Islam today issue 43 January 2017 by islam today magazine UK

issue 43 vol.5 January 2017

The Prophets' Miracles

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issue 43 vol. 5 January 2017 islam today magazine is a monthly magazine published by the London based Islamic Centre of England. It focuses on the activities of the communities affiliated to the Centre, reflecting a culture of openness and respect towards other religious communities both Islamic and non. The magazine is available in paper and digital format.

Managing Director

M. Saeed Bahmanpour

Chief Editor

Amir De Martino

Managing Editor

Anousheh Mireskandari

Layout and Design

Innovative Graphics

Thaught by Sheikh Mirza Mohammed Abbas Reza

Beyond just a dialogue Interview with Fr William Skudlarek and Fr Maximilian Musindai

Hawza in a Nutshell - Lessons on Akhlaq From theory to practice by Ezra Hashme

Reflections on the pilgrimage of love By Kawther Ayed

Learning Islamic Family Law Centro Studio Pentesilea, Padova – Italy

Editorial team

Contents

Need for Religious Harmony by Dr Mohammad Khalid

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The Prophets' Miracles By Abbas Di Palma

Publisher The Islamic Centre of England 140 Maida Vale London W9 1QB Tel: +44 20 7604 5500 ISSN 22051-250

Art

St Simeon of the pillar by Revd Frank Jullian Gelli

Effects of sleep deprivation By Dr Laleh Lohrasbi

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Children Corner Seasonal Changes By Ghazaleh Kamrani

What & Where Listing of Events

January 2017

Report

Learning Islamic FaMiLy LaW

flew to Padova to start an intensive one day course. Around 30 people attended this preregistered course which ran from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday. The event was held in the hotel where solicitors and lawyers, attending the course, as well as I, were staying. I was told that the course forms part of the Italian government initiative to promote understating of legal issues related to Islam and Muslims. It would appear that the Cultural Section of the Iranian Embassy in Italy had been in touch with the organisation and were cooperating to set up this course. In total, there were three courses on family law, and I dealt with Islamic family law. Although most students communicated in English, a translator was always available. My lesson started with an introduction to the four principles of jurisprudence; The Qur’an, the Hadith, the consensus and aql (intellect). Students, mostly lawyers, were fascinated by the topic and the scope of Islamic law and the Sharia and the use of

January 2017

In November 2016, the 'Centro Studio Pentesilea', in the city of Padova Italy, organised a two day intensive course on family law for Italian lawyers and solicitors, touching upon adoption, custody of children, alimony, marital agreement and separation. Dr Shomali had originally been contacted to teach in this course but due to other engagements, he asked Sheikh MIrza Mohammed Abbas Reza to attend. Here is an account of what took place and the outcomes.

intellectual reasoning. In fact, child custody and alimony are two cases in Islamic law in which discussions are very contextual. We do not have many verses, pointing out to the nitty gritty of things so we see that there is a need to use aql and the participants really appreciated this fact. As I used slides in my presentations with accompanying translations, it was easy for participants to follow my lesson. The students said that the topic was an eye-opener and that they never realised Islamic law had so much complexity. In one particular issue, for example relating to alimony and day to day personal expenses of the wife, everything falls under the responsibility of the husband. I talked about the many western misconceptions with regards to how women are treated; how society’s expectations of her role and responsibility (cook, clean, obey the husband…) is different

from the rights that the law grants her. I tried to clear these misconceptions from their minds. We also discussed the Islamic injunction for women not leave the house without the permission of her husband. To the students, this sounded incredible. But I explained that it is not the case that every time she goes out, she has to ask ‘can I go out?’ The notion of the husband knowing is not a big thing but is one of those things that is blown out of proportion. The other point was the aspect of intimacy and intercourse. I explained that a husband must not be harsh, or use force upon his wife, for example, if she is sick. Obviously, there should be an element of love, joy and kindness and this comes under the teachings of the Sunna of the Prophet and ethics. I pointed out the obligations that a woman has in marriage, and that cooking, cleaning and housework are not among these. We looked into the law of other schools (madhab) such as Shafeie, Maleki, Hanbali and had a comparative look at family law issues. During the Q&A session, people showed concern about mixed marriages, the right of divorce, the case of polygamy, and dowry. I talked about the contract of marriage and the fact that in the contract a woman can stipulate a condition that

Students, mostly lawyers, were fascinated by the topic and the scope of Islamic law and the Sharia and the use of intellectual reasoning.

limits the husband to one wife only. I explained that there is a lot of room for the intellect to play a role and that other factors determine rules such as social norms, culture and the political system under which people live. For example, if the dowry is too high, the husband agrees, but can’t pay and is arrested as a result, the government will implement the standard dowry, not the full amount. The norm of a dowry depends on the status of the girl, and that money has to be paid by the husband if a divorce takes place. The remaining amount from the agreement is between him and God. These types of operations, based upon intellect and considering social norms, play a great role in making the law acceptable and Islamic. The attendees and those involved in arranging the course ere very kind and cultured and I could see a lot of good human values. The person in charge of the course, Mr Adolfo Morganti, said that the course was a success and that he was interested in future cooperation. In fact, they are coming to visit The Islamic College in January and February. I believe a good link has been established.  Shaykh Mirza Mohammed Abbas Raza is the current Manager of the Hawza Ilmiyya of England in London

January 2017

Beyond just a

dialogu

On their recent visit to London Fr William Skudlarek and Fr Maximilian Musindai were invited to talk at the Hawza Ilmiya on their experience of interfaith activities. A couple of days later Islam today’s chief editor caught up with them for an interview. The following are highlights of the discussion that took place. Q: Fr William, could you explain the purpose of your visit? When we met in Qum-Iran last May during the 4th monastic interreligious dialogue it was decided not to leave too much of a gap between the meetings. We had been meeting back and forth between Qum and Italy for a while. The first meeting was in Rome and the third one in Assisi. In further discussions, it was suggested, that although it was very impressive, interesting and important for us to go to Iran, it was also difficult to obtain visas. I was told I was the first American arriving in Iran without a visa. Besides this, the fundamental question of whether or not it was possible for our dialogue to be of benefit to others was raised too. We then agreed that the whole question of the relationship between Christianity and Islam in Africa is very important since recently it has been marked by dreadful incidents of violence. Then much to my surprise, Dr Shomali said, that there is a large presence of Muslim Shi’as in Kenya, which is also the country of Fr Maximillian. So almost immediately we decided to have our next gathering in Kenya. My initial suggestion was that we could not repeat the same academic model where the participants present papers and afterwards we publish them. So our visit to London is partly to plan and organise the trip to Kenya. Q: As a representative of the Catholic Church, what internal discussions have you had with regard to your engagement with members of the Islamic faith? Has there been a shift in the importance given to these encounters by the Catholic Church? It is obvious that the increased presence or visibility of Islam in the West and by that I mean Western Europe and the United States has provoked a kind of attention to Islam that was not there as long as Islam was simply something

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seen from afar. Some Americans associate Islam only with the Middle East, forgetting that Indonesia is the largest Muslim country and there is a huge presence of Muslims also in India. But that recognition of the need to understand, to get to know Muslims specifically, and Islam as the principle, is evident, and also the recognition that if we don’t come to understand and know one another better, there is always an increased possibility of hostile relationships between two groups of people. This has led, at least for us in monastic interreligious dialogue, to an awareness that it is not only a matter of getting to know the religious traditions that are different to ours but that we share a common interest in drawing closer to God and letting God draw us closer to Him, because right at the heart of the Christian monastic tradition is the sense of the search for God: How we benefit from the way that another religion tradition understands, what it means to search for God or to be drawn to God or focus one's whole being on God. Q: One of the major problems identified with interfaith dialogues at ‘high levels’ is that it remains at those levels, it does not trickle down to the rest of the society. What strategy do you think should be taken to involve ordinary people? One of the things I suggested for this meeting in Nairobi is that rather than speaking at the intellectual/theoretical level we share simple stories with one another. Stories of good and also bad relationships between Christian and Muslims and then we look at these stories almost as case studies. We ask ourselves what we have learned about the things that help us to come together and those that lead to hostility. This was discussed with Dr Shomali who suggested a theme for the next encounter in Kenya as ‘The unity of God and the unity in God’. Concomitant with this

we will also want to explore the meaning of ‘mission’. What does it mean to be in a relationship with people of another religious tradition without immediately thinking that the only reason we can have a relationship with them is to get them to accept that mine is the right path? This raised big questions, what does it mean to be a true and faithful Muslim or Christian? Q: Would your meeting in Nairobi be in a more public setting? We are planning two public events; one to take place in a Muslim (Shi‘a) setting and the other a Christian one. But most of the discussions will be in small groups of perhaps ten Muslims and 10 monastics, where we can talk more in depth about these issues. Q: How much is the leader of the Catholic Church; Pope Francis involved in the interreligious dialogues? Very much. I should say that his keyword for interreligious activity is ‘fraternity’. By that he means, to respect one another, and he is very concerned about working together for the good of humanity. He feels very strong and supportive of this. He would not be, very much, for sharing spiritual experiences, though. Q: I was asked once what the purpose of these interfaith discussions is? What good comes out of it? Who benefits from it? How would you answer this? I refer to a German philosopher, who says “one who knows one language knows no language”. Or Shakespeare, who remarked: “I hate a man of one book”. Yes it is true we need to know our own religious identity, our own religious roots, but unless I can understand how they differ from another, I don’t really understand my own. So why should I get involved? I would say so that I can be a better Christian or a better Muslim. Q: Fr. Maximilian, we understand you are conducting important research in the field of Islamic Studies for your PhD. Could you please explain how it all started? A couple of years ago, the bombing of the American embassy in Nairobi and in Dar es Salam caused a lot of

frictions among Muslims and Christians in my country, Kenya. A few years later in 2001 came 9/11 in the US, this was a catastrophe and the society became deeply divided into two, Muslims and non-Muslims - the Fr William Skudlarek latter includes Christians and those with no religion. A question arose in my mind: Are these acts, perpetrated in the name of Islam in the world today, a representation of the true character of the Islamic religion? This prompted me towards researching more about Islam. At the time I had not undertaken theological studies. Later, by the grace of God, I was sent to Rome to start my theological studies. I finished in 2009 when the congregation of my religious community decided to answer my request to deepen my knowledge of Islam. I realised that to understand Islam I would need to start from the basics, learn the Arabic language. That was when I began my Islamic studies. I was sent to Egypt for one year to learn Arabic and then back to Rome to The Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies to finish my Master’s Degree, after which I went back to Egypt to start my Doctorate, and that is what I have been doing up to now. Q: What have you discovered so far about Islam? What windows have opened up in your understanding of Islam and Muslims? I have gradually discovered that ignorance or little knowledge of others is a dangerous thing. I grew up accepting that this is the reality but without making any effort to delve deeper and find out the truthfulness or falsity of this idea. I have gradually discovered that there is a lot to Islam that we, outsiders, have come to know. A reading of the work of contemporary Muslim scholars, who have come out - especially after September 11th, shows that there is a great willingness to go back into the Qur’an and find in it the teaching materials that help them to interact with members of other religions. This is because, some traditional scholars, even contemporary ones, tend to be exclusivist and divisive. What these new scholars are doing is to understand what it is that divides and makes some Muslims think in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’. These scholars basically want to bring out the beauty of Islam and share it with the world so that we can coexist. The Qur’an says that Ibrahim, Joseph, Jacob were all Muslims and all prophets that

January 2017

lived before Muhammad were Muslims, so let us go back the original meaning and understanding of Islam.

Catholicism was all about devotion with little engagement of the mind. I read once an appropriate sentence which said: “Jesus came to take our Q: During your encounter with sins not our minds”. But you scholars of other major branches have to put a brake on it too of Islam what are the marked because there is a risk one becomes differences that you have noticed, just a rationalist. Deep within our and would your approach be the same Fr Maximilian Musindai Catholic Christian and Benedictine in terms of interaction? tradition, is faith, seeking and understanding. Faith is there, but faith not just in the sense of a blind acceptance, Absolutely not, the exchange has to be different. When I faith in the sense of trust and then understanding of why I talk to a Muslim Shi‘a I know that I am talking to a trust. Why do I hand my life over to God? Why is this rational religious person who accepts that in the matters of thing to do? salvation, and in Divine understanding, we need both faith and reason. For this reason, there is a huge difference Q: Christianity appears to have retreated in face of the between Shi‘as and Sunnis. I do not completely believe that challenge of secularism, and Christian societies had to there is no Ijtihad (independent scholarly reasoning) among adapt their practices and spirituality. How would you the Sunnis, but it is more difficult to discuss it in public. assess the condition of Christian societies today? Among the Shi‘a it is different, we can sit and reason out, challenge our faith, challenge even our sacred scriptures, Well, just today we were walking down the street, going to big ask what is the meaning of different concepts? And what huge St Augustine Church, built in 1898, splendid, imposing, and now crumbling. Yesterday I went to the hotel lobby, and I was the condition in which it came about? Shi‘a scholars asked: ‘Do you have a list of churches in the area’, a young will do this in public without any fear. I think this kind of lady looked at me as if… ‘why… churches?’ It was striking to analysis can bring us closer. me. She probably thought, ‘what a crazy question to ask’. With Shi‘a Muslims, we also share the concepts of pilgrimage to spiritual sites. As you know in some Sunni sects pilgrimages to shrines, are forbidden and considered a bida‘, (innovation). Shi‘a Muslims believe in the sacredness of the holy places where special men of God are buried. They have the concept of intercession and seek God’s favour through the help of role models such as Imam Husayn, Imam Hassan. Then another concept that we share with the Shi‘a Muslims is the element of openness and authority. There is a welldefined hierarchy of knowledge and authority, similar to Catholicism, but it is not the same in the Sunni world. Q: Fr William, Chronologically Islam is more than 500 years younger than Christianity. We can say that Christianity had to face certain historical challenges and developments. Do you think Islam has to go through the same challenges that Christianity faced? How do you see the direction that Christianity has taken? Islam, today, is more or less where Christianity was in 1300[CE]. I always wondered if there is a certain historical process in religious tradition, we have certainly seen it in Christianity, perhaps there is a need to engage our traditions, our sacred texts, with the mind. There is a sense that

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Fr. Maximilian: We should remember that Islam is 600 years younger than Christianity, and if we look backwards to where the Christians were 600 years ago. You know what has happened until Pope John Paul II, during the Jubilee celebration, came out and said that the church confesses the sins it has committed against the Muslims. That was of very historical importance. The world we see now is the outcome of the mistakes we made as a religion. The times are changing, the language is changing and inner religion is changing. Christianity has come through a particular culture, as has Buddhism and Islam, we have to bear that in mind. When I see a Muslim putting on hijab, for example, it is not for me to criticise, as I should first know how it has come about. I have to know the culture behind that hijab. Muslims have to do the same if a non-Muslim does something. They have to go and find out how their action has come about, what culture is behind it, before criticising. There is also a need to change our theological language. Christians, Muslims or members of other religions, if we continue to use hard language, the language of division, we shall remain with the same challenges. Language that says this person is Kafir and non-believer or saying that we are the only one who, through Jesus Christ, has been saved. We have to go back and re-examine our theological language.

Father William: Even some of the most basic parts of Christian theological language we have to consider, words with which we refer to God, such as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. That is a huge change. We have to be able to say that so much of our language at the very core of Christian faith and theology comes out under a very particular worldview, Greek philosophy. But it is still very delicate. My knowledge of Islam is very little. But sometimes when I read through the pages of the noble Qur’an when in so many cases it says, God has no partners and this comes up again and again, I am wondering is this a kind of statement about the Christian way of talking about God that said God is three? The contemporary Trinitarian theology may say numbers has nothing to do with the trinity. But again the way we talk about it gives that impression and understandably. I think the Holy Qur’an, the revelation of Prophet Muhammad is . reacting and criticising that very crass way. Fr Maximilian: Sura Ikhlas is the response to this.

Q: Fr Maximilian, how do you see the journey of humanity, what is it moving towards? I believe things are changing but what kind of changes? Human beings have a tendency to go beyond the limited boundaries of their religious groupings, people are embracing a global way of saying things and going beyond themselves, that is why a Christian can sit with a Muslim and share something that would not have happened a few years ago. The tendency to reach the other is increasing. We are moving towards one religion, a global religion. We’ll converge. Fr William: I try always to be an optimist, but I think something also needs to collapse. I don’t know how the economy is going to continue, but this house of cards has to collapse. I think different kinds of things are coming. Ecologically, we face a huge crisis and I think we don’t really recognise that but suddenly as the ocean level increases…, again, I might be talking from a Christian perspective, but before there is going to be resurrection there has to be death. Something has to collapse. Then again who knows?

"..It is true we need to

know our own religious identity, our own religious roots, but unless I can understand how they differ from another, I don’t really understand my own. So why should I get involved? I would say so that I can be a better Christian or a better Muslim.

Amir De Martino: We have no exact understanding of those Christians with whom the Prophet Muhammad interacted with and what their exact belief system was, but it seems the response must have come to that. They would have been Christians of Arabia, Southern Yemen and the region. However, from a historical perspective, we understand, the Prophet clearly directed that the Christians in the monastery should not be touched, because he certainly recognised their belief system.

Q: What are the challenges ahead? How would you see Christianity in 100 years? Fr. William: It would certainly be different. Again the pace of change is so rapid with so many different forces at work but this is not the first time a very secular spirit has arisen. Take the French Revolution, think of Russia, when they said, ‘finally we got ourselves rid of God’, ‘now is time for workers’, ‘for common good’, and then all changed. Certainly out of the French Revolution came a life of Catholicism, it just blossomed, many new religious orders, great intellectual activities came about, but if you look at 1789 -1793, religion was over, religion was removed from our society in the name of Laicite.

Amir De Martino: It seems that dialogue and religious exchanges are of the utmost importance for the future generations. I have this image of the first community of Muslims that took refuge in Abyssinia where no one else would help them. They were the guests of the Negus, a Christian king who gave them refuge until it was safe for them to join the Prophet Muhammad(s) in Madina. They resided for several years in Abyssinia were they lived in harmony with the host nation.

Fr William is the General Secretary of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue. Fr Maximilian

is currently doing a PhD in

Arabic and Islamic Studies.

They are both Benedictine monks and have been involved in rounds IV, V, VI and VII of the Catholic Shia dialogue.

January 2017

Life & Community

Hawza in a Nutshell Lessons on Akhlaq by Ezra Hashme

hen we learn a new skill be it theoretical or practical, it always takes time to practise and takes even longer to allow it to become part of our DNA. This means that there will be a lot of mistakes, slips and falls along the way. In the Hazwa during our Akhlaq (Ethic) classes, I’ve gained a good amount of theoretical and practical knowledge. However applying these to real life can be a very challenging task. For example, a few months ago when I was travelling on the London Underground, a man was sitting opposite me. The train carriage wasn’t that busy and every time I looked in his direction, he was staring at me. The situation made me feel uncomfortable because I didn’t know why he was looking at me. My thought pattern drifted to the negative because I fitted a typical Muslim profile, he looked European, and in my mind I erected an instant wall between us. Maybe he was worried that I might do something. To look less intimidating, I opened a book and started reading. If only this man knew I posed no threat and not all Muslims are terrorists. Luckily my stop came and I got off trying not to look in his direction. As I went through the barrier in Euston Square station I saw a Muslim woman struggling to go up the stairs. I stopped and tried to figure a way to help her, thinking about the best way to approach and offer my assistance. A man walked passed me and like a true gentleman offered his arm to the lady. Lo and behold, it was the same man that had been staring at me on the train. She grabbed on to his arm as he assisted her up the stairs. I walked behind them just in case she needed extra help. Both of them turned out to be from the same city in Scotland, Glasgow. All those negative feelings towards this man vanished as I stood there defeated by inadequacy and in awe of his quick response to help the lady. This man’s actions made me realise that I cannot simply play the victim card and think negatively of others without evidence. I made a promise to myself never to judge anyone based on my own shortcomings. During the month of December in the Hawza, two Benedictine monks visited us. It was a pleasure listening to their speeches especially a parable used by one of the monks. Two friends, one Muslim and the other a Christian monk, met regularly to converse about God. They called these meetings “digging a well” as the plan was to dig these

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hypothetical wells side by side and see who reached water first. The monk posed a question: “when we reach the bottom of this well, will we find Muslim water or Christian water?” They both realised that it would be only God’s water.

In our pursuit towards perfection, we are advised to avoid any actions which stop us or even slow us on this journey, whilst any actions which help us improve or even propel us forward, are encouraged. If we are in a race and we slow down or stop our chances of winning will be reduced. Sheikh Shomali used Ayatollah Muhammad Reza Muzafar’s example to explain the different levels of action. Some actions are completely good on their own and remain good regardless of the situation, which is the highest level. Justice, for example, is always good by itself and will always remain good regardless of time, place or situation. Below this is the second group. This can be a good or bad action on its own but an external factor could change it. An example would be a child who is drawing a picture. He has put in a lot of effort to impress his teacher or parents. They look at the picture and cannot figure out what the child has drawn. They are in a dilemma over telling the truth or saying it is terrible. If they speak their mind the child would be heartbroken and it could ruin his confidence. On the other hand with a little white lie the child’s hard work would be recognised and he/she will be encouraged to do a better job in the future. There are many other examples in real life where a white lie is beneficial such as to save a marriage or to reconcile between enemies. The third category is the action which is neutral; it does not have the tendency of good or bad attached to it. An example could be drinking water, which is not seen as good or bad. If we drink water to quench our thirst for the sake of God then this is a good action. Thus an action, which is a complete necessity, is always good. An action can be good or bad by nature, so the cause is good as long as there is no obstacle. There are other actions that are neither good nor bad and require a situation to make it either positive or negative. Sheikh Shomali noted that understanding these concepts is very important and that if we attended Hawza for a month just to understand them it would be worthwhile. 

From theory to practice Haqq & Batil (Falisity & Verity)

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Reflections on the pilgrimage of love P

hysically exhausting, yet spiritually uplifting, are the words to describe the anniversary of 40 days after the martyrdom of Imam Husayn(a) - the Arbaeen. I failed to silence my thoughts, and so decided to share some of my reflections in this article. It is dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the world's largest peaceful gathering'. But peaceful isn't the only word I'd use to describe the experience. In fact, for the most part, it is far from peaceful! Can you imagine the combined chaos of 26 million devotees, driven by their passion? They leave their families and friends, all their worldly belongings, all their work and responsibilities only to be united by one incentive. They come from all regions and corners of the world, only to gather for the commemoration of one man. All ages qualify - all hearts, big and small, old and young attend only to be nurtured by one love. This is what the Arbaeen is: a pilgrimage of love. It was something that I had the honour of attending last year, and because of how much I yearned for it this year too, my prayers were answered and my parents and I set out from our home in east London. The truth is, this opportunity didn't come about on its own. I want to share a little secret with you all: when you put your mind and heart and soul to it and take it upon yourself to recite Ziyarat Ashura for at least forty consecutive days, then you will be blessed with whatever it is that you want. There are plenty of hadiths that support this statement.

January 201 2017 7

We arrived in Baghdad, heading straight towards Kadimiyya, where the two infallible personalities Musa ibn Jafar alKadim(a) and his grandson Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad(a) reside. After spending one night and one morning there, we headed straight to Najaf so that we may begin the 86km walk to Karbala the following day. I'll tell you this: each different city makes you feel a certain way, and this is something on which anyone who has visited Iraq for religious purposes will agree. Kadimiyya, for example, had a comfortable feel to it. A warm, yet vibrant energy in the atmosphere. I felt welcome. There was the hustle and bustle of visitors and natives, and record shops blared out the latest eulogies. And most importantly, the scene of two large golden domes, side by side, and polished ever so immaculately, as though looking over the city and protecting both its inhabitants and tourists. The next city we travelled to was Najaf. What can I say about Najaf? Though the occasion was one of tragedy and calamity and it was only befitting to mourn for Imam Husayn(a) in the Arbaeen period, the only thing I wanted to do there was to rejoice. I truly and undoubtedly felt at peace, as though I had been reunited with my best and closest friend whom I hadn't seen in a long time. Despite the black cloth covering parts of the mosque, I felt like wearing white, and despite the almost constant cries, poetry and lamentations I would witness around me, an unmistakable celebratory feeling refused to leave my heart.

Kawther Ayed gives us an emotional account of her pilgrimage to the holy places of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq.

This was what it felt like to be in the vicinity of one of the best men to ever walk the Earth, the successor of the Prophet, the father of infallible Imams, Ali ibn Abi Talib(a). Yet, once in Karbala, you cannot fight the urge to mourn, and rightly so. For when you are hosted by Imam Husayn(a) and his brother Hazrat Abbas(a), your mind instantly goes back to the event of Ashura, thereby re-inviting the feeling of sadness into your heart. And here's one thing which blew my mind: I find that on all the occasions I reached the actual grave of Imam Husayn (a), one experience kept repeating itself. The moment I stepped directly underneath the dome, a rush of relief flowed through me. It felt like standing under a waterfall after being lost in the desert. And immediately I knew – it's something that you just know with conviction – that my ziyara (visit) was accepted. How sweet the feeling! After that, I could not help but prostrate in gratefulness for being granted such a wish and blessed with the proximity of the Prophet's grandson. The walk from Najaf to Karbala is truly one of a kind. Whilst the arrival of 26 million people from all over the world would otherwise be considered a logistical nightmare for any other country, the Iraqi people manage to make it a walk in the park. However, do not expect it to be quiet, peaceful, empty and clean at all times., and acknowledge the fact that no matter how hard councils work every night to get rid of the waste produced, and how often the Iraqis sweep the floors, 26 million is not a small number, and

naturally it requires some patience. All sorts of questions will arise: who will accommodate all these people? What about the food? Yet everyone in Iraq, whether they are children or adults, civilians or soldiers, wealthy or poor, works together to serve the visitors of Husayn(a). And it's not some sort of chore or obligation for them. In fact, they wait all year to be able to serve and to offer whatever they have, completely free of charge, merely for spiritual benefit. They beg you to take from their food; they sit on the floor with a shoe shine kit, hoping the next passer-by will offer their shoes. Even the children would stand with either a perfume they spray on the people walking by, or a packet of tissues, prompting anyone to take as they please. This is the hospitality and generosity that truly reflects the image and legacy of the Infallibles whose shrines are there. Being with my parents meant having to accept the possibility of not walking the entire 86km like we did last year, but I met my best friend, and we walked together, often reflecting throughout the journey. Together we reached Karbala. Later on, in Najaf we spent what was the best morning of my life sat in front of the golden dome, reciting Dua Sabah and Ashura Ziyara. If there is one final note I'd like to end on, it is that everyone should aim to complete this walk and attend the Arbaeen at least one time in their lives, because it really is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Purify your intentions throughout the journey, and God will certainly purify you. 

January 2017

Need for Religious Harmony W

hat the world needs today perhaps more than anything else is an acceptable formula for the attainment of religious tolerance and harmony. This is one of the greatest challenges of our time. A great portion of the world is suffering from the illness of religious hatred and sectarian violence. The following verse of the Qur’an best serves as the explanation of our affairs today; “Indeed the faithful, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabaeans - those of them who have faith in Allah and the Last Day and act righteously - they shall have their reward near their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.” (2: 62) This verse of the Qur’an rules out the concept of community superiority for any given group. The content of this verse makes it very clear that salvation by Islamic standards depends upon the individual’s actions and sincerity and that it is not the prerogative of any group. No man or woman can earn his or her salvation by the mere fact of associating with a particular group or community. Salvation will be achievable only by a person who truly believes in Almighty God and the Life Hereafter and who has given genuine proof in his life having lived a life of righteous deeds. Another important aspect of the faith of Islam is that it explains the concept of Monotheism (Al-Tawhid) quite in explicit terms without leaving even the slightest room for ambiguity and confusion. Let us deal with the fact that in practice different kinds of religious groups do exist. Given the various kinds of differences, let us consider how best to bring about harmony between them. Islam’s approach to the entire problem is much more realistic in that it accepts ideological differences. Having accepted these differences, it then advocates the policy of tolerance and respect for one another in everyday dealings. This is on a parallel with the principle expressed in the English saying, “Let us agree to disagree.” In this connection, one of the commands of the Qur’an is that in principle “There is no compulsion in religion"…(2: 256) At another place it declares that “You have your religion and I have mine.” (109: 6) It was as a result of this commandment that when the Prophet of Islam migrated to Madina, he issued a declaration reaffirming his acceptance of the religion of Muslims for the Muslims and the religion of Jews for the Jews. In order to perpetuate the atmosphere of mutual harmony, the Qur’an commands the

January 2017

...wherever religious harmony has existed, it has been on unity despite retaining mutual differences, rather than on unity eliminating all differences which is not possible in this world.

Muslims, in their dealings with unbelievers, not to revile (the idols) which they invoke besides God, lest in their ignorance they should spitefully revile God Almighty. (6: 109) This principle, formulated by Islam, is best described not as religious harmony, but as harmony among religious people. This is a principle whose utility is a matter of historical record. It is evident that in the past as well as in the present, wherever religious harmony has existed, it has been on unity despite retaining mutual differences, rather than on unity eliminating all differences which is not possible in this world. It is not based on agreeing to agree, but on agreeing to disagree. Many people hold that the removal of all differences is the sin qua non for bringing about unity. But this view is untenable as it is not practicable. In this world, unity is achievable only by learning to unite in spite of differences, rather than insisting on unity without differences, for their total eradication is entirely impossible. The secret of attaining peace in life is tolerance. There is nothing wrong in the diversity of opinions if they are expressed in a good and acceptable manner and also tolerated. The beauty of the garden of life is enhanced if the flower of unity is accompanied by the thorn of diversity. The adoption of the policy of tolerance in the face of controversy is not a negative step, rather it is a positive course of action. Divergence of views plays an important role in the development of the human psyche. A society whose members hold identical views and never have any dialogues or critical discussions will soon find itself in the doldrums. The intellectual development of the members of this society will be frozen because personal evolution takes place only where there is interaction of divergent thinking. But this process needs proper healthy dialogue between the followers of different religions and also the adherents of the one and same religion. For this process is based on sincere discussion with a view to understanding each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views in their genuine context for the sake of unity and harmony. The notion of debates must be avoided as this has caused mutual hatred, misconceptions and serious divisions. As we know, often the prime objective in the whole process of debating is that of proving the superiority of the own religion or ideology at the cost of demonising the opposing ones. ď Ź

Dr Mohammad Khalid is a Research scholar and lecturer at Birmingham University. He is also Head of Education in Jami Masjid Sparkbrook Islamic Centre Birmingham

January 2017

Art In The Spotlight Leatherwork

Munira

Mendonca is an American artist who first began working with leather in the late 1970’s whilst living in a small village in southern Spain. Mendonca evolved as an artist at a time when the political backdrop of Spain was redefining itself after the end of 36 years of rule by the dictator Franco Bahamonde. Spain was experiencing a new freedom of expression and a change of direction, a reality that was reflected in Mendonca’s own life. Mendonca was living amongst a group of artists and artisans and recalls people who were searching for something new in their lives. Before long, Mendonca along with others in the group took the shahada and became Muslims. But it was not until 1995 when Mendonca attended an exhibition in Córdoba, Andalusia that she began making the calligraphic leatherwork for which she is now known. Andalusia is a region in Spain renowned for its carved leatherwork known as Cordobanes. So inspired was she by the quality of craftsmanship that she began to teach herself the technique, developing a greater understanding through her teacher, Diego Mariscal. Using a mix of ancient embossing styles and modern polychrome techniques Mendonca has produced a range of work that displays the qualities of a bygone era. Looking at her work one is struck not only by the level of detail but also by the antiquated quality it exudes. Her pieces, made from naturally cured cowhide, resemble traditional leatherwork produced in the late 9th and early 10th century during the rule of Abdurrahman III, a time when the craftsmanship of Andalusia was at its peak. Mendonca has done well to keep this traditional craft alive. It is something she is very grateful for as well as the fact that her son has joined the family business. “I had always dreamed of one of my children taking over

January 2017

the business and little by little it is becoming a reality. One summer after finishing university, my son Hamza began working in the workshop and has never looked back. He as well has such a passion for leather. I am so very grateful!" - Munira Mendonca

Engage The Peace Garden

The perfect place to engage with art at this time of the year is The Peace Garden that runs alongside All Saints Church in Luton. The brainchild of Reverend David Kesterton, this once derelict site now houses the Peace Mural commission by Luton Council of Faiths which was made and decorated by members of the local community. (islam today August 2016 issue 38) The garden is open all week long and is a perfect place to reflect quietly and contemplate whilst admiring the detailed drawings of local children. This verdant space is a testimony to the cultural mix of residents who populate the area and the art, confirmation of how good community relations are an important feature of this town. The Peace Garden All Saint Church Shaftesbury Road Luton LU4 8AL

My Favourite Things As Maria concurs in ‘The Sound of Music’, these are the

things making me happy. Engaging with Art is an enriching experience and taking part in creative endeavours a vital part of our wellbeing. The first piece I would like to share is from an installation by Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar. Entitled ‘Whole in the Wall', the installation consists of a concrete wall 2.5 metres high and a series of recreational objects made from the same material. All are made from fragments of the actual separating wall near Ramallah. The opening in the wall, which visitors are invited to climb through is shaped like the map of Palestine. The objects - balls and football shoes - point to the fact that many playgrounds were affected by its construction. This is a favourite of mine because it recalls the plight of the Palestinian people, giving voice to their call for justice on the world stage. I am impressed by Jarrar's adept creative expression and how it conveys the complexities of his native land so succinctly. https://youtu.be/KUhRAIJRsoY

Do Try This At Home Colouring in.....

Yes, adults’ colouring books have been a popular addition in bookshops for some time. And yes, they are known to help us destress and feel better. But do you know why? According to American psychologist Ben Michaelis, colouring is as beneficial for you as meditation. Not only does it help you to connect with yourself, but it also encourages a sense of calm and focus because it stimulates the parietal lobe in the brain which is connected to our sense of self and spirituality. He also says there is evidence that as a repeated activity, colouring has a calming effect on the amygdala, the brain’s fear centre, which processes emotions and stress. Colouring is also an autotelic activity, meaning it is purposeful and rewarding in and of itself. Such activities reduce stress and anxiety while improving concentration and self-confidence. But aside from all of this, colouring has a simpler benefit. It allows us to engage our child self by recalling our first experiences with colour and art making. In doing so it encourages us to reconnect with feelings of wondrous oblivion and unlimited potential. If you would rather not buy a colouring book, draw a series of circles or amorphous shapes on a blank piece of paper with a pen or pencil. You could even draw around your hands or the base of an object, perhaps allowing them to overlap. Now enjoy your chance to colour and see how it makes you feel.

Moriam Grillo is an international award winning artist.She holds Batchelor degrees in photography & film and Ceramics and is currently studying for a masters in Art Therapy. Moriam is also founder of the Butterfly Project.

January 2017

Faith

The Prophets'

MIRACLES

From Ibrahim(a) to Muhammad(s), the prophets have been equipped with the ability to performing miracles. Abbas Di Palma explains the necessity and functions of the prophetic miracles

ne of the most interesting questions related to theological affairs is to do with the nature and scope of miracles. Miracles are a mysterious but fascinating phenomenon, a centre of attention in many popular devotional manifestations, public speeches and scholarly debates present in all cultures and traditions. A miracle could be defined as an extraordinary act calling for a challenge that no one can overcome. In the Islamic context, it has been used as a proof to establish the veracity of the message of the prophet. Prophets have been sent by God with a divine message for mankind to establish and confirm truth, justice, wisdom and faith on a wider scale amongst His creatures. The era of the prophets started with Adam, peace be upon him, and lasted until the last prophet and messenger Muhammad(s). During this period, different prophets have performed different types of miracles to persuade their people to pursue the holy path towards peace, love and happiness. Every prophet was sent with the same message, set of principles and

January 2017

ethical values to guide humanity towards its own benefit. Accordingly, some prophets brought a new code of law to be followed while others confirmed it and assisted them in their mission. With the coming of the last Prophet, the complete law was revealed. If we look at religious history, it is evident that the miracles of the prophets differed from one another although they essentially invited people to the same truth and realisation: for example, the miracles of Moses differed from the miracles of Jesus, and the miracles of Jesus differed from the miracles of Muhammad, peace be upon them all. This is because establishing the veracity of a prophetic claim calls for a clear and valid proof for all the subjects of that prophecy; therefore the miracles of the prophets must reflect the knowledge of their people. So Moses came with a miracle defeating the sorcery that was widespread in Egyptian culture while Jesus brought the dead to life in an environment full of â&#x20AC;&#x153;abstinent healersâ&#x20AC;?, hermits and ascetic masters. The Prophet Muhammad was sent with the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an in a society whose major art was rhetoric and

eloquence in which orators were well-respected and greatly admired. Taking the Qur’an as miracle of the Prophet Muhammad as an example, we recognise that a book unrivalled in its eloquence had such a drastic effect on Makkan society that its detractors, unable to answer the challenge, shifted the mode of their opposition resorting to defamation saying that the Prophet was a magician, a liar or a madman. It is worth noting that the Qur’an, being the outstanding miracle of the last Prophet, should be an everlasting miracle for the whole of humankind and not only for the people of a particular area or a specific time-period. In other words, his miracle should be witnessed by all the addressees of the last revelation which means all those living from its beginning to the end of times. It is probably for this reason that the Prophet has been defined as a “mercy to the worlds” (21:107). It is not a case that the Qur’an is the only Abrahamic book still available in its original language: it is an Arabic Qur’an that reached us in its unaltered form directly through its sacred language. God has chosen language as instrumental for the Prophet’s miracle so that even the future generations could have direct access to its splendour and beauty and humans can be attracted by divine words through recital and by pondering over the verses. What is said has a strong influence on us, and similarly, what we say has a significant impact on those around us. Religiously, words may determine our final abode in the Hereafter: verbally abusing other people, using bad language or ridiculing holy

personalities may one day lead one’s soul to great suffering while giving good words to the people and advising them to piety may lead to eternal bliss.

the best code for his followers but at a certain point in human history, the invitation to the truth through miracles had to lean towards a universal recognition that was enabled through the last Prophet. 

In the Qur’an God communicates with man through words as they have a great effect in peoples’ minds, hearts and souls. The more those words are read, the more faith increases in us. “…and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith” (8:2). This is another marvellous feature of the Quranic miracle that people of faith have the potential to personally experience. It is probably for this reason that the Qur’an does not emphasise the classical Arabic word ‘mu‘jiza’ for miracle, which includes the sense of challenge, but rather often uses the term ‘ayah’ which means ‘sign’. In calling it a ‘sign’ there is no sense of ‘tension’ or ‘opposition’ and the soul is called to ‘soar’ in the domains of faith with a loving attraction rather than a ‘dry evidence’. Accordingly, a prophetic miracle is not a mere challenge but a light leading to the truth of the divine message. In other words, the Qur’an is that miracle which is able to provide a guidance and a universal link ‘from the earth to the sky’ for the people of the past and present, and the generations to come. There is no contradiction between the different miracles performed by the prophets. They form a linear progression leading people to the most perfect way, giving them a full sense of the purpose for which they have been created. It is correct to say that the code of Moses was the best code for his people, and the code of Jesus was

Hujjatul-Islam Abbas Di Palma is an Italian convert, graduated from the Hawza Ilmiyya of London. He holds a MA in Islamic Studies and is currently lecturing at The Islamic College - London.

January 2017

Interfaith

St Simeon of the pillar

The challenges of St Simeon might seem extreme but, as Frank Gelli explains there are still lessons to be learned, even today

eccentric oddball – I find him a moving and, yes, an extraordinarily inspiring figure. His feast day falls on January 5th. Was he just crazy? Quite the contrary. Holy persons of many religions have at all times withdrawn from the secular world to draw closer to God. However, they have usually done that horizontally, moving over the earth from one place to another while staying ‘on the surface’, so to speak. St Simeon’s originality was to do that vertically. It was not a vulgar gimmick but a powerful way of expressing his critique of a society sunk in decadent, carnal pleasures. His example and, literally, ‘position’, aimed at reminding people of a ‘higher way’, the way up, towards Heaven.

t is strange but one of the best films about a saint was made by an atheist. Luis Bunuel, Spanish anarchist and surrealist genius, directed Simon of the Desert, an unadorned, spare, beautifully minimalist movie. The hero is St Simeon Stylite, a Syrian desert hermit who made the top of a high column (‘Stylite’ comes from the word ‘pillar’) his home and pulpit for 37 years. Call St Simeon an

January 2017

Born the son of a shepherd, Simeon should have followed in his father’s humble footsteps but as a child, he realised his vocation was to care not for an animal flock but for a human one. He entered a monastery where his self-denial and bodily austerities were so radical that he nearly died. So the monks turned him out, urging him to follow a gentler way. A saint is not easily discouraged, however. After living near the foot of a mountain, aided by local people he built as his dwelling the first of a series of pillars, the tallest of which stood 19 metres high. Technically St Simeon was a Christian hermit, a recluse, devoted to living in the wilderness. Actually, he was seldom alone. Drawn by his fame, people flocked to him in droves from the surrounding countryside but also as far away as the Byzantine capital, Constantinople. Peasants as well as Emperors like Theodosius, Leo and Marcian came to him. His tall pillar was like a pulpit. After spending most of his time in prayer, he devoted hours to preaching to the crowds gathered at the foot of his column. He would teach, exhort, chide and answer questions. Many pagans were converted by the words of the strange man, John the Baptist-lookalike, clad in skins and emaciated but glowing with benevolence and radiating a supernatural zeal.Bunuel’s film shows Simeon undergoing many trials and temptations, which he no doubt did. The devil is always enraged when he sees holy men scorning the lures of the world for the sake of Heaven. The Evil One then does his worst to undermine their resolve and make them stumble and fall. In Simeon’s case, the devil first took the shape of a courtesan, an attractive female who showed

Qalaat Semaan (Church of Saint Simeon Stylites)

Syria The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites is a historical building located about 30km (19 mi) northwest of Aleppo, Syria. It is the oldest surviving Byzantine church, dating back to the 5th century. St. Simeon was born in 386 AD in a village in the Amanus Mountains. Within just a few decades (c.475), a vast martyrium was built in Simeon's honour on this site.It consisted of four basilicas radiating from the sides of a central octagon, within which was enshrined the famous column. St. Simeon's pillar can still be seen in the centre of the courtyard, although it is now only a 6ft 7in high boulder due to centuries of relic gathering by pilgrims. The stylites were a group of early Christian ascetics who spent long periods of time sitting or standing on top of narrow pillars. The word comes from the Greek stylos for a column. The best known of these pillar monks, was St Simeon Stylites. He sat for thirty years from 423 [CE] onwards on top of a column. The record is thought to be held by the sixthcentury St Alypius, who is believed to have remained on his pillar for 67 years without a break, for the last fourteen of them lying down because his feet could no longer support him.

him her naked flesh to kindle his lust but the Saint abruptly turned his back on her. Then a renegade monk falsely accused him of being a secret glutton and a drunkard. Simeon prayed for him – whereupon the man fell down, foaming at the mouth and uttering obscenities: it became clear to all that Satan had possessed him. The hardest temptation was when the devil disguised himself as Jesus. At first, Simeon was overcome with awe but when the friend invited him to come down from the column and enjoy the pleasures of the flesh, Simeon realised the trick and cursed him. Then the devil fled. Years back, David Blaine, an American magician, spent 48 hours atop a pole 107ft high in Manhattan’s Bryant Park. Close to New York’s Times Square. Blaine averred that he got the original idea from St Simeon, whom he called, according to ‘The Times’, ‘an extremist’. Whatever his intention, Blaine hit the nail on the head. Simeon was indeed a religious extremist, in the sense that he was extreme in his spirituality. Interestingly, the land in which his pillars stood, Northern Syria, later became largely populated by Muslims. I like to think that Sufis were amongst his latter-day followers, unafraid often to appear like holy fools in order to show people unconventional, deeper ways of accessing the Divine. Bunuel’s final movie scene has a twist. The devil, dreaming of revenge, transports Simeon to a modern nightclub somewhere in a big American city. There the Saint is

surrounded by partying young people, promiscuously mingled and dancing to frenetic music. Simeon is now dressed as a pipe-smoking, existentialist philosopher. The devil triumphantly tells him: ‘See? All your efforts ultimately have been in vain. The youth of the modern world would laugh at you on your pillar; just consider you an amusing freak. Instead, they follow my ways! I have won! Haha!’ The Saint says nothing. He sits there, calmly, looking blissful amidst the swirl of hedonism, ignoring the hideous creature. Such is atheist Bunuel’s ambiguous message. Yet a possible lesson for us in the West is that encircled as we are by the multiple and insidious temptations of modernity, to resist the devil and his lures is a tougher task than fleeing to the desert and standing on a high pillar. Yet, the spirit of St Simeon’s example shows it can be done.

Revd Frank Julian Gelli is an Anglican priest and cultural critic, working on religious dialogue. His last book ‘The Prophet and the Priest', is available on Amazon Kindle.

January 2017

Effects of sleep deprivation

Health

ost people need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function properly. But statistics say one in three of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population suffers from poor sleep. It is obvious that losing sleep causes tiredness, lack of focus and increased irritability, but its side effects on physical health are often neglected. A recently published TIME article revealed that sleep deprivation can cause noticeable changes in the heart. In this study about twenty healthy radiologists had their hearts imaged before and after a 24hour shift in which they got an average of three hours sleep. Comparing the two images showed increases in heart strain, which can be a precursor to heart problems. Their blood pressure, heart rate and thyroid hormones were also increased. Although the mood effects of insomnia have been known for a long time these new findings drew attention to the importance of adequate sleep for physical health. Although the effects of occasional sleep deprivation will not be serious, chronic sleep deprivation can have irreversible consequences for the body. The physical health effects of insomnia are not only on the heart. The immune system and the nervous system are also vulnerable. Sleeping is as much needed as breathing and eating food. When sleeping, the body refreshes physical and mental activities getting it

January 2017

ready for a new day. Sleep deprivation interferes with the proper functioning of the brain affecting cognitive abilities and emotional states. Skipping sleep leaves the brain exhausted with effects like yawning, feeling sluggish, loss of concentration and loss of both short term and long term memory. If the lack of sleep continues, the immune systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s function will be impaired and will increase the risk of developing diseases. When sleeping, the immune system produces antibodies and cells which will be used to fight foreign invader bacteria and viruses. Lack of sleep means that the immune system does not have time to be re-equipped with its tools. This will not only increase the risk of becoming ill but also makes recovery from illnesses longer and harder. Even the chances of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases get higher. The growth hormone is also released during sleep in both children and adults. Therefore adequate sleep is needed for building muscle mass and repairing cells and tissues, especially for growing children and those in puberty. On the other hand, sleep deprivation increases the level of the stress hormone, cortisol, and a biochemical called ghrelin which is an appetite stimulant. The combination of these two chemicals can cause gaining weight and obesity. So

adequate sleep in children is an important factor in the proper growth and avoiding childhood obesity. Lack of sleep can also make the skin age faster. The immediate effect of losing sleep is sallow skin and puffy eyes. Increased cortisol levels also break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic. Chronic sleep loss can lead to pale skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes. In addition, inadequate sleep patterns have been linked to slower recovery from external stressors, such as ultraviolet (UV) exposure, substandard air quality, and other environmental factors. Another cardiovascular effect of losing sleep is hypertension. Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s ability to heal and repair blood vessels and the heart. According to Harvard Medical School, for people with hypertension, one night without enough sleep can cause elevated blood pressure all through the next day. The researchers found that people who take longer than 14 minutes to fall asleep have a 300 percent higher risk of high blood pressure. The longer they took to fall asleep, the greater their risk. Anxiety and depression are the main causes of sleep disorders. In fact, symptoms of depression (such as low energy, loss of interest or motivation, feelings of sadness or hopelessness) and chronic sleep deprivation can be linked, and one can make the other worse. The good news is that both are treatable regardless of which came first. Lifestyle change is usually the best approach to both anxiety and depression. Fortunately, safe medication therapy is also available for both. While anxiety and depression are the most common causes of sleep disorders, chronic insomnia can have several other psychiatric and medical reasons. The medical causes include nasal/sinus allergies, gastrointestinal problems such as reflux, arthritis, asthma, chronic pain, low back pain and

endocrine problems such as hyperthyroidism. Sometimes foods play an important role in sleep disorders. For example, caffeine is a very strong stimulant and consuming it before bedtime can cause serious sleep disorders. A 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll found that people who drank four or more cups/cans of caffeinated drinks a day were more likely to experience at least one symptom of insomnia at least a few nights each week than those who drank zero to one cups/cans daily. In some cases, taking sleeping pills for a short time can help to get some rest, while behaviour and lifestyle changes can help over the long term. Doctors recommend taking sleep medicines only now and then or only for a short time. They are not the first choice for treating chronic insomnia. Anyone can become dependent on sleep medicines. To change lifestyle, adopting new habits can be useful. Sticking to a regular sleep routine, even at weekends, can help to support the biological clock. Drinking caffeinated beverages should be stopped eight hours before bedtime. Taking a nap during the day can interfere with the biological clock. If it is necessary to do it, it should be limited to 30 minutes before 3 pm. Heavy fat-rich foods should be eaten at least two hours before bedtime. It takes a long time for fatty foods to be digested and acidic and spicy foods can also cause heartburn. Last but not least regular exercise is the best habit to adopt to regulate the body’s activity and rest modes. Dr Laleh Lohrasbi is a pharmacologist. She has worked as an editor for the medical section of “Hamshahri”, a daily newspaper in Tehran.

January 2017

Children Corner

Seasonal

image 1

Changes

Dear Children, Assalam Alaikum

t is winter and we are thankful to God for all the rain and snow that it brings. When we talk about the winter season, we immediately think of cold weather, rain, wind and if we are lucky, beautiful white snow. Children can’t wait to make snowmen and snowballs so to play with their friends. You might not believe it, but not everybody in the world has cold and snowy winters.

Look at image 1 that our illustrator Ghazaleh has drawn. It illustrates a lovely white and cold winter. Children have heavy coats on, with gloves, hats and scarves to keep them warm, while they play in the snow. Some children play with snowballs while others ride on sledges. Children have also made two snowmen. With their colourful hats and scarves, the snowmen seem very happy. But now look at image 2. It’s another park, with children in a different country. They are not wearing heavy coats, they’re eating ice cream, and there is no snow or any snowmen. Both images are related to now, the winter season. But why is winter cold on one side and warm on the other? It’s because our Earth is wobbly. The Earth turns around itself and around the Sun. The Earth is always ‘pointing’ to one side as it goes around the Sun. Sometimes the Sun is in the direction that the Earth is pointing, but not at other times. So

January 2017

image 2

there is different heat and sunshine in different parts of the world. Earth either point towards the sun which means it is ‘summer’, or turns away from the sun which means it is ‘winter’. In between it is Spring and Autumn. When the North Pole (the top part of the Earth) is pointing towards the sun, then it is summer in the countries in the North of the Earth (Northern Hemisphere) and winter in countries in the south (Southern Hemisphere). But when the North Pole turns away from the sun, then it is winter in countries in the North of the Earth (Northern Hemisphere) and summer in countries in the south (Southern Hemisphere). Why is winter so cold? Because in winter the days are shorter and the nights longer. There is more time for the sun to warm us during the long summer days. And short winter days have long, cold nights. I hope you enjoy the winter and remember to keep warm. 

Illustrator Ghazaleh Kamrani

January 2017

What & Where Through January Commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qur'an Conducted by: Shaykh M S Bahmanpour Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London W9 1QBMore Time: Every Friday starting at 7.30 PM Tel: 0207 604 5500

Lottery Fund and the Library of Birmingham and links historical research with personal testimony from Birmingham people whose Muslim relatives served in the First World War.

traditional fun fair rides, indulge in delicious food and shop in a dedicated souk full with hundreds of stalls! This is a great opportunity for businesses of all sizes to showcase their products.

Venue: Birmingham Museum & Art

Venue: Macron Stadium, Bolton Time: 12.00 AM - 6.00 PM Fee: £50 / £25 (student/unwaged)

Gallery Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH Time: Mon - Thurs & Weekends: 10. 00 AM - 5.00 PM / Fri: 10.30 AM - 5.00 PM/ Exhibition runs until 5 March 2017

Entry: Free

https://muslimhands.org.uk/events/2017/b olton-winter-wonderland

1 January

9 January

Winter Wonderland: Children's Tea Party (Global Rahmah Foundation)

Diplomacy in the Middle East: The Norwegian Experience

Venue: Maida,16 Eanam, Blackburn BB1 5BY UK Time:2:00 PM – 5:30 PM Fee: £10 More info: info@globalrahmah.org

Organiser: Department of Political Science

Open House Dialogue ‘Bringing the community together, breaking barriers’. Various topics discussed on an open platform. Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London W9 1QB Time: Fortnightly. First Tuesday of every month starts at 6.45 PM Contact: 0207 604 5500 More info: https://www.facebook.com/OpenHouseDial ogue/

Iranian voices recent acquisitions of works on paper A display of works by Iranian artists in the British Museum. The modern and contemporary art of Iran tells a multiplicity of stories. Made by Iranian artists of different generations, the works in this display include a variety of media from collage to artist books and photography. The narratives highlight an engagement with Iranian history from the legendary tales of the Shahnameh (an epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between about AD 977 - 1010) to insights into the politics of recent decades. Between them, they present a series of vivid snapshots of the art and preoccupations of some of Iran’s most significant artists. Free to the general public.

More info: www.britishmuseum.org/ whats_on/exhibitions/iranian_voices.a spx

Booking stall and/or sponsor the Bolton Winter Wonderland:

Contact: 01254503311

4 & 5 January

and International Studies at the University of Birmingham.

Speaker: Ambassador Aud-Lise Norheim Ambassador Norheim has served at the Norwegian embassy in Tehran since 2014. Her previous ambassadorial posts include Damascus, Beirut, Dhaka, Rome and South Africa. Venue: University of Birmingham B15 2TT

The new methods of ethics, conference 2 This conference is funded by the AHRC (as a part of the ‘Building Bridges in Ethics’ project) and the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham. Its purpose is to showcase and discuss some of the most interesting recent work taking part in the new methodological debates in moral philosophy. The conference is open to all, and there is no attendance fee. Limited spaces, registration needed.

Venue: ERI Building - G51 (Ground Floor), Birmingham University Time: 4th January (13:00) - Thursday 5th January (16:30) For further details: contact: Jussi Suikkanen: j.v.suikkanen@bham.ac.uk

13 January Special event Memories of Mandela Staged in the auditorium officially opened by Nelson Mandela in 2000, this discussion celebrates and explores the life, character and enduring legacy of the South African leader on his nation and the world. A panel of speakers whose lives and careers were influenced by the leader will address the participants. Presented in collaboration with the South African High Commission.

Venue: The British Museum, BP Lecture Theatre Time: : 6:30PM to 8:00PM

Tickets: £5 Members/Concessions £3

Connected Histories: Muslims in the First World War This new exhibition explores the untold stories of the more than 400,000 Muslim soldiers in the First World War and features personal stories and loans from relatives of those who served. The exhibition has been funded by the Heritage

January 2017

8 January

Ticket Desk in Great Court Tel: +44 (0)20 7323 8181

Bolton Winter Wonderland FREE Entry to Bolton’s Winter Wonderland family fun day! Muslim Hands is organising a Winter Wonderland at the Macron Stadium, Bolton. Enjoy freestyle skating on the ice rink, have a go on the

14 January Gaza Winter Walk The 9th annual Gaza Winter Walk 2017 by

Muslim Hands. Join this walk in a city near you and make a big difference to the lives of expectant mothers and new-born babies in the Gaza Strip!

Venue: Room G15, Muirhead Tower (building R21 on campus map) Time: 15:00-16:30 Contact: Catherine Edwards c.j.edwards@bham.ac.uk

Time: Glasgow 14 January Bradford 21 January Manchester 22 January Birmingham 28 January Leicester 29 January More info: muslimhands.org.uk/events/ 2017/gaza-winter-walk

sympathise most probably gave them a certain degree of protection from those clerics who were hostile to Sufism. In this lecture, the nature of Qalandar Shi‘ism is examined along with the role and functions provided by the Qalandars in supporting the state.

Interfaith Relations Venue: 133 High Road, Willesden, NW10 The School of Divinity of Edinburgh University is running a Continuing Professional Development day for ministers and church leaders on the theme of Interfaith Relations.

2SW

Info: info@islamic-college.ac.uk Tel: 020 84519993

30 January 16 January IMES Seminar Series: Alexander the Great in Early Persian and Arabic Historiography Organiser: School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. The University of Edinburgh Speaker: Prof. Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila (Edinburgh) - "Alexander the Great in Early Persian and Arabic Historiography"

Keynote Speaker: Professor Mona Siddiqui, OBE, Dr Joshua Ralston: Bearing True Witness: Challenging Mutual Misunderstandings in Christian-Muslim Encounters Dr Leah Robinson: The Use of Peacebuilding Skills in Interfaith Practices Dr George Wilkes: Interfaith Peacebuilding, Social responsibility

EH8 9LD Time: 5:15 PM

Venue: New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh EH1 2LX. Time: 12 pm - 5pm Fee: £15 (including lunch and all refreshments). Registration: www.bit.ly/CPDEVENT

17 January

23 January

Southeast Asian shadow puppet theatre

From dietary antinomianism to dietary prohibitions

A gallery talk by Farouk Yahya, Ashmolean Museum. Gallery talks last 45 minutes. They are given by Museum staff or guest speakers and are suitable for all levels of knowledge. Free entry,

Dr Nicolai Sinai (Oxford) presents a chronological reconstruction of the emergence of the Quranic food taboos.

Venue: 16-22 George Square, Edinburgh,

Venue: Room 91, The British Museum Time: 1PM – 2PM

Organiser: Department of Political Science and International Studies, Birmingham University. Speaker: Dr Karin von Hippel, DirectorGeneral, Royal United Services Institute

Speaker: Dr Alain George (Edinburgh) Organiser: School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. The University of Edinburgh Venue: 16-22 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD

Time: 5:15 PM

31 January

Organiser: School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. The University of Edinburgh Venue: 16-22 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD Time: 5:15 PM

Third International Conference on Shi‘i Studies The Islamic College, in collaboration with the Islamic Centre of England, would like to invite abstracts to be submitted for its third conference (6 -7 May 2017) specialising in the growing field of Shi‘i studies. This conference will provide a broad platform for scholars in Shi‘i studies to present their latest research. Papers are welcome on any aspect of Shi‘i studies. Abstract submission deadline is 31st January 2017 and deadline for completed papers is 1st April 2017.

Suggestions on topics: Islamiccollege.co.uk/publications/ Shi‘i studies Abstracts and enquiries: Shi‘i studies@islamcollege.ac.uk

18 January Confronting the Islamic State Challenge in Syria

IMES Seminar Series: The Great Mosque of Damascus in Umayyad Times

26 January The Islamic College monthly lecture series Qalandar Shi‘ism in Safavid Iran A lecture by Dr Lloyd Ridgeon This presentation looks at the case of Qalandar Sufis in Iran, whose Shi‘a

Disclaimer: islam today does not necessarly endorse or recommend any of these events. Their contents and individuals or groups involved in them. We are not responsible for changes to times, fees or venues. Further information should be sought direclty from the organisers.

January 2017