Houstonian Corner (V9-I46)

Houstonians Of Bangladeshi Origin Surprise All

By Ilyas Choudry, MMNS

Bangladeshi Community in Houston in collaboration with the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) launched a fund rising program for the flood-affected people of Bangladesh. As compared with other cities, this Bangladeshi Community in Houston raised an appreciable $100,000. The Bangladesh American Society of Greater Houston (BASGH), and Bangladeshi Association of Houston (BAH) as well as the Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA) came together with ISGH and other leading Muslim and Ethnic Organizations to raise this fund.

To streamline the process, everyone was asked to contribute their donations in the name of ISGH. Last week a check of $100,000 was written by ISGH in favor of the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington D.C. with a memo to the Chief Advisor’s Relief and Welfare Fund of Bangladesh. This check was handed over to Ambassador of Bangladesh, when he visited New Orleans Louisiana. For more information, please call 832-768-7722.

Students From Bear Creek Masjid & Darul-Arqum South-West Among The Top Winners

The 14th Annual Muslims Youth Islamic Knowledge & Skills Competition was organized by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Houston Chapter at the University Center University of Houston on Saturday – October 27th – 2007 between 8:30AM. and 4:30PM. Sponsors of the event were the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH), Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) of University of Houston and all the major Masajids of Houston. Slightly over three hundred (300) students between the ages of four and nineteen participated in the competition in seven different categories. There were almost seven hundred (700) parents, grandparents and relatives of the students, who had gathered to witness the activities.

Highest number of students to enroll belonged to South-West Darul-Arqum Islamic School and they received “The Best School Award.” Their Principal Mazahir Khan was present on the occasion all the time, encouraging his students and taking pictures. Majority of top winners in different categories were from Bear Creek Masjid, which is also known as Masjid Al-Mustafa.

The organizers of the event would like to convey their appreciation and humble prayers to all the judges, participants and their parents, who studied hard for months to participate in a positive manner in the competition. Also they want to apologize for any shortcomings and have pledged to improve next year.

Omar Ebaid a 5th grader contestant said after the competition that it was a really good day, not only I learned a lot through the study before and during the competition, but I have also met Muslim friends that I’ll keep in touch with.

A specific text was assigned for each of the seven categories in order for the participants to attend the competition in a better-prepared manner. The added advantage of this format is that students learn many good things about Islam from this specific text, which would be useful for them in their future lives.

An optional parallel skills competition was also held, which included Speeches, Essays, 2-D and 3-D Posters.

Following were some of the results of the different levels varying competitions:

Level 1 Quiz (KG & 1st Grade) – First: Omar Syed – Second: Ahmed Ismail – Third: Bilal ALSyed.

Level 2 Quiz (2nd Grade) – First: Omar Siddiqui – Second: Hamza Ansari – Third: Noha Ahmed.

Level 3 Quiz (3rd & 4th Grade) – First: Firdaos Adesina – Second: Sidra Aslam – Third: Mustafa Khan.

Level 3 Skills 2-D Art (3rd & 4th Grade) – First: Faizan Kabir – Second: Mohammad A. Muneed – Third: Aliza Kamal.

Level 4 Quiz (5th & 6th Grade) – First: Masab Mansoor – Second: Ahsan Khan – Third: Omar Ebaid.

Level 4 Skills 2-D Art (5th & 6th Grade) – First: Samreen Gazi – Second: Humaira Arif – Third: Kulsoom Haqqi.

Level 4 Skills 3-D Art (5th & 6th Grade) – First: Saboor Salahuddin – Second: Samreen Gazi – Third: Humaira Arif.

Level 5 Quiz (7th & 8th Grade) – First: Mutmainnah Bello – Second: Tariq Patnam – Third: Hufsa Bouderdaben.

Level 5 Skills 2-D Art (7th & 8th Grade) – First: Zara Khan.

Level 5 Skills Essay (7th & 8th Grade) – First: Mutmainnah Bello – Second: Tariq Patnam – Third: Hufsa Bouderdaben.

Level 5 Skills Speech (7th & 8th Grade) – First: Atif Muhamad Asad – Second: Aazim Javed – Third: Zara Khan.

Level 6 Quiz (9th & 10th Grade) – First: Kanza Muzaffar – Second: Ammaar Azeem – Third: Abdur-Rahmaan Dadabhoy.

Level 6 Skills Essay (9th & 10th Grade) – First: Kanza Muzaffar – Second: Musab Abdali – Third: Sabah Choudry.

Level 6 Skills Speech (9th & 10th Grade) – First: Hadibah Siddiqui – Second: Musab Abdali – Third: Mohammad Dada.

Level 7 Quiz (11th & 12th Grade) – First: Humza Ahmed – Second: Mohamed Elwan – Third: Danyel Siddiqui.

Level 7 Skills Speech (11th & 12th Grade) – First: Humza Ahmed – Second: Danyel Siddiqui.

On the request of the Program Moderator Khalid Zabeehullah, Dr. Mazhar Kazi did the final prayers.

For further information about this Quiz Competition, ongoing and upcoming Islamic events-projects-&-activities, please call Hanif Harris – President ICNA-Houston at 713-298-6811 or visit ICNA Website at www.icnahouston.com.

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