Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014 Issue No.

581
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
Page 2
Protect Kenyans, Muslim-
leaders tell gov't
Continued To Page 2
Page 7
Page 3
Continued To Page 8
Muslim leaders have expressed their
strong condemnation over the Mpeketoni
massacre and demanded that the govern-
ment take measures to safeguard the lives
and properties of Kenyans.
In a statement issued at J amia Mosque on
Tuesday, the leaders noted their grave con-
cerns over the worrying security situation in
the country and reminded the government
of its obligation to protect Kenyans.
The joint statement by the National Muslim
Leaders Forum (NAMLEF), J amia mosque
Nairobi, the Muslim Consultative Council
(MCC) and the Mombasa based Council of
Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) de-
scribed the killings in Lamu county as sav-
age acts while affrming that such sense-
less killings cannot be justifed by whatever
means.
We strongly condemn these savage acts
and express our grief at the ghastly killings
of innocent civilians and police offcers as
well as the destruction of property by crimi-
nals who have no regard for the sanctity
of human life, said the NAMLEF chairman
Abdullahi Abdi.
In the attack which happened on Sunday
night, more than 50 people were killed
when heavily armed raiders descended on
the small township fring indiscriminately
and torching houses. The attack left a trail
of destruction which left government offc-
es, hotels, banks and other business prem-
ises in smoldering ruins.
A further 15 people were killed the follow-
ing day in the attacks which the Somalia
militant group Al Shabbab took responsibil-
ity. President Uhuru Kenyatta in a national
televised address however, rejected these
claims and accused unnamed politicians of
behind behind the carnage.
The NAMLEF leader took issue with the
security machinery for not doing enough
to protect lives and properties of Kenyans
and wondered why such a well coordinated
attack did not attract the knowledge of the
security establishment.
He said Kenyans were increasingly being
fed up with lack of effective strategies in
addressing security concerns and said the
violence was threatening to tear the country
apart. The continued violence risks tearing
the country apart and Kenyans continue to
M
uslims have been called on to
make more investments in the
education sector and establish
educational institutions as a way of
improving standards of learning in the
community.The Parliamentary Majority
leader Aden Duale said education was
a necessary ingredient in uplifting the
condition of the community and encour-
aged Muslims to place more emphasis
on seeking both the contemporary and
Islamic knowledge.
We need to have more institutions of
learning from primary to university level
which provide quality education as this
will help the community to progress
thereby contributing to the development
of the country, he said last week during
the graduation event of RAF University.
Duale who is also the MP for Garissa
Township noted that over the years
Muslims had lagged behind in education
and this has affected their progress in
the social, political and economic strata
of the country and emphasized that hav-
ing in place more educational institu-
tions will help to reverse the trend.
He lauded the Foundation for its support
to Kenyans saying that the institution
Muslims urged to invest more in education
Editorial: How long will Ken-
yans continue to suffer
The impact of World Cup on
Muslims and their future
State faulted on security
concerns
The President of the Board of Trustees of the Qatar based RAF Foundation
Aydh al Qahtani presents a certifcate to a graduand of RAF International Uni-
versity during the frst graduation ceremony last week. On the Left is the Uni-
versity Chancellor Sheikh Muhammad Osman and looking on is Adan Duale,
the Parliamentary majority leader.
The Friday Bulletin
Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014
Government told to protect Kenyans
Page 2
Continued From Page 1
EDITORIAL
live in perpetual fear after hundreds of people
lost their lives in terrorism related attacks, ex-
tra judicial killings, ethnic conficts and cattle
rustling while little has come from the govern-
ment to address these concerns. Promises of
investigations by the police and commission
of inquiries are turning into tunes which Ken-
yans are tired of listening to, he said.
Instead of addressing the emerging security
concerns, we are being treated to knee jerk
reactions where the focus is on harassing in-
nocent people and collective punishment of
communities while those who are killing and
maiming Kenyans continue with their evil
trade, he added.
The NAMLEF leader reiterated that Islam
sanctifes human life and condemned the kill-
ing of innocent people. We have said this be-
fore and we will continue reiterating this fact.
Islam does not allow the killing of people and
it is a grave offence in Islam to take away the
life of an innocent people. Even if it is done in
the name of defending Muslims, it is not ac-
ceptable, he said.
The leaders cautioned Kenyans to be wary of
falling into traps laid by those perpetrating vio-
lence saying that they aim at planting seeds
of discord to create a wedge among Kenyans
along ethnic and sectarian lines. We should
not accept the intentions of those who want
to divide the country on religious or ethnic
grounds and all Kenyans need to strive to live
in harmony and peace with others, the CIPK
national organizing secretary Sheikh Muham-
mad Khalifa
The Sheikh observed that while Muslim sup-
port dialogue to deliberate on the challenges
facing the country, he cautioned against mass
action saying that in the present toxic environ-
ment, people with sinister motive might take
advantage of the situation to foment sectarian
and ethnic discord. Calls for mass actions
are a recipe for sectarian and ethnic violence
which might be a repeat to the tragic events of
2007, he said.
Among those present were Ibrahim Ahmed
Yusuf from J amia Mosque Com-
mittee and Abdulhamid Slatch who
represented the Muslim Consultative
Council. Sheikh Hassan Omar and
Sheikh Hassan Suleiman from the
Council of Imams and Preachers of
Kenya (CIPK) were also present.
In a related development, the Su-
preme Council of Kenya Muslims
(SUPKEM) deputy secretary gen-
eral Hassan Ole Nado spoke of his
concerns that the Mpeketoni attack
was leading to animosity towards
Muslims in the area. He said while
Muslims were among the victims of
the attack, there are indications of
possible acts of retaliation against
members of the community who
are a minority in the area. Several
Muslim families have fed Mpeketoni
for Lamu Island, he told The Friday
Bulletin.
Last weekend, the country yet again went
into another period of mourning follow-
ing the massacre of more than 50 people
by gunmen in Mpeketoni in Lamu County.
The killings came a week after the murder
of a prominent Muslim leader Sheikh Mu-
hammad Idris, the Council of Imams and
Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) chairman in
Mombasa by unknown people.
Even after the government had announced
increased security presence in Mpeketoni,
another attack was also reported the fol-
lowing day in a nearby town where 15 lives
were lost. These savage attacks on civilians
and police offcers by criminals who have
no regards for the sanctity of human life
are an attack on humanity and deserve the
strongest condemnation.
These senseless killings which have led to
the loss of hundreds of lives through terror-
ism related attacks, extra judicial killings,
tribal conficts and cattle rustlings have gen-
erated increased fears on the security situ-
ation in the country. While the government
has consistently affrmed that it has what it
takes to rein in these criminal gangs, the
killings continue unabated and questions
linger on how long will it take for the state
security machinery to live up to its obliga-
tion of protecting the lives and properties of
citizens.
It remains the obligation of the government
to ensure that the lives and properties of
Kenyans are protected and Kenyans are
demanding that these beastly marauding
killers are apprehended and brought to
book. The gist of President Uhuru Keny-
atta's statement in his address to the na-
tion on Tuesday was that the brutal Sunday
night massacre in Mpeketoni was the result
of local politics rather than an attack by the
Somalia based Al-Shabbab militant group.
We would presume that the President's
statement is based on solid investigations
that would absolve Al-Shabaab and push
the blame to politicians. Although no names
were mentioned but if the government has
solid and credible information on any group
responsible for the attacks on such a scale,
mere warnings will not do justice to Kenyans
who have lost their loved one.
The government needs to demonstrate that
this time round it will move with speed to ar-
rest and charge the actual masterminds of
the attacks for the law must take its course.
After all, there are no sacred cows in the
country.
Additionally, those in charge of ensuring
the lives and safety of Kenyans have to be
taken to task on why they chose to sleep on
their jobs while criminal gangs toyed with
the blood of innocent people. Someone has
to take responsibility for this mishap and it
should begin right from the top.
It is a matter of concern that the spate of
killings which have happened in Tana River,
North Eastern, Rift Valley and Western re-
gions have in most cases been blamed on
spiteful tirades from politicians but rarely
have they been taken to account.
The State should also give equal attention to
acts of violence which have led to increased
security concerns among Kenyans. In the
last few years, the spate of unexplained kill-
ings has gripped the nation and apart from
the usual rhetoric of carrying out investiga-
tions, little has come out to nail down the
perpetrators. Questions continued to linger
on why the State appears less interested to
tackle this issue.
Speaking about the attacks in Mpeketoni,
the Head of State clearly spoke against
ethnic-profling of one community saying
that it portrays certain people as less hu-
man and therefore, less deserving
of compassion and consideration
and perhaps, fair game for brutality
and abuse.
These are the same sentiments
which have been expressed by
Muslim leaders and human rights
groups after certain communities
were being brutally rounded up by
police and subjected to extortion,
harassment and detained in inhu-
man conditions at the Kasarani
Concentration camp.
Regrettably, these concerns were
relentlessly ignored and it should
not be seen that the head of state
who is the symbol of unity for the
whole nation chooses to aligns
himself with a particular community
while ignoring others.
Lastly, we reiterate that those who
carried out the macabre killings in
Mpeketoni are beastly criminals
who are enemies of humanity.
No reason can justify the killings,
maiming and destruction of proper-
ties of innocent people. This is an
act of barbarity which no faith or
civilized group can tolerate. Even in
the face of oppression Muslims are
taught to be fair and just and not to
engage in acts of injustice towards
other people. This principle is beau-
tifully illustrated in the Quran: O
you who have believed, be persis-
tently standing frm for Allah , wit-
nesses in justice, and do not let the
hatred of a people prevent you from
being just. Be just; that is nearer to
righteousness. And fear Allah; in-
deed, Allah is acquainted with what
you do. (Quran 5:8)
Insecurity: How long will Kenyans continue to suffer?
The Friday Bulletin
The whole world is engrossed with the
World Cup fever and everyone has tuned
his heart and mind to Brazil for the 2014
version of the FIFA World Cup. The sensi-
tivity of this years tournament is that, the
last part of it will collide with the frst half
of Ramahn. Therefore, the last half of
Ramadhn is likely to be affected due to
time winners of the tournament will spend
jubilating while losers will spend theirs
grieving. Either way, Muslims will be the
greatest losers, if they exchange their
Ramahan for the deceiving excitement
of the World Cup tournament.
Why World Cup?
Let me share with you three short sto-
ries, among others, based on which I
fnd it necessary to refect on the impact
of World Cup on Muslims and their next
generation.
Story One
On my way to the dormitorys prayer
room, for Fajr prayers, on Friday, 13th
J une 2014, I saw a reverse version of
what I usually see every morning, on the
same way. Usually, I see people going out
of their dormitories, heading towards the
various prayer rooms. Unfortunately, on
that morning, I saw people coming from
the various canteens, where they just fn-
ished watching the opening ceremony of
the 2014 version of the FIFA World Cup
tournament and the frst match (between
Brazil and Croatia). They were going back
to their dorms, bypassing the prayer halls
without praying. Obviously, there were
lesser crowds in the prayer halls.
Later in the afternoon, the same day, I un-
derstood from another friend of mine, that
only two people went for Fajr prayers in
his dormitory, where usually, there will be
two to three rows making up more than a
dozen.
Story Two
In the qualifying match to this World Cup,
Ghana beat Egypt 6-0 in Accra. This de-
feat was so impactful on Egypt and the
Egyptians, to the effect that a son killed
his father, who was watching the match
with him, and enjoined him to prayers.
He couldnt accept the defeat, and thus,
lost control over his emotions. By the time
he regained his consciousness, he has
already lost his father to his anger and
emotions. Yes, the Muslim son has killed
his Muslim father, over a football match!
Story Three
An Arab Muslim couple was blessed with
a baby boy. The father decided to name
his son Maradona. The mother protest-
ed. She argued; why dont we name him
Muammad, Amad or any other Mus-
lim name, or at least a name closer to our
Islamic culture. After a long consideration,
the father agreed to compromise. He de-
Page 3
The impact of World Cup on Muslims and their future
No matter what the ex-
citement one attains from
watching a soccer match
can be, performing Fajr or
any other prayer is more
exciting.
DA'WA
SUNDAY LECTURE
SUNDAY
SUNDAY LECTURE
Topic: Namna ya kuipokea
Ramadhan
Sehemu ya pili
By: Ustadha Arafah Khamis
22nd June 2014 Time: 2.00 pm
-4.00 pm
Venue: Makina Mosque Kibera
cided to call his son Muammad Marado-
na!
Whats Wrong With the World Cup?
I understand; you need to be a soccer fan
in order to understand the emotional and
psychological situation of other soccer ad-
dicts. However, sickness remains as such
and must be cured, or we should prepare
to bear its future implications. When such
implications erupt, the entire Ummah will
be affected.
And beware of ftnah (an affiction), for it
will not singularly strike those among you
who have done wrong. And know that
Allh is severe in punishment. [Surah al-
Anfl, 8:25].
No matter what the excitement one at-
tains from watching a soccer match can
be, performing Fajr or any other prayer is
more exciting. Additionally, the excitement
attained from such an entertainment can
be a curse, whereby the excitement of
Ibadah is rewarding and ensures comfort
and tranquility.
The entire Muslim Egypt lost their mind,
and gave up hope, when they failed to
qualify for World Cup, to the effect that,
a son has killed his father. Compared to
that grievance, how many Egyptians were
angered by the killing and burning of more
than 4,000 fellow Muslim Egyptian broth-
ers and sisters who were killed while pray-
ing, in the hands of the Egyptian Army and
Police?
Isnt it pity that we have reached to a state
when brothers in faith can boycott each
other for weeks, months or even years,
over a debate or an argument about a
non-Muslim soccer player? I know some
Muslims, who, as long as they talk to
someone, they will talk football. Signif-
cant number of us will spend their time af-
ter Fajr prayers to debate and read about
footballers and the World Cup, instead of
morning and evening Adhkar which the
Prophet has emphasized.
What contribution does it make to the
Muslim individual, the Muslim family, the
Muslim community or the Muslim Ummah
at large when we stay awake all night,
just to watch Christiano Ronaldo, Messi,
Drogba, Rooney, Cavani, Marchisio, Sar-
gio Ramos, Sneijder and the other hot
players in action, and fail to wake up for
Fajr, or pray our Fajr with semi conscious-
ness. Forget about Qiymullail!
This is the situation of those of us who
watch the tournament virtually via TV or
the Internet. As for those on the ground,
where the game is hosted and played, you
can imagine all kinds of immorality taking
place. Prostitution and fornication are at
their peak. Gambling and drugs become
legal. Im sorry; I cant show you images
from Brazil regarding this. But there are.
Indeed, its called entertainment.
Entertainment in Islam
Entertainment is fun, and we are natu-
rally attracted to it. Plus, this life is full of
hardships to be able to make it without
fun and entertainment. For that reason
having fun is allowed in Islam, but with
some conditions. In fact, the Prophet,
allAllhualaihiwasallam, did encour-
age us to take some time, for short res-
pites, or else the hearts get bored.
Many of us who are immersed in football
would claim its for sports and entertain-
ment purpose. Entertainment that is for a
short period for the purpose of relief is en-
couraged in Islam. But entertainment that
takes you away from your Lord and pro-
ductivity is not worth embracing. In fact,
any entertainment that invites the dis-
pleasure and wrath of Allh is forbidden.
What Would be the Prophets Stance
About World Cup?
I believe if soccer was introduced dur-
ing the Prophets time, he would have
played it, or at least, he wouldnt have
prevented his companions from play-
ing it. However, Im sure if the Prophet,
allAllhualaihiwasallam, was to be
among us today, he would not allow us
to be in the World Cup and the Premier
leagues considering the circumstance, in
which they are played today.
Any form of entertainment that was al-
lowed in the past, was allowed so we
can use it as a mean of respite, and to
refresh for better productivity as Muslims.
The moment one becomes addicted to a
sport and misses his prayers, as a result,
and fails to fulfll his religious obligations
and social responsibilities, hes advised to
review the effect of such sport on his rela-
tionship with his Creator and His religion
and with the society. Lets not forget that
our primary mission in this life is to wor-
ship Allh.
ILM DAY
Continued To Page 6
Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014
The Friday Bulletin
WOMEN
page 4
Sisters, you are the shepherds of your
children! Sisters, raise your children
well, for the future of the Ummah lies in
your hands! Sisters, your role as moth-
ers is the most important in the world!
Such is the mantra repeated over and
over again, to audiences of women
who have already had this message in-
grained in them from youth. But where
are the reminders to Muslim fathers?
It's become a common cultural stand-
ard that women are assumed to be al-
most solely responsible for the raising
and educating of children, from infancy
right up until adulthood.
The role of fatherhood, on the other
hand, seems to have been relegated
to one of fnancial obligation, and lit-
tle else.When we look to the time of
Prophet Muhammad (peace and bless-
ings be upon him), however, we see a
very different model of fatherhood.
Prophet Muhammad, The Father
Ali ibn Abi Talib was raised in the
household of RasulAllah (sallAllahu
'alayhiwasallam) and, RasulAllah was
his father fgure. When Ali accepted Is-
lam at the age of 10, he didn't do so
out of indifference or merely because
he 'had' to.
He had been raised to be intellectually
capable of pondering what faith meant,
what the consequences of accepting
that would be, and the seriousness of
living according to Islam. Thus, when
he accepted Islam, it was with a keen-
ness of intelligence and awareness
that was directly cultivated by RasulAl-
lah (sallAllahu 'alayhiwasallam).
Similarly, Zayd ibn Harithah who was
also raised by (sallAllahu 'alayhiwasal-
lam), in such a dedicated manner that
when Zayd's biological father and un-
cle came to take him back home, he
refused to go with them.
Zayd was approximately eight years
old when he was captured by raid-
ers and sold into slavery in Makkah.
The nephew of Khadijah (may Allah
be pleased with her) bought him and
then gave Zayd as a gift to her. She,
in turn, gave him to RasulAllah (sallAl-
lahu 'alayhiwasallam) who freed him
and raised him as his own son.
When Zayds father and uncle came to
claim him, Zayd informed them, I have
seen from this man (Muhammad) such
amazing things that I could never pre-
fer him over anyone else. (IbnSaad,
IbnAthir, IbnHajar).
Immediately after this, RasulAllah
(sallAllahu 'alayhiwasallam) formally
adopted Zayd who became known as
Zaydibn Muhammad until the Quranic
verse was revealed forbidding this
type of adoption.Such a close bond
could only have been the result of
truly dedicated parenting. Zayd was
also one of the frst people to ac-
cept Islam, along with Ali and the
rest of the Prophets household.
As an adult, RasulAllah (sallAl-
lahu 'alayhiwasallam) made Zayd
a commander of the Muslim army
no less than seven different times,
until he was martyred in the Battle
of Mutah.
Nor was RasulAllah (sallAllahu
'alayhiwasallam) an exception
when it came to fatherhood. His Sa-
habah followed his example. Umar
ibn al-Khattab (radhiAllahu 'anhu)
didn't abandon his son 'Abdullah
to his wife to raise; he didn't expect
'Abdullah's mother to be solely re-
sponsible for Abdullah's education
or the refnement of his manners.
Instead, he took a hands-on ap-
proach and ensured that Abdullah
accompanied him from a young
age, as is evidenced in the follow-
ing hadith: Narrated Ibn 'Umar: The
Prophet (sallAllahu alayhiwasal-
lam) said, "The example of a believ-
er is like a green tree, the leaves of
which do not fall." The people said,
"It is such-and-such tree; it is such-
and-such tree."
I intended to say that it was the
date-palm tree, but I was a young
boy and felt shy (to answer).
The Prophet said, "It is the date-
palm tree." Ibn 'Umar added, "I
told this to 'Umar (later on), who
said, 'Had you said it, I would have
preferred it over such-and such a
thing!" (Bukhari)
Abdullah ibn Umar grew up to be
known as the J urist but would he
have become such a great man if it
werent for the way his father made
a point of involving him in the daily
gatherings of the elder Sahabah
with RasulAllah (sallAllahu 'alayhi-
wasallam)?
Unfortunately, there are far too
many fathers today who prefer to
leave their sons to be raised by
social media and less-than-ideal
friends, assuming that their mother
will deal with them until they sud-
denly realize that their sons are no
longer young boys, but overgrown
males with no understanding of Is-
lamic manhood.
This situation, in fact, took place
in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab
(radhiAllahu anhu), and his stance
on fatherhood is further demon-
strated in this narration:It is related
that a man once came to Umar ibn
Zaynab bint Yusuf Kathrada
The fatherhood crisis
Al-Khattaab, complaining of his sons disobe-
dience to him. Umar summoned the boy and
spoke of his disobedience to his father and his
neglect of his rights.
The boy replied: O Ameer al-Mumineen!
(Prince of believers)Doesnt a child have rights
over his father? Certainly, replied Umar.
What are they, Ameer al-Mumineen? That
he should choose his mother, give him a good
name and teach him the Book (the Quran). O
Ameer al-Mumineen! My father did nothing of
this.
My mother was a Magian (fre worshipper). He
gave me the name of J ulalaan (meaning dung
beetle or scarab) and he did not teach me a sin-
gle letter of the Quran. Turning to the father,
Umar said: You have come to me to complain
about the disobedience of your son. You have
failed in your duty to him before he has failed
in his duty to you; you have done wrong to him
before he has wronged you.
Note that when Umar mentioned the teaching
of the Quran, it meant to the companions much
more than what we assume he didnt mean
that the father hadnt simply taught his son the
literal words of the Quran, but rather, that he
had neglected to teach his son the meanings of
the Quran as well.
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) de-
scribed RasulAllah (sallAllahu 'alayhiwasallam)
as: His character was the Quran. (Muslim)
The automatic understanding was that his
character was an embodiment of the teachings
of the Quran.Umars rebuke to the complain-
ing father wasnt that it was the mothers fault
for not teaching the son how to be a good Mus-
lim (or even a good person) the responsibility
was upon the father to raise his child accord-
ing to the Quran.In failing to carry out his re-
sponsibilities towards his son, the father was to
blame for his own sons disobedience.
Today, there are countless books and lectures
aimed at mothers about the importance of their
role yet few, if any, focused on Muslim fa-
thers.
As a result, our Ummah has been faced with
a crisis of fatherhood: one where Muslim men
have minimized their role as the head of the
household and relegated themselves to pro-
viding only fnancial support, rather than be-
ing present, hands-on parents.Subsequently,
we have an entire generation of Muslim youth
growing up with no idea of what it is like to be a
truly responsible Muslim man.
It is time that we recognize the seriousness of
the situation, and change our understanding of
the role of Muslim men as fathers by return-
ing to and reviving the Sunnah of The prophet
(sallAllahu 'alayhiwasallam) and his Compan-
ions.
They were the men who exemplifed what it
meant to be true Muslim men leaders of
both their households, and of their Ummah
Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014
The Friday Bulletin
page 5
Ramadhan is just round the corner and, if
youre a new Muslim and havent experi-
enced it yet, youve probably got a million-
and-one questions going round your head
about it and youre possibly wondering
how on earth youll manage.You may be
wondering: How will I adjust to those long
summer days without food?
How will I manage to do all the things I
usually have to do on a daily basis when
Im not eating and drinking?And on top of
that, how will I be able to ft all those ex-
tra activities in that people are telling me
about?As a new Muslim, youre probably
keen to please Allah as much as you can
and you want to get your fasting right. But
how will you cope if youve never done it
before?And also, how will your friends,
family and co-workers react to you fast-
ing?
The major comfort you can take is that
millions of people have done it before you
and survived and received the blessings
of this special month, and millions will do
it after you. Whatever challenges you will
face, someone else has managed the
same challenges.
Allah guided you to Islam and He knows
what you can bear and He never tests you
with something you cant cope with. And
fasting is the only thing He asks you to do
for Him:Allah said: Every deed of the son
of Adam is for him except fasting; it is for
Me and I shall reward for it (Al-Bukhari
and Muslim)
So how will you manage?Like anything
new, the best thing to do, to make it as
easy as possible, is to prepare for it. Be-
low are some ideas that may help you that
others have tried in the past.
Preparing Yourself Psychologically
The thought of fasting will probably seem
quite strange to you at the moment, un-
less you have had contact with other peo-
ple fasting previously, so you might feel
a bit nervous and apprehensive about it.
You can reduce these feelings by fnding
out more about fasting and what it entails.
Some of the ways you can do this are:
Talk to Muslims who have fasted be-
fore: It will be particularly helpful if you
can meet up with or talk to other new Mus-
lims to fnd out about their experiences.
Start getting rid of bad habits now: If
you are someone who is prone to swear-
ing, lying, backbiting or any other bad hab-
its, become more aware of what youre
doing and try to curb the habit before
Ramadhan. And, if you typically waste
many hours in front of the television, start
gradually replacing this with more benef-
cial activities.
Free-up your diary for Ramadhan:
Try to clear your diary as much as pos-
sible during Ramadhan, so you can spend
more time concentrating on spiritual mat-
ters. Reschedule non-urgent activities be-
fore or after Ramadhan.
Preparing Yourself Physically
Physically, the major change during Ram-
adhan is the change of routine; youll be
eating at different times and probably wak-
ing much earlier than youre used to. So
rather than wait until Ramadhan arrives
and suddenly expect your body to cope
with the changes, if you start getting into
training now, it will be much easier when
you actually have to do it.
Here are some suggestions:
Consult your doctor if youre taking
regular medication or have health is-
sues: The scholars have said that if you
are sick, its disliked to fast if it will be very
diffcult for you, and it is forbidden to fast if
it will harm you. So if a trustworthy doctor
says that you can fast, you should do your
best to do so.
Start adjusting your sleeping pattern
now: This will make it easier for you to
wake up on time to eat Suhoor (the pre-
dawn meal) before the Fajr Prayer time
when Ramadhan arrives. So now, instead
of leaving it to the latest time to pray Fajr,
start praying towards the beginning of the
time. You could even try getting up and do-
ing a few units of night prayer before Fajr
to get your body used to getting up early.
Reduce your caffeine intake: If you
habitually drink a lot of tea or coffee, its
a good idea to start reducing the amount
you drink before Ramadhan, so youll avoid
having headaches when youre fasting.
Maybe even substitute decaf versions in
increasing amounts.
Get rid of bad habits in advance: If
youre still smoking, work out a plan so you
can stop before Ramadhan. Likewise, if
you regularly chew gum, take this opportu-
nity to stop before Ramadhan arrives.
Practice Fasting: The frst three days
of fasting are usually challenging for most
Muslims until their body adjusts to the rou-
tine, but as you have probably never fasted
for a full day, it will help if you do some
practice fasts beforehand.
1. How about trying a half day fast with-
out food and drink at the weekend and
then gradually increase the time as you get
nearer to Ramadhan?
2. Or maybe try to fast on Mondays and
Thursdays like the Prophet (peace be upon
him) did. Some people fnd it easier to fast
when they are at work where they are busy
rather than at the weekends when they are
home and tempted by food in the kitchen!
Preparing Yourself Spiritually
Ramadhan is not only a month to control
your physical desires; its also a month to
focus on spiritual matters too. If you can
start preparing from now, it will give you a
head start when the blessed month fnally
arrives.
Focus on your prayers: If you arent
yet praying all the fve daily prayers in full,
make a concerted effort to learn them be-
fore Ramadhan comes. In this way youll
be able to get the extra reward for the
prayers during Ramadhan and youll also
fnd it easier to join in with Tarawih (the
special Ramadhan night prayers) and also
the other congregational prayers.
Get in the habit of spending time with
the Quran daily: Even if you cant read
Arabic yet, just spend some quiet time
with the Quran on a daily basis, contem-
plating its meanings.
Learn some Ramadhan
Dua`(supplications): Try to learn some
of the special Dua` related to Ramadhan,
such as those said when breaking the fast
or when youre invited to break your fast
at someone else house.
Preparing Your Family and Friends
For those of you who have told your fam-
ily, friends and co-workers about your re-
version, explain to them what you will be
doing during Ramadhan and help them to
understand it as well as you can.
Be patient with them: Try to remember
back to a time when you may also have
thought like they do. You may need to re-
assure them that you wont come to any
harm if you fast and that it is safe, and
that youll still be spending time with them.
Plan how you can best ft your fasting
in with their usual routine: If you usu-
ally eat with them, try to work out ways
to make it as least disruptive to them as
you can.
For those of you who havent yet told your
family, friends and co-workers, it will be
more complicated, as people are likely to
notice if you arent eating and drinking at
the usual times. There are a number of
ways that you could handle things under
those circumstances, and these are a few:
Consider whether this might be the
right time to start to tell them of your
reversion: If you do feel you can tell them
now, it will make it much easier for you
to celebrate Ramadhan in the way Allah
wants you to.
If you really feel that it is not the right
time yet: It may be an idea to see if you
can stay with Muslim or sympathetic
friends as much as possible during the
month or just spend as much time as pos-
sible away from friends and family, espe-
cially around their meal times.
Getting ready for your frst Ramadhan?
Amal Stapley
SUNDAY LECTURE
RAMADHAN TALKS
VENUE: PARK ROAD MASJID
DATE: 22ND JUNE 2014
THEME: HOW DO WE RECEIVE
RAMADHAN
TIME: 9.30 AM TO 4.30 PM,
With Sheikh Abu Qatada
Sheikh Ahmad Uthman
Said Bafana
Muhammad Abdallah
among others
ALL ARE WELCOME
Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014
The Friday Bulletin
page 6
The world is all tuned to Brazil, but Muslims
are being massacred, enslaved, and en-
gaged in wars and conficts. How can you
fnd entertainment when the entire Muslim
land is occupied and colonized? What ex-
citement do we look for, from a World Cup
tournament when Muslim children and
women are enslaved, humiliated or killed
in Palestine, Somalia, Central African Re-
public, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Myanmar, Libya,
and elsewhere? What excitement can we
attain out of cheering for the USA, Eng-
land, Spain, Holland, and other Non-Mus-
lim professional players at the time that im-
morality, prostitution, liquor, gambling are
being promoted in the same arenas?
Are we the Ummah, which the Prophet de-
scribed as a perfected built wall, which its
bricks support one another to withstand?
In a adth narrated by AbMsa al-
Ashar, rahiyaAllhuanhu, the Prophet,
allAllhualaihiwasallam said:The ex-
ample of the believers in their affection,
mercy, and compassion for each other is
that of a body. When any limb aches, the
whole body reacts with sleeplessness and
fever.
So long as we cherish the World Cups,
Premier leagues and the various tourna-
ments out there, the way they are, we will
not be able to advise our young ones to
refrain from having tattoos on their bodies.
How can we, when our heroes in football
are all full of tattoos?
Additionally, J ennifer Lopez and Pitbull
were the stars of the opening ceremony of
Continued from Page 3
The impact of World Cup on Muslims
Muslim women groups in Kakamega Coun-
ty have been told to make use of available
government funds so as to economically
uplift their lives.
Speaking during cleaning exercise or-
ganized by Muslim women, a local Mus-
lim women leader Amida Indimuli said it
was regretful that few community based
organizations(CBOs) were benefting or
willing to beneft from the funds yet they
were meant for all Kenyans regardless of
religious affliations.
She advised Muslim women to lay strate-
gies to beneft from the Women Enterprise
Fund and Uwezo funds and economically
empower themselves.
The women leader added that while Chris-
tian organizations had gained substantially
from the funds, many Muslims were yet to
take advantage of the opportunity to utilize
the funds.
She further called on Muslim men to be at
the forefront in supporting Muslim women
in their activities to empower them eco-
nomically to improve their livelihood.
Amida went on to advise Muslim women
groups to ensure that they had credible
representation on the committees oversee-
ing the funds revealing that many commit-
tees did not have Muslims on the board
despite a requirement for the community to
be represented.
Kakamega J amia Mosque and Islamic cen-
tre chairman Abdalla Ateka commended
Muslim women for their service to the com-
munity and called on men to emulate the
women by engaging in social development
programmes.
Over 12 Muslim women groups participat-
ed in the cleaning exercise in preparation
of the forth coming month of Ramadhan.
Make use of community
funds Muslim women ad-
vised
the World Cup 2014. To tell you the truth, I
do not know who they are. However, if I had
watched it, based on the images Ive seen,
I would be ashamed to watch those with
my daughter. If what Im saying sounds ex-
treme, please just google World Cup 2014
opening ceremony in pictures. Now tell
me, would the Prophet send a team from
the Muslim nation to such an event? Would
he host such an even in the Muslim nation?
We have the choice, whether to follow the
Prophet, or to follow our desires. But:Say
[O Muammad], If you love Allh, then, fol-
low me, and Allh will love you and forgive
you your sins. Allh is most Forgiving, and
most Merciful. Say [O Muammad], Obey
Allh and the Messenger. But if they turn
away, then indeed, Allh does not like the
disbelievers. [SrahliImrn 3:31].
The Prophet didnt and wouldnt prohibit
games, so long as it helps you keep ft and
readies you to serve and defend your reli-
gion as a productive Muslim. But, Im certain
the Prophet, allAllhualaihiwasallam,
wouldnt approve us going and wasting our
time on the World Cup arena, the way it
is, with naked women, and with promotion
of prostitution, wine and gambling taking
place in front of everyone.
Someone, whose objective in this life is to
live it to its fullest, and not to care about
what happens in the next, can choose to
make entertainment his ultimate purpose in
life. But, someone who has the next life in
mind shouldnt compete with the former in
entertainment.
Muslims living in the coastal towns that
came under consecutive attacks earlier
this week have packed up their belong-
ings to fee expected reprisals against the
peaceful community.
Mpeketoni is not safe for us. I'm con-
cerned about the safety of my family, Ali
Lali Uweso, the headmaster of a primary
school, told Anadolu Agency. They were
saying they want to take revenge," he
added.
There is a lot of tension now and people
are going around talking about plans by
the youth to attack Swahili and other Mus-
lim homes.
Uweso's decision to move his family from
Mpeketoni refected the panic of the vul-
nerable Muslim community in the Chris-
tian-majority town after this week's at-
tacks.
At least 50 people were killed after uni-
dentifed armed men stormed the Mpeke-
toni, setting hotels, restaurants, banks
and government offces on fre and spray-
ing bullets in streets on Sunday, J une 15.
Almost 24 hours after Sunday's attack, 15
more people were killed in the same area,
sending ripples of fear across the Kenyan
coast.
Somalias Al-Shabaab group claimed re-
sponsibility for the deadly attacks.
The Mpeketoni raid was carried out in re-
sponse to Kenyan military's continued in-
vasion and occupation of our Muslim lands
and the massacre of innocent Muslims in
Somalia, al-Shabab said in a statement
cited by Al J azeera.
Meanwhile, the Kenyan president Uhuru
Kenyatta cleared Al-Shabaab of perpetrat-
ing the attacks, accusing local political
networks and gangs of being behind the
assaults.
Muslims' worries in the coastal town were
doubled after setting fre to four Muslim
houses on Monday's night.
In a separate incident, a Muslim man in his
50s was seriously injured after being at-
tacked by a group of Christian youth who
wanted to take revenge.
A few miles away from Mpeketoni, Muslim
residents in Mkunumbi are depending on
vigilance groups to protect them. We have
organized ourselves in groups to protect
our community overnight AbdulAziz Omar
said.
We now fnd ourselves caught between
the Al-Shabaab militants and our own Ken-
yans, he lamented.
Kenya Muslims have been sensing eradi-
cation of their rights following Westgate
mall attack in which more than 60 people
were killed which was claimed by Soma-
lia's militant al Shabaab group.
Though the attack was immediately con-
demned by leaders of the Muslim com-
munity, they have fallen victims of frequent
police raids.
The Kenyan police crackdown on Muslim
has extended to mosques when security
forces raided Musa mosque in Mombasa's
Majengo last month, arresting about 130
people and killing a number of people.
The unjustifed attacks were criticized by
analysts as fueling anti-Muslim sentiments
in the society as well as crippling Muslims
efforts to eradicate radicalism.(Onislam.
net)
Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014
Fearful Muslims fee Kenya's restive coast
The Friday Bulletin NATIONAL
page 7
Muslim students in Nakuru County
have been urged to exhibit good Is-
lamic moral characters to reduce the
existing prejudice and misconceptions
against Islam and Muslims.
At the same time they were advised
to put more emphasis on education
and take up the role of ambassadors
of Islam in their respective institutions
of learning through presenting and fur-
thering the true message of Islam to
people of other faiths.
Addressing a Muslim students sympo-
sium at Afraha High School in Nakuru
last Saturday, former presidential can-
didate Muhammad Abduba Dida said
Muslim students have important obliga-
tions to play in presenting Islam posi-
tively in their daily lives, adding that this
will go to great length to promote good
relationships between Muslims and
people of different backgrounds.
''Through good conduct, by exhibiting
Islamic ideals in your daily activities
and personalities you can be good am-
bassadors of Islam in your institutions
of learning and play signifcant role in
reducing misconception towards Islam
and Muslims. Islam teaches us to ex-
hibit good characters and forge mutual
relations to all people irrespective of
their faith,'' he said.
Dida called on Muslim students to work
extra hard in their studies to contribute
to the upliftment of education among
Muslims in the country. ''Islam encour-
ages all Muslims, males and females
to seek for education and this should
serve as a driving force for each and
Muslim students urged to exhibit good
characters
Bungoma's Nambuya Muslims to get Mosque
It was joy and relief for Muslims in
Nambuya location Bungoma county
after the Zakat Foundation of America
(ZFA) responded to their plea to con-
struct a place of worship to cater for
their spiritual needs.
Speaking at the ground breaking, the
area Imam Sheikh Ibrahim Milimo ex-
pressed his gratitude to the foundation
saying that will assist Muslims in prac-
ticing their religious obligations and
promote the spiritual development of
the community.
The Imam praised the Zakat Founda-
tion of America for championing com-
munity development in the region and
urged other organizations to emulate
its activities.
Addressing the gathering at the event,
the Malakisi Assistant County Com-
missioner Mr Benson Kosgei who
represented the Bungoma County
Commissioner assured Muslims in the
region of the national government sup-
port in fostering development.
He reiterated government's commitments
to provide services to its citizens without
discrimination basing on tribe, colour or
religion and called on Muslim community
not to relent in its efforts in participating in
development programmes.
Kosgei further gave an assurance that se-
curity will be increased during the month
of Ramadhan to ensure Muslims perform
their religious obligations in a peaceful en-
vironment.
The assistant commissioner encour-
aged Muslim youth and women to form
groups in order to access various funding
schemes provided by the national govern-
ment to improve on their livelihood and
economically empower themselves.
On his part the Zakat Foundation of Amer-
ica regional representative Muhammad
Wangusi assured the local communities
of further support, adding that the con-
struction of the mosque shall be the key
for opening up future developments.
Coast-based civil society organizations have
faulted the government for not taking some
effort to address the increasing security con-
cerns in the country.
A statement released by 27 organisations
spoke of a chilling pattern of executions of
religious fgures and individuals where more
than 40 religious fgures and individuals have
lost their lives with the government doing little
to fnd out who the perpetrators behind these
killings.
They said Kenyans were living in perpetual
fear and urged the government to address the
deteriorating security situation
The security situation has deteriorated so
badly that it is diffcult to distinguish between
genuine acts of terror and ordinary crime that
have seen the wave of violence, killings, kid-
napping, assassinations and numerous other
acts of lawlessness increase to a level where
Kenyans live in perpetual fear of thugs, the
police, neighbour and any stranger, they said
in a statement released two days after the kill-
ing of the chairman of the Council of Imams
and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) Sheikh Mu-
hammad Idris.
The organizations expressed concerns that
the war on terror has worsened the security
situation and has been used as a pretext for
massive violation of human rights. These
police swoops have been characterized by
harassment, brutalization, humiliation, torture,
extortion, rape, disappearance of persons
while in police custody, profling and targeting
people for arbitrary arrest on the basis of eth-
nicity, nationality, religion and other sectarian
considerations, said the statement issued at
a Mombasa hotel.
They further called a review of the govern-
ment military strategy in Somalia and called
for a phased and structured withdrawal ar-
guing that the continued presence of the KDF
troops in the neighbouring war torn country
was not in the best interest of the nation.
Organisations represented included Kenya
National Commission on Human Rights,
Coast Interfaith Preachers of Kenya, Centre
For Law And Research International, Muslim
for Human Rights and Haki Africa among oth-
ers.
every member of the community to ad-
vance in learning he stressed.
On his part the Nakuru County Kadhi
Sheikh Twalib Bwana Muhammad noted
that while Islam has laid emphasis on ed-
ucation to beneft humanity, he said it was
unfortunate that many Muslims were not
taking education seriously.
He encouraged Muslim students to main-
tain discipline and urged them to live in
harmony with their non-Muslim counter-
parts through exhibiting the Islamic ideals
of tolerance and peaceful co-existence
and serve as ambassadors of Islam within
their respective institutions.
The judicial offcer further warned the stu-
dents to steer clear of social transgres-
sions such as premarital sex and drug
abuse which have dangerous conse-
quences for their future lives.
Kadhi Twalib Bwana Muhammad advised
Muslim parents to inculcate Islamic ide-
als in their children and provide them with
good education and religious foundation
to mould them as future leaders.
The South Rift regional coordinator, Ken-
ya Muslim Youth Alliance(KMYA),Fadhili
Msuri urged Muslim organisations to sup-
port Muslim students during the month of
Ramadhan saying that they faced a lot of
challenges in fulflling their religious obli-
gations such as breaking the fast.
The event which was organized by Mus-
lim students of Nakuru county Associa-
tion in partnership with KMYA South Rift
branch attracted over 1,500 students from
various secondary schools in the county.
State faulted on security
concerns
RAMADHAN SEMINAR
RAF International University
South 'C' opposite Masjid Hambal
Date 22nd June 2014
Free Entry
Organised by Muslim Murshidaat
SISTERS ONLY
SUNDAY LECTURE
SUNDAY
Science Symposium for
Muslim Girls Schools
Date: 28th June 2014
Venue: Memon Hall South 'C'
Organised by Andalus Academy
Sha'aban 22,1435/June 20,2014
The Zakat is a yearly form of compulsory alms that rela-
tively wealthy Muslims are obligated to give. Its impor-
tance can be seen in the fact that Muslim scholars con-
sider it the fourth pillar of Islam. Muslims view the Zakat
as more than a mere redistribution of wealth from the
rich to the poor in a fair and equitable way.
The spiritual rewards to a devout Muslim are indeed im-
mense. The Muslim who performs the Zakat is obeying
God's command and shows his or her obedience in a
very tangible way by parting with some unused wealth.
The Zakat is a reminder of one's obligation to the fnan-
cially less fortunate amongst us. It also helps a person
to refrain from being obsessed with worldly wealth by
affrming that all the wealth in the universe is truly the
property of God. In that sense, any wealth that is given
to humans is merely entrusted to them. The Muslim who
performs the Zakat will be increasingly in tune with the
spiritual side of life. This self-discipline and spirituality
will come in very handy in facing the trials and tribula-
tions of life. Another function of the Zakat beyond spir-
itual benefts is the purifcation of one's wealth. Muslims
consider any wealth that is directly or indirectly derived
from vice to be forbidden. Yet, it may be very diffcult
to ascertain where our wealth originated from but there
is dire need to keep it pure and clean from any kind of
impurity.
Ummah Foundation over the years has been going
around Mosques, especially in the month of Ramadhan,
to make several appeals to Muslim brothers and sisters
to give their Zakat and Sadaqa for the purpose of up-
lifting the Ummah and upgrading our living standards.
This Zakat is then redistributed to the poor and needy
in the society. As a matter of urgency we need to come
out wholeheartedly and make our contributions and give
our Zakat to Ummah Foundation who will then on your
behalf help the deserving poor who are noticeable eve-
rywhere within our community. Your Sadaqa can also be
used to educate the bright poor and give a future to the
next generation. We continuously ask you to help Um-
mah Foundation meet its objectives of fghting poverty
and eradicate ignorance from our midst.
The holy Prophet s.a.w said: Whoever gives charity
equal to a date from good earnings for Allah does not
accept anything but that which is good Allah will take
it in His right hand and tend it for the one who gave it
as any one of you tends his foal, until it becomes like a
mountain. (Bukhari and Muslim).
Make sure you dont miss out getting these bounties
from Allah (S.W.T.)
Payments can be sent to:
Ummah Foundation
2ND Floor Suite A4, Village Plaza
Ngara Rd, P.O Box 58717-00200 Nairobi
TEL: (+254) 202680610/13/16 Mob: 0734-845277
Email:info@ummahfoundation.net. Web: www.ummah-
foundation.net
Or Bank to our account as per details below:
Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA)
Mama Ngina street Branch
Kenya Shillings A/C: 6439120013
US Dollar A/C: 6439120029
Or
First Community Bank
Wabera Street Branch
Kenya Shillings A/C: 0010194301
US Dollar A/C: 0010194302
Zakat and Sadaqa
for the Ummah
MAAHAD TEACHERS TRAINING COLLEGE
(KNEC REGISTERED)

SCHOLARSHIPS 2014
Are you looking for an Islamic oriented career?
Do you want to be part of developing a prosperous Muslim Ummah?
Applications are now open for September 2014 intake for the following courses;
Primary Teachers Education
Diploma in Secondary Education
MTTC invites applications for scholarships for unprivileged but studious students
ranging from 25% to 100% for the above courses.
A to B- 100% Scholarship
C+ to C- 50% Scholarship
D+ 25% Scholarship
The above scholarships apply to day scholars
Interested candidates can pick application forms at Girls Training Institute Pan-
gani.
Complete application forms along with supporting documents should be submit-
ted by 9th August 2014 at the main office, during working hours.
Application close on 9th August 2014
Contacts
Bujumbura/Fairview Road, Pangani Shopping Centre
which will cost US$ 40 million upon completion will be among the big-
gest educational investment in the country.In his remarks, the President
of the Board of Trustees of RAF Foundation which is based in the Gulf
emirate of Qatar Aidh bin Dabasan Al-Qahtani pledged support towards
the upcoming university saying that it will contribute signifcantly to the
development of education in the community and the country at large.
We have currently started construction of the frst phase at university
main campus (in Kisaju, Kajiado County) which would be one of the
biggest projects by RAF Foundation, he said.
The University, he added will provide a wide range of teaching fac-
ulties which include engineering, medicine, agriculture and veterinary
science as well as Information and Communication Technology among
various felds of study.
He said due to Kenyas signifcant position in the region, theFounda-
tionhas identifed the country as a regional hub for its activities and it
will work towards the upliftment of the people of Kenya irrespective of
religious affliation.
On his part, the university chancellor Sheikh Muhammad Osman re-
vealed that the institution has established academic ties with the Inter-
national University of Africa of Sudan and will soon sign a memoran-
dum of understanding with the Hamad bin Khalifa University of Qatar
which will allow RAF university graduates to pursue higher education
at masters and doctorate level.
He announced that the institution is making progress in its quest to
seek government accreditation which will make it the second Islamic
oriented university to be recognized by the government after Umma
University.
Twenty students graduated at the inaugural graduation event which
was held at its Nairobi South C Campus after the completion of a four
year course in Islamic and Arabic studies
Among those at the event were the Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow
and Tarbaj MP Muhammad Elmi. Muslim leaders, educationists, the
deputy ambassador of the Emirate of Qatar as well as representatives
from the Commission of University Education were also in attendance.
Continued from Page 1
Duale calls for investment in education
The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147
E-mail: fridaybulletin@islamkenya.org. Printed by Graphic Lineups Limited-Kweria Road info@graphic.co.ke