Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

English version of book on Tamil Muslim community’s contributions in Singapore launched

SINGAPORE :

(From left) Co-authors A R Mashuthoo and Raja Mohd with Education Minister Chan Chun Sing at the launch of the English edition of Singapore Tamil Muslims. PHOTO: TAMIL MURASU

Singapore :

The Tamil Muslim community in Singapore has contributed to the Republic’s multiracial and religious harmony, with collective efforts that have strengthened the nation’s social compact, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Saturday (Jan 15).

In 1946, for example, members of the community dedicated a portion of their salaries to help the Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League (SKML) start the Umar Pulavar Tamil School, the first Tamil-medium secondary school in South-east Asia at the time.

The school played an important role in advancing and shaping Tamil language education here, and many graduates have taken up the baton and become Tamil teachers today, Mr Chan said.

“While the school was closed 40 years ago, its name lives on in today’s Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre, which continues the important mission of transmitting Tamil language and culture to the next generation.”

The centre is in Beatty Road.

Mr Chan was speaking at the launch of the English edition of a book titled Singapore Tamil Muslims.

The event was held in conjunction with SKML’s 80th anniversary celebrations in Chui Huay Lim Club in Newton.

The book, which looks to provide a better understanding of the Tamil Muslim community in Singapore, is supported by organisations including the National Heritage Board and Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. 

It has forewords by President Halimah Yacob and former senior minister of state Zainul Abidin Rasheed.

The English edition of the book, which was first published in Tamil in 2015, is authored by SKML president Raja Mohamad and deputy president A. R. Mashuthoo.

In his speech, Mr Chan highlighted how the spirit of grit, resilience and service to community has shone brightly among Singapore’s Tamil Muslims.

Many have become successful professionals and leaders of the community, he said.

“But they have all imbibed the spirit of service, and continued to pay it forward to the community and nation.

“Importantly, these collective efforts by your community have also strengthened Singapore’s social compact – where we help the young to have a good start in life, give more to those with less, and enable our people to bounce back from adversity.” 

The minister expressed his hope that the book can serve as a reminder, not just for the Tamil Muslim community but also to a broader audience, that Singaporeans must honour and protect what they have, and inspire the next generation to continue paying it forward.

The book can be purchased by contacting SKML, and funds raised will be used for its work to support the disabled community and education needs of children from low-income families.

source:http://www.straitstimes.com / The Straits Times / Home / by Choo Yun Ting / Jan 15th, 2022

From sojourners to mosque builders, book documents history of Singapore’s Indian Muslims

SINGAPORE :

Indian Muslims in Singapore: History, Heritage and Contributions is authored by Dr Ab Razak Chanbasha and published by the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN

Singapore :

A number of Indian Muslims here face a dilemma: To hold on to the languages and customs of their forefathers or to embrace a “practical assimilation” into the wider Muslim community. This issue is raised in the new book Indian Muslims In Singapore: History, Heritage And Contributions, which documents the history, heritage and contributions of the community.

It is authored by Dr Ab Razak Chanbasha and published by the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (Rima). Launched by President Halimah Yacob on Saturday (June 11), the book traces the community’s transition from groups of sojourners who came to colonial Singapore to make a living into a settled community forming a sizeable minority within both the Indian and Muslim populations.

Rima is a subsidiary of AMP Singapore, which raised more than $250,000 for the benefit of the community in conjunction with the book launch.

As at 2020, Indian Muslims constituted about 23 per cent of the Indian community and 13 per cent of the Muslim community.

Speaking to an audience of about 140 at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, President Halimah said that while the contributions of some Indian Muslim pioneers like writer Munshi Abdullah are well documented, others have only been remembered in word-of-mouth accounts and are not sufficiently researched and codified.

“This book therefore strives to fill this gap for the Indian Muslim community, so that we can better appreciate the significance of their contributions,” she said. “Let us emulate the pioneers who never viewed their circumstances as limiting, but instead focused on how they could do better for the community and their children; always looking at the possibilities ahead.”

The book begins by tracing the ethnic and geographical origins of the community and the trades they came to work in the growing port city that was Singapore in the 1800s.

Muslims of various ethnicities migrated here from British India, including Tamils from the south and Gujeratis from the west. Some set down roots and began building mosques, including Angullia Mosque and Bencoolen Mosque.

The book details the history of these mosques, the families, institutions and personalities behind them, and the religious and civic contributions of the community, many of whom donated generously to social causes. There is a chapter on prominent figures, including former MP Mohamed Kassim Abdul Jabbar and Singapore’s first attorney-general, Professor Ahmad Ibrahim.

In an interview before the launch, Prof Ahmad Ibrahim’s grandson, Mr Ibrahim Tahir, 48, said he is happy his grandfather’s life and achievements have been recorded in the book.

Mr Ibrahim, who owns bookstore Wardah Books, said: “It is good not just for the community and the family but because stories like his can lift young people’s aspirations. He was at the centre of things, and operating in a multiracial country and system, he was a minority without being marginal and held a seat at the table.”

Dr Razak, 63, who is a physicist by training and a board member at Rima, said the book is meant for the general reader.

“The book is by no means exhaustive or complete, but I hope it can serve as a starting point for more research into the community.”

Speaking of the challenge he raised about contemporary Indian Muslim identity and the choice between tradition and assimilation, he added: “It is all about finding balance. All communities in Singapore face problems like waning language use, but it is important to think about which of our forefathers’ values to hold on to.”

The book is on sale for $60 at this website and selected bookstores.

source:http://www.straitstimes.com / The Straits Times / Home / by Ng Wei Kai / July 13th, 2022

Ashmath Ali elected new President of Kundapur Taluk Welfare Association Qatar

Kundapur (Udupi District), KARNATAKA :

Kundapur Taluk Welfare Association (KTWA) Qatar, elected new executive body for the next term during its annual general body meeting on May 15.

Ashmath Ali was unanimously elected as the new President of the association while Imran Nawunda was elected as the new Vice President.

Mohammed Arshad will be the new general secretary while Mehroz Byndore will be the joint secretary for the new term.

Among the other office bearers Mohsin was elected as the Treasurer, Zahid MH will be joint treasurer, Abdul Khader Sports Secretary, Zeeshan will be joint sports secretary.

Mubarak Kodi and Alam will handle public relations.

Akbar and Yaseen  Byndoor were elected in Advisory Panel, Sameer and Hameed Hemmady were elected as members of Working Committee.

Former President Ashmath Ali welcomed the event while General Secretary Mohammed Arshad proposed vote of thanks. Alam compered the event.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / May 26th, 2022

Aurangabad Children Mohilla libraries celebrate World Book Day in style

Aurangabad, MAHARASHTRA :

Aurangabad:  

On World Book Day, the Maryam Mirza Mohilla (neighbourhood) library movement commemorated the occasion with zeal. Several book reading and distribution activities were held in city mosques and Urdu schools under the auspices of the Read & Lead Foundation.

The Foundation’s President, Mirza Abdul Qayyum Nadvi, announced the commencement of a “Book at Home, Book at Every Home” campaign at the event. He stated that the book-reading awareness campaign is only getting started because today’s young generation is losing interest in reading due to the introduction of new electronic gadgets, particularly smart phones

Urdu, Marathi, English books were distributed to the children members of Maulana Syed Abul Hassan Ali Nadvi Mohalla Library situated in  Masjid Faiz Beri Bagh, Harsol area of  Aurangabad.

It should be noted that for the past year in Aurangabad, 28 libraries have been working under the aegis of the Read & Lead Foundation in various sections of the city, slum mosques, Urdu schools, and neighbourhoods. More than 5,000 children are connected to these libraries.

It’s worth noting that eleven (11) of the 28 libraries are dedicated to children are located in mosques. Masjid Shadab Hina Nagar, Ahmadi Masjid, Shatabdi Nagar, Maulana Hasrat Mohani Mohalla Library, Misrarwadi, Qazi Iqbaluddin Mohalla Library, Bismillah Masjid, Madrasa Falah Darin Ghulam Mustafa,  Sher Khan Pathan Mitra Mandal Library, Narey Village Mohalla Library and other places.  In addition to this, Al-Huda Urdu High School Baijipura, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Mohalla Library Baijipura and other libraries celebrated World Book Day.

Maulana Sheikh Yusuf Nadvi, Imam of Masjid Faiz, where the Maulana Syed Abul Hassan Ali Nadvi Mohalla Library is located, stated that he would do everything in his power to ensure that the library benefits the children and women of the area as much as possible. After Friday prayers, he also declared the start of the door-to-door book drive.

Sheikh Nargis Fatima, Headmistress of Al-Huda Urdu High School, stated that her school’s students and instructors would be more active in the campaign and would offer all available assistance. Farhat Jahan, a school teacher, and other teachers took part in the presentation and offered their opinions..

Children’s monthly periodicals such as “Bachu ki Dunia,” “Umang,” “Taleemi inquilab,” “Majhi Marathi,” “Meri English Kitab,”,” “Gulzar Urdu,” and other books, magazines, and journals were distributed to members of the aforementioned libraries.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Positive Story / by Special Correspondent / April 26th, 2022

Lost in qawwali spirit

Ochira / Thiruvananthapuram , KERALA :

Shabnam Riyaz, a Malayali qawwali singer, enthralled audience at the World of Women event underway at Kovalam Art and Craft Village.

Kochi: 

Qawwali music imbibes the essence of Sufism. The ecsatcy that audience enjoy when the qawwals sing at a gathering is unexplainable. Although the genre has been traditionally male-dominated, Malayali playback singer turned qawwal Shabnam Riyaz is quite popular among the country’s Sufi singers. Recently, she performed at a qawwali concert in the ongoing World of Women (WoW) 2022 event at the Kovalam Art and Craft Village.

Her all-woman qawwali group Layali Sufiya showcased an energy-packed performance. 

Shabnam says fusion helps audience relate more with the qawwali genre. Thrilled to be back on stage after the pandemic-induced lull, Shabnam, who is an ardent fan of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, says pure rendition of qawwali music is quite rare in Kerala, though it is common in northern India.

“Though I perform qawwali fusion for my audience, I focus more on traditional pieces. Most people hear Sufi music and think ghazals. Qawwali is an ecstatic form of music infused with divinity,” she says. Qawwalis often showcase vibrant, physically exhilerating performances, that many audience find bizzare. “I have seen many trolling popular Sufi singers, the Nooran sisters. But when you devote yourself to qawaali, it is hard to control your moves,” adds Shabnam who also offers Sufi music classes. She belives Sufi music was passed down to her from her great-grandfather, Vavaasan, a bhagavatar in Kollam who excelled in qawwalis.

The Ochira native has been living in Thiruvananthapuram for over a decade now and was the trainer for Khateeja, A R Rahman’s daughter.

 According to Shabnam, there are very few qawwals still, because it is a strenuous style of singing. “After a performance, we may need at least three days of voice rest. Many girls who approached me lacked the stamina for it,” adds Shabnam whose dream is to create qawwali music using Carnatic compositions. She is the voice behind popular tracks like Vennila Chandanakinnam and Shukira.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Arya U R, Express News Service / March 12th, 2022

Mumbai photographer Prarthna Singh’s first solo-book is a walk down the alley called Shaheen Bagh

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

The photo-book ‘Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh’, comprising visual stories of resilience and resistance, isolates individuals from the image of the mass movement as was seen on prime-time news and press photographs.

Portraits from Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh (Credit: Prarthna Singh)

Who is the perfect protester? We imagine raised fists, hurt faces, angry stances. We imagine climbing barricades, braving tear gas. If we go by this visual vocabulary, Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh (Every Evening Belongs to Shaheen Bagh) takes us by surprise. With over 150 portraits of non-violent protesters, the photo-book gently challenges the imagery of contemporary resistance movements.

Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh is Mumbai-based photographer Prarthna Singh’s first solo photo-book (she had earlier teamed up with the authors of Sar: The Essence of Indian Design in 2016). In December 2019, after the Delhi police reportedly assaulted students of Jamia Millia Islamia University who were challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a sit-in protest led by Muslim women started in Shaheen Bagh. Under a tent, with hundreds of women and children on any given day, the peaceful protest lasted for 100 days, until the pandemic struck.

Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh; By Prarthna Singh; 143 pages; Rs 3,300

Singh joined the anti-CAA protest in January 2020, spending most of her time on ground. Known for her women-centric narratives and portraiture work, she taps into her speciality to create portraits in an on-site photo studio, cobbled together with whatever was available at Shaheen Bagh. The result is these portraits of women, either looking directly at the camera or away, but always with a sense of pride. Poised and calm, the unnamed sitters indicate trust in the space, the purpose and the photographer.

Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh is Mumbai-based photographer Prarthna Singh’s first solo photo-book (she had earlier teamed up with the authors of Sar: The Essence of Indian Design in 2016).

Our collective memory of Shaheen Bagh, as is often the case with resistance movements, is of the masses, as seen on prime-time news and press photographs. Indeed, mass resistance movements give rise to the most recognisable images in the documented history of the world. Vulnerability and resilience coalesce into one defining moment — people standing up to power and confrontation, whether it’s one man blocking a row of tanks or a girl offering a flower to an armed soldier. Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh trades the monumental for the intimate, asking us to reconsider what we mean by “iconic”. It isolates individuals from the sea of faces, almost as if to say that a movement’s power lies not in numbers but in the will of its people.

Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh takes the form of a personal diary or a scrapbook.

Har Shaam Shaheen Bagh takes the form of a personal diary or a scrapbook. It contains drawings, a painting by artist Sameer Kulavoor, whose company Bombay Duck Designs has also designed the book, verse and a letter from one of the protesters, available in Urdu, English and Hindi. Some pages are deliberately uneven, recalling the makeshift quality of the Shaheen Bagh tent. While the book’s cost makes it inaccessible to some socioeconomic groups, Singh has shared copies with the protesters. A portion of the book sales goes towards Jeevan Stambh, an NGO working on the rehabilitation of the victims of the Jahangirpuri demolition last month.

During the pandemic, the Delhi police cleared the Shaheen Bagh site, painting over its graffiti and dismantling its art installations. In a country that is determined to erase and rewrite its history, one could say that a photo-book on a citizen protest is as good as an act of protest itself.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Books & Literature / by Benita Fernando / New Delhi – May 21st, 2022

Numismatist tells legacy of Bahmani Sultans through coins

Kalaburagi (formerly Gulbarga), KARNATAKA :

Cover page of the book ‘A Legacy of Bahmani Sultans through Coins’ published by the Gulbarga Bahmani Numismatics Research and Educational Trust. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Mohammad Ismail has got a rare treasure of coins dating back to Bahmani Sultans from 14th to 16th Century

The Gulbarga Bahmani Numismatics Research and Educational Trust recently published a book titled ‘A Legacy of Bahmani Sultans through coins’ authored by Numismatist Mohammad Ismail in which he depicts the numismatic journey of Bahmani Sultans through his collections.

The book traces the journey of coins belonging to all the 18 Bahmani Sultans starting from Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (1347-58), till the last Sultan – Kalimullah Shah (1526-1538). Mr. Ismail has meticulously worked, richly illustrated, about each coin issued during Bahmani Sultans period.

Mr. Ismail has got a rare treasure of antique coinage, belonging to Bahmani Sultans from 14th Century to 16th Century. The numismatist has more than 2,500 coins in his collection of various rulers, dynasties and kingdoms. Among his treasury are also coins dating back to 1,600 years ago.

The numismatist also organises a campaign “Save Coin Save Heritage.” The objective of this campaign is to spread awareness about ancient coins at schools and to take forward the legacy to younger generations.

Speaking to The Hindu, the numismatist explained the legacy of Bahmani Sultans and displayed a collection of nearly 80 copper coins issued in one year period between 1378-1379, and said that all the four Sultans including Dawood Shah-I, Muhammad Shah-II, Ghiyasuddin Tahmathan Shah, Shamshuddin Dawood Shah–II (4th, 5th, 6th and 7th sultans, respectively), have ruled for less than a year. His collection has got nearly 500 coins issued during Tajuddin Firoz Shah (8th Bahmani sultan), followed by 400 coins of Muhammad Shah-I (the second Bahmani sultan), and 300 coins of Kalimullah Shah (18th Bahmani sultan) Period.

According to Mr. Ismail, the study of coins gives insights into history as no other source does. The enthusiast numismatist tries to enhance his collection by getting in touch with collectors across India. His collection includes coins of various shapes, sizes and weights issued during different reigns made up of gold, silver, bronze and copper, some very rare.

When asked about the estimated value of coins in his collection, Mr. Ismail said that the value of each coin varied depending on its age, rarity and material. “But for me, as a numismatist, it is the coin’s age and rarity which matters more than its price,” he said.

Some of the rarest coins in his collections are of Tahmatun Shah, Dawood Shah, Ahmed Shah III, Muhammad Shah IV and Mujahidin Shah. Mr. Ismail’s rare collection includes 10 copper and one gold and silver coin minted during the Tahmatan Shah period. It took him eight years to find those coins. His collection also includes the rare gold and silver coins of Ahmed Shah II and Mujahidin Shah.

He also has coin collections belonging to Chalukyas, Kakatyas, Rashtrakutas, and the Vijayanagara Kingdom. Mr. Ismail wants to bring out a catalogue of these collections too.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Praveen B Para / Kalaburagi – July 03rd, 2022

‘Otta Chora: Kerala Muslim student’s poem celebrating interfaith bond is heartwarming

Malappuram, KERALA :

Otta Chora (Same Blood) by Shuhaib Alanallur, a student of Madin Academy in Malappuram, is being quoted by speakers in their programmes all across Malabar.

Shuhaib Alanallur

Kozhikode :

A poem that celebrates the warmth of the relationship between Hindu and Muslim families, penned by an upcoming writer, has become an instant hit after it was published in a magazine recently. Otta Chora (Same Blood) by Shuhaib Alanallur, a student of Madin Academy in Malappuram, is being quoted by speakers in their programmes all across Malabar.

In the poem, a Hindu woman, Narayani, finds solace in Nabeesu’s Islamic prayers while enduring the labour pain, and the ‘Mollakka’ (Muslim cleric) recites a verse from Quran to help her husband Velu quit drinking. Finally, Velu refuses to take his usual quota of toddy because the ‘Mollakka’ had donated his blood when he got injured after falling in a gutter. “I will not pollute Mollakka’s blood that runs in my blood by mixing it with toddy,” declares Velu at the end of the poem.

“Such relationships were quite common in our country-sides few decades ago. We are celebrating the bonding because it is fast fading away from our midst,” said the poet.

“The poem was written during the ‘Sahithyolsavam’ conducted by the Sunni Students Federation last year,” he  said. It was the patronage given by Syed Ibrahimul Khaeel Al Bukhari Thangal, chairman of the Madin Academy, that shaped the writer in Shuhaib.

“Muslim Youth League leader Shibu Meeran quoted my poem in an impassioned speech that made it a discussion point on the social media,” Shihaib said. It was the fond memories that he spent with his Hindu friends in Alanallur near Mannarkkad that inspired Shuhaib to write the poem. 

“There are people who argue that such relationships are normal in our midst and they need not be highlighted. But I believe that such voices should be amplified at a time when dark forces are lurking in our society,” said Basheer Faizy Deshamangalam, Islamic scholar and the leader of Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation.

“Narayani didn’t refuse to take the Islamic blessing saying that it is from another faith nor did Velu say no to verses from Quran. Such innocent virtues should be underlined when there are deliberate attempts to divide us,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by MP Prashantah, Express News Service / June 07th, 2022

Rann Kali, the war memorial built by BSF at the request of Christian and Muslim soldiers

Srinagar Village, TRIPURA :

Srinagar village in Tripura, where the temple was built.

The memorial has now become a pilgrimage point for locals

Half a century back, a Kali temple was built by the Border Security Force (BSF) as a war memorial at the request of two soldiers — a Christian and a Bengali Muslim — at the Border Outpost (BOP) in Srinagar, Tripura, which has now become a pilgrimage point for locals.

Major P. K. Ghosh, who was then commanding four border outposts (BOP) of BSF at Srinagar, Amlighat, Samarendraganj and Nalua in the southern part of Tripura bordering Chittagong division, in erstwhile east Pakistan, has chronicled the story in ‘Borderman’, the BSF journal.

When contacted, Major Ghosh said the Srinagar BOP was located in a very important strategic position and after the revolt by the East Bengal Regiment in 1971 against Pakistan, BSF aided the rebels in forming the first Muktibahini (Liberation army) in Srinagar.

“The MMG post at Srinagar BOP was playing a crucial role in thwarting the Pakistani army. It was the forward observation post near the Chittagong-Noakhali area. Exchange of fire was nothing new in that area, but it intensified when the liberation war started picking up”, Major Ghosh told PTI telephonically.

He said since the MMG post was causing major damage to the Pakistani side, it became a precision target for the enemy.

“A precision target receives continuous firing of shells over a period of an hour or so, it is likely to get damaged. On that day, they fired 100 shells in ten minutes”, Major Ghosh recalled.

“There were three members of the detachment at the post including a Nepali Christian, Constable Rehaman (a Bengali Muslim) and Constable Banabihari Chakraborty. The situation at the spot was terrible, and I asked them not to step out of the bunker,” he said.

As the situation became worse, Constable Chakraborty asked the others to pray to goddess Kali. “They did that without even considering their religious beliefs. The post was saved due to its position near a pond and marshy land and heavy rain a night ago. A bamboo tree also prevented the shells from torching the bunker and they ended up as air bursts”, Major Ghosh said.

When the BSF decided to build a war memorial at the spot, the Christian and the Muslim soldiers requested that a Kali temple be built instead.

“Building a Kali temple for a war memorial is very unconventional. But BSF did that to honour the request of the soldiers,” Major Ghosh said.

The funds were collected from locals and the Bangladeshis also joined in constructing the Kali temple in 1972.

“We named it Rann Kali (War Kali) temple to honour their faith. At a time of religious intolerances, such examples stand as a beacon of hope”, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Other States / by PTI / Srinagar (Tripura) / July 03rd, 2022

Journalist Rana Ayyub receives US’s highest press freedom award

Mumbai, INDIA / U.S.A. :

Indian Journalist Rana Ayyub was awarded the International John Aubuchon 2022. She was honoured with the award by the National Press Club of Washington DC and the Aubuchon is the Club’s highest honor for press freedom.

National Press Club President Jen Judson and National Press Club Journalism Institute President Gil Klein said, “We are pleased to name Rana Ayyub the 2022 John Aubuchon Award International Honoree. Ms. Ayyub’s courage and skill in investigative work has been evident throughout her distinguished career and her criticism of the government has been met with an unwelcome assault on her rights and freedom of expression.”

Later, Ayyub, in her statement on Twitter, thanked the Press Club and said that “it is a testing time for journalism in India”.

She further added: “Huge honour to receive this award, the first ever for an Indian.”

Ayyub dedicated the award to her colleagues who are lying in different prisons across the country. “Dedicating this to my colleagues Mohd. Zubair, Siddique Kappan and Asif Sultan, incarcerated for speaking truth to power,” she said.

source: http://www.thekashmirlwalla.com / The Kashmir Walla / Home> News> South Asia / by News Desk / July 01st, 2022