Abrar A bi-monthly newsletter published by the Abrar Islamic Foundation 45 CrawfordEdior: Place, DrLondon Saeed W!H Shehabi 4LP A bi-monthly newsletter Tel:Published 020 7724 by the 3033 Abrar 45Fax: Crawford 020 7724 Place, 7219 LondonEmail: W1H 4LP Vol 16, No 2 (362) 16th– 31st July 2019 [email protected] Tel: 020Website: 7724 3033 Grant religion a space in the materialistic civilisation www.abrar.org.uk The struggle between divinity and godless and values that attract followers and enable Email: tendencies in modern societies is intensifying. them to continue propagating them to the other Abrarhouse Religions are a source of good for the human people. If these are not religious-based then @hotmail.com race. This is a fact despite the negative imaging they often become weapons against divinity. Website of those religions. Divine religions aim at per- The youth in the Arab and Muslim worlds were www.abraronline.net fecting the human life so that mankind makes attracted to Islam as a political doctrine that Charity no. 293802 the best of this earth. Those religions were calls on them to challenge the materialistic rul- propagated by God’s prophets and messengers ers who had been supported by foreign powers whose message is one with different names. aiming at neutralizing the power of Islam in None of the prophets contradicted the other or modern day Arabia. The lack of interest in reli- brought about a different religion. God’s mes- gion is a product of the counter propaganda by We stand for: sage is universal, historic and eternal. But it has modern powers who seek to establish a human always been challenged by the enemies of God; society that is subservient to the materially- Inter-faith and inter- those who aspire to enslave the others and stop strong even if they are morally inept. The mod- civilisational dialogue their liberation from evil, materialism, consum- ern propaganda machines are void of morality erism and selfishness. It is wrong to assume that or religious values. Religion is always portrayed Respect for the human the message of religion is confined to spiritual as an ancient concept that is not fit for purpose race and rights uplifting, worship or the personal cleansing. On in the modern world. Religion is presented as the contrary, religion seeks to create the perfect being responsible for the ongoing strife in the Cooperation for the man that is the cornerstone of the perfect socie- world and cannot be relied on as a basis for good of people ty. This is the message of God’s religions. This countering extremism, fascism or terrorism. cannot be negated by the bad behaviour by Intact these propaganda machines often link Moderation some of the advocates of religion. The bad im- religion to those pervert ideologies. The counter plementation does not prove an error in the -Islamic propaganda is feeding on the people’s Modernity principle, value or command. ignorance, prejudice and lack of desire for real A recent poll undertaken by the BBC showed work. High standards of that the Arab world is becoming less religious. The modern society, as can be seen in UK, for spirituality Among the reasons, according to the poll, are example, is suffering a breakdown of law and the failures of the Islamists to create successful order policies. The security agencies have taken modern statehood. Whilst the research is a it on their shoulder to support dictators in the sound approach, the reasoning is far from reali- Arab world rather than dealing seriously with In this issue ty. There is general trend against religion, but the rising crimes like the stabbing among youth, this is a historic phenomenon. Anti-religion the drug gangs, the prostitution networks, the Local Events 2 forces have always been active in the human slavery rackets and the money-laundering society with the aim of creating political sys- groups. More serious approaches are needed to Muslim Affairs 3 tems that are alien from God. There are many tackle these crimes. Among the most effective reasons why evil powers on this planet stand long-term solutions is to promote religious val- Ibn Sirin 4 against divinity. Among those are the greed of ues among the youth. Despite the negative prop- those powers that seek to aganda against divine UK media mis- establish materialistic religions, they can still be culture on this earth, the utilized to deal with the represents Muslims 5 inherent power of reli- social ills. Our human gious concepts to defeat society must not be left to Acting damaged my the evil and earthly pow- continue its free fall to- Relation with God 6 ers in the human socie- wards the abyss. Politi- ties, the dominance of the cians are duty-bound to Jesus led me to Islam 8 materialist culture in seek a consensus on how modern societies and the to make this earth more unethical approach and peaceful, secure and pros- policies by the satanic perous. Wars are not the forces. way forward. Internal Human civlisations must reconciliation is neces- always possess principles sary as a first step. Page 2 Local Events Sex education environment. But here he encounters and belief in the life of Al Sadiq. He is sexual relations at schools of different the head of the various schools of Is- At the weekly meeting of Abrar on levels. There may be positive aspects to lamic thought. I hope that there will be Thursday 4th July the issue of the pro- this law but there are objections from less sensitivity in the Arab world to- posed compulsory sex education at many in the society. What can be done? wards the research into the lives of the schools was debated. The seminar There is no magical solution. Some Imams. was chaired by Sheikh Hassan Al communities like the Jewish have chal- Taraiki and addressed by Dr Moham- lenged the law. Some of their schools Role of Imam Al Sadiq mad Kadem Al Tha’alebi. The speaker may close down because they do not said that when we came to the West observe these new subjects. MPs cannot Sheikh Fadel Al Khateeb delivered a with our families we knew that it is a do much because 580 of them have voted Hussaini session to commemorate the different cultural environment. This for it. It is estimated that gay community martyrdom of Imam Jaffar Al Sadiq presented many challenges which in- has increased 4000 percent in recent who died on 25th Shawwal of the year tensified with time. We were mature times. 40,000 UK schools will teach this 148 Hijri. Scholars have described the people when we came but our children subject. There may be only 1percent who true Shia Muslim as the one who does opened their eyes to see different real- are gays but they form 10 percent of the not indulge in the forbidden things, has ities that do not conform to their teaching profession. Can a child of six deep piety and morality. The Imams parent’s cultural upbringing. This is a years really think of sex? We have to had always been truthful and would not challenge to Muslims and non- deal with these challenges collectively. tell lies. Born in the year 83 AH he was Muslims. The struggle is universal. We must have personal religious com- the longest serving Imam. He lived For centuries the values in the West mitment, as well as collectively and during the reigns of several Abbassid have changed and the law-making has spend more time with the children. rulers: Hisham ibn Abdul Malik, Al been confined to parliaments. In the Walid ibn Yazid, Umar ibn Abdul Az- past the laws were based on chastity, Imam Sadiq’s contribution iz, Yazid ibn Al Walid and Abu Jaffar but not anymore. I want to present the Al Mansoor. During this period the 50-page law titled: Legal governmen- On 27th June the weekly meeting of Shia school of thought was developed tal instructions to the managers, Abrar was dedicated to the martyrdom of and assumed its place in the body of schools and teachers”. It says: we Imam Jaffar Al Sadiq (AS). There were the Ummah. Also the downfall of the teach children the basic foundations two speakers. The first was Dr Moham- Umayyad dynasty and the rise of the for healthy relations based on respect, mad Hisham Sultan (former Professor of Abbassids provided an opportunity for we teach them and seek to shelter Beliefs at Aal Al Bait University in Jor- the Imam to propagate religious and them from psychological and mental dan). He said that Imam Jaffar Al Sadiq natural sciences among the Muslims. illnesses, providing advice from the was a university to all Muslims, Shia and Imam Al Sadiq moved from Medina to correct sources, how to get to know Sunni. Unfortunately the Sunni world Kufa which had a significant Shia pres- people living them of different back- has not known the Imams of Prophet’s ence. He made strong presence there grounds, urging children not to disre- Mohammad descendants closely. There and delivered lessons and lectures to spect adopted children from other were objective scholars who had dealt people. There were many scholars from families. It asks schools to teach reli- with the lives of those Imams like Sheikh Shia and Sunni schools of faith includ- gious aspects, fight against discrimi- Mohammad Abu Zuhra who wrote a ing Imam Abu Hanifa. He was instru- nation or persecution of male or fe- book about Imam Al Sadiq and said that mental in cultivating inter-Islamic links male, training children on achieving he was the teacher of Imam Abu Hanifa and contribute to the rise of religious strong will and care for others.