Archive for the ‘Media Coverage’ Category
Administrator on August 30th, 2010
ANNUAL COMMUNITY IFTARI
In the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast which involves refraining from food, drink, smoking and conjugal relations from dawn until sunset for a whole month. Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam and over 2 million Muslims in the UK have been fasting for a month to detox their bodies and to re-direct their hearts and souls. It is an act of worship which is designed to bring believers closer to Allah and to rediscover and re-direct themselves and teach self-discipline.
In the spirit of the month of Ramadan during which Muslims fast, Leeds Muslim Council annunly holds a community iftar reception. This year, Leeds Muslim Council cordially invites the whole community of Leeds to share a meal with them at Leeds Makkah Mosque on Tuesday, 7 September 2010. This meal, called Iftar, is eaten after sunset and breaks the Muslims’ day long fast.
The management committee of Makkah 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.
PAKISTAN FLOOD APPEAL
Refraining from food and drink teaches people to empathise with those who cannot afford to have a meal and have access to clean water.This year, Muslims of Leeds have been focusing on this aspect of fasting more than ever due to the terrible floods that have swept away villages upon villages in Pakistan. Consequently, there are people in Pakistan who have not had food for 3 days, not by choice but because they have lost everything that they owned. Families and friends of people who are caught up in the floods have reported that some of them have been eating leaves from trees as that is the only dry thing that is available for them to chew. According to UN the effects of floods in Pakistan have exceeded the combined total in three recent mega disasters being, Tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Concerted efforts have therefore been made at Leeds Makkh Mosque to raise funds for the victims of flood in Pakistan.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun. Jim McKenna, launched his eight week long Pakistan flood appeal on Monday 16 August 2010 from Leeds Makkah Mosque and he will be a special guest of honor at the community Iftar dinner. Leeds Muslim Council will handover the funds raised at Makkah Mosque to the Lord Mayor of Leeds to form part of his Pakistan flood appeal. The donations will then be sent to Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).
Please see below coverage regarding the Pakistan Flood Appeal:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-10877528
http://www.northleedslifegroup.com/tag/makkah-masjid/
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Leeds-Pakistan-appeal-off-to.6480475.jp
http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/aug/15/leeds-makkah-mosque-qari-asim-pakistan-floods-ramadan
http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/aug/04/bookmarked-leeds-mosque-prays-for-pakistan-earthquake-victims
The iftar dinner will be served on Tuesday 7 September 2010 @ 7:45pm
Administrator on August 5th, 2010
The death toll from flooding in north-west Paksitan has risen to over 1,500 as rescue workers struggled to save more than 27,000 people still trapped by the water.
Around 14 million people have been displaced due to the flooding. The full scale of disaster will only be revealed once the water start to recede.
There are also fears growing that the floods could cause a huge humanitarian crisis in the region as hundreds of thousands of survivors come under threat from water-borne diseases.
Aid is desperately needed for those who have suffered and every little can help.
In Makkah Mosque special prayers are being held for those who have suffered as a result of this flood and people are being urged to donate as much as they can to provide relief to those who have suffered as a result of disaster.
Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim, said: “The significant loss of lives, and infrastructure in Pakistan, following the recent floods is deeply saddening. Everyone is urged to show support for this humanitarian issue.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/aug/04/bookmarked-leeds-mosque-prays-for-pakistan-earthquake-victims
Whilst giving an interview to Yorkshire Evening Post, Qari Asim said: “”Ramadan is just round the corner and the whole point of it is to empathise with people who cannot afford two meals a day, about spiritual cleansing and also understanding practically. These people’s basic needs have been taken away and I think people will be giving generously to help them.”
Ramadan is a month of charity.
Ibn `Abbas, one of Muhammad’s Companions, narrated: “The Prophet was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel visited him, and Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month. The Prophet used to recite the Holy Qur’an to Jibreel, and when Jibreel met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind (which causes rain and welfare).” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
Please click on the linkn below to see the full article:
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Leeds-rallies-to-aid-Pakistan.6458193.jp
An interview with ITV can be seen on the following link:
http://www.itv.com/yorkshire/aid-for-pakistan93595/
Lord Mayor of Leeds launched his flood relief charity appeal at Makkh Mosque on 5 August. The event was coved by BBC Look North and be seen at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mj5m
Administrator on May 5th, 2010
On 3 May 2010 Makkah Masjid was delighted to host a visit by Home Secretary Alan Johnson. The Home Secretary took time out of his busy campaign schedule to visit the Mosque during its annual Islamic Exhibition, for which the Mosque is open to the whole community: people of faith and no faith.
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.
Administrator on February 9th, 2010
In a recent interview, Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim spoke against extremism. Qari Asim said that Islam holds the sanctity of human life in the highest possible regard. Allah tells us in the Quran that to kill one innocent person is akin to killing the whole of humanity [chapter 4, verse 32].
Qari Asim said that Muslims should be loyal to their religion but that does not mean that they cannot be loyal to Britain. Part of Islam is that a person is loyal to the country in which he or she lives and that he or she abides by the laws of that country.
Islam places a moral responsibility on a person to be committed to the general wellbeing and common good of the larger society to which he or she belongs.
Administrator on January 19th, 2010
There is a consultation running over a proposal to close girls only school in Leeds. The proposal is to replace Parklands Girls High School with a co-educational (girls and boys) Academy, sponsored by the EACT, in September 2011. The dates, time and locations of the consultation meetings are set out below. An electronic version of a booklet giving full details of the consultation is now available on the Education Leeds website, go to: www.educationleeds.co.uk/schoolorganisation
This proposed closure shall affect the whole community but ethnic groups, in particular Muslims are likely to be affected more than others. We shall therefore urge Muslims to take part in the consultation and express their views. There is also a petition that can be signed to express one’s concerns about the proposed closure. Please click on http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/girlseducation
Girls-only education consultation: public meeting
East Monday 18 January 2010, 7pm
Parklands Girls’ High School, South Parkway, Seacroft, Leeds, LS14 6TY
West Wednesday 20 January 2010, 7pm
Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawsons Corner, Pudsey, LS28 5TA
South Tuesday 26 January 2010, 7pm
South Leeds Academy, Old Run Road, Leeds, LS10 2JU
City centre (two meetings) Wednesday 27 January, 12noon and 7pm
Civic Hall, Calverley Street, Leeds, LS1 1UR
North east (outer) Monday 1 February 2010, 7pm
Boston Spa School, Clifford Moor Road, Boston Spa, Wetherby, LS23 6RW
Morley Thursday 4 February 2010, 7pm
Bruntcliffe High School, Bruntcliffe Lane, Morley, Leeds, LS27 0LZ
North West Monday 8 February 2010, 7pm
Lawnswood School, Ring Road, West Park, Leeds, LS16 5AG
Searcroft 23rd February 2010, 7pm
Parklands Girls’ High School, South Parkway, Seacroft, Leeds, LS14 6TY
Administrator on October 12th, 2009
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.”
Administrator on September 23rd, 2009
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.”
Administrator on September 3rd, 2009
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.”
Administrator on September 3rd, 2009
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
The launch of the event has been covered byAsian Image, Asian News, Leeds Financial Services, Leeds Law Society,Global Islamic Finance and Yorkshire Post
Administrator on August 30th, 2009
Most people living in Britain will know a Muslim who is fasting during Ramadan, whether a work colleague, a fellow pupil at school or a next door neighbour. Makkah Mosque therfore felt it was important to highlight some of the basic aspects of fasting during Ramadan through the written media in order to give people a better understanding of why Muslims fast during this blessed month.
The Imam of Makkah Masjid, Qari Asim, was interviewed by Aisha Iqbal of the Yorkshire Evening Post on Thursday 27th August 2009.
Following article was published in Yorkshire Evening Post regarding the celebration of the holy month of Ramadan in Leeds.
