Bismillah [IslamCity] Barak Hussein Obama's Speech: Frank and constructive

[S A Hannan]

 
 
Barak Hussein Obama's Speech: Frank and Constructive 


 
The speech of US President  Barak Obama in Cairo was the first of its
kind in history.No western leader before him addressed the entire
Muslim world on issues of great relevance to both the West and the
Muslim world.In his speech he discussed the contribution of Islam to
civilization, the false stereotypes used about Islam and Muslims, the
political issues of Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, the need for new
beginning in relatioms between Muslim world and the West .He said "I've
come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and
Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual
respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not
exclusive and need not be in competition.  Instead, they overlap, and
share common principles -- principles of justice and progress; tolerance
and the dignity of all human beings.- .  But I am convinced that in
order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we
hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors.
There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from
each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground.  As the
Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."
(Applause.)  That is what I will try to do today -- to speak the truth
as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that
the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the
forces that drive us apart. I know there are many -- Muslim and
non-Muslim -- who question whether we can forge this new beginning.
Some are eager to stoke the flames of division, and to stand in the way
of progress.  Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort -- that we are
fated to disagree, and civilizations are doomed to clash. Many more are
simply skeptical that real change can occur.  There's so much fear, so
much mistrust that has built up over the years.  But if we choose to be
bound by the past, we will never move forward.  And I want to
particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country
-- you, more than anyone, have the ability to reimagine the world, to
remake this world."
 
We welcome Barak Obama's initiative from the  great Muslim city of
Cairo.The tone of sincerity was apparent and most of us were touched by
his speech. There are doubters everywhere who will say that this is only
diplomacy and there will not be any change.We do not agree with them.The
world can have peace and progress through dialogue, listening to each
othe as President Obama has said.This is not to suggest that we agree
with everything.It is not necessary.It never happens that we always
agree on all points.We particularly feel that the invasion of Afganistan
was not necessary..We also agree with his view that Middle East should
be kept nuclear weapon free.Though he urged Iran not to go for nuclear
weapons and did not mention Israel, it was clear from his words "nuclear
free middle east " that he does not want Israel to have nuclear weapons.
In any event we sincerely appreciate his speech and urge him to take
steps as he has said.
 
 
- 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: report (attached ) on how to teach economica and finance to the students of Madrasas [1 Attachment]

[S A Hannan]

 
Dear sirs,
 
Assalamu Alaikum.Please see this report (attached ) on how to teach
economica and finance to the students  of Madrasas It is very useful
report.
 
Shah Abdul Hannan
-Original Message-
From: Totonji Al Hajj [mailto:ahmadtoto...@yahoo.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 11:41 PM
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: 
 

أرجو فتح المرفق
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Nakba at 61 --Palestinian tragedy

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,
 
Assalamu Alaikum.Please read this tragic story.
 
Shah Abdul Hannan
 
 
  _  



Nakba at 61 http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/948/re3.htm

While its founders believed that the violence and racism at the heart of
Israel's birth would be forgotten, it isn't and never will be, writes
Khaled Amayreh in occupied Jerusalem 
  _  

As they do every year, Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line that
separates the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Israel have been
commemorating the passage of 61 years since mainly East-European Zionist
Jews created the Jewish state on 78 per cent of the Palestinian national
homeland.
This year, the commemoration affirmed a renewed determination to uphold
the right of return for as many as five million Palestinian refugees
whose forefathers were expelled from -- and often massacred into fleeing
-- their ancestral motherland.
Al-Ahram Weekly spoke to some elderly Palestinians who survived the
Nakba, or "catastrophe", which a growing number of Palestinians are now
referring to as "the Palestinian holocaust".
Mohamed Abu Sharar, who fought alongside the Egyptian army outside the
village of Falluja under the command of Gamal Abdel-Nasser, vividly
remembers the massacre of his fellow villagers at Al-Dawayema, a few
kilometres southwest of Falluja.
"The Jews killed anyone they saw, they broke the heads of children, cut
open the bellies of women with bayonets. They even raped some women
before murdering them," said the now 100 years old Abu Sharar.
He tearfully recounted how Israeli soldiers mercilessly massacred dozens
of fleeing families that had found shelter at a cave outside
Al-Dawayema.
"The Jews ordered them to come out of the cave and get into a row and
start walking. And when they started walking, they sprayed them with
machinegun fire from two sides, annihilating them all. A woman who
pretended to be dead survived."
The same fate met some 75 elderly Sufis who had come to the local
mosque, known as Masjid Al-Darawish. A contingent of Israeli soldiers
arrived at the mosque shortly before Friday's congregational prayer, and
riddled all 75 with bullets. "Not a single one escaped death."
The Weekly asked the century-old Palestinian what was his wish after all
these years. "My wish has remained unchanged, it is to return to my
village, to die and be buried there."
Asked if he would accept compensation for his lost property at the
village of Al-Dawayema, Abu Sharar said: "It is not a matter of property
and compensation. This is my country, my history, my home, my childhood
memories. My father is buried there, so is his father and grandfather.
Would you trade the grave of your father for all the money in the
world?"
The last phrase is what irks the Israelis more than anything else. To be
sure, in 1948, both Arabs and Jews miscalculated. The Arabs never
thought in their worst nightmares that things would turn out as they
have; that Israel would take over the rest of Palestine and the
refugees' exile would continue so long. Similarly, the Zionist
leadership, mesmerised by arrogance and self-absorption, never thought
that the refugees' plight would continue to be relevant 61 years later.
Some Israeli leaders thought the "old would die, and the young would
forget".
Today, with hopes for a just peace in Palestine dissipating,
Palestinians are more determined than ever to cling to the right of
return as the "soul and heart" of their enduring cause. Moreover, many
Palestinians consider the right of return as a moral asset of immense
and sacred importance.
A few years ago, particularly during the height of the false euphoria
accompanying the Oslo "peace process", some Palestine Liberation
Organisation figures showed a certain willingness to compromise the
right of return. Indeed, some Palestinian Authority (PA) officials went
as far as reaching and signing "understandings" with Israeli figures
that implicitly recognised that the refugees wouldn't be able to return
to their homes in what is now Israel in the context of any final status
settlement between Israel and the PA.
Now, thanks to the failure of the peace process and also to Hamas's
strong standing in the Palestinian national arena, no Palestinian leader
or official dares utter a word that might suggest a willingness to
compromise on the right of return, as this would be political suicide,
both for individuals and political factions. With the right of return
becoming a conspicuous feature of Palestinian national discourse, some
Israeli leaders are trying nervously to cut that right by force.
Last week, the extremist party of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman,
Yisrael Beiteinu, proposed a ban on the commemoration of the Nakba by
the 1.5 million Palestinians who are Israeli citizens. The proposal drew
angry reaction from Palestinian leaders inside Israel, with Arab Knesset
member Ahmed Teibi calling it "a pathetic attempt to deny history."
"Instead of coming to terms with historical facts, the fascists in
Israel 

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: press statement from Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment (JCMOE)

[S A Hannan]

 
 
 
-- Forwarded message --
From: syed shahabuddin 
Date: Thu, May 21, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Subject: press statement



Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment (JCMOE)
D-250, Abul Fazal Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi - 10025
Ph: 26946780, Fax: 26947346
Convener
Syed Shahabudin 
Statement 
JCMOE Felicitates the INC and the UPA Government and Offers its Best
Wishes for a Successful Term in the Service of the Common Man
 
 
New Delhi, 21 May, 2009: Syed Shahabuddin, the Convener of JCMOE, has
issued the following statement:
 
The JCMOE offers it warm felicitations to the Indian National Congress
for its historic success in the General Election 2009 under the
leadership of Madam Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh.
. 
The JCMOE wishes them success in implementing the Manifesto of the party
and completing the unfinished agenda of the last term. 
 
The JCMOE, however, regrets, the poor representation of the Muslim
community in the newly elected Parliament and attributes it to the low
number of Muslim candidates fielded by the secular parties, the
competition among secular parties for Muslim votes and division of
Muslim votes at the constituency level on the basis of sects and
'baradaris'.  The JCMOE feels  that our democratic and order secular
will shine only when Muslims and other  religious minorities are fully
represented in the political system. 
 
The JCMOE expects due representation of the minorities in the Council of
Ministers,  particularly in the ministries and departments of special
concern to them, like the Human Resource Development, Home Affairs, Law
and Judiciary ,  Information and Broadcasting, Rural and Urban
Development, Minority Welfare, Finance and Planning etc. 
 
The JCMOE also takes the opportunity to reiterate its request to the
Government to establish a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare
of the Minorities as well as a system of periodical consultation with
Muslim organisations of national eminence for mutual benefit. 
 
In particular, the JCMOE requests the Government to table the Report of
Jusctice  Ranganath Mishra Commission in  the parliament to facilitate
the evolution of a national consensus on its recommendations specially
on the question of reservation in higher education, public employment,
bank credit flow and social development benefits. 
 
The JCMOE also requests that at least once a year the Parliament should
hold a Discussion on the Situation of the Minorities in the light of the
annual reports of various official bodies and programmes like the PM's
New 15 point Programme for the  Welfare of the Minorities , the National
Commission for Minorities, the Central Wakf Council, the Maulana Azad
Foundation, the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities and the National
Minorities Finance and Development Corporation. 
 
The JCMOE recalls the repeated call of the PM for inclusive development
with social justice and for power sharing and expresses the hope that
with political stability, he shall be able to lead the country forward
on his chosen path for the welfare of the Aam Admi and the deprived
masses which include 80% of the Muslim Community. 
 
The JCMOE invokes the blessing of Allah for the progress and prosperity
of the people, for social peace and communal harmony and for friendly
relations with our neighbours.  
 
(Syed Shahabuddin) 
Convener
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: Recognition Of Kosovo : No Good Reason To Deny --Asia Post editorial dated

[S A Hannan]

 
 
Recognition Of Kosovo : No Good Reason To Deny 
Dhaka press has reported that  the  government is in dilemma over the
issue of recognising Kosovo as the United States is trying to pursue
Bangladesh for its recognition while Dhaka is focusing on strengthening
its ties with Moscow in various areas including that of nuclear power
plant. Foreign ministry officials said that Washington had been trying
to pursue Dhaka for its support to the Muslim majority nation of the
Balkan since Kosovo, which became independent after a brutal battle with
Serbian forces. 'On the other hand, Russia, immediately after Kosovo's
independence, formally requested Bangladesh not to recognise the tiny
Balkan nation,' said an official.James F Moriarty, the US ambassador in
Dhaka, on Monday once again approached Bangladesh to persuade it to
recognise the Muslim majority of Balkan republic when he called on the
foreign minister, Dipu Moni at the latter's office. He told reporters
that he had again referred to the issue of recognition for Kosovo and
requested Bangladesh to quickly review the issue and move forward with
it positively, if possible. Moriarty said so far some 58 countries,
including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Malaysia and Turkey, had recoginsed the
tiny country. Foreign minister, Dipu Moni told reporters that the issue
was pending in the International Court of Justice upon the request of
Serbia and the OIC as an organisation did not take any decision over the
issue.'So we will take our decision taking into consideration the
relevant developments as well as various aspects of the issue,' she
said.
 
We feel that there is no good reason to deny recognition of Kosova.It
was under brutal suppression by Serbia and when the Kosovo 
 Revolted Serbia used most inhuman methods to keep it under control.The
brutality reached such proportion that at one point NATO intervened and
thereby Kosova became independent. Russia has no good reason to
interfere in the decision of Bangladesh .It was not Russian territory
.Indeed Kosova is one of the worst examples of brutality which happened
because of ethnic reason. Serbia is Slav and orthodox Christian  on the
other hand Kosovans are of Albanian origin and Muslims.We ask the
government of Bangladesh to give immediate recognition to Kosova.

 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Indonesian election, anothr view----Indonesia's election a triumph of pragmatism over ideology, moderate Muslims over radical Islamists

[S A Hannan]

http://www.ikhwanweb.com/Article.asp?ID=20027&SectionID=0
 


Indonesia's election a triumph of pragmatism over ideology, moderate
Muslims over radical Islamists
Michael Allen, Demdigest.net - United States

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The results of this month's legislative

elections in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation are not due
until May 9. But it is already clear that Indonesia's 100 million voters
demonstrated a markedly pragmatic, non-ideological approach to politics,
not least in delivering "devastating setbacks" to Islamist parties:
In broad brush strokes, what this election thus suggests about
Indonesian society is that the emotional draw of ideology, religion,
charismatic leadership, and social controversy has begun to decline as
concerns about good governance, fiscal accountability, and government
professionalism have risen. The problem that Indonesia faces no longer
stems from its past social and cultural divisions. Rather, the danger at
hand reflects the fragmentation of a political elite that has yet to
understand the interests of voters while failing to grasp the nature of
the new democratic playing field. 
Analyst Richard Kraince suggest that politicians' reactions to likely
losses and to some "grave errors" by the National Election Commission
will demonstrate whether "

Indonesian exceptionalism" is as robust as it seems or whether the
archipelago's democracy will go the way of some of its dysfunctional
neighbors.
The election results confirm that
 Islam and democracy are compatible, writes Ahmad Suaedy,
executive director of Jakarta's Wahid Institute. The radical Islamist
parties failed because "exclusive Islamic ideologies are no longer able
to meet the needs of those concerned about the existence of such Islamic
parties or of those who still place hopes in the promise that
ideological realization can change Indonesian state foundations."
Yet others remain concerned that as
 talks to
form a governing coalition continue, the mainstream parties may be
tempted to strike a deal with the Islamist Prosperous Justice Party
(PKS) which, though ostensibly non-violent, espouses an intolerant brand
of Islam, informed by Wahhabi ideology, at odds with Indonesia's
syncretic civil Islam.   Sadanand
Dhume cites the
 "pathbreaking" new
report by the   Libforall
Foundation which, he notes, demonstrates that the "PKS continues its
effort to  
infiltrate mainstream Islamic organizations, and to replace Indonesia's
tolerant, homespun Islam with an arid import from the Middle East."
The   Libforall Foundation is one
of the  
rare success stories of an initiative in which moderate and liberal
Muslims - too often the silent and disorganized majority - have
organized effectively to counter radical Islamist groups by promoting
democracy and tolerance. "Truth, which is not organized, can be readily
defeated by evil that is," former Indonesian President H.E. Kyai Haji
Abdurrahman Wahid in the Libforall report,
 The Illusion of an Islamic State:
the Expansion of Transnational Islamist Movements to Indonesia.
The elections confirm the country's potential as a standard-bearer for
liberal democratic ideas in a region where it has recently appeared
fragile and in which China represents a significant authoritarian
countervailing power. "If Indonesia was to start
 investing in the propagation of these ideas, it
could contribute to regional peace and security," notes one observer,
citing as a positive sign President Yudho-yono's launch of the
 Bali Democracy Forum "aimed at
enshrining democracy on the strategic agenda of Asia".
 
 The
Source
 
<><><><><><>

Bismillah [IslamCity] MCB Press Release: MCB Writes to Lord Carlile andOperation Pathway

[S A Hannan]

 
  _  

Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:42:07 +
To: mcbn...@mcb.org.uk; mcbme...@mcb.org.uk
CC: 
From: mcbn...@mcb.org.uk
Subject: MCB Press Release: MCB Writes to Lord Carlile and
Operation Pathway
Press Release
 
MCB Writes to Lord Carlile and Operation Pathway
 
24 April 2009 
 
The MCB has written to Lord Carlile, the independent reviewer of counter
terrorism legislation, commending his initiative to launch an inquiry
into 'Operation Pathway'.   The resentment and anger caused by this
particular case of 12 innocent men's detention and trial by media
should not be underestimated, but the MCB's is particularly concerned
that this is not an isolated case and incidents damaging  to community
relations are being repeated, with the lessons not being learned.
 
"While the media coverage may bring kudos in high circles, it is Muslims
in Britain who bear the consequences.  It is they who are emerging as
the 'suspect community' and who are viewed with suspicion by their
neighbours.  The reports are exploited by the extreme right wing and
fascists.  Each time there are tabloid headlines demonising Muslims,
verbal and physical attacks follow. There is a real human price being
paid", noted Dr Bari, MCB Secretary General in the letter.
 
In the letter, the MCB also urges Lord Carlile to critique the
'intelligence gathering' aspects of counter-terrorism.  Operation
Pathway, it is believed, involved members of the public who had
"undergone a crash course in surveillance techniques" (Sunday Express,
19th April 2009).  Affiliates of the MCB have confirmed the climate of
snooping.  Are not the authorities mindful of the breakdown of trust and
the impact on matters of ordinary civil policing?  The MCB also hopes
that his inquiry would analyse the flawed nature of recent
anti-terrorism legislation, such as the reduction in the burden of proof
and the provision for blanket stop and search powers.   
 
Much rests on Lord Carlile to bring back our law enforcement agencies
back into line, restore public confidence as a matter of urgency, and
ensure that the lessons are being taken on board.
 
[Ends]
 
The Muslim Council of Britain is an umbrella body of some 500 mosques,
charities and schools. For further information please contact:
 
The Muslim Council of Britain
PO Box 57330
London E1 2WJ
Tel: 0845 26 26 786
Fax: 0207 247 7079
me...@mcb.org.uk
 
 
Please read the full text of the letter sent to Lord Carlile from the
following link provided:
 
http://www.mcb. 
org.uk/uploads/LetterToLordCarlile.PDF___
MCBNews mailing list
To unsubscribe please mail me...@mcb.org.uk

Bismillah [IslamCity] False Propaganda against Army and Islami Bank Can Not Re Accepted.

[S A Hannan]

Editorial
 
- Subject: False Propaganda against Army and Islami Bank Can Not Re
Accepted.
 
False Propaganda against Army  and Islami Bank Can Not Re Accepted.
 
We have seen from newspapers that Wairur Rahman, Chief of BILIA, a sort
of a thinktank known for its bias for a particular group, has said that
thirty five percent of Army sepoys  have been taken from Qaumi Madrasas
( independent religious seminary of 16 years teaching duration).We do
not know of any such information.The Army has also never given such
information.This apparent lie has been spread to defame army in the
present context as a section of people and media is trying to connect
Madrasah with terrorism which of course has no basis.We condemn his
sratement which will harm our national interest.
 
He has also demanded the closure of Islami Bank Bangladesh limited for
flimsy ground.This is the biggest private sector Bank.It is also under
the monitoring of Central bank.They have not found any serious lapse  in
their activity.We have discussed the matter with a former Banking
secretary of the government.He has mentioned that the record of this
bank is the brightest.
 
We are surprised at the role of Waliur Rahma, a pro-left and pro-Awami
League former diplomat.Ir is nothing short of malice and conspiracy. We
urge the government to maka an inquiry and punish this anti-state
fellow.
 
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Europe's Proud, Integrated Muslim Women

[S A Hannan]

 




 

Europe's Proud, Integrated Muslim Women 


By  Marie Aubrechtova, IOL Correspondent 
 

 
 

 

   


.
LONDON - A new study on Europe's Muslim women is challenging their
stereotypical portrayal, presenting them rather as highly integrated,
proud to live in and belong to Europe while keeping a strong connection
to their faith. 
"Instead of focusing on stereotypical problematic issues such as hijab
and forced marriage as main points, I let in my survey Muslim women talk
about their aspirations and potential," Sara Silvestri, a lecturer of
international politics at the prestigious Cambridge University, told
IslamOnline.net.
She conducted the "Europe's Muslim women: potential aspirations and
challenges" study, commissioned by the Belgium-based King Baudouin
Foundation, in Belgium, Britain and Italy.
The study focused primarily on Brussels, London and Turin, three cities
with large concentrations of Muslim populations.

*   The status of Woman in Islam
 
It included questionnaire and interviews with 49 Muslim women, mainly
European citizens. 
Silvestri says she was mainly interested in bringing forth the voice,
daily life, problems and aspirations of these women rather than ask
stereotypical questions.
"[I gave] them a chance to tell me, in general terms, about their
experience of being women in this part of the world and their everyday
lifestyle."
Beside the interviews, she analyzed a wide range of academic reports,
national statistics, government and EU reports, policy papers, media
reports and blogs.
"Muslim women living in Europe proudly feel to belong to Europe fully,"
concluded the study.
The women said they appreciate, in particular, the European promotion of
values such as the rule of law, democracy, freedom, and respect of
diversity.
"Benefiting from these rights and freedoms and being well integrated
were also the two key things that the Muslim women wished for their
children and the future Muslim generations."
Islam Tie

 
 

The study concluded that Europe's Muslim women have strong relationship
to their faith.
The independent study also concluded that Muslim women's feelings
towards their European societies go alongside with their very strong
connection to their faith. 
"[They] all had a very personal relationship to their faith," says
Silvestri.
She explains that a major goal of the study was to get a sense of the
extent to which Islam plays a role in defining the experiences of women.
Challenging misconceptions about Islam's repression of women, all
respondents told the Cambridge University researcher they freely abide
by their faith.
"They had studied [Islam] themselves, rather then it being something
they had blindly followed because of their families and communities,
which is often what is assumed by non-Muslims," said Silvestri.
Muslim women believe that their lives in Europe are entirely compatible
with retaining an Islamic identity, the study showed.
Those interviewed described the wearing of hijab, for instance, not as
an attempt to distance themselves from the wider society, but as an
expression of their freedom to make their own choices.
There are more than 12 million Muslim women living across Western
Europe, according to Reuters.
Remona Aly, deputy editor of Emel, a British Muslim lifestyle magazine,
notes that media reports about Muslim women usually focus on stereotypes
and controversies.
She believes that the conclusions of Silvestri's study reflect the
reality of British Muslim women.
"The drive, commitment and desire to contribute to society have been the
fruits
of a growing confidence that it visible amongst these women," she told
IOL.
"And it is with this confidence that a sense of belonging has emerged."
(Additional Reporting by Ahmed Ibrahim)

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=12377060444
06&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
 
  _  

  
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anywhere on the web and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now! 

Bismillah [IslamCity] A perilous situation---no light in Palestine Isreali conflict

[S A Hannan]

 

RecommendRecommend
 CommentComment

Printer-friendlyPrinter-friendly 
  _  


Abdel-Moneim Said

A perilous situation

As Israel's new government rejects in advance all prospects of peace, it
will be Cairo that pays the final cost, writes Abdel-Moneim Said*
  
  _  

Radical Arab dreams have all just crystallised in the new Israeli
government, which has brought together every shade of Israeli extremist.
It consists of those who reject peace, those who want to expel the
remaining Arabs from Israel, and those who maintain that Israel's
relationship with the Palestinians and Arabs is one of permanent
warfare. If the Labour Party was rewarded for crawling on its belly at
the last moment in the hope of winning a few portfolios and a little
political sway, this was only because everyone knows it is on its last
legs. Meanwhile, whatever had remained of the so-called peace camp in
Israel breathed its last with the second Palestinian Intifada and
suicide bombings. Only a paltry handful of left- wing writers and
intellectuals remain to plead for peace, and theirs is indeed a cry in
the wilderness. 
Israel inaugurated its new government with the pronouncement of the
death of the Annapolis agreement. Some Arabs had regarded this agreement
as a major debacle and an Israeli victory that had to be reversed. Well,
this dream also came to pass, as did the departure of its architect,
George W Bush. With the end of Annapolis, it is no longer just the
Palestinians on the far side of the Green Line who are in danger;
Palestinians inside Israel itself face the threat of expulsion and
joining the ranks of the millions of Palestine refugees that preceded
them in earlier decades.
The situation could not be more perilous. Israel had already grown more
belligerent before the formation of the new government. Now it appears
that Gaza was only the beginning and that its teeth are bared against
established Arab countries. The attack against Sudan was ostensibly
intended to target weapons from Iran destined to Hamas in Gaza. Most
likely, the agreement that was concluded between the US and Israel at
the end of the Bush era was intended to provide the legal cover for
plans Israel intended to carry out in any case.
Yet, in spite of this situation, the Arab summit had only one matter to
discuss on this issue, which was whether to wave the threat of
withdrawing the Arab peace initiative. The idea had been given more than
its fair share of bandying about as of late. During the last Davos
summit, Amr Moussa had personally asked Israeli President Shimon Peres
to give his seal of approval for the initiative, which Israel has not
yet done. So, by what logic is withdrawing the initiative supposed to be
a threat when Israel had never accepted it to begin with, and when no
party to the new government has ever been remotely keen on it? 
Apart from this, little else happened in the Arab summit, which was more
concerned with protecting President Omar Al-Bashir from facing the
International Criminal Court than with the Israeli aerial assault on
Sudan. About the latter, Khartoum remained silent for more than two
months until news of it was leaked by Sudanese sources that had thought
that the US was responsible, only to be contradicted by Pentagon
spokespersons who revealed that, no, it was not Washington but rather
Israel that had committed the deed. If that attack could have taken
place under an Israeli government that believed that it was possible to
make peace with the Arabs, and that subscribed to the solution of a
Palestinian and an Israeli state living side by side in peace, what
might we expect from a government like that just formed by Binyamin
Netanyahu?
What seems painfully evident now is that the Arabs have nothing left.
Also, now that the Arabs have said that the Arab peace initiative will
not remain on the table for long, there will be precious little on the
table, either to say or do. Netanyahu will rejoice because no one will
be interested in the two-state solution any more. As long as this is the
case -- just so we in Egypt are not taken by surprise -- the Arabs and
the Arab League as well will turn to us and insist that we do the "right
thing". The "right thing", according to them, will be to recall our
ambassador and kick out theirs, sever relations and cancel the Qualified
Industrial Zones and oil and gas agreements, and open the borders with
Gaza so that arms can pour in above ground like they did below ground.
But if there is one lesson to be learned from the last Gaza crisis it is
that when the Arab world has no ability to act and no solutions to
offer, it turns to Cairo to pay for policies that are b

Bismillah [IslamCity] Al-Azhar Hails First Female Interpretation of the Quran

[S A Hannan]

Dear sirs,
 
Assalamu Alaikum.This is a very welcome step. Muslims would benefit a
lot if more women scholars emerge among us in all fields of Islamic
sciences apart from general sciences.
 
Shah Abdul Hannan
Al-Azhar Hails First Female Interpretation of the Quran

25/01/2009
Asharq Al-Awsat

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- Al-Azhar Scholars have welcomed the 
publication of the first Interpretation of the Quran [tafsir] written 
by a woman, saying that it confirms the equality between men and women 
in Islam.

Kariman Hamzah, the author of this Quranic interpretation and a former 
presenter of an Islamic television program in Egypt, told Asharq Al-
Awsat that the Interpretation is the culmination of her 35 years 
working in the media. The Islamic Research Academy, the highest 
authority at the Al Azhar University, approved the printing and 
distribution of the first Quranic interpretation written by a woman, 
and which will appear in local bookstores soon.

Sheik Mohamed Al Rawi, head of the Quranic Interpretation Committee of 
the Islamic Research Academy stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that any work 
dealing with the Holy Quran must be subject to careful review, and is 
not approved until it is examined letter by letter and word by word, 
and has to be approved by all the scholar in the field of Quranic 
studies and Quranic interpretation. Therefore Muslims can be assured 
of the authorship of any interpretation approved by the Islamic 
Research Academy, and need not hesitate in accepting what has been 
written.

Sheik Abdul-Zaher Abu Ghazala, Director of the Islamic Research 
Academy's Research, Translation and Publication department revealed to 
Asharq Al-Awsat that the academy had approved a 20-part Quranic 
Interpretation by Kariman Hamzah, and that there were no 
inconsistencies between this Quranic interpretation and Islamic 
Shariaa Law. He confirmed that Kariman Hamzah's Quranic Interpretation 
was carefully reviewed before it was granted approval.

Sheik Abu Ghazala added that Kariman Hamzah's interpretation of the 
Quran is fully consistent with previous Quranic interpretations, and 
that it contained no inconsistencies or contradictions with Islamic 
Shariaa Law. He denied that this is a new Quranic interpretation 
providing a female point of view, emphasizing that this interpretation 
addresses men, women, the youth, and children, just as the Quran 
itself speaks to all. Therefore there is no such thing as a "male 
interpretation" or a "female interpretation" of the Quran; he said 
that "what is important for us is that the interpretation is 
consistent with the Quran itself, and does not contradict Islamic 
Law."

Sheik Abu Ghazala concluded by revealing that the Islamic Research 
Academy had recently approved a number of Quranic interpretations by 
women including one written by a pediatrician Dr. Fatin Al Faliki, and 
one by Mrs. Fawqiyah Ibrahim of Alexandria, Egypt.

Sheik Mohamed Al Birri of Al Azhar University welcomed Kariman 
Hamzah's Quranic Interpretation, saying that it shows the awakening of 
Muslim women, and their emulation of the female Companions [of the 
Prophet]. He added that the Quran makes equal between men and women in 
every way, including religious education, as well as the task of 
spreading the message of Islam.

Dr. Mustafa Al Shakaa, a member of the Islamic Research Academy of the 
Al Azhar University said that Al Azhar's approval of Kariman Hamzah's 
interpretation shows the equality between men and women in Islam, and 
confirms the women's right to religious education in Islam is the same 
as a man's. He added that Islamic Shariaa Law gives Muslim women the 
right to be religiously educated and make religious decisions in the 
same way that the female Companions [of the Prophet] did in the time 
of the Prophet (PBUH), and this refutes the rumors and slander which 
describe the Islamic religion as a religion that restricts the freedom 
of women, at the fore-front of this a woman's right to education.

The author of the first Quranic Interpretation to be written by a 
woman, Kariman Hamzah, informed Asharq Al-Awsat that this work is the 
culmination of 35 years of work whether it was presenting religious 
programs on television, or writing Islamic articles in newspaper or 
magazines, and which allowed her to witness a large proportion of 
Islamic culture. She emphasized that the object of this undertaking 
[of writing a Quranic Interpretation] was to serve Islam and spread 
its message.

Kariman Hamzah said that although she is not a graduate or Al Azhar, 
or another religious institute, her love for spreading the message of 
Islam has called her to enter this field [of Quranic interpretation]. 
She said that in writing her Quranic Interpretation she relied upon 
simplicity and clarity in the explanations and interpretations, and an 
easy and accessible language, in order for it to be understood by both 
the young and the old. Her Quranic interpretation is entitled "A Clear 
I

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: Anti -Muslim Outbursts In Indian Politics : Old Indian Disease

[S A Hannan]

Editorial for Asia Post
 
Anti -Muslim Outbursts In Indian Politics : Old Indian Disease 
 
AFP has reported from Delhi Mr Barun Gandhi of  Nehru-Gandhi political
dynasty was arrested Saturday after TV footage showed him apparently
making a virulently anti-Muslim speech while campaigning for India's
elections.  Varun Gandhi, great-grandson of India's  first premier
Jawaharlal Nehru, was taken into custody in Uttar Pradesh state
following accusations he made a speech earlier this month whipping up
religious hatred .'I am ready to go to jail,' said Gandhi, 29, a
candidate for the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, as TV
reports showed him surrounded by a sea of saffron-flag waving supporters
before his arrest.  Saffron is the colour associated with Hinduism and
the BJP in India. Gandhi's arrest in the constituency of Pilibhit where
he is making his debut run for parliament sparked clashes between police
and stone-hurling supporters.He has been at the centre of a political
storm since cameras filmed him allegedly telling a rally the BJP would
'cut the heads of Muslims' and comparing a rival Muslim candidate to
al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Gandhi, dubbed the BJP's new 'saffron
hero' by the media, has denied making anti-Muslim statements, saying the
tapes were doctored. But India's Election Commission has said he should
face criminal charges and it is up to him to prove any tampering.
   The controversy has fuelled speculation the BJP may seek to stoke
religious tensions in the officially secular country of 1.1 billion to
appeal to the majority Hindu vote in elections to be held between April
16 and May 13.  The ruling Congress party, which is fighting for
re-election, denounced Gandhi's actions as 'a cheap political stunt' and
said it showed the BJP was bent on 'polarising society' along religious
lines. 'The people of this country are inherently secular and will
reject this,' Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told India's NDTV
network.
 
We feel that it is an extremely bad case of dangerous political
propaganda. It is utterly reckless to call for cutting of Muslim heads.
The case is apparently un-assailable as so many TV channels video record
can not be false. However the court will ultimately decide. We know that
India is officially secular but in truth all the major parties have been
communal, some more , some less. The number of riots in India had been
going on for a long time, the number of riots under Congress had in fact
been more. The percentage of Muslims in services compared to their
number is dismally low.The historic Babri Masjid was demolished under
the Congress rule. BJP is indeed violently communal. Be that as it may,
we could not think of such a speech from a person of Nehru family. We
hope this case will be a good lesson for the anti-Muslim forces. No
political party in Bangladesh, whether left or right or Islamic party
uses such language. All Bangladeshi parties are same in this regard.

 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Senator Prof. Khurshid criticizes Obama's PAK-AFG Policy

[S A Hannan]

http://jamaat.org/news/2009/March/28/1004.html

Senator Prof. Khurshid criticizes Obama's PAK-AFG Policy

 
ISLAMABAD, Mar 28: Naib Ameer Jamaate-e-Islami Pakistan and member
Senate of Pakistan Prof. Khurshid Ahmad has expressed his serious
concern over the new AF-PAK Policy announced by President Obama. He has
criticized the Government functionaries for welcoming it as "positive"
without fully examining all aspects of this policy. 

In fact, he pointed out, there is no substantive changes from the Bush
Policy and what is more worrying is that focus is shifting from
Afghanistan to Pakistan which has been targeted as "safe heaven of
Al-Qaeeda" and in the words of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike
Mullen that "there are certain indications that elements of Pakistan
Intelligence Services are supporting al-Qaeeda and Taliban." This is a
vicious allegation, said Prof. Khurshid.

Prof. Khurshid Ahmad strongly criticized the Government for welcoming
the Obama Policy with indecent haste. Prof. Khurshid has expressed his
apprehension on the language used by Obama Administration, which smacks
of the rhetoric resorted to by Bush Administration before invading Iraq,
particularly the bogy of alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction. According
to Prof. Khurshid in this new policy instead of WMD, imaginary "safe
heavens" to go make up the excuse. This shift in policy is very alarming
for Pakistan. This time to frankly tell the US that the US Policy has
failed and Pakistan has no option but to renegotiate the extent,
modalities and the terms and conditions of Pakistan part in this War on
Terror. Direct involvement of India is also a disturbing aspect of this
policy, he stressed. 

Economic support, according to Prof. Khurshid Ahmad, has been reduced to
5 years from ten years and made conditional which robs Pakistan of its
freedom and choice of priorities. 

Pakistan is paying a heavy price for participation in this failed
strategy. Our sovereignty has been compromised, our territories are
being arrogantly and persistently violated causing heavy loss of life
and property and the economic costs to Pakistan during last 8 years
according to Ministry of Finance estimates, which is an under
estimation, have exceeded 3 trillion rupees i.e. over 35 billion
dollars. 

Pakistani Nation must not pay this price simply to play second fiddle to
USA. US policy has produced more terrorists in the region and greater
instability and bloodshed in Pakistan. Clinging to American pressure has
been disastrous and Pakistan must now totally review its alliance with
American in this so called war.


  
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Old propaganda to malign Islamists, also harming national interest

[S A Hannan]

 

Dear members,

 

Assalamu Alaikum. An English daily has published the following account
in the first page on 26th March..The Prime Minister as called for
national unity of all political forces.This paper is raising divisive
issues again.May be they have raised same issues hundred times or more
before.This continuous propaganda is not without a purpose, we can
surmise who benefits from Bangladesh dis-unity.

 

The reality of situation  in 1971  and in/ after 1972 is not same. The
historical reality has changed altogether .As far as I have read history
Bangladesh  Jamaate Islami started functioning around 1977 and all its
leaders have become loyal citizens of Bangladesh and their service for
nation is probably more than others .There is no case against them
anywhere.

Jamaat Islami is a committed Islamic party now and before, there is no
question abuse of Islam  by them.Only they abuse religion for their
interest who talk of Islam, Quran and Sunnah only at the time of
election.

 

The war crime trial now against the wishes of the founder of Bangladesh
is a sinister game, further under a law of 1973 (which does not fulfill
the standards of a fair law ) is more unfair.

 

Shah Abdul Hannan

 

 

 

 

 

 


Abuse of religion: old tricks at play


 


This picture published in the daily Sangram in 1971 shows members of the
fourth Razakar Force taking oath over the holy Quran after completing
training under Rajshahi Peace Committee in 1971.Julfikar Ali Manik

Religion was the major weapon of the anti-liberation elements including
Jamaat-e-Islami in their attempts to foil the birth of Bangladesh and in
helping the Pakistani invaders, who launched genocide triggering the
nation's armed struggle for independence on March 26, 1971.

"Jamaat-e-Islami cherishes Pakistan and Islam as an inseparable entity,"
commented former Jamaat ameer Golam Azam in 1971. He was also the chief
of the East Pakistan unit of Jamaat during the Liberation War.

Jamaat's mouthpiece the daily Sangram covered a speech by Golam Azam in
1971. "Pakistan is the house of Islam for the world Muslims. Therefore,
Jamaat activists don't justify being alive had Pakistan disintegrated,"
Golam Azam was quoted by Sangram as addressing a reception of Jamaat
ministers at defunct Hotel Empire in Dhaka.

Jamaat incumbent Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, who was the chief of Islami
Chaatra Sangha, student wing of Jamaat in 1971, said in an article,
"Sacred land Pakistan is the home of Allah for establishing His rules."

Nizami, who has succeeded Golam Azam, had also labelled the freedom
fighters as "khodadrohi" [rebels against Allah].

He said in that article, "The cowards [freedom fighters] who are against
Allah have attacked this holy land [Pakistan]."

"Will the holy occasion of Shab-e-Qadr be able to evoke our courage to
establish true peace and welfare through resisting all the attacks
launched against Pakistan and Islam?" he asked.

Historical documents and news reports published during and after the
Liberation War show that Nizami was the commander-in-chief of Al-Badr.

The Sangram quoted him on September 15, 1971 as saying: "Everyone of us
should assume the role of a Muslim soldier of an Islamic state and
through cooperation to the oppressed and by winning their confidence we
must kill those; who are hatching conspiracy against Pakistan and
Islam."

These are the few examples of the anti-liberation political elements,
which stood against independence of Bangladesh with the Pakistani
occupation forces when the freedom fighters were sacrificing their lives
to liberate motherland.

Several political elements of Bangladesh had not only campaigned against
liberation but also actively helped Pakistani forces commit genocide.
Although some of these elements gradually disappeared from the political
scene, some others like Jamaat became more and more powerful. 

Jamaat leaders had also formed some paramilitary wings like Razakar and
Al-Badr during the Liberation War. These wings worked as the auxiliary
forces of the Pakistani military and also killed many pro-liberation
people across the country.

Records show that Jamaat formed Razakar and Al-Badr to counter the
freedom fighters. Razakar force was established by former Jamaat
secretary general Moulana Abul Kalam Mohammad Yousuf, while Al-Badr
comprised the Islami Chhatra Sangha activists.

During the nine-month bloody Liberation War, Pakistani forces and their
Bangladeshi collaborators committed genocide and war crimes that left
three million people killed and around quarter million women violated
besides the planned elimination of the best Bangali brains on December
14, 1971.

Anticipating sure defeat, the Pakistani forces and their collaborators
-- Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams [mostly leaders of Jamaat and its
student front] -- picked up leading Bangali intellectuals and
professionals on December 14 and killed them en masse in an attempt to
intellectually cripple the nation.

Demand for the trial of war

Bismillah [IslamCity] Pakistan politics--Qazi happy on CJ's restoration but says real destination not achieved

[S A Hannan]

 

 Qazi happy on CJ's restoration but says real destination not
achieved

 
LAHORE, Mar 16: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has expressed
satisfaction and happiness on the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar
Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges deposed by Gen Musharraf, but said
that the real destination of our movement is still not achieved.

Addressing a large crowd of party workers and public at Aabpara,
Islamabad, on Monday, Qazi termed the restoration of judges as a
positive step but said that the real objective of this movement,
reversal of the whole step of Gen Musharraf on Nov. 3, '07, is not yet
achieved. He said we have accepted this restoration after Chief Justice
Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry had accepted it.

Qazi said he came to Islamabad with the firm commitment to stage sit-in
till the complete restoration of the entire judiciary as of Nov. 2, '07,
and installation of an Islamic revolution.

He congratulated the JI workers for their remarkable struggle for
restoration of independent judiciary, and said it was the feat of JI
workers that they were the first to come out to break police cordon in
Lahore to lead the long march, and all others followed them.

Qazi said after today's achievement some will get provincial governments
while some others will have ministries, but JI workers has waged this
struggle only for the pleasure of Almighty Allah and they can even lay
down their lives for that.

Qazi demanded trial of Gen Musharraf for treason and said now there are
several tough challenges facing Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry like
recovery of missing persons, punishment of those responsible for Jamia
Hafsa massacre of innocent girls, May 12 killings in Karachi and
recovery of plundered public wealth which was pardoned under NRO. Qazi
warned that under no law president Asif Zardari could be allowed to get
away with the billions of rupees of public money.

Qazi said chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has to decide whether he
considers Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar as constitutional chief justice or
not, or if he could deliver justice by sitting among the majority of
jiala judges belonging to PPP.


 

 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] More settlements--this is Israeli plan for peacr process to succeed

[S A Hannan]

 
 
  _  



http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/938/re04.htm


 


Building on bold-faced lies

Leaked Israeli settlement expansion plans prove that interminable peace
talks are but cover for the material destruction of Palestinian
horizons, writes Khaled Amayreh in occupied East Jerusalem 
  _  

While Israel never stops claiming that it has a sincere desire for peace
with the Palestinians, the Israeli Housing Ministry, in coordination
with other government agencies as well as the occupation army, is
finalising plans to build tens of thousands of Jewish settler units all
over the West Bank, especially in occupied East Jerusalem.
The plans, it is generally agreed, would put an end to Palestinian
dreams of establishing a viable and territorially contiguous state that
they could call their own. According to a detailed document by the
Israeli Peace Now group, which monitors the proliferation of Jewish
colonies in the West Bank, the Housing Ministry is planning to build
more than 73,000 new apartments and settler units on occupied
Palestinian land.
If implemented, the plan means that existing settlements would more than
double, both in the sheer number of apartments and in terms of the
settler population. That population now stands at more than half a
million in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. However, one major obstacle
that could impede the implementation of the plan is the growing dearth
of Jewish immigrants from abroad.
In 2008, less than 18,000 immigrants arrived in Israel. This is a mere
trickle compared to the hundreds of thousands who arrived in the late
1980s and early 1990s following the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
Nonetheless, the Israeli government hopes to be able to tackle this
problem, at least partially, by giving "generous inducements" to
potential settlers that would woo Israeli Jewish citizens to move onto
the West Bank. These inducements include hefty tax reductions,
preferential treatment with regards to income tax, and long-term loans.
Predictably, the Peace Now revelations drew furious reactions from
Palestinian leaders who labelled the plan "peace killer". "If this is
true, then it will be futile to even think about peace, let alone the
continued relevance of the two- state solution," said Palestinian
Authority (PA) official Saeb Erekat.
"I believe that if the international community is sincere about peace in
this part of the world then it must force Israel to stop stealing
Palestinian land. As far as we are concerned, we can't allow this
incessant theft of our land to go on and on under the rubric of a
disingenuous process that has a form but has no substance," he added.
Erekat said the PA would be closely watching how the Obama
administration deals with the issue of settlements. The Palestinian
official tacitly admitted that the Bush administration's approach
towards the "settlement issue" was scandalous, adding that the next
Israeli government, led by Benyamin Netanyahu, would have to accept the
principle of land-for-peace or otherwise there will be no peace process
left.
Embarrassed by the leaking of the plan, which was applauded by members
of the religious and right-wing parties, Israeli government reactions
ranged from silence to half-hearted denials. Israeli Housing Minister
Zeev Boim, a former deputy defence minister and a notorious hawk
advocating an accelerated pace of settlement expansion, described the
Peace Now document as "baseless and inaccurate". 
However, Boim did admit that at least 11,000 settler units were approved
for construction in 2009 and that hundreds of other tenders had been
issued for construction in colonies in the central and northern parts of
the West Bank. He also indicated that more tenders might have been
issued by other government agencies.
Boim's defences were flatly rejected both by Peace Now and Palestinian
experts on Jewish settlement activities as "sly and dishonest
manipulation of statistics". Abdel-Hadi Hantash, a veteran cartographer
and noted expert on Jewish settlement expansion, described Boim's
pronouncements as "prevarications and outright lies". "These people are
pathological liars. They claim they want peace, but everything they do
on the ground shows beyond any doubt that true peace is the last thing
on their minds," he told Al-Ahram Weekly.
Hantash said Israel was following a master plan the implementation of
which would render the creation of a Palestinian state impossible.
"We have to differentiate between official Israeli pronouncements on the
one hand, and activities on the ground, on the other. In terms of
activities on the ground, it is manifestly obvious that Israel is
building new settlements and expanding existing ones, and in both cases
more Palestinian land is confiscated, or more correctly, stolen," he
said.
Hantash described Israeli claims that most of t

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: Comment on RAND Report by Cheryl Benard

[S A Hannan]

 
 
- 
 
Comment on RAND* Report by Cheryl Benard 
 
Dear members,
 
Assalamu Alaikum.
 
I have read the report. It is a biased one-sided presentation and
interpretation of some issues pertaining to Islam. This report is not
for understanding Islam or analyzing Muslim problems from a friendly
angle. It is meant to serve the US imperialism, it has given a
prescription of steps the US and its allies may do about Islam.
The report has made non-issues big issues. It has made beating of wives,
a major issue of Islam. If this is a problem, then it is a much bigger
problem in the West.
It has given a classification of Muslims (about seven types, so- called
radical fundamentalists, scriptural fundamentalists, conservative
traditionalists, reformed traditionalists, modernists, mainstream
secularists, radical secularists).These are all brain-child of the
author. There are so many classifications of Muslims by so many scholars
, it is another. We need not go into that. This classification has
ignored main Islamic movements as none of the categories of the above
classification will cover the mainstream of  Islam,  Muslims generally
are now  represented by Muslim Brothehood, Jamaate Islami, Muhammadiya (
Indonesia) , Nahadatul Ulama (Indonesia ),Noorsi movement in Turkey etc.
These and their allies and likes in other places essentially think alike
in socio-economic and political issues .Tabligh Jamaat, Deobond and
their likes and allies represent the traditional views . Sufis etc are
not important in socio-political matter.
 
The report has defined modernists (as other groups) and they are those
who do not believe in Islamic state and who do not believe in Islamic
punishments or Hijab. The report asks the West to back them all the way.
The report has given a strategy in pages 47-48 .The following are the
main points of their strategy. 
 
(1).Support the modernists, help them to disseminate their views. (2)
Support the secularists in a case by case basis. (3) Support the
traditionalists against fundamentalists. (4) Oppose the fundamentalists
these are main props of their policy agenda.The objective is create more
divisions in the Ummah and involve them in more fighting.
 
The breakdown of these are  given in Appendix C which  suggests going in
offensive against fundamentalists, encourage journalists to report on
corruption of fundamentalist leaders (how diabolical) and so many other
micro items.
 
The leadership of Islam should keep these in mind .This is not a new
agenda or work plan, it is there for a long time, in different styles
and this is only a new format.West hs been working on such reports for
the last five decades or more only with more mess-up
I do not think this report has given anything new. I also feel that
Muslim Ummah and its sincere mainstream ( wasatiyya ) leaders have
handled much more serious challenges, they are more knowledgeable now,
these are nothing but agenda for failure.
 
Shah Abdul Hannan
*   A US Think-tank
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] About State Religion in Bangladesh

[S A Hannan]

Dear sirs/ friends/members,
Assalamu Alaikum.Some people want to abolish Islam as state religion of
Bangladesh as reported by the Press.Islam was made state religion by
General Ershad's government about two decades back.
 
The move to abolish Islam as state religion is inappropriate. Whether
written or not in all Islamic/Muslim states ( whether Khilafate Rashida
or Banu Umayya or Banu Abbas or Usmani or Mughals or others ) had
effectively Islam as state religion.These stated had Islamic law in
force , they found their legitimacy in observing and defending Islam.The
atate observed Islam but the non-Muslim citizens had all freedoms
including freedom of religion.I hope this government will not take any
such steps.
 
Secularism is no answer in a Muslim majority state.Islam and secularism
in proper sense are just opposite to each other.
 
Shah Abdul Hannan
 
 
 
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: US and Russia Seek 2009 Arms Deal--Asia Post editorial dated 8.3.09

[S A Hannan]

 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 


 
US and Russia Seek 2009 Arms Deal
 
 
BBC has reported that Mrs Clinton said the US and Russia had to "reset"
their ties.
The US and Russia  will try to clinch a new strategic arms reduction
treaty (Start) by the end of 2009. "This is of the highest priority to
our governments," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, after
talks with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. In turn, Mr Lavrov
described the current Start treaty - due to expire at the end of this
year - as "obsolete". Mrs Clinton earlier said the Washington was keen
to "reset" its ties with Moscow to end months of cool relations. Start
1, which limited the deployment of nuclear warheads to 6,000 per side
along with 1,600 missiles and bombers, runs out in December this year.
It was followed by Start 2 which brought warheads down to 3,500. After
the talks in Geneva, Mrs Clinton and Mr Lavrov also said the two sides
had agreed to work together on a number of issues of common and world
interest, including Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Korea. 


  
But the two diplomats admitted that differences in their positions
remained. 
Mrs Clinton said the relationship between the two countries needed "more
trust, predictability and progress". 
Before the talks with Mr Lavrov began, Mrs Clinton gave him a mock
"reset" button, as a symbol of Washington's desire to start afresh with
Moscow. Speaking earlier in Brussels, Mrs Clinton said President Barack
Obama's re-engagement with Russia did not mean Washington was giving way
in its support for its allies. 
 
We feel that relation between US and Russia is vital for peaceof the
world.In that context we welcome this engagement.We also feel that they
have too many nuclear weapon.They should reduce these further,finally
de-nuc;earising the world entirely. There should be nothing more than
conventional weapons as was the case before second great war.

<><>

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: International Women,s Day : Task Before Us --Asia Post editorial dated 9.3.09

[S A Hannan]

 
 
- International Women,s Day :  Task Before Us 
 
International Women's Day has been observed on 8th March in Dhaka and
elsewhere  around the world with a fresh vow to end violence against
women and girls.
   On this day in 1857, female workers of a sewing factory in USA  New
York got into a fight with the police while protesting a 12-hour
workday, low pay and unhealthy condition at workplaces. Later, the day
was declared International Women's Day during the second International
Socialist Women's Conference in Copenhagen in 1910 following a proposal
by German Socialist Movement leader Klara Jatekin.
   The theme 'Women  and men united to end violence against women and
girls' has been chosen to observe the day in Bangladesh where millions
have fallen victim to the social scourge over the years. The president,
Zillur Rahman, and the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, have issued
separate messages on the occasion.   A number of local women rights
groups and non-government organisations including Witness, a young
Women's Group and Protection Of Hijab, Bangladesh have observed the day
in Dhaka. 
 
We feel that violence against women have continued despite progress in
education, development in other fields.One reason in our view is
ignoring morality in our education and neglecting certain evils like
internet pornography, prostitution, decent dress code. We feel
pornography is a major cause for present day violent young people. Why
the world should not prohibit effectively the internet pornography in
particular? Similarly indecent dress provokes man, this realization is
necessary. There is need for recognition of this point, at the least a
few no's in the matter of dress should be accepted by humanity such as
no sleeveless dress, no half pants, no tight dress.It is very difficult
to eradicate violence without corrective steps.We hope this matter
should be considered by all thinkers and governments.We believe in all
legitimate rights of women and their un-hindered progress and we ask all
to work for this. 
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: Lahore attack On Cricketers --Asia Post editorial dated 5.3.09

[S A Hannan]

 
 

 
Lahore Attack On Cricketers 

News agencies have reported that gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's cricket
team in a gun and grenade assault Tuesday in the Pakistani city of
Lahore that killed eight people and wounded seven members of the
squad.The attack sparked condemnation from around the world ."The plan
was apparently to kill the Sri Lankan team but the police came in the
way and forced the attackers to run away," Lahore's police chief
Habib-ur Rehman said."They appeared to be well-trained terrorists," he
told reporters.Rehman said up to 12 gunmen ambushed the team's convoy
close to the Gaddafi stadium with rockets, hand grenades and automatic
weapons, unleashing a fierce gunbattle with security forces.The gunmen
fled after the ambush, triggering a giant manhunt. Witnesses said the
upmarket district, home to many designer boutiques, was transformed into
a battle zone as gunmen hidden behind trees opened fire in a
sophisticated, coordinated attack."The bus came under attack as we were
driving to the stadium," Sri Lanka's captain Mahela Jayawardene told
Cricinfo."The gunmen targeted the wheels of the bus first, and then the
bus. We all dived to the floor to take cover."He said most of the
injuries appeared to be minor and caused by debris.It could have been
worse -- Rehman said the attackers fired a rocket which missed the bus,
then threw grenades underneath which failed to explode.He said weapons
recovered from the scene "suggest the terrorists were well prepared and
organised."A police official said two civilians and six policemen
guarding the players were killed in the attack as the team was heading
for the third day's play in the second Test against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka said it was rushing its foreign minister to Pakistan in the
wake of the assault, which Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse called
a "cowardly terrorist attack."Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also strongly condemned the
"terrorist" attack and ordered an inquiry.Pakistani officials said the
attack bore all the hallmarks of the November 2008 assault on the Indian
city of Mumbai, which was blamed on Pakistan-based Islamic
militants.India's immediate reaction was to say that Pakistan needed to
dismantle its "infrastructure of terrorism" and that security for the
Sri Lankan cricketers had been "hopelessly inadequate."The attack also
came as the Sri Lankan army pressed its final offensive against ethnic
Tamil rebels in the north of the country in a civil war that has cost
tens of thousands of lives.
 
This is another serious develoment  as it shows  how the terrorist
net-work in the sub-continent  is operating  It shows it can reach
anywhere .In Pakistan itself there have been many attacks of this sort
in an Islamabad hotel, the assasination f Benazir Bhutto, the killings
in masjids and  hospitals.It is indeed a big issue how to contain
terrorism , world wide cooperation is needed .It is easy to blame a
country or a community . The issue is much bigger than that .Its roots
are in Palestine, where sixty years has gone with no solution of the
problems, Palestinians in their qwn country living as foreigners and the
foreighner immigrants are the rulers. In Afganistan , a festering war is
continuing  on and off for thirty years .We do not denythat curriculum
in some institutions may require revision but this is not the main
issue.The main issues are political injustices.Iraq has only magnified
it .We hope that the world gets rid of all sorts of terrorism. 

 


 


 

 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: Jakata Conference Calls For Growth of Islamic Finance

[S A Hannan]

Editorial
 
 
 
Jakata Conference Calls For Growth of Islamic Finance 


Islamic finance and banking must be developed as an alternative to the
discredited Wall Street model of doing business, the World Islamic
Economic Forum resolved as it wrapped up Wednesday in Indonesia,
international news agencies have reported.
   More than 1,550 delegates including prime ministers, presidents,
princes and sheikhs from 38 countries issued a declaration calling on
the Islamic Development Bank to take the lead in promoting Islamic
finance.   They also called for 'effective regulations' in the
conventional global financial industry to 'mitigate risk and failure' in
the aftermath of the Wall Street collapse triggered by a credit crunch
in the US housing sector.  The declaration expressed support for the IDB
Task Force for Islamic Finance and Global Financial Stability to
'promote Islamic finance and banking as a viable alternative to the
conventional financial system.' It also called on 'governments and
Islamic banks to expand sharia (Islamic) compliant micro-credits' to
small businesses in the developing world.  'The declaration has a host
of policy recommendations that, if implemented widely, would enact real
change within the Muslim and non-Muslim world,' World Islamic Economic
Forum Foundation chairman Tun Musa Hitam said.The fifth Islamic economic
forum opened in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country and the
largest economy in Southeast Asia, on Monday. Other items on the agenda
included the 'global food crisis' triggered by last year's price spikes
and falling production, alternative energy and the future of fossil
fuels. The delegates included corporate leaders from 87 companies as
well as governmental and non-governmental organizations. 
 
We agree with the recommendation of the forum. The latest financial
crisis that has engulfed, more or less ,  the whole world has proved
that old-style capitalism is not an ideal system. Apart from failure in
regulations, it has in-built problems, riba-based operations are
essentially faulty. Such operations do not produce responsibility and
care, on the other hand its positivist  ( value-free ) stance makes it
social - Darwinist in character and worshipper of  money and ties it
with theoretical purity. It is time for the world to turn towards
Islamic financial system , it should be seen not as a religious system
by the West but as a financial alternative mode. At least Muslim word
should accept it in full.
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Free speech and fatwas--http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/936/op3.htm

[S A Hannan]

Free speech and fatwas

Understanding and tolerance between the West and Islam can hardly be
achieved when one side continues abusing the other, writes Aijaz Zaka
Syed*   
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/936/op3.htm
  _  

This appears to be a year of anniversaries. If Iran's revolution was
marked last week, the media spotlight this week has been on the fatwa
the late Ayatollah Khomeini issued against Salman Rushdi 20 years ago.
A great deal has been said and written over the past two decades for and
against The Satanic Verses as well as the fatwa condemning its author
for his cheap offensive targeting the prophet of Islam. And today as the
world revisits the storm Rushdi's underhand book and Iran's fatwa
unleashed back then, a lot of chest thumping and hand wringing is going
on in the West.
Rushdi's defenders are back with a vengeance and both the rabid right
and liberal left have joined forces to take on "extremist Islam" that is
apparently a clear and present danger to the hallowed ideals and values
of "Western civilisation". 
At a time when anything to do with Islam and Muslims looks fair game,
the Rushdi saga appears to offer another opportunity to all Islam
bashers. Some cleverly cloak their invective in a critique of Iran and
all the troubles it appears to be unleashing across the Middle East.
Some target the alleged inherent intolerance of Islam and its followers
in the name of debating free speech. The rest simply do not need an
excuse to open another front in the "war on Islamist terror". Seems we
are the world's favourite punching bag. Just try using the same freedom
against the Jews and see the instant results.
Last week, British journalist and columnist Johann Hari wrote a rather
nasty piece dripping with hatred for Islam in The Independent, a fine
newspaper I've long admired. Of course, he does it in the name of
defending free speech and human rights. Hari's article that was
reproduced in The Statesman published from New Delhi and Calcutta
generated lot of heat and dust in India, home to a large Muslim
community. As a result, the Statesman's editor and publisher were
arrested for "hurting religious sensibilities". 
As a journalist, I empathise with the Statesman folks because they were
penalised for no fault of theirs. But were the people who came out on
the streets in protest wrong to do so? I don't think so. The Independent
columnist was certainly out of line when he attacked Islam in his piece
titled, "Why should I respect these oppressive religions?" But if you
think Hari is equally irreverent to all religions, you'd better think
again. The whole piece is devoted to Islam and its "oppressive"
practices and teachings. 
Hari, who was last year awarded Newspaper Journalist of the Year by
Amnesty International, is all worked up that world bodies like the
United Nations are curbing the right to criticise religious beliefs. In
fact, Hari's harangue begins with the lament that the "right to
criticise religion is being slowly doused in acid".
Specifically, the writer is upset that the UN Human Rights Council has
accepted an old demand by Muslim states to check the "abuses of free
expression including defamation of religions and prophets". In fact,
Hari bewails the fact that with the UN conceding to the Muslim appeal
against attacks on religious beliefs and symbols in the name of free
speech, writers like Rushdi can no longer have the "freedom" to target
Islam and its prophet. He goes on to complain that "today, whenever a
religious belief is criticised, its adherents immediately claim they are
the victims of 'prejudice' -- and their outrage is increasingly being
backed by laws."
But that's how it should be, shouldn't it? What kind of freedom is it
that gives you a right to hurt others and abuse their sacred beliefs and
convictions? Arguing that nothing should be sacrosanct in a free society
and that he is not attacking Muslims but their faith, Hari says: "All
people deserve respect, but not all ideas do!"
That's some argument and some logic! Fortunately or unfortunately, I've
never lived and worked in the West. So I've really got no idea what
makes the likes of Johann Hari reach this conclusion. But I've heard
that line of reasoning before. Like when Sheriff Bush and Deputy Sheriff
Blair reassured us that their war was not against Muslims but against a
"hateful, evil ideology".
That is the cleverest thing to say -- or perhaps the dumbest! Because
history would tell you that those looking to humiliate you will first
attack what you believe in. Which is what Hari has been trying to do for
some time. Which is what those behind the Danish cartoons sought to do
when they abused the man who is loved and revered by a billion believers
more than their own lives. 
This is also what the Dutch MP Geert Wilder, who has made a documentary
entitled Fitna (Strife) comparing the Quran to Hitler's Mein Kampf, has
been trying to accomplish. Wilder was denied ent

Bismillah [IslamCity] FW: Attack On A Library By Students : Take Action Against Them

[S A Hannan]

 
 
- Editorial
 
 
Attack On A Library By Students : Take Action Against Them
A major Bangla daily has reported about attack of some persons of Chatra
League ( Student League ) on a mobile library ( a library which is on a
transport and moves from place to place to provide books for reading to
common people without charge ) of Isami bank Foundation , a major social
service organization, probably the biggest in the private sector.The
news reads in part as followsQuote  Chatra league workers of Alia
Madrasah have attaked the mobile library of Islami Bank
Foundation..Police , without taking action against them have sent the
librarian of the mobile library to jail..The police has seized all books
of the  mobile library.DC of Police has said that as there is a
comtroversy we have resorted to legal course.Sources have informes that
the mobile library started opearating after its inauguaration on 15th
February.The chief guest of the operation ceremony was Justice Abdur
Rouf, former Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme
Court.After inauguration the two mobile libraries are going from place
to place and providing  books and making members of those who want to
read .In this process, on Monday, one mobile library went near Alia
Madrasah area where some undisciplined workers of Chatra League (
student group connected with ruling government ) attacked the library
.They ransacked the library, forcefully took the driver, helper and
librarian to inside the Alia Madrasah hall ( students dormitory) and
beat them Unquote
The report also said that police came and instead of taking action the
attacking student , took the driver, helper of the transport and
librarian to Lalbagh police station .DC of the police said that they
have some confusion , so they have decided to send the books to court.
 
We feel that the whole thing has been mis-handled by the police.Why
they did not arrest the attacking Chatra League workers? They clearly
found that the place of occurance is near the Alia Madrasah and they
found the three persons of the library in a hostage-likecondion in a
hall of that institution. It is un-imaginable that they have sent
librarian of a very small mobile library to custody .We are perturbed
over the incident.Police apparently acted in a partisan manner because
the attackers are from students League. We ask the government and higher
police authorities and take action against the student attackers and the
over-zealous police functionaries. The government should ensure that the
police does not act in a partisan manner and not be cowed down by the
people connected with the present regime.
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Swat And Shariah : What Are The Issues ?

[S A Hannan]

Editorial
 

Swat And Shariah : What Are The Issues ?


 

International press has repored that hundreds of supporters participated
in a peace march in Pakistan's Swat valley yesterday aimed at convincing
Taliban militants to lay down their weapons under a pact with the
government. Nato and Britain raised concerns about the deal, which
imposes Islamic law and suspends a military offensive in the one-time
tourist haven that is now largely under militant control. Nato, which
has 55,000 troops across the border in Afghanistan, warned the deal
risked giving extremists a "safe haven."But the US reacted cautiously,
with the State Department saying it was still trying to understand
Pakistan's strategy.The regional government in Pakistan's northwest
struck the deal Monday with Sufi Muhammad, an aging pro-Taliban Alim
who is father-in-law to Swat Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah. Sufi
Muhammad agreed to talk to Fazlullah in return for the pledge to
introduce Islamic law in the valley, where militants have routed the
police, beheaded political opponents and burned scores of schools for
girls.Muhammad and his supporters, carrying black and white flags
representing the Taliban and peace, marched through Swat's main city of
Mingora as jubilant residents chanted "God is great! We want peace!".
 
Pakistani officials insist the deal is not a concession, but rather that
it addresses the long-standing demands of residents in Swat and
surrounding areas for a more efficient justice system.The main changes
involve already existing regulations that were never enforced, for
instance, allowing religious scholars to advise judges, officials said.
There are no publicized plans to ban girls from schooling, as hardline
Taliban would want."We will not introduce the Taliban system here,"
Bashir Bilour, a senior provincial government leader, said yesterday.
"This is a system about justice. It is for producing swift
justice."Federal Information Minister Sherry Rehman has said President
Asif Ali Zardari would not sign off on the agreement "until peace is
restored in the region." The Swat Taliban, meanwhile, have said they
will stop fighting once Islamic law is in place and are already
observing a cease-fire.When pressed by reporters at the State Department
on Tuesday spokesman Gordon Duguid said the US was seeking a "fuller
explanation" from Pakistan.
 
We have no special comment about the agreement.  Pakistan has done it
under the pressure of circumstances because of  military pressure both
from  the east and west of Pakistan from India and Afganistan, apart
from internal insurgency in some parts.We have some comment about
Shariah application.What these Talibans or their supporters mean by
Shariah is a big question.Pakistan is an Islamic republic, it has more
or less revised all laws in line with Islamic law.It has also enacted
Hadood laws where hadd is applicable.Yes there are implementation
problems.Moreover Islamic law is not about Hadood or punishments
only.Islamic law is much more concerned with economics, finance,
banking, insurance, market supervision ,  monetary policy and fiscal
policy.Islamic law is also about family laws, about marriage, divorce
and inheritance , about gift, waqf, about constitutional principles,
commercial or business laws.  Islam, s emphisis is more on values and
Akhlaq than on punishments or laws.These Talibans, most of them have
very narrow view of Islam.They lack education.Their education is only
old text books prepared by scholars of the past.They never updated their
courses.We have serious concern that they are damaging image of
Islam.Some Western press is also highliting , partially to discredit
Islam and Islamists.We ask the senior Ulama of Pakistan and the Muslim
world to look to this and help solve this recurring problem.  
.
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Marriage in the West and Islamic law: Which Is helpful for young girls and boys

[S A Hannan]

Marriage in the West and Islamic law: Which Is helpful for young girls
and boys ?
 
Shah Abdul Hannan
 


   On the above subject I had discussion with some people who know
this issue well.. In conversation with them, it came out that western
girls are in serious dis-advantage compared to Muslim girls in the
Muslim countries in the matter of selection of spouses..  In most cases
this responsibility of marriage of children is not taken by parents or
senior relations by culture that has developed there in the West over a
hundred years. It was not so before, it is a development in the
twentieth century.The dating system has thrown the  girls  in serious
dis-advantage. Without any hope of stable relation,in dating usually
the boys want to physically exploit the  girls and in emotional
circumstances and  in most cases she has to succumb( if she has to find
a husband), it is the boys who are mostly responsible for this
pre-marital adultery .This  goes on and on till a partner is found. It
makes girls a commodity of sort which is so de- meaning for the girls
and the community, whether they realize it or not.  Further, even after
marriage in such conditions, the promiscuous behavior remains ingrained.
Only marriage arranged by parents or relations with consent of the girl
or boy is the solution as has been prescribed by Islam I It has  given
the seniors in the family, particularly the parents, to try to find out
proper partner for the boy/girl (Sura Nur, verse 32 ) though  there is
no problem if the boy or girl choose their partner in the course of
normal social  interaction and suggest  parents their choice and the
parents  accept their choice  unless it is too bad and injurious for the
girl or boy or family 
 
 
A  senior woman Islamic  scholar pointed out to me that in Muslim
societies now a days, more and more boys and girls are making efforts to
choose their own partners. However, after they decide that they want to
get married, they place that proposal to
their parents. Marriage takes place after the parents give consent.
So the marriage is actually taking place with the consent of the
parents.. She thinks Islam has no  problem with that as long as the
boy/girl maintain Islamic etiquette. In few cases, the parents do not
give
Consent and that's when the problem arises. In these cases, both side
Should talk openly and try to reach a consensus. She thinks it
beneficial for the future partners to talk/discuss before they get
married to make sure they are compatible to each other.  There is no
Islamic prohibition to having discussion with potential life partner
before marriage. Especially this is very important for socially active
Muslim women as most of the time they find them in a marriage where the
husband is not co-operative to their Islamic work. The husband can be
very pious but not open enough towards Islamic work. 
 
I feel she is right in some cases in advanced Muslim societies but not
in most cases.
I have no disagreement in essence with her .Only point is that the
present western system is seriously demeaning and disgraceful for girls,
it makes them a commodity. We should not do anything which will in
effect destroy Islam's wise and harm-free  system which  is helpful in
better selection, protection from emotion, protection from lust and
harmony in the family .Clearly in Islam it has been made incumbent on
guardians and /or parents to find out their life partner. This is very
important. Of course, the Prophet has encouraged boys and girls to see
their future life-partner and this should be done in an appropriate
Islamic manner.The basic issues in this matter are consent of the boy
and the girl, consent of the parents/guardians and avoid anything which
leads to adultery and promiscuity.( any one can see the Islamic
Teaching Course by Dr.Jamal Badawi , G-- series )
 
I strongly feel that If the West has to get rid of promiscuous
relations, restoration of sanctity of marriage, restoration of fidelity
and confidence in family and husband-wife relationship, they will have
to give up the present dis-honorable dating system  and go back to their
own  Christian/ Jewish  values or adopt Islamic teachings in this regard
 
 
 
This is a subject we should continuously pursue to save the West  and
the world from the debauchery , promiscuousness   and indignity the
society faces, particularly the girls We have to relentlessly write and
mobilize to save all from this scourge.
 
17.2.09
 
 
 
.
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Valentine's Day from an Islamic Perspective(http://www.islamonline.net/fatwaapplication/english/display.asp?hFatwaID=63645)

[S A Hannan]

  Name  Lamya  - Egypt
  Title Valentine's Day from an Islamic Perspective

  Question Respected scholars, As-Salamu `Alaykum! Thank you very much for 
the wonderful service you provide and more grease to your elbow! Could you 
please furnish me with the Islamic view on celebrating the Valentine's Day?

  Date  9/Feb/2005

  Mufti
 Group of Muftis

  Answer
  Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.


  In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



  All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon 
His Messenger.

  Dearest sister Lamya, thank you very much for having confidence in us, 
and we invoke Allah Almighty to enlighten our hearts all to accept the truth 
and to grant us success both in this world and on the Day of Judgement, Amen.

  First of all, we'd like to shed light on the origin of this festival, 
known as "Valentine Day" or "Festival of Love":



The Festival of Love was one of the festivals of the pagan Romans, when 
paganism was the prevalent religion of the Romans more than seventeen centuries 
ago. In the pagan Roman concept, it was an expression of "spiritual love".

There were myths associated with this pagan festival of the Romans, 
which persisted with their Christian heirs. Among the most famous of these 
myths was the Roman belief that Romulus, the founder of Rome, was suckled one 
day by a she-wolf, which gave him strength and wisdom.

The Romans used to celebrate this event in mid-February each year with 
a big festival.

One of the rituals of this festival was the sacrifice of a dog and a 
goat. Two strong and muscular youths would daub the blood of the dog and goat 
onto their bodies, then they would wash the blood away with milk. After that 
there would be a great parade, with these two youths at its head, which would 
go about the streets. The two youths would have pieces of leather with which 
they would hit everyone who crossed their path. The Roman women would welcome 
these blows, because they believed that they could prevent or cure infertility.

The connection between Saint Valentine and this festival:

Saint Valentine is a name which is given to two of the ancient 
"martyrs" of the Christian Church. It was said that there were two of them, or 
that there was only one, who died in Rome as the result of the persecution of 
the Gothic leader Claudius, c. 296 CE. In 350 CE, a church was built in Rome on 
the site of the place where he died, to perpetuate his memory.

When the Romans embraced Christianity, they continued to celebrate the 
Feast of Love mentioned above, but they changed it from the pagan concept of 
"spiritual love" to another concept known as the "martyrs of love", represented 
by Saint Valentine who had advocated love and peace, for which cause he was 
martyred, according to their claims. It was also called the Feast of Lovers, 
and Saint Valentine was considered to be the patron saint of lovers.

One of their false beliefs connected with this festival was that the 
names of girls who had reached marriageable age would be written on small rolls 
of paper and placed in a dish on a table. Then the young men who wanted to get 
married would be called, and each of them would pick a piece of paper. He would 
put himself at the service of the girl whose name he had drawn for one year, so 
that they could find out about one another. Then they would get married, or 
they would repeat the same process again on the day of the festival in the 
following year.

The Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, which they 
considered to have a corrupting influence on the morals of young men and women. 
It was abolished in Italy, where it had been well-known, then it was revived in 
the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when in some western countries there 
appeared shops which sold small books called "Valentine's books", which 
contained love poems, from which the one who wanted to send a greeting to his 
sweetheart could choose. They also contained suggestions for writing love 
letters.
  The above quotation is excerpted, with slight modifications, from 
www.Islam-qa.com

  As regards the Islamic stance on this festival, Dr. Su`ad Ibrahim Salih, 
professor of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) at Al-Azhar University, states the 
following:


Indeed, Islam is the religion of altruism, true love, and cooperation 
on that which is good and righteous. We implore Allah Almighty to gather us 
together under the umbrella of His All-encompassing Mercy, and to unite us 
together as one man. Allah Almighty says: (The believers are naught else than 
brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to 
Allah that haply ye may obtain mercy.) (Al-Hujurat 49: 10)

Focusing more on the question in point, I can say that there are forms 
of expressing love that are religiou

Bismillah [IslamCity] JI observes Kashmir / Palestine Day

[S A Hannan]

JI observes Kashmir / Palestine Day

 
LAHORE, Feb 05: To express solidarity with the oppressed Muslims of
Kashmir and Palestine, Jamaat-e-Islami observed Kashmir and Palestine
Solidarity Day on Thursday all over the country by taking out rallies
and holding public meetings in all major cities and towns where JI
leaders addressed the participants. 

Addressing those rallies and public meetings JI leadership condemned the
Israeli and Indian occupation of Muslim lands and their heinous crimes
against humanity being perpetrated upon helpless Muslim population. They
denounced the civilized world in the west for giving silent approval of
Muslim genocide in Kashmir and Palestine, and vowed to support freedom
struggles in the two states till they reached logical conclusion. 

In Islamabad, JI ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad led a large rally from Kashmir
road to Constitution Avenue which later turned into a public meeting.
The participants who were chanting slogans and holding banners and
placards, also made a long chain of thousands of hands in order to
express solidarity with the oppressed Muslims of Kashmir and Palestine. 

Addressing the participants Qazi Hussain Ahmad said Washington, Nato and
world powers must understand that Kashmiris 61 year old freedom struggle
against Indian army has proved that they could never be kept slaves. He
accused America and other world powers of conspiring against Islam and
Muslim people, and said Muslim rulers are subjugating masses at gun
point to save the capitalist system. He also condemned rulers for
banning Jamaat ud Dawah and other organization supporting Kashmir Jihad
and warned it could prove disastrous for national defense. He warned
that under a dangerous conspiracy the masses and jihadi groups are being
made to fight against each other while corrupt politicians are
plundering billions of rupees of public money in the name of NRO. 

He asked the people to rise against the capitalist system whose ideology
is to exploit the poor and keep them slaves of the elite in the name of
engineered elections. He said Islamic system through a peaceful Islamic
revolution is the only answer to all the problems facing the country
since only Islam provides justice, equality and peace to all. 

He particularly warned against sowing hatred against Pakistan army among
people, and said killing of innocent women and children in Swat and
other operations like Jamia Hafsa etc are contributing a lot towards
materializing this conspiracy. He expressed sorrow that what a mindless
approach Pakistani rulers are making by promoting peace and friendship
with India at a time when Delhi was talking about US like surgical
strikes on Pakistan. He said US is the biggest terrorist in the world
which had killed millions of people in the world particularly Japanese,
Vietnamese, Cubans, Koreans Afghanis and Iraqis with lethal bombs. He
said Kashmiris should be given the right to self determination under UN
resolutions but Pakistan has taken a U-turn on its principled stance. 

In Lahore, a large rally including men, women and children was taken out
from Nasir Bagh to Punjab assembly led by JI secretary general Syed
Munawar Hasan and other leaders including Director Foreign Affairs Abdul
Ghaffar Aziz, Amirul Azeem, Chaudhry Mohammad Shaukat, Abdul Hafeez
Ahmad, Anwar Gondal, Ziauddin Ansari and Zikrullah Mujahid. The
participants were holding banners and placards written with slogans for
Kashmir's freedom and condemning Indian atrocities on innocent Muslims. 
Addressing the public meeting outside Punjab Assembly, Munawar Hasan
condemned president Asif Zardari for terming Kashmiri freedom fighters
as terrorists and supporting the stance of Washington and Delhi on the
issue. He stressed that Pakistani nation considers Kashmiris as freedom
fighters and will continue to help them achiever their freedom from
Indian occupation in order to secure their lifeline as declared by the
father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam. 

He said president Zardari had neither been a PPP worker nor suffered
victimization, but he only served jail for corruption charges. He said
Zardari got a lottery prize after Benazir Bhutto's assassination to
become president, which is why he never disclosed the names of her
killers despite claiming to have known them. He said Zardari is taking
sides of the killers by concealing their names. 
Munawar Hasan said Pakistani army is killing and bombing those tribals
who had liberated the Azad Kashmir from Indian occupation. He said it
was time Pakistan army should come out of the war for American interests
in tribal areas, and follow the agenda of Pakistani nation. 
Munawar Hasan criticized the Muslim rulers for exploiting resources of
Muslim countries for the sake of their masters in Washington and
subjugating Muslim populations for their own interests. He said
Pakistani nation is not averse to talks on Kashmir but India had always
used talks to delay the process and strengthen her control on Kashmir. 
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Court Declares Qadeer Khan A Free Man

[S A Hannan]

 Editorial

Court Declares Qadeer Khan A Free Man
d

News agencies have reported that a Pakistani court yesterday ruled that nuclear 
scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, father of the country's atomic bomb, was a free 
man, five years after he was effectively put under house arrest.The chief 
justice of the Islamabad High Court, Sardar Mohammad Aslam, made the decision 
after hearing lawyers representing government and the nuclear scientist in a 
closed doors session on Friday."The petitioner is declared a free citizen and 
writ petition is disposed off," said a written order issued by the court.Khan 
has been effectively under house arrest in Islamabad since February 2004, when 
he confessed on television to sending nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North 
Korea, although he retracted his remarks later.Friday's court decision comes 
just weeks after the United States unveiled sanctions against Khan, 12 
associates and three firms linked to his nuclear proliferation network.Speaking 
to reporters in the grounds of his villa in Islamabad on Friday, the scientist 
thanked President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for 
his freedom." Asked if he would be able to move freely, he replied: "As far as 
I have been told, I will go anywhere in Pakistan without any restrictions and I 
will get whatever security that I had with me previously."If I want to travel 
abroad I will have to seek permission from the government," he said.

 

As we all know, Mr Kadir Khan is a great scientist who is the father of 
Pakitan’s nuclear weapon development..It ws necwssary for Pakitan to have 
nuclear capability to match India .It was not possible for Pakistan to match in 
India in conventional war fare.India now thinks a hundred times before it can 
launch an attack on Paistan.There would have been a sure war between these two 
powers after Mumbai episode  if Pakistan would not have nuclear capacity.

Abdul Qadir Khan has suffered a lot during Mosharraf regime.He ws forced to 
confess some thing because Mosharraf government thought that confession by 
Abdul Kadir Khan would make Pakistan free of US allegation that Pakistan has 
passed to others knowledge of nuclear technology.These were all rubbish to 
punish this great scientist and Pakistan.We welcome free Abdul Kadir. Khan

 
<>

Bismillah [IslamCity] Khutbah in English--Adil Salahi | Arab News

[S A Hannan]

On Sun , Adil Salahi wrote:




Khutbah in English
Adil Salahi | Arab News

I have recently moved to the UK to pursue my studies. Friday prayer is 
offered in the university, but I wonder whether the practice of giving the 
khutbah in English is acceptable. I find this strange. May I also ask whether 
it is permissible to offer Maghreb prayer only a short while before Isha, if 
one has missed it at the appropriate time because of a lecture or some urgent 
business. (Z. Majah)



Islam requires the Muslim community to hold the midday prayer on Friday 
in congregation, and that it should be preceded by a speech in which the imam 
discusses some issues that are important to the community, the general 
situation of the Muslims, and reminds his audience of their duties to God, and 
the Day of Judgment. For the congregation to benefit by the khutbah, or the 
sermon, it must be delivered in a language they understand. If the 
congregation, or a clear majority, is composed of people who do not speak 
Arabic, what benefit would they have if the imam gives his sermon in Arabic? 
The very purpose of the sermon will be defeated.



In universities and colleges, the sermon is given in English because it 
is the common language understood by those who attend. This is the proper way. 
Unfortunately, in most mosques in the UK, and other places as well, the sermon 
is given in Arabic when only a small percentage of the audience understands it. 
It is often the case that the imam himself does not understand Arabic. He reads 
the sermon from a book, and makes it very short. In most cases, it is given in 
less than four minutes. Ninety percent of the audience could not understand a 
word. Even Arabic-speaking people might not understand because of the speed 
with which it is delivered. This is a poor reflection on the status of the 
Muslims today. Wherever the community does not speak Arabic, the sermon should 
be in its own language. Thus, it should be delivered in Turkish or Urdu or 
Malay, according to what is spoken locally.



Some schools of thought severely limit the time range of Maghreb 
prayer, allowing it only within a brief time range after it becomes due. Other 
schools of thought extend its time range to the moment when Isha becomes due. 
Each view has its evidence. It is always better to offer one’s prayer at the 
beginning of its time, but when one has some difficulty, it is better to resort 
to the easier view. God always wants what is easier for people, as He has 
stated in the Qur’an.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Slaughtering people, blowing schools is not Islam

[S A Hannan]

Editorial

  Slaughtering people, blowing schools is not Islam
 
   
  A major Pakistani politician Qazi Hossain Ahmad has condemned terrorism 
in most vehement terms.He said that slaughtering people and destroying girls' 
schools in response to  even   state repression is totally unjustified and such 
acts are not Shariah but mutilation of Shariah. 

  . Qazi sahib said Islamic system brings blessings and not persecution 
since neither the followers of Islam frighten people nor masses have any fears 
from Islam. He said Islamic shariah provides complete security to the lives, 
property and honor of the people. He said threatening barbers and forcing 
people to have beards is not Sunnah since the Holy Prophet (pbuh) never 
punished anyone for not having beard or observing purdah. In fact the Prophet 
(pbuh) motivated people towards these Islamic practices since the civilization 
is promoted with encouragement, he said.

   

  We feel that Qazi sahib, a great leader of Islam in the sub-continent has 
said the truth.Terrorism in any name can not be justifiesd and any authority 
outside the government of the state can not  take law into its hand. This is 
the view of all major leaders and organizations of Islam in the current time.

   

   
   


  
 

 

 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Slaughtering people, blowing schools is not Islam

[S A Hannan]

Editorial

Slaughtering people, blowing schools is not Islam

 
 A major Pakistani politician Qazi Hossain Ahmad has condemned terrorism
in most vehement terms.He said that slaughtering people and destroying
girls' schools in response to  even   state repression is totally
unjustified and such acts are not Shariah but mutilation of Shariah. 

. Qazi sahib said Islamic system brings blessings and not persecution
since neither the followers of Islam frighten people nor masses have any
fears from Islam. He said Islamic shariah provides complete security to
the lives, property and honor of the people. He said threatening barbers
and forcing people to have beards is not Sunnah since the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) never punished anyone for not having beard or observing purdah.
In fact the Prophet (pbuh) motivated people towards these Islamic
practices since the civilization is promoted with encouragement, he
said.
 
We feel that Qazi sahib, a great leader of Islam in the sub-continent
has said the truth.Terrorism in any name can not be justifiesd and any
authority outside the government of the state can not  take law into its
hand. This is the view of all major leaders and organizations of Islam
in the current time.

 

 
 

  
 
 
 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Pl see my correspondence with a facebook member

[S A Hannan]

Dear Robin,

Assalamu Alaikum.In the view of mainstream islamic organisations and myself, 
Hijbut Tahrir is an extremist organisation.They are involved with the idea of 
Khilafat romantically. Khilafat in reality means a representive government and 
where Shariah is observe at least in principle, may not be fully but 
relatively..A muslim state when it follows these two principles become Khilafah 
in reality, even though they may not use that term or use other term.

Unity can not come by force.In my view, Bangladeh Islamist activists are there 
in one platform, others are marginal forces in political sense.

Shah Abdul Hannan


Assalamu Alaiqum

I am involved with an Islamic Political party named Hizb ut Tahrir. It is a 
global political party which aims to bring back the khilafah system throughout 
the Muslim lands. I want to know your views about this party.

And I want to know your opinion whether you think that all the Islamic parties 
of Bangladesh have any chance to unite at least in some common issues. Their 
method to establish Islam might differ but all of their goal is the same which 
is to establish Islam in every sphere of life. So do you see any chance of 
unification of the Islamic parties based on the common grounds that they have?

Jazakallah Khair
Assalamu Alaiqum

Bismillah [IslamCity] Slaughtering people, blowing schools is not Islam: Qazi--Please read this important news

[S A Hannan]

 
   Slaughtering people, blowing schools is not Islam: Qazi 
LAHORE, Jan 30: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has 
said that slaughtering people and destroying girls' schools in response to 
state repression is totally unjustified and such acts are not Shariah but 
mutilation of Shariah. 

  He was delivering Friday sermon at Mansoorah Masjid, says a press release 
by JI Media Cell. Qazi sahib said Islamic system brings blessings and not 
persecution since neither the followers of Islam frighten people nor masses 
have any fears from Islam. He said Islamic shariah provides complete security 
to the lives, property and honor of the people. He said threatening barbers and 
forcing people to have beards is not Sunnah since the Holy Prophet (pbuh) never 
punished anyone for not having beard or observing purdah. In fact the Prophet 
(pbuh) motivated people towards these Islamic practices since the civilization 
is promoted with encouragement, he said.

  He said people of Swat say American hand and role of government agencies 
could not be ruled out in destruction of schools and the deterioration of the 
situation. He said those opposing the government were also encouraged by the 
elements which want to create chaos in the country. He said the need of the 
hour is to raise voice against US colonization and social evils like injustice, 
corruption, vulgarity and lawlessness. 

  He said the bombs and missiles used by US planes to kill tribal people 
are being supplied by our own government. He said rulers have plundered public 
wealth and amassed it in huge palaces in and outside the country. He said our 
rulers are agents of enemies of Islam and it is because of them our 
independence is usurped. He said a collective struggle is needed to rid the 
country of enemy agents and realize real independence. 

  Meanwhile, delivering Friday sermon at Maududi Institute, JI naib ameer 
Hafiz idris said moral superiority of Muslims is their real power since Islam 
was spread across the world only because of their character, morals and 
honesty. He said corrupt and characterless Muslim rulers are the real cause of 
Ummah's problems since they feel proud in enemy slavery and kill their own 
Muslim brothers for the sake of enemies. 


 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Behaind Mumbai Lies Kashmir

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message - 
From: Usman Khalid 
To:Subject: Behaind Mumbai Lies Kashmir


Behind Mumbai Lies Kashmir

By Eric Margolis 
 

The respected US strategic think tank, RAND Corp, estimated that a nuclear 
exchange between India and Pakistan would initially kill two million people, 
wound 100 million, and send clouds of radioactive dust around the globe. *The 
US and India were delighted. *India always claimed the Kashmir uprising was due 
to `cross-border terrorism' from Pakistan, though the revolt was a
genuine national uprising against Indian misrule.

Pakistanis were outraged by this double betrayal, calling Musharraf an American 
stooge. Now, President Asif Zardari's feeble new government is continuing the 
same policy under US pressure, to the anger and contempt of many Pakistanis. He 
is seen as being *even more subservient to Washington than his hated 
predecessor, Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan has two governments: civilian and 
military. The generals and ISI have never abandoned their goal of a 
Pakistani-dominated Afghanistan, or continuing the Kashmir jihad. Both are seen 
as 'vital national interests'. Pakistan's generals look with derision and 
distaste on Zardari, who is dogged by accusations of *gross corruption and 
malfeasance*.

Washington has rented 130,000 Pakistani soldiers to wage war against Pashtun 
tribesmen allied to Taliban on Pakistan's Northwest Frontier. The US pays their 
salaries and provides them with food and transport. These rented soldiers, or 
`sepoys,' as the British Raj used to call its native troops,detest their 
mission. The once proud Pakistani army has become a mercenary force. Now, in 
response to the deteriorating military situation in Afghanistan, the Pentagon 
is putting together a plan to send more divisions of its rented Pakistani Army 
to fight Taliban and other resistance forces in Afghanistan. Few Americans 
understand the growing radicalization ofPakistan caused by Washington forcing 
its rulers and soldiers to go against the sentiments and interests of the 
nation.

Instead, the US keeps listening to 'the westernized Pakistani elite', less than 
1% of the population, and left-leaning "experts", like Ahmad Rashid, who keep 
telling Washington what it wants to hear, rather than hard truths. The 
festering Kashmir conflict that pits nuclear armed India and Pakistan against 
each other lies behind the Mumbai massacre. Solving this dangerous business 
must be as high a priority for the great powers as ending murderous attacks on 
civilians. Endlessly repeating the mantra about "fighting terrorism" will not 
solve the dangerous conflicts in South Asia or the Mideast. ++







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Bismillah [IslamCity] India - Pakistan Relation : Accusations Not Welcome

[S A Hannan]

 

 

India - Pakistan Relation : Accusations Not Welcome
 

AFP has reported from Delhi that India’s prime minister on Tuesday said the 
Mumbai attacks had the support of ‘some official agencies’ in Pakistan, and 
said Islamabad was using terrorism as an ‘instrument of state policy.’ Pakistan 
angrily rejected the allegations, accusing its nuclear-armed rival of embarking 
on a ‘propaganda offensive’ that was ‘fraught with grave risks.’Indian prime 
minister Manmohan Singh’s latest comments on the November 26-29 attacks, which 
killed 172 people including nine gunmen, were seen as the strongest yet 
directed at Pakistan.
   ‘There is enough evidence to show that given the sophistication and military 
precision of the Mumbai attacks, it must have had the support of some official 
agencies in Pakistan,’ Singh told a conference in New Delhi. ‘Unfortunately, we 
cannot choose our neighbours, and some countries like Pakistan have in the past 
encouraged and given sanctuary to terrorists and other forces who are 
antagonistic to India.’ Speaking at a conference of chief ministers of Indian 
states on internal security, the prime minister also said that cross-border 
infiltrations from Pakistan in the disputed Kashmir region had not stopped.  
‘The governments in some of our neighbouring countries are very fragile in 
nature. The more fragile a government, the more it tends to act in an 
irresponsible fashion,’ Singh said.The prime minister said the Mumbai attacks 
were designed to strike India’s economic and security interests, and were 
‘clearly carried out’ by the banned Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
   Westerners were particularly targeted during the attacks to ‘convey an 
impression that India was unsafe as a destination for the West and Western 
investments,’ Singh told the chief ministers. Pakistan’s foreign ministry 
issued a strong statement in response.‘The government of Pakistan emphatically 
rejects the unfortunate allegations levelled against Pakistan by the prime 
minister of India in New Delhi today,’ the statement said.‘Instead of 
responding positively to Pakistan’s offer of cooperation and constructive 
proposals, India has chosen to embark on a propaganda offensive. It will not 
only ratchet up tensions but occlude facts and destroy all prospects of serious 
and objective investigations. ‘Pakistan is a victim of terrorism... Pakistan is 
not a state sponsor of terrorism,’ it added.The latest row came a day after New 
Delhi said it had handed over evidence linking ‘elements in Pakistan’ to the 
Mumbai attackers.The government also said it was launching a major diplomatic 
offensive to maintain international pressure on Islamabad, which has so far 
rejected New Delhi’s demands to extradite a number of terrorist suspects.
   Islamabad confirmed that it had received the dossier, and the Pakistani 
prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, again said he would take action if 
‘credible evidence’ was provided. The material includes details of the 
interrogation of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman — also known as Mohammed Ajmal Kasab 
— who was the lone surviving gunman and who India says is a Pakistani 
national.It also details the militants’ communications with ‘elements’ in 
Pakistan during the attack, recovered weapons and other equipment, retrieved 
global positioning system data and satellite phones.
   The Pakistan president, Asif Ali Zardari, had previously said that the 
gunmen who stormed India’s financial capital were ‘non-state’ actors. 

 

We feel that such accusations by the Prime Minister of India is 
inappropriate.It is too much for him to accuse Pakistan of state terrorism.It 
is India, without any question , is carrying out state terrorism in Kshmir and 
about a hundred thousand Kashmiris have died in the process.Kashmir is the root 
cause of all tensions in the sub-continent and India did not want its solution 
except on its own terms.We urge India to realize that any blame game will not 
solve any problem.In fact, the long term solution of Indo- Pakistan problems  
lies in solving the root causes.




 

Bismillah [IslamCity] World Should Finally Decide The Fate Of Israel

[S A Hannan]

Editorial




World Should Finally Decide The Fate Of Israel


Tens of thousands of Israeli troops backed by tanks battled Hamas fighters in 
Gaza fields and roads yesterday as the Palestinian death toll from the 
offensive to end militant rocket attacks passed 500, including 87 children. 
Israeli forces surrounded the enclave's main city and families fled other 
battlefield towns in packed trucks and cars to escape the biggest Israeli 
military operation since its 2006 war in Lebanon.More than 45 Palestinians were 
killed by tank shells or missiles fired from warplanes since the ground 
offensive was launched on Saturday night, Gaza medics said. Israeli troops 
pushed deep into Gaza yesterday with thousands of soldiers and scores of tanks 
battling Hamas fighters and moving toward the capital on a mission to end 
militant rocket attacks.International efforts to halt the conflict floundered. 
The UN Security Council failed even to agree the wording of a statement on the 
conflict, with the United States giving strong backing to Israel while other 
powers criticised the offensive.The Security Council late Saturday failed to 
agree on a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after 
the United States had argued a return to the situation that existed before 
Israel's ground invasion was unacceptable.

.

Israel unleashed "Operation Cast Lead" on December 27 with the declared aim of 
ending rocket attacks into Israel from the territory, which had been under 
tight Israeli blockade for more than 18 months. The rocket attacks had resumed 
after the end of a six month truce.Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said in a 
statement that "what is happening in the Security Council is a farce that shows 
the level that America and the Zionist occupier dominates its decisions."The 
deputy US ambassador to the United Nations, Alejandro Wolff, said after the 
talks that Washington believed it was crucial "not to return to the status quo" 
that had allowed Hamas to fire rockets into Israel."The efforts we are making 
internationally are designed to establish a sustainable, durable ceasefire 
that's respected by all," French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due in Israel on 
Monday for talks on a ceasefire with Olmert in Jerusalem and Abbas in 
Ramallah."France condemns the Israeli ground offensive against Gaza just as it 
condemns the continuing firing of rockets," Kouchner said in a statement.

We feel that negotiation on OSLO pattern would not bring any solution. Israel 
is there for now Sixty years , it is in occupation of more than what was 
alloted to them by the partisan security council. They also occupied the rest 
of Palestine 1967 and thereafter forty years have passed without any solution 
and time has been lost  in the name of negotiation and two state 
formula.Negotiation can never bring solution with such immoral and unscruplous 
entity .Clearly the UN can not solve this problem because of USA and its veto, 
the US has dedicated itself to its God Israel.No explanation is required to 
explain this phenomenon.



Real solution is forcing the European immigrants to Israel to go back to Europe 
or their  client state USA and building a new Palestine state with the original 
inhabitants and their progeny.After sixty years of experience, we have no 
sympathy for Israel. Arab Muslim states should cut their relation with Israel 
and devise new strategy for deiving out the Zionists and  illegal  immigrants 
and establising the new state of Palestine.

Bismillah [IslamCity] FBI Finds no Pakistan Link to Mumbai

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message -
From: Mahmudul Hasan



FBI Finds no Pakistan Link to Mumbai

  By  Aamir Latif, IOL Correspondent








  Indian claims the Mumbai attackers were Pakistanis and had 
some links to Pakistani security agencies. (Mumbai)

ISLAMABAD — America's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have 
found no link between attacks on India's financial hub of Mumbai and Pakistani 
intelligence agencies, US and Pakistan officials have confirmed.

"The FBI team thinks, on the basis of evidence and meetings with 
Pakistani intelligence officials, that neither is Ajmal Kasab a Pakistani 
citizen nor have Pakistani agencies any involvement in the Mumbai attacks," a 
US embassy official told IslamOnlne.net.

The confirmation came after an FBI team visited Faridkot, a small 
village some 200 kilometers south of Lahore, said to be of Kasab, the only 
surviving gunman.

"A five-member FBI team, headed by William Robert, the agency's 
director for South Asia, visited Faridkot two days back," according to a US 
embassy source.

At least 172 people were killed when ten gunmen attacked two 
five-star hotels, a hospital, a popular cafe, a railway station, and a Jewish 
center in Mumbai last month.

India claims Kasab and the other nine attackers are all Pakistanis 
and blame the attack on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LT), an outlawed Pakistani group 
fighting Indian rule in Muslim-majority Kashmir.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has denied that FBI agents have 
visited Faridkot.

"No such visit is in my knowledge."

But the report was confirmed by a senior Pakistani interior 
ministry official.

"The FBI has established this fact after visiting Faridkot, which 
is being reported by Indian media as the ancestral town of Ajmal Kasab, and 
meeting various officials of Pakistani intelligence agencies," he told IOL on 
condition of anonymity.

Indian "Proofs"

US embassy sources said the FBI team has been trying to verify 
Indian "proofs" about Pakistani involvement in the attacks.

The agents visited India before coming to Pakistan and questioned 
Kasab for more than nine hours.

Indian media reports said the FBI sleuths sought minor details 
about Kasab’s native village and about his alleged links to the Pakistani 
intelligence.

The team also took DNA samples of the nine slain gunmen to 
ascertain it matched with anyone in their data bank or had any relations with 
persons killed by US troops in Afghanistan.

Despite concluding that Kasab was no Pakistani, the FBI team did 
not ruled out possible links between the Mumbai attackers and militants groups 
in Pakistan.

"He might have connections with Pakistan-based militant groups," 
said the US embassy official, referring to the LeT.

Pakistan has recently banned the Jammat-ul-Dawa (JD), one of the 
country's latest charity organizations, over alleged links to LeT.

Founded by Hafiz Saeed, a former professor of Islamic studies at 
University of Engineering Lahore, JD operates hospitals, schools and relief 
centers across Pakistan.





http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1230650222380&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout









Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo! 
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Bismillah [IslamCity] Dallas Pakistanis :: Call The White House Monday Jan 5 th

[S A Hannan]

Please call as requested.
- Original Message -
From: shadija...@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 6:26 AM
Subject: Call The White House Monday Jan 5 th



Starting Monday Jan 5 at 9 AM (EST) call the White House
comment line and ask President Bush to tell  Israel to
STOP THE KILLINGS IN GAZA, NOW!!!


White House #'s:

Comments: 202-456-
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461












New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines.







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Re: Bismillah [IslamCity] World demonstrates against Zionist massacre

[S A Hannan]

A permanent solution is a must now.The best solution is deportation of European 
immigrants from Palestine  to Europe and creation of one Palestinian democratic 
state.
Two -state solution has been made impossible by Israel backed by US and her 
allies.

Shah Abdul Hannan
  - Original Message - 
  From: Zifri Baharudin 
  To: eGroup For Muslims Around The World 
  Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 2:57 PM
  Subject: Bismillah [IslamCity] World demonstrates against Zionist massacre



  Zifri

  From: abdul rohim
  Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 5:01 PM
  To: Brothers & Sisters UK 
  Subject: [rijal] World demonstrates against Zionist massacre




  Salaam all,


  Here is video footage of every major city that is demonstrating 
against zionism It is a very powerful demonstration of world feeling. Please 
pass this list on to everyone you know, ask them to email it to the press and 
the MPs. They need to know that they are seen as complicit in this. 

  Not Political but humanitarian

  Lima, Peru
  http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=76ELWU1Vcn0

  istanbul
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qfh1mHyI7I

  london
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FME8U6mduwA

  madrid
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nVwAe_ynOCc

  new york
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tvY_HQNX3wA

  afghanistan
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3bS-OZU4CQU

  kashmir
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yZVXrKFchow

  tehran
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-KRuHn3u4V0

  morocco
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs-Z4lqddGo

  sydney
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QO2dX91xwe0

  Miami
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcy-auSVQcs

  Beiurut
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcy-auSVQcs

  Berlin
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGyRnx_Mbs

  Montreal
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bSJ5UQQhtcE

  Manchester
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KPkEbHUzSA8

  San Fransico
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D-vEommUqMM

  Atlanta
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WDAqgvSeKYU

  Tokyo
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ8p13ITNtE

  Vienna
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7ljU5YdQu3U

  Geneva
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LuE5oe0tcGk

  Indonesia
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Al_0v4bvn7I

  cairo
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh1ImA_qLtA

  Kula Lumpa
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh_wOr-QB8g

  Hyderabad
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lZIVyg1pS6Q

  calcutta
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oAyxMWjS1hY

  dublin
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QSK_praifZw

  Rykevic iceland
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik3QxXcDSxQ

  Aukland, New zeeland
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6iGLWYNYVoY

  Philidelphia
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VcJfaTpDGTk
  __

  paris
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ioeTUjEYiRw

  jordan
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=z2pGjYhc3y8

  baghdad
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AN-5T2hUnNo

  oslo
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GviIMQOpA0M

  Athens
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsw2cCo_RTQ

  Gaza Border, Egypt
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nesVRlSO_TI

  Brussels
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUa3Nmw5MM

  Michagon
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d109eIqMiTU

  Toronto
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EOyq0yeGrUI

  paris day 2
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TsmiTulQEI0

  london day 2
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VqK8JdWIhAk

  berlin day 2
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=60Y0Wdu9Yf4

  Sheffield
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DvGrhNTPlt8

  Bradford
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GsmzgCZ7qzg

  Cork, Ireland
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wn94Lq_v_ws

  Hamburg
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XcerZ-tBuMc

  Miami
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nVNtdQhalFo

  Cleveland
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hx1kZhz7YnA

  Houston
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9LOleW__2iI

  Istanbul
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TKWM6diVsQo

  Brussels
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=go-ujI4LDeE

  Indonesia
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uuyOSoKvzfM

  Swansea, Wales
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=v3oI8Yc-3kU

  Tel Aviv
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lAuoh2l2bJI

  Karlsruhe gegen, germany
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BWoXSxfcc6w

  Fr

Bismillah [IslamCity] Shoes and Jokes

[S A Hannan]

Shoes and Jokes



l

AFP has reported from Costarica that  the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula 
da Silva, joked to reporters Wednesday,  ‘Don’t throw any shoes..He was talking 
to the media  just  three days after an Iraqi journalist became famous for 
launching his footwear at the US president, George W Bush, in Baghdad.  Lula’s 
comment, delivered with a smile, prompted laughter from the press pack covering 
a Latin American summit in an exclusive beachside resort in the northeastern 
Brazilian state of Bahia. ‘It’s really hot here,’ Lula, a plain-speaking former 
union leader, went on. ‘If you take off your shoes, Bahia’s heat means you’ll 
stink up the place.’

Brazilian president was joking but in our view, it is no longer a matter of 
joke, it has become a real probability in future  against dictators, corrupt 
and cruel leaders and human rights violators. It has become a new weapon for 
protest against leasers who are not within easy reach of the people. Shoe 
throwing is almost normal in street demonstrations . Such shoe missiles  have 
never been used  in press conferences of the presidents or prime ministers. 
Leaders should take lesson and should be more careful in future .They should 
not take our suggestion as joke




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Bismillah [IslamCity] Targeting Charities Completely Unacceptable

[S A Hannan]

Subject: MCB Press Release: Targeting of Charities Wholly Unacceptable



PRESS RELEASE 



22nd December 2008 



Targeting of Charities Wholly Unacceptable 

  

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) regards the measures taken by leading banks 
against Islamic charities unacceptable and disturbing. Several major charities 
and institutions affiliated to the MCB have been served closure notices by 
their bankers in recent months, the latest being the Ummah Welfare Trust, who 
were given a 30 day period by Barclays to close its account.



‘We are deeply worried by these developments because in every reported instance 
no explicit reasons are given by the banks,’ said Dr Daud Abdullah Deputy 
Secretary General. ‘Clearly those worst affected would not be the officials who 
administer the charities but the tens of thousands of impoverished people who 
rely on their humanitarian aid and support’, he added.



Where there is no proven breach of British law or the statutory regulations 
governing their charity status the MCB sees no justification for these summary 
closures and denial of services. In the event of breaches, these should be set 
these forth in writing. ‘We have already communicated our concerns to the 
highest level of government, the Charity Commission and the banks concerned and 
have been assured that the matter is dealt with utmost urgency’, said Dr 
Abdullah.



Given the growing anxiety caused by the actions of the banks the MCB urges the 
government to expedite its interventions to ensure our charities are afforded 
the same facilities as other British institutions without prejudice or favour.



[END]



For further information please contact the MCB: 
The Muslim Council of Britain,
PO Box 57330,
London,
E1 2WJ
Tel: 0845 26 26 786
Fax: 0207 247 7079
me...@mcb.org.uk





***
{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] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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Bismillah [IslamCity] International issues from Islamic perspective--http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://witness-pioneer.org

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum. Please see the following from 
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://witness-pioneer.org website.You may 
kindly and gradually read  fourteen lectures on the subject of 
International issues from Islamic perspective.
>
> Shah Abdul Hannan
>
> Albaab
> Witness-Pioneer Virtual School
>
>
> School Home
> HP101: International and Interfaith Relations: Islamic Perspectives
>
> www.http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://witness-pioneer.org/VSchool/hp101.htm
>
>
>
> Course Instructor | Lecture Notes | Examination | Discussion Board | 
> Resources | Contact
>
>
> 
>
> Course Instructor
> Prof. Abdullah al-Ahsan
> (Abdullah al-Ahsan is professor at the Department of History and 
> Civilization, International Islamic University Malaysia. Graduated from 
> McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and the University of Michigan, Ann 
> Arbor, Michigan, USA, Dr. Ahsan has contributed many articles on the 
> relationship between contemporary Islamic and Western civilizations. Two 
> of his major books are: The Organization of the Islamic Conference: 
> Introduction to and Islamic Political Institution (1988) and Ummah or 
> Nation: Identity Crisis in Contemporary Muslim Society (1992). He is 
> currently working on Muslim Nations in Contemporary History and Rise and 
> Fall of Civilizations.)
> Prof. Syed Serajul Islam
> (Syed Serajul Islam is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political 
> Science at Lakehead University, Canada. He received his Ph.D. from McGill 
> University and taught and lectured in many countries: McGill 
> University-Canada, IIUM-Malaysia, Dhaka University-Bangladesh, and 
> Singapore. He was a visiting Fulbright Scholar in 1988 at the University 
> of Iowa, U.S.A. He has published 8 books and nearly 70 articles in 
> internationally refereed journals. His areas of expertise is international 
> politics. His recent book, The Politics of Islamic Identity in Southeast 
> Asia has drawn worldwide attention.)
> Lecture Notes
> The free Adobe Acrobat Reader allows you to view, navigate, and print PDF 
> (Portable Document Format) files across all major computing platforms. To 
> access PDF file, please download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader.
>
> Week01: Lecture-1: Classical Theory of International Relations by 
> AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman.
>
> Week02: Lecture-2: Islamic Framework for a Systematic Empirical Approach 
> in Siyar by AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman.
> Supporting Material:
> The Qur'anic Concept of the Ummah and its Development in History by 
> Abdullah Ahsan.
> Foundation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference by Abdullah 
> Ahsan.
>
> Week03: Lecture-3: Classification of States from an Islamic Perspective by 
> Shah Abdul Hannan.
>
> Week04: Lecture-4: Jihad by Hammudah Abdul 'Ati.
>
> Week05: Lecture-5: Misinterpreted Verses and Hadiths about Violence by 
> Jamal Badawi.
>
> Week06: Lecture-6: Terrorism by Shakil Abdullah.
>
> Week07: Lecture-7: Muslim and Non-Muslim Relations Reflections on Some 
> Qur'anic Texts by Jamal Badawi.
>
> Supporting Material:
> The Legal Concept of an Islamic State According to the MB from Ikhwanweb.
> Human Brotherhood and Equality by Jamal Badawi.
>
> Week08: Lecture-8: Apostasy Major and Minor by Yusuf al-Qaradawi.
>
> Supporting Material:
> On Apostasy and Islam: 100+ Notable Islamic Voices affirming the Freedom 
> of Faith by Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq.
> Is Apostasy a Capital Crime in Islam? by Jamal Badawi.
> Apostasy and Religious Freedom by Lousay Safi.
> Should an Apostate be Put to Death? by Ahmad Kutty.
> Islam and Punishment for Apostasy by Asghar Ali Engineer.
>
> Week09: Lecture-9: Battles During the time of the Prophet (pbuh) by Saifur 
> Rahman al-Mubarakpuri.
>
> Week10: Lecture-10: Battles during the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and 
> after him - II by Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri and Muhammad Rajih Jad'an.
>
> Week11: Lecture-11: Political rationale of Prophet's external relations by 
> AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman.
>
> Week12: Lecture-12: Issue of Treatment of Banu Qurayzah by AbdulHamid A. 
> AbuSulayman and W. N. Arafat.
>
> Week13: Lecture-13: Reform of Methodology - I by AbdulHamid A. 
> AbuSulayman.
>
> Week14: Lecture-14: Reform of Methodology - II by AbdulHamid A. 
> AbuSulayman.
>
>
>
> 
> 
>
> To reply to this message, follow the link below:
> http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox/readmessage.php&t=1079777311690
>
> ___
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> 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Celebration Of Great Hajj: High Point Of Arafat--Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 8th December.

[S A Hannan]

-


Celebration Of Great Hajj: High Point Of Arafat



 7th h of December  was observed as Yamul Arafah ( the 
day of Arafah ), main day of Hajj ceremonies. About two million people attended 
Arafat  to offer Zuhr and Asr prayer there and stay there the whole of 
afternoon, listen to the Khutbah of hajj. They will complete the Hajj rites on 
10th of Zulhijjah or 8th December in Saudi Arabia.



  Saudi Arabia has mobilized a force of 100,000 men to 
protect an estimated two million Muslim pilgrims , amid fears of attack or 
deadly stampedes. The  interior ministry said that in addition to many 
thousands of Saudis, an estimated 1.7 million of the faithful have descended on 
the kingdom from abroad to perform the annual rites. Local press reports spoke 
of a throng that could reach three million, and the official SPA news agency 
reported yesterday that everything was proceeding smoothly.The hajj is one of 
the five pillars of Islam, which the Quran says all Muslims must carry out at 
least once in their lives, if they are able to do so.Dozens of first aid 
stations lined the route, SPA reported.Devotees are spending the day in prayer 
and contemplation in the valley, transformed into a city of fireproof tents. 
The Saudi health ministry said it has put in place some 24 field hospitals with 
4,000 beds, in addition to nearly 140 health centers..



Hajj is a great institution, a world conference, a 
symbol of total devotion to  God, recognition of  oneness of God, blessings of 
Allah and His sovereignty ; human unity, equality  and dignity We hope Hajj 
will be completed peacefully to the satisfaction of all concerned.

.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Turkey in Arab eyes---http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/925/op35.htm

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.it is a reasonable analysis though nobody needs to agree  with 
all the points.

For instance it is difficult to term multi-party sysrem or change of power 
through election as secular.Election and party systems have no secular  bias 
themselves, these can be adopted by most systems; something like Television or 
internet or University whichcan equally fit any system with necessary 
adjustment in use or curriculum ..

Shah Abdul Hannan


http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/925/op35.htm



 
Turkey in Arab eyes
As Turkey becomes increasingly engaged in Middle East issues, Arabs 
would do well to review their preconceptions of it, writes Mustafa El-Labbad* 



After an absence of many decades, Turkey has returned as a major player 
in the Middle East. Clearly motivated by national interests, its reengagement 
in the affairs of the region will have significant repercussions on Middle 
Eastern balances of powers. It will also impact on the way Arab elites regard 
Turkey and their judgements on that country's historical experience since the 
declaration of the republic in 1923.

Despite its relatively long absence, the ideological prism through 
which Arab politicians and intellectuals of all shades of the political 
spectrum view Turkey has hampered an objective view of that great and ancient 
country that had such a profound historical impact on the region. For decades, 
Arab leftists and Arab nationalists branded Turkey as subordinate to the West 
on the basis of the Cold War experience and Ankara's membership in the Central 
Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and then NATO. This static, one dimensional and 
essentially facile judgement naturally hampered the ability to monitor and 
appreciate the major developments and changes that Turkey has undergone. Arab 
Islamists, meanwhile, have long faulted the founders of the Turkish Republic 
for having ended -- and establishing itself on the ruins of -- the Islamic 
caliphate. Yet, so intent are they in condemning the republic for its 
"historical crime" that they missed the fact that the founders of the republic 
actually scored a historical achievement, which was to salvage what they could 
of an empire that had already disintegrated and that the West had virtually 
pronounced dead. Indeed, even Istanbul, the capital of the country and the seat 
of the caliphate, was under foreign occupation at the time of the founding of 
the republic, along with other chunks of present day Turkey, and it fell to 
Turkish soldiers in the ranks of Mustafa Kemal to recapture their land from 
British, Italian and even Greek forces. 

SECULARISM -- A FATEFUL CHOICE: Turkish society paid a heavy price for 
that critical decision to turn westward and adopt secular values. However, an 
objective assessment of that society today, 85 years after the founding of the 
republic, suggests that the decision was largely right. True, the government 
often took secularism to an extreme. However, those who deplore that choice 
cannot help but to observe that, in spite of its flaws, the secularist values 
inherent in the multi-party parliamentary system and the peaceful rotation of 
civil authority have permitted for the rise to power of a party with an 
Islamist frame of reference. Equally, if not more telling is the enormous 
political and economic progress Turkey has achieved, especially when one 
compares that to the general decline in the Arab world. Although the 
Arab-Israeli conflict was instrumental in delaying the processes of social and 
economic development in Arab countries, that alone is insufficient to explain 
the huge gap between them and Turkey, and the albeit smaller gap between Iran 
and Turkey. Perhaps the primary reason resides in the enormous sacrifices 
undertaken by the Turkish people in their places of work elsewhere in Europe 
and in the factories in western Turkey that export their products to the 
industrial West at nominal prices in order to assimilate their economy into the 
Western capitalist cycle. It was through blood, sweat and tears that Turkey 
carved itself a place among nations and elevated its economy to the 17th 
strongest in the world, ahead of all the Middle Eastern oil exporting countries 
and Israel, the West's most forward point in the region. Turkey is no angel. 
But it is certainly no devil either. Nor is it some alien implant. It is no 
longer the great powers' façade in the region, as it may have been in the past. 
It is a regional power that is gaining in strength and that has national 
interests that it hopes to further through regional and international 
alliances. Turkey is currently striving to strengthen its regional influence by 
a means of a new foreign policy strategy intended to take Turkey from a 
partisan position as a member 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Hillary As US Secretary of State

[S A Hannan]

Hillary As  US Secretary of State

 

y



US President-elect Barack Obama has nominated  Hillary Clinton as his secretary 
of state. The news follows weeks of speculation as to what role the former 
first lady would play in the Obama administration. Mrs Clinton lost out to Mr 
Obama when the two contested a bitterly fought race for the Democratic Party 
presidential nomination. At a news conference in Chicago, Mr Obama also 
announced nominations for other key National Security team posts. Although the 
two repeatedly clashed during the nomination race, Mrs Clinton went on to 
campaign for Mr Obama as he took on Republican John McCain in the race for the 
White House. 
Former president Bill Clinton had cleared the way for his wife's appointment by 
reaching a complicated agreement on his financial arrangements, reports said. 
Correspondents said there had been fears her nomination could falter over the 
appearance of conflicts of interest between her husband's charitable foundation 
and lucrative speechmaking schedule. 

 

We feel it is a very important appointment for the US.As Mr Obama wants change 
in most respects, we hope Mrs hilary Clinton will be an asset for him with her 
experience  as a Senator, highly scholarly back ground and her close 
observation of the operation of foreign policy during Mr Clinton’s time.

We hope she understands the long –standing problems of the world in Palestine, 
Kashmir, festering civil wars in Africa, nuclear issues with Russia and other 
countries, Iraq , Afghanistan and so many others.If Obama wants change, she has 
to bring some moral judgment of the issues.Only national interest  will not 
bring any real solution.The crisis in international arena is really the 
abandonment of moral positions and in the last fifty years we have seen only 
multiplication of problems in the international arena. Wars, application of 
force, bias towards some nations , brinkmanship have produced nothing positive 
as we have seen in Iraq, Afghanistan  and many other places.We hope and pray 
that  Mr Obama and Mrs Hilary Clinton  really take some serious steps  to 
enhance peace and harmony in the world.
. 

Bismillah [IslamCity] What does Islam say about obeying our governments?and other issues -- (Answered By: Adil Salahi, Jeddah-Saudi Arabia)

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message -
From: Mohammad Usman
To: Mohammad Usman
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 6:03 AM
Subject: What does Islam say about obeying our governments? (Answered By: Adil 
Salahi, Jeddah-Saudi Arabia)





  Obeying Governments
  Adil Salahi | Arab News



  Q1. Could you please explain the Hadith that says "were it not for the 
Children of Israel, meat would not have rotten, and were it not for Eve, no 
woman would have betrayed her husband?" (Z. Abu Bakr)

  A1. This statement contradicts basic Islamic principles. The first is 
that "no one will bear the burden of another." This is stated four times in the 
Qur'an, stressing the principle of individual responsibility.

  How can we imagine that the action of one woman, in this case Eve, would 
be carried down the generations so as to influence every woman who betrays her 
husband? How come that it does not influence other women? Another principle the 
statement contradicts is that of the operation of the laws of nature. Meat goes 
rotten when exposed to the elements for a long period. This is how God wanted 
things to be. To suggest that this took place in consequence of some action the 
Jews did at one point in time means that prior to their action, meat stayed 
fresh all the time, which is untrue.

  It also suggests that as a result of their action, all future generations 
had to suffer. This is totally wrong.

  Q2. What does Islam say about obeying our governments? Is this applicable 
only in Muslim countries, or does it apply to Muslims living as minorities in 
predominantly non-Muslim countries? (Name and address withheld)



  [ This means that this hadith can not be acted upon , it is weak or 
fabricated]

  A2. The Prophet says: "Listen and obey, even though your ruler is a black 
slave whose head looks like a ball." By giving this graphic description, the 
Prophet means to ensure that his order applies to rulers, regardless of the 
origin or the color or looks of the said ruler. As long as the ruler is chosen 
by fair means, and is ruling according to the authority assigned to him by 
Islamic law, then he should be obeyed.

  Two major principles apply in this context. The first is that the 
particular order issued by the ruler must not be in conflict with Islamic law.

  The Prophet clearly states: "No creature may be obeyed in what 
constitutes disobedience of the Creator." Thus, if any authority, be it a 
Parliament, a government, a judge or an employer, issues an edict requiring 
those under its jurisdiction to do something forbidden in Islam, a Muslim must 
not obey that edict. If he does, he leaves himself accountable to God for it, 
with all that such accountability may involve including any punishment God may 
inflict on him. Some years ago, a ruler in a Muslim country decreed that people 
should not fast in Ramadan, because the country needed everyone to put their 
maximum effort to increase productivity.

  Anyone who obeyed that ruler would be accountable to God for placing the 
ruler's order above that of God.

  The other principle is that the government must aim to achieve the common 
good of the community in all its orders.

  This means that when a government issues an order, aiming to serve the 
common interests of the people, and contravening no Islamic rule, the order 
must be obeyed by Muslims. Thus, when the municipal authorities decide that a 
certain street is one way, driving in the opposite direction does not only 
constitute an offense of traffic regulations, it also constitutes an offense 
against Islamic law. This is because such an order is meant to serve the 
community, and it does not contravene any principle of Islamic law.




With Kind Regards

Mohammad Usman

Jeddah-SAUDI ARABIA



The sayings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 'Acquiring 
(religious) knowledge in company for an hour in the night is better than 
spending the whole night in prayer.'

< Al-Tirmidhi;Narrated: Abdullah ibn Abbas ® >



IMPORTANT: Questions are answered by: Sheikh Adil Salahi. He can be reached at: 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Questions on religious matters may be sent to the following address which is 
being normally forwarded to the appropriate channel for reply and clarification:

Islam in Perspective Section, Arab News, P O Box: 10452, Jeddah-21433, SAUDI 
ARABIA








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Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Terrorism Is Becoming Endemic : All Should Unite To Combat This Scourge

[S A Hannan]

Editorial  
  

Terrorism Is Becoming Endemic : All Should Unite To Combat This Scourge i

 

News agencies have reported that teams of heavily armed gunmen stormed luxury 
hotels, a popular tourist attraction and a crowded train station in at least 
seven attacks in India's financial capital, killing at least 78 people and 
wounding at least 200, officials told AP last night. The gunmen were 
specifically targeting Britons and Americans, media reports said, and may be 
holding hostages. The Times of India reports that unknown outfit Deccan 
Mujahideen claimed responsibility of the attacks.The gunmen also attacked 
police headquarters in south Mumbai, the area where most of the attacks, which 
began late Wednesday and continued into Thursday morning, took place. "We are 
under fire, there is shooting at the gate," said constable A. Shetti by phone 
from police headquarters. Hours after the first attacks, A.N. Roy, a senior 
police officer, said police continued to battle the gunmen. "The terrorists 
have used automatic weapons and in some places grenades have been lobbed, the 
encounters are still going on and we are trying to overpower them," Roy said. 
Johnny Joseph, chief secretary for Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the 
capital, said 78 people had been killed and 200 had been injured. The motive 
for the attacks was not immediately clear but Mumbai has frequently been 
targeted in terror attacks.  “I was in the main lobby and there was all of a 
sudden a lot of firing outside," said Sajjad Karim, part of a delegation of 
European lawmakers visiting Mumbai ahead of a forthcoming EU-India summit. He 
turned to get away "and all of a sudden another gunmen appeared in front of us, 
carrying machine gun-type weapons. And he just started firing at us ... I just 
turned and ran in the opposite direction," he told The Associated Press over 
his mobile phone.Hours later, he remained holed up in a hotel restaurant, 
unsure if the incident was over, and whether it was safe to come out.

 

We are appalled at this heinous crime and violence. Things are still unfolding 
and we would know soon the enormity of the matter and the possible 
perpetrators. Terrorism has become a very serious problem in most places and 
countries. It is in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The sub-continent , 
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal , SriLanka  are all affected by this. How to 
tackle this is a difficult issue. Of course there are the issues of foreign 
policy of some countries, poverty, ethnic questions, demand for independence 
.But we also find senseless killers or groups of killers run by maniacs. It is 
very difficult to tackle the last group.  

 

Another thing is availability of weapons, some how terrorist groups can manage 
weapons and explosives. Wars, smugglers and different intelligence agencies are 
responsible for this The world community has to come together and do some thing 
about it, no single country or groups of country can not solve this 
hydra-headed problem

Bismillah [IslamCity] The Muslim Brotherhood Condemns Terrorist Attacks in India

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message - 
From: "Ikhwan web" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 4:02 AM
Subject: Fwd: The Muslim Brotherhood Condemns Terrorist Attacks in India


> --=_Part_41890_21160255.1227787339500
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> Content-Disposition: inline
>
> -- Forwarded message --
> From: Ikhwan web <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 1:38 PM
> Subject: The Muslim Brotherhood Condemns Terrorist Attacks in India
>
>
> The Muslim Brotherhood Condemns Terrorist Attacks in India
> IkhwanWeb - Egypt
> [image: Print] [image: Send Email] [image: Add Your Comment][image:
> Facebook] [image: delicious]
> http://www.ikhwanweb.com/Article.asp?ID=18773&LevelID=1&SectionID=0
>
> *Wednesday, November 26, 2008*
> The MB strongly condemns the terrorist attacks in India, which killed and
> injured hundreds of innocent civilians. These despicable acts of terror 
> are
> an attack on humanity in general, not against people from certain
> nationalities or civilization. We hope that perpetrators of these heinous 
> be
> brought to justice to receive the ultimate punishment for their crimes.
>
> We must also take this opportunity to remind the world of the suffering of
> the Palestinian people who are the victims of daily terror committed by
> Israel and sanctioned by the free world, by imposing inhumane siege 
> against
> millions of civilians, including women and children.
>
> We offer our condolences to the victims' families, and our prayers for 
> world
> peace and stability
>
> 
>
> *Related Topics*
> ** 4MB Condemn the Tragic Attack that killed Benazir Bhutto
> 
> IkhwanWeb, Pakistan
> 4MB condemned the heinous crime which terrorized Pakistan today
> 
> IkhwanWeb, United Kingdom
> 4MB Executive Bureau criticizes Bin Laden's latest Audio
> Release
>
> IkhwanWeb, Egypt
> 4MB Urges Hamas and Fatah Leaders Meeting in Cairo to Reach
> Agreement
>
> IkhwanWeb - Cairo, Egypt
> 4Algerian MSP Condemns Algiers Suicide
> Attack
>
> IkhwanWeb, Algeria
> 4Morsi Condemns Algeria Tragic
> Blasts
>
> IkhwanWeb, Egypt
> 4Syria Muslim Brotherhood Denounces Damascus
> Bombing
>
> IkhwanWeb, Egypt
> 4Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Chairman Insists on Palestinians' Right to
> Return
>
> IkhwanWeb, Egypt
> 4Muslim Brotherhood Will Never Endorse Sectarian
> Clashes
>
> Mustafa Radwan, IkhwanWeb, Egypt
>
> --=_Part_41890_21160255.1227787339500
> Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> Content-Disposition: inline
>
> -- Forwarded 
> message --From: Ikhwan web 
> < href="mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]">[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 1:38 PMSubject: The Muslim Brotherhood 
> Condemns Terrorist Attacks in India style="border-collapse:collapse;font-family:Verdana"> cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%" valign="top" 
> style="border-collapse:collapse;font-weight:normal;font-size:10pt;color:rgb(0,
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> 0);font-family:Verdana">
>
>  style="font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;color:rgb(0, 0, 
> 153);font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none">The 
> Muslim Brotherhood Condemns Terrorist Attacks in India
>  style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Verdana">IkhwanWeb - 
> Egypt cellpadding="0" 
> style="border-collapse:collapse;font-weight:normal;font-size:10pt;color:rgb(0,
>  
> 0, 0);font-family:Verdana">
>
> 
> 
>  align="top">
> 
>  href="http://www.ikhwanweb.com/Article.asp?ID=18773&LevelID=1&SectionID=0";
>  
> target="_blank">http://www.ikhwanweb.com/Article.asp?ID=18773&LevelID=1&SectionID=0
>  style="border-top-width:1px;border-right-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;border-left-width:1px;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;border-top-color:rgb(0,
>  
> 0, 0);border-right-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);border-bottom-color:rgb(0, 0, 
> 0);border-left-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">
>
>  style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Verdana">Wednesday, November 26, 
> 2008 style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana">
> The MB strongly con

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: G20 action plan : Lot of Action Needed calls for more stimulus

[S A Hannan]

G20 action plan : Lot of Action Needed calls for more stimulus





News agencies have reported that the International Monetary Fund chief Saturday 
welcomed the outcome of the Group of 20 summit, calling it a step toward 
resolving the world's financial crisis. "Today's summit was significant because 
of the people present. A new world economic order is developing that is more 
dynamic and more inclusive than any we have yet seen," IMF managing director 
Dominique Strauss-Kahn said."The meetings are also significant because of what 
was agreed. The most important outcome of this weekend's meeting is agreement 
on an action plan and the commitment of all participants to implement the plan 
vigorously and fully."He said the IMF "will give strong support to these 
efforts, as called for by the G20.”Strauss-Kahn said he welcomed the G20's 
"strong support for the important role of the Fund in crisis management and the 
reform of the international financial architecture," and noted the IMF has been 
working on a variety of aid programs including a new short-term liquidity 
facility.





We think the G20 summit was necessary to make a full assessment of the world 
economic situation and the crippling financial crisis in most parts of the 
world which started from the US. We think G 20 should have gone more deep into 
the root of the crisis, to identify the interventions the governments must do 
when necessary to save the interest of the poor and the middle class. There is 
need for reduction of over-consumption which creates pressure on resources as 
well as on environment ultimately. The text book capitalism has to give way to 
a market system with values and responsibility.



Another important thing is currency issue. There is a need for a world currency 
instead of a country based currency .Over-dependence on dollar or any othe 
currency is not good. An world currency should be devised on the lines of Euro 
using the principles of Euro, we can give it a new name World currency .It will 
be opposed by US and some others but it will be good in the long run.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Election procedure og the Ikhwan Parliamenry party/bloc--a lot to learn

[S A Hannan]

 

  Katatni Elected Chairman After Brotherhood Bloc Elections
 

Mustafa Radwan, IkhwanWeb - Egypt
   






Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc elections witnessed heated 
competition on the leading posts of the bloc.

Dr. Mohamed Saad El Katatni was re-elected chairman of the bloc 
after gaining 51% of the MB MP votes (40 votes) with whom MP Sobhi Saleh 16 
votes) was about to run for run-off elections.

As for the vice chairman post, MPs Hussein Ibrahim and Sobhi Saleh 
went through run-off elections leading to the victory of Hussein Ibrahim with 
42 votes compared with Sobhi Saleh who gained only 35 votes.

Sobhi Saleh and Mohamed El Beltagi were elected for the bloc"s 
Secretariat simultaneously. Other six Brotherhood parliamentarians went through 
run-off elections for three seats; they are Dr. Ahmad Dyiab, Azab, Hamdi Hasan, 
Eng. Sabry Amer, Ali Fath El Bab, Ashraf Badr El Din, and Azab Mustafa in which 
Dr. Hamdi Hasan, Ahmad Dyiab, and Azab Mustafa won the seats.

Brotherhood parliamentary bloc election was conducted in three 
phases; for selecting a chairman, vice chairman, and five MPs for the 
Secretariat.

This election lasted for five hours in the presence of 78 MB MPs 
out of total 86 MB parliamentarians. Eight of them failed to show up during 
elections due to illness and emergency conditions.

Elections were initially presided by Sheikh Sayed Askar (eldest MP) 
till Katatni was elected chairman. Further, three independent parliamentarians 
watched elections; they are Gamal Zahran, Saad Abboud, and Alaa Abdul-Monem.

   
 
<><><><><>

Bismillah [IslamCity] Treasury submits to Shariah--Washington Times article-- my comment also

[S A Hannan]

 


Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum We do not know what will happen .The writer is not favorable, 
in fact he is warning others about  the inroad of Islamic Finance in the West.

However it is clear that Islamic Finance is superior in every respect , it is 
free of speculation , debt selling is not allowed in islam, interest is also 
prohibited which means investment has to be in real sector.
Another evil of the West is it is now more based on debt than on income of the 
consumers  which is really not liked in islam.Islam asks us to pray for 
protection against debt.and as a result too much consumerism and materialist 
life-style is discouraged in the society.

Shah Abdul Hannan

Nov 11, 2008  
GAFFNEY: Treasury submits to Shariah

Tuesday, November 4, 2008  
COMMENTARY: 

The U.S. Treasury Department is submitting to Shariah - the seditious 
religio-political-legal code authoritative Islam seeks to impose worldwide 
under a global theocracy. 

As reported in this space last week, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Robert 
Kimmitt set the stage with his recent visit to Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich 
Persian Gulf states. His stated purpose was to promote the recycling of 
petrodollars in the form of foreign investment here. 

Evidently, the price demanded by his hosts is that the U.S. government get with 
the Islamist financial program. While in Riyadh, Mr. Kimmitt announced: "The 
U.S. government is currently studying the salient features of Islamic banking 
to ascertain how far it could be useful in fighting the ongoing world economic 
crisis." 

"Islamic banking" is a euphemism for a practice better known as 
"Shariah-Compliant Finance (SFC)." And it turns out that this week the Treasury 
will be taking officials from various federal agencies literally to school on 
SFC. 

The department is hosting a half-day course entitled "Islamic Finance 101" on 
Thursday at its headquarters building. Treasury's self-described "seminar for 
the policy community" is co-sponsored with the leading academic promoters of 
Shariah and SCF in the United States: Harvard University Law School's Project 
on Islamic Finance. At the very least, the U.S. government evidently hopes to 
emulate Harvard's success in securing immense amounts of Wahhabi money in 
exchange for conforming to the Islamists' agenda. Like Harvard, Treasury seems 
utterly disinterested in what Shariah actually is, and portends. 

Unfortunately, such submission - the literal meaning of "Islam" - is not likely 
to remain confined long to the Treasury or its sister agencies. Thanks to the 
extraordinary authority conferred on Treasury since September, backed by the 
$700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the department is now in a 
position to impose its embrace of Shariah on the U.S. financial sector. The 
nationalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Treasury's purchase of - at last 
count - 17 banks and the ability to provide, or withhold, funds from its new 
slush-fund can translate into unprecedented coercive power. 

Concerns in this regard are only heightened by the prominent role Assistant 
Treasury Secretary Neel Kashkari will be playing in "Islamic Finance 101." Mr. 
Kashkari, the official charged with administering the TARP fund, will provide 
welcoming remarks to participants. Presumably, in the process, he will convey 
the enthusiasm about Shariah-Compliant Finance that appears to be the current 
party line at Treasury. 

As this enthusiasm for SCF ramps up in Washington officialdom, it is worth 
recalling a lesson from "across the pond." Earlier this year, the head of the 
Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, provoked a brief 
but intense firestorm of controversy with his declaration that it was 
"unavoidable" that Shariah would be practiced in Britain. Largely unremarked 
was the reason he gave for such an ominous forecast: The U.K. had already 
accommodated itself to Shariah-Compliant Finance. 

This statement provides an important insight for the incumbent U.S. 
administration and whomever succeeds it: Shariah-Compliant Finance serves as a 
leading edge of the spear for those seeking to insinuate Shariah into Western 
societies. 

Regrettably, SCF is not the only instrument of the stealth jihad by which 
Shariah-promoting Islamists are seeking to achieve "parallel societies" here 
and elsewhere in the West. The British experience is instructive on this score, 
too. Her Majesty's government has allowed the establishment of at least five 
Shariah courts to hear (initially) family law cases. Polygamists in the U.K. 
can get welfare for each of their wives (as long as all the marriages beyond 
the first were performed overseas). 

Thus far, we in this country may not have reached the point where evidence of 
this sort of creeping Shariah is so manifest. But Treasury's accommodation to 
SCF demonstrates that we are on the same trajectory - the one ordained and 
demanded by the promoters of Shariah, one to which w

Bismillah [IslamCity] Muslim Responses to Freedom of Speech and 'The Jewel of Medina'

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikumu Alaikum.An useful article.You can form your judgement on its 
merit.

Shah Abdul Hannan
- Original Message - 
From: Yaminul ISLAM 
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 9:38 AM
Subject: Muslim Responses to Freedom of Speech and 'The Jewel of Medina'


  A Critical Evaluation of Muslim Responses to Freedom of Speech and 'The 
Jewel of Medina' 
  Hamza Andreas Tzortzis 
 
 
  The Jewel of Medina is just a regurgitation of Qurayshi politics. Since 
the advent of Islam attacks verbal and physical, on the Prophet (s), his family 
and his companions, were harsh and frequent. Pick up any book on the Seerah and 
you will find many evidences pointing to this fact. Most recently, in relative 
terms anyway, the Muslim community has witnessed many attempts to slander, 
defame and dishonour the Prophet, his family and his companions. This has 
manifested itself in the publication of the Satanic Verses, the printing and 
re-printing of the Danish cartoons and this month we saw the newly published 
book "The Jewel of Medina". This book takes our sacred history and superimposes 
western liberal values on the Islamic narrative. It is obviously fiction and 
therefore full of lies. Not only has it been discredited by non-Muslim 
academics, but it has been banned in some western countries.

  There have been four types of responses by the Muslim community. The 
first response is that the Muslim community must conform and align itself with 
western notions of freedom of speech and liberal values. The second response is 
that we must do nothing in order to prevent further promotion of this book. The 
third response is that we must physically prevent the publication of this book, 
even if this means resorting to violence and aggression. The fourth response is 
that we Muslims, must understand the political reality and as a result 
challenge the ideas that this book represents, and call on the Muslim nations 
to demand sincere leadership that will follow the Qur'an and sunnah 
comprehensively.

  I will attempt to respond and comment on each of these Muslim responses.

  You Must Accept Freedom of Speech and Western Values!

  The first response is the height of intellectual and theological 
redundancy. This response has already accepted freedom of speech and liberal 
western values as the sole reference for our actions and behaviour. It is well 
known, even amongst western philosophical discourse that freedom of speech has 
no conceptual export into the real world - it doesn't and cannot exist. Even 
the most liberal countries have pages and pages of legislation restricting 
speech. Some of these include hate speech laws, libel laws, product defamation 
laws, anti-terror laws and even public speaking laws. So in reality there is no 
free speech, it is more logically coherent to describe it as "expression within 
the context of the law and society's values".

  The questions that follows is 'are western values the way forward?' With 
the rise in violent crime, anti social behaviour, domestic violence and sexual 
assault how can anyone be confident with western liberal values? Just to add 
here, when western nations look at so called Islamic societies and they see 
some perceived negative behaviours, they are very quick to blame the Islamic 
values as the cause. However when it comes to their immense problems in western 
societies they always add more legislation and turn a blind eye to the values 
underpinning their societies. It is as if they have been divinely revealed!

  The propagated values in western society are freedom and individualism. 
How can the overemphasis of my freedoms and the notion of my individuality - 
which are being forced down our throats via the political and economic 
structures in western society - actually create a cohesive society? In reality 
these values are non-cohesive values, and according to psychologists and 
philosophers, if you propagate non-cohesive values you will get a non-cohesive 
society. Now compare this to the Islamic cohesive values of mercy, compassion 
and God consciousness; wouldn't they create a cohesive society? Now, I am not 
saying that people in the western world do no carry these values, they do. 
However the difference is that in the Islamic society, these values will be 
propagated via the political and economic structures - and they will not be in 
competition with non-cohesive values of individualism and freedom. 

  To conclude how can these Muslims who call for this type of response 
believe in Islam when they adopt alien constructs and ideas? Wasn't Islam 
revealed for our guidance for all all aspects of life - individual, social and 
political? Doesn't this show an inferiority complex and no confidence or 
conviction in Islam?
  Don't say or do anything!

  The second response is self refuting. What the advocates of this response 
say is that staying silent is the best path to 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Comments on Indonesian education system by an Indonesian scholar--uniting into one stream is difficult

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.Please see some comments of an young Indonesian scholar on 
their education system.I am quotinq parts of  two letters received from that 
scholar.


Letter One

Quote The alia system ( in Bangladesh ) is almost similar with Islam system of 
education in here that I've mentioned before. While qaumii madrasah is pretty 
similar with tradional boarding school which mostly run  by Nahdathul Ulama. 
But at this present time, traditional boarding school (pesantren) has been 
modernized and the government also support its financial component for 
traditional boarding school. 


In general system of formal education both Muhammadiyah and NU also held 
general education which follow the standart of national curriculum under 
department of education supervision. Though there is still some special or 
local contents of curriculum.The difference between them is on the way they 
call it. Muhammadiyah calls it school of Muhammadiyah, while NU calls it maarif.

Speaking about class, in here formal Islam system same as formal general system 
of education. 


  
Second letter 

Quote Assalamu'alaikum .In my view it's hard to unite those ( various streams ) 
to one. Because there are many educational elements that should  have tobe 
accommodated. In Indonesia generally the educational system is under 
Educational Department supervision. For example basic school, secondary school, 
and high school, and university or college level. 

But there is also Islamic system of education, which is under Department of 
Religious affairs such as MIT (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah) which is equal with primary 
school/basic school, MTS (Madrasah Tsanawiyah) which is equal with secondary 
school and  MA (Madrasah Aliyah) which is equal with high school.These Islamic 
system of education also include both general curriculum which required by 
government under Educational Department and Islamic curriculum under Department 
of Religious affairs. All students of Islamic system of education also attend 
final exam which is held  by Department of Education as prerequirement of 
passing their grade.   
If the students of madrasah aliyah (high school level) want to enroll the 
university level, they will be treated same as other students from general 
background as long as they pass the entrance test to university.
The difference between general and Islamic system of education is that in 
Islamic system, the proportion of religious contents is much more than general 
system. Besides Islamic system of education also is not left behind in general 
curriculum. In contrast, the proportion of religious subject in general system 
of education is limited, approximately only 2 hours each week, while in Islamic 
system almost every day there is religious subject.  Unquote

Shah Abdul Hannan

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Young Generation:Our and Their Duties

[S A Hannan]

Young Generation:Our and Their Duties


The young generation in most of the countries in  the world are facing a more 
difficult situation than the olderr generations.They are facing very serious 
problems of gigantic proportion.First one is  the present financial 
crisis.which will affect all , old and new.This crisis has exposed the greed of 
the moneyed people, the Boards and CEOs of the companies and their  
irresponsible risk taking to the detriment of the interest of humanity.It has 
been proved that  neither one hundred percent controlled economy nor one 
hundred percent market economy are workable or sustainable in the long run.The 
solution lies in a market economy under strict supervision of the state or 
Hisba in Islamic economic term.You can call it Islamic economy or welfare 
economy or by any other name.Second crisis the world is facing  is climate 
change and envirironmental degradation of immense proportion which is the 
result of human folly because of greedy capitalists and governments who did not 
care for the environment in the process of industrialisation.We are all 
suffering now but the burnt will be mostly on the young generation and the 
future generations.

Third is moral degradation. Large sections of People have become selfish, 
un-principled, robot-like without sensivity to human suffering,hedonist always 
looking for enjoyment,sexually pervert and promiscuous. This selfishness is 
reflected in politics, international relations and business.Why so much 
disparity iamong various sections of people. The super rich individuals and 
countries  around the world have become so rich only by depriving  the labor  
(by the manufacturers ) or  giving less price to the raw-material producers by 
industrialists or importing countries with more bargaining strength .They have  
also amassed wealth by charging more price from the consumers or  importing 
countries with less bargaining power.


In this context  young generation must realise the dangers to humanity and 
fight against all these to save humanity.The believers can do it only through 
imbibing the true spirit of guidance of God.We  do not find any way for 
atheists. They can not change the world as they do not have permanent value and 
as they have no accoutiblity.



Most unfortunately the young feneration is under the grip of the moral 
degradation we have described above.They have to be prepared in a morally sound 
way with faith in heart and idealism.The parents have to realise this,they have 
to put in their heart high moral qualities.This can be done by teaching them 
from the lives of moraly sound great people in history.The teachers have to  
play a great role to save them from immorality and materialism.The education 
system should give more emphsis on moral and ethical education.The media has 
great responsibility.They should purge them from vulgarity and should promote 
decent culture and behavior , not nudity and porno type films

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Headline news--House passes l anti-porn bill in Indonesia -Jakarta Post

[S A Hannan]

 Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.All countries, particularly all Muslim countries, should take 
strict action in this regard and make proper laws for that.

Shah Abdul Hannan
House passes controversial anti-porn bill
House passes controversial anti-porn bill
Ati Nurbaiti ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 10/30/2008 2:14 PM  |  
Headlines

Cries of joy and shouts of Alhamdullillah (praise God) came from the balcony of 
the House of Representatives' plenary hall as the gavel was struck to mark the 
passage of the controversial bill on pornography.

Compared to those who supported the bill, those who opposed it only occupied 
two rows on the balcony towards the end of the meeting.

Pro anti-porn law activist Lasmiantini of Salima (Muslim sisterhood) said, 
"Insyaallah" (God willing), Indonesians will eventually undergo a moral revival 
-- the basis of a country, and
later economic revival."

"We are very happy with the result of our struggle to protect children, and 
also to protect women," said Lasmiantini, of several groups who supported the 
pornography bill.

"If our husbands are (exposed to) pornography then our families will be 
destroyed."

"Now our children are safe," said Lasmiantini, chairwoman of Salima's Bekasi 
chapter.

With exposure to pornography contributing to instances of rape and murder, the 
country was no longer safe for women and children, she said.

Lasmiantini said, under the new law, sinetron (popular television serials) 
would have to be those "of quality" and contribute moral value, such as the 
recent hit 'Laskar Pelangi' (Rainbow Troops) -- referring to the movie based on 
Andrea Hirata's biography of his childhood.

In response to questions of whether she feared any excessive implementation of 
the new law, while justifying state interference in private matters, she said, 
"for good things, like an injection, people are negative about it only because 
they fear it will hurt."

The activists cited revisions to the bill which they said would guarantee that 
only pornography in the public sphere was regulated.

Meanwhile, Save Indonesian Children (ASA Indonesia) chairwoman Wuryaningsih and 
a Salima leader both said, "We should work together to watch out for any 
excesses."

"The law may not be perfect but it is a start ... We must protect our 
families," she said.

"We really hope that the (pornography) industry can be regulated."

In response to fears among women that they would become unwitting victims of 
the law, Wuryaningsih said the issue of women was only "political," as if 
Islamic parties were not behind the law.

"This has nothing to do with the Islamic parties," Wuryaningsih said.






















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Bismillah [IslamCity] The Egyptian proposal approved by Fatah and Hamas opens the door to closing inter-Palestinian rifts--let us hope for the best

[S A Hannan]

A glimmer of hope
The Egyptian proposal approved by Fatah and Hamas opens the door to 
closing inter-Palestinian rifts, writes Saleh Al-Naami



After many meetings, consultations and deliberations the Egyptian 
government has succeeded in formulating a draft agreement for Palestinian 
national reconciliation which both Fatah and Hamas have approved in principle. 
The Palestinian National Project, as it is called, was submitted to 
representatives of the Palestinian factions on Sunday.

The proposed project calls for the creation of a national 
reconciliation government "with specified tasks". These include lifting the 
blockade, managing daily affairs, preparing for new legislative and 
presidential elections, and overseeing the creation of non- partisan, 
professionally-based national security services. The document specifies that 
presidential and legislative elections should be held simultaneously at a date 
agreed between the factions and in accordance with a revised electoral law and 
encourages moves, first mooted in the 2005 Cairo Agreement, to expand the 
Palestine Liberation Organisation to include all Palestinian forces and 
factions. Towards this end the draft agreement urges new PLO national council 
elections inside the Palestinian territories and abroad.

Under the terms of the document all factions agree to maintain calm 
with Israel within the framework of a reconciliation agreement between them and 
to promote a domestic climate that permits the implementation of the agreed 
points in the national dialogue. The document also stipulates the creation of 
specialised committees on all pending issues -- the creation of the national 
reconciliation government, the overhaul of the security services, reactivating 
the PLO and elections and the electoral law. It places the conduct of all 
political negotiations under the authority of the PLO and the Palestinian 
Authority president, and envisages that any settlement agreement be presented 
to the PLO national council for ratification and, if feasible, to the 
Palestinian people in a referendum. Finally, it states that the Palestinian 
national dialogue must adhere to principles laid out in earlier documents, 
including the Cairo and Mecca agreements (2007).

Fatah welcomed the draft project as an important step towards ending 
current divisions. In a statement to Al-Ahram Weekly, Abdallah Abdallah, 
chairman of the political committee in the National Assembly, said Fatah 
"strongly values Egyptian efforts to end Palestinian divisions". Yet he 
insisted that Mahmoud Abbas's presidential term must remain outside of the 
bounds of the national dialogue.

A Hamas leader told the Weekly that while the movement agreed in 
principle to the document several points needed to be modified and others 
clarified. He stressed that Hamas "was not alone" in believing this. Although 
he refused to clarify the points in question he said that the Hamas delegation 
that is currently in Damascus will probably discuss these points with Egyptian 
officials.

Leftist Palestinian forces say that while the Egyptian proposal is on 
the whole balanced they have some reservations. Saleh Zeidan, of the Democratic 
Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), believes the Mecca Agreement 
should have been excluded from the frames of reference since it is a bilateral 
agreement between Fatah and Hamas. He also criticised the document for failing 
to mention the need to adopt proportional representation in Palestinian 
elections which would ensure the participation of all factions and end the 
current monopoly over decision- making.

The current system, argues Zeidan, favours one, or at best, two 
factions. He also believes the document should have listed the National 
Reconciliation Project as the frame of reference for reactivating the PLO. 
Lastly, on the matter of the proposed national reconciliation government, 
Zeidan stresses that if its aim is to lift the blockade and arrange for new 
elections it should be made up of independent figures.

Palestinian political analyst Nihad Al-Sheikh Khalil believes that most 
of the points in the draft agreement are "ticking bombs" that could easily 
explode and derail efforts at dialogue. He points out that the Egyptian 
proposal "makes no reference to the political agenda of the new government or 
the method of electing the new prime minister".

Hamas insists that the agenda of the forthcoming government should rest 
on the Mecca agreement whereas Abbas wants to base it on the PLO programme. On 
the question of restructuring the security agencies, Khalil warns that "the 
wording is so loose it will jeopardise future talks on the issue". While Hamas 
believes that the restructuring should apply to

Bismillah [IslamCity] Emailing: 10-11-12-2008-WPMagazine-Final

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.Please  read this very important issue of the Al-Bayyinah 
magazine of witness-pioneer international group of  young scholars.

Shah Abdul Hannan
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: 
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/VMagazine/v8i3/10-11-12-2008-WPMagazine-Final.pdf

Note: To protect against computer viruses, e-mail programs may prevent sending 
or receiving certain types of file attachments.  Check your e-mail security 
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Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Friday should continue as holiday

[S A Hannan]

> Dear members,
>
> In view of the new unnecessary debate on friday holiday, I am sending this 
> small write -up for  immediately   publishing in your esteemed daily.
>
> Shah Abdul Hannan
>>
>>>
>>   Friday should continue as holiday
>>   By Shah Abdul Hannan
>>
>>
>>
>> A section of  people  community has again demanded the introduction of
>> Sunday as holiday taking the oportunity of the fact that a care-taker
>> government is in power. They want to take advantage that this government 
>> is  not responsible to the people as much as an elected political 
>> government.
>> Their logic is that as in most countries Sunday is the
>> weekly holiday,  Friday weekly holiday would  force the businesses to 
>> lose
>> two  international working days that would
>> affect export and import adversely.
>>
>> The notion of the negative impact on export and import due to the weekly
>> holiday being Friday is not proved by facts. Friday has been the weekly
>> holiday for fifteen years in Bangladesh and export-import has not ever
>> diminished for that at all. Even after Friday being the weekly holiday,
>> export and import have been increasing by 10-20% each year. In this
>> period   I have worked as the Deputy Governor of Bangladesh and Secretary
>> of the  Banking Division, Ministry of Finance. Businessmen and bankers 
>> have  informed me a lot of problems but never have I been approached with 
>> any
>> complaint of any hindrance in export or import for Friday being the
>> weekly  holiday. In fact Export Lc's are received from abroad, giving the
>> exporter  30/60/90 days for export. Even if the last day is Friday, there
>> is still  no problem as ports and airports and concerned sections of 
>> these organisations and customs are open all days and all hours.
>>
>> The same is true of imports. As such never a single consignment of
>> import or export was lost due to Friday. Moreover, fax, internet and
>> telephone  communications are open at all hours on all days. At the 
>> present moment, usinessmen complete their works on the day  before  or 
>> after Friday as they would  have done if the weekly holiday was  Sunday. 
>> The idea of Friday being  a deterrent to the export-import mechanism  is 
>> entirely motivated and reflects  subservience to western norms. The 
>> fallacy  of this idea would be strengthened further  by the export-import 
>> statistics  of those countries where Friday is the holiday.  Further, 
>> when  a document  is received (any working day) ,counting will be started 
>> from the next day. In our country, where  Friday is holiday, the receipt 
>> counting will start on saturday if saturday is a working day.  In the 
>> West,, if document is received Monday, counting day will start from 
>> Tuesday. If received Friday counting day will start from Monday as 
>> saturday and Sunday are holidays there. These are the common for foreign 
>> exchange business in the whole world ( to exclude the holiday for 
>> counting receipt of Lcs.) All related persons/banks/firms follow it.  If 
>> the last day  for meeting LC commitment is holiday(s) i.e.if 
>> 30th/60th/90th day is holiday then it will be the next working 
>> day.Holiday(s) is not the problem
>>
>> Talking about this issue, many people refer to the Surat al Jum'a of the> 
>> Holy Quran which does not suggest of not working on Friday. Even if this 
>> is the logic, it can be argued back that the Quran does not  talk about 
>> any weekly holiday at all. If this is taken literally, we  should have no 
>> holiday and all days should be working days.
>>
>> Or, should it be suggested that Saturday and Sunday be the weekly
>> holidays, when they, in fact, are the days of worship for the Jews and
>> the  Christians respectively? On the other hand no one can reject that
>> Friday bears as much religious value to Muslims as Saturday and Sunday 
>> bear to  Jews and Christians respectively.
>>
>> So if there is a social need to select a day of the week as holiday why
>> shouldn't we select the day to be Friday as Jew and Christian have
>> selected it Saturday and Sunday respectively? If we have an iota of
>> religious consciousness left we should naturally do so.
>>
>> It may be mentioned that for a while this very debate was created in
>> Bangladesh in 1997 when Newaz Sharif of Pakistan switches the holiday
>> from  Friday to Sunday. At that period an opinion poll taken in Dhaka by 
>> some  students of Democracywatch shows that 66% people are for 
>> Friday.(Weekly
>> Holiday,20 June,1997)
>>
>> To conclude I would like to mention that some people want to follow 
>> others in all matters. Attempt to shift holiday from Friday is  also part 
>> of this. So I hope no government in the present or future  would  do so 
>> against the sentiment of the majority of the people.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
> 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Indonesian Vice-President on present financial crisis ,capitalism and Islamic economic teachings

[S A Hannan]

  Kalla advocates sharia system over capitalism


  Syofiardi Bachyul Jb ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Padang   |  Mon, 10/13/2008 11:36 
AM  |  HeadlinesVice President Jusuf Kalla on Saturday said the current global 
financial crisis was caused by, among other factors, the capitalist system, and 
urged the development of the sharia financial system.

  He also said Indonesia should take advantage of the crisis, despite also 
being affected.

  "One of the causes of the current crisis is the capitalist system," he said.. 
"Therefore we should develop a sharia economic system."

  He did not elaborate further..

  Kalla was speaking at the Minang Merchants Meeting, held at Pangeran Beach 
Hotel in Padang, West Sumatra.

  The crisis has opened the way for Indonesia to buy back foreign-held shares 
in privatized state-owned companies at bargain prices.

  "The government has ordered buybacks of all foreign-held shares in cement 
maker PT Gresik and coal producers," Kalla said.

  "If (Indonesians) have ready cash, it is better they buy shares. In a year's 
time, it will be profitable.

  "We must take advantage of the crisis."

  Kalla said the current crisis differed from the 1998 financial crisis in that 
the earlier crisis greatly affected Indonesia, but the 2008 crisis is wreaking 
havoc in the United States and developed countries.

  "The problem is, who will help the U.S.? Especially since the value (lost) is 
100 times bigger than during the Indonesian crisis in 1998," he said.

  "The impact is being felt by Americans, because almost all of them own 
shares. This also applies in Singapore."

  In Indonesia, Kalla went on, only 1 percent of the 20 percent of shares 
decimated last week at the Indonesian Stock Exchange were owned by Indonesians.

  "So what is the significance to us if the stock market crashes -- unless it 
was Tanah Abang or Senen markets in Jakarta, Pasar Baru in Makassar or Pasar 
Klewer in Surakarta that crashed," he said, referring to various non-stock 
markets in Indonesia.

  The crisis also affects Indonesian exports only slightly, the Vice President 
said.

  "We only export raw materials, including palm oil and rubber. People can 
reduce their leisure activities," he said.

  "Our export value of Rp 1 trillion will decrease slightly."





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Bismillah [IslamCity] Children Right Must Be Ensured : This Has High Priority--Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 16.10.08

[S A Hannan]

 
 

Children Right Must Be Ensured : This Has High Priority

 

Press has reported  that the Chief Adviser Fakhruddin 
Ahmed has  underscored the need for changes in the mindset and sincere work to 
ensure overall development of children.
"Laws and charters for the welfare of children would 
not work if we don't bring changes to our mindset and work sincerely for them," 
he said at a function marking the World Child Day and Child Rights Week 
2008.Fakhruddin Ahmad  said the question should come to the minds of all: 
'Can't we do something for the welfare of children from one's respective 
position?'"One question rises in my mind: Are all children of our country in 
good condition? The answer is: No, they are not."He said: "How a child will 
become a good citizen without proper education and proper physical and mental 
growth?"
The Women and Children Affairs Ministry organised the 
function at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city. 
The chief adviser formally opened the Child Rights Week 
2008. The theme of the week is: Creating a Protective Environment for Child 
Development. The Child Rights Week 2008 is being observed in the country from 
October 14 to 20 instead of September 29-October 5 in view of the holy Ramadan, 
Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja. Addressing the function, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin 
Ahmed said ensuring safety and welfare of children and protecting their health 
is vital to the nation's future.He called upon guardians, well-off people, 
civil society members, child welfare-oriented government and non-government 
institutions to take more effective initiatives for the welfare of 
children."Let us work collectively to ensure a good future for the next 
generation," he said.  "The urgency to make a safe and good environment for 
today's children -- the future of tomorrow -- will have to be felt by all of 
us."

 

We think that the Chief Advisor has made someery 
important points in this regard. We agree with all the points mentioned by 
him.We however emphasise the need for a more comprehensive education for 
children ( from class-1 to class 8 ) which must include very effective moral 
content.They must learn , apart from formal religious education, about great 
moral figures in  history such as Muhammad (sm), Abubakr, Umar al Khattab, 
Aysha, khadija and Fatima ( ra), Jesus, Buddha , Gandhi  and some other great 
moral figures. They do not require to  know celebrities, they require to know 
morally sound people through h their literature, history and religious courses. 
Their life can influence deeply the young minds.

 

Another thing, not only the physical environment but 
also moral environment should be purified, bad literature, bad films, bad 
advertisements have to be controlled. The TV is playing very bad role in this 
regard, their good work is destroyed by their other bad program. We have to do 
something about it 

   

 

   

 

 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Zardari's Kashmir statement under attack

[S A Hannan]

Zardari's Kashmir statement under attack

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Lahore/08-Oct-2008/Zardaris-Kashmir-statement-under-attack
Source: OUR STAFF REPORTER submitted 1 day 11 hours ago 
LAHORE - Speakers of a dialogue have said that statement of President Asif Ali 
Zardari over Kashmir issue was parallel to stabbing the freedom movement of 
Kashmir. They were of the view that Kashmir issue should be resolved in 
accordance with the resolutions of the UNO and All Parties Conference must be 
called in this regard to adopt a unanimous stance over the issue.
The dialogue on the topic of “Current Situation of Kashmir” was held at the 
Hameed Nizami Hall addressed by PML(N) MNA Bilal Yaseen, Jamaat-e-Islami leader 
Dr Fareed Ahmad Piracha, Member Kashmir Assembly Ghulam Mohayy-ud-Din, Mufti 
Muhammad Shafi Joush, and Sadiq Jalal, Chairman Kashmir Center.
Bilal Yaseen in his address said that Pakistan fought two wars against India 
over the issue of Kashmir in the past and it would fight more in the future in 
this regard. He said that statement of the president was condemnable and he 
would raise the issue in the Parliament. He asked political parties to take 
notice of the attitude of the government wherein after America, India was also 
being considered as our boss. He demanded the decisive role of Pakistan in 
Kashmir freedom movement. He was of the view that during present government no 
decision was being taken in the Parliament rather issues were being taken to 
Parliament after taking decisions outside the Parliament. He said that Zardari 
has injured the feelings of the people of Pakistan by issuing such statement.
Dr Fareed Ahmad Piracha said that Zardari’s comments over Kashmir issue showed 
his loyalty to India. He said that president Zardari was also being supported 
by India in matchless way. Piracha said that India was firmed with her stance 
over Kashmir for last 60 years but unfortunately here every dictator on his 
arrival in power changed his stance over Kashmir. He said that Musharraf 
changed his stance over Kashmir for six times and Zardari has changed his view 
about three times. Truck used in Marriott Hotel blast was present in Indian 
Embassy in Islamabad, India has blocked our water in various rivers, India was 
killing our prisoners and Kahsmiri brethren but our government was ready to 
sent back the spy Sarbajeet Singh to India, he added.
Ghulam Mohyyud Din said that statement of the president about Kashmir was 
international conspiracy, despite showing a lot of flexibility by Pakistan over 
Kashmir issue India was firmed with its stance over Kashmir. He demanded the 
removal of Maulana Fazalur Rehman from the office of head of Kashmir Committee. 
Shafi Joush also criticised the role of Maulana Fazalur Rehman and said that he 
has failed to perform any positive role so he should be replaced by a suitable 
person from his office.
Sadiq Jalal said that Zardari has already passed such controversial statement 
over Kashmir he should be careful in this regard.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Speech of Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to the Annual Coordination Meeting of Foreign Ministers of OIC Member States

[S A Hannan]

http://www.oic-oci.org/oicnew/topic_detail.asp?t_id=1440

Speech of Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu Secretary General of the Organization of 
the Islamic Conference to the Annual Coordination Meeting of Foreign Ministers 
of OIC Member States

Date: 26/09/2008 - View in: Arabic | French - Print


UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS NEW YORK, 26 SEPTEMBER 2008

Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Allow me to start by wishing you a happy and blessed Ramadan, as well as a 
joyful Eid el-Fitre which will come in a few days.

We pray God Almighty to bestow on us all, and the Muslims the world over (and 
humanity as a whole) his mercy, blessing and benediction as well as his 
guidance to serve in his path and carry on his eternal message of Islam.

I have the distinct honour to welcome you all as we come together in this 
Coordination Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, to discuss issues of 
interest to our countries and our common causes tabled on the agenda of the 
present 63rd Session of the General Assembly.

We appreciate this opportunity as it gives us a chance to meet and update our 
consultation on certain issues and coordinate our activities and efforts in 
this regard.

Before I go any further, I would like to express our sincere thanks to the 
Republic of Senegal for successfully hosting the 11th OIC Summit of Heads of 
State and Government in Dakar on 13-14 March, 2008 which was a historic meeting 
distinguished by the adoption of the new OIC Charter among other things.

By the same token, I would like to convey our gratitude and acknowledgment to 
the Republic of Uganda for the excellent hosting of the 35th Session of the 
Council of Foreign Ministers in Kampala, which resulted in the adoption of very 
important resolutions of major significance to the joint Islamic action.

Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As the leaders of the world congregate in the UN Headquarters for the general 
debate, the General Assembly, making use of the presence of the world leaders 
in New York, has recently taken the initiative to convene High-level events as 
the focus of specific discussions and considerations.

The issues of these high-level events are chosen from an array of vital 
international issues requiring urgent action. These events deal with four 
subjects: Africa’s Development Needs; Achieving the Millennium Development 
Goals; Mid-term Review of the Almaty Programme of Action; and the Special 
Session on Human Rights.

In addition to these, two themes were chosen by the President of the General 
Assembly for the general Debate: Food Crisis and the Democratisation of the UN.

In the same context, and as per tradition, the President of the General 
Assembly has identified a number of areas to focus on during this 63rd Session: 
food crisis, poverty alleviation, water, health, climate changes, financing for 
development, disarmament and countering terrorism. Many of these issues also 
take prevalence on the agenda of the OIC as well.

As you are well aware, the two important meetings of the OIC this year were 
convened in Africa; the OIC Summit in Dakar, and the CFM in Kampala with 
special emphasis on Africa. This is an indication that we are working in tandem 
with the concerns and preoccupations of the international community.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you all know, the world is experiencing a dramatic increase in food prices. 
Continued rise in the cost of basic food commodities has an adverse impact on 
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and contributes to 
exacerbating the rate of poverty; it further impedes development plans, 
particularly in developing countries.

Fourteen OIC Member States are among the world’s 37 countries in crisis 
requiring external assistance in food supply. The recently held 35th Session of 
the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers adopted a resolution on Food Security in 
the OIC Member States and called for collective action in order to ensure food 
security for the populations of the Member States. Moreover, it mandated the 
OIC Secretary General to organize a meeting of Food and Agricultural Ministers 
of the OIC Member States to address the current international food crisis and 
achieve food security.

The OIC Ten Year Programme of Action called for collective actions of the 
Member States in tackling issues such as poverty. OIC identified food and 
agriculture as one of its priority areas for collective action and established 
a number of programmes to be taken in order to ensure food security.


The growth and development of the majority of OIC African Member States depend 
on the export of a limited number of primary commodities, namely agricultural 
ones. Africa is confronted by four key challenges: a global food crisis, 
climate change, high energy prices and persistent poverty. Unfortunately, the 
economies of the Sub-Sahara African countries have been growing for the past 
three decade

Bismillah [IslamCity] Qaradawi: Muslim Brotherhood Represents Moderate Islam, Best Group in Muslim Nation

[S A Hannan]

Qaradawi: Muslim Brotherhood Represents Moderate Islam, Best Group 
in Muslim Nation


  IkhwanWeb - Egypt

  http://www.ikhwanweb.com/Article.asp?ID=18055&LevelID=2&SectionID=0





  Monday, September 29, 2008
  Dr.Yusuf Al-Qaradawi (President of the International Union for Muslim 
Scholars (IUMS), confirmed in an interview with Amr Adib (an Egyptian 
television presenter and interviewer) broadcasted on Thursday night September 
25,2008, that the Muslim Brotherhood, according to Imam Hassan Al-Banna"s 
approach, represents the desired Islamic moderation. Al-Qaradawi added that 
“This approach is manifested through balance and integration, as it adopts a  
propagative educational methodology which  includes the development of the 
Muslim individual, family, community, state, and nation, as it seeks to 
liberate and unite the Islamic  nation.”



  Answering the question if there is a Sunni project as the Shiite"s, 
Al-Qaradawi described Hassan Al-Banna"s project as a model for the Sunni 
project whose bricks remain until today. Al-Qaradawi pointed out that the 
people, however, need to contribute in transforming this theoretical draft into 
a practical one.  Further, Al-Qaradawi expressed his acceptance of the idea of 
the MB governing Egypt.



  Al-Qaradawi revealed the fact that he had wanted to be a guide for the 
whole nation, instead of one only for the Muslim Brotherhood when he had 
refused the position of MB Chair offered to him. Further, he described the MB 
as being the best, in spite of its shortcomings, among the Egyptian as well as 
the Islamic nation’s groups in terms of behavior, purity and integrity.



  Concerning the Muslim Brothers’ right to seek power at the same time they 
are involved in their call to Islam, Al-Qaradawi stated, "One can be content 
with his role of calling for Islam if he finds that the political duties have 
been taken care of and that people"s needs are being met, but if this is absent 
then it becomes everyone"s duty to take on the political role."


  Al-Qaradawi called for freedom and democracy in Egypt before applying the 
Islamic law explaining that “Without freedom one can do nothing.  We want to 
get out of the ranks of backwardness into those of progress, but this cannot be 
attained without freedom.” Al-Qaradawi further described Egypt as the country 
most desiring of Islam, explaining that it has been the pioneer in both good 
and evil and that it is ahead of the other Arab countries in terms of an 
Islamic renaissance.


  Concerning Al-Qaradawi"s attitude towards Shiite, he confirmed that his 
support for Hezbollah during the last war came from his belief in his religion, 
in the unity of the nation, and in the need to defend the land of Islam adding, 
“I do not care about whether people are satisfied or discontented when I 
defended Hezbollah after a fatwa (legal opinion issued by scholars) was issued 
by some scholars in Saudi Arabia of not supporting Hezbollah.”


  Concerning his opinion about the fact that a number of moderate Shiite 
scholars had attacked him, Al-Qaradawi explained that it was a misunderstanding 
on the part of some close Shiites who did not contact him to make sure of what 
he had actually said which was that Sunni scholars work for the State, while 
Shiite scholars earn their salaries from their people.



  Regarding the absence of the Sunni project, Al-Qaradawi said: “There are 
projects known to scholars that I have contributed to, but the problem is with 
he who has control over them, not in those who envision it." Al-Qaradawi 
further stressed that the Sunni project requires a big country such as Egypt, 
Turkey, Pakistan or Indonesia adding that "If there was a strong Sunni country 
then Shiism would not have been able to find its way into Egypt, the country of 
Al-Azhar and propagation of Islam. We have been invaded in our own homes."



<><><><><><>

Bismillah [IslamCity] Islamic Party is most constitutional : Propaganda Againt Islamic Parties Baseless

[S A Hannan]

Islamic Party is most constitutional : Propaganda Againt Islamic 
Parties Baseless





A rport in an English national daily by its own repoter  has said 
that “Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh will have to bring fundamental changes to its 
constitution to get registered with the Election Commission (EC) so that it 
qualifies for participating in parliamentary polls. If the party changes its 
constitution to conform to the registration criteria, it will definitely lose 
its characteristics as an Islamic political party.
Among the registration criteria laid down in the revised 
Representation of the People Order (RPO), two conditions infuriated Jamaat 
leadership as those put the party's very existence as a hardline Islamic party 
at stake. “
” The preamble to the constitution reads: "…. it shall be a 
fundamental aim of the state to realize through the democratic process a 
socialist society, free from exploitation, a society in which the rule of law, 
fundamental human rights and freedom, equality and justice, political, economic 
and social will be secured for all citizens."But the aims and objectives laid 
down in Jamaat-e-Islami's constitution are to establish rule of Islam through 
all out efforts and for establishing peace all over the world and welfare of 
mankind.” “Another significant registration criterion says that a political 
party shall not be qualified for registration if any discrimination regarding 
religion, race, caste, language or sex is apparent in its constitution. The 
text of the criterion was taken from Article 28 (1) of the country's 
constitution. According to the constitution of Jamaat, only religious Muslims 
can join the organisation and be members or leaders of the party. After the 
new provisions in the RPO were incorporated in an ordinance promulgated on 
August 19, Jamaat's Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid filed a writ 
petition with the High Court (HC) challenging the three provisions.In the writ 
Jamaat claimed that the provisions are unconstitutional.--The rule remains 
pending while the EC's timeframe for applying to it for registration is running 
out. Political parties must apply to the EC by October 15 for registration. “



The whole report, to say the least , is a plea to ban the Islamic 
political parties, in particular, a major party of the country Jammate 
Islami.On day before this report another gentleman wrote another article on 
this theme.The argument is faulty. In the present constitution socialism has 
been defined as economic and social justice.Though this principle has been 
provided in the preamble which is not justicible, even then anybody going 
through Jamaat constitution would find it has taken care of fully in its 
election manifesto in the past and obviously would do so in future.

As regards the issue, whether it is open to Non-Muslims, any 
Non-Muslim can be its associate members and in fact there are hundreds of 
thousands of Non-Muslim associate members of Jamaat. It is not binding in a 
democracy that it can not form party on religious or regional basis.Any body 
can look into Indian situation



If any party is to be banned under the present constitution, then 
these are parties which provide for secularism and does not its allegiance to 
Islam as mentioned in article 8(1) (2) of the constitution .This we do not 
support. We feel that all parties who work lawfully should function freely. 
Otherwise, no party will be able to function, neither the left parties nor the 
secular parties This sort of writings appear to be be motivated to create more 
confusion when all other problems are apparently on the verge of resolution. 
This is evil way of disturbing harmony in the country to make democracy 
non-functional. We urge the government and the Election Commission to be 
vigilant



.

Bismillah [IslamCity] 'No tangible proof of Muslims' involvement in terrorism' -

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message -
From: Ghulam Muhammed
To: Subject: 'No tangible proof of Muslims' involvement in terrorism' -


'No tangible proof of Muslims' involvement in terrorism'

Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, head, Majlis-e-Mushawarat
September 29, 2008

Upset at what they consider the deliberate implication of the Muslim community 
in terror attacks, varoius Muslim organisations last week formed an umbrella 
body -- Coordination Committee for Indian Muslims -- to raise their voice 
against the development.

After a meeting at the Jamaat e Islami Hind in New Delhi [Images], held in the 
wake of the Jamia Nagar encounter in which two youth were shot dead and a 
police inspector was killed, they formed a five-member panel to counter the 
campaign against the community.

Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, head of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, who is 
a member of this five-member committee, tells Special Correspondent Vicky 
Nanjappa that anger among the Muslim, especially among the youth, is building 
up over the continuing demonisation of the community.

All the organisations with you seem to completely disagree with the Delhi 
police on the Jamia Nagar encounter.

There are many question marks about this "encounter". Three fact-finding 
reports to date have raised questions about the incident and the police 
narrative. All pointers indicate that it was a fake encounter. The police team 
did not go there to kill but to investigate and arrest. They bungled the 
operation; their officer was killed by his own men. As a result, in a fit of 
rage they killed two so-called "terrorists" and injured a third. To justify the 
killing, they invented this whole story making them "masterminds" and extending 
the conspiracy to their home district Azamgarh where dozens of youths have been 
picked up both from Azamgarh and Delhi on mere suspicion.

Outlandish stories are being churned out by the police and lapped up by a 
stenographic media like the claim that the slain youths had received crores of 
rupees in their accounts while bank managers in Azamgarh said on camera that 
these youths had paltry sums in their accounts; or the fantastic claim that 
these same youths had planted bombs in Varanasi, Jaipur [Images], Hyderabad, 
Ahmedabad [Images] etc. This logically means that since all the masterminds 
have been now killed or arrested, India from now on will not witness a single 
terrorist attack.

Why do you think that those youth in particular were targeted?

According to the Mumbai police, they had passed on some information about these 
youths to the Gujarat police and asked them to observe them. The Gujarat 
police, highly discredited as it is for its communal bias and criminal role in 
the riots, jumped the gun and informed the Delhi police that these people were 
planning to carry out explosions. These youths must be one of many under 
observation in the country. It was their bad luck that a police officer was 
killed while trying to arrest them and they paid the price for this.

Subsequently, the entire Muslim community is made to pay the price of this 
khaki crime which is not new to Delhi. We have already experienced fake 
encounters at Ansal Plaza and Connaught Place in the past.

If the encounter was fake then what do you have to say about the death of M C 
Sharma?

It is pretty clear that Sharma was killed by his own men at very close range 
from behind. It was the mistake of the police to rush 2500 policemen into the 
narrow lanes of Batla House. They were deployed on various floors and rooftops 
of the same building as well as on the adjoining buildings. Such a mishap was 
bound to happen in such a situation.

Invariably, after every terror attack, Muslim youth are being accused of 
involvement. What does the community have to say about this?

It is true the finger is pointed at Muslims after each act of terror, but 
without proof in every single case. The same security and intelligence agencies 
which did not know anything about an impending attack a minute before it took 
place, suddenly and within minutes know every detail of the persons, 
organisations, funders etc behind the incident. They want to cover up their 
abject failure, and as the Muslims are the weakest section at this moment, the 
blame is safely pinned on them.

There are umpteen terrorist organisations in various parts of our country 
working for a variety of secessionist and political aims. It is possible that 
there may be a few Muslims too who are taking to terrorism, but till today we 
do not have tangible proof of this. There is no proof that the Students Islamic 
Movement of India, despite its extremist views, ever had any armed wing or 
imparted any armed training to its members. All we have is tall claims by 
various people and agencies which were trashed by their own hand-picked judge 
of the tribunal formed by the Union home ministry. Moreover, close to 50 SIMI 
[Images] activists have been acquitted to date by courts across the cou

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Need for learning Urdu' (letter published in the daily observer, Dhaka, Bangladesh on 17.9.08

[S A Hannan]

 Dear members,

Assalamu alaikum.Please see a letter on the subject published in the daily 
Observer, Dhaka, on 17th September.This issue of the urdu-speaking people of 
Bangladesh deserves carefulconsideration .

Shah Abdul Hannan
'Need for learning Urdu'


The High Court decision that the three lakh (appx) Biharis living in
different parts of Bangladesh are citizens of Bangladesh is a welcome news
(Ref: The Daily Star dated 19/05/2008). The Biharis generally speak Urdu.
Like other ethnic minorities whose interest are supposed to be up held by
the state, the interest of Urdu speaking Biharis is equally required to be
protected. As they speak Urdu, there has to be arrangement in
school/college that they could learn their language (Urdu) which has now
become almost defunct. The Urdu media schools set up  or at least
provision for teaching Urdu in the schools should be made  where they have
concentration. Further the necessity of learning Urdu by the local
population is also needed for economic gains. Urdu has now become popular
in India, and Middle East countries. In the Middle East Urdu is almost a
common language for the Diaspora. In India they officially though say that
Hindi is the state language but the Hindi of yester years has now become
almost out dated. Earlier Hindi was close to Sanskrit . But now Hindi is
more close to Urdu. If some watch the Indian TV and Pakistani TV channels,
one can easily say that the language in both the countries are almost the
same.  The popular film stars are finding their way into Hindi (Urdu)
films more than in other films. The songs and music do not lag behind.
They also follow Hindu/Urdu.



Moreover, the old timer Hindus were good at Urdu too. A story goes about
the Hon. late Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawahr Lal Nehru. Once he
visited a school. There a boy requested him for autograph. The boy said -
"Sir, Dasta-Khat Kiji Yey" (sir please put your signature). Nehru signed
that. The boy said - "Sir, date dey diji ye" (Sir please give the date).
Nehru did it in English. Surprised the boy said "Sir ye apne keya kiya,
dasta khat Urdu mey/aur date angrezi mey diya" (Sir what did you do? Put
your signature in Urdu and put the date in English). Nehru said -
"Barkhurdar, meiney wahi kiya jo tumney kaha - Dastakhat kar ney ko kaha,
meiney Urdu mein kiya, isliye key daskhat Urdu lafz haye; tum ney kaha
date dijiye, so meiney angrezi mein keya, isliye key date angrezi lafz
haye" (son I did what you said - I signed in Urdu because the word
'dastakhat' is Urdu, you asked me to put date, I did it in English because
date is English word). This though was a light moment shared by the then
Honorable and learned Prime Minister of India but speaks of the knowledge
of Urdu he possessed. And over period of time, the need and necessity of
Urdu in India has rather increased. And it will be no wonder if we take
into consideration the vast number of people speaking Urdu in India,
Pakistan and the Middle east countries. It will be one of the major
languages of the world after English, Arabic, French, Chinese etc. Hence
it is necessary that Urdu is also taught here to those who want it.  It is
important for Bangladesh because one of the priorities for Bangladesh for
the next 25 years would be to increase the manpower export to Middle East
countries. And surely among other skills, the knowledge of Urdu for easy
communication would definitely give advantage to Bangladeshis over other
competing countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and Hong Kong etc.
Hence also is the emphasis on its learning.

Abu Imran
Azimpur Rd
Dhaka-1205


 It was published in the letter columns of Bangladesh Observer dated 17
 September 2008







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8:25 AM

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: The Limits Of Capitalism: A Lesson Of US Financial Crisis

[S A Hannan]

Editorial for Asia Post
The Limits Of Capitalism: A Lesson Of US Financial Crisis

 

 

 

 

News agencies have reported that the White House hopefuls have stressed their 
rival plans to bring relief to both troubled financiers and "Main Street" after 
the government proposed a huge Wall Street bailout.Barack Obama and John McCain 
both said Sunday they would study the proposal and work across the political 
aisle, following the US government's request to Congress for clearance to buy 
700 billion dollars in distressed mortgages. But bitter differences on the road 
to the November 4 election were also exposed as Obama accused his Republican 
foe of wanting to "gamble" away Americans' life savings and deregulate 
healthcare at a time of market crisis. Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the 
Democrat would be working with President George W. Bush's administration and 
Congress to ensure the plan relieves hard-pressed workers, not just company 
bosses and shareholders.Obama wants the eventual package to be "part of an 
overall plan not just for Wall Street but for Main Street, that it protects 
taxpayers to the fullest extent possible, and that it helps homeowners stay in 
their homes," she said.

McCain said: "This financial crisis requires leadership and action in order to 
restore a sound foundation to financial markets, get our economy on its feet, 
and eliminate this burden on hard-working middle-class Americans."Pledging also 
to review the full document and eventual changes ordered by Congress, McCain 
touted his plan for a "Mortgage and Financial Institutions" trust following a 
raft of hefty government bailouts of tottering companies.Such a trust "would 
proactively resolve troubled financial institutions, enforce discipline on 
management and shareholders, and minimize the burden on the taxpayer," the 
Arizona senator said in a statement.

US economy fell into a very serious crisis with the financial crisis  mortgage 
banks and institutions. The government has planned a bailout of Trillion dollar 
against the basic principle of capitalism that market will correct the crisis. 
Yes it will do only after a total  nosedive of the economy and a general 
recession. Here is the limit of capitalism and the need for government 
intervention.It is a theoretical weakness of capitalism that it does not accept 
any role of government in economy .Its faith in economy is a kind of worship, 
Capitalism’s assertion that there should be no value in the operation of market 
is unacceptable. The economic system which believes both in the market and 
value and necessary government intervention is  superior .This is the kind of 
economy moral philosophers and Islam have called for. The US crisis is indeed a 
reminder.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Islamabad blast, review of policy is needed

[S A Hannan]

 
   Munawar slams Islamabad blast, demands review of policy 
LAHORE, Sept 20: Jamaat-e-Islami acting ameer Syed Munawar Hasan has 
strongly condemned the blast in Islamabad hotel and said foreign hand in the 
blast could not be ruled out.

  In a statement issued by JI Media Cell, he said enemies of the country 
want to destroy our economy and law and order. He demanded the rulers to 
immediately review the policy regarding military operation in tribal areas by 
convening an all parties' conference which should also evolve comprehensive 
strategy to counter all threats to national security.

  Munawar said those who targeted innocent civilians in the holy month of 
Ramadan were enemies of Islam and humanity. He sympathized with the bereaved 
families and prayed for the victims. He demanded strict punishments for the 
culprits. He also directed Al-khidmat Foundation workers to participate in 
relief operations and provide blood donations for the wounded. 


 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Asif Zardari has given his first salute to Washington with a joint press conference with US-agent Hamid Karzai just after taking oath.

[S A Hannan]

 
LAHORE, Sept 09: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that 
president Asif Zardari has given his first salute to Washington with a joint 
press conference with US-agent Hamid Karzai just after taking oath.

  Though Gen Musharraf has departed from president's House but his 
policies, spirit and slavish mentality is still ruling the roost, he said in a 
statement issued on Tuesday.

  Qazi said sitting besides Karzai, Zardari has given the message to the 
west that he is ready to act like Karzai to implement their agenda. He said the 
manner of the beginning of Zardari's reign has deeply frustrated the patriotic 
citizens and gave a message to the nation that it was now hostage to a new 
agent of the biggest terrorist of the world. Qazi said giving such an 
expression did not augur well for Zardari himself.

  Qazi said masses were expecting that Zardari would announce restoration 
of independent judiciary sacked by Gen Musharraf, gave his policy for 
eliminating price hike, unemployment and power-food crises, and reverse the 
policies supporting US war on terror to end the continuous US attacks from 
Afghan territory. But the nation was greatly disappointed on all those counts. 
He said Zardari also disappointed Kashmiris by avoiding clear statement on 
Kashmir issue. 


  http://jamaat.org/news/2008/sep/09/1002.html



 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: There Should Be Rational Behavior In Politics: Awami League Should Be Wise And Practical--editorial for Asia Post

[S A Hannan]

 There Should Be Rational Behavior In Politics: Awami League Should Be Wise And 
Practical





A report in national daily says that the leaders of 14 party alliance yesterday 
expressed their dissatisfaction over the attendance of some Awami League (AL) 
leaders at an Iftar party sponsored by the Saudi ambassador along with 
Jamaat-e-Islami man who played controversial role in the liberation war of 
Bangladesh.They also criticised this saying that it was a violation of 
promise.The leaders of the Workers party Bangladesh (WPB), Ganatantri Party and 
Samyabadi Dal (ML) were talking to reporters after holding separate meetings 
with the AL leaders at the Gulshan residnece party's Acting President Zillur 
Rahman.The meetings were arranged ahead of third round dialogue of AL with the 
Election Commission (EC) on September 9, as the 14 party alliance wants to 
place common demands on some vital issues like parliamentary polls, upazila 
elections and release of Sheikh Hasina.  Rashed Khan Menon suggested boycotting 
the war criminals both socially and politically. Menon said, "We do not want to 
create any contradictory situation, which may raise questions among the people. 
The war criminals should be boycotted socially and politically." He further 
said, "We never want to underestimate religious sentiment, But we want to say 
that the war criminals must be boycotted in every sphere," he added.
He noted that the government was trying to maintain the present 'controlled 
situation' in the country. AL and WPB had discussed how the country could get 
rid of this political deadlock, he informed.Terming AL's participation at the 
iftar party with Jamaat leaders an unexpected occurrence, he said: "AL has 
breached the alliance's decision on Jamaat-e-Islami." Samyabadi Dal general 
secretary Dilip Barua said, "We have reached an agreement that the 14-party 
alliance will not join any programme with war criminals, even diplomatic ones." 
Acting AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, " AL will always stick to 
its previous stand on the war criminals. We want that the war criminals should 
be brought under trial and banned from contesting the elections." In the face 
of repeated query from the reporters, Ashraful Islam said AL did not violate 
any agreement of the 14-party alliance by attending the iftar party with the 
Jamaat. It was a minor matter, he opined.The policy makers of AL faced a lot of 
questions after they attended in the iftar party of the Saudi ambassador on 
Friday along with Jamaat-e-Islami leaders.

We have been watching the statements of some political leaders after the Iftar 
gathering in the residence of Saudi ambassador in which all major parties  
including Awami League and Jammate Islami participated.We feel that Awami 
League has landed itself in this position by taking irrational position about 
meeting with Jamaat leaders. They have been meeting with Jamaat leaders off and 
on in the last twenty years.There is also no  Judicially confirmed war-criminal 
in Bangladesh.



 It is not sustainable in the long run for Awami League , nor it is tenable in 
politics or in rationality  or in civil conduct that Awami League will avoid 
contact with third major party of the country Jamaate Islami altogether, even 
in third party invitations. Such a policy  is practiced any where in the world  
 This emotional posture will harm Awami League Awami League should be 
politically wise and practical and should not  be influenced  by some 
non-entity left groups..

Bismillah [IslamCity] CAIR Offers Condolences on Death of Imam W. Deen Mohammed --A very sad news and a great loss to American Muslims

[S A Hannan]

The Council on American-Islamic RelationsA very sad news and a great loss to 
American Muslims

Shah Abdul Hannan
-
From: CAIR
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 3:26 PM
Subject: CAIR Offers Condolences on Death of Imam W. Deen Mohammed




   September 9, 2008 Forward to a Friend Support CAIR Contact Us Update 
Your Profile



CAIR Offers Condolences on Death of Imam W. Deen Mohammed

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/9/2008) The Council on American-Islamic 
Relations (CAIR) is offering its condolences to the family of Imam W. Deen 
Mohammed, a national leader of the American Muslim community who died today in 
Illinois.

SEE: Muslim Leader Warith Deen Mohammed Dies (Detroit Free Press)

Imam Mohammed, 74, was the son of Elijah Muhammad, the founder of 
the Nation of Islam. After his father's death in 1975, Imam Mohammed led his 
community to mainstream Islam. He recently presided over a national Islamic 
convention in Michigan attended by thousands of American Muslims.

Known for his calm and dignified demeanor, Imam Mohammed was a 
champion of Islamic education, individual and community self-reliance, civil 
rights, and improved interfaith relations.

"We belong to God and to Him we return," said CAIR Executive 
Director Nihad Awad. "Imam Mohammed's spiritual leadership will be greatly 
missed by the American Muslim community, but his legacy will live on in all 
those who benefited from his knowledge and guidance."

"CAIR's board and staff nationwide are particularly grateful for 
Imam Mohammed's wisdom and support over the years and we offer our heartfelt 
condolences to his family," said Awad.

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 35 
offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the 
understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower 
American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual 
understanding.

- END -

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 
202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; CAIR Communications 
Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]





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Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: Imternational Hijab Solidarity Day Observed In Dhaka--Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 5.9.08

[S A Hannan]

Imternational Hijab Solidarity Day Observed In Dhaka



The international hijab solidarity was observed in Dhaka like last four 
years.The day is observed against restriction on hijab in france, Turkey and 
some other European countries.A national daily has reported that ”Speakers at a 
discussion yesterday underscored the need for following the Islamic dress code 
for women to maintain decency, dignity, social discipline and protecting the 
local culture. In the name of beauty, modernisation and personal liberty our 
new generation is being instigated to follow western dresses that are indecent, 
dangerous for personal security and detrimental to moral values and social 
discipline that is contrary to our own culture, they added.They called upon the 
parents to choose decent dresses for their children on the religious and other 
social occasions. Their observation came at a discussion on "Dresses: Veil and 
Beauty" jointly organised by 'The Witness' and 'Assembly for Protection of 
Hijab, Bangladesh' on the occasion of International Day for Hijab Solidarity at 
the conference lounge of the National Press Club.
Justice Md Abdur Rouf, former Chief Election Commission (CEC) was present as 
chief guest at the discussion, while Nasima Hasan, Chairman of the Witness 
presided over. Shah Abdul Hannan, former secretary and Mostafa Kamal Majumder, 
Editor of daily New Nation were also present as special guests. Dr Syeda 
Sultana Razia, department of Chemical Engineering of Bangladesh University of 
Engineering and Technology (BUET) presented keynote paper.
Mahbubul Huq, journalist, Dr Sharmin Islam,Secretary General, the Witness, 
Kaniz Fatema, Assistant Prof of Darul Ihsan University and Dr Mira Momtaz 
Sabeka, among others, took part in the discussion"



The speakers said only Islamic dresses could ensure guarantee for protecting 
dignity, beauty and personality of women in the society.They urged all to wage 
a campaign against indecent dresses and encourage women to wear the Hijab.
Justice Md Abdur Rouf said Hijab is the protection of women to save them from 
all evils and ensure their personal dignity.
"Many women in Muslim and non Muslim countries put on the Hijab not only on 
religion consideration but also for scientific reasons, like protecting 
themselves from dust or cold," he said. He hoped that constant campaign would 
definitely impress the next generation to put on the Hijab.Shah Abdul Hannan 
said Islam does not permit any dress that breaks personal moral values and 
social discipline.Dr Syeda Sultana Razia said there is a sharp dissimilarity 
over the conception of dresses between Islamic and the Western countries. 
Nasima Hasan urged the fashion designers to include and disseminate Islamic 
design dresses among the younger generation.

We congratulate the Witness organization and  Assembly For protection Of Hijab, 
Bangladesh for observing the day and highlighting the need for decent dress and 
behavior of all.There is no doubt that Muslim women should not make them like 
most western women who have become short-dressed sex symbols as if they are 
attracting men folk to them.We believe this hijab movement will benefit the 
nation.

Bismillah [IslamCity] World Hijab Day and the inauguration of "Qawareer Fashion" selling new designs of headscarves. JI Women Wing secretary Sameea Raheel Qazi

[S A Hannan]

LAHORE, Sept 03: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has lashed 
out at secular elements' propaganda that Hijab is just a customary obligation 
and a symbol of backwardness and suppression of women.

  He was addressing a function at Mansoorah on Wednesday in connection with 
the World Hijab Day and the inauguration of "Qawareer Fashion" selling new 
designs of headscarves. JI Women Wing secretary Sameea Raheel Qazi, and other 
leaders Senator Kausar Firdaus, wife of Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Aafia Sarwar and 
others also attended the ceremony which was attended by hundreds of women 
belonging to JI and other religious groups besides others representing 
different walks of life.

  Addressing the gathering, Qazi Hussain Ahmad said the spirit of World 
Hijab Day is to counter the western propaganda linking Hijab with backwardness, 
terrorism and repression of women. He said the secular lobbies involved in 
anti-Islam propaganda ridiculed all Islamic principles but their prime targets 
were Hijab and Jihad since they enjoy key positions in fortifying and promoting 
Islam.

  Qazi said the secular elements attack Hijab by attributing it with the 
oppression of women in Muslim society whereas it is the symbol of women's 
modesty, prestige and honor in the Muslim society.

  Citing the Hadith of the holy prophet (PBUH) that 'Modesty is the 
characteristic of my Ummah', Qazi expressed sorrow that the modesty of a large 
section of Muslim women was vanquished under secular and western cultural 
onslaught. Women's hijab was shredded and she was made a tool of advertisement 
and entertainment, and was being exploited to sell the commodities, he 
lamented. Qazi praised the women adhering to Hijab saying it reflected a great 
commitment. He said the Muslim women observing Hijab Day showed that they 
observe Hijab for the sake of modesty and protect their honor. Qazi said Muslim 
men held women in high respect, "our heads bow before them for their honor and 
respect." He wondered why the infidels around the world were feeling threatened 
of Hijab, saying they probably felt it was the symbol of Muslim civilization's 
renaissance.

  Qazi said many western governments had banned Hijab like France, Holland 
and Denmark terming it a religious symbol and holding that they could not allow 
a religious symbolism in their secular societies. Qazi said such a plea was the 
worst kind of violation of women's rights since Muslim women take Hijab to obey 
Allah besides protecting themselves and consider it a means of their security.

  Qazi also criticized joint celebration of Independence Day at Wagah 
border, saying the dresses of women dancing on both sides of the border were no 
different. He reminded that Islam kept half share of women in inheritance and 
relieved her of all responsibilities of providing food and shelter to the 
family since man was made responsible for them. He said western family system 
was in shambles since they made their women over burdened with responsibilities 
of providing subsistence. He said the western media was also tarnishing Islam 
in the garb of suicide attacks.

  Later, Qazi presented scarves to the women journalists present on the 
occasion.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Address Of Shah Abdul Hannan Chairman, Manarat Trust In The Ist Convocation Of Manarat International University

[S A Hannan]

Dear members, 
Assalamu Alaikum.Please see my address in the Ist convocatio of manarat 
International University held in Dhaka in Bangla-China enter today ( 31.8.08) 
as the Chairman of the Manarat Trust, the Trust which is the Founder of the 
university .The function was also attended by the Honorable President of the 
Republic and many distinguished persons. I emphasised the crisis of humanity in 
my speech ( bold portion)

Shah Abdul Hannan

Address Of

Shah Abdul Hannan

Chairman, Manarat Trust In The Ist  Convocation Of Manarat International 
University

 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

 

Honourable President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and Chancellor of 
Manarat International University,  Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, Professor Dr. 
S M A Faiz, Vice-Chancellor, University of Dhaka and today's Convocation 
Speaker, Professor Dr. Mohammad Abdur Rob, Vice-Chancellor, Manarat 
International University and distinguished members of the Trust, 
Vice-Chancellors of different universities, distinguished guests, faculty 
members, officials, members of the media, graduating students and the members 
of their family.

 

Assalamu Alaikum.

 

Dear Guests,

 

I warmly welcome you to the first convocation ceremony of Manarat International 
University. Manarat Trust was formed by some Islam loving intellectuals and 
social thinkers of national and international reputation for establishing value 
based educational institutions .We first established the Manarat School and 
College , then we planned for a university. In 1995, Manarat Trust plannaed for 
an university and submitted an application to the government in 1996.  MIU 
finally got its formal approval in 2001. Manarat International University made 
a fine combination of modern and moral education. Manarat International 
University is not working for any commercial purpose. Our goal is to produce 
graduates with morality who will serve the nation as well as the humanity at 
large. 

 

Dear graduates,

 

Like all of your well-wishers, I also congratulate you on your achievement. I 
also pray for your further progress in your higher studies or in your working 
life in service or in business.  Manarat International University was 
established to give best professional education with strong moral value bias. 
As you know education and morality or religion was never separated from one 
another in history until recently. The situation was the same in ancient Hindu 
or Buddhist India, Christian world and Muslim world. The separation to a large 
extent took place after enlightenment (I am not sure whether it was an all 
round enlightenment in all sectors) in Europe. The Muslim education throughout 
was an integration of religious and professional sciences. The colonial 
administration introduced an education system which was not suitable for us in 
all respects as it was based on their enlightenment values. There were several 
movements in the Muslim world to make education system suitable for the local 
population including the movement of Sir Syed Ahmad in the sub-continent and 
Jadid movement in the Central Asia. After a lot of deliberation, meeting of 
scholars and conferences a blueprint was drawn for a modern university 
integrating values and ethics and the International Islamic University 
Kualalampur was established. The university is open to all religious 
communities. Other such universities have been established in various countries 
and Manarat has drawn largely from the Kualalampur model which is of very high 
standard, as good as Harvard or Cambridge, according to many. 

 

Dear Graduates,

 

To many, the importance of the project in putting ethical and moral input in 
education remains unclear, and this issue demands an in-depth examination and a 
critical and careful analysis. In this respect, I would like to mention to you 
the difficult world you will face. The world is facing worst situation in 
climate change, environmental degradation, energy crisis and food crisis. On 
the moral level, people have become selfish, hedonist, money-hungry and 
power-hungry. Lack of principles have generally gripped international 
relations, domestic politics, business, culture and entertainment. Indecency 
has spread, people are by and large becoming robot-like, money earning machines 
with little commitment to their religion, moral values, their society and state 
and the people. In this situation, not only our country but also the humanity 
is in serious crisis. Cold war is raising its head again. The crisis facing our 
present world civilization is rooted in the marginalization of moral and 
ethical issues in the curriculum of educational institutions. As an outcome of 
this disrespect to eternal moral values, our educational institutions are 
producing many people devoid of love, affection, fraternity, brotherhood and 
the sensibilities of a common human citizenship. I feel you should not be a 
part of this, you will try your best to change this,

Bismillah [IslamCity] Looking back at the war in Bosnia

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.Please read this history.You can save it for future reference.

Shah Abdul Hannan
- Original Message - 
From: Yaminul ISLAM 
To: Shah Abdul Hannan 
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 2:20 AM
Subject: Fwd: Looking back at the war in Bosnia


Looking back at the war in Bosnia
Iqbal Siddiqui
During the early 1990s, the war in Bosnia dominated Muslim attention much as a 
war in Iraq has in the last few years, considering which it is perhaps 
surprising how little of the events of those years is known to many young 
Muslims today.

As Yugoslavia disintegrated after the death of Tito in 1980 and the collapse of 
communism in 1989, many Muslims were surprised to discover a Muslim community 
and country emerging from the wreckage.  In March 1991, however, Slobodan 
Milosevic and Franjo Tudjman, presidents of Serbia and Croatia and supposedly 
implaccable foes, met at a hunting lodge in Karadjordjevo and agreed a pact 
that led to massive bloodshed over the next few years: a pact for the 
extermination of Bosnian Muslims and the partition of Bosnia-Herzegovina 
between their two countries.  The Bosnia war was famously a three-way conflict 
in which Serbs, Croatians and Bosniaks – Muslim Bosnians – all fought each 
other, and later in the war Croats and Bosniaks co-operated against the Serbs; 
but the fundamental reality of the war, that it started as an attempt by Serbs 
and Croats together for the genocide of Muslims, should not be forgotten.

Nor should the fact that, in the early years of the war, the West deliberately 
stood back to allow them to complete the job; in the words of British foreign 
minister Douglas Hurd, assisting the Bosnians would only create a "level 
killing field".  (Hurd was later used by the British National Westminster Bank 
as a lobbyist to deal with Milosevic, raising  questions about their previous 
relationship.)  Despite the fact that the genocidal nature of the Serb war 
quickly became apparent, through the work of journalists such as Ed Vulliamy, 
for example, and the publication of pictures from the Omarska and Trnopolje 
concentration-camps, only Muslim countries and organisations offered the 
Bosnians any substantial support, a fact initially acknowledged by Bosnian 
leaders.  This support enabled the Bosnians to survive the early months of the 
conflict and forced the West to change the policy of non-intervention. This 
point is confirmed by a memo by Richard Holbrooke, then US special envoy on 
Bosnia, in January 1993, which stated: "I would therefore recommend 
consideration of something which I know will cause many people heartburn: that 
we allow covert arms supply to the Bosnian Muslims, so that Bosnia's outside 
support no longer comes solely from the Islamic nations" (quoted in Holbrooke's 
memoir, To End a War, 1998). 

The other major change in the dynamic of the war came as a result of European 
(particularly German) pressure on the Croatians.  Reacting to public anger at 
the genocide of the Bosnians, and widespread support for them, the Germans 
began to arm the Croatians and persuaded them to ally politically with the 
Bosnians against the Serbs in 1994, even as Croats inside Bosnia-Herzegovina 
were still fighting against Bosniaks and intending to join Croatia.  This was 
made easier by the fact that Serbs were fighting and committing atrocities 
against Croats as well as Bosniaks.  This made it possible for the Europeans to 
claim later to have supported the Bosnians against the Serbs, when in fact all 
they had done was to support the Croats against both the Bosnians and the 
Serbs, to ensure that the Bosnian resistance to the Serbs did not result in a 
strong Muslim state in Europe.  The dubious alliance between the Croats and 
Bosnians prevented the Bosnians from gaining the full reward for their 
resistance at the end of the war, with the Croats being given disproportionate 
influence in post-war Bosnia.

As the Bosnians fought for survival early in the war, and Muslims offered their 
only support, many Muslims hoped that Bosnia would emerge as an ally of the 
Islamic movement and a beacon of Islam in Europe.  At the time of the Bosnian 
conference organised by the Muslim Institute and the Muslim Parliament in 
London in 1993, at which Bosnian leaders met Islamic-movement figures from all 
over the world, this writer warned the leaders of the Muslim Institute and 
Parliament that this was an unrealistic expectation, and that the best that 
could be expected was a new Muslim nation-state which would be as pro-Western 
as any of the existing post-colonial nation states.  This is exactly what has 
since transpired; in 1998 Bosnian president Aliya Izzetbegovic – by then member 
of a three-man presidency operating under a foreign High Representative, as 
agreed at the Dayton Accords of December 1995 – caused anger among Muslims by 
disparaging the Muslim contribution to the Bosnian war effort at the OIC summit 
in Tehran.  His 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Political situation in Pakistan--some reports

[S A Hannan]

   Arrests of Hurriyat leaders, firing on protestors in IHK

  LAHORE, Aug 25: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has 
condemned the arrest of Kashmiri leaders Syed Ali Gillani, Mir Waez Omer Farooq 
and Yasin Malik by the Indian army ahead of protest demonstrations' call in the 
Indian Held Kashmir on Monday. He also took strong exception to direct fire on 
the protestors.

In a statement on Monday the JI leader said that New Delhi is 
violating all the norms of humanity and human rights in order to crush the 
freedom struggle of Kashmiris. He said the march of tens of thousands Kashmiris 
towards the Pakistani side of Azad Kashmir is ample proof that the struggling 
people of Kashmir would not rest until they secure independence from Indian 
yoke.

Qazi Hussain Ahmad blasted the mum of UN, world human right bodies 
and the government of Pakistan towards the maltreatment being meted out to 
Kashmiris who are fighting for their right of self determination. Kashmiris, he 
said, are fighting the war of Pakistan. Leaving them destitute and unattended 
in their hour of need would be great injustice towards their cherished dream of 
joining to Pakistan. In this backdrop, he opined, any effort of normalizing 
relations, through trade and exchange of cultural trope with the India, would 
not pay.

He lauded the freedom struggle of Kashmiris who dared to break the 
curfew and came on streets to protest against the Indian injustices towards the 
majority Muslim population of the Held valley. He said opening direct fire on 
the protestors speaks of New Delhi desperation and failure in handling the 
entire episode.

Qazi appealed to the freedom-loving world community and 
international bodies like United Nations to take serious note of human rights 
violations by the Indian army in occupied Kashmir. "It is the duty of UN to 
help the Kashmiri acquire their right to self determination which was accorded 
to them through the resolutions by the UN itself.





   MQM terrorism in Karachi

LAHORE, Aug 27: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has called 
upon PPP Co-chairperson Asif Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to 
disclose the names of the killers who martyred three innocent workers of Islami 
Jamiat Talaba in Karachi University.

  "Has MQM been made an ally to allow it to kill opponents freely," he said 
while addressing the participants of the funeral prayers of the IJT martyrs 
Osama bin Adam and Abdul Jabbar, and JI Nazim Hasan Athar on Wednesday.

  Asking the slogan chanting and charged crowd of workers to calm down, 
Qazi announced to observe countrywide protest day on Friday to condemn the MQM 
terrorism in Karachi and holding demonstrations. He said continuous targeting 
of JI workers was aimed at provoking the party, adding that JI had restrained 
its workers from revenge since violence was never our motto.

  Qazi said the fugitive leadership of MQM was crying foul over alleged 
Talibanization of Karachi to pave way for fresh ethnic violence. He lamented 
that Karachi used to be the center of education, literature, arts and 
civilization but MQM blew up its reputation in violence and terrorism. He said 
the ancestors of city's Urdu speaking populace led the Pakistan movement, but 
the so-called leader of Urdu speaking people was burning the city of Karachi 
while sitting in the lap of the British.

  Qazi recalled that MQM martyred scores of JI workers during the by 
elections, and also fired upon the funeral prayers he was leading. He advised 
the workers to visit door to door inculcating lesson of Islam, peace and love 
to the people of Karachi. He said JI kept dearer the educational peace of 
Karachi, and was ready to maintain peace by joining hands with the PPP.

  JI Karachi ameer Mohammad Hussain Mehnti, IJT Nazim Aala Ateequr Rehman, 
Nazim Karachi Hasan Hammaad, Muzaffar Jamal (brother of Hasan Athar), Adam 
Gaindro (father of Osama) and Nisar Ahmad (father of Abdul Jabbar) also 
addressed on the occasion. Others present included JI naib ameer Senator Prof 
Mohammad Ibrahim, JI Sindh ameer Asadullah Bhutto, Rashed Naseem, Dr Merajul 
Huda Siddiqi, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, former MNAs Laeeq Ahmad Khan, Muzaffar 
Ahmad Hashmi, Nasrullah Khan Shajee, Hameedullah Khan Advocate, Yunus Barai and 
others.



 Nawaz Sharif's decision, presidential candidate

  LAHORE, Aug 25: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad said 
breaking up of the ruling coalition comprising unnatural allies was bound to 
happen sooner or later.

In a statement on Monday, the JI leader said the saddest part of 
the story was that Asif Zardari not only broke all his promises and 
commitments, but with them he broke the hearts and hopes of the whole nation. 
Now, the unfortunate and bewildered nation was faced with a presidential 
candidate who had proved himself 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Youth Culture and our future-Asia Post , Dhaka editorial dates 29.8.08

[S A Hannan]

Youth Culture : Educational Reform







A write-up in a national daily has said “WHEN a few years ago I wrote about the 
importance of an English education in our lives, I ignorantly expressed my 
views from a narrow English medium mindset. Incidentally, after four years of 
an American education and once again returning home, I have started realizing 
the importance of all three kinds of education in a Bangladeshis life -- 
Bengali medium, English medium, and the madrassah system. Having gone to 
English medium schools most of my life, I was always conscious of the 
ever-present gap in peer association between the students from the three types 
of educational backgrounds and the supposed superiority of an English medium 
school education. I cannot remember any extra-curricular events, national, 
religious or even political affairs that ever brought us in contact with our 
peers from Bengali medium schools and madrassahs during my school years.
I would swear that there was a distinction even in the minds of my family 
members who attended either Bengali schools or madrassahs. In their view, we 
were the all elitist, fast society children with no roots or pride in either 
our religion or our nation. “ The writer goes on “In 1972, when Bangla became 
the official language of the newly independent nation of Bangladesh, it was 
also the official medium of instruction in all schools and colleges. At the 
same time small, informal, private schools came up, initially to preserve 
English at the school level and especially for the children of the diplomats. 
The introduction of madrassahs came about even before the time of the British, 
in about 1197 when the first Muslim leader of Bengal, Ikhtiaruddin Muhammed bin 
Bakhtiar Khalji built a mosque and madrassah in his capital Gaur.  Many of us 
go away to Europe and America, seeking a unified education system and live 
styles which somehow seem more familiar to us than the one in which we were 
born. And it is thus not surprising that few of us rarely ever choose to come 
back to this nation, a nation whose reality we never really had a connection to 
begin with. “



We feel that our education requires a lot of reform. There should be one main 
stream with some minor streams The present  curricula in school system and 
Madrasah system can be easily unified up to class ten  on the basis of Dakhil 
course ( equivalent to O level/ ssc ) which combines necessary language 
,humanities and science education with Islamic education. If this has to be 
general curricula, option has to be kept for Non-Muslim students in respect of 
half of the courses based on Islam. In any case this requires thought of all in 
a cool manner and beyond political considerations

The spreading  of London or Cambridge university Level and A level schools is 
un warranted Why should there be so many such schools ?They produce a 
generation who has no liking for our history and values ( whether in 
geographical, ethnic or religious sense ) as mentioned by the writer of the 
write-up mentioned above.They also do not produce generally  better students 
compared to the general stream .Still the social life of Bangladesh is 
dominated by students of our national school system 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Phenomenon of Islamic ’Justice and Development’ Parties

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message -
From: mohebbollah kazi

  Phenomenon of Islamic ’Justice and Development’ Parties


IkhwanWeb - Egypt







Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Hossam Tammam*



In its history in political work, the identity issue overwhelmed the Islamic 
movement and was a top priority for issues like Islamic state, rule of Islam 
and applying Sharia (Islamic law). These identity-oriented issues were the core 
of any political slogan or party platform they may propose. Even when political 
or legal restrictions prevent them from making public the identity issues, they 
have been including them in their slogans, speeches and platforms like Turkish 
Islamic leader Necmettin Erbakan who was forced by the strict legal 
restrictions in the Kamalist secular system to raise the slogan of building a 
fair system and bringing the country back to the age of glory and prosperity. 
Everyone knew that he implicitly means establishing the Islamic system that 
applies Sharia and restores the Caliphate.



In this context, Islamic parties have been keeping in their memory the issue of 
identity not only in their programs but also in their names. The most 
well-known parties have names which either directly reflect their Islamic 
identity like "the Islamic Party" in Malaysia, " the Islamic Action Front " in 
Jordan or "the Islamic Salvation Front" in Algeria . Or they give a priority to 
a pillar of the Islamic project like "Sharia Party" (an Islamic party draft in 
Egypt), "Virtue Party" in Turkey or "Movement for the Society of Peace" in 
Algeria.



However, a decade ago, the phenomenon of Justice and Development parties 
emerged to put justice and development issues a central position in their 
discourse and names as well. The phenomenon started in Morocco with the 
establishment of the Justice and Development party (PJD) in 1998 to extend to 
the Arab and Muslim world in the shape of parties which are already founded and 
others which are still under construction. In Turkey, the middle generation in 
the Islamic movement established a party with the same name Justice and 
Development (AK Party); in Indonesia, Islamists established the party of 
Justice and Development  and in Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, the former leader of 
the movement of Muslim Youth, founded a new party named the Keadilan party, or 
the People"s Justice . In Iraq, a Shiite Islamic group adopted the idea and 
established a party named Justice and Development, although it is still in the 
sidelines of the overall Islamic scene in the political scene in general. In 
Mauritania, Islamists established "The National Gathering for Reform and 
Development", another variation of Justice and Development coined by their 
Moroccan Islamic neighbours. It has a charisma and influence in the Mauritanian 
Islamic case. There is also a botched attempt in Bahrain, and another one in 
Egypt, in a group on the margin of the Islamic movement but were rejected by 
authorities. All of them are parties or drafts of parties bearing the name of 
Justice and Development which emerged from the Islamic movement in their 
countries.



We are seemingly facing a phenomenon that needs to be studied specially that it 
presents questions more than answers. The first question is why this 
name-Justice and Development-mushrooms in drafts of Islamic parties, while 
traditional names related to the core of the Islamic ideology like Al-Umma 
(Nation), Sharia (Islamic Law), Al-Islah (Reform) and Al-Nahda (Renaissance) 
retreated. This change may be with a bigger and a deeper shift that the Islamic 
phenomenon has witnessed in the past two decades. This shift moved it from a 
political platform to a social platform as a part of the changes in the Islamic 
and Arab societies, and changes all over the world which is witnessing the 
waning or end of ideologies. In the midst of this change, the social platform 
and its slogan (justice and development) have become more attractive and more 
powerful to pave the way for these Islamists towards power. We can also link 
between this phenomenon and what took place throughout the last decade, 
including reviews inside the Islamic discourse mostly related to the Islamic 
vision of the idea of a state and its excessive sensitivity to the issue of 
identity. Most of these reviews were carried out under pressure of the secular 
criticism to the Islamic political discourse accusing it of using hollow 
slogans and ideology. However, the phenomenon can be at the same time linked 
with increasing demand especially in the West and the United States for 
"Moderate Islam" whose characteristics of moderation are determined with 
abandoning the political and coming closer to the social and developmental.



Finally, the phenomenon has a confirmed link with social and class changes 
inside components of the Islamic movement itself that generally witnessed a 
social tide on the one hand and coming closer to people, their cares and 
interests on the other ha

Bismillah [IslamCity] Kashmir Issue : Should Not be More delay In Its Resolution

[S A Hannan]

Editorial for Asia Post
 

 

 

Kashmir Issue : Should Not be  More delay In Its Resolution

 

We know  kashmir problem for the last sixty years.But we did notreally know the 
true feelings of the present day Kashmiris till we read the eye-witness account 
of the situation by  Arundhati Roy , a human right activist, thinker and author 
from India ,in The Guardian , UK , of  August 22 .It appears to us that India 
has not been able to win the hearts of Kashmiris in the last sixty years 
neither by force nor by money .We quote below a small part of the report from 
her article.QuoteThe separatist leaders who do appear and speak at the rallies 
are not leaders so much as followers, being guided by the phenomenal 
spontaneous energy of a caged, enraged people that has exploded on Kashmir's 
streets. Day after day, hundreds of thousands of people swarm around places 
that hold terrible memories for them. They demolish bunkers, break through 
cordons of concertina wire and stare straight down the barrels of soldiers' 
machine guns, saying what very few in India want to hear. Hum Kya Chahtey? 
Azadi! (We want freedom.) And, it has to be said, in equal numbers and with 
equal intensity: Jeevey jeevey Pakistan. (Long live Pakistan.) “There was a 
green flag on every lamp post, every roof, every bus stop and on the top of 
chinar trees. A big one fluttered outside the All India Radio building. Road 
signs were painted over. Rawalpindi they said. Or simply Pakistan. It would be 
a mistake to assume that the public expression of affection for Pakistan 
automatically translates into a desire to accede to Pakistan. Some of it has to 
do with gratitude for the support - cynical or otherwise - for what Kashmiris 
see as their freedom struggle, and the Indian state sees as a terrorist 
campaign. It also has to do with mischief. With saying and doing what galls 
India most of all. (It's easy to scoff at the idea of a "freedom struggle" that 
wishes to distance itself from a country that is supposed to be a democracy and 
align itself with another that has, for the most part been ruled by military 
dictators. A country whose army has committed genocide in what is now 
Bangladesh. A country that is even now being torn apart by its own ethnic war. 
These are important questions, but right now perhaps it's more useful to wonder 
what this so-called democracy did in Kashmir to make people hate it 
so?)Everywhere there were Pakistani flags, everywhere the cry Pakistan se 
rishta kya? La illaha illallah. (What is our bond with Pakistan? There is no 
god but Allah.) Azadi ka matlab kya? La illaha illallah. (What does freedom 
mean? There is no god but Allah.)” “Surrounded by a sea of green flags, it was 
impossible to doubt or ignore the deeply Islamic fervour of the uprising taking 
place around me. It was equally impossible to label it a vicious, terrorist 
jihad. For Kashmiris it was a catharsis. A historical moment in a long and 
complicated struggle for freedom with all the imperfections, cruelties and 
confusions that freedom struggles have. This one cannot by any means call 
itself pristine, and will always be stigmatised by, and will some day, I hope, 
have to account for, among other things, the brutal killings of Kashmiri 
Pandits in the early years of the uprising, culminating in the exodus of almost 
the entire Hindu community from the Kashmir valley. As the crowd continued to 
swell I listened carefully to the slogans, because rhetoric often holds the key 
to all kinds of understanding. There were plenty of insults and humiliation for 
India: Ay jabiron ay zalimon, Kashmir hamara chhod do (Oh oppressors, Oh wicked 
ones, Get out of our Kashmir.) The slogan that cut through me like a knife and 
clean broke my heart was this one: Nanga bhookha Hindustan, jaan se pyaara 
Pakistan. (Naked, starving India, More precious than life itself - Pakistan.) 

India needs azadi from Kashmir just as much as - if not more than - Kashmir 
needs azadi from India.Unquote

 

Arundhuty Roy is not a supporter of islam or any kind of Fundamentalism.It is 
clear from her write-up itself if one would go through the whole article.In any 
event the feeling of the Kashmiris is very clear India can not or should not 
ignore this. War or military crackdown or long-term emergency is not the 
solution.The solution is the implementation of the UN resolution in this regard 
or negotiated solution as per Simla agreement in which representatives of 
Kashmiris should be involved.We urge all nations to think over this crisis and 
ask India to solve this problem quickly.Ms Roy has said beautifully that both 
India and Kashmir require Azadi or freedom from each-other.

Bismillah [IslamCity] When Muslims saved Jews

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalmu Alaikum. Please read the report below.

The Muslim relation with the Jews was always good except a short period in the 
beginning of Islam and before Israeli occupation of Muslim land their 
oppressive policies there.

Islam does not allow killing or mis-treatment of any group of people .Islam 
considers the Jews Ahlal Kitab and they have all rights in an Islamic 
jurisdiction.Whatever commentary Quran makes about bad activities of  the Jews 
are about the Bani Israil of the past and of the time of the prophet(sm) or 
people like them now.

Shah Abdul Hannan
- Original Message - 
From: azhar habib 
To: S A Hannan 
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 4:05 AM
Subject: When Muslims saved Jews


   
  As-salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Plz see the 
contributions of generous muslims in saving lives of many Jews. May Allah bless 
them. May Allah help us to rebuild the Ummah in the light of  the Quran and 
Sunnah.

  Habib.

BESA…When Muslims Saved Jews 
   
  By  Dina Rabie, IOL Staff 
 

 

 
   
   

  "They came in as guests. They were given Muslim names, they 
were living with Muslim families," Gershman told IOL.
 
CAIRO — Norman Gershman has become accustomed to the reactions from 
people who see his photos and read his stories about Muslims sheltering Jews 
and saving their lives during the Holocaust. 
"I had people say 'Muslims save Jews! How is that?'" the American 
Jewish fine art photographer told IslamOnline.net in a telephone interview.

Gershman has been engaged in a 5-year project that honors stories 
of Albanian Muslims' heroism in saving thousands of Jews, who either lived in 
Albania or sought refugee there, during World War II.

The "BESA… a code of honor" project began when he was seeking out 
photographs of righteous, non-Jews who helped Jews during the Holocaust, in New 
York.

Gershman was amazed to find among them Muslim names that he was 
told belongs to Albanians.

His quest then took him to Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum in 
Jerusalem, where he found more Albanian names.

"I traveled all through Albania and Kosovo where I met the 
rescuers' children, who are in their sixties or even older, the rescuers' 
widows, and in some cases the rescuer himself."

After more than four years of collecting stories and shooting black 
and white photos, Gershman's first exhibition was held last November at Yad 
Vashem.

The exhibition then went the UN headquarter in New York before 
starting a world tour.

A full length documentary is in progress along with a fine art book 
of the heroic profiles of Muslims saving Jews in Albania and Kosovo.

The premier of the film worldwide is expected in 2009.

"I am proud and happy to show this story to the world," Gershman 
says

Qur'anic BESA   

 
  Albanian Muslims saved Jews from the Nazis "to go to 
paradise." 
 
People usually ask Gershman about the title he chose for the fruit 
of his painstaking five-year efforts.

"BESA is a tribal Albanian culture that goes back to thousands of 
years," he explains.

"What BESA says is that if some one knocks on your door you have an 
absolute obligation – no matter who that person is – to save their lives."

There is no any evidence that any Jew was turned over to Nazis in 
Muslim-majority Albania.

There were ten times more Jews in Albania after WWII than before.

"In fact, Albania is the only Nazi occupied country that sheltered 
Jews," says Gershman.

"They came in as guests. They were given Muslim names, they were 
living with Muslim families."

From the saviors' tales, Gershman found that Albanian Muslims 
considered BESA a manifestation of the Islamic teachings of keeping the promise 
and protecting the weak.

"I remember that some of them said 'there is no BESA without the 
Qur'an.'"

Gershman believes that to Muslim Albanians, the idea of not saving 
Jews from the Nazis was inconceivable.

"They did this in the name of their religion. They absolutely had 
no prejudice what so ever.

"I asked them 'why did you do this? What was in the Qur'an that you 
did this?' They would only smile.

"Some of them said 'we have saved lives to go to paradise.'"

Message to West

Gershman believes the Albanian Muslim heroism is of extrao

Bismillah [IslamCity] Migrant Workers Rights : Protection A High priority--Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 22.8.08

[S A Hannan]

Migrant Workers Rights : Protection A High priority



Press has reported that a three-day regional dialogue yesterday recommended 
that South Asia should have a mechanism to monitor the state of labor migrants 
both in sending and receiving countries to protect their rights, as migrant 
workers are subjected to exploitation and abuses. South Asian speakers said the 
countries can involve all stakeholders, including international organisations, 
NGOs, independent women's organisations, media agencies, migrant associations 
and civil society organisations, in the process.The region should also adopt a 
regional legal instrument on migration based on international human rights laws 
to uphold migrants' rights, they added.International Organisation for Migration 
(IOM) and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) jointly organized 
the dialogue on 'Implementation of international instruments on protecting 
rights of migrant workers' on August 18-20 at a city hotel. Government 
representatives from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well 
as from international organisations, NGOs, civil society groups and private 
sector took part in the dialogue.Acknowledging that South Asia is a major labor 
sending region and their workers overseas face similar challenges, the speakers 
said the region should have a common strategy to address the challenges of 
labor migration and develop an institutional framework at official level to 
facilitate the process.“Speakers said there could be shared solutions to these 
challenges. Therefore, there is a need for cooperation and collaboration in the 
field of labor migration among these countries,” said IOM regional 
representative in Dhaka at the closing session.
The speakers further noted that women migrant workers are particularly 
vulnerable and they face exploitation of specific forms that emerge from 
discrimination based on their sex, gender and the nature of their work, which 
require a special attention.
The dialogue suggested that South Asian countries should set up institutions 
for capacity building of overseas jobseekers, enabling them to be competitive 
in accessing the global labor market and exchange information and expertise on 
global labor market.



We agree with the main recommendations of the dialogue that there should be a 
mechanism to check the situation of the migrant workers in the receiving as 
well as sending countries. It has to be institutionalized to have long term 
effect. It is also not appropriate to send unskilled women as housemaids, 
whatever be the colorful  name given as governess and such other titles.In fact 
this increases sex crimes and prostitution. It is a different matter for 
educated professional women who can fgo as teachers and doctors.



Bangladesh is facing serious problem now with its migrant workers in the Middle 
East and Malaysia.The trouble in Kuwait and Malaysia require very thorough 
study to determine the problems both at sending and receiving countries and 
then holding discussion with the concerned countries. We should correct our 
policies where needed and to request the host countries to do thir duties where 
thereare problems at their end.
.

Bismillah [IslamCity] WTO Policies : Review Is A Must --Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 21.8.08

[S A Hannan]

WTO Policies : Review Is A Must


Economists on Tuesday criticised the World Trade Organisation for what they 
said were its destructive policies towards the poor nations for the interest of 
the developed economies. Press reports say.
   ‘With its policies, the WTO has produced a few rich people and pushed 
millions of the rest into absolute poverty,’ Anu Muhammad, a professor of 
economics at Jahangirnagar University, told a workshop, WTO and Bangladesh, at 
the Women’s Voluntary Association auditorium in the Dhaka city. He said the WTO 
formulates its policies in conformity with those of the World Bank and the 
International Monetary Fund—the two Bretton Woods institutes that advocate for 
globalisation. [But] ‘We have received nothing but food crisis due to WTO 
policies.’  Manab Kallyan Parished, a non-government development organisation 
working in the country’s northern region, organised the workshop. As a 
peripheral country in the world’s current imperialist structure, Bangladesh 
suffers more than others for the WTO policies, said Anu. He urged to stand 
united against the imperialist organisations and form alternatives for the 
interest and wellbeing of the people. Trade liberalisation has brought 
ruination to the country’s manufacturing sector, said MM Akash, a professor of 
economics at Dhaka University.He illustrated how trade liberalisation has 
slowed down the growth rate of per capita income in the underdeveloped 
economies.
   Akash regretted that the successive governments of Bangladesh had gone for 
the WTO-prescribed trade liberalisation at the cost of people’s interest. ‘We 
have to take steps to uphold our country’s interest at the international 
forum,’ said Ananya Raihan, executive director of D-Net. ‘The government must 
change its submissive attitude towards the developed nations and their 
dictums.’ Ananya suggested that Bangladesh should not completely open up its 
service sector for foreign investment to safeguard the country’s interest



We feel that in reality the WTO has basically served the interest of the 
developed and industrialized countries .It has not been able to help the 
developing and under-developed countries.Moreover, developed economies formally 
or informally dominate the policy-making process of the WTO .The new  situation 
 can be called economic colonialism or  re-colonization of the globe.It is a 
multi-layer colonialism with economic colonisatation in the core with political 
colonization and cultural colonization in the periphery .WTO must review its 
policies if it has to survive. It must give more importance to the 
agricultural, under-developed and developing countries.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Pakistan politics-JI calls for Musharraf's impeachment

[S A Hannan]

 
   JI calls for Musharraf's impeachment 
LAHORE, Aug 11: Jamaat-e-Islami secretary-general Syed Munawar Hasan 
has said that the safe passage to Pervez Musharraf after his confession of 
committing heinous crimes would be nothing short of utmost renegade with the 
nation.

  "He should be brought to books through the competent court of law. His 
name should be placed on the ECL so that a national criminal is not allowed to 
flee the country using his international linkages."

  These views were expressed by the Jamaat leader while talking to various 
delegations here at the party headquarters Mansoorah on Monday.

  Syed Munawar Hassan enumerated long list of the crimes which Pervez 
Musharraf committed during his rule in Pakistan. He pointed out that Musharraf 
own book "In the line of fire" is an open testimony of his follies which made 
the people and the country suffer to great deal. "He had obtained kickbacks in 
handing over innocent people to America after arresting them and without 
following the due course of law."

  His major crime also include the military operation against Jamia Hafsa 
in which hundreds of innocent girls and tender age boys were burnt alive when 
the army used Phosphorus bombs and other chemical weapons against them. His 
onslaught against the independent judiciary also brought a bad name to the 
country when he appointed his handpicked judges by dislodging the competent and 
senior judges who refused to bow before his PCO. Syed Sahib went on to say that 
General Musharraf ruthless use of military forced a remote province Balochistan 
on the verge of collapse and promoted sense of insecurity in the federation of 
Pakistan.

  Referring to General Pervez Musharraf humiliation towards the national 
hero Dr Abdul Qadir Khan the JI leader said Musharraf did all this to save his 
own skin and made Dr Qadir a scapegoat. He was of the view that those who speak 
about giving the Pervez Musharraf safe passage are not loyal to their nation 
and the country.

  He demanded the restoration of deposed judges and open trial of General 
Pervez Musharraf in the court of law. The exemplary punishment will serve as 
deterrence to prospective military dictators and they would abstain from 
abrogating the constitution of Pakistan.

  Syed Munawar Hassan said the rank and file of King's party Muslim League 
(Q) and MQM are extending he Indian and American agenda through their support 
to Pervez Musharraf. They have committed wrong to the whole nation by 
supporting General Musharraf as they reaped personal favor against this 
support. The entire nation is demanding impeachment of Musharraf and the 
national looters and plunders are out to save Pervez Musharraf.

  He demanded that the MQM should be expelled from the Sindh cabinet and 
those who were responsible for the last year may 12 events should be tried. (#)


 

Bismillah [IslamCity] Fw: � � History Islam � � � Veiled Athletes Challenge Stereotypes in Beijing

[S A Hannan]

- Original Message -
From: CAIR
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 7:20 PM
Subject:  Veiled Athletes Challenge Stereotypes in Beijing



Veiled Athletes Challenge Stereotypes in Beijing
Posted 8/11/2008 3:14:00 PM







  Related Information




Source: Reuters


Author: Catherine Bremer







The women in Roqaya Al Ghasara's home town in Bahrain are so proud of their 
pioneering Olympic sprinter that some of them got together to design and sew a 
set of tailor-made aerodynamic veils for her to run in.

Egyptian fencer Shaimaa El Gammal, a third-timer at the Olympics, will don 
Islamic headgear in Beijing for the first time. She says it is a sign she is 
come of age and she feels more empowered than ever.

This year's Games will see a sizable sprinkling of veiled athletes who are 
determined to avoid offending devout Muslims back home while showing skimpily 
dressed rivals there is nothing constricting about wearing a hijab.

Two of them, Bahrain's Al Ghasara and veiled Iranian rower Homa Hosseini, won 
the honor of being flag bearers for their countries at the opening ceremony's 
parade of athletes.

"The hijab has never been a problem for me. In Bahrain you grow up with it," 
said Al Ghasara, wearing a white baseball cap over a black veil that covers her 
hair and neck. Her baggy running gear exposes only her face and hands.

"There are more women in sport all the time from countries like Qatar and 
Kuwait. You can choose to wear the hijab or not. For me it's liberating," added 
Al Ghasara, whose close-fitting running veils come in red or white, the 
Bahraini colors.

Proud to be Muslim

This year an unprecedented half a dozen Egyptian athletes, three Iranians, an 
Afghan and a Yemeni will compete with covered heads like Al Ghasara. They say 
they want to inspire other women in their countries to break away from Muslim 
stereotypes.

"People see us wearing the scarf and think we ride camels. But Muslim women can 
do anything they want," said El Gammal, a bubbly 28-year-old whose sister will 
compete in the same event, also wearing Islamic head cover.

"When I fence I'm proud that I'm a Muslim. It's very symbolic for women in my 
country," El Gammal told Reuters.

Beijing's athletes' village has laid on halal food for the hundreds of Muslims 
staying there, but it only has a mosque for men, despite scores of Muslim 
women, mostly bare-headed, from countries such as Tunisia, Iran and Pakistan.

The Gulf nations of United Arab Emirates and Oman have sent women athletes to 
the 2008 Olympics for the first time. Three Iranian women, in headscarves, will 
compete in rowing, taekwondo and archery. Afghanistan has veiled sprinter 
Robina Muqimyar running the 100 meters.

--
Islam is the only solution.









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Bismillah [IslamCity] Newly vindicated, Turkey's ruling party remains an important model of democratic Islamist politics, writes Galal Nassar

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.This is a good analysis .I have only one comment 
.Islamic main political parties acepted pluralist democracy long back as it has 
no real contradiction with Islam in principle or structure or 
operation.Nazimuddin Erbakan was a democrat to the core, even then Turkish Army 
threw him out.May be AKP is more wise in strategy or just lucky.

Shah Abdul Hannan

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/909/op3.htm


Turkey and democracy
Newly vindicated, Turkey's ruling party remains an important model of 
democratic Islamist politics, writes Galal Nassar 



With the Turkish Supreme Court's recent ruling against banning it, the 
Justice and Development Party (JDP) survived yet another one of the innumerable 
challenges it has been encountering with increasing frequency. The terrorist 
bombings that rocked Istanbul last week were another manifestation of these 
challenges. 

One was struck by the fact that official fingers did not immediately 
point to the Kurdish Workers' Party, a fact that does not signify that this 
party has abandoned recourse to violence or that Ankara has had a change of 
heart towards it. Rather, as analysts have pointed out, there are other 
agencies that are now resorting to violence to achieve their objectives in 
Turkey. That this threat now may come from the militant left, the 
ultranationalist and radical Islamist camps has gravely aggravated the 
terrorist threat to Turkey and the problems its ruling party have to contend 
with. 

To compound the delicacy of the JDP's situation, the recent suit to 
have it banned originated from the core of the country's nationalist secular 
elite, undoubtedly with the purpose of overthrowing the democratically elected 
ruling party and propelling it towards a clash with the military establishment. 
It was also one of the endless bids in the campaign to put paid to Turkey's 
drive to join the EU, a campaign that was given fresh impetus by the election 
of Nicolas Sarkozy as French president and France's turn to chair the EU. 

So far the JDP, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has handled 
the challenges well. The primary theatre of battle has been in development, 
with respect to which national growth rates have been in focus with steady 
growth predicted now that Turkey has secured for itself huge and reasonably 
priced quantities of oil from Central Asia in exchange for allowing the Central 
Asian pipelines to pass through Turkey to Europe. Also supporting the 
prediction of continued growth is the increased influx of foreign investment 
that, last year, rose to $85 billion, a large sum compared to the size of the 
Turkish economy.

Perhaps what helped Erdogan's party most is its ability to ensure 
political stability for the Turkish public. The JDP was perhaps the first in 
the history of the Turkish political system to win a large enough majority in 
parliament to form its own relatively homogeneous government. Before this, the 
Turkish political pendulum had always swung between the type of stability that 
the military could bring or shaky democracy once civilians returned to 
government. Under the JDP, the Turks have experienced for the first time in 
their political history stability under democracy. 

The JDP succeeded in scoring this double victory for itself and the 
Turkish people after having furnished evidence of its intent to abide by the 
country's democratic system instead of following in the footsteps of some of 
its ideological predecessors, whether from the left, the ultranationalist or 
the Islamist camps, and overturning the democratic order after reaching power 
through the electoral process. The party's commitment to democracy has been one 
of the factors that helped it expand its popularity from its original base of 
support among the rural population and its urban extension into the middle 
class.

In spite of the many democratic tests it has passed, the party's 
detractors still claim that these successes are not a reflection of the party's 
true convictions. Rather, they insist that the party continues to harbour an 
Islamist agenda even as it remains consummately pragmatic; taking advantage of 
the benefits democracy has to offer while observing its principles in order to 
remain in power. In order to do so, it has to keep an eye on two highly 
influential factors: the military establishment, which regards the Islamist 
party as a potential threat to the Kamalist secularist legacy, and the EU, 
which the Turkish people still hope to join.

It is not difficult to respond to such objections. While the Turkish 
army may be a guardian of secularism and the Kamalist legacy, this does not 
make it a guardian of democracy. Second, Turkish desire to join the EU is not 
sufficient to explain the party's commitment t

Bismillah [IslamCity] Anthrax Attack In US In 91: US Scientist Is Alone Responsible--Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 9.8.08

[S A Hannan]

Dr Bruce Ivins had helped with the investigation into the attacks

  Anthrax Attack In US In 91: US Scientist Is Alone Responsible



  Press report has confirmed that an US scientist who killed himself last 
week was the sole person responsible for the deadly anthrax attacks in 2001 in 
the US, new FBI papers say.Dr Bruce Ivins alone controlled flask RMR1029, used 
in the attack, could not account for unusual overtime in labs and issued death 
threats, the FBI says. The anthrax-laced letters killed five people, made 
another 17 sick, and unsettled a nation traumatized by 9/11. Dr Ivins, 62, died 
shortly after being told he was about to be charged. The FBI had been under 
pressure since his death to reveal the details of the investigation and its 
papers were unsealed by a judge on Wednesday. FBI director Robert Mueller 
briefed the victims and their families about the case before publication. In a 
news conference later, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeffrey 
Taylor, said: "We consider Dr Ivins was the sole person responsible for this 
attack."  He was a frequent writer to the media and often drove to other 
locations to disguise his identity as the sender of documents Print defects in 
envelopes used in the attacks suggest they may have been bought at a post 
office in 2001 in Frederick, Maryland, where he had an account Dr Ivins also 
sent an email a few days before the anthrax attacks, warning Osama "Bin Laden 
terrorists" had access to anthrax, the FBI says.

  The email used language similar to that in the anthrax letters, it was 
alleged.

  Dr Ivins was also immunised against anthrax in early September 2001.

  .




  We remember how at that time in 2001, Muslims were being suspected by 
some quarters. Now after about seven years things have been revealed. We feel 
the media should learn not to accuse anybody for terror activity before 
conclusive evidence come in investigation. No religious or ethnic community 
should be subjected to propaganda because no religion or race can be 
responsible for crimes.
  .

<>

Bismillah [IslamCity] Mayoral Elections: What Are the Lessons

[S A Hannan]

Mayoral Elections In Bangladesh : What Are the Lessons

 

Mayoral elections were held in four cities and nine townships despite protest 
from some major parties. The election was held under emergency .Even according 
to election commission in most places honest candidates did not participate 
generating question why it happened? Many winning mayoral candidates have 
pending criminal cases against them .

As the result has been declared it shows that the mayoral candidate who won in 
the cities was from Awami League but in wards supporters of other parties are 
in the majority.

The question that has come out is whether the election represents the trend of 
public opinion.No body can be sure because major parties like BNP and Jamaate 
Islami did not take part in election officially, they did not set up candidate 
, they did not campaign.Moreover no body is sure about the mind of the rural 
vote which is eighty five  percent of Bangladesh. The things may be very 
different if all major parties join election and campaign .

In any event the result has galvanized Awami League because of its victory in 
prime posts.It has also galvanized the four party alliance, consisting of BNP, 
Jamaate Islami and two other parties ,  and it has also become more determined 
now  for a different reason, they do not want to down grade any longer the 
strength of Awami League , want to devise new strategies for the coming 
national election. We have to wait to know what  will be the nature of the next 
government.

Bismillah [IslamCity] wpvschool channel launched in Youtube

[S A Hannan]

Important
- Original Message -
From: Shakil Abdullah
 ; shah Abdul Hannan ;
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2008 6:33 AM
Subject: wpvschool channel launched in Youtube


  Dear All,

  Assalamualikum.

  A new channel named "wpvschool" has been launched in youtube and videos 
of usul al fiqh has been uploaded there. Please visit: 
http://www.youtube.com/wpvschool

  Shakil

Bismillah [IslamCity] Peculiar mentality Of Some Western Media--Asia Post, Dhaka, editorial dated 28.7.o8

[S A Hannan]

Peculiar mentality Of Some  Western Media

We have seen the BBC report Youth Breaks Sex Taboo In Cairo. The BBC report 
says in part, “Spending the night together is difficult as both live at home 
with their families. Even going to a hotel means checking into different rooms 
and sneaking between them. Even among educated urbanites, the concept of an 
unmarried mother simply does not exist. A bride's virginity is so highly prized 
that doctors charge up to 1000 Egyptian pounds (US$173) to reconstruct a young 
woman's hymen. On any summer evening along Cairo's 6th October Bridge, 
veiled figures nestle up to young men. The couples gaze down into the Nile, 
engaged in intimate conversation amid the blaring horns and traffic fumes--- Dr 
Khofash is certain that the number of abortions is increasing: "All 
gynaecologists know this, but we don't know how much it is increasing by."( 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4708461.stm )

.Western press and their followers elsewhere find pleasure in publicizing such 
stories. We do agree there are such cases everywhere but it is very difficult 
to give any percentage on the basis of some samples.I have noticed in the past 
western press gleefully reporting that in China and Russia ( when communist 
rule was weakening ) how prostitution has started, how new fashions have come, 
how girls go around, how they like modern dancing.This was a peculiar way of 
getting pleasure at the loss of moral standard in any society.They do the same 
about Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan,Tunisia, India, even though the situation 
in these countries is no where like the US or Europe. Instead of working for 
moral and ethical upliftment of society along with economic development, they 
feel pleasure in promoting the moral bankrupcy.The intention is to make us like 
them , rootless people, no family, neglected children, neglected old people and 
so on.We should see through this game and also reform our society .



.


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Bismillah [IslamCity] Ahmedabad Blasts : Very Bad Signal--Asia Post,Dhaka, editorial dated 29.7.08

[S A Hannan]

-
Ahmedabad Blasts : Very Bad Signal

Agence France-Presse . has written from Ahmadabad that  Indian leaders appealed 
for calm Sunday as the army was called out after a wave of bombings killed 45 
people in Ahmedabad, a city rocked by deadly Hindu-Muslim riots six years 
ago.The string of 16 bombings, which left more than 160 people injured, ripped 
through crowded places in the tinderbox western city — markets, buses and then 
hospitals struggling to treat the scores of victims.They came just one day 
after another wave of nine bombings in the southern high-tech capital of 
Bangalore left one dead and several injured — prompting the government to put 
the entire country on high alert. Indian television channels said a 
little-known Islamist group calling itself the ‘Indian Mujahedeen’ had claimed 
responsibility for the attacks.  Bomb squads defused at least three unexploded 
devices in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Indian news channels reported, and police said 
they had also found a car laden with explosives in the diamond-polishing city 
of Surat.  Ahmedabad was calm Sunday, with police, soldiers and paramilitary 
forces fanning out across the city, which is the commercial capital of Gujarat 
state. Joint police commissioner Ashish Bhatia told AFP a number of people had 
been detained after raids, but said no formal arrests had yet been made.
   President Pratibha Patil expressed her ‘grief and sorrow’ and also ‘appealed 
to the people of Ahmedabad to maintain peace and harmony.’ Prime minister 
Manmohan Singh also appealed for calm.The group which sent the email claim 
minutes before the actual explosions in Ahmedabad also warned of repeat attacks 
elsewhere in India, prompting major security alerts in major cities including 
the capital New Delhi.
   ‘We have deployed an additional 3,000 personnel in the city to ensure 
foolproof   Pakistan denies backing Muslim militants, including those operating 
in the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir. Earlier in the week India said the 
two countries’ peace process was ‘under stress,’ repeating allegations that 
‘elements’ in Islamabad were behind an upsurge in militant activities, 
including this month’s suicide attack against its Kabul embassy.



We are also grieved at the loss of life.The scourge of terrorism of all types 
must be eliminated from all places and countries.This is indeed the most 
serious threat to social peace within each country and also threat to 
international peace. E-mail, as all intelligence authoritied know , may be a 
diversionary tactics but it is clear that a very organized group has done 
it.All countries should help India in finding the terrorists and fighting this 
terror .There should not be any blaming of others as is done nowadays rather 
the objective should be to unearth the evil-doers and punish them.

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Bismillah [IslamCity] Women and the interpretation of Islamic sources

[S A Hannan]

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum. Heba Raouf Ezzat   is a recognised scholar and her views 
deserve special attention.
If any body has any copy of the Interpretation of the Quran by Zainab al 
Gazali, published in 1994 ( as mentioned in the article )please let me know, 
how i can get it 

Shah Abdul Hannan


- Original Message - 
From: Heba Raouf Ezzat 
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 1:01 PM
Subject: Women and the interpretation of Islamic sources




  Women and the interpretation of Islamic sources


  Written by Heba Raouf Ezzat
 
  Sep 04, 2007  
  Can a feminist reinterpretation of Islamic sources be set in the context 
of Islamic theology? In other words: Can there be a feminist interpretation of 
Quran and Sunna? Was there one in the past, and if not…can we initiate one in 
the future? These questions have appeared on the agenda of women’s debates in 
the Muslim world in the past two decades…stressing the “feminist” as 
different…currently absent and …urgently needed. 

  Introductory issues 

  1- Women’s contribution to Islamic sciences dates back to early Islam, 
and has not seized through the centuries, with interruptions here and there in 
history due to different reasons in each case. This history of women’s 
involvement in ‘Ilm and Fiqh was recorded by male scholars themselves in books 
of history of Islamic sciences. The issue is not initiated by contemporary 
Western feminism but has its roots in our culture. This is important to clarify 
that the liberating potential of Islam is inherent in Islam itself and its 
history and is not a result of forces outside the culture and civilisation of 
Islam or a result of the contact with the West in the colonial era. The issue 
is not necessarily “feminist” and other terminology can –and sometimes should- 
be used instead of the confusion and the enforcement of the concept “feminist” 
on the Islamic concepts and their semantic field as a key concept.

  2- The text dealt with in Christianity (the Bible) differs substantially 
from the Book (Quran) in Islam regarding the status of the text , its origin , 
its legacy , and its position in the religion. While Jesus is the logos of the 
Christian faith , Muhammad is not the logos in Islam, but the revelation…the 
Book…the Quran. This gives the text - as well the Sunna that put it into action 
- a centrality in the process of jurisprudence and legislation that is quite 
unique. This raises the question whether one can talk about an international 
cross-cultural and cross religious, unified or common agenda for women in this 
matter.

  3-While in the back of mind of the Western discourse of the matter is 
only related to the text , in Islam the interpretation can not be completed 
without the a complex interaction with the Sunna , a thorough understanding and 
critical reading of the fiqh , and a continuous process of Ijtihad and Tajdid 
to place the divine and absolute within the relative and present. The knowledge 
of related Islamic disciplines and methodologies is a must, along with a 
profound updated knowledge of the social and political contexts. Not only 
average Muslims are required to study carefully the Islamic sciences, but 
Islamic scholars are also required to know the realities of life - a strict 
condition of Fatwa and Ijtihad that is known to everyone.

  4-Contemporary Muslim women have been involved in studying and teaching 
the Islamic sources, and Islamic Universities have distinguished women 
scholars…the most prominent Bint Al-Shati -the professor of Tafsir in Egypt and 
Morocco who died recently, as well as many female professors at Al-Azhar and in 
all Islamic Universities. It has been neglected in recent writings that started 
giving attention to the role of women within the Islamic movements in 
transmitting and studying the Islamic sources that they, too, contributed to 
the knowledge and Ijtihad. Ann Sophie Roald (In K.Ask & M.Tjomsland 1998 ) for 
example studied Bint Al-Shati, yet forgot Zainab A-Ghazali - the leading 
Egyptian Muslim activist of the Muslim Brotherhood - who published an 
interpretation of the Quran 1994. Though published by the famous Dar Al Shorouk 
publishers, and forwarded by a praise by a (male) professor of Tafsir at 
Al-Azhar University, Karam did not even refer to that volume when studying 
Ghazali’s “feminist” ideas. (A.Karam , 1998) Women’s reading and interpretation 
of the Islamic sources is then an ongoing process in the Islamic as well as 
Islamist circles. 

  5-Taking the awareness about women’s problems and the unjust treatment of 
women in Islamic societies with different Islamic pretexts as the criteria 
according to which one classifies writings as “feminist” or not (sometimes 
regardless of the sex/gender of the author], one can find indeed that male 
scholars have been more outspoken and “revolutionary” than women scholars. 
Hence insisting on “feminist” as description for the re

Bismillah [IslamCity] Pakistan politics-- Fanatics control thousands of US nukes: JI

[S A Hannan]

  Fanatics control thousands of US nukes: JI
LAHORE, Jul 25: Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Syed Munawar Hasan 
has said that America is the biggest terrorist state in the world whose 
thousands of nuclear and chemical weapons are in the hands of fanatics and 
being continuously used against the humanity.

  He was delivering Friday sermon at Mansoorah, says a press release by JI 
Media Cell. Munawar Hasan wondered why a hue and cry about Pakistan's nuclear 
program is being raised in the world, whereas the real threat to the world 
security and peace is the USA. He said thousands of American nuclear, chemical 
and biological weapons are in the control of unsafe hands, and America is the 
only country which used nuclear bombs against the innocent civilians killing 
millions of Japanese by dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He 
said still there are children being born in those cities suffer from the deadly 
affects of those bombs dropped fifty years ago.

  Munawar said America has always worked against the humanity in every turn 
of history. He said despite that UN had banned chemical weapons but America is 
using them committing genocide of innocent Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq.

  Munawar said Pakistani rulers are acting as slaves of Washington and the 
only country created in the name of Islam is being used against Muslims of the 
world. He said now our newly elected prime minister is going to Washington to 
renew his loyalties and submissiveness to George Bush, and a large delegation 
of sightseers accompanying him will enjoy luxuries of seven star hotels at the 
expense of hard earned money of a nation deprived of Roti, Kapra Aur Makan.

  Munawar said our Foreign Minister is acting as a Yes man of Washington, 
while our Trade Minister has launched Indian Trade Policy in Pakistan. He 
remarked that India is a lucky nation having her own trade minister in Pakistan 
to take care of her commercial interests in a supposedly hostile country. He, 
however, said Pakistan is an unlucky nation whose ministers watch American and 
Indian interests despite enjoying perks, privileges and protocol at the expense 
of public taxes.

  Munawar said it is height of cruelty that those raising slogans of Roti, 
Kapra Aur Makan have snatched every grain from the mouth of the poor masses, 
and every section of society is either on strike or staging protests against 
the so-called 'Awami' rulers.

  He said JI has launched its mass contact movement and its annual 
convention in October in Lahore will bring a new hope for change in the country.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Re: Turkey in the throes of Islamic revolution

[S A Hannan]

Dear Members,

Assalamu Alaikum.Please see my comments  in third brackets on this highly 
prejudicial article  against Islamic trend and  in particular about Turkish 
islamists.This is a  totally biased article.Fortunately Islamists now can 
decipher their intrigues in the name of psydo scholarship



Shah Abdul Hannan
  Turkey in the throes of Islamic revolution?
  By SpenglerAsiaTimes.com   21/7/08

  Turkey is half pregnant with political Islam, if one believes Western foreign 
ministries and the mainstream press. Its Islamist government last week arrested 
82 alleged coup plotters from Turkey's military and intellectual elite, on the 
strength of a secret indictment of 2,445 pages. Turkish media have offered 
fanciful allegations linking the secular leaders of the alleged "Ergenekon" 
plot to al-Qaeda as well as the violent Kurdish Workers' Party. Among those 
detailed are pillars of the secular establishment, including the head of the 
Ankara Chamber of Commerce and the Ankara editor of the country's leading daily 
newspaper, Cumhuriyet. 

  Before shouting "Reichstag Fire!" in a crowded theater, one should read the 
indictment, when and if it is made public. A few Western analysts, such as 
Michael Rubin at the American Enterprise Institute, are warning [1] that an 
Islamic putsch is possible, after the fashion of ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's 
1979 Islamic revolution in Iran. The question of the moment, though, is not 
whether mass arrests of civic leaders on charges that challenge the imagination 
are compatible with Turkey's image as a democratic nation, but rather why the 
world's media have printed very a harsh word about the administration of Prime 
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

  A perfect storm of enmity has come down on the beleaguered Turkish 
secularists, who find themselves without friends. That is a tragedy whose 
consequences will spill over Turkey's borders, for the secular model 
established by Kemal Ataturk after World War I was the Muslim world's best hope 
of adapting to modernity. Many years of misbehavior by Turkey's army and 
security services, the core institutions of secular power, have eroded their 
capacity to resist an Islamist takeover. 


  [This is a biased view.The writer is supporting such un-democratic and 
dogmatic secularism.kamal pasha established a dictatorship and this and his 
abusive rule and secularism he thinks to be best hope for the Muslim world]

  The United States State Department, meanwhile, has found a dubious use for 
what it thinks is a moderate strain of political Islam. Washington apparently 
hopes to steer Turkey into a regional bloc with the short-term aim of calming 
Iraq, and a longer-term objective of fostering a Sunni alliance against Iran's 
ambition to foment a Shi'ite revolution in the Middle East.

   [To foment a Shia revolution in the Middle east is another propaganda ]

  By rejecting Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, France and Germany 
have destroyed the credibility of the secular parties who seek integration with 
the West. Perhaps the Europeans already have consigned Turkey to the ward for 
political incurables, and do not think it worthwhile to try to revive 
Western-oriented secularism. Turkey's liberal intellectuals, who suffered 
intermittent but brutal repression at the hands of the secular military, think 
of the Islamist government as the enemy of their enemy, if not quite their 
friend. 

  Sadly, the notion that moderate Islam will flourish in the Turkish nation 
demands that we believe in two myths, namely, moderate Islam and the Turkish 
nation. Too much effort is wasted parsing the political views of Erdogan, who 
began his career in the 1990s as an avowed Islamist and anti-secularist, but 
later espoused a muted form of Islam as leader of the Justice and Development 
Party (AKP). Whether Erdogan is a born-again moderate or a disguised jihadi is 
known only to the man himself. Islam in Turkey flourishes in full public view. 
At the village level, the AKP draws on the same sort of Saudi Arabian patronage 
that filled Pakistan with madrassas (seminaries) during the past two decades, 
and incubated the Wahhabi forces that have now all but buried the remnants of 
Pakistani secularism. 
  [Erdogan is doing what was possible .The military would not allow any formal 
islamic party, if they would then there would be no problem .Turks have been 
trained with the connivance of the West to worship Kamal Pasha because this 
would serve the West in blocking Islam, howsoever democratic it might be .]

  If political Islam prevails in Turkey, what will emerge is not the same 
country in different coloration, but a changeling, an entirely different 
nation. In a 1997 speech that earned him a prison term, Erdogan warned of two 
fundamentally different camps, the secularists who followed Kemal, and Muslims 
who followed sharia. These are not simply different camps, however, but 
different configurations of Turkish socie

Bismillah [IslamCity] Writers Freedom : What Should Be Islamic Stance --Asia Post , Dhaka, editorial dated 26.7.08

[S A Hannan]

-
Writers Freedom : What Should Be Islamic Stance

Recently there was a debatein the Middle East about the issue and extent of 
freedom of writers and what is view about it of Islamist movement there.  The 
Lebanese Menassat news agency imputed that  Brotherhood has called for 
prosecution of  feminist writer Nawal Saadawi on charges of blasphemy and 
contempt for religion. The brotherhood denied this and said that the news 
agency made serious error in translation  which will  encourage  false 
allegations by opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood that it adopts a hard-line 
stance against freedoms of thought and expression. Brotherhood in its statement 
said that prosecuting writers contradicts with the Muslim Brotherhood ideology 
which has always been staunch supporter of freedom of thought and expression 
"We promote freedom of thought," said MB Secretary General Mahmoud Ezzat, "and 
never in the history of the Muslim Brotherhood we prosecuted or called for the 
prosecution of writers." "But is important that writers and thinkers use their 
talents in a way that respects the creeds and beliefs of others; in another 
word seek to reconcile between principles of freedom and the respect to the 
rights of others, so that one’s opinion will not be a violation of the other’s 
freedom of belief," he told Ikhwanweb.com.

This is a touchy issue and Brotherhood has done well in explaining its 
position. Brotherhood is a major Islamic movement on a global basis and we hope 
this will be a guideline for all other Islamic movements. It is a different 
matter that any government has right under law to proscribe a seditious or 
blasphemous book.

Bismillah [IslamCity] Patrick Seale - Wrong on Afghanistan

[S A Hannan]

Dear editor,

Assalamu Alaikum.Please publish it

Shah abdul Hannan
- Original Message -
From: R Ahmed
Subject: Patrick Seale - Wrong on Afghanistan

Wrong on Afghanistan
Patrick Seale Middle East Online 25/7/08


The history of Afghanistan's past occupiers, and a variety of current
experts on the region, speak against Obama's policy of a future American
- and, therefore, NATO - increase in military action in that country,
says Patrick Seale.


On his foreign travels this week, Barack Obama, the Democratic
presidential candidate, pledged to switch the focus of America's
military effort from Iraq to Afghanistan -- the "central front," in his
estimation, of the war on terror.


U.S. combat troops would be withdrawn from Iraq within 16 months of his
taking office, but thousands more, he promised, would be sent to fight
in Afghanistan, and be ready to cross the border into Pakistan's tribal
areas to root out jihadist sanctuaries there.


This commitment -- and the explicit threat to expand the war -- is
almost certainly a grave mistake.


Costly in men and treasure, it is unlikely to be successful and
threatens to be hugely damaging not only to American interests in the
Muslim world and Central Asia, but also to Afghanistan itself, to
Pakistan and to Indo-Pakistan relations.


No doubt, Obama senses that the American public yearns for some sort of
victory against Al-Qaeda, the elusive terrorist group that dared strike
at America's heartland on 9/11. "Losing is not an option when it comes
to Al-Qaeda." he told CBS. He wants to look tough on security issues,
where his rival John McCain seems to have an edge.


But this is the old thinking from a view of doubtful validity --
accepted as gospel by many Western politicians -- that Western security
depends on locating the ageing Osama bin Laden in some remote mountain
fastness, and destroying him.


This is to mistake the nature of the threat to Western societies. Far
more dangerous than Al-Qaeda is the mass of angry tribesmen and
city-dwellers in the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, in
Pakistan's Baluchistan, in the tribal agencies of North and South
Waziristan, in and around the teeming city of Peshawar, and even further
afield in neighbouring Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.


These men, and many of their co-religionaries in the wider Muslim world,
are angry because of America's "war on terror." For many of them, it has
meant the presence of an "infidel" army in Muslim lands, the vast
disruption of their traditional way of life, the killing of their wives
and children by U.S. air strikes, the flourishing of cruel and greedy
warlords in outlying Afghan areas, and the rule in Kabul of President
Hamid Karzai -- seen as a Western puppet presiding over a corrupt and
ineffective regime.


To pursue the battle against Al-Qaeda by military means is to awaken
these powerful tribal and Muslim resentments -- as well as to threaten
the already precarious stability of Pakistan, a Muslim nuclear power of
165 million people locked in a dangerous confrontation with India in
both Kashmir and Afghanistan.


Zbigniew Brzezinski, the former U.S. national security adviser, is a
rare American voice to say (in an interview with the Financial Times on
21 July) that "putting more troops into Afghanistan is not the entire
solution. we run the risk that our military presence will gradually turn
the Afghan population entirely against us."


Gérard Chaliand, a French counter-terrorist expert, goes further still.
"Victory is impossible in Afghanistan," he declared (in an interview
with Le Monde, 22 July) "Today, one must attempt to negotiate. There is
no other way. The insurgency is not led by Al-Qaeda on by foreign
fighters. It is a Pashtun matter [the majority tribe in Afghanistan,
with another 15 million members in Pakistan]. The Pashtuns are fighting
first of all for themselves."


Marc Sagemen, a leading American expert on Muslim extremism, argues in
his book, Leaderless Jihad, that free-lance radicals are more of a
threat to Western interests than Al-Qaeda itself which, he claims, has
already been "neutralised operationally."


Another important book which denounces America's obsession with
destroying Al-Qaeda is Ahmad Rashid's Descent into Chaos: How the War
Against Islamic Extremism is Being Lost in Pakistan, Afghanistan and
Central Asia. He argues that the neo-con obsession with Al-Qaeda has
blinded the United States to the impact of the war on Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Kashmir, leading in turn to the powerful resurgence of the
Taliban on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border.


It is surely the greatest folly for NATO to declare -- and seemingly to
believe -- that its survival as an alliance, and indeed its very raison
d'être, depends on victory in the Afghan theatre -- a war that is
virtually unwinnable.


Not the least of the problems is the underlying tension in Afghanistan
between India and Pakistan, greatly exacerbated by this month's suicide
c

Bismillah [IslamCity] The Muslim Brotherhood Denies Report It Called for Writer Prosecution--an important statement

[S A Hannan]

The Muslim Brotherhood Denies Report It Called for Writer 
Prosecution


  IkhwanWeb - Egypt







  Tuesday, July 22, 2008
  The Lebanese Menassat news agency has mysteriously translated the word 
"Jama’a Islamiya" or "The Islamic Group" into the Muslim Brotherhood in a news 
story about a call by Jama’a Islamiya to prosecute feminist writer Nawal 
Saadawi on charges of blasphemy and contempt for religion.

  The error in translation itself was a fatal mistake, since it confuses 
two completely ideologically different organizations and schools of thought, 
but it also feeds into false allegations by opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood 
that it adopts a hard-line stance against freedoms of thought and expression.

  Prosecuting writers contradicts with the Muslim Brotherhood ideology 
which has always been staunch supporter of freedom of thought and expression

  "We promote freedom of thought," said MB Secretary General Mahmoud Ezzat, 
"and never in the history of the Muslim Brotherhood we prosecuted or called for 
the prosecution of writers."

  "But is important that writers and thinkers use their talents in a way 
that respects the creeds and beliefs of others; in another word seek to 
reconcile between principles of freedom and the respect to the rights of 
others, so that one’s opinion will not be a violation of the other’s freedom of 
belief," he told Ikhwanweb.



<><><><><><>

Bismillah [IslamCity] Abbas that is resisting by all means national reconciliation dialogue with Hamas, writes Saleh Al-Naami

[S A Hannan]

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/906/re1.htm



 No closer
As Fatah seeks to extend the presidency of Abbas by diktat, it is Abbas 
that is resisting by all means national reconciliation dialogue with Hamas, 
writes Saleh Al-Naami 



During their recent meeting in Damascus, Syrian President Bashar 
Al-Assad failed to convince Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to 
them meeting together with Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas's Damascus-based 
politburo. An informed source told Al-Ahram Weekly that Abbas justified his 
resolute refusal to meet Meshaal on account that Meshaal had sent a letter to 
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa blaming Abbas's call for dialogue for 
opening an Israeli military campaign against the Gaza Strip.

Abbas told Al-Assad that he considered the letter a blatant accusation 
of conspiring with Israel in planning attacks on Gaza. Ahmed Youssef, top 
advisor to dismissed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, holds that Abbas's reasons 
for refusing to meet Meshaal are untenable, adding that his reference to 
Meshaal's "supposed" letter to Moussa is meant to "cover the presence of a 
US-Israeli veto over dialogue, for Abbas has no intention of angering Tel Aviv 
and Washington."

"Things became clear after Moussa and US Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice spoke recently and Moussa asked the American administration to withdraw 
its veto over domestic Palestinian dialogue that is preventing its resumption," 
he told the Weekly. "If we assume that Meshaal did send such a letter, would 
that justify Abbas refusing to meet with him even while Abbas embraces Olmert 
despite him approving the daily killing of Palestinians and his government 
continuing to confiscate land and expand settlements?" he added. 

Youssef points out that even without this "alleged" letter, Abbas's 
positions are not a fit groundwork to build dialogue upon. Youssef cannot, for 
example, accept Abbas's stipulation that any dialogue must apply the conditions 
of the Yemeni initiative that Hamas holds reservations over.

Yet despite these grumblings, it is clear that the Palestine Liberation 
Organisation (PLO) and Fatah have begun to prepare for entering into dialogue 
with Hamas. PLO Secretary Yasser Abed Rabbo told the Weekly that he was 
currently exerting efforts to convince leftist organisations affiliated with 
the PLO to form a single front with Fatah to counter Hamas in any future 
national dialogue. Abed Rabbo considers the gathering of PLO factions into a 
single front a clear political message confirming Hamas's political isolation 
within Palestinian society. 

Abed Rabbo stresses that both the PLO and Fatah have tied their 
agreement to a national dialogue with Hamas to reversing its "overthrow" of 
Gaza. "Hamas's overthrow in the Gaza Strip must end before any dialogue can 
begin, for the Palestinian leadership won't accept now, or in the future, that 
the sword of Hamas's military [coup] be held against the neck of the 
Palestinian people," he said. 

Abed Rabbo accuses Hamas of trying to "build a kingdom for the Muslim 
Brotherhood in Gaza," adding that, "this is rejected by the PLO."

Yehia Moussa, deputy leader of the Hamas parliamentary bloc, firmly 
rejects the PLO taking part in any national dialogue that seeks to end the 
Palestinian rift. "The PLO is a dead entity and its reconstruction on new 
foundations is a primary point of dialogue, and thus we cannot accept it in a 
dialogue," he told the Weekly. 

Moussa says that the two poles in the Palestinian arena are Fatah and 
Hamas, "and we won't accept for Fatah to hide behind the slogans of other 
movements." 

As for Abed Rabbo's affirmation that there will be no efforts to hold a 
dialogue between Fatah and Hamas before the latter rescinds its "overthrow", 
Moussa told the Weekly that, "Abed Rabbo carries no weight in the Palestinian 
democratic scene, for he exists in his imaginary position only by drawing on 
the [supposed] strength of the American administration, which is dead and 
decaying. He makes such statements in hope of hearing their echoes by his lords 
in Washington."

Meanwhile, it appears that the Palestinian leftist organisations are 
not enthusiastic about forming a unified front with Fatah to counter Hamas. 
Saleh Zidan, member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's 
politburo, said in response to Abed Rabbo's suggestions that, "Some are trying 
to burden the dialogue with a number of conditions that affect the 
possibilities of it commencing and succeeding." 

Zidan told the Weekly that, "at first glance, all the factors needed to 
secure the dialogue's success exist, for there are documents agreed upon by 
Fatah and Hamas, such as the national di

Bismillah [IslamCity] Arab League slams ICC prosecutor

[S A Hannan]

Dear editor sahib,

Assalamu Alaikum.You may publish this news.

Shah Abdul Hannan
- Original Message - 
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 11:23 AM
Subject: Arab League slams ICC prosecutor



Arab League slams ICC prosecutor 
Agencies 


CAIRO: The Arab League yesterday criticized the International Criminal Court's 
prosecutor for seeking the arrest of Sudan's president on genocide charges, 
saying diplomacy should be given a priority to solve the conflict in Darfur.

Arab foreign ministers, holding an emergency meeting in Cairo, said Arab League 
Secretary-General Amr Moussa would head to Khartoum today to inform the 
Sudanese leadership of a plan to defuse the crisis. Moussa said he would 
announce the details within two days.

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis 
Moreno-Ocampo, has asked the court for a warrant for President Omar Bashir on 
suspicion of masterminding crimes against humanity in his country's troubled 
Darfur region.

Moreno-Ocampo accused Bashir of running a campaign of genocide that killed 
35,000 people outright, at least another 100,000 through a "slow death" and 
forced 2.5 million to flee their homes in Darfur. The final communiqué of the 
meeting said the ministers "called for giving priority to a political 
settlement... and sought an international high-profile summit to push the 
political process in Darfur." 

The resolution criticized Moreno-Ocampo's "unbalanced stance" for asking ICC 
judges to issue a warrant for Bashir's arrest, which, if granted, would be the 
first ever issued by The Hague-based court against a sitting head of state. 
Earlier opening the meeting, Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssef said 
the ICC had set a dangerous precedent. "The indictment sets a dangerous 
precedent in dealing with heads of state. It will have dangerous repercussions, 
not only for Sudan but also for the whole region," said Youssef, who chaired 
the meeting.

Hours before the meeting convened, Yemen's lower house of Parliament condemned 
the charges against Bashir as legally groundless.

A resolution passed by the 301-seat Yemeni Assembly of Representatives 
dismissed them as a "complete falsehood and an infringement on Sudan's internal 
affairs." It added that the charges were "part of a plot targeting Arab and 
Muslim nations." The perception that the charges are politically motivated has 
been expressed by other Arab officials.

At the Cairo meeting, Youssef criticized what he branded "the double standard" 
of the international community, saying that "the world has been watching for 
years Palestinians suffering without moving" to end it. The charges against 
Bashir came a year after the court indicted Sudanese Humanitarian Affairs 
Minister Ahmed Harun, who was formerly in charge of security in Darfur, and 
suspected militia leader Ali Kushayb for crimes against humanity.

Before yesterday's meeting, a source said the ministers would discuss a 
proposal urging Bashir to surrender Harun and Kushayb to the ICC in return for 
asking the UN Security Council to defer prosecution of Bashir for at least a 
year. Such a suspension, which is indefinitely renewable, is necessary because 
the penal process against Bashir "reduces the chances of peace in Darfur," a 
diplomat said.



 
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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] 
--

Recommended:
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Bismillah [IslamCity] New Freedom Fighters Organization :Under Attack From Unscrupulous newspapers and politicians

[S A Hannan]

 

New Freedom Fighters Organization :Under Attack From Unscrupulous  newspapers 
and politicians 

 

 

A campaign has started against  the new Islamic oriented freedom fighter 
organization  which has been formed by the freedom fighters who  have been 
frustrated by the secularism, political bias and anti-Islamic agenda of the 
other freedom fighter organizations. Recently this new organization called 
Jatiya Muktojoddha Parishad  (National Freedom Fighters Organisation ) has 
organized itself in the whole country. It  held a national conference in Dhaka 
recently and it was attempted to be disrupted by some agent provocateurs which 
the organization has refuted in detail through news paper advertisement. The 
campaign against it has been spearheaded by left and unscrupulous newspapers 
and a few TV channels. Their line of argument is that the organizers beat a 
freedom fighter and that it is  an organization “ backed  by Jamaat ”.  Leaders 
of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) yesterday demanded immediate ban on 
Jamaat-backed Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad backed by anti-liberation forces 
Jamaat-Shibir.The Jamaat-Shibir men committed heinous crime by assaulting a 
freedom fighter for seeking trial of war criminals, the CPB leaders said at a 
daylong council of Rajshahi District CPB at Public Library Auditorium. 

 

We are surprised at the campaign. it is true that tens of thousands of freedom 
fighters are now workers of Jamaate Islami because they want Islamic not 
secularist order in the country. It is not their offence, they have right to 
join any lawful party. Despite that this organization has in its midst 
Islamists of many groups , not only jammate Islami.Their demand is national 
unity, progress of Bangladesh, saving the independence from aggressive forces 
around and resist all biased and divisive activities of others in the name of 
freedom struggle. We thin their program is fine and all biased quarters should 
stop their false and undemocratic propaganda.