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Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

Editorial: Worrying trend in

terror war

Page 2

The prophet's kindness towards

people of the book
Page 3

Issue No. 627

MP decries abductions,
killings in NEP

Friday Bulletin
The

Page 7

The Weekly Muslim News Update

New NEP security boss

promises climate of peace

From Left: The newly appointed Regional Commissioner for North Eastern Ambassador
Muhamoud Saleh, the Editors Guild chairman Linus Kaikai and the North Eastern Professionals Association (NEPA) chairman Abdirazak Arale share a word during a media
engagement forum on Tuesday at Stanley hotel.

Dont profile Muslim, Somali community- Kerry

Visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry
has cautioned Kenyan authorities against
the profiling of the countrys Muslim and Somali population in the war against terror.
Kerry who jetted into the country on Sunday for a two day visit ahead of President
Obamas visit in July held talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta where the fight against
Somalia based terror group Al Shabaab featured high on the agenda.
He said counter-terrorism efforts should focus more on persuading and preventing the
youth from joining extremist groups adding
that a successful strategy to defeat extremist groups depends on building trust between
government and communities.
Such measures, he said must involve religious leaders and local citizens, whose participation is key in fighting against criminal
acts.
The success of this strategy depends on
building trust between the authorities and
local communities, and that includes mem-

bers of Kenyas Muslim community who were

among the first to march against the terrorists in Garissa. And it also includes Somali
refugees in Kenya, who are here after all
because they fled from their country and despise Al-Shabaab Kerry said.
The top US diplomat noted that defeating
terrorism requires comprehensive long term
strategies that include border security and
law enforcement actions stressing that human rights and the rule of law should be upheld in counter-terrorism war.
His sentiments were echoed by the former
US assistant secretary of state Johnnie
Carson who warned against measures that
could alienate the Muslim community.
The country should be careful not to alienate
its Muslim citizen population who contribute
so much to the diversity, vitality and health of
Kenya, said Carson who spoke on Voice of
America television.
Same sentiments were echoed by British
Continued To Page 2

The newly appointed Regional Commissioner for North Eastern has promised to bring a positive change in the
insecurity prone region. Ambassador
Mahmoud Saleh said his focus will be
to enhance on security of the region
and eventually bring to an end the
rampant acts of terrorism which have
been detrimental to the social and
economic fabric of the three counties
of Mandera, Wajir and Garissa.
Ambassador Mahmoud was appointed recently to take charge of security
matters in the region following recommendations from North Eastern leaders to President Uhuru Kenyatta to localize the security apparatus as it had
proved an effective mechanism in the
past to address insecurity.
The former envoy to Saudi Arabia is
coming back to familiar territory where
as the Provincial Commissioner; his
zero tolerance policy towards abuse
by security forces is credited for bringing an end to the Shifta menace which
for several decades had plagued the
region.
My strategy will focus on community
involvement and I will work closely
with local and religious leaders, the
youth and other stakeholders to enhance on security in the region, he
said during a consultative forum on
Tuesday between the North Eastern
Professionals Association (NEPA) and
the Editors Guild.
He called for support and participation
in the efforts to curb insecurity while
emphasizing that local communities have an important role to play in
the efforts to bring about a climate of
peace in the region.
The commissioner said the challenges
of terrorism should not be seen as a
Somali or Muslim problem but part
of the global challenges which is being experienced in many parts of the
world. It is important for all Kenyans
to remain united in the fight against
terrorism. This is not a Somali or
Muslim problem but a global phenomenon, he said.
In his remarks, the NEPA chairman
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

Worrying trend in terror war

Picture these situations

In Lodwar, a person walks into school administration office seeking information on
the number of Muslim student with a view
of facilitating iftar during the coming month
of Ramadhan. In response the school
calls in the police and the benefactor is
hounded to the cells after being labeled
an Al Shabbab operative on a mission to
gather information.
Down at the coast in Kilifi, a private tutor
is arrested and detained by the police: His
crime? Teaching a group of Somalis the
Swahili language.
In another incident, a couple expecting
blissful moments during their honeymoon
instead find themselves spending five
days in police cells after being accused of
being on surveillance mission of important
buildings in the city. The main evidence:
taking a selfie on a city street-the popular
trend of taking photos with smart phones
among young people.
And the now familiar story of person with
mental disabilities who made local and
international headline for being on a surveillance mission at the President Uhurus
rural residence in Gatundu for a possible
terrorist attack. Even after he was certified
by doctors as suffering from mental illness, security officers chose to continually
detain him for several more days before
he was quietly released.

Continued From Page 1

Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

These are some of the disturbing realities

which are becoming the poster face of the
operations of security agencies in their fight
against terrorism. In all these incidents-and
these are the tip of the iceberg, it appears
that suspicions remains the most crucial
source of evidence to detain people who
are later released after there are found innocent.
While the legal maxim is that suspects are
innocent till proven guilty by the courts,
when it comes to matters terrorism it is the
other way around as even before investigations commence, an arrested person is
quickly tagged with the terrorist link, arraigned in court and the face splashed on
television screens and newspaper. A few
days later these dangerous people are
quietly released but leaving behind enduring psychological scar of trauma, victimization and image damage.
As we have stressed time and again, we
strongly condemn the beastly acts where
marauding gangs have gone on rampage
to kill and main innocent people. Religion,
or whatever reason cannot be used as a
justification for these lurid actions and
those in charge of security should use all
legal means at their disposal to ensure that
plans of these killer gangs are nipped in
the bud before they materialize. But at the
same time, disregarding the law and resorting to suspicions, innuendos and base-

Climate of peace for NEP

Abdirazak Arale said the activities of the

Somali militant groups were a potent danger to the Somali community and the nation at large and called for concerted efforts
to eliminate the problem which he said was
affecting all Kenyans regardless of ethnic
or religious background. We call upon all
Kenyans to rise up and eliminate this cancerous disease. It is our national duty and
responsibility to stand up and be counted.
he said.
He further called for attitudinal change in
the way security agencies relate to Muslims
particularly members of the Somali community. Whereas the emergency laws have
been repealed, police attitude towards the
northern people has never changed. Collective punishment and gross human rights
abuses are the norm whenever there is an
insecurity incident, he said.
The contemptuous disregard of the constitutional rights of the local communities
results in mistrust, fear and despondence
among the local population. This leads to
the loss of crucial human intelligence that
would have helped to avert impending attacks and commission of other serious
crimes, the chairman further added.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the
Editors Guild Linus Kaikaki spoke on the
need for the country to integrate and remain united saying this will act as bulwark
against forces that aspire to see Kenyans
divided along religious lines. They want to
create an impression of them against us. Al
Shabbab is not a Kenyan invention and to

associate them with Somalis or Muslims is

a case of misinformation, he said.
A BBC journalist and member of the Editors Guild David Okwembah called for an
audit of the more than 2,000 Kenyan youth
who were trained by the government in
2009 to fight in Somalia against Al Shabbab. No one wants to tackle this question
but we need to know the fate of these youth
who were given military training in Manyani
and Archers Post. Are there the one who
are causing this mayhem in the country?
he asked as he called on the government
to come clean on the matter.
His comments were supported by former
Mandera East MP Muhammad Hussein Ali
who said that even after the defence committee in the last Parliament demanded for
answers, the government has continued to
stay mute on the matter. They remain a
danger to the country. These are guns for
hire, they can be used by clan militias, warlords and terrorists to cause mayhem in the
country, he said.
The forum was aimed at building a working
relationship between NEPA and the media
to sensitize the population on their roles
and responsibility in enhancing security
matters.
The association plans to hold public forums
in universities and other institutions to demystify the prevailing negative narratives
of associating terrorism with particular
communities and also sensitize the public
on their roles to address this growing challenge.

less facts to victimize innocent people also

deserves the strongest condemnation in
equal measures.
It is also a worrying phenomenon that
while the government issued an amnesty to those who are associated with Al
Shabaab, at the same time as media reports suggest, an ironic twist of a return of
disappearances and extra judicial killings
by police squads, is putting the whole amnesty offer into question.
Over the years, the security machinery in
the fight against this runaway crime have
chosen to take a path which borders on repression and collective punishment thereby building a culture of mistrust with the
community thus alienating them from playing a constructive role in policing matters.
Our call to the security officers is that
while they should undertake their duties
to safeguard the nation, at the same time,
this should be done with professionalism
and due diligence to ensure that the blazing guns target criminals and not innocent
people.
To Muslims, in this heightened times when
attention is being focused on members of
the community through a negative prism,
exercise caution and restraint in public and
avoid being entangled in incidents which
could lead to suspicion and victimization
from the public and security agencies.

'Don't victimize Muslims'

Continued From Page 1

High Commissioner Christian Turner who

called for the need to counter terrorism by
building trust and understanding with the
affected communities and leaders.
Earning the trust of communities is absolutely critical to defeating terrorism. If you
dont reach out to these communities and
understand the causes that drive people to
radicalization then we wont ultimately win
this war, said Turner during his appearance on a local talk show programme.
The Muslim leadership, human rights and
civil society organizations have on several
occasions decried state counter-terrorism
measures which they say target and victimize the population including the extrajudicial killing of people who are accused
of having links with criminal groups.
Last week 11 bodies were found in a mass
grave in Lanbiib Wajir county, sparking
fears from human rights organizations and
families of missing people that this could
be a pointer to a return of extrajudicial killings by police targeting those said to be
terror suspects.
In an open letter to Kerry prior to his arrival
in the country, human rights groups urged
the Obama administration to put pressure
on the government to end state sanctioned
victimization against its citizens, abuse of
the rights of refugees and an unfavorable
media environment as part of its campaign against terrorism. Security forces
have routinely responded to suspected
Continued To Page 5

Page 2

Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

DA'WA

The Friday Bulletin

The Prophets kindness towards people of the book

Maria Zain
Very rarely we hear positive stories of interreligious affairs in the news nowadays. It
is becoming a cultural trend that conflict
and controversy drive the propaganda for
the media, fuelled by politicized religions,
and even more so between the religions of
the people of the Book and Islam.
Very rare is the positive coverage between
the Judeo-Christian faiths and the Islamic
faith, but unbeknown to many, the relationships between them date way back, even
before the coming of Islam.
Upon the first revelation of the Quran in
Mount Hira, Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) rushed back home to his wife,
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She assured him
that whatever it is he was hearing was indeed a true revelation from Allah. Although
she had yet to understand what the revelation meant, she wrapped her husband in a
blanket and consoled him from his fears.
Once they had both calmed down, Khadijah urged the Prophet to consult her cousin,
Waraqah ibn Naufal, a wise elderly Christian believer. Waraqah then relayed that
this was the beginning of the birth of Islam
and that Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) had a turbulent journey ahead.
Unfortunately, Waraqah passed away a little later but his words held throughout the
embodiment of Islam. It was through this
act alone, that Muslims were to rely on
Christian for protection while the revelations reeled in.
In the first emigration of fleeing the pagan
Quraysh oppression, Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) received directive
for the Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia, a
country under the peaceful rule of a devout
Christian King. The Christian King, Negus, welcomed the Muslim envoy peacefully, even when two of the Quraysh came
to sabotage their good relations. It was
through the narrations of chapter Maryam
that the Muslims were saved by the King
Negus and good relations between Muslims and Christians were sealed, by Jafar
ibn Abi Talib, the Prophets cousin and one
of the leaders of the emigration.
Even with the discrepancy in belief of the
status of Jesus (peace be upon him), Negus turned the Quraysh back towards Makkah with their gifts that they were to exchange for the Muslims who had fled their
land. The King decided immediately that he
wouldnt swap a single Muslim for any of
the Qurayshs presents, and that they the
believing Muslims were allowed to live
and practice their faith in Abyssinia as long
as they wished.
The Prophet's kindness to Jews and
Christians
Besides the Christians, the Jews are also
considered Ahlul-Kitab, which literally
means the People of the Book. Those
who follow the scriptures of the Torah (the
Jews) and the Gospel (Christians) fall into
this family, and had always enjoyed good
relations with Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) and the first generations of
Muslims.

In the Quran Allah says: O people of the

Scripture! You have naught (of guidance)
till you observe the Torah and Gospel and
that which was revealed unto you from your
Lord. That which is revealed unto (Muhammad) from thy Lord is certain to increase
the contumacy and disbelief of many of
them. But grieve not for the disbelieving
folk. (Al Maidah 5: 68)
As Islam began to grow and spread
throughout Arabia, Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) met with many Christian communities and Jewish Tribes to
spread Islam, but never outwardly converted them. He did, however, encourage
them to continue to follow their Scriptures
and not to compromise their faiths. He
also reminded his Muslim followers: "He
who wrongs a Jew or a Christian will have
myself as his accuser on the Day of Judgment." (Al-Bukhari)
In his plight to create a peaceful spread
of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) had his followers enact a document to regulate the relationship between
people of the Book around Madinah, where
Islam was a growing civilization. According
to the sources, this is what the document
said: Whoever joins the signatories of
this scripture would be entitled to our help
and would not be subject to any injustice,
nor should the Muslims cooperate against
them. The children of Ouf (a Jewish tribe)
are community of believers. The people of
the scriptures are allowed to follow their religion as much as the Muslims are allowed
to follow theirs, and so are their allies except the one who commits injustice or sin,
for he does not harm but himself The
signatories of the document are entitled
to mutual advice, sincerity and assistance
rather than fighting each other (503)
This document was the first in history establishing religious pluralism and freedom
of beliefs. Peace was enacted as long as
everyone celebrated the goodness of their
religions and did not impose their beliefs
on others. It was also known that Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) never
ridiculed other religions and his spreading
of the messages of Islam was always imbued in kindness through his speech and
actions.
Even when Islam was insulted, the Prophet
(peace be upon him) would peruse wisdom
and dignity when explaining their misconceptions. Even so, he would only speak
when he was directed to do so: Nor does
he speak out of [his own] desire. It is but a
revelation that is revealed, taught to him by
one of awesome power. (An-Najm 53: 3-4)
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
though, openly encouraged the people of
the Book to reinstate monotheism, something that was and is quickly being lost:
Say: O People of the Scripture. Come to
an agreement between us and you: that
we shall worship none but Allah, and that
we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and
that none of us shall take others for lords
beside Allah. And if they turn away, then

say: Bear witness that we are they who

have surrendered (unto Him). (Al-Imran
3: 64)
There are always more similarities between the people of the Book than differences, and this is something that we need
to remember when reading contemporary
news in the mainstream media nowadays.
His respect for Non-Muslims in war
When it comes to the command to engage
in battle, Muslims are not allowed to fight
unless in self-defense or to drive out oppression. Even so, there is a comprehensive directive of the rules of war, and no
Muslim is allowed to harm a non-Muslim
who is unarmed, one who is working in the
fields or those who take refuge in Mosques,
Churches, Synagogues and Temples. This
shows the continuous respect for non-Muslims, even during war.
Mainstream media dictates controversy
and animosity between religions, particularly between Islam and People of the
Book. Unfortunately, many people are
swayed by it, naively unknowing that most
of the problems are instigated by political
propaganda or non-practicing or misinformed individuals. It takes time to read up
on the history of interfaith relations, especially during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but it is worth
it because he is the best example of how
to peruse relations with others. Not everything always ran smoothly and there were
turbulent phases of disagreement (like the
Battle of Khaybar), but Allah gave a comprehensive list of directives on how the
Prophet (peace be upon him) was to deal
with each unique situation.
It pays to understand this because many
are often misled by those who cause dehiscence within a very fragile society, but
the underlying reminders often relay the
kindness of Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) upon the Ahlul Kitab (the People
of the Book) those who Muslims honor as
people who were given revelations by Allah
Himself: the Christians and the Jews.

SUNDAY
Reverts Basic
6-Months Course

The Programme will In Shaa Allaah commence as from Saturday, 8th May 2015.
Venue: Jamia Training Institute (JTI) at
Lecture Room 2 Time:
2.00 pm.
SUNDAY
LECTURE
All are welcome to join.
SUNDAY
SATURDAY
LECTURE

Lecturer:Muhammad
SUNDAY Swaleh
LECTURE
Topic:Extremism in Islam part 2
Date: 9th April 2015
Time: 2.00 - 4.00 pm
Venue Jamia Multi-Purpose Hall
SUNDAY
SUNDAY
LECTURE
SUNDAY
LECTURE
Namna ya kukabiliana na mitihani 2
By: Abu Hudhayfa
10th May 2014
Time: 2.00 pm -4.00 pm
Venue: Makina Kibera
Page 3

The Friday Bulletin

WOMEN

Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

Make up for your missed fasts easily before Ramadhan

Sana Waseem
Ramadhan is coming up and Alhamdullillah
that we are alive to begin preparing for it.
Coming up is another chance to earn Allahs mercy, seek forgiveness for our sins
and gather all the barakah that we possibly
can. Alhamdullillah!
Unfortunately, I missed fasting during
Ramadhan last year; I was too sick to even
attempt to keep fasts. I was undergoing
chemotherapy and my last session was a
day before Eid.
But the truth is that these fasts are not the
only ones I have missed in my life. Thinking back, I have missed fasts in previous
Ramadhans, due to traveling, sickness
or pregnancy. Some fasts are from a few
years back that I have yet to complete.
Yikes! That is a lot of fasts.
Are you in a similar situation like me? The
fact is that sisters will inevitably miss fasts
due to reasons like pregnancy, breastfeeding and menstruation. If we dont keep
track of these fasts, sooner or later you
will lose count of the number of fasts you
have missed. What we need is a method to
count and a plan to make up missed fasts.
Are you feeling a little jittery about the number of fasts that you have to make up? (I
know I am!)
Come on, grab a pencil, paper, and a calculator and follow along my simple method
for counting missed fasts. Well then learn
the rulings on when missing fasts is allowed, and explore the various ways in
which we can make them up to get make
up as many of them as we can before Ramadhan, in sha Allah.
Are you ready? Bismillah!
We should first ask ourselves: Why do
I want to or need to make up the missed
fasts?
Allah says: Allah intends for you ease
and does not intend for you hardship and
[wants] for you to complete the period and
to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has
guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. [Quran 2: 185]
Alhamdulillah, Allah grants us concessions
when we are traveling, sick or pregnant,
but fasting during Ramadhan is obligatory,
so we must make up these missed fasts
as soon as possible, preferably before the
next Ramadhan begins. Reminding ourselves of this will renew our intention and
make us firm in our aim. If of course, like
me, you have missed fasts from many previous years, the first step is to secure your
intention to make them up and then count
the missed fasts.
Counting missed fasts
1) Draw a table with five columns:
Year': the year in which you may have
missed fasting
Completed Fasts': how many fasts you did
manage to complete that year
Missed Fasts': how many fasts you missed
during the Ramadhan of that year
Reasons for Missed Fasts': the reason for
which you missed the fast (see below)
Done': where you will make a note of
missed fasts that have been made up
2) In a vertical list, make rows, writing down
the year from which you officially started

fasting (the year menstruation began) and

end the list at 2014.
3) Now, before we begin calculating the
number of missed days, it would help to remind ourselves of the situations that make
it permissible to skip fasting during Ramadhan. This will refresh our memory and
remind us of any circumstances we have
faced in past Ramadhans that we might
have forgotten about.
According to scholars, one is allowed to
give up fasting during Ramadhan if they
are:
Sick
Menstruating
Traveling
Pregnant or breastfeeding (if your health
does not allow you to continue fasting)
In old age
Suffering from intense hunger or thirst
Under compulsion
So, with these in mind, start with the most
recent year (as it will be the freshest in your
mind) and recall if you faced any of these
circumstances and write the number of
missed days in 2014.
For me, it would be 30. So in the column
for Completed Fasts, I put 0; for Missed
Fasts, I put 30 and for Reasons for
Missed Fasts, I put sickness.
Following these steps, work backwards,
thinking of all the reasons that excuse one
from fasting and fill in each column. If you
didnt fast during Ramadhan due to pregnancy, then simply write the number of
days corresponding to the year of birth of
your children, with the same method being
applied to any years that you were breastfeeding.
What if you dont know exactly how many
fasts you have missed in the past year?
If you are counting fasts missed from many
years, it may be difficult to remember how
many you missed and why. In this case,
you need to think hard and estimate the
most likely number of fasts that you have
missed. Generally, sisters are aware of
fasts they miss due to menstruation, so
these should be fairly easy to remember.
Commit to Making Up Missed Fasts
So, have you finished counting the number
of days you did not fast?
Does it look like its a lot? Well, mine looks
overwhelming too!
But not to worry, in sha Allah, Allah will
make easy for us anything we are sincere
about, as He says in the Quran:
Allah burdens not a person beyond his
scope [Quran 2: 286]
Lets begin preparing our game plan on
how to reduce this number, in sha Allah. Its
important to remember that it would help to
start with small, manageable goals rather
than big ones, as the latter have a greater
chance of failing.
When I finished chemotherapy and started getting better, I planned to complete
missed fasts during the following December, so that all my missed fasts for 2014
would at least be completed.
But I was in for a huge disappointment. I
couldnt do it.
And I blame my failure on my big plans

more than my health. Had I made small

goals and started sooner, I would have
been able to manage them!
Organize your timetable and yourself for
fasting
Fasting and managing normal life is so
much easier in Ramadhan, due to the atmosphere of Ramadhan, everyone around
us is fasting and of course, because the
month of Ramadhan is filled with Allahs
blessings!
So during the year, if we begin with a focused approach and planning, fasting will
not only be easy, but also enjoyable.
1) Mark the days on the calendar in
which you plan to fast. Begin now and
continue even after Ramadhan ends. Fast
in small manageable chunks (2 or 3 days
a week), to develop a solid routine where
you check off fasts that you have made up.
Planning in advance will also give you a
heads up so you can plan your groceries,
cooking and appointments accordingly.
2) Grab a lunar (Islamic) and a solar
(Gregorian) calendar. Mark the days on
the solar calendar that coincide with al ayyam al bidh, the white days (13, 14, 15th of
each Islamic month) in the lunar calendar
and also prioritise fasting on Mondays and
Thursdays, in accordance with the Prophets sunnah.
3) Get your dua book ready. This is
something that I would really like to do this
Ramadhan. In this dua book, write down all
the duas that you want to make in your own
language, for yourself, spouse, children,
parents, friends, cousins, the ummah,
mankind, any issue that is troubling you
and something that you really want. Organize recommended duas from the Quran
and Sunnah so that you become familiar
with them now until they are second nature
to you during Ramadhan. Try to go through
these duas after praying tahhajjud, after
salah, on Jumuah and after iftar, as duas
are readily accepted at these times.
Commence!
Now you are ready to begin fasting!
Depending on your routine and engagements, you can either fast for a week consecutively or you can break it up and fast
on the days mentioned earlier. As you start
fasting, keep a tally on the number of fasts
in the fifth column of the table titled Done,
starting with 2014 and moving backwards.
Does it all seem a tad overwhelming to you
too?
Sometimes when I see my list, it seems
just so daunting and I ask myself, how
can I do it? I dont really want to die with
any fasts pending in my account. But you
and I should not and cannot think like this!
As long as we really want to do it, Allah
will make it easy for us. It may take many
months to complete missed fasts from the
LECTURE
previous years, butSUNDAY
we just need
to keep
going. Either we succeed or die trying, together in sha Allah.
So come along dear sisters, grab your
pens, paper, calendars and dua books
and get to work! May Allah accept our
fasts from us and make them easy for us,
ameen.

page 4

Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

The Friday Bulletin

Quran verses misinterpreted as teaching violence

Feysal Burhan

The interpretation of the verses of the

Quran is normally made with reference to
the historical, grammatical and theme aspects of the verses.
Some of the Quranic verses were revealed
addressing issues current to that time of
history, while others were revealed addressing a general principle or a matter
applicable to every time and place. All
verses serve as guidance for Muslims.
The substance addressed to a specific location with specific people may or may not
apply to subjects outside the scope of the
verses. Unless the addressees are elucidated, the Quranic verses would not be
interpreted correctly.
Misinterpretation of the verses of the
Quran occurs when the historical, grammatical and theme contextual aspects are
not taken into consideration.
Unfortunately, some people wrongly accuse Islam of teaching violence based on
an improper understanding of a few verses
of the Quran that were actually addressed
to a specific group of people, with a specific historical background. We will explore
these verses in the light of their historical
framework and of the subject matter in order to bring about their correct meaning
and purpose.
The first to be addressed is verse 191 from
Chapter 2:This verse is misunderstood to
command Muslims to kill disbelievers,
Christians and Jews.
In order for us to study this verse within its
historical and subject matter context, we
need to consider verse 190 as well. Verses
190-191 say: And fight in the cause of Allah those who have (initially) waged war
against you, but do not transgress limits
(by causing more damage to your enemy
than the damage they initially caused you,
thereby expanding the circle of war). Indeed, Allah loves not transgressors.
And slay them wherever you overtake
them and expel them from where they
have expelled you (a reference to Quraysh
who for 14 years had been expelling the
Muslims from Makkah), for tumult and oppression (that Quraysh heavily incurred on
you) are worse than killing; but fight them
not at the Inviolable House of Worship, unless they (first) fight you there. If they were
to fight you, then do not be reluctant to kill
them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers (in the sanctity of the Holy Shrine
of Kabah).} (Al-Baqarah 2: 190-91)
Considering the history surrounding these
verses, we learn that they were revealed
after the peace treaty of Hudaybiyah
signed between the Idolaters of Quraysh
and the Muslims in the year six after emigration, and prior to the performing of
one of the treatys conditions. This condition states that the Muslims visit Makkah and perform the Lesser Pilgrimage in
the following year. At the time to perform
the Lesser Pilgrimage in the following
year, some Muslims were concerned that
Quraysh may not fulfill its promise in al-

lowing the Muslims to enter Makkah and

conversely attack them while performing
their rituals. This legitimate concern was
indeed answered by Allah in the above
verses. In case Quraysh broke the Hudaybiyah peace agreement by attacking
the Muslims during the pilgrimage, only
then Muslims were commanded to defend
themselves and were given the details of
how to act in the battlefield.
Muslims were told to kill the Idolaters
wherever they may come upon them and
to drive them away from wherever they initially drove them away. Muslims also were
commanded to preserve the old sanctity of
the Shrine of Kabah by not fighting in it
But fight them not at the Sacred Mosque,
unless they [first] fight you there.
Note in verse 190 the subject of the verb
fight is the clause {those who have [initially] waged war against you}. This descriptive clause is making direct reference
to Quraysh and could not be mistaken by
any other than the Idolaters of Quraysh.
Similarly, the first part of verse 191, the
subject of the verbs slay, overtake,
and expel is Quraysh, who earlier had
expelled the Muslims from Makkah. The
second part of verse 191, however, a new
descriptive word, kafireen, is given to the
subject to-be-killed for fighting in the Sacred Mosque. The word kafireen (disbelievers) can take two possible meanings:
a. Quraysh who is the reference in the previous verse and who is also the guardian
of the Holy Shrine, and,
b. Specific people of Quraysh who disbelieved in the age-old sanctity of the Kabah
and incurred violence within it. If Quraysh
or those who disbelieved in the age-old
sanctity of the Kabah fight you, only then
do not be reluctant to kill them.
The majority of the Quranic interpreters took the word kafireen in the second
part of verse 191 to mean the Idolaters of
Quraysh as a whole. Other interpreters
took the word kafireen to be those who incurred violence within the Holy Shrine of
Kabah from amongst Quraysh. Dr. Fathi
Othman in his book The Concepts of the
Quran is one of those who took this approach. Dr. Othmans approach seems to
be the more accurate one, since the requital of killing is made to the subject in the
second part of the verse 191, those who
disbelieved in the sanctity of the Inviolable House of Worship.
In either case, the word disbelievers in
verse 191 cannot be taken to mean Christians nor Jews or any disbeliever other
than Quraysh. Thus, the claim that Islam
teaches violence is proven false. On the
contrary, many see these two verses as
ground for Islams quest for peace. Such
that even when Muslims were commanded
to fight in self defense, they were instructed to practice war-morality: Do not start a
fight. But fight in the cause of Allah those
who initially fight you, but do not transgress
limits thereby expanding the circle of war.

The word limit is interpreted by the majority of scholars as limiting enemys loss
only to their own. Any more loss beyond
that is considered transgression. Thus, the
verse teaches Muslims not to start hostility
and to use hostility-stopping techniques if
war ever started.
Causing more damage to the enemy is an
invitation to more violence. Furthermore,
the Quran commands Muslims that if the
opponents inclined towards truce, they are
to seek an end to hostilities. Allah said:
{But if the enemy inclined to peace, then
incline to it.} (Al-Anfal 8: 61)
Reflecting on this Islamic fundamental
teaching, Karen Armstrong in her book,
Muhammad, A Biography of the Prophet
stated:
The Quran teaches that war is always
abominable. Muslims must never open
hostilities, but, once they have taken
a war, Muslims must fight with absolute
commitment in order to bring the fighting
to an end as soon as possible. (209)
Studying the Quranic verses in the light of
its historical context is an ever important
matter in understanding Islam, its people
and their culture.
The second verse to be examined is verse
five from chapter At-Tawbah, or Declaration of Disassociation. In order to do a fair
study of the verse, again, its subject matter context must be considered along with
other verses that were revealed with it.
Additional consideration must be given to
the events and time period in which these
verses were revealed.

'Don't victimize Muslims'

Continued From Page 1

Al-Shabaab attacks with abusive operations and by targeting entire communities

Muslims, ethnic Somali Kenyans and
Somali refugeesbased on their ethnicity,
nationality or religion, the groups which
included Haki Africa, Muslim for Human
Rights (MUHURI) and US based Human
Rights Watch said.
In his address the visiting diplomat assured US help in the fight against terrorism and pledged over nine billion shillings
from the US government to aid the war on
terrorism.
The money will be used for border security, intelligence sharing, security co-operation, equipment, military training, security
personnel, de-radicalization and counterterrorism strategies.

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page 5

Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

The Friday Bulletin

Take charge of security, govt told

The government should live up its obligation of providing security to Kenyans as
this remains its primary responsibility to
ensure safety for its citizens.
These sentiments were made by Fatma
Hydar a Nairobi women activist and former director of women affairs at the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) who said that recent events in the
country which have claimed the lives of
scores of innocent people point to a laxity
on security matters by the state security
agencies.
As consequences for its failures, she said
Muslims are now facing the blame for the
spiral rise in acts of terrorism which have
been witnessed in the country.
How do these people come into the
country at will to kill people? The government is failing its people. The responsibility to provide security squarely falls upon
the government, she said on Sunday at
Jamia Mosque during a forum to discuss
the rising growth of Islamophobia.
Participants expressed their indignation
at the rise of anti-Muslim attitude saying
that while the acts of terrorism may have
been carried out by some deranged Muslims, it is wrong to portray the faith and its
adherents as purveyors and supporters of
these acts of criminality. In 2007, churches were accused of fanning ethnic conflict
which resulted in more than 1,000 people
losing their lives during the post-election
violence while in Baragoi, more than 40
policemen were killed but Christians nor
the local communities were blamed for
these massacres, said Riziki Ahmed a
counselor at the Family Resource Centre.
She called on the Muslim leadership to
come up with strategies to address the
rising tide of Islamophobia which she
said needed urgent attention. Muslims
face constant harassment in matatus,
streets and other public places. Madaaris
and mosque are being vilified as breeding
grounds for terrorism and our leaders are
keeping silent, she said.
The Dawah Centre administrator Feysal
Kassim said various programmes will be
initiated to demystify prevailing misinfor-

mation about Islam and build closer relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims.
We are planning to hold mosque open day
events where we will have sessions with nonMuslim inside mosques and answer their
queries on Islam, he added.

Busia governor pledges to

support Muslim projects
The Busia county government will support
projects that will assist contribute to the socio-economic development of Muslims.
Addressing Muslim faithful at the official opening of the newly constructed Osia mosque in
Teso North sub-county, the governor Sospetor Ojaamong said county development programmes will be extended to all residents
without discrimination and urged Muslims to
play a more viable participatory role in developmental matters.
He assured that the community in Busia county will not be discriminated against in matters
pertaining to employment, development programmes and service delivery stressing that
his government will recognize their role and
contribution to the development of the county
and the nation at large.
I want to assure you we are going to do everything possible as the county government of
Busia to cater for your needs particularly in
area of development, he said.
At the same time Ojaamong urged Muslims
in the county to take the education of their
children seriously by giving them the necessary support to excel academically in order to
compete favourably in the job market.
He enumerated further that through its bursaries scheme programme, the county government will provide support to ensure bright
and needy students pursue and further their
education without any hindrances.
On his part the Osia Mosque chairman Hussein Omasete paid tribute to the governor
and all those who supported the construction
of the mosque saying that their contribution
will go to great lengths in fulfilling the aspirations of Muslims in the area.
Hussein said the mosque will be a centre of
Islamic activities in Teso North Sub-county
serving the Muslim population with programmes targeting the society in general.

GHANIMA Girls Secondary School

GHANIMA Girls Secondary School is a Girls Boarding School owned by AMA and is located
along the Namanga Highway 10 Km from Kajiado Town . Its adjacent to Umma University.
The School has form one and two.
The Following vacancy is available;
PRINCIPAL
Qualification:
1. Should be a Muslim preferably a Lady.
2. Be a holder of at least a degree in Education.
3. Has held the position for not less than three years or have served as a deputy for not less
than five years.
4. Have a proven good track record.
5. Knowledge of Arabic will be an added advantage.
A good package would be offered including housing. Should be ready to assume office immediately.
Application, CV and other testimonials should be sent to the undersigned email not later than
15th May 2015 Email:
kenya@direct-aid.org. c.c. ghanimagirlssec@gmail.com

Kenya to mark Global

dawa day
Kenya will be among the countries marking the Global Messenger Day on Saturday May 16. The event is aimed at calling
people to get to know and love Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him.
The local event is being organized by the
Dawah Centre based in South C Nairobi
and will be held outside Jamia Mosque.
The event will be marked in more than
50 countries around the world and will
involve engagements with Muslims and
non-Muslims on the noble traits of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as
a personality who championed the ideals
of justice, peace and tolerance among
humanity.
The global activities are being coordinated by the UK based the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA). The
Dawah Centre chairman Ogle Musleh
explained that the event will also serve
as platform to portray the correct teachings of Islam and curb the prevailing misinformation attributed to the faith as well
as fostering better relationship between
Muslim and non-Muslims.
Research shows that a large percentage of the Kenyan public have never
spoken to a Muslim about Islam. This is a
unique opportunity for Muslims to change
the narrative and negative perceptions
about Islam and Muslims. The emphasis
is about people converting to Islam, but
to strike warm and meaningful conversations with a view to building long-term
relationships between Muslims and nonMuslims, he said.
Last year, Kenya for the first time participated in the Global Dawah day held on
July 5 2014 which was marked in almost
100 cities worldwide. Under the Whats
Your Goal? dawah campaign, the event
was designed to coincide with the FIFA
World Cup in Brazil and aimed at encouraging Muslims to share the message of
Islam with their local communities.
The Dawah Centre which is based at
Masjid Salaam in Mugoya estate and is
involved in various activities which include dawah training, street dawah programmes, organizing forums and events
to foster better understanding of Islam
among non-Muslims and free distribution
of Quran and Islamic literatures among
other activities.

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page 6

Rajab 20,1436/ May 08, 2015

NATIONAL

The Friday Bulletin

MP decries abductions and killings in NEP Curriculum for madaaris

A Member of Parliament from North Eastern region has raised concerns over the
rising cases of abductions and killings of
persons alleged to have links with terror.
The concerns comes barely a week after
a mass grave containing 11 bodies was
found in Lanbiib, Wajir county prompting
fears of a resurgence of extrajudicial killings by state security operatives.
Mbalambala MP Abdikadir Omar Aden
condemned the killings and expressed
grave concerns on the rising cases of disappearances of individuals allegedly at
the hands of security officers and stressed
that the trend must be addressed by the
government.
The MP further faulted the extension of the
dusk to dawn curfew which was first imposed on the region by the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet following the
attack on Garissa University College by Al
Shabaab militants where 148 people lost
their lives.
The continued abduction of people by
unidentified contingents of the government
security agencies and reported cases of
extrajudicial killings together with blanket dusk to dawn curfew will continue to
isolate the native Somali communities in
NEP, he said.
Abdikadir urged the government to adopt
a strategy of winning hearts and minds of
communities to defeat the scourge of terrorism citing the example of United Kingdom where terrorist attacks from Northern
Ireland were contained with the support of
the public.
The government must change its current strategy in NEP if it is to win the war
against Al Shabaab. The war against terror cannot be won without the participation
and support of the communities in the areas most affected, Abdikadir said.
He observed that while area residents are
willing to work with the authorities in dealing with the threat of radicalization and terrorism, the hard line approaches taken by
the government is only instilling fear in the
population and proving to be a major setback in the efforts to tame insecurity.
The government must stop scaring the
people of NEP and subjecting them to
blanket punishment. The curfew and the
abductions must come to an end, he added.
Meanwhile a family in Garissa is in agony
after their kin, a prominent religious leader
was allegedly taken away by security officers on Monday. Speaking to journalists,
the family of Sheikh Abdullahi Khalif spoke
of their anguish and pain since his arrest by three armed people who identified
themselves as security officers.
The Sheikh was picked from Umul-Qura,
an Islamic religious institution (duksi)
in Garissa town by the officers in plain
clothes on Monday morning before he was
forcibly bundled into a waiting Toyota land
cruiser vehicle and driven away to an unknown destination.

They grabbed him and put him into the waiting land Cruiser in full glare of his students,
said his eldest son Abdi Khalif Abdullahi who
spoke to journalists at their home in Bula Salaam in Garissa.
He said they were unable to reach the
Sheikh by phone as calls to his number went
unanswered on Monday and Tuesday before
it was apparently switched off. Relatives and
neighbours appealed to the government to
have him released or produced in court.
We appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta to
intervene and help trace his whereabouts
because the family is suffering and they
want to know where he is. We are also concerned about his safety, said Jamila Jelle, a
sister of the missing Sheikh.
Human right activist and coordinator Northern Forum for Democracy Khalif Abdi
claimed more than 30 people in Garissa are
missing after they were allegedly arrested by
security officers under unexplained circumstances.

Intensify marriage
education, Kadhis urged
Kadhis have been called to intensify marriage education programmes to enlighten
couples on strengthening their marriages.
The call was made by Amida Indimuli, a
women leader at the Kakamega Jamia
Mosque who said marriage is a pillar which
holds society and there was need for marriage education programmes to sensitize
and educate Muslims on aspects which will
enhance their marital life.
Addressing a Muslim women convention at
the mosque over the weekend, Amida emphasized that families needs to be sensitized on conflict management strategies and
against involvement in practices that could
be detrimental to their marital relations.
She cited ignorance and disregarding dialogue as the main contributing factors leading to high divorce rates in the community in
the region and called on Kadhis and Islamic
scholars to play a leading role in promoting
harmony among families.
The women leader further advised Kadhis
and Islamic scholars to step up, guidance
and counselling services to safeguard the
sanctity of marriages in the Muslim community.
In her counsel to the couples, Kakamega
Jamia Mosque committee member Hawa
Omar Malenya encouraged couples to seek
Qur'anic guidance and also show respect
and affection to each other to strengthen
their marriages.
Advice on compatibility, practical realities
of marriage and nurturing marital relations
formed among key issues of discussions
during the forum.
The one day convention attracted over 200
Muslim women drawn from various women
groups within the region.

to be ready soon

A unified and common structured curriculum to enhance on learning in madaaris

in the country will soon be realized. This
was revealed by the Muslim Education Council (MEC) executive director
Munawar Khan who said the proposed
syllabus has already been delivered to
the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) as part of the validation
process.
The progress made so far is very encouraging and I urge all stakeholders
to cooperate and support this important
exercise, he said during a three-day
retreat for education stakeholders held
recently at Umma University in Kajiado
county.
The proposed curriculum will provide
learners with teachings on the Quran,
seerah (biography of the Prophet, peace
be upon him), Arabic language, hadith
(prophetic traditions), tawheed (Islamic
monotheism), fiqh (jurisprudence) and
akhlaq (Islamic moral values).
While the government through 2013 Basic Education Act recognized madaaris
and duksis (religious schools in Somali
communities) as formal schools, Islamic
schools have been operating without a
clear curriculum with each institution operating independently without a standard
syllabus. Some institutions have locally
generated curriculums while some depend on already developed learning
guides from countries such as South Africa, United Kingdom and United States.
It is from this back drop that Muslims Education Council being a body mandated
by the 2013 Basic Education Act to represent Muslims on matters of education
took it upon itself to coordinate and initiate the process of madrasah curriculum
development.
The process began with a stakeholders conference at the Jamia mosque in
September last year where the need for
a common curriculum for all madaaris
in Kenya was unanimously approved.
A 16-member committee led by Ahmed
Yusuf, the former CEO of Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) was
formed to spearhead the process.
According to Munawar, the validation
process at by KICD is a monumental
step in the process of having a unified
madrasah syllabus. We are optimistic
that we are soon coming to the culmination of this long journey, he said.
In their address to participants during the
retreat, the Chairman of Majlis Ulamaa
Kenya Sheikh Khalfan Khamis and his
counterpart from the Jamia Mosque
council of scholars Sheikh Fathahudin
Thangal encouraged MEC and education stakeholders. They said that the all
inclusive unified madrasah curriculum is
timely and urgently needed to streamline
madrasah teaching.

page 7

China forces Uighur Muslims to sell alcohol

In a fresh crackdown on Muslim religious rights, Muslim shops and restaurants

in a Chinese village in northwestern Chinas Xinjiang province have been ordered to sell cigarettes and alcohol or face closure.We have a campaign to
weaken religion here and this is part of that campaign, Adil Sulayman, Aktash
village party committee secretary, told RFAs Uighur Service on Monday.
The new orders, signed by the Aktash village Party Committee of Laskuy
Township, say in part, all restaurants and supermarkets in our village should
place five different brands of alcohol and cigarettes in their shops before [May
1, 2015].
Shopkeepers were also instructed to promote the products in eye-catching
displays..Authorities warned that anybody who neglects this notice and fails
to act will see their shops sealed off, their business suspended, and legal action pursued against them. The notice also said the order was handed down
from the top ranks of Chinas ruling Communist Party.
Sulayman said that over the past years, abstention from alcohol and cigarettes
had become common in Aktash and other parts of Laskuy, with some 70-80
percent of people between the ages of 16 and 45 refraining from drinking and
smoking.
The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that get people intoxicated
when taken is unlawful, both in small and large quantities, whether it is alcohol,
drugs, fermented raisin drink or something else.
Weakening religion
Launched under the pretext of fighting extremism, the new campaigns against
Islamic features were regarded as targeting Uighur Muslims faith.
Since April 2014, authorities of Xinjiang started offering cash rewards to informants who report on their neighbors for wearing beards.
Earlier in December, China banned the wearing of Islamic veiled robes in public in Urumqi, the capital of the province of Xinjiang.
Uighur Muslims are a Turkish-speaking minority of eight million in the north.In
2014, Xinjiang banned the practicing of religion in government buildings.In August, the northern Xinjiang city of Karamay prohibited young men with beards
and women in burqas or hijabs from boarding public buses. Police have also
raided womens dress shops in the province to confiscate full length robes.
(Onislam.net)

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

Save A Mum Initiative

Last month Ummah Foundation was involved in a 10
kilometre charity walk to save mothers in Africa from
maternal mortality.
This was a Save A Mum initiative that was Organized by Chase Bank Foundation in partnership with
the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) aimed at saving the lives of thousands of women
and children. The charity walk aim was to raise more
funds to train new midwives in rural Kenya, which will
reduce maternal mortality by improving access to prenatal care. In the strong belief that no woman should
die giving life and that no child should be left an orphan due to lack of health care for women.
AMREF, Chase Foundation and other donors like Ummah Foundation launched the campaign to draw attention to the plight of African mothers and to mobilize
support across the world to ensure that mothers get
the basic medical care they need during pregnancy
and childbirth.
Ummah Foundation was one of the substantial donors
towards the initiative.
Statistics has shown that:
- Over 162,000 mothers die every year due to a lack
of simple medical care.
- 1 in 39 African women run the risk of dying from
pregnancy or childbirth related risk.
- Over 80% of these deaths are as a result of complications that could be taken care of in facilities with
basic emergency obstetric care services.
- One midwife can look after 500 mothers and safely
deliver 100 babies annually
To combat these challenges, this initiative came up
to assemble resources from as many well wishers as
possible to put to a stop to these manageable risks
that as team we can easily defeat. Over the years
Ummah Foundation has been struggling on its own
by sponsoring Midwifery students to undertake the
courses that are offered at Pumwani Maternity Hospital. We realised that on our own, we cannot afford
to train as many midwives to meet the challenges we
face as a country and continent.
When Amref and Chase Foundation came up with the
team initiative, we jumped at it and saw how we can
together afford more trained experts to fight the menace of maternal death.
We also appreciate the fact that even the First Lady
Margaret Kenyatta is thinking in the same direction
and together we can bring change by alleviating the
silent killer that is robbing us of our mothers, daughters and sisters daily.
We also need to understand that Muslims are the
worst hit by this calamity due to some cultural values that have subjected our populace in the rural areas from accessing primary health care. We are duty
bound to sensitise our community about these needs
and together we can succeed in bringing the change
that we all desire in shaa Allah.
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