Community Round-Up

A total of 17 Muslims have cleared the written and interview process of the Civil Services Exam of 2006.


Shammi Abidi, a post-graduate student of 2002-batch of the Lucknow University (LU), has secured the 16th rank in the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) 2006 Civil Service examinations.


“Civil Service has always inspired me. It’s heartening to know that I have fulfilled my dream to join the service,’’ said Shammi Abidi, whose father S H Z Abidi is the HOD of LU’s English department.


Mohammed Qaisar from Malegaon, Qaisar-a son of a loom labourer-secured the 32nd. What makes the 29-year-old’s achievement a truly commendable feat is the fact that he achieved success without any professional guidance, the comforts of a spacious study room or for that matter a well equipped referral system or access to a library.


17 Muslims among the list of 474 successful candidates give Muslims a representation of 3.59% which considering their lower number in higher studies is quite remarkable and indication of hard work put on by Muslim students. Another welcome trend this year is an increase in number of Muslim girls clearing the Civil Services Exam.


Rank & Name:

16-Shammi Abidi, 32-Mohammad Qaiser Abdulh-aque, 51-Mohammad Tayyab, 71-Naazneen Bhasin, 121-Syed Waquar Raza, 207-Meeraj Khalid, 242-Shahnawaz Ul Rahman, 262-Farhat Khan, 282-Aslam Khan, 315-Shabana Parveen, 338-Maimun Nisha Ansari, 387-Mohammad Irfan Aziz, 394-J.Mohammed Navfal, 407-Sayeed Rashid, 410-Leyaqat Ali Aafaqui, 439-Mohd Suleman Choudhary, 448-Ayaz Ahmed Kohli.

It is for the first time in the history of Uttar Pradesh that Muslim voters have succeeded in sending as many as 56 Muslim representatives in the Assembly while the number of BJP candidates winning the poll came at only 50. This shows Muslims’ political maturity and their ability to prove that they are a force to reckon with.


As for fielding Muslim candidates in the election fray, the Bahujan Samaj Party exhibited considerable broad-mindedness and naturally it reaped the reward. The party gave tickets to 64 Muslim candidates and 30 of them won the elections.


The number of Muslim candidates winning on Samajwadi Party tickets is only 20 while no Muslim candidate fielded by two important political parties viz. Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party could succeed.


“Keeping in view the anti-Muslim stance, it was quite expected that no Muslim candidate fielded by BJP would be able to succeed. But it is indeed surprising that no Muslim candidate of Congress has succeeded..


The Congress Muslim candidates’ failure to win the elections shows that Muslim public opinion did not consider the party worth relying. It also brings into light that Congress would have to face electoral drubbings countrywide if the party does not effect considerable changes in its policy towards Muslims.


Muslims constitute 17 per cent of electorate in UP. They have voted Mulayam Singh Yadav out but they haven’t voted Mayawati in. Muslims in UP have voted like anybody else. They haven’t voted as Muslims and haven’t voted Muslims to power.

Uzma Nahid of ‘Iqra Foundation recently met President, His Excellency Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and appraised him about the activities of ‘Iqra Foundation’.

Under Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Project an excavation for underground track work has begun some 65 meters closer to the famouse landmark of Bangalore city the Tippu Palace. In view of this activity the BMRC are assessing wheather this would affect the Tippu Palace, which is a fine example of mortar and wood work.

The prominent education movement Al-Ameen has completed 38 glorious years in imparting quality education to uplift the community. The meeting gains significance as it is inching towards Golden Jubilee in another 12 years term. This was stated by the Chairman of Al-Ameen Education Society, Syed Sadaqath Peeran. On this historic occasion Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan was presented to Mr. Subhan Shariff, the secretary of Almas Education Trust, Muhammed Usman, General Manager of Daily Salar, Mr. Kareem Khan, Superintendent of Al-Ameen Malick Rehan Girls High school, Sira, Abdul Rab, Superintendent Ghousia College of Engineering, Ramanagaram, Dr. Mohammed Hanif and Principal, Ghousia College of Engineering. The Bi Bi Khadeja Award was presented to Mrs. Raheemunnisa wife of Alhaj Maqbool Ahmed, President CMA.

The president of Sadbhavana Youth Social Welfare Association Sadiq Pasha has informed that the Sadbhavana Association is organizing mass marriages of nearly 100 eligible and poor girls on June 17. The girls aged between 20-35 years are eligible. Parents of eligible daughters who have selected a groom may kindly contact the Anjuman on 9448008562 / 080- 25574567.

The consistent effort of Moulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Islamic Academy, Bhatkal and Jamia Ul Uloom in propagating and preaching common syllabus in Muslim managed schools is gaining momentum. In a span of over three years nearly 500 Muslim managed institutions across India have switched over to ‘Common Islamic Syllabus’. The syllabus has been successfully incorporated in various Muslim managed institutions. Now there is a strong feeling among the Muslim managed institutions to introduce ‘Common Islamic Syllabus’ in their institutions. The Academy is making an all out effort in propagating the same. The seminar hosted at New Generation English Junior College at Basawanagudi in Bangalore. The seminar was hosted under the leadership of Moulana Abdul Bari Nadwi. Among the participants apart from Bangalore several delegates from various parts of state and across India were present. Majority of the participants were hopeful of introduction of ‘Common Islamic Syllabus’ in their institutions. Moulana Riyazur-Rahman Rashadi of Jamia Ul-Uloom in his remarks urged that this syllabus can be adopted easily. The pouropose of this syllabus is not to teach few supplications and teach certain rituals but to teach and preach proper Islam and its teachings. Many of the Muslim children today are acquiring knowledge in convent schools. This Islamic course that has been developed is a boon to the students. Today many institutions abroad wants to translate and introduce this syllabus in their respective institutions and they are seeking our permission for the same. Moulana urged the participants to propogate this syllabus as far and wide as possible. Moulana Ilyas Nadwi of Moulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Academy, Bhatkal in his initial remarks said that now a state level examination for the common syllabus would be organised in coming months. In view of this we emphasise students studying in schools and at + 2 level the Islamic syllabus has been formulated keeping in mind the basic necessary required Islamic curriculum required at these levels. Here one can lay a strong foundation of the Islamic ethics. The entire syllabus has been designed in due consultation of the President of A.I.M.P.L.B., Rabe-Hasan Nadwi. The syllabus has been designed in English, Urdu, Hindi and Kannada. In United Kingdom, the Islamic Foundation Liester has translated and printed English and is available.


Among those present at the seminar include Sayeed Munaver of NGS.


Moulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi Islamic Academy, P.O. No. 30, Bhatkal - 581320. Ph/Fax: 08385-226381. Email: nadviacademy@ hotmail.com

In Markazi Taleem-e-Niswan, admissions for girls who have completed their high school and colleges after SSLC and PUC are eligible and it is a year course and from the education time itself only one can start propagating Islam. Here in Markazi Taleem-e-Niswan all the facilities of boarding and lodging are available. The admissions for the course have begun and the classes will commence from June 1, 2007. For further details and admissions contact Fouzia Sultana, Chief Mualima, Markazi Taleem-e-Niswan, Bangalore. Phone: 9844269885.

IPS, Nisar Ahmed gave away a momento to Sayeed Munawar the founder secretary of New Generation institutions for his outstanding contribution in promoting Common Islamic Syllabus as an honorary service during the seminar at NGS Palace at Basavanagudi in Bangalore recently.

Those accused in the case have decided to float a political party called the Dalit Muslim United Front. Mustafa ‘Majnu’ Dossa, an accused, who is currently lodged in the Arthur Road Jail, has been declared party president.


Haji Gulam Rasool Ehtesham, who has been held guilty by the Tada court, is the ad-hoc secretary. The court is yet to announce the quantum of his punishment. And the party vice-president is Salim Shah, who is also an accused in the case.


The party will primarily consist of those accused in the bomb blasts case. However, Mustafa Dossa’s advocate Parvez Alam, the main objective of the party is to fight for people who have been victims of state oppression and state terrorism. “Our party will fight for people who have been victims and targets of state and its establishments,” Alam said.


A majority of the party workers will be those who are accused in the bomb blast case. “Even those who have been acquitted have promised to be a part of the party,” Alam said.

About 400 city imams appealed to community members gathered for the Friday prayers at local Masjids to administer polio drops to their children during the final round of the Pulse Polio drive before the monsoon sets in.


The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials confess that roping in the imams drew more community members to the drive. The impact of the campaign was that around 12 Lakh children got immunise in the last drive.


Executive Health Officer of BMC Dr Jairaj Thanekar said: “The turn out was around 70 per cent. It could have been more but for the summer vacations.” Three cases of polio resurfaced in the city last year and incidentally, all three children were from the Muslim community. Keeping this in mind, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) had requested the imams to create awareness about the importance of immunisation at the Islam Gymkhana last month.

The Times Foundation, along with Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), recently released an illustrated book detailing the history of JMI and how the history of the university was intertwined with that of the Indian freedom struggle. The book-Partners in Freedom Jamia Millia Islamia-has been co-written by JMI vice-chancellor Mushirul Hasan and JMI co-ordinator for media and culture Rakhshanda Jalil.


“Mahatma Gandhi was one of the founders of the university,” said Mushirul Hasan, adding that several other freedom fighters went around asking for donations for the university. The university, he said, has always stood for Hindu-Muslim unity and vehemently opposed the partition of India. “The university was far ahead of its time and adopted novel methods of education, such as the project system of learning,” Jalil said, adding that what fascinated her most about the university was how a small idea was sustained by idealism.

Visitors who want to spend some quiet moments at a loved one’s grave in Mumbai’s Bada Kabrastan often waste time trying to locate the burial spot. As the name suggests, the city’s biggest graveyard is spread across eight-and-a half acres of land and located close to Marine Lines station, it is divided into 14 sectors and contains over 4,000 burial plots or ottas.


But soon, locating a grave will be just a mouse click away, thanks to the efforts of the Juma Masjid Trust. The Kabrastan office will soon go hi-tech; all its existing records are to be converted into a structured database, which will be made accessible to people across the globe.


Claiming to be a first-of-its-kind attempt, the project aims to help those who visit the Kabrastan. “It is very difficult for people to locate a particular plot. Visitors from abroad would take hours. We thought the computerisation drive would serve the people better,” says Hanif Nalkhande, trustee and project supervisor.


After months of planning, which included drawing up charts of the entire cemetery and numbering each plot, the trust is all set to take the next step towards adopting technology. “We will take about 15 days to compile the database and it would include details like the day of the week a body was buried, the date of the burial and exact location in the cemetery. Initially, we will provide computers at select spots in the cemetery for visitors. Later, we will post the data on the Internet,” he says.

The South Indian Muslim Convention for Social Justice with the participation of eminent scholars drawn from Southern states will be held on 16-17 June at Al-Ameen Public School Auditorium, Edappally, Cochin, Kerala. The convention is jointly sponsored by Al-Ameen Educational Trust and Forum for Faith and Fraternity.


The focus of the convention remains Justice Sachar Committee Report and its ramifications. National and state level leaders drawn from various political organizations, social activist, Journalists and community leaders are expected to participate.


Contact No. 0484-2801034, 2801997. Email: simconkerala @yahoo.co.in

Hitherto it was only MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi who used to, in every session of the Assembly; mandatorily raise the issue of biggies like Indian School of Business and Microsoft being located on land owned by the Wakf Board. But now, Owaisi has a taker in at least one section of the state government.


The minority welfare department of the AP government has written to the revenue department and the district collector that institutions and companies such as ISB, Microsoft, Wipro, Lanco, Gems and Jewellery Park and Maulana Azad Urdu University are located on Wakf property and they should, therefore, cough up an annual ground rent for use of the land.


The minorities welfare department’s letter contends that the board should be compensated at the ‘prevailing market rate’ if its land has been used to set up the institutions and offices. Any land belonging to the board but lying vacant should be returned to it, the letter further states.


If given effect, the Wakf Board’s annual income may see a manifold jump from the present few crores to hundreds of crores.

The plan mooted by the state government to create a non-existing caste system among the Muslims and have about 90 per cent of the total 80 lakh of them declared backward community was reportedly opposed by a large section of the community leaders.


The aides of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy recently met a group of Muslim political, social and religious leaders in Hyderabad to get a feedback on the issue and were disappointed to note that none of them said it would be wise to split the community.


According to some analysts, there have been instances where the Muslims and Buddhists have been taken as single groups such as in Karnataka and declared backward.


The Tamil Nadu GO No.1564 of July 30, 1985 has used terms such as Syeds and Sheikhs for declaring the Muslims backward. But these and other similar terms do not denote a caste, which is essentially categorised on the basis of one’s traditional occupation and a set of rituals. The government has also reactivated Backward Classes Commission, which is going into its second round of hearing on Muslims soon.


Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that if the government did not desist from this dangerous approach of dividing Muslims into castes, our party will be constrained to start a public agitation against this move the party treats it as an attack on unity and existence of the community.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between Technology and media freezone of Dubai and Kerala Government on information technology and infrastructure project ‘SmartCity’. The agreement was signed between the executive chairman of Tekam investments Ahmed Bin Biath and Chief secretary Kerala Lazi Jacob. Under the project signed, SmartCity will come up on 100 acres of land. In this project, includes is to attract global IT players towards Kerala. On this occasion Ahmed Bin Bayath was hopeful that Teakam will assist Kerala to acquire the status of Global IT player. He further stated that at global level Tekam is second and in India it is unique and only one of its kind.

A traveler who is new to any city or town would not know where he could find a mosque to offer Juma preayer and at what time, in this case he could just log onto this new website www.jumaprayer.com to find out the details and timings of Juma prayer in a particular mosque in a particular locality in the city/town and plan the rest of his jobs.

The TANKER (an acronym for Tamilnad Kidney Research) Foundation a registered, non - profit charitable trust provides financial assistance to make dialysis affordable for those patients who otherwise cannot afford it. Under “Sponsor a dialysis” scheme the Foundation is performing 125 free dialysis every month. Up-to January 2007 the organisation claimed to have performed 6642 free dialysis and 30654 subsidized dialysis for 396 patients.


The Foundation also helps poor patients from all over India by offering them one-time contributions ranging from Rs.1, 500/- to Rs.20, 000/- towards dialysis, transplantation, investigation and post-transplantation medication costs.


Details contact: 044 - 28273407 and 28241635. http://www.tankerfoundation.com