On April 11, the Los Angeles Jamaat witnessed a unique program (in five languages) during the celebrations of Eid-al-Ghadeer. The program included a welcome speech by the Jamaat President, Iqbal Somji, an introduction of Paris Madressah-Jamaat by Br. Sabir in Gujrati, and a presentation by Abbassi Madressah youths, Dua Tawassul and a short speech on the events of Ghadeer in French and Urdu on Imam Ali A.S. The Huseini Madressah boys wrapped up the evening by presenting a skit in English.
The Huseini Madressah arranged for a visit to the Islamic Cemetery in Adelanto. The visitors were in awe to see a full Islamic Cemetery and mosque in California. Imam Sh. Zaid Assfy led the noon prayers followed by a lecture and lunch. Sh. Assfy is also the Commissioner of Police in the city of Adelanto and he proudly displayed his police badge for the youths to admire. All the youths were presented with gifts by the Shaikh.
The youths visited the Islamic Center of Southern California where a French guide had been arranged to show them the facilities which include an Islamic school and a bookstore and media center. They also visited the City of Knowledge, a full-time Shia school, where Salaat-ul-Juma’a was offered by Syed Ali Al-Qazwini.The visitors were all given gifts. Later they visited Br. Pyarali Hasanali’s Signs and Screen Printing factory. The youths were fascinated with the technology as demonstrated by Br. Pyarali.
The youths were also taken to Disneyland in Anaheim and to Universal Studio in Holywood. They spent a day at SeaWorld in San Diego and had the privilege of taking a bus tour to Hollywood and Sunset Blvd.
A soccer match was also arranged at As Sadiq Foundation by Dr. Murtaza Khaku, Principal of Huseini Madressa.Sabir Charifou and Riaze Vasram expressed deep gratitude and thanks to the the Shia Ithna-Asheri Islamic Jamaat of Los Angeles and its Huseini Madressa. The hosts were astonished at the way the youths blended so well despite some language barriers. The visitors found this to be a wonderful experience and finally on April 20, 1998 the host families bid au revoir and bon voyage to the visitors.
Disaster in Gujarat (Kutch and Kathiawad)
A recent cyclone, which hit Gujarat, India has resulted in widespread disaster, affecting areas like Jamnagar, Lalpur, Maliya, Miyana, Nawlakhi and Mandvi. According to reports received from Indian Press, thousands of families have become homeless and many people have died.
The Council of Gujarat has confirmed the heavy losses suffered by the public living near the harbours in Gujarat. Members of our community have had to move away to the nearest locality to save their lives, after having totally lost their possessions. The reports received do not indicate any loss of life in our community.The World Federation requested the Council of Gujarat to embark upon a relief programme so that the affected families can be provided with necessary supplies to assist them to be rehabilitated.
The World Federation estimated that this emergency relief exercise would require about Indian Rupees 500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand). Members of the community are requested to assist our brethren living in Gujarat.
AIDS in Pakistan - moment of truth
Medical experts, worried about the growing incidence of AIDS in Pakistan, disclosed at a seminar held in August, 1998 in Rawalpindi that over 800 victims of the fatal disease have been detected in the country while the number of HIV virus carriers has increased to 50,000.The deadly disease has been insidiously making inroads into the country, infecting the unwary and claiming more and more lives over the past few years.
Many undetected AIDS cases are believed to exist in far-off areas where, because of poverty and lack of awareness, people are particularly vulnerable.
The unity of the Ummah and the necessity of the Qur’an was reaffirmed by delegates who came from all over the world. The Congress was held in the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Conference Centre, an impressive hall with excellent facilities. Last year, foreign ministers of Muslim countries had met in the same Centre in preparation for the OIC summit.
Repeatedly, speakers—both Shias and Sunnis—reaffirmed their commitment to Islamic unity and warned against the plots of the enemies of Islam. Attendees included ulama, muftis, scholars, teachers, students and Islamic activists and among those who participated were Muslims from Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenstan, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Western Europe, Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, North America, Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.
As is customary at such Conferences, a large number of speakers were
accommodated. This necessitated limiting each speaker to 10 minutes although a few were
allowed to speak longer. The inaugural address was delivered by former President Hashemi
Rafsanjani, who now heads the Expediency Council. He welcomed delegates and talked about
the fitrah of man which he said has been created pure by Allah (swt). This was a
reference to the Qur’anic verse (30:30), which states that there is no
altering of the [pure] nature in which Allah (swt) has created human beings.
In his remarks on the last day of the Conference, Ayatullah Muhammad Ali Taskhiri, head of the Organisation for Islamic Culture and Communication in the office of the Rahbar, also drew attention to this. He reiterated what the Rahbar, Ayatullah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had said earlier on the issue of the Judaisation of al-Quds by the zionists. He also referred to the address by President Mohammed Khatami who had stressed on the importance of the Majma-e Taqrib Conferences. He concluded by emphasising that "Islam has all the features which fulfil the needs of humanity."
Earlier Ayatullah Taskhiri's paper on the first day about ‘Balance, leniency and ethics in Islam’ drew much interest. Other speakers not only talked about the importance of Muslim unity but also highlighted some of the problems faced by Muslims in their societies. In the morning session of the first day, speakers included Ahmed Muhamed al-Khalili (Yemen), Shaikh Sabri Coci (Albania), Ayatullah Jafar Subhani (Iran), Dr Yusuf Kettani (Morocco), Shaikh Ali Shay (Kenya), Shaikh Yaqub Ismi (Philippines), Shaikh Ahmed az-Zain (Lebanon), Dr Abdallah al-Nafisi (Kuwait), Ayatullah Ibrahim Jannati (Iran) and Dr Jibril Aminou (Nigeria).
The afternoon session speakers included Shaikh Habib Khojeh (Saudi Arabia), Maulana Ishaq Madani (Iran), Shaikh Abubakr Siddiq (Bangladesh), Wahba al-Zuhaili (Syria), Ayatullah Ahmed Asifi (Iran), Mufti Shafqu Omar Basic (Croatia), Imam Muhammad al-Asi (US), Allama Sajid Naqvi (Pakistan), Abdullah Azmi (India), Syed Munawwar Hassan (Pakistan), Dr M. Taufik Ashawi (Egypt), Shaikh Mahmoud Siyam (Palestine) and Dr Mustafa Ceric (Bosnia).
The first day’s session ended after 11 pm. On the second day, the delegates were addressed by the Rahbar on the occasion of the birthday of the noble Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace. In addition to foreign guests hundreds of Iranians were also present.
When the formal session resumed in the late afternoon, Ayatullah Baqir al-Hakim addressed the issue of the crimes by the Iraqi regime against innocent people. Other speakers included Ustad Fadhil Noor (Malaysia), Ayatullah Amid Zanjani (Iran), Mufti Hamdi Yusuf (Belgrade), Omar Madani (Jordan), Nooru Musa Habib (Ethiopia), Shaikh Hussain Gabries (Lebanon), Shaikh Abdur Rahman Mullahzehi (Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran), Sister Safynaz Kazem (Egypt), Zafar Bangash (Canada), Professor Mukashifi Taha Qabashi (Sudan), Dr Abdul Aziz al-Tuwaijari (head of ISESCO), Dr Anissa Abdul-Fattah (US), Shaikh Nur Baba Nuri (Sulaimaniya, Iraq), Hasan Abdul Karim (Nigeria), Dr Amel al-Bayati (Iraq), Professor Vaezi (Afghanistan) and Shaikh Abdul Razak Rahbar (Turkmenstan).
Informal sessions that followed enabled participants to meet and greet each other and to exchange views. This year, there was a strong presence of Muslims from Europe, especially those parts which face a direct threat to their very survival like Bosnia, Kosova, Albania and Serbia. A plea by the Mufti of Belgrade to establish an Islamic army in defence of Muslim minorities, though appreciated, was considered impractical. Similarly calls by some delegates to establish an Islamic common market to enhance economic co-operation between Muslim countries were discussed but it was deemed that more time is required for this to materialize.
Delegates were urged to convey the message of unity to their respective communities and to eliminate misunderstandings between different madhahibs in Islam. It was also proposed that branches of Majma-e Taqrib be established in other parts of the world.
The first Islamic Website on Imam-e- Zamana (A.T.F.S.) has been launched on the Internet. The name of the Site is AL-MUNTAZAR Islamic Web Centre and can be accessed at http://members.xoom.com/almuntazar
The various topics included in the site include: :
1) Articles on Imame Zamana (A.T.F.S.)
2) Duas & Ziyarat of Imame Zamana a.s. (including Ziyarat-e-Nahiya, Doa-E-Ahad, Doa-E-Faraj, etc.). All the duas are in arabic.
3) A very good section which was not earlier available on the net is of TABARRA (audio).
4) Islamic mutimedia (including photos & Calligraphies).
5) Some important traditions from the Usool-E-Kafi book.
6) Islamic Wallpapers & Screen Savers.
Previously the site had some links which were not working but these have been subsequently corrected and the site has also been updated.
HOLY QUR'AN FROM UNDER THE ASHES
A copy of the Holy Qur’an which was believed to have been burnt in flames that destroyed a Mosque in the Philippines 22 years ago, was retrieved intact from under a layers of ashes.According to a despatch carried by the German News Agency, DPA, a Filipino army commander was quoted as saying that the 400 year old copy of the Holy Qur’an was in the possession of a Mosque in a Muslim populated town near Manila, which caught fire and sustained heavy damages 22 years ago during clashes between Government forces and Muslims.
It said that three days after the discovery, army Major, Ramo Arseno found the Holy Qur’an unburnt and surprisingly unscathed.
The document to have the two holidays recognized was proposed by about 100 non-aligned countries and China. During the committee session, Qatar’s ambassador, Nasser Bin Hamad al-Khalifa, argued that more than a third of UN Members and more than a billion people worldwide subscribed to the tenets of Islam. The Syrian representative also pointed out that the UN recognizes other religious holidays.
Reuters reports that US Ambassador, Bill Richardson told the Assembly, "We remain deeply concerned that the current decision to make mandatory the observance of two religious holidays at all UN duty stations is not in conformity with the secular nature of the United Nations.’’ He also opposed increasing the total number of holidays to 10 for UN staff, saying it did not bode well for the efficiency of the organization. "The perception alone of such a move is contrary to reform,’’ he said.
In 1997, about 3.4 million qualified entries were received during the one-month application period. The mail-in period will be from noon on Thursday, October 1, 1998, through noon on Saturday, October 31, 1998.
The countries likely to be declared ineligible for the lottery visas for the year 2000, are: China (mainland and Taiwan), India, Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Poland, UK and dependent territories, Canada, Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica, El Salvador, Colombia and Dominican Republic.
Officials said the criteria for eligibility of a country was the number of normal immigrants coming to the US from that country and those with 50,000 immigrants annually were barred from participating in the lottery.
The visas will be apportioned among six geographic regions. A greater number of visas will go to those regions that have lower immigration rates. There is a limit of 3,500 visas to any one country.
Officials said an entrant into the lottery must be a native of a qualifying country. He or she must also have either a high school education or its equivalent, or in the past five years should have two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.
There is no initial application fee or special application form to enter. Applications must be typed or clearly printed in English on a sheet of plain paper and must include the applicant’s full name; date and place of birth for both the applicant and for the spouse or any minor children who might also wish to immigrate; the applicant’s mailing address and, if possible, a telephone number; the applicant’s native country if it differs from the country of birth; a recent (preferably less than 6 months old) photograph (1-1/2 inches by 1-1/2 inches) of the principal applicant with the applicant’s name printed across the back of the photograph.
The applications have to be mailed to a US address that will be provided.
The World Federation has been calculating the time and place of moon sighting since 1987 and has then declared a new month AFTER the sighting has been confirmed.
The two day tournament featured five teams from Allentown, Challengers ‘A’, Challengers ‘B’, Allentown Union ‘A’, Allentown Union ‘B’, and Young Muslims and three teams from New York, Union Islanders ‘A’, Union Islanders ‘B’, and Union Islanders Juniors, a team comprising of young brave kids. Three teams came from Canada, namely United Stars, Jafferies Stars ‘A’ and Jafferies Stars ‘B’.
One could feel the excitement, the anxiety and joy in the massive compound at all times. New faces were everywhere. The tournament saw the return of some old faces such as ever-popular Najaf Dhirani of New York Union Islanders ‘A’. The weather was good, the food was excellent, the event challenging and the people very nice.
Orlando Union, which had hosted the first ever tournament in Orlando back in December, participated for the first time in Allentown. However, most of the players representing Orlando were not new to the surroundings. In fact, three players, Riyaaz Jivraj, Raza Dhanji and Sajjad Dewji, were members of the victorious New York Union Islanders last Easter when they won the championship in New York. The captain of Orlando team was a veteran but one of the most popular players in North America, Shabbir (Johnny) Bhojani. The team also comprised of former secretary of New York Union Islanders, the always exciting, Mustafa Jacksi. Faisal Virjee played after thirteen years of absence while Sikander (Chiku) Kermali, who until last year played for the New York Union Islanders juniors, made his debut with the big boys! Abbas Virjee, Raza Meghji and Murtaza Rahim were over whelmed as they participated for the first time.
Last year’s Easter champions, New York Union Islanders had different players from their last year’s championship side. Gone were Riyaaz Jivraj, Raza Dhanji, Sajjad Khimji and Sajjad Dewji. Their replacements were Najaf Dhirani, Mohamed Kermali and Shabbar Fazel. This team was as good as last year’s. With Najaf Dhirani, Fayaz Dewji and Aliraza Manekia at the back and Sajjad Juma, Mohamedraza Kermali (Kabana), Shabbar Fazel and Fuad Jacksi in the front, this team was one of the favorites to win the tournament. Mohamed Kermali played in net center, a position currently dominated by youngsters. However, he proved that age has not caught up with him as he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the tournament.
Other favorites to win the tournament were Jafferies Stars ‘A’ who had G. G. Merali brothers, Muna and Mehboob; Jafferies Stars ‘B’ who had Hussein Rai and Hasnain G. G. Merali, Allentown Union, who had one of the top players in Mohamed Bhanji, and Allentown Challengers with Kausar and Sameer Hirji.
The two of the best and most exciting games of the tournament were the semi finals. New York Union Islanders ‘A’ beat Allentown Union while Jafferies Stars ‘A’ beat their younger team Jafferies Stars ‘B’ in the other semis. Both these games were long, exciting and tense. At one point some players also lost their cool and tempers flared due to the intensity of the game. However, no love was lost and the integrity of the game remained. In the finals, Jafferies Stars ‘A’ beat arch-rivals Union Islanders ‘A’ in a hard fought battle that avenged their last year’s defeat.
The tournament was a great success once again and there were bonds of friendship as participants bode farewell after the presentation ceremony and dinner. In August, United Stars are expected to host their tournament in Toronto. And who knows maybe Union Sports Club will host their tournament later this year in the sunshine city of Orlando.
The report covered the following :
Dhakir's Seminar
The first Dhakir Seminar was held in Toronto by the Islamic Shia Ithna-asheri Jamaat of Toronto in Nov 1987. Since then several have been held in different regions to discuss issues related to those regions. The last seminar was held on 14 March, 1998 at Birmingham, UK. This seminar was chaired by Mulla Asgharali M M Jaffer.
The papers presented in the seminar can be seen on the World Federation Internet site. All the attending Dhakirs/Dhakiras were presented with a Dhakir's Compendium containing the method of reciting Namaz-e-Mayyit, Talqeen and the Khutbas of Namaz-e-Juma. This was to help Dhakirs who assume the role of Resident Aalim in guest Jamaats.
Budding Dhakirs
To encourage the training of children to become Dhakirs, the Islamic Education Board has published 6 books containing a total of 78 short Majalis. These have been produced in draft form and a feed back is awaited from Jamaats for further development of the project.
Madrasa
In conjunction with the Council of European Jamaats, the IEB organised a meeting of Principals of all UK Madrasas on Sunday 26th April 1998 at the premises of IEB, Dar al Tableegh.
Principals and a few individuals whose contribution to the institution of Madrasa is renowned were invited. 15 people attended and the meeting was facilitated by Brother Yaseen Rahim.
The purpose of the meeting was to exchange ideas and experience, enable learning and networking and avoid duplication of efforts. The IEB also wanted to hear from the Principals what support they needed in their challenging task of making the institution successful.
The above is but a brief list of the fields in which Principals of Madaris in UK need assistance. The Principals expressed their willingness to help in any way they can to fulfil these proposals. The IEB is meanwhile studying all the above proposals.
The Council of European Jamaats has carried out some work on the issue of common examinations. A paper had been presented to the Principals and together, the IEB and COEJ are now working to translate the recommendations presented in the paper so that they can be implemented.
It was also pointed out that Mustafa Jaffer who visited New York for the Ashra of Muharram met the Madrasa teachers there on 2 May, 1998. The meeting was chaired by Haiderbhai Ladha, the representative of IEB NASIMCO in New York. Among other things, the teachers voiced out the problems they face in New York. The main problem highlighted in the meeting was the lack of proper resources and personnel in teaching. The IEB has promised to extend assistance.
Bosnia
During the course of the last six months, 2 issues of Muslimanski Zivot, a quarterly in Bosnian language published by the IEB was printed and distributed. Moreover 1000 copies of Sahifa-e-Sajjadiyya in Bosnian language purchased by the IEB from Bosnia were distributed selectively among the Bosnian Mumineen worldwide who are in contact with the IEB.
Haji Semiz Seper Abdullah, the brother in charge of the Bosnian desk, visited Bosnia during this period. He was well received by the indigenous Shias in Bosnia. His report can be found on the World Federation Internet site in which he has commented on the state of the local Shias. They need continuous support by way of Islamic literature in Bosnian language. The form of Islam practiced even by the Shias has been distorted with their cultural practices being misconstrued as Islamic ones. Haji Semiz is in contact with them and is arranging to send literature regularly.
Multifaith & Interfaith
The Islamic Education Board has always been a recognised participant in all Interfaith activities. Through the co-operation of Al Haj G.D. Musa of Gloucester and more recently, Brother Yaseen Rahim, the IEB has stretched its representation.
The University of Derby recently launched a Multifaith Net which is in actual fact, Interfaith network on cyberspace. The site is at http://www.multifaithnet.org/ and the IEB has been appointed as a consultant of the Islamic faith in the network.
The organisers requested for names from our community who would be willing to take part on theRadio 2 or World Service 'Pause for Thought' Programme.
Insight Magazine
The IEB has launched a new magazine, 'The Insight'. This is a forum of the IEB to facilitate discussion on issues that concern the community and Islamic education. The first issue was launched in Muharram 1419 and the theme of the issue was 'Dhakiri'. The magazine has been posted to all Jamaats worldwide and has also been sent to Madrasas and Dhakirs. Anybody interested in reading the magazine can access it from the World Federation Internet site.
The term 1997-2000
The present term of 1997-2000 has been dedicated for the Islamic Education Board by the Triennial Conference of October 1997. The IEB has published a booklet on this topic and distributed 4000 copies to households worldwide. The appeal is for the cost of a loaf of bread a day (Canadian dollars 180 per year) to be spent by each member of the Community on Tableegh work. It is hoped that Mumineen will respond to this appeal so that Tableegh work can be advanced further.
Iran defends
Press freedom Iran's moderate government of President Mohammad Khatami is determined to protect the freedom of press and expression in the Islamic Republic, Culture Minister Ayatollah Mohajerani recently pledged.He told a press conference during the Fifth Press Fair held in Tehran, "We defend all publications which perform within the law."
Since taking over as Culture Minister last August, Mohajerani has relaxed restrictions on the press and has allowed a record number of independent publications to run.
Hardline conservatives have however expressed fear that this liberty will undermine fundamental principles of the 1979 revolution and some groups have even attacked newspaper offices they deem anti-Islamic.
Khatami said that he was "worried about methods used by certain groups to defend Islam and the revolution."
He said, "with a negative conception of freedom and democracy, some people want to create an atmosphere of terror. But this will lead to separation of religion from society," he warned.
The press fair is part of the Government's efforts to promote the status of the print media in Iran. About 600 publications of all political tendencies took part in the six day Fair.
A total of 991 newspapers, magazines and periodicals are published in Iran and the deputy Culture Minister, Ahmad Burqani, a former journalist with the official IRNA news agency said that the Government sought to increase the number of publications.
He said,"UNESCO estimates that a country like ours should produce six million copies of newspapers a day, while we are only publishing around 2.4 million copies."
The scheme has been in existence since 1981. As time goes by, more and more students are entering Universities. To date, 90 young men and women, Sadats and Non-sadats, have qualified and are now earning their own living, supporting their families, as well as serving their local communities. Another 207 are currently studying. The table below gives details of what these young men and women have chosen to pursue to enhance their careers.
Until recently these students were supported from surplus funds of the Zainabiya scheme. As the numbers increased, the financial burden on Zainabiya became very onerous. Zainabiya therefore evolved and launched an Undergraduates Sponsorship Programme. Through this Program, for £500 (Can $1000; US $ 800), one can support a student in University for one academic year. One has a choice of committing support to a time between 2 and 4 years.
A glance at the table below shows that sponsors' support is bearing fruit.
Undergraduates and Graduates of ZCSS as at 31st May, 1998 |
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Undergraduates (207) |
Graduates (90) |
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| Male | Female | Sadat | Non Sadat | Male | Female | Sadat | Non Sadat | ||||||||
| Aalim | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Architecture | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | |||||||
| BSc/MSc | 21 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |||||||
| Chartered Accountancy | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 1 | |||||||
| Commerce | 12 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | |||||||
| Dentistry | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Computer Science | 15 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 12 | |||||||
| Education (BEd, M Ed) PHB | 44 | 26 | 54 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 3 | |||||||
| Engineering-Automobile | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Aviation | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Civil | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |||||||
| Electrical | 3 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | |||||||
| Electronics | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | |||||||
| Mechanical | 18 | - | 13 | 5 | 6 | - | 4 | 2 | |||||||
| Television | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | |||||||
| Hotel Management | 4 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Fashion | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | |||||||
| Law | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Medicine (MBBS) | 13 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 5 | |||||||
| Pharmacy | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | |||||||
| Physiotherapy | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Total | 158 | 49 | 127 | 80 | 67 | 23 | 46 | 44 | |||||||
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JIBA Ontario Chapter launches its own Web Page
JIBA's Ontario Chapter have now got their own Website on the Internet which is accessible on http://members.xoom.com/JIBA.The site, designed by Shabbir Mohamed, contains a wealth of details about JIBA's Ontario Chapter. It is also planned to include the proposed JIBA newsletter on this site.
Iran protests to film
Iran filed a protest note with the French embassy in Teheran over an anti-Iran film aired on French television and demanded an official apology, the official Iranian News Agency Irna reported.A statement by Iran’s Islamic Human Rights Commission said, "the move was detrimental to the morale of the Iranian soccer players in the World Cup games, and we demand that France punishes the parties responsible for the episode" — and furthermore demanded an official apology to the Iranian athletes and nation over the incident.
"The emphasis given to sports internationally is an instrument of enhancing understanding and compassion in the world, but the behaviour by some countries contradicts their claim of subscribing to these slogans and this is totally unacceptable," the protest note said.
"The move constituted a violation of Iranians’ rights besides (being an) insult to the sanctities of Muslims and the Iranian nation’s traditions," the statement further said. It added that the movie, Not without my daughter presented a backward image of Teheran.
Irna further reported that the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mohsen Safaie Farahani, and members of the Iranian national soccer team had earlier handed a protest note to the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the World Cup organising committee over the incident.
FIFA however responded by saying that the airing of the film was not within its scope of activities and that it did not have the authority to intervene in such issues.
Iran's World Cup Coach...and putting religion before sports
On Wednesday 17 June, 1998 during a press conference held at Yssingeaux, Jalal Talebi, Iran's football team coach was the focus point of questions asked by American journalists. The questions mainly concerned his life in the USA.Jalal Talebi said that he has three sons. The youngest, 17, is still at school. The eldest, 25, is a university art student. Both live with their mother in the USA. In this friendly atmosphere, Talebi said that he had a peaceful and comfortable life in California.
A Persian dinner specially organised for the Iranian delegation by M.Barot, Mayor of Yssingeaux, prolonged the pleasant evening. He was accompanied by the Prefect and the under-Prefect of the Haute-Loire, as well as 700 other guests, mostly Iranian.
The players and their executives were able to taste a dozen specialities from their country prepared by an Iranian chef, with the help of three French cooks. These young sportsmen were able to relax in spite of the World Cup tension. As a gesture of appreciation, a national team shirt was given to the organisers of the evening, who had also arranged a projection of slides showing the main Iranian tourist sites with some traditional Iranian back ground music.
Iran’s preparations took a unique turn when on one day, players held a three-hour religious mourning ceremony to mark the death of Prophet Muhammad (saw). Players beat their chests and wept in a ritual that ended around midnight, about the same time that some 200 English fans were causing trouble in Marseille. This was at a time many teams were getting a good night’s sleep before their forthcoming games.
Meanwhile Iran's Coach, Talebi resigned from his post in mid August, 1998 saying that this was due to "family reasons." He will however continue to be the technical advisor of the team. He was a member of Iran's national soccer team in the early 1960s and then coached club sides in Iran, the UAE and Singapore as well as the Indonesia Olympics team in 1996.
In the World Cup, Iran impressed many observers by losing narrowly 1-0 to Yugoslavia and 2-0 to Germany after they beat the United States 2-1.
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami’s liberal outlook and his desire to normalise relations with the US are well known. Washington’s recent decision exempting European companies dealing with Iran from the sanctions mandated by congressional legislation indicates that it is willing to recognise how counter productive its approach of ‘containment’ has been. It is likely that the slight softening implicit in Albright’s speech is a response to the new situation created in West Asia by South Asia’s recent nuclearisation. The warm support Pakistan’s nuclear tests commanded among the Arab states has alerted Washington . Though it is foolish to think of Chagai in terms of an ‘Islamic Bomb’, it is clear that Israel’s nuclear dominance over the entire region has ended. Washington knows it can no longer act in the old way.
Given its suspicions about Iran’s nuclear ambitions — and its failure to detect the preparations for the Indian tests — the Clinton administration is realising the folly of trying to isolate Iran. With Chinese long-range missiles in Saudi Arabia and Chinese-assisted nuclear weapons in Pakistan, Iran is bound to feel extremely vulnerable. Despite the Clinton administration’s permissiveness towards Chinese proliferation activities, there are influential sections in the US foreign policy and intelligence establishment which consider China’s policies to be aimed at countering Washington’s influence in the West Asian and Gulf region. One way for the US to attenuate the impact of China’s power projection is to normalise relations with Iran. Iran is the shortest export route for Central Asian energy resources and the US may now be inclined to reconsider whether the pipeline from Central Asia to the Sindh-Baluchistan coast is in its best interest, given the China-Pakistan nuclear axis.
Objectively speaking, a nuclear Pakistan backed by China poses more problems to the US than a nuclear India or an unfriendly Iran. No doubt in the short run the US may not want to annoy Pakistan since the latter can always threaten to proliferate nuclear weapons. However, in the longer run, the US will find it has no alternative but to cultivate ties with Iran. Certainly its attempt to isolate the country will prove counterproductive. The present divide between ‘radicals’ and ‘moderates’ — exemplified by the trial of Teheran’s mayor and the impeachment of interior minister Abdollah Nouri — has more to do with internal liberalisation than external relations. If the US sheds its fundamentalist anti-Iran policy, major sections of Iranian society are likely to respond positively.
On the internet.....
Iran has for the first time put majlis, nawha (‘nawhe’), taziya,history,etc. pertaining to the Kerbala Epic on the Net. It is accessible through Netiran.com and also directly through www.irna.com/ashura.Price: CDN $5 plus postage for CANADA
All others— US $4 plus postage
Available from Mihrab Publishers, Tayyiba Publishers or O.A.I.K. & H.S.
Cheque are payable to:
O.A.I.K. & H.S.
P. O. Box 786
Station H
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 2M7
Canada
E-mail: hmavani@nls.net
This booklet is an English translation of a Persian monograph on Islamic medical ethics that was composed on the basis of the rulings (fatawa) of three eminent jurists, namely, Ayatullah Khumayni, Ayatullah Gulpaygani and Ayatullah Araki. It examines many issues that have been raised in the scientific community on account of rapid advancements in the field of bio-technology. Issues such as doctor-patient relationship, liability, professional fees, euthanasia, organ transplantation, sex change, abortion, surrogate motherhood, autopsy, experimentation, blood transfusion, and dentistry are among the many subjects dealt in the booklet. It is an authoritative guide and easy to read. It is useful even for those who are in the taqlid of other mujtahids as there is generally a consensus among the jurists on these issues.
The domestic aspect of the problem of drug menace is most disturbing. It is true that the country is not wanting in laws against drug-related offences. Yet the menace is spreading, testifying to the fact that laws are not being enforced strictly while publicity on the dangers of drug abuse are inadequate --- it is necessary to drum into the ears of the people the colossal damage drug abuse causes the nation. The most disturbing fact is that the majority of the country’s addicts are under 35 years of age which should be a matter of serious concern to leaders and administrators.
Pakistan cannot let the youth who are the bloom of the population to wilt under the pernicious influence of narcotics. Not only there should be adequate number of rehabilitation centres for those who wish to come out of the evil influence, there should also be enough effort to dissuade people, especially those who are likely to be more prone to fall under the influence, through extensive and effective propaganda by all possible means. What is needed is a well thought out and well executed campaign to raise the people’s awareness about the problem. To be effective and useful, such campaigns should be sustained and should be relentless. However as things stand now, one is pained to note the absence of even a sustained campaign on the audio-visual media against drugs abuse.
IEB and NASIMCO initiate unique lecture facilities for Madrasahs
The Islamic Education Board and NASIMCO have initiated a series of lectures and workshops targeted to all Madrasah personnel, youths and the community at large that can be held at any location.This pilot project has been initiated after several requests and suggestions by members who have attended these courses and found them very useful. Those who have previously participated are convinced that the lectures and workshops should be made available because of the immense benefits they offer.
These experienced presenters have graciously agreed to conduct their popular lectures and workshops on a voluntary basis, upon request.
All the courses are geared towards Madrasah Personnel: Principals, Administrators, Teachers, and Volunteers. Some are also suitable for parents, youths and the community at large.
The host community is expected to arrange for fares and accommodations of the presenter(s). The volunteering Presenters do not expect to be paid .
The program began with the opening chapter of the Holy Qur’an, Sura Al Fateha recited in Arabic by Naushad Khakoo and subsequently translated in English by Emil Ali. The next 20 minutes were spent viewing an edited version of the tape "Introduction to Islam".
Syed Mustafa Qazwini spoke for about 20 minutes on the significance of the sacrifice of Imam Husein and how that event, which occurred only 50 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W., shaped the future of Islam. He talked about the freedom to practice religion, which we enjoy in America and the erosion of morality in our society.
Brother Hassanain also spoke for 20 minutes on the actions we Muslims should take in our daily lives. The message of Imam Husein a.s. should not be ignored and the essence of his martyrdom is the fact that when falsehood battles with truth, truth always prevails.
The Master of Ceremonies, Hasnain Khaku, then introduced the Mayor of
Pico Rivera, Garth Gardener, who expressed his pleasure at attending our meeting and
offered the services of his office at any time. He assured us that his office would always
uphold the two guarantees in the American constitution, namely the separation of Church
and State, and the freedom to
express religion.
Iqbal Somji, President of Los Angeles Jamaat, presented the Mayor with a copy of the Holy Qur’an in English and a copy of the "Introduction to Islam" video tape. The audience was given about 10 minutes to ask questions pertaining to the topics of the day and the program concluded with the Ziyarat of the Prophet and his holy progeny recited in English by Alijawad Kermalli.
Dinner was served in the lawn at about 6:30 p.m. under the clear skies of Southern California. The members of our community had the opportunity to mingle and acquaint each other with our guests.
This is the first time in Los Angeles, where the Husein Day program was entirely in English. Over 100 invitations were delivered door to door to our non Muslim neighbours in the area surrounding our Imambara in Pico Rivera.
An essay competition based on the proceedings was organized by Dr. Murtadha Khakoo, Principal, Huseini Madressah and Br. Khalil Dewji. The competition was divided into three age groups with prizes earmarked for the winners. Generally the Husein Day program was extremely successful and was funded in its entirety with the help of our community members.
The daughter of Mazaher and Fatima Habib, Zohra plans to attend the University of South California and pursue a career in pharmacy.
In her essay she wrote:
"Democracy. What democracy? Democracy is the form of government in which a substantial portion of the citizenry directly or indirectly participate in ruling the state. The term democracy is derived from the Greek word demos (the people) and kratia (rule). The first forms of democratic government developed in the Greek city-state during the sixth century B.C. Democracy has attracted support from the time of ancient Greece until today because it represents an ideal justice as well as a form of government.
Being a US citizen and living in this great country, quite frankly, I have not given serious thought to the word "democracy" until now even though I live in the midst of the world's best democratic country and enjoy its fruits in every walk of my life. In this great country of ours, I have the complete freedom to choose where I live, what school I wish to attend, what friends I want, what clothes I want to wear, what kind of books I want to read, who I want to vote for (that is when I am eligible to vote) and above all, what I want to be when I grow up. These are some of the fruits of democracy I enjoy and whose provisions are guaranteed and safeguarded by our Constitution and included in our famous "Bill of Rights."
On the other hand, this word democracy and its benefits are either unknown or a complete anathema to citizens in those dictatorial, military or communist regimes like Zaire, Algeria, North Korea and many others. How very fortunate we are to be living in this country.
I have friends and relatives living in different parts of the world like Africa, Latin America and South East Asia where in many countries the only "rights" the citizens have are "no rights at all." Might is right and numerous volumes of citizens are made to succumb to the dictators who kill and loot their country's wealth and heritage for personal gain.Contemporary history has a record of brutal dictators like Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Mobutu and Sadam Hussein.
It is inconceivable to imagine how we in the western hemisphere, in countries like the United States, Canada, England, Germany and Japan, live in such abundance of freedom and economic splendour while our brothers and sisters exist in such "brutal and squalid conditions.' Like when we go to school, a nutritious lunch is given to the children while the children from third world countries are roaming the streets looking in garbage cans for food to eat. Hearing, reading and seeing tales of human atrocities commited on fellow human beings in places like Bosnia, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, Cambodia and other places makes it even more imperative that the civilised democratic nations utilise all their combined might, especially their economic might, to ensure that certain freedom such as human rights must be observed.
Free and fair elections must be held and finally the light of freedom and democracy should be spread all over the world. It is not impossible to achieve this goal. Single voices and collective aspirations like those of Nelson Mandela proved this possibility in South Africa.
Wouldn't it be a much better place if the sun were to rise and shine on happy smiling faces of children rather than on sad tear-stained ones? It can be achieved ---through the power of democracy. Democracy is not a destination, it is a journey; an all humans have a right to travel this journey."
Iranian team conquers Mount Everest....saves two lives
On June 16, 1998 President Mohammad Khatami of Iran honoured a 17-man Iranian team which reached the world’s highest summit, Mount Everest on May 20 this year.
In a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Iranian Mountaineering Federation and members of the team who conquered the 8,848 metre high peak, President Khatami said that paying due attention to sports is the requirement of a developed community.
He said the government has plans to promote sports in various ways so as to attract and encourage youths who have a good potential to enhance their high talents. He said that those who stepped on to the world’s higest peak were symbols of powerful men as well as the symbol of superiority of man to nature.
He added, "the human power which is superior to that of mountains should be put at the service of humanity. For us, the Muslims, the power should be employed for submission to the Almighty God and for freedom in the face of powers other than God.’’
The President also thanked the Iranian climbers for saving the lives of two other mountaineers who they found stranded on the mountain.
Referring to Iran's role in the World Cup in France, President Khatami said, " for us, victory or failure is normal. The real victory is that the man (sportsmen) do their best.’’
I arrived in Trinidad on May 2. The Azadari of Aba Abdillahil Husayn (a.s.) has already started at our center in Port of Spain. Unfortunately BMMA could not get a suitable lecturer willing to go to Trinidad this time. I continued with the majlises at the center and also visited the various chowks where the tazias are constructed. I could not attend to all the chowks at the same time and therefore had to restrict my talks to a couple of them. Br. Gulam Abbas Jaffer joined me from Orlando.
On Monday morning I was accompanied by Br. Luqman from Barataria mosque at 6.00 a.m. to participate in a morning edition television program which was aired live. This was a very interesting half an hour program and by the Grace of Almighty Allah we managed to cover a lot of ground in educating the public of Trinidad and Tobago on the significance of Azadari and the Hosay Procession in St. James in Trinidad. Another TV program was scheduled at 11.00 a.m. This time I was accompanied by the Emir of Imame Zamana Mission, Br. Karim Ebrahim. This was a live program also and our segment was for seven minutes only. We however took advantage of this situation in promoting the school of Ahlul bayt.
The procession in St. James began on Tuesday night. It began with a Flag Night for Hazrat Abbas (a.s.). The small Hosay Procession came out on Wednesday night and the big Hosay Procession, known as Qatal Ki Raat was on Thursday night. These events started with prayers at around 7.30 p.m. in respective chowks conducted by Sunni mullahs followed by a ten minute talk on the significance of these programs by a representative of BMMA. Niyaz was served (usually was seero which they call ‘malida’) and at around 11.00 p.m. the tazia procession came out from the chowks on the western main road in St. James. The procession continued till around 3.00 a.m. when the tazias returned to their respective chowks. 200 books on Imam Hassan (a.s.) and Imam Husayn (a.s.), 100 books on Islam and 10,000 flyers were distributed by BMMA during these processions.
The majlises and Azadari at the center continued every night and on Thursday, the day of Ashura, we performed the aamal of Aashura at the center, participated in an afternoon procession in San Juan which was organized by our brothers in Barataria, returned to the center for maghribain prayers, recited Dua Kumail and then proceeded to St. James to participate in the procession with the tazia by the St. James and Cocorite Hosay Association. The procession from the center to St. James commenced at 9.00 p.m. This procession arrived at St.James by 9.45 p.m. and we congregated at a Square which was made available to us thanks to the efforts of Br. Hamdu Emamali, the local representative of BMMA in Trinidad and Tobago. This was turning point in the history of Trinidad with Shias clad in black chanting ‘Ya Husayn, Ya Husayn’ and doing maatam at the Square. Then Br. Emamali gave a speech followed by Br. Luqman and finally by Br. Karim Ebrahim. Ziyarat was recited Br. Luqman and then food was served to the participants. For the first time in the history of St. James, sharbat was served to the public. By 11.00 p.m. this program was over and at that point and time the tazias with drums poured out on the street. This event was hosted and financed entirely by Bilal Muslim Mission of Americas.
On Friday morning, Br. Gulam Abbas and I drove to Santa Cruz to the School for the Blind inTrinidad. This was a milestone achieved by BMMA on the humanitarian agenda. Br. Gulam Abbas Jaffer donated the much needed Braille Paper to the school on behalf of BMMA. This gift was received by Miss. Borneo, the CEO of the Trinidad
Association for the Blind. BMMA has promised the school to upgrade their computer equipment and supply them with latest Braille machines for the blind children. BMMA will also supply the Holy Qur'an and other literature in Braille to the school. Donations are welcome for this purpose.
After Jumaa prayers, sharbat was served to the public in the vicinity of the center. Br. Gulam Abbas and I then proceeded to a place called Karbala where the Tazias and the moons had gathered to conduct afternoon prayers there. Again history was made. For the first time in the history of Trinidad, prayers were conducted by a foreigner, a representative of BMMA. This time the prayer was not on the format of Janaza prayers as was previously conducted. It was a simple recitation of the Holy Qur'an and duas for and on behalf of the participants. The whole process was very well received and appreciated by the local Shias and was televised in the evening on a program called ‘Panorama’
Majlises were held at the center in the evening of Saturday and Sunday. The chowks held the ‘tija’ majlis on Sunday afternoon. I could attend only two chowks. Br. Gulam left for George town, Guyana and was scheduled to wait for me there. BMMA donated Islamic calendars, turbas, tasbeehs and prayer mats to the center. All the niyaz for the 12 days of Muharram and other expenses were financed by BMMA. It was noted that computer equipment in the center needs upgrading.
I arrived in Georgetown, Guyana on Monday afternoon and was received at the airport by Br. Muhammad Zanjibari from Linden. I stayed the night in Linden where Br. Zanjibari is running a madressah called Madrassah AsSadiq under the auspices of Tablighate Madaris. BMMA presented Islamic Calendars and other books to Br. Zanjibari. His request for other books will also be met. Br. Gulam Abbas and I proceeded to Berbice on Tuesday afternoon and visited Br. Latif Ali, the President of Pioneer Shia Islamic Association of Guyana at East Kanje where he is running a madressah which is financed completely by BMMA. Maghribain prayers are held daily and all the wafats and birthdays and other
Shia events are also conducted. BMMA hosted one niyaz and presented calendars and other literature including turba and tasbeeh. A computer donated to Pioneer Shia Islamic Organization of Guyana by BMMA was seen to require upgrading.
We were fortunate to be introduced to an organization called Guyana Sad’r Islamic Anjuman who are sympathetic to Shias and deadly against the Wahabbis. This organization gets food and other gifts from the USA Embassy in Guyana for distribution to the needy and has gladly agreed to share these with us. BMMA has coordinated the pick up of the food for onward delivery to Linden and Berbice where they will be distributed to the needy. BMMA is exploring other humanitarian avenues to help the needy in Guyana. Another milestone was thus achieved by BMMA.
The present population of Shias in Trinidad is approximately 350. This includes the Indian and African ethnic Trinidadians. Our center is flourishing. There is still some work to be done. The shops have to be rented to responsible persons so that the income generated could offset the very high utility bills. The vocational training center needs to be equipped and furnished. So is the case with the Walk in Clinic. Informal meetings have been made with various ministry officials including the Minister of Education.
With financial help and assistance BMMA will be able to achieve its targets Inshallah. Guyana is also in desperate need of a Shia center. There are more mosques per capita in Guyana then anywhere in the world. This is in the Guiness book of records but sadly not a single mosque is Shi’te. The Wahabbis have proliferated and millions of dollars are pouring from Saudi Arabia. Their main theme is to stop the commemoration of Prophet's Birthday and denigration and ostracizing the Shias. The former has earned them the wrath of the majority of Sunni brothers and the latter has earned sympathy for our brothers and sisters. BMMA wants to capitalize this situation and proliferate the teachings of Ahlulbayt through the salaam and ta’azeem of Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w.) YOU CAN HELP BMMA HELP OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN GUYANA AND FLY THE FLAG OF PANJATAN THERE. For more information please contact
OR
Clad in a stark back silk chador and flaunting a chunky gold ring on the middle finger of her left hand, 66 year-old Khanum Farideh Mostafavi presented a paper on The Role of Khomeini in Womens' Activities in Society. In her presentation, translated from original Persian into English for the local audience, Mostafavi extolled her father’s appreciation of the crucial role played by women in Iran’s Islamic revolution.
Later, this daughter of Khomeini, who had led the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah of Iran, spoke to the Mumbai press through an interpreter at the Y.B. Chavan Centre.
Recalling her childhood, Mostafavi said, "I was born in Qum, a small town in central Iran not far from Teheran. Ours was a compact family of five children, two sons and three daughters all deeply devoted to Islam. Our father was a warm and sincere man who practised his religious principles with zeal, but he never tried to impose his views on us. As children, we held him in high esteem."
While highlighting the dignity and respect bestowed on women by Islam, she lashed out at the Western media for what she charged was their anti-Islamic stance. "The Western media’s propaganda against Islam betrays their hatred for the religion," she fumed.
She exalted Islam’s liberal and progressive role in Muslim womens' lives, claiming that Iranian women are far more advanced, better educated and dedicated to their families than their counterparts in other Islamic countries. "At the time of marriages, they can lay down certain conditions and they have a legal right to divorce," she stated.
She credited the enhanced status of Iranian women to her late father. "He did not believe in the exploitation of women and treated them with dignity. As a result of his efforts, the women in my country are today as free as men and can make great strides in their respective careers," she observed.
Asked what attributes would define an ideal woman, she retorted, "One who follows her religion with utmost devotion, is highly educated, an exemplary mother and is prepared to go even to the battlefield."
With a Ph.D. in Theology and Islamic Studies and being a lecturer on this subject at Teheran University, Mostafavi is conversant in only the Persian (Farsi) language. She has one daughter. At her brief encounter with the press, she exposed only her face.The Retreat was sponsored by IEB-Nasimco and co-sponsored by the Africa Federation and the Council of European Jamaats which also sent a representative. The Retreat was designed to achieve three objectives:
·
Elicit input for the Curriculum Development Process (CDP).·
Facilitate networking amongst various Madaris.·
Give glimpses of available resources that can be of use readily by the MadarisThe Retreat revealed the Minnesota Jamaat’s skill and professionalism in meticulous planning. The set up and organization were excellent. What was heart warming was that each member of the community was involved and volunteered to do whatever it took, from transporting guests to and fro, preparing and serving snacks and meals, general arrangements, to audio visual equipment set up, in making the Retreat a success. The local cost of the Retreat was borne by the members of the Minnesota Jamaat with their amazing individual contributions of time, effort, and materials. Even the sightseeing tour was sponsored fully by a local community member. All of these were achieved under the seasoned leadership and wise counsel of the President of Anjuman-e-Asghari, Brother Hussein Walji, his Executive Committee, and the commitment, hard work and professional executional abilities of Brother Shabbir Karim and his dedicated team of volunteers.
The Saturday morning session started with an inspiring welcoming remarks from the host Jamaat President, Brother Hussein Walji, who focused on the need to collectively invest in the well being of our future generation. He reiterated the commitment of his Executive Committee and the community members to the cause of our children, of which the excellent facilities of Anjuman-e-Asghari was a testimony. He welcomed the guests to enjoy the Minnesota Jamaat’s hospitality and wished the participants a successful Retreat.
Dr. Liayakatali Takim, Chairman of IEB-Nasimco, followed by inviting the participants not only to fully engage in the CDP but also to provide their continued support to all the projects that IEB-Nasimco has undertaken. He mentioned that the curriculum had been raised as the most pressing issue during his recent visits to all the Nasimco member Jamaat Madaris in North America. Hence, the April Conference in Toronto and this Retreat in Minneapolis focused on the Curriculum Development Process to address some of the issues that were raised.
Dr. Bashir Datoo of Princeton, New Jersey gave an overview of the proceedings. He went on to explain the suggested ten steps in the Curriculum Development Process. To make the process manageable, the initial focus was on two courses, Akhlaq (ethics) and Tarikh (history). The idea is to take the process to the point where the broad outline of the courses are formulated but details may be filled in at a later date. The April Conference in Toronto had done some of the groundwork. The two Saturday workshops were designed to elicit input for the conceptual framework for Akhlaq and Tarikh, while the four Sunday workshops sought input to identify themes and sub-themes that should be folded into the framework. The participants provided a wealth of information and ideas during the workshops. This was truly an attestation to the commitment, caliber and resourcefulness of the participants in these workshops.
The presentations on Saturday afternoon focused on Madresah Resources. The sessions were very educational and were designed to give relevant and useful information that the participants could apply to their own Madresah immediately.
Shaykh Hasnain Kassamali of Vancouver gave an overview of the available texts and distributed handouts. While he encouraged the use of new texts, he cautioned against indiscriminate use of the new texts without adequate review.
Sister Sakina Dewji of Toronto held a session on classroom management. She stressed the positive approach to prevention and intervention of undesirable behavior. She had a very entertaining presentation where she also redefined "give me five" as a call to summon all five senses of students in order to better engage them in the classroom.
Brother Shabbir Yusufali of Minneapolis gave a glimpse of available electronic resources on the Internet, from programs teaching Arabic, to those teaching Quranic recitation and Tajweed. He also made an impressive multimedia lesson presentation on the ahkam of the Pilgrimage of Hajj.
The method of efficiently organizing a library was presented by Sister Kaniz Sumar of Toronto. She presented elements necessary to set up a good library, including issues of physical set up, classification, operating procedures and rules and regulations. She is also working to identify software to automate library functions. Once tested, she plans to make the findings available to all those interested. Sister Sumar has been involved with the Jafferi Islamic Center Library in Toronto since its inception.
The keynote speaker on Saturday night, Dr. Muhsin Alidina of New York, made a brilliant presentation that was enlightening, witty, and at the same time challenged all to think afresh and consider a paradigm shift. After elaborating on various terminology and processes of curriculum versus syllabus development, he went on to tease the audience with his contention that we should be bold enough to look at some successful models of secular and other religious education and selectively adopt some of the relevant methodologies and tools in our Madaris. His talk was as enjoyable and educational as it was thought provoking.
The Council of European Jamaat’s representative, Sister Marziya Panju, a teacher by profession in England, brought a fresh perspective on considering the learner in the process of curriculum development. Her perspective emphasized the latent desire in children to learn, stressing that teachers should educate with a view to kindle the fire of learning in our children rather than forcefully try to instill it. This process requires that we listen and hear the children more intently in order to understand their current position, thus enabling us to take them to where we want them to be emotionally and intellectually.
Sunday morning was spent in the workshop, where the participants spoke on the themes and sub-themes for Akhlaq and Tarikh frameworks that had been discussed the previous day. The workshops were moderated by Shaykh Hasnain Kassamali, Brother Hamid Mavani of Akron (Ohio), Dr. Muhsin Alidina and Dr. Bashir Datoo. The afternoon saw the high spirited delegates embark on a sightseeing tour of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The tour was arranged and sponsored entirely by the Minnesota Jamaat. It was a time for socializing and networking, a relaxed and fun afternoon.
The Sunday night program was open to the entire community and commenced with the recognition of Brother Hussein Walji, President of Minnesota Jamaat. Dr. Ansar Ahmed, a member of the Northwest and Hinnepen County Board, presented Brother Hussein Walji with a Social Service Award from the Northwest and Hinnepen counties, for his outstanding services to the community. This award had been officially presented to Brother Hussein Walji at the County Council Chambers two days earlier.
Brother Mujtaba Datoo of Los Angeles, who had in the last two days very ably chaired the sessions, was as usual eloquent as Master of Ceremonies. He drew the analogy of the Curriculum Development Process to that of a farmer replanting the same seeds seasonally, but using new methodologies of weather condition tracking and reporting, innovative planting tools and techniques, and generally modern information to reap improved and healthier crop and yield --- and so it is with our children. We want to sow the same seeds in them to grow into strong Shia Islamic identities, using an updated curriculum that will help them attain the characteristics enumerated in "The Target Profile of a Madresah Graduate", which was previously defined and published by IEB-Nasimco. The community in Minnesota was then apprised of proceedings of the prior two days by Dr. Bashir Datoo.
Brother Sadik Alloo of Los Angeles, the Retreat Coordinator, made the closing remarks where he thanked the Minnesota Jamaat, and the task force members, Shauzab Dinani, Mumtaz Ladak, Batul Najfi, Shabbir Karim, Sakina Dewji, Seyeda Datoo and Nisar Sheraly. Dr. Takim’s leadership and commitment was also applauded. And the support of the Nasimco Executive Committee was obvious with the presence of Brother Gulam Sajan (President), Brother Gulamabbas Khakoo (Vice President), and Brother Asghar Naqvi (Secretary) at the Retreat. The participants and all those who contributed their time and efforts made this Retreat a reality and a very successful one. Aloo also made the call to action and involvement by all the community members who have the ability and the desire to make a difference in the lives of our children.
The Retreat was a resounding success,. All those who attended felt that they had contributed and put their signatures to the Curriculum Development Process. They learnt from the speakers and the various presentations. They networked, met old friends and made new friendships. The Minnesota community left a lasting impression of their professionalism and hospitality. All the objectives set at the outset for the Retreat were met with a sense of satisfaction and most participants wished that the Retreat could have been longer, a sign that they enjoyed themselves. Now we must all play our part.
It was a mixed gathering. On one side of the hall sat the women and on the other the men - there was no partition. There were youth speakers both boys and girls from different communities speaking on the subject. It was a small gathering and informal but the atmosphere was different to any seminar I have ever been to in terms that it was very relaxed and one was never afraid to view one's opinion.
After Shafa'a, there was a discussion on ideas that could be implemented in order to improve the situation of not only Muslim youths but the whole community in general. It was the first time I saw so many youths from different communities sharing what they had in common.
I really enjoyed the seminar - it was of immense educational interest, it was current, there was respect and it was all within the regulations of Islam. To me, it was a step in the right direction. The location was good, the speakers were good, the contributors were good, the hospitality was good and so was the food!
I suppose this was an example where mixed gatherings actually worked. As I think of it now, it was like a talk show on television. We were seated on chairs and the chairman kept running around with a portable microphone in his hand so that we could give our opinions.
The opportunity to meet Muslims from other communities was also helpful and encouraging. It was a forum where we all shared something in common. What did however upset me at the end was when long speeches were made. The contents of the speeches could easily have been shortened. I hope that in future a forum where Muslim youths from different communities can meet is once again organized; this will bring scattered Muslims closer.
Members of Toronto Jamat saw an exhibition display on the various activities of the World Federation, appreciated the insight given on the activities and working of the World Federation and then heard the keynote address from the President of the World Federation Alhaj Mulla Asgharali M M Jaffer.
In his address, the President emphasised that the breadth of activities undertaken by the World Federation can only be undertaken by a young team at the Secretariat and not by one person. The virtue of leadership, he reposed, lies in building confidence and consensus within the team.
The next day, the host - Islamic Shia Ithnaasheri Jamaat of Toronto made arrangements for the Councillors to visit 9000 Bathurst, an expansive 28 acre site where an impressive Al Sadiq Primary School is based. The Councillors were moved by the efforts put in by all concerned in making sure that the school instils Islamic etiquette in our children. The Councillors learned that establishing a school and then running it is a difficult task but it is not impossible when the Community as a whole is moved to appreciate the immense benefit that is accruing to children of the Community.
The Third Meeting of the Executive Council was held on Saturday 20 June, 1998 in the Jaffery Islamic Centre, Bayview where over 200 Councillors, Invitees and Observers attended. Among the attendees were Haji Gulamabbas Sajan - President of Nasimco, Haji Nazir Gulamhussein - President of Toronto Jamaat, Haji Mohamed Jaffer Hasham, Haji Aliraza Rajani, all from Canada. Haji Shakir Mukhi, President of New York Jamat, Haji Habib M Habib, all from the United States of America. Haji Aliraza Lakhani from Karachi represented the Khoja Shia Ithnaasheri Jamat of Karachi. Many Councillors representing member Jamats of Europe were also present. A special visitor to the meeting was the Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, Mr Tony Valerie.
Attendees heard the welcome address from the President of Toronto Jamaat followed by the address from the President of Nasimco. The President of the World Federation then reviewed the immediate past quarter.
Reflecting on the international scene, he informed the attentive audience of the calamities that befell Shia Muslims in Pakistan, earthquake victims in Iran and Afghanistan and affliction within our Community due to cyclone in Western Gujarat. He said the World Federation raised its voice against injustices and provided assistance to victims of natural disasters whereever it could.
Massacres of Muslims in Pakistan has been of concern. He said that the World Federation Secretariat wrote to the Pakistan Embassy demanding that the Government of Pakistan take stern measures against the perpetrators and create conditions to remove sectarian killings.
He said that the World Federation provided financial relief to earthquake victims of Iran and Afghanistan and sent Indian Rupees 325,000 for immediate assistance for members of our Community afflicted by the cyclone in Jamnagar, Lalpur, Malia, Miana, Nawlakhi and Mandvi.
In Gujarat, after a 7 year lapse, he said that the World Federation revived the water programme whereby bore wells are dug in suitable places to benefit our and other communities. The President reported that the Water Purification Project in Alipur had been completed. This provides clean water to our Communities and as a result many diseases previously transmitted from contaminated water will be eradicated.
Finally, the President made an appeal for Islamic Education Board programmes. He reminded the Council that 1997-2000 has been designated as a term for Islamic Education Board. Many projects including publications of books, distribution of books, providing education resources to Madressas, Schools and Universities are undertaken at considerable financial cost. This requires constant funding and he requested the Councillors to make an appeal in their own Community for financial contributions. It was stipulated that £90 per year or 25 pence a day from every individual of our Community would go a long way in ensuring that this work can continue unhindered.
The President of Nasimco, Haji Gulamabbas Sajan, led the delegation of NASIMCO Office Bearers at the Executive Council meeting.
Accounts
The Honorary Treasurer, Haji Ahmed Daya presented the accounts of the period 1 January 1998 to 30 April 1998. Queries were ably dealt with by him and to the satisfaction of the Councillors and Invitees present in the meeting.
Medical Advisory Board
The Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board, Dr Mohamed Taki Walji emphasised the value of screening for our Communities in North America, particularly for Thallasaemia as cousin marriages are common throughout the Community. He informed the Council that in this term, the MAB will be expanding on services already being carried out, so as to benefit the Community even more.
Islamic Education Board
Haji Mustafa Jaffer of IEB informed the Council that IEB will soon embark upon a programme of short Islamic Course for pre-University students. Other activities in the term will include widening of IEB services on the Internet and making available Islamic audio cassettes in Bosnian languages for Bosnian tabligh.
Career Education Training Advisory Board
The Chairman of CETAB, Dr Ahmed Hassam impressed upon the Council that member Jamats and Organisations must promote higher education within the Community, particularly for girls. He assured the Council that career guidance will continue for students so that they can choose the right career.
He further emphasised that our aim must also be to improve the standard of education provided within our Community educational establishments in Toronto, London, Karachi and East Africa.
Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme
The Chairman of Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme, Haji Mohamed Visram elaborated on the need to expand the graduate education scheme which was recently launched. He informed the Council that his team is looking into improving the existing schools built by the World Federation and whether a fee paying school can be a viable proposition in parts of India.
External Liaison Desk
Brother Yasin Rahim of External Liaison Desk presented a paper on Interfaith - An action plan for implementation. The paper if acted upon can go some way towards creating a framework in which we as Muslim minority group in Europe, Canada and United States are able to interact with the wider society.
Karachi
The Council heard Haji Aliraza Lakhani elaborating upon the activities of Karachi Jamat. The Jamat, he said, was registered in 1892 and presently has an infrastructure to cater for the needs of its members in social welfare, health, education and shelter. More needs to be done to economically uplift many members of the Community in Karachi and one way to assist is for businessmen of the Community to invest in Pakistan.
The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the host Jamat - Islamic Ithnaasheri Jamaat of Toronto.
The next meeting will be held in Peterborough, United Kingdom on 10 October 1998.
Publications
Four publications were distributed in Toronto. Copies were also posted to all Jamaats around the world. Further copies can be ordered from the World Federation Secretariat.
The list of books and cassettes available from IEB include:
Our Health in Our Hands - a collection of 9 Health Education Leaflets produced by MAB for our community
Are They Medically Compatible for Marriage? - Proceedings of a Seminar on community health awareness organised by Hyderi Health Sub-committee
Working together at the cost of a loaf of Bread - Report of the World Federation activities for the period October 1997 - May 1998.
DECA is a Club for students interested in business studies. To promote students' interest in business studies and general career skills, DECA organises an annual International Competition in oral and written business skills.
Shazia was the Co-Chairman of the Richmond Hill High School DECA Chapter. To qualify for the Colorado event she obtained first place overall in her category in the Ontario Provincial competition beating several hundred other students and was also first in the regional written competition held prior to this.
With these achievements she qualified to join the Ontario delegation for the finals held in Denver, Colorado where several thousand students from five different countries and many different States within the US participated.
The competition was stiff and Shazia was placed in the 'top twenty' overall position in her category and also achieved a 'top ten' ranking for one of the oral competitions, both of which enabled her to qualify for the final round.
For these achievements she was awarded two medals, being among a few other Canadian students who also obtained medals.
Toronto's Ever Young Seniors....
Toronto's Jaffery Seniors Group, in summer, held one program every two weeks. They went out to places and even took a boat ride on the lake. There was also a trip to Niagara Falls to witness His Creation and experience spirituality. Community seniors enjoy such programmes thoroughly and it is thus planned to stretch these to the autumn season.
Banks that follow sharia, or Islamic law, boasted assets totalling $137 billion in 1996, a year in which they earned $1.7 billion, says Samir Abed Shaikh, who is general secretary of the International Association of Islamic Banks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Most of the leading Islamic banks are located in the Persian Gulf region, where Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corp. in Saudi Arabia tops the list with assets totalling $9 billion. The Islamic banking industry’s assets have been growing at an annual clip of 15% for the past decade. ‘’The progress has been fantastic,’’ says Henry Azzam, chief economist of the National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia.
NO USURY. In addition to banning interest as a form of usury, Islamic banks follow a host of strict rules prohibiting them from earning money from activities that Muslims regard as unclean. The strict code hasn’t stopped Western bankers from entering the fray. Citicorp, for example, set up Citi Islamic Investment Bank in Bahrain in 1996 after serving the market in other forms for 15 years. J.P. Morgan & Co., a long time adviser to some of the Gulf’s Muslim rulers — as well as Deutsche Bank and the Netherlands’ ABN AMRO Bank also have Islamic units.
Islamic banking took off during the mid-1970s when a surge in world oil prices poured billions of dollars into the coffers of the oil-producing Gulf states. Even before that, the independence that many Muslim countries gained in the 1960s reawakened an interest in Islamic heritage. Today, however, Islamic banking is tapping a new demographic reality. Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion. At the same time, more Muslims in Europe and the USA want financial services that reflect their religious beliefs. That’s why some Islamic banks have set up shop not only in Europe but also in the USA. And with many Western-style lenders across Asia on the verge of collapse, some observers believe that Islamic banking may gain a foothold in the region, especially among the largely Muslim population in Indonesia. ‘‘These people want their own identity as Muslims, including financing,’’ says Shaikh.
In recent years, Iran, Sudan, and Pakistan have banned traditional commercial banking and adopted Islamic banking models. Islamic countries’ regulators also have moved to adopt common international standards for the industry, co- ordinated by a legal academy in Saudi Arabia.
Islamic banks are governed by reams o