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-------------------------------------------------------- Jamada al-thani 21, 1426/July 27, 2005 #57 --------------------------------------------------------- An Exchange of Letters
with the BBC World Service
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 16:41:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nadrat Siddique <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Censorship in "Reporting Religion" - 7/24 Edition To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Trevor Barnes Producer, "Reporting Religion," BBC World Service Re: Sunday, July 24 edition Dear Mr. Barnes, I am writing on behalf of Dr. Kaukab Siddique, who is a Muslim writer, editor, and journalist based out of the Baltimore/Washington, DC area. On July 19, Firdes Robinson of the BBC Religion Section contacted Dr. Siddique, perhaps due to his clear stance on the London bombings. She spoke with him at length, and indicated that the BBC wanted his participation for a program to be aired on that subject in the next few days. During this conversation, he indicated his opposition to Israel, and the controversial nature of his stance on the issues. Ms. Robinson said she was aware of this, that the BBC was familiar with his writings, and that this would not be a problem. She concluded that the producer would call Dr. Siddique the following day to give him the exact time of the interview. The following day, however, the BBC neither called to interview nor to cancel. We would like to know why the BBC did not call back. If a person's stance on Israel causes one to be excluded from the media, is this not a clear case of censorship? Also, is there a blacklist of Muslim leaders, who are articulate and can clearly delineate views opposing the U.K./U.S./Israeli war policies (unlike the Muslim speaker whom the BBC selected to participate in today's religion program), who are systematically excluded from media coverage? Also, itwould seem common courtesy to call back and cancel the interview with Dr. Siddique, if the BBC no longer desired the interview. Sincerely, Nadrat Siddique, Staff Volunteer The New Trend Forum "An Independent Forum for the Oppressed" http://www.newtrendmag.org ------------------
REPLY FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE
Subject: Re: Your e mail dated 25 July 2005
"Censorship in Reporting Religion" Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 12:41:52 +0100 From: "Firdevs Robinson" [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> CC: "World Service" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "David Stead-BU" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ms Nadrat Siddique Staff Volunteer The New Trend Forum Baltimore, Washington DC Dear Ms Siddique, Re: Your e mail dated 25 July 2005 "Censorship in Reporting Religion" Thank you for your message that has been passed on to me by Audience Relations-BBC World Service. I am sorry to hear that Dr Kaukab Siddique felt that he has not been treated fairly by the BBC. I called Dr Siddique to explore a possibility of an interview on the subject of Islam in history. We were planning to debate whether Islam had an ahistoric approach through the ages as it was claimed in the press here and I was well aware of Dr Siddique's views on the recent events and the controversy it caused in the US. On Thursday, 21st July, we had another bomb threat in London, as a result of which an editorial decision was made to drop the discussion on history and to concentrate on anti-terrorism measures in the UK instead. Reporting Religion strives to reflect all significant strands of opinion by exploring the range and conflict of views. Last weekend's programme had a spokesman from Hezb-ut Tahrir and a representative of the Forum for Islamic Dialogue. You are right to state that I had promised to get back to Dr Siddique to confirm whether we would go ahead with the interview. My colleague Siobhann Tighe did call Dr Siddique and left messages on his answering machine the next day. Later, in response to an inquiry by Dr Siddique, our programme assistant confirmed once more that we were not able to go ahead with the debate but were very grateful to Dr Siddique for his time he so generously spent talking to me during my research. I hope this clears any misunderstanding that might have occurred. Yours Sincerely, Firdevs Robinson -----------------
New Trend's Editorial Comment: Ms. Robinson's reply is inaccurate. Ms.
Tighe did leave a phone message for a call back but did not giving a
cancellation notice as Ms. Robinson claims, and this was before the news of the
July 21 attack. Dr. Siddique immediately called back and was told that ms. Tighe
had left but the producer would be contacted and Dr. Siddique would be informed
if the interview was still on. No such call was received. This does look like a
case of censorship. Dr. Siddique's "mistake" was that he told ms. Robinson that
the Muslim problem with Britain goes back to the Balfour declaration which
led to the creation of Israel and the Radcliffe Award which sowed the seeds of
the ongoing tragedy in Kashmir. It was a simple lesson in history.
------------------------------------------------
THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
LONDON BOMBINGS a SIGN
OF THE FAILURE OF BRITISH DEMOCRACY
Before the Iraq war and after the war,
the British people protested against the invasion. Blair paid no attention. As
the war continued, the protests in Britain grew in size till the rallies became
HUGE. Blair paid no attention. At its height, the British anti-war movement
counted 70 to 80% of the people in its numbers. But BLAIR PAID NO ATTENTION. He
was definitely not amenable to peaceful pressure.
Cracks appeared within the British power
structure. Inside information started coming out that Blair and Bush had
conspired to carry out the war in Iraq though they knew that the story of
Saddam's WMDs was false. Blair continued to pretend that the disclosures
did not mean what they obviously were. He vigorously attacked the
disclosures.
All peaceful attempts to stop Blair failed.
Then came the attacks of July 7 and the failed attacks of July 21. Within three
weeks, the political map of Britain changed. In one blow, the bombers turned
Britain against the basic premise of the British system: Rule of Law and freedom
of _expression_.
Blair is getting paranoid after just one
successful attack. Try to understand why Saddam was paranoid. The U.S. tried to
kill him 33 times and fueled armed uprisings among extremist groups among the
Shias and the Kurds.
By contrast, the quick reversal of democracy
in Britain shows how fragile the British system is. Already Muslim Imams and
leaders have been called in and personally pressured by Blair to purge the ranks
of the Muslim community and to carry out a witch hint.
--------------------------------------
NO CONDOLENCES FOR
BRITISH MURDER OF BRAZILIAN IMMIGRANT?
He did not know English. He had no idea who was
chasing him because the British agents were in plain clothes. The agents chased
him down and murdered him in broad daylight, with 7 shots in the head and one in
the shoulder. And the British Prime Minister defended the murder and claimed
that this kind of thing has to be done to stop "terrorism."
[Why no appeal for condolences to the Brazllian people? Where are the "lick
spittle" groups?]
---------------------------------------
BLAIR LOSING HIS
MARBLES?
In an extensive press conference on
July 26, Prime Minister Blair rambled on about all kinds of issues in a way
which showed that he is becoming delusional. Here are some of the points he
made:
Blair talk was full of anger and hatred. Backing
him is the Zionist-Jewish lobby using him to make war on Islam. His
behavior has become totally irrational because the only people he cares for are
his Zionist handlers.
Recently released World War II documents indicate
that Churchill was not the great hero of the British people he pretended to be.
His close friend and adviser was a Jew known as "The Prof" who made sure war
would not stop. He also had constant relationship with Wiezmann and the
Zionists, and the future Israeli army was trained as part of the British
army.
When will the British people ask: What right has Blair
to hold the entire nation to ransom in a war in which the only gainers are
Israel and International Jewry?
-------------------------------
Bizarre Press Conference by Muslim "Leaders"
What does Islam say
about Cooperation with Oppressors?
Can Such People Claim
to be Followers of Islam? They Want to be 'Snitches' {spies} Against Muslim
Communities.
by Kaukab Siddique,
Ph.D.
America's Muslims are
getting used to degrading and demeaning behavior by their self-appointed
'leaders' but a press conference by a group which calls itself MAS Freedom
outcaired Cair in its anti-Islam teachings.
The conference was
held at the National Press Building in Washington DC, starting at 9.40 AM
on July 25, and was addressed by a person named Mahdi Bray, who seemed to
be in charge, Esam Omeish, who was introduced as the President of MAS, Imam
Johari Abdul Malik, a supporter of W.D. Muhammad, and others.
Some of the statements made
were as follows:
These people are mediocrities and definitely
do not represent America's deep Islamic culture which is thoroughly with the
Muslims of Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq. My concern is not with these persons
but with the falsehoods they are spreading about Islam.
Are Bush and the American power
structure not the biggest oppressors and exploiters in the world? Let alone
Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Kashmir, Chechnia, think of what is happening right
here in America. How can any persons claim to be Muslim in
America and not have these cases of oppression at the center of their
program:
Can there be any doubt that this is a government of oppressors? What does
the Qur'an say about cooperation with such people?
" ...Stand firm as you are
commanded, you and those with you: turn [unto Allah], and trangress not (from
the path), for He sees well all that you do. And INCLINE NOT towards those
who oppress, or the Fire will touch you, and ye [shall] have no protectors
other than Allah, nor shall ye be helped." [The Qur'an 11:112-113]
Scholars have noticed that these
verses are condemning not only cooperation with oppressors but even an
INCLINATION towards oppressors. Classical commentaries on the Qur'an
discuss the depth of meaning in the Arabic text of this verse "wa la taraknu" [do not incline or bend or have the
slightest positive feeling] for oppressors.
Commentators as varied as Zamakhshari and Beidawi
agree that "wa la taraknu" is about the
stage before actual physical cooperation takes place. The desire to bend
slightly towards the oppressors becomes punishable by the Fire.
Qurtubi, another classical scholar, points out that
this "inclination" includes dependence and a LIKING for the oppressors.
These meanings are supported by the comments of Ibn Abbas, r.a., one of
the companions of the Prophet, who was the earliest mufassir of the
Qur'an. He says that this verse also implies that one should not keep quiet when
one observes oppression being carried out. [Such as in our times the destruction
of Fallujah during Ramadan or the degradation of the great scholar of Islam,
Shaikh Omar 'Abdel Rahman, or the 'cavity search' of Imam Jamil.]
Qatada and 'Ikrima, of the
first generation after the Sahaba [companions of the Prophet, pbuh] say
that such inclination towards oppressors also implies obedience to them [such as
the happiness of these "leaders" that they were called to meet Bush and rushed
to meet him].
Imam 'Auzai, from the first generation of
Islam after the sahaba, says that his understanding of hadith on these verses is
that NOTHING IS MORE CONDEMNABLE WITH ALLAH THAN A PERSON WHO CLAIMS TO BE AN
IMAM [or 'Alim] BUT MEETS AN OPPRESSOR, be it a king or his functionaries. In
the Arabic there is a play on the words 'Alim [Islamic scholar] and 'Amil
[functionary].
The best comment comes from a classical Hadith
scholar of the first era, Muhammad ibn Maslama, that:
"The approach of one who recites the Qur'an to the door of oppressors is
WORSE THAN the likeness of the FLY WHO SITS on SHIT."
In our own tmes, Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani, the Islamic teacher of Mohomed Ali
Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, wrote the following note on 11:113 in his
tafseer:
"Do not be inclined or attracted to the oppressors
[those who have broken the bounds of Islam) in the slightest. Do your best to
stay away from their friendship and companionship, refrain from respecting and
honoring them, praising or exalting them, looking like them in appearance,
jointly working with them, in short everything to do with oppressors, otherwise
the fire will envelop you and you will find that you have no helper and
Allah will no longer help you."
The learned Maulana then points to the solution
for Muslims, given in 11:114, which we have not quoted, which is to incline
towards Allah and to worship Allah morning and evening
..
The Prophet Muhammad, pbuh,
too has given us clear Hadith not to cooperate with oppressors.
These are general teachings, in addition to the specific verses from the
Qur'an:
From Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, r.a. the Prophet, pbuh,
said: ...."By him in whose hand is my life, you will not achieve salvation
unless you stop the oppressor and give the oppressed their right." [Hadith,
Jami Tirmidhi, Abwab tafseer al-Qur'an]
From Abu Bakr Siddiq, r.a. .....I heard the messenger of
Allah, pbuh, say, When people see an oppressor and do not stop him with both
their hands, sooner or later the punishment of Allah will overtake them [the
passive ones] too. [Hadith Jami Tirmidhi,
Ibid.]
When such are the rules for
non-cooperation with "Muslims" who become oppressors, there is absolutely NO
BASIS in Islam for cooperation with oppressors who in addition to being
oppressors are also kuffar.
I would urge the misled people of MAS and others
like them, repent, do Tawba, do not become
snitches and tools of the oppressors. If you are going to go ahead in
any case, then stop claiming to be Muslims. In that case you are spies,
hiding among the Muslims, and no more.
---------------------------------------------
U.S. Bagram Prison is notorious for Torture
ESCAPE FROM HELL:
Syrian, Kuwaiti, Saudi, Libyan United in Epic Story of Freedom thru Faith &
Guts
Taliban say Qaeda escapees safe in guerrilla haven Reuters Thursday July 14, 2005 KABUL (Reuters) - Four Arab al Qaeda militants who escaped from a heavily fortified U.S. detention center in Afghanistan this week reached a Taliban haven safely on Thursday, a spokesman for the guerrilla movement said. "The Taliban found and recovered four al-Qaeda mujahideen this morning," Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi said from an undisclosed location. Hakimi, whose information has often proved unreliable, declined to say where the escapees were, but added: "They are far away from Kabul. They are safe and now taking rest." The Pakistani-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted another, unnamed, Taliban spokesman as saying the men were in the south of the country. "They are alright. They had some bruises to their feet ... they are being given medicines." The U.S. military said it was pressing on with an "aggressive" hunt for the four, who escaped from the detention center at Bagram Air Base50 km (30 miles) north of Kabul on Monday. It declined to comment on the Taliban claim. "The only comment I have is that the search is ongoing and we are investigating the circumstances of how they were able to escape," Lieutenant-Colonel Jerry O'Hara said. The escape was the first known from the Bagram base and a major embarrassment for the U.S. military, which has refused to identify the escapees except as "dangerous enemy combatants." But Afghan officials named the men as Syrian Abdullah Hashimi, Kuwaiti Mahmoud Ahmad Mohammad, Saudi Mahmoud Alfatahni and Libyan Mohammad Hassan. ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONS The Bagram detention center has housed hundreds of militant suspects since U.S.-led forces overthrew the Taliban in late 2001 for refusing to give up al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. They have included senior al Qaeda suspects arrested in neighboring Pakistan and elsewhere. The U.S. military said at the weekend about 450 militant suspects were held there. Monday's escape followed a painful two weeks for the U.S. military during which it suffered 19 deaths in a clash in the eastern province of Kunar, its heaviest losses in a single combat operation in Afghanistan since ousting the Taliban. The losses, amid stepped-up militant violence ahead of Sept. 18 parliamentary elections, included 16 U.S. troops killed when insurgents shot down their helicopter. Mullah Dadullah, a member of the Taliban's leadership council, told Qatar-based Al Jazeera television in an interview broadcast on Thursday that the group possessed anti-aircraft weapons and was seeking to obtain even more powerful arms. "By the will of God, we will obtain weapons more powerful than what we have," he said. "We have weapons that can down aircraft but we cannot reveal what they are." Taliban spokesman Hakimi has said the guerrillas shot down the helicopter with a "new type of weapon." U.S. military officials have said it was probably shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade and there was no indication that a more sophisticated ground-to-air system was involved. (Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin and David Brunnstrom in Kabul and by Saeed Ali Achakzai in Spin Boldak) *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest".
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