IUHK Newsletter March, 2007

I.U. Helps Fellow Muslims in China & Overseas

The General Council of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong has recently decided to expand its assistance to Muslims in China and other parts of Asia.

The money donated is from the zakat and benevolent funds collected by the I.U. for charity purposes.

"Such good deed is done straightly in accordance with the guideline of Quran," said a spokesman for the Islamic Union.

Apart from a sum which is reserved for any emergency cases, the General Council is donating to reputable charity organisations in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Palestine and China. Local charitable organisations are also benefited from the Council decision.

A larger number of provinces in China are benefited from these donations. These include: Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangdong.

The local charity organisations are the well-run Orbis which operate the famous eye surgery for the poor around the world and the Hong Kong Tuberculosis Association.

It is hoped that the donations will help and to encourage the poor to start a small business so as to generate income for the benefit of their families or their Muslim communities.

With the I.U. donations, the villagers were encouraged to raise cows and goats and even crops to generate income.

Iftar Fund for Muslims in China, Good Response

In response to suggestions from members of the Muslim community in Hong Kong, the Welfare Committee of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong launched an appeal for funds to provide iftar for Muslims on the Mainland during the Holy Month of Ramadhan l427 AH.

This was the first occasion a project of this nature has been attempted and three provinces - Yunnan, Sichuan and Anhui - were selected.

Donations received amounted to $61,840. This was remitted on 26 September 2006 by telegraphic transfer to the co-ordinators on the Mainland.

Alhamdulillah! The fund were distributed to 29 Masjid and three schools and provided 11,000 meals for well over 3,200 Muslims.

A sum of $20,200 was collected for Yunnan. This was distributed to three Masjids and to students of the Chinese Arabic School in Zhaotong city providing more than 4,000 meals for over 700 brothers and sisters.

The donation for Anhui was $20,700 and this enabled over 4,100 meals to be prepared for more than 600 Muslims in 12 Masjids.

As for Sichuan, the collection amounted to $20,940. This was distributed to 16 Masjids and two universities - the Southwest University for Nationalities and the Southwest Jiaotong University. Over 3,100 meals were prepared for more than 1,900 brothers and sisters.

The meals provided were simple and usually consisted of buns, noodles or rice with vegetables and occasionally with some meat.

May Allah(SWT) rewards all those who donated so generously.

Appeal for Sumatra Earthquake

An appeal has been launched for victims and families who lost their lives and properties in a powerful earthquake that struck the Indonesia cities of Sumatra recently.

Scores of people were killed and thousands left homeless by the quake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale on the morning on Tuesday, 6 March 2007.

The Islamic Union of Hong Kong is appealing for donations from community to help the victims. Those who wish to donate can contact the I.U. office during office hours in person or by telephone no. 2575-2218.

Please take a moment, spare a thought and make a prayer today, Ameen!

Big Day for 21 Newcomers to Islam

Alhamdulillah! Another large group of newcomers recently embraced Islam.

At a ceremony held at the Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre in February 2007, the Muslim community welcomed 21 brothers and sisters to the Faith.

Organised by the Da'wah Committee of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong in conjuction with the Helpers of Islam Group and Halaqah, the event was attended by over 250 brothers and sisters.

The function started off with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by Bro. Makeen Tuet Kin Hang, followed by a short address by Haji Kasim Ma Fung Wai, Chairman of the Da'wah Committee of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong.

Haji Ma welcomed the gathering to the function and in particular Dr. Amjad Qoursheh, the visiting scholar from Jordan.

Following Haji Ma's address, Uthman Yang Xing Ben, Imam of Masjid Ammar conducted the conversion ceremony by calling on the converts to recite the Kalimah Shahadah individually.

Bro. A. A. Hoosen, Vice-Chairman of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong, later presented souvenirs to the new converts.

Dr. Amjad Qoursheh, Assistant Professor at the faculty of Islamic Studies, University ofJordan, then addressed the gathering.

Dr. Amjad said that some Muslims may have misunderstood about the real meaning of Ibadah (worship). "For them, Ibadah means something related only to salat, zakat, siyam and hajj. The term Ibadah (worship) has a unique meaning in Islam. To worship Allah means to adore Him and to adore Him means to follow His guidance. In other words 'worship' or Ibadah refers to the five pillars of Islam as well as any and every action entered into for right living. Any action undertaken for the fulfilment of life on earth is Ibadah. Hence, to pursue knowledge is Ibadah, to work as an engineer or a clerk or a labourer or a cleaner, or a civil servant is Ibadah. To eat and drink is Ibadah. Thus in this sense Ibadah is the substance of life as well as the substenance of discipline and society," Dr. Amjah said. He added that actions must be properly understood in the Islamic way for them to be an Ibadah. "Only when we do things in the legal way would our actions be considered Ibadah," he noted.

Dr. Amjah also mentioned that niyyat or intention is a very important element in Ibadah. That is why when Imam Bukhari compiled his book "Sahih Bukhari," the first hadith he wrote is on niyyat. In Islam, deciding our niyyat before doing anything is extremely essential. Whether we do will be rewarded or punished depends on our real intentions. Prophet Muhammad SAW said: "The rewards of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will be rewarded according to what he has intended." (Bukhari and Muslim)

He further said that a Muslim should be conscious and ensure that his behaviour and attitude does not tarnish the sacred image of Islam and the ummah. Islam is a community religion; not a secret and not an individual one. Therefore, one should certainly like to be a true Muslim internally in one's faith in Allah and extremely in one's attitude, conduct and character before the general public. Attitude is a very important tool in projecting a good image of oneself, of Muslims and of Islam.

Dr. Amjad further stressed that to have a strong ummah, Muslims should apply for whatever Allah has asked them to do. All the roles they have become subordinate to the role of being Muslims. They should live as Muslims whether they live as fathers, sons, husbands or wives, businessmen, landlords, labourers, and employees. Their feelings, their likes and dislikes, all are shaped by Islam. In short, their collectivity exists for Islam alone. Only by this way will a strong ummah be achieved.

Dr. Amjad is a specialist in comparative religion and on Christian-Muslim relations. He has attended numerous conferences and workshops in many parts of the world.

At the conclusion of Dr. Amjad's lecture Bro. Kasim Ma presented him with a souvenir following which the function ended with a Dua by Hafiz Atiq-ur-Rehman.

The twenty one new brothers and sisters are (Muslim name in brackets) Sis. Cherry A. Villegas (Arshia Zoya), Sis. Corazon S. Leung (Fatimah), Sis. Trinidad A. Manuel (Raina), Sis. Lorna C. Martinez (Eman), Sis. Irhine L. Gersanba (Shaheen), Sis. Amalia S. Tomangong (Ameenah), Sis. Mercy C. Aurellano (Jameela), Sis. Ma Neede F. Calungsod (Maryam), Sis. Reignar G. Battad (Reehana), Sis. Marites G. Galarpe (Maha), Sis. Elisa (Ridho Yuniar Rahma), Sis. Tutik (Aisyah Nur Hidayati), Sis. Wiwik (Effah Hanifah), Sis. Endang (Salimah), Sis. Tumiati (Aqilah), Sis. Darwati (Jamilah), Sis. Ruhella Prahesti Yakub (Hasanah), Sis. Chum Yu Lun (Noor), Bro. Lam Kau Yee (Mohammed Din) and Bro. Andrew Manktelow (Ayman).

Among the twenty one new converts, eleven are from the Philippines, seven from Indonesia, two from China Hong Kong and from the United Kingdom.

'Action Speaks Louder Than Word' Says a Visiting Scholar

A practising Muslim should combine religious belief with good deed in his/her daily life. This was the remark shared by the two academic who were invited to give lectures at the Ishmic Union of Hong Kong.

Dr. Amjad Qoursheh, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, University of Jordan, and Dr. Ahmed Ding Jun at the Faculty of History & Culture, Xibei Minzu University, China, had visited Hong Kong in early February to attend lectures co-organised by the I.U. and local universities.

"In Hong Kong, there are 8 million of non-Muslim among you," stated Dr. Amjad, Muslims should know more about their images in the eyes of the public. These images, like clean and non-alcoholic were often fragmented, but they revealed the practical aspect of Islam, he explained. "Action speaks louder than word, the faith in Islam means belief in combination with deed, Islam is not simply a wishful thinking or philosophy, but apractical way," stressed Dr. Amjad. This is the way that Muslims fulfill their duty to bring other people to Allah(SWT), he added.

In another lecture, Dr. Ding Jun, a Muslim academic from China stated that there are popular misconceptions about Islam, especially since the September-11 incident. "This phenomenon, in fact can be traced back to the history of the Crusade," said Dr.Ding. "Muslims have often heard of accusations that they are backward and are preoccupied with internal strife, these are attributed to the negative images of some Muslims who do not follow Islamic teachings." That is why Muslims should remind themselves the core values of Islam, remarked Dr. Ding.

The core values of Islam should be universal to all instead of being a Muslim inheritance. Islam is not exclusively for the chosen people. Nor is Islam an ethic religion, stressed Dr. Ding.

The core values of Islam are characterised by 10 moral and behavioural conceptions, which Dr. Ding said, are applicable to both Muslims and non-Muslims. These include: peace; justice; moderation; harmony; fraternity; forgiveness; equality; freedom; morality; and the pursuit of knowledge.

Muslims in H.K. & China Can Learn from Each Other

Muslims in Hong Kong can help the course of Islamic building in China, said Dr. Ahmed Ding Jun, Associate Professor at the Xibei Minzu University in Lanzhou, China.

While giving a lecture at the Masjid Ammar & Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre on the topic of "Islam in China: past, present and future," Dr. Ding pointed out the role played by the Hong Kong Muslims in the bigger theatre of Islam in China.

"Muslims in Hong Kong have found themselves identify with Muslims in China since the return of sovereignty to China, Hong Kong Muslims belong to the big family of china's Muslims," stated Dr. Ding.

"The Hong Kong Muslims has enjoyed certain advantages vis-a-vis the Muslims in China. They can contribute and apply their knowledge to the development of Islam in China, while at the same time they should learn more about their Muslim brothers & sisters living in the mainland," said Dr. Ding.

During the lecture held on 11 February, Dr. Ding outlined the development of Islam in China over a course of 1,300 years. "It is a Muslim's tradition to study history, which enables us to learn from the past experience," emphasized Dr. Ding.

According to Dr. Ding, the development of Islam in China before the 20^th century was divided into 3 historical stages. First, is the introduction of Islam to China since the 7^th century by Muslim traders, soldiers and missionaries. That period also saw the Islamisation of today's Xiangjing region. The second stage is the Mongol period, which witnessed the widespread settlement & migration of Muslims in China. The third stage was characterised by the Sinization of Islam, which manifested itself in Confucian interpretation of Islamic teaching. At the same time, the suspicion & misunderstanding between Muslims & non-Muslims had led eventually to the bloody suppression of Muslims by the Qing regime.

Dr. Ding further ascertained that Muslims in China have well adapted to modernity. The Republican period had witnessed active Muslim education, translation and publication activities. Since the founding of the People's Republic, Muslims in China have enjoyed wide range of religious and social-political rights. Despite the upheaval of Cultural Revolution, Islam continues to be a major religious belief in China, which is now adopted by 10 ethnic groups with a total population of more than 20 million.

New Premises for Domestic Helpers

In response to requests from members of the Muslim community, the Welfare Committee of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong opened a shelter for domestic helpers. Originally located in Hung Yip Building near Masjid Ammar in Wanchai, the shelter was recently moved to slightly larger premises in Causeway Bay to avoid payment of higher rent to the landlord.

It was first opened in December 2004, and since over 350 domestic helpers - mostly Indonesians and Filipinos of the Islamic Faith - have made use of the shelter. However non-Muslims have also stayed in the facility.

The shelter was started for the purpose of providing accommodation to those domestic helpers whose contracts were prematurely terminated; those awaiting approval of their visa application from the Immigration Department or those whose cases are pending before the Labour Tribunal.

The shelter also provided a place where the inmates can perform their daily prayers and to have access to Halal food.

Expenses for operating the shelter are met from the Zakat fund. As regards to expenses for food, the inmates contribute five dollars a day for two simple meals. On occasions however, donations of rice and other necessities were made by members of the Muslim community.

Funds Needed for Mosque in the Philippines

The Islamic Union of Hong Kong has received an appeal for funds to construct a Mosque and a Madrassah in the Philippines. The appeal is from the Cainta MusHm Multi-Purpose Co-operative in Cainta city, Rizal province. Cainta city has a population of more than 200,000 of which over 4,000 or about 2% are members of the Islamic faith. The project when completed will be known as the "Masjid Al Rahman and Da'wah Centre" and will serve not only the Muslims of Cainta city but also those of Rizal province.

The Muslims of the city are poor and earn their living by working in government or by engaging in small trading or family business. Many youths who are not studying help out with the family business. With generous donations from local and overseas Muslims, especially those from Hong Kong, an agreement has been signed to purchase - by instalments - a piece of land on which the Mosque and Centre is to be built.

A deposit of about HK$15,500 has been paid and a monthly instalment of HK$1,000 has to be paid until the end of September 2011.

Architectural plans have already been prepared. On the ground floor will be the men's prayer hall of 60 sq.m. The ladies prayer hall, with an area of 50 sq.m. and an ablution room of 20 sq.m., will be located on the mezzanine floor while the madrassah and seminar rooms - with a combined area of 100 sq.m. - will be situated on the first floor. The cost of the project is estimated at HK$840,000 while monthly expenditure is estimated at HK$4,450 of which $3,960 is salary for an Imam, two teachers and a caretaker. The society intends to put more emphasis on da'wah to target Muslim and non-Muslim youths. Hence the proposal to recruit two teachers. The society is confident of being able to raise enough funds to meet recurrent monthly expenditure through subscription from its members, collections at Juma and donations from local and overseas Muslims. But, they need financial support to build the Mosque and Da'wah Centre.

Members of the Muslim community who wish to support this project may do so by making a donation either in cash at the General Office of the Islamic Union of Hong Kong at No. 40 Oi Kwan Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong or by making out a crossed cheque to the "Islamic Union of Hong Kong" marked "Mosque in the Philippines" on the reverse and mailing it to the above-mentioned address.

Two Senior Staff Joined IU Secretariat

The Islamic Union has employed two additional new staff to reinforce the ever increasing workload in the office. The long vacant post of Manager has now been filled by Sister Basmah Lok Chak-yin, a converted Chinese Muslim. Graduated from the University of Ulster, U.K. in 1998, Sister Basmah has good management experience working in several marketing firms. She is fluent in English, Putonghua and Cantonese and has a good knowledge of computer.

Married recently to a Muslim, Sister Basmah embraced Islam in 2003. She is now learning Tajweed and Arabic. Another appointment is Mr. Chester Kwok Chung-ngai as Public Relations Officer. A non-Muslim, Mr. Kwok took over the post from Sister Yasmin Cheung who left after a few months in office.

Mr. Kwok is an experienced writer and a former journalist with several leading Chinese newspapers. He is in procession of a M.A. degree in Asia-Pacific Studies in 2004 at the University of Leeds, U.K. and also Diploma in History at the Hong Kong Baptist University.

A New Term for I.U. General Council

The Islamic Union of Hong Kong held its 58^th Annual General Meeting on 17 December 2006 (25 Zul-Qa'dah 1427AH) at Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre. The following Brothers and Sisters were elected to save the General Council for the year 2007. Some of the new faces have been included in this year's Council. They are Haji Ma Fung-Wai, Haji Momin Wong Siu-Kin, Bro. Osman O. M. Hassan and sister Nisha Mohamed.