Blog Archives
Documentary: Lift (Video)
Filmmaker Marc Isaacs sets himself up in a London tower block lift. The residents come to trust him and reveal the things that matter to them creating a humorous and moving portrait of a vertical community.
More documentaries…
Why Should Muslims Apologize for Other Peoples Crimes?
Topic: Charlie Hebdo Attack in France Talk show host: James O’Brien
Any of the views expressed by the speakers do not necessarily represent the views of The Merciful Servant or any other projects it may have or intend to do. The Merciful Servant and it’s affiliates do not advocate nor condone any unlawful activity towards any individual or community.
Developing faith and character in our kids
By: Shaykh Abdullah Kapodravi
Source: ilmgate.org
On 7th April 2006, Shaykh Abdullah Kapodravi (db), a prominent scholar from India, made an impromptu speech before Salat al-Jumu`ah Jumma Masjid, Batley, England. He highlighted the dangers facing Muslims in today’s turbulent times, pleading Muslim parents to focus on their responsibilities, and asking the audience to implement the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. The Shaykh is a prolific writer, orator and educationalist, who served as chancellor of Darul Uloom Tadkeshwar, India for 28 years. He has traveled extensively in the Islamic world and the West. He is aged 74, and currently resides in Canada. The speech was translated and edited by Sulaiman Kazi.
All praise is due to Almighty God, Allah, and may He, the Exalted, bestow His peace and blessings upon Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, upon his good and pure family, as well as upon all of the noble companions, and upon those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.
Friends, a very serious issue that confronts the Islamic world today is the character of our youth, which is far removed from Islamic teachings. When I read newspaper accounts about the behavior of our youth my heart cries with pain. I anguish where is the Ummah heading? Could anyone have imaged that in this Ummah a mother would have an illicit relationship with her son? Lamentably, this is happening. A Muslim youth would be drinking? A Muslim youth would be stealing? A Muslim youth and s/he has no respect towards his/her elders? Bad character is manifesting itself everywhere. And the Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, was sent into the world to correct human conduct and morals. As the famous poet Shauki said: “In the world communities are raised with noble conduct, communities are obliterated with bad character.”
Bosnian Muslims begin new year with Quran and Mawlid
Source: worldbulletin.net
The United Islamic Assembly organised a Quran recital at the Cekrekci Muslihudin Mosque and great interest was shown by the Sarajevo Muslim community.
The mosque muezzin Bilal Efendic said that each year a Quran recital night was organised for the last night of the year and that the youth came together at the mosque in celebration of this. Efendic said that during the event 30 youths who are hafiz – those who have committed the entire Quran to memory – read from the Quran until late night. Many hymns were also sung as part of the event.
Organised each year, the programme opened with a ceremony at the Bascarsi Mosque. Mevlud programmes, where hymns and poetry are recited in honour of the Prophet Muhammad, book launches and Islamic song concerts are also part of the programme, which will continue until the 23rd January.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE UNMOSQUED – ART OF CONNECTION WITH BELAL KHAN (VIDEO)
I read an interesting article recently by Mohamed Abdul-Azeez, the former head of the Salam Center in Sacramento on the “Crisis of Imams in America”
Source: muslimmatters.org
By: Belal Khan
Due to the way Muslim communities have been developed, the challenges they face are different from that of other faith communities.
Among the Christian community you find one of two types of models.
Model 1 – Corporate Franchise Clergy Structure
Model 2 – Local Visionary
The American Muslim community for the most part doesn’t follow any of these two models.
Typically you have a bunch of local folks that want to establish a place to pray. They come together, form a board, write out the policies, buy some real estate and make that a place to pray.
Then they realize they need to get an imam, and they end up hiring one of two types.
Thailand halal conference expected to attract thousands
Source: eturbonews.com
First Thailand Halal Assembly to help boost trade, travel with Islamic World poster-halal-assembly-re02Bangkok – An estimated 5,000 delegates are expected to meet in Bangkok between 28 – 30 December for the first “Thailand Halal Assembly 2014″ to be held at the Bangkok Convention Centre, Centara Grand Hotel at CentralWorld.
Organised jointly by the Halal Science Centre of Chulalongkorn University, the Central Islamic Council of Thailand and Halal Standard Institute of Thailand, the event is designed to help upgrade the standards of halal products and services being made in Thailand to cater to the rapidly growing Islamic market, both within Asia and worldwide. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-Ocha will deliver the opening speech.
What is an Imam?
Source: suhaibwebb.com
By: Leila Adam
Being left without an imam (religious leader) at your local mosque makes you realise things that never occurred to you before. Exposure to new and different styles of leadership helps you to learn what will be good for your community and what will cause them to suffer. It’s a strange experience if a city has never been without spiritual leadership in living memory.
In that situation, one can really take off long-worn blinkers and realise the possibilities and profound nature of an imam’s position in the community. An imam carries the community on his back. At the very least, he keeps them safe from wolves and packs of marauding dogs – the troublemakers who fill the void when leadership is absent.
Turkey: all universities to have mosques
Source: onislam.net
Catering to the needs of hundreds of thousands of students, Turkey’s top religious body has announced plans to construct a mosque in every state university, making it easier for Muslim students to observe their prayers.
“Mosques are under construction in over 80 universities,” Mehmet Gormez, the head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, known as Diyanet in Turkish, was quoted by Agence France Presse (AFP).
“Fifteen of them have been opened for prayers and we will open at least 50 more in 2015.”
PASS THE KNOWLEDGE (LIGHT & LIFE) 