As part of National Inter Faith Week, Makkah Masjid in Hyde Park is staging an event called ‘Enabling Faith Communities to make a Big Impact on Society.’

Taking place on Saturday 27 November, there will be workshops on the following topics:

- We must be the change we want to see in the world

- What can faith communities offer?

- Social action initiatives/Social enterprise

- Environment

- Youth disengagement

There will also be keynote speeches from prominent faith leaders, directors of inter-faith organisations and government officials.

As faith communities have a long history of contributing to social action by making an impact on areas with high social needs, responding to local priorities, increasing volunteering and working in the spirit of localism.

Saturday 27 November, Makkah Mosque, 36 Thornville Road, LS6, 12:30pm (food served between 12.30-1pm)

For more information, go to www.makkahmasjid.co.uk or www.minab.org.uk

This week a terrorist attack at a mosque and shrine in Pakistan killed about eight people and injured more than 60. A large number of Muslims, particularly poor people, gather at Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s shrine everyday and the numbers grow on a Thursday, a very blessed night in the Muslim tradition.

The attack was designed to maximize casualties. This is the second time in recent months when suicide bombers have targeted prominent shrines in Pakistan. For centuries no one dared to pollute the sacredness of the shrines of pious, noble, righteous friends of Allah. Even during tyrannical rule, imperialism, governments of Sikh Rajas, and the time of independence, the sacredness of the tombs was preserved because people of all faiths appreciated that they were places of rest for those people who had benefitted their society and continue to benefit humanity through their teachings.  The shrines of these friends of Allah, Auliya Allah have been fountains of love, peace and tranquillity.
It appears that now we have a new breed of people who seem to have no faith and no care for the humanity. Rather than bringing peace to the world and their fellow human beings, they are messengers of hate, misery and destruction. These individuals can be anything but the true followers of the Messenger, who was sent as a mercy to all the world (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Imam of Leeds Makkah Mosque, Qari Asim, said : “Violent extremism, terrorism and taking lives of innocent people is against the teachings of Islam. One can only infer that those who commit such terrorist activities in such holy places are against Islam and Muslims. All Muslims must stand united against such extreme, evil and distorted ideology and develop a strong relationship with Allah, His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the great noble and righteous people of Islamic history. It was through the efforts of these righteous people, sufis, friends of Allah, Auliya Allah, that people in the Indian sub-continent came to know of Islam.

“We call upon the Government of Pakistan and authorities worldwide to leave no stone unturned in rooting out such forms of extremism and to protect the holy places. Such extremists are evil murderers, who are destroying our cohesion and damaging the dignity of our holy faith.

“All forms of terrorism must be stopped and the root causes that lead to such extreme actions must be fully explored and eliminated in the most efficient and amicable manner so that all human beings who are victims of terrorism throughout the world, can live in peace and harmony.”

Muslims of Leeds strongly condemn such un-Islamic, irreligious and inhumane attacks on the sufi shrines, and pray that Allah may make the lives of all those who have been affected by such attacks, easier. May the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth guide those individuals who commit such acts of terror in the name of a religion. Aameen.

This week, over 2.5 million British Muslims will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr (commonly known as “Eid”), the festival that marks the end of the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast daily from dawn to dusk.

Eid is the most important festival in the Islamic calendar. It’s a day of celebration by each individual Muslim for his or her own achievements and an occasion to offer thanks to God (“Allah”) for giving them the strength and will to observe physical and spiritual fasting  and rid themselves of negative characteristics – greed, gluttony, hatred and self-centeredness – in the month of Ramadan.

A special thanksgiving service – Eid prayer – is held and everyone leaves the service with renewed energies, being ready to face the year that lies ahead with renewed strength, greater understanding and universal goodwill.

This year on Eid, British Muslims will remember over 20 million people that have been affected by the disastrous floods in Pakistan. Leeds Makkah Mosque, has already raised over £30,000 for those affected by the flood over the course of the month of Ramadan. Their target was to raise £1,000 per day during the month and the mosque has successfully exceeded this. The funds raised will be sent to the affected areas in Pakistan through the Leeds Lord Mayor’s Pakistan Flood charity appeal.

Eid is a day when Muslims tend to transcend the often petty and trivial differences that tear families and communities apart in order to become a united positive force for change and harmony in their respective communities and throughout the globe.

By

Qari Asim

Imam at Makkah Mosque

36 Thornville Road Leeds LS6 1JY

www.makkahmasjid.co.uk

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam and over two million Muslims in the UK are currently fasting to detox their bodies and re-direct their hearts and souls. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and conjugal relations from dawn until sunset for a month.

For those not brought up in the Muslim tradition it may seem a strange undertaking. For Muslims the aim is to rediscover themselves, to learn self-discipline, and put themselves in the shoes of those who are less well off and cannot afford two meals a day, or don’t have access to water.

Focusing on the disaster in Pakistan

This year, British Muslims will be focusing on the victims of the terrible floods in Pakistan. Families and friends of people caught up in the floods have reported that some have had to eat leaves from trees as that was all that was available. The floods continue, devastating more areas every day and thwarting the rescue efforts on every front.

According to the UN, the impact of the Pakistan disaster will exceed that of the Tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and the Haiti earthquake combined.

Yorkshire Mosques urge extra generosity

Mosques in Yorkshire are making a concerted effort to urge people to donate as much as they can to help with this huge humanitarian disaster and asking Muslims to show extra generosity. Influential British Muslims like Dragon’s Den star James Cann and WBA World light welterweight champion Amir Khan are also behind such campaigns.

During Ramadan families often take it upon themselves to prepare food for the whole community to share when breaking their fast at the Mosque, bringing together the key Islamic traits of charitable giving, love for brethren and the establishment of a vibrant community spirit. This year, mosques are encouraging Muslims to donate a portion of what they would usually spend on such parties to the Pakistan appeal.

Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference

Every £1 donated will make a huge difference to those who have lost families, homes, livestock and everything they owned. Leeds Makkah Mosque is hoping to raise over £10,000 over the course of the month.

Leeds City Council Launches Appeal for Pakistan

The Lord Mayor of Leeds launched the appeal recently for the victims of the floods in Pakistan and the Council has donated £10,000 to start it off.

People will have the chance to donate or raise further money via a number of fundraising events and there will be collection buckets at various council centres and buildings, including the front desks of 2 Great George Street and the Civic Hall.

For information on event ideas, or to see what events are going on across the city, visit www.leeds.gov.uk/Advice_and_benefits/Voluntary_organisations/Charities.aspx.

DONATE NOW!

To donate via the national Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) go to www.dec.org.uk/, text GIVE to 70707 to donate £5, or call 0370 60-60-900. Donations can also be made at all high street banks.