1/ The first two weeks of Muharam proved to be very busy for all the scholars of Birmingham and the Institute’s especially. Sayed Muhammad Naqvi, the resident at KSIMC, Birmingham lectured in Australia, Sayed Ali Raza Razvi at Stanmore, H.I.Sayed Sajjad Hussain Naqvi in Milton Keynes and Birmingham and H.I. Sayed Amir Hussain Naqvi in Chicago.

The Institute’s members were also spread far and wide for the remembrance of Al-Hussain as. H.I. Shaykh Arif lectured in English and Urdu in Toronto and was joined there by Dr. I.K.A. Howard who gave some lectures on the historical aspects of Kerbala. H.I. Dr. Sayed Amjad Shah was in Los Angeles where as well as his lectures to the jamaat he also spoke at the local High school. Shaykh Mumisa spent the twelve days lecturing in South London while Sayed Ali Raza Naqvi went to Florida. Shaykh Mahmood Dhala gave his first Muharam lectures in Ohio. Shaykh Amin gave lectures in Birmingham and Edinburgh. Shaykh Mubeen Azam, who also teaches the youths of the community in the madrasah, also gave English lectures in Birmingham but the star there was Sayed H. Moosavi whose lectures in Farsi drew listeners from all over the Midlands of England. He will be reciting majalis in Farsi every Thursday evening at the Hussein Mosque, Birmingham.

The learned sisters from the Institute were also fully engaged with Sr. R. Khimji talking in Birmingham and then travelling to Scotland with Sr. G. Abdulhussain to give a series of lectures and classes for the sisters there.

On behalf of the lecturers we thank all the jamaats for their invitations, help and support. Thanks also for those individuals who made special efforts to welcome, entertain and assist the speakers. The messages of appreciation and thanks are very welcome and the prayers of all at the Institute are that you may all be rewarded in accordance with what you have done by Him swt. who is not limited in His generosity.

2/ The Summer course at the Institute will now be for Four weeks in August. The course is free of charge but those staying in accommodation provided by the Institute will be expected to pay £120.00 for food and drinks supplied during their stay. More details can be obtained from Shaykh Mumisa at the Institute.

3/ A site just for Swahili speakers has been added to the Clearbook group of sites. Tazama Uislamu will carry discussions and articles to support the tabligh efforts of our brothers and sisters in Africa and to provide a forum for Swahili speakers World-wide.

4/ New additions to Clearbook Views are a database of Islamic aid organisations, a marriage small ads service and a frequently asked questions database with it’s own search engine. Anyone wishing to register their organisation on the database should send full details to helpline@clearbook.every1.net. The marriage ads are open to members and non-members with full instructions on the page. Anyone who wants to ask a question or read previous questions and answers can do so on the FAQ page.

Some of these services will be placed on the Swahili and French sites soon.

5/ Congratulations to Sayed Ali Naqvi who has been appointed Deputy Principal at the Institute. He will assist and deputise for Shaykh Mumisa and has special responsibilities for student discipline. Sayed Ali in addition to his duties at the Institute is also Headmaster of the Muhammadi Madrassah based at Clifton Road, Birmingham.

6/ The members of the Institute recently had the pleasure of a visit by Ayatullah Nawob, who was visiting the UK from Qum. The Ayatullah was a fountain of erudite conversation during his relaxed and informal visit to aquaint himself with the facilities housed in Birmingham.

7/ A conference to discuss the role of Zakirs and Zakira organised by COEJ and IEB in Milton Keynes was attended by H.I Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain, Shaykh M. Amin and Mulla Ghulamabbas Kasim amongst others from Birmingham. It was a day marked by open and positive discussion of many issues pertinent to the development and sustenance of azadari in the West of the Twenty First century. Brother Ashiq Kermalli, of BMMA, stressed the need to involve new Muslims in speaking during Muharam majalis. A point that was endorsed by all attending.

8/ Islamic Thought, of which Clearbook is a member, has negotiated discounts on books from several outlets and suppliers, 20% off books from Tahrike Tarsile in New York, and is offering to supply paperback books, from it’s list subsidised by WABIL, to anywhere in the World for TWO DOLLARS. All paperbacks on the list are sold at the fixed subsidised price of 99p in the UK. Details on these and other offers at maulana@islamicthought.co.uk or www.islamicthought.co.uk

9/ My thanks to the Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya for the assistance that they gave to Br. Sulieman with whom we were corresponding. A member of Clearbook in Kenya took the brother to the Missions H.Q. where he signed up for a correspondence course and did a lot of reading. He now says he is sure of what madhab to follow and hopes that his two younger brothers are also about to become Muslims too.

10/ For ways that you can help Clearbook in your spare time and at no cost contact admin@clearbook.every1.net.

11/ The Institute will be supplying 50 copies of the Holy Quran to the Association of Progressive Muslims of Ontario as a gesture of support for their excellent work. The Qurans are given as gifts to new Canadian citizens.

12/ Hadith sponsored by Masters Pharmacy, Oldbury, UK.

Kanz al-Ummal, Vol. 6.

13/ Applications to join the Institute for studies in the next academic year are now being considered. Initial contact may be made by letter or e-mail and should be addressed to Shaykh Mumisa.