First Islamic forms joint venture with Shurgard Europe

UAE

First Islamic Investment Bank (First Islamic) has formed a joint venture with Shurgard Self-Storage SCA (Shurgard Europe) to develop up to 38 self-storage facilities in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

The transaction is valued at approximately 232 million euros. Shurgard Europe is the largest developer, owner and operator of self-storage facilities inEurope.

First Islamic and its co-investors will hold an 80 per cent interest in the joint venture, with Shurgard Europe holding the remaining 20 per cent.

 Taken From: http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=91878

The Shalimar Garden, India, with flowerbeds and water channels complemented by majestic mountains as backdrop.

Heavenly gardens on earth

Kuala Lumpur

A coffee table book and an on-going exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia (IAMM) in Kuala Lumpur offer fascinating views of magnificent Islamic gardens inspired by verses in the Quran and Hadith, reports MENG YEW CHOONG.

THE appeal of beautiful gardens to the human soul is universal. From the famous Babylonian Hanging Gardens of old to grand Italian Renaissance gardens to Japanese gardens, the existence of these public spaces has always been exalted and revered. In several verses of the Quran, Muslims are given a glimpse of the rewards to come for the faithful in the hereafter, which promises “splendours and bountiful beauty of paradise”, otherwise known as gardens in heaven.

According to Syed Mohamad Albukhary, director of Malaysia’s Islamic Arts Museum (IAMM), the images of paradise described in the Quran have inspired Muslim designers and artisans throughout the ages to come up with their interpretations of paradise.

Taken From: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/7/6/features/icgarden&sec=features

Belgian Muslims making strides, Dr. Anjadi

Brussels

Dr. Abubakar Anjadi, Representative of the Muslim Executive Commission in Belgium, has disclosed that Muslim in Belgium have built 300 mosques and Islamic Centers, for serving the Muslim communities in various parts of the country.

He said the Muslims have been given official recognition by the government of Belgium, and they have done a lot in correcting the bad image created about Islam. He told IINA correspondent that the government made the recognition in 1974, and the mosques, Islamic Centers and organizations, have all played their part in spreading the Message of Islam throughout the length and breadth of the country.

Dr. Anjadi said that in January 1991, the Muslims succeeded in creating what is known as the Islamic Commission of Belgium, which has become the mouthpiece of the Muslims and represents them at the government level.

As for the Muslim woman’s headgear, the Hijab, he said this is a personal and routine matter, and Muslim inBelgium has been advised to deal with it as such and only as and when the problem faces an individual, without involving the Commission into a wrangle with the authorities.

Taken From: http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html