Bismillah:


"Ka`bah" to Shine in Hamburg

Quote:HAMBERG, GERMANY – Amid welcome from the Muslim minority, German authorities have given the go-ahead to German sculptor Gregor Schneider to showcase a cube reminiscent of Ka`bah in the northern city of Hamburg in front of the Arts Gallery from March 23 to July 10.
"I wanted to introduce to peoples worldwide the oldest place of worship," IslamOnline.net quoted Tuesday, February 20, Schneider as saying.


He said what is unique about Ka`bah is that that aura of mystery surrounding the Muslim building, calling it one of the most breathtaking buildings worldwide.


Schneider's replica is 13 meters long and wide.


The famed sculptor said he tried for many times to take his cube to the Venice Biennale and St Mark Square in Italy, but authorities rejected his requests for "security and political reasons."


The government, priests and Muslim leaders in Italy said that the replica could trigger violent reactions from Muslims, who might see it offensive.


Schneider was further disappointed at adamancy of Berlin's authorities to give his piece of art the green light for the same security reasons cited by Rome.


Since the crisis of the blasphemous Danish cartoons, German authorities are cautiously dealing with pieces of art that might offend Muslims.


In February of last year, the German Academy of Art had withdrawn from a contest a mosque replica with to missile-shaped minarets.


The Hamburg's approval to showcase the cube was applauded by Schneider.


"Hamburg with its heavy Muslim population, mosques and Turkish kebab shops is definitely more fit to display the Ka`bah-like cube than Venice," he said.


Hamburg is home to the largest Muslim minority in Germany. There are some 3.2 million Muslims in Germany and Islam comes third after Protestant and Catholic Christianity.


Born in Rheydt in 1969, Schneider first made a name for himself in the early 1990s with subtle, barely perceptible doubled walls in galleries and art museums.


The climax of Schneider’s work on came with his contribution to the Venice Biennale in 2001, when he implanted a complex of twenty-two rooms, passages and dead-ends into the German Pavilion – which earned him the much-coveted Golden Lion award at the Biennale.


<b>Inoffensive</b>


German Muslims have hailed Schneider's work and refused to call it offensive.


"Islam is not against such pieces of art," Chairman of he Higher Council for Muslims in Germany Nadim Elias said.


"Muslims will not consider this work offensive," added Ahmed Yazgi, a member of the Federation of Muslim Communities in Northern Germany.


"Muslims usually decorate their homes with porcelain-made icons featuring Ka`bah porslin potteries on which Ka`bah is painted," he argued.


Yazgi said German Muslims use Ka`bah-like replicas to practice hajj rituals before going to Makkah, Saudi Arabia.


The Ka`bah is the first and the most ancient house of worship ever built in this life.


Some commentators of the Qur’an say that it was first built by Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) and some others say that it was first built by the Angels on this earth.


When Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived at the place of the Ka`bah, the building itself did not exist. Even the city of Makkah had no inhabitants.


Allah showed Prophet Ibrahim the site of the Ka`bah (Al-Hajj: 26) and then he and his son Isma`il together raised its foundations and built it from the ground up. (Al-Baqarah: 127).


It is dedicated to the worship of one God. So by facing toward the Ka`bah in prayers, Muslims are stressing the unity of humankind under the Lordship of the One and only God.

Bismillah:


Assalamo ALikum.


<b>-------------------------------------------------</b>


| DATE: 2007-02-20 | PRINT | BOOKMARK


<b>The Education Development Centre (EDC) has started a survey to find out whether the study of Holy Quran should be introduced as a separate subject in schools. </b>


The survey form includes a four page questionnaire and contains such questions on whether the Holy Quran should be introduced as a subject and offers four other options to those who do not agree. The four choices are: ‘introduce Holy Quran as an extracurricular activity’, ‘incorporate the study of the Holy Quran in Islamic Studies subject’, ‘special Quran classes’, and ‘other’.


Currently, the school syllabus does not include Holy Quran as a subject, instead it is taught as a separate component in Islamic Studies.


The survey is being conducted by EDC because the national curriculum is being revised this year.


EDC has refused to comment on the survey, however, Haveeru has been able to find out that several senior school officials and teachers had requested that the Holy Quran be taught as a subject in schools.


The survey has drawn criticism from one of the political parties of Maldives, Adhaalath Party (AP). The Party has collected signatures from various people to protest against the survey and submitted the letter to the President, Hussain Rasheed Ahmed, President of AP said.


“The question of whether the Holy Quran should be taught as a subject is not even something that needs to be asked,” he said. “If we are a 100 percent Muslim country than it is compulsory that we teach it as a subject in schools. Those who devise the curriculum should do so. This is not something that should depend on a few people’s opinion. Islamic religion and the Holy Quran should be taught as separate subjects.”


<b>The letter sent by AP to the President states that Holy Quran should be taught as a subject and that it should be made a ‘compulsory subject’. - HNS</b>


SOURCE

Bismillah:


*******


<b>Mohamed Ali LAGOUADER - Morocco </b>


What’s all this tale about the veil?



Fred and Gail shout and hail


Straw as hero


For his hail of fire on Aïsha’s attire.


Did Straw want Aïsha to show


Herself from head to toe?


Let Gail wear a mini-skirt


For her flirt.


And let Aïsha wear on her face


Or on her hair


Whatever piece


That would bring her peace


Vis-à-vis God and vis-à-vis Man.


Oh, man!


Why d’you wish her to disclose


Her beautiful eyes and nice nose


Or her lips or her hips


If that belongs to her?


Come on, Sir!


That body you want her to show


Is a diamond dearer than the glow


Of the face of Marilyn Monroe!

:assalam: to all interested parties,


...And among his signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love & mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect...Al-Quran 30:21


Looking to get married in this day and age is becoming difficult! Therefore this website has solely been developed for young Muslim individuals from all backgrounds, must be British citizens looking to get married in the UK.


…Insha’Allah, Simply Muslim Marriages will be hosting an Event in the near future. Please No Time Wasters!


To avoid disappointment register your interest & for further info please visit www.simplyislam.info/smm


All profit will go to Muslim Hands Charity, for further info please visit www.justgiving.com/nadiayr


:wasalam:


Simply Muslim Marriages

:assalam: to all interested parties,


...And among his signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love & mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect...Al-Quran 30:21


Looking to get married in this day and age is becoming difficult! Therefore this website has solely been developed for young Muslim individuals from all backgrounds, must be British citizens looking to get married in the UK.


…Insha’Allah, Simply Muslim Marriages will be hosting an Event in the near future. Please No Time Wasters!


To avoid disappointment register your interest & for further info please visit www.simplyislam.info/smm


All profit will go to Muslim Hands Charity, for further info please visit www.justgiving.com/nadiayr


:wasalam:


Simply Muslim Marriages

Salam all, this topic is being dedicated to questions and answers. Anyone can feel free to ask any question they wish and inshallah they will get a response. This is expecially for the Muslim Youth who may have some questions about life, islam, studying etc they want to ask about.


Inshallah i will be posting some questions with answers from various sources thay may help others to benefit from.

Bismillah


<i>Active-duty soldiers, sailors and Marines speaking out against the ongoing conflict in Iraq. </i>

Quote:The appeal says: As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.

Bismillah:


Assalamo ALikum everyone...


In response to FHC who once said:

Quote:Re: Bible manuscripts - No disrespect to Bat Ehman but he's a former "Born-Again Christian". No disrespect to Protestants, <b>but various sects have their own version of the Bible -</b> tailored <b>to suit their personal needs</b>. The ancient Bibles I mentioned are identical (although they're not all written in the same language), & are openly displayed in the Vatican Library for all to see, touch, read, examine, photograph, etc.
One thing you must remember is that Catholics aren't "Evangelical Bible Christians"; Catholics evangelize the word of God (Bible), however, we honour Sacred Tradition & Sacred Scripture equally. "Where Peter is there is the Church, and where the Church is, there is everlasting life" (I can't remember which Saint said that - shame on me)!

Multi-faith Schools


There is an extraordinary proposal to unite Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Hindu children in the country’s first multi-faith secondary school. The plans, backed by leading figures, are aimed at transforming the image of faith-based education which has been criticized in the wake of race riots. They hope that the 1000 pupils’ school planned for the London Borough of Westminster will be the first of a series of similar ventures around the country. Now Sir Cyril Taylor is of the opinion that schools dominated by Muslim pupils should be closed down and replaced with multi-faith academies. I think Sir Cyril Taylor proposal is short-sighted and xenophobic. It is falsely called a blueprint for community cohesion and raising standards. The multi-faith schools are actually community schools. Every community school is potentially a school of many faiths and no faith, and the new academies are exactly the same. Integration does not mean mixing of different races and creeds; in fact integration means to satisfy the needs and demands of the communities who differ from each other. A few Muslims, Jewish and Christian’s secularists are against such schools and put forward a naive idea of Multi-faith schools which is not going to be accepted by those who believe in choice and diversity in education.


Multifaith schools are not going to bring together children from different faiths. Such schools are going to mis-educate and de-educate Muslim pupils just like any other state school. State schools are already multi-cultural and multi-racial but relation between different communities has gone from bad to worse for the last 30 years. The recent riots are clear evidence of institutional racism which is rife in state schools. Even Polish pupils are victim of physical and verbal abuse. There is no sign of respect and understanding between the children of different communities. There will be hardly any difference between future Multi-faith schools and present state schools.


The silent majority of Muslim parents would like to see their children attending Muslim schools. Muslim schools provide Muslim children with the opportunity to attend institutions of academic excellence which could reinforce their commitment to their culture, religion and languages while at the same time opening constructive dialogue with the British society in which they live. There is a dire need for more state funded Muslim schools. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim pupils are in majority, such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools under the management and control of Muslim educational Trust or Charities. In Bradford, two Church schools have 90% of Muslim pupils and the Church of England should consider designating those two schools as Muslim community schools.


State funded Muslim schools need bilingual Muslim teachers as role models. Bilingualism is recognized by researchers as educational advantages. Schools need to take steps to support children’s bilingualism, which is an economic asset as well as an asset to migrant communities. The study of Comparative religions is not required in Muslim schools because Islam teaches respect, tolerance and understanding of those who are different. The teaching of Standard English will help Muslim children to follow National Curriculum. They will be able to achieve high grades to pursue higher studies and research to serve humanity. The teaching of community languages and Urdu will help them to enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. They do not find themselves cut off from their cultural roots. The teaching of Arabic will help them to practice Islam and recite and understand the Holy Quran. Only state funded Muslim schools can satisfy the needs and demands of the Muslim parents and pupils right from nursery level.


Iftikhar Ahmad


www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

More Than Dreams


Several testominials.