Muslim woman denied GNIB card for wearing hijab

Source: Metro Éireann

A Muslim group in Ireland has described as outrageous the decision by an immigration official not to renew the residency card of a Muslim woman unless she removed her hijab.

Metro Éireann has heard that the woman in question was refused by an official at the Garda National Immigra-tion Bureau (GNIB) when she declined to remove her headscarf for the photograph required for her residency card.

Abu Usama, spokesperson for the group Islam4Ireland, told Metro Éireann that “it is against the rule of Islam for a Muslim woman to be seen publicly without her hijab”.

In a statement, the group added: “The hijab or scarf worn on the head is an obligation in Islam on every Muslim woman when outside of the house or in the company of non-family members.

“It is not allowed for any Muslim woman to go out in public without the hijab.”

The statement also emphasised that “the hijab or headscarf is completely different to the niqaab, or full face veil, which is also worn by Muslim women.”

The group added that while they can accept that the incident was “a terrible mistake”, the Government should “address this serious insult to Islam and Muslims immediately”.

Ahmadiyya respond to claims from Irish Muslims

Source: Chinedu Onyejelem, Metro Eireann

Members of Ireland’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Associ-ation have described as “deeply” hateful a recent comment by a Muslim cleric that tried to discredit their community.

The criticism follows a video lecture on YouTube by Sheikh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, leader of the Blanchardstown-based Al-Mustafa Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland, who said that Ahmadiyya followers are “not Muslims”.

“We consider the comments of Sheikh Umar Al-Qadri with regard to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Ireland deeply offensive and has hurt the feelings of the community members,” spokesperson Imran Ahmed Sheikh told Metro Éireann.

He warned the cleric to avoid making irresponsible remarks that could cause serious problems within the Muslim community in Ireland.
“Such comments have caused hatred and violence in countries such as Pakistan and can create dissention from within all the Muslim communities in Ireland.”

Sheikh added that the comments “should not be tolerated in Ireland”.

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Ireland-Ottoman Caliphate relations during the Irish Famine

Source: hotterthanapileofcurry.wordpress.com

On a recent trip to Turkey, President of Ireland, Mary McAleese expressed gratitude to the Turkish people for the humanitarian aid provided by the Islamic Khilafah to Ireland during the Great Famine, 160 years ago.

Turkish newspaper “Ikinci Vatan” reports that McAleese on her official visit to Turkey made the statement during her meeting with Turkish president Abdullah Gul and expressed the words of gratitude from the people of Ireland for humanitarian aid provided by Ottoman Caliphate.

During the period of 1840-1850, Ireland suffered the great famine, directly caused by the colonial policy of Great Britain who had occupied the territory.

In 1845, the onset of the Great Irish Famine resulted in over a million deaths. Ottoman Sultan Khaleefah Abdul-Majid I declared his intention to send 10,000 sterling to Irish farmers but Queen Victoria requested that the Sultan send only 1,000 sterling, because she had sent only 2,000 sterling herself.

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