Islam today -issue 29 -Sep/Oct 2015 by islam today magazine UK

issue 29 vol.3 September/October 2015

Believing in true heroes

Imam Ali (a) on the ‘welfare state’and ‘limited guardianship’ • The earning that attracts God’s favours • An ethical community •

Editorial team September/October 2015 Issue 29, Vol. 3 bi-monthly magazine islam today magazine intends to address the concerns and aspirations of a vibrant Muslim community by providing readers with inspiration, information, a sense of community and solutions through its unique and specialised contents. It also sets out to help Muslims and non-Muslims better understand and appreciate the nature of a dynamic faith.

Managing Director

Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour

Chief Editor

Amir De Martino

Managing Editor

Anousheh Mireskandari

Health Editor

Laleh Lohrasbi

Art Editor

Moriam Grillo

Layout and Design

Innovative Graphics

info@islam-today.net

Letters to the Editor

letters@islam-today.net

Contributions & Submissions submit@islam-today.net Subscriptions

subscriptions@islam-today.net

www.islam-today.net Follow us on facebook

www.facebook.com/islamtodaymag

Batool Haydar Cleo Cantone Frank Julian Gelli Harun Yahya Julia Khadija Lafene Reza Murshid Ruhi Rizvi Tahereh Shafiee Back Cover The Qur’an Monument, built in 1989 situated near the main gate of Jordan University in Amman

Publisher: Islamic Centre of England 140 Maida Vale London, W9 1QB - UK

ISSN 2051-2503 Islamic Centre of England

Disclaimer: Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher or islam today. 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.

From the Editor

Feature 5

In consideration of our worldview

Tahereh Shafiee looks at the work of Dr Hamid Hadji Haidar which claims that Imam Ali’s ‘Nahj al-Balagha’ contains the world’s first ever theoretical discussion of ‘rights’

Life & Community 6

The earning that produces God’s favours Adverse economic conditions may force some members of a society to depend on the handouts of the state. Reza Murshid presents the Islamic view of the importance of work and earning a legitimate living

Imam Ali(a) on the ‘welfare state’ and ‘limited guardianship’

Ali, the epitome of excellence Poem by Ruhi Rizvi

An ethical community Julia Khadija Lafene identifies the characteristics of an ethical community and how Muslims should put it into practice.

Cover 28

Believing in true heroes Amir De Martino discusses the divine heroism of Imam Husayn(a) and his status as the archetypal hero

Art 14

One to One Mohammed Ali

Faith 32

Love within and without Love is an emotion that can change us and the world around us. Harun Yahya underlines the importance of true love in our lives

The place to be Film Festival - Kuala Lumpur

Interfaith 34 In the spotlight Filmmaker; Kamal Aljafari

The Magna Carta and Prophet Muhammad’s Charter of Medina: How are they related? Frank Julian Gelli compares two charters written 600 years apart in two different parts of the world but with a common objective

Health The Prince and the Pir Cleo Cantone looks at the British Museum exhibition, ‘The Prince and the Pir, Dervishes and Mysticism in Iran and India’ (16th- 19th centuries)

Treating Prostate Cancer A promising new technique using radioactive seeds in the treatment of prostate cancer is explained by Laleh Lohrasbi

What & Where 42

Listings and Events Commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qur’an

Revert Muslims Association UK 2015 Conference

March in Cardiff: Fair Play for Palestine at UEFA Championships Muslims in Europe: Modern Challenges

BASR Annual Conference

One God – Abraham’s Descendants on the Nile

Perpetrators of Hate – workshop

Interfaith Peace building Day Conference

2015 PhD Jameel Scholarships

Allamah Tabatabai’s Award

5th annual Urban Muslim Woman Show

Are Catholics, Jews and Muslims still outsiders in British society? El Hadji Sy: Painting, Performance, Politics

Glossary of Islamic Symbols The letter (s) after the name of the Prophet Muhammad(s) stands for the Arabic phrase sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, meaning: “May God bless him [Muhammad] and grant him peace”. The letter (a) stands for the Arabic phrase ‘alayhis-salaam, ‘alayhas-salaam (feminine) and ‘alayhimus-salaam (plural) meaning respectively: (God’s) Peace be with him/ her/ or them.

From the

Editor

In consideration of our worldview

he desire to live a virtuous life is central to the belief system of many religions. While the body of religious dos and don’ts offer the foundations for social interaction, it is nonetheless insufficent for the establishment of a society that has a real soul and is benevelont towards all its members. Islam, with its teachings, is fully congnisant of this reality. Therefore while confirming the necessity of a law (the sharia) it encourages humanity to go beyond it and consider its spiritual and ethical teaching as a supplement to an only legalistic order. The articles that are presented in this issue of islam today reflect an Islamic worldview that takes into consideration the many aspects of human existance in the pursuit of an ideal society. Reza Murshid in ‘The earning that attarcts God’s favour’ discusses the importance of rightnousness and having an ethical approch in our work. He reminds us that legitimate work is also a form of worship and that the the work we do has a direct bearing on our spiritual life in this world and the Hereafter. Similar points are futher emphasised in ‘An ethical community’ by Khadija Lafene. She reflects on the impact of Muslims’ conduct on wider society, and believes that if we want to make any positive impact, we need to align ourselves with Islamic ethical standards and Quranic teachings. She explores the concept of an ethical community

which is ‘just towards it members, where the weaker are cared for, discipline and good manners are adhered to and people help each other in difficult times. She expresses criticism of those Muslims who have forgotten how the first society established by the Prophet Muhammad(s) functioned on the basis of respect and honour for all human beings. She describes the underlying principle as: ‘do as you would be done by’; in other words, treat others as you would wish to be treated’. In the article titled ‘Imam Ali(a) on the welfare state and limited guardianship’, Tahereh Shafiee presents the work of a contemporary Islamic scholar who has introduced the underlying philosophy of governance of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb(a). She highlights the incredible progressive thinking of Imam Ali(a) whom the author recognises as the first systematic theoretician in the area of human rights. The two concepts of state responsibility towards its citizens and government accountability have been identified in the writing attributed to the Imam as a necessary requirement for good government. According to the author, an ‘Islamic society should be governed by a competent figure who possesses ‘knowledge of Divine laws’, as well as ‘self-restraint’ required for implementing those laws’. Such a position precedes any other in the field of political philosophy.

is remembered and commemorated every year in this month. In the article ‘Believing in true heroes’, I have tried to rationalise why Imam Husayn(a) stands on a level above all others, and that to recognise true heroes, one needs a degree of humbleness and belief in the sacred dimension of existence. In our faith section the author Harun Yahya underlines the role that love plays not only at an individual level but within society. Harun Yahya describes the transformative power of love, and how the lack or the abundance of love can transform societies on a global level. But love, like many other virtues, needs to be actively cultivated by the people. In the inter-faith section Rev Frank Julian Gelli uses the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta to compare it with the famous Charter of Medina, a document which goes back to the time of Prophet Muhammad(s) and the first state of Islam represented in the agreements signed by the Prophet with the non Muslim population of Medina. In some cases this has been described as one of the first social contracts undertaken by a religious leader. Enjoy!

As this issue falls in the Islamic month of Muharram, we have dedicated the cover story to the great hero of Islamic history, Imam Husayn(a) whose martyrdom

The earning that attracts

God's favours;

a perspective from the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an and traditions

There are many traditions indicating that those who are close to God, His Prophets and saints, worked for their sustenance and that God favours those who earn a living without breaking the rules set by Islam. Reza Murshid shows why earning a legitimate income can be considered an act of worship

ne of the most inhuman outcomes of a modern welfare state is that it makes the conditions for full employment almost impossible. Depending on the economic situation, a sector of society resign to sit at home if they are prone to indolence or go from one job interview to another without being offered any meaningful employment. In the meantime, the unemployed or underemployed sector receives benefits without being able to fully contribute to society. Deprived of gainful employment, this sector gradually loses dynamism and hopefulness that other sectors in society possess.

In an ideal Islamic society, the state is expected to do its share in creating job opportunities while the individual is expected to seek employment or be involved in a business undertaking to support himself or herself and those who depend on him or her, such as their children and the elderly. A narration from the Prophet Muhammad(s) states that ‘earning a halal living is incumbent upon every Muslim male or female’ (Jaami‘-ul-Akbar, Hadith 1079). Another narration also attributed to the Prophet declares that ‘God likes a believer who is busy with a profession.’

Obviously not. There are innumerable professions that can be considered halal. But there are some professions that believers are supposed to avoid such as money lending with a usurious rate of return and any profession that goes against the very grains of Islamic teachings such as sale of alcohol. But even when the business itself is a halal business, the unethical actions of the employee or employer can lead to a livelihood which is not halal. For instance, if the employer tried to extract more hours out of the employee above and beyond what is required by their employment contract, then that employer or owner of business is not earning a halal livelihood. Conversely if an employee avoids putting in the right amount of hours and minutes, based on the contract that he or she has signed with his employer, his or her livelihood will not be halal. Any businesses that fail to act as stewards of nature and squander God-given resources cannot have a halal outcome. Connection between this life and the Hereafter

One set of teachings is specifically devoted to earning a ‘halal livelihood’ or what is referred to as rizq-ul-halal and the instructions in this area are so abundant that they require a whole book to do justice to them. It is reported that once the Prophet kissed the calloused hands of one of his companions who was working the land, and said: ‘This hand will be immune from Hellfire’.

The Hereafter in Islam is not a separate entity from our transient existence here on this planet. Both now and the Hereafter are on a continuum. As the Qur’an says: ‘And those who were blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter, and most astray from the Path.’ (17:72) Those who are seeking the pleasure of God cannot retire from the community in this life and just engage in the worship of the Almighty in mosques, tekkiyyas and khanqahs (places used for spiritual retreat). A true believer must be fully engaged with his community. The true believers are characterised in Islam as ‘the recluses by night and lions of the day’ (zuhhaad-ul-layl wa usud-al-nahaar). The description of the believer as ‘a lion’, or ‘a lioness’ in the case of Muslimahs (female Muslims), by day means that the true believers are not only engaged in the affairs of this world, but also occupy the frontline, or the leadership ranks, in daily worldly activities.

But should a person be involved only in farming to earn a halal livelihood?

According to Imam Baqir(a) those who are not striving in this life, cannot even

What is a halal livelihood?

A devout Muslim is guided in his daily life by the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the example of the Prophet Muhammad(s) and his blessed Household who represent the depository of the authentic prophetic teachings. This body of knowledge contains diverse and methodical instructions on every aspect of our mundane life.

his son Imam Ja’far Sadiq(a) had a keen be trusted to work hard towards their poor if he had: a) land and b) water. Here is the narration attributed to interest in agriculture and worked own salvation in the Hereafter. In a him which reads: ‘Whoever has water on the land to earn their livelihoods. remarkable narration from him we Abu ‘Amr al-Shaybani read: ‘I am angered by a man narrates: ‘I saw Aba Abdillah who is lazy in his worldly [Imam Sadiq] with a shovel affairs. Whoever is lazy in in his hand, and wearing a his worldly affairs is [even] In an ideal Islamic society, the state is lazier for his affairs of the thick cloth. He was working Hereafter.’ (Wasaa’il-al-Shi‘a, expected to do its share in creating job in his orchard and sweat volume 12, p. 37). was running down his back. opportunities while the individual is expected Leading by Example I told him: “May be I sacrito seek employment or be involved in a ficed for you, allow me to The Prophet and the Holy business undertaking to support himself… Household (Ahl-ul-Bayt) not do work instead of you”. He only talked the talk, but they said: “I love it when a man is also walked the walk. It is toiling under the heat of the quite well known among all sun to earn the livelihood Muslim sects that Imam Ali(a) worked and land and still is living in poverty, of his family.” ’ (Al-Kaafi, Vol. 5, p. 77) God keeps him away from his Mercy.’ diligently on the farms and orchards Muhammad al-Taymi or al-Munkadir From the descendants of Imam Ali(a) during his blessed life. For Imam Ali(a) (a) (died 747), one of the prominent taabi’i it appears that also Imam Baqir and there was no excuse for anyone to be

you be engaged in worldly affairs? Truly been in submission to God. My efforts (the followers of the companions of if death finds you in such a state, what now are an act of submission to God Prophet Muhammad (s)), was famed as will you do?” ’ because it is through such works that an ascetic, and one who transmitted a I do not ask you and other number of prophetic tradipeople for assistance. I [only] tions. He narrates that one fear that death might find hot summer day he went to me at a time when I might one of the farms outside of be engaged in sin.’ After this Madina. There he saw Imam A true believer must be fully engaged exchange, Munkadir turned Baqir(a) working on the with his community. The true believers are to Imam Baqir(a) and said: farm along with two of his ‘May God bless you. I wanted servants. Munkadir says: ‘I characterised in Islam as ‘the recluses by to give you a piece of advice. told myself that a nobleman night and lions of the day’… But now I am guided by you.’ from the Quraysh is engaged in a worldly affair on such a Islam has clear cut instruchot day. By God, I have to go tions on what is expected to him and give him a piece from us while living on this of advice. I approached him earth. Moving beyond and and greeted him. He greeted me back above these diverts us from our path to According to Munkadir, Imam Baqir(a) while he was breathless and sweating. return to Him. • replied: ‘By God, if death comes to me in I told him: “May God organise your this state, it has come to me while I have affairs. Why should a great man like

An ethical community Julia Khadija Lafene believes that in order to influence wider society, Muslim communities should align their ethical standards with Quranic teachings

An ‘ethical’ community is one in which ethical standards of conduct in human We all imagine that we know the justice is practised; the weaker members relationships, if correctly adhered to, meaning of ‘community’, a word much are cared for; discipline and good could indeed be a great force for good, bandied about by leaders and politicians manners are adhered to; people help being based on the idea that we are all who talk about the ‘farming community’, each other in times of trouble; there is accountable to a higher power. ‘the Muslim community’, ‘the business just distribution of wealth. This sort of community’, ‘minority communities’ and So how can modern communities, community can be found everywhere in ‘the wider community’; that is a group of inevitably less close-knit than those the world, especially those not unduly people and families living in the same of the past, practise being area, sharing many things and working together in in common, such as ideals, an ethical way, which will culture and religion. This be beneficial to themselves An ‘ethical’ community is one in which justice definition certainly applied and society in general? in earlier times, when most is practised; the weaker members are cared It is unfortunate that some people lived their lives in the for; discipline and good manners are adhered Muslims have fallen short same place, sharing the same of the ideal, either by to; people help each other in times of trouble; environment and values. mistaking cultural tradiBut in modern times these there is just distribution of wealth. tions for Islamic ones, or by homogeneous communities a belief that Muslim ethics have often been broken up do not apply to dealings by economic change, travel, with non-Muslims. These emigration, instability and lapses have of course been seized on by influenced by capitalistic economics war. But the implication is still the the media, promoting the idea that the idea that people in a ‘community’ have and excessive individualism. values of the ‘Muslim community’ are something in common even if it is only Usually there is an over-arching alien to British values. So Muslims need living in the same city and using the principle which restrains greed, be to work hard to restore the true ethical same services. And people by nature do it belief in a higher power or in the values of their community life which try to seek others with whom they share collective welfare of the group. Muslim include proper relationships with other common principles.

human beings created by the breath of the Almighty. ‘Community’ starts with the individual having self-respect and therefore respect for others. The Arabic words ‘adab’ or ‘courtesy’ and akhlaq (ethics) are the keys to this. Courtesy and ethical behaviour are not just good manners: they are founded on the behaviour of the Prophet(s) his companions, family and the Imams and saints who followed him, and apply to every aspect of life. ‘The believers are but a single Brotherhood. Live like members of one family, brothers and sisters unto one another’. (Qur’an 49:10)

of such things. When offering advice one must do so humbly, being aware of the feelings and attitude of the person one is trying to counsel. Always check intentions before proceeding. It is recommended to recite chapter Fatiha (The Opening) from the Holy Qur’an before delivering advice. In receiving counsel, a Muslim should be humble and accept it. If it applies he should immediately acknowledge it and thank the advice giver. If it does not apply then accept the advice and refrain from argument and defending himself. God knows the truth of the matter.

time accepting benefits and protection. These people have forgotten the Holy Qur’an and the conduct of the Prophet(s) and his successors. There were of course times when they had to oppose other communities who were attacking them or betraying agreements, but in general relationships with them were based on respect and honour for all human beings irrespective of their religion, colour, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job and so on. (17:70) “O people, We created you from male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognise one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. God is Omniscient, Cognisant.” (49:13)

This does not mean that really bad behaviour should be covered up or If a person practises tyranny in his go unpunished; for example those own family, but preaches otherwise in so-called Muslims who abused young the outside world, he is not laying the foundation for an ethical community. There is an adab due to everything in creation, to oneself, one’s … some Muslims have been at fault by family, one’s fellow Muslims, thinking that they need not behave ethically fellow human beings, nature and courteously towards non-Muslims, … and animals, but above all to God. Unity amongst These people have forgotten the Holy Qur’an human beings can only and the conduct of the Prophet(s)… There were be sustainable through of course times when they had to oppose other spiritual awakening, which brings about respect, tolercommunities … but in general relationships ance, compassion and with them were based on respect and honour genuine care for creation.

Two sayings of the Prophet(s) are significant here: ‘Whoever covers the faults of his brother, God will cover him from his own faults on the Day of Judgment.’ and ‘If you start seeking faults in the Muslims, you will cause dissent among them or you will at least start dissension.’ This refers to common mistakes that we all make, such as losing one’s temper, or divisive criticisms of the practices of different schools of thought. There are also people who mistake cultural practices for ‘Islamic’, such as forced marriage – which is totally haram (forbidden). Muslims need to counsel anyone they know who is carrying out such practices through ignorance and obstinacy, first ensuring that they themselves are free

for all human beings …

girls should definitely be brought to book. These people need to be severely punished, but also rehabilitated by helping them to realise the harm they have done, not only to their victims but to themselves and to other Muslims. Only by recognising that like all human beings they have a noble higher self can people reform themselves. Muslims need to be honest with one another, but not judgemental. Bad actions rather than individuals should be condemned. As regards relationships with the ‘wider community’, some Muslims have been at fault by thinking that they need not behave ethically and courteously towards non-Muslims, while at the same

Wherever possible, Muslims were to repel evil with good so that “the one who used to be your enemy, may become your best friend.” (41:34) If people ridiculed and scorned Muslim beliefs Muslims were advised to ‘leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the Divine code and have adopted and consider it as mere play and amusement‘ (6:70) and not to sit in the company of those who ridicule Divine Law unless they engage in some other conversation. (4:140) Inevitably because modern communities are more scattered and intermingled with others, they have to behave according to principles they have in common, the chief of these being ‘do as you would be done by’; in other words, treat others as you would wish to be treated. •

Julia Khadija Lafene graduated in Modern History from Oxford University. Since embracing Islam she has studied Islamic psychology and selfknowledge.

Art Editor Moriam Grillo

One to One Mohammed Ali

Mohammed Ali- Sparkhill swimming baths, Birmingham

Mohammed Ali & Abdul Baki Abu Bakar - The Repertory Theatre, Birmingham

“ We scoured the earth looking for people who have real stories to tell about religious freedom.” - Giovanna Abbiati, one of the organisers of TEDx at the Vatican Mohammed Ali is an award-winning

artist based in Birmingham whose work has been described as ‘Urban Spiritual Art’ and celebrated for ‘building bridges between faith communities’. Ali began his career as a graffiti artist, and his

work has graced walls of galleries and streets as far afield as Melbourne and Casablanca. His journey as an artist has led to a deeper understanding of what unifies us as humans and a greater and

much more urgent need to invigorate our awareness of those bonds. Ali is best known for his graffiti, but his work has moved on from that. His current work explores digital sound art; the use of sound to engage and stimulate as well as evoking the importance of story and the shared narrative that exists within us. In 2013, Ali was invited to the Vatican to take part in a Tedx presentation entitled Religious Freedom Today’, part of Pope Francis’ mission for religious understanding. Ali describes himself as not just an artist but a strategist who uses specific formulas to achieve change through art. His work evokes clear messages that concern communities on a macroscopic and microcosmic level, a theme which continues to drive his work in more dynamic and vital directions. Mohammed Ali is currently creating a Art centre to bring art into the heart of the community to connect people in radical new ways. He works with city authorities, museums and galleries around the world. What Ali has learnt and brought home from his travels is

motivations as an artist. Why graffiti?

Graffiti has been a passion since I was eight or nine years old. As a kid growing up in the eighties, I was drawn to it because it was an art form that had an appeal to any and everybody regardless of culture and heritage. It spoke to you as someone who was disconnected from the mainstream, on the fringes where things were bubbling away, where people are asking questions and seeking solutions. But that’s changed now, it’s interesting how graffiti has emerged in societies and is now being embraced. It’s interesting when you speak about the accessibility of graffiti on so many different levels. Graffiti is a very dynamic art form which man has always used for millennia to convey ideas and messages. Your graffiti sometimes is in the Arabic script, why have you chosen to do that?

I used to track the progress of different graffiti movements on the internet, seeing what different styles emerged in different places. One thing that always

never took on a local influence. It really struck me and made me question why that was. Graffiti was a declaration of words. It baffled me that such beautiful examples of scripts out there were not being used. And it made me wonder why no one was doing this. Arabic script in Islamic art was about the declaration of the words and nonfigurative as was graffiti art. It was always about the words. So the marriage of these two art forms just made perfect sense. Graffiti is associated with anonymity. Why did you decide to go in this direction?

Graffiti is an expression of the self, and is about you imposing your views onto others often using a street name or tag. But although it was a selfish expression, there was also something about the anonymity of it. I’d get a buzz out of that, about not being known. It was almost like you were creating a fantasy kind of superhero character who was going out at night and bringing colour into your neighbourhood. In later years, I started to experiment with Arabic script and words and

Mohammed Ali & Abdul Baki Abu Bakar - The Repertory Theatre, Birmingham

the knowledge that a physical space is crucial in order to maintain community relations. I recently had the opportunity to discuss the arts with Mohammad Ali and gain a deeper understanding of his

struck me was that it was always in the same language, people were churning out the same style. Wherever you went in the world people were using Roman script as it was done in New York, it

messages. As a Muslim artist when you start exploring Islamic art, you realise that it’s not like a lot of European art. But in some ways there are a lot of parallels with graffiti because the

not part of this society? So the reason I shout with the work that I do is to make sure it is seen and heard. It sounds like your work has been a learning curve for you developing yourself as an artist and your craft…..

Mohammed Ali Abdul Baki Abu Bakar- Green street, London

artist is not at the centre of it. The anonymity of the Islamic artist that made art for mosque walls, it had an external message that was higher than the artists saying “I am”. I wouldn’t say there were complete parallels; it was for very different reasons. It’s a different dynamic. You’ve now moved beyond graffiti, what does your current work consist of?

I’m looking at performance, theatre and production. I’m really passionate about capturing stories, telling people stories and letting the art deal with people’s issues. I enjoy digital art; digital video and soundscapes. I will do a lot of recordings while I travel and play with these sounds to create theatrical multidisciplinary experiences. I also enjoy not just creating but curating, so my work is much more than spray painting on a wall now.

listening and making the effort rather than just cutting and pasting a vision for people. It’s crucial for me to make the effort to connect with people, rather than impose myself onto them. The desire to connect and immerse myself in people and their stories drives me to provide a voice for people who are not being heard. Growing up in ethnic communities, migrant communities, I grew tired of being the unheard forgotten voice, the ‘other’ which is not being represented in mainstream society. To move away from that immigrant mentality; ‘keep your head down, don’t make too much noise.’ Being raised in this society, that mentality didn’t work for me and made me think ‘why should I feel that I am

It’s been a massive learning curve. My approach is forever changing. Once, it would have been how to build bridges and creating work that is interfaith and that connected people. That desire to build bridges hasn’t changed, but now I do it in a more challenging way, and in turn, it builds a much more meaningful bridge between people, because people like to learn about each other and hear difficult stories. That’s what I want to approach, not just the nice stuff. It’s important to be authentic, that in itself builds bridges. It’s important to build something meaningful. Just saying ‘Islam is peace’ is not going to deal with it. And I realise that if you’re going to make changes you have to go deeper than that.

“You should never underestimate the difference you can make” - Mohammed Ali For more information on the artist visit: www.aerosolarabic.com

What do you feel is the most important aspect of your work?

One of the key things in the work that I do is to be able to tell people stories, and be authentic to people and the communities I visit and I’m working for. You have to immerse yourself in people. That means spending time, talking,

Mohammed & Ali Martin Travers - Fatima Mansions, Dublin

The Place to Be Ilm Festival - Kuala Lumpur

“The arts are often neglected in society, people perceive them as a waste of time, but this has to change, we know that the arts are vital to inspiring future generations in both civic engagement and expression that catalyses societal discourses” - Mohammed Ali

In the spotlight Filmmaker; Kamal Aljafari

“This is a work that can only be seen, not talked about; all that can be said is that it brings cinema to a place beyond the question of fiction, documentary and video art. Not only that; it does so as if no camera were there, or there were a camera without a man the invisibility here is of film itself. “- Sight and Sound Magazine. Kamal Aljafari is a Palestinian documentary filmmaker whose work gives voice to Palestinians living under occupation. This summer his work was

Ilm is the Arabic word for ‘knowledge’ as well as an acronym for ‘I love Muhammad’. Ilm Festival will be celebrating the transformative power of faith-inspired creativity. The event will present 25 international artists ranging from artists such as Mohammed Ali (also co-curator of the festival), photographer Peter Sanders and comedian Omar Regan, bringing together a variety of artistic expressions from performance

art and nasheeds to Islamic comedy and the physically challenging parkour.

celebrated by the Beirut Arts Centre in an exhibition entitled ‘After Cinema’. The exhibition examined the use of film to explore what might otherwise become inaccessible histories, a theme that aptly describes Aljafari’s content and style of filmmaking.

authentic way. Although the medium is often filled with formality and used to record events as an outsider looking in, Aljafari skilfully employs similar tactics, but through his artistry and subtlety, manages to present reality from the standpoint of the invisible other.

His films blend fiction and personal memoir creating complex narratives based on the everyday experiences of the Palestinian communities in Ramleh and Jaffa. In The Roof, Aljafari encapsulates Jaffa’s tumultuous history. He gives definition and place to the current Israeli occupation, while gently hinting at its impermanence. Port of Memory, Aljafari’s most recent film centres on his mother’s family who are at risk of eviction if they do not prove that the house they have lived in for decades belongs to them. The often motionless camera offers a psychological portrait of the imminent threat of eviction against the backdrop of the conflict, encroachment and construction of a rebel state.

There is a caring, nurturing nature to his work which creates a stark alternative for a people whose situation although watched globally remain unseen. And there is further irony. The port city of Jaffa, famous for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah and Solomon, was once a common location for filming action movies, something that Aljafari captures with dark humour in his films as he questions the boundaries between reality and fiction. •

Aljafari uses documentary in a very

The event will take place on 30th August 2015 in a 13,000 seater auditorium and is documented as one of the largest gatherings of Muslim artists from around the world that share a common artistic thread shaped around their shared faith.

Moriam Grillo is an international artist. She holds Bachelor degrees in Photography & Film and Ceramics, her current projects include a commission for the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham.

The Prince and the Pir Cleo Cantone looks at the British Museum exhibition, The Prince and the Pir, Dervishes and Mysticism in Iran and India (16 th- 19 th centuries)

A portrait of a seated Sufi saint under a tree. Here they would receive guests, be it kings or commoners, the emphasis being on their modesty.

19th century khirqa or jibba from Sudan

Historically, the histories of Iran and India have been intertwined at various stages. In the 16th century, with the invasion of the Mughals, a much stronger wave of Persian influence reached India. Upon the return the Mughal emperor Humayun (1508 – 1556) from the court of Shah Tahmasp of Persia, he was accompanied by artists and craftsmen. Under his successor, Emperor Akbar (1556 - 1605) Sufism, another Persian import, thrived in the Indian sub-continent. Akbar himself was drawn to Sufi teachings, especially those of the Andalusian mystic, ibn ‘Arabi (1164 - 1240). In the painting of the Dervish with snake-headed staff (ca. 1570) a blue-eyed dervish, covered in amulets and carrying a staff may represent the ascetic who lived under Akbar. The serpent is emblematic of the carnal soul, which, when poor and weak it is like ‘a little worm’ but grows big through power and riches. Thus the painter may have been making a subtle allusion to the mystical power of

the dervish as opposed to the temporal power of the ruler. Sufi mystics-also known as dervishes from the Persian meaning ‘poor’-started off being ‘murids’ (literally, ‘one who has made up his will’) when embarking on their spiritual path to enlightenment and required the guidance of a pir or shaykh. They started to appear in Persian paintings from the 15th century and became particularly common during the 17th century in Iran and India. Indeed, the exhibition proclaims to display ‘works produced in Iran and India between the 16th and 19th centuries, rang[ing] from album and manuscript pages to objects used in daily life.’ As an Indian painting of a Dervish under a tree illustrates, dervishes often sat in an isolated spot under a tree, sometimes on a platform or a mat with some prayer books. Here they would receive guests, be it kings or commoners, the emphasis being on their modesty. If

they were buried on the site when they died, it would become a place of pilgrimage marked by a tomb. Sufism evolved from being relatively reclusive to a more communal practice in the 9th and 10th centuries reaching its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries. Miniature painting peaked in the 15th century but experienced a decline a century later. From this time, rather than whole books, miniatures were produced separately and compiled into albums as the painting of the Seated Dervish pertinently illustrates (Isfahan, ca 1800s). During this period, portraits of pirs proliferated. An earlier album folio, Saint on a Fish (India, ca 1600) proposes a recurrent Sufi theme of miracles involving animals. Here, the haloed pir holds a golden jar and is standing on a large fish in the river. Interpreted as being the river god or al-Khidr himself, this immortal mystical figure is revered by Hindus and Muslims alike. Under the Mughal Empire, in fact, saw something of a synthesis taking

A Mughal crutch

place between the two religions, the result of which is attested in the art and architecture produced in this period. Paradoxically, although Sufi saints were renowned for their renunciation of material goods, the occasional appearance of luxury objects provides a clue to the scrupulous eye of the art

historian as to the date and provenance of the painting. Such is the case with ‘A group of dervishes’ probably painted in Isfahan in around 1640. Scattered among the dervishes are a selection of blue-and-white wares which may represent a donation of such wares of Shah Abbas I (r. 1587-1629) to the

Ardabil shrine. During Abbas’s reign, the local production of porcelain was greatly influenced by Ming Chinese wares produced on a white translucent body and often of better quality than the wares they took inspiration from. It seems unlikely that dervishes would have used this kind of vessel, rather,

Kashkul

the Victoria and Albert Museum and are also dated to the 19th century. The beggar’s bowl or ‘kashkul’ was a sign of religious poverty and therefore emblematic of Islamic mysticism. The inscriptions usually include verses from the Qur’an as well as poetry in Persian praising the ‘kashkul’ in mystical terms. Sometimes they are made of metal; others are carved from half the shell of the fruit of the coco de mer palm which grows in the Seychelle Islands in the Indian Ocean. As the shell washes ashore in southern Iran, its journey symbolises the spiritual journey of the dervish in his attainment of mystic knowledge. ‘Kashkuls’ were used to place gifts of food and they sometimes have a small spout to make the bowl into a drinking vessel. Alongside the begging bowl is a 17th century Indian staff carved in ivory and ebony, also very rare, and a Qajar pen box (of which there are several on permanent display). Instead of following the more conventional categorisation by dynasty, The Prince and the Pir is organised into themes, such as Sufis, Masters, Disciples and Princes or Sufi Brotherhoods: Gatherings and Rituals. This concentration on subject-matter rather than chronology allows for a more fluid appreciation of the displays, which include two cases of related objects. In one, a patched garment known as a 19th century khirqa or jibba from Sudan is displayed alongside a contemporary hat from Kirgyzstan. Both objects were loaned by the museum’s ethnographic collection and though their provenance is otherwise irrelevant to the exhibition, they make a point about the contemporary practice of Sufism in other parts of the Muslim world. •

their depiction in contemporary paintings is analogous to Renaissance artists such as the Italian Giovanni Bellini (‘Feast of the Gods, 1514) and may indicate a particular penchant for exotic and therefore exclusive wares. In the other case, we find a kashkul (begging bowl) symbolising the empty

nafs (ego) and made from a coco de mer in the islands of the Indian Ocean. Interestingly, it depicts a Sufi with a kashul as well as the names of the Prophet Muhammad (s), Fatima(a) and the Twelve Imams. Dated to 1257/1842, this kind of object is not frequently on display. Similar examples are held at

Dr Cleo Cantone holds a PhD from the University of London. Her book “Making and Remaking Mosques in Senegal”, based on her doctoral research, has recently been published by Brill.

Feature

Imam Ali

(a)

on the ‘welfare state’ and ‘limited guardianship’

ccording to some theoreticians neither the ancient Greeks nor the ancient Romans possessed the concept of ‘right’. By contrast, there are others who argue that the concept was implicit in some of their moral principles and that each person had a natural right to self-preservation and property in his own body. The general agreement among scholars is that the concept is

something new formulated around the 17th century by theoreticians such as Grotius, Hobbes, Pufendorf, and Locke. There is however another understanding, that the concept of right came first from within the Muslim World. According to Dr Hamid Hadji Haidar it was in fact Ali ibn Abi Talib (599-661), the most revered religious scholar among Shiite Muslims who made the

first explicit attempt to conceptualise rights in the history of political thought. According to him, Imam Ali - the fourth ruler in early Muslim society after the death of the Prophet - is the first Muslim political theorist and the author of the first Islamic political essay. Dr Haidar’s main claim is that Imam Ali’s political theory, as a variant of what he calls ‘welfare limited guardianship’, embodies several innovations in the

Based upon a paper by Dr Hamid Hadji Haidar, Tahereh Shafiee shows how the theoretical foundation of ‘rights’ was discussed by a Muslim leader (Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb) ten centuries before western scholars did so in the 17 th century

in a book named Nahj al-Balagha (The Way of Eloquence). Dr Haidar believes, one of his political letters can well be considered as the first Islamic political essay which draws a picture of the ideal Muslim state. The collection of directives to Malik al-Ashtar - Ali’s appointed governor to Egypt in 660 - had been preserved among Shiites as an independent book. Dr Haidar uses the contents of the Imam’s letters to systematically introduce Imam Ali’s political theory. He calls the collection ‘Directives to the Muslim Ruler’. Dr Haidar begins to describe Imam Ali’s ‘Theory of the State’ by answering three major questions: Who should rule? How? And, why do we need government?

“Imam Ali, throughout his directives, maintains that an Islamic society should be governed by a competent figure possessed of the ‘knowledge of Divine laws’, as well as ‘self-restraint’ required for implementing those laws.”

Welfare limited guardianship

Dr Haidar believes the political theory of Imam Ali is best described as ‘Welfare Limited Guardianship’. And in regards to ‘who should rule?’ he says: “Imam Ali’s use of words imamah, wilayah and ulu al-amr respectively meaning leadership, guardianship and one who possesses authority, have been understood by Shiite scholars as indicating ‘guardianship’. history of political ideas. “The concept of welfare state, as well as the concept of publicly confirmed guardianship, registers Imam Ali as a definite original political thinker in history. Further, his concept of citizens’ rights that guarantees his view of limited government should be received as another innovation in the history of political thought. Unfortunately, , the

influence of his original political theory had to wait until Na’ini (1861-1936), the political theorist of the ‘Iranian Constitutionalist Revolution’ (1905-1911), developed Imam Ali’s political theory with a flavour of modernity”, says Dr Haidar. Imam Ali’s letters and lectures including several political letters were collected by al-Sharif al-Radi in 1010

Imam Ali, throughout his directives, maintains that an Islamic society should be governed by a competent figure possessed of the ‘knowledge of Divine laws’, as well as ‘self-restraint’ required for implementing those laws. However, although the guardian is competent to assume political power in an Islamic society, public acceptance of the guardian is necessary. Imam

Ali quotes a saying, from the Prophet addressed to himself: “You are the guardian of my people after me. Hence, if they accept your guardianship and consent to it, take the position, and if they disagree on your guardianship, leave them with their situations”. Hence Dr Haidar rightly claims that ‘Imam Ali’s theorisation of ‘the publicly confirmed guardian rule’ is the first step towards his political theory at his time.’ Limited Government

‘How should one rule?’ One of the most important aspects of Imam Ali’s theory, according to Dr Haidar, is his insistence on the concept of ‘limited government’ or ‘restriction of political obligation and the accountability of the ruler to the public’. Imam Ali confirms that political obligation is limited to the extent of the ruler’s correctitude. So if there is no legitimate rule there would not be any obligation either. Here Dr Haidar points out that Imam Ali’s suggestion that ‘the political obligation of Muslim citizens is limited’ should be taken as an indication of his commitment to limited government. Haidar quotes from Imam Ali: “Do not say: ‘I have been given authority, I should command and should be obeyed, for this attitude is corruptive of the heart, destructive of the faith, and [provides] potential for overthrowing you”. The restraints and limits Imam proposes upon governors oblige them to publicly provide information about their decisions and be answerable about their performance to the public. For if the power of a ruler is ‘absolute’ then he will do as he pleases and therefore accountability has no value. Welfare State

‘Why do we need government?’ Here Imam Ali’s emphasis is on a conception of ‘needs-based distributive justice’. “… Imam Ali proposes that the Islamic rule is not something valuable per se; rather, political power is intended to provide some ‘common goods’… An Islamic government is obligated, according to Imam Ali, to provide for society: security and peace, economic

“The concept of welfare state, as well as the concept of publicly confirmed guardianship, registers Imam Ali as a definite original political thinker in history.”

respecting their self-esteem, as well as providing security for their jobs. On the other hand the merchants and industrialists are obliged to supply necessary goods for society as well as paying taxes required for public expenditures. development, social justice, and individual virtues …The idea of distributive justice on the basis of needs is, definitely, an innovation by Imam Ali and of course quite in line with the Quranic teachings and is not found in any ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, nor in ancient Chinese philosophy”, says Dr Haidar.

“In all cases Imam does not interpret justice as providing a unified level of prosperity for all citizens. Rather, he incorporates into the concept of justice proportionality between the public burdens everyone bears with public benefits that person receives”, says Dr Haidar. Citizen’s Right

Imam Ali’s conception of distributive justice has been put in terms of fairness, justice and citizens’ rights. “Imam Ali’s conception is not egalitarian. He does not support equality of income and wealth for all citizens. Nor does his conception of justice directly necessitate reducing or removing the gap between the rich and the poor. In other words, Imam Ali’s conception of distributive justice requires meeting the basic needs of the poor and the entitlement of the

As Dr Haidar explains: “According to Imam Ali, a right is a ‘benefit’ for the right-holder, as it is a ‘burden’ upon the duty-bearer”. Hence, there is a link between a right and a duty. Imam Ali also defines a right as something mutually possessed. In other words, when a duty-bearer respects a right possessed by the right-holder, the former is entitled to a benefit, that is, a right. In this regard, Imam Ali, as the ruler, addresses the public and says: ‘Definitely, I have a right against you, and you have a right “Imam Ali does not interpret justice as providing against me’.

a unified level of prosperity for all citizens. Rather, he incorporates into the concept of justice proportionality between the public burdens everyone bears with public benefits that person receives”

rich to their property”, adds Dr Haidar Here we see that Imam advises his governors to pay attention to the ‘merchants’ and ‘industrialists’ by

To summarise Imam Ali’s concept of ‘citizen’s right’, we can say the first feature is the link between rights and duties, second is ‘mutual existence of rights’ and the third feature is ‘the individual’s right in respect of those who respect their rights’. Individual rights extend to the right of that individual against

the ruler and vice versa. In this regard Imam states: ‘The greatest rights among human beings confirmed by God is the right of the ruler against the ruled and the right of the ruled against the ruler … Hence, … the truth gets powerful between them, life becomes enjoyable, the stability of the state is guaranteed, and the enemies become hopeless’. Dr Haidar further explains: “Imam Ali confirms that citizens have ‘a right to prosperity, education, moral progress and to the good-will of the ruler, which can collectively be called ‘welfare rights’. The ruler has ‘a right to obedience’ and respect for his commands. When citizens obey the ruler, their right to welfare is confirmed. By contrast, if the ruler fails to provide welfare for the citizens, he will forfeit his right to obedience. This view concerning citizens’ rights sheds light on Imam Ali’s conception of limited government and political obligation. Hence Imam rejects authoritarianism and supports limited government. Therefore the scope of the authority of the Islamic government is limited by citizens’ rights.” The importance Imam Ali puts on the dignity and freedom of individuals is illuminating especially when considering how it precedes any other declaration of rights by several centuries. •

The original paper was presented at The Academic Nahjul Balgha Confer ence, 2012 Peterborough, UK

Dr Hamid Hadji Haidar is an Islamic scholar and honorary research associate at Depart ment of Political Science, UCL and author of Liberalism and Islam 2008

Ali, the epitome of excellence Poem by Ruhi Rizvi Ali, the grandeur of excellence, a celebrated peak of eloquence. Magnanimous encounter of the world meets a light proclaimed. Blessed Kaaba receiving your entity at Allah’s will you’re named. Walls heeding order, by The Lord of Kaaba they split open to let Fatima Binte Asad in to greet, a luminous life beholding concept. Honour of Islam upheld by strength and valour beautifying Allah’s might. Showering mankind, the angels heralding and cherishing, this wonderful sight. Nourishing nafs of truth, confronted enmity, through battles you won Khyber awakened by grasp of yours victory, o beloved one. A dhulfiqar attuned to your might, unleashing the sword wielded, a Fatah for all, relentless efforts put forward for humanity yielded. Humbling persona treading gently into nights, charitable endorsement of need Capturing hearts, you endeared homeless and poor, many to feed. Orphans cherishing Moments of worth given, Witnessing a Selfless Ali Love, you taught us, opposing the tyrants and challenging gracefully. As sun you shone in hearts of devoted, faithful companions you made, An Ashtari craving kinship loyal with you, a sacrifice for Allah obeyed. Hearts of Najaf enlightened presence yours now in glorious shrine, From afar come forth lovers, entering the gate to city of sublime.

Believing

in true

heroes True heroes enlighten our path towards the realisation of the Sacred. Amir De Martino discusses the divine heroism of Imam Husayn (a) and why he stands out from all others

here is a lot that can be said of a society by looking at their heroes and role models. We could almost say ‘tell me who your role model is and I’ll tell you who you are?’ To have a role model to look up to can be a good way to survive in difficult and confusing times. The problem is that as society’s ethical values change so do its heroes. Yesterday’s heroes are not necessarily today’s. If I was a Mongolian I might consider Genghis Khan as my hero and this would be a subjective consideration. Many imitate or take as their heroes ephemeral characters who briefly make the headlines, people who have nothing to teach, and contrary to what they believe are nothing more than insignificant extras on the world scene. With society having pushed out from its heart and intellect the last residues of belief in a divine dimension, the heroes of today’s humanity are worldly individuals valued for their economic success, achievement of power or tabloid fame. In short, they are secularised like the society that has produced them.

Modern society has little room for ‘sacred heroes’ and broadly struggles to admit the concept of ‘sacredness’. Accepting the existence of the sacred is to accept that which transcends, that goes beyond man, time and space, towards the Eternal. Sacred is what reconnects our worldly life to the invisible forces of the supernatural world, where things are kept in order by laws that are for man but orientated towards the Divine. True heroes are an effusion of the Sacred that is why they really and truly exist in the sacred dimension. Their task is to remind us of our real purpose in life and as such operate in the domain of faith and belief. The nearest possible term that can be used to describe them in our contemporary language is saints. Endowed with exceptional faith they perform exceptional acts of sacrifice. They live in the realm of certainty. It is their certainty that gives us certainty. They don’t ask to be followed; we follow them instinctively when we achieve awareness. Even those who hate them acknowledge their praiseworthiness and moral superiority;

becomes a duty for future generations that evoke their epic lives. They have ranks and the highest of them are the closest to God, whose pleasure they see as the ultimate objective. They belong to whoever recognises them and the love for them is ever expanding. They come from a line of purity whose covenant with God was signed in the world of pre-existence.

they cannot be mistaken, confused or compared to others no matter how powerful others are in this world. They are true historical personalities

that cry out for the faith of humanity, easily distinguishable from imposters and charlatans. Their example is not time related and their remembrance

God has granted them a master and his name is Husayn ibn Ali(a) the grandson of Prophet Muhammad(s) known simply by his followers as Imam Husayn(a). Among the heroes of history he has undoubtedly the largest number of followers. Last year more than two million people visited his grave at a single moment in Karbala, Iraq, with a constant flow of pilgrims throughout the year. It is not by chance that this Master of Heroes is from the progeny of the Prophet Muhammad(s). Like his

grandfather, who completes the cycle of prophets, Imam Husayn(a) can be said to complete the cycle of heroes. He is the archetype of the martyred heros.

Islam, and the failure of a community to bring forward the Prophet’s vision of Islam rather than a caliphal, monarchical and dynastical interpretation embodied by those who came to rule

For the lover of the Prophet and his family, Imam Husayn(a) is the ultimate hero. The beacon of his light is guiding generations after generations and will continue to do so. No special features are needed to see it and be guided by it except humbleness and the acknowledgment of the worldly Sacred.

The story of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn(a) with his followers on the plane of Karbala in the year 61AH / 680CE, may be related … the heroes of today’s humanity are to Islamic history, but individuals valued for their economic success, I am sure that in a world in reality it has cosmic that has confined the significance. If the Imam achievement of power or tabloid fame. In sacred to hidden corners represents the custodian of short, they are secularised like the society that there are still people Prophet Muhammad’s(s) true has produced them. capable of being moved message, his killers, who by the guiding light of obeyed the infamous Yazid true heroes. We will do ibn Muawiya, represent the our best to help Imam trend within human history Husayn’s(a) light to reflect intent on desecrating the the Muslim world. Sacred. Their objective is to slow down in all directions by living by example Historians are quick to point out that or destroy the generating power of the and honouring him with perpetual less than 50 years after the death of spiritual force, to remove the dynamic remembrance. Prophet Muhammad(s) his community presence, capable of generating via Yazid I’s ascension to power in 680CE institutions, cultures, laws, religion…, had allowed the structure of the through the machinations of his father spiritual values that are above the Islamic political system to turn into a Muawiya was not complete. The individual, constant and unchangeable. dynastical family with Muawiya ibn abu grandson of the Prophet Muhammad(s), Today the followers of the Prophet Sufian at its head. This system is not to Husayn ibn Ali(a), highly respected by Muhammad(s) are occupying the front be confused with the wise, pious, just the community and whose opinions prophets/kings of the Old Testament. lines of the struggle against selfishness and actions were imporand utilitarianism and in tant, rejected legitimising this the example of Imam Muawiya’s plan. His famous Husayn(a) provides us with reply that ‘a person like me clear lessons of intent and can never give allegiance purpose. (s) to someone like Yazid’ is

Today the followers of the Prophet Muhammad

an exhortation for us to Bravery and courage are are occupying the front lines of the struggle analyse the characteristics virtues appreciated univeragainst selfishness and utilitarianism and in of the two personalities to sally but they are wasted if realise that they represent not placed at the service of this the example of Imam Husayn(a) provides us two opposing realities, the highest ideals, worse still with clear lessons of intent and purpose. two parallel dimensions, if put at the service of those one carnal and soulless who oppress and massacre represented by Yazid, humanity (this applies to and the other spiritual, Muslims too). This is why soul-edifying, hope-giving, the heroic struggle of Imam There is no doubt that today there despair-removing and heroic repreHusayn(a) is incomparable with any is much confusion in the world of sented by Imam Husayn(a). • other struggle of the past and of the Islam as it is outside. What is right? future. What is wrong? Who is just or unjust? His discerning followers understand Who is the oppressed and who is the this. His story and struggle is not about oppressor?........ In the absence of such rivalry between two ancient families of clarity we take comfort in the words of the Arab Qureshi tribe, these are just Amir De Martino is the Chief Prophet Muhammad(s) who said about details of history. The real picture is Editor of islam today magahis grandson; ‘Indeed Husayn is the zine and a lecturer in Islamic much broader with implications in all Beacon of Guidance and the Ark of History. aspects of daily life. It has to do with the Salvation.’ historical corruption of true Prophetic

LOVE within and without

Harun Yahya discusses the uplifting effects of true love and the problems that arise when human beings are devoid of such central emotion

life. A love powerful enough rief, anger and to affect the body can only hatred: All these Someone who loves God will love all of our come from love of God. negativities Lord’s creation….He will be determined with Someone who loves God will damage the human a scrupulous virtue deriving from fear and love all of our Lord’s creabody and soul, and even give tion. He will be determined rise to decay. That is the love of God. Love represents one of God’s with a scrupulous virtue reason why so many people commands in the Qur’an. Faith is essential deriving from fear and love on the streets look depressed, for true love. of God. Love represents one the reason for their deep of God’s commands in the wrinkles, their hopeless way Qur’an. Faith is essential for of speaking and their uneasy loveless, the result is collapse and true love. If love is based on expressions. These people weariness. A wretchedness that can worldly causes, it will inevitably end in come up with so many justifications for extend to the worst depression is always disappointment. lovelessness and such peculiar ideas that the efforts they make along those the result of lovelessness. Loveless‘Love can eliminate all the problems lines are quite thought-provoking. A ness leads to tension, and tension to in the world’. Those who regard that tendency toward conflict and fighting, diseases such as hernia. Lovelessness sentence as over-ambitious and who and some people’s living far removed lies at the root of all stress-related even object on the grounds that it is from love are important problems that diseases. The human body senses love “unrealistic,” may perhaps have never need to be resolved. and becomes very bright and vivacious thought about it in detail. However, it when it receives love. The brain comes is an absolute fact. First of all, someone Love is delicious and easy. The human to life. The mind and the soul come to who loves becomes generous, altruistic soul delights in it. When the soul is

Problems between Muslim communities generally stem from the fact that they are not acquainted with one another, or even imagine one another to be completely different.

needs of any kind will be left to fend for themselves, because love will be the basis of everything, and the altruism and mutual aid required by love will naturally be implemented. Love is essential if a person is to unconditionally recognise the goodness and beauty of the other side. Otherwise it is impossible to display such a moral value. Let us imagine the opposite state of affairs. Of course egoism will prevail where hatred reigns, where love is never even on people’s minds and when people are wary of one another and tense. It will be impossible to settle disputes and establish calm because everyone is out for his own interests and never displays any altruism.

and gentle. He will think of others before himself, and will strongly avoid offending people in word or deed. Imagine a mother who loves her child; she will be scrupulous about its comfort, tranquillity, education, food, safety, cleanliness and everything else. Mothers generally think much more about their children than about themselves. They put them first in everything. Someone who is full of love will always be in favour of peace, goodness and altruism. Everyone will behave as people who have renounced their own interests. When that is the case, when they see someone in need, his needs will be met without their needing to be told twice, or when there is a dispute, compromise and a solution will be sought right away. Since everyone will put others first, there will be nobody in need. Nobody with any

Paradise is the abode of love. Love, affection and compassion are fine things and are peculiar to Paradise. With a bit of effort and determination we can also build a climate of shining love in this world too, and what is more we can ensure that people everywhere abide by it. To do that, we need to increase the number of people with enlightened souls, who are filled with a joyous love, who protect everyone and always seek what is good. Weakness of love is the main cause of problems and disputes

Weak love is a general problem among Muslims. Even arguments over very minor issues among Muslims can turn into major problems if they are never talked through. It is most thoughtprovoking how two people or two sides that strive for God, serve the same aim, obey the Qur’an and believe in the same prophet can nonetheless become diametrically opposed. This weakness of love among believers and the divisions that stem from it are a major

problem that needs to be resolved. Above all else, a Muslim must regard another Muslim as his brother in faith. In the verses of the Qur’an, we have an obligation to try to resolve a problem when one arises between brothers: ‘The believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers and have fear of God so that hopefully you will gain mercy.’ (49: 10) Problems between Muslim communities generally stem from the fact that they are not acquainted with one another, or even imagine one another to be completely different. Yet that is easy to resolve. They must begin to meet, speak, eat together, hold meetings, accept such invitations and strengthen their brotherhood by offering one another friendship. Then they will begin to understand one another. When each group sees that another is also striving for love, that will be instrumental in increasing brotherhood in faith. Shortly after that, people of peace and good intentions will come together and peace will rule the world. We can succeed in this by insisting on peace with determination and patience, building brotherhood and keeping love on the agenda. The more we espouse such virtues, the more progress love will make. That is the tremendous effect that espousing peace, brotherhood and love can have. Love will not come to a stop. If people are determined it will progress and move forward, but that needs to happen in a determined manner. •

Adnan Oktar, also known as Harun Yahya, is a Turkish author and an Islamic creationist

Interfaith

The Magna Ca Prophet Mu Charter o How are they As the English Charter of 1215 known as the Magna Carta commemorates its 800 th birthday Frank Julian Gelli compares it to another document that precedes it by almost 600 years: the Charter of Medina

arta and uhammad’s of Medina: related?

00 years ago at Runnymede, near Windsor, rebellious English barons forced King John to sign Magna Carta, ‘the Great Charter’. A political document redefining the limits of royal power. Pope Innocent III quickly declared it null and void and John himself repudiated before dying next year. Often violated by medieval monarchs, Magna Carta is now hailed as the seminal document of English liberties, democracy and human rights – a veritable proto-constitution. Splendid but…myth or reality? A current British Library exhibition boosts the myth, yet it admits that 60 of the Charter’s 63 clauses have been repealed. Just as well. The first clause states that the English Church shall be free: ‘It shall have its rights undiminished and its liberties unimpaired.’ In case you were in doubt: ‘free’ means free from royal interference, not from papal authority (A freedom which the ghastly tyrant Henry VIII later usurped and suppressed). Today the Church of England is so utterly unfree that its bishops are appointed by the monarch – the Prime Minister, in fact. Some freedom! Clauses 10 and 11 take a swipe at Jewish money lenders. If a man dies owing money to Jews, his wife will have her dower and pay nothing towards the debt from it. Whatever the reasons way back, today that smacks of anti-Semitism. King John’s grandson, Edward I, may have had those articles in mind when he expelled the poor Jews from England in 1290. Dreadful prejudice. Clause six says that heirs may not be given in marriage to person of ‘lower social rank’. Not quite egalitarian or progressive a sentiment, is it? Actually, Magna Carta flatly denies equal rights. Article 21 declares that ‘earls and barons shall be fined only by their peers’, not by any ordinary commoners or similar riff-raff. Indeed, until the 19th century British aristocrats were tried by their peers in the House of Lords. Thus the much boasted clauses 39 and 40 which stipulate that ‘no free man

should be seized or imprisoned except by the lawful judgment of his equals’ are revealed in their true light. As Dr Claire Breay points out, peasantry, serfs and slaves – the greater part of the English population back then - were definitely not ‘free men’. So Magna Carta never included them. What about the celebrated right or law of habeas corpus, said to have its glorious origins in the Charter? In fact, it was only passed as an Act of Parliament in 1679 but it was never a right sacrosanct or absolute. In Britain it has often been suspended, notably during the French Revolution, in wartime and more recently in Northern Ireland. ‘Magna Carta is dead!’ lamented members of Sir Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists when Churchill ordered their internment in 1939. A bit ironical, perhaps. If Magna Carta was so central to the nation’s historical consciousness of law and liberty you would expect that supreme English genius, William Shakespeare, to mention it. Not so. The immortal Bard’s Often violated by medieval monarchs, Magna play, The Life and Death of King John, Carta is now hailed as the seminal document of says not a word about English liberties, democracy and human rights it.

– a veritable proto-constitution. Splendid but… reality?

Understandably, myth or Shakespeare was keen on celebrating the dubious glories of the absolutist Tudor and Stuart dynasties. It would have been dangerous for him to portray an English King as bested by his own noblemen. Hardly brave but… human, all too human. Historian Dan Jones observes that the problem with the Great Charter is that ‘it has become almost entirely detached from its original context’. Therefore it can be read in many different ways and used ‘to bolster any position you fancy’. Upholders of liberal democracy, taxation-hating libertarians, advocates of Anglican Church’s disestablishment, free trade fanatics, even far-right activists – they can all claim Magna Carta as

justification for their causes. The hoary medieval document ‘can mean whatever you want it to mean’ according to Jones. Little surprise therefore that even Prince Charles has suggested there should be a ‘Magna Carta for the Earth’. A sort of global deal on climate change. Britain’s future King means well but he should perhaps be careful not to provoke fears of untoward royal meddling, as his recent ‘black spider’ memos seem to suggest. I trust Charles has no desire to emulate the autocratic example of his ancestor King John! What

about

the

famous

Charter

or Constitution of Medina, promulgated by the Prophet Muhammad in 622 AD – 1 AH - after his hijra from Makkah to Yathrib or Medina? It consisted of a number of short treatises, set out in paragraphs, concluded between the Prophet, on behalf of his followers, the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and the people of Medina, also including Jewish tribes living there. (It is unlikely there were Christians in Medina so the Charter does not mention them.) To begin with, it is a genuine and important historical document. Tom Holland, by no means an uncritical writer on Islam, grants that the document is ‘accepted even by the most suspicious scholars as deriving from the time of Muhammad.’ Significantly, those listed in the compact are described as hence-

as ‘legalistic’. The Charter of Umar burdened Christians with a heavy load of petty restrictions and liabilities, from matters of dress and hairstyle to chanting loudly. Christians had to agree to all such humiliating constraints in exchange for protection – or suffer the consequences. A constitution is a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state is acknowledge to be governed. Both Magna Carta and the Medina Charter evince constitution-like features in that normative sense. However, it is well to keep in mind that because certain principles or laws are enunciated in a text that does not mean that they will be implemented in reality. For example, the old Soviet constitution read like a wonderful affirmation and guarantee of all sorts of rights, liberties and fair treatments for its citizens. The sombre dictatorial reality of the Communist state was entirely different.

forth united in one single Umma, one community. The Medina Charter promises security for all. Professor C.S. Bosworth notes that one article states that ‘The dhimma of God is one, i.e. all within the Umma are equally protected…so that complete solidarity…is assured for all.’ Of course, the Charter also sets out several obligations, such as never to take the side of an unbeliever against a believer; war to be undertaken only with the permission of the Prophet; during war no believer to make peace with the enemy without agreement of the community. One key article says that God himself approves of the Charter. The tolerance displayed by the agreement is remarkable because one

Religion appears to be the connecting link between the Magna Carta and … Constitution of Medina, promulgated by the the Medina Charter. Prophet Muhammad …. consisted of a number Of course, the Creator and his will of short treatises, … concluded between the and laws are generProphet, … the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and ally assumed by the people of Medina, also including Jewish the drafters of the English document tribes living there. … is a genuine and important because for centuries historical document. England had been a Christian nation. The Medina Constitution marks rather article even includes the polytheists the opening of the new Islamic era, living in Medina as part of the single sealed by the message of the Prophet Umma. That is recognised by Maxime Muhammad. Nonetheless, God’s name Rodinson, a somewhat rancorous writer is hailed in both. • on Islam, although he also opines that it was only a temporary arrangement, to be revised once the historical situation had changed. One interesting comment by Professor Bosworth prompts a comparison between the generous and inclusive Medina Charter and a later, narrower text or covenant put forward after the Prophet’s death by Caliph Umar al-Khattab, whom he correctly terms

Revd Frank Julian Gelli is an Anglican priest, cultural critic and a religious controversialist, working on religious dialogue. His last book ‘The Dark Side of England’. An exposé, is available on Amazon Kindle.

Health Health Editor Laleh Lohrasbi

Treating

Prostate Cancer

Laleh Lohrasbi explains how in the fight against prostate cancer, radioactive ‘seeds’ implanted near the affected area can reduce the negative effects of conventional radiotherapy

hen for the first time on 27th April 2015 the news of developing innovative 3D-printed shields for prostate cancer radiotherapy was published on the internet, the importance of radiotherapy was once again highlighted. Radiotherapy along with surgery and chemotherapy are the three pillars of cancer treatment. Nearly two-thirds of cancer patients receive radiotherapy. The first radiotherapy was done only thirty years after the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923). Emil Grubbe was a medical student who convinced one of his professors to perform radiotherapy for a woman who no longer responded to medical treatment for breast cancer. He became the first radiation oncologist. In a few years radiotherapy spread first in the United States and Europe and then worldwide. The biggest complication of conventional radiation therapy is that it does not discriminate between healthy and cancerous cells. ThusÂ for tumours that are deep inside the body, radiation therapy often yields poor results, while destroying lots of normal cells and tissues. Radiotherapy has many side effects such as sore skin or peeling, tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, hair loss, effect on fertility, stiff joints and muscles. While in conventional radiotherapy the X-rays or other rays are usually made artificially through specific tubes, there are also some certain atoms which naturally emit radiation. These atoms are called radioactive atoms, i.e. polonium, Radium, iodine-125 and palladium-131. Many early advocates of Radiation Therapy in the 1920s had relied on the placement of radioactive sources in close proximity or even within the tumour, a technique known as brachytherapy. In many tumours, for example cervical and uterine cancers, brachytherapy became the backbone of treatment and remains so today. Now prostate cancer is the first in line to be a target for radioactive atoms. AtÂ a meeting of the European Society for Radiotherapy and

Oncology in Spain, researchers from the Vancouver Cancer Centre reported that patients undergoing low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy via implanted radioactive “seeds” survived twice as long as those undergoing conventional high-dose radiotherapy.

study, brachytherapy is a highly cost-effective method, even though it requires long training and much experience to produce consistent results. The Canadian study with radioactive seeds is a promising cause of treatment,

release radiation in all directions. For example brachytherapy of the prostate may induce rectal inflammation and bleeding, narrowing of the urine passage and erection problems. So, for many decades, cancer research has been focused on finding more selective treatments.

The Canadian team performed a study involving The biggest complication of conventional 398 men diagnosed with Scientists have been radiation therapy is that it does not discriminate prostate cancer who had looking for a way to localise no metastasis but were between healthy and cancerous cells. Thus for the radiation on the target considered to be resistant tumours that are deep inside the body, radiation tumour and decrease to conventional therapies. therapy often yields poor results, while the amount of radiation In this method, seeds of received by healthy cells. destroying lots of normal cells and tissues. radioactive atoms were implanted near the prostate Different materials and tumour. Prostate cancer technologies have been is the most common cancer tested. Today it seems that 3D printing, affecting men, developing primarily in but so far it has only been tested on has come to the rescue. Innovative 3D those over the age of 50. In 2012 there a small number of participants. Even printers provide the opportunity of were 1.1 million reported cases with though in brachytherapy the source of building delicate tiny shapes almost 307,000 deaths worldwide. According radioactivity is close to the tumour and from all kinds of material. low doses can be used, these seeds still to James Morris, who led the Vancouver

thyroid cells. The radiation emitted Researchers at Louisiana Tech Univerradiation therapy are radiotherapy, from Iodine atoms will destroy thyroid sity and University of Mississippi irradiation, or X-ray therapy. A patient cells as well as cancerous cells with the Medical Centre have presented a simple may receive radiation therapy before, least effect on the rest of the body cells. solution by using innovative protective during, or after surgery, depending on This method of treatment is an optional shields. They created customisable the type of cancer being treated. Some therapy for removal of any thyroid tissue 3D-printed shields for low-dose-rate patients receive radiation therapy alone, not removed by surgery and for cases radioactive seeds from a combination and some receive radiation therapy in where cancer has spread to other nearby of plastic forming raw material and combination with chemotherapy. tissues. Another example Barium Sulphate. Barium is radioactive phosphorus Sulphate is not only injection for treating some compatible with human blood disorders like PCRV body cells and tissues, it Prostate cancer is the most common cancer (polycythaemia rubra vera) is also a good compound affecting men, developing primarily in those when the bone marrow for stopping radiation. over the age of 50. In 2012 there were 1.1 makes too many red blood The shield was implanted cells, platelets and white along with the radioactive million reported cases with 307,000 deaths blood cells. seeds containing one of worldwide. three types of radioactive The new therapy method of atoms: Iodine, Cesium or applying a protective shield Palladium. Applying 25% along with a radioactive Barium Sulphate in the source is still only proof-of-concept and The global market for brachytherapy shield reduces the amount of radiation is yet to be tested in humans. However, was estimated at $680 million in 2013 in unwanted directions from 76% to at least for people with prostate cancer, and is set to rise to $2.4 billion by 2020, 93%. brachytherapy research seems to be according to an industry analysis by X-rays are generally known as the rays used in radiology. The kind of X-rays which are used in radiology are low - energy X-rays that create images. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to treat patients. Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves, such as X-rays, gamma rays, electron beams, or protons, to destroy or damage cancer cells. Other names for

MEDraysintell (medical radiation strategic intelligence experts). Radioactive atoms are also used in other ways for treating cancer. For example radioactive Iodine (Iodine 131) is used for treating thyroid cancer. The thyroid gland absorbs nearly all the Iodine in the body. When radioactive Iodine is consumed orally (liquid or capsule form), it concentrates in the

pointing in the right direction. •

Dr Laleh Lohrasbi is a pharmacologist. She has worked as an editor for the medical section of “Hamshahri”, a daily newspaper in Tehran.

Through September & October Commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qur’an Conducted by: Shaykh M Saeed Bahmanpour Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London W9 1QB Time: Every Friday starting at 7:45pm

5 & 6 September Revert Muslims Association UK 2015 Conference Entitled ‘New Muslims and Born Muslims: A Question of Identity and Community Spirit. Unity in Diversity’, this conference will seek to address the various dimensions of Muslim identity and community spirit. The aim of this two day conference is the coming together of members of communities in the UK and beyond, including anyone from very new Muslims to older born Muslims and all those in between, who are interested in and concerned about the subject and the speeches and workshop topics on offer. Conference will reflect on and discuss what kind of identity one should be striving to achieve as followers of the Ahlul Bayt(a) and how we can form and apply a community of Imam al Mahdi(a) in the West.

Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London W9 1QB Time: 10.00 AM - 8.00 PM Entry: Free

6 September

March in Cardiff: Fair Play for Palestine at UEFA Championships Wales has drawn Israel in the qualifying round of the 2015/2016 UEFA Championships. Wales will be playing against a country which routinely prevents Palestinian people from playing football and competing in tournaments. The rules of FIFA and UEFA are clear that there should be freedom of movement for all players around the world and no racism in football. But Israel violates both principles with impunity. With the support of PCS and UNISON trade unions and other groups this campaign is growing. This match is a huge opportunity to show disapproval of the lack

of sportsmanship and unfairness shown by FIFA and UEFA.

Venue: City Hall, Gorsedd Gardens Road, Cardiff Time: 2.00 PM

From 7 September Muslims in Europe: Modern Challenges This three-part, flexible e-learning course focuses on the relationships between Jews, Christians and Muslims in modern Europe from different disciplinary perspectives (sociology, history, anthropology, and theology). It examines historical trends, religious and cultural interaction, and contemporary issues. The course asks the following types of questions: is there a lesson in European Jewish history for European Muslims today? How are religion and ethnicity related in the Balkans? Do religious sensibilities necessarily clash with freedom of expression? Course will run from 7 September to 20 December 2015. The course is led by Dr Gorazd Andrejc and co-taught by other academics from the Woolf Institute, Cambridge.

Fee: The course fee is £350. A limited number of bursaries are available. Contact: Dr Emma Harris, Academic Coordinator (eth22@cam.ac.uk) Website: http://www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/study/elearning/jcme.asp

7- 9 September

BASR Annual Conference Religion in the Global and Local: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Challenges The conference will explore the theme of Religion in the Local and Global across a range of disciplinary perspectives, including religion, politics, anthropology, sociology, psychology and philosophy. The aim is to bring together a range of disciplinary perspectives on the study of religion to explore the local/global challenge to conventional assumptions about religion, both in empirical and theoretical perspectives. Each perspective seeks to set up a challenge to how different ways of think-

ing about religion are determined by interlocking global and local issues, concerns and social realities.

Venue: Conference Suite, Darwin College, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NF Fee: Full conference with accommodation - £240, Day fee varies from £30 - £70

Through to 13 September

One God – Abraham’s Descendants on the Nile: Jews, Christians and Muslims in Egypt from the Ancient World to the Middle Ages. ‘ONE GOD - Abraham’s Legacy on the Nile’ takes a closer look at the religious life and day-to-day coexistence of the three faith communities in Egypt, from the time of the Romans all the way up to the Fatimid caliphate in the 12th century. Over 250 objects from Egypt’s rich cultural heritage will be on show. Many come from the collections of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and have never gone on show before. The Berlin objects are enriched in number by outstanding pieces from the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, the Louvre, the Cambridge University Library and other collections.

Venue: Bode-Museum, Am Kupfergraben, 10117 Berlin Entry: €12

25 September

Perpetrators of Hate The Leicester Centre for Hate Studies is hosting a CPD workshop on Perpetrators of Hate. This workshop has been developed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to respond to the challenges posed by perpetrators of hate and extremism. This workshop has been produced by hate crime experts Professor Neil Chakraborti and Dr Stevie-Jade Hardy at the Leicester Centre for Hate Studies, based in the University of Leicester. This workshop is relevant to professionals working within a range of different sectors, including criminal justice, education, and health and social care. Following the workshop all delegates will

receive a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Award of Completion from the University of Leicester to certify their attendance.

Venue: Department of Criminology, University of Leicester, 154 Upper New Walk, Leicester, LE1 7QA Time: 9.30AM -3.30 PM (including lunch) Price: £150 per delegate, discounts available Contact: 0116 252 5737 Email: LCHS@le.ac.uk

26 September

Interfaith Peace building Day Conference Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations with Quaker Peace & Social Witness present a one Day Conference. The topic for this year is Interfaith Peace building. Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations invites one nominated appointee from each Area Meeting to attend this conference, the focus will be particularly on work with the Jewish and Muslim communities. the challenges, and how can Quakers respond. There will be presentations and time for sharing experiences, reflection and questions.

Speakers: Two confirmed speakers are Sr Margaret Shepherd and Dilwar Hussain. Venue: Large Meeting House at Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Time: 10.30am – 4.00pm Fee: £25.00 per person

Through 30 September

2015 PhD Jameel Scholarships Invitation for Two PhD (full-time) scholarships starting in the academic year 2015/16 from the Centre for the Study of Islam, UK. This includes Full-time Cardiff University PhD fees for 3 years, starting in the academic year 2015-16 with a stipend of approx. £16000 per year.

Full Details on how to apply: http://sites. cardiff.ac.uk/islamukcentre/2015-phd-jameelscholarships/

October

Allamah Tabatabai’s Award

The Islamic Centre of England is pleased to launch the inaugural Allamah Tabatabai’s Award (ATAward), initiated to acknowledge and award hard working students. ATAward aims to provide students with inspirational leadership, guidance and support to improve their own future prospects and their communities. Allamah Tabatab’i Award (ATAward) has been created to support young (GCSE & A-level) students who have succeeded in achieving the highest grades in their studies but are in need of guidance to take their next step into higher education. Considering the positive impact of awarding and recognising the hard work of students, it is necessary to systematically identify, praise and nurture academically gifted students within our community. ATAward would like to establish a mechanism for students to be seen by their community, encouraging youths to advance their learning in accordance with the emphasis placed by Islam on education. GCSE and A-level students are presented prestigious awards and prizes in an annual Awards Ceremony for their high achievements. In addition, a comprehensive Mentoring scheme is in place to provide personalised guidance to the winners striving for a successful future.

Website: www.ataward.co.uk More info: info@ataward.co.uk

10 October

5th annual Urban Muslim Woman Show An evening of inspiration and entertainment, bringing together a community of strong, independent and contemporary British Muslim Women from all walks of life. The Urban Muslim Woman Show is recognised as a landmark event that is aimed solely at providing a platform to interact, celebrate and promote the expertise of female professionals, entrepreneurs, designers and students within the Muslim community. Many women will be attending from all walks of life and the event will feature motivational speeches, new and established talent, networking opportunities, fashion shows with upcoming designers and a three course luxury dinner.

Fee: £49 More info: http://urbanmuslimwoman.co.uk/

16 October Are Catholics, Jews and Muslims still outsiders in British society? Lecture by Professor Conor Gearty and Professor Tina Beattie, hosted by The Tablet, the Woolf Institute and LSE. This event will mark the 175th anniversary of The Tablet, the International Catholic News Weekly which has become one of the few publications in Britain to be in print continuously since 1840.

Venue: The London School of Economics and Political Science Time: 6.00 PM More info: cc640@cam.ac.uk

Through to 18 October

El Hadji Sy: Painting, Performance, Politics In 1985, the Weltkulturen Museum commissioned artist and curator El Hadji Sy (born 1954 in Dakar, Senegal) to assemble a new group of works of contemporary art from his homeland, to initiate a long-term relationship between the two cities. Thirty years later, the museum presents a retrospective of Sy’s career as a painter and cultural activist. The exhibition combines Sy’s installations and paintings-sometimes executed with his bare feet or produced on such unusual surfaces as industrial rice sacking or synthetic kite silk-with his selection of ethnographic objects and artworks by colleagues from Senegal. It includes loans from international private collections in addition to works from the museum’s own collections.

Venue: Weltkulturen Museum, Schaumainkai 29, 60594 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Fee: € 7

Venue: London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, Duke Street, London, W1K 6JP Time: 4.00 PM (Registration starts) - 10.30 PM