Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014 Issue No. 578

This Newsletter contains some of Allah’s names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

Friday BulletinThe

The Weekly Muslim News Update

www.islamkenya.org

Call for marshall education plan for NEP and Coast

US lawmakers petition Uhuru over victimizations Member of the United States Senate and the Congress have written to President Uhuru Kenyatta relaying their concern on the ongoing security operation which they said was discriminatory and only targeting members of one community.They told the head of state that while the government had every right to fight terrorism, this should be done within the framework of accepted hu-man rights principles and innocent people should not be victimized.“We write to express our concern over the treatment of Somalis in Kenya during the government’s recent security operations. While we strongly support the govern-

Strategies must be put in place to im-prove on the education standards in the counties of Coast and North

Eastern regions.

Continued To Page 8

Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak presents a Lenovo laptop to the top student in the 2013 KCSE examinations Abdulrahim Ismail Abdi. Second from left is the Takaful Insur-ance of Africa managing director Hassan Bashir who donated the laptop. Looking on is the WAMY director Irshad Ibrahim, Ahmed Yusuf a member of the school board and Sheikh Hammad Kassim, the former Chief Kadhi who is also a school board member.

ment’s right to defend itself from terrorism, and to enforce its laws, all countries are obligated to do so in a way that respects human rights and does not discriminately target members of one community,” the lawmakerswho included Senators Amy Kloubachar and Al Fraken from Minnesota said.Also party to the petition was Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison who is the first Muslim to be elected in the US Congress.“It is our mutual interest to ensure that Kenya pursues its security in a way that does not violate its own laws and or alienate the So-mali community in Kenyan,” they stressed

in a letter to the head of state.The leaders said that many Americans were “deeply affected” by the ongoing harassment and abuse of the rights of citi-zens adding that the mistreatment of refu-gees violates the rule of law and Kenya’s obligation to the international community.Among other violations cited were some of arbitrary arrests and detention of peo-ple in overcrowded and unsanitary facilities for extended periods without access to the courts, forced relocation to refugee camps and summary deportations.

This call was made by Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat who said that the perennial dis-mal performance of these areas in national examinations should necessitate strategic

measures to reverse the trend.He noted while there was an improvement in the performance of Muslim schools, overall the education standards in the com-munity were still at a low level and meas-ures have to be put in place to improve the situation. “We are concerned that Coast and North Eastern regions are always lagging behind in education and this is reflected in national examination results. We have to rise up and change this situation,” the academi-cian who was until recently the head of the National Council for Science and Technol-ogy said.Speaking during the prize giving day at Wamy High school in Nairobi, Prof Shaukat also expressed concern about the low tran-sition rate of Muslim students from second-ary schools to universities and other higher institutions of learning. “We have more than 60 public and private universities which include the Muslim-owned Umma University and the enrol-ment rate of Muslim students stands at 5-6 percent. There is need to take advantage of these education opportunities to ensure that more students join higher learning in-stitutions,” he said at the event where he was the guest of honour.He commended students of Wamy High School for the sterling performance say-ing their achievement was a demonstration that Muslim youth value education and can also make a contribution to national build-ing.

The Friday Bulletin Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014

Page 2

EDITORIAL

Gov’t should end the affront on Muslim schools Early this week, police stormed a madrasa in Nairobi’s Kileleshwa area which resulted in two teachers being arrested. In another incident, a contingent of police officers in three vehicles stormed a girls’ institution of learning in Ongata Rongai where a through audit of the facilities, teachers and students was made.A fortnight ago, county security officials with-out giving any reason closed down the Darul Irshad Centre, one of the foremost institu-tions involved in providing Islamic educa-tion, entrepreneurial and vocational skills to new Muslims. Some Muslim schools espe-cially those providing the integrated learning approach are now the point of focus from security agencies sending shivers of an elaborate plot to rein down Muslim educa-tional institutions.Since the infamous statement of the former US defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that madrasas are the breeding grounds for terrorism, various governments includ-ing Kenya have cast suspicion and taken a negative approach on these Islamic learning institutions.In the rising incidences of terror-ism, even in the absence of any evidence, madrasas are being suspected of complicity of terrorism crimes.These institutions are not a new phenom-enon. They are as old as Islam in this region of the world where the faith has had a pres-ence of more thana12 centuries.For decades and generations, they have produced professionals who have shaped the political, economic and social history of the region particularlyat the Coast and in North Eastern region. In the era before colonialism, architects, engineers, scholars,

teachers and other professionals were prod-ucts of madrasas which provided an all round education. It is now more than a century since the British took over of what was later to become Kenya and despite the importance of these institu-tions being watered down; they have consist-ently played an integral role in the provision of education in the community from the el-ementary to the higher level.It is incumbent upon all Muslims to have proper knowledge of Islam and this has been the primary goal of madrasas over the centuries to instill the correct knowledge of Islam to the masses. For more than a century now, Christians and Muslims havecontinued to live in harmony in this country and until recent times, madrasas have never been seen as institutions which promote teachings which negate the princi-ples of tolerance and religious co-existence.It therefore, becomes a source of concern for these prized institutions oflearning among Muslims to be subjectedto a barrage of prop-aganda, a campaign of criminalization and falsely being projected as institutions which foment violence. There is nothing to support these weirdand absurd allegations.Whenever acts of violence happens in the country, these Islamic institutions often are on the spotlight and subjected to scrutiny and profiling.On the other hand, Christian institutions which could have linkages to criminal acts are not subjected to these acts of injustice. In 2010, a student from the Kasarani Bible College in Nairobi was the subject of inves-tigations by the Anti Terrorism Police Unit for involvement in the Kampala Coach bombing but this did not lead to security action against the college or other Christian education insti-

Gov’t should end the affront on Muslim schools

Dear President Uhuru Kenyatta

tutions being profiled.Theinstitutionalized attacks on Is-lamic education institutionsis not being done in good faith and engi-neered to alienate the Muslim com-munity. Muslims like other Kenyans are greatly concerned with the ris-ing incidences of insecurity and terrorism. They have also been victims of these macabre attacks and are also involved in strategies to tame this hydra headed monster.But the response from the gov-ernment appears to be aimed at criminalizing all Muslim and their institutions who are being seen as accomplices and supporters of these criminal acts. This is against the spirit of cohesion and mutual understanding which the country more than ever needs now. We like to reiterate that madrasas are not breeding grounds for ter-rorism and the government if it has any concern should use proper channels of engagement with the schools and the Muslim leadership.Sending in truck loads of armed and bullet clad policemen, constant harassment and profiling of Muslim schools is only helping to stir up feeling of incitement against Mus-lims and their institutions who are increasingly being seen by other Kenyans as accomplices and sup-porters of terrorism.A growing num-ber of Muslims are now interpreting these actions as not related to ter-rorism but a clear affront against Islam and Muslims.

I hope this letter finds you in the best of healthI am saddened by the continuous harass-ment of Muslims in the country. We are not second class citizens and it is never our fault that we are born Muslims in Kenya.The profiling that is going on especially in Eastleigh and Mombasa is hurting Muslims so much. I am calling upon you to stop this profiling and start fighting terrorism and not Muslims.I am no longer comfortable walking while dressed in a kanzu as everyone looks at me like a terrorist. Even boarding a matatu to and from my work station is becoming a problem.I have to carry my identity card even while going to the mosque which was not the case before.My Muslim sisters in their respectful buibui and niqab feel intimidated wherever they are. They don’t know what will happen to them especially when night falls. Recently, some were not allowed to board matatus going to Kariobangi and South C on the ba-sis of their dressing.

It is becoming too much for us to bear. We are Kenyans and we are NOT terrorists. Please we need our security and freedom back as it was before.Mr. President and your deputy William Ruto you should stand by the constitution you swore to protect and give us Muslims our rights in our country.Nur Said from Kaloleni, Kisumu

I would like to make it clear that Muslim and Somali's like all Kenyans also fall prey to terrorism. I am a Muslim living out of the country having left Kenya in 2009. Behind me I left a Kenya that is peaceful, stable and settled but now what I see is Kenya turn-ing Afghanistan where everyone is cautious and watchful of the other especially against Muslims, and this has led to the rise of hate among Kenyans towards Muslims.This leaves me wonder when will Kenya ever have a leader like Daniel Arap Moi. While others see him differently, to mehe is incomparable to other leaders the country has had. During his time we lived and proud-

ly trolled the country regardless of race or religion and Kenya always remained unique. Please Mr. Presi-dent emulates him and relieve us the burden we are facing. Muslims young and old are be-ing discriminated against and feel threatened by the hate propaganda that is rife in the country. You are the one to lead the fight against this culture of hatred in the country and we are let down by your silence and the way your government is han-dling this issues of great concern. We love Kenya, please lead this campaign and instruct your gov-ernment to stop the fight against Muslims.

Regards Mr. President.Adam AliA Kenyan living in South Africa

The Friday Bulletin

Al-Israa' was a land-to-land journey that Allah Almighty caused His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make from Makkah to al-Quds (Jerusalem), that is, from Almighty Allah's Sacred House to Al-Aqsa Mosque.(Glorified be He Who carried His serv-ant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Wor-ship the neighborhood whereof We have blessed) (Al-Israa’ 17: 1) [The Inviolable Place of Worship mentioned in this verse refers to Allah's Sacred House and the Far Distant Place of Worship refers to Al-Aqsa Mosque.]Mind that Allah Almighty had blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and its neighborhood and referred to it even before the Prophet's Mosque was built, as the Prophet's Mosque was established after his immi-gration to Madinah.Besides, Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of the three mosques to which Muslims are re-quired to dedicate time for visiting; the oth-er two mosques are the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque. This shows that al-Quds is the third sacred place af-ter Makkah and Madinah in Islam.Allah Almighty wanted to establish and em-phasize the significance and sacredness of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Muslims' hearts so that they do not cede it for anything. They are to hold it as sacred as both Allah's Sa-cred House and His Prophet's Mosque.That was why the Muslims [when they were strong] were zealous to keep Al-Aqsa Mosque under their rule and pro-tection.Hence, Muslims must realize the importance of al-Quds in their history and the significance of Al-Aqsa Mosque in their religion and life.This is to remind us of the gravity of the circumstances in which Al-Aqsa Mosque is in this age. We must not give up our re-sponsibility in defending Al-Aqsa Mosque and al-Quds. This is a sacred issue to fight for. Brothers and sisters, we should not, under any circumstances, give up our role in that regard.The Jews dreamed of establishing a state (in the land of Palestine) and managed to achieve that dream. That being so, we at least must not give up hope that one day we will again have Al-Aqsa Mosque and al-Quds under our control. We should not lose hope of that at all, even if we see surrender embodied everywhere in our status quo.We must believe that Allah Al-mighty is with us and that He Almighty will grant us victory and make Islam prevail, as He, Most High, always supports the true believers.Imams Ahmad and At-Tabarani reported on the authority of Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A group of my nation will keep being in the side of right and victorious

Page 3

Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj: Everlasting Lessons

The second most important lesson that we are to learn from Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj is concerning Prayer (salah). It is known that Prayer was or-dained on that great night.It is because of the great impor-tance of Prayer that Allah Al-mighty ordained it in heaven.

DA'WA

SUNDAY LECTURE

SUNDAYSUNDAY LECTURE

Topic: Jinsi ya kukabiliana na mitihani part 2

By: Ustadha Amina Atitala25th May 2014 Time: 2.00 pm -4.00

pm Venue: Makina Mosque Kibera

over its enemy; no party of their enemy can cause them harm; the only harm that may afflict them is (physical) exhaustion. They would be like so until the Day of Judgment.” The Prophet's Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked, "Where would they be, Allah's Messen-ger?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "In al-Quds and the surrounding vicinity."The second most important lesson that we are to learn from Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj is concerning Prayer (salah). It is known that Prayer was ordained on that great night.It is because of the great importance of Prayer that Allah Almighty ordained it in heaven. He Almighty sent His Messenger to man-kind (peace and blessings be upon him) and caused him to go on a night journey and ascend to heaven and the Lote Tree to inform him (peace and blessings be upon him) of the ordinance of Prayer.Mind that all other ordinances were de-creed on the earth. This indicates how important Prayer is in Islam. It symbol-izes ascension to heaven; it is the Mus-lim's spiritual ascension to heaven.Thus, Prayer is the gift that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) brought with him from that journey to all Muslims so that they can worship Allah Almighty through it.Prayer had to do with Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al-Aqsa Mosque was the first qiblah in Islam. If it is true that Al-Israa’ took place in the tenth year of the Prophet's mission, this would mean that the Muslims' qiblah in Prayer was towards Al-Aqsa Mosque for three years before the Hijrah to Madinah and 16 months after it.Then Almighty Allah decreed that the qi-blah be changed towards the Sacred Mosque. Allah Almighty says: (So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Wor-ship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces when ye pray) to-ward it.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 144)When the qiblah was changed, the Jews raised doubts about that. Allah Almighty says: (The foolish of the people will say: What hath turned them from the qiblah which they formerly observed?) (Al-Baqa-rah 2: 142)The Jews spread rumors that the Muslims' Prayer [to the first qiblah] was invalid and so would not be rewarded. Allah Almighty refuted their claims as He, most High, says: (And We appointed the qiblah which ye formerly observed only that We might know him who followeth the Messenger from him who turneth on his heels.In truth it was a hard (test) save for those whom Allah guided. But it was not Allah's purpose that your faith should be in vain, for Allah is full of pity, Merciful toward man-kind.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 143) According to this verse, "your faith" refers to Prayer, as Prayer is a symbol of one's faith.

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To sum up, Prayer is the spiritual means through which Muslims can ascend to their Lord. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended to heaven (once), we, brothers and sisters, could spiritually ascend to there as much as we can through Prayer.Allah Almighty says in a qudsi (divine) hadith: "I have divided the Prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says, 'Praise be to Al-lah, the Lord of the universe,' Allah the Most High says, 'My servant has praised Me.' And when he (the servant) says, 'The Most Compassionate, the Merciful,' Allah the Most High says, 'My servant has laud-ed Me.' And when he (the servant) says, 'Master of the Day of judgment,' He Al-mighty remarks, 'My servant has glorified Me.' And when he (the worshiper) says, 'Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help,' He Almighty says, 'This is be-tween Me and My servant, and My serv-ant will receive what he asks for.' Then, when he (the worshiper) says, 'Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious not of those who have incurred Thy displeas-ure, nor of those who have gone astray,' He (Allah Almighty) says, 'This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.'"

Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014

The Friday Bulletin

page 4

As Muslims and as sensible human beings who trust that this universe functions ac-cording to a fixed, well-designed system, we should believe that nothing happens haphazardly or aimlessly. Rather, every-thing is well-planned and sorted out. We read in the Qur'an “Our Lord! You have not created this in vain.” (Aal-`Imran 3:191)"This" here refers to Allah's creation in gen-eral. Because we have limited minds and limited spiritual abilities, we are not able to understand the wisdom behind everything in this universe. This inability to understand sometimes proves to be very important be-cause such things will constitute a test for our faith and submission to Allah and trust in His infinite knowledge.Now, we come to your question why wom-en are not allowed to pray or fast while they are having their menses. Basically, any mature woman who has experienced menses knows what type of physical suf-ferings a woman goes through while she is experiencing her monthly period.Due to such physical sufferings, any wom-an will simply tell you that menses is nei-ther a funny nor a nice experience. Yet, it is important for the removal of any harmful material from the body of the woman since such harmful material comes out with this blood.So, it is a healthy thing for women to have this, but still not every healthy thing can be nice or easy. When you have to take your medication, if you are ill, and the medicine is bitter, it is not a nice experience to have the medicine but still it is very important for you to recover and heal speedily.After a woman passes such a stage of her life and these physical conditions change, her menstrual blood stops because no harmful materials are there anymore to be removed.Having clarified that, we can see the di-vine wisdom on decreeing this thing on the daughters of Adam as we are told. When Allah decreed this on the daughters of Adam, He — Glory be to Him — wanted it to be a sign of mercy to them, since this natural relief relieves the body from the harmful materials that could be disastrous if they remain inside the body.Women go through severe pains while they are getting rid of such harmful material as the inner membranes of the womb undergo severe damages. Besides, being under such pains a woman is not expected to be in a good mood.Taking all such physical pain into consid-eration, Almighty Allah, Who takes care of His servants even more than their own par-ents, has lifted the load of prayer and the burden of fasting from woman's shoulders during this period.The point is not that women are "not al-lowed to" pray and fast but are rather ex-empted from observing prayer and fasting at such times, because these two duties are difficult and demand much effort.In this regard, we should bear in mind that one of the basic goals of Islamic Shari`ah is to remove harm and difficulty from peo-

ple's lives. The many texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah serve as a support for this, giving one clear message that Almighty Al-lah does not intend to place any difficulty on the shoulders of His servants.This has led many Muslim scholars to reach a very great maxim that summarizes a lot of things in this regard; it goes, "dif-ficulty brings ease," meaning that when a person is experiencing anything difficult, Islam will give him some concessions that make life easy for him.Under this maxim, we can understand why a traveler is exempted from fasting, why a sick person is allowed not to fast, why a handicapped person is allowed to observe prayer while sitting down, and why a preg-nant woman or a woman who is breast-feeding is entitled to break her fasting. All this is meant to remove hardship and dif-ficulty away from people, because this is one of the highest objectives of Islam.Another important point to be highlighted here is that, while experiencing their men-ses, women are exempted from fasting and prayer only, but still, they can observe other forms of worship like remembrance of Allah and making du`aa'(supplication.)Yes, they cannot touch the Qur'an as much as a man who is in state of janabah (ma-jor impurity) is not allowed to, and this has nothing to do with their being women and does not indicate any offense to their person because it has more to do with the concept of showing great reverence and respect to the Book of Allah and being up to the level of meeting Allah in the most perfect state.Needless to mention here that there is a big difference between being in a state of "impurity" and being in a state of "unclean-ness." While the former refers to immate-rial state that has nothing to do with the gender of the person and is by no means offensive as it is normally descriptive of a temporary reality, the latter is more linked with filth and dirty stuff.One more point is that an impure person is someone who has not reached perfec-tion, but still he meets the requirements of being good and clean whereas an unclean person is someone who is not hygienically suitable for something.The linguistic rigidity of human language here is what causes the problem but to il-lustrate it, I would quote this example. Al-mighty Allah accepts only deeds that are purely done for His sake. This means a prayer that is done with 99% intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah and 1% inten-tion of showing off is still impure.Another example is that a person who has not performed ablution is still clean but is impure; meaning does not qualify, while in this state, to start praying simply because he needs some qualifications. Therefore, being impure is totally different from being unclean.Purity is perfection and not being in this state is utterly not offensive in anyway, since we are human beings and are not perfect.

Women, Menses and WorshipSheikh Saad Ahmad

Keeping all this in mind, I can tell you that a woman who is in the state of menstruation is really lucky because she does not have to bother about prayer and fasting as such religious obligations are mercifully taken off her shoulders. She is given space to focus on what she is experiencing, and Almighty Allah is removing hardship from her.Yet, if she willingly volunteers some acts of worship like remembering Allah and men-tioning His Name or reciting some sup-plications, she is immensely rewarded for this. Now, we see a balance in the religion of Islam which came to remove all difficul-ties and hardships from the lives of the servants of Allah and allow them celebrate His praise cheerfully and willfully.It is worth mentioning that not praying and not observing fasting during the menses are considered in themselves an act of worship. As in some acts of worship, there is a divine command that requires show-ing submission and surrender without questioning the reason behind it. The sig-nificance of this command lies in our obedi-ence to it: Showing obedience to Allah and His Messenger.

Two year-old baby Hamid Muhiddin who is suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukemia( a rare cancer that affects inside bone marrow) is ad-mitted at Kenyatta National Hospital children’s cancer ward awaiting a bone marrow trans-plant-a complex and an expensive procedure which is not available in the country. He needs specialised treatment to be done in India at an estimated cost of Sh3 Million. His family have raised Sh1 million and are appeal-ing for generous donation to raise the remain-ing amount. Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a life threatening ailment if not treated on time and given Ha-mid's critical condition and the inability of his parents to cover the medical costs they are appealing for well-wishers for support to raise the funds.Your generous donations can be deposited under the name Hamid Muhiddin Medical Fund Account number 1153237245 Kenya Commercial Bank, Treasury square Mombasa Branch. More information can be accessed from his father Muhiddin Shee through 0723800002 and Fatuma Said through 0702795555.

MEDICAL APPEAL

Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014

The Friday Bulletin

page 5

Nowadays, one of the greater obstacles that young Muslims face when it comes to marriage is the opposition they face from their family elders regarding their choice of spouse.There can be many grounds for this opposition, e.g. race, eth-nicity, cultural disparity, level of religious commitment, age differ-ence, chosen profession of the prospective spouse, and family background, to name a few.There are more chances of conflict between generations when they are not on the same page in other areas as well, e.g. lifestyle choices, frank and friendly communication, mutual respect and compassion, as well as moral and religious inclination.For example, a young, single person might want to marry some-one belonging to another ethnicity or religion only on the basis of sexual attraction/physical desire, and their parents might not agree with their choice because they can clearly see the red flags of incompatibility leading to future marital disaster.If this conflict persists, the youngster might be ill-advised by friends or colleagues to go ahead with their choice of spouse and marry them any way, ignoring their parents’ opinions, and go off to live an independent life away from their elders’ eyes.However, before any youngster decides to jump the gun in such a manner, and take such a drastic measure, they should pause and try to rationally and objectively reflect upon why their parents are refusing to let them marry the person they like. What are the reasons for their parents’ opposition to that person as a spouse? They should try to communicate in a calm and controlled manner with their parents to find about this.Next, they should reflect upon the relevance, correctness and va-lidity of their parents’ concerns. Nine times out of ten, parents are justified in their reservations about their adult offspring’s deci-sions, and want to protect their offspring from suffering and get-ting hurt ahead in life.Their more advanced life experience enables them to see the long-term results and outcomes of the choices made by people during young age, and they are all the wiser because of it.The only rare situations in which the opinions of parents can (and should) be undermined when a young singleton is seeking a spouse for marriage, is when their parents are non-Muslims, or much less religiously inclined than them, and their prime rea-sons for opposing an otherwise religiously compatible match, are purely worldly or cultural in nature e.g. the guy is too short, or he has too many siblings; the mahr being given is not high enough; their daughter will not have her own home to live in after mar-riage; they only marry within the extended family, not outside; the girl their son likes (their future daughter-in-law) doesn’t yet know how to cook, or she doesn’t have a college degree because she is only 19.As long as the reasons for parents’ reservations regarding their offspring’s choice of spouse are related to things that can change with time (e.g. educational qualification, professional establish-ment, size or location of residence, or living arrangements), a young singleton should not allow them to turn away good pro-posals. They should gently and respectfully educate their parents about the commands of Deen related to marriage, to persuade them to let the small things slide, and not stick to rigid and irrel-evant cultural traditions.The best way for a singleton to deal with marriage proposal con-flicts with parents, is to regularly turn to Allah in earnest and sin-cere istikharah prayers, to supplicate for the best decision and decree regarding their marital future.Single people should remember that, even though it might out-wardly seem as if their parents are in-charge of their future, and are turning away perfectly nice proposals for trivial reasons; ul-timately, all matters related to their future provision and decree have been preordained by Allah, and nothing can turn away from them that which is written for them -- not even their parents, who are standing firmly at the helm, ‘steering their life boat’, so to

YOUTH

Adolescence: Turmoil or TransitionDr. Aisha Hamdan

P. O. Box 4658—01002 THIKA KENYA TEL: 0703 969000, 0739 969000Website: http://www.umma.ac.ke

Email: hr@umma.ac.ke

P. O. Box 4658—01002 THIKA KENYA TEL: 0703 969000, 0739 969000Website: http://www.umma.ac.ke

Email: hr@umma.ac.ke

CAREER OPPORTUNITYUmma University is an Islamic oriented higher education institution in Kenya with the vision to become a centre of excellence and a seat of knowledge in the region for advancing education, scholarship, knowledge and understanding for the bene�t of individuals who will be moulded into leaders and scholars of high integrity. Its philosophy is based on Islamic principles and values that promote excellence in all disciplines and peaceful co-existence between people professing di�erent faiths. Its admission is open to all Kenyans irrespective of religion, status or gender.

Umma University is seeking the following sta� to join its vibrant and growing community.

1. INTERNAL AUDITOR (1 POST)

2. MARKETING OFFICER (1 POST)

3. ACCOUNTANT (1 POST)

4. ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT (1 POST)

5. ADMISSIONS OFFICER (1 POST)

6. HUMAN RESOURCE ASSISTANT (1 POST)

7. ESTATE MANAGER (1 POST)

8. HEAD COOK (1 POST)

9. COOKS (6POSTS)

10. CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER (1 POST)

11. ACCOMMODATION MANAGER (1 POST)

12. LIBRARY ASSISTANT (2 POSTS)

13. LIBRARY ATTENDANTS (2 POSTS)

14. OFFICE ASSISTANTS (4 POSTS)

15. IT TECHNICIANS (2 POSTS)

16. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (1 POST)

17. ASSISTANT PROCUREMENT OFFICER (1 POST)

18. COUNSELLOR (1 POST)

19. SENIOR SECRETARIES (3 POSTS)

20. NURSING OFFICER (1 POST)

21. WARDENS (2 POSTS)

22. SECRETARIES (2 POSTS)

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25. ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERVISOR (1 POST)

For duties and responsibilities for all the above positions and other vacancies available please visit our website www.umma.ac.ke.

Those interested should submit their applications, testimonials and detailed CV online to hr@umma.ac.ke on or before 6th June 2014.

CALLING FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR EXTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES

Background:

Umma University is calling from practicing Accounting Firms for provision of external audit and associated services for its �nancial reports. The �rms should be based and/or have o�ces in Kenya.

For more details visit Umma University website.

www.umma.ac.ke

The stage of adolescence is often seen as a time of turmoil and distress for both the teenagers and their parents. Parents worry about what kind of friends their teen will have, whether or not they will do well in school and decide to pursue their education further, and how much "control" they will have over their teen's decisions. Greater fears include problems with drugs or alcohol, trouble with the legal system, premarital relationships, and suicide. In addition to all of these issues, Muslim parents would be concerned about whether or not their adolescent will wear the hijab, perform salah correctly and on time, fast during the month of Ramadhan, avoid contact with members of the opposite gender, respect his/her par-ents and other adults. Dealing with all of these worries can be less stressful if a parent knows what to expect as their child enters this phase of development.Adolescence is generally considered to begin around the age of 12 or 13 and end at 18 or 19. It is a period of transition between child-hood and adulthood that is not at all universal. In many cultures and societies there is no such phase of development since mar-riage and the its associated responsibilities occur at an early age. Adolescence is present in other societies due to social, economic, and cultural factors that produce a gap between the ability to re-produce biologically and the societal expectations for reproduc-tion. As Muslims, we need to contemplate the validity of this stage since we understand that accountability (Takleef) for our thoughts and actions begins at puberty (Buloogh). This means that even though we may not be an "adult" socially, we are considered to be one spiritually. Obviously this should bring up all kinds of red flags and warnings for parents as they realize that the task of parenting is mostly complete by the age of 12 or 13, depending on when a child reaches puberty. At that time, the youth will be completely responsible to Allah for all that he/she does. This does not mean that being a parent ends at that time, but it does highlight the sig-nificance of those early years and the crucial role that parents play. We need to build a solid foundation so that our children will make appropriate choices when the time comes.For those who are in a society where adolescence is regarded as a distinct developmental phase, it is beneficial to understand some of its general characteristics. The perception that this time in life is one of turmoil and distress is related to the commonly held belief that parent-adolescent conflict is inevitable and that the difficulty will continue until the adolescent leaves home. Although this does occur in some families, it should not be considered the norm. Disagreements will obviously arise as the adolescent be-gins to assert his/her need for independence and control, which is accompanied by expanding cognitive ability and an emerging self-identity. Parents should respect their teenager's choices and foster his/her sense of responsibility, as long as the choices are not contrary to the principles of Islam. Youth should also be taught the fundamental Islamic value of being obedient and respectful to parents at an early age so that when correction is necessary it will be readily accepted. The use of these two strategies should be effective in preventing any serious parent-adolescent conflict from occurring. A positive note is that research has shown that although adolescents and their parents may differ about details of everyday life, they generally agree on issues related to basic values. This is another red flag to signify that we should be aware of the values that we are teaching our youth.Socially, there is a reorganization during adolescence as more time is spent with peers, adult guidance is reduced and becomes more indirect, and participation in large social groups becomes important. The peer group becomes more influential and various forms of peer pressure may operate. Another positive note is that adolescents are more likely to go along with peer pressure that is prosocial than with pressure to misbehave. The peer group is also an important source of information, encouragement, and social connectedness as the person begins to learn his/her way around in the world. As Muslim parents, we should obviously be concerned about the type of information and encouragement that our youths receive and, by extension, the type of friends that they have. We should encourage them to form friendships and relation-ships with those who hold the same Islamic values that we are

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Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014

The Friday Bulletin

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The government is developing a policy document on sha-riah complaint Sav-ings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) in a bid to streamline the sector.According to Mathew Maithia, an official from the cooperative depart-ment, the move is

vices similar to those offered by banks.Established in 1998, Taqwa SACCO is the first shariah compliant cooperative society whose goal is to provide Muslims with an alternative participation in the cooperative sector which abides by Islamic ethics.

Govt to streamline Islamic SACCO sector

A new Islamic syllabus to be used as a guide for Muslim tutors carrying out pas-toral programmes in schools has been launched in an attempt to streamline the teaching of Islamic studies in schools.The syllabus was unveiled by Nairobi Area Muslim Students Association ( NAMSA), an organisation tasked with addressing educational challenges fac-ing Muslim students in universities, colleges, polytechnics and secondary schools in Nairobi and surrounding ar-eas. Speaking on Sunday during a one day workshop at Jamia mosque Nairobi, the NAMSA patron Prof. Abdullatif Essajee noted that the organisation ultimately aims at changing the conditions of Muslim students in educational institu-tions by propagating the correct Islamic knowledge to students.He explained that the programme aimed at inculcating Islamic teachings to stu-dents to mould them into productive citi-zens for the community and the society at large.“Ours is to disseminate Islamic knowl-edge among Muslim students and the strength of their commitment to Islam as a complete code of conduct,” he said.Prof. Abdullatif acknowledged that Mus-lim students are faced with more chal-lenges due the changing environment and the bad perceptions many hold against the religion of Islam stating that the syllabus is tailored to address aris-ing contemporary challenges.The curriculum will initially be imple-mented in 14 schools in and around Nai-robi and later spread in other schools across the country. Preachers who will be involved in the programme will have to be vetted and formally approved by Jamia Mosque Committee and the syllabus be shared with participating institutions.The NAMSA chairman Omar Sakwa said the organization in cooperation with Muslim organizations will strive to address issues facing Muslim students in educational institutions such as lack of prayers areas, teaching of Islamic Religious Education (CRE), being com-pelled to study Christian Religious Edu-cation (CRE) and wearing of the hijab.Among the organisations represented at the launch included Jamia Mosque Committee, Al-Muntada Development Trust, Ummah Foundation, Ummma University, Family Resource Centre, Light Sisters Organisations and Ansaar Sisters.

Islamic syllabus for secondary schools

launched

expected to regulate the increasing num-ber of SACCOs offering shariah compliant products. Speaking during the Annual General Meet-ing (AGM) of the Taqwa Savings and Credit Cooperative Society on Saturday, he said that the growth of Shariah oriented coop-erative societies calls for regulating the sector to ensure that its services are con-sistent with Islamic financial requirements.“We are supporting Shariah complaint Sac-cos as they have been left out in previous policies. The policies guidelines are meant to ensure that services provided are in line with Islamic principles,” he said.Maithia commended Taqwa SACCO for its positive growth saying that its performance was an indicator of the growing demand of Islamic financial services in the coopera-tive sector.In his statement, the SACCO chairman Yu-suf Ahmed revealed that the society made tremendous growth in customer deposits which rose to Sh74 million in 2013 from Sh41.8 million in 2012 representing a 77 percent growth.In the same period, loans amounting to Sh75.7 million were disbursed to members in 2013 compared to Sh36.3 million given out in the previous year.In a bid to further streamline its operations, the SACCO recently launched a check off system for members of the public service. It is in the process of opening up a FOSA which will allow it offer a wide range of ser-

attempting to convey. Children who have developed a love for Islam will naturally fol-low in this path.Adolescence can be a splendid time of life for both parents and youth as the transition occurs from childhood into adulthood. If the seeds of Islam have been planted from the beginning and watered and nurtured along the way, a beautiful, flowering plant will unfold. There should then be little worry about the many concerns that may appear during this time. Contrary to the belief that this is a time of conflict between parent and adolescent, it can actually be one of mutual growth, love, and respect. The parent-child relationship will change at this time as in-dependence and accountability develop, but the new bond that occurs can be re-warding and fulfilling for both. May Allah, subhana wa ta'ala, help us to be exemplary parents and assist us in raising righteous children.

Members of the Taqwa SACCO follow pro-ceedings during the annual general met-ing

Turmoil or TransitionContinued From Page 5

Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014

The Friday Bulletin NATIONAL

Be ambassadors of Islam, students told

page 7

Muslim parents in Western Kenya have been urged to support madrasas to en-hance on the spiritual fulfillment and development of Muslim children. Lower Western Kadhi Sheikh Kassim Ratori said that while efforts were being made to ensure that children are provided the so-called secular education, he ex-pressed concerns that the same efforts were not being replicated to the en-hancement of their spiritual well-being in the Islamic schools(madrasas).Speaking over the weekend at Tawhid Masjid in Bungoma county during Quran recitation and memorization competition, Sheikh Ratori spoke on the sad situation of madrasa teachers saying that they lacked motivation in their work compared to other teachers as many of them earn meager sala-ries which could not even sustain their families. He however, commended the teachers in the region for their commit-ment and hardwork in inculcating Is-lamic moral values in Muslim children.He emphasizedthe need for meas-ures to be put in place to motivatethe teachersas this will improve on spiritual development of Muslim children.The judicial officerurged parents to provide more commitment and dedication to further improve on the standard of ma-drasa education and further challenged the local Muslim leadership to be inno-vative and come up with madrasa sec-ondary level initiatives to enable pupils who complete primary level to continue with their studies.The Kadhi called on Muslim parents to instill the Qur'an reading culture among their children to develop their spiritu-ality and build good moral behaviours for them to be responsible persons in the society. Ratori stressed that Mus-lims should be competent in both the spiritual and the so-called secular education if they are to prosper in the social,economic and political spheres adding that efforts must be made in sensitizing Muslims in realizing the im-portance of education.The two days competition attracted over 300 participants from various Ma-drasas from Western, Nyanza and Rift Valley regions respectively was organ-ised by Al-Insaan Community Develop-ment Organization in partnership with the Kadhi's office and Bungoma Muslim Community.In the competition, Abdulrahman Mu-hammad from Madrasatul Muadh bin Jabbal of Busia emerged the winner and was awarded a gold medal and a cash prize of Sh5,000. The event will be held annually to build self-esteem and confident with the aim to instill the reading culture of the No-ble Qur'an in the Muslim communityfor spiritual development.

Muslims urged to revitalize madrasa education

Muslims students in Kiambu County have been challenged toput more emphasis on education, uphold unity and take up the role of ambassadors of Islam in institutions of learning. The head of da’waat Umma Uni-versity Sheikh Mubarak Ali Lototore urged students to work hard to contribute to the upliftment of education among Muslims in the country.Speaking in Gatundu during a symposium at Muhoho High School, Lototore noted that while Islam has laid emphasis on education to benefit humanity, it was unfortunate that many Muslims were not taking education seriously. “Islam encourages all Muslims, males and females to seek for education and this should serve as a driving factor for each and every member of the community to advance in learning,” he said.He observed that despite Muslims mak-ing up at least 30 percent of the popula-tion, the number of students in secondary schools and higher learning institutions did not match these figures.The official further called on investors to establish Muslim oriented schools in the county to address the needs of the growing number of Mus-lims within Kiambu and neighbouring ar-eas. “While there is a significant number of Muslims in the county, there is not a single Muslim primary or secondary school in Ki-

ambu,” he said.Speaking in the same function a univer-sity preacher Sheikh Bashir Somo encour-aged students to maintain discipline and urged them to live in harmony with their non-Muslim counterparts and further en-couraged them to exhibit the Islamic ide-als of tolerance and peaceful co-existence and serve as ambassador of Islam within their respective institutions.He further warned the students to steer clear of social transgressions such as pre marital sex and drug abuse which have dangerous consequences for their future.The chairman of Muslim Association of Muhoho High School Abdulwaheed Yer-row urged Muslim organisations to support students during the month of Ramadhan saying that they faced a lot of challenges in fulfilling their religious obligations such as breaking the fast.The event which was organized by Muho-ho high school in collaboration with the Umma University Da’wa team was attend-ed by prominent personalities from the university who included Dr. Ibrahim Farah, Sheikh Juma Kweyu, and Sheikh Akida Hussein among others.The one day forum attracted more than 200 students from various schools in the county.

International human rights agencies have yet again criticized the government for abetting human rights violations and ig-noring Kenya and international laws on the rights of refugees.The New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International which has its headquarters in London said the “Operation Usalama Watch” has led to widespread abuses against Kenyans and foreign nationals alike which have includ-ed arbitrary detentions and deportations.Amnesty International has said Kenya’s Somali community is being used as scapegoats in a counter-terror operation which has seen thousands subjected to arbitrary arrest, harassment, extortion, ill-treatment, forcible relocation and expul-sion.While acknowledging Kenya’s security concerns ,Amnesty say the government has breached national and international laws by targeting an already marginalized and vulnerable community adding that it is yet to come across a single Somali arrest-ed in the operation who has been charged with terrorism and related offences.“Kenya is violating its own constitution and international law by subjecting the Somali community to unlawful expulsions and cruel, inhuman and degrading treat-ment under the guise of its counter-terror Operation, Usalama Watch,” said Michelle

Kagari Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa at Amnesty International in a statement released on Tuesday.“It appears that “Operation Usalama Watch” is being used as a pretext for the blanket punishment of the Somali com-munity in Kenya. They have become scapegoats with thousands arrested and ill-treated, forcibly relocated and hun-dreds unlawfully expelled to a war-torn country,” he added.The rights group has called on the Ken-yan government to immediately end the violation of Somalis rights including refu-gees.Elsewhere, in a statement released last week, HRW criticized the deportation of Somalis saying it was unlawful to force people to return to a country where they risk being persecuted, tortured or ex-posed to other serious harm arising from generalized violence.“Deporting people to conflict zones in Somalia shows a total disregard for their rights and their safety. What little remains of Kenya’s shaky reputation for respect-ing basic refugee rights is fast disappear-ing.” said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch.The government has so far deported 359 Somalis since the start of the in April which was ostensibly aimed at curbing the growing incidences of corruption.

Global rights groups criticize security operation

Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014

Kamiti Maximum prison is situated in Nairobi just some few kilo-metres from the city centre. The prison houses about 350 Mus-lims. About 80% of the inmates here are the hard core criminals who came to these dungeons due to severe crimes like murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery with violence. The majority were on death row but due to the amnesty that was granted by the President some years back, the rule was reduced to a lesser degree of being sentenced for life. Ummah Foundation with its Prisoners Rehabilitation Program has been very active in mak-ing sure the prisoners are well catered for spiritually. A mosque that serves as an Educational hub has just been constructed inside the prison through the Foundations funding. Educational materials like text books, Qurans, Television set, Islamic video tapes and video player will be supplied to the Prison authorities as a donation from Ummah Foundation. This will help the prisoners grow spiritually through the lectures and teaching they will be getting daily from the constructed edu-cation facility. Out here the picture we get to understand about the prison is that it is home of very evil people who are incorrigible and out to do harm, but looking at the reality of how things are in Kamiti Maxi-mum Prison, the inmates have every chance to change. Many have embraced Islam in totality and they are making it a daily practice with the help of our Prison Maalims. It is amazing how the Mosque now doubles as prayer hall for the five daily prayers and a rehabilitation centre where the prisoners have been given a golden opportunity to be acquainted with useful knowledge in their lives. Ummah Foundation main object is to provide the spiritual and moral guidelines to the inmates so that once they come out, they will be proper citizens. We therefore call upon fellow brothers and sisters to join hands with Ummah Foundation and make us realise the dreams in the 83 correctional prisons all over the country. The prison department has an education program that totally relies on well wishers. Ummah Foundation has gone a step ahead and provided the program with text books, mats, blackboards and exercise books.All our efforts have been made successful due to the wise lead-ership of the Officer In charge of the Kamiti Maximum prison and his dedication to see change in this particular Institution of reform.A Similar project with the same objectives has been initiated in Kwale Prison where Ummah Foundation has embarked on construction of an Education centre that will serve as a mosque and learning facility. In Kwale we intend to reform the inmates and make them law abiding citizens once they leave prison. With availabity of funds we would like to replicate the same projects in many Prisons across the country. We would like to appreciate the donation that we get from well wishers and call upon others to emulate this spirit of making our prisons better places to correct the old habits.To support this noble you can contact us:Ummah FoundationP.O.Box 58717-00200Tel: 0202680610/13 Mob: 0734845277Email: info@ummahfounfation.netWeb: www.ummahfoundation.net

Ummah Projects in the Prisons

VacanciesAfrica Education and Development Trust wishes to advertise the following positions:1 – Finance officer with the following qualifications:• At least a degree in a relevant area.• CPA (K) and With an experience of at least three (3) years.2- Secretary cum receptionist with excellent com-puter secretarial skills. Knowledge of Arabic lan-guage is an added advantage.3- Cleaner/Office messenger with at least KCSE.Send your applications to:

elimishatrust@yahoo.com Phone : 0722555302 / 0714804525

The academician advised students joining higher institutions of learning to adhere to Islamic principles saying that they should not be deluded by the newly found freedom to engage to acts which are contrary to Islamic teachings. “You will have the freedom to en-gage in premarital relationships, drug abuse and other social evils but you must restrain yourself and concentrate on your studies,” he said.While stressing that Islam does not condone acts of terrorism, Prof. Shaukat said through practical application of Islamic teachings, Muslims will go a long way in correcting the negative linkage of Islam to acts of violence. “People out there have no time to read the Quran and the hadith (tradition of Prophet Muhammad), they have to look at your actions to see the beauty of Islam and it is our responsibility to show to them that it is a faith which promotes bet-ter relationship and understanding with other people,” he said.In his address, the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) re-gional director Irshad Ibrahim said the organization will continue its role of supporting the growth of education in the community adding that the newly opened WAMY Academy was part of the sustained efforts to uplift education standards and nurture young people who will contribute to the progress of the community and the nation at large. WAMY Academy which opened its doors this year, compris-es of a nursery, primary and girls secondary school.WAMY High Schools has for the eighth year running demonstrated its excellent academic performance in the Kenya Certificate of Sec-ondary Education (KCSE) examinations. Last year, it was ranked in position 6th among private schools and nationally, the school garnered the 23rd position. It topped the charts in the country in the performance of biology and was ranked in 3rd position in chemistry. In the 2012 KCSE ex-aminations, the school took the lead in biology and history and was ranked as the most improved school in the country.

Marshall plan for NEP

The Family and Companions Competition

Prizes include fully paid Hajj trips, Laptops, Digital Qurans and mobile phones.Competition forms in Arabic and English are availa-ble at the Jamia Mosque Library and the Da'wa officeDeadline 13th June 2014Organised by Commitee of Da'wa in Africa-Saudi Arabia

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