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Muslim Personalities
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Mulla Asghar Revisited
Every culture or community has its own timeline. March 21, 2000 - Zilhajj 14, 1420 was
the defining moment in the timeline of the K.S.I. Community. When we look at our history, inevitably we divide the modern period of our Community into 'during Mulla's
time' - and 'after Mulla'.
Over a century ago, when the newly converted nascent K.S.I. community in India needed
a Muballigh, a guide, and a teacher, Allah blessed the community with Haji Naji. At a
time when the winds of change engulfed the Community, in the second half of the 20th
century, as it spread all over the world. Allah blessed the community with Mulla Asghar.
As a brilliant communicator, he eloquently presented the teachings of Ahlul Bait (AS) to
the masses at large. His impact on our society is nothing short of phenomenal and one that has shifted paradigms. He has left an unforgettable mark on the entire Shia Community in this era. A multifaceted person of this caliber, with such an impact, only emerges but once in a lifetime.
Jab tak mai' jiu', khidmate qaum karta rahu' mai',
Maut aa'e to ya rab, esi khidmat me maru' mai'.
The above urdu couplet which embodies Marhum's life long services, and his sudden
death while attending to the needs of the Community (in that room at the WF secretariat
in Stanmore, which was fondly known as Mulla's Office) seems inadequate. Because
even beyond his death, his services continue. They continue through the hundreds of men and women who were inspired by his example of serving the Community through the World Federation; they continue through the many Zakireen, who were encouraged, inspired and some even trained by him; they continue though his majalis and lectures, which are still being listened to, around the world.
To read more, click here.
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Islam in the News
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Film on Islamic Art set for Toledo Premiere
Filmmaker Alex Kronemer said he didn't want to just go behind the headlines, he wanted to go beyond them in the new documentary Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World.
The film, to have its premiere in Toledo Sunday, takes a global look at Islamic art and architecture in a way that reflects "the whole breadth and depth of Islamic civilization," Mr. Kronemer said.
"When you take such an approach, you're kind of reminded that the conflicts and the tensions that consume a particular time or place in history tend to be forgotten, and what remains, what endures, are the cultural productions," he said in an interview this week. "The thing that was most interesting, as the various scholars that we interviewed began to tell the story, was that the thread that ties together many of these great works of art is that they were all made at a crossroads of cultures, where people of the quote-unquote Islamic world were interacting with folks around them."
Some of that interaction was commerce-driven, while other times it was more politically oriented.
But the resulting collaboration of cultures helped to foster the creation of great art, Mr. Kronemer said.
The nonprofit Unity Productions Foundation film company was founded in 1999 by Mr. Kronemer and Michael Wolfe with the stated goal of creating "peace through the media." UPF's previous documentaries include Inside Islam; Muhammed: Legacy of a Prophet; and Prince Among Slaves.
The new 90-minute film spans the entire 1,400-year history of Islamic art, from calligraphy and painting to architecture of the world's great mosques.
To read more, click here.
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Salaam Alaykum!
As part of its vision and mission, the NASIMCO Post serves as a tool by which to bind our community together and promote a unified and caring environment for all. If you have anything you would like to include in this newsletter, contact us at info@nasimco.org.
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| CSAA Scholarship Testimonial | |
Every year, NASIMCO provides individuals an opportunity to sponsor and support students who excel in community service and academic achievement by awarding them scholarships. These scholarships are given in the name of marhumeen of the sponsors' families. A past recipient of the scholarship had the following to say:
"The Marhum Mohamedali Kanji Memorial Scholarship truly helped me complete a successful semester of my undergraduate studies. I was honored to receive such a prestigious award, and I cannot thank the donors enough for giving so generously towards my eduction. The fees of University have increased exponentially, and I was able to put my award towards textbooks and my tuition. I hope that one day, my education will put me in a position to be able to give back to the worldwide community, and to students, like myself, who are pursuing a career path. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the donors of my award - their contribution supported the start of my educational journey and I will be forever grateful."
If you would like to sponsor a scholarship in the name of your Marhumeen, please contact the NASIMCO Secretariat
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| Hadith-e-Kisa Blanket Drive |
 In Afghanistan, severe winter weather is excruciating for families living in poverty. The locals, particularly the elderly, do not have heat in their homes or adequate blankets to keep them warm. As a result, they are exposed to cold temperatures for long periods of time and inevitably suffer from frostbite and gangrene which result in the loss of their fingers.
NASIMCO, in conjunction with The World Federation, is once again raising funds for the Hadith-e-Kisa Blanket Drive to purchase and distribute 2,000 blankets to struggling sadaat and non-sadaat families living in Mazar Sharif, Afghanistan. The cost of one blanket is a mere $20. With your support, our target is to raise $40,000 for this appeal.
Spread the warmth, please donate today.
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| Fill My Cup Appeal | "The nourishment of the body is food, whilst the
nourishment of the soul is feeding others." -Imam Ali (AS)
 In the rural areas of Kenya, 3,681 children arrive at school and Madressah with empty stomachs. Their parents are unable to afford a simple meal so many of these children do not get a decent meal for days.
Food is a basic human right. For only $3 per month, you can make sure that each of these children are served a nutritious cup of porridge every morning before they begin their school day. With a full stomach and a peaceful mind, they will become better learners and increase their odds of dropping out of the cycle of poverty.
By providing a cup of porridge to the students each morning, the "Fill My Cup" programme has:
* Seen more children enrolling in the schools and Madressahs
* Encouraged the children to arrive at school on time
* Made the children feel loved and respected
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Election Results - Kitchener-Waterloo
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The Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat of Kitchener-Waterloo recently held elections for their Management Committee. The elected positions for the term 2012-2014 are as below:
President: Dr. Niloufer Saeed
Vice President: Fatima Rashid
Secretary: Sidika Jaffer
Treasurer: Hadi Saeed
Program Organizer / Gents Administrator: Zulfiquar Meerza
Chairlady / Ladies Administrator: Zakira Zeeshan Mahmood Yusuf
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| Marhum Syed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi Remembered |
 A special commemoration ceremony was held at the Al Mustafa International University in Qum in memory of the Late Allamah Syed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi. Allamah Sayyed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi was the founder of the Bilal Muslim Mission and served as the Chief Missionary of the organization. He initiated the propagation of the Shiite faith to the indigenous African Community. To date, Bilal Muslim Mission has established 58 centers with 2 Hawzas and more than 20 mosques in the region.
Later, during an Appreciation Seminar held by The World Federation Qum Office, his son, Sayyid Muhammad Saeed Akhtar Rizvi remembered his father in the following way:
"Ikhlaas and sincerity for the pleasure of Allah will clear away all the obstacles and the difficulties....I have the example of my father, he lived in a very different environment, faced challenges from within the community as well as from outside, but he was able to do things without the resources which are available to us at present ... His life was based on struggle on one hand and sincerity and pleasure of Allah on the other hand, and with hard work and sincerity comes grace and blessings of Allah and that is what we should always be seeking from Allah (swt)."
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| Community News - Toronto |
 A young entrepreneur from Toronto Jamaat was invited to meet with the Canadian Prime Minister after writing to him to voice his sentiment on the government's practice of 'rolling the dice' when it comes to new, innovative business initiatives. Br Riyaz Datoo felt that many great business ideas fall by the wayside due to lack of funding and suggested that government-backed loans in conjunction with financial institutions should be made available in such cases.
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ALI Courses
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Academy of Learning Islam (ALI) is offering new courses for the months of April and May:
Onsite Courses in Toronto (Jaffari Community Center):
1) A six-week course on Deriving Lessons from Qur'anic Stories 2) A eight-week course on Understanding the Divine Message
Online Courses:
1) Using Effective Communication with Children
2) Parent-Children Relationships in Sahifa Sajjadiyyah (Women Only)
Click here for more information.
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CAMP 5th Annual Leadership Summit
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The Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals (CAMP) is holding its 5th Annual Leadership Summit on Saturday, April 21, 2012 in New Jersey.
The keynote speakers at the summit will be Hosain Rahman, CEO and founder of Jawbone, and Dr. Hayat Sindi, a scientist, innovator and entrepreneur. There will also be panels on leadership mindset and the role of Muslim professionals in the American Muslim mosaic.
Three interactive skill development workshops will also be held: a workshop on networking led by Bill Bertolet, growth strategist for one of the world's largest professional development organizations, a communications and leadership presence workshop led by Edina Lekovic, MPAC's Director of Policy & Programming and a negotiations workshop led by Sandra L. Vasher, consultant and trainer with SAB Group, a leading edge negotiation training and consulting firm. In addition, Johnson & Johnson will be recruiting at the event.
Please visit the CAMP website for more information.
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