Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur'aan
22899: Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur'aan - (Go here for Reference More Islamic Questions Answers: http://books.google.co.uk/books?vid=ISBN1861791542) - Question: I see the word fitnah repeated often in the Qur'aan in several soorahs and aayahs. Is there a difference in the meanings of this word, and what are its various meanings? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Definition of fitnah: 1 _ The word fitnah from a linguistic point of view: Al-Azhari said: The Arabic word fitnah includes meanings of testing and trial. The root is taken from the phrase fatantu al-fiddah wa'l-dhahab (I assayed (tested the quality of) the silver and gold), meaning I melted the metals to separate the bad from the good. Similarly, Allaah says in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning): `(It will be) a Day when they will be tried [yuftanoona] (punished, i.e. burnt) over the Fire!' [al-Dhaariyaat 51:13], meaning, burning them with fire. (Tahdheeb al-Lughah, 14/196). Ibn Faaris said: Fa-ta-na is a sound root which indicates testing or trial. (Maqaayees al-Lughah, 4/472). This is the basic meaning of the word fitnah in Arabic. Ibn al-Atheer said: Fitnah: trial or test… The word is often used to describe tests in which something disliked is eliminated. Later it was also often used in the sense of sin, kufr (disbelief), fighting, burning, removing and diverting. (al-Nihaayah, 3/410. Ibn Hajar said something similar in al-Fath, 13/3). Ibn al-A'raabi summed up the meanings of fitnah when he said: Fitnah means testing, fitnah means trial, fitnah means wealth, fitnah means children, fitnah means kufr, fitnah means differences of opinion among people, fitnah means burning with fire. (Lisaan al-`Arab by Ibn Manzoor). 2 _ Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur'aan and Sunnah: 1- Testing and trial, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: `We believe, and will not be tested [la yuftanoon] [al-`Ankaboot 29:2] i.e., that they will not be subjected to trial, as Ibn Jareer said. 2- Blocking the way and turning people away, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): but beware of them lest they turn you [yaftinooka] (O Muhammad) far away from some of that which Allaah has sent down to you [al-Maa'idah 5:49] Al-Qurtubi said: this means blocking your way and turning you away. 3- Persecution, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): Then, verily, your Lord for those who emigrated after they had been put to trials [futinoo] and thereafter strove hard and fought (for the Cause of Allaah) and were patient, verily, your Lord afterward is, OftForgiving, Most Merciful [al-Nahl 16:110] Put to trial means persecuted. 4- Shirk and kufr, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allaah) [al-Baqarah 2:193] Ibn Katheer said: this means shirk (worshipping others besides Allaah). 5- Falling into sin and hypocrisy, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): (The hypocrites) will call the believers: Were we not with you? The believers will reply: Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations [fatantum anfusakum], you looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in Faith) and you were deceived by false desires [al-Hadeed 57:14] Al-Baghawi said: i.e., you made yourselves fall into hypocrisy and you destroyed yourselves by means of sin and whims and desires. 6- Confusing truth with falsehood, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): And those who disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so [i.e. become allies, as one united block under one Khaleefah (a chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world) to make victorious Allaah's religion of Islamic Monotheism], there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism) and oppression on the earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism)[al-Anfaal 6:73] What this means is that unless believers are taken as close friends instead of disbelievers, even if they are relatives, there will be fitnah on earth, i.e., truth will be confused with falsehood. This is how it is explained in Jaami' al-Bayaan by Ibn Jareer. 7- Misguidance, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): And whomsoever Allaah wants to put in AlFitnah (error, because of his rejecting of Faith), you can do nothing for him against Allaah [al-Maa'idah 5:41] The meaning of fitnah here is misguidance. Al-Bahr al-Muheet by Abu Hayaan, 4/262. 8- Killing and taking prisoners, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial [yaftinakum] (attack you) [al-Nisa' 4:101] This refers to the kaafirs attacking the Muslims whilst they are praying and prostrating, in order to kill them or take them prisoner,
Re: Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Question about Islamic Communities in the US
Maybe you would like to respond to this mail. Adil Bhayya On 2/15/07, MistyBradley MistyBradley wrote: ÈÓã Çááå. Bismillah. Assalamu alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuhu. My name is Safiyah. I am an American citizen living in Egypt, but I don't know a lot about where most Muslims live in America, because I came to Egypt shortly after becoming a Muslim. I am thinking about coming back to the United States, and I was wondering if anyone knows in which states there are the most Muslims? Also, where are the major Islamic communities located? The area where I am from in America had very few Muslims, and I feel like I need to live in a place where there are a lot of Muslims if and when insha'allah I go back. If you want to email me off list, you can email me at this email, which is [EMAIL PROTECTED]Looking4Truth817%40yahoo.com , or at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Misty_D_Bradley%40hotmail.com. Also, I would like to know how Muslims are treated in the US, especially people who wear nikkab? Jazak Allahu khairon! Assalamu alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuhu. Safiyah Yusef Bradley [EMAIL PROTECTED] Looking4Truth817%40yahoo.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] Misty_D_Bradley%40hotmail.com AIM: Looking4Truth817 or MistydB817 Yahoo messenger: divisionliner Misty Bradley [EMAIL PROTECTED] Looking4Truth817%40yahoo.com __ Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] A Question About Suicide In Islam!
A Question About Suicide In Islam Quote: - Would appreciate your take on the following: I have a trusted friend who is less favorably disposed toward Islam/Muslims than I, but he also does not have a good opinion of Israel. He has had occasion to interview a number of teenaged American Muslims, the vast majority of whom say they would willingly become suicide bombers in Israel, but nowhere else. When he presses them (suggesting optional targets) they say they would first choose Israeli military or government targets, but if those were not accessible, would target civilians. Granted, these are teenagers, but...? - LSJohn thanks for bringing the question to our attention and seeking answers from Muslims. This is a lot better attitude to take than the know-it-alls who seem to know Muslims and their religion better than Muslims themselves. I wish the world would follow your example. Most American Muslim teenagers that I know are not really knowledgeable about the Palestinian Israeli situation. This is especially true in the US with some of them, just by lazy osmosis, having bought into the media spin hook, line and sinker. I am not accusing your friend of lying but I find the responses he claimed to have gotten very difficult to believe. The response is flawed from a Muslim perspective and is very far from Muslim thinking. The numerous statements in the Quran against injustice and the example of the Prophet on numerous occasions where he admonished his followers about taking the lives of innocents and even destroying heedlessly plants and animals are too prevalent in Muslim learning for the idea of killing civilians to be even casually accepted. An example of how the Prophet (saaw) dealt with his enemies can shed light on the correct Muslim attitude. There was an incident during one of the battles where children of the enemy were killed by mistake. The Prophet (saaw) was observed with tears in his eyes, in pain because of the killing of innocent children, and also for the death of all the combatants. Some of his followers tried to sooth the Prophet by saying, They were only the children of Kafirs The Prophet (saaw) turned to the one who spoke, and he was visibly angry, and said, Aren't you the child of a Kafir too? For suicide to even be considered against military or even civilian positions as a way of fighting from American Muslim teenagers is really a stretch. Without going into too many details the prohibition in Islam against suicide is very strong. But to read and listen to this worlds media broadcast about Islam, we would never know that. We are led to believe that a religion, whose holy book, the Quran, commands the following regarding suicide, is the fertile ground for the most suicides in the world: Quote: - But let there be amongst you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily God hath been to you Most Merciful! If any do that in rancour and injustice,- soon shall We cast them into the Fire: And easy it is for God. Quran 4:29 - 4:30 - The references above in chapter 4 and other places in the Quran, commands Muslims to not kill themselves and warns of severe punishments. Suicide is strictly forbidden along with the killing of innocents in Islam. G-d is the author of life and it is only He who could take life or tell human beings what conditions a life should be taken under as in punishment for murder, etc. As human beings we don't own our lives, G-d does! As such we don't have the authority to take it. Suicide is disrespecting G-d and being ungrateful for the life he has given us. Also from the Hadiths: Quote: - The Prophet said, The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr. - If knowledge shared by a scholar is considered greater and closer to G-d than a person dying in war for a just cause, how much further down the scale in value is suicide in Islam, especially when it is condemned by the highest authority in our religion? If suicide was permitted there would be many examples of the Prophet (saaw) encouraging it and Muslim history would have been replenished with suicide as a technique in war. But there is no such history and no such encouragement even throughout the centuries in the Abyssinian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Muslim Spain, Persia, the well documented Crusades, etc. It seems that while strongly condemning suicide, somehow Islam is the best promoter of it. All of a sudden we have disobedient Muslims hatching like crazy all over Iraq and Palestine. Oddly, they did not become so disobedient until they came in contact with Israelis. I guess there must have been something about Jews that caused Muslims to employ
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Muslim Brotherhood under severe pressure from Egyptian authorities--al-ahram weekly online
Brothers up in arms Relations between the government and the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood took a turn for the worse in the People's Assembly this week, writes Gamal Essam El-Din Click to view caption Central Security Forces blocked the way to Al-Azhar Mosque on Friday to prevent protests against excavation works at Al-Aqsa Mosque -- Reverberations from President Hosni Mubarak's 6 February order that 39 senior members of the illegal Muslim Brotherhood, including the group's number three Khairat El-Shater, be tried by a military tribunal dominated proceedings in the People's Assembly this week. Brotherhood deputies had apparently calculated that last Friday's clash between Israeli riot police and Palestinians protesting against excavation work at Al-Aqsa Mosque would allow them to regain the initiative. They arrived determined to be heard, only to be faced by Parliamentary Speaker Fathi Sorour, who ordered Hamdi Hassan, the Brotherhood's spokesman, to leave the chamber after what Sorour qualified as unruly behaviour. The Brotherhood's remaining deputies walked in protest. It was a frustrating outcome for the group. Hamdi Hassan told Al-Ahram Weekly that after the wide-scale arrests of the group's members and President Hosni Mubarak's new position that the Brotherhood is a threat to national security, parliament has become the only stage available for the Brotherhood to give a vent to its grievances. Brotherhood deputies had arrived to Monday's session with high hopes. Many submitted requests to Sorour, asking him to give them the floor to denounce Israel and the silence of Arab rulers and display solidarity with the Palestinians. They also wanted to use the hearing to condemn the Interior Ministry's arrest of several demonstrators, most of them Brotherhood members, as they gathered in front of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque on Friday to protest against the Al-Aqsa dig works. The group's hopes, however, were dashed when Sorour rejected their requests. Parliamentary precedent, said Sorour, dictates that public opinion issues cannot be debated when the government's policy statement is under discussion. The rejection sparked a storm on the Brotherhood benches. Why do you want to deny us voicing anything about the assault against Al-Aqsa, Brotherhood MPs shouted as one. No group will ever be able to impose its will on me even if they number thousands, Sorour responded. I would still order them to leave the session out of respect for the assembly's regulations. Sorour said the chairman of the assembly's Arab Affairs Committee, Saad El-Gammal, had already been asked to prepare a response to Israeli digging in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa. While I was in Tunis last week to attend the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Euro-Mediterranean parliament, he added, I made it clear that Egypt and Tunisia would withdraw from the committee unless the Euro-Med parliament ceases its support of Israel's anti-Islamic acts. I have asked El-Gammal to ensure his statement registers my position in Tunis and as a consequence want to wait until El-Gammal has prepared his statement so that we can present a good picture of the international community on the position of the Egyptian parliament towards Al-Aqsa Mosque. Yet some deputies want to impose their will in a bid to convince people they are the only ones who care about Al-Aqsa. Uncowed by Sorour, Brotherhood MPs had a field day when they were finally given the floor. All the government has been able to do is summon the Israeli ambassador and call upon him to urge his government to stop its assault on Al-Aqsa, said Hussein Ibrahim, Brotherhood MP from Alexandria. This is cosying up with the Israeli ambassador, not lashing out at him. Ibrahim then charged the Egyptian government was no different from its Israeli counterpart since both opted to prevent people from praying in Al-Aqsa and Al-Azhar mosques respectively. In fact, concluded Ibrahim, the Israeli government was less aggressive since it allowed Palestinians over the age of 45 to pray at Al-Aqsa while our government's security forces prevented all Egyptians from entering Al-Azhar Mosque by force. Mohamed El-Beltagui, Brotherhood MP from the Cairo district of Shubra Al-Kheima, demanded the Israeli ambassador to Cairo be expelled and Egypt's ambassador to Tel Aviv recalled. The government must also stop consorting with the Israeli enemy and revoke the QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone) agreement and immediately end supplies of natural gas to Israel. Opposition MPs, and some members of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) also weighed in with their own criticisms. Mustafa El-Feki, the NDP chairman of
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] WHAT DO CHRISTIANS DO FOR FUN?
WHAT DO CHRISTIANS DO FOR FUN? Priest jailed after nun's death in exorcism Ireland On Line 19/02/2007 http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=173262820p=y73z634xx A Romanian priest has been sentenced to 14 years in prison today after a nun died during an exorcism ritual. Sister Maricica Irina Cornici, 23, who was being treated for schizophrenia, said she believed the devil was talking to her. Daniel Petru Corogeanu, a monk who served as the priest for a secluded Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania, and four other nuns, chained Cornici to a cross in an attempt at exorcism. She survived several days without food or water, but died of dehydration, exhaustion and suffocation. The court in the northeast city of Vaslui convicted Corogeanu and the four nuns of holding Cornici captive, resulting in her death. One of the nuns, Nicoleta Arcalianu, was sentenced to eight years in prison, and the other three Adina Cepraga, Elena Otel and Simona Bardanas received five-year sentences. Dozens of the priest's supporters packed the courtroom and prayed for him. Several burst into tears when the verdict was announced. The defendants' lawyers plan to appeal, saying the prison sentences are too harsh. http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=173262820p=y73z634xx
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] 150 CITIES TO MARCH ON THE PENTAGON 17TH MARCH
150 CITIES TO MARCH ON THE PENTAGON 17TH MARCH 150+ cities organizing for March on the Pentagon, March 17! ANSWER Coalition http://www.pephost.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticleid=8336news_iv_ctrl=3061 Over 150 cities are organizing buses, vans, car caravans and anti-war trains to bring people from across the country to March on the Pentagon in Washington DC on Saturday March 17! - Click for details about buses from across the U.S. http://www.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_M17_transportation - The National Office of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition has received an enormous response from people all around the country who are planning to travel to Washington DC to march on the Pentagon on the 4th anniversary of the start of the criminal invasion of Iraq. Huge numbers will come from every major city on the East Coast, Midwest and South - New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte and elsewhere - and from many smaller cities. Gulfport, Mississippi; Muskogee, Oklahoma; and New Bedford, Massachusetts are just a few of the cities organizing for this demonstration. People will be driving from as far away as Denver, Colorado - a 26 hour drive to DC. Below are just some of the cities organizing transportation to be at the March on the Pentagon, March 17: Akron, OH Albany, NY Albuquerque, NM Amherst, MA Andover, MA Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Blacksburg, VA Boone, NC Boston, MA Burlington, VT Charleston SC Charlotte, NC Charlottesville, VA Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH Columbia, SC Dallas, TX Danbury, CT Decatur, GA Denver, CO Des Moines, IA Detroit, MI El Paso, TX Fort Lauderdale, FL Ft. Myers, FL Ft. Wayne, IN Gainesville, FL Greenville, NC Gulfport, MS Harrisburg, PA Hartford, CT Hickory, NC Houston, TX Hudson Valley, NY Iowa City, IA Jacksonville, FL Kent, OH Lewisburg, WV Lexington, KY Linwood, NJ Little Rock, AR Logan, UT Louisville, KY Lynchburg, VA Macon, GA Madison, WI Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN Mobile, AL Montpelier, VT Mountain Home, AR Muskogee, OK Nashua, NH Nashville, TN New Bedford, MA New Britain, CT New Brunswick, NJ New Haven, CT New Orleans, LA New York City, NY Newark, DE Newton, NC Norfolk, VA Ogden, UT Oklahoma City, OK Oneonta, NY Orlando, FL Palm Beach County, FL Parkersburg, WV Philadelphia, PA Pittsburgh, PA Pittsfield, MA Plymouth, NH Portland, ME Portsmouth, NH Portsmouth, VA Providence, RI Raleigh, NC Reading, PA Richmond, VA Rochester, NY Rome GA Salisbury, CT San Antonio, TX Savannah, GA Schenectady, NY Scranton, PA Springfield, MA St. Louis, MO Stanford, KY Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg, FL Toledo, OH Trenton, NJ Tucson AZ Tuscaloosa, AL Wayne, NJ West Chester, PA Worcester, MA Yellow Springs, OH York, PA Until Wednesday: 30% Off NYC Bus Tickets! Tickets for buses from New York City can still be purchased now online at a 30% reduced price! Click for details on how you can purchase tickets for buses from New York City online, by phone or in person. http://www.pephost.org/site/Ecommerce?VIEW_PRODUCT=trueproduct_id=1381store_id=1861 Click on this link for details about buses from across the U.S. http://www.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_M17_transportation If you are organizing transportation and are not yet listed, fill out the March 17 Transportation Form. http://www.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=M17_organize More ways to get involved: * Donate http://www.pephost.org/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONSCAMPAIGN_ID=1121 * Download flyers and other promotional materials http://www.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_M17flyers * Endorse http://www.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=M17_endorse * Student organizing http://www.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=M17_endorse Make sure you've read these important recent updates: * Soldiers, veterans, and soldiers' families sign antiwar letter for March on Pentagon http://www.pephost.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticleid=8326 * Free Speech Victory! Permits Secured for Pentagon Protest http://www.pephost.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticleid=8317 * Youth Student organizing for March on Pentagon http://www.pephost.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticleid=8315 Your donation is urgently needed for the March on the Pentagon Please make an urgently needed donation today. http://www.pephost.org/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONSCAMPAIGN_ID=1121 We must immediately raise funds to pay for the sound and stage at Constitutional Gardens and at the Pentagon and for the hundreds of thousands of flyers, stickers and posters that are being disseminated in nationwide outreach. Please make a much needed online donation, or click for information to write a check. http://www.pephost.org/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONSCAMPAIGN_ID=1121 All active news articles http://www.pephost.org/site/News2?cmd=listallarticles ANSWER Coalition 202-544-3389
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Bangladesh: At mercy of climate change.
(Two articles) It seems poor Bangladesh pays the cost of climate change. It was said that the most developed countries, mainly in the West are to blame. Justin Huggler from Bangladesh explains more than I can describe. Also, Sabihuddin Ahmed, Bangladeshi high commissioner to the UK, has some words to add on behalf of his country. *Arif Bhuiyan* **UK *Article. 1* *Bangladesh: At mercy of climate change.* It is more exposed than any other country to global warming. And a series of unusual events - from dying trees to freak weather - suggest its impact is already being felt. Justin Huggler reports from the Sundarbans nature reserve. Published: 19 February 2007 The Independent, UKhttp://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2283929.ece The Sundarbans nature reserve in Bangladesh's south-west is one of the last untouched places on Earth - and home to the largest population of tigers left in the wild. But the trees in the Sundarbans have suddenly started dying. And not just that: they have started dying in a way nobody has seen before, from the top down. Nobody is sure what the cause is, but the country's leading scientists think the trees are dying because, in recent years, the water has turned from fresh to salty. The Sundarbans is a massive mangrove swamp, and the sea has begun encroaching. What we are seeing may be one of the first casualties of rising sea levels caused by global warming. Nobody can say for sure whether it is climate change because there haven't been proper in-depth studies, says Professor Ainun Nishat, one of the country's leading environmentalists, and one of those involved in the UN's recent climate change report. But this is the sort of effect rising sea levels will have on Bangladesh. We are fighting climate change on the front line. But the battle has to be integrated across all countries. Then there were the deaths of thousands of fishermen off Bangladesh last summer. The Bay of Bengal was unusually rough. Usually, the authorities only issue a storm warning to fishermen to stay at home once or twice a year. Last year, four warnings were issued in the space of two months. Every warning meant the fishermen lost valuable days at sea. When the last warning came, they could not afford to stay ashore and went to sea anyway. Officially 1,700 drowned, but many Bangladeshis believe the real number may be closer to 10,000. Was it climate change? We don't know, says Dr Nishat. Was it unusual? Yes. The weather in Bangladesh is going crazy. Last week, a freak tornado struck. Tornadoes occur regularly in Bangladesh - but usually only in the tornado season, in April. A tornado in February is almost unheard of. Also, there were the strange events of 2004, when the tides in the estuaries of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers stopped ebbing and flowing. The water level just stayed at high tide. The same year, the capital, Dhaka, was hit by floods so severe the ground floors of most buildings were under water, and a catfish was caught in one of the government buildings. And in 2005, the country had no winter at all. Westerners tend to assume the whole of the subcontinent is hot all year round; in fact, Bangladesh, like much of northern India, gets quite cold in winter. Except that it didn't last year. Winter never came - with serious effects on the year's potato crop. This year, too, it has not been as cold as usual. We have a saying, in February, even the tigers feel the cold, says Arun Karmaker, the environment correspondent for Prothom Alo newspaper. But these days, a visitor to Bangladesh would find it hard to believe. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The entire country is basically one vast river delta, and that has always left it at the mercy of weather extremes. The villages of the south-east may often lack electricity or clean water, but a cyclone shelter is never far away. In Dhaka, the rent for a typical first-floor apartment is £52 a month. On the ground floor of the same building, it is just £37 - because the ground floor gets flooded almost every year. But the country's climate experts say the weather is growing more extreme - and becoming unpredictable. And this is in the most densely populated country in the world, if you don't count city-states or small islands, home to 147 million people. That leaves a worrying question: what happens to those 147 million people if parts of this already overcrowded country become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels. The problem is, nobody really knows just how much effect climate change will have on Bangladesh. We still don't have a proper study of the impact of global warming here, says Mr Karmaker. Up till now, no one has done one. The classic scenario of climate change disaster in Bangladesh is of rising sea levels flooding most of the country, forcing as many as 40 million people to flee. Scientists have measured small rises in the sea level at various points around the coast, and almost all of
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Language used by the President of USA!
Tight tongue Mr. Bush also made so many comments which others felt disturbing. One friend of mine questioned, Mr. Bush is a President, why he speaks like these, is it because he is not highly educated or is it because he is not guided properly or is he what he says? I did not reply. What do you think, should a President make such comment? *Arif Bhuiyan* UK *I will screw him in the ass! --George W. Bush on Osama bin Laden **The pessimist was right* http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/826601.html By Uri Dromi, Review of Ariel Sharon: An Intimate Portrait by Uri Dan, Palgrave Macmillan 15 Feb 2007 Speaking of George Bush, with whom Sharon developed a very close relationship, Uri Dan recalls that Sharon's delicacy made him reluctant to repeat what the president [sic] had told him when they discussed Osama bin Laden. Finally he relented. And here is what the leader of the Western world, valiant warrior in the battle of cultures, promised to do to bin Laden if he caught him: I will screw him in the ass! *http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/826601.html *http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/826601.html * The pessimist was right* * By Uri Dromi* Uri Dromi is director of international outreach at the Israel Democracy Institute. * Ariel Sharon: An Intimate Portrait by Uri Dan, Palgrave Macmillan, 320 pages, $18.45 * * On September 13, 1993, I stood beside Uri Dan on the White House lawn. As the director of Israel's Government Press Office under prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, I was in charge of the Israeli journalists who had traveled there to witness the historic ceremony of reconciliation between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. A question hovered in the air: Would the two old enemies, Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, shake hands? The officials came out of the White House and walked toward the small, tense audience assembled on the lawn. And then Bill Clinton, with his trademark charm, turned the two men toward each other: an enthusiastic Arafat and a dour-faced Rabin who, gripped by a visceral sense of foreboding, wanted nothing more than to be somewhere else at that moment. Then, the inconceivable happened: They shook hands, and a roar of joy went up from the audience. Even cynical longtime journalists could not disguise their enthusiasm. Everyone joined the celebrations. * Everyone, that is, except Uri Dan. The veteran reporter, who died in December at age 71, stood beside me frowning and said to his colleagues in disgust: What are you so happy about? Many funerals will come out of this wedding. We all looked at him with pity: Here was the professional spoilsport, unable to give credit for success to anyone except his master, Ariel Sharon. * Years passed and indeed, that wedding was followed by many funerals, many eulogies in both Hebrew and Arabic. Journalist Eitan Haber, Dan's colleague-rival, claims that it is wrong to say that the Oslo process failed, because Yitzhak Rabin's assassination shattered the Israeli-Palestinian trust on which the whole endeavor rested. I tend to agree with him, but when results alone are considered, then Dan, more pessimistic than any of the guests who cheered then on the White House lawn, was right. * Of course, it's easy for pessimists to be right in the Mideastern-Israeli realm of existence, where something terrible is always bound to happen. Dan's pessimism, however, was conditional: If his hero, Sharon, were given a chance to perform his historic duty, the people of Israel would be saved; if not, they would deserve whatever calamities they inflicted upon themselves. Dan's attitude might be dismissed as idolatry or blind adoration until we recall that in 1982, when Sharon was removed from his position as defense minister following the Sabra and Chatila massacre, it was his advisor - Uri Dan - who, in an unforgettable television interview, said with a feverish look in his eyes: Those who did not want Sharon as chief of staff got him back as defense minister, and those who did not want him as defense minister will get him back as prime minister. It seemed at the time a wild and unlikely fantasy, and Dan was roundly mocked for it; eventually, however, his prophecy was realized in full. Sharon the outcast became not only Israel's prime minister, but one of our most highly regarded leaders. This is the story of a man whose life brought him into Sharon's intimate circle, from Sharon's early days as a paratrooper commander leading Israeli reprisal operations to his final days as prime minister. When Dan turned 70, Sharon wrote to him in a moving letter: To me you were and always will be a hardworking and resourceful journalist, an author and an advisor, a fearless and impartial professional. But, more than anything, you are to me a true friend who has always been there, in the moments of joy and elation; in the harsh hours of personal pain and tragedy; in the days of joyous victory and in dark nights under crossfire ... or during the retaliation missions and in
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Pitfalls of our democracy
Dear members, Assalamu Alaikum.The following article which I wrote before the present crisis in Bangladesh has been published in the Daily Star, 16th anniversary number. You canfind it t in DS website at the following link: http://www.thedailystar.net/suppliments/2007/16th_anniversary/part_1/pitfalls.htm Shah Abdul Hannan Pitfalls of our democracy Shah Abdul Hannan Bangladesh began its journey as a democratic state with the introduction of the national constitution in 1972. However, following the adoption of the constitution, democracy in Bangladesh was undermined by several interruptions. Democracy has taken firmer root since 1991 when Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed became the Caretaker President of the country. Since then, three elections have taken place; the first in 1991, followed by a second in 1996, and the latest in 2001. This period witnessed the rise and fall of three governments. The first government, that of Khaleda Zia ruled from 1991 to 1996. Then the government of Sheikh Hasina was in power from 1996 to 2001, followed by the return of Khaleda Zia to power in 2001, who remains in office at present. Of course, in between the tenure of these governments, caretaker governments were formed and led by former Chief Justices of the country as per our constitution. The first Khaleda Zia government was preceded by the caretaker government of Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed.In this brief article, I will delineate the basic features that have characterised our democracy since 1991. I will also discuss some key issues that urgently demand contemplation and resolution. The most important issue is that of holding fair elections. We find that the twin phenomena of money and muscle continue to wield a serious and embarrassing degree of influence over our elections. It is true that the elections of 1991, 1996 and 2001 were recognised to have been held properly. However, it is common knowledge that the use of money and muscle plagued these elections to varying degrees, which sometimes the Election Commission was unable to restrain, let alone eradicate. For instance, the Election Commission has been unable to implement the restriction on expenditure. Thus the issue of fair elections is a core issue for national contemplation and reform in view of the widespread public perception mentioned above. I believe several steps can be taken to help rectify this situation. One is the strengthening of the Election Commission by granting it full independence, as in India. The neutrality and the independence of the Election Commission in India remain undisputed.However, we in Bangladesh find that the relationship between the Election Commission and the government is sometimes quite strained. In several instances in the past, serious disagreements arose between the ruling party and the Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioners. Thus, this issue needs to be handled with care in the future. Not only should the Election Commission be independent, but also, the selection of the members of the Election Commission, if possible, should be made through consensus among the major parties in the country. Electoral laws need to be changed in line with India as stated above. As in India, asset declaration of the candidates must be made compulsory. Electoral irregularities, if there be any, should be investigated quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, as things stand currently, any inquiry into complaints of election rigging entails so many steps that in most cases, no decision can be taken during the entire five year term of an elected government. This naturally encourages continuation in attempts to influence elections through intimidation, coercion, and financial clout. What is needed is that the complaint is taken very seriously and decisions rendered within a very short period of time - no more than six months. Each stage in the process should be strictly defined by time limits and no more than one or two appeals should be allowed. If this can be done and if ten/twenty members of Parliament lose their seats, this will serve as a good lesson for all the other members and the frequency with which electoral irregularities occur is likely to decrease over time.My next point concerns the caretaker government. Our democracy is in a way regulated by the caretaker govt. and the caretaker concept enshrined in the constitution. This resulted from a lack of faith in the incumbent government to hold a fair election. There is a general consensus that, given our national context and past records, it is better to hold elections under a caretaker government than under a party govt. Thus this concept of caretaker government has been accepted by the people fully and should be sustained. Certain amendments can be made in due time should there be a general consensus among the major political parties on the substance of the amendment. Otherwise, the caretaker provisions
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Pondering on the Quran
QuraanicLessons Pondering on the Quran Surah Rehman Video with English Translation Quran against Racism Is The Quran Only For The Arabs ? (Must Read) Authenticity of the Quran: Another Approach Surely Allah is the Creator and Nourisher Holy Quran Arabic Download Arabic PDF and a Sofware of The Noble Quran with English Translation Download Now 7 tips for improving your relationship with the Quran Read More Arabic- A Key to understanding the Quran Read More A Short Movie on Death (must see) (Video) Miracles of Quran (Video) Tawaf of Ka'ba: in line with the Cosmic Law Read More Prophet Jesus in the Quran Read More Why Was the Qur'an Revealed Over A Period of 23 Years? Read More The Value of the Quran in the Eyes of Muslims Read More Understanding the Uniqueness of the Quran Read More How does the Quran present God? Read More Free Online Software for Learning Arabic and Understanding Quran Online By Clicking on this Link start Learning Quran Now - Get your own web address. Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Re: Masjid Taleem Muhammad
Bismillah, FYI Peace, Curtis Sharif Houston, Texas in Houston, Texas. The Believers and friends of Masjid Taleem Muhammad are near completion of this house built for the sake of Allah. This effort under the leadership of Imam Basil Abdullah, is doing what Allah has asked us to do in S.2:259. Rebuilding communities, which was so clearly explained to the Believers on Feb. 17, 2007 at Taleem service at the Masjid, by Imam Yahya Abdullah of Dallas, Texas. Be a part of history and put your name in the book as one of the builders of this masjid. Please send your contributions to the address below. Thank You. Naeem Salaam Masjid Taleem Muhammed 505East 40th1/2 Street Houston, Texas 77022 - Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Yahoo! Answers. Try it now. - Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Samjhota Express ploy against Pakistan
Samjhota Express ploy against Pakistan Lahore, Feb 19: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer and president of MMA, Qazi Hussain Ahmad has condemned the bomb blast tragedy in Samjhota Express killing 67 passengers and wounding another 40. In a statement on Monday, Qazi Hussain Ahmad termed it a conspiracy against Pakistan and Muslim world and said the incident will be used to provide fuel to the negative propaganda against Pakistan by enemies. Qazi Hussain Ahmad called the incident sheer terrorism and asked the government in both Pakistan and India that instead of fueling the fire they should adopt a policy of mutual understanding to provide security and peace to their citizens, besides giving due respect to the right to self determination of Kashmiri people. Qazi emphasized that for establishing a lasting peace there is an urgent need to adhere to the principles of justice and provide support to the oppressed people of Palestine, Kashmir and other troubled areas. Central Information Department JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI PAKISTAN Mansoorah, Multan Road, Lahore (Pakistan) Ph. :+92-42-541 9520-4, Fax : +92-42-543 7950 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URL
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Interview With Fuad Nahdi
Interview With Fuad NahdiThe Radical Middle Way was launched in London in 2005, following the recommendations of a Muslim task force set up after the London transport bombings in July 2005. In this interview, Fuad Nahdi, director of the Radical Middle Way and founding editor of the progressive Muslim magazine Q-News, talks about the organization's aim to bring a back-to-basics theology to Islam and how to counter an estimated $15 billion global investment in spreading extremist ideology. This is an edited transcript of an interview that took place in October 2006. According to intelligence reports during the last 30 years, investment has been put into this extremist ideology. We are talking estimates of over US$15 billion. To the best of our knowledge, there is no ideology in the history of mankind that had such massive resources put into it on a global level. Q: Linden MacIntyre: Take me past the obvious contradiction in terms. How can there be a radical middle? A: Fuad Nahdi: The radical middle way is based on the premise that most of the discussion about Islam is held in a context of extremism on both sides. So actually to be moderate, to be in the middle, is radical because it's different from the perceived notion around us. Q: How did this extremist thinking become so prevalent in a faith and culture that tends not to be extremist? A: It's not something that happened overnight. It has taken decades to develop. According to intelligence reports during the last 30 years, investment has been put into this extremist ideology. We are talking estimates of over US$15 billion. To the best of our knowledge, there is no ideology in the history of mankind that had such massive resources put into it on a global level. Q: Where has that money been spent? A lot of the money has been spent on creating the intellectual framework - books; university departments producing thousands of graduates and sending them across the world to promote this thing; building centers, some of them here in the West; paying imams and local leaders. If an imam gets a hefty salary, he is free from any local consideration. And if he is well educated, he's given the kind of intellectual tools to become influential in society. Then vulnerable young people, who have been rejected by the system, swarm around these people. Even now, if you look, some of the most dynamic professional Web sites belong to these kinds of people who run the extremist shop. Q: What label do you put on this extremism? A: Some people call them jihadist; some would call them salafist, which I think is a misnomer. The idea is not to identify them by names but by the issues they are raising. Q: What are these issues? A: Very simple. It's that the world is black and white, divided into them and us -- a very George Bush understanding. Anybody who is not like us, who does not think like us, is wrong. It's a very powerful message because it makes people look inward and stop exploring things. You start getting all the wrong kind of messages once you stop asking questions. Q: What's the root of this investment in an essentially destructive process? A: With the squashing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in the late '50s and '60s, suddenly political Islam was found to be convenient to be exported all over the world, but not to be practiced in Egypt. Egypt had the ideas but did not have the money to take it abroad. Then in the early '70s, with the oil price explosion in the Middle East, suddenly the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, had the money but didn't have the ideas. Q: Again, why not spend the money on better things? A: If you're looking for a rational explanation, you're not going to get it. The crux of the matter is the theology. Islam is a belief system. It's a series of mistakes, one after another -- of bad analyses, reactionary negative responses and just total misunderstanding. To counter, we're trying to sustain and nurture a mainstream form of Islam that has been lost for decades now. We want to define Islam, not by the terms given it by the extremist and the radical elements. It's nice to have political analysis, to have sociological analysis, economic analysis, why people are becoming radicalized or turning to extremism. But at the end of the day, the real issue lies with the theology because this is the real source of all that is happening. Q: So, you're basically saying that the central message of Islam has been hijacked by extremists? A: Yes. Q: And that the theology of Islam has no room for this violent jihadist culture? Exactly. Everybody is trying to find a reason by saying more people are angry because of foreign policy. They're angry because of economic deprivation; they're angry because they're alienated. Young people are marginalized because of the racism in society. All are legitimate, tangible factors. But the real issue is the theology.
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] interview with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
INTERVIEW With Sheik Hamza Yusuf Hamza Yusuf was born in Washington State and grew up in Northern California, where he lives with his wife and five children. He converted to Islam in 1977 and spent 10 years studying Islam in the Middle East where he followed a more classic interpretation of the religion. After the attacks of 9/11, Yusuf emerged as a respected Islamic scholar, advising both the White House and the Arab League. In recent years, he has focused his teachings on bridging the widening gap between the West and the Muslim world. In this interview, he talks about tyranny and incompetence on both sides and offers his prescription for creating more common ground. This is an edited transcript of an interview that took place in September 2006. Q: Linden MacIntyre: What are the roots of Muslim rage? A: Hamza Yusuf: If you had one word to describe the root of all this rage, it's humiliation. Arabs in particular are extremely proud people. If you look at what happened in Lebanon recently, the Arabs kind of raised their head-- they think it's a big victory, the fact that their whole country was destroyed and over a thousand people were killed, many of them children. Why is it a victory? Because they fought back. That's all. OK, you can crush us into the Earth, but you're not going to get us to submit. And I think that's deeply rooted in Muslim consciousness, the idea of not submitting to anything other than God. You can abuse me, but you're not going to win me over. But if you treat me with respect and dignity, I'm going to fall in love with you. I'm going to sing your praises all over the world because you're powerful and you treated me with human dignity. Q: Where do they see the proof of the humiliation? A: It's everywhere. You don't think it's humiliating to have a foreign force come into your land? You see, Muslims don't have this nation state idea. There's a tribe called Bani Tamin. It's one of the biggest tribes in Saudi Arabia and in Iraq, and they're intermarried. The West doesn't seem to understand that. The Moroccans feel the Iraqi pain as their own. It's one pain. So when you see some American soldier banging down a door and coming into a house with all these women in utter fear who've done nothing, that's humiliation, and it's going to enrage people. And what are we doing there? There are no weapons of mass destruction. They were never a threat to us. You know, Shakespeare wrote a play called Julius Caesar, and it was all about the danger of pre-emptive strikes. Brutus is convinced by Cassius to kill Caesar. Why? Because Caesar's ambitious, because he might declare himself king. And the end of that play, everybody dies; it's just disaster. That's the tragedy of pre-emptive strikes. Q: What goes through your mind when you hear about all these roundups of young Muslims who are supposedly plotting things in London and in Toronto? A: We keep being told about these roundups, and in the end, they're more aspirational than operational. I'd love to have been in the meeting when they thought that one up. It seems to me that they're just a lot of bumbling fools out there. Q: On which side of the equation? A: On both sides. I mean, that's part of the problem. Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, and I think that's really what we're dealing with here, incompetence. Both sides have been incredibly ineffective at achieving their goals-- at least their stated goals. Q: I'm trying to get a measure of just how concerned people should really be though. A: Listen, hurricanes are a much greater threat to us right now. Katrina did much more damage than anything the terrorists could ever put together. Yeah, there's nuclear weapons are out there and that certainly is a concern. That's the job of these intelligence people to stop that, right? But stop making us all live in fear and telling us about orange and red levels. All that nonsense just simply has to stop. We need to calm down and think at a deeper level. People can't think when their minds are clouded with fear. The fear tactic is a tactic that's used by people who want to maintain control, and it's very effective. A democracy is predicated on an educated citizenry. You cannot have a democracy with people that are more interested in what Nicole Kidman is doing or whoever the latest fashion model is. If that's your interest, democracy can't survive. You also have corporate interests here. We have an arms industry in the West that is our No. 1 industry. It's bigger than anything-- automobiles, everything. Now if you don't have reasons to build weapons, where do all those contracts go? Q: Your job is to recruit young people into a more constructive project. A: Well, I'm not a recruiter . Q: You are definitely an influence. A: I've got my own personal projects, like my school and my seminary. But at this point in my life, I'm actually just trying
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Jannat 4 Pious Women
Glad News of Jannat for Pious Women v A single pious, practicing woman is equal to 70 saints (aulia ekraam). v A single bad (evil) woman is equal to 1000 bad men. v Two rakaats namaaz of an aalimah woman are better than 80 rakaats of ordinary women. v A breastfeeding woman gets one good for each drop of milk that is fed to the child. v When a husband comes home full of worries and the wife extends warm welcome to him and consoles him; she receives the reward of half jihaad . v A woman, who is deprived of sleep owing to her child crying at night, receives the sawaab of freeing 20 slaves . v When a husband and a wife look at each other with love and affection, Allah Paak himself looks at both of them with love and affection . v A woman who sends out her husband in the path of Allah and stays at home by herself, maintaining her honour and dignity (i.e. protecting herself against temptation and dishonesty) will enter jannat 500 years before her husband while 70,000 angels and hoors will serve her. She will be given ghusl in jannat and sitting on mountains of pearls , she will await the arrival of her husband. v A woman who is rendered restless owing to the illness of her baby and yet kept on striving to comfort the baby, Allah Talaah forgives all her sins and gives her the sawaab of 12 years accepted in ibaadat . v While milking her animal (cow, goats, ect), if a woman makes the zikr of bismillah , that every animal makes dua to Allah Taalah on her behalf. v When a woman makes the zikr of bismillah while preparing the dough ( for roti), her livelihood is increased (i.e . she receives barakat in her rozi). v When a woman makes zikar while sweeping, she receives the sawaab of sweeping baitullah (kaba) . v A chaste woman who is mindful of namaaz and roza, also makes khidmat for her husband, for her all the 8 doors of jannat are opened . She may enter from whichever doors she likes. v The namaaz and ibaadat of a woman disobedient to her husband do not reach heaven . v Every night of an expectant mother (a woman who is carrying a baby in her womb) is counted as spent in ibaadat and every day as spent in fasting . v A woman receives the sawaab of 70 years of namaaz and roza on giving birth to one child and the pain she suffered in every vein of her body while giving birth, for that she will receive the sawaab of one hajj. v If a woman dies within 40 days after giving birth, Allah Taalah gives her the status of shahaadat (i.e. she dies as a shaheed). v Upon the child crying at night, if the mother feeds the child (gives milk to the child) without cursing, she receives the sawaab of performing namaaz for one year. v When a child finishes the period of breast-feeding, an angel comes and gives glad tidings (news) to the mother that Allah has made jannat wajib for her. v When the husband comes home to sleep and the wife gives him food to eat (not being involved in dishonesty with regard to herself and her husband's belongings), Allah Tallah gives her the sawaab of 12 years of ibaadat. v When the wife presses the legs of her husband without asking him, her to do so, she gets the sawaab of giving charity 7 ounce of GOLD, and if she presses his legs after he asks her to do so, she receives the sawaab of giving 7 ounces of SILVER in sadaqua. v When a woman's husband dies while he was happy and pleased with her, jannat becomes wajib for her . v A husband's teaching one masla to his wife is equal to 80 years ibaadat . v In jannat people will go to visit (see) Allah Taalah, but Allah Tallah himself will visit (to see) the woman who has observed PARDAH while in dunyah. v Woman who wears thin garment (transparent, see-through garment) or who arouses passion in men, or meet men they are not allowed to mix or move about openly while heavily made up or who live without pardah , will never enter jannat. In fact they will not even smell the fragrance of jannat. v A woman who has undergone a great amount of suffering and difficulties in this world will be classified with hazrat Aasia ( r.a). She was the wife of the firaun (pharaon) who despite the fact that she was his wife, tortured and persecuted her, to renounce Deen and Imaan. She gave her life in the process ( i.e. she died of the punishment inflicted to her), but did not forsake Imaan. v Every single woman going to hell will take four (4) jannati men. Because they did not fikr nor had they cared in duniya about the Deen and Imaan of that woman and did not teach her Deen, these four men will be: 1. her father 2. her brother 3. her husband 4. her son v If woman glances at men she is not allowed to see according to the
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] AL AQSA: CALL FOR ARABS TO CUT ZIONIST TIES
AL AQSA: CALL FOR ARABS TO CUT ZIONIST TIES Palestinians want Arabs to cut Israel ties over dig Reuters By Mohammed Assadi Reuters Tue Feb 20, 2007 http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USL2046161620070220 RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The Palestinian parliament urged Arab states on Tuesday to cut ties with Israel in protest at excavation work near Islam's third holiest site which has triggered Muslim protests. The Palestinian Legislative Council, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, also called on the United Nations Security Council to pressure Israel to safeguard Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem. The council said Arab states should sever diplomatic and economic ties (with Israel) and not establish new ones in response to the excavation near al-Aqsa mosque. Few Arab countries have formal ties with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties with the Jewish state and have diplomatic relations, while some Gulf Arab states have lower level contacts. Israel says the work near al-Aqsa aims to salvage artifacts before construction of a pedestrian bridge leading up to a religious compound sacred to both Muslims and Jews. But the work has angered Arabs and Muslims who fear it could damage foundations of the 1,300-year-old mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War. SUMMIT MEETINGS The legislative council said Arab and Muslim leaders should take measures to protect sacred Muslim sites and called for urgent summit meetings of the Arab League and Organization of the Islamic Conference to pressure Israel. More than 30 people were wounded in clashes near al-Aqsa earlier this month between Israeli police and stone-throwing protesters angered by the excavation works. Muslim suspicion over Israeli actions intensified this week when Israeli Antiquities Authority archaeologist Yuval Baruch said storm and earthquake damage in 2004 had exposed remains at the site that could be from an ancient Muslim school. The director of the Waqf, a Jordanian-backed body that oversees Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, said the fact the discovery was not announced at the time showed Israel wanted to destroy the Islamic character of the city. Sheikh Raed Salah, an Israeli Arab campaigner who has led protests against the excavations, called for a new uprising to protest against what he called an Israeli crime. This program will include local and international activities. All of them are part of our attempt to stop this Israeli crime, which continues until now, Salah told Reuters. He called for protests in the Arab and Islamic world. Israel captured the Old City along with the rest of Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed the area as its capital in a move not recognized internationally. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a state they hope to establish in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USL2046161620070220
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] PARABLE OF THE SLEAZY AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE
PARABLE OF THE SLEAZY AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE A DEATH WITH NO DIGNITY Paul Routledge Daily Mirror February 15, 2007 http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columnists/routledge/ I REALLY must get out more. Until I read the reports of her death, I had never heard of Anna Nicole Smith, the former Playboy model. Now, with three men vying for the title of father to her child, I suppose it will be impossible to avoid the poor woman. Ms Smith, below, widow of a nonagenarian billionaire, was found dead at the age of 39 in a Florida hotel room. One of her lawyers (note, one - how many did she need?) said it was an unbelievable tragedy. No, it was not. Darfur is an unbelievable tragedy. Iraq is an unbelievable tragedy. The Holocaust was an unbelievable tragedy. Her death was the all too credible outcome of a life lived as a celebrity, chiefly celebrated by taking off her clothes, either for the camera or for the stable of studs competing for her five-month- old baby's potential inheritance. This sordid lust for Dannielynn's £274 million fortune from the estate of deceased oilman J Howard Marshall is grotesque, even by the standards of avarice in the USA. Meanwhile, a coroner has ordered that Ms Smith's body be kept in the morgue while the paternity argument rages. It might be required for DNA testing. She can't even have a decent burial. Can there be a more potent parable of the sleazy American way of life than this saga of sex, corruption, money and lawyers? http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columnists/routledge/
