Vol 39, No. 1 Rabi Al-Thani 1442, A.H. December, 2020 AFED Business Park Dar es Salaam Amira Apartments Dar es Salaam New AFED Properties Zahra Residency Madagascar on the Horizon Federation News • Conferences: Africa Federation, World Federation, Conseil Regional Des Khojas Shia Ithna-Asheri Jamates De L’ocean Indien. • Health: Understanding the Covid-19 Pandemic. • Opinion: Columns from Writers around the World • Qur’an Competition Az Zahra Bilal Centre Tanga • Jamaat Elections Jangid Plaza epitomizes the style and status of business in the Floor for Shopping Center most prestigious location in Dar Es Salaam with its elegant High Speed Internet access capability design and prominent position to the Oysterbay Area. Businesses gain maximum exposure through its strategic location Fully Controllable Air Conditioning in Each Floor on Ally Hassan Mwinyi Road and its close proximity to the CCTV cameras and access control, monitored from central commercial hub of Dar Es Salaam a prime location for security room world-class companies and brands. 24 Hour Security Amenities: Location: Main Road Ally Hassan Mwinyi Road and Junction of BOOK YOUR SPACE NOW Protea Apartment (Little Theater) Contact us at: Jangid Plaza Ltd. Retail outlets on the ground and mezzanine floor P.O.Box 22028, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. 2 Eight Floors of A-Class office Space, Offices ranging fom 109m Sales Hotline: +255 784 737-705, +255 786 286-200 2 to Over 1800m Email: shafi[email protected] Website: www.jangidplaza.co.tz Features: Electronic access cards for secured parking and tenants areas Drop off Area at Building Entrance Designated visitors parking 120 Covered Parking Spaces on Basement Levels Luxurious Interior Design of Ground Floor Lobby Using Marble and Granite Four (4) High Speed Lifts and Two (2) Escalators on Ground Floor for Shopping Center 3. First Word 5. Letters Vol. 39, No. 1 7. News from Around Africa Rabi Al-Thani 1442, A.H. December 2020 52. Muslim World News 54. Down Memory Lane 56. Health: Understanding the 7 AFED 27th Triennial Conference. Covid-19 Pandemic Sharmeen Mehralli 58. Obituaries 72. Guest Column: Educational Pathways 74. Guest Column: The Need for a Community Think Tank 76. ANON 77. Family Issues 22 78. Spirituality CROI 36th Ordinary General Assembly. 81. Talking Point 83. In Perspective 87. Wayside Wisdom Family Issues Mohamed Khalfan 34 Spirituality AFED Tower. Zakira Shyrose Jaffer-Dhalla In Perspective Mahjabeen Daya Cover: Africa Federation’s AFED Tower, a commercial Wayside Wisdom and residential 12-storey Munir Daya building located on the corner of Jamhuri and Mwisho Street in Dar es Salaam. AFED Guest Columnists Tower is due for completion in Mohamed Takim December, 2020. Mohamed Zahir Alimohamed 6356 Dr. Shahnaaz Kassam Sharif Understanding the Covid-19 Pandemic. 4 Federation Samachar Federation Samachar - A Media that calls for free and rational thoughts Volunteering with the Africa Federation (AFED) Editorial Media Board is an honour. It is a privilege to reach out to the community through objective reporting, opinions and articles. This is with an intention of raising the level of awareness about Islam and about our community and its achievements and activities while also remembering the accomplishments of our ancestors that have brought the community to its present reputable status around the world. It is the objective of the Editorial Board to encourage readers to express and share their thoughts and articulate their opinions candidly and constructively. Each member of the community worldwide has a right to express information, ideas, suggestions or opinions as long as these opinions have a genuine objective to lead our community towards betterment. However, freedom of expression is not absolute. Opinions that could result in libel or slander cannot be published nor can any form of obscenity, incitement, copyright violations, sedition or any article that that could result in unintended harm. It is important for our media to encourage dialogue and to allow community members of different age groups to have access to the leadership through the media in order to have their questions answered. Leaders and preachers have always assured the community that they are open to hear from people about sensitive issues that may call for reformation. While the assurance is there, many community members with questions or constructive suggestions lack an appropriate forum to seek answers to their questions or to have their opinions heard. The Federation Samachar is the community’s oldest surviving community magazine. Over the years it has allowed reasonable freedom of expression for the betterment of the community. We will strive to make this media free of unreasonable restrictions in order to encourage intellectual dialogue amongst readers and to correct misconceptions and educate people on sensitive issues. The objective of this media is to seek improvement in our society while also encouraging community members to care for the improvement and betterment of the broader society in Africa or in any part of the world. This media will also continue to highlight the achievements of our people and organizations in order to inspire others to also achieve. We welcome readers, one and all, young and old, good writers or not, to interact through the community media. A community that has members who think and write constructively is considered a vibrant and progressive community. Federation Samachar 5 6 Federation Samachar An Admirable ‘Spirituality’ Column I would like to express my appreciation Zakira Shyrose’s last article entitled, to the Federation Samachar magazine “Taking the first important step” (April for carrying the column on Spirituality 2019) once again did not fail to inspire by Zakira Shyrose Jaffer Dhalla. and motivate. It made me feel like not giving up. It made me feel like anything I love reading her columns in the is possible. Her words filled my heart Federation Samachar and try to never with hope and joy and, like she always miss an article by her. While the makes me feel in all her majalis, that we magazine also has other articles of must seek the Pleasure of Allah swt in interest I make special time to read the all our actions. Spirituality column in the magazine on- All letters sent by mail or email will be line. considered for publication unless the author I thank her for the powerful reminder specifically refuses its publication. that Allah swt is Most Forgiving and I am also an avid fan of her Majalis and Letters must carry the name and contact used to make every effort to travel great Most Merciful and I thank the editors information of the author even if this is not distances to never miss her majlis when for such a wonderful magazine. intended for publication. she came to recite Ashra in India in Letters will be subject to editing for brevity, 2017 and 2018. Zeenat Ladak clarity and content. Mumbai, India Only destructive letters and those lacking I live in Mumbai and the online objectivity or reason will not be published. magazine is the only way I can access All past magazines of the Federation your magazine. Thus, I request the Readers are requested to keep letters short Samachar can be read online on and to the point. Letters can be sent to: editors to please not delay and to please the Africa Federation website: www. [email protected] upload all magazines as soon as these africafederation.org . - Editor. are printed. ‘Understanding India and Pakistan’s 72 year old dispute over Kashmir’ Column is commendable Thank you so much for a very seems that the world may never be able The endless years of continued informative and scholarly discussion on to ever understand some of the deep attacks has destroyed the most basic the history and politics of the Kashmir and underlying issues. And now they infrastructure including hundreds of dispute. have become silenced and are being building foundations. The resulting prevented from contacting the outside poverty is simply heartbreaking to Mahjabeen Daya has attempted to world. behold. summarize a very complicated chain of events that has taken place over 72 I visited the Pakistani side of Kashmir One wonders how it can ever be rebuilt. years and which is still ongoing. It is last year with a few close friends. It How it can ever be restored to its original definitely not an easy task to do so and truly is a breathtakingly beautiful place glory. How will the people ever be able to I commend her for her efforts. The and the people are so welcoming and forget all this pain and misery? article was published just a few months generous. Spending time with the before the internet lockdown and was people there helped to put a face to I thank Mahjabeen Daya for bringing very timely for those who had never the people that we have been hearing awareness and for reminding us about before taken an interest in what is about for so many years. These people, the history of the Kashmiri people. happening in that region. no matter which side they live on are Politics aside, we need to keep the plight human beings with real lives and needs. of these people in our minds so that no As someone who has been born and Their lives are spent in constant fear. one can forget them. May Allah (SWT) raised in Pakistan, the Kashmir issue They deserve to have a peaceful life hasten the reappearance of our Imam is close to my heart. The political free of war and dispute. They deserve Zamana (ATJFS), Ameen. situation started long before I was access to healthcare, education, even born. The terrible situation has internet and everything else that all of Mohamed Jarrie Abbas been going on for so long that it almost us have.