Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom - Pioneer in Islamic Activities

Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom (1923-2010):
Unique & Pioneer in Islamic activities

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom was simultaneously an Islamic thinker, notable economic expert, a successful business man and a generous philanthropist, who left a great contribution in three specific fields, i.e. Islamic education, Islamic finance and banking and Qur’an Memorisation.

Saudi Commerce Minister
Born in a respectable business family of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 1923, Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom was graduated in Finance from an American University. Initially, after returning back from the United States, he joined in a Government department. He was then appointed as Finance Minister in the Cabinet of King Saud bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia in early Sixties; after one year or so he was again appointed as Minister of Commerce in the Cabinet of King Faisal bin Abdulaziz.

As Commerce Minister, Sheikh Ahmed was very successful. He triggered new life in the Ministry through initiating, activating and issuing many new laws and reforms. “He was successful to issue 15/16 laws concerning trade and commerce of Saudi Arabia. “That was his pioneer work in the field of commerce in Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Abdullah Omar Nasef.

Founder, King Abdulaziz University
He was always very active in the promotion of education in the Kingdom and abroad. In 1964, he was instrumental in gathering funds and collecting contributions for the establishment of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. By the initiative of a group of dignitaries and businessmen, led by Sheikh Muhammad Abu Bakr Bakhashab Pasha, who donated a sum of one million Riyals as first instalment of the University on 24 July 1964, followed by a public ceremony held on 15 October, 1964 to open campaign of donation to the University. Sheikh Ahmed was instrumental in gathering money and donations. In mid-sixties, King Abdul Aziz University was a non-governmental private University and Sheikh Ahmed was a member of the first board of trustees of the University. He continued to support King Abdulaziz University all through his life. “He was always there in almost all the activities of King Abdulaziz University,” said Dr Naseef, former President of King Abdulaziz University.

Pioneer of Islamic education movement
After retirement from the Ministry, Sheikh Ahmed was very much active in all sorts of Islamic activities. Wherever there was any Islamic activity, he was there. His prime work was in the field of Islamic education. Professor Dr. Syed Ali Ashraf was the initiator of the First World Conference on Islamic education under the auspices of King Abdulaziz University. Though the holding of Islamic Education Conference was Dr. Ali Ashraf’s idea, Sheikh Ahmed followed it up and continued to support the cause of Islamic education after the Muslim Education Conference, in the setting up of the World Centre for Islamic Education, in the foundation of Islamic Academy, Cambridge and also in the establishment of Darul Ihsan University in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dr. Naseef, the vice-chairman of the First World Conference on Muslim Education, said, “Dr Ali Ashraf proposed for the Islamization of knowledge and education system and he continued to meet me so that we could sponsor a conference. Sheikh Ahmed convinced the King Abdulaziz University; accordingly budget was received from the government to organize the conference in Makkah in 1977.”

Under the able leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom, the chairman, Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, vice-chairman and Dr. Syed Ali Ashraf, as Secretary of the Organising committee, the First World Conference on Muslim Education was organized by King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah and held in Makkah in 1977. There were about 450 Intellectual and educational scholars including 50 ministers from Muslim countries.

Sheikh Ahmed not only supported the Muslim Education Conference but also continued his support which convinced the 12th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in Baghdad, Iraq in 1981 to establish the World Centre for Islamic Education in Makkah in 1981 under the auspices of the OIC. The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers approved the appointment of the following members to the Administrative Council of the World Centre for Islamic Education at Makkah al-Mukarramah: H.E. Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef; Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom and others.

Sheikh Ahmed played an important role in organising later six conferences, the Second World Conference on Muslim Education in Islamabad, Pakistan, in 1980, the Third World Conference on Muslim Education in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1981, the Fourth World Conference on Muslim Education in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1982 and the Fifth World Conference on Muslim Education in Cairo, Egypt in 1987 and the Sixth World Conference on Muslim Education took place in Cape Town, South Africa in 1996. Sheikh Ahmed also supported the publication of the proceedings of the first World Conference on Muslim Education in six volumes.

Chairman, Islamic Academy Cambridge
Sheikh Ahmed again patronised and supported the establishment of Islamic Academy in Cambridge in early 80s. He remained chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic Academy Cambridge for many many years.

Chairman, Darul Ihsan University
In order to implement the recommendations of the First World Conference on Muslim Education to Islamise Knowledge and education system, Sheikh Ahmed and Dr. Naseef supported Dr. Ali Ashraf to establish Darul Ihsan University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1989. Sheikh Ahmed and Dr. Naseef were the first two foreign members of the Board of Trustees of the Darul Ihsan University. Even Sheikh Ahmed was the first chairman of the Darul Ihsan Trust (DIT) and later on, Dr. Naseef became the chairman of DIT.

Islamic Finance and Banking
After his retirement from Cabinet, Sheikh Ahmed went back to his family business of motor cars and heavy equipment. Speaking about him, Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, former President of King Abdulaziz University and a very close associate of Sheikh Ahmed, said, “After that he went back to his family business of motor cars and heavy equipments. From there he was attending to all charity works, such as Islamic finance, development of Islamic Banking, establishment of Faisal Islami Bank of Prince Muhammad bin Faisal in Bahrain, Sudan and Egypt and in various places.”

Sheikh Ahmed was very eager to make sure that Islamic finance is to become the rule and norm in every Muslim country. He was trying to promote that by contacting people.

Chairman, Faisal Islami Bank Bahrain
He was chairman of the Board of Directors of the Faisal Islami Bank, Bahrain. Faisal Bank Limited was incorporated in Pakistan in October 1994 as a public quoted company listed in Karachi and Lahore. The six Pakistan branches of Faisal Islami Bank of Bahrain were amalgamated with the Bank. It strives to be a world class multi-purpose financial institution providing a range of services, working on Shari’ah principles.

Sponsor, Islamic Bank Bangladesh Limited
Sheikh Ahmed was also a foreign sponsor of the Islamic Bank Bangladesh Limited. Sheikh Ahmed along with Dr. Hamid al-Gabid, former Secretary General of the OIC and Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, former deputy Speaker of Saudi Shoura Council, encouraged the Social Islami Bank Ltd., in Bangladesh in its endeavour to assist the poverty alleviation of Bangladesh.

Chairman, Qur’an Memorisation Organisation
Sheikh Ahmed was kept himself busy with all sorts of Islamic activities. He supported and patronised the memorisation of the Holy Qur’an. Sheikh Ahmed was the chairman of the Qur’an Memorisation organisation in Jeddah. Later on, he became the chairman of the Tahfizul Qur’an (Qur’an Memorisation) in Makkah which includes 13/14 branches in Saudi Arabia Makkah region.

Sheikh Ahmed attended regularly the King Fahd International Qur’an Competition in Makkah. It was an independent body under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Saudi Airlines
Sheikh Ahmed was the first Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, SAUDIA. After his retirement from the Saudi cabinet as Commerce Minister, he made Saudi Arabian Airlines modern airlines probably in 1971-72, and he sent Saudis to be trained in the aviation management and operation. Saudi Arabian Airlines made tremendous progress during his time as Director General. He was in Saudi Airlines for two to four years only.

Media and Publication
Sheikh Ahmed also supported press and publication. He was chairman of Shorouk International and also patronised and promoted Al-Madinah Printing and Publishing establishment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Attended conferences and seminars
Sheikh Ahmed was a widely travelled person. Sheikh Ahmed attended many conferences and seminars. He led a delegation to Mainland China. The objectives of his visit and other details were published in the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 6:1, January 1985, pages 208-218. Sheikh Ahmed, a former Saudi Commerce Minister, who led a delegation of Saudi businessmen to Japan in 1991, told reporters in Tokyo: “Actually we think this amount (four billion US Dollar) is very small. I think Japan should rethink, again, and they should increase the money enormously.”

Speaking about Sheikh Ahmed, Dr. Naseef said, “The one thing which I want to emphasize that he was unique and pioneer in everything; unique in Islamic activities; Islamic action. He attended to every single request came from inside or abroad, for every Islamic cause. He was really very dedicated; he never hides anything and he was loved by everybody for all the activities he did.”

Dr. Naseef obtained his Ph.D. degree in 1971 and returned back to Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Ahmed gave a big reception. Recollecting those days, Dr. Naseef said, “When I got my Ph.D. in 1971, he gave a big party inviting dignitaries, such as Prince Muhammad al-Faisal and others.”

Sheikh Ahmed passed away recently. May Allah the Almighty bless his soul and bestow him a place in Paradise.


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Don't fear Islam and Muslims, says Imam Shaykh al-Sudais at Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam in Blackburn

Don’t fear Islam and Muslims – says al-Sudais
at Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam in Blackburn

Dr. Mozammel Haque

“We want to tell the world: Don’t fear Islam and Muslims,” says Dr. Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais, the Head Imam and Khateeb of the Masjid-ul-Haram in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, while delivering his Friday Khutbah at the Tauheedul Islam Mosque in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK on 16th of July 2010. On the same day evening, Sheikh al-Sudais led the evening prayer and delivered a speech.

While addressing the large gathering at the Mosque, Dr. Al-Sudais recited so many verses of the Qur’an and quoting verses of the Qur’an, Imam of the Masjid al-Haram emphasized that there is no difference between peoples and there is complete equality in the eyes of Allah. Al-Sudais said Islam advocates mercy and tolerance as well as respect for human rights and human dignity.

“We want to tell the world: Don’t fear Islam and Muslims,” emphasized the Imam of the Masjid al-Haram and added, “Islam came to protect the interests of humanity, prevent evils and build bridges with all communities. It offers a great message of mercy and tolerance.”

Sheikh al-Sudais asked Muslims to learn from the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who used to visit his Jewish neighbour. “When the Prophet died his armour was kept with a Jew as a security,” he said, urging Muslims to establish good relations with non-Muslims. “This is the best way to attract them to Islam.”

Dr. Al-Sudais urged Muslims to cooperate with each other and to maintain good relations with non-Muslims. “We want to tell the world: Don’t fear Islam and Muslims and don’t get worried about the presence of Mosques because they advocate peace and tolerance even with non-Muslims,” he said.

Sheikh Al-Sudais also told the Muslims living in the West to serve as ambassadors of their religion. “My advice to Muslims living in the West is to remain good models and good ambassadors of their religion, nation and values,” Sheikh Al-Sudais added.

The Imam of the Masjid-ul-Haram, Sheikh Al-Sudais said: “You should uphold the great Islamic values while dealing with Muslims as well as non-Muslims and should not engage in any corrupt or unjust practices.”

He urged Muslims to be advocates of virtues, peace, safety and respect of law and order as well as to behave as constructive members of society and to refrain from any act that undermines stability. “You should be a positive and constructive factor in the community you live in and should not involve yourselves in activities that would undermine its security and stability,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Al-Sudais as saying.

Dr. Al-Sudais reiterated that Islam advocates co-existence and establishing contacts with other civilisations and said Islam does not tolerate isolation, but it urges Muslims to become influential persons in society.

Dr. Al-Sudais also said that Islam does not advocate terrorism. Reciting the verses of the Qur’an, Sheikh Al-Sudais said that you must read Qur’an and practice it so that you would be better citizens automatically.

Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn
While welcoming and thanking the Imam of the Masjid al-Haram, Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn, the President of the Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam, who has led the project, said, you are travelling all the way from Makkah to open the mosque, “simply to be with us. It is a source of immense happiness for us all.”

The Muslims of Blackburn were celebrating this occasion to mark the opening of the new Masjid, the Central Mosque of Blackburn, Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam. They celebrated the opening of the Mosque a week earlier which Lord Patel coined as “our community” opening. While introducing the Imam of the Masjid al-Haram, Lord Patel said, “Here we have before us a unique opportunity for everyone to gain the spiritual light that is nearly extinguished in our lives, to strengthen the bond with our Creator and to re-establish the Masjid as the centre of our community and our lives.”

Lord Patel said, “In 21st century Britain, the role of the Masjid is as important as it was in the time of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).”

Lord Patel also said, “At Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam our purpose is to advance the Islamic faith through the provision of a wide range of spiritual, educational and social services enriched with Islamic values that fulfil the needs of our members and the wider community.”

“Our vision is to become a centre of excellence for Islamic learning and practice providing a beacon for both Muslims and other faith communities who wish to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of Islam – a place where one can experience and embrace the genuine beauty of our faith,” said Lord Patel.

Addressing the Imam of the Masjid al-Haram, Lord Patel said, “Your voice is a calling of immense beauty and artistic excellence, guiding all of us towards the true Word of Allah and depicting the elevated majesty of the Haram. Your voice and Tilaawat is an icon to hundreds of millions of Muslims across the globe; it is an oratory ambassador calling the whole of humanity towards the righteous path.”

Lord Patel also mentioned that the elegance and beauty of the recitation of the Qur’an by Sheikh Al-Sudais “has inspired a love of our Holy Book in hundreds and millions of Muslims, young and old, around the world.”

“Millions of children have been introduced to the correct recitation of the Qur’an through the inspirational act of listening to your voice on cassettes and CDs,” mentioned Lord Patel.

Speaking about his spiritual and moral leadership to the Ummah, Lord Patel mentioned, “At times of crises and despair for Muslims across the globe, you have provided the spiritual and moral leadership to the Ummah through the emotive Duaas from the Masjid al-Haram.”

“You have shown a love for the persecuted and oppressed, whether they are in Palestine or Iraq or Afghanistan… and this love has endeared you to the Ummah and provided great strength and comfort to all of our brothers and sisters who suffer today,” mentioned Lord Patel.

Lord Patel also said, “Your moving voice and the verses of the Holy Qur’an soften the most hardened of hearts, stir the most resolute of souls and bring tears to the most barren of eyes; your recitation of the Word of the Almighty Allah illuminates the darkest of atmospheres, shatters the arrogance of the most pretentious and inspires divine blessings to the most undeserving of people.”

“We simply cannot repay our debt of gratitude to you,” saying this Lord Patel prayed to Almighty Allah to “reward your generous spirit, showers you with countless Mercies and elevates your status to the highest of levels on the Day of Judgement. Ameen.”

Background of the Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam
I have the privilege to interview Lord Patel about the background of the establishment of the Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam in Blackburn. The Tauheedul Islam Mosque - five-storey building - is the biggest and largest Mosque in the whole of Lancashire and “most beautiful Mosque in the whole country,” said Lord Patel in an interview with me. The total cost for the building of the Mosque was 3.5 million pounds. Qatar’s Royal family provided an initial 1.5 million donation for the basic construction of the Mosque, with the remainder of the funds generated from the Blackburn community.

The community had outgrown the much smaller mosque which was established at the same site in the 1960s. As well as being the largest in Lancashire, the new building is one of the biggest in the UK.

The total Muslim population of Blackburn at present is 35,000. There are more than 35, probably 40 Mosques and Madrasahs in Blackburn. But the Muslim community in the 60’s was few in number, had little or no funds to feed and clothe their families. They could not think of establishing a centre for prayer for the community. But those days there are some very dedicated leaders and founders in the Muslim community of Blackburn who had a sincere conscience and concern for the spiritual future of their own co-religionists. They struggled to establish their families and their homes.

Lord Patel told me, “People from the districts Barooj and Surat, Gujarat of India, started coming to UK in the 1956 and settled in Blackburn. It was a problem for them; they could not find a job; they could not speak English language. They had no money at all; so they were struggling for survival.”

“But after couple of years, they thought we had to have our families and they started bringing their families. In two areas, they bought terrace houses very cheaply. Wherever the Muslims go, Alhamdo lillah, by the Grace of Almighty, the first need is the Masjid and Madrasah. So they established Masjid and Madrasah for their children to learn religious education. They bought only one house and that was a Terrace house. In those days, there were not many families arrived from India or Pakistan or elsewhere. That was sufficient,” Lord Patel mentioned.

Lord Patel also said, “But when people kept coming they bought another adjoining house and converted into the mosque. Blackburn politicians were very kind; they kept giving permission to the terrace houses converted into mosque. We also bought another house in another area where some more people settled. But slowly and gradually the population became very very large.”

“In 1976 then John’s School, it was a primary school, they had a big premises in our area. We negotiated with the Churches and Town people supported us converting it into a big mosque. We bought it in 1977 only in 19,000 pound sterling in those days. Even to raise those 19,000 pounds it was very very difficult,” said Lord Patel.

“The Founders of our community had the vision and forbearance to endeavour to establish a Masjid at the heart of our community,” said Lord Patel to me in an interview.

Lord Patel also added, “By the grace of Almighty Allah, and the prayers of many distinguished scholars and well-wishers, presently within the Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam campus, we also manage one of the largest Madrasahs in the UK, and the only government funded Islamic Girls High School in the North West of England.”

Tauheedul Islam Girls School
The Masjid al-Tauheedul Islam campus has facilities for the Islamic education of children and it is next to Tauheedul Islam Girls High School.

The Head Imam of Masjidul Haram, Sheikh Al-Sudais, later visited the Tauheedul Islam Girls High School, which was recently awarded Voluntary Aided status and became the first government-funded Islamic school in the region. Imam Al-Sudais urged Muslim men to take care of their women and commended the school authorities for their efforts to provide proper Islamic education to their children.

Speaking about this school, Lord Patel told me, “Tauheedul Islam Girls School is the second best school in the country. In Lancashire it is the best. It is grant-aided public school, not only that, there are no admission criteria, there is no test whatsoever. Our parents, our teachers, our head-teachers and students are very very eager to acquire knowledge. If some girls are weak and shy in science, they used to come to teachers in the evenings or weekends. If girls are weak in English language, they used to come to learn English language in the Evenings and weekends and the teachers were giving them free coaching. That’s why it is one of the best in the whole country. Even the Ofstead Inspectors recognised it, wrote it in their report and they gave the excellent report about it.”

A female student described Sheikh Al-Sudais as a model for hundreds of millions of people by virtue of leading prayers at Masjid al-Haram and reciting the Holy Qur’an as well as serving charitable societies.

Srebrenica Genocide Day: A Black Spot on Human Conscience

Srebrenica Genocide Day
A Black Spot on Human Conscience

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The world simply looked away on 11 July, 1995, when the Bosnian Serb forces and Serb paramilitary unit known as “the Scorpions” executed between 7,000 and 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica, even though the UN had declared it a “safe area”. This was the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II which will remain as a black spot in the human conscience for eternity. Those war criminals that commanded and executed the Genocide in Bosnia are still at large. The excuses are simply not credible.

Why the cry “never again” raised by so many in the years after 1945 has increasingly become hollow with the passing decades? Why Holocaust? Why Genocide? Where does evil begin? Why the most wanted remains at large? Why the evil doers are not brought to justice? All these questions were raised by the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Dr. Mustafa Ceric on the 15th anniversary of the genocide of Muslims in Bosnia-Srebrenica. “What happened in Srebrenica requires justice as well as memorialisation,” said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. “Ratko Mladic’s liberty is an affront to both.”

In Bosnia, the three-day commemoration of the 15th anniversary of Srebrenica started on 9th of July 9 and ended on 11th of July 2010 with a ceremony during which the remains of 800 Srebrenica victims was buried. “Fifteen years after the genocide, at least 10,000 people are still missing in Bosnia, including at least 1,000 from the Srebrenica area,” Cartner said. “For the sake of their relatives, and for the sake of justice, the Bosnian and Serbian authorities need to do more to establish what happened to them.”

In 1993, Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) published a book entitled “Genocide of Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina” by Dr. Mozammel Haque, documenting the events unfolded during 1992-1993. (BOSNIACA: A Bibliography of the University of Michigan Holdings, Supplement II, Ann Arbor, 2001).

“On July 11, 1995, during the war in Bosnia,” Human Rights Watch reported, “the United Nations and NATO allowed Bosnian Serb forces and Serb paramilitary unit known as "the Scorpions" to seize the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica, even though the UN had declared it a "safe area." The Serb forces executed between 7,000 and 8,000 Bosnian men and boys in the week after the fall of the town, the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II.”

At last the European Union has proclaimed 11th July as a day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide and the European Parliament’s resolution of January 2009, marking the Srebrenica Genocide, called upon the Council and the Commission to commemorate appropriately the anniversary of the Srebrenica – Potocari act of genocide by supporting Parliament’s recognition of 11 July as the day of commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide all over the European Union.

World leaders attended the event
The world leaders gathered together at a ceremony at the Srebrenica Memorial Cemetery in Potocari to commemorate the massacre of nearly 8,000 Bosniak Muslims in Srebrenica, Bosnia by Bosnian Serbs. Andrew Gilmour, the special representative of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Bosnia, represented the UN at the event, and other UN Officials also attended.

Other guests included Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, Austrian diplomat and Bosnia's administrator, Valentin Inzko, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and representatives of the European Union.

The US ambassador to Bosnia, Charles English, read a message from President Barack Obama that urged “governments to redouble their efforts” and arrest those responsible for the war crimes at Srebrenica.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Minister Without Portfolio and Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party, represented the British Government at the ceremony in Srebrenica to commemorate the genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

11 July 1995: A Black spot on Human Conscience
Human Rights Watch under the caption “The Legacy of Srebrenica” reported in 10 July, 2005: “The 1995 massacre in Srebrenica occurred because Bosnian Serb leaders, intoxicated by hatred and an illusory sense of omnipotence, lashed out savagely against the country’s Muslim population. But the international community also bears responsibility for the worst crime in Europe since World War Two. After promising protection to the inhabitants of Srebrenica, the United Nations and NATO allowed the “safe area” to fall. That responsibility is compounded by the continuing failure to bring to justice Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the two men indicted as the principal architects of the Srebrenica genocide.

“The Dutch United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) battalion based in Srebrenica failed to take the military action necessary to save the town. Robust NATO air strikes that could have stopped the Serb onslaught were never authorized, despite repeated requests from Dutch peacekeepers on the ground,” the report added.

The report also continued, “The fall of the Srebrenica safe area was the foreseeable consequence of U.N. and NATO policies on the use of force during the Bosnian conflict. The U.N. Security Council had authorized air strikes by NATO if U.N.-designated “safe areas” in Bosnia – Sarajevo, Bihac, Srebrenica, Tuzla, Zepa, and Gorazde – were attacked. But throughout the war the U.N. adopted a position of “neutrality” that in practice meant inaction, even when Bosnian Serb forces attacked “safe areas” or the warring parties otherwise violated ceasefire agreements. Key NATO countries—including the United States, France and Britain—conveniently hid behind the U.N. position.

“Isolated air strikes in 1994 were too limited in scope and number to deter further offensives. In May 1995, when NATO targeted Serb heavy weapons around Sarajevo in response to continuing attacks against the capital, Serb forces responded by taking hundreds of U.N. peacekeepers hostage. The Bosnian Serb leadership announced that their threats to U.N. soldiers would end only if the international community stopped air strikes. NATO never formally renounced the use of air strikes, but by June 18, 1995, the U.N. hostages had been released.

“Serb forces led by General Ratko Mladic and under overall command of Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic began the attack on Srebrenica on July 6. The U.N. command declined to call in NATO air strikes on the positions of the advancing Serbs despite repeated requests by the Dutch battalion in Srebrenica. The four hundred lightly armed Dutch soldiers in and around Srebrenica had neither the authorization nor the capacity to repulse the Serb offensive. The Netherlands later launched an investigation into the shattering failures of that time: but the responsibility was much broader than that. The world simply looked away. The limited NATO air strikes launched on July 11 came too late to have any impact. The rest is tragically well known: the Serbs entered Srebrenica, and in the following week killed between 7,000 and 8,000 Muslim men and boys,” the Human Right Watch reported.

World leader’s statement
The US ambassador to Bosnia, Charles English, read a message from President Barack Obama that urged “governments to redouble their efforts” and arrest those responsible for the war crimes at Srebrenica. President Obama urged governments to redouble their efforts to track down key suspect Ratko Mladic. “On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the genocide at Srebrenica, and on behalf of the United States, I join my voice with those who are gathered to mourn a great loss and to reflect on an unimaginable tragedy,” Obama said.

“I have said, and I believe, that the horror of Srebrenica was a stain on our collective conscience,” he said in a statement issued in Washington but also read out a graveyard ceremony near Srebrenica.

“Justice must include a full accounting of the crimes that occurred, full identification and return of all those who were lost, and prosecution and punishment of those who carried out the genocide. This includes Ratko Mladic, who presided over the killings and remains at large.”

Obama called the Srebrenica genocide a “stain on our collective consciousness” that occurred even after decades of pledges of “never again” after Nazi atrocities during World War II.

British Prime Minister, David Cameron said, “We must never forget the act of genocide that happened at Srebrenica. It was a crime that shamed Europe.”

“We owe it to the victims to learn the lesson of Srebrenica: that evil must be confronted if humanity is to be protected. We owe it to the victims to ensure that those indicted for this appalling crime are pursued relentlessly until they are brought to justice,” Cameron said and added, “As we look to the future, we pledge never to forget the past, and to do all in our power to ensure that sure an atrocity can never be repeated.”

Prime Minister Cameron said the government “will not rest” in its efforts to make sure that Ratko Mladic is brought to the International Criminal Tribunal at The Hague, alongside other fugitives such as Goran Hadzic. The Prime Minister also insisted that everything possible should be done to ensure that “such an atrocity can never be repeated”.

Baroness Warsi, who represented the UK government in Srebrenica, said: “It will be a heart-wrenching event, but this will not simply be about commemorating the dead. This will be a sign of our support, our sympathy, and our unstinting solidarity with the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will also reaffirm a fundamental point: such evil acts must never be allowed to happen again.”

Khutba by Grand Mufti of Bosnia
The 15th anniversary of Genocide in Bosnia is the occasion that poses more hard questions than offers easy answers. Why the cry “never again”, raised by so many in the years after 1945, has rung increasingly hollow with the passing decades? Indeed, the evil of Holocaust remains a unique crime against humanity but instances of genocide have continued to reoccur – from Bosnia to Chechnya from Rwanda to Sri Lanka, from the Congo to Cambodia,” said the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Dr. Mustafa Ceric, in his Khutba, on the occasion of 15th Anniversary of Genocide in Bosnia – Srebrenica, on 11th of July, 2010.

Grand Mufti of Bosnia has prepared this European Khutba which was read out at Mosques in London during the Friday Jummah Prayer (Friday 9th July 2010). Bosnia’s Grand Mufti said in his Khutba, “the definitions of Evil do not provide answers to the questions: Why Holocaust? Why Genocide? Why was an infant girl of Bosnia raped? Why was an innocent boy of Srebrenica killed? Why the Bosnian Muslims were betrayed by the United Nations protection Force on 11th of July 1995 in Srebrenica where thousand of men and boys who had sought safety were massacred? Why Europe has allowed to be deceived by the evil of Serbian army? Where does evil begin? What makes evil so fascinating?”

Muslim Council of Britain
On the occasion of the commemoration of the Genocide in Bosnia - Srebrenica, The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), while encouraging Imams in Mosques and Islamic Centres to read the above Khutba prepared by the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, wants to ensure that Muslims, indeed humanity, never forget such barbarity, said Farooq Murad, Secretary General of MCB.

On this occasion, MCB urged the Government to put pressure on the Balkan states “to honour their commitments, and the requirements of the EU accession process. The EU must continue to insist on the full support by Balkan states of the work of the ICTY to apprehend wanted war criminals and to facilitate reconciliation through the tracing of those still unaccounted for.”

The MCB press release also said, “The Khutbah and the Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide is a reminder to all Europeans; Muslims, Christians, Jews and others, that Islam has deep European roots. It has an illustrious history of coexistence with Christian and Jewish communities in the Balkans, the Iberian peninsula, and in the present day, across Europe.”

The Day of Remembrance is a timely reminder to us all of where festering hate and intolerance can lead. As Muslims in Europe offer prayers for the victims of the atrocities committed in Srebrenica and lay to rest those whose bodies have only just been recovered, let us also work together to ensure that these crimes are never forgotten and never again return to our Continent – mentioned the MCB press release.

Conclusion
There has been progress toward justice for the Srebrenica genocide in recent years. The Bosnian Serb wartime President, Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic were indicted for genocide in Srebrenica in 1995. Karadzic is on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, facing charges that include genocide at Srebrenica.

Mladic, the Bosnian Serb military leader, is accused of masterminding the 44-month siege of Sarajevo that left 10,000 people dead and the July 1995 massacre of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica is still at large. His continuing freedom is a “profound moral failure for NATO and the international community”.

“The EU’s softening resolve on Mladic’s arrest sends the wrong message to Serbia,” Cartner said. “The EU has an obligation to use its leverage to help deliver justice for the victims of Srebrenica.” The EU should not engage in any further progress toward membership for Serbia, such as asking the European Commission to study Serbia's application, until Serbia fully cooperates with the tribunal, including on the arrest of the last two fugitives, Human Rights Watch said.

I would like to conclude with the prayer of the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Dr. Mustafa Ceric, which he did in the European Khutba:

European Khutba
The Grand Mufti of Bosnia in his European Khutba made the following prayers:
“This prayer is our hope that our future shall be better than our past and our children shall not have fear of genocide.

“O Man, whoever you are and wherever you might be, remember God created us all in the same sway so that we all might say honest prayer:

Oh God
Do not let success deceive us
Nor failure takes us to despair!
Always remind us that failure is a temptation
That precedes success!

Oh God
Teach us that tolerance
Is the highest degree of power
And the desire for revenge
The first sign of weakness!

Oh God
If you deprive us of our property,
Give us hope!
If you grant us success,
Give us also the will to overcome defeat!
If you take from us the blessing of health,
Provide us with the blessing of faith!

Oh God
If we sin against people,
Give us the strength of apology!
And if people sin against us,
Give us the strength of forgiveness!

Oh God
If we forget ye
Do not forget us!

Oh God
May grief becomes hope!
May mother’s tears become prayers!
That Srebrenica never happens again!

Muslims and Mosques in New Castle

Muslims and Mosques in New Castle

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Out of one million total population of New Castle, there are, according to 2002 census, 12,000 Muslims excluding the asylum seekers and students. Most of the Muslims are from the Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage; but there are many Arabs, most of them are students. New Castle is famous for students. There are two big universities in New Castle: i) New Castle University and ii) Northambria, New Castle College and New Castle Business School. Most of the Arabs are students.

In terms of education, very few Muslims in New Castle are very highly educated. There are some who have completed GCSE and some of them have done degrees in history and in other subjects. There are, of course, few professionals, such as doctors, engineers and technicians. According to Haji Mustafa, who has been living in New Castle for more than 40 years, five to ten percent of Muslims are highly literate and the rest are from the labour class.

So far as the economic conditions of the Muslims in New Castle are concerned, some of them are really very rich and they are businessmen, like groceries. Most of the Muslims are from the labour class.

So far as the Mosques are concerned, there are twelve mosques, including the Shia mosque and Sufi Mosque. Out of 12 Mosques, three are purpose built and among the three, two are Brelvis, one Deobandi. Then two universities have two mosques run by the Islamic Students Society. Out of the rest seven, three mosques belong to Bangladeshis and two to Shia community, one to Sufi group and another to very strong Sufis-Pakistani community.

The oldest mosque in New Castle was the mosque known as Brelvi mosque. According to Haji Mustafa, it was as old as thirty/forty years. This mosque is the oldest mosque in New Castle built around 1960s.At that time there was only one mosque in New Castle – presently known as Brelvi Mosque. Basically in the beginning, it was not a mosque; it was a Muslim community centre. Then Muslims of different schools of thought started building this mosque and everybody shared and contributed to the building of this mosque - Brelvis, Deobandis, Ahle Hadis and everybody and everybody used to pray there, like Brelvis, Deonandis and others. Later on, they split up.

The purpose-built mosque has their own Madrasah, only the Imam teaches, sometimes, about fifty students. All the Madrasahs are in the afternoon after the school hours, except the weekend schools. The weekend's schools are from 10 O'clock to one O'clock. Only some of the mosques have weekend school, not all the mosques. Muslim Welfare House and New Castle Central Mosque have weekend schools. One weekend school at the New Castle Central Mosque belongs to Libyan students; they run that and they have their own course.

So far as the Muslim organizations and associations are concerned, there is no representative body of the Muslims of New Castle. There are many associations. Bangladeshis have their own associations which have its head office in London; Islamic Forum for Europe has their branch in New Castle. All the Brelvis have their own organizations; they are associated with the British Sufi Council. Pakistani has two organizations, some of the Pakistani is associated with the UK Islamic Mission in London and other is associated with Jamiat-e- Ahle Hadis, Birmingham. New Castle Central Mosque is associated with Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadis, Birmingham. These are the four kinds of associations. There is another Mosque which is associated with the Muslim Welfare House, Finsbury Park. They have branches here as well.

Besides the Mosques and Madrasahs, there is a need for Islamic centre to perform some of the community activities such as marriage, divorce, burials etc. Muslim Welfare House used to do almost all of these activities before 2002. Islamic Shari’ah Council deals with marriage and divorce. Now the Islamic Shari’ah Council of Birmingham has their own branches which deal with this sort of activities. New Castle Central Mosque refers most of the cases of divorce and marriages to Islamic Shari’ah Council of Birmingham. Whatever the divorce and marriage related issues and problems is usually referred to Abdul Hadi, Imam of the Green Lane Mosque, Birmingham and the Birmingham Shari’ah Council.

Need for a Central Mosque in
New Castle
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, the former Director of the Muslim World League, London Office, along with Dr. Khaleel al-Khaleed, Director of the West London Muslim Heritage Centre and Dr. Mozammel Haque, Media Advisor of the Islamic Cultural Cenre, London, visited New Castle Central Mosque: al-Tawheed Mosque, and prayed at the prayer room of the Mosque five times and found the necessity of the Mosque in the surrounding area and also the number of worshippers attended at the mosque.

Haji Mustafa was the pioneer for building up this mosque He acquired and bought this property for the New Castle Central Mosque, in 2002. Basically what happened, Haji Mustafa was split from the Brelvi mosque and then used to go to the Muslim Welfare House. Even in the Muslim Welfare House, Haji Mustafa did not like the way they do things, their methodology. Haji Mustafa was Ahle Hadis and Muslim Welfare House followed the Ikhwan methodology. Though on point of Aqida, both are the same, Haji Mustafa and Muslim Welfare House had a little bit of disputes for buying the new mosque.

Basically almost all the Muslims from New Castle, Muslim Welfare House collected money for buying this property at the beginning. But the building where the Muslim Welfare House located was also bought by Haji Mustafa. Later on, Haji Mustafa and his friend Haji Yaqoob left that building and bought this one. Haji Mustafa bought this one and did not involve anybody in this building.

Haji Mustafa bought this property in the name of a Trust, Jamiat-e-Markaz-e Ahe Hadis. He is one of the Trustees, Jamiat-e-Markaz-e Ahe Hadis. New Castle Central Mosque. This is the name of the property and the Mosque. It was registered for Markaz-e-Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadis. New Castle Central Mosque:al-Tawheed Mosque under the supervision of Markaz-e- Jamiat-e- Ahle Hadis . Haji Mustafa bought the property in 2002. It costs 550,000 pounds sterling. Basically at that time Haji Mustafa took Qarz-e-Hasana, Haji Mustagfa puts some and some of the money came from Saudi Arabia and still there are some outstanding Qarz-e-Hasana due to be paid back for this building. Since the building was bought there was no improvement actually.

In the beginning, the New Castle Central Mosque had half of the present prayer hall. Then people started coming and more rooms were needed to accommodate the worshippers. In the beginning, only one or two rows of people were praying. The surroundings are all Muslims. The prayer hall was extended and brought the two rooms which were outside the prayer hall inside. At the beginning, there used to be 70 or 80 people during Jumah prayer but now around 400 people praying. In the present prayer hall more than 300 people can pray. Around 400 people pray every jumah prayer. In daily prayer, two rows between 22 and 30 people prayer at the Fajr prayer time. In Zuhr and Asr normally 30 or 40 people pray and Maghreb and Essa, around 70 to 100 people.

This area is called Fenam. The whole area is Muslim populated area. The next building is a Red Cross NHS office in that building. This building used to be NHS offices. The next one is Red Cross and nursery next to it. Muslims are 10 per cent of the New Castle population. Most of the Mosques are here, only in Fenam. In New Castle, majority of Muslims are living in Fenam. There are Muslims in other areas but no Mosque. In Hetton, there is only one mosque belonged to Brelvi group, the very old Mosque. The rest of the mosques are here. Shia Mosque; Ahle Hadis Mosque, Deobandi Mosque, Brelvi Mosque – all are here in Fenam. Three mosques run by Bengali are in Fenam also. May be 7/8,000 Muslims are living in Fenam. Most of them are students.

Imam Sheikh Al-Sudais led Friday Jumah Prayer at Tauheedul Islam Mosque Blackburn

Imam Sheikh Al-Sudais led Jumah Prayer at

Tauheedul Islam Mosque in Blackburn

Dr. Mozammel Haque

London: Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the Head Imam and Khateeb of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah al-Mukarramah, led and delivered his Friday Jumah Khutbah (sermon) at the Tauheedul Islam Mosque in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.

The Tauheedul Islam Mosque - the two-storey building - is the largest Mosque in Lancashire. The total cost for the building of the Mosque was 3.5 million pounds. Qatar's Royal family provided an initial 1.5 million pounds donation for the basic construction of the Mosque, with the remainder of the funds generated from the Blackburn community.

The community had outgrown the much smaller Mosque which was established at the same site in the 1960s. Being largest in Lancashire, the new building is one of the biggest in the UK.

While delivering his Friday sermon, Imam Sheikh al-Sudais said, "You should uphold the great Islamic values while dealing with Muslims as well as non-Muslims and should not engage in any corrupt or unjust practices."

Sheikh Al-Sudais also told Muslims to serve as ambassadors of their religion.

Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn, the President of the Masjid al-Tauheedul Islam, who has led the project, said, "In the 21st century Britain, the role of the Masjid is as important as it was in the time of our Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him)."

Lord Patel also said, "At Masjid Tauheedul Islam our purpose is to advance the Islamic faith through the provision of a wide range of spiritual, educational and social services enriched with Islamic values that fulfil the needs of our members and the wider community."

"Our vision is to become a centre of excellence for the Islamic learning and practice providing a beacon for Muslims and other faith communities who wish to get a deeper knowledge and understanding of Islam - a place where one can experience and embrace the genuine beauty of our faith," said Lord Patel.

Lord Patel also added, "By the grace of Almighty Allah, and the prayers of many distinguished scholars and well-wishers, presently within the Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam campus, we also manage one of the largest Madrasahs in the UK, and the only government-funded Islamic Girls High School in the North West of England."

The Masjid al-Tauheedul Islam has also the facilities for Islamic education of children and it is next to Tauheedul Islam Girls High School.

The Head Imam of the Masjid al-Haram, Sheikh al-Sudais, later visited Tauheedul Islam Girls High School, which was recently awarded Valuntary Aided status and became the first government-funded Islamic school in the region. Imam Sheikh Al-Sudais urged Muslim men to take care of their women and commended the school authorities for their efforts to provide proper Islamic education to their children.