From: ahmed_uddin Subject: URGENT: Help NeededDate: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:52:31 +0100 Assalaam 'alaikum Brothers and Sisters Please read email below from Br Luqman, any help of any form will be greatly appreciated. Currently his status is that he has been taken off the course from Sussex. If you want further information please contact me. I leave you all with a small reminder firstly for myself and everyone: At the core of Islamic message is empathy and compassion towards those who are less fortunate. The early Qur'anic revelations repeatedly stress the vital link between religion and acts of compassion. They even go as far as denying faith to those who are deprived of compassion towards the poor and the destitute:Have you seen the one who denies the Religion? Such is he who repulses the orphan, and who does not urge others to feed the poor. Woe to worshippers, who are absent-minded to their prayer, those who make a show (of piety), and refuse to render small acts of kindness (towards others). (Al-Ma`un 107: 1-7). Wasalaam Ahmed Uddin FOSIS South Chair 07931 103 639 Salam Brother Ahmed,This the account I said I was going to send to you.You can get more info on this link, http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15119077030Luqman Onikosi is a first year international student from Nigeria at the University of Sussex studying Economics & International Relations. His ambition to become an industrialist so that he can support his country and its people. Events in Luqman's life took a turn for the worst after his father's tragic death since which point Luqman has had the added responsibility of supporting his five siblings. Luqman applied for a student visa when his uncle managed to offer him sponsorship for his studies at Sussex. This process took six years to complete and Luqman eventually arrived at the University of Sussex in January 2007 to begin his studies.Shortly after, however, Luqman's sponsor passed away and because Luqman was not mentioned in the will the sponsor's family refused to honour their pledge of help and left Luqman without recourse to pay the £8,000 annual course fees.With the support from his tutors Luqman was allowed to complete the foundation year course and begin his degree. His students' union and a charity also managed to raise some money towards paying the extorbitent international student fees.Luqman is now appealling to the University of Sussex to exercise its discretion and in consideration of Luqman's extenuating circumstances to allow him to sit his Summer examinations. In the long term we are asking that the University takes into account both Luqman's exceptional contribution to Sussex, along with the university's duty to students from developing countries, and to either waive his fees entirely, or reduce the charges to those equivalent of a home student's fee.MasalamLuqman
