Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014 Issue No.

578
This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred
Friday Bulletin
The
The Weekly Muslim News Update
www. i sl amkenya. org
Call for marshall education plan
for NEP and Coast
US lawmakers petition Uhuru over victimizations
Member of the United States Senate and
the Congress have written to President
Uhuru Kenyatta relaying their concern on
the ongoing security operation which they
said was discriminatory and only targeting
members of one community.They told the
head of state that while the government had
every right to fght terrorism, this should be
done within the framework of accepted hu-
man rights principles and innocent people
should not be victimized.
We write to express our concern over the
treatment of Somalis in Kenya during the
governments recent security operations.
While we strongly support the govern-
S
trategies must be put in place to im-
prove on the education standards
in the counties of Coast and North
Eastern regions.
Continued To Page 8
Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak presents a Lenovo laptop to the top student in the 2013
KCSE examinations Abdulrahim Ismail Abdi. Second from left is the Takaful Insur-
ance of Africa managing director Hassan Bashir who donated the laptop. Looking on
is the WAMY director Irshad Ibrahim, Ahmed Yusuf a member of the school board and
Sheikh Hammad Kassim, the former Chief Kadhi who is also a school board member.
ments right to defend itself from terrorism,
and to enforce its laws, all countries are
obligated to do so in a way that respects
human rights and does not discriminately
target members of one community, the
lawmakerswho included Senators Amy
Kloubachar and Al Fraken from Minnesota
said.
Also party to the petition was Minnesota
Congressman Keith Ellison who is the frst
Muslim to be elected in the US Congress.It
is our mutual interest to ensure that Kenya
pursues its security in a way that does not
violate its own laws and or alienate the So-
mali community in Kenyan, they stressed
in a letter to the head of state.
The leaders said that many Americans
were deeply affected by the ongoing
harassment and abuse of the rights of citi-
zens adding that the mistreatment of refu-
gees violates the rule of law and Kenyas
obligation to the international community.
Among other violations cited were some
of arbitrary arrests and detention of peo-
ple in overcrowded and unsanitary facilities
for extended periods without access to the
courts, forced relocation to refugee camps
and summary deportations.
This call was made by Prof. Abdulrazak
Shaukat who said that the perennial dis-
mal performance of these areas in national
examinations should necessitate strategic
measures to reverse the trend.
He noted while there was an improvement
in the performance of Muslim schools,
overall the education standards in the com-
munity were still at a low level and meas-
ures have to be put in place to improve the
situation.
We are concerned that Coast and North
Eastern regions are always lagging behind
in education and this is refected in national
examination results. We have to rise up
and change this situation, the academi-
cian who was until recently the head of the
National Council for Science and Technol-
ogy said.
Speaking during the prize giving day at
Wamy High school in Nairobi, Prof Shaukat
also expressed concern about the low tran-
sition rate of Muslim students from second-
ary schools to universities and other higher
institutions of learning.
We have more than 60 public and private
universities which include the Muslim-
owned Umma University and the enrol-
ment rate of Muslim students stands at 5-6
percent. There is need to take advantage
of these education opportunities to ensure
that more students join higher learning in-
stitutions, he said at the event where he
was the guest of honour.
He commended students of Wamy High
School for the sterling performance say-
ing their achievement was a demonstration
that Muslim youth value education and can
also make a contribution to national build-
ing.
The Friday Bulletin Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014
Page 2
EDITORIAL
Govt should end the affront on Muslim
schools
Early this week, police stormed a madrasa
in Nairobis Kileleshwa area which resulted
in two teachers being arrested. In another
incident, a contingent of police offcers in
three vehicles stormed a girls institution of
learning in Ongata Rongai where a through
audit of the facilities, teachers and students
was made.
A fortnight ago, county security offcials with-
out giving any reason closed down the Darul
Irshad Centre, one of the foremost institu-
tions involved in providing Islamic educa-
tion, entrepreneurial and vocational skills to
new Muslims. Some Muslim schools espe-
cially those providing the integrated learning
approach are now the point of focus from
security agencies sending shivers of an
elaborate plot to rein down Muslim educa-
tional institutions.
Since the infamous statement of the former
US defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
that madrasas are the breeding grounds
for terrorism, various governments includ-
ing Kenya have cast suspicion and taken a
negative approach on these Islamic learning
institutions.In the rising incidences of terror-
ism, even in the absence of any evidence,
madrasas are being suspected of complicity
of terrorism crimes.
These institutions are not a new phenom-
enon. They are as old as Islam in this region
of the world where the faith has had a pres-
ence of more thana12 centuries.
For decades and generations, they have
produced professionals who have shaped
the political, economic and social history
of the region particularlyat the Coast and
in North Eastern region. In the era before
colonialism, architects, engineers, scholars,
teachers and other professionals were prod-
ucts of madrasas which provided an all round
education.
It is now more than a century since the British
took over of what was later to become Kenya
and despite the importance of these institu-
tions being watered down; they have consist-
ently played an integral role in the provision
of education in the community from the el-
ementary to the higher level.It is incumbent
upon all Muslims to have proper knowledge
of Islam and this has been the primary goal
of madrasas over the centuries to instill the
correct knowledge of Islam to the masses.
For more than a century now, Christians and
Muslims havecontinued to live in harmony in
this country and until recent times, madrasas
have never been seen as institutions which
promote teachings which negate the princi-
ples of tolerance and religious co-existence.
It therefore, becomes a source of concern
for these prized institutions ofearning among
Muslims to be subjectedto a barrage of prop-
aganda, a campaign of criminalization and
falsely being projected as institutions which
foment violence. There is nothing to support
these weirdand absurd allegations.
Whenever acts of violence happens in the
country, these Islamic institutions often are
on the spotlight and subjected to scrutiny and
profling.
On the other hand, Christian institutions
which could have linkages to criminal acts
are not subjected to these acts of injustice.
In 2010, a student from the Kasarani Bible
College in Nairobi was the subject of inves-
tigations by the Anti Terrorism Police Unit for
involvement in the Kampala Coach bombing
but this did not lead to security action against
the college or other Christian education insti-
Govt should end the affront on Muslim schools
Dear President Uhuru Kenyatta
tutions being profled.
Theinstitutionalized attacks on Is-
lamic education institutionsis not
being done in good faith and engi-
neered to alienate the Muslim com-
munity. Muslims like other Kenyans
are greatly concerned with the ris-
ing incidences of insecurity and
terrorism. They have also been
victims of these macabre attacks
and are also involved in strategies
to tame this hydra headed monster.
But the response from the gov-
ernment appears to be aimed at
criminalizing all Muslim and their
institutions who are being seen
as accomplices and supporters of
these criminal acts. This is against
the spirit of cohesion and mutual
understanding which the country
more than ever needs now.
We like to reiterate that madrasas
are not breeding grounds for ter-
rorism and the government if it has
any concern should use proper
channels of engagement with the
schools and the Muslim leadership.
Sending in truck loads of armed
and bullet clad policemen, constant
harassment and profling of Muslim
schools is only helping to stir up
feeling of incitement against Mus-
lims and their institutions who are
increasingly being seen by other
Kenyans as accomplices and sup-
porters of terrorism.A growing num-
ber of Muslims are now interpreting
these actions as not related to ter-
rorism but a clear affront against
Islam and Muslims.
I hope this letter fnds you in the best of
health
I am saddened by the continuous harass-
ment of Muslims in the country. We are
not second class citizens and it is never our
fault that we are born Muslims in Kenya.
The profling that is going on especially in
Eastleigh and Mombasa is hurting Muslims
so much. I am calling upon you to stop this
profling and start fghting terrorism and not
Muslims.
I am no longer comfortable walking while
dressed in a kanzu as everyone looks at
me like a terrorist. Even boarding a matatu
to and from my work station is becoming
a problem.I have to carry my identity card
even while going to the mosque which was
not the case before.
My Muslim sisters in their respectful buibui
and niqab feel intimidated wherever they
are. They dont know what will happen to
them especially when night falls. Recently,
some were not allowed to board matatus
going to Kariobangi and South C on the ba-
sis of their dressing.
It is becoming too much for us to bear. We
are Kenyans and we are NOT terrorists.
Please we need our security and freedom
back as it was before.Mr. President and your
deputy William Ruto you should stand by the
constitution you swore to protect and give us
Muslims our rights in our country.
Nur Said from Kaloleni, Kisumu
I would like to make it clear that Muslim
and Somali's like all Kenyans also fall prey
to terrorism. I am a Muslim living out of the
country having left Kenya in 2009. Behind
me I left a Kenya that is peaceful, stable and
settled but now what I see is Kenya turn-
ing Afghanistan where everyone is cautious
and watchful of the other especially against
Muslims, and this has led to the rise of hate
among Kenyans towards Muslims.
This leaves me wonder when will Kenya
ever have a leader like Daniel Arap Moi.
While others see him differently, to mehe is
incomparable to other leaders the country
has had. During his time we lived and proud-
ly trolled the country regardless of
race or religion and Kenya always
remained unique. Please Mr. Presi-
dent emulates him and relieve us
the burden we are facing.
Muslims young and old are be-
ing discriminated against and feel
threatened by the hate propaganda
that is rife in the country. You are
the one to lead the fght against this
culture of hatred in the country and
we are let down by your silence and
the way your government is han-
dling this issues of great concern.
We love Kenya, please lead this
campaign and instruct your gov-
ernment to stop the fght against
Muslims.
Regards Mr. President.
Adam Ali
A Kenyan living in South Africa
The Friday Bulletin
Al-Israa' was a land-to-land journey that
Allah Almighty caused His Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) to make from
Makkah to al-Quds (Jerusalem), that is,
from Almighty Allah's Sacred House to Al-
Aqsa Mosque.
(Glorifed be He Who carried His serv-
ant by night from the Inviolable Place of
Worship to the Far Distant Place of Wor-
ship the neighborhood whereof We have
blessed) (Al-Israa 17: 1) [The Inviolable
Place of Worship mentioned in this verse
refers to Allah's Sacred House and the
Far Distant Place of Worship refers to Al-
Aqsa Mosque.]
Mind that Allah Almighty had blessed Al-
Aqsa Mosque and its neighborhood and
referred to it even before the Prophet's
Mosque was built, as the Prophet's
Mosque was established after his immi-
gration to Madinah.
Besides, Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of the
three mosques to which Muslims are re-
quired to dedicate time for visiting; the oth-
er two mosques are the Sacred Mosque
and the Prophet's Mosque. This shows
that al-Quds is the third sacred place af-
ter Makkah and Madinah in Islam.Allah
Almighty wanted to establish and em-
phasize the signifcance and sacredness
of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Muslims' hearts so
that they do not cede it for anything. They
are to hold it as sacred as both Allah's Sa-
cred House and His Prophet's Mosque.
That was why the Muslims [when they
were strong] were zealous to keep Al-
Aqsa Mosque under their rule and pro-
tection.Hence, Muslims must realize the
importance of al-Quds in their history and
the signifcance of Al-Aqsa Mosque in
their religion and life.
This is to remind us of the gravity of the
circumstances in which Al-Aqsa Mosque
is in this age. We must not give up our re-
sponsibility in defending Al-Aqsa Mosque
and al-Quds. This is a sacred issue to
fght for. Brothers and sisters, we should
not, under any circumstances, give up our
role in that regard.
The J ews dreamed of establishing a state
(in the land of Palestine) and managed
to achieve that dream. That being so, we
at least must not give up hope that one
day we will again have Al-Aqsa Mosque
and al-Quds under our control. We should
not lose hope of that at all, even if we see
surrender embodied everywhere in our
status quo.We must believe that Allah Al-
mighty is with us and that He Almighty will
grant us victory and make Islam prevail,
as He, Most High, always supports the
true believers.
Imams Ahmad and At-Tabarani reported
on the authority of Abu Umamah Al-Bahili
(may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) said, A group of my nation will keep
being in the side of right and victorious
Page 3
Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj: Everlasting Lessons
The second most important
lesson that we are to learn
from Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj is
concerning Prayer (salah). It
is known that Prayer was or-
dained on that great night.It
is because of the great impor-
tance of Prayer that Allah Al-
mighty ordained it in heaven.
DA'WA
SUNDAY LECTURE
SUNDAY
SUNDAY LECTURE
Topic: Jinsi ya kukabiliana na
mitihani part 2
By: Ustadha Amina Atitala
25th May 2014 Time: 2.00 pm -4.00
pm
Venue: Makina Mosque Kibera
over its enemy; no party of their enemy
can cause them harm; the only harm that
may affict them is (physical) exhaustion.
They would be like so until the Day of
Judgment. The Prophet's Companions
(may Allah be pleased with them) asked,
"Where would they be, Allah's Messen-
ger?" He (peace and blessings be upon
him) said, "In al-Quds and the surrounding
vicinity."
The second most important lesson that we
are to learn from Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj is
concerning Prayer (salah). It is known that
Prayer was ordained on that great night.
It is because of the great importance of
Prayer that Allah Almighty ordained it in
heaven.
He Almighty sent His Messenger to man-
kind (peace and blessings be upon him)
and caused him to go on a night journey
and ascend to heaven and the Lote Tree to
inform him (peace and blessings be upon
him) of the ordinance of Prayer.
Mind that all other ordinances were de-
creed on the earth. This indicates how
important Prayer is in Islam. It symbol-
izes ascension to heaven; it is the Mus-
lim's spiritual ascension to heaven.Thus,
Prayer is the gift that the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) brought with
him from that journey to all Muslims so that
they can worship Allah Almighty through it.
Prayer had to do with Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al-
Aqsa Mosque was the frst qiblah in Islam.
If it is true that Al-Israa took place in the
tenth year of the Prophet's mission, this
would mean that the Muslims' qiblah in
Prayer was towards Al-Aqsa Mosque for
three years before the Hijrah to Madinah
and 16 months after it.
Then Almighty Allah decreed that the qi-
blah be changed towards the Sacred
Mosque. Allah Almighty says: (So turn thy
face toward the Inviolable Place of Wor-
ship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye
may be, turn your faces when ye pray) to-
ward it.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 144)
When the qiblah was changed, the Jews
raised doubts about that. Allah Almighty
says: (The foolish of the people will say:
What hath turned them from the qiblah
which they formerly observed?) (Al-Baqa-
rah 2: 142)
The J ews spread rumors that the Muslims'
Prayer [to the frst qiblah] was invalid and
so would not be rewarded. Allah Almighty
refuted their claims as He, most High,
says: (And We appointed the qiblah which
ye formerly observed only that We might
know him who followeth the Messenger
from him who turneth on his heels.
In truth it was a hard (test) save for those
whom Allah guided. But it was not Allah's
purpose that your faith should be in vain,
for Allah is full of pity, Merciful toward man-
kind.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 143) According to
this verse, "your faith" refers to Prayer, as
Prayer is a symbol of one's faith.
SUNDAY LECTURE
SUNDAY
LADIES INVITE
Ladies Day Out-Unlimited Fun
Sunday 1st June 2014
Time: 8.00 am-5.00pm
Light Academy Secondary School Karen
Transport provided from Jamia Mosque
Organised by Light Sisters Organizations
For further details contact 0722742709
To sum up, Prayer is the spiritual means
through which Muslims can ascend to
their Lord. If the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) ascended to
heaven (once), we, brothers and sisters,
could spiritually ascend to there as much
as we can through Prayer.
Allah Almighty says in a qudsi (divine)
hadith: "I have divided the Prayer into
two halves between Me and My servant,
and My servant will receive what he asks.
When the servant says, 'Praise be to Al-
lah, the Lord of the universe,' Allah the
Most High says, 'My servant has praised
Me.' And when he (the servant) says, 'The
Most Compassionate, the Merciful,' Allah
the Most High says, 'My servant has laud-
ed Me.' And when he (the servant) says,
'Master of the Day of judgment,' He Al-
mighty remarks, 'My servant has glorifed
Me.' And when he (the worshiper) says,
'Thee do we worship and of Thee do we
ask help,' He Almighty says, 'This is be-
tween Me and My servant, and My serv-
ant will receive what he asks for.' Then,
when he (the worshiper) says, 'Guide us
to the straight path, the path of those to
whom Thou hast been Gracious not of
those who have incurred Thy displeas-
ure, nor of those who have gone astray,'
He (Allah Almighty) says, 'This is for My
servant, and My servant will receive what
he asks for.'"
Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014
The Friday Bulletin
page 4
As Muslims and as sensible human beings
who trust that this universe functions ac-
cording to a fxed, well-designed system,
we should believe that nothing happens
haphazardly or aimlessly. Rather, every-
thing is well-planned and sorted out. We
read in the Qur'an Our Lord! You have not
created this in vain. (Aal-`Imran 3:191)
"This" here refers to Allah's creation in gen-
eral. Because we have limited minds and
limited spiritual abilities, we are not able to
understand the wisdom behind everything
in this universe. This inability to understand
sometimes proves to be very important be-
cause such things will constitute a test for
our faith and submission to Allah and trust
in His infnite knowledge.
Now, we come to your question why wom-
en are not allowed to pray or fast while
they are having their menses. Basically,
any mature woman who has experienced
menses knows what type of physical suf-
ferings a woman goes through while she is
experiencing her monthly period.
Due to such physical sufferings, any wom-
an will simply tell you that menses is nei-
ther a funny nor a nice experience. Yet, it
is important for the removal of any harmful
material from the body of the woman since
such harmful material comes out with this
blood.
So, it is a healthy thing for women to have
this, but still not every healthy thing can be
nice or easy. When you have to take your
medication, if you are ill, and the medicine
is bitter, it is not a nice experience to have
the medicine but still it is very important for
you to recover and heal speedily.
After a woman passes such a stage of her
life and these physical conditions change,
her menstrual blood stops because no
harmful materials are there anymore to be
removed.
Having clarifed that, we can see the di-
vine wisdom on decreeing this thing on the
daughters of Adam as we are told. When
Allah decreed this on the daughters of
Adam, He Glory be to Him wanted
it to be a sign of mercy to them, since this
natural relief relieves the body from the
harmful materials that could be disastrous
if they remain inside the body.
Women go through severe pains while they
are getting rid of such harmful material as
the inner membranes of the womb undergo
severe damages. Besides, being under
such pains a woman is not expected to be
in a good mood.
Taking all such physical pain into consid-
eration, Almighty Allah, Who takes care of
His servants even more than their own par-
ents, has lifted the load of prayer and the
burden of fasting from woman's shoulders
during this period.
The point is not that women are "not al-
lowed to" pray and fast but are rather ex-
empted from observing prayer and fasting
at such times, because these two duties
are diffcult and demand much effort.
In this regard, we should bear in mind that
one of the basic goals of Islamic Shari`ah
is to remove harm and diffculty from peo-
ple's lives. The many texts of the Qur'an
and Sunnah serve as a support for this,
giving one clear message that Almighty Al-
lah does not intend to place any diffculty
on the shoulders of His servants.
This has led many Muslim scholars to
reach a very great maxim that summarizes
a lot of things in this regard; it goes, "dif-
fculty brings ease," meaning that when a
person is experiencing anything diffcult,
Islam will give him some concessions that
make life easy for him.
Under this maxim, we can understand why
a traveler is exempted from fasting, why a
sick person is allowed not to fast, why a
handicapped person is allowed to observe
prayer while sitting down, and why a preg-
nant woman or a woman who is breast-
feeding is entitled to break her fasting. All
this is meant to remove hardship and dif-
fculty away from people, because this is
one of the highest objectives of Islam.
Another important point to be highlighted
here is that, while experiencing their men-
ses, women are exempted from fasting
and prayer only, but still, they can observe
other forms of worship like remembrance
of Allah and making du`aa'(supplication.)
Yes, they cannot touch the Qur'an as much
as a man who is in state of janabah (ma-
jor impurity) is not allowed to, and this
has nothing to do with their being women
and does not indicate any offense to their
person because it has more to do with the
concept of showing great reverence and
respect to the Book of Allah and being up
to the level of meeting Allah in the most
perfect state.
Needless to mention here that there is a
big difference between being in a state of
"impurity" and being in a state of "unclean-
ness." While the former refers to immate-
rial state that has nothing to do with the
gender of the person and is by no means
offensive as it is normally descriptive of a
temporary reality, the latter is more linked
with flth and dirty stuff.
One more point is that an impure person
is someone who has not reached perfec-
tion, but still he meets the requirements of
being good and clean whereas an unclean
person is someone who is not hygienically
suitable for something.
The linguistic rigidity of human language
here is what causes the problem but to il-
lustrate it, I would quote this example. Al-
mighty Allah accepts only deeds that are
purely done for His sake. This means a
prayer that is done with 99% intention of
seeking the pleasure of Allah and 1% inten-
tion of showing off is still impure.
Another example is that a person who has
not performed ablution is still clean but is
impure; meaning does not qualify, while in
this state, to start praying simply because
he needs some qualifcations. Therefore,
being impure is totally different from being
unclean.
Purity is perfection and not being in this
state is utterly not offensive in anyway,
since we are human beings and are not
perfect.
Women, Menses and Worship
Sheikh Saad Ahmad
Keeping all this in mind, I can tell you that a
woman who is in the state of menstruation
is really lucky because she does not have
to bother about prayer and fasting as such
religious obligations are mercifully taken off
her shoulders. She is given space to focus
on what she is experiencing, and Almighty
Allah is removing hardship from her.
Yet, if she willingly volunteers some acts of
worship like remembering Allah and men-
tioning His Name or reciting some sup-
plications, she is immensely rewarded for
this. Now, we see a balance in the religion
of Islam which came to remove all diffcul-
ties and hardships from the lives of the
servants of Allah and allow them celebrate
His praise cheerfully and willfully.
It is worth mentioning that not praying and
not observing fasting during the menses
are considered in themselves an act of
worship. As in some acts of worship, there
is a divine command that requires show-
ing submission and surrender without
questioning the reason behind it. The sig-
nifcance of this command lies in our obedi-
ence to it: Showing obedience to Allah and
His Messenger.
Two year-old baby Hamid Muhiddin who is
suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukemia( a rare
cancer that affects inside bone marrow) is ad-
mitted at Kenyatta National Hospital childrens
cancer ward awaiting a bone marrow trans-
plant-a complex and an expensive procedure
which is not available in the country.
He needs specialised treatment to be done in
India at an estimated cost of Sh3 Million. His
family have raised Sh1 million and are appeal-
ing for generous donation to raise the remain-
ing amount.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a life threatening
ailment if not treated on time and given Ha-
mid's critical condition and the inability of his
parents to cover the medical costs they are
appealing for well-wishers for support to raise
the funds.
Your generous donations can be deposited
under the name Hamid Muhiddin Medical
Fund Account number 1153237245 Kenya
Commercial Bank, Treasury square Mombasa
Branch.
More information can be accessed from his
father Muhiddin Shee through 0723800002
and Fatuma Said through 0702795555.
MEDICAL APPEAL
Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014
The Friday Bulletin
page 5
Nowadays, one of the greater obstacles that young Muslims face
when it comes to marriage is the opposition they face from their
family elders regarding their choice of spouse.
There can be many grounds for this opposition, e.g. race, eth-
nicity, cultural disparity, level of religious commitment, age differ-
ence, chosen profession of the prospective spouse, and family
background, to name a few.
There are more chances of confict between generations when
they are not on the same page in other areas as well, e.g. lifestyle
choices, frank and friendly communication, mutual respect and
compassion, as well as moral and religious inclination.
For example, a young, single person might want to marry some-
one belonging to another ethnicity or religion only on the basis
of sexual attraction/physical desire, and their parents might not
agree with their choice because they can clearly see the red fags
of incompatibility leading to future marital disaster.
If this confict persists, the youngster might be ill-advised by
friends or colleagues to go ahead with their choice of spouse and
marry them any way, ignoring their parents opinions, and go off to
live an independent life away from their elders eyes.
However, before any youngster decides to jump the gun in such
a manner, and take such a drastic measure, they should pause
and try to rationally and objectively refect upon why their parents
are refusing to let them marry the person they like. What are the
reasons for their parents opposition to that person as a spouse?
They should try to communicate in a calm and controlled manner
with their parents to fnd about this.
Next, they should refect upon the relevance, correctness and va-
lidity of their parents concerns. Nine times out of ten, parents
are justifed in their reservations about their adult offsprings deci-
sions, and want to protect their offspring from suffering and get-
ting hurt ahead in life.
Their more advanced life experience enables them to see the
long-term results and outcomes of the choices made by people
during young age, and they are all the wiser because of it.
The only rare situations in which the opinions of parents can
(and should) be undermined when a young singleton is seeking
a spouse for marriage, is when their parents are non-Muslims,
or much less religiously inclined than them, and their prime rea-
sons for opposing an otherwise religiously compatible match, are
purely worldly or cultural in nature e.g. the guy is too short, or he
has too many siblings; the mahr being given is not high enough;
their daughter will not have her own home to live in after mar-
riage; they only marry within the extended family, not outside; the
girl their son likes (their future daughter-in-law) doesnt yet know
how to cook, or she doesnt have a college degree because she
is only 19.
As long as the reasons for parents reservations regarding their
offsprings choice of spouse are related to things that can change
with time (e.g. educational qualifcation, professional establish-
ment, size or location of residence, or living arrangements), a
young singleton should not allow them to turn away good pro-
posals. They should gently and respectfully educate their parents
about the commands of Deen related to marriage, to persuade
them to let the small things slide, and not stick to rigid and irrel-
evant cultural traditions.
The best way for a singleton to deal with marriage proposal con-
ficts with parents, is to regularly turn to Allah in earnest and sin-
cere istikharah prayers, to supplicate for the best decision and
decree regarding their marital future.
Single people should remember that, even though it might out-
wardly seem as if their parents are in-charge of their future, and
are turning away perfectly nice proposals for trivial reasons; ul-
timately, all matters related to their future provision and decree
have been preordained by Allah, and nothing can turn away from
them that which is written for them -- not even their parents, who
are standing frmly at the helm, steering their life boat, so to
YOUTH
Adolescence: Turmoil or Transition
Dr. Aisha Hamdan
P. O. Box 465801002 THIKA KENYA TEL: 0703 969000, 0739 969000
Website: http://www.umma.ac.ke
Email: hr@umma.ac.ke
P. O. Box 465801002 THIKA KENYA TEL: 0703 969000, 0739 969000
Website: http://www.umma.ac.ke
Email: hr@umma.ac.ke
CAREER OPPORTUNITY
Umma University is an Islamic oriented higher education institution in Kenya with the
vision to become a centre of excellence and a seat of knowledge in the region for
advancing education, scholarship, knowledge and understanding for the beneft of
individuals who will be moulded into leaders and scholars of high integrity. Its
philosophy is based on Islamic principles and values that promote excellence in all
disciplines and peaceful co-existence between people professing diferent faiths. Its
admission is open to all Kenyans irrespective of religion, status or gender.
Umma University is seeking the following staf to join its vibrant and growing
community.
1. INTERNAL AUDITOR (1 POST)
2. MARKETING OFFICER (1 POST)
3. ACCOUNTANT (1 POST)
4. ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT (1 POST)
5. ADMISSIONS OFFICER (1 POST)
6. HUMAN RESOURCE ASSISTANT (1 POST)
7. ESTATE MANAGER (1 POST)
8. HEAD COOK (1 POST)
9. COOKS (6POSTS)
10. CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER (1 POST)
11. ACCOMMODATION MANAGER (1 POST)
12. LIBRARY ASSISTANT (2 POSTS)
13. LIBRARY ATTENDANTS (2 POSTS)
14. OFFICE ASSISTANTS (4 POSTS)
15. IT TECHNICIANS (2 POSTS)
16. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (1 POST)
17. ASSISTANT PROCUREMENT OFFICER (1 POST)
18. COUNSELLOR (1 POST)
19. SENIOR SECRETARIES (3 POSTS)
20. NURSING OFFICER (1 POST)
21. WARDENS (2 POSTS)
22. SECRETARIES (2 POSTS)
23. CATERING SUPERVISOR (1 POST)
24. STORE CLERK (1 POST)
25. ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERVISOR (1 POST)
For duties and responsibilities for all the above positions and other vacancies available
please visit our website www.umma.ac.ke.
Those interested should submit their applications, testimonials and detailed CV online
to hr@umma.ac.ke on or before 6th June 2014.
CALLING FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
FOR EXTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES
Background:
Umma University is calling from practicing Accounting Firms for provision of external
audit and associated services for its fnancial reports. The frms should be based and/or
have ofces in Kenya.
For more details visit Umma University website.
www.umma.ac.ke
The stage of adolescence is often seen as a time of turmoil and
distress for both the teenagers and their parents. Parents worry
about what kind of friends their teen will have, whether or not they
will do well in school and decide to pursue their education further,
and how much "control" they will have over their teen's decisions.
Greater fears include problems with drugs or alcohol, trouble with
the legal system, premarital relationships, and suicide. In addition
to all of these issues, Muslim parents would be concerned about
whether or not their adolescent will wear the hijab, perform salah
correctly and on time, fast during the month of Ramadhan, avoid
contact with members of the opposite gender, respect his/her par-
ents and other adults. Dealing with all of these worries can be less
stressful if a parent knows what to expect as their child enters this
phase of development.
Adolescence is generally considered to begin around the age of 12
or 13 and end at 18 or 19. It is a period of transition between child-
hood and adulthood that is not at all universal. In many cultures
and societies there is no such phase of development since mar-
riage and the its associated responsibilities occur at an early age.
Adolescence is present in other societies due to social, economic,
and cultural factors that produce a gap between the ability to re-
produce biologically and the societal expectations for reproduc-
tion. As Muslims, we need to contemplate the validity of this stage
since we understand that accountability (Takleef) for our thoughts
and actions begins at puberty (Buloogh). This means that even
though we may not be an "adult" socially, we are considered to be
one spiritually. Obviously this should bring up all kinds of red fags
and warnings for parents as they realize that the task of parenting
is mostly complete by the age of 12 or 13, depending on when a
child reaches puberty. At that time, the youth will be completely
responsible to Allah for all that he/she does. This does not mean
that being a parent ends at that time, but it does highlight the sig-
nifcance of those early years and the crucial role that parents play.
We need to build a solid foundation so that our children will make
appropriate choices when the time comes.
For those who are in a society where adolescence is regarded
as a distinct developmental phase, it is benefcial to understand
some of its general characteristics. The perception that this time
in life is one of turmoil and distress is related to the commonly
held belief that parent-adolescent confict is inevitable and that the
diffculty will continue until the adolescent leaves home. Although
this does occur in some families, it should not be considered the
norm. Disagreements will obviously arise as the adolescent be-
gins to assert his/her need for independence and control, which
is accompanied by expanding cognitive ability and an emerging
self-identity. Parents should respect their teenager's choices and
foster his/her sense of responsibility, as long as the choices are
not contrary to the principles of Islam. Youth should also be taught
the fundamental Islamic value of being obedient and respectful to
parents at an early age so that when correction is necessary it will
be readily accepted. The use of these two strategies should be
effective in preventing any serious parent-adolescent confict from
occurring. A positive note is that research has shown that although
adolescents and their parents may differ about details of everyday
life, they generally agree on issues related to basic values. This is
another red fag to signify that we should be aware of the values
that we are teaching our youth.
Socially, there is a reorganization during adolescence as more
time is spent with peers, adult guidance is reduced and becomes
more indirect, and participation in large social groups becomes
important. The peer group becomes more infuential and various
forms of peer pressure may operate. Another positive note is that
adolescents are more likely to go along with peer pressure that
is prosocial than with pressure to misbehave. The peer group
is also an important source of information, encouragement, and
social connectedness as the person begins to learn his/her way
around in the world. As Muslim parents, we should obviously be
concerned about the type of information and encouragement that
our youths receive and, by extension, the type of friends that they
have. We should encourage them to form friendships and relation-
ships with those who hold the same Islamic values that we are
Continued To Page 6
Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014
The Friday Bulletin
page 6
The government is
developing a policy
document on sha-
riah complaint Sav-
ings and Credit Co-
operative Societies
(SACCOs) in a bid
to streamline the
sector.
According to
Mathew Maithia,
an offcial from the
cooperative depart-
ment, the move is
vices similar to those offered by banks.
Established in 1998, Taqwa SACCO is the
frst shariah compliant cooperative society
whose goal is to provide Muslims with an
alternative participation in the cooperative
sector which abides by Islamic ethics.
Govt to streamline Islamic SACCO sector
A new Islamic syllabus to be used as a
guide for Muslim tutors carrying out pas-
toral programmes in schools has been
launched in an attempt to streamline the
teaching of Islamic studies in schools.
The syllabus was unveiled by Nairobi
Area Muslim Students Association (
NAMSA), an organisation tasked with
addressing educational challenges fac-
ing Muslim students in universities,
colleges, polytechnics and secondary
schools in Nairobi and surrounding ar-
eas.
Speaking on Sunday during a one day
workshop at Jamia mosque Nairobi, the
NAMSA patron Prof. Abdullatif Essajee
noted that the organisation ultimately
aims at changing the conditions of
Muslim students in educational institu-
tions by propagating the correct Islamic
knowledge to students.
He explained that the programme aimed
at inculcating Islamic teachings to stu-
dents to mould them into productive citi-
zens for the community and the society
at large.
Ours is to disseminate Islamic knowl-
edge among Muslim students and the
strength of their commitment to Islam as
a complete code of conduct, he said.
Prof. Abdullatif acknowledged that Mus-
lim students are faced with more chal-
lenges due the changing environment
and the bad perceptions many hold
against the religion of Islam stating that
the syllabus is tailored to address aris-
ing contemporary challenges.
The curriculum will initially be imple-
mented in 14 schools in and around Nai-
robi and later spread in other schools
across the country.
Preachers who will be involved in the
programme will have to be vetted and
formally approved by J amia Mosque
Committee and the syllabus be shared
with participating institutions.
The NAMSA chairman Omar Sakwa
said the organization in cooperation
with Muslim organizations will strive to
address issues facing Muslim students
in educational institutions such as lack
of prayers areas, teaching of Islamic
Religious Education (CRE), being com-
pelled to study Christian Religious Edu-
cation (CRE) and wearing of the hijab.
Among the organisations represented
at the launch included J amia Mosque
Committee, Al-Muntada Development
Trust, Ummah Foundation, Ummma
University, Family Resource Centre,
Light Sisters Organisations and Ansaar
Sisters.
Islamic syllabus for
secondary schools
launched
expected to regulate the increasing num-
ber of SACCOs offering shariah compliant
products.
Speaking during the Annual General Meet-
ing (AGM) of the Taqwa Savings and Credit
Cooperative Society on Saturday, he said
that the growth of Shariah oriented coop-
erative societies calls for regulating the
sector to ensure that its services are con-
sistent with Islamic fnancial requirements.
We are supporting Shariah complaint Sac-
cos as they have been left out in previous
policies. The policies guidelines are meant
to ensure that services provided are in line
with Islamic principles, he said.
Maithia commended Taqwa SACCO for its
positive growth saying that its performance
was an indicator of the growing demand of
Islamic fnancial services in the coopera-
tive sector.
In his statement, the SACCO chairman Yu-
suf Ahmed revealed that the society made
tremendous growth in customer deposits
which rose to Sh74 million in 2013 from
Sh41.8 million in 2012 representing a 77
percent growth.
In the same period, loans amounting to
Sh75.7 million were disbursed to members
in 2013 compared to Sh36.3 million given
out in the previous year.
In a bid to further streamline its operations,
the SACCO recently launched a check off
system for members of the public service.
It is in the process of opening up a FOSA
which will allow it offer a wide range of ser-
attempting to convey. Children who have
developed a love for Islam will naturally fol-
low in this path.
Adolescence can be a splendid time of life
for both parents and youth as the transition
occurs from childhood into adulthood. If
the seeds of Islam have been planted from
the beginning and watered and nurtured
along the way, a beautiful, fowering plant
will unfold. There should then be little worry
about the many concerns that may appear
during this time. Contrary to the belief that
this is a time of confict between parent and
adolescent, it can actually be one of mutual
growth, love, and respect. The parent-child
relationship will change at this time as in-
dependence and accountability develop,
but the new bond that occurs can be re-
warding and fulflling for both. May Allah,
subhana wa ta'ala, help us to be exemplary
parents and assist us in raising righteous
children.
Members of the Taqwa SACCO follow pro-
ceedings during the annual general met-
ing
Turmoil or Transition
Continued From Page 5
Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014
The Friday Bulletin NATIONAL
Be ambassadors of Islam, students told
page 7
Muslim parents in Western Kenya have
been urged to support madrasas to en-
hance on the spiritual fulfllment and
development of Muslim children. Lower
Western Kadhi Sheikh Kassim Ratori
said that while efforts were being made
to ensure that children are provided
the so-called secular education, he ex-
pressed concerns that the same efforts
were not being replicated to the en-
hancement of their spiritual well-being
in the Islamic schools(madrasas).
Speaking over the weekend at Tawhid
Masjid in Bungoma county during
Quran recitation and memorization
competition, Sheikh Ratori spoke on
the sad situation of madrasa teachers
saying that they lacked motivation in
their work compared to other teachers
as many of them earn meager sala-
ries which could not even sustain their
families. He however, commended the
teachers in the region for their commit-
ment and hardwork in inculcating Is-
lamic moral values in Muslim children.
He emphasizedthe need for meas-
ures to be put in place to motivatethe
teachersas this will improve on spiritual
development of Muslim children.The
judicial offcerurged parents to provide
more commitment and dedication to
further improve on the standard of ma-
drasa education and further challenged
the local Muslim leadership to be inno-
vative and come up with madrasa sec-
ondary level initiatives to enable pupils
who complete primary level to continue
with their studies.
The Kadhi called on Muslim parents to
instill the Qur'an reading culture among
their children to develop their spiritu-
ality and build good moral behaviours
for them to be responsible persons in
the society. Ratori stressed that Mus-
lims should be competent in both the
spiritual and the so-called secular
education if they are to prosper in the
social,economic and political spheres
adding that efforts must be made in
sensitizing Muslims in realizing the im-
portance of education.
The two days competition attracted
over 300 participants from various Ma-
drasas from Western, Nyanza and Rift
Valley regions respectively was organ-
ised by Al-Insaan Community Develop-
ment Organization in partnership with
the Kadhi's offce and Bungoma Muslim
Community.
In the competition, Abdulrahman Mu-
hammad from Madrasatul Muadh bin
J abbal of Busia emerged the winner
and was awarded a gold medal and a
cash prize of Sh5,000.
The event will be held annually to build
self-esteem and confdent with the aim
to instill the reading culture of the No-
ble Qur'an in the Muslim communityfor
spiritual development.
Muslims urged to revitalize
madrasa education
Muslims students in Kiambu County have
been challenged toput more emphasis on
education, uphold unity and take up the role
of ambassadors of Islam in institutions of
learning. The head of dawaat Umma Uni-
versity Sheikh Mubarak Ali Lototore urged
students to work hard to contribute to the
upliftment of education among Muslims in
the country.
Speaking in Gatundu during a symposium
at Muhoho High School, Lototore noted that
while Islam has laid emphasis on education
to beneft humanity, it was unfortunate that
many Muslims were not taking education
seriously. Islam encourages all Muslims,
males and females to seek for education
and this should serve as a driving factor for
each and every member of the community
to advance in learning, he said.
He observed that despite Muslims mak-
ing up at least 30 percent of the popula-
tion, the number of students in secondary
schools and higher learning institutions did
not match these fgures.The offcial further
called on investors to establish Muslim
oriented schools in the county to address
the needs of the growing number of Mus-
lims within Kiambu and neighbouring ar-
eas. While there is a signifcant number of
Muslims in the county, there is not a single
Muslim primary or secondary school in Ki-
ambu, he said.
Speaking in the same function a univer-
sity preacher Sheikh Bashir Somo encour-
aged students to maintain discipline and
urged them to live in harmony with their
non-Muslim counterparts and further en-
couraged them to exhibit the Islamic ide-
als of tolerance and peaceful co-existence
and serve as ambassador of Islam within
their respective institutions.
He further warned the students to steer
clear of social transgressions such as pre
marital sex and drug abuse which have
dangerous consequences for their future.
The chairman of Muslim Association of
Muhoho High School Abdulwaheed Yer-
row urged Muslim organisations to support
students during the month of Ramadhan
saying that they faced a lot of challenges
in fulflling their religious obligations such
as breaking the fast.
The event which was organized by Muho-
ho high school in collaboration with the
Umma University Dawa team was attend-
ed by prominent personalities from the
university who included Dr. Ibrahim Farah,
Sheikh Juma Kweyu, and Sheikh Akida
Hussein among others.
The one day forum attracted more than
200 students from various schools in the
county.
International human rights agencies have
yet again criticized the government for
abetting human rights violations and ig-
noring Kenya and international laws on
the rights of refugees.
The New York based Human Rights
Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International
which has its headquarters in London said
the Operation Usalama Watch has led to
widespread abuses against Kenyans and
foreign nationals alike which have includ-
ed arbitrary detentions and deportations.
Amnesty International has said Kenyas
Somali community is being used as
scapegoats in a counter-terror operation
which has seen thousands subjected to
arbitrary arrest, harassment, extortion, ill-
treatment, forcible relocation and expul-
sion.
While acknowledging Kenyas security
concerns ,Amnesty say the government
has breached national and international
laws by targeting an already marginalized
and vulnerable community adding that it is
yet to come across a single Somali arrest-
ed in the operation who has been charged
with terrorism and related offences.
Kenya is violating its own constitution
and international law by subjecting the
Somali community to unlawful expulsions
and cruel, inhuman and degrading treat-
ment under the guise of its counter-terror
Operation, Usalama Watch, said Michelle
Kagari Deputy Regional Director for
Eastern Africa at Amnesty International
in a statement released on Tuesday.
It appears that Operation Usalama
Watch is being used as a pretext for the
blanket punishment of the Somali com-
munity in Kenya. They have become
scapegoats with thousands arrested and
ill-treated, forcibly relocated and hun-
dreds unlawfully expelled to a war-torn
country, he added.
The rights group has called on the Ken-
yan government to immediately end the
violation of Somalis rights including refu-
gees.
Elsewhere, in a statement released last
week, HRW criticized the deportation of
Somalis saying it was unlawful to force
people to return to a country where they
risk being persecuted, tortured or ex-
posed to other serious harm arising from
generalized violence.
Deporting people to confict zones in
Somalia shows a total disregard for their
rights and their safety. What little remains
of Kenyas shaky reputation for respect-
ing basic refugee rights is fast disappear-
ing. said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee
researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The government has so far deported
359 Somalis since the start of the in April
which was ostensibly aimed at curbing
the growing incidences of corruption.
Global rights groups criticize security operation
Sha'aban 01,1435/May 30,2014
Kamiti Maximum prison is situated in Nairobi just some few kilo-
metres from the city centre. The prison houses about 350 Mus-
lims. About 80% of the inmates here are the hard core criminals
who came to these dungeons due to severe crimes like murder,
manslaughter, rape and robbery with violence. The majority were
on death row but due to the amnesty that was granted by the
President some years back, the rule was reduced to a lesser
degree of being sentenced for life. Ummah Foundation with its
Prisoners Rehabilitation Program has been very active in mak-
ing sure the prisoners are well catered for spiritually. A mosque
that serves as an Educational hub has just been constructed
inside the prison through the Foundations funding. Educational
materials like text books, Qurans, Television set, Islamic video
tapes and video player will be supplied to the Prison authorities
as a donation from Ummah Foundation.
This will help the prisoners grow spiritually through the lectures
and teaching they will be getting daily from the constructed edu-
cation facility.
Out here the picture we get to understand about the prison is that
it is home of very evil people who are incorrigible and out to do
harm, but looking at the reality of how things are in Kamiti Maxi-
mum Prison, the inmates have every chance to change. Many
have embraced Islam in totality and they are making it a daily
practice with the help of our Prison Maalims. It is amazing how
the Mosque now doubles as prayer hall for the fve daily prayers
and a rehabilitation centre where the prisoners have been given
a golden opportunity to be acquainted with useful knowledge in
their lives.
Ummah Foundation main object is to provide the spiritual and
moral guidelines to the inmates so that once they come out, they
will be proper citizens. We therefore call upon fellow brothers
and sisters to join hands with Ummah Foundation and make
us realise the dreams in the 83 correctional prisons all over the
country. The prison department has an education program that
totally relies on well wishers. Ummah Foundation has gone a
step ahead and provided the program with text books, mats,
blackboards and exercise books.
All our efforts have been made successful due to the wise lead-
ership of the Offcer In charge of the Kamiti Maximum prison
and his dedication to see change in this particular Institution of
reform.
A Similar project with the same objectives has been initiated
in Kwale Prison where Ummah Foundation has embarked on
construction of an Education centre that will serve as a mosque
and learning facility. In Kwale we intend to reform the inmates
and make them law abiding citizens once they leave prison. With
availabity of funds we would like to replicate the same projects in
many Prisons across the country.
We would like to appreciate the donation that we get from well
wishers and call upon others to emulate this spirit of making our
prisons better places to correct the old habits.
To support this noble you can contact us:
Ummah Foundation
P.O.Box 58717-00200
Tel: 0202680610/13 Mob: 0734845277
Email: info@ummahfounfation.net
Web: www.ummahfoundation.net
Ummah Projects in
the Prisons
Vacancies
Africa Education and Development Trust wishes to
advertise the following positions:
1 Finance ofcer with the following qualifcations:
At least a degree in a relevant area.
CPA (K) and With an experience of at least three
(3) years.
2- Secretary cum receptionist with excellent com-
puter secretarial skills. Knowledge of Arabic lan-
guage is an added advantage.
3- Cleaner/Ofce messenger with at least KCSE.
Send your applications to:
elimishatrust@yahoo.com
Phone : 0722555302 / 0714804525
The academician advised students joining higher institutions of
learning to adhere to Islamic principles saying that they should not
be deluded by the newly found freedom to engage to acts which
are contrary to Islamic teachings. You will have the freedom to en-
gage in premarital relationships, drug abuse and other social evils
but you must restrain yourself and concentrate on your studies,
he said.
While stressing that Islam does not condone acts of terrorism, Prof.
Shaukat said through practical application of Islamic teachings,
Muslims will go a long way in correcting the negative linkage of
Islam to acts of violence. People out there have no time to read
the Quran and the hadith (tradition of Prophet Muhammad), they
have to look at your actions to see the beauty of Islam and it is our
responsibility to show to them that it is a faith which promotes bet-
ter relationship and understanding with other people, he said.
In his address, the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) re-
gional director Irshad Ibrahim said the organization will continue its
role of supporting the growth of education in the community adding
that the newly opened WAMY Academy was part of the sustained
efforts to uplift education standards and nurture young people who
will contribute to the progress of the community and the nation at
large. WAMY Academy which opened its doors this year, compris-
es of a nursery, primary and girls secondary school.
WAMY High Schools has for the eighth year running demonstrated
its excellent academic performance in the Kenya Certifcate of Sec-
ondary Education (KCSE) examinations. Last year, it was ranked
in position 6th among private schools and nationally, the school
garnered the 23rd position.
It topped the charts in the country in the performance of biology
and was ranked in 3rd position in chemistry. In the 2012 KCSE ex-
aminations, the school took the lead in biology and history and was
ranked as the most improved school in the country.
Marshall plan for NEP
The Family and Companions
Competition
Prizes include fully paid Hajj trips, Laptops, Digital
Qurans and mobile phones.
Competton forms in Arabic and English are availa-
ble at the Jamia Mosque Library and the Da'wa ofce
Deadline 13th June 2014
Organised by Commitee of Da'wa in Africa-Saudi Arabia
Continued From Page 1