Thursday, October 30, 2008

East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre declared the best mosque in the UK


















British Muslims have voted East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre as their Super Model Mosque for 2008.

The competition, organised by Islam Channel was held at the Global Peace and Unity Event at the London Excel Arena on 26th November. The final was contested by East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre and the Islamic Cultural Centre in Regents Park for the prize of a £50,000 consultation. East London Mosque won the competition with a massive vote of support from public.

East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre got to the final after facing Sparkbrook Islamic Centre from Birmingham in the semi-final.

Secretary of the mosque Ayub Khan commented, “This is a great honour for our mosque and centre. Over the years we have worked tirelessly to build a centre with facilities and services that everyone can use regardless of age, ethnicity or religion. The prize will go towards a centre of excellence for Muslim women and girls. For a long time we have been looking to address that need and the £50,000 will help immensely.”

The mosque is in the planning stages of building a new section which will house dedicated services for women as well as new prayer space for all.

He continued by saying, “The management committee and the staff of the mosque would like to congratulate Regents Park Mosque for getting to the final, Islam Channel for holding such a great initiative, and also thank all those who voted for us and have supported us.”


One of the Imams of the Ka'bah Shakih Adel Salem Al Kalbani led the congregational evening prayer last night at the East London Mosque.

Over 2000 people came to the mosque to pray behind the Skaykh and hear him give a short talk after the prayer.

His visit ended with a tour of the mosque and centre.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Welcome to Great Britain

Emdad Rahman

You couldn’t help but notice. He stood there on his own – poppies on one arm, collection container on the other. Ramrod straight, smartness personified, a pristine set of clothes, a proud man who instantly caught your eye.

A war hero, once a young man who had confronted a powerful menace, had laid his life out to preserve true freedom.

Finding it hard to keep up with my better half, I’d sat down in the shopping mall to rest up my tired limbs. It was a great opportunity to survey my surroundings.

Next to me sat a wheelchair bound deaf woman who I engaged in conversation with as best as possible. She was polite with an ever so friendly face and a beaming smile. I couldn’t help but try to communicate with her. “I really need to get some BSL coaching” I thought, for the second time in 7 days.

“F***k off!” an unladylike voice screeched behind me. It wasn’t at me, nor the deaf woman, nor the kind faced little old lady who had just sat down on my right. Oh no, it was directed at her child; “ You’ve F*****g p*******d me off now” she hissed, her language as foul and grotesque as her physical being.

“Sit the f**k DOWN.” The child, not more than three or four went mute silent. Her doe like eyes met mine and I shamefully averted my gaze, focussing on the Mother. To my shame she stared me down and I again had to look away.

A bustling West Indian woman smiles at me as she catches the attention of the dear next to me, asking if she’s been robbed. She answers in the affirmative. They obviously don’t know each other and this is getting very interesting indeed. It turned out that Columbo like, the deaf lady had signed to the West Indian lady that she'd witnessed the crime when it had happened a few days ago.

The dear on my right turned towards me; “twas was a European lady,” she said and grabbing the hand of a stranger (mine) she guided it to the side of her leather shopping carry trolley. On both sides it had knife slits.

“They had seen me in the post office and had followed me. She (the perpetrator) distracted me by asking for directions in a foreign language. Her accomplice slit the sides but couldn’t get in because of the cardboard lining.

“It didn’t stop them as seeing I was still distracted the accomplice simply opened the top zip, saw the cash notes in plastic wrapping and nabbed what is for many, a weeks wages.

"Shame my only witness was a deaf lady. The cameras here are probably out of order and the security guards are no good.

“Could have been worse – if I’d discovered the plot I could have faced that blade myself.

“I lost £150.00, a lot of money when you’re on limited income” she added.

Welcome to Great Britain! Fast turning into a nanny state. A society that seemingly punishes the hardworking, whilst pandering to the whims of the long term useless.

A society lacking a vital basic ingredient – one that is a yardstick by which all model societies should be measured by - RESPECT!

Standing up I shuffled towards the old war veteran. I dropped a coin in the container as he handed me a poppy – “Here you go son” he said. Thank you for supporting us and have a very good day.”

“You’re a dying breed sir”, I muttered, sauntering off to look for my wife.

Scams - The depths to which some people stoop

I received this in my inbox from a close friend this morning. The fact is I knew she was safely tucked away with her hubby and their little Princess in Bow. The email, sent from her own hotmail account read as follows... I've places an x for privacy in some sections.

Reply Soon... xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
From: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx (xxxxxxxxxe@hotmail.co.uk)
Sent: 28 October 2008 10:07:25
To: Whole email address list

How are you doing today? I am sorry i didn't inform you about my traveling to Africa for a program called "Empowering Youth to Fight Racism, HIV/AIDS, Poverty and Lack of Education, the program is taking place in three major countries in Africa which is Ghana , South Africa and Nigeria . It as been a very sad and bad moment for me, the present condition that i found myself is very hard for me to explain.

I am really stranded in Nigeria because I forgot my little bag in the Taxi where my money, passport, documents and other valuable things were kept on my way to the Hotel am staying, I am facing a hard time here because i have no money on me. I am now owning a hotel bill of $1050 and they wanted me to pay the bill soon else they will have to seize my bag and hand me over to the Hotel Management, I need this help from you urgently to help me back home, I need you to help me with the hotel bill and i will also need $1250 to feed and help myself back home so please can you help me with a sum of $2300 to sort out my problems here? I need this help so much and on time because i am in a terrible and tight situation here, I don't even have money to feed myself for a day which means i had been starving so please understand how urgent i need your help.i have decided not tell my family so that they will not be worried.when I return I will tell them and they will understand.

I am sending you this e-mail from the city Library and I only have 30 min, I will appreciate what so ever you can afford to send me for now and I promise to pay back your money as soon as i return home so please let me know on time so that i can forward you the details you need to transfer the money through Money Gram or Western Union.Hope to hear from you.

Regards.
xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx

Jack of all trades – Football’s unsung utility men

I like to refer to them as the “V” men
Humble, in the background types
Workhorses carrying out a range of roles
With double toil to earn their stripes

Kenny Burns switched to centreback
Orchestrated by Old Big Head
The bedrock to become twice a Euro winner
Foreign strikeforces were ripped to a shred

Peter (Schmeichel) the great was an extra centre back
Many times Sprinting up as third striker
Carlos Alberto, swapping roles with Jair
Just was he a full back or winger?

At Anfield the epitome of versatility
Accomplished even in baseball
Carra is one who never walks alone
Be it strike, mid, fullback, central

Chris Sutton of the SAS variety
Partnered ably with Dizzy Dion Dublin
Aided by the devastating pace of Warhurst
Performing artiste with a violin

The Germans are a nation of utility
There’s Der Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer
Then there’s Buchwald, Breitner, Basler
Commander Mathaus unleashing the power

Leeds Madeley served in all of ten roles
Even then outshone by a world champ
As Martin Peters starred in all the eleven
Gaining his mug on a first class stamp

There’s the Welsh dragon John Charles
Gentle giant standing tall
Rock at the back, rapier up front
Arguably the greatest in British football

You’d do a lot worse than Rene Higuita
A keeper to play the sweeper
Though eccentric the clown was brilliant
But look out for Mr Milla

Total football led to Berry Van Aerle
Africa gave Essien and Geremi
Hargreaves, P Neville, Matt Elliott
With a Sombrero we’ve “Nacho” Ambriz

Hence these are the folks that make it all happen
There’s no doubt regarding their esteem
Insurpassable, unflinching, invaluable
And very much the heartbeat of a team

Number 7
© Emdad Rahman
www.football-poems.com

Monday, October 27, 2008

Food, glorious food






















I'd decided that today was the start of a new regime for me - after a weekend of flu I had semi promised to modify my diet and once recovered I would start light jogging again.

Visiting two of my fav students during the half term bnreak I was greeted with the surprise, erm, pictured left. Mind you there were hot green chillies within and it was obviously meant to sweat out my cold :)

It would have been a crime to say no to such hospitality, so with a very heavy heart I dug in and ate that which God had intended for me to eat. To be fair I did keep the discipline as with great difficulty I restricted myself to (only) 3 helpings of this mighty fine example of culinary excellence.

The end result is here for all to see :)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Sheffield Day & Steel city’s finest

















Perhaps the greatest combat in steel land
All nations watched Wembley
Red Blades took on the blue Owls
In the South Yorkshire derby

On a very warm day in April
With the big cheese ambassadorial
Sheffielders invaded London
Descending en masse on the capital

Crammed into the famous old stadium
Just who’d be at the Cup final?
Bragging rights in neighbourly disputes
Be it school, streets, the public urinal

A belter from Waddle streaked in
Hysterics from Stanmore to York
But the Blades scythed away the lead
Courtesy of the veteran Alan Cork

It wasn’t to be the United
As Brightey struck home the winner
To send the blue-and-whites into rhapsody
And the Blades home to their boiled dinner

Woods, Harkes, Warhurst, Nilsson
Hirst, Palmer, Pearson
Bright, Waddle, Worthy, Wilson
Do the Bart man, Sheridan

The Hillsborough Kop and clever Trev
Steel city’s greatest Wednesday team
Ambrosial delectable delight
Like luscious strawberry and cream

Number 7
© Emdad Rahman
www.football-poems.com

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Barclays Premiership trophy at Mulberry Place

Staff at the town hall, Mulberry Place were able to spend a day admiring the Barclays the Barclays Premiership trophy.

Full article...

Courtesy of Asian Image

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Grafitti - Art or vandalism?


Giant robot promotes recycling in Tower hamlets

Tower Hamlets council has this week launched its biggest ever recycling campaign with the help of a spectacular giant robot in a bid to improve its record as one of the worst performing councils for recycling in the country.

Entitled 'We can Recycle More', the campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and using the borough's recycling service and saw the robot - named 'Mr Recycle More' - on display with special effects at Spitalfields Market this morning.

At six metres tall, the robot, which is made of 33 recycling bins, towers over a double-decker bus. He has been built with the support of the council's recycling contractor, Veolia. The giant will now tour the streets as the council's ambassador for recycling as well as visiting community days, in residential areas and estates.

Hundreds of posters will also be put up on bill boards and buses starring local people who recycle. The work is especially important because Tower Hamlets is among the lowest recycling authorities in the country, recording an 11.75% recycling rate in 2006-07.

Tower Hamlets council's Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener, councillor Abdal Ullah said: "It's no secret that Tower Hamlets is among the lowest recycling authorities in the country. But rather than just accept this fact the council is going all out with a massive campaign to get the whole community involved in recycling more.

"Our recycling rates in September this year were the highest they have ever been at 16 and a half per cent. This shows that people are responding to our services and the improvements we have made. We are really keen to carry on working with people and encouraging everyone to get involved and recycle more," he added.

Children from Ben Jonson Primary school also attended the launch to showcase a DVD they produced, with the council's waste education officer, about recycling.

A council spokeswoman added that Tower Hamlets would not use "over the top" enforcement measures to get residents on side.

She said: "We are all aware of the so-called council snoopers and reporting of use heavy-handed measures like fines and we are proud that Tower Hamlets Council is working with the community on a voluntary scheme.

Tower Hamlets resident Ayesha Khan was at the event; "This is a wonderful way of promoting recycling," she said. "I hope this robot can visit schools where children can really benefit from such a positive message," she added

"Against a background of increasing unease at what some perceive as over the top enforcement, Tower Hamlets is promoting am ambitious programme relying on people getting involved rather than enforcement tactics," she added.

The move in Tower Hamlets follows the introduction of weekly food waste recycling collections in the borough from September 1 as well as an army of litter pickers who will sort recyclable litter at the point they collect it for the first time.

The borough also recently launched Whitechapel as the first market in the country to recycle 100 per cent of the waste it generates.


Monday, October 06, 2008

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Explaining Liverpool's Asian Appeal

Liverpool are claimed to be by far the best supported football club among Britain's Asians. That is the premise of journalist and lifelong Reds fan Mohammed Bhana, and the aim of The Asian Liverbird - a book commissioned by the club after an approach by Bhana - is to explore how so many immigrants from Asia came to choose Liverpool as their club on arriving in England in the 1960s and 1970s, and why their children and grandchildren are still passionate about the Merseyside Reds.

Full post...

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Premiership trophy AGAIN!! :)

















This is the second time I've lifted it - Does that make me a living legend???

I thought my vice captain Jay should get on in this one too :)