fifteen21 - Issue 9 by Fozia Parveen

Issue 09

November 2012

Prophet Yahya (AS) Make Islam YOUR Rock!

King Abrahah Youth Mental Health

Gaza Crisis

Aminah Assilimi

Aftab Malik

Enterprise Week

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 Common 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

Editorial Fozia Parveen

Dear Readers Asalamu Alaykum!

in the UK who are being sexually exploited by gangs, many of whom suffer longterm physical, psychological and emotional harm as a result of this abuse. We continue with ‘Young Minds: Youth Mental Health’ exploring the different types of anxiety, its symptoms, and triggers.

Happy New Islamic Hijri Year (1434 AH)! May this New Year be full of peace, blessings and joy for all. Ameen. May the recognition of Palestine as a state give them new hope, resilience and faith, for a better future, Want to set up your own and one day, true peace business or worried about prevail. Ameen. your health? This month saw In this month learn about the launch of Enterprise the life of Prophet Yahya Week as well as Diabetes (peace be upon him); his Awareness Week; learn to life, his character and death, be both business and health be amazed and inspired savvy, and we’ve thrown in by the achievements of the some tips on managing your late Aminah Assilimi and time more effectively with for the writers amongst sister Zaynab Amatullah, to you, discover how to get get the most out of your day your work published with inshAllah. award winning authors and publishers, Suma Din, Aftab Why didn’t the elephant cross the road? Find out Malik, and Sufiya Ahmed! on page 36. This issue We return to the terrible is packed full of your plight of young children favourites including Masjids

Around the World, Poems, Reviews, Duas, Stories and Recipes. The Prophetic example is to show the full spectrum of human emotions; happiness, grief, excitement, anxiety; we are all in some state of mild depression sometimes. What people are seeking is uplifting, a reviving of the heart, and what is really needed is treating spiritual sickness. The hearts natural abode is happiness, since our ruhs (spirit) natural abode is the company of The Gracious, Al-Rahman. But how can one return to happiness? Through the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah (SWT), commemorating, celebrating and reminding humanity of God (SWT). Always look for the good in others. With peace

Contents 06-07 08 09 10-11 12 13 14-18 19 20-21 22-23 24-25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34 35

Prophet Yahya (AS) One Hundred Less One: Al-Mumin – The Faithful Muslim Youth Helpline Muslim Heritage - Aminah Assilimi Help! I’m a Teenager - War Zone Childline Young Minds - Anxiety Childline Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation Barnardo’s: Be Aware, Keep Safe Deed of the Month: Make Islam your Rock! Healthy Living - Enterprising Youth Hadith: Beat Procastination Diabetes in Children The 4 Ts of Diabetes Dua for the New Islamic Year Fifteen21 Magazine

36-37 38 39 40-41 42-43 44 45 46-47 48-50 51 52-53 54-55 56-57 58-59 60-61 62 63

A Day in the Life of…Prophet Muhammed (saw) Nominate a Role Model! In the Next Issue Nasheed Factor Grand Finale 2012 Gaza’s Crisis Continues Child of Terror Play Poetry - Gaza Poem Muslim Role Models - Suma Din Muslim Role Models - Aftab Mailik Mughal India Exibition Mughal Women and Literature Muslim Role Models - Sufiya Ahmed Masjids Around The World - Koutoubia Mosque Book Reviews Recipes National Events Child Line

14 Young Minds

48 60

Prophet Yahya (AS) was the son of Prophet Zakariyya (AS), who we learned about in issue 8. He was also a cousin to Maryam (RA), mother of Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him). Prophet Zakariyya (AS) was ninety-two years old when Yahya (AS) was born; a gift from God. Yahya (AS) was born of a barren mother and an aged father. “O Zakariya! Lo! We bring you glad tidings of a son whose name is Yahya. We have given the same name to none before him.’’ (Qur’an 19: 7) Yahya (AS) was born a stranger to the world of children who used to amuse themselves, as he was serious all the time. Most children took delight in torturing animals whereas, he was merciful to them. He fed the animals from his food until there was nothing left for him, and he just ate fruit or leaves of trees. Yahya (AS) loved reading since childhood.

When he grew up, Allah (SWT) The Exalted, called upon him and endowed him with the faculties of passing judgments on people’s affairs, interpreting the secrets of religion, guiding people to the right path, and warning them against the wrong one. Yahya (AS) reached maturity. His compassion for his parents, as well as for all people and all creatures, increased greatly. He called people to repent their sins. Ibn Mubarak stated that Wahb Ibn Al-Ward narrated that Zakariyyah (AS) did not see his son for three days. He found him weeping inside a grave which he had dug and in which he resided. “My son, I have been searching for you, and you are dwelling in this grave weeping!” “O father, did you not tell me that between Paradise and Hell is only a span, and it will not be crossed except by tears of weepers?” He said to him: “Weep then, my son.” Then they wept together.

Prophets of Islam:

Prophet Yahya (AS)

The tomb of Prophet Yahya (AS), Ummayyad Mosque, Syria

Yahya (AS) found comfort in the open and never cared about food. He ate leaves, herbs, and sometimes locusts. He slept anywhere in the mountains or in holes in the ground. He sometimes would find a lion or a bear as he entered a cave, but being deeply absorbed in praising Allah (SWT), he never heeded them. The beasts easily recognized Yahya (AS) as the prophet who cared for all the creatures, so they would leave the cave, bowing their heads. A conflict took place between Yahya (AS) and the authorities at that time. A tyrant king, Herod Antipas, the ruler of Palestine, was in love with Salome, his brother’s daughter. He was planning to marry his beautiful niece. The marriage was encouraged by her mother and by some of the learned men of Zion, either out of fear or to gain favor with the ruler. On hearing the ruler’s plan, Yahya (AS) pronounced that such a marriage would be incestuous. He would not approve it under any circumstance, as it was against the Law of the Torah.

Yahya’s (AS) pronouncement spread like wildfire. Salome was angry, for it was her ambition to rule the kingdom with her uncle. She plotted to achieve her aim. Dressing attractively, she sang and danced before her uncle. Embracing her, he offered to fulfill whatever she desired. At once she told him, “I want to have the head of Yahya, he has defiled your honor and mine throughout the land. If you grant me this wish, I shall offer myself to you.” Bewitched by her charm, he submitted to her monstrous request. Yahya (AS) was executed and his head was brought to Salome. The cruel woman gloated with delight. But the death of Allah’s (SWT) beloved prophet was avenged by invading armies which destroyed her kingdom.

King Herod

AS alayhi salaam Upon him/her be peace RA radhi allah anha May Allah (SWT) be pleased with her

Nusayba Malik

SWT subhanahu wa taala Glorious is He and He is Exalted

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One Hundred Less One: Al-Mumin – The Faithful Allah (SWT) is Al-Mumin, The Faithful. The word ‘faithful’ in Arabic symbolises security and safety, attributed to the One who facilitates, the means to attain a sense of security and safety, and guard against all dangers.

no-one understood, and no-one could help; but that time passed, and so did the worry and fear that were present. For those of faith will know, that it is AlMumin that takes away our fears and worries.

Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran:

Al-Mumin is also the giver of faith. There are no limits to Him being faithful because He is absolute, He is All Seeing, All Hearing and there is nothing at all like Him. One of the human conditions is that we experience fear, loss, and insecurities, and it is important that whilst by nature we are weak and dependent, we depend only on Allah (SWT) the Faithful, for Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran;

Allah is He, than whom There is no other god The Sovereign, the Holy One, The source of peace (and Perfection) The Guardian of Faith The Preserver of Safety The Exalted in Might, The Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah (High is He) Above the partners they attribute to Him. (Qur’an 59: 23) If we reflect on our own life experiences we can relate to many instances where we were consumed with fear, worry, destitute and anxious, and it felt like

Who provides them with food Against hunger, And with security Against fear (of danger) (Qur’an 106: 4)

The ayah stipulates the presence of Al-Mumin in our everyday life, in our very existence if we simply reflect on what Allah (SWT) is asking us: who is it that delivers you from the pain of hunger, and overwhelming fear and restores the sense of safety and security? Who? Humankind also shares in the attribute of Al-Mumin, by striving to be faithful in our everyday interactions, and most importantly strengthening one’s own faith in the absolute Faithful, Al-Mumin. Shanaz Ali

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

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Once upon a time there was a southern Baptist girl, a radical feminist, and a broadcast journalist. She was the kind of girl who excelled in school, received scholarships, ran her own business, and was competing with professionals and winning awards, all while still at university.

Muslim Heritage

Aminah Assilimi

She had a mission to accomplish. Throughout the class, she would discuss Christianity with her Arab classmates but they still didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t convert. So she decided to read their own book, to show them that Islam was a false religion and that Mohammed (saw) was a false Prophet. Over the next 18 months, she read and re-read the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an and other books on Islam. Subconsciously, however, she was changing. She stopped drinking and eating pork. Her husband suspected her of having an affair and asked her to leave. She continued studying but remained a devout Christian. Then one day, there was a knock on her door. It was a man in traditional Muslim robe.

It was 1975; Aminah Assilimi pre-registered for a class, and then went to Oklahoma City for business. Her return was delayed, and she came back to university two weeks into the class. She was surprised to find that the system had mistakenly registered her for a theatre class. She could not drop the class for it was too late and failing the class was also not an option, as it would jeopardise her scholarship. She locked His name was Abdul-Aziz Alherself away for two days and Sheikh and he was accompanied when she finally emerged, she by three other men in similar decided to continue the class.

dress. She was shocked when Abdul-Aziz told her that he believed she wanted to be a Muslim. She replied that she was a Christian and had no intention of becoming a Muslim. However, she did have some questions if they had time. Abdul-Aziz listened to every question and objection she asked and explained it within the proper context. Later in that same day in 1977, Aminah declared in front of Abdul-Aziz and his companions: “I bear witness that there is no god but God and Mohammed is His Messenger.” She lost most of her friends, for she was ‘no fun anymore’. Her mother did not accept her becoming a Muslim and hoped she would grow out of it. Her sister, who was a mental health expert, tried to have her sectioned. Her otherwise calm and wise father loaded his double-barrel shotgun and started on his way to kill her. She now didn’t

have any family or friends and lost her Aminah went on to become the job when she started wearing a hijab. President of the International Union of Muslim Women. On 5th March After she openly accepted Islam, her 2010, Aminah and her son were in husband asked for a divorce and she a car crash just outside of Newport, was denied the custody of her two Tennessee. Aminah was killed instantly children. The judge offered her a and her son Mohammad was taken to harsh choice; her children or her faith. hospital with minor injuries. She was given 20 minutes to make a decision. She decided to remain a Aminah’s accomplishments are great in Muslim but in doing so lost custody of number, so I’ll only mention a few; she her children but her struggle and the laid the foundation for the Centre for media attention it attracted bought Muslim Women’s Studies, advocated about a change in the Colorado fiercely for women’s rights and law; that one cannot be denied child equality within the framework of Islam. custody on the basis of his or her She was a renowned female scholar religion. of Islam and she travelled around the United States giving lectures, all the Despite her family’s initial reaction, while still fulfilling her roles as wife, she remained in touch with them and mother and grandmother. treated them with respect and humility, just as Islam requires. Aminah’s mother, Shabina Bi-Baroo father, sister and children and even her ex-husband would all eventually Note: I have not mentioned Aminah Assilimi’s convert to Islam starting with her grandmother. She was over 100 years birth name in this article as she disliked it being mentioned. She believed her real life old. Soon after accepting Islam, began when she converted to Islam. she died.

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Help! I’m a Teenager! War Zone

It’s not easy being in this position. Where I stand today, as a person, as a human is because of what’s happening around me. Everything that’s happened, what is happening and is likely to happen affects me so much. Little things have an impact on the way I think, the person I am and the decisions I make. Sometimes expressing feelings is easy but at times it can be the most difficult thing. I genuinely feel like I’m in a war zone, front row. It’s all threats, shouting, ill thoughts and violence. It’s between two loved ones and it’s something I can’t bear at all. They might not see how I actually feel but to me that doesn’t matter; what does matter is the situation being sorted, and me being upset is the last thing that they should be concerned about. I 12

would do anything for my house to be a home again, with my family sitting together eating pizza and watching Home Alone... “Any family can have a house but for it to be a home needs something more...” Every time I think I have it bad, I take a step back and think that there is always someone out there getting it worse than me. I’m still being fed, I still have parents and I still have my faith in God. God always has my back and everything happens for a reason. I shouldn’t complain about anything because I hope everything that happens to me at the moment has some benefit to it. With every bad comes good and I will continue to pray and wait... nightmares will be chased

away and sweet dreams will conquer. We are all on our separate paths but one day I hope our paths will become one… and so will our hearts.

Khurram Azad

Young Minds: Anxiety

Anxiety is experienced by everybody from time to time especially when faced with challenging situations. You may feel uncomfortable, worry about appearing foolish, or worry about how others see you. Feeling anxious is a natural response which prepares us mentally and physically to make a decision and act upon it. Everyday stress such as taking an exam, going into hospital or moving jobs can make us feel this way, and this is normal and different from an Anxiety Disorder. Anxiety may be considered a mental health problem if the feelings seem unmanageable, the anxiety comes on regularly and if it interferes with your 14

daily life. If anxiety persists for a prolonged period at a high level, it may make you feel powerless and out of control; and in this situation, it is important to get the right help and support. Types of Anxiety

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – PTSD can develop after a life-threatening event such as a road traffic accident. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares and actively avoiding any reminders of what happened.

person believing that they are dying or seriously ill. • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – This term is used when an individual experiences severe, debilitating anxiety in response to different environments or situations.

• Social Anxiety – This is more than being a little shy, sufferers If you are interested in finding can get so anxious that they out more about specific anxiety can avoid many situations disorders, please go to where they need to interact with other people. • Obsessive Compulsive www.youthspace.me Disorder (OCD) – Symptoms of • Panic Disorder – This is when OCD include having intrusive, an individual experiences Who gets anxiety? – The upsetting thoughts that ‘pop’ panic attacks; these are statistics into your head and engaging strong physical symptoms in repetitive behaviour or Everybody, regardless of age, such as heart palpitations, rituals that feel out of the gender and occupation may sweaty palms and difficulties individuals’ control. in breathing, and results in the suffer from anxiety, although ‘Anxiety’ is an umbrella term for an array of disorders or diagnoses. Some types of Anxiety disorders include:

it is slightly more common in females than males. Here are some statistics:

olds experience a lifetime prevalence of anxiety.

• Feeling irritable • Always thinking about the worst case scenario

Symptoms

• 1 in 20 people suffer from anxiety

The symptoms of anxiety often develop slowly and • Generalised Anxiety Disorder different types of anxiety can (GAD) is diagnosed in 2-5% of occur together, for example people but accounts for 30% an individual can experience of the mental health problems social anxiety and also have described by patients to their panic attacks. Sometimes it GP. isn’t clear what you may feel anxious about, or you may find • 13.3% of 16 – 19 year yourself worrying about a lot olds and 15.8% of 20 – 24 of different things. Symptoms year olds have suffered from for an Anxiety Disorder anxiety. include: • It is more common in young • Excessive worry and intense people than you think: 5.9% of fear 13-18 year olds experience a severe anxiety disorder • Lack of concentration or mind going blank • 25.1% of 13-28 year Continued on page 16

regularly and cause significant distress or impairment, should it be considered as part of an anxiety disorder.

• Feeling tense and more tired What can cause/trigger than usual Anxiety? • Becoming preoccupied with Similar to many mental health something problems, the cause of a Some of the physical symptoms generalised anxiety disorder is not fully understood. include: Some people may worry • Dizziness more than others because • Palpitations of their personality, social • Dry mouth circumstances, childhood • Nausea experiences or a mixture of all • Excessive sweating these factors. The most common As mentioned above, it is causes are discussed below. common to experience these Biological & Genetic causes symptoms when confronted with a challenging situation, Research suggests that and it is only when these Generalised Anxiety Disorder symptoms are experienced

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(GAD) in particular may be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain such as Noradrenaline and Seratonine (known as Neurotransmitters). An imbalance of such chemicals can significantly affect your mood and increase the likelihood of developing anxiety-related disorders. In addition to this, research has found a genetic link associated with development of anxiety disorders such as phobiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and OCD. So, if your relative has an anxiety disorder, you may have an increased risk of developing one. Certainly, if you have a family history of anxiety disorders you should be extra attentive and remember that a healthy 16

lifestyle could significantly reduce your risk. Recently, research has found that abuse and trauma in infancy can result in changes to the brain that causes an individual to be more vulnerable to developing an anxiety response to challenges and stressful events in later life.

Trauma

abuse, causing you to feel anxious and re-experience the type of anxiety you may have experienced in the past. In the same way, growing up as a neglected child can also be influential in developing anxiety.

Many people who experience an anxiety disorder often experience some kind of trauma early in their life e.g. death of a loved one or a tragic accident. Sometimes it may be difficult to identify the source of trauma, but seeking Stress professional help may help you Not all causes of anxiety Environmental and Social to overcome the anxiety by are as a result of childhood factors exploring the traumatic event. experiences, since it can be Environmental factors such as Abuse triggered by stressful situations. financial stress, homelessness, This may be due to financial A victim of prolonged or short being physically attacked circumstances, your career or term psychological, emotional or ending a relationship can relationship problems; all of or physical abuse may trigger anxiety. Other types of which can trigger anxiety if experience anxiety disorders environmental stressors include you continue to experience later in life. Panic disorders trauma, abuse and mental tension for a prolonged period and PTSD are more likely to stress. of time. occur if there is a history of

Indeed, not knowing what can trigger your anxiety can even intensify your anxiety; making you feel there is no solution. However, if you are anxious as a result of a diagnosed phobia, you will usually understand what is causing the condition. For example if you have a fear of confined spaces (claustrophobia) you know that being in a lift or in a confined area will trigger anxiety and you can therefore seek an appropriate solution. Seeking professional help in order to help you recognise the triggers for an anxiety attack is therefore important. Treatment There are 3 main types

of treatments for anxiety disorders. These include Psychological Therapy, medication and other complementary therapies such as relaxation techniques, physical exercise and nutritional supplements. Psychological therapy: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a popular model of therapy that may be offered to you by a therapist or psychologist and is usually the most effective in helping people cope with an anxiety disorder. Broadly speaking, CBT aims to help people become aware of the causal relationship between your thoughts, emotions and

behaviours. CBT aims to teach people to alter and change the reaction between a thought (or thinking) and behaviours. For example, a person suffering from a panic disorder may be taught relaxation to reduce physiological arousal at the time of stress; change their panicogenic thinking (cognition) and finally alter their behaviour to enable them to control their panic symptoms. Many people with anxiety, attempt to mentally block or distract themselves from negative thoughts. As a result, they fail to extinguish the anxiety and therefore continue to be worried by the thoughts in the long term. Often people avoid situations

that may make them anxious. This may work at first, but can make you feel worse in the long run. Therefore facing up to your anxiety is the first step in breaking the cycle of fear. Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may also be a useful form of therapy which allows you to plan your therapy and gives you control over the sessions; allowing you to do what you feel like at your own pace. If you are interested in receiving psychological therapy, ask your GP or other health professional to assist you in accessing the right therapy for you. Complementary therapies Some people may prefer to try

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other types of therapies such as relaxation, exercise, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a complement to psychotherapy. These techniques may be used during moments when you feel out of control and want to feel calmer by reducing the power of physical symptoms. Learning to relax when you feel anxious can be really difficult, so it is important that you practice relaxation techniques such as focusing, meditation, grounding techniques (how to feel more centred). These techniques will enable you to cope with stress more efficiently; making your thoughts more calm and peaceful, and helping you learn to relax while you build self-esteem and selfconfidence. In particular, Mindfulness-based Cognitive 18

Behavioural Therapy (MBCT) is a therapy which was developed to help people become more aware about anxieties and to cope with these worries in different, more helpful ways.

vary from person to person; it is therefore important to take things at your own pace and do what is best for you.

Saimah Yasmin is a Trainee www.youthspace.me is a Psychological Well-being website designed by a Practitioner who works with collaboration of mental health Birmingham Healthy Minds; Recent research has suggested professionals and young a youth mental health service that having a healthy and people who have mental that provides psychological balanced diet can significantly health problems. It has lots of therapy and is based within balance your anxiety levels information about anxiety and the Birmingham and Solihull and therefore can help other common mental health Mental Health Foundation Trust. improve the recovery process. problems. So avoiding some substances Dr Amanda Skeate is a such as caffeine and sugars, Consultant Psychologist who which may increase your works in the Youthspace anxiety, can help. Clinical Team; a Youth Dr Amanda Skeate mental health team based in Clearly there are many things Consultant Psychiatrist Birmingham and is part of you can do to help reduce Birmingham and Solihull Mental your anxiety to a manageable Saimah Yasmin Health (NHS) Foundation Trust. Clinical Studies Officer level. It is important to seek professional help to find out what works well for you. Remember, treatment outcomes and the recovery process will

Life has its ups and downs You can talk confidentially online or by phone whenever you need to. Whatever your worry, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

Urgent Action Needed

to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation A nationwide Inquiry by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner has found that 2,409 children and young people were confirmed victims of child sexual exploitation in gangs or groups in the 14 month period from August 2010 to October 2011. The Inquiry also identified that between April 2010 and March 2011 there were 16,500 children in England who were at high risk of child sexual exploitation. This is the equivalent of twenty medium-sized secondary schools.

exploitation in these contexts in England. The conclusions are drawn from extensive evidence submitted by the Government, police, local authorities, health services, voluntary sector agencies and children and young people themselves.

Young people quoted in the report describe experiences of rape and violence of a relentless nature, often lasting years. They live in well-founded fear of those who violate and control them. Many suffer long-term physical, psychological and emotional harm as “I thought I was the only one. The only a result of their experiences. Warning one in the world”, the report of the first signs include: missing from home, care year’s findings of a two year Inquiry into or school, repeated sexually transmitted child sexual exploitation in gangs and infections, patterns of offending, misuse groups, publishes the most comprehensive of drugs or alcohol, self harm and other investigation to date of the scale, physical injuries. scope and prevalence of child sexual

Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “This report is a wake-up call. Each and every one of us owes it to all victims to be vigilant, to listen and to act to stop the sexual exploitation of children. Identifying the warning signs listed in the report is the first step to identifying and protecting children.” “We welcome the increase in awareness of child sexual exploitation and the progress agencies have made in their approaches to tackling the issue. However, much still needs to be done to prevent exploitation and rescue child victims.”

Sue Berelowitz, Deputy Children’s Commissioner, who leads the Inquiry said: “The reality is that each year thousands of children in England are raped and abused by people seeking to humiliate, violate and control them. The impact on their lives is devastating. These children have been abducted, trafficked, beaten and threatened after being drawn into a web of sexual violence sometimes by promises of love and sometimes simply because they know there is no alternative. This abuse and violence can be relentless and take place anywhere - as they go home from school, as they walk to the shops, in the local park.” “The vast majority of the perpetrators are male and in both gang

and group contexts. Different models of exploitation have been identified. Perpetrators range in age from young adolescents to older men. The evidence is clear that they come from all ethnic groups and so do their victims - contrary to what some may wish to believe. This report does not shy away from the shocking realities of what is happening up and down the country.”

lives of the children concerned. Evidence shows routine serious sexual assault of girls for whom saying ‘no’ is not an option because they are threatened and forced into sex. Although boys needed prompting to talk, they spoke about sex being used as both intimidation and humiliation between boys who are in conflict with each other.

“Our findings show there are few clear “It is vital agencies improve the boundaries between child victims and information they share about the victims child perpetrators: children often both and those at risk of sexual exploitation, being abused, and abusing others so that children can be better protected.” themselves. Reporting of sexual violence is poor, with children feeling that nothing Professor Jenny Pearce, University of can be done to stop it, other than moving Bedfordshire: away from the area. This means we have some important questions to answer “Our interviews with children living in about the need for child protection and gang affected neighbourhoods across law enforcement strategies to work England leave us shocked by the extreme closely together to protect children.” levels of sexual violence that are assumed to be inevitable in the everyday

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So be aware, stay alert and keep safe – use our top tips to protect yourself from exploitation.

Three top tips to keep safe

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Trust yourself to know when something is wrong. If someone makes you feel unsafe, pressured or frightened, follow your instincts and seek help.

Don’t trust people you don’t know, even if they seem friendly – and make sure you know who you are talking to online. Never give away personal details or agree to meet someone who you have only talked to online.

Be aware, stay alert, keep safe!

If you are worried about a situation that you or a friend is in, talk to an adult that you trust as soon as you can. People who can help you include teachers, parents, carers and social workers. You may also want to contact one of Barnardo’s specialist sexual exploitation projects for advice, or to talk to someone about what you’ve been through:

How to keep you and your friends safe from exploitation

www.barnardos.org.uk/specialist_ sexual_exploitation_projects If you, or a friend, are in immediate danger or want urgent help, call 999 or contact your local police.

Don’t be tricked into doing things that are unsafe, even if they seem like fun. What might look exciting at first could be more dangerous than you realise.

p e e K safe

www.barnardos.org.uk Head Office Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG Tel: 020 8551 0011 Fax: 020 8551 8267 Barnardo’s Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and SC037605

13873ka11

Think about all your different relationships. They could be with close friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend – and maybe groups of friends from school or the area you live in. As we grow up, we develop relationships with lots of different people. It’s how we learn to enjoy healthy relationships, and that’s a great skill to have. But things can go wrong along the way, and people might try to take advantage of you, forcing you into dangerous situations before you know it. That’s why you need to be aware of warning signs that someone may want to exploit you – and to be very careful who you trust.

Sexual exploitation – how much do you know?

Who can you trust? It’s not always easy to tell.

Sexual exploitation can be hard to recognise because you often believe you’re in a good relationship with the person – or people – who want to abuse your trust in them.

Sexual exploitation can happen to you, no matter what your gender, age or background – so you need to be careful who you trust.

It could be a friend, or group of friends. It could be someone you think of as a boyfriend or girlfriend. It could be a person or a new group of people you’ve only just got to know. It could be someone you’ve talked to online.

And that means looking out for warning signs that someone might want to take advantage of you, whether you’ve recently met them or they belong to an existing group of friends.

But whoever it is, they could use clever ways to take advantage of your relationship – and that means you can be harmed almost before you know what’s going on. For example, someone might give you money, drugs, alcohol, gifts or somewhere to stay and then force you to do one or more of these things in return: Q Have sex with them Q Do something sexual to them Q Be touched inappropriately, in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable Q Look at sexual images – including films or pictures Q Watch them do something sexual, including having sex or touching themselves sexually.

One warning sign is when someone tries to get to know you better by giving you lots of attention and making you feel really special. They might buy you gifts or involve you in activities that seem exciting or fun.

That’s why it’s so important to look out for the warning signs that someone’s behaviour towards you may not be all it seems.

It becomes a problem if that person starts to try ways of controlling you, such as making promises they can’t keep, threatening you, or even becoming violent if you don’t do what they want. They might also try and isolate you from your friends, family and other people who care for you. When that happens, it’s easier for an abuser to put you in dangerous situations or force you to do things you don’t want to do – with them or other people they know. That’s not doing you a favour – that’s exploitation. Sadly, individuals who have fewer people looking out for them are even more vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Jessica was one of them.

Jessica’s Story ‘My mum wasn’t around any more, my dad was drinking and my sister was skipping school. I was 15 and got involved with a group of friends outside school – they were older. At first I thought it was really cool to have older friends, I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it – they were drinking and there was a lot of drugs around. ‘I thought, if they were doing it – then it must be okay. There was a lot of peer pressure to get involved. But nothing told me it was wrong. Anyway, at first it was okay – I could get the money from my dad. But after a couple of weeks, I was getting hooked and there wasn’t enough money. ‘My new friends said that it was fine and introduced me to a new male friend. They said he fancied me, they said that I should go out with him. I didn’t realise what was happening – I was being set up. After I had slept with him – I realised that I’d been used but it was too late, I was hooked on drugs. The need and the want became more and more.’ Barnardo’s now works with Jessica to help her recover her confidence and break free from the cycle of abuse. But her story shows how difficulties at home and the excitement of older ‘friends’ meant she was quickly drawn into an abusive situation.

Deed of the Month: Make Islam your Rock!

arning! Reading the following The teacher picked up a box of sand and article may cause you to reprioritize poured it into the jar. The sand filled the your life, InshaAllah. remaining open areas of the jar. ‘Now,’ said the teacher, ‘I want you to recognize A teacher stood in front of his class with that this jar represents your life. The rocks some items in front of him. When the class are the truly important things. If all else began, he picked up a large empty jar was lost and only the rocks remained, your and filled it with large rocks. He then asked life would still be meaningful. The pebbles the students if the jar was full. are the other things that matter in your life, such as your job and bills. The sand signifies They agreed that it was full. the remaining small stuff and material possessions.’ So, the teacher then picked up a bag of pebbles and poured them into the jar. Perhaps, you have heard this story before, He shook the jar lightly and watched as as it has been in circulation, on the internet, the pebbles rolled into the open areas for quite some time. As a Muslim, the large between the rocks. The teacher then asked rocks are the Shahada (Islamic creed), the students again if the jar was full. Salah (prayer), Zakat (giving to the poor), Saum (fasting in Ramadan), and Hajj They chuckled and agreed that it was, (pilgrimage to Makkah), all done in the indeed, full this time. name of Allah (swt). Then, the pebbles are work, school, family and various

friendships. While the sand represents things like the material items we want, such as holidays, furniture, or clothes, etc. The sand also symbolizes our envy, pride, the petty arguments we always want to win, the worries about things we have no control over, and the obsession about what other people think about us. What happens, when we fill our jar (life) only with the sand or pebbles? We have no room for the most important large rocks of Islam! Astaghfirullah (I seek forgiveness from Allah). Life suddenly feels more complicated and full of burden from the immeasurable amount of grains of sand or pebbles that consume our lives. On the other hand, when we make the 5 pillars of Islam our priority in our jar of life, sacrificing space, taken from the pebbles and the sand, it makes life less complicated and focused on Allah (swt). Remember, “Allah intends for you

ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you” (Qur’an 2: 185). It is important that we reflect on our life and make sure that we have our priorities straight. Losing sight of Islam makes life’s decisions and other priorities more difficult to manoeuvre. When Prophet Ibrahim (AS) said, “Verily, I am going to my Lord. He will guide me!”

Michelle Blum

he made Allah (swt) his priority in life (Qur’an 37: 99). Have you made Islam the priority in your jar?

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Healthy Living

Enterprising Youth

For the last four years we have been bombarded with nothing but with information about the doom and gloom of the economies of the world with that terrible “Recession” word being overused until we’re all afraid of not only how we’re going to put the meal on the table but we’re also frightened to now follow our dreams because apparently, businesses fail in a recession…

dip in profits as well as the great increases. You have a few geniuses out there who look at the world around them and realise Most businesses with a business plan that these problems have always existed in and with the right people working on it some form to some extent, for some reason, planning ahead and researching market they become more apparent during a trends succeed during a recession. Do you recession because everyone is focussing on see any international fast food chains them more. going out of business? In fact, even the small local ones are still doing well. You then have a small percentage of those few geniuses who work to come up with a Why? How? solution to the problem a group of people Most businesses without a business plan fail Think about it, in a recession, most people have. now have a problem and it all stems from; at some point. That solution becomes the basis for their fear, budgeting, irrationality on someone’s Most businesses experience some form of business idea and market research. The part (government, children, parents etc.) 26

Saira Nisa is the Founding Director of Living Wellbeing Ltd (www.livingwellbeingltd.com), providing Women’s Motivational Training Courses, Life and Business Coaching 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.

dream behind it all becomes the fuel to make that solution a reality and to bring that business idea into effect successfully.

Entrepreneur Week and also saw many budding entrepreneurs get together to network, showcase their ideas as well as those looking to make a start on their own business ideas.

with £10, £50, £100? (Believe it or not, some businesses do not require a huge start-up capital).

I’m not saying that it’s all going to sky rocket to the top and continue, people hit a few obstacles but for those who have the tenacity to stick to it as well as adapt where they see that they have to, they are the ones who pull through well and come out stronger especially once the bad times are over because by then, they have become well established. What ideas have you had?

Is there a particular group of people out there who all have the same problem to which you have the solution which will make your business stand out from amongst the others?

This month saw the return of Global

To Your Success!

What type of a business could you start

Whatever your ideas are, I suggest you make a start on them before someone else does.

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Hadith Ibn Umar (Radhiallahu ‘Anhum) said: Allâh’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) took me by my shoulder and said:

“Be in this Life as if you were a Stranger or a Traveller on a Path” (Bukhari)

So last month we were discussing the importance of not wasting time in our lives because, as our Prophet Muhammad salla Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam (peace be upon him) said, we are suppose to be in this world as though we are travellers. If you want to remind yourself about what we mentioned about this hadith, have a quick look back at issue 8. Now, as promised, here are your ten top tips to BEAT PROCASTINATION and to use your time productively!

things, what’s important though is that we try our best and work with ihsaan (excellence). #Tip 2 • Set goals Setting goals gets you into the right mind-set because now you know what you’re aiming to achieve. This way every time you feel like slacking… remember your goal!

#Tip 3 • Make a list Lots to do? Right, get up, get a piece of paper and pen and write #Tip 1 it all down. Then number them • Find out why you’re starting from the most important, procrastinating start with number one and then Think you can’t do it? You tick as you go along. Your brain probably can! We’re all different will feel organised and you will and some of us are good at some feel good! things and others good at other

#Tip 4 • Make a schedule A weekly or a monthly schedule, whatever suits you best. The FIRST thing you need to put in your schedule though is time for salaah (prayer). Remember you shouldn’t plan salaah around your day, but rather plan your day around salaah. That way your day will be blessed Insha’Allah.

#Tip 7 • Seek refuge in Allah (SWT) and remember Him. Simply say: “A’ootho billahi men ashshaytaan ar-rajim (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan)” and then say the Bismillah. Start every task this way and also if you feel distracted, you should do the same.

#Tip 5 • Make wudu and pray 2 raka’ah You should do this at the outset, before beginning to tackle your task. This can also be like a reset button which will make you feel refreshed when you start to feel a bit ‘bleugh’!

#Tip 8 • Focus on one task. Don’t try to do too many things at once. You never get them done, you just stress yourself. Your list that you made at the beginning will help you with this.

#Tip 6 • Remove distractions Now you need to close Facebook, MSN, Twitter and TURN YOUR PHONE OFF! As soon as you open a message you start getting back into the vicious circle of procrastination!

#Tip 9 • Work in small chunks. Manage your time well and split up your task into bitesize manageable chunks. If something is getting too difficult, leave it, do something else and then come back to it.

#Tip 10 • Mini rewards Last tip! Reward yourself for working hard. It could be something big once you achieve everything on your list or something small after every few tasks. I don’t need to tell you your reward list… pick something you like doing and go and enjoy yourself! Remember though, your reward should be in line with your achievement…! Finally we always remind ourselves to never forget to make du’aa to Allah (SWT). He created you and everything around you so if you seek His help in something He (glorified and exalted is He) just needs to say “be and it will be”. Nothing is too difficult for Allah (SWT) so never be afraid of asking him to help you, no matter how silly or difficult you think that thing is. Zaynab Amatullah

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Diabetes in Children

Lots of people have heard of the word diabetes, but actually not many people know what it is. You might have a friend or family member with diabetes, but what does it actually mean? Diabetes is a common condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because your body can’t use it properly. This is because your body’s way of converting glucose into energy is not working as it should. There are two different types of diabetes:

taken every day. You can get Type 1 at any age but usually it appears before the age of 40, and is the type of diabetes that most children have. Type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5 and 15 per cent of all people with diabetes and is treated by insulin, a healthy diet and regular physical activity. There are around 26,500 children who have Type 1 diabetes in the UK. Every year 2,000 children are diagnosed, and this number is going up each year.

Type 1 diabetes is not caused by eating Type 1 diabetes means that the pancreas too many sweets or sugar and it is not has stopped making any insulin. Insulin is linked to being overweight. You cannot made by the pancreas and is a hormone catch diabetes. (a type of chemical messenger). It has to be replaced with insulin either by Type 2 diabetes is when the body is an injection or via an insulin pump. This either not making enough insulin, or the is vital to keep alive, and it has to be insulin it is making isn’t working properly. 30

It can be treated by keeping to a healthy weight, keeping active and following a healthy diet, but a lot of people with Type 2 diabetes need some medication as well. Type 2 is by far the most common type of diabetes in adults and there are many risk factors including being overweight, lifestyle choice, coming from a south Asian background and getting older. What are the signs of Diabetes? It’s easy to remember the signs of diabetes – Just think of the 4 Ts:

4 Ts Toilet Thirsty Tired Thinner

Toilet: Needing to go to the toilet more It’s really important that Type 1 often, especially at night and weeing a diabetes is diagnosed quickly. If lot is a sign of diabetes. not, you can get really unwell with something called diabetic ketoacidosis Thirsty: Being constantly thirsty and (DKA). DKA can develop very quickly. drinking loads, but never feeling like It happens because the severe lack of you have drank enough, is a sign of insulin which upsets the body’s normal diabetes. chemical balance leads to your body making poisonous chemicals called Tired: Feeling constantly tired and ketones, which is what makes you so never feeling rested after a nap or a sick. Diabetes UK estimate that the big sleep is a sign of diabetes. Also right treatment at the right time, could complaining of a constant lack of stop around 500 children a year energy and not feeling up to taking from becoming very ill with diabetic part in any exercise could be another ketoacidosis (DKA) before they are sign. diagnosed. Thinner: Losing weight very quickly and becoming thinner is a sign of diabetes, because the body uses up energy found in the muscles to keep going.

make you better. By making more people aware of the signs and symptoms of Type 1 diabetes, and by making sure children and young people who have the symptoms get the right test (a simple blood test) and care at the right time, diabetes can be diagnosed before DKA develops. Being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes does not mean that you can’t lead a long, normal and happy life. If you have Type 1 diabetes, then you can do everything your friends do. For more information on diabetes, visit

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-toBeing in DKA can be scary; you’ve gone from feeling a bit poorly to being diabetes/My-life/Teens/ really, really ill very quickly, and you Brittany Maher-Kirk need to be looked after in hospital to Diabetes UK

COULD YOUR CHILD HAVE TYPE 1 DIABETES?

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If your child is going to the toilet a lot, has increased thirst, is more tired than usual or is losing weight, it could be a sign they have Type 1 diabetes. If not diagnosed early enough, Type 1 diabetes can be fatal. Don’t delay – if your child is experiencing any of the 4 Ts, visit your doctor immediately for a test.

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www.diabetes.org.uk/The4Ts A charity registered in England and Wales (215199) and in Scotland (SC039136).

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HELP US RAISE AWARENESS OF THE 4 Ts OF DIABETES As many as one in four children are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when they are in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) – a life-threatening condition that requires urgent medical treatment. For children under five years old, it’s as many as one in three. We want to stop this happening. By making sure children and young people get a quick diagnosis and prompt treatment to manage their diabetes we can avoid them becoming seriously ill with DKA. That’s why Diabetes UK is raising awareness of the most common signs to look out for – the 4 Ts of diabetes. And why we’re campaigning to make sure doctors carry out the right test for Type 1 diabetes there and then, if a child presents with any of these symptoms. We believe that everyone who knows a child, of any age, should be aware of the 4 Ts of diabetes, remember them and know what to do if they spot them. You can help us to make that happen. it’s really easy, simply...

GET your hands on more 4 Ts posters and flyers, like this one, at www.diabetes.org.uk/The4Ts or by ringing 0800 585 088 (Mon to Fri: 8am to 6pm).

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them up where you live – perhaps in your local supermarket, community centre, church or school. You could also ask your local pharmacy and doctor’s surgery to share the posters and flyers with other parents.

HELP us campaign about Type 1 diabetes online. You could talk about #The4Ts on Twitter or watch our #type1aware video on the 4 Ts web page and then share it with your friends on Facebook.

Go to www.diabetes.org.uk/The4Ts to find out more about Type 1 diabetes, the 4 Ts and how to get involved. To hear more about Diabetes UK, including how to become a member, visit www.diabetes.org.uk/membership, follow @DiabetesUK on Twitter or like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/diabetesuk

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Dua Dua for the New Islamic Year

Allāhumma adkhilhu alainā bil-amni wal-īmān, was-salāmati wal-islām, wa riḍwānim minar-Raḥmān, wa jawāzim minash-shaiṭān Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Hishaam, he said: The Companions of Rasoolullah (may Allaah shower peace and blessings upon him) used to learn this du’aa when the (new) year or month would come around: “Oh Allaah, bring it upon us with safety and faith, peace and submission, pleasure from Al-Rahmaan, and a gateway against Shaytaan”.

Mufti Niaz Hannan

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for Young Muslims of the 21st Century 44

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Stories of the Prophets (pbut) Book Reviews & Poetry Inspiring Role Models Muslim Heritage

A Day in the Life of…

Prophet Muhammed (saw)

Why Didn’t the Elephant Cross the Road? From about 100 CE–940 CE, most of the area known to us today as Ethiopia, was ruled by the Kingdom of Aksum. Also known as the Aksumite Empire, this important Northeast African trading nation controlled most of northern Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia), Eritrea, northern Sudan, southern Egypt, Djibouti, western Yemen, and even southern Saudi Arabia at its height. We’re talking 1.25 million square kilometres. More than five times the size of the UK. As Islam slowly came to prominence in the early seventh century, Aksum maintained good ties with its Arab neighbours. They provided shelter for 36

the early Muslims when they migrated to Abyssinia around the year 615 CE to avoid the oppression from the Quraish of Makkah. However, even before the advent of Islam, just before the blessed birth of the Prophet Muhammad (May Allāh send peace and mercy upon him) in 570 CE, one significant encounter took place between an Aksumite governor and Arabia. This event left such an impact on history, the Arabs would remember it as “the Year of the Elephant”. The name of that Aksumite viceroy was Abrahah al-Ashram and the custodian of the Ka’bah in Makkah at that time was Shaibah ibn Hāshim, better known as Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allāh send peace and mercy upon him). But you already knew that.

Abrahah had a great church built in Sana’a (the capital of Yemen) called al-Qullays, which became famous throughout the region. In Arabia however, everyone revered the Ka’bah as the centre for worship and religious pilgrimage. Abrahah summoned the Arabs to make pilgrimage to alQullays instead of the Ka’bah. When the Arabs ultimately refused, Abrahah set out with an army of elephants to destroy the Ka’bah. Fool didn’t know what he had coming to him. When word of Abrahah’s army spread, the Arab tribes of Quraish, Kinānah, Khuzā’ah and Hudhail all joined forces to defend Makkah. Before reaching the city, Abrahah had sent forth a contingent to the outskirts of Makkah, who captured many of the animals

“

I’m here to demolish the House which is your religious centre and all you ask me is to return your camels?!

from there. Two hundred of these were camels belonging to Abdul Muttalib. Bad move. Abrahah sent a messenger into Makkah to inform the leaders of Quraish that he had not come to fight, but only to destroy the Ka’bah without any bloodshed. Abdul Muttalib, along with some other Makkan leaders, eventually met with Abrahah and said to him that he should return his camels. Abrahah said to Abdul Muttalib, “I’m here to demolish the House which is your religious centre and all you ask me is to return your camels?!” Abdul Muttalib replied, “I am the owner of the camels, and this House has its own Owner, Who will surely protect it”. Gobsmacked, Abrahah ordered that

Mufti Niaz Hannan

the camels be released.

of the Elephant”.

The next day, Abrahah prepared to advance on Makkah. One problem though. The elephant at the front was not moving. When directed to move forward towards Makkah, it sat still, but when it was turned around towards Yemen, it started walking. Something wasn’t right. But it was too late now. The sky became dark as a wave of birds engulfed them from nowhere, each carrying three pebbles, one in its mouth and one between the claws of each foot. The birds pelted Abrahah’s army, piercing their armour and killing whomever they struck as their flesh began to rot. And that’s that. Allāh protected His House, and this year was remembered as ‘Ām al-Fīl, or “the Year

But Abrahah’s elephant wasn’t the only significant thing that marked the year 570 CE. Abdul Muttalib had married his youngest son Abdullah off to Āminah bint Wahb some months before. While Abrahah was attempting his raid on Makkah, Abdullah was away on a business trip in Palestine and Syria, and Āminah was pregnant. Any guesses what happens next? “Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the People of the Elephant? Didn’t He make their plot go astray? And He sent birds against them, in flocks; striking them with stones of baked clay, and He made them like (an empty field of) eaten up corn stalks.” (Sūrah al-Fīl 105).

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Nominate a Role Model! Over the past 9 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!

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Out on Friday 28th December 2012!

Nasheed Factor Grand Finale 2012 Lights, Camera, Action! The stage was set, 500 guests eagerly waiting at the entrance, volunteers ushering guests, final sound checks, judges comfortably seated at the judges table and the final countdown began.

showed the world that night the power of their ideas, imagination, determination and Alhamdulillah delivered a grand result! Alhamdulillah a significant amount of over £31,500 was raised. Islamic Relief’s Nasheed Factor team’s aim was to try to Eighteen months of preparation raise this amount, which would in the Nasheed Factor Production help the One Safe Village ended with a phenomenal climax Appeal. The idea of a young with the Nasheed Factor Grand man, Shahbaz Mirza was Finale 2012. On Saturday 20th executed that evening with the October, at the most prestigious help of many volunteers who venue, Glasgow Royal Concert were inspired by the same vision. Hall, Scotland got to witness the first ever Islamic talent ‘Right now I am looking into competition with the prime everyone’s eyes and the first purpose of raising money for thing which I can see is belief. Islamic Relief’s One Safe Village The belief that you can change Appeal. The aim of this appeal people’s lives and if you believe, is to help rebuild communities, it is only then that you can providing them with basic achieve.’ amenities and empowering the ‘Nasheed Factor started off as people of those communities. Islamic Relief Scotland volunteers a modest volunteer project last 40

year and has blossomed into the premiere event for Islamic Relief Scotland’ – Habib Malik, Head of Islamic Relief, Scotland. The show commenced with a countdown, to hype the audience and the host of the night Shahbaz Mirza introduced the concept of Nasheed Factor with ‘we believe that we can achieve’. His light-hearted comedy left the audience in giggles. Scotland was buzzing with the concert hall packed with excitement, and loud cheers were coming from the audience. The atmosphere was electrifying; it was like a mirage, witnessing talent, performances by judges and raising funds for charity. Truly an amazing night, which cannot be described in words but had to be witnessed live.

Facebook, Twitter and other the finalists to show Scotland social media were jam packed why they were the special with updates on the event. ones chosen to represent the voiceless. Some amazing It was a wonderful and comments were provided inspirational evening by the judges - ‘You are a bringing together the whole star in the making’ Khaleel community, representing Muhammad to young the voiceless and helping to Mustaqeem Shah Jihaan, rebuild people’s lives. The winner of Youth Nasheed audience were entertained Category. Some of the by our guest judges: Labbayk, performances were that good Kamal Uddin and Khaleel that they ‘blew the socks off Muhammad, who not only the host!’ performed beautifully on the night, but chose the winners of Selecting the winners was a Nasheed Factor 2012. Their difficult task for the judges light-hearted and humble as all performances were comments left our audiences extremely good. The night was with laughter and smiles. unique in that the audience actively engaged with the The highlight of the night hosts and judges, cheering, was the performances by doing the takbeer and voting the twelve finalists who from via texting for their favourite day one stunned the judges. finalist. From practicing to doing It was great to see a number various sound checks, this of prestigious Islamic Relief was the moment of glory for

staff from Cardiff, Bradford, Leicester and London come together to witness the success of Islamic Relief Scotland. Habib Malik, Head of Islamic Relief Scotland spoke to the audience about the cause of Nasheed Factor and why One Safe Village was at the heart of this project. From this followed on, an auction, where a number of collector’s items were put forward to the audience and went for hundreds of pounds. This however is only the beginning of a new legacy. Nasheed Factor is an instrument of peace, an instrument which exhales positivity, spirituality and humanity. The Islamic Relief’s Nasheed Factor team aim to make Nasheed Factor bigger and more exciting in the future, inshAllah.

Shaista Ali

Gaza’s Crisis Continues after the News Teams Turn Away

Over the last few weeks, we’ve all been seeing horrifying images on our screens of non-stop bombings across the Gaza Strip. Whole families were wiped out, as civilians (including 33 children) bore the brunt of the attacks. This tiny strip of land, around only 24 miles long, is among the most densely populated areas in the world, with more than half its 1.7 million people under 25. Even before the skies were raining bombs, life for Gaza’s youth has been extremely difficult. Just getting clean water, basic food, medical treatment and even getting children to school has for years become a major worry for many families. Along with the UN agency UNWRA and other NGOs, Interpal helps to support Palestinians, and over the last weeks have been providing emergency relief aid to the victims of atrocities across the Gaza Strip.

Like most relief aid NGOs, Interpal strongly condemned the violence, and has welcomed the recent ceasefire. Interpal’s chairman, Ibrahim Hewitt, recently said, ‘The ceasefire is good news, but the hardship enveloping the Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip has not ended.’ It is fair to say that the Gaza Strip is facing a crisis that impacts everybody living there. The recent attacks have only made things worse. Innocent children and families were caught from all sides with no shelters to safely hide in. Tens of thousands fled their homes in search of somewhere safe, but not everyone was lucky. Take the case of the much-reported airstrike on the Dalou family home. Of the ten family members killed in the strike, five were children. The father of four of the children was also killed, along with four women. Other families only just escaped similar

fates. Interpal provided 61 year old Sulaiman Saleh with emergency relief, whose family home was hit by an Israeli airstrike. All 14 members of his family were inside at the time. Miraculously, Sulaiman and his family survived, though not without serious fractures, traumas and injuries. After paramedics rescued the family from the rubble of their home, Sulaimanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother gave them a place to stay, as everything they owned was destroyed.

(11 months old) and Lana (2 years old) each received serious injuries, but should make full recoveries as the ceasefire holds. The blast affected three generations of the Saleh family, and the psychological impact of the trauma will continue well after the injuries have healed and the news teams cover crises elsewhere.

During a time when the major powers of the world are shifting and the changes brought about by the Arab Spring will be felt across the region, the struggle of the Interpal and the local health authorities Palestinian youth remains an important made an emergency medical assessment issue. In the coming days, we will see of Sulaiman, who suffered the worst whether Palestine will be given noninjuries. Interpal field staff provided him member statehood status at the UN. This with a wheelchair, a specialised hospital could radically change how Palestine is bed to aid his recovery, and an emergency perceived in the world. Meanwhile, Saleh relief package. and his family struggle to cope with the wreckage of their home and their lives. Sulaimanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son was still confused about what happened when the missile struck the Chris Hosker house. His grandchildren Omar Interpal support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

Child of Terror

Child of Terror is an original new physical drama created as the result of a four-day long residency bringing together the skills of professional performers and local young people. The young people will collaborate with Highly Sprung to produce a full-length performance, exploring the theme ‘terrorism’. Having undergone research with refugee centres based in the Midlands the performance reflects the real life stories of those young people who have become displaced as a result of terrorism and uncovers the truth behind life as a refugee. A thrilling unique production from Highly Sprung Performance Co. whose proven track record in creating inspiring projects for young people is once again showcased in a performance that fuses the energy of young people with the experience of professional performers. ‘Child of Terror’ depicts a world destroyed by violence and terrorism. Through the eyes of the innocent we witness lives that 44

Highly Sprung Performance Co. Present:

are thrown, forced and dragged into the balance; what remains only time tells. The story is an epic journey where only love holds the answers. Inspired by Bertolt Brecht’s ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle’, this is a story for the modern generation of terrorism. Told through Highly Sprung’s unique style of performance that expresses a narrative through movement that speaks and text that moves. “Beautiful, mesmerising, terrifying, heartbreaking!” Audience “Awe-Inspiring, enchanting, powerful and truly excellent!” -Audience Tickets are available through the Drum box office: http://www.the-drum.org.uk/event/child-of-terror

CHILD OF TERROR

Performance: Thursday 13th December 2012 7.30pm @ The Drum Theatre (Approx finish time 9.00pm with no interval) Tickets: £5 (£3)

Tel: 0121 333 2444 Due to be a sell-out! Access for wheelchairs is catered for. All performances are produced and directed by Highly Sprung Performance Co. a Coventry based physical performance company exclusively committed to the development of children and young people through inspiring performance projects. Projects are innovative and original and always involve, engage and excite. The company works with over 7,000 children and young people annually.

Gaza Poem

Where Do I Start On A Situation That Has Captivated Minds & Hearts, People Killed, Houses Destroyed, A Million Stories, I’m Stuck Like The Tories Like David Cameron & Nick Clegg 3 Course Meal, Pampered & Straight To Bed. But I’m Stuck, Dunno Where To Begin Do I Start With Dar Ul Fadilah Or Innocent Victims?

Why Are We Here Today To See The Guests Such As Galloway Or We Here To Raise Funds For This Cause The First Hand That Goes Up I Want To Hear Allaahu Akbar Roars!! As You Dine Tonight, Their Dinner Plate Is Empty. As You Enjoy Your Meal Tonight, They Enjoy Tears Of Hunger As You Socialise And Network Tonight, They Stare Empty At No Electricity

Maybe The Schools & Hospitals Destroyed, Or The Maybe It’s A Topic I Should Avoid,

As You Return To Bed Made Of Soft Duvet & Feather Cushions, Their Bed Is Made Of Hard Wood & Metals.

As When Truth Hits Home, Out Comes The Reality, Carpet Bombs Causing Numerous Fatalities

This Is You. That Is Them. Will We Remain Silent Once Again

The Gravity Of This Situation Cannot Be Seen With Imagination Or Fascination Our Minds Cannot Comprehend That This War Will Never End Unless They Destroy Al Aqsa That Is Their Mission, Aim & Goal They Chase That More Then We Chase Gold

poetry

A Place, Four Letters, A Million Hearts Broken Situation As Soft As Body Lotion They Are Our Brothers, Yet No Emotion It Can’t Be Cured With A Potion

For I Leave You With This Poem & Reminder, Tonight, May Allaah Enable Us To Reach In Our Pockets Deeper

Shabz spoken word poet & lyricist

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How are you? Thrilled to talk to Fifteen21 readers! Congratulations on the success of the series, Muslims in the Modern world, how did you get involved in this project, who have you written about so far, and what is the aim of this series?

Muslim Role-Models Suma Din Author

That’s 3 questions in 1! A mainstream publisher approached me about writing a title that added to their multi-faith series on inspirational people. I agreed, but then due to the first wave of ‘credit crunch’ issues, they had to stop all new publications. I had a manuscript and no publisher. Aargh, a mini nightmare… enter Kube Publishing. We corresponded, they liked the manuscript, wanted to double the length and add more personalities; Muslims in the Modern World came into being! So far the books on Dr Hany El Banna, humanitarian founder of Islamic Relief and Hayat Sindi, a scientist, inventor and entrepreneur have been written. The Hayat Sindi title will be out early on in 2013, God Willing. The aim

of the series is to provide all young people with positive examples of contemporary Muslims. The books are written to sit comfortably in mainstream secondary schools; a glossary and explanation of any faith related practices are kept to basics and explained. On another level, for Muslim youth, I hope the series will make them feel confident about their faith and proud of people who are contributing something exceptional to this world. They’ll get an insight into some important qualities you need to succeed whatever you do, such as courage, resilience, determination and sincerity of intention. What was the inspiration behind, Turning the Tide: Reawakening the Woman’s Heart and Soul? Too many heavy and negative books about Muslim women written by men! I wanted to work on something aesthetically pleasing, something that reflects the beauty in the world, something to reinforce the spiritual status of Muslim women.

How did you begin your journey into writing? Reflective writing, the type of thing you do in a diary (do kids still keep those?), and letter writing to friends and relatives around the globe are two things I always did as a child. I suppose I’ve just carried on and put book covers on some of it.

What do you feel is the best thing about your job?

Any advice for aspiring writers on how to become a good writer?

Writing isn’t a job for me, it’s more like a habit, I can’t not do it – ok, I know that’s bad English! There are so many ‘best things’. Number one spot goes to someone benefiting from what I’ve written, two, meeting some phenomenal people when I’m out and about researching and three, the freedom to work when, where and however I like!

Read widely, but selectively for the genre you want to write in. Don’t worry if you’re not into writing fiction. Look at the alternatives, and invent a new genre if you need to; there’s nothing to stop you. Just write and experiment. If you want to get published, firstly, grow a thick skin, dinosaur thick is a good start. Be prepared to revise, to research weird and wonderful things (even if you write fiction), be resilient and above all, believe in what you’re producing.

Are there any specific challenges associated with getting your work published, with many print media, now moving online, is it as difficult to get exposure, as it traditionally used to be?

Do you have any other published books?

There are huge challenges, like rejection from publishers, huge time lags between Yes, I write for the education sector, so I when your work is submitted, to when it’s have other non-fiction books and resources published. But for the non-fiction type of published. They are faith related and thing I do, there are even more challenges about diversities in cultures for the general as the digital world provides so much primary school audience. I have a lively information online. I think if there’s a need book all about time zones and cultures for your particular subject, authors need to around the world coming out in spring think much more about e-books alongside 2013 called ‘One Day’ by Bloomsbury. the traditional submission process. 47

How are you? Once you recall all the blessings that you have in your life, and no matter how hard things are, you know that things could always be worse (but they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t), I would say, alhamdulillah. I am doing well, thank you for asking.

and lead the initiative. What do you feel is the best thing about being a publisher?

You get to pick anything and publish it! Joking aside, there are many great things about being a publisher, such as knowing that you are increasing intellectual resources, partaking in the act of a transmission of knowledge We hope you have now recuperated from your recent trip to Tunisia, how itself and working with all the great was that, and what work were you authors and translators, but I think the best thing about being a publisher is involved in? when you receive letters and emails of thanks from readers. The letters I was asked to come along as a we receive are very humbling and consultant for a Think Tank based touching. We have letters from people in London and Jeddah (The Global who were on the verge of walking Centre for Renewal and Guidance) out of Islam; from people who were that was established by the legal searching for material that could philosopher, Shaykh â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Abdallah b. answer some of the questions of living Bayyah. The conference looked at in a post 9/11 age and those who defining citizenship and the rights simply continue to write in and thank of non-Muslims in Muslim majority us for the effort we exert. Reading countries from a Sharia perspective. these letters remind me always Given that Tunisia was the nucleus from where the Arab Spring sprung, it why I publish books. was an ideal country to host the event 48

Muslim Role-Models Aftab Malik Publisher

What kind of books does Amal Press typically publish? In the main, we focus on translating into English, key texts from the Islamic civilization from some of its greatest masters. The areas we focus on are spirituality, law and heresiography. We carefully select manuscripts to match what we think are the needs for Muslims today, who are locked out of the vast intellectual repository of knowledge that these past masters have left for us

to ponder and reflect upon; namely because many of us cannot speak or read Arabic, the language in which they were written. We also publish some contemporary works that primarily look at the challenges of living in a post 9/11 and 7/7 world.

Are there any specific challenges associated with getting your work published, with many print media, now going digital, is it as difficult to get exposure, as it traditionally used to be? In the last five years or so, there has been a massive change to the publishing world, namely, everything is moving to digital media. It is cheaper and it allows for a global readership in a matter of seconds. Amal Press is more of a niche publishing house and we don’t publish hundreds of books a year. We aim to publish one good quality book per year. We still are old fashioned (we like to “feel” our books in our hands!) but, at some stage, we will move towards the e-market, as clearly, many readers prefer the various mobile devices as opposed to carrying books. The other challenge is that Muslims don’t read as much as they should! So, we are always trying to think of ways of trying to get Muslims to read. C’mon … reading is so much fun and enlightening!

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MashAllah you are a great role model academia, teaching Islamic studies or to our readers, but who was your role- the anthropology of Islam in Britain, model when you were growing up? but such is my life, that I have really no idea where I will end up. I just go with Moi? A role model? I’m flattered and the flow. I do aspire to finish writing my honoured. Who was mine when I was imagined (!) three volume epic on the growing up (other than the Prophet)? historical plight of the Jews. I have been Hmm. I guess it’s all down to my parents. writing about it for several years now, I strove to imbue the spiritual excellence whenever I can find the time, which is less of my mother and to encapsulate the and less, sadly. Whatever I do, I hope comportment of my father. When I was that it is of benefit and helps people. at University, I looked up to Shaykh We have too many hate mongers in the Hamza Yusuf and Shaykh ‘Abdal Hakim world. Where is the love? Murad as role models, and ever since, have never looked back. Of course, it’s Which books are you working on at quite another thing to live up to their present? standards, but, we can only try and strive to do our best. We have almost completed a book that is particularly close to my heart. It is What further aspirations do you have? called: The Devotion of Imam al-Nawawi, and consists among other Hmm. Ideally, I would like to end up in things, a translation and commentary 50

on the personal litany of this great scholar. It is a powerful expression of our dependency upon God and a plea for His protection. It should be out late next year. The other book is tentatively called: Being Muslim. It’s a guidebook for converts and for those Muslims who want to refresh themselves on not only the legal aspects of Islam, but also the spirit of Islam too. It’s unique and I am sure that it will be appreciated by all. We have to get that balance; between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law and this book does that beautifully, in my estimation. This book will most likely be out late 2013 early 2014. Where can we go to find out more about Amal Press? That’s easy. Visit the website: www.amalpress.com

Mughal India Art, Culture and Empire A Major exibition exploring the Mughal empire through 200 exquisite manuscripts, paintings and objects

Until 2 April 2013

at the British Library, London

Mughal Women and Literature The Mughal Emperors were famous as patrons of learning and the arts, but the role played by women was equally important. A good example is Nur Jahan (1577-1645) who married the emperor Jahangir in 1611 and effectively ruled the empire behind the scenes until his death in 1627. In the British Library’s current exhibition Mughal India: Art, Culture & Empire, which runs until 2 April 2013, there are several unique examples of the important contributions made by these sadly neglected heroines.

fell gravely ill, Babur prayed that he himself might die and his son and heir be spared. That very day, Gulbadan writes, Babur’s last illness and Humayun’s recovery began. The copy on display is the only surviving copy to exist.

The earliest is ‘The Life of King Humayun’, an account of the reigns of Babur and Humayun by Princess Gulbadan (died 1603), daughter of the first emperor Babur (reigned 1526-30), and sister of the second, Humayun. Gulbadan was eight years old when her father died but she vividly describes the lives and characters of the harem and events including the story of how, when Humayun

Perhaps the greatest of the Mughal princesses was Jahanara Begum (161481), the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan. Together with her brother Dara Shikoh, the heir to the throne, she was initiated into the Qadiriya order of Sufiism. On Princess Jahanara, c. 1631-3 (c) British Library

Another very influential woman was Hamida Banu Begam (1527–1604). She married the emperor Humayun in 1541 and a year later gave birth to Akbar. She was one of the few Mughal women known to have had a library of her own. One of her books, also on display, was a volume of poetry composed by Hijri, a poet at her son Akbar’s court. It contains her petal-shaped seal inscribed ‘Hamida Banu daughter of ‘Ali Akbar, 957 [1550–51]’. Hamida’s interest in book collecting continued right up to her death, in fact this manuscript was transferred from her estate to the royal collection in September 1604, just a few weeks after she died.

display is her biography of the famous Sufi saint Mu’in alDin Chishti, who introduced the Chishti order of Sufism into India in the 12th century. This volume was actually copied by Jahanara who signs herself as ‘Jahan Ara, a speck of dust at the feet of the sages of Chisht’. Jahanara was profoundly spiritual, but at the same time she was an influential political figure. After the death of her mother in 1631, she enjoyed the status of first lady of the realm. In 1644 she was given the port of Surat, and revenues from its maritime trade made her extremely wealthy. She paid for the construction of the famous Jama Masjid in Agra in 1648, and also a huge mosque and religious complex in Srinagar in 1650. Throughout her life she remained devoted to her father and cared for him after his imprisonment in 1658 until his death eight years later.

religious. She was an exceptionally Library’s outstanding Central and South gifted calligrapher and wrote Persian Asian collections. www.bl.uk/mughalindia poetry. Her poems frequently include the Ursula Sims-Williams motif of the soul as a captive or caged British Library bird; particularly poignant as in 1681, she was imprisoned by her father for plotting against him with her brother Akbar. The poem on display in the exhibition ends with the words: We are a king’s daughter, and yet from him we’ve taken poverty. We’ve burned [ie. renounced] luxury and finery, though my name is Zebunnisa [which means ‘Adornment of Women’].

The British Library’s major new exhibition, looks for the first time at the entire 300 year reign of one of the most powerful and opulent empires the world has ever known. Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire not only traces the evolution of Mughal art and empire between the Another example of a royal author is 16th and 19th centuries, exhibiting over Zebunnisa Begum (died 1702), daughter 200 exquisite paintings and objects, of the emperor Aurangzeb. She used but sheds light on daily life at court The infant Akbar placed in the care of his nurses (Hamida), 1602-3 (c) British Library Board the pen-name Makhfi (‘Hidden’). Like with newly discovered and beautifully her aunt Jahanara, she was also deeply illustrated manuscripts drawn from the support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

Muslim Role-Models Sufiya Ahmed Author How are you? Alhumdullilah. Really well. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just got back from India where I was promoting my book Secrets of the Henna Girl. It was a wonderful trip. I also did some research for my new book which is set in Mumbai. Congratulations on the success of your recent book, what was the inspiration behind Secrets of the Henna Girl and will there be a follow-up? Thank you. There were so many inspirations behind Henna Girl. There were the women who are the survivors of forced marriage who bravely tell their stories publicly. There was also the inspiration of 54

our religion Islam. Lots of people in the UK think that a forced marriage (which is the subject of book) occurs because of Islam. This is so wrong and I wanted to correct that assumption by portraying Islam positively in the book and exposing instead the culture which is the real problem. Who was the heroine Zeba based on?

Seek help. There is a lot of support out there in the form of charities and also the government Forced Marriage Unit which you can contact on 0207 008 0151 or fmu@fco.gov.uk You have worked in advertising, and as a researcher in parliament, what inspired you to go into writing? I always wanted to be a writer. I was about eight years old when I decided that I wanted to be the next Roald Dahl and the next Enid Blyton. It was a dream really, one that I pursued on the side of my professional career. It came true in the end.

I just imagined an ordinary British Muslim girl and thought long and hard about how she would deal with the situation she faces. Zeba is a Muslim girl and she lives within the boundaries set by her faith, as in no drinking, no partying, no boyfriends etc. But she is also a very British girl in Do you have any other published her sense of independence, her rights books? and her refusal to meekly accept what others have decided for her. I do. I am also the author of the Zahra books which are about a What would be your advice to British Muslim girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adventures at anyone, male or female, who a boarding school. You can find is being pressured into a forced out more at my website www. marriage?

bibipublishing.co.uk What do you feel is the best thing about your job? I think the best thing about my job as a writer is the ability to highlight through my stories all the things that I think are important. These include good things in our society as well as the bad. For me stories have always been reflections of society and I think it’s important to catch these reflections in words so that we can all learn from each other. MashAllah you are a great role model to our readers, but who was your role-model when you were growing up? In the world of books it was always Enid Blyton, but my overall role model was the Prophet Mohammed’s wife Khadija (RA). When I was a little girl my father told me stories about Khadija (RA) as a successful,

intelligent and independent businesswoman, highly respected by her clan. She was my role model because her life taught me that a Muslim woman can achieve anything she wants. You just need to work hard. What further aspirations do you have? I’d love to write more books. Actually my fourth Zahra book is running behind in the publishing schedule but I’m hoping to release it soon in 2013. I’ve also got a new book I’m writing which is set partly in Mumbai’s slums and part set in London. Any advice for aspiring writers? Keep writing and never give up. You never know when someone will offer you a book deal. Also enter writing competitions. It’s the first step to recognition before getting published and publishers always keep an eye out for new talent. support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

Masjids Around The World Koutoubia Mosque

Capacity: 25,000

Location: Marrakech, Morocco

One of the first sights you see when you enter the old city of Marrakech is a tall square red brick tower. It looks imposing and very impressive. Upon closer inspection of this tower you realise that it is actually a minaret! There are ruins of buildings surrounding the minaret so you assume that the mosque is not in use. It is only when you hear the call to prayer being recited from the tower that you realise the mosque is still in use. You can tell that the mosque is old from the brick work and the fact it is situated within the ancient walls of Marrakech. However, there are no information boards around the mosque so you have no idea about the significance of the mosque or its history. I have only ever seen cylinder shaped minarets so I was intrigued by the unusual design of the square minaret. This prompted

me to research more about the mosque. I was fascinated by what I found! The Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakech. The mosque is named the Arabic word meaning â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;book sellersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; because there was originally a bazaar of book traders outside the mosque. The Koutoubia Mosque is an impressive site. The mosque is a brilliant example of Moorish architecture. The centerpiece of the red brick mosque is the square minaret which is around 70 metres high. The minaret is the oldest of the three great Almohad minarets in the world. The other two great minarets are Giralda in Sevilla and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. The Almohads were a North African Berber dynasty which ruled over much of North Africa, Spain and

parts of sub-Saharan West Africa during rows of white arches which extend from the mid 12th and 13th centuries. the front row to the back row. In total there are 112 columns covering a total The minaret is the tallest structure in floor area of 5,400 square metres. It is the city of Marrakech. The minaret is a simple finish but it looks very elegant adorned by four golden balls made out and tranquil. The prayer hall can of copper. The minaret structure consists accommodate up to 25,000 people. The of six rooms on top of each other which vast area directly outside the mosque are connected by a ramp so the muezzin is covered in a hard landscape finish so can climb up to the top and call out prayers can be offered outside if there the azaan. The square minaret was isn’t capacity inside. During the month completed under the reign of Yacoub el of Ramadan, the prayers extend outside Mansour (1184-1199). the mosque and onto the street. The original mosque was completed in 1147 but was later rebuilt because the prayer direction wasn’t aligned correctly with Mecca. The ruins of the original mosque can still be seen around the rebuilt mosque which was completed in the late 12th century.

The mosque is surrounded by gardens which add to the beauty of the mosque. The spacious gardens allow for a break from the hustle and bustle of the markets. The mosque is the focal point of the city. It can be seen for miles from the old and new parts of the city. It is a shame that there is no information about Even though the mosque is over 800 this mosque at the site but now you all years old, the mosque is still in use. It has know a little bit about the amazing recently been refurbished. The interior ‘book sellers’ mosque.’ I definitely of the mosque is very impressive. There recommend readers to visit and pray is a courtyard for making ablution and inside this historic mosque. there are praying facilities for sisters. Zeeshan Arif The main prayer hall is decorated with support us by joining our page on www.facebook.com/fifteen21magazine

Book Reviews 58

been mentioned in the book, this has inspired me to help out in charity organizations and to give lots of charity too. It has made me think about all the things that I can do to help the poor and needy, as well as learn the importance of doing this highly rewarding deed which is an obligation on Muslims. The reason why I would suggest you read this Dr Hany El Banna – book is because I want the youth like A Servant to the World’s myself and you, to benefit. We are Poorest People the future ummah and we can gain by Suma Din valuable lessons from it. It can be a source of guidance, a pathway to success inshallah. This book is I found the book wonderful and very very interesting so I would honestly exciting to read! It’s brilliant the way recommend you to read it. Dr Hany El Banna travels around the world and helps people who are poor and are in need. This shows so Meryem Osmani much dedication and concern on his Southall, aged 11 behalf mashallah. I understood the verses from the Quran which have

Secrets of the Henna Girl by Sufiya Ahmed

When I was given ‘Secrets of the Henna Girl’ to read, I was not expecting to be hooked on the story. It was brilliant! The book follows 16 year old Zeba from Yorkshire who goes to Pakistan in the school holidays under the impression that it’s just a holiday and she will be home to

start her A’levels after a few weeks. However when she gets there her parents tell her that she has to marry her cousin. It’s not what Zeba wants and the story is about how she fights to escape. I also really liked her friend Sehar and I couldn’t believe what happened to her. It was so sad. This book is easy to read and hard to put down. In fact I finished it in two days. Now my brother wants to read it because he wants to know how Zeba escapes. Great book. I give it 10 out of 10.

Asma London, aged 15

In the Land of the Ayatollahs, Tupac Shakur is King by Shahzad Aziz

“This inspired book is an amusing, insightful, touching, reverent account of journeys through Iran, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. Littered with witticisms, satire and complex analyses of issues in relation to Islam and Muslims, past and present, home and abroad. This chronicle is an important and necessary book that will give

many a great deal to think about. Religion, ethnicity, culture, identity, international relations and Islamic social history are cogently discussed and interpreted. This body of work is an illuminating and highly enjoyable cocktail of observation, inspection and introspection.”

Tahir Abbas FRSA Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Culture, University of Birmingham

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Recipes Roasted Vegetable Lasagne (Serves: 6)

Need: • 3 red peppers • 1 aubergine • 1 courgette • 8 tbsp olive oil, plus a little for greasing • ½ quantity tomato sauce • 300g fresh pack lasagna sheets • ½ quantity white sauce • 125g ball mozzarella • Handful cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Deseed the peppers, halve, then cut into large chunks. Trim ends off the aubergine and courgette, then cut into slices about ½cm thick. Lightly grease 2 large baking trays, then place peppers, courgettes and aubergines on top. Toss with the olive oil, season well, then roast for 25 mins until lightly browned. 2. Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly oil an ovenproof serving dish (30 x 20cm). Arrange a layer of the vegetables on the bottom, then pour over a third of the tomato sauce. Top with a layer of lasagne, then drizzle over a quarter of the white sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta.

3. To finish, spoon remaining white sauce over the pasta, making sure the whole surface is covered. Scatter mozzarella over the top with the tomatoes. Bake for 45 mins until bubbling and golden.

Homemade Tomato Sauce Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan. Add 2 onions, finely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, sliced and 1 carrot, roughly chopped. Cook for 5-7 mins over a medium heat until softened. Turn up the heat a little and stir in 2 tbsp tomato purĂŠe. Pour over 3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes and add 1 handful basil leaves. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins. Leave to cool, whizz in a food processor.

White Sauce Melt 85g/3oz butter in a saucepan, stir in 85g/3oz plain flour, then cook for 2 mins. Slowly whisk in 750ml/1Âźpt milk, then bring to the boil, stirring. Turn down heat, then cook until the sauce starts to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Sauce can now be cooled and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.

Rumaysa Malik

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

he Story

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