Seek the Greatest Night of the Year

The Last 10 days and nights of Ramadan
Seek the Greatest Night of the Year

Dr. Mozammel Haque

I still remember my childhood when an old man of 70 years, Abdul Jabbar, used to come from the district of Faridpur (now in Bangladesh) took the silent alleys of our village in the night, chanting and calling, to wake up Muslims for the last meal before another day of Ramadan fasting begins. Abdul Jabbar reminds one of a character from the book The Thousands and One Nights. He is a strange person who comes out from the depth of the night to disturb the quietness by a shrill cry calling, Suhuoor…Suhoor.

Now that person is replaced in a big city like London by Muslim Community Radio (MCR) – Ramadan Radio – in East London, Kismat Radio and Islam TV Channel calling Muslims to wake up for their breakfast. In Ramadan, all Muslims who want to fast should eat before starting to fast.

The Month of Mercy, the blessed month came and is passing away very fast. Today is 17th of Ramadan. Half of the blessed month has passed; still there is time to get our sins cleared, still there is time to ask for forgiveness from Allah the Almighty who is ready to forgive our sins. The other half of the blessed month is approaching which is full of Allah’s mercy and blessing. In this part of the month, specially during the last 10 days and nights, a night which is the greatest night of the year, the Lailatul Qadr. During these ten days and nights, Muslims spend in the Mosque for I’tikaf.

I'tikaf
I’tikaf means seclusion and staying in the Mosque with the intention of becoming closer to Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would perform I’tikaf for last 10 days every Ramadan. In the year that he died, he performed it for twenty days. (Related by Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, and Ibn-Majah). The next Friday on 26th of August (26 Ramadan) will be the Jumatul-Widah, the last Friday of the Blessed Month of Ramadan.

As the month of blessings and mercy is coming to the end, similarly the recitation of the complete Qur’an is also coming to the Khatam which might be on the 29th night of Ramadan. The last ten nights are very important nights. Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to exert himself in night prayer especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Decree)
Lailatul-Qadr is the greatest night of the year like the Day of Arafah is the greatest day of the year. It is a night about which Allah revealed a full Surah, Suratul-Qadr (97:1-5) and the 3rd to the 6th verses of the Surat ad-Dukhan (44:3-6). Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an, “Indeed We have revealed it (Qur’an) in the Night of Decree. And what will explain to you what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. Therein descends the Angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah’s permission, on every errand: (they say) “Peace” (continuously) till the rise of morning!” (97:1-5). A person who misses Lailatul Qadr is really a deprived person!

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The blessed month has come to you. Allah has made fasting during it obligatory upon you. During it the gates to Paradise are opened and the gates of Hellfire are locked, and the devils are chained. There is a night (during this month) which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good is really deprived (of something great). (Ahmad, an-Nisai and al-Bayhaqi).

Aishah said, “Allah’s Messenger used to practice I’tikaf in the last ten nights and say: ‘Seek out Lailatul-Qadr in the (odd nights) of the last ten days of Ramadan.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Zakah
The word Zakat in Arabic means purification. The giving of Zakat (obligatory charity) is the third pillar of Islam. There are two types of Zakat: Zakat-ul-Fitr (charity of Eid-ul-Fitr, given to the poor before Eid prayer) and Zakat Al-Maal (purifying charity, paid on one’s wealth).

It is to be noted that Zakat-ul-Fitr was declared by the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a prerequisite for the acceptance of fasting. But when and whom to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr? First of all, who has to pay? Each and every Muslim, regardless of his social status, is required to give a certain amount of charity usually in the form of food grains, barley, raisin etc. called Zakat-ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan and before the Eid-ul-Fitr so that every member of the Muslim community, especially the poor, have something to eat on the day of Eid. It is meant to cement the relationship between the members of the Muslim society, to alleviate the pain of the poor, to cultivate the sense of brotherhood and solidarity in the hearts of the Muslims, etc., said Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.

Dr. Qaradawi also said, “If a person dies before Maghrib on the last day of Ramadan, Zakat-ul-Fitr would not be obligatory upon him even if he fasted all the other days of the month. Conversely, if a child is born after Maghrib on the last day of Ramadan, i.e. the first night of Shawwal, it would be obligatory to pay Zakat: Zakat-ul-Fitr on his or her behalf. This view is unanimously agreed upon by Muslim scholars.” The head of the household must pay for every member of the family, even for the newborn. The Muslim is supposed to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr (i.e., Zakah of breaking the fast) in the country where he or she spends the first night of the month of Shawwal.

So far as the Zakat-ul-Maal is concerned, it is also obligatory for a Muslim, who possesses the minimum wealth on which Zakat is applicable, to give out Zakat. In his Friday sermon at the Grand Mosque in Makkah al-Mukarramah, Imam and Khateeb Sheikh Dr. Saleh Bin Mohammad Aal-Talib, urged Muslims to be God-Conscious and give charity to the poor and the needy. He said Zakat removes miserliness and cleans the heart from cruelty.

Allah has stressed on payment of Zakat, which appears in the Holy Qur’an more than 30 times. There are many verses of the Holy Qur’an and sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that urge Muslim to give charity for the sake of Allah. Sheikh Aal-Talib said charity is an act that attracts Allah’s mercy. He said giving charity secretly extinguishes God’s anger and it is a blessing for the person’s wealth. A person who does not give in charity will be punished by removal of the blessing (barakah) from his wealth.

Zakat-ul-Fitr is associated with the Eid and is meant to create happiness in such a way that includes the poor and the needy. That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Make them (i.e., the poor) rich on this day (i.e. the day of Eid)”.

Charity in Ramadan
Ramadan is also the month of charity. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “...Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month), shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time; and whoever performs an obligatory deed in (this month), shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Paradise. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Hell-Fire, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.” (Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah)

Spend more time with the Qur’an. Read the Qur’an every day. Try to finish at least one time the whole Qur’an during this month by your own personal reading. Pray on time and observe all the prayers. Do not ignore the Tarawih. Make more extra and voluntary prayers. Do as much worship as you can. Do more dhikr (remembering Allah) and du’a (supplication) for yourself and for others. Repent and seek forgiveness for yourself and for others as much as you can. This is the best time for devotion and seeking Allah’s forgiveness. Seek the Night of Qadr by special devotion during the last 10 nights of this month.

The month of blessing and forgiveness is passing away very quickly. Do not miss the remaining last ten days and nights. Let us clear our sins. Let us seek the Night of Qadr.

Makkah al-Mukarramah
17 August 2011

Read more and more the Qur'an in its month of revelation

Read more and more the Qur’an
In its month of revelation

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The Noble Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadan (Al-Qur’an, 97:1-3.). The Qur’an was sent down in the month of Ramadan on the Night of Power Lailatul Qadr. (Al-Qur’an, 91:1-3.). It is the month of Ramadan that Allah has honoured by revealing the Qur’an. Because of this strong relation between the Qur’an and the month of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to read the Qur’an to Archangel Jibreel every Ramadan. I think this is the right place to discuss the purpose and objective of the revelation of the Qur’an, its importance, the campaigns against it and the do’s and don’ts of the Qur’an.

First of all, Allah the Most High, created mankind and gave him the gift of expression. For the guidance of mankind Allah sent Prophets (peace be upon them all) to every single community. In the words of the Qur’an, "There has been no community to which God’s messengers have not come" and "Muslims should make no distinctions between them." So it is the duty of a Muslim to honour all the prophets equally.

The Qur’an represents the culmination of all other earlier Revealed Books. The Qur’an is the last of the Revealed Books. The Qur’an is the first religious book in the world, which requires the belief in other revelations, a part of its Faith. This Sacred Book was revealed to the last Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the month of Ramadan. Allah Himself said in the Qur’an: “Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to Mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).” (2:185). Allah the Most High has especially mentioned the exact date and month of the revelation: “We have indeed revealed This (Message) in the Night of Power.” (97:1) So the purpose of the revelation of the Qur’an was for guidance of Mankind.

The Qur’an is emphatic in proclaiming that Islam is the religion of Jesus, Moses, Abraham and the Prophets Jesus and Moses were not Jews but Muslims. "Surely those who believe (in that which is revealed to Muhammad Peace be upon him) and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans – whoever believes in Allah, and the Last Day and does good, surely their reward is with their Lord, and there is no fear for them nor shall they grieve." (2:62). "A Guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and judgement (between right and wrong)." This is the most important characteristic of the Qur’an, the Book that Allah has revealed in the month of Ramadan. It is guidance for mankind. It is clear proof, clear proof of guidance and of judgement.

Before the revelation of the Qur’an, it was preserved and guarded from corruption in the "Mother of the Book". Allah Himself said: "Nay this is a Glorious Qur’an (inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved" (85:21-22). When Allah wanted to give this Trust to someone, the Heavens, the Earth, and the Mountains, i.e. other creatures of Allah, besides man, refused to undertake this Trust or responsibility. They preferred to submit their will entirely to Allah’s Will, which is All-Wise and Perfect, and which would give them far more happiness than a faculty of choice, with their imperfect knowledge. Allah says in the Qur’an: "We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it: He was indeed unjust and foolish." (33-72).

So it is the human beings who took the responsibility of the Trust without realising its importance. This Sacred Book was revealed to the last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the month of Ramadan. The Qur’an is the revealed book of God which has been in existence for more than four hundred years and the Word of Allah is available in its original form. There has not been an iota of change in this unique historic record. Its originality and authenticity has been guaranteed by no other than Allah the Almighty who challenges in the Qur’an itself.

Allah said, "This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah: on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelation) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book - wherein there is no doubt – from the Lord of the Worlds." (10:37). In another verse of the Qur’an Allah challenges, "Or do they say, "He forged it?" Say: "Bring then a Surah like unto it; and call (to your aid) anyone who can, beside Allah if it be you speak the truth!" (10:38). "Or they may say, "He forged it." Say, "Bring you then ten Suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than Allah! – if you speak the truth!" (11:13).

Allah said in the Qur’an, "And if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant then produce a Sura like thereunto, and call your witness and helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if you are truthful." (2:23) Allah places many verses before you. Can you produce one like it?

The world is challenged to produce a Book like it and has not produced one. It is the only Revealed Book whose text stands pure and uncorrupted today. Allah said, "Say: "if the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support." (17:88)

Since the revelation of the Qur’an, the enemies of Islam have been trying to distort it. Firstly, they said, it is not revelation, it is written by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Then they started attacking its authenticity and originality. In spite of their conspiracy, the Qur’an has been preserved in its original form.

The Qur’an is the only Book in the world which has remained for the past fourteen centuries pure without any interpolation or change and will remain so till the Last Day as Allah has guaranteed its purity. (15:9).

The purity, preservation and propagation of the Qur’an were maintained by two methods: memorization of Qur’an in Qur’anic schools and the recitation of the complete Qur’an in Ramadan. In the month of Ramadan every year the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked by Archangel Jibreel to recite the whole of it twice. It was a Muzakira between the two. Abu Huraira reported that Jibreel used to repeat the recitation of the Qur’an with the Prophet once a year, but he repeated it twice with him in the year the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away. The Qur’an was recited in the Taraweeh for the first time during the era of Caliph Omar.

So far as the memorization of the Qur’an in Qur’anic schools is concerned, many Huffaz and Islamic scholars have been killed in different parts of the world at different times. But still there is no dearth of Islamic scholars who can recite the complete Qur’an from memory. Severe campaigns have been launched against the Qur’anic schools, which teach the study, recitation and memorization of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is the main Book of the Muslims; it is the duty of the Muslims to learn Qur’an, which contains their code of life and ethical values whose benefits have been experienced by mankind throughout the ages.

I have already mentioned the objective and importance of the Qur’an and how its originality and purity have been maintained. Our Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions dedicated their days and nights for worship. Their lives revolved completely around the Book of Allah, the Qur’an, reciting it in and out of Salah.

The Qur’an is the basis of the religion of Islam, and on the preservation and propagation of the Qur’an depends the very existence of this Faith. Hence the virtue of learning and teaching the Qur’an is self-evident and does not need further elucidation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best amongst you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Bukhari, Daud and Tirmidhi).

A great Islamic scholar wrote in his book entitled Toward Understanding of the Qur’an: “The present arrangement of the Qur'an is not the work of later generations, but was made by the Prophet under God's direction. Whenever a surah was revealed, the Prophet summoned his scribes, to whom he carefully dictated its contents, and instructed them where to place it in relation to the other surahs. The Prophet followed the same order of surahs and verses when reciting during ritual Prayer as on other occasions, and his Companions followed the same practice in memorizing the Qur'an. It is therefore a historical fact that the collection of the Qur'an came to an end on the very day that its revelation ceased. The One who was responsible for its revelation was also the One who fixed its arrangement. The one whose heart was the receptacle of the Qur'an was also respon¬sible for arranging its sequence. This was far too important and too delicate a matter for anyone else to dare to become involved in.”

“Not even the most skeptical person has any reason to doubt that the Qur'an as we know it today is identical with the Qur'an which Muhammad (peace be on him) set before the world; this is an unquestionable, objective, historical fact, and there is nothing in human history on which the evidence is so overwhelmingly strong and conclusive. To doubt the authenticity of the Qur'an is like doubting the existence of the Roman Empire, the Mughals of India, or Napoleon! To doubt historical facts like these is a sign of stark ignorance, not a mark of erudition and scholarships,” he added.

Ramadan Mubarak from Masjid al-Haram and Balad al-Ameen

Ramadan Mubarak from Masjid
al-Haram and Balad al-Ameen

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Makkah al-Mukarramah: Ramadan Mubarak and Ramadan Greetings from the Masjid al-Haram and the Balad al-Ameen to all of you, especially to all the readers of the Islamic Monitor blog: May this holy month bring barakah, and Allah's boundless mercy upon the believers and harmony and tolerance for the world. The Supreme Judicial Council of Saudi Arabia called on all Muslims in the Kingdom to sight the crescent of the lunar month of Ramadan on July 30 (Saturday) evening. But the lunar moon was not sighted at sunset Saturday evening. So the holy month of Ramadan begun on Monday, 1st of August, 2011.

I welcome Ramadan, the month of Mercy and Repentance, the month of the Qur’an, of laylatul qadr (the night of power) and of repentance and forgiveness. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of the Islamic faith. It was declared an obligatory duty (Fard) in the second year of the Hijrah upon each and every mukallaf (one capable of carrying out religious duties, i.e. a sane adult).

Allah the Almighty made Ramadan fasting compulsory for Muslims. Allah said, “O those who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those before so that you be God-fearing.’ [Surah Baqarah, 183]. Literally, Sawm means ‘to abstain’. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means ‘to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse: with the conditions that one abstains continuously from dawn to sunset, and that there is an intention to fast.’ Therefore, should one eat or drink anything even a minute before sunset, the fast will not be valid. Similarly, if one abstained from all these things throughout the day but made no intention to fast, there will be no fast here too.

Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an “…And eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread…” (Al-Qur’an, 2:187) Literally defined, fasting means to abstain “completely” from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year.

Fasting in Islam is based on the lunar calendar and is tied to the sightings of hilal, the crescent, or new moon. Allah the Almighty stated: “They ask you concerning the new moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time… (Al-Qur’an, 2:189). And the Traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Eat until you see the crescent and break not until you see the crescent. If it is cloudy calculate the period of the month.” (Muslim and others).

Fasting in Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, who has these qualifications, e.g. mentally and physically fit, adult full of age which is normally fourteen and fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause any harm, physical or mental, other than the normal reactions to hunger, thirst etc.

The said qualifications exclude the following categories: children under the age of puberty and discretion; men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation of fast and bear its hardships; sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast; travellers may break the fast temporarily during their travel; pregnant women and women breast-feeding their children may also break their fast and women in the period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days or of confinement (of a maximum of forty days. They must postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it.

The holy month of Ramadan is the month of mercy, forgiveness, and seeking release from the Hell-fire. It is the month of repentance and acceptance of prayers. It is the month when the devils are chained, the gates of Hell are looked and the gates of Paradise are opened. That’s why; Muslims welcome Ramadan each year with energy and happiness, and are saddened only when the month departs. Fasting is for the living, not for mourning.

Ramadan is a month of worship. Muslims should welcome the month with repentance and seeking Allah’s pardon. We should keep away from committing sins; worship Allah sincerely and spending the night and day in prayer, supplication and recitation of the Holy Qur’an.

Fasting is a shield which helps prevent many sins and with which Muslim protects himself from Hell-fire. Fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also means to abstain from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and quarrelling. Therefore, fasting helps to develop good behaviour.

Fasting inculcates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, as a Muslim feels and experiences what his needy and hungry brothers feel. This gives Muslim a new sense of togetherness and association.

Allah the Almighty said in the Qur’an: The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (between right and wrong). (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 185) As Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, every Muslim should prepare himself to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan by strengthening his relationship with the Qur’an. A Muslim is encouraged to complete one recitation of the Holy Qur’an during Ramadan.

We should engage more and more in the recitation of the Qur’an, in dhikr (remembrance of Allah), perform extra Salah (ritual prayers) at night and renew identity with one another in our obedience to Allah.

Ramadan is called the month of charity and sympathy; a month of giving in charity and sharing meals to break the fast together. Many Muslims also pay Zakah in the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is an excellent opportunity to bring about permanent improvement into our lives. We can do this by making a goal to remove a harmful trait from our character or speech, whether it be argumentation, backbiting, making false promises, or resentment against a fellow Muslim, or a sinful matter from our lives. Insha’Allah by the baraka of this month, this effort will result in change that will benefit us in this world and the next.

I would again like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a blessed Ramadan. May this blessed month bring unadulterated peace to everyone in the world. May Allah make this Ramadan a month of increasing nearness to Him, and May He accept all of our fasts and worship. Ameen.

Thus Ramadan becomes a blessed month of physical, moral and spiritual renewal through fasting, charity and worship. This is the moral and spiritual gifts of Ramadan. “We can say that Ramadan gives us the great gift of Taqwa (Piety). Taqwa is the sum total of Islamic life. It is the highest of all virtues in the Islamic scheme of things. It means God-consciousness, piety, fear and awe of Allah and it signifies submission to Allah and total commitment to all that is good and rejection of all that is evil and bad,” said Dr. Muzzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

King Abdullah and Crown Prince
Greet Muslims on Ramadan
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the Crown Prince Sultan, deputy Premier greeted Muslims in the Kingdom and the rest of the world on Sunday on the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan. In a joint address read out by the Minister of Culture and Information Abdul Aziz Khoja, the King and the Crown prince said, “We pray to Almighty Allah to make the advent of this month an opportunity for the Muslim Ummah to learn more, to strive to reject disunity and to achieve the ideals of brotherhood. That is when the strong stands by the weak, the wealthy supports the needy and the oppressed forgives the oppressor. Thus, they will build a tolerant society where people coexist peacefully preserving the rights and respecting the rights of others.”

British Foreign Secretary sent
very best wishes to Muslims
The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, M.P. sent his “very best wishes to Muslim communities in Britain and across the world”. In his Ramadan Message, Mr. Hague said, “Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection. Its importance is emphasised in prayer and as a time when families and friends gather to remember those less fortunate. Its values remind us of the principles that we hold in common – tolerance, justice, progress and the dignity of all human beings. The key messages of selflessness, charity, and compassion are values that unite Muslims and non Muslims alike.”

Imams lead Taraweeh Prayer at Grand Mosque
Imam of Taraweeh prayers at the Grand Mosque of Makkah was announced. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Awwad Al-Juhani will lead the first 10 rak’as of Taraweeh and Witr prayers, while Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais will lead the last 10 rak’as at the Grand Mosque, it was announced Saturday.

Dr. Saud Al-Shuraim and Sheikh Maher Bin Hamad Al-Muaiqli will lead the prayers in even nights during the last ten days of the holy month. During this period Al-Juhani and Al-Muaiqli will lead the Taraweeh prayers and Al-Shuraim and Al-Sudais will lead the Tahajjud (voluntary night) prayers.

On the night of the Khatm (completion or conclusion) of the Qur’an, the congregation will be led by Sheikh Al-Sudais. Ramadan Friday sermons will be delivered by Sheikh Saleh Bin Muhammad Aal Taleb, Dr. Osama Bin Abdullah Khayyat, Dr. Saleh Bin Abdullah Bin Humaid, and Dr. Saud Bin Ibrahim Al-Shuraim, respectively.

King Abdullah: Double efforts in
serving Umrah pilgrims
King Abdullah has directed all agencies to spare no effort in providing quality services for Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the two Holy Mosques. The Grand Mosque is already full of worshippers and Umrah pilgrims. Over 4.5 million Umrah visas have been issued to this year’s Ramadan. Authorities have devised elaborate plans to provide all comfort to visitors to the holy city. The General Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has a special Ramadan plan in place to ensure millions of worshippers and Umrah pilgrims can perform their rituals in ease and comfort.

Hand out Ramadan meals
Close to 500 new officials including supervisors are appointed to ensure the hand out the free Ramadan meals at the courtyards of the Grand Mosque.

Makkah Health Plan for Ramadan Pilgrims
The General Health Directorate in Makkah has worked out an integrated plan to provide comprehensive health services to the Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque. There will be 36 health and first aid centres at the Grand Mosque for Umrah pilgrims and visitors this Ramadan said Dr. Khaled Obaid Zafar, Director General of Health affairs in Makkah region. The centres are Ajyad Al-Sufli Gate, Ajyad Al-Alwi Gate, Gate 94, Gate 64 and Nadwa Gate. The directorate plans to operate three new first aid centres at the Grand Mosque plazas in addition to 29 permanent first aid centres, the official said.

There are 29 permanent primary healthcare centres in Makkah. All Makkah hospitals have been prepared to work at full capacity in Ramadan.

120 units of blood donated for pilgrims
Pilgrims who come for Hajj and Umrah sometimes face tough challenges. King Fahd Medical City (KFMC) organised Blood donation campaign in view of the forthcoming month of Ramadan to alleviate some of the problems by donating blood for pilgrims coming to Saudi Arabia on Umrah. About 150 people participated and donated 120 units (50 litres) of blood that would be delivered to blood banks in Makkah and Madinah.

Improved Zamzam water coolers
The Holy Mosques General Presidency has launched new improved Zamzam water coolers in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque during Ramadan. The new coolers are easy to move and distribute, can maintain the water temperature, and are made of materials resistant to bacteria. It will guarantee a high-level of cleanliness and preserve the purity of water. They can be sealed so that only workers can open them for filling or washing, it is reported.

Prophet’s Mosque ready to welcome worshippers
The Presidency of the Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque has initiated a new operational plan to enable worshippers and visitors to perform their prayers at ease and comfort during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The plan includes an increase in the number of female inspectors, preachers conducting religious sessions and cleaning personnel, as well as an expansion of facilities and services provided to those who visit the Prophet’s Mosque, it is reported. The presidency has hired 1,000 seasonal female inspectors to help its staff deal with the growing number of female worshippers and visitors, which it is thought will reach more than three million, he said. More preachers have also been engaged to hold religious teaching sessions to meet the demand of worshippers who seek to increase their understanding of Islamic issues.

Professor Tariq Ramadan on Vision and Leadership

Professor Tariq Ramadan on
Vision and Leadership

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Come with understanding, with confidence, independence, critical thinking; serve yourself on the spiritual dimension and your community in the collective dimension, and then try to come with the sense of what are our priorities, said Professor Tariq Ramadan in his keynote speech at the Muslim Council of Britain’s (MCB) LDP Alumni Dinner, held at the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, London, on Saturday, 25th June, 2011.

Tariq Ramadan is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, at the Oxford University (St. Anthony College) and also teaches at the Oxford Faculty of Theology. He is visiting Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Qatar, Mundiapolis University (Morocco) and Senior Research Fellow at Doshisha University (Kyata, Japan). His latest books are The Quest for Meaning, Developing a Philosophy of Pluralism, Penguin, 2010; What I Believe, OUP, USA, 2009. .

To be rooted in our Islamic tradition
Professor Ramadan believed that there is no doubt that we have to be rooted in our Islamic tradition but we should be open. He said, “We should be open to all the other contributions that are coming from other traditions, religious traditions, Christian, Jewish traditions. But not only that, there are so many other philosophical traditions and even now people who are specialising and managing giving us something helping us better understanding of our scriptural sources or our traditions.”

“So it is to know where you come from and with whom you are living and what you are sharing. It does not mean that you are forgetting your principles but your principles are not closed principles,” emphasized Professor Ramadan.

Leadership: independence and autonomy
Speaking about leader and leadership from the Islamic point of view, Professor Ramadan said, “When it comes to being a leader and leadership it is the understanding of independence and autonomy which linked back to Islamic tradition is very important. You are teaching your kids to be educated; you are teaching yourselves because one day you are going to stand before God as an individual. I am educating my son, my daughter because at one point they will be alone before God. It means you have to face your responsibility. At some point leadership is all about this. It is to get the sense of what it means to be independent and autonomous. That one day we have to respond to the call; ‘O You who believe; It is a call to your conscience; it is a call to your intelligence; it is a call to your heart.”

Mature, independent, autonomous
“The whole philosophy before God you should be mature, independent autonomous; leadership is about that. Why the Prophet (peace be upon him) was the leader? He was leader; because if you look at all the companions; all the companions were leaders following the leader; that means who are following you I will know what kind of teacher you are. Without intellectual autonomy you are not the teacher. This is the meaning of Islam from the very beginning. That is why, we are respecting the companions; they are autonomous; deeply intellectual; intellectually autonomous. So they can think themselves. This is the first dimension.”

You are at home
“When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was rejected by his own people, and this happened with all the prophets, messengers sent before him, the point is whatever you say about me you are my people,” Professor Ramadan said and added, “The populist, the far- rightists, the Islamophobes, whatever they say about you, you are at home. You can’t come with positive contribution if you nurture in your hearts ‘us’ verses ‘them’. You can’t; because, psychologically speaking, there is a dichotomy between your contribution and the vision.”

Tension between our values and this society
This is possible from education and understanding. “There is three dimensions, at home is my autonomy, my contribution at home here with my people. But this is not easy,” said, Professor Ramadan and added, “It’s very difficult because everyday we are facing this tension between our values and this society. So this is the starting point of understanding. That’s the beginning of the journey but it is necessary to have it here to get your mind clear and your understanding clear on the dimension.”

Professor Ramadan asked, “If you are training leaders, my first question will be: tell me about your autonomy. What do you want to contribute? In which way do you want to gift? The leader is the gift. At the end, what is your connection with the society? Who is this you are talking about? Which way you are connected with the society? Not only your neighbour, everywhere.”

The more visible you are the
more problematic you are
“You cannot rely on TV on Radio; you are not going to make it. You have to rely on the community,” said Professor Ramadan and mentioned, “This is why many of the populist are very very worried about your presence. The more visible you are the more problematic you are. Because this new visibility is changing the mind, changing the hearts and this is the way forward but not the way narrow understanding of what Islam is in our tradition. I am coming from somewhere but I am sharing values what you are saying. We have shared values but we are coming from somewhere. We have a moral distinction. But it does not mean that our moral distinction is the only distinction within our community.”

“There are many distinctions. I have seen many Christians, many Rabbis, they are better than Muslims. We think, as Muslims, Islam is the best and the last revealed religion,” said Professor Ramadan and added, “It does not mean the Muslims are the best practiser or believer. This sense of humility is so important. You get that when you start to study, when you get to interact with people; you suspend your judgement. You can take the positive from everyone.”

Use quality at right place and at right time
Speaking about the character and quality of the leader, Professor Ramadan mentioned, “The leader is not only the one who gives but also the one who is able to listen, to get from the community. One of the dimensions of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) leadership is to take the qualities from everyone at the right place and at the right time. When he needed someone to be tough, Omar was important; someone to be open and sensitive to the people, Abu Bakr Siddiq was important. So you use the quality at the right place at the right time for the right people. The Prophet was choosing the people depending on the quality. So you knew the context and you knew the people.”

Vision for the future
Professor Ramadan continued, “Leader is someone who serves. If you lead, you serve. If you get the knowledge you have to use this knowledge to help the people who don’t have this knowledge.”

Intimate verses collective dimension
After the quality of service come the priorities. “When leader is asked to serve you have the intimate dimension and the collective dimension. In the intimate dimension the first that you have to serve is to yourself. This is why when you start with the dua what we got from the Prophet (peace be upon him) if you are asking God you ask for yourself first and then for others. You start from you, because you be careful. If you start from the community, it might be that to serve the people you lose yourself. You are so much involved into activities that you are forgetting your own heart. That is why we have to get it right from the very beginning,” he said. .

Professor Ramadan continued, “On the spiritual side you start from yourself and you ask Allah to have this sound heart; to help you to purify your heart; to help you; that Allah the Almighty is helping you; not because you are Islamically active that you are spiritually right; anyone of us knows that; it is not that you are active, you are spiritually right. You can forget yourself; you can be neglectful on many dimensions.”

Purification of hearts
Professor Ramadan kept on repeating one Hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said; you pray during the night and change world during the day. “But you don’t change the world during the day if you forget sometimes during the night. You cannot get it all. Because if you want to change the world during the day and if you don’t have on your side Allah. It’s metaphor. During the night to isolate yourself, to think about yourself; about your own priorities. Because our leadership is not only of our efficiency; it is about ethics, about purification; purification of your nafs; starts with yourself.”

Active Muslim and agitator Muslim
Professor Ramadan made a distinction between active Muslim and agitator Muslim. “Active Muslims know where they are going. Agitator Muslims are not sure; they are doing so many things that they are forgetting the vision; agitated Muslims are people who lost the central and who are lost the way of direction. Active Muslims have a vision; .and this is independency and autonomy; that we get there; that you are confident; and it is on going struggle; no one reach that level; this is Jihad and Jihad started at that level,” Professor Ramadan said.

Autonomy, contribution and my people
After mentioning three dimensions, autonomy, contribution and my people, Professor Ramadan said, “My people are the people where I live. Even if you look at the way Zakat should be spent, the people around you.” Professor Ramadan argued, “The poor people one day before God will ask you what about us; we were close to you. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said your poor people; and you have poor people here. Muslims are very poor; and they need your support. The Rules are proximity first and then you think about other dimension.”

Muslim community in Britain
Talking about serving the Muslim community in Britain, Professor Ramadan enquired how we are going to serve this community here in Britain. He said, “The starting point of serving your people is to know them; and to know them is to know two things; two knowledge: the priority of Islamic knowledge we need this of course; because there is something which is specific from our religion and also this country and this country means that you need to get very deep understanding from within.”

Be specialist
Professor Ramadan argued, “We need people in different field comprehensive vision but with skills, specialist. Don’t be superficial in all the fields; choose your field and go ahead with your field. You want to work for education; yes, be specialist, the skills that are needed at the highest level.”

Multiculturalism
In the Q. & A. session, Professor Ramadan touched specially on multiculturalism and integration. About multiculturalism, Professor Ramadan said, “The populist is doing this. And they have four features: one, the simplicistic answers to complex questions; second, the creation of the others; and the others today are the Muslims and so we are the others. Islam is not the European religion; it cannot be an American religion; they are the others. So the sense of victimhood, we are the victims of their colonisation; they are colonising us. So nurturing the victim mentality,” said Professor Ramadan and added, “This is emotional politics.”

Integration
Professor Ramadan was saying again and again integration is over. Professor Ramadan argued, “This is the contribution; it is the European British religion that we are at home; this is positive position. This is to say I am repeating this everyday; integration words are over; and the success of integration is to stop talking about integration. Go ahead now with what we are saying, but don’t be on the reactive mode; on the defensive mode. Know something, what they are saying at the national level, they are not what they are saying at the local level.”

“At the local level they know it is working and are going much better than what they are seeing in London. Something is happening at the grass-root level. So let them talk and do the job. But don’t waste your time responding. Sometimes the answer to this is silence.” advised Professor Ramadan.

Be a good example and convey the Message

Be a good example and convey the Message
Dr. al-Shiddy at London Central Mosque

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Be a good example, be active, and convey the message, invite others to this exhibition, said Dr. Adil al-Shiddy, President of the Global Commission for Introducing the Messenger, in his Friday Khutbah. (Sermon), at the London Central Mosque, Regents Park, on Friday, the 17th of June 2011.

The Prophet – best example for all Muslims
“Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the best example for all Muslims We cannot find better than the Prophet (peace be upon him). He is the person who was caring for Muslims. Allah the Almighty said, ‘We did not send you but a mercy for human beings.’ Therefore, he is caring, patient, loving for the people,” said Dr. al-Shiddy in his Friday sermon and added, “Therefore; we should listen to his advice, to his consultancy.”

Character and Akhlaq of the Prophet
Dr. al-Shiddy in his Friday sermon spoke about the character and Akhlaq of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He said, “The Akhlaq and character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is mercy, justice and being humble.” The khateeb advised Muslims to “follow those characters, apply them and implement them in our lives. Because of those characters there was good relationship between him and all the people in general and non-Muslim in particular. The Prophet loves people, stays with people. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best men are those who give good and care for others, especially the non-Muslim.”

Dealing with non-Muslim
How to deal with the non-Muslim? The khateeb mentioned about the way Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to deal with non-Muslim. He said, “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a good example to deal with non-Muslims. He was doing dialogue, debating, inviting them to his message - Islam. There are four levels: The first level is: knowing others; the second level is: acquainting with them; the third level is: cooperation and the fourth level is: taking and making allies with them; as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did in his life.”

While mentioning about the fourth level which is taking allies and making allies for the service of Islam, Dr. al-Shiddy said that even before Islam, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) attended and entered into covenant for the sake of the oppressed people. He was mentioning about the covenant Half-al-Fadul which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made with the disbelievers of Makkah for peace and security in Makkah before the advent of Islam. Dr. al-Shiddy said, “Before Islam, he attended and entered into covenant for the protection of the non-Muslim, the people of Quraish, to support the oppressed. This covenant was a just one and ‘I wish to witness some covenant or treaty like this after Islam,’ the Prophet (peace be upon him) said.”

The khateeb mentioned a verse from the Qur’an where Allah the Almighty said, ‘We created you from male and female to get to know each other.’ As an example or evidence for knowing each other. After quoting the above verse from the Qur’an, Dr. al-Shiddy said, “Cooperate and acquaintance with them; knowing others, not harming others, especially those who do not harm you,” said Dr. al-Shiddy.

Convey the message of the Prophet (pbuh)
The khateeb mentioned something about command from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The first command is to take the command; to convey his message. This is the responsibility for us to convey his message. This is a command for us. And it is the responsibility that we should shoulder.”

Dr. al-Shiddy then mentioned the second thing is honour, the honourable command; it is from the Prophet (peace be upon him); as command, to honourable command. The third thing or the other thing is being patient, being humble, and giving it and making it easier for us. It is not the whole religion; even though just for one time; it is not the whole religion but it is just making easier for us.”

While mentioning about the command of conveying the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the khateeb reminded Muslims about their forefathers. Dr. al-Shiddy said, “Our role is to giving the message as our forefathers take the religion, Islam, to the different parts of the world and now it is our turn to take the message of Islam forward.”

Be optimist
In the second part of the Sermon, the khateeb talked about the importance of Deen (religion). Dr. al-Shiddy said in his Friday sermon, “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) all through his life was very optimistic, especially at the time of hardship and adversity; and also at the time of some of the battles when the enemies surrounding him; he was very optimist.” The khateeb mentioned the battle of the Trench as an example and said, “the consequences are all only for the pious people.”

Be confident
The khateeb admitted that the conditions of Muslims sometimes make us pessimist but he advised, “Be confident; the future is for this deen, for this religion, Islam. The future is everywhere for this deen as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in one of his Traditions (Hadith), ‘people who are inhibited, disheartened, disappointed, and are pessimistic; they must not build any honour. Those despair, losing hope, are the character of pessimist, the disbelievers.”

Be proud of your deen, religion
Dr. al-Shiddy also mentioned, “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was very optimistic. This is the message should be given to the youth to be confident; to be proud of their deen of their religion, Islam. We need to give confidence, pride of our deen, of our religion, Islam, to our youth.”

We should be a good example for others
Referring to those people who are engaged in preaching in the West, the khateeb said to them to be very active and follow the example of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Dr. al-Shiddy said, “All the Muslims you are here, particularly the preachers in the west, to convey the message of Islam to the others; to be very active. Take the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as an example and the followers and the companions when they conveyed the deen everywhere.”

“Look at the graves of the companions. They are not in Makkah and Madina, but everywhere, in Turkey, in Asia, and in Africa. To take example of those companions, for the Tabligh, convey the message everywhere;” said the khateeb and maintained, “We should be an example, a good example for others; One thing, if you cannot convey, at least you apply Islam on yourselves.”

The khateeb also said, “It is a chance for us to be a good dayee by applying the character and akhlaq of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in our behaviour.”

The khateeb also said, “Lots of Muslim organisations pay a lot of efforts, time and money for many projects. But the best thing is you. Do a good example; others will look at you as a Muslim and consequently they will follow the teachings of Islam.”

In this Islamic Cultural Centre, mentioned Dr. al-Shiddy in his Friday Sermon, there is an exhibition on the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and it is a chance, he said, “for you to invite friends, neighbours for this exhibition, as it is an example of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”

“Be a good example, be active, convey the message, invite others to this exhibition,” said Dr. al-Shiddy.

The khateeb concluded his Sermon by making supplication “praying for the Muslims everywhere, to protect them, Muslims here and some Arab troubled areas, and prayed to Allah the Almighty to protect them and stop the bloodshed in some places such as Syria, Libya, Yemen and other places.”

Exhibition Islam
Exhibition Islam was officially opened the doors to its permanent exhibition gallery in Central London. The opening ceremony for the exhibition gallery titled ‘Muhammad- A Mercy to Mankind’ was hosted on Thursday 16th June and was attended by over 150 prominent members of major faith and community groups from across the UK.

The Exhibition Islam team was congratulated at the launch of this three-year project to design and build a ground breaking permanent exhibition in the UK. Exhibition Islam was also praised for its continued efforts to provide the British Muslim community with a unique service that has been instrumental in changing perceptions of Islam and Muslims in the wider society and has benefited community relations nationwide, according to the press release of Exhibition Islam.

Lord Sheikh
About this Islam Exhibition, Lord Sheikh said, “The exhibition will convey the true message of Islam and will enable the visitors to have a better understanding of our glorious religion.”

“I am sure that you will agree that sometimes difficulties arise between communities as they do not have understanding of each other’s religion and the exhibition will certainly help in dispelling misconceptions and hence will assist in the promotion of a better understanding of Islam,” wrote Lord Sheikh and added, “A great deal of effort has been expended in preparation of the exhibits and these will certainly have impact in creation of good knowledge of Islam.”

The Islam Exhibition is a marvellous idea and a great opportunity for everyone to go to the Islamic Cultural Centre, London and visit the exhibition with friends, families and neighbours, both Muslims and non-Muslims, for having a better understanding and knowledge about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as well as the Message of this glorious religion, Islam.

Speaking at the opening, Shahid Munir, Director of Research at Exhibition Islam stated: “This permanent exhibition serves many of these purposes in allowing the wider community to come together at this wonderful location in the heart of London. We hope that this permanent exhibition itself becomes a beacon from which wider initiatives can be launched to aid society in understanding the true message of Islam. It is little known that Muslims had interaction with the United Kingdom and Ireland over 1,300 years ago. Muslims have lived, ruled and contributed to Europe for over 1,400 years, helping to advance sciences and aid wider society.”

In this connection, I would like to advise people to contact Islamic Cultural Centre, London, about the opening hours of the Islam Exhibition before they plan to visit the exhibition.

Islam and Muslims in Japan

Islam and Muslims in Japan
Based on talk and interview with Imam Taqy

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Islam reached Japan towards the end of the 19th century, much later as compared to her neighbouring countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines or even China.

Japan is an exonym while her official name is Nippon, also referred to as Nihon. Both Nippon and Nihon literally mean “the sun’s origin” and are often translated as the Land of rising Sun. This Island country is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. Administratively divided into 47 prefectures, Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku are four major Islands and taken together account for 97 percent of land area. The densely populated country has a population of12.74 million.

The basic information about the population of Japan is as follows: The total population of Japan is 127,000,000 out of that 13,000,000 live in Tokyo. The estimated Muslim population of Japan is 100,000, the majority of whom are non-Japanese people. The estimated number of Japanese Muslims is 10,000. The number of Japanese Imam in Japan is 5 and number of Japanese Imam in Tokyo is only one.

Abdullah Taqy Takazawa is perhaps the only native Japanese Imam in Tokyo. He is the Imam at a small mosque in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo. Imam Abdullah Taqy gave a series of talks in Japanese language on “Islam in Japan – Past, Present and the Future” translated into English by Ms. Kieko Obuse, in London, Birmingham and Oxford between 20 and 23rd of May, 2011. Imam Taqy accompanied by Ms. Kieko also met Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, “Timothy Winter”, University Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge on Tuesday, the 24th May in Cambridge.

During his lecture tour, Imam Taqy was accompanied by Ms. Kieko Obuse, the researcher and translator who made a bullet-point presentation on Islam in Japan: Past, Present and Future solely based on her doctoral research on the history of Islam in Japan prior to Imam Taqy’s talk.

I had the opportunity to meet Imam Abdullah Taqy and Ms. Kieko Obuse both in London and in Oxford and had a long discussion. I interviewed him about Islam in Japan. The following is based on his talk and Kieko’s slide presentation as well as my research and interview with him.

Basic overview of religions in Japan
Religiously speaking, Shintoism and Buddhism are the two major religions of Japan. Shintoism is the indigenous traditional religion of Japan; 90% of the Japanese people registered themselves through the local shrine to Shintoism. Many of them are followers of Buddhism found by Gautam Buddha of India, introduced in Japan during the 6th century. 70% of the Japanese people affiliated with the Buddhist religion. “Back in history, Shintoism and Buddhism were brought together as one tradition and they were forced to be separated after the opening up of the country. Followers of both these religions form between 81 to 96 percent of total population,” said Imam Abdullah Taqy.

Christianity reached Japan in 1543 A.D. in the 16th century. Christian missionary activities in Japan were started by a Roman Catholic priest, Francis Xavier and since then missionaries have been propagating Christianity vigorously, however, the total Christian population still remains less than one percent. Abdullah Taqy said, “1% population of Japan are Christians; they are normally accepted as Japanese religion and socially recognised option for the Japanese.”

Islam is considered as one of the new religions. As mentioned earlier, Muslims in Japan are estimated 0.1 % of the population. “Primarily Islam is a ‘foreign’ religion,” said Imam Abdullah Taqy.

History of Islam in Japan
The history of Islam in Japan can be classified into three categories: i) contact of Islam with Japan; ii) Presence of Islam in Japan and iii) Islam in Modern Japan. Renowned historical sociologist, late Professor Hajime Kobayashi, said there was no record of any contact between Islam and Japan in Pre-Meiji era (1868). It was only during Meiji Era in 1877 when the biography of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was translated into Japanese that Japanese people came to know about Islam. However this contact of Islam with Japan was limited to study of culture and history mostly by intellectuals.

i) Contact of Islam with Japan
According to Imam Abdullah Taqy and Ms. Kieko’s slide presentation, Japanese long relied on Chinese and European sources for the information on the Islamic world. First official involvement with the Islamic world began in the late 19th century, after the end of national seclusion. Delegations to Egypt, Turkey and Persia. Ertuğrul incident (1889) strengthened tie with Ottoman Turkey.

During Meiji era started in 1868, Japan and Ottoman Empire, two independent country in Asia, established friendly relations besides exchanging friendly delegations. On one such goodwill mission Sultan Abdul Hamid sent a Naval Vessel, Ertugal, to Japan in 1889. The ship with 609 persons on board reached Yokohama port of Japan on June 7, 1890. The ship was capsized in Oshima Isles on her return journey and sank with 609 people aboard drowning 540 of them, including the commander of the mission Admiral Osman Pasha, the brother of Sultan, dead.

According to Dr. Salih Mahdi S. Al-Samarrai, the present Director of Islamic Centre, Japan, who spent fifty years of his life in Japan, a young Japanese journalist, Shotaro Noda raised donations in Japan for the martyrs families, handed those donations to Turkish authorities and even met Sultan Abdul Hamid II who asked him to stay in Istanbul and teach Japanese to Ottoman officers. During his stay, he met Abdullah Guillaume, an English Muslim from Liverpool and embraced Islam and chose to be named Abdul Haleem Noda.

According to research by late Abu Bakar Morimoto, a Japanese Muslim writer, Japanese government sent with relief a 24-year old well read Torajiro Yamada to Turkey who stayed there for two years and later embraced Islam and adopted Muslim name Abdul Khalil. Abubakar Morimoto describes Torajiro Yamada as the first Japanese Muslim; whereas Dr. Samarrai said Abdul Haleem Noda the first Japanese Muslim and Abdul Khalil Yamada the second. That’s why; Imam Abdullah Taqy told me in reply to my question, “There are two theories about who was the first Muslim. I won’t say his name.” In any case it was only during the last decade of the 19th century that a few Japanese embraced Islam.

During this period (say the last decade of the 19th century) a small group of Indian Muslim merchants lived in Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe. They are considered to be the first Muslim community in Japan.

ii) Presence of Islam in Japan
Japan’s victory in the Russo-Japanese war (1905) attracted the passionate attention of Muslims, especially those in the Middle East. Collaboration started with the Pan-Asianists and Pan-Islamists, eg. Abdur Rasheed Ibrahim (1857-1944), mentioned by Kieko in her presentation.

According to Dr. Samarrai, a number of Muslims went to Japan, published Islamic magazines and managed to convert a large number of Japanese people into Islam during 1900-1920. Abdur Rasheed Ibrahim, a Muslim traveller and a noted caller of Islam from Russia, came to Japan in 1909; Muhammad Barakatullah from Bhopal, India visited Japan and was the first to teach Urdu in the University of Foreign Languages in Tokyo and issued Islamic Fraternity, an Islamic Magazine for three years (1910-1912). Ahmad Fadli, an Egyptian officer, stayed in Japan, married a Japanese lady in 1908 and wrote The Secret behind the Japanese Progress in Arabic in 1911.

The real Muslim community life however did not start until the arrival of several hundred Turkoman, Uzbek, Tadjik, Kirghiz, Kazakh and other Turko-Tatar Muslim refugees from central Asia and Russia in the wake of the Bolshevik Revolution during World War I. These Muslims who were given asylum in Japan settled in several main cities, i.e. Tokyo, Nagoya and Kobe around Japan and formed small Muslim communities. A number of Japanese converted to Islam through the contact with these Muslims.

iii)Islam in Modern Japan
During World War II, an "Islamic Boom" was set in Japan by the military government through organisations and research centers on Islam and the Muslim World. It is said that during this period over 100 books and journals on Islam were published in Japan. The mere purpose was to let the military be better equipped with the necessary knowledge about Islam and Muslims since there were large Muslim communities in the areas occupied in China and Southeast Asia by the Japanese army. As a result, with the end of the war in 1945, these organisations and research centers disappeared rapidly.

Kieko’s slide presentation also mentioned, “Japanese collaboration with the Islamic world abandoned at the end of the WWII and their tradition of ‘Islamic Studies’ forgotten. Post-war Japanese interest in Islam has been opportunistic and general level of awareness low, despite immigration.”

Another "Islamic Boom" was set in motion this time in the shade of "Arab Boom" after the "oil shock" in 1973. The Japanese mass media have given big publicity to the Muslim World in general and the Arab World in particular after realizing the importance of these countries for the Japanese economy. However, with the end of the effect of oil shock, most of those who converted to Islam disappeared from the scene.

First Qur’an Translation in Japanese Language
As for Qur’an in Japanese language, Imam Abdullah Taqy said, “There have been a few translations and the major one back in the day of the one done by Islamic scholar and also the Japan Muslim association have accomplished the official translation of the Qur’an for the followers Muslims.” The first translation of the Qur’an in Japanese language was done by Umar Mita, a native Japanese Muslim rather than non-Japanese Islamic scholar. “Umar Mita was actually at this time in a makeshift Muslim but he later became a devout Muslim. Many books on Islam were written during this political collaboration between Japanese authorities and Islam. And the major topic wrote on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Umar Mita, the well-known translator of the meaning of Holy Qur’an into Japanese, embraced Islam in China.

First Japanese Pilgrim
The first Japanese pilgrim is Kotaro Yamaoka (1818-1859); whose Muslim name is Omar. He was actually serving as a Russian translator; he embraced Islam in Bombay, India, I think, on his way to Makkah; he was travelling with Pan-Islamists in wartime., said Imam Taqy.

First Japanese Mosque
Lot of Pan-Islamists came to Japan to collaborate with the Japanese politicians and officers and then they together built the first Mosque and there is no specific date for the First mosque. Imam Taqy said, “There was one in Nagoya and we don’t know where it was but the one we know about there is two : one in Kobe built in 1935 and the other in Tokyo, the Tokyo Mosque built in 1938; but it was replaced by the beautiful Ottoman building we have now. The replacement was at the war-time. So that was quite earlier on, 1930s we have three big Mosque building in hand. So that was the second one.” Kieko’s slide presentation also agreed with this information.

According to Dr. Samarrai, the first Mosque was built in Osaka for Russian Muslim prisoners in 1905. Indian Muslims founded a Mosque in Kobe in 1935. Late Firoozuddin of Calcutta, also known as “Firooz Japan Wala” made a handsome financial contribution towards its building. Abdul Hay Qurban Ali, religious leader of Tatar Muslims, with the support and assistance of Japanese authorities built first Mosque in Tokyo, in 1938.

Mosques in Japan
There are about 50 Mosques across the country. “But those one which has full-fledged Islamic decoration, architecture; they are quite very few; they are 15; and others are converted into musalla from former houses,” said Imam Taqy. Mosque is the meeting point for people with the same linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Still Islam is a very much a ‘foreign’ religion. There are a handful of native Japanese Imams as I mentioned earlier.

Knowledge of Islam and Islamic literature
Imam Taqy said, “Knowledge about Islam is very low. Information about Islam is not unavailable; it is not very accessible. And many of the Japanese converts embraced Islam; they have not many studied Islam; what they are doing they are researching Islam studying Islam. As for literature on Islam, there are books. These books are not easily accessible or simply not enough to know about Islam.”

Japanese Muslim Association
There are two major Muslim associations to note. “One is Islamic Centre, Japan; funded by Saudi Arabia; it has seen some difficult time; but it has been the centre for missionary work and distribute literature and leaflets and the other one is almost little bit of tentative role for Japanese Muslims; it is called the Japan Muslim Association and they don’t represent the whole Japanese community; they do a little bit for the Japanese Muslims. Apart from these, there are lots of lots of activities popping up Muslim collaboration with native Muslims and foreign Muslims. That is quite promising and that we organised events called mosque meetings, to bring together leaders of the mosques and talked about the strategy, grassroots awareness Islam in Japan,” said Imam Taqy.

Halal Food in Japan
There are very very few Halal Restaurants in Japan. As for Halal shops there are more; if you want to have Halal food for your family consumption, it is really possible to get them and these are normally located close to the mosque. Imam Taqy mentioned, “There are two Halal slaughter houses in Japan and one is in Saitama, Tokyo but majority of Halal meat that is available in Japan, we imported from abroad.”

Muslim Cemetery in Japan
Imam Abdullah Taqy said, “I think there are two Muslim graveyards in Japan. But it takes a lot of space. It is really important matter for Muslims as they grow in size to secure more lands for the graveyards. But it is being done. I believe funerals are conducted by mosques.”

About Imam Abdullah Taqy
Imam Abdullah Taqy was born into a typical Japanese family. In reply to my question, Imam Taqy said, “As I said, as I born I was already a Muslim. I am now 39 years old. For 35 years I was sleeping Muslim and then four years ago I woke up. I would like to ask you when you woke up in the morning what makes you woke up. I officially converted to Islam four years ago. It is the gradual process; something happened, I became Muslim. Of course, four years ago, it is not somebody forces me to wake up; it is not that I did use my alarm clock. It was very nice waking.”

Abdullah Taqy met a foreign Muslim, Sheikh Niamatullah, 12 years ago in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. He spent his life studying various religions which ultimately led him to convert to Islam four years ago. He performed Hajj in Makkah al-Mukarramah at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian government around three years ago. 12 years ago the man who started him down his path to Islam, Sheikh Niamatullah appointed him to become the Imam at a small mosque in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo.

Islam in Europe and Euro-Islam

Islam in Europe and
Euro-Islam Conference

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The one-day British-German Conference on ‘Beyond Multiculturalism: Islam in Europe and Euro-Islam’ organised jointly by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in London and the Democracy & Islam Programme at the University of Westminster, was held at the Westminster University recently, in the Boardroom of the University of Westminster, London.

These are challenging times for Europe’s Muslim communities. From one perspective, an increasing number of voices have been calling for the fashioning of a new Islamic consciousness in Europe, so-called ‘Euro-Islam’, which could both Muslims preserve their identity and fully integrate into Europe. It could even become an exportable commodity, inspiring Muslims elsewhere to adapt and embrace democracy and pluralism in more viable and adaptable forms.

Simultaneously, the multiculturalist environment which these voices want to embrace and celebrate has been under attack in Europe and the United States, precisely because some allege that it permits Islam and other ‘alien’ cultures a space for free self-expression, not always with welcome results.

In order to explore questions of ‘Islam in Europe’ and ‘Euro-Islam’, this conference brought together political decision-makers, academics and practitioners from Britain, Germany and elsewhere and, besides engaging with the negative experiences of European Muslims, plans to explore the more optimistic scenario: that of Muslims in Europe and the West contributing actively to the European pluralist experience, rather than being seen as a problem for multicultural pluralism, or at best, as (undeserving) beneficiaries.

This is the third German-British Conference on the subject of Islam organised in the last few years on the initiative of the German Embassy and in cooperation with political foundations and British universities. In May 2009, a conference took place at SOAS on ‘Integration of Muslim Communities in Germany and Britain – Success or Failure?’ In March, 2010 A Conference took place at King’s College on the theme ‘Political Islam and Public Policy.’ This year, 2011, the conference was titled: Beyond Multiculturalism: Islam in Europe and Euro-Islam’.

The welcome address was delivered by HE Georg Boomgaarden, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. Another welcome address was delivered by Dr. Abdelwahab El-Affendi, Coordinator of the Democracy and Islam Programme, University of Westminster.

First Keynote address was delivered by Baroness Kishwer Falkner (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for Home Office). Another Keynote address was delivered by Armin Laschet, Member of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, former Minister for Integration of North-Rhine-Westphalia and member of the German National Islam Conference)

First Panel
There were four panels. The first Panel was on “Muslim communities in Europe: Multiculturalism vs. integration.” The multiculturalist environment has come under attack in Europe. An increasing number of voices have called on Muslim communities to better integrate and engage. The key questions addressed were: How much integration can be legitimately asked for, and where are the boundaries between integration and assimilation? Do Muslims have to choose between their own and a Western identity perceived as ‘other’ – or can the two blend into a Muslim Western identity?

Under the chair of Olivier McTenan, Director of Forward Thinking, Professor Tariq Modood, Director of the Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, spoke. The panel examined the debate on “Multiculturalism verses Integration”.

Second Panel
The Panel 2 was on “The image of Islam and how to objectify it?” The image of Islam has deteriorated since 9/11. Sometimes the understanding Europeans have about Islam is distorted or lacks adequate knowledge. In order to inject more objectivity into the debate, there has been, for example, a recent campaign promoting Islam as a faith which contributes positively to British society. The key questions addressed were: How can biased perceptions about Islam be countered? How can the media and the general public in Europe acquire a more balanced and comprehensive knowledge about Islam and the Muslim world?

Under the chair of Dr. Abdulwahab El-Affendi, coordinator of the Democracy and Islam Programme, University of Westminster, there were following speakers: Jorg Lau, Journalist for the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit; Farooq Murad, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain; Yousif Al-Khoei, Director, Al-Khoei Foundation. The panel was concerned with the Image of Islam and how to objectify it.

Third Panel
The Panel 3 was on “Aspects of radicalisation and how to counter it?” Violent and terrorist incidents in Europe with Islamist background have – albeit isolated – not been rooted out altogether. The key questions addressed were: Why do some apparently well-integrated European youth become attracted to extremist views? Why and when do some people cross from violent talk to violent action? How can European Muslims and non-Muslims as well as state and society cooperate in order to counter extremism? The panel was concerned with aspects of radicalisation and how to counter it?

Fourth Panel
The Panel 4 was on “‘Euro-Islam’: Contextualising Islam in secular societies.” ‘Euro-Islam’ has become a buzzword to describe a new Islamic consciousness in Europe, which could both help Muslims preserve their identity and fully integrate into Europe. It is directed against both ‘ghettoisation’ and assimilation. The key questions addressed were: Could ‘Euro-Islam’ be the way out of the stalemate between multiculturalism and assimilation? Could ‘Euro-Islam’ become an exportable commodity inspiring Muslims elsewhere to adapt and embrace democracy and pluralism in more viable and adaptable forms?

Under the chair of Kristiane Backer, author of the book From MTV to Mecca – How Islam Inspired My Life, the following were the speakers: Professor Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, University of Oxford; Lord Professor Bhikhu Parekh, and Fiaz Moghul, Director of Faith Matters. The panel was concerned with “Euro-Islam in Secular Societies”.

Welcome Address by the Ambassador of
Germany in the United Kingdom
The German Ambassador said, “Today, about 4 million Muslims form Germany’s third-largest faith community, making up about 5% of the total population. This is significantly more than Britain’s 2 million Muslims, who make up about 3% of the British population.”

The German Federal Government set up the “German Islam Conference” in 2006 to improve integration. “The key issues are these: How can the different Muslim traditions and customs be brought into harmony with German law? How can the economic conditions of Muslims in Germany be improved? And how can prejudices on both sides be broken down?” said German Ambassador.

The very existence of the Conference is also a positive sign, said German Ambassador and added, “A sign that Islam and Muslims have become part of Germany, a part of German society.”

The German Ambassador said, “A study commissioned by the German Islam Conference on the integration of German Muslims has shown that Muslims are better integrated into German society than is often supposed. This is also confirmed by a Gallup survey of 2009, which found that Muslims in Germany (as in Britain) identify much more strongly with the state than the average population. Moreover, half of German Muslims – significantly more than the average population – were satisfied with their circumstances.”

Speaking about the image of Islam and Religious tolerance in Germany, the German Ambassador said, “last year a German opinion research institute conducted a survey on religious tolerance in several European countries. This found that over 80% of Germans were in favour of respect for all religions. However, only a third of German participants had a positive attitude towards Muslims, compared with over 50 per cent in France, the Netherlands and Denmark.”

The Ambassador also mentioned, “80% of participants in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark associated the word “Islam” with discrimination against women, about 70% with fanaticism and about 60% with violence. Only in France were these negative associations significantly lower.”

“This difference in public opinion is contradicted by a survey published in January, conducted by the French opinion research institute Ifop and commissioned by Le Monde newspaper,” said the German Ambassador and mentioned, “This found that 42% of French and 40% of Germans see the presence of Islam in their countries as a “threat to national identity”. This negative attitude has, according to the survey, increased strongly in the last ten years.”

German Ambassador said that what is needed is more contact, getting to know each other. He also mentioned, “In Britain, it was Baroness Warsi who – likewise in January – publicly lamented that Islamophobia has become acceptable in society and sections of the media. Thus in both our countries we face similar questions and problems, which will be looked at by the second Panel.”

Speaking about Islamic organisations in Germany, the Ambassador said, less than 1% of the 4 million Muslims living in Germany – that is, only about 30,000 people – are members of Islamist organisations. Most of these organisations are legal. “In Germany associations can be banned if their aims or activities violate criminal law, or if they are directed against the constitutional order or the idea of international understanding,” said the Ambassador and added, “Islamist associations currently banned in Germany are Hizb-ut-Tahrir (banned since 2003, when it had about 300 members) and the Turkish “Caliph State” (banned since 2001, when it had about 1,100 members).”

German Ambassador said Islam is “historically not new. Judaism, Christianity and Islam have shaped Europe and the Middle East for over 1000 years.”
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Euro-Islam or Islam in Europe
In the Panel 4 on “Euro-Islam” the chair Kristiane Backer kicked the discussion by saying there is no European Islam; there is no Indonesian Islam; there is no Arabic Islam; Islam is Islam; but perhaps there is different experience of Islam. Then she asked Professor Tariq Ramadan to clear up this confusion. .

Professor Tariq Ramadan:
Professor Ramadan started by saying, my starting point: for all the European governments and for all the Western governments and for all the Muslims is to say, “In fact, if we come to the essence of Islam, there is only one Islam. As for principles or set of principles, or references, we have the Qur’an, the Prophetic Traditions, and then you have principles which are all the same, same prayer in Germany as we prayer in Pakistan; or in Egypt. We fast in the same way.”

Principle only one Islam; accepted diversity
“So as for the principles, there is only one Islam and now no one can deny the fact that there is an accepted diversity in Islam and the accepted diversity we have to be quite clear.”

Universality of Islam
“European Islam is to me Islamic as to the principles, European as to the culture, we have British Muslims are Muslims as far as the principles and British as for their culture,” said Professor Ramadan and emphasized, “we have to be assertive: the universality of Islam is to accept the universality of the principles and diversity of the culture.”

Beyond multiculturalism
Professor Ramadan spoke about multiculturalism and integration. He said, “Over the last few years we have this discussion, the rhetoric; multicultural failed, integration has failed; we have rhetoric of failure; saying that it does not work. I think that once again, here, we have to be consistent and clear what we are here talking about? What multiculturalism we are talking about? What we are actually addressing?”

“Now what we are facing, believe it or not, is the reality of the pluralistic society in Europe. We have common citizenship and different religious cultural backgrounds,” mentioned Professor Ramadan and said, “The only thing that we have now, we have to deal with it is pluralistic society. People are coming with different cultural backgrounds; different religious backgrounds and they have the same status. Now how we are going to deal with this? Are we serious about equality? Are we serious about taking into account diversity? Because all our Constitutions and when there is not clear constitutions, are all saying that we have to respect freedom of conscience, freedom of worship and the diversity of culture.”

Mentioning the problem Professor Ramadan said, “What should we do to be accepted as complete citizen when we have a Muslim background and a religious background. So there is a discourse, a rhetoric beyond culturalise, to religionise, to Islamise all the questions that we have.”