issue 6

Issue 06 August 2012

Masjids Around the World One Hundred Less One

Olympics Reflections Regulars - Hadith, Book Reviews, Recipe’s

Ramadan in the Community Senseless Smoking

Stained glass panel by artish Huda Awad

www.hudaawad.com

Fifteen21 inspires young Muslims to be proud of their British Muslim identity. The name Fifteen21 is derived from both the

15th century of the Islamic Hijri year and the 21st century of the Christian era. Fifteen21 aims to reconcile both

Muslim and British identity.

Designed by Hafizur Rahman

All views are of the authors alone and not necessarily of those held by Fifteen21

Guest EditorialSaira Nisa

Asalaamu Alaykum!

Welcome to Issue 6 of your favourite digital magazine!

Eid Mubarak from the Fifteen21 team to everyone! We hope you have had a successful Ramadhan and a beautiful Eid.I’m Saira Nisa, your favourite writer (oh I better be!) and the guest editor for this issue since we’ve shipped Miss Regular Editor off shores and now we can’t remember where she is… (Yay)!

Anyhow, far more important matters like what’s waiting for you in this jam-packed issue.

We have two NEW features; A Day in the Life of…Prophet Muhammed (saw) and Masjids around the World, both of which make a great read and what with all the Olympics hype, we just had to get our mitts on Shamina Asif , an Olympics volunteer for a few of her memories, good luck to all the Paralympians!

Also featured; an amazing Muslimah who brought about the learning institution we today call a university; Fatima Al-Fihri and some food for the soul in our article ‘Pope VS Mufti’.

How could we not include your favourite regulars?

• Stories of the Prophets; Prophet Hud (as) & Prophet Ibrahim (as)• Tasty recipes for you to impress your folks with• Book & Event reviews• And Plenty More (including my piece of course)

Finally I would like to thank the Fifteen21 team who work tirelessly as volunteers to bring you Inspiration, Knowledge and Fun all whilst running businesses, working, looking after families and many other things. Without this dedicated team there would be no Fifteen21. We Rock! However there would be no Fifteen21 without the fantastic readership we have attracted since our inception earlier this year.

Please keep us and the entire Ummah in your dua’s particularly those who are suffering horrifically in this world.

May you all be blessed with the best of both worlds. Ameen.

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Prophet Hud (PBUH)One Hundred Less OneForced Marriage WarningHadithMuslim HeritageOlympics ReflectionsChild LineWant an iPad?Deed of the Month: Senseless SmokingHealthy Living: Holy SmokeNHS Quit Smoking Help AvailableMuslim Youth HelplineFifteen21Ramadan in the CommunityDua for ForgivenessAmina - Muslim Women’s Helpline

A Day in the Life of…Nasheed Factor 2012Nominate a Role ModelIn the Next IssueMuslim Role Models - Saleha BegumMuslim Role Models - Faizah EssatMuslim Role Models - Bushra HussainMuslim Profiles - Usman ShabbirFood for the Soul - Pope vs MuftiMasjids Around the WorldBook ReviewAspire HigherPoetry - UK RiotsMuslim Youth HelplineRecipesNational Events

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Ramadan

CommunityIn The

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Prophets of Islam:

Prophet Hud (PBUH)

The followers of Prophet Nuh (pbuh) were noble and pious Muslims and settled in Arabia. However, over time some of their children started to move away from the path of Islam.

One group of Prophet Nuh’s (pbuh) descendants were called ‘Ad. They lived in the hills in an area between Yemen and Oman. They were tall and strong people and very skilled architects and engineers. They were very powerful and wealthy people which unfortunately made them arrogant and boastful. They had no morals. They did not realise that their abilities and resources were gifts from Allah (swt). They forgot the guidance of Allah (swt) and started worshipping idols, drinking alcohol, gambling and cheating each other.

Allah (swt) wanted to guide and discipline these people so He sent a Prophet from among them to help guide them and convey His message. The Prophet was Hud (pbuh), a very noble man who carried out this task with determination and tolerance. He tried to teach the people that there is only one God and that everything is from Him. He told them to stop worshipping idols, begged them to live as Allah (swt) wanted and warned them about the punishment of Allah (swt) for those who disobeyed Him. He tried to speak to them about Allah’s blessings; how He had made them Prophet Nuh’s (pbuh) successors, how He had given them strength and power and rain to revive the soil on their land. Prophet Hud (pbuh) explained the belief of the Day of Judgement

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and the essence of Allah’s (swt) justice. However, the people mocked him and refused to listen to him.

Prophet Hud (pbuh) knew that Allah (swt) would punish the disbelievers among his people. Allah (swt) would punish them regardless of how rich, powerful and strong they were.

A drought spread throughout the land and one day a large cloud appeared in the sky. The people of ‘Ad got very happy thinking that rain would come for their desert land. However, they did not know that Allah (swt) was sending them a wind-storm through the cloud. The clouds got bigger and the wind got louder. The air was full of dust and sand and the wind was very violent. The storm went on for eight days and seven nights. The ‘Ad people ran into their homes to hide, however, their homes were filled with sand and all the people were smothered. Everything was destroyed.

The only people of ‘Ad that were saved were those who had left with Prophet Hud (pbuh).

“And when Our commandment came to pass We saved Hud and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us; We saved them from a harsh doom.”

(Qur’an, 11:58)

The children of these believers grew up to become good Muslims and believed in Allah (swt) alone and did not worship any idols.

We must remember that everything is created and from Allah (swt) and all blessings and gifts are from Him. We must worship Allah (swt) alone and live life according to the teachings of Islam. On the Day of Judgement our deeds will be accounted for and we will either be rewarded or punished for them.

Shrine of Prophet Hud (pbuh)

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Azizun Nessa

One Hundred Less One Al-Maalik

The word Al-Maalik in Arabic is translated as The King. The King who by His very authority and essence has no dependency on any existing thing, rather every existing thing depends on Him. And this is the very attribute of being Al-Maalik; He is independent, while everything around Him is subservient to His command.

Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran:

Say: O Allah!Lord of Power (and Rule),

Thou givest PowerTo whom Thou pleasest,

And Thou strippest off PowerFrom whom thou pleasest:

And Thou bringest lowWhom thou pleasest:

In Thy hand is all Good.Verily, over all things

Thou hast power. (3:26)

By acknowledging and submitting to the attributes of Allah (swt), humankind comes close to the angels. Submitting to the truth, that Allah (swt) is the Absolute King.

And Allah (swt) reminds us again and again;

High above all is Allah,The King, the Truth! (20:114)

Therefore humankind can also find peace in knowing that when we submit to the One and only King, we should feel assured that whatever difficulties

come our way, nothing good or bad can befall us without His command. Could there be a greater reassurance than this; knowing that the absolute King is always there, so call on Him more frequently, Al Maalik, Al-Maalik, Al-Maalik...

We as humankind can also share in the attributes of the King by renouncing the world, by striving towards becoming independent of our passion and desires that can otherwise rule us. And we can share in the attributes of The King by ruling over our desires instead of letting them rule us.

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Shanaz Ali

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Forced marriage warning during the summer holidays

In the early part of this year alone, Foreign Office staff working abroad were called upon to provide assistance in 46 cases of forced marriage. Over half of those cases (52%) involved 19-25 year olds and a third (33%) involved under 18s. The majority of cases involved females, but 15% of victims were male.

Summer holidays are the peak time for young people to be taken overseas and forced into a marriage against their will. In some cases they are taken on what they have been told is a holiday to visit family abroad, but in fact a marriage has been planned.

To raise awareness of the risks and the help available in the run-up to the summer holidays, three hard-hitting films have been developed. They remind young people to speak up if they think they or someone they are close to are in danger. The three short films can be viewed on YouTube;

http://youtu.be/kJbND8seYhE

The new Right to Choose campaign aims to stress that while it might be difficult to admit that you’re at risk, forced marriage can and does happen and doing nothing is not the answer. We want young people and professionals working with them to speak out about

forced marriage, and seek advice and help before potential victims are taken abroad.

Every day in the unit we see the devastating impact forced marriage has on individuals. Many of the victims who contact us have experienced horrendous sexual and physical violence. They endure intense pressure in many forms – whether emotional, financial or otherwise. Forced marriage affects many communities and cultures.

Contact the Forced Marriage Unit for confidential advice before you travel…

020 7008 0151www.fco.gov.uk/forcedmarriage

[email protected] Twitter #righttochoose

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HadithIt is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad salla Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam said

“Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should

be: one-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath.”

(Tirmidhi, ibn Majah and Hakim)

How many times do we eat until we can’t eat anymore? It’s probably not a very difficult memory to recall since it happens to so many of us far too often, but, this is something that is disliked and we need to work on.

What we eat and how much we eat is so significant Islamically, to both our physical

wellbeing and our spiritual wellbeing, yet many of us take this concept far too lightly.

It’s not new to us that looking after what we eat, and ultimately our physical health, is very important. If we look at the diseases like diabetes and heart failure that are around today, we know why keeping healthy is so important. The most amazing thing about it all though, is what people are now focussing on when it comes

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to health and wellbeing, our Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised us about over 1400 years ago, subhanAllah.

Our bodies are given to us from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’aala) as an Amaana, a trust. For this reason, it is important to respect our bodies as this itself is honouring the perfect way in which Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) created us. One of the ways we can do this is by eating well, not too much, not too little, and not unhealthily.

When you sit and have a large meal,

1. Your body doesn’t need it2. You gain weight3. You feel bloated, unhealthy and tired

Ever notice that when you eat too much all you want to do is sleep or lie down? well this essentially is where another problem lies. How over-eating affects us spiritually.If you look at point three mentioned

previously, you can see that over-eating makes you feel tired. So, when you stand before Allah (swt) in prayer, and you are tired what is the likely chance that you will be able to fully concentrate in your prayer and feel serenity and sincerity?

Also, how likely is it that you will feel motivated to pick up the Qur’an and read a few pages, or even just make some dhikr.

Whilst it may seem strange to prevent yourself from eating too much so that you are more inclined to perform acts of worship, this reason alone should be enough of an encouragement to make a conscious decision today, right now, to control what goes in your mouth.

Nothing in this world benefits us more than our worship, so we should seek any means to improve the quality of it. Let’s aim to decrease our food intake, and what a better reason to do it than for the sake of Allah (swt).


Zaynab Berrada

Muslim HeritageFatima Al-Fihri: An Educational Inspiration

When I was asked by Fifteen21 if I wanted to write an article about Fatima Al-Fihri, I said yes but didn’t have a clue as to who she was. I presumed from her name that she was a Muslim female and that her parents had named her after the daughter of Prophet Mohammed (saw). So I hear you ask why I said yes, well in all honesty I said yes because I am what some would call a nerd, I love to learn but what I didn’t know when I said yes to writing this article was that I would find the story of Fatima Al-Fihri truly inspiring.

So I’ll share with you Fatima’s story.

Fatima was the daughter of Mohammed al-Fihri, a rich and powerful businessman who moved from Tunisia to Morocco during the reign of the Moroccan King Idriss II to expand his business.

When Fatima along with her sister Mariam inherited their fathers’ fortune they vowed to spend their entire inheritance for the benefit of their community. They were young, pious, charitable and highly-educated women with deep love for the Islamic religious sciences and architecture.

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Both sisters decided upon building mosques; Mariam built the Al-Andalus mosque while Fatima built the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque, in the North-western city of Fes in Morocco. Qarawiyyin was the name of the city the family had originally emigrated from in Tunisia to Fes in Morocco. From the launch of the project in the year 857 until its completion two years later Fatima continuously fasted and performed prayers of gratitude to Allah (swt).

The Qarawiyyin Mosque became the religious heartbeat of Fes; the official policy of building Islamic colleges around mosques helped it to become an institution that was fundamental in the western axis of Islamic Caliphal lands as a centre of religious worship and study but more essentially as a hub for political and social interactions. The Qarawiyyin attracted intelligent and devoted individuals from all over the Muslim world (and Europe) to study theology and Islamic Law in preparation for positions of power.

The Qarawiyyin was a corridor for Islam and European cultural convergence of trade and

education. This transformed the Qarawiyyin Mosque into a university as we understand them to be today and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is the oldest degree-granting university in the world.

So for those of you, who start university in September, when you walk through the front gates, remember the name Fatima Al-Fihri, a woman who was known as ‘the Mother of the Children’. An extraordinary woman who has left all of us an everlasting legacy and this is why to me she is an inspiration.


Shabina Bi-Baroo

Olympics ReflectionsReflections

It was exactly two years ago that I read an article in a magazine on how there was an opportunity to volunteer for the London Olympic Games in 2012. The whole idea appealed to me as I had done volunteer work numerous times in the community but I had never been involved in something to this scale. I applied online and then I was called for an interview in 2011. It was only in the early part of January this year that I was offered the position in Event Services. I volunteered at the Excel Centre in London for one week and what an amazing experience it has been!

I was provided training prior to the Games and given my uniform to make sure I was comfortable with it. The trainers, socks, bag everything was given by the Olympic organisers. I volunteered from the 29th July to

the 5th August and during this week I realised how important I was to become when I had this uniform on.There was not one journey I had on the tube where I didn’t have a complete stranger talk to me. Every morning I got a wave from the workers at the tube station, and everyone smiling and greeting me and wanting to know what I was involved in and how the games were going.

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Whenever I saw another volunteer there was an immediate connection and I would end up talking to them like I had known them for years – we were all united in one cause; to make the games an enjoyable experience for all.

My role required me to work in many different areas, such as ticketing, and assigning seats to spectators, helping people who were lost, making sure the right people were passing through the right areas and most importantly working as a team.

As I was fasting, the team managers really made me feel comfortable allowing regular breaks and designating areas for prayers as well. It was amazing to see the games and award ceremonies and helping people and making sure everything was running smoothly. Of course there were a few famous people that I got to see aswell like the French president and I discovered that one of the people I helped was the minister of Mongolia

(I only realised this afterwards of course).

Great people, great experience and I would say this was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.... Would I do it again? Of course....without any hesitation again and again every year. Next games are in 2016, maybe there are some takers for Rio?

Shamina Asif


ChildLine is a service provided by the NSPCC. Registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717. 7244/11

www.childline.org.uk

Life has its ups and downs You can talk confidentially online or by phone whenever you need to.

Whatever your worry, it’s better out than in.





Deed of the month: Senseless Smoking

You already know all of the facts and figures about smoking tobacco, shisha and cannabis. We find it on billboards, in GP offices, at schools, on cigarette packets and so forth. We know that there are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, over 40 of which are known to cause cancer. We’ve been told that cigarettes can lead to heart disease, emphysema, oral cancer, or stroke. We also know that second-hand smoke causes or aggravates asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems, especially in children. So, from a medical standpoint, we are told we shouldn’t smoke; else we either risk killing ourselves or hurting the people around us.

So, with so much evidence clearly showing how deadly smoking can be, why are so many of us still willing to take a gamble with our lives (and other’s) and smoke anyway? Is it for social acceptance? Is it because our role models do it? Is it stress, anger or boredom?

Once someone begins smoking, for whatever the reason, it then becomes an addiction. Allah (swt) says in the Quran, “O you who believe! Truly, intoxicants and gambling and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan’s doing: avoid it in order that you may prosper. Assuredly Satan desires to sow enmity and hatred among you with intoxicants and gambling, and to

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hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist?” (Qur’an 5: 90-91). The word ‘intoxicant’, not only refers to the effect of drinking alcohol or having a harmful stimulation in the brain, but also to poisoning the body. Cigarettes and cannabis (even more of an intoxicant), are poisonous to the body and stimulate our brain in such a way that we become trapped in a cycle of addiction.

Worryingly, when we choose to smoke, we essentially forget about Allah (swt). The addiction becomes more important. It is impossible to say, ‘Bismillah’ (In the name of Allah), when we breathe in poisonous chemicals, therefore gambling with our lives. Allah (swt) graced us with our bodies, and “anyone

who tampers with Allah’s Grace after it has been bestowed on him will find Allah to be stern in punishment.” (Qur’an 2: 211).

Choosing to smoke contributes to destroying the beautiful organs within our bodies. The Quran tells us “. . . make not your own hands contribute to your destruction . . .” (2: 195); “. . . nor kill yourselves . . .” (4: 29). Sadly, smoking indulges us in a slow, reckless act by inhaling poisons. Not to mention, also poisoning the air for those around us, who are inhaling the smoke second-hand.

On so many levels, smoking is disastrous for our bodies, our Deen (way of life), as well as for the people around us. It also seems as though the addiction

of smoking is impossible to overcome, but ironically, it may end up bringing a smoker closer to Allah (swt). By making an intention with Allah (swt) to stop smoking and becoming sincere and steadfast to change, a smoker can rely on and trust Allah, Subhanahu wa ta’ala (may He be glorified and exalted) to help him or her overcome any addiction (Qur’an 13: 11). Remember, that “Allah wishes to accept your repentance, but those who follow their lusts, wish that you (believers) should deviate tremendously away (from the Right Path)” (Qur’an 4: 27). Look to Allah (swt); don’t let the temptations (boredom, stress, or acceptance) lead you to a destructive life of senseless addictions.

Michelle Blum


Holy Smoke……Healthy Living

Do you offer your salah regularly or at least as regularly as you possibly can?

And how often do you read the Qur’an?

Now to what extent do you engage in the dhikr of Allah (swt), as often as you are able to?

How many of you smoke?

More regularly than a chimney?

Behind everyone’s back?

And worse still, in everyone else’s face…

everyone else being us non-smokers, the ones you have turned into passive smokers rather.

Bad smells do not attract angels whilst we are praying. In fact, bad smells and state of prayer do not co-exist. You cannot be in a state of wudu if you are unclean.

Furthermore, do you have any idea of the damage you are doing to your lungs, your tongue, your teeth, hair, nails, yourself in fact. The very being, You, which Allah (swt) so carefully, so meticulously, created with so much of His Love and Attention – the

You, whom He Created for the sake of His Beloved Messenger Muhammad Al-Mustapha (saw).

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This is the thanks you give by turning your tongue into that which harbours odours when it should be full of the sweetness of His Majesty’s Ism-e-Husn (99 Names) and by turning your lungs into a field where tobacco and nicotine are harvested and thus they become a breeding ground for (Allah forbid!) cancer when the lungs were perfectly designed to breathe the beautiful mercy of oxygen.

You engage in that self-harm which is forbidden to us since our life is on loan to us and is His to call back whenever He decides and in the meanwhile what do you have to show for the use you made of the miraculous body which He gave? When you borrow a book from the library, is it acceptable that you return it

in a condition worse than that of when you borrowed it? No, of course not! Why then prepare to send your body back to the earth in an unacceptable state. Why then put your soul in a situation whereby when asked how you kept yourself, your hands bear witness to you lighting the horrific thing, your mouth and tongue bear witness to you inhaling the poisonous vapours and contents and your mind bears witness that you did it because your nafs enjoyed it and your mind succumbed to the temptation of it all?

Was the nicotine fix worth it? It won’t be when it’s all over.

If you can remember this, then use this as your willpower to stop. Use this as the

reason for you to improve your health by improving your habits and if you don’t want to do it to make mom happy, then do it for the sake of the most perfected being who was Created by the Most Perfect One so that we may perfect ourselves.

We have just left the most blessed month of Ramadhan and have been blessed enough to witness the most blessed days of Milad-un-Nabi and Shab-e-Miraaj beforehand; let’s keep the light of Nabi (saw) and the Light of His Creator alive within our hearts and throughout our soul – there’s no place for smoke and no place for darkness.

Saira Nisa is the Founding Director of Living Wellbeing Ltd (www.livingwellbeingltd.com), providing Women’s Motivational Courses, Life & Business Coaching and

Personal Development Training, runs Living Wellbeing (www.livingwellbeing.co.uk) and is also a Trainer for a

London based firm. Saira is also a member of the Institute of Entrepreneurs and Enterprise. Originally from the West Midlands, born and raised in Birmingham, she now spends

her time skilfully enjoying juggling family, friends, work and business between Birmingham and London.


5 Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times more likely to die from cancer than someone who starts smoking in their mid-20s.

6 The younger you start smoking, the more damage there will be to your body as an adult.

Quit Smoking Help Available

1 You’ll be healthier and less out of breath because smoking decreases your lung capacity.

2 You’ll save yourself a packet. Smoking 20 a day for a year costs £2,190.

The younger you start smoking, the more damage your body will suffer when you get older.

Here are six reasons to quit and eight ways to help yourself do it.

3 You’ll look better. Chemicals in cigarettes restrict blood flow to your skin. Smokers have more wrinkled and saggy faces by the time they’re in their mid-20s.

4 Quitting helps save the planet. Deforestation due to tobacco production accounts for nearly 5% of overall deforestation in the developing world, according to research published in the British Medical Journal!

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6 Get your family to support you. Your parents and siblings will be on your side. If they don’t know you smoke, they might freak out at first, but if you tell them you’re quitting they’ll do all they can to help.

7 Do your best to stay away from coffee, sugar and sweets while you quit. Studies have shown that these foods can stimulate cigarette cravings.

8 And remember, it takes about a month for the nicotine cravings to subside. Take it one day at a time and soon you’ll be smoke free for the rest of your life.

1 Make a deal with good friends to quit. You may find that they want to quit as well.

2 It’s very hard to give up by willpower alone. Get all the help you can find: 12 to 18-year-olds get FREE nicotine replacement therapy (patches, sprays, gum) on the NHS. Ask your GP. They won’t be shocked that you’re a smoker.

3 Smokers often hate other people quitting, so be prepared for a few put-downs. It’s a good idea to have something ready to say when you’re offered a cigarette. Here are a few suggestions;

“Smoking costs me £xxx a year. I’m giving up so I can buy myself a new mobile/driving lessons/iPad.”

OK, enough of the arm twisting. You want to give up, so where do you start?

To access your local NHS Stop Smoking Services please visit http://smokefree.nhs.uk/ways-to-quit

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“I can’t smoke in my new weekend job so I want to give up.”“I’m taking my sport seriously and I need to give up if I want to be an athlete.”

4 Prepare for a tough few days when you first quit. Most people find that the first days are the hardest to cope with. But most of your withdrawal symptoms should subside after the first four weeks. Using nicotine gum and patches (NRT) is the best way to cope with cravings.

5 Worried about weight gain while you’re quitting? Load your bag up with low-calorie snacks, such as apple chips, carrot sticks, mints or chewing gum, to get you through the cravings.

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Eight ways to get through quitting


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Say, O my Servants who have

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Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah (swt) is independent of

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Shanaz Ali

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Ramadan

CommunityIn The

Eid Gift Campaign for Acorns Hospice and Birmingham Children’s Hospital

After a month of struggle and hardship, thirst and hunger, reflection and contemplation, dhikr and supplication, Allah (swt) blesses us with Eid as a time of celebration and respite. On Eid day we celebrate our efforts during Ramadan by enjoying the company of loved ones, by tucking into the limitless supply of food and by marvelling at the sense of unity when joined in Eid prayer at our local mosques. Eid is a time of great anticipation and excitement for children in particular. Children make Eid special. They infect the day with their excitement and force fun upon the adults. But not all children celebrate Eid. Some don’t even know when it takes place. And not all children are healthy or particularly happy on Eid day either.

Every child deserves to be happy and carefree and although we knew it would be impossible to achieve this aim, at least on Eid day we could say we had helped make a difference. The Eid Gift Campaign was launched by 5 friends (SAAUM) who wanted to make Eid magical for sick children specifically at Acorns Hospice (for the terminally ill) and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Through the support of Islamic Relief and Carrs Lane Church, we launched our campaign at the beginning of Ramadan.

The idea was simple – ask for gift donations and give them out on or near Eid day. But the reality was a little more complicated as the hospitals had strict guidelines that the gifts must be brand new, packaged, not too big and nut free. In addition, the focus of SAAUM was on children over the age of 9, who often received the least gift donations.

We were worried; would people be put off by all these rules and requests?

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Alhamdulillah, the opposite was the case. Over the month of Ramadan, we were inundated with gifts. Generous people from not only Birmingham but all over the UK sent in their donations. We had enquiries from as far as Northern Ireland and gifts of all shapes and sizes. We received toys, puzzles, arts and crafts kits, clothes, board games, books, films, vouchers and so much more. It took us over two hours to sort through the gifts and a lot of fun ‘testing’ out a few – for quality control purposes of course!

On Tuesday the 21st August we held the Eid Gift handover. Birmingham Children’s Hospital were thrilled with the generosity of the donations and assured us that the children would be equally as excited if not more once they got their hands on the gifts (we couldn’t meet the children due to hospital regulations). Acorns Hospice was our next stop but due to the death of a young patient, we had to rearrange the hand over. This is the reality of so many young children and their families which is why the Eid Gift Campaign was so special.

Allah (swt) not only tests us through sickness or good health but also with the remembrance of the poor or needy. We hope that through this campaign, everyone involved and in particular the generous donors will have helped put a beautiful smile on a child’s face and pleased Allah (swt) in the process.

Thank you to everyone for their support.

Sophia Begum, Aisha Iqbal, Absa Hashmi, Usman Siddiqui and Mustakim Waid


SAAUM – Birmingham

Dine @ MineRamadan

CommunityIn The

I took part in Dine @ Mine to allow an opportunity for a non-Muslim to experience breaking fast and share iftaar with my family. I believe it is essential that we as Muslims extend our hospitality and host non-Muslims to demonstrate the true beauty of Ramadan, our Deen and be neighbourly.

As I was already part of Ramadan Festival in leading the ‘Feeding the Homeless’ project, I extended the weekly Soup Kitchen I run in London into Ramadan. This involved feeding the homeless on the streets, providing cooked food to homeless centres and children’s homes and collecting food, clothes & toiletry items to distribute. I was very keen to extend this work with my family and allow my family to be involved in helping a non-Muslim learn more about Ramadan.

I hosted iftaar for two nights. The first night I had two guests attend from a varied background and the couple were great company. The second night I had my second guest. She was extremely interested in learning more about Islam, my mum enjoyed discussing food with her and I realised how much I had in common with my guests.

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My first guests had a general overview of what Ramadan is and we spent the evening discussing Ramadan in more detail and in particular the spiritual aspect of abstaining and focusing on your Creator. They said, ‘It’s not often you get a chance like this at such an important time for Muslims. I was hoping for a better appreciation of what it means to deny yourself food and water during daylight hours for a month as part of a global community sharing that experience. Being strict vegetarian, I wasn’t sure whether the breaking of a long and difficult fast was a good time to visit, but I figured my prospective hosts could make that decision. I really appreciate the hospitality Nurjahan and her family gave us - the food and company were wonderful.’

Every Muslim family could very easily invite their non-Muslim neighbours over for a meal and not wait for Ramadan or another Dine @ Mine to showcase that we care for our neighbours, we want our neighbors to learn about Muslims and we are in fact interested in building bridges within our communities.

I hope this will help inspire, educate and motivate others to do something similar and more often! InshAllah.

Nurjahan Khatun


What Legacy would Allah (swt) be happy with?Ramadan

CommunityIn The

Never before has the Olympics in the modern era coincided with the Islamic month of Ramadan. The Faith Associates team wanted to maximise the potential rewards from Allah (swt) this year by working on what it knew best; helping and supporting mosques in the UK who host fantastic iftars and combining this with the 1000’s of visiting Muslims and non-Muslims who were planning to come

to the UK, to watch and participate in the London 2012 Olympics. This is where the Iftar 2012 concept came from.

Olympic athletes from around the world were just some of the special guests welcomed into British mosques as part of the Iftar 2012 programme during the Olympic Games. They included Tahmina Kohistani, the 100m sprinter and Afghanistan’s 1st female Olympic athlete, Shehab Younis, an Egyptian swimmer, Darren Cheeseman, a Team GB hockey player and members of the Somalian Olympic team. Other guests at different events included James Brokenshire, Minister from the Home office with his senior staff, Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner of the Metropolitan police and the most senior police officer in the UK, American embassy staff and Barbara J Stephenson, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in London.

The events were part of a special programme where participating mosques opened their doors to the general public (Muslim, non-Muslim and those with no faith) and teams of athletes during the month of Ramadan, inviting them to join the traditional fast-breaking ‘iftar’ feast. The iftar events gave visitors a chance to enjoy Ramadan with local British Muslim communities, and experience the cultural mix of mosques around the UK as well as a huge range of culinary dishes from Asia, Africa, Europe, the near and far East.

Bernard Hogan-Howe joined Egyptian Olympic athletes and coaches at Harrow Central Mosque, where he gave a speech and spent time talking to the congregation. Shehab Younis, the Egyptian swimmer commented, “This is the first time I have been outside my country and I have been amazed at how

30

the Iftar 2012 programme has gathered together people from so many different communities and put on something in our honour.”

Mr Jan Alam Hussaini, the chief of the Afghan Olympic delegation, also remarked at an event in Palmers Green, “We are going through a difficult time in our country and we ask the community to pray for our country. The Olympics is about peace and solidarity which is reflected in Iftar 2012. The hospitality extended to us has really made us feel welcome and honoured to be here.”

The Muslim scout’s fellowship was one of the supporting teams that worked with Faith Associates to deliver the programme. Mashallah the youth and the scout leaders, both brothers and sisters were tremendous in delivering the 1000’s of meals during Ramadan. They helped with security, directing non-Muslims

around mosques, gave out dawah materials and cleaned up afterwards just in time for Taraweeh prayer.

In almost every event there was media from around the world, covering Iftar 2012 and how the British Muslim community had extended its warm hospitality. Iftar 2012 was covered by the BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, CBN, NBC, New York Times and many more. We received calls from around the world

asking us what motivated us to do Iftar 2012 and thanking us for hosting their Olympians.

Working with UK government departments, the London Olympic Organising Committee, national Olympic authorities, embassies, athlete’s agents, athletes, Islamic Relief and mosque officials and various community groups to pull this programme together was a huge challenge. With the Help of Allah (swt) and with the support of the youth we managed to make it happen. Alhamdulillah.

Shaukat Warraich

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Interfaith Iftaar: Fasting and Feasting with the FaithfulRamadan

CommunityIn The

Ramadan completely consumes the life of millions of Muslims across the world for 29-30 days each and every year. Everything that Muslims do is either influenced by or in aid of strengthening the spiritual connection to the Holy month. From fasting between dawn and dusk, increasing our prayers exponentially, giving generously in charity, being kind to strangers to the not so spiritual but equally fulfilling pastime of stuffing ourselves to the brim with lush food sent by friends, family and neighbours - everything is about Ramadan. Our spiritual experiences and sense of community during Ramadan is uplifting and priceless; yet we fail to successfully share the best of Ramadan with others beyond our immediate Muslim communities and for this reason I felt it important to organise a simple interfaith Iftaar which would welcome and unite the diverse multi-faith community in Birmingham on the talking point of fasting.

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The Interfaith Iftaar: Fasting and Feasting with the Faithful attracted a diverse group of people, some of whom even observed a Muslim fast for the day. Ramadan was central to the discussion of the evening however to encourage two way learning, guest speakers from different faiths were also asked to share insights into fasting from their faiths. The formal section of the evening was hosted by Faeeza Vaid (Muslim Women’s Network UK) and began with the recitation and translation of Surah Al-Fatiha by Dr Rizwan Syed (Islamic Society of Britain), after which guests heard about the purpose of Ramadan through an engaging and interactive talk by Dr Hany El-Banna (founder of Islamic Relief). Having heard about fasting in Islam, guests then listened to the fasting traditions in Christianity (Rev Ray Gaston), Buddhism (Yann Lovelock) and

Hinduism (Ravi Ladva). The formal session was closed with a collective prayer led by Dr Rizwan Syed (ISB) and beautiful Adhaan recitation by Adil Riaz. To cap off the night of learning and reflection, guests stomachs were tantalised by an array of Moroccan cuisine and their ears smoothed by the harmonious music of SilkRoad.

Overall, it was a night of good will and unity made perfect through the development of new friendships and positive feedback from guests. One guest in particular made the event worthwhile after sharing his reflection on Islam; which had completely changed due to his personal experience of the evening. AlHamdulillah!

Aisha Iqbal - SAAUM, Birmingham


Duafor Forgiveness

Allahumma In-nee a-toobu ilayka minha la ar-ji-u ilayhaa abada.

O Allah, I repent before You for all my sins and I promise never to return to the same (again)

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Rumaysa Malik

Scottish Charity No. SC027690

Türkçe

Kiswahili

on

[email protected]

A Day in the Life of…

ProphetMuhammed

(saw)Of the five greatest Prophets, Ibn Kathir says that Prophet Ibrahim (as) is the second greatest, with Muhammed (saw) being the first. Husband to Sarah (ra) and Hajar (ra), and father to Ismail (as) and Ishaaq (as), Ibrahim (as) is mentioned in seventy-three places and in twenty-five surahs in the Qur’an.

As a young man, under the age of sixteen, he began his dawah with his father, whose name was Azar, and who like the rest of the people in his homeland was an idol worshipper. But Ibrahim (as) was firm in his belief in the Oneness of Allah (swt) and despite social pressures and prevalent views, dedicated himself to spreading the message of Allah (swt). When Azar rejected his son’s dawah and threatened to stone him to death for leaving his own

traditions behind, Ibrahim (as) attempted to bring the rest of the people in his society to the right path, but they too preferred their idols. He eventually became sick with his people worshipping something other than their true Creator and so one day, when the people had left the town for a wedding celebration, the young Ibrahim (as) took an axe and destroyed all of the idols leaving only the largest one untouched. When the people returned he explained that it was the largest idol which had destroyed the others out of jealousy. This was in order to make the people contemplate. Due to his beliefs and attempts to bring people to Islam, Ibrahim (as) was driven out of his homeland with nobody but his nephew Lut (as).

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Years later Ismail (as) was born, and after being separated from his son by the command of Allah (swt), Ibrahim (as) returned to Ismail (as) when he was old enough for them to travel together, telling him that they had been commanded to build the house of Allah (swt) near to the well of zamzam; the Ka’bah. The place where it was built, or rebuilt according to some has been a Holy place since the time of Prophet Adam (as), with angels making pilgrimage to the site even then. It was to be a symbol of tawheed, of the religion of Ibrahim (as), and a representation of the right path among the many wrong ones being followed. We see that the dua of Ibrahim (as) for flocks of people to love this city (Makkah) and to come to it was certainly fulfilled, with the site of the Ka’bah being said to hold the largest congregation of people in the world at any one time, in any one place. Despite all the blessings of the anbiya (scholars),

Allah (swt) blessed only Prophet Ibrahim (as) with the title of ‘Friend of Allah’ and made it so that every Prophet after him was from his direct lineage.

The place where it was built, or rebuilt according to some has been a Holy

place since the time of Prophet Adam (as), with angels making pilgrimage

to the site even then.“

“

Iimaan Ismail


Islamic Relief’s NASHEED FACTOR 2012Scotland’s Biggest Vocal Competition Is Live!

We have witnessed an array of talent competitions, ones that grow wide scale popularity and showcase mind-blowing talent. But we have yet to witness a talent competition which promotes morality, peace, love, charity and humanity ….. up until now.

Nasheed Factor is ready to take the nation by storm! Originally an idea of a Nasheed enthusiast, who always wished to share his beautiful talent, Nasheed Factor has now become one of the most anticipated contests of the year, giving adults and children the platform to showcase their vocal talent to elevate the faith in the hearts of the community. Not only that but Nasheed Factor was originally produced for the purpose of

raising funds for Islamic Relief’s One Safe Village Appeal, where families do not have the resources or opportunities to have the same lifestyle which we experience, so we are singing …….. for the poor, to ensure that their voices, struggles and hardships are heard and not forgotten.

The Nasheed Factor has been extended to showcase a variety of faith-based talent, Nasheeds, Naats, Hamds, Poetry and Quran Recitation. Scotland-wide city auditions have already kick-started which will be followed by the live semi-finals and a grand finale!

Now is the time to apply. Nasheed Factor has been endorsed, encouraged

backed by many Nasheed artists and role models such as

Labbayk, Kamal Uddin, Native Deen, Outlandish, Shaam, Junaid Jamshed,

Maher Zain, Khaleel Muhammad, Hassan

Rasool, Ahmed Hussain and others.

““

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and backed by many Nasheed artists and role models such as Labbayk, Kamal Uddin, Native Deen, Outlandish, Shaam, Junaid Jamshed, Maher Zain, Khaleel Muhammad, Hassan Rasool, Ahmed Hussain and others. With many artists willing to come on as the celebrity judging panel, who will it be? Time will tell! Mosques and Islamic societies in Scotland are also busy promoting Nasheed Factor, and the word is spreading fast! Looks like this will be one of the most memorable competitions to hit Scotland!

It’s buzzing and exciting; with contestants already applying throughout Scotland and England also! With the added feature of being able to upload your video audition online we have had applicants nationwide. The winners of each category will gain the opportunity to record their own vocal piece in a professional recording studio with a top vocalist producer to mix and record their own CD’s. An adults and a children’s

winner will be chosen from each of the three categories: Nasheeds, Naats & Hamds, Poetry and Quran Recitation.

The Nasheed Factor team hope it will not be highly competitive – but instead more fun, professional and powerful. Reach for success and shine to represent the poor – the search for fresh talent is on!

Through our talent, soul, voice and deen – we can provide many unfortunate people with a new life and new hope, and that is the biggest gift you can give anyone.

Apply through www.nasheedfactor.co.ukSee you at the final!

Find us on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube!


Nominate a Role Model!Over the past 5 issues Fifteen21 has showcased many inspirational role-models from the Muslim community in the UK. From youth activists like Neelam Rose, to Humza Yousaf, a trail-blazing young politician in Glasgow to Aisha Yasmin, a young aspiring designer from Birmingham hoping to make it big in the Big Apple!

If you would like to nominate an inspiring role-model to be featured in a future issue of Fifteen21 please email us at [email protected] with the following details;

We look forward to receiving your nominations!

• Role-ModelsFullName

• ContactPhoneN

umber/Email

(ifknown)

• Whatinspiresyou

aboutthisperson

(max150words

)

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• TheFriendo

fAllah(swt)-Pro

phetIbrahim

(as)

• *NEW*Help!...I’maTee

nager!

• BeatBullyin

g&Support

Available

• Al-Qur’an:AComprehe

nsiveShopp

ingListfrom

Within

• InspiringFu

tures-Applyin

gforUnivers

ity

• *NEW*UniversityFoc

us–Fresher

’sWeek

• RegularFea

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s,BookRevi

ews,InspiringR

oleModels

In The Next Issue…

Out on 28th September 2012!

Muslim Role-ModelsSaleha Begum

Poet and Artist

How are you?

I am well after the long summer rest and amazing Eid Festival.

How was Ramadan this year for you?

It was difficult yet so peaceful, walking around Aston and Lozells. There was a feeling of calmness; it sure was a beautiful atmosphere.

What do you do?

I work as a cover supervisor at a secondary school, covering different subjects in the absence of the regular teacher. I love working in a school. The kids are amazingly inspiring though I am often mentally drained by the end of the day. As well as writing and performing poetry, I also paint and do illustrations for books. I am working on an exhibition for my art work, so watch this space!

Congratulations on your new book, what is it about and how can we get our hands on a copy!

Thank you very much, the book is called Ruptures and Fragments, it’s a collection of poetry that deals with human emotions in its raw state, it’s truthful, personal and sociological. Despite it being very personal to me, it is not necessarily about me. Rather the language and the creative nuances serve as a medium to dissect human experiences in relation to the world and how we are linked to one another. You see there is beauty in pain and we live in paradoxes and I’m no different. I think I’ll leave some ambiguity here and tease you a little!

You can find the book in Waterstones, or order it online from Amazon or http://www.fast-print.net/bookshop/1095/ruptures-and-fragments.

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You can also like my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/rupturesandfragments and have a look at my blog http://www.poeticous.com/ruptures How did you become interested in poetry?

Poetry romanticizes even the most painful of experiences, going deep into the human condition. Finding truths and revelations of one self, it’s a process which is both frightening and cathartic. My own writing came as if by force and it would

not leave me alone until I accepted it. It’s now become my purpose and my journey.

Do you have any tours lined up in the UK?

I am performing at the ‘Phenomenal women’ event on the 8th of September at the Library theatre, Birmingham where I will also be signing my book ‘Ruptures and Fragments’. I will also be performing at the Drum, the date is still to be confirmed and on the 22nd of January 2013, I’ll be the guest poet for the Poetry Bites at the Kitchen Garden Café in Birmingham.

What were your dreams and aspirations as you were growing up?

I wanted to back-pack and travel across Europe by myself and meet amazing people.

What is your favourite language in the world and why?

I’m being biased, being Muslim I like Arabic but looking into it, it is one of the oldest languages in the world, as with Hebrew.

What is your success down to? Hard work, consistency and enduring the stresses of life; you never really stop, it’s about inner fulfilment. I believe happiness is far more important than success.

Any advice for budding poets?

Anyone can become a poet; you do not need a degree in Literature, though it may help, but the real question is do you have a message, do you have something to convey to the world? You see it’s the soul that writes, seeking to express its current state through language in the hope that human beings will come together and understand, all else is just techniques and devices and decorated words.


Muslim Role-ModelsFaizah Essat

aka Roslyn Blu - Poet

How are you?

Not too bad I must say Alhamdulillah


This year it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. The thing I most struggled with is probably being

thirsty but otherwise I can’t complain. There are people in the world who live without food and water for days. Alhamdulillah we are blessed that as soon as the sun starts setting we can enjoy breaking our fasts.

What do you do?

Hairdressing is my profession which

I love because I love meeting and talking to people. I’m also a director of a community interest company called Communities Big Fish Little Fish also known as Innervibe. At the moment we are running a campaign called ‘Sexual and Consumer Exploitation in Mainstream Media and Music’, so myself and other people at Innervibe travel

from city to city doing work shops raising awareness about the effects on society in regards to the sexualisation of men, women and children. Not only do we talk about the effects but also the root causes of it and we also like to explore solutions with our audiences.

How did you become interested in poetry and what is your favourite poem?

I’ve always been interested in poetry from as far as I can remember. I loved reading poetry at school and I can’t really say what my favourite

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poem is. I could write a whole list! but if I had to choose one it would be ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou. Also because I am mixed raced I always related to the poem ‘Half Caste’ by John Agard.

Did you attend the recent Olympic Games in London?

No I did not. But I did enjoy watching them on TV.

Do you have any tours lined up in the UK?

No. I’m still quite shy when it comes to performing.

What were your dreams and aspirations as you were growing up?

I personally feel that I am still growing up and will always be. But probably as a young child I was a bit of a hippy,

so always wanted world peace. I think now my dreams and aspirations are to just raise awareness to people of what is really going on in the world and to wake up to the lies that I feel we have been fed by our governments, by the institutions and by the media.

What achievements are you most proud of?

The ones where I have literally been pushed into the deep end and come out swimming. These are my very personal achievements but I’d like to say to anyone, don’t ever doubt yourself, when we limit ourselves we cannot achieve.

Do you offer workshops on poetry in schools?

No not at this moment but that would definitely be a great thing for young people to get involved in.

What further aspirations do you have?

Right now I would like to travel and explore the world and experience different cultures.

Where’s the best place that poetry has taken you?

I’d say poetry has probably taken me out of a dark place. So that in itself was the best thing that happened to me.

Any advice for budding poets?

Keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t get put off because remember no one is the best poet in the world. We are all unique and we all have our own unique way of expressing ourselves. That’s the beautiful thing about poetry; there are no rules when it comes to self expression and creativity.


Muslim Role-ModelsBushra Hussain

Poet

How are you?

Alhamdulillah, I am very well, just come back from a busy day at work. I work with children, a very tiring but rewarding job. I always come home smiling and the children always make your day, even when you have a hundred thoughts on your mind, the children always seem to make you forget them. Their innocence and cheeky nature always brighten the dullest of days and moods!


Alhamdulillah, Ramadan was a blessing and Alhamdulillah again for being

able to witness another one, may we live to see many more and be closer to Allah (swt) throughout our lives, and not just in Ramadan and be strong in Imaan. We have so many of Allah’s (swt) Blessings and Mercy around us, you can literally ‘feel’ them; the time with family, friends and loved ones is priceless. But always and particularly at the time of Ramadan I always feel helpless. Helpless because I know that there are many, many brothers and sisters out there, that are fasting days on end, with no clean water or food, and we sit down to these extravagant meals and eat until we cannot eat no more! One day, I would love to go and travel the world, and help these young souls, make them crack a smile. I work with children, so for me it would be great to go and help my brothers and sisters that are suffering and in hardships. I would love to just relieve them, pass loving words and embrace them with a hug, just so they know, we are here, they are in our constant dua’s and we will support them. May Allah (swt) accept all our dua’s, charity and good deeds. Ameen.

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How did you become interested in poetry and what is your favourite poem?

I became interested in poetry by accident. It was my first day at college and seeing the hustle and bustle, the parents, teachers, students and how we form friendships suddenly, I began jotting down some lines and rhyming words, and before I knew it I wrote a poem; it was short, but it told a story, of what I was doing at that stage in my life and what I needed to be focusing on. Since then, I have written many poems over the years, about life, goals, friends, family, the miracles of Allah (swt), and my favourite poem I ever wrote was a poem for my mother. I had it translated into Urdu for me, when my mother read it, her tears just flowed. I’ll never forget that day; my mother means a lot to me, she is my inspiration every day, mashAllah.

Other poems I have written no-one has read, more like my thoughts. I like to sit down some evenings and just write from the top of my head, try it honestly, its fab! And it doesn’t have to rhyme; it’s a way of expression, a talent.

Any advice for young budding poets?

Write from your heart and mind, write what you feel, what you’re passionate about, what motivates you, your goals, dreams and who your inspiration is, and just be yourself. Writing poetry doesn’t mean it has to rhyme, just structure it well, open and close poems on the same theme; this is what I like to do! There are many options available on the internet, social networking and poetry classes for you to attend and find a poetry buddy. Start your journey, simply by writing a few lines; ‘your mind will write.’ Open your imagination and let it flow through your pen.

I like to sit down some evenings and just write from the top of my head, try it

honestly, its fab!

“ “


Muslim Profiles – Readers Choice

Usman Shabbir What do you do?

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, currently I am a student at the University of Bradford studying peace studies but I’m hoping to specialise in conflict resolution. Peace studies are a mix of law, politics, history, creative writing, international relations and development to name just a few. As Islam means Peace I found this course a natural step forward to increase my knowledge and to make the best use of it.

Peace studies is a hidden gem along with the only Peace museum in the UK which is also in Bradford. In the world today we see too much pain, too much hatred and too much suffering day in day out. This condition will not change until we change ourselves so I’m just trying to spark that change by contributing to the community by sharing the peace and love.

What do you like about your work?

I started off volunteering for the Pakistani Society at university. We collectively helped raise over £3.000 for various causes including flood victims of Pakistan, Maha appeal and a charity based in Yorkshire which aims to stop human trafficking. On top of that I volunteered with Human Relief in which we climbed Mount Snowden for Syria which we raised an incredible £8,000. I am setting up a new society at university next year; it’s called Salaam Shalom. We are in the early stages of this society but we intend to show that Islam and Judaism have more similarities than differences. We intend to engage with the Jewish community on various levels. We intend to create safe environments where we can learn and debate effectively about culture and religious texts.

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Who do you admire?

All praise is due to God. I admire all the Prophets, peace be upon them all. Prophet Muhammad (saw) is a person who I hugely admire and is the role model I look to. My parents are due credit, I am who I am today only due to their upbringing and love and I feel so blessed.

If you were granted one wish, what would it be?

A wish is a wish so here is mine; my wish is for the entire Ummah to be granted

Jannat al Firdous.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle that you have overcome?

My biggest challenge has to be when I volunteered for PeaceJam. It was a gruelling weekend in which we were showing the way of peace to over 200 kids. I met several kids from Norway who I felt for and it was rewarding to help the peacemakers of tomorrow.

Nominated by Aisha Yasmin


Food for the Soul

Pope VS Mufti

Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all Muslims had to convert to Catholicism or leave Italy. There was a huge outcry from the Muslim community, so the Pope offered a deal.

He’d have a religious debate with the leader of the Muslim community. If the Muslims won, they could stay in Italy, and if the Pope won, they’d have to convert or leave. The Muslim people met and picked an aged and wise Mufti to represent them in the debate.

However, as the Mufti spoke no Italian, and the Pope spoke no Arabic, they agreed that it would be a “silent” debate.

On the chosen day the Pope and Mufti sat opposite each other.

The Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers.

The Mufti looked back and raised one finger.

Next, the Pope waved his finger around his head.

The Mufti pointed to the ground where he sat.

The Pope brought out a communion wafer and a chalice of wine.

The Mufti pulled out an apple.

With that, the Pope stood up and declared himself beaten and said that

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the Maulana was too clever.

The Muslims could stay in Italy.

Later the cardinals met with the Pope and asked him what had happened.

The Pope said, “First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity.

He responded by holding up a single finger to remind me there is still only one God!

Then, I waved my finger around my head to show him that God was all around us.

He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God was also right here with us.

I pulled out the wine and wafer to show that God absolves us of all our sins.

He pulled out an apple to remind me of the original sin.

He beat me at every move and I could not continue!”

Meanwhile, the Muslim community gathered to ask the Mufti how he’d won.

“I haven’t a clue,” the Mufti said.

“First, he told me that we had three days

to get out of Italy, so I gave him the finger.

Then he tells me that the whole country would be cleared of Muslims and I told him that we were staying right here!”

“And then what?” asked a woman.

“Who knows?” said the Mufti. “He took out his lunch so I took out mine. And then he walked away!”

To contribute any jokes, brain-teasers or short stories to this page email

[email protected]

Nusayba Malik


Masjids Around The WorldMasjid Negara (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Capacity15,000

Built1965

Seven years after Malaysia gained independence from the British, Masjid Negara (National Mosque) was built in the capital of Malaysia in 1965. This distinctive masjid made out of reinforced concrete was designed by UK architect Howard Ashley and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim.

The building is uniquely designed with a 73 metre tall minaret and a main dome which resembles a semi-opened blue umbrella. The main dome has 18 points which symbolises the 5 pillars of Islam and the 13 states of Malaysia. The masjid has a further 48 smaller domes. The design of the masjid is based upon the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

The masjid has a capacity of 15,000 people and has facilities for both men and women. The area surrounding the main dome is covered in marble flooring and numerous fountains. The masjid is located amongst 13 acres of beautiful gardens.

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The first Prime Minister of Malaysia chose to locate the masjid close to the Mughal styled Railway Station and its headquarters. Both these buildings were built by the British during colonial times. The stark contrast between the dome covered Mughal buildings and the modern design of Masjid Negera implied that a newly independent Malaysia was ambitious and not influenced by the past.

The bold design was a symbol of the aspirations of a newly independent Malaysia. Standing at the front of the masjid you can see the progress Malaysia has made in just over 50 years. The masjid may not be the largest masjid in Southeast Asia but it is a significant one because it marked the beginning of an independent Malaysia with Islam as its national religion.

Zeeshan Arif


As soon as I held this book and saw Daphne Du Mauriers’ name, I suddenly became nostalgic as I remembered reading what is now one of my favourite books of all time; Rebecca. I was eager to read this novel to see if she would be able to retain such mastery of atmosphere, tension and intrigue as she was able to do in Rebecca. I was not disappointed!

This novel is in first person, as was Rebecca, allowing Du Maurier to unfold events in the eyes of the protogonist, Armino Fabbio, a courier who lives a mundane life sheparding tourists around Italy. Whilst on one of his itineraries, on Sunshine Tours, Armino is suddenly confronted with a murder that could have been prevented. He later realises that the murder was of a close friend who he hasn’t seen in 20 years. This guilt and discovery takes Armino running back to the streets of his childhood.

I felt that the beginning was disappointedly predictable, but Du Maurier later on uses this to her advantage as she manipulates the reader to predict all throughout the novel and fear the worst, but the slow revelation of detail establishes that the worst has yet to come.

The novel is scattered with rich description of the small town, Ruffano. He realises that in a matter of 20 years that things have significantly altered but at the same time how some places and people have not changed one bit! Du Marier casually drops in shocking revelations, scandalous brutality and explicit language that kept my jaw dropped open. This novel is intricately woven with suspense that you have to read the book to merely understand my cryptic analysis.

Boo

k R

ev

iew

The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne Du Maurier

Samina Kauser

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It all started with the killing of Mark DugganA black man from Tottenham

They say he fired at police, so they fired backSome would say self-defence it’s what anyone would do if under

attack

But later the IPCC found Mark Duggan didn’t shoot firstHis family shocked, angered, the decision controversial

Family protested in a Saturday demanding answersFor 5 hours no police gave them what they demanded

All hell broke loose in TottenhamShops looted, cars burned, houses damaged, how could this

happen?

The future of tomorrowFamilies, business owners, community leaders watched, hearts

filled with sorrow

5 generations 1 furniture store stoodBurnt to the ground, all that remained was rubble and wood

Its hard to believeThat in a matter of seconds and minutes someone could do this

The owner was obviously heartbroken and devastatedHe’s had his fair share of losses but this he could never

anticipatedNot just him but all shop owners whose shops got damaged

Through looting, rioting, burning, it was total manic

Everyone was in a state of panicThey all thought this was sick

Enough was enough people screamedThey wanted it to stop so the children could sleepShops just a few doors away, there were burningA woman even jumped out of a window. Amazing

UK Riots Spoken word poet and LyricistShabz

poe

try

56

This wasn’t London, it looked more like IraqCars burning, shops looted, firemen and police under attack

Families trapped above in burning flatsFrom a protest how had it come to that?

Thankfully no one had died yetThat’s the one thing we all dread

Then the riots soon spread to Manchester, Bristol, Gloucester, & Salford

Everything was attacked, from Currys to HalfordsEventually they came to Birmingham

All hell broke loose in what I thought was a safe havenLike the rest I myself am a youth

I can relate to what they’re going throughAnd why they do what they do

Yet you don’t see me smashing shops, being part of the anarchyCos I put pen to paper, show you with my poetry

Tell you how it is stating reality

Anyway back in Birmingham it’s RamadanOut of the masjid come three young lads

They felt it was a moral, ethical, national and Islamic dutyTo protect their community

The three lads were Haroon, Shahzad & MusavirAll martyred in this blessed month, no longer here

We call them martyrs for they gave their lives for this communityAfter the deaths, their father called for peace and unity

They all died protecting the masjids, properties, and communityIn the eyes of Allah they are Insha’Allah Shaheed

We ask Allah to forgive their sins and grant them paradiseWhere in palaces of gold and silver they will reside

And watch birds fly

Why did it take the deaths of three young Asian guysFor us to realize

Enough was enough and people were dying before our eyesParents snatched of their precious prize

Soon rumours spread that the two brothers had diedWhich turned out to be a wicked, evil lie

The family hurt, broken, could have easily asked for revengeWhich if answered would have resulted in more deaths

But no, uncle Tariq Jahan bought peace and unityIn the community

So no other family can grieve like his didThey wanted peace

They got peaceAs we came together as one

Blacks, Whites, Asians gathered to remember our sons


We will all die but many still ask whyOh god why oh why did this happen

We’re still struggling to come to terms with thisPainful like our wrists have been slit

20,000 turned out to bid farewellTo three heroes, martyrs, gentlemen who had done well

One recently got married and was expecting his first childThe child will grow up without a father, it’s crazy, I know it’s wild

The child will ask one day, “mummy, where’s daddy?”To which she’ll reply he died for me, you, our masjid and

community

I don’t know about you but I was disgusted at the scenesWatching in horror what the TV Showed meI couldn’t comprehend, believe, or perceive,That this was taking place in my community

We will get through this togetherAlthough the mental scars may remain forever

Shops can be repaired, stock replenished,The scenes of the riots will never vanish

It is what we shall remember foreverThe few days that our community suffered terror

At the hands of mindless copycat thugsWho are nothing but mugs

Birmingham is our community and our cityIt’s a place I passionately love and believe in

I was born in BirminghamI was bred in Birmingham

I was educated in BirminghamI will live in BirminghamI will die in Birmingham

It all started with the killing of Mark DugganA black man from Tottenham

They say he fired at police, so they fired backSome would say self-defence it’s what anyone would do if under

attack

58

Chocolate Flapjacks

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F.

Put the butter or margarine in a pan over a low heat and stir until it’s melted. Add the sugar and golden syrup and stir until it is all dissolved into a sticky liquid.

Take the pan off the heat and add the oats, stirring them in with a spoon. It’s easier to add the oats bit by bit.

Add the salt and give a final stir. Spoon the mixture into a non-stick tray and spread it out evenly.

Place the baking tray in the pre-heated

oven. Remove after 18 minutes (check after 12 minutes) when the flapjacks have turned a light golden brown.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes then cut into slices, but leave the slices in the tray. Melt the chocolate in a bowl immersed in warm water.

Pour the chocolate over the flapjacks as evenly as possible and place them in the fridge for an hour.

Enjoy!

Need:

• 80g soft brown sugar• 110g butter or margarine• 250g oats (e.g. porridge oats)• 110g dark chocolate• 3 tablespoons of golden syrup• Pinch of salt

(10 cakes)

Najma Khan

60

Indian LentilSoup/Dhaal

Need:

• 2 Cups split lentils, sorted and rinsed• 6 Cups water • 1/2 tsp Ginger, crushed • 1/2 tsp Garlic, crushed • 1/2 tsp Red chili powder • 1/4 tsp Turmeric • 1/2 tsp Salt • 2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves, chopped • 2 small whole green chillis, chopped

(serves 4)

Bring the water to boil in a pan (large enough to hold the water, with enough space to add the lentils)

Add the lentils and all the other ingredients to the water, except salt, coriander and green chilli. You can also add chopped fresh tomatoes if you wish (quartered). Let it cook for 15 minutes

Add salt and green chili and let it boil for one minute

Garnish with coriander and serve hot

Perfect for the colder days!

Rifat Ambreen


Out on Friday 28th September

2012!

National Events

Birmingham The Zawiya Centre T: 0121 766 8364 W: www.thezawiya.com

Bradford Islam Bradford Centre T: 01274 395521 E: [email protected]

Cambridge Cambridge Masjid T: 01223-350134 E: [email protected]

EdinburghEdinburgh Central MosqueT: 0131 343 3802 E: [email protected]

Arabic, Tajweed, Youth activities & Study circles for both brothers and sisters, various dates

Study Circles, for brothers and sisters (separate classes), various days & times

Arabic, Study Circles, Qur’anic Studies for both Brothers & Sisters, varies days & times

Arabic, Tajweed, Youth activities & Study circles for both brothers and sisters, various dates

Leicester Masjid An-Noor T: 0116 262 5440 W: www.idauk.org

YorkYork Central Masjid T: 01904 413 123 E: [email protected]

Monthly Youth Programme for boys, starts first Saturday of each month

Brothers Qur’an Circle, every Friday, between Maghrib and Isha Salah Sisters Qur’an Circle, every Sunday, 11am to Dhuhr Salah

To add your local study circles, conferences, events or courses please email [email protected]

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