AFRICA STUDENTS IN MANIPAL – RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES
In 2011, the Africa Federation Education Board appointed Alhaj Gulamraza Ebrahim Sheriff Dewji as the Education Board Representative for Manipal and surrounding areas with the aim to assist our community students studying within the region. With the growing student population from Africa in Manipal, Africa Federation facilitated an apartment on rental that would be used by the students as a center for religious purposes – that is how The Masumeen Islamic Centre (MIC) was established.
The center is being managed by the Student Association and various programs are conducted by the students for the students. The student population in Manipal from different African Jamaats is on the rise and the center has become an epitome for their religious activities and social networking. Currently, even other Shia students from Iran & Iraq attend the programs at the centre. Presently there are about 40 students, girls and boys.
Africa Federation Education Board is pleased to share with you the report on the activities carried out by the Students in Manipal during the month of Muharram and Safar – 2014 (1436 AH).
The theme for this year’s Muharram program was: “My Kerbala”. In addition to the regular Majalis, Dua and Azadari of Sayyedu Shohadah Imam Hussain (AS), there were several activities that were held to bring self-awareness on lesson learned from the events of Kerbala. Some of the activities were:
Kerbala Taught Me: Every night a one-word lesson learnt was posted on the wall and members were asked to reflect and relate the lesson to the tragedy of Karbala.
Resolution Calendar: Small resolution calendars titled “I Will… Because I promised Hussain (A.S) I would…” were distributed to aid in making promising resolutions for the year.
Quiz on Muharram: General Quiz on Muharram was prepared and many participated, with aim to rekindle the teachings from Karbala.
Islamic theatre: The movie “Caravan of Pride” was screened after the normal program on one of the weekend.
Other than the activities within the Centre, students also ventured into spreading the mission of Imam Hussein (A.S.) outside the centre and they organized various programs to propagate the values of Karbala. The Tabligh programs conducted were as follows:
Ashura water distribution: On Sunday 2nd November 2014, water bottles with quotes printed were distributed at various sites on the campus, educating the general public and students on the personality of Imam Hussain (A.S) and the importance of the tragedy of Karbala. That day, the members of MIC not only quenched the thirsty, but also left the community with a message on who is Imam Hussain (A.S).
Sponsor an orphan in Karbala: Donations were collected and sent to a trustable organization responsible for sponsoring orphans in Karbala.
Bibi Sakina (A.S) Drive: Visit was made to a local orphanage to spend time serving and playing with the children there, averting them away from their everyday challenging routines.
Secretariat
Education Board of the Africa Federation
Dar es Salaam