Maori Muslim Prays for Victims of Istanbul Bombing

The Turkish Community and wider international Muslim Community invokes God’s mercy and blessing upon the victims and families affected by the reported bombing in a market place in central Istanbul, the Turkish capital.

I am appalled by what has happened and am saddened that terrorism has again rocked the world.

Terrorist acts sadly take place, far too frequently and hurt far too many people.

The sadness caused by such bloodshed makes us weary. Only faith in the Love and Mercy of God can get us through such sad times.

Maa te Atua Kaharawa, e manaaki, e tiaki ratou kei Turkey, otira nga whanau Turkish kei Aotearoa nei hoki.

#PrayForIstanbul #PrayForTurkey

When Auckland Councillors DON'T Care

Here is an email that I just sent to Auckland Councillor Callum Penrose

NB: This post will be adapted once I get his response

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My whanau have lived in Manurewa all of my life.

I have extended Whanau in Papakura.

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Cr. Penrose.. I am making reference to this http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1511/S00734/empowered-communities-cant-be-built-in-a-day.htm piece from today

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Allow me to be FRANK with you.

I have close friends who were valuable members of Council staff for many years. People who gave their lives for the South Auckland community.

To read your words of 'reducing the loss of institutional knowledge' and 'minimizing disruption'.... seemed UTTERLY disingenuous to the point of of being callous.

When I consider the impact on families of former Council staff.... Humble people.... and how the ECA has struck at them like a blunt axe

I know in my heart... that Councillors like yourself.. either didn't think of them... Or just plain didn't care.

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Yep. This is NOT about Politics.. this is about real people.

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Councillor... to some in South Auckland.. you could be called a disappoinment.

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I offer respect to you personally, as a leader in Auckland

BUT... I do not.. I can NOT honour integrity that I do not see.

Regards,

TeRata Rangi Hikairo

MAORI MUSLIM SUPPORTS WOMEN'S RIGHTS

MAORI MUSLIM SUPPORTS WOMEN'S RIGHTS

In reference to this story 

I have issued the following:

I affirm that right of all New Zealand Women to choose what they want to wear.

Every New Zealand women has the right to wear what she wishes, no matter what.

I applaud all who support this right.

The faith of every Muslim calls them to support women's rights.

I congratulate Fatima Mohammadi for standing up for her right to wear hijab.

We are blessed to have such a strong Muslim women.

Despite the actions of one rogue employee, I also extend my support to Stewart Dawsons/Pascoes for also supporting her decision.

Peace to all

Auckland Transport passes the buck

ALL ABOUT FARE EVASION AND "Enforcement" Officers:

So I sent an email on 29/9/2015

The email wen to Minister Simon Bridges, other Ministers and the Mayor of Auckland.

All Ministers said, they'd get back to me, but have not yet done so (except for Ministerial staff promising response, that have NOT yet come as of 23rd October 2015)

Then, the Mayor sent the email to Auckland Transport to respond.

AT Transport's Mark Lambert responded on the 19/10/2015

Here is my initial email AND Mr. Lambert's response.

Read below and make up your mind... Are they passing the buck???
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To: s.bridges@ministers.govt.nz Cc: P Bennett, Len Brown

Dear Minister Bridges

Congratulations on the implementation of this new measure to curb Fare Evasion.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/end-line-public-transport-fare-evaders

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I am curious though about how the Auckland Council will afford these new Enforcement Officers, given that a new restructure has effectively let go of an estimated 50% of front line Council staff.

Do you know how the Council will pay for these Enforcement Officers?

You'll see I have also posed this question to the Minister for Local Government and the Mayor of Auckland

Regards,

TeRata Rangi Hikairo

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dear TeRata 

Subject: Fare evasion funding 

Customer Reference Number: CAS-115170-J9V3C4 

Thank you for your correspondence of 29 September 2015 sent to Mayor Len Brown regarding fare evasion funding. I have been asked to respond to your concerns on the Mayor's behalf. 

Under changes to be made to the Land Transport Act in 2016, councils may appoint warranted enforcement officers. At this time plans to improve the Security and Fare Enforcement on the rail network are in early stages of discussion and Auckland Transport is not in a position to provide further comment at this time. 

I trust this information is of use to you. Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback which we encourage because it provides the opportunity to identify and prioritise customer-focused improvements across the public transport network. 

Yours sincerely 

 

Mark Lambert 

General Manager AT Metro 

Cc: Mayor Len Brown

Diwali Thoughts

Nemaste and Jay Shiya Ram

I greet you with the auspicious remembrance of the sacredness of these times.
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My regular readers might wonder why I am blogging about a "Hindu" festival. I remind them to read this entry here.

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Right, hopefully you read that entry and any confusion is dispelled.... now to the blog of the day:
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I am thinking about the festival and time of Diwali or Deepavali.

Many people celebrate with Lamps, reminding them of the time Lord Rama victoriously re-entered his Kingdom Ayodhya after a time of exile.

In my thoughts at this time, I am thinking beyond this.

In Lord Rama's story the Ramayana, one recalls what preceded that victorious re-entry. There is an incredibly important lesson, that some may sometimes miss.

That is the battle against the Demonic King Ravana. Rama's fighter Lakshman joined the great battle.
Lakshman was wounded in battle. Lakshman the great Warrior. Lakshman the fighter, Lakshman the hope who could possibly secure a victory for God, Lakshman was wounded.

Worse yet, there was almost no way for the Great fighter Lakshman to recover or heal from the wound, not on Ravana's battlefield.

Can you imagine then the personal anguish and profound, almost overwhelming worry of Lord Rama's aides and friends for Lakshman at that time. You see if Lakshman lost then they'd lose and there would be no hope.

In life, the present situation can overwhelm us. We can be so scared because we think that this is it. We are done, this is the end and we can't get help.

But, too Lord Rama's and Lakshman's aid came his faithful, loving, trusted and devoted friend, Lord Hanuman.

Hanuman answered his friend's call for help and just listened. With FAITH, Devotion and LOVE for God, Hanuman listened. He caught Lord Rama's instruction on how Hanuman can help the situation. Hanuman didn't worry about anything. Hanuman simply listened with love and with Faith and knew that he could do what was needed.

Hanuman was asked to get healing herbs from a medicine Mountain. And so, he went to the mountain to find them. But Hanuman had trouble locating the healing herbs. Hanuman's faith could not be dimmed even a little bit. With god-like strength he lifted up the whole mountain and took it back to the battlefield. The healing herbs were found and applied to Lakshman's wounds. Lakshman was healed and able to fight again. Victory was secured for Lord Rama and things were good again.

Here it is. The big lesson.

Hanuman is not a being of profound wisdom. Hanuman is really just a monkey-man. 
Why does Lord Rama chose a monkey-man to help him. Remember that as God on Earth, Lord Rama has the entire universe, all animals, all people Everyone. Lord Rama could've chosen anyone else. I mean, yes Hanuman had some great physical strength, but so did so many others and they also had a lot more than that, great skills to assist the Lord in what the Lord needed.
BUT, Lord Rama still chose the monkey-man. Why???

What was special about the monkey-man.

Lord Hanuman had FAITH and Devotion. When everyone else had lost hope, Hanuman's total faith in God and his ability to tune in to the words of God is what ended up not only helping Hanuman but everyone.

When everyone else was scared and overwhelmed and did not know what to do, Lord Hanuman only looked to and heard the voice of God. Through that he could then serve God.

When Hanuman lacked wisdom at the medicine Mountain, Hanuman relied on his faith. And quite literally his FAITH carried him AND the mountain to be there for God's purpose.


This to me is what I am thinking about in 2015, as the time of Diwali approaches.

We can not forget that Diwali is not just the time that the Light of God had a resounding victory which echoed down the ages. Yes, this is profound and important.

BUT!!!!  Let us also remember something of EQUAL if not Greater Importance.

Yes, Light won. But Darkness also lost.

Demonic Darkness, (which nearly overcame and took away the faith of God's people), was DEFEATED!!!

But it was not the Greatness and Glory of God that defeated that Darkness.

Darkness was defeated by the Love, Devotion and Faith held in the hearts of God's devoted followers and worshipers.

That is the lesson that I want to share with you all.

Jay Shiya Ram

Hajj Thoughts

This Islamic Month, Right now, people are undertaking the Islamic Pilgrimage. This is a Pillar of the Islamic Faith and a core belief for over 1 billion Muslims around the world. It is a commemoration of the work of the Prophet-Patriarch Abraham. It is also apart of the work of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them both)
Making reference to this Facebook Post

In the comments section, I'm asked if I want to do Hajj. I answered; I have a student loan to pay off... A house to buy for Mum and Dad.... And alot more to do for my tribe, for Auckland, for Maori.... Plus the huge exercise of finding anyone I've previously wronged and settling any disputes... Its a few years off.


I realize though, and this is a generalised (unsubstantiated) comment.
Not every Muslim today that has made Hajj, or plans to make Hajj, has the same ideal.

See, in practical terms, people pay their flights, visa, immunisations, accomodation and then just Go.

I feel that many forget about all the mental, social, emotional and psychological preparations.

In essence, Hajj is cheapened. In fact, I know that Hajj is cheapened, because the Saudi Government pays for those costs for a select few people and lets them go to Hajj. But I am not sure if that same payment covers; previous debts, a home for parents, charity for neighbours, feeding the poor of the community etc etc. In fact, I am SURE that it doesn't.
That aside, I am not sure if many Muslims today do those things and pay for them today either.


Now on the specific point of 'charity for neighbours and feeding the poor'. YES!!! THIS is a Muslim obligation. Our Faith REQUIRES this of us!!! It is a Religious Duty.
I can't give Scriptural references right now, but I KNOW that this is So.
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I know that in many Muslim countries, there are poor neighbours and people in Poverty. I also know that people are still going on Hajj.

Therefore, someone is NOT properly fulfilling their Religious Duty.
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As a start, I am putting it out there.

I DON'T want to make a Saudi Hajj, so long as this is all happening. So long as there a refugees that Gulf states don't care for. So long as there a African, Indian and Asian Muslims in Poverty.... even though Individual Muslims, Muslim Business, Muslim Governments all have the means to do something substantial about this

I WILL NOT MAKE HAJJ!!!! 

That is a statement of great religious gravity. But its tugging on my heart and needs to be said.
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Thank you for reading my rant. It is just a rant. But it is still my thoughts.

May God bless you.

Welcome Oh People of Syria

Here is my response to this Te Karere Story

You'll see my comments on the Facebook story and the Youtube link.

I also have this to say;

أهلا أهلا، يا أهل سوريا

Tenei ahau ka tuku oku mihi aroha ki nga whanau no te whenua o Syria.

Hari koa te ngakau ki te rongo nga kupu o te Pirimia, me ona pohiri mai ki nga Iwi Manene o reira. Ko te rohe katoa o Arapia, he rohe kikii I te whawhai. He taniwha e ngau kino ana ki nga tamariki, nga kuia, nga kaumatua, nga whaea me nga maatua o taua whenua.

No reira, ahakoa te roa o e tatari mo enei kupu pohiri, kei te hari tonu au.

No reira,

Koutou o Syria;

Marhaba, Marhaba. Ahlan. Hayyak. Tafadhal

Nau piki mai, nau kake mai

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Na TeRata Hikairo

-       Maori Muslim