Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

Editorial: Islamophobia and

harassment on the rise

www.jamiamasjidkenya.org

Rajab, first sacred month

Page 2

Page 3

Issue No. 625

Somali religious leaders

declare anti-radicalization
campaign Page 7

Friday Bulletin
The

The Weekly Muslim News Update

We are addressing radicalization,

Muslim scholars say
M

uslim religious scholars have reassured their commitment to address radicalization and the threat of terrorism following the attack on Garissa University College on
April 2 2015 by Al Shabaab militants that claimed the lives
of 148 people.
In a press statement, the Majlis Ulamaa Kenya (Council of
Muslim Scholars) expressed their strong condemnation on
the killings in Garissa describing it as heinous actions that
are unjustifiable by any means and affirmed their resolve to
fight such barbaric and senseless killings.

Man charged for plotting attack on

Uhurus residence a mental case
A man arrested on allegations of surveying the residence of
President Uhuru Kenyatta in Gatundu for a possible terror
attack is mentally sick, his family said.
His relatives have come out strongly to deny allegations that
Said Mire Siyad was plotting an attack on the presidential
residence saying that he is being victimized because of his
ethnicity and religion.
It is clear that he is suffering from mental problems, his
younger brother Ahmed Mire told The Friday Bulletin. He is
an innocent person and the only reason he is being victimized is because he is a Muslim and a Somali, he added.
Said who hails from Garissa had travelled to his relatives
in Nairobis Imara Daima estate from where he later disappeared on Monday and while frantic efforts were being made
to trace him, the family came to learn that he had been arrested for allegedly surveying the presidential home in Gatundu.
We were shocked to see him on television allegedly for
plotting to attack the Presidents home. There is no truth in
it, said Ahmed who explained that his condition has led him
to leave his home for unknown destinations.
According to the family, he was first admitted at the Mathare
Mental Hospital in 2004 under file number 61470 for psychiatric treatment
His brother dismissed claims that he was arrested inside the
presidents residence saying that it impossible for a person
with his condition to infiltrate the heavily guarded home.
The family called for his release saying that he required
medical attention and continued detention will only worsen
his health condition. He has a mental disability and deserves more not victimization, he said.
The accused was arraigned in court on Wednesday with the
police accusing him of being involved in plans to attack the
Presidential rural residence. The respondent is believed to
have been sent to the Presidential residence to carry out
surveillance for a terrorist attack, prosecutor Daniel Karuri
told a magistrate court in Nairobi. The anti terrorism police
unit believes that the suspect is engaged in organized crime
in and out of the country, he added.

Contrary to impression that has been created, we as Muslim scholars have been tirelessly working through various religious institutions
and forums to address radicalization, the threat of terrorism and other
crimes said the scholars in a statement on Monday.
The scholars noted their grave concerns over the worrying security situation in the country and reminded the government of its obligation to
protect Kenyans noting that the government should deal decisively with
the perpetrators of terror in accordance with the rule of law.
To win the war on terror, they noted that the government must address
the drivers of radicalizations and violent extremism citing discrimination,
unemployment, historical injustices, marginalization and police harassment as such.
The scholars advised political leaders to be responsible and restrain
from making irresponsible and reckless utterances that could trigger animosity among Kenyan communities.
Religious leaders were also told to play their role of providing spiritual
guidance by correcting misconceptions about religion and inculcating
Continued To Page 2

Kenyans evacuated from Yemen

Kenyans evacuated from war torn Yemen at the Salalah International

Airport in neighbouring Oman preparing to leave for Djibouti enroute
to Kenya. More than 200 Kenyans have so far been evacuated from
Yemen which has been engulfed in civil strife. Story on page 5.

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

EDITORIAL

The Friday Bulletin

Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

Islamophobia and harassment a growing

concern for Muslims

Islam is essentially a religion of peace and

this is something that needs little explanation as history is full of evidence on this
fact. Right from its advent in the 7th century, Islam as a religion propagated in both
word and practice is a universal message
which promotes peace, spiritual progress,
education, socio-economic development
and tolerance.
Even right here in Kenya where the faith
arrived more than 1000 years ago, Muslims have been at the forefront in promoting the ethos of peace and tolerance and
this is exemplified by the fact that for most
of this period, Muslims have continuously
lived in peace and harmony with people of
different faith backgrounds.
In recent years however, events arising
from the geo-political situation in the world
notably the instability in neighbouring Somalia, are threatening the peaceful fabric
holding Kenyans from diverse communities that has been evident in the country
for generations.
Regrettably, the actions of wanton killings
by some criminal groups have been trying
to strip this beautiful religion from its glory
and paint it as a faith that propagates doctrines of hate and intolerance.
If there is any religion that condemns
unjustified killings in the strongest terms
possible is Islam. Allah says in chapter 5
verse 32 of the noble Quran: ''If anyone
killed a person not in retaliation of murder
or (and) to spread mischief in the land it
would be as if he killed all mankind ,and
if anyone saved a life it would be as if he
saved the life of all mankind.''
It will therefore be foolhardy for anyone to
imagine even for a moment that a faith that
gives high regard for human life can give
credence to unfounded doctrines whose

goal is to kill and injure innocent people.

As a result of incidents such as the gory
attack at the Garissa University College,
the distressing reality which is gradually
gaining momentum is the growing rise in
Islamophobia and harassment of Muslims.
The social media is awash with scathing
and venomous message and posts that are
insidious and incitement towards Muslims.
Through sensationalizing terrorism related
stories, the mainstream media is also contributing to exacerbating the situation by
subtly linking Islam with violent activities.
Cases of Muslims facing harassment on
the streets, matatus, institutions of learning and other public places are on the rise
which has created concern among the
faithful.
The government on its part is adopting measures which are counterproductive to the fight against terrorism. Being
branded as suspicious by security officers is enough reason to be hounded and
detained for days pending investigations.
The manner of dress can be a reason to
be labeled as terrorist suspect and even
taking a selfie on the streets, a popular
photo taking session using smart phone is
becoming a risk affair for Muslims, some of
whom have been detained for behaving in
a suspicious manner.
While all peace loving Kenyans strongly
support the efforts to tame these criminal
gangs who are hell-bent on creating religious disharmony in the country, at the
same time, the government needs to realize that rounding up individuals on flimsy
grounds without credible evidence does
not help in the terror war. This ad hock
measures will only serve to breed resentment among the victims if they turn out to
be innocent.

Addressing radicalization
Continued From Page 1

the virtues of peaceful co-existence among Kenyans.

Majlis Ulamaa urged the youth to respect and listen to
the profound advice of credible scholars and parents
and not to allow themselves to be indoctrinated, brainwashed and misled into joining violent and extremist
groups.
The scholars further appealed to the media to avoid
using terms such as Islamist and Jihadist which depict certain religions as condoning or equal to terrorism.
They urged the media to shun the profiling of communities and religion by reporting responsibly and fairly.
Sending their heartfelt condolences to the families and
friends of the bereaved, the scholars urged the country
to stand united against the designs of the enemy whose
intention is to create acrimony among Kenyans of different faith and ethnicity.
We strongly condemn these savage acts and express
our grief at the ghastly killings of innocent students,
staff and security officers, like all Kenyans and peace
loving people, we are hurting from this destruction of
life and no human being in the right state of mind can
condone or justify such barbaric acts by criminals who
have no regard for sanctity of human life the religion
notwithstanding said Majlis Ulamaa chairman Sheikh
Khalfan Khamis.

Putting in place measures which clearly

appear to be targeting individuals, organizations, businesses and educational
institutions from particular community will
only help to drive the notion that this war is
being specifically aimed at specific people
and this will be jumping directly into the
script used by extremist groups as a justification for their unjustified actions.
Terrorism is an ideology and the potent
antidote is for the effective use of intelligence and close working strategies with
the affected communities. Instead of taking a heavy handed and uncompromising
attitude, the government should engage
with the different stakeholders such as religious and political leaders from the community to put in place viable strategies to
win this war.
It is also important that, Muslim scholars should come out strongly and courageously speak against elements whose
actions are besmirching the correct teachings of Islam. They should live up to their
responsibility of guiding the youth to ensure that there are inculcated with Islamic
virtues particularly those which stress on
tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
The scholars should also adopt strategies to promote interfaith harmony and
also programmes aimed at correcting the
misinformation about Islam to confront the
tide of Islamophobia.
A concerted approach is the best strategies in overcoming these challenges and
all the stakeholders notably the government, religious leaders and the civil society should all work together in tandem to
put in place viable measures to confront
this monster which wants to tear the country apart.

Restart ID issuance-Lamu leaders

tell state
Leaders from Lamu County have implored on the government to resume the
issuances of national Identity cards to area residents.
The leaders lamented that many youths lack the crucial documents and many
have lost out on employment opportunities due to the lack of the documents.
The government suspended the issuance of IDs in the county in the aftermath of the Mpeketoni attacks in June last year but the leaders have faulted
the decision saying that it is contributing to the marginalization of youths in
the area.
The government should consider this decision as our youths cannot get jobs
or move freely, said the governor Issa Timamy who also revealed that students from the area failed to secure scholarships to study in Sudan because
they lacked identity documents.
He said they were prospective prospects for the youth to secure employment
opportunities at the port of Lamu which is under construction but many have
remained idle due to the lack of IDs.
The women representative Shakilah Abdallah said that many youths were
being harassed by the police for lack of the identity documents and warned
that if the situation persists, the leaders will move to the courts to force the
government to issue the documents. The government should restart the issuance of IDs or we will go to court, she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by the Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa who said
the matter needed urgent interventions and failure for the government to act,
the leaders would resort to the courts to seek justice for the youth.

Page 2

Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

DA'WA

The Friday Bulletin

Rajab, first sacred month: Time for peace?

Idris Tawfiq
Ramadhan is so special for Muslims that
we should avail of every opportunity to
make the most of it. Having such a love of
Ramadhan and recognizing its blessings,
it is said that the Companions of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to
spend six months preparing for Ramadhan
and the rest of the year thanking Allah for
its blessings.
Ramadhan is the special month in which
Muslims fast for Allahs sake and try to renew and deepen their own faith, trying to
become better Muslims as a result. One of
the effects of their fasting is that they think
of all the blessings they receive from Allah during the year and also they spare a
thought for those less fortunate than themselves.
Ramadhan is a month of prayer and it is a
month devoted to the Quran. Ramadhan is
also very much a month of unity and brotherhood between Muslims. In the months
leading up to Ramadhan and the Hajj pilgrimage beyond it, we should seize every
chance to help us make its observance
better and to become better brothers and
sisters to one another.
Rajab is the penultimate month before
Ramadhan, so it presents us with a chance
to make our celebration of Ramadhan even
more special.
In Islam, there are four out of the twelve
months of the Islamic year considered
sacred. In the Quran we read: Verily,
the number of months with Allah is twelve
months (in a year), so was it ordained by
Allah on the Day when He created the
heavens and the earth; of them, four are
Sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong
not yourselves therein. (9:36)
Sacred months are considered sacred for
two reasons: Allah has declared that fighting is forbidden in these months, unless
initiated by the enemy; and transgression
of the sacred limits during these months is
worse than at other times.
The Sacred Months are Dhul-Qidah,
Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) tells
us: Time has come back to its original
state, which it had when Allah created the
heavens and the earth. The year is twelve
months, of which four are sacred: three are
in succession, namely, Dhul-Qidah, DhulHijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth one)
Rajab (of the tribe of) Mudhar, which is between Jumada (Thani) and Shaban. (AlBukhari and Muslim)
In having these four sacred months, we
see once again how Islam provides sensible and practical solutions to the worlds
problems, actually banning fighting, rather
than just talking about efforts to do so.
Those who follow the principles of Islam
are forbidden to fight during these sacred
months.
The pre-Islamic Arabs recognized four
months as sacred. These months were
agreed times when fighting did not take
place so the Arabs would be safe to visit

their idols in Makkah. However, the preIslamic Arabs did not always follow the
correct sacred months, sometimes altering
their order for their own convenience. The
Quran tells us how they had strayed: They
alternate the Sacred months and the regular months, whilst preserving the number
of months consecrated by Allah. They thus
violate what Allah has consecrated. (9: 37)
Islam here, as in everything else, restored
things to the way they should be and gave
these months their proper significance.
Fighting was therefore forbidden so that
pilgrims could go on pilgrimage to Makkah.
So we see that one of the sacred months
precedes Hajj, one is for Hajj itself and one
succeeds it, whilst the other sacred month,
Rajab, calls for a complete cessation of
fighting so that people can make the lesser
pilgrimage, Umrah, to the Kabah in Makkah.
We should note that according to Islamic
Shariah there are no specially prescribed
rituals or forms of worship during the month
of Rajab, and any special rituals must be
seen as innovations and therefore not a
part of Islam.
Special days of fasting during the month of
Rajab, for example, or the observance of
special nights of prayer have no basis in
either the Quran or Sunnah. Muslims may,
of course, do extra fasting or prayer in this
month, but the reward for doing so is no
greater than in any other month. The special feature of Rajab is not more rituals, but
peaceful behavior.
In preparing for Ramadhan, Rajab can
help. People might reasonably ask why
we need sacred months nowadays, when
most of us are not involved in fighting in
this or any month? Islam, however, is for all
people and for all times.
Our world today is torn apart by violence of
all kinds. In thinking of the worlds conflicts,
we see how ceasefires here and there are
attempted as a way to bring a more lasting
peace.
Islam has four special months, of which
Rajab is just one, in which fighting is forbidden, unless the Muslims themselves are
directly under attack and need to defend
themselves.
In thinking of this violence in todays world,
Muslims are especially distressed that
much of the violence is associated in many
peoples minds with Islam, when Islam is
truly the worlds religion of peace.
Whilst ordinary Muslims know in their
hearts that the terrible things being done
at present in Iraq and Syria in the name of
Islam are really not a part of Islam at all,
they are often at a loss to explain this to
others. Although countless scholars have
condemned such behavior, the message is
not getting through that it is not of Islam to
behave in such a way.
Non-Muslims are clearly puzzled when
they hear that Islam is supposed to be a
religion of peace, but see something alto-

gether different on their television screens.

What could be clearer, though, than to explain to them that in this sacred month of
Rajab, fighting and haram behavior is forbidden? It will be obvious, then, that those
who persist in this behavior are transgressing the bounds of Islam.
Peace, of course, is not just the absence
of fighting. Peace is a positive quality.
Men and women of peace dont just sit at
home praying, but actively extend hands of
friendship to others.
What a great preparation for Ramadhan
if the vast majority of the worlds Muslims
during the month of Rajab were to extend
hands of friendship to those in the world
seeking to goad Muslims by their cartoons
and sarcastic words.
What a strong witness to the brotherhood
and peacefulness of Islam if Muslims could
come together, regardless of their own differences, and meet in a civilized way with
those Muslims with whom they disagree.
Peace among Muslims in the month of
Rajab would be a great gift not only to the
worldwide Ummah, but to the world itself.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
warned Muslims repeatedly about fighting
one another, calling it one of the greatest
sins, so grave it can lead to disbelief.
Allah has prescribed sacred months not
just for the Arabs fourteen centuries ago,
but for all of us and for all time. A sacred
month, devoid of fighting, is just one more
of Allahs innumerable gifts and we should
ponder deeply on its meaning in our own
lives. Being peaceful does not mean being
weak. It takes great inner strength to approach your enemies or those with whom
you disagree with a message of peace.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
suffered
insult and
indignity
makeCE
the
Competition
1436
H/ to2015
real message of Islam heard. As a result,
Muslims love him beyond words.
During the month of Rajab, month of
peace, let us all try to follow his example,
In shaa Allah.

Jamia Mosque Qur-aan

Idris Tawfiq is a British Muslim and a former

Roman Catholic priest. He is an author of
several books about Islam and is regularly
invited to speak all over the world for various institutions and organizations.

SUNDAY
SATURDAY
LECTURE
Lecturer: Sh. SUNDAY
IbrahimLECTURE
Lethome
Topic:Is Islamic Shariah barbaric?
Date: 25th April 2015
Time: 2.00 - 4.00 pm
Venue Jamia Multi-Purpose Hall
SUNDAY
SUNDAY
LECTURE
SUNDAY
LECTURE

Hijab ya mwanamke wa Kiislamu

By: Abu Rahma
26th April 2014
Time: 2.00 pm -4.00 pm
Venue: Makina Kibera

Page 3

WOMEN

The Friday Bulletin

Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

Dealing with Islamophobia

Maryam Amirebrahim
I was leaving a store and there were 3 men
sitting outside a nearby cafe. As I walked
past them, one yelled out at me about
loving Jesus and living in a free country.
As I walked to my car, I debated if it was
worth doing anything about it or if it was
better to just ignore them. I was concerned
about safety as a woman. And I also know
that some peoples hateful words are not
worth recognition, hence the Quranic statement: and when ignorant folks talk to them
(the servants of The Merciful), they say,
"peace! (25: 63) Implying that they move
on.
I finally decided I would go back. It was
broad daylight, lots of people were walking
around, I have a second degree black belt
for a reason and most importantly, trust in
Allahs protection.
But I wanted to do this in a way that would
actually leave a positive impression. I
dont know their life stories as they dont
know mine, but I hoped that perhaps, even
years down the line, they might remember
the Muslim woman who responded as the
Qur'an instructs: Good and evil cannot be
equal. Repel evil with what is better and
your enemy will become as close as an old
and valued friend (41:34).
I went into the cafe, bought them some

lemonade since it was a really hot day, and

went back to introduce myself. As I walked
past, their raised voices spoke of freedom
yet again. Clearly, my presence inspired
passionate conversations.
I approached and the man who had called
out at me immediately got quiet. I said, Hi!
I brought you all lemonade. I just wanted to
introduce myself. My name is Mary- I was
named after Jesuss mother. After his surprise, he immediately started talking about
how in Muslim majority countries, they oppress women and they dont have rights
and freedom. I was about to say something
when he then said, My cousin was serving
over there. He just got killed.
And then it all clicked. This man may be
uneducated about the beauty of Islam,
the empowerment of Muslim women, the
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE we have for Allahs
and Allahs creation. He may only have
heard negative info about Muslims and
maybe have had no personal interactions
with Muslims.
But what he does know is he lost a loved
one. And if I had walked away, or chose to
yell back at him or just blast social media
feeds with my frustration at his ignorance,
his pain may have simply been solidified
with his misjudgments on who Muslims re-

ally are.
Our conversation ended with, Allahs
bless you. It was a heartfelt, kind prayer
said from his mouth and felt with my heart.
The other two men chimed in with their
goodbyes as well.
I dont know what theyre thinking now or
what their thoughts are long term. But I am
grateful to have learned from this experience and to have walked away understanding where his pain came from, instead of
assuming his intent was simply to create
pain in my life.
The only reason I am sharing this is because I know many of you have been in
this situation before. I wanted to share a
positive story on how turning around and
truly aiming to connect can do exactly what
the Qur'an states: bring people together.
Have you ever experienced hate because
of your religion or any other distinguishing
feature? If so, how did you react or how
would you recommend we respond? Im
looking forward to hearing wisdom from
your life lessons, Allahs willing.
Maryam Amirebrahimi is an American social justice educator and a regular for the
popular online blog, suhaibwebb.com.

OPINION

Ethno-religious blame games not solution to Kenya's terrorism epidemic

Hassan Malik Muhammad
Every time a terrorist attack occurs in
our country, the misdeed is swiftly-- even
though incorrectly-- associated with Islam
and Muslims, particularly the ethnic Somalis in North Eastern region.
A reflection of our reaction as a society
to the April 02, Al Shabaab attack on the
Garissa University College, which horrendously claimed148 innocent lives of students, and left scores of others wounded
has contributed to victimization of Somalis
and the wider Muslim community in Kenya
as well as hate speech against Muslims.
Muslims are predominantly a pacific lot.
The Noble Qur'an beautifully points out
that whoever slays an innocent soul it is
as if he had killed mankind entirely. And
whoever saves one- it is as if he had saved
mankind entirely" (5:32)
Regarding freedom and protection of faith,
the noble Qur'an states: "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256)
To lump the Muslim community in general
together with a bunch of terrorists, who are
hell-bent on killing and maiming innocent
people for their own egotistical and political
reasons is prejudicial to our national unity
as a tapestry nation.
Reckless and alienating outbursts from
politicians, ordinary citizen and sometimes
the clergy in the wake of a terror attack in
the country also feeds to Al Shabaab's gory
agenda of despoiling our country through
an inter-religious violence pitting Muslims

against Christians. This

is dangerous.
Adherents of these two faiths in the country have since time immemorial lived side
by side. They also share a unique and
timeless bond of affection through a number of divine instructions and the story of
Isa (Jesus) and his virtuous mother Mary
(Maryam)
For instance, Muslims are told in the Glorious Qur'an: "You will find the nearest of
them in affection to the believers are those
who say, "We are Christians". That is because among them are priests and monks
and because they are not arrogant" (5:82)
AlShabaab is simply interested in breaking
this sacred harmony between Muslims and
Christians.
For them, Islam; if I paraphrase the words
of anti-terrorism expert Bill Durudie, is just
a motif- not the motive of their violence.
Both in Kenya and Somalia, the terrorist
group has killed many Muslim scholars, ordinary citizens and security agents.
It is also reported that the outfit has recruited a multi-ethnic and religious membership
to execute their dastardly mission. Therefore, there is no need for internal divisions
in tackling this societal scourge.
Both our strength and success lies in our
oneness as Kenyans. Let us always remember the wise words of Thomas Carlyle:
"Men's heart sought not to be set against

one another, but with one another and all

against evil only.
Hassan Malik Muhammad is a young Kenyan Muslim based in Garissa town.

TAILORING
SPONSORSHIP
Jamia Training Institute is proud to
announce a one year sponsorship in
Dressmaking Department for a Tailoring course (Grade 3) examined by
National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
Requirements for Interested students:
- Muslim Lady
- Be able to read and write basic English
- Should be able to communicate in
either English or Swahili.
- Send an application letter to
the address below on or before
28/04/2015
The Principal,
Jamia Training Institute
P.O.Box 4062-00100 Nairobi
page 4

Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

YOUTH

The Friday Bulletin

Islam's reply to extremism

Deana Nassar
According to Islam, one of the signs of the
end of times is the inversion of reality, in
other words, things being upside-down and
failing to appear as they should. For Muslims, there is nothing that more obviously
illustrates this than Islam being made to
appear bad to the world.
For the first time in the history of our faith,
an extremist fringe has hijacked the religion
and is dominating the headlines, causing
havoc and creating a global crisis.
Sadly, this extremism which, in reality, does
not represent Islam is on the rise throughout the world and is, beyond doubt, a crisis
both for us Muslims.
There are important truths that we need to
learn about Allah and Islam. These truths
will help us throughout our lives, particularly when the chips are down and the world
looks like an ugly place.
There are times when we may feel alone
with the widespread of negativity. We may
be pushed to question a lot of what we
have been taught, but understanding and
knowing the truth remains within us as
something we can later count on. So how
should we deal with Islamic extremism and
negativity?
Through love, faith and example, we can
influence others to become better people.
Parents, teachers, leaders, relatives and
friends can aid each other toward progression.
Rather than adding to the darkness of the
world, we should use these gifts and talents to lift and inspire others. Our words,
deeds and attitudes can be contagious examples for others to emulate. After all, actions speak louder than words.
We should endeavor to seek out ways to
help others. Since this is hard during this
time, we need to ask Allah through prayer.
Allah needs us to be willing servants to act
in His behalf. As we do this, others will be
filled with hope to make changes in their
life and heart.
It is without doubt that at the root of the
extremists' actions is a poisonous political ideology that feeds, supports and
sanctions extremism. This is far removed
from the peaceful views held by Muslims
worldwide and taught by our beloved Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Quran
reads: Whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as if he has killed all
mankind, and whosoever saves the life of
one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of
all mankind. (Quran, 5:32)
In reality, there are many hadiths which
have been transmitted in which we are
warned against extremism in religion. In
one highly significant hadith, the Prophet is
reported to have said:
Towards the latter times a people will
come who have little knowledge; are deficient in intellect; will speak quoting the
best of people; have thick beards; wearing
shortened garments; have shaved heads;
have good speech but foul actions; claiming to act upon the Book of Allah but have
no relation to it; they recite the Quran but

it doesn't pass their throats; and they exit

from Islam as an arrow exits from its bow.
(Ibn Majah)
In fact 'Islamic terrorists, Muslim fundamentalists, extremists, and radical Islamists' are just labels that have been wrongly
applied to Muslims and certain Muslim
groups in recent years more so these last
few months. The medias portrayal of Islam
often misleads those whose knowledge of
the religion is limited, into making negative
assumptions about our very peaceful and
tolerant way of life.
In the face of such negative headlines, its
understandable we may become increasingly difficult to feel comfortable belonging
to the Muslim community especially in nonMuslim countries.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) had forewarned the difficulty of these
times, and is reported to have said that
holding on to your religion would be like
holding onto burning embers".
By condemning violence, extremism and
revenge, we create a safe and secure society and it must be a fundamental aim of
every Muslim. In fact those who choose
to use violence and terror cause anxiety
and fear must be fought against and prosecuted. We have a responsibility to take a
precautionary approach. Bear in mind providing protection is also about prevention.
In Islam, we are taught that the act of inciting terror in the hearts of defenseless civilians, the wholesale destruction of buildings
and properties, the bombing and maiming
of innocent men, women and children are
all forbidden and detestable acts according
to Islam and us as practicing Muslims. This
includes any type of terrorism, including
what is described as western state-sponsored terrorism which has killed, injured
and displaced infinitely more people than
all other types of terrorism.
We are taught if an individual Muslim were
to commit an act of terrorism, this person
would be guilty of violating the laws of the
very religion we claim to follow.
We follow a religion of submission to Allah,
peace, mercy, and forgiveness. The vast
majority has nothing to do with the violent
events which the media has associated
with Muslims. Islam by no means is a religion of extremism.
The ability to quote verses from the Quran
isolated from the context of passages and
without providing the contextual background for which those verses came about
has always been recognized by Muslims
to be a clumsy handling of Scripture. This
needs to change.
To achieve the needed change, we need
to properly educate ourselves, as Muslims,
about what Islam is actually about, speak
out against violence and make our views
known.
Islam has nothing to do with extremism,
and what in fact has happened is that a few
bad apples have hijacked a religion while
sadly a majority has kept quiet.
Based on religion, common sense, the

golden rule, proper research or from experience, we as Muslims can know the difference between right and wrong. In religion, for instance, right is right and wrong
is wrong. However, some extremists in the
world are blurring the lines of right and
wrong, making a clear choice for some difficult.
Justifying and rationalizing are common
culprits of making right seem wrong and
wrong seem right. By relying on faith and
having courage to do what you know is
right, that includes speaking up regardless
of the consequences, Allah will support and
sustain you.
Your faith will increase and you will have
the approval of Allah, which is ultimately
the most important reward. (onislam.net)

Kenyans evacuated from

Yemen

More than 200 Kenyans have been evacuated from the war torn Arab nation of Yemen. The Kenyans are among thousands
of foreigners who have left the country to
escape the ongoing civil strife which has ignited fears of a civil and sectarian conflict.
The first group of 27 Kenyans left the country last week by chartered flight and arrived
at Wilson Airport the following day.
The evacuation is being coordinated by the
Kenyan Ambassador based in neighbouring Oman Sheikh Muhammad Dor who said
that the government is doing what it takes
to ensure that Kenyans will be brought to
safety. They are hundreds of Kenyans still
trapped in various areas of the country but
we are working towards evacuating them
to safety, he told The Friday Bulletin.
He called on Kenyans in Sana and other
parts of Yemen to register with Ali Bafagih
on telephone number +967733874672 to
facilitate the evacuation operation.
The foreign affairs ministry also advised
the stranded Kenyans to cross over to
Oman where they can be evacuated from
Muscat and for those living near the Saudi
Arabia Arabian border to travel to Jeddah.
Yemen was plunged into conflict after rebels from the minority Houthi Shiite community seized the capital Sana'a deposing
the government led by President AbdRabbu Mansour Hadi. A coalition of neighbouring states led by Saudi Arabia have
launched airstrikes against the rebels to
prevent them from seizing more territories.

Dealing withSUNDAY
Islamophobia and
Harassment

A one-day forum to deliberate on the

growing trend of Islamophobia and
harassment of Muslims featuring legal
experts, counsellors, security officials
and SUNDAY
scholars LECTURE
Date 3rd May 2015
Time: 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
Venue: Jamia Mosque Multipurpose Hall
Organised by Family Resource Centre
ALL ARE INVITED
page 5

Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

The Friday Bulletin

Message from Majlis Ulamaa Kenya on the Garissa

University College terror attack

On behalf the Council of Muslim scholars

of Kenya, we wish to take this opportunity
to convey our heartfelt condolences to the
families and friends of the students, staff
and security officers who lost their lives in
the recent terror attack at Garissa University college on the 2nd of April 2015. May
the Almighty give them the strength to bear
the tragic loss. We also wish all those who
were injured quick recovery.
Like all other Kenyans and peace loving
people, we are hurting from this destruction of life and no human being in the right
state of mind can condone or justify such a
barbaric act.
We are more concerned with the design of
the perpetrators of these crimes who undoubtedly are hell bent on dividing the nation along religious lines. Elsewhere they
have continued to mercilessly kill Muslims in mosques, schools and other public
places, a clear indication that they have no
regard for human life the religion notwithstanding.
In light of these events, we the Muslim religious scholars in Kenya wish to state the
following:
The first Fundamental objective of Shariah
is the preservation of life. This is evident
from the various teachings of Islam. A Muslim is not only ordered to respect human
life, but even the life of other creatures of
God.
Throughout human history religion has
been misused by various groups as a
basis of perpetuating violence, and thus
becomes a very significant pull factor. As
Muslim scholars we want to categorically
state that Islam does no condone this heinous actions and strongly condemn all acts
which are a threat to Human life.
For over 150 years Muslims, Christians
and people of other faiths have peacefully
and harmoniously co- existed in this Country. At this trying moment, we must work together and there will be no challenge that
is insurmountable. We should therefore not
allow the perpetrators of this crime to succeed by instigating us against each other.
As we grapple with the aftermath of the
Garissa attack, we must remember that
terrorism is a global phenomena and the
effective way to deal with it is not to point
fingers at one another but rather we must
stand united, reason and strategize together on how to counter and overcome this
challenge.
Contrary to impression that has been created, we as Muslim scholars have been
tirelessly working through various religious
institutions and forums to address radicalization, the threat of terrorism and other
crimes. We have even lost some of our
members while others have been threatened. We believe this is Munkar (evil) and
our primary responsibility is to enjoin what
is good and forbid evil. Terrorism in all its
manifestations is inherently evil and we
maintain our resolve to fight it.
The nature of this crime is such that we all
stand to lose regardless of our religious

persuasion, and we therefore must stand

together. No single player or stakeholder
can succeed in dealing decisively with this
menace.
In this regard we wish to appeal to everyone to play their role.
-To the government and its various organs,
you are the main stakeholder with the constitutional responsibility of ensuring security of Kenyans and other people within our
territory.
We call upon the government to use the
powers vested in it to discharge this responsibility, by taking preventive measures, and dealing decisively with perpetrators of terror but this should be done in
accordance with the rule of law and respect
for human rights. In the fight against terror, the government must not be seen to
perpetrate terror. No community should be
harassed because of the actions of a few
deranged individuals.
Further, the government must address the
drivers of radicalization and violent extremism, e.g., discrimination, unemployment,
historical injustices, marginalization, corruption, harassment by police and other
security agencies. Earn the trust of the
people and open channels through which
genuine grievances can be addressed.
-To the political leaders, be responsible
and restrain yourself from politicizing security matters. Stop making irresponsible utterances that are likely to create acrimony
between communities.
-To fellow religious leaders, remember that
you have been entrusted with the sacred
duty of providing spiritual nourishment to
humanity. This includes using divine teachings to guide humans on how to live peacefully with fellow human beings. It is your
duty to correct misconceptions about religion, guide humanity and inculcate in them
the virtues of peaceful co-existence.
-To the parents and guardians, ensure that
the youth are not indoctrinated and only get
exposed to teachings that will mould them
into God-fearing and peaceful citizens.
-To the youth, do not allow yourselves to
be indoctrinated, brainwashed and be misled into being the foot soldiers for criminals. You are the future of this country and
should therefore not be misused to destroy
your future. Respect and listen to the advice of credible scholars and your parents.
-To the media, we earnestly appeal to you
to report responsibly, provide fair coverage
of events and avoid profiling, and most importantly, educate Kenyans on the virtues
of peaceful co-existence. Avoid use of terminologies that will depict certain religions
as condoning or equal to terrorism, I.e. Islamist and jihadist.
To the whole nation, this a real test of our
nationhood and patriotism and we must
stand together. It is through the creators
divine and grand design that we have this
homeland and we must therefore jealously
protect it and stand together to defeat the
designs of our enemies.

In conclusion, we pray to the Almighty to

continue protecting us and guiding us in
the face of terrorism and other crimes. We
trust that with Him we shall overcome.
SHEIKH KHALFAN KHAMIS ISMAIL
CHAIRMAN
Majlis Ulamaa-Kenya

Kakamega to host Muslim

leaders meet
Muslim scholars and Imams from across
the country are set to meet in Kakamega
County tomorrow.
The leaders drawn from the Council of
Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) and
prominent Muslim leaders from Uganda
and Tanzania will be meeting at an event
to be held at Kakamega Muslim Secondary
school grounds.
Among political leaders in attendance will
be Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Senator Bonny Khalwale, area Member
of Parliament Raphael Otaalo and former
Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi
among others.
During the meeting, the leaders will speak
on promoting interfaith harmony, development as well as various challenges facing
the Muslim community such as the threat
posed by terrorism and radicalization.
The leaders will further utilize the occasion
to encourage Muslims within East Africa
to take advantage of the ongoing regional
integration drive and tap the economic opportunities to improve on their livelihood.
''We want to see unity, cooperation and
peace among Muslims in the three East
African countries of Uganda, Tanzania and
Kenya and the entire region to easily benefit from the fruits of integration. We cannot
benefit anything from the integration when
we are divided,'' said Sheikh Abdalla Ateka
the CIPK national chairman who is the convener of the meeting.

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page 6

The Friday Bulletin

NATIONAL

Somali religious leaders declare anti-radicalization

campaign
Religious leaders from the Somali community have launched a nationwide antiradicalization campaign to stop youth from
joining violent and extremist groups.
Speaking after a consultative meeting held
on Sunday in Eastleigh Nairobi, the leaders asked all the stakeholders to support
the efforts meant to counter terrorism and
extremist ideologies saying terrorism is a
global phenomenon that requires collective
efforts and well thought out strategies.
We call upon all the stakeholders and the
Muslim community including political and
religious leaders, professionals, youth and
women to engage in a national awareness
campaign against terrorism, said Sheikh
Muhammad Shakul in a statement on behalf of the leaders.
Sheikh Shakul urged the Muslim community to be at the forefront in working towards
the realization of peace and security in the
country reiterating that Islam safeguards
the sanctity of life and property.
We declare our firm religious conviction
against all sorts of violence towards innocent people. Our religion is that of peace
and mercy to all mankind, he added.
The scholars took issue with the government for not reciprocating their contribution
in the fight against extremism saying that
even after some of them were living under
the shadows of threats from Al Shabbab,
the government went ahead to include
them in the list of persons and institutions
alleged to have links with terror groups.
We feel that the government is backstabbing us despite our efforts to publicly speak
out against these wrong ideologies, said
Sheikh Shakul.
Two prominent scholars, Sheikh Muhammad Umal who is based at the Masjid
Abubakar in Eastleigh and Sheikh Muhammad Osman the chairman of RAF international University are among individuals
whose finances were frozen allegedly for
supporting and financing Al Shabbab.
In his remarks, Sheikh Umal vehemently
refuted claims by church leaders that Muslim religious leaders are not doing enough
to address the radicalization of youth. He
noted that they have consistently used
mosques and other platforms to speak out
against extremism but their efforts pass unnoticed.
In their recommendations, the leaders
urged the government to take up its responsibility of safeguarding the lives and
property of Kenyans.
They further noted that the blanket condemnation on Muslims, their businesses
and institutions is uncalled for and urged
the state to desist from employing measures that will selectively target the community including the extra judicial killings.
The scholars also advised parents and
educational institutions to closely monitor
the youth and report suspicious activities
to the authorities.

In their communique, the religious leaders drawn from the counties of Nairobi,
Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Mombasa and
Isiolo opposed the recent calls to close the
Dadaab refugee camp saying the refugees
who are mainly women, children and elderly are victims of terrorism and their forcefully repatriation will work to the advantage
of Al Shabbab who will easily recruit them
to their ranks.

Protect Islam against

propaganda, Muslims
urged
Muslim leaders in Isiolo County have
come up with a raft of measures to provide
guidance to the youth on the correct Islamic teachings prescribed and at the same
time correct the prevailing misconceptions
about Islam and Muslims.
The leaders drawn from Supreme Council
of Kenyan Muslims (SUPKEM), Council
of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK)
and council of elders from both the Borana
and Somali communities expressed optimism that the measures will go at great
length to combat the tide of extremism
which has tainted the name of Islam.
While announcing the declaration at the Al
Falah Islamic Centre, in Isiolo town on Saturday, Sheikh Ahmed Set, said more than
50 Imams had resolved to use mosques
and madaaris to teach the faithful the
sanctity of life
He reiterated that acts of terrorism are
not consistent with Islamic teachings and
called upon politicians to desist from dangerous incitements.
Sheikh Ahmed said there was need to jealously protect the name of Islam from being used by criminals who are out to divide
Kenyans along religious lines, by reporting
any suspicious people who attempt to radicalize youth.
The Imams also resolved to put in place
religious education and psychological
counseling programmes among the youth
who may have been indoctrinated with a
view of reintegrating them in the society.
The Imams appealed to the radicalized
youth to surrender in line with the government amnesty within 10 days and asked
the government to extend the amnesty period to enable the Imams reach out to as
many people as possible.
"Those youths who may be afraid to present themselves to the police should come
to the Imams who will then present them to
the government authorities to ensure that
they are not harmed," he said.
Isiolo County Commissioner Wanyama
Musiambo thanked the Muslim community for their efforts in fighting radicalization and urged residents to stay alert at all
times.

Rajab 06,1436/April 24, 2015

Calls for establishment of

educational centres
of excellences
A call has been made for the establishment
of centers of excellence to help Muslim students in various educational institutions in
the country to improve on their academic
performance.
In its report titled 'Access to Higher Education Beyond Brick and Mortar' released recently, the Ummah Foundation Think Tank
indicated that the centres will help Muslim
students catch up with the top performing
national schools and also contribute to improvement of education standards in the
Muslim community.
According to the report, Muslim schools
are struggling behind other non-Muslim
schools to the disadvantage of Muslim students.
The report recommends school performance improvement framework citing that
only two thirds of 30 schools scored a C
grade and below in 2011.The framework
would assist both the schools and students
improve their respective performances.
Speaking recently during the release of the
research report, the Ummah Foundation
education committee chairman Ahmed Yusuf called on Muslims to invest in education
sector through establishment of more community schools to provide opportunities to
Muslim children to access education.
''There is need to establish at least ten
centers of excellence that will help Muslim
students access to quality education and
improve on their academic performances,''
he said.
The former long serving secretary at the
Kenya National Examination Council
(KNEC) said in 2007 the top eight leading
schools in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations were
all Christian sponsored schools sending
all their students to universities to pursue
regular programmes.
He however, expressed satisfaction that
much has changed since then with Muslim
schools performing exemplary well in national examinations.
''Fifteen Muslim schools are performing
and doing well as so much has changed
since then. But we are still in crisis and we
need a marshal plan to exceed the current
level of progression,'' Ahmed stated.
There are about 72 Muslim secondary
schools spread across the country with
Nairobi region hosting 18 schools, Coast
region 17, North Eastern region 11 schools,
Rift Valley region 8, Western region 4, Central region 3, Eastern region 3 and Nyanza
region 2 schools respectively.
In 2011, a team of professionals and experts was mandated by stakeholders and
Muslim professionals to look into the challenges facing Muslim schools and the education sector and give recommendations
on how they can be appropriately be addressed to improve on education in the
community.

page 7

VACANCY

DAWAH OFFICER

Jamia Mosque Committee is looking forward to get the service of an

active, energetic, youthful person (or man) for the above post.
He should have the following Qualifications and Experience:
A practicing Muslim and holder of at least of a Bachelors Degree in
Islamic Studies or related disciplines from a recognized Islamic Institution.
Have at least Three years experience in the field of Dawah and Administration.
Knowledge of Arabic, Kiswahili and English is Essential.
Good computer and report writing skills.
Excellent Moral Values and Good Inter-Personal Relations with others.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Daawah Officer
Must be able to deliver Friday Khutbah and talks/lecturers in the
Mosque.
Coordinate the meetings and activities of the Daawah subcommittee
and the Majlis Ulamaa of Jamia Mosque.
Do follow ups on Daawah subcommittee and Majlis Ulamaa meeting
including minutes, and reports.
Be able to give lectures to University, College and Secondary students
on various Islamic and contemporary matters.
Be able to work under minimal supervision and report to the Director of Daawah and or the convener of the Daawah subcommittee.
Perform any other related function given to him from time to time by
the Daawah committee or the Executive committee.
Qualified candidates should send the application letter, CV and
other testimonials to:
The Secretary General,

Jamia Mosque Committee,

P. O. Box 100786 00101, Nairobi
E-Mail: jamiamajlis@gmail.com
Before 10th May 2015

Sanitary hygiene for women

inmates

After being in Langata Womens Prison last two weeks,

we were approached by the Prison authorities if we
can extend the same services to other women prisons
within the environs of Nairobi. Ummah Foundation accepted the invitation and this week trips were made to
Machakos, Thika and Muranga womens prisons. The
three prisons host an average of 300 inmates with
quite a number on children who are still under the age
of four.
In many of these facilities, women must buy pads or
tampons for their monthly use, sometimes waiting
months or more for their supplies to arrive from wellwishers which is quite a challenge. Women without
external contacts to send them cash are out of luck.
The extent to which the government can help is over
stretched and even the budget to accommodate such
essentials does not come handy. Ummah Foundation
for the past years has been there to supplement the
government efforts of maintaining and keeping the inmates in good hygienic environments.
The hygiene-products shortage amounts to far more
than an annoying inconvenience. Inmates will find it
a big concern due to the discomfort and smell of living in close quarters with other women who are often
menstruating simultaneously. The one year supply of
the sanitary pads, panties and children diapers to the
four prisons we distributed will go a long way in alleviating some of these health issues in those particular
prisons.
Since the advent of the recession, budget cuts at
prisons often hit women-specific services first, and
fringe benefits like feminine hygiene products are
some of the first to go.
Pads and tampons should not be viewed as fringe
benefits, luxuries deserved only by prisoners with
cash to spare. Regardless of budget cuts, prisons
must maintain a certain basic level of comfort and
dignity for their inmates. Without that, even the most
delicious of chicken and chips cant make prison conditions humane.
The supplies were made available to make life in
prison be equivalent that out of prison. It is enough
punishment that the inmates have been confined in
solidarity and away from their loved ones. Denying
them the basic necessities of sanitary pads, undergarments and children diapers is condemning them to
sub human level.
It is our hope that this help can extend to other female
correction facilities so that they can also enjoy the
sanitation that their sisters are getting in these prisons. We therefore appeal to all well wishers to come
out and team with Ummah Foundation in bringing
change to our cells. We also appreciate the support
that we are accorded by the Regional Commandant
of Nairobi Prisons, Madam Wanini Kireri. She has
been very useful to us in making sure we access the
women facilities and give the needed services that the
inmates really deserve.
Contact us:
Ummah Foundation Village Plaza, Ngara Rd, Nairobi
P.O. Box 58717- 00200
Tel;+254-202680610/13, 0734845277,
Email: info@ummahfoundation.net
Web: 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@gmail.com Printed by Graphic Lineups Limited-Kweria Road info@graphic.co.ke