Vice president for Islamic societies - July, 2012

By Zain Malik | VP ISCC

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Assalaamu ‘alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh

To quickly introduce myself – I am Zain Malik Vice President for Islamic Societies. I graduated
just last week from De Montfort University in Law. Just over a week after I was elected into this
role, I was asked to represent FOSIS as part of a British Muslim Delegation to Bosnia-Herzegovina
(organised by the Cordoba Foundation). This was centred on the Srebrenica commemoration.
Insha’Allah in the coming weeks I plan to release specific information regarding this trip. For
now, below is a picture of my meeting with president of Bosnia Bakir Izetbegović:


                           

Being a way for a week, put my only slightly behind in that I have still to have my handover. In
the meanwhile I have begun to restructure ISCC in to one that is more manageable, efficient and
effective Insha’Allah (and I’ve been recruiting further). I am now working very closely with the new
South Chair to bring the South Committee up to speed and I will be arranging training dates for all
regional committees where I can come meet and train regional committees.

Next month I will be working on upcoming/immediate projects, will also be meeting with all regional
chairs and planning for the year ahead Insha’Allah.

FOSIS Qur'an Camp 2012 - A Success!!

On the 13th-15th April 2012 at the University of Cambridge, FOSIS hosted the inaugural FOSIS Qur'an Camp as part of the ever growing National Student Qur'an Campaign. Muslim students travelled from across the length and breadth of the UK to attend with the aim to develop a strong love and connection with the Qur'an.

The inspiring camp roster included world-renowned scholars, reciters and poets:

• Mufti Menk (Zimbabwe)
• Shaykh Abu Bakr Ash-Shatri (KSA)
• Shaykh Haitham (UK)
• Mufti Abdurahman Ibn Yusuf (UK)
• Shaykh Muhammad Ismail (UK)
• Boonaa Mohammed (Canada)
• Qari Muhammad Fagehi (KSA)
• Qari Ayjaz (UK)

Photo Above: Mufti Menk (right) and Shaykh Abu Bakr Ash-Shatri (left) take a shahada from a sister in Cambridge.

From tafsir and tahajjud to archery and punting - the weekend was fully packed with lectures, circles and activities.

One of the attendees commented on their experience saying:

“This wasn’t just a temporary ‘imaan-boost’ but instead it was a turning point in our relationship with the Qur’an...I have started looking to the Qur’an as: an exquisite literary piece, a manual for life, a source of stories and lessons and most importantly, I’ve properly learnt the value of the teaching that the Qur’an will intercede for us on the day of judgement”

To see pictures from the event please click here.

 

VP Islamic Societies- March & April

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatuallahi Wabarakatuhu

First and foremost I start by praising Allah (SWT) and then sending peace and blessings upon His messenger Muhammad (SAW), the Companions and all the righteous believers until the Day of Judgement

As the time of exams, revision and handing dissertations draws upon students across UK and Ireland, May Allah things easy for all of you Br's & Sr's, Aameen. So begins the time of contemplation for all in terms of the work done over the year. This mostly applies to the regional committees as they all begin planning their AGMs. This includes compiling reports of what they have done over the past year, Isoc's in that region invited to hold them to account, Br's & Sr's from Isoc's run for positions within the regional committees and are democratically elected.This allows for regional committees and Fosis in general to have new Br's & Sr's joining it's rank's bringing fresh idea's and dynamism. So far Agm's have been held in Ireland, Scotland, Midlands & Wales, Alhumdullilah. With North, London & South to hold there Agm's in the next couple of weeks, inshAllah.

Over the last month I've been meeting/liasing with organisations that we have really great relationships with and looking to work on long term partnerships and projects that can benefit Muslim students and Isoc's, which include Campus Salam, IERA and ProductiveMuslim.com. Speaking of whom everyone do check out the website and buy "The Missing Manual" http://www.productivemuslim.com/isoc-101/ this is the first book to be published on how to manage/run/lead an Isoc, do let all your Isoc's know about it and encourage them and those of you that are part of an Isoc to buy the book, inshAllah.


If anyone wishes to get involved with there Isoc, regional committee or be a part of Iscc, to help advise, guide and privide resources for Isoc's across UK and Ireland, then e-mail myself on vp.islamicsocieties@fosis.org.uk.

Iscc will continue to be the foundation and basis of which Fosis is built upon and will help to bring Muslim students closer to Allah (Swt), to ensure that we continue to strive and struggle for the sake of Allah and revive this beautiful deen and Ummah of our beloved Prophet (saw).

Finally a quick reminder to myself first and foremost about reciting the Quran and Soorat Al Mulk:

With regard to Soorat al-Mulk, there are saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of its virtues:

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is a soorah of the Qur'aan containing thirty verses which have interceded for a man until he was forgiven. It is the soorah Tabaarak alladhi bi yadihi'l-mulk."

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2891; Ahmad, 7634; Abu Dawood, 1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786. This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi and by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 3/6.

JazakAllah Khair

Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakathu

Rashid Ansari
Vice President Islamic Societies

VP Islamic Societies- January & February 2010

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatuallahi Wabarakatuhu

First and foremost I start by praising Allah (SWT) and then sending peace and blessings upon His messenger Muhammad (SAW), the Companions and all the righteous believers until the Day of Judgement

The last couple of months have been hectic without doubt as it's been the season of IAW's/DIW's across the UK and Ireland, and Alhumdullilah Isoc's across the UK and Ireland have been working extremley hard, May Allah reward all our Br's and Sr's who run Isoc's day and night in calling people to Islam, with Jannah al Firdous, Aameen. Nonetheless there are those pathetic self professed think tank's, blog's etc, who consistently attempt to undermine amazing work of my Isoc's and generally those who work for the sake of Allah but yet it still hasn't dawned upon them that there efforts are in vain!

I returned from Dublin, Ireland last week where the amazing Ireland committtee had there IAW grand dinner. Myself, Faisal & Qasim attended and the main guest for the dinner was the President of Ireland Mary McAleese, the dinner was absolutely amazing the Foss Ireland committee as usual are an example in terms of professionalim and excellence. The following day the Ireland AGM took place and Sr Munirah stepped down as she had to go back to Malaysia the next day. For the last year Sr Munirah led the Ireland committee brilliantly and consistently words like amazing and brilliant have been used to describe the Ireland committee during her tenure as chair. May Allah reward Sr Munirah for all her efforts, Aameen. Br Umar  was democratically elected as chair of Ireland by the Isoc's in Ireland as was the rest of the committee and inshAllah they will build upon the great work of the pevious committee, inshAllah.

We've just recently had the Iscc meeting that took place in Markfield, Leicestershire, whereby all the regional chairs attended and we were able to go through various issues an concerns facing regions and Isoc's across the UK and Ireland. Over the last couple of months IERA have delivered amazing dawah seminars across UK and Ireland through the regional committees to Isoc's and over 360 Br's and Sr's have attended and learn't how to give dawah from knowledgeble daee's such as Abduraheem Green and Hamza Tzortis. Iscc also helped and supported the  brilliant campaigns committee with the Palestine week and conference that took place in early February, the conference by the grace of Allah was an amazing success and alhumdullilah and we continue to strugge and strive and raise awareness of the plight of our Br's and Sr's in Palestine and for the end of the Zionist occupation, Aameen.

There continues to be progress on major Iscc projects, Isoc 101 will be rolled out this weekend in the North region and finally in London. The hoodies project is ready to be delivered and the first batch to be produced very soon within a month inshAllah. The NSQC has already had it's regional finals take place in Midlands and Ireland, with North and Wales to follow. Myself and Zahid are overseeing the Al Mualim project, to train up trainer to mentor Isoc's over the entire academic year. We've also been busy advising Isoc's regarding prayer room issues and through the Services and Regional committees speaker tours have been taking place for Isoc's across the UK and Ireland as part of the IAW, DIW season.

Lastly but most importantly my regional committees continue to do amazing work, Scotland, Wales and North will be having Isoc awards and camps taking place, as we approach the final part of the academic year AGM's for all regions are being planned so Br's and Sr's do look to get involved with your regional committees and Fosis next year, do contact either myself or your regional chair. There is as usual genuine grass roots work taking place, on top of the consistent everyday comunication taking place with Isoc's on providing, advice, guidance and resources by regional committees. If anyone wishes to get involved with there Isoc, regional committee or be a part of Iscc, to help advise, guide and privide resources for Isoc's across UK and Ireland, then e-mail myself on vp.islamicsocieties@fosis.org.uk.

Iscc will continue to be the foundation and basis of which Fosis is built upon and will help to bring Muslim students closer to Allah (Swt), to ensure that we continue to strive and struggle for the sake of Allah and revive this beautiful deen and Ummah of our beloved Prophet (saw).

Finally a quick reminder to myself first and foremost about the status of the scholars that they occupy a noble status in Islam, and which is higher than the position of others in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

"Allâh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge"

(Al Mujaadilh 58:11)

 

Islam calls us to seek knowledge. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made seeking knowledge an obligation upon every Muslim, and he explained that the superiority of the one who has knowledge over the one who merely worships is like the superiority of the moon over every other heavenly body. He said that the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets and that the Prophets did not leave behind dinars and dirhams (i.e., money), rather their inheritance was knowledge, so whoever acquires it has gained a great share. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that seeking knowledge is a way to Paradise. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allaah will make a path to Paradise easy for him." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-‘Ilm, 10)

 

JazakAllah Khair

Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakathu

 

Rashid Ansari

Vice President Islamic Societies