Issue 06
August 2012
Masjids Around the World Ramadan in the Community Olympics Reflections
One Hundred Less One Senseless Smoking Regulars - Hadith, Book Reviews, Recipe’s
Stained glass panel by artish Huda
Awad
www.hudaawad.com
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 Christian era. Fifteen21 aims to reconcile both Muslim and British identity. Designed by Hafizur Rahman All views are of the authors alone and not necessarily of those held by Fifteen21
Guest Editorial Saira Nisa
Asalaamu Alaykum! Welcome to Issue 6 of your favourite digital magazine! Eid Mubarak from the Fifteen21 team to everyone! We hope you have had a successful Ramadhan and a beautiful Eid. I’m Saira Nisa, your favourite writer (oh I better be!) and the guest editor for this issue since we’ve shipped Miss Regular Editor off shores and now we can’t remember where she is… (Yay)! Anyhow, far more important matters like what’s waiting for you in this jam-packed issue.
We have two NEW features; A Day in the Life of…Prophet Muhammed (saw) and Masjids around the World, both of which make a great read and what with all the Olympics hype, we just had to get our mitts on Shamina Asif , an Olympics volunteer for a few of her memories, good luck to all the Paralympians!
Finally I would like to thank the Fifteen21 team who work tirelessly as volunteers to bring you Inspiration, Knowledge and Fun all whilst running businesses, working, looking after families and many other things. Without this dedicated team there would be no Fifteen21. We Rock! However there would be no Fifteen21 without the fantastic readership we have attracted since our inception earlier this year.
Also featured; an amazing Muslimah who brought about the learning institution we today call a university; Fatima Al-Fihri and Please keep us and the entire Ummah some food for the soul in our article ‘Pope in your dua’s particularly those who are VS Mufti’. suffering horrifically in this world. How could we not include your favourite regulars? • Stories of the Prophets; Prophet Hud (as) & Prophet Ibrahim (as) • Tasty recipes for you to impress your folks with • Book & Event reviews • And Plenty More (including my piece of course)
May you all be blessed with the best of both worlds. Ameen.
Contents 6-7 8 9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16 17 18-19 20-21 22-23 24 25 26-33 34 35
Prophet Hud (PBUH) One Hundred Less One Forced Marriage Warning Hadith Muslim Heritage Olympics Reflections Child Line Want an iPad? Deed of the Month: Senseless Smoking Healthy Living: Holy Smoke NHS Quit Smoking Help Available Muslim Youth Helpline Fifteen21 Ramadan in the Community Dua for Forgiveness Amina - Muslim Women’s Helpline
36-37 38-39 40 41 42-43 44-45 46-47 48-49 50-51 52-53 54 55 56-58 59 60-61 62
A Day in the Life of… Nasheed Factor 2012 Nominate a Role Model In the Next Issue Muslim Role Models - Saleha Begum Muslim Role Models - Faizah Essat Muslim Role Models - Bushra Hussain Muslim Profiles - Usman Shabbir Food for the Soul - Pope vs Mufti Masjids Around the World Book Review Aspire Higher Poetry - UK Riots Muslim Youth Helpline Recipes National Events
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Ramadan In The
Community 18
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The followers of Prophet Nuh (pbuh) were noble and pious Muslims and settled in Arabia. However, over time some of their children started to move away from the path of Islam. One group of Prophet Nuh’s (pbuh) descendants were called ‘Ad. They lived in the hills in an area between Yemen and Oman. They were tall and strong people and very skilled architects and engineers. They were very powerful and wealthy people which unfortunately made them arrogant and boastful. They had no morals. They did not realise that their abilities and resources were gifts from Allah (swt). They forgot the guidance of Allah (swt) and started worshipping idols, drinking alcohol, gambling and cheating each other.
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Allah (swt) wanted to guide and discipline these people so He sent a Prophet from among them to help guide them and convey His message. The Prophet was Hud (pbuh), a very noble man who carried out this task with determination and tolerance. He tried to teach the people that there is only one God and that everything is from Him. He told them to stop worshipping idols, begged them to live as Allah (swt) wanted and warned them about the punishment of Allah (swt) for those who disobeyed Him. He tried to speak to them about Allah’s blessings; how He had made them Prophet Nuh’s (pbuh) successors, how He had given them strength and power and rain to revive the soil on their land. Prophet Hud (pbuh) explained the belief of the Day of Judgement
Prophets of Islam:
Prophet Hud (PBUH)
and the essence of Allah’s (swt) justice. However, the people mocked him and refused to listen to him.
The only people of ‘Ad that were saved were those who had left with Prophet Hud (pbuh).
Prophet Hud (pbuh) knew that Allah (swt) would punish the disbelievers among his people. Allah (swt) would punish them regardless of how rich, powerful and strong they were.
“And when Our commandment came to pass We saved Hud and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us; We saved them from a harsh doom.” (Qur’an, 11:58)
A drought spread throughout the land and one day a large cloud appeared in the sky. The people of ‘Ad got very happy thinking that rain would come for their desert land. However, they did not know that Allah (swt) was sending them a wind-storm through the cloud. The clouds got bigger and the wind got louder. The air was full of dust and sand and the wind was very violent. The storm went on for eight days and seven nights. The ‘Ad people ran into their homes to hide, however, their homes were filled with sand and all the people were smothered. Everything was destroyed.
The children of these believers grew up to become good Muslims and believed in Allah (swt) alone and did not worship any idols. We must remember that everything is created and from Allah (swt) and all blessings and gifts are from Him. We must worship Allah (swt) alone and live life according to the teachings of Islam. On the Day of Judgement our deeds will be accounted for and we will either be rewarded or punished for them. Azizun Nessa
Shrine of Prophet Hud (pbuh)
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One Hundred Less One Al-Maalik The word Al-Maalik in Arabic is translated as The King. The King who by His very authority and essence has no dependency on any existing thing, rather every existing thing depends on Him. And this is the very attribute of being Al-Maalik; He is independent, while everything around Him is subservient to His command.
By acknowledging and submitting to the attributes of Allah (swt), humankind comes close to the angels. Submitting to the truth, that Allah (swt) is the Absolute King. And Allah (swt) reminds us again and again;
We as humankind can also share in the attributes of the King by renouncing the world, by striving towards becoming independent of our passion and desires that can otherwise rule us. And we can share in the attributes of The King by ruling over our desires instead of letting them rule us.
Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran: Say: O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule), Thou givest Power To whom Thou pleasest, And Thou strippest off Power From whom thou pleasest: And Thou bringest low Whom thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all Good. Verily, over all things Thou hast power. (3:26)
come our way, nothing good or bad can befall us without His command. Could there be a greater reassurance than this; knowing that the absolute King is always there, so call on Him more frequently, Al Maalik, Al-Maalik, Al-Maalik...
High above all is Allah, The King, the Truth! (20:114) Therefore humankind can also find peace in knowing that when we submit to the One and only King, we should feel assured that whatever difficulties
Shanaz Ali
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Forced marriage warning during the summer holidays
In the early part of this year alone, Foreign Office staff working abroad were called upon to provide assistance in 46 cases of forced marriage. Over half of those cases (52%) involved 1925 year olds and a third (33%) involved under 18s. The majority of cases involved females, but 15% of victims were male.
To raise awareness of the risks and the help available in the run-up to the summer holidays, three hard-hitting films have been developed. They remind young people to speak up if they think they or someone they are close to are in danger. The three short films can be viewed on YouTube;
forced marriage, and seek advice and help before potential victims are taken abroad.
Every day in the unit we see the devastating impact forced marriage has on individuals. Many of the victims who contact us have experienced horrendous sexual and physical violence. http://youtu.be/kJbND8seYhE They endure intense pressure in many Summer holidays are the peak time for forms – whether emotional, financial or young people to be taken overseas and The new Right to Choose campaign aims otherwise. Forced marriage affects many forced into a marriage against their will. to stress that while it might be difficult communities and cultures. to admit that you’re at risk, forced In some cases they are taken on what they have been told is a holiday to visit marriage can and does happen and Contact the Forced Marriage Unit for doing nothing is not the answer. We confidential advice before you travel‌ family abroad, but in fact a marriage want young people and professionals 020 7008 0151 has been planned. working with them to speak out about www.fco.gov.uk/forcedmarriage fmu@fco.gov.uk Twitter #righttochoose
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Hadith It is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad salla Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam said
“Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be: one-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath.” (Tirmidhi, ibn Majah and Hakim)
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How many times do we eat until we can’t eat anymore? It’s probably not a very difficult memory to recall since it happens to so many of us far too often, but, this is something that is disliked and we need to work on.
wellbeing and our spiritual wellbeing, yet many of us take this concept far too lightly.
It’s not new to us that looking after what we eat, and ultimately our physical health, is very important. If we look at the diseases like diabetes and What we eat and how heart failure that are around much we eat is so significant today, we know why keeping Islamically, to both our physical healthy is so important. The most amazing thing about it all though, is what people are now focussing on when it comes
to health and wellbeing, our Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised us about over 1400 years ago, subhanAllah. Our bodies are given to us from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’aala) as an Amaana, a trust. For this reason, it is important to respect our bodies as this itself is honouring the perfect way in which Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) created us. One of the ways we can do this is by eating well, not too much, not too little, and not unhealthily.
previously, you can see that over-eating makes you feel tired. So, when you stand before Allah (swt) in prayer, and you are tired what is the likely chance that you will be able to fully concentrate in your prayer and feel serenity and sincerity? Also, how likely is it that you will feel motivated to pick up the Qur’an and read a few pages, or even just make some dhikr.
Nothing in this world benefits us more than our worship, so we should seek any means to improve the quality of it. Let’s aim to decrease our food intake, and what a better reason to do it than for the sake of Allah (swt). Zaynab Berrada
When you sit and have a large meal, 1. Your body doesn’t need it 2. You gain weight 3. You feel bloated, unhealthy and tired Whilst it may seem strange to prevent yourself from eating too much so that Ever notice that when you eat too much all you are more inclined to perform acts you want to do is sleep or lie down? well of worship, this reason alone should be this essentially is where another problem enough of an encouragement to make lies. How over-eating affects us spiritually. a conscious decision today, right now, to control what goes in your mouth. If you look at point three mentioned
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Muslim Heritage
Fatima Al-Fihri: An Educational Inspiration
When I was asked by Fifteen21 if I wanted to write an article about Fatima Al-Fihri, I said yes but didn’t have a clue as to who she was. I presumed from her name that she was a Muslim female and that her parents had named her after the daughter of Prophet Mohammed (saw). So I hear you ask why I said yes, well in all honesty I said yes because I am what some would call a nerd, I love to learn but what I didn’t know when I said yes to writing this article was that I would find the story of Fatima Al-Fihri truly inspiring. So I’ll share with you Fatima’s story. Fatima was the daughter of Mohammed alFihri, a rich and powerful businessman who moved from Tunisia to Morocco during the reign of the Moroccan King Idriss II to expand his business. When Fatima along with her sister Mariam inherited their fathers’ fortune they vowed to spend their entire inheritance for the benefit of their community. They were young, pious, charitable and highly-educated women with deep love for the Islamic religious sciences and architecture.
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Both sisters decided upon building mosques; Mariam built the Al-Andalus mosque while Fatima built the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque, in the North-western city of Fes in Morocco. Qarawiyyin was the name of the city the family had originally emigrated from in Tunisia to Fes in Morocco. From the launch of the project in the year 857 until its completion two years later Fatima continuously fasted and performed prayers of gratitude to Allah (swt). The Qarawiyyin Mosque became the religious heartbeat of Fes; the official policy of building Islamic colleges around mosques helped it to become an institution that was fundamental in the western axis of Islamic Caliphal lands as a centre of religious worship and study but more essentially as a hub for political and social interactions. The Qarawiyyin attracted intelligent and devoted individuals from all over the Muslim world (and Europe) to study theology and Islamic Law in preparation for positions of power.
education. This transformed the Qarawiyyin Mosque into a university as we understand them to be today and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is the oldest degree-granting university in the world. So for those of you, who start university in September, when you walk through the front gates, remember the name Fatima Al-Fihri, a woman who was known as ‘the Mother of the Children’. An extraordinary woman who has left all of us an everlasting legacy and this is why to me she is an inspiration. Shabina Bi-Baroo
The Qarawiyyin was a corridor for Islam and European cultural convergence of trade and support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine
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Olympics Reflections It was exactly two years ago that I read an article in a magazine on how there was an opportunity to volunteer for the London Olympic Games in 2012. The whole idea appealed to me as I had done volunteer work numerous times in the community but I had never been involved in something to this scale. I applied online and then I was called for an interview in 2011. It was only in the early part of January this year that I was offered the position in Event Services. I volunteered at the Excel Centre in London for one week and what an amazing experience it has been! I was provided training prior to the Games and given my uniform to make sure I was comfortable with it. The trainers, socks, bag everything was given by the Olympic organisers. I volunteered from the 29th July to 14
the 5th August and during this week I realised how important I was to become when I had this uniform on. There was not one journey I had on the tube where I didn’t have a complete stranger talk to me. Every morning I got a wave from the workers at the tube station, and everyone smiling and greeting me and wanting to know what I was involved in and how the games were going.
Whenever I saw another volunteer there was an immediate connection and I would end up talking to them like I had known them for years – we were all united in one cause; to make the games an enjoyable experience for all. My role required me to work in many different areas, such as ticketing, and assigning seats to spectators, helping people who were lost, making sure the right people were passing through the right areas and most importantly working as a team.
(I only realised this afterwards of course). Great people, great experience and I would say this was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.... Would I do it again? Of course....without any hesitation again and again every year. Next games are in 2016, maybe there are some takers for Rio? Shamina Asif
As I was fasting, the team managers really made me feel comfortable allowing regular breaks and designating areas for prayers as well. It was amazing to see the games and award ceremonies and helping people and making sure everything was running smoothly. Of course there were a few famous people that I got to see aswell like the French president and I discovered that one of the people I helped was the minister of Mongolia support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine
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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
Deed of the month: Senseless Smoking You already know all of the facts and figures about smoking tobacco, shisha and cannabis. We find it on billboards, in GP offices, at schools, on cigarette packets and so forth. We know that there are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, over 40 of which are known to cause cancer. We’ve been told that cigarettes can lead to heart disease, emphysema, oral cancer, or stroke. We also know that second-hand smoke causes or aggravates asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems, especially in children. So, from a medical standpoint, we are told we shouldn’t smoke; else we either risk killing ourselves or hurting the people around us.
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So, with so much evidence clearly showing how deadly smoking can be, why are so many of us still willing to take a gamble with our lives (and other’s) and smoke anyway? Is it for social acceptance? Is it because our role models do it? Is it stress, anger or boredom? Once someone begins smoking, for whatever the reason, it then becomes an addiction. Allah (swt) says in the Quran, “O you who believe! Truly, intoxicants and gambling and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan’s doing: avoid it in order that you may prosper. Assuredly Satan desires to sow enmity and hatred among you with intoxicants and gambling, and to
hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist?” (Qur’an 5: 90-91). The word ‘intoxicant’, not only refers to the effect of drinking alcohol or having a harmful stimulation in the brain, but also to poisoning the body. Cigarettes and cannabis (even more of an intoxicant), are poisonous to the body and stimulate our brain in such a way that we become trapped in a cycle of addiction.
who tampers with Allah’s Grace after it has been bestowed on him will find Allah to be stern in punishment.” (Qur’an 2: 211).
of smoking is impossible to overcome, but ironically, it may end up bringing a smoker closer to Allah (swt). By making an intention with Allah (swt) to stop smoking and becoming Choosing to smoke contributes to sincere and steadfast to change, a destroying the beautiful organs within smoker can rely on and trust Allah, our bodies. The Quran tells us “. . . Subhanahu wa ta’ala (may He be make not your own hands contribute glorified and exalted) to help him or to your destruction . . .” (2: 195); “. . . her overcome any addiction (Qur’an nor kill yourselves . . .” (4: 29). Sadly, 13: 11). Remember, that “Allah wishes smoking indulges us in a slow, reckless to accept your repentance, but those act by inhaling poisons. Not to mention, who follow their lusts, wish that you Worryingly, when we choose to smoke, also poisoning the air for those around (believers) should deviate tremendously we essentially forget about Allah (swt). us, who are inhaling the smoke second- away (from the Right Path)” (Qur’an The addiction becomes more important. hand. 4: 27). Look to Allah (swt); don’t let It is impossible to say, ‘Bismillah’ (In the temptations (boredom, stress, or the name of Allah), when we breathe On so many levels, smoking is disastrous acceptance) lead you to a destructive in poisonous chemicals, therefore for our bodies, our Deen (way of life), life of senseless addictions. gambling with our lives. Allah (swt) as well as for the people around us. graced us with our bodies, and “anyone It also seems as though the addiction Michelle Blum
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Healthy Living
Holy Smoke……
Do you offer your salah regularly or at least as regularly as you possibly can? And how often do you read the Qur’an? Now to what extent do you engage in the dhikr of Allah (swt), as often as you are able to? How many of you smoke? More regularly than a chimney? Behind everyone’s back? And worse still, in everyone else’s face… 20
everyone else being us non-smokers, the ones you have turned into passive smokers rather. Bad smells do not attract angels whilst we are praying. In fact, bad smells and state of prayer do not co-exist. You cannot be in a state of wudu if you are unclean. Furthermore, do you have any idea of the damage you are doing to your lungs, your tongue, your teeth, hair, nails, yourself in fact. The very being, You, which Allah (swt) so carefully, so meticulously, created with so much of His Love and Attention – the
You, whom He Created for the sake of His Beloved Messenger Muhammad AlMustapha (saw).
This is the thanks you give by turning your tongue into that which harbours odours when it should be full of the sweetness of His Majesty’s Ism-e-Husn (99 Names) and by turning your lungs into a field where tobacco and nicotine are harvested and thus they become a breeding ground for (Allah forbid!) cancer when the lungs were perfectly designed to breathe the beautiful mercy of oxygen. You engage in that self-harm which is forbidden to us since our life is on loan to us and is His to call back whenever He decides and in the meanwhile what do you have to show for the use you made of the miraculous body which He gave? When you borrow a book from the library, is it acceptable that you return it
in a condition worse than that of when you borrowed it? No, of course not! Why then prepare to send your body back to the earth in an unacceptable state. Why then put your soul in a situation whereby when asked how you kept yourself, your hands bear witness to you lighting the horrific thing, your mouth and tongue bear witness to you inhaling the poisonous vapours and contents and your mind bears witness that you did it because your nafs enjoyed it and your mind succumbed to the temptation of it all? Was the nicotine fix worth it? It won’t be when it’s all over. If you can remember this, then use this as your willpower to stop. Use this as the
reason for you to improve your health by improving your habits and if you don’t want to do it to make mom happy, then do it for the sake of the most perfected being who was Created by the Most Perfect One so that we may perfect ourselves. We have just left the most blessed month of Ramadhan and have been blessed enough to witness the most blessed days of Milad-un-Nabi and Shab-e-Miraaj beforehand; let’s keep the light of Nabi (saw) and the Light of His Creator alive within our hearts and throughout our soul – there’s no place for smoke and no place for darkness.
Saira Nisa is the Founding Director of Living Wellbeing Ltd (www.livingwellbeingltd.com), providing Women’s Motivational Courses, Life & Business Coaching and Personal Development Training, runs Living Wellbeing (www.livingwellbeing.co.uk) and is also a Trainer for a London based firm. Saira is also a member of the Institute of Entrepreneurs and Enterprise. Originally from the West Midlands, born and raised in Birmingham, she now spends her time skilfully enjoying juggling family, friends, work and business between Birmingham and London. support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine
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Quit Smoking Help Available The younger you start smoking, the more damage your body will suffer when you get older. Here are six reasons to quit and eight ways to help yourself do it. 11
You’ll be healthier and less out of breath because smoking decreases your lung capacity.
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You’ll save yourself a packet. Smoking 20 a day for a year costs £2,190.
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You’ll look better. Chemicals in cigarettes restrict blood flow to your skin. Smokers have more wrinkled and saggy faces by the time they’re in their mid-20s.
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Quitting helps save the planet. Deforestation due to tobacco production accounts for nearly 5% of overall deforestation in the developing world, according to research published in the British Medical Journal!
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Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times more likely to die from cancer than someone who starts smoking in their mid-20s.
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The younger you start smoking, the more damage there will be to your body as an adult.
Eight ways to get through quitting OK, enough of the arm twisting. You want to give up, so where do you start?
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Make a deal with good friends to quit. You may find that they want to quit as well.
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It’s very hard to give up by willpower alone. Get all the help you can find: 12 to 18-year-olds get FREE nicotine replacement therapy (patches, sprays, gum) on the NHS. Ask your GP. They won’t be shocked that you’re a smoker.
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Smokers often hate other people quitting, so be prepared for a few put-downs. It’s a good idea to have something ready to say when you’re offered a cigarette. Here are a few suggestions; “Smoking costs me £xxx a year. I’m giving up so I can buy myself a new mobile/driving lessons/iPad.”
“I can’t smoke in my new weekend job so I want to give up.” “I’m taking my sport seriously and I need to give up if I want to be an athlete.”
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Prepare for a tough few days when you first quit. Most people find that the first days are the hardest to cope with. But most of your withdrawal symptoms should subside after the first four weeks. Using nicotine gum and patches (NRT) is the best way to cope with cravings.
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Worried about weight gain while you’re quitting? Load your bag up with low-calorie snacks, such as apple chips, carrot sticks, mints or chewing gum, to get you through the cravings.
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Get your family to support you. Your parents and siblings will be on your side. If they don’t know you smoke, they might freak out at first, but if you tell them you’re quitting they’ll do all they can to help.
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Do your best to stay away from coffee, sugar and sweets while you quit. Studies have shown that these foods can stimulate cigarette cravings.
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And remember, it takes about a month for the nicotine cravings to subside. Take it one day at a time and soon you’ll be smoke free for the rest of your life.
To access your local NHS Stop Smoking Services please visit http://smokefree.nhs.uk/ways-to-quit
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Stories of the Prophets (pbut) Book Reviews & Poetry Inspiring Role Models Muslim Heritage
Eid Gift Campaign for Acorns Hospice and Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Ramadan In The
Community
After a month of struggle and hardship, thirst and hunger, reflection and contemplation, dhikr and supplication, Allah (swt) blesses us with Eid as a time of celebration and respite. On Eid day we celebrate our efforts during Ramadan by enjoying the company of loved ones, by tucking into the limitless supply of food and by marvelling at the sense of unity when joined in Eid prayer at our local mosques. Eid is a time of great anticipation and excitement for children in particular. Children make Eid special. They infect the day with their excitement and force fun upon the adults. But not all children celebrate Eid. Some don’t even know when it takes place. And not all children are healthy or particularly happy on Eid day either. Every child deserves to be happy and carefree and although we knew it would be impossible to achieve this aim, at least on Eid day we could say we had helped make a difference. The Eid Gift Campaign was launched by 5 friends (SAAUM) who wanted to make Eid magical for sick children specifically at Acorns Hospice (for the terminally ill) and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Through the support of Islamic Relief and Carrs Lane Church, we launched our campaign at the beginning of Ramadan.
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The idea was simple – ask for gift donations and give them out on or near Eid day. But the reality was a little more complicated as the hospitals had strict guidelines that the gifts must be brand new, packaged, not too big and nut free. In addition, the focus of SAAUM was on children over the age of 9, who often received the least gift donations. We were worried; would people be put off by all these rules and requests?
Alhamdulillah, the opposite was the case. Over the month of Ramadan, we were inundated with gifts. Generous people from not only Birmingham but all over the UK sent in their donations. We had enquiries from as far as Northern Ireland and gifts of all shapes and sizes. We received toys, puzzles, arts and crafts kits, clothes, board games, books, films, vouchers and so much more. It took us over two hours to sort through the gifts and a lot of fun ‘testing’ out a few – for quality control purposes of course! On Tuesday the 21st August we held the Eid Gift handover. Birmingham Children’s Hospital were thrilled with the generosity of the donations and assured us that the children would be equally as excited if not more once they got their hands on the gifts (we couldn’t meet the children due to hospital regulations). Acorns Hospice was our next stop but due to the death of a young patient, we had to rearrange the hand over. This is the reality of so many young children and their families which is why the Eid Gift Campaign was so special.
Allah (swt) not only tests us through sickness or good health but also with the remembrance of the poor or needy. We hope that through this campaign, everyone involved and in particular the generous donors will have helped put a beautiful smile on a child’s face and pleased Allah (swt) in the process. Thank you to everyone for their support. Sophia Begum, Aisha Iqbal, Absa Hashmi, Usman Siddiqui and Mustakim Waid SAAUM – Birmingham
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Ramadan In The
Dine @ Mine
Community I took part in Dine @ Mine to allow an opportunity for a non-Muslim to experience breaking fast and share iftaar with my family. I believe it is essential that we as Muslims extend our hospitality and host non-Muslims to demonstrate the true beauty of Ramadan, our Deen and be neighbourly. As I was already part of Ramadan Festival in leading the ‘Feeding the Homeless’ project, I extended the weekly Soup Kitchen I run in London into Ramadan. This involved feeding the homeless on the streets, providing cooked food to homeless centres and children’s homes and collecting food, clothes & toiletry items to distribute. I was very keen to extend this work with my family and allow my family to be involved in helping a non-Muslim learn more about Ramadan. 28
I hosted iftaar for two nights. The first night I had two guests attend from a varied background and the couple were great company. The second night I had my second guest. She was extremely interested in learning more about Islam, my mum enjoyed discussing food with her and I realised how much I had in common with my guests.
My first guests had a general overview of what Ramadan is and we spent the evening discussing Ramadan in more detail and in particular the spiritual aspect of abstaining and focusing on your Creator. They said, ‘It’s not often you get a chance like this at such an important time for Muslims. I was hoping for a better appreciation of what it means to deny yourself food and water during daylight hours for a month as part of a global community sharing that experience. Being strict vegetarian, I wasn’t sure whether the breaking of a long and difficult fast was a good time to visit, but I figured my prospective hosts could make that decision. I really appreciate the hospitality Nurjahan and her family gave us - the food and company were wonderful.’
Every Muslim family could very easily invite their non-Muslim neighbours over for a meal and not wait for Ramadan or another Dine @ Mine to showcase that we care for our neighbours, we want our neighbors to learn about Muslims and we are in fact interested in building bridges within our communities. I hope this will help inspire, educate and motivate others to do something similar and more often! InshAllah.
Nurjahan Khatun
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29
Ramadan In The
What Legacy would Allah (swt) be happy with?
Community
Never before has the Olympics in the modern era coincided with the Islamic month of Ramadan. The Faith Associates team wanted to maximise the potential rewards from Allah (swt) this year by working on what it knew best; helping and supporting mosques in the UK who host fantastic iftars and combining this with the 1000’s of visiting Muslims and non-Muslims who were planning to come
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to the UK, to watch and participate in the The events were part of a special London 2012 Olympics. This is where the programme where participating mosques Iftar 2012 concept came from. opened their doors to the general public (Muslim, non-Muslim and those with no Olympic athletes from around the world faith) and teams of athletes during the were just some of the special guests month of Ramadan, inviting them to join welcomed into British mosques as part the traditional fast-breaking ‘iftar’ feast. of the Iftar 2012 programme during The iftar events gave visitors a chance to the Olympic Games. They included enjoy Ramadan with local British Muslim Tahmina Kohistani, the 100m sprinter and communities, and experience the cultural Afghanistan’s 1st female Olympic athlete, mix of mosques around the UK as well Shehab Younis, an Egyptian swimmer, as a huge range of culinary dishes from Darren Cheeseman, a Team GB hockey Asia, Africa, Europe, the near and far player and members of the Somalian East. Olympic team. Other guests at different events included James Brokenshire, Bernard Hogan-Howe joined Egyptian Minister from the Home office with his Olympic athletes and coaches at senior staff, Bernard Hogan-Howe, Harrow Central Mosque, where he Commissioner of the Metropolitan police gave a speech and spent time talking and the most senior police officer in to the congregation. Shehab Younis, the the UK, American embassy staff and Egyptian swimmer commented, “This is Barbara J Stephenson, Deputy Chief of the first time I have been outside my Mission at the US Embassy in London. country and I have been amazed at how
the Iftar 2012 programme has gathered together people from so many different communities and put on something in our honour.”
asking us what motivated us to do Iftar 2012 and thanking us for hosting their Olympians.
Mr Jan Alam Hussaini, the chief of the Afghan Olympic delegation, also remarked at an event in Palmers Green, “We are going through a difficult time in our country and we ask the community to pray for our country. The Olympics is about peace and solidarity which is reflected in Iftar 2012. The hospitality extended to us has really made us feel welcome and honoured to be here.”
Working with UK government departments, the London Olympic Organising Committee, national Olympic authorities, embassies, athlete’s agents, athletes, Islamic Relief and mosque officials and various community groups to pull this programme together was a huge challenge. With the Help of Allah (swt) and with the support of the around mosques, gave out dawah materials and cleaned up afterwards just youth we managed to make it happen. Alhamdulillah. in time for Taraweeh prayer.
The Muslim scout’s fellowship was one of the supporting teams that worked with Faith Associates to deliver the programme. Mashallah the youth and the scout leaders, both brothers and sisters were tremendous in delivering the 1000’s of meals during Ramadan. They helped with security, directing non-Muslims
In almost every event there was media from around the world, covering Iftar 2012 and how the British Muslim community had extended its warm hospitality. Iftar 2012 was covered by the BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, CBN, NBC, New York Times and many more. We received calls from around the world
Shaukat Warraich
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Ramadan In The
Interfaith Iftaar: Fasting and Feasting with the Faithful
Community Ramadan completely consumes the life of millions of Muslims across the world for 2930 days each and every year. Everything that Muslims do is either influenced by or in aid of strengthening the spiritual connection to the Holy month. From fasting between dawn and dusk, increasing our prayers exponentially, giving generously in charity, being kind to strangers to the not so spiritual but equally fulfilling pastime of stuffing ourselves to the brim with lush food sent by friends, family and neighbours - everything is about Ramadan. Our spiritual experiences and sense of community during Ramadan is uplifting and priceless; yet we fail to successfully share the best of Ramadan with others beyond our immediate Muslim communities and for this reason I felt it important to organise a simple interfaith Iftaar which would welcome and unite the diverse multi-faith community in Birmingham on the talking point of fasting.
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The Interfaith Iftaar: Fasting and Feasting with the Faithful attracted a diverse group of people, some of whom even observed a Muslim fast for the day. Ramadan was central to the discussion of the evening however to encourage two way learning, guest speakers from different faiths were also asked to share insights into fasting from their faiths. The formal section of the evening was hosted by Faeeza Vaid (Muslim Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Network UK) and began with the recitation and translation of Surah Al-Fatiha by Dr Rizwan Syed (Islamic Society of Britain), after which guests heard about the purpose of Ramadan through an engaging and interactive talk by Dr Hany El-Banna (founder of Islamic Relief). Having heard about fasting in Islam, guests then listened to the fasting traditions in Christianity (Rev Ray Gaston), Buddhism (Yann Lovelock) and
Hinduism (Ravi Ladva). The formal session was closed with a collective prayer led by Dr Rizwan Syed (ISB) and beautiful Adhaan recitation by Adil Riaz. To cap off the night of learning and reflection, guests stomachs were tantalised by an array of Moroccan cuisine and their ears smoothed by the harmonious music of SilkRoad.
Overall, it was a night of good will and unity made perfect through the development of new friendships and positive feedback from guests. One guest in particular made the event worthwhile after sharing his reflection on Islam; which had completely changed due to his personal experience of the evening. AlHamdulillah!
Aisha Iqbal - SAAUM, Birmingham support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine
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Dua for Forgiveness
Allahumma In-nee a-toobu ilayka minha la ar-ji-u ilayhaa abada. O Allah, I repent before You for all my sins and I promise never to return to the same (again) Rumaysa Malik
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on
Kiswahili Türkçe
Scottish Charity No. SC027690
helpline@mwrc.org.uk
A Day in the Life ofâ&#x20AC;Ś
Prophet Muhammed (saw)
Of the five greatest Prophets, Ibn Kathir says that Prophet Ibrahim (as) is the second greatest, with Muhammed (saw) being the first. Husband to Sarah (ra) and Hajar (ra), and father to Ismail (as) and Ishaaq (as), Ibrahim (as) is mentioned in seventy-three places and in twenty-five surahs in the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an.
traditions behind, Ibrahim (as) attempted to bring the rest of the people in his society to the right path, but they too preferred their idols. He eventually became sick with his people worshipping something other than their true Creator and so one day, when the people had left the town for a As a young man, under the age of sixteen, he began his wedding celebration, the young Ibrahim (as) took an axe dawah with his father, whose name was Azar, and who and destroyed all of the idols leaving only the largest one like the rest of the people in his homeland was an idol untouched. When the people returned he explained that it worshipper. But Ibrahim (as) was firm in his belief in the was the largest idol which had destroyed the others out of Oneness of Allah (swt) and despite social pressures and jealousy. This was in order to make the people contemplate. prevalent views, dedicated himself to spreading the Due to his beliefs and attempts to bring people to Islam, message of Allah (swt). When Azar rejected his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dawah Ibrahim (as) was driven out of his homeland with nobody but and threatened to stone him to death for leaving his own his nephew Lut (as). 36
Years later Ismail (as) was born, and after being separated Allah (swt) blessed only Prophet Ibrahim (as) with the title from his son by the command of Allah (swt), Ibrahim (as) of ‘Friend of Allah’ and made it so that every Prophet after returned to Ismail (as) when he was old enough for them to him was from his direct lineage. travel together, telling him that they had been commanded to build the house of Allah (swt) near to the well of zamzam; the Ka’bah. The place where it was built, or rebuilt according to some has been a Holy place since the time of Prophet Adam (as), with angels making pilgrimage to the site even then. It was to be a symbol of tawheed, of the religion of Ibrahim (as), and a representation of the right path among the many wrong ones being followed. We see that the dua of Ibrahim (as) for flocks of people to love this city (Makkah) and to come to it was certainly fulfilled, with the site of the Ka’bah being said to hold the largest congregation of people in the world at any one time, in any one place. Despite all the blessings of the anbiya (scholars),
“
“
The place where it was built, or rebuilt according to some has been a Holy place since the time of Prophet Adam (as), with angels making pilgrimage to the site even then.
Iimaan Ismail
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Islamic Relief’s NASHEED FACTOR 2012 Scotland’s Biggest Vocal Competition Is Live!
Nasheed Factor is ready to take the nation by storm! Originally an idea of a Nasheed enthusiast, who always wished to share his beautiful talent, Nasheed Factor has now become one of the most anticipated contests of the year, giving adults and children the platform to showcase their vocal talent to elevate the faith in the hearts of the community. Not only that but Nasheed Factor was originally produced for the purpose of
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raising funds for Islamic Relief’s One Safe Village Appeal, where families do not have the resources or opportunities to have the same lifestyle which we experience, so we are singing …….. for the poor, to ensure that their voices, struggles and hardships are heard and not forgotten. The Nasheed Factor has been extended to showcase a variety of faith-based talent, Nasheeds, Naats, Hamds, Poetry and Quran Recitation. Scotland-wide city auditions have already kick-started which will be followed by the live semifinals and a grand finale! Now is the time to apply. Nasheed Factor has been endorsed, encouraged
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backed by many Nasheed artists and role models such as Labbayk, Kamal Uddin, Native Deen, Outlandish, Shaam, Junaid Jamshed, Maher Zain, Khaleel Muhammad, Hassan Rasool, Ahmed Hussain and others.
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We have witnessed an array of talent competitions, ones that grow wide scale popularity and showcase mind-blowing talent. But we have yet to witness a talent competition which promotes morality, peace, love, charity and humanity ….. up until now.
and backed by many Nasheed artists and role models such as Labbayk, Kamal Uddin, Native Deen, Outlandish, Shaam, Junaid Jamshed, Maher Zain, Khaleel Muhammad, Hassan Rasool, Ahmed Hussain and others. With many artists willing to come on as the celebrity judging panel, who will it be? Time will tell! Mosques and Islamic societies in Scotland are also busy promoting Nasheed Factor, and the word is spreading fast! Looks like this will be one of the most memorable competitions to hit Scotland! It’s buzzing and exciting; with contestants already applying throughout Scotland and England also! With the added feature of being able to upload your video audition online we have had applicants nationwide. The winners of each category will gain the opportunity to record their own vocal piece in a professional recording studio with a top vocalist producer to mix and record their own CD’s. An adults and a children’s
winner will be chosen from each of the three categories: Nasheeds, Naats & Hamds, Poetry and Quran Recitation. The Nasheed Factor team hope it will not be highly competitive – but instead more fun, professional and powerful. Reach for success and shine to represent the poor – the search for fresh talent is on! Through our talent, soul, voice and deen – we can provide many unfortunate people with a new life and new hope, and that is the biggest gift you can give anyone. Apply through www.nasheedfactor.co.uk See you at the final! Find us on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube!
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Nominate a Role Model! Over the past 5 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 letters@fifteen21.com with the following details;
e m a il N a l l m u E F e ls er / d b o m M u N le e o n n R o o h s r P e • p ct s a i t h n t o t ou b • C k n o w n ) a u yo s f i e ( r i p ins t s) a d r h o W 0w 5 • 1 x ma (
We look forward to receiving your nominations! 40
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How are you? I am well after the long summer rest and amazing Eid Festival.
Muslim Role-Models Saleha Begum Poet and Artist 42
Congratulations on your new book, what is it about and how can we get our hands on a copy!
How was Ramadan this year for Thank you very much, the book is you? called Ruptures and Fragments, it’s a collection of poetry that It was difficult yet so peaceful, deals with human emotions in its walking around Aston and raw state, it’s truthful, personal Lozells. There was a feeling of and sociological. Despite it being calmness; it sure was a beautiful very personal to me, it is not atmosphere. necessarily about me. Rather the language and the creative What do you do? nuances serve as a medium to dissect human experiences in I work as a cover supervisor at relation to the world and how we a secondary school, covering are linked to one another. You different subjects in the absence see there is beauty in pain and of the regular teacher. I love we live in paradoxes and I’m no working in a school. The kids different. I think I’ll leave some are amazingly inspiring though ambiguity here and tease you a I am often mentally drained by little! the end of the day. As well as writing and performing poetry, You can find the book in I also paint and do illustrations Waterstones, or order it online for books. I am working on an from Amazon or http://www. exhibition for my art work, so fast-print.net/bookshop/1095/ watch this space! ruptures-and-fragments.
not leave me alone until I accepted it. It’s I’m being biased, being Muslim I like now become my purpose and my journey. Arabic but looking into it, it is one of the oldest languages in the world, as with Do you have any tours lined up in the Hebrew. UK? What is your success down to? I am performing at the ‘Phenomenal women’ event on the 8th of September Hard work, consistency and enduring the at the Library theatre, Birmingham where stresses of life; you never really stop, it’s I will also be signing my book ‘Ruptures about inner fulfilment. I believe happiness and Fragments’. I will also be performing is far more important than success. at the Drum, the date is still to be You can also like my facebook confirmed and on the 22nd of January Any advice for budding poets? page https://www.facebook.com/ 2013, I’ll be the guest poet for the Poetry rupturesandfragments and have a look Bites at the Kitchen Garden Café in Anyone can become a poet; you do not at my blog http://www.poeticous.com/ Birmingham. need a degree in Literature, though it ruptures may help, but the real question is do you What were your dreams and aspirations have a message, do you have something How did you become interested in as you were growing up? to convey to the world? You see it’s poetry? the soul that writes, seeking to express I wanted to back-pack and travel across its current state through language in Poetry romanticizes even the most painful Europe by myself and meet amazing the hope that human beings will come of experiences, going deep into the people. together and understand, all else is just human condition. Finding truths and techniques and devices and decorated revelations of one self, it’s a process which What is your favourite language in the words. is both frightening and cathartic. My own world and why? writing came as if by force and it would support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine
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How are you?
thirsty but otherwise I can’t complain. There are people in the world who Not too bad I must say Alhamdulillah live without food and water for days. Alhamdulillah we are blessed that as How was Ramadan this year for soon as the sun starts setting we can you? enjoy breaking our fasts. This year it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. The thing I most struggled with is probably being
Muslim Role-Models Faizah Essat aka Roslyn Blu - Poet I love because I love meeting and talking to people. I’m also a director of a community interest company called Communities Big Fish Little Fish also known as Innervibe. At the moment we are running a campaign called ‘Sexual and Consumer Exploitation in Mainstream Media and Music’, so myself and other people at Innervibe travel 44
What do you do? Hairdressing is my profession which
from city to city doing work shops raising awareness about the effects on society in regards to the sexualisation of men, women and children. Not only do we talk about the effects but also the root causes of it and we also like to explore solutions with our audiences. How did you become interested in poetry and what is your favourite poem? I’ve always been interested in poetry from as far as I can remember. I loved reading poetry at school and I can’t really say what my favourite
poem is. I could write a whole list! but if I had to choose one it would be ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou. Also because I am mixed raced I always related to the poem ‘Half Caste’ by John Agard. Did you attend the recent Olympic Games in London? No I did not. But I did enjoy watching them on TV.
so always wanted world peace. I think now my dreams and aspirations are to just raise awareness to people of what is really going on in the world and to wake up to the lies that I feel we have been fed by our governments, by the institutions and by the media. What achievements are you most proud of?
No. I’m still quite shy when it comes to performing.
The ones where I have literally been pushed into the deep end and come out swimming. These are my very personal achievements but I’d like to say to anyone, don’t ever doubt yourself, when we limit ourselves we cannot achieve.
What were your dreams and aspirations as you were growing up?
Do you offer workshops on poetry in schools?
I personally feel that I am still growing up and will always be. But probably as a young child I was a bit of a hippy,
No not at this moment but that would definitely be a great thing for young people to get involved in.
Do you have any tours lined up in the UK?
What further aspirations do you have? Right now I would like to travel and explore the world and experience different cultures. Where’s the best place that poetry has taken you? I’d say poetry has probably taken me out of a dark place. So that in itself was the best thing that happened to me. Any advice for budding poets? Keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t get put off because remember no one is the best poet in the world. We are all unique and we all have our own unique way of expressing ourselves. That’s the beautiful thing about poetry; there are no rules when it comes to self expression and creativity.
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able to witness another one, may we live to see many more and be closer to Allah (swt) throughout our lives, and not just in Ramadan and be strong in Imaan. We have so many of Allah’s (swt) Blessings and Mercy around us, you can literally ‘feel’ them; the time with family, friends and loved ones is priceless. But always How are you? and particularly at the time of Ramadan I always feel helpless. Helpless because I Alhamdulillah, I am very well, just know that there are many, many brothers come back from a busy day at work. and sisters out there, that are fasting days I work with children, a very tiring but on end, with no clean water or food, and rewarding job. I always come home we sit down to these extravagant meals smiling and the children always make and eat until we cannot eat no more! One your day, even when you have a day, I would love to go and travel the hundred thoughts on your mind, the world, and help these young souls, make children always seem to make you them crack a smile. I work with children, forget them. Their innocence and so for me it would be great to go and cheeky nature always brighten the help my brothers and sisters that are dullest of days and moods! suffering and in hardships. I would love to just relieve them, pass loving words How was Ramadan this year for and embrace them with a hug, just so you? they know, we are here, they are in our constant dua’s and we will support them. Alhamdulillah, Ramadan was a blessing May Allah (swt) accept all our dua’s, and Alhamdulillah again for being charity and good deeds. Ameen.
Muslim Role-Models Bushra Hussain Poet
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I became interested in poetry by accident. It was my first day at college and seeing the hustle and bustle, the parents, teachers, students and how we form friendships suddenly, I began jotting down some lines and rhyming words, and before I knew it I wrote a poem; it was short, but it told a story, of what I was doing at that stage in my life and what I needed to be focusing on. Since then, I have written many poems over the years, about life, goals, friends, family, the miracles of Allah (swt), and my favourite poem I ever wrote was a poem for my mother. I had it translated into Urdu for me, when my mother read it, her tears just flowed. I’ll never forget that day; my mother means a lot to me, she is my inspiration every day, mashAllah. Other poems I have written no-one has read, more like my thoughts. I like to sit down some evenings and just write from the top of my head, try it honestly, its fab! And it doesn’t have to rhyme; it’s a way of expression, a talent.
Any advice for young budding poets? Write from your heart and mind, write what you feel, what you’re passionate about, what motivates you, your goals, dreams and who your inspiration is, and just be yourself. Writing poetry doesn’t mean it has to rhyme, just structure it well, open and close poems on the same theme; this is what I like to do! There are many options available on the internet, social networking and poetry classes for you to attend and find a poetry buddy. Start your journey, simply by writing a few lines; ‘your mind will write.’ Open your imagination and let it flow through your pen.
“
I like to sit down some evenings and just write from the top of my head, try it honestly, its fab!
“
How did you become interested in poetry and what is your favourite poem?
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Muslim Profiles – Readers Choice
Usman Shabbir
What do you do? Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, currently I am a student at the University of Bradford studying peace studies but I’m hoping to specialise in conflict resolution. Peace studies are a mix of law, politics, history, creative writing, international relations and development to name just a few. As Islam means Peace I found this course a natural step forward to increase my knowledge and to make the best use of it.
What do you like about your work?
I started off volunteering for the Pakistani Society at university. We collectively helped raise over £3.000 for various causes including flood victims of Pakistan, Maha appeal and a charity based in Yorkshire which aims to stop human trafficking. On top of that I volunteered with Human Relief in which we climbed Mount Snowden for Syria which we raised an incredible £8,000. I am setting up a new society at university next year; it’s called Salaam Shalom. We Peace studies is a hidden gem along are in the early stages of this society with the only Peace museum in the UK but we intend to show that Islam and which is also in Bradford. In the world Judaism have more similarities than today we see too much pain, too differences. We intend to engage much hatred and too much suffering with the Jewish community on various day in day out. This condition will not levels. We intend to create safe change until we change ourselves so environments where we can learn and I’m just trying to spark that change debate effectively about culture and by contributing to the community by religious texts. sharing the peace and love. 48
Who do you admire?
Jannat al Firdous.
All praise is due to God. I admire all the Prophets, peace be upon them all. Prophet Muhammad (saw) is a person who I hugely admire and is the role model I look to. My parents are due credit, I am who I am today only due to their upbringing and love and I feel so blessed.
What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle that you have overcome?
If you were granted one wish, what would it be? A wish is a wish so here is mine; my wish is for the entire Ummah to be granted
My biggest challenge has to be when I volunteered for PeaceJam. It was a gruelling weekend in which we were showing the way of peace to over 200 kids. I met several kids from Norway who I felt for and it was rewarding to help the peacemakers of tomorrow. Nominated by Aisha Yasmin
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Food for the Soul Pope VS Mufti Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all Muslims had to convert to Catholicism or leave Italy. There was a huge outcry from the Muslim community, so the Pope offered a deal. He’d have a religious debate with the leader of the Muslim community. If the Muslims won, they could stay in Italy, and if the Pope won, they’d have to convert or leave. The Muslim people met and picked an aged and wise Mufti to represent them in the debate.
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However, as the Mufti spoke no Italian, and the Pope spoke no Arabic, they agreed that it would be a “silent” debate. On the chosen day the Pope and Mufti sat opposite each other.
Next, the Pope waved his finger around his head. The Mufti pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope brought out a communion wafer and a chalice of wine.
The Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers.
The Mufti pulled out an apple.
The Mufti looked back and raised one finger.
With that, the Pope stood up and declared himself beaten and said that
Then, I waved my finger around my head to get out of Italy, so I gave him the to show him that God was all around us. finger.
the Maulana was too clever.
He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God was also right here with us.
Then he tells me that the whole country would be cleared of Muslims and I told him that we were staying right here!”
I pulled out the wine and wafer to show that God absolves us of all our sins.
“And then what?” asked a woman.
The Muslims could stay in Italy.
He pulled out an apple to remind me of the original sin.
Later the cardinals met with the Pope and asked him what had happened.
He beat me at every move and I could not continue!”
The Pope said, “First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity.
Meanwhile, the Muslim community gathered to ask the Mufti how he’d won.
“I haven’t a clue,” the Mufti said. He responded by holding up a single finger to remind me there is still only one “First, he told me that we had three days God!
“Who knows?” said the Mufti. “He took out his lunch so I took out mine. And then he walked away!” Nusayba Malik
To contribute any jokes, brain-teasers or short stories to this page email letters@fifteen21.com
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Masjids Around The World Masjid Negara (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Built 1965
Capacity 15,000
Seven years after Malaysia gained independence from the British, Masjid Negara (National Mosque) was built in the capital of Malaysia in 1965. This distinctive masjid made out of reinforced concrete was designed by UK architect Howard Ashley and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim. The building is uniquely designed with a 73 metre tall minaret and a main dome which resembles a semi-opened blue umbrella. The main dome has 18 points which symbolises the 5 pillars of Islam and the 13 states of Malaysia. The masjid has a further 48 smaller domes. The design of the masjid is based upon the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The masjid has a capacity of 15,000 people and has facilities for both men and women. The area surrounding the main dome is covered in marble flooring and numerous fountains. The masjid is located amongst 13 acres of beautiful gardens.
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The first Prime Minister of Malaysia chose to locate the masjid close to the Mughal styled Railway Station and its headquarters. Both these buildings were built by the British during colonial times. The stark contrast between the dome covered Mughal buildings and the modern design of Masjid Negera implied that a newly independent Malaysia was ambitious and not influenced by the past. The bold design was a symbol of the aspirations of a newly independent Malaysia. Standing at the front of the masjid you can see the progress Malaysia has made in just over 50 years. The masjid may not be the largest masjid in Southeast Asia but it is a significant one because it marked the beginning of an independent Malaysia with Islam as its national religion.
Zeeshan Arif
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Book Review 54
The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne Du Maurier
As soon as I held this book and saw Daphne Du Mauriersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; name, I suddenly became nostalgic as I remembered reading what is now one of my favourite books of all time; Rebecca. I was eager to read this novel to see if she would be able to retain such mastery of atmosphere, tension and intrigue as she was able to do in Rebecca. I was not disappointed!
This novel is in first person, as was Rebecca, allowing Du Maurier to unfold events in the eyes of the protogonist, Armino Fabbio, a courier who lives a mundane life sheparding tourists around Italy. Whilst on one of his itineraries, on Sunshine Tours, Armino is suddenly confronted with a murder that could have been prevented. He later realises that the murder was of a close friend who he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen in 20 years. This guilt and discovery takes Armino running back to the streets of his childhood. I felt that the beginning was disappointedly predictable, but Du Maurier later on uses this to her advantage as she manipulates the reader to predict all throughout the novel and fear the worst, but the slow revelation of detail establishes that the worst has yet to come.
The novel is scattered with rich description of the small town, Ruffano. He realises that in a matter of 20 years that things have significantly altered but at the same time how some places and people have not changed one bit! Du Marier casually drops in shocking revelations, scandalous brutality and explicit language that kept my jaw dropped open. This novel is intricately woven with suspense that you have to read the book to merely understand my cryptic analysis.
Samina Kauser
UK Riots
Shabz
poetry
It all started with the killing of Mark Duggan A black man from Tottenham They say he fired at police, so they fired back Some would say self-defence it’s what anyone would do if under attack But later the IPCC found Mark Duggan didn’t shoot first His family shocked, angered, the decision controversial Family protested in a Saturday demanding answers For 5 hours no police gave them what they demanded
All hell broke loose in Tottenham Shops looted, cars burned, houses damaged, how could this happen?
The future of tomorrow Families, business owners, community leaders watched, hearts filled with sorrow
5 generations 1 furniture store stood Burnt to the ground, all that remained was rubble and wood Its hard to believe That in a matter of seconds and minutes someone could do this
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Spoken word poet and Lyricist
The owner was obviously heartbroken and devastated He’s had his fair share of losses but this he could never anticipated Not just him but all shop owners whose shops got damaged Through looting, rioting, burning, it was total manic Everyone was in a state of panic They all thought this was sick Enough was enough people screamed They wanted it to stop so the children could sleep Shops just a few doors away, there were burning A woman even jumped out of a window. Amazing
This wasn’t London, it looked more like Iraq Cars burning, shops looted, firemen and police under attack Families trapped above in burning flats From a protest how had it come to that? Thankfully no one had died yet That’s the one thing we all dread Then the riots soon spread to Manchester, Bristol, Gloucester, & Salford Everything was attacked, from Currys to Halfords Eventually they came to Birmingham All hell broke loose in what I thought was a safe haven Like the rest I myself am a youth I can relate to what they’re going through And why they do what they do Yet you don’t see me smashing shops, being part of the anarchy Cos I put pen to paper, show you with my poetry Tell you how it is stating reality Anyway back in Birmingham it’s Ramadan Out of the masjid come three young lads They felt it was a moral, ethical, national and Islamic duty To protect their community
The three lads were Haroon, Shahzad & Musavir All martyred in this blessed month, no longer here We call them martyrs for they gave their lives for this community After the deaths, their father called for peace and unity They all died protecting the masjids, properties, and community In the eyes of Allah they are Insha’Allah Shaheed We ask Allah to forgive their sins and grant them paradise Where in palaces of gold and silver they will reside And watch birds fly Why did it take the deaths of three young Asian guys For us to realize Enough was enough and people were dying before our eyes Parents snatched of their precious prize Soon rumours spread that the two brothers had died Which turned out to be a wicked, evil lie The family hurt, broken, could have easily asked for revenge Which if answered would have resulted in more deaths But no, uncle Tariq Jahan bought peace and unity In the community So no other family can grieve like his did They wanted peace They got peace As we came together as one Blacks, Whites, Asians gathered to remember our sons
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We will all die but many still ask why Oh god why oh why did this happen We’re still struggling to come to terms with this Painful like our wrists have been slit 20,000 turned out to bid farewell To three heroes, martyrs, gentlemen who had done well One recently got married and was expecting his first child The child will grow up without a father, it’s crazy, I know it’s wild The child will ask one day, “mummy, where’s daddy?” To which she’ll reply he died for me, you, our masjid and community I don’t know about you but I was disgusted at the scenes Watching in horror what the TV Showed me I couldn’t comprehend, believe, or perceive, That this was taking place in my community We will get through this together Although the mental scars may remain forever Shops can be repaired, stock replenished, The scenes of the riots will never vanish 58
It is what we shall remember forever The few days that our community suffered terror At the hands of mindless copycat thugs Who are nothing but mugs Birmingham is our community and our city It’s a place I passionately love and believe in I was born in Birmingham I was bred in Birmingham I was educated in Birmingham I will live in Birmingham I will die in Birmingham It all started with the killing of Mark Duggan A black man from Tottenham They say he fired at police, so they fired back Some would say self-defence it’s what anyone would do if under attack
Chocolate Flapjacks (10 cakes)
Need: • 80g soft brown sugar • 110g butter or margarine • 250g oats (e.g. porridge oats) • 110g dark chocolate • 3 tablespoons of golden syrup • Pinch of salt
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F.
oven. Remove after 18 minutes (check after 12 minutes) when the flapjacks have Put the butter or margarine in a pan over turned a light golden brown. a low heat and stir until it’s melted. Add the sugar and golden syrup and stir until Leave to cool for 5 minutes then cut into it is all dissolved into a sticky liquid. slices, but leave the slices in the tray. Melt the chocolate in a bowl immersed in Take the pan off the heat and add the warm water. oats, stirring them in with a spoon. It’s easier to add the oats bit by bit. Pour the chocolate over the flapjacks as evenly as possible and place them in the Add the salt and give a final stir. Spoon fridge for an hour. the mixture into a non-stick tray and spread it out evenly. Enjoy! Place the baking tray in the pre-heated 60
Najma Khan
Indian Lentil Soup/Dhaal (serves 4)
Need: • 2 Cups split lentils, sorted and rinsed • 6 Cups water • 1/2 tsp Ginger, crushed • 1/2 tsp Garlic, crushed • 1/2 tsp Red chili powder • 1/4 tsp Turmeric • 1/2 tsp Salt • 2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves, chopped • 2 small whole green chillis, chopped
Bring the water to boil in a pan (large enough to hold the water, with enough space to add the lentils) Add the lentils and all the other ingredients to the water, except salt, coriander and green chilli. You can also add chopped fresh tomatoes if you wish (quartered). Let it cook for 15 minutes Add salt and green chili and let it boil for one minute Garnish with coriander and serve hot Perfect for the colder days!
Rifat Ambreen
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