Week 20: Why >50% of OMA board has resigned? + 10 ways to develop Muslim Unity + Muslim in the Spotlight (new segment)

Host: Omar (Green Kufi)

Quran

Alhujuraat [ch. 49 v. 1-6 | Recited by Abdullah Basfar -عبد الله بن علي بصفر ]

Discussion

OMA MASS RESIGNATIONS
The following email was sent out to the OMA mailing list:
In the Name of Allah, The Merciful, The Oft-Forgiving

May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you
May 9th 2009
Att: Ottawa Muslim Community & members of the Ottawa Muslim Association
It is with great sorrow that this letter is issued. This year has been very challenging for the Ottawa Muslim Association (OMA) and it is unfortunate that this message carries the news of mass resignations from the Board of Directors. Although the current board began with vision and motivation, many improper occurrences quickly impacted their productivity, causing uncontrollable damage. The community deserves an explanation, an apology and proper action for the best interest of all.
Most of the recent and coming resignations from among the Board of Directors is due to a lack of confidence in this year’s unilateral leadership. Many have bore witness to the lack of professionalism and lack of transparency, allowing the main Ottawa Mosque to become the centre of recent community divisions. Sadly, many unethical and un-Islamic practices have been witnessed and recorded. Due to the numerous and continued violations of the OMA constitution and the Ontario Corporations Act, many board members requested the President to resign. Unfortunately, he refused to step down and remains adamant in his position, backed by a few members who have not shown respect for the letter of the law. Board members and other community members made a subsequent request for an early election for the benefit of the community and the Mosque; however, this request was also refused. The climax of this community disaster has been the consistent media attention, reflecting the Board’s inability to properly address issues of contention internally. After attempts of reconciliation and to maintain neutrality, the board members have made a tough decision and hope for community support.
In consideration of the above stated reasons, the majority of the Board of Directors has decided to restore the dignity of the community and draw the necessary importance to the issues at hand by resigning in protest. The officials among the board have made this difficult decision having full knowledge and awareness of the current circumstances and hope that the President, in keeping with the constitution, will call for an early election, considering there is no longer a quorum to conduct meetings, and no legal authority to appoint directors in the new vacancies.
We ask the community’s forgiveness and pray to Allah Almighty to guide us all.

Please see the list below for the current status of OMA board members:

OMA Elected Members Board of Directors: 2008 – 2010 President: Mohamed Ghadban Vice President: Rafiq Ghadban Ex Official: Syed Mumtaz Akhtar (RESIGNED) Secretary: Aminah Kandar (RESIGNED) Joint Secretary: Fayez Aboulchaar (RESIGNED) Treasurer: Fariz Elchamaa (RESIGNED) Joint Treas.: Alia Ghadban Directors: Garnayl M. Abdi (RESIGNED) Mohammed Rafiq Ghadban Mohamed Hafez (Abu Nidal) (RESIGNED) Ferial Osman Hesham Osman Mohamed Sheibani Farida Ghadban Zammar Hassan Jabi (RESIGNED)

Council of Trustees 2008 – 2010 Chairman: Fazal Khan (RESIGNED) Secretary: Ghassan Akrouche (RESIGNED) Treasurer: Muazzam Orakzai (RESIGNED) Trustees: Mohamad Dayfallah Sarwar Gilani (RESIGNED) Zahur Hussain (RESIGNED) Saleem Qureshi Nazeeh Hammoud Joint Committee 2008 – 2010 Chairman: Bader Siddiqi (RESIGNED)

10 Things You Can Do To Develop A Culture Of Muslim Unity by Abdul Malik Mujahid

1. Understand that Muslim unity is not an option

Muslim unity is a Fard (obligatory duty) according to the Quran and Traditions of the Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings be upon him).

From the Quran (49:10): The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear God, that ye may receive Mercy.

2. Reflect on Hajj as a time for Muslim unity

3. Learn tolerance towards other points of view

If our scholars from the past and present have shown such tolerance towards differing views on various issues, who are we, the average Muslim, who do not have that level of knowledge, to express intolerance for another point of view?

4. Learn to criticize without hurting

5. Avoid taking a strong position on smaller points

There is what’s called a “Fiqh of priorities” and this essentially means that there are some aspects of Islam that are more important than others. For instance, it’s more important to emphasize that Muslims establish prayer than whether or not there should be a curtain between men and women in mosques.

7. Reaching out across ethnic boundaries

–         “ethnic mosques”

8. Heed the advice found in Surah Hujurat

This 49^th chapter of the Quran provides excellent guidance on the kind of behavior that Muslims should avoid to establish Muslim unity. For instance, Allah, advises us to avoid mockery, defamation and suspicion. These are all things which serve to divide us and create hatred, hurt and dissension

9. Share these tips with a wider audience

10. Make Dua for unity
http://www.soundvision.com/

Muslim Unity in Masajid by Suhaib Webb

Deception – Abdullah Hakim Quick

 

Community News

OTTAWA Muslim IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Doctors may soon be able to diagnose breast cancer with greater aaccuracy, thanks in part to the work of a local Muslim scientist.
By combining breakthrough research in the felds of applied chemistry and biology, molecular scientist Dr. Mohammed Badruz Zaman and his colleagues at the National Research Council of Canada may have discovered an easier, cheaper and more sensitive method of detecting breast cancer in human blood.
Full article: [ Muslim Link | pdf]

Muslim News

Nasheed

The Prophet – Dawud Wharnsby Ali
My Ummah – Sami Yusuf
Full of humility – Dawud Wharnsby Ali
Don’t be Hypocritical by No Beats Necessary

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Upcoming Action

Your moment of Zen Alhamdulillah for Islam!

This is exactly what the Prophet stated when he prophesied that: “Soon the nations will gather together to take from you in the same way you invite others to share in a feast.”
“Is this because we are few in numbers?”
“No, you will many like the foam on the sea, but you will be like the rubbish that is carried by the flood. And Allah will take the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and into your hearts he cast wahn.”
“What is wahan oh Messenger of Allah?”
“Love of life and fear of death.”

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Week 13 – Imam Khalid, the Citizen, and the Youth: call-in! George Galloway Banned in Canada from Speaking at a Peace Organization

Hosts: Omar (GreenKufi) & Ahmed Khalil

Quran:

ArRa’d [ch. 13 v. 5-11 | Recited by Abdullah Basfar -عبد الله بن علي بصفر ]
“Verily Allah will never change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)” (3:37 – 8:24)

Discussion

Imam Khalid, the Citizen’s article and the Youth:

There is this illness amongst many people, and we’ve see this in the character of critics of Islam as well. Since, they can find no qualm with the essence, basis, and fundamentals of something they must pick on the minor details that alone may seem unusual, yet in full context are the salt and pepper of all that is beautiful. People who wish to defame Islam will find nothing that contravenes logic in the basics and fundamental of this beautiful religion. Instead they spend their entire lives and the focus of their life’s workon debating wheatehr a word meaning raisins or women. This seems to be no different when it comes to this issue here in Ottawa with our Imam Khalid may Allah protect him and aid him. People ignore the fact that he is a qualified, well versed, Imam and scholar of Islam. Something Ottawa has been starving for for some time. Yet when people have some concerns about the community at large (justifiably or not) their actions reflect how much they really care about these concerns deep down in side. In other words, no action means no care. So why all the noise? Well as one of our listeners said, “Muslims like to talk”. And in the case of Imam Khalid treat him like “a drop off box”.

Now of course we can’t expect the Ottawa Citizen to realize this. Far from them being a balance source of information about Muslims, it is also a non-Muslim entity that could not possible understand the intricacies of Islam and Muslim (whom have shown to be very complex, socially). But what we did expect, naively as it was, that the Muslims who had their concern would have addressed it where it matters; within the Muslim community.

I can’t imagine, now that the Ottawa Citizen has published this article that we will be seeing droves of Imams crawling out of the wood works. Nor would we expect that the general Ottawa public will have something valuable to contribute when it comes to managing a Masjid.  The reality is that the situation we are in is a result of our own apathy. Our own indifference, our own laziness, our own ignorance, and our own inaction.

Unfortunately, because some of our elders have lived their lives with indifference, it is natural that our youth would follow suite, except those whom Allah guides, of course.

There is no denying that the youth are in a dire situation, and a dire need of spiritual uplift. But the citizen? Really? They could have come to us, here on Salam Ottawa, or the Muslim Link, or other imams in town, or other community leaders, if they felt the Muslim public should know. In fact, I would love to have them on Salam Ottawa in order to properly hear what they have to say. I seriously doubt the Citizen had the Muslim youth’s interest in mind when editing their piece.

Perhaps these youth really do have something to say. So how about those youth head over to Slam Ottawa (the only Muslim Radio program in Ottawa) to have their say heard without the editing hand on the citizen puppeteering Muslims against each other.

Now it is true. The youth are in a totally differnt dimension than many of the Imams that are being offered as spiritual guidance. But then they are also in an absolutely differnt dimension than many of thier parents.

So what is the solution? Those who talk and care should be stepping up to take on the resoponsibility of building Muslim community. I’m not talking about mosques, by the way. Not even Islamic centers. I’m talking about building people. From our elders and our parents to the community works and the youth. everyone needs to step up and be  Muslim in all that the word means.

Be a Muslim in our behaviour. Be a Muslim in our daily actions. Be a Muslim in how we feel about things.

The prophet peace be upon him said: “Whoever does not give care to the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them”. The arabic word is beautiful in this hadit; Yahtam. It does not simply mean “care” in the sense of a thought or feeling. It means those who move either internaly or in their actions when the Muslims are in need. So where are teh people of himmah or ambitoon and action? Well, they are busy with thier lives. Oh, so their family and children… No, no no. Children? The school takes care of them. Then I drop them off after school to the brother to learn quran and that’s it.

Where is the care and action with your children? The onse who now have grown up and know no where better to turn than the Ottawa Citizen. Why aren’t we as a whole community caring for our community?

SOME COMMENTS FROM OUR LISTENERS ABOUT THIS TOPIC

Local News

George Gallaway banned from Attending a peace meeting in Ottawa next week:

Weekly Tadthkirah

Pride and Arrogance:
The Prophet peace and blessing of Allah be upon him said:
“He shall not enter paradise whosoever has in his heart even an atom’s worth of pride.”

Green Kufi’s Greening Muslims

Brought to you by Green Kufi Enviro
Don’t Forget Earth Hour this March 28, 2009. And just like many of the special hours, days, weeks, or months of the year that draw attention to important things we should be practicing the encouraged actions and habits all year round. It is our responsibility. Allah says in the Qura’an: (and we presented the “trust” (Amanah, responsibility, stewardship) to Heavens, and the Earth, and the mountains, but they declined to uphold it, so we had mercy upon them, so mankind upheld it” Al-Ahzaab 72.
As stewards and representatives Allah has given us guidelines and rules to follow. One of which is against mindless, wasteful and extravagant consumption. Islam teaches us to exhibit justice and conserve, and preserve what we have been given as a responsibility. Allah says:“And don’t be wasteful” and He also warns us that “In deed those who are wasteful are the brethren of devils”. Lets cut the waste and hit the power switch off when we don’t need it. Keep on Greening, Muslims.

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The Art of Complaining:

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Ottawa Imam KHALID and Youth – Call in this Tuesday between 5-6 PM – 613-520-2528

We want to hear from YOU on what you think about Imam Khalid!

• Do you think things are as dire as people say it is about the youth?
• Do you think the selection process was the right way to appoint an Imam?
• Do you feel that Imam Khalid is to blame for what has happened with the Ottawa Mosque, and the youth?
• Do you have something you think the Muslims of Ottawa have totally missed that you want them to know?

We’ll be talking to YOU, and taking YOUR calls this Tuesday between 5 and 6PM.

Call us between 6-5PM on Tuesday: 613-520-2528
Chat with us live on salamottawa.ca/#chat

or comment Below this post.

We will, in-sh’Allah, get a chance to talk with Imam Khalid in person

Tune in every Tuesday between 5-6PM to 93.1FM
or
Listen Live at salamottawa.ca
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