jamadi-ul-awwal 08,1441/january 03, 2020 issue no. 869

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 08,1441/January 03, 2020

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

Issue No. 869

The Weekly Muslim News Update

Friday BulletinThe

Friday BulletinThe

Growing concerns over rise of Extra-Judicial killings

Concerns are growing over the increasing rate of extra-judicial killings which have been on an alarming rise in recent months.The latest killing was the gruesome mur-der of a terrorism suspect in Kilifi county whose macabre shooting on new year’s eve ignited condemnation and calls to end the extra judicial killings.The suspect was gunned down by un-known people at Dabaso area in Wata-mu. His assailants had trailed him before blocking the vehicle he was travelling in, took him out and subsequently shot him before disappearing under the cover of darkness. “This was an extra judicial kill-ing. I can say without fear about it. He had a previous problem, he had been arrested, not charged in court, taken away for six months,” said his father Salim Unda. The Kilifi North MP Owen Baya condemned the incident saying that the police should resort to the rule of law in dealing with sus-

pects. “If a person has a criminal case, let him be arrested then charged in court and if he is proved to have committed those crimes, let him be jailed. To come down and take the life of a young person the way they did here is something which must be strongly condemned,” he said at the scene of the incident.The incident came on the heels of a re-port by Human rights activists in Kwale County who said extrajudicial killings and forced disappearance in the region have hit alarming rates.According to the data released by the rights activists, more than 50 people have been killed and over 25 others dis-appeared without a trace in the last four years in Kwale.The Kwale Network Against Extrajudicial Continued To Page 2

Continued To Page 2

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Executions and Forced Disappearances pointed out that cases of armed people alleged to be state security officers ab-ducting and torturing youth have become habitual.Speaking during a meeting at Mangro Ho-tel in Ukunda last week, Human Develop-ment Agenda’s Kashi Jermaine said Kwale is leading in cases of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearance in the entire Coast region.“There is a list of individuals whose where-abouts are not known to date summing up some of just a few cases of state’s failure to safeguard lives as stipulated in the con-stitution,” he said.The activists say despite the local’s ef-forts towards finding justice in courts, the

A Sagana resident takes the testimony of faith, the Shahada during the two-day Islamic convention held at Sagana Mosque in Kirinyaga Constituency. Sheikh Muhammad Khabaz from Kajiado Jamia Mosque (Right) administered the tes-timony in the presence of Sheikh Muhammad Adan from Sagana and Sheikh Muhammad Muiruri (left) the Imam of Sagana Mosque.The event held on 25 and 26 December last year was organised by the Sagana Mosque Committee and was addressed by scholars who included Nairobi law-yer and scholar Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome, Sheikh Jamaldin Osman, the deputy Imam of Jamia Mosque, Sheikh Ahmad Uthman, the Imam of Landhies Mosque and Sister Riziki Kaluki, a Nairobi based clinical psychologist. Story on Page 7

Intensify fight against desert locusts, NEP MPs

urge the governmentMembers of Parliament from North East-ern region have called on the government to come up with measures to fight the de-sert locusts that invaded parts of Wajir and Mandera counties.Speaking during a Press conference at par-liament building , the MPs led by the Eldas MP, Dr Adan Keynan urged the National government to start aerial spraying of the desert locust in a bid to prevent it from de-stroying the vast grassland.“We urge the government and other inter-national agencies to provide aerial spray, because that is the only effective way to fight locust and other pesticides. We also appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta to urgently instruct the relevant government ministries and ministers concerned to at-tend to this emerging issue ” Dr. Keynan saidThe MP said the invasion of the locust was

The Friday Bulletin

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 08,1441/January 03, 2020NATIONAL

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) vice-chairperson Fa-tuma Tabwara passed away on Sunday.Fatuma collapsed at a family wedding at Bowa village, Kwale County and was rushed to Diani Beach Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.She was appointed to the position by Presi-dent Uhuru Kenyatta on November 20 last year and She was part of the new NCIC commissioners who were sworn in by Chief Justice David Maraga.In his message of condolence to the fam-ily, relatives and friends, President Uhuru described the late NCIC Vice-Chair as a great national leader and role model who was an outstanding champion of the rights of women and the girl-child especially in Kwale County.President Uhuru said Fatuma Tabwara will particularly be remembered for the role she played in the formulation of the sexual har-assment policy in Kwale County. "It is very sad indeed that we have lost one of the promising women leaders in the Coast region. In this hour of sorrow and grief, I convey my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to her family, rela-tives and friends,” President Kenyatta said.

Shock as NCIC Vice-Chair Fatuma Tabwara passes on “It is my prayer that the Almighty God will give you the strength and courage to bear the loss,” the President added. President Kenyatta observed that the late NCIC Vice Chairperson was a person of enormous influence, saying the many girls and women who she mentored will miss her wise counsel and guidance. Prior to her appointment to NCIC, Fatuma Tabwara 52, served as a political advisor to Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya. “I am shocked by these devastating news, Tab-wara was a selfless, dedicated political and community leader in our County,” Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya said.On her part Kwale Women representative Zuleikha Juma termed Fatuma Tabwara as a tireless woman who had matters re-volving around women and children at her heart.“It is through such zeal and community ser-vice that landed her the Deputy Chairper-son post at the NCIC,” said Zuleikha.Fatuma held a Master's degree in Edu-cation Planning and Administration from Mount Kenya University and a Bachelor's degree in Education from Kenyatta Univer-sity. She was buried on Monday in accord-ance to Islamic teachings and rituals.

Locals in Tana Delta in need for help after devastating floodsResidents of Tana Delta in Tana River County have accused both the county and national governments of neglecting them and not offering help.Some of them have been stranded in their villages for the last two months after their homes were swept away by floods.Aside from losing their homes, the floods have swept away their sources of income, including livestock and crops. The floods also destroyed several schools, leaving residents with no place to take their children when the school term resumes in January.Addressing a conference in Garsen Town on Monday, Garsen MP Ali Guyo blamed the national government of remaining silent whenever floods affect the county.“Why can’t the government build dykes in Tana Delta the same way it did in Budalang’i to stop or at least minimise the effects of floods? Our people should not be allowed to suffer like this year in, year out,”

ANNOUNCEMENT JAMIA MOSQUE QUR-AAN AND HADIYTH

COMPETITTION 1441 H/ 2020 CE

Registration for this year’s competition is now open. Madrasah or Islamic Institution wishing to be included in the Qur-aan and Hadiyth competitions should register with the Da’wah Office in Jamia on or before 4th Rajab 1441 A. H/ 28th February 2020. The participating Madaaris should be in Nairobi County and its Environs. Late Registration will not be entertained.NB) 1. This year's Hadith competition is on 40 Hadith of Imam Nawawy Kindly pick a copy from Da'awah Office- Jamia 2. There will be Tarjamah/Translation for both Qur'an and Hadith In Sha Allah.SHUKRAN!

he stated.Other speakers at the conference support-ed the idea of erecting dykes in the areas prone to floods.On his part, Kipini West Member of County Assembly (MCA) Musa Wario, whose area is completely flooded, said the situation was distressing as the residents have no food or shelter.“We were hoping the government would come to our rescue, but we are yet to get any help and our people are suffering,” he said.There is already a humanitarian crisis looming in the region after an outbreak of water-borne diseases. Locals fear an out-break of cholera and say there has been no assistance from the government since the flooding started.The worst-hit areas include Mwanja, Odole, Samicha, Handaraku and Sogan villages. These areas can only be accessed by ca-noes.

Intensify fight against desert locusts- NEP MPs Continued From Page 1going to cause a serious environmental distraction hence faulting both levels of government for failing to establish a disas-ter preparedness and response planning on such deadly invasion that destroys veg-etation and crops. “The locust will destroy vegetation and crops and it is apparent that there is lack of national and county prepar-edness , there is no preparedness at all ” Keynan addedMandera Senator, Mahamud Maalim also

echoed on the need by the government to fast track aerial spray saying that the inva-sion of the locusts requires the efforts of the county, national and other international agencies. “This is an invasion, not a mili-tary but locus invasion and it requires the efforts of all relevant government and in-ternational agencies ” Senator Mohamud said .

government has offered little assistance. “Various activists and families of the ab-ducted victims have tirelessly reported these issues to the police, the Senate and other relevant authorities but nothing has been done to ensure justice is served,” he added.Human Rights Agenda (Huria) executive director Yusuf Lule said they have lost hope in the judicial system and the only way forward is for the government to take quick action against the cases. “We have tried in courts but nothing good is coming from them because our only opportunity is using the habeas corpus or inquests which are not fruitful,” he said.He also stated that although the govern-ment offered amnesty to al-Shabaab re-turnees three years ago, many returnees have not surrendered for fear of reprisals. The executive director urged the govern-ment to change its tactics by focusing on and apprehending recruiters instead of forced disappearances. Echoing the same sentiments, Rapid Response officer at Muslims for Hu-man Rights (MUHURI) Francis Ouma expressed his concerns on the re-emer-gence of extra judicial disappearances and urged the interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i to thoroughly investi-gate the matter and also ensure that the rights of Kenyans are protected. “We remain deeply concerned of the con-tinued rise of cases of disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the Coastal region. We demand CS Matiang’I to inter-vene and investigate the matter to safe-guard the right to safety and security as enshrined in article 29 of the constitution,’’ said Francis Ouma. The human rights campaigners are now requesting for intervention by the Inspec-tor General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Continued From Page 1

Stop extrajudicial killings

Muslims believe the Quran to be the final revelation of God.

They believe it is the literal word of God, revealed over many years, to His final Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Quran is full of wisdom. It is full of the wonder and glory of God, and a testament to His mercy and justice. It is not a history book, a storybook, or a scientific textbook, although it contains all of those genres.

The Quran is the greatest gift from God to humanity – it is a book like no other. In the second verse of the second chapter, God describes the Quran by calling it a book whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are pious, righteous, and fear God.

It is core to Islam. Believing in it is a re-quirement. One who does not believe in the Quran, in its entirety, cannot claim to be a Muslim.

The Message

Islam has two primary sources, the Quran, and the Hadith, that explain and some-times expand on that of the Quran.

And We have not sent down the Book to you (O Muhammad), except that you may

explain clearly unto them those things in which they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for a folk who believe. (16:64)

Angel Jibril delivered the Quran to Prophet Muhammad and revealed in stages over a period of 23 years.

And (it is) a Quran which We have divided into parts, in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages. (17:106)

God commanded the Prophet Muhammad to convey the Quran to all of humankind and the responsibility weighed heavily upon him.

The Quran explains the concept of God. It explains in detail what is permissible and what is forbidden. And it explains the basics of good manners and morals, and gives rulings about worship. It tells stories about the Prophets and our righteous pre-decessors, and describes Paradise and Hell. It is a message for all of humankind.

The book in which the Quran (the words of God) are contained in is called a mus-haf.

The Miracle

When God sent Prophets to the various nations, He often allowed them to perform

The Story of the QuranDA'WAH

Lesson from last week Friday khutbah (sermon) delivered by Imam Muhammad Swalihu.Topic: Hadhari dhidi ya Maadui wa Uis-lamu1. Non-believers are always on their toes to destroy the religion Islam in every way including tarnishing the name of Islam and punishing Muslims. 2. We will be at loss during the Judgement day if we keep on following and imitating the western culture instead of learning the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace be upon him)3. Westernization has made Muslims lose their Akhlaq (practice of virtue, morality and manners)4. We should always strive to live on the right path.NOTE:• Anyone who denounces Islam will die as a disbeliever and all the good deeds he/she performed will go to waste.• We should always know how to interact with our enemies.• Never keep a non-believer so close to you, since he/she doesn’t have the strong believe in faith.

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The Friday Bulletin

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miracles that were relevant to their particu-lar time and place.

In the time of Moses, magic and sorcery were preva-lent. There-fore miracles of Moses ap-pealed to the people he was sent to guide. In the time of M u h a m m a d , the Arabs, al-though pre-dominantly il-literate, were masters of the spoken word. Their poetry and prose were consid-ered outstand-ing and a mod-el of literary excellence.

M u h a m m a d was unable to read or write therefore the Arabs knew that he was unlikely to

have produced such eloquent words, but even so some refused to believe that the Quran was the word of God. God therefore challenged them to produce a rival text.

And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Chris-tians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Quran) to Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a chap-ter of the like thereof and call your witness-es (supporters and helpers) besides God, if you are truthful. (2:23)

Of course they were unable to do so. In contrast to those who questioned the ori-gin of the Quran, many Arabs converted to Islam after hearing the recitation. They knew immediately that such sublime beau-ty could originate only from God.

Even today it is possible to see Muslims moved to tears while listening to or recit-ing it.

In fact some people, unable to understand even one word of the Arabic language are moved by the intrinsic beauty of the Quran.

The Preserved Book

After establishing that Quran is the word of God and that it is a recitation, it is also im-portant to understand that it has remained unchanged for more than 1400 years.

Equality, Dedication & Sincerity: The Story of Maryam

The story of Maryam, the mother of ( Isa) Jesus (peace be upon them), in the Quran features prominently in two chapters. The most popular of these is that which bears her name, Surah Mariam (Chapter 19).Set amongst the stories of a string of other Prophets including Yahya (John) and Ibra-him (Abraham), the chapter covers the mi-raculous conception of the Prophet (Isa) Jesus and tells the story of the suffering of Maryam during her pregnancy.The primary purpose of this chapter was to emphasize the continuity of Islam with previous divine revelations, namely that of Judaism and Christianity.Islam and its foundational text were meant to be completing – or in the case of Isa, cor-recting – the narrative of monotheism, re-turning Isa to his rightful place as a Prophet of God and bearer of His message.The third chapter of the Quran, Al ‘Im-ran, recalls the same story. According to the narrations of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), this chapter was re-vealed much later than chapter Mariam, so the purpose of continuity was already achieved.The question then poses itself: why would God reveal the same story once again? This article seeks to answer that question by presenting some of the core lessons de-rived from this story.Equality of HumanityIn this telling, Maryam is now identified as the daughter of ‘Imran. Her mother, in a desire to show her devotion to God, prom-ised that her offspring would live a life of complete religious devotion. When she received a daughter, she was shocked. She was expecting a son and knew that in her society girls were viewed as weaker and not as valuable. “And the male is not like the female.” (Quran 3:36) She never-theless follows through with her promise, dedicating Mary to serve God for her entire life. The next verse of the chapter gives us our first lesson:“So the Lord accepted her with good ac-ceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zakariyah. Every time Zakariyah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found her with provision. He said, ‘O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?’ She said, ‘It is from Allah: Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.’ (Quran 3:37)Speaking against the feelings of Maryam’s mother, God confirms that the dedication and worth of a woman in the service of God is no less than that of a man. She is accepted well (hasan), put in the service of another, and given sustenance directly from God.Within this narration is a powerful mes-sage of equality of human beings. Although stressed more directly in other passages in the Quran, the story of Maryam gives a more personalized and direct example of that equality. Men are not the same as

WOMEN

women, the Quran rightly states, but their religious practice they are both on an equal footing.Dedication to AllahIncluded in these previous verses is anoth-er important lesson of dedication and the idea of free will. At first glance, it seems quite unjust that a person would be forced to live a life of devotion to God without the option to choose.Living a life entirely for God is not an easy one; and the story of any Prophet (think of Isa and Muhammad) is clear evidence of the pain, suffering, and worldly poverty that often goes along with religious dedication. Such was the case of Mary who, before she was even born, had her life written off for her.Many of us feel the same way and experi-ence similar issues. The country in which we are born, the nature of our upbringing and parents, and our financial status have put so many aspects of our lives out of our control. These elements bind us to the world we live in and are painstakingly dif-ficult to change.The lesson from the story of Maryam is that the key to surviving these hardships is through dedication to God and follow-ing His message. That doesn’t mean stop striving to further your education, get a bet-ter job, or improve your overall lot in life. Rather, it means putting your ultimate trust in God, as “Allah provides for whom He

are those who are: “…firm in knowledge,” and the “patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.” (Quran 3:17)As is the tradition throughout the Quranic narrative, these general statements are never left alone. Rather, they are always followed with a practical example to show how the rule is achieved. Enter here the story of Maryam. She is the example that all Muslims are to follow. Her dedication and the sincerity of her faith led to her re-ward in carrying the Messenger of God.Through sincerity of faith, shown by acts of devotion and perseverance in hardship, she achieved the highest level of praise that any non-Prophet could imagine. We are all called to do the same, with the promise that our sincerity will be rewarded.ConclusionIn conclusion, the repetition of the story of Maryam in chapter Al ‘Imran provides an important application of the general princi-ples reiterated throughout the Quran.Revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the latter phase of his revelation, Mary acts as not only a confirmation of Islam’s continuity with the Judaeo-Christian past, but an example for all future Muslims (both men and women alike) to seek to emulate, and a goal for all of us to strive for.

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 08,1441/January 03, 2020The Friday Bulletin

By: Brian Wright

wills without account.”Developing Sincerity in Your FaithThe third lesson in chapter Al ‘Imran comes from putting the story of Mary within the wider context of the themes discussed in the chapter. An early verse contains the supplication:Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. In-deed, You are the Be-stower. (Quran 3:8)This supplication is set amongst a narrative of God warning of the consequences of dis-belief.They denied Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. (Quran 3:11)“Never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allah at all,” God warns, “And it is they who are fuel for the Fire.” (Quran 3:10)Those who are saved from this predicament

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 08,1441/January 03, 2020The Friday Bulletin YOUTHMy young Muslim – Why learn Arabic and Quran?

Suzana Nabil SaadIn today’s fast paced world, it is hard to stop and ponder over things we do and learn. Take Arabic and Quran for example.I am sure you have heard your parents tell you endless times that you need to learn Arabic and Quran. But, you might not have been convinced that it’s important. Or you might know it truly is, but too difficult to comprehend, so you just gave up on it.What if you got a chance to know why you could benefit from learning Arabic and Quran?Learn Arabic to Understand the QuranAllah Almighty tells us (interpretation): By the clear Book, Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Quran that you might under-stand. And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom. (Quran 43: 2-4)Learn Arabic so you can understand the Quran. Aren’t you tired and bored of not un-derstanding the words you read? You see, a big reason why you don’t feel like reading and/or learning the Quran by heart is the fact that you don’t understand it.Simply enrolling in a Quranic Arabic class will open up doors for you to a world of spir-ituality and beauty so much needed in our stressful day to day routine.The Immense Reward of Learning the QuranSo, I opened up your eyes to the spiritual reward. However, youth love to know the concrete reward as well, as in what’s in it for them?Muhammad bin Kab Al-Qurazi narrated

that: “I heard ‘Abdullah bin Masud saying: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [Whoever recites a letter] from Allah’s Book, then he receives the reward from it, and the reward of ten the like of it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter. (At-Tirmidhi)That’s indeed amazing. Just by reading one letter from the Quran you get 10 re-wards! Wow, how about reading the whole Quran? You do the maths!“But, it’s so hard,” you plea. Hang in there as, congrats, you are getting a double re-ward for the difficulty you are going through to learn it by heart as well as in reading it.Aisha narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Such a person as recites the Quran and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heav-en). And such a person exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart, and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” (Al-Bukhari)Arabic is CoolYeah that’s right. Arabic words are formed in a cool way. All words originate from a 3 letter root word and endless related words and synonyms stem from that source. For example you can form the related words madrasah (school) and mudaris (teach-er) from the 3 letter root word word d-r-s (study).Arabic is an extremely distinct language. It is written from right to left and has a distinct

letter “ض ” which earns it the title of The Language of ض.A lot of Arabic words are used in the Eng-lish Language as well. Words from Arabic origin for example: alkaline, almanac, cof-fee, camera, cotton and orange.Want to be artistic? Learn Arabic calligra-phy. Watch how the words transform into amazing picturesque designs.It’s among the Top Ten Languages Arabic ranks as the top sixth language in the world and is spoken by approximately 420 million people. Mainly in the Middle East and North Africa in alphabetical order: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Ku-wait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Su-dan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.History and Civilization of the Arabic Language Study Arabic to get a first hand experience of the original form of the exemplary in-ventions and contributions which are pre-served in Arabic from the Golden Era.An epoch that stretches for 5 centuries: from the 7th through the 12th centuries. This was a time of compelling advance-ment in all fields from Physical to Social Sciences. Anything from Mathematics, Pharmacology, Chemistry, Mechanics, Ge-ography, Medicine, Agriculture, Astronomy to Literature.These achievements were cornerstone to a new age of Enlightenment that shaped the European Renaissance.

The Friday Bulletin


In the recent past, higher education sec-tor in Kenya has been marked by dwin-dling student enrolment in varsities, high educational costs and shrinking job op-portunities for graduates. To address these challenges, Umma University in partner-ship with Africa Education & Development Trust (AEDT) and Direct Aid, introduced an ‘innovative’ financial aid program dubbed ‘Umma University Students Support Pro-gram’- UU-SSP.

UU-SSP provides financial aid for Umma university students in order to produce well rounded graduates who will utilize their knowledge and skills to empower their communities. Beyond education financing, we seek to inculcate values of volunteering and community service.

Last year, at a ceremony graced by the former Cabinet secretary of Education, Dr. Amina Mohamed, Umma University Students Support Program (UU-SSP) was launched as a ‘pilot program’. In the pilot phase of the program, 250 students benefited from the financial aid program. Through this program, we target to support

Umma University’s Innovative Financial Aid Program2,780 Umma university students to access quality higher education.

UU-SSP is unique and innovative in its design and implementation since it serves the whole spectrum of the student popula-tion. 1,460 Umma University students are expected to be granted partial scholarships (80%, 70%, 50%, 30% and 20%). Benefi-ciaries will also access interest-free loans for the remaining part (percentage) of the fees, repaid in flexible monthly instalments. 1,320 students are expected to access in-terest-free loans (full loans i.e. 100% loan). The financial aid program also has compo-nents of work-study program, mentorship and community service programs.

Through this program, we aim to increase student enrolment at Umma university, en-hance access to higher education (particu-larly, for the needy students) and contribute to financial sustainability of the university. This is because the program (loan portfo-lio) is based on revolving fund. Ultimately, we hope to produce well-rounded gradu-ates who will give back to the community.

Beneficiaries of the UU-SSP financial aid

By Umar H. Abdallaprogram also benefit from our creative non-financing programs aimed at holistic development of the students. Our mentor-ship program, dubbed ‘Mentor2Empower’ equips the participants with job skills, so-cial and life skills.

The beneficiaries also have a chance to acquire relevant skills, particularly employ-ability skills, by being part of the innova-tive ‘Learn a skill, donate a skill’ program; a skills program based on volunteerism, whereby those with relevant skills ‘donate’ their skills.

UU-SSP beneficiaries are encouraged and supported to be ‘volunteers’. Volunteerism is useful in building networks, learning new skills and connecting with friends and com-munity members.

InshaAllah, we aspire to establish a ‘Model’ Students Support Program.

For more information on this beneficial fi-nancial aid program, you may kindly visit www.elimishatrust.or.ke

The writer is the CEO, Africa Education & Development Trust.

Over 235,000 people have fled the Idlib re-gion over the past two weeks after regime forces targeted the last rebel base in Syria. The massive displacement took place be-tween the 12th and 25th December, leav-ing the Maaret al-Numan region in south-ern Idlib nearly empty.The United Nations Office for the Coordina-tion of Humanitarian Affairs said on Friday:“With the latest escalation of violence in northwest Syria, civilians in Idlib governo-rate are again suffering from the devastat-ing consequences of hostilities.”Tens of thousands of families have been displaced during the brutal eight-year civil war, many of whom have been heading north in trucks and private cars to cities and refugee camps in northern areas of Idlib.The UN said: “Many who fled are in urgent need of humanitarian support, particularly shelter, food, health, non-food and winteri-sation assistance.” Fuel shortages and the fear of being hit by a bomb during their travels has hampered the movement of people to neighbouring areas of the Aleppo province, with many “frightened to move, fearing the risk of air strikes and shelling along the routes.”The fighting had intensified since late No-vember after Russian-backed forces com-mitted to an increased air raid assault on rebels in southern Idlib.

Syria: 235,000 flee Idlib in mass displacement This comes after a supposed ceasefire deal in August negotiated by Russia, whose mil-itary campaign is in support of Assad. Rus-sia called for a de-escalation from Turkey, France, and the UN.However, the fighting continued as Assad attempts to regain control of Syria from re-bel fighters, having seized dozens of towns and villages since mid-December.David Swanson, a UN regional spokes-person for the Syria crisis, said that more than 80% of displaced civilians are women and children: “This comes on top of the dis-placement figures that we had from the end of April to the end of August where more than 400,000 people have been displaced.”Protests against RussiaOn Saturday, hundreds of Syrian and Turk-ish demonstrators gathered near the Rus-sian consulate in the Turkish capital to protest the intensified Russian and Syrian regime bombardment on Syria’s last rebel held-province of Idlib.With the heightened bombardment from the Russian-backed Syrian regime displac-ing 235,000 Syrian citizens, the Interna-tional Rescue Committee has warned that conditions in the region are at a “breaking point”, adding that the continued violence could displace as many as 400,000 in the coming weeks.

Set up schools to address education needs, Busia Muslims toldMuslims in Busia County have been urged to invest in education sector by setting up Islamic integrated schools to address their education needs.Making the call, the Busia County Muslim Education Council (MEC), Representa-tive Sadat Mansoor Kibira, stressed on the need to have integrated Muslim Primary and secondary schools saying the schools

will offer Islamic Religious Education and Arabic language and ensure that there is proper transition from primary to second-ary levels. Addressing parents and other guests dur-ing the madrasa closing ceremony in Port Victoria town on Sunday last week, Sa-dat Kibira, who is also a member of Busia County Education Board noted that the

government is concerned with full transi-tion and appealed to Muslims and leaders of the community to join hands and set up Islamic integrated Primary and secondary schools to address the challenges faced by Muslim children in accessing education.He implored on Muslims in Busia County to take advantage of the conducive envi-ronment and opportunities provided by the government through investing in the edu-cation sector and venturing into the inte-grated system of education stressing that the system is best suited to address the need for wholesome education, bearing in mind that the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) allows the teaching of foreign languages such Arabic.“We want an integrated system of educa-tion where the child is brought up in all spheres of life. It is in this system where we will produce bright and religious students who will spur this country to development,” he said.Kibira expressed concern that in the entire Busia County there is no single Muslim-sponsored primary and secondary school adding that many primary and secondary schools in the region are sponsored by the Catholic and Anglican churches making the Muslim community in the region disad-vantaged in the education matters.The MEC official further made a rallying call to parents to educate their children in both the so-called secular and religious knowledge pointing out that should the government advertise the positions of IRE and Arabic teachers, Muslim students in the region will not be able to get those chances as for one to be employed by the TSC as an IRE teacher, the applicant must have done the subject in KCSE and scored at least a C+.


The long-serving Kenya Red Cross Soci-ety (KRCS) Secretary General Dr. Abbas Gullet has officially retired from his position at the humanitarian organization.

Dr. Abbas’s term and contract ended on Tuesday December 31, 2019 after serv-ing at the humanitarian organization for 18 years.

Dr. Asha Muhammad who has been serv-ing as deputy Secretary General in charge of Programs and the Global Fund was se-lected to succeed Dr Abbas Gullet.

In his remarks, the agency Governor Dr. Mohamud Said thanked Dr. Abbas for his long-standing service saying that dur-ing his tenure, he had brought efficiency and speed to disaster response and pro-gramme implementation in the country.

“Abbas Gullet has always believed in leading from the front just when we were managing a disaster but even in where the organization needed to go and we are grateful for his service. He leaves the or-ganization stronger than he found it and hands it over to an extremely competent successor,” he said.

The board also acknowledged that the former secretary general had overseen a smooth financial transition since he as-cended to office by raising revenue, which was highly used in providing aid in the country.

Dr. Abbas who is also the Umma University Chancellor is credited for being at the front-line in providing efficient disaster response

Abbas Gullet finally retires as Kenya Red Cross Secretary Generalin the country, notably the 2007/2008 post-election violence, the 2013 Westgate Mall terror attack where he was among the first respondents to the scene, the drought situ-ation that ravaged the northern part of the country among other disasters.

On his part, Dr. Abbas thanked KRCS for their support and dedication during his 18-year tenure, adding that he remains a part of the family even as he departs. “I joined the Red Cross family in 1973, I have worked for the past 45 years, this will always be my family and you can count on me to show up when you need me as I will remain a volun-teer,” said the outgoing Secretary General.

On December 12, he was elected as a member of The Standing Commission of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

His successor, Dr. Asha Muhammad, has extensive experience within the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement where she

NATIONAL

has worked in Kenya and internationally in various leadership capacities.

She has served as the Head of Opera-tions at the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)’s Africa Zone office in Johan-nesburg, Head of Eastern Africa zone of-fice in Nairobi and Movement Partnerships Advisor at ICRC, among others.

“It is a great honor to have been selected to take over the role of Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross. I have been privi-leged to have worked closely with Dr. Ab-bas Gullet and shared in the vision he had for the organization,” she stated.

Asha holds Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery and a Master's degree in Pub-lic Health from The University of Nairobi (UoN). She also graduated from Lancaster University with Master of Science in Inter-national Executive Management.

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 08,1441/January 03, 2020The Friday Bulletin

Jamia is pleased to announce the commencement of the Week-end Reverts advanced Programme Classes.

Timings: 9:00 A.M-4.00P.MVenue: Jamia’s Multi-Purpose Hall

Days of Studies: Saturdays and Sundays,The classes are FREE for all Muslims both male and female .

Registration is ongoing at Jamia Dawah's office.

JAMIA REVERTS CLASSES

Muslim women urged to adhere to Islamic teachings Muslim women in Ahero within Kisumu County have been advised to stick to Qur'anic teachings and Islamic moral val-ues as a mean to strengthen their spiritual nourishment.

Addressing a Muslim women forum at Ahero Jamia Mosque last week, various Muslim scholars emphasized on the need for women in the Muslim community to em-brace Qur'an teachings and Islamic moral values to consolidate relationship with their Creator and fellow adherents.

Speaking at the two-day event organized by Swabiraat Muslim Sisters Group, Nai-robi based Islamic preacher Sheikh Rajab Gakurya urged the women to strongly ad-here to the teachings inscribed in the Holy Qur'an and the teachings of Prophet Mu-hammad (peace be upon Him) on Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) and exhibit good Is-lamic characters.

He asked Muslim women to emulate lady Aisha wife to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was a great woman scholar through whom the companions of the Prophet learnt and benefitted from her immense knowledge.

Sheikh Rajab encouraged women and the general Muslim community to always as-pire to acquire Islamic religious knowledge to improve on their spiritual nourishment, pointing out that learning and memorizing

ble Qur'an while at the same time incorpo-rate positive aspects from the family life of thePprophet Muhammad Salallahu alaihi wasalam into their lives and marriages,'' the Sheikh further stressed.

In his remarks Imam Kisumu Jamia Mosque, Sheikh Rajab Otin urged Muslim couples stick to Islamic moral values as a mean to strengthen their marital relation-ships.

He cited ignorance and lack of effective communication strategies among couples as the main contributing factors leading to misunderstandings and divorce in the com-munity and stressed on the importance of Imams and scholars to provide guidance and counseling services to couples as a means of strengthening marital relation-ships. ''In our religion marriage is regard-ed as the foundation of society and family life. It is therefore important for couples to seek Qur'anic guidance to strengthen their marriage and pray so that their relationship becomes stronger and enduring,'' Sheikh Otin said.

The Sheikh further called on Muslim cou-ples to know their rights for mutual under-standing and respect in both their religious and family lives for prosperity.

Other speakers at the symposium included Sheikh Ali Muhammad and Sheikh Khalid Kakai from Nairobi.

the Book of Allah was a fundamental aspect of Islam and urged them to sacrifice more time for the objective to be realized.

''Muslims should be at forefront in seeking knowledge and make efforts in adhering to the teachings of the No-

Last week, scholars from different regions converged at Sagana Muslim Mosque for the annual Sagana Muslims’ Convection to revive Islamic etiquettes and to strengthen the Islamic brotherhood.

The event held under the theme “let's all come together to revive Islamic etiquette” attracted over 200 locals and those living within Sagana.

Among the topics covered by different scholars included aqeedah, salah, parent-ing, akhalq and challenges facing youths.

During the two-day event provided spiritual nourishment and community empower-ment which saw three people reverting to Islam.

The main organizers of the event were Sagana Mosque Committee headed by sheikh Ibrahim Lethome as the chairman.

The event was graced by various schol-ars and duats like Imam Ahmad landhies mosque, Mohammad khabaz imam Jamia mosque Kajiado, Imam Jamaldeen Os-man jamia mosque Nairobi, Imam Ibrahim Rashid masjid salaam, sheikh Musa shauri Mombasa, among others.

Scholars advise Muslims to revive Islamic etiquette

Ummah Madrassah Feeding ProgramEducation and health are the central components and the road-map towards achieving any meaningful goals in life. To achieve universal primary and secondary education, the gov-ernment needs to focus on providing food for the learners and pay for their fees. Ummah Foundation has been in the forefront in implementing this feeding program for Madrassah going students. The objective is to help and motivate low income families to bring their children to this religious institutions and achieve spiritual edu-cation. This program has been ongoing in Bamba, Karimani and Banda villages in Kilifi county and Changamwe, Markaz Aisha-Mwambani in Kwale county. More than 500 school aged children are the ben-eficiaries of this program.Persistence of poverty, hunger and malnutrition among this rural populace results to children dropping out to fend for their fami-lies and hence illiteracy and ignorance becomes rampant. There is also increased evidence that childhood under nutrition imposes significant economic costs on individuals and families while im-proved children’s diets and nutrition have positive effects on their academic performance and behaviors at school as well their long term productivity as adults. The feeding program commonly known as the “porridge system” being implemented by Ummah Foundation in these rural set ups has gained a lot of popularity mostly among the Madrassah stu-dents. When it first started sometimes last year, it only attracted 25 students but currently the number has grown tremendously to 500 students who are regular. They come in groups to acquire knowledge and get their daily nutrition of porridge that is supple-mented with milk and honey. Even the physique of these children is changed as they look healthier and improved their learning ca-pacities. 10 out of the whole lot have managed to memorize whole

Quran and participate in national competitions across the country. The academic achievements shows consistence and positive ef-fects in almost all fields of learning. In addition to these promising nutritional outcomes we should em-phasize the importance and benefits of offering all school aged children meals and morning snacks especially among the disad-vantaged malnourished areas. The situation has been aggravated further due to the incessant drought that has affected the far flanked villages in the county. Probably the porridge in the only meal the children get the entire day. We also need to acknowledge that what Ummah Foundation is do-ing is just a drop in the ocean. We are still very far from achieving highly aspired goals of covering each and every part where there is dire need. Millions of Muslim children are still deprived of these basic rights of being fed, taken care of, receive the necessary medical and health care, attend school and madrassah and get the formal education that prepares them for a productive future. It is here that we should appeal to every player and well-wishing Muslim to venture into the program wholeheartedly and let us all make the change we admire. The concept of the porridge program supplemented with milk and honey is very basic and affordable but the results are enormous and brilliant. With your little devotion and input, you can change lives of many who are languishing in poverty and hunger.

Ummah FoundationVillage Plaza,2nd Floor Ngara Road

P.O.Box 58717-00200 , Nairobi, KenyaTel:+254-20-2680610/13, Mobile: +254734845277

E.Mail: [email protected]

The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: [email protected] Printed by Signal Press Limited-Lords House-Tom Mboya Street [email protected]

Al-Suhaim Girls' High School is located along Nairobi-Namanga highway,5kms to Namanga town.It is fully furnished with all the facilities,equipment and infrastructure necessary to equip a learner with the current knowledge and skills required.

AL-SUHAIM GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

Join us in Form One for the academic year 2020 with a minimum KCPE marks of 280.

Contact us on0758888557/0711484526/0722774450

Email:[email protected]

jamadi-ul-awwal 08,1441/january 03, 2020 issue no. 869

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