BMHC Newsletter January 2014 / Issue 7

BMHCNEWSLETTER JANUARY 2014 / ISSUE 7 Reg. Charity No. 1110104

BMHC COMMUNITY  Re-energising the NHS:

An Evening with the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP  School Visit: Oswald Road

Primary School  Movie Screening:

Le Grand Voyage  Blue Orchid Self-employment

and Business Planning Workshops  FIFA 14 Computer Games

Tournament 2013  Mind Your Money Seminar  The Friday Project  Weekly Youth Club  Health and Fitness Activities

BMHC ACADEMY  GCSE Islamic Studies  Islamic Calligraphy and

Art Exhibition Launch  Arabic Calligraphy Course

for beginners

A large ewer held by a kneeling female servant in a domed pavilion designed by Al-Jazari: once the bird whistles, water pours into a basin below; a duck then drinks the used water and releases it through its tail into a container hidden under the platform.

 Great Muslim Engineer:

Badī al-Zamān Al-Jazarī

BMHC DEVELOPMENT

THE Great Muslim Engineer: BadI al-ZamAn Al-JazarI CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

 BMHC Strategy

Al-Jazarī (died c. 1206) was one of the original and most prolific mechanics and

 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

engineers of science and technology of the Muslim Civilisation. His book of mechanics, Al-Jāmicbayn al-cilmwa’l-camal al-nāficfī Sinācat al-hiyal is the most

BMHC ENTERPRISE

significant and well-known treatise of the Islamic tradition of mechanical engineering and a ground-breaking work in the history of technology.

 Al-Razi Coffee and Gift Shop  BMHC food to go  Venue for hire

COLLEGE ROAD, WHALLEY RANGE, MANCHESTER, M16 8BP 0161 881 8062  ADMINistrator@bmhc.org.uk  WWW.bmhc.org.uk

“Oh mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other...” - Quran 49:13

BMHC COMMUNITY

TIMETABLE & EVENTS

Weekly Events  Al-Huda Urdu & English Tafseer Classes 07866 313 010 / alhudamanchester@gmail.com  NHS Physical Activity Referral Service Referral through your GP only.  European Academy of Quranic Studies (EAQS) 0793 991 9872 / events@eaqs.org / www.eaqs.org  GCSE Islamic Studies Full academic year course.

0773 830 1775 / administrator@bmhc.org.uk  Thai Boxing Class for Men & Boys Qualified instructors. Children £2/session, Adults £3/session.  Girls and Boys Study Circle & Youth Club 0161 881 8062 / administrator@bmhc.org.uk

Bi-Monthly events  Heritage Matrimonial Service Register for free at www.heritagematrimonials.co.uk  Movie Screening: A Separation  Free Business planning and self-employment workshops with Blue Orchid.

Business Awareness Workshop, 6:00pm – 7:00pm, 17th February 2014 / Business Planning Workshop, 10:00am – 4:00pm, 25th February 2014

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Al-Huda: English Tafseer Class

Boys Only Study Thai Boxing Circle/Youth Club Class

Girls Only Study Circle/ Youth Club

Jumm'a

Sun

EAQS: Tajweed and Arabic

Al-Huda: Urdu Tafseer Class

Sat Al-Huda: English Tafseer Class

Fri

Al-Huda: English Tafseer Class

Al-Huda: Urdu Tafseer Class

Al-Huda: English Tafseer Class

Thur

EAQS: Tajweed

NHS: Fitness Clinic

Wed Al-Huda: Urdu Tafseer Class

Tues EAQS: Tajweed

Mon

GCSE: Islamic Studies

09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00

Monthly events  The Friday Project Third Friday of every month, 6:30pm – 8:30pm  Islamic Heritage Workshop Last Saturday of each month starting 25th January 2014

ANNUAL events  International Islamic Heritage Conference April 2014  International Conference on Diabetes and Ramadan 4th March 2014  Ramadan and Eid Prayers Depending on moon sighting: Ramadan 28th June to 27th July 2014 Eid al Fitr 29th July 2014 Eid Al Adha 3rd October 2014

ONE OFF events  An Inspirational Evening with His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool 27th January 2014  New Year. New Campaign. Training Day 28th January, 2014  Evening with Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP Deputy PM 7th January 2014  Islamic Arts and Calligraphy Exhibition 16th December 2013 to 9th February 2014  Arabic Calligraphy for beginners classes 16th February to 19th March 2014

BMHC COMMUNITY

Re-energising the NHS: An Evening with the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP Shadow Secretary of State for Health The Patchwork Foundation in partnership with the British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC) organised an evening with the Rt Hon Andy Burnham, MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health on 17 October 2013. The evening was titled ‘Re-energising the NHS’ and it represented a fantastic opportunity for frontline healthcare professionals from across the UK to hear of Andy Burnham’s vision for the NHS under a Labour government.

A packed audience of over 200, mostly Muslim frontline healthcare professionals, engaged, discussed and debated the current challenges facing the health service.

Blue Orchid Free Self-employment and Business Planning Workshops The British Muslim Heritage (BMHC) has teamed with Blue Orchid to provide a series of free flexible programmes on business planning support for those considering self-employment or starting their own business.

The programmes have been very successful and well attended. The BMHC will be organising regular programmes and workshops with Blue Orchid starting from February 2014.

The next instalments of workshops will be held on the following dates:  Business Awareness Workshop: 6:30pm – 7:30pm, 25 February 2014  Business Planning Workshop: 10:30pm – 3:30pm, 13th March 2014

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BMHC COMMUNITY

Weekly Youth Club A weekly get together to relax, have some fun, and aspire to do more and aim higher. The British Muslim Heritage Centre has dedicated two permanent rooms for youth activities with a wide range of facilities such as pool tables, table tennis, and computer game stations.  Girls 11 -18 years old

Every Friday, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

 Boys 11 - 18 years old

Every Sunday, 12:00pm - 4:00pm

 Boys Thai Boxing Classes 5+ years old

Every Sunday, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Health and Fitness Activities  Weekly NHS Physical Activities Referral Service

Every Tuesday - 2:00pm - 3:30 pm

 Walking Club in partnership with the NHS

March 2014

Movie Screening To mark the end of the Hajj (Pilgrimage) season, the British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC) screened ‘Le Grand Voyage’.

A few weeks before his college entrance exams, Réda, a young man who lives in the south of France, finds himself obligated to drive his father to Mecca for Hajj. They both embark on an epic journey, driving from France, through Italy, Serbia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan to Saudi Arabia. The two embark on a road trip that will change their lives forever.

The Movie was screened on 2 November 2013 and it was enjoyed by a packed audience made up of mainly families.

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BMHC COMMUNITY

The Friday Project Islamophobia event As part of the Islamophobia Awareness Month, on 15 November 2013, the Friday Project, together with Engage and Community Safety Forum, organised an evening of discussions on how to tackle Islamophobia and hate crimes. The event included an exhibition on Islamophobia, discussions, presentations and a Q&A session. The aim of the event was to encourage British Muslims to engage more effectively with political and media institutions and play a greater role in British politics and society. Key note speakers included Tony Lloyd (PCC for Greater Manchester) and Sir Peter Fahy (Chief Constable, Greater Manchester Police).

Standing for Justice On 22 November 2013, the Friday Project invited veteran civil rights activist, Imam Khalid Griggs, from the USA to lead the discussion on ‘Standing for Justice’. The guest speaker reflected on his motivations and experiences of half a century of standing for justice in the USA. The overall message was that the Muslim community empower themselves to take action to tackle the issues being faced in the UK rather than sit back and complain.

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BMHC COMMUNITY

FIFA 14 Computer Games Tournament 2013 The British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC) held its annual FIFA computer games tournament on 9 November 2013. The tournament was attended by 60 local youths form the age of 11 to 18. After four hours of intense gaming on four separate games stations that were set up for the evening, two youngsters battled their way to the final. After a very intense final, Omar Muhideen (15) was crowned as the undisputed champion of the Al-Islah FIFA 14 Computer Games Tournament 2013.

City South Manchester Housing Trust - Mind your money SEMINAR The British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC) hosted Manchester’s first Financial Inclusion Conference on 18 November 2013. The Mind Your Money IFC project was also officially launched at the conference. This is a three year project supporting young tenants moving in and out of work to build their financial confidence through a menu of flexible, innovative products and training.

The event included workshops that looked at financial inclusion challenges facing Manchester.The event was very well attended by a diverse audience with an interest in financial inclusion and financial capability.

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BMHC ACADEMY

SCHOOL VISIT

GCSE Islamic Studies

Year 4 and 5 students from Oswald Road Primary

With the aim to encourage school children to adopt

School visited the Centre on 8 and 9 October 2013.

an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the

The students had a fun-filled day which included

study of religion, the British Muslim Heritage Centre

activities such as a tour of the building, interactive

(BMHC) launched a GCSE Islamic Studies course on 1

workshops, various presentations and games.

October 2013. The course is run one evening a week.

There are currently around 30 school children on the course.

The BMHC hopes that the course will help explore religions and beliefs, reflect on fundamental questions and engage with the students intellectually. The course will develop student’s interest and enthusiasm for the study of religion and relate it to the wider world.

Arabic Calligraphy classes for beginners 4 week course at the BMHC with Master Calligrapher Hamed Azeemi starting on 16th Februray. All calligraphy tools (ink, wooden qalem, paper) will be provided. The course will teach you how to create calligraphy master pieces in the historical Ottoman Calligraphy script.

Health and Fitness Activities The NHS Physical Activity Referral Service (PARS) weekly classes led by PARS staff and volunteers are open to people through referral from their GP. The aim is to provide a variety of opportunities across Manchester to encourage people to become more physically active in their local communities. Currently the service is provided every Tuesday between 12:30pm – 3:30pm at the British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC).

As part of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NHS delivered a Bowel Cancer awareness session at the BMHC to attendees of our regular activities and events.

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BMHC ACADEMY

THE Great Muslim Engineer: BadI al-ZamAn Al-JazarI CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Al-JazarI’s Book on Mechanical Arts Al-Jazarī’s Book al-Jāmicbayn al-cilmwa’l-camal al-nāficfī

Abū al-’lzz Ismāīl b. al-Razzāz al-Jazarī, known as Badī

Sinācat al-Hiyal (A Compendium on the Theory and

al-Zamān (Prodigy of the Time), worked in Diyarbakır for

Useful Practice of the Mechanical Arts) was written on

Artuqid Sultan Nāsīr al-Dīn Mahmūd (1200-1222). The

the request of Artuqid ruler Sukmān and was completed

appellation ‘Al-Jazarī’ refers to his homeland, Al-Jazīra or

in 1204 or 1206 A.D. There are number of manuscripts

Mesopotamia, which lies between the upper reaches of

of Al-Jazarī’s work in world libraries. This work and its

the Tigris and the Euphrates in current day Iraq.

theoretical and practical information about the topic reached to their peaks of Sinācat al-Hiyal is in six

All that we know of his life is contained in his own

categories.

statement in the introduction to his work. He tells us that, at the time of writing his book, he was in the service of

The book describes in detail with colour drawings fifty

Nāsīr Al-Dīn, the Artuqid ruler of Diyarbakır (Āmid). He had

devices (ashkal), which are grouped into six categories

then spent twenty-five years in the service of the family,

(anwā’):

having served the father and brother of Nāsīr al-Dīn before him, and the first year of his service to the family being 1181-2 AD.

water clocks, the elephant water clock, the candle

clock of scribe, etc.

The Artuqids were a Turcoman dynasty descended

2 Ten vessels and figures suited for drinking sessions;

from Artuq, a General who served Mālik Shāh, the

including a goblet which arbitrates at drinking parties,

Seljuq Sultan, at the end of the 11th century. They were

a man holding a goblet and a bottle etc.

divided into two main branches, descended from two sons of Artuq; llghāzī and Sukmān. Al-Jazarī’s masters belonged to the Sukmān branch of the family. Nūr al-Dīn Muhammad, the first of al-Jazarī’s masters, felt if prudent to come to terms with Salāh al-Dīn (Saladin), and in 1181

3 Ten pitchers and basins for phlebotomy and washing

before prayers; including a pitcher from which hot

water, cold water and mixed water is poured, a

pitcher which dispenses water for the King to perform

his absolution (wudu) etc.

was awarded the town of Āmid.

4 Ten fountains that change their shape alternately and

It was at about this time that al-

machines for the perpetual flutes; including fountain

Jazarī entered the service of the

of the two tipping-buckets, instrument for perpetual

family. The door described by

flute, with two spheres etc.

al-Jazarī in his book, was for the

5 Five water raising machines; including a machine for

King’s palace at Āmid, and it is

raising water (by means of an endless chain of pots),

legitimate to suppose that this

a machine for raising water from the pool (by means

town was the seat of government

of a flumed swipe operated by a crank driven,

during al-Jazarī’s years of

through gears, by an animal), pump driven by a

service. It can be assumed

water- wheel etc.

that conditions during this period were fairly quiet, and allowed alJazarī to pursue his vocation in peace.

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1 Ten water and candle clocks; including the castle

6 Five miscellaneous devices; including a door of a cast

brass for the King’s palace, a lock for locking a chest

by means of 12 letters of the alphabet, four bolts on

the back of a door, a boat clock etc.

Article by Dr Salim Ayduz - Senior BMHC Researcher

BMHC ACADEMY

Islamic Calligraphy and Art Exhibition Launch Calligraphy is a major part of the Muslim heritage.

The exhibition was intended to bring a greater

Traditionally calligraphy with verses from the Qur’an

understanding and appreciation of Islamic art and culture.

decorated many things: buildings, pottery, glass, metal

The British Muslim Heritage Center (BMHC) aims to

and weapons. Over the centuries, different styles of

enrich the community by facilitating access to Islamic art,

writing evolved to fit different functions; angular Kufic,

heritage and culture through exhibitions such as these, as

flowing Naskh, ornamental Thuluth, elaborate Diwani,

well as events, conferences and publications.

and so on. In this Naqooksh exhibition, one will find many samples of these different styles of calligraphy.

The exclusive exhibition will be at the BMHC from Monday 16th December 2013 to Sunday 19th

In the early periods of Islamic history, when the art of

January 2013 and we hope that it will bring a greater

Islamic calligraphy was still developing, those who made

understanding and appreciation of Islamic art and culture.

manuscript copies of beautifully written books were

The British Muslim Heritage Center (BMHC) aims to

known as khattat (Calligrapher). It should be noted that

enrich the community by facilitating access to Islamic art,

during the 20th and 21st centuries, the number of people

heritage and culture through exhibitions such as these, as

in the field of calligraphy increased in various parts of the

well as events, conferences and publications.

world. Arabic, Persian and Ottoman Turkish calligraphy is associated with abstract arabesque motifs on the walls and ceilings of mosques as well as on the page.

Contemporary artists in the Islamic world draw on the heritage of calligraphy to use calligraphic inscriptions or abstractions in their work.

Master calligrapher, Hamed Azeemi, who comes from a long lineage of master calligraphers, has created this exhibition. Hamed spent six years in Lahore, Pakistan, studying under various prominent calligraphy masters, artists and painters. He has taught art and calligraphy at various art institutes both here in the UK and abroad.

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BMHC DEVELOPMENT

BMHC Strategy Our Vision for BMHC

Our Vision for BMHC

Our Offer

A centre of excellence,

Developing pioneering

 A welcoming environment

celebrating the rich and diverse

initiatives that promote the

Muslim heritage, inspiring

rich and diverse Muslim

all communities to embrace

heritage and making it

diversity and be instrumental in

accessibale to all.

 A learning environment  Outreach  Partnership  Centre of expertise

shaping a cohesive society.

Our aspiration is of a Centre “celebrating Islam’s rich

The BMHC will only achieve these aspirations with your

and diverse heritage, inspiring all communities to

help through the following:

embrace diversity and be instrumental in the shaping of a cohesive society”. We remain committed to the following principles: 1 The BMHC will be a centre for all communities

Muslims and non-Muslims.

2 We will strive to provide a welcoming environment for

BMHC scheme.

 We are always looking for dedicated volunteers.  You can donate to the ongoing work directly to the

BMHC bank account: Royal Bank of Scotland, Withington Branch

all, and work in partnership for the common good.

3 In focusing on Muslim heritage we mean: Muslim

 We invite you to become a member of the Friends of

history and contribution to human civilisation.

friend OF BMHC

467 Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester M20 9AP

A/C No.:10088053

Sort Code: 16-34-27

IBAN: GB85RBOS

Swift: RBOSGB2L

Send us the following details and we’ll do the rest:

This is an opportunity for you to help contribute to the vision of BMHC, and be part of an inspiring and

Name:

unique project which aims to enrich, bring together,

________________________________________________

and benefit all members of the community. Through a monthly subscription of only £10 per month, the

Address:

scheme aims to:

________________________________________________

 Raise the profile of the BMHC

________________________________________________

 Raise much needed revenue to run activities  Offer exclusive benefits to members including:

- Priority booking for BMHC events

- Annual Friends Dinner

- Exclusive preview of exhibitions, book

launches and other similar events

________________________________________________ Tel: ________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________

- Regular email newsletter of developments.

I am a UK tax payer and would like the BMHC to treat my donations as Gift Aid Eligible until notified otherwise

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BMHC ENTERPRISE

Urgent! Volunteers needed! join our talented team

The Al-Razi Coffee And Gift Shop

Receptionist / PA This varied role requires delivery of effective and confidential administrative support to the BMHC staff.

This great opportunity will give you the chance to gain valuable insight in to the organisation and/off:  Working within an Islamic Environment  Flexibility to suit your needs  Gain experience as a PA / Receptionist  Be part of the vibrant BMHC team  10 – 20 per week The ideal candidate is likely to have a proven track record within a PA and office receptionist role.

Excellent communication, IT and prioritization skills are essential, as are the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

The British Muslim Heritage Centre is excited to

Coffee Shop Assistant

announce that the Al-Razi Coffee and Gift Shop is

This role is suited to someone with a keen interest in

in the process of opening. The coffee shop takes

social enterprise. It will offer experience of customer

its name from Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya

service and working within an Islamic environment.

Al-Razi (850-922 AD, approx. 236-309 AH) or Rhazes

Main duties include:

as he is known in Europe, an Iranian physician who

 Stock display and replenishment

is purported to be the first writer to make reference to coffee in his treatise on medicine. It will provide a

 Housekeeping

comfortable and welcoming environment in which the

 Cash handling

Centre’s visitors can stop and take some time out to

 10 – 20 hours per week We are looking for enthusiastic people who perhaps want to gain some retail experience whilst knowing that they are helping an Islamic Charity in the BMHC.

enjoy a hot drink and sweet treat whilst browsing the gifts and Islamic wares on offer.

Starting small, the shop currently stocks books for adults and children, Islamic educational resources, HMC halal sweets, Palestinian fair-trade products and BMHC souvenir items, but the range of merchandise

We respect and honour our volunteers by building trust and understanding. Such a partnership is not intended to be a legally binding contract or to have mutuality of obligation, but instead express a voluntary two-way commitment where everyone gains satisfaction from being part of our organisation.

on offer will grow as the shop becomes more established.

Please come and have a look around if you are passing by, the shop currently opens on Fridays after prayer and main event days. We look forward to seeing you.

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BMHC ENTERPRISE

THE MARQUEE AT THE BMHC The BMHC will be opening a brand new marquee in Summer 2014, catering for events of 600+ people, with the option of sectioning off for smaller events. The marquee will be provisioned to cater for events all year round.

This exciting new space aims to be the ideal location for:  Weddings  Conferences/Seminars  Charitable Events / Fundraising  Private Events  Exhibitons  Special Occasions Our event management team offer their bespoke services to assist the planning of your event, giving you the opportunity to personalise your event. For further information please contact our Events Team on 0161 881 8062 or by email on events@bmhc.org.uk.

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Marquee location as displayed above