Islam today issue 41 november 2016

issue 41 vol.5 November 2016

islam today

 A visit north of Hadrian’s Wall  The power of religion in motivating people  The history of British Muslims

islam today issue 41 vol. 5

November 2016

Page: islam today magazine is a monthly magazine published by the London based Islamic Centre of England. It focuses on the activities of the communities affiliated to the Centre, reflecting a culture of openness and respect towards other religious communities both Islamic and non.

The magazine is available in paper and digital format.

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M. Saeed Bahmanpour

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Amir De Martino

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From the Islamic Centre's desk

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Interfaith meeting at Lambeth Palace

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A visit north of the Hadrian's Wall

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The power of religion in motivating people

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Book Review

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Understanding a new community: The history of British Muslims

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Art

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Hawza in a Nutshell- Lessons on Akhlaq

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Muharram from the eye of a New Muslim

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Helping the poor: The outstanding example of St Martin

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Children Corner

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Publisher The Islamic Centre of England 140 Maida Vale London W9 1QB Tel: +44 20 7604 5500 ISSN 22051-250

Disclaimer: All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability.

However, islam today shall not be liable or responsible for loss or damage arising from any users’ reliance on information obtained from the magazine.

Contents

Muharram Blood Donation Muharram commemorations

Dr Shomali meets Bishop Toby Howarth and members of the Christian Muslim Forum

Hujjatul-Islam Shomali visited Scotland on the invitation of the Ahl Al-Bait Society Scotland

Dr Shomali’s talk on community cohesion, interfaith relations and practical interfaith activities

‘Faith and the Marvellous Progress of Science' edited by Brendan Leahy - NEW CITY magazine

Report on the ‘British Muslim History Symposium’ - Cambridge

by Revd Frank Julian Gelli

Art as Therapy

by Moriam Grillo

Learning from God’s Nature

by Ezra Hashme

by Veronique Khasa

by Revd Frank Julian Gelli

The Prophet of Mercy

by Ghazaleh Kamrani

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What & Where Listing of events islam today

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FromtheIslamicCentre'sdesk

Muharram Blood Donation

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Muharram blood donation campaign organised by the Islamic Unity Society at the Islamic Centre of England in London this September has passed off successfully. In addition to London, Imam Hussain Blood Donation, currently in its tenth year of operation, was held in Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Wales.

The Imam Hussain(a) Blood Donation Campaign started in 2006 and is the first campaign within the UK which aims to increase the number of blood donors from the Muslim community.

The campaign is part of the Islamic Unity Society (IUS) Community, focusing on providing innovative ways of integrating the Muslim community into wider British society.

Hujjatul-Islam Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali, director of the Islamic Centre, gave a brief explanation of the event and the philosophy behind the campaign: “Thanks be to God, for the third time we were able to host the Blood Donation Campaign at the Islamic Centre of England. This event is organised by Imam Hussain Blood Donation, affiliated to IUS (Islamic Unity Society), in cooperation with NHS Blood and Transplant unit.

It is an event where the members of the community plus people from wider society come to give blood and save lives.

Today we had 33% non-Muslims giving blood out of almost 150 people who signed up. All the equipment for donating blood was provided and the Islamic regulations were

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observed, so there was a good sense of cooperation between NHS BD and the Muslim community as they know each other’s expectations and requirements. The frequency of this event at the Islamic Centre, God willing, will be increased to take place four times a year.

It must also be noted that the majority of people who need blood in this country are from ethnic minorities and most of the blood donated here is also from ethnic minorities. So it is a great help for the NHS to have a good supply of these types of blood.I would like to mention something about the philosophy behind this campaign. As Muslims and human beings, we naturally love to help people, but for Shi‘a, in particular, is very important to hold such events nearer to Ashura of Imam Hussain(a).

The first ten nights of the month of Muharram, the Shi‘a commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain(a) because we believe Imam gave his blood to save humanity from ignorance and injustice as we find it in Ziara Arbaeen (Arbaeen salutation). He gave his blood fighting those who did not treat people with dignity and respect. We want to say to the world that just as Imam Hussain(a) gave his blood to save humanity we give ours to those in need and any time that the NHS needs blood we will be ready to give blood through these exceptional events so they can meet their needs. http://www.ius.org.uk/giveblood or e-mail: giveblood@ius.org.uk

Muharram commemoration

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undreds of mourners attended the 10-day programmes for the commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn(a) at the Islamic Centre. This is one of the most important commemorations in the Islamic Shi‘a calendar. The Islamic Centre of England is just one of many centres across the whole of the UK where these commemorations take place during the first 10 days of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The languages of these gatherings change in accordance with the ethnic background of the community. The Islamic Centre of England provides lectures in Arabic, English, Persian and Urdu.

Hujjatul-Islam Dr Shomali provided a series of lectures for the Persian speaking community under the title ‘Sanctity of Life’. These included the significance of the concept of ‘life in Islam’; the description of God by all Abrahamic religions as living; characteristics of divine life; life and characteristics of the angels and the sacredness of all forms of life.

Sheikh Isa Jahangir gave five lectures for the English speaking community. Centring his speeches on the theme of social ethics, he selected specific verses of the Qur’an to draw an identikit of the righteous individual according to Islamic teachings.

Sheikh Muhammad Al-haji Muhammad spoke in the Arabic programme. The title of his lectures were: Types of guidance and the effect on society; the training of children and family relationships based on the teaching of Ahl ul Bayt(a).

For the Urdu speaking community, the Centre invited Moulana Syed Akbar Ali Abibi, who titled his series of lectures ‘The Uprising of Imam Husayn(a) on Ashura’.

On the night proceeding the day of Ashura, the Urdu speaking community held a vigil all through the night until the next morning prayer time. The congregation engaged in supplications and remembrance rituals in the memory of Imam Husayn(a) and the martyrs of Karbala.

Further programmes were held on the day of Ashura, the day in which Imam Husayn(a) was murdered. The Muslim Shi’a community around the world is expect to continue the mourning ceremonies till the fortieth day after Ashura.

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Report Report

Interfaith meeting at Lambeth Palace

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Aliya Azam reports on the meeting between ‘The Christian Muslim Forum’ and Hujjatul-Islam Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali at Lambeth Palace on 28th September 2016

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ollowing an invitation by the Christian Muslim Forum, Dr Shomali visited Lambeth Palace to meet the President of CMF, Bishop Toby Howarth and members of the Christian Muslim Forum.

During this fruitful meeting, it was suggested that the CMF should have groups of two people at a time to speak about what we have in common and what we differ on with respect to advocating for the other on different issues in the public domain.

It was agreed upon that if in private believers of these two Abrahamic religions disagree on issues, in public the feedback would be bland. We need to find voices not so often used and say to all that this is where the leadership is.

For example, on the issue of supplementary schools, one could say what supplementary schools do for the Muslim community and develop human resources so that the CMF can think about this and any future issues. Dr Shomali agreed with the idea and emphasised that it would be great for people to see Muslims and Christian together more in the public eye.

Dr Shomali discussed how we can develop our understanding of theology that paves the way for unity. He talked about the ‘Plan of God’ to have one religion. Islam is not a new religion; Abraham was the founder of Islam. We can look at each other as different branches of the same

religion or tradition. Dr Shomali said that we need to recognise that people share the same tradition. There is a greater picture; we should pull our resources so that at the end we have one school of God with the Prophets Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Muslims, Christians and Jews should not be divided and should not be forced to be assimilated.

We need to have a platform so that we can think together.

Reaching unity is too big a task to do it by ourselves. We need to sit together, share our resources and try our best to understand the best ways forward towards unity.

Dr Shomali continued: “We are preoccupied with differences but despite having these differences there is a great area of unity, we are united not diluted in theology. The greatness of God is not understood. When God’s light is shining everything else is small”. “Our love for God is sometimes confused. Some people love God as if they possess Him or have a monopoly over God. True love is to be possessed by God.” We need to think of opportunities to talk. We need to have a group that meets regularly.

We should seriously think of these issues and try to shed light on Islamic and Christian traditions. We are one community; there is something greater that keeps us together. We need two floors/levels, one level with scholars which moves at a faster pace and a grassroots level which works at a slower pace.

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A visit north of

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n the 29th and 30th September HujjatulIslam Shomali visited Scotland on the invitation of the Ahl Al-Bait Society Scotland, where he attended a number of programmes.

The main event was the Third Annual Peace and Unity Conference, organised by Ahl Al-Bait Society Scotland, in collaboration with The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and other faith and community groups. The conference was originally conceived with the aim of bringing together Scottish officials, leaders of Muslim communities, university academics and people of other faith communities.

The conference, held at the Glasgow City Chambers on the 30th of September started with a private reception for special guests before the public event was held in the main hall.

The First Minister of Scotland and head of the Scottish government Nicola Sturgeon attended the event and addressed the audience. Her speech was followed by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Phil Gormley. Among other speakers were the director of Ahl-al-Bait Society Azzam Mohammad, Dr Lloyd Ridgeon from Glasgow University, Dr Ameli from The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and other individuals involved in charity work.

The final part of the programme consisted of a Q&A session with a selected panel. The theme of this session was centred on three major questions: integration and community cohesion, interfaith and interfaith relations, and what faith communities can do in practical ways to preserve the environment.

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f Hadrian’s Wall

Sheikh Shomali was one of the three panellists. He talked about issues related to community relations, interfaith and the environment.

This event which started four years ago has become a major programme in the Glaswegian calendar attended by over 250 invitees.

Visit of Shi‘a Imams to St Andrews Cathedral Prior to the Peace and Unity conference, Hujjatul-Islam Dr Shomali and other Shi‘i scholars visited St Andrews Cathedral (a Roman Catholic church). This was followed by a meeting with the Scottish Committee for Interreligious Dialogue, a Catholic organisation involved in inter-religious dialogue. The meeting is part of the dialogue among members of the Committee on the Unity of God which includes Christians and Muslims from various denominations .

Also on Thursday 29th September the group visited Sunni scholars at Minhaj-ul-Qur’an International in Glasgow. The brotherly encounter had no specific agenda although ideas were explored among Shi‘a and Sunni scholars on the possibility of setting up a permanent Shi‘a-Sunni Scholars Forum made up of individuals committed to unity.

In the evening of the same day, Dr Shomali attended a religious gathering of the Shi‘a community in Glasgow.

After the recitation of Du‘a Kumail, he gave a lecture about the connection between Imam Husayn(a) and Imam Mahdi(aj) exploring the best ways to commemorate the event of Karbala in a way to help us prepare for the coming of Imam Mahdi(aj).

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T h e p o we r o f r e l i g i o n i n m o ti v a ti n g p e o p l e Dr Shomali’s talk on community cohesion, interfaith relations and practical interfaith activities at the Third Annual Peace and Unity Conference - Glasgow

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e live in a world where diversity is increasing and much more cross-culturalreligious relations are emerging.

Unfortunately, many people think this diversity is a threat because their understanding of their own identity is based on what they are not, rather than what they are.

It was easy in the past, to say to people, you belong to this particular group. What does it mean to be Christian?

It is easier to explain it by just saying you are not Muslim or Hindu… Likewise, as a Muslim one can just simply say I am neither a Christian nor a Jew. The same applies to our national identities, our nationality for example, which may prevent us from mixing with our neighbour from a different nationality.

This kind of mentality is not going to work in today’s diverse world and certainly, will not work in the future characterised by an ever-increasing level of diversity.

We are in need of developing a better understanding of our identity based on the positive things that we possess.

We can be proud of our identity and with a better understanding of who we are, we should be able to open spaces for others. So instead of making your identity exclusive we should develop an inclusive understanding of it, keeping the differences. You are not going to compromise on the differences, actually, these differences are very valuable and they make the whole mosaic more beautiful.

We have to understand ourselves as parts of a larger unity, like the different parts of a body. Sometimes I use this example: Every part of our body is special. They are all different with a different function. They don’t believe

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that they can survive by disconnecting themselves from the rest of the body. They need to be connected to other parts and can thrive if the entire body (unity) thrives.

You can be proud of being Christian, Muslim, Jew or someone from any other faith. Be proud of your nationality but not at the cost of excluding others or saying negative things about others.

This, in my opinion, is what we understand from God’s plan. God has created us in different races and nations, not to fight or create negative ideas about each other but to come to a mutual recognition of each other. “O mankind! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and We made you nations and tribes that you may know one another.”(Qur’an 49:13) Imagine if we were all like robots, mass produced human beings who all looked the same, we would just need fingerprints to recognise who is who and that would not be beautiful. Diversity is really beautiful but we should understand we are not going to assimilate each other. We should keep our own identity but we can have a better understanding of other identities if we move towards establishing unity.

I think this is what we all have to learn. I don’t think any culture, tradition or community can say I know this completely, as we are all just trying to learn little by little.

What is very destructive in this process is the use of force.

If a community is forced to open up to be assimilated and integrated, then it goes into a defensive mode. If this happens it is the worst time for building relations. So people should feel comfortable, confident and secure, then they can open up. This is a beautiful thing that we

can see in Scotland, that people feel secure about their faith and culture, so they can open up. I hope this remains and becomes stronger.

On interfaith activities One of the most important initiatives for interfaith dialogue is to have a clear understanding of our role. Unfortunately, many of us see ourselves, be it as individual or faith denominations, as the centre of the world. Let me give you an example from mystical literature. It is said that once a person wanted to cross a river. The water was absolutely clean but his horse refused to move. The rider wanted to cross and he was trying to force the horse to move.

A sage was passing by and said he knew the solution. He put his hand in the river, shook it and made the water muddy. The horse started moving across the river. The man thought it was magic because without forcing the horse, the sage had made it move.

The sage said it was not magic. When the water seemed clean and clear it was like a mirror. The horse was seeing himself in the mirror and enjoying it, so it was not moving.

If you want to move forward, stop looking at yourself and look at the destination.

I think many of us in religion just see ourselves. We have to see God in religion and through God everything and every being. So I think this is a constant spiritual exercise for us.

We are on a very long journey to move away from the position in which we think we are at the centre of the world to the position where we want to get closer to the real centre of the world, God, who is the Lord of all nations and all creatures.

On the issue of the environment There have been many initiatives. We had a very good project many years ago when I was on my sabbatical in London. We had a good project with Hythrope College (London), under the title Faith in Creation. Over a period of one year, people from all Abrahamic traditions sat together and discussed problems and perspectives. We also had conferences with published works.

All religious leaders have concerns about this issue. Pope Francis issued a very important document about the environment and many of our great jurists have also issued many verdicts about the necessity of the preservation of our environment.

This is another area that if we involve religion and spirituality it can be very productive. No one should underestimate the power that religion has in motivating people. We religious people should look at nature as the manifestation of God. In every flower, in every drop of water, you can see the signature of God and therefore you would not dare to waste it and consume irresponsibly.

We have examples of our great scholars who were very hesitant in killing even a mosquito or a fly even though it may have been bothering them. They believed they are creatures of God and the maximum they could do is to divert them out of the room.

If we have that care and love towards nature that religion gives us we would be much more inclined towards protecting nature and we would work to leave this world in better health. The Qur’an tells us that one of the reasons God put us on this Earth is because He wants us to improve it, not to ruin or destroy it as is, unfortunately, the case today. ď Ź

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Review

The following book review has been provided by the NEW CITY magazine, a publication of the Focolare movement.

Faith and the Marvellous Progress of Science Nino Puglisi recommends a new book on Science and Religion.

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aith and the Marvellous Progress of Science edited

by Brendan Leahy is a wonderful and challenging book.

It is one those books for scientists and others, who want to take a serious look at the fascinating interface between science and religion and get those grey cells working.

As I was devouring it, I became captivated by the very rich texture of the book which looks at science from a wide range of different perspectives, from the historical to the philosophical, to the theological. As the British philosopher Mary Midgley puts it: ‘For (the) most important questions in human life, a number of different conceptual tool-boxes always have to be used together’1. And in my opinion, the editor of the book manages very well in this challenging undertaking, crafting a rare work in which a well-rounded view of the topic is presented, maintaining at the same time, a highly rigorous tone and yet keeping it accessible to nonexperts.

Among the contributors to the book Leahy gathers some of the world’s first-class people in the science and religion debate: the 2014 winner of the prestigious Carl Sagan Medal, the Jesuit, Guy J. Consolmagno; Professor of Particle Physics Stephen Barr (University of Delaware), and Fr Brendan Purcell, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Notre Dame University, Sidney, to mention just a few.

The book tackles fundamental issues underpinning the evermore important debate between science and faith: Isn’t

science enough to explain the reality around us? Hasn’t science disproved the need to believe in God? The book is presented as a collection of short essays grouped around three main focus points: Learning from History, Topics in Contemporary Debate, and Christian Perspectives on the Destiny of the Cosmos.

Engaging in science is one of those things that makes us human, a wonderful and powerful lens through which we can look at the ‘world (that) is charged with the grandeur of God’ 2, a gift to help us deepen the joyful mystery of reality, from the galaxies to the subatomic particles.

Faith and the Marvellous Progress of Science makes us more grateful for that gift. This book is a must for those who want to position themselves in our modern, technological and scientific world and make sense of their faith.

1Mary

Midgley, unpublished essay “Dover Beach”; cited in Nelson Rivera, The Earth is Our Home: Mary Midgley’s Critique and Reconstruction of Evolution and its Meanings.

Exeter: Imprint Academic, 2010, 179 n. 21 2Gerard Manley Hopkins: Poems and Prose (Penguin Classics, 1985)

‘Faith and the Marvellous Progress of Science’

by Brendan Leahy; available from: http://www.newcitypress.com/ ISBN 9781565485143; £12.50

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Conference

Understanding a new community:

The history of British Muslims

Frank Gelli reports on the ‘British Muslim History Symposium’ held at The Cambridge Muslim College last September

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he Cambridge Muslim College should be congratulated for holding a stimulating symposium on the history of British Muslims. It was a fascinating and popular academic event, so oversubscribed that it had to be held in the large St Paul’s Church, just next door to the College. The contributions and discussions sparkled with ideas, stories and personalities pertaining to the often neglected narratives of British Islam. For instance, how many Muslims, as well as non-Muslims, have heard of aristocratic converts like Lord Rowland Farooq Headley and Lady Evelyn Zaynab Cobbold, the Scottish noblewoman who, aged 65, went on the Hajj? Obviously, some papers overlapped in subject matter – what follows is only a selection .

For centuries there have been Muslims in Britain. They were mostly diplomats and merchants from various parts of the Islamic world, not long-term residents. Professor Ron Geaves spoke about ‘The Challenge to create a British Islam 1880-1918’.

His hero was Abdullah Quilliam, an energetic Liverpool solicitor and freemason. After embracing Islam in 1887 he founded the Liverpool Muslim Institute, produced a flood of newspapers and pamphlets, set up a madrasa and actively engaged in da’wa. Over the years he made at least 150 converts, many from an educated middle class background. He was convinced that it was primarily the English who should establish Islam in these isles. The religion should be revived from the West, not the East, he claimed. With the support of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, Quilliam assumed the title of Sheikh-ul-Islam of

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Abdul Hakim Murad, head of the Cambridge Colle

Great Britain. Under attack from hostile critics, he defended his patriotism as a Brit. Nonetheless one of his fatawa warned that ‘Harm one Muslim and you harm us all’. Unfortunately, after he left Britain for Turkey the Liverpool Mission came to an end. Today he lies buried in the Muslim section of the Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey.

As Sheikh Abdullah heartily upheld the idea of a worldwide Caliphate, it is perhaps ironic that recently his name was adopted by the controversial Quilliam Foundation, whose declared aim is to combat radicalisation and extremism. However, as Yahya Birt pointed out in his own paper, Quilliam also appeals to some in the advocacy group Cage, who admire his pioneering example in taking up controversial causes. A figure for all believers then?

Mohammed Seddon examined another key Muslim convert and ‘dissident’, Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, son of an Anglican Vicar, novelist and famous for his ‘Meaning of the Glorious Koran’. By no means unpatriotic, Pickthall defended Britain’s rule in Egypt, as well as Ottoman suppression of the Armenians. It was down to the Church demonising the Turks, he believed. Islam was genuinely part of Turkish heritage, as opposed to the alien creed taught by Christian missionaries. Britain’s condemnation of the Ottomans ‘broke his heart’. He later became Imam of the seminal Woking Muslim Mission but eventually migrated to India, to return to Britain to die in 1936. He too is buried at Brookwood.

ege

Abdullah Quilliam

(1856–1932)

Professor Nabil Matar introduced the character of Englishman Joseph Morgan (d.1750). Having spent time as a war captive of the Spaniards, Morgan came to appreciate Spain’s Moorish enemies from North Africa. Thoroughly sympathetic to the Moors, he praised Islamic behaviour and ethics, compared to those of the Spaniards. He also deplored King Philip III’s violent expulsion of Muslims from Spain. By contrast, he invoked the name of the philosopher John Locke, whose tolerance extended to Muslims and Jews. (Yet, as someone pointed out in the Q&A, Locke excluded from toleration atheists and Catholics.) After learning Arabic, Morgan produced many translations from Islamic texts. One was a Sufi-influenced biography of the Prophet Muhammad, with special emphasis on the Mi^raj -the Prophet’s night journey to Heaven. Matar compared it to Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Lubaaba al-Azami’s paper was ‘The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe: Anglo Indian Engagements in an Age before Empire’. Roe was sent by King James I as Ambassador to the Grand Mughal, Jahangir, becoming the ruler’s personal friend. She argued that the narratives of Anglo-Indian relations were somewhat influenced and prejudiced by later British Raj rule. After Edward Said’s book, the category of ‘Orientalism’ has become instrumental in exposing those biases. Lubaaba ably showed how alternative accounts were helpful in dispelling stereotypes and prejudice.

Abdul Hakim Murad, head of the Cambridge College, introduced the little-known figure of Scotsman Yahya Parkinson (1874-1918). ‘Can there be a symbiosis between Muslim and British?’ Sheikh Murad asked. ‘Can Islam in Britain be chiefly established by external migration only?’

Parkinson’s example would suggest one can combine both identities. A solid British loyalist, his verse was influenced by quintessentially Scottish poet Robbie Burns. A Darwinian and evolutionist, the poet held that Islam was a rational and humane religion. Also an unmarried and unmilitary man, Parkinson believed that Islam exemplified both Eros and the warrior spirit, or martial prowess.

Parkinson never travelled outside his native Scotland, worked in a spinning factory and lived his whole life in his grandparents’ house in Ayrshire. A wee bit eccentric? Well, he was a poet, wasn’t he?

In conclusion, this writer enjoyed the Cambridge Conference greatly. It was perhaps a little odd that there was no reference to British Muslims from the Shi‘a tradition. Surely they must have existed? Nevertheless, it was an intellectual and pleasurable event. 

Zainab Evelyn Murray Cobbold (1867–1963)

Lord Rowland Farooq Headley (1855 –1935)

Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall (1875 –1936) islam today

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Art

Art as Therapy For the next two years, I will be returning to academia in order to attain a Masters degree in Art Therapy. During my work as a practising artist, I have been made increasingly aware of therapeutic benefits of art and creativity on our individual wellbeing. Through community engagement, I have seen the important role art plays in bringing communities together and bringing a sense of fulfilment and spontaneity to our everyday lives. A large proportion of my outreach work has been with vulnerable groups; children, the homeless and other disadvantaged members of society. I am aware of the positive impact the process of art making can have on someone who is coming to know themselves (again).

Life is a journey and whether we have had a hard day at work or home, or are overcoming a traumatic experience, art can play a crucial role in restoring a sense of balance and wellbeing.

I will explore ways art can be incorporated into our daily routines in order to support a sense of wellbeing and positive mental health.

What is Art Therapy? “Art [making] demands presence; in body, mind and feeling. It engages the whole person. Moves in and out of words; it explores the places in between the spoken, the unspoken, the meaningful, the chaotic, between thoughts, actions and feelings."- Karen Huckvale, Art Psychotherapist (she produces a resource for art therapists called Insider Art).

In short, Art Therapy is a way of exploring and resolving our sense of self without words or where articulation is challenging.

Art is a form of therapeutic expression which uses creative and artistic means to encourage physical and psychological wellbeing. From a psychotherapeutic point of view, it works by encouraging personal engagement in the process of recuperation, by offering a means of creative autonomy

bounded by support from a psychotherapist.

Art Therapy is a person-centred therapy available to children and adults. It has far reaching benefits that have been used for issues relating to mental health, physical illness, trauma and terminal illness.

Saying that, it can also be used simply to support positive mental health in individuals who do not present any psychological issues. Hence the possibility that taking up art making independently can make us feel better about life in general.

The term Art Therapy was first used in the UK by the British artist Adrian Hill. Hill fought in the First World War, recording his time in the trenches through his pen and ink drawings. In 1938, he used the process of drawing to assist him in recovering from tuberculosis, a restorative theme that he later revisited by teaching art to soldiers returning injured from the Second World War. Hill wrote several books on Art Therapy, the first being ‘Art Versus Illness' in 1948. In this book, he wrote that creative expression allowed the patient to experience relief from trauma “by completely engrossing the mind [and] releasing creative energy." Art Therapy can be separated into three categories: -Analytical Art Therapy: Based on theories of psychoanalysis -Art Psychotherapy: Emphasises the meaning being expressed within the art, often through symbolism -Art Therapy: Places the emphasis either on art as therapy or art in therapy Beyond these approaches, it is agreed that Art Therapy, per se, is the process of image making used to develop new ways of releasing unexpressed emotions.

This process of creative enfoldment enables us to communicate in a way that cannot otherwise be articulated, realising emotions, both consciously and subconsciously, with the emphasis being to effect change and growth.

Do try this at home...

Or in the office or your daily commute.

Art making need not be a scary experience where the outcome is disappointing and proof of a lack of

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ability. The process of art is about what is learned and experienced along the way and not about the end result. It's about how it makes us feel, how our ideas or decisions change as we work with the material/s, be it paint, clay or a pencil. It's what we come to know about ourselves that we were not aware of before the process started. It's about getting out of our heads for a while and enjoying a more sensory experience.

Task One: on a plain piece of paper and a pen or pencil and using your non-dominant hand draw a picture of a something in the room that has caught your eye. It could be a flower, an ornament or the way light is being reflected in a particular area.

Task Two: with closed eyes make marks on a piece of paper that reflect your mood. Let the pressure you use, express how you are feeling. Keep going until you feel you have filled the page. Open your eyes and observe what you see.

greater understanding of how they identify with themselves. The aim is to reconnect individuals with whom they truly are, above and beyond their experiences, moving forward to create a positive and balanced world for them and creating the opportunity to build healthy, new relationships.ď Ź

For more information, visit www.butterflyproject.org.uk

Being artful Art making is a perfect opportunity to be carefree and childlike again. If we observe children being creative, we soon realise that they are not limited by the possibility of failure in the same way we may be. Instead, they embrace the prospect of being creative wholeheartedly and appear to explore materials without setting limits on the outcome.

So just for today, be playful. Create something, enjoy the process, and be surprised at the outcome.

Art daily The Butterfly project is a grassroots organisation which uses Art as Therapy to offer therapeutic support to survivors of domestic abuse. The project is currently working with Homestart, a national charity offering support to vulnerable families, and Women's Aid. The aim of this project is to create a safe space for women to unload negative past experiences and move on, so they are able to start afresh with renewed self-esteem and a strong sense of self-worth. workshops include person-centred discussions and creative activities to gain a

Moriam Grillo is an international award winning artist.She holds Batchelor degrees in photography & film and Ceramics and is currently studying for a masters in Art Therapy. Moriam is also founder of the Butterfly Project.

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Life & Community

Hawza in a Nutshell Lessons on Akhlaq

by Ezra Hashme Learning from God’s Nature

A

fter walking out of a shop in London’s Regents Street, what I saw amazed me. Moments earlier the street had been congested with tourists, buses and cars. Now a black river had taken over, meandering its way through the busy streets of the capital starting from speakers’ corner, through Oxford Street, now in Regents Street and headed for Westminster.

Shoppers, bystanders and workers were watching this spectacle with wonder. I heard questions like who are they? What do they want?

We were observing Muslim women covered from head to toe in black, chanting “labbayka ya Husayn”, carrying slogans of love, other slogans promoting peace, slogans that emphasised the difference between Islam and commonly held stereotypes.

As I stood there I pondered about that tragic day when Imam Husayn was no longer there to protect his family.

What must have the women and children felt, with soldiers raiding from different directions attacking the camp of Husayn, the family of Muhammad(s) and the banner of ‘La illaha ill Allah'? The terror would make even grown men flee, armies cave in but one lady stood strong. Standing in Regents Street, one can literally feel the spirit, compassion and pain of Lady Zainab.

Young and old, the women looked strong together,

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powerful as a unit. You felt a sense of universal sisterhood.

I thought to myself that if those who are fighting for the rights of women saw the power and unity of these women they would have no qualms about joining their cause.

I personally have never seen anything like it even though I’m a Shi‘a Muslim. I didn’t know the power of this march. I wanted to join in but naturally, I couldn’t fit in, so I asked one of the organisers, “Where is the brothers section?”

They said, “If you walk fast enough you can catch them up front.”

Coming closer to the men’s section, I heard the beating of chests to the sound of drums resonating the legacy of Imam Husayn, the men chanting in Arabic “…ya Abbas”.

I looked at the passersby to see what their reactions might be. It seems like they all knew this march was something different, something special. I’m not sure how the people stuck in traffic must have felt but the drivers at the front who could see what was going on were just as amazed as everyone else. I felt at peace, most of my worries had disappeared because I was united with the rest around me, under the umbrella of Husayn. The sense of ‘I’ disappeared; it was just ‘we’ human beings together. Why can’t we be like this every day? Isn’t there a saying “Every day is Ashura and every land is Karbala?” Why are we not united because we all do live for the greater good?

It is sad to think that as soon as Ashura is over, the body of people that made such a profound statement, will get back into their cars, buses and trains to head back home and get on with life. I hope this event has not just become a part of culture, something we do every year because the message itself is a symbol of rebirth and hope of a better tomorrow.

strong today? After the Imams, there was always a succession of top scholars, to whom people go for religious rulings, advice and guidance.

If it is not possible to reach these top scholars then one of their representatives, who themselves are qualified, are put in place to deal with the religious duties, challenges and public enquiries.

The people, in general, have lived by this code, which is If we look at the animal kingdom the bees work together one of the reasons why this minority group still has an After Imams to build a hive, protect from intrusion andthe gather food. there was always a influence on the world stage. Even today we face many They have a hierarchy, a languagesuccession and are well organised. of top scholars, .... If it is challenges from outside and within, so if we look to our not possible to reach these topfor support and work for unity, nothing can stop leaders In the Antarctic, one of the only animals that can survive us from progressing. United we stand, divided we fall. Just then one They of their the long bitterly cold winters isscholars the Emperor penguin. like a healthy plant, strong from roots to tip, no pebble or huddle together and follow arepresentatives, complex pattern so...., no are put in place to weed is able to stunt its growth. penguin is left too long on the outside. In other words, deal with the religious duties, ... they take turns being on the outermost circumference and Going back to the Akhlaq question, what is more gradually work their way towards the centre where it is important, action or quality? warmer. If they didn’t follow a system and a few of them We make many mistakes in life, take the wrong turning decided not to leave the centre then that would affect the here, make a false judgment there, follow the wrong rest, which could potentially lead to all of them freezing. crowds and such. Sometimes we have to work hard with our actions to turn them into permanent qualities. Other Lions work together in packs to bring down a prey. Even times it just takes one good action to transform their prey has a hierarchical system, some keep a lookout everything, like Hurr repenting and joining Imam Husayn’s while the others graze, and even work together with other camp. So in general, qualities are better to have because species around them to warn one another of any dangers. they shape our character in this life and stay with us after Man on the other hand with all the tools, knowhow and death, but sometimes actions take precedence. Therefore technology finds it hard to follow simple systems. How we have to be wise in our decisions, especially the youth. many times in history from different civilisations have we seen a break in the ranks and the whole system toppling?

Of course, when the people in communities and nations “The heart of youth is like an uncultivated piece of land, it stick together they become stronger after these challenges. shall accept whatever is planted on it.”- Imam Ali(a) The Shi‘a sect is a minority group in Islam. There were many minority groups in the past that no longer exist today. What are the reasons why Shi‘a Islam is going

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Faith

“

Soon after I was introduced to my local Islamic centre, where I attended the children's Madressa or Sunday school, I was told that the Madressa would be closed for a period of two weeks as we were entering the month of Muharram.

"

I

didn't have a clue what my fellow sisters were talking about. Still, from my basic reading, I did understand that the tragedy of Karbala had happened in the month of Muharram.

I began to attend the evening Majalis (gatherings), where I found myself sobbing every evening and even more when I got home.

The following day, I would start weeping before I left my home and on the way to the majalis. My empathy level grew almost from zero to ten.

I remembered my first tears on the first night of Muharram in November 2012 It placed me in a position where I envisioned myself as the Catholic that I had been six months prior and I told myself that I should have shed tears for Jesus too as a sign of my love and appreciation for his sacrifice.

Muslims mourn the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad(s), Al-Husayn, son of Ali(a), every Muharram and in other practices of faith such as when they visit his holy shrine in Karbala. When drinking water it is recommended to remember the thirst of Imam Husayn(a).

These tears of mine made me realise how fortunate I was to easily find myself part of this humble congregation that mourned the loss of the protector of their faith.

Furthermore, my tears reassured me that I had chosen the right religious denomination.

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Once the ten nights had ended. I asked one of the organisers if we would do this again next year. She said: “we don't remove our black clothes yet, until Arbaeen". Little did I know what would happen to the women, children and son of Husayn(a), Ali(a) in the following days, weeks, months and years to come.

I went on to read about Arbaeen, which marks forty days after the martyrdom of Husayn on the hot burning sands of Karbala. The aftermath of the tragedy of Karbala involved the women and the children being taken as captives. They were dragged to Kufa in modern day Iraq, shackled in a procession facing the severed head of their loved one on the spears held by the soldiers of Ibn Ziad, the governor of Kufa.

Lady Zainab(a), the sister of Imam Husayn(a) became the sole flag bearer of Islam, after Ali(a) , son of Husayn(a) fell into ill health. History tells us that Zainab(a) was persistently taunted but still responded with dignity. In one instance Yazid asks her: “How did you find the way God treated your brother and our family?" She responded: “I saw nothing but beauty".

They were taken to Shaam- modern day Damascus - where Yazid, a caliph of the Umayyads, ridicules these family members of the prophet saying “If my venerable ancestors who fell at Badr fighting Muhammad had witnessed how the supporters of Muhammad's faith were thrown into confusion with thrusts given with my spears, they would be blessing me today."

With which Lady Zainab replied: “Do you think that by killing the grandson of the Holy Prophet and bringing us to your palace as prisoners, you have scored a victory against Islam?”

What is very interesting about her captivity in Shaam is that Lady Zainab(a) organised the first Majalis (gathering) to remember the martyrs of Karbala.

The women of Damascus poured in to offer their condolences and Bibi Zainab and the other ladies would tell them of how the martyrs had been killed, how they had been denied water, how young children had been crying for water, how the baby Ali Asghar had been slain. These majalis took place for seven days.

Finally, the caravan of tears was taken back to Madina, but through Karbala where the bodies of their relatives and loved ones were now resting having been buried by the people of neighbouring villages surrounding the city.

his death by doing acts of righteousness on his behalf, by eulogising him and enumerating his merits.

Some Christians hold mourning ceremonies forty days after the death of their loved ones. They gather at a church and repeat a special prayer that they call a funeral prayer service.

They do likewise six months after his death and then one year after his death.

Jews hold a mourning service thirty days a loved one's death, again after nine months and again after one year.

Hence, one must make an effort to commemorate the forty days that followed the martyrdom of Imam Husayn(a) , as it is a legitimate cause to reflect and apply the lessons in our daily lives.

The message of Karbala will never end - it's a living message. Therefore every year I ought to commemorate the saints and martyrs of Karbala with an outlook that reforms me to a better human being. 

It is customary to pay tribute for a deceased forty days after

“Surely, there exists in the heart of the

believers, with respect to the martyrdom of Husayn, a heat that never subsides.

"

Prophet Muhammad(s)

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Interfaith

Helping the poor: The outstanding example of

St Martin

W

andering around Trafalgar Square, in the heart of London, you will probably notice a splendid, tall neo-classical building. It is the Parish Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. If you are sharp-eyed you might also chance to notice on ornate lampposts nearby the carved figure of a knight on horseback. It shows him handing down a garment to a naked beggar. A selfless, compassionate action that will forever be associated with the name of that noble saint, St Martin of Tours, whose feast day falls on November 11th.

Born in AD 315, Martin was an officer in the Roman Army.

One day, in the middle of a very hard winter and severe frost, when many indigent people were perishing from cold, he was marching with soldiers near the French city of Amiens. He then saw a wretched, almost naked man, trembling and shaking, begging of those passing by.

Everybody callously ignored him, but not Martin.

He had already given away all his money in charity, though.

So, he drew his sword, cut his cloak into two pieces, gave one to the beggar and wrapped himself in the other half.

Of course, that made his dress look odd and fellow officers laughed at him, while others felt the shame of not having

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helped. That night Jesus spoke to him in a dream: ‘Martin, I was that beggar. You clothed me with your garment.’ Martin’s charity was exemplary, in that he exercised both his heart and his mind. Of course, he could have given away his entire cloak. But he was not an ascetic monk. The duty of his military profession demanded that he should protect his own body from the cold. His charity was then guided by his intelligence and common sense. Later on, Martin gave up soldiering and became a priest but at the time he was still a Roman officer, tasked with defending the Empire from the barbarians. He had a job to do yet, as a Christian; he knew how to combine that with helping a needy neighbour.

The New Testament tells how the early Church made an attempt to establish a kind of utopian Communism.

Unfortunately, the episode ended in disaster. A married couple, Ananias and Sapphira, instead of giving all to the community, secretly withheld some of their money and goods, so the Lord punished them with death. The lesson was learnt: private property, the attendant right to it, is an ineradicable component of human nature. Indeed, how could anyone give alms to the poor unless he had something to give in the first place?

All of the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), have alms collection that are given as charity to benefit the poor. Frank Gelli looks at the story of St Martin of Tours as an inspiring example for future generations Personal, chosen poverty, as a personal vocation and calling, is recognised and honoured in the Christian Church. There are religious fraternities, like Benedictines and Franciscans, whose individual members take a vow of poverty. Naturally, as communities, they are allowed to own property but such goods are devoted to the service of the poor. They serve the needy and the suffering by running schools, hospitals, shelters, soup kitchens and the like.

The principle of assisting the poor and relieving their distress is one common to Christianity and Islam. There are verses in the Qur’an, as well as sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, establishing the obligation of charitable giving called Zakat, regarded by Muslims as one of the main five pillars of their religion. Nonetheless, the pious practice is subject to certain criteria. For example, to be liable to paying Zakat a Muslim must possess a certain minimum level of wealth or property. Equally, to be eligible to receive Zakat, someone has to qualify in specific ways.

Again, the idea is that the God-given duty of help others requires reasonable examination and conditions.

It is said that the figure of St Martin was an inspiration for a famous Vicar of the high-profile parish, Dick Sheppard. He is the man who turned the church from a fashionable and snobbish place famous for high-society weddings into a welcoming centre for those in need. Today St Martin’s continues Sheppard’s vision and good works. It runs programs for the homeless and vagrants, a day and night centre, a street outreach and helps in finding employment.

By the way, Sheppard was also a committed pacifist. He

used to remind people that St Martin found bearing arms incompatible with being a follower of Christ and that is why he renounced his commission in the Army.

Not all of St Martin’s actions would find favour in today’s Western secular society. For example, as bishop of Tours, he found to his dismay that there were still plenty of pagans and idol-worshippers in his diocese. He made it his practice to lobby the imperial authorities for the closure and demolition of pagan temples. On one occasion he himself wielded the hammer. There was nothing wishy-washy about St Martin’s faith, obviously…

‘Give to him who asks of you’, Jesus enjoins in the Sermon on the Mount, St Matthew’s Gospel. Many thought it a hard saying. Is it an absolute command, applicable universally, in all cases? Or is it a counsel, or advice, addressed to special disciples? Or is it merely a rhetorical, homiletic exaggeration, not to be taken literally? Be that as it may, Jesus’ words are a perennial challenge for thoughtful Christians. When the beggar asked Martin, the Saint certainly rose to the occasion. 

Revd Frank Julian Gelli is an Anglican priest and cultural critic, working on religious dialogue. His last book ‘The Prophet and the Priest', is available on Amazon Kindle.

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Children Corner

image 1

The Prophet

D

ear Children, Assalam Alaikum

This month we are remembering our Prophet, as the anniversary of his death falls on 28th November.

Our illustrator, Ghazaleh Kamrani, has drawn an image from a very important place in the Islamic World. You might have guessed it by now. Yes, it is Masjid-un-Nabi (the Mosque of the Prophet).

This mosque was built over many centuries in the place where the humble and simple first mosque was built by the Prophet Muhammad(s).

Children, just imagine how sad the Prophet’s followers must have been when they heard 23 years after the start of the Prophet’s victorious mission to successfully bring Islam to people, enduring numerous difficulties and tribulations in the process, that their leader and guide was about to leave this world. From the early days of his mission the Prophet's family and close companions stood by him in all circumstances including when they were expelled from Makka and made to live in a deserted valley where the Prophet lost his beloved wife Khadija and his uncle Abu Taleb. But neither the Prophet nor his followers lost hope. They just wanted to

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live in peace and be able to practise Islam, the religion that Muhammad(s), the messenger of God, had brought.

It is very difficult for us today to understand how much the early Muslims had to fight to just be able to do this.

Nowadays there are people who do not believe in Islam nor in the Prophet Muhammad(s) but you should not think bad of them. They just don’t know our Prophet nor do they know our religion. We should be kind to them and try to explain how kind, considerate and sincere our Prophet was.

The Prophet Muhammad's death in the early days of Islam created a great hole in people's hearts. But God has promised never to leave His creation without guidance. So the Prophet's empty space was soon filled by a special leadership which started with the Imamate of his son in law and cousin, the first Imam of the Shi‘a, Imam Ali ibn abi Taleb(a). Naturally, on the day of the Prophet's death we should be sad, but we should also remember that although he was chosen by God to receive and deliver His message he was a human being like all of us, although a special one, and on account of these special qualities his life is even more important for us.

image 2

of Mercy

As we said before we should keep the memories of our Prophet and our Imams alive. So try to learn a few stories of the Prophet and just as you tell the stories of Ashura and Imam Husayn(a) to your friends and classmates, tell them the Prophet's stories too.

This month Ghazaleh has drawn you two images, 1 and 2 and left some differences in these images so you can have fun finding them.

Check your findings with the answers in image 3. Enjoy! 

image 3

“O God send blessings to Muhammad(s) and his family”

Illustrator Ghazaleh Kamrani

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What & Where Through November Commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qur'an Conducted by: Shaykh M S Bahmanpour Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London W9 1QBMore Time: Every Friday starting at 7.30 PM Tel: 0207 604 5500

media, studies of media in local contexts and media and youth culture.

Venue: The Aga Khan University, 210 Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 2DA Time:9.00 AM – 4.30 PM Fee: Free, but limited places.

More info:https://www.aku.edu/ismc/research/

10 November ‘Martyrdom in Christianity and Islam with Special Reference to Imam Husayn(a) Islamic College of Advanced Studies’ monthly lecture series will continue with a lecture by Dr Chris Hewer. He will explore the concept of martyrdom in both Christianity and Islamic traditions.

Venue:Islamic College 133 High Road,

Through 6 November

3 November

‘Islamic Art and Architecture in Central Asia and Iraq:

Documentary screening: Sell­Off ­ The abolition of your NHS

In this course you will travel to the legendary lands of Central Asia inhabited by nomadic tribes, and criss-crossed by the caravans of European and Far Eastern merchants. You will analyse the advent of Islam and the important role played by the Mongol dynasties in re-shaping the geography of this remote part of the world.

You will stop by the most iconic cities and you will be stunned by the remarkable religious complexes, the tall domes, the beautiful tile decoration, the metalwork ewers inlaid with golden and silver and the pottery bowls, enriched with the precious lustre techniques. Your journey will be completed by an insight in the miniature painting, especially the Herat school, and in the carpet production of Central Asia and Iran.

This one-hour documentary film focuses on the ongoing privatisation and dismantling of your NHS. Join IHRC for a screening of 'Sell-Off' which will be followed by a Q&A with speakers including Dr Bob Gill (who featured in the film). The discussion will conclude with what we can all do about all of this. Free entry.

Refreshments will be provided.

Venue: IHRC Gallery, 202 Preston Road, Wembley HA9 8PA Time: 6.30PM to 9PM Contact: 020 8904 4222 or http://ihrc.org.uk/events/

Venue: Arab British Centre, 1 Gough

3 & 4 November Media in Muslim Contexts The international conference on Media in Muslim Contexts will bring together a broad and international range of researchers, policymakers and practitioners, from a variety of disciplinary and geographical backgrounds. Keynote addresses and panels feature over 40 speakers addressing themes such as media and the invention of history; media and the nation; media as vehicles of resistance; iconoclasm and image wars, satire, the impact of new media and social

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More info: www.islamic-college.ac.uk

11 November Jewels of the Qur’an: Inspirations from those nearest to Allah Yasmin Mogahed (USA) will seamlessly relate the examples of the Prophets (as) to relevant comparisons and situations we are all familiar with, causing us to question and deeply evaluate how we respond to each situation. Do we take a moment to differentiate between how Adam(a) and Satan both reacted to a mistake? Do we understand the true paths our lives can take if we learn to make better choices, no matter how far we have strayed?

Venue: Logan Hall, Institute of Education

4 November Square, London, EC4A 3DE Time:Thursdays, 6.00 PM - 8.00 PM Fee: £180 More info : http://www.arabbritishcentre. org.uk/event/islamic-art-architecture

Willesden, London NW10 2SW Time: 3 PM

Practising Islam: Expressions of faith in the public space The Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies (TIMES) Post Graduate Forum, in collaboration with the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) is delighted to invite you to a one-day conference on the implications of expressing Islam in the public space. This one-day conference offers security personnel and public sector practitioners the opportunity to explore and understand how expressions of Islam within the public domain can be interpreted by wider society, how they affect social governance and social cohesion.

Venue:The Elgar Concert Hall, Bramall Music Building, Birmingham B15 2TT Time:9.00 AM – 5.00 PM Fee: £69.62 More info: http://live-timely-mda9duxu. time.ly/event/

20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL Time:6.30 PM – 9.30 PM Fee:£21 (strictly no children under 7 years) More info:http://www.alburujpress.com/ courses/course/264/

12 – 14 November Islamic Calligraphy Painting Workshop By Bin Qulander Barikee and Gabriel Fine Arts present a three-day Islamic Calligraphy workshop conducted by the renowned Pakistani Calligrapher Bin Qulander. His work has taken contemporary calligraphy to new heights with his unique style. Participants will learn how to paint Islamic Calligraphy on canvas. All skill levels are welcome.

Venue: Gabriel Fine Arts 15 Skylines Village, London E14 9TS Time: Afternoon slot: 12.00 PM – 3.00 PM / Evening slot: 6.00 PM – 9.00 PM

Fee: £200 More info and booking: http://www. barikee.com/category-s/145.htm

13 ­20 November Interfaith Week Interfaith Week is an important time in the year for interfaith learning, interaction, cooperation and celebration. It allows communities to highlight the achievements of local interfaith and faith-based groups, and strengthen such faith initiatives to reach a wider audience, so that more people are made aware of the importance of this vital work, and are able to participate in it.

Various events will take place in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

November to choose not only a President but also to determine control of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Their choices will have a major impact on global economic performance. So how do we measure the health of economies around the world? We have become trapped by the idea of Gross Domestic Product as the simple measure of success but how do we develop alternatives that will help us reduce inequality and respond to climate change?

hologram, a mirage.

Venue: The Bradford Hotel, Hall Ings, BD1 5SH Time: 2.30 PM – 6.30 PM Fee: £25 (No children under 7 yrs) More info: www.alburujpress.com

Venue: Abrar House, 45 Crawford Pl,

Breaking Barriers brings together Jews, Christians and Muslims in Edinburgh to learn more about each other's faith and scripture through a process known as 'Scriptural Reasoning'. In this special Interfaith Week meeting, we will explore what our scriptures have to say about the truth-claims of other religious traditions.

Marylebone, London W1H 4LP Time: 6.45 PM – 8.30 PM More info: http://www.thecitycircle.com/ events/905-us-elections-what-s-next-forthe-world

19 November More info:Facebook.com/ifweek and www.interfaithweek.org/e

17 November Is Islam Exceptional?

A Symposium on Shadi Hamid's ‘Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle over Islam is Reshaping the World'.

This special public book symposium, cosponsored by The School of Divinity and the Islamic and Middle East Studies Department of the University of Edinburgh, will include a lecture by Dr Hamid, responses from Prof Siddiqui and Dr Pierret, and a public conversation that promises to touch on vital contemporary debates on politics, international relations, Syria and the migration crisis, theology, and diplomacy. The event is free and open to the public, and is followed by a Reception in Rainy Hall.

Venue:Elizabeth Templeton Room, New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2LX Time: 5.30PM – 7.00PM

More Info: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk

18 November The City Circle Seminar: US Elections: What’s next for the world?

Americans will be going to the polls on 6

Drugs, Alcohol and Islamic counselling with Abdullah Maynard Use of alcohol or drugs can interfere with a Muslim’s ability to see the reality of their relationship with God. Regular use can affect all aspects of life by changing one’s intentions (niyyah), the thing we are judged upon. But what underpins drug or alcohol use and addiction and how is this as well as the drugs or alcohol use addressed therapeutically within an understanding of Islam?

This workshop is run in conjunction with Birmingham Health Exchange and the Birmingham NHS CCGs as part of primary care mental health provision.

Email:abdullah.maynard@hotmail.com Time: 2.30 PM - 5.30 PM Fee: £50 More info: www.ukislamicevents.net/

Love of The World: Why Can’t I Get What I Want?

An Evening Seminar with Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed (USA) on the topic of living in the dunya with our hearts, and why it hurts us. The definition of dunya is something temporary and imperfect and goes against everything we are made to yearn for. God put a yearning in us that can only be fulfilled by what is eternal and perfect. By trying to find fulfilment in what is fleeting, we are running after a

20 November Breaking Barriers: Does our Faith have a Monopoly on Truth?

Venue: Annandale Street Mosque, 43-45 Annandale St, EH7 4AZ Time: 2.00 PM – 5.00 PM

More info: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/

26 November Shine for Syria Join Muslim Hands for a 5-mile night walk to help Syrian refugees this winter. Five years on and the humanitarian crisis in Syria continues to escalate. Millions of ordinary Syrians have lost their loved ones and have fled from the rubble of what was once their homes. With your support, Muslim Hands will continue to provide food, warm clothing, blankets and heating throughout the winter months in refugee camps in Lebanon.

Venue: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2ST Time: 5.00 PM – 9.00 PM Fee: Minimum sponsorship: £200 More info: https://muslimhands.org.uk/ events/2016/shine-for-syria

Disclaimer: islam today does not necessarly endorse or recommend any of these events. Their contents and individuals or groups involved in them. We are not responsible for changes to times, fees or venues. Further information should be sought direclty from the organisers.

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