The nisf Sha’ban night is is the night falling between 14th and 15th day of the month of Sha’ban. It is a night known as Laylatul-bara’ah, Shab-e-barat, night of freedom and night of deliverance.

In year 2010, this night Shab-e-barat shall fall on Monday night, 26th July 2010.

There will be a gathering at Makkah Masjid on Monday night, 26th July 2010 after maghrib to gain the immense spiritual benefits and blessings that this night brings.

All brothers and sisters are welcome.

There are certain traditions of Prophet (peace be upon him), which indicate the significance of this night; human beings are attended by distinct Divine mercy in this night. ‘

Aishah Siddiquah, mother of the believers (radi-Allahu anha) is reported to have said: Once the Prophet, (peace be upon him), performed the late night prayer (Tahajjud) and made a very long sajdah until I feared that he had passed away. When this thought came to my mind, I touched his thumb and the thumb moved, I returned to my bed. Then I heard him saying while prostrating: ‘I seek refuge of Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge of Your pleasure from Your displeasure, and I seek Your refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You as You deserve to be praised. You are exactly as You have defined Yourself.’  

Thereafter, when he raised his head from prostration (sajdah) and finished his prayer, he asked me, ‘Do you know which night is this?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘This is the middle night of Sha’ban. Allah looks upon His slaves in this night and forgives those who seek forgiveness and bestows His mercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who have malice (against a Muslim) as they were before, (and does not forgive them unless they eradicate the malice from their hearts).’

In another hadith the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “This is the middle night of Shaban. In this night Allah frees a large number of people from the fire of hell, more than the number of the hair growing on the sheep of the tribe Kalb.” Kalb was a tribe which had a very large number of sheep at that time. The hadith refers to the sheep of that tribe to large number of people that are delivered from the Fire due to their sincere repentance in this night.

However, the ahadith also point out that in this night Allah does not even look at a person who associates partners with Allah, or at a person who harbours malice in his heart (against someone), or at a person who cuts off the ties of kinship, or at a man who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles (as a sign of pride), or at a person who disobeys his parents, or at a person who is a habitual drinker.”

In this night, it is encouraged to be abundant in worship during this night, particularly in prayer and supplication.A Muslim should seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty, recite the Holy Qur’an, perform dhikr (recitation of the name of Allah) in this night, recite Salah (durood) on Prophet Muhammad, sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.

On the 15th of Sha’ban, the day immediately following the Night of Bara’ah, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep optional fast. As it is noted above, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) regularly observed fast in this month.

Fasting in the Month of Sha’ban

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: “Shaaban is my month”.

This is a month of asking for forgiveness of sins, fasting, giving alms and charity. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) used to observe fasts in this month more than any other month, excluding the month of Ramadhan. The companion Usama ibn Zaid, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that he asked Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam: “Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha’ban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month.” The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “That (Sha’ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. It is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the heavens and the earth, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting.”

Mosaic aims to achieve two things:

• Increase education opportunities for those who do not have them
• Increase opportunities for understanding between people of different backgrounds

Mosaic holds an annual International Summit in the summer and this year’s summit, 2010, will bring together 80 Muslim delegates from 17 countries around the world to engage in leadership development, to better enable them to become agents of positive change. Delegates have been selected from a wide range of individuals aged 25-35, representing a diverse range of backgrounds and experience – from teachers to designers, HR professionals, students, engineers, journalists and business leaders.

 Mosaic International Summit is an innovative leadership development opportunity, designed to bring together young emerging leaders from across the Muslim world.

Makkah Mosque in conjunction with Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) will host some of the delegates on Tuesday 20 July at 2:30-4:30pm. The Mosaic Global Delegates will gain first hand experience of the work that mosques do in the UK to harness the power of positive thinking and the inspiration they provide to the future leaders of this country.

 A workshop will be held at Makkah Mosque on Tuesday 20 July at 2:30-4:30pm to discuss the phenomenal and inspiring role of mosques in galvanizing the power of positive thinking and bringing positive change in the world. The workshop will provide an opportunity to British Imams and the global Muslim delegates to discuss issues common to them in their own localities and share experiences and good practices with each other.

Imam of Makkah Mosque, Qari Asim said: “As chair of Leeds Mosaic and chair of MINAB Youth Committee, we are delighted to be hosting the Mosaic global leaders at Makkah Mosque and providing them with an insight into what inspiring work local communities in Britain are doing to foster a strong and positive leadership.”

Maulana Shahid Raza OBE, Chairman of MINAB said: “This is a good example of how Mosques are involving in positive projects and we’re delighted to support the work of Makkah Masjid, UK’s Model Mosque, to help bring about change for the benefit of everyone”.

To celebrate this miracolous night journey, the following programmes will be held at Makkah Mosque on the following dates:

1) Friday 9 July  after Maghrib prayer (09:45pm) 

2) Sunday 11 July after Zuhr prayer (2:30pm)

The events are open to all brothers and sisters. Talks will be given in Urdu and English.

Part of the objective of organizing such events is to encourage our youth, our sisters and elders to participate by reciting the glorious Quran, reading nasheeds and naats in praise of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and delivering shorts talks on Islam.

Guests will include: Pir Sahibzada Habib-ur-Rahman sahib Mahboobi, Allamah Ghulam Rabbani Afghani and Sufi Muhammad Afzal Nushahi.

During these programmes, the events that took place during this miracolous night journey will be explored and the importance of the gift of Miraj (salah, namaz, prayer) will be highlighted.

As part of the event on Sunday 11 July after Zuhr prayer (2:30pm), the third youth workshop on “Being a British Muslim: challenges & opportunities” will be held.

The workshop will explore the opportunities presented by Britain and how Muslims are or are not benefitting from those opportunities. The workshop will also discuss the reasons for Muslims not benefitting from the opportunities that are at their disposal.  

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leeds/10535443.stm

Makkah Mosque truly believes that the diversity of British society is a source of great national pride and is something that should be passionately celebrated and promoted. It has long been leading the way in holding multi-cultural events to celebrate community, culture, sports and commerce – some of the areas where diversity is a strength.

The programme will consists of worksops and inpiring speeches. 

The workshops will be held between 2:30 pm – 4.00 pm and will cover issues that are common to all communities, including ‘caring for the world (environment & sustainibility)’, ‘sports breaking barriers’, ‘Islam in the media’ and ‘business connecting communities’. Brodrick Clarke, Director of Programs for the Ali Center, Louisville US, will lead a youth workshopThe core aim of the workshops is to bring people of different backgrounds together to meet, learn and connect around issues of common interest and universal appeal so that inter-community relations are enhanced.

Following the workshops, talks will be delivered by politicians, sports personalities, media representatives and entrepreneurs between 4:15-5:15pm.

http://www.myyorkshire.org/playback-video.asp?journeyid=141&resourceid=265

 The Keynote speakers will be Kristiane Backer, TV presenter and journalist, and Greg Roberts, CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center in the US.

Greg Roberts said that the Ali Center is honored to be a part of Communities United event.  “Our headquarters is located in Louisville, Kentucky, a Sister City of Leeds so we are especially excited to be involved in this partnership and to formally recognize the families and loved ones of those whose lives were lost in the 7/7 bombings.” 

 Roberts continued by saying, “Our mission embraces the promotion of respect, hope, and understanding among cultures through our outreach and educational initiatives.  And the Center’s founder, Muhammad Ali, embodies the values that we hope will inspire people around the globe to break down barriers among us and embrace our commonalities in order to bring about true healing in the world. We are proud to be a part of this effort.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/jul/06/faiths-unite-in-leeds-five-years-after-london-bombings

TV presenter and journalist Kristiane Backer will be amongst the speakers and has said “As a Muslim, I am deeply distressed at those who contort the values of my faith and its commitment to peace and justice for their own corrupt means. Life is sacred in Islam. My faith teaches me to serve God by positively contributing to society; to care for the weak and the elderly; to be kind to animals and to protect the environment.”

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/features/JULY-7-Five-years-on.6404673.jp

The Imam of Makkah Mosque, Qari Asim, commented: “The event has been organised to remember those who lost their lives in the tragic London bombings on 7/7 and also to remember all those lives that are still being lost throughout the world due to violent extremism. Makkah Mosque’s message is clear and simple – those who resort to violent extremism in the name of Islam are not following the true teachings of Islam.

The event will also seek to highlight the positive way in which communities have moved forward and have been working tirelessly for a peaceful co-existence.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/06/bombings-brought-out-best-leeds

The Chair of the MINAB, Maulana Shahid Raza OBE, expressed his support for the event by commenting, “We at the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board recognise and welcome the efforts of Makkah Mosque which has worked in collaboration with their local community to promote a culture of peace, harmony and tolerance amongst the diverse communities of Leeds.

 The tragic events of 7/7 touched everyone’s hearts. The Muslim community in Leeds recognised the misrepresentation of their faith by the perpetrators of the attacks, who used religion as a despicable cover for their actions. These actions could never be justified in the name of Islam. Their attempts to divide communities in creating an atmosphere of mistrust and fear have largely failed.

 Today’s events mark the coming together of those communities, who stand united together against all forms of hate which so often manifest itself into unspeakable violence. MINAB takes pride to support this event as well other similar forthcoming initiatives by its members.”

http://www.makkahmasjid.co.uk/wp/index.php/category/media-coverage/page/2/

Deborah Green, chief executive of Marketing Leeds said:

 “We are proud to support the Connecting Communities Workshop. As well as raising the profile of Leeds to a national and international audience, we also work with the local community through a programme of festivals and events, to celebrate and promote the culture and diversity of our city.

 “This workshop, which marks the anniversary of a tragic event, will bring communities together to encourage inter-community relations and highlight the way that people in the Leeds city region work together to make the city a better place for residents and visitors alike.”       

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10533264.stm

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, in whose constituency Makkah Mosque is located expressed his views on the forthcoming event in the following statement:

“The terrible events of 7/7 and the links to Yorkshire and to Leeds were a shock to all  of us, but in the days and weeks afterwards, the community in Hyde Park and Headingley really pulled together and that strength of unity was crucial to taking us forward.

 ”Five years on, I am very pleased to be able to attend this important event at the Makkah  Mosque to highlight the real progress that is has been made in bringing the community  closer together and working together for the benefit of all.”

http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=13437

Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, sent his apologies for not being able to attend in person and added:

 ”I applaud you for holding this commemorative event, wish you well in your work in the  future and hope that we can continue to work together to realise our shared vision of a  modern, multi-faith, multi-cultural Britain in which opportunity is equal for all.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/jul/06/leeds-today-good-grub-holbeck-walks-and-city-varieties

Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East praised the continued working together for the welfare of our fellow citizens in the following words:

 ”I have always felt that my dear friends in the Leeds Muslim Community are like my family, my brothers and sisters – that we are part of one another – and that our connection becomes stronger as the years pass and as we continue our work together for the welfare of our fellow citizens, whatever their faith or background.”

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/and/My-Passion-One-man39s-unique.5668099.jp

Director, the Home Office sent well wishes as follows:  ”I would like to wish you every success for the commemorative event that you are holding on the 7^th July. You should be rightly proud of the positive work that Makkah Mosque, and its partner organisations, have undertaken across UK communities over a number of years. Thank you for your invitation for the Home Office to attend – please accept our apologies that were unable to do so.”   

Leeds Rugby Foundation are fully behind th aims and objectives of the event, with Connecting Communities Manager Ikram Butt adding: “While in many respects sport is trivial compared to the tragedy suffered in the name of extremism, it is still a vital vehicle for bringing people together as players, volunteers or fans in common aims.”

“We are very aware in Leeds and the surrounding areas of the power of sport, in particular the community and family-based ethos of rugby league, which can be used to break down perceived barriers.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10533264.stm

Event partners and supporters include the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), HRH Prince of Wales’ charity Mosaic, Marketing Leeds, Muhammad Ali Center, GFEvents, Leeds Rugby Foundation, Yorkshire Cricket Board, ABDN,  Together4Peace, White Ribbon Campaign and Concord.

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) was the closest companion of our beloved Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He was well known for his devotion to the Holy Prophet, and the example of his love is one for us all to follow.

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) has said in a famous Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari that no one can be a true believer until his love for him (i.e. the Prophet) is greater then his love for his parents, children and all of humanity. No one demonstrated this quality better that Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (RA), and thus he is honoured with the title of the best of all creation after the prophets and messengers.

This quality of loving the Messenger is extremely relevant today in view of the repeated attacks on the honour and dignity of the Holy Prophet, highlighted by the recent deplorable Facebook campaign. In this month of Rabi -ut Thani, the month of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s passing from this world, we pray that Allah Ta’ala enables us to follow in his exalted footsteps and leads us to the door of ultimate mercy and light.

Shaykh Ninowy is a well known scholar originally born in Syria and currently residing in the USA. Please see below for a more detailed biography.

http://www.alhaqq.net/Ninowy.html

There are also two workshops being held for brothers and sisters of all ages on Sunday 13th June and Sunday 11th July, both starting at 2:30pm. Everyone is encouraged to attend and express their views.

In particular, for the British Muslim community of Leeds, the city from which a number of the instigators of the atrocities were from, the whole situation was extremely intense. The media attention that followed the attacks was a truly surreal affair; the narrow terraced streets of the suburbs of Hyde Park and Beeston were suddenly besieged by an international array of press and TV journalists presenting a community unrecognisable to the local residents, apart from the familiar sights of the local butcher’s shop, curry house and chip shop. Makkah Masjid itself – built some 2 years previously through the generosity and sincerity of the local Muslim community – became the preferred backdrop against which much of the media reporting took place.

The days that followed 7/7 were difficult. There was fear of reprisal from the far right and of heavy handed policing. Anger too at the way the events were being reported with the whole community being made to feel that it was on trial. And added to this, contradictory claims around how this was or was not connected to what continues to happen in Muslim lands such as Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan. No wonder then that the resulting confusion was made worse by attempts to reconcile the seeming ordinariness of the alleged bombers with the carnage that they had caused.

Given this situation Makkah Masjid felt that it was incumbent on it to take a number of positive actions to try to identify some of the factors that contributed to the atrocities, with the aim of working towards tackling these. The actions Makkah Masjid took included:

i)  increasing its engagement with the youth to identify factors which may have contributed to the catastrophic events, listening to the voices of disengaged youth to identify what they see as the key issues that are challenging their community and what mosques and Islamic institutes can do to overcome those challenges or what guidelines masajid can provide in respect of those challenges.

ii) Makkah Masjid also enhanced its mission of bringing to the locality an authentic Islamic voice which was both compassionate and scholarly – a voice that would convey a message rooted in sacred knowledge, branching out into a community in crisis.

iii) the Mosque has assumed a significant role in promoting understanding and tolerance between different cultural and faith groups.

In respect of engaging the youth, Leeds Muslim Council, the management committee of Makkah and Madina Masjids, held a number of workshops in Makkah Mosque, Madina Masjid and in Woodsley Community Centre. The workshops:

1)  Discussed the concept of the Muslim and British identity and the challenges that were likely to arise as a result of the catastrophic events of 7/7;

2) Inspired the youth to be proud of their multiple identities and work towards a higher aim of benefitting everyone with the best elements of those identities;

3) Addressed the barriers to our youth being successful in this life and the next;

4) implemented a local youth project in Leeds to start addressing some of the responsibilities British Muslim youth have towards each other and the wider community.

As part of the findings of the workshops it was decided that annual youth conferences would be held in order to discuss religious, social, political and economic challenges and opportunities that Muslims faces living in Britain. These workshops would also analyse how young British Muslims can contribute positively to all aspects of British life.

It was also agreed that in order to assess the progress, 5 years on from 7/7 a number of extended workshops would be held in the summer of 2010 to analyse whether:

-  the challenges faced by Muslims in Britain have been overcome;
- the engagement of Muslim youth has in fact increased;
- the disenfranchised British Muslim youth feel more engaged;
- the integration process has been streamlined;
- the distinction between “fundamental” and “modern” Muslim has disappeared or 
- the opportunities offered by Britain have been taken up by British Muslims;
-  the contribution of British Muslims to the social, political and economic fields has increased or decreased; and
- the vilification of British Muslims in the media has got better or worse.

It is now 5 years on from 2005 and Leeds Muslim Council and Young Minds has started the workshops. Young Muslims are portrayed in the media in the context of radicalisation, but their lives are far more complex than this. Much is written about young Muslims but their voices are rarely heard. These workshops aim to explore the issues of multiculturalism, Islamism and the experiences of Muslims in Britain in the light of the events of 9/11 and 7/7 and the policies and practices developed as a result of those tragic events.

These workshops are organised in partnership with the Mosques and National Advisory Board (MINAB): http://minab.org.uk/.

The first of these workshops took place on Sunday 16 May 2010. The theme of the workshop was “The Participation of Youngsters in the Mosque”.

The second of these workshops aims to identify the key challenges facing British Muslim youth today and explore practical ways in which these challenges can be managed or overcome.
This workshops will give youngsters an opportunity to air their views on issues including Mosques, madrashas, radicalization, Islamophobia, extremism, policing, body-scans, PREVENT agenda, citizenship, media, body-scans, hate crime, discrimination, challenging the violent extremist ideology
and supporting mainstream voices.

The third of these workshops will explore the opportunities presented by Britain and how Muslims are benefitting from those opportunities or can benefit from those opportunities. 

The next workshop will take place on Sunday 13 June 2010 at 2:30pm.

The third workshop will take place on Sunday 11 July 2010.

Makkah Mosque, Young Minds are committed to young people find their voices within mosques, their own community and throughout society so that their aspirations can be met and their contribution can be recognized. These workshops are aimed at achieving those aspirations.  

For further details, please contact: mail@makkahmasjid.co.uk or info@minab.org.uk

When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) heard that Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had declared his prophethood, he showed no hesitation or asked any questions, he at once became a Muslim. He submitted to Islam with such determination that once the Holy Prophet himself remarked, “I called people to Islam, everybody thought over it, at least for a while, but this was not the case with Abu Bakr, the moment I put Islam before him, he accepted it without any hesitation”. He was titled “As-Siddique” (meaning, the truthful) by the Prophet because his faith was unshakable.

From Sahih Al-Bukhari: Ibn Abbas reports: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out of his home during the last days of his earthly life his head bound with a cloth. He sat on the minbar, gloried Allah, praised Him, thanked Him and said: “There is no one among the people who has been more generous to me with his life and his property than Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhaafa and if I was to take a bosom friend, I would take Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. But, the friendship of Islam is better. Block off every door in this Masjid except the door of Abu Bakr.”
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was chosen by the Prophet to be his successor in his life-time as he was honoured to be the Imam and leader of the Muslims during the last illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was himself physically too week to lead the prayers.  Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) then lead all the companions in prayer. The Prophet said : “It is impermissible for a people among whom is Abu Bakr, to be led by other than him.”

When Sadiq Akbar (may Allah be pleased with him) assumed the role of khalif he said: “Help me, if I am in the right; set me right, if I am in the wrong. The weak among you shall be strong with me until, God willing, his rights have been vindicated. The strong among you shall be weak with me until, if God wills, I have taken what is due from him. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); when I disobey Him and his Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), obey me not.” – These are remarkable words and guidelines for all in positions of authority.

The Companions of the Prophet (May Allah be pleased with all of them) were well aware of who were the elevated status of first few Companions in closeness to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the first four successors to the Prophet, the Rightly-Guided Khalifas were chosen on that basis. From Sahih Al-Bukhari, Ibn Umar reports: We used to discuss the best of the people during the time of the Prophet (sas) and we saw the best as Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman ibn Affaan, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Allah Exalted had given Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (May Allah be pleased with him) a heart full of love and affection for the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). After the advent of Islam, he dedicated his life and his wealth for the cause of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Hazard Abu Bakr Siddiqique (May Allah be pleased with him) always remained by the side of the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) whether in Mecca, or on the journey to Madina or in Madina. He was with the Prophet in the cave of Thur where the two spent almost 3 days and nights, he was with him in all the battles and even today both are laid to rest side by side under the same roof of the holy shrine of the Prophet, Gunbad-e-Hadra.

His virtues and merits are innumerable and cannot all be set out in this post. We only wish to mark the day of his passing away from this physical world by encouraging Muslims and other interested people to learn about this greatest man, after all the prophets of Allah (peace be upon all of them),  grace this earth.  Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to Allah on a Monday on the 22 of Jumada’l-akhira (also known as Jumada al-Thani), 13 A.H. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) once said to him: “Abu Bakr, you will be the first of my people to enter paradise.” May Allah raise all the Muslims amongst the company of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Siddique Akbar and ahl-e-bait and the companions (may Allah be pleased with all of them) on the day of Judgment.

Every aspect of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) is wroth writing in gold but it is his tremendous love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that has no parallel. He really showed the Muslims what their relationship with their Prophet should be and all Muslims aspire to follow in the footsteps of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) in order to draw closer of the mercy to all the worlds, the Apostle of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Sayings of Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu include:
1. No speech is good if it is not directed toward the pleasure of Allah. There is no benefit from money if it isn’t spent in the cause of Allah. There is no good in a person if his ignorance overcomes his patience. And if a person becomes attracted by the charms of this lower world, Allah will dislike him as long as he keeps this in his heart.
2. We have found generosity in Taqwa (God-consciousness), richness in Yaqin (certainty), and honour in humbleness.
3. Beware of pride because you will be returning to the earth and your body will be eaten up by the worms.
4. Always fear Allah; He knows what is in men’s hearts.
5. Be sincere to all with whom you deal.
6. Give up cowardice and dishonesty.
7. Give up bad company.

Some non-Muslims pay homage to Abu Bakr in the following words:

Edward Gibbon wrote about Abu Bakr as:
The moderation, and the veracity of Abu Bakr confirmed the new religion, and furnished an example for invitation. [Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire] 
William Muir states that:
Abu Bakr’s judgment was sound and impartial; his conversation agreeable and his demeanor affable and much sought after by the Quraysh and he was popular throughout the city…. The faith of Abu Bakr was the greatest guarantee of Muhammad’s sincerity in the beginning of his career, and indeed, in a modified sense, throughout his life. To have such a person as a staunch adherent of his claim, was for Muhammad a most important step. [Life of Muhammad]

Jalal-ud-Din Rumi in his famous Mathnavi states:
“The moon traverses the constellations of the zodiac in a single night,
so why do you deny the mi`raj (Ascension)?
That wondrous, unique Pearl (the Prophet) is like a hundred moons
–for when he made one gesture, the moon was split in two.
And the marvel that he displayed in splitting the moon
was in keeping with the weakness of the creatures’ perception.
The work and business of the prophets and messengers
is beyond the spheres and the stars.
Transcend the spheres and their revolution!
Then you will see that work and business.”

The MINAB has a number of committees working on various projects. The MINAB Youth Committee is concerned with engaging the Youth in mosques. The Youth Committee believes in the contribution that all young people can make to the vibrancy of any community. The aim is to unlock the potential and listen to the voice of the youth: “hear them say”. With this in mind, the MINAB Youth Committee is organizing a number of workshops up and down the country to engage the Muslim youth in mosques. 

These workshops will consist of talks about the role of the youth in Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as a role model for the youth, discussions around “My ideal mosque” and “my ideal event” and role plays.  

The Chair of the MINAB Youth Committee, Qari Asim, said that “the MINAB Youth Committee seeks to empower young Muslims across the country and facilitate their engagement in mosques. Youngsters are the future of our community and it is imperative to the future success of our mosques that we engage with them to make mosques more accessible to them.”

The following workshops are taking place on Sunday 16 May 2010 in Leeds and Blackburn

Leeds Workshop Time -  10:30am -2:30pm

Blackburn Workshop Time – 2:30-8:00

The MINAB will urge its members to take this opportunity and hold these workshops in their mosques and madrasahs for youngsters. For further details, please contact: info@minab.org.uk or mail@makkahmasjid.co.uk

These Workshops will develop leadership pootential and enhance management and team working skills.

These Workshops are FREE and open to Muslim men and women.

Refreshments will be available.

During his visit, the Home Secretary enjoyed a tour of the Mosque during which he looked at the items on display as part of the Exhibition. He was extremely impressed with the Mosque’s  award winning dome, which features more calligraphy work than any other  mosque in  the UK. Mr Johnson also took the opportunity to speak to members of the Mosque’s congregation about a wide spectrum of issues pertaining to the forthcoming election, including immigration, social cohesion, anti-social behaviour, policing and the economy.  

 The Home Secretary commented that he was impressed with the  Makkah Masjid’s architecture, as well as with its long standing commitment to opening its doors to non-Muslims in an attempt to improve community cohesion.

May 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th (10am-6pm)- All welcome 

May 3rd Ladies Only (10am-6pm)– Sisters only exhibition, talks and nasheeds (3pm-6pm)

Makkah Mosque will be holding the annual Islamic Exhibition in the month of May, insha Allah. The Exhibition is open to all, regardless of faith or cultural background. This event offers a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into a Muslim faith organisation working hard to connect cultures and foster real community cohesion. The Open Days & Islamic Exhibition is in keeping with the Mosque’s longstanding aim of promoting and encouraging understanding and mutual respect within the wider community. The management of the Mosque, Leeds Muslim Council, has historically been committed to helping achieve harmony within the local community by planning initiatives that actively engage with different community organisations, with the aim of providing opportunities for visitors to explore and share the beauty of Islam.

The exhibits will include artefacts from the early Islamic period, as well as extracts from copies of the Holy Qur’an from an early Islamic period. There will also be information on display highlighting the vital role Islam and Muslims have played throughout the ages in the development of a variety of fields, including science, maths, medicine and art.

The event will include calligraphy workshops. There will be an opportunity for attendees to have their names written in Arabic calligraphy.

In addition to the general Exhibition, there will be a special session for dignitaries and community leaders on Saturday 1st May 2010 at 3:00pm. Guests at previous occasions have included: Hilary Benn (Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs), Baroness Sayeeda Warsi (Shadow Secretary for Community Cohesion), John Battle MP (former faith advisor), US Ambassador to the UK, Cabinet Ministers, Terry Hodgkinson (Chair of Yorkshire Forward), Tim Field (Partner of DLA Piper) Graham Taylor (author of best-selling Shadowmancer), local MPs, the Lord Mayors of Leeds, the Leader and Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, the Pro-Vice-Chancellors of Leeds University and Leeds Metropolitan University, lecturers from Universities and representatives from local council, the education, voluntary, community and faith sectors. This year’s session will be attended by similar dignitaries.

This year’s chief guest will be Greg Roberts, CEO of Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville USA, who will shed light on the vision of the Muhammad Ali Center.

A key aim of the event is to create a platform for organisations from a wide spectrum of sectors to get together to experience and understand the message of peace and harmony that forms the cornerstone of the Islamic faith. The intention is to demonstrate not only the positive contribution Muslims have made to civilisations throughout history through the historic artefacts on display as part of the exhibition, but also to highlight the positive contribution Muslims make in today’s society. The underlying message of the event is that a partnership based approach is a key to maintaining harmonious relations between different sections of society and promoting community cohesion.

There will be a Ladies’ only Islamic Exhibition, talks and nasheed artists on 3rd May when the Mosque will be solely managed by ladies and only ladies will be allowed in the Mosque except at prayer times.

Refreshments will be provided throughout the event.

Please see the links below for more information:

http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/visitors/places-to-go~page/leeds-makkah-mosque
http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/visitors/whats-on~page/islamic-exhibition2010

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leeds/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8651000/8651409.stm

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7388868.stm 

The feedback received on the previous Open Days has been very positive , .. The comments of one visitor, who found the Open Days to be “very insightful and a great opportunity to see the beautiful [Mosque]” summed up the general consensus amongst the visitors that the experience has been a positive one.  A representative from Leeds Initiative found the event to be “superb” and commented that “everyone should come to events like this.” Some of the other comments included:   “very professional”, “brilliant presentation”. “Fantastic opportunity. Thank you for being such welcoming hosts. I have learnt a lot.”  “Really interesting to see what goes on in here. Thanks for your hospitality.”

Also, on Saturday May 1^st 2010 Concord Walk of Friendship in the Hyde Park area of Leeds shall shall start at 10:45am at All Hallows and shall end at Makkah Masjid at 2:30pm. For further details, please visit, www.concord-leeds.org.uk