40 Europeans in Kuwait to get to know Islam

Representatives of our Greek team from Greeks Rethink and the Muslim Association of Greece were able to attend this conference.  More updates to come later insha Allah.

© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece

 

Source: islammemo

The Kuwait-European new Muslims meeting started on Saturday evening (28-2-2010) in Kuwait which will continue until March 12, with the participation of 40 European who newly announced their conversion to Islam,  so they can  learn more about the Islamic religion through a series of lectures by a number of preachers.

Jamal Al Nouri, the official for the Islam Presentation Committee, said the Committee aims to qualify those newly European Muslims to be advocates of Islam in their home countries and convey the message of Islam among non-Muslims.

He explained that the Committee relies on them a lot and is keen to establish forums and meetings and lectures for them, referring that this meeting/forum has involvement of the lecturers and scientists from within Kuwait and from outside Kuwait.

 

Misconceptions

Amal Abed-Alwahed, the forum coordinator, said that the forum is a big meeting to discuss ways to communicate with each other and to remove the misconceptions about Islam.

She emphasized that the Committee since it was established in the seventies of the last century set a vision of a clear methodology to strive to achieve this vision and by the grace of God Almighty they made remarkable achievements.

She noted that the Committee was able to make Kuwait in the ranks of a dawah/preaching country as they are keen to communicate with each other and not to impact with, in addition to careful to show the truth and the tolerant image of Islam among non-Muslims.

 

Translated by Fadi Hasweh

Criminal in Greece: Muslim with the Quran

Source: Proto Thema

 A member of a gang of burglars and stolen goods receiver was finally proven to be a young Syrian that had accused a police officer to rip his Quran an step on it last May. There were serious incidents as a result of this accusation in the center of Athens by Muslims and a serious turbulence from the police.  

The 27year old Hasan Ramsy was convicted a few days ago to 10 months imprisonment because he was selling stolen goods. The Quran that he was holding however orders clearly, “Do not steal”…

 

After serious information, there was a police swoop in the underground apartment that Hamzy was living with another Syrian and they bumped into a …treasure. Jewels, watches, mobile phones, electronic devices and other valuable objects were found, that were stolen by a gang of burglars from houses and apartments in the north suburbs of Athens.

During the examination, the 27 Syrian denied that he was in the gang but he claimed that he bought the goods by an unknown man without knowing they were stolen.

His allegation did not convince the court that gave him 10 months imprisonment with a three year parole period, for “accepting and supplying products of crime” while the investigations of the police are continuing to track the gang of burglars.

 

He left at night…

After the end of the trial, Hamzy was left free and he returned to his country as they stated at “Thema” his co-patriots from the Aghios Panteleimonas area, but also the president of the Muslim Association of Greece, Mr. Naim Elghandour, has no better opinion for the 27year old man. “I know that he wanted to leave from Greece. He contacted me and said that he wants to return back to Syria. Generally he was weird. He was hanging around in strange neighborhoods and he was arrested for forged papers. I told him to be careful. He asked me for money to leave Greece but I found out later that he wanted to take advantage of me,” Mr. Elghandour stated.

 

He attempted to legalize himself with forged documents

Hasan Hamzy abandoned Greece just as he came. Illegally. He had stated on a TV show that he came illegally to Samos from Turkey in 2002 and after that he came to Athens. In 2003 he applied for his documents to become legal, when government Simitis had those measures, but stating that he was Iraqi by the name Mohammed Attiq and not Syrian. Last May, a policeman that was participating at an operation-broom at Aghios Panteleimonas at the center of Athens stopped Hamzy to check his papers. According to what the young man stated, the policeman ripped pages from the Quran that he had on him and then he stepped on it swearing.

As a result, there was a reaction by a large Muslim immigrant population that lives in Athens and for two days of serious incidents that were provoked from fanatics who damaged vehicles and stores, and there were also injuries. The Muslim Association of Greece and their president Naim Elghandour condemned those incidents then while they applied a law suit against the policeman who offended the holy book of millions of people worldwide.

Mr. Elghandour underlines that some people deliberately attempted to make Hamzy a hero. “Then at the incidents they attempted to make him a hero but the Muslim Association did not allow that to happen. The incidents were incited and we did not allow Athens to burn once again. What we did and proved that we care for this country, is take a law suit against any responsible person, to put responsibility –if there are to the policeman who ripped the Quran. We are waiting the case to go to trial,” he states.

 

Event: Panel Discussion on Hijab on Feb. 3

Event:

Panel Discussion on HIJAB- the Islamic Headscarf

“The Hijab:

Symbol of Oppression or Expression of Faith?

A Right or a Threat?”

Start Time: Wednesday, February 3 at 6:00pm

End Time: Wednesday, February 3 at 8:00pm

Where: Ianos Bookshop Cafe

 

Η ομάδα 53 Αθήνας της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας διοργανώνει εκδήλωση συζήτηση στον ΙΑΝΟ (Σταδίου 24) την Τετάρτη 3 Φλεβάρη στις 6μμ, με θέμα:

“Μαντήλα:

καταπίεση ή πίστη, δικαίωμα ή απειλή;”

Εκτός από την εκπρόσωπο της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας, μικρές εισηγήσεις θα κάνουν:

• η αγγλοϊρανή σκηνοθέτιδα Shirin Youssefian Maanian
• η δημοσιογράφος Κατερίνα Οικονομάκου και
• η Άννα Στάμου, υπεύθυνη δημοσίων σχέσεων της Μουσουλμανικής Ένωσης Ελλάδας.

Στη διάρκεια της εκδήλωσης, θα παιχτεί ένα μικρό απόσπασμα από το έργο “Hijab Frappe΄!”, που πρωτοπαρουσιάστηκε πέρισυ την άνοιξη σε περιορισμένες παραστάσεις και έχει σκηνοθετήσει η Shirin, και θα επακολουθήσει συζήτηση.

Rethink’s art picks

Source:  Zain’s Pics & Text

“This picture was taken at the First Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta which was held from 19 to 22 March 2009 in Putrajaya.”

 

European mentoring course for converts: photo gallery

The following is an article and photo gallery of the NEMA mentoring course in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, that took place on December 12-13, 2009. Two members from the Muslim Association of Greece and one member from Greeks Rethink attended the course.

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

 

The Mentoring Course that NEMA organized  (Native European Muslim Assembly, affiliated to FIOE) was indeed a great success. People from many countries as Finland, UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Greece and Holland attended it. The location was the Islamic University of Rotterdam and the honored guest was professor Jamal Badawi, a beloved scholar for millions of Muslims worldwide. The mentoring course was held by Kathleen Roche Nagi who runs the Approachable Coaching Program (www.approachablecoaching.com).

The Dutch Muslims presented their activities to us, their goals and participated actively with lectures that aimed to realize the situation and the challenges of the New Muslims. They presented their association and their websites www.ontdekislam.nl & www.lpnm.nl

The Mentoring Course was a sequel of previous and future sessions and when they are completed the attendees will be certified mentors in order to use their skills to the demanding convert community. The promising aspect was that most of the future mentors were converts themselves and this is always preferable in order to achieve maximum effect.

Dr. Jamal Badawi was giving lectures and answering all questions of the attendees and as well he gave more lectures out of the course at Erasmus University and at an Arabic center, so we were happy to follow him and listen to his teachings that are really inspiring and enlightening for all Muslims.

Greece was represented by three members of our group Elena Pouliasi, Amir Arvanitis and Anna Stamou but we also met our sister Stefanie Danopoulos, a Greek-Dutch, who lives there and was very active indeed in this event as a member of the Dutch Muslim Community.

Although the program was very tight and we had to squeeze time and learn as much as possible, we had a great time and endless talks with each other as we shared experiences and impressions from our countries. We were all sad when Sunday afternoon came and we promised to meet at the next session for mentors and of course at the NEMA camp that will be announced soon.

Indeed all people of NEMA did a wonderful job, the program was very successful like the previous ones and we are looking forward for their new website that will be launched soon.

Click below to see the full photo gallery.

 

 

November 27: Eid Al Adha prayer in Greece

 

 

 

Εορταστική προσευχή “Αΐντ Αλ Αντχα”
στο Ποδηλατοδρόμιο του Ολυμπιακού Σταδίου
27 Νοεμβρίου στις 8.00 π.μ.

Παρακαλώ δείτε το επισυναπτόμενο αρχείο.

 

Eid Al Adha festive prayer
Cycling Dome (podilatodromio)
Olympic Stadium of Athens OAKA
November 27 at 8.00am

Download flyer with details.

Gerasimos Loukatos: my journey to Islam

My name is Gerasimos Loukatos and I was born and raised in Athens, Greece and officially became Muslim in 2008 in Stockholm. Since then I have been experiencing brotherhood and sincere kindness from Muslims, wherever I happen to meet them! My acceptance of the truth of Islam was so natural for me that it came as a relief after many years of searching and trying to understand the meanings of life. I embraced Islam wholeheartedly when I realized that, for most of my life, I was living in the proximity of the Islamic understanding of life and that everything happens for a reason as I was struggling to understand why something happens and what does it mean.

So, my way to Islam, as I have experienced it, begins very early on starting from the early age of seven when I became interested in the unseen. From the age of 11-15, I was given psychology books like Adler and Freud, where I started training myself on deep reflection and critical thinking.  I would often reflect looking into the sky and stars and my surroundings on the countryside outside of Athens.  I thought if my time is limited, how do I want to use that time?  I needed to balance my spiritual and worldly development – my heart and mind.

I read the New Testament and kept the meaning of anything that taught good character. I really had a hard time understanding how Jesus could be son of God and die, but even more problematic was that he died to redeem us from our sins and how an all-loving and all-forgiving God can hold us accountable for the original sin? Somehow the whole concept didn’t resonate in my heart.

Later on I read a few books on Buddhism which I found far more spiritually cohesive but I still had a problem. I couldn’t understand how people can prostrate to a statue! The more I read about religions the more I became confused. At about 20 years old now, I decided once again to review my understanding by examining what I knew and try to understand what is false and what is true. For me, that meant going back to zero…either there is God or not!

So when I returned back to zero, I explicitly prayed to Him, if He exists to show me His signs!

I couldn’t accept the existence of many gods as this would mean the created gods are dependent on the one god that created them! It became obvious to me, if one God created us, He wouldn’t send different messages to different people. So, even if religions are expressed in different ways, their essence should be the same. The fact that religions were different indicated to me that people throughout time had used religion in order to control and manipulate people. After forming a foundation based on these facts, I started an ongoing dialogue of “if…then” with myself. I ended up believing in absolutely one God but not in religions in any absolute sense. I recognized there is truth in them mixed with fiction and it was a way for people to come together to realize that their religion was the same.

This was the most turbulent period for me spiritually partly because I felt so different than most of the people around me. I never enjoyed drinking or dancing or doing things just for the sake of doing them and I never adhered to fashions. These are enough reasons to characterize a person strange or even anti-social and it took me sometime to understand that there is nothing wrong with that if that’s what you are.  Even in terms of intimate relationships, I had a strange understanding that it should be experienced in all three levels, physical, psychological and spiritual in order for it to have any meaning.

Thank God who sent on my way when I was 23, the person that I call my spiritual father! I met Gregory in an interview, on my way of joining a group of people who had far more knowledge and understanding than me in terms of book knowledge. Gregory became in a sense my mentor; it was like sitting at the feet of a teacher in a traditional way of learning. He taught me how not to get lost in the details, nor how to bypass them in face of the whole picture. He taught me that, most often, the same mistakes will come disguised as different ones. He taught me that the purpose can never sanctify the means. He taught me that experience is not always trustworthy, as wrong experience may take you down the wrong path. And when I wanted him to show me that path, he answered me, “I cannot show you the right path. You have to find it on your own and walk on it on your own. I can only try to show you how you will find it.”

He taught me that people who focus on targets risk losing sight of their surroundings. “Every person has his/ her Ithaki and you too,” he said. “Be aware of your Ithaki but always remember, it’s your journey who will take you there!” Well, I guess what I ever say it won’t be enough!

Otherwise, when there was a gathering, I used to remain silent as I felt I couldn’t compete in knowledge with any of the speakers. Until one day, I openly declared that I believe in God but I don’t believe in religions! The director replied, “The older you grow, the nearer you will draw to God.” The only person who stood up to my defense was an atheist but unfortunately none of them understood what I said. That was my last day at the gathering.

Eventually I moved to Sweden as a married man to an Iranian girl. It was my first contact with Muslims even though her family was rather neutral and she was an atheist. After seven years of marriage and three years of trying to make things work, we came to a mutual agreement to divorce in a friendly manner. Thank God once again we didn’t have any children as we realized we had to resolve the problems between us first.

When I met a friend in Athens, who knew both of us well, he told me, “Do you know why it didn’t work out between you? You believe in God while she doesn’t. Differences in view of the world will manifest themselves sooner or later.” Well, maybe he had a point and God knows best!

Several months later I got in touch with a Muslima from another town of Sweden. We communicated mostly by phone and we would discuss just about anything, from philosophy and psychology to religion and politics. Actually I met her in three different occasions over our 3,5 years of contact. She wasn’t a practicing Muslima for some time but eventually we were discussing more and more about religions. I had the same distorted views about Islam, as so many others in the Western hemisphere. Even my earlier contact with Muslims didn’t change my view. However, I was aware of the politics and the propaganda taking place through the media and I was aware that any understanding I had was not objective. So, I used to discuss, listen and reflect, until almost two years ago.

She started telling me that I think like a Muslim, I should become a Muslim, I am a Muslim. At the end I became curious to find out why she thinks I am a Muslim, so I started buying books about Islam and eventually I bought the Quran.

When reading, I came across the two most misunderstood verses of the Quran. One of them was verse Surat An-Nisaa: 34. After listening to the correct explanation of the verse, reading the whole Quran and listening to a couple of lectures, I knew why I was Muslim (in a sense) and why I should become Muslim officially. That Muslima, in the process of guiding me to the correct understanding of Islam, she returned herself in the practice of Islam. In many ways it was perfect between us in having almost everything in common but we had to go separate ways due to her refusal to move to Greece and my refusal to consciously deny Greece. It’s only for God to know what He saves for me and it’s for me to find out!  One way or another, I couldn’t consciously give up my family and alhamdulillah, it is comforting to know that I will not be the only Muslim in Greece!

How has Islam changed my life? Well, in many practical ways, it hasn’t changed it a lot. I didn’t drink, I didn’t go out dancing and jumping up and down and I always strived not to have superficial relationships of any kind. My family didn’t have a problem with my religion either, even though my father doesn’t want to listen a word about Islam, he recognizes my freedom of choice and time given and God willing he will listen some day or even better see for himself. Surprised and disinterested as he might be, he doesn’t hold hard feelings, alhamdulillah.

However, Islam has changed my awareness of my relationship of God, my awareness of my actions and words towards others and my awareness of who I am, why I am what I am, why I am here and where I am going.

What I know from experience is that difficulties will come and they will pass by and if that will not teach us patience it will teach us something we really need to know. So many times I found myself at the edge and being in distress for not finding a way out and so many times I had an opening when least expected! At the end I couldn’t feel in distress even in the worst of situations because I knew the opening would eventually come! And every person I met, every stimulus to every thought or reflection my intellect could perceive, every situation I found myself in, was all part of my way to Islam.  God showed me His signs as I prayed and He revealed to me how things are in truth. Until now, I can’t find a question Quran hasn’t an answer to. I am talking about answers my intellect can grasp and my heart can sense. Surely, I don’t have all the answers but I know where to find them inshaa Allah!

Finally I found the path I was searching for and it’s the straight path! It is difficult to walk on it, due to the many distractions around it, but it’s worthy following it. So, I am not anywhere near an ideal Muslim but if it is one person who played the most important role in my life, that person was my mother. She taught me Islam without knowing it! She taught me to forgive and pardon others for their shortcomings and she advised me to listen to my heart when I can’t see the way clearly. I would give the same advice to everyone who is in search of the truth. Just make sure to clear the distortions before listening to your heart, otherwise you will only hear cacophonic sounds!

 

—-

photo credit: Atonal Blue

News alert: Canadian scholars on niqab issue

Source: CAIR-CAN

 

 

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

Statement by Canadian Islamic Scholars and Mainstream Muslim Organizations Reaffirms Freedom of Religious Expression

(OTTAWA – October 9, 2009) In response to recent calls to ban the niqab (face veil) in Canada, a wide coalition of mainstream Canadian Muslim organizations in conjunction with Canadian Islamic scholars issued a statement today reaffirming the freedom of religion and conscience in Canada.

The statement read as follows:

“The recent calls to ban the niqab (face veil) in Canada are misplaced and contravene the fundamental principles of our free and democratic society. All Canadians, whether Muslim or not, are guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms the freedom of religion and conscience. The state has no business in the wardrobes of the nation.

“Therefore, if a segment of Canadian Muslim women believe that wearing the niqab is part of their religious practice, then they must be allowed to freely do so. The principle must be extended to all religious practices, provided the practice does not infringe upon the fundamental rights of others.

 

“The marginalization of Muslim women must be countered with public education and anti-discrimination efforts, not with the state’s dictation on how one may dress, which only serves to further marginalization instead.”

 

STATEMENT SIGNATORIES:

Ahlul-Bayt Centre Ottawa *
Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN)
Canadian Council Of Muslim Theologians (CCMT)
Canadian Council of Imams
Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC)
Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association (CMCLA)
Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute (CMWI)
Canadian Muslim Forum (CMF)
Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals Toronto (CAMP Toronto) *
Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre
DawaNet Canada
Federation of Muslim Women *
International Muslims Organization (IMO)
Islamic Ahlul Bayt Assembly of Canada, Richmond Hill *
Islamic Circle of North America Canada (ICNA Canada) *
Islamic Foundation of Toronto *
Islamic Society of British Columbia
Islamic Society of North America Canada (ISNA Canada)
Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA)
Islamic Society of Toronto
Jamat E-Islahul Muslimeen *
Jami Omar Mosque
Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador
Muslim Council of Calgary (MCC)
Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)
Muslim Council of Montreal / Conseil Musulman de Montreal
Muslim Presence / Presence Musulmane *
Muslim World League, Canadian Office *
Salaheddin Islamic Centre
Scarborough Muslim Association
TARIC Islamic Centre, Toronto
Young Muslims Canada

CONTACTS:

Nermine Barbouch, CMF Spokesperson, 514.806.3257 [FRANCAIS]
Selma Djukic, CAIR-CAN Spokesperson, 416.726.4992
Shahina Siddiqui, ISSA Executive Director, 204.944.1560
Shk. Yusuf Badat, CCMT Spokesperson, 416.321.0909 ext 235 or 416.402.8542

International Conference in Athens, Greece

Athens: with their thoughts on the mosque and the grand prayer (Eid Al-Fitr)

Source:  Ελευθεροτυπία, By Georgia Dama

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

At “Agora” of Olympic Stadium hundreds of Muslims gathered yesterday at 7.30 in the morning for the Eid Al-Fitr prayer.

They wished to have some say for a prayer place for them as well a piece of land to be buried.

In the front line stood the diplomats, the representatives of Muslim communities. Behind them, endless rows with Muslims coming from all Muslim world. Young men that work in our country. Some of them with their sons aside. They pray with devotion forming the last rows.

At the side area the women were standing. Wearing their festive dresses, holding their babies in their arms. The first row was filled by Greek women that embraced Islam.

Arabs from all over the world, Africans, Pakistanis, Iranians met and hugged at the Olympic Stadium. “We will pray all together in the fest that indicates the end of the fast of Ramadan that lasted a month. It is a day of joy. We eat after the fast and we wish peace for the whole planet, Anna responds, one of the Greek women that embraced Islam. An Egyptian woman adds, “Especially to the Greeks we wish better days and peace. I wish at the next prayer Greece to be in a better destiny.”

The echo of “Allah Akbar” spreads the open church. The immigrants kneel touching the mat with their foreheads. They pray with devotion. Only the words of the grand prayer are heard “to preserve our values, not to go away from God, to be always near Him”. The grand prayer is made twice a year. The next follows in 72 days when the Muslims are travelling for pilgrimage in Mecca.

A little later the president of the Muslim Association, Naim Elghandour, that lives 35 years in our country wishes “to follow better days for the Muslims in Greece. To have a place for praying for our children that were born here, study, some of them have Hellenic citizenship, will serve the army and gather in undergrounds and garages to pray. Let there be a place to be buried. In my home country Egypt, Greeks have temples and enjoy their rights.”

He also says that “for the construction of the mosque 15 million euros were given from the Ministry of Finance that remain in the drawers of the Ministry of Education. In Greece there is about 800.000 Muslims.  Five hundred thousand of them have permanent residency and another 250.000 have a red card (claiming asylum). We will go to the courts asking for the application of the law that allows the construction of a mosque, and it remains inactive.”

Next Page »