Attending Shabbat Shalom

 Attended Shabbat shalom at Oakville synagogue Shaarei  Beth El on Morrison street  yesterday. 

We were there to show our solidarity to Jewish community and protest against the killings of innocent worshippers at Pittsburgh Synagogue .We were around 15-20 Muslims . I was with my brother and his wife.

It was a well organized program. They greeted us warmly and appreciated our solidarity. It was a two hours solemn program and my first ever experience.The story of Ibrahim AS ,match making and falling in love of Isaac As was interesting.I joined them in some of their love of God type songs. Most of their songs and prayers were in Hebrew. The script of Tora was covered in silk and ornamental covering.It was a ceremony to move it around the audience.The Jews touched and kissed it like we do to Quran Kareem.

From us Abdul Qayyoom Mufti spoke and offered his condolences on the tragedy. He spoke nicely. A Hindu pandit,Baha’i 

and many Christian priests talked and expressed their support.

There were Oakville’s Mayor,Police chief ,MPs and 

other legislatures.

In the end we had tea ,snacks and mingled around.

An earnest effort to make this world a peaceful abode.

Thanks giving and Black Friday

 Thanks giving and Black Friday

By 

Abida Rahmani

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are purely American traditions. Thanksgiving is celebrated on 4th Thursday of November . A traditional feast of Roasted Turkey, Mash potatoes , Gravy , cornbread , cranberry sauce and Pumpkin pie is served to Family and friends, get togethers are common and the feast is enjoyed. Its a 4days long weekend in USA and many travel to their loved ones and other entertainment destinations. Whole of the Americans look forward to thanksgiving holidays!

I do not want to narrate the history behind thanksgiving.The most significant event after Thanksgiving dinner is Black Friday's sales. These sales start after midnight with huge sale items, e.g: electronics , furniture , appliances, gadgets and for most of the merchandise in stores. Now these sales start online earlier than the real sale  and later on Cyber Monday sales are almost for a week  . However the diehard shoppers enjoy door crashing at the middle of night during cold November night. 

Now this black Friday tradition has taken the whole world by storm. Canadians celebrate thanksgiving over the second weekend of October (wish they were unified in this holiday).However they aren’t lagging behind in observing Black Friday for the last few years. Thanks to Media, multi media and social net works, this tradition is followed enthusiastically  in Pakistan too. All the major stores and malls in the country are offering huge Black Friday Sales. Now many people have  objection and  realized that since Friday is a Holy day for Muslims then why it should be black . Most relates the color black with mourning and bad omen. Someone said then why the Holy Kaaba is black if the black is so bad.Moreover  so many of the stores are now  calling it  a blessed Friday, some of them a bright Friday, white Friday and so on. The tradition remains the same that the sales must go on.

In the West this is the start of Christmas shopping and in Pakistan it's a kind of getting good deals. A great marketing strategy and commercial success.The bottom line is what America does the whole world follows it blindly.

Amman, Jordan

 Philadelphia was the original name of Amman during Greeko Roman Byzantine Rule . It got changed to Amman during Muslim rule. There’s abundance of Roman archaeological sites in the city and in Karak, Jerash!

Eid this year

 کینیڈا کے لحاظ سے ہم مسلمانوں کے عید اور رمضان کے اجتماعات مساجد میں ہوتے ہیں جہاں پر پورے خاندان شریک ہوتے ہیں ۔ اجتماعی تکبیرات ، نماز عید اور خطبے کے بعد ایک دوسرے سے معانقہ کرتے ہیں اور پھر گھروں میں دوست احباب اور اعزا و اقارب کا اجتماع ہوتا ہے ۔

اس مرتبہ عالمی وبا کے نتیجے میں مساجد بند تھیں لیکن تکبیرات ، نماز اور خطبہ virtually آن لائن اور سوشل میڈیا کی سہولت سے نشر ہوا۔

ہم آٹھ افراد نے بھائی کی امامت میں نماز عید اداکی۔ بعد میں آٹھ مزید شریک ہوئے ۔ تحفے تحائف اور عیدی کا تبادلہ ہوا اور فواکہات سے لطف اندوز ہوئے ۔ 

یہاں میں یہ انکشاف بھی کرونگی کہ اس خوشی میں تقریباً ڈھائی ماہ کے بعد ہم ایک دوسرے سے گلے ملے۔

اللہ تعالی کا بے حد احسان ہے کہ عید کا بھر پور ماحول بن گیا ۔ خوفزدہ بھی تھے کہیں پڑوسی نے شکایت کی تو پندرہ ہزار ڈالر کا جرمانہ بھرنا پڑتا کیونکہ پانچ سے زیادہ   افراد کے اجتماع پر پابندی تھی پردے برابر کر دئے تھے اور بچوں کو بیسمنٹ میں بھیج دیا تھا۔

مساجد نے ڈرائیو تھرو بچوں اور بڑوں کے لئے تحائف کا انتظام کیا اور اسی کے ساتھ انکے ہدیے کا انتظام تھا۔

چند احباب سے انکے گھر کے باہر عید مبارک اور تحائف کا تبادلہ ہوا۔

الحمد للّٰہ رب العالمین

عابدہ رحمانی

Al Aqsa

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1718776574889864&id=120537641380440

The grave of Ibrahim AS

https://www.facebook.com/pktimes.tv/videos/341096099741780/

Got this prize in a lucky draw