VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

(Empowering the Global Ummah, One Muslim At a Time)

Volume 152, October 10, 2010

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

Editorial:

If ISLAM IS TRULY A WAY OF LIFE, then it must invariably include the different facets of life way beyond important rituals. One aspect that may be consistently missed is the NON RELIGIOUS SIDE OF LIFE which includes sports. We don't believe that you must always be serious and present yourself with a strict face to demonstrate that you are a good Muslim. It is okay to lighten up and be cheerful. Having a good sense of humor is an added plus. In fact Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated that even smiling was charity. With regard to sports, Prophet Mohamed (SAW) was himself involved in swimming, horse riding and archery. He even had a running competition with his own wife.

The focus of this issue is in sports and other non-religious aspects of life.

UMMAH'S SPORTS:

Second placed Turkish team pose for photo.
The second placed Turkish team pose for a photo with cheerleaders after the final of the World Basketball Championship between Turkey and the USA, Sunday,Sept. 12, 2010, in Istanbul. USA won the match 81-64. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

(Prime Minister of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine)

(erkansaka.net)

Cheerleaders Absent for Turkey Matches at World Basketball Championships

(telegraph.co.uk)
By Telegraph staff

The absence of scantily clad female cheerleaders at recent World Championship basketball matches involving host nation Turkey has RAISED EYEBROWS in the overwhelmingly Muslim but officially secular nation. Troupes of energetic cheerleaders have entertained the crowds at matches involving other teams in the tournament, but no dancers appeared during Turkey's match against Greece on Tuesday nor their match against Russia on Sunday.

The Russia match was attended by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his wife, who wears the Muslim headscarf. "While our national basketball team wins each of its matches in Ankara, cheerleaders are not allowed due to the possibility that Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his wife may come to the match," it continued. A spokeswoman for Turkey's Sport and Youth directorate said she was not aware of any ban on cheerleaders at Turkish games. A source close to the situation said however that Turkish government authorities had asked informally that cheerleaders not be present at games attended by officials of the ruling AK Party, which has roots in political Islam. The party rejects the Islamist label and points to its liberal economic and political reforms. Many Turks are fasting during the Muslim month of Ramadan.

Dancers did appear at Turkey's first game against Ivory Coast last Saturday when no government officials were present. A spokesman for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) said: "We are aware that no dancers are to perform during any Turkish team game in Ankara. This is not FIBA's decision and the dancers will continue to perform at other games in Ankara involving other countries." "The dancers bring much fun and joy to fans watching games and help to create a vibrant, happy atmosphere in the arenas."

Cheerleaders show restraint at the Iran game Photo: REUTERS

A handful of followers of the Iranian team in Istanbul stood up and turned their backs during the dancers' performance at an Iran match in Istanbul.

(Iranian cheerleaders)

(erkansaka.net)

(ottawasun.com)

Sultana Frizell of Canada

Sultana Frizell of Canada throws the hammer during a qualifying round for the women's hammer event at the Commonwealth Games at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadiumin New Delhi October 6, 2010. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett

Turkey soccer team coach Guus Hiddink (3rd L) speaks to his players during a training session in Potsdam, October 6, 2010. The Turkish soccer team will play Germany in a European Championship qualifier on Friday. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

FIBA cheerleaders Red Foxes from Ukraine perform with the Turkish, right, and the Greek flags during a time out of the World Basketball Championship preliminary round match between Ivory Coast and Greece in Ankara, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Turkey soccer team member Semih Senturk
Turkey soccer team member Semih Senturk controls the ball during a training session in Potsdam, October 6, 2010. The Turkish soccer team will play Germany in a European Championship qualifier on Friday. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Britain's WBA champion Amir Khan
Britain's WBA champion Amir Khan, pictured in September 2010, says his superior speed and punching power will make the difference when he defends his super lightweight title against Marcos Maidana in his first Las Vegas fight. (AFP/File/Carl Court)

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza Bangladeshi cricket team captain
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza grabs his leg after being injured during the first one-day-international match between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Bangladesh defeated New Zealand by nine runs to take the lead in the five-match series. (AFP/Munir Uz Zaman

Raqibul Hasan Bangladeshi cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim, left, celebrates with his teammate Raqibul Hasan, right, after the dismissal of the New Zealand cricketer Shanan Stewart during the first one-day-international match between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on October 5, 2010. Bangladesh defeated New Zealand by nine runs to take the lead in the five-match series. (AFP/Munir Uz Zaman)

Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab player fights for the ball with Korea's Seongnam Ilhwa player Cheon Kwangjin in the 2010 AFC Champions League football match at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. Al Shabab mounted a thrilling late comeback to secure a 4-3 victory over Korean outfit Seongnam Ilhwa in the first leg of their Asian Champions League semi-final. (AFP)

India's Zaheer Khan
India's Zaheer Khan bowls during a practice session in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh September 28, 2010. India will play their first test cricket match against Australia in Mohali on October 1. REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds

DO OUR MUSLIMS SISTERS WORLDWIDE HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES ?

Jujeath Nagawa, from Philippines
Jujeath Nagawa, left, from the Philippines sends her right to South Korea's Kim Ju-hee in the seventh round during their women's light flyweight bout for four world titles in Anyang, South Korea, Sept. 12, 2010. Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA), Women's International Boxing Federation (WIBF) and Global Boxing Union (GBU) champion Kim won the match by a decision to get the fourth title of the World Boxing Federation (WBF). (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

South Korea's Kim Ju-hee
South Korea's Kim Ju-hee, left, fights against Jujeath Nagawa of the Philippines in the 10th round during their women's light flyweight bout for four world titles in Anyang, South Korea, Sept. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

EDUCATION & TRAINING:

‘Islam and Law in Southeast Asia’ Fieldwork Scholarships, Australia
by Scholar September 14th 2010 www.scholar-guide.com

Some limited funding is available to assist research into Islam-related issues relevant to Southeast Asia. ‘Islam and Law in Southeast Asia’.

Fieldwork Scholarships of up to A$2,000 are available for Masters or PhD candidates enrolled at the University of Melbourne. The scholarships must be used to support fieldwork in Southeast Asia on Islam-related topics that match the themes of Professor Tim Lindsey’s ARC Federation Fellowship. The themes of the Federation Fellowship can be found at http://www.lindseyfederation.law.unimelb.edu.au

Please note that total funding for each scholarship WILL NOT exceed A$2,000. Successful applicants must be able to complete the fieldwork between 1 October, 2010 and 31 July, 2011.

MEN'S WORLD HEALTH CONGRESS

UNIQUE COURSE OFFERING, NOW AVAILABLE!

Would you like to expand the scope of your practice? For those clinicians who want to become forerunners in their field, Dr. Ridwan Shabsigh, ISMH president, will be offering a unique CME course “How to Establish a Men’s Health Center” as part of the Men’s Health World Congress 2010.

The event will take place October 31st in Nice, France and promises to provide physicians with “insider information” and strategies to ultimately bring more men to their practice. Participants can expect to learn how to start-up a men’s health center from A-Z, while learning about patient flow, logistics, publicity, economics and more. Find out more about the CME Course!

ismh.org

Nice, France: On October 28-30, 2010 the International Society of Men's Health invites a multidisciplinary panel of international top experts in men’s health to lead the scientific activities of the upcoming 7th Men’s Health World Congress. For details log on to www.ismh.org

CONFERENCE:
"TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE AND DIFFERENT: THE SEXUAL POSSIBILITIES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM"

30 to 31 October 2010 Sydney, Australia

Too much, too little and different: The sexual possibilities of the new millenium. This conference is ideal for health professionals who are working in the field of sexuality, sex education and sexual health.

Enquiries: admin@impotenceaustralia.com.au Web address: http://www.assertnsw.org.au

Sponsored by: Australian Society of Sex Educators, Researchers & Therapists

The University of Sydney, Graduate Program in Sexual Health

ISLAMIC FASHION: HALAL COSMETICS

Halal certified makeup is applied Halal certified makeup is applied to Sabah Zaib in Birmingham, central England, July 28, 2010. REUTERS/Darren Staples

SEXUAL MEDICINE

World Sexual Health Day: Let's Talk About It!

(condensed version)
By Antón Castellanos Usigli
September 23, 2010

On Saturday September 4th, more than twenty-five countries celebrated the first World Sexual Health Day, instituted by the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). During the summer, Nadine Terrein, member of the Advisory Committee of the WAS, invited me to co-organize the Mexican activities of this important date.

She told me that Rosemary Coates, President of the WAS, had conceived of the Day with the main objective of spreading the understanding of sexual health as a main component of our well-being and to promote the fact that sexual health is only attainable through sexual rights. Thus, the specific theme of this first World Sexual Health Day was: Let’s talk about it... an intergenerational discussion.

MALAYSIA

Sex Education in Schools to Curb Baby Dumping

Maria J. Dass newsdesk@thesundaily.com
(condensed version)



Muhyiddin at the 7th National Social Council meeting. Sitting next to him is Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil

PUTRAJAYA (Oct 1, 2010):
The government plans to introduce sex education in schools soon as part of efforts to overcome the problem of baby dumping, which has been on the rise of late. Speaking at the 7th National Social Council (NSC) meeting today, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said: "We need a holistic solution for this problem and will be working together with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to finds ways to resolve this problem."

Muhyiddin at the 7th National Social Council meeting. Sitting next to him is Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. He added that moral and religious education, and ethics are also included as part of a long-term solution. Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the government is setting up a technical committee to work towards incorporating sex education in the school curriculum. He said the government has already initiated a pilot project, with an emphasis on reproductive health, and the results are encouraging.

"Thus, we are looking at rolling this out into schools in the rest of the country," he added. "We realise that the country is developing and changing fast, and needs a new social model to address the issues that come with this," Muhyiddin said.

Malaysia's School For Pregnant Teens Opens

September 20, 2010
FRANCE24.COM

(The staff of a newly established school for pregnant teenagers hold a meeting inside a hostel for students in Jasin, Malaysia. The school is the country's first of its kind and has opened in the face of criticism that it will encourage premarital sex).

AFP - Malaysia's first school for pregnant teenagers welcomed its inaugural batch of students on Monday, defying criticism of the facility which is aimed at curbing an epidemic of "baby dumping". Conservative commentators in Muslim-majority Malaysia have complained that Sekolah Harapan or "School of Hope", which opened Friday, will only encourage premarital sex.

But state officials defended the school as a realistic way of tackling the rising number of abandoned infants who have been dumped, often dead or dying, on rubbish tips and in the streets. Five girls aged between 16 and 17 were enrolled at the school Monday, said school chairman Rahaman Karim, expressing confidence that the other 35 available spots would be filled as enquiries were continuing to come in. "The parents of these five students read about the school before it opened," he told AFP. "They took their daughter to visit the school over the weekend and register them."

"I met the five students today and they appeared to be coping very well," said the chairman, who opened the school's doors Friday without a single student enrolled. Rahaman said the five girls, four Malay Muslims and one ethnic Chinese, were all unmarried and would be staying at the hostel next to the school, which is located on a scenic hilltop outside the tourist town of Malacca. They will be taught by an all-female staff who will offer normal classes as well as counseling and skill training to the girls. They can remain in the school until after their delivery and confinement period, when they have to return to their normal schools. Giving birth out of wedlock still carries a strong social stigma in Malaysia, a multicultural society including Muslim Malays as well as ethnic Chinese and Indian communities.

GENDER GAP IN PERCEPTION OF PARTNER'S ORGASM

WOULD THE LAST SENTENCE FROM BELOW NOTE BE APPLICABLE TO AN AMERICAN MUSLIMA ? IF NOT, DOES ISLAM PLAY A ROLE FOR SUCH A DIFFERENCE ? THERE IS CURRENTLY A POVERTY OF RESEARCH INVOLVING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF AMERICAN MUSLIMS

Chart on findings of US online sex survey Chart on the findings of a US online sex survey. 85 percent of men believed their partner had an orgasm during their most recent "sexual event,"but only 64 percent of women said they actually did. Men also said they were more aroused, had greater pleasure during sex, fewer problems with erectile function. Women felt more aroused with a non-relationship partner. (AFP/Graphic)

Picture shows selection of condoms

This picture shows a selection of condoms at a drugstore in Boston, Massachusetts. Although Americans remain sexually active "well into old age (80+)"only one in five men and one in four women over the age of 50 uses a condom, according to a study, which was published in a special edition of the Journal of Sexual Medicine. (AFP/Getty Images/File/William B. Plowman)

Retired couple visit senior health fair A retired couple visit a senior health fair in Plantation, Florida. Americans have a wide sexual repertory and enjoy sex well into their golden years even if the older crowd sometimes take more risks, a major new study has revealed. (AFP/Getty Images/File/Joe Raedle)

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

Below e-mail forwarded by Dr. Lewis.

(DISCLAIMER:
Any attack or demeaning of a group should be discouraged and this includes group of people based on gender, race, nationality, ethnicity and AGE. Let's not forget we all are getting old and someday we will be in their shoes in terms of dealing with day to day challenges of life. However the reality is that as one grows old, their ability of functioning both at a physical and psychological level gradually tends to diminish. It is unfortunate that at youth and younger years many couples frequently fight with each other and in the process deprive themselves of the happier moments. Once they get old, even if their relationship becomes much better, their age significantly restricts their ability to enjoy as much as they used to enjoy during their youth and adult years.)

Lovemaking Tips For Seniors

1. Wear your glasses to make sure your partner is actually in the bed.


2. Set timer for 3 minutes, in case you doze off in the middle.


3. Set the mood with lighting. (Turn them ALL OFF!)


4. Make sure you put 911 on your speed dial before you begin.


5. Write partner's name on your hand in case you can't remember..


6. Use extra polygrip so your teeth don't end up under the bed.


7. Have Tylenol ready in case you actually complete the act..


8. Make all the noise you want....the neighbors are deaf, too.


9. If it works, call everyone you know with the good news!!


10. Don't even think about trying it twice. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . ..

UMMAH'S HEALTH: WE HAVE A NEW ONE FOR YOU

TOASTED SKIN SYNDROME:

(ED NOTE:
For those who use laptop computers, please avoid placing your laptop over your thighs while working on it).

12 year-old boy is pictured with evidence

In this undated photo provided by the journal Pediatrics, a 12 year-old boy is pictured with evidence of 'toasted skin syndrome' on his left leg caused by exposure to high temperatures while spending a great deal of time playing video games with a laptop resting on his legs. According to recent medical reports, exposing skin to the high temperatures created by laptops can lead to tss, an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure. (AP Photo/HO via Pediatrics)

GLOBAL UMMAH'S NUMBER ONE ADDICTION: NICOTINE

INDONESIA: THE LARGEST MUSLIM COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

Fisherman smokes cigarette

A fisherman smokes a cigarette in Denpasar on the Indonesian island resort island of Bali. The country of some 240 million people is one of the last lightly-regulated major tobacco markets in the world and is paying the price in terms of growing rates of addiction, especially among women and children. (AFP/File/Sonny Tumbelaka)

Fact file on NDM-1 gene detected Fact file on the NDM-1 gene detected in hospital superbugs in South Asia and Britain. Taiwan has said the multi-drug resistant superbug has been found for the first time on the island in a cameraman shot and wounded while working in India. (AFP/Graphic/File/Gal/Js/Al)

BIRTH CONTROL PILLS COULD BE ACTING AS STEROIDS FOR WOMEN'S BRAINS.
(news.nationalpost.com)
Sept 30, 2010

Ashley Fraser/Postmedia News

New research found birth control pills change the structure of the brain. According to Scientific American, who cites a report by the Journal of Brain Research, birth control pills have an effect on the structure of women’s brains. The magazine says these changes are best described as the woman’s brain being on steroids.

The hormones from the pill can have a major impact on different parts of the body as it travels through the bloodstream, and the brain happens to be pretty good at soaking up these steroid hormones. The study researchers compared the brains of women who were taking the pill with other women and men. They found women who were taking hormones had a significant increase of grey matter volumes in the prefontal cortex. And while more volume and steroids sounds like it could be a good thing (doesn’t having a big brain sound appealing?), disrupting the organ’s natural balance could mean trouble.

From Scientific American:

The brain works like a neural beehive; the proper coordinated functioning of groups of tasked neurons are important to successfully accomplish a variety of mental tasks — even the sensory processing and motor coordination needed for something as simple as picking up a hot cup of coffee without scalding oneself. Again, we do not know whether this increased gray matter translates into better or worse performance, but there likely is little good about treating a woman’s brain like a spongy accordion. The writers also point out that countless studies have been performed to determine the impact birth control pills have on other parts of the body – but the brain has not been looked at in depth before.

Far too often studies are taken out of context, especially when this type of claim is made, as Popular Science makes clear. One thing is for sure, it is probably not best to rely on the birth control pill to get you through your next exam or that work presentation. And anyway, since when has being on steroids really worked out for anyone?

MOST RECENT RELEASE OF AN ISLAMIC DOCUMENTARY FILM AT IMAX THEATRES

Journey to Mecca released on October 2010 to the OMNIMAX Theaters nationwide

(Ed Note:
Below film was released on Oct 8, 2010 at St. Louis Science Center. The very next day, we along with an Afghan family saw the documentary JOURNEY TO MECCA and it was really awesome. We recommend both Muslims & non-Muslims to see it. For details check out www.journeytomeccagaintscreen.com)

EXPERIENCE ONE OF ISLAM'S MOST FASCINATING RITUALS AS YOU TRAVEL ALONG ON A 5,000 MILE, 18 MONTH LONG JOURNEY TO THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER OF ISLAM NARRATED BY OSCAR AWARD WINNING ACTOR BEN KINGSLEY, "JOURNEY TO MECCA" FOLLOWS IBN BATTUTA, A 14TH CENTURY MOROCCAN LAW STUDENT, ON HIS FIRST PILGRIMAGE FROM TANGIER TO MECCA.

"JOURNEY TO MECCA" MARKS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME AN IMAX TEAM HAS BEEN ADMITTED INTO THE MOST SACRED SANCTUARY OF ISLAM - THE GRAND MOSQUE IN MECCA, AND THE FIRST TIME AN IMAX CAMERA HAS CAPTURED AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE HAJJ FROM A HELICOPTER HOVERING 200 FEET ABOVE MECCA.

Journey to Mecca tells the story of Ibn Battuta, (played by Chems Eddine Zinoun) a young scholar, who leaves Tangier in 1325 on an epic and perilous journey, traveling alone from his home in Morocco to reach Mecca, some 3,000 miles to the east. Ibn Battuta is besieged by countless obstacles as he makes his way across the North African desert to Mecca. Along the route he meets an unlikely stranger, the Highwayman (played by Hassam Ghancy) who becomes his paid protector and eventual friend. During his travels he is attacked by bandits, dehydrated by thirst, rescued by Bedouins, and forced to retrace his route by a war-locked Red Sea.

Ibn Battuta finally joins the legendary Damascus Caravan with thousands of pilgrims bound for Mecca for the final leg of what would become his 5,000 mile, 18 month long journey to Mecca. When he arrives in Mecca, he is a man transformed. We then experience the Hajj as he did over 700 years ago, and, in recognition of its timelessness, we dissolve to the Hajj as it is still performed today, by millions of pilgrims, in some of the most extraordinary and moving IMAX® footage ever presented. Ibn Battuta would not return home for almost 30 years, reaching over 40 countries and revisiting Mecca five more times to perform the Hajj. He would travel three times farther than Marco Polo. His legacy is one of the greatest travel journals ever recorded. A crater on the moon is named in his honour.

Journey to Mecca Star Chems Eddine Zinoun Remembered by Friends at SK Films and Cosmic Picture
(www.gaintscreencinema.com)

November 14, 2008

It is with deep sadness that Cosmic Picture and SK Films announce the tragic death of Chems Eddine Zinoun, the marvelous lead actor in the upcoming film Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta. Mr. Zinoun died in a car accident on November 11 in Casablanca, Morocco, where he lived.

Mr. Zinoun comes from an illustrious artistic family in Morocco and was well known as a dancer and dance teacher. He had recently shifted his career to acting, and after a number of smaller roles, he was cast earlier this year in the lead role of Ibn Battuta in Journey to Mecca. The film was shot in Saudi Arabia and Morocco and its world premiere is set to occur in Abu Dhabi on December 12 of this year.

“Chems is a light whose tragic and untimely death cannot be extinguished. His gentle and kind spirit will live on in all of us, and we pray that his heartfelt and powerful portrayal of Ibn Battuta in the film will touch audiences around the world as deeply as he inspired those who were fortunate enough to work with him. We mourn the loss of an exceptional man, an extraordinary actor and a wonderful friend,” said Cosmic Picture Producers, Taran Davies and Dominic Cunningham-Reid.

“Chems became a friend before he ever became Ibn Battuta in our wonderful film. I knew he was our Ibn Battuta from the moment he first walked into the Casablanca production offices to audition for a different and smaller role, but he became my friend before he won the lead part,” says Director Bruce Neibaur. “During the days he spent tackling the audition material, he shared a great deal about his life with me. He was a young man acquainted with some hardship and the knowledge and metal of what it takes to create and to strive for perfection. I've never encountered anyone in my 30 plus years of directing dramatic material who had more challenges to fulfill a role and who worked harder to meet those challenges. If the film is a success, it will be because Chems was our Ibn Battuta.”

To play Ibn Battuta was a huge break for Mr. Zinoun. Battuta is one of the great secular Islamic heroes and one of the most extraordinary travelers in history. In 1325, he left his home in Tangier, Morocco, alone, to make the perilous journey to Mecca to perform the Hajj. He did not return home for almost 30 years, visiting over 40 countries and traveling three times further than Marco Polo. The journal of his travels--The Rihla--is one of the greatest travel documents ever recorded and is still used today as a vital source of cultural, architectural, social, political and geographic history of many countries.

The producers set out to make a truly important film for both the Muslim and non-Muslim world, honouring the great Ibn Battuta as well as celebrating the Hajj, which Ibn Battuta returned to Mecca at least five times in his years of travel to perform.

“We are heartbroken about the loss of Chems. He was a very special and loving man who won everyone’s respect and hearts,” says Producer and SK Films CEO Jonathan Barker.

“We were blessed to be given Chems as our lead actor. He inhabited and devoured the role of Ibn Battuta and delivered a powerful performance. He rose to the many challenges in the most remarkable, passionate and disciplined way. As a proud Moroccan, he considered playing the role of one of the greatest Moroccan heroes a genuine privilege. I had a wonderful dinner with him recently sharing many laughs and warm stories, including how proud he was of his father and family. I asked him how he felt about being in a film that would be actively shown for many decades around the world. He said he felt grateful and honored to be in this film--especially if it meant more understanding of the richness of his culture and more respect between the West and the East, and between Muslims and non-Muslims.”

THE END