The staff at the Bolton Council of Mosques have received many phone calls, text messages and emails asking what the BCoM is doing for the victims of Gaza. This article provides information about the actions and activities that The BCoM is involved in.

Awareness Raising:

• We have sent letters to all 20 Mosques in Bolton to make announcements before or after Jumma and other prayers in relation to what the community can do for the victims. A notice for the Notice Boards was also sent and should have been displayed.
• We have sent emails and text messages to a very extensive network of contacts confirming the same messages that are on the notice but also forwarded others that have been sent to us from the community.
• We have sent the Interfaith Council recommendations on their intended actions.
• We asked Mosques to make announcements of the demonstrations that took place over last weekend.
• We have carried out our own email campaign to encourage people to sign the petitions online.
• We are planning to produce a newsletter which explains a brief history of Palestine, with key facts and figures, to help create more of an understanding of the nature of the conflict and it’s resonance with Muslims around the world.

Media:

• We have written and sent a press release to the Bolton News to make everyone in Bolton aware that they can make donations via the Mosques or the BCoM offices.
• We have consulted with the local group REACH and UWT on responding to the negative articles that have recently been published in the Bolton News.
• We have written an interfaith article for Peace again for the Bolton News and for mass emailing.

Events:

• We organised in partnership with the Stop the War Collation the Vigil in Bolton Town Centre (Monday 5th January) at 17:00-18:30.  The Bolton Council of Mosques did say a few words alongside other partners.
• We organised in partnership with the Bolton Interfaith Council a Peace Prayer which was held on Wednesday 7th January at the Friends Meeting, Silverwell Street at 14:00
• We made announcements of the big demonstrations which happened this weekend – The National Demonstration will be in London on Saturday the 10th January, Assemble at 12pm or 1pm (subject to meeting with MET) at Hyde Park. (Coaches will be organized if volunteers come forward to help manage and request it, please let us know by replying to this email, whether you would want a coach space or spaces and whether you may be available to help take bookings etc.)
• We organised a event to make people aware of the reality and historical facts relating to Palestine and Al-Aqsa on Friday 9th January at 7.30pm.  Key guests included Ismail Adam Patel (Friends of Al-Aqsa), Dr Brian Iddon MP, David Crausby MP including others.  The event was very successful with over 300 people attending (please see press release).  There was also an opportunity to raise any concerns that guests may have had to Members of Parliament.
• We are currently supporting Ethical Entertainment, Heaton Unity Association and Islamic Relief with a fundraiser they are holding on Saturday 7th Feburary at the 3D Centre, Bella Street (Please see flyer)

Emergency Relief:

We have initiated an Emergency appeal in all the Mosques for donations

• We are working on giving to all the 4000 children who attend local madrassahs envelopes to start raising money through sponsorship.
• We are currently working with Madrassatul Imam Muhammed Zakaria, Keswick St. to raise money through having a non uniform day and other possible fundraising activities.
• We have some emergency relief equipment at BCOM and are working with a Charity to urgently send out the boxes of medical and emergency supplies to be sent to Gaza.
• Due to the increased number of requests from the community we are looking at supporting or organizing a possible fundraising event in Bolton (a date is to be confirmed for the hall booking provisionally 18th January).

General:

• We are working with a community member to ask members of the community to pray special duas for the victims.
• We held a volunteer meeting on Wednesday 7th January at 19:00 at the BCoM offices to ask volunteers to come together to help in arranging and working on the above actions and to help support any ideas that people may have. We had many volunteers come forward and who attended and many actions did come out of it.

To volunteer and to be involved please contact:

Despite all of the above: It is most important to remember one key thing, and that is, the value of the dua/prayer of a true believer. The most important thing one can do is to rectify and ask forgiveness for ones ways and pray two rakats salah and make dua for our brothers and sisters. This true repentance, adoption of a real love of the way of the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and sincere dua can achieve more than any other action.

Please Note: Although we aim to ensure that all the Mosques are informed of activties that are ongoing, it is upto individual Mosques and their committees to anounce, promote or relay the messages.

Download the PDF: Palestine - A Brief Insight