Message from Badr President

Assalamu Alaikum Werahmatullahi Weberekatu,

Dear Sisters in Islam,

In the center of darkness that overwhelmed the world, the divine revelation of eternal beauty echoed in the vast desert of Arabia with a fresh, noble, and universal message to humanity:

"O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same kind) and from them twain has scattered a multitude of men and women" (Qur'an: 4:1)

The Qur’an also states:

“O mankind! Verily, We have created you from a single (pair) of male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other...” (Qur'an 49:13, cf 4:1)

The Qur'an provides unwavering evidence that a woman is fully equivalent to a man in the sight of Allah in terms of her rights and duties. The Qur'an clearly states:

"Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38)

The history of Islam is replete with the stories of the great achievements of Muslim women in all walks of life. It is with this spirit of enlightenment that I am honored to welcome all of you to this unique web site whose contents and displays are the outcome of the continuous efforts and exertions of the Ethiopian Muslim Sisters who are truly the vanguard of our community. Badr Ethiopia (BE) is extremely fortunate to have sisters in its midst who are using this digital medium to awaken the Muslim Ummah at large about the history, contribution, and constant struggle of Ethiopian Muslims in general and Ethiopian Muslim women in particular. The story of Ethiopian Muslim women has been buried in the annals of Islamic history for centuries and has not been accorded its limelight. Perhaps the time has come now to shed light on this significant but often neglected part of our Islamic heritage. None is more equipped and qualified to carry this mantle of responsibility than the Ethiopian Muslim sisters themselves.

In the following pages of this web site, you will be provided with a front row-seat treatment of the past, present and future works of our sisters whose main goal is to propagate the true teachings of Islam based on the Qur’an and the Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH). Although emphasis will be given on enlightening and galvanizing Ethiopian Muslim sisters as to their historical contribution and future responsibilities, tremendous time and space will also be duly given to the Da’awa (propagation) efforts being conducted by this group of dedicated and committed sisters who are young, vibrant and highly educated.

With the introduction of the Sisters’ web site as the launching pad for showcasing Islam and its practices to the world-wide community of believers and casual visitors alike, Badr is opening a new chapter in its arsenal of tools to preserve and advance the Ethiopian Muslim heritage. We pray that you as a visitor to the site will benefit from the resources that will be available to you. We also ask that you contribute to the development and growth of this web site through submission of constructive remarks and comments or written content material for posting on the site. Our sisters are the backbone of our growing community and serve as a beacon of hope for future generations.

Jazzakumullah Khair

Zaki Sherif, MD., PhD

Badr President

Visit the main web site for more information about Badr.