with an adult. All ages up to 8 years are welcome.Venue: IHRC Bookshop, Gallery and Information Centre, 202 Preston Road Wembley, HA9 8PA, LondonTime: 3.30PM - 5PM Refreshments will be provided.Info: http://www.ihrc.org.uk/events/11144-storytelling-session-with-hajera-memon

22 – 25 August

Living EdenLiving Eden has a simple philosophy. It aims to provide a completely immersive experience, including inspiring seminars, sports activities, workshops, performing artists, night prayer and so much more. Each room has its own en-suite bathroom as standard. All meals are provided (Full Board) on-site and leisure facilities range from swimming to basketball (Exclusive sessions for brothers and sisters arranged).Venue: Aston Conference, BirminghamFee: £145 - £439 (depending on accommodation type and number of people)More info: http://www.enjoyeden.com/

27 – 31 August

3 Cities Cycle Ride for CharityThe 3 Cities bike ride goes through beautiful English villages and into the Dutch lowlands via Amsterdam and across to Brussels. You’ll pass canals, historical landmarks and rural villages stopping off in the wonderful city of Amsterdam before making it all the way to beautiful Belgium and the city of Brussels. Sponsorship Level: £1500Locations: London, Amsterdam & BrusselsRegistration Fee: £99

More info: http://www.doitforcharity.com/3-cities-cycle-ride-august-2014.aspx

30 August

Journey of the HeartsThis is a single day intensive that will take a look at the essentials of Hajj – the journey of a lifetime. If this is the year you are planning to perform Hajj, this course will provide you with all the information required for your mental, spiritual and practical preparation.Speaker: Ustadh Ismail DavidsVenue: Faculty of Health Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3TN Time: 8.30 AM – 7.00 PMFee: £40.00More info: http://www.alkauthar.org/course.php?course=492

Through August

Slavery Remembrance Day at National Museums LiverpoolSlavery Remembrance Day enables us to remember and reflect upon the millions of lives that were stolen through enslavement. It also allows us to consider the many lasting legacies and achievements of people of African descent.

9 August -Join National Museums Liverpool's head of archaeology Dr Rob Philpott for these free workshops exploring different aspects of his work in the sugar plantations of St Kitts.

21 August - Family activities at the International Slavery Museum

22 August - Memorial lecture at the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building. Booking: 0151 478 4240.

23 August - Join in Walk of remembrance and Liberation ceremony

28 August - Hands on activity Faces of change

More info: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/srd/"

Disclaimer: islam today does not necessarily endorse or recommend any of these events, their contents and individuals or groups involved in them. We are not responsible for changes to times, fees or venues. Further information should be sought directly from the organisers.

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