Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017 www.jamiamasjidkenya.org Issue No.

725

The

Friday Bulletin The Weekly Muslim News Update

A new dawn for Islamic media as
Jamia launches Horizon TV
F
rom today, Kenyans will be treated
to a new television experience as
Jamia Mosque unveils Horizon Tel-
evision.
The channel is the first of its kind to be es-
tablished by an Islamic organization in the
country and is the biggest Muslim media
project in the East African region.
The countdown will culminate in the live
transmission of today's Friday khutbah
(sermon) which will be a usual occurrence
every Friday.
The channel was conceived by Jamia
Mosque Committee to enhance on its role
to disseminate information to the masses
and provide a platform for shaping Muslim
views and opinions.
This was necessitated by the lack of cover-
age of important Muslim events by local tel-
evision stations, absence of objectivity and
fairness during coverage of issues about
Islam and Muslims and the prevailing wide-
spread stereotypes and misinformation
which had the drastic effect of increasing a
culture of animosity towards Muslims.
The journey towards the birth of the TV sta-
tion began in 2012 after Jamia Mosque ac-
quired a company, Tamaz Communications
Limited which had been granted a tempo-
rary licence for television broadcasting.
Horizon Television is expected to serve
the broader spectrum of the Muslim com-
munity through airing a wide range of
programming catering for all sections of
the community. While it will primarily be a
Muslim oriented channel, it will also focus
on issues affecting the society in general.
This is a channel owned by Jamia
Mosque on behalf of Muslims of Kenya.
It is a historical undertaking which inshal-
lah will go at great length to enhance the
visibility of Muslims in the media, said the
Tamaz Communications board chair Ab-
dullatif Essajee.
It will be an all-round channel covering
Continued To Page 2

The inside view of the new Islamic television channel Horizon TV that is set to be officially launched today by Jamia Mosque
Committee. Horizon TV is the premier Islamic station in the country.

Fury as Anti-Terrorism police raids madrassa and arrests 25 students

A group of madrassa students who were the company of a madrassa teacher. Following an outcry from parents and of-
arrested in Chumani, Kilifi county have According to the officers, the raid at the ficials from the Supreme Council of Mus-
been released after five days in police mosque was undertaken after what they lims (SUPKEM), the students were all re-
custody. said was a tipoff by members of the public leased on Tuesday without being charged.
The group comprising of 25 young men who were suspicion that the students were The national organizing secretary of SUP-
were arrested last week on Friday even- being radicalized. Upon their arrest, they KEM Shariff Hussein condemned the po-
ing at Kokotoni Mosque by officers from were locked up at different police stations lice for detaining the young men for six
the Criminal Investigation Department in in Malindi and Kilifi for interrogation. Continued To Page 2
This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred
 The Friday Bulletin
Jamia Mosque launches Horizon TV
Continued From Page 1
a variety of shows which include scholarly
discussions on various religious issues,
talk show programmes discussing various
topical issues facing the community and
the wider society at large, youth centred
programmes, women and children shows,
live question and answer programmes and
features affecting Muslims and the society
in general.
To ensure that the programmes aired on the
channel meet Islamic principles, a Shariah
Advisory Board was instituted to vet and au-
thorize the programmes before they go on
air. The board is chaired by Sheikh Ahmad
Uthman, the Imam of Landhies mosque and
comprises of five scholars who include two
women.
Horizon Television channel will not only
serve as a forum for transmitting Islamic
IPOA criticizes police chiefs for increased extrajudicial killings
Commanders in the National Police Service
have been blamed for the increased cases
of extrajudicial killings and human rights vio-
lations in the country.
The Independent Policing Oversight Author-
ity (IPOA) pointed an accusing finger at po-
lice commanders for failing to take steps to
comprehend the strict provisions of the law
regarding human rights, use of firearms and
lethal force.
The police watchdog said it imperative for
the leadership in the police service to sen-
sitize officers on the need to adhering to the
law adding that officers must work within the
confines of the constitution and the National
Police Service Act for effective reforms in
the service.
While admitting that police violations are on
the rise, the IPOA head of communications,
e1
Dennis Oketch, said they are probing cases
of enforced disappearances and other forms
of rights abuses by officers.
Progressively, there has been an increase
in allegations of extrajudicial activity, en-
forced disappearances and forms of rights
abuses by police officers in the context of
crime prevention and counter terrorism op-
erations across the country, he said in a
statement on Tuesday.
At the same time IPOA denied reports that
it is unmoved on cases of extrajudicial kill-
ings, enforced disappearances and forms of
rights abuses by police officers in the con-
text of crime prevention and counter terror-
ism operations across the country.
The authority in responding to report in a
section of the media stated that IPOA is
committed and dedicated to investigating
and holding to account those officers found
culpable for commitment of these crimes.
The statement came a day after The Star
newspaper reported on increased police
executions of suspects especially in infor-
mal settlements and the coast and Northern
Kenya region.
Page 2
Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017
teachings to the masses but will also pro-
vide a platform for engagement, dialogue
and discussion on societal issues in the
country to both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Council of Kenya
Muslims (SUPKEM) has lauded and wel-
comed the setting up and launch of the Is-
lamic channel Horizon TV.
Speaking to the Friday Bulletin, Supreme
Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) dep-
uty secretary general Hassan Ole Naado
commended Jamia Mosque Committee for
the initiative noting that it has come at the
right time and it is a special Ramadhan gift
to Muslims in Kenya.
He pointed out that the setting up of the
channel is a milestone and in fulfilment of
a longstanding dreams of the Muslim audi-
ence and viewership, adding that the Islam-
Oketch further said it appreciates the role of
the Police in prevention of crime and main-
tenance of law and order and that it will
continue to play its rightful role of holding
the police to account for its actions. In do-
ing so, IPOA will continue to undertake its
investigations in a professional manner ob-
serving the highest standards of integrity,
he said.
He noted that the authority has received
reports from residents in Dandora, Mathare
and the major slums in Nairobi on allega-
tions of extra judicial killings committed by
the police.
The officer pointed out that investigations
take time to complete depending on various
complexities that may lie within the investi-
gations themselves. For complainants, they
25 madrassa students arrested on suspicion
Continued From Page 1
days without charging them in a court of law
saying their action was unconstitutional.
It is illegal and unacceptable for the po-
lice to hold them for more than 24 hours
without the knowledge of their parents.
Why detain them for six days when a single
day is enough to carry out investigations
an enraged Shariff Hussein told the Friday
Bulletin on Tuesday.
Shariff Hussein demanded an apology from
the police saying they must respect funda-
mental rights and freedom of worship as
enshrined in the constitution.
Kilifi director of criminal investigations
Christopher Chesoli said the police de-
tained the youth after learning they were
over the age of eighteen years and were
drawn from different parts of the country.
He added that police were conducting in-
vestigations on the students to establish
the reasons for their assembly.
We wanted to establish whether they were
ic oriented television channel will articu-
late issues of concern in the community
and cater for the unique and vast needs
of Muslim population in Kenya and East
Africa region at large and also contribute
to the propagation of Islam.
With a lot of Islamophobia and miscon-
ceptions growing around the world, in-
cluding our own country, this is a great
achievement and blessing indeed. This
is a wonderful platform for the Muslims
and non-Muslims to learn more about Is-
lam, said Ole Naado.
The channel will initially broadcast in
Nairobi and surrounding areas and the
signal will be available through digital
television decoders which include Star
Times, Go TV, Bamba TV, ADN and the
free to air decoders.
may feel frustrated by this unpredictable
time and conclude that nothing is being
done.
''As IPOA, we want to assure all com-
plainants of the authoritys commitment
to take their complaints to logical conclu-
sions. Holding to account culpable of-
ficers and vindicating wrongly accused
ones as well,'' he said.
In the effort to take its services closer
to the people, the Independent Policing
Oversight Authority this year set up of-
fices in Mombasa, Kisumu and Garissa.
Arrangements to adequately staff and
resource the offices are at an advanced
stage to ensure members of the public
can access IPOA services from decen-
tralized points across the country.
gathered for madrassa classes or for
other hidden agendas, said Chesoli.
The youth drawn from Isiolo, Mandera,
Wajir, Ijara, Marsabit and Tana River
were initially housed at Chumani Tahfigh
Centre learning Islamic studies but were
later moved to the Mosque to create
room for orphaned girls.
REVERTS SEMINAR
Jamia Mosque is pleased to inform
the graduates from the revertee pro-
gramme (advanced and basic) that
there will be a one day seminar on 2nd
April 2017 at Jamias Multi-Purpose
Hall.
Time: 8:30 4:00pm. Those interested
can register at the Dawah office or call
0721427280, 0720680142
The Friday Bulletin
A quick guide to social media etiquette- Islamic adab and manners while interacting
Sheikh Ahsan Hanif
Islam is a complete and comprehensive
religion. All the guidance that we could
possibly need can be found within the
teachings of the Qurn and Sunnah. Al-
lah says, And We have revealed to you
the Book which clarifies everything, and it
is a guidance, mercy and source of good
tidings for the Muslims. (16:89) Thus, in
every issue, religious or worldly, classical
or contemporary, our religion has some
guidance concerning it.
A very good example of this is the teach-
ings we find in the Qurn vis--vis the way
we interact with others and the words we
utter. Allah says, And We have already
created man and know what his soul whis-
pers to him, and We are closer to him than
his jugular vein. When the two receivers
receive, seated on the right and on the left.
Man does not utter any word except that
with him is an observer prepared. [50:16-
18]
These verses inform us that every word
we utter is being recorded, and will then be
presented before us on the Day of Judge-
ment. The Prophet peace be upon said in
the narration of Bill ibn al-rith, Indeed
a man says a word from that which pleas-
es Allah, and he never thinks anything of
it, but Allah will record for him His pleasure
due to it until the Day of Judgement. And
indeed a man will utter a word from that
which angers Allah, and he never thinks
anything of it, but Allah will record for him
His anger due to it until the Day of Judge-
ment.[ a al-Jmi] it is not.
Applying the above verse and adth in
a contemporary context, we must under-
stand that these rulings and etiquettes do
not only apply to the spoken word but also
to the written word. We live now in a time
where we communicate just as much by
writing text messages, emails, What-
sApp, Facebook posts, tweets, etc. as
we do verbally.
In fact, visual communication is also
popular know in the form of Instagram.
The problem however, is that although
we know that we should not lie when we
speak, nor backbite, cheat, slander, swear
and so on, we do not apply this knowledge
into what we write, post or tweet. Howev-
er, the same etiquettes we use in speech
should be observed in the world of social
and online media too.
The good of social media
I want to begin by saying that social media
is not evil in and of itself. It is a means,
and like other means such as wealth or
technology, it can be used for good or
bad. Thus, it is the user who relegates it to
harming and offending others.
There is much good for which social media
can be used. It can be used as a means
of connecting with family and joining the
ties of kinship, communicating with friends
and increasing the bonds of love, remind-
DA'WAH Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017
on the internet
ing others of Allah and benefitting them in
this life and the next.
The Prophet said, The one who guides
to good is [rewarded] like the doer.[ al-
Tirmidh] In another narration, the Prophet
said, The most beloved of people to Allah
are those most beneficial to others.[ Al-
Silsilah al-aah]
The reality of social media
Social media is an outlet to instantane-
ously connect with others on a mass level.
However sometimes we misunderstand its
purpose and role, or confuse it and sub-
stitute it for other things. Social media is
not a place of Islamic study or where one
can become a Muslim scholar. It is not the
place for in-depth discussion and debate
on complicated and detailed issues which
require years of study and knowledge of
the various branches and disciplines of Is-
lamic studies.
People with the most likes on Facebook
or followers on Twitter are not necessar-
ily the most knowledgeable, wise and ma-
ture of scholars. Social media following is
neither a qualification nor a measure of pi-
ety. YouTube views do not by themselves
mean that a lecture is the most authentic
or authoritative on a subject.
These things may seem obvious when
expressed like this, but sometimes many
of us treat social media in this way, know-
ingly or unknowingly. We therefore need
view social media for what it is and what
The wildfire of social media
We live in the age of fake news, but we
also live in the age of fake fatwas and pe-
culiar opinions. We see social media be-
ing used to besmirch the honour of others,
and especially our scholars, imams and
preachers. It is bad enough that we have to
contend with such issues. Yet what makes
this phenomenon substantially worse is
the culture of forwarding. In this manner,
a single rumour initiated by one person
spreads like wildfire across the world.
We are responsible not only for the things
we say and write, but also what we are
party to. If you help to spread something,
be sure it is correct and authentic. Dont
fall for the line, If you love Allah/Islam/the
Prophet then forward this. The falsehood
you help to spread and facilitate is also in
your record of deeds.
The Prophet peace be upon him warned
us against such things in the narration of
Samurah, I saw in my dream last night
that two men came to me, took me by my
hands and transported me to the blessed
land. There I saw a man sitting, and anoth-
er standing with a metal hook in his hand.
The standing man placed the hook inside
the sitting mans mouth, into his inner
cheek and pulled with such force until he
tore his mouth and reached the back of his
head. He then did the same with the other
cheek, by which time the first cheek was
healed. He then returned to the first and
did the same The angels said, As for the
man whose cheeks were torn, it was the
one who spread a lie until it reached the
ends of the world, so this is his punishment
until the Day of Judgement.[Bukhari]
General etiquettes
Using social media whilst hidden behind
a screen or using a pseudonym, does
not give you carte blanche to write what
you please. Rather, Allah sees, hears and
knows what you do, and the angels still re-
cord it. Therefore:
1. Maintain good character always The
Prophet said, There is nothing heavier on
the scales on the Day of Judgement than
good character.[Tirmidhi]
2. Respect others The Prophet peace be
upon him said, The Muslim is the one who
others are safeguarded from his hand and
tongue.[ a al-Jmi]
3. Do not attack the honour of others The
Prophet peace be upon him said, Indeed
the worst type of usury is to attack the
honour of another Muslim unjustly.[Abu
Dawud]
Writing is like speaking
Although the person you write to or about
may not be in front of you, you should act
as if they are. Things which are prohibited
when speaking are also prohibited when
writing.
1. Do not belittle others The Prophet
be upon him said, It is sufficient evil for
a Muslim to belittle his fellow brother.[
a Muslim]
2. Do not lie The Prophet peace be upon
him said, A person may leave their house
and say a lie which then reaches the hori-
zons.[ a al-Bukhr]
3. Do not swear or curse The Prophet
was not one who cursed, swore or spoke
vainly.[ a al-Bukhr]
4. Do not backbite Allah says, Do not
spy on one another nor backbite one an-
other. [49:12]
5. Be gentle, polite and forbearing The
Prophet said, The strong is not the one
who can out-wrestle another, but the one
who controls his anger.[a al-Bukhr]
Continued To Page 6
JAMIA MOSQUE QUR-AAN AND
HADIYTH COMPETITTION 1438 H/ 2017 CE
Registration for this years competition is
now open. Madrasah or Islamic Institution
wishing to be included in the Qur-aan and
Hadiyth competitions should register with
the Dawah Office in Jamia on or before 03rd
Rajab 1438 H/ 31st March 2017. The partici-
pating Madaaris should be in Nairobi County
and its Environs. Late Registration will not be
entertained.
Page 3
The Friday Bulletin
Nikah vs zinaa: what have we done to the religion?
Lubnah Abdulhalim
In this era, a weddings expenses could
cost you a life time debt and maybe even
after you die, your children coming after you
will still have to continue with the payment.
Just the preparation of the bride could take
around a hundred thousand Kenyan Shil-
lings; her gown, her shoes, the henna, the
make-up, the hair stylist, the new clothes,
the jewellery and so much more.
Then comes the dowry whereby a lady or
maybe the family could demand for another
three to five hundred thousand and some
demand for as much as a million; maybe
she sweats udd who knows? lol After that
comes the walimah itself and we have the
lunch event, the night event with so glori-
fied names that if you have never attended
such, you would be curious to attend one.
When it comes to the feeding celebrations,
now that is where no one wants to be left
behind.
Everyone wants their wedding to be the
one to be talked about forever. They will
decorate the hall excessively; forgetting
that it is just some countable hours event.
They will ensure there is a variety of food
that may remain till the end of the week
and even feed a whole ummah from it.
Well I am sure even as reading this, some
people would be cursing me inside and
saying, its the biggest day for a lady and
it just happens once. She deserves it. But
hey! we are forgetting a very important
thing here; what is the impact of such big
events and demands for high dowry? What
does it do to the other youth watching what
is happening?
A young lad could think: I have my beauti-
ful girlfriend; a lady and a half. All it could
ever cost me to take her to bed is a candle
night dinner and a romantic film or probably
just a walk to the movies with our popcorn
and after that she is all mine or for some,
it just costs him giving her some money to
go do her hair, manicure and pedicure
oh! my world is complete! If this lad does
this every week or even once in a month or
whatever time, he is by no far a husband
to the lady.
You hear people calling their girlfriends
wifey or the lady calling him hubby and
people find it so amusing; aww they are
so cute. And for the parents and elders
they will be cursing them; but what do we
expect from young people when you have
clearly shown them that being in a relation-
ship is the short cut to everything? I get
the girl with no much expense, no stress of
having to stay with her all the time, no big
threat of getting children and to top it up
is that I have my freedom! Isnt that what
most people want? And we are the ones
playing a bigger role in making them play
the hubby and wifey game.
So what have we done to the religion of
Allah? Havent we made zinaa the easier
way out by the day? If a guy loves some
girl then he will see, why should i bother
marry her; have to get loans for the dowry
and wedding expenses, plus there will be
Page 4
WOMEN Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017
much bigger responsibilities to come, when
I can have her right now for some pen-
nies? Isnt this probably the reason why
the prophet peace be upon him said that
the most blessed nikah is the one with the
least expenses?
To all the mothers. fathers and guardians
out there; save your children from zinaa
by making the dowry and nikah expenses
low. Dont scare off young men with large
amounts that could give them heart at-
tacks by the end of it. I hear some parents
go to the extent of listing down how much
Is media to blame, or is it just a case of bad parenting?
Maher Budeir
We often hear the phrases, When I was
your age, or The youth these days are
different or, It is all because of access to
video games and other bad stuff on Face-
book, when we hear our elders speaking
of the younger generation. But, is it really
so?
Is the current generation really worse
off?
Are the media and technology advance-
ments we are witnessing ruining the chanc-
es of this generation becoming responsible
enough to carry the torch of the Muslims?
Will they be able to advance the positive
impact of Islam in our communities? Or do
we have a case of a lag in parenting and
failing to keep up with the changes in me-
dia, technology and society?
Are parents being too lazy to manage the
change and, instead, they blame the media
for their inability to adapt and actively ad-
just their style of parenting.
The impact of media
There is no question that media impacts
human thinking, feeling and even behavior.
However, this impact can be negative or
positive. It is a double-edged sword how
we use this tool can greatly determine the
outcome.
For example, one can say using Facebook
is a huge waste of time. One can spend
hours and hours and accomplish so little,
and risk being exposed to harmful informa- nothing else to do. When we decide to use
tion. At the same time, one who connects
to the right people using the same tool and
seeks information that can help and en-
hance oneself professionally, socially, and
spiritually can argue that advancement in
media has tremendous benefits. In that
case, this same tool becomes a positive
window for self improvement and develop-
ment, for better connectivity, for accessing
knowledge that simply was not possible 15
years ago.
Simply bad parenting?
If we take this further, one can argue that
while the tools are evolving and technology
is changing, parenting has not caught up.
Traditional parenting is still highly regarded
in most circles, and people are still im-
pressed when a parent recounts how he or
she kept things under control, with no Inter-
they spent on their daughters education
throughout her life and that ends up being
her dowry amount. Parents, what you for-
get is, this young man can easily convince
your daughter to sleep around with her with
no much effort if they were in love.
So if this young man has respected her to
date and he was a gentleman enough to
come for her officially dont turn them away
for dowry purposes. For sure, you wouldnt
want your daughters dignity to be killed
just for some popcorn and a movie.
net in the house till high school, or that he
did not allow his middle-schooler to access
a smart phone. In fact, one can say that
what that parent is doing is taking the easy
way out pretending we are still in the
1980s, and that we only need to do what
our parents did, without having to learn to
manage the current conditions.
The fact is, new conditions require learn-
ing new skills and different approaches and
that is hard work because it takes studying,
research and consulting. It is much more
difficult than simply doing what we watched
our parents do.
So, how do i manage media with my
kids?
There is no simple answer.
This depends on the ages of the kids, how
many and how far apart they are in age,
technological literacy of both parents, the
home environment, and the level of inter-
action with their friends, neighbors, and
other kids in the community.
With the absence of one set of rules that
works for everyone, some general guide-
lines are in order:
Manage your life by design
Be deliberate when you use media. Have
a purpose and a goal and then find the best
medium to learn or connect. Teach your
family to do the same thing. We should
not watch television just because we have
media, there has to be a specific goal. It is
not the default activity.
Set up your media hardware for success
Television should not be in the center of
the family room, featured as the thing to do
once you walk in. At the same time, desig-
nate one or two spaces in the house that
are accessible and within view to place the
main desktop and even little tables in the
same room to use laptops. Set up expec-
tations that laptops stay in these spaces,
to make sure parents can easily view what
younger family members are watching, not
to spy on them, but to take the opportunity
to interact with them and teach them about
the proper ways to use this technology.
Make these spaces comfortable and fun,
so kids are encouraged to use them in view
Continued To Page 6
 The Friday Bulletin
Like-O-Mania: Are you obsessed with your social media?
Dr Farhat Zafar
When was the last time you checked your
countless social media apps to see the
number of likes and shares for your post?
Just a minute ago, or within the last hour?
Since the growing popularity of social me-
dia a decade back, like-o-mania has affect-
ed many individuals. This is when we write
and share posts, create pages and groups
and spend quality time all to fame in the
virtual world of social media.
People nowadays have become addicted
to uploading pictures of what they wear,
things they cook and eat, places they go
onto their social media platforms the list
is endless! According to some reports on
average 4.7 hours a day (a third of our day,
if we are awake for 16 hours!) is spent on
our smartphones. We must ask ourselves,
if we are awake for 16 hours a day how
much of this time is spent doing things that
are useful? In this article, we will consid-
er the implications of wastage of time on
smartphones, and how it is destructive to
our productivity.
How does our social media timeline af-
fect us as Muslims?
It is now incredibly easy to respond and re-
act to anything and everything in our social
media newsfeed. It has instilled an urge to
react even to the matters of little concern
sometimes solely for being noticed by peo-
ple. However, the teachings of Islam tell us
that we should not become involved in mat-
ters that do no good to anyone or can trick
us to get into arguments; it can be even a
false news. The Messenger of Allah peace
be upon him said, Part of the perfection of
ones Islam is his leaving that which does
not concern him. [Hadith Nawawi]
But, this is not what I want to shed light on
in this article rather how the obsession of
likes and shares steals away our excel-
lence without us even knowing.
Seeking attention on social media
The main goal of social media sharing is
to gain the attention of the people while
boasting and taking pride in halal and
haram activities that are posted. Here are
some matters through which people attract
attention on social media:
1. Marital life
We may be living with the person in the
same house, but it has become a trend (or
an essential!) to post birthday wishes, an-
niversary wishes or grand declarations of
love on networking sites. Gestures of love
that should be personal and special be-
tween the husband and wife are uploaded
for the whole world to see. This is as un-
pleasant as living in a house with glass
walls all around, with all private on-goings
made public for all to witness.
Quick tip: Instead of posting a romantic
status, say these words to your spouse di-
rectly and watch how the love between you
two grows.
2. Luxuries and food
It has become normal to see posts such as
I just checked into this swanky hotel! and
here Im with my brand new phone/laptop/
YOUTH Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017
car. This gives validation to the individual
as we show the whole world the material
things that Allah blessed us with.
Quick tip: Instead of posting a picture of
your latest gadget, make dua to Allah that
it will benefit you in this world and the Here-
after.
3. Beauty
Looking awesome, bro! Hey, you look
beautiful! These comments are like drugs
for some and they just cannot live without
them. They get into the habit of dressing
up and posting pictures with deep quotes
and then, chase those posts all day long
to see how many likes and comments they
get. In an age of advanced photo-editing,
men and women are desperate to attain an
unrealistic body image, with constant self-
ies to try and build up their self-worth.
Quick tip: Next time you want to post a
selfie, post a picture of beautiful scenery
or nature instead and ponder over Allahs
creation, so that we learn to detach from
our ego. Believe that Allah is Al-Musawwir
(The Fashioner), Who fashioned you in the
best shape you do not need to display
and get approval of from the world.
4. Agonies
It is not just the happy moments, people
also go on to share their agonies and pain-
ful moments with the whole world, be it a
failed love story, a broken marriage or an
ailment they may be suffering from.
Quick tip: In order to be successful, we are
required to be patient during trials. Com-
plaining to people contributes to being
ungrateful towards the Lord and hence,
should be avoided. We also end up expos-
ing our weaknesses to friends and foes.
So expose your problems only to Allah and
seek His help.
5. Religious duties
The sad reality is that the attention seek-
ing behavior has crossed the boundaries
and infiltrated our religious duties as well.
More of worshippers are found busy filming
themselves in Haramain rather than con-
centrating on worshipping Allah.
Quick tip: Keep your ibadah a secret!
Adverse effects of like-o-mania
1. It is a waste of time
We do not realize how much time we may
A taste of Horizon TV
A screengrab of 'Baraza la Fiqh' one of the Horizon TV programmes featuring Ja-
mia mosque Da'awa officer Muhammad Sheikh (left), deputy imam Sheikh Juma
Amir (centre) and Jamia Imam Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu.
be losing because of our attention seeking
activities. Being obsessed and preoccu-
pied in a continuous display of our looks,
accessories, gadgets etc., and the urge to
have the maximum number of likes, leads
us to check and re-check our networking
apps, upload new photos and update our
check-in status every day. Thus, a large
proportion of our time which we may have
spent in actually improving our talents and
productivity is spent browsing the smart-
phone like a dummy on a couch.
2. It increases obsession and insecurity
When we intend to gain worldly admira-
tion, we try to increase the actions which
give us likes and shares. Awake or asleep,
on the prayer mat or at the dining table,
our mind starts to worry about it! Gradu-
ally, worldly gain and loss start to matter
more than internal peace and spirituality.
Keeping an eye on what other people think
about us, and what other people are doing,
causes envy and jealousy, and a vicious
cycle of competition. Consider when Allah
says, Competition in [worldly] increase di-
verts you, Until you visit the graveyards.
[Quran: Chapter 102, Verses 1 2]
At this point, we must remember that not
every person who likes our uploads is nec-
essarily happy about our success and hap-
piness. And, when we step into the reality,
it may be shocking to realize that we are
not as admired by others as the number of
likes on our pictures may suggest.
3. It disturbs and distracts others
While posting all the happy moments, new
gadgets, tours and dining plates on social
media, we need to be careful of the evil
eye. The evil eye can cause a break in
relationships, a fall in health and a loss of
wealth and property.
Additionally, we must realize that many
people out there are not blessed with what
we have or may be in great need. The more
we post about our material things, the more
possible it is to sadden and distract peo-
ple who have less than us. This can make
them feel bad, ashamed or ungrateful for
what they do not have. We should also re-
member that the luxuries we do have, can
be taken away by Allah at any time.
4. It fosters riyaa and insincerity
For any acts of worship or good deeds to
Continued To Page 6
Page 5
The Friday Bulletin
Big congrats to Jamia for lauching Horizon TV Channel
Umar Sakwa
We wish to take this opportunity to join oth-
ers institutions and leadership in sending
our message of congratulations to Jamia
Mosque Committee at this auspicious oc-
casion of launching their station Horizon
television station?
I wish to acknowledge and recognize Ja-
mia Mosque Committee for its service to
the umma in matters of religious affairs
and nation at large. The initiative sends a
clear demonstration to all of us of your zeal
and determination in restoring the Honor
of Islam and Muslim in the Country.
As a community we wish to reiterate that
nothing can compensate the efforts and
commitment the Committee undertook in
Islamic adab and manners while interacting on the internet
Continued From Page 3
Online modesty
One of the dangers of social media is that
people view it as a platform to expose their
sins, or to make things public which oth-
erwise they would keep private. We have
a false sense of security online as we be-
lieve things we do anonymously are only
seen by individuals we wish to share them
with. Yet the reality is often the opposite.
Keep things private if they deserve to be
kept so and respect the privacy of oth-
ers. Be modest and shy online and do not
showcase your sins.
1. Respect the privacy of others The
Prophet peace be upon him said, From
the beauty of ones Islam is to leave that
which does not concern them.[Tirmidhi] In
another narration, he also said, Whoever
veils a believer will be veiled by Allah in
this life and the next.[ a al-Bukhr] the media overcomes our hearts and occu-
2. Lower your gaze online Allah says,
Tell the believing men to lower their
gaze And tell the believing women to
lower their gaze [24:30-31]
3. Do not use social media to interact with
the opposite gender in an unlawful way
The Prophet peace be upon him said, A
man should not be secluded with a woman
unless her mahram is with her.[ a al- of line, explain the consequences and the
Bukhr]
4. Do not boast about your sins online
The Prophet peace be upon him said, All
of my nation will be forgiven except for
those who sin publicly. Indeed from this is
a man who sins at night, and he awakes
with Allahs veil over that sin.
He then goes and tells someone about
what he did. He slept with Allahs veil over
him and awoke to shed that veil from him-
self.[ a al-Bukhr] with emotions. It is much easier to teach
The above are some of the etiquettes that
we should observe in the world of social
media. Most importantly, if we have the
fear of Allah and are conscious of Him in
our hearts, knowing that all our words, ac-
tions and writings are being recorded and
then will be presented before us, we will
surely think twice before disobeying Allah
Page 6
OPINION Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017
realizing this station. It is our hope and
believe that Allah alone knows what to
reward but we pray to him to reward you
abundantly in this world and hereafter.
While celebrating this success, we wish to
remind the Committee that the expectation
the ummah are enormous that cannot be
measured. But we promise your institution
that we shall walk with you through this
journey.
The Muslim community have heard a very
rough time in the past years with our main
stream media houses with their negative
portrayal of Islam and Muslim.
Alhamdulillah today Allah has blessed Ja-
mia Mosque Committee with his bounties
and harming others, whether in person or
behind a screen.
May Allah guide us to that which pleases
Him, and safeguard us from evil, and pro-
tect our tongues and limbs from harming
others.
Parenting on media
Continued From Page 4
of the parents. These spaces can be in the
living room, homework room, family office
space, den, or even the breakfast room.
Keep an eye on the clock
Before we engage in using media it is good
to predetermine how much time we are go-
ing to allow ourselves to do this activity.
Lets plan our time and make sure we do
not indulge to the point that the content of
on our rewards.
pies a huge portion of our time, mind, heart
or spirit.
Know your kids media
Check out the content and the rating of
what the kids are watching or playing. Take
some time and play with them and share
the activities. Use the media to become
their friend. When you see something out
gration is to that for which he migrated.
risk of engaging in media with negative
content.
Teach kids conflict resolution
At a very early age, when kids are watch-
ing cartoons, explain to them the right way
to manage conflict, to deal with problems
and disagreements. Talk to your 3-year-
old about not using their hands when they
disagree with someone. Teach them proper
language and proper techniques to deal
these techniques at an earlier age.
We are living in a time when an incredible
store of resources, information and tools is
available at our fingertips to access, con-
nect, create, and innovate. Finding the
right way to manage all that so it works in
our favor is essential for our own progress
and learning.
and have given them this opportunity to
open a new chapter in the daawah history
of this country.
Finally we need to acknowledge and ap-
preciate that the success of Horizon Tel-
evision depends on all our efforts from in-
dividual to Community at all our levels. We
all understand that the journey of a thou-
sand mile begin with a step. Allah says in
the Holy Quran Allah will not change the
(good) conditions of a people as long as
they do not change their state of (good-
ness) themselves Quran 13:11)
The writer is the coordinator Nairobi
Area Muslim Association (NAMSA)
Social media obsession
Continued From Page 5
be accepted, there are two conditions: It
should be based on the sunnah of Proph-
et Muhammad peace be upon him and, it
should be done with the sincere intention
to please Allah . Showing off in religious
acts is called riyaa. Riyaa means to per-
form acts which are pleasing to Allah with
the intention of pleasing others.
Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him
explains in a hadith that riyaa is a form of
shirk: Shall I not tell you of that which I fear
more for you than Dajjal? We said: Yes.
He said: Hidden polytheism; when a man
stands to pray and makes it look good be-
cause he sees a man looking at him. [Su-
nan Ibn Majah]
Riyaa is not just limited to acts of worship
like salah and sawm, but any good deeds
such as giving charity or helping others that
may be done to show off to the people rath-
er than earning the pleasure of the most
glorious Lord and it has a diminishing effect
The Messenger of Allah said, Actions
are (judged) by niyyah (motives), so each
man will have what he intended. Thus, he
whose hijrah (migration) was to Allah and
His Messenger, his migration is to Allah
and His Messenger; but he whose migra-
tion was for some worldly thing he might
gain, or for a wife he might marry, his mi-
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
5. It instills pride
The person who makes a wanton display
of his blessings granted to him/her by Allah
and gains likes from people, believes him/
herself to be admired by the people and may
think oneself to be superior. While boasting
and publicizing our luxuries, looks, and pi-
ety, we must remind ourselves of the stern
warnings of Prophet Muhammed peace
be upon him. He who has in his heart the
weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not
enter Paradise. A person (amongst his
hearers) said: Verily a person loves that
his dress should be fine, and his shoes
should be fine. The Holy Prophet peace
be upon remarked: Verily, Allah is Graceful
and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the
truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for
the people. [Sahih Muslim]
The Friday Bulletin
Work extra hard in studies, Muslim students told
Muslim students both in primary
and secondary schools across
the country have been advised
to work hard in their studies for a
brighter future.
Speaking at Alim High School
in Machakos County during the
prize giving day, Fatma Hyder
urged the students to show will-
ingness in studies by performing
well in order to get support from
parents, teachers, leaders and
the many organizations that are
out to help bright needy students.
The former SUPKEM Women af-
fairs director lauded the success
of Muslim students at the institu-
tion for their sterling performance
in national exams stating that is
a clear demonstration in restoring
the honor of Islam and Muslims
in academic sphere and asked
them to be good to ambassadors
of Islam while at the school and
afterwards.
Fatma told the students that they
have an opportunity to write a
history of choice and be whoever
they want to be in life by working
extra hard in academic and co-
curriculum activities in order to
achieve their very best.
You must have a vision and
know what you want to achieve
whether going to a university or a
tertiary institute which you should
work towards, she said.
She urged the students to set a
target and work towards achiev-
ing it saying this will make them
to be well prepared to excel with
flying colors come November
when the candidates will be do-
Chief Maalim vouches for single Islamic
syllabus in Prisons
There is need for prison Mus-
lim chaplaincy section to have
a common syllabus which will
guide how inmates are taught in
prisons nationwide.
These sentiments were made by
Prison department Chief Maalim
Sheikh Abbas Matker who said
his office was in the process of
coming up with the curriculum
that will assist in streamlining
teaching and learning in correc-
tional facilities across the country.
Speaking last week on Wednes-
day at the official opening of a
new mosque at Ruiru G.K Prison,
Sheikh Abbas pointed out that
lack of guide and reference ma-
terials on what Muslim inmates
are to be taught was hindering
their spiritual development hence
the need for Islamic syllabus to
be developed to streamline the
teaching of Islamic studies in
prisons.
At the present Muslim chaplaincy
NATIONAL
Fatma Hyder addresses students of Alim High school during the prize giving day ceremony.
Sitting from right to left are Ghalib Tamim, the chairman of school board of management,
Hamisi Teuzi school principal and Alim High school founder Dr. Ahmed Yusuf.
ing the final exams. The best
present as a student you can
give to your parents is to per-
form well in your studies and
make your parent proud of you,
she told the students.
She lauded the founder of Alim
High School, Dr Ahmed Yussuf
for his role in promoting educa-
tion in the Muslim community
and called on other Muslim pro-
fessionals to emulate the same
to contribute to the development
of the community.
Fatma urged parents to ensure
they support their students aca-
demics by playing their roles as
responsible parents. She also
appealed to teachers to ensure
they do their best in the roles
of educating the students and
shaping their future.
Teachers are the unsung he-
roes and must define on how
section has no common curricu-
lum and reference materials this
has been and still a challenge to
both prison Maalims and Muslim
inmates. We need to join hands
in developing a comprehensive
united syllabus that will be used
in all prisons across the country
for proper guidance and learn-
ing, he added.
The chief maalim said his office
will involve in more engagement
with Muslim scholars and other
stakeholders to collect their
views on how to develop an all-
round curriculum which will ap-
propriately serve all Muslims.
Sheikh Abbas noted that single
curriculum will provide a correct
methodology for Muslim maal-
ims and inmates in prisons and
added that Muslim scholars and
educationists should take the
initiative so that they can guide
the process in the right direction
to fill the gap.
Jamadal Ul-Thaany 25,1438/March 24, 2017
they want to be remembered in the teaching career by helping
to form an educated society, she said.
In his address Dr Ahmed Yussuf pledged that Alim High School
will continue with its strides in providing quality education to the
Muslim students in order for them to play important role in the
society and the nation at large.
We want to produce responsible boys that will play important
roles in the community to promote social economic develop-
ment. We will continue supporting boys' education at all cost
to ensure they are not left behind in development matters, he
said.
Huruma Qubaa mosque appeals for funds
The management and committee of Qubaa Mosque in Huruma,
Nairobi is appealing to well-wishers to support it raise 3 million
shillings for the purchase of land on which the mosque is to be
constructed.
The current mosque is too small to accommodate the huge
number of worshippers due to the growing number of Muslims
in the area. The committee has identified an alternative land for
the expansion of the mosque at the cost of 5.5 million shillings.
Through the efforts of the committee and support from well-
wishers they have raised an amount of 2.5 million shillings.
The Chairman of the mosque committee Godana Dida has ap-
pealed to the Muslim community for their support in this noble
initiative and help raise the remaining 3 million shillings to pur-
chase the land for the mosque.
Well-wishers can make their contributions and donations to-
wards the fund through account number 0115417340800 Co-
operative Bank.
For more details regarding the mosque you can get in touch
with Mosque chairman Godana Dida 0731278708 and commit-
tee secretary Siko Wormedawa 0707598420.
IRE/ARABIC ADMISSION 2017
Kibabii and Kagumo Teachers Training Diploma Colleges have lim-
ited spaces for applicants who wish to train in IRE and/ or Arabic
for 2017 intake.
The requirements for admission are:
1. A mean Grade of C+ in KCSE.
2. At least a C in English if it is not a Teaching subject.
3. A D+ in Mathematics.
4. Should have done IRE at Form 4 and got atleast a C+.
5. Should have at least a C+ in the second teaching subject. The
second teaching subject can be History, English, Kiswahili, Geog-
raphy or Arabic.
For those interested please contact: Mr Ibrahim Juma of Kibabii at
0722 987 302
Omar Mangari of Kagumo at 0724 415 216 or visit MEC office at
Jamia Plazza.
Page 7
 Social media movement raises over
$1M for Somalia famine
When used correctly, social media can be a powerful tool to reach
thousands of people at any given moment. Put a little celebrity
power behind that and you can do a lot of good.
That was the idea behind the celeb-driven, "Love Army For Soma-
lia," which wanted to literally fill up a Turkish Airline plane with food
and water, and immediately deliver it to aid people affected by the
Somalian famine.
This movement actually all started with the Twitter hashtag #Turk-
ishAirlinesHelpSomalia, as Vine and Snapchat star Jerome Jarre
urged his following to help aid Somalia in their time of crippling
famine. In his video, he passionately talked about the people of
Somalia losing their means of water, food, and livestock:
From there, social media activist Chakabars Clarke got involved,
along with YouTube celebrity Casey Neistat who posted a video
entitled, "We have 10 days to get a Million Dollar$," as he let his
following of 6.7 million YouTubers know that there are over 6 mil-
lion Somalians currently affected by the terrible drought, and need
help.
The reason they wanted to team with Turkish Airlines is because
it is the only airline that flies into Somalia. Fortunately, Turkish Air-
lines immediately showed their support for the movement, saying
they were ready to go:
Then the big guns came in, as actor Ben Stiller, yes, the guy from
Meet The Parents, offered his Stiller Foundation as a vessel to
raise the money, as they all vowed total transparency with the
money, and that the food would directly help the people of Soma-
lia.
After it was all set up, the help began to pour in from over 68,000
people, even celebrities such as Calvin Harris, NFL player/activ-
ist Colin Kaepernick, and countless YouTube personalities, as the
GoFundMe campaign reached over $1 million in less than a day.
As of this writing, the campaign is three days old, with over $1.8
million raised, and will continue until March 27, as they support
continues to rain down.
,PSHULDO
HGXFDWLRQFRQVXOWDQWV
6WXG\
6WXG\,Q
$EURDG
8.
1DLUREL%UDQFK 0RPEDVD%UDQFK
PDOD\VLD
WK)ORRU QG)ORRU
$P%DQN+RXVH
8QLYHUVLW\ZD\
WXUNH\
0RWRUZDOOD%XLOGLQJ
-RPR.HQ\DWWD
$Y0RPEDVD
1DLUREL
F\SUXV
2SS*XOVKDQ
Spiritual care for the sick
Scientific and technological advances of the past century has tend-
ed to change the focus of medicine from a caring and service ori-
ented model to a technological, cure-oriented model. Technology
has led to phenomenal advances in medicine and has given us the
ability to prolong life. However, in the past few decades physicians
have attempted to balance their care by reclaiming medicine's
more spiritual roots, recognizing that until modern times spiritual-
ity was often linked with health care. Spiritual or compassionate
care involves serving the whole personthe physical, emotional,
social, and spiritual. Such service is inherently a spiritual activity.
Helping, fixing, and serving represent three different ways of see-
ing life. When you help, you see life as weak. When you fix, you
see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. Fixing
and helping may be the work of the ego, and service is the work
of the soul. This is where the role of spiritual counsellors come in.
Ummah Foundation for the past decades has dedicated its role
in spiritual and psycho-social support to our patients in various
hospitals. Our designated Sheikh Subki Shee is the expert in this
field as it has become part and parcel of his daily operations. Spir-
itual needs are among an individual's essential requirements in
all places and times. It is therefore even more severe as a major
element of holistic nursing care. Doctors and nurses have come
to appreciate the contribution that our spiritual leaders play in sat-
isfying our patients divine needs. At the end of each session with
the patient, he/she becomes very social, hopeful and will remain
thanking Allah for the grace of life and the hereafter.
Holistic nursing believes in the relationships between body, mind,
and spirit. Nursing therefore requires considering all of these di-
mensions and the relationships among them. In chronic diseas-
es, in addition to enduring physical discomfort the patients are
disturbed by spiritual stress and frequent change of behaviour.
Sheikh Subki will always tell you its all above spending time with
them, holding their hands and discussing about what is important
that the patients real value.
Visiting the sick is a religious obligation upon every Muslim. It is a
major responsibility that every single Muslim is duty-bound to fulfil.
Our Prophet peace be upon him said; The rights of one Muslim
over another Muslim are six When you meet him, you greet him
with the salaam (i.e. to say: As-Salamu alaykum), when he in-
vites you, you accept his invitation, when he consults you in a mat-
ter, you give him sincere advice, when he sneezes and praises Al-
lah swt, you ask Allah to have mercy on him, when he is sick, you
visit him, and when he passes away you accompany him (through
his funeral). Bukhari.
This is how Ummah Foundation operates and encourages every
Muslim to take up this responsibility so that together, our sick will
feel at ease and happy. For those who dont manage to recover
and pass on and had no relatives or left abandoned in morgues,
Ummah Foundation is always there to assist in arranging for a
decent burial.
1UE FKLQD
This visits and spiritual counselling is not limited to any creed, race
1UE or tribe. It is universal as we target everybody to get to know about
0VD XNUDLQH
the beauty of Islam and its virtues in our daily life. This one of the
daawah strategies that all of us should adopt to guide those who
32%R[ need our spiritual interventions.
1DLUREL FDQDGD
Contact us:
,QGLD
LPSHULDOFRQVXOWDQW#JPDLOFRP Ummah Foundation
Village Plaza, 2ND Floor, Ngara Rd
)ROORZ8V$W
 P.O. Box 58717-00200, Nairobi
Tel: +254(20) 20680610/13, Mob: 0734845277

<RXUNH\WRVWXG\LQJDEURDG Email: info@ummahfoundation.net
Web: www.ummahfoundation.net
The Friday Bulletin is a Publication of Jamia Masjid Committee, P. O. Box 100786-00101 Nairobi, Tel: 2243504/5 Fax: 342147
E-mail: fridaybulletin@gmail.com Printed by Signal Press Limited-Lords House-Tom Mboya Street signalpresslimited@gmail.com