[IslamCity] NEWS: Palestinian Elections Mark Victory For Hamas
PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS MARK VICTORY FOR HAMAS(Washington, DC - 1/26/06) -- In the first legislative elections in nearly a decade, more than 77 percent of the 1.8 million eligible Palestinian voters cast ballots, yielding a higher voter turnout rate than that of an average U.S. election. The Palestinians are to be congratulated for holding what has been lauded as one of the most democratic elections held in the Middle East. Given the severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians by occupation forces and the difficulty in traveling to polling places, the large voter turnout can only be seen as a strong statement in favor of democratization on behalf of the Palestinian people. Alongside Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, the now Hamas-dominated Parliament will face the daunting task of realizing the Palestinians' aspiration for an independent state marked by transparency and full democracy. The election cannot be judged as a snapshot but as a dynamic process of evolving attitudes and trends in the region. The international community must provide the new government time in order to gauge its true agenda and allegiance to its people, who seek freedom, security, and social services to improve the quality of their daily lives. As President Bush noted during a press conference this morning, "When you give people the vote, you give people the chance to express themselves at the polls, and if they're unhappy with the status quo, they'll let you know Obviously, people were not happy with the status quo. The people were demanding an honest government, the people want services, they want to be able to raise their children in an environment in which they can get a decent education and they can get health care... If government is not responsive, I'm not surprised if people say I want government to be responsive." SEE: "Hamas Landslide Shakes Mideast" (CNN, 1/26/06)President Bush reiterated this week that the U.S. will not work with Hamas unless it dramatically modifies its behavior and removes from its platform a call for the destruction of the state of Israel. During this morning's press conference, he also said a political force with an armed wing that advocates violence against Israel "is a party with which we will not deal." In fact, a recent poll taken by esteemed Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki, head of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, concludes that, for the first time, the overwhelming majority of Palestinians oppose violent attacks against Israelis. Thus, Hamas' victory should be viewed as a vote for social services and a call for improved infrastructure within the territories. Even under occupation, there are many things a government can do. It can improve education, raise living standards, strengthen internal security, and operate in a transparent manner.The majority of Palestinians and Israelis are in favor of a two-state solution. However, this goal will not be accomplished without the full participation of the United States as an honest, even-handed broker of peace. U.S. disengagement from the peace process has resulted in U.S. isolation from the masses and, hence, further erosion of American interests. If the U.S. imposes sanctions, anyone who does business or humanitarian work in the occupied territories will be endangered. Additionally, withdrawing any funds from the Palestinian Authority as a result of this election would be counterproductive, would wrongly punish the Palestinian people for voting their conscience, and would hinder democratization in the region. The importance of the democracy project in North Africa and the Middle East cannot be overstated. The United States has invested vast resources and rhetoric to pushing for democracy in the region, even while some have insinuated that the people of these nations are not fit for democracy. Residents of Algeria, Lebanon and Egypt have debunked this myth with recent democratic elections-- some of which have garnered similar gains for Muslim groups. The democratic aspirations of the people must be accepted and nurtured by the United States, no matter the results. President Bush has stated that he wants an independent, peaceful state for Palestinians, an end to the occupation and a healthy democracy. Once again, MPAC calls on our government to adopt a policy of even-handedness in the region in order to foster success under the new leadership. The American people need to feel that the U.S. is getting peace dividends from its large-scale investment in military and foreign aid. Now the onus is on the U.S. government to determine the direction of the peace process in order to achieve peace, democracy and human rights. It is the hope of the American Muslim community that this election will be a harbinger of the end of the occupation, removal of the apartheid wall and meeting the Palestinian people's aspirations of peace,
[IslamCity] Book Review: The Place of Tolerance of Islam by Khaled Abou El Fadl
- Original Message - From: Dr. M. Farooq To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NABIC-L] Book Review: The Place of Tolerance of Islam by Khaled Abou El Fadl Salam and greetings. Muslims themselves are examining the problems in a self-critical manner. The Place of Tolerance in Islam is an outstanding scholarly work in this context. A must reading, especially for Muslims. Prof. Khaled Abou el Fadl is a distinguished fellow in Islamic law at the University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq http://www.globalwebpost.com/farooqm THE PLACE OF TOLERANCE IN ISLAM. By Khaled Abou El Fadl, with Tariq Ali, Milton Viorst, John Esposito and others. Beacon Press, $15 paperback; 112 pp. MUSLIMS riot in Nigeria over the Miss World contest, killing more than 200. Muslims bomb a nightclub in Bali, killing nearly 200. Muslims plot to release poison gas in the London Underground. Muslims attack a Hindu temple in Kashmir, killing 12 and wounding scores. The stories go on and on. It would be easy to conclude, President Bush's appeals aside, that a large part of the world's terrorism problem today is the fault of Muslims and, by extension, their religion: Islam. If you think that -- if you even think about thinking that -- reading The Place of Tolerance in Islam is a moral and intellectual duty to yourself. Excellently organized, it delivers a startling thesis: Don't blame Islam for today's hateful, violent Muslims, theological illiterates who don't understand their own religion and constantly distort and vulgarize it. The Place of Tolerance in Islam begins with a taut, scholarly title essay by Khaled Abou El Fadl, a distinguished fellow in Islamic law at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of Rebellion and Violence in Islamic Law. In it he argues that the "essential lesson taught by Islamic history is that extremist groups are ejected from the mainstream of Islam." Following his essay, 11 experts comment briefly, then the author replies. Traditional Islamic jurists, Abou El Fadl writes, "tolerated and even celebrated divergent opinions and schools of thought." But as Muslim states grew centralized and autocratic, Muslim clergy lost their legitimacy, producing "a profound vacuum in religious authority" and "a state of virtual anarchy in modern Islam." As a result, amateurish interpretations of Islam, exemplified by Osama bin Laden's murderous hostility toward non-Muslims (which contravenes the entire thrust of the Koran, according to Abou El Fadl), gained sway over theologically illiterate Muslims angry about being losers in today's globalized world and eager to vent their anger on First World winners. Like many Muslim scholars in the wake of Sept. 11, Abou El Fadl especially skewers Wahhabism, the puritanical revision of Islam propagated by the Saudi monarchy. While Wahhabism claims to be the "straight path" of Islam, it is, suggests Abou El Fadl, an irresponsible form of Islam, forged in the 18th-century slaughter of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. To call it "fundamentalist" is misleading, since it flouts fundamental Islamic truths, distorting Islam by rejecting "any attempt to interpret the divine law historically or contextually." To demonstrate that, Abou El Fadl helpfully discusses relevant Koranic chapter and verse. The Koran, he shows, declares diversity among peoples to be Allah's divine intent and explicitly states that Jews and Christians -- not just Muslims -- may achieve salvation. The Koran opposes forced, Taliban-style conversion of others to Islam. Far from sanctioning "holy war," Abou El Fadl reports, the Koran does not even use the phrase. On the contrary, it entertains the possibility that in a conflict with a non-Muslim, "the Muslim combatant might be the unjust party." There's more eye-opening Koranic "fact" here. The Koran warns Muslims that the injustice of others does not permit them to be unjust in return. Classical Muslim jurists considered guerrillas who attack innocent civilians "corrupters of the earth and criminals," guilty of "especially heinous crimes." Alternate interpretations of the Koran that urge violence against innocents, Abou El Fadl argues, require poorly informed, isolationist readings of a line here, a line there. To show that, he cites the ambiguous verses by which murderous Muslims justify their acts, and their deceitful ignoring of everything Koranic that prohibits their acts. All Koranic injunctions, Abou El Fadl insists, must square with the holy book's "general moral imperatives such as mercy, justice, kindness." He concludes, "If the reader is intolerant, hateful, or oppressive, so will be the interpretation." The 11 reactions to Abou El Fadl's essay range from Milton Viorst's high praise (a "brilliant" explanation of why Muslims are "on the brink of becoming a permanent global underclass") to Abid
[IslamCity] Hamas Victory - Step to Democracy Peace in Middle East
It is wrong to jump to the conclusionthatvictory of Hamas suggests thatPalestinians do not want to work towards peace with Israel? It is a stepping stonetowards peace and democracy when US wants democracy in the Middle East. God willing it will succeed if given a chance and the opportunity is seized by all concerned-lets wait and see! It is now up to the United Nations, USA, UK, and Europe's Quintetfriends sponsorssupporters and well wishers of Israel to accept the fact that ultimatelyit is a matter to be resolved by and between the Palestinians Arabs non-Arabs Christians Jews
and Israelis to reach an understanding, put an end to killings and live in peace with honor and dignityin their own interests for a better future for their coming generations and setan example for others to follow, suit, acting independently free from outside influenceinstead of being used as pawns and puppets. ABDUL WAHID OSMAN BELAL ABDUL WAHID OSMAN BELAL
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{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]
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[IslamCity] MYRTYRDOM - THE 10TH OF MUHARRAM
MARTYRDOM The tenth of Muharram is observed by many as the day of Shahaadat-e-Husain . Special gatherings are held wherein the heart-rending incident of the martyrdom of Sayyidina Husain (RA) is mentioned. This aspect is discussed in this article. To lay down one's life for the cause of Deen is the ultimate sacrifice. Hence being the ultimate sacrifice, martyrdom naturally has the highest honour as well. Allaah Ta'ala describes the martyrs as living in the verse: And say not to those who have been slain in the Path of Allah that they are dead. Nay, they are alive and receive sustenance by their Master. (S.3 V.169 ) Martyrdom is nothing strange or uncommon to Muslims. The flourishing garden of Islaam has been watered by the blood of the martyrs from the very early days of Islaam. Among those great sons of Islaam, who crowned their life-long efforts for the sake of Deen by finally laying down their lives was Ali ibn Hussain the noble grandson of Rasulullah . His martyrdom was indeed heart-rending in the extreme. HUSAIN IBN ALI It was on the tenth of Muharram that Husain ibn Ali was mercilessly martyred. Before his very eyes scores of his immediate family also tasted from the cup of martyrdom. Finally he joined them. The various details of this tragic incident are too gruesome to comprehend. One could cry tears of blood. However, the pages of our history are filled with the blood of the martyrs. How it that we have remembered the tenth of Muharram but are totally unaware of the heart-rending martyrdom of many other great personalities of Islaam. Did we know that on the first of Muharram the second Caliph of Rasulullah was also mercilessly martyred. UMAR FAROOQ While leading the Fajr Salaah, Umar was stabbed six times by a fire-worshipper. He fell to the ground unable to continue with the Salaah. Abdur Rahman bin Auf then lead the Salaah and completed it. Umar was then carried to his house. The wounds however proved fatal and on the first of Muharram he bade farewell to this temporary world. The Muslims were shattered upon the martyrdom of Umar . We also feel the grief of that fateful day. However we have never heard of anybody observing the day of Shahadat-e-Umar USMAN GHANI Likewise the third Caliph of Islaam, the son in-law of Rasulullah ; Usman was also brutally martyred. When the enemy besieged his house, for days he was unable to even get any water from the well which he had purchased and gifted to everybody to use at liberty. On Friday the eighteenth of Zil Hijjah, the enemy finally broke into his home. When Usman was at that time reciting the Holy Qur'ân. However no mercy was shown to him and his blood was spilt onto the pages of the Book of Allaah. He also joined his predecessors in Jannah. This incident can also make one shed tears of blood. But we have never heard of anybody observing the day of Shahadat-e-Usmaan HAMZA Rasulullah also witnessed some heart-rending martyrdoms. His beloved uncle, Hamza was martyred in the battle of Uhud. After he was martyred, his body was defiled and severely mutilated. His ears and nose were cut off. The body of the beloved uncle of Rasulullah was then ripped open and his liver removed. This was then taken away to be chewed. Rasulullah was greatly disturbed and grieved over this. So great was his grief that when the killer of Hamza accepted Islaam, Rasulullah requested him not to come in front of him as this would remind him of his uncle and bring back the grief. However, Rasulullah did not observe any day as the day of Shahadat-e-Hamza BIR-MA'OONA The battle of Bir Ma'oona is yet another incident of the great Sahaaba laying down their lives for the cause of Deen. Rasulullah was requested to send some of his companions to teach the people of Najd .Upon this request Rasulullah sent seventy people who were all Huffaaz and qurra (plural of Qari). On the way they were attacked and almost all were martyred. Rasulullah was once again greatly grieved and for one month in the Fajr Salaah cursed these people who had deceived and martyred his beloved companions so mercilessly. Here also Prophet Muhammad observed no day as the day of their martyrdom. WHAT ABOUT THE REST Indeed our hearts bleed when we recount the incident of the Martyrdom of Husain . We also experience the grief when we recount the Martyrdoms of Umar,Usman and Hamza. Likewise we are greatly pained when we read or hear of the martyrs of Bir Ma' oona; Uhud; Badr; Jamal, Siffeen and all the other battles. Nevertheless, despite our grief, we will refrain from all things alien to the Shariah. Let us consider that if we observe the day of the martyrdom of Hussain , then what about the rest? In that case almost every day of the year would be spent mourning. TENTH OF MUHARRAM It is therefore absolutely clear that the tenth of Muharram is not a day to observe as the martyrdom of Hussain . It's significance lies solely in what has been explained in the Ahaadeeth. Ibn
[IslamCity] OPIN: Hamas Victory ---- and Challenge
Editorial: Victory and Challenge27 January 2006 Hamas has won a great victory and faces a momentous challenge: Can it deliver peace and good government to the Palestinians? What is not in question is that Fatah deserved to lose. Palestinians voted against it because they had had enough of the cronyism, corruption and incompetence over which it presided. In that sense, this was an anti-vote; Palestinians voted against Fatah rather than for Hamas. They certainly did not vote for its policies. Opinion polls in the run-up to the election showed that the majority of Palestinians support a peace deal with Israel; Hamas most certainly does not.
That raises the question whether Hamas in government will back away from militancy once faced with the responsibility of office. At the moment, it insists there will be no change. That is not surprising. No one would expect it to do so overnight. But if it does not, the consequences could be frightening. The Israelis and the US have made it clear that they regard Hamas as a terror organization. However, Israels threat that it will not negotiate with it may not mean exactly that in the long run. The Israelis used to complain about the PLO commitment to the destruction of Israel but started talking when PLO militancy ended. If Hamas continues with the bomb and the bullet, the Israelis will respond even more destructively than in the past. They will rain down death to both punish the Palestinians for voting in Hamas and to try and create a
backlash, knowing that the electorate does not share Hamas political vision. They will strike again and again if there are attacks, claiming that the Palestinian government is now openly at war with them, using it to justify targeting every possible government building and institution. Meanwhile, in government, Hamas officials are going to make far easier targets for Israeli missiles and planes than in the past. They may have to go into hiding, putting day-to-day government at risk. The other serious problem is that it is not just the Israelis and the Americans who are against Hamas; the Palestinian Authoritys main financial backer, the EU, has also said that it will cooperate with a Hamas government only if it pursues peace. That raises the possibility that a Hamas government that stays wedded to militancy would be a bankrupt government. There is, however, another view that Hamas victory changes nothing:
Mahmoud Abbas remains president and the new government will have to work with him; the Israelis will continue with their unilateral policy of disengagement and if the Americans and Israelis refuse to talk to the Palestinians, it is no different from what is happening now. That is true. Also true is the fact that these elections are a milestone in Palestinian political evolution. Fatah has been dismissed without a shot being fired; the Israelis can no longer claim that they are the only true democracy in the region. Even so, it would be foolish to ignore the dangers ahead for the Palestinians. A Hamas government starts life with much going against it. If its policies remain unchanged then collapse, chaos and violence cannot be ruled out. The question therefore is: Will Hamas change? http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7section=0article=76921d=27m=1y=2006
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{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]
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Re: [IslamCity] Anti-Playboy Stand Grows in Indonesia
West is watching Indonesia. If Indonesians' reject the publications of this obscene magazine, then investments will not come from the West. Indonesia is a poor country and rich countries of Brunie and Saudia should help or else they should tell the Umma that they are stooges of the West and they cannot help the Muslim country. "S A Hannan"@yahoo.com wrote: Anti-Playboy Stand Grows in IndonesiaIndonesians protest plans to publish Playboy in Indonesia. (AP).JAKARTA, January 25, 2006 (IslamOnline.net News Agencies) Angry debates over the planned debut of a local edition of raunchy magazine Playboy is growing among public and official circles in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation on earth.Joining the angry chorus, chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Tarman Azzam has called for taking the producers and sellers of the pornographic magazine to court if it reaches children."If the magazine publication comes into being and their circulation reaches the children, the producers as well as the sellers should be arrested and taken to court," Azzam was quoted as saying by the official Antara News Agency Tuesday January 24.Every effort should be exerted to prevent the publication of the magazine, he said."Aside from using the legal clause in criminal law, the law on the children protection could also be used (to prevent publication of such magazine)," he added.Negative ImpactSo far many magazines and tabloids have been categorized as pornographic, Azzam said, adding that such publications have negative impact in the society.The law on pornography in Indonesia remains unclear, according to Antara.Parliament is studying the issue and drafting a new legislation to guide authorities on what publications can and cannot be allowed in the country, it added.Indonesia is the most populous Muslim state with a population of 220 million, the overwhelming majority of them are Muslim.Rejections for the planned publication came also from Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Adhyaksa Dault and the biggest two Muslim organizations in the country.Dault said recently that he would try hard to prevent the publication of the Indonesian version of Playboy."The magazine can destroy younger generation's morals. This is very dangerous and we must prevent its circulation," he said.The Association of Muhammadiyah Students (IMM) also voiced strong rejection to the planned publication of the magazine for a concern that it might destroy the morality of the nation."Despite the publisher's promises that the magazine's contents would be on lifestyle, conventional issues, culture and politics, and there would be no nude pictures, we just don't believe him," Ahmad Rofiq, IMM chairman, told Antara.Ponti Carrolus, director of PT Velvet Silver Media, which holds the Indonesian license from the US-based magazine, said that Playboy Indonesia would not publish nude pictures, the magazine's trademark.Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, threatened to launch anti-pornography movement in response to the planned publication.Hasyim Muzadi, NU chairman, called on the Indonesian authority to revoke the license of the magazine."I ask those initiating the magazine publication to cancel the plan, because the publication will damage morality," he said."Pornography can ruin the nation's character as well as encourage free sex and hedonistic way of life which is unproductive to the nation's future," Muzadi pointed out to Antara.The Indonesian version of Playboy has obtained a publication license in November 2005 and is planned to publish starting March.IndustryMuzadi admitted, however, it would not be easy to eradicate pornography especially because it has become an industry."Eradicating pornography is not easy, almost as difficult as fighting corruption," he said.Meanwhile, Indonesian Ulamas Council (MUI) asked the government to forbid all pornographic magazines, including the planned local edition of Playboy."The government should forbid this kind of media, as it will cause a strong reaction from people and tend to bring anarchy among people who are against this magazine," MUI Chairman Ma'ruf Amin told Antara.He said the MUI had issued a "fatwa" (binding Islamic rule) which
