The

Friday Bulletin
The Weekly Muslim News Update

Dhul Qa'da 07 1431/October 15 2010

Issue No. 389

A milestone as
Islamic Insurance
comes to Kenya
It is a milestone for Kenya after the introduction of the innovate concept of Islamic Insurance ( Takaful) in the country. The concept was unveiled last week by First Community Bank through its subsidiary the FCB Takaful and will initially see motor vehicle and home insurance policies being provided
to customers looking for Shariah-compliant insurance solutions.
Other products that are designed to meet the needs of all Kenyans will gradually be rolled out into
the Kenyan market.
Gulf African Bank, through its insurance arm, Gulf Takaful Company was also granted a license to
issue Takaful products by the Insurance Regulatory Authority, the government body that regulates
insurance business in Kenya. The company is expected to enter the market in the next six months.
The FCB Managing Director Nathif Jama said that Islamic insurance will benet many Kenyans who
had yearned to have innovative and insured-centered Takaful products. This is indeed a milestone

Nairobi bussinesman Hamza Parwez (CENTRE) signs up an Islamic insurance policy from the
FCB Takaful Agency yesterday. Looking on are company ofcials Antone Wambura and Sadiq
S. Muhammad.

This Week

Editorial
Da'wa

Celebrating an ideal concempt

Tolerance of the Prophet

P2
P3

Women Issues

for us and a further afrmation of

our role as a pioneer institution in
this country. We are delighted at
being the rst again to bring about
these much needed services to
our country. We will continue to
introduce socially responsible nancial solutions to the market.
FCB Takaful Insurance Agency
will offer the products in partnership with Cannon Insurance
Company, which will underwrite
them, in line with the Islamic tenets under the supervision of the
FCB Sharia board. The company which is a fully owned subsidiary of First Community Bank will
be offering the products in partnership with reputable regulated
insurance companies which will
underwrite the activities in line
with the Sharia and on the basis
of strict, appropriate supervision
and guidance from FCB Sharia
board, he added.
The products received the approval of the Shariah Board
which includes Sheikh Muhammad Umal of Abubakar Mosque
Eastleigh, Dr. Abdallah Muhammad Abubakar from Kisauni Islamic College Mombasa, Sheikh
Badru Jaffar and Sheikh Ishaaq
Ismail who are members of the
scholarly advisory council of Jamia Mosque Committee, Nairobi.
As the rst fully edged Takaful operator in the East and Central African region, FCB Takaful
Agency is expected to shake this
market with new and innovative
products targeting initially the
Story continued On Page 7

Youth and Children

www.islamkenya.com

Why i wear the Hijab

P4

Exam tips for students

P5

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

Shawwal 08 1431/September 17 2010

The Friday Bulletin

EDITORIAL

Islamic Insurance, celebrating an ideal concempt

The introduction of Islamic insurance, Takaful, in the country is
once again another major milestone for Muslims and the country at
large as it strategically places itself as the regional hub of Islamic
nance.
Kenya has now joined the growing list of nations around the world
which have seen the myriads of advantages which come with this
faith-based insurance mode which has been recognized as an important feature in the modern economic system.
Islamic insurance comes three years after the concept of Shariah
compliant banking system was pioneered in Kenya, becoming the
rst country in the East and Central Africa region to embrace the
fastest growing banking system in the world.
The government particularly the industry regulators deserve to be
commended for ensuring there is an enabling environment for the
introduction of Islamic nance in the country. Among the factors
that drove the government to embrace this concept was the necessity to cater for the needs of millions citizens who were being left
out in the sector as the fundamental ideals in conventional banking
and insurance are in total contravention of the prescribed teachings of Islam.
Over the years, Muslims had shied away from the insurance sector due to the fact that it was beset with issues which were in conict with Islamic principles. Conventional insurance involves the
elements of uncertainity (Al-gharar) in the contract of insurance,
gambling (Al-maisir) and interest (Al-riba) in the investment activities of the conventional insurance companies which contravene
the rules of Shariah.
Those who were obligated to have insurance polices like motor

'Consult widely to address

problems facing the Ummah'
Muslims in the country have been advised to consult
when dealing with societal matters to effectively come up
with solutions to problems that affect the ummah.
Speaking recently while giving the Friday Khutba at Jamia Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Abdi Umal said that it
was imperative for Muslims to embrace the culture of dialogue between themselves to ensure they solve societal
problems that are facing the ummah at the moment.
Consulting amongst ourselves is a commandment of
Allah as well as the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be
upon him. Its the characteristic of believers to consult
before making any decisions concerning the ummah,
the Sheikh who is the former Imam of Masjid Abubakar
Eastleigh said.
The Sheikh said that no one is allowed to make a decision on behalf of the Ummah without consulting widely
on the matter adding that it is an obligation that Muslim
scholars, politicians and opinion leaders to come up with
tangible solutions to the problem.
He cited lack of knowledge, wisdom and experience as a
hindrance to achieving solutions that will be benecial to
the well being of the society. We must weigh and evaluate issues to get the right solution, failure to do so will
only create more problems to the ummah, he added.
The Sheikh said that although Muslims were faced with
many problems nationally and internationally, the solutions to these challenges could be achieved if the ummah
strictly adhered to the teachings of Islam as it provided
the solutions.
Sheikh Umal also advised the youth not be swayed form
the rightful Islamic ways but should adhere to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. He told them to seek advice from the Muslim scholars as their guidance is important in addressing the problems facing the Ummah.

vehicle owners were forced to engage in the haram practice out

of dharura (necessity) as it was virtually impossible to evade this
rule.
This will however, be a thing of the past as after the doors of takaful
have swung wide open, Muslims will have peace of mind that their
religious concerns are safeguarded while undertaking insurance
polices. Takaful is an alternative form of cover which a Muslim can
avail himself against the risk of loss due to misfortunes.
The entry of Islamic insurance in the country is an important
achievement and Muslims ought to applaud and give their full support to see that it becomes an overwhelming success. Since the
introduction of Islamic nance, Kenya has become the envy of the
region and Muslims in the country should be proud of and reciprocate by fully support this budding sector.
It is also our desire that FCB Takaful Agency which has pioneered
this venture in the country and Gulf Takaful Company which is
planning to roll out the products at a later stage go an extra mile
to see to it that this service is well spread across the country to
ensure that Muslims as well as non-Muslims who wish to enjoy this
facility- achieve the fully benets from this noble venture.
The industry players should also develop attractive and competitive products that meet diverse customer needs. Though Takaful
providers cater for a very specic and presently unsatised market, they still need to create products that are as sophisticated and
innovative as their conventional competitors.
With the adventof Islamic insurance,the challenge would be to
make this mode of insurance widely accepted by both muslims
and non-muslims.

State has obligation to assist detained

Kenyans-MUHURI
Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), a Mombasa based human rights organisation has called on the government to send a fact nding delegation to
Uganda to asses the conditions of its renditioned nationals.
The rights body said the government has a moral responsibility to ensure that
its citizens in foreign lands are treated with dignity and respect in accordance
with international human rights standards.
Speaking after returning from the Ugandan capital Kampala, after visiting the
detainees, the MUHURI executive director Hussein Khalid said the detainees
are being held in deplorable conditions and asked the government to intervene and see to it that their rights are safeguarded.
Thirteen Kenyans are among 36 people who are standing trial for the deadly
July 11 blasts in Kampala which claimed more than 70 people.
The executive director led a delegation of ve people which also Imanene
Kimathi, a brother of Al Amin Kimathi, the executive director of the Muslim
Human Rights Forum (MHRF) and Zuhura Shaban wife to Muhammad Hamid
who are among the Kenyans being held in Ugandan jails.
While they were allowed to attend the court hearing, they complained that
they were subjected to rigorous screenings and monitoring during their visit.
The detainees appeared in court and this time round the court accepted their
request that they should be not be held in police detention centers. Their lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi complained that some of the detainees were illegally
being held at the Rapid Response Police Unit yet the law clearly stipulated
that people already charged in court should be remanded in prison.
Meanwhile, a group of women have organized a series of fellowships to provide moral and nancial aid to the wives of the detainees. The initiative is being led by the former Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) director
for women affairs Fatma Hayder.
Many of their spouses have no nancial support yet they have school going
children and are living in rented houses, she said.
A psychiatrist has also been brought on board to provide counseling services
to the wives and children of the detainees.
A meeting has been organized on Saturday after dhuhr prayers at the Jamia
mosque womens prayer hall as a show of solidarity with the sisters. I do call
upon our sisters to come in large numbers and give support as well as seek
Allahs help to give them strength in these difcult conditions, she said.

Shawwal 08 1431/September 17 2010

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA

The Tolerance of the Prophet towards other religions

M. Abdulsalam
The dealings of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God
be upon him, with other religions can best be described in the verse
of the Quran: To you be your religion, to me be mine.
The Arabian Peninsula during the time of the Prophet was a region
in which various faiths were present. There were Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians, polytheists, and others not afliated with any religion.
When one looks into the life of the Prophet, one may draw on many
examples to portray the high level of tolerance shown to people of
other faiths.
In order to understand and judge this tolerance, one must look into
the period in which Islam was a formal state, with the specic laws
laid down by the Prophet in accordance with the tenets of religion.
Even though one can observe many examples of tolerance shown
by the Prophet in the thirteen years of his stay in Mecca, one may
incorrectly think that it was only due to seeking to raise the prole
of the Muslims and the social status of Islam and in general. For
this reason, the discussion will be limited to the period which commenced with the migration of the Prophet to Medina, and specically once the constitution was set.
The Saheefah
The best example of the tolerance shown by the Prophet to other
religions may be the constitution itself, called the Saheefah by
early historians. When the Prophet migrated to Medina, his role as
a mere religious leader ended; he was now the political leader of
a state, governed by the precepts of Islam, which demanded that
clear laws of governance be laid out to ensure harmony and stability in a society which once had been distraught by decades of war,
one which must ensure the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Jews,
Christians and polytheists. Due to this, the Prophet laid down a
constitution which detailed the responsibilities of all parties which
resided in Medina, their obligations towards each other, and certain
restrictions which were placed on each. All parties were to obey
what was mentioned therein, and any breach of its articles was regarded as an act of treachery.
One Nation
The rst article of the constitution was that all the inhabitants of
Medina, the Muslims as well as those who had entered the pact
from the Jews, Christian, and idolaters, were one nation to the exclusion of all others. All were considered members and citizens
of Medina society regardless of religion, race, or ancestry. People
of other faiths were protected from harm as much as the Muslims,
as is stated in another article, To the Jews who follow us belong
help and equity. He shall not be harmed nor his enemies be aided.
Previously, each tribe had their alliances and enemies within and
without Medina. The Prophet gathered these different tribes under
one system of governance which upheld pacts of alliances previously in existence between those individual tribes. All tribes had
to act as a whole with disregard to individual alliances. Any attack
on other religion or tribe was considered an attack on the state and
upon the Muslims as well.
The lives of the practitioners of other religions in the Muslim society was also given protective status. The Prophet said: Whoever
kills a person who has a truce with the Muslims will never smell the
fragrance of Paradise. (Saheeh Muslim)
Since the upper hand was with the Muslims, the Prophet strictly
warned against any maltreatment of people of other faiths. He said:
Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority,
or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can
bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet
Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment. (Abu Dawud)
To each their own religion
In another article, it states, the Jews have their religion and the
Muslims have theirs. In this, it is clear that anything other than tolerance would not be tolerated, and that, although all were members

of a society, each had their separate religion which could not be violated. Each was allowed to practice their beliefs freely without any
hindrances, and no acts of provocation would be tolerated.
There are many other articles of this constitution which may be
discussed, but emphasis will be placed on an article which states,
If any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should arise,
it must be referred to God and His Messenger. This clause maintained that all inhabitants of the state must recognize a higher level
of authority, and in those matters which involved various tribes and
religions, justice could not be meted out by individual leaders; rather
it must be adjudicated by the leader of the state himself or his designated representatives. It was allowed, however, for individual tribes
who were not Muslims, to refer to their own religious scriptures and
their learned men in regards to their own personal affairs. They
could though, if they opted, ask the Prophet to judge between them
in their matters. God says in the Quran: If they do come to you,
either judge between them or decline to interfere... (Quran 5:42)
Here we see that Prophet allowed each religion to judge in their
own matters according to their own scriptures, as long as it did not
stand in opposition to articles of the constitution, a pact which took
into account the greater benet of the peaceful co-existence of the
society.
There are many other examples during the lifetime of the Prophet,
may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, in addition to
the Saheefah that practically portray the tolerance Islam shows for
other religions.
Freedom of Religious Assembly and Religious Autonomy
Given consent by the constitution, the Jews had the complete freedom to practice their religion. The Jews in Madina at the time of
the Prophet had their own school of learning, named Bait-ul-Midras,
where they would recite the Torah, worship and educate themselves.
The Prophet emphasized in many letters to his emissaries that religious institutions should not be harmed. Here in a letter addressed
to his emissary to the religious leaders of Saint Catherine in Mount
Sinai who has sought the protection of the Muslims:
This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to
those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily
I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because
Christians are my citizens; and by God! I hold out against anything
that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither
are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from
their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion,
to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil Gods covenant
and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my
secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to
travel or to oblige them to ght. The Muslims are to ght for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place
without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her
church to pray. Their churches are declared to be protected. They
are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness
of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the
covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).
As one can see, this Charter consisted of several clauses covering
all important aspects of human rights, including such topics as the
protection of minorities living under Islamic rule, freedom of worship
and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own
Story continued On Page 4

Saturday Lecture
Islam and Marital counseling
Sheikh Abdullatif Abdulkarim
Sat. 16th October 2010 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Jamia Multi Purpose Hall
3

The Friday Bulletin

Dhul Qa'da 07 1431/October 15 2010

WOMEN ISSUES

Why Do I Wear Hijab?

Sultana Yusuf Ali explains why she has chosen to wear the Hijab, not out of repression, but liberation.
I probably do not t into the preconceived notion of a rebel. I have
no visible tattoos and minimal piercing. I do not possess a leather
jacket. In fact, when most people look at me, their rst thought usually is something along the lines of oppressed female. The brave
individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the
way I dress usually have questions like: Do your parents make you
wear that? or Dont you nd that really unfair?
A while back, a couple of girls were kicked out of school for dressing like I do. It seems strange that a little piece of cloth would make
for such controversy. Perhaps the fear is that I am harboring a machine girl underneath it! Of course, the issue at hand is more than
a mere piece of cloth. I am a Muslim woman who, like millions of
other Muslim women across the globe, chooses to wear the hijab.
And the concept of the hijab, contrary to popular opinion, is actually
one of the most fundamental aspects of female empowerment.
When I cover myself, I make it virtually impossible for people to
judge me according to the way I look. I cannot be categorized because of my attractiveness or lack thereof.
Compare this to life in todays society: We are constantly sizing one
another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup.
What kind of depth can there be in a world like this? Yes, I have a
body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. But it is the vessel
of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit. It is not for the beholder
to leer at or to use in advertisements to sell everything from beer
to cars!
Because of the superciality of the world in which we live, external
appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts
for almost nothing. It is a myth that women in todays society are
liberated! What kind of freedom can there be when a woman can
not walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self
being checked out?
When I wear the hijab I feel safe from all of this. I can rest assured
that no one is looking at me and making assumptions about my
character from the length of my skirt. There is a barrier between
me and those who would exploit me. I am rst and foremost a human being, equal to any man, and not vulnerable because of my
sexuality.

One of the saddest truths of our time is the question of the beauty
myth and female self-image. Reading popular teenage magazines,
you can instantly nd out what kind of body image is in or out.
and if you have the wrong body type, well, then, youre just going
to have to change it, arent you? After all, there is no way that you
can be overweight and still be beautiful.
Look at any advertisement. Is a woman being used to sell the
product? How old is she? How attractive is she? What is she
wearing? More often than not, that woman will be no older than her
early 20s, taller, slimmer and more attractive than average, dressed
in skimpy clothing. Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated
like this?
Whether the 90s woman wishes to believe it or not, she is being forced into a mold. She is being coerced into selling herself,
into compromising herself. This is why we have 13-year-old girls
sticking their ngers down their throats and overweight adolescents
hanging themselves.
When people ask me if I feel oppressed, I can honestly say no. I
made this decision out of my own free will. I like the fact that I am
taking control of the way other people perceive me. I enjoy the fact
that I dont give anyone anything to look at and that I have released
myself from the bondage of the swinging pendulum of the fashion
industry and other institutions that exploit females.
My body is my own business. Nobody can tell me how I should
look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to
me than that. I am also able to say no comfortably then people
ask me if I feel as though my sexuality is being repressed. I have
taken control of my sexuality. I am thankful I will never have to suffer the fate of trying to lose/gain weight or trying to nd the exact
lipstick shade that will go with my skin color. I have made choices
about what my priorities are and these are not among them.
So next time you see me, dont look at me sympathetically. I am
not under duress or a male-worshipping female captive from those
barbarous Arabic deserts! Ive been liberated.

The Friday Bulletin Kitchen

Maraq Hilib Ari(Somali Goat meat Stew)

The Tolerance of the Prophet

From page 3
and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the
right to protection in war.
On another occasion, the Prophet received a delegation of sixty
Christians from the region of Najran, then a part of Yemen, at his
mosque. When the time for their prayer came, they faced the direction of east and prayed. The Prophet ordered that they be left in
their state and not harmed.
Politics
There are also examples in the life of the Prophet in which he cooperated between with people of other faiths in the political arena as
well. He selected a non-Muslim, Amr-ibn Umaiyah-ad-Damri, as an
ambassador to be sent to Negus, the King of Ethiopia.
These are only some of the examples of the Prophets tolerance of
other faiths. Islam recognizes that there are a plurality of religions
on this earth, and gives the right to individuals to choose the path
which they believe to be true. Religion is not to be, and was never,
forced upon an individual against their own will, and these examples
from the life of the Prophet are an epitome of the verse of the Quran
which promotes religious tolerance and sets the guideline for the
Muslims interaction with people of other faiths. God says: There
is no compulsion in religion (Quran 2:256)
There are many verses in the Quran stating that those who coexist peacefully with Muslims are entitled to justice, compassion, and
respect, irrespective of their religion (60:8-9) as long as they are
peaceful with Muslims.

Ingredients
Maraq Hilib Ari
1 small onion, chopped
500g goat meat, cubed and boiled
for 90 minutes, until tender
5 tomatoes, chopped
salt and freshly-ground black
pepper, to taste
1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1 medium potato, peeled and

cubed
1/2 medium aubergine (egg
plant), cubed
2 carrots, scraped and cubed
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes
or until translucent.
Cover and cook on low heat until very much thickened, nearly dry.
Add the reserved coconut milk and stir it in to dissolve it.
Stir in the cooked goat meat (drain first), along with the tomatoes, salt,
black pepper and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for
30 minutes.
Now add the basil, potato, aubergine and carrots. Return to a simmer
and cook for about a further 20 minutes, or until tender. At this point
stir in the garlic, cumin and coriander.
Stir to combine then take off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15
minutes.
serve with muufo baraawe bread.
Share your favourite recipes with our readers. Send them to P. O. Box 10078600100 or email:fridaybulletin@islamkenya.com or fridaybulletin@gmail.com

Dhul Qa'da 07 1431/October 15 2010

The Friday Bulletin

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

20 exam tips for students

Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid
A Muslim student puts his trust in Allah when facing the tests
of this world, and he seeks His help whilst following the prescribed means, in accordance with the words of the Prophet
(peace be upon him): The strong believer is better and is
more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both
are good. Strive to attain that which will benet you and seek
the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. (Sahih Muslim)

Shaitan). If you are not sure, then start by eliminating the wrong or
unlikely answers, then choose the correct answer based on what
you think is most likely to be correct. If you guessed the correct
answer then do not change it unless you are sure that it is wrong
especially if you will lose marks for a wrong answer. Research
indicates that the correct answer is usually that which the student
thinks of rst.
15. In written exams, collect your thoughts before you start to answer. Write an outline for your answer with some words which will
indicate the ideas which you want to discuss. Then number the
ideas in the sequence in which you want to present them.
16. Write the main points of your answer at the beginning of the
line, because this is what the examiner is looking for, and he may
not see what he is looking for if it is in the middle of the page and
he is in a hurry.
17. Devote 10% of the time for reviewing your answers. Take your
time in reviewing, especially in mathematical problems and writing
numbers. Resist the desire to hand in the exam papers quickly, and
do not let the fact that some people are leaving early bother you.
They may be among the people who have handed in their papers
too early.
18. If you discover after the exam that you answered some questions incorrectly, then take that as a lesson in the importance of
being well-prepared in the future, and not rushing to answer questions. Accept the will and decree of Allah and do not fall prey to frustration and despair. Remember the hadith of the Prophet (peace be
upon him), If anything befalls you, do not say, If only I had done
such and such. Rather say, Qadar Allah wa maa shaa faala (the
decree of Allah and what He wills happened), for saying if only..
opens the door for the Shaitan. (Sahih Muslim)
19. Note that cheating is Haraam. The Prophet (peace be upon
him) said, Whoever cheats is not one of us. It is wrongdoing and
it is a Haraam means of attaining a degree or certicate. So do
without that, and Allah will sufce you from His bounty. Reject all offers of Haraam things that come to you from others. Whoever gives
up a thing for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with
something better. You have to denounce and resist evil, and tell
the authorities about any such thing that you see during the exam.
Advise those who fall into cheating to fear Allah, and tell them the
ruling on what they are doing.
20. Remember what you have prepared for the hereafter, and the
questions of the examination in the grave, and how to be saved
on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is saved from the Fire and
admitted to Paradise will indeed have succeeded.
We ask Allah to make us succeed in this world and cause us to be
among those who are victorious and saved in the hereafter, for He
is the All-Hearing Who answers prayer.

1. Turning to Allah by making dua in any way that is prescribed in

Islam, such as saying, Rabbiy ishrah li sadri wa yassir li amri (O my
Lord, expand my chest and make things easy for me).
2. Getting used to sleeping early and going to exams on time.
3. Preparing all required or permitted equipment such as pens, rulers and set-squares, calculators and watches, because being wellprepared helps one to answer questions.
4. Reciting the dua for leaving the house: Bismillah, tawakkaltu
ala Allah, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billah. Allahumma inni
aoodhu bika an adhilla aw udhalla, aw azilla aw uzalla, aw adhlima
aw uhlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala alayya. (In the name of Allah, I
put my trust in Allah, and there is no strength and no power except
with Allah. O Allah, I seek refuge with You lest I should stray or be
led astray, lest I slip commit a sin unintentionally or be tripped,
lest I oppress or be oppressed, lest I behave foolishly or be treated
foolishly.) Do not forget to seek your parents permission, for their
dua for you will be answered.
5. Mention the name of Allah before you start, for mentioning the
name of Allah is prescribed when beginning any permissible action;
this brings blessing, and seeking the help of Allah is one of the
means of strength.
6. Fear Allah with regard to your classmates, and do not be affected by their anxiety or fear just before the exam, for anxiety is a
contagious disease. Instead, make them feel optimistic by saying
good words as prescribed in Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon
him) was optimistic when he heard the name of Suhayl (which
means easy) and he said: Things have been made easy for you.
He used to like to hear the words Ya Rashid, when he went out for
any purpose. So be optimistic that you and your brothers will pass
the exam with ying colors.
7. Remembering Allah (dhikr) dispels anxiety and tension. If something is too difcult for you, then pray to Allah to make it easy for you.
Whenever Sheikh-ull-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on
him) found something too difcult to understand, he would say, O
You Who taught Ibrahim, teach me; O You Who caused Sulaiman
to understand, cause me to understand.
8. Choose a good place to sit during the exam, if you can. Keep
your back straight, and sit on the chair in a healthy manner.
9. Look over the exam rst. Studies advise spending 10% of the
exam time in reading the questions carefully, noting the important
words and dividing ones time between the questions.
10. Plan to answer the easy questions rst, then the difcult ones.
While reading the questions, write notes and ideas which you can
use in your answers later.
11. Answer questions according to importance.
12. Start by answering the easy questions which you know. Then
move on to the questions which carry high marks, and leave till the
end the questions to which you do not know the answers, or which
you think will take a long time to produce an answer or which do not
carry such high marks.
13. Take your time to answer, for the Prophet (peace be upon him)
said: Deliberation is from Allah and haste is from the Shaitan. (Sahih Al-Jami)
14. Think carefully about the answer and choose the right answer
when answering multiple-choice questions. Deal with them in the
following manner: If you are sure that you have chosen the right
answer, then beware of waswasah (insinuating whispers from the

Note that cheating is Haraam. The Prophet (peace be upon

him) said, Whoever cheats is not one of us. It is wrongdoing and it is a Haraam means of attaining a degree or
certicate. So do without that, and Allah will sufce you
from His bounty. Reject all offers of Haraam things that
come to you from others.
Reject all offers of Haraam things that come to you from
others. Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with something better.

HAJJ PRESENTATION and DRAMA

Memon Hall, Bilal Mosque South 'C'
Wednesday 20th October 2010 2.00 pm
ALL ARE INVITED HUJJAJ AND NON HUJJAJ
SISTERS ONLY
5

Dhul Qa'da 07 1431/October 15 2010

The Friday Bulletin

FEATURE

Kashmir - Roots of Problem, Farce of Elections,

Abdul-Majid Jaffry
The current array of conicts over Kashmir cannot be understood or
explained without a reference to its historical roots. Briey, during the
British rule there were hundreds of semi-autonomous princely states
in India. At the time of partition of India, the Indian Independence
Act of 1947 declared that all Indian princely states will be free to join
either India or the newly created Pakistan; there was no provision in
the Act for the princely states to opt for independence.
Kashmir, Hyderabad, and Junagadh were the three semi-autonomous
princely states that did not accede to either India or Pakistan immediately at the time of partition in 1947. Hyderabad and Junagadh were
Hindu majority states ruled by Muslim rulers and were located within
the territory awarded to India. On the other hand, Kashmir's population was mainly Muslim but ruled by a Hindu. British gave the domain
over Kashmir to Dogra Hindu ruler Gulab Singh in 1846, as a reward
for helping them against Afghans and Sikhs. Unlike Hyderabad and
Junagadh, Kashmir had borders with both the truncated India and
the newly carved Pakistan.
The Muslim rulers of Gujarati state of Junagadh and its principalities
eventually signed instruments of accession to Pakistan. India overruled and forcibly seized and annexed the state. A unilateral plebiscite was held in Gujarat without the participation of Pakistan, the
legal owner of the state, or the United Nations. India's argument was
that the Hindu majority states could not join Muslim Pakistan. India
asserted that Junagadh accession to Pakistan was contrary to the
two-nation theory, the basis for the partition of the country into Hindu
India and Muslim Pakistan. When the Nizam of Hyderabad sought
to remain independent of India or to become part of Pakistan, the
state was forced into the Indian Federation through "police action" in
September 1948 on the ground that the right of self-determination of
the populace was supreme.
However, when it came to Kashmir, India conveniently departed from
the principles it applied to seize Junagadh and Hyderabad - geographical location, communal composition, and the people's right of
self-determination. India altogether disregarded Kashmir's Muslim
majority, geographical contiguity to Pakistan, and failed to ascertain
the wishes of the people of the state through plebiscite. The plebiscite was out of question. The Indian leaders were well aware that
the people of Kashmir would have voted to rid themselves of Indian
rule and join Pakistan - a foregone conclusion.
Maharaja Hari Singh, the great-grandson of the Maharaja Gulab
Singh, presided over Kashmir at the time of the partition. Hari Singh
knew too well that the Muslims who constitute majority of the population of his state would never accept accession of the state to Hindu
majority India. Therefore, he was hesitant to sign the instrument of
accession to India. The people of Kashmir revolted and rebelled
against the ruler for his refusal to accede the state to Pakistan. India
claims that Maharajah Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession
in return for military support to quell the popular uprising against his
rule.
However, academicians and historians seriously doubt that an Instrument of Accession was ever signed and given to India by Maharaja Hari Singh; India never put forward any substantive and credible
evidence to back up its claim. The document was never presented to
the U.N. or to Pakistan. The issue becomes very dubious and suspicious when one considers that in 1995 the Indian authorities claimed
that the original accession document was either stolen or lost. Historical examinations of the events surrounding the accession document lend strong evidence that the document never existed; it was a
mere hoax played by India for its hegemonic ambitions. India not only
hoodwinked Kashmiris but the whole international community.
That was very briey how India used political machination and fraud
to occupy Kashmir and deprive its people fundamental rights of liberty and justice. The saga of injustice does not end here, the humiliation continues on.
When India annexed Kashmir, it promised to give the state a large
degree of autonomy. However, that never happened. In fact, India
did exactly the opposite. New Delhi gradually put an iron tight political grip over the state through farcical elections, dictatorial puppet

regimes, imposition of direct Governor's rule, suspension of the

Legislative Assembly, and with half a million heavily armed soldiers
converted Kashmir into the most densely and fortied military zone
in the world. The reneging on the promise of autonomy fuelled
resentment against the New Delhi rule.
India cleverly played the sinister game of popular elections every few years in Kashmir. After every election, New Delhi raises
the mantra, "India has won a popular mandate from the people
of Kashmir". The elections, from the rst elections to constituent
assembly in September 1951 till to date, are lled with recorded
evidence of blatant rigging, coercion, and troops forcing Muslims
to vote at a gunpoint.
From 1947 to 1987, the conict was mainly an interstate affair between India and Pakistan. During this 40-year period, the situation in Kashmir was tense and uptight but relative calm prevailed.
Then came the election of 1987. As with any previous elections,
the 1987 elections was yet another exercise in fraud, only on a
much massive scale. The election of 1987 proved to be the last
straw. The sense of deprivation and exploitation nally came into
play; the long simmering resentment against the New Delhi's rule
came to a full boil.
Indian response to Kashmiri uprising came in the form of "brutality of torture that dees belief" and "electric shock and rape as a
counter insurgency tactic", Amnesty International and other human
rights groups such as Human Rights Watch have published several disturbing reports of Indian abuse and human rights violations in
Kashmir. Let me cite here just one case of deeply shocking torture
of a twenty year old Kashmiri boy at the hand of Indian security
forces. This incident is documented by the Amnesty International
in its March 1993 report, and by the Washington Report on Middle
East Affairs.
"Manzoor Ahmed Ganai, son of Abdul Aziz Ganai and resident of
Wakoora district, Gahderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, was reportedly
arrested on 7 January 1993 along with 14 other persons by soldiers from the army 10 Bihar regiment during a search operation
in his village. He was reportedly tortured for ten days with electric
shocks, beaten with sticks and guns and was trampled on by soldiers". The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs in its special
September/October 1994 report, adds, "This reportedly included
hanging him upside-down by his ankles for several days and burning the back of his thighs with lighted parafn. He died in February, apparently as a result of the injuries he had sustained under
torture."
After such ghastly reports were made public by the international
organizations, India has restricted human rights abuse investigators' entry into Kashmir.
India may chant as much as it wants, "Kashmir is an internal affair
of India" or "Kashmir is an integral part of India". But the facts are
so well known and so well publicized and their meaning so entirely
clear that Indian chant ends up being a self-deluding ction. U.N.
resolutions for the holding of an impartial plebiscite in Kashmir and
accepted by India; deployment of U.N. Military Observer Group
(UNMOGIP) between the Pakistani part of Kashmir and the Indian
occupied territory; Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and
Lord Mountbatten's, the then Governor General of India, solemn
declaration that the nal status of Jammu and Kashmir would be
decided by the people of the state, belie India's claim that Kashmir
is its integral part.
As it is not an internal affair of India, the international community
has the responsibility to put the pressure on India to resolve the
Kashmir conict that has become the worst human rights problem
in the world. It is not a clich but a hard truth, there will never be
any peace in the region unless a credible political solution that
meets the aspirations of the people of Kashmir is implemented.
Considering that the tussle is between the two contending nuclearized nations - India and Pakistan - it would not be an exaggeration
to say that the conict also constitutes a potential threat to world
peace. (Iviews.com)

Dhul Qa'da 07 1431/October 15 2010

The Friday Bulletin

FEATURE

Islamic Insurance (Takaful) in perspective

All human activities are subject to risk of loss from unforeseen
events. To alleviate this burden to individuals, what we now call insurance has existed since at least 215 BC. This concept has been
practiced in various forms for over 1400 years. It originates from
the Arabic word Kafalah, which means "guaranteeing each other"
or "joint guarantee". The concept is in line with the principles of
compensation and shared responsibilities among the community.
Takaful originated within the ancient Arab tribes as a pooled liability that obliged those who committed offences against members of
a different tribe to pay compensation to the victims or their heirs.
This principle later extended to many walks of life, including sea
trade, in which participants contributed to a fund to cover anyone
in a group who suffered mishaps on sea voyages.
In modern-day conventional insurance, the insurance vendor (the
insurance company) sells policies and invests the proceeds for
the prot of its shareholders, who are not necessarily policyholders. There is therefore a clear disjunction between policyholders
and shareholders. Payouts to policyholders may vary depending
on nancial performance, but a minimum positive return is always
contractually guaranteed.
Takaful is commonly referred to as Islamic insurance; this is due to
the apparent similarity between the contract of kafalah (guarantee)
and that of insurance.
However, takaful is founded on the cooperative principle and on
the principle of separation between the funds and operations of
shareholders, thus passing the ownership of the Takaful (Insurance) fund and operations to the policyholders. Muslim jurists
conclude that insurance in Islam should be based on principles of
mutuality and co-operation, encompassing the elements of shared
responsibility, joint indemnity, common interest and solidarity.
In takaful, the policyholders are joint investors with the insurance
vendor (the takaful operator), who acts as a mudarib a manager
or an entrepreneurial agent for the policyholders. The policyholders share in the investment pool's prots as well as its losses. A
positive return on policies is not legally guaranteed, as any xed
prot guarantee would be akin to receiving interest and offend the
prohibition against riba.
For some time conventional insurance was considered to be incompatible with the Shariah that prohibit excessive uncertainty in
dealings and investment in interest-bearing assets; both are inherent factors in conventional insurance business.
However, takaful complies with the Shariah (which outlines the
principles of compensation and shared responsibilities among the
community) and has been approved by Muslim scholars. There is
now general, health and family (life) takaful plans available for the
Muslim communities.
Prohibitions of Gharar, Maysir and Riba
Gharar: An insurance contract contains gharar because, when a
claim is not made, one party (insurance company) may acquire all
the prots (premium) gained whereas the other party (participant)
may not obtain any prot whatsoever. Ibn Taimiyah, a leading Muslim scholar, further reasoned "Gharar found in the contract exists
because one party acquired prot while the other party did not".
The prohibition on gharar would require all investment gains and
losses to eventually be apportioned in order to avoid excessive uncertainty with respect to a return on the policyholder's investment.
Maysir: Islamic scholars have stated that maysir (gambling) and
gharar are inter-related. Where there are elements of gharar, elements of maysir is usually present. Maysir exists in an insurance
contract when; the policy holder contributes a small amount of premium in the hope to gain a larger sum; the policy holder loses the
money paid for the premium when the event that has been insured
for does not occur; the company will be in decit if the claims are
higher that the amount contributed by the policy holders.
Riba: Conventional endowment insurance policies promising a
contractually-guaranteed payment, hence offends the riba prohibition. The element of riba also exists in the prot of investments

used for the payment of policyholders claims by the conventional insurance companies. This is because most of the insurance funds are
invested by them in nancial instruments such as bonds and stacks
which may contain elements of Riba.
Basis and Principles of Takaful
Islamic insurance requires each participant to contribute into a fund
that is used to support one another with each participant contributing
sufcient amounts to cover expected claims.
The underlying principles of Takaful may be summarised as follows:
Policyholders co-operate among themselves for their common
good.
Every policyholder pays a part of the contribution as a donation to
help those that need assistance.
Losses are divided and liabilities spread according to the community pooling system.
Uncertainty is eliminated in respect of subscription and compensation.
It does not seek to derive advantage at the cost of others.
Theoretically, Takaful is perceived as cooperative insurance, where
members contribute a certain sum of money to a common pool. The
purpose of this system is not prots but to uphold the principle of
"bear ye one another's burden."
Why No to Conventional Insurance
In modern business, one of the ways to reduce the risk of loss due
to misfortunes is through insurance. The concept of insurance where
resources are pooled to help the needy does not necessarily contradict Islamic principles.
Three important differences distinguish conventional insurance from
Takaful:
Conventional insurance involves the elements of excessive uncertainty (gharar) in the contract of insurance;
Gambling (maysir) as the consequences of the presence of excessive uncertainty that rely on future outcomes
Interest (riba) in the investment activities of the conventional insurance companies;
Conventional insurance companies are motivated by the desire for
prot for the shareholders;
Conventional system of insurance can be subject to exploitation. For
example, it is possible to charge high premium (especially in monopolistic situations) with the full benet of such over-pricing going
to the company.

Takaful makes foray into Kenya

From Page 1
largely uninsured Muslims.
While the principal target market for Islamic insurance are Muslims,
it is also open to non-Muslims who are looking for an insurance company that operates on a model that is different from the commercial
insurance companies.
Without a licensed Takaful operator, Muslims in the past were forced to
take conventional insurance while others opted not to take insurance
at all. With the emergence of Islamic insurance in the country, this is
expected to change drastically as many embrace the faith based initiative which continues to expand around the globe. Launching Takaful
in Kenya means that businesses and assets worth billions of shillings
that could not avail nancial protection due to reasons of faith will
be able to do so now, said GulfCap Investments Managing Partner
Suleiman Shahbal and Chairman of Gulf African Bank Limited.
Sharia Compliant Insurance is a scheme which creates nancial protection to its participants through the participants mutually agreeing to
guarantee and assist each other on the basis of donations which they
make to create a fund for their collective benet.
The prot sharing element in Takaful is expected to attract many clients who are eager to have ethical standards applied in the insurance
industry. Takaful eliminates unjust enrichment as underwriting surplus
belongs to policyholders and not shareholders, said Shahbal.

Concern grows over anti-terror war

Muslim leaders who attended a recent international conference in the Indonesian
capital Jakarta have expressed their anguish over the wrong direction of the ongoing
war on terror, which they say is in reality against Islam and Muslims.
Nearly 700 prominent Islamic scholars and heads of Muslim organizations from
around the globe assembled in Jakarta to attend the 11th conference of the Riyadhbased World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY).
The leaders were worried about the wrong direction of the war on terrorism, said
Dr. Muhammad Badahdah, assistant secretary-general of WAMY, who attended the
three-day conference.
Although Western countries are saying the war is not against Islam, in practice it's
targeting Islam and Muslims, and some extremists in Europe and America want to
make use of this umbrella to ght Islam and Muslims, said Badahdah.
He said the so-called war on terror, which has already destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan, would worsen relations between Islam and the West, and warned that the
growing polarization of Muslims, Christians and Jews would have dangerous consequences if quick steps are not taken to improve relations.
Muslim leaders at the conference asked how long this war will continue, spending
trillions of dollars of tax payers' money to kill innocent people. What are they going to
gain from this war? They hoped America would stop the war in Afghanistan and try to
establish good relationship with its people, Badahdah said.
Muslims constitute about one-third of the worlds population and they are a big market. Nobody can ignore Muslims. Islam is the fastest spreading religion in the world.
Its in Americas interest to establish better relations with Muslims, he said.
Badahdah said history would never forgive the leaders and countries that have killed
thousands in the name of ghting terror. Actually, they are the terrorists as they kill innocent people using advanced weaponry. It's agrant state terrorism. We don't need
any certication for that. Its strange that those who bomb innocent people to death
are described as proponents of peace and human rights while those who defend their
rights are condemned as terrorists. This is a ridiculous judgment, he said.
Delegates from 70 countries including the Americas, Europe, Australia, Africa and
Asia attended the event.

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Towards a better future

for Muslims
One of the main objectives of the One Shilling
Foundation is to unite Muslims all over the country in order to reap the benets that emanate
from the strength of unity. This is in conformity to
the teachings of the Holy Prophet peace be upon
him. When the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him
was asked about the person whom Allah likes
most, he replied: He is the person who is more
useful to the Muslim society than all others. He
also said in other words: The best among the
people is the one from whom people benets
more. This,then is the nature of the One Shilling Foundation in the midst of many challenges
that the Ummah of the Prophet peace be upon
him faces in a heterogeneous society like ours
in Kenya.
When we look critically at the education sector, there are 30 universities in the country. 7 of
these are public universities funded and run by
the government. Twenty three are private universities, funded and run by private individuals or
organizations. Out of the 23 private universities,
17 are theological Christian colleges providing,
specializing and developing Christian ideologies. The other remaining 4 private universities
are mainly theo-secular apart from the Aga Khan
University.
The other challenge as far as education is concerned is that only 2% of the total student population in public universities is from the Muslim
community. Considering that the majority of the
Muslim populace in the country is from arid and
semi arid lands (ASAL), many are unemployed,
majority have limited opportunities of breaking
away from the vicious cycle of poverty.
Alhamdulillah, ALLAH inspired some Kenyan
Muslims who came up with the idea of embarking on a simple but important project called the
One Shilling Foundation. This foundation calls
upon all Muslims in the country to contribute just
one shilling a day to the Muslim kitty so that we
can pool our resources for the purpose of establishing strong institutions like schools, universities and hospitals.
On the face of it,the idea of one shilling a day
appears to be an insignicant undertaking but
with rm commitment and togetherness, we can
contribute greatly to realize dreams which will
bring drastic and positive changes to the ummah. We are all aware of the Swahili proverb
haba na haba hujaza kibaba (little by little lls
up the pot).
Those who wish to donate more than a shilling
a day are also welcome.Kindly reach us through
the following address:
One Shilling Foundation
Village Plaza, Ngara Road, Suite A3
P.O. Box 58717-00200, Nairobi
Tel: 0717 613 3333/ 0732 613333
Email: info@oneshillingfoundation.net

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