Muslim Community Lobby Ireland is an independent organization established 1st May 2007. Its motto is TO USE THE VOTE RIGHTLY AND TO RAISE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AWARNESS WITH THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER EXISTING GROUPS. لترشيد استعمال الصوت الانتخابي ولتوعية وتعريف المسلمين بحقوقهم في ايرلندا وان يعيشوا بتفهم للواقع وللجماعات الاخرى الموجودة على الساحة

Monday, September 29, 2008

Eid will be on Wednesday


كل عام وانتم بخير

اعاده الله علينا وعليكم باليمن والخير والبركة

يوم الاربعاء 1.10.2008هو اول ايام العيد

It is announced by all the mosques in Ireland , Eid will be on Wednesday 1st Oct 2008.

The Muslim Community Lobby congratulates the Muslim community in Ireland and the world for the coming of the Eid
Wish you the best of the Eid


The Eid

Imagination running wild
The Eid is opening its arms wide

Embracing everyone with a happy chime
On its doors children singing rhymes
As if flying to a happy hide
In its hours glamour and bright
In its moments expectation of the ride
The day full of happiness with a cheering guide
Its ceiling full of, planets and twinkling stars
Let the imagination run wild
The Eid comes walking with pride
Spreads joyfulness and pleasure worldwide
Presents and gifts saying surprise, surprise
Wiping the tearful eyes
Gives the poor awaited right
Boys and girls travel citywide
Meeting each other in the Mosques courtside
Embracing, greetings, chatting in confide
Children as if flowers blossoming wide
The Eid feeling loaded with delight
Carrying an endless loving smile
Its enjoyment beyond describe
In its day manners and polite
In its song melodious musical sound

Poem by Bashir

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Irish Hijab Campaigns press release

Salam Alaykum,
This is the Irish Hijab Campaigns press release,


The Irish Hijab Campaign welcomes the recommendations in that they acknowledge the importance of recognising the needs of minority groups as well as seeking their consultation on issues such as uniform. We would have liked to have seen more explicit legislation, that would have seen the hijab protected, but are hopeful that the suggestion for more inclusion will put a stop to the disparity in practice across the country.
We are however concerned with the less than favourable statement regarding niqab as it is not currently an issue in state schools and can only further objectify an already marginalised group. We are mindful of the attacks Muslim women endured following Jack Straw’s irresponsible comments on the niqab and would have hoped the Irish government might have considered more carefully how such views shape the treatment of Muslim women in the wider community.

Wasalam Sis Lorraine

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Today's Press Release from Minister's O'Keefe and Lenihan بيان صحفي يشترك فيه الوزيران اوكييف وكونر لنهان عن الحجاب














The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD

The Minister for Integration Policy, Conor Lenihan TD

The Muslim Community Lobby Ireland thanks both Ministers for their kind attention and their clarifying statement and we hope it will be welcomed by the Muslim community as well as by the schools as a remedy to the Hijab scare. The following is a response to an earlier e amil sent by the MCL:

Thank you for your email,
Please see below, today's Press Release from Minister's O'Keeff and Lenihan.
For immediate release: 23 September, 2008 هذا البيان للنشر مباشرة
Ministers agree recommendations on school uniform policy The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeff TD, and the Minister for Integration Policy, Conor Lenihan TD,
today jointly agreed recommendations on school uniform policy. Minister O’Keeff said that ‘the recommendations were drawn up following an extensive consultation process by Minister Lenihan with schools, management bodies, parents’ associations and other key stakeholders’. Both Ministers thanked all parties for their contributions to this process. Minister Lenihan said that ‘the feedback received from all parties was reasoned and pragmatic’.
The recommendations were formulated on the basis of this feedback and take account of the legal position in Ireland.
اتفق الوزيران على انه بعد التشاور مع المدارس في البلد والاداراة المختصة ومن له معرفة بهذا الامر. وبعد دراسة وافية بتعقل لما وصل من بريد بالنسبة للحجاب في المدارس .
انه 1. تم الاتفاق على ان المدراس لها حق اتخاذ القرار في لبس الملابس المدرسية
وانه 2. لا يجب ان تكون اللبسة المدرسية حائلا لمن يريد ان يلتحق بالمدرسة من اي توجه ديني . ولا يعني هذا القرار بانه يمكن ان يلبس النقاب, او اي حائلا بين الوجه والمدرس لاخفاء الوجه, حيث ان هذا يخلق حائلا غير مقبول بين المدرس والتلميذة. اي انه نعم لغطاء الراس, لا للنقاب, او غطاء الوجه.
و 3. انه لمن الواجب من ان تستشير المدرسة حين وضع لائحة اللبس المدرسي من له الاتصال بالمجتمع المحيط بها .
و4. وانه وجب على المدارس بان تاخذ بعين الاعتبار اللائحة التعليمية الصادرة في
Education Act, 1998
والتي تنص على
15(2)(e)
وانه يجب على الادارة بان توازن بين " مبادئ ومطالب المجتمع الديمقراطي يجب ان يبعث على الاحترام ويحترم اختلاف القيم
والمعتقد والعادات واللغات وتعدد طرق الحياة في المجتمع."

Minister O’Keeff said that the recommendations, which will be formally conveyed to schools shortly, are:
1. The current system, whereby schools decide their uniform policy at a local level, is reasonable, works and should be maintained.
2. In this context, no school uniform policy should act in such a way that it, in effect, excludes students of a particular religious background from seeking enrolment or continuing their enrolment in a school. However, this statement does not recommend the wearing of clothing in the classroom which obscures a facial view and creates an artificial barrier between pupil and teacher. Such clothing hinders proper communication.
3. Schools, when drawing up uniform policy, should consult widely in the school community. 4. Schools should take note of the obligations placed on them by the Equal Status Acts before setting down a school uniform policy.
They should also be mindful of the Education Act, 1998. As previously mentioned, this obliges boards of management to take account of ‘the principles and requirements of a democratic society and have respect and promote respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society’.
Minister O’Keeff and Minister Lenihan acknowledged the practical approach taken by schools in dealing with school uniforms.
Minister O’Keeff said: ‘While 92pc of schools in the country are under the patronage of one religion, it is clear that this fact has not operated to exclude pupils of different religions from these schools or from schools operating under other patronage arrangements. ‘It seems clear that, where schools have permitted the wearing of the hijab in a colour similar to the school uniform, no problems have been encountered. ‘The important consideration here is that all parties involved are clearly aware of the position.’
ENDS
e mail sent to MCL By
The Minister for Integration Policy, Conor Lenihan TD

Thursday, September 18, 2008

ICCI Ramadan Banquet

ICCI Invited some Irish guests, neighbours, government officials and members of the Garda to attend a breaking fast feast.
Many people attended the feast and gave their impression on video which was encouraging for future events.
It was a chance for people to understand each other by respecting each other’s culture, and learn that we are all human, who have the same needs and same attitude to life, in that we all constitute a happy society.

Here is a poem that will give an insight to what a Muslim family would do in Ramadan:

Wish you the best of Ramadan,
May your Ramadan be full of Spirituality and good deeds

Key words: Atika is a girl’s name, Abo: is father of, Um: is mother of.

The month of Ramadan and Um Aatika


She burnt her fingers, called her daughters in anger
Mother, nothing to fear we hope yet wonder
Feeding the fast, reward will come to you in abundance
Rejoice, no despair, there will be plenty reward for the blazing burn hereunder
She mumbled: I only was teasing! It was my blunder
She was screaming of pain and anger
That woke them up from their slumber
They were to her the best helpers and comforters
By sunset, the table was full, everyone came under
Family from all around, they gather
Their food was thanksgiving, remembering those in hunger
Um Aatika! Paused, reflecting;
For the children of Palestine she was crying
For the children of Afghanistan she was grieving
For the children of Iraq she was brokenhearted
For the hungry children of Somalia she was despairing
She made sure that some money gets to them in a hurry
She said: charity protects us from god’s wrath and anger
Those present were comforting her and so Abo Aatika
He prayed that Allah will take care and feed those in hunger
When the family had their tea;
They rushed to a nearby mosque to pray
Conscious of time Abo Aatika’s program was full for the day
He divided the day to three parts so the time won’t plunder
He declared repentance and wore the robe of forgiveness
What shall I say:
His prayers were thanksgiving for the endless bounties in abundance
His supplication was worshiping in devotion and fondness
His crack of dawn was glorifying, reflection and repentance
He is reading the Quran one verse after the other
He took a prayer place in the first row full of tender
And made sure he would be early for it like a quick thunder
When people see him walking to the Mosque, he is calm, no anger,
They came to salute him as if he is the aficionado Legendre
And when he goes out of the mosque in linger:
An hour of chat and mixing bringer
When the last ten days of Ramadan come up
He’d be the first for seclusion monger
He shuns the world and worship the protector in humble
Atika said: father, the Eid is looming
And we love to know what happened to the presents we wonder
He consulted with Um Aatika
Many presents and valuables for all the family members
Their son, a gift from god, visited them and held him in circle
Mother, father, and sisters I missed you a bundle
I love to see you but work was a shamble
Mother showed him love and caring for his grumble
Proud was the father for his son’s return a bundle
He gave each of them a present to remember
Overwhelmed and happy Um Aatika was in cheerful temper
She came with sweets, coffee, and pancakes and sprinkle
Zakat was given to the poor and those in hunger
Good deeds, visits, worshipping the month dwindles

And it is dwindling now!
Poem by Bashir

the Banquet oppened with recitation of Quran







Taraweeh Prayer in Dublin

Taraweeh Prayer in ICCI Clonskeagh

Taraweeh Prayer in IFI South Circular Road

Irish Hijab Campaign

We third general meeting of the Irish Hijab Campaign will take place as follows:
Date: Saturday 27th September
Time: 1500 - 1700 (3-5pm)
Venue: Muslim Association of Ireland
Unit 1,2 Greenhills Business Centre
Off Greenhills Rd
Tallaght
Dublin 24

Chair: Suad McKenzie