Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

www.islamkenya.org

Editorial: Act on Uhuru's

The great women behind
registration directive Page 2
the great men
Page 4

Issue No. 620

Parents urged to educate

girls
Page 7

Friday Bulletin
The

The Weekly Muslim News Update

Contain insecurity in NEP leaders

tell govt
Leaders from North Eastern have asked the government to contain the
mounting insecurity in the
region.
The call followed the
deadly attack last Friday
which targeted a convoy
of Mandera governor Ali
Roba.
The governor escaped
unhurt after his convoy was hit by a rocket
propelled grenade but
claimed the lives of three
people and left several
others injured. The Somalia militant group Al
Shabbab claimed responsibility.
In another attack on Sunday night, one person was
killed and three injured by
unknown gunmen igniting
stronger calls from local
leaders for immediate action from the government
to contain the rising incidences of insecurity.
Following the attack, the
fifth attempt on his life,
governor Roba lamented
that his security was not
being taken seriously by
the national government
and his efforts to serve
the county have being
frustrated by inaction
from the government to
tame insecurity.
I dont know if the government is waiting for
me to die before taking
my security seriously.
The government has a
responsibility to protect
the whole country and I
wonder whether Mandera
is in Kenya or another
country, he said.

Nairobi Jamia Mosque Imam Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu hands over clothes to residents of kyambeke
village, near Nunguni in Makueni county. The Sheikh was among a team who visited the area on a fact
finding mission on the situation of the nascent Muslim community in the area. The mosque (INSET)
is housed in rented premises and the owner has already issued a vacation notice which will leave the
Muslim residents without a place for congregational prayers.

Start early hajj preparations-SUPKEM

With the introduction of new hajj regulations by the
Saudi Arabian authorities, those intending to make
the pilgrimage to Makkah have been urged to start
early preparations to avoid unnecessary delays and
hindrances.
The organizing secretary of the Supreme Council
of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) Shariff Hussein Omar
said those planning to travel to Makkah for this years
hajj should hasten and register early to avoid inconveniences and last minute rush.
The Ministry of Hajj requires the names of hujjaj in
advance by 30 Shaaban which corresponds to 17th

June, he said during a press conference last Saturday.

Further, he said pilgrims have also to ensure that
they are vaccinated against yellow fever, hepatitis
B, meningitis and polio three weeks prior to their
scheduled travel dates while visas will be issued
to only those with new generation passports.
At the same time, he appealed to the government
to reopen immigration offices to facilitate the issuance of the passports to those planning to travel
for the hajj.
Continued To Page 3

Continued To Page 2
This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

The Friday Bulletin

EDITORIAL

Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

Follow Uhurus registration directive with action

During the launch of the Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS) last
week, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed
relevant government organs to ensure
that all citizens were registered and their
details entered in the government database.
The move, the head of state said will help
to streamline on the improvement of service delivery to citizens, national security
and also contribute to end the marginalization of a section of citizens.
The statement is a subtle admission by
the government with regard to correlation of existing difficulties faced by many
people in registering as citizens and marginalization, issues which for long Muslim
community leaders have lamented about
and urged the government to address.
Often times, the government has been
quick to respond to these complaints with
denials.
Successive governments have since independence been accused of deliberately putting in place policies which have
served to deny many Kenyans their inalienable right to register as citizens. Having a Muslim name appears to be the first
obstacle one has to overcome to secure
important documents such as national
identity cards, birth certificates and pass-

ports which to other Kenyans are a right

while to a section of the unfortunate ones
remain a privilege.
Without an identity card, education and
employment opportunities are not easy to
come by, it is impossible to open a bank
account and impractical to access basic
essential government services such as
health care.
The result is that this opens entry points for
poverty, crime, despondency and marginalization which have negative implication
on socioeconomic development.
In many areas of North Eastern and Coast
regions which have the largest concentration of Muslims, this situation is highly prevalent with many people facing difficulties to
register as Kenyan citizens and forced to
live as strangers in their own country. Venturing out of their home areas is a risky affair as the fear of being apprehended and
labeled as foreigners is rife.
In 2007, a committee appointed by former
President Mwai Kibaki made stark revelations about the deliberate policies which
have discriminated and contributed to the
marginalization of Muslims. Top among
the list of these issues were the difficulties
faced by many Muslims in obtaining important national documents.

Insecurity in NEP
Continued from Page 1
He called for the removal of Mandera county commissioner Alex Ole Nyoko saying he has failed to maintain
security in the area.
The Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow criticized the government for failing to curb the runaway crime saying it
had neglected North Eastern region as the matter is not
given the attention it deserves. We feel that the government is treating Mandera as if it is not part of Kenya,
if the government has thrown in the towel in the fight
against terrorism it should tell us. We will not allow it to
mortgage Mandera, he said while addressing a press
conference on Monday.
He said persistent calls for the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) along the Kenya-Somalia border to
seal off entry point used by the Somalia based militants
has fallen on deaf ears. It is regrettable that parts of
this country have been surrendered to terrorist by the
government. We are under siege and feel abandoned by
our government, said the Senator.
On his part, the majority leader in the National Assembly
Aden Duale stressed that KDF should man the KenyaSomalia border to strengthen security in the county and
other parts of the country. KDF should take over all areas along Kenya borders from Lamu to Mandera to stop
Al Shabaab from attacking our country, said Duale.
The newly appointed Inspector General of Police Joseph
Boinett who visited the county on Saturday said the gunmen who attacked the governors convey might have
been bandits and not Al Shabbab militants.
At the same time four people were killed and burnt beyond recognition in Wajir town on Tuesday after a grenade was hurled into an M-pesa shop.
Wajir governor Ahmed Abdullahi called on the national
government to swiftly stop the attacks. "The government
is not doing enough to pre-empt the attacks which are
threatening development in the area" he said.

Unfortunately, the Sharawe led Special

Action Committee report is gathering dust
and its findings and recommendation remains concealed from the public glare.
While the Presidents directive is essential in addressing this problem, what is
more important is to ensure its practical
application in a fair and just manner.
Security has often been cited as the reasons for these discriminatory attitudes,
however, the approach taken borders on
collective punishment of an entire community for religion and ethnicity remain
main focus in determining the Kenyanness of an individual.
With all information about citizens and
foreigners residing in the country captured on the Integrated Population Registration System available at the a touch of
a button, perhaps it is also important for
the government to review discriminatory
policies such as vetting as queries about
a particular person can easily be obtained
and verified digitally.
Ultimately, it remains imperative on the
government to ensure all its citizens are
treated equally in a fair and just manner
as discrimination will only perpetuate
alienation and resentment and this forebodes social calamities for the nation.

Wajir leaders pledge to address teacher

shortage
Political leaders from Wajir county
have vowed to address the acute
shortage of teachers that has paralyzed the education sector.
The county and the entire North
Eastern region is yet to come to
terms with shortage of teachers after
non-local teachers refused to report
back to work in the region citing insecurity.
The leaders called for local solutions
as part of proposals meant to address the ongoing crisis which has
dealt a blow to the education sector
for the better part of the year.
Speaking during an education day
event in Eldas constituency, Wajir
Senator Abdirahman Hassan said
school leavers should be encouraged to take up teaching as a career
and the profession be made more
enticing to students.
He also urged the local leadership to
avail scholarship programmes to local students willing to pursue teaching courses. We need local and lasting solutions to this crisis. We must
encourage and sponsor our own students to study teaching as career,
said the senator.
The leaders also proposed for the
minimum entry grade of those wishing to pursue teaching to be lowered
to enable more students enroll in

teaching profession at various colleges and universities in the country.

Eldas Member of Parliament Adan
Keynan took issue with the Kenya National Examination Council
(KNEC) over the cancellation of
Kenya Certificate of Secondary
Education (KCSE) results of Eldas
boys secondary school.
KNEC withheld the results for Islamic religious subject of all the
candidates who sat for the 2014
examination at the school over irregularities.
The MP said he does not believe
the students cheated in the subject
arguing that the students are well
versed in Islamic religious studies
and the subject is well performed
in the entire North Eastern region.
The leaders used the forum to condemned Kenya National Union of
Teachers (KNUT) secretary general Wilson Sossion whom they accused of being behind the teachers standoff by inciting teachers
not to teach in the region.
They also appealed to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) not
to honour request from the teachers to be transferred to other parts
of the country adding that the region is safe for their return.

Page 2
Continued To Page 3

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA

Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

Why do we love the companions?

Khalid Abu Saalih
The love of the companions of the Prophet
is one of the basic principles of faith according to the people of the Sunnah and
the Community (of Muhammad). This is because they are the elite people who are chosen by Allah to accompany His Prophet and
to disseminate His religion. They are those
who have preserved for us the Book of Allah
and the Sunnah of His Prophet, prayers and
peace of Allah be upon him, and conveyed
them to us. In addition, without that group
of righteous people, the teachings of Islam
would have been lost just as the Jewish and
Christian teachings have been lost.
Many texts from the Quran and the Sunnah
mentioned the virtues of the companions,
to the extent that they obligated loving and
defending them, along with hating their defamers.
Therefore, we love the companions for
the following reasons:
1- We love the companions because Allah Almighty has been pleased with them.
He says, Indeed, Allh was pleased with
the believers when they gave the Baiah
(pledge) to you (O Muhammad) under the
tree: He knew what was in their hearts, and
He sent down As-Saknah (calmness and
tranquillity) upon them, and He rewarded
them with a near victory. [Surat Al-Fath
48:18]
2- We love the companions because Allah
Almighty has attributed faith (belief) to them.
He says, He it is Who has supported you
with His Help and with the believers. [Surat
Al-Anfl 8:62]
3- We love the companions because Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has commended
them. He has described them of being the
successful. He has also promised them
Paradise. Allah says, But the Messenger
(Muhammad) and those who believed with
him (in Islmic Monotheism) strove hard
and fought with their wealth and their lives
(in Allhs Cause). Such are they for whom
are the good things, and it is they who will
be successful. For them Allh has got ready
SUNDAY
Gardens (Paradise) under
whichLECTURE
rivers flow,
to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme
success.} [Surat At-Tawbah 9:88-89]
4- We love the companions because Allah,
Glorified and Exalted, has said, You [true
believers in Islmic Monotheism, and real
followers of Prophet Muhammad) and his
Sunnah] are the best of peoples ever raised
up for mankind [Surat Al-Imrn 3:110]

(belief) to them. He says, And those who

believed, and emigrated and strove hard
in the Cause of Allh (Al-Jihd), as well
as those who gave (them) asylum and aid
- these are the believers in truth, for them
is forgiveness and Rizqun Karm (a generous provision i.e. Paradise). [Surat Al-Anfl
8:74]
7- We love the companions because the
Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, has made loving them the sign
of faith, and hating them the sign of hypocrisy. He, prayers and peace of Allah be upon
him, has said, The sign of Belief is to love
the Ansar (the Supporters), and the sign of
hypocrisy is to hate the Ansar. [Reported by
Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
8- We love the companions because the
Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, has prohibited mentioning them
with evil. He, prayers and peace of Allah
be upon him, has said, When my companions are mentioned, hold your tongues.
When the stars are mentioned, hold your
tongues. When Fate is mentioned, hold
your tongues. [It is classified as authentic
by Al-Albani 545 in Sahih Aj-Jami]
9- We love the companions because the
Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, has made them the security of
the nation. He, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, has said, The stars are a
source of security for the sky and when the
stars disappear there comes to the sky (it
meets the same fate) as it has been promised (it would plunge into darkness). And I
am a source of safety and security to my
Companions and when I go away, there
would fall to the lot of my Companions as
they have been promised with. And my
Companions are a source of security for my
nation and as they go, there would fall to the
lot of my nation as (its people) have been
promised. [Reported by Muslim 2531]
10- We love the companions because the
Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, has made them the most righteous and the best of people. He, prayers
and peace of Allah be upon him, has said,
The best of my nation are those living in my
generation (i.e. my contemporaries). And
then those who will follow the latter, and
then those who will follow the latter. [Reported by Muslim]

5- We love the companions because Allah,

Glorified and Exalted, loves them. He says,
Allh will bring a people whom He will love
and they will love Him [Surat Al-Midah 5:
54]

11- We love the companions because the

Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, has prohibited abusing them. He,
prayers and peace of Allah be upon him,
has said, Do not revile my companions, do
not revile my companions. By Him in Whose
Hand is my life, if one amongst you would
have spent as much gold as (the Mountain
of) Uhud, it would not amount to as much as
one mudd (half bushel, a dry measure) on
behalf of one of them or half of it! [Reported
Muslim]

6- We love the companions because Allah,

Glorified and Exalted, has attributed faith

12- We love the companions because the

Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be

Ibn Abbas said, They are the people who

migrated with Muhammad, prayers and
peace of Allah be upon him.

upon him, has cursed those who reviled

them. He, prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him, has said, Allah has cursed those
who reviled my companions. [It is classified
as good by Al-Albani 5111 in Sahih Aj-Jami]
Prayers and peace of Allah be upon our
Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family
and companions. All the praises and thanks
be to Allh, the Lord of the Alamn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

Hajj registration
Continued from Page 1
We are appealing to the cabinet secretary
for internal security and coordination of national government and the department of
immigration to re-open passport issuance
offices in Garissa, Embu, Nakuru and Eldoret, he said.
The regional immigration offices in Garissa, Embu, Nakuru and Eldoret were shut
down last year by Immigration director Maj
Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa who cited
the move as an effort to fight insecurity.

CARAVAN BAZAAR

Venue: Cutchi Sunni Hall-Pangani

Date: 21st March 2015
Time: 10.am to 4.00pm
Darsa: Benefits of Sadaqa in your life
(English and Swahili)
Support, donate items and food
towards supporting the
Al-Furqan Towers Project
LADIES ONLY

Reverts Crash Programme

The programme is currently ongoing

Venue: Jamia Mosque multi

purpose hall
Time: 5.00pm -6.30pm
Days: Mondays, Wednesdays and

Fridays.

SATURDAY LECTURE

Topic: The Concept of Ibaadah in

Islam

Lecturer: Ustadhah Amina Atitala

Date: 21st March 2015

Time: 2.00 4.00 pm.

Venue: Jamia Mosque Multi purpose

SUNDAY LECTURE

Uovu wa uzushi katika didni

By: Abu Kawthar
Date: 22nd March 2015
Time: 2 pm- 4 pm
Venue: Makina Kibra

Page 3

WOMEN

The Friday Bulletin

Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

The great women behind great men

Aisha Stacey
Behind every great man stands a woman; behind every man stands a great
woman; behind every successful man
stands a woman. These are three different versions of an old saying, best
remembered as a feminist slogan of
the 1960s and 1970s. When you think
about it however, it rings true. How do
we respond when we hear about the
man whose mother gave up everything
to give him an education, the woman
who worked 3 jobs to raise her children,
and the woman who stands silently in
the background as her husband rises
to power as a statesman, businessman, politician, or educator? Men rise
to soaring heights when the women in
their lives nurture, support and encourage them to be the best men that they
can be. Even the Prophets of Allah
benefitted from the wise counsel of the
women in their lives.
These great women, in their own individual ways, supported and encouraged men whose lives were fraught
with danger and monumental change.
Mothers, wives, daughters; the influence these women have over the
men in their lives is remarkable. Islam
calls these women the best of humankind. The best women of humankind
are four: Mariam, daughter of Imran,
Aasiya, the wife of Pharaoh, Khadija,
daughter of Khuwailid, and Fatima the
daughter of the Messenger of Allah
[Bukhari and Muslims].
The key to success for any woman is to
live life according to Allahs guidance.
As we know, this guidance is contained
in and completed by the Quran and the
traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Let
us begin with mothers; Islam emphasises their significant role on numerous occasions. Prophet Isa (Jesus),
peace be upon him, says, ...and He
has made me blessed wheresoever
I be, and has enjoined on me prayer,
and alms, as long as I live, and to be
dutiful to my mother, and made me not
arrogant. (Quran 19:30-32)
And when the angels said: O Maryam!
Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified
you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds of mankind and jinn.
(Quran 3:42)
Prophet Muhammads son in law and
close companion Ali, said, I heard the
Prophet of ALLAH saying Maryam, the
daughter of Imran was the best among
women. (Bukhari,)
Maryam, the mother of Jesus, was
dedicated to Allah before she was born.
Marys mother dedicated her child to
the Mosque and by doing so she secured Maryams freedom because she
understood that true freedom was only
attainable through complete submission to Allah.
Maryam grew up having complete trust
in Allah and her story can be found in

Quran, particularly in chapters 3 and 19.

In chapter 5 of Quran Maryam is referred
to as a siddiqa (truthful one) and the Arabic word siddiqa implies more than just
speaking the truth. It indicates one who
achieves a very high level of righteousness. It means that one is truthful, not
only with themselves and those around
them, but also with Allah. Maryam was
a woman who fulfilled her covenant with
Allah, Whom she worshiped with full submission. She was pious, chaste, and devout; the woman chosen above all other
women to be the mother of Iysa.
After the birth of Iysa, Maryam faced incredible hardship. Even though she was a
young woman of faith, character and self
control, try to imagine the courage it took
for her to return to her village with a babe
in arms. She left the village a young woman not much older than a child but with
a reputation for piety and righteousness.
She returned as an unmarried mother of a
new born child. Imagine the talk, the gossip and accusations. When the townspeople surrounded and questioned her she
followed Allahs instructions and did not
speak. Iysa himself, a baby cradled in
Maryams arms, spoke, declaring himself
to be a prophet from Allah. (Quran 19: 30)
Islam tells us very little about the life
shared by Iysa and his mother Maryam.
Of course we can surmise that Maryam
was a woman of her time. With the exception of her education and possibly her
ability to read, Maryam would have lived
and learned just like the other Jewish girls
around her. She would have kept house,
cooked, cleaned, sewed, walked to the
well for water but above all she was an
educator. It is easy to imagine Iysa sitting
on her lap or at her feet listening to the
stories of her people and their prayers.
He would also have experienced at close
hand Maryams profound love and trust in
Allah. How much of Maryams character
influenced Iysa as he grew up? A great
deal, is the most probable answer.
As Iysa grew and began his mission,
Maryam must have behaved like any other mother. She probably swallowed her
fears and encouraged her son to strive to
please Allah. Maryam would have sensed
the danger of Iysa mission yet undoubtedly she held onto her total trust in Allah
and conveyed her sense of contentment
with Allahs will to her son.
The mothers role is both monumental
and overwhelming. Not only does she
go through both the joys and difficulties of pregnancy and giving birth, she
dedicates her entire life to nurturing and
caring for her children. It is her responsibility to raise and to educate them to be
righteous and pious human beings. She
cooks, cleans, nurtures and educates,
she is also responsible for their spiritual,
emotional and physical health and wellbeing. A mothers role does not end when
her child grows and begins a life of his or

her own, it goes on and on and continues to influence her children and grandchildren.
In this day and age when the role of motherhood
is being undermined at every turn, women should
draw strength from great women such as Maryam
the mother of Iysa.
Aasiya, the foster mother of Musa and the wife
of Pharaoh.
Another great woman who raised a great man despite the difficulties and pressures she faced was
Aasiya. She is more often remembered as the wife
of Pharaoh; however this great lady was also the
foster mother of Prophet Musa.
Like Maryam the mother of Iysa, Aasiya was a
woman chosen by Allah to care for a child who
would grow up to be a prophet of Allah. What
qualities did Aasiya have with which to support and
influence Musa? It was, once again, as we will
discover her complete and total trust in Allah. As
the wife of the most powerful and arrogant man
in all Egypt, Aasiya was surrounded by luxury,
wealth and beauty yet she was able to recognise
that without Allah human beings were lost bereft
and incomplete. Many men reached the level of
perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Maryam, the daughter of Imran and Aasiya,
the wife of Pharaoh.[Bukhari]
When Musa was born his mother was compelled
by circumstances to put her tiny new born baby in
a basket and float him down the waters of the Nile
her heart was nearly broken beyond repair. But
Allah is the best of planners. Aasiyas maidservant
drew Musa from the river and presented the tiny
bundle to Pharaohs wife. Aasiya, in contrast to her
arrogant, proud husband was a righteous, merciful
woman. Allah opened her heart and Aasiya looked
Continued To Page 6

The Director of Admissions, Dreamline College, Nairobi in collaboration with Kampala International University invites applicants for the
followings programmes in their May and September intakes 2015.
Bachelors and diplomas in:
Business Administration and Management
Studies
Computer Science and Information Technology
Mass Communication and Media Studies
Certicates in:
Access Programme (Pre-University)
Foundation
Subject Upgrade
Computer applications English for beginners
Business administration Computer networks
WE NOW OFFER ONLINE PROGRAMMES
Apply Online
Download the application form from www. kiu.
ac.ug, or visit our offices at Morktar Daddah
street.
For more details, please contact us on:Tel:
020 2210 176 / 0724 282701/ 0788559199 /
0738 286723 Nairobi, Kenya.

Page 4

The Friday Bulletin

Suhaib Saeed

YOUTH

Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

The Fiqh of Facebook

Online pursuits are consuming an increasing amount of time of

young people, and no less the Muslims. Those among the 500
million global users of Facebook (FB) know how it functions as
a platform for many of these activities (such as news, entertainment, correspondence, campaigning, da`wah), going far beyond
its description of a social networking site.
As an avid Facebook user of a few years, I have tasted its fruits
but also experienced the sickness of excess and felt the danger of getting lost among the trees. Whenever Muslims are faced
with a new environment, they enter it carrying their principles with
them. We also need a sound understanding (fiqh) of the realities
of this environment and how to handle some of its specifics.
The technological aspects of Facebook, particularly with its everupdating interface, can have an intoxicating effect. It is built upon
the principle of maximal stimulation of the eyes and brain; it is not
far from the imagination to compare it with hypnosis. All this has a
long-term effect on the mind and on the spiritual heart. This is why
our attitude to such time-consuming activities is to use them for a
purpose (even if that purpose be recreation), and not allowing it
to eat into time better spent on other things. For some, this may
mean taking conscious note of how often they open the page, and
how long is spent on each visit.
What are the signs of excess? Specialists in addiction can list a
few, but let me point out one thing that I believe is frighteningly
common. I noticed once that when Twitter went down for a few
hours then resumed, someone commented on the experience,
writing: When Twitter went down, all I wanted to do was tweet
about it! Ridiculous, yet I would suggest that it is quite representative of a common urge to use these media as a natural outlet for all our thoughts, desires and emotions. As I once wrote:
We express our thoughts in the form of a status update instead
of turning to Allah with our fears and joys. The day of a believer
should be a constant conversation with God.
Is this constant babble not a blatant distraction from the remembrance of Allah? Yes, even when we are reading and forwarding religious content, if we do so with hearts unaware. To quote
from Shaykh Abdallah Adhamis FB comment: By all means:
share, post, sms, blog, im, email, tweet (though most importantly, internalize). This is the point! If you read a supplication
with your eyes, it is no use if your tongue remains dry and your
heart remains silent. Is reading a du`a (supplication) anything
like making du`a? Many times, we write such things robotically
in the same way we type LOL with a completely straight face.
I wont go so far as to call it lying, but it certainly is bizarre when
you ponder on it!
Clicking Like is not a sign of commitment any more than saying
I love Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was commanded
to say, If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will
love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and
Merciful (Quran 3:31). Our Islam is built on actions, not mere
declarations.
Lets be in no doubt that FB is a public space, though certain aspects (messaging) allow one-to-one communication. Even things
you post on your own wall will come up on your friends homepages. Therefore, rather than merely decorating your home awaiting
their arrival, you are actually dropping in on them every time you
post something.
If Facebook is like a public street, doesnt it have rights? The first
is lowering the gaze: not just from unseemly images, but from
everything that doesnt concern you. Think about it as hundreds
of conversations are presented before you.
The above FB Fiqh advice was based on a hadith (report concerning the Prophet (peace be upon him)) reported in Sahih Muslim, in which Allahs Messenger (peace be upon him) questioned
some people sitting in the road and instructed them to avoid doing so. When these Companions explained their purpose, the
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If you must sit, then fulfill the
rights of the road: lower your gaze, respond to greetings and talk

in a good manner.
Not only does Facebook make it all too easy to look at pictures
of members of the opposite sex and personal details we have
no business knowing, but it makes it tempting to pore through
threads of comments that at best, are a complete waste our time,
and at worst, involve a level of prying. Just as we take responsibility for what we post, we should also be ethical in what we access. Ask yourself: if that group of friends were chatting amongst
themselves, would I feel right standing nearby and listening in?
Many of the problems with peoples Facebook usage stem from
the confusion between public and private spaces. Consider a few
such cases:
1. Saying aloud what ought to have been silent, or sharing
with everyone what belongs to a certain group.
Such a public forum is not the ideal place for potentially confusing ideas such as controversial questions of theology to be
shared, as people without the relevant background knowledge
may get the wrong idea. Moreover, Facebook is not the place to
develop your thoughts, wondering aloud with things that could
cause others to doubt. If you have a question, direct it to someone
who knows. If youre working on an idea, try keeping a private
journal.
Most importantly, beware of spreading unsubstantiated rumors.
If in doubt, clarify and make certain of the reality, as the Quran
(49:6) instructs. The following is also a thinking point: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: It is enough of a lie for a person to
narrate everything he hears. (Sahih Muslim) So how about one
who narrates every fleeting thought he hears from his self?
In short: before posting anything, ask yourself Why? is it something that will be of interest or benefit to those who will read it?
2. Doing things shamelessly in front of respected people and
near-strangers.
Examples of this include using bad language, or writing flirtatious
things in plain sight of people who could make hasty possibly
unfair judgments. Perhaps someone would suggest that writing
on the FB wall of someone of the opposite gender is more appropriate than a private message, but that is only true if the public
nature of the communication does not become an excuse for a
lack of etiquette.
People are clicking Like for the craziest things, associating
themselves sometimes with immoral and unethical people and
ideas, and promoting this on the newsfeeds of all their friends.
It would be wise to slow down and think, if only for the following
reason:
Be careful whom you love and Like do you want them by your
side on Judgment Day? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
You are with whomever you love. (Bukhari & Muslim)
Another common sight is photos of sinful activities, with Muslim
friends pictured in compromising positions. Rather than uploading
and tagging photos of these lapses, the right course of action is
immediate repentance, as in the hadith: All my nation are safe
except those who publicise their sins. A servant does an evil deed
by night, and wakes up having Allahs cover upon him. Then he
tells someone, I did such-and-such last night! He went to bed
with Allah providing him cover, and woke up to throw off Allahs
cover. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Privacy in general is a major and widely discussed issue of concern regarding Facebook, so a Muslim should be even more
aware of the issue. Both sisters and brothers need to beware of
broadcasting details that could be misused, and especially pictures in which they are more exposed than they ought to be in
public. Even a private FB album is never truly private, when you
think about it.
These few thoughts on Facebook Fiqh are by no means exhaustive, but I hope they provide a starting point to a greater consciousness and care when using new technology and emerging
media.

page 5

Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

The Friday Bulletin

US envoy: Almost every CAR mosque destroyed in war Hijab-wearing woman deeply
grateful but turns down money
Almost all of the 436 mosques in the Cen- choosing to give birth in their homes instead
tral African Republic (CAR) have been of hospitals, the ambassador said.
from crowdfunding
destroyed by months of vicious fighting
between Christians and Muslims, the US
ambassador to the United Nations said.
Samantha Power spoke to reporters on
Tuesday after a Security Council visit last
week to the country, calling the devastation "kind of crazy, chilling".
She expressed concern about an upcoming possible security vacuum as European
Union and French forces pull out and a
UN peacekeeping force is still not at full
strength.
At least 5,000 people have been killed
since Central African Republic exploded
into unprecedented violence in December
2013.
Nearly one million of the country's 4.5 million residents have been displaced. Many
of those who have fled are Muslim.
Power said 417 of the country's mosques
have been destroyed. She visited the one
remaining Muslim neighbourhood in the
capital, Bangui, and described the residents as "a terrified population".
Some Muslim women, afraid of leaving the
community while wearing their veils, are

Continued From Page 4

UN peacekeepers, French forces and a European Union military operation have tried to
calm the violence.
But Power said the last of the EU force of
about 750 troops left the Central African Republic over the weekend, shortly after the
Security Council visit.
"That's a big drop-off in capability," she
said. Meanwhile, the French forces have
announced a "substantial drawdown" by
the end of this year. France had sent 2,000
troops to its former colony.
The UN peacekeeping force remains at
about 80 percent of its planned strength of
about 10,000, Power said.
The UN secretary-general last month asked
for more than 1,000 additional peacekeepers, and Power said the council is "very favorably disposed" to the request.
She said the combined forces have "averted
a worst-case scenario," but the country's roving armed groups remain armed.
The ambassador called that a deep cause
for concern and said disarmament is a "huge
priority". (Al Jazeera)

Great women in Islam

down up on the tiny baby and felt overcome

by her love for him. She asked her husband
to accept him into the family.
The wife of Pharaoh said, a comfort for the
eye, for me and for you; kill him not. It may
be that he may be of benefit to us, or we
may adopt him as a son. And they perceived not (the result of that). (Quran 28: 9)
Once again the Quran tells us very little
about Aasiya and even less about her relationship with her foster son Musa. However, as a woman of faith, she must have
had a profound influence on her foster son.
Musa, the man was forthright and believed
in speaking his mind and standing up for the
weaker members of society. Whenever he
witnessed oppression or cruelty, he found it
impossible to stop himself from intervening.
Today psychology tells us that this sense
of justice, and the ability to empathise, is
learned at a very early age. They are skills
that are often not able to be acquired in later
life. Aasiya must have helped instill these
qualities in her foster son.
As Musa grew up he was considered a
wise young man; in all respects regarded
as Pharaohs son. We do know from the
words of the Quran however that Musa birth
mother was his wet nurse.
Ibn Kathir believes that Musa birth mother
lived in the palace while she was breast
feeding him and that as he grew up she
was allowed the privilege of visiting him.
Her influence must also have played a part
in shaping Musa character. So did We restore him to his mother, that she might be
delighted, and that she might not grieve,
and that she might know that the Promise
of Allah is true. But most of them know not.
(Quran 28:13)

Musa was quite possibly a child that was loved

by both his real mother and Aasiya. There is
little doubt that before he reached manhood
Musa knew about the Children of Israel and
the political situation in Egypt. A number of
circumstances, the details of which can be
found in the Quran, forced Musa to flee Egypt.
From royal son to common criminal, how must
Aasiya have felt?
We can surmise that Aasiya knew the danger inherent in allowing Musa to understand
the differences between his life in the palace
and his birth familys life in an impoverished
district. Eventually Pharaoh discovered that
his wife was secretly worshipping the Allah of
Musa. He was incensed and raged with anger. Pharaoh both threatened and cajoled his
wife Aasiya, but her heart now belonged to Allah Alone.
Pharaoh offered his wife a choice, to accept
him (Pharaoh) as her Allah or to continue to
worship the Allah of Musa and be tortured until
death. Aasiya chose torture and death and in
her last painful moments she could be heard
calling out to Allah. O my Lord! Build for me,
a home with You in Paradise, and save me
from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me
from those that do wrong. (Quran 66:11)
As the primary caregiver and educator, the
mother has many heavy responsibilities, the
most important of which is her responsibility
to teach the children entrusted to her by Allah.
It is the mother who first teaches her children
how to know and love Allah. The best way to
instruct children is by example because from
the moment they can interact with their surroundings they are learning. As mothers,
both Maryam and Aasiya taught the boys in
their care to have complete trust in the One
most worthy of Trust Allah.

A Canadian woman who was refused her

day in court because she was wearing
a hijab has said no thanks to $47,800
raised on her behalf through a crowdfunding campaign.
The money collected on the gofundme
website was to be used to help Rania ElAlloul buy a car.
The drive was in response to a judges
refusal to hear her case against Quebecs automobile insurance board, which
had seized her vehicle.
El-Alloul said in a letter on the website
that she appreciates the financial support offered by the generous and warmhearted campaign.
But, she added, she cant accept the gift.
The awareness raised by this campaign
has brought us people from all over, who
have offered support to carry this issue
forward, El-Alloul wrote.
As a result, I believe that these funds
can be put to better use helping those
whose rights have been forfeited and
stories left untold.
Campaign organizers said they would
like to earmark some of the money to
help El-Alloul, who is pursuing legal action through the National Council of Canadian Muslims.
They have also proposed setting aside
$20,000 to create a perpetual $500
annual bursary in coordination with a
university called the Rania El-Alloul
Bursary. It will be for any student has
demonstrated a commitment to combat
injustice and protect human rights.
They are also considering donating
$15,000 to an organization dedicated
to helping immigrants settle in Canada,
build friendship between Canadians or
an organization that is focused on protecting the civil liberties of all Canadians.
Quebec court Judge Eliana Marengo recently told El-Alloul that her case would
not be heard unless she removed her
headscarf, saying it wasnt appropriate
to wear in her courtroom. (The Star-Canada)

Medical appeal

16-year-old Garissa
orphan Ayan Gedi
is suffering from
life
threatening
condition of bilateral acute failure,
a medical condition
which has rendered
both of her kidneys
not to function.
She urgently needs kidney transplant that
will cost Ksh1.5 million which her needy
family is unable to raise. Please foward
your contributions to Jamia Mosque Committee Reserve Account no. 00101464004
or MPESA Pay Bill no. 150770. Account name Ayan Medical.
You sadaqah and Zakah will inshallah
contribute in saving her life.

The Friday Bulletin

NATIONAL

Jamaada Al Awwal 30,1436/March 20, 2015

Support girls education, parents told

Parents have been urged to place more
emphasis in the education of female children as this will contribute to the social and
intellectual empowerment of Muslim girls
and dispel the wrong notion that Islam is
against educating girls and women and advocate gender discrimination.
Speaking last week during a prize giving
day ceremony at Nairobi Muslim Academy, the Umma University Vice chancellor
Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak further cautioned
against involving them in early marriages
as this could be detrimental to their education and future wellbeing.
Prof Shaukat noted that education is a fundamental pillar in enhancing human lives
and social economic development and
pointed out that Muslims should invest in
education through the establishment of
more community schools to provide opportunities to Muslim children to access
education. ''There is need for the Muslim
leadership in the country to put in place
strategy measures to promote girls education in the Muslim community for them
to play important roles in the society in
matters pertaining to development programmes,'' said Prof Shaukat
He called on Muslim investors and enterprenuers to establish Muslim oriented
schools to address the needs of the growing number of Muslim students adding that
Muslims need to have institutions which
provide a holistic learning environment for
both the Islamic and comparative education.
Prof Shaukat who was the chief guest at
the event commended students of Nairobi
Muslim Academy for the sterling performance in 2014 Kenya Certificates of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificates of Secondary Education (KCSE)
examinations saying the achievement was
a demonstration on the positive stride being made in the education sector.
Through the vice chancellor scholarship
scheme, Prof Shaukat awarded two scholarships to students from Nairobi Muslim
Academy who performed well in last year's
KCSE examinations and announced that
the university will collaborate with Members of Parliament and county governments leadership to educate the needy
through scholarships.
He advised Muslim students joining higher
institutions of learning to adhere to Islamic
principles and work extra hard in their studies in order to achieve excellent results.
In his address, the school manager Sheikh
Muhammad Osman Warfa pledged that
Nairobi Muslim Academy will continue with
it strides in providing quality education to
the Muslim community, particularly the girls
in order for them to play important role in
the society and the nation at large. We
want to produce girls that will play important roles in the community for social-economic development. We will continue supporting girls education at all cost to ensure
they are not left behind,'' he said.
Overall, 97% of the students scored C+

The manager of Nairobi Muslim Academy

Sheikh Muhammad Osman Warfa (Left)
and the Umma University Vice chancellor Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat during the
school's prize giving day event on Saturday

and are expected to join universities to further their education.

In attendance during the occasion were
Ahmed Hussein-the director of Children
Services, Fatuma Saman a commissioner
with Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) and Hussein Ahmed, the Chairman board of management Nairobi Muslim
Academy among others.

NAMSA to organize
career guidance fair
The Nairobi Area Muslim Students Association (NAMSA) is organizing a career guidance programme for Form Four leavers to
assist the students in making appropriate
choices in their future education plans. The
programme will be held at the University of
Nairobi main campus on March 22 under
the theme The Role of Mentorship in Career Development.
According to the NAMSA coordinator Umar
Swaleh, many students find it difficult to
make proper career choices and the event
will provide a platform to help them to
make suitable proper choices.
Apparently many students know very little
about the careers they purport to covet,
he said.
He urged the student not to focus on monetary gains but to look at careers where
they will make a positive bearing on the
community and the society at large. At the
same time he applauded the performance
of Muslim students in last years KCSE examinations saying that this will make positive impression on upcoming students.
Various institutions of learning which include Universities and tertiary institutions
will be represented during the event. More
information on the event can be obtained
from Umar Swaleh on 0722234569

Take Da'wah to prisons,

Muslim women urged
Muslim women across the country have
been called upon to come out and engage
in da'wah and other spiritual activities in
prisons as part of the strategies to rehabilitate female inmates.
This call was made by the Kakamega Jamia Mosque and Islamic centre women
leader Amida Indimuli who stressed on
the need for concerted efforts to reform inmates through spiritual programmes.
Speaking during a visit to Kakamega main
G.K Prison, Amida said society should not
condemn inmates but rather they should
assist them to become better and responsible citizens in and outside the prisons.
These are members of our society, our
mothers, sisters and daughters and it is our
obligation to lend a helping hand to them
through spiritual guidance and counseling
but this cannot be made by an individual,
men or an organisation,we need more people to support these efforts,'' she noted.
Amida decried that da'wah (Islamic propagation) activities have for most part been
left to Muslim men leaving out the women
and appealed to women to take up their
role in the society and increase efforts in
disseminating the message of Islam to
both Muslims and non-Muslims.
A committee member at Kakamega Jamia
Mosque Hawa Omar Malenya called on
Muslims to play their role in portraying a
good image of Islam by giving support and
assistance to Muslim inmates as this will
also work on reforming them to be better
citizens.
On his part, the Western regional Prison
Maalim Sheikh Abdalla Omar noted that
the prison authorities are willing to work
with the Muslim community in the efforts to
rehabilitate inmates.
During the visit Amida pledged that the
Muslim women secretariat will lend its
hands to support and promote the spiritual
growth of the Muslim inmates.

MUSLIM ACADEMY PARK ROAD

Muslim Academy Park Road Is pleased to announce
that 11 of our students who sat for KCSE 2014 Examinations performed very well.
The following is a list of our top 11 students along
with their overall grades.
1. Hayeez Aaliya Saeed
A2. Abukar Mohamed Muktar B
3. Edleasha Mohamed
B
4. Farah Hamdi Abdi
B5. Ali Mohamed Nigar
C+
6. Nasteha Hussein Ahmed
C+
7. Ahmed Hamida Mohamed C+
8. Mohamud Sauda Adan
C+ Top student Aaliya
9. Najmo Hassan Gure Garas C+ Hayeez Saeed who
10.Maye Aweso Maye
C+ scored a Mean Grade
11. Ali Khadra Omar
C+ of A- (Minus).
We wish them all the best in their future endeavors and
pray that they continue to make us proud of their achievements.
Muslim Academy Park Road has a few Vacancies in various
classes from Nursery to Form2 (8-4-4) and year 8 to Year
10 IGCSE.
Those looking to benefit from a serene learning environment and Incredible learning experience; should apply immediately.
For admission enquiries, Contact the Admissions Offices at
Muslim Academy Park Road P.O Box 41013-00100 NAIROBI
TELEPHONE +254 20240 6212; CELL: +254 725 148 786
Email: muslimacademykenya@gmail.com

Palestinians: Likud win ends peace hope

Palestinian leaders warned that the victory of rightist Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after campaigning against a two-state
solution proved that Israel was no peace partner.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the elections results
proved that we dont have a peace partner.
The whole world now should provide protection to the Palestinian
people, including the US and the American Congress.Erekat said
in remarks on official Voice of Palestine Radio.
With 99.5 percent of votes counted, Likud had won 29-30 seats in
the 120-member Knesset, comfortably defeating the Zionist Union
opposition on 24 seats a united list of Arab parties came in third.
He pledged to go on building settlements on occupied land and said
there would be no Palestinian state if he was re-elected.
The last opinion polls published four days before the vote showed
the Zionist Union with a four-seat advantage over Likud.
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas officials asserted that the results reflect a
rise of radicalism among Israeli politicians.
Mushir al-Masri, a senior Hamas official, said the projected election
results clearly show the increase of radicalism in dealing with the
Palestinians.
He said the outcome should be enough to convince the Palestinian
Authority and Fatah party to forget about the choice of keeping up
the absurd negotiations, pay attention to the internal unity and reconciliation and rearrange the Palestinian house instead of betting
on a mirage. (onislam.net)

Ummah think tank research report launch

The purpose of the Ummah Think Tank is to advocate for best values, to influence policy in the Muslim community, to develop best
practices through mutual exchange of ideas and in-depth analyses and concrete recommendations for policymakers.
Within its mandate, research is the core and in 2011, the Ummah Think Tank tasked brother Abdulhamid Swaleh a lead researcher and a full bright scholar, together with a team of research
assistants assembled from our Universities to embark on finding
out why Muslim schools in general dont perform well in national
examinations hence low absorption rate in Universities. Unlike
the other faith oriented schools, our schools have always faced
challenges of competing unfavorably in the national results index.
The survey and research was carried out for a period of a year.
The research was geared towards assessing the potential of the
established high schools in Kenya by the Muslim community irrespective of the mode of establishment towards achieving its
maximum potential of admitting more students through secondary schools education and thereby posts more qualified students
in university admissions and enrolment. Also, the research was
geared towards linking the established and developed secondary
schools with the Muslim Foundations that expend a huge amount
of their funding to support students financially in accessing secondary education.
The hypothesis for this research is that higher utilization of the
established community secondary schools will lead to better financial viability and sustainability of the schools resulting in better
educational standards and performances attained, better annual
examination performance rating and an increase in university admissions.
After completion of the research work, the paper has informally
been transmitted electronically to various stakeholders and Institutions and the implementation work left to them to adopt the
recommendations to make a difference in their schools. Whoever
the post research follow up showed nothing much is happening in
terms of implementation and if it is then, not to the level that was
expected by the proponents of this noble initiative. So in another
forum of the Ummah Think Tank members it was widely accepted
that the research work should be compiled in a published book
and be launched in forum that will have majority of the stakeholders, schools, universities, media, scholars, businessmen, Muslim
organisations and youth representation invited.
This will be on 22nd March 2015, at Jamia Multi-purpose hall. The
Guest speaker of this launch of the Research work entitled Access to Higher Education - Beyond Brick and Mortar, will be Professor Shaukat Abdulrazak, the Vice Chancellor of Umma University. Brother Abdulhamid will give a presentation of the research
before the book is officially launched.
We would like to invite all the invited stakeholders to observe
punctuality as the program will start at 9 am. Lets all attend to
make this precious education work manifest all over our institutions for the success of our Ummah.
Ummah Foundation
Village Plaza, 2nd Floor, Ngara Rd
P.O. Box 58717-00200 Nairobi
Tel: +254-20-2680610/13 Mob. 0734-845277
Email: info@ummahfoundation.net
www.ummahfoundation.net

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