The

Friday Bulletin
The Weekly Muslim News Update

Issue No. 387

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

STOP violating the law, High

court tells Kibaki
President Mwai Kibaki jetted into the country on Tuesday
and faced stinging remarks over his governments conduct in illegally renditioning its citizens to Uganda.
A High Court judge rebuked the head of state for allowing
the constitution he himself swore upon to uphold only a
few weeks ago and said he had a duty to ensure that the
rule of the law was upheld.
Judge Muhammad Wasarme said the extraditions outed
the individual rights of Kenyans contained in a new constitution that was promulgated in August and showed impunity in the executive arm of government was still alive
and well.
He went on to question why President Kibaki allowed State
security agents to infringe on the rights of Kenyans contrary to the new Bill of Rights. Judge Mohamed Wasarme
said the extraditions outed the individual rights of Kenyans contained in a new constitution that was promulgated
in August and showed impunity in the executive arm of
government was still alive and well.
That kind of behaviour, act or omission is likely to have far
and serious ramications on the citizens of this country and
the rulers. It also raises basic issue of whether a President
who has just sworn and agreed to be guided by the provisions of the Constitution can allow his agents to breach
with a remarkable arrogance or ignorance, he said.
The Judge made the comments during a ruling in a case
in which Muhammad Aktar Kana had moved to court to
block his apparent arrest and transfer to Uganda over alPresident Mwai Kibaki displays a copy of the new Constitution after
legations of involvement in the July 11 Kampala bombings the promulgation ceremony at Uhuru Park on August 27.
which left more than 70 people were killed.
Prima facie the allegation contained in this application is a serious indictment on the institution of the President and whether he is protecting, preserving and safeguarding the interests, rights and obligations of all citizens as contained in the new Constitution, he said.
"This application is a clear indication that the security arms of this country have not tried to understand and appreciate the provision of this
continued on page 2

'Muslims losing faith in new constitution'

Muslims are gradually losing in faith in the new constitution as it was clear that is has
failed to protect and safeguard their rights, a Muslim scholar has said.
Sheikh Abdullatif Abdulkarim of the Kenya Council of Imams and Preachers (KCIU) said
while expectations were at an all time high that the new constitution will bring a new
meaning to it citizens, this was not the case as the government has failed to live to its
obligation of ensuring fairness and justice to all its citizens.
He said while Muslims voted overwhelmingly for the new constitution expecting that
it will safeguard their rights and address historical injustices, the current clampdown
against Muslims is sending a wrong signal that the much praised dispensation was not
meant to benet members of the community, the sheikh said.
He said the arbitrary arrests and the rendition of Kenyan citizens to foreign lands was a
clear indicator that the state was taking the rights of Muslim for granted. We were told
that under the new constitutional dispensation, a police ofcer was supposed to provide
an arrest warrant and provide the reasons for the arrests but they are instead behaving
in a thuggery manner by breaking doors in the middle of the night and arresting people
continued on page 2

This Week
Editorial
Double standards on rendition

P2

Da'wa
Make the spirit of Ramadhan last a whole P3

Women Issues
Philosophy of prophet,s marriage

P4

Youth and Children

Adjusting to university

P6

Opinion
Relation with Non-Muslims

www.islamkenya.com

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

P7

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

The Friday Bulletin

EDITORIAL

Double standards instandard

rendition
exercise
approach which has seen the government illegally sur-

Justice and Constitutional Minister Mutula Kilonzo that Kenya has

been putting up a spirited defence regarding his remarks that those
accused of involvement in war crimes relating to the 2007 post
election violence should be persecuted locally. The minister has
stressed that with the coming into force of the new constitution,
there is no reasons why Kenyans should be ferried to foreign lands
to face trial when there is sufcient legal machinery in place to
handle the matter.
If these sentiments by the minister that the country is now in a
position to effectively dispense justice to the suspects right here in
Kenya, the big question is why should the same government abdicates its responsibility and chose to rendition a section of Kenyans
to Uganda to face trial for their alleged participation in the Kampala
bombing in clear violations of the law?
Mutulas comments conrms that the new constitution has brought
new radical changes to the country where the judiciary as well as
other state organs will be able to effectively follow the law to the letter. He alludes that the legal machinery is more effective and Kenyans should have more faith in the present laws rather than relying
on jurisdictions which may not provide justice for the citizens.
His assertions however, are in stark contrast to the manner in
which several Kenyan citizens had their rights trampled upon after
they were carted off to Kampala in clear disregard of the due process of the law.
While the law stipulates that in such cases, extradition has to be
made only after authorization of the courts, the government through
its security agencies circumvented the law and went on to hand
over its citizens to face trial in a country whose justice system has
been criticized for not respecting human rights principles
The Justice Minister said that local mechanisms are in place to
deal with the post election violence offenders under the Kenyan
penal code but he continues to exhibit silence about the double

President told to abide by the constitution

continued from page 1
new Bill of Rights," the Judge added.
In his submission, Muhammad expressed fears that state security
agents would also apprehend him as several of those who were
renditioned were his close business associates.
Invariably I have interacted with some of the victims in the course
of my business as aforesaid. An afnity has therefore evolved in the
course of time particularly through religious worship. This interaction is therefore a fertile ground by the said ofcers for inference of
guilty by association, he said in his afdavit.
Through his lawyer Muturi Kigano, Muhammad, an interior designer
told the court that Ugandan authorities have variously sought to
abduct him and at one time had even arrested his cousin in a case
of mistaken identity.
In blocking Mr Kanas extradition from the country, Justice Warsame
said the action by the Kenyan authorities showed yesteryears impunity is still thriving in our Executive arm of the government.
He then ordered: I direct the Attorney General, Police Commissioner and Internal Security Minister to ensure that the applicant
is not surrendered, handed over, transported and or transferred
to Uganda or any other country without further orders from this
court.
The court has directed that its orders be also served on the ofce of
the President through Francis Muthaura who is the Permanent Secretary in the Ofce of the President and Secretary to the Cabinet.
The judge made it clear if Kana was arrested he should be brought
to court in Kenya and be subject to due process under the new constitution's Bill of Rights, rather than being sent to Uganda.
Already thirteen Kenyans, eight of them renditioned from Kenya
are facing terrorism related charges before a Ugandan Court. Al
Amin Kimathi, the chairman of the Muslim Human Rights Forum is
among those on trial in Uganda.
Many Kenyans are angered by the way their government has extradited Kenyan nationals to Uganda, alleging the correct judicial
procedures have not been followed.

rendering its citizens.

The deafening silence from the Justice minister about the renditions while at the same time, championing the cause for the trial
locally of the post election violence besmirches the ideals of justice
for all citizens which are highly emphasised in the constitution.
Mutula's docket is one of the crucial organs in the implementation
process of the new constitution and it is imperative that for the credibility of the whole process, the government should not send out a
signal that its actions are meant to sideline and deny justice to a
section of its citizens.
Its also shocking that while there is growing criticism both locally
and internationally regarding the manner in which its citizens have
been hounded and send to foreign jurisdiction, the government is
feigning a business as usual approach yet its image continues to
suffer.
It is not a surprise that the President himself has now been sucked
into this quagmire and come under scathing attack from the judiciary for looking the other way while his security agents unfairly target
a section of the citizenry.
It is barely two months after the President pledged to uphold the
new constitution which he solemnly swore upon to the ululations of
Kenyans but to the consternation of many, the conduct of the government is sending concerns that the years of impunity, bad governance and circumventing of the law may continue to thrive in the new
constitutional dispensation.
By and large, if the government is telling Kenyans that it is wrong for
the post election violence suspects to be tried in foreign lands for
war crimes, it should likewise ensure that those suspected to have
involved in the Kampala bombings also face trial in local courts,
after all, their perceived crime is of lesser magnitude compared to
the war crimes accusations against the PEV suspects.

FCB partners with KMC to promote

livestock farmers

The Managing Director of First community Bank Nathif Jama

(Right) exchange agreements with the Kenya Meat Commisison
Managing Commissioner Ali Hassan during the Garissa ASK
show
First Community Bank has established a strategic partnership with
Kenya Meat Commission to promote livestock trade activities within the livestock producing communities in the arid and semi arid
(ASAL) regions of the country.
In fulllment of this partnership, the Bank and Kenya Meat Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday last
week at the Garissa show during the launch of a new initiative titled,
"Ufugaji ni Biashara".
The signing of the MOU was witnessed by the Assistant Minister
of Livestock Development, Aden Duale, the Managing Director of
First Community Bank, Nathif J. Adam, Managing Commissioner
of Kenya Meat Commission, Ali Hassan, the Chairman of Kenya
Meat Commission, Aden Suleiman and the North Eastern Provincial Commissioner, James Ole Seriani.

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA

Make the spirit of Ramadhan Last the whole year Part 2

Sarah Joseph
Ramadhan brought discipline into your life. You did not eat or drink
whenever and whatever you wanted.
There was a time for these things. You had to control your instinct.
Ramadhan is a powerful symbol that you can control yourself, that
you can set yourself a target and stick to it. Taking that discipline
and control forward is potentially one of the greatest blessings of
the month.
21. Do not over eat. Just because we can eat once Ramadhan is
over doesnt mean we have to gorge ourselves. Obesity has been
classed as the disease of the 21st century.
Consider this saying of the Prophet, where the one third rule is a
concession to our desires, No human ever lled a vessel worse
than the stomach. Sufcient for any son of Adam are some morsels
to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his
food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath. (Tirmidhi
& others)
22. Time keep was essential during Ramadhan. You watched the
clock to begin and end your fasts. Do not let that slack now. Punctuality is important in your lives for prayers, for appointments, for
work and school. When the Prophet was asked, Which deed is
the dearest to Allah? He replied, To offer the prayers at their early
stated xed times. (Bukhari) To fulll obligations and appointments
early rather than late will endear you to people in this world too.
23. Watch your anger. The Prophet advised, Do not become angry, and those who control their anger are described by the Quran
thus, Those who spend (in Allahs cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress their anger, and who pardon men, verily, Allah
loves those that do good. (3:133-134).
In Ramadhan one has greater self awareness so this is perhaps
easier. Outside of Ramadhan follow the Prophetic three point anger management plan of making wudhu, sitting or lying down. The
Prophet also recommended saying, I seek Refuge with Allah from
Satan when feeling angry (Bukhari) and making the dua, I ask
you O Allah, for truthful speech during times of pleasure and anger
(Ahmad)
24. Sleep less. Sleep is a blessing from Allah and you should have
sufcient hours, but do not sleep more than necessary. The Quran
describes Gods righteous servants as They used to sleep but little
of the night (51:17) and those Who forsake their beds to cry unto
their Lord in fear and hope (32:16)
Ramadhan has taught that to achieve the target of completing the
fasts one has to be steadfast in adversity. The month is a living
testament to the many exhortations in the Quran and the sayings
of the Prophet to have sabr patient perseverance, and there is
reward in this, Give glad tidings to those who exercise patience
when struck with adversity and say, Indeed, we belong to Allah and
to Him is our return. Such ones receive [the] blessings and mercy
of their Lord, and such are the guided ones. (Quran 2:155)
25. Patience is often lost when we try to do too many things at
once. Slow down, focus and prioritise.
26. Try and establish what makes you lose patience. Are there any
patterns to your loss of patience? Can you eliminate those things?
27. Inculcate hope and a positive mental attitude. The Quran reminds us that an attribute of Iblis (satan) is that he lost hope. Do this
by focusing on small blessings in your life, and write them down.
28. Gods delays are not necessarily His denials. Maybe you have
to learn something before the adversity will be removed. List what
lessons you are learning from the current adversity and how it is
beneting your character.
Our response to a difculty or a problem can be to seek a distraction. Even with Ramadhan, we may seek activity, even sleep, so
that we do not have to feel the hunger or the thirst.
However, one can only really gain the full signicance of the month
by developing focus on the hunger and thirst and examining what
it is trying to teach us. Without doing so we may only get, as the
hadith says, ...nothing except hunger and thirst, and many people

who pray at night get nothing from it except wakefulness. (Darimi)

We should develop focus in every aspect of our lives in order to
extract the fullest benets.
29. Do a little bit more than you feel like doing or think you can do.
30. Remove distractions as much as possible. Identify what is a
negative drain on your focus and remove it. The removal may not
need to be permanent; just until it does not distract you as much.
31. Keep the objectives of your action in mind. If you are reading
the Quran set your objective for that Quran reading session rst.
32. Enlist the support of others to help you stay focused, bearing in
mind the Prophetic saying on choosing friends, A good friend and a
bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfumeseller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some
from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance.
As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very
least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace. (Bukhari and Muslim)
33. The breaking of the fast is a reward for the fasting person in this
world, with other reward in the Hereafter. Grant yourself positive
rewards when you have maintained your focus and achieved your
set goal.
The body is an amanah, a trust, from Allah. We cannot abuse it.
Fasting is actually benecial to a healthy person. Detoxication occurs as the liver, kidney, lungs, lymph glands and skin eliminate
or neutralise toxins. Fasting speeds up this process as the body
breaks down fats, however health needs to be maintained all year
round.
34. Think about the foods you eat. Fasting breaks down toxins, but
it is better not to put in the toxins in the rst place. Minimise fatty,
fried, and sugary foods.
35. Do some exercise. It does not have to be difcult and you do not
have to buy expensive equipment or a gym membership. A pair of
walking shoes and a pedometer will make sure you do 10,000 steps
a day 3,000 of which should be aerobic.
The Qur'an reminds us "Rivalry for worldly gain will distract you
until you visit your grave." (102:1-2) And the Prophet said, "If the
son of Adam were given a valley full of gold, he would love to have
a second one; and if he were given the second one, he would love
to have a third, for nothing lls the belly of Adams son except dust.
And Allah forgives he who repents to Him." (Bukhari)
Finding pleasure in people, events, nature and not in things, is a
way to deal with this weakness of human beings, and to nd true
contentment.
36. The mind is wired to work better when things are framed in the
positive, so whilst it is about wanting less and giving up things, frame
it mentally that it is about gaining MORE contentment.
Ultimately, there is no end to such a list, but making the spirit of
Ramadhan last the whole year is about YOU and your commitment
to WANTING that spirit to last the whole year.
It will take effort, courage, discipline, and fortitude but as these
are the characteristics which Ramadhan taught you, you can do it!

A former Roman Catholic, Sarah Joseph is the editor of the British

Muslim magazine EMEL

Saturday Lecture
Islam and Science
Br. Muhammad Abdallah
Sat. 02nd October 2010 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Jamia Multi Purpose Hall
3

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

The Friday Bulletin

WOMEN ISSUES

The Philosophy of the Prophet's marriages

In the early part of eighteenth century, the Christian writers started
with new tactics of attacking Islam. They aimed, through publications
full of lies and slanders, at diverting attention from the noble framework of Islam and degrading the exalted person of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (May peace be on him and his progeny).
It is not strange, therefore, to see them writing against the Prophet
of Islam, accusing him of lust because he had married a number of
wives, whilst other Muslims were restricted to a maximum of four at
a time.
Of course, by slandering the Prophet of Islam, they hoped to cause
a set-back in the fast progress of Islam. But these tactics did not succeed much. We nd a number of learned and fair-minded Christian
writers defending the Holy Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi was
sallam against such slanders, in apologetic language.
Undoubtedly these stories of slanders are totally unacceptable to
the Muslims, since part of their faith is to believe in the infallibility
(sinlessness) of all the Prophets.
But at the same time it is imperative to acquaint the non-Muslims
with the true facts.
Verdict of history:
Unbiased historians, both Muslims and Christians, are agreed that
the number of marriages contracted by the Prophet of Islam was not
as a result of lust or to satisfy the sexual desires. If this had been
the case, he would not have married the twice-widowed Khadijah,
40 years old, at the youthful age of 25 when one is full of emotion
and sexual urge.
Prophet Mubammad salallahu alayhi was sallam lived together with
his rst (and, at that time, only) wife, Khadijah, happily for 25 years
with great mutual affection, despite the fact that young and beautiful girls of Arabia were easily available to him and were keen to be
married to him. Not even once, during that period, did the Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him take another wife. Undoubtedly he
would have at least considered another younger wife simultaneously
with Khadijah if he ever suffered from lust and fondness of young
women, particularly when the country's customs wholly approved
unlimited marriages.
Critics Dumbfounded:
Let us look at the life history of the Prophet of Islam. During the
prime of his life, he remains satised with an aged and twice-widowed wife, and does not even think of another. Then during the last
ten years of his life, after passing the age of fty, in his old age, when
he is surrounded by various difcult problems of the newly-born Islamic State, he starts marrying a number of wives.
Why this phenomenon?
Was it not a difcult exercise and heavy burden to marry widows
and support their orphans? Was it easy for a perfectly dignied man
in the person of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to marry
women of different outlook, characters and tribes, including some of
much younger age who were still unaware of the full responsibilities
of life?
Let us ponder over the reply to these questions as given by a famous western historian, Thomas Carlyle in his book "Heroes and
Heroes Worship". He says in effect that contrary to what his enemies
accuse him, Muhammad was never lusty and sexualize and that it
was a slander only out of prejudice against him and this indeed is a
great injustice.
John Devenport says, "and it may then be asked, is it likely that
a very sensual man, of a country where polygamy was a common
practice, should be contented for ve-and-twenty years with one
wife, she being fteen years older than himself".
Let us examine the circumstances and conditions under which these
marriages had taken place. In principle, it can be stated that the marriages were contracted with one or more of the following objectives:
For the sake of caring for the orphans and looking after the poor
widows. These were some Muslim women who had earlier enjoyed

high dignity in the Arab society. But on the death of their husbands,
their status and even faith were in jeopardy, because their tribal
chiefs would take them back and compel them to renounce Islam,
thus converting them back to polytheism. For example, Sawdah
had migrated to Abyssinia where her husband died, and she became absolutely alone without helper. It was the time when the
Prophet Muhammad had lost Khadijah, his rst wife; so he married
Sawdah.
Likewise, Zaynab daughter of Khuzaymah, was an old-aged widow, who after the death of her husband was inicted with poverty,
despite her being amiable and being known as 'Ummul-Masakin'
(Mother of the poor). Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him married her to uphold her dignity and she died of old age only after two
years of that marriage.
For the sake of enacting a new law and eradicating injustice by the
ignorant tribes. For example, Zaynab bint-Jahsh was the daughter
of the Prophet's aunt. She was married, at the recommendation of
the Prophet, to Zayd ibn-Harithah, the freed slave and adopted son
of the Prophet. This marriage was contracted to eradicate the discrimination against slaves and poor and to emphasize the Islamic
equality and brotherhood, as Zaynab was from the family of Abd
al-Muttalib, the grandfather of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and the
Chief of Quraysh, whereas Zayd was a slave who was freed by the
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Unfortunately, Zaynab due to her family pride, did not get along
well with Zayd despite the Prophet's persuasions. The rift between
the two culminated into divorce. Meanwhile, the system of adoption of children was expressly forbidden by Allah. So, when Zayd
divorced Zaynab, the Prophet of Islam, at the express command of
God, married Zaynab; and, thus, put an end to the then prevalent
belief that adopted sons were like real sons and that wives or widows of adopted sons were like daughters-in-laws.
For the sake of freeing prisoners and slaves. For example, 'Juwayriyah' was from a prominent tribe of Banul-Mustalaq. In a war
against Islam this tribe was defeated; and Juwayriyah, the daughter
of their Chief, was held in captivity. Prophet Muhammad peace be
upon him married her to set an example of protection and good
treatment to prisoners of war.On seeing that the prisoners had become relatives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad by marriage, the
Muslims released all the prisoners of war held by them. According
to Ibn Hisham, over one hundred families of Banul-Mustalaq were
freed from captivity as a result of this marriage.
For the sake of uniting some prominent Arab tribes who often
were at logger heads with each other and to safeguard the internal political status of Islam. Prophet Muhammad married A'ishah
daughter of Abu Bakr Siddiq (rst caliph) from the tribe of Bani Taim,
Hafsah daughter of Omar ibn Al-Khattab (second caliph) from the
tribe of Adi, Umm-Habibah daughter of Abu Sufyan from the tribe of
Umayyah, Sayah daughter of Huyaiy bin Akhtab of the Jewish tribe
of Bani an-Nadhir, and Maymunah from the tribe of Bani Makhzum.
Umm-Habibah (i.e. Ramla) was daughter of Abu Sufyan of Bani
Umayyah who was the bitterest enemy of Prophet Muhammad and
had repeatedly fought against him. She, as a Muslim, was in great
distress since she was divorced from her original husband (who
had become a Christian in Abyssinia) and her father was a great
enemy of Islam. Seeing her deprived of every help from parent and
divorced from husband, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
married her in sympathy. This marriage also gave a chance to the
people of Bani Umayyah to soften their hearts for Islam.
Sayah was a widowed daughter of Huyaiy bin Akhtab, one of the
chiefs of Jewish tribe of Bani an-Nadhir. When the prisoners of this
tribe were released by the Muslims, Prophet Muhammad married
her in order to safeguard her status; and, thus, also linking himself
with one of the great Jewish tribes of that time, and paving the way
for them to come nearer to Islam.
Maymunah was 51 years of age and from a prominent tribe of Bani
Makhzum whom Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him married
continued on page 7

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

The Friday Bulletin

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Adjusting to University - An Islamic Perspective

"You are a walking example of Islam."
Waleed Kadous offers thoughtful insights into university
life and sound advice for Muslim students at this important transition period in their lives.

Mothers of the Believer

The wives of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam) are called the Mothers of the Believers,
may Allah be pleased with them, as a way of honouring
them and giving them a noble position.
Allah granted them the honour of being the Mothers
of the Believers, as He says
The Prophet is closer to the believers than their
own selves, and his wives are their (believers') mothers (as regards respect and marriage)}. As the wives
of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, were the
Mothers of the Believers, Allah prohibited them to
marry anyone after the death of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
The Mothers of the Believers, may Allah be pleased
with them, were the best Muslim women in piety and
righteousness. They supported the Prophet, sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam, during his lifetime and they shouldered the responsibility of calling people to Islam
and spreading the message, and teaching the Muslim
women the rulings of Islam.
There were eleven Mothers of the Believers. Two of
them died during the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam): Khadijah and Zainab Bint
Khuzaymah, may Allah be pleased with them. When
the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) died, he left
nine wives.
All of them were buried in Al-Baqee' in Madinah except Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was
buried in Makkah and Maymunah Bint Al-Harith, may
Allah be pleased with her, who was buried in Saraf
near Makkah.

University... The nal frontier. These are the voyages of the starship
"Education". Our continuing mission: To learn about the world, to
improve our Islam and, possibly, get a job.
Seriously, though, congratulations upon getting into university. This
is quite an achievement. If you didn't get in, then my commiserations; but do not forget that as Allah says: "It may be that you do
not like something but it is good for you; and it may be that you like
something but it is bad for you." So trust in Allah and you will never
go astray.
An important thing to consider is what is different about university,
and what being a Muslim at a university means and involves. For
those who haven't been to University, it's a great place, but probably
different to what you're used to. It is about as similar to school as a
tricycle is to a tractor.
Differences from school
The most obvious difference is size in every way. It's not only physically much larger (a bonus for those who like to walk), but also has
many, many more students; a typical school might have one thousand students, a typical university might have twenty thousand.
The second obvious difference is in the teaching style. At school, you
are usually spoon-fed knowledge in small groups and they mark the
roll in each class. Not at University. Most lecturers don't care if you
attend their lectures or not; and they don't say "Copy this from the
board into your exercise books", it's more likely that they will put up
a slide and you can copy it if you feel it is relevant. As for class sizes,
certain lectures in popular courses can be attended by as many as
1500 people. Don't expect a lot of personal attention.
The third obvious difference is in the student body. While school may
be an environment which emphasises making everyone behave in a
similar manner (for example by making everyone wear the same uniform); university is almost the opposite, where being different is the
norm (as contradictory as it sounds!!). There are no uniforms, and
provided you act within the bounds of common sense and common
courtesy, people do not really care that much about what you do. Or
perhaps they do care, but they're probably not going to harass you
for being different; they're more likely to support you.
So what impact do these differences have?
What are the implications of the above, especially in the context of a
Muslim going to University?
Because Universities are much larger, this means that they typically
support a wider range of interest groups, hobbies and so on. There
are usually a huge variety of clubs and societies on campus - from
those related to political parties, to religious groups, to sports clubs
and food clubs.
This means it is a lot easier to nd people with the same interests as
you. Hopefully one of your "interests" is Islam. All the large Universities have Muslims student associations. Some even have a room for
prayer; perhaps even a library or an ofce. They vary in size, from as
little as 10 to as many as 400. All are dedicated to Islam.
Because nobody's looking over your shoulder, checking that you've
been doing your homework and attending lectures, it means that you
have to depend on yourself a lot more. It's no longer good enough
to coast along. You need to motivate yourself. This sounds like it is
trivial, but I've seen many rst years make a pretty big mess of it
because of this. People who used to be the top of their schools get
marks in the low 50's and in some cases, fail. So, be aware of this;
don't get caught out!
Finally, because of the wide variety of different ideas at University, it
is easier to be an individual. This has its pros and cons as you would
expect; it means you have the opportunity to be a better person and
get involved in a variety of benecial activities, but at the same time,
it may mean you waste your time. There are so many things that you
can do that at the beginning you just want to do it all! Also, it can lead
to you being caught in the activities of groups that may lead you to
things that you might later regret.

Children of the Prophet

The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, married
Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid, may Allaah be pleased with
her, when he was twenty-ve years old, fteen years
before prophethood. She was the best of all women
in terms of her excellent morals, manners, and appreciation of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.
She led an elegant and happy life with the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and she gave birth to
four girls and two boys. The boys were Qasim and
`Abdullah who by Allah's Will died young one after
the other.
As for the girls, they lived in an honorable house and
had a happy childhood with a kind father and a noble
mother. They all married excellent husbands. Three
of them died during the lifetime of the Prophet,
sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, and the fourth died six
months after his death. Three of them had children.
They girls are Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and
Fatimah Az-Zahraa'.
He also had another son, Ibrahim whose mother was
Maaryah al Qibtiyyah, but like his other sons, he also
died in childhood.
5

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

The Friday Bulletin

OPINION
Dr Jamal Badawi

Relations with Non-Muslims

Humanity lives today in a global village, where no people or nation

can live in isolation from and indifferent to what goes on elsewhere.
Our world is so interdependent and so interrelated that peaceful dialogue has become an imperative.
Quranic Foundations of Muslim/Non-Muslim Relations
It should be noted from the beginning that the very term Islam implies
that peace is the basis and the norm of Muslim/non-Muslim relations.
Islam is derived from the Arabic root S-L-M, whose generic meaning includes the concepts of peace and submission. From a spiritual
perspective, Islam may be dened as attaining peace through submission to Allah or the state of peace in submission to Allah. Ample references in the Quran and Hadith reveal that this concept of
peace embraces peace with God, inner peace as a result of that
relationship with God, peace with humans, peace with the animal
world, peace with vegetation, and peace with the ecological order.
The Quran describes the human as the trustee of Allah on earth.
Allah created everything on earth and in the heavens for the benet
of the human race. Sanctity of human life is afrmed in the Quran
Nor take life, which Allah has made sacred, except for just cause
(Al-Israa 17:33). The Quran conrms Gods revelation to previous
prophets that [If anyone slays a human being, unless it be (punishment) for murder, or for spreading mischief on earth, it shall be as
though he had slain all humankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life,
it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all humankind. (AlMaidah 5:32). Beyond sanctity of life, in the Quran we read Indeed,
We (Allah) have conferred dignity on the children of Adam (Al-Israa
17:70). It is noted that this verse is inclusive of all humans, irrespective of their religion or even their belief in God.
Universal justice: The Arabic term for justice is adl, meaning to be
in a state of equilibrium, to be balanced. That balance is inherent
in the cosmic order and ecology as much as it is inherent in spiritual and ethical values. The Quran warns against disturbing that
balance. Within that broad context, we can examine the concept of
justice as it relates to human relationships based on Islams primary
sources. Briey, that concept has the following characteristics:
Justice is not mere political correctness or something to be pursued exclusively, for worldly gain. For the believer, it is a divine command.
Justice is at the heart of prophetic teachings.
Justice is a universal concept that should be observed without nepotism, even with the enemy:
O you who believe! Stand out for justice, as witnesses to Allah, and
even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor. (An-Nisaa 4:135)
O you who believe! Stand out rmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair
dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to
wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety and fear
Allah, for Allah is well acquainted with all that you do. (Al-Maidah
5:8)
Universal human brotherhood: Addressing the entire human race,
the Quran states,
O humankind! We (Allah) have created you from a single (pair) of
a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes, so
that you may come to know one another. Verily, the most honored of
you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous (or Allah-conscious) of
you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Al-Hujurat 49:13)
It must be noted that this verse does not address Muslims exclusively, but begins with the inclusive address O humankind, an address that embraces all. It reminds humanity that they belong to one
family with the same set of parents, albeit a diverse family. This is a
reminder that diversity in unity and unity within diversity are possible.
Humanity is like a bouquet of owers in which each ower is beautiful in its own right, yet, the combination of all owers and the rich
diversity of their colors is more beautiful. This sweeping statement in
the Quran about broad human brotherhood is a profound basis for
peace for and among all.
Universal peaceful coexistence: The basic rule governing the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims is that of peaceful coexistence, justice and compassion. The following two verses are key
verses that embody that general rule:
[As for such (non-Muslims) who do not ght you on account of (your)

faith, or drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid
you to show them kindness (also love and respect) and to deal with
them with equity, for God loves those who act equitably. God only
forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as ght against you
because of (your) faith and drive you forth from your homelands or
aid (others) in driving you forth. As for those from among you who
turn towards them for alliance, it is they who are wrongdoers.] (AlMumtahanah 60:8-9)
This verse makes it a Muslims duty to treat peacefully coexisting
persons with equity (qist) and birr. The term birr and its derivatives
are the same expressions used in the Quran and Hadith to refer
to ones relationship with his or her parents. Such a relationship is
more than kindness, since it includes also love and respect.
Peaceful dialogue, especially with the People of the Book: All of the
above nine principles apply to all non-Muslims. The Quran accords
the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) a special position.
The very term to designate them distinguishes them from others
such as idolatrous Arabs (Al-Bayyinah 98:1). It is a complimentary
title as it acknowledges that, like Muslims, their faiths are based
on revealed books or scriptures. In its family and dietary laws, the
Quran gives a special consideration to the People of the Book. For
example, a Muslim male may marry a believing Jewish or Christian
woman (Al-Maidah 5:5). The Quran exhorts Muslims to engage in
peaceful dialogue with Jews and Christians:
Say (O Muhammad), O People of the Book! Come to a common
term which we and you hold in common: that we shall worship none
but Allah, and that we shall not ascribe divinity to none beside Him,
and that we shall not take human beings for our lord beside Allah,
and if they turn away, then say: bear witness that we submit ourselves unto Him. (Aal `Imran 3:64)
Dr. Jamal Badawi is the director of the Islamic Information Foundation, Halifax, Canada and a Professor from St. Marys University,
Halifax Canada.

Friday Bulletin Mail Bag

Judge defends new Bill of Rights

A High Court judge faulted President Kibaki over renditions to
Uganda, and in the process, blocked Kenyan security from sending yet another victim of the Abuse of Law to Uganda !
Let us say a rousing Hip, Hip Hooray for Tuesday, September
28, 2010 for it is sure to go down as a historic day in Kenya's
judicial history. It is the day when the new Constitution took real
meaning for Kenyans for the rst time, for it is the day when the
Bill of Rights became "armed to the teeth" in the protection of the
rights of Muslims to be judged in open court, not prejudged by
extra-judicial police.
This is the day when Muslims can turn and look back as the day
when they ceased to live beyond the pale of the law, and brought
within its protective threshold. Our dying faith in the Kenyan System has been snatched back, from the jaws of death, in the nick
of time.
We are not yet where we ought to be: we want to stop living
as second-class citizens in our own country. We want an end to
renditions - the most horric application of an oppressive piece of
stillborn legislation: the catch-all Anti-Terrorism Bill.
Today, we have reason to smile. We have every right to rejoice.
Stand up Human Rights Commissioner Hassan Omar and hold
your head high, for your valiant forum against renditions last Friday was vindicated in our High Court today. The insults of yesterday's scumbag newspaper fade into oblivion. As they say, sticks
and stones might break your bones, but words will never do so.
To the enemies of human freedom and human rights, let today's
court ruling serve as a warning: Muslim human rights are no longer paperweight; they are for real.
MOHAMMED WARSAMA
MOMBASA

Shawwal 22 1431/October 01 2010

The Friday Bulletin

NATIONAL NEWS

Muranga micro projects receive

Sh 1.4 M nancial boost

Muslims losing faith in new law

continued from page 1
without any reason, he said during his lecture at Jamia Mosque
last week.
Even criminals are accorded their rights but for Muslims this appears not the case, he added.Sheikh Abdullatif accused the security agents of resorting to deceit and propaganda to justify their
illegal actions saying they were underestimating the intelligence of
Kenyans. They are illegally arresting people and concorting lies in
the media to justify their illegal actions. They should understand that
Kenyans are above such syndromes, he said. He said the move by
the government to ship its citizens to face trial in foreign countries
was a mockery of the countrys justice system adding that there was
no need for the local courts if the government felt they would not be
in a position to provide justice to Kenyans.
The Sheikh went on to advice Muslims who are colluding with the
security services to further the culture of oppression to desist from
the acts as this was against Islamic teachings. "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales. Do not look for other's
faults. Do not spy one another, he said quoting a tradition of the
Prophet peace be upon him.

Small scale enterprises Muranga district were beneciaries of

Sh.1.4 million micro-nance scheme put in place to improve economic standards of the people.
The programme which is being implemented as a pilot project by
Uwezo Foundation nancially supports micro nance projects and
its eventual success will see the programme rolled out to other parts
of the country.
I urge the beneciaries of this programme to ensure that they maximise on the loan provided to create income generating businesses
and improve on their economic standards and better their lives,
said Shaban Juma, the foundations Secretary.
The Foundation Chairman Abdallah Ndope told Muslims to fulll
their obligation of paying Zakat saying that it was an effective tool to
economically uplift Muslims from the yokes of economic hardship.
He called for care to the underprivileged members of the society
saying that it was a religious obligation to address pertinent challenges facing the community like education, diseases and poverty
so as to contribute to the growth of the Muslim society.
The National Muslims Leaders Forum (NAMLEF) Vice Chairman
Yusuf Murigu advised Muslims to embrace the Islamic culture and
positively change their attitude for the betterment of the society.
Nowadays our culture has become strange even to us because we
have embraced other peoples ways of life, we should live in accordance with the Islamic principles to ensure success of the society at
large, he said.
He called on the Muslims not to blame others for some of the societal problems they face but should try to nd the solutions for the
problems to improve on the lives of the people.
Nine self help groups in Mjini area beneted from the loan facility
which has so far seen more than Sh1.7 million disbursed since the
inception of the project three months ago.
Uwezo Foundation is a partnership between the National Muslim
Leaders Forum (NAMLEF) and Islamic Dawah Group (IDG).

The Prophet's marriages

continued from page 4
in the year 7 after Hijrah.
The above marital history of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon
him clearly shows the noble aim and objectives for which he married a number of wives. It is not difcult to see that none of these
marriages was for personal satisfaction. Also, it is important to remember that all of these marriages, except that with A'ishah bint
Abu Bakr Siddiq, were contracted with women who were widowed
not only once, but often twice or thrice.

IDB Educa
on Trust-Kenya P. O Box 45163-00100 Nairobi Kenya

Tel: +254 20 2243109/ 2216963
Email: info@supkem.or.ke or ncep@supkem.or.ke

LIBKEN AGENCIES
COMPANY LIMITED

For the Best hajj and Umrah of the year 2010/1431 AH

Take this opportunity and travel with people with over 6 years of
experience
Our group consists of good and experienced guides, doctors,
nurses and Sheikhs to help and teach you more about the Hajj
and Umrah and how to perform it to help you have Hajj and Umrah Maqbul (Inshallah)
We also offer B class and C services and Mina and Arafa depending on a persons choice

IDB GRADUATES
IDB Education Trust-Kenya is a trust established in
Kenya whose main objective is to receive the repayments of the interest free loan (qard hasan) from IDB
Graduates and reutilize it for other needy and deserving students.
In order to sustain the revolving fund, notice is hereby
given to the IDB graduates within the years (19832006) who have not commenced payments and those
defaulting to contact the Secretariat and/or the undersigned with a proposal for payment.

Departure 9th November 2010

Return 29th November 2010

Our Unique Feature

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Luxury furnished tents and 24 hr buet at Mina

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20 litre package of Zamzam water provided to the pilgrims

Hajj CD provided to the pilgrims

Assistance for the pilgrims during tawaf who need special
care such as the elderly and disabled

Please be adviced that we have been duly instructed

to commence Legal Action in recovery of the payments within 30 calendar days from the date of publication of this notice.

E. Wafula and Associates

Advocate for The Trust
Drawn By
E. Wafula and Associates Advocates
Sonalus House 8th Floor
Moi Avenue
P. O. Box 62158-00200
Nairobi
Tel +254 20 2242152
+254 8089400
Email: ewafulaadvocates@gmail.com

Please book early to avoid last minute rush an any inconveniences

Contact Amin Suleiman

LIBKEN AGENICES COMPANY LIMITED

Kigali Road, Jamia Plaza 2nd oor
P. O. Box 20637-00100 Nairobi Cell: +254 722 712 850,
+254 733 712 850 Tel: 020 2072800/08. Fax +254 20 2221191
Email: ahussein@libken.co.ke, libken@hotmail.co.uk
Website www.linken.co.ke

EXPECTATIONS OF THE ONE

SHILLING FOUNDATION


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Over ten years ago, it wasnt unusual to see

Muslims around the country requesting for nancial aid from other Muslims abroad in order to build Mosques, Madaris and so on. In
the spirit of Islamic brotherhood, the response
they got was great. Mosques were built, Madaris were built, schools were built, the youth
were sponsored to schools and colleges,
drought stricken and ood hit communities
were supplied with relief aid.
The spirit of brotherhood, like it was in Madinah, was evident. But today, things are different. The spirit of brotherhood has not disappeared, but there has been some meddling by
outside forces that prevents Muslims to enjoy
this brotherhood privilege from abroad. We
cannot cry a river about it, though. We have
to move on.
The One Shilling Foundation has a very big
role to play in the community. It has the responsibility of inculcating the culture of generosity and self dependence among the Ummah
in Kenya. What each Muslim needs to do is
to subscribe to the One Shilling Foundation a
lonely shilling per day that will make up a total
of KSh 30 a month or a total of KSh 360 a
year.
As soon as Muslims get fully committed to this
culture and donate the lonely one shilling per
day to this noble kitty, we shall be able to construct our own national hospitals and no longer be subjected to traditions that we abhor.
We shall construct our own national universities and colleges and no longer learn outside
the classroom windows while our counterparts
are learning inside the classrooms. Our children shall learn in our own national high level
schools and no longer below the shades of
trees using stone-age-like wooden boards,
Inshaallah.
It is therefore, the expectation of the One Shilling Foundation that such a brilliant and noble
idea will be appreciated and embraced by all
so that we can build a strong future, at par with
the rest of the country. Contact us through the
following addresses
One Shilling Foundation
Village plaza,Ngara Road
Block A,Suite A3,
P.O. Box 58717-00200, Nairobi
Tel: 0717 613 333/ 0732 613 333
Email: info@oneshillingfoundation.org
Web: www.oneshillingofoundation.org

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 Colour Magic Production Ltd-Kirinyaga Crescent P. O. Box 9581-00100 Nairobi