Shawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015 Issue No. 640

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

Friday BulletinTheThe Weekly Muslim News Update

www.jamiamasjidkenya.org

Work closely with Muslims, govt told

Uganda releases detained Kenyans

Dr. Muhammad Salah the RAF executive director shares a word with a graduand during the second graduation event of Raf Internation University at the South C campus last Saturday. Looking is the Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow (centre) and the university Chancellor Dr. Mu-hammad Osman. Seventy students graduated after completing degree programmes in Sharia (Islamic law) and education.

Eastleigh community leaders have called upon the government to work closely with community leaders in eradicating radicali-zation and extremism among young people in the country.

The leaders asked the government to address the challenge of unemployment among the youth who are most vulnerable to be lured into joining criminal groups.

Speaking during the end of a month-long peace awareness seminar, Eastleigh community activ-ist Ahmed Muhammad said dangerous organ-ized criminal gangs such as super power have emerged in Eastliegh and that if swift measures are not taken to address the matter, majority of the youth will be recruited into join such groups.

We have youth in Eastleigh who have gone into organized gangs such as super power and sitaki kujua we need to stop them from joining radicalized groups. They are now carrying knives to mug people what will stop them from carrying guns in the future he noted.

Ahmed faulted the government for not making its presence felt in anti-radicalization campaigns

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Three Kenyans detained by Ugandan authorities have been released.

They gained their liberty following calls from Muslim leaders to the government to take up the matter and ensure justice for its citizens.

The detainees were relatives of Kenyan rendition victims who for the last five years have been in detention on allegation of involve-ment in the 2010 bombing in the neighboring country.

Thirty-year-old Jaffar Ali a brother to Muhammad Ali a renditioned Kenyan and Anwar Awadh a young sibling to Omar Awadh aslo renditioned were arrested a month ago after attending a court session where the rendition sus-pects are facing trial.

The mother of Omar Awadh was also arrested after she followed up detention of her son.

While the Ugandan authorities accused the duo for spying activi-ties, no evidence was presented nor were they charged for the pe-riod of incarceration.

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such as peace forums organized by local youth noting that government needs to sup-port efforts of Muslim leaders in eliminating the threat of extremism.

We dont have a government representative in this forum, who should be here to assist in educating our youth on dangers of joining ex-tremist groups, he added.

Addressing the forum organized by the Peace-and Awarenes Youth (PAY) group, the Muslim Human Rights Forum (MHRF) Chairman Al Amin Kimathi urged government to reha-bilitate the affected youth and integrate them back into the society in order to make them less vulnerable and susceptible to been lured into extremist groups.

He emphasized on the need for the govern-ment to change tack and stop taking hard-line approaches in the fight against terrorism and instead engage communities into develop-ment programmes.

It is fact that organized criminal gangs can easily become terrorist groups. It is time to ad-dress such an issue to make them productive

members of the society. These groups of youth need to be tu-tored to have a positive focus and only be succeed if the government could organize for them entre-preneurship programmes to give them livelihood, he said

Al Amin further criticized the pro-posed KDF Amendment Bill 2015 saying it is a dangerous Bill that will lead to grave human rights violations and make Kenya a mili-tary state.

He said the Bill is meant to ex-pand military powers and will further propagate extrajudicial killings and historical injustices in the country such as the Wagalla massacre of 1984.

The Friday Bulletin Shawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015

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This is one of the most dangerous piece of legislation Kenyans have witnessed and it should not be al-lowed into law. It will militarize inter-nal security and turned the country into a military state. Civilians, Mus-lims, minorities, everyone will bear the brunt if it is enacted into law, he said.

If enacted into law, the Bill will give authority to the Chief of the Defence Forces to deploy KDF in civilian op-erations and also increase the role of KDF in internal security.

The bill abolishes requirement for KDF to advertise slots as per coun-ties. It also insulates KDF opera-tions, including appropriation of its budget and functions, from public scrutiny by denying Parliament the oversight role.

It allows court martial to try civilian suspects and the KDF to pacify the kind of court a suspect can be re-ferred to.

Among other provisions, the Bill also envisages establishment of an aux-iliary reserve force comprising Ken-ya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and National Youth Service (NYS) to serve along-side the KDF.

Open Garissa University College- Garissa leaders

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Last week, Muslim leaders during a press conference at Jamia Mosque complained of indifference from the government on the plight of its citizens facing injustice in a foreign country.

It is absurd for the government to neglect the plight of its citizens and leave them to rot in Ugandan jails. The government should act and en-sure that their rights are protected, said the National Muslim Leader Fo-rum (NAMLEF) vice chairman Yusuf Murigu.

Eight Kenya are currently facing trial alongside other Ugandans for involved in the bombing which left more than 70 people dead in the worst terrorist attack in the country which was claimed by the Somalia based Al Shabbab claimed respon-sibility.

The Kenyans have maintained their innocence and Muslim leaders have on several occasions called on the government to bring them back home as they were illegally spirited out of the country by the countrys security organs.

Terrorism: Court vindicates Pumwani mosque official

Anti-radicalization campaigns

His arrest formed the reason for the closing down of the section of Parliament road af-ter accusations that he was in-volved in plans by Al Shabaab militants to blow up the August House.

Ali Abdulmajid Ahmed, the vice chairman of the Pumwani Ri-yadha Mosque in Pumwani, Nairobi is now a free man after the courts cleared him of the charges which saw him de-tained for three weeks.

Nairobi resident magistrate Eddah Agade ordered his re-lease after the prosecution failed to press charges against him. She also directed a re-fund of his Sh100, 000 cash bail while the police were or-dered to return his confiscated phone.

I feel vindicated and I thank Allah for his blessings and mercies," he said soon after his release.

The hansard editor at the Sen-ate maintained that he is a law abiding citizen and contrary to the allegations, he has been involved in activities in the Ma-jengo area to dissuade youth to join criminal groups.

Ali is a Senate employee and his name had earlier featured in a 2011 UN Monitoring report which accused him of having links with the Somalia based militant group. He strenuously

Detained Kenyans released

denied the charges and in an open letter to the former Com-missioner of Police Mathew Iteere, he asking him to conduct investigations over the allegations contained in the report which he said would prove his innocence.

The mosque committee also called on the former Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo, to carry out investigations about the mosque following reports that it was a centre for terrorism related activities. We have opened our doors to the police to come and investigate the mosque or any of our members. We have nothing to hide and we dont support ter-rorists or terror activities, the letter read in part.

Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow hailed the release saying that the courts have finally vindicated him. It is the usual profiling and harassment by the state to create fear, he said as he dismissed the UN report which also accused number prominent Muslim leaders as financiers for the militant group.Hi arrest on April 25 followed a communiqu from the Central OCPD Paul Wanjama that he was to serve as the linkman to attack Parliament.

Elected leaders from Garissa county have urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and edu-cation cabinet secretary Jacob Kaimenyi to reopen Garissa University College as a show of resilience against terrorism.

The institution was closed following the ter-ror attack by Al Shabaab militants on April 2 where 147 people mostly students lost their lives.

Describing the university as the pride of North Eastern Garissa county governor Nathif Jama said his administration is will-ing to supplement efforts by the national government to secure the institution and fast tracts its reopening.

We demand the reopening of the university and adequate security to all institutions and government installations. Security is the re-sponsibility of the national government but as the county government we have shown willingness to cooperate with them where possible, Nathif said.

Speaking in Garissa town during the end of a four day arts and cultural event in honour of victims of the deadly attack, the governor said his administration will spend Sh 200m to beef up security at the institution to se-

cure the students and the staff.

On her part, the Garissa county Women Repre-sentative Shukran Gure emphasized on the im-portance of reopening the campus as the only public university serving the entire North Eastern region. She said the region will be safer if the borders along Somalia are secured and runaway corruption dealt with.

Speaking at a separate function, Lagdera MP Muhammad Shidiye regretted that the institution is seen as a Somali University and not a Ken-yan university pointing out that by failing to reo-pen the campus, government will be sending a wrong signal that it has surrendered the region to Al Shabaab militants.

Why was Westgate mall reopened and not Garissa University College, why? We must open that University to send a signal that we are united against terrorism he said at Jamia Mosque last week during an event to combat against negative ethnicity.

The MP further accused Kaimenyi of being in-capable of executing his duties as the educa-tion CS and urged him to resign for failing to find lasting solution to the crisis of teachers that has paralyzed the education sector in the region.

Ali Abdulmajid and Ibrahim Yongo an official of the Pum-wani Riyadha mosque offer prayers outside the Milimani law courts.

The Friday Bulletin

Maintaining a joyful dispositionAllah wants us to enjoy ourselves not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. Allah tells us in the Quran to pray for both 'the good in this world and the good in the Here-after'(2:201).Additionally the Quran speaks extensively about the enjoyment of life: 'O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful ap-parel at every time and place of prayer Eat and drink but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not wasters. Say: 'who has forbidden the beautiful gifts of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the things clean and pure which He has provided for sustenance'(7:30-301).And again, 'O you who believe! Make not unlawful the good things Allah has made lawful to you. But commit no excess, for Allah does not like those given to excess. Eat of the things which Allah has provided you, lawful and good, but fear Allah, in whom you believe' (4: 86-88).

Surprising as it may seem to some of us, the Prophet not only accepted jokes; he also told them himself, he was cheerful and possessed an easygoing character. He was always smiling at his Companions and enjoyed their conversations. He also possessed a very keen sense of humor. But, his jokes were more of a philosophi-cal nature, never inappropriate and always true. For example, once an old lady went to the Prophet and asked whether after her death she would enter Paradise or not. To this the Prophet replied, 'No old woman would enter heaven'. On hearing this, the woman was naturally very sad. 'Then, what is the reward for them?' she asked. The Prophet relieved her anxiety by saying, 'All old people will be made young before they enter Paradise.'

Relaxing your mindFrom the analysis above, it should be clear that Islam does not expect of any individual that he should spend all his leisure time in the mosque or at home and should listen to nothing but recitation of the Quran, or for that matter, be engaged in exclusively 're-ligious' pursuits. Rather, it recognizes that we are human beings, so that, as we eat and drink, and also need to relax and enjoy our-selves.

Relaxation is not at odds with piety and dignity. The Prophet prayed and engaged in worship more than anyone, but he also enjoyed good things, smiled and joked. Indeed, in his prayers he would beseech Allah for the good things of this world. Relaxing the mind also has the additional benefit of resting and rejuvenating the body so that when we eventually return to ful-fill out various obligations, we will be more focused and ready Aliibn Abu Talib once said: 'Minds get tired, so do bodies, so treat them with humor' and 'Refresh your minds from time to time, for a tired mind becomes blind'. Another Companion of the Prophet, Abu Darda said: 'I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it strong-er in the service of the truth'.

As we have highlighted before, the ap-Page 3

Islam - The easy wayDA'WA

proach of the Prophet to life's activities was always a balanced one. As devoted as he was in his personal worship, he was quick to indicate to his followers that the path of Islam is the way of moderation. Thus, when he heard that one of his attendants was continuously fasting during the day and spending the entire night in prayer, he remarked: 'In every deed [of action] there is a peak followed by lassitude. He who, in his lassitude, follows my Sunnah [the part of moderation] is on the right path, but he who, in his lassitude, follows another [guid-ance] has [erred and] gone astray [from the straight path Allah has revealed]' (al Baz-zaz)

Making Islam easy for othersIn sharing the message of Islam with peo-ple the Prophet was advised in the Quran: 'It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you' (3: 159). Thus, when the Prophet sent his Companions Mu'adh and Abu Musa to teach Islam to the people of Yemen, he gave them the following advice: 'Facilitate [religious matters to people] and do not make [things] difficult. Obey each other and do not differ [amongst your-selves].' (Bukhariand Muslim).

On other occasions he also said: 'This Deen or way of life is easy'; 'Make it easy, don't make it difficult; 'Let people rejoice in being Muslims and not run away from it' and 'Cheerfulness towards other people, even a smile is a sadaqah or charity to be rewarded by Allah'.

Moreover, a person-in seeking to purify himself and further develop his God-con-sciousness-may choose to place greater demands of worship upon himself, but this in no way means that he has the right to impose or force the same on others, and thereby, unconsciously alienate them from Islam.

The Prophet exemplified this in his own life because he used to prolong the Salat whenever he was alone, but he would shorten it whenever he led others in Salah. Regarding this he said: 'Whoever among you leads the people in Salat, he should shorten it, for amongst them are the weak, the old, and the one who has business to attend to. And if anyone among you per-forms Salat alone, he may then prolong [Salat] as much as he wishes'(Bukhari).

Similarly, 'Umar Ibn al Khattab emphasized that creating unnecessary difficulties for people may well have the effect of leading them away from Allah, rather than making them better Muslims. He advised: 'Do not make Allah hateful to His servants by lead-ing people in Salat and so prolonging it that they come to hate what they are doing'

Ease versus hardshipTo say, however, that Islam is easy and not 'difficult', is not to imply that Muslims will not face 'hardship'-and here the two terms must be distinguished. Indeed, although Islam is easy to understand and practice,

Khurram Murad

Shawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015

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the whole purpose of the trial is to make manifest the degree to which an individual is steadfast (and hence sincere) in his sub-mission to Allah- and this is precisely what is indicated by the Quranic verse: 'And We will most certainly test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of posses-sions and lives and crops' (2:155).

Notwithstanding these trials however, we can find ease in this world and the next. But, this will be so only if we are firm in our faith in Allah and follow the course pre-scribed by Islam, as He Himself has de-clared: 'But give good news to those who are patient, who, when a calamity strikes them, say: 'Indeed we belong to God and indeed to Him we shall be returning: They are those on whom are blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy-and those, they are the rightly-guided. (2: 155-157).

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The Friday Bulletin

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WOMEN

I remember the chagrin and inner turmoil of being single and hopeful of marriage, back during my early twenties!Even after almost a decade of marriage, I still vividly remember the constant roller-coaster of emotions that the heart experi-ences every time a marriage proposal is negotiated.One thinks: Is this the one?Will this family/person be my future spouse/in-laws?Sometimes the marriage negotiation pro-cess painstakingly goes on for months, only to culminate in nothing. Up go ones dreams, hopes and aspirations about the future into thin air! Once again, it is back to square one.Whether a young, single Muslim is a man or woman, if they are ardently desirous of completing half their Deen, the anguish and frustration (including sexual angst) they feel whenever another year of their life passes by without any impending nuptials on the horizon is, contrary to gender-dis-criminating cultural myths, similarly discon-certing and unnerving.Wherever in the world they might be, as the years pass and the number of fruitless marriage proposals grows, the singleton might begin to feel despondent and worn down by this trial of patience in their quest of completing half their Deen.So what should one tell a young forlorn wannabe bride or groom when they justifi-ably ask: Why am I still unmarried?First of all: There is nothing wrong with you!Although self-confidence is, admittedly, an effective catalyst in finding a spouse, believe me when I tell you that you are not ugly, weird, unattractive, or unworthy of marriage! Allah created the beautiful, unique you, and if He decrees it, someone out there will agree to marry you just the way you are.So do not despair of Allahs mercy, and remain positive that someone out there will like you and agree to marry you, inshaAllah. Even if you begin to believe that being short, overweight, shy or acne-skinned is a negative thing going against your favor in the marriage market, it is not, because a certain criteria of looks or edu-cation is not a pre-requisite for marriage, contrary to what older people might say.Look around you at recently married or even older couples. Are all of them very good looking? Dont both of the partners seem to have at least one physical defect or blemish? Does everyone you know in your social circle, who recently got mar-ried, look like they stepped off a fashion runway?You will find a wide variety of real cou-ples who break every stereotype in the book (and please, refrain from looking at celebrity couples and famous people!): husbands who are shorter than their wives; wives who are older than their husbands; cross-cultural marriages that are refresh-

Why am I still not married? The silver lining of being singleShawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015

Sadaf Farooqi

ingly functional; infertile couples who are very happily married; men who are in love with their plus-size or dark-skinned wives; wives who are more educated than their husbands; the list is endless.Never let others make you feel that if you are thirty-something and still not married, it is because either there is something wrong with you, or because Allah has decreed for you to forever remain single.Divine wisdom behind perceived De-lays in marriageIn a world that is increasingly pressur-izing everyone, from babies and children to adults, to achieve their personal mile-stones in life as early as possible, a right-eous and single Muslim who is in his or her late twenties, thirties or forties might find themselves the target of unwarranted so-cial stigmatization and cruel speculation:Why doesnt anyone take a liking to her? Do you think she intimidates suitors be-cause she is over-educated?Do you think there is magic involved? Should we visit a spiritual specialist to find out?Maybe he is socially awkward? Or could it be that big bald spot on his head that chases proposals away?Unless a single person is outright opposed to the idea of marriage for personal rea-sons, most of us tend to forget the natural law/principle that applies universally: eve-ryone is different, and they come into this world with a different, unique, preordained decree.So, while most young people, Muslim or not, are able to find a spouse and get mar-ried in their teens or twenties, there is no unspoken or written rule that lays down a certain prerequisite age-range for the un-ion, beyond which it supposedly becomes impossible for a person to marry, and be written off as off the market.Marriage can take place at any age in life, even at 50 or 60, as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and many of his com-panions practically demonstrated.It is also a fact that marriage will not hap-pen within the first 2 or 3 decades of life for every one of us. So we should give more leeway and refrain from making blanket, generalized statements about our older, single brothers and sisters.Becoming mature and responsible enough firstIt is not that God is not answering your duas. Maybe He has already accepted your duas for marriage with a righteous person, but it will actually happen practi-cally after a few more years, when it is best and easiest for you to enter this sacred un-ion with that person.One of the main reasons why God might be delaying your marriage is to reach cer-tain level of physical, intellectual, financial and emotional maturity. He knows every-thing about you that even you do not know, which is called the Unseen, or ghaib in Arabic.

Maybe He knows that were you to marry right now, within three months as you wish to, you will not succeed at married life be-cause you are still too mentally immature, emotionally insecure, or financially unsta-ble.Maybe God is actually being kind towards you by delaying your marriage until the time is best - and surely none can know what He knows, for He sees ahead in our hidden futures - so rest assured, it doesnt matter in the long run if you get married at 25 or 35, as long as it is a happy, produc-tive and loving marriage, to the right per-son, who becomes your pillar of support in Deen and accelerates your quest for suc-cess in the Hereafter.Dawah experience and acquisition of knowledgeThere are some blessings and experiences in life that are more time dependent than others to be availed optimally e.g. seeking Islamic knowledge, which is best done in the early years of ones life, when the brain and memory work better, and a person is more mentally alert and active.Seeking Islamic knowledge can become more difficult after one takes on the re-sponsibilities of marriage on ones shoul-ders. This is because your spouse and chil-dren have Shari rights upon you, because of which you cannot tear yourself away from them for too long in order to devote yourself to seeking and imparting knowl-edge full-time.Perhaps God wants you to seek more knowledge and engage in more active dawah work before you settle down in married life. These precious years of your youth will never return, and inshaAllah, decades down the road, a more mature and wise you will cherish, like a priceless gem, every year of experience that you acquired in the fields of Islamic knowledge and dawah before getting married.Perhaps, later on, you might even thank God for giving you the free time and oppor-tunity to gain knowledge of Islam before ty-ing the knot, after practically witnessing the numerous benefits of applying that fruitful knowledge to your married life later on.Better than early divorceMany young people get married very early, only to get quickly divorced for a variety of reasons, emerging from the whole experi-ence bitter and emotionally hurt, with pain-ful marks on their psyche that take a long time to heal.Many who have a child from such a mar-riage have to endure acrimonious feuds with their exes over child custody and ali-mony, and thenceforth face the challenges of being a single parent. They are left with many regrets, many painful memories, and much disdain if not outright hatred towards the institution of marriage in general. It of-ten takes young divorcs several years to heal from their first bad experience, and be-come mentally ready to get married again.It could be that your being single, which is

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The Friday Bulletin

Page 5

Shawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015YOUTH

As Muslims living in the modern world we have to interact. Today is not a time for isolation. The world needs good people to step up and make a stand, have a voice and be a power of good, and as individuals our faith increases when we live Islam, not just talk about it.

This means obtaining an education, finding a career, doing voluntary work and mixing with the people who come our way. How-ever, this does not mean simply soaking up the attitudes and behavior of those around us. Everything has its limits and in life, we have to know ours.

Once we realize that our role is to be part of what is happening around us, we have taken the first step. If there is harm or in-justice we have to do our best to remove it and help make a change.

How to be positive?If there is poverty we have to give. If there is ignorance we have to advise. And at all times we have to be patient, friendly, sin-cere and God-fearing. We do not live in a perfect world and it is obvious that there will be times when we will meet with ridi-cule, and even hostility.

Unfortunately, this kind of behavior even happens within the Muslim community, es-pecially if we are campaigning against cul-tural attitudes and behavior.

What should we do? First, we have to keep our course. We can do this if we know our-selves; what we are trying to do and why we are doing it. Second, we have to recog-nize when our efforts are fruitless and be able to humbly and kindly just walk away. Third, if we have another chance to return to our endeavor, we should jump at the chance.

Follow almighty Allah's ordersBeing a Muslim in todays world takes cour-age, insight and perseverance. Sometimes we may be tempted to give in a little and compromise but the Muslim who is close to Almighty Allah will immediately recognize that this thinking takes him far from Allah the Almighty and hence, losing the light of faith and insight.

Some things should never be compro-mised. A Muslim should not lie, steal or harm others. We should never manipulate others, be corrupt or come near to adultery and we should steer clear of drugs and alcohol and all dangerous substances. If we do things that Allah the Almighty has prohibited us to do, we only damage our-selves, for the Creator in His mercy has outlined what is good for us and what is not. We are the losers if we bypass His wise and loving legislation.

Sometimes we will meet people we re-ally like and want to spend time with them. These people may or may not be good for us and we have to be sensitive to the changes that occur within ourselves when we are around certain people. If we have the habit of looking honestly at ourselves and what we have done each day when we

go to sleep at night, we will see the influ-ence of others on us; either in a positive or a negative way.

If our goal is to draw closer to Almighty Allah and be a better person, we will au-tomatically pull away from people who, consciously or unconsciously, are trying to take us away from Him. So we should be aware and sensitive and make the neces-sary moves when they are obvious to us.

True advice!Sometimes the people in our life like family and friends; those who love us most of all, will advise us. The advice of a true friend is precious because it comes from a sincere heart. Therefore, we should listen to what they say without being overly sensitive. This takes great inner strength and control over our desires.

Sometimes we will find ourselves with peo-ple that we would like to impress. Howev-er, there may come a time when they will push us to do or say something we know deep down is wrong. This is a big tempta-tion and especially if we really like these people and value their opinion about us. At such times, we have to ask ourselves who we love more; Almighty Allah or these

Muslim Youth: Get strong if youve to be differentSelma Cook

people. Who will come to our aid if we are in need? Them or Allah the Almighty? Who gave us all we have, and is always there for us? Them or Almighty Allah? The answers are obvious. It is Allah the Almighty who deserves our love and obedience, so if we have to make the choice, always choose Almighty Allah. He, in His mercy, may very well send us people that we will love even more than these!

The importance of patienceLife continues, grows, develops and un-folds with patience. Without patience there will be much hesitation, uncertainty and obstacles that cannot be overcome. Pa-tience does not mean sitting around doing nothing, and waiting for Almighty Allah to fix everything for us.Patience means making a course of action for ourselves after asking Almighty Allahs guidance, then sticking to it and persever-ing no matter what. That means, persever-ing regardless of what people might say or do. Patience undoes the most difficult problems and complex dilemmas.

Patience is indeed a sign of strength and it fortifies us when we have to make a stand and keep to the course we have made for ourselves.

a painful trial of patience in your eyes, is a blessing in disguise that is acting as a bar-rier between you and worse calamities and adversities. Perhaps all your earnest duas for getting married, about which you might be wondering why they are not being an-swered by God, are actually averting from you graver problems and pitfalls that you are not even aware of.Perhaps your single status is a great bless-ing, but in a way that only God knows, and you know not.So rejoice that you are still single and de-sirous of getting married; that you are not a bitter divorc who is sexually frustrated yet adamant about never getting married again!Increase in humilityDo you remember an alpha boy or girl in your school or college, who was unde-niably good-looking, inexplicably popular, and always in-demand with the opposite gender? Everyone in your class was prob-ably convinced that he or she would be the first to get married, based on the number of proposals that came their way throughout high school and college.I can think of at least two such girls I was acquainted with back in my student days, who were unanimously considered the most desirable for marriage among our lot, and the rest of us girls presumed, sighing with wishful, self-depreciating conviction, that theyd be the first to tie the knot.Yet, that didnt happen. As the years passed, the bitter disappointment that these alpha young women felt about their

continuing single status was exacerbated by the fact that many of their peers who were considered apparently less attractive and worthy than them got married first, and that too to decent, nice men who kept them happy.The wisdom behind this decree? By the time these good-lookers actually did tie the knot, they were much more humble and less full of themselves. A welcome landing back down on earth! The lesson that we all can learn from this apparent disparity in cause-and-effect.A delay in marriage increases ones humili-ty, and makes one more down-to-earth and approachable by others. It also ensures that one constantly keeps turning to Allah in earnest duas - which is something that Allah loves about His slaves!Conclusion: Blessings received after hardship are cherished moreThe more one waits for, works hard for, and remains patient for acquiring a bless-ing, the more one cherishes it after one re-ceives it.The fatally ill person who gets miraculously cured will live cautiously once he becomes healthy. The pauper will spend his money wisely once he becomes wealthy. The child deprived of education will value knowledge more when he grows up. So, too, will the older single person cherish their marriage, spouse and children more, once they get married.And by then these precious blessings will be so much more worth the wait!

Continued From Page 4The silver lining of being single

Page 6

The Friday Bulletin Shawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015

Militias have taken advantage of the po-litical vacuum in Central African Republic (CAR), engaging in ethnic cleansing of Muslims in a bid to erase the community from the country, human rights group Am-nesty International has said.

Discussing a report, entitled "Erased iden-tity: Muslims in ethnically cleansed areas of the Central African Republic," Joanne Mariner, a senior crisis response adviser at the UK-based organization, told Al Jazeera that Muslims in the western half of the country were being repressed and forced to abandon their religion.

More than 30,000 Muslims are living in seven enclaves, guarded by UN troops, across the country, but for those living out-side, especially in rural areas, they are be-ing targeted with impunity, the report found.

"They not allowed to express themselves as Muslims; if they are outside the en-claves, they cannot pray, dress in any way that identifies them as Muslim," Mariner said.

"Their survival depends on a daily routine of negotiation with anti-Balaka fighters."Mariner said that many had been forced convert to Christianity or face persecution from the community

More than one million people have been displaced since Muslim-led Seleka rebels took control of Bangui, the capital, in March 2013.

Following a spate of abuses by the Seleka rebels, vigilante groups known as anti-Bal-aka (anti-machete) emerged to fight off the new leadership.

But the anti-Balaka, made up of animist and Christian fighters, also targeted the country's Muslim minority, seen as sympa-thetic to the Seleka.

Amnesty's report, based on a series of in-terviews with residents across CAR, says militias "unleashed a violent wave of eth-nic cleansing aimed at forcing Muslims to leave the country".

"The continued insecurity and threat from the anti-Balaka comes from there being an absence of a state," Mariner said.

Though violence in CAR has tapered off since late 2014, the country remains large-ly insecure.

The collapse of the state apparatus and the fragility of the transitional government have left parts of the country to the mercy of mi-litia groups in the hinterlands.

Concerns remain that despite the per-ceived calm, the root causes of the crisis have yet to be addressed.

Amnesty's report comes just days after the International Rescue Committee said CAR "needs a new start, or it will become the case study of a failed state".

Destruction of MosquesIn April, a US envoy said that almost all of the 436 mosques in CAR have been de-stroyed in the violence. Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN, called the dev-

astation "kind of crazy, chilling".

Amnesty said in Friday's report that none of the mosques outside Bangui, and the town of Carnot, have been repaired or rebuilt.

One of the "clearest signs of the intensity of sectarian animus was the destruction of the country's mosques", the organization said.

More than 6,000 people have been killed since the crisis began in March 2013.

"The key challenge is a lack of security. The government understands they have a long way to go [but] they need to be able to assert control over these far flung areas," Mariner said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said this week that more than 1,000 people were still looking for their loved ones, a year after being separated from them during the wave of violence."In this part of the country, very few families

Muslims being 'erased' from CAR

Zakah benefits Isiolo and Marsabit residents

have been spared the pain and uncertainty of being separated from loved ones," Scott Doucet, head of the ICRC sub-delegation for the west of the country, said.

The UN says that that 2.7 million people, more than half the population, are still in need of aid, while 1.5 million people were affected by food insecurity.

The global body's Office for the Coordina-tion of Humanitarian Affairs says humani-tarian needs continue to exceed resources available.

Meanwhile Doctors without Borders (MSF) has previously described the country to be in a state of a protracted chronic health emergency.

CAR has been led by a transitional govern-ment since January 2014. The country is scheduled to hold presidential and parlia-mentary elections on October 18.

(Al Jazeera)

A Sh4 million Zakah fund has benefited residents of Isiolo and Marasabit counties who were facili-tated with income gener-ating projects.

The initiative by the Isiolo based Najdah Organiza-tion for Relief and Devel-opment saw a total of 116 beneficiaries facilitated with start off business en-terprise schemes which included 36 motorcycles, Mpesa shops, livestock and other small scale businesses.

This programme aims at eradicating poverty and economically empower youth and women through self-employment, said Sheikh Muhiddin Sambul the chief executive officer of the organization.

During the launch of the programme, the Isiolo governor Godana Doyo lauded the initiative while

Muslim women from across the country are set to meet in Kisumu County for a two-day annual convention which opens tomorrow.

The event organized by the Kisumu based Sisters With A Mission (SWAM) Mus-lim Development group will be held at Al Mu'uminun Integrated School grounds ad-jacent to Kisumu Jamia Mosque.

Over 400 Muslim women participants and 10 Muslim scholars and Imams drawn from different parts of the country will be among dignitaries to grace the occasion that will end on Sunday.

The theme of the convention is''Islam is the

true liberation of a Muslim woman''.

During the convention,the leaders will speak on issues promoting the develop-ment of Muslim women, education, inter-faith relations as well as the various chal-lenges facing the Muslim community such as the threat posed by terrorism and radi-calization.

''We want to see unity,cooperation and peace among Muslim women in the coun-try while at the same time address chal-lenges faced by vulnerable Muslim women and girls in their pursuit for education'',said the chair-lady Rehema Akidah.

Kisumu to host Muslim women convention tomorrow

emphasizing on the need to economically empower the less fortunate members of the society to improve on their wel-fare.

Zakat is the fourth pillar of Islam refers to the fixed propor-tion collected from the surplus wealth and earnings of Mus-lims which is then distributed to prescribed beneficiaries to improve on their welfare.

Isiolo governor Godana Doyo is given a ride on a motorcy-cle by a beneficiary of the Zakah fun.

Page 7

The Friday Bulletin Shawwal 22,1436/ August 07, 2015

Women in North Eastern and Coast are least likely to suffer from domestic violence this is according to a survey.The study by the Institute of Economic Affairs,a public policy Think Tank revealed that cases of domestic abuse against both sexes in the two regions are minimal com-pared to other parts of the country.North Eastern Kenya recorded the least cases of domestic violence against women at under 8 per cent followed by coast region which had 19.2 percent. The study also indi-cated that men in these areas are also least likely to suffer from gender based violence. The study conducted in conjunction with Na-tion Media Group NewsPlex project ranked Western region top at 36.6 per cent of wom-en likely to be battered followed by Nyanza at 33.5 per cent and Nairobi at 34.5 per cent. The regions also lead the way in domestic violence against both genders.40.7 per cent of women have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime as com-pared with 10.9 per cent of men. This shows that among men and women of the same ages, women are 3.7 times more likely to have suffered from domestic abuse said the executive director of the Institute of Econom-ic Affairs Kwame Owino.The findings also showed that women in highest earning bracket are least vulnerable to gender based violence and those who did not complete their primary school are most vulnerable to domestic abuse.The study further revealed that women aged between 25 and 29 years are most vulner-able to domestic abuse followed by those aged 20 and 24 years. Further, men resid-ing in Nairobi and other important towns are more likely to be battered than those living in rural areas.

NE, Coast report least cases of domestic abuse

NATIONAL

After more than a year of waiting, Lamu resi-dents can breathe a sigh of relief following the announcement that the issuance of na-tional identity card is set to begin this month.

The government suspended the Issuance of ID cards last year following the attacks in Mpeketoni by Al Shabaab militants where over 60 people were killed.

According to Lamu county registrar of per-sons Shem Matiku the exercise will com-mence on the 17th August and preparations for the exercise are underway.

The official further explained that residents will be subjected to various vetting proce-dures as stringent measures are been taken to ensure that only genuine Lamu residents get the document.

We shall need area chiefs to proof the ages and other details of applicants during the vet-ting process. Applicants will further be sub-jected to vetting by divisional vetting com-mittee, the same applies to those wishing to replace lost ID cards, he said.

Local leaders led by county governor IssaTi-mamy have been calling on the government to issue local youth the document and threat-

ID issuance in Lamu to kickoffened take legal action against the govern-ment.

They argued that the government is margin-alizing the youth since without the vital docu-ment, they are unable to secure employment opportunities and enroll in higher educational institutions to further their studies.

Meanwhile the Nubian Muslim community in Kibera has decried rampant discrimination of Muslim youth by the government in the issu-ance of identity cards.

The community through the Nubian Human Rights Forum has threatened to sue the gov-ernment and the attorney generals office if the youth in the area continue to be discrimi-nated.

The Forum Chairman Shaffie Ali said such actions of denying youth ID cards is counter-productive to fighting terrorism saying they get vulnerable to joining extremist groups.

We are asking president Uhuru for how long will the Muslim community in this country be subjected to discrimination. While other com-munities are preparing for the next general elections and taking ID cards in masses, we Muslims are struggling to get the documents.

Muslims in Tharaka Nithi County have been advised to work closely with other local communities to enhance on de-velopment programmes.

The call was made by the Tharaka Nithi women Representative Beatrice Nkatha who urged Muslim residents to join hands with their counterparts in promoting the economic and social de-velopment agenda for the area.

Speaking at Chuka Jamia Mosque grounds where she donated foodstuffs, ,Nkatha said Muslims as citizens and tax-payers have a constitutional right to participate in leadership and devel-opment programmes and urged them not to shy away from participation in development programmes.

On behalf of the Muslim residents, Halima Abdi noted that Muslims do not feel recognized by the county gov-ernment as on several occasion they have been sidelined and marginalized in development programmes, adding that Muslim activities are not included in county government programmes nor supported.

The residents called on Tharaka Nithi county governor Samuel Ragwa to include Muslims in the county govern-ment leadership so as to benefit from the fruits of devolution as enshrined in the constitution.

Tharaka Muslims urged to participate in development

programmesMumias Muslim residents have called on Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya to include them in the countys development programmes.

The residents led by the Mumias Jamia Mosque Committee chairman, Ismail Muche-lule spoke on the need for inclusiveness in matters of leadership and development.

Speaking at Mumias Muslim Primary school grounds last week, Muchelule urged gover-nor Oparanya to change tact and stop the marginalization of the community instead ensure their participation in county develop-ment programmes.

''We as Muslim leaders in Mumias sub-coun-ty campaigned and ensured Muslims here voted for the governor in the 2013 elections but since then the governor has not bothered to include the Muslim community in develop-ment matters nor supported Muslim projects in the county,'' lamented Muchelule.

Muchelule noted that the constitutional dis-pensation provides opportunities for people's participation and stressed that Muslims,as a minority community and important partner should also be involved in governance and development programmes in the county.

Musa Khatibu an official from the governor's office who represented the governor at the event assured that the county government will support Muslim projects to supplement the efforts of the Muslim community.

Speaking at the event, the chairman Butere-Mumias Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) Sayyed Hassan told Muslim lead-ers in the region to embolden unity within the Muslim community for social economic de-velopment.

Are we not Kenyans? asked an infuri-ated Shaffie during a press briefing on Monday.

A 19-year-old student Muhammad Abdalla who was present at the press conference lamented about his un-successful struggles in obtaining the document. His dreams of obtaining a scholarship to study medicine in Su-dan are on the brink as his ID applica-tion which he made in December last year is still pending.

I am expected to report for my studies on August 20 and I cannot even apply for a passport as I lack the ID, he said pensively.

Statistics from the National Registra-tion Bureau indicate that only 28, 614 people in North Eastern were issued with new ID cards since 2013, the low-est figures in the country.Nyanza and Western regions led with 304,965 and 285,582 new ID issuances followed by South Rift with 276,825.

The figures further indicated that Cen-tral had 222,683 ID issuances, Coast 215,912, Ukambani 190,129, North Rift 183,592, Upper Eastern 147,995 and Nairobi 126,340.

Mumias Muslims want included in county

programmes

The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: fridaybulletin@gmail.com Printed by Graphic Lineups Limited-Kweria Road info@graphic.co.ke

Kenyas health care system is in crisis. More than half of the coun-try has no access to proper health care and, of those that do, only a small percentage live within a two-hour walk of a health care facility.One out of every 10 Kenyan children die before their fifth birthday. Half of those die from diarrhea and malaria. Poor nutrition and infections contribute to one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Today the world is invaded with more dangerous life-style diseases that were previously associated with age and family income status. Now, it cuts across board that even children are born with diabetes, hepatitis, heart failure and ulcers. A charitable family has donated 10 pacemakers to Ummah Foun-dation as a measure of helping those who are in dire need of these heart in-plants. We ask our brothers and sisters who have been diagnosed by heart or cardiac specialists for these facilities to come forward and be accorded the help they need. Pacemak-ers are expensive. Though some pacemaker manufacturers have dropped the price down to Ksh. 120,000 in poorer countries, thats still out of reach for many. One to two million people die each year because they dont have access to this life-saving technology especially in the third world countries. We should count ourselves lucky that these facilities have been donated and it is our prayer that many lives will be saved. To date, Ummah Foundation is striving to invest in the health sec-tor but the resources needed are not available and fourth coming. With this kind of help and donations it is our hope that we can en-hance our services to cover more areas. The pacemakers require an operation and some few costs and history has shown that the equipment can restore an ailing patient to full life expectations. We should therefore encourage our patients and let them get in contact with our offices for the process to start. We should also emphasize the fact that the pacemakers are entirely free for those who are deserve but the patient should be able to meet the opera-tion cost. We should also understand that not all cardiac ailments need a pacemaker, so this initiative is targeting particularly people who heart specialists have recommended for pacemakers that the costs do not exceed Ksh. 400,000. These are only efforts to help the heart problem patients but we believe the Muslim populace in this country can pull all our re-sources together to put up our own health facilities. We need to put our concerted efforts together and give generously to make this a five or referral health facility be a reality.To be part of this heart pacemaker project and want to give your donation conduct us:Ummah Foundation Village Plaza, 2nd Floor, Ngara RdP.O. Box 58717- 00200 NairobiTel:020-2680610/13 Mob: 0734 845277Email: info@ummahfoundation.netWeb: www.ummahfoundation.net

Heart PacemakersThe administration of Thogoto Teachers Training College in Ki-kuyu, Kiambu County has denied claims of victimization of Muslim students.

The principal maintained that it is the institutionspolicy to treat all students equally regardless of religious affiliation. At no time have we discriminated or treated Muslim students in an unfair manner. We respect their faith, said Naomi Kimotho in reaction to victimi-zation claims made by some Muslim students which appeared re-cently in the Friday Bulletin.

She explained that the welfare of Muslim students was well ca-tered for and they are provided with a place of prayer while female students are allowed to wear the hijab. During Ramadhan they are provided with special arrangements at the time of breaking the fast and during the pre-dawn meal, she further explained.

We believe that all people are the creation of God and there is no reason for us to treat the unfairly, added the Chaplain Rev. Mary Wanjiru Gichuki during a meeting between the school man-agement team and representatives from the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and Jamia Mosque Committee.

Following an incident which saw some Muslims students being questioned by the police for alleged terrorism links, the students wrote a complaint note to Jamia Mosque accusing the college ad-ministration of profiling the students on the basis of their faith.While confirming the incident, the principal said the institution was implementing a directive from the education ministry which required that learners who report late for their studies should be reported to the authorities. The policy was put in place after the Garissa University College attack and non-Muslims were among the affected students, Naomi said.

Speaking during the meeting, the Kiambu SUPKEM branch chair-man Omar Abdallah Nganga called for closer cooperation be-tween the administration and Muslim organizations saying that this will help in promoting mutual relations between the institution and the students.

We do not victimize Muslims, says Thogoto College

AFRICA EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST(AEDT)

POSTGRADUATE STUDY LOAN PROGRAMMEAfrica Education and Development Trust (AEDT) is calling for applications from those who are interested in pursuing POST-GRADUATE STUDIES Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Masters or PhD, but find themselves financially constrained. AEDT IS A PREMIER EDUCATIONAL SOFT LOANS PROVIDER whose objective is to promote the Academic Standards of the society. It provides HALAL Interest-free soft loans in an easy to repay monthly installments.ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS: Be a Kenyan Have proof of a steady income through salary or self-employ-ment Have secured admission in any institution of higher learning that is recognized by the Commission for University Education (CUE) Provide proof of ability to service the soft loan on monthly basis Be able to provide a collateral or an acceptable Guarantor against the loanIf you satisfy the above requirements, then submit your appli-cation or make enquiries through:Email: info@elimishatrust.or.ke; Website: www.elimishatrust.or.keFace book page: Elimisha Trust Twitter: @elimishatrustTel: +254 726 919 557; +254 726 919 711Office Location: MIRAGE PLAZA. Right Wing, 2nd floor, next to OiLibya Bellevue, Mombasa Road

A leading private school in Machakos has the following vacan-cies.1. TEACHERSDue to rapid growth, Alim High School requires teachers in all sub-jects including Sciences, Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, History, Geography, Computer and Business Studies, IRE and Arabic. Ap-plicants must be qualified teachers with a minimum of three years experience and the ability, commitment and a proven track record to produce even better results.2. SCHOOL NURSEThe school requires an individual with the qualifications of a Di-ploma in Nursing, to be responsible for the well being of the stu-dents. Applicants should be able to diagnose simple ailments and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Applications must be sent to theThe Principal, Alim High School,

P.O.Box 234, Machakos

VACANCIES