In recent weeks and months, incidents and stories of ‘Islamophobia’ have been voiced more and more frequently. Examples have ranged from simple verbal abuse to more malicious and even violent episodes.
It is difficult to understand the true extent and scope of the problem with merely anecdotal evidence alone. Therefore we ask members of the public to share with us (with the option of anonymity) their stories. This will allow us to collate qualitative evidence and better understand the problem.
We will then consult with the relevant stakeholders to find the appropriate solutions to this growing concern.
The survey is on the left-hand side of the www.hujjat.org site.
Should you have any questions please do email admin@hujjat.org. Moreover, if you or a family member/friend have experienced an unpleasant incident and would like to receive support or counsel, please do get in touch.
With Salaams and Duas Secretariat The KSIMC of London 11 October 2015
The Hujjat Islamic Study (HIS) module entitled IMAM MAHDI (A): The Position And The Mission byShaykh Bahmanpour is scheduled to start on 8 September 2015 at 7.45pm.
To apply, please download an application form here.
The Criterion ‘And the Messenger will cry out: “Surely, my people treated this Qur’an as a forsaken thing!”’ (Qur’an: 25:30)
When from death, I rise How will I face the Criterion, The Standard that decides Paradise or perdition Felicity or fire My eternity, wherein I will abide?
When I see the truth of the Qur’an in my life Unloved, untapped, betrayed, denied Will I wail and scream and weep, Wracked by remorse, futile grief? Or will my shame cut so deep I cannot weep, nor speak, nor breathe?
O Divine Word, dearest friend, best of guides If only I had truly valued you before I died! As I drowned in the sea of temptation Why did I not seek your anchor, salvation?!
I rarely opened your covers So how could I discover That all purpose, peace Between your pages was concealed?
When I actually read a verse Why was I too immersed In worldly concerns To connect with my Lord, converse?
Every time I looked I saw an ancient book Austere, dated, aloof To be held, read Kissed and re-shelved Rather than loved and understood
Why did I not see the reality? You were my soul’s life, vitality You drew near, spoke to my heart It was I who withdrew, drifted apart
Stone hearts melted, dry eyes flowed But I was young, rash, with no time for my soul I thought I’d seek you when I was old and bored Not realising my heart would shrivel and die Well before old age was nigh
Had I known what I do in death Never would I have left you to my dusty shelf With every fibre of my being I would have imbibed, acquiesced Radiated your light in every action and breath
I would have avoided the shame, The unbearable, searing pain Of rising from a dark grave, Raising my eyes to the Lord I betrayed, And seeing Him turn His Face away
Blindness ‘ … So whichever way you turn, there is the Face of God…’ (Qur’an: 2:115)
I live in a world of Wisdom and Design Breath and brush-stroke Divine Where every raindrop, falling leaf From His Hand is released
Yet still I moan about rainy days Inconvenience, mud and grey Downpours may be floods of grace But all I perceive, is traffic and delays
Head down, I rush around Always on the move, never in the now No pause – to catch His smile through the clouds, Or tune in to the wind to hear Him whisper aloud
Material obsessions delude my heart and mind The world is a career highway, a gold mine To be exploited and stripped bare Rather than divine unveiling, inspiring awe and prayer
And so, I do not see His reflection in morning dew The depths of divine mercy in oceans blue My heart is unstirred by the tide’s ebb and flow Unlit by the splendour of sunset’s glow
Nature discloses the Beloved’s Face But my heart averts its gaze His love resonates in her song and silence Yet my soul is deaf to its call, heedless
So am I surprised, when I enter the sunset prayer And my heart is inattentive, unaware? Can the one who is blind, oblivious to Him all day See divine light and glory when he bows down to pray?
It is expressing the hurt caused by the tragedy of Karbala Words of Angel Jibraeel to Husayn (As) and how he watched the day unravelled…
I saw your men be killed one by one, Habib, Aliakber, Muhammad and Awn, Qasim’s body destroyed by the horses, Your followers depleted by enemy forces.
I was there when Abbas fell from his horse, When his face was filled with remorse, Seeing the water trickle out of the gourd, Fallen lay the Alamdar without a sword.
You picked the flag dropped by the cut hands, As the flag came closer Sakina told her friends, My uncle will soon bring water for us, Never did stop the cries of al-atash,
I saw how you picked the small Aly Took him to the camp of the enemy, His dried little tongue asked for a drink, Lo! Sent to his Lord before I could blink.
I heard Sakina’s heart tremble in fear, She realized those who left did not reappear, Tears clouded her beautiful young face, Towards you she began to race,
My eyes welled up when the last time you met, Clutching you tightly, Sakina’s cheeks wet, You placed her on your chest to make her calm, On your mind the journey to Shaam,
Your noble hands began to shiver, Sakina turned her face to the river, What if water I did no longer need, Would they stop the terrible deed?
I saw you placed your hand on her head, The little girl was never this sad, You kissed Sakina the final goodbye, Your eyes wet, your throats dry.
You went to the battlefield like Ali’s son, The enemy in all directions began to run, They could not touch the lion of God, Sent to hell by your blessed sword,
Stones and arrows the cowards threw, Closer your status to Allah grew, “Ya ayyatuhan nafsul mutma-inna” heard, Your head went to sajdah, laid down your sword,
I raised my hands to Allah then, Can I interrupt and save this man? As Shimr’s sword came down on your neck, Time stops before to Allah you go back.
Can I place my wings on your neck? So that to Zaynab you may go back, I have just witnessed the day bloodiest, How can I any more stay at rest?
In the blessed month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, the pious companions of the Holy Prophet and their followers used to do many acts of worship. The first ten days of this month are called “The Stated Days” by the Holy Qur’an.
About these highly honorable days, the Holy Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said that nothing is more preferable to Almighty Allah than practicing acts of worship on these ten stated days.
It is recommended to observe fasting on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, for it is equal to the fasting of one’s whole lifetime.
At each of these ten nights, it is recommended to offer a two unit prayer between the Maghrib and `Isha’ obligatory prayers and to recite at each unit Surah al-Fatihah once, Surah al-Tawhid once, and the following verse (7/142):
Supporting the safety and wellbeing of Children, young people and adults in our community
Every child or vulnerable adult deserves to be happy and secure in their environment and activities.
Their carers or parents need to feel sure that people in charge of the activities they participate in are trustworthy, responsible and will do everything they can to keep the vulnerable adult or child safe from harm.
Volunteer organisations are not immune from ensuring that the appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place for children and vulnerable adults. In fact it is the duty of every voluntary organisation to put in place safeguards to protect the children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom they work.
It is also important to consider how to avoid situations where workers and volunteers are put in positions where abuse might be alleged as well as ensure that volunteers and workers know exactly what to do should abuse be suspected.
The emphasis has changed in recent years to not only protect the vulnerable from abuse and neglect but to actively promote the welfare of children and young people – not just to protect but to safeguard.
For all organisations working with children, young people and vulnerable adults, it is essential to carefully consider safeguarding both vulnerable people and children and the people who have a responsibility for them. It is highly recommended that such organisations should draw up a safeguarding policy. Alongside this there should be a set of procedures to put what is intended into practice.
It is the responsibility of all organisations to continually review and monitor safeguarding policy and procedures, gaining further advice and information wherever possible.
All members of the KSIMC of London should be aware of the policy and procedures in order to understand their individual responsibilities and help promote best practice.
Dedicated to the victims of the Gaza genocide: July-August 2014
Rising into the blackened haze Smoke and stench of children ablaze All hope, laughter, dreams Obliterated by blitz and siege
Who will make Gaza’s children wake? Who will heal their mothers’ searing pain? Who will end the agony, still the fear? Who will dam the rivers of blood and tears?
Not the Muslims busy with rituals and rites Alternatively fasting by day, feasting by night Not Ramadhan’s seekers of spirituality Undistracted by blood and ugly realities
Not the Muslim leaders promoting insularity Focus on yourselves, your children, your locality! Whilst Gaza burns and weeps alone Strangulated, incinerated, ignored
No outcry from the pulpit, not even a whisper No call for action, protest, even prayer! Gaza’s bloodbath, Syria’s slaughter, Iraq’s destruction Provokes only silence in the Friday sermon
Where, pray tell, is even one community that truly cares To rise, strategise, rather than look the other way? Where are the leaders to inspire and guide A vision beyond cultural and geographic divides?
With modernity, ignorance has long ceased Death and destruction fill our screens Yet if ignorance is weakness, uglier still Is passivity, inertia, a lack of collective will
We allowed Gaza to burn and bleed and grieve Reek of rotting flesh, sewage and gangrene Through 70 years of occupation and crippling siege… Shame on the Ummah, Shame on our apathy!
• The Topic for these nights are “Practical Advice from the AHLUL BAYT (AB) for Muslims living in the west” • Todays lecture is a teaser so to speak, to give listeners an insight as to what is to come in the forthcoming nights. • We need to step back and look at their purpose and role of the AB at a theoretical level
The question one often asks “Is Islam universal and relevant in our time?” • According to the well known verse in surah Maidah. “Today I have Perfected for you your religion” meaning the religion is perfect and applicable to today and all times ie perfect at all times • The 5th Imam (as) states- Allah (SWT) the Exalted has not left aside a single thing that is needed but that it was revealed in the Quran and the sunnah • This gives us confidence knowing that we have all the tools of guidance with us • The reason the Holy Quran is timeless and relevant is because it has principles and guidelines which are universal and can be applied in different times. • The Quran needs explanation and clarification which can either be done by the Quran itself or by the holy progeny • The Quran is timeless, its need for clarification is timeless, and this done by HP and AB and hence our need for them is timeless
We sometimes wonder what do the AB know about the modern day? But if we analyse how different is our situation and our lives different from theirs? • If we analyse what we are made up, we are not just a sum total of technology, or advancements in science etc but we are a sum total of a body and a soul which hasn’t changed over time • Also the Fitrah, that innate nature which Allah creates within all human being, is a hard wiring which doesn’t change over time. This is clearly explained in Surah Rum… It guides us towards Allah and our movement towards Him. So how different are we 1400 years later in terms of searching for our goal? • Some examples on how the words and teachings of the AB are relevant more than ever today when it comes to marriage, childraising, and death
The AB are looking for more from us however, than just to consider them relevant. • Look at the Hadith of Unwan al Basri, a student of Anas bin Malik , who came to the 6th imam and wanted to become his student. Imam (as) says to him I am busy. Imam was not being stingy but was teaching us that we have to realize that station of Imam first and his rank before we can take from him • The AB have stated, Travel east and west and you will not find anything that is correct except from us. AB have given us guidelines on how to live our lives in all arenas. And that is their role, they are our guides • Inspirational anecdote that took place recently that demonstrates that AB are seeking those who will take their guidance
It is important to note that when we are looking at the advice of AB it doesn’t mean that this is not covered in HQ. For example look at the example of Asiyah the wife of pharaoh (a women brought in a non muslim/tyrannical society) She is an example that is immortalized the Quran and her entirety of her personality and vision is encapsulated in one dua. O ALLAH GIVE ME A HOUSE IN YOUR PROXIMITY IN PARADISE. She wanted proximity to Allah. She was a queen and had all the material wealth of the world but she wanted something better. She then prays for deliverance from pharaoh a sign of her unwavering stand for truth and justice.
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