Hujjat Newsletter Issue 92
Transcription
Hujjat Newsletter Issue 92
Hujjat Newsletter Issue 92 R’Awwal, R’Aakher and J’Awwal 1434 – January – March 2013 Message from the President Salaams dear Members On the happy and auspicious occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet PBUH and our sixth Imam AS, on behalf of the Executive Committee and the Ladies Committee, I extend our heartiest felicitations and joyous greetings to all the sisters and brothers in faith. As we bid farewell to the months of azadari and the commemoration of that momentous sacrifice on the plains of Kerbala, it is an opportune moment to reflect upon the plight of the followers of the Holy Ahlul Bayt AS throughout the world. Nothing has been more stark than the indiscriminate killing of 100 plus Shias in Quetta, Pakistan. It is easy to label these killings as ‘sectarian’ but there is more to it than just sectarian. In fact, following the killings there were protests not only by the Shias but also other Muslim communities, sending a clear message that these killings were not sectarian In this issue.... page 6 Recharging Ourselves after the Season of Mourning page 8 Hujjat Saturday Workshop page 11 Stanmore Jaffery’s Update page 14 CPV Update - sectarian differences are being exploited to meet certain misguided political aims. In response, Stanmore Jaffreys organised a seminar themed ‘Living Kerbala – Rising in the face of oppression’ which was well appreciated by members. Seminars are a starting point, but for real influence our youngsters should be joining political parties. If one looks at our political leaders today, almost all of them were active at university or colleges in their younger days. If our youth join political parties now, one day they could play an important role in formulating policies for the government of the day, one of which could be the foreign policy. Other communities have recognised this and are reaping the benefits today. During the Christmas just past, we had organised a ‘neighbourhood card campaign’ whereby our Stanmore Jaffreys youths visited local residents to thank them for bearing with us during the busy Muharram/Safar period and gifted 200 families bags containing a message of thanks, a ‘Who is Hussain’ card and a box of chocolates. The campaign was well received and I believe we should do more to build bridges with our neighbours and other communities. The programmes during Ashra-eZanaibiya were well received and all the reciters were well appreciated. In the Urdu majlises, the reciter raised the issue of us having our own school. This gave rise to some members suggesting that as we have a licence to operate an independent school, we should proceed. It is therefore important to understand the issues involved. We have a licence for an independent ‘fee paying’ school, to be operated from our existing premises in Stanmore. The last EC, after conducting a logistics audit, concluded that if this school was to be commenced then it would have to be from other premises and not our centre in Stanmore. If we went ahead with the school, taking into account the financial projections prepared by the previous EC, as well as the level of fees charged by a comparative school, the fees payable would be in the region of £4,000 per annum per student which is no small sum by any standard. The previous EC had therefore applied for a ‘free school’ which Husaini Shia Islamic Centre Wood Lane Stanmore, HA7 4LQ continued overleaf... 1 Peter Marcham DSA ADI Driver Development Specialist Professional & qualified preparation for: • Motorway and Night Driving course (2 hours) • Female driver Personal Safety courses (choice of 5 modules – 2 hours each module) • Over 55s check drive (1 or 2 hours - assessment and feedback) • Introduction to Advanced driving (2 hours – includes assessment for advanced driving course entry) • UK Familiarisation (2 hours – update Highway Code and hazard approach skills) – Recommended for those who originally learnt to drive outside the UK • Minibus familiarisation and authorisation training up to RoSPA standards (2 hours minimum sessions) Please call or e-mail for further details: Tel: 020 8429 4838 Mobile: 07713 155580 E-mail: peter.marcham@btinternet.com 2 Contents Issue 92 page 6 Recharging Ourselves after the Season of Mourning page 8 Hujjat Saturday Workshop page 11 Stanmore Jaffery’s Update page 14 CPV Update Contact Details KSIMC of London Husaini Shia Islamic Centre Wood Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4LQ Registered Charity in UK No. 288356 Telephone: 020 8954 6247 Ansaphone: 020 8954 8401 Website: www.hujjat.org Email: editor@hujjat.org ...continued would have been maintained by grant from the Department of Education and which would have been more suitable for our needs and our ethos. Unfortunately, our application was rejected on technicality, and we are working towards re-applying for this ‘free school’. I would therefore urge members to be patient and await the outcome of the ‘free school’ application which I believe would be more suitable and appropriate to our needs. On the matter of CoEJ and our membership thereof, a CoEJ Leaders’ Summit took place on 2nd December at which it was unanimously decided that CoEJ members would like to see London Jamaat back as a member jamaat. A task force of 5 persons was mandated, which would engage with communities. We had a fruitful meeting with the task force on 24th January at which we presented our case for fair representation. We shall now await a response from CoEJ. As I have repeatedly said our future lies with CoEJ and WF, and I am confident that we shall be able to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution to the question of ‘fair representation’ which will pave the way for our re-entry to CoEJ. It is an undeniable fact that our previous representation in CoEJ was conspicuously undemocratic, and which needed addressing. I am comforted to know that all our minds are now focussed in addressing this long overdue issue. Our search for a new venue continues. As I write we have identified a property not far from our centre in Stanmore and are in consultation with Harrow Council to establish if a ‘change of use’ is possible. This, together with other projects mentioned in my Eid speech, still continue to be explored, and I am hopeful that one of these will materialise. We need your prayers. As we start the New Year, may our aspirations be realised and may we be able to face new challenges, successfully. When I compare our community with others, I feel proud that I belong to a community which is so resourceful and caring. We have been blessed with the wisdom and expertise of our elders and trustees, the dedication and energy of our selfless volunteers and youngsters, as well as the generosity of our members. May Allah grant us all Tawfiq to continue to serve with Khullus, selflessly and for the betterment of the community. I wish you all a productive year ahead. Ameen With salaams Shabir Mamdani The next newsletter will cover: J’Aakher, Rajab and Shabaan 1434 April – June 2013 Submissions Deadlines for submission of articles is Sunday 24 March 2013 Submissions can also be emailed to admin@hujjat.org Disclaimer The views expressed in the articles are those of the author and not necessarily of either the management committee or the editorial board. 3 Dedicated to RESPONSE design print marketing Graphic De sign Logos Illustration Form Artwork 10% off off when you mention this advert* We Specialise in Personalised Wedding Stationery 107 St. Albans Road Watford Hertfordshire WD17 1RD Tel: 01923 232593 Fax: 01923 249787 response@d2rCrossMedia.com www.d2rCrossMedia.com * For one-time use only and must be presented/mentioned before placing the order. 4 TRAVEL announce partnership with Umra /Haj/Nairobi/Dubai/India/ South Africa/Johannesburg/Pakistan/ Kuala Lumpur/Singapore and many more Fly to Medina via Jeddah or Riyadh for Umra Haj requests welcome Feb promotion London Heathrow to Jeddah from £2550 (First) from £990 (Business) from £325 (economy) (t&c) 0208 426 8444/9444 saudia@cruxton.com IATA ABTA ATOL3348 quietly delivering value for over 25 years 5 Recharging Ourselves after the Season of Mourning Jerrmein Abu Shahba Since the season of mourning for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) is reaching its temporary conclusion, now what? For the past two months, many of us attended Majalis regularly. Many of us observed the state of grief and mourning and sponsored events in the name of Imam Hussain. Many of us participated in Azadari activities and lamented over the tragedy of Karbala. Some of us cried our eyes out while feeling the pain of the atrocities which was inflicted on Imam Hussain and his family. With these pure feelings of love and devotion to the Prophetic Household, we are blessed with the reward of forgiveness of our sins and glad tidings of Paradise. But let us now ask ourselves: what is the next step? And where do we go from here? The months of Muharram and Safar have passed with their clouds of grief and mourning, but what have we learned from the remembrance of the massacre of Karbala? Human beings typically display three types of reactions to any event in their lives. • Emotional Reaction takes place after the heart is touched and the feelings are moved. • Intellectual Reaction involves the process of thought and contemplation over an event. • Active Reaction happens after 6 the emotional reaction is coupled with the intellectual and leads to an active response to the event. For example, if a person gets into an auto accident, he may first experience an emotional reaction of panic, fear, and anxiety. These emotional feelings will then motivate the person to think about what to do to alleviate and deal with this situation in the best and quickest way possible. With some thought process, the person will convert his emotional and intellectual reaction to action and that is to call for help and dial 911 for emergency aid. But if the person does not act to help his own situation, and if he merely stops at the stage of emotional reaction, there will not be any meaning to that emotional outpour, and he may even hurt himself by his lack of action. When we speak about the great tragedy of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, this most heinous event in the history of mankind naturally induces an outpour of emotional and psychological reaction by any human who hears of the atrocities which transpired in Karbala. After all, the mere mention of the name ‘Hussain’ is enough to soften the heart and spring a river of tears to the eyes. But it is not enough for the lover and follower of Imam Hussain to remain at the stage of emotional expression, and it is imperative for us to proceed to the next level, where we contemplates over the lessons, morals, and wisdom that we learned during the gatherings and lectures of Muharram. One must ask why Imam Hussain sacrificed all that he did while knowing well that he and his companions will be killed in the plains of Karbala and his women and children will be taken as captives to be paraded in the streets of Shaam and Kufa. Does Imam Hussain want us to simply cry and mourn over his tragedy and not take any other action? In fact, the believer who yearns to take lesson from Karbala must use his emotional outpour in grief over Imam Hussain to RECHARGE himself on a yearly basis and motivate himself to act beyond the days of mourning and more than just the physical expression of grief. The believer must reflect on each and every event which took place in the life of Imam Hussain and extract the lessons to benefit himself and his society. After all, as Imam Hussain summarized his goal, “I did not revolt for the cause of evil tyranny To stand up against oppression and injustice wherever it is and whomever it falls on, and to make effort to help those who are weak and oppressed. To abide by the pure Muhammadan Islam and to avoid any deviation from the true Sunnah of the Prophet, as embodied by the Qur’an and Household of the Prophet. To enjoin the good and forbid the evil after properly identifying the truth from falsehood. or corruption, but to reform my grandfather’s nation. I want to enjoin the good and denounce the evil, and take the course of my father and grandfather.” To recharge ourselves with the fuel of patience, submission, and perseverance on the journey of truth The process of recharging the soul and self will lead the believer to the stage of deeds and active response which will include but is certainly not limited to the following: Islaah (reform) of the self first and foremost, before attempting to reform others. This entails improving one’s manners, behavior, and morals while eliminating the negative habits and weaknesses. This we know to be the Greater Jihad. Increasing one’s love and devotion to Imam Hussain and the holy household by expression of Mawwadah in every possible way, as God instructed, “Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely Allah is Forgiving, Grateful.” (42:23) This Muwaddah must also extend and include the current symbols of piety and righteousness in our world and leaders of truth. In short, we must pay allegiance to the ‘Hussains’ of our time. Along with the expression of allegiance to the symbols of truth in our current world, we must simultaneously identify the symbols and representatives of falsehood and hypocrisy and to announce our disavowal and condemnation to these idols of apostasy and deviation. In short, we must stand against all ‘Yazids’ of our time. and to withstand any calamity or trial that we may face in our lives, while submitting to the Divine will and relying on no one except the Almighty Allah. To eliminate our selfish behaviors and further develop the trait of selflessness, while taking the example of Abul Fadhl al-Abbas (peace be upon him), who refused to take a sip of the water of Furat while remembering that his beloved brother and the children of his camp are suffering from thirst. To improve and strengthen the relations of brotherhood among ourselves while taking the example of Hazrat Abbas, who exemplified the peak of brotherly love and submission to his master Hussain. By carefully studying and absorbing the pure autobiography of Imam Hussain, one can try to emulate his excellence in behavior and conduct and apply in one’s person life on a daily basis. In short, to tread the path of live like Ali and die like Hussain”! We as the nation of Prophet Muhammad and the devotees of Imam Hussain can benefit much better from the holy months of Muharram and Safar if we actively convert the emotions to energy which leads to actions in the way of Allah. Just as we fill gas in our cars every once in a while and recharge our phones at the end of each day, we also need to recharge ourselves on a yearly basis at the very least, and there is no better way to do so than by the fastest ship of salvation personified in the character of Imam Hussain. It is through his tragedy and through his immaculate personality that we learn the true Islam, and it To pave the way for ourselves to reach the stage of ability and desire to sacrifice ourselves and all that we love and own for the sake of truth and guidance, and in the way of Allah and obedience to His commands. To preserve the dignity of our women and to properly observe the physical and social Hijab while recognizing that this is what Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) fought for. Our love and mourning to her must be translated into following her example of modesty and chastity. is through the precious tears shed in these holy months that fills our hearts and souls with the fuel of energy, motivation, and action to actively serve Allah while taking Imam Hussain as our role model for perfection and righteousness. 7 Hujjat Saturday Workshop hujjat saturday workshop Alhamdulillah the first term of the academic year was very productive. Over the 12 weeks, the children embarked on a journey to learn about the 5 A’yaad and before the month of Muharram culminated in the “Journey of Hajj” performed by the Infants Section. Over the last two weeks of the term, we looked at the Hijri and Lunar calendars and discussed take home messages from the Ashre Muharram majalis, as well as the concept of dua when looking at the life of Imam Sajjad (pbuh). QUR’AN RECITATION We have been blessed with the presence of Uncle Murtaza Bandali, who comes to teach Qur’an recitation to the boys in the top Qur’an Recitation group. Uncle Murtaza has been very inspirational especially during the weekly assemblies which end with his recitation of Qur’an. Q Read 2, the long awaited follow up to the current Qur’an Recitation manual, is now available and implemented within the Workshop Qur’an Recitation curriculum. It completes the basic rules of recitation with focus on tajweed and is used in conjunction with the Qur’an. TEACHER TRAINING As part of our on-going commitment to empower teachers with the appropriate tools and knowledge, an offsite training session was held on 5th January which proved to be very inspiring and motivational for all those who attended, especially the very interactive session on Active Learning presented by Sister Nikhat Panjwani conducts training courses for secular school teachers. TERM TWO TEACHING FOCUS The focus for the second term is a study of the lives of the Prophets with a view to understand and implement their characteristics into our lives. The children will also be taught a methodology of remembering the names of the prophets in chronological order. The lesson plan for the term is designed to teach the whole syllabus using the calendar events as a main focal point with the rest of the topics that are to be taught in each year group to be slotted in. For further information and resources please visit the Workshop website. In the Qur’an Understanding Lesson, Suratu Yasin will be the focus of this term with a view to glean practical lessons from it. Below is an extract of the introduction to Suratu Yasin: “There is a heart for everything and Suratu Yasin is the heart of the Qur’an - QALBUL QUR’AN. The word QALB is from the Arabic word Qalaba which literally means to turn. It is the entity whose nature is to turn. It should turn towards Allah and not get attached to anything or anyone. For if it is attached, it will get broken by death no matter what it is set on. A heart is not a QALB if it is not turning solely towards Allah. Suratu Yasin teaches graphically how to keep the heart turning.” www.hujjat-workshop.org 8 Hujjat Saturday Workshop hujjat saturday workshop HOME-WORKSHOP PARTNERSHIP We strive to promote an effective partnership between home and Workshop based on mutual understanding and trust. To this end we endeavour to be very open, sharing as much information as possible with parents through our website. We have dedicated a section on the website, which informs parents of what has been taught in a particular class on a particular day, and the homework that has been set. Also included is an archive of newsletters sent out during the current academic year. SENIOR GIRLS In keeping with the ethos of Workshop, which is to prepare a child to take on adult life as a steadfast Muslim in an ever changing society, the year 10 and 11 girls are being given an opportunity to investigate the various professions available and how to approach the working world as a Muslim woman. This has been done by inviting guests from various professions including medicine and finance to have a discussion on what their profession entails and how they have adapted it to their lives. HSW – ANNEXE BOYS Following the redesign of the HSW Boys section, further enhancements have made to enrich their learning experience. The main aim of the HSW Boys section is to provide an environment for the boys to learn to live their life in this country knowing how to be good Muslims and the relevance of religion in everyday life and also to hopefully produce future leaders of the community who can bring positive change. To this effect, a bespoke syllabus has been implemented to cater for their learning requirements which include relevant Fiqh topics to be taught alongside the focus set out for the term. The boys are also being taught how to use and reference the risala. Rewards in the form of meal and drink vouchers are issued per teacher per class per week to incentivise and motivate the boys. Dates For Your Diary 12 January 2013 First day of term 2 23 March 2013 Last day of term 2 30 March & 6 April 2013 Workshop closed for Easter break 13 April 2013 First day of term 3 The 2012-2013 Workshop calendar is available to download from our website. www.hujjat-workshop.org 9 10 RA1 16 RA2 09 JA1 04 JA1 29 JA1 30 19-Jan 20-Jan 28-Jan 12-Apr 13-Apr 14-Apr 30-Apr Monday Saturday Wednesday 10-Apr 11-Apr Sunday Wednesday 20-Feb 16-Mar Saturday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Tuesday JA2 19 JA2 03 JA2 02 JA2 01 RA1 08 RA1 07 RA1 03 15-Jan Tuesday HIJRI DATE DAY EVE OF WILADAT - SAYYEDAH BIBI FATIMAH (SA) DAY OF WAFAT - SAYYEDAH BIBI FATIMAH (SA) EVE OF WAFAT - SAYYEDAH BIBI FATIMA (SA) AYYAM E FATIMIYYAH AYYAM E FATIMIYYAH AYYAM E FATIMIYYAH EVE OF WILADAT - SAYYEDA ZAINAB (SA) EVE OF WILADAT - IMAM HASSAN ALI ASKARI (AS) EVE OF WILADATS - HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAW) & IMAM JAFFER SADIQ (AS) EVE OF EID - E -ZEHRA EVE WAFAAT - IMAM HASSAN AL ASKARI (AS) EVE WAFAAT - BIBI MASUMA E QUM (AS) OCCASSION 8:15 PM 8:34 PM SALAAT H KISAA DUAS 8:00 PM 1:35 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 8:25 PM 8:25 PM 8:25 PM 1:08 PM 8:05 PM 8:04 PM 8:02 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM 8:25 PM 8:00 PM 8:25 PM 8:35 PM Quran 5:05 PM 8:25 PM 8:25 PM DUAS 4:41 PM 8:00 PM 8:00 PM SALAAT 9:00 PM QURAN 1:40 PM 8:35 PM 8:35 PM 9:05 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 8:30 PM 5:10 PM 8:30 PM 8:40 PM 2:45 PM 9:40 PM 9:35 PM 10:05 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:30 PM 9:35 PM 6:10 PM 9:20 PM 9:30 PM 9:05 PM 9:55 PM LECTURE QASIDA 1:55 PM 8:50 PM 8:45 PM 9:15 PM 8:40 PM 8:45 PM 8:45 PM 8:45 PM 5:25 PM 8:35 PM 8:45 PM MARTHIA MAJLIS/ MAATAM /H KISAA LECTURE /QASIDA 10:05 PM ZIARAT 3:15 PM 10:10 PM 9:45 PM 10:15 PM 9:45 PM 9:40 PM 9:40 PM 9:50 PM 6:20 PM 9:30 PM 9:40 PM ZIARAT PROGRAMMES FOR RABI ul AWWAL (RA1) 1434 To JAMAADI ul AAKHER (JA2) 1434 - JANUARY 2013 To APRIL 2013 Stanmore Jaffery’s Literary Programmes – Muharram-Safar 1434: A time for self-reflection The aim of the Stanmore Jaffery’s Literary team during the Muharram period was to promote reflection and inspire change, and this theme was continued during the nights of Arba’een. All the events which took place were geared towards this aim, and to fulfil a need recognised by community members. The speakers invited inspired this desire for internal change by addressing ideas such as the importance of developing a relationship with our Imams, and the necessity of using the message of Imam Hussain (AS) as a catalyst for change in our own lives as we strive for self-perfection in preparation of Imam Mahdi (AS). As Sayed Mahdi Modaressi mentioned in one of the seminars, we cannot simply wait for the Imam before we start our preparations – the same way we do not wait for the guest to arrive at home before we begin cleaning the house and preparing food. Syed Ali Hur Kamanpuri dedicated his entire Q&A session on 28 December 2012 to imparting ways in which we can prepare for our Imam. He began by pointing out that it is essential to know our Imam before we can know what he requires us to do for his preparation – and in order to know our 12th Imam, we need to know those Imams that came before him as well. Syed Ali Hur gave many more pieces of advice and suggestions on how to change ourselves and prepare ourselves for the coming of our Imam. There is no better way to prepare for Imam other than to begin with preparing ourselves. The companions of Imam Mahdi (AS) will be easily distinguishable from the rest of society, and if we desire to be part of this elite group we should adopt the akhlaq of the Ahlulbayt in order to stand out from the rest of society. On Saturday 29 December Stanmore Jaffery’s were fortunate enough to hold a seminar with Dr Ali al Hilli titled ‘Reforming our lives in the name of Imam Husain (AS)’. In this seminar, Dr Hilli addressed the social reformation Imam Hussain (AS) led, and the need for the reformation of the entire ummah of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (SAW). He then went on to advise us on how we can reform our lives and those within our society, in the same way Imam Hussain and all the members of the Ahlulbayt did. By following the twin waajibat prescribed for us by Allah (SWT), Amr bil ma’ruf (enjoining good) and Nahi anil munkar (discouraging evil), we can reform not only our own lives but those of the rest of society The team utilised a range of methods of imparting knowledge throughout the period, including seminars, discussion circles, Q&A sessions, and ladies only events. The ladies Literary team set out to bridge the gap between the ladies and the scholars of the Muslim community. There have been several ladies only question and answer sessions to date, which were deemed successful by those who attended. The seminars gave ladies members a platform through which they could interact with speakers and ask specific questions with the opportunity to ask for clarification if necessary. InshAllah these ladies only events will become regular features in the future. The ladies Literary team organised ladies only Q&A sessions with Sayed Mahdi Modaressi (during the 10 nights) and Syed Muhammad Naqvi(Arba’een). Both of these events were extremely beneficial and were met with positive feedback. It is clear that Stanmore Jaffery’s Literary are offering a service to women that was previously unavailable, and it is our aim to continue meeting the needs of our community. InshAllah the events collectively furthered the aim of promoting selfreflection with a view to the coming of our Holy Twelfth Imam. If you would like to offer feedback on any of the events, please email literary@ jafferys.org. Our heartfelt thanks to Sayed Mahdi Modaressi, Syed Muhammad Naqvi, Syed Ali Hur Kamanpuri, Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Dr Ali al Hilli for their time, words of advice and wisdom, to the volunteers for their hours of dedication and to Hujjat for supporting these seminars. InshAllah we hope you benefited from the programmes and look forward to seeing you at the next Stanmore Jafferys’ event. Write-ups on each programme can be found on the Stanmore Jafferys’ website (www.jafferys.org). 11 Stanmore Jaffery’s Spirit – Neighbour Initiative The importance of respecting one’s neighbours has been reported on numerous occasions by the Aimmah (a.s.). The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said “A neighbour has the best claim to the house or land of his neighbour.” To that end, Hujjat and Stanmore Jaffery’s Spirit resolved to thank our neighbours around the centre for their patience during the busy Muharram/Safar period. They bear with us as we frequent the centre all year round, causing congestion and parking difficulties. On Sunday 23 2012 Stanmore Jaffery’s volunteers visited local residents. We offered each house a bag containing several items: a message of thanks and seasonal greetings, a Who is Hussain card and a box of chocolates. The following residents were visited: • • • • • • • 40 houses on Dennis Lane; 10 houses on Hall Farm Close; 30 houses on Eaton Close; 50 houses on the Common; 50 houses on The Grove; 5 houses off Warren Lane (adjacent to the Grove); 15 houses on Stanmore Hill. We felt it was important not only to demonstrate our gratitude but also explain to them why we congregate in this manner each year. No doubt they will be awestruck and inspired by the stand of our Holy Imam, his family and companions. The neighbours were warm and very appreciative of the gesture – we were even gifted a box of chocolates back from one family. We heard their concerns about the amount of litter left around their homes (particularly Styrofoam cups), the repeated parking of our cars in unpermitted areas and the blocking off of access to roads. As good neighbours, let us all take this on board, rectify it and do our best to set a good impression of Islam. Our sincere thanks go to the volunteers who gave up their Sunday mornings to help and to Hujjat for its support. ALAVI TRAVEL IRAN ONLY £1280 ADULT 9 NIGHTS, FULL BOARD, VISA, TKT DIRECT DEPARTS FROM LONDON HEATHROW ON 28 DEC AND ARRIVE ON 07 APRIL, 2013 4 STAR HOTEL IN QUM 3 NIGHTS, 5 NIGHTS IN MASHAD 4 STAR, 1 NIGHT TEHRAN. IRAQ £1300 ADULT 8 NIGHTS, FULL BOARD DEPARTS FROM LONDON HEATHROW ON 29 MARCH RETURN ON 07 APRIL, 2013 AUSTRIAN AIRLINE IRAQ & IRAN ADULT COST £2400 DEPARTS FROM LONDON HEATHROW ON 29 MARCH ARRIVE ON 14 APRIL, 2013 7 NIGHTS IN IRAN, 8 NIGHTS IN IRAQ. IRAN VISA COST £150 IRAQ VISA APPROVAL £30, UMRA VISA £60. AIR FLIGHTS ARRANGED, TAILOR MADE PACKAGE FOR YR GROUPS ARRANGED. All subject to availability. Term & conditions apply. Alavi Travel are agents for the consumer. Please call now and ask for M.Raza Jaffer Tel: 07713622402/ 01162704000. Email: mkjaffer@yahoo.co.uk www.ziyaraat.co.uk or for visa info. www.fastvisaservice.co.uk 12 Stanmore Jaffery’s Relief – Muharram & Safar Initiatives Stanmore Jaffery’s Relief have been busy since Muharram with several projects 1. Aalim Fund Since the beginning of Muharram 1434 Stanmore Jaffery’s Relief has continued to raise funds for the ‘Delivering for the Future’ appeal. This provides scholars and teachers to remote villages in Pakistan. In these isolated communities, still reeling from devastating floods, access to scholars is difficult. Therefore it is our duty to assist these communities by supporting them with the means to attain spiritual guidance. Through bucket collections and the sale of handmade candle holders, key rings, Karbala themed phone covers and magnets allhamdulilah over £6000 has been raised. If you would like to donate please visit www. justgiving.com/aalimfund. 2. Ali Asghar Water Appeal “Whosoever provides someone water in a place where there is already water present, is like one who has freed a slave. And whosoever provides someone water in a place where there is no water present, is like one who has granted life to a soul; and whosoever grants life to a single soul, it is as if he has granted life to all of mankind.” Imam as-Sadiq (AS) Student from primary school until university. After graduating Ghulam- As we remember our Holy Imam Hussain, his family and companions at Karbala, we want to make sure we do our part to ensure none of our Shia brothers and sisters suffer the anguish of thirst. Therefore on the 8th and 9th of Muharram SJ Relief sold Imam Hussain (as) themed water bottles in aid of the Ali Asghar Water Appeal (AAWA) which seeks to supply safe drinking water to impoverished regions around the world. With your assistance roughly £1000 was raised for this cause. Abbas went back to his village and now teaches in the local school, sharing his knowledge to better the prospects of the new generation. 3. Zainabiyya Child Sponsorship Scheme For thirty years ZCSS has funded the education of the less well-off all over the world. In the process, over 11,0000 students have graduated from primary, secondary or further stages of education. Each one of these students is an inspiration to those around them. When students like Ghulam-Abbas go through initiatives like Zainabiyya Child Sponsorship Scheme and achieve so much, there must be many children looking up to him thinking, “I want to be like him”. Students such as Ghulam-Abbas YusafAli from Gujarat was a ZCSS SJ Relief has been seeking sponsorship so that children like those ones are not disappointed. We must not disappoint the 4500 primary and secondly school children, nor the 800 higher education students who need support, enrolled in the ZCSS scheme. Together, we can light up the most deprived corners of our community. 4. Annual Sponsored Walk in Solidarity with Sayyida Sakina At the time of writing Relief are preparing to hold their Annual Sponsored Walk in Solidarity with Syeda Sakina (A.S.). This year the walk will be in memory of Marhuma Sakina Ahmed, who was a dedicated SJ volunteer. This will be held on 13th January 2013. All proceeds will go towards the aforementioned ‘Delivering for the Future’ fund, and further information on the Walk will be included in the next Newsletter inshAllah. “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” 13 Hujjat Car Park Volunteer Update Alhamdu Lillah we have now completed Ashre Muharam and Ashre Zainabiya, and I am pleased to bring you a news update from the CPV team. We have had a really good turnout of car park volunteers attending every night during Muharam and Ashre to help manage the parking. Once again the centre had been full to capacity and we had been able to arrange various overflow parking areas. The RNOH had yet again been very kind and allowed us to use their car parks. We were also able to use the Centennial Industrial Estate and our thanks go to the management for their generosity. The new mini buses seem to have been a big hit both with the public and the drivers. As mentioned previously, the shuttle drivers have been undergoing driver training and testing with Peter Marcham, and I am very pleased to inform you that we now have 5 drivers who have passed the ROSPA national mini bus tests. Other drivers are still undergoing training and Insha Allah we will be able to build a bank of approved drivers. My sincere thanks go to Peter for his unlimited patience and generosity. He also very kindly offered to drive our buses during the Muharam programs and was made to feel a part of our community. During these two months we were updating Twitter regularly to inform the public of where car parking spaces were available. We have 245 followers. Please join them at @hujjatcarparks to get the latest updates. This is a free service from your mobile phone. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all who have shown great patience and co-operation with the CPV’s, especially during the particularly busy programmes. The CPV as a whole takes pride in delivering its duties, including the way in which we interact with attendees at the Centre. Equally it helps us greatly when you co-operate with the instructions of the volunteers. This is both to maintain a safe and efficient car parking experience. Regrettably there are times when misunderstandings or impatience have caused unnecessary incidents to occur. This has resulted in some of you taking out your frustrations on the CPV team members. I would request everyone to support us in supporting you. It takes all of our efforts to collectively deliver a high level service. Finally we are in the process of setting up a CPV e-mail account for the public to give feedback, suggestions, and comments directly to the Heads of CPV. More on this as soon as it is set up. Finally, my sincere thanks to all the CPV’s for their hard work, patience and dedication. ALI NENSI Head of Car Park Volunteers “In the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful” The families of Late Gulamali Rajan & Late Asgarali Juma Kurji and Late Kassamali Gulamhusein Abdulla & Late Roshanali Walimohammed Merali Request the honour of your presence to witness the Nikah ceremony of MOHAMMED QASIM Son of Hussein & Batul Rajan To ATEKA Daughter of Aarifhusein & Shanaz Abdulla Inshallah on Saturday 6th April 2013 at 5:30 pm At the Islamic Centre, Wood Lane, Stanmore, HA7 4LQ R.S.V.P. The Rajan Family 49 Lowick Road Harrow Middlesex HA1 1UP hussein.grajan@gmail.com 14 Walima Dinner will be served after the nikah ceremony. Please accept this as a personal invitation from both the families. The Abdulla Family 208A Victoria Road Ruislip Manor Middlesex HA4 0AP au55ie@sky.com Muharram at Hujjat Courtesy: Br Abdul Datoo 15 Advertise in the next issue... Hujjat Newsletter Hujjat Newsletter Issue 90 Ramadhan, Shawwal and Zilqaad 1433 Message from the President been trusted to I am humbled to have the next eleven lead the community for has been months. The recent history my team but difficult for the community, out a map which and I are trying to chart greater heights. we hope will take us to ties that lie I am mindful of the difficul prayers and ahead, and I seek your er we can achieve goodwill so that togeth greater things. Issue 91 Zilhajj 1433, Muharram and Safar 1434 – October, November and December 2012 Message from the President This last month has been a sad month for the community. We lost a young girl to Allah’s mercy, Sakina Ahmed in tragic circumstances, a girl who had a bright future and who was widely popular and very much loved. Young deaths like these are reminders from Allah SWT that our abode in this world is temporary and that we should prepare ourselves for the life hereafter, for no one knows when our time will come. Hujjat Newsletter Message of interaction with people is to participate and interact at Inter Faith Iss of 92events. These events provide an ideal ‘Live amongst people in such a manner from different communities. Messageue R’Aww R’A akher andthat opportunity toal,demonstrate our core J’Aw that if you die they weep over you and if propagation by example. wal beliefs of ‘do good and avoid bad’ is143 a 4 – January – March you are alive they crave for your company’ 2013 Islam is a universal religion as well as a common theme amongst all communities – Imam Ali AS. way of life, and no one community has a – faith or otherwise. We should build on Having seen the number of people who monopoly on it. We need to extend our what is common between us and other attended the funeral, and having read the hand of friendship to all communities, communities, and try to overcome the June, and the first tributes to the Marhuma in the local press not just Muslims. Just as the Marhuma differences. The differences will remain We took office on 10th been expended wider no doubt, but hopefully there will be more and face book, it gives me the impression did, we need to interact with the Salaam 30 days in office have s dear ismb I was things. common than what is different into way ers that this young lady lived her short life in community – interact but not integrate. thatme in finding our things but ago, between us. the very way as prescribed. At the funeral, And that has to be from a position On the of last here some 5 years happy and then. since and auspicious people from different walks of life and strength. This is achievable if weof‘live’ have changed considerably the occasion birt hda erably y anniver t is consid practices At this time, some of our brothers and sary from different communities expressed ‘think’ Islam and not just followPro For a start, the Jamaa of the phet PBUH Holy the spiritual 2007, and with and in faith are performing sisters their loss through tears and flowers. In blindly. We need to emulateonProphet more populous than in behalf of the our sixth Imam AS, members. tion comes the with those SAW’s Islam which was a tolerant Islam journey the Hajj. To those who have Exeof cuti will continue death, ve the Marhuma has left a message she and the increase in popula Com aalim t the e residen Ladies a sub-committe Com services. nent and he proved by example that it was been blessed makemitt thiseespecial journey mittee,toI exte on the requirement for a perma for us all. Message of love and peace. Having hea increase in demand for in rties Husse nd our is t felic of Bro ons andlike possible to live with non-Muslims a itati I would them a spiritually ratic functions, and under the auspices joyotouswish to all theinsist greetings ting the deters democ erssuccessful and brotherHajj, and Life presidents of meeting in June, Asaria. I am sure he will be contac peaceful and tolerant manner. We should s in faith. may they return We had our first EC to counterproductive. brought progress was resolved to stakeholders over the next few weeks propagate robustly, and theAsbest form safe, sound and spiritually uplifted to their banana republics never and at that meeting it we bid fare es to deal carry out his feasibility study. I cannot see how wel mmitte and of propagation is by being a model for homelands, upon completion. Ameen. ies l sub-co to l countr severa the those azadari and to set up months of the com es would help as well as work tolerance and kinship. those who not had the call of memo momentous For permanent sub-committe ratiohave with on-going matters, n of that a seminar themed Jamaat. the pledges. The Reciters sub-committee will continue sac in sto ves rifi ‘Living Ker manife ‘Labaik’ yet, may Allah SWT ce objecti our our on the plai ing Kerbala, it inbestow towards fulfilling the facethis nsyear. Makbul Jaffer in achiev Bro of oppression’ bala – Rising that as is been of of hip has an e leaders opp mmitte the The hostility demonstrated against us privilege on you next Ameen. ortune mome under we have a reflect upon For example, a sub-co page 3 Bro licence to ope nt to appreciated by memb which was well inde assessment and Bro Bashir Pirbhai. Of course successive presidents by other communities stems from fear the plight of the pendent sch ers. Seminar rate an true that of the formed to carry out a needs Madressa update followers a starting point, ool, we sho Holy Ahlul Bay Tejani who Yes, it is s ng Sajjad resolvi t Bro and withou but uld proceed. of the unknown. It does wor not help that Witht the approach Eidyou ul ngs Adha, on for real influen are It is therefore imp AS thro Riyaz Merali come and gone ughout of ld. Nothing ortant to und ce our issu ters of the Reciters have the warm ments of the Jamaat, erstand beenofmo some Muslims portray a negative image, has behalf thereEC, I extend wishes toshould be joining es involved. have been at the fore front the indiscri parties the property require star page 6 years, We poli . k nine If than have a licence the tica that min last one iate l indepen ateall to apprec killin which makes the life of other theg of members this happy occasion looks at our Committee for the for an dent ‘fee pay members have 100 pluson in QueMuslims lead but to HSW update ers s poli tta, service Shi tod t, tica Pak ing’ ay, almost l operated It the duas that allasyour prayers and difficult. But then there arekillin rotten applesistan. with continue to provide selfless mmittee, with the constraints faced by the Jamaa all of them from our exis school, to be gs as ‘sectaria is easy to label these active at universi were Stanm sub-co ting premis n, funding, local ty or n’ but ther in every cart, and our cartitisthan no different. sacrifices be accepted by you Allah SWT. le locatio the community under this ore. The last es in e is nge page 13 property is not more to r days. If our colleges in their a just sectaria EC, after con so. This sub- for examp logistics aud g an ideal We need to ensure that the rotten apples n. In fact, you duc and will continue to do locatin ies, th ting the par amenit join ties killin Stanmore Jaffery’s Ramadhan Relief follo it, political sch concluded now, one day gs there wer wing example of how plished that if this ool was to are more than counterbalanced by the With salaams e pro committee is a good they could ing which can be accom tests not only an importa by the Shi be comme page 3 ly hear calls someth play nt role in form as nced then pleased to confirm good ones. One of the opportunities democracy works. I regular ht. I am ulating policies would have to be from communitie to but also other Muslim for the gov it page 15 appraisal and Annexe Programme nent property overnig s, sending ernment of other premis and ing portray the positive side of the Muslims Shabir Mamdani continu not be for the formation of a perma a the will clea our I that these es day, one of r message which could be centre in Sta Focus on Hajj killin would remain in that s which the foreign went ahead nmore. If we sub-committee which al analysis of the project sectarian diffe gs were not sectarian communitie policy. Other with the sch page 4 and changes in the logistic s have reco rences are bein ool, taking account the essors had commenced, place, irrespective of the gnised this into to meet cert financial pro g exploited are reaping the Madressa Update and ing committee. my predec give to ain ject manag able ben mis be the by ions of may I efi guid the sition prepared ts today. previous EC, compo ed political and pray that In response, aims. as well as the the Reciters sub- I hope on this Stanmore Jaff fees charge level of I disagree with this, and unity some good news Husaini Shia Islamic Centre Wood Lane Stanmore, HA7 4LQreys organised During the d by a com page 10 1istm that if members the comm Chr parative sch the fees pay as just pas Information committee is living proof ool, before my term ends. had organis able would Ramadhan programme t, we mmittee perform front ed a ‘neighb be in the reg of a particular sub-co ourhood card of £4,000 per annum per ion campaign’ he/ ... office, overleaf in ed whereby student whi continu no small sum well, then whoever comes our Stanm ch is Jaffreys you by any page 13 stan ore ths visited loca dard. op thank them l residents to Hujjat Saturday Worksh for bearing with busy Muhar us during the The previous EC had ram/Safar per therefore app for a ‘free sch iod and gifte lied 200 families 1 page xx d maintained ool’ which would have bags contain HA7 4LQ been ing a messa Wood Lane Stanmore, of thanks, a by grant from xx ge of Edu ‘Who is Hus Husaini Shia Islamic Centre the Departm cation and sain’ card and ent box of cho which wou colates. The a been mo ld hav cam re well received e suitable for paign was page xx and I believe our needs and we should do our ethos. Unfortunate more to buil xx d brid ly, our applica tion and other com ges with our neighbours was rejected on technica munities. lity, and we working tow are ards re-apply page xx ing sch for ool’. I would this ‘free The progra xx therefore urg mm to be patient e members Zanaibiya wer es during Ashra-e and await the e well rece outcome of the the reciters ived and all ‘free school’ application page xx were well which I beli would be mo appreciated eve the Urdu ma re xx suit able . In jlises, the reci and approp riate ter raised the to our needs. issue of us having our own school. gave rise to This some memb ers suggesting On the matter of CoEJ and membership our thereof, a CoEJ Leader s’ Husaini Shia Islamic Cen tre Wood Lan e Stanmore , HA7 4LQ Message fr om the Presid ent In this issue.... In this issue.... In this issue .... 1 To advertise in the next issue of Hujjat contact the Jamaat office on 0208 954 6247 or email us at admin@hujjat.org 16 Upper Class & Premium Economy Deals TRAVEL Pure Luxury. Always. Arrive in Style. Booking now for Diwali & Christmas Holidays India US Canada Dubai Far East China Africa 0208 515 9200 deals@cruxton.com IATA ABTA ATOL3348 quietly delivering value for over 25 years 17 The Following Births, Engagements, Weddings and Deaths Were Recorded by The Jamaat Births Boy Kiyaan Hassan To Sukaina Fazel and Wasimhussein 12-Dec-12 27 Muharram 1434 Girl Maryam To Iram and Fazleabbas Kanji 14-Dec-12 29 Muharram 1434 Boy Nadhirali To Sajida and Mazaheer Rajwani 16-Dec-12 2 Safar 1434 Engagements Anar Shiraz Janmohamed To Mohamed Feisal Raza Salemohamed 3-Nov-12 17 Zilhaj 1433 Zainab Shiraz Andani To Mohammed Abbas Riaz Fazal 3-Nov-12 17 Zilhaj 1433 Aliyah Azad Kanani To Abbasali Murtaza Janmohamed 3-Nov-12 17 Zilhaj 1433 Shaheen Zulfikar Alibhai To Abbas Gulamali Ravji 3-Nov-12 17 Zilhaj 1433 Sara Mohamed Hussein To Azmi Salah Elkholy 9-Nov-12 23 Zilhaj 1433 Zohra Shiraz Noorali Rashid To Mohamed Abbas Asgarali Gulamhussein Kurji 9-Nov-12 23 Zilhaj 1433 Fatema Zahra Mohamed Allidina To Abdul-Azim Zuher Hassan 9-Nov-12 23 Zilhaj 1433 Batool Mohamed Al Saraj To Munir Mohamed Eljaouhari 9-Nov-12 23 Zilhaj 1433 Shazia Abdul Sattar Bhatti To Irshad Gulamabbas Mohamed 9-Nov-12 23 Zilhaj 1433 Weddings Zahra Makbulhussein M Rahim To Fazleabbas Salim Anwer Mohamedali Fazel 3-Nov-12 17 Zilhaj 1433 Fatima Gulamabbas Megjhi To Mohammed Akeel Hussain Alidina 3-Nov-12 17 Zilhaj 1433 Deaths Lailabai Ahmed Abdulrasul Dewji 17-Oct-12 29 Zilhaj 1433 Woodcock Hill Cemetery Gulamabbas Nagji Sharif Kanani 2-Nov-12 16 Zilhaj 1433 Carpenders Park Cemetery Mariambai Mohamedtaki Gulamali Ladak 9-Dec-12 24 Muharram 1434 Woodcock Hill Cemetery Zarinabai Mohamed Noormohamed 17-Dec-12 3 Safar 1434 North Watford Cemetery Roshanali Mohamed Raffiq Fazal 20-Dec-12 6 Safar 1434 Woodcock Hill Cemetery Fatmabai Amirali Khakoo 21-Dec-12 7 Safar 1434 Woodcock Hill Cemetery Hamidabai Mohsinali Ladak 28-Dec-12 14 Safar 1434 Woodcock Hill Cemetery Akberali Bachu Sumar 7-Jan-13 24 Safar 1434 North Watford Cemetery Sadiqali Hassanali Saleh Molu 15-Jan-13 3 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1434 Woodcock Hill Cemetery 18 Retail Banking Current Accounts Time Deposits Call Deposits Overdrafts Commercial Banking Commercial Loans Corporate Finance Islamic Banking Property Finance Trade Finance Current Accounts Savings & Deposit Accounts Private Banking Global Equities Fixed Income Instruments Dual Currency Deposits Trade Finance Trust Receipts Export Bills Discounting Import Letters of Credit Export Letters of Credit Documentary Collections Guarantees Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority www.habibbank.com UK ZONAL OFFICE/MOORGATE BRANCH Habib House, 42 Moorgate London EC2R 6JJ Tel + 44 (0) 207 452 0200 TOOTING BRANCH 264 Upper Tooting Road London SW17 0DP Tel + 44 (0) 208 767 5555 MANCHESTER BRANCH Habib House, 9 Stevenson Square Manchester M1 1DB Tel + 44 (0) 161 236 9355 EAST END BRANCH 122 Whitechapel High Street London E1 7PT Tel + 44 (0) 207 377 5078 SOUTHALL BRANCH 5/7 High Street, Southall Middlesex UB1 3HA Tel + 44 (0) 208 893 5059 GLASGOW BRANCH 473 Victoria Road Glasgow G42 8RL Tel + 44 (0) 141 424 3786 HARROW ON THE HILL BRANCH 377 Station Road, Harrow Middlesex HA1 2AW Tel + 44 (0) 208 515 1380 WEST END BRANCH 2 Baker Street London W1M 2DD Tel + 44 (0) 207 487 4571 LEICESTER BRANCH 160 Belgrave Road Leicester LE4 5AU Tel + 44 (0) 116 261 3300 MARBLE ARCH BRANCH 76 Edgware Road London W2 2EG Tel + 44 (0) 207 724 9510 BIRMINGHAM BRANCH 671-675 Stratford Road, Sparkhill Birmingham B11 4DX Tel + 44 (0) 121 777 8999 BRADFORD BRANCH 1236-1238 Leeds Road, Bradford West Yorkshire BD3 8LG Tel + 44 (0) 127 466 6637 19 Zawa’are Hussaini in conjuntion with CARVAAN-E- ZAINABIA EASTER HOLIDAYS IN IRAQ 27th March - 9th April 2013 HOTELS ITENARY EASTER IN KERBALA Closing date: 20th February 2013 Limited spaces available. Apply early to avoid disappointment 27th March Depart London 28th March Arrive Kadhmain 29th March Day trip Samara & return to Kadhmain 30th March Depart Kadhmain for Najaf 31st March Ziyarat & A'amal at Masjid-e-Kufa 1st April Audience with Syed Seestani and Sheikh Hafiz Bashir Najafi 2nd April Ziyarat to Masjid-e-Hanana, Kumail and Masjid-e-Sehla 3rd April Depart for Kerbala 4th April Ziyarat inside Kerbala 5th April Kerbala 6th April Ziyarat outside Kerbala 7th April Kerbala 8th April Ziyarat-e-wida Kerbala 9th April Depart for London KADHMAIN HOTEL TEEBA NAJAF QASR-E-DOUR HOTEL KERBALA JANNATUL HUSSAIN Nawha Khawan Syed Johar Rizvi Urooj from Pakistan will join the group. FARE: £1750 all inc. We also arrange worldwide tickets to different destinations. For tickets: Mahmud Fazel - 0203 371 8839/0203 372 4886 or Mobile: 07538 113445 For Ziyarat Packages: Aunali Lalji - on 07930 396390 FRONT BLOCK. MIDDLESEX HOUSE, 29/45 HIGH STREET, EDGWARE, MIDDLESEX HA8 7UU TEL: 0203- 371 8839 & 0203-372 4886 E-MAIL: info@globalarabiantravel.com WEBSITE: www.globalarabiantravel.com 20 TRAVEL LIMITED