31 Jul 2011 29 Shaban 1432

Assalamu 'Alaikum waRahmatullahi waBarakatuh

All Praise Belongs to Allah (swt), and May the Salah and Salam of Allah (swt) be upon our beloved Messenger (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him)

The Holy Month of Ramadan has returned once again, IslamicTube has been running for yet another year. May Allah Azza Wajl accept the efforts of those who have assisted us in coming this far, and may this site be of benefit to all those who use it. Ameen.

Here is a question posed and answered by IslamQA:


What should we say to the Muslims on the occasion of the beginning of Ramadaan?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him."

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

This blessed month is a great opportunity for goodness, barakah (blessing), worship and obedience towards Allaah.

It is a great month, a noble season, a month in which hasanaat (rewards for good deeds) are multiplied and in which committing sayi'aat (bad deeds) is more serious than at other times. The gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the sinners' repentance to Allaah is accepted. It is a month whose beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness and its end is redemption from the Fire.

So give thanks to Him for the season of goodness and blessing that He has bestowed upon you, and for the means of bounty and various kinds of great blessings for which He has singled you out. Make the most of this blessed time by filling it with acts of worship and forsaking haraam things, so that you may attain a good life in this world and happiness after death.

For the sincere believer, every month is an occasion for worship and his whole life is spent in obeying Allaah, but in the month of Ramadaan he has even more motives to do good and his heart is even more focused on worship, and he turns even more to his Lord. By His grace, our generous Lord bestows His bounty upon the fasting believers and multiplies the reward for them on this blessed occasion, so He gives abundantly and rewards generously for righteous deeds.

Time passes quickly

Days pass so quickly, as if they were mere moments. We welcomed Ramadaan, then we bade it farewell, and only a short period of time passed and we are welcoming Ramadaan again. So we should hasten to do good deeds in this month and strive to fill it with that which Allaah is pleased with and with that which will help us on the Day when we meet Him.

How can we prepare for Ramadaan?

We can prepare for Ramadaan by taking stock of ourselves and recognizing our shortcomings in living up to the Shahaadatayn, or our shortcoming in fulfilling our duties, or our shortcomings in not keeping away from the desires and doubts that we may have fallen into...

We should set ourselves straight so that in Ramadaan we will have a higher degree of faith. For faith increases and decreases. It increases through obedience to Allaah and it decreases through disobedience and sin. The first act of obedience that a person should achieve is that of being a true slave of Allaah and believing that there is none that is rightfully worshipped except Allaah, so he directs all kinds of worship to Allaah and does not associate anyone else in worship with Him. Each of us should realize that whatever has befallen him could not have missed him, and whatever missed him could not have befallen him, and that everything happens by the will and decree of Allaah.

We should avoid everything that could undermine our commitment to the Shahaadatayn. This means keeping away from bid'ah (innovations) and things that have been introduced into the religion. We should also follow the principle of al-walaa' wa'l-bara' (loyalty and friendship vs. disavowal and enmity), by taking the believers as our friends and by regarding the kaafirs and hypocrites as enemies, and we should rejoice when the Muslims gain a victory over their enemies. We should follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way of the Rightly-Guided Khulafa' who came after him. We should love the Sunnah and love those who adhere to it and defend it, in whatever country they are and whatever colour or nationality they are.

After that we should take stock of ourselves and recognize our shortcomings in doing acts of worship such as praying in congregation, remembering Allaah (dhikr), paying attention to the rights of neighbours, relatives and the Muslims, spreading the greeting of salaam, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, urging one another to follow the truth and be patient and steadfast in doing so, being patient in avoiding evil actions and in doing good deeds, and accepting the decree of Allaah with patience.

Then we should take stock of ourselves and our sins and our following whims and desires. We should stop ourselves from persisting in that, whether the sin is great or small, whether it is a sin of the eye, by looking at that which Allaah has forbidden; or by listening to music; or by walking to things of which Allaah does not approve; or by using one's hands to srike in a manner with which Allaah is not pleased; or by consuming things that Allaah has forbidden such as riba (usury) and bribes, or any other means of consuming people's wealth unlawfully.

We should never forget that Allaah stretches forth His hand during the day to accept the repentance of those who sinned at night, and He stretches forth His hand at night to accept the repentance of those who sinned during the day. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious).

Those who spend (in Allaah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allaah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the good‑doers).

And those who, when they have committed Faahishah (illegal sexual intercourse) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allaah and ask forgiveness for their sins; - and none can forgive sins but Allaah - and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.

For such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allaah's Orders)"

[Aal 'Imraan 3:133-136]

"Say: "O 'Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful"

[al-Zumar 39:53]

"And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allaah's forgiveness, he will find Allaah Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful"

[al-Nisa' 4:110]

By taking stock, repenting and seeking forgiveness, this is how we should welcome Ramadaan. "The smart man is the one who takes stock of himself and strives to do that which will benefit him after death, and the helpless one is the one who follows his own whims and desires and engages in wishful thinking, (assuming that Allaah will forgive him regardless of what he does and that he does not need to strive to good deeds)."

The month of Ramadaan is the month of great gains and profits. The smart trader is the one who makes the most of special occasions to increase his profits. So make the most of this month by doing lots of acts of worship, praying a great deal, reading Qur'aan, forgiving people, being kind to others and giving charity to the poor.

In the month of Ramadaan the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut. The devils are put in chains and a caller cries out each night, O seeker of good, proceed, O seeker of evil, desist.

So, O slaves of Allaah, be among the people of good, following the path of your righteous forebears who were guided by the Sunnah of your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so that we may end Ramadaan with our sins forgiven and our righteous deeds accepted.

We should note that the month of Ramadaan is the best of months.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Another of example of that - i.e., of the differentiation between the things that Allaah has created - is the fact that the month of Ramadaan is superior to all other months, and the last ten nights are superior to the other nights."

Zaad al-Ma'aad, 1/56

This month is superior to others in four things:

1 - In it there is the best night of the year, which is Laylat al-Qadr. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'aan) down in the Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree).

And what will make you know what the Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree) is?

The Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah's Permission with all Decrees,

(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn"

[al-Qadar 97:1-5]

So worship on this night is better than worshipping for a thousand months.

2 - In this month was revealed the best of Books to the best of the Prophets (peace be upon them). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)"

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

"We sent it (this Qur'aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al‑Qadr) in the month of Ramadan - the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship].

Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.

As a Command (or this Qur'aan or the Decree of every matter) from Us. Verily, We are ever sending (the Messengers)"

[al-Dukhaan 44:3-5]

It was narrated by Ahmad and by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer that Waathilah ibn al-Asqa' (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Scriptures of Ibraaheem were sent down on the first of the month of Ramadaan. The Tawraat was sent down on the sixth of Ramadaan. The Injeel was sent down on the thirteenth of Ramadaan. The Zaboor was sent down on the eighteenth of Ramadaan, and the Qur'aan was sent down on the twenty-fourth of Ramadaan.

Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1575.

2 - In this month the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are put in chains." (Agreed upon).

Al-Nasaa'i narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When Ramadaan comes, the gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are put in chains."

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 471.

Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah and Ibn Khuzaymah narrated in one report: "When the first night of the month of Ramadaan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained up and the gates of Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller cries out: 'O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist. And Allaah has those whom He redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night."

Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 759.

If it is asked, how come we see many evil actions and sins committed in Ramadaan, for if the devils are chained up that would not happen?

The answer is that evil actions become less for those who observe the conditions and etiquette of fasting;

or that the ones who are chained up are some of the devils - namely the rebellious ones - not all of them;

or that what is meant is that evil is reduced in Ramadaan, which is a proven fact. If evil happens at this time, it is still less than at other times. Even if all of them (the devils) are chained up, that does not necessarily mean that no evil or sin will happen, because there are other causes of that besides the devils, such as evil souls, bad habits and the devils among mankind. Al-Fath, 4/145

4 - There are many kinds of worship in Ramadaan, some of which are not done at other times, such as fasting, praying qiyaam, feeding the poor, i'tikaaf, sadaqah, and reading Qur'aan.

I ask Allaah, the Exalted, the Almighty, to help us all to do that and to help us to fast and pray qiyaam, and to do acts of worship and to avoid doing evil. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/12468



And our last words are: "All Praise Belongs to Allah The Rabb Al 'Aalameen".

Jazakumullahu Khayran!

Wassalaamu 'Alaikum waRahmathullahi waBarakaathuhu.

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A Personal Invitation from The Trumpet’s Femi Okutubo

to join us for a Networking Evening and Refreshments at

Trumpet Connect - Hackney







The Event

Trumpet Connect is a series of Networking Events being hosted by Trumpet Media Group initially across Britain but with plans for other events in other parts of the world especially Africa, Europe and USA.



Trumpet Media Group are Publishers of The Trumpet Newspapers - Britain's largest distributed Black African Newspaper.



As the name suggests, it aims to connect people and organisations. Trumpet Connect is a Business, Social and Professional Networking event rolled into one.



Our vision is to host as many networking events as possible across the world - tapping into the power and benefits of networking.



Speakers and Guests

Trumpet Connect - Hackney on Friday August 5 will feature a number of Speakers including award-winning Ms. Mavis Amankwah - the CEO of Rich Visions PR (www.mavisamankwah.com) who will speak on: 'Turning Your Dreams Into Reality.' Many of us are good dreamers who come up with the very best ideas imaginable, but lack what it takes to make the move or just simply procrastinate. The current eceonomic climate dictates that it is all about the survival of the fittest and the best will surely excel!



Also speaking will be Ms. Seye Aina - the Founder of Paceworking Events who will be speaking about the Power and Benefits of Networking.



Mrs Tokunbo Okeowo – a Consultant Pharmacist specialising in Oncology and Haematology will be speaking on Health and Beauty - The Efficacy of Onions and Green Tea.



The Speaker of the London Borough of Hackney – Councillor Susan Fajana-Thomas will be attending as a Special Guest.



Join us for a warm evening of networking and light refreshments between 6pm and 9pm.



Marketing & Sponsorship Opportunities

There are opportunities to promote your organisation or business or what you do at this event through Sponsorship Opportunities, Speaker Slots, Exhibition Spaces, Advertisement Spaces and the Distribution of your promotional materials. For further details, please email events@the-trumpet.com



Tickets

Tickets to the event cost £20 per head but there are discounted tickets at £15 each if you buy two tickets or £10 each if you buy four tickets.



You can buy your tickets online via Eventbrite or pay directly into our Bank Account. For our Bank Account details, please email events@the-trumpet.com or telephone 020 8522 6600 or 07930 307107 or 07508 229772



Venue

Bradbury Studios. 138 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DY



Date and Time

Friday, August 5 2011 (6pm - 9pm)

EFCC BOSS FARIDA WAZIRI IN LONDON

Mheshimiwa Balozi Kallaghe---Inapenda kuwatangazia watanzania wote waliopo Reading, Slough, Oxford na vitongoji vingine vya karibu kuwa Imeandaa ziara maalum ya Mheshimiwa Balozi Kallaghe ya siku tatu itakayofanyika katika mji wa Reading kuanzia tarehe 8-10/4/2011. Sambamba ya ziara hii Mh Balozi atapata fursa ya kutembelea shughuli mbalimbali za kimaendeleo zifanyazwo na wajasilimali wa kitanzania na pia kukutana na wanajumuia wote. Hivyo basi kutakuwa na sherehe maalum ya kumkaribisha Balozi wetu hapa Reading tarehe 9/4/11 kuanzia saa 10 jioni mpaka saa 12 jioni baada ya hapo kutakuwa na tafrija pamoja na mziki kuanzia saa 1 usiku mpaka saa 6 usiku. Tafadhali wahi mapemaUkumbi na adreess ya kwenye sherehe Amersham Road Youth & Community CentreAmersham Road,

Caversham,

Reading,

Berks,

RG4 5BPTunawomba watanzania wote mjitokeze kwa wingi ili kumkaribisha Balozi wetu. Kuja kwenu ndio kufakisha kwa ziara hii muhimu, tafadhali mjulishe mwenzio.Ratiba Rasmi ya ziara kamili itatolewa baadaye.

Asanteni kwa ushirikiano wenu,

MwenyekitiTanz- UK

Press release

Embargoed until 00.01am Thursday 31 March 2011



AVERAGE FAMILY TO LOSE £182 BECAUSE OF TORY CUTS



Conservative Government cuts you more. Labour councils cost you less



The Labour Party launches its 2011 local election campaign tomorrow with a pledge to be people’s voice in tough times, alongside new research which shows the Tory-led Government’s cuts to local authorities will hit the average two adult household with children by £182 in 2011/12.

*
Tory-led Government cuts to funding to local authorities mean that in 2011/12 the Revenue Spending Power (RSP) of local authorities will fall by £2,480,900,000 [1].

*
The population in England is 51,809,000 [2]

*
The average cut per person this year is £47.88 [3]

*
The cut for the average two adult household with children is £182 [4]

*
Meanwhile, analysis of local authority council tax charges for 2011/12 shows that Labour councils charge council taxpayers on average £207 less than Tory councils and £40 less than Lib Dem councils [5]

As the cuts made in Downing Street begin to bite in streets and communities Labour councillors will tomorrow pledge to speak up for their local areas against the Tory-led Government’s unfair policies.

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“Labour launches our election campaign with a clear pledge to people across the country: we will be your voice in tough times.

“Cuts designed by David Cameron and Nick Clegg are coming direct from Downing Street to your street. Families in every part of the country will be hit by these unfair cuts.

“Areas with the greatest need are being asked to bear the greatest burden. The worst off areas are being hit the hardest while the average family will be hit much harder than people in David Cameron’s constitue ncy.

“Labour will be your community’s first line of defence against the damage being done by a Conservative-led Government and their Liberal Democrat allies.

“Labour’s record is clear: Labour councils cost you less, with council tax bills on average £207 lower than Tory authorities."

*
Labour has produced a local elections document - ‘Labour: Your voice in tough times’ – which sets out the case for voting Labour on May 5th. To read a copy click here: http://www.labouremail.org.uk/taomail/uploads/51fc41c9-3845-d414-0177-0e14d6080284.pdf

*
To see the full list of Revenue Spending Power reductions per head of population by local authority click here: http://www.labouremail.org.uk/taomail/uploads/755c01f3-6961-3c24-896f-ab093aaff938.pdf

Ends



Editor's notes:



1. http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/grant.htm
2. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=15106
3. Total Revenue Support Grant reduction for 2011/12 divided by ONS population figure
4. The average two adult hous ehold with children consists of 3.8 people (Source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/housing.asp). 3.8 multiplied by £47.88 is £181.94
5. http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/counciltax201112

Additional Background information:

*
Labour has compiled a research document detailing the fall in each local authority’s Revenue Spending Power (RSP) per head of population following the Tory-led Government’s frontloaded cuts (to see the document click here: http://www.labouremail.org.uk/taomail/uploads/755c01f3-6961-3c24-896f-ab093aaff938.pdf). Our figures are based on local authority population data from the Office of National Statistics, and the Department for Communities and Local Government’s own Local Government Funding Settlement figures. Revenue Spending Power figures are available at: http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spannexas.xls

To ensure a like-for-like comparison between unitary authorities and two-tier local government areas, RSP cuts figures for district and county councils in two-tier areas have been combined.

The figures disregard the Government’s temporary “transition grant” which will only provide a relatively small cushion in the first two years – after which councils will lose this funding stream as well:

“However, the Government has decided to take account of the reduction in revenue spending power for local authorities, reflecting the combined effect of changes to individual revenue grants and the extent to which i ncome from council tax will be available to each authority. It will do so by means of a Transition Grant which will help those authorities most affected by reductions in spending power to plan for those reductions. No transitional grant will be paid after 2012-13.”
DCLG guidance, http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/tgexplain.pdf

We have provided a national average figure for the next two years, based on figures the 2001 Census household size figures from ONS, and the same Department for Communities and Local Government’s own funding figures and shows that the average cuts per head in RSP (including fire) in 2011/12 will be £47.88 – this is equivalent to a cut of £181.94 for the average two adult household with children of 3.8 people (Source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/housing.asp).
*
The figures show the uneven effects of the Government’s cuts to local authority funding. Areas like Birmingham, Hastings, Great Yarmouth, Fenland, Croydon, Brighton and Hove, Thanet, Southampton, Slough, Sandwell, Redcar-and-Cleveland, Portsmouth, Leicester hit much harder than residents in David Cameron’s Witney constituency, covered by West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council.
*
To see the cuts depicted on a map of England please click here: http://www.labouremail.org.uk/taomail/uploads/55ce6b8c-f287-95f4-d150-a26dc5c447c7.pdf
*
To see the full list of Revenue Spending Power reductions per head of population by local authority click here: http://www.labouremail.org.uk/taomail/uploads/755c01f3-6961-3c24-896f-ab093aaff938.pdf
*
The table below shows the average council tax per dwelling in councils controlled by each party, (based on control of the top-tier county council in 2 tier areas). It demonstrates that that in areas where Labour controls the unitary or top-tier local authority, households pay on average £207 less per year than those living in Tory top-tier local authority areas and £40 less than those in Lib Dem top-tier local authority areas.

Top tier/ unitary control Average council tax per dwelling
LAB £1,098
CON £1,305
LD £1,138
NOC £1,105

*
Labour has produced a local elections document - ‘Labour: Your voice in tough times’ – which sets out the case for voting Labour on May 5th. To read a copy click here: http://www.labouremail.org.uk/taomail/uploads/51fc41c9-3845-d414-0177-0e14d6080284.pdf

For more information, please contact the Labour Party press office on

020 7783 1393.



All news releases are issued on a check against delivery basis and any portion of the speech not actually delivered should be regarded as private and confidential.

shington Foreign Press Center
U.S. Department of State
======================================

On April 5, 2011, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., the Foreign Press Center will hold a special briefing program on “The Results of the 2010 Census and the New Portrait of the U.S.” This massive data-gathering project helps define the future of America’s democratic process. It also shows the United States at a demographic pivot point between its racial past and multi-ethnic future. The racial and ethnic mix shifted sharply over the past decade, driven by soaring numbers of young Hispanics and Asians and an aging white population.

U.S. Census Bureau officials will brief on the results of the census. A briefing with Dr. William Frey, internationally known demographer with the Brookings Institution, will provide analysis of how the changing population characteristics will affect U.S. politics, economy, public and foreign policies. The rise of Hispanic and Asian populations will be specifically addressed.

PROGRAM:

2:00 p.m.
SPEAKERS: Marc J. Perry, Chief, Population Distribution Branch, U.S. Census Bureau; and Roberto R. Ramirez, Chief, Ethnicity and Ancestry Statistics Branch, U.S. Census Bureau.
TOPIC: New Portrait of America: First 2010 Census Briefs.


3:15 p.m.
SPEAKER: William H. Frey, demographer and senior fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution.

TOPIC: Analysis of the Changing Characteristics in the U.S. Population

WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: National Press Building, 529 14^th Street NW, Suite 800