Read article here. Don't worry it's not long, but I felt bad seeing the copyright thing :oops: Although all articles from all papers are probably copyrighted. ah well.

First free school for Muslims gets the go-ahead amid fears over 'segregated schooling''Extremely bad news' say teaching unions
Half of all pupils will be admitted because of their faith

By Daily Mail Reporter

The first free school for Muslims in the country will open in Blackburn, Lancashire, next year.

The business case for Tauheedul Islam Boys' School in Darwen has been approved by the Government.

But opponents have described the decision as 'extremely bad news' for community cohesion and claim it will deprive state schools of vital funds.

WHAT ARE FREE SCHOOLS ALL ABOUT?
Free schools are designed to allow new schools to be started. They are state-funded and should be non-selective.
While they are independent they are also accountable to Ofsted and national tests.
They can be established by various groups including charities, universities, businesses and parents.
They should improve choice and raise standards, but are not allowed to be biased.
They will be able to be started in shops and houses after Education Secretary Michael Gove confirmed he is to relax planning laws.

Simon Jones, national executive member for the National Union of Teachers, and Blackburn with Darwen representative, said: 'It will further undermine much of the progress towards community cohesion. We are on our way to a completely segregated schooling system. It is going to develop potential social problems in the future.
This is extremely bad news for Blackburn with Darwen. It is not unexpected, nevertheless it is still a bad day.'

Councillor David Foster, leader of the Liberal Democrats, who is also a local methodist preacher, said: 'In my view we shouldn't have any religious schools of any faith. One of the problems in Blackburn is the segregation of communities.

'A lot of schools are mono cultural and we need to try to develop ways in which we educate the community as one rather than separately.

'I hope Tauheedul ensures that it provides a curriculum where pupils are a full part of the community and they continue to develop links with other schools as the girls' school does.'
'We are on our way to a completely segregated schooling system. It is going to develop potential social problems in the future'Tauheedul Islam Girls' School principal Mufti Hamid Patel, who made the application with governors, has vowed that the school will be a beacon to raise overall achievements in all schools in Blackburn with Darwen.
There is currently a Tauheedul Islam Girls' School they want to open a new Boys' school under the same name, but on a different site.

Mr Patel said he had developed a curriculum where the school would play an active role in all areas of the community and also had visions to enrol students into university at 16.

The detailed plan includes all students completing 500 hours of community service throughout their school life, specialisms in sport and the Big Society, outdoor pursuits such as canoeing and mountain climbing more than once a year and a finishing school.

Non-pupils will be able to study GCSE and A-level revision sessions in areas such as Darwen and Shadsworth. And a Sports' Academy for primary school children will be created.

Since the plan was first mooted around 700 pre-registration admission forms have been submitted by parents - including from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Dewsbury and Bolton - for the first 150 places.

Free schools do not fall within local authority control and get their funding direct from the Government, but have greater freedom than academies to set their own agenda.

Mr Patel said: 'This is a fantastic milestone. We are very excited and think it is good news. The support is generally good from across all the communities.

'This has been 18 months in the planning and will be the first free school in the town and the first Muslim free school in the country. And we are looking at all sorts of innovations and ideas.

'Though our intake will be comprehensive with learners from areas which are the most deprived in the country, our school will have an elite, but not elitist, philosophy.

'It will be a 'grammar' school for ordinary kids. Every young person at Tauheedul Boys' High School will have a sense of privilege and exclusivity.'

'Providing increased diversity': The Tauheedul mosque is opening a free school, which already has a large number of Muslim pupils
Free Schools will be expected to have inclusive admission arrangements and while they don't follow the national curriculum, they must provide a balanced education.
If it is oversubscribed then it must allow for 50 per cent of places to be allocated to children without reference to faith. This means in a school of two hundred, one hundred must be non-religious based.

If a school is under-subscribed every child who has applied must be admitted, whether a faith or non faith applicant.
The school will open in September next year on the site of the girls' school in Bicknell Street, Blackburn, after it moves to its new location in Beardwood Humanities College, Preston New Road, as part of the council's Building Schools for the Future scheme.

It will have an admissions policy of 75 per year with year's seven and eight starting in September. Only 50 per cent of the admissions will be allocated to members of the school's affiliated mosques.

Mr Patel said: 'We have interest from everywhere in Blackburn and outside Blackburn but we can't do anything about those outside of Blackburn at this stage.

'It also means that numbers are going to be limited and we have made a commitment to limit numbers as part of the process to not damage admissions to other schools in the borough.

'All of our students will be told to aspire to achieve the highest of standards, aiming to enrol at Russell Group Universities, which include Oxford and Cambridge, and become the outstanding innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers and leaders of their century.'

Councillor Maureen Bateson, Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive member for children's services, said: 'The council didn't support the application for the school to become a free school.

'However, now that it has been given the go-ahead I would like the school to continue to work in partnership with other

Discuss.

My argument is that they all focus on how helpless we Muslims are against the powers of evil that secretly rule the world etc. and how the financial system, the governments, the media are all under "their" control and how helpless we are so we must tell people about how evil the illuminati etc are.

Now, is this helplessness and conspiracy theorising not a way of questioning the power of God?

We believe in God, we believe He (swt) is all powerful, we believe he is the best of planners.

So why are all the conspiracy theorists focussing on how the evil organisations really run the world?

A mother has abandoned her baby boy in an east London hospital a few hours after giving birth.

In a case described as "heartbreaking" by police, the boy, named Charlie by nurses, was left by the woman who police think gave a false name.

She told staff her name was Katalena Sctarra and she is believed to be aged 25 and from Birmingham.

The mother was last seen walking towards the car park at Newham General Hospital on Wednesday night.

She had gone into labour outside a shop in East Ham on Wednesday evening and a passer-by called an ambulance.

She was taken to hospital and gave birth minutes after arriving.

Just before midnight "Miss Sctarra" went outside the hospital to have a cigarette and then disappeared.

...

Anyone with information can call police on 020 7275 5728.

http://news.sky.com/home/x/article/16071704

I can't remember if I've asked this before but can females be leaders?

The answer is probably no as women have not had a leadership position during the time of the Prophet ﷺ and all the Prophets (pbut) were male.

I heard that Benazir Bhutto was an illegitimate leader since women cannot lead men.

?

Thirty-two years after most grammar schools were abolished the 11-plus exam which controlled entry to them still divides opinion among parents and teachers. But how difficult was it?

Click this link and try a 15 question version for yourself - click the start button and you get 10 minutes to answer 15 questions. (no cheating by working out the answers before hand!)

I tried it while skiving off at work and I got 10 out of 15 (but I didnt use the full 10 minutes).

Can you beat You?

Salaam! 😃

Tis the final one ladies and gents! I knw..lets take a moment..ok moment gone!

(I didn't make a seperate blog for the conclusion even though long, cos 20's such a nice round nr, dont ya think? 😃 Anyhoo! Don't feel obliged to read it all in one go or be put of from reading it all together! That would be a shame since its a nice read and you've come this far, might as well finish it!)

September 19th: Chapter 16 - Innovations of Du'a

1. Habitually Reading Specified Du'as which are not Found in the Sunnah

So habitually reciting a certain du'a at regular times and intervals. One who performs du'a in this manner destroys the whole purpose of du'a - that of feeling poverty to Allah and showing sincerity and need to is Creator- when one parrots the same phrases hundreds of times in the course of a few days or weeks

2. Kissing One's Thumbs and Rubbing One's Eyes with them

It is common for people to do this when the prophet's(saw) name is mentioned. The basis of this act is a fabricated narration on the authority of Khidr, the Companion of Musa (as) but the chain of narrators is unknown.

3. Du'a in a Group

This is only permissible during certain occasions, such as the khutbah on Friday or during the Witr prayer

4. To Clasp One's Hands to One's Chest During Du'a

This is contrary to the proper manner of du'a as the sunnah is to ask with the palms outwards.

5. Tawassul with the Status of the Prophet(saw)

6. To Specify the Unspecified

What is meant by this is that a person specifies a certain time, place or a certain du'a that is not specified by the Shari'ah. So to make a habit of making du'a on say the 12th of Rabi al-Awal or at a certain location, is an innovation. Likwise, to specify a particular du'a before or after doing an act is also considered an innovation (unless such a specification is found in the sunnah.

Another example that is common is that during the tawaf (circumambulation around the Ka'bah) many people read specific du'as for each round, believing that this is part of the sunnah.

Other examples include making a New Year's wish or doing the same whilst blowing out candles etc.

The opposite of this principle is also true.If a specific du'a has been narrated in the sunnah for a specific occasion or a certain act, then it should not be used habitually except for the circumstance it has been narrated for. E.g. the du'a for entering the mosque should not be used every time someone enters a house or other structure etc

7. The Statment "May Allah Establish it and Preserve it"

This statement is made by many people after the statement of the mu'adhin: The prayer has been established". However, the basis of it is a weak narration

******CONCLUSION******

Du'a is a treasure that all people can possess, yet so few strive to achieve. It is a light that one can use to guide onself out of the darkest dilemma that one may be in. It is the wind that lifts the sails of one's hope and pushes one forth to one's destination. It is the sword that he can use to fight any and every enemy impeding's one path.

So ask yourself: what is the status of this affair in your life? How often do you turn to Allah? And for what matters do you turn to Him? How sincere are you in your requests? And do you ask Allah properly, conforming with the pre-requisites and etiquettes of du'a?

Or do you ask and ask, but do not care about the ways that you have blocked its response? Are you heedless of Allah, and turn to Him at times of need, only to forget Him when your du'a is answered?

Or do you despair of His infinite Mercy and Wisdom when your du'a is not responded to, forgetting and ignoring the countless other blessings that He has given you, and presuming of Allah evil thoughts?

Ponder over the answers to these questions and change your life accordingly to better the situation that you are in.

O you who does not turn to Allah at all, feeling himself to sinful to a merit a response! Are you worse than Iblis? For verily, if Allah can respond to his du'a, then surely you have more right to be responded to. Are you not aware of the vast treasures of Allah, and that He is al-Karim, the Ever-Generous?

Did He not create you out of nothing, and guide you to islam and bless you with so many blessings that you cannot even count them?

And if He gave all that you, without you even asking Him, then how much more will He give you when you raise your hands up to Him, seeking His Pleasure, believing in Him as your Rabb?

So ask Him and continue to ask Him, and the first matter that you should ask Him for is guidance, for verily it is the primary goal that you strive for.

O you who are in distress! Despair not of finding a solution to your problems. Verily, there is nothing that can overcome a sincere du'a, for Allah is capable of all things. And know that the response to the du'a will be proportionate to your sincerity to Allah.

If you desire a goal with such fervour and passion, then take the necessary precautions to obtain it. Make sure that you have asked Allah having fulfilled the conditions of du'a and ensure that you have removed any obstacles and impediments in the way of response.

O you whose du's is yet to be answered! Do not let Shaytan come between you and the response of your du'a. Be certain and have full faith that Allah will, of a surety respond to you but only if you have fulfilled the proper conditions of du'a/

Examine your own situation, and see if perhaps you have not blocked the response to your du'a by your own sins and actions. Ponder over the goal that you desire, and see whether it is possible that what you desire is in fact harmful for you, and Allah in His Infinite Wisdom and Mercy is depriving you of it for your own good.

If you fully believe with your heart that Allah is al-Mannan the One Who Gives Continously and Generously. So when you are dealing with One whose characteristics are these, then what do you fear?

O you who has had his du'a answered, and has seen the effects of his plea! Beware of forgetting your state when you were calling out to Allah, hopeful of a response, fearful of rejection. Remember your sincerity to Allah at that time and be careful not to let Shaytan cause to become heedless again.

Now that Allah has answered your du'a, it is incumbent on you to thank Him by increasing your worship of Him, and leaving the sins that you are doing. And beware of acting like the kafir, who when he needs Allah, calls out to Him in all sincerity, but when his du'a is answered, forgets the state that he was in, and leaves the worship of Allah.

Verily, your journey is long, and the perils are many. Your destination is far, and the path is treacherous. So utilise your du'a. Use it to ward off the evil of yourself and the evil of your enemies, and the evil that is destined for you. And use it to strive to reach your every goal and struggle to arrive at your desired destination.

Du'a is your sharpest sword and your strongest weapon.

Salaam! 😃

(yh, I knw what ur thinking..bout time! Good things are worth waiting for they say right? :p )

September 15th: Chapter 14 - Du'a and its Relationship with Destiny

The topic of du'a and its relationship with destiny (qadr) is a very important one, and around which much confusion exists. Many people ask "If everything has already been destined to occur, then of what use is du'a, if Allah has written what I want, I will get it without making du'a, and if it is not written for me, then I will never get it no matter how much du'a I make?"

The response to this question lies in understanding that the outcome of anything is dependent on the performance of the efforts that are necessary to procure it.

In other words, it has already been decreed, for example, that a seed will give fruit if planted, but this will not occur unless the farmer takes the appropriate efforts in irrigating the crop, maintaining it, protecting the seedling as it grows,a nd ensuring as much as he can that the factors are amenable for the plant to give fruit.

So even though a person believes in the Divine Decree, he must at the same time strive all that he can to ensure that the desired goal occurs. So du'a is the means that one uses to achieve the desired goal that one has, and this means that the du'a provides, in no way contradicts the destiny that has been written for that person.

This stance is clarified by the prophet's(saw) hadith reported by Thawban, that he(saw) said "Nothing increases one's lifespan except good deeds, and nothing repels Divine Decree except du'a. And verily, a person may be deprived of sustenance due to a sin that he does!"

In other words, the performance of good deeds is a cause of increasing one's lifespan, so if a person puts in the necessary effort, the result will be achived, and this is also destined. So both the means to achieve a goal, and the fulfilment of the goal itself, are already decreed.

16th of September:

If someone were to ask "How can du'a repel Divine Decree?" We would respond "The fact that you may be ill has already been decreed by Allah for you, as has the fact that you will ask Allah to cure you of this illness has also been decreed. In a similar manner, a person may be deprived of his sustenance that was decreed for him, since Allah's eternal knowledge encompassed the fact that this person would perform a sinful deed that would cause the deprivation of his sustenance. All of this, then is from the Decree of Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him."

So no matter how cautious a person is, he cannot escape what is written for him, simply because Allah controls everything and nothing escapes His Knowledge or Power. However, by turning to Allah through du'a, it is possible to avert something that might have been decreed.

Ibn Hajr, commenting on the benefits of du'a, said "And the benefit of performing du'a is the attainment of reward by obeying the command (of Allah to make du'a) and also by the attainment of what is asked for, for there is a possibility that the request is dependent on the du'a, since Allah is the Creator of both the effort and result of the effort."

Therefore, the proper response to the question posed at the beginning of the chapter (Why make du'a if everything is already decreed?) is in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim

"The logical consequence of such reasoning leads to a rejection of all eforts. It can, therefore be said to a person who holds this view 'If the satisfaction of your hunger and thirst has already been decreed for you, then it will be fulfilled, whether you eat or not. On the other hand, if it has not been destined for you, it will never occur, whether you eat or not..."

Divince Decree, then cannot be used as an excuse not to make du'a. For just as one strives to ensure that one attains worldy needs of food, drink and family, so too must one strive in one's religious deeds to attain the desired goal.

Aditionally, it should be remembered that the concept of Divine Decree is one that a human can never fully understand, due to his limited intellect and finite capabilities. The true muslim does not delve too deeply into the philosophical ramifications of Divine Decree. Rather, he accepts all that has occured to him in the past as having been destined for him and he strives to obtain what he desires in the future (as long as it is permissible for him).

Since he does not know what has been written for him in the future, he expects the best from Allah and does everything in his power to ensure that what he wants is granted to him. Just like going to work everyday will ensure, if Allah wills, that he gets his pay cheque at the end of the month, so too does making du'a ensure, if Allah wills, that he achieves his goal.

Chapter 15: Miscellaneous Topics

I'll only be mentioning the one point from this chapter since I didnt think the other points would be of use in helping you make du'a.

4. The Most Important Matters to Ask for

The servant asks Allah for his each and every matter, for the treasures of all matters belong to Allah.

However, without a doubt, certain matters have more right to be asked than others, for not all affais are equivalent in importance. Of the matters that one should ask continuously and without fail are the following

i. Guidance

ii. Forgiveness

No matter how pious a person becomes, or how rightly guided he is, he is bound to fall into error occasionally for he is only human. The righteous person realises this, and he is ever-quick to turn to Allah in repentance, doing so frequently and sincerely.

iii. Paradise

The ultimate goal of every believer should be to earn the pleasure of Allah, and through it Paradise. So if this really is the goal of the believer, he should ask for it in every single du'a that he makes. And if a person finds that he does not ask frequently for Paradise, then he must ask himself how important it is to him and re-evaluate the priorities that he has made for himself.

Asking Allah for Paradise necessitates seeking His protection from the Fire of Hell. Therefore the prophet(saw) would often combine these two requests.

iv. Protection from Afflictions

One of the comprehensive matters that the prophet(saw) exhorted us to ask for is 'afiyah. This is a comprehensive word that denotes good health and protection from major afflications and tribulation in this world and the Hereafter

v. Perseverance in One's Faith

A person always strives to protect the valuables that he has, and without a doubt, the greatest blessing that a muslim has been given is the blessing of iman. Hence why he continually asks Allah to protect his iman.

There are many other important matters that one must always ask Allah of, such as the continual attainment of Allah's Mercy and Blessings, patience at His Decree and contentment with whatever one has been blessed with etc.

The main point is to realise that a believer must prioritise his goals and place the needs and requirements of his religion over those of this world.

Although both worlds are sought from Allah, one of them is temporary and is a means and test to achieve happiness in the other one. So the wise person realises this and asks Allah accordingly.

The UK's first female Asian peer has used a debate in the Lords to criticise Pakistani and Bangladeshi families for having too many children.

Baroness Flather suggested people in some minority communities had a large number of children in order to be able to claim more benefits.

The peer, born in Lahore before the partition of India, said the issue did not apply to families of Indian origin.

The cross-bencher said benefit cuts could help to discourage extra births.

Baroness Flather, speaking during a debate on the government's welfare changes, said: "The minority communities in this country, particularly the Pakistanis and the Bangladeshis have a very large number of children and the attraction is the large number of benefits that follow the child.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14909062

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ImCcba1EdQ&sns=em ]