Ireland Chair- October 2009

Assalamualaikum wbt.

October has been a busy, busy month for FOSIS Ireland- we're literally drained! (for good reasons, alhamdulillah!:) )

After the Regional Council Meeting and Training on the first week, we were busy trying to get every opportunity we can to pop our faces in fresher's events and activities. Together with many other societies who share the same concerns, we advocated the cult of 'getting involved.'- hopefully we've made slick enough impressions to get as many brothers and sisters on board our isoc sphere. So we thank PPIMI, PMCSA and all our ISOCs for inviting us into their fresher's events and societies day.

I remembered when I was a fresher, doing medicine made me feel like I have to put all my time into studying. Thankfully, after a while the idea sank in- I cannot be like that or else I'll go insane. And I have so many inspiring seniors, FOSISers, ISOCers etc to thank to for making me realize all these. Point being, if you wanna give your society a good kickstart, make fresher's week massive! Verily, freshers need to be 'nagged' all these lest they will end up finishing off their uni days with just a scroll in hand- which is totally unjust for us to let happen.

Moving on, the very next week myself, Fathima and Hozaifa managed to get ourselves to Galway to join in their super satisfying Eid party and then a meeting between the old committee and some potential individuals for the ISOCs. Among higlighted issues that I would like to highlight from this is the fact that in many than not, ISOC still has got HUGE, HUGE room of improvements in terms of making themselves 'THAT' common ground for all brothers and sisters to get together into, regardless of our culture, nationality and background. What is usually happening now is, if one group of people lead, it would then be hard to get a different group to join in the bandwagon and chip in some efforts, etc. I say that we should, under all circumstances make it a priority to cater for EVERYONE through our ISOC. If this balance is not met, it will be hard for us to maximize our potential. 'Alakullihal, Galway ISOC has consequently done their membership drive and is now a mix of fresh faces of a commiittee on campus! Kudos! We look forward to seeing MYS bloom. :)

The very next day, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month by Irish Cancer society and in conjunction with Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland ICCI's Health Awareness Month, the sisters organized a fundraiser tea party where everyone GLOWED in pink. :) Alhamdulillah, besides fundraising for ICS, we raised awareness about Breast Cancer screening and prevention amongst the Muslim community.



That done, the next weekend, the legendary Charity Week begins on the 26th in Ireland. Being the coordinator for last year, I was really amazed by the depth of improvements and involvements this year, masyaAllah. ISOCs are really taking the opportunity and potential of it all! From Cake Sales to Hair Shaving, I was very proud of Ireland's 'heroes' this year! They made me count sweets, listen to Adam Deen, let people draw henna on my hands, eat as many ferrerro roche in a minute (this was hard!!) and play tennis in Wii! Whilst last year, the struggle in advocating the alien idea in Ireland was personally very tough for me and lat year's committee, this time around the job gets much, much easier. And subhanallah, I can't wait to know how much we have raised! Lesson learnt? We often despair over the fact that we don't see immediate results of our eforrt. But astagfirullah, success and results are only in His hands, and He knows best how much success is a balanced and adequate one for us and we are only judged by our intention and sincerity.

And....guess what? BANG ON!Right at the moment, just as everyone rise above the water to gasp for air from Charity Week, we are today, officially starting our Speaker's Tour 2009! We are going to have our speaker, Sheikh Yusha Evans to come to town today at 9a.m. As I have mentioned in my last post, we have very high hopes that this tour would be one that could insyaAllah reawaken the many of us upon realizing the Omar Al Khattab, Salahudin Al Ayoubi, and Muhammad Al Fateh in us- all of whom were youth when they mark success in our glorious history of civilization and to make us realize that there is such a task as restoring peace on the face of this earth and there are no better people who should work on that but the youth. And as Muslims, we should realize that this is the core responsibility we are meant to fulfill as khalifah.

This tour are not like many others we have had before, the theme: The Sleeping Giant is one that all of us in ISOCs in Ireland feel are the issue at the bottom of the iceberg for so many presenting symptoms of ignorance and oblivion amongst many of us. I seek for your well wishes and du'a that these 11 days goes very smooth and is blessed by Allah the success in propagating the message of coming back to Allah in many of us in Ireland- a 'simple' yet most crucial element in curing all illness of the world today. And I ask the organizing team to realize this for themselves first before anybody else-Get the most out of what you propagate.

For that, I have, in between my studying (and facebooking, and checking out the fridge every 30 minutes or so..) been able to make a video as a trailer for this tour. Although qadarallah, my PC froze as I was in the middle of it before I managed to save it and never unfreeze until the next morning (la khawlawala quwata illa billah...) so I had to do it all over again to mend my devastation..:P

The intro bit, I took from a very famous independent video which made a phenomena in may schools and colleges in Malaysia a few years back. (when the youtube cult just started) I hope you take home the message from it insyaAllah - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THkNQVtZ2zw

Enjoy the video! and be up for our speaker's tour recordings in case you miss coming to any of them! ;-)
Here's the link to FOSIS Ireland Youtube Channel- http://www.youtube.com/user/FosisIreland

Jazakum Allahu Khayran Kathira

Wasalamu'alaykum warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Munirah Hishamshah
3rd Nov 2009- 15 Dhulkaedah 1430H