Insha’allah, the East End Islamic Centre will once again be open for all five daily prayers., including jummah from Wednesday 2 December 2020.
We Will Maintain the Previous Safety Measures:
- The Mosque will open 15 minutes before each jamā‘ah, and close straight after
- Do not come if you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19
- Everyone must wear a mask covering both the mouth and nose
- You must use a prayer mat in the marked spaces (please bring your own mat & shoe bag with you), to maintain distancing
- You must do your ablutions before coming to the mosque
- No children under the age of 12
- We strongly advise those over 70 or those with health vulnerabilities to pray at home
- At all times, maintain distancing and be mindful of your safety and the safety of others
- The limits on attendance is the capacity of the masjid with social distancing. Doors will be locked when the masjid capacity is reached.
I am writing to you with some specific advice about the Coronavirus outbreak and following the government’s announcement on the 12th March, how the Maktab is implementing these guidelines.
As the guidance from the government altered yesterday and anyone who has a cough or high temperature are being asked to self isolate for seven days, is it highly likely that more adults and children will need to take this approach. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance. If you have travelled or have come in contact with someone who has travelled from a listed country you should self-isolate for 14 days. If you display any symptoms during the isolation period, you must call NHS111 or https://111.nhs.uk/ to seek further guidance.
Please adhere to the advice given above and inform us if your child is displaying these symptoms.
Action we are taking now:
Awareness in Class
Teachers will be talking in class about the virus and the steps that could help prevent or delay its spread as well as counteracting misinformation. Teachers are also reassuring the students in order to avoid panic and we advise parents to do the same.
Hand washing / Hand Sanitisers
We are increasing our stock of liquid soap and hand washing foam to ensure that pupils and staff can wash their hands more frequently. We ask pupils to wash their hands regularly during the Maktab hours. Pupils may bring in their own sanitiser should you have some.
General Cleaning
On Friday 20th March 2020 we will be doing a thorough clean of the entire building in order to avoid any spread of the disease.
Please be aware that the Maktab is following the DFE guidelines and will remain open as usual until further notice.
Jazakumullahu Khairan
Maulana Delwar Hussain
Head Teacher
Weekdays 5pm- 7pm
Weekend- 10am-1pm
SEN weekend 10:30am – 12pm
Girls Further education – Thursday and Friday 5-7pm
Boys Further Education – Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:45pm – 9:15pm
Introduction
Madaris and Makaatibs (Islamic school afternoon classes)
have been an integral part of the upbringing of the Muslim community since the start of the very first Masjid on these shores. They have been the means of providing basic Islamic ethos and teachings to the young generation who pass on this tradition of attending these islamic institutes for many generations to come.
East End Islamic Centre has been running ever since the early nineties. We pride ourselves on our humble beginnings, where we started with a handful of students attending the mosque to learn about their religion, alongside the art of learning to read The Glorious Quran. We are indebted to our respected elders, who laid the foundation of our Maktab and strived towards making it a safe learning hub for the youngsters of our locality.
I would like to take this opportunity to pray for our patron, late Al Haj Sikander Ali, who worked tirelessly to provide a service for the community. It is due to his hard work and efforts that we have a successful and established Maktab that is continuing with this valuable work of Deen.
Headteacher
My name is Delwar Hussain and I am the headteacher at the Maktab. I am someone who lives a stone throw away from the masjid and have been so since 1986, a few years before the establishment of the masjid. I am fully aware of the locality and it’s needs and priorities. Ever since the start , the masjid has been ever so dear to my father and my family. He was part of the first committee and truly has the love and passion for the masjid and has always been instrumental in raising funds and looking after the general running of the masjid. So it was an absolute honour for me when I was offered and chosen by the public to take the reigns of the education at the masjid back in 2009 Alhamdulillah. We have come through leaps and bounds in terms of what we have on offer for our young students that come through our doors in order to gain Islamic knowledge. Makatibs across the country have a pivotal role in providing a safe haven, a source for acquiring Islamic values to be proud of and a centre for the community to come together as a family and we work tirelessly to ensure this.
My background is education and I have worked in educational institutions all my working life. I have a vast amount of experience in teaching and getting the best outcomes for students who want to do well. It is coming up to nearly 20 years of teaching experience that I implement in the day to day running of the Maktab. I am currently the Assistant Lead of the Sixth Form and Teacher of Arabic.
I pass on the training that I receive at school to my staff at the maktab.
After the success of the boys sleepover, the maktab will be holding one for the female students and teachers. This is a great opportunity to bond with each other as well as learn about Islam through talks and activities. Food will also be provided. This will be only open to our maktab students due to the number of interest. We will In Sha Allah open it to the public in the near future.
Come along and join us on this spiritual journey where we will be reliving the events of the Prophet Isa (AS) this holiday period. Sisters are also welcome to this event and must enter through the Lucas Avenue entrance.
The maktab will be holding our annual Story Time Event. We would like to invite all children aged 5-9 years old to join us on this exciting journey where they will be learning about the Prophet Nuh (AS). Male Guardians/Parents are expected to accompany their child. There will also be an Arts and Crafts sessions after the story time which will give the children a chance to bond with their peers.
We hold many events from Quran competition, charity fundraising to Iftar parties. Why not contact us and take part in future events.
Check out our Facebook for more information….
The two most emphasised pillars of Islam are Salah (prayer) and Zakah (obligatory charity). The Quran orders us numerous times to fulfill these two obligations. They are in the legislations of Prophet Muhammad (sa) as well as the previous Prophets. For example, Allah (swt) quotes Prophet Jesus as saying:
“And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me Prayer and Zakah as long as I remain alive.” (Quran, 19:31)
Salah strengthens our relationship with our Creator, while Zakah strengthens our relationship with His creation.
Islam also highly emphasises the giving of charity that is beyond the requirements of Zakah. Charity in general is called sadaqah.
In reality, everything that we own is a gift from Allah. But Allah encourages us to give charity by calling it a “loan” to Him that He will repay in the most excellent manner.
“Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward?” (57:11)
“Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned.” (2:245)
Allah (swt) also gives us a tantalising metaphor of how He multiplies the rewards of charity:
“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” (2:261).
Sadaqah is Not Just About Money
When we think of charity, we think of donating money to the poor or needy. But the Islamic definition of charity encompasses much more than that, so that even the poorest person in the world is capable of giving charity. The Prophet (sa) said:
“Your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, commanding good and forbidding evil is charity, your giving directions to a man lost in the land is charity for you. Your seeing for a man with bad sight is a charity for you, your removal of a rock, a thorn or a bone from the road is charity for you. Your pouring what remains from your bucket into the bucket of your brother is charity for you.” (Tirmidhi 1956, hasan)
Any beneficial act of good is charity. In another hadith we see that even going to the masjid can be considered charity:
“On every joint of man, there is charity, on everyday when the sun rises: doing justice between two men is charity, and assisting a man to ride an animal or to load his luggage on it is charity; and a good word is charity, every step which one takes towards (the mosque for) Salat is charity, and removing harmful things from the way is charity”. (Bukhari and Muslim, qt in Riyad al-Salihin B1:248)
Even monetary charity is not really about the money. It’s about the attitude of generosity. It’s not enough to give money to a poor or needy person. Allah (swt) says:
“O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.” (Quran, 2:264)
If you give charity without the attitude of generosity, by reminding people that they owe you one and that you’re oh so great for being so charitable, then your charity doesn’t count.
Related: Islamic Greetings
The Results of Sadaqah
The rewards of sadaqah that is sincere await us in Paradise. But we have a portion of it in this world as well. Charity actually brings barakah to our wealth. The Prophet (sa) said:
“Sadaqah does not in any way decrease the wealth.” (Muslim 2588)
And it’s not just that. The feeling of satisfaction that comes with doing good to others is worth much. The smile you bring to the face of a single person can brighten your day.
But often we want more than this. We want to see the fruits of our charity. We want to know that our charity did bring benefit. And if it doesn’t bring apparent benefit, we feel that it went to waste. The Prophet (sa) narrates a hadith in which a man gave charity mistakenly to a thief, a prostitute, and a king. He thought that his charity went to waste.
But in reality, you get the reward of it nonetheless. And on top of that, you never know how Allah (swt) plans things. Your charity might bring benefit in a way completely unexpected by you, as we see in the hadith in mentioned just now. I leave with the beautiful story in the (translated) words of the Prophet (sa):
“A man expressed his intention to give charity, so he came out with charity and placed it in the hand of an adulteress. In the morning, the people were talking and saying: charity was given to an adulteress last night. He (the giver of Sadaqa) said: 0 Allah, to Thee be the praise-to an adulteress.
“He then again expressed his intention to give charity; so he went out with the charity and placed it in the hand of a rich person. In the morning the people were talking and saying: Charity was given to a rich person. He (the giver of charity) said: 0 Allah, to Thee be the praise-to a well-to-do person.
“He then expressed his intention to give charity, so he went out with charity and placed it in the hand of a thief. In the morning, the people were talking and saying: Charity was given to a thief. So (one of the persons) said: 0 Allah, to Thee be the praise (what a misfortune it is that charity has been given to) the adulteress, to a rich person. to a thief!
“There came (the angel to him) and he was told: Your charity has been accepted. As for the adulteress (the charity might become the means) whereby she might restrain herself from fornication. The rich man might perhaps learn a lesson and spend from what Allah has given him, and the thief might thereby refrain from committing theft.” (Muslim 1022)
Note: All hadith references are in accordance with www.sunnah.com.
By Tabassum Mosleh | April 30th, 2017