Fifteen 21 issue 24

Issue 24

June 2015

Farewell to Ramadan Child Poverty in the UK Seerah: A Mercy to Mankind Islam in Victorian Britain

Dear 30+ Single Muslim Men Visual Artist Saba Rifat The Great Mosque of Isfahan Persian Pomegranate Soup

Fifteen21 inspires young Muslims to be proud of their British Muslim identity.

The name Fifteen21 is derived from both the 15th century of the Islamic Hijri year and the 21st century of the Common era.

Fifteen21 aims to reconcile both Muslim and British identity.

ISSUE 12

Editor Fozia Parveen Designed by Hafizur Rahman Contact Fifteen21 fozia@fifteen21.com www.fifteen21.com facebook.com/fifteen21magazine All views are of the authors alone and not necessarily of those held by Fifteen21

Stain-glass by artist Huda

Awad

www.hudaawad.com

Living in poverty affects your health, your ability to study and concentrate, and where you live, therefore hindering social mobility. In this issue Javed Khan, Fozia Parveen chief executive of Barnardo’s, and Dear Readers Genta Haxhija of The Kid’s Company, question why the current government Asalamu Alaykum! are not doing more to tackle the child poverty crisis here in the UK, with further Firstly a belated Eid Mubarak to you all. changes to benefits and cuts in public May your fasts, prayers, and charity be spending proposed. Genta describes accepted during the month of Ramadan. a typical working day as the head of Ameen. child poverty busting, the effects of food poverty, and what young people can do In this issue we examine child poverty to support their peers. What is worrying here in the UK, a ‘first world’ country. is who will now fill the gap The Kids There are currently 3.5 million children Company has left. living in poverty in the UK, with 1 million estimated to be living in severe poverty. One for the diary - The Muslims in It is further predicted that by 2020, an Britain Research Network conference astonishing 31% of the UK’s children “Poverty and British Muslims: Identifying will be living in poverty! The issue of Problems and Proposing Solutions” takes inequality arises when 18% of the British place in September, further information population live in poverty, in comparison can be found at www.mbrn.org.uk with up to 57% of Muslims in Britain living in poverty; here we explore what In this issue we also learn about can be done about poverty in the UK, Islam in Victorian Britain, through the both within our own Muslim community extraordinary life of Sheikh Abdullah and wider society.

Quilliam. On page 44 we interview the

Editorial

multi-talented and globe-trotting visual artist Saba Rifat, and Zeeshan Arif takes you on a tour through The Great Mosque of Isfahan, a must see if you ever visit Iran. We hope Issue 24 was worth the wait!

Happy reading (and sharing)

Contents 6-7 8 9 10 12-17 18-21 22-23 24-25 26-27 28-30 31 32 33 34-35 36-38 39

Prophets of Islam: The Story of Ayyub (AS) Part 2 100 Less One: Al Alim Muslim Youth Helpline Help! I’m a Teenager! Farewell Ramadan Eid Celebrations Around the World Abdullah Quilliam – England’s’ First Muslim Deed of the Month: Time to take Time Child Poverty in the First World Benefits changes drive Families to Homelessness Javed Khan: Helping the Most Vulnerable Orphans in Need Dua Fifteen21 A Mercy to the Worlds “Dear 30+ Single Muslim Men...”

MADE Presents: Eco Fair

40-41 42 43 44-47 48-49 50-55 56-57 58 59 60 61 62-63 64-65 66-67 68 69

Second Chance: Muslim Women in Prison Nominate a Role Model!

In the Next Issue…

Interview: Saba Rifat Earliest Qur’an Fragments Found Interview: Genta Haxhija, The Kids Company My City: Leicester Book Review: Purification of the Heart Orphans in Need Food for the Soul: True Wealth MADE Presents: Eco Fair Masjids Around the World Poetry: Poverty Recipes: Persian Pomegranate Soup National Events ChildLine

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Deed of the

Month

50

44

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In the previous issue we discussed how Prophet Ayyub (AS) was a wealthy man until Allah (SWT) afflicted him with illness.

His relatives and friends (except his wife) left him yet Ayyub (AS) remained patient and continued to seek Allah’s (SWT) help from his suffering. Ayyub (AS) fell into prostration and vowed to not lift his head until Allah (SWT) had cured him. In this issue we will learn how Allah (SWT) the Almighty granted relief to Ayyub (AS).

The supplication of Ayyub (AS) was accepted, “Strike with your foot!” (Qur’an 38: 42). Allah (SWT) commanded Ayyub (AS) to strike the earth with his foot, when a cold spring of water gushed forward, Allah (SWT) asked him to wash himself from it and drink from it. So, Allah (SWT) removed his suffering and pain, his illnesses and diseases from his body, and made him a healthy handsome person again.

Allah (SWT) also bestowed Ayub (AS) with vast wealth, so much so that it rained in the shape of golden locusts (mentioned in Ahmad and Al-Bukhari). Allah (SWT) also returned his family to him as Allah (SWT)

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says “...We gave to him his family, and the like of them with them...” (Qur’an 21: 84).

Ibn Abu Hatim narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that “Allah dressed him with a dress from Paradise, and then he went aside and sat down in a corner. His wife came and could not recognise him. She said “O slave of Allah! Where did the afflicted person go who was here? I am afraid that dogs or wolves have eaten him.” Her husband answered, “what is wrong with you, I am Ayyub (AS)!” She replied, “why are you mocking me?” He responded, “I am indeed Ayyub (AS), Allah (SWT) has returned my body to me.”

Ayyub (AS) lived for another seventy years in the land of the Romans, preaching the religion of Allah (SWT), but they once again changed their religion after his death.

Ibn Jarir and other historians have mentioned that at the time of his death, Ayyub (AS) was ninety three years old.

Prophets

of Islam

The Story of

Ayyub (AS) Part 2

But it is also narrated that he lived longer than that. He entrusted his prophetic mission to his son Haumal, then afterwards his other son Bishr, whom many people consider to be Dhul-Kifl.

AS - alayhi salaam Upon him/her be peace SWT - subhanahu wa taala Glorious is He and He is Exalted SAW - sallallahu alayhi wa salaam - May God’s blessings and peace be with him BIN - in Arabic ‘son of’

Prophet Ayyub’s (AS) plight and life is a lesson for all those who are afflicted by illness, or tested through their livelihoods, or children. One should follow the example of Ayyub (AS) if afflicted by any adversity, and that is to remain patient, and to seek Allah’s (SWT) forgiveness and mercy. Indeed, it is Allah (SWT) who afflicts us with hardships and so it is only He who can remove those hardships. May Allah (SWT) allow us to remain patient when adversity strikes us. Ameen!

00

Ehsan Khan

The cave of Prophet Ayyub (AS), in Urfa, Turkey

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Al Alim The One who comprehends everything.

The One who is intuitively aware of all things, even before they happen. The One who knows with certainty. The One whose knowledge of past, present and future, is deeply rooted and complete in all respects. The One from whom no knowledge is concealed. The One who is aware of the complete details of all matters. The Omniscient One. From the root ‘a-l-m which has the following classical Arabic connotations: To have knowledge, be cognizant, be certain To be aware, thoroughly informed To find out, gather information To have intuitive knowledge To have firmly rooted knowledge of the minute particulars To act according to knowledge.

“Verily! As-Safa and Al-Marwah (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Hajj or ‘Umrah (pilgrimage) of the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them (As-Safa and Al-Marwah). And whoever does good voluntarily, then verily, Allah is All-Recogniser, All-Knower”. (Qur’an 2: 158).

SWT – subhanahu wa taala - Glorious is He and He is Exalted 8

Vanessa Uthman

Help! I’m a Teenager!

Farewell Ramadan

khtar

Mariam A

Ramadan is over, but prayer isn’t. Ramadan is over, but fasting isn’t. Ramadan is over, but reading Qur’an isn’t. Ramadan is over, but lowering your gaze isn’t. Ramadan is over, but refraining from backbiting isn’t. Just because Ramadan is over, it doesn’t mean everything we practiced during it is over.

Now is the time to ask yourself how much you really benefitted and how many good habits you instilled and incorporated into your daily life even after the blessed month has passed.

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Muslims around the world started celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr at sundown yesterday, signalling the end of the Holy month of Ramadan, and the start of Shawwal – the tenth month of the lunar Islamic calendar. Here we share some of the best pictures from around the world:

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Eid Celebrations Around the World

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Pakistan balloon vendors gather as devotees offer Eid prayers at the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan outside a mosque in Karachi on 18 July 2015

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Muslim Heritage

Abdullah Quilliam – England’s’ First Muslim Imagine an England that has no mosques; in fact imagine an England that has no Muslims. Well this was the reality of the Victorian England that William Henry Quilliam grew up in.

After embracing Islam, Quilliam began a campaign of Dawah, which under the conditions of Victorian England, has to be described as the most effective in the UK to date. He became an Alim, an Imam and the He was the son of a Methodist most passionate advocate of Islam preacher, and was brought up as a in the Western world. In 1894 Sultan devout Christian, who was part of Abdul Hamid II, the last Ottoman the Temperance Movement which Caliph, appointed him Sheikh-ulpromoted abstinence from alcohol.

Islam of the British Isles. The Emir of One of the reasons he was attracted Afghanistan recognised him as the to Islam was that alcohol is forbidden Sheikh of Muslims in Britain. He was for Muslims. He also had theological also appointed as the Persian Vice concerns about Trinitarian Christianity. Counsel to Liverpool by the Shah.

He became a prominent spokesman Quilliam worked as a solicitor in for Islam in the media and was Liverpool, and embraced Islam in recognised by Muslims around the 1887 (aged 31), after returning world. He is the only Muslim in Britain from a visit to Morocco, and took on to have officially held the position the name Abdullah. He claimed that of Sheikh-ul-Islam. He issued many he was the first native Englishman to Fatwas in his capacity as appointed embrace Islam. leader of Muslims in Britain. These 18

fatwas are relevant even today.

He established the first mosque at 8 Brougham Terrace, which included the Liverpool Muslim Institute, and later purchased the remainder of the terrace, and opened a boarding school for boys and a day school for girls. He also opened an orphanage (Medina House) for non-Muslim children whose parents could not look after them, and arranged for them to be raised in the values of Islam. In addition, the Muslim Institute operated educational classes covering a wide range of subjects that were attended by both Muslims and non-Muslims, and included a museum and science laboratory.

These offer the first examples of Muslim journalism in the UK, and offer a unique insight into a British Muslim’s view of events and issues in Liverpool, the UK and the wider Muslim world, at a point in history when much of the Muslim world was under colonial rule.

troops. When they saw him the whole regiment rose and offered him not the British military salute but the Islamic ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar’ (God is Great, God is Great).

Quilliam was responsible for the spread of Islam in England in the He also wrote and published a number Victorian era. He helped to convert of books. In particular his “Faith of around 600 people, many of whom Islam” had three editions translated were educated and prominent into thirteen different languages, and individuals in British Society, as well was so popular that Queen Victoria as ordinary men and women. His ordered a copy and then re-ordered efforts also led to the first Japanese copies for her grandchildren. At the person to embrace Islam. One of these time of her son King Edward VII’s prominent converts was the wealthy coronation, Quilliam was widely landowner, Lord Stanley of Alderley, recognised as the leader of Muslims in Cheshire, the first Muslim peer in the British Isles. There was once an in the House of Lords. This proved occasion when Quilliam, as Sheikhcontroversial for Victorian society.

In 1893 the Institute published a ul-Islam, dressed in his long robes At the time of Lord Stanley’s death weekly magazine, named ‘The and turban, accompanied the Lord some Christians questioned whether Crescent’, and later added the Mayor to greet foreign dignitaries he really was a Muslim. They said that monthly ‘Islamic World’, which was arriving in England through the port he had built churches on his land and printed by the Institute’s own press and at Liverpool. They included maharajas therefore could not be one. Quilliam distributed to over 20 countries. There and world leaders. Hundreds of guests then intervened and told them that, are hundreds of archive copies of had gathered in the Great Hall, in as a landowner, he could provide these magazines in the British Library. the Empire building, including foreign places of worship for his Christian support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

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workers. Lord Stanley had a Muslim burial with Quilliam leading the Islamic funeral prayers at the mosque he had established in Brougham Terrace.

windows are boarded up after years of vandalism. It’s hard to imagine that many moons ago several hundred Muslims used to gather here to stand in prayer behind the Sheikh. They would Quilliam eventually had to leave also gather to listen to his sermons England after facing hostility and which also included Christian hymns persecution. He eventually returned to rewritten by the Sheikh so that they the UK and adopted the name Haroun had an Islamic influence.

Mustapha Leon, and passed away in 1932 near Woking. He was buried in A group of Muslims from Merseyside Brookfield Cemetery where Abdullah set up the Abdullah Quilliam Society in Yusuf Ali, Marmaduke Pickthall and 1999 in order to preserve Quilliam’s Lord Headly are also buried. legacy. In 2000 they took over responsibility for the building, which After Quilliam’s death in 1932, the is now recognised as part of British mosque was sold, and later used as Heritage. a register office where records of births, deaths and marriages were The society wants to reopen the kept. These included records of the mosque and publishing house as a marriage of John Lennon and his first museum and heritage centre but they wife, Cynthia. need to raise £3.8 million to return it to its former glory.

8 Brougham Terrace is today an empty shell. The old prayer hall has The society recently held its first annual holes in the walls where doors and lecture in Abdullah Quilliam’s honour windows once stood, and outside the at the Liverpool Pakistan Community paint is peeling off the walls, and the centre to raise his profile. The lecture 20

was delivered by Professor Ron Geaves, author of ‘Islam in Victorian Times’ and was attended by some of the Sheikh’s descendants. The society also plans to hold an awards ceremony to recognise people who promote Islam and who work to foster good links with other faiths.

William Abdullah Quilliam’s conversion to Islam describes the remarkable story of the growth of Islam in Victorian Britain; what he did required determination and courage.

Shabina Bi Baroo

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JUNE

Deed of the

Month

Time to Take Time Michelle Blum

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Television, X-Box, Playstation, Radio, smartphones, I-pods, internet, chatting, movies, Facebook, shopping, family, friends... we are surrounded by stuff to do. It is good to keep busy, after all, as the old saying goes, ‘idle hands are the devil’s workshop.’ But have you ever thought of what you would be doing, if you didn’t have all of those things to keep you busy?

Sometimes, desperately, I find myself asking Allah (SWT) for more hours in the day. Do you sometimes feel like there is not enough time to finish everything you need to do? I know I do, and it often leads to frustration and feeling tired. In fact, there are times when, during the week, all I think about is the weekend. Then, when I get to the weekend, I fill it up with things I need to finish before the week starts. Sadly, again, I spend the week, busy with life and planning the ‘To Do List’ for the weekend. It’s a vicious, constant cycle.

Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping occupied. Indeed, it is important to have ‘To Do Lists’ and having responsibility to finish the things that must get done. But as I have said before in previous articles, it is important to prioritise.

Think about it. How many clocks and alarms and calendars do you have?

How many ‘To Do Lists’ do you have to complete? How many hours do you spend keeping busy on Facebook or Internet (either productively or passively). Now, slowly strip away everything that keeps you busy, aside from the essential and obligatory five pillars of Islam: Shahadah, sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith; Salat, performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day; Zakat, paying an alms (or charity) to benefit the poor and the needy; Sawm, fasting during the month of Ramadan; and Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca.

We should, as Muslims, take time to understand each utterance we say during Salah. Sadly, many people recite their Salah, without knowing the translation or meaning of what they say. Our Salah is a beautiful time that should be honest and sincere. It should be the time when we don’t rush through, in order to get to our next item on our ‘List’. Remember that Allah (SWT) tells us, “Woe to those who pray, but are unmindful of the prayer, or who pray only to be seen by people” (Qur’an 107, 4-6).

Not only do we need to pray sincerely, with understanding, but also give ourselves time alone, so that we can think What do you have left? about our life, our deeds, and make dhikr Allah (SWT) and you. (remembrance of Allah (SWT) through a devotional act). Allah (SWT) reminds us, Now, consider this, prayers (both Fardh “O Believers, make abundant mention and Sunnah), are for our benefit. Allah of ALLAH!” (Holy Qur’an 33: 41). We (SWT) does not need our human prayers, are also told, “the creation of heaven but we, as humans, NEED to pray to Allah and earth and the changes of night and (SWT). This precious time that we spend day, there are signs for people who have in front of Allah (SWT) is for us to take wisdom, who remember (and recite and time and remind ourselves of the blessings call) Allah standing up, sitting, and lying and life lessons Allah (SWT) gives us. on their sides, and ponder on the creation

of the heavens and the earth...” (Qur’an 3: 190-191). In other words, we need to take time throughout our day and night to remember Allah (SWT); be reflective on, not only our lives, but on our environment and the universe; and to look forward to, not tomorrow, but Jannah (Paradise).

When we put things in perspective, and spend quality time in remembrance of Allah (SWT) - everything else takes less importance. We suddenly have enough time. We have less stress and more quality in our life, Alhamdulillah (praise to Allah). So, the next time you find yourself counting the second hand, count your blessings, rakats and dhikr.

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SWT subhanahu wa taala Glorious is He and He is Exalted

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Child Poverty in the First World In a prosperous and influential country such as Britain, it seems peculiar to talk about poverty. However, poverty in the UK is an escalating problem and in relative terms has left thousands of people without basic sustenance. Children have been particularly aggrieved.

There are currently 3.5 million children living in poverty in the UK, with a third estimated to be living in severe poverty.

Needless to say the effects of poverty on young lives is dire. Those from a poor background are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses and have a 10% higher chance of infant mortality. Socioeconomic aspects impact on education and livelihood, with children receiving free school meals achieving lower grades than their wealthier peers and so leaving school with fewer qualifications, which usually translates into lower earnings 24

over the course of a working life.

Under the recently defunct Coalition government, child poverty was projected to rise with an expected 600,000 more children living in poverty by 2015/16.

however the figures point to the contrary.

Although, the first three years of the coalition government did see that decline, the trajectory for the final two years was a disappointing one indeed. Furthermore, even in the first few years, the decrease Indeed, these numbers bore to fruition in child poverty was partly as a result with an independent study by the New of the tax and benefit framework the Policy Institute (NPI) a think-tank, of the Tories inherited from Labour. Once the coalition government’s record stating that coalition’s policies on bedroom tax and heavy welfare cuts have resulted in an below-inflation benefit rises were fully increase in poverty in the UK. This should implemented, it was highly detrimental, come as no surprise to people who have with poverty rising once again after April noticed a marked rise in the usage of 2013. food banks. Child poverty in particular has been greatly affected by welfare Newly elected Conservative ministers cuts with the study claiming that more insist that they will work for hard working than 300,000 children have been pushed people, with an underlying notion that into hardship since 2012. Tory ministers those in poverty are the bone-idle and have been keen to point out that poverty lazy. Not only is this sort of attitude a levels have reduced under their watch, throwback to the eighteenth-century

Poor Laws, but it is one not supported by the figures. Indeed, in 2011, nearly two thirds of children living in poverty were living in families where at least one parent was in paid employment.

Actually, it is the policy changes and welfare reforms of different governments which have a huge impact on the poverty landscape.

During the five years of the Coalition, the Liberal Democrats were there to act as a political filter for some of the more damaging policies of the Conservatives.

They successfully pushed to increase the income tax allowance threshold and prevented the Tories from undertaking other reductions to Child Benefits.

However, this time around, a majority Tory government is emboldened and ready to implement all of their policies, a task made markedly easier without the presence of an active opposition. Their aim is to ultimately reduce the welfare budget. Orchestrating such wide-ranging and deep cuts to benefits and tax credits will greatly affect families and particularly children in the UK.

Though the election campaign was shrouded in secrecy, the Conservative’s are reinvigorated by the British public’s faith in their party and so Cameron is free to push through a radical Tory agenda in order to consolidate support among his more right-wing backbenchers.

Ideologically led cuts will most likely impact lower earning families with an estimated 8 billion pounds in welfare cuts planned for this governmental term.

Inevitably, poverty will become just another political weapon with which the parties beat each other over the head with, whilst millions in the UK will suffer as

a result. Although philanthropic projects might be needed to assist those in need, in a First World country, this shouldn’t be necessary. The government needs to be held accountable for its ability or lack thereof, to provide for its citizens.

If it fails to do so, the British electorate may be forced to make a very different decision in five years time (here’s hoping!).

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Nosheen Kauser

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Benefits changes drive Families to Debt, Food Banks and Homelessness

Benefits changes have driven a pregnant woman to homelessness and a family fleeing domestic violence to camp on concrete floors, a new report from Barnardo’s reveals.

The report Feeling the Pinch finds that welfare reforms by successive Westminster governments are having a ‘devastating’ impact on vulnerable children and their families. Reforms include the housing benefit cap, the ‘bedroom tax’ on spare rooms, and the introduction of harsh ‘sanctions’ to those who fall foul of job centre rules such as signing on.

Barnardo’s asked 168 of its services about how welfare reforms over the last decade have impacted on the families it works with.

Three out of four services reported that 26

welfare reform was having a negative or mixed effect on service users, with 60 per cent reporting it was ‘wholly negative’.

Of these services reporting a negative impact, over half said benefits ‘sanctions’ were hurting families and young people had been penalised for misunderstanding job centre rules.

Nearly half of services reporting problems said that changes such as the ‘bedroom tax’ were driving families into rent arrears. Almost 4 in 10 cited housing benefit changes and in one case this forced a heavily pregnant woman to move repeatedly around hostels and rented rooms while she tried to find accommodation she could afford.

Meanwhile, a domestic abuse service in the North West reported that cuts to the

emergency ‘Social Fund’ hardship grant scheme had forced a family fleeing domestic violence to sleep on concrete floors when they were rehoused because beds weren’t available and they couldn’t afford carpets.

Overall, just five per cent of services said welfare reforms had helped users move into work.

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan says: “It’s a national embarrassment that, in the world’s sixth largest economy, the UK’s most vulnerable children & their families face hunger, hardship & homelessness, more fitting to a pre-welfare age.”

it. Income-reducing benefits changes by successive governments have shredded the net so that families in crisis find themselves with no-one to turn to. High childcare costs, harsh sanctions and low wages are making it nigh on impossible for many parents to work their way out of poverty.”

“We are calling on all parties, as a matter of priority, to ensure that any changes to the benefits system do not damage vulnerable families or punish struggling and marginalised children and young people. To start off, this means lifting the ‘bedroom tax’ if there is no other available accommodation for families and re-instating ring-fenced emergency funding for families in financial crisis.”

“The state no longer provides a good enough safety net for families that need

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Ruth Somerville Barnardos www.barnardos.org.uk

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communities; in Tower Hamlets, for example, 41% of the population identify themselves as Asian (32 percent are Bangladeshi).

National statistics tell us that children living in households headed by someone from an ethnic minority are nearly twice as likely to be in poverty as those living in a household headed up by someone who is white. We now see 60% of children growing up in a Bangladeshi household growing up poor.

Poverty is a massive issue in the UK. The new Government urgently needs to tackle it, says Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan.

The UK is the sixth largest economy in the world, yet underneath the surface lies a deeply unequal country, where wealth is all-too-often determined by age and ethnicity, and millions of children and young people still grow up poor.

Take London, for example; it’s one of the richest cities in the world, with a £731 billion GDP and house prices that are

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Under the Child Poverty Act (2010), the main political parties have a duty to eradicate the number of children living on the breadline by 2020.

ten times the average UK income. Yet, according to recent reports, the capital also houses half of the UK’s most povertystricken constituencies, and the poorest However, following years where it has local authority, Tower Hamlets, in which gone down, the number of children living in 49% of children live in poverty. hardship is now flat-lining. Around 3.7 million children are living in poverty after housing These huge spikes between rich and costs are paid. And, it looks set to creep up poor aren’t just unique to London, in fact again; in fact experts predict that by 2020 throughout the UK some constituencies have more than 31% of UK children will be living nearly five times the level of child poverty in poverty. than others.

Worryingly, having a job is no guarantee of We also know that poverty is a significant financial stability for these families. The fact issue for Black and Minority Ethnic is that despite often being told to ‘work their

Javed Khan: Helping the Most Vulnerable in Society

way out of poverty’, two thirds of those families living in hardship already work.

Behind these headline figures lies the misery of the working families that use Barnardo’s services, who struggle daily on the tipping point of a financial crisis.

A family on minimum wage with young children, for example, will have seen energy bills increase by up to 11% in one year alone (2013). Those with the youngest children will have witnessed childcare costs soar by 77% in a single decade. At the same time they may have had many lifeline benefits cut, such as council tax and housing benefit. And, if they are under 25, they have experienced much higher unemployment and much slower recovery than older workers.

The pincer-like squeeze on budgets from both benefits cuts and the rising cost of living, has left many working families telling us they’re unable to cover the cost of bare essentials. One mother of three, who works part time alongside her fulltime working husband, says she has to boil

kettles for hot water to wash her children as she can’t cover the cost of running a bath.

Another working mother told me that her four children now share one room together, because the rest of the house is damp and she is too far in debt to be re-housed. Her low income has ‘devastated’ the health of her youngest, who has asthma and has often been hospitalised.

The Government’s Commission on Child Poverty urged the future Government to use a range of measures to tackle the growing gap between rich and poor, including raising working wages and ensuring that a robust welfare ‘safety net’ exists to catch struggling families.

Over the past ten years, however, the options on offer from politicians seem to be destined to increase inequality – no matter how good intentions are.

Vulnerable young people and families have been particularly hit by a number of changes to the benefits system,

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including tougher ‘sanctions’ (financial punishments) on those who fall foul of job centre rules such as signing-on at a particular time. One young person we’ve worked with, had their payments suspended for weeks because they were unable to read the letter that told them the rules had changed. Many have chaotic lives that makes it difficult to be punctual on occasions. Barnardo’s knows that these young people often turn to food banks to stop them going hungry when their benefits are stopped.

For the future, the new Conservative Government has said that it plans to cut the welfare budget by £12 billion – including cutting the benefits that young people can claim – for example housing benefit - to encourage more young people to live with their parents. These plans risk leaving some of the UK’s most vulnerable young people, those who don’t have a perfect family life to fall back on, with no-one to turn to.

We want the new Government to guarantee that welfare cuts will not fall

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on the most vulnerable. They can start by following official recommendations, and review the financially punishing benefits sanctions system.

The new Government needs to wake up to the on-going UK child poverty crisis, and take action with proposals that protect and not punish the poorest. It is crucial that the UK looks after families who fall into crisis, by maintaining a benefits system that will nurture the children most in need of it.

Javed Khan

Dua.

Rumaysa Malik

Taking Refuge

Allahumma inni ‘a’udhubika minal hammi walhuzni, Wal’ajzi walkasali, walbukhli waljubni, Wa dal’id-daiyni wa ghalabatir-rajal Translation: O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men.

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A Mercy to the Worlds

The Basmalah and Fatiha are the beginning of every good thing we do. In other words, we start every good thing in the name of the Rahman (the most merciful) and the Rahim (the most Gracious) - the names of Allah Almighty (SWT), and the lives of the Prophets are also full of many examples of mercy.

He didn’t allow people to group themselves according to their statuses. He appointed slaves with the most important tasks. For instance, the polytheists never allowed Bilal Ibn Rabah to get close to the Kaaba because he was a slave, but the Prophet (SAW) made him the first muezzin (caller to the prayer) in Islam and instructed Bilal to climb to the top of the Kaaba to call the adhan.

As for the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who is referred by Allah Almighty (SWT) in the Qur’an as following “And We have sent you He advised his Ummah to free the slaves (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy to the they had. He ordered them to feed their worlds” (Qur’an 21: 107). slaves with what they eat and clothe them with what they wear.

Mankind reached the honourable rank that they deserve by his efforts. In the era where He would lower himself to the height of it was argued whether or not women even children to look them in the eye when deserved to be treated as human beings talking with them, joking with them, even and when various injustices and cruelty playing games with them, and comforting were being carried out towards women, an upset child because his bird had died, the Prophet (SAW) delivered the following these are the most eminent examples. teachings “women are entrusted to you by Allah” and also “the best among you is the The vast heart He moulded with mercy one who is good to his family”. The Prophet would not consent to see people shaking the (SAW) became an example to his Ummah trees from the root or destroying them, he with the kindness he showed to his wives. would interfere with compassion.

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His heart would not be pleased to see a dirty, rough person with long nails, harshly milking an animal, especially milking it all without leaving any milk for its own offspring. He taught cleanliness, compassion and mercy.

He didn’t allow spoiling the peace of the mother dog feeding her puppies, so he commanded an army of ten thousand people behind him to cross the road. He cherished sacrifice.

He became sad upon seeing a burnt anthill, he even defended the rights of the ant. The camel that was overloaded came to the Prophet (SAW) and shared his stress with him.

wings of mercy too. Thus, during his last days he went to the Baqi graveyard in Medina and prayed for the dead.

“

He advised his Ummah to free the slaves they had. He ordered them to feed their slaves with what they eat and clothe them with what they wear.

“

He valued people so much that when he wanted to speak to someone he would turn to that person with his whole body. When In short, all the places that his light shaking hands with someone, he wouldn’t poured upon and his call reached to, pull his hand before the other person did. he eliminated the violence from its root in those areas; he became a means of He, who was a mercy to the worlds, took mercy, politeness and compassion. those who are no longer alive under his

Allah Almighty (SWT) addressed us, the Ummah of Muhammad (SAW) as follows: “And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.” (Qur’an 2: 143) Allah Almighty (SWT) wants us to be a source of mercy to the Ummah too just like the Prophet (SAW).

We can reach this superior rank through good character, and upholding the Sunnah and the good morals of the Prophet (SAW), the best of Creation.

May Allah Almighty (SWT) allow us to acquire the Islamic personality and character that was exhibited by the Prophet (SAW), may He allow us to take the smile of Islam to all of humanity.

Ameen.

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Nurdan Arik

& Gaye Ozden

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Dear 30-year-old Single Muslim Brother, I have been matchmaking for the past three years to help diminish the ever increasing number of 30-something year old singletons. I do this on a voluntary basis in the little spare time that I have as a working mum of two and for the most part I find it rewarding.

Recently, I have been contacted by several of you asking for introductions to a potential partner. I can see that you’re all reasonably attractive high achievers with great careers and pleasant manners. A promising start! I move on to find out more about your hobbies – you are well travelled, charitable, sporty and creative. I proceed to ask what you are looking for in a spouse. You respond to tell me that you are searching for someone who is intelligent, possesses a great sense of humour and most importantly somebody who is spiritual. Bingo! This will be easy!

Over the past few weeks, I have spent hours of exchanges attempting to find you suitable matches; women with whom you

can build a meaningful relationship. Some of these single women have included:

Another one of you expressed worries about the risk of any future children born to an ‘older woman’ having Down’s Syn• a multi award winning writer for one of drome. Ok, as a qualified GP, I can see the world’s largest news corps that that’s a legitimate concern. Sort of. But • an award winning journalist often fealet’s go on a fact finding mission together tured on major news channels and we’ll soon discover that the risk of a • a surgeon who has performed operations 35-year-old woman conceiving a child across the world on a voluntary basis as with Down’s Syndrome is 0.4%. To put it an act of charity another way, there is a 99.6% chance that • a high flying lawyer whose looks rival the child will be born WITHOUT Down’s that of a Bollywood actress Syndrome. 0.4%, 0.4%!! Yet you still feel that the odds are too high. What hapI have been extremely disappointed to pened to balance and perspective? Which find that ALL of the above women have leads me nicely on to my next point; physibeen rejected because you’ve deemed cal attraction. them ‘too old’. This is despite the fact that they’re all at least 5 years younger than Almost all of you have expressed that you you, or at the very most, the same age as would like to marry someone attractive. Of you. Astonishingly, one of you (yes, you course you would; there is no shame in adthe forty-two-year old with the grey hair), mitting that and I value your honesty. Howwas even bold enough to ask if I could ever, in my experience, many of you are ‘guarantee’ that the lady in question was oblivious of your own shortcomings in the fertile. Well no. I can’t. In the same way looks department and I have a sneaky susthat these single girls are NOT expecting picion you may have well and truly fallen me to provide them with your recent sperm off the self awareness horse. Conventional count. wisdom states that beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder, but it seems to me

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that some of you beholders are blind when looking at your own reflections. So, just to be perfectly clear - no, that isn’t George Clooney staring back at you. If you want to marry a beautiful woman then please make an effort to make the very most of your own looks.

things in life and is your intellectual equal.

Or perhaps it’s neither and marriage simply isn’t for you.

So, when you’re next warming up your bowl of curry for one, made lovingly by your mother, please take a moment to rePhysical attraction is a luxury that you may flect (and in some instances LITERALLY rechoose to wait for. You may even choose flect) on why you’re truly single. It’s not beto be single forever rather than marry cause there is a global shortage of ‘good someone you aren’t physically attracted women’, but because you have a comto. Good luck with that. Just don’t prioritise pletely unrealistic idea of what you want looks over character. Of course, you may in a wife. insist on both and be willing to die single, or you may have to choose. My advice: Kind regards, choose character. You will eventually find Farah Kausar true beauty shapes your perception from the inside out.

There is a genuine crisis happening right under our noses, where amazingly talented single women are being overlooked because of your irrational fears and increasing list of demands. It’s time to ask yourself if it really is her age that you fear, or rather the fact that you may feel threatened by a woman who has achieved great

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Second Chance: Muslim Women in Prison A hard-hitting report reveals that Muslim women sentenced to prison are often shunned by their families and their local communities - but Muslim men are treated differently.

is embroiled in stigma, taboo and shame.

There is the attitude that these women should not be talked about or supported, let alone rehabilitated. Unfortunately, among the service providers there also appears to be a lack of awareness of the The pilot project was carried out jointly socio-cultural norms and sanctions as well by international charity, Muslim Hands as the religious governance that affects and Huddersfield Pakistani Community the lives of female Muslim prisoners. Thus, Alliance (HPCA), which is reputed for its engagement can often be limited and innovative and uncompromising approach ineffective.” to difficult and sensitive issues.

Commenting on the findings of the report, The report, launched on April 22nd Sofia Buncy states that “The general 2015, was researched and written by view in the Muslim community is that this Huddersfield-based Sofia Buncy and area is something which needs to be left Ishtiaq Ahmed. The pilot phase initially untouched. Muslim women in prison most began with the co-operation of New often have to overcome additional and Hall Prison near Flockton but was then exceptional challenges and hurdles in extended to include Askham Grange near the form of rejection, cultural taboos and York. forced family and community isolation.

It appears that the Muslim community is Maqsood Ahmed, Director of Community more accepting of male prisoners but Development at Muslim Hands explains females are marginalised and labelled “Some choose not to believe that Muslim as bringing ‘shame and dishonour’ to the woman in prison even exist as the subject family and community.”

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“We have found that Muslim women exprisoners have a multiple of additional needs with respect to Islamic divorce, inheritance, access to children, legal matters in countries of their origin and immigration status to mention a few. These are complex, sensitive and time consuming issues that require specialist intervention.”

Among the report’s recommendations are the need for more Asian female prison officers or officers with an in-depth knowledge of the religious, cultural or social norms of Muslim female inmates, mediation to allow them the chance to reconnect with their families, and providing them with adequate care and support.

“Due to shame, embarrassment, pride and dignity, the women are often disowned The report concludes, “The ‘silent by their families or relationships are severely fractured and hence there is no or little link when they are in prison. Once they leave the prison, they are often not able to return to their families or their communities for fear of rejection and criticism.”

suffering’ of Muslim women in and post custody needs to be remedied. There are gaps in the way facilities, services and rehabilitation programmes are structured which discourage female Muslim inmates from accessing support available.”

Maqsood Ahmed OBE

Director of Community Development Muslim Hands UK

Pointing out that family links often led the women into trouble, Sofia Buncy says “We did identify a theme of family loyalty and crime where the female prisoners may have been connected to a crime which is linked with other family members.” support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

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Nominate a Role Model!

Over the past 24 issues Fifteen21 has showcased many inspirational role-models from the Muslim community in the UK. From youth activists like Neelam Rose, to Humza Yousaf, a trail-blazing young politician in Glasgow to Aisha Yasmin, a young aspiring designer from Birmingham hoping to make it big in the Big Apple!

If you would like to nominate an inspiring role-model to be featured in a future issue of Fifteen21 please email us at editor@fifteen21.com with the following details;

e m a N ail l l m u E F / e ls er d b o m M u N e o len n R o o h s

r P e • t is p t ac h n t o t C n) bou • a w u o o n y s fk i e ( r i p

ins t a ds) r h o W w 50 • 1 x a (m

We look forward to receiving your nominations!

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On” s r a e 0Y 2 E a B i Moaz O n evo Bos j Bell “ a c n r i i t a k r Me e, S Ma u : d q a w j s e e o i S Interv ew: Imam mperor’s M i E Interv Art – The ic Islam egg B m za

Out on Friday 28th August 2015!

Interview:

Saba Rifat Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed for Fifteen21 youth magazine, how are you?

couraged into the sciences so I undertook a degree in Pharmacy as that was what was expected of me. Growing up I always had a keen interest in art. I would set myself mini art projects most holidays, art became an escape for me, as I never really fitted in anywhere, and was always very shy.

I am well Alhamdulillah. I am in a wonderful creative space working on numerous projects. I am currently working on a long-term project with my local church, using Islamic geometric art as a thread, to bring diverse communities together.

It was through visiting art galleries and exhibitions, when living in London, that I You are a graduate of the prestigstumbled on an Islamic art exhibition by ious Princes School of Traditional Arts Princes School alumni. I was absolutely (PSTA), what did you train in, and what stunned by the mysterious meditative and inspired you to work on traditional art breathtaking beauty resonating from the forms? intricate interlacing abstract forms. It was unlike the Islamic art I had grown up with I had no formal art training prior to unthat was the polar opposite; gold, gardertaking my MA at the Princes School, ish and ugly. I was intrigued and drawn as it wasn’t always my ambition to be an to find out more, about these Islamic or artist. When I left school I didn’t really sacred forms, as they were part of my know what I wanted to do, but was encultural heritage that I was struggling to 44

connect with. Although I had no formal art education, based on the merit of my portfolio and passion, I was accepted and enrolled onto the 2-year fulltime postgraduate MA in Visual Islamic and Traditional Art (VITA).

PSTA teaches traditional art disciplines in areas such as Miniature painting, Marquetry, Stained Glass Windows, Arabic and Western Calligraphy, Icon painting, and Ceramics, all underpinned by sacred visual Geometry.

Shapes and mathematical forms seen in Geometry are not just aesthetically beautiful but also have a qualitative and symbolic purpose echoing spirituality.

We love your new website, could you tell us which media you like working in most?

Thank you. I love painting on chalk gesso boards, wood and paper. I enjoy the process of using natural pigments and making my own paints, I find the whole process cathartic and love harnessing colours that are more vibrant and alive. Currently my practice occupies a space between painting and experimenting with 3D polyhedral forms in various media. In most cases I strive to create visual art where there is a strong interdependence between the physical presence of form and its symbolism.

You’ve travelled all over the world from Spain, to New York City, and Iran. Do you have a favourite place as an artist, and have you exhibited your work abroad?

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I have eclectic tastes, from cuisine, music, poetry, and this is reflected in my choice of travel destinations. I absolutely love colours, shapes and light, and am inspired in daily life, as pattern is life and life is pattern. I seek and appreciate beauty in everything, hidden or obvious, from the energetic cityscapes of NYC to the beauty of the rich majestic palaces and mosques of Isfahan in Iran.

country and its warm loving people. Iran is a place of its people, not its politicians.

It is more worthy to be described as an axis of elegance and not an axis of evil, as someone once said. It is an outstanding centre for Islamic art and traditional architecture based on fundamental Tawhid, Oneness, and Unity.

experimenting and developing installation work using different scale and media.

Watch this space!

The contemporary Islamic art scene is exploding right now. What opportunities or media do you feel is still unchartered ground in the contemporary scene?

Gaining relevant exposure in public spaces, i.e. in galleries and museums, and funding, in order to share my work and practice has been a challenge. It has undoubtedly made me question the intentions, message, and the forms of my artwork and how it may clash with the ideology of many public spaces.

Fes in Morocco holds a special place in my heart, as an ancient city it retains a mysterious and traditional art and crafts movement that is still so alive, vibrant and Art is a vehicle to communicate and bursting with colour and inspiration. breaks down barriers, foster understandings and nurture inspiration amongst diIran is one of the most misunderstood verse communities. The challenge for me countries in the world today. What did is to develop work that is innovative and you take away from your travels there, unchartered yet rooted in tradition and and could you tell us more about your spirituality.

Iran photographic essay?

Do you have any current exhibitions in Iran has distinct layers of ancient and the UK, or courses our readers could atrich sophisticated cultures with many con- tend? tradictions and surprises. I was able to unravel my own misunderstandings and I am currently working on a solo exhibidraw a positive sense of this beautiful tion. I am in the process of researching,

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Have you ever felt your art, or the messages you are communicating, have ever come into conflict with art galleries, or audiences?

As a young female artist, have you faced any barriers, either on a personal or professional level?

In the past I experienced a period of having a lack of confidence about being an untrained artist, having had no formal art education, coupled with questions around my identity as a British Muslim Asian female Artist.

Gaining relevant experience and exposure in public spaces in order to share and refine my practice has been a challenge. I do feel Asians are not well represented in mainstream art platforms, there is a lot of aspiring talent, and hope for change and greater diversity.

Did you have a role model when you were growing up?

My role model was, and always is my mum, who worked so hard and made abundant sacrifices, as a single parent, to bring up 3 young children in difficult times. It is her strong determination, steely work ethic, love and generous spirit that has encouraged and taught me to work hard to achieve my dreams and goals.

With respect to visual Artists, I am inspired by an eclectic mix that include Claude Monet, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Hokusai, JW Turner, Bridgette Riley and Hassan Massoudy to name a few.

ing a part-time artist to a full-time artist as I have so many interesting projects that I am working on. This will allow me to fully actualize original creative ideas, and to open up new boundaries, and possibilities within the context of my work.

God willing I will be releasing an Islamic Geometry-inspired pattern therapy book later this year. I aim to continue delivering local, international, and online workshops and am also working on a solo exhibition.

Any advice for aspiring artists?

Always be true to yourself and question your intentions. Be prepared to work hard and don’t give up on your dreams. Enjoy What are your aspirations for the futhe journey, as this is the most important ture? part of the process of getting to your I hope to be continually involved in creat- goal. Attend artist led lectures or talks, ing engaging work, on projects that invisit galleries, exhibitions and shows for spire others and teach me something new, inspiration. and essentially opportunities that allow me to convey a ‘visual dialogue’ of harmony, abstraction, colour and contempla- Saba Rifat MA tion.

Visual Artist I am currently bridging the gap from be- www.sabarifat.co.uk

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Earliest Qur'an Fragments found in Birmingham One of the oldest texts of the Qur’an on parchment (animal skin), that was possibly made during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), has been found in the collection of the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham, UK. The two well-preserved leaves of parchment, closely written in an elegant script, have been radiocarbon dated to between the years 568AD and 645AD. “We knew it was going to be a good date, but when we actually got the dates it was just an ‘oh my goodness’ moment,” Susan Worrall, director of the special collections of the library, said. “You don’t get very many days like that in a career.”

be found were collated.

The text is almost identical to that used today, but the parchment is so old that scholars may reconsider the accepted date for the compilation of the definitive text.

The parchment came to the library with a mass of other early Middle Eastern manuscripts collected in the 1920s by the scholar, theologian and Chaldean priest, Alphonse Mingana, but it is not known how he acquired it. However, the parchment and the beautiful early Arabic script closely resemble other fragments in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris from the earliest mosque in Egypt, founded in 642AD.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is generally thought to have lived between 570AD and The two odd leaves were spotted by a 632AD. His teachings were transmitted PhD student, Alba Fedeli, who has been orally or partially recorded in writing, and working on the Mingana manuscripts. soon after his death all the texts that could 48

“We know her very well, she has been working away for some time on the Mingana collection. When she brought this to us and said she thought two leaves came from another manuscript, and we looked closely at them, we could see that she was right,” Worrall said.

The verses are incomplete, and believed to have been an aide memoire for an imam who already knew the Qur’an by heart, but the text is very close to the accepted authorised version.

David Thomas, professor of Christianity and Islam, called the discovery “one of the most surprising secrets of the university’s collections”. He said it supported the view that the version of the Qur’an in use today had hardly changed from the earliest recorded version, and the Muslim belief that the text represented an exact record of the revelations delivered to the Prophet (SAW).

“They could well take us back to within a few years of the actual founding of Islam.

According to Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad received the revelations that form the Qur’an, the scripture of Islam, between the years 610AD and 632AD, the year of his death,” Thomas said.

of the Birmingham folios yield the strong probability that the animal from which it was taken was alive during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad or shortly afterwards. This means that the parts of the Qur’an that are written on this parchment can, with a degree of confidence, be dated to less than two

The newly conserved leaves will go on free public display for the first time in October, at the university’s Barber Institute of Fine Arts, and Birmingham’s city museum is also interested in creating an exhibition around them.

Maev Kennedy

Qur’anic verses were at first memorised or written down on materials including parchment, stone, palm leaves and the shoulder blades of camels. It was Caliph Abu Bakr (RA), the first leader of the Muslim community after Muhammad (SAW), who ordered their compilation into a book with the final, authoritative written form completed under the direction of the third leader, Caliph Uthman (RA) around 650AD. “Muslims believe that the Qur’an they read today is the same text that was standardised under Uthman and regard it as the exact record of the revelations that were delivered to Muhammad,” Thomas said.

“The tests carried out on the parchment

decades after Muhammad’s death.”

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TEE N2 1 FIF

nterview

Genta Haxhija The Kids Company Genta, you have been the head of child poverty busting at the Kids Company for six months now, congratulations on your new role. Could you describe what a typical day is like for you in this new role?

new goal-posts in place, I spend the rest of the day devising strategies to get these items from companies or individuals that might be able to help. However, emergency situations are an inherent part of our job and it often means you need to quickly and efficiently respond to situations you Thank you. I have been part of the Poverty are not expecting. For example, last week I Busting team for nearly 3 years now so my arranged for urgent basic material support day to day has not changed drastically. to be sent to a young man who had been I oversee the Summer and Christmas kicked out of his home by his mentally projects so my commitments really vary ill mother, who left him with no access depending on the season. A typical (offto appropriate clothing, shoes or even season) day might start by checking emails underwear for days. in the morning and getting updates from my team. I cross-reference the incoming There are 3.5 million children living in requests for goods made by my key poverty, could you explain what living in workers for the kids they support, any poverty actually means in Britain today? expected donation of these items and the distribution schedule. Once we have our It’s complex – poverty takes so many

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different forms and its impacts are so wide reaching. At Kids Company, we are often working with children and their families who are struggling to meet the basic needs that most of us take for granted. Finding enough food to eat can be impossible and, in lots of cases, family members are forced to go without or choose between eating or other vital priorities such as heating their homes. Housing is another huge issue, with many children living in cramped conditions, sharing a room or often a bed with multiple siblings and other family members. Often living conditions can be unhealthy or dangerous and might lack basic furniture, such as tables and chairs, beds, sheets and curtains. Many of the children and young people we support don’t have basic clothing, like underwear, school shoes and a warm coat in winter. Sometimes these

issues are as a result of neglect and maltreatment – the disturbed choices of parents who aren’t able to prioritise their children’s needs, but often the issue is that families, despite being desperate to care for their children, just don’t have the resources to do so.

Why do you feel, in your opinion, that there is such a wide gap between the rich and poor in the UK today, and are things getting worse?

It’s really concerning – there is an increasing gap between rich and poor in the UK today and a lot of the problems are being made worse by a lack of appropriate spending on public services.

Every day, we witness first hand, children, young people, and families who are struggling to survive the devastating impacts of poverty, neglect and other forms of maltreatment, but who can’t get the help they need, because many of the services set up to support children in the UK are in crisis. Local Authorities’ budgets are getting smaller and smaller, and yet at the same time, more and more

children in the UK are in need of help.

In 2014, Barnados reported that 3.5 million children in the UK were living in poverty and yet, 500 children’s centres have closed since 2010. According to the NSPCC, over 500,000 children are referred to social services as a cause for concern on a yearly basis and yet, of these, only 43,140 were subject to a Child Protection Plan in England in 201213. This is why Kids Company launched a campaign, called ‘See the Child Change the System’ last year. It is calling for an independent task force to redesign children’s services in the UK, to ensure they are better meeting the needs of the children who need additional support.

Food banks have been discussed a lot in the media, with over one million people using food banks last year alone in the UK. Can you describe the effects of food poverty on a young person, how are they expected to concentrate at school for example, if they haven’t eaten a proper meal in days? Can this cycle ever be broken and how?

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Food poverty is such a serious problem, because, as your example shows, without food, it is really difficult to get on with everyday life. If you are constantly worried about where your next meal is coming from, how can you work, play, make friends or problem solve? All of us know how miserable it is to be hungry – it makes us grouchy and tired and we can’t think straight. Imagine living life like that every day. The issue is a complex one, because it’s often linked up with all sorts of other issues. If you are struggling to find money to eat, for example, you’re probably struggling to meet other basic needs too; your physical health might be impacted and you’re likely to be pretty stressed out, which is probably having an impact on other areas of your life, such as making and keeping friends, doing well in school and feeling confident. There isn’t an easy way to break the cycle, but having trusted, safe adults who can support children and their families to untangle what is going on and provide practical solutions, such as hot meals, budgeting support and help for families to access long term financial

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support is a good start. This is what Kids Company offers in its street level centres and schools in London and Bristol, but we know the problem is widespread. Our vision is to create a system which has this kind of flexible and child focused support available in every local area.

It’s an ambitious aim, but we think all children deserve to be able to enjoy their childhood – not spend it worrying about where their next meal will come from. You can read more about our Plate Pledge Campaign, to raise awareness of, and begin to tackle, the issue of food poverty here www.kidscoplatepledge.org At the local level, there are areas of the country where almost 70% of children are living in poverty. What could the UK government do to help families living in some of the most deprived areas in the country? The government proclaims that ‘Every Child Matters’ but what are they doing about these young children living in these conditions?

Good question! We’re concerned about it too – we work with children and families

every day who are contending with terrible deprivation and indignities, and it is a real struggle to get their cases picked up by statutory services. The reality is that social services in the UK are running at breaking point – demand far outstrips resource and, despite heroic efforts by staff, the levels of unmet need are growing daily. Whenever there is a serious failing (like the Baby P or Victoria Climbie cases), there are calls for a “Public Inquiry.” They recommend improvements within current structures, and often individual workers are blamed.

But what isn’t properly acknowledged is the fact that, fundamentally the delivery of care to vulnerable children in Britain is not working. We think that the only way to truly improve the situation is to radically rethink the way the system works. Although elements of the current system deliver great quality care, it is not fit for purpose, no matter how much we tinker at the edges.

state of poverty. What are the long-term cognitive effects of this?

Aside from the stress of constantly trying to negotiate the obstacles and challenges of getting through every day life, poverty can have a devastating impact on children’s sense of identity and thinking about where they fit in the world. There is a huge amount of shame that comes from not being able to have one’s basic needs met – often poverty can prevent children from taking part in ordinary living, getting involved in activities or being a part of customs that we would think of as ‘normal’ (going on a summer holiday or getting presents at Christmas, for example). The impact of this is that children become set apart from their peers, and feel isolated.

They may begin to believe that they are not worthy of having their needs met, that they are ‘no good’ and don’t deserve better. This has huge implications for how a child begins to see the world and other people and, without the right support, can Research suggests that people who find lead to social isolation, criminal activity themselves poor spend an enormous and mental health problems in later life. amount of mental energy managing the support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

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Genta could you describe what the Child Poverty Busting program is at the Kids Company, and what support you offer, do you just work in London, or nationally?

are helping to stabilise their lives so they can engage with the on-going therapeutic and emotional support carried out by our front-line staff.

Who should be the first point of call for The Child Poverty Busting programme was a young person if they need help and launched in London in 2011 to address advice? the material and aspirational needs of the kids. We do this by mobilising That’s a tricky question! It depends a lot volunteers’ time and the donation of on what the young person’s situation is. goods to give children and their families In general, a young person could think access to basic essentials, such as coats, about the safe adults within their network, beds or towels, to improve their living whether that is teachers, youth workers, conditions and quality of life. We support social workers or family members or them by upholding and restoring the friends. In an emergency, or where a dignity that is sometimes lost from being young person (or someone else) is at risk deprived of such items or of positive of harm, they could speak to the police experiences. Occasions such as putting (999), to Childline (08001111) or the on a new pair of socks or taking a trip to NSPCC (0808 800 5000). the cinema are novel for many of our kids and they can be very empowering. We And finally, what can young people work closely with our team in Bristol too do to help challenge child poverty and by sending them essentials and helping support their peers? them build a local network of support to address the specific needs there. Our Be open to learning about and work directly impacts our children, by understanding the challenges that ensuring their basic needs are met, we vulnerable young people here in the UK

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are currently facing – as I’ve already said, there are no easy fixes to the problems around poverty and neglect. But at Kids Company, we believe that vulnerable children deserve to have their courage matched by society’s courage to dream the best for them. The more young people can inform themselves and engage with the debate, the more politicians and other decision-makers will have to sit up and listen. Keep up to date with the news, engage with the debate, and have a look at our ‘See the Child Change the System’ campaign website (www.seethechild. org) where you can sign our petition to support an independent task force to redesign children’s services so that every child who needs help can get it. At Kids Company we help children living in poverty every day so more information on our work and how to donate can also be found at www.kidsco.org.uk

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Vaisakhi festival

Porch statues at Leicester Cathedral The Golden Mile King Richard III

National Space Centre

Diwali festival

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Leicester is considered to be the most diverse & multicultural city in Britain. Leicester has experienced large scales of immigration from across the world. Immigrant groups today make up 50% of Leicester’s population. Most

City

The Queen also commenced her Diamond Jubilee tour in Leicester in 2012. The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Wife to Prince William assisted the Queen on this visit. The Queen visited Leicester Cathedral and Kate visited De Montfort University, to commend the achievements of university students & hand awards to high achievers.

of the immigrants are from the Indian subcontinent. Asians have bought a lot to the city particularly to the cuisine, catering, and textiles industries. Leicester is full of some of the best curry houses, restaurants, and takeaways in Britain.

Different communities have bought different qualities and skills to the city, and we are proud that the city is thriving. All ethnicities, cultures, and religions, live together and work together. Leicester today is filled with places of worship, such as Mosques, Gurdwaras, Temples, Synagogues and Churches.

The city has lots to do with the creation of the Curve Theatre, Phoenix Arts, Cinema Deluxe, Leicester Cathedral, The National Space Centre, the Highcross Shopping Centre, the New Walk Museum & most recently The Richard III Centre.

I have lived in Leicester all my life and it truly is a wonderful place to live and work.

Ruma Ahmed

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My

Leicester is most famously known for being the burial place of the last King of England, Richard III, which took place this year. The discovery of the King in the car park has been said to be one of the greatest finds in history by the archaeologists of the University of Leicester in association with The Richard III Society.

Due to this spectacular find we have recently seen growing tourism to the city. There has also been a great deal of media coverage about the King’s final resting place and people from all over the world have been interested.

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Purification of the Heart

By Hamza Yusuf

This book is actually a translation of a poem called “Matharat al-Qulub” (literally ‘purification of the hearts’) written by Shaykh Muhammad Mawlud, a great scholar from Mauritania.

Chapters include the diseases of ‘Miserliness’, ‘Love of the World’, ‘Envy’ and ‘Ostentation’. The latter chapter addresses what we as humans desire from our worship to God. Do we desire some benefit in this world? Do we worship God in hope of the delights of the hereafter?

Or are we steadfast out of fear of punishment? Shaykh Hamza states, “Imam Malik said that to seek out Paradise is acceptable, though the motivation behind worship should eventually be solely for the sake of God and fulfilment of His commands”. There are, of course, differences of opinion, as highlighted by an interesting quote from an eighthcentury female scholar and major spiritual influence in the classical Islamic

58

tradition, Rabia al-Adawiyya, “Go after the gardener, not after the garden. O God, if I worship You for Paradise, then put me in the Fire”. Shaykh Hamza goes on to state that the strongest opinion is to worship in order to seek out the pleasures of the next life.

One may ask what the purpose is of such a book. The author of the original poem felt that society’s weakness was due to weakness in the heart. Shaykh Hamza powerfully elaborates, “If we examine the trials and tribulations, wars and other conflicts, every act of injustice all over the earth, we’ll find they are rooted in human hearts. Covetousness, the desire to aggress and exploit, the longing to pilfer natural resources, the inordinate love of wealth and position, and other maladies are manifestations of diseases found nowhere but in the heart... So if you want to change our world, do not begin by rectifying the outward”.

Ismail Ray

book

REVIEWS

FOOD for the

SOUL TRUE WEALTH

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One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the purpose of showing his son how the poor people live so he could be thankful for his wealth.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah” said the son.

“So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.”

“We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.” “Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.” “We have a small

piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.” “We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.” “We buy our food, but they grow theirs.” “We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Hadith: Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said: “If you relied on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who issue forth hungry in the morning and return with full bellies at dusk.” (Tirmidhi) Productive Tip: Boost productivity with Salah, Qur’an and remembrance of Allah the Almighty (SWT). These acts of worship add blessings to your life and make you more productive.

Ehsan Khan

Masjids Around The World Every empire that has come has always strived to build impressive buildings; the Romans built the coliseum and the Greeks built the Acropolis. The Seljuk Empire who arrived from central Asia ruled Persia (modern day Iran) from 1038-1118 and built the Great Mosque of Isfahan.

The Great Mosque of Isfahan Location: Isfahan, Iran

wooden roof. Additions and alterations were made by the ruler Malik Shah and successive rulers to create the great mosque that exists today. The southern bricked dome chamber, houses the mihrab and is flanked by two tall minarats. The northern bricked dome was built a year later and the east and west chambers The Seljuk’s established Isfahan as their were added later to create a four iwan capital, the city is located 340km south of design. An iwan is a vaulted structure Tehran. The Seljuk’s began planning rich which is walled on three sides with one architectural programs to represent the side that opens to a courtyard. The power of the empire. One of the projects mosque was considered the prototype for was to establish an impressive primary future four iwan mosque designs. congregational mosque. The Seljuk ruler Malik Shah decided the focal point of the Each iwan consists of huge archways (over newly designed square would be a new 30 metres high). Linking the four iwans is mosque. However, there already existed a a large courtyard which lies in the centre mosque on this site. of the mosque. The vast space of the plain courtyard is in contrast to the beautiful The original mosque had a rectangular archways decorated in colourful tiles inner court surrounded by prayer halls and geometric patterns. The decoration and comprised of columns supporting a is complex and each iwan is adorned 62

11th Built: Century

differently making them unique to one another. A two-storey prayer hall resting on brick columns has arches that overlook the courtyard and these extend between each iwan along the perimeter of the courtyard. The mosque roof is covered in a series of mini domes.

This mosque is one of the largest and oldest mosques in Iran. It was designated UNESCO World Heritage status in 2012.

The symmetry of an iwan on the northsouth axis and the east-west axis (although different in design and decoration) adds to the splendour of the mosque.

According to Dr Radha Dalal, a distinctive aspect of the mosque is its urban integration. The mosque is positioned in the centre of the old city and the mosque shares walls with other buildings abutting its perimeter. The enormous size of the mosque and the numerous entrances, has

Capacity: unknown

formed a pedestrian hub which connects the arterial network of paths through the city. Therefore, the mosque isn’t just used as a prayer facility but also a principal public area that facilitates mobility and commercial activity.

In conclusion, the Great Mosque of Isfahan has been extended over time by successive rulers to create a Mosque which infuses Islamic architecture from the tenth to twentieth-century. The mosque was at the time the prototype for future four iwan mosque designs. The geometry and the complex decoration of each huge archway leading to the vast courtyard is striking and breathtaking. The city of Isfahan still holds its charm with the focal point of the city being the Great Mosque of Isfahan.

Zeeshan Arif

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poetry 64

Poverty Polly Clark

A world of peeling paint and mildew, Where things stop working like clapped out minds.

Looking across desolate concrete, I wonder why hope is so hard to find, I wonder where dreams go, When the dreamer gives up and looks the other way And graffiti anger on a wall While little children play.

Ambition like a rusty bike, The pedals seized; tyres corroded.

The wrong clothes; the coins for hot water.

Just like a gun, emotion is loaded Then contained and held in Though it only fizzles away; a silent bomb Set to burst when the suffocating mould Reminds us where we’re from.

Kick at my heels; life moves nowhere.

Sighs; fraught words; kids crammed in one room, Squashed, like canned beans - can’t focus on school.

Don’t want to grow up, not anytime soon.

Can’t see the horizon, Just a world of budget food and endless TV Nothing else to do. Nothing to be.

Do you wish you were me?

PO

OVERTY support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

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Recipes Nusayba Malik

Persian Pomegranate Soup

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Pomegranate soup is a Persian and Iraqi dish (āsh) made from pomegranate juice and seeds, yellow split peas, mint leaves, spices, and other ingredients. It is called Āsh-e anār in Iran and Shorbat Rumman in Iraq.

Ingredients:

Method

• 3/4 cup lentils, large flat brown or green preferable • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine • 1 medium onion, chopped • 8 cups water • 1 cup long-grain rice • 1 teaspoon turmeric • ½ tablespoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley • 1/2 cup chopped spring onions • 1 cup pomegranate juice • 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds for garnish • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons crushed dried leaf mint • 1 tablespoon raisins • 1 lb ground beef, or minced lamb, seasoned and shaped into meatballs

Run cold water over lentils to clean them.

Set them aside to drain.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter (or margarine) in a large saucepan.

Add onion and sauté (mix and fry) until tender.

Add water, drained lentils, rice, turmeric, salt, pepper and meatballs.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and cover.

Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes or until lentils and rice are tender.

Open a pomegranate and extract the juice using a lemon squeezer.

Add the pomegranate juice along with parsley and the spring onions.

Simmer about 15 minutes longer.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine in a small pan.

Add mint. Sauté (mix and fry) for a few minutes. Pour over soup.

Add pomegranate seeds for garnish.

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National Events

To add your local study circles, conferences, events or courses please email events@fifteen21.com

Birmingham

Leicester

The Zawiya Centre T: 0121 766 8364 W: www.thezawiya.com

Masjid An-Noor T: 0116 262 5440 W: www.idauk.org

Arabic, Tajweed, Youth activities & Study circles for both brothers and sisters, various dates

Monthly Youth Programme for boys, starts first Saturday of each month

Bradford

York

Islam Bradford Centre T: 01274 395521 E: info@islambradford.com

York Central Masjid T: 01904 413 123 E: contact@yorkmosque.org

Study Circles, for brothers and sisters (separate classes), various days & times

Brothers Qur’an Circle, every Friday, between Maghrib and Isha Salah Sisters Qur’an Circle, every Sunday, 11am to Dhuhr Salah

… e u s s I e Next

Cambridge Cambridge Masjid T: 01223-350134 E: cambridgemosque@gmail.com

In Th

Arabic, Study Circles, Qur’anic Studies for both Brothers & Sisters, varies days & times

R

Edinburgh Central Mosque T: 0131 343 3802 E: edinburghmosque@hotmail.com

Arabic, Tajweed, Youth activities & Study circles for both brothers and sisters, various dates

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Life has its ups and downs You can talk confidentially online or by phone whenever you need to.

Whatever your worry, it’s better out than in.

www.childline.org.uk ChildLine is a service provided by the NSPCC. Registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717. 7244/11