The

Friday Bulletin
The Weekly Muslim News Update

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

Issue No. 395

Saitoti told to
explain renditions

Ibrahim Bakari the headteacher of Muslim Academy hands over a certicate to a pre-primary pupil of Mauladad Nursery School during the graduation ceremony on Wednesday.

Join the war on Poverty, Leaders told

Muslim leaders have been told to come up with modalities to address the rising
poverty levels in the community.
This call was made by the director of the Jamia Mosque Information centre
Sheikh Juma Amir who reminded the leaders that it was part of their obligations to address issues of social concern affecting Muslims.
In his Friday sermon last week, Sheikh Juma said adequate programmes are
vital in the efforts to reduce the problem of poverty. He noted that many Muslims had for decades continued to live in squalid and poor living conditions
and no plans were coming fourth from the Muslim leadership to address this
problem. Majengos have become synonymous with poverty and poor living
Story continued On Page 2

This Week

Editorial
Da'wa

Women

Drug war will be won by actions not

P2

Life after Hajj

Issues Domestic violence hurts Muslims

P3
P4

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya

chapter is threatening to take legal action against the Internal Security minister for failing to disclose information
on the illegal renditions of Kenyans to Uganda.
In a letter to the minister, a copy of which was availed to
The Friday Bulletin, ICJ termed the ministers silence as
a continued violation of Articles 35 and 73 of the constitution of Kenya. 2010.
The commission which is acting on behalf of the Kenya
Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said the minister,
who oversees the police docket which was blamed for
the rendition, is mandated under the constitution to provide information on the circumstances which led to the
illegal transfer of Kenyan citizens to Uganda.
The families continue to suffer anxiety and torment about
the lack of any or coherent information on the forced removal of their loved owns from Kenya to Uganda without
due process of the law being followed, the letter signed
by Executive Director George Kegoro said.
Eary this month, the Kenya Human Rights Commission
petitioned the minister to divulge information regarding
how seven Kenyan citizens were renditioned to Uganda
in clear disregard of the countrys laws. The seven are
Christopher (Idris) Magondu, Muhammad Adan Abdow,
Husein Hassan Agade, Muhammad Hamid Suleiman,
Yahyah Suleiman Mbuthia, Habib Suleiman Njoroge and
Omar Awadh Omar.
The International Commission of Jurists gave Saitoto
a ve-day notice to make the information known to the
public failure to which the legal body will petition the High
court to seek orders compelling the minister to produce
the information.
Meanwhile, a Ugandan magistrate court on Wednesday rejected an application to grant bail to the Kenyans
who are accused of involvement in the July attack in the
capital Kampala. The Kenyans who include human rights
campaigner Al Amin Kimathi had applied to be granted
bail pending hearing of their case. The matter will come
up for hearing on December 3.
The detainees are set to appear in court today in a constitutional application which is challenging their detention.
The Kenyans contend that their detention in Uganda is
illegal as their transfer went against established extradition agreement between Kenya and Uganda.
While the suspects who number 13 are accused of involvement in the deadly attack which left more than 70
Story continued On Page 7

Youth and Children

Feature

www.islamkenya.com

Youth and sex education

P5

Prohibition of gambling

P6

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

The Friday Bulletin

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

EDITORIAL

Drug war will be won by actions not rhetoric

Assertions from the Prime Minister Raila Odinga about a growing
and dangerous drug problem in the country have only conrmed
facts that the government was clearly in the picture about the perils of the drug trade in the country.
The Prime Ministers remarks in Parliament also conrmed that
the country is under siege by powerful drug barons who have links
to senior government ofcials.
Regrettably, while the Prime Minister admitted that the issue was
of great concern to the government and the nation at large, he
failed to give a rm reassurance that strong concrete measures
will be put in place to check this dangerous trend which has led
to the destruction of the lives of thousands of youth mainly in the
coast region.
Drug addiction is rife at the Coast and estimates suggest that more
than 50,000 youths are hooked to hard drugs like cocaine, heroin
and marijuana. Many have been turned into zombies and have
had their productive lives made worthless due the consumption of
the drugs which are easily available on the streets of Mombasa,
Malindi and Lamu.
Kenyan highways, the sea port of Mombasa and the long porous
coastline have served as the perfect conduits for drugs into the
country.
While cohorts working in collusion with senior government ofcials have amassed a considerable amount of wealth through
this trade, they have knowingly continued to devastate the lives of
many innocent youths who have been addicted to the drugs.
But even after angry tones have emanated from Coast leaders
about the dangerous effects the drugs were having on the population, the lack of a rm government commitment to tame this vice
has betrayed the promises that it has what it takes to combat drug
trafcking.
On many occasions, the leaders have petitioned the authorities
to take rm action on the drug barons who are mainly responsible
for this carnage but the police have seldom acted on this matter.
Even after the names of some of the prominent drug peddlers
have been made public, the police rarely acted giving rise to suggestions that some sections in the security circles are wiling par-

ticipants in this evil scheme.

It also begets the question as to why should the government now
appear to be in an overdrive to respond to the drug war after the
matter was reignited by a visa ban against prominent personalities. This is a betrayal of the efforts of the community leaders in
the coast region who for decades have been in the forefront in the
war on drugs.
It is high time that the government takes a very strong and robust
approach towards the war on drugs. Kenyans have heard enough
of the pledges and what they expect now is a rm practical commitment that those involved in this trade will be taken as hardcore
criminals and dealt with accordingly.
The war should not spare anyone and need to start at the doorsteps of the drug barons notwithstanding the position they hold in
the government.
The Prime Minister has admitted that the American envoy has
forwarded the names of the suspected drug kingpins to a government agency the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) and
through this, Kenyans demand to know those who were incriminated and this has to be followed by appropriate legal action.
The government must also act on the dossier from the Imenti MP
Gitobu Imanyara which gave graphic details of importation of a
consignment of drugs into the country with the alleged involvement of some senior individuals in the police force.
Setting up another police unit to combat the problem will not help
matters either if those involved in the war against narcotics do not
receive adequate support from the government. The Anti-narcotics police unit failed in its duties simply because it was a simply a
public relations exercise and the same will follow the new unit.
The drug problem in the country can now aptly be described as a
national disaster and the war against this vice should be taken as
important just like the campaign on HIV/AIDS or terrorism.
The youth are the future generations and the authorities need not
to look the other way as they are silently being ravaged by the
killer drugs. The war on drugs can successfully be fought if the
government follows up its pledges with action and not rhetoric.

Take advantage of the Youth fund, minister says

Youths have been adviced to take advantage of the opportunities
provided by the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) to
uplift their economic welfare.
Sports and Youth Affairs minister, Paul Otuoma told the young people to apply for the nancial support from the Youth Fund which
was initiated with a view of improving on their lives and ensuring
that they become productive members of the society.
He however, regretted that many youths are yet to take make steps
to benet from YEDF programmes which have left many young
people still wallowing in unemployment and poverty.
If the government gives you an opportunity as a youth and you are
not taking advantage of it, you will remain to blame, he said while
opining the Western Youth Market Fair in Bungoma.
He said the government through the Fund is focused on creating
more business opportunities for the youth and strongly encouraged
them to take advantage of the nancial opportunities offered by the
Youth fund.
He said under the programme, the government has assisted hundreds of youth to achieve their potential through micro-nance
loans which have been used in setting up economic ventures.
The Youth Enterprise Fund has also trained several entrepreneurs
and is working further with the public and private sector to provide
more opportunities.
Among its nancial partners is the First Community Bank which

is mandated to channel funds to Muslim youths though a Shariah

compliant nancial programme which does not levy interest on the
loans.

Join the war on poverty

Story From Page 1
conditions and there is need for viable programmes to change this
situation, he said referring to the informal slums found in major
towns in the country which are mainly inhabited by Muslims.
Sheikh Juma said notwithstanding the positive role the leaders
have played in the soceity, it was equally important for them to also
contribute in lessening the rising incidences of poverty levels in the
community.
He said while other communities in partnership with the government
and other agencies had come up with various measures to reduce
this problem, little was being done among Muslims to address the
rising incidences of poverty in the community.
The Sheikh said poverty was a precursor to crimes and said tacking
this problem will also contribute to reduce this social vice.
He particularly called for viable programmes to economically empower youth saying that it is a step forward in enhancing the lives of
the young people. We need to support our young people by opening for them viable small scale business ventures which can help
them improve on their lives, he said.

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA

Life after Haj.. What change it means?

Dr. Fiaz Maqbool
preserve this pure state as best they can. Eminent religious scholars have suggested for enhancing our Iman (faith) after Hajj few tips
to help them achieve this:
1. Try to be consistent in dhikr (remembrance of Allah), for dhikr
helps us to come closer to the Lord and repels Shaytan.
2. Remain steadfast in performing salah (ritual prayers) and other
religious duties.
3. Read and ponder the Qur'an on a daily basis.
4. Keep company with righteous Muslims.
5. Occupy time in good deeds as much as possible.
6. Keep away from the haram (forbidden) because after Hajj a person should start a new life that is supposed to be clean.
7. Carry the message of Islam by inviting people to it and showing
a good example.
8. Pray to Allah to make your heart steadfast in obeying Him in the
manner of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The new Hajji should be very keen to avoid evil and shameful
deeds especially after Allah has obliterated them and forgave all his
sins, as a reward of performing Hajj. This is based on the hadith in
which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, The
reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing but
Paradise. He also said, "(The performance of) `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous one. There
are many acts of Hajj whose signicance cannot be conceived by
mans limited intellectual powers. A Muslim, however accepts these
acts and fullls them out of his obedience and surrender to Almighty
Allah. All these endless questions may intrigue ones mind but the
clear fact is that their answers are beyond mans limited faculty, and
only what he is required to say is: I hear and obey Your Command,
O Allah! Yours is to order and mine is to obey.
Therefore, it behooves every Hajji to forward due gratitude to Allah
for being chosen to perform those acts of worship and, at the same
time, to beseech Him for acceptance. The advice for such a person, upon returning home, to be conscious of Allah (Gloried and
Exalted be He) when performing all what Allah has obligated him to
do of the other worships such as Salah (prayers), Zakah, fasting,
dutifulness to his parents, visiting kith and kin, being charitable and
benevolent to Allahs creatures, experiencing the etiquettes of Islam, taking the morals of the Quran as a model and the like of what
the Muslim should do.
Hajj is considered an honor and a blessing. It entails responsibility
on which man will be asked concerning on the day of judgment in
case he misbehaves after returning from Hajj. Almighty Allah says,
(Lo! Allah enjoineth justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk,
and forbiddeth lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhorteth you in order that ye may take heed. Fulll the covenant of
Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the
asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you.
Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.) (An-Nahl: 90-91).The epitome of this
is that this worship (Hajj) is obligated once in a lifetime. No doubt,
Hajj is a golden opportunity to have ones sins forgiven, ones soul
rened, and ones heart lled with Iman and tranquility. The pilgrim
will make use of this for the rest of his life, reminiscing about the
sacred places and all rituals (of Hajj), for that will strengthen his faith
and help him to obey Allah. The one who performs Hajj is supposed
to be a role model for others after returning.

Allah the Exalted One, Says, "The rst house of worship appointed
for men was that at Bakka(Bakka is one of the names of Makkah),
full of blessings and guidance for all kinds of beings, in it are signs
manifest (for example) the station of Ibrahim-whoever enters it attains security ,pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah-those
who can afford the journey, but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in
need of any of his
Creatures."(Qur,an:3;96-97).
Hajj is Islam's fth principle. The lexical meaning of hajj is 'to mean,
to do, to wish.'. How fortunate are the souls that are blessed with
the following words from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam:
"Whoever performs Hajj for the Pleasure of Allah and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it
(free from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him."
(Bukhari and Muslim). "Verily there shall be no reward for a Mabroor
Hajj except Jannah." (Bukhari and Muslim).
Hajj is a preparation for our mission of Islam because the pilgrim
starts his or her Hajj with repeating the slogan of labayk, which
means I am here to listen and obey. The Hajj training is supposed
to train us to carry this mission of Islam when we are back. Unfortunately many of us have witnessed actions and celebrations after Hajj which are in total contradiction to the philosophy of Hajj.
Religious scholars throughout the world have cautioned against
these practices. Those whom Allah has favored to perform Hajj and
`Umrah should be thankful to Allah (gloried and exalted be He)
Who has chosen them from among His servants to perform these
acts of worship, and they should implore Almighty Allah to accept
their good deeds. It is hoped that all the pilgrims were sincere in
their intentions and had traveled great distances only to secure the
Pleasure of Allah by fullling the obligation laid down upon them.
Nevertheless, it is worth drawing the attention of the pilgrims towards certain points that are necessary and of utmost importance
to observe and for which many pilgrims are seen neglectful of their
signicance.
Firstly the sincerity of intention should remain even after the performance of Hajj. There should be no pomp or show. One should
not wish to be called or recognized as a Hajji, which with time unfortunately has been reduced to status symbol. Many people adopt the
habit of talking frequently about their journey in order that people
may come to know of their Hajj. They talk about the expenses incurred in the way of Allah, their charity amongst the poor and needy,
their devotion and worship, their assisting the weak and old, etc.
This is a deceit from Shaytaan who ruins the acts of worship without
the person even knowing. It is therefore of great importance that the
pilgrim does not talk about his Hajj without necessity as it may lead
to 'riyaa' (exhibitionism, show, insincerity). If necessity, however,
arises and one must talk about his Hajj then he is at liberty to do so.
But, he must not indulge in this type of conversation unnecessarily.
The hadith that explains that the sign of a 'mabroor Hajj, or an accepted Hajj, is that upon one's return, his life changes from worst
to good. The sign of an accepted Hajj a Hajj mabrooris that a
person after Hajj becomes more caring about the hereafter and less
interested in the pleasures of this life. He becomes totally punctual
in fullling the commands of Allah. Therefore, it is essential that the
pilgrim is watchful over his actions and should try his utmost to instill in himself good characters and refrain from all types of evil. He
should try his best to fulll the obligations laid down by Allah and
avoid all the things forbidden by Him. The pilgrims, after they return
from the Sacred Land, should strive to keep their minds and souls
attached to Allah, remembering Him constantly because Almighty
Allah says, And when ye have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or with a more lively
remembrance (Al-Baqarah: 200)
Hajj ,as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the
hadith, puries sins and makes a person like a newborn and thus
closer to Allah. It is therefore important for Hajjis to try their best to

Saturday Lecture
Islam and Reverts
Sheikh Juma Amir
Sat. 28th November 2010 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Jamia Multi Purpose Hall
3

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

The Friday Bulletin

WOMEN ISSUES

Domestic Violence Hurts Muslims Too: Stop the Hurt Now

Dr. Aneesah Nadhir
Globally, three to four million women are beaten annually and every
15 seconds a woman is abused in her home. Nationally, domestic violence has become the number one cause of death among
women.
One reaction may be, "that's a tragedy that doesn't affect Muslim
families". But it does.
Muslim women, children and men are being affected by this devastating social problem.
Spouse abuse is described as "a pattern of purposeful behaviors,
directed at achieving compliance from or control over the victim."
A pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors, including physical,
sexual, and psychological attacks, as well as economic coercion
characterizes spousal abuse.
Physical violence may lead to broken bones, head injury, vision
loss, and death. Among victims, emotional abuse leads to a broken
spirit and feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and oppression.
Domestic abuse knows no boundaries. It occurs among well known
and little known community members, the rich, the poor, the welleducated and uneducated, all cultures, racial and ethnic groups.
The signs include controlling behavior, isolation, uncontrolled anger, unexplained bruises, patterns of irrational thinking and victim
blaming, intimidation; "joking" about taking another wife, name calling and remarks that degrade the victim's self esteem. Domestic
violence is cyclical, from explosion to remorse to explosion. Women
and men are victims. Often one spouse inicts abuse on another but
both spouses may also hurt each other.
Children in these families are our most vulnerable victims. The majority of battered women have children who are hurt physically and
emotionally by the violence in their homes. More than half the children whose mothers are battered are likely to be physically abused
themselves.
Domestic abuse also occurs during pregnancy and can severely
impact the unborn child. When children are raised in violent homes
they usually grow up to perpetuate the cycle of violence in their
families.
Violence against women is not an Islamic tradition. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed Muslims
regarding women, "I command you to be kind to women." He said
also, "The best of you is the best to his family (wife). The Quran
urges husbands to be kind and considerate to their wives, even if
a wife falls out of favour with her husband or disinclination for her
arises within him. It also outlawed the pre-Islamic practice of inheriting women as part of the estate of the deceased.
A translation of Quran says, "O you who believe! You are forbidden
to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with
harshness, that you may take away part of the marital gift you have
given them, except when they have been guilty of open lewdness;
on the contrary, live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If
you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike a thing through
which Allah brings about a great deal of good. (Quran 4:19)"
Dr. Jamal Badawi, author of Gender Equity in Islam, discusses
Chapter 4, verse 34 of the Quran which is often used to justify maltreatment of women. He indicates, "under no circumstances does
the Quran encourage, allow, or condone family violence or physical
abuse. In extreme cases, and whenever greater harm, such as divorce, is a likely option, in an effort to save the marriage it allows for
a husband to administer a gentle pat with a miswak (a small natural
toothbrush) to his wife that causes no sort of physical harm to the
body nor leaves any sort of mark. It may serve, in some cases, to
bring to the wife's attention the seriousness of her continued unreasonable behavior, and may be resorted to only after exhausting
other prerequisite steps".
Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Do not beat

the female servants of Allah;" "Some (women) visited my family complaining about their husbands (beating them). These (husbands) are not the best of you" and "[is it not a shame that] one
of you beats his wife like [an unscrupulous person] beats a slave
and maybe sleeps with her at the end of the day." (Riyadh Al-Saliheeen,). In another Hadith the Prophet said, "...How does anyone
of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion camel and then he may
embrace (sleep with) her?..."(Sahih Al-Bukhari).
Domestic violence is preventable by building our Iman (faith), remembering and implementing the commands of Allah and the example of His Prophet. Marriage preparation education and premarital counseling can help future spouses learn skills that will assist
them in developing a healthy, violence-free family life.
Anger management, communication skills, stress management,
decision making and problem solving skills are also very important
life skills that can help to prevent domestic violence. Throughout
the year Khutbas (sermons) should also focus on Islamic ways to
prevent family violence.
As Imams, community leaders, brothers and sisters we can not be
tolerant of family violence on any level. This is a problem that will
not be eliminated unless we act. We must recognize the signs of
spouse abuse and act to prevent it or work towards its elimination.
We must stop encouraging the marriage of individuals with a family history of domestic abuse which has not been resolved through
counseling and sincere repentance to Allah. We must encourage
couples to seek spiritual and professional help.
Islamic Social Services are needed to provide preventive education, support and crisis intervention to victims of domestic abuse.
Insha Allah (God willing) we must become partners against domestic violence. Spread the word. Stop the hurt.

The Friday Bulletin Kitchen

Black Forest Chocolate
Ingredients
225 gms all-purpose flour
400 gms Sweetened Condensed Milk
2-3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cooking Soda
125 gms Butter
200 ml Aerated Cola Drink
A pinch of Salt

125gms Dairy Milk

Chocolate
250 gms Fresh Whipped
Cream
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method
Place a thick bottomed pan on very low flame and melt butter in it.
Remove from the flame and let the butter cool.
Add condensed milk and mix well.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cooking soda and salt
together. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
Grease a baking tray with little butter.
Dust it with flour and keep it aside.
Take a pan with little butter and put the flour mixture with the condensed
milk-butter mixture.
Now add aerated cola and mix it well.
Pour the batter into the greased baking tray and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 175 degrees C (350 degree f.)
When it is done, let it cool and then slit it horizontally into two. Whip the
cream till light and fluffy.
Top with whipped cream
Grate dairy milk chocolate bar and sprinkle over the cake.
Serve it chilled.
Share your favourite recipes with our readers. Send them to P. O. Box 10078600100 or email:fridaybulletin@islamkenya.com or fridaybulletin@gmail.com

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

The Friday Bulletin

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Youth and Sex Education

piness, conict, and regret.
The above examples show that the issue of sexual liberation has
in fact enslaved the very people that it attempts to free. The sexual
liberators are being enslaved in the chains of disease, depression,
divorce, dissatisfaction, double standards, deceit, and discontent.
Individuals, organizations, and governments are actively searching
for solutions to halt this tide of immorality and its associated truckload of problems.
Recent research has shown that two-thirds of the schools in America are now promoting the idea of "no sex before marriage" and
that "safe sex" is not the use of condoms, but safe sex is "no sex
before marriage," and only one sex partner for life (no adultery).
Furthermore, many states in the US are promoting the idea of having pride in remaining a virgin until marriage, and many students are
signing certicates vowing their commitment to this new "fashion"
of abstinence.
How long will this last? Will we once again undergo a new sexual
revolution? The answer to this dilemma and to all dilemmas facing
any society where the fabric of society is under threat from immorality, alcoholism, drugs, gambling, crime, dishonesty, and materialism
can be found in the Qur'an, which has been sent for all humanity. Its principles have a universal application for all times. It was
the task of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) to give a practical implementation of the universal message of
the Qur'an so that anyone who follows the perfect example of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will be on the straight
path.

Studies have shown that the average teenager and preteen receive
their sex education from the following sources in order of priority:
1- Friends, who may then share pornographic magazines, books,
and Internet
2- TV and movies, which then lead to magazines and newspapers,
or school (video or discussions of video), parents (through discussion of TV and movies)
Parents fail to realize that everyone is teaching their children about
sex except them. Everyone is telling your children about sex, so
how sure are you that this information is based on the guidelines
laid down in Islam?
Sex is a fashionable industry that changes like the avor of the
month. Sex is a topic that advertisers and marketers use very effectively to sell their products. Unfortunately, the sources of information available to the preteen are often biased. Illusions are created
that everyone is having sex in these modern times, anything
goes you only live once, so make the most of it, and it is "cool"
to chew a particular brand of chewing gum or smoke a particular
brand of cigarette because that will make you rich and successful
and ensure that you can attract the perfect partner. In fact, the reality is far removed from the illusion that is fed to the senses of our
unsuspecting youth.
With aggressive and sustained marketing, society comes to accept
abnormal activities as normal. Ten years ago, what was considered
abnormal, unthinkable, abhorrent, immoral, and shameful, is today
considered fashionable, normal, and modern. A typical example is
that after watching a few episodes of any prime-time soap opera
on TV, one gets the impression that adultery is acceptable and normal; premarital sex fashionable, and that deceit, trickery, lying, and
manipulation are essential to get your man or woman, no matter
what the cost or the hurt that others suffer in the process. Furthermore, the printed and visual media create the impression that marriage is old fashioned, live-in relationships and cohabitation are in
vogue, and being gay is fashionable. Homosexuality, bestiality, and
escort clubs (prostitution) are all normal. We have reached a stage
(through effective marketing) where certain individuals in society
justify everything by their right to freedom of expression. If this is
really freedom, then why do we see so many examples of the following scenarios:
1- Young adults are being infected with the HIV virus at an alarming
rate. South Africa has one of the fastest growing number of infected
people in the world; HIV/AIDS has reached epidemic proportions
in this country. The age group that is mainly targeted is teenagers
and young adults.
2- A devout mother, loyal to her husband, suddenly develops a
sexually transmitted disease (such as syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes,
or even HIV/AIDS); how did this happen? STDs have reached epidemic proportions in America, where 40 million people are infected
with some form of STD.
3- Teenage pregnancy is on the increase; girls as young as 11 are
getting pregnant-a child is pregnant with a child. Many teenagers
are having abortions, which leads to emotional, physical, and mental side effects.
4- Girls as young as 10-12 are having sex with devastating consequences. When questioned, these young children say, "No one told
me that it is wrong."
5- Wonderful homes break up and end in divorce because the
husband (or wife) was having an adulterous relationship; the main
victims in this scenario are the children.
6- Females as young as 2 and as old as 80 are being raped.
7- Homosexuality is on the increase; acts of sodomy that were
once considered an abomination against humanity, are now considered normal to the extent that gay marriages are being allowed
in some parts of the world.
8- More and more relationships end up in hurt, depression, unhap-

Mercy

When you see an old woman carrying a very heavy load,

staggering with every step she takes, you sympathize
with her. If you nd a small cat which is blind and is
shivering from cold and does not know how to feed
itself, you pity it. When you see a lost child weeping,
you become very affectionate and tender. The feeling
that you had towards all these people is the feeling of
mercy.
Mercy is one of the Attributes of Allah. It is He Who
created us, and it is He Who provides us with food and
water and when we are ill, He cures us. Allah also guides
us to believe in Him.
Allah created mercy in the hearts of His Slaves, and
this is why people have mercy for each other.
The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Allah
created mercy in one hundred parts, He retained with
Him ninety-nine parts, and sent down one part to the
earth. Due to this one part of mercy, there is mutual
love among the creation so much so that a horse may
lift away its hoof from its young offspring, fearing that
it might harm it." [Bhukhari].
However, a ruthless, cruel person will not attain the
Mercy of Allaah on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, also said: "He who does not
show mercy to others, will not be treated mercifully."
[Bukhari]
The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, further said:
"If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He
Who is above the heaven (i.e. Allah) will show mercy to
you."
5

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

The Friday Bulletin

FEATURE
Adil Salahi

Prohibition of All Types of Gambling

All Muslims are aware that Islam prohibits gambling. The prohibition is clearly stated in the Quran as well as in many hadiths.
The hadiths, which often illustrate the meaning of the Quranic text,
provide further explanation of its applicability, correct peoples misunderstanding, and clarify its scope.
All societies have different forms of gambling, in accordance with
the prevailing customs, resources and useful articles they have.
These are all grouped together in Islam under the heading maysir,
which we translate as games of chance, where the result depends
on chance or luck, rather than any skill the players have. The types
that the Arabs practiced before Islam are clearly mentioned so that
they would serve as examples for others practiced by other communities, which naturally have the same Islamic verdict of prohibition.
Ibn Abbas mentions one form of gambling that prevailed in preIslamic days: It used to be asked, Where are those who would
join in gambling for a camel? Ten people would enroll, and they
would buy a camel for ten newborn camels to be handed over at
the time when they are weaned. They will then draw lots, and one
would lose, leaving the camel for the remaining nine. They go on
drawing lots until the camel is settled on one of them, while the rest
would have to give one newborn camel for nothing, at the time of
weaning. This is indeed maysir. (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab
Al-Mufrad).
This sort of game provided entertainment and excitement as the
participants went about excluding one of their number at a time.
It could have dragged on for sometime, so as to generate public
participation and support to one or the other of the players. The
winner at the end would have had a very exciting time. But here
the number of losers is limited to nine, while in modern games of
chance the number goes signicantly higher. Besides, to the Arabs
in pre-Islamic days, this sort of game was a source of pride, as the
winner did not use the camel he wins for any purpose. He would
slaughter it and give all its meat to the poor and penniless.
In a sense, this was similar to national lotteries which we see in
many countries. Very large prizes are given to winners who choose
the winning numbers. These are normally selected at random and
entered in accordance with the rules of the game. If they are drawn
at the time when the result is declared, then the person who chose
them is given a substantial prize. The rest of the money is used by
the government in support of good causes. Many are the charities,
museums, research establishments which benet from a share of
the lottery money. Yet Islam does not permit this. It is totally forbidden.
The point about lottery and similar games that give the proceeds
or a portion of them to good causes is that people are motivated

only by the desire to win a large sum of money for themselves.

They are not thinking of the good causes when they buy their lottery
ticket. They only think of the great prospect that would open before
them if they win. Moreover, when the government runs a lottery to
support good causes it assumes that society is devoid of goodness and that people would not donate to such good causes unless
they dwindle before them the prospect of winning a large amount
of money. Islam prefers instead to enhance the motives to do good
among its followers, so that they seek to win Gods pleasure, rather
than an amount of money, however large it may be.
The Quran describes all games of chance as an abomination devised by Satan (5: 90) to highlight its effect on participants and
society. Hence, its prohibition is not in doubt. We also note that the
view of early Muslims, such as the rightly-guided caliphs, was very
strict on it. A report by Rabeeah ibn Abdullah ibn Al-Hadeer, a distinguished and reliable person who was born during the Prophets
time and is considered among the best of tabieen, i.e. successors
to the Prophets companions, mentions: Two men gambled over
two roosters during Umars reign. Umar ordered that the roosters be
killed. A man from the Ansar said to him, would you kill a community
of Gods creation which glories Him? Umar did not proceed with
his order. (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).
This is an example of the seriousness with which all gambling was
viewed in the early period of Islam. When two people wanted to engage in a game of cockghting he wanted to prevent this ever happening again by killing the birds used for such a purpose. Needless
to say, the birds have no say in organizing the ght or what people
gamble with. They are indeed the victims, as in a cockght both
birds suffer a great deal, and one or both may die as a result.
Yet people are always willing to risk their money in the hope of winning a larger sum. The Prophet shows a good way to overcome this
temptation. Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: Whoever
of you swears and (unwittingly) includes in his oath Al-Lat and AlUzza should say, there is no deity other than God, and whoever
says to a friend, let us bet, should give the money to charity. (Related in all six authentic anthologies)
The rst point in this Hadith mentions a mistake that the new Muslims could unwittingly make. They might, by the force of habit, include the two main idols that the Arabs used to worship before Islam
in their oaths. The Prophet tells them that anyone who says this unwittingly should follow it by conrming his belief in Gods oneness,
repeating the rst part of the main declaration we say to state that
we are Muslims, i.e. La ilaha illa Allah. Thus, the person concerned
conrms his belief in Gods oneness and renders the inclusion of
those idols in his oath as meaningless words.

Tips for Imams for dealing with domestic violence

Domestic violence, as one of many social problems in societies
around the world, is the problem of Imams, as it is of women, men
and families. Imams can play a positive role in ridding Muslim families of this sickness.
Below are seven suggestions on how Imams can deal with the
issue of domestic violence:
1. Start by approaching the issue indirectly
In many societies, issues that take place in the home are considered private and no one is allowed to discuss problems in the
home outside of it. This is why bringing an issue as sensitive as
domestic violence to the attention of Muslims needs to be done
very carefully. For the Imam, the best way to do this is to talk about
domestic violence in the context of how husbands should treat
their wives in Islam in the Juma Khutba (Friday sermon).
A note of caution: if you do decide to use an example of domestic violence from the community, make sure not to disclose details which will make it obvious to listeners which couple is being

discussed. This is humiliating and can make the situation for the
woman, especially worse, if her husband feels he is being openly
talked about in a negative manner.
2. Be open to the concerns of women
Make sure your mosque is open to both men and women. Remember that it is the right of Muslim women to go to the mosque,
according to Allah and His Prophet. From here, make sure you are
able to discuss issues of concern and importance to women. This
can be on the telephone, it can be during established ofce hours or
other means which are practical and useful. The Imam is the leader
of the community, not of men only.
3. Do not share their secrets
If a man or woman comes to you and discusses the problem of
domestic violence in your home, you must not tell anyone. This is
a trust (Amana) from Allah, and you must keep their secrets guarded.
Story Continues To Page 7

Dhul Hajj 20 1431/November 26 2010

The Friday Bulletin

A plague of Hard Drugs is killing Coast Children

Ten people die in Coast Province daily due to drug and substance
abuse, claimed a community based organisation (CBO), Teens
Watch Center.
The center states in its report that currently there are over 24,000
people addicted to drugs in the province with the youngest drug addict being a boy aged 12 years.
"Thirty per cent of the addicts are young girls and boys between 12
and 17 years and who are still in schools, ten per cent are injecting
heroine and 60 per cent are youth between 18 and 35 years," the
TWC says.
TWC further said 25 per cent are HIV positive, suffer from tuberculoses and pneumonia.
The main drugs here include heroin, morphine, miraa, mari-juana,
alcohol, cigarettes and boogies.
"Most of them are now injecting heroin through their private parts
due to lack visible injecting veins," the report says.
A Community Based Organisation (CBO) is working on modalities
to raise funds for the construction of a rehabilitation center for girls
and women in Coast Province.
Currently there is not a single center to cater for female addicts.
Project co-ordinator Cosmus Maina said with the drug problem
escalating by the day, the province has only four private drug rehabilitation centers which are inadequate to cater for the increase
number of addicts.
Mr Maina who is also the Anti-Drugs Ambassador said they will organising charity fund raising walks in Diani, Kisauni, Malindi and
Mombasa early next year for the purpose of having more rehabilitation centers.

The theme of the walk which over ve thousand school children,

youth and staff from various cooperates to attend will be "Okoa Vijana Wa Pwani."
Teens Watch Centre has been operating in Diani Division of Msambweni District for the last ten years.

Explain renditons
From Page 1

people dead, their Ugandan Lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi contend

that the detainees are innocent and are being held at the behest
of the American Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) who are in
charge of the investigations. He said the Ugandan authorities were
not interested in the Kenyans but were instead holding them on behalf of FBI who was interrogating them on their possible connection
with the Al-Shabbab militia in Somalia.
In September, a Nairobi high court judge Justice Aggrey Muchelule
ruled that the arrest and detention of the Kenyans was illegal and
a transgression of their fundamental rights and freedoms. The ruling came on the heels of another ruling where a high court judge
Justice Muhammad Warsame reprimanded the State for allowing
the police to transfer Kenyans to Uganda without following proper
procedure in law.
The detentions have elicited angry tones from Muslim and civil society organisation which have criticized the government for the unwarranted renditions. The groups have argued that the suspects should
have been taken to Kenyan courts if evidence was available that
they participated in the deadly Ugandan bombings.

Tips for Imams

From Page 6

4. Talk about the marriage relationships in a

study circle
If you teach a study circle or an Islamic class,
make sure that the topic of marriage is discussed
in detail. Domestic violence should be one of the
issues that is covered under this topic. Make the
Islamic position on this topic clear and be open
to the questions and address the misunderstandings about the husband-wife relationship which
continue to plague Muslims.
5. Be willing to advise husbands who do this
and take further action
Be ready to privately give Naseeha (advice) to
a man you know who abuses his wife. If things
become worse, talk to elders in the family to
deal with the situation. In a worst case scenario,
where the issue becomes one of life and death,
be ready to not only speak out, but intervene with
the help of police to end the abuse of the wife
and in most cases, the children.
6. Make Dua
As the Imam, the lives and well-being of its
members are part of your responsibility. Make
Dua that Allah helps you in this heavy task and
that He eases the difculties of all those suffering
in the community, men, women and children.

From the Book of Allah

"

And whether ye hide your word or

publish it, He certainly has full knowledge, of the secrets of all hearts."
The Holy Quran 67:13

Kenya Muslims Charitable Society has the pleasure in announcing

Muslim Youths Training Camps [for both boys and girls aged 15 to
18 years] for ve days each during the month of December 2010
to be held in Nairobi, Mombasa and Garissa. The training includes;
skills for success in school, social life skills, guidance & counseling
and Islam as a way of life.
We have previously held similar camps for the youth which have
helped them to improve on their spiritual and daily life.
For more informa
on please contact; Mr. Ahmed on 0729 824
100 or Mohamed 0714 421 352 or visit out oces at Jamia Plaza
2nd oor

UMM IBRAHIM CENTRE FOR REVERTS

Graduation Ceremony
Sunday 28 November 2010
Jamia Mosque Multi Purpose Hall
All are invited

Girls' Holiday Camp

Star Sheikh School Athi River
3rd-11th December 2010
For registration contact 0725828028,
0724207142, 0738 282828
Organised by Madrasatul Ulumuddin

Girls' Holiday Seminar

Nairobi Muslim Academy Souh C
5th-13th December 2010
Registration contact 0719333650,
0737282082
Organised by Darul Rahman Group

Jewish settlements targeted in boycott campaign

There is a budding movement by foreign
investors and activists to join a Palestinian
campaign against companies doing business in the West Bank aimed at hitting
them in their pockets.
European activists are cranking up pressure
on companies by exposing the West Bank
ties and picketing stores that sell settlement
goods. And some major US churches are
questioning companies as a precursor to
possible divestment.
The focus on corporate involvement comes
against the backdrop of a wider Palestinian movement of divestment and boycott,
inspired by the economic assault on apartheid-era South Africa.
The Palestinians hope such pressure will
achieve what years of negotiations have not
end Israels occupation of the West Bank
and east Jerusalem, lands they want for
a state. Israel withdrew all forces and settlers from the Gaza Strip, the other territory
claimed by the Palestinians, in 2005.
Divestment is meant to make a moral statement, said Aldrich, whose group recommends that Methodists sell stock in 29 foreign and Israeli companies, though that call
has not been adopted by his church at the
national level.
Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni, a former
foreign minister who supports a West Bank
pullout, said Israel should be concerned.
With scrutiny intensifying, foreign companies and investments could be more vulner-

able to pressure.
Norways $500 billion oil fund, Europes largest institutional investor, and Swedish pension funds managing more than $100 billion
in assets have dropped the Israeli defense
contractor Elbit Systems Ltd., which provides
surveillance equipment for the separation
barrier.
The funds say Elbit violated ethical norms
because of its involvement in the barrier,
ruled illegal in a nonbinding decision by the
International Court of Justice.
The Brussels-based bank Dexia, targeted by
Belgian activists for lending to settlements,
said its Israeli subsidiary is phasing out the
settlement business. Assa Abloy, a Swedish
lock maker, said it would move its Israeli factory from a settlement industrial park to Israel
proper within a year.
Some major Christian denominations also
are wrestling with the divestment issue.
The World Council of Churches, which represents 560 million Christians, has called for
responsible investment and a boycott of settlement products.
The Presbyterians are trying to persuade
several multinationals to cut West Bank ties
and leave open the possibility of future divestment. The United Methodists, who have
called on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian-claimed territories, failed to pass a
divestment bill at a 2008 convention, though
activists said such efforts would continue.
(Arab News)

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Beneciaries of the
Education Fund
Considering the numerous problems that
emanate from lack of education, the Ummah
Foundation found it prudent to start up an
Education Bursary Fund in 2007. This great
scheme has benetted over 400 students in
various levels of education all over the country.
Mustafa Mohamed, a self-motivated and creative youth from Thika, is a beneciary of the
scheme in the Thika Institute of Technology.
This is what he says about the scheme:
I would like to thank Ummah Foundation for
helping me pay my fees. Their help will enable me nish my studies and move a step
closer to achieving my goal of graduating as
a doctor. I will use my skills to provide services to the Muslim Ummah and the nation at
large, so as to improve their condition and
uplift humanity standards.
Muhler Ismail Abdi from Garissa is a beneciary of the scheme at the Kenya Medical
Training College in Nairobi. He is an orphan.
This is what he says:
Both my parents are not alive and my family
is in nancial difculties. I chose to do nursing because of the health problems I see the
Muslim Ummah having.
If ALLAH wills I will specialize in paramedic
nursing to take care of the suffering innocent
infants and orphans. I thank Ummah Foundation for its nancial help in my education.
Mwanaisha is a Kenyatta University student
beneciary of the scheme. She hails from a
poor family in the South Coast.
She aspires to be a good teacher, mother
and counselor. She says:
"I want to be enlightened and in turn enlighten others by teaching the youth. I am doing
Bachelors in Education and IRE studies. I
am the only child in the family to earn some
income. My husband is a bus conductor. I
thank Ummah Foundation for assisting me
to nish my examination. I pray to Allah so
that they can be able to assist even more
needy students. I request my Muslim brothers and sisters to give out Zakat or any little
charity to Ummah Foundation for it may help
a very needy student.
Take part in building the Ummah by paying
your Zakaat. Contact us:
Contact us on the following address:
Ummah Foundation
Village Plaza,
Ngara Road
P.O. Box 58717-00200, Nairobi
Tel: 0717 613 333/ 0732 613 333
Email:ummahfoundation.net
www.ummahfoundation.net

The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147 E-mail: fridaybulletin@gmail.com.
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