Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

Varsity to back-off from

mosque closure

Page 2

www.jamiamasjidkenya.org

Welcome the month of

Sha'ban Page 3

Issue No. 629

Anger over curfew extension

in NEP
Page 7

Friday Bulletin
The

The Weekly Muslim News Update

No radicalization in mosques
and madrasas
Mosques and madrasas in the country have
been absolved from claims and allegations that
they are the breeding grounds of radicalization.
The executive director of Muslim Consultative
Council (MCC) Abdulrahman Wandati refuted
claims that radicalization of youth takes place in
places of worship such as mosques and madrasas, allegations which have also been made by
the head of state Uhuru Kenyatta.
Appearing on a talk show on a local television
channel on Tuesday, Wandati pointed to the internet as the main forum for youth radicalization where young men and women interact with
people with extremist ideologies who then lure
them into joining the ranks.
The notion that radicalization happens in
mosques is baseless and outdated. Mosques
are places of worship where people pray and
disperse after the prayer. Anything else does
not happen in mosques and madrasas, he said.
He said online platforms such as Facebook
and twitter are the main source of youth radicalization and the government needs to move
with speed to counter the threat that is catching
many parents unawares.
The youth today are so exposed to social
The deputy CEO of the Media Council of Kenya Victor Bwire receives a bounded
media messages and literatures that are well
copy of the Friday Bulletin from the NAMLEF chairman Abdullahi Abdi. This was
coined by extremist groups to capture their atduring a media training workshop for Muslim leaders held on Tuesday at Jamia
Mosque.
tention and make it difficult for them to resist,
he added.
Last week, two girls from Nairobi mysteriously
went missing from their homes, though their exact whereabouts remains unknown, reports that
they could have been lured into joining militant
The Muslim leadership has been chal- has significantly changed drastically, groups have devastated their parents who have
appealed to the authorities to trace and bring
lenged to rise up to the occasion and he said.
consistently play a more viable role in Speaking during a media training work- them back home.
speaking out and addressing pertinent shop for Muslim leaders on Tuesday, he Wandati pointed a finger at parents for the
growing and worrying trend where youths are
issues facing the nation. Noting that observed that the hush tones are only
being radicalized through the internet saying
voices of Muslims have gone an eerie serving to perpetuate a growing percepthey have abdicated their parental duties to
silence in recent years, Victor Bwire tion that Muslims were not living up to
house helps. He also blamed parents for failthe deputy CEO of the Media Coun- their responsibility as patriotic citizens
ing to monitor the activities and whereabouts of
cil of Kenya (MCK) said being impor- and urged the community leadership to their children.
tant stakeholders, it is imperative that take a more proactive role in addressing He further noted that hard-handed approaches
the community leadership is also seen issues of national concern.
employed by state security machineries such as
to actively contribute to national dis- He went ahead to stress on the need for brutal police swoops often lead to radicalizing
courses which aim at bringing a positive closer engaging with the media to cor- minds stressing that such measures breed misrect the negative perceptions and ste- trust and resentment and have further widened
change to the country.
A few years ago, Jamia Mosque was reotyping of Muslims.
the rift between security personnel and commuone of the focal point for news making At the same time, he told Muslims not nities.
in the country and the voice of Muslims to sit helpless and tolerate the nega- The same sentiments were echoed by a secuwas consistently heard on important tive portrayal of Muslims by the media rity analyst Simiyu Warunga who stated that the
Continued To Page 2
national issues but in recent years this
Continued To Page 2
This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

Rise up and speak out on national discourses,

Muslim leaders told

Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

The Friday Bulletin

Varsity backs-off from mosque closure

The University of Nairobi has backtracked
from its position to bar Muslims students
from using prayer room for their spiritual
activities instead pledged to provide them
with an alternative area.
The deputy vice chancellor in charge of
students affairs Prof. Isaac Mbecha promised to work together with the Muslim fraternity and ensure that they continue with
their religious activities without hindrance.
In a move which sparked angry reactions
from the Muslim students fraternity, the institution under the pretext of security concerns last week issued an order to close
all places of worship within the campus
and advised the students to instead use
the nearest places of worship.
Muslim students however, interpreted the
decision as targeting them as while Christian students are well served with the numerous churches around the vicinity of
the university, they will be forced to go all
the way to Jamia Mosque which is located
nearly two kilometers away

He called us for a meeting and assured us

that the university will take care of the interest of Muslim students and provide them
with an alternative and better area, an official of the Muslim Students Association of
the University of Nairobi, (MSAUN) Ali Abdulhafidh told the Friday Bulletin about the
change of heart.
Prominent Nairobi lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi had earlier issued a notice of action
threatening legal action against the University for infringing on the rights of Muslim students. Your action is high handed, unwarranted, absolutely without any legal authority
and has no basis in law. It is also in flagrant
and shameful infringement of the constitutional right to practice religion unhindered
and unrestricted, he said as he gave the
institution a seven-day notice to reopen the
musallah (prayer room) or face legal action.
The prayer room in Hall 20 (Box) has for almost 20 years served as the focal point for
the activities of Muslim students at the institution.

'Stop blaming mosques for radicalization'

Continued From Page 1

government counter terrorism measures should

now shift focus to the social media arena where
many youth are at risk of
being recruited into joining militia groups.
Terrorists of today are
successfully utilizing the
social media and it is
very important for security forces to start monitoring and looking into
these sites, he said.
He noted that radicalization and terrorism is no
longer a national issue
but a global threat that
needs to be addressed
and countered through a
holistic approach based
on winning the hearts
and minds. The government needs to invest
more in the carrot instead
of the stick strategy, he
said as he argued that
the brutal mechanism by
security agencies have
only helped to worsen
the problem.
He said extremist groups
have taken advantage
of social upheavals to
lure youth into joining
their groups and it is imperative for youth to be
rescued from the shackles of extremist through
counter narratives and
socio-economic empowerment programmes that
will better their lives.

Muslim Consultative Council (MCC) executive director

Abdulrahman Wandati.

SUNDAY
ANNOUNCEMENT
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Committee for Dawah in
Africa invites participants for the 7th edition of the
Competition ''The Family and Companions'' May
Allah be pleased with them all.
The Competition is open to all above the age of
20.Those interested to participate in the competition can pick entry forms availabe in English and
Arabic at the Jamia Library and Da'awa office.
Prizes to be won include Hajj trips,Laptops,Digital
Qura'ns and smart phones.
Closing date for entries: 2/6/2015.
FROMSUNDAY
THE QUR'AN
And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way
out. And will provide for him from where he does not
expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed]
extent. (Surat Talaq 2-30

Muslim leaders urged to be

pro-active in national matters
Continued From Page 1

noting that the council which acts as the

industry regulator will take stern action
against journalists and media agencies
who breach the code of conductof journalism.
Do not feel that you are helpless if the
media offends you. Make a formal complaint and the Media Council of Kenya
will take appropriate action against those
who fail to adhere to the regulations, he
said.
In his remarks, the National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF) chairman Abdullahi
Abdi expressed concern about what he
said was the deliberate campaign of disinformation against Muslims by some local media houses and urged the council
to put to an end to the increasing stereotyping of Muslims.
His sentiments were echoed by the director of Al Muntada Development Project Sheikh Abdullatif Abdulkarim who
said the continued of use of terminologies such as Jihadist and Islamist by the
media only help to perpetuate the misconceptions that Islam condones acts of
violence against innocent people.
We all know that the actions of Boko Haram and similar groups are condemned by
Islamic teachings but it greatly offends
us to see these groups being referred by
terminologies with Islamic connotations
thereby giving a wrong notion to the wider public that their actions are sanctioned
by Islam and supported by Muslims, he
said.
In November last year, the Media Council
of Kenya released a report Deconstructing Terror-Assessing the medias role in
religious intolerance and radicalization,
which accused the media of contributing the propagation of narratives that all
Muslims are potential terrorists and Islam
preaches and supports radicalization and
extremism.
The training programme aimed at empowering the leaders on the importance
of the media, its functions and how they
can positively engage with the fourth estate.
Among participants at the workshop held
at Jamia Mosque were scholars, Imams
and leaders of various Muslim organisations.

SUNDAY
SUNDAY
LECTURE
FROM THE
HADITH

Sampuli za majini na tiba zake

Convey from me, even if it is one
verse. [Saheeh al-Bukhari]
SUNDAY
SUNDAY
LECTURE

SUNDAY
Sampuli za majini
na LECTURE
tiba zake
By: Abu Dujana
24th May 2014
Time: 2.00 pm -4.00 pm
Venue: Makina Kibera

Page 2

Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

DA'WA

Welcome Shaban 1436

The Friday Bulletin

Ismail Adam

We have come to the end of the sacred

month of Rajab. Shabn is the eighth
month of the Islamic calendar and considered one of the special months for which
we find particular sunan of the Prophet
(sallAllhu alayhi wa sallam). It is reported that the Prophet (sallAllhu alayhi wa
sallam) would fast most of the month of
Shabn except for the last few days.
Aishah (may Allh be pleased with her)
narrates that Allhs Apostle used to fast
till one would say that he would never
stop fasting, and he would abandon fasting till one would say that he would never
fast. I never saw Allhs Apostle fasting
for a whole month except the month of
Ramadhn, and did not see him fasting
in any month more than in the month of
Shabn.[Bukhri]
Although these fasts are supererogatory
we can see how much importance the
Prophet (sallAllhu alayhi wa sallam) attached to them. We know that when he
was asked by Usmah bin Zayd concerning his observance of the Shabn fasts,
he answered, It is a month that people
neglect between Rajab and Ramadhn; a
month in which peoples deeds are taken
up to the Lord of the Worlds and I would
like my deeds to be taken up when I am
fasting.
This hadith clearly indicates the importance of Islamic months, and living in the
west, Far East or Africa South of the Sahara we must maintain a relationship with
Islamic religious symbols, the Islamic calendar being an important one. Additionally,
the Prophet (sallAllhu alayhi wa sallam)
informed us of matters of the unseen,
namely that our actions are taken up in this
blessed month, and so, it would be sensible to be in a state of servitude whilst being
taken to account.
We also know that the Prophet (sallAllhu
alayhi wa sallam) prayed for Shabn to
be blessed and connected it to Ramadhn
thus informing us of an inextricable link
between the two. He would supplicate,
O Allh, make the months of Rajab and
Shabn blessed for us, and let us reach
the month of Ramadhn (i.e. prolong our
life up to Ramadhn, so that we may
benefit from its merits and blessings).
[Tabarni and Ahmad]
Many people find it difficult getting into the
spiritual state that Ramadhn requires and
complain in the last ten days of the great
month that their month has gone to waste.
A major reason for this it seems is that
they assume that Allh would have Muslims worship him one month of the year!
Whilst worship is a daily affair, Allh would
have us worship more in some months
more than others. Furthermore, the righteous, in understanding the importance of
Ramadhn, would want to be as prepared
as possible, and as a result, would begin
preparation two months earlier in Rajab!
Abu Bakr al-Balkhi said: The month of Rajab is the month for planting, the month of

Shabn is the month of irrigating crops,

and the month of Ramadhn is the month
of harvesting the crops. He also said: The
likeness of the month of Rajab is that of
the wind, the likeness of Shabn is that of
the clouds and the likeness of Ramadhn
is that of the rain; whoever does not plant
and sow in Rajab, and does not irrigate in
Shabn, how can he reap in Ramadhn?
Now Rajab has passed, so what will you do
in Shabn if you are seeking Ramadhn?
This is how your Prophet (sallAllhu alayhi wa sallam) and the early generations of
the ummah were in this blessed month, so
what will you do?
From amongst the forms of preparation
is increasing in reciting the Qurn. When

Shabn would begin, Amr bin Qays (of

the righteous early Muslims) would close
his shop and free his time for reading
Qurn. The notion of excessive fasting,
as quoted earlier, is found in the hadith of
Aishah (may Allh be pleased with her),
that she did not see him fasting in any
month more than in the month of Shabn.
[Bukhari]
Fasting is a great act of servitude and devotion to Allh, and given that the Arabic
word sawm (fasting) means to restrain
from something, it implies the repression
of ones nafs and worldly abstinence out of
a firm belief in the afterlife. Abu Hurairah
narrates that the Prophet (sallAllhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Allh said: The fast is
Continued To Page 5

TAKING DA'WAH TO THE STREETS

Volunteers at the National Archives along Moi Avenue in Nairobi (Above) and the GPO
bus stop in Mombasa (Below) engage with non-Muslims to discuss about Islam during the Global Messenger Day last Saturday. The event was held to create awareness
about Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and also address misconceptions
about Islam and Muslims. Hundreds of copies of the Noble Quran and various Islamic
literatures were distributed during the event organised by the Da'wah Centre.
Similar events were simultaneously held at Jamia Mosque and Pangani in Nairobi as
well as in various countries which included Brazil, United States, Australia and Britain.

Page 3

The Friday Bulletin

WOMEN

Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

The Muslim girls guide to social media

Afia Ahmed

In todays age of social media, theres a

lot of things that can go wrong. Lots of
young Muslims today have the mentality
that if their parents cant see what theyre
doing on social media, then everything is
good. But Im here to tell that thats wrong!
Just because your parents dont know
what youre posting, tweeting, blogging,
hashtagging, etc. doesnt mean that Allah
doesnt know. So check out the tips in The
Muslim Girls Guide to Social Media to see
what some of the dangers can be.
Be nice
This might be very obvious and some of
you might even me chuckling at this, but it
is so important. Many people use the internet as a way to lash out at people on various platforms, whether its Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., especially
because they dont use their real name in
their activities online. Using a fake name
does not give you the right to bully people
or call them names or abuse them in any
shape or form. Its an old saying, but it still
applies today: if you have nothing nice to
say, dont say anything at all. Online bullying is so prevalent today because people
think that they can say whatever they want
online because people cant see who they

are. Whether its to someone you know or

someone youve never met, be nice.
Quit being the haram police
This goes hand in hand with the be nice
tip above, but being Muslim does not give
you to the right to go out and call people
out. You dont have the right to judge, only
Allah does. So if youre concerned about
a friend or family member, shoot them a
private message or talk to them in person.
Dont shame them on their wall or in front
of their followers. If you cant share your
opinions in a mature and sensible way,
then keep them to yourself.
Keep your distance
Many young Muslims today keep their
distance with the opposite sex in person,
but its a completely different story online!
Again: just because your parents dont see
those private messages or those tweets
you send, doesnt mean Allah doesnt. Be
aware that Allah is watching all that you
see and do online, in what you might think
is a very private forum, so be careful to
maintain your distance and be respectable. Use social media to communicate, but
still be mindful of your limits so you dont
cross them. It can be so easy to get caught
up in a fun conversation that seems all fun

Muslims urged to support own education institutions

Muslims in Western region have been
called upon to support the promotion and
growth of education in their institutions of
learning.
These sentiments were made by the Upper Western Kadhi ,Sheikh Shaaban Issa
Muhammad who observed that the support from Muslims and its leadership is a
critical element in driving the growth and
improvement of education standards in
the Muslim community.
Speaking at Makunda Muslim Boarding
Secondary School in Matungu sub-county, Kakamega county last week, Sheikh
Shaaban pointed to several education
institutions from other communities in the
region which have registered academic
success due to strong support from their
communities and said that it was prudent
for Muslims to take similar measures as
this will greatly contribute to the socioeconomic development of Muslims in the
region and the country at large.
''Other communities and faith have come
out strongly to support their institutions
which have propelled them to be among
the leading education institutions and academic giants in the region and the country
at large. We need to borrow a leaf from
them and fully support our own institutions
as this will ultimately and greatly benefit
the Muslim community,'' he added.
The judicial officer said Muslim leaders in
the region should explore more avenues
to support the education of Muslim children to mould them into better citizens

who can serve the community and the nation at large.

Kadhi Shaaban said parents should strive
to ensure that their children received a
holistic education covering religious and
contemporary studies, saying that this will
produce young people who will make a
positive contribution to society.
The Kadhi further called on Muslim parents
to encourage their children to embrace
teaching as a profession as a means of
addressing the shortage of Islamic Religion Education (IRE) in both primary and
secondary schools.
In her remarks, the school Principal Aziza
Ramadhan appealed to well-wishers to
come out and support in the renovation
of the dilapidated classrooms to facilitate
conducive environment for the learners.
''We are appealing to our Muslim brethren,
well-wishers and donors to come out generously and support the renovation of the
school and Allah would reward them abundantly,'' she appeals.
Makunda Muslim Boarding Secondary
School is currently facing shortages of
classrooms as most of them are in poor
conditions, dilapidated and on the verge of
collapse.
Due to poor workmanship, cracks and
leakages have developed over time making it difficult for students to learn comfortably especially during rainy seasons
and scorching sun. The school has a population of over 400 students.

and jokes via Twitter or Instagram, but you

could be flirting without knowing it.
Know when to back out
Online, everyones got an opinion and its
so much easier to express it when you
have a different name or picture up so no
one knows its you. And everyone on the
internet loves to give their opinion, whether its about Islam, current events in the
media, politics, faith, etc. Its easy to get
caught up in trying to defend something
online, but discussions online can quickly
turn into ugly arguments so know when
its time to back out. Backing out does not
mean that you are conceding to the validity
of the other persons argument, but sometimes its best to take a step back rather
than start swearing and becoming aggressive.
Take a break
This can be the hardest thing to do, especially since with were all so connected
to social media via our computers, smartphones, and tablets. But try to take a break
from it! It can be easy to become consumed by social media and spend your
whole day on Facebook or Instagram or
Pinterest, but its important to remember
that social media is not a replacement for
life. Its just an outlet.
So dont let it replace your life and dont
live your life simply on social media. Put
the phone down and put the computer
away and take some time to enjoy the
company of people around you and the
world around you. It can be very difficult
not to eat a meal with a group of friends
and not want to instagram it or see a beautiful scene of nature and not want to tweet
about it, but try. Our life on this planet is
measured in finite moments so dont waste
those moments on social media.
With all that being said, the intention of
this post is not to say that social media
is the root of all evil. Alhamdulilah, social
media has done some amazing things
and has raised awareness on some profound issues. Its a way that we can stay
connected with family and friends from all
over the world. Its a way we can continue
to invent and reinvent ideas. But there are
some problems with it, which is why I hope
this guide on social media gives you some
easy tips to use

GHANIMA Girls Secondary School

SUNDAY

2ND FURQAN CARAVAN BAZAAR

(In aid of Al Furqan towers)

Food sales: Snacks/Biryani/ ChickSUNDAY LECTURE

en Tikka
Items sales: Households/Clothes/
Accessories
Henna application
and Kids
corner
SUNDAY
LECTURE
Date: 30TH May 2015
Venue: Masjid Rahma Hurlingham
Time:10:00- 5:00pm
Support: Donate items and food
Contact 0786283035/0723283035

Entrance Free

page 4

Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

YOUTH

The Friday Bulletin

6 things Muslim families can do to curb Muslim youth extremism

Samana Siddiqui

Angry, disaffected young Muslim men

make up the bulk of those accused of terrorism committed in the name of Islam.
These men did not develop in a vacuum.
They were a product of many things,
sometimes a negative family environment,
sometimes stress and depression, and
other times a cult-like leader who successfully brainwashed them.
Muslim families must take the reins to
stop this scourge and protect our youth.
We must urgently address this issue with
practical, hands-on steps we can implement daily with our spouses, children, and
extended family.
Muslim families, not just parents, but
grandparents, aunts, and uncles, as well,
are the first line of defense against extremism. Here are six ways to start the process
in sha Allah:
1. Practice and teach Islamic anger
management early on
How we handle anger does not just affect our own stress-level and health. Our
children are watching. If we are prone to
cursing, throwing things, or abusing others
when angry, todays sons and daughters
become tomorrows abusive spouses and
parents. They also become the young, angry men we want to lead away from extremism.
When children see the wrong kind of anger
management in their homes, they are most
likely to respond in a similar manner.
If you have an anger problem, read more
about how Prophet Muhammad, peace
and blessings be upon him, handled it and
start implementing the steps today. Not
only did he advise a person three times,
do not become angry, but he gave practical ways to calm down in the face of this
emotion. These include saying, I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan
(in Arabic, audhu billahi min ash shaytannir rajeem), remaining silent until weve
cooled down, as well as sitting down if we
are standing and lying down if we are sitting when we become angry.
2. Spend physical time with them
As countless parenting and relationship
books have pointed out, boys and men
generally tend not to be talkers. Unlike
girls and women, they do not bond with
others or share feelings through conversation. Rather they do so with action, when
they are engaged in some physical activity.
In practical terms, that means taking
your son(s) fishing, playing basketball or
another sport of choice with them, lifting
weights or training for a race together. This
physical activity cements your relationship
with them, in the long term making them
feel less alone and alienated. It also helps
them let off steam when something is bothering them. Dont be surprised if they express their feelings of anger or sadness
during these times together.
3. Teach them Sunnah masculinity
Many boys and men today are confused
about what it means to be a man. There

was a time when it was clear cut. Today, in

many cultures, including our own, it is not.
It is not enough for a man to be physically
strong. He has to be sensitive too, for example. Some men miss the old days when
being macho defined being a real man.
This included being a male chauvinist who
treated women like objects or servants.
Violent aggression is the way some men
respond to this crisis of masculinity. Many
groups that groom young Muslim men to
commit violence are, in fact, macho. They
present themselves are real men on a
mission of Jihad, one that takes the lives
of innocent civilians and violates Islamic
laws relating to conflict.
This is why Muslim families must instill a
proper knowledge and understanding of
the best model of masculinity: Prophet
Muhammad, peace and blessings be
upon him. He was not a dour-faced, abusive, violent chauvinist. Rather, he was a
calm, sensitive, loving man who cried in
sympathy with others, all the while being
able to physically defend his family and
community with bravery and honor. He did
not harm the innocent, lose his temper, or
hit a woman, nor did he waver or cower
in front of the enemy. He was the perfect
balance of strong and sensitive. He was a
real man. And young Muslim men need to
strive to be like him.
4. Make them do chores around the
house
Many children today, both boys and girls,
have been absolved of any type of household responsibility. Parents or household
help are required to keep the house clean
and pick up after everyone. In other families, it is only women and girls who are expected to do so. This practice leads to laziness and a sense of entitlement that will
only hurt our children. More significantly, it
hinders creating a sense of family belonging, which all children need regardless of
gender.
Starting today, assign every person in
your household chores that are appropriate for their age. Begin with only one task
and build up to more. Make sure no one is
paid for completing their work. This is part
of their responsibility as a member of the
family.
How does this help young Muslim men, in
particular? First, it teaches them to follow
the Sunnah of the Prophet, who, despite
how busy he was in the outside world,
helped his family with household chores.
He never thought such work was beneath
him.
Second, it cements a boys sense of belonging to his family. When he does not
receive this in the home, he will seek it
outside in places like gangs and other
unhealthy outlets. Amazing what making
your son scrub toilets can do for his future
well-being.
5. Watch who they associate with and
intervene if necessary
Young people are always on the lookout,

consciously or not, for people to look up

to. They often become enamored of a dynamic speaker, activist, or leader. This can
be good. But it can be bad if the role model
in question is spouting ideas that directly
contradict Islamic teachings against violence and other issues.
If you notice your son saying things that
justify violence and extremism in the name
of Islam, address it immediately. Calmly, without showing alarm, ask your son
where he heard that. If it is from a class or
in a group he hangs out with, slowly begin
to remove him from that context. Do this
by purposely scheduling other healthy, fun
activities with the family or a good group
of friends.
Then, privately speak with the person who
is teaching these ideas. If he is adamant
about maintaining and spreading these
ideas, notify your Imam or a Muslim leader
you trust to address him. Also alert other
parents of boys who are under his influence.
6. Model and teach Islamic stress management
Stress is a part of everyones life, but how
it is handled leads some to success, but
many more to sickness and sadness.
Young Muslims face stress due to the normal ups and downs of their life stage, but
have the added burden of Islamophobia.
Learn how to manage your stress Islamically, and help young men in your family
do the same.

Welcome Shaban 1436

Continued From Page 3

for Me and I will give the reward for it, as

he (the one who observes the fast) leaves
his sexual desire, food and drink for My
sake. Fasting is a guard (from Hell) and
there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast,
and the other at the time when he will meet
his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a
fasting person is better to Allh than the
smell of musk. [Bukhari]
Let us use Shabn to become people of
prayer and fasting, that we use the coming month as a time of rectification and
spiritual rectitude, and we prepare our
souls for the last Ramadhn we may ever
face. Aishah narrates that the Prophet
(sallAllhu alayhi wa sallam) never fasted
in any month more than in the month of
Shabn.
He used to say, Do those deeds which you
can do easily, as Allh will not get tired (of
giving rewards) till you get bored and tired
(of performing religious deeds). The most
beloved prayer to the Prophet (sallAllhu
alayhi wa sallam) was the one that was
done regularly even if it were little, and
whenever the Prophet (sallAllhu alayhi
wa sallam) offered a prayer he used to offer it regularly. [Bukhari]
(www.islam21c.com)

page 5

The Friday Bulletin

FEATURE

Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

The Rohingya plight challenges the popular view of terrorism

Over the past week, the world has finally
awakened to the humanitarian crisis that is
the plight of the Rohingya, an ethnic Muslim population in Myanmar.
With estimates of 6000 to 8000 of them
currently adrift at sea, having fled decades
of persecution in the vain hope of seeking
asylum elsewhere, we have watched in
horror as Malaysia, then Thailand turned
back the boats.
"We have to send the message that they
are not welcome here," said Malaysian
Deputy Home Minister, Wan Junaidi Jafar.
"No one wants them," added Thai Prime
Minister General Prayuth Chan-oca.
And so they continue to drift aimlessly, as
they have done for several months, slowly
starving to death (as I write this there are
reports that the Philippines and Gambia
have offered to resettle some of them).
How has it come to this?
Listed by the UN as among the most persecuted minorities in the world, the Rohingya make up just five percent of the
Myanmar population. Although they have
been in Myanmar for centuries, the government refuses to grant them citizenship
unless they renounce their Rohingya identity and refer to themselves as Bengali.
With most of them refusing, they have
been living stateless and unrecognised.
As of last November, more than 87,000
had attempted the boat journey to Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with than
one hundred thousand trapped in refugee
camps sealed off from the outside world by
right-wing Buddhists.
The Rohingya are subject to a quota of two
children per couple, a limit that does not
apply to the Buddhist majority, and they
have been subjected to such horrific levels of violence that Human Rights Watch
has accused the Burmese government of
a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
It may surprise many to learn that much of
this violence has been incited and enacted
by Buddhist monks. In 2012, the Council
on Foreign relations reported that:
Buddhist Rakhines launched a massive
campaign of intimidation, violence and
outright ethnic cleansing against their Rohingya neighboursMeanwhile, a group
of monks active in Arakan State told the
'Democratic Voice of Burma', a radio station, that people should target Rohingya
Muslims and anyone sympathetic to them
as "national traitors". The monks' organisation also helped distribute photos of Rohingya and people helping them in every
town in Arakan State.
That's right. A Muslim minority has been
relentlessly terrorised by Buddhists, that
religion of supposed peaceniks. Talk about
turning our entire understanding of terrorism upside down.
Most of us would be familiar with the mantra, "Not all Muslims are terrorists but all/

Desparate Rohingya refugees swimming to collect food dropped into the sea by a
Thai helicopter after they were denied entry into Thailand.

most terrorists are Muslims," which casts

Muslims as the primary instigators of
global violence and identifies Islam as the
cause of this violence. Take away the religion, this line of thinking goes, and all the
terrorism would simply disappear.
Even in conflicts such as Iraq and Syria,
where the majority of victims are Muslim,
the violence is still regarded as an expression of Islam. Sympathy for the victims is
eclipsed by anger towards the perpetrators, with the result that all Muslims become associated with the terrorists. Just
witness the spike in anti-Muslim sentiment
in Australia following terrorist activity overseas.
Buddhism, meanwhile, is regarded as the
epitome of pacifism. A Buddhist monk inciting violence by telling his 250k YouTube
followers that once they have won the battle in Myanmar, "we will move on to other
Muslim targets" does not gel with we see
as the rightful place of Buddhism in our
world.
It was far too easy for the world to ignore
the Rohingya for so long because the possibility of Muslim innocence and Buddhist
guilt is too great of a disruption of our understanding of conflict and terrorism.
As it stands, that understanding has it, as
Sam Harris would say, there is something
about Islam itself that inspires violence
and terrorism. That it is unlike other religions, and, although there are many more
peaceful than violent Muslims in the world,
their peacefulness is not because of Islam
but in spite of it.
A Muslim terrorist is a terrorist because
he is Muslim. But individuals or groups
belonging to other religions commit who
commit similar acts are seen, not as representatives but as aberrations. No one seri-

ously blamed the actions of Anders Breivik

-who identified as a Christian- on Christian
ideology.
Nor does the violence being inflicted on
Muslims in the Central African Republic by
Christian militias earn the moniker "Christian terrorism." Not even after one such
militia boasted:
"There are still nine Muslims here. We will
capture them. We will kill them. When we
finish here, we will go to the next village
and kill the Muslims there, too."
The truth is, violence against Muslims
rarely makes headlines in the West unless
it is committed by other Muslims. Christian
terrorism in Africa and Buddhist terrorism
in Myanmar does not fit the script and so it
is largely ignored and assumed not to occur at all (a Fox news anchor recently seriously claimed that the number of people
killed in the name of contemporary Christianity is "zero").
It is far too easy to explain terrorism and
violence purely in terms of religious ideology, especially one as racialised and otherised as Islam. What we ignore when we
associate only Islam with terrorism is that
those who seek to wage violence on other
people will naturally invoke their own cultural framework to justify their actions. A
Christian will claim to be acting on behalf
of Christianity, a Muslim in the name of Allah, and so on.
But when even those who claim to follow
the tenets of a faith based on the principle of ahimsa nonviolence- also engage
in unspeakable acts of terror, surely the
time has come to admit the problem has
to do, not just with religion, but with human
nature itself. Our failure to do so will only
enable injustices like that inflicted on the
Rohingya to continue.

page 6

Sha'ban 04,1436/ May 22, 2015

NATIONAL

The Friday Bulletin

Garissa Leaders fault extension of curfew

Leaders from Garissa county have taken
issue with the Interior cabinet secretary
Joseph Nkaisserys extension of the dusk
to dawn curfew in North Eastern Kenya.
The CS extended the curfew imposed on
the counties of Mandera, Wajir, Garissa
and Tana River following the deadly terror
attack on Garissa University College by Al
Shabaab militia on April 2 which led to the
loss of 147 people, many of them students.
This order (curfew) shall apply during the
hours of darkness, the period between
6.30p.m. and 6.30a.m. for a period of one
month. Under the curfew order, no gathering or procession should have more than
five persons without authorization of the
county police commander, read a Special

Muslim leaders urged

to fight immorality
Muslim leaders have been urged to be at
the forefront in speaking out against immorality in the society and use their influence
to guide it to maintain good ideals for its
well-being.
At the same time, the leaders were called
upon to initiate dialogue and offer guidance
to political leaders.
Speaking to Friday Bulletin, Magharib Human Rights activist Abdulrahman Khatete
said as community leaders, Muslim leaders
have the responsibility to nurture and protect the moral fibre of the society.
''When our society is faced with worsening morals and politicians are not honest
to their people, it is the responsibility of religious leaders to try and bring them to the
right path,'' he said.
The Kakamega based activist complained
that Muslim leaders had forsaken their
roles of being leaders in the society and
urged them to preach moral values, promote peace and integrity to nurture lawabiding citizens.
He singled out homosexuality, adultery,
drug abuse as some of the practices that
needed to be discarded from the society
stressing that the leaders need to take up
their roles to keep the society away from
immoral ways.
There is no way you can ignore Gods
teaching and all spiritual matters and expect to prosper in anything even if you are
a politician, he said.
Khatete noted that these practices have
great effects as they clash with the natural
order in which Allah (SubhaanaHu Wataala) created human beings, causes destruction of families and the institutions of marriage adding there is no Islamic teaching
that allows these practices.
The activist pointed out that there was
need for Muslims to use a religious approach in educating the society on the
dangers of these practices and portraying
a good image to influence behavior change
in the community and the society at large.

Gazette Notice dated May 15.

The decision to extend the curfew, however, drew anger and condemnation from
Garissa legislators who termed it as illegal
and unconstitutional.
Led by Garissa county women Representative Shukran Gure the leaders said
rather than restoring security in the area
the curfew has instead marginalized the
local people.
Shukran noted that the curfew has curtailed the constitutional rights of the people and had brought the whole region to a
standstill with businesses and social lives
being disrupted.
She promised to file a petition against the
interior Cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaissery to withdraw the extension of the curfew when parliament resumes sittings on
June 8.
Businesses are counting losses as our
people are denied fundamental rights to
have social gatherings, do business and
go to their places of worship. We cannot
even take sick people to hospital during

the curfew hours, she said during a graduation ceremony at Madarasatul Najah in
Garissa town.
On his part Lagdera Member of Parliament
Muhammad Shidiye accused Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) of taking over the responsibility of the police by conducting patrols in towns adding that the forces have
taken advantage of the curfew to harass
and extort money from innocent civilians.
The work of the military is to defend the
country from external aggressors and that
should be done along the borders and not
manning road blocks in towns. The police
are better placed to handle civilians than
military he said.
The legislator further called for the monitoring of social media platforms that have
now become recruitment avenues for people with extremist ideologist to lure the
youth.
The leaders further urged the national government to take control of the security situation in the region and pledged their support in fighting insecurity.

NEP leaders want education devolved

Leaders from North Eastern Kenya have
urged the national government to devolve
education in order to salvage the sector.
Education in the region is in a crisis following the mass exodus of non-local teachers
who expressed fears about the security
situation.
Wajir governor Ahmed Abdullahi led the
calls to have education devolved saying
desperate initiatives are needed to correct
the current situation.
Speaking during an education day in Wajir
North, governor Abdullahi acknowledged
that insecurity has dented the education
sector and called for it to be devolved as
way of addressing the matter.
More than 590 primary teachers and 244
secondary teachers have not reported
back to Wajir county. We are now in desperate times and I believe if education is
devolved teachers will be here, said the
governor.
According to Wajir West Member of Parliament Abdikadir Ore more than eighty
percent of the teachers have not reported
back to work in the area. The MP said the
current teachers shortage will negatively
impact on students performances in the
national examinations as they are not adequately prepared. The students are also
yet to start their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) practical papers
examinations.
As part of the plans meant to address the
current situation and uplift the education
sector, the leaders plan to train and hire
their own local teachers. They also called
on students to change their perception
on education and urged them to pursue
teaching careers as a long term solution to

the perennial teacher shortage.

The leaders also blamed education cabinet secretary Jacob Kaimenyi for not doing enough in addressing the ongoing crisis. By all means Kaimenyi should bring
teachers to this area, we dont care where
and how he will get them. Students in this
area also have a constitutional right to
education said nominated MP Abdi Noor
Mohammad.
They urged Kenyans to stay united and
not to fall for the traps of extremist groups
and perpetrators of terror who are out to
divide peaceful Kenyans along religious
and ethnic lines.
In Garissa, the county Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KSSHA)
said the absence of teachers in schools
is a big blow to education and expressed
fears that many schools in the region will
not complete the syllabus. The fact is that
most of the teachers in these schools are
non-locals further worsening the situation,
he said while calling on the government to
enhance security.
The principal of Sankuri Secondary School
Ibrahim Abdillahi called on the Teachers
Service Commission (TSC) to employ
untrained teachers to mitigate the situation. Desperate times call for desperate
measures. Let the government employ untrained teachers and also recall those who
have retired, he said.
Following the November 2014 massacre
in Mandera, the region witnessed a mass
exodus of teachers from the county as well
as Garissa and Wajir who vowed never to
return citing insecurity fears.

SISTERS SEMINAR

page 7

JOB OPPORTUNITY
SECURITY SUPERVISOR
(LADIES SECTION)
Jamia Mosque Committee, Nairobi, invites female applicants
for the position of a SECURITY SUPERVISOR for the ladies
section.
The candidate should have the following qualifications and
skills:
1. Should have some police or security sector training.
2. At least 3 years experience in a security supervisory role.
3. Should have at least a diploma in security studies, social
studies or related field.
4. Should be a practicing sunni Muslim with an upright character.
5. She will be in charge of security at the ladies section of the
mosque and report to the Head of Security.
Applicants CV, application letter and relevant documents
to reach the Jamia Mosque Administration offices on or
before 10th June 2015.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Rohingya Muslims drink urine to survive

Fleeing Buddhist persecution in their home, Burmas Rohingya Muslims, who
were left stranded for a week in the Andaman Sea with no food or water, are
being forced to drink their urine to survive, as they said 10 people have died
so far.
"People are calling out to us begging us for food and water, reported BBC's
Jonathan Head from alongside the vessel off the southern coast of Thailand,
off KohLipe, describing their boat as a "desperate sight".
"There are a lot of women and children on board. This is a very old-looking
fishing boat that's completely packed with people. "We can see there are actually people drinking their own urine from bottles. We've been throwing them
bottles of water - everything we've got on board." Carrying 350 people of the
Muslim Rohingya minority, the fishing boat has been refused entry to Thailand.
An estimated 6,000 Burma refugees have been left abandoned as other countries in Southeast Asia turn boats carrying hundreds of people away, including
Indonesia and Malaysia. The migrants, including 50 women and 84 children,
said they have been at sea for three months. The BBC reporter said that blankets were tied up in a bid to provide some shelter from the hot sun.
Cries of Please help us! I have no water! rose from the boat as a vessel carrying journalists approached. Please give me water!. Described by the UN as
one of the world's most persecuted minorities, Rohingya Muslims are facing a
catalogue of discrimination in their homeland.
They have been denied citizenship rights since an amendment to the citizenship laws in 1982 and are treated as illegal immigrants in their own home.The
Burmese government, as well as the Buddhist majority, refuse to recognize
the term Rohingya, referring to them as Bengalis. Rights groups have accused Burmese security forces of killing, raping and arresting Rohingyas following the sectarian violence last year.
Fleeing state-sponsored persecution, an estimated 120,000 Burmese refuSUNDAY LECTURE
gees fled to live in 10 camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border, according
to The Border Consortium, which coordinates NGO activity in the camps.
Many fled persecution and ethnic wars as well as poverty and have lived in the
camps with no legal means of making an income.
Despite appeals by the UN and aid agencies, authorities in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia all appear to be unwilling to take the refugees. Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch Asia division urged the international community to take an urgent decision to save stranded refugees.
(Onislam.net)

Education our pillar

Ummah Foundation with the help of Human Concern
International- Canada has for the past years given
bursary opportunities to less fortunate students all
over Kenya in secondary schools, tertiary institutions
and universities. There are motivating stories of many
brilliant, but needy students who have been forced
to drop their education ambitions because of inadequate funds or lack of funds.
This Bursary Program has an immediate and vital
impact on the lives of children in Kenya. Education
provides essential security and support to children
who often grow up in very uncertain environments.
Ummah Foundation has taken upon itself the onus to
see to it that Education makes a change in many lives
among the less fortunate.
Currently, more than 200 students are currently being
provided with the educational support from Ummah
Foundation. They are selected due to their vulnerable situations, their level of achievement in school
and their desire to continue their education. As we
have often highlighted in our previous articles, the
program is managed by an education committee who
go through the applications, carry out the vetting of
applicants in a transparent manner and give their
recommendations on the students who deserve the
support.
Since its inception in 2007, approximately one thousand five hundred brothers and sisters have benefited from the Ummah Foundation Bursary Scheme.
Many of those who graduated are now in gainfully
employment in various sectors.
The need to sponsor more deserving students is immense and Ummah Foundation relies on philanthropic well-wishers and generous donors to service the
scheme. The numbers of applicants are increasing
each day and the supply of funds is quite limited that
we cannot meet the incessant demand. Due to this,
the committee at one time resolved that it should only
concentrate on sponsoring students at high school
level. Even with this, the Foundation is unable to satiate the daily applications received.
Your contribution whether monetary, marketing for
Ummah, or volunteering your services to collect funds
from well-wishers within your coverage and links in
your spare time will be highly appreciated
It is our appeal to all to help Ummah Foundation
achieve these noble goals.
Ummah Foundation
Village Plaza, Ngara Rd, Suite 2A
P.O Box 58717-00200 Nairobi
Tel: (+254) 20-2680610/13, Mob: 0734845277

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