Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

www.jamiamasjidkenya.org

Friday Bulletin

The

Issue No. 717

The Weekly Muslim News Update

The Friday Bulletin Commentary

President Uhuru: End the ID discriminations

I
n the aftermath of the directive from the
head of state President Uhuru Kenyatta
that national identity card application
should be processed within three days and
measures taken to ensure that the thousands of processed IDs lying at registration centres are distributed to their owners, administrative officers in some parts of
the country have gone into an overdrive to
ensure that the presidential edict is implemented.
Press reports have shown chiefs taking
the unprecedented steps of visiting homes
and public places handing over IDs to their
respective owners. Being an important
document, it is a commendable step by the
President to ensure that ID applications are

expedited and eligible Kenyans are provided with IDs at the earliest opportune time.
In the light of the Presidents directive, policy makers should ensure that this policy is
implemented in all parts of the country with
fairness and equality.
It is disheartening to see that while in some
areas of the country, residents find it easier
to apply and obtain the document, in some
other areas it is a different matter altogether
as many especially the youth have spent
several agonizing years in a desperate
search for the all-important document.
While chiefs and other local administration
officials have gone into a frenzy working on
the presidential directive to distribute the

IDs, it is a different matter altogether in

Kibera where Nubian residents continue
to lament on the deliberate obstacles
placed in their path to acquire the documents.
It is the same situation in Isiolo where
hundreds of youth went to the streets
venting their anger over the difficulties
in acquiring the document while at the
Coast and North Eastern region, the situation is not any better as thousands of
people continue to cling on waiting cards
with desperate hopes that one day their
quest to be considered as Kenyan citizens will be realized.
While for many Kenyans, IDs is considContinued To Page 2

Nairobi Muslims to hold

rain prayer

As the menacing drought continues

to ravages across the country, thousands of Muslims are expected to
congregate in Nairobi to hold special
prayers for rain.
Swalatul Istisqaa is performed to
beseech the Almighty for rain during times of drought and famine. The
prayer is an important Sunnah (tradition) of the prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Our country is currently facing one of
the worst drought periods in history.
As Muslims there is no better time
than now to ask Allah to relieve the nation from this hardship and to bless us
with rainfall, said Feisal Kassim one
of the organisers of the event.
The special prayers will be held at Sir
Ali Muslims Club in Park Road on Sunday January 29 at 8 am. The Imam of
Landhies mosque Sheikh Ahmad UthTop: The chairman of Taqwa Sacco Dr. Ahmed Yussuf addressed members of the shaman is expected to lead the prayers.
riah compliant sacco during the launch of the Front Office Service Activity (FOSA) at
Jamia Mosque multipurpose on Saturday. Below: Members of Tawqa Sacco following
The event is being organised by a conproceedings. STORY ON PAGE 2.
sortium of youth groups within Nairobi
that include Park Road Youth group,
Dawa Centre, Parklands Mosque
Youth group and various youth organiAn estimated two million Kenyans are at risk Kwale, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Isiolo,
sations from Eastleigh, Huruma and
of facing starvation as a result of the biting West Pokot, Samburu and Tana River have
Korogocho and Adams arcade among
drought across the country, the government been placed at alarm stage by the National
others.
has warned.
Drought Management Authority (NDMA).
Muslims have been called upon to turn
Worst hit are the arid and semi-arid parts of Besides lack of water and food shortage, up in large numbers for the special
the country where thousands of residents are these counties are also at high risk of mal- prayers.
in dire need of emergency relief assistance nutrition rate as the situation continues to
We also like to urge Muslims to read
due to the prolonged dry spell.
deteriorate.
and get a proper understanding of
Out of the 23 counties experiencing drought, In the wake of the ongoing drought, the gov- Swalatul Istisqaa and how it is per11 counties namely, Garissa, Lamu, Kilifi,
Continued To Page 6
formed, he added.
This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

2 Million Kenyans face starvation, ASAL areas hard hit

EDITORIAL

The Friday Bulletin

Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

President Uhuru: End the ID discriminations

Continued From Page 1

ered a right which they can acquire at their
time of choosing, for Muslims it remains a
privilege.
The problems of obtaining the national
identity card and passports is prevalent in
areas dominated by Muslims and despite
repeated complaints from Muslim religious
and political leaders for fair treatment of
Muslims during the issuance of these documents, it appears that there is no end in
sight to this problem.
This has elicited feelings that Muslims are
second class citizens who are different
from other Kenyans.
While for other Kenyans, a parents ID
and birth certificate remains the basic condition for acquiring an ID, when it comes
to Muslims, a host of other documentations
which include birth certificates of grand
parents and vetting are the strenuous process which an applicant goes through to
prove his or her Kenyaness.
Even after obtaining the ID, another rigorous vetting process is also initiated when it
comes to acquiring passports. On this infants who barely understand what goes on

in their surroundings are not spared.

This is the undeniable painful scenario
which Muslims go through in their quest to
be officially recognized as Kenyans.
Pretexts such as border area origins and
epithets such as non-indigenous Kenyans are often used as the cover to justify these unfair policies but the underlying
truth rests within one word: Discrimination.
Without an ID or passport, one cannot vote,
own land; hold a bank account, access
education, health care and employment.
Without job opportunities, many people
are forced to remain at the periphery of the
society. Without no legal status, property
rights are also limited, which further complicates the ability of the people to escape
the poverty trap.
A report of the Presidential Special Action
Committee to Address Specific issues of
the Muslim Community commissioned by
former President Mwai Kibaki pointed out
that, There exists a special vetting committee for Muslim passport applicants at
the Ministry of State for Immigration and
Registration of Persons.

Taqwa Sacco unveils FOSA banking for its members

Taqwa Sacco the premier shariah compliant Sacco in Kenya has officially unveiled
its Front Office Services Activity (FOSA) for
its members and customers.
This is after the institution was formally
granted the deposit-taking license by the
Sacco Society Regulatory Authority (SASRA).
With the launch of FOSA, Taqwa Sacco
has broken new grounds through innovative and revolutionary products that are not
only suitable for the societys members but
also for members of staffs of other Saccos.
Members and customers under the sacco
which has been operating through the
Back Office Service Activity (BOSA) can
now access regular banking services
which include cash deposits, withdrawals,
ATM transactions and mobile banking.
Addressing the saccos FOSA education
day at Jamia Multipurpose hall on Saturday, Taqwa Sacco chairman Dr Ahmed Yusuf encouraged members to register themselves with the sacco's FOSA and make
consistence deposits to improve income
and growth of the sacco capital base.
He said that the inauguration of FOSA was
a new dawn for the Islamic financial sector
and advised members to save more and
spend less as this would give the organization opportunity to grow and venture into
property investment on their behalf to improve themselves economically.
Dr Ahmed further noted that the introduction of Front Office Service Activity will enhance efficiency in provision of services to
members to meet their banking needs and
additional financial services to complement
products and services offered by the Saccos Back Office Service Activity (BOSA).

Page 2

He pointed out that the Sacco will enhance

entrepreneurship training to equip members with the requisite knowledge, skill and
attitude to venture into productive activities
to empower themselves economically.
On his part, a member of the Shariah board
at the sacco Sheikh Abdullatif Abdulkarim
called on Muslims to embrace Islamic micro-finance to facilitate poverty eradication.
He pointed out that there is need for the
Muslim leadership to put in place measures to promote micro-finance programmes
adding that the concept of Islamic micro-finance is not yet well developed in the Muslim community.

SUPKEM calls for end to

doctors strike
The Western regional branch of Supreme
Council of Kenya Muslims(SUPKEM) has
called for the formation of an arbitration
committee to initiate negotiations between
striking doctors and the government in a
bid to unlock the ongoing doctors strike
that is about to enter its second month.
The regional Chairman Sheikh Abdi Wafula
Swaleh asked President Uhuru Kenyatta
to urgently consider the formation of independent arbitration committee to mediate
and resolve the standoff that has threatened and affected the health sector countrywide.
Speaking to The Friday Bulletin, Sheikh
Abdi proposed that an independent arbitrator consisting of religious leaders and
medical professionals should be formed
to mediate and advise on the best way to
have the two parties compromise their hard
stances and end the strike.
Continued To Page 7

For obvious reasons, the report which revealed deliberate polices of discrimination
against Muslims is yet to be officially released to the public.
A report by the Open Society Foundation
revealed that as many as 13 percent of Nubians in the country are stateless. In spite
of their multigenerational link to the country stretching to more than 100 years, the
community is not even recognized among
Kenyas tribes.
In its 2007 report, An Identity Crisis? A
study on the issuance of national identity
cards in Kenya, the state funded Kenya
National Commission for Human Rights
(KNCHR) in its findings said, The process
of vetting Kenyan-Somalis, Nubians and
Kenyan Arabs is discriminatory and violates the principle of equal treatment. Such
a practice has no place in a democratic and
pluralistic society.
For all Kenyans to be guaranteed their full
enjoyment of rights and freedoms, KNHCR
stressed that it is necessary that the registration process to be made simple and
accessible without impediment by complex
procedures.
In October last year, majority leader in the
National Assembly, Adan Duale criticized
the vetting process terming it unfair as he
stressed that it is has disadvantaged Somali and Muslim communities and curtailed
on their rights.
In a landmark ruling made on February
18 2011which did not get public attention, Mombasa High Court Judge Jackton
Ojwang suspended a government circular
that demanded the production of grandparents birth certificates for Asians and Arabs
ID applicants. He based his ruling on the
constitution saying that it made it clear that
discrimination was illegal.
More than half a decade after independence, it is a painful scenario that the rights
of Muslims remain curtailed as deliberate
insurmountable obstacles are deliberately
put in place to deny their rights as citizens
of this country.
Ultimately it requires political will to remove
the existing discriminatory obstacles to nationality. This is why we call upon President
Uhuru Kenyatta to take a policy approach
different from his predecessors and institute measures to end the existing climate
of discrimination which is denying many
Kenyans their inalienable rights and disenfranchising them from participating in the
next elections.
As he took the unprecedented action to
ensure that the Makonde community is accorded citizenship rights, there should be
no reason why other Kenyans are denied
their rights to citizenship based on their
faith or race.
Surely a little action from the President
will have significant impact which will end
the suffering of generations of people who
see themselves as more of a second class
citizens.

DA'WAH

The Friday Bulletin

Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

Why do Muslims need to follow the Sunnah?

Dr. Bilal Phillips

Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa
sallam was a complete example of what
a Muslim is supposed to be. Allah could
have sent only the book, but Allah sent
the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam to
show us the application of the Shariah.
"There has certainly been for you in the
Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern
for anyone whose hope is in Allah and
the Last Day, and [who] remembers Allah
often." [Surah al-Ahzab, 33:21]
The Qur'an commands us to obey the
Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa
sallam "And whatever the Messenger
has given you take it; and what he has
forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty."
[Surah al-Hashr, 59:7]
Now how do we obey him because he
is not among us? It is through the Hadith [Prophetic Traditions]. Allah says
that whenever differences arise among
us, we should resolve it by going back
to the Quran and Sunnah. And if you
disagree over anything, refer it to Allah
and the Messenger, if you should believe
in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best
[way] and the best in result. [Surah anNisa, 4:59]
Allah also says: "But know, by your
Lord, they will not [truly] believe until
they make you, [O Muhammad], judge
concerning that over which they dispute
among themselves and then find within
themselves no discomfort from what you
have judged and submit in [full, willing]
submission" [Surah an-Nisa, 4:65]
Not only are we enjoined to do what the
Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa
sallam used to do, but also following it
resolves disputes of the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam.
"It is not for a believing man or a believing
woman, when Allah and His Messenger
have decided a matter, that they should
[thereafter] have any choice about their
affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and
His Messenger has certainly strayed into
clear error." [Surah al-Ahzab, 33:36]
Once we find the way of the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam we
don't have a choice but to submit to it, as
that is the sign of a true believer. If someone dislikes the decision, then that person's belief is in the minor stage. The reason Allah put so much stress on obeying
the commands of Prophet Muhammad
salallahu alayhi wa sallam is because
that which Prophet Muhammad salallahu
alayhi wa sallam was commanded with,
was based on divine revelation. That is
why, in our declaration of faith, belief of
Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam is
included. What he conveyed to us was
also revelation. He does not speak from
his own desire. It is nothing less than an
inspiration that is inspired to him [Surah
an-Najm, 53:3,4]
We are commanded to obey the Prophet
Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Revelation is of two types:

1. Direct revelation Direct quote of Allah.
2. Indirect revelation Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam paraphrased or conveyed the message by
divine inspiration. Sunnah that has legal
implications, are the indirect revelations.
Therefore, obeying the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam is obeying Allah.
Allah says: "He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn
away We have not sent you over them
as a guardian." [Surah an-Nisa, 4:80]
The Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam said, whoever obeys him
obeyed Allah and whoever disobeys him
disobeyed Allah. Islam means "Submission". Submission to whatever Allah has
commanded through Quran and through
the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad
salallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Jesus said, "No one comes to the father
but by me". No one can come to the worship of Allah but by the way of messengers of Allah. One cannot worship Allah
properly except by the way of the Prophet
Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam. It
does not mean we worship Prophet Muhammad, but it is to follow his salallahu
alayhi wa sallam way.
Worshipping the Prophet Muhammad
salallahu alayhi wa sallam would be
Shirk. We can attain the love of Allah only
by submitting our will to the commandments of the Messenger of Allah. These
are the limits [set by] Allah , and whoever
obeys Allah and His Messenger will be
admitted by Him to gardens [in Paradise]
under which rivers flow, abiding eternally
therein; and that is the great attainment.
And whoever disobeys Allah and His
Messenger and transgresses His limits
- He will put him into the Fire to abide
eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment. [Surah al-Nisa.,
4:13,14]
Obedience to the Messenger means
obeying Allah which will lead us to Jannah and disobeying the Messenger
would mean disobeying Allah, which will
lead us to Hell. The Prophet Muhammad
salallahu alayhi wa sallam said that, all
of his nation will enter paradise but one;
those who disobeyed the Prophet Muhammad.
Allah's Messenger said, "All my followers will enter Paradise except those who
refuse." They said, "O Allah's Apostle!
Who will refuse?" He said, "Whoever
obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses
(to enter it)." [Bukhari, Vol.9, and Book:
Holding fast to the Quran and Sunnah,
Hadith: 384]
One of the importances of the Sunnah
is to understand the Quran, and that is
through the Tafseer of the Quran. The

Quran cannot be understood or interpreted

without understanding of the Sunnah. The
Quran cannot be separated from the Sunnah,
and those who says that it is are the deviated
groups. The Shia will say, the imam said,
but will not say, the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam said,
The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad
(salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Let me not
find one of you, reclining on his couch, when
he hears something regarding what I have
commanded or forbidden, saying: 'We do not
know. What we found in Allah's Book we have
followed.' [Abu Dawud, Hadith: 2663, Shaakir
Edition] There are several legal issues which
are derived from the Sunnah, but it is not mentioned in the Quran for example: The domesticated donkey is not allowed to be eaten. This
ruling was derived from Hadith, but not found in
the Quran. There are a number of statements
from Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa
sallam which emphasize on following both the
Quran and Sunnah.
Quran and Sunnah, this is the true way to
which people will be guided to the straight path.
Say, [O Muhammad], I do not tell you that I
have the depositories [containing the provision]
of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell
you that I am an angel. I only follow what is
revealed to me. Say, Is the blind equivalent to
the seeing? Then will you not give thought?
[Surah al-Anam, 6:50]
Therefore, a true believer will obey the command of Allah, which is to follow His messenger, Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa
sallam, and he will strive to understand the
Quran and implement the acts of worship in
the light of the Prophetic narrations (hadith),
instead of following his/her own wishes and
desires.
That is because following our own whims and
desires, is what will lead them to the hell fire,
while following the Quran and Sunnah, will
lead them to Jannah, in sha Allah.

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Page 3

Con

WOMEN

The Friday Bulletin

Sadaf Farooqi

How can Muslim women live the sunnah today?

Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was appointed as Allahs
last Messenger to establish Islam on earth
as guidance for humankind before the final reckoning. He was the leader of Muslim
Ummah; their guide and role model.
His actions, both personal and public, were
divinely guided, so much so that he became
the epitome of lofty, righteous conduct and
character; he was loved and looked-up-to
by the first Muslims, who emulated, imitated, and admired him by incorporating his
actions completely into their own practical
lives: Say: If you love Allah, then follow
me, Allah will love you and forgive you your
sins (Aal `Imran 3: 31)
Allahs love and pleasure with a believer,
man or woman, is conditionally dependent
upon the level at which he or she loves and
obeys Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him); that love should be
reflected as adopting the Prophets habits,
qualities and personality into his lifestyle.
Challenges of the contemporary world
Following the Sunnah was something
done automatically and wholeheartedly by
the Prophets Companions (may Allah be
pleased with them all).
Now, times have changed, and following
the Prophets Sunnah in the everyday life
has gradually become quite a challenge for
todays Muslims. Here are only a few reasons for that:
1. Modernity; advances in science, aviation, technology and industrialization have
rendered life fast-paced and hectic.
It is considered old-fashioned or primitive
if one follows methods that are obsolete
viz discovered centuries ago, instead of the
result of some modern research, scientific
findings or data study.t is a modern fashion, for example, to shave off the beard,
instead of growing it.
2. Peer pressure and corporate culture;
everyone nowadays works for a living
even the elderly, women, teenagers, and
sometimes children. Lives revolve around
career rat races and corporate ladder ascension. People are reluctant to compromise on careers when practice of a Sunnah
becomes an obstacle in them.
For example, a Muslim woman might not
be allowed to wear hijab at her workplace

Ayah of the week

Ayah of the week

And do not kill your

children for fear of poverty. We provide for them
and for you. Indeed, their
killing is ever a great sin.
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse.
Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a
way.

(Al-Isra: 31, 32).

Page 4

Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

because of its strict employee dress code,

and might need to protest to lengthen her
skirt according to Islamic injunctions.
3. Pressure to assimilate; Muslims living
in non-Muslim majority areas are constantly under the pressure to prove the steadfastness of their faith, or else relinquish it
for the secular lifestyle. Adherence to strict
halal dietary laws, for example, might be a
challenge, if no other food alternatives are
available.
Sending children to public schools might
undermine their religious upbringing; however, home schooling poses the risk of social isolation.
A Muslim who refuses to drink socially viz
not attending banquets that serve alcohol
as per Prophet Muhammads instructions,
might eventually be relinquished by his social circle altogether.
4. Ethnic Culture and Tradition; many
Muslims who want to practice Islam face
pressure from older generations of Muslims in their own geographical and ethnic
environment. The older generation sometimes give preference to culture over the
Prophets Sunnah.
5. Invasion by Technology; technological
devices and information sharing has now
enabled pictures, videos and other content
to be viewed and shared with others anywhere, at any time. Explicit and impermissible content is no exception.
Muslims today face the challenge of how
to follow some Sunnahs of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) despite
fitnah (a trial or hardship that puts faith to
severe test, or makes obedience to Allah
difficult) surrounding them e.g. lowering the
gaze when provocative pictures of women
appear even on cell phones whilst reading
the news.
6. Deviant Islamic Group; unfortunately,
some groups among Muslims have fallen
into innovations in Islam. Innovations are
those religious practices that have no basis in Islam; which the Prophet did not
endorse. Whenever someone falls into
practicing innovations, he relinquishes the
Sunnah.
Can the challenges be overcome?
Overcoming the above challenges to stick
to and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Mu-

Hadith of the week

Jabir bin `Abdullah
(R.A.A.) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,
"Beware of oppression, for
oppression will be darkness
on the Day of Resurrection;
and beware of stinginess
because it destroyed those
who were before you. It
incited them to shed their
blood and deem unlawful as
lawful.'' (Muslim)

Quote of the week

Sins remove the
Quote
the week
feeling
ofofshame
from
a person, so much so
that the sinner finally
doesn't care if people
see him sinning.
(Ibn al-Qayyim)

hammad (peace and blessings be upon

him) is an uphill task.
A Muslim nowadays has to not just guard
his or her faith from the onslaught of modernism and the prevalence of more fitnah
(worldly allurements), but he also has to
strive to prove, through his actions, that Islam is practical and easy to implement in
all times.
In increasingly secular societies, religion
has been divorced from politics and government; progress and advancement is
now synonymous with secularism and lack
of religion.
Sadly, the economic progress and military power of these societies urge modern
Muslims to abandon, rather than follow, the
teachings of Islam that were revealed centuries ago.
Challenges of Muslim women in the
modern life
Muslim women are ardent followers of the
Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) as well.
However, those teachings of his Sunnah
that are relevant to men are not supposed
to be followed by women, as the Prophetic
teachings clearly marked the different requirements of the roles of both genders in
Continued To Page 5

The Friday Bulletin

Kitchen

Mutton/Goat Liver Soup

Ingredients:

250 gm mutton or goat liver

of the week
2 Ayah
tbsp Oil
1/4 tsp Garlic paste
1/4 tsp.Ginger paste
1 tomato, grated
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tspsalt 1/4 tsp.
turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder

Method:

Clean the liver thoroughly and cut it into bite

sized cubes.
Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped onions
and fry until beginning to turn golden. Add
the ginger and garlic pastes followed by
the chopped liver. Sprinkle on the turmeric
and cumin powders, salt, chopped chilli and
black peppers.
Fry the liver until the colour changes. Then
add the grated tomato and cubed potatoes.
Cook for a couple of minutes and then add
the water, cover and simmer on low heat for
about 10-12 minutes.
Check to see that the liver is cooked through
and the potato cubes are tender. Squeeze
in the lemon juice and adjust seasoning to
your taste. Serve with crusty toasted bread
or over plain boiled rice.
Remember to sprinkle a touch more black
pepper on serving for that extra added kick
of spice.

YOUTH

The Friday Bulletin

Omar Ali

Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

A Muslims guide to starting University: Top tips

When you arrive at university youre immersed in to the world of pub crawl, club
night and party promotion. The constant
flyering on campus and Facebook notifications for two for one cocktails are something which many freshers undoubtedly
enjoy and are certainly spoiled for choice
- however, different strokes for different
folks.
For many young Muslims who are new
at university, that type of fun may not be
quite your cup of tea. Navigating your way
through university whilst having fun and
making the most of the endless opportunities is something that, as a Muslim, isnt
always obviously clear. So I thought that
after my 5 years of adventure through university life, it would be great to write a short
guide of top tips for Muslim students at the
dawn of this new chapter in life.
1. Recognise your innumerable blessings
As Muslims, it isnt that farfetched to start
with recognising our blessings. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered
us some timeless advice, which is particularly pertinent to ourselves as university
students. Take benefit of five before five:
your youth before your old age; your health
before your sickness; your wealth before
your poverty; your free-time before your
preoccupation; and your life before your
death. At university, its our youth, health,
wealth (maybe not yet...student loans),
free time and life that we must seize and
succeed with. So now youre in the zone.
2. Be a true example of a Muslim
Whilst at university (and in every place), it
is a duty as a Muslim to be that exemplary
beacon of kindness, fortitude and most importantly mercy. We believe that God, All
Mighty, has said in the Quran, And We
have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except
as a mercy to the worlds. (21:107). And it
is this mercy that was instructed to Muhammad (peace be upon him), the best of examples, that should also become a theme
of our lives. This mercy isnt just for family, friends, your ethnicity or indeed fellow
Muslims - but it is for the entirety of mankind. Ironically, being a Muslim is the best
way to combat the negative (often Islamophobic) portrayals of Muslims that exist in
society.
3. Join your Islamic society
Your university will have an Islamic Society which is there to cater for the holistic
needs of Muslim students - a place to make
friends, to have fun and more often than
not, to really begin that epic journey in your
dealings with God, All Mighty.
Through your Islamic society you can experience: campaigning for justice both
home and abroad; developing an understanding of Islam through lectures, circles
and inter-faith debate; and even wild (halal) adventures with your new brothers/sisters on campus.
And Islamic societies are not just for the

religious elite- they are for everyone and

anyone who is interested or seeking that
illuminated (expedition through university.
4. Broaden your mind, get involved
University is a melting pot of ideas, cultures, views and opinions. A dynamic platform where values, morality and the meaning of life are questioned debated and built
upon. A golden opportunity to learn, experience and define yourself both externally
within the world but also internally at the
very deepest core level.
According to your parents youre at university to learn and they arent wron). However, make sure you go well beyond your

course modules and learn about life, the

world and the magnificent array of people
that fill it. So dont let your time at university
be lazily whittled away. Be active - engage
socially, politically, spiritually, and intellectually. Take up a sport, join a club, become
a student rep, run for a students union position and of course join your Islamic society.
The only real limits you face during your
time at university are the mental constraints you place on yourself - think outside the box, be ambitious and remember
your Lord. The Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) said: For everything there is
a polish, and the polish for the hearts is the
remembrance of God.

Muslim women and the sunnah today

Continued From Page 4

society. For example, growing a beard and
praying every salah (Prayer) regularly in
the mosque are applicable to Muslim men
rather than women.
Muslim women, therefore, look up to practical examples from within the Prophets life,
of women who obeyed and practiced Islam
according to his teachings, to get guidance
towards how to apply his Sunnah in the
modern context today. Foremost among
these noble women are his wives and
daughters, some of who had significant expertise in matters of Islamic jurisprudence.
Today, the greatest challenge Muslim
women face on a global level, when they
choose to practically live the Sunnah as a
way of life, is the assumption that they are
oppressed by Muslim men and forced to
cover themselves with modest clothing and
focus on their homes and families, instead
of careers.
Many Muslim women obey Allahs Messenger and willingly adopt the highly fulfilling
Islamic way of life. However, misconceptions about women in Islam, purported by a
few legitimate but gender-based differences in Islamic laws and commands, abound
in global media, nurturing unjustified stereotyping and propaganda.
Successful examples
Today, several Muslim women who adhere
to Islamic guidelines in their practical life
have carved a niche for themselves, especially in the field of dawah (calling others
to Islam) through communications media.
They are wives and mothers, but also
writers, journalists, doctors, lawyers and
teachers, who are active in their community and in service of Islam.
Their hijab and other aspects of adherence
to Islamic principles do not thwart them
from being educated, proactive members
of society.
Practical advice
In order to implement the Sunnah in ones
daily life in this day and age, there is no
one, clear-cut methodology. Rather, a
broad strategy that, when applied in the
long-term, leads to surefire results:
1. Gain Knowledge of Islam; by learning
Quran recitation (tajweed), mastering Ara-

bic, studying Quran exegesis (tafsir) and

listening to Islamic lectures by the qualified
teachers of the ummah, a Muslim can keep
himself steadfast upon his practice of Islam, including the Sunnah of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him).
2. Study Sirah; (life story of Prophet Muhammad) and Hadith (verified prophetic
traditions): This can be easily done through
leisure reading and listening to lectures.
The more you know about the Prophet, the
more easily you love and imitate him.
3. Carry out the Religious Obligations; no
matter how tough it might be, always follow
the obligations of Islam primarily such as
the five daily prayers and fasting in Ramadhan. They keep the Muslim grounded in
faith, and prove to be stepping-stones for
further spirituality.
4. Pious Company; strive to hang out with
practicing Muslims and their families. This
will automatically keep you tied to faithbased social events and knowledge circles
among the righteous Muslims of the ummah.
The challenge today is not whether Muslims can practice Islam and Prophet Muhammads Sunnah effectively or not. The
challenge is to overcome the various tangible, social and prejudice-based obstacles that are thrown their way repeatedly
by society, which dares them to prove that
they can go on in their chosen path without
being deterred.
All praise to Allah, Muslims trudge on in increasing numbers, despite the severe opposition.

DID YOU KNOW?

Many of the most important advances in the study of optics come

from the Muslim world. Around the
year 1000 ibn al-Haytham considered to be the father of modern optics proved that humans see objects
by light reflecting off of them and
entering the eye. This great Muslim
physicist also discovered the camera obscura phenomenon, which
explains how the eye sees images
upright due to the connection between the optic nerve and the brain.

Page 5

NATIONAL

The Friday Bulletin

Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

Fundraiser for Masjid Salaam for Sunday

A major fundraising drive will be held on
Sunday to assist in the completion of the
construction of Masjid Salaam in Nairobis
South C estate.
The mosque located in the Mugoya area
was previously housed in a residential
house but the high number of worshippers necessitated a bigger facility to better
serve the community.
Construction of the mosque is projected to
cost Sh131,000 million and already Sh103,
000 million has been raised from donations
from community members and other wellwishers.
The fundraising drive to be held at the project site next to the Ministry of Works (MoW)
sports club targets to raise Sh27 million to
facilitate the completion of the mosque.
Ramadhan is a few months away and we
are striving to see to it that the mosque
is ready by then to better serve Muslims,
said Ogle Musleh an official of the mosque.
The proposed three storey mosque will
have a capacity of more than 2,000 worshippers both male and female. A library
and learning centre for high school students are among other facilities planned at
the mosque.
Masjid Salaam began in 2003 as a small
mabati (corrugated iron roof) musallah
(prayer area) at a roadside garage with a
capacity of less than 10 people. Over the
years it has had an exponentially phased
expansion which ultimately necessitated

the purchasing of a residential house in the

nearby KMA estate in 2007 which was converted into a mosque.
The facility could barely handle the high
number of worshippers and this informed
the decision to construct a modern multiuse mosque to cater for the growing needs
of community members.
Monetary contribution towards the construction of the mosque can be channeled

2 million Kenyans facing starvation

Continued From Page 1
ernment has announced raft of measures to
mitigate the adverse effects of the drought
including the return of school feeding programme in drought stricken areas.
It is reported that a significant number of
learners are out of school in areas most affected by the drought.
A report released last week by Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) found
poor nutrition as among factors contributing
to poor academic performance in schools in
ASAL areas. The report titled National Assessment Systems for Monitoring Learner
Achievement (NASMLA) recommended the
return of school feeding programme to address the poor performance.
Speaking in Maralal on Monday President
Uhuru Kenyatta said the government will
supply food to schools in these parts and instead asked heads of schools not to charge

LAND FOR SALE

.

10 kms on tarmac from Kajiado town

1.5km off-tarmac

4 parcels of 4.6 acres and I parcel of 10

acres adjacent to one another.

Kshs. 1 million per acre

(Negotiable)

Contact Maubi:
0731985835
Page 6

through Mpesa Pay Bill number 821680

account masjid. Donations can also be
made through Gulf African Bank account
number 0800007001 account name As
Salaam Trust.
Help as build masjid as Salaam and have
a palace built for you in Jannah as the
messenger of Allah said Whoever builds a
mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a
house in Paradise, said Ogle.

schools fees instead.

We will provide food and water to schools
but we are also telling headmasters not
ask parents for school fees, said the
president.
In Garissa, Lagdera Member of Parliament Mohamed Shidiye while commending the ongoing destocking scheme urged
the government to extend the exercise to
remote parts of the county.
To date some pastoralists have lost over
80 percent of their livelihood rendering them destitute and thus the need for
those concerned to take the programme
seriously, he said
He said for the programme to fully benefit the pastoralist communities who have
been hard hit by the drought, the exercise
must be well coordinated so as to reach
pastoralists in the far flung areas.

NATIONAL

The Friday Bulletin

Rabi Ul-Thaany 29,1438/January 27, 2017

Nubian community decries discrimination in ID issuance

The Nubian community in Nairobi has accused the government of discrimination in

getting national identity cards.
Youth from the community on Tuesday took
to their frustration to the streets of Kibera to
protest against what they termed as blatant
discrimination and delay in the issuance of
identity cards.
Through the Nubian Rights Forum, they
cited discrimination based on faith and
ethnicity adding that they are also not fully
recognised as Kenyans.
Speaking to the media, the organisations
chairman Shafi Hussein said unlike other
Kenyans, Nubians are required to produce
additional documents such as religious
certificates and grandfathers ID card.
He noted that members of the community
are also questioned by two vetting committees when applying for the vital document
and have to swear an affidavit to back their
claim of citizenship.
The community continues to face discrimination in the process of access to documentation because of their ethnic and religion. The government has also employed a
discriminatory process without reasonable
justification in the process of acquisition of
this vital document, he said.
Shafi said hundreds of youth in the area
hold waiting cards that are dated back in
2011.
He added the community has not benefited
from the recent directive issued by Presi-

dent Uhuru Kenyatta to issue ID cards to

youth in the country within three days. We
are asking the President whether his directive is exclusive of the Nubian community,
he noted.
This vetting policy perpetuates perceptions that Nubians are not fully Kenyan citizens and must be therefore be vetted. This
process causes severe delays in issuance
of the document, he added.
During the current period of voter registration, the President ordered the National
Registration Bureau to process national
identity cards within three days to enable
the youth to register as voters.
In Kakamega, the national Chairman of the
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya
(CIPK) Sheikh Abdallah Ateka made similar comments when he called on the government to issue ID cards to Muslim youth
in the country.
Ateka said many Muslim youth are subjected to discrimination and harassment when
applying for the document. We urge the
government to issue Muslim youth with
identity cards without discrimination and
harassment because every Kenyan is entitled to it regardless of their faith and ethnicity, he said
In Isiolo hundreds of youth took to the
streets lamenting against the vetting process and delay in the issuance of identity
cards. The youth demanded to be issued
with ID cards in time to register as voters.

KENYA MUSLIM ACADEMY

Kenya Muslim Academy boys boarding, primary and
secondary school, situated along outering road off
Thika super highway is pleased to announce intake
for January 2017.
The school is among the top 100 school nationally in
the private schools categories, position 1 in Starehe
district and position 16 in Nairobi County.
Intakes for form 1, 2, 3 and primary 1-7 are ongoing.
For further information please visit the school
or call Contact: 0722724794 or 0721744864

MARAGUA MUSLIM GIRLS

SECONDARY SCHOOL
Maragua Muslim Girls secondary school is situated at
Maragua town in Muranga county about 70km east of
Nairobi .
The school emerged as the most improved school in
Muranga county in 2013 KCSE ranking and the best in 3
subjects in 2014 KCSE examination.
The school was awarded cash prize by the governor of
Muranga for the effort.
Intake for form 1, 2 and 3 are on going
For further information please visit the school or
call 0722724794

KIDS PRESENTERS

An upcoming Islamic Television channel is looking for talented male and female children who can host a kids show.
Age between 9 and 13 years
Send children's profile and
photo to
tamazcomm@gmail.com

End doctors strike-Supkem

Continued From Page 2

He stated that the committee is better
placed to unlock the deadlock since there
seems to be no solution to the health crisis despite concerted efforts by the Health
Ministry and Kenya Medical Practitioners
and Dentists Union to call off the strike.
Sheikh Abdi lamented that the ongoing
strike by doctors has adversely affected
service deliveries in health sector across
the country hence the doctors and the government should find meaningful ways to
resolve the standoff to end the suffering of
Kenyans.
There is urgent need for an arbitration effort to be made to end the month long strike
that has led to the suffering of patients in
public hospitals due to lack of medical services and this can only be done through the
formation of arbitration committee, said
Sheikh Abdi.
At the root of the doctors strike is a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) agreed
between government and the union in
2013.

Report on Wakf reforms to be handed to AG

The task force for the review of Wakf Commission Act formed
last year by the Attorney General to oversee reforms announced
last week that they were set to complete their work.
The team, which began the work in November last year, said it
will submit its report to Attorney General Prof Githu Muigai at the
end of this month. The task force, chaired by Professor Hamadi
Boga, was constituted in October last year with a mandate to review the policy, legal and institutional framework to govern Wakf
Commissioner of Kenya.
According to Prof Hamadi the task force is finalizing the compilation of its report to ensure the 1951 Wakf Commissioner Act is
aligned to the current constitution, international best practice and
Islamic law to serve the best interests of Muslims who are the
beneficiaries.
We have looked at the 1951 law that created the commission. It
is clear that it does not comply with the current constitution and
does not respond to the needs of the Muslims, he said.
Prof. Boga said the report will include a recommendation to form
a policy to guide the administration of the commission and its
properties. The lack of such policy meant that the law was weak
and had loopholes that were exploited by unscrupulous people
in the theft of public property, he said.
Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome, the team's legal officer, said the report
includes a proposal for the change of name from Wakf Commissioners of Kenya to the Wakf Commission of Kenya. The definition of 'Muslims' has also been changed in the report.
The law defines Muslims as belonging to certain tribes only,
but today we have Luo, Kikuyu and even Luhya Muslims, said
Lethome. Prof Muigai will review the recommendations and
come up with a new law that will be reviewed by the public and
Parliament for approval and subsequent enactment.

Page 7

Vocational courses for our Youths

Unemployment is one of the major challenges confronting the
young people in Kenya today. Available data indicates that despite
being in the majority, the young people are the hardest hit by unemployment.
Despite the expansion of the education and training system at all
levels after independence in the public and private sector, one of
the major challenges experienced by young people in gaining access to employment is lack of skills. The government at long last
has come to realise that training skilled workers and empowering
them with various technical skills is the solution to these problems.
Ummah Foundation in collaboration with JCB- Ganatra Plant
Equipment is equipping the youth with vocational skills as construction machinery operators to help them engage in economic
activities and access employment.
The trainings are facilitated through the youth employment skills
development project that targets our young high school graduates
who otherwise feel dejection and think life of learning has come to
a stop. We would like to assure them that acquiring life skills like
driving, machinery operations, motor vehicle mechanic, electrical
installations and wiring, carpentry and joinery, masonry, tailoring
and plumbing is just the beginning of good things to happen in life.
The trainings came into operations last year and up to now 44 students have passed through our various vocational trainings and
have found meaning in securing jobs or started their own business
that is doing well. Our target is the disadvantaged youths residing
in the informal settlements who resort to idleness and social vices.
After high school many youths are condemned by the society as
academic failures.
This gives birth to a generation of young men and women who
look for quick fixes to make ends meet. Unfortunately some are
lured into joining criminal cohorts who give them empty promises
about their future. Even religious fanatics take advantage of the
situation to recruit them into false religious ideologies. Ummah
Foundation and GPE have come in to give an intervention to break
this vicious circle.
One of the trainees, Fadhil Omuchichi is 24 years old and has
been training in construction machinery operation for the last six
weeks. He says the training exceeded his expectation because he
has learned a lot in those six weeks. He is confident of his newly
acquired skills and aspires to have his own workshop after the
training. I would recommend this training for my friends who are
looking for jobs. He added.
The trainee job has enabled him to have regular income which
he uses to support his family. I would have loved to start my own
business but I didnt have capital. I am glad to be using my skills
to teach others thanks to Ummah Foundation.
We would like to inform our youth that the number of young people
currently enrolled in TVET institutions and in apprenticeships is a
negligible proportion of the out -of school youth who require skills
for employment and industry growth. This is a golden moment
for them to take advantage and acquire the skills required in the
labour market. We should also understand that with the general
economic decline the labour absorption capacity of industries and
other white collar jobs have gone down too. Innovative and skilled
professions are the solution to building a formidable future.
Contact us:
Ummah Foundation
Village plaza, 2nd Floor, Ngara Rd
P.O.Box 58717-00200 Nairobi
Tel: 020-2680610/13, Mobile: 0734-845277
Email: info@ummahfoundation.net
Web:www.ummahfoundation.net
The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147
E-mail: fridaybulletin@gmail.com Printed by Signal Press Limited-Lords House-Tom Mboya Street signalpresslimited@gmail.com