Volume 13| December 2019
IANA Monthly Newsletter
December 2019 Issue
Reminder:
(103) (By Time(It explain that God swears By time).Indeed man is in loss, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to patience.)

This Surah (chapter) is short and concise however it encompasses how a Muslim should lead their lives. We all love this Surah, love it for its simplicity, and its flow. We all love it for being easy to memorize and easy to pray with, especially when you are in a hurry. However many of us do not know the gems found in this chapter. 

The entire guidance is laid down for us to see in this surah. How a chapter so short can convey such a profound meaning is a testimony to the precision with which Allah(SWT) has built the Qur'an and its concepts.

This surah was important to the point that no two companions would depart without reading it out to the other.

Allah(SWT) says, " By time" which signifies the fact that time is like a river that flows through the valleys of men. It doesn't wait for anyone nor does it favor anyone. It just passes its course, witnessing all the follies and glories of mankind. So by "by time" Allah (SWT) means that time is a witness and it is fixed for a person.

The life of a human being is like a slab of ice. It melts little by little each day until it is gone and no more. It's up to us to use the short time written down for us in a manner that will help us attain Jannah (paradise)!

The time refers to the past, present and the future. Throughout times, land has seen both good and bad people. We see many people complaining that these times that we live in are ruinous. That the society is too narrow-minded or too gaudy or whatever. But we have to realize that a society is only as detrimental as its people. It is us who make the society, us who have the power to build it and us who have the power to destroy it.

Here is an inspiration from this Chapterwe can follow: To be the change we want to see. To make full use of my life before it passes away right before my eyes.

Someone once told me to be the mentor I wanted for myself, because no matter how hard you look you will never find them, so you must find that person in yourself.

Allah (SWT) says, "Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except those who have believed, and did righteous deeds, and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

The four principle we need to follow in order not to be at lost are:
1. To believe in Allah, in His status as our Lord and creator. In all his signs and messengers, books and angels etc.
2. To perform righteous deeds that would please our Creator.
3. To Advise each other to truth.
4. To Advise each other to patience.


So let's take this Surah with us into the New Year and New Decade 2020 insh a Allah !

This reflection is by Sister Zainab Mohamed.
Somali Ambassador to The US Visits Minnesota 
The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia His Excellency Ali Sharif Ahmed was welcomed by the Somali Uluma of Minnesota and the Somali community of Minnesota when he came to Minneapolis December 14, 2019.

The Ambassador had an intimate breakfast with the Somali Ulummaa of Minnesota and discussed several issues. He expressed that he is proud of the progress of the Somali-American community. He is also interested in strengthening support between the embassy and the Somali-American community. The ambassador pointed out that the Somali Embassy is working hard and that the embassy is in need of a residence to conduct the business of the Somali state and asked the Scholars to support the embassy. The current Somali Embassy is in a great area however it does not have a residence like traditional embassies around the globe.

The Scholars also offered advice to the ambassador and advised him to be just and to put the Somali national interest above all else. They also pledged their support to help the Embassy.

That evening there was a private invite-only reception organized by the Somali Uluma of Minnesota and the Somali Community of Minnesota to welcome the ambassador. The ambassador was also welcomed by the scholars and other leaders of the community. The leaders in the community also pledged their support of the embassy along with representatives of the five regional states of Somalia.
Bombing Ex-Control in Mogadishu
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On Saturday December 28th, there were devastating terrorist attacks in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. There have been over 81 lives lost at the sight. The attack was with an enormous car bombing and it hit a busy checkpoint in the southwest part of the city, leaving vehicles charred and twisted at a crossroads. It was the deadliest assault in two years. Among the dead were 16 students from the private Benadir University whose bus was passing through the crossroads as the bomb detonated.

We reiterate the sanctity of the lives of Innocent Muslim people and that it's forbidden to shed their blood in any circumstance and call on those misguided young people to refrain from killing their brothers and sisters in vain. Let it be known that the perpetrators of these inhumane attacks will be punished sooner or later and that that will face Allah’s justice.

In the aftermath of this painful attack on our people, we want to remind all Somalis that the only way to defeat Alshabab, their financiers, and their profiteers is all Somalis to unite in rebuilding Somalia and establishing strong government that can protect its citizens. We can't continue to collectively undermine building our national institutions and hope to defeat the enemies of Somali people including Alshabab.

We at IANA extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends to of those who lost their lives in this tragedy. We pray that Allah accept those who lost their lives into his mercy and to protect Somalia. We also ask Allah have mercy on the souls of those innocent people who have lost their lives and shower patience to the families and relatives of the victims of this senseless attack.
Allah says:
واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعا ولا تفرقوا
"And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves..." [3:103] 
Islamic Association of North America (IANA) was founded in the year of 2001 to meet the religious and social needs of Muslim societies in North America. As a response to the changing realities of Muslim communities, IANA re-positions itself to effectively reach diverse Muslim communities across the country. We are an umbrella organization with over thirty-five centers and organization nationwide. Check us out at www.ianaonline.org