issue 35 vol. 4 May 2016
islam today
UK Shi'a & Sunni scholars visit to Iran Hawza in a nutshell The Reality of Supplication
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Contents
islam today issue 35 vol. 4 May 2016
islam today magazine is a monthly magazine published by the London based Islamic Centre of England. It focuses on the activities of the communities affiliated to the Centre, reflecting a culture of openness and respect towards other religious communities both Islamic and non. The magazine is available in paper and digital format.
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The Impact of Christian-Muslim Relations on World Peace
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Lessons on Islamic Beliefs
Conference organised by the Canadian Mennonite University Speech by Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali
by Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali
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UK Shi'a & Sunni scholars visit to Iran
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Art
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Hawza in a nutshell
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The Reality of Supplication
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St. John the Baptist; a Prophet of Christians and Muslims
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Navigating the world in the dark
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Children Corner
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What & Where
Organised by ‘The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought’ by Dr Mohammad Khalid
by Moriam Grillo
by Ezra Hashme
by Sheikh Mirza Abbas Raza
islamtodaymag @islamtodaymaguk
Publisher The Islamic Centre of England 140 Maida Vale London W9 1QB Tel: +44 20 7604 5500 ISSN 22051-2503
Disclaimer: All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. However, islam today shall not be liable or responsible for loss or damage arising from any users’ reliance on information obtained from the magazine.
by Revd Frank Julian Gelli
by Dr Laleh Lohrasbi
'A Messy room ' by Ghazaleh Kamrani
Listing of Events
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Conference
The Impact of Christian-Mu Relations on World Peace
Conference organised by the Canadian Menno Speech by Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali
T
he relation between Christianity and Islam is a relation within a family. Some people may say that we should have dialogue as we don’t want to fight, but this is very little and kind of offensive. Christians and Muslims don’t need reason to have dialogue. It is in fact the most natural thing we can do, first as human beings and secondly as people who have so much to share, people who are part of the same Abrahamic family. Spending time together to talk and share ideas is the most natural action for us. If we do not have this relationship then it would be surprising.
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The relationship between Muslims and Christians has been portrayed with tension, confrontation or at least with competition. Some people think we are competing in the same market, converting people to our own religion. This is not a right mentality. We are all believers in God, and to believe in one God, the God who is merciful, not only for believers but for all humanity and this makes us very close to each other. We underestimate the great theology and heritage that we share. Just to understand the importance of this dialogue, imagine you are talking to an atheist who does not
Christians and Muslims don’t need reason to have dialogue. It is in fact the most natural thing we can do, first as human beings and secondly as people who have so much to share, people who are part of the same Abrahamic family.
uslim
onite University Canadian Mennonite University - Winnipeg Manitoba believe in God, how difficult it would be to talk to him when you do not know or understand what his view points are about life, and how difficult it would be to convince this person that there is a God, and He is the Creator, the God to whom we should be grateful and responsible, and talk about the Hereafter. To have conversations with an atheist might take months and at the end he may or may not accept our views. But when we are faced with a person from another faith who believes in God and is submissive to God, someone who has devoted his life to God, unfortunately we take it for granted. Why? Because we have little theological differences. I think it is actually a part of our
understanding and cognitive faculties that we are leading the way, that we are more sensitive to these differences. It is through our differences that we come to know each other. It takes a lot of effort to see humanity underneath the differences. If we don’t train ourselves, we only see the differences and this can be very divisive. Sometimes, husband of wife, after many years living together say they have nothing in common. How could this be possible especially that they have lived together for such a long time? Because their differences have occupied their minds that they are no longer able to see anything in common. We don’t want to reach to the point that we say we can’t find anything in common. Depends on how much importance and significance we give to the common areas, or differences we can adjust in our relation with the people. For me personally, the most important aspect is if the person is submissive to God. Therefore if I interact with a Christian who is submissive to God it would be better for me than interacting with a Muslim who is not. If God is the most important element and centre to our lives, then we should be happy to be with the people who believe in the same God. We have groups of people who have no experience of the Love for God. These people are lonely and they do suffer a lot. We should feel responsible towards them. If we [Muslims and Christians] share with them the beauty of the faith and love for God, it would have much more impact than if we talk to them separately. If we [the faithful] together invite non-believers to the faith we would see a better result. Unfortunately what happens today is that religious people fight with each other, and some people are just too happy to point out to this and convince others that to stop all these tensions among religions it would be better that the entire world rid itself
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of religions. Another issue is those who have faith but not in a right way. Those who take it upon themselves to have monopoly upon God, for themselves, their countrymen, or their religion. They possess God and try to bring Him down to their own level and this does not make sense. If they love God, they should be happy to see others to do the same. Otherwise, the God of humanity becomes the God of a religion, a nation or a tribe. This is not God, but it is ego of those projecting their god as God. We have to be possessed by God and we should ascend to His level. This is the way we could see the world His way. This does not mean that we should all be the same; we do not have to see everything with the same eye. An artist may do 1000 pieces of work, they might not all be the same but if you appreciate him as an artist then you would like all his work. Believers love everyone, as they see the signature of God in everyone. We should be in such a level of consciousness and love for God to reach this level, and this cannot be achieved without a degree of humbleness. We have a narration that says; “whoever is humble God will alleviate him and whoever tries to be arrogant God will push him down”. In Islamic tradition, Abraham(a) is considered as ‘Khalil’, friend of God. A story is mentioned in the traditions of when Abraham(a) was chosen as the ‘friend’ of God. One day when Abraham(a) entered his house, he found a man in it. He asked who he was and who allowed him to enter Abraham(a)’s house. The man said: “The lord of this house allowed me to enter.” Abraham(a) immediately realised he is an angel. The angel had brought him the good news that God has chosen him as His friend. But Abraham(a) did not find himself worthy of this benevolence and asked the angel: “Who is the one whom my Lord has chosen as His friend, so I can serve him till I die.” He was so submissive to God that it did not matter to him who the person was, as long as it was ordained by God. He was happy to serve him. This is opposite to Satan, according to Islam; Satan served God for 6000 years. He had, apparently, no problem with God, but Satan had a problem with another person being nearer to God than him. He was not able to show humbleness, but Abraham(a) did. I think we religious people need that humbleness to let God enter into our hearts so He would push us to the direction He sees fit. We have tried to use any occasion we could find to let our congregation to join programmes with Churches. I personally have used these tribunes to spread dialogue between Muslims and Christians. I have talked on many occasions on the story of Abraham(a), I have talked about this in the holiest places we have such as Qom. So what we say here to Christians we say to our
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own people and I am sure our Christian friends do the same. What I appreciate about some of our Christian friends, like Mennonites, Hemish,…is that they take their religion seriously. I love to see churches full. We do not like to see worship places empty as this means people are keeping away from faith. I have said this before. My challenge is not Muslims who become Christians, or even trying to convert Christians to Islam; my challenge today is keeping faith in families in society all together. For most of history Christians and Muslims did not help each other, they did not work together. They spread but on their own. There is no future for us unless we work together. The world is too connected and too little, challenges are coming right in the middle of our houses. We have to put up a common front, common values. I am very much convinced that there would be great relations between Christians and Muslims. We would have two challenges; those who do not want any faith, and those who are extremists. But underneath, these two totally opposite sides are connected. We have to wake up and face our problems together. As Imam Ali(a) said: “people are either like you in faith, or similar to you in humanity”. And this should be our strategy.
World Peace and Christian-Muslim Relations Organised by Waterloo Lutheran Seminary
Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali, also gave a lecture, entitled ‘The Impact of Christian-Muslim Relations on World Peace’ in Waterloo. This conference was co-sponsored by the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and the Islamic Humanitarian Service. Mohammad Ali Shomali [the director of the Islamic Centre of England, and founding director of the International Institute for Islamic Studies based in Qom, Iran] alongside the Mennonite Central Committee, has co-ordinated many Mennonite-Muslim dialogues; cross-cultural student exchanges; and teaching exchanges by Muslim and Christian scholars between seminaries in Iran and North America.
https://youtu.be/nwanj71pM7E
We should be in such a level of consciousness and love for God to reach this level, and this cannot be achieved without a degree of humbleness. We have a narration that says; “whoever is humble God will alleviate him and whoever tries to be arrogant God will push him down”.
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Reports
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L e sso n s o n Islamic Beliefs
O
n the 16th of April 2016 Sheikh Shomali held a special lesson with a group of teachers and madressa educators. The purpose of the meeting was to underline the importance of acquiring a good knowledge of aqaed (doctrines of faith). The recent book by Sheikh Shomali titled ‘Lessons on Islamic Belief’ provided the basis of an interactive discussion in which the participants were encouraged to ask questions on the basis of what they had read from the book. Before starting the three-hour session Sheikh Shomali gave a brief introduction explaining how the process of learning aqaed is a continuous one and it is central to our spiritual growth and self-development. He explained that increasing one’s knowledge of the doctrines of Islamic faith has a transformative effect on the believer. He also explained that the classification of the principles of faith into ‘roots’ and ‘branches’ or pillars developed over the centuries as a conventional way to introduce Islam while the Islamic belief system is made up of many more doctrines. He also added that perhaps it was now time to also introduce a definition the ‘fruits’ generated by the knowledge of ‘roots’ and ‘branches’. He identified these as virtues emanating from the knowledge of the doctrines of faith, a core set of 5-10 virtues, the acquisition of which would determine our individual spiritual progress. Sheikh Shomali also spoke of the necessity of recognising and presenting to others the characteristics of Shi’a Islam. He believes that key characteristics of Shi’a Islam are: rationality, spirituality and search for justice, clearly evident from the teachings and practices of the Imams from the Prophet Muhammad’s Ahl ul Bayt(as) . A balance between these characteristics will yield the right result and the exclusion of extremism, radicalism or passivism said Shomali. The first part of the session ended after a brief elucidation of the 5 usul-e-deen (roots of religion) of Shi’a Islam namely: The Unity of God, Divine Justice, Prophethood, Imamate and Resurrection. The second session started with an exposition of the most fundamental principle of Islamic faith: Tawhid (the unity of God). Sheikh Shomali posed the question to why Tawhid
has become the most important principle, why not the Existence of God, for example? He explained that in the Qur’an the existence of God is not considered to be something difficult for people to perceive and understand but the challenge is to have a proper understanding of God and the Qur’an focuses on elucidating this aspect of belief. Sheikh Shomali then spoke of the effect on the person who is a true believer of Tawhid (muwahhed). When the light of God comes to one’s heart all problems disappear. In his exposition Sheikh Shomali turned towards the clarification of theological understandings pertaining to the nature of God and His attributes with references to the differences between Shi’a Islam and other classical schools such as the Asharites. In the Q & A session the participants discussed practical ways to transmit knowledge of aqaed when teaching young people in madressas or schools. Here Sheikh Shomali gave some practical advice on what aspects of aqaed to focus on depending on the age and the knowledge of the student. He believes that when addressing young children and teenagers the most important thing is to find a way to make them love God, to explain to them that God is the one who has given them everything. Love for God is a precondition to developing obedience towards Him but obedience is obligatory only at a certain age so there is no need to overburden a child with obligations before it is due. We need to make our children develop love for God before anything else, he stressed. Other questions touched upon the issue of intercession in Islam and on the nature of Prophets’ infallibility.
Interactive Session on Lessons on Islamic Beliefs by Sheikh Dr Shomali 16/04/2016 https://www.youtube.com/user/islamiccentre1998
More sessions are planned for the near future.
UK Shi'a & Sunni scholars visit Iran by Dr Mohammad Khalid
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n early April this year, through an initiative by Shaikh Shomali (Head of the Islamic Centre of England) and in cooperation with the World Forum For Proximity, a trip to Iran was arranged for a delegation consisting of nine prominent scholars belonging to different Islamic schools of thought including Sunni and Shia. During this visit we mainly stayed in the three historic cities of Iran: Qom, Mashad and Tehran. We had the opportunity to meet the grand ulama and muftis of these places and benefited a lot from their informative, academic talks full of love, sincerity and benevolence. The visits to the shrines of Hazrat Sayyeda Masoomah in Qom and Imam Ali Redha(a) in Mashad were deeply moving spiritual experiences which shall remain with us forever. All members of this delegation were highly impressed by the piety and sincerity of grand ulama such as Ayatullah Subhani (Imam Sadiq(a) Institute),
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Ayatollah Jawadi Aomoli and Shahristani along with some others they met at their respective centres. Their invaluable words on the topic of the unity of the ummah (Islamic Community) and the importance of brotherhood were precious pearls for our knowledge and future direction. We visited the great library of Ayatollah Mar’ashi Najafi which houses over 40000 manuscripts. The visits to some of the great educational institutes in these three cities including the Holy Defence Museum in Tehran have provided a new momentum and zeal for our thought and practice and we immensely appreciated the great services rendered by the Islamic government of Iran for the last 36 years, especially in the field of education. The most important thing that we achieved is gaining first-hand knowledge about the rituals pertaining to the Shia school of thought and also the policies of the government of Iran. This first-hand experience has dispelled a great number of misconceptions some of us held about the Shia faith and the government. These misconceptions could have not been removed merely through books and lectures. For example, the authentic views of the Shia ulama of Iran with regard to Ahl al-Sunnah, companions of the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt of the holy Prophet were found to be quite closer to the established stance of Ahl al-
By direction of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, ‘The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought’ (Majma al-Taqrib Bain al-Madhahib al-Islamiyah) was established in October 1990. It has as its aim the reconciliation of different Islamic groups.
Sunnah, something which may provide a solid foundation for increased unity between the two units of the Ummah. This visit provided knowledge about the realities that have been misunderstood and misconceived by the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah and it needs tireless effort to unveil the same realities to the majority of ummah. Some of the members of the group belonged to the hard line branch of Ahl al-Sunnah and carried very negative stereotypes about Shias. During their stay they took the chance to ask frank questions based on their own negative sentiments, but surprisingly they found the answers. They also expressed their own positive views and fascinating experiences directly to Sheikh Shomali in the final meeting with him in Qom on the day before departure. During our stay in Iran, we also visited the famous region known as Turbat e Jaam, near the Afghan border. This area takes its name from a great Sufi Shaykh, Ahmad Jami who passed away centuries ago. One of his descendents and successors, Molvi Sharafuddin Jami, welcomed us and organised a big public programme. This area is home to the majority of Iran’s Ahl al-Sunnah. We visited the grand Hawza established by the Shaykh, the shrine of Shaykh Jami together with some other historic places. The people of this area welcomed our delegation and they expressed their optimism that the visit will play a positive role in improving and strengthening the brotherhood and ties between the two main communities of the ummah. It was my first visit to Iran and I cannot accommodate all I have experienced in Iran in this short article. I was very impressed by the standard of cleanliness and hygiene
everywhere throughout Iran. The other noticeable thing was the use the national language of the country, Farsi, in all branches of learning unlike some Muslim countries which have imposed English to the detriment of their own national language. The whole journey was fascinating and unforgettable and the memories will stay with me for a long time to come.
The group also visited: - The Library of Masjid Aazam - The Qur’an Museum - Aastan Quds Razavi - Imam Ali ibn Musa Redha(a) Shrine - The University and Library of the Proximity Forum - The house, Hussainiyeh and the mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini (the Founder of IRI) - The Noor Computer Research Centre - Qom
Dr Mohammad Khalid is a Research scholar and lecturer of Birmingham University. He is also Head of Education in Jami Masjid Sparkbrook Islamic Centre Birmingham
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Written in a newly adapted script based on classic Thuluth this artwork is inspired by the saying of the Prophet, “The Pens have been lifted, the pages have dried.“ 2014
Art Art Editor Moriam Grillo ©Ruh al Alam
F
or the next few months our Art coverage will coincide with the holy months of Rajab, Shaban and Ramadhan. I want to take this opportunity to explore the deeper connotations of Islamic Art. This month we'll be showcasing calligraphy. Traditional Islamic art is categorised by three forms: the word of God - Calligraphy, The Beauty of God - floral or Arabesque designs, and geometry - the Breath of God. I have been in conversation with Calligrapher Ruh al Alam, founder of Visual Dhikr, an Islamic calligraphic art project based on the use of art as remembrance. We discussed his motivations to use this art form as well as his fascination with creating and drawing.
One 2 One
my own space with work that I could appreciate. However, due to the lack of good available contemporary artwork that I felt resonated with me as a British Muslim. I was forced to attempt creating my own. So this phase of my work was essentially putting the concept of ‘dhikr’ (remembrance of the divine) into a visual form, so wherever you looked, it was a reminder.
Ruh al Alam Founder of Visual Dhikr, an Islamic calligraphic art project
How would you describe your work and what you do? My work has evolved over the years, but I would typically describe it as calligraphic art inspired by spirituality, politics and society. Although not all of my work is in purely calligraphic form, nor is it simply just 2D, I have varied my work across both the digital mediums as well as recent exploration of sculptural forms.
You trained as a graphic designer at Centra St Martins Art school, what made you take the initial step from graphic design to calligraphy? Graphic design involves the extensive study and love of typography. This, coupled with my own personal desire to surround myself with spiritual artwork led me to develop my own scripts. But after having moved to Egypt to study with traditional calligraphers, I received proper training to fully engage with Arabic calligraphy. Naturally this helped me develop my own script styles and now my own Arabic typographic works.
Why Art? Why have you chosen creative expression as a way of ©Ruh al Alam life? It feels the most natural way for me. Even though I did academically well in other areas, I always had the urge to create something new and of my own, whether it was crafting something out of toilet rolls or cereal boxes as a child and now designing on a daily basis. Art comes in many forms and it allows us to express visually what simply cannot be communicated by words. The emotions that are expressed by art forms vary from viewer to viewer, constantly bringing a sense of reflection and appreciation of craft or the content. In my work, I like to call it ‘Visual Dhikr’, as was the name of my early work, which is a constant reminder of The Divine.
What inspired you to devise your own Arabic fonts? As an artist and designer, there is a constant desire to create new things and that is no different with Arabic typefaces. Due to the lack of good
You describe your art as visual dhikr, why have you chosen this term? The term came about when I began my early exploration of spiritual work, which was borne out of a desire to decorate
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©Ruh al Alam
“One God” – a red screen-print calligraphic art in a unique custom script style reads: La ilaha ill Allah
available fonts in the Arab world (and the late up-take of the printing press), it means that often you are left with crafting your own fonts for new design projects. This is the case in my daily work at the design consultancy I founded called Archetype. I also want to push the stylistic boundaries of Arabic typefaces and calligraphy, always trying to create new approaches and contemporary offerings.
How do you use your work to engage new audiences? Some of my recent work has been more generic in nature by not being explicitly spiritual, so as to appeal to a wider audience, I feel everyone can appreciate the artwork, whether they fully understand it or not. This is why some of my recent typographic work has been received much better than I expected by a mainstream non-Muslim audience and subsequently I have had my work published in a number of books and exhibitions. I believe my work now aims to be more universal, as the core spiritual message is universal.
Your work is inspiring. What do you hope people will take from your work? I hope people are further inspired by my work. I know I get a lot of people creating work inspired by own and making variants used in various places. This is a way of acknowledging the influence of some of the work I suppose, although I’m not a big fan of the regular copyright infringement cases I have to deal with. I hope people take an appreciation of the messages in my work, where the focus isn’t on me and my personality, but on the aesthetics or the divine remembrance.
Your work visually is unique and unlike any other Arabic calligraphers I have come across. What (traditions/artistic movements) influences/informs your style? I suppose my work is heavily influenced by many different factors, including my British upbringing, English and European design and art trends/movements. I particularly
©Ruh al Alam
appreciate European Bauhaus, Japanese culture, calligraphy and typography and obviously contemporary design movements.
What is it that drives you to do what you do? What are your motivations as an artist? I suppose you could say that I want to make a contribution in some way, both to people’s lives whether they have an artwork in their home or something to wider culture and our Islamic heritage. I want people to look back and be proud again about our visual and artistic tradition and what we do today informs the future development of all artistic outputs in some way. Ruh al Alam is currently developing plans for an exhibition scheduled to take place in Bristol later this year. Organised by SalamShalom project, the event will be an interfaith Jewish-Muslim exhibition of works based on faith. Watch this space for further details. He also will be exhibiting a selection of his work at The Grant Bradley Gallery in Bristol June 3 to July 3 as part of the Shared Spaces Festival 2016.
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.
©Ruh al Alam
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Life & Community
Hawza in a Nutshell by Ezra Hashme
I
magine you are standing outside a mosque, admiring the magnificent architecture; while in awe, many questions arise such as: how was the beautiful building assembled? Now imagine the mosque being built in a time lapse; visualising it coming to life brick by brick, one on top of another, each brick shaped for a specific place and serving its own purpose. As the building comes together beautifully, we question whether this masterpiece is actually in need of a minaret? And what is the significance of a minaret? The importance of the minaret is internationally recognised to be a unique feature of a mosque. Without the minaret one might confuse it for another building, such as a Temple. It also has a significant purpose to attract the attention of onlookers and call worshippers to prayer. If each brick represents each of the Prophets’ contributions towards Akhlaq (Ethics), then the minaret represents our Prophet’s completion of Akhlaq. This analogy is a recap of what we learnt in last month’s edition - our Prophet saying he was sent only to perfect Akhlaq. A 15 year-old
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heard this and his reply was ‘Cool story, bro’. It is a cool story, but how do we proceed in learning this Akhlaq? Is learning enough or do we need to put this into practice? And can it only be learnt through situations of trial and error? A few years ago when I was learning Kung Fu, my first lesson was on the art of punching, which I managed to learn in five minutes. Noticing the teacher making his way towards me, I increased the speed of my punches and tried to perfect the motion. My only aim was to impress my teacher; I wanted his recognition, approval and sense of admiration. Disappointingly, the only response I received was, “To perfect it, will take you a lifetime”. At that very moment I did not appreciate his remark, however, his statement remained with me, and only years later did I understand the philosophy of what he meant; learning a skill does not take long, but perfecting it can take a lifetime. The same applies to Akhlaq, we learn many good traits of character, for example, “Love for your brother, what you love for
"We learn, we practise
what we have learnt and we teach. All three actions are continuously practised and perfected, with the intention of gaining proximity to God.
yourself.” Many have heard this saying, but the ultimate question remains as to how many of us apply this in our lives? And out of those who do apply it, how many practise with the aim of achieving perfection? With this in mind, I would like to paraphrase a hadith in a ‘Love Muhammad(s) conference that I attended a few months ago. In one of the battles the narrator reports; A few Muslim soldiers were injured who were either sat or were lying injured next to each other. The narrator gave water to the first soldier who declined; saying my brother next to me is more in need, so water was provided to the second soldier. He had also refused, stating ‘that my brother next to me is more thirsty than I, please quench his thirst’. The narrator worked his way down, but all refused, insisting that the brother next in line was in greater need of water. He finally reached the tenth soldier, only to find that he had passed away. Upon this realisation, he desperately looked back at the remaining soldiers to help, but saw that they had all passed away. We can look at this narration from two different angles; either the soldiers were not wise enough to tend to their needs or they developed so much compassion for one another that they could not bear quenching their thirst first. I prefer the second interpretation because it would take a great sense of discipline not to quench one’s thirst when injured, but these soldiers, were in a desperate situation and still managed to love for their brother what they loved for themselves. Sheikh Shomali elevated my Kung-Fu teachers’ advice in our first Akhlaq lesson. We learn, we practise what we have learnt and we teach. All three actions are continuously practised and perfected, with the intention of gaining proximity to God. I learnt a lot in my first Akhlaq lesson, even though it was just an introductory class. Later during the lesson, the sheikh mentioned a quote from the hadith, which stated that, we should try to acquire the virtues that exist in God. At this point I had many questions crossing my mind, such as, why we are being told to become like God? But it
was I that misunderstood. Sheikh clarified that our ultimate aim is to have some of the traits of character that are all present in God. God is All-Just and we should aim to be just. God is All-Wise and we should aim to increase our knowledge and wisdom. God is The Greatest, and if we aim to be The Greatest, then we have become arrogant, as there are some traits of character that are only reserved for God. Each trait we are commanded by God to perfect, God has made it incumbent upon Himself first. How wonderful is this Lord that I prostrate to daily. It gives the phrase ‘lead by example’ a whole new dimension. I learnt two things in my first class:
"I had many
questions crossing my
mind, such as, why we are being told to
1. For a believer Akhlaq is just as important as Jurisprudence and faith because Akhlaq is the foundation that faith is built on. 2. We can only perfect our Akhlaq by practising what we’ve learnt, so it is both theoretical and practical.
become like God? But it was I that misunderstood. islam today
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Faith
The Reality of T
he blessed months of Rajab, Shab’an and Ramadhan provide us with an opportunity to reflect upon the central theme of these months and that is supplication. These months encourage us to participate more in the act of supplication. As the value of everything sits in its understanding (ma’rifa) as the first Shi’a Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb(a) mentions, let us focus a bit on what this phenomenon is and how this reality can be a mode by which man can reach his purpose.
Qur’an says, “if it was not for the supplication I would not have looked towards you” (25:77). This state of seeking and asking is the very reason of subsistence (baqa). The “not looking” of God will bring-about a state of annihilation for all creation. This theme of essential ‘poverty’ (faqr) is also one of the grand proofs of the existence of God in the Islamic philosophy introduced by Mulla Sadra (d.1640).
Supplication (du’a) within the Islamic terminology is considered as one of the referents of the vocal dhikr (remembrance) and this transfer to and becomes a dhikr of the heart. Supplication (du’a) is also the most elementary meeting point of ‘man as such’ and ‘God as such’.
Within Islam, prayers are usually considered as the canonical prayers, the five daily ones. Nevertheless the technical meaning of prayers as in salah actually means the du’a itself. Furthermore, the daily canonical prayers are indeed a form of ‘calling’ (du’a) as well. However traditionally speaking they are categories in a different category. Muslims do use the sentence as ‘pray for me’ or ‘remember me in your prayers’, which actually means that you supplicate (du’a) for me or take my name in the du’a but not in the salah as such. I personally would regard them as the prescribed prayers through which that meeting does take place in that sense of reality mentioned above. This indeed is due to the fact the God out of His Mercy wants human beings to be true to their nature (fitra); the faqr.
The Bible says: “to love God ‘with all our strength’”, and rightly so. This strength is the strength to realise who he (man) is and the strength to realise who He (God) is. Du’a plays this great role in making man realise that he is ‘nothing’ vis’a’vis God. As the Qur’an says, “O people who are (essentially) in need of God and He is free of all wants” (35:15). In another instances the Qur’an indicates the ‘essential need or poverty’ (faqr) of every created thing in this fashion that “whatsoever is in the heaven and earth ask (questions) God” (55:29).
Prayers or Supplication (du’a)
Categorisation of Prayers and Supplication Seeking, asking, and questioning point out to that existential ‘poverty’ (faqr wujudi) of creation. Furthermore, this also establishes the fact that all existence is in the state of ‘perpetual supplication’. This type of meeting brings about the true understanding (ma’rifa) of God, who He is. This type of supplication is what is considered by God and this is indeed that true ‘call’ (du’a). God in the
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I would like to categorise prayers into three different categories, 1) the five daily prayers, 2) the supplications which also includes the whispered supplications (najwa) and finally 3) the individual prayers were a person asks for what he or she really desires. Daily Prayers, which are obligatory and considered as pillar of Islam by the
Supplication by Mirza Abbas Raza Prophet(s) are the most common way by which man connects to God. These are prescribed in a certain fashion and certain times and indeed in them lay deep secrets. Those interested can refer to the books of ‘urafa or scholars of spiritual wayfaring, such as Adabus salah and Sirr alsalah of late contemporary scholar Ayatollah Khomeini. Supplication and Whispered Prayers According to Imam Ali(a) supplication is considered as ‘the key to success and righteousness’. The Prophet Abraham and Imam Ali(a) were known to engage in supplication a great deal. There seem to be three different modes in which the supplications are undertaken; the first is known as du’a, which means a call and it seems to be quite steady in terms of its voice and pitch. Then comes nudba (wailing). This seems to manifest a desperate situation of an individual and he wails out loud. Finally there is najwa (whispering) and they seem to indicate more of a connection to a beloved; God and the lover, the individual. It is usually the case that the speech between two lovers is whispered in an intimate way even when it seems that no one is around. What we see within all the three different modes is the ma’rifi (knowledge and understanding) aspect of God in the essence of all supplications. To know God is to attribute Him and to explain His different complexities and this can be the work of no one but those who have been purified by God. As He says, “Glory to God, (He is free from the things they ascribe to Him) except the sincere and purified ones” (37:159). In this respect the Shi’as are blessed to have the infallible Imams to leave behind a grand legacy of supplications. Therefore, in the supplications of the prophets and the Imams we find a great deal of attributes
being ascribed to God and some are purely in His praise such as the famous Jaushan al Kabir, the supplication of ‘arafa of Imam Husayn(a) or the second and third du’a of Sahifa Sajjadiya, and also the du’a called Nudba (wailing), which is recited on Fridays. The second pattern that we tend to see in supplications is where we seek good moral traits, and perfect qualities from God, although these seem to praise God first before seeking those perfect qualities. Thirdly we have the supplications which tend to seek worldly desires through this medium such as protection from calamities, prayers for increase of sustenance, returning of debts etc. Finally we have whispered prayers which seem to increase the intimacy between man and God. In all these different modes, levels and categories, what is common is the explanation or description of who God is and who man is and what he must really become. Therefore, one can also suggest that supplication is a methodology of ‘being and becoming’ as well.
Sheikh Mirza Abbas Raza holds an MA in Theology from University of Birmingham. He is currently working on his Phd on Islamic Mysticism (irfan) at the University of Exeter. He also lectures at Hawza Ilmiyya of England and Islamic College of Advanced Studies in London.
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Interfaith
St. John the Baptist; a Prophet of Christians and Muslims T he great German painter Grunewald has a picture in which he shows St John the Baptist with an exceedingly elongated forefinger. A finger pointing to the figure of Jesus standing nearby. The same image is used in some Byzantine icons to express what Christians believe was the main purpose of St John’s ministry, the pointing out of Jesus as the expected Messiah. John thus was the precursor who prepared the way for the coming of Christ. I wish to suggest that St John points also to some exciting commonalities between Islam and Christianity. There are many Quranic passages in which he is mentioned and revered as a Prophet of God. St John’s miraculous birth, his preaching and his chastity definitely make him a thrilling connecting link and a common ground between faiths. His figure is therefore an opportunity for religious dialogue and interfaith work. The Anglican Church has two major feast days named after St John. One celebrates his birthday, the second his martyrdom by beheading. The Eastern Church too gives him a position of high honour. He is always portrayed next to Christ on the iconostasis, the painted screen which separates the altar from the rest of the building in all Orthodox churches. Moreover, all Christian communities at the beginning of the Easter season read out the joyful account of his supernatural birth as recounted in St Luke’s Gospel. In the Qur’an St John is called Yahya. This is a name apparently related to the Arabic word ‘hayya’. It means to make alive or to quicken. According to some scholars, the allusion is not only to the prodigy of Yahya’s birth – his father Zachariah being over 100
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years old and his mother hitherto barren - but also to his prophetic and preaching mission to renew the flagging faith of his people. The Qur’an mentions St John several times but most of the narratives about his nativity are from chapters 3 and 19. It is uplifting to see the similarities between those passages and what the Gospel of St Luke says about the Baptist’s birth. In both cases the good news of the Prophet’s birth is announced by an angel. Another instance is that his father Zachariah remains speechless for three days. Yahya ‘shall be noble, chaste, a Prophet among the righteous’, the angel announces. St John’s self-denying lifestyle and personality are graphically conveyed in the Gospels. That is brought out in the clothes he wore – a rough garment of camel’s hair and a leather girdle around his waist – as well as by the food he ate. No meat but wild berries and honey. The Quranic use of the word ‘chaste’ also harmonises well with the Gospel narrative. But of course St John was no detached, other-worldly contemplative. A fiery messianic preacher, he summoned the Jewish people to repentance, to beg forgiveness for their sins and to accept baptism in the River Jordan. The language he used was pretty forthright: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you from the wrath to come?’ Unless the erring people changed their minds and their hearts, he told them, they would be ‘thrown into the fire’. There is some mystery about St John, however. Take for example of his baptising Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry. That episode always presented a puzzle for Christian commentators. As Messiah, the
St John the Baptist was a Prophet of God and holy martyr who represents a bridge between Christianity and Islam, says Frank Gelli
Saint John the Baptist by Robert Campin (1375 -1444)
chosen Christ of God, the Church teaches that Jesus was sinless. But John’s baptism was one of remission of sins. ‘I need to be baptised by you and you come to me?’, the astonished Baptist asked the Messiah. Yet Jesus, despite John’s remonstrance, willingly submitted to the ceremony. The reason Jesus himself gives in St Matthew’s Gospel is that it was ‘fitting’ he should publicly undergo baptism, presumably for the sake of Jewish sensitivities. Yet something of the puzzle endures. The plot thickens further when, after being imprisoned by the tyrant Herod, St John from jail sends his disciples to Jesus with a challenging
question: ‘Are you the awaited Messiah or not?’ Now, as John had previously recognised Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God’ and gone on to baptise him, why did he need to ask? Had St John, alone and under the atrocious conditions of his dungeon, perhaps fallen to doubting his own judgment? Human, all too human. Or were perhaps his disciples jealous of Jesus and deliberately failed to report their master’s words with all accuracy? That too would be only too human. Only God knows… Another question might arise out of what Jesus says of John in St Matthew, 11:14. On the face of it, he seems to identify the Baptist with the Prophet Elijah, who
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had died many centuries before. Some captious people have sought to understand that ascription as meaning that Jesus believed in reincarnation. Namely that the soul of Elijah had been reborn into the person of St John. But that interpretation is both absurd and unnecessary. All that Jesus meant was that the God-given spirit of prophecy possessed by Elijah had also been bestowed on the Baptist. The Gospel accounts of the death of St John are harrowing. We learn that the despotic Herod Antipas, ruler over part of Palestine, was angry because the righteous Prophet of God had accused him of adultery. Herod had married Herodias, his brother’s wife, therefore rendering his own marriage unlawful. The tyrant was angry. He wanted to kill John but, given his reputation as a prophet, he was afraid. Instead, he had him imprisoned in the dreadful, harsh fortress of Macherus, on the Red Sea. One day, on Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ beautiful young daughter danced before him. The old lecher was so overwhelmed by passion that he swore to the girl: ‘Ask me for anything. I will give it to you!’ The wicked mother then prompted her wanton daughter: ‘Ask for the head of John the Baptist!’ And she did. Herod the hypocrite pretended to be sorry but he readily gave in. So the Prophet was beheaded and the head brought to the girl on a dish. After which John’s followers buried his body, then they went and told Jesus.
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According to Muslim tradition, St John’s body was later buried in Damascus. Today the Umayyad Mosque there houses his green-domed marble shrine, much revered by a constant stream of pilgrims, especially women. During his visit to Syria years ago, Pope John Paul II saw the shrine and was deeply moved to be in a place so dear to Christians and Muslims alike. He prayed for peace and reconciliation. A prayer still tremendously necessary and topical, alas. So, St John-Yahya. A Quranic verse that really strikes me is where God instructs the Prophet ‘to hold on to the Book with strength’ (19:12). But John did not bring his own Scripture and so some commentators argue that the Book meant the Taurat, the Jewish Law. That reminds us that John was a Prophet of Judaism as well. Excellent. Lastly, is it not movingly significant that the Qur’an praises Yahya with awesome words of blessing used only in connection with Jesus? ‘So peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day he will be raised to life’ (19.15). How splendid! 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.
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Health Health Editor Laleh Lohrasbi
Navigating the world in the dark The application developed by London-based Saqib Sheikh can help the blind to read text from posters or menus by clicking a photo of them. The app also guides them on how to take the photo. After taking the picture the person can command the app to read out the menu.
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lind people face lots of challenges coping with daily life. However, despite the challenges, now blind people can read, get educated, browse the internet and have access to most books and media. Over the years lots of devices, methods and apps have also been developed to help blind people find their way indoors and outdoors, but outdoor life is not just about finding your way across the street to the grocery store or getting to the right bus. It is great to get out on a spring day to feel the world with all the body’s senses. Smelling the flowers and feeling the wind on the skin are uplifting but will not completely cheer you up without seeing the dazzling lights and colours, watching a little child swinging or a bird washing his feathers in a fountain. Microsoft released a video in their developer conference Build 2016 to explain how the new intelligent software system called Seeing AI works. Saqib Sheikh, a Microsoft engineer who lost his sight at age 7, developed the app to help blind people navigate the world, seeing what is going
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Saqib Sheikh – Microsoft engineer
around them. . “It is an honour to share a stage with Saqib today. He took his passion and empathy to change the world…” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the release of the video. Years ago this was science fiction. Sheikh would never have imagined it would be something that he could actually do. He says that talking computer technology inspired him to develop the application: “For me it's about taking that far-off dream and building it one step at a time. I love making things that improve people's lives and one of the things I've always dreamt of since I was at university was this idea of something that could tell you at any moment what's going on around you," Sheikh said in the presentation. The app uses artificial intelligence to capture images of the world and process them in order to understand what is happening. The app itself runs on smartphones and also on Pivothead smart-glasses, so the person can be handsfree. The Pivothead sunglasses are smart wearable devices which have a camera. The person can take photos or videos simply by touching the side panel of the camera, and
Seeing AI will recognise objects like “a young man on a skateboard jumping in the air”. The person using the smart sunglasses can hear it through the built-in sound feedback system. The app on the smartphone can be used to take pictures of different objects and writings. For example a user can take a photo from the menu on his phone. A voice in the app guides him until he's got the image centered, and the artificial intelligence will read for him the contents of the menu. The image capture and analysis software that the glasses (or smartphone) uses is able to plug into Microsoft cloud-based services that will help determine what the user is looking at. The intelligence comes from ‘Seeing AI’, which is a research project that helps people who are visually impaired or blind to understand who and what is around them. Currently, image analysis software is able to determine the difference between men and women, the shape of standard objects (such as a desk, building, plate of food etc., the state of facial expressions (such as happy, angry, confused and so on) and whether motion is happening. The project is part of Microsoft's larger push to advance artificial intelligence and incorporate it into more aspects of life in the near future. It is not indicated when, or even if, the project will be released as a commercial app.
Dr Laleh Lohrasbi is a pharmacologist. She has worked as an editor for the medical section of “Hamshahri”, a daily newspaper in Tehran.
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Children Corner Illustrator Ghazaleh Kamrani
image 1
C
hildren do you remember Ali Akbar? Ali
Akbar is a 7 year old boy, trying to be a good person. But he sometimes gets bored and tired of being a good boy. Or at least this is what he says. You can see the result of his behaviour by the state of his room. Oh dear! Look at that room. When was the last time anyone tidied this room up. Ghazaleh the illustrator of this story has told us that in fact Ali Akbar's mother is constantly tidying up his room for him. So I wonder why the room still looks such a mess.
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Apparently tonight they have family members coming to visit them so the mother is busy preparing dinner. His father is helping with homework his sister Anbar, and his younger brother is too young to even to allowed into such a messy room. His mother has made it clear that none will help him to tidy up his room as it is his responsibility. Children can you imagine what a bad situation he let himself into? He is desperate for help as his cousin Javad is coming too. Ali Akbar would be embarrassed to let him near his room.
So bad is the situation that he can’t even find his favourite toys anymore. He does not remember where he has put them. His rocket, his lovely books and colourful car, where are they?! He keeps asking himself. His mother is keeping well clear of the room but feels sorry for him as everybody else is busy. He is really on his own. But Ghazaleh is now telling us that Ali’s mother is asking if any of us would be willing to help him, only this time, to find his toys and tidy up his room, then Ali Akbar will promise never to let his room to get into such a state and not to create double work for his mother. Now we are wondering if any of you is prepared to help him, mind you only this once. Ghazaleh has drawn a picture of all the toys and stuff Ali Akbar cannot find. Look on the right. All you have to do is to find these items on the image 1 (the one on the left) and mark them with a pencil. But
you have to be quick, his cousin is coming soon, and he has to find his stuff pretty fast. Let’s help him. Then you can see how happy he will be when you find his stuff. Look at his face in the image 2 he is already smiling. Thank you for your help.
image 2
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What & Where Through May Commentary (Tafseer) of the Holy Qur'an Conducted by Shaykh M S Bahmanpour
Venue: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London W9 1QB Time: Every Friday starting at 7:30 PM
Weekly Dua Samaat Recitation of Dua Samaat supplication and Jamaat prayers held every week at Kanoon Towhid, London.
and complete your wandering by looking at the pencil-like minarets of the Ottoman mosques in Istanbul and the colourful pottery made in Iznik together with the shining white marble of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Venue: The Arab British Centre, 1 Gough Square, London, EC4A 3DE Time: Wednesdays, 6.00 PM - 8.00 PM + Optional 2 hr visit to V&A's Islamic Gallery Dates: May 4, 11, 18. 25 and June 1 Fee: £180
More info: www.arabbritishcentre.org.uk/event/introdu ction-islamic-art-and-architecture-course
7 May Scafell Pike Mountain Trek Organised by Islamic Help in aid of orphans, this trek should prove to be a physical challenge with a spiritual twist.
1 7 May One Day Intensive Calligraphy Course Suitable for those who have never studied calligraphy. The course will provide the skill to start using a calligraphy pen and compose letters of Arabic in their different styles. The course will be taught by Calligrapher Ghulam Farid.
Venue:Wasdale Head, Seascale, Cumbria CA20 1EX
Registration Fee: £40 Fundraising Target: £250 Registration: call 07429 347407
4 May 1 June Introduction to Islamic Art and Architectures This introductory course will take you to some of the most iconic cities of the world, starting from Damascus, to Cairo and the narrow alleys of the Islamic quarter, where the noteworthy buildings of the wealthy Fatimid and Mamluk sultans have been sheltered for centuries. Your virtual journey will then take you to Cordoba and Granada, known throughout history as important capitals of Islamic kingdoms
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Road, London NW10 2SW Time: 9.30 AM - 5.30 PM Fee: Both days - £40.00 (£25.00 for students) / One day - £25.00 (£20.00 for students) Registration: www.islamiccollege.ac.uk/shiistudies or email editor@islamic-college.ac.uk. Places are limited!
Faith on the front line A talk by Imam Asim Hafiz who has served in the British Army and brings something of a unique perspective. As the first Imam and Muslim Chaplain to the British Armed Forces, he is conducting his own mission to help groups from different faiths and backgrounds, to better understand Islam. The talk will delve deeper into the life of Muslims and those of other faiths in the armed forces and how their faith is a crucial part of their survival toolkit.
Venue: Abrar House, 45 Crawford Pl, Media Masterclass
Venue: London and Leeds - Details given upon Registration, Time: 10.00 AM - 6.00 PM Fee: £30.00 Registration: http://www.alburujpress.com/enroll/?enroll =course&id=248
Venue: The Islamic College, 133 High
13 May
Venue: Kanoon Towhid, 30-32 Southerton Rd, Hammersmith, W6 0PH Time: 30 mins before evening prayer every Friday.
Minorities, Kalam, Multiple Voices, Shi'ism in Pre-Modern Iran and Surrounding Regions, Socio-political Issues and Contemporary Iran.
Muslim Engagement & Development (mend) presents Media Masterclass, a one day course on what, why and how the media industry operates in the UK.
Venue: Muslim World League, 46 Goodge St, Fitzrovia, London W1T Time: 1.30 PM - 8.30 PM Fee: Free Registration: email info@mend.org.uk or call 020 8980 4591
7 8 May 2nd International Conference on Shi'i Studies The conference will run parallel sessions that will cover topics such as Qur'an & Hadith, Worldwide Islamic Heritage, Modern Thought, Philosophy and Shi'ism in North America and Europe, Fiqh and
Marylebone, London W1H 4LP Time: 6:45PM - 8:30 PM More info:Rameez@thecitycircle.com
14 May Stop the War Conference Stop the War has organised a national conference in Birmingham. The conference will assess the impact of the Sykes Picot Agreement and the hundred years of interventions, occupations and wars that have destabilised the Middle East region. Speakers include: Lindsey German & Salma Yaqoob and Maz Saleem from Stop the War and John Hilary from the War on Want. There will also be workshops on the arms trade and the Sykes Picot Agreement and its impact on the region.
Venue: Midlands Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham Time: 11.00 AM - 5.00 PM Fee: waged £5, unwaged £2
14 15 May Advanced Avicenna (Ibn Sina) Weekend Intensive Study Studying the impact of his thought on the West with Professor Yahya Michot [Hartford Seminary, USA] and Dr Jules Janssens [KU Leuven, Belgium]. As the course is aimed at the advanced level, participants must be familiar with the basics of Ibn Sin's life, work and thoughts, reasonable understanding classical Arabic and classical Islamic Sciences including kalam, metaphysics, philosophy, and epistemology. Places are limited so pre-registration is required.
Venue: Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX Time: Saturday, 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM / Sunday, 10.00 AM - 4.00 PM Fee: £80 for one day, £100 for both days
Mental health and wellbeing, Communication and Relationships, Supporting your spouse, Alternative Therapies; NLP coaching, Hypnotherapy, Art as a form of therapy and Positive Parenting followed by a Q&A session and Refreshments.
Keynes, Newport Road, Woughton on the Green, MK6 3LR Time: 2.00 PM - 7.00 PM Tickets: Early Bird - £15 (by 8th May) thereafter £18
19 May An Alternative to Extremism
Bookings: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/advancedavicenna-ibn-sina-weekend-intensive-study2016-tickets-23036736499
Conducted by: Dr. Shana Cohen Venue:UNESCO Paris, Room IV
MidShaban Grand Exhibition Call for Submissions The Islamic Centre of England has organised a range of competitions for various age groups with great prizes to be won in each category. Competition details are: . 5-10 years: Record footage of your child reciting a poem about Imam Mahdi(a.j.) . 10-15 years: Paintings, artwork and poems about Imam Mahdi(a.j.) •15-20 years : Artwork, graphical design, poems or video clips about Imam Mahdi (a.j.)
Deadline: 15 May 2016 Email: MidShabanExhibition@gmail.com Postal address: Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London, W9 1QB
Healing Minds: Nurturing Relationships A ladies event focusing on mental health, wellbeing and empowerment of the family. Topics discussed will include: Depression,
Chester, United Kingdom Time: 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM Info: /www.chester.ac.uk/node/35376 Fee: Free, registration required via email emaiccis@chester.ac.uk
Venue: Mercure Parkside Hotel Milton
An Alternative to Extremism: Cooperation among the Communities of different religious faith in multinational cities (Based on research projects carried out in London, Rome, Paris, Doha, and Delhi).
15 May
Venue: Hollybank CHB002, University of
20 21 May Shia Minorities in the Contemporary World: Migration, Transnationalism and multilocality Global migration flows in the 20th century have seen the emergence of Muslim diaspora and minority communities in Europe, North America and Australia. While there is a growing body of research on Muslim minorities in various regional contexts, the particular experiences of Shia Muslim minorities across the globe has only received scant attention. As “a minority within a minority”, Shia Muslims face the double-challenge of maintaining an Islamic as well as a particular Shia identity in terms of communal activities, practices, public perception and recognition. The conference will focus on Shia minorities in Europe, North and South America, SubSaharan Africa, Australia, the Pacific Rim and East Asia that emerged out of migration from the Middle East and South Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries, in particular.
21 May Reconsidering Religious Radicalism Conversation about the way we talk about religious radicalism. During this day-long conference, world-renowned keynote speakers Lord Maurice Glasman, Professor Peter Mandaville, Professor Nicholas Adams, and Professor Mona Siddiqui will gather together to address the substance and semantics of religious radicalism from a variety of critical perspectives.
Venue: CIRIS, Clare College, Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TL Time: 9.30 AM - 5.30 PM
Registration: http://onlinesales.admin.cam.ac.uk/browse /product.asp?compid=1&modid=2&catid= 1176 Registration Deadline: 12 May
24 May Postcards from the Middle East A gallery talk by Seonaid Rogers, British Museum. Gallery talks last 45 minutes. Suitable for all levels of knowledge.
Venue: Room 2, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG Time: 1.15 PM - 2.00 PM Fee: Free, drop in.
Disclaimer: islam today does not necessarly endorse or recommend any of these events. Their contents and individuals or groups involved in them. We are not responsible for changes to times, fees or venues. Further information should be sought direclty from the organisers.
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