Source:   European Muslim Women of Influence

In Madrid on Saturday 30 October, the winners of the inaugural European Muslim Women of Influence Awards 2010 were announced. The presentation of the women’s success stories and the prize giving were held during the first international gala event of the European Muslim Professionals Network, Cedar.

Cherie Blair

Source:  The Cedar Network

Chair of the Judging Committee and BBC journalist, Razia Iqbal announced the winners who were selected from the 26 shortlisted candidates. They were:

Ndeye Andújar – a spokeswoman for Islamic feminism and Editor-in-Chief of Webislam.com, a site that seeks to inform and enhance public perceptions of the Muslim community within Spain;

Sineb El-Masrar – Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Gazelle, Germany’s first multicultural women’s magazine targeted specifically at women from minority backgrounds;

Shaheed Fatima – one of the UK’s leading human rights lawyers, who has been the counsel in a number of high-profile and significant counter-terrorism and human rights cases;

Zaha Hadid - one of the Britain’s most highly acclaimed and sought after architects whose national and international works constantly push the boundaries of urban design;

Sabina Iqbal – Chair and Founder of Deaf Parenting UK, the first charity run by deaf parents for deaf parents in the UK and worldwide;

Lamya Kaddor – founder of the Liberal Islamic Union, whose work reflects her unique interpretation of contemporary German Islam and seeks to provide a voice for liberal Muslims in Germany and across Europe;

Barni Nor – As a nurse, nutritionist, full-time PhD student and chairwoman for the Muslim Women’s Association in Stockholm who regularly represents the Muslim community at official government meetings, conferences and in the media;

Nabila Ramdani- a French journalist and academic who specialises in Anglo-French issues, Islamic affairs and the Arab World;

Hilal Sezgin – a freelance journalist and political commentator from Germany, who has published several works on the topics of Islam, Islamophobia, German feminism and multiculturalism within Europe;

Anna Stamou – As Marketing Manager of the Muslim Association of Greece and Director of the first Greek Muslim centre, who has worked tirelessly to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in Greece.

The Judging Committee were drawn from across Europe: Edit Schlaffer, Founder and Chair, Women Without Boarders/SAVE-Sisters Against Violent Extremism, Austria; Pegah Ferydoni – actress, Germany; Rosa León – Director of the Cervantes Institute, Dublin; Guillaume Fourmont – academic and journalist, ‘Publico’, Spain and Jake Hayman – CEO of The Social Investment Consultancy and founder of FutureFirst, UK.

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

The Muslim Association of Greece is celebrating Eid Al Adha

(honoring the sacrifice of Abraham)

with a festive prayer with honored guest

Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Baddari of Al Azhar University Cairo

on Tuesday November 16, 2010, 7.30-8.30am

Propylea of Athens University, Panepistimiou Street, Metro Panepistimio

You are all welcome. Your presence will honor us.

Contact info:

Anna Stamou +30 6972838164

Η Μουσουλμανική Ένωση Ελλάδας όπως κάθε χρόνο θα εορτάσει το Αΐντ Αλ Άντχα

(εορτή που τιμά τη θυσία του Αβραάμ)

με μία εορταστική προσευχή με εκλεκτό καλεσμένο

τον Δρ. Mohamed Baddari από το πανεπιστήμιο Αλ Άζχαρ της Αιγύπτου

Την Τρίτη 16 Νοεμβρίου 2010, 7.30-8.30 το πρωί

Στα Προπύλαια του πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών,

Η παρουσία σας θα μας δώσει χαρά.

Επικοινωνία:

Ναΐμ Ελγαντούρ +306972008214

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Translation © Muslim Association of Greece

The huge square opposite of the town hall of Athens was turned into an outdoor mosque yesterday. The president of the Muslim Association of Greece noted that Greece sends a message of education and culture today. 

The economic crisis was the cause of the ceremony not being held in OAKA (Olympic stadium), as other times, as the Muslim community preferred to spend their lease money to cover the livelihood needs of certain members.

Prayer in a scene of reminisce that of … Mecca, was held by two imams from Egypt, invited by the Association. Like always, the men and women prayed separately, as earlier they had rolled out the carpet. Great was the participation of believers from Africa, while many were those who wore traditional costumes.

Muslims quickly “spread” across the square from 7.00 in the morning and the organizers spoke of big concentration. This colorful and multi-racial ‘tapestry’ created a very impressive scenery in central Athens and several were the passers-workers and tourists, who stopped to observe the ritual.

In a speech, the president of the Muslim Association of Greece, Naim Elghandour thanked the Mayor of Athens, Nikitas Kaklamanis, for the permission of the square and noted that, “the attitude of the Greek state today is a response to the American priest who wants to burn the Koran, but also to Angela Merkel who awarded the Danish cartoonist who ridiculed the drawings of Muhammad “.

Speaking with the “Ethnos” newspaper, Mr. Elghandour noted that the message sent today is that Greece is the capital of education and culture. For the Islamic religion, yesterday was a significant day. The strict fasting of Ramadan ends and the great mass prayer is a thanksgiving to the prophet. A day earlier, representatives of Muslims visited the Observatory of Penteli and had confirmed the position of the moon that the fasting is over. After the prayer, they gave out sweets to the children, while many homes made a festive table. The next mass prayer will be approximately in 70 days.

Responses
Seraphim against Kaklamanis

The granting of Kotzia square by the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis, for prayer of Muslims has prompted a strong reaction of Eparch Seraphim of Piraeus, who in a statement refers to it as “unacceptable behavior harmful to the main state religious faith.”

“With feelings of grief”, as the Eparch points out in his statement,” we have witnessed the concession of the municipality of Athens so irresponsibly to permit Kotzia Square to be used by Muslim religious persons.

Translated by: Elena Nikolova

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά / عربي

Last Thursday September 2, the formal Iftar dinner of MAG took place at Ledra Marriott hotel. Over a hundred guests participated at an Iftar of the Muslims of Athens.

The evening begun with the break of the fast, and the Maghreb (evening) prayer. After that, salutations came from the chairman Naim Elghandour, the rep of the Hellenic Church father Stefanos Alexopoulos and professor Vangelis Pissias.

At the Iftar were participating from the Ministry of Education the deputy minister Mr. Panaretos, Mrs. Dragona, Mr. Marioras, Mrs. Faragoulitaki. From the ministry of Protection of the Citizen were the deputy Chief of Pollice mr. Rahovitsas, Head of State Security Mr Dikopoulos, Attica Chief Mr Balakos, and other important people from the ministry. From the ministry of foreign affairs was Mr. Takis, from the City of Athens was the deputy mayor Mr. Papadakis and councellor Ms Jarvis. New Democracy party was represented by Ms Elsa Papadimitriou, Syriza party by Mr Dritsas and Ecologists by Ms Kontouli. Many diplomats as the ambassador of France, ambassador of Indonesia, ambassador of Syria, deputy ambassadors of UK, Egypt and other officials from all Muslim embassies. Significant businessmen, academics, journalists, people of arts, friends, imams special guests from Egypt, and reps from the initiative “ship to Gaza” were all there at this glowing evening.

Sponsors of the event were the companies Visiotec & Loukisas Cladding, of Mr’s Dalamangos. Hytiris and Loukisas that are specialized at the security doors of the banks

The atmosphere was warm and friendly and tasting the fine food, soon there were several tables with different discussion topics. The sense of the harmonious coexistence and mutual respect was the big message of the event and all together proved it beyond any doubt, renewing the appointment for the next year’s Iftar, having the best impressions.

See Photo Gallery here

The Muslim Association of Greece,

is celebrating the end of Ramadan. The Eid Al-Fitr is at at Kotzia Square,

 Athinas street across from the Mayor’s House.

 Two distinguished imams who are honored guests from Egypt

 will lead the prayer and make the festive speech.

 Easy access by buses and by metro at stations Omonoia or Monastiraki.

 Friday morning, September 10,  7.30-9.30am

Everyone is welcome! 

Source: Protagon

By Naim Elghandour

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Ramadan in Athens for the 37^th time. It started on August 11 with the sweltering heat and will end on September 10^th. The first days of adjustment are always harder as the rhythms of life do not change despite the fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Late evening before August 15^th, after having iftar at home, which is the dinner that breaks the fast, I took Sheikh Mohammed, a respectful imam from Al Azhar university to go and pray at Piraeus. Al Andalus is the name of the praying place but it does not remind me anything of the glory of Andalusia as it is an underground warehouse on Filonos street in the heart Trouba where we pray for the last 17 years.

As we go down and go inside, in the first five minutes the sweat is running like a river. My breath stopped and the 60 year old imam who came from upper Egypt who can [usually[ bear the heat was ready to collapse. He told me that his sweat was dripping under his face all the way down to his socks. Why???

I was in despair because I am responsible for all these people who come to pray. I prayed that the temperature falls a bit to avoid the ambulances. You cannot put ventilation in this place nor air condition because it has no window. It is a hole under the ground.

We finished our prayer as [best] we could and when we went up to the surface I realized that this cannot happen again. The temperature at 11pm was 37°C and who knows about the humidity, it was suffocating even in open air.

The day after, I informed the state security that we were going to pray on the sidewalk outside of the “mosque” and that it is better to bring us a police car than to be taken by ambulances.

Sunday at 10 in the night all prayer mats were laid down on the sidewalk of Filonos street and the few people that walked by were surprised. Of course we did not bother anyone, all stores were closed. But we were alert, you never know what could happen, but the prayer was more humane in those hot days.

And I am thinking: What does a man have to go through to praise God as He deserves? My little kids were crying to take them with me earlier, but where can I take them?

Sometimes I take them to the Neos Kosmos garage that has better ventilation and they play with the other kids. There, the older kids are learning how to pray and the little ones imitate the grownups and then they start chasing each other and laugh, but we are always underground. When we finish, I buy them ice cream.

This is how Ramadan is in our great city.

———

Translated by: Anna Stamou

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

The evening of Tuesday August 10, 2010 representatives of all Muslim communities responded to the call of the Muslim Association of Greece and met at Pendeli Observatory for the third year in order to sight the new moon for themselves that will start the beginning of the Ramadan month.

With great pleasure, the Athens Observatory (www.noa.gr) responds to our request for sighting the new moon with our the eyes of the reps of Muslims of Attica. Distinguishes scientists explain the phenomenon of new moon and reply to the questions of the participants. Everyone of them have the chance to look at the telescope. This year, like last year, we were hosted by Dr. Anastasios Dapergolas who responded to many questions and explained that new moon is a global phenomenon, not a local one, subsequently the only thing that changes is the local time of each country.

People from all lengths of the Muslim world were present. From Morocco to Bangladesh, from Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Algeria, Iran, Pakistan, Kurds, and of course Greeks. Among us was the honored guest of MAG, imam of Al Azhar university sheikh Mohammed Abdelsalam. All together we left to inform the prayer places of the common decision, based on the astronomical data of Pendeli Observatory, that the new moon is born and the forst of Ramadan is August 11^th, 2010. So the Taraweeh prayer at the praying places of Attica has started on Tuesday night at 10.

Ramadan Kareem

Photo Gallery

Gaza is bleeding and so are the people who support and love Gaza, but this time literally.

The Muslim Association of Greece highly condemns the hijacking of the unarmed freedom flotilla by the Israeli Navy in international waters. Thanks to the indifference of the world opinion, we were led to this bloody attack resulting in tragic deaths of passengers and dozens of other injured activists who were armed with nothing else but the sense of hope, justice, and the determination of a free Mediterranean.

We have actively participated since the beginning of the movement with plenty of tireless volunteers. The president, Naim Elghandour was on board of the cargo ship, Free Mediterranean, representing all of us.

People from every corner of the world, every age, ideology and status and religion have united for a just cause and now others are dead, others are wounded and some are prisoners. In the holds of the ship are dozens of electric wheelchairs for the disabled, prefabricated homes, desalination systems, building materials, and medical supplies which will never reach the receipts in Gaza who are in dire need.

Amongst the six ships of the “Freedom Flotilla” two Greek vessels and crews, the Free Mediterranean and Sfendoni were severely attacked in international waters as they also witnessed the bringing down of the Greek flag and its humiliation which is something that frightens us.

At least 4o Greek poeple are missing with Israel being the only one able to give us answers. Indeed, these are the very same poeple that killed so many civilians. How reliable can their data be and what is the fate of the hundreds activists?

The international community must act now because today civilians were killed while fighting in the name of liberty.

We express our sincerest condolences to the families of the victims, dead, wounded and prisoners and we dearly wish that one day Gaza will stop bleeding and the Mediterranean will be free.

 ——

Photo taken from aljazeera.net.