Woodsley Community Centre is delighted to invite you to ‘Caring for the World’ event held on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.
The event will be held at Woodsley Community Centre, 64 Woodsley Road, Leeds, LS3 1DU, Tel: 0113 2442684) between 5 – 7pm.
The event will feature a talk by Samar Minallah. Samar is an award winning Pakistani human rights activist, documentary film maker and writer. In her talk, she will discuss the contribution of Muslim women in working with disadvantaged groups in Pakistan.
This is a unique opportunity to meet and hear from someone who has first-hand experience of dealing with human rights, women rights and fighting for injustices in Pakistan
The event will also feature Yasrab Shah, who is a project manager for an international charity organisation, providing relief work in those areas which have been affected by natural disasters. He will discuss how the youth can bring positive changes in the world by being part of relief work.
The funeral prayer, Janazah, of Leeds city councillor Kabeer Hussain shall take place on 30 December 2009 at 3pm at Bilal Masjid.
Kabeer Hussain, Lib Dem councillor for Hyde Park and Woodhouse, passed away at St James’s Hospital on the morning of 30 December 2009 after suffering a suspected sudden heart attack. He was a young, hard-working and committed individual who cared for his community. He combined being a councillor, representing and helping his community, whilst having a full-time job.
Leeds Makkah Masjid, Madina Masjid and Woodsley Community Centre communities pay their deepest condolences to Kabeer Hussain’s family on his sudden departure from this world.
Councillor Richard Brett, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said that he was “hugely saddened to hear of Councillor Hussain’s death and extremely sorry to lose such a good councillor.”
Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland said Coun Kabeer Hussain “cared about the community he came from and the community he represented.”
Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim said: “At this very difficult time, our prayers, thoughts and deepest sympathy are with his family, friends and the whole community that he represented. He will be dearly missed by the whole community. May Allah grant him a place in Paradise and grant his loved ones strength and patience.” Aameen.
The UN Climate Change Summit at Copenhagen, held between 7-18 December, was the biggest environmental meeting/conference held in the known history. It was a historic summit but the agreements made are not so landmark and historic.
A green and low carbon future for the world is what is desired. Climate scientists are convinced the world must stop the growth in greenhouse gas emissions . They purport that the increase in global temperature should be below two degrees. In order to achieve that cuts of 25%-40% relative to 1990 levels are needed, rising to 80%-95% by 2050. So far, there has been disappointment in achieving this target.
The collective commitment by developed countries to provide new and additional resources amounting to $30bn for 2010-12 is welcomed. Their further commitment to aim to mobilise jointly $100bn a year by 2020 to address needs of developing countries is indeed a positive step. However, the scale of catastrophe is huge and therefore an urgent substantial sum needs to be devoted to saving the mother nature. Some of the world leaders urged decisive action on climate change, but not showed much sign that their respective countries will take such steps themselves.
HRH Prince Charles reminded the world leaders during his speech at Copenhagen that “the eyes of the world” were upon them but it has to be said that Copenhagen Climate Summit fell short of expectations. Although the leaders have hailed the agreement as “meaningful”, the progress has not been “enough”, as the US President Barack Obama acknowledged. UK’s Prime Minister echoed this by noting that the agreement was a “vital first step” and accepted there was a lot more work to do to get assurances.
We echo HRH Prince Charles’ conclusion which he mentioned during his speech when he said: ” The conclusion I draw is that the future of mankind can be assured only if we rediscover ways in which to live as a part of nature, not apart from her.” Each one of us needs to play our part to ensure that our children and grandchildren can live in a healthier, safer and more sustainable world.
Today, 18 December 2009, is the first day of the Muslim calendar 1431 A.H.
The Muslim calendar began when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his followers immigrated (Hijra) from Makkah to Madina to establish a new Islamic state based on the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. ‘A.H’ stands for ‘After Hijra’/ after migration from Makkah to Madinah. This was a turning point for the Muslim community.
The Hijri year is based on the lunar calendar. The Holy Qur’an says: “Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion way, so do not wrong yourselves during them…” (At-Tawbah: 36).
The Islamic calendar was first introduced by the second caliph and close companion of the Prophet, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate.
As 1431 A.H and 2010 C.E arises on us, it is hoped that it will be a year of peace, where every one’s precious life is safe, every one’s dignity and honour is preserved, every one’s freedom, so long as it is exercised with due responsibility, is respected. We hope that 1431 A.H and 2010 C.E is a year where universal humanitarianism is at the forefront of people’s minds. We hope that it is a year where discrimination against particular religious and ethnic groups does not take place. It is a year of harmonious coexistence of humanity transcending various stereotypes that keep raising their heads. As Muslims, we also hope that this a year when religion, faith and in particular Islam is not blamed for all the global political, social and moral challenges that are posed on us in post-modern world. We hope that it is a year when the inflamed stereotypes that Islam is in conflict with Western values are diminished.
On example of such inflamed stereotypes is the recent ban on mosque minarets in Switzerland. On Sunday 29 November 2009, a majority of Swiss voters approved a proposed referendum to ban the construction of minarets in their country. This vote can be seen a new obstruction on the road to coexistence, a discriminatory action and more importantly it is an indication of mistrust, not trusting European Muslims and creating fear of “Islam” in people’s minds. It is noted that campaign against the minarets was fuelled by such anxieties and allegations.
It was encouraging to see that not only Muslims but other religious institutions, including the Vatican, and some international organisations denounced the vote as a blow to religious freedom. It is praise-worthy that UK local governments up and down the country have permitted magnificent mosque minarets to be erected, which add to the beautiful architecture of our cities and towns in the UK. Long it may continue!
We hope that the ban on minarets of masjid in Europe will be rejected at the European level.
We take this opportunity to wish the Muslims a very happy and prosperous New Muslim Year. We ask Allah to continue to shower His blessings on all of us and make this a year in which we become closer and closer to His Divine presence. We thank Allah Almighty for the manifold blessings that He showers upon us every day and pray that He enables us to implement the true teachings of Islam in our lives. We pray that He gives us the strength to be steadfast on the religion of Islam.
By the grace of Allah Almighty, in the blessed month of Ramadan a number of people declared their belief in the oneness of Allah and in the last and final Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and embraced Islam at Makkah Masjid, Leeds. These were reverts who opened their hearts to Islam.
Makkah Masjid has long been committed to opening the eyes of the wider community to the beauty of the religion of Islam, through holding annual Exhibitions during which the doors of the Mosque are open to the entire community, hosting inter-faith events and inviting non-Muslims to share in the opening of the fast during Ramadan in a community iftari.
Reversion to Islam involves a person declaring: “ I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.”
Islam was not sent for any one nation or group of people; any one can become a Muslim no matter what his or her race, language or colour. Islam was sent as a complete way of life for the whole of humanity. Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur’an:
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” (Quran 5:3)
All sins committed by the person embracing Islam before becoming a Muslim are forgiven by Allah, no matter how serious they were. The person who converts to Islam is totally reborn and starts with a clean record, in much the same way as a new baby is born free of any sin or wrong doing. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) confirmed that this was the case when he said to a person accepting Islam:
“Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it?” (Sahih Muslim)
Today it is estimated that there are 2.4 million Muslims in the UK, the Muslim population having grown by more than 500,000 in just four years according to official research collated for the Times newspaper. Research by the Office for National Statistics reveals that the Muslim population in the UK multiplied 10 times faster than the rest of society. Europe is home to 38 million Muslims For further details see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5621482.ece#
According to a comprehensive report of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the global Muslim population stands at 1.57 billion, meaning that nearly one in every four people in the world practice Islam. The report, which was published in October 2009,also identified about 317 million Muslims – or one-fifth of the world’s Muslim population – living in countries where Islam is not the majority religion.
To see the full report click on http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5621482.ece#
The Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim commented: “By the grace of Allah Almighty, Makkah Mosque holds a long tradition of welcoming people into the fold of Islam and people from Leeds and neighbouring cities come to Makkah Mosque to take their Shahadah (embrace Islam). A number of people have embraced Islam during the holy month of Ramadan and one of the blessed ceremonies during which a girl took the Shahadah was witnessed by people throughout the country who watched the event on TV. We pray to Allah Almighty that He enables us to continue striving in His way and educating people of the peaceful message of Islam.”
Yorkshire Post today published an article on Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim.
In the published article, Qari Asim said:
“I have been a full-time Imam for five years, following an intensive training programme which I undertook at the same time as studying to pursue a career in law.
My vision has always been to make the mosque a beacon for the whole of the country.”
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was in the UK at the end of last month, attending various fundraising events across the country to raise money for the Muhammad Ali Center in Kentucky, USA.
The Muhammad Ali Center serves as both a cultural attraction and an international education centre that is inspired by the ideals of its founder, Muhammad Ali. Two and a half levels of interactive exhibits and captivating multimedia presentations introduce Ali’s epic life through the six core values by which he lives: respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, and spirituality. The Center strives to inspire its visitors to pursue their potential and explore the greatness that lies within themselves.
Makkah Mosque shares the Muhammad Ali Center’s mission of encouraging each individual to reach within themselves to fulfill the potential Allah has given them. Like the Center, Makkah Mosque is committed to helping both children and adults achieve the most that they can by encouraging engagement in activities and promoting self belief.
The President of the Muhammad Ali Center, Greg Roberts, was invited to Makkah Masjid during Muhammad Ali’s visit to the UK. Mr Roberts met the Imam of the Mosque, Imam Qari Asim, and discussed the various projects Makkah Mosque is involved in that mirror the aims of the Muhammad Ali Center. These include the promotion of youth engagement, respect for all human kind through interfaith work and communal relations, integration rather than isolation, promoting spirituality and the message that inner peace at an individual level will ultimately lead to peace on a global scale.
Greg Roberts and Imam Asim also had a positive discussion about the possibility of Makkah Masjid and the Muhammad Ali Center working together on various programmes in the future.
Mr Roberts invited Imam Asim to a fund-raising dinner held in Muhammad Ali’s honour at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, on 26 August 2009. Imam Qari Asim attended the dinner with a delegation from Leeds and had the good fortune to meet and speak to Muhammad Ali and Mrs Ali . On behalf of the Muslim community of Leeds, Imam Asim along with the some of the members of the delegation from Leeds presented a cheque to Muhammad Ali for the Muhammad Ali Center and the charities that Muhamamd Ali supports. The community of Leeds showed great generosity to the Muhammad Ali Center as a token of their great love, respect and admiration for the boxing hero , a great Muslim icon and a humanatarian.
There are currently proposals for Muhammad Ali to visit the UK again and it would be a great honour to invite the greatest boxing legend Muhammad Ali to Leeds as part his next tour to the UK, insha-Allah.
Muhammad Ali quotes:
1. ” I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace. ”
2. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
3. He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
4. “I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world.”
5. I’m not the greatest; I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ‘em out, I pick the round”
6 “A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life”
7. “I’m so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark”
8. “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”
Yorkshire Business Insider today reported on Imam of Makkah Masjid speaking at the first ever conference on Islamic Finance in the North of England.
The Yorkshire Business Insider reported as follows:
“Leeds is to host a two-day conference on Islamic finance. The event, Opportunities and Challenges in the World of Islamic Finance, aims to create a better understanding of Islamic finance, the rationale for growth in Shariah-compliant financial products and the relevance of Islamic finance in today’s world. Professor Ros Haniffa, head of the accounting and finance group at Bradford University, and Qari Asim, an associate at DLA Piper and the youngest Imam in the UK, are among the speakers lined up for the event, which will take place at the Royal Armouries on 13 and 14 October 2009.”
The Conference will include presentations from distinguished speakers across the globe from the commercial, academic, financial and political fields seeking to cover different sectors involved in Islamic Finance.
The Islamic Finance Conference provides opportunities to:
1. Understand the basic principles and backgrounds of Islamic finance;
2. Understand how Islamic finance can help you and your organization;
3. Learn about the opportunities for you in Islamic Finance;
4. Understand how Islamic Finance has survived the current financial crisis;
5. Understand the challenges of Islamic Finance across national, cultural, social, and economic boundaries.
As Makkah Mosque is keen to raise awareness of Islamic Finance and provides training and seminars in this regard, the mosque is supporting this first ever conference on Islamic Finance in Yorkshire.
“I am delighted to be a part of the first ever conference on Islamic Finance in the North of England. The conference will provide a fantastic opportunity for those with an interest in this niche area to learn more about the core principles of Sharia compliant financial products, and to make the necessary connections to further their business or personal interests. Islamic finance in the UK is in greater demand than it ever has been, so the conference couldn’t have come at a better time.” said Qari Asim, Imam of Makkah Mosque.
For further detsails, please visit www.isfinco.com
Recently Imam of Leeds Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim, attended a convention of UK scholars at Birmingham.
Qari Asim also met shaykh-ul-Islam Professor Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the founding leader of Minhaj-ul-Qur’an International (MQI), an organization with branches in more than 90 countries worldwide, working for the promotion of peace and harmony between communities and the revival of spiritual endeavour based on the true teachings of Islam.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is a prolific author and researcher. He has authored around 1000 books out of which 360 books are already published. He is a captivating and unrivalled orator and speaker, he has delivered over 5000 lectures (in Urdu, English and Arabic), on a wide range of subjects. His speeches are popular amongst the scholars as well as ordinary people.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri, amongst many other, holds the following positions:
Chief Executive of Minhaj International University, Lahore (Pakistan)
Founding Leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International
Founder Chairman of Minhaj Welfare Foundation
Through his love for knowledge, his intelligence, oratory and writings, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is one of the most accomplished Islamic Scholars of our time. His whole life has been marked with highlighting the importance of love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the love of the friends of Allah (Auliya Allah).
His main aims and objectives are to promote interfaith dialogue and to suppress the extreme image of Islam. His main effort is towards the betterment of the social, cultural, and religious teachings of Islam, and to enlighten people with the knowledge of their rights and duties and to present a realistic, rational and scientific picture of Islam. His revivalist, reformative and reconstructive efforts hold the distinct position for the propagation of faith.
To read books online, please click here: http://www.minhajbooks.com/en.php
Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is indeed a man of manifold and staggering achievements.
Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim, also met Shaykh Asad as-Sagarhji at the event. Shaykh As’ad Muhammad Saeed as-Sagharji is one of the greatest Faqihs (jurists) of Syria. He is author of the famous work “Al-Fiqh al-Hanafi wa Adillatuhu”. Not only is he a great scholar of Hadith, but also a deeply spiritual personality.
His works are included as part of syllabuses in Islamic colleges and universities all over the world including at the prestigious al-Azhar of Egypt. Shaykh as-Sagharji is the Head Imam of renowned Jami’ah Masjid ‘Umawi (Ummayad Mosque), comprising 7 permanent imams who are among the religious authorities and scholars of Syria.
At the event, Qari Asim met many Ulema, scholars of Islam, who are striving hard for the religion of Islam in the UK.Qari Asim also met with Shaykh Muhammad Ramadan al-Qadri of Al Farghana Institute, which is a non-profit establishment which aims to revive the classical Islamic sciences and produce scholars of a calibre that can truly represent Islam in the 21st century.
Administrator on January 7th, 2010
