Islam today issue 45 March 2017 by islam today magazine UK

issue 45 vol. 5 March 2017

Among Brothers & Sisters of Different Faiths

Contents

issue 45 vol. 5 March 2017

Page:

islam today magazine is a monthly magazine

Special Award for Interreligious Dialogue: Islam and

Can we call ourselves one faith?

Parenting the Soul

Art

Understanding the ‘Great Struggle’

Among Brothers and Sisters ofdifferent faith

The joyful reality of‘angels’

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.

Editorial team Managing Director

M. Saeed Bahmanpour

Chief Editor

Amir De Martino

Managing Editor

Anousheh Mireskandari

Layout and Design

Innovative Graphics

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Christianity

An Interfaith Conference

by Batool Haydar

Being in the moment... In the Spotlight Engage Inspire Do try this at home My Favourite Things by Moriam Grillo by Abbas Di Palma

Report on the meeting at Sofia University-Italy

by Revd Frank Jullian Gelli

Publisher

helping neighbours in polio 20 Iran by Dr Laleh Lohrasbi

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

Disclaimer: All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. However, islam today shall not be liable or responsible for loss or damage arising from any users’ reliance on information obtained from the magazine.

March 2017

Travel Guide to Muslim Europe by Tharik Hussain

Corner 24 Children Motherly Love

by Ghazaleh Kamrani

& Where 26 What Listing ofEvents

Report

Special Section

Interreligious Dialogue: Islam and Christianity Selected Researcher: Timothy Wright

Dr Abbot Timothy Wright, OSB is a lecturer of the University of Saint Martin’s. He used to be the spiritual director for the Pontifical Beda College in Rome and the delegate of the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation for monastic-Muslim relations. He served as abbot of Ampleforth Abbey from 1997 to 2005, during which time he and Dr Shomali organised a series of dialogues between Catholic monks and theologians and Shi‘a Muslims from Iran. He is the author of No Peace without Prayer (2013). Special Section

Interreligious Dialogue: Islam and Christianity Researcher: Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali Dr Shomali is a graduate of Islamic Seminaries of Qum. He received his PhD in Ethics from the University of Manchester in 2001. He is currently the director of the International Institute for Islamic Studies in Qum and also the Director of the Islamic Centre of England. He has published several works on ethics, jurisprudence, Islamic studies, and Shi‘a studies.

he winners of ‘The 24th World Award for Book of the year of the Islamic Republic of Iran’ was announced at a ceremony attended by the Iranian President, Dr Hassan Rouhani. Dr Rouhani honoured the winners during the closing ceremony held at the Talar Vahdat performance art theatre hall in Tehran on Tuesday 7th February. The books were selected from an initial list of 2500 titles written in more than 13 languages covering many fields of Islamic and Iranian studies.

In his speech President Rouhani expressed thanks to all scholars and intellectuals who submitted their work. He also stressed the importance of books in removing obstacles and promoting advancement in society. He described a book as the symbol and mirror of a scholar, and said, “A book is a thought by which we can transfer whatever has flourished in our minds to others with the strokes of a pen”. Out of the 2500 books, 179 were shortlisted by a panel of experts who selected the final 10. The winners of this year’s award were from Finland, France, Germany, Malaysia, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the USA. Among other laureates, Abbot Timothy Wright and Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali were selected for special recognition for their contribution to interreligious dialogue between Catholics and Shi‘a Muslims.

C a n we c a l l ourselves ' one fai th' ? Christians and Shi‘a Muslim Scholars met to explore each other’s faiths at London Interfaith Centre. Khawther Ayed reports

he Christian Muslim Forum in partnership with The Islamic Centre of England and The London Interfaith Centre, held an interfaith event titled: ‘Can we call ourselves one faith?’ The event was held on 19th February at The London Interfaith Centre, with the participation of a number of guests and started with a generous lunch. The aim of the event was to tackle the subject in question from a variety of perspectives in two sessions. The chairman for the first session, Dr Chris Hewer, has over thirty years’ experience in teaching Islam through lectures, in person and on television. Since 1986 Dr Hewer has devoted his life to Christian-Muslim relations through his work in countless institutions in Birmingham and London. Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali, the first speaker, holds a BA and MA in Western Philosophy from the University of Tehran. Dr Shomali also earned his Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Manchester. He has co-edited a number of books discussing the relationships between Catholics and Shi‘as and is well known for his numerous and successful interfaith initiatives both in the UK and around the world. Dr Shomali said that the issue of belonging to one faith or

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not is a very important issue as a Muslim. If we go back to the works on religions or history of religions we find everything is classified and there is a big wall between religions and even between denominations. However, what God has given humanity, as a way of life and practice, has always been the same. Whether we recognise this or not that does not change the reality. Commitment to that one thing is absolute truth if you can commit yourself to the absolute truth then you are a servant of God. God has sent messengers to all nations. The Qur’an says God sent all messengers with the same message. Tawhid is the most fundamental principle. Regarding all the children of Adam the Qur’an says that God has made a covenant with us and that we are not to follow Satan, but to serve God. This is the right path. The first messenger who brought the sharia was Noah - the Qur'an says that we have the same sharia as the one given to Noah. It is one code of law that can be updated or changed depending on the situation. The relation between Abraham and Noah is that Abraham was one of the followers of Noah, although Abraham himself was a great messenger. When the Qur’an talks about the concept of the Book, sometimes the divine books are mentioned in the plural

form. For example, the Qur'an says: “The believers believe in God, in His books and in His messengers." When it comes to what God gave to the prophets, the Qur'an says that the messengers brought Kitab Muneer, the Illuminating Book! In conclusion, Dr Shomali said that there is only one way for man to get closer to God, and in this way develop himself and move towards perfection. The only way is to commit and submit himself to the truth to the best of his understanding and capacity. He should always be open to the truth, no matter who is talking about it or presenting it. He should always try to discover the truth and commit himself to the truth. This is the only one faith that God is pleased with. After a Q&A session, the chair of the second session, Catriona Robertson, introduced the next speakers, Dr Amina Inloes, followed by Revd Laurence Hillel. Ms Robertson is part of the Christian Muslim Forum and writes on multi-faith topics for the London Boroughs Faith Network. Dr Amina Inloes is an American scholar, researcher, educator, public speaker, translator and a Shi‘a Muslim. She has written several books on Shi‘a thought. Dr Inloes holds an MA in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College and a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter. Additionally, Dr Inloes has studied in the Hawza of Najaf and briefly in Qum. She began her talk with a very simple and enthusiastic ‘no’ to the question. Her reasoning for this was because she believes that within Christianity and Islam, there are many different understandings and interpretations of religion, and on that basis, no two understandings of faith are the same, and so it cannot be called one faith. Each person brings their own paradigm into the discussion, and the difference is not as straightforward as has been described. However, she stated that despite this, it is not at all a problem. In fact, there is beauty in diversity – and if everyone had the same view and beliefs then it would have been rather a boring dialogue.

of beliefs, following the practices of a religion, having a relationship with God. Obviously, there are differences in our beliefs and practices. In terms of beliefs there are some very profound differences, but in many ways when I meet or talk with my Muslim neighbours, I do not feel we are that different. For a start, we will both use the language of God (or Allah), and though in the end, we cannot describe God, we may talk about how God relates to us in similar language.” Further reiterating Dr Shomali’s beliefs about our purposes, Laurence Hillel stated “I also know that we both will accept that our life on earth has a purpose and that purpose is the purpose for which we have been formed. Ultimately the only meaning that we have in life is in terms of our ‘relationship’ with God.” To wrap up the successful event, Dr Chris Hewer said that at the end of the day, whether it be in Christianity or Islam, the notion that God is greater exists – ‘Allahu Akbar’. That is to say, every time you want to try and say anything about God, you are by definition falling short. Whether it is something expressed in the Qur’an or an action done by the person of Jesus, God is greater. He ended with a question for Muslims: “can we say that God is greater than our concept of Tawheed and any formula that we can come up with?” And a question for the Christians too: “Taking into consideration that no part of your belief says God became Trinitarian eventually at some point - what about the God of Abraham and Moses, who existed before the birth of Jesus?”

Revd Hillel is co-director of the London Inter Faith Centre, and Assistant Priest at St Anne’s, Brondesbury, and Willesden Area Inter Faith Adviser for the Church of England. In his very own words, Revd Hillel stated, “Faith implies a set

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Life & Community

rom the moment we become parents, the thing that we want most is for our children to be happy and successful. Everything we do for them is focused on achieving this goal, in the immediate and long term. We feed them the healthiest foods, look for the cutest outfits and keep up with the latest trends. We learn all about ‘organic' and ‘non-organic', memorise milestones and study the meaning and impact of IQ versus EQ. We become chemists, biologists and psychologists in our own right. All this for individuals that God has clearly told us are a blessing, yes, but also a test. The reminder that children are a means of the trial is often repeated throughout the Qur'an and in supplications. Islam acknowledges the amazing miracle that is parenthood but with a caveat. However, despite all this advice, most of us find ourselves falling into the age-old trap of preparing our children for

The hardest thing to do as a parent is to learn how to distance yourself from your child(ren). We have such anticipation for their coming and such hopes once they are with us, that we choose to ignore the fact that they are separate entities who belong to God and are only entrusted in our care. We bring them up to love us, to build a strong bond with us, to emulate us and consider our approval as their guiding standard. In doing so, we set them (and ourselves!) up for inevitable disappointment. There can only be one true, strong relationship and that is with God. It is the role of parents to facilitate this bonding and everything we do should be geared towards achieving this.

Love For His Sake

“Because our mothers love us, we learn, or more accurately remember, that God also loves us" - M. Russell Ballard

Parenting the Soul By Batool Haydar

“O you who have faith! Do not let your possessions and children distract you from the remembrance of God, and whoever does that -it is they who are the losers ." (Holy Qur'an, 63:9)

this world and not the next. One might argue that we do teach them about God, how to pray and to recite the Qur'an. We send them to madrasah as well as school and take pride in their achievements in both areas. But does this help them build the relationships they will need to succeed in life? Have we done enough if our children memorise chapters and know their fiqh rules? If they know how to act, but do not understand the essential principles that are the foundations of those actions? How can we teach our children not just the right answers, but also the correct questions to ask? Perhaps the best place to start is with a change in our perception of the parent-child relationship.

Don't Take It Personally

“To raise a child who is comfortable enough to leave you means you’ve done your job." - Anon.

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We all know that everything we have is from God. That He is the Essence and Source of all that is within and around us. But how many of us remember this constantly? And if we do, how often do we express it? Our children need to hear from the moment of their birth that our love for them knows no bounds, but that His Love for them is much more than that. Every time they feel comfortable, safe, happy, loved and trusted, we have to remind them that we are simply a reflection of His Love and Faith in them. Every time they turn their faces towards us, we must gently turn their focus towards God. As long as we love God enough ourselves, our children will have no option but to follow suit.

Don't Teach Faith, Share it

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - William Butler Yeats

In England, a parent is usually given a checklist of milestones that their child should achieve throughout the first year of life. As parents, this makes us think that progress should be measured by can's and cannot's. A child should know their colours by a certain age, recognise words by a certain age and start counting at a certain age. Because of this, we tend to set up timelines for religious learning as well. Is it really important that are our children are reciting the Qur'an by rote at a certain age or that they are they forming a connection with it as well? Have we taught them just how to pray or have we taught them the sweetness of turning to prayer when in need? Are their manners a superficial facade that dissolves when faced with confrontation, or does their akhlaq stem from unshakeable traits embedded in their character? As the essential question asks: Is it possible to teach your child what honey tastes like, or must you simply guide them to it and allow them to experience the taste for themselves just as you did?

This paragraph embodies what Islam expects from the parent-child relationship. Children need to be allowed to be flexible, free, and experimental. Parents need to be the steady foundation they can turn to whenever they experience doubt or confusion. It is a huge challenge in a society so focused on relationships that are limited to this dimension, to be able to step outside expectations and be a multi-faceted parent; one who can care deeply, but also one who can care enough to make tough choices when required. Yet, without adopting this kind of parenting, we may never be able to touch the souls of our children and make them aware of their Creator. Which is really the reason why He gave them to us, to test our introduction skills?

Guided Freedom

“All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants” - J.W. Gardner

Our children are not an opportunity for us to relive our youth or to make different decisions. They are not our dreams to make come true. They do not even belong to us. Children are as independent as we ourselves are. Bound by biology and emotion, but distinct and unique unto themselves. They come to us from God and are headed hopefully with our aid - back towards Him. We are simply guides and carriers, passing on a message that was entrusted to us. The important thing is that we have to pass on this message in a way that will ensure our children learn it and embody it so that they are in turn equipped to pass it on for generations to come. Some of the wisest words on parenting are those from Khalil Gibran's “The Prophet'. He writes: You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might, that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable. - From Khalil Gibran's 'The Prophet '

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Art Being in the moment... This month, the main theme is photography and I will be changing my focus from the ceramic to the digital. I am excited to be starting weekly classes and pop up workshops that encourage participants to have a greater sense of where they are. Not just being in the moment but witnessing themselves in the space and making choices based on what they are inspired by. Photography is a wonderful way to develop observational skill and be creative when recording what is seen.

In the Spotlight

Creative Director Imrana Mahmoud

We are all familiar with the saying of the Prophet Muhammad(s) “God is beautiful and loves beauty." It’s a principle that Muslims are expected to uphold, whether it be in our spiritual conduct, physical countenance or outward aesthetic. In truth, we are all artists and have the potential of beauty emanating from us in all of these ways and more. I say this because creativity or artistic prowess is not just manifest in adept use of materials, there are artists whose creativity have a visionary quality. One that is more focused on establishing ideals and encouraging participation by those that would not otherwise engage in the arts or the creative process. Imrana Mahmoud is one such individual. Mahmoud is a mother, teacher, activist and the Creative Producer of the Beyond Borders project; a Luton-based initiative which focuses on developing positive ideas about the town and its large Muslim population. Born and educated in London, Mahmoud moved to Luton in 2006, where she began her career in teaching. Her passion for educational grassroots activities led her to become the Secretary for Dar Aminah, a women's organisation, championing women's cultural, spiritual and creative growth. She has recently facilitated various creative projects, including ‘Dar Aminah Book Club', ‘A Touching Place Creative Writing workshops' and ‘An Evening of Poetry with the American poet Baraka Blue'. Mahmoud's future plans include hosting a debut exhibition of Peter Sanders work in Luton, organising more creative writing workshops and facilitating regular open microphone nights to enhance arts engagement in Luton.

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Engage ‘Identity and Integration'; Photographic Competition In line with the Beyond Borders project, a photographic competition has been launched. Participants are required to submit one photograph on the theme of ‘Identity and Integration', with the aim of shedding light on the positive ways in which the different communities live side by side in peace and harmony.

The competition was initially aimed at Lutonians, with the winning entries being exhibited at the Stockwood Discovery Centre. But due to popular demand the competition now incorporates a national component where budding photographers can upload their perception of theme onto the project’s Facebook page. Age categories for the competition are 11-18 years and 19 plus (with no upper age limit). Twelve winning entries will be selected. The artwork will be unveiled and exhibited at a Luton-based venue as an offshoot of the main Beyond Borders exhibition. Deadline for entries is Friday 10th March 2017.

“Afghan Girl"

http://stevemccurry.com/posters

Inspire Photographic portrait 1984 by Steve McCurry

“Most of my images are grounded in people. I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face. I try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape, that you could call the human condition." - Steve McCurry This portrait of a 12-year-old Pashtun orphan, Sharbat Gula, was taken in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp in Afghanistan near Peshawar, Pakistan. McCurry is said to have crossed the border disguised in Afghani garb and returned with rolls of camera film sewn into his clothes. Mc Curry used photography to cover many conflicts with his raison d'etre being to capture the human condition. This image itself is described as “the most recognised photograph" in history. The image was first used on the cover of National Geographic in June 1985 and subsequently used on Amnesty International brochures, posters, and calendars.

Do try this at home As well as using art as therapy with classic materials such as paint, charcoal and clay, modern technology can also be used as a creative outlet. And although I would rather discourage time spent on a smart phone, especially, when looking for a therapeutic escape, taking photographs can be a good way to de-stress. I would recommend as a starting point taking the time to observe the environment around you, noticing the colours and forms that most attract your eye. Look for lines and curves in natural and built spaces and try to capture these in a balanced way within the camera frame. Peter Sanders says that taking the time to observe the subtle nuances of life are an important part of the final photograph. He often spends a long time in the space before taking a single shot. There is an interesting video on YouTube based on the work of award winning photographer McCurry that outlines the concept of the rule of thirds. This rule is based on the principle of balance and harmony in image composition. Its basis is hinged dividing the photographic image into three parts; horizontally or vertically. Having a focal point that the eye is led to is also key and this can be central or in line with one of the dividing lines. A simple example of this would be a sunset in which the sky, sea and shore divide the image into three fairly equal parts. The focal point would be the sun setting on the horizon. Your choice would be to centralise the setting sun or position it one third to the left or right of the frame.

My Favourite Things

Photographer Mohammad Muheisen Muheisen is an award winning photojournalist and an everyday hero who gives us a glimpse of a world often outside of our reach. His work is vital and absorbing. Although I do not have a specific favourite of his work, I find his approach to his subject matter one that tells wholesome stories which engage and inform the viewer in an evocative way. Muheisen places ordinary people in prominence and third world issues in the headlines. His images speak volumes and enrich lives.

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.

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Faith

Un derstan di n g th e ‘Great Struggl e’ Abbas Di Palma explains the process of spiritual

development and why in a prophetic tradition it is described as the Great Jihad (struggle)

n a noble tradition it has been reported: “Indeed the Prophet sent out a battalion and when they returned he said: “Welcome to people who returned from the minor struggle and have yet to perform the major struggle”. So it was asked: “O Messenger of God! What is the major struggle?” He answered: “The struggle of the self” (Furu’ al-Kafi, hadith 8180). The content of this narration is very interesting as it points out very profound meanings that help the faithful person, to better know him/herself and his/her objectives. For example, a soldier in a battlefield witnesses very uncomfortable scenes while passing through many types of hardships and difficulties. However, the Prophet said that physical struggles are not the most important focus for a believer. Rather firstly and foremost the believer must know himself and struggle with his own soul. What we are speaking of is a different type of struggle as the soul is not physical and consequently the battlefield of this combat won’t be physical too. Yes, there is a subtle correlation between the soul and body that cannot be overlooked especially in the first stage of this battle; the soul influences the body by intentions and predispositions while the body influences the soul by actions and continuous performance. It follows that the body inevitably takes part in the struggle of the self as some areas of the battlefield will include the physical sphere as well. These areas include the role of the ears, eyes, tongue, stomach, private parts, hands and legs. The believer, through his intentions and predispositions, should focus on the real need of these bodily parts and direct them towards lofty goals and not merely on the satisfaction of the animalistic exigencies. Therefore, he will engage in hearing everything that reminds him of God and he will abstain from hearing anything which distracts him from divine purposes. The same he will do with the rest of his bodily parts that we have mentioned. Devilish temptations and wrong insinuations will try in different ways to eradicate good intentions and predispositions from the soul and it is here that the major struggle starts to take place. The soul should win the lower instincts and the satanic stimuli in order to directly witness the world of bliss and its spiritual realities. The pollution of the self should be removed because it is only through purification that things will be sharp and clear at all levels: through purification man is able to hear what he was not able to hear before, to see what he previously couldn’t see, etc. This does not mean “mortification of the flesh”

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because all the bodily parts are essential for the upliftment of the soul in our present state: in fact they should be channelled towards their goal, not killed. The Qur’an also points to the presence of a higher dimension transcending the body: “His is the creation and the command” (7:54). In general terms, the world of creation is quite well known to us but not much is known about the world of command. What we have been told is that in there is the abode of the spirit: “And they ask you about the spirit. Say: The spirit is from the command of my Lord and you have been given ofknowledge except a little.” (17:85). Although there is a difference between ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’, the reference to a higher station is explicit. It has been said that it is the station of the direct witnessing: “Indeed His command is when He intends a thing that He says to it ‘Be!’ and it is” (36:81). Some scholars have pointed out that this is the intended abode of the Prophet Abraham (a) when he said: “My Lord! Grant me discernment” (26:83). Accordingly, this Abrahamic invocation would mean: “My Lord, show me the things as they are, as they have been commanded to be, and not as they may seem or appear”. The struggle of the self should aim towards this direction although it is not an easy way to go. Not surprisingly several traditions speak about the dangers of such a path; for example, some of them remind us of the presence of the ‘armies of the intellect’ and the ‘armies of ignorance’ which are involved in this conflict. If the soul wins these battles, it will move towards the spiritual world enjoying its fruits and benefits but if animalistic, satanic or illusory faculties overcome the soul, we won’t be able to move forward by any means. Also, to win this battle not only means to make the soul not follow the lower instincts but to make every limb and part of the body follow divine pulses. This may happen after getting a new awareness of the body-soul relation that some have defined as an alternative spiritual-psychological approach or even a type of ‘spiritual anatomy’! Such an approach is based on the necessity of contemplation (tafakkur) and its outcomes. After having realised the need of a genuine relationship with God we need to deepen our contemplation which is what brings new knowledge to us. The recipient of this knowledge, however, is not the brain as we are not talking here about a mere rational matter. Rather the recipient of such knowledge is the heart. It is through this knowledge that the heart changes and progresses along the path. So when the knowledge reaches the heart, it changes the state of the heart which in turn is the cause of the performance of an individual’s actions. Actions are in fact expressions of the state of our heart and not a by-product of the decision-making of the brain. In other words, good actions follow the state of the heart, the state of the heart depends on our knowledge and our knowledge is the result of a sound contemplation. Many wise men throughout the history of humankind have said that reaching victory in this field is the noblest goal that can be achieved. 

Hujjatul-Islam Abbas Di Palma is

an Italian convert, graduated from the Hawza Ilmiyya ofLondon. He holds a MA in Islamic Studies and is currently lecturing at The Islamic College - London.

March 2017

Interfaith

Among Brothers and Sisters of Different Faiths Hujjatul Islam Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali answers a

number of important questions posed by the students of the Sophia University Institute during his last visit to Italy.

ujjatul Islam Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali- the director of the Islamic Centre of England together with some members of the Hawza Ilmiyya (Islamic Seminary) of England, visited Sophia University Institute in Loppiano, Italy, 12th to 14th January 2017. His visit represents one of many ongoing encounters between Shi‘a Muslims and members of the Focolare Movement – a grassroots Catholic organisation based in Italy with a presence in many countries across the world. The dialogue between the two groups, which began more than 19 years ago, has recently focused on a new initiative which will involve closer cooperation and deeper and more meaningful interaction between members of the two communities. The initiative, formally named ‘Wings of Unity’, will attempt to move away from the formalism and elitism often associated with formal interfaith activities. The first round of Wings of Unity discussions took place in July 2016 and the second was planned for Jan 2017. During the Wings of Unity II conference, Prof. Coda delivered a talk entitled “An Epochal Change: The Culture of Unity in Chiara Lubich". After this talk, Dr Shomali presented on how love for God leads to love for one another. This was followed by a fruitful exchange of comments and

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ideas by participants who come from a variety of backgrounds. The message of unity was reinforced, and the programme concluded with a planning session for future collaborations, including an upcoming summer course in the city of Trent, where Catholics and Shi‘as will have the unique opportunity to experience the “dialogue of life" and build on their understanding of unity of God and unity in God. In addition to Wings of Unity II, Dr Shomali, was invited to deliver a series of three lectures on Islam, Unity and Peace.

“

This walking together to understand the source of Unity that is God, who is present in all of our religious experiences, where we share in the charism of Chiara. We all identify with it because it is not only Christian but belongs to all. " - Prof. Piero Coda The first series were delivered in April 2016. On the eve preceding his academic engagement, Dr Shomali (along with other guests who accompanied him) attended a Q&A session with members of the Focolare community, including students of the university. The theme was “Frontiers in Interreligious Dialogue.” The guests were warmly welcomed by Prof. Bennie Callebaut who briefly explained the purpose of their visit before asking Dr Piero Coda, the President of the Institute, to say a few words. After welcoming the guests, Dr Coda explained in a very personal and heartfelt tone that Dr Shomali’s visit goes beyond the academic engagement. Below is the text of what Prof. Coda said: “I only want to say that we are very happy to have Dr Shomali here. This is the second time he has come to give lessons here and we consider him a member of the faculty; our visiting professor. He will give some lessons tomorrow on a course we have, where different religious representatives explain how they are working for peace and fraternity. This is a lovely experience and quite a unique course on the university stage. In addition to this, I have to say that we have another initiative, a kind of gift from God. Today before dinner we prayed together and we renewed our pact of unity that we made in July. In this beautiful place God has made us feel the friendship and brotherhood. Last year when Dr

Shomali came to give his lectures, he came to my office, and I am not sure how it happened but we spoke for two hours and we came to the realisation that we needed to deepen this dream that is a reality of the Unity that comes from God and makes us walk together. Something clicked. I remember that Bennie was also there. We said that we must do something together. I felt that this was something coming from God and that we have to do something about it. We looked at the calendar for a possible date for a meeting. I felt this was something God was asking us to do. July came up as an agreeable date. We asked ourselves: What shall we name this new initiative? This walking together to understand the source of Unity that is God, who is present in all of our religious experiences, where we share in the charism of Chiara. We all identify with it because it is not only Christian but belongs to all. To this question Mohammad without hesitation said, “Wings of Unity”. So the Wings of Unity initiative was born in Sophia. We met for 3 days in July with a small group from the seminary – 12 people. We deepened our understanding of unity from our two points of view. This was an experience of profound unity from which we were motivated to go forward and transmit to the new generations this passion and this path for unity. This also gave birth to the idea of having a summer school where 20 Muslims and 20 Christians will study together. This will be held 90% at Tonadico where Chiara first had this inspiration for unity. Therefore, Shomali is here not only to give his lesson but to continue our walk, and in the following days we will explore other ways to deepen our experience. This is a beautiful thing that brings the Islamic Centre of England and Sophia University Institute closer together; God has placed a pearl in our hands." Below is a summary of the Q&A session that followed.

Q: [Pietro from Bologna]. I am studying Trinitarian Ontology. Could you tell us why you got involved in interreligious dialogue and what dialogue means to you? A: Our interest in dialogue came

very naturally. We did not have any kind of training, any kind of mandate, or any experience. In 1997 we were in Manchester, UK,

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and we thought that since we’re living in a prominent Christian country, we have a good opportunity to learn about Christianity. So in addition to our studies, we tried to find friends among Christians with whom we could have dialogue. At the time we were just looking for friends, but we ended up finding brothers and sisters. Interestingly, it was through the Focolare that we were introduced to Christianity, the Catholic Church, and other denominations.

us to share this gift with other people who are very much in need of knowing about these initiatives. The very fact that we are so close and we feel like one family, the intensity and strength we get from our unity is what the people of the world should know about and I hope that with your support, energy and input the next generation will go even further.

Q. [Trisha from Madagascar]. Could you tell us about the

Now almost twenty years after our initial differences between the Shi‘a and the involvement in interreligious dialogue, I can Sunni traditions? If we really struggle in see that although we had no experience or prior knowledge, God helped us to come the way of God, He will A: One of the moments in my life that I together. In the process, we found many help us, and this means remember well is in 2004 when I went to people in our community who also appreciate Tehran airport to welcome four Catholic using all of the resources having dialogue and they have joined us in friends who were coming from the UK. One our journey; and thanks to God, we can now at our disposal; holding of them was the Jesuit Michael Barnes from discussions with you Heythrop College. It was two in the morning go forward. We have reached a point that not only do we [believers in faith] and when he asked me about the difference look at interreligious dialogue as a necessity trying to benefit from between Shi‘a and Sunni. in our lives in the 21st century, but we also you, your resources, and I answered him in a way that he see it as a deep responsibility towards God remembered, and referred to it later on your wisdom. And the and humanity. We hope that through this many occasions. I said, “Of course, I am very important initiative, ‘Wings of Unity’, in same goes for you. " much committed to Sunni and Shi‘a unity, Sophia, we will be able to prove to God our - Dr Shomali and I don’t want to appear as someone who deep thirst for understanding what He asks of us in order to is proud of being Shi‘a and underestimates the greatness of pave the way for the unity of humanity. Sunnis. We are all brothers and we have a lot in common, but something that I have noticed and I have shared with If we really struggle in the way of God, He will help us, and many people is that while we do have some theological this means using all of the resources at our disposal; holding differences related to the issue of the successor to the discussions with you and trying to benefit from you, your Prophet, the Shi‘a have a kind of trinity. We believe in resources, and your wisdom. And the same goes for you. I spirituality, rationality and the search for justice. Spirituality cannot only be active in my own circle and communicate is very important for us, but spirituality joined with with my Muslim sisters and brothers and then tell God that I rationality. We have a great interest in philosophy, logic and have exhausted all my energy in understanding what He intellectual reasoning; even in our seminaries we spend years wants from us. But if we work together with openness and studying philosophy, and we believe that reason and humbleness, then we no longer bother about whether the revelation supplement each other; they don’t replace or initiative comes from me or you - that won’t be important at contradict each other. We believe that God guides us both all. It is important that we open ourselves to God and He will through the intellect and revelation. help us to understand what the next step is. So I think this is Also, we are very concerned about social justice. So if you a great gift of God, and if He finds value in us, He will help can combine spirituality, rationality and seeking justice, you

March 2017

are in spirit a Shi‘a even if you are a Sunni or a Catholic. And if you don’t have these three, you are not a Shi‘a even if you are called a Shi‘a. I believe that these three elements are something that all religious traditions may find useful because if we only have spirituality without rationality, we might isolate ourselves from the realities of life. And sometimes our spirituality can be very superficial too; rationality without spirituality becomes very dry. I cannot think of any religion that is without spirituality. And if we have spirituality without bothering about social justice, the issue of poverty, lack of opportunities for a great percentage of the people… this also would be a deficiency. So we should have all these together. If we have these three, we can also avoid extremism.

difficult for you to understand but I think you can imagine how this might happen since you also had a similar experience in Christianity. For these people, Muslims who are not with them are hated more than people of other religions. For example, for them killing a Shi‘a is better than killing a Christian or a Jewish person. They are told that if they kill a Shi‘a, they will go straight to Heaven. How can this idea exist? Is it because of Islam? No, because if religion was the cause we would have had a high percentage of Muslims who are like this. In reality, these people do not make up even a small fraction of Muslims. This behaviour is due to a mentality; they happen to be Muslim but could well have been Christians, Buddhists, Jews, or atheists. Today no religious tradition is immune. Extremism can come to any household. It can enter any religion; no matter how spiritual,

Q. [Andrea from Turin, studying at Sophia University]. How can we confront the causes of extremism in religion and its consequences? What initiatives are taking place in the Muslim world? How can Christians and Muslims cooperate for changes in this area?

peaceful or committed to love you are, extremism can come. So there are many things that we have to do. First of all, as you mentioned, religious people have to work together and not allow anyone to use us against each other. That is the worst thing that can happen. It would be a waste of our energy and it can also give excuses to these people. They don’t want us to be friendly; the worst things for terrorists are these kinds of meetings. Terrorists want to show that we are enemies, but we are insisting that we are sisters and brothers. So we should work together on interfaith and interreligious programmes. Each community has to work hard on offering a proper education. When you listen to the story of some youths who are involved in terrorist atrocities, you will notice that they were not religious people. They didn’t go to mosques or attend Islamic lessons. Some of these people have no religious background. That is why they are prone to be manipulated and brainwashed. They have a deep sense of

A: It is a sad reality that in the course of history many sacred

ideas have been misused. Religions, science and technology can all be misused, and Islam is no exception. Especially now that Islam is widely spread, and there is vitality and an energy in the Muslim population. So it is possible that some people, even if only one individual, do wrong and that can have an impact. So despite the fact that Islam is a religion of peace, you find people who have such a misunderstanding that they think they have a call from God to use force and violence against people of no faith or other faiths – to the extent that even Muslims, their co-religionists, are victimised. It might be

March 2017

guilt for not practising their faith. That guilt has been building over the years, and now all of the sudden they want to go to Heaven. Education is very important; we need to invest in education as well as a good family environment. We need to safeguard families. One of the greatest challenges is the break-down of families. There is evidence to suggest that those involved in acts of atrocity are people who are not brought up in good families. They spend more time with their peers than their brothers, sisters and parents. Another important factor is community. If Muslims, as a minority in the West, belong to a strong community that looks after its members and is concerned about individual development, then it can be very helpful. This is a very serious issue. Certainly everyone, including Muslims, has the responsibility to think about it and we have to do our best to deal with people who are already affected and most importantly, to prevent the spread of these ideas which can spread in any tradition or ideology. What we need is ‘sophia’ or wisdom. We don’t need weapons or bombs; that will just add to the problem. Nothing can spread violence but extremism. Extremists feed on this, so we have to be very careful.

Q. [Donmarco Leone from Sicily]. We know that you are conducting an academic activity of dialogue and research together with the Sophia Institute. Can you tell us how it is progressing? And what should we expect in the future from the dialogue between Christians and Muslims? A: This is a very good question that does not have a brief answer. Based on my theological and spiritual reflections and experiences, I believe that the future of the world very much depends on how Christians and Muslims work together. I am not saying something that I don’t understand the implication of. It is a huge claim to make, but it is something that I’ve thought about very carefully. Unfortunately for the most part throughout history, Christians and Muslims did not work together as partners. There are many examples of peaceful existence but not fellowship. Perhaps on academic or business levels Islam continued on

March 2017

its own path and so did Christianity. In some cases, they even had competition – like two suppliers who look at the same market and say this market is yours or the other is mine and we have to fight over it. This is a sad reality but the plan of God is not this. His plan is not to give us different books or religions to fight among ourselves, or merely to tolerate each other. In fact, God’s plan is to have all of us together around the truth. But He does not force his plan. I humbly look at the world today and think of the future, and I believe that there won’t be any future for us if we continue in this way. There are so many challenges for us in the world today that affect all of us. If we want to work on our own and rely solely on our own resources, then we will not be able to cope with all of these trials. I don’t believe that in any part of the history of religions you can find faith and accountability before God being as ridiculed as it is in today’s world. I don’t think we have ever had so much immorality presented to us as ‘normal’ as well as a matter that we should not dare question, let alone criticise. The only way forward for us is to get together and offer a joint

" What we need is ‘sophia’ or wisdom. We

don’t need weapons or bombs; that will just add to the problem. Nothing can spread violence but extremism. Extremists feed on this, so we have to be very careful." - Dr Shomali testimony of faith in God to the people of the world. If Muslims and Christians work together and show how faith has brought unity, solidarity and brotherhood, then other people will be interested too. But if we boycott each other and attack each other’s ideas, then there won’t be any future for Islam or for Christianity. Sometimes I count our blessings for these outside pressures and attacks on us because it has brought us closer together, and now we are realising that the danger and realising that we cannot tackle it on our own. For the last three years that I have been based in London, my real challenge has not been, for example, how to deal with a Shi‘a becoming Sunni, a Christian or a Hindu. My challenge is our youth. Are our youth appreciative of our traditions? Are they able to be successful citizens of this society and at the same time have their own identities? Are they able to uphold family values? Are they able to maintain human relations in an age in which everything is digital and social networking and human relations are very much affected? These are the main challenges. The challenge is in helping those whose name or affiliation is Islam have the true spirit of Islam. I think it is the same for Christianity.

" Whenever two or more people get together in the name of God, He will make His presence felt. When God shows Himself, all reality become present in that place. In Him we have been present here."- Dr Piero Coda

Inter-religious dialogue is not something we do because it’s fashionable or because we want to avoid war or fighting; rather, it is a necessity and it comes naturally to us. It is only one of many levels of work that we have to do. We have just started with this dialogue but we don’t end it here. Thanks to God, we have gone very deep into this sense of unity with the Focolare in particular. It is much more than just dialogue. I remember last time when we had the 7th round of MuslimChristian dialogue; we said that perhaps instead of dialogue we should say ‘dia-love’. We don’t just talk to each other. We love each other. I am sure this dialogue will happen, sooner or later, and we will see Muslims and Christians very close to each other. But I wonder in which generation we will be able to achieve it? God is patient; He gives us the opportunities. I believe that if we act properly and we have sophia [wisdom], it wouldn’t take as long. The Qur’an says, “Indeed they see it to be very far, but we see it to be very near” (70:6-7). If we follow the path of God, then it is very near, but if we follow the path of humanity, then it is very far. So we ask God to give us from His own wisdom so that we may make this journey short. [The session was closed with some reflections/prayer from Dr Piero Coda which reflects the atmosphere of the event.] “We should thank each other for having opened ourselves to God, and this maybe is the most important thing for the world today. Whenever two or more people get together in the name of God, He will make His presence felt. When God shows Himself, all reality become present in that place. In Him we have been present here this evening as brothers and sisters in a world that cry, scream, suffers hunger, war, loneliness, prisoner of ideology, violence, poverty… In doing what we can by creating spaces in which God is present, He makes us His witnesses. We have laid a stone in the construction of unity and peace for all the world. The places in which this materialises, becomes, in that moment, the centre of the world where God is present. We thank our guest for having brought this reality; this gift that without you, your presence and effort only to build this unity not for money or human glory but for building together the presence of God which means simplicity, fraternity, liberty, and purity. This is Unity. Therefore, we thank God who has willed this; He has ‘put His tent among us’ to use an expression from the Hebrew scripture. Now we do not wish to undo it wherever we are. This is the tent of wisdom. We thank you for giving us this presence of God that we have experimented and carry with us in our hearts and will keep for days to come.”

Piotr Zygulski (IUS student):

I would like to share these reflections with you. I see these days as an opportunity for conversion. But not as it was misunderstood before, in an apologetic and limited way: we widen the horizon even of the word conversion, as the professor Shomali widens that of the word Islam and how Christians in recent decades are dilating the conception of Christ. Well we could convert all the nations, beginning with us, yet we must not convert others to our identity - "a religion which is auto-identitarian is no -(t) (more) the house of God," said Piero Coda - but we should let us be converted and purified, together, by the one God, the source of our unity, who speaks also with the mouth of our brethren, whether they are "from Rome or Qom". This opens spaces for a co-conversion, a mutual and fraternal conversion. Perhaps only in this way you can be understood today the invitation to conversion.

Farha Iman (Muslim PhD student at IU Sophia, from New Delhi): The discussion between Dr. Mohammad Shomali and Don Piero Coda was very enriching and inspiring. After hearing them, I felt that their discussion was a way more mature and inclusive. Their discussion made me comfortable and happy that there are people who talk, feel and think in the similar way, a way which the world needs the most. I believe the world is waiting for this kind of thinking and belief system. March 2017

Th e j oyful real i ty of ‘an gel s’ Frank Gelli speaks about ‘Angels’ and

the importance in ‘Religious Dialogue’

March 2017

‘

Rule Britannia’, a famous patriotic British hymn, mentions angels, singing the praises of Britain’s imperial rule over land and sea. Not many today would warm to such nationalistic twist to the notion of angels. Although I do recall once, at St Mary Abbots Church, I preached a little bit sarcastically about that hymn’s overt chauvinism and noticed some of the faces of my English parishioners, not looking particularly pleased. Still, angels are important. For many reasons but at least one is religious dialogue. Because belief in them is shared by both Christianity and Islam. Hence discussing these fascinating beings and their spiritual role can contribute to bringing people of our faiths closer together. In the Bible, angels are messengers of grace, intermediaries between God and men. They are clearly not solitary but social beings. The Prophet Isaiah, for example, describes angels forming a heavenly conclave, a celestial company chanting the glory of God. We even know the names of four of the chief ones, known as archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. A sort of division of labour or functions exists among them. Gabriel brings divine revelations – the most celebrated being, of course, the annunciation to the Virgin Mary of the birth of the Messiah. Michael, as the Book of Revelation relates, is the head of the heavenly armies. Raphael presides over all types of healing and Uriel has to do with repentance and the nether world. However, the Scriptures are obscure as to the exact number of angels. This is sensible because, as philosophers point out, counting spiritual, non-material beings is conceptually a difficult task. The Qur’an mentions angels in the plural – the Arabic word is Malaika – 75 times. (15 times in the singular Malak.) They perform many tasks, such as playing a part in the account of Adam’s creation. Angels inhabit the celestial realms but can also appear on earth or even the dimension below. The story of Joseph/Yusuf has women reporting that the angels’ appearance is extraordinarily beautiful. Elsewhere we also learn that they have wings and do not need to eat. Jibril and Mika’il – Gabriel and Michael – especially are mentioned by name. The former of course allimportant for bringing the message from on high to the Prophet Muhammad. The Quranic chapter of al-Baqarah declares belief in angels - alongside belief in God, the Last Judgment, the Qur’an and the Messengers – as incumbent on all Muslims. It also states that God is the enemy of those who opposes His angels. There is an inter-Islamic debate as to the precise nature of angels, in connection with free-will. Sheikh al-Mufid, a high Shi‘a theological authority, taught that angels have free will

but no desires, invoking in support Qur’an 21:29. He acknowledged, however, that some Shi‘a thinkers held a different opinion, as indeed did many Sunni writers. The present writer cannot take sides but he speculates that perhaps it would be possible to conceive of the will of an angel by analogy with that of a perfect saint. The latter’s will is so absolutely and totally aligned to, or conformed with, the will of God that it could be said that he has no free will – his will being identical (by which I mean ‘in line with’, not ontologically united, of course) with the Divine Will. It was said St Ignatius of Loyola was such a type of person. So, by analogy, it could be argued that the angels’ will is so closely at one with, or obedient to, the will of the Lord that in a sense they possess no personal free will. St Thomas Aquinas, the greatest Christian theologian of the Middle Ages, wrote so much about angels that he deserved the sobriquet of ‘Angelic Doctor’. He regarded them as ethereal, pure intelligence, immaterial and incorruptible but having the capacity to interact with physical beings by applying their power to the place they wish to be. Such abstruse speculations later annoyed Protestants, who found them unbiblical. However, the eminent Protestant theologian Karl Barth subscribed to the basic belief in angels simply because: ‘The Bible says so’. Is experience of angels common for ordinary human beings? In recent decades there has been an increasing largish literature of angelic appearances in people’s daily lives. The Church certainly tends to be very careful in assessing such claims. Quite apart from frauds, people who are mentally fragile or disturbed are sometimes prone to hallucinations. Visiting a discreet clergyman or Imam or perhaps a qualified psychotherapist may be a wise course of action for such persons. There is the charming idea of angels as guardians of each individual human being. It is a notion probably of Persian origin, as suggested in the apocryphal Book of Tobit, where the hero meets the angel, Raphael. Jesus appears to endorse it in St Matthew’s Gospel. (18: 10). He also affirms that in Heaven the angels behold the face of God. Church authorities have followed the teaching of the Lord on this. St Basil wrote that: ‘Besides each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life’. Lastly, the late Dr Martin Israel, a distinguished Anglican priest, physician and writer whom I knew personally, firmly witnessed to the reality of his guardian angel. It was like a kind of inner counsellor, he confided. Whenever Dr Martin felt angry or even snappy with someone on the phone, his guardian angel would whisper in his ear words of restraint. Certainly, a useful presence to have about.

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.

March 2017

Health

I ra n h el pin g n e i g h b o u rs in pol io e ra d i c a t i o n

oliomyelitis is an acute communicable disease caused by wild type poliovirus. According to WHO, in the pre-vaccine era when poliovirus was the leading cause of permanent disability in children, virtually all children became infected by polio viruses, with, on average, 1 in 200 susceptible individuals developing paralytic poliomyelitis. In 1988, when the annual global burden of paralytic poliomyelitis was more than 350,000 cases, the WHO resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis by the year 2000 and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was established. Worldwide, sustained use of polio vaccines since 1988 has led to a precipitous drop in the global incidence of poliomyelitis by more than 99% and the number of countries with endemic polio from 125 to just three. Despite the overall success of the GPEI, in 2014, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain endemic for transmission of poliovirus. Polio vaccination has been part of the Expanded Program on Immunisation by WHO, which all WHO member

March 2017

countries follow. Among these countries, Iran started polio vaccination through its national immunisation program in 1984 and according to WHO, no polio cases have been confirmed in the country since 2001. However, Iranian authorities are worried about cross-border transmission as the disease is still endemic in two neighbouring countriesAfghanistan and Pakistan. On June 15, Iranian health and medical education officials offered free polio vaccines to Pakistan in a meeting with their federal health services minister. Iran also proposed health centres to be set up on both sides of the border between the two countries to prevent the transfer of communicable diseases such as polio and malaria. The Pakistani response to these offers has been positive and the National Health Services minister of Pakistan said that lessons could be learnt from Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthcare system and its polio eradication campaign. There are two types of vaccines that protect against polio: inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). OPV has been the vaccine of choice for controlling poliomyelitis in many countries and for the global polio eradication initiative. This choice stems from its ease of oral administration, its superiority in conferring intestinal immunity in immunologically naive individuals, and its low cost. Vaccination with OPV is done through 4 doses, which are administered at 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, and 4-6 years. The only adverse event associated with OPV use is vaccineassociated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP), which may occur in vaccine recipients or their contacts. The overall risk of VAPP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a temporary form of paralysis - is estimated at 1 case per 2.4 million doses administered. Outbreaks of polio

According to the Iranian daily, Financial Tribune, the head of Iran Pasteur Institute (IPI), Mostafa Qanei, has announced that Iran has been given the task of polio vaccine production- required for immunisation against the disease in polio-endemic countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan - by the World Health Organisation (WHO)

due to circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses continue to be detected occasionally, mainly in areas of low immunisation coverage. WHO recommended that all countries currently using only OPV add at least 1 dose of IPV to the schedule by the end of 2015. The planned universal introduction of IPV is likely to substantially decrease the global VAPP burden by 80%–90%. In the previous year, ended March 2016, Iran imported IPV for the first time with the goal of reaching the global target. Presently, at least one dose of IPV is administered to Iranian babies as all four doses are unaffordable, given the high costs of the vaccine which is around two dollars per dose. For the time being OPV is preferred in Afghanistan and Pakistan due to easy administration and with it not requiring sterile syringes. Pakistan and Afghanistan are considered one epidemiological block in terms of polio, because of genetic relationships and epidemiological links between the wild type 1 poliovirus isolates in the two countries. Iran health minister Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi says that Iran has the infrastructure to produce sufficient polio vaccine to meet the domestic needs of immunisation programmes and also for people in the neighbouring countries. Iran is also committed to producing IPV to a level that meets domestic needs as well as that of the two eastern neighbours within the next two years. Every year Pakistan requires 40-50 million doses of polio vaccines. The country can get major relief if Iran contributes the expected 4-5 million vaccine doses. In order to achieve this target, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between IPI and the pharmaceutical company, Shafa Darou, which will produce the IPV. The initial investment for the production of IPV has been estimated to be about $7.5 million. As Iran shares a 2000 km border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran’s task in producing polio vaccine and its eradication makes the battle against the disease a win-win proposal, although this has yet to be officially acknowledged by the WHO website. 

Dr Laleh Lohrasbi is a

pharmacologist. She has worked as an editor for the medical section of “Hamshahri”, a daily newspaper in Tehran.

March 2017

Places

Travel Gui de to

Musl i m Europe

Travel writer and European Muslim heritage specialist, Tharik Hussain looks at a neglected area of Muslim heritage in Europe, complete with practical travel tips.

March 2017

The Grandfather of

modern Muslim Europe Just north-west of the capital city of Kosovo, Prishtina, where the land is of little value, and the only sound you can hear is the constant rush of passing traffic from two of the city’s main arteries as Goggle map they criss-cross nearby, there is a small walled complex in a field strewn with litter. As you approach it from the little dirt track that leads off Route 31, you’ll probably pass local children playing in the Where in the world: The tomb dirt. One or two might even come up and cheekily demand ‘one pound’. The recently refurbished is located north-west of Kosovo’s outer walls offer a little clue as to the significance of this long forgotten monument on the edge of capital city, Prishtina, on a spot newly formed Kosovo’s most important city. between Lazareva and Mazgit. It The large black iron gates paid for with Turkish money are another clue. Inside, the manicured lawn is found off Route 31 close to and well-tended gardens are the third clue, as are the Turkish flags hanging from the building that where Autostrade Dr Ibrahim resembles a little embassy. But this is no diplomatic zone. It is where lies the tomb of the Rugova cuts across it. ‘grandfather’ of almost every indigenous European Muslim. This is the tomb of Sultan Murad I, the third Ottoman Sultan, and the man responsible for bringing the Turkish Muslim Empire from the In and out: Only Germania steppes of Anatolia into the Balkans for what would become a five-century stay. airline flies direct to Prishtine The tomb, allegedly the first Ottoman construction in Kosovo, has undergone several rebuilds and from London Gatwick, all other refurbishments. The current building, with its quintessentially Ottoman dome and architectural style, carriers go via their domestic dates from 1261AH/1845CE. As you enter the tomb’s courtyard, be sure to acknowledge the capitals. The only way to get to caretakers who live in a small house to the right. They are the reason the lawn is so manicured and the tomb is by private taxi or the complex so clean - including the most immaculate public toilets probably in Kosovo. That alone vehicle hire. deserves the customary small tip. This is the norm even though theirs is a salaried role courtesy of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). The Turks know the part Murad played Top tips: If you are going to in shaping Europe. drive in from another country, To enter the tomb, you have to pass a large ancient tree bent over with age. Locals believe it has bear in mind the need to buy magical healing powers. Some say that about the water that pours from the ornate brass tap beside separate car insurance for it too. The light-coloured wooden doors of the main building give way to a small porch where female Kosovo at the border, and visitors can borrow a scarf. Several of them hang beside the large Swiss plant. All visitors have to remember you cannot enter remove their footwear if they want to go any further. This is an active space of worship for many Serbia from Kosovo unless you people, so visitors must respect it by speaking in hushed tones and behaving tactfully. came in from Serbia (don’t ask On my last visit, two women came in and circumambulated the huge wooden tomb in the centre of !). Also, note; the word for tomb the room, a decorative purple cloth of Arabic calligraphy draped over it. I then watched as one of locally is the Turkish ‘turbe’, so them sat in front of the large white cloth turban at the tomb’s head - all imperial Ottoman tombs you would be asking for ‘The have one - and began to quietly read from a prayer book. Up above, the beautifully decorated ceiling Sultan Murad Turbe’. had shades of yellow and red, also with neat Arabic calligraphy. Light streams in from windows on all four sides. The tomb is an ideal place to sit and contemplate the impact of a man whose expeditions meant Islamic culture continued to shape Europe at a time when attempts were being made to rid the continent of it in the south. Murad’s achievements are the reason the Balkans has such a large concentration of indigenous European Muslims. The tomb is said to mark the exact spot Murad fell in 800AH/1389CE during the Battle of Kosovo. It is one of two tombs dedicated to him. The other is in his former capital, Bursa in Anatolia, Turkey. The Kosovo tomb is first mentioned in the writings of medieval Ottoman traveller Evliya Celebi, who visited the site in 1070AH/1660CE to pay his respects. It was built by Murad’s son Bayezid I to contain the Sultan’s internal organs, which were removed from his body when it was prepared for transportation back to Turkey. Sultan Murad I’s expansions helped the Ottomans to become a regional power. After his death, his eldest son Bayezid I took the reins in a typically ruthless imperial Ottoman fashion. Upon hearing of his father’s passing, Bayezid summoned his younger brother Yakub Bey to the Sultan’s Command Centre tent. As the young Sultan entered the tent, Bayezid had him strangled to death right there, Hussain has spent much of his adult ensuring there was no other claimant to the imperial throne and the transition Tharik life travelling across Europe exploring its from one Sultan to another was a stable one. Cruel, ruthless and effective. fourteen centuries of neglected Muslim heritage. His writings about his discoveries have appeared in publications across the globe. To follow his work visit: www.tharikhussain.co.uk or his blogs www.europeanmuslimheritage.com Twitter @tharikhussain Facebook.com/tharikhussainuk stagram europeanmuslimheritage

March 2017

Children Corner

Motherly Love

image 1

Dear Children, Assalam Alaikum

he love and kindness our mothers show us, is not something that we can easily understand. Unfortunately, some children do not always appreciate how much their mothers have to sacrifice in order to look after their children. Some mothers have to give up their study, work, hobbies and social life. Some children take their mothers for granted and think this is what mothers do, what else are they supposed to do? It is one thing wishing to do something, but another having to do it. People have to study and work if they want to survive in this world. They need to be in contact with other people, family and friends and spend time with them. But parents who decide to have children, and God willing are blessed with them, might have to put a stop to things they would normally do. When a mother has a child to look after, she may have to make hard decisions, changing her priorities. I remember my mother and all those mothers who gave up their work to look after their children, or those who had to give up their study to look after their new-born babies. However, these are not the only things mothers do. This month our illustrator, Ghazaleh Kamrani , has drawn a picture of a caring mother. (image 1). It is late at night, her little boy is poorly and she looks very worried. She did not go to sleep and will stay awake till morning if she needs to. Every time her son feels pain, she will comfort him, give him medicine, hold his hands and pray for him. As the years go by she will continue to do so every time it is required for any of her children.

March 2017

image 2

Children have their own way of showing their love and appreciation for their mothers. Look at image 2. Here the boy of our story is better. He is not bedbound and can move around and play. He remembers how kind and caring his mother was to him during his illness. He remembers when his mother stood awake with him all night. He now wants to thank her for the kindness she has shown him. First he thought of buying her a present, but he has no money. However he is determined to give her the best thing ever. After a couple of days thinking, he decides to give his mother the one thing he likes most. One thing that he is never separated from. His favourite toy. He finds a ribbon, wraps it around the toy and one morning while his mother is cooking in the kitchen, he surprises her with his lovely present. His mother is indeed pleasantly surprised. She did not expect this at all. She is so happy that she forgets all the hard work and sleepless nights she has had. Although our mothers do a lot for us, and we might never be able to replace their kindness, remember, even one small act of appreciation can show them that we do understand all they do for us, all the kindness they give and all those other selfless actions that we know nothing about. Take care of your mothers. They are like angels appointed by God to look after you. ď Ź

Illustrator Ghazaleh Kamrani March 2017

What & Where Through March 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

Monthly Bookclub for Ladies

Women’s only club open to Muslims and non-Muslims. This book club tends to read books either written by Muslim authors or stories that have some sort of link to Islam (postive or negative as it creates some good discussions!) This month the book ‘The Last Train to Istanbul’ by Ayse Kulin will be read. If you would like to join the club, make sure you read the book so you can take part in the discossion! Venue: Brü Coffee and Gelato,

St Anns Road, Harrow HA1 1HS Time: 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM Contact: email

miam.4@hotmail.com with ‘Bookclub’ in the subject. 1 March

at £1 per child. Stalls are available for £5 per stall. Venue: Capital City Academy, Doyle

Gardens, Willesden, London NW10 3ST Time: 10.00 AM - 5.00 PM Tickets: £5 and more information at www.bit.do/FWC17

Through 5 March Connected Histories: Muslims in the First World War

This 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 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. Venue: Birmingham Museum & Art

Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH Time: 10.00 AM - 5.00 PM Entry: Free

Women in the Enlightenment

A gallery talk by Felicity Roberts, King's College London. Gallery talks last 45 minutes. They are given by Museum staff or guest speakers and are suitable for all levels of knowledge.

8 March

Venue: Room 1, British Museum, Great

While both Orthodox Christianity and Islam have a long and rich history in Ethiopia, the former has played a dominant role in producing a particular religious nationalism. Arguing that the celebrated image of Ethiopia as a case of harmonious Christian-Muslim relations needs to be related to the dominant position of Christianity, the paper analyses how the changing religious landscape in today’s Ethiopia has created a great deal of anxiety among Christians.

Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG Time: 1.15 PM - 2.00 PM Fee: Free, drop in.

4 March ‘BE BOLD FOR CHANGE' Conference

Join us for inspiring lectures, projects, awards, networking lunch and Q & A to enable women and girls take bold actions to improve aspects of their spiritual, health, social, career and economic livelihood. Creche available

March 2017

Christianity and Islam in Ethiopia: Orthodoxy, Nationalism and the ‘Muslim Other’

Venue: Paul

Webley Wing (Senate House) Room S320 SOAS University of London

Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Speaker: Professor Terje Østebø

of Florida)

(University

1 1 March Food and hospitality in Islamic cultures

A gallery talk by Hilary Lewis Ruttley, independent speaker. Gallery talks last 45 minutes. Suitable for all levels of knowledge. Venue: Room 34, British Museum, Great

Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG Time: 1.15 PM - 2.00 PM Fee: Free, drop in

1 1 & 1 4 / 21 & 28 March Short Courses on Primary Sources of Islam: Nahj al-Balaghah Venue :

The Islamic College, 133 High Road, Willesden, London NW10 2SW Compilation and Authenticity of Nahj al-Balaghah Date: 11th March Time : 3.00 PM - 6.00 PM Topic: The Ahl Al-Bayt of the Prophet in Nahj al-Balaghah Date: 14th March Time: 4at 6.00 PM - 8.00 PM Speaker: Sheikh Saeed Bahmanpour Topic:

Monotheistic Approach in Nahj al-Balaghah Date 21st & 28th March Time : 6.00 PM - 8.00 PM Speaker: Sheikh Isa Jahangir Topic:

1 2 March Love 4 Orphans Charity Gala Ball

With special guest speakers, nasheed artist, and children's entertainment. We have put this event together with Human Care Syria to raise money for our both charities for Orphans. Arab, Mediterranean and Bangladeshi cuisine will be served with drinks.

Venue: Humber Royal Hotel, Littlecoates

Road, Grimsby, DN34 4LX Time: 2.30 PM - 7.30 PM Tickets: Adults - £15, under 12's - £5, under 5's - Free More info: Abdul Somir- 07905719486 or Ahmad Mahir 07799775974

BCBN's 5th Gala Dinner in support of Muslim Fostering Project

BCBN is a Muslim-led organisation; set up to identify worthwhile community projects and partner with credible charities. The Gala Dinner provides an opportunity for your business or organisation to demonstrate its commitment in helping the most vulnerable in our society. The Great Room, Grosvenor House, JW Marriott Hotel, 86-90 Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN Time: 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM Tickets : £100 – £120 More info: http://bcbn.org.uk/events/ Venue:

From 1 3 March through 3 April IMES Seminar Series Organiser: School of Literatures,

Languages and Cultures Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies 16-22 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD Time: All talks at 5.15 PM Venue:

Holy cities and regime change in the 8th-century Islamic world Topic:

Speaker:

Date:

Dr Harry Munt (York)

13 March

Topic: Motifs

in the legends of the preIslamic kings and tribes Speaker:

Date:

Julia Bray (Oxford)

20 March

Archaeology of the Late Antique/Early Islamic period in the Nile Delta region Topic:

Speaker: Dr Joanne Rowland (Edinburgh) Date: 27 March

Early Iranian and Arab Shi`i Discussions of Leadership Between Topic:

Late Antiquity and Early Islam Speaker: Prof. Andrew Newman (Edinburgh)

project where the student chooses a word or phrase and creates their own composition for it. Venue: Arab British Centre, 1 Gough

'A Passion for Public Performance: The Mysterious Revivals of Religious

Square, London, EC4A 3DE Time: Wednesdays 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (6 Weeks + 4 hours final project – 16 Hours) Fee: £210

A College of Humanities seminar by Prof Jolyon Mitchell (University of Edinburgh)

1 April

Venue: College of Humanities, University

London 2 Hastings (Brothers only)

1 4 March

Drama'

of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE Time: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

21 March Religion in Schools: cultural change in Britain and the need for reform

A Graduate School of Education seminar by Professor Linda Woodhead (Lancaster University). On the one hand, 25 years of research on changing beliefs and values in modern Britain, and on the other a more recent proposal for the change in the way religion is handled in statesector schools in England and Wales (‘A New Settlement’, with Charles Clarke). After analysing some of the most profound cultural changes in Britain, Prof. Woodhead will suggest how these have a bearing on the future of RE, school assemblies and faith schools. Venue: Baring Court 114, St. Luke's

Campus, University of Exeter, Heavitree Rd, Exeter EX1 2LU Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

22 March Creative Kufic Calligraphy Course with Joumana Medlej

In this non-traditional calligraphy course, we will return to the original source of Arabic calligraphy, the Kufi family of styles, and study it with a modern design approach. The course will culminate in a final

This course will run until 30th April.

The 2017 Hope & Knowledge Ride will be from London to Hastings on England’s south east coast. This year we will be joining up with Muslim Charity raising funds to build the H&K Health & Education Centre. Venue: Altab Ali Park, Adler St, London

E1, UK

Registration: £25 Fundraising Target: £150 Time: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM More info:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-2hastings-tickets-30698669547#tickets

The Walk for Syria

Together with Muslim Aid, SLIA is aiming to raise towards their pledged target of £20,000 towards the plight of Syrians through a sponsored 5 km walk in Richmond Park with refreshments, goodie bags and a treasure hunt for children. Richmond Park, Queens Road, Surrey TW10 5HX Fee: Free Minimum Sponsorship: Adults - £100, 12-18 years - £50, under 12 years - any amount Time: Registration from 3.00 PM, walk starts at 3.30 PM Venue:

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.

March 2017