ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 1

32 Pages Rs. 25 Bengaluru English MonthlyDecember 2016 Vol. 29-12 No. 360 Rabiul Awwal 1438 H

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Page 13

Climate Change Declaration Urges Environmental Care

The Islamic Declaration on Climate Change calls on countries to phase out greenhouse-gas emissions and switch to 100% renewable energy. With 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, the collective statement sends a strong signal.

Released during a two-day symposium on Islam and climate change in Istanbul, the declaration explains why Muslims should be responsible activists for the welfare of the planet, and sets out a series of demands to world leaders and the business community.First, the declaration calls on policymakers responsible for crafting a comprehensive climate agreement to come to ″an equitable and binding conclusion. The agreement should set clear targets and establish ways to monitor them. Additionally, prosperous countries and oil-producing states should phase out their carbon-dioxide emissions no later than the middle of the century; turn away from unethical profit from the environment, and invest in a green economy.Second, the declaration asks people and leaders from all countries to commit to 100% renewable energy and a zero-emissions strategy as soon as possible, and to recognise that unlimited economic growth is not a viable option. Moreover, adaptation should be a high priority, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Notably, the business sector is asked to take

a more active role to reduce its carbon footprint, commit to 100% renewable energy and zero emissions, shift investments into renewable energy, adopt more sustainable business models, and assist in the divestment from

fossil fuels.Finally, the declaration issues an appeal to all Muslims wherever they may be, that is underpinned by quotes from the Quran. Care for creation is a fundamental part of the Islamic message, the declaration notes, and humans are currently responsible for squandering gifts bestowed by Allah.The Quranic verse 24:45, tells us how Allah created every living creature from water, and the Hadith instructs us that we are stewards of the Earth:

The Earth is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you his stewards over it. The whole Earth has been created a place of worship, pure and clean. Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it

matures and bears fruit is

rewarded. If a Muslim plants a tree or sowed a field and humans and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is love on his part.The climate in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East could change so drastically in the coming decades that these areas would become hostile to life," says atmospheric researcher”, says Jos Lelieveld.If there is one thing North Africa and the Middle East are not short of, it is crises. The wars raging in the Fertile Crescent, in Yemen and Libya have become

as depressingly familiar as the dangerous, interminable slow-burn of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Turkey is gradually being transformed into a dictatorship, while Egypt, a country which has already returned to that state, is facing bankruptcy. For decades

now, the former "breadbasket" on the Nile has not been producing enough food to feed its rapidly growing population. Now the government can no longer afford to pay for the necessary grain imports.

“Creeping Normalcy”All of this is more than enough justification for a high level of despondency. Added to these political-social conditions, however, there is another, more subtly insidious blight. Neither dramatic nor sensational, it is a gradual, barely perceptible

affliction, so gradual that, in the short-term, the small changes that characterize it, seem normal. The term "creeping normalcy", has been used by the US scientist, Jared Diamond to describe the inability of people even to recognise the problem.A closer look at the figures makes

it clear that temperatures across North Africa and the Middle East are on the rise, especially in the summer months.Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry have been taking a closer look. Their predictions make

for depressing reading. Using computer simulations, they are predicting that there will be an average rise in temperature in the region of around four degrees celsius by mid-century. This would mean the number of extremely hot days, with maximum temperatures of 46 degrees and above, rising five-fold, from 16 at present to 80 days a year. Night-time temperatures would not sink below 30 degrees. "The climate in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East could change so drastically in the

Anyone seeking more confirmation need look no further than the withered pistachio plantations in Iran, the decaying groves of

date palms near Marrakesh, or the sandstorms in Baghdad. There are warning signs aplenty.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 2

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 3FEATURE

Islamiyah Matriculation Higher Secondary School

Harvesting Sweetness of Knowledge A fish merchant thought of a school to remove illiteracy and poverty. It came up

on sugarcane fields. Today the school has over 3,000 students.

By A Staff Writer Forty years ago, this place grew sugarcane. Today it is tasting the sweet success of sweat and toil of a visioned, yet very ordinary man who strove to transform it into a school and neighbourhood, throbbing with life. Islamiyah Matriculation Higher Secondary School stands where once farmers grew sugarcane. No wonder, the locality has been named Karumbukkadai (literally ‘sugarcane field’ in Tamil), a part of the industrial city of Coimbatore. Its founder, Mr. N. K. Mohammed was a fish merchant from Kerala who had settled down in Coimbatore long back. He was a member of the Jamaat-e Islami Hind. Even while carrying his trade, he was pained to see the illiteracy and poverty around. He could see the intimate relationship between the two, i.e., illiteracy breeding poverty and poverty resulting into illiteracy. He and then (i.e., 1978) Jamaat chief in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Ejaz Ahmed Aslam foresaw potential in turning the area into a thriving locality only if a school could be set up. Lack of ResourcesThey gathered well-meaning individuals from the city and founded the Islamic Nursery School in a Muslim dominated slum. Tucked in a corner of the city, it was a forlorn place. People would not venture out alone even in the day time. Going by the socio-economic profile of the people, an English medium school seemed unimaginable. Yet Mohammed sahib persisted. Only

twenty kids could be managed in the first year. Persuasion and persistence kept company. While N. K. Mohammed worked hard, Ejaz sab provided the moral and material support from Madras (now Chennai). Two years later, it took some formal shape with

Islamiyah School coming up. It could enroll 55 students. The classes ran in thatched huts put up on the land purchased for the purpose. The institution lacked resources, but not the spirit. As confidence grew, they formed the Islamic Educational Trust with seven prominent Muslims joining as trustees.

Over 3,000 StudentsToday the Islamiyah Matriculation Higher Secondary School is a well known institution of Coimbatore. Around 3,000 kids enter and exit its portals every day, girls donning white and blue and white hijabs, boys in smart pant-shirts uniforms and women teachers in light blue long coats. The school employs nearly 120 teachers with another 70 imparting lessons in moral and religious studies in pre-school

hours. The two-acre campus is ever abuzz with activity. Looking at the growing strength of the school, Mohammed sab originally negotiated for seven acres of land in the predominantly farming land. But he and Ejaz sab could muster up resources merely to

pay for two acres. They encouraged others to buy

up the rest of the land

which was plotted and sold by the investors. Families which bought up these plots and put up their homes, now send their kids to the Islamiyah School. The school building began to be constructed only around 1987. Safe EnvironmentIslamiyah School may not be an elite institution, but its forte lies in turning out students who could

do well in life with a sound base of knowledge and well-rounded personality. Nearly 60% of its students are girls, who may have remained with education just up to elementary level, if the school would not have opened

its portals in the area. Now they easily climb the ladder till 12th standard and compete for seats in professional colleges which abound in Coimbatore (the city has over 60 engineering colleges). Several of those who have studied here, have attained BE, MBBS and degrees in other fields and working in diverse sectors. According to Mr. M. Naseerullah,

managing trustee who is involved in day-to-day affairs of the school, the institution serves the need of the lower middle class of the society who would not afford education in expensive schools. He says, families find the environment safe to enroll their daughters, especially. The school segregates classes for boys and girls from 7th standard onwards. Mr. M. Abdul Hakim, Public Relations secretary of the Jamaat in Coimbatore says the

area, now rechristened Salamath Nagar, with several mosques, madrassas and bazaars owes its origin to the Islamiyah School coming up in the locality. The moral and religious section is handled by nearly 60 teachers

in the morning. The school with separate sports ground for girls and boys has over 72 classrooms, several labs, prayer halls and library. The Muslim community here, as is the norm in Tamil Nadu, speaks Tamil. Since it is a two-language formula in force in the State, the school teaches English and Tamil under the language formula. English is however the medium of instructions. However, it provides space for a centre for Urdu learning where National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) runs classes for Urdu learning at 9th standard level. Around 60 students benefit from the facility. The Trust supports education of around a thousand students with annual stipends to the tune of Rs. 10 lakh from its coffers. The beneficiaries are generally children from single parent families and those of personnel attached with mosques and madrassas. Well trained in sports, the boys from school have brought laurels for the school in State level athletics and other sports. 70% Non Muslim Teachers Though the non-Muslim students are very few, 70% teaching staff consists of non-Muslim teachers, mainly women. Currently, the school principal is Ms. Shankari Gopalan while Ms. Chudamani is vice principal. According to Mr. Naseerullah, the Trust has acquired some land ten kilometers away to set up another school for the growing population. Islamiyah School’s saga of growth and success owes itself to hard work, perspicacity and a visionary approach. n

Founder N. K. Mohammad’s vision still inspires the Institution.

The founders lacked resources but were not wanting in spirit.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 4

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UpdATE‘Gems of the Nation’ Award

FEED Hyderabad Felicitates 218 Girl-students

Rs. 10,000 was presented to each girl for scoring 9.0 GPAHyderabad: The Foundation for Economic and Educational Development (FEED) honoured 218 girl students who passed the 10th SSC Board Examination in Telengana and Andhra Pradesh with 90% and above marks on November 13 in the City. Titled ‘Gems of the Nation’ Award, the girls were presented with a cheque of Rs. 10,000, a certificate and a medal. Of the 218, 17 are non-Muslim girls. A total sum of Rs. 23.98 lakh was disbursed. Mr. Ghiasuddin Babukhan, briefed about the activities of Trust and congratulated the award winning girls students for achieving top rank GPAs which is the result of their hard work in studies and advised the

students to maintain consistency in the merits in future, to achieve success in every walk of life. Mr. B. Shafiullah, IFS, MD, Minorities Finance Corporation,

who was the guest of honor of the function appreciated the efforts of the Trust and praised Mr. Ghiasuddin Babukhan, for his dedicated and selfless services extended towards upliftment of the community for the last 25 years.

Chief guest of the function, Mr. A. K. Khan, IPS, DGP, Anti Corruption Bureau, and Vice Chairman of Telangana Minorities Residential Schools, commended

the efforts of the Trust and applauded the tremendous contribution of Mr. Ghiasuddin Babukhan, for such services, by which large number of minority community is benefitted with education and financial support. The

Trust also distributed 5,000 blankets (costing Rs. 11.70 lakhs) in 36 Telangana Minorities Residential schools for girls. Subsequently awards were distributed by the chief guest Mr. A. K. Khan, Brig. M. M. Zaki and Mr. Ghiasuddin Babukhan. n

Jamia Launches Livelihood Business Incubator

New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia launched ‘Entrepreneurship and Skill Development programme’ on November 15. Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), inaugurated the Livelihood Business Incubator (LBI) under the programme. He

announced a grant of Rs. one crore for the purpose to the University under the ASPIRE Scheme of his ministry. Inaugurating, Mr. Mishra said, “This LBI is the first of its kind being set up in partnership with an academic institution at a cost of Rs 1.55 crore, out of which the University has spent Rs. 55 lakh for creating this facility. I am sure this will definitely encourage the students to become budding entrepreneurs in the future.” The LIB has been set up by the Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) Jamia Millia Islamia.The scheme envisages a holistic approach to create new jobs by promoting the entrepreneurship culture and also creates a force of skilled manpower to undertake

the job so created, he said adding that this will help in providing economic development at the grass root level across the country by facilitating innovative business solutions for unmet social needs.Mishra informed that the Government has set up the Atal

Innovation Mission (AIM) at a cost of Rs. 10,000 crore. “World over, MSMEs have been the hub for innovation. Our Government has launched “Start-up India and Stand-up India” for setting up new enterprises. It is with this objective in view and to encourage innovation in MSME sector, the ASPIRE Fund was created, focusing

on innovation in the agriculture sector,” he added. The Minister also referred to the launch of “National SC/ ST Hub” last month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, it will create an eco-system for setting up of SC/ ST enterprises to meet the gap in public procurement. He also referred to the Zero Defect (ZED) scheme as an international standard for enterprises to compete in the global market.LBI Programme has been set up to train and skill prospective entrepreneurs to learn product manufacturing processes, technology development, business development, marketing and other skills. LBI would also offer a short-term 6-week programme on ‘Entrepreneurship

The scheme envisages a holistic approach to create new jobs by promoting the entrepreneurship culture

and also creates a force of skilled manpower.

Union Minister Kalraj Mishra Launched the Live-lihood Business Incubator at Jamia Millia Islamia

Amazon’s 2016 Christmas Advert Wins Hearts!The advert featuring a Muslim Imam and a Christian Vicar has been termed as “inspiring,” with millions of people seeing the positive side of Islam.The people at Amazon may have snatched the title of best Christmas advert with their latest ad - featuring a Muslim cleric and a Christian vicar as good friends. It debuted on TV recently and viewers have praised the wonderful message of tolerance and inter-faith friendship at this time of the year. The advert shows the two men enjoying a cup of tea and a chat together at the vicar's house. But when they both get up - they moan about their aching knees. This leads to both men ordering the same

present for the other - knee pads. The advert later shows the vicar and Imam wearing their presents while bending down to pray at

their respective places of worship.Instead of hiring actors, Amazon worked with The Muslim Council of Great Britain and the Christian Muslim Forum and used a real priest and Imam - London vicar

Rev Gary Bradley and Zubeir Hassam, head of a Muslim school in Leicestershire.Imam Zubier Mohammad said: “I have seen that through this little ad, millions of people are seeing the positive side of Islam. At the moment with things going on around the world we are portrayed in the wrong way. I wanted to show that communities do work together. We have no issues. We can work in harmony.” The advert has been shared on social media accounts all over the world.(To see the must-see wonderful advert, click on birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/amazons-chris tmas-advert-featuring-m u s l i m - 1 2 2 1 9 2 6 9 # s t h a s h .x1DWRRH8.dpuf)

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 5COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

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A School Revived

A Grand Premises SavedThe youth who fought off anti-social elements and encroachers, feel that the institution

has now been saved, and should be developed into an ideal school for the area.

By A Staff Writer If someone visited this school three years ago, he would have written its future off. The impressive building stands on nearly an acre plot of land opposite the KIMS Hospital in the busy Kalasipalyam area of Bengaluru. This Urdu medium school is said to have 1,500 girls on its rolls and 17 teachers a quarter century ago. But the strength had dwindled to a mere 15 in 2013. The impressive Indo-Saracenic edifice had developed cracks from which sprouted trees of all varieties. The powerful institutions around had a prying eye over the property

and were approaching the powers that be to sanction the premises to them. But thanks to the well-meaning youth of the area, it is back to life. The Government Urdu Higher Primary School Kalasipalyam hums with activity today. The strength of the students has gone up to nearly 170 and some activism by an Education Coordinator of the Department of Public Instructions (DPI) has revived its fortunes. Pleasant TurnaroundWhat brought the turnaround?

Old residents of the area had witnessed the gradual irrelevance of the school to the community around. English medium schools

had mushroomed up in the vicinity and most Muslim families in the area had switched over to them. The language policy of the Government dictated that primary education should be imparted

in mother tongue medium in Government Schools, hence the irrelevance. Yet the premises and the grandiose old building—owner’s pride and neighbour’s envy—were urging action from the locals. It was around 2009 that some youth set up the Hind Citizen Welfare Trust. Old records tracing the history of the school to 1946 showed that the school had been started as a Model school. It imparted coaching from first to seventh standard i.e., a Higher Primary School. According to the Trustees, there are no definite

clues as to when it was actually established. It is presumed that the history goes back to at least two more decades.

Premises SavedMr. Afsar Pasha, a local youth, took some active interest and gathered some volunteers

to blow a new soul into the musty corridors. Aware of the encroachments and threats to bite off even more chunks from its

land, they raised pucca compound walls to protect the property. A survey revealed that there were slums at some distance where no schools

existed. A kind-hearted business man offered them a mini bus for just Rs. 75,000 in order to ferry kids from those settlements.

The massive mortar structure was refurbished by filling cracks, reinforcing the leaky roof with layers of concrete and waterproofing material. They even laid a marble flooring. The civil work itself cost them over Rs. 25 lakh which were raised through donations. They even laid a steel structure for construction of an auditorium behind the main building on the vacant land in order to use the same for indoor games and other events. The task remains unfinished. However, only eight

The Government Urdu School in the busy Kalasipalyam area once had around 1,500 girls on its rolls. The number had dwindled to mere 15 in 2012. The activists have now revived its fortunes by mobilizing students from distant places and by

enhancing physical infrastructure and environment.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 6Demonetisation

Whom are they fooling?

NATIONAl AFFAIRs

The Government is enacting a drama of retrieving Black Money. It is more stupid than being 'Pound foolish and penny wise'. Even the tip of the black money iceberg in the Swiss banks has not been touched in 42 months.

But the common man is being deprived of his money in the bank as well as the wallet.

Demonetisation is a traditional approach to scoop out black money or to make it irrelevant to the hoarders who contribute to stagnation of the economy. Nations across the world have opted for this approach to revive

the economy. Greed is the basic instinct of human beings. They tend to hoard wealth in terms

of gold, cash, land and other precious articles. One is always sure of the limited time span of his or her life. Yet nothing has restrained people from gathering money in their coffers, more than they or even the next generation

would need for a rainy day. Of all the money in circulation in Indian economy, 85% of it is

in the form of Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 currency notes. But Reserve Bank of India figures indicate that only 39 to 45% of these denomination of notes were circulating in the country. This effectively means that around 40% of these currency notes were lying unused in private vaults by people who have either saved or

hoarded them. India had twice earlier demonetized currencies, in 1946 and 1978. But high currency value notes constituted only 2% of the total then. Black MoneyHoarded money on which taxes have not been paid is termed ‘Black Money’. It is now estimated that share of black money or ‘Shadow Economy’ is about 23%. Any Government interested in revival of the economy should

think of ways to take out the unused, un-invested, treasured, stagnant pools of this High Value Currency (HVC). A second approach to keep the economy revived up is to promote cashless transactions i.e., to cultivate the habit of paying electronically. This is done through credit cards, debit cards, ATM cards or mobile

payments such as PayTM etc. Electronic FinanceFuturologist Alvin Toffler had predicted that the currency notes would become irrelevant as the world progresses into the future and money will retain only a notional value. People and businesses will not handle cash. They will transact businesses by moving money from one account to another account. This method

not only discourages hoarding of cash, but makes the tax collection honest and reduces the cost of movement of cash which has to stored, guarded and moved in security vans. Most Western economies have calibrated their systems to move into the electronic finance. People there travel without cash but a host of cards

for payment of phone currencies, rail tickets, airfares, fuel charges and for shopping bills. This however requires high degree of financial literacy, sophisticated and fail-safe systems and cyber security. With the current crisis of currency notes, it is expected that India will move a step closer to the digital payment age. 200 vs. 6.7 timesThe RBI data reveals that an

Demonetisation Impact• IndiaRating, theratingagencysaysthe invalidationof

theRs.1,000andRs.500noteswouldaffecttheGDPinthethirdquarteroftheFY2016-17,butwouldnottakelongtoreadjust.

• Those who hold Indian currency in invalidateddenominationsoverseaswillfacetheheatandwillhavedifficultyineitherexchangingthemorsendinghome.

• Production would slow down as factory workers leaveworktostandinbankqueues.

• Sellersofagricultureproducearethehardesthitasthissectordealsincashalone.

• Cashlesstransactionsarealreadyrising,asilverliningfortheeconomy.

• May affect the prospects of the regional parties likeSamajwadi and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradeshwhomaynothavesufficienttimetoexchangetheirpartyfundstonewcurrencies.

• Mayevenaffect theBJP’schances inUP, if thequeuesremainatthebanksandATMsandfarmerssuffer.

The move towards electronic finance should cleanse the economy of black

money. But the question is if the politicians, elections and political parties

are willing to shun the black money.

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ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 7New Islamic Cultural Centre in Croatia

Sisak City, Croatia: In a ceremony attended by about 2,000 Muslims, from Croatia and neighboring countries, including state and local officials, diplomats and other guests, the construction of the fourth Islamic Cultural Centre in Croatia began recently in Sisak city. The center, which is estimated to cost around 5.5 million Euros, will be built in phases in Croatia. The new facility, with the area of 2,500 square meters, in addition to the prayer area, will also include a number of other facilities for cultural, social

and educational activities. In addition to a mosque with a large dome and a minaret, there will

be a multi-purpose hall, library with reading room, classrooms, a

restaurant, accommodation area and other facilities. “This is a great day,” said Head of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Reis-ul-Ulema Husein Kavazović. “From the future spiritual home, we will demonstrate and express harmony and a new quality of life, not only for the Muslims in this town, but also for their good neighbors, Catholics, and others. This act is also our hope for the vision of a better world, united in good and communion,” said Kavazović. n

Morocco Makes First Electric Pickup TruckMarrakesh: The National Transportation and Logistic Company (SNTL) of Morocco revealed the world’s latest and newest innovation of the first electric pickup truck. The innovation, which is 100 percent electric, is also 100 percent” made in Morocco”, in terms of concept and assembly. The truck which took nine months to complete, was revealed at SNTL’s center of technology and innovation, “Tamayuz Supply Chain,” in Marrakesh recently. The center chose Engima, the Moroccan consulting firm specializing in

automotive engineering, to work on the development and manufacturing of the electric pickup’s design. The electric vehicle prototype, which

was adapted to fit the Moroccan market, does not require electric stations for it to be recharged. The pickup can be recharged in less than 7 hours in the comfort of one’s

home, using a 220V power outlet, or in a mere hour if a supercharger is used. The designers of the vehicle claim that it is perfectly suited for urban journeys, with frequent stops, during which its speed can reach 129km/h, and its rear bed can bear up to 800kg of load. The most highlighted element of this innovation is that the users of the electric pickup truck can easily upgrade their vehicles without having to purchase a new one. Although designed, manufactured, and assembled in Morocco, the electric pickup innovation is

Workshop for Teachers to Embrace Moderation

Rabat: A workshop on countering extremism and violence, held under the theme of “The Role of Religious Education in Promoting Peace and Fighting Violence”, called for enabling teachers and those working in religious schools to embrace openness, to humanitarian studies and moderation in religious sciences. It also stressed on the need to distance religious schools from extremism and violence discourse. The two-day event was held here on November 1-2. It was organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF), and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in cooperation with the Moroccan

Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. The workshop also stressed the necessity to integrate between religious sciences and humanities to reach a state of balanced openness, in addition to opening up to modern and advanced

means and tools of education that focus on the moderation of religion with all its various dimensions. Head of the Peace, Security and Conflicts Resolution Unit at the OIC, Askar Mussinov said that the Organization has a principled position against terrorism. The OIC also announced the launch of a website for the Center for Dialogue, Peace, and Understanding, which aims at debunking extremist narratives. n

individual debit card-holder uses his card for transaction only 6.7 times in a year. But an inhabitant in countries like Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom uses them 200 times in a year. The figures for Brazil are 54.8 and for China 14.4. This poor penetration of electronic is mainly because India has poor infrastructure for acceptance of these payments. 90% Business in CashIndia has one crore and forty lakh merchants. But only 12 lakh have point of sales (PoS) machines

which collect electronic payments and issues receipts. (Ref. J. M. Financial Report). This means that 90% merchants do cash business. Cash transaction involve issues of security and safekeeping (more so when it has to be transferred) and accounting. The Institute of Business in the Gobal Context (IBGC) estimates that the residents of Delhi alone spend six million hours and Rs. 9.1 crore in the form of fee and transportation costs. Hyderabadis spend 1.7 million hours and Rs. 3.2 crores on this account. The

RBI’s expenditure on this score amounts to Rs. 21,000 crore annually.The country had 2.5 lakh automatic teller machines (ATM) and is taking time to recalibrate them to ooze out the Rs. 2,000 currency. The Government must have thought about it earlier. But its hands were stayed as people would have got scent of it. How People launder Black money into White?• Bank Staff offering overnight

deals to change the old notes for new currency that is 30%

less. • People keep their money

into accounts of their trusted relatives for a commission.

• Cooperative Banks open backdated fixed deposits.

• Factory owners pay advance wages for the next year.

ApprehensionsThere is a general air of cynicism about all moves to cleanse the economy of black money because it is the mainstay of electoral politics. People pay money to party bosses to get tickets who in turn hire agents, goons to run

the campaign and even pay to the media to publish paid news. Once into power, the governments pay back to tycoons, industrialists and media owners through favours, licences, permits, spectrums, mining blocs, and advertisements. Crony capitalism ensures that this vicious cycle should go on. It is widely feared that the cash bloated banks will be asked to give loans to businessmen and industrial groups who would help the party in power to recapture power. (Compiled by the Islamic Voice staffers)

Page 6 Demonetisation ...

intended to be primarily sold in the European market, while Morocco, until it is fully ready, will only be acting as a carrier market. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 8sOCIETY & HUMANITY

WOMEN’s VOICE

Muslim Woman Elected to Minnesota House

Omar, who wears a hijab, walked a long and difficult path to election, and won in a year where Muslims faced

a barrage of hate crimes and threats.

Minneapolis: In an election that starkly divided the United States on November 8, one result was a glimmer of hope for people who opposed Donald Trump: Minnesota elected America’s first Somali American legislator, Ilhan Omar.The 34-year-old, who came to America as a refugee almost 20 years ago, beat out a Republican opponent to gain a seat in the state house of

representatives. “Tonight, we are celebrating this win, our win. But our work won’t stop,” she said

after her victory. Omar, who wears a hijab, walked a long and difficult path to election, and won in a year where Muslims faced a barrage of hate crimes and threats.

Omar came to the US when she was 14 from a refugee camp in Kenya, a country which hosts

hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees. She learned English in three months and later obtained a degree in political science. After graduating, she became a community organizer and is currently the director of policy at ‘Women Organizing Women Network’, a group which helps empower and propel east African women into civic leadership roles. Omar becomes the first Muslim woman to hold office in Minnesota and will now represent Minnesota’s district 60b. n

Ashiana Old Age HomeCare with Dignity in Twilight Years

Farooq’s Ashiana has become a hub of activity. Old Aged Homes were ‘no go zone’ for the community so far. But need is increasingly felt not to be dismissive

about the problem which afflicts the community in equal measure.

By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj

E Shabana is now 80. Being issueless, she had adopted a girl who is now manager in a major IT company in Bengaluru. After being widowed, Shabana took care of the adopted girl, sent her to good schools, lavished all the care on her. But as she grew aware of her background, she (the adopted daughter) began mistreating her adoptive mother. One day she kicked her out of her home. A neighbor took care of her for a few months.

E Rasheed bhai (all names

changed) is also on the wrong side of eighty. He ran a provision store in Shivajinagar in Bengaluru. He was son of an imam. Not able to run his shop and bad debts mounting, he had to shut down his business. Not having any children, he had helped his brother’s son to come up in life. All of them migrated overseas, leaving him alone and helpless in his one-room house.

E Abdul Sattar remained

unmarried. He also ran some petty business which ran into trouble. He was virtually on the road.

E Qamarunnisa is also nearing

80. She was living in Shamanna Garden. Having been issueless and widowed early, she had taken to begging. Her feet would not

support walking. She would drag on the footpaths and sometime across the road dangerously.

Pathetic talesThese and several other pathetic tales come from inmates of ‘Ashiana’, the old age home that has come up in the outskirts of Bengaluru. Founder Mohammed Farooq was an energetic

young man engaged in several charitable activities. When cases of old people remaining without shelter started coming to him, he went looking for some old

age home run by Muslims. To his dismay he found that though city of Bengaluru had several such homes, not one was being run by Muslims. This prompted him to set up one in 2011 in Kannamanglapalya, about 35 kms north of the city in a quiet suburb dotted with villas of the rich and the mighty. Farooq discovered that impromptu charitable work

could be easy. But not the institutional one which requires firm grounding. He dedicated an 80 x 80 sq. ft. plot of land that he owned in the village for the purpose, raised a shelter with four big halls, toilets and bathrooms and brought in all the furniture and accessories that such a facility would require. Grim Realities of AgeBeing left uncared and lonely in old age is a growing problem in our cities these days. Nuclear families are becoming the norm. Misery gets aggravated when children migrate overseas or do not like to stay with aged parents. Those with abundant resources move to colonies with senior citizens homes where a retinue of personnel take care of their personal and health needs. A host of Vriddha Ashrams or ‘Shelter for the Aged’ have been set up by voluntary agencies belonging to other social groups on the lines of the lifestyles prescribed by their faith. But Muslims have nowhere to go as the issue is still a taboo for discussion. Of course, Islam enjoins taking good care of parents, especially when they reach the old age. But there are situations when individuals remain unmarried or do not beget children or get widowed early in life. Some way out must be thought off. Tearful sagas roll out as one sits facing the inmates at Ashiana. Farooq has been working 24x7 for the last five years to help as many old and shelterless people as possible. Yet, the tide of requests has been ceaseless. People call him at the dead of the night to accommodate someone found on the footpath. According to him, his inmates include even wealthy widows who were shoved out of homes by the offspring who were eyeing their assets. Yet those women are not willing to press their claim of being cared through legal measures. A widow from an elite family told this scribe : “Yes of course, my children are well off, they will even inherit my estate, but if they are not willing to have me in their midst, I wish them well and would not like to mess up their party of life. Ashiana provides

me the company of peers of my age. I am determined to spend my remaining years under its benign care.” Yet another old inmate, slightly mentally disoriented, reacts when one signals him of taking away Nurullah, a caretaker from the home. ‘You dare not do that, his services are indispensable’, he warns. Silent SufferersNaseema is almost 95. She used to be the first wife of a village patel (chief). Having been issueless, the patel married another woman who bore her children. After their father’s demise she was abandoned by the patel’s offspring from the second wife. Someone brought her here. By Allah’s grace she was even sponsored for the Hajj pilgrimage by a kind soul. Sahira bi is from Assam who had been brought here for treatment of burns she had sustained while sitting around a winter bonfire. A doctor from Ramaiah Hospital had adopted her and took care for five years. But not able to manage, he left her under the care of Ashiana. Nemath Miyan does not know where he comes from. Reduced to a mere skeleton, he has shrunk to a small pile. He cannot even walk to the toilet or the dining table. He has to be fed at the bed. Farooq has seen all this and more during the last six years he has set up the Home. Even those who criticized him in the beginning are now convinced that one cannot be dismissive about the issues of old age in the contemporary society. The larger society must think of them and come up with facility that can take care of those being consigned to footpaths for want of a shelter for them where their needs are met and are allowed to live and die with dignity. Farooq’s Ashiana has become a hub of activity. Villagers are supplied water from the borewell sunk at the facility and some even receive ration packets during Ramazan. n(Those who would like to a visit the Ashiana or help the inmates may contact him: Mohammed Farooq, Al-Aman Education & Welfare Trust, Ph: 97401-25500, 99649-09600.)

Ashiana provides care for the aged with dignity.

Tearful sagas roll out as one sits facing the inmates at Ashiana. Farooq has been working 24x7 for the last five years to help as many old and shelterless

people as possible. Yet, the tide of requests has been ceaseless.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 9WOMEN’s VOICE

Indian Muslim Feminists: We Are Reformists Not Traitors

As the debate on triple talaq in one sitting continues, a number of Indian Muslim organisations headed by male clergy refuse to even sit and have a civil dialogue

with Muslim feminists and other liberal voices of men and women.By Mariya Salim A few months after her husband divorced her with a simple telegram in 2015, Shayara Bano, a 35-year-old mother of two, went to India's Supreme Court to seek justice.She petitioned the court to ban not only "triple Talaq" (the practice allowing a Muslim man to say the word "Talaq" three times to divorce his wife), which allowed her husband to end their marriage so quickly, but also polygamy and Nikah Halala - the practice which forces a divorced woman to marry another man and consummate her marriage before being allowed to marry again her former husband.Since then the case has stirred much debate and controversy in India. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has very vocally come out in favour of banning triple Talaq.Even though its affidavit in the Supreme Court in the Shayara Bano case demanding a ban on triple Talaq does not make any reference to uniform laws, many see its sudden championing of Muslim women's right as a step to introducing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which will impose the same rules in family law across all religious communities in India.The potential passing of UCC has long been opposed by various Indian religious groups who insist on resolving family matters within the religious framework of their communities. The law commission of India recently came out with an open questionnaire, asking for people's opinions on a UCC. In response, the conservative Muslim leadership has denounced Bano's petition and accused those

in favour of infringing on the freedom of religion of the Muslim community. And we at the Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan organisation, along with others supporting our cause, have found ourselves between the hammer and the anvil.On the one hand, some "liberals" call us "anti-reform" for being

against their proposal of a UCC. On the other hand, conservative Muslim leaders, such as the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, have branded us as "traitors" and called us and all of our studies "fake" for insisting that there should be reform in the way Islamic law is practised in India.Despite these attacks, we stand firmly by our position that gender-just reforms have to be introduced into the Muslim community, but that they have to come through equality-seeking interpretations of the Quran and Islamic law, not through a universal family law imposed on the community from above.Why Are We Against UCC Being Forced On All Communities?The political right has been

advocating a Uniform Civil Code since the framing of the Indian Constitution. In the debate on a ban on triple talaq, however, the present government's emphasis has been on gender justice, and we welcome its support of our cause of a complete ban on triple talaq. It is important to note that there has never been a draft of such

a uniform law presented to the public for debate or discussion.At the same time there are already a number of laws like the Special Marriage Act, which provide a secular alternative for those who want it. This law allows Indians to marry and be governed by secular civil laws, irrespective of the faith followed by either party. Therefore, there is no need to impose on everyone, secular civil code.At the same time, the existence of such secular legal alternatives does not mean that there should be no reforms in personal Muslim law and that Muslims who do not agree with the current conservative status quo should have to use a secular law to resolve family matters.In our opinion, religion cannot be

regarded as a private matter alone because religion is an essential part of the identity of the majority of the women in India.We recognise this and we have adopted it as a guiding factor in the formulation of our movement's vision and approaches as well as in its expression of a collective identity.

What Are We In Favour of?As the debate on triple Talaq rages on, a number of Indian Muslim organisations headed by male clergy refuse to even sit and have a civil dialogue with Muslim feminists and other liberal voices of men and women.In the current climate of fear of "identity" appropriation of the Muslim community by the political right, such organisations have taken to social and traditional media to garner the support of the masses and called for a nationwide protest against reforms.They present our call for reform as a political attempt to interfere in communal affairs and denounce it as perceived interference with the "divine", even though Islamic law as practised in India is man-made law.One of these organisations, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, in its affidavit to the Supreme Court rejecting Bano's petition has gone as far as arguing:"Legal compulsions of time-consuming separation proceedings and the high expenses of such a procedure may deter him [the husband] from adopting such a course and in extreme cases he may resort to

illegal criminal ways of getting rid of her [wife] by murdering her. In such cases, triple Talaq, is a better recourse in comparison to these illegal ventures."We reject such narrow-minded thinking and view it as a very harmful understanding of Muslim women's rights where a threat such as murder is being used to legitimise something as barbaric as triple talaq.Instead we call for the progressive interpretation of Islam, using "ijtihad" (the exertion of a Muslim jurist to deduce legal rulings from Islam's sacred texts) and working within a framework which the Muslim community accepts. We have to fight for women's rights, both within and outside the family.What we see as the only solution to the present predicament is the codification of Muslim Personal Law (MPL), and we have already prepared a draft for debate and discussion. The draft calls for the fixing of a minimum age of marriage for boys at 21 and girls at 18, and strictly prohibits polygamy, Nikah Halala and triple Talaq while also addressing issues such as dowry and maintenance. With this initiative we aim to pull the debate out of the political arena and refocus it on the gender concerns and human rights.By depoliticising the debate, we want to put Muslim women at the centre of the issue and have them reassume the role as the rightful agents of transformation within their own lives.(Mariya Salim has a degree in human rights law from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She has been working in the development sector for five years, with a special focus on women's rights.)

(Source: aljazeera.com)

What we see as the only solution to the present predicament is the codification of Muslim Personal

Law (MPL), and we have already prepared a draft for debate and discussion. The draft calls for the fixing of a minimum age of marriage for boys at 21 and girls at 18, and strictly prohibits polygamy, Nikah Halala

and triple Talaq while also addressing issues such as dowry and maintenance.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 10lETTERs

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Disquieting Portents A rank outsider Mr. Donald Trump’s advent into the White House must be the biggest surprise of the year we are going to bid adieu in a month from now. The outcome of the United State’s Presidential election and the positive endorsement of Britain’s exit from the European Union signal emergence of the protectionist trends on the global level. Evidently, the quarter century of globalization is showing signs of retreat. What do these trends portend for world and especially the poorer countries and Muslim communities around the world? It is natural to be overcome with sense of grief and loss to see a man who has unabashedly called for ban on Muslim immigrants, who detests inclusiveness, is xenophobic and is ultra-right to be in the seat of the world’s legally most powerful individual. It is especially so when one was confident of him losing the battle against someone who canvassed for an inclusive America. Trump is clear with his agenda of unhinging the US from commitments abroad. In his move towards creating more jobs, he would like to pull out the US from Trans Pacific Trade Agreements; cut down immigrations and slash job (H1-B) visas; raise a wall on borders with Mexico; recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (which Israel proclaims, but is not internationally recognized); withdraw American forces from various battlegrounds; put a five-year ban on official executives turning lobbyists after leaving Government jobs; impose lifelong ban on official executives becoming lobbyists of foreign governments; enter into bilateral agreements on trade. His policy to build up energy security through development of local energy (Shale is the new ingredient) sources is all likely to dip the global demand for Arab oil and impact oil pricing. As for the West Asia, the US policy is all expected to tow the line by the dominant think tanks which are mainly funded by pro-Israeli interests. Trump is not likely to change the tack where even Obama could not succeed. If he decides to recall the US troops from Afghanistan, (currently around 10,000 US personnel are engaged in training the Afghanistan’s security forces), it may cause instability for the Afghan Government headed by Mr. Ashraf Ghani and may strengthen the fanatic Talibans. Vow to cut immigration from Muslim countries may worsen the plight of asylum seekers from battle-scarred Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya and perpetually famine-stricken and embattled Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan. Curtailment of job visas is likely to affect countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh which have served as technology pool for the MNCs in the US. A similar cut in students’ visas seems unlikely, for it would push several universities into red. Even if he tries to take all the people with him, race relations may remain under stress as the heat generated by the hate-filled canvassing will take time to die down. The tenure of the xenophobic billionaire will be worth-watching as to how he overcomes the challenge of carrying a highly pluralistic like America with him. n

Useful & Informative

Identity and Responsible Behaviour

Muslim Beggars: A Worrying Sign

I came across a copy of Islamic Voice and found that some articles are very relevant and informative. I do hope the publication will help in bringing about a change in the mindset

of people in society. I wish the Islamic Voice team all the success..Abdul JaleelPalakkad, Kerala, jaleelart33@gmail.com

I use the local bus, and funnily I admit I even enjoy it. The local bus or local train gives a medium to observe a wide range of people. And over the last few years, this very means of transport helped me witness a change in the Muslim society, at least in my city. I term it as the “return of the hijab”. Over the years, a larger number of women have taken to donning the hijab. My issue is not with those who do not follow the hijab or the Islamic dress code for men and women. Strangely my suffocation is caused by those who do so and which I would like to share with readers of Islamic Voice through this letters page briefly. Let me explain…in her mid-forties, a lady rushed into the bus. It was evident she was angry at someone. She still wore her burqa, totally disheveled, head uncovered, hand clutching the bus window and a string of abuses overflowing. Another young girl, and I found her prettiest in hijab, until I saw hear

hurriedly tearing out her scarf and shoving it in her bag. To everyone who wears the hijab, I want to say that the hijab does not need to be justified, questioned or proved! It is an issue related to identity. But with this identity comes responsibility. The people in buses, trains, malls, roads may all not know Islam. The only Islam they know is You and your behaviour. Each time a hijabi abuses, yells, cheats, or a bearded Muslim man misbehaves, it spells out the Islam they follow. To the people of other faiths, it is the only version of Islam they see. So Muslims need to be cautious that they behave responsibly, not just in their personal lives, but also when they step out into the world. For after all, our behavior, our manners, our etiquette and dealings with all others in the society have to be respectful and orderly. That’s the Islam we should present.Dr Irum Abdullah

According to data released in June 2016, one in every four beggars in India is a Muslim. This is a worrying sign, given that Muslims already have the lowest living standards due to educational deprivation and economic backwardness in the country. But beyond the raw numbers, it is also clear that a visit to the mosque, a dargah or a Muslim-dominated area is enough to substantiate this claim. People of all age groups are seen begging and the same people are seen in a particular spot regularly. This shows how begging has become an accepted profession, easy way of earning money with no need for hard work. Muslims generously donate when they visit mosques, dargahs and during Ramadan, but sadly many from the community misuse this charity and have made begging their

profession. In some areas, begging is a well-organised business thriving near the mosques. Jokes about how the begging spots are passed on from parent to their children are quite common and reflect how lucrative the business can be for some. This makes it difficult to pass on the charity to the real needy people who cannot work due to ill health or other issues. Interestingly most beggars are women, well in their prime age and are capable of working, but opt the easy way out. Ask them about why they had to resort to begging, and while some ignore your questions, others even fight and start abusing you. Ironically the mosque committees have not been successful in curbing this problem.Kouser Fathima

Reflections on a BanThere may be differences of opinion as to whether or not the Government has acted in undue haste in banning the preacher Dr. Zakir Naik. It is not within the realm of impossibility that some extremists feel inspired by some of the ideas that Dr. Zakir Naik’s ‘Islamic Research Foundation’ and the ‘Peace TV’ have been disseminating. This could be the case with any other such ideological organization and activist group. But it could be that to establish a direct link between a thought and an act might require more intense judicial scrutiny. Serious-minded Muslims too have reservations against the kind of stuff the ‘Peace TV’ had been relaying through its media apparatus. It has often been felt that Dr. Zakir Naik’s interpretation of the Quran does not befit the current context. Many viewers of ‘Peace TV’ finds its programmes to be in poor taste as the overall emphasis in the content is on belittling other faiths, notwithstanding the comparative study of religious teachings. Love, compassion, gentleness and peace are conspicuous by their absence in the messages put out by this TV channel. On several other issues too, the channel has been taking a line that will not gel with the ethos of composite culture and plural society that we have inherited. The parading of kalima reciters on TV shows has only exacerbated tensions in society and provides a handle to others to enact counter shows, with all this eventually leading to disharmony. Unfortunately, Dr. Naik has been immune to such criticism expressed earlier. Religions and faiths are private domain of individual in a secular society. Their essence lies in promising salvation in the Hereafter and building peace, harmony discipline in society by inculcating values of service, charity, hospitality, and sacrifice for others. One needs to be extremely careful if the end result is opposite to what is intended and turns believers into an egotistic lot. Dr. Naik has erred grotesquely on this count. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 11

Page 18

OpINION

America Deserves TrumpMost Americans voted for him to seek if a magician can save them and the

country from structural mess.

By Mansoor Durrani Although, I had planned to write this article about four months ago– right after the nomination of Trump as a Republican candidate, I managed to convince myself that this is only a “Republican verdict” and I should wait for the “American verdict”.Americans have now given their verdict! Let’s remember: American “greatness” stands on two pillars, 1-Military Might, and 2- Economic Prowess. Global media and folks in power make us believe that the world is divided between bad guys (Muslims) and good guys (everybody else). I agree that the world is split into two camps, but I have a long held view that the two groups are: rich+powerful and poor+oppressed. And both categories are all-faith. So, we have a small minority in the world that is rich and powerful (Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews etc.). They are one cohesive group and their only true religion is to acquire power and wealth at any cost. Whereas, a huge majority is poor and oppressed – consists of all faiths. It is at the mercy of the rich and powerful group. Always!For instance, research shows that the socio-economic conditions of Blacks and Latinos (largely Christians) is worse than others in the US. Similarly, the socio-economic condition of Dalits and Tribals (mainly Hindus) in many parts of India is as bad as a vast majority of Indian Muslims. According to the American Psychological Association, African-American children are three times more likely to live in poverty than White/Caucasian

children. Poor and oppressed are more likely to receive high-cost mortgages: African- Americans (53%) and Latinos (43% in comparison to White/Caucasians (18%). Unemployment rates for African-Americans are typically

double those of White/ Caucasian Americans. African-American men working full time earn 72% of the average earnings of comparable Caucasian men and 85% of the earnings of White/Caucasian women. African-Americans and Latinos in low-poverty areas were more likely to be referred for commitment by a law enforcement official than any other racial group. Oppressed Communities But let me step back to exactly a lunch-table conversation with the former CEO of my bank eight years ago. That was the day after first of the two Obama victories. For some strange reasons (or for no reason) oppressed communities across the world, among them black and Muslims, were elated with that outcome. They naively thought that under Obama, their lives will be more safe, secured and more dignified.My reaction was: US Presidents are only “actors”! They are not directors or producers. The

real movers and shakers sit at the Capitol Hill. Nothing has changed there and nothing will ever change there. So, absolutely no need to get overly optimistic by seeing the first black man in the White House!

History proved it right: Former US President George W. Bush started the drone attacks outside declared war zones. During his tenure, 58 drone strikes killed over 300 innocent men, women and children in a couple of Muslim countries. Then came “our own” President Obama! Since assuming the most powerful office on the planet in 2009, he significantly extended the use of drones. After years of denial, on 1 July 2016, the US government finally admitted that it has conducted 473 “counter-terrorism” strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Libya from 2009 to 2015. Adding drone strikes in Afghanistan and Iraq takes this number to over 800, resulting in the deaths of over 5,000 Muslims. This figure alone is more than double the number of Americans killed in

the 9/11 attacks! Unprecedented DestructionThis, obviously, excludes the deaths and permanent crippling of over one million people and unprecedented destruction resulting from America’s “declared wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past 15 years! Nor does it account for the half-hearted US interventions in Libya and strongly tacit support to Syrian dictator, Bashar Assad and Egypt’s General Sissi – which together have cost hundreds of thousands of innocent lives! After having fought (and literally lost) the longest war in US history in Afghanistan, the morale of its security establishment is at an all-time low – and so it should be. If a 900-pound gorilla fights with a 700, 800 or 900-pound opponent and loses, then it is OK. However, if he is not able to tame a minion even after struggling for 15 long years, then that is not fathomable by any stretch of imagination!Consequently, about 20% of US army personnel who served in Iraq, are suffering from Post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This situation leads, very often, to suicides.Race Relations are BadIn a Leadership Program at Harvard Business School last

month, I met an ex US Army officer who is now the founder and CEO of a New York-based NGO “Stop Soldiers Suicide”! Frequent conversations with him made me realize that when an organization run by an insider is exclusively dedicated to saving soldiers from committing suicides, nothing more needs to be said about the morale and future of the US military might! Now, at the fag end of Obama Presidency, “pessimism about race relations in America is higher than it has been in nearly a generation, according to a new Washington Post-ABC Newspoll. In the aftermath of the mass shooting of police officers in Dallas and the high-profile police shooting deaths of two black men, in Baton Rouge and suburban St. Paul, Minn., more than 6 in 10 adults say race relations are generally bad, and a majority say they are getting worse” (Washington Post 16 July, 2016). The man is entering the White House when the US economy is in deep structural mess. A part of the reason why Americans have voted him in is to see if a “magician” can save them from imminent disaster when “seasoned politicians” completely failed them over the past several decades. The passengers of sinking ships do not conduct extensive screening or interviews of a new captain. They simply put on the wheel whoever makes the loudest promises of saving them — regardless of his track record or qualifications! (Extracted from caravandaily.com)

Consequently, about 20% of US army personnel who served in Iraq are suffering from Post- traumatic

stress disorder (PTSD).

Allah is Directly Approachable ...except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi (throne) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” It is therefore evident that Allah is not off limits. There is no precise route and timing for approaching Him. He is always awake and always accessible. One can choose any place and any moment to get his grievances unto Him. He is all-Hearer and all-Seer. Nothing remains out of His sight. If one has anything to share with Him, He is there all ears to listen to his pleas and respond to Him in His own way. He requires no intermediaries or

intercessors (except those whom He would permit on the Day of Judgment). Let us not be misguided by amateur clerics who refer to waseela and present demi-Gods before us to make a detour to Allah. Do not believe them, for they are as helpless as we are and have no power in their hands to change what is destined for us or what Allah wills for us. Allah never loses command or control, not does He hand over this to others or intermediaries to take a backseat for Himself. If at all, one has to seek something from Him, He is always there, listening to our pleas and knowing what is churning within us. Reject the talk of waseela and the intermediaries. These bear no relationship with Islam.

(Translated from Urdu)

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 12

‘Hunar Haat’ at Indian Art Fair

New Delhi: The Ministry for Minority Affairs organized a ‘Hunar Haat’ Artisans’ Bazaar at the India International Trade Fair held every year at the Pragati Maidan. About 180 artisans from around the country showcased their skills and art at the 100 stalls. It was inaugurated on November 16 by Minister of State for Power and Coal (Independent charge) Mr. Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent charge) Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Former journalist and currently minister Mr. M. J. Akbar was also among the VIPs. Akbar said that through this “Hunar Haat”, the art of living has joined the art of livelihood. This is the true genius of the people, our nation is blessed. This genius ethos through history will echo into the future. Akbar said that the exhibition provided such a big market to these artisans.Naqvi said that “Hunar Haat” exhibition is aimed at promoting and supporting artisans from Minority communities and providing them domestic as well as international market for display and sell their products.

This is providing an excellent platform to artisans belonging to Minority communities from across the nation to display their art and skills before the domestic and international visitors. “Hunar Haat” is an amazing gathering of artisans from every corner from 26 states and Union Territories of the country.The exhibition is being organized

in Hall No. 14 of Pragati Maidan by National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) under scheme “USTTAD” (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) of Ministry of Minority Affairs.Naqvi said that one of the special features of this unique “Hunar Haat” is that besides providing free of cost stall to artisans/craftsmen, the Minority Affairs Ministry has also made arrangements for their transport and helping in their

Naqvi said that “Hunar Haat” exhibition is aimed at promoting and supporting artisans from Minority communities and providing them

domestic as well as international market for display and sell their products.daily expenses. This has helped “poor but rich in art & skill” artisans to reach Delhi easily and display their arts/skills at the international platform.The artefacts at display included cane and bamboo work from North eastern states; cloth work and embroidery (chikan) work, brass artefacts, zardoji clothes (brocaded clothes)

work of Uttar Pradesh; collection of pottery work of Southern states; sandalwood and other wooden artefacts; handicrafts from Bihar-Jharkhand; indigenous goods for domestic use from Bengal-Odisha and herbal products made from aloe vera,

neem, tulsi etc.Other arts/crafts like marble work from Rajasthan; beautiful handicrafts from Gujarat; Pashmina and bronze work from Kashmir. Besides, centuries old Ayurvedic, Unani health care; glass artefacts; Indian silk-cotton work were also a part of the exhibition.A special pavilion has also been put up in “Hunar Haat” exhibition area for audio-visual depiction of schemes and programs of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. n

EVENTs

MEN, MIssION, MACHINEs

By Dr Sadath Khan A man who had a dream to have a mission in the name of the Prophet (Pbuh), got inspired from the Gurus who spoke highly of the Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Mission. He was so moved to serve humanity and in particular, the backward Muslims in the area of education, that he launched the Al-Ameen Mission three decades ago in 1986-87.For Nurul Islam, being the founder and headmaster of Khalatpur High Madrasah coming out of the box, with a larger context was challenging. The Al-

Ameen Misison family consisting of 2500 dedicated admin, teaching faculty and staff with 54 branches is spread across West Bengal, accommodating 13,000 residential students from across the entire West Bengal, among them are 40% girls. The majority of students hail from economically poor families. The Al-Ameen Mission in West Bengal is now spreading its wings in other states of Jharkand, Assam and Tripura. Nurul Islam's vision is to set up his Mission in the entire country. Nurul Islam, a selfless person, does not draw any salary from

with education. Our resource is limited, but our aspiration is sky-high. Thus paucity of fund, which ails us often, could not deter us from the path. Because we always remember the age-old maxim: When the going goes tough, the tough get going," says Nurul Islam. Nurul Islam first attended the Discover Yourself workshop in Behrampur, in November 2005 and then hosted two workshops for the students and teaching faculty of Al-Ameen Mission in 2005. He states that he got the clarity, empowerment and leadership skills to face any situation with ease and make decisions and he openly states that discover Yourself workshop not only owes its share of success in achieving the results, but has become a part of the Al-Ameen Mission. Nurul Islam has two sons. His daughter and son in-law are part of this Mission.(Al-Ameen Mission, Central Office: 53 Elliot Road, Kolkata-700016, Phone: 033-22293769, cell: 9830199596/7797600786,www.alameenmission.in)

Al-Ameen Mission: West Bengal Reforming the Society Silently

Nurul Islam is a simple man, always with a radiating smile on his face. He launched the Al Ameen Mission three decades ago in West Bengal, to serve humanity.

the Al-Ameen Mission and has dedicated his life with no strings attached to the cause. A simple man, always with a welcome radiating smile on his face, he leads his family from the front, a true leader, an inspiration to all.

Every single person employed in Al-Ameen is considered as a family member and he values them and looks after them as a family and treats them with high esteem, stands by them to pull them up when they fail in their task. Rightful Share on MeritMany of the Al-Ameen Mission employees are very highly

qualified and can get a job with a very high pay in government or in private sector, but they stand by with Nurul Islam, to give their time to fulfill his vision in putting the coming generation in the field of education on par with other communities, to compete and get their rightful share not through reservations, but on merit and not through getting funds from government or from foreign sources, but from the funds generated from the community itself.

In thirty years of consistent efforts, the Muslims from a mere 2.5% share have in 2016 secured 27.7% (MBBS & BDS) seats equal to the percentage of Muslim population in West Bengal. Today, as per the census, the Muslim population in West Bengal stands at 27.7%. Two thirds of contribution in achieving this result comes from the Al-Ameen Mission. The statistics of the Muslim students securing seats in West Bengal on merit for the current year 2016 are: In Medicine including BDS: 27.7%, in veterinary: 66.6%, in Ayurvedic: 70% and in Homeopathy: 60%. (see the graph chart)

Where Are You Going? Nurul Islam quotes the 26th verse of Surah At-Takwir: "Fa ayana tadh haboon?" which means “where are you going”? Allah, with so much love and compassion, questions people

about the path they have taken. If we listen and understand it properly and deeply, it could bring back people, who have gone astray, to the right path. But unfortunately, people are heedless as if they are going deaf. They have turned a blind eye towards the suffering of fellow human

beings. “Al-Ameen Mission, has been tirelessly trying to empower the backward society

Al-Ameen Mission, Khalatpur Campus. The West Bengal Government has conferred Bangabhushan Award to

Al-Ameen Mission for its outstanding contribution in the field of education for

the minority community of the state. The General Secretary, M Nurul Islam

receives the award from the Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee on

20th May 2015 in the Presence of the Governor Sri Keshari Nath Tripathi.

M Nurul Islam, General Secretary Al-Ameen Mission.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 13

NATIONAl AFFAIRs

'Your Neighbourhood Muslim' Social Media Campaign for Liberals to speak up

Kolkata: Assailed by questions on their stand on incidents of terrorism perpetrated in the name of Islam, a group of Muslims in Kolkata has initiated a social media campaign that profiles ordinary Muslims and offers a platform to "liberal" members of the community to assert that "Muslims are like people of other communities, no different". The campaign -- Your Neighbourhood Muslim -- was prompted by "persistent" questions such as, "What are the liberal Muslims doing about the blasts by terrorists in the name of their religion?""Somewhere between the radicals of all communities, it is the liberals who are getting marginalised and polarised. This is no different for Muslims as well. This is a counter as well as a fight-back for the

liberals to get their voice heard," environmentalist Mudar Patherya said."The core of this idea is that we Muslims are like people of other communities, no different. Peace-loving. Faithful to their country. Integrated with other communities. And we figured that the best way to communicate this—‘We are no different'—was through simple profiles", states the initiative's Facebook page. The communication "deliberately revolves" around the "much-misapplied and much-misunderstood" word 'jihad'. The Arabic noun implies the act of 'striving, applying oneself, struggling or persevering'. For example, a black-and-white photograph of Sheikh Salim, a motorcycle repair specialist,

proclaims "My jihad is to make every inefficient bike move like silk again". Similarly, Iftekhar Ahsan, who organises the 'Calcutta Walks' tours of the city, announced in a Facebook post that his jihad is "to preserve every single heritage brick of Kolkata"."So this is what our communication does. It humanises Muslims. The big message: the Muslim is not just a citizen; the Muslim is an asset," the campaign emphasises. n

Muslim Man Leads Drive to Protect Temples in West Bengal

Yasin Pathan started his drive in the 1970s with an aim

to protect the 18th century temples in West Bengal’s

Pathra village.

A 66-year-old Muslim is championing the cause of

communal harmony by leading a movement to preserve temples. Retired school peon, Yasin Pathan started the ‘Save the Temples’ initiative in the 1970s with an aim to protect the 18th century Shiva and Vishnu temples in West Bengal’s Pathra village. “The temples form a part of our heritage, and I am just doing my small bit to protect them for the next generation,” Pathan says. There are 34 temples in Pathra, and Pathan’s campaign has resulted in 18 of them getting restored by the Archaeological Survey of India. n

Car Mechanics Repair Chopper

Feroz repaired the helicopter in just 30 minutes after taking some inputs from the pilot.

Kolhapur: Indians keep on doing extraordinary things, surprising not only the world but also themselves sometimes. One such example has been reported from Kolhapur in Maharashtra

where a car mechanic repaired a helicopter recently, making it fly-ready in just 30 seconds.India Today reported on November 1 that the incident happened at the late Congress leader D. Y. Patil’s residence in Kolhapur. Some guests had arrived at the bungalow in a helicopter, but when they were ready to leave, the chopper couldn’t fly.When they contacted the

helicopter company, they were informed that an engineer would take at least two hours to reach the spot. Then someone remembered a local mechanic Imtiaz Momin, who had in 2006

made a car that could move in water along with his brother, Feroze Momin. The brothers had then also given a demo of their car by driving it in a pond. They had won accolades from several quarters for their effort. When

someone went to call Imtiaz to repair the helicopter, only Feroz was present at their garage. Feroze had never even touched a helicopter. However, after some persuasion, he agreed to take a look. The report says that Feroz repaired the helicopter in just 30 minutes after taking some inputs from the pilot. The pilot first took a test flight and then left the city with the guests. n

Whither Black Money?What is the component of the black money in the Indian economy?Let it be first known that black money is held in two forms, first cash, and second assets acquired from black money on which no tax is paid, such as land, shares & equities and gold.The current demonetization of the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes only affects the cash component of the shadow economy. The assets can be anyhow encashed anytime with new currency. Experts estimate that black wealth held in cash amounts to Rs 2 to 3 lakh crore while the notes being withdrawn from the economy are Rs. 13 lakh crore. This has put the common man in inconvenience.‘How far the Government will be successful in retrieving the black money?’ is the question uppermost in minds. It is suspected that a sizeable amount of this money may have been converted into either white or into gold. The jewellery shops did roaring business till midnight on November 8 when the Prime Minister made the announcement inasmuch as several shops were emptied of all the ornaments in their shelves. Others have tried to push this money into accounts that were lying defunct for long or into Jan Dhan accounts of their near and dear ones who could be trusted to give them their money back in new currency notes.The demonetization is therefore not expected to reduce the black money stashed illegally by more than 4% i.e., 1.25 lakh crore. This makes up only 0.8% of the projected nominal

Gross Domestic Product of India in 2016-17. Shadow economy is said to be generating nearly 23.2% of the GDP.

Some may even destroy their black currency notes if they fail to whiten it by the deadline. Besides this, the Government will be spending around Rs. 10,000

crore on printing new currency notes, engaging additional staff at banks to handle the rush and the conversion, moving them across the country to fill bank chests and ATMs and arranging security for the logistics. Minus the cost, all that the Government may have ultimately will be around Rs. one lakh crore which is just around 0.7% of the GDP. The proverb ‘Mountain has labored and brought forth a mouse’ befits the situation. Is the effort worth the sweat and toil, one can question? The bad debts (known as NPA or non-performing assets) of the banks doled out to the business tycoons and industries stand at Rs. 6 lakh crore as of now. n

All that the Government may retrieve is Rs. one lakh crore. Is it worth the effort?

Climate Change ...coming decades that these areas would become hostile to life," says atmospheric researcher, Jos Lelieveld, leader of the study. There is a real danger of these areas becoming "uninhabitable" for many creatures, including humanity.This horror scenario is the result of man-made global warming. In the 200 or so years that have elapsed since the advent of industrialization, we have released too much carbon dioxide into the air and by doing so, increased the natural greenhouse effect.

Fine Dust Pollution in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and SyriaEven today, the increase in temperatures is causing more dust to be stirred up. According to the Max Planck Institute, fine dust pollution in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria has increased by 70 percent during the last two decades as a result.ould greenhouse gas emissions continue at present levels (the so-called

"business-as-usual-scenario"), scientists are predicting a total of up to 200 extremely hot days a year in the region by the end of the century.The oil exporting countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, have always tended to drag their feet at climate conferences, putting their economic interests before the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through an excessive consumption of fossil fuels, their customers in North America, Europe, China and Japan contribute to global warming more than anyone.Anyone seeking more confirmation need look no further than the withered pistachio plantations in Iran, the decaying groves of date palms near Marrakesh, or the sandstorms in Baghdad. There are warning signs aplenty. Around 550 million people live in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Professor Lelieveld and his team believe that "sooner or later, many may have to leave the region."

(Extracted from qantara.de)

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ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 14

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ART & CUlTURE

The Artisans of AjrakhpurThe story of Sufiyan, his art, his family and village is as interesting as it has been

challenging, but one which shows the true grit and determination of these artisans who claim to be carrying on an art form that finds its origins in the Indus Valley Civilisation.

In 1634, the King of Kutch, Raja Bharmal I, invited members of the Khatri community from Sindh to settle in the Kutch region, so that printed fabrics manufactured by the Khatris could be worn exclusively by the royal family.

Ten generations and 382 years later, a member of the same family, 33-year-old Sufiyan Khatri, now heads a small entrepreneurial setup in Ajrakhpur, Kutch, and helps provide employment to nearly 50 people in the village.The story of Sufiyan, his art, his family and village is as interesting as it has been challenging, but one which shows the true grit and determination of these artisans who claim to be carrying on an art form that finds its origins in the Indus Valley Civilisation. Ajrakh - a unique technique in hand block printing, literally means 'Aaj Rakh' (‘Keep it today’). However, according to Sufiyan, the

simplicity ends here: the process is complex as it often involves up to 16 steps, depending upon how many colors and layers of block print are desired. Chemical Dyes Over Natural DyesUntil the early half of the 20th

century, Sufiyan says the market for these prints remained mostly local, as almost all Sindhis and other locals wore these prints. However, around the time of India’s independence, the market for these clothes started shrinking as locals started preferring Western clothes. Around the end of 1950s, as cheap chemical dyes made a foray into the market, production of natural dyes came to a halt for about 15 years. As a result, a number of local artisans shifted to chemical dyes over natural dyes.Sufiyan’s grandfather Mohammad Siddique Khatri also shifted to chemical dyes, but ensured that his three sons, one of whom was Dr.

Ismail Khatri, learnt the traditional method of using natural dyes in Ajrakh printing. The family of Sufiyan had settled in a village called Dhamadka, mainly because of the proximity of the Saran river to this village. “Water is an essential ingredient of the Ajrakh process because it constitutes an important part of

the natural dyeing process. We also need good quality of water, otherwise all efforts can go to waste,” said Sufiyan.Setback in 2001The devastating earthquake in 2001 destroyed all the infrastructure for the artisans. Not only this, more than 100 people in the Khatri community lost their lives, and for the next few years, life was extremely tough for the village. “The water in the river Saran became unusable after the earthquake as the mineral content of the water

became too high. Also, as our village was completely destroyed, we had no option but to move,” says Sufiyan, who was still in his teens at that time and had already started working with his father. They found a vacant area, 40 kms away and the entire community of Khatris came together to buy about 100 acres of land. The new village,

fittingly, was named Ajrakhpur after the art form. The village was also thankful to Jamiat e-Ulema-e Hind who helped them build their homes, along with donations from Western clients which helped them rebuild their workshops. But most importantly, the water in the area was deemed good enough for work to resume. Today, thanks to the use to social media and the Internet, Sufiyan and his village of artisans have earned worldwide fame. His clients include people in India, along with thousands of buyers in international

markets. In July, Sufiyan visited Europe for a trade exhibition, and has already travelled all of India for hundreds of exhibitions and shows. According to him, on an average the artisans in the village, both male and female manage to get work for about 10 months a year. “In my company, I directly employ about 40 people, while several others earn money by supplying goods, colours, clothes to us. Even the lowest-earning artisan makes up to Rs 1,000 a day, so we can proudly say that no one in this village has to ever face poverty,” says Sufiyan. He says this is also the main reason why there is almost zero migration from the village to the cities, as people are happy and content with the work they do, along with being a part of a larger family. Sufiyan also conducts training workshops for a number of people and says that going forward, his dream is to ensure that the entire village continues to benefit from this art form. “There is something amazing in living in such a family. I would never trade this for anything else,” he says.

(Extracted from twocircles.net)

Today, thanks to the use to social media and the internet, Sufiyan and his village of artisans have

earned worldwide fame.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 15pEOplEMughisi Re-Elected Milli Council President

Bhopal: Maulana Hakim Mohammad Abdullah Mughisi was reelected President of the All India Milli Council. Dr. Mohammed Manzoor Alam was elected the General Secretary. Both will hold office for three years. The duo were re-elected unanimous ly at the 18th annual session of the Council held here in the last week of October. Maulana Abdul Wahab Khilji was elected assistant general secretary. The five former vice presidents were also reelected. They are: Mufti Ashraf Ali Baqvi, Rector, Darul Uloom Sabeelur Rashad, Bengaluru; Mohammad Asrarul Haq, Member of Lok Sabha from Kishenganj, Bihar; Maulana Aneesur Rahman, Imarat e Shariia, Bihar; Dr. Yaseen Ali Osmani, Badayun, UP; and, Maulana Abdul Aleem Qasimi, Bhatkal, Karnataka. Dr. S. Farooq is the new Treasurer of the Council. Among the important resolutions, the Council opposed the questionnaire by Law Commission of India, on introduction of Uniform Civil Code. Dr. Manzoor Alam, addressing the audience, said, the Uniform Civil Code was just one among the Directive Principles of the State Policy. He said introduction of prohibition of liquor was first among these principles, but the Union Government is turning the Nelson’s eye from it. He said only four states had introduced the prohibition in the states.

OIC Chief Madani Resigns Yusuf al-Othaimeen is New Chief Jeddah: The Saudi Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resigned on October 31 for health reasons, according to a statement from the organization. Saudi Arabia had nominated Yusuf al-Othaimeen, a former minister of social affairs, as Madani’s replacement.

Zahraa-Imani Ali from St. Louis County in Missouri has taken the security company, Securitas to court on the charge of discrimination. Her lawyer Robert West said the company refused to hire Ali on the fact that she wore Hijab as part of her adherence to the Islamic faith.

The suit filed on October 21 seeks monetary compensation for the damage and cost of litigation. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) took up the cause.

Jamia Professor Appointed NIT Trichy DirectorDr. Mini Shaji Thomas, Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Founder Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), Jamia Millia Islamia, has been appointed as the Director of National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli (NIT, Trichy), the first woman to head the institution.Dr. Thomas who has done extensive research in the area of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, Substation & Distribution Automation and Smart Grid has been appointed by the President of India. Earlier, Dr. Thomas was a faculty member at Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi (now DTU),

and at the REC (now NIT), Calicut, Kerala before joining Jamia. She graduated from University of Kerala, completed her M. Tech from

IIT Madras (Gold Medalist, Siemen’s prize) and Ph.D. from IIT Delhi, India, all in Electrical Engineering.

Indian Philanthropist Helps Jobless Compatriot Living on Terrace in UAEAn Indian philanthropist from Oman has given Rs 10 lakh to a jobless compatriot who has been living on the terrace of a building

in the UAE for more than eight months without proper food. Sajeev Rajan, an electrician in his early forties, belongs to Kollam

in Kerala where his wife, two children and ageing parents live. Indian philanthropist from Kerala, Dr K T Mohammed Rabeeh Rabeeullah, chairman and managing director of a healthcare conglomerate, came from Muscat and handed over 5,000 dirham (Rs 93,272) to Rajan for immediate relief. He also promised to transfer Rs 10 lakh to his bank account in India. Rajan was left with no other option, but to live on the terrace of a building in Ajman city because his employer had refused to return his passport after settling his dues. "It is a big relief for me because my pocket

TIdBITs‘Tipu Sultan ke Khawaab’: The Karnataka State Urdu Academy has published the translation of the Kannada book, ‘Dreams of Tipu Sultan’ by Girish Karnad. Titled ‘Tipu Sultan ke Khwaab’, has been translated by playwright and architect, Zafar Mohiuddin. The book was released on November 10, the birth anniversary of Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan. Mohiuddin intends to stage a drama based on the book.

Tata-Yunus Incubator: Tata Trusts and Yunus Social Businesses, Nobel Peace Prize winner Prof. Muhammad Yunus’s social business accelerator on November 18 unveiled the Indian Corporate Action Tank (ICAT), India’s first incubator for large organizations to create social businesses that will address problems in areas like healthcare, nutrition and sanitation in a financially sustainable manner. The Incubator has been designed by Boston Consulting Group. It is a one-year long programme.

It will develop business ideas and a pilot plan to translate them into projects on the ground. It will start its programmes from February 2017.

Assistance for Nursing CourseBengaluru: The Directorate of Minorities has launched a new programme to provide financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 35,000 for the students of Nursing and Paramedical Course from minority communities in Karnataka from this year. Those whose family income does not exceed Rs. 2.50 lakh, who are studying in the institutes and colleges recognized by the Indian Nursing Council are eligible to apply. The application form can be obtained from their respective District officers, Dept of Minority Welfare and can be submitted after filling in. details can be seen on www.gokdom.kar.nic.in

IDB Workshop on Education and Health Bangalore: A workshop on Challenges Before the Nation in the field of Education and health will be held at Hotel A.J. International, (near Bowring Hospital) on Saturday, December 3 from 9-30 am. It is being organized by the Muslim Education Trust in association with Mawaddan Foundation, Bangalore and Islami Baitul Mall (IBM) Bangarpet. Speakers and participants would include DR.

Suleiman Al Shamsuddin and Mr. A. R. Warsame from Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah; Mr. Akram Syed, Philanthropist, and Prof. Syed Najmuddin, USA; Amanullah Khan, Founder, Bachchon Ka Ghar, Aligarh; Dr. Awadh Assamie and Mozaffar Ali, Muslim Education Trust, Aligarh; Mr. R. Roshan Baig and Mr. U. T. Khader, both ministers in Karnataka Government. (By A Staff Writer)

Pune NGO Supports Students for UPSC ExamsPune: With an aim to increase Muslim representation in the civil services, a Pune-based NGO, Concern for People Trust Academy, held an awareness programme recently at Solapur in association with AMP (Association of Muslim Professionals) and FAME (Federation of all Minorities Organisation). As a part of this measure, the NGO aims to conduct a qualifying exam in February 2017 to select 50 aspiring students. The organisers said that the top 10 candidates selected in the exam will get 100% scholarship, while the next 15 will bag 50% scholarship. The 15 candidates will be eligible for 35% scholarship for the coaching period of one year at the training academy in Pune. The scholarship amount includes tuition fees, lodging and boarding charges.

(Source: twocircles.net)

Ishaat Hussain is TCS Chairman: was appointed the interim chairman of the Tata Consultancy Services, the largest IT company in the country. He replaces Cyrus Mistry as the CEO. Tata Sons holds 73.33% of the stakes in TCS. The decision came on November 9. He had joined the Board of Tata Sons as an Executive Director on July 1, 1999, and is Finance Director of Tata Sons Ltd. beginning July 28, 2000. Prior to joining Tata Sons, he was the Senior Vice President and Executive Director – Finance in Tata Steel for almost 10 years.Born on September 2, 1947, Hussain completed his schooling from The Doon School in 1963 to join St. Stephen’s College Delhi to do his graduation in Economics. A chartered accountant from England

and Wales, Ishaat Hussain attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. He joined the board of the Indian Tube Company (a Tata Steel associate company) in 1981.

Thereafter, he moved to Tata Steel in 1983 after Indian Tube was merged with Tata Steel.Besides being on the board of Tata Sons Limited, he is Chairman of Voltas Limited and Tata Sky Limited. He is also on the boards of several Tata Companies such as Tata Steel, Tata Industries, Tata Teleservices, Titan Industries Limited.In April 2005, Hussain was appointed a

member of the Board of Trade, and in November 2006, he was appointed a Public Interest Director of Bombay Stock Exchange Limited. In January 2008, he was appointed a Trustee on the board of India Foundation for the Arts (IFA).

is empty. I have not received any money for the past eight months and my travel back home seemed impossible," Rajan said. He spent 236 days on the terrace because he does not have a job or money to get a bed space. He had been surviving with the generosity of some construction workers and shop owners. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 16BOOk REVIEW

A Memoir Rooted in Conflict and CommitmentA Part of Me Refused to Die gives a behind-the-scenes look at the circumstances that many women suffer in silence. It is a story of survival and success, patience and perseverance, resilience and redemption.

A Part of Me Refused to DieAuthor: Nisha SulthanaPublisher: Niyah Press, Detroit, MichiganYear: 2016www.nishasulthana.com

Reviewed by Nigar Each of us has a story to tell—the story of our lives, stories of experiences, good and bad, sad and joyful, humorous and serious. Our life is a bundle of experiences, and it is up to us whether we want to share these with the outside world or let them go or keep them safely in our cupboards. Nisha Sulthana’s “A Part of Me Refused to Die” is a bold autobiographical book which shakes you, saddens you at times, and creates awe and respect for the author, and, in the end, leaves you wide awake to reflect on the purpose of our lives! The author, loved deeply by her three sons and seven grandchildren, was born in South India and has lived in America for the past 20 years. Her

Every one of us faces our own types of “abuse”, both inflicted on us by others and by our own selves.

Nisha’s story of resilience is one that will remind you that God is always in control and you have the

power to alter your condition.

passion for travelling has taken her around the globe, but truly, her home remains her universe. A student of history and political science from the University of Calcutta, she does not boast of any

special skills or qualifications, except a keen interest in the world around her. Free spirited

and bubbling with enthusiasm despite the many snags in her life, Nisha believes in herself and the Universal Spirit, God.

Accept Our DestinyA Part of Me Refused to Die is a book that makes you realize how greatly blessed every human is, despite all the hardships we may face. No matter what problems we may face, this book teaches us how and why we should not only wholeheartedly accept our destiny but also why we must be thankful, peaceful and do the best we can under any circumstances.The book is set in the late 1960s, when Nisha is married to a distant cousin at age 16, a common practice in her village. She is

excited about what she thinks might be the prospects of her new life. Quickly, however, that

excitement gives way to despair as she discovers her husband's secret obsession. Through trials, betrayal, abuse and manipulation, she is tested in almost unimaginable ways. Clinging to her faith and her children, she emerges from darkness, thankful for every humbling event that brought her to her Lord.

Women Suffer in SilenceA Part of Me Refused to Die gives a behind-the-scenes view of the horrific circumstances that many women suffer in silence. It is a story of survival and success, patience and perseverance, resilience and redemption. Despite the trauma she has to face, Nisha emerges with undiminished faith and a shining spirit, a testimony to the triumph of the human spirit.Every one of us faces our own types of “abuse”, both inflicted on us by others and by our own selves. Nisha’s story of resilience is one that will remind you that God is always in control and you have the power to alter your condition.Throughout the recount of her marriage – beginning at 16 and spanning nearly five

decades—Nisha reminds us never to lose hope, whatever the situation. We all have within us the strength to not only overcome but also to triumph over seemingly impossible situations. It is all about attitude.It is all about sticking to inviolable principles, that in our speed to satiate desires lie forgotten. It is about reclaiming our true selves. It is about realizing that events occur for a reason. It is about finding meaning in them. And we have the power to overcome, if we take the Invisible Power as our ally.True success takes time. There cannot be true success without Him. What the modern man calls luck is actually a favour from God. It is within reach for everyone. We just learn how to earn it! These are some thoughts that the book leaves us with.The author pulls you into her book with her spontaneous narration. Do read it and reflect on your purpose of life in this fleeting world! (Nisha Sulthana can be reached at authornishasulthana@gmail.com)(You can order the book via Amazon). n

Find Your Purpose - Live Your Passion lIFE skIlls

Doing something which we like is the definite pathway to lead a contented life. Either we should love what we are already doing or should try to find and do something we love.

By Mohammed Aslum

Who are all involved in shaping a child’s future? What does it take to live a contented life? How should an ideal profession be? How can one pursue his passion? Every single child in this world is born with immense talents and dreams. And through a very stage of life, the child has umpteen opportunities to develop his inborn talents or develop new talents. If the talents and skills are tapped and used effectively, every individual can become a responsible leader and entrepreneur, of the future society. But all that is possible only when their talents and skills are realized and their dreams and passions are recognized, given respect and supported.

A Child’s PassionDoing something which we like is the definite pathway to lead a contented life. Either we should love what we are already doing or should try to find and do something

we love .The responsibility of navigating towards a child’s passion lies not in a single hand. It begins with the family, teachers, friends, relatives and the society. With the responsibility lying in multiple hands, it’s high time to understand the importance of the responsibility they hold and act accordingly.

The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. So it is important for a child to be guided to aim to live a life of purpose and purpose does

not depend on a single factor. Purpose drives happiness. Is our purpose defined by what we do? For some, purpose is doing well in school and for others, purpose is to help other people, for some others, it is different Purpose is something we do. Purpose is something we are. When we live our purpose, we are producing

results that are useful. When we are able to fulfil your purpose we’ll probably find happiness and joy. We’ll experience a richer and more vibrant life. We’ll feel alive and energized. It doesn’t mean that life will be easy and there won’t be struggles, part of life is the experience of challenge and difficulty and discovering ways to overcome those challenges.

A Person Can Be HappyIf we can closely look and try

to understand the above diagram of Venn diagram of the Purpose of Life, we can find lot of meaning in it. A person can be happy if

he is doing what he is capable of (when he is skilled enough to perform his job), he is happier if he likes what he is doing and he is even more happier if what he is doing fetches money to earn his living and if by doing all this, the society is also getting benefitted, the person is in the sweetest part of his life.Of course, all people may not get to get a seat in the lucky spot of intersection point of all 4 elements, but definitely we can work towards making our things end in a way to be in the closest part of the intersection.

Childhood DaysHaving said that the foundation of a person’s life is set during his childhood days itself, (in other words when the child attends puberty and the mental maturity to decide upon things), proper guidance, motivation and Passion awareness etc, is needed to be given to an individual at the student level itself.Let’s go back go back to the elements of the Venn diagram,

Take the first element. Here the child’s first need is to understand what his real skills and talents are. This can be done through proper guidance, support, self introspection, experimentation etc. And once identified, they can work on improving their talents.Second part is the Passion/interest where the child’s dreams and aspirations come into picture, here the child can document his aspirations, passions and convert them into SMART goals with the guidance of parents, teachers, mentors and tutors.If based on the above two factors, conscious and well thought decisions in selecting a career leading to a profession are taken, it will lead them to pursue their passions and ensure that they give something back to the society. And the child can lead a life of Purpose.(The writer Mohammed Aslum is the Chief Passion Mentor of Mine2Shine School of Passion Navigation. He can be reached at aminetoshine@gmail.com and 09789186428)

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 17BOOk REVIEW

A Beautiful Testimony to the Power of Spiritual FriendshipThe close friendship between the co-authors of this deeply-insightful book, a Jewish rabbi,

Christian pastor and Muslim imam, is cause for much celebration, reminding us of the immense power of spiritual friendship across conventional religious boundaries.

Getting to the Heart of Interfaith—The Eye-Opening Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi & an ImamAuthors: Pastor Don Mackenzie, Rabbi Ted Falcon & Imam Jamal Rahman Published by: Skylight Paths Publishing, Woodstock, VT, USAPages: 183Price: $16.99

Reviewed by: Roshan Shah Judaism, Christianity and Islam, known as the three ‘Abrahamic faiths’, share much in common. Yet, despite (or, perhaps, because of) this, relations between those who claim to be their followers have been marked by conflict through much of history. This continues to be the case today too, in large parts of the world, with ominous consequences for global peace. In this context, then, the close friendship between the co-authors of this deeply-insightful book, a Jewish rabbi, Christian pastor and Muslim imam, is cause for much celebration, reminding us of the immense power of spiritual friendship across conventional religious boundaries that can unite people into a force for interfaith peace and harmony. The authors are an interfaith team who travel together, in the USA (where they are based) and elsewhere, reaching out to people with the message of interfaith harmony. In this book, they recount what might seem their unlikely friendship, that began in the aftermath of the devastating 9/11 attacks, which prompted them to work together as a team to promote better relations and mutual understanding between people of different faiths, particularly between Jews, Christians and

Muslims. Reflecting on how their relationship developed and unfolded over the years, they indicate the powerful role that friendship between individuals can play in promoting meaningful interfaith dialogue, and how it can enable people from different faith backgrounds to grow spiritually together, as a team. In the course of this journey, friends can learn about each other’s faiths, overcome biases, rethink difficult aspects of their own religious traditions (often, as a result of inspiration from friends from other faiths), and learn to discern and appreciate the goodness in other traditions, in this way, evolving together in their relationship with God. Overcoming Fragmentation and Conflict Based on their long experience of working for amity across religious divides, the authors tell us that interfaith harmony and overcoming fragmentation and conflict between people who claim to follow different religions are now a matter of sheer survival for humanity today. They draw our attention to the fact that “In our day, it appears that religions are at the heart of some of the world’s most brutal conflicts. Religion seems to be fuelling hatred rather than expanding

love. Each religion seems to be projecting a God in its own image, interpreting ancient words

through its own filters. What was meant to unite us is used to divide.” “This”, they explain, “is the challenge of interfaith dialogue and collaboration.” While dogmas and rituals set apart one religion from another and distinguish religious communities from each other, what unites them are commitments and values that are common to all major religions. Focussing on the latter, the authors tell us, can help bring people of different faiths together despite their religious differences, forming the basis of what the authors call ‘inclusive spirituality’. This spirituality, they say, holds the key to healing the wounds of people and the planet as a whole. It harkens us to a realization of the

interconnectedness of all beings, which expresses itself in concern for their welfare and of the planet as a whole. “For us”, the authors explain, “inclusive spirituality relates to the realization of Oneness, the Oneness toward which each of our faith traditions leads us. The One we seek is a shared One—there is only One. We believe the One, usually called ‘God’ or ‘Allah’ in our three faith traditions, is the One Universal Life that contains all that exists, yet is infinitely more than all that exists. To the extent that we realize ourselves as integral parts of that One, we are moving toward the spiritual side of the scale.” “In our interfaith work”,

they explain, “ we have realized again and again that the more deeply we share, the better we are able to appreciate the Universal we all seek to serve.”An ‘Inclusive Spirituality’ Promoting an ‘inclusive spirituality’ does not mean ignoring the very real differences between the different religions. In fact, the authors stress, not recognizing and talking about these differences ‘really does not help’. The challenge in interfaith conversation is to help people of different faiths develop and deepen an ‘inclusive spirituality’ despite their different belief systems, in this way lifting the conversation to a spiritual and more universal level. “By its very nature”, the authors say,

‘inclusive spirituality’ “embraces differences and makes no demand that we all believe the same things. It takes us beyond our particular beliefs into shared values of love, compassion, and peace, toward which we are all striving”, values that “transcend the boundaries of our different traditions.” The book describes interfaith dialogue as a process that passes through five phases. Firstly, when people of different faiths move beyond separation and suspicion to get to know each other as individuals. Secondly, inquiring more deeply about each other’s faiths, which leads to greater mutual appreciation of these. Thirdly, sharing both the ‘easy’ as well as ‘difficult’ parts of each other’s religious traditions (supremacism in the name of religion, communal exclusivism and subjugation of women being common instances of the latter). Fourthly, moving beyond ‘safe territory’ to creatively deal with issues that have pitted religious communities against each other. And, fifthly, exploring spiritual practices from other religious traditions. Today, interfaith dialogue and working together for peace and understanding are no mere academic luxury. “It’s time”, insist the authors, “We need each other more than ever, for we understand how much we share…We are in this together…We dream of a world awakening to the essential Oneness that contains us all. It’s a matter of our survival.” This immensely useful book is a beautiful testimony to the power of spiritual friendship in dissolving barriers and biases and in bringing people of diverse faith backgrounds to recognize their common humanity and their one Creator and to recognize their responsibilities to both. n

While dogmas and rituals set apart one religion from another and distinguish religious communities from each other, what unites them are commitments and values that are common to all major religions. Focussing on the latter, the authors tell us, can help

bring people of different faiths together despite their religious differences.

Islamic Community Center Opens in PondolandPondoland: (South Africa): In the windswept hills at the heart of Pondoland, in South Africa, a new beacon of spirituality has opened its doors to the local community. The Mgezwa Mosque and Islamic Community Centre were officially opened recently in the Eastern Cape. The Centre was opened by Induna Fikile of the Amapondo tribe, in the presence of local,

tribal and South African Muslim dignitaries.About 500 community members attended the event. The Centre will not only be utilized for prayer, but also public talks, daily Islamic school, children’s feeding scheme, distribution of blankets during winter and as a public space for the local community. n

Oman Aims to Become a Tourist Hub by 2040

Salalah: Under a new investment plan worth $35 billion, Omani government plans to attract more than five million international visitors a year by 2040. Under the new plan, the government predicts the tourism sector will employ more than 500,000 people, with a large number of them predicted to be Omanis. Salalah, the capital of Dhofar governorate, is at the core

of Oman's tourism industry and is known for its coconut plantations, palm orchards, quiet beaches and incense market. Dhofar is a crowd-puller for its religious sites. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 18

Page 11

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Hastening the Last Hour - The Time That May Well Be Near

“It is Allah, Almighty who has bestowed revelation from on high, setting forth the truth, and established the balance. For all you know, the Last Hour may well be near. Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it, whereas the believers stand in awe of it and know it to be the truth. Those who argue about the Last Hour have gone far astray. God is most kind towards His creatures. He provides for whoever He wills. He is the Powerful, the Almighty. To anyone who desires a harvest in the life to come, We shall grant an increase in his harvest; whereas to the one who desires a harvest in this world, We shall give a share of it, but he will have no share in the life to come”.

(Consultation, Al-Shura: 42: 17-20)Commentary by Adil Salahi

The surah describes people’s different attitudes to the Last Hour, which is a Qur’anic expression denoting the arrival of the Day of Judgment: “Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it, whereas the believers stand in awe of it and know it to be the truth.” The ones who do not believe in it neither feel its seriousness nor understand what awaits them when it comes. Hence, it is no wonder that they take a frivolous attitude asking for it to be hastened. In contrast, the believers are certain of it and, as a result, they shudder as they think about it, dreading its outcome. They know what it is like when it finally comes. They also know it to be the truth, for they have always had their bond with the truth. Whereas, “those who argue about the Last Hour have gone far astray.” Having gone far astray, it is difficult for them to turn back.

Harvest in this WorldThe surah now speaks about the sustenance God, out of His grace, provides for all people. “God is most kind towards His creatures. He provides for whoever He wills. He is the Powerful, the Almighty.” The link between this verse and the previous one speaking about the Last Hour and the different attitudes people take towards it seems unclear. However, it becomes very apparent when we read the next verse: “To anyone who desires a harvest in the life to come, We shall grant an increase in his harvest; whereas to the one who desires a harvest in this world, We shall give a share of it, but he will have no share in the life to come.” God provides for all His servants, the good and the bad, the believer and the unbeliever. People are too weak to be able to provide for themselves. God

has brought them into life and given them what meets their basic needs. Had he chosen not to provide for the unbelievers and the wrongdoers, they would not have had anything and would have died of thirst and hunger. Had this been the scenario, God’s purpose of giving them life and allowing them a chance to do what may be counted for or against them would not have been fulfilled. Therefore, He attached the question of provisions to different factors related to life situations and personal abilities. He made it part of the test people undergo in

this life and the result of which is known only in the life to come. Thus, it has nothing to do with belief or unbelief, goodness of character or personality. Furthermore, God has made both this life and the life to come as a harvest for people, and they choose the type of harvest they want. A person who wants to have the harvest of the life to come will work to achieve this. God will help such people because of what they intend and bless their work. They will not only have their harvest in the life to come, but will also have whatever God has apportioned

to them of provisions in this life. They will lose nothing of it.

Means of Earning a LivelihoodOn the contrary, their provisions in this world may be, in as far as they are concerned, the means to achieve their harvest in the life to come. Such people use what God provides for them, investing, enjoying and spending it only in ways that are acceptable to, and please Him. By contrast, those who desire only a harvest in this life will have the provisions God has allocated for them, denying them nothing of this, but they will have nothing in the life to

come. They do not work for such a harvest, and as a result, they receive nothing. A glance at each group is sufficient to expose the folly of the one who desires only their harvest in this life. God grants both groups the provisions they will have in this

life as He has determined. No one will miss out on any of it. What is achieved in the life to come is that which people actually desire and work for. Among those who work only for the harvest of this life we find some who are rich and some who are poor, according to their means of earning a livelihood. Such means are interlinked with general situations, local circumstances and personal abilities. The same applies in equal measure to those who desire a harvest in the life to come.There is absolutely no difference between the two groups in this present life concerning their livelihood. The difference, however, will be obvious in the life to come. So what folly makes anyone abandon the harvest of the life to come, when this will not change his lot in this life even by a small measure? Ultimately, the matter is determined by the truth and the balance established by the book God has revealed. Truth and justice are evidently seen in providing sustenance for all people, and all living things, as also in increasing the harvest of the life to come or denying the same to those who desire only this present life. n

What is achieved in the life to come is that which people actually desire and work for. Among those who work only for the harvest of this life we find

some who are rich and some who are poor, according to their means of earning a livelihood.

Allah is Directly ApproachableHe is always in command and control. One should directly approach

Him with his pleas. One need not go via intermediariesSome amateur clerics argue that one needs an intermediary (waseela) to reach Allah just as one requires a staircase or a ladder to access the roof. It carries no weight. Anyone who has read the Quran with due application of mind would find that Allah is accessible without an intermediary.But they, i.e., the ones who are arguing in favour of intermediaries say the waseela is just like one approaches a clerk or PA (personal assistant) to reach a high official like the Deputy Commissioner (DC). Let us be reminded of the Quranic verse (surah Qaaf, verse 16) which says :

ونحن أقرب إليه من حبل الوريدWe are closer to him than his jugular vein.

The DC may not be directly approachable because he is not aware of the individual case of every single applicant. He has to be helped by an assistant who has dealt with applicants and is in the know of things. This argument is further nullified by the fact that Allah knows the secrets that are buried in one’s heart. The DC’s office displays a board: “No entry without permission.” But the case with Allah is just the opposite. He says: And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad!) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they

may be led aright. (Ch. Baqrah, v. 186) The DC goes to sleep when he gets tired. He will not be approachable in those hours. But Allah never sleeps. The famous Ayat ul Kursi (Ch. Baqrah, v. 155) says: “Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor does He sleep”. It will be useful to recite the entire verse that shows the state of awareness of Allah and the state of command and control of the situation all over the cosmos. “Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him

pOsITIVE THOUgHTs

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 19FOllOW-Up

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Lessons from the Hadith “All creatures are [like] a family of God…” The holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "All creatures are [like]

a family of God: and He loves most those who are kindest to His family."(Narrated by Anas. Mishkat al-Masabih, 3:1392; quoted from Bukhari.)

By Sheima Salam Sumer

In this article I explore the lessons of this hadith in relation to three issues:1. Relations among Muslims of

different sects2. Relations among Muslims and

people of other faiths and3. Relations between human

beings and other creatures

Relations Among Muslims of Different SectsThe above hadith encourages kindness to all of God’s creation. Kindness involves respecting the right of others to choose their religious interpretations. Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid is founder of Soundvision.com, a noted American Muslim scholar and interfaith activist. In 2015, he chaired the International Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City, USA, which was attended by 11,000 people from 50 religions and 80 countries. He remarks:“The principle of ‘no compulsion in matters of faith’ (Quran 2:256) is not just limited to Muslim-non-Muslim relations. It applies to Muslim interpretations of Islam as well. This instruction of God serves as a guideline for the Muslim community to not impose one's interpretation on others. That is why throughout history, not only have Hanafis and Shafis worked with each other despite differences, but Shias and Sunnis have lived and worked side by side with each other as well”.Kindness involves trying to understand others rather than believing everything we hear about them. Respectful dialogue among Muslims of different schools of thought will promote kindness and understanding.

Relations of Muslims with People of Other FaithsThe above hadith teaches Muslims to be kind to people of other faiths because they are also part of God’s family of creation.The Quran teaches that God created different groups of people so that they can learn about one another:“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes so that you may know one another…”(Quran 49:13)The Quran reminds Muslims to be kind to people of other faiths as long as they do not oppress them on account of their faith and do not drive them out of their homes:“Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you due to (your) religion, and have not

driven you from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice.” (Quran 60:8)Terrorism is totally against the teachings of Islam. To kill an innocent person is like killing all of humanity:“...If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or for corruption (done) in the land, it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind… (Quran 5:32)The Holy Quran teaches that fighting is only permissible in self-defense and must stop if the enemy desires peace:“Fight in the Way of God against those who fight you, but do not go beyond the limits. God does not love those who go beyond the limits.” (Quran 2:190)"...But if they cease, then let there be no hostility except against those who practice oppression." (Quran 2:193)“But if the enemy inclines towards peace, you (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah... Even if they intend to deceive you, remember that God is sufficient for you…” (Quran 8:61-62)The Holy Quran states that all people have the right to choose their religion and that it is God’s Will that people have different religions.Islamic Scholar Muhammad Abdel Haleem, author of Understanding the Quran, writes:“Nowhere in the Quran is changing people’s religion given as a cause for waging war. The Qur’an gives a clear instruction that there is no compulsion in religion (Quran 2:256). It states that people will remain different (Quran 11:118), they will always have different religions and ways and this is an unalterable fact (Quran5:48) – God tells the Prophet that most people will not believe ‘even if you are eager that they should’ (Quran 12:103).”

Responding to Prejudice: Relevance of This hadith‘Islamophobia’ is prejudice and discrimination towards Muslims due to their religion. The above hadith encourages kindness as a means to please God. Therefore, kindness is the primary solution

for ‘Islamophobia’ and the best way to build good relations between Muslims and people of other faiths. The Holy Quran states:“Good and evil deeds are not alike. Repel evil with good, and he who is your enemy will become your dearest friend.” (Quran 41:34)

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid reminds us how the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded to ill-treatment:“Remember the Prophet. The Prophet was subject to horrible insults and hate crimes in his lifetime. He remained steadfast, patient and tolerant in the face of this Islamophobia. We must model this same behavior.”Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid recommends kindness to neighbors as a solution:“Instead of a term of distance like “Non-Muslims”, use a term of relationship like “neighbors” when referring to our neighbors. The Prophet said, "Jibril kept recommending treating neighbors with kindness until I thought he would assign a share of inheritance to the neighbors." (Bukhari and Muslim). Given this level of familiarity and closeness we should have with our neighbors,

it is amazing the way we keep ignoring them, especially in neighborhoods with large, vibrant mosques and Islamic centers.”

Relations of People with other CreationsThe above hadith teaches kindness to all creatures, recognizing that,

like human beings, they, too, are among the family of God's creation. Kindness to animals is highly encouraged in many hadiths:A prostitute was pardoned who passed by a dog at a well holding out his tongue from thirst which was near killing him; for she took off her short boot and tied it to her wrapper, and pulled water for him; so was she forgiven. It was asked, “Shall we then have any reward for (our behavior to) the animals?” “There are rewards,” said the

Prophet, “for (our behavior to) all living beings.” (Bukhari, Muslim)A woman was sent to the hellfire for (her behavior to) a cat which

she had tied up, so that it died of hunger; for she gave it not to eat, nor untied it, so that it could eat insects and reptiles of the earth. (Bukhari, Muslim)Once the Prophet saw a camel which was just skin and bones. He said to the owner of that camel, “Fear Allah for these speechless animals! Do not let them stay hungry!” (Abu Dawud)

In Islam, hunting animals for mere sport is forbidden:"If someone kills a sparrow for sport, the sparrow will cry out on the Day of Judgment, 'O Lord! That person killed me in vain! He did not kill me for any useful purpose." (Nisai)The above hadith also applies to our relationship with nature. The Giver of life is the Supreme Owner of life and destroying nature for other than necessity is wrong. Man must use nature responsibly and should avoid wastage. n (Sheima Salam Sumer is an author and trained counselor. She is the author of How to Be a Happy Muslim Insha'Allah: and The Basic Values of Islam: Alphabetically Listed with Islamic References.For more details, see her website: http://howtobeahappymuslim.com/)

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 20lIVINg IslAM

Words Related with Fabrics and Textiles (کپڑے اور ٹکسٹائل سے متعلق الفاظ)

Brocade: Heavy cloth with raised design often of gold or silver thread. ارھبے) ےس زری رپ سج وخمکاب ت ف

زر�بی �ہ اجےت کی اکم (وہےئ

Buckram: A stiff cotton fabric for interlining the collars, waist belt portions of pant etc. واال) وہےن اامعتسل لی ےک رمک ا �ی اکرل �ڑا پ

ک سویت دار کلف ۔ ڑم ڑپکا، �ب (تخس

Corduroy: A cotton-pile fabric with lengthwise cords or ridges. ڑپکا) وسیت فڑ ی دار، د�ب داھری ا (وم��

Chintz: Printed multicoloured cotton fabric with a glazed finish, used for curtains and upholstery. ڑپکا) اک ��

ف پھ�ی� � ا �ی وہا (اپھچ

Chiffon: A sheer fabric of silk, nylon, or rayon in plain weave. ڑپکا) می

ش ی� �ر (افشن،اکلہ،افشف،الممئ

Drapery: Cloth or curtains hung in loose folds. (ڑپکا اک (رپدوں

Embroidery: The art of working raised and ornamental designs in threads of silk, cotton gold, silver or other material upon any woven fabric, leather, paper etc with a neddle. (اکری دہ ی

ش (ک

Handloom: Cloth produced on hand operated looms. ک�ڑاھگ) �ت (اھکدی، �ہ

Flannel: A soft, warm, light fabric of cotton and another fiber mostly used for sleepwear, undergarments or sheets. ڑپکا) ،اوین ف (الفلی

Hosiery: A word used especially in shops for things such as socks, tights, and stockings. ( ی ڑا�ب ڑویش ، وہزری ،�ب

ف� ان ی

ف(ومزے ، �ب

Khaki – Dust coloured warp face twill, softer and finer than drill. Name derived from Urdu ‘Khak’ means dust or mud. Fabric made of cotton, linen, wool, worsted, or manmade fibers and blends. (اخیک)

Knitwear: Clothes made by connecting wool or another type of threat into joined rows. اک)

شوپ� وہیئ

ف (�ب

Linen: Strong cloth made from fibres of the flax seeds. Linen is mostly the cloth used for covering, wiping, etc. It could be called table linen, bed linen etc.

(ش

ر�ی ےک ،نس ف ف ڑپکا،لی بار�ی � اک اتکن ڑپکا انب (ےس

Muslin: An inexpensive, medium weight, plain weave, low count (less than 160 threads per square inch) cotton sheeting fabric. (لملم)

Pashmina: Fine type of wool made from Himalayan goats in Kashmir. (اون ڑی ی

شک رنم (ااہتنیئ

Rayon: A natural fiber created from wood pulp, it usually has good drape and a soft hand.

ہ، داھاگ) ی�ش (ر�

Thermal: Clothes made of special material to keep the body warm. ڑپکے) روک اجہم، رحارت ڑ ز�ی (رگم

Tweed: Thick material made from wool of several different colours. (ڑپکا دار، اوین ، داھری ی�ف گ�

ف (ر�

Upholstery: Material used to cushion or cover furniture. It may be of leather, canvas or thick cloth. (وپشش یک ڑ پ ی

فڑ�

ف�)

Velvet: A cloth usually made from silk or cotton with soft surface. (لمخم)

Worsted: Firmly twisted yarn spun from combed, stapled wool fibres. ڑپکا) انب ےس وں

ش ر�ی اوین ےک (ایلع مسق

Enhance Your Word Power

A Lesson in Daily CharityMany of us do give in charity once in a while, but how many of us do so every

single day? Charity was an integral part of this man’s daily life.

By A Staff Writer We all love surprises—but only if they are pleasant, of course! I had a wonderful surprise the other day while in an auto-rickshaw. I generally refrain from talking more than what’s necessary with auto-rickshaw drivers while they are driving, because the traffic on the roads of the city where I live is so dense and chaotic that I fear I might distract them if I chat them up—and who knows what might then happen? But that day I was tempted to make conversation with the driver. We began by talking about something quite mundane, but I don’t quite remember exactly how, I soon found myself listening to some very wise words of wisdom on life, religion and spirituality. The driver, it turned out, was a Sufi of sorts. Imagine discussing Sufi spirituality while speeding in an auto-rickshaw with someone you’ve just met for the first time ever! But that isn’t the really surprising thing, though. I’ve had similar sorts of conversations with

auto-rickshaw drivers before, men from different faith backgrounds, so this wasn’t something really new for me. What was definitely novel was what I learnt when we finally reached where I needed

to get to. The driver stopped the vehicle and carried on speaking. He spoke lovingly about his master, a Sufi of the Qadri order, who had left the world a while ago. I thought I saw his eyes brimming with tears. He talked about truth being found in every religion. He also spoke of how faith must go along with good deeds. And then—not in order to show off but to demonstrate the point of service being a necessary part of spirituality—he told me about a practice that he has made into a habit—which is what that

great surprise that I had that day is about.Every day, the driver explained, he takes out half the money that he earns on his first trip and keeps it apart. In this way, over a few

days he is able to set aside a fairly sizeable amount. He uses this money for charity—to give to people in need. If I am not mistaken, I think he also added that while giving this money to the needy, he does not consider their community or religious background.Now, isn’t this all really wonderful? It

was certainly a surprising learning lesson for me!

Service of one’s fellow human beings, the driver wanted to say, is an integral part of true religiousness, without which claims to faith are hollow. The poor, too, have a share in one’s earnings. The driver’s enthusiasm to help the poor was truly touching. Imagine making it a point to set apart a big portion of your income every single day for the needy? I certainly had never thought of doing something like that myself. There’s another wonderful thing that I learnt from this beautiful experience. And that is, that you don’t have to be materially rich to be charitable. The driver definitely wasn’t what you’d call ‘economically prosperous’. He perhaps lived in a small tenement

in a densely-populated area. Maybe he was the only earning member of his family. He probably slogged long hours every day on traffic-clogged roads to eke out a livelihood. And yet, he was such an incredibly charitable man!Many of us do give in charity once in a while, but how many of us do so every single day? Charity was an integral part of this man’s daily life. Every single day, he thought of the needy, diligently setting aside something from his earnings for them, almost the first thing in the morning after starting work.If this man could do beautiful acts of charity every single day, maybe I should do something like that, too?What do you say? n

Programme on Christian-Muslim Relations in DelhiNew Delhi: Naghma Siddiqi, Rajat Malhotra, Maulana Farhad Umri, Sufia Khan and Maria Khan, members of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS), based in New Delhi, made presentations on different aspects of Islam and Muslim life in India for first-year students of Vidyajyoti College of Theology, a well-known Catholic seminary in Delhi recently. The topics of discussion included the Quran, the preservation and

compilation of the Quran, central themes from the Quran, the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and Islam among world religions. The basic theme of the Quran, the speakers emphasized, revolves around the creation plan of God. They noted that throughout the book it is made known to the reader that this world is temporary and that every person will return to God in the Hereafter. Islam helps one to prepare to face God on the Day of Judgment,

they noted. For this reason, the main concern of the Quran is to inform the reader how to lead his or her life in the present world so that he or she can be settled in the high and noble society of eternal Paradise. The life of Prophet Muhammad served as a practical demonstration of this spiritual personality one needs to develop in this world. This meeting was organised by Islamic Studies Association, a Catholic organisation. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 21REFlECTIONs

Page 4

Page 5

Life Isn’t for ‘Time Pass’Various religions tell us, in their different ways, that God has created us and

sent us here, to the earth, for a definite purpose-certainly not for ‘time pass’. We can discover this purpose from the revelations that God has communicated to us

through His messengers

If you’ve travelled by train in India, you might have seen men walking up and down the aisles of the compartments or along station platforms with baskets slung around their necks, filled with an assortment of homemade goodies—roasted chickpeas, salted horse gram, spiced puffed rice, and the like. “Time pass! Time pass!’ they call out as they go about selling their wares.Munching on an assortment of things to eat that are sold on the train by itinerant peddlers is one way for bored passengers, who have nothing else to do and who face a long journey ahead, to ‘time pass’—that is, to somehow while away their time. You may not be particularly hungry, but nibbling at half a dozen soggy Samosas or onion Pakoras dripping with oil or munching on a bag of peanuts is, you think, a fine way to keep yourself busy and amused, at least for a while, till an hour later, when you are tempted to buy something else from another peddler. The food may not be at all good for your system, but that doesn’t worry you in the least. Your concern is simply ‘time pass’, to manage to keep yourself occupied somehow or the other, until, finally, your train arrives at its destination. Purpose of Human LifeFor many people, too, life itself is one long ‘time pass’. They have no idea as to what the purpose of human life in general, and theirs in particular, is. As far as they are concerned, they are here, in this world, simply for ‘time pass’, until, finally, death takes them away. Bereft of a lofty purpose to live for, their life becomes, sooner or later, a painful drudgery that simply has to be put up with, till

at last death relieves them of their existence on earth. When their initial zest for life begins to wane (often, this happens with the onset of middle-age), they become like the utterly bored train passenger who pines for his journey to come to a quick end but at the same time has no choice but to put up with the painful fact that his train would take a good 48

hours to reach its destination. In both cases, the journey is felt as a terrible torture that one simply has to endure, somehow or the other.If thought of simply as ‘time pass’, a journey on a train or the journey of life itself sooner or later becomes absolutely intolerable. In order to keep themselves going and to prevent themselves from falling into depression or even insanity in the face of what seems an utterly boring and meaningless existence, people who think of life as simply ‘time pass’ try to fill their lives by being perpetually busy, doing different things, distracting themselves with this and that—almost anything that

comes their way. If a bored train passenger does ‘time pass’ by gorging on different types of food that may not at all be good for his health, a person who is bored with life, bereft of a higher purpose to live for, plods through life by doing things just for the sake of somehow passing time and escaping boredom. This could take the form of over-indulgence

in activities—such as earning, working, eating, shopping, consuming, socializing, and entertainment, for instance— that are necessary in moderation but dangerous, to oneself as well as, often, to others, when done in excess.Higher Purpose to LiveSuch busy-ness becomes a compulsion, an end in itself, engaged in simply for the sake of keeping oneself distracted and relieving oneself of an intolerable feeling of boredom. It is being busy simply for the sake of ‘time pass’, and not because it is truly necessary and good for oneself and others. Such ‘time-pass’ could

also take the form of gossiping, intriguing, politicking, trying to run other people’s lives for them or squabbling with relatives and neighbours. Addiction to TV or Facebook, being hooked to the ‘smart’ phone or compulsively ‘hanging out’ in shopping malls are other common forms of ‘time-pass’. Any which way, it seems, to simply pass time for want of any

higher purpose to live for.Various religions tell us, in their different ways, that God has created us and sent us here, to the earth, for a definite purpose—certainly not for ‘time pass’. We can discover this purpose from the revelations that God

has communicated to us through His messengers. We, each one of us, can also pray to God to disclose to us what this purpose is. Then, if we choose to pursue this purpose, time becomes for us not something to be simply passed or whiled away somehow, but, rather, something to be very wisely and carefully spent in order to fulfill the purpose of our existence. A life spent in this way is a truly meaningful and satisfying one.There is no compulsion in this matter, though. We can also, if we so choose, not care at all about the purpose of why God created us and can spend our short spell of time on this planet simply doing ‘time pass’—in which case, we are bound, sooner or later, to meet with frustration and despair. If that is the choice we make, after a point, life will seem utterly meaningless and futile, a heavy drag that just has to be put up with, like a very long train journey. And then, instead of spending the time we have been blessed with in a way that works to fulfill the purpose of human life, we will fritter it away by being ‘busy’ doing this and that simply to ‘time pass’, till death whisks us away.And what an utter waste of our precious life that would be, with ominous consequences for our eternal Hereafter! n

We, each one of us, can also pray to God to disclose to us what this purpose is. Then, if we choose

to pursue this purpose, time becomes for us not something to be simply passed or whiled away

somehow, but, rather, something to be very wisely and carefully spent in order to fulfill the purpose

of our existence. A life spent in this way is a truly meaningful and satisfying one.

Livelihood Business Incubator ...and Skill Development’ in the areas including, PET Bottle Making and R.O. Plant, Bakery Products, Spice Grinding & Packing, Tailoring & Machine Embroidery, Computer Hardware & Networking, Gem / Jewellery-making, and the like. The Programme is designed to help the participants acquire skills to of the 11 rooms could be readied

for use as they ran short of funds. English Coaching ReinforcedLooking at the enthusiasm of the local community, the Educational Coordinator, Sajid Ali too chipped in. A few good teachers were posted in the school by the Department. English language coaching was reinforced. E-learning was introduced and computers were brought in to give the kids, visual experience. The Trust appointed three more teachers and took upon itself their annual salaries. The trust invested Rs. 8 lakh into construction of four toilets each for boys and girls. They also provide uniforms to the students. The Mohsin Shariff Charitable

A School Revived ...Trust supplies the midday meals. Shabbir Ahmed, Cluster Resource Person for the School, says the Department is now willing to sanction English medium from 6th standard and onwards which is likely to enhance the school in the estimation of the community. Currently, English is also being taught through remedial, a coaching centre. An Ideal SchoolAn Urdu Hall with facilities for auditorium and accommodation for delegates is also being constructed in the front portion within the premises at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh. This will offer the children and the staff, facilities for organizing programmes.

set up their own business units.Prof. Mini S. Thomas, Director, CIE said that they were planning to run the courses in three modes i.e, regular mode for the youngsters in the neighbourhood during the day time, evening mode for Jamia students and a weekend batch for working professionals. nAfsar says, the immediate task

is to complete the hall in the backyard which is meant for holding indoor sports and other such events. The youth who fought off anti-social elements and encroachers, feel that the institution has now been saved, and should be developed into an ideal school for the area as it offers ample space for enhancing the enrolment even to 5,000 students. If the community could help the youth, the place can become a thriving institution providing ideal coaching to thousands of students in the vicinity. For more details, contact Afsar Pasha of Hind Citizen Welfare Trust-98440-42891, Shabbir Ahmed-99644-06655.

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ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 22pOINTs TO pONdER

Words of Wisdom sOUl TAlk

The consciousness of correcting one's faults is the only secret of success.

By Sufi Inayat Khan Man does not like to admit his wrong attitude to himself. He is afraid of his own faults. But the man who looks his own error in the eye, the man who criticizes himself, has no time to criticize others. It is that man who will prove to be wise. But human nature is generally such that one does something quite different. Everyone seems to be most interested in criticizing another. If one would criticize oneself, there are endless faults, however saintly or wise one may be. There is no end of faults in a human being. And the consciousness of correcting one's faults, of making oneself better, of taking hold of the

right attitude, is the only secret of success, and by it, one attains to that goal which is the object of every soul.

EEIt is harmony which makes beauty; beauty in itself has no meaning. An object which is called beautiful at a certain place and time is not beautiful at another place or another time. And so it is with thought, speech and action: that which is called beautiful is only so at a certain time and under certain conditions which make it beautiful. So if one can give a true definition of beauty, it is harmony.

EE The wise in all ages have dived deep into life in order to attain

unity in themselves, and in order to spread unity. In the life of the world every man has some complaint to make. He lacks something; he is troubled by something. But this is only the external reason; the real truth is that he is not in unity with his own soul, for when there is disharmony in ourselves how can we spread harmony? When mind and body are at war the soul wants something else, and soul and mind are pulled by the body, or the body and mind by the soul; and so there is disharmony. When a man is in harmony with himself, he is in harmony with all; he produces harmony and gives harmony to all, he gives it out all the time. n

Dealing With DifferencesIn a society where differences of opinion are not thought of as bad or wrong,

there will definitely be an environment of discussion.

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

If you read the lives of Islamic scholars of the early Muslim period, you will find that they had considerable differences among themselves on religious issues. Yet, despite this, they respected each other. Consider in this regard two incidents.Ibn Abdul Barr relates that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ali ibn al-Madini once had a discussion with each other on a particular issue, so much so that they began to raise their voices. Ibn Abdul Barr says that he feared that this would create bitterness between the two. But when Ali ibn al-Madini was about to leave, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, in a gesture of great respect, stepped forward and took hold of his stirrup. (Jamiʿ Bayan al-Ilm wa Fazlihi, 2/107)

Yunus Siddiqi was among the illustrious disciples of Imam Shafi. One day, he had a long debate with his teacher on a particular issue. When they met next, Imam Shafi took hold of his hand and said: “Would it not be better if we lived as brothers even if we cannot agree on any issue?” (Al-Furqan, June 2014, p. 41)These examples illustrate mutual respect, but also something bigger than that—and that is, respect for differences of opinion: in other words, viewing differences of opinion from the intellectual point of view, not from the personal point of view.Respect for differences of opinion is no simple matter. It is directly related to our intellectual development. In a society where differences of opinion are not thought of as bad or wrong, there will definitely be an environment

of discussion. People will articulate their respective points of view, offering academic arguments and evidence for the same. Where differences of opinion are respected, there will be no intellectual stagnation. The process of intellectual development will continue. Once, I met with a Western scholar and I asked him, “What

is the secret of the progress of the people of the West?” He replied, “It is our treating dissent as a sacred right of the individual.” What this scholar said is very true.

But this is not something that is specific just to Western thought. Rather, it is a universal law of nature. This law is expressed in a hadith of the Prophet in these words: “Difference within my community is a blessing.” (al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, hadith no. 39)Dissenting opinions are always expressed in the form of criticism.

But critique, no matter with regard to whom, is a form of study and analysis. The actual purpose of criticism should be to start an open discussion on a particular subject. It aims at

bringing different minds together to honestly share their findings and enabling each other to honestly express their views on these. This sort of free and open dialogue is a necessary prerequisite for intellectual development.Knowledge as such is something unlimited. This is as true for religious subjects as for secular subjects. Differences of opinion are always beneficial. In this regard if there is any condition, there is just one—and that is, that all opinions should be backed with established facts and the differing parties should not stoop to hurling accusations against each other.There are innumerable benefits of difference of opinion. It highlights hitherto hidden as well as new aspects of issues on which differences exist. It promotes creative thinking. n

There are innumerable benefits of difference of opinion. It highlights hitherto hidden as well as

new aspects of issues on which differences exist. It promotes creative thinking.

Often, in winters there is dense fog in parts of northern India. When that happens, sometimes trains are made to halt at stations till the fog clears, or else they move very slowly. To solve this problem, Indian Railways have developed what is called a ‘fog-safe device’. With this device, it has now become possible for train drivers to drive their trains at 60 kilometres an hour even in dense fog.Now, this is about physical fog. Like physical fog, there is something that can be called ‘intellectual fog’. Today, we are surrounded by vast numbers of voices, all clamouring for attention through various sorts of media, saying all sorts of things. You could call this as ‘intellectual fog. Perhaps it is this ‘intellectual fog’ that is referred to in a hadith of the Prophet as fitnah ad-duhaymah (The Age of Total Darkness). (Sunan Abu Dawud, hadith no. 4242)

Comments of Some of the Economically Most Wealthy People:

“The care of $200 million is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it.” (W.H. Vanderbilt)

“I am the most miserable man of earth.” (J.J. Astor)

“I have made millions, but they have brought me no happiness.” (John D. Rockefeller)

“Millionaires seldom smile” (Andrew Carnegie)

“I was happier when doing a mechanic’s job.” (Henry Ford)

Dense Darkness of ThoughtsEvery person is, in reality, living inside this intellectual fog. They think in accordance with it. They act in accordance with it. Now, the question is: How can one save oneself from this problem? How can we be firmly established in right thinking in this dense darkness of thoughts?The example of the ‘fog-safe device’ that is used for trains provides us an indication of the solution to this problem. What we need to do is to prepare ourselves internally in such a way that we are capable of thinking without being influenced by the external ‘fog’. Like the physical strategy employed by the railways, all of us need to make use of an intellectual strategy.In line with the law of nature, the external fog is never going to stop. The only solution is that a person should take measures at the individual level so that he can protect himself from its negative effects. (Courtesy: Al Risala)

Intellectual Fog

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 23QUEsTIONs & ANsWERs

spIRITUAl MEdITATIONs

Questions About PrayerPeople have many questions about salaat or namaz, the Islamic form of prayer.

Some of them are: What is adhan or azan (the call to prayer)? What is its significance? Why does one direct his or her face towards the Kaaba while praying? What is the purpose of intention (niyyah or niyyat) in prayer? Is it

compulsory to say prayers only in Arabic? What is the wisdom in the fixed number of rakahs (prescribed units of prayer) for each of the five time daily prayers?

By Waris Mazhari Azan literally means “to call’’. It informs people when it is time for prayers so that they can gather at the mosque to pray. The purpose of iqamah (the second call to prayer, which is uttered immediately before the beginning of the obligatory prayer) is similar to this, and is meant to summon the people who are already in the mosque to come together and join the prayer in congregation.The azan functions similarly to the practice in some Christian communities where church bells are rung for the same purpose, i.e. summoning the faithful to prayer. It is analogous, in a way, to the custom at some schools or students’ camps, where a bell is rung to call the students to assemble in a certain area or to announce that class time has started or finished.The objective of azan may look very ordinary or simple, but it has to be achieved through a form of worship that contains the praise and glorification of God. And that, indeed, is the spirit of worship.

Azan is a ReminderAzan is a method to call people to come together in congregation to worship God. Apart from this, the azan serves to remind the Muslims, five times a day, of certain basic Islamic beliefs, such as the Oneness and greatness of God and the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). But azan is not a precondition for prayer. Prayer can be performed at any place without calling azan or iqamah. Prayer can be offered in a wilderness or jungle even without azan or iqamah. The Eid prayers require neither azan nor iqamah because Muslims already look forward to these prayers.The Kaaba in Makkah is the qiblah, or direction in which prayers are offered by Muslims. Facing this qiblah is a prerequisite for performing prayers in Islam. In the early phase of Islam, Muslims were ordered, according

to some scholars, to offer prayers directing their face towards the Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, with the aim of winning the hearts of Jews and to express solidarity with them (in the sense that Muslims and Jews share many basic religious beliefs, including worshipping the same God’),but, as the Quran(2:144) suggests, the Prophet was keen that the Kaaba, the symbolic House of God, should be approved as qiblah for Muslims. Nonetheless, the Quran says: ‘The East and the West belong to God. Whichever way you turn, there is the Face of God. God is all pervading and all knowing.’(2:115) According to Islamic scholars, this verse was revealed before the verse which commands: ‘turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque’(2:149), or else that it applies to a person offering his prayers in the darkest night when he is not sure of the qiblah, the proper direction of prayer, or is riding a vehicle which changes its direction rapidly, in which case even if he faces a direction other than the qiblah, his prayer would be considered proper. This indicates that the qiblah is not attached to the core of the prayer, even though it is considered necessary.

Purpose of the Qiblah What, then, is the purpose of the qiblah? It is an intrinsic demand of human nature that if someone loves or bows down to some entity, he wants it to be present and visible before him. But with regard to God, this is entirely

impossible in this physical world. That is why in place of Him, His symbolic house, the Kaaba, was declared as the qiblah.The qiblah is the central point of the worshipper’s attention towards God while in prayer. It is a way to put one’s whole concentration on God, feeling as if God is watching us while we pray, as the Prophet has asked his

followers to do.

Making the Intention Making the intention (niyyah or niyyat) to pray is a precondition for prayer—that is, making the intention, in one’s heart, of offering prayer. Uttering the intention of offering prayers by one’s tongue is not necessary. Every act requires an intention by heart. No work can be accomplished in proper manner without it. Any act not done with a proper intention can be only hypothetically attributed to the related person. Making the intention for prayer means that one is devoting oneself to God for some time, while cutting oneself off from the whole world for that period. This helps in building concentration and focusing on God, while one is engaged in prayer.

Language of the PrayerWith regard to the language in which prayer is to be offered, some Muslim theologians, such as Abu Hanifa, the founder of Hanafi school of jurisprudence, opined that the prayer could be performed in other languages, like Persian. Later, Abu Hanifa changed his opinion and adopted the common view of the Muslim scholars. But

from this point it might be inferred that language has a secondary role in prayer. Primarily, what is required in prayer is submissiveness (khushu) and the awareness that God is watching one always. In principle, it seems logical and in keeping with spirit of the religion that a person should remember his/her Creator in his/her

own language, comprehending what he/she recites or utters in the prayer. Prior to Prophet Muhammad, different prophets and their communities used different languages in worshipping God. They glorified God in their own languages, not necessarily the same as what Muslims use in their worship and supplication to Him. For instance, in the Jewish and Christian traditions ‘Jehovah’ and ‘Eli’ were used as names of God respectively. According to the Quran (35:24), there is no community to which a prophet has not been sent. In the light of this, it means that God must have sent one or more prophets to India too, who must have worshiped and glorified God in an ancient Indian language or languages. There is not a single verse in the Quran or any Prophetic tradition that makes the Arabic language obligatory

for prayers and supplications. It can be deduced from this that Arabic language is not a basic precondition for prayer. Yet, in spite of this, it is required that the prayer be offered in the language used by the concerned prophets because along with the spirit, the words and form in which the prophet used to perform worship are also required to be followed.Forms and PracticesThe form is also an inevitable part of religion because religious belief reflects itself through certain forms and practices. Without a particular form, the religion will become a mess. That is why in almost every religion, the key words that are part of the rituals and chants are pronounced in the very same language used by and inherited from their founder or key figure. Another important point to consider in this regard is that translation, no matter how good, cannot be a substitute for the words of the original text, especially when the text is a revealed scripture, because the original words of the text have, apart from its meaning, a certain spiritual significance, efficacy and blessing (barakah) as well, as religious experience and human intuition suggest.As for the fixed number of rakahs in the Islamic prayer, this is entirely in accordance with what was revealed to the Prophet from God. Human beings cannot satisfactorily perceive the wisdom behind this provision. The Prophet was taught by the angel Gabriel the manner and method of prayers, and that is what he asked his followers to do. He said: ‘Offer the prayer as you have seen me offering it.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari)(Waris Mazhari graduated from the Dar ul-Uloom Deoband. He did a Ph.D. from the Dept. of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and he is presently teaching in the same department. He can be reached at w.mazhari@gmail.com)

Examining OurselvesTo reach a high station with God, we need to evaluate on a daily basis, not just

our actions, but feelings and thoughts as well.

By Sadia Dehlvi

Describing the day of reckoning, the Quran says, “Your soul is sufficient as a reckoner against you this day.” While we are alive, we collect and benefit from God’s bounties, but often forget that what we receive is not really meant just for us alone. We are like cashiers

that have to distribute from the bounties received, as in the end, the receivers will have to account for the goods.Those who are selfish and tight-fisted and lack in showing compassion to those less fortunate remain in danger of being rejected from God’s boundless mercy and compassion.

Shaykh Ibn al Arabi, the great 12th century Sufi scholar from Andalusia, once said, “There is no higher reward that a human being can achieve from God than the felicity awarded to whoever shows compassion to humanity.” According to him, the essence of morality is compassion. On advising how to reach a high

station with God, he writes how we need to evaluate on a daily basis, not just our actions, but feelings and thoughts as well.He adds, “May God open your inner eye, so that you can see and remember what you have done and said. Remember that you will have to account for it on the Day of Judgment.” So

see yourself and close your accounts. The only way to salvation is to clear and clean all debts. Listen to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) who said, “Make your accounting before it is made for you. Weigh your sins before they are weighed for you. Weigh your transgressions

Page 24

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Page 23

against your good deeds while you still have time.”There are three things that often keep us away from examining ourselves. The first is being unconscious and blind to the state of our souls. The second is the imaginary pleasures that one gets through the deception of one’s ego. The third is being a slave to one’s habits.Shaykh Ibn al Arabi practised contemplation all through his life. He wrote of his teacher who wrote down on a piece of paper what all he did, said and felt though the day. At night, the teacher made an accounting for the day’s words and actions. If he had done wrong, he repented and if he did a good deed, he offered thanks to God.The Sufi believed in showing respect and kindness to all human beings and interacting with them with the best of intentions. He says, “Treat everyone equally whether they are kings or paupers, old or young. Know that humankind is one body and individuals are its members. A body is not a whole

without its parts. The right of the man of knowledge is respect, the right of the ignorant is advice, the right of the heedless one is to be awakened, the right of the child is compassion and love. Treat well your family and friends, people who work for you, animals in your care, plants in your garden. They have been put under your trust from God, and you are under God’s care. Always show love, generosity, compassion, delicacy and protection towards everyone.”(Sadia Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer)

(Source: asianage.com)

Examining Ourselves ...

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 25ANAlYsIs

Page 26

Afghanistan TodayInstability Still Dogs the Nation

SIGAR Report does not present a rosy picture. Talibans still control 33 districts, while the Government’s authority is contested in another 116 districts.

Over five thousand persons were killed in violence in Afghanistan during the first eight months of the current year. The US Department of Defence (DoD) Report says another nine thousand persons were injured during incidence of violence involving Talibans, who have been constantly challenging the authority of the elected Government of Afghanistan. The Report known as Special Inspector General of Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) puts the number of killings at 5,523 between January 1 and August 31 this year. The Report is released every quarter by the DoD. 101 Taliban Attacks The Report says the Government forces lost 2.2% of the officially controlled area of the country to the Talibans during the period. Of the State’s 407 districts, the Government controls 258 districts while the rebels, mainly Talibans control 33 districts while the State’s forces and rebels are fighting for control of 116 districts. It is estimated that ‘ghosts’ within the official forces launched 101 attacks on the State’s forces between January 2015 and August 2016. Over 250 personnel

of the State’s forces were killed and another 125 were wounded in these attacks. The Report reveals that cities of Kunduz and

capital Helmand were close to being occupied by the Talibans during the period. It concludes that “the insurgency is the most immediate and visible threat to a viable central government in Afghanistan”. The UN recorded 5,996 security incidents between May 20, and August 15, 2016, as reflected in Figure 3.26, representing a 4.7% increase as compared to the same period last year, and a 3.6% decrease against

the same period in 2014. 13,453 Foreign TroopsAccording to DOD, the NATO-

led Resolute Support (RS) train, advise, and assist mission consists of

13,453 U.S. and Coalition personnel as of September 17, 2016. Of that number, 6,939 are troops belonging to U.S. forces, 4,934 are from the 26 NATO allied partners, and 1,580 are from the 12 non-NATO partner nations. The number of U.S. forces conducting or supporting counterterrorism operations was not provided. It says the US Government spent almost one billion dollars for the

education and development of Afghan women since 2006 but the net results show that there has been a decline in opportunities for women in education and politics in comparison to statistics of 2006. It finds vast difference in

opportunities between genders in matters of employment, movement within and outside the country, education and investment. Women’s Reservation 27%In 2013, the Ministry of Education reported that 71% of girls were enrolled in primary school, 40% in lower secondary school, and 28% in upper secondary school. SIGAR could not verify the

ministry’s numbers, but a USAID assessment recently found that the ministry’s data collection system had made “substantial” progress in the last five years. According to Wazma Frogh, gender advisor to the Ministry of Defence, 27% of the Lower House seats in Afghan Parliament and 28% seats in Upper House are now reserved for women and no country has seen so much of advancement in the conditions of women as Afghanistan between 2001 and 2015. There are four women in Ghani cabinet. President Ghani nominated a woman, Anisa Rasooli for the post of a judge of the country’s Supreme Court, but the Parliament could not approve of her appointment. If all the 69 women members had voted for her, she would have been confirmed in the post, but surprisingly 23 of the 69 were absent on the day of voting. Curiously, the Report confesses that the communists who ruled

Only 25 to 33% of Afghans have access to electricity. Nearly a fourth of the Afghan labour force is unemployed. Taliban insurgents are the

major cause of instability in Afghanistan.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 26glOBE TAlk

Vatican Bishop Lays Out Roadmap for Dialogue with MuslimsPeace, Justice, Education

There is a roadmap for dialogue with Muslims, and its three landmarks are peace, justice and education, says a leading Catholic bishop. Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, explained that “on a theological level, differences still remain, and they are known. Beyond any theological difference, however, we take each other’s hand, to build together the common good.” There is a “diverse and rich dialogue with many Muslim institutions,” the bishop said. Bishop Ayuso gave special mention to the restoration of relations between the Vatican and the Al-Azhar mosque in

Cairo. Bishop Ayuso made a first visit to Al-Azhar in February and met with the Mosque’s deputy imam, Abbas Shuman. Then, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar came to visit Pope Francis in the Vatican. Bishop Ayuso made follow-up visits to Al-Azhar in July and October. The aim of these frequent visits is to prepare a meeting in Rome to mark the official restoration of dialogue between the Vatican and Al-Azhar. This meeting may take place in April 2017. “Members of every religion,” Bishop Ayuso underscored, “must all feel citizenship in their country, so that they can take part in building the common good and the social good.” n

Safe in SarajevoIn majority-Muslim Bosnia and Herzegovina, a small

Jewish community still thrives

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in parts of Europe. But in this Muslim-majority country in Europe, Jews say they couldn’t feel more at homeThe small Jewish community in Sarajevo totals between 600 and 700 people, some 60 to 70 percent of the estimated 1,000 Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a community that has existed there for 450 years. The smallness of the community is actually one of the biggest challenges facing Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina today. Between 2002 and 2012, there were 43 funerals and two newborn babies in the community.

Then, in 2014, 10 new babies were born. In 2015, 12 children joined the community, a veritable baby boom. Now the community is

even considering whether it should open a kindergarten. "We feel integrated but not assimilated," said Jakob Finci, the president of the Jewish community in the country, and former ambassador

to Switzerland. "The door to our synagogue is always open, and we don't have any heavy guard," said Finci. "If I count from 1995, we

have never had any attack on the Jewish community," Finci says. "We feel safe with this openness.""People in Bosnia can distinguish between Israelis and Jews in a way that other people often don't," Finci said. "This is a country with

more than 50 percent Muslims. A lot of the population are more on the side of the Palestinians. But this does not affect their attitude toward Jews or local Jews."

(Extracted from www.dw.com)

Religious Leaders Call for Peaceful WorldNo peace among nations without peace among religions,

says Grand Imam of Al-Azhar

Abu Dhabi: Religious leaders from the Muslim Council of Elders — an independent international body that aims to promote peace in Muslim societies—and the Anglican Church recently jointly called for setting up a peaceful and integrated world. Dr Ahmad Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Egypt’s highest religious authority, appealed for peace and understanding between Muslims and Christians, saying “as the very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake,

we Muslims and Christians should let the unpleasantness between us become a thing of the

past”. Stressing that if Muslims and Christians are not at peace,

the world will not be at peace, the Grand Imam quoted the Swiss Catholic theologian Hans Kung

as saying: “No peace among the nations without peace among the religions.” Dr Al Tayyeb said Islam highly appreciates efforts to make people happy, have mercy on animals and protect plants and nonliving things. “So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works,” the Grand Imam of Al

Azhar said. n(Source gulfnews.com)

US Students Form Protective Wall Around Muslim ClassmatesHundreds of non-Muslim students at Michigan University, USA, formed a circle around their Muslim classmates so they could pray safely after a woman wearing a headscarf was threatened. According to the police, a man ordered the woman to remove her headscarf and said he would set her on fire with a lighter if she refused. The college's Muslim Students' Association (MSA) organised a public prayer session following the incident

and invited non-Muslim allies to attend in solidarity. Farhan Ali, president of the MSA, said he was “overwhelmed” when hundreds of people arrived to stand guard as they performed a group Isha prayer in the University’s main square. Mohammed Ishtiaq, the university’s Muslim chaplain, told the Huffington Post that both the Jewish and Christian communities on campus came out to show their support with the Muslim students. n

from 1978 to 1992 aggressively promoted women’s liberation in the cities of Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-e-Sharif. As of 1988, women made up nearly 19% of government staff. The U.S.-backed ‘mujahedeen’ who fought the Soviet-backed government opposed these efforts. The mujahedeen’s 1992 overthrow of President Mohammed Najibullah reversed women’s status overnight. Then, the Taliban who replaced the mujahedeen in 1996, made it illegal for women to study, work, or leave the home without being fully veiled and in the company of a male guardian. It says nearly 85,000 Afghan citizens applied for asylum in European Union countries during this period. There was 83% increase in asylum seekers from Afghanistan during April-June 2016 in comparison to the corresponding period in 2015. The DoD report says the United States has spent $115 billion on

reconstruction in Afghanistan since 2002. Of this, $67 billion have gone into building security set-up, $32 billion for governance and development, $3.04 billion for humanitarian aid, and 10.08 billion into civilian operations. Corruption in ConflictNext to insurgency, corruption is second most stumbling block in development of Afghanistan, which it said was ‘difficult to defeat and pin down’. Refugees ReturningAccording to the Government sources, Afghan refugees are returning in greater numbers to the home country. Between January and June this year only 7,084 refugees returned to Afghanistan. These were those who held Pakistani Proof of Residency (POR) but since July over 115,000 refugees were repatriated. The Home Ministry expects that during the entire

year (2016), 221,000 refugees could return. But internal displacements are reported to be on the rise. The population of internally displaced people in Afghanistan currently stands at 1.2 million. n(The report is an extract from the 270-page SIGAR Report on Afghanistan. It is updated every quarter. The full report can be seen on: https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2016-10-30qr.pdf)

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Afghanistan Today ...

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 27IFOCUs

A Road-Map for Community DevelopmentAn eye-opener for representatives of NGOs was the fact reflected in Mr. Nisar Ahmed’s presentation that there are many central and state government schemes available for all the minorities which they could avail of. Yet, many people are not even aware of these schemes and hence are not using them.

By A Staff Writer

Bengaluru: A one day seminar on “ A Road-Map for Community Development” was recently organized by the National Centre for Research and Development

(NCRD), headed by U. Nisar Ahmed, former Inspector General of Police (Rtd) and Chairman, NCRD, on November 20 at Wonder Valley near Bannerghatta. It was a very good initiative by Nisar Ahmed, who invited representatives of various NGOs from many districts of Karnataka who are working for the welfare of society in different areas. A few delegates from NGOs in Tamil Nadu were also present. Farooq Mahmood, Chairman and MD of Silverline Group, Khaja Akmaluddin Sheriff, Chairman, Network Homes, Bengaluru and many other social workers, human rights activists, madrasa scholars and journalists were part of this seminar.With decades of hard work at the grassroots level, spending time walking through the slums of Bengaluru, specifically the D J Halli slum in the city, Mr. Nisar Ahmed shared his treasure of experiences of working towards uplifting the inhabitants in these areas, socially and economically. A brilliant presentation was made by him on the status of Muslims in India and the initiatives by his organization, NCRD. An eye-opener for many representatives of various NGOs was the fact reflected in Mr Nisar’s presentation, that there are many central and state government schemes available for all the minorities which they could avail of for education, food security and health. Yet, many people are not even aware of these schemes and hence are not using them. So, much

socio-economic uplift work among Muslims by NGOs was being done depending only on community funds and donations.“The poor need to be empowered by making them aware of the various schemes that the

government is offering for their welfare. NGOs, need to work towards helping the poor get BPL (Below Poverty Line) cards, ration cards, health welfare card and senior citizens cards that will enable them to get free treatment in hospitals and discounts,” says Mr Nisar. Giving examples from the practical work that his organization has been doing in this field, he said that a systematic approach to social work is very important, beginning first with surveys of the area, then getting to know their needs and going about the work in a very professional manner. A model district plan that the NCRD has made for Ballari district serves as a guideline to the NGOs.One of the important focus of the guidelines was making the mosque as a centre also, that is, to wisely use the mosque premises as a means to do good social work for the community and society. “We Muslims are ourselves responsible for the pathetic condition that we are in today—economically and socially. Rather than blame others, we need to reflect on what good we can do for humanity,” says Khalid Baig Nadwi, one of the core members of NCRD.At the end of the seminar, participant from different districts shared the time bound-plan of action they might take in their districts and their area of work. The National Centre for Research and Development has as its vision

the Quranic statement: “Surely Allah will never change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.” NCRD's basic objective is to understand socio-economic problems, to suggest directions on issues relating to education and health, to strive in alleviation of poverty, to suggest ways and schemes for

good governance, to overcome communalism and gender discrimination and to work for ethics and morality. The team works on social security schemes, housing scheme, interim relief, slum development and health schemes. NCRD also provides training to NGOs, university and college students,

ulema and volunteers in the field of community development work, theory and practice including field work, identifying slums and backward areas. (NCRD can be reached at :No 94/3, 2nd floor, Crescent Chambers, Infantry road, Bangalore. 080- 25550256. Email :info@ncrd.in (www.ncrd.in)

“We Muslims are ourselves responsible for the pathetic condition that we are in today-

economically and socially. Rather than blame others, we need to reflect on what good we can do

for humanity,” says Khalid Baig Nadwi.

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 28lIFE & RElATIONsHIps

The Sirri Saqti Foundation

(TSSF)

Transforming WiThin in KolKaTa! The Discover Yourself Workshop was held on the 4,5 & 6th November 2016, at the Al-Ameen Mission

Campus, Khalatpur, Howrah, West Bengal.Around 140 Admin Faculty of all their 54 Branches Participated and on the 12, 13 & 14 November 2016, the

Discover Yourself Workshop was organized by The Sirri Saqti Foundation (TSSF.) at Aliah University, Park Circus Campus, Kolkata. Over 120 people participated. Here Some of the Participants Share Their Experiences :

NILANJAN MITTER: The workshop is wonderfully structured.. There were some areas I was working on but now I have a good structure and format to make it easy and rapid. I am already seeing results while doing this workshop and I will use these tools by periodically refreshing the notes. The meaning of ego is clearer after the workshop. Thank you Sir! FARHEEN: It is a life time experience which changes one's life very positively. My life was very stressful, painful with fights and anger. After the workshop, my life has become calm, serene and peaceful. I am in a serene and happy state of mind. My internal heart has again become pure and clear. I experienced a soul washing and heart purification feeling. I feel that my internal self has become soft with love, care and concern for others. I feel like I am on top of the world. My family members

have also felt that positive changes in me. They say that I have become a listener without judging or dominating others with my opinions. I will give up my ego. I feel that I have come very closer to my family members and the bonding has become stronger. SHAZIA: Before the workshop, I feel like I was not taking my actions and words seriously, and I was living under peer pressure and judging people a lot. After the workshop, I have come to realization of my actions and how much of wrongdoings, I have been doing. I see my family in a different way. I have changed after this workshop and I feel blessed. You are doing a really amazing job. I aspire to be a psychiatrist and I really want to become like you. Thank you Dr. Khan!

AYESHA: It has been very useful and helpful to me as it let me introspect my inner potential

and abilities which were hidden behind veil. I have benefited tremendously from this workshop. Initially I was easily provoked and used to react. The concept of 'LA' and let-go -forgiveness helped a lot. I am really grateful to Allah for giving me this opportunity. This workshop is unbelievably an excellent gift from Allah and was bestowed to us in the form and guidance /coach of Dr Khan. FURQAN: When I was in a way to attend the workshop, there was lot of tension, problems and struggle in life. After attending the session every day, I am getting happy and lighter. It gave me lots of tools to solve personal and professional issues MAKHDOOM (12yrs): Before I went to the workshop, I was very rude to my parents and my

o I came on the first day as an empty bucket and going out with a bucket full of knowledge and manners. This workshop is truly life changing.

o A complete workshop for a person, for his behavior, attitude change and coming out as a new personality from the shell.

o I have learnt how to connect to Allah concentrating on my Salah.

o Excellent, marvelous and it purified my soul. My experience about this workshop is too good. I cannot explain it. I got so much benefit and my feeling is that I feel very different in my personality.

o It is one of the amazing workshops I have ever attended. I did not only get to learn things, but many unanswered questions have been answered. It has really taught me the correct meaning of success.

o. Amazing experience, you actually 'Transform Within”. Very different workshop and should be hosted again with massive turnout.

o It was an amazing and enlightening experience. I would lose my anger easily (especially on family members) but in these 2-3 days, not a single incident happened where I lost my temper.

o I am just a new born baby.o The workshop was very practical and conducted in a humorous

way.

Schedule of Discover Yourself is in Page No. 21

friends, but after attending the workshop I started respecting my parents and friends. I make a commitment that I will avoid judgments.

MONIRUL ISLAM: This was a great opportunity to change myself. I am feeling better and in peace. I am not able to express in words and I shall live my whole life in this state and create a new future for my life.

The Sirri Saqti Foundation aspires to be a place of catalytic

ideas, purposeful actions and leveraged impact.

The Sirri Saqti Foundation (TSSF) got its name when its founder Abdul Rahim saw in his dream, Hazrat Sirri Saqti (May God be pleased with him) a great Sufi Saint who lived in the 8th Century A.D. in Iraq. The Sirri Saqti Foundation (TSSF) was set up in 2012 to make a positive difference, 'Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness' no matter how small, in the lives of the underprivileged in India; A loving world where people proactively help and care for each other, based on the principle of universal brotherhood. The Sirri Saqti Foundation aspires to be a place of catalytic ideas, purposeful actions and leveraged impact. We hope to walk in the footprints of people who blazed new paths, people who inspired our efforts and people who made a difference. Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize Winner and a resident of Kolkata is a local inspiration for us. Mother Teresa taught us to see the inner good and humanity of people, no matter who they are and in what condition they are.(The Sirri Saqti Foundation (TSSF), 2,, Rajmohan St, Kolutolla, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073, Phone: 81000 51555 / 84440 57949 Email :saqtifoundation@gmail.com, www.saqti.org)

Nakhoda Masjid, Zakriya Street, Kolkata

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 29AdVERTIsEMENT

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 30

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Words Related with Collectives(مجموعات /مجتمعات سے متعلق الفاظ) Bangalore’s Inter-Religious Harmony Movement

INTER-FAITH RElATIONs

Late Fr. Ronnie believed that only if people from different faiths came together could we have peace, harmony, dialogue and mutual understanding in society.

By A Staff Writer

In today’s ‘global village’, faith communities across the world are in contact with each other on a hitherto unprecedented scale. While this provides rich possibilities for mutual learning and sharing, it can also become grounds for conflict, as is the case in large parts of the world today. In this context, then, building bridges between faith communities has become an urgent and indispensable necessity for harmonious living—at all levels, from the local right up to the global. And that’s precisely what a small group of women and men based in Bangalore from different faith backgrounds have been engaged in for many years now, through the Inter-Religious Harmony Movement (IRHM).

Dialogue and Mutual UnderstandingThe IRHM was started by a Jesuit

priest, Father Ronnie Prabhu, way back in 1973. Fr. Ronnie passed away last year, but the movement he launched still continues. Says Margaret Rebello, present convenor of the group, “Fr. Ronnie believed that only if people from different faiths came together could we have peace, harmony,

dialogue and mutual understanding in society. He very clearly saw that peace and goodwill between

communities was the only way for humankind. He began contacting religious leaders from different communities in Bangalore. He would invite them to Ashirvad, a Jesuit-run centre in the city, where regular interfaith meetings began to be held. Gradually, lay people from different communities also

started coming. These meetings at Ashirvad, generally held on the second and fourth Sunday of every

month, still continue, even today.”“Fr. Ronnie was a very compassionate, loving and happy person. He always had a smile on his face, despite whatever adversities he faced. He loved joking! He’d often exclaim, ‘How lucky I am!’—lucky to be God’s child, lucky to be blessed with the gift of life. His magnetic personality attracted many people, from different communities, to the IRHM,” Rebello explains. Overall Unity Beyond Religious DifferencesThe IRHM did not seek to promote any one particular religion. Rather, it was intended as a platform where people of different faiths could discuss each other’s faiths, learn about and from each other and develop a sense of overall unity beyond religious differences. In this way, the group also sought to promote inter-communal harmony. “Fr. Ronnie believed that there is just one God—called by various names in different religious traditions—and that we are all His children”, Rebello says. This fact, and the common values that he discerned in the different religions, was for him the basis to bring people of different faith traditions closer together. This, however, did not mean ignoring the differences of dogma and ritual that distinguish religions from each other and that separate faith communities. Fr. Ronnie’s way of relating to these differences, Rebello says, was to not to confront them, but, rather, to accept them. “There are these differences of belief and practice,” she notes, “and that is what makes each religion unique. We need to

accept them with respect. If you respect the beliefs and practices of others, they’ll do the same with yours. Fr. Ronnie didn’t try to resolve the differences of dogma. His approach was to stress that God is higher than such differences and that they shouldn’t become an obstacle in connecting with God.”

Interfaith PrayerThe IRHM began as a small group of men and women from different faith backgrounds who would gather twice a month to share about each other’s faiths. There would be interfaith prayer, conducted in a manner that people of all faiths could identify with, as well as reading from the scriptures of different religious traditions. A speaker would deliver a talk on a particular topic, based on his or her religion and linking it to current issues or to life in general. Given what a sensitive issue religion can become, while allowing for discussion after speakers had delivered their talk, care was taken to completely avoid debates and polemics. “Discussion is welcome, but it must be in the spirit of respect,” Rebello explains.Gradually, the IRHM’s activities expanded. Celebrations were organized on the occasion of major festivals of different religions as well as on national holidays. Once a year, members of the group would go on an interfaith pilgrimage, visiting different places of worship in Bangalore. There was an annual seminar on interfaith dialogue for college teachers, and another one for college students, where people from different faiths would speak on their religions. There was also an annual retreat as well as an annual meditation programme, which incorporated meditations from different religious traditions.Fr. Ronnie is no more in this world, but the group that he spawned still carries on with the mission that he devoted much of his life to. The IRHM’s activities continue as before, and new ones are being planned—including an interfaith magazine and engaging with social projects.The IRHM is one of the very few

Late Fr Ronnie Prabhu

ISLAMIC VOICE, December 2016 31CHILDREN'S CORNER

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Eight-Year-Old Kashmiri Girl wins Gold in kickboxing

By Peerzada Ashiq

An eight-year-old Kashmiri girl created history by winning the gold medal for India in the world Kick Boxing Championship of under-eight players in Italy's Andria. “In five days, Tajamul Islam won six games,” said her coach Master Fasil Ali. She defeated her rival from the U.S. to become the world champion in the kick boxing championship. She is first such player to achieve the feat from the volatile Kashmir Valley.

A Class 2 student, Islam represented India in Italy where the World Kick Boxing Championship, in which 90 countries participated, was underway. In 2015, Tajamul Islam won the

national recognition after bagging the gold medal in sub-junior category National Kickboxing Championship in New Delhi. A resident of Tarkpora village in Bandipora district, 65 km from Srinagar, Islam is a student of the Army Goodwill School. Islam’s brother and two sisters also practice kickboxing. Appreciating the talent, State Education Minister Nayeem Akhtar said, “It's a proud moment”.

(The Hindu)

On Children’s Day, Here’s What a 12-Year-Old has to Say to the Nation

In earlier times, parents used to teach children manners, etiquettes, but now a days, children are teaching them how to use smart phones.

By Shifa Faiz Bangi

Every Indian knows that November 14 is the birth anniversary of our first prime minister and it is celebrated as Children's day at every educational institution. All our relatives greet us and give us gifts too. In today’s modern world of science and technology there are many new inventions and discoveries. Mankind has developed and progressed a lot. One of the most popular and necessary and damaging invention of mankind is smartphone. Now a days, smartphone has become very important element of our life. Even young children started using smartphones which has a very bad effect on their lives. Due to use of this, children are losing their interest in studies and outdoor games and getting addicted to it rapidly.Because of smartphone, even parents are neglecting their children. After coming home,

most of the parents are found very busy, chatting on WhatsApp, Facebook etc. Whenever they face difficulties in using advanced functions, they take help of their children.Due to this habit, I believe that the lack of communication is increasing and inviting various psychological and emotional problems.Parents keep telling their children to study, but they themselves are on mobiles and don't have time for their children. In earlier times, parents used to teach children manners, etiquettes, but now a days, children are teaching them how to use smart phones.Children are slowly distracted from studies and going off-track and spoiling their future and career. Now it has become duty of every parent to bring their children back on track. Parents only can save the child’s career from getting spoilt. It is the parent on whom the child trusts

the most. Parents should take care of the child so that after a few years, they can proudly say, “Yes, this is my son or daughter”.

(The writer is a 12-year-old student in Class 7 at a school in Solapur

(Two circles.net)

groups in the entire country that are involved in sustained interfaith work. Although Rebello considers such work as really necessary, especially in today’s national and global context, she notes that there are very few organized and individuals that are engaged in promoting interfaith dialogue and inter-community harmony in an organized way. “It maybe because of apathy and indifference, or perhaps fear or prejudice,” she says. “There’s also the fact that

genuine interfaith dialogue has to be a vocation, a calling, a Divine summons—it isn’t just some sort of social conversation that you have over a cup of coffee.” “No matter what our religious differences, we are all one, actually,” Rebello muses, “being fellow children of the One God. I like thinking of dialogue as all of us—Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and everyone else—coming together to form a circle and holding hands together

in love, and then raising our hands towards God.”Now, what a beautiful vision that is!(For more details about Ashirvad, contact Margaret Rebello at margaret.rebello@gmail.com)

Inter-Religious Harmony ...