86 THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML 1435 AH Volume 22, Issue 10 I ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF KINGSTON 1477 SYDENHAM ROAD Kingston, ON K7L 4V4 The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful. Say, "Would you acquaint Allah with your religion while Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allah is Knowing of all things?" (Qur an> Al-Hujurat 15-16) KEEPING THE KINGSTON MUSLIM COMMUNITY TOGETHER President s Message by Dr. Mohammad Saleem Brothers and Sisters in Islam, Almighty blessed human beings with various qualities, among these, the feature of confidence helps to achieve the desired goals with relative ease. Confidence expresses itself in full trust, belief, reliability and self-reliance. Having selfconfidence not only strengthens one s own faith, it also reinforces family, people around and the community. Prophets like Musa AS, Ibrahim AS and Mohammad SAW faced the enemies of faith such as Farhon, Nimrud and Quraish respectively, with complete confidence because of their unwavering belief in the Creator, and hope for His mercy and help. In each case it led to triumph of the faith against the tyrants and skeptics. For a Muslim self-confidence means being aware of good characteristics which Allah SWT has given us and their proper use without being arrogant or indulging in self-admiration, which are two destructive vices. Muslim, having selfconfidence does not mean that he/she does not need the help of his Lord, in fact our prophet supplicated to Allah SWT not to abandon him even for the blink of an eye. Selfconfidence can be boosted through trust in Allah SWT, finding ones strengths, exhibiting positivity, setting goals, having company of righteous, not lamenting the past, and controlling behaviour and actions. In scripture, a Muslim community is referred as the best community, provided it has strong belief in Almighty, follows moderate middle path and remains concerned about the social evils in the society. Whenever it abandons these three assets it loses this entitlement and may not be different from anybody else. By enslaving one group of people by another through historical events like imperialism, colonization and economic domination; the self-confidence of the subjugated community is usurped by ridiculing their faith, culture, and overall away of life. Considering the last two centuries history, it will be very difficult to point out a single Muslim country which is progressing with confidence needed for a nation rich in faith and social life. Kingston Muslim community, which is estimated to be 2500 in numbers, started its multiethnic roots about half a century ago. Being multiethnic and remaining united, as is ordained by Allah SWT, is a blessing. We belong to this city and area as anybody else in Kingston. We would like to keep marching as a confident community. There are areas where we need to work hard, such as continuously strengthen our faith, meeting the challenge of growth and unity, as well as establishing a culture of volunteering. This community has members with multiple skills such professionals, teachers, business people, civil servants, retail and child care workers. We accept others; interact with the larger Kingston community on individual and community levels, and will focus on issues which concern the whole Kingston community, such as poverty or allowing a casino in Kingston. These economic and social issues can affect the community adversely; therefore, we will stand by with Kingston community for peace and social justice. In the month of October we had two events for the Kingston general community, namely interfaith dinner and discussion, and an open house. Similarly we also receive invitations from Christian, Jewish and other groups. In this month we invite everyone in Kingston to visit us to relish the international bazar on November 23. This will augment the mutual confidence building which Muslims started in Kingston 50-60 years ago. IN THIS ISSSUE President s Message Page 1 Imam s Message Page 2 Community Voice Page 3 Education Outlook Page 4/5 Community Announcements Page 6 ISK Information Page 7
THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML Issue 7 2 Imam s Message by Sikander Ziad Hashmi Building the spirit of a believing community What are you thankful to Allah for? That s the question I ve been asking our students lately. We have begun studying the meaning of Surah al-fatihah and the first thing we are told by Allah is that all thanks and praises are due to Him. This also leads us to think about what we are thankful to Allah for. Allah has blessed us with so many gifts that it is impossible to enumerate all of them, as He tells us in the Qur an. There are the essential ones such as food, shelter and clothing, but there are many others that we often don t think about as a blessing. One of those is to be part of a community, and more specifically, a community of believers. Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings me upon him) said: A believer is like a brick for another believer, the one supporting the other. [Recorded by Muslim] A brick on its own can t offer much protection. But when it stands together tightly with other bricks, it becomes part of a wall that is able to offer protection through their collective strength. Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The Devil is like a wolf among humans as a wolf is among sheep; it snatches the stray sheep. So beware of the paths which branch off and adhere to the congregation. [Recorded by Ahmad] Clearly, sticking with a community of believers offers one protection and strength. The fact that we have a Muslim community in our city, with a masjid, community hall and a presence at Queen s University, St. Lawrence College and the Royal Military College is a great blessing of Allah. There are many Muslims who live in faraway towns and villages, with the nearest masjid or Muslim home perhaps even hundreds of kilometers away. We must appreciate this blessing by making the best of our community and what it has to offer. We must thank Allah for this great blessing and also extend our thanks and appreciation to those who have worked to make this possible. As we come together as a community, we must remember the advice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who instructed us to spread the greetings of peace (salaam) among the believers. This cultivates love among the believers, which is a requirement for true belief, which in turn is a pre-requisite for entry into jannah (paradise), according to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Smiling has been described as an act of charity too, so when we come together, let us meet each other graciously with a smile. Once we start coming together as a community, what should we do? What should be our objective? Allah tells us in the Qur an: The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah (alms) and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. [Quran 9:71] This verse gives us the framework for our relationship with other believers. The objective of coming together or interacting with each other should ideally be one or more of the following: 1) Encouraging what is good, 2) Discouraging what is wrong, 3) Establishing prayer, 4) Working for charity or doing anything as long as it is in accordance to the guidance of Allah and His Messenger. Let us come together as a community with cheerfulness and offering strength to one another. As we enjoy each other s company and attend gatherings and events, let us reflect on how close we are to truly fulfilling the true objectives of our coming together. May Allah guide us and enable us to be a community of faith, strength, compassion, kindness and goodness. Ameen!
THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML Issue 7 3 Community Voice Maintaining Family Ties: For Converts by Lisa Grant The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The one who maintains a relationship with his relatives only because they maintain a relationship with him is not truly upholding the ties of kinship. The one who truly upholds those ties is the one who does so even if they break off the relationship. (Reported by al-bukhaari, 5645) Sisters and Brothers in Islam who have reverted and received harsh responses from their non-muslim relatives need to read the following advice. The above hadith indicates that it is still vitally important to maintain your relationship with non- Muslim family even though they may reject you and treat you harshly. They may react with cruelty, insults, or just antagonize you in order to try to revert you back to their religion. But that does not permit you to lose your Islamic morals and react in the same way to them. Here are some helpful tips that I found to help you deal with situations you may encounter after reverting to Islam: 1. Establish your boundaries You may be tempted to participate in non-muslim behavior such at giving gifts at Christmas, eating haram foods, gossiping and leaving hijab at family events. It could be very tempting to do these things if you are new to Islam, especially if family members twist your arm to tell you these things are not really a "big deal". But it is these little issues that prepare you for establishing boundaries in big issues. Take great care to explain the importance of these small issues to your family early, and often, to establish yourself as a Muslim. Insha'Allah with time they will except your choice and respect your decision if you are consistent and repeat yourself often enough. If you need help then refer to Qur'an when looking for reasons to stop participating in non-muslim activities. The Qur'an states about backbiting: { And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is accepting of repentance and Merciful.} [Quran 49:12] 2. Balance religious obligations and family ties Remember to stay positive, kind and compassionate even if you face negative attitudes in your relatives. You can do this by the following tips: Be humble by accepting invitations to events that are perfectly acceptable for a Muslim to attend. Do not alienate yourself and act superior to them. Be cheerful and pleasant to everyone. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us to be cheerful and treat people as though they are the most important person in the world to us when we are with them. Show mercy to others. {So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].} [Quran 3:159] Use challenges as opportunities to grow in Iman. Many non- Muslim relatives make choices that are conflicting with what we desire for them according to what we, as Muslims, are taught. But you should create a balance in letting them make their own choices as long as it does not affect your ability to worship Allah. It will show them that you are here to create peace and harmony not discord. {Say: O disbelievers, I worship not what you worship, nor will you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your religion, and to me my religion.} [Quran 109:1-6] Finally, take Islam step by step and do not rush into changing your life by making dramatic changes in front of your family. Islam can do this gradually day by day with small changes that do not disrupt the family harmony. Islam has a lot of power to completely turn someone s life from total ignorance to sheer brilliance but it is meant to be adapted into a person's life in moderation. These are my tips for new Muslims. I hope they help you to achieve great things in this wonderful deen and still maintain the rights of your non- Muslim family. All the challenges are worth it in the end and the pain you experience in trying to establish your new identity will only be a way of gaining strength. Stay positive and encourage yourself by looking at good Muslim role models. One day, you will look back at all you accomplished by striving to educate your family and integrate your Islamic self into their lives and be amazed at the changes you made in your life. Everything worthwhile takes time and effort. Congratulations on accepting and May Allah guide you always. Ameen.
THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML Issue 7 4 Education Outlook أ ب ي ھ ر ی ر ة ق ال ق ال ر س ول ا صلى الله علیھ وسلم " أ ف ض ل الص ی ام ب ع د ش ھ ر ر م ض ان ش ھ ر ا ال م ح رم و أ ف ض ل ال صلا ة ب ع د ال ف ر یض ة ص لا ة الل ی ل ". ق ال و ف ي ال ب اب ع ن ج اب ر و ب لا ل و أ ب ي أ م ام ة. ق ال أ ب و ع یس ى ح د یث أ ب ي ھ ر ی ر ة ح د یث ح س ن ص ح یح. ق ال أ ب و ع یس ى و أ ب و ب ش ر اس م ھ ج ع ف ر ب ن أ ب ي و ح ش ی ة و اس م أ ب ي و ح ش ی ة إ ی اس. Abu Hurairah narrated that: Allah's Messenger (S) said: "The most virtuous fasting after the month of Ramadan is that of Allah's month of Al- Muharram. And the most virtuous Salat after the obligatory is the night prayer." (Sahih New Program Little Believers
THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML Issue 7 5 Education Outlook cont. ISK School- Newsletter The ISK Evening & Weekend School has completed its first month of the 2013-2014 academic year and we have gotten off to a smooth start, Alhamdulillah! So far, we have a total of 105 registered students and 13 teachers. Running such a large operation requires a lot administrative work behind the scenes. For example, online attendance rolls need to be set up for each class, online contact tools need to be configured with the email addresses of the parents of students in each class, class lists have to be updated with each new registration, books and supplies need to be ordered and so on. One of the things that has really helped our school progress over the past two years and that has lessened the administrative workload has been the cooperation of parents when it comes to fee payments. Making arrangements for paying the entire year's fees at the beginning of the year (whether in full or through post-dated cheques) significantly lessens the administrative work that is otherwise required when payments are made on a monthly basis. It also helps us cover our costs, such as payments to teachers, and enables us to make improvements on a regular basis. Thank you, parents! Our school is not just about teaching the do's and don'ts of Islam. We endeavor to give our children a holistic experience, where they learn to behave as a Muslim, think as a Muslim - and even celebrate as a Muslim! One example of that was our recent Eid al-adha party, which featured pizza, a special Eid cake and even a sheep piñata (filled with candies and chocolate!) that was used to demonstrate the act of Eid al-adha animal sacrifice. Special thanks to the teachers who helped and also to the parents who have made donations to cover costs for inflatable jumping castles, pizzas and ice creams for parties to be held at various times during this academic year. To register your child or for more details, please visit http://www.kingstonmuslims.ca/school
THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML Issue 7 6 COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS November is ISK International Bazaar Month. 2013 Bazaar is scheduled on Saturday November 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This Bazaar is ISK major public event. Its success depends upon you! Once again we need your presence at the Bazaar, your generosity and assistance with: 1. Crafts and miscellaneous new items: a. Handicrafts from your country of origin. b. Crafts made as a hobby. c. Clothes, jewelry, knitted items, paintings and or any new items. 2. Food items (savory or dessert). 3. Time from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and/or 1:00 to 4:00. Jazak Allah Khairan for your help. May Allah reward you many folds. PS: We have placed boxes in the Community Hall. Please drop off stuff in these boxes at your earliest convenience. This early drop off will help the organizers.
THE BOND NOV 2013 / MUHARRAML Issue 7 7 ISK INFORMATION PRAYER TIMES AT THE ICK Dates Fajr Zuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Nov 3-10 6:00 12:30 3:20 Nov 11-17 6:10 12:30 Nov 18-24 6:20 12:30 3:10 3:00 Sunset +5 Nov 19- Dec 1 6;30 12:30 2:55 Dec 2-8 6:40 12:30 2:55 Dec 9-15 6:40 12:30 2:55 Dec 16-23 6:40 12:30 Notes: 2:55 o Jum a khutba starts at 12:40. o Times shown are for Iqamah, Adhan will be called 10 minutes earlier. o During community events, Asr may be prayed earlier WHAT S NEXT FOR THE BOND? Next Submission Deadline: Monday December 9 th, 2013 The Bond will accept articles from individuals on any given topic if the editors consider them useful information for the whole community. Please consider submitting 1 or 2 column article for consideration. Submit To: thebond@kingstonmuslims.ca Next Publication Date (Insha Allah): Monday December 16 th, 2013 Disclaimer The views and/or assertions expressed in THE BOND are the sole responsibility of their author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the newsletter committee, nor of the Islamic Society of Kingston and its officers.