BMAMM BAn affiliate of

On Friday 9th November, 2012 the British Muslim Association of Merton (BMAM) held an Eid par-ty and a health seminar in the Council Chamber, Merton Civic Centre, Morden. The Imam of the Morden Islamic Community Centre Sheikh Bilal Patel spoke on the significance of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha. Health Care professionals Ms Maria Mercer from St George’s Hospital and Mr Phil Veasey Director of Strategic Partnership of the MEND Programme, spoke on the subjects of TB and Obesity respectively. Physical health checks for Blood Pressure and Body Mass Index were provided by in-house health professionals.

The Health & Wellbeing project was jointly funded by the Church Urban Fund and London Catalyst (formerly known as the Metropolitan Hospital – Sunday Fund). The event was attend-ed by a large number of the public. A light pro-gramme of devotional songs with background music was also presented. Dinner was provided at the end.

The guests of honour were the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress Cllr & Mrs John Bowcott, Leader of the Council Cllr Stephen Alambritis, Leader of the Council’s Opposition & Conservative Group Cllr Debbie Shears and a number of local Councillors and other dignitaries..

Following photos show highlights of the event.

EID-UL-AZHA PARTY & 2nd HEALTH SEMINAR

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In This Issue • Human Rights in Islam

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• Executive Committee Contacts• Useful Contacts

• Morden Islamic Centre (MICC)• Asian Elderly Group

VOLUME 01ISSUE 03

British Muslim Association of Merton

february2013“In The Name Of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful”

“Serving The Community in the London Borough of Merton & Surrounding Areas”Charity No. 1126769

Newsletter

Seerat-un-Nabi & 3rd Health

Seminar

Will be held on Sat 23rd February 2013 at 6.00 pm at Drake House, 44 St George’s Road, Wimbledon SW19 4ED. Learned scholars of Islam and professional Na’at Khawns will address.Health care profes-sionals will talk on topics of Isolation, Depression, Mental Health & Wellbeing.

BMAM Website

This is now live and active and can be visited by entering:

www.bmam.org.uk

DONATIONS

BMAM is a registered charity and we rely on

your donations.

Any contribution will

be most helpful!

Volunteers

We are always on the look for volunteers to help in the organ-ising of our events and ideas on future events.

If you have ideas on future events or would like to help in the organisation, then please contact us either by email or phone.

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HUMAN RIGHTS IN ISLAM

Since Allah is the absolute and the sole master of mankind and of the universe He has given each human being dignity and honour and breathed into him of His own spirit. It follows that united through Him, all human beings are substantial-ly the same and no tangible distinction can be made among them on account of their acciden-tal differences of nationality, colour or creed.

Qur’an states (Al Baqrah 2: 213) ‘Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with good news and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between peo-ple in matters wherein they differed’. Thus every human being is thereby related to all others and all become a single community of brotherhood in the honourable servitude to the most compassionate Lord of the Universe. In such a universal atmosphere the Islamic be-lief of the oneness of Allah stands dominant and necessarily entails the concept of the oneness of humanity and the brotherhood of all mankind.

Although an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the world, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universally fundamental rights for humanity as a whole.

Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilt without justification. And if anyone vio-lates this sanctity of human blood by killing a soul without justification, Qur’an (Al-Maeda 5: 32) equates it to the killing of the entire man-kind and saving one life is like saving the whole mankind.

One of the glorious example of human rights in Islam, as stated in Qur’an (Al-Hujraat 49: 11 and 12) is the protection of one’s honour i.e not to let one people make fun of another, defame one another, insult by using nicknames, indulge into suspicion, spy on one another or backbite which is considered like eating the flesh of one’s dead brother or enter others’ homes without obtain-ing occupant’s prior consent. In general Qur’an (Al Baqra 2: 83) reminds man-kind to:

‘Worship none but Allah, treat with kindness your parents and near of kin, orphans and those in need, speak fair to the people, be steadfast in prayers and practise charity’.

Women’s RightsPrior to Islam gracing the Arab world,  a wom-an’s position in society was not regarded highly - and as an individual, a woman was not recog-nised in the marriage contract either. With the advent of Islam, their rights were guaranteed by Allah (SWT) Who alone knows what rights are mutually best for the male and female kind.

Qura’n in 4th surah Al-Nisa highlights women’s rights and implications of family relationship. ‘O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him He created his mate (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women, and fear Al-lah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and the ties of relationship: for Allah ever watches over you”.

The Qur’an in Surah Al-Ahzaab (33:35) in ad-dressing the believers, often uses the expression, ‘believing men and women’ to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their re-spective virtues, merits, duties, rights etc.

Prophet Mohammad’s (pbuh) in his last sermon addressed the mutual rights of men and women in Islam as follows:

“ O’ People! Allah says that He has created you from one male and one female and made you into tribes and nations, so as to be known to one another. O’ people! Verily you have got certain rights over your women and your women have certain rights over you. It is your right upon them to honour their conjugal rights, and not to commit acts of impropriety, which if they do, you are authorised by Allah to separate them from your beds and chastise them, but not severely, and if they refrain, then clothe and feed them properly.Behold! It is not permissible for a woman to give anything from the wealth of her husband to anyone but with his consent. Treat women kindly, since they are your helpers and not in a

By: S M Rafique MSc (Ex-Gen Secretary - BMAM)

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position to manage their affairs themselves. Fear Allah concerning women, for verily you have tak-en them on the security of Allah and have made their persons lawful unto you by words of Allah”.

Women in Islam also have the right to education and knowledge. Allah (SWT) encourages women to read and keep up the learning process. In the words of Prophet Muhammad (SAW):

“Seek knowledge even as far as China” and “Seek-ing knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim”. The term Muslim here meaning both male and fe-male, as women are considered the twin halves of men.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: 1: Bangladeshi Community 10.30 am to 2.00 pm

every Wednesdays (females only).

2: Sri Lankan Community 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm last Sunday of the month for family get-together.

3: Turkish Community 10.00 am to 3.00 pm every Saturday and Sunday (youth).

4: Community dish party (family events day or night).

5: Daily running of youth club 7.00 pm to 10.30 pm.

6: Visits by Leader of the Council Cllr Stephen Alambritis, MP for Wimbledon Stephen Ham-mond, local Councillors, Council Officers, Met-ropolitan Police Superintendent Peter Dobson, etc.

7: Visits by various charitable organisations to highlight many a plight around the world. Do-nations collected and distributed to needy and deserving people around the world.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES: 8: Arabic classes 10.00 am to 1.00 pm every Sun-

day.9: Qur’an classes 10.00 am to 1.00 pm every Sun-

day.10: Islamic Education classes 5.00 to 6.30 pm

Monday to Friday.11: LCE - London Centre of Education provides

high quality tuition / education at low cost at weekends.

12: Talk on the Safety and Security issues of trav-elling on London Transport network by PCSO Alec Burns of Merton Safer Transport Team for our younger attendees.

13: Character building lessons in the light of Qur’an and Hadith held at 8 - 9 pm on Mondays and 9.30 - 10.30 pm on Thursdays.

14: Ladies lecture series 8.00 pm to 9.00 pm every Friday.

FUTURE PLANS:Gym facilities will be made available for both male and female members of the community.Medical seminars to promote awareness about general health and wellbeing.Regular Darse sessions on Qur’an and Hadith on Mondays and Thursdays after Isha prayers.

Human Rights in Islam (Continued) Morden Islamic Community Centre

Asian Elderly Group Of Merton - AGMThe Asian Elderly Group of Merton held its AGM on 16 July 2012 at Drake House. Dr Moid Siddiqi (Chairman) welcomed the members and guests and emphasised that AEGM objectives are to cre-ate a fair and genuine multicultural association for the elderly by providing facilities of social welfare, infirmity, disability. Asian elderly look forward to visiting our day centre which offers a range of activities and services such as physical sessions, yoga classes, outings, informative talks and discussions on general health and wellbeing.

In the current economic condition we face the challenge of looking after our elderly to improve their quality of life. The challenge is difficult to address without securing long term funding and volunteer services. Efforts are continuously be-ing made to raise funds and we the Asian Elderly Group are reliant upon the continued support of LBM. Recently LBM announced funding cuts for some charitable organisations including our AEGM.

British Muslim

Association of M

erton

BMAMM BAn affiliate of

“Serving the Comm

unity in the London Borough of Merton”

Emergency (Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigade)Tel: 999

Police-Non EmergencyTel: 101

Police Abbey Safer Neighbourhood TeamTel: 020 8649 3584

Merton Council General EnquiriesTel: 020 8274 4901, www.merton.gov.uk

Anti Social Behaviour HotlineTel: 020 8274 4907

Report GraffitiTel: 020 8545 4109

Report Street Defects, Potholes, Street Lights, Pavements: Tel: 020 8545 3700

Report Fly tipping, Street CleaningTel: 020 8274 4902

Re-cycling, Rubbish collectionTel: 020 8274 4902

Free Bulky Waste CollectionTel: 020 8274 4902www.merton.gov.uk/bulky

MP for WimbledonStephen HammondTel: 0208 944 2905 (Constituency)Tel: 0207 219 1029 (House of Commons)

MP for Mitcham & MordenSiobhan McDonaghTel: 0208 542 4835 (Constituency)Tel: 0207 219 4648 (House of Commons)

ADVERTISEMENTS DISCLAIMERBMAM does not accept responsibility for or endorse any products or services offered by the advertisers.

Charity No. 1126769 Page 4

Useful Contacts

Members on the Executive Committee (EC) of BMAM for the 2012-2014 Term are:

Abdul Latif: Chair (Mobile: 0771 137 6629) Dr Tasneem Mohammadally: Vice Chair (Mobile: 0754 962 8812)

Ibrahim Rizvi: General Secretary (Tel: 0208 540 6829 / 0208 542 4570)Faizan Ahmad: Treasurer (Tel: 0208 330 2541)Karam Elahi Khan: Asst. General Secretary (Tel: 0208 646 1153 / 0784 597 8280)Basir Afridi: Membership & Social Secretary (Tel: 0208 542 9084 / 0750 511 1604)Salma Hashmi: EC Member (Mobile: 0740 510 1628)Dr Moid Siddiqi: EC Member (Tel: 0208 542 9302)Sheikh M Rafique: EC Member (Mobile: 0793 184 4526)Following were co-opted at the EC meeting held on 12th May 2012:Najeeb Latif: News & Media Secretary(Mobile: 0797 626 9393) Usman Sheikh: Health & Youth Secretary(Mobile: 0794 499 1561)Safwan Afridi: Membership SecretaryMobile: 0780 469 5188)

BMAM Executive Committee