Imam Qari Asim described the British monarch as a beacon of stability, as she prepares to celebrate 70 years on the throne. Photo: UK Government
Imam Qari Asim described the British monarch as a beacon of stability, as she prepares to celebrate 70 years on the throne. Photo: UK Government
Imam Qari Asim described the British monarch as a beacon of stability, as she prepares to celebrate 70 years on the throne. Photo: UK Government
Imam Qari Asim described the British monarch as a beacon of stability, as she prepares to celebrate 70 years on the throne. Photo: UK Government

Prominent UK Imam hails Queen Elizabeth as 'beacon of hope and stability' ahead of jubilee


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

One of the UK's most senior imams has praised the UK's Queen Elizabeth II as a "beacon of hope” ahead of her platinum jubilee this weekend.

Imam Qari Asim, chair of the Mosque and Imams National Advisory Board, was one of many religious leaders who congratulated the monarch as she reaches her 70-year reign milestone on Sunday.

He said: “Throughout her 70-year-long reign, the queen has shown deep commitment, affection and admiration for her country, the Commonwealth and the people across the world, as well as the ability to adapt and evolve with the changing world around her.

“Her Majesty the Queen has been a wonderful beacon of hope, integrity, stability and unity for our country and beyond. May the Lord allow this momentous occasion of the platinum jubilee to provide unity, peace and hope across our wonderful nation.”

A series of events will be held from Sunday to mark the occasion which will culminate this summer.

More than 1,500 platinum jubilee beacons will be lit across the UK and Commonwealth on the first evening of the extended four-day jubilee bank holiday weekend in June.

Senior clerics from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Zoroastrian and Bahai faiths voiced strong support for the beacons and urged their communities to take part.

The UK's faith leaders have voiced their support for beacons which will be lit in tribute to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. PA.
The UK's faith leaders have voiced their support for beacons which will be lit in tribute to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. PA.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the most senior bishop in the Church of England, said the fires — which will light up the night sky across the UK and Commonwealth on June 2 — will see people joining together in celebration and remind everyone of “our common bond under the Crown”.

Mr Welby encouraged people to sing the newly written Song for the Commonwealth as the beacons are lit.

He said: “This will be a moment of remarkable celebration, as we join together across different generations, denominations, faiths and communities all over the world in proper tribute to Her Majesty the Queen.

Chief Rabbi Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, said: “The kindling of the Queen’s jubilee beacons throughout the United Kingdom and the capital cities of the Commonwealth will be a most powerful symbol as we celebrate her majesty’s 70 remarkable years on the throne.

“In Jewish tradition, the lighting of a flame accompanies many of our most important religious observances, representing the point at which the material and sacred meet.

“The fragile flame conveys the profound lesson that spirituality cannot manifest in the world if we do not cultivate and protect it.”

Queen Elizabeth's 70 year reign - in pictures

Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
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“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

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Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.

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1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

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Director: Joseph Kosinski

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A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.

 

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Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

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Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

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Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

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Iceland 0 England 1 (Sterling pen 90 1)

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Brief scores:

Day 1

Toss: South Africa, field first

Pakistan (1st innings) 177: Sarfraz 56, Masood 44; Olivier 4-48

South Africa (1st innings) 123-2: Markram 78; Masood 1-4

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Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
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Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

Updated: February 04, 2022, 2:32 PM`