This week's Friday Nasiha gives advice on developing relationships, keeping righteous company and dealing with sadness.

{Find more Friday Nasiha under the Islam menu tab}

Al Hashr, The Gathering (Qur'an, 59:10)

"Those who come after them pray: 'Our Lord! Forgive us and forgive our brethren who preceded us in faith. Leave no malice in our hearts towards those who believe. Lord, You are compassionate, ever merciful." (Qur'an, 59:10)

The true nature and wonder of the Muslim community is clearly depicted in these verses. We recognize the strong bond that unites all generations of believers generating feelings of love and compassion between them, as well as feeling of closeness that transcends time, place, race and family. It is a bond that takes precedence over all else, stirring pleasant feelings across generations. A believer remembers another who lived many centuries earlier, just like he remembers one who lives next door, and warms to him with love and honour.

The present generation of believers takes into account the needs of future generations, and the ones still to come will follow the footsteps of their predecessors. They all constitute one rank, in the same brigade, across generations, despite belonging to countries and times that may be very wide apart. They all march steadily, under God's banner, trying to achieve the high standards expected of them, looking up to their Lord, the Compassionate, the Ever Merciful.

It is a wonderful, amazing picture, yet it represents a reality as well as the best ideal cherished by noble hearts. The beauty and nobility of this picture of humanity can be best appreciated when compared to the grudges we see against social classes, past generations of humanity, and against religion and believers of all faiths and communities.

The two situations are wide apart: they share no feature, colour or shade. One of them elevates humanity to the highest standards it can achieve, and the other takes it down to its lowest possible level. The first represents generations of humanity transcending barriers of time, place, race, country, tribe and family and promoting a bond of love and compassion, with pure hearts that are free of all grudges or selfishness, seeking only God's pleasure. The other shows humanity in conflict, with people always in strife, harbouring wicked feelings towards each other and resorting to deception, cheating and evil.

Compiled From:
"In the Shade of the Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol 16, pp. 435,436

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) told us that the barakah or blessing of Allah is with those who gather and work as a unified jama'a for the cause of Islam: 'Allah's hand is upon the jama'a.' (Tirmidhi.) Indeed engaging in remembrance of Allah collectively is encouraged in many ahadith. The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:

"If a group of people sit together remembering Allah, the angels will circle them, mercy will shroud them, peace will descend onto them and Allah will remember them among those with Him." (Muslim.)

Dhikr in a group may help teach those who do not know the desired adhkar (remembrance) and bring hearts together and strengthen their noble ties. To ensure that our company is always filled with remembrance of Allah, it is of paramount importance that we continuously seek the company of the righteous if we wish to be elevated in the eyes of Allah.

You must be careful with the selection of friends, for your companionship can and must be a form of dhikr. The Messenger ﷺ of God said: `The best friend is the one who makes you remember Allah when you see him.' Also:

'Whosoever Allah wishes good for, He will grant him a righteous friend who will remind him if he forgets and aid him if he remembers'.

As soon as you see the seed of iman planted in your heart and you recognise it in someone else's and you find that he agrees with you, you will feel ten times stronger. Social scientists have also discovered that group life is one of the most powerful forces to stimulate and improve the human being.

Compiled From:
"In the Early Hours" - Khurram Murad, pp. 51, 52

When you experienced sadness yesterday, your situation didn't get any better by you being sad. Your son failed in school, and you became depressed, yet did your depression change the fact that he failed? Your father passed away, and you became downhearted, yet did that bring him back to life? You lost your business, and you became saddened. Did this change your situation by transforming losses into profits?

Do not be sad: You became despondent due to a calamity, and by doing so, created additional calamities. You became depressed because of poverty and this only increased the bitterness of your situation. You became gloomy because of what your enemies said to you; by entering into that mental state, you unwittingly helped them in their attack against you. You became sullen because you expected a particular misfortune, and yet it never came to pass.

Do not be sad: Truly a large mansion will not protect you from the effects of depression; and neither will a beautiful wife, abundant wealth, a high position, or brilliant children.

Do not be sad: Sadness causes you to imagine poison when you are really looking at pure water, to see a cactus when you are looking at a rose, to see a barren desert when you are looking at a lush garden, and to feel that you are in an unbearable prison when you are living on a vast and spacious earth.

Do not be sad: You have the true Religion to live by, a house to live in, bread to eat, water to drink, clothes to wear, a wife to find comfort with; why then the melancholy?

Compiled From:
"Don't Be Sad" - Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

More Friday Nasiha:
Your Share Of This World - Publicizing Sins - Private Realities
The Moral Code - Path To Paradise - Revelation And Reason
Path Of Moderation - Organic Body - First Step To Repentance
Freedom - The Womb - Belonging
Fighting Tyranny - Usurping Rights - Aspire For Perfection
The Flight Of Time ('asr) - Good Deeds - Roadblocks To Celebrating Differences

More videos:
Exclusive Video: Best Of British Islam, Featuring Muslimness The Blog
You Know You're A Muslim When...
West Is West - Film Review
Political Music Video: "Silence Is Consent" by Poetic Pilgrimage and Mohammed Yahya
Welcome To The Muslim Bedroom: 'Like A Garment' Free Ebook By Yasir Qadhi

MUSLIMNESS invites you to this year's Living Islam Festival of Faith and family entertainment, in Lincolnshire, England.

A note from American Muslim Mom:
"As-salam `alaykum MUSLIMNESS Fans!

May we be the first to say Mubarak! Your site has made the list of Top 10 Muslim Mom Blogs! Compiling this list consisted of a lot of research, but the project helped me learn a lot as a new virtual intern and served as a gateway into the blogging world. Please help spread the news, and share your accomplishment with your followers! With this project, we hope to expose Muslim Mommy Bloggers to each other, and to the rest of the World Wide Web, to create a strong community determined to work together Insha'Allah.

Wa `alaykum salaam,
Habeeba".

I thank sister Ponn Sabra of American Muslim Mom and her team.

About now is where I need to mention that I am not a 'mom', and I say 'mother' on account of being English! This is a very sweet gesture from American Muslim Mom. May you stay blessed by God's Grace.

Zaufishan
MUSLIMNESS Editor

MUSLIMNESS is connected to several Daw`ah based organisations. This means when they need your support, we make it our act of goodwill to support them too.

Here's what they're all about.

The Rochdale Dawah Centre (RDC) (registered no. 110 4240) was set up in order to:
→ Encourage Muslims back to the true teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah
→ Educate non-Muslims about the true teachings of Islam
→ Engage and contribute to the community in which we live.

The population of Rochdale is around 205K with Muslims accounting for 10%. Through our various projects and activities, we hope to cater for both the Muslim and non Muslim community of Rochdale and the surrounding areas.

RDC is committed to co-operating with other organisations and is open to all members of the community regardless of their faith. The RDC is funded by donations from the public.

Serving the community through Unity
A wide range of activities are currently held at the centre throughout the week, including:
→ Exhibitions and open days on Islam
→ Jumu’ah Khutbah in English
→ Arabic Classes
→ Adult Study Circles
→ Weekly talks covering a range of topics for males and females
→ Weekend Islamic school for children
→ Help and support for new Muslims
→ Free literature and Quran distribution
→ Access to small library

With your support our vision is to expand the centre to include the following facilities which will enable us to better serve Rochdale’s fast growing English speaking Muslim community insha'Allah:
→ Classrooms
→ Library
→ Islamic Book Shop
→ Prayer Hall
→ Crèche
→ Conference Centre (hired out to local businesses to use)
→ Information centre

For more info contact e | info@rochdaledawah.co.uk
Want to donate to Rochdale Dawah Centre? Donate now: http://rochdaledawah.co.uk/donate

Follow and join Rochdale Dawah Centre on the following networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rochdaledawahcentre
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/rochdaledawahcentre
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rochdaledawah

Date: 2nd June 2011
Time: 9-10pm London UK (GMT+1), 4-5pm New York EDT
Speaker: Shahid Akmal
Register your place: http://mpower.eventbrite.com

Confidence is one of the many qualities needed for succeeding in the workplace.
No matter how skilled you are, how you represent yourself to your colleagues does matter.
So, if you are not confident in yourself and your abilities, others will pick up on it.

Prophet Musa `alayhi'salam said: "O my Lord! Open for me my chest [grant me self-confidence, contentment, and boldness].”  (Qur’an, 20:25)

It's time to get MPower. This unique webinar will:
→ Help you understand why being confident is important.
→ Identify ways of finding confidence.
→ Provide simple and effective techniques to help you instantly feel confident in yourself.
→ Discuss self-confidence from the lives of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) and the Sahabas.
→ Show you how you can unleash your confidence at work.

The trainer for this webtorial is Shahid Akmal. Shahid is director of Exquisitus Ltd, a training company specialising in leadership, parenting and brain friendly learning techniques. Shahid has trained over 10,000 senior business leaders and international NGOs. His mission is to empower people to fill their full potential.

To book a place go to: http://mpower.eventbrite.com
There are limited places available so book early.

{Working Muslim, in partnership with SISTERS Magazine, Habibi Halaqas and MUSLIMNESS}

This month, SISTERS Magazine offers you SOLACE: solace for reverts in difficulty, solace for mums of rowdy boys and solace for sisters who just don't have that lovin' feelin'.

PLUS
→ SISTERS review Leila Aboulela’s latest work - Lyrics Alley
→ Is it the right time to teach your child to read? Our Education Focus has the answers you need.
→ Ever wondered what happens when you toss your waste away? Find out where ‘away’ really is.
→ From art to history - journey to Istanbul and discover its magnetic beauty.
→ Where oh where is that perfect black shoe? Find out in The Cinderella Dilemma.
→ A wonderful assortment of bread recipes to tickle your taste buds.

LAILA ALI, USA Ali, 33, the daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali, is a former professional boxer who retired with a 24-0 record. She has held three world titles and has made many television appearances, wrote a self-help book and has a line of make-up and beauty products.


HASSIBA BOULMERKA, ALGERIA 
Boulmerka, 42, won her country its first Olympic gold medal, in the 1,500 metres at Barcelona in 1992. She was the second Muslim woman ever to win an Olympic gold (after Nawal el Moutakawel, No 8).


RANIA EL WANI, EGYPT 
The swimmer el Wani, 33, has participated in three Olympics. She won medals at the 1990 African Championships, the 1991, 1995 and 1999 African Games; the 1997 Mediterranean Games and Pan-Arab Games; and the 1999 Arab Games.


ROQAYA AL GASSRA, BAHRAIN 
Al Gassra, 28, won a gold medal in the 200m sprint and a bronze in the 100m at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. She has also won medals at the Asian Indoor and Arabian championships. She was the first female athlete to run in a hijab, at the 2004 Olympics, and was the flag bearer for Bahrain at the 2008 Olympics.


KIRAN KHAN, PAKISTAN 
Khan, 21, a record-holding swimmer, has represented her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at Asian and Commonwealth Games, among other events.


SHEIKHA LATIFA BINT AHMED AL MAKTOUM, UAE Having won numerous medals at regional equestrian championships, Al Maktoum, 25, competed in the 2008 Olympics and before that won a team bronze medal at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. More recently she won an individual silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games.


SHEIKHA MAITHA BINT MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM, UAE 
Al Maktoum, 31, a martial arts champion, won the +60kg karate silver medal at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. She was a taekwondo competitor at the 2008 Olympics, and was the first Gulf woman to carry her nation's flag at the Olympics.


NAWAL EL MOUTAKAWEL, MOROCCO 
Moutakawel, 49, won the 400m hurdles race in 1984 in Los Angeles, becoming the first Muslim woman to earn a gold medal at the Olympic Games. She was also the first Muslim woman to be elected to the International Olympic Committee, in 1997. She won the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.


RUBAB RAZA, PAKISTAN Raza, 20, was her country's first female Olympic swimmer, competing at the age of 13 in the 50m freestyle at the 2004 Athens Games. She won two silver medals and one bronze at the 2004 Islamabad South Asian Games. She is Pakistan's youngest Olympian.


GHADA SHOUAA, SYRIA Shouaa, 38, won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics at Atlanta in the heptathlon. The former basketball player also won medals at several Asian and World Games over the years.

From The National
Compiled by Audrey Coutinho

In the name of Allah, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Peace be with you السلام عليكم

{Find more Friday Nasiha under the Islam menu tab}

Al-Qasas, The Story (Qur'an, 28:77)

"Seek, by means of what Allah has granted you, the life to come, and forget not your share of the present world; and do good as Allah has done good to you; and seek not to spread corruption on earth." (Qur'an, 28:77)

God has created the pleasures and luxuries of this life so that people may enjoy their share of these, and work towards obtaining them. The only proviso is that in such enjoyment of pleasures they should seek the reward of the hereafter. Thus, the wealthy neither deviate from the road leading to heaven, nor neglect their duties as a result of their riches. When they seek the hereafter, their enjoyment of pleasure becomes a form of gratitude to earn more reward. The divine way of life enables man to progress spiritually without suffering deprivation or wasting natural resources. It makes the wealthy look forward to the life to come hoping to be among the successful on the day of Judgement, without depriving him of his share of enjoyment in the present life. In fact, the divine system urges him to do so as a duty, so that he does not discard life's pleasures and look down upon the life of this world.

The money we have is a gift God has granted us out of his kindness. Hence, it should be received with gratitude and used for good purposes, and doing kindness to other people. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said:

"Your religion is your future and your money is your livelihood; there is no good in a man with no money in his name."

We should therefore live this life fully. We should be interested in it. Thus, all good things in life must be pursued, but not the love of this world. There is no true enjoyment of the good of this world if we do not adequately prepare our home in the Next world. Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz used to repeat the following verse unceasingly: "There is no good in the life of a man for whom Allah has appointed no share in the everlasting abode."

Compiled From:
"In the Shade of the Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 13, pp. 270, 271
"In the Early Hours" - Khurram Murad, pp. 105, 106

Hayaa (shame or modesty) is one of the most important factors that keeps a person away from committing a lewd or sinful act. If a person has no feeling of shame or modesty, then there is nothing to prevent him from doing almost anything. He would do almost anything because he has nothing inside him telling him that such is not good behaviour and that he should be ashamed to act in that fashion.

When a person commits sins, his feeling of haya is lessened. As he commits more and more sins his haya is weakened more and more, to the point that it may not exist at all. When he gets to that point, he does not care what people might say or think about him. In fact, he might even start to brag or tell about the sins that he has committed. This type of person will not be forgiven and the road to repentance will be blocked for him. The Prophet
ﷺ (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), has said:

"All of my nation is apt to be forgiven except for those who commit sins openly. Included among those who commit sins openly is where a person performs a (bad) deed during the night and although Allah had concealed that sin, in the morning he says, 'O so and so, last night I did such and such.' He spent the night being concealed by Allah and in the morning he uncovered Allah's concealment from himself." [Bukhari]

Compiled From:
"Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, p. 803

Today's consumer can wake up to a personalized selection of news waiting on her or his computer screen, click on a saved Web address in a browser, and get the latest stock reports or sports story, complete with integrated video and animated graphics. This is the age of information when we want it, how we want it, all automatically updated to suit our tastes, as smart search engines learn our preferences. We are approaching a time when each individual lives in a personalized information and media cocoon, protecting and promoting each lifestyle, while making common issues and concerns more distant and harder to fathom.

Perhaps individuals balancing the dilemmas of a fragmented, personalized media system against the potential of a digitally networked society will make their information choices in sensible ways. Perhaps people will not turn away from the tough problems in society and the world. Given the choice to construct increasingly private realities, people may choose to link to information sources that keep them informed about the problems of those who cannot help themselves (or who cannot afford the communication technologies required to be in the political loop). However, it is also possible that people will avoid issues that (they think) do not affect them, that seem hopeless, or that require more thought and human concern than they care to give. Research on news habits and political participation patterns is not encouraging. Studies of news consumption from the late 1980s through the turn of the millennium reveal steady declines in attention to national, international, and local politics. These declines are associated with decreasing likelihood of voting. At the same time, rapidly expanding networks of digital communication offer the potential for people to stay in touch with large amounts of distant information at relatively low cost.

A prime concern is that, left to their own choices in this information environment, people may seek out only the points of view they already agree with and form virtual communities with only those people who share their religious, economic, social, or entertainment preferences. One aspect of this closing circle of information around the individual is that social reality itself becomes an increasingly personal production.

Compiled From:
"News: The Politics of Illusion" - W. Lance Bennett, pp. 252-262

More Friday Nasiha:
The Moral Code - Path To Paradise - Revelation And Reason
Path Of Moderation - Organic Body - First Step To Repentance
Freedom - The Womb - Belonging
Fighting Tyranny - Usurping Rights - Aspire For Perfection
The Flight Of Time ('asr) - Good Deeds - Roadblocks To Celebrating Differences
The Finest Form - Why Hell? - Artistic Creativity

From Arab News | 26th April 2011

MADINAH: Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh opened an Islamic calligraphy show at Le Meridien here Tuesday and commended Muslim calligraphers around the world for reviving the Islamic art and promoting the message of Qur'an in an attractive manner.

"God has honored the Arab nation by sending the Qur'an in Arabic and making the calligraphic writings of the Qur'anic verses part of the Islamic civilization," the minister said while opening a forum for the famous Qur'an calligraphers in the world.

As many as 225 calligraphers from Saudi Arabia and foreign countries are taking part the show which is organized by the King Fahd Qur'an Printing Complex in Madinah.

"The Qur'an calligraphy reflects Muslim artists' love and care for the holy book," Al-Asheikh said. "It's a blessing from God that He has made us a nation that gives utmost care for the Holy Qur'an," he added.

The forum and the exhibition celebrate the rich religious and artistic tradition of calligraphy, or "beautiful writing," the most esteemed of the Islamic visual arts.

The varied works of calligraphy in the exhibitions-from practice alphabets to elaborately finished manuscripts-serve as traces of individuals, belief systems, and cultures.

:: Arab News

Australia's first Islamic museum is to be built in Thornbury and will work to dispel stereotypes of the often misunderstood religious minority.

The Islamic Museum of Australia is a not-for-profit foundation founded in May 2010 with the purpose of establishing the first Islamic Museum in Australia. It aims to showcase the rich artistic heritage and historical contributions of Muslims in Australia and abroad.

Fascinating stories, interactive displays and exquisite art exhibits will provide an insight into the Australian Muslim experience for tourists, school groups and other visitors. This Museum will enhance the spectrum of community museums in multicultural Melbourne and open a much needed window into Australian Muslim life.

Modelled on ventures such as the Chinese Museum, the Museo Italiano in Carlton and the Jewish Museum in St Kilda, the idea for a precinct emphasising heritage and art drawn from the more than 60 ethnicities who identify as Muslim here was developed by Macquarie banker Moustafa Fahour and his wife Maysaa.

"Muslim fishermen and traders first came to our shores in the seventeenth century, or even earlier, from the eastern islands of modern Indonesia. They sailed their prahus along our north and north-western coast fishing for trepang and trading with the Aborigines; a cross-cultural interaction that carried on for more than three centuries. However, it was not until the nineteenth century that a new wave Muslims entered Australia and settled here." - Australian Muslim History

''I am a very proud Australian Muslim,'' says Moustafa Fahour, 29, one of eight children born to Lebanese migrant parents who settled in Melbourne in the 1960s.

Maysaa Fahour, 27, a teacher who has assumed the chairmanship of the board that will oversee the museum and raise funds for the construction, approached her brother-in-law, Australia Post chief Ahmed Fahour, at a family barbecue and he agreed to become the museum's patron.

The venture has recently been granted charity status by the Australian Tax Office and has the personal endorsement of Victoria's Multicultural Affairs Minister Nick Kotsiras.

Land has already been acquired at a Thornbury industrial site. While plans to refit the former factory will have to go through council approval processes, the Darebin Council had signalled that an Islamic museum would be welcome in the neighbourhood, Moustafa Fahour said.

The museum will include a permanent exhibition featuring basic information about Muslims' religious beliefs provided in a digestible form to the public.

School groups are also expected to tour on a daily basis.

''As a mother, I love the NGV and Scienceworks and have my kids participate in knowledgeable activities. Nowhere was there something about Islam … It struck me as something to really strive for,'' said Mrs Fahour, who settled here as a child-migrant from Lebanon.

Apart from a six-member board, which has been collaborating on the idea for about two years, an advisory committee includes SBS board member Hass Dellal, Immigration Museum manager Padmini Sebastian and ABC personality and politics lecturer Waleed Aly. Islamic art expert Phillip George is among the arts advisers.

The Museum will include a specialist shop which will stock islamic art prints, gifts, crafts, posters and other souvenirs. There will also be select books about Islamic Art, design and heritage. An online store will enable purchases from anywhere in Australia or overseas.

The Museum shop will include a Café serving hot beverages and light refreshments.

The Islamic Museum of Australia promises to enhance the spectrum of community museums in multicultural Melbourne and open a much needed window into Australian Muslim life.


Muxlim viewers: Watch the Islamic Arts Museum trailer on YT

From ABNA.com | Islamic Museum

From 1st Ethical Trust | Imam Abu Eesa Niamatullah

Perversely, as article titles get even longer, the era of Facebook and Twitter has forced the revival of the well-calculated acronym. With only 140 characters to play with, we can forgive the decision to shorten “the Alternative Vote” to “AV” even if it leads to the death of the usual AV-guy at our conferences and concerts as he jukes the sound system.

Altogether more worrying though is when other abbreviations such as BO (Barack Obama) and OBL (I won’t insult your intelligence) start to dominate the headlines with news that really isn’t news, and worse divert our attention from local matters that actually are quite significant.

In any case, lets get down to business.

British Muslims face a big question this Thursday 5th of May 2011 when they’ll be voting either to keep the current FPTP political system which chooses members of Parliament, or to change for a different system called the Alternative Vote (AV) which could lead to a few significant changes in who and how new members of Parliament will be elected.

I’m not going to bore you with details on what AV actually is and how it works because (a) I don’t 100% understand all its permutations myself along with much of the rest of the population (although Johann Hari proves me wrong fabulously well!) and (b) because there are plenty of other good folks who have done a great job preparing explanations that will bore you at varying levels. Here’s the least boring (and thus best), and here’s the most boring (and thus, well, you work it out.)

Because not everyone out there is sad enough to be obsessed with politics like I am, I have been asked for some advice to give to Muslims when it comes to this vote. In response to this I should firstly say that there is no obvious correct answer when it comes to whether we should vote yes or no for the Alternative Vote. Despite the fact that the majority of British Muslim political organisations are supporting the YES to AV vote, there are still some interesting Muslim points of view for the NO vote as well such as Yusuf Smith’s thoughtful piece here.

Ultimately, what it comes down to as far as I’m concerned are the following key points:

- we need to monitor carefully what the extremist groups are pushing for, as they will obviously be desperate to try and profit from this momentous occasion in British politics. Note here, that the BNP are campaigning for a NO to AV vote.

- we need to remove hated personalities from the equation. Apart from trying to fathom how on Earth Nick Clegg became more hated in this country than the late Osama bin Laden and Jack the Ripper combined, we must make sure not to vote emotionally and try to punish those like Clegg who fail to honour their pledges. Note here, that Clegg is campaigning for a YES to AV vote.

- despite all potential disadvantages, the AV system will hold MPs more accountable, not allowing them to take the electorate for granted. This is a principle that all people who believe in justice will celebrate, even if the proposed system doesn’t go as far enough as one might prefer. Yet something is better than nothing.

In conclusion, after taking further advice from the political minds that I trust, I feel that we should come together and support a YES vote for AV on May 5th.

We shouldn’t let the mad rush to find OBL’s death certificate, our usual political apathy, previous failures of the democratic system, and the voices of isolationists put Muslims off from trying to promote a system in British politics that will hold more people accountable, and create a political atmosphere that contains less hot air and more real talk. Agreed, to use the “your vote is crucial” cliché will be taking it too far, but this is another part to contribute to an attempt at hopefully bettering our collective situation in this country, at least a tiny bit God willing.

And indeed He knows best.

Reposted from 1st Ethical Trust, Empowering Through Partnership.

Official Presidential Statement From The White House

Remarks by the President on Osama Bin Laden


Muxlim viewers: Watch the statement video on YT.

Transcript::

THE PRESIDENT: "Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. [cont.]

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America."

END 11:44 P.M. EDT

Image:: Flickr

From Cambridge News | by Jennifer Shelton

Join Imran Yusuf on his debut tour of the UK and discover the show that catapulted him from a relatively unknown performer to one of the most talked about comedians of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2010.

Renowned for his optimism-packed, high-energy performances, Yusuf is becoming one of the UK’s most notable comedians.

Fast and furious, his light-hearted satire frequently masks hard-hitting topical commentary on contemporary issues such as racism, sexism and religion.

Born in Mombasa, Kenya and raised in the UK with a brief stint at school in the USA, Yusuf travelled much of the world including Israel/Palestine, Jordan and Saudi Arabia during the Lebanon Crisis in 2006. His work has been inspired by this rich multicultural background, giving him a youthful, energetic and highly original voice that embodies the multi-cultural wealth that exists in modern Britain.

Yusuf’s original ambition was to become a video games designer but after working for some of the UK’s top companies, his creative aspirations finally gravitated towards the world of stand-up comedy. Following a period of clinical depression when he was 25 he set out to reclaim his life and career through unwavering self-belief, ambition and hard work.

Last year, Yusuf presented his debut solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where he gained the first of a collection of five-star reviews, which led to him being nominated for Best Newcomer in the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award 2010 (He was the first performer from The Laughing Horse Free Festival to be nominated in the history of the Awards). He performed more than 100 shows during August - all of which were done whilst fasting between sunrise and sunset in observation of Ramadan.
Yusuf has also appeared on the Edinburgh Comedy Gala and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Road Show. Catch this rising star as he heads to Cambridge next week.

:: An Audience with Imran Yusuf, The Junction, May 4, 8pm. Tickets are £12 (£10 concessions, £5 students). Contact (01223) 511511 / www.junction.co.uk.