Author: Kawkaba Samadzada

What is Dhul Hijjah?

The month of Dhul Hijjah is one of the holiest periods of the Islamic year. A month of increased spirituality, we witness two very special events which are Hajj and Eid ul Adha. These two events are devotion to Allah (SWT).

Many people don’t know that the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are better than all other days of the year including the days of Ramadan.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days” (Bukhari), meaning the (first) ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

After the holy month of Ramadan, maybe you feel that you could have done more throughout the sacred month? Perhaps you’ve since let go of that Ramadan feeling?

Well, these beloved ten days offer another chance to gain immense rewards, have our sins forgiven and reach great levels of piety, Insha’Allah.

A month of increased spirituality and good deeds, to continue with making a difference in people lives. Not only is this the month of Hajj, but also the blessed day of Eid al-Adha.

There were two historic events happened which were Farewell Pilgrimage and Farewell Sermon. These events happened when Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) performed his last Hajj and last sermon on 9^th day of Dhul Hijjah AH 10.

The virtues of Dhul Hijjah

The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are often referred to as a second chance after Ramadan, and the best ten days of the year. This is still a great time of blessing and immense reward for those of us not performing the Hajj year.

In Surat Al-Fajr, Allah (SWT) says:

“By the dawn; And [by] the ten nights.” (Qur’an 89:1-2)

According to many scholars of the Qur’an, the days mentioned as significant enough for Allah to swear by them are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should use this blessed time to complete even more righteous deeds than usual such as honouring one’s parents, giving charity, enjoying what is good and forbidding what is bad, and upholding the ties of kindship.

It is also important to enhance our obligatory acts of worship by we pay our zakat on time and being mindful of our prayers.

This is an ideal time to make dua’a that Allah grants us the opportunity to do so soon for those of us who have not yet completed the pilgrimage of Hajj. Remembrance and fasting are particularly recommended with giving donations.

It is recommended for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, because fasting is one of the best of deeds. In a hadith qudsi, Allah says: “All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which is for Me and I shall reward for it.” (Bukhari, 1805)

It is reported that “The Prophet used to fast on the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah and the day of Ashura, and three days each month, the first Monday of the month and two Thursdays.” (Abu Dawood, 2/462)

The ten days of Dhul-Hijjah include Yawm al-Arafah (the Day of Arafah), on which Allah perfected His Religion. Our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “Fasting the day of `Arafah expiates the sins of two years: the past one and the coming one.” [sins* is between you and Allah]

Remembrance

Our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them.”

The takbeer can also be recited as follows:

Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd.

Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise.

The companions were reciting the takbeer out loud while they were going to the marketplace. When people heard them reciting the takbeer out loud, they would also recite after them.

Let us follow their footsteps and encourage others to recite the takbeer as well, as an act of worship and a proclamation of the greatness of Allah.

As part of our commitment to gain rewards and increase the rewards on those special days, HAD, works all year to provide learning and development to humanitarian sector, NGOs, CSOs, and academic institutions to meet the needs of the humanitarian sector and international development. HAD provide them through training and programmes to support with their learning and skills. We are the link between the beneficiaries and human sector, which aims to empower humanitarians in order to be more effective in their services to beneficiaries.

HAD trained 2,500 participants since it was established in 2013. We are building the capacity of thousands. 145 young humanitarian careers developed through internships.

Your donation would help HAD to improve the skills & knowledge of local charity organisations in countries like Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Tanzania, and Kirgizstan. This will allow them to be more efficient and skilled to deal with disasters and emergencies with the local people in their country.

By donating in this blessed month, you not only accessing learning to help each person, but it also impacts on generation after generation and blessings to wider community.

At HAD, we believe in the need to educate, learn and grow – helping each person to gain a critical education, learn much-needed skills and grow a bright and happy future.

Transform a life today for generations to come.

Donate Today

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for hastening gender equality. Important action is seen all over the world, as groups unite to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.

This year, the campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose To Challenge’. This stems from women challenging themselves to do things society claims they cannot. It is said, a challenged world is an alert world and from challenge always comes change.

What is the history of International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been celebrated since the early 1900’s – a time when there was huge expansion towards industrialisation. In 1908, there was much debate amongst women about the oppression they were facing, and they decided to become more vocal in campaigning for change.

During the First World War, with the majority of males fighting in the war, approximately 2 million women in the UK started to take on traditionally male occupations in order to keep the country running. This provided a moral ground for women to continue fighting for their rights and by 1930 all women over aged 21 could vote. This was a huge win for females within the UK and the same change started to take place within other countries worldwide.

Who are some influential women within the Humanitarian Sector?

Buthaina Al Ansari

A wife and mother of four children, and a huge supporter of women’s development. Her mission is to help improve the working lives of women around her. These characteristics and movements for change have earned her the title of “Qatar Women Leading Change Ambassador”.

Moza Bint Nasser

Moza co-founded and is a chairperson of the ‘Qatar Foundation for Education’, which was set up in 1995. She has also been credited for expanding the University sector within Qatar and she was UNESCO’s special envoy for her work for basic and higher education.

Michelle Obama

A former First Lady, who used her power to create a change for girl’s education all over the world. She founded ‘The Global Girls Alliance’, which aims to empower adolescent girls globally through education, giving them tools to support their families, communities and countries. Her aim is to drastically decrease the number of girls not in school worldwide.

Malala Yousafzai

The young girl who was shot in the head for fighting for the right to girl’s education. The courage Malala showed was incredible and she was willing to risk her life for this change. She created the Malala Fund, which helps local girls in six countries around the world to receive an education. She travels all over the globe to support girls in need of attaining educational rights.

A challenged world is an attentive world and only challenge can bring about change. Let’s continue to celebrate women’s accomplishments, raise awareness against bias, tear down barriers and take action for equality.

Karina Sahota- Marketing Officer

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the ritual of cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. The practice is found in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and within communities worldwide where FGM is a common practice.

It is estimated that more than 200 million women and girls worldwide have endured FGM and around 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every single year. The majority of these girls will experience this before they turn 15 years old. In response to this, the United Nations have dedicated a whole day on the 6^th February 2021 called ‘International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation’.

What is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?

FGM comprises of all procedures that involve modifications, injury or removal of female genitalia for non-medical tendencies. It is globally recognised as a violation of the rights, wellbeing and dignity of women and girls. Females who endure this procedure, face several risks that can be damaging to their health such as: extreme discomfort, pain, heavy bleeding, inflammation and difficulties passing urine, not to mention long-term issues with their reproductive system and mental health.

FGM is seen as a socio-cultural convention in the many countries that practice this and is also seen as a vital part in the girl’s upbringing – to train her for maturity and marriage. In these cultures, it increases the chance of women getting married if FGM has been completed. There is a common misconception within these communities that a woman would be far less inclined to engage in premarital sex and unfaithfulness in marriage if her genitals are changed, severed or sewed up. Unfortunately, the societal indifference is the reason why this is looked upon as a violation of basic human rights.

3 Activists tackling FGM

Jaha Dukureh- The Gambia

The United Nation Population Fund report that 78.3% of Gambian girls and women aged between 15 and 49 have undergone FGM. Of these, 55% were below the age of 4 at the time of being cut; 28% were between the ages of 5 and 9, and 7% were between the ages of 10 and 14. Jaha Dukureh from The Gambia, was cut when she was just one week old.

Jaha is now 31 years old and travels worldwide as the founder of the NGO called ‘Safe Hands for Girls’ to raise awareness and campaign against FGM and child marriage. Jaha told Time Magazine: “I don’t them to have to face the challenges I did. Whether it’s early marriage or FGM. I don’t want them to have to live in fear and I don’t want any girl to ever feel that way.”

Ifrah Ahmed- Somalia

Ifrah’s life story is the inspiration for the film: “A Girl from Mogadishu”. The film tells the tale of how she was effected by FGM and the impact it has had on her life. She was 8 years old when she was cut and 15 when she was gang-raped. Thankfully, she was able to escape Somalia for Ireland, where she started to campaign against FGM. The UN reports that 98% of girls and women in Somalia have undergone various forms of female genital mutilation.

Ending FGM by 2030

Putting an end to FGM will need work which will include: discussion and intervention between individuals and society; security and treatment of young women; and policy and regulation in states, communities and countries nationally and internationally. The abolishment of FGM is crucial towards achieving changes to women’s rights, good health, well-being, mental health and parenthood.

In 2020, the global Covid-19 pandemic impacted children and women to the extent that the goal of eradication was put on hold. The United Nations, via its UNFPA-UNICEF joint initiative, has come up with an action plan to guarantee the elimination of FGM in the socioeconomic and post-crisis answer.

Building the capacity of Local NGOs in Yemen

Using our experience of delivering capacity building projects in conflict affected areas, HAD has recently begun implementation of a capacity development project in South Yemen. The project will target LNGOs based in South Yemen and aim to provide capacity building services through the delivery of training and mentoring programmes in the areas of strategic planning and management, programme management and quality, donor relations and partnerships and financial management. As a result of the current COVID context, all the training will be conducted virtually at this stage.

A key part of the capacity building process has been undertaking a training needs analysis (TNA) of LNGOs in South Yemen. The aim was to gain a clear understanding of the training needs of local NGOs, with particular emphasis on subjects such as: conflict resolution, peace building, proposal writing, resource mobilisation, HR management, project management, and financial management. The TNA will allow HAD to prioritise the most needed training topics and provide adequate training and mentoring within the region. The goal of the project is to improve the ability of participating LNGOs to respond to the needs of war-affected people in Yemen.

Yemen is a country in crisis and with what seems to be growing difficulties and challenges. When speaking about a recent initiative in Yemen, Islamic Relief Worldwide CEO Naser Haghamed noted: “The world’s worst humanitarian crisis is spiralling further into the abyss before our very eyes. What we’re seeing is a vicious cycle of violence, extreme poverty and hunger that we simply have not been able to break”.

Some of the telling statistics which highlight the crisis include:

• 8 in 10 Yemenis are in need of humanitarian or protection assistance
• 5 million Yemenis are displaced
• 20 million Yemenis are feed-insecure
• Nearly 18 million Yemenis lack access to safe water and sanitation

As a result of the ongoing civil war, Yemen is suffering the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. Since the beginning of the civil war in 2014, Yemeni households have seen their incomes slashed while prices and inflation rise. On 26 September 2019, the Representative of Germany to the UN said: “Without a solution, we will see Yemen disappear right before our eyes.”

The statistics, however, obscure the role of local NGOs and local communities in defying the odds and continuing to tackle the challenges head on. HAD hopes to play a role in better supporting local NGOs to work in key sectors such as WASH, shelter, food and security, education and protection, and in doing so, respond to the needs of their communities and stakeholders.

Building the capacity of local NGOs will enable them to restore livelihoods in South Yemen, coordinate humanitarian activities, contribute to preventing the recurrence of crisis, create conditions for future development, increasing their capacity to deliver humanitarian aid to those in need and increase early recovery efforts and development with conflict sensitive approaches.

The project will support the capacity of 38 NGOs to be more efficient and effective in designing and implementing humanitarian projects, and ensuring they meet high humanitarian standards. The project has identified the most appropriate NGOs to be included in its activities through specific criteria and will focus on NGOs serving marginalised and vulnerable groups, to better respond to the current crisis and prepare them to provide context-specific humanitarian services within their communities. In total, 19 training topics will be addressed across a number of weeks, targeting more than 370 LNGO staff who will participate virtually in the subject-specific training and mentoring.

This project is supported through funding by the Islamic Development Bank and Islamic Relief Germany

Remote capacity building of Iraqi, Syrian & Yemeni NGOs to adapt to the COVID-19 context

The Programmes Department at the Humanitarian Academy for Development (HAD) has recently completed a project which aimed to build the capacity of LNGOs in three countries to adapt to the challenging COVID-19 context. The implementation of the project resulted in capacity building of 27 NGOs across the three countries, with 335 staff engaging in the coaching/mentoring, 117 capacity building activities and 246 days of mentoring and coaching.

The scope of the project was itself significant, particularly considering the short time scale of the project, but more significant than that was the approach used and the results of the project. In order to adapt to the COVID-19 context, the project delivered capacity building virtually using online platforms and digital communication. In addition, rather than traditional training, the project carried out an in-depth organisational needs analysis with each of the 27 LNGOs and from there was able to develop a tailored coaching and mentoring plan for each organisation. This plan went beyond simple training of the organisational staff, but incorporated more in-depth and detailed mentoring and coaching of the staff in order to ensure their adaptability and resilience through COVID and beyond. The ultimate aim of the project was to promote sustainability and business continuity in the LNGOs by addressing the gaps in their organisational capacity through tailored mentoring and coaching.

The Programmes Department at HAD worked with 17 subject matter experts and a regional project manager in order to ensure the content and approach of the mentoring and capacity building was context specific and addressed the needs of the LNGOs. In additional to developing the skills, knowledge and understanding of the LNGOs across a range of different core areas, the project also achieved some other unintended, but positive results.

For example, as a result of the mentoring and coaching, the LNGOs gained not only knowledge and skills, but also confidence in their abilities to adapt to COVID-19 and other challenging contexts. Feedback from the LNGOs and the mentors has shown that the NGOs are now able to not only develop new procedures and plans for resilience and organisational sustainability, but understand the importance of those procedures for their business continuity. In addition, they now have the confidence to adapt those procedures to different contexts as a result of the ‘learning by doing’ approach adopted by the project.

Another significant result of the project is that there has been a change in mind-set amongst the LNGOs to shift from thinking purely about their work in a developmental context to one that understands the importance of organisational structures required to ensure their sustainability through the current COVID-19 crisis. Many of the LNGOs had never been through a process of addressing and strengthening their organisational processes (rather than their technical abilities) and this project allowed them to think beyond their day to day activities to long-term strategic thinking that will allow them to be sustainable through crisis situations. Engagement with the project also allowed the LNGOs to think about how to adapt to the current COVID-19 crisis and to ensure they could continue to provide essential services and support to their communities. One respondent noted: “Because of COVID … the funding and the money from other countries to helping Syria is reduced now and that’s so difficult … Resource mobilisation [training/coaching] was very important, it’s a new concept for us, it helps us to think in a new way… COVID was also an important topic and we learnt new ways to add COVID-19 activities in the budget.”

As a result of this project, HAD will be looking at implementing further capacity building projects in Yemen and generally in the region. Another key take away from the project is that, while this project went some way in addressing the gaps in capacity, there are still significant needs within the LNGOs to ensure they continue to build, support and develop their communities. This project was funded by the H2H Network’s H2H Fund, which is supported by UK aid from the UK government. You can find out more information about the project here.

Written by Dr Vanessa Malila

Research and Development Officer