ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 1In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

32 Pages Rs. 20 Bengaluru English MonthlyFebruary 2015 Vol. 28-02 No. 338 Rabius-Sani/Jumadil Awwal/ 1436 H

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IINA Report on Literacy

40% of Muslim World’s Population is Illiterate

Jeddah: Illiteracy is stunningly rampant in the Muslim world. Nearly 40 percent, (with varying percentages in the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation) of the Muslim world's population cannot read or write, which means that there are hundreds of millions of illiterates

in the OIC countries, mostly female, according to a report prepared by OIC and obtained by the International Islamic News Agency (IINA), last month. The report showed that adult literacy rate in the OIC countries is roughly 73 percent, lower than the global adult literacy rate (82 percent), and the rate of other developing countries (85 percent), based on 2013 statistics.The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(ISESCO) stated that illiteracy rates in the Muslim world ranges between 40 percent among males and 65 percent among females, with rural areas lagging behind urban areas by over 10 percent. This poses a threat to the development and prosperity of the society and negatively impacts on the ability

to promote and build a strong growing economy and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).In the same context, it was expected that the number of illiterate adults in the world to slightly drop from 774 million in 2011 to 743 million in 2015 (a large proportion of them in the Muslim world), according to a report released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

District Development and Diversity Index Released

The report focusses on assessment of grassroots level ground realities of development.

By A Staff Writer

Bengaluru: The Report on ‘District Development and Diversity Index’ prepared by veter-an economist Dr. Abusaleh Shariff was released here by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddramiah on January 23, at Vidhana Soudha. The report has been pub-lished by US-India Policy Institute and Centre for Research and Debates in Development Policy (CRDDP) based at Washington DC.While releasing the Report, Mr. Siddramiah said the State Government would seriously and carefully examine the establishment of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). Referring to the Report’s content on weaker conditions of the Socio-religious communities (SRCs), the chief minister pointed out that Karnataka will begin survey of caste and communities

in the State from April 11 with the help of 1.5 lakh field surveyors at the cost of Rs. 175 crores. He said the survey was the first of its kind in the State after the 1931 Caste Survey done in the old Mysore state. He said it is aimed at taking the Government welfare schemes

to the really deserving people in the OBC, scheduled caste, scheduled tribes and minority communities. He pointed out that deserving recipients will be identified on the basis of ground level statistics.Dr. Shariff who was the chief author of the Sachar Committee Report, said the Sachar Report was

the first document in Independent India to know the situation of Muslims academically. He said now it has become imperative to assess the reach and effectiveness of Government welfare programmes at the lower level of administration, hence the need for

District Development and Diversity Index (acronymed DDDIx).He pointed out that the DDDIx by the US-India Policy Institute (USIPI) and CRDDP have extracted a num-ber of socio-economic and human develop-ment indicators from nationally represen-tative surveys for all districts of India. The composite index con-sists of four dimen-

sions i.e., economic, enabling ma-terial wellbeing assets, education and health. The results have been compiled in the form of annotated maps, graphs and figures for con-venient use.

Highest & Lowest on the IndexThe Report, for example, puts the

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 2

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UPDATE

Daily Salar's 50 years

A Voyage Worth Celebrating

By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj Urdu Daily Salar completed 50 years of continuous publication. It was founded by redoubtable Urdu writer Mahmood Ayaz in 1964. The reigns of the management passed over to the Al-Ameen Group which acquired the newspaper in 1979 and modernized its functioning and printing. The office moved from Cavalry Road (now Kamaraj Road) to St. John’s Church Road where Janab Ibrahim Khaleelullah Khan stewarded its progress for several years to come. The offices of Salar have moved to Hosur Road that runs along the Bengaluru’s famous Lal Bagh Botanical Garden in the impressive headquarters of the Al-Ameen Group. For the last few years, the newspaper is also published simultaneously from Hubballi and Gulbarga, two cities with considerable Urdu readership. Most representativeHalf a century of voyage is worth celebrating. Salar deserves compliments, for it is by far the most popular Urdu daily in Karnataka and can claim to be the most representative spokesman of the Urdu-speaking Muslims in the State. It has considerable readership in Urdu population in small towns of neighbouring Tamil Nadu too. It has vastly improved its visual

appeal through acquisition of the state-of-the-art composition and printing technology, though the same cannot be said about the layout and designing. EclecticismSalar has endeared itself with a

vast majority of the Urdu readers through its eclectic choice of

content. It does not exercise any selection when it

comes to publishing news about religious, cultural,

educational, social, economic and even political activity. All and sundry groups have found patronage under its news columns. No room for complaint has been provided by the editorial staff. Even photographs are generously splashed across its pages. Startups, amateurs, novices

and entrepreneurs in all fields and sectors receive unstinted support from its columns. One cannot but admire this attitude of dispensing with editorial discretion in matters of selection of news, for a newspaper that claims to represent a small minority—whose

language is increasingly losing its hold over its speakers—cannot afford to leave out any section unhappy. It has immense s o c i o - c o m m e r c i a l significance. Even in matters religious, everyone has access to its pages, regardless of the sectarian affiliation. Its literary edition on Mondays has nurtured good many budding short story writers, poets

and critics and has no parallel in India. Considerable Advt Support

Over the last few years, it has considerably increased coverage of community news within Karnataka. It seems the daily is also patronized by advertisers of all hues. Going by the

limited readership and appeal of Urdu, one cannot but only appreciate Salar’s consistency in matters of content, policy line and please-all attitude. Sustainability is as much essential for media as credibility. Salar has excelled in achieving this. The very survival of Urdu newspapers in forbidding circumstances that surround Urdu

Daily Salar is undoubtedly the most representative newspaper

of the Urdu-speaking people of Karnataka and has vastly improved its visual appeal.

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 3

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SPEciAl REPoRT

By A Staff Writer Vijayawada: The Basha Research Corporation (BRCORP) organized a one-day conference here on Renewable Energy and Environmental Engineering in collaboration with Cafet-Innova Technical Society (CITS) on December 29. The Conference discussed the way to develop Vijayawada as the Green Capital of residual Andhra Pradesh.Prof. Abdul Razak Mohamed, Dean, School of Planning and Architecture said the development of green cities depends on integrating the planning for ecology, economy, heritage, society, and transport. He said Indian cities face a bleak future as development has not taken protection of environment into consideration. Citing the case of Delhi, he said New Delhi produces 3.6 million litres of sewage per day but half of it remains untreated and flows into Yamuna. He said 45% people of the capital were not covered by sewerage system. Vast PotentialProf. Shashi Kumar Gupta, Head, Civil engineering, K. L. University, Vijayawada, said only 16% of the world energy needs were being met through renewable energy currently. He suggested India to go for energy mix as it has renewable energy potential of 2.5 lakh MW with only 32,200 MW installed capacity.

Dr. Ambrose A. Melwin from National Chemical Laboratory, Pune focused on potential for developing Hydrogen fuel for future which requires drastic changes in transportation and distribution pattern.Mr. M. A. Siraj, journalist, who regularly writes on civic affairs and energy in The Hindu, pointed out that the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission is targeting at 22 GW of solar power by 2022 while the installed capacity at the end of 2013 was 2.6 GW. He said the country needs a new policy framework for producing PV cells for solar panel as well as parabolic mirrors and power blocks for CSP technology indigenously. He said though India started early in solar technology, almost 50 years ago, China had stolen the lead and was already producing 20 GW of solar power besides pursuing a target of 34 GW by 2015. 70 Research PapersThe Conference received around 70 research papers on various aspects of renewable energy. Of the 17 presentations made at the conference, the following were adjudged the best: K. Anantha Narayan, Chennai (topic: Regional Energy Planning based on potential of solar PV based electricity for households in Gudiyattam block of Vellore district); Sainath R. Navale, (Drying of Fenugreek

Conference on Renewable EnergyBasha Research Corporation Organises

by cabinet solar dryer); Pavan Pandit, Bhoomareddy College of Engineering, Hubli (Numerical analysis of aerodynamics of wind turbine blades); L. Iyyappan and P. Kasinathan Pandian, Tagore College of Engineering, Chennai (Identification of Potential Wind far sites using interpolation technique with image processing

for Tamil Nadu); and, Akhil Patil, (Performance studies on hybrid solar-wind power generation system).Dr. Raju Aedla of Cafet-Innova Technical Society, chaired the conference. Mr. Ashish Ramesh Jaggi, Research Coordinator, proposed a vote of thanks.

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 4Foundation Laid for Girls Hostel

By A Staff Writer Bengaluru: Foundation stone was laid here for a Girls Hostel with a capacity to accommodate 200 on January 14. The Hostel to be

constructed on a 7,500 sq. ft. waqf land will come up on the southern side of the Hazrath Hamid Sha Shopping Complex. The ground plus three floor building will be constructed and donated by Mr. Ziaulla Shariff, Chairman of the India Builders Corporation. Each floor will have 5,000 sq. feet area.The Hostel will accommodate girl students from mofussil areas, districts and outside the states who take up professional courses in educational institutions in Bengaluru. The need for such a hostel had been felt since long.According to Mr. Shah Moosa, in-

charge at the Hazrath Hamid Sha and Mohib Sha Complex in the city centre, the hostel is likely to be completed in 12 months period at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.5 crore.

The foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister Siddramiah in the presence of Mufti Ashraf Ali Sahib, rector of the Madrassa Sabeelur Rashad and Mr. K. Rahman Khan, former Union Minister.

Mr. Ziaulla Shariff said if land could be allotted for an Urdu Hall in Bengaluru, he would construct its building at his own personal cost. He also promised to donate Rs. 10 crore if proposed Central University in the name of Tipu Sultan was sanctioned at Srirangapatnam, the erstwhile capital of Tipu’s sultanate.Administrator of the Complex Mr. G. A. Bawa welcomed the guests. Bilquis Banu, chairperson, Karnataka State Minorities Commission was also present.

The Hamid Sha Dargah Management Committee currently runs a Girls Hostel in a rented building on Jeremiah Road in the Bangalore Cantonment area with accommodation for 35 girls. n

The Basha Research Corporation (BRCORP) is a conglomerate of the Basha Group which is managed by the Basha Family. It was founded by Dr. Ranipet Hafeez Basha who is pursuing research in Kumamoto University, Japan. It is headquartered at Singapore and has branches in the United States, United Kingdom, Nepal, Japan

and India. It publishes research journals in several discipline of science and engineering. For more details contact Prof. Ranipet Hafeez Basha, basharesearch@gmail.com, address: Basha Research Corporation (BRCORP), H. No 5-5-973, Plot No 12, Hakeemabad Colony, Chintalkunta, Hyderabad - 500 074. n

Page 3 Renewable Energy ...

The hostel is likely to be completed in 12 months

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 5Solidarity for Australian Muslims in Common Prayer after Sydney Siege

Sydney: Several mosques in Australia held a joint prayer session from followers of all religions for unity and fight against racism, and the peaceful end to the hostage episode in a café, Lint chocolate, in Martin Place Square downtown Sydney, by an armed man.Tony Burke the Australian federal member of Parliament declared in a gathering held at the Grand Mosque in Lakmba area west Sydney city last fortnight, for solidarity with the Muslim

community in confrontation of challenges and racist harassment. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed said

in a statement, "The Australian Council of Imams condemns the criminal act and these actions

are reprehensible and totally unacceptable in Islam. Martin Square is the central business district of Sydney, New South

Wales, and has been described as the "financial heart" of Sydney as it includes several important buildings, such as the governor of the state office, "New South Wales" Mike Byrd's and the Australian Federal bank, as well the Australian television

channel Number Seven, in addition to the American Consulate and a number of banks. n

WAMY Organizes Volunteer Program in London

Jeddah: The London branch of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) organised a volunteer program in central London, during which, leaflets highlighting Islam's compassion and moderation, together with roses, were distributed among the passers-by. The leaflets contained a wide selection of verses from the Qur'an as well as from Hadith (Sayings of Prophet Muhammad). WAMY said in a statement that this initiative comes in response to calls of hatred and intimidation from the growth of Islam in Europe, and to encourage people to read more about Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet. The WAMY pointed out that this initiation also comes

after the attack on the Prophet of Islam and the re-publication of the cartoons by the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The director

of London office Belkacem Ekhalch said, the response to this initiative was good, positive, and encouraging from the public, as we explained to them some of the features and attributes of the Prophet, and gave them some roses as well desserts. n

Ayatollah Urges Western Youth to Examine IslamTehran: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged Western youth to examine Islam for themselves rather than swallow prejudiced views, in a message posted on his Twitter account. “The recent events in

France and similar ones in some other Western countries have convinced me to directly talk to you about them,” he wrote in reference to the Jan. 7-9 militant attacks in Paris that left 17 dead. “Many

attempts have been made over

the past two decades, almost since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, to place this great religion in the seat of a horrifying enemy,” Khamenei said of Islam. “Receive knowledge of Islam from its primary and original sources,” said the supreme guide of the Islamic republic. n

Egypt Prepares Largest Encyclopedia of Noble Morals

Cairo: The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments said, it has initiated the preparation of the first and largest modern encyclopedia of Noble Morals (Makarimul Akhlaq), starting with excerpts from Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) in terms of the best morals and

ethics. Minister of Endowments Dr. Mohamed Mokhtar Jomaa has assigned the Dawa General Administration, in collaboration with the Central Administration of Al-Siera/Curriculum and Al-Sunnah at the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, to commence the preparation of the encyclopedia. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 6“You Cannot Make Fun of Faith,” says Pope FrancisRome: Pope Francis said there are limits to freedom of expression, especially when it insults or ridicules someone's faith. Francis spoke about the Paris terror attacks while en route to the Philippines, defending free speech as not only a fundamental human right, but a duty to speak one's mind for the sake of the common good. But he said there were limits. By way of example, he referred to Alberto Gasparri, who organizes papal trips and was standing by his side aboard the papal plane. "If my good friend Dr. Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch," Francis said, throwing a pretend punch his way. "It's normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others." Many people around the world have defended the right of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to publish inflammatory cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) in the wake of the massacre by extremists at its Paris offices and

subsequent attack on a kosher supermarket in which three gunmen killed 17 people. But recently, the Vatican and four prominent French imams issued a joint declaration that denounced

the attacks, but also urged the media to treat religions with respect. Francis, who has urged Muslim leaders in particular to speak out against Islamic extremism, went a step further when asked by a French journalist about whether there were limits when freedom of expression meets freedom of religion.Francis insisted that it was an "aberration" to kill in the name

of God and said religion can never be used to justify violence. But he said there was a limit to free speech when it concerned offending someone's religious beliefs. "There are so many people who speak badly about religions or other religions, who make fun of them, who make a game out of the religions of others," he said. "They are provocateurs. And what happens to them is what would happen to Dr. Gasparri if he says a curse word against my mother. There is a limit." Francis said he was concerned primarily for the faithful, and said he had spoken to Vatican security officials who are taking "prudent and secure measures." "I am worried, but you know I have a defect: a good dose of carelessness. I'm careless about these things," he said. But he admitted that in his prayers, he had asked that if something were to happen to him that "it doesn't hurt, because I'm not very courageous when it comes to pain. I'm very timid." He added, "I'm in God's hands." n

Turkey gets its First ChurchAnkara: Turkey’s government has authorized the building of the first church in the country in nearly a century. The church is for the tiny Syriac community in Turkey and will be built in the Istanbul suburb of Yesilkoy on the shores of the Sea of Marmara, which already has

Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic churches. The announcement came after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met Turkey’s religious leaders in Istanbul last month, and said that no faith that has lived in the country could be regarded as foreign. n

Muslim Scholars from West Africa, Middle East, Join Fight against Extremism

Nouakchott: Some 1,500 Islamic scholars from West Africa and the Middle East have sent an appeal to defeat religious extremists. During a four-day conference that ended in Nouakchott, they encouraged Muslim youth to follow the example of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) by embracing tolerance and rejecting extremism.As Mauritanian Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmed Ould Ahel Daoud said in his opening address, "Ideological deviation is still one of the most dangerous diseases threatening society.""Defeating those who embrace extremist ideology will be possible only by walking in the path of Prophet Muhammad because religious extremists are ignorant and illiterate," the

minister told participants of the 27th international symposium, organised by Mauritania's Islamic cultural organisation."What we are now seeing, in terms of the unprecedented rise of extremism and terrorism, is because of the wrong interpretation of the concepts of Islamic Sharia, which is characterised by tolerance, recognition and acceptance of all other communities and religions," Ould Ahel Daoud added.The killings, wars and tragedies taking place in the name of Islam were mainly due to misinterpretation of the religion, agreed Sheikh Mohamed El Hafedh Ennahoui, who heads the conference organising group in Mauritania. n

King Abdullah Passes AwayCustodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah passed away on January 23, 2015, following a short illness. Crown Prince Salman has been named the new king with Prince Muqrin crown prince. King Abdullah was hospitalized in December 2014, suffering from pneumonia and had been breathing with the aid of a respirator. Since the death in 1952 of King Abdul Aziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia, the throne has systematically passed

down to his sons.King Salman, credited with transforming Riyadh during his half-century as governor, has a reputation for austerity, hard work and discipline.

Born on Dec. 31, 1935, King Salman is the 25th son of King Abdul Aziz. He was appointed governor of Riyadh province at the age of 20. He was appointed minister of defense in 2011. n

King Abdullah King Salman

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 7MEn, MiSSion AnD MAchinES

Solar-Powered Pest TrapperSolar-Powered Pest TrapperA former IT engineer has developed a pest trapper powered by sunlight.Pests and insects are enemies

of crops. Conventional pest management has relied on pesticides and insecticides which besides involving expenses, leave their residue on fruits and vegetables leading to harmful effects on those who consume them. Mr. Abdul Kadhar, who was trained and worked as an engineer, has developed a ‘Solar Pest Trapper’ that is environment-friendly and has not much recurring cost.Kadhar had earlier worked as an IT engineer with several firms in Germany, Saudi Arabia and with Honeywell in Bengaluru, altogether for 11 years. He quit the job due to health issues two years ago and took up residence in Puducherry and began exploring prospects for entrepreneurship. He told Islamic Voice that greenery and agricultural fields attracted him. He came face to face with pest problem while learning vermicompost at

the Auroville. This made him study the behavior of pests and urged him to develop a solution. He studied a lot of borers, moths, wasps, nymphs, hoppers, lead folder insects in fields of paddy, sugarcane, vegetables, and orchards of mango, coconut tea, pomegranate, jasmine etc in Tamil Nadu villages around Puducherry. Powered by Sunlight‘Solar Pest Trapper’ was the outcome of three and half years of constant effort. He set up a small unit named Sustainable Agriculture Farming System at Puducherry. Kadhar’s device uses an 18 by 18 centimeter solar panel which is

just 27 millimeter thickness and weighs about four kilos. Priced at Rs. 2,625 a piece, this 43-year

old entrepreneur has field-tested the device for its effectiveness at several locations. It is a low 3-watt and 6 volt panel and is capable of killing a minimum of 100 pests a day.

Doing away with PesticidesAccording to Kadhar, the device

begins operating immediately after dusk when the pests become active and gets automatically

switched off around midnight after five hours of operation. The system is operated by a microcontroller chip. The device uses LED light with low ultraviolet emission. By installing one device in a 10-acre field, it traps at least 10 adult pests a day. By

doing away with use of chemicals and pesticides, it helps the farmers avoid harmful effects as well as the spares them the recurring cost of pesticides. It can bring down the pest management by 50 per cent. Kadhar says if it can kill one adult insect a day, it translates into checking reproduction of 300

of its progeny in a year.Kadhar has approached Annamalai Agricultural University and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore for testing of his device in trial farms maintained by them in two seasons. He invested around Rs. 28 lakhs for his studies, research and development of the device and has sold several such devices to farmers. He says the device is easily portable across the farms.Abdul Kadhar is looking for retail networks that can promote his innovative solar based device. He can be contacted at: 0-9488591915, landline: 0413-2271915, or email: safs.orgmm@gmail.com. Website: www.safsorganic.com.(As told to Maqbool Ahmed Siraj)

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 8FAcE To FAcE

Interview: Iranian Sunni Leader Nazir Salaami

‘No Discrimination against Sunnis in Iran’By Abdul Bari Masoud

New Delhi: Asserting that there is no discrimination against Sunnis in Iran, Maulana Nazir Ahmad Salaami, who is the lone Sunni member of the influential religious body ‘Majlis-e- Khabargaan Rehbari’, i.e., Guidance Council, said the majority Shias and the minority Sunnis were living in peace and amity in Iran and an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence prevailed in Iran.Salaami was in Delhi recently to attend the celebration of Hafta-e-wahdat on the eve of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. Talking to Islamic Voice on a range of issues here at the Iran Cultural House, Maulana Salaami said Sunnis account for 15 to 20 per cent of the total population of the country and of the 31 provinces, three were Sunni-majority provinces i.e. Baluchistan/ Sistan, Kurdistan and Gulistan in the north. He said Sunnis are also in sizable numbers

in at least seven other provinces. Salaami who hails from the Iranian province of Baluchistan, studied in Jamia Karachi, Pakistan and speaks chaste Urdu. Here are the excerpts from an interview:

Q: Why is the Iranian gov-ernment reluctant to permit construction of a mosque for Sunnis in the capital Tehran where around one million Sunni Muslims were living?

Salaami: The government had shown willingness to concede this long-standing demand. However, there were some security issues due to the recent happenings in neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan where Shias and Sunnis were attacking and bombing each other’s mosques”.Q: The government of Islamic Republic of Iran’s follows the laudable credo laa Shia, wa laa Sunni” (neither Shia, no Sunni). But its Constitution debars Sunnis

from contesting the presidential elections as “the Article 12 of the Iranian Constitution defines the official religion of Iran to be Ethna Ashari (Twelver Shiism)?

Salaami : It is not a new provision as it has existed since the days of Shah. It is irrelevant to Sunni population as no Sunni candidate can win the election. One bad-thing does not cancel many other virtues of Iran as there is no discrimination in government jobs

and in appointment to important political positions. The deeni madrassas run by the Sunnis get same government’s grants as well as incentives as Shia madrassas avail. All sects of Muslims and non-Muslims have full freedom to practice their own religion.

Q: Could you point out as to how many Sunnis were appointed as governors and ministers in the central government?

Salaami: I cannot remember any mentionable names. However, many Sunnis were elected to the Iranian Majlis (parliament). Three Sunni members were elected to the 86-member Majlis-e- Khabargaan Rehbari but two of them were killed by militants in Kurdistan province.

Q: How does the Iranian government view the ISIS and the groups like Jabhat al-Nusra?

Salaami: These groups are defaming the fair name of Islam and perpetrating the brutalities against fellow Muslims in the name of Jihad. They are playing into the hands of enemies of Islam. They consist of elements who have gone astray.

Q: Why Iran is supporting a tyrannical and dynastic regime in Syria while she opposes other monarchs in the Middle East?

Salaami: Our leaders have maintained that Tehran is not supporting Bashaar al-Assad as such. We are extending material and political support to Syria because she is the only country in the region which has been steadfastly withstood against the Zionist regime. If militant groups succeed in capturing power, resistance to Israel will end. They are also of the view that Syrian crisis cannot be solved militarily.

Female Imams Act as Mentors for Muslim Women in Western China

Ningxia Hui: The number of female imams, known locally as ahong, acting as spiritual leaders and teachers for Muslim women, is rising in China, especially in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. They have broken through taboos and barriers and won wide recognition among female believers. After learning doctrines and taking certification exam, more than 80 female imams in Ningxia have been licensed by the government. They lead Muslim women in prayer at mosques, teach them about the Quran and Islamic culture and offer religious services. They also mediate domestic disputes and enhance women's awareness of their rights. Female imams are playing an increasingly essential role in improving gender equality, the quality of local women's religious life and social harmony. Every morning before the clock strikes five, 50-year-old Jin Meihua, a Muslim living in Wuzhong, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, has already hauled herself out of bed and walked into her living room. She turns on the lights, opens her Quran and starts to chant Islamic verses.After preparing breakfast for her family, she trots to a mosque a few minutes' walk away to lead a Quran

study class.There, dozens of Muslim women wait every morning for Jin to teach them about their religion. Over the course of a two-hour class, Jin guides them in chanting Quranic verses in Arabic and teaches them

how to interpret the holy scripture. This has been Jin's routine for 18 years, rain or shine.Jin is a female imam or ahong, an Islamic spiritual leader. Female imams and female-only mosques are a distinctive feature of Chinese Islam, rarely, if ever seen elsewhere.Currently, Ningxia has more than 80 female imams that have been licensed by the local government after passing official examinations. There are more than 3,760 registered mosques and 8,000 imams in the region according to a Xinhua News Agency report, and they provide services to the 2.32 million Muslims that live in Ningxia, one third of the

region's residents.Born in 1964, Jin was forced to drop out of education after she completed middle school due to her family's poverty. She married at 18 and had three children before she turned 30.

She tried hard to be a responsible wife and mother, but felt empty."I felt so depressed. As a woman, I was told not to do this and not to do that. I could not work. I could not go to mosques. I wanted to know exactly what I can do and what I cannot do as a Muslim woman, and not

just be told by other people," Jin told the Global Times.Like many other Muslim women, Jin started chanting Quranic verses when she was a child. But she had no idea what the scripture actually meant.To understand the Quran, she would have to learn Arabic. She begged an elderly imam for permission to study in the mosque. He agreed to teach her.Her path to becoming an imam was not easy. Many people, including her husband, encouraged her to give up. "I thought about giving up. I wanted to hide deep under a mountain and cried out when I was struck by too much pressure, but

woMEn in iSlAM

They lead Muslim women in prayer at mosques

An Auto Driver with a Heart of Gold

FRoM hERE & ThERE

Female Imams Act as Mentors for Muslim Women in Western China

my desire to help other women who lived in the same misery as me kept me going," Jin said.Jin took the imam examination organized by the local government in 1996, together with 400 men. She was one of only four women taking

the exam.Now, Jin has been an imam for 18 years and has tutored hundreds of female students. Some of her students have followed in her footsteps and become imams themselves.

(www.globaltimes.cn)

Abul Hassan drives poor people, pregnant women, patients and pensioners

free of cost in his auto and buries or cremates forlorn bodies with his expenses.

By P. Ram Mohan “Live simply, think highly” – this quotation is not from a philosopher or a highly educated person, but by

a common man and autorickshaw driver – Abul Hassan, who is known as ‘Armoor Gandhi’.He does not agree that his selfless

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ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 9Charlie Hebdo’s Defamatory Cartoons

FocUS

Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) Needs No AvengerFor young men and women who want to defend their beloved Prophet, they should study his life better and

understand how he himself responded to similar attacks against his name. The Prophet was hurt and insulted. He faced the worst kind of ridicule, but what was his response?

By Amal Al-Sibai It is all over the news. Masked gunmen raided and attacked Charlie Hebdo’s offices in Paris, allegedly yelling “Allah u Akbar” as they murdered the editor of the magazine and 11 others.Some news reports have stated that the gunmen said after the attack that they had “avenged the Prophet Muhammad”. It does not take a brilliant scholar or a theologian or someone with a PhD in Islamic law to deduce that these men (despite their erroneous statements) do not represent Islam, and they have deterred from the sensible, judicious, and peaceful way of the very man who they claim to defend.Every fair person who is not a hate-monger acknowledges that it is not the religion of Islam that calls for acts of violence. I am appalled and I cringe every time I read their statements, which are completely false, and in more than one way.First of all, murder is a crime; a major sin in Islam, and is strictly forbidden. Under no circumstance is it permissible for any Muslim to take the life of another human being, unless in self-defense or if they are soldiers fighting in open war on the battle field or as corporal punishment for murder that was reached as the verdict after a fair judicial trial (and of course there is a long legal process for that).Islamic law does not allow Muslims to take up arms and go shoot people who have insulted their religion.

Who has appointed these gunmen as the avengers of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)? And does Prophet Muhammad need anyone to avenge him?The French magazine, Charlie Hebdo, is a satirical magazine that has repeatedly published defamatory remarks and images of Prophet Muhammad. As Professor Nouman Ali Khan so eloquently said, “We need to understand that none can take away the honour of the Prophet, it was given to him from above, from God. Nothing on earth can take it away, no article, no cartoon, no film, and no hate speech. It is not going to take away the dignity of our Prophet. Such depictions are futile and wasteful attempts to try to undermine the message of Islam and to misrepresent Islam.”“Muslims reacting in such an angry manner and engaging in senseless violence is what is misrepresenting Islam,” he added.We all remember the outrage in the Muslim world that ensued after the release of the film entitled “Fitna” (sedition) in 2008. A Dutch politician, Arnoud van Doorn, helped in the production and release of this film, which depicted Islam as evil and extreme.A few years after the film’s release, Doorn converted to Islam, performed the Haj (pilgrimage), and visited the grave of Prophet Muhammad, where he wept out

of remorse for being involved in that film.In an article in the Huffington Post, Arnoud van Doorn is quoted as saying, “I have heard so many negative stories about Islam, but I am not a person who follows opinions of others without doing my own research. Therefore, I have actually started to deepen my knowledge of the Islam out of curiosity.”Arnoud van Doorn has said that he bitterly regrets his actions and wants to make amends by producing a film showing Islam in a positive light. Thank God nobody killed him for his involvement in that defamatory film!If Muslims truly have zeal and love for Islam, they should try

their best to behave towards

people of other faiths with decency, respect, and exemplary

kindness. By educating, rather than killing others, we may be the vehicle that God uses to guide them to Islam, rather than away from.The Prophet opted for giving guidance and knowledge to others more than drawing the sword. He said to Ali bin Abi Talib, “By

Allah, if a single person is guided by Allah through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels.” – the camels symbolize immense wealth and high stature. This Hadith is recorded in Al-Bukhari and Muslim.Insults and abuse are not a new phenomenon; it occurred directly to the Prophet and to his companions, but their response was far different from what we are witnessing today, which takes us to the third point.For young men and women who want to defend their beloved Prophet, they should study his life better and understand how he himself responded to similar attacks against his name. The Prophet was hurt and insulted. He

was called insane, a magician, a perpetual liar. He faced the worst kind of ridicule, but what was his response?He responded as he was guided by Allah to respond, in the verses of the holy Qur’an, which state: {And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.}Once, the Prophet was sitting with his best friend, Abu Bakr. A man approached them and blatantly insulted Abu Bakr, but Abu Bakr stayed silent and patient. As this man insulted Abu Bakr, eliciting no reaction from him, the Prophet watched on, smiling.When the man continued to berate him, Abu Bakr finally spoke up

and defended himself. Upon this, the Prophet evidently disapproved and he stood up and left.His companion, Abu Bakr, was curious and he asked, “O Messenger of Allah, he was abusing me and you remained sitting. When I responded to him, you disapproved and got up.” The Prophet explained that when the man was insulting Abu Bakr and he remained silent, the angels were defending and protecting him, but when Abu Bakr spoke to defend himself, the angels left.I do believe that there are divine angels that are protecting the message of Islam and the honour of the earliest great men and women who endured so much hardship to keep the message of Islam alive.Are Muslims expected to be silent or unconcerned over hateful remarks and insults that target our Prophet? No. But there are better ways to express concern and pain. Boycotting a certain defamatory publication or organizing a campaign or being proactive and engaging in public education about Islam would have been a correct response, definitely not firing bullets at the so-called journalists. Although Muslims have publicly condemned the attack on the French magazine, attacks against Muslims in France have been reported by the AFP. Grenades were thrown at a mosque in Le Mans and a bullet hole was found in one of the mosque windows. A bomb blasted at a kebab restaurant adjacent to a mosque in Villefranche-sur-Saone, and gunshots were fired at a mosque in Port-la-Nouvelle. A boar’s head and entrails were left outside an Islamic praying centre in Corsica. The result of violence is more violence and more hate.

(www.saudigazette.com)

Are Muslims expected to be silent or unconcerned over hateful remarks and insults that target our Prophet? No. But there are better ways to express concern and

pain. Boycotting a certain defamatory publication or organizing a campaign or being proactive and

engaging in public education about Islam would have been a correct response, definitely not firing bullets at

the so-called journalists.

An Auto Driver ...service to society counts as ‘social service’, rather he prefers to call it ‘service to mankind’. Born to Haji Hassan and Basheerabi in Armoor town ( Nizamabad-Telangana) in 1942, Abul Hassan developed an interest in social service when he was 15-years-old. He turned a Gandhian after reading about Mahatma Gandhi in 1965.Interestingly, his late parents were also social workers. His only son Ahmed Hussain, who lives in Saudi Arabia and works as a driver-cum-carpenter, is also following in the footsteps of his grandparents and father.Abul Hassan went to Mumbai as a mason and later to Muscat where he spent eight years as a construction worker and mason. Back home, he bought an autorickshaw and is

eking out a living by driving it.A portion of his income also comes from rent. He drives poor people, pregnant women, patients and pensioners free of cost in his auto and buries or cremates forlorn bodies with his expenses. He feeds at least four beggars at his home every day and as many as 20 poor persons during Ramadan. Every year, he extends financial assistance of Rs.1,000 each to ten poor students and Pratibha Awards to an equal number of meritorious students in SSC. He collects clothes and distributes them among the poor and destitutes. He always keeps a petrol can in his auto and gives fuel to vehicle users free of cost if their vehicle breaks down on the road. He provides drinking water

to passersby by keeping water cans in his auto during summer.He fills pits and potholes on the road with metal and soil and removes obscene posters and hoardings.“Every religion is good. There are only two religions in the world – peace and love and only two dharmas – goodness and humanity,” he believes.Hassan goes around slums and teaches poor students even today. “I believe that to serve people, no post is required. Similarly, we need not be rich for philanthropy, only a kind heart is enough.” He has garnered immense praise from the media and the Indur Apuroopa Foundation honoured him with its Award recently. n

(www.thehindu.com)

Page 8

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 10lETTERS

Patently Biased The BJP-SS Government in Maharashtra has begun its tenure in the State on a negative note. The recently elected Maharashtra Assembly with the new government in power, passed the bill for reservation for the Marathas but neglected the plea for reservations for Muslims. The previous Congress-NCP had issued an ordinance last June—even though it too was a pre-poll sop for Muslim votebank—granting 5% reservation to Muslims and 16% reservation to Marathas who constitute the most dominant community in the State. This has been done despite the fact that the Bombay High Court had stayed the ordinance on reservation for Marathas while allowing 5% reservation for Muslims in educational institutions.While it was not unexpected of a Government that now rules India’s most progressive state going by the antipathy of the ruling combination, it is patently antithetical of a Government that should have remained true to its slogan ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’ (Support for everyone, development for all).Socio-economic backwardness of Muslims in Maharashtra is a stark reality and has come to be endorsed by more than one source. A Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) report had put nearly one-third of the Muslims in annual income category of less than Rs. 10,000 and nearly one-fourth in Rs. 10,001 to 20,000 bracket. More significant were conclusion of the study by Dr. Vibhuti Patel of the SNDT University sponsored by the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission submitted in March 2013. It had noted that majority of the State’s Muslims in the urban areas lived in slums. Given the fact that 70 per cent of the State’s Muslim are living in urban areas—22% in Greater Mumbai area alone—this goes to prove that they are engaged in menial and low-wage work. Muslim children were walking out of schools one year earlier than general population and at least three years earlier than those from Christian and Buddhist minorities. Language too acted as a barrier in accessing better jobs and work opportunities in case of Muslims. Economic deprivation was evident from the fact that their employment pattern is highly skewed towards lower level activities in the tertiary sector with hardly any occupational mobility. The access of Muslims to bank credit was found low and inadequate; the community had one of the lowest monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE), and lowest representation in the public sector employment.A number of other panels such as Mehmoodur Rahman Committee appointed by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh too had recommended ameliorative measures including reservation for Muslims in the State. A Government committed to the ‘development for all’ is duty bound to review its stand vis-à-vis affirmative action towards the deprived sections.

A Muslim Woman’s KindnessI saw an incredible gesture of kindness, reconciliation and forgiveness at my neighborhood McDonald's recently which I like to share with your readers. A man standing in line in front of a Muslim woman in a headscarf suddenly turns to her and starts yelling that "her kind" are not welcome in this country. He went on a mini-tirade against how his values conflicted with the values of her faith and that she should "go back to where she came from". The poor woman in front of us was taken aback by the unprecedented verbal assault, but seemed to remain calm and tried to respond patiently. He ignored her and did not want to have anything to do with it, so he turned around to the cashier and began to place his order. And here's where it gets really interesting: he went to pay for his rather large breakfast meal order when his card was declined, even after several attempts. Talk about karma! He protested to the cashier that his family was waiting for him in the truck outside and that they needed to get on the road and were hungry. He didn't have any cash on him and was trying to convince the poor beleaguered employee to give him his order for free. When that was refused, he began to storm out of the restaurant, ashen-faced and embarrassed - glancing ferociously at the Muslim woman behind him as he brushed past her. And here's where my faith in humanity was reassuringly restored: the Muslim woman immediately pulls out her

card, pays for his order and tells the man: "Hey, I've got your order. Don't leave yet"! The man turned around in shock just as he was about to exit the restaurant and stood at the door sheepishly, not knowing what to do or what to say. Not only that, but the cashier was so genuinely surprised by this woman's sudden and spontaneous gesture that he gave her his employee discount on the order and winked at her that he appreciated what she had just done. When the order was ready, the Muslim woman carried it over to the man who had verbally accosted her just moments ago, gave it to him and said: "I wouldn't feel good about myself if my neighbor started his day hungry while I was full, so here you go. You don't owe me anything - just pay it forward and may God go with you, my brother". The man looked at her incredulously, mouth-wide open, turned around, walked over to his truck where his family was waiting for him, dropped off the food, muttered a few words to his wife and came back inside. He walked up to the Muslim woman, stood up straight and tall and - to the surprise of everyone watching this drama unfolding - he asked for her forgiveness, gave her a very audible "thank you" for all to hear and leaned forward to give her a big burly hug. He then turned around and quietly left. The entire restaurant exploded with clapping and cheers. What an incredible thing to behold!!Zafar Sadique Choudhury, Austin, Texas, USA

Compassion Towards Teenage TraumasThe death of a 15 year-old student in Bengaluru recently, raises some questions about not just the current system of education, but also the parents’ and teachers’ failure in addressing teenage traumas. Reprimanded by her teachers for her behavior in school, which according to them was “not appropriate,” the girl was handed over a letter addressed to her parents imposing half-day suspension of the girl from the school. Hailing from an affluent family, living in a posh gated apartment, studying in a high profile international school did not mean that the girl was very “happy” and “joyful.” While for the teachers, the letter of suspension may have been just another piece of paper teachers often dole out cold-heartedly to students, for the adolescent girl, it was a humiliation she felt unable to bear. She jumped to her death from her 10th storeyed-apartment window!Do we really care for the psychological traumas, insecurities, fears, complexes, worries, tensions, emotional conflicts that our teenage girls and boys are going through? Most teenagers are not comfortable sharing their troubles with their parents due to fear about “what they would think.” Teachers find no time to understand their students’ psychological issues as they are caught up in their daily schedules of "completing the syllabus". Seeing a counselor to share their traumas is simply too much of an additional stress for the already disturbed teenager.From childhood onwards, parents judge their kids, give them marks about "right" and "wrong", impose unnecessary expectations on them, compare them, label them as “good for nothings” and the child grows up into a bundle of nerves. In educational institutions driven by the current “pressure cooker” system of education, the children have their dreams completely smashed and squashed.It’s time to rethink, impart some gentleness to our dealings with teenagers, learn to understand their feelings and emotions, ask their opinions about which institution they would want to study, and their goals and ambitions. If parents and teachers talk with teenagers as friends, rather than as dictators, it helps a lot in nurturing positivity in their hearts and minds.Our God-given life is very precious. A harsh tone and judgment slapped on a tender 15 year old mind could have dreadful consequences. It’s high time that parents and teachers wake up to these realities and lend a healing hand of love and compassion towards their teenage children.

Paris Attack: In Violence We’re All LosersSeeking freedom from fear and insecurities can resurrect our

basic human values. By Pranav Khullar

Even as news comes in from Paris of gunmen attacking a French magazine office and killing 12 people, I grope to comprehend the minds of people who can snuff out lives —whether men, women or even children. In a story by Krishan Chander, two soldiers are returning home in a pensive mood after world War II . One soldier hopes that someday all soldiers will lay down their arms and refuse to fight. The other responds that in that case the enemy would win. The story captures our innermost insecurities and conditioning of our minds, which would require an enemy even when none might exist. The search for peace is a journey which must begin with a reality check within, of our real anxieties, fears and hopes, and the realisation that these are common concerns.If wars are triggered in the minds of men then it is from the same minds that peace must be resurrected. In Ashoka's rock-edicts, you’ll find one of the earliest instances of an emperor, who, shaken by the horrendous consequences of war, abjured it. Ashoka went on to ban war in his kingdom as a measure of state policy. His inquiry into the psychological roots of war led him to believe that intolerance for the beliefs of others is the primary cause of war, and that hatred can never be appeased by hatred. It can only be appeased by love which is the eternal law. "Belief and behaviour go together," said S Radhakrishnan, " It is this leap of faith in spiritual values which we need to take, to forge greater bonding and brotherhood.

With everyone a loser in any kind of violent attack, the therapeutic balm of understanding and respect for all faiths is critical. The shadow of a wasteland looms large, wrought not only by war but a wasteland of values.J Krishnamurti believed that since we are constantly being conditioned by beliefs, ideas and dogmas, these are bound to cause disquiet. He would cite the example of two boys fighting over a toy, and then going on to fight as grown-ups as well, over new toys of power, position, wealth and ideology.One can learn to de-condition oneself from these external trappings only when one has found the courage to be free of the fear of losing them. The manipulative, restless mind has to be anchored in love and compassion. Only when the desire to dominate the other -- physically, psychologically or intellectually -- is understood as a power game of the mind, will prejudice and bias be extinguished gradually.Seeking freedom from fear and insecurities can resurrect our basic human values. And this seeking need not just be a seeking of the unknown -- spiritual seeking can be rooted in the here and now, in trying to create a better blueprint for living.I try to revive my spirits by listening to Lennon's call to the human spirit in his song, ‘Imagine’ -- maybe a dreamer, but not the only one.(www.newageislam)

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 11Book on Journalist Md. Muslim Islamic Publishing House, Kozhicode has published a book on the life and works of late Mohammad Muslim, Editor of Daily Dawat, the spokesman of Jamaat e Islami Hind. The book has been authored by V. A. Kabeer. It was released by Mr. O. Abdur Rahiman, Editor, Media One TV channel and Daily Madhyamam on December 26. The book carries impressions of journalist Kuldip Nayar, former president of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Dr. Fazlur Rahman Faridi, former prime minister I. K. Gujral, columnist K. A. Abbas, Pandit Sundar lal, Dr. A. M. Khusro, Hakeem Sayeed etc. n

Foundation Laid for South Bengaluru Graveyard

By A Staff Writer Bengaluru: Foundation stone was laid for the fencing wall of the Muslim graveyard for South Bengaluru on January 12. The graveyard will come up on six-acre land which has been acquired. The trustees of the Bismillah Eidgah and Graveyard who initiated the project two years ago, have collected Rs. 1.40 crore and paid the same to the previous owners of the land. Another two-acre parcel of adjacent land has been donated by trustee Syed Noorul Ameen and his brother. Efforts are on to purchase another four-acre plot of land in order that the graveyard could come up on 12 acres of land. The graveyard will have a mosque, modern facilities for funeral preparation and ablution centre for participants.Laying the foundation of the fencing wall, Maulana Mufti

Ashraf Ali advised the people to avoid making pucca graves and placing gravestones. He said extreme simplicity should be observed while interring the dead as was the custom in Makkah and Madinah. He asked the users of the facility not to reserve spaces for the individuals and families as it was against the spirit of Islam. He asked the management trustees to divide the graveyard in several blocks and begin the use from first block. As all the blocks get filled up, the first block should be reused. Mufti Iftikhar Qasimi of Jamiatul Ulema Hind also endorsed the view.A participant in the function, Syed Niaz Ahmed announced dedicating his house in Jayanagar as waqf for the Trust after his death as he did not have any offspring. Trust Secretary Syed Tahsin Ahmed proposed a vote of thanks.n

Alumni Donates Diamond Necklace In a very touching gesture, Dr. Afshan Hashmi, a US based AMU alumna, daughter of Prof. Majid and Jameela Siddiqui, has gifted a beautiful 22-karat gold necklace studded with invaluable real pearls to her alma mater, Aligarh Muslim University. The antique jewelry also includes a pair of earrings and a finger ring.Talking about the beautiful gift, the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah (Retd.) said,

"We have accepted her gift with gratitude and put the set for an open online auction. I recall, in the last Alumni Meet, similar thing happened when we were gifted with two gold bangles, which went for approximately Rs. 7.5 lakhs in an open auction. Of course, in the last case, the highest bidder donated the bangles back to the University which are being put in the University Museum".The Vice Chancellor further announced, "Anyone interested in buying this invaluable necklace is requested to post post his/her bid online at the University website. It may be noted that the University has reserved a minimum price of Rs. 5 lakhs for this jewelry. The jewelry will be sold to the highest bidder. n

Dip. In Functional Arabic

Bengaluru: Arabic Academy here has begun admissions in one-year Diploma course in Urdu language and two-year course in Functional Arabic. Both courses are run under the aegis of National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) of the Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India. Last date for admission isFebruary 28, 2015. There is no age limit for candidates. The course imparts conversational skills in both the languages and is helpful in those aspiring to seek jobs in the Gulf nations. The classes are held in Madani Public School, near Coles Park. Those desirous of joining the course can contact: Muhammad Zameeruddin Saqafi, Near Coles Arabic Academy, 4-G. S. N. Layout, Lalbagh Road Cross, Sudhama Nagar, Bengaluru-560027. Ph: 93417-01352.

Kanakadasa Kirtis in Urdu: Famous saint-poet Kanakadasa’s kirtis translated into Urdu have now been rendered into qawwali style by Singers Babajan and Hussain Sab Kanakagiri. The translation in Urdu was done by Mr. Maher Mansoor, Professor of English at Al-Ameen College, Bengaluru. The Urdu translation was published by Kanakadasa Study and Research Centre.Kanakadasa (1509-1609) was a poet, philosopher, musician and composer from modern Karnataka. He is known for his Kirtanes and Ugabhoga, compositions in the Kannada language for Carnatic music. He used simple Kannada language and native metrical forms for his compositions. He was a disciple of Vyasathirtha and a follower of Dwaita philosophy propounded by Madhvacharya.

Conference on History of Islamic Medicine

Calicut: The International Institute of Islamic Medicine (IIIM), Islamic Medical Association of North America and University of Calicut, organized a three day International conference on 'History of Islamic Medicine" at the University of Calicut from 2nd Jan to 4th Jan 2015. E. T Mohammed Basheer, Member of Parliament, inaugurated the conference. " Ethics cannot be injected through any medicine, rather it should be self-generated and the Quran is the main source of generating ethics in our profession," he stated in his inaugural address. The main objective of the conference was to exhibit the glorious period of Muslim civilizations when Muslim contribution to sciences was at its glorious peak, in the middle ages.

(Reported by Azharuddin Pilakodan)

MANUU MagazineHyderabad: The Maulana Azad National Urdu University has brought out monthly bilingual magazine ‘Al-Kalam’. It has English and Urdu sections and covers news and event pertaining to the University. The November 2014 issue received by Islamic Voice carries several valuable articles on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of Independent India. Dr. Khaja Muhammad Shahid is the editor in chief whereas Abdul Wasey is the editor. Beside Wasey, Amina Kishore, Meer Ayub Ali Khan and Shams Imran are members of the editorial board. It is published by the Public Relations Department of the University. The 28-page magazine is multicolour. For magazine copies: Contact : Public Relations Department, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Gachi Bowli, Hyderabad-500032, ph; 040-23006606.

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 12Canteen Managed by Women

Opens at JamiaNew Delhi: A canteen run exclusively by women and operated by Ekta Self Help Group (SHG) was inaugurated in Jamia Millia Islamia, last month by Salma Ansari, wife of Hamid Ansari, Vice-President of India. The SHG is constituted for women from Jamia’s n e i g h b o u r h o o d under the aegis of Dr. Zakir Husain Memorial Welfare Society (ZHMWS). The Jamia’s Outreach Programme arranged for the training of this group for effective business plan and entrepreneurship. Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia has taken a keen interest in providing gender equity to the campus and this canteen is a major step in this direction. The Ekta Team is comprised of about 20 women headed by Shabana Towhid. It is expected that this opportunity provided to Ekta by Jamia Millia Islamia will lead to economic empowerment and confidence-building amongst the

woman of Jamia’s neighbourhood and integrate the neighbourhood with the University on gender sensitivity and institution-society linkage.

Hindu Woman saves 10 Muslims in Bihar Riots

Azizpur (Bihar): A Hindu woman who saved lives of 10 Muslims in this village in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district during the recent clashes in which five people died, is being hailed as a hero. Shail Devi, a frail widow in her early 50s, risking her own life, gave shelter to her Muslim neighbors when a mob of more than 5,000 people attacked Azizpur Bahilwara village after a 20-year-old Hindu boy's body was found. He was allegedly abducted and killed over his love affair with a Muslim girl. "I provided shelter to my Muslim neighbors to save their lives because the mob could have killed them," Shail said. Shail, a poor woman fighting for her survival like many others in this village, told IANS that she, along with her two daughters stood guard outside her house when a mob was targeting Muslims in the village. She told them that it was a house of a 'Mallah' (fisherman). "I lied to rioters that I had not given shelter to Muslims in my house. Though some people tried to enter my house, but I stopped them and they returned," she said. Shail,

widow of late Jaglal Sahni, has become a household name in the village and neighbouring villages for her rare example of communal harmony. "She has proved again that humanity is still alive, we are proud of her," Arvind Kumar, a villager, said. Ash Mohammad, a man in his 60s, who was one of the ten Muslims whose lives were saved by Shail, told IANS that she is like 'farishta' (angel) to them. "Shail was like god-sent angel to us.," Mohammad said, admitting that all of them could have been killed if Shail had not given shelter to them. A day after she saved lives of her Muslim neighbors, some Hindu villagers warned her that she may be targeted by some people of the mob for doing it. "I was so frightened that I along with my two daughters and a son took shelter in Mohammad's house but after the district administration persuaded, I returned to my home," she said. Bihar’s Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who visited the village met Shail. He lauded her role and also announced a cash reward of Rs.51,000 for her. n

Symposium on Food Safety Rules

It will focus on awareness on new safety rules pertaining to food of animal origin and environmental issues.

By A Staff Writer Bengaluru: Rules pertaining to safety of foods of animal origin are being increasingly enforced by the authorities. It is becoming important that people involved with trading and engaged in meat industry are made aware of the new rules and technologies that have entered the field. The Veterinary College here will be organizing a National Symposium on Safety of Food of Animal Origin (excluding fish) between February 9 and 13, at the Veterinary College at Hebbal in the city.According to Prof. Nadeem Fairoz, organizing secretary of the Symposium, there will be a workshop on Laboratory Protocol for Food safety on Feb. 9 (Monday). A Brainstorming session will bring together vast range of officials. They include Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing; Chairman, Food Safety Authority of India; Chairman of the Agricultural

Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Agriculture; President of Commonwealth Veterinary Association; President, Veterinary Council of India; and representatives from Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UNO; World Health Organisation; International Livestock Research Institute, Guwahati; and MLA Zulfiquar Ahmed Bhutto from Agra who runs a mechanized abattoir.On February 11, there will be session on environmental health and waste treatment from animal and poultry farms and slaughter houses. It will bring an expert from the Netherlands who runs a bio-methanisation plant from animal waste.It will be followed by a session for meat workers, butchers, caterers and all people connected with milk and meat industry.Those desirous of participating can contact: Prof. Nadeem Fairoz, Ph: 99002-60661

Karnataka Minority Commission to Set Up

Legal Cell Mysuru: The Karnataka State Minorities Commission will soon set up a cell to provide legal assistance to innocent members of minority communities arrested on various charges. Commission chairperson Balkhees Banu said, the cell will be headed by a retired Judge and would provide assistance by arranging for lawyers and bearing the legal expenditure.

There was great enthusiasm amongst the students on the opening of this new canteen and they could be seen eagerly trying new dishes on offer.

It may be added that “Dastarkhwan” will build its image through fresh and hygienic food which would be prepared by the women workforce on the spot and served piping-hot or freezing-cold as the case may be, to the Jamia students’ fraternity.

(Twocircles.net)

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 13

Taxi Driver’s Daughter Clears CA FinalAhmedabad: Nagma Pathan was the first person in her family to have gone to school. Now she has successfully cleared CA final in her first attempt.With this achievement, Nagma is the daughter of proud parents who never went to school. Her father Yusuf Khan Pathan is a taxi driver. "Because I and my wife are not educated, I always wanted my daughter to study well. I worked hard to provide facilities for her studies. Living in a one-room house and not celebrating Eid for the past seven years in order to save money so that I can spend on her studies, was really difficult.

But I think, my sacrifices have borne some fruits now," said an emotional Yusufkhan.Nagma, who has fought hard to reach this stage, is of the opinion that Muslim girls should not limit their thoughts to marriage. "They need to change their concept of life, which is not limited to marriage and kitchen," she said and added that her first priority is to secure a job so that she could help her parents financially and to ensure education for her two younger sisters. She further said, "I want to help those poor girls who want to study."

(www.timesofindia.com)

Page 2 A Voyage Worth Celebrating ...almost everywhere, is a miracle. Salar has weathered the vicissitudes with courage and steadfastness. Trite and HackneyedUrdu does not attract the best of talents these days. The wages an Urdu newspaper can offer to its scribes can only be directly proportional to the advertisement support it receives from the community. One therefore should not grudge their financial incapability to retain talent, if ever it gets hired. This has been the bane of Urdu journalism. This impacts the content it is able to offer. Salar has been no exception in this regard. Despite half a century of its existence, the daily does not find itself in a position to pay remuneration to columnists, contributors, commentators and commissioned writers. Consequently, the fare it is able to dole out in matter of views is insipid at best and mediocre at worst. This becomes more noticeable for a Karnataka reader who is essentially bilingual. Anyone and everyone who can produce some prose in Urdu, finds himself in print. As a result, much of the content on its edit page is dull, trite and hackneyed, reflecting

the grievance-mindedness and all-pervasive gloom that most of the mullahs as well as leaders from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are good at disseminating. It fails to offer any profound analysis of political trends, economic situation or changing mores of the society. Articles on religion are totally run-

of-the mill type without any creative interpretation of the tenets for the current age. In most cases, they are recycled year after year for similar kind of occasions. The daily seems to be in awe of the traditional Islamic scholars who show no willingness for any change in the mindset and are status quoists. Publicity OrganAs is the wont of most Urdu newspapers, Salar too has been the victim of its management’s eagerness to use it as a vehicle of publicity. No day passes without

some insignificant function getting highlighted in copious company of photographs. But these sins would have been forgivable, if only the daily had played neutral in crucial issues affecting the community such as crisis in Amanath Bank or

disappearance of the Al-Ameen Islamic Financial Investment Corporation. But most of its readers knew well the limitations that the newspaper had in offering objective reporting on these issues. The general adulatory references that the daily attaches to some of the culprits of these

scams are too well known to expect factual report or in-depth, analytical reviews.Yet despite all these pitfalls, Salar has all the potential to grow into a virile daily, if it could transform itself into a serious newspaper, pushes for change in the mindset, brings in fresh blood, casts out the deadwood and professionalises its structure. This a tall order. Hard decisions are difficult to come by. Not merely the management, even the readers would have to be groomed to accept the change. n

The Daily offers an insipid fare by way of views, comments and editorials. Dearth of talents dogs the Urdu journalism and Salar is

no exception.

coMMUniTY iniTiATiVE

Started six years ago, Educate Girls aims to get as many girls as possible into school so they can benefit from a good education, improve their lives and become an asset to their communities. And what started with just 500 schools has now spread to 4425 schools! Educate Girls started six years ago when Safeena Husain, the founder and chief executive officer, decided to promote girls’ education in rural Rajasthan. She designed a sustainable model where the whole community works hand in hand to enroll girls into government schools. As the whole community was meant to take part into the process, it was meant to succeed. No wonder, the number of school rose from 500 schools in 2008 to over 4,425 schools currently!Safeena Hussain has always been committed to girls’ education in India and has worked extensively in this field even in the third-world countries of South America, Africa and Asia. She was born and brought up in New Delhi and holds a B.S. from the London School of Economics. She has also been elected as one of the Asia 21 Young Leaders by the Asia Society. When asked about how and why she became so concerned about girls’ education, she replied thoughtfully:

Educating Daughters of Rural RajasthanI have always felt that when you educate a girl, you end up empowering the whole society. Educated women contribute to improving the whole community; they have fewer and healthier children, are three times less likely to be HIV+ and marry three years later. ‘Educate Girls’ envisions to achieve behavioral, social and economic transformation for all girls towards an India where all children have equal opportunities to access quality education. We started by reforming government schools for girls’ education. The idea was to leverage existing community and government resources so as to improve access and quality of education for 4 million children living in marginalized communities.“As Educate Girls welcomes all good will, we end up working with a wide variety of profiles. Most of our Team Balika members are young locals who feel strongly about the well-being of their community. They help enrolling girls into schools and assist teachers in the classroom. They usually volunteer with us several years and are well-respected inside their community. We try to open some volunteer positions to students from the cities and get them to participate in our communications campaigns,” explains Safeena.

In 5 years, Educate Girls has expanded from school rose from 500 schools to over 4,425 schools currently!“Team Balika members are educated youth in the village who work as champions for girls’ education and catalysts for school reform. Team Balika animates the principles of ‘My Village, My Problem and I am the Solution’. They are at the core of our work in the field as they spread awareness on the importance of girl child education and strengthen girls enrollment, attendance and school management. We count an average of one Team Balika member per village where we operate,” says Safeena.Educate Girls has achieved tremendous success in Pali and Jalore village of Rajasthan and has recently started operations in Sirohi. In three years’ time, they are aiming at working in 6 gender-gap districts. That means a total of 1.6 million children will be impacted and a whole society will be changed. Safeena elaborated on future plans:Educate Girls aims to get as many girls as possible into school so they can benefit from a good education, improve their lives and become an asset to their communities.It is worth mentioning that Educate Girls has set up a sustainable

funding model that requires 2.41 INR per child at the moment but will only require 1.36 INR in 2016 as the costs will be divided by a larger number of beneficiaries. The initiative is financed by government contribution and private funding (individual donors as well as philanthropic foundations) to manage their large portfolio of activities.In anticipation of rapid budget expansion, the organization has instilled robust accounting, control and reporting systems to accurately measure cash flow, track expenditures and government receivables. Secondly, an impact assessment system has been implemented to track the effectiveness of Educate Girls’ efforts, provide formal reports to current and future donors, and most importantly, enable senior management and the board to improve upon existing implementation by closely monitoring the programs.

A noble initiative like this can never remain unrewarded and unappreciated! Educate Girls is a winner of the 3rd EdelGive Social Social Innovation Honors 2011, The World Bank’s India Development Marketplace award in the same year and the Dasra Village Capital award in 2010. The latest ones include Women Change Makers Award and Rotary’s Anita Parekh Award in 2012. But for Safeena, the biggest award is the public support she has garnered in all these years.We all can be a part of this initiative as well; let us come forward to support and promote Educate Girls. We stand up against gender-based discrimination in education because we can empower the future generation of women in India only if we give them quality education.This was published on Halabol Voices, which is an initiative of Halabol – a platform for initiating change, and reprinted here from: (http://www.thebetterindia.com)

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 14

“My discovery of the Divine has proceeded on a purely natural level, without any reference to

supernatural phenomena,” he says. His discovery of the existence of God, he points out, “has been a

pilgrimage of reason and not of faith.”

book REViEw

Flew’s Journey from Hardened Atheism to Belief in God, is Truly Amazing

There is A God—How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His MindBy Antony FlewPublisher: HarperOne, New YorkPages: 222ISBN: 978-0-06-231295-2Reviewed by: A Staff Writer

One isn’t sure if he was truly at one time the “World’s Most Notorious Atheist”, as the title of this book describes him, or if this epithet is simply a clever sales gimmick, but the late Professor Antony Flew (d. 2010) was definitely one of the most prolific and influential atheist philosophers of modern times. His numerous books helped set the philosophical agenda for atheism for half a century or so, until when, around the age of 80, just a few years before his death, he declared that he was wrong all along about God. No one expected this from one of the world’s leading champions of atheism, not least Flew himself. “It may well be that no one is as surprised as I am that my exploration of the Divine has after all these years turned from denial to discovery,” he exclaimed.Written by a professional philosopher, it is perhaps to be expected that this book seems, in parts, dense and abstruse. But this account of Flew’s journey, from hardened atheism to belief in God, is truly amazing. It was, as he puts it, a “pilgrimage of reason”, leading him from denial of God to the acceptance of the existence of what he termed as a “self-existent, immutable, immaterial, omnipotent, and omniscient Being.”Flew tells us that he wasn’t always an atheist until his dramatic turn-around in his old age. In fact, he began life quite religiously, being the son of an English Christian preacher. He studied in a Christian school, where he attended chapel, but prayers, he felt, were more or less a “weary duty”. “Never did I feel the slightest desire to commune with God”, he says. Gradually, he turned into a convinced atheist, one reason for this being his struggle to make sense of the problem of evil in the world and its relation with a loving, all powerful God. Already at school he had begun arguing with his classmates that “the idea of a God who is both omnipotent and perfectly good is incompatible with the manifest evils and imperfections of the world.” By the age of 15, he had rejected the thesis

that the universe was created by an all-good, all-powerful God. Flew went on to study philosophy at the University of Oxford, and then taught for many years at various universities in the US, Canada, and the UK. In his career as a professional philosopher, spanning many decades, he penned numerous treatises, which earned him the dubious distinction of being one of the leading and most articulate advocates of atheism in modern times.After more than six decades of ardently propagating atheism, Flew tells us—and this is surely the most fascinating part of the book—he experienced a complete reversal of his stance. In 2004 he announced that he now believed in God (although not in any particular religion). This transformation was not, he clarifies, because of any personal religious experience, but, rather, because he had followed where the evidence had led him. He was compelled to recognise, he says, that recent scientific work on the origin of life pointed to the activity of a creative Intelligence, or God. Given the enormous complexity of the universe, the existence of a Creator can hardly be denied. It is impossible, Flew writes, that all of this came about through chance, as atheists insist. “I now believe that the universe was brought into existence by an infinite Intelligence. I believe that this universe’s intricate laws manifest what scientists have called the Mind of God. I believe that life and reproduction originate in a divine Source,” he says, turning his back on years of determined denial of God.Accepting the existence of God now made perfectly good sense to Flew. “The leaders of science over the last hundred years, along with some of today’s most influential scientists,” he writes, “have built a philosophically compelling vision of a rational universe that sprang from a divine Mind.” Interestingly—and this people who unthinkingly imagine

that science has ‘disproved’ God should note—Flew stresses that he had followed scientific evidence, or the findings of modern science, to come to the conclusion about the existence of God. It was, he writes, “a consequence of my continuing assessment of the evidence of nature”, following the evidence wherever it leads—in this case

to belief in God. He had not

come to this conclusion out of belief. “My discovery of the

Divine has proceeded on a purely natural level, without any reference to supernatural phenomena,” he says. His discovery of the existence of God, he points out, “has been a pilgrimage of reason and not of faith.”“Science spotlights three dimensions of nature that point to God”, Flew explains. “The first is that nature obeys laws. The second is the dimension of life, of intelligently organized and purpose-driven beings, which arose from matter. The third is the very existence of nature.”The laws of nature, so intricate in design and so mathematically

precise, Flew writes, clearly indicate the existence of a cosmic Designer. These laws are fine-tuned in such a way that life and consciousness can emerge. Hence, they cannot be taken as simply as ‘given’ and as having no Maker, unlike what atheists argue. Rather, Flew stresses, they suggest purpose and design and indicate a Divine Lawmaker. If one accepts the fact that there are laws that govern the universe, he says, then something must impose that regularity on the universe, and the theistic option is the only serious one. Rationally, Flew goes on, one can only conclude that it is God who creates these laws of nature and imposes them on the universe. The fact that if the value of even one of the most fundamental constants in physics—say, the speed of light or the mass of an electron—had been even to the slightest degree different no planet capable of permitting the evolution of human life would have formed is further evidence of the existence of a Divine Designer. The laws of

nature, and the very fact of life and the existence of the universe can only be explained, Flew maintains, in the light of a Divine Intelligence or God.Following his ‘conversion’, Flew was able to critically reflect on the basic premises of atheism that he had advocated so passionately for decades. Theodicy—the issue of why a good God permits the existence of evil—was one of the reasons that set him, off religion as a young man and turned him into a hardened atheist. Now, he says, he has reconsidered his views on free will and its relationship to evil, admitting that he had not earlier properly considered the various theological responses to

this issue.Another question that Flew found himself compelled to revise his opinions on is the emergence of life. Atheists, he says, insist that we should not ask for an explanation of how life emerged. It must, they say, simply be accepted, as a given. Since atheists do not want to accept a transcendent source of life, they choose to believe what Flew now recognizes as the impossible—that life arose spontaneously, by chance, from matter or that the laws of physics are ‘lawless laws’ that arise from the void. Atheists simply have no meaningful account for the origin of life, Flew says, and their argument that living organisms consists simply of matter does not address the existence of consciousness.Modern scientific findings are making the gaping holes in atheist logic even more apparent, Flew tells us. Atheists have to be embarrassed, he says, by cosmologists who are providing scientific proof for the religious belief that the universe had a definite beginning. Earlier, many atheists insisted that the universe was beginning-less, and, therefore, that it did not have a Creator. They used this argument to deny the existence of God. But the Big Bang Theory has challenged that claim. If the ‘Big Bang’, as many scientists say, actually happened, it means that the universe did have a beginning and that God created it. While Flew was led to recognize the existence of God, it seems that he did not accept any particular religion himself. It would have been adequate, then, if the book had limited itself simply to Flew’s transformation from disbelief to faith. Sadly, though, it exceeds its brief—some remarks by Flew that tend to privilege one religion over others. That, however, should not detract from the merit of this fascinating book and its ready appeal to people of all faiths and none. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 15

Page 21

GlobE TAlk

Time to Rediscover the Spirit of the Faith

Muslims seem to have got lost in the literal world of dogma, leaving somewhere behind the soul and spirit of a generous, powerful faith.

By Aijaz Zaka Syed Of all the angry speeches, sound bites and opinion pieces that the Charlie Hebdo massacre generated, the best one came from an unexpected quarter – Pope Francis. In the face of the west’s chorus defending unlimited freedom and free speech, Pope Francis mustered the courage to argue that there were limits to this freedom, especially when it insults or ridicules someone’s faith and beliefs.By way of example, he referred to Alberto Gasparri, who organises papal trips and was standing by his side aboard the papal plane when he spoke. “If my good friend Dr Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch”, the Pope said, throwing a pretend punch his way. “It’s normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others.”The leader of 1.2 billion Catholics said it was an “aberration” to kill in the name of God and said religion can never be used to justify violence. But he said there was a limit to free speech when it concerned offending someone’s religious beliefs. “There are so many people who speak badly about religions or other religions, who make fun of them, who make a game out of the religions of others. They are provocateurs. And what happens to them is what would happen to Dr Gasparri if he says a curse word against my mother. There is a limit.”The Pope also joined four prominent French imams in issuing a joint declaration that denounced the attacks, but also urged the media to treat religions with respect, disappointing many western liberals and closet fanatics whose concept of freedom begins and ends with testing the limits of Muslim tolerance.In the relatively short period of time since he took over as the leader of the Christendom, Pope Francis has gone out of his way to win hearts and minds and not just of his flock. This is what leadership is all about. This is what men of faith should and ought to do – showing the way, making peace and offering hope and a healing touch.

And what a refreshing change this Pope offers after his staid, rather dull predecessor. This is perhaps because of the fact that he is the first non-European Pope in 1300 years – remarkable for a faith that was born in the east!Francis comes from Argentina, a nation with a long history of western colonialism and

subjugation. So unlike the cold and distant Europeans,

this Pope has no qualms in showing his human side and warmth from time to time.For example during a visit to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, he stopped over to pray at the monstrous, ugly Wall that Israel has built to imprison Palestinians in their own land. An emotional pontiff touched the Separation wall and silently prayed, glancing at the graffiti that voices Palestinian defiance and resolve for freedom.When he visited Jerusalem and the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, he was seen warmly hugging two old friends – Rabbi Abraham Skorka and a Muslim leader Omar Abboud. During a visit to the Yad Vashem Memorial to victims of the Holocaust, he met half a dozen survivors of the Nazi genocide, fervently kissing their hands.As Tim Stanley notes in the Telegraph: “This is a cleric who is prepared to talk frankly and humanely about issues of injustice. His simplicity appeals, too. Often, the Pope is seen boarding a plane carrying his own bag. But when talking to the press mid-flight, he displays a rugged kind of faith that, again, citizens of the developing world would appreciate more than ‘cosmopolitan’ Europeans.“He decried the killings in Paris, but noted that when people love God like a father, they take a risk when they insult Him. For perhaps the first time, many western liberals were disappointed with Francis – for questioning the wisdom of blasphemy. But those who truly want to understand how Muslims feel about Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) could learn a

lot from what he had to say.”His emphasis is not upon liturgical richness but, happily, upon straightforward themes of love and compassion that resonate widely. In the Philippines, street children asked him why God allowed suffering. When one girl broke down in tears, the Pope told her crying cleansed the soul and asked why so few women had been invited to speak.

No wonder this pontiff evokes strong emotions wherever he goes. In Manila, some six million people turned up for communion. It was perhaps the biggest papal mass in history. Stanley also suggests that it was Pope Francis who played a critical role in bridging the impossible, decades-old gulf between the United States and Cuba, earning generous praise

from President Barack Obama.The pontiff also earned himself silent gratitude of Muslims around the world when he defended the Prophet’s (Pbuh) honour with a conviction that not many Muslim

scholars or leaders have managed to.Which reminds me – why do we not see Muslim scholars and religious leaders reach out to the world with such love, warmth and kindness? Especially when Islam is being increasingly monopolised by a lunatic fringe that distorts and twists its humane teachings and

commits every sin imaginable in the name of all that is holy.We never tire of claiming that Islam stands for peace, salvation and universal brotherhood. How many of our leaders, scholars and imams demonstrate this with their actions or even in their speeches, reaching out to the world with the liberal, universal message of the faith?Why do we not see Muslim scholars talk more about the kindness, generosity and humanity of the Prophet (pbuh) that he showed to the worst of his adversaries? Or his emphasis on kindness to women and children and his Last Sermon that celebrates the equality and oneness of humanity like nothing else does?Instead of offering guidance and leadership to the faithful in these most trying times and in confronting challenges such as extremism and ignorance, our scholars spend much of their time obsessing over frivolous, non-issues. From issuing fatwas on

The pontiff earned himself silent gratitude of Muslims around the world when he defended the Prophet’s

(Pbuh) honour with a conviction that not many Muslim scholars or leaders have managed to. Why do we not see Muslim scholars and religious leaders reach out to

the world with such love, warmth and kindness?

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 16PEoPlE

B.S.A. Abdur RahmanNoted philanthropist, businessman and founderof B. S. Abdur Rahman University,

Janab B. S. Abdur Rahman passed away in Chennai on January 7 after prolonged illness. He was 88.Member of Tamil Muslim family from coastal town of Kilakkarai, Abdur Rahman sahib has left a rich legacy of philanthropy. Though little educated himself,

Rahman Sahib was a man with great vision and immense zeal. He took up the family’s pearl trade in Colombo and moved on to setting building and construction business. He moved incessantly between important trading cities. He was early to arrive in Dubai even while it was known only as a small port for seafaring and dhows and set up Ascon which built all the important buildings of the Emirates. He would set up all such businesses that were related with construction such as air-conditioning, cables, lifts, brick kilns, petrol bunks etc. Several of the Chennai’s landmark buildings such as Cricket Stadium, new Lighthouse, Gemini Flyover and Valluvar Kottam (Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s memorial in Kodambakkam)

Obituary were constructed by East Coast Constructions, a company established by him.He was the main contributor to the construction of Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong. He set up businesses all over the major cities in India, Gulf, the United Kingdom, the United States. He personally donated Rs. 2.5 crore for the construction of India Islamic Cultural Centre on Lodhi Road in Delhi and collected

another Rs. 1.5 crore from others. He also set up the 100-bed Yusuf Zulaikha Hospital in Kilakkarai in Ramanad district of Tamilnadu.He started the Crescent Engineering College in Vandaloor near Chennai in 1984 which later became the epicenter of the B. S. Abdur Rahman University and founded nearly 14 schools and colleges which also include Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women in Kilakkarai. It is named after his sister.“Rahman sab was highly pragmatic while being entirely transparent and moved with amazingly great speed”, says Ibnu Saud, social

activist from Chennai. “Crescent College was one of the first 14 self-financing engineering colleges to be set up in the State by him,” recalled S. Mohamed Tajuddin, Director of Placement. Capt. N. A. Ameer Ali who spent several year working on

educational projects with Abdur Rahman Sahib, says he accepted no excuses and went on with his work. Yusuf “He was an affectionate person who built people. The University is in the

hands of qualified professionals as he promoted excellence. Our university has more women faculty than men,” said Prof. Arockiadoss.He has left a business empire which may be worth over Rs. 10,000 crore today. The enterprises set up by him employ over 7,000 persons. Of his four sons, Arif, the eldest looks after the operations in Dubai. Second son Abdul Qadir is in-charge of the B. S. A. Rahman University in Vandaloor, Chennai. Third son Ashraf is managing the 1,200 MW thermal power plant at Tuticorin which was set up at an estimated cost of Rs. 7,000 crore. Fourth son Khalid is looking after businesses in Chennai. He is also survived by two daughters and wife Dr. Rahmathunnisa.

? B. S. A. Rahman founded 14 educational institutions including the B. S. A. Rahman University. The business

empire left by him is worth more than Rs. 10,000 crore.

ObituarySaiyid Hamid New Delhi: Saiyid Hamid, former Indian Civil Services (ICS) officer and former Vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University died at the age of 95 in Majidia Hospital of Jamia Hamdard on December 29, 2014.One of the last surviving officers of the British trained ICS cadres, Saiyid Hamid came to prominence with his appointment as vice chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University on June 1, 1980. He brought in sweeping reforms in the AMU and struck heavily against the vested interests who had made the university hostel its den for nefarious activities. Prior to his arrival, students from former feudal (zamindar) families of Uttar Pradesh used to occupy

hostels for decades together enrolling themselves in courses like Bachelor of Law, Education, History and Islamic Studies with no intention to seriously pursue academics. He wielded the broom mercilessly and students brought in regulation that made it impossible

for non-serious students to enroll for a professional course after another. It required them to leave the university and come after passage of another year. This had the effect of hostels—providing most inexpensive food and

accommodation—being vacated by anti social elements who indulged in politics, ragging and running other rackets. The measure introduced a lot of discipline and seriousness in academics and enabled the University to make some grade among the Central Universities.Saiyid Hamid also served as

MANUU

Zafar Sareshwala Appointed New ChancellorZafar Sareshwala, the Muslim businessman from Ahmedabad and a close confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been appointed the Chancellor of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. Sareshwala who heads the Parsoli Corporation Limited, an investment and trading company, told a meeting of the staff in a closed-door meeting that building bridges is important for both the community and the BJP-led government. "Modi is a reassuring figure for Muslims not the BJP yet. But then you can't have a democracy where 15% people are alienated from you," said the CEO and MD of Parsoli Corporation. "Modi has been saying that Musalman ko padhao aur badhao (educate Muslims and promote them). He says Muslims have many problems and if we control

one, everything will fall in place," the 52-year-old industrialist told the India Abroad News Service in Hyderabad.When asked "What did Modi do?, Zafar said, “Have you ever heard Modi saying a word about those people. No. He did something different. He developed Gujarat

as a model state. You can't deny the fact that the growth of Muslims in Gujarat has been phenomenal. In fact the kind of growth which we have seen in Muslims post 2002 was never seen prior to that for 40 years. By doing that, Muslims grew and Gujarat

also grew. Automatically these voices became irrelevant."

Shabbir Dhankot from Chennai emerged the silver medal winner, first ever for India, of Asian Ten Pin Bowling championship on January 18 at Bangkok. The 26-year bowler totaled 1,396 points only six points behind the gold medal winner, Yusuke Yamamaoto. Kuwait’s Mostafa Al Mousawau, with 1,396 pinfalls, lifted the bronze.

Riot Accused is AMU Court MemberAligarh: BJP Lok Sabha member and Muzaffarnagar-riots accused Kunwar Bhartendra Singh, who was elected to the Aligarh Muslim University court in the second week of January has said that he will raise the issue of welfare of the students of the university in Parliament.Six Lok Sabha members, including four BJP legislators, were elected to the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) court, the supreme governing body of the varsity. The new members include Kunwar Bhartendra Singh, Satish Kumar Gautam, Rajveer Singh, and Bhola Singh of BJP, Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser of LJP and Badaruddoza Khan of CPI(M) and have been elected for a period of three years, commencing from December 19 last year. The members will have a term of three years at the AMU Court, unless their term in the Lok Sabha ends before that. There are a total of 180 members in the Court. “I will work for the Uniy” "I am happy for my selection in the university court. The party has given me an opportunity to work for the university," he said, adding, he will try to avail financial aid from the central government for the upliftment of education in the university.Bhartendra Singh, MP from Bijnore, is an accused in Muzaffarnagar riots and was released on bail in two cases which are pending in court.

member of the Sachar Committee, Maulana Azad Foundation, editor of the Nation and the World, Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, Delhi and pro-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.Mr. Hamid served every institution with sincerity, honesty and extreme dignity. He was born in 1920 in Faizabad of Uttar Pradesh. After retirement from Aligarh, he moved to the Jamia Hamdard and became a close confidant of Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the chief mutawalli and founder of Jamia Hamdard and Taleemabad educational complexes. He also stewarded the Hamdard Study Circle and Hamdard Public School on the path of progress at the Taleemabad campus for nearly three decades.His wife died two years ago. He is survived by his son and two daughters. He was laid to rest in the famous Panj Peeran Qabrastan in the Basti Nizamuddin in New Delhi.His passing away has left a deep void in Delhi’s Muslim life as people often looked up to him for guidance in educational field.

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 17oPinion

Analyzing Present-Day Muslim Militancy

An Un-Islamic Political Ideology What is wrong with the present-day Muslims is that they have given the name of jihad to their militancy

to seek justification for their militant activities. The need of the hour is to correct this self-styled interpretation of Islam and then everything will fall into place.

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

On November 2, 2014, a deadly suicide bomb blast took place at the Wagah border in Pakistan. The attack left more than 60 dead and about 200 injured. Why should there be news of this kind from Muslim countries? Obviously, the purpose of this violence is to achieve some goal. But, whatever may be the goal, the violent method has become quite irrelevant in present times. The violent method was relevant in previous centuries when people lived in a tribal culture. But now we are living in the age of freedom and science. Now, the peaceful approach is far more effective than violence. But, it seems that Muslims are still beset by outdated tribal obsessions and are totally unaware of the fact that times have changed and that peaceful methods have replaced violent methods.The peaceful approach is far more effective than violence. It is a fact that no religion, including Islam, advocates terrorism or militancy. Islam is a religion of peace. All the teachings of the Quran are based on peace, either directly or indirectly. For example, there is a very relevant verse in the Quran that tells us that the peaceful way is the best one ( Quran:Verse 4: 128). Moreover, Islamic teachings are very clear with regard to the sanctity of life. Another Quranic verse says:Whoever killed a human being—except as a punishment for murder or for spreading fasad (disorder) in the land shall be regarded as having killed all mankind. (Quran: Verse: 5: 32).

According to this verse, life is the greatest right of every human being. No one is allowed to take away a life, except by way of a judicial verdict that is issued after passing through the due processes of law.There is the widespread notion that Islam promotes violence. However, this is the result of sheer misunderstanding. The

reason is that people fail to differentiate between

Muslims and Islam. All these violent activities we hear of today are launched by Muslims. It is a fact that Muslims are engaged in militancy in the name of Islam. It is the present Muslim community which is to blame and not the religion of Islam. This is an example of the exploitation of Islam and not of the following of Islam.Under the influence of certain thinkers who have interpreted Islam in political terms, a number of Muslims are obsessed with the politicized ideology of Islam. They have come to believe in the concept of establishing an Islamic system in the world; for this they require political power, but when they set out to establish this system, they see that a group is already occupying the political seat. So, they try to overthrow or unseat those who are in possession of political power.It is this thinking that has led Muslims to perpetrate violence. But this thinking is completely un-Islamic, because Islam enjoins on its followers to follow its teachings

at the individual level, rather than foisting them on others by force or violence. The need of the hour is to counter this problem. However, it cannot be countered by means of the gun. Modern Muslim militancy can be eradicated only by providing a counter-ideology. The issue of terrorism is an issue of ideology versus ideology and not one of ideology versus the gun or ideology versus education. The right course is to re-engineer the

modern Muslim mind. We should present to them the true ideology of Islam based on peace and tolerance. The real Islamic jihad is based on peace and spirituality. Therefore, the problem of Muslim militancy can be solved only by reviving the real Islam and not by taking recourse to any other means.We have to present Islam as a religion of peace. Changing minds through this method of education will take considerable time, as it is a long-term method. Countering the problem with the gun cannot make those who are engaged in violence abandon their violent ways. Because these people are engaged in violence in the name of Islam, they can be stopped from indulging in such activities only if the true peaceful nature of Islam is shown to them.The veracity of this method can be judged from the example of Kashmir. After Independence, militancy became widespread among Kashmiri Muslims. We, at the Centre for Peace and Spirituality, quietly disseminated

peaceful literature among Kashmiris and today militancy in Kashmir has reduced considerably. The same literary campaign is required in other militancy-affected areas.Then, there is the question of why religions advocate peace and not violence. The reason is very clear. The objective of religion, including Islam, is to bring about reform in the individual and not in the political system. And, any kind of spiritual or intellectual change can be brought about in an individual only when he is addressed peacefully. Only those who have set political targets for themselves engage in violence, and since religions do not have any political target, they do not enjoin

violence. Islam has adopted a very practical formula in this matter; that is, idealism at the level of the individual and pragmatism at the level of society.There is a prophetic saying that Muslims will indulge in un-Islamic activities in their later generations. The Prophet was asked how this would happen. The Prophet answered that Muslims would give Islamic names to non-Islamic activities. What is wrong with the present-day Muslims is that they have given the name of jihad to their militancy to seek justification for their militant activities. The need of the hour is to correct this self-styled interpretation of Islam and then everything will certainly fall into place. n

We have to present Islam as a religion of peace. Changing minds through this method of education

will take considerable time, as it is a long-term method. Countering the problem with the gun

cannot make those who are engaged in violence abandon their violent ways.

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 18In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Facing the Day of Decision

“We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play. We created them all for nothing other than a true purpose, but most of them do not understand. The Day of Decision is the time appointed for all of them. It is a day when no friend shall be of the least avail to his friend, and when none shall receive support except those upon whom God will have bestowed His grace and mercy. He alone is the Almighty, the Ever-Merciful.”

(Smoke: Al-Dukhan: 44: 38-42)

The surah speaks of the people of Arabia at the start of the Islamic message. They used to deny the resurrection and life after death. The surah reminds them of the fate of the people of Tubba, who lived in southern Arabia. The surah makes only a very brief reference to them, giving no details of what they did or how they transgressed.

What is of interest is only their fate, and it must have been well known to the Arabs who were the first to be addressed by the Qur’an. It was enough only to mention them in order to revive feelings of dread among the Arabs.As this reminder makes them shudder, they are called upon to reflect on the perfect design of the

heavens and earth, and how the universe is finely balanced and well planned, indicating that it is deliberately made in this way for a particular purpose: “We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play. We created them all for nothing other than a true purpose, but most of them do not understand.” There is a fine and delicate relation between the creation of the heavens, the earth and all that is in between them on the one hand and the question of resurrection and accountability on the other. Human nature can easily understand this when attention is drawn to it in the way described here.Such reflection should take into account the creation of the universe, what it points to of elaborate planning, wise purpose, perfect balance and harmony, the creation of everything in accurate measure and quantity, placing it thus in harmony with everything around it. Such reflection undoubtedly leads to the conclusion that everything is created on purpose. No coincidence or carelessness is allowed in any aspect, major or trivial, of the design of the huge celestial bodies or the small, fine creatures living on them. Thus, we realize that the universe is created for a purpose, which means that nothing of it is the result of idle play; and that it is based on the truth, which means that no falsehood is allowed to

infiltrate it. We further realize that it must have an end, which does not occur at the point of death after a short journey on earth. Logically speaking, a second life, when reward and punishment are administered, is inevitable, so that good and evil come to their natural ends. Man has been so created as to be susceptible to both tendencies of good and evil. It is through his will and effort that he chooses one or the other, making himself liable to ultimately receive its reward or punishment, as the case may be.That man is so created, with both tendencies, and that God’s action cannot be mere idle play, means that man will have a specific fate which he meets after his journey on earth is over. This is the essence of the hereafter. Hence, it is mentioned after attention has been drawn to the wise purpose that lies beyond the creation of the universe: “The Day of Decision is the time appointed for all of them. It is a day when no friend shall be of the least avail to his friend, and

when none shall receive support except those upon whom God will have bestowed His grace and mercy. He alone is the Almighty, the Ever-Merciful.”This statement comes naturally at this point, closely related as it is to what went before it. It is absolute wisdom that requires that creatures should have a day when judgment is made between those who follow true guidance and those who go astray; when goodness is rewarded and evil humiliated; when people have no support, bond or relation. They will return to their Creator as individuals, just like He created them, to be requited for what they did in life. No one will support them or offer a gesture of mercy, except for those on whom God bestows His grace. It is from God’s hand that they came out to work in life, and to His hand they will return to receive what their actions deserve. In between, they have a chance to act, just as they are being tested. n

PoSiTiVE ThoUGhTSAbstain Totally From ControversiesAddressing the Prophet, God says in the Quran (22:67): “Let them not dispute with you on this matter. Call them to the path of your Lord—for surely, you are rightly guided”.This Quranic verse indicates an important aspect of the style or manner in which people are to be invited to God—and that is, by calling them to the one God while avoiding controversial points. One must never allow inviting people to God to be become a controversial matter.One way of addressing people is to harp on controversial issues. That is what people who launch agitations do, in the name of political or social rights. In God’s eyes, this is an undesirable method. This approach starts with agitation, and ultimately ends in violence. It produces no positive result at all.A contrasting way of addressing people is to address their essential human nature. This approach is based on wholly non-controversial bases. Accordingly, the addressees find themselves compelled to realize the invitation to God as the voice of their very own nature and to seriously ponder on it with an open mind. This is the natural method that is described in the Quran (4:63) in these words: “Speak to them in such terms as will address their minds”. In this way, people can recognize the invitation to God as their own nature and willingly accept it.

In social life, if controversy is employed as a method of addressing or mobilizing people, it is bound to only further exacerbate problems, rather than solve them. Controversies always become the cause for fanning hatred and violence. This applies in every case—including with regard to inviting people to God. You need to put a stop to controversies if you want to invite people to God. Controversies and inviting people to God just cannot go together.

(alrisala)

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(UNESCO).The report showed that five of the OIC Member States were included in the 2011's list of the 10 countries that together make 72 percent of the world's total number of illiterate adults, 160 million of them are residents of these five countries. This is in addition to tens of millions of illiterate Muslims in OIC non-member countries, included in the list.According to the second OIC 10-year plan (2015-2025), the adult literacy rate is an indication of the educational system effectiveness, since it measures the quality of education, particularly the ability to read and write. The report noted that despite the efforts deployed at both the government and civil society levels, a small number of OIC countries were able to either wipe out illiteracy or reduce it to lower rates.

40% of Muslim ...According to UNESCO data, the number of illiterates in the Arab countries – all of them OIC members – dropped from 52 to 48 million people during the period from 2005 to 2011, recording the fastest growth rates in literacy among adults since 1990.South and West Asia ranked second in terms of high rates of adult literacy, having the number of illiterate adults remained unchanged just over 400 million people, while in the sub-Saharan Africa, the illiteracy rate among adults has increased by 37 percent since 1990, reaching 182 million people in 2011.In the area of gender parity, the report indicated that 30 countries, involving OIC members, out of 61 countries for which data are available, are expected to achieve gender parity in terms of adult literacy by 2015, despite the lack

of any progress towards reducing the proportion of illiterate women since 1990, which constitutes two-thirds of the total number of illiterate adults.Literacy indicators are still not encouraging, given the fact that there are still 57 million children (many of them in the Muslim world) out of school worldwide, a matter which will constitute a growing burden of illiteracy rates in the long run.ISESCO Director General Dr. Abdulaziz al-Tuwaijri said in previous statements that “Illiteracy still poses a real challenge to the Muslim communities and impedes Muslim world’s advancement in all aspects,” pointing out that “Illiteracy in most OIC Member States has reached serious levels, reflected negatively on the efforts of the governments to achieve sustainable development”. n

Doing Good with God's BountyThere is a certain attitude people should have towards the life of this world. It has been explained

by the Prophet (Pbuh). Should they maintain it, they rise in honor.

The Qur’an was Prophet Muhammad’s (Pbuh) permanent companion: He loved it and recited it at all times, in prayer, night worship and whenever he could. Once he asked his noble companion Abdullah ibn Masoud to recite from the Qur’an and he would listen. Abdullah said: “How can I recite it to you, when it is to you that it has been revealed?” The Prophet said: “I love to listen to it recited by someone else.” Abdullah recited the first 41 verses of Surah 4. As he read the last verse, he looked up to find the Prophet weeping. He told him to stop. That last verse says: “How will it be (on Judgment Day) when We shall bring a witness from every community, and call you as a witness against these people?” (4: 41)The Prophet used to fast voluntarily, and sometimes he would not end his fast at sunset, as it is the norm in Islamic fasting. Some of his companions tried to do likewise, but he stopped them from doing

so, saying: “I am unlike you; I stay the night with my Lord who gives me food and drink.” His long hours of prayer and address to God produced a great change in his human constitution. He was thus able to take very little food and drink, because his soul lived in a different world.Yet, despite being spiritually so far removed from people, he lived with them, knowing their nature, feeling their worries and understanding their problems. He gave judgment in their cases without departing for a moment from the path of justice.Can we emulate the Prophet and adopt the same attitude to the life of this world? Some mystics and ascetics have tried to discard worldly pleasures, living on the margin of life, and hoping to emulate prophets in their sublime standards. That is an impossible task they set for themselves. A blush of shyness cannot be produced by some make-up

products. Artificial flowers may look similar to natural ones, and can retain their shape for much longer, but they lack lustre, fine smell and texture; they lack life.Anyone can recline on a straw mat and it could leave its mark on his body. Does this give him any similarity to Prophet Muhammad, who gave this world an un-interested glance because his heart was attached to his Lord, alert in His presence? No one becomes qualified as a military commander because he wears the suit of the commander.There is a certain attitude people should have towards the life of this world. It has been explained by the Prophet and we would like them to know it. Should they maintain it, they rise in honor. Korah (or Qarun, as he is called in the Qur’an) was extremely wealthy. People admired his riches and dearly wished to be similarly rich. God did not require him to abandon his life, but simply outlined a few things for him to

do. He was required to reflect on how he acquired his wealth. It is granted by God. Hence, he was told to look at his wealth and say: “Whatever God wills will take place. No power works without God’s will.”In his arrogance, Korah said that he acquired his wealth through his genius. If we assume, for argument’s sake that this was true, who gave him his intelligence? It is undoubtedly God, but he chooses to be oblivious of the fact. When God bestows His favors on someone, He wants that person to acknowledge those favors. Is this difficult? He wants the recipient to be kind, just, seeking what is right and good. He said to Korah: “Seek, by means of what God has granted you, the good of the life to come, without forgetting your rightful share in this world; and do good just as God has done good to you, and do not seek to spread corruption on earth.” (28: 77)Unfortunately, many people

receive God’s great bounty, but they are mindful only of their own desires, careless about others. They immerse themselves in pleasures at the expense of the hungry. In their arrogance, they look with disdain at others. God has warned believers against such stupidity: “Believers! Do not let your riches or your children make you oblivious of the remembrance of God. Those who do so will surely be the losers. Give, then, out of what We have provided for you, before death comes to any of you, and then he says, ‘My Lord, if You would grant me a delay for a short while, I would give in charity and be one of the righteous.’” (63: 9-10) n

Bilal ibn Rabah: The Symbol of Human EqualityBilal’s rise to a position of prominence in Islam is evidence of the

importance of pluralism and racial equality in Islam.The epitaph inscribed on the tomb of Damascus, Syria.

By Abu Tariq Hijazi

Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah bless him) is one of the most illustrious names in the Islamic history. A Negro slave originally from Habasha (Ethiopia), Bilal is an evident story of Islam’s respect for human equality, anti-racism and social equity.Born in 680CE in Makkah, to his slave parents, Rabah and Hamamah, Bilal too served as slave to a lady close to Umayyah ibn Khalaf, an arch enemy of Islam.When Umayyah heard about Bilal converting to Islam, he tortured him and forced him to relinquish the new faith. But filled with love of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam, Bilal remained steadfast in his faith despite extreme torture and kept saying “Ahad, Ahad.” (Allah is One, Allah is One).When the holy Prophet learned about his tribulation, he sent Abu Bakr, who bought him from the oppressor and freed him. The freedom was Islam’s first gift to Bilal. Second, Caliph Omar ibn Khattab honored him by calling him as Sayyedna (our leader).Bilal became one of the most trusted and loyal companions of Prophet Muhammad. He was among the first few persons to embrace Islam. Bilal migrated with the Prophet to Madinah and participated in major

battles including those of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and others. In the battle of Badr, he killed the staunch enemy of Islam, and his own former tyrant master, Umayyah.Prophet Muhammad was the first to declare equality among human beings in the annals of world history 1,400 years ago. In the presence of over 120,000 companions during Haj, he declared: O people! Your Lord is one Lord, and you all share the same father (Adam). Indeed, there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab or of a non-Arab over an Arab; or of a white over a black; nor a black over a white, except by taqwa (righteousness).The Prophet selected Bilal to be one of his distinguished companions. Bilal’s rise to a position of prominence in Islam is evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in Islam.Once Abdullah bin Ziyad narrated that he had a dream advising him the method and words of Azaan (the call to prayer), the Prophet liked it and Bilal was deputed to call the first Azaan in Madinah in those words. When Omar heard the Azaan, he rushed to the Prophet and told him that he also had dreamt Azaan with the same wording. And thus the Azaan was established through Bilal.

The Prophet appointed him as the Muazzine Rasool (Calling to prayers on behalf of the Prophet).As he was the first African to embrace Islam, the African Muslims still feel pride of that honor, which was bestowed on an African.

Another great honor came to Bilal after the Conquest of Makkah in 8 AH. When the city surrendered and all the nobles from the Muslims and the non-Muslims were standing in the courtyard, the Prophet asked Bilal to climb the roof of the Kaaba and give a call of Azaan from the

top of it. This was the first Azaan, which was given in Makkah. Such was Bilal’s devotion to Islam and piety that he rose to such heights of spiritual attainment.After the Prophet passed away, Bilal felt it difficult to spend time in Madinah without his beloved Prophet. He asked Caliph Abu Bakr to let him go to Syria, and there he spent the rest of his life. n

hUMAn RiGhTS

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 20oUR DiAloGUE

Islam and Human RightsO mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes

that you may know one another. (Qur’an, 49:13)Q: What exactly are human rights? Is it just the right to life? Alternatively, is it the right to freedom, liberty, and justice? Do

human rights include having the right to security, and a safe haven?

A: Since the end of World War 2, western international politics appears to have focused on securing human rights. However, the reality is that the line between securing such rights and maintaining state sovereignty has become blurred. The growing power and politics involved in human rights advocacy tend to favor western ideals, but these are not necessarily universal ideals. Many would claim that the human rights doctrine has become an accessory to spread western moral imperialism.While nobody denies that there are certain inalienable human rights, just what those rights are is often subject to fierce debate. While some cultures focus on individual rights and freedoms, others are more concerned with rights that ensure the survival of communities. The world is populated by diverse nations and tribes so it makes sense that laws and declarations made by human beings are not going to be universally accepted no matter how morally upstanding they are.God says in the Qur’an: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.” (Qur’an, 49:13)From this, we see that interaction between nations is normal and desirable. However, it is part of the

nature of humankind to be jealous and at times self-serving. Islam takes into account these vagaries of human nature, and therefore looks to the supreme Creator for guidance. Human rights and responsibilities are enshrined in Islam; they are the foundation for the Sharia (jurisprudential law).There is no doubt that around the world, abuses of human rights are being perpetrated, often in the name of religion and sadly sometimes in the name of Islam. However, it is important to recognize that just because a country is known as Islamic, this does not mean that it automatically follows the laws sent down by God. It is also important to realize that not all Muslims understand and follow their religion. Culture often dictates action. Of course, the same can be said of all religions. Throughout history, humankind has used the name of God to justify unspeakable acts.The planet earth stumbled into the 21st century beset by wars, famines and great social unrest, therefore today’s catch phrases espouse the supposed remedy; freedom, democracy, and reconciliation. Human rights have understandably become paramount. Governments, non-government organizations, and religious and charity groups have all spoken about equality

and inalienable rights. The United Nations was formed to stand as a beacon of hope for understanding and joint initiatives, but in actuality it is a toothless tiger, unable to reach an agreement on most resolutions and unable to enforce the resolutions that do pass.More than 1,400 years ago, God

sent down the Qur’an, a book of guidance for all of humankind. He also chose Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final Prophet; he was the human being capable of leading humankind into a new era of tolerance, respect, and justice. The words of Qur’an and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad contain rights and responsibilities granted by God to humankind. They are not subject to the whims and desires of men or women and they do not change as

borders or governments shift and settle, sometimes unrelentingly.The United Nations proclaimed the Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. It set out, in 30 articles, the fundamental rights to be universally protected and described them as, designed to promote, “universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms.” The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) went on to describe these rights as inherent to all human beings regardless of sex, race, creed, or color and declared them indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated. In the following 60 years other declarations, treaties, and committees have come into existence, all focusing their efforts on ensuring the rights of various groups within varied societies. The tenets of Islam include a basic set of rules designed to protect individual rights and freedoms, however the rights of individuals are not permitted to infringe upon the rights of communities. Islam is a doctrine concerned with respect, tolerance, justice, and equality and the Islamic concepts of freedom and human rights are imbedded in the faith in the One God. If humankind is to live in peace and security, he or she must

obey the commands of God.Muslims believe that God is the sole Creator and Sustainer of humankind and the universe. He has given each human being dignity and honor and the human rights and privileges we enjoy are granted by Him. The rights granted by God are designed for everybody. One person is not more worthy of protection than another is. Each person is entitled to sustenance, shelter, and security and if some people are denied their God given rights, it is the responsibility of the rest of humankind to restore those rights.“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for God, be just witnesses, and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: That is nearer to piety, and fear God. Verily, God is well acquainted with what you do.” (Qur’an, 5:8)Power and authority narratives have become entrenched in human rights advocacy. Legislation and unenforceable treaties cannot protect the downtrodden and oppressed. However, Islam proclaims that God treats all human beings equally and true human rights can only be achieved by obedience to Him. n(islamreligion.com) (AISHA STACEY)

Conflict and FanaticismQ : We see that all over the Muslim world, two rival groups are always in conflict: One attracts highly educated people who believe in reason and logic, but care little for religion, while the other consists of largely uneducated people who

hold fanatically to certain beliefs and try to impose them on others. How to remedy such a situation?A: There are definitely two groups with widely different attitudes to religion. These have been there since the very early days of human existence. The noble prophets and those who have followed them on the same route try to bring the message of faith home to people, hoping that they will respond positively to the call to believe in the Oneness of Allah. On the other hand, they are opposed by people who prefer to follow what they feel to be their interest, paying no regard to the divine guidance and caring little for the teachings of prophets. This has always been the case, and it will continue to be so, until the end of human life. I do not agree with you at all when you say that the camp opposed to faith attracts mostly the highly

educated who rely on reason and logic. It is true that some of those highly educated may turn their back on religion, but that is only because they either prefer not to study religion with the sort of seriousness they attach to other matters; or because they prefer to satisfy immediate pleasures; or because they feel that their position will be threatened by religion. They simply do not respond to the challenge of the divine message to use their reason and logic in evaluating the truth advanced by the divine faith. There was a time when a higher proportion of educated people seemed to move away from religion, but if you look at the historical circumstances that led to this situation, you are bound to conclude that this was

the result of the alien system of education that was devised by the colonial authorities in most Muslim countries. As you are aware, the colonial powers were able to impose their will over most of the Muslim world, after a long period of decline throughout the Muslim areas. But when that phase was over, and education moved towards being universal, more and more educated people found no difficulty in making a happy match between education and religion. Indeed, it is the divine faith that calls on people to use their reason and logic, because when they do that, they can easily recognize the truth of the Oneness of God and the validity of the divine message. In the history of Islam, there was no time when

a conflict took place between enlightened education and scientific findings on the one hand, and Islam on the other. Indeed, the two stand always hand in hand. It is true that there are people who claim to be religious and try to impose their ideas on others. Such people have not learned Islam

well. They do much damage to the cause of Islam. They are rarely aware of its fundamental principle to respect individual freedom. Islam advocates freedom of thought, belief and expression as a basic right of all human beings. Fanaticism is alien to Islam and it will always remain so. n

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REFlEcTionS

You Get What You Give

If you send out only negative energies, you can hardly hope to earn respect and love from others.

By A Staff Writer

Just as there are universal laws of physics and chemistry, there are also universal laws of the psyche or soul. One of these laws is the ‘You Get What You Give’ law, the YGYG Law for short. Different religions have explained this law in different terms—as rewards for good deeds and punishments for bad ones, for instance, or as the law of karma. While the laws of physics and chemistry might be too complex for us lay people to fathom, the veracity of the YGYG Law can be easily understood by just about anyone.One doesn’t have to do any complicated experiment in a laboratory to understand how the YGYG Law works. All you need is to take some time off and reflect on yourself and examine how you feel. If you feel happy at this moment, you’ll discover that it is because you have been good and kind to people around you today. If you feel contented, you’ll

recognise that it is because for a change you haven’t been going around complaining about things, not even about the weather or the amount of salt in your daal. If you feel relaxed and at ease, you’ll realise that it’s because you resisted the temptation to backbite and gossip about someone this morning, or perhaps because you did a good deed to someone in need. If you feel exuberant and buoyant, you may find that it is because you’ve been recently spreading love and good cheer all around, even smiling at perfect strangers you find yourself sharing a few seconds within an elevator. If you find that someone arrives at just the right moment to give you the help you need, you may realise that it is because of the positive energy that you have been radiating all around you, which, in turn, is attracting goodness back to you just when you need it.On the other hand, if you find yourself depressed and fed up of life, it is likely that you have

been nursing ill-will against all and sundry or against specific people. If you are down and out and feel that no one in the world loves you, it is because you haven’t been very loving to others yourself. If you’re upset because you are lonely and no one wants to be friends with you, it is likely that you haven’t bothered to be friendly with people either. If you are upset that no one seems to

smile at you, it’s probably because you didn’t take

the initiative to smile at them. The negative energy

that you send out ensures, in accordance with the YGYG Law, that you get back the very same energy from others.The YGYG Law also seems to operate at the level of groups and in roughly the same way as it does at the individual level.

If a group of people as a whole radiates positivity, it is likely to receive positivity from others in return. If it contributes to the good of others—through advances in knowledge and useful technology, for instance, or in the field of social service—it is likely to win the respect, admiration and love of other communities, who will consider it as a precious asset. On the other hand, a group of people that sends out only negative energies, that constantly

complains against others, but does nothing positive for them, that spreads hate , not love, and that engages in destruction, not construction, can hardly hope to earn respect and love from others or to be treated as anything else than a liability. If it thinks that others are driven by a visceral hatred for it, it is likely that this

is because it itself harbours such hate for others. In accordance with the YGYG Law, it will get from others precisely what it gives to them—aversion, scorn, disgust and hate. It really can’t hope for much else.But there’s hope even for the most reprobate. God has blessed us with the gift of free will (or, some would say, the illusion of it). We—individuals and groups—can, if we choose to, change our behavior, and, consequently, what we receive from others. We aren’t compelled to be negative forever and to continue to receive negativity from others in return. If we aren’t happy about being unhappy, friendless and loveless, then, in accordance with the YGYG Law, there’s no way for us but to give out what we want to get back. If we want others to love and respect us and to be good and kind to us, all we need to do is to love and respect them and be good and kind to them ourselves and then sit back and see the miraculous results of the YGYG Law as they start to unfold! n

God has blessed us with the gift of free will (or, some would say, the illusion of it). We—

individuals and groups—can, if we choose to, change our behavior, and, consequently, what we

receive from others.

GUiDAncE

Get Rid of Depression: Discover the Creation PlanFulfillment through materialism is quite unachievable. It is only spiritual pursuits

that can give you the sense of true fulfillment.Depression is a phenomenon of discontentment. Why does this phenomenon exist? The reason is that every person is born with an unlimited desire for enjoyment. But, everyone has very limited capacity of fulfillment. It is this gap in human nature that makes people live in unrest.Is this phenomenon due to a defect in nature? Not at all. It is due to man's unawareness of himself that creates this problem. Self-awareness is the key to a contented life, while unawareness leads to all kinds of discontentment and restlessness.To explain this phenomenon in the right way, we have to discover the scheme of this world as devised by the Creator. According to the creation plan, the domain of fulfillment in the material world is very limited; while, the domain of spiritual or intellectual fulfillment is so vast that words fail to express its endless boundaries.If you want to achieve the state of fulfillment in the material world,

then very soon you will discover that the scope here, is very limited. Food, clothes, fame, marital life, entertainment: each of these facets is associated with boredom. Even going on a holiday cannot give you fulfillment. A person goes on a holiday with hopes of de-stressing, but instead returns with 'holiday stress'. This phenomenon of lack of fulfillment pertains to your physical being, but your spiritual being is free of such bindings.Man has a dual personality; physical and spiritual. In physical terms, man's body measuring no more than a few feet is very limited. Due to this limited being, man develops boredom as far as his physical domain in concerned. But, his spiritual or intellectual being has no limits. Your mind travels in an unlimited space. It travels by means of thinking, and there is no boundary for the thinking process. It continues its journey unfettered, by crossing all kinds of barriers.

For example, the activities of a businessman are limited to the material world. Due to this limited nature, he very soon develops boredom. The American business magnate Bill Gates rightly said: “Once you get beyond a million dollars, I have to tell you, it’s the same hamburger.”Scientific pursuit on the other hand, is an example of travelling in the intellectual domain. This is the reason why scientists do not speak in the limited language of a businessman. For example, Newton towards the end of his life, said about himself: “I was like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Likewise, was the feeling of the great scientific mind Albert Einstein, when he said: “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know.”Even greater than the scientific pursuit is the spiritual pursuit.

The reason for this is very clear. According to Galileo Galilei, the domain of the scientific pursuit is the study of the quantitative aspect of nature; while the domain of the spiritual pursuit is the qualitative aspect of nature. And, it is a fact that the qualitative is far greater than the quantitative domain of the world.One who adopts the spiritual quest for his intellectual

activities is a spiritual scientist. A physical scientist may stop at a certain point, but for the spiritual scientist even the saying ‘sky’s the limit’ becomesirrelevant. Fulfillment through materialism is quite unachievable. It is only spiritual pursuits that can give you the sense of true fulfillment.[Source: Spirit of Islam, Jan 2015)

Time to Rediscover ...Indian tennis star Sania Mirza’s sartorial choices to condemning social media such as Twitter as ‘the source of all evil,’ our priorities and propensity to scout for the irrelevant and absurd never cease to amaze me. It is as if we inhabit a different planet altogether.We seem to have lost ourselves in the literal world of dogma, leaving somewhere behind the soul and spirit of a generous, powerful faith. We see technology and innovation that the rest of

the world hungrily laps up as a challenge. We fear change. We are afraid of women who drive and work. We even fear harmless schoolgirls.I know there is no concept of clergy or a global religious leader in Islam. But the faithful can certainly do with some leadership and much-needed guidance right now. It is time to rediscover the spirit of the faith.(The writer is a Middle East based columnist)(www.newageislam.com)

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 22SoUl TAlk

OUR AGENTS

From Earning Big Money to Earning Big Blessings!

My transition from being a hotelier to a counselor was a spiritual journey for me. Being a giver, brought a feeling of inner peace and joy, as opposed to being a taker who in the end could end up becoming selfish.

By Azeem Bolar I started my Hotel Management education back in 1987, from France and then London. A five-year course earned me several degrees (ABA, BBA, MA), specializing in Hotel Management. I received the much-required practical training in several countries, thus increasing my potential. The course was a rigorous one, with a combination of theoretical and practical tutoring that sought to make a true hotelier out of a raw individual. In 1991, I returned to India, hoping to make it ‘big’ in the hotel industry. The impression given to me during the five-year course was that the profession I wanted

to pursue was the best and that other professions were not equal in many ways. Little did I realize then that my thinking was heavily shaped by the teachings of the profession. The rigidity was so much a part of the ‘hospitality culture’ that the feelings of a human were literally swept under the carpet of the hotel lobby. I was so influenced

by the ‘hospitality culture’, imbibed

in those years of training, that I did not question this assumption.

As a child, I used to be very sensitive to the feelings of others.

But, the growing up process veered me towards choosing a profession that was not really my cup of tea.

As an executive, I was literally taken aback when I noticed the transformation taking place within me. I had become a hardened individual due to the training I had received. The human within me was suppressed and in agony. I opted to become a counselor, rather than continue as a hotelier. Frankly, initially I had no clue as to why I entered the field of counseling. Maybe it was to learn human behaviour. What I encountered was a whole new set of teachings. Here I was, very much a product cutout for the

‘hospitality sector’, an executive whose thinking was tutored to maximize profits and for whom human emotions were the last

thing to ponder over. However, I gradually got attracted towards the noble profession that I had now chosen.At Bangalore’s Banjara Academy, under the guidance of Dr. Ali Khwaja and his team of tutors specialized in different fields of psychotherapy,

I found myself introspecting. (looking inwards). Ali’s words: “What are you feeling? Not what are you thinking", remain embedded in my heart and mind for all times to come. Ali had and still does have a mesmerizing effect on my views.I learnt that self-esteem is a very important aspect of an individual. I learnt that how a person feels and thinks about himself, can affect his mental framework and about how being non-judgmental plays an important role in accepting others. Training to become a counselor made me realize that unconditional acceptance is the primary tool in living in harmony with others and that contentment is very important in reaching a state of inner peace. I learnt, too,

about the importance of empathy, the ability to put ourselves in other’s shoes, thus enabling us to understand the other person (this is different from the common practice of offering sympathy, which is to offer pity, thus making the already weak person crumble). As a counselor, I also learnt that assisting others assist themselves can give one great peace and joy. All of this, and much more, re-shaped my thinking about life.We were taught the importance of being selfless. This is indeed one of the greatest learning from the counseling profession. Being a giver brought a feeling of inner peace and joy, as opposed to being a taker who in the end could end up becoming selfish, thus defeating the purpose of lending a helping hand.Having started as a hotelier, eventually turning into a counsellor/ psychotherapist/ NLP practitioner, the learning was immense. I had indeed come a long way. So can you—and you can choose to become a counselor as well!(The writer is based in Bangalore and can be reached at azeem.bolar@gmail.com)

Here was an individual, very much a product cutout for the hospitality sector, an executive whose

thinking was tutored to maximize profits, and human emotions was the last thought to ponder over.

liVinG iSlAMHow to be Free from Bitterness?The Path of Forgiveness is DivineBy Mohammed Ali Vakil

It happened one evening. I’d just moved to London and was busy settling in. Exploring the city, making new friends – the typical stuff international students do when they first arrive. I was in a cafe when it happened. Someone put their hands in my coat and stole my things. At first, I felt violated, then angry, and finally, vengeful.I didn’t know what to do. Eventually I realized there wasn’t much I could do about it.Even though the robbery didn’t leave me destitute, it still left a scar inside me. Whenever I thought about it, my heart would feel heavy, as if I was carrying a burden inside me.Part of me wanted to forgive and forget. But I just couldn’t. How could I? It wasn’t fair. I had done nothing to offend the robber. I didn’t deserve to be robbed.

I wanted justice.I thought forgiving the person who robbed me was giving approval to their action. That it made me weak. Worse, I feared my acceptance equaled encouragement. After all, if everyone forgave their robbers, people would be going around robbing people without fear of

consequences.It took me a while to realize that’s not what forgiveness is about. Forgiveness is a sign of inner strength and the key to have a heart free of burden.The following Sufi Comic drove the point home for me:

Here are a few important lessons I learned from this story:1. Forgiving someone does not make me weak.2. Forgiveness does not equal acceptance of wrong behaviour. It means not letting someone else’s misdeeds adversely affect my life.3. Forgiveness is a choice.4. Forgiveness relieves you from the hurt and suffering of the action.

It’s natural to resist forgiving those who’ve wronged you. After all, justice is the right of every human being.But the path of forgiveness is divine.“Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that God should forgive you? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Qur’an 24:22).We’ve all been wronged at some point in our lives. Sometimes the effects of these events linger on long after it has passed. And we end up carrying the resentment. I

know it has happened to me.Perhaps you feel bitter because someone said or did something to you. And whenever you think about it your heart feels heavy.You don’t have to carry that burden. You have a choice. You can become free from it, by forgiving the person.Yes it can be difficult. And depending on the intensity of that event, it may take time. But by not trying you’re sentencing yourself to feeling bitter all the time. You’ll become a prisoner of your own painful thoughts.You don’t have to live like that. Let it go. Forgive.

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 23MoRES AnD MAnnERS

Use of CellphoneEssential Guidelines

Remember in the event of it ��being lost, more than the cost of instrument, it is the loss of contact with dear ones that will be painful for the loser, more so now that the PCO and STD booths have disappeared from our streets and markets.

Do not depend too much on ��numbers stored in the directory of cellphone. Memorize the phone numbers of person with whom you need to remain in constant and frequent touch. Possibly carry a short directory recording the numbers you frequently use while travelling.

Do not leave your cell ��unattended when you are in college, bazaar, restaurant, meetings or places that are unfamiliar to you.

Do not engage in long ��conversation with friends and relatives while travelling. If ever, such use is necessary, tell the caller to wait till you reach a place from where you can use it comfortably. Never use loud voice for talking, lest it put the co-travelers to inconvenience.

If you notice a missed call ��from an identifiable number, call back the caller at your earliest. This needs to be done compulsorily with those who are dependant on you, e.g., wife, children, home-bound parents, sick persons, servants, drivers, employees and attendants.

If the missed call number is ��not identifiable, return it with a missed call as a matter of courtesy.

If a call cannot be returned to ��a person with whom you have to deal frequently (in case you are in a meeting, seminar etc), send him SMS to this effect.

Put the cell in ��silent or vibrating mode if you are in a mosque or meeting but check immediately after the prayer or meeting is over. Do not feed film tunes into the cell to replace the normal ringtones. This will offend the worshipper, if your cell begins ringing during namaz.

Do not believe SMSes that ��call for claiming unsolicited prizes and awards. Remember Internet and Cellphones are not location-specific medium and pranksters and fraudsters can deceive gullible people.

Do not pay heed to ��advertisements announcing discounts, gifts, shopping bonanzas.

Do not react to information ��or sensational news being circulated received on cellphones. These may be rumours. By forwarding this info, you may help rumours and information of provocative nature.

Most cells now come studded ��with What’s App. They bring in a deluge of news, info, jokes and wisecracks incessantly. Avoid looking into the cell following every ping. Most

jokes evoke prejudices against certain communities, opposite gender and persons in public life. Never forward them to others as it is an offence to create prejudice, hate and hostility against any one. Some people are in the habit of pushing wrong and weak Hadith etc on cellphones. Do not pay heed to such items. Minutely screen the content before you think of forwarding any message or image. If you constantly receive such messages from any particular source, bring this to the notice of Cyber Police in your city or state.

Do not click the photograph ��of other persons, their kids or families, without seeking their permission. In case of road or rail accidents, take photographs of colliding vehicles, injured persons etc as such photographic evidence might help them seeking legal, medical help or insurance claim. Inform such persons to reach you in case they need any help in this regard.

In case of loss or theft of your ��cell, register a complaint in the nearest police station and inform your family of your whereabouts, lest they get worried about your safety, security or health.

Record the cell number of the ��closest relative under ICE (In Case of Emergency) in your instrument. If by chance, people find you in any emergency situation, they can call this number to inform your near and dear ones.

Do not use cell belonging ��to others without their permission. Do not look into the info stored in cellphones belonging to other persons. Just as others letters, diaries and bank passbooks, the cellphone too is a private thing of use and others should not access info stored therein.

(Compiled by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj)

Cellphone has reached into the hands of every adult nowadays. Sometimes we even allow adolescent children to carry it if we are out for shopping to keep track of them. But hardly ever have we bothered to tell them the mores and manners and caution to be observed in handling it. Here the Islamic Voice would like to lay down a code of manners to be observed.

Cellphone is a handy tool that ��keeps us company in crowded bazaars, shopping malls, rail and bus station, places of pilgrimages and marriage and convention halls. It is preferable that we carry it on our person, possibly in a pocket that can be closed with a zip, button or Velcro. If this is not possible, carry it in a bag that is sure to keep a constant company with you.

A Reason to Hope"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?, says the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. This line reminds us that when we think we are in the dumps, there is still reason to hope that meaningful and positive change can happen in our lives. Often, we lose hope when faced with what we, at that moment, think is an unwanted situation. We think we have no chance of survival, that we are finished. This happens to individuals as also to communities. In such circumstances, we should remind ourselves that if we seem to be surrounded by darkness, surely light can’t be too far away. We should respond with optimism to the circumstances that we are faced with, and, with proper deliberate on, move ahead. Look out of the window to spot light that is bound to arrive! "Spring" is waiting to enter our lives—God provides us with yet another opportunity, provided we are wise enough to recognize it. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 24BELGAUM: S/ MUSLIM DOCTOR B.H.M.S. 24, 5’.7”. HANDSOME HAVING OWN DISPENSARY, NEEDS DOCTOR LADY M.B.B.S./MD. FOR MANAGING OWN BIG HOSPITAL, HJAVING HUGE LAND PROPERTY ,RICH, NO DOWARY/DEMANDS, RELIGIOUS MINDED. PLEASE CONTACT:UN.NIKAH MUSLIM MARRIAGE BUROU. CELL (0231)2692986,9049289424,9767837429BANGALORE S.M. PARENTS EDU-CATED FAMILY BACKGROUND SEEK ALLIANCE FOR THEIR SON VERY HANDSOME FAIR 5.9” 28 YEARS.QUALIFIED B.E.(C.S) WORKING IN REPUTED MNC.SIX FIGURE SALARY WELL SETTLED FATHER RETIRED CLASS I OFFICER. GIRL SHOULD BE BEAUTIFUL,FAIR SLIM 5.4” TO 5.6” UPTO 26 YEARS FROM EDUCATED FAMILY,QUALIFIED B.E. IN C.S./E.C/INFORMATION & TECH WORKING IN MNC.EMAIL PHOTO AND BIODATA MUST TO altimailfska@yahoo.com or contact 9739856354. Broker Excuse

BRIDE & GROOM

SM Syed Parents seek alliance for daughter 23 years 5’.4” Bsc (Biochemistry),fair, Beautiful, religious, own house, Boy should be B.E. or M.B.A ,age 25-28 Years, religious ,own house, working in Bangalore or Gulf. Son B.E. working in IT Company 27 years, 5.10” religious, girl should be any graduate, homely and religious early marriage Email:Gulnazbegum01@gmail.com Mob: 9964309133 or 9900853566

WANTED BRIDE

Syed Family Bangalore based parents residing in Saudi Arabia seek alliance for their SON aged 25 years, ht.5.10” wheatish fair complexion BE(E&C) working in Dubai. Girl should be tall, fair, age 20-22 years graduate/undergraduate, slim, religious and homely from a Bangalore based decent religious and respectable family. Preference for the parents residing in Saudi Arabia or Dubai. simple marriage, no Demands. Email : farooqahmed8993@gmail.com phone 0091 7760 470 102 / 00966 55 451 1401. ALLIANCE INVITED FOR SON, FAIR, 38 YEARS, 5.8” SLIM, SETTLED IN BANGALORE .BORN AND BROUGHT UP IN U.A.E.. OWN BUSINESS. PARTNER E X P E C TAT I O N S , FA I R , S L I M /MEDIUM,CONVENT EDUCATED, FLUENT IN ENGLISH WITH DEENI TALEEM,ARTICULATE AND CONFIDENT BELOW 35 YEARS. UNMARRIED.CONTACT: 9243435863.email: syedkhalids@gmail.comLooking for alliances from simple muslim families (pref from HK region). Expecting the bride to be educated, religious, simple & homely. No expectations of dowry, extremely simple marriage ceremony pref. Kindly please send bio data & photos to sydmhd11@gmail.com.

MATRiMoniAlWANTED GROOM

Sunni Muslim educated respected shaikh family seek alliance for their daughter 28, years; MBA, 5.4 Height, Fair looking, Religious. Groom preferably ENGINEER, MBA, MCA OR GRADUATE employed preferably in and around Bangalore city or well settled in business from respectable parents. Contact: 9342077777. Email: nayaz1950@gmail.com

SM parents seek alliance for their daughter B.E., 28 yrs 5.7'' good looking belonging to a respectable and educated family, working as Technology Leader at INFOSYS USA and holding a valid H1B Visa. Groom should be professionally qualified person hailing from a decent educated family Working in India or abroad. Mail bio-data to prof.wayez@gmail.com contact 9632878387.

Mysore: We seek alliance for our daughter, aged 23, height 5’.2”, B.E-E & C, not working, fair, observes Hijaab, We are looking for a well settled, qualified groom from religious family.prefewrably from Karnataka & or settled in Gulf, who believe in no dowry or demands & simple marriage as per Shariah. Our contacts: Cell: 97425 67577 or Email: sssafs5614@gmail.com.

SM Urdu Baig family seek alliance for daughter 5’.1”, 26 years Msc.,BED fair beautiful religious. Boy should be from respected family educated and suitably employed. Contact: afzal4792@rediffmail.com. Mob.9449002947.Bangalore.

Bangalore: SMU Gulf Returned Parents Mother Doctor, Father Engineer Seek Groom Software Engineer, M.S / M.Tech / (B.E+MBA) India/Abroad, Fair, Smart, Religious, upto 32 years, from Small, Educated, Cultured, Family, for their only Daughter, B.Tech. Software Engineer 28 / 5’3”, Fair, Softspoken, Good Looking, Smart, Religious(Jeddah Broughtup). Send DETAIL BIODATA PHOTOS magz786@yahoo.com 09035624288

Sunni Muslim, 34 years (B.E.Computer Science) Beautiful homely religious Divorcee Girl (Khula obtained,no-children)seeking religious aged about (34-40) well educated or entrepreneur groom from well settled family from Karnataka, T.N.,ANDHRA PRADESH, Email Ayesha.tahleela@gmail.com contact no.09952763853.

SMP seek alliance for 30 yrs. Old daughter single, graduate, pleasant looks, she prefers to marry a divorcee/widower from respected family, deendar, educated well settled with pure heart & pleasant looks from Bangalore but settled in any part of world .contact at 9686664865, Email: muskaan.caca@gmail.com

SM parents invite alliance for their fair, beautiful daughter 25 years, ht.5’.3”. MSc. working in central Govt. as project Asst. looking for well settled religious, small family working in Govt. service, age around 30 years. Send bio-data with photo on email:khan.almas20@yahoo.com.Mob.9742345424 or 080-26701643

Page 1

SM Educated parents invite alliance for daughter aged 25 years B.E. M.Tech (Goldmedalist) 5ft.4”, slim wheatish, observes hijab and employed. Groom from educated family Govt.Job,technical professional. Send Bio data, photo to Email: shaistaparveen88@yahoo.co.in Mob. 9980304754

SMU Parents seek alliance for their Daughter 25 years 5.3” Alima, M.A (Arabic), fair religious observes hijab. Groom should be well educated religious well settled from decent family around Bangalore. Email photo & Bio Data munaver.ahmed56@gmail.com. Ph.9481424701.

Sunni Muslim Parents seek alliance for their daughter 27years,Ht.5.4” Bcom-MBA,CA, working in a MNC as a senior Associate religious, modern outlook. Groom should be handsome, post graduate, well settled, religious, modern mindset. Contact: 988619197.Email: zebashariefn@gmail.comSunni Muslim parents invite alliance for their daughter 23 years, M.Com. PGFM height 5.11 observes Hijab, working for MNC, good looking from educated well settled Grooms. Father working as an Officer at Reserve Bank of India, Bangalore. Contact at 9448239863, Email: imtiyaz3010@gmail.com

District Development ...Development Index for North Delhi at 0.69 (topmost) while Araria district in Bihar stands at 0.16. Explaining this, he said, it means that Araria has no enabling economic environment which can support development while North Delhi still has scope for more development. The data has thus been compiled for 600 districts in India.Dr. Shariff said the DDDIx is much more than the Sachar Report in that it is a more technically advanced tool in assessment of grassroots level ground realities of development through creating indices for easy comparison at a more granular level. The analysis further proceeds to add the dimension of diversity to district development estimates and compares as to how each socio-religious community is placed in a relative context. He said the DDDIx will identify pathways linking the communities with governance.Salient Features of the DDDIx

It is anchored on 17 of the 27 ��development and livelihood

measuring variables drawn from survey by reputed and Govt-support national sample survey.It provides an index or rating ��for four dimensions and one composite index for every district in India.It makes it possible to ��create a district level ‘management information and evaluation system’ for each of the components of the developmentsIt facilitates use of data by ��international agencies such as the UNO, World Bank, the

Asian Development Bank and Foreign Direct Investors.

Indicators for AnalysisThe Analysis has chosen the following indicators under the four heads:Economic Development: 1-Monthly per capita income in Rupees, 2-Percent of people above poverty line, 3-Percent households having

regular salary earner members.Material well-being Index: 1-average of asset index score at household level, 2-percentage of households using LPG as primary source of cooking, 3-Percentage of households using electricity as primary source of lighting.Educational Development: Percentage of female literates (7 plus years), 2-Percentage of

adult literates (18 plus years), 3-Percentage of Matric pass (15 plus population), and 4-Annual average household expenditure on education.Health Index: 1-Percentage of currently married women who were more than 18 at the time of marriage, 2-Percent of currently married women who received post-

natal care within 48 hours of giving birth to a child, 3-Percentage of fully immunized last and last but one children (aged 12-23 months), 4-Percentage of currently married women using any contraceptive aid, 5-Percentage of currently married women years who are aware of HIV/AIDs.Mr. Syed Zameer Pasha, IAS(Retd), executive director, CRDDP,

Karnataka to seriously examine constitution of Equal Opportunities Commission)

Selecting a Marriage Partner

who welcomed the participants and concluded the programme, urged that the Equal Opportunity Commission should not be created under the Ministry of Minorities Welfare as it is meant to address the issue of discrimination or lack of access to public space or facilities to all communities. n�

By Mohammad Mazhar Hussaini

Marriage is recommended for partners who share a common way of life. They should be able to effectively carry out their responsibility as care-takers of earth. They should share the common goal of building a well integrated Muslim community and be able to work harmoniously towards it.

Criteria for Selecting a Marriage PartnerNormally the criteria for are many: wealth, beauty, rank, character, congeniality, compatibility, religion, etc. The Quran enjoins Muslims to select partners who are good and pure."Women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity "(Quran 24:26)Prophet Muhammad recommended Muslims to select those partners who are best in religion and character.

"A woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, for her rank, for her beauty, and for her religion (and character). So marry the one who is best in the religion and character and prosper". (Bukhari and Muslim)

Freedom to Choose a Marriage PartnerIslam has given freedom of choice to those who wish to get married. The mutual choice of the would-be-spouses is given the highest consideration: The process of selection should be a function of a healthy balance between the freedom of choice of the would-be-spouses and consideration of the influence and consent of the parents/guardians.The freedom of choice of those who wish to get married should not preclude the influence and consent of the parents/guardians nor should the parents/guardians ignore the wishes and consent of the would be spouses. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 25MiScEllAnY

Reflexologist Highlights Benefits of Ablution

Resham Fatma: Epitome of Grit and Determination

Resham has set her goals high and dreams to join the civil services and become an IAS officer to bring change in the society.

By Abdul Bari Masoud

New Delhi: The highest National Bravery Award winner for this year, Resham Fatma, who survived an acid attack by none other than her relative, strongly advocated for death penalty to cruel offenders of such heinous crimes.Resham Fatma, who received the coveted Bharat Award on Republic Day, demanded death penalty to acid-attackers – an intrinsic urge that finds expression in the wake of hellish experience

she went through due to the acid attack. However, the 16-year-old Lucknow girl mustered courage to stand up and fight her assaulter, precisely to teach her tormenter a befitting lesson.She said these tormentors made life hell to acid-attack survivors and they should be given capital punishment to discourage this cruel evil from the society.Resham Fatma was chosen for the Award for displaying exceptional bravery, out of 24 children selected for national Bravery Awards for 2014, by the Indian Council for Child

Welfare (ICCW). Her story of rare grit and determination is an inspiration for others.Talking to Islamic Voice, Resham narrated her ordeal at the hands

of her distant (maternal) uncle. She said as usual on February 1, 2014, she was on her way to attend coaching classes, suddenly her 38-year old uncle, Riyaz Ahmed came and forced her into a car at knife-point. “He threatened me with dire consequences if I declined his proposal of marriage, when I did not give in to his demands he pulled me by my hair towards him and put a knife at my throat”. She said when she resisted his torment; he got furious and started pouring a liquid (acid) on her head. “Although, I tried to defend myself for the rest 15 minutes, my efforts went in vain. Gathering all my strength, I pushed him and jumped out of the car. My eyes were shut, despite that, I got into an auto

rickshaw that was passing by”. She said she asked the auto-rickshaw driver to take her to a police station or hospital. The auto-driver took her to the nearby police station. From, there she was taken to the hospital. Her head, face and thighs were affected by the acid-attack. She also lost her hair on the right side of the head permanently. Despite passing all through this agony, she was talking with reporters with ease and smile on her face. When asked from where she got the courage and determination to fight her tormentor, she quipped, ‘from inner power’. “Even when I was in police station and then hospital, I did not cry for a moment while my parent and friends could not control their emotions. Even my doctors, who treated me, said that because of my courage and patience, I recuperated early,” she added.Resham, who is resident of Transport Nagar locality in Lucknow and studying in a convent school, said she wants to join the civil services and become an IAS officer to bring change in the society. Covering her head with a scarf, the ebullient girl said her uncle, who was a distant cousin of her mother, had fallen in unrequited love with her and was 22-years older than her.

By P.K. Abdul Ghafour

Ablution or wudu, the mandatory washing ritual for Muslims before the five-time prayers helps to rejuvenate the body as a result of washing vital reflex points such as

the hands, face, ears and feet, says an Indian reflexologist Dr. C.A. Ansar.An alternative medicine specialist, Ansar has been successful in treating various diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, autism and Parkinson through his healing touch, without any medicine. “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has instructed us to take care of our feet by wearing shoes in order to protect ourselves from disease-carrying microbes. The foot is a vital organ and considered the second heart of a man as it re-pumps blood to different parts of the body,” he told Arab News. Ansar, who became visually impaired after he was hit by glaucoma while studying in Mumbai, said the five-time prayers following ablution does not only spiritually energize the individual but also activates his vital organs.Ansar, who can identify various diseases by touching the individual’s foot, said that reflexology is a successful treatment which has been widely

practised in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.“Many of my diabetic patients have stopped taking medicine after the disease was controlled by activating the pancreas. I also teach them some exercises to boost blood circulation.”Dr. Ansar intends to establish a reflexology center in Kerala. He noted that pharmaceutical companies were doing their best to discourage the treatment because it does not require medicine which would greatly reduce their sales.Ansar, who is busy all the year round, attributes his success to God. “I treat patients with dedication and God takes care of the rest. There have been some amazing results; some patients who came to me on a stretcher have gone home on their feet,” he said.Ansar believes that reflexology is a natural treatment for diseases. “The Prophet has said that God has a remedy for every disease,” he said, adding that the reflexology foot chart is like a maintenance manual for our body.Ansar, who did his higher studies in reflexology and related treatment systems from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, has been working in the field for about 12 years.Three of his assistants at Ansar Healing Touch Clinic in Ernakulum are also visually impaired. “Our success proves that the visually impaired are definitely capable of giving hope and happiness to others,” he added.For more information about Ansar and reflexology log on to www.hthc.in. n

Out of 24 brave children, eight are girls and 16 boys while four of them have been given awards posthumously. The National Bravery Award Scheme was initiated by the ICCW to give due recognition to the children who distinguish themselves by performing outstanding deeds of bravery and meritorious service and to inspire other children to emulate their examples. It was first instituted in 1957 when two children, a boy and a girl, were first rewarded for their presence of mind and courage. It is to be mentioned that in 1987-88, ICCW instituted the Bharat Award for an exceptionally outstanding, meritorious and gallant deed. In response to a question, Chairperson of the Committee Veena Seth told the Islamic Voice that the Committee follows a thorough criteria and procedure in selecting children for awards. However, she stressed the need of publicizing the scheme at grass-root level as this year only 1,000 applications came for selection. The awardees will receive a medal, certificate and cash and will be granted financial assistance until they complete their schooling. Since its inception, the ICCW has given awards to 895 brave children - 634 boys and 261 girls. nReflexologist Dr. C.A. Ansar

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 26GlobAl AFFAiRS

Modern Slavery Does slavery exist in modern world?

Yes, it does. How and in what form? May be the next question one must be asking.An Australian organization had been putting out the Annual Slavery Index year after year. According to the Global Slavery Index 2014, there are 35.8 million slaves in the world. India ranks on the top with 14.29 million people who are slaves. China comes second with 3.24 million and Pakistan third with 2.06 million. Who are these slaves?The Index defines them as people

who are bonded workers, victims of sexual trafficking, those caught in the forced marriage and other who are force to work in people’s homes and workplaces, in mines, brick kilns (mainly in Pakistan), carpet looms (mainly in Uttar

Pradesh in India), maids (main in Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf nations) etc.According to International Labour Organisation (ILO), at least 122

goods are produced in 58 countries in industries workers are enslaved and made to work without basic labour rights. Incidence of slavery

is high in those countries which are more populous, illiterate and poverty-afflicted. What is modern Slavery?For the purpose of the Index, modern slavery involves one person possessing or controlling another person

in such as a way as to significantly deprive that person of their individual liberty, with the intention of exploiting that person through their use, management, profit,

transfer or disposal.Those who work as slaves work without minimum daily wages, do not have safety devices, do hazardous work and have no access to health facilities. In several cases they children of workers who have borrowed money from their employers,

are made to work as slaves. They are caught in a vicious cycle as they are never able to clear off their debts and their kids remain enslaved to the employers.

Venezuela has been catapulted to the number one position with a score of

106.3. High and rising consumer prices are said to be the bane of Venezuela, other-

wise an oil rich country.

World’s Most Miserable States

World’s Most Miserable States

A World Misery Index has begun to be compiled. Prof. Steve Hanke, who teaches Applied Economics at the Johns Hopkins University

has started compiling the data and ranking the world nations according to their miserable status. Cato’s Misery Index ranks 108 countries based on data from the Economist Intelligence Unit. He factors in the nations’ inflation, lending rates, and unemployment figures together and then subtracts year on year per capital GDP growth to ‘Misery”.Venezuela has been catapulted to the number one position with a score of 106.3. High and rising consumer prices are said to be the bane of Venezuela, otherwise an oil rich country. It is 40 point ahead of the second ranker Argentina which scored 68 points. Again, even this South American nation suffers from relentless price rise. War torn Syria and Ukraine stand at third and fourth position with

64 and 52 points respectively. Iran and Brazil occupy fifth and sixth position. Both suffer from rampant unemployment.

India is on 38th position but Pakistan is more miserable than its neighbour and is at 33rd place. Source of their misery is high interest rates. The five least miserable are Brunei, Switzerland, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The United States ranks 95th, which makes it the 14th least miserable nation of the 108 countries on the table.Curiously, even Saudi Arabia figures in the list, on 47th position, a place ahead of Bangladesh. Both have high unemployment.Here is the ranking of 29 countries that are top-listed in the table (from Venezuela being the most miserable to Paraguay on the 29th position.)(Source: http://www.cato.org/blog/world-misery-index-108-countries

Most PrevalentCountries with the highest incidence of slavery are China, Pakistan, Russia, Nigeria, Qatar,

Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Thailand, Sudan, Haiti, Uzbekistan, Syria and the Central African Republic. They all belong to regions of the world. Most Active to End SlaveryThe governments that are taking the most action to end modern slavery are: Netherlands, Sweden, United States,

Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, Georgia, Austria.Georgia, the Philippines, Macedonia, Jamaica are said to be taking the strongest steps to end slavery with limited resources. Globally, only three of 167 governments are making some effort to address modern slavery

in government procurement and in the supply chains of businesses operating in their countries: the United States of America, Brazil and AustraliaConsidered overall, countries taking the most action to end modern slavery are: the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Georgia, and Austria. n

Nigeria

Pakistan

Russia

China

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 27GlobAl AFFAiRS

Singapore has been rated as the most livable city in Asia and Bengaluru in India, even though the latter stands at 171st place in world ranking. These ranking have been specially done for Asian expats in mind.

Mumbai and Chennai come second and third within India. In the world ranking, Mumbai and Chennai jointly share the 182nd place. New Delhi is least liveable at 2014 due to extremely poor air quality, something it share with Beijing, the capital of China. The

ranking has been released by the ECA International, the world’s leading provider of knowledge, information and technology for the management and assignment of employee around the world. “Good air quality, solid

infrastructure, decent medical facilities, low crime and health risks have contributed to Singapore maintaining its position at the top of the global ranking for quality of living for Asian assignees,” said Lee Quane, Regional Director – Asia,

ECA International.Singapore is followed by Sydney and Adelaide in the ranking for Asian assignees. However, the impact of some of the factors assessed, such as distance from home and differences in culture,

language and climate, will vary according to where someone comes from.Updated annually, ECA's Location Ratings system objectively evalu-ates a host of factors to form an assessment of the overall quality of living in over 450 locations

worldwide. The system helps companies es-tablish appropri-ate allowances to compensate employees for the adjustment required when going on inter-national assignment. Factors assessed include climate; avail-ability of health services; housing and utilities; isolation; access to a social network and leisure fa-cilities; infrastructure; personal safety; political tensions and air quality.Though Singapore takes the first position, it is on 96th position for someone coming from the Western countries. For European expatriates, Bern and Copenhagen are the most livable locations, while, someone expatriating from North America will find it easiest to adapt to living and working in Toronto followed by Dublin.” Region’s WorstThe Pakistani cities of Islamabad (261) and Karachi (269) have the region’s worst scores for personal security and social-political tensions. They are the hardest locations surveyed in Asia for expatriates to adapt to living and working in.In mainland China, Shanghai, ranked 110th globally, is China's most liveable city followed by Beijing (122). Scores have remained steady across most Chinese locations but Chongqing

and Shenzhen saw the most improvement over the year. Global OverviewDenmark's capital, Copenhagen (7th globally), is the European city that offers the best quality of living for Asian assignees followed by the Swiss city of Bern(11th). The Albanian city of Tirana (189th) has seen the biggest improvement this survey largely due to a significant upgrade in its education score.In North America, Vancouver (24th) is the most liveable location followed by San Francisco (40). While in Latin America, the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, (121) scores more favourably for Asian assignees, followed by Chile's Santiago (126). Dubai Best, Kandahar WorstDubai (109th globally) is the location in the Middle East which requires the least adjustment for Asian assignees overall. Globally, the hardest locations to adapt to living and working in are the Afghan locations of Lashkar Gah and Kandahar.For Asian assignees going to Africa, Port Louis, Mauritius, (118) affords the best quality of living followed by Cape Town (133).

Most Livable Cities Index for AsiansSingapore Remain on the Top, B.luru best in India, though 182ndglobally

Singapore

Chennai Mumbai

Bengaluru

Not a Trouble, But a GiftSPiRiTUAl MEDiTATionS

All sorts of tests, sicknesses, accidents, material and psychological difficulties and all the rest, are set out within the individual’s ability to cope with them and are events that Allah has ordained specially for them in their destiny.By Harun Yahya

Have you ever thought you have come to the end of your tether? Or that you have suffered a lot? That everyone is against you? That people do not understand you and that the course of events always works against you? You may be going through a difficult time, but the situation may not be as you imagine. Allah deliberately creates all difficulties. They are like specially wrapped presents, tailor-made for each individual. Everyone has different flaws; some people are impatient, some are restless, some are distrusting, some are uneasy, some are prone to negativity and others are quick to anger.

Troubles, sickness, losses and deficiencies are all blessings for one to overcome these flaws, beautify his soul, and improve his moral values. Our Lord knows what every person needs, and He knows best how much they can stand. If there is something troubling you, it will not exceed your capacity to cope with it; as a matter of fact — if you are believer — it will strengthen you. Some people who encounter times of trouble may think there is no way out, that everything has come to an end, that they have come to the end of the road and that their difficulties can never be overcome. Some people may even behave in a rebellious way, but these things are in fact apprehensions

whispered to them by satan.Allah creates different events for everyone on Earth. The observances commanded by Allah, the difficulties He creates to test us and the responsibilities He places on us are all proportional to our strength.Our Lord knows best what people can cope with and how much. Allah is infinitely Just and Forbearing toward His servants. Our Lord will never impose a greater burden than one can bear, nor a responsibility one’s conscience cannot accept; no one would ever be wronged. That is Allah’s promise. It is a manifestation of His being the Most-Compassionate and the Most-Merciful. All sorts of tests, sicknesses,

accidents, material and psychological difficulties and all the rest, are set out within the individual’s ability to cope with them and are events that Allah has ordained specially for them in their destiny.Everything in the life of this world is realistic and takes places as the result of causes. For that reason, some people think that the time allotted to them in this world will never end. The fact that everything gradually decays and that people grow old, even the existence of death, do not make them admit to that irrefutable fact. They imagine that the life of this world is absolute and are reluctant to think about the Hereafter or even to consider a life after death.

A sincere believer must know the truth that no matter what befalls him, it will be something in the face of which he can exhibit moral virtue and fortitude. No matter what hardship befalls him, it will be something he has the strength to cope with and face with patience. Believers never lose their joy if there is a decrease in their blessings, if they are sick or in the face of some other affliction. On the contrary, they regard troubles as a gift. They have no need for special reasons to be happy. For them, faith itself is a source of joy and gratitude. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 28

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CHILDREN'S CORNER

Ginny’s Kitty Party

By Nigar Ataulla

Ginny was a little girl and lived in a big town. She loved animals, and wherever she went she would look around for cats, squirrels and birds and would stop to say hello to them.

Ginny lived in a house with a

big backyard and a little garden in front. Every day, all the neighbourhood cats would land up outside her home when they spotted her coming from school. Ginny would serve them saucers of creamy milk. Some cats lived in houses next to Ginny’s, while others were stray cats, who wandered about homeless in the streets.

Ginny loved them all very much, and her dream was to have a little house of her own when she grew up, with a special room for cats, where any cat could come and stay, eat and sleep.

After Ginny’s mother went to heaven, she stayed with her father and sister. Both grown-olds (who, if you know what I mean, are very different from grown-ups) did not know head or tail about paws and claws. Ginny’s mother would allow kitties to sit on the kitchen table and watch her making pancakes. But Ginny’s father and sis did not allow the kitties to even step inside the house. Like all other grown-olds, they thought they were always right and claimed that the kitties would mess up the house. Ginny dearly loved the cats and was sad that the kitties couldn’t any longer come inside her house.Sometimes, Ginger, Ginny’s

favourite tom-kitty, would crawl up outside her bedroom window on cold winter nights and meow, hoping that he would be let in. But Ginny could do nothing as the grown-olds growled if she dared ask them to let Ginger in. Often, she quietly opened the fridge in the middle of the night and kept out a saucer of milk for Ginger on the window pane.Ginny secretly hoped that one day all the cats of the area would come into her house and have a big kitty party! That day soon came as Ginny’s dad went out of town for a few days. “Wuppy!” squealed Ginny as she and her toy Teds

set off to the baker’s to fetch muffins, sandwiches, milk,

lots of cream, kitty biscuits and kitty cakes. And, guess

why? Ginny and Teds had planned a surprise kitty party

for all the neighbourhood cats!

Ginny’s other toys, Dundi, the water-filler, Ronald, the baby

rubber, Shelly, the sea shell, Tango, the baby crocodile, Felicia and

Fanny, a couple of silly mice, jumped out of the toy cupboard to help Ginny. They were really excited—they had never seen a Kitty party before. Felicia and Fanny put up balloons inside the dining room, and Dundi filled all the kitty cups with creamy milk.

But how would the kitties know about the kitty party? Tango, the baby croc had a brilliant idea! Ginny had a little bell, gifted to her by her mom. Tango put the bell around his neck and crawled around the garden and in the streets, tingling the bell, announcing to all the kitties that there was to be a party in the afternoon in Ginny’s house just for them.

Ginger was the first to come to Ginny’s house. He was so excited to enter the house for the first time that he leapt into the larder and curled up around the honey pot. “Hmmm, so warm!” he meowed. Ginny was thrilled to have Ginger with her and gave him a hearty hug.

In a few minutes, Triggy Tom, the fat brown cat, rushed in.Just as Ronald was laying out the pink kitty cup cakes and scones, through the window jumped Glassy and Greeny, the two very naughty street kitties.Suddenly,

there was a knock on the door. Guess who it was! Prim ‘n Proper, the Persian cat from the big house down the road. She was dressed in a white skirt with a pearl necklace around her furry neck. She lived with Dame Rich Witch, who wanted everything in her house, including her kitty, to be prim and proper, and that is how the latter had got her quaint name. The lady had taught even her cat to knock on doors before entering, which is what she did that day!

Sharp at 12 noon, dressed neatly in a suit and bow-tie, Purr-Purr-Perfect, the big cat from the other side of the road, walked in. He taught “gazing at mouse holes” in the neighborhood kitty school. After having eaten the proverbial hundred mice, he now planned to do penance for his sins by sailing to the Holy Pussy Waters, where he would take a dip in the river and vow never to eat a mouse again! He jumped on the table, blessed Ginny with his paw and looked around and asked if everyone was there.

“Wait, Satin, the black garbage kitty has not

come,” meowed Glassy, who was as gossipy as ever and kept a careful eye on who did what. Just then, through the chimney, a black kitty covered completely in coal, tumbled down, looking very sheepish. That was Satin! “Ohhhh, Satin, go take a bath, you dirty little thing!” meowed Glassy.

Satin had never taken a bath in her life, so Ginny wiped her well and powdered her and then she looked fresh as a flower. She had never before eaten from a plate, for she would always jump into rubbish-bins to hunt for fish bones and leftovers. You can well imagine how thrilled she was to see a plate specially set on the table, along with a giant bowl and a cup of creamy milk, just for her!

When all the guests had arrived, the kitty part began. Everyone took their seats at the dining table and then joined their paws together and Teds said a little prayer thanking the Lord for the food they were about to eat. Then, they began munching on the delicious cakes, biscuits, cream, milk and scones that Ginny had so lovingly put together. Ginny put on a delightful song to amuse them. ‘Pussycat, Pussy cat Where Had You Been?”, it rang out, and after the kitties had eaten their

fill they all held paws and danced to the same song, over and over again. Never before had they had such fun as at their first kitty party!

The sun was setting and it was time for the kitties to go home. But Ginny told them that they could sleep over if they wanted to. “Wuppymeowwwwww” squealed all the kitties in delight. They rushed together, as if in a race, to take their places on the warm sofas, beds and carpets that Ginny had spread out for them.

Ginny made creamy coffee for all of them, and after kneeling down together, they thanked the Lord for the wonderful party, after which each one of the kitties gave Ginny a little peck on her little cheek to say how thankful they were to her, too.

Ginny was the happiest little girl in the world that day! And now she’s waiting for another weekend kitty party, when the grown-olds in her house are out of town again! I do hope that happens really soon, don’t you? Wuppymeowwww! n

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 29ADVERTiSEMEnT

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 30CHILDREN'S CORNER

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Editor

My Best New Year Ever

By M. Praneeth Everyone has their happiest moments in life. One of my happiest moments in my life was this New Year 2015. This New Year, I invited my friends to my home. All my friends gathered at my house. We all played and enjoyed ourselves very much. We had sumptuous food prepared by my mother. We all had fun after the meal for some time. Afterwards we were very eager to cut the New Year cake. But, at the eleventh hour, my mother changed the plan. My mother gave us the best surprise we deserved. She drove us to a school for visually impaired girls. I and my friend were not pleased with my mother's action. We entered into the school unhappily. But when my mother started to interact with the girls, I realized that the girls were really so sweet. They sang very melodious songs. We also sang some songs for them. We were very impressed with their talents. We distributed chocolates and candies to them. Some of the children were so affectionate that they were feeding us the chocolates and candies which we

gave them. The next day we told to each and every student in our class about our 'NEW' New Year! But, in the end, we were so elated to see the visually impaired girls very happy and affectionate.

Some of my friends and me, decided to celebrate our birthdays with them.(M. Praneeth lives in Hyderabad and is a 9th Standard Student in BPDAP)

Aviation and Airport related Words

Airport: A place where aircraft take off and land, usually equipped with hard-surfaced landing strips, a control tower, hangars,aircraft maintenance and refueling facilities, and accommodations for passengers and cargo. طیرانگاہ، ہواءی اڈہ

Aerodrome: A landing area, esp for private aircraft, that is usually smaller than an airport. چھوٹا ہواءی اڈہ

Aircraft: A device that can fly in atmosphere carrying passengers and goods. Remember plural of aircraft is ‘aircraft’ only. طیارہ ، ہواءی جہاز

Airbase: Usually airports that serve the military aircraft.فوجی طیرانگاہ

Civil aviation: Category of flying operations for civilian passengers. The International Civil Aviation sets up uniform standards for operation of flights. شہری ہوا بازیRunway: A strip of hard surface, mostly asphalted for landing of aircraft. It is also known as tarmac. رن وے، ہواءی پٹی

Terminal: A building in an airport where travelers board and get off airplanesمسافرون کے لہے آخری پاءنٹ

Taxiway A usually paved strip at an airport for use by aircraft in

taxiing to and from a runwayرن وے سے عمارت کا راستہ

Aerobridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without going outside. ایرو برج

Hangar is a large workshop

or building for storing and maintaining aircraftطیارے کی قیام گاہ

Immigration: If you immigrate to a country, you go to live in that country permanentlyہجرت کرکے آنا

Emigration: If you emigrate, you leave your own county and go to live permanently in another country.ہجرت کرکے جآنا

Qurantine: A condition, period of time, or place in which a person, animal, plant, vehicle, or amount of material suspectedof carrying an infectious agent is

kept in confinement or isolated in an effort to prevent disease from spreading.قرنطینہ

Cockpit: The space in the fuselage of a small airplane containing seat for pilot, co-pilot and sometimes passengers. پائلٹ کی سیٹ

Control Tower: A tower at an airfield from which air traffic is controlled by radio and radarکنٹرول ٹاور

Helipad: A place for helicopters to land and take off ہیلی پیڈ

Customs: The procedure for inspecting goods and baggage entering a country. کسٹمز

Boarding pass: A pass that authorizes a passenger to board an aircraft.

طیارے مین سوار ہونے کا اجازت نامہ

Travelator: A moving walkway on airports (it can be on pavements too) enabling passengers to move from one place to another inside terminals. متحرک واک وے

Enhance Your WordPowerEnhance Your WordPower

ISLAMIC VOICE, February 2015 31ADVERTiSEMEnT