The

Friday Bulletin
The Weekly Muslim News Update

Rabbi' ul Awwal 16, 1430/March 13, 2009

Issue No. 306

Speak out and save the country,

Kenyans advised

ontinued silence among the population is helping to fuel

the culture of impunity and corruption in the country.
Consequently, it is the ordinary Kenyan who is bearing the
brunt of suffering food shortages and spiralling food prices and other social and economic problems which have hit the county lately.
In his sermon, Sheikh Juma Amir, the director of the Jamia Information Centre said it was the responsibility of Kenyans to speak out
against those perpetuating impunity if they hope to live a better life.
The rising cost of living and the sufferings we are experiencing is
as a result of us failing to ensure that those responsible for these
problems are brought to account, he told thousands of people who
turned up for the Friday congregational prayers at Jamia mosque
last week.
He lamented that while the ordinary people were suffering, the leaders have chosen to ignore their plight and continue to carry out business as usual. The culture of corruption, tribalism and lawlessness
was still rife in the country despite pledges made by the leaders to
stamp out this cancer from the society, he said. Those who have
stolen billions are sitting in the comfort of their limousines while the
police are sent to brutalise petty offenders in Mathare
Instead of serving the population, Ministers have abdicated their
roles and are throwing mud slings towards one another while others
are concentrating their attention towards the envelope, the Sheikh
said alluding to the secret envelope held by former UN Secretary

TERRORIST YESTERDAY STATE GUEST TODAY

General Koffi Annan which

contains names of those
blamed for the post election
violence. The names are to
be submitted to the International Criminal Court in the
event that a local tribunal is
not set up to try those responsible for the carnage
which left more than 1,000
people dead.
The grave consequences
of this culture of impunity is
now being felt by all Kenyans
because we have failed to
live up to our responsibilities
to act as watchdogs to the
government, he said, We
Sheikh Juma Amir
have to speak out to save our
country from further deterioration, he added.
Sheikh Juma also revisited the issue of Eid ul Adha public holiday
which he said was unfairly denied to Muslims. He appealed to the
government to consider the sensitivities of Muslims and gazette the
event as an annual national holiday.
Story Continues To Page 2

Two years ago Ethiopia with US backing in-

vaded Somalia and overthrew the government of Sheikh Sharrif Ahmed of the Union
of Islamic Courts. The two countries accused
Sheikh Sharrif of having links with the Al
Qaeda network and harboring terrorist in the
Horn of Africa country.
This week, President Mwai Kibaki rolled a red
carpet welcome for the same person who was
previously arrested by the Kenyan military
and interrogated on alleged terrorist links as
he attempted to seek asylum in the country.
He was recently elected as Somalias President though groups which control most of
the country are opposed to his government.
In the picture, Sheikh Sharrif meets President Mwai Kibaki at State House where he received a red carpet treatment during his visit
to Kenya this week.

NEP to send more students to university

North Eastern Province will this time round send 25 students to public universities, a significant
increase compared to previous years. The students managed to post a performance index of more
than 70 in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) results which is well above last
years cut off points of 66 set by the Joint Admissions Board (JAB).
The region has experienced perennial poor performance and even in this year, the top student Muhumed
Ahmed Kusay who attained a performance index of 79.31157 points, his results could not allow him to feature in the list of the top 100 students in the other seven other provinces.
The overall performance in last years KCSE examinations however, declined considerably compared to

This Week
National News
P2

Da'wa
The Rights of the Prophet

P3

Women Issues
Relations with the mother
-in-Law
P4

Youth and Children

Between Marriage and
Studies
P5

Muslim Issues
Guidance from Sheikh AlAmin Mazrui
P6

National News

Story Continues To Page 2

www.islamkenya.com

This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

P7

The Friday Bulletin

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 16 1430/March 13 2009

NATIONAL NEWS

Kuwait to fund Wajir hospital upgrade

Wajir district hospital is set to be upgraded to a provincial referral

medical facility to serve North Eastern and parts of Eastern province. The Project aims to support the social development of the
regions by meeting the increasing demand for health care.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development will extend a
loan of US$ 7 million (Sh560 million) for upgrading the hospital.
Speaking during the signing agreement in Nairobi last week, the
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta who also holds the Finance
docket said the project will enhance health service delivery in the
region. Once the project is complete, Wajir District hospital will become a referral hospital that will serve the North Eastern Province.
This support is in line with our governments commitment to eliminate inequality by paying special attention to the less developed
parts of our country like the North Eastern Province, he said.
The project includes construction of new buildings and extension of

the maternity unit, paediatric and surgical unit and the administration building. It will also involve the procurement and installation of
medical and auxiliary equipment for the new and existing hospital
buildings. The Project is expected to start by the beginning of 2009
and to be completed by the end of 2011.
The total cost of the project is Sh866 million and the Kuwait Fund
will cover 60% of the cost of the project. The loan agreement was
signed by Uhuru Kenyatta and Hisham Al-Waqayan, the deputy director general of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
(KFAED)
The Fund has in the past extended loans to Kenya amounting to
US$42 million for financing projects in transport and irrigation sectors and for financing feasibility study for Bura irrigation Project in
Tana River district.

CBK gives nod to Shariah

investments in Treasury Bills

NEP to send more students to university

Story From Page 1

last year. While releasing the results last week, Education Minister
Sam Ongeri attributed the decline in performance to post election
violence and student unrest in schools.
The performance of Muslim students and schools also went down
as opposed to previous years. The top Muslim student Amina Ibrahim Mgua from Nairobi was ranked in position 52 and only five
Muslim students featured among the top 100 students nationally.
Alliance High School produced the top candidate Mark Maugo
Nyauma whose performance index was 87.26757 points.
According to unofficial rankings, WAMY High School of Nairobi
scooped the top position among Muslims schools. Nationally, it was
placed in position 23 after garnering a mean grade of 9.518. The
top school, according to the rankings was Precious Girls Secondary
School.
Interestingly, WAMY High School has been in existence for only four
years now and since 2005, its performance in national examinations
has been on the rise. Last year, it was ranked in position 19.
The school is a project of the World Assembly of Muslim Youths
(WAMY) and was set up to reduce the education imbalance facing
the community.
Sheikh Khalifa Secondary School of Mombasa, which has a history
of academic excellence was placed second among Muslim schools.
It however, led the pack in Coast Province with 23 students from
the school featuring among the top 100 high achievers in the province.
This year, the Ministry of Education did not rank schools according
to performance as it had been the case in the past instead students
were ranked regarding individual merit.
Meanwhile Nominated MP Sheikh Muhammad Dor said the lack of
a national school in Coast and North Eastern Provinces continues
to play a role in the low education standards in the provinces. He
said provinces where the schools are established continue to post
excellent KCSE results compared to schools in other regions.
The MP said the education ministry had a responsibility to set up
similar schools to reduce on the education inequalities in some of
the regions.
Speaking in Parliament recently, Sheikh Dor demanded an official
explanation from the ministry why North Eastern, Coast and Eastern Provinces lacked national schools.

For several years, Muslims had

shunned investing in government securities with the underlying reason being interest
which forms part of the principles of these investments.
Islam categorically disapproves
any dealing with interest (riba)
and for this reason, many had
avoided investing in such instruments in order be inline with
the principles of their faith.
But with the coming and growth
of Islamic banking in Kenya, this
is set to change as Treasury
Bills and Bonds issued in the
domestic market will be Shariah
compliant allowing Muslims to CBK Governor Njuguna Ndun'gu
(RIGHT) with FCB CEO Natif
fully participate in investments
to finance government projects. Jama at a past event.
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) agreed to a proposal from First
Community Bank (FCB) to accommodate the interests of Muslims
in investing in Treasury Bonds and Bills offered to the public and
private entities. Further proceeds from the securities will only be
invested in Shariah complaint projects. All monies received by the
CBK from FCB for investment in government securities will be invested only in Sharia compliant government avenues and projects
such as the sea ports, the airports, government universities, the energy sector e.t.c, said Jackson M. Kitili the CBK director Monetary
Operations and Debt Management department.
FCB CEO, Mr. Nathif Jama Adam lauded the move saying that it will
spur Muslims to invest in government securities and contribute to
the economic development of the country. Our aim is to add value
to the community in every way possible. Government development
bonds are an important area of investing and we believe the community should not be denied such important investment opportunities, he said.
Already the Bank with the approval of its Shariah Board has already
invested in the recent 18.5 billion Infrastructure Bond recently issued to the public. Nathif expressed optimism that the investment
will stimulate similar investments in the future for the Muslim community.
The Infrastructure bond will fund critical infrastructure projects that
require huge capital overlay in the water, sewerage and irrigation
sectors, roads construction as well as the energy generation and
distribution.
Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta said the government was keen
to see Muslims playing a role in the development of the country
without compromising on the tenets of their faith. In the past, our
Muslim Brethren who constitute an important segment of our market
could not invest in government securities. Thanks to the proactive
effort by the banks involved, our Muslim brethren now can equally
participate in supporting our development agenda, he said.

Speak out and save the country

Story From Page 1

All the neighbouring countries Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi

and even Ethiopia this day is marked as a national holiday why not
the same for Kenya, he wondered.
In 2007, President Mwai Kibaki declared Eid ul Adha as a national
public holiday and went on to direct the Attorney General Amos
Wako to put in place legal measures to ensure that it remains an annual public holiday. To the astonishment of Muslims however, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua last year said that Eid ul Adha will
not be marked as a national public holiday and it had been declared
national event the previous years because of what he called national significance.

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 16 1430/March 13 2009

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA
The rights of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam

Umm Abdur-Rahman Hirschfelder

To Believe In Him
There is no doubt that the first of our Prophet's rights, sallalahu alahyi wa salam, is to
believe in him and to believe in the message he was sent with. Allah says, "Believe
in Allah and His Messenger and the light
which He sent down."[64:8]
Qadhi Iyadh said in his famous and important book about the rights of the Prophet,
Ash-Shifaa, that, "Belief in the Prophet Muhammad is therefore an obligation for every
individual. Belief is not complete without it
and Islam is only valid with it." Allah has
linked belief in Him with belief in His Messenger. They are inseparable. This is what the
shahadah, the declaration of faith, means.
Even if a person follows other prophets like
Musa and Eesa, alayhimas salam, he is not
a believer until he completely follows the
teachings of Muhammad, sallalahu alahyi
wa salam.
Believing in the Prophet, sallalahu alahyi
wa salam, therefore, is about living according to his guidance. It is much more than
just mere recognition of the fact that he is a
prophet. Allah says, "When the hypocrites
come to you, they say, 'We testify that you
are the Messenger of Allah' and Allah knows
that you are His Messenger and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars." [63:1]
To obey him
The second right, which is due to our beloved Prophet, sallalahu alahyi wa salam,
is that we obey him. Allah says, "O you who
believe, obey Allah and His Messenger..."
[8:20]
Allah has mentioned obedience to the
Messenger in connection with obedience
to Him. You cannot have one without the
other. Obeying the Messenger means, following his commands and staying away
from what he has prohibited. Abu Hurairah
narrated that the prophet, sallalahu alahyi
wa salam, said: "All of my ummah will enter
Paradise except for those who refuse to."
They asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who
will refuse?" He replied, "Whoever obeys
me will enter the Paradise. Whoever disobeys me has refused." (Bukhari)
To follow him
Allah says, You have a good model in the
Messenger of Allah for one who hopes for
Allah and the last day." [33:21]
Commenting on this verse, Imam at-Tirmidhi said, "To take the Messenger as a model means to emulate him, follow his Sunnah and avoid opposition to him in either
word or action." We should strive to follow
his mode of life, his sayings and doings, his
conduct and manners.
We can see from the Prophet's companions, the way in which they emulated the
Prophet, sallalahu alahyi wa salam, followed his examples, and modeled their
behaviors upon his. This is what it means
to follow the Prophet Muhammad. When
Umar looked at the black stone and he said,
"You are a stone and can neither help nor
harm. If I had not seen the Messenger of

Allah kiss you, I would not have kissed

you." Then he kissed it. Umar ibn Abdul
Aziz said, "The Messenger of Allah made
a Sunnah and the people in command
after him made sunnahs. To adopt them
is to confirm the Book of Allah and to act
on them is to obey Allah and strengthen
the deen of Allah. It is not for anyone to
change the Sunnah, or alter it, or to look
into the opinion of those who oppose it.
Whoever follows it, is guided. Whoever
opposes it and follows other than the path
of the believers, Allah will entrust him to
what he turns to and will roast him in the
hellfire, which is a bad ending."
To love him
A Muslim must love the Prophet, sallalahu
alahyi wa salam, truthfully. Allah says,
"Say, if your fathers, your sons, your
brothers, your wives, your tribe and the
possessions you have earned, commerce
you fear may slacken, dwellings you love
- if these are dearer to you than Allah and
His Messenger and to struggle in His way,
then wait until Allah brings His command."
[9:25]
The Prophet, sallalahu alahyi wa salam,
said, "None of you will believe until I am
more beloved to you than your children,
your fathers, and all people." Umar ibnul
Khattab said to the Prophet, "I love you
more than anything except my soul, which
is between my two sides." The Prophet
replied, "None of you will believe until I
am dearer to him than his own soul."
Umar said, "By the One who sent down
the Book to you, I love you more than my
soul which is between my two sides." The
Prophet, sallalahu alahyi wa salam, said,
"Now, O Umar, now you have it."
To respect him
Allah says,"O Prophet, We have sent you
as a witness and a bringer of good news
and a warner,so believe in Allah and His
Messenger and help him and respect
him." [48:7-8]
Respect for the Prophet, sallalahu alahyi
wa salam, includes honoring him, exalting him, calling him with the noblest titles
such as the Messenger of Allah or Prophet of Allah. It includes putting his opinion
over our own and defending him if he is
verbally abused.
Respect for the Prophet, sallalahu alahyi
wa salam, also includes respecting his
family. The Prophet, sallalahu alahyi wa
salam, said, "Recognition of the family of
Muhammad is freedom from the fire. Love
for the family of Muhammad is crossing
over sirat. Friendship for the family of Muhammad is safety from the fire."
Continued on Page 4

Saturday Lecture
HOW TO CHOOSE A HUSBAND
Ustadha Batuli
14th March 2009 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Jamia Mosque Multi Purpose Hall
SISTERS ONLY
3

Ghusl (Bathing)

Ghusl is bathing the whole body with water.

You must clean your body from any impurities,
if any. Make the Niyyah (intention) in your heart
that this act of Ghusl is for the purpose of preparing for Salah. It is recommended to make
Ghusl in the following order: make Wudhu,
wash the head including the hair, wash the right
side of your body from the shoulder to the foot
three times, and finally wash the left side of the
body. Ghusl is required for performing Salah in
the following cases:
1. Janabah (major ritual impurities): The dis

charge of seminal secretions or sexual inter
course.
2. At the end of a menstrual period.
3. At the end of postpartum bleeding.

Tayammam (Dry Ablution)

Allah says in the Quran, "If you are all ill on a

journey or any one of you has answered the call
of nature or had intercourse and you do not find
water, you must do dry ablution with clean earth
by wiping your faces and hands, surely Allah is
purifying and pardoning." (4:43)
Tayamum is a blessing of Allah and manifestation of Islams practicality and flexibility. When
a person is ill or does not find water then to
take the ritual bath (ghusl) or ablution may not
be possible thus tayamum is an alternative
because one is not allowed to delay or miss
prayers or in a state of minor or major ritual impurity.
Tayamum can be done on anything which is
clean provided it is from the earth, like sand,
stone, dust and plaster.
You may perform your Salah by preceding it
with Tayammum as a substitute for Wudhu or
Ghusl when:
1. A person cannot find water, or the amount
available is insufficient.
2. A person has no access to water.
3. A person is saving the water for later use.
4. A person is sick and cannot use water.
5. The use of water is likely to do harm, cause
or worsen an illness, or delay the cure.
6. The performance of Wudu will cause the
person to miss a funeral or Eid prayer that
cannot be made up.
METHOD TO MAKE TAYAMUM
1. Make intention that that this act of
Tayammum is for the purpose of preparing
for Salah, and say: "Bismillah.
2. Strike both hands slightly on pure earth,
sand, stone, or concrete.
3. Shake off hands to remove debris and wipe
the whole face.
4. Repeat step #2 and wipe the right arm

down to the elbow (or only to the wrist)
with the left hand and the left arm down to
the elbow (or only to the wrist) with the right
hand.

REVERTS CLASSES APRIL INTAKE

April Intake for the Basic Course in Islamic
studies in Progress
Forms are available at Jamia Training Institute and should be returned by 30th March
2009
For more details contact the Principal JTI or
the Dawa Officer, Jamia Mosque

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 16 1430/March 13 2009

The Friday Bulletin

WOMEN ISSUES
Relations with the mother in law
We often hear of problems that occur between women and their
mothers in-law.
Many daughters in-law have forgotten the fact that their mother inlaw was a mother before she became a mother in-law, and that
the days will pass, and eventually, they will also become mothers
in-law.
There are many factors that contribute to the bitter relationship that
some women have with their mothers in-law; some of which, on the
part of the daughter in-law, are:
Lack of respect: Respect for others is a fine quality to possess; it
is never practiced between people except that love and harmony
will engulf them. Islam has commanded the young to show respect
towards their elders, and thus, respecting one's mother in-law is a
must; this is due to the fact that not only is she an elder, but also
because she was the reason for the daughter in-law's husband being present in this world, as it was her that delivered him.
The daughter in-law must realise that she will eventually become
a mother, and if it is of a son, then he will eventually marry, and
she will therefore become a mother in-law who would long for respect from her daughter in-law. `Amr ibn Shu`ayb radhiallahu anhu
narrated on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah
peace be upon him said: "He is not one of us who shows no mercy
to (our) younger ones, and does not acknowledge the honour due
to our elders." [At-Tirmidhi and Abu Daawud]

these ties a high rank: that of one who took refuge in Him and was
granted it; and one who is taken into the protection of Allah will certainly never be forsaken."
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "May he be disgraced! May he be disgraced! May he be
disgraced! - He whose parents, one or both of them, attain old age
during his lifetime, but he does not enter Paradise (by being dutiful
to them)." [Muslim]
On the other hand, the causes of the bad relationship can be on the
part of the mother in-law herself, such as:
Being harsh with the daughter in-law: Some mothers in-law are
very harsh towards their daughters in-law, and also encourage their
sons to treat their wives badly. Abu Hurayrah reported: I heard Abu
Al-Qaasim (i.e., the Prophet) say: "The miserable one is the only
one whose heart is deprived from mercy." [At-Tirmidhi]
Being jealous of the daughter in-law: Why do some mothers
in-law love their sons while despising their daughters in-law? Psychiatrists say that this results from jealousy. It is natural for women
to be jealous, but added to this is the fact that the mother feels
that the daughter in-law has shared her son with her and taken him
away from her control; therefore, a competition arises. This is especially so if the mothers only provider and supporter is this son,
because his role could have been that of the father in taking care
of the affairs of the household and being his mother's protector, so
the mother would feel that she has lost such an important son to her
daughter in-law.
Some mothers become jealous seeing their sons happy and enjoying life with their wives; if the daughter in-law were to ever complain to her about any problem that might occur with the son, she
would never support her; rather, she would side with her son, even
if he was the one at fault; moreover, she would humiliate his wife
and may even beat her. Sometimes, the wife could be doing all she
can in order to please the mother in-law; she may speak kindly to
her, give her gifts, and treat her with respect, but, the mother in-law
would always be striving to create problems.

Expressing enmity: There is another type of daughter in-law

who deals with her mother in-law, from day one, as if she is her
worst enemy. This could be due to the incorrect manner in which
the daughter in-law was brought up, or to the repeated warnings
that her own mother gave her regarding her future mother in-law
before she got married. Based on this, the wife would exert all efforts to make her husband hate his mother and brothers and sisters;
she may even invent events that never took place, or exaggerate
in relating ones that did; she may frequently make false accusations about her husband's mother and brothers and sisters until she
succeeds in forcing him to leave his mothers house and live with
her, alone. Such a life is a poisoned one, and one which contains
many problems. Harithah ibn Wahb reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wa sallam saying: Shall I not inform
you about the inmates of Hell? They are every violent, disrespectful
and proud people." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Due to the husband being enslaved to his wife, he may side with his
wife and become dissrespectful to his mother; he forgets the rank
of his mother. Allah says, And your Lord has decreed that you not
worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one
or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so
much as]: 'uff' [i.e., an expression of disapproval or irritation] and do
not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them
the wing of humility out of mercy and say: 'My Lord! Have mercy
upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" [Quran 17:
23-24] The Messenger of Allah also said: The pleasure of Allah is
in pleasing one's parents, and His wrath is in displeasing them.

The Rights of the Prophet

Story From Page 3

It also includes respecting his companions. Allah says about those

who pledged allegiance to the Prophet at al-hudaybiyah. "Allah was
pleased with the believers when they gave allegiance to you under
the tree." [48:18]
The Prophet said, "Do not curse my companions. If any of you were
to spend the weight of Uhud in gold, it still would not reach the
measure of one of them or even one-half of it."

The Friday Bulletin Kitchen

Chicken Paprika

Ingredients
1 chicken cut in 8 pieces
4-5 tomatoes grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
salt to taste
1 tsp black pepper powder
1-2 tsp spanish paprika
2 tablespoons butter.

Severing ties: Some daughters in-law sever ties with their mothers in-law and never visit, or even have anything to do with them.
Such daughters in-law ruin their relationships with their mothers inlaw. The mother in-law is human, and would therefore wish that
her daughter in-law would treat her as a mother; she would not like
being given the cold shoulder.
The daughter in-law who severs ties with her mother in-law causes
her husband to abandon his mother and sever his ties with her;
thus, such a wife becomes the reason behind his undutifulness towards his mother.Abu Hurayrah radhiallahu anhu reported that the
Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Allah created
all (His) creation, and when He finished the task of His creation,
Ar-Rahm (i.e., ties with kinfolk) said: `(O Allah)! At this place I seek
refuge with You from my ties being severed.' Allah replied: `Would
you be content that I treat with kindness those who treat you with
kindness, and sever ties with those who sever your ties?' It said: `I
am satisfied.' So Allah said: `Then this is yours.`" [Al-Bukhari and
Muslim]
Imam Al-Qurtubi said: This is to inform us that Allah has granted

by Mariam Munir

Method
Fry chicken in oil
Put butter in a pan and add all the spices
Cook on low heat for a while.Then add the chicken and mix
well and continue to cook for a little while
Serve with chips or mashed potatoes.
Share your favourite recipes with our readers. Send them to P. O. Box 4062900100 or email:fridaybulletin@islamkenya.com or fridaybulletin@gmail.com

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 16 1430/March 13 2009

The Friday Bulletin

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Between Marriage and Studies

Ayesha Wadwalla

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Whoever
follows a route in pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path
to Paradise." (Muslim)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "When a person
gets married he has completed half of his religion, so let him fear Allah
with regard to the remaining half." (authenticated by Al-Albani)
These two sayings of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) are guidelines for a Muslim's life. We should strive to follow both,
completing ourselves holistically. But what happens when marriage and
education collide, shattering our carefully planned lives? Which then is
preferable marriage or studies?
Undoubtedly, the importance of marriage in Islam cannot be overemphasized. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Oh youth!
Whoever of you can get married should get married for it helps in lowering
the gaze and guarding one's chastity" (Agreed upon).
Marriage is a beautiful institution designed for a man and a woman to fulfill
their natural needs for each other and to create a family. It is the basic
foundation of all societies. A society without marriage will most certainly
be riddled with problems.
Islam encourages us to marry young to prevent us from sinning. However,
Islam is for all ages and takes into account the situation of the time. In today's world, education is empowerment. It gives people confidence to use
their intellect and confidence in themselves. We find many young women
who are practicing Islam at the university, furthering their education, yet
maintaining their modesty. In this way they are preparing themselves to
be able to contribute to their society and raise the level of their children
and their family. If such a person gets divorced or widowed, she will have
something to fall back onto.
So you don't want to be forced to choose either marriage or studies? Is
there a way you can do both? In the Arab world especially, people often
make the official marriage contract but don't move in together right away.
The marriage is not consummated, but they may legally spend time alone
together. In this way, both the man and woman may pursue their studies
while married. This system holds many advantages and is gaining popularity among Muslims in non-Muslim countries, too. In this way, a couple
may save for married life, and no matter what their pursuits, they are safe
in the knowledge of being married.
Our every action is based on intention. If we are studying for the benefit of
mankind, for the cause of our Muslim Ummah, then our studies will be a
source of reward for us. Let us use this precious education wisely.
By Idris O. Owuor

Islamic Crossword Puzzle

2

1
6

4
8

DOWN

1. At this place Prophet

10
Muhammad was welcomed
11
by Usayd ibn Hudhayr and
12
13
many people embraced islam
14 2. The second husband of
Khadija Khuwaylid.
15
3. The killing of Amruarose the
16
anger of the people of Quraish
17
to speed up attacks on
Muslims.
18
4. The Ethiopian King who gave
asylum to the companions.
ACROSS
6. lts a dua and a Sura
1. He killed Khalid ibn Sultan Al-Huzaly
9. The 103rd sura of the Holy
7. They were created by Allah from fire
Quran.
8. Prophet Muhammad was a shepherd of 11. The traditional lifestyle of
these animals (plural).
Prophet Muhammad
10. The rakaas for Fajr prayer
13. The Migration
12. The husband of Halima Sadiyyah
14. Jibril allayhi sallam used
15. She breastfed the Prophet.
water from this well to wash
16. The first month in Islamic calender.
the heart of the Prophet
17. Arabic word meaning The wrapping.
during miiraj.
18. He was one of the youths who killed Abu
Jahal
Answers to last weeks crossword
ACROSS - (1)AL-KURSI (5)ASSALAM ALYKUM (8)SIX (9)YAHYA (11)ALLAH (12)MIRAAJ (14)T
AKDHIIB (15)IMAM (16)SAFFAR
DOWN - (1)AL.ANBIYA (2)AL.ARSH (3)ALYASA (4)GHUSL (6)AL-ISRA (7)MARYAM (IO)IIRAADH
(13)AKBAR

The Flawless programme in

the human body

Haroun Yahya

In the previous articles, we mentioned a perfect

programme Allah inserted into the human body.
Thanks to this programme, every human being has
eyes, ears, arms and teeth. Again thanks to this programme, despite some differences in their appearances, all human beings look reasonably similar. We
resemble our relatives, and some peoples have their
own distinctive characteristics because of this programme.
Now let's explain what this programme is like with
the following example:
You must have an idea of the way computers operate.
An expert designs the computer. Experts in special
factories with the help of advanced technologies
also produce complementary components such as
the monitor, keyboard, CD, loudspeakers and so on.
Now, you have a machine capable of processing highly complex operations. You can either play games or
write whatever you want. But for all this to happen,
you need software called "programmes."
Furthermore, we know that not every programme
is compatible with every type of computer, which
means that the programmer must know both the
computer and the software compatible with it. As
we have seen, one needs both a machine and a proper
programme to operate a computer. But more importantly, if nobody designed and produced all these
things, your computer would again fail to work.
The human body is similar to a computer. As we said
earlier, there is a programme in our cells that brings
about our existence. Now the question is, how did it
happen that this programme came into existence?
The answer is obvious:
Allah, the Almighty, specially creates every human
being. It is Allah Who has created our bodies as well
as the programme that shapes them.
Our bodies are infinitely superior to the most complex computer. Our brain alone, for instance, is many
times more complex than a computer.
Now let's see how a baby is born into this world:
Initially, there exists a tiny piece of flesh in your
mother's womb. In the course of time, this tiny
piece of flesh expands and takes shape.
Your height, the colour of your eyes, your eyebrows,
the shape of your hands and hundreds of other features are all predetermined from the very first moment of your existence. All this information is stored
in that initial programme Allah placed in your cells.
This programme is so flawless and detailed that scientists have only recently come close to understanding how it operates.
In accordance with the programme Allah placed
in our bodies, we grow gradually. That is why the
growth of our body does not seem odd to us. It takes
us years to grow. We would no doubt be astonished
if this programme worked faster.

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 16 1430/March 13 2009

The Friday Bulletin

GUIDANCE FROM SHEIKH AL AMIN MAZRUI

Starting this week, The Friday Bulletin will bring you a series of treatise written by Sheikh Al-Amin bin Ali Mazrui, the former Chief Kadhi
of Kenya. The treatise Uwongozi (Guidance) appeared in a weekly
publication called Al Islah between 1930 and 1932 which the Sheikh
edited and freely distributed in mosques around Mombasa. Originally
published in Kiswahili, Uwongozi has been translated into English by
Muhammad bin Yusuf.
Sheikh Al-Amin is the father of the renowned international scholar Ali
Mazrui. His notable students include Sheikh Muhammad Kassim Mazrui and Sheikh Abdallah Saleh al Farsy both served as Chief Kadhis of
Kenya.

Importance of education
First of all, seeking knowledge is a duty. It is obligatory on every Muslim, male and female. The first
word revealed of the Quran was Iqra READ! Seek
knowledge! Educate yourselves! Be educated!
Allah the Almighty tells us in the Quran, Are those
equal, those who know and those who do not know?
(Surah Az-Zumar: 9) Also in Surah Al-Baqarah,
verse 269, we read, Allah grants wisdom to whom
He pleases and to whom wisdom is granted indeed
he receives an overflowing benefit.
The world is in a sorry state because it has collectively moved away from Allah and obedience to Him
which is the essence of Islam. Centuries old monarchies, colonialism and other oppressive rule over the
people have brought about moral and spiritual decay as mankind seeks material comfort and wealth
at all costs, and sacrifices family, self-development
and inner harmony.
We need to remember that whatever we learn in science, math, language, geography, history and so on
are vital tools to help us, as Muslims, understand the
world around us and our role in it. The basis of Islam
is the Quran and the Sunnah and in order to fully
obey Allah and His Messenger we must learn every
valuable piece of information we can.If we can collectively strive to upgrade ourselves and the system
of education wherever we are, the future generations will become the torch-bearers of Islamic values
and play an effective role in the world.
At the same time we must be careful because modern day education alone does not feed the inner
parts of man nor fulfill his psychological and spiritual
needs. Only Islam reaches the spirit and regenerates the inner self by drawing it closer to the Creator
who is the only Source of Peace.
One result of depending on the so-called secular
education alone is the belief that education itself is
simply a tool to make money in the world and survive
materially. Many people have unfortunately forgotten that learning has inherent value; meaning that
it is valuable in and of itself. This means that if we
are educated but cannot find a good job, that does
not mean we are a failure because the knowledge
we carry around with us, if coupled with Islam, will
develop us to be better and wiser people. Today we
need an education system which can produce, what
a famous scholar said, Muslim philosopher, Muslim
scientist, Muslim economist, Muslim jurist, Muslim
statesman, in brief, Muslim experts in all fields of
knowledge who would reconstruct the social order
in accordance with the tenets of Islam.
According to Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, Ibn Abbas
(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the
Messenger of Allah said: A single scholar of religion
is more formidable against shaytaan than a thousand devout persons.
A person without knowledge is like someone walking along a track in complete darkness. Most likely
his steps will wander into dangerous places and he
can easily be deceived by shaytaan. This shows that
our greatest danger lies in our ignorance of Islamic
teachings and in being unaware of what the Quran
teaches and of what the Prophet (peace be upon
him) brought us. But if we are blessed with the light
of knowledge we will be able to see plainly the clear
path of Islam at every step of our lives. We shall also
be able to identify and avoid the dangerous paths of
Kufr, Shirk and immorality which may cross it.

The obligations of Muslims today

9th Ramadhan 1350 A.H (17th January 1932)

t is very clear that the Muslims of today are in a low, humiliating, and embarrassing
state - the [main] reason being abandonment of the teachings of our religion, i.e.,
to do good and avoid evil. The Muslims are currently in a situation whereby even
their own enemies feel pity for them; never will you compare one city with Muslims
and another one with nonMuslims except that you will find great disparity between
them
For example, Mombasa has about 75,000 people, majority being Muslims - but [unfortunately] their condition is the worst in terms of education, economic success,
leadership, and everything else. The Hindus [in Mombasa] have among the lowest number of people, yet they have two daily newspapers. On the other hand it is
embarrassing that the Muslims do not have their own daily paper in Mombasa or
anywhere else in Kenya for that matter. We only have this very tiny publication [Al
Islah] of ours which is quite marginal, it pains me when I see the Goa community
with their own school while we do not have a single school in any of the cities where
Muslims are the majority.
The only institutions we have are those that teach children the recitation of the
Quran in which children get enrolled when they are 7 years old and finish when
they are about to reach puberty. And there are some who graduate and yet they are
unable to recite the Quran correctly, and they do not understand its meaning. This
includes the meaning of Suratul Fatiha which is supposed to be recited in each of the
[five] daily prayers The most unfortunate part is that upon their completion from such
institutions, their parents [literally] push them into a pit of fire, i.e., in schools run by
missionaries - this in fact is the most pathetic situation.
We have an obligation to build our own institutions for learning in which our children
could learn even aspects of the Shariah, and also knowledge that is going to benefit
them in this world [i.e., for reasons of livelihood]. Such institutions are the only way
of protecting our children from the harmful agenda of the missionary schools. Also,
their religion will be protected, it will raise them up from the position of humiliation;
they will be taught respect and good behaviour which will raise their self esteem and
have the strength to put an end to any oppression. Hopefully, they will start being
ambitious and wanting to succeed and be the best; Muslims should he the best as
Allah tells us so. But this position of being the best cannot be achieved until we open
up the way to lead us there; and the only way is through knowledge, both religious
and secular.
he above [i.e, knowledge] is the only war to carry the Muslims to the level of
being masters of all affairs; indeed, it is the only way to being the best. But [the
question is) where is the money to put up such institutions? I know that there is no
shortage of money [in our Ummah], but first and foremost we need to be united,
then to have the intentions in our hearts to do such a project, and then to have the
determination to do it; only then shall we be able to raise the funds And the following
is the way to do it.
As we had mentioned earlier, there are 75,000 people in Mombasa, majority being
Muslims. Let us say 50% of the people are Muslims, and we [in the Old Town] are
about 12,000 if each one of us would contribute Ksh.3 per year, we shall be able to
have shs. 36,000 annually - this amount is sufficient to run such a learning institution,
and we will be able to educate our own children in both secular and religious education, i.e., to benefit them in this world and in the hereafter.
However, those amongst us who are pessimistic and negative will say that such a
project will not happen; well, I am telling you that such a thing can happen and we
can all do it [inshaAllahj if our hearts desire.
We constantly complain that our standard of education is deteriorating, but it is absolutely absurd to expect the government to raise our level of education while we do
not want to put [a single cent) towards its improvement! Do you think that the high
standard of education can only be achieved by sending long applications and too

Continued to Page 6

Rabbi' ul Awwal, 16 1430/March 13 2009

Not Certified by Kenya Bureau of

Halal Certification" Does this mean
it is Haram?
To declare Halal (lawful) and Haram (unlawful)
is the right of Allah subhana wa taala alone. No
Human being irrespective of their nobility, profession or financial status, whether a religious
leader or a certifying body, none of them can
assume this right. It would be the same as ascribing a partner to Allah and places one outside
the fold of Islam.
As a certifying body, Kenya Bureau of Halal
Certification (KBHC) is bound by this rule and
therefore, it cannot declare lawful to be unlawful or vice versa. Our aim is to avail significant
information to the Ummah, which will enable
them make an informed choice in keeping their
religious responsibility, accountability and help
them to fulfill Allahs decree.
Products and establishments certified by KBHC
means that they have met KBHCs stringent criteria of certification. They have made full disclosure of all their ingredients, allowed their records
to be scrutinized and given unregulated access
to their premises for regular inspections. KBHC
gives its approval based on inspection access
and / or the required information disclosed.
In trying to fulfill its responsibility and commitment to the Muslim consumers, KBHC makes
frequent publications in various publicity media
in order to create awareness on establishments
that have been certified.
This brings us to the big question; if companies
or products are not Halal certified by KBHC,
does this mean they are Haram? It should be
understood that KBHC believes in a free-market
system of trade as propagated in the teachings
of Islam. We believe that companies and establishments have a right to choose whether to be
certified or not.
Without the essential disclosures, and access to
adequate information, it is difficult to ascertain
whether a company, establishment or product
is Halal or Haram. It should be clear that KBHC
puts no establishment under duress or obligation to provide information relevant for Halal
certification. There are other companies which
feel it is not necessary to acquire Halal certification. KBHC respects these companies choice
and it is with the same gesture that we ask such
companies to respect our decision when we reply,
Not Certified by Kenya Bureau of Halal Certification
Consuming Halal and refraining from Haram is
an order from Allah subhana wa taala and cannot be abandoned. A product or an item should
be avoided where there is reason to doubt its
Halal status. We should take direction from the
hadith of beloved Prophet peace be upon him
which states, Leave that which is doubtful and
partake of that which is free from any doubt.
However, in the cases where KBHC does not
have any agreement or access, and bearing in
mind the gravity of the Shariah law of making
lawful to unlawful and vice versa, it gives the only
possible and factual answer without expressing
any opinion viz. Not Certified by Kenya Bureau
of Halal Certification It means exactly that and
should not be interpreted as HARAM.

The Friday Bulletin

Sudanese president rebuffs ICC

Sudanese President, Omar Hassan Al Bashir will not appear before the International
Criminal Court (ICC) over charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly
committed in Darfur.
A press release issued by the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi and made available to
The Friday Bulletin said that Sudan was not member of the ICC and therefore it was
not subject to the jurisdiction of the court. There is political consensus and the Council
of Ministers and Parliament have issued resolutions rejecting the jurisdiction of the ICC
on Sudan. Sudan rejects the Court's decision and will not engage with it. The President
of the country will continue his constitutional responsibilities and duties internally and
externally, the hard hitting statement stated.
The statement said the ICC had become a political tool used by some powerful countries
to serve their interests. They want to exploit Sudan's huge resources and to sabotage
the internationally-recognized economic achievements of the country, it mentioned.
The Government of Sudan pointed out that it was committed to all peace agreements it
had signed to achieve peace in Darfur and further called upon rebel groups to relinquish
violence and resort to peaceful means to reach a negotiated settlement.
The statement also noted that Sudan has been and is still committed to cooperate with
regional and international organizations, in the framework of the principle of collective
responsibility, to create a world in which justice and equality prevail, and which is free of
hegemony, double standards and intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.
The Hague-based ICC indicted the Sudanese leader for crimes against humanity against
the people of Darfur. Sudan accused the body for being biase and applying selective
justice when dealing with some countries. ICC has also been accused of turning a blind
eye to prosecuting the crimes which were being committed by western countries.

The obligations of Muslims today

Story From Page 6

many complaints [to the government]?

We always want the government to do for us what is does for the Hindus. But, have we
ever thought to be like them in so far as contributing towards educating their children is
concerned?
The Hindus normally contribute Sh20 each annually on top of the poll tax; and they
do not find [the amount] to be a lot considering that it is for educating their children
in,secular education only. Why cant we be willing to pay only Sh3 per year, as we want
to have our children educated in both secular and religious education?
I put this proposal before you, my people, to think about it. And I pray to Allah to help us
in fulfilling our goal Ameen.

JAMIA MOSQUE COMMITEE

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

This is to inform the general public on the change of the postal

and email addresses for JAMIA
MOSQUE COMMITEE
Our new addresses are
P. O. Box 100786 Nairobi Post
Code 00101 Jamia Post Office
Telephone number 2243504/5
Email: majlis@islamkenya.com

MAULANA ABDULLAH SHAH

MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Having extra books- Islamic
or other subjects-which could
benefit the community and the
public? Make a Donation to
Jamia Mosque Library.
Contact the Librarian for
further details

WAMY High School

INVITATION TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS
This is a reminder to Parents, well wishers and the general
public that the fundraising event for WAMY High School will be held on 15th
March 2009 at Tintin Restaurant Kenyatta International Conference Centre
(KICC) at 1.30 pm.
The Guest of Honour will be Hajj Mahmoud Khalif (MK Ali) and Hon. Moses
Wetangula Minister of Foreign Affairs
Come and support this noble cause
Secretary
Board of Governors
In the 2008 KCSE examinations, WAMY High School recorded an impressive performance with 12 A-,
10 B+, 6 B, 8 B- and 3 C+.The mean grade was B+ (9.51)

Vatican promotes
Islamic finance in
face of global crisis
he Vatican offered Islamic finance
principles to Western banks as a
solution for worldwide economic
crisis.
Daily
Vatican
newspaper,
'L'Osservatore Romano, reported
that Islamic banking system may
help to overcome global crisis.
The Vatican said banks should
look at the ethical rules of Islamic
finance to restore confidence
amongst their clients at a time of
global economic crisis.
"The ethical principles on which
Islamic finance is based may bring
banks closer to their clients and to
the true spirit which should mark
every financial service," the Vatican's official newspaper Osservatore Romano said in an article in
its latest issue late yesterday.
Author Loretta Napoleoni and
Abaxbank Spa fixed income strategist, Claudia Segre, say in the
article that "Western banks could
use tools such as the Islamic
bonds, known as sukuk, as collateral". Sukuk may be used to
fund the "'car industry or the next
Olympic Games in London," they
said.
They also said that profit share,
gained from sukuk, may be an alternative to the interest. They underlined that sukuk system could
help automotive sector and support investments in infrastructure
area.
In the Islamic sukuk system, unlike the capitalist model, money is
invested in concrete projects and
profit share is distributed to clients
instead of interest earned.
Pope Benedict XVI in an Oct.
7 speech reflected on crashing financial markets saying that
"money vanishes, it is nothing"
and concluded that "the only solid
reality is the word of God." The
Vatican has been paying attention to the global financial meltdown and ran articles in its official
newspaper that criticize the freemarket model for having "grown
too much and badly in the past
two decades."
The Osservatore's editor, Giovanni Maria Vian, said that "the
great religions have always had
a common attention to the human
dimension of the economy," Corriere della Sera reported.

SUPKEM announces new IDB scholarship

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has announced new scholarship programmes for undergraduate studies in the 20092010 academic year.
The scholarships are provided by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) scholarship programmes
for Muslim communities in non-member countries. The scheme covers undergraduate studies
in medicine, engineering, agriculture and other
elated subjects.
Prospective students are required to be not more
than 24 years of age and holders of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) grade
B+ and above with very god marks in English,
Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

The applicants should be financially needy, committed Muslims and should not be in possession
of any other scholarship.
The scholarship is provided on an interest free
loan (qardh hasan) to the students to be repaid
in easy installments to the IDB Education TrustKenya.
Application forms are available at no cost from
the SUPKEM head office, Islamia House along
Njugu lane in Nairobi and should be returned to
the council before April 15.
More details can be obtained through telephone
numbers 2243109/2216965, 0722760370 or
writing to ncep@supkem.or.ke.

The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 10078600101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: fridaybulletin@islamkenya.com or
fridaybulletin@gmail.com. Printed by Colour Magic Production Ltd-Kirinyaga Crescent P. O. Box 9581-00100 Nairobi