Volume 1, Issue 4 June 2012
Opening Message from the Secretary General:
Inside this issue:
I wish to congratulate the newly elected members of the local authorities in Wales, particularly the Muslims.
Special Edition: A Historic Beginning to National Interfaith Week in Wales
2
Special Feature: The Forgotten Revival
3
Special Feature: The Rise of Muslim Chaplains
4
Success for Muslim Councilors
4
Building Relationships: A Brighter Future for the Young People of Cardiff
5
MCW Initiative: Get Job Fit in 2012
7
It has been just over 10 years since MCW invited the leaders of all 4 political parties to address the Muslim community and present their parties ethos. At the time despite being 73% of the ethnic community, Muslims did not have a single counsellor in the local authority, but it is heartening to note that in this year in Council elections in Cardiff alone there were 18 Muslim candidates representing all 4 political parties and in Wales on a whole there were around 25 Muslim candidates of which 9 have become counsellors. This is a historic step for the Muslim community showing their maturity and their vision to serve all communities making an important contribution to the civic and political life of our country. My request to the individuals who have lost election, you can and will make a great contribution so continue to be involved in the political process as you have the enthusiasm, vision, ability and commitment so please continue to channel it. May Allah SWT guide you, guard you, and give you the courage and wisdom to make the right decisions for our country and its people.
Editor:
Saleem Kidwai
Education: Renewed funding enables 8 expansion of unique scholarship opportunities at Cardiff University
FOSIS National Student Qur‟an Competition (NSQC) Wales & West England
9
Special Feature: Welsh Solidarity for Syria
10
MCW Interfaith Event Photographs
12
Saira Chaudhry
Graphics: Suffiya Hasan
Contributors: Abdul Azim Ahmed Mohammed Alomgir Ahmed Bethan Grant Omar Arabi Dr. Sophie GilliatRay Sahar Al-Faifi
Letter from the Editor: Alhumdulillah, we have now bought to you the 4th edition of Reflections. We apologise for its late release but hope it‟s worth the wait. With the grace, mercy and blessings of Allah (SWT), it‟s been an amazing and inspiring few months - the rise of Muslim chaplaincy and councillors in Wales, the launch of Citizens UK brighter futures campaign, new MCW initiatives being born and the successful completion of iLead Wales‟s pilot year, the first ever Islamic Leadership Course in Wales for the youth aiming to empower and develop a future generation of community leaders - all to read about in this issue. Let us also not forget the people of Syria in our prayers - to pray for the victory of our fellow broth-
ers and sisters, for justice and for the removal of their oppressors. From the plumes of destruction that we witness in the distance, deep down amazingly resilient and dignified people are emerging, spurred on by their faith to re-write the books of history and put an end to their era of tyranny once and for all. May the eyes of cowards never find rest in sleep! We pray this edition of Reflections is an insightful read. If you would like to contribute to future editions of the newsletter, please feel free to get in touch with us at info@muslimcouncilwales.org.uk
Saira Chaudhry
Acknowledgement: Saleem Kidwai
Broadway House, Broadway, Cardiff, CF24 1PU Tel: 029 2034 4555 Fax: 029 2049 2860 Website: muslimcouncilwales.org.uk E-mail: info@muslimcouncilwales.org.uk
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Special Edition
Volume 1, Issue 4
A Historic Beginning to National Interfaith Week in Wales "The event illuminated the way in which faith plays a part in the fabric of our society, and what it can offer to the believer and non-believer alike.” Saleem Kidwai, General Secretary of MCW The Muslim Council of Wales was pleased to launch National Interfaith Week in Wales with a historic interfaith event between the Anglican Church and Muslim faith in the National Museum of Wales on Tuesday 22nd of November 2011. The Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan and Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra addressed an audience of over three hundred on the topic of „Believing in Faith‟. The events attendees included the First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones who also spoke on the importance of interfaith to the Welsh Assembly. Representatives from The Board of Deputies of British Jews were also present. Both speakers shared their own experiences of the value of faith to society today, and how partnership and co-operation between religions can empower the individual and society to address global and local injustices. Following the talks, attendees were invited to a three course meal to discuss the talk and
begin to form relationships between those present. The Archbishop Dr Barry Morgan has led a distinguished career as leader of the Church in Wales, contributing to public debate on the role of faith in society, social injustice and many other key issues. He has always strived towards greater openness between faith communities in Wales.
Likewise Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra is a graduate of a Dar al-Uloom Institute of Higher Education, Holcombe, and al-Azhar University, Cairo. As such, he is one of the leading Imams in Britain today. He balances numerous roles speaking on Islam in the media alongside dedicated interfaith work and pastoral duties to many Muslims across the country. Saleem Kidwai, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Wales, commented that "the event illuminated the way in which faith plays a part in the fabric of our society, and what it can offer to the believer and nonbeliever alike.” Saleem Kidwai concluded by saying that "Muslims and Christians make up over half the world's population, and Islam and Christianity have a long and glorious history both globally and locally in Wales. Interfaith events such as this are not simply a luxury but a necessity to ensure that we all take part in creating a cohesive and close society based on friendship and trust”.
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Volume 1, Issue 4
The Forgotten Revival For those familiar with the history of Wales, the phrase 'Welsh Revival' of 1904-1905 evokes very powerful images. It describes an era of intense religious fervour amongst Welsh Christian communities. The revival began with smaller movements in towns such as Ammanford but soon spread until all came to a climax in 1904 as key preachers, notably Evan Roberts, went on tours across Wales. Roberts and others spoke powerfully about the importance of repenting all sin, publically professing their faith in Christ and opening oneself to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. It is estimated that over 100,000 converts were received during the period of a single year into Welsh churches, including greater religiosity and piety among pre-existing congregations. The Welsh Revival is an important part of Welsh history and it takes its place in a backdrop of other Christian revivals in Britain and Europe during the nineteenth and twentieth century. There is however a forgotten revival, one that is not included in the history books but still influenced the future direction of Wales. It was however an Islamic Revival, that swept across South Wales during the 1930s-40s. It was led by a single man, Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi, and its influence is still important today. Cardiff during this era was a bustling port city, one of the largest in the UK. The first million pound cheque in the world was written in Cardiff's Coal Exchange, evidence of the size and prominence of the port. Thousands of Muslims working on ships found themselves in Cardiff, sometimes for short stays and sometimes for longer. They would be in between employment on ships - usually as firemen. Some decided to abandon the difficult life at sea and make a home in Cardiff. Most of these Muslims lived in the Docks area which became known as Tiger Bay. They came from diverse regions of the world, Somalis, Indians and Malays. By far however the
largest contingent came from Yemen, specifically the Aden. It was estimated there w e re about 5,000 Muslims living in Cardiff during this time, a large community by the standards of the day. The adherence of these men to their faith however was something that concerned the religious leaders of the time, and so Sheikh Ahmed ibn Mustafa al-Alawi (founder of the Allawi Tariqa), sent his student Shaykh Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi, a Yemeni scholar, to Britain to address the issue. Sheikh al-Hakimi was erudite scholar of Islam, but also a gifted speaker and a natural diplomat. His piety and knowledge led to him being chosen as a muqaddim within his tariqa. He was by profession a merchant and a businessman, and earned his own livelihood while devoting time and energy to his faith. In the space of a few short years, Abdullah Ali al-Hakimi successfully transformed the local Muslim community in Cardiff (and to a certain extent, South Shields, Liverpool and Hull). He established a mosque at Peel Street (most likely, the first in Wales), regular Quran study classes for children and adults alike, created a number of welfare services for the local community. Al-Hakimi displayed an impressive ability to engage with the political system by negotiating the establishment of the Wales' first Muslim burial site in Ely - something the Muslim community in South Wales still benefits from. Al-Hakimi's work also extended to the wider community. He had a close relationship with politicians, the media and local leaders from other faiths, holding annual dinners where he would bring them all to-
Special Feature
Opening of Peel Street Mosque gether. His diplomatic success is demonstrated by the attendance of the Mayor of Cardiff at the reopening of Peel Street mosque after it was destroyed in the Blitz of World War 2. Kevin Little, a social scientist, carried out a survey of Loudon Square in 1944, a key area in Tiger Bay. He describes the Muslim community below: “Mention should be made again of the strong body of Islamic faith. The adherents of this creed not only carry out their religious and ritualistic obligations with more fervour than the rest of the community, but are correspondingly surer both of their creed and of themselves. The various prohibitions enjoined by the prophet are on the whole rigorously observed, as are Ramadan and other fasts and festivals. In the celebration of the latter, ritual dress is worn by a large number of the Arabs and other Moslems� This description is one that stands in contrast to the Muslim community prior to the arrival of al-Hakimi. There is much more detail still needed about his life and works, and how his influence still survives in Cardiff today. Regardless, it is clear that the Muslim community of Wales is indebted to his efforts and leadership. His legacy is survived today by Noor al-Islam Mosque and South Wales Islamic Centre, both of which trace their lineage to the Peel Street Mosque.
Volume 1, Issue 4
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Special Feature
The Rise of Muslim Chaplains “The last decade has seen Muslim Chaplains come to prominence in public life and we can certainly expect to see more growth and development in the next few years, especially in Wales” Chaplaincy has traditionally been associated with the Christian tradition. The Chaplain would provide spiritual, emotional and pastoral support to those in need. Recently however, the role has seen diversification with Chaplains catering for almost all faith traditions and indeed none. The Muslim Council of Wales is proud to see the growth of Muslim chaplains in Wales and recognises the important role Chaplaincy has to play in shaping our society. There are currently a number of Muslim chaplains in prisons. These include Shaykh Kamal Idreesy and Shaykh Abdel-Ati, serving prisoners across South Wales. In addition, Shaykh Foreed and Shaykh Abdul-Muhit are based in Park Prison. They provide care, attention and spiritual support to Muslim inmates, helping them to reform and reconsider their options in light of religious guidance. Chaplaincy does not end there however, as Faith in the Future, a Muslim Council of Wales project, provides community chaplaincy to former prisoners upon their release. Support after completion of a prison sentence is seen as vital to integrate the individual back into society. Faith in the Future has played a key role in helping reduce rates of reoffence and offering support to the most vulnerable individuals. Shaykh Yacoub Kutkut, Shaykh Mujahid Ali, Shaykh Ali Omar and Mufti Javed all provided community chaplaincy to former inmates through Faith in the Future. Muslim Chaplains at university are also becoming increasingly common, equally so in Wales. Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University both introduced Muslim chaplains in 2011. Dr Sameh Otri serves as Muslim Chaplain to Cardiff University, based at Dar al-Isra Community Centre on Wyeverne Road. He enjoys a positive working relationship with the university's Anglican, Methodist and Catholic Chaplains and serves the needs of nearly 3000 Muslim students. Cardiff
Metropolitan's Laura Jones is Wales' first serving female university Muslim chaplain. Cardiff Metropolitan has lead the way in faith provision, having recently been rated one of the best universities according to the International Student Barometer, especially for their outstanding faith provision. Both Sameh and Laura are graduates of the Markfield Institute of Higher Education's Muslim Chaplaincy course. Shaykh Mohsin Elbetagi, Imam of Swansea University Mosque also provides key chaplaincy duties in Swansea University. The Muslim Council of Wales is hopeful that other universities in Wales will recognise the importance of Muslim Chaplains and begin to introduce them. Muslim Chaplains can also be found in hospitals, schools and even in commercial locations such as Birmingham NEC. Amina Shabaan and Fehmida Ahmed currently provide chaplaincy services in hospitals in South Wales. Research on the role of Muslim Chaplains in the UK has been conducted by the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK at Cardiff University, with a publication on the findings of their research due to published very soon. The researchers, Dr Sophie Gilliat-Ray and Dr Mansur Ali, interviewed dozens of Muslim chaplains in the UK. The research was conducted in association with St Michael's College, a seminary specialising in chaplaincy studies. All of which means Cardiff is certainly leading the way in academic study of chaplaincy in Britain. The Muslim Council of Wales has supporte d t he gr owth of M uslim chaplains by sponsoring individuals to complete a Certificate in Muslim Chaplaincy at the Markfield Institute of Higher Education. The last decade has seen Muslim Chaplains come to prominence in public life and we can certainly expect to see more growth and development in the next few years, especially in Wales.
Success for Muslim Councillors The Muslim Council of Wales believes local politics are a key part of our nation‟s democracy, and for government at large to work well, citizens must be engaged at the grassroots level. It is with this in mind that the Muslim Council of Wales is pleased at figures that show a record number of Muslim candidates standing for council elections as well as a record number of elected Muslim councillors across Wales.
“The Leader of a people is their Servant” Prophet Muhammad (SAW) The results show Welsh Muslims are both engaged and participating in civil society. Islam instructs its followers to take an active role in their local community, to care for neighbours and that a Muslim should not sleep content while his neighbour is hungry. We believe the increase of Muslim councillors in Wales is simply one of many signs of Welsh Muslims implementing such Islamic teachings. In total, over two dozen Muslim councillors ran in Wales and nine were elected, mainly across South Wales. We pray for their success and hope they fulfil the responsibility of leadership to the best of their ability. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught: “the leader of a people is their servant”
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Volume 1, Issue 4
A Brighter Future for the Young People of Cardiff
Citizens UK is the national home of community organising. Their goal is to build the power of communities, who then work together for the common good. Citizens UK only exists so far in London and Milton Keynes. In London it is has been running for over 20 years, splitting into North, East South and West London Citizens, made up of boroughs in the city.
ance will always be stronger because of the time people took to understand one another and their shared goal of working for the common good of all. From this, change is possible. Before a Cardiff Citizens alliance is set up we must ensure there is both a need and want for it. Therefore we decided to run a smaller campaign, generously funded by the High Sheriff of South Glamorgan, Roger Thomas. We focused on young people and in a condensed time slot, to illustrate the process of community organising to those who were already intrigued. „Brighter Futures‟ aims to build relationships between young people from different civil society
single listening campaign hinged on asking the question „What is putting pressure on young people in Cardiff‟? The aim was to have 1000 conversations with young people across the city to get a true representation of what was causing the strain on our young people. This question has been asked all over Cardiff, participants from iLead Wales, the Somali community, St Teilo‟s Church in Wales High School, Bishop of Llandaff high school, Cardiff University, „Save the Children‟, Mary Immaculate High School, to name a few, have been asking this question in their own institutions and in their own communities. Within iLead Wales and have been working closely Chaudhry and Abdul-Azim this project and during
MCW, we with Saira Ahmed on February,
“Brighter Futures aims to build relationships between young people from different civil society institutions across the city, train them in community leadership skills, and support them to take action together on local issues of injustice”
In the past few years delegates from Cardiff have attended London Citizens Assemblies. Here, they watched ordinary people, living in London; tackle the problems that were causing strain on their lives. They watched as people held politicians accountable to the issues that they had the power to change; making the streets a safe place to be, ending child detention, implementing a living wage to combat the levels of poverty that families face when trying to survive on a minimum wage income in London. Citizens UK form alliances on relational power - creating relationships and links within your own church, school, university, mosque, trade unions, strengthens that organisation. Continuing this, in conjunction with other civil society institutions, finding common ground and forming a relationship based on understanding one another creates a powerful base to form an alliance. This alli-
Bethan Grant, Trainee Community Organiser, Brighter Futures institutions across the city, train them in community leadership skills, and support them to take action together on local issues of injustice across faith, denominational, generational, racial and neighbourhood divides - to build a brighter future for all young people in the city. The process began with listening campaigns. Each institution ran theirs differently depending on the unique set up of their school, community group, college etc, but every
with them, some of the younger delegates of iLead attended training on how to run a listening campaign. With the energy buzzing they started their „listening‟ straight away. Taking advantage of a sunny Sunday afternoon in Cardiff Bay they managed to have over 200 conversations with people in the bay, each conversation answering the question – „What do you think is putting pressure on young people in Cardiff?‟.
Continued on page 6:
Building Relationships
Volume 1, Issue 4
Page 6
Building Relationships
Article continued from page 5 On the 22nd of March we held the Launch of Brighter Futures. Here 80 representatives from the organisations taking part gathered to discuss the results of their listening campaign and share testimonies on the issues that had struck them. Although the stories themselves differed from all over the City, they centered around four main themes transport, safety on the street, discrimination and job opportunities for the young. The launch was a huge success in our campaign, bringing together people who shared the same ideas but perhaps not the same neighborhood, faith or race. People were encouraged to talk to those they didn‟t know, to discuss the issues but also, to discuss solutions. From these conversations, our agenda of winnable and workable asks was born. This is what was carried with us as we spoke to council leaders, including Plaid Cymru‟s Councilor Neil McEvoy and Labour‟s Councilor Heather Joyce and the public over the past few weeks leading up to the election on May 3rd. We negotiated with council leaders to take the young people of Cardiff into consideration, to take the pressures they face seriously and to use the power they hold to secure them a brighter future. We didn‟t stop there, we spoke to members of the public, encouraging them to use their vote on 3rd May and take the „Young People‟s Agenda‟ into consideration. Although many of the participants were too young to vote, they are still taking part in the democracy they are living in and asking those who could vote to take that opportunity to have a say in Cardiff‟s future. The future is certainly bright as the recently elected Councilor Heather Joyce agreed to meet our brighter futures youth again to discuss the implementation of the solutions further, helping to build a brighter future for the young people of Cardiff. For more information of Citizens UK, please visit: http:// www.citizensuk.org/
iLead Wales just completed its pilot year with over 40 delegates of varied ages and experiences going through the programme. The style and set up of iLead allows a very easy journey of learning and the separation of age groups ensures that all material is delivered in a way that will engage with the delegates and be properly understood. The year was strategically broken down into 3 semesters each with their own unique learning outcomes – self development, engagement with the wider community and leadership. iLead Wales was initiated in order to develop the youth into leaders. The course is aimed at arming them with resources, methodologies and concepts of thinking and strategy that would allow them to benefit their communities and achieve their goals. The content of the course is designed to stretch their capabilities and expose them to areas that they would normally encounter in later life. Here is what one delegate had to say after completing the iLead course:
“Before I took part in this programme, I had a lack of motivation, low self-esteem and no confidence in myself. After having participated in every session, I was able to increase my confidence, increase my self -esteem and the contents within some of the sessions, taught me all about self-motivation, but overall the ILEAD programme taught me how to become a great leader, to myself, the Muslims and the community. I can personally say that I am proud to be an ILEAD delegate, for everything this course and its tutors have taught me. As well as learning, the environment was very friendly; there were many team building activities to participate in within each session, which made learning about each of the topics fun. I was also able to make new friends and enjoy my experience from day 1. It’s very hard to believe that the season is already over. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wishes to either develop themselves personally, or even to learn how to become a great leader, this would definitely be the right course for them” The programme will run again in September 2012 with the application and recruitment process beginning at the end of May 2012. For more information or to register interest, contact: info.ileadwales@gmail.com
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Volume 1, Issue 4
Get Job Fit in 2012!
The beginning of this year saw the launch of a new community initiative to help the South Wales Muslim Community into employment, in conjunction with Muslim Council of Wales and Dar Ul Isra Community Centre and Mosque. It was the brain child of Mohammed Alamgir Ahmed, a Recruitment Professional, who currently works as regional manager at one of South Wales largest IT recruitment Consultancy Company, who recognised that too many people were missing out on potential job opportunities due to a lack of understanding of the recruitment process. His many years of experience in the industry gave him insight into how best to approach job hunting and how best to improve the chances of the potential candidate. It was specifically designed at those individuals made redundant, post graduates who are looking for their first step onto the career ladder and those who are new to the country and don‟t know how best to search and apply for work. The workshop was held at Cardiff University and attended by a large number of mixed individuals from all of the above segments of the community – Mohammed was able to use his expertise and knowledge of the process to break it down into 3 key areas: CV Writing, Job Hunting and Interview Tips. Mohammed gave the participants a very unique insight into what a CV should be used for and how best to structure it – he explained that a CV is a selling tool so every word used should be purely to sell the applicant. He gave a great example to demonstrate what he meant then asked „who would you ask in for an interview?‟ After discussing what the best content for a CV is and how to write the key achievements he moved onto job hunting which was a real eye opener for everyone. He explained how potential employees and Recruitment Consultants initially shortlisted CV‟s based on key words so it was vital to include key words needed for the job you are applying for. He said to identify the key word, for example in
sales it is about targets, motivation and resilience, in administration it is about attention to detail, accuracy and organisation so to include these words and other relevant ones as much as possible. He also advised using all the online job boards like Monster, Jobsite, CWJobs and then following up applications with a phone call to the Recruitment Agency or Employer asking „what did you think of my CV?‟ rather than „have you received my CV?‟. The open question forces them to bring out and look at the CV and respond (which might just catch their eye) whilst the latter allows them to just say yes and brush you off. The final part of the workshop was interview techniques and what really stood out from this part was how important preparation was, Mohammed explained a recent survey said the average time spent by successful applicants on preparation was 3 hours per interview. He also made it clear that an interview was just the employer qualifying the applicants experience, attitude, characteristics, skills and background in line with the job vacancy so it was vital that the applicant understood the job inside out and then gave responses that had synergy with the job. He gave an example of someone interviewing for an office administration job and the interviewer posing the open question „tell me about yourself; Bad answer – I love shopping and have a passion for Bollywood movies, I also like relaxing and watching TV. Appropriate answer – I am a highly organised person with an eye for detail and accuracy, I like maintaining control of situations when I can but am not afraid to delegate when necessary. My ambitions are to become the best at what I do and lead from the front. In Mohammed‟s own comical way he was able to get the point across to all those who attended and the feedback was great with some people complaining it should have been longer. Mohammed also did a follow up session on email which was a great help as many people emailed their new revised CV to him for review.
Sample CV 1 I would add the cherry on top of a Cherry Bakewell cake I worked in a team I would sometimes train new people
Sample CV 2 I had complete responsibility for the final decoration and quality check of a market leading brand of Kipling cakes I was a key member of a high performance team that continuously surpassed production targets My knowledge, expertise and exceptional communication skills were used to train and mentor new starters We asked Mohammed on his thoughts on the day; “it was a great turn out and the people really seemed to get value from it, I tried to keep it as simple and relevant as possible and I know it was a lot for people to take in so I pray I didn‟t rush as I have a tendency to talk too fast, must be the 3 litres of coffee I drink per day”. If you would like to attend the next workshop or would like Mohammed‟s help on your own job hunt he has offered his support to anyone and asked them to get in touch – mohammeda535@gmail.com
Correction:It was bought to our attention that page 9 of the last edition of the newsletter made some inferences to sufis which was incorrect and not based on facts. We apologise for this grave error, it was never intended to cause any ill feelings or incorrect perceptions and we ask for forgiveness for this mistake. Apologies.
MCW Initiative
Volume 1, Issue 4
Page 8
Education
Renewed funding enables expansion of unique scholarship opportunities at Cardiff University
The Islam-UK Centre, based at Cardiff University is delighted to announce the expansion of the Cardiff University Jameel Scholarships from September 2012. The generous scholarship scheme, which started in 2009, enables the very best students to go to Cardiff – those who have the intellect and determination to apply their knowledge for the benefit of Muslim communities in the UK, and to promote better understanding of Islam in wider society. Through the support of Mr Yousef Jameel, the expanded Cardiff University Jameel Scholarship Scheme will now offer three more years of support to three fully funded PhD students and 12 MA students. This builds on the success of the scholarship scheme which has already seen two PhD students and nine MA students study at the Islam-UK Centre. Current PhD Jameel Scholar Rosalind Warden is researching Social Services provision for Muslims in Britain using Cardiff as a case study. She is aiming to highlight issues and challenges within mainstream social services provi-
sion as they engage with Muslim clients and in time to provide a “blue -print” for social services provision in the UK to improve social policy. “My research has allowed me to work closely with members of the local Muslim community in Cardiff which I‟ve really enjoyed and I hope that the research really focuses on the issues of relevance to the community which in time will make a difference” said Rosalind Warden. The Islam-UK Centre is the only one in the world which specialises in Islam in the UK with many of its alumni going on to work in community organisations, the voluntary sector, legal services and education. The Centre‟s Director Sophie GilliatRay said: “Mr Jameel‟s generosity enables in-depth scholarship and unique teaching for Muslims and non -Muslims alike, particularly in the areas of education, religious leadership, inter-generational and family relations and British Muslim Arts and Heritage. We are immensely grateful to Mr Jameel for his generosity in supporting students at Cardiff – his support will make a huge difference not only to the students, but in the long-term to Muslims throughout the UK.”
“Mr Jameel’s generosity enables in-depth scholarship and unique teaching for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, particularly in the areas of education, religious leadership, intergenerational and family relations and British Muslim Arts and Heritage.” Dr. Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Director of Islam Centre UK You can keep up to date with all of Islam-UK Centre‟s activities by signing up to their mailing list here:https://www.surveys.cardiff.ac.uk/ iukccontacts
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Volume 1, Issue 4
FOSIS National Student Qur’an Competition (NSQC) Wales & West England The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) aims to represent and serve over 90,000 Muslim students throughout the UK and Eire. FOSIS organises conferences, speaker tours and many other high quality activities throughout the year, which has given the Muslim student community many opportunities to learn about Islam as well as to ask important questions based on their theological concerns. This has led to the strengthening of many individuals. In the aim of improving our service to Muslim students, FOSIS brainstormed a way where Muslim students would individually be advanced in their own personal journey of Islam through the organisation of a student Qur‟an competition. We all know how difficult it is for a student to study hard. For example: medicine, maths, engineering, economics, etc. eventually earn you a distinction by doing well in exams and essays, and, at the same time, you can make considerable effort to learn how to recite and memorise the Qur‟an. By launching this competition, FOSIS is inviting Muslim students to begin this thousand mile journey through the Qur‟an with the
The competition allows students to compete, learn and most importantly discover the sweetness of the Qur'an and their great potential in memorising it. The categories varied from the art of recitation, Tajweed where no memorisation is required, to the memorisation of a quarter of the Quran – every level is represented.
first step: their participation in this NSQC. The FOSIS National Student Qur‟an Competition (NSQC) aims to get students closer to the Qu‟ran, its meanings and its stories, motivating students to develop a habit of reciting and memorising the Qur'an on a daily basis. “The Quran Competition is a great motivation for Muslim Students to be productive & active in their student life. It inspires them towards achieving a noble goal, which demands action from them, and great self -discipline!”
“The competition allows students to compete, learn and most importantly discover the sweetness of the Qur'an and their great potential in memorising it” Sahar Al-Faifi. FOSIS Wales & West Chair
In Wales this year, NSQC was held in Cardiff and Bangor in collaboration with the universities Islamic Societies (ISocs) on Saturday 17th of March and Saturday 24th of March. Alhamduillah, with 30 participants, the competition was very successful. The prizes for all categories gratefully were sponsored by Muslim Council of Wales (MCW) and given to the winners as follow: Brothers 1- 1/4 Qur'an: Ali Abu Hashim, Bangor University 2- Al-Baqarah: Isa Ashworth, Bangor University 3- Juz Amma: Zulqarnain Majid, University of Bristol 4- Tajweed: Mukhtar, University of Bristol Sisters: 1- Al-Baqarh: Marwa El-Gaby, Cardiff University 2- Juz Amma: Azyan Kamarudin, Cardiff University 3- Tajweed: Nur Ili Nadiah Zulkiple, Cardiff University
MCW was proud to sponsor NSQC and looks forward to further collaboration as the year progresses.
Supported by MCW
Volume 1, Issue 4
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Special Feature
Welsh Solidarity for Syria The freedom and dignity of Syria has been compromised for 41 years; it was compromised so the country can be dominated by one family, by one party, so the people live in fear. Due to recent events the family name has become infamous across the world. It was Hafiz Assad, the father of Bashar Assad, who through a coup took power in 1970. He led with an iron fist and increased repression, through a vast web of police informers and agents. In the 80‟s, the people showed signs of a popular uprising against the regime. The response was brutal and unprecedented, the whole country was stifled and an entire city was demolished and its people massacred. Reports vary as to how many were massacred in Hama, 45,000 is often quoted. The Syrian Human Rights Committee estimates “over 25,000” or between 30,000 to 40,000 people were killed. The attack has been described as one of "the single deadliest acts by any Arab government against its own people in the modern Middle East”.
Abdulhadi Arwani, who was invited by Welsh Solidarity for Syria (WSS) to Cardiff on 24th April 2012, was only 16 years old when he witnessed this massacre. He was lucky as he was able to escape Syria and has now lived in the UK for 17 years. In 2000, the constitution was swiftly amended after the death of Hafiz Assad to reduce the mandatory minimum age of the president from 40 to 34. This paved the way for his son, Bashar, to take the helm, who was 34 at the time. In May 2007, Bashar was approved as president for another seven-year term, with the official result of
97.6% of the votes in a referendum without another candidate. Like his father, Bashar showed a disregard to human rights and continued an era of corruption and economic lapses. Any political opponents were routinely tortured and imprisoned. There was reason to believe he would implement political reforms, as he was young, liberal and received a western education in the UK. Although at the beginning of his presidency he released many political prisoners, but within a year security crackdowns commenced on any political opposition or reform. The revolution which began on 15th March 2011 was peaceful; it remained peaceful for many months. Pockets within the Syrian army began to defect and join what is now called the „Free Syrian Army‟ (FSA). These soldiers and civilian volunteers made it their duty to protect the civilians and protestors from attacks by the Syrian regime. The FSA defectors refused to turn their guns on their own people and to follow such orders from their generals and leaders. Many soldiers have been executed simply because they could no longer stay within the ranks of an army who instead of protecting their own people are killing them and forcing them to flee their homes and cities. The popular uprising was not due to
hunger or poverty, but for dignity and freedom. Although economic reform will come about if the Assad monopoly on businesses and the Syrian economy is broken. Rami Makhouf, is the maternal cousin of Bashar Assad, and according to the Financial Times he controls as much as 60% of the Syrian economy through his web of business interests that include telecommunications, oil and gas, construction, banking, airlines and retail. No foreign company can do business in Syria without his consent and partnership. He is a part of Bashar Assad's inner circle, the regime has a strong monopoly on what people can do and any form of entrepreneurship is seriously inhibited. After over 13 months, the statistics are staggering and it beggars belief that nothing practical has been done by the international community to put a stop to the killing, torture and persecution. As of 29th April 2012: 14,028 have been killed. Of them 967 children, 904 women and 12,102 men More than 44,500 refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan More than 65,000 missing More than 212,000 protestors incarcerated The regime has transgressed all boundaries and has committed war
Page 11 crimes. A humanitarian crisis is taking place in Syria, with hundreds of thousands living under difficult circumstances, in fear they could be the casualty. There are many painful accounts of torture. Hearing about them will cut your hearts into pieces. On 29th May 2011, Hajar Al-Khateeb and 12 other children ‒ including her brothers, sisters, and cousins ‒ were riding the school bus on their way to Al-Wafd school in Homs when their bus was attacked out of nowhere by Syrian security forces. Hajar died and 5 other children were injured. Their only crime was they wanted to live in a free Syria. Many a hero has fallen at the hands of the Assad Regime. Ibrahim Qashoush led singing and chanting at the demonstrations in Hama. He was killed by agents of the Syrian regime in Hama and his broken body was found in a river on 4th July 2011. He raised people‟s spirits through his song and inspired others, famously singing “Your legitimacy has ended, Freedom is at the door, Time to leave Bashar, Syrians won‟t be humiliated” Heavy artillery and shelling has been constant, especially in Homs, Hama and Idlib. The scale of the destruction is severe, and people‟s homes have been converted into rubble. The shelling has been indiscriminate, many mosques have been targeted, and churches have been bombed as well as ancient landmarks of Syria. The Madiq castle in Hama was bombed in March 2012, the castle is a UNESCO world heritage site. My parents came to Cardiff in the late 1970‟s, my father was supposed to complete his doctorate in electrical engineering and then return to Syria. They were forced to seek asylum as they were advised not to return due to the severe crackdown on political opponents. I went to Syria for the first and last time when I was only 10 months old. My heart yearns to go back and meet my cousins/uncles/aunts whom I have never seen and discover the land of my ancestors. My mum tells me about the beauty of her home town, how her house overlooked the Medi-
Volume 1, Issue 4 terranean sea, and the evenings her family would spend in cafe‟s along the coast. As the poem goes: If the love of Syria was a disease....I do not want a cure And if her love was rain...then let the skies bring forth its rain And if her love was the cold...long live the days of winter And if her love was tears then I will not stop crying At Welsh Solidarity for Syria we rely on volunteers and supporters to coordinate activities to spread awareness about what is happening in Syria and raise much needed funds. The supporters and volunteers come from different backgrounds, nationalities and faiths. The situation in Syria is a concern for humanity and not only for Arabs, Muslims or Syrians. The people and governments must unite against any massacres and war crimes. There is much more that can de done, and we want the people who represent us, the politicians and the Welsh assembly, to do whatever they can to end the killing and give the power back to the people so they can choose their future. The
children of Syria need to live in a free society, free from fear and tyranny. Below are some of our recent events: It is important to remember the significance of Syria and Al-Sham in the Islamic tradition, Al-Sham is the area covering the lands of presentday Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan from the Euphrates to Sinai. The Prophet said: "Blessings to al-Sham, blessings to al-Sham, blessings to al-Sham. They asked why and he replied: "Because the wings of the angels of the Merciful are lowered over it." The Prophet bless us Yemen!"
in
also said: "O Allah, our Sham and our
Omar Arabi, Welsh Solidarity for Syria
What you can do: Like our facebook page, www.facebook.com/ WelshSolidarityforSyria, to get the latest on our events and campaigns Arrange an appointment with your MP and explain the current situation, ask him or her to sign Early Day Motion 2729, which calls for the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador, and to hand over the keys to the Syrian embassy in London to the rightful owners. Tell your friends and family about the current situation and atrocities taking place. Global awareness is the regime‟s biggest enemy. Only the worlds silence is allowing it to get away with its crimes.
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Volume 1, Issue 4
MCW Interfaith Event
Broadway House, Broadway, Cardiff, CF24 1PU Tel: 029 2034 4555 Fax: 029 2049 2860 Website: muslimcouncilwales.org.uk E-mail: info@muslimcouncilwales.org.uk