Bullitt County residents applaud rejection of cemetery planRarely has a simple 10-acre tract of land so united a community.
But the staunch opposition to a proposed Islamic cemetery near the eastern edge of Mount Washington wasn't as uncomplicated as it appeared.
Strongly voiced objections on religious grounds were numerous at a recent meeting of the county board of adjustments, but they were hardly the only reasons residents on and around Hubbard Lane wanted to stop the plan.
Residents said they were concerned about:
• Increased traffic on Hubbard Lane.
• Possible vandalism of the cemetery from those who oppose Islam's presence in Bullitt.
• Kids having to ride their bikes past a cemetery when there are no other cemeteries in the immediate area.
• Groundwater safety and other environmental issues.
The board by a 5-1 vote rejected the conditional-use change from "agricultural" in the unincorporated area of Bullitt County. The sale to the St. Matthews-based Louisville Islamic Center was contingent upon the change.
The Islamic center last week decided not to appeal and will look for cemetery land elsewhere.
"The overwhelming sentiment of the crowd was a little bit disheartening," said Ozair Sharif, a Louisville attorney and board member of the Islamic center.
Romona Stout recalled moving onto Hubbard Lane 42 years ago when it was just a gravel road. "You cannot hardly pass with two cars, it is a lane. To have a cemetery in a residential neighborhood, it bothers me. I don't have nothing against the Islamic religion, it's not that. It's not."
But for others, it clearly was.
"Why would you want to go where you're not wanted?" asked Len Hardy Sr., who was admonished at the podium for turning around and talking to Islamic center representatives and not zoning board members. "Seems to be, you're looking for a dumping ground, and I don't like it."
Sharon Foley of Oak Creek Drive told the board, "Our country was founded on Christian principles. Thousands and thousands of American men and women for their freedom of religion."
She lives with her 90-year-old father, who served in the Marines. She called the proposed Islamic cemetery a slap in his face, "given the incidents of the past 11 years," she said, referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
If you are not familiar with geographical facts about Syria, let’s explore some basic and important facts about Syria. It’s a country that was hacked by French and Briton from the cadaver of the Ottoman Empire. But after the World War II, the country succeeded in winning its independence. However, it is sad to see how raging fight in a country can lead to an massacre.
Syria is surrounded by the states of Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel. It is the home to diverse religious and ethnic groups including Armenians, Kurds, Assyrians, Druze, Christians, Arab Sunnis and Alawite Shias. The Sunnis and Shias make the majority of Muslim population in the country.
How did the country enter this condition of discrepancy and militancy? It was March 15, 2011 when the wave of Arab unrest reached Syria. This wave was influenced by the Tunisian revolution. It was the day when some residents from the southern cities took over the streets to protest against the government for torturing young students, who had been dressed in an anti-government graffiti. In response to these peaceful protests, government reacted with heavy force. Such a brutal response urged people all over the country to stand against the government. Within few days, demonstrations spread across the geographical boundaries of Syria. President Bashar al-Assad, who was currently leading the country, is a British trained doctor who inherited dictatorship from Hafez al-Assad. He first tried for some reforms but failing to do so, in the month of April, 2011; he set off withering crackdowns against demonstrators by sending armed forces that opened fire on the civilians. It transformed these peaceful demonstrators into violent respondents. The condition continued and in the summer 2011, thousands of armed soldiers revolted against the government. These conditions allowed United Nations to call Syria as the on the verge of civil war. In the time until 2013, some agreements were signed, National coalition was formed but it could not bring peace to the country. By the end of 2012, United States called it as an “overly sectarian” conflict that has become reason to attract fighters from North Africa and Middle East. It was approximated in the start of 2013 that more than sixty thousand people have lost their life and tens of thousands civilians had been arrested. Thousands of refugees had migrated to neighboring countries and millions need aid in the country. According to estimates, about 1.2 million people are displaced domestically.
United States is set silent on all these happenings and it looks that Mr. Obama’s policy of coming up for the bushfire in Syria to blaze itself out is fading. It seems that now, it is the time to act rather than waiting for the things to deteriorate further. He should aim at preserving the left over Syria. It means that USA’s policy makers should convince Mr. Assad and family to stop violence against rebels. Moreover, they should be convinced for talks with the rebels.
Two years ago, after a long day of classes, I was looking forward to mindlessly scrolling through my Twitter; however, I was immediately alarmed when I saw that several of my friends had posted a YouTube video entitled “Hate Comes to Orange County.”
I was horrified with what I saw.
A family of four exits their car on their way to a charity dinner to raise money for women’s and homeless shelters. They had been looking forward to a lovely dinner and an opportunity to catch up with friends; instead, they are met with hatred. A few hundred protestors have shown up, harassing those attending. As families walk into the event hall, protestors scream insults, including “Get out of here. Go back home!”
Despite the vitriol that was spewed at this protest, I was heartened by the support the Muslim community received days later. Many local politicians and residents of the area said that they were embarrassed by the protestors’ actions. Others condemned the protestors for implying that Muslims are inherently un-American.
But there was another aspect to the protestors’ insults other than questioning Muslim patriotism.
As Muslim men walked by, many of the protestors screamed, “Why don’t you go beat up your wife? It’s what you do every night!” Not many politicians seemed bothered by this assumption about Muslim men. It seems, when it comes to portraying Muslim men, the image of the misogynistic tyrant is dominant.
As an American Muslim woman, I find it terribly frustrating that my brothers in faith have been labeled as “oppressive” simply because they are Muslim. For years, I and countless others have worked to combat the negative images of Islam and Muslims. Frequently, it is a story of repeated frustration and disappointment. Whenever it seems we make headway in our struggle against the misunderstanding of Islam, we get a news story about a gender mutilation case or an honor killing in which the perpetrator is a Muslim man.
That is not to say that these sickening stories are simply “inconveniences” to our efforts. Instead, they are powerful reminders that there are some Muslims out there who—because of existing cultural norms or other factors— have a misconstrued conception of Islam. A look into the life of the Prophet Muhammad, however, reveals that these horrible crimes against women have absolutely no place in Islam.
Prior to the advent of Islam, women in Arabia were treated no better than chattels. Men could marry and divorce women with little regard to their wives’ consent. The Prophet completely overturned existing customs regarding the treatment of women. On countless occasions the Prophet instructed his followers to treat women with kindness. He declared “The best of you are those who are best to your wives.”[1]
The Prophet not only preached kind treatment, but he himself left a high standard for Muslim men to emulate. Muhammad always helped his wives with household chores and looked after his own personal needs, mending and patching his clothes and tending to the family goats.[2] He frequently sought the council of his wives even in political matters such as the signing of treaties. He had a particularly playful relationship with his wife Ayesha, challenging her to footraces and similar games. Although it was not the custom of the time, he was never shy about expressing his love for his wives. One tradition relates that as the Prophet was cobbling his shoes one day, Ayesha complimented Muhammad on his bright and happy expression. Muhammad got up to kiss Ayesha on her forehead and said, “Oh Ayesha, may God reward you well. I am not the source of joy to you that you are to me.”[3]
In light of the Prophet’s example, I cannot help but wrack my brain in despair whenever I learn of such terrible crimes committed by Muslim men against women. Don’t they know the example of the Prophet Muhammad? Don’t they know that he was nothing but kind, compassionate, and merciful to his wives? Don’t they realize that he helped his wives with their housework, took their advice on important matters, and treated them as his partner rather than his subservient? Don’t they know of the scores of hadith that begin with “Treat your wives kindly…”?
Unfortunately, the sins of these misguided and cruel men are a stain on all Muslim men. If we are to transform the overwhelmingly negative image of Muslim men, change must come from the within Muslim community. Muslims today must reject this distortion of Islam that is used to violate the most basic Islamic rights of human decency. The Quran says in this regard:
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For God can best protect both. (4:135)
Confronting the problem of honor killings, forced marriages, female excision and other crimes that affect women requires that we more closely examine, question, and challenge the sources that support these heinous crimes. Even if certain scholars have attempted to provide religious justification for them, numerous Quranic verses included the one cited above prove that these practices are simply un-Islamic.
To treat others, whether male or female, with compassion is a Prophetic challenge that we all must work hard to achieve.
[1] Shaikh Muhammad Iqbal, “The Rights and Virtues of Women in Islam,” www. As-Sidq.org. Accessed 16 December 2012.
[2] Karen Armstrong, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Times (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006), 127.
“Hiçbir baba, çocuğuna, güzel terbiyeden daha üstün bir hediye veremez”. (Tirmizî, Birr, 33)
Sözlükte Ahlak; Huy, tabiat, insanın davranış tarzı, tutum ve tavrı, bir cemiyette makbul ve iyi sayılan davranış kuralları olarak tanımlı.
İslâm ahlâkı ise ahlâkın temeli olarak Allah’ın emrine uygunluğu ve gaye olarak da Allah rızasını almakla insanı şahsi veya toplumsal bencillikten kurtarmıştır. Ahlâkı da cemiyetten cemiyete ve zamanla değişen keyfî ve tesadüfî kaideler yığını olmaktan çıkarıp Allah’ın emirlerine uygunluğu esas almakla, birlik ve beraberliği ve devamlılığı sağlamıştır.
Güzel kelimesi ise; Hoşa giden, beğenilen, iyi, doğru bir biçimde olarak anlatılmış sözlükte.
Güzel Ahlakın ise tek bir tarifi yok, tabi ki İslami açıdan ele alıyoruz konuyu.
Peygamber Efendimiz; “İnsanlara güzel ahlakla muamelede bulun” (İbni Kesir, Sire, 4:194-195) buyurmuşlar. Üç kuruşluk menfaat uğruna “Sözleriniz benim için emirdir” der bazıları, peki bu söz Allah’ın Elçisinin sözleri olunca ne demeli? “Emriniz başım, gözüm üzerinedir” demekten başka?
Bir gün Efendimize neyin Cennet’e daha çok yaklaştıracağını soruyorlar, cevaben; “Allah’a takva ve güzel ahlak” buyuruyorlar. (Tirmizi, Birr 62, Kutub-u Sitte, 16. Cilt, sf. 329)
Yine, “Ruhumu kudret altında tutan Allah’a yemin ederim ki cennete sadece güzel ahlak sahipleri girer.” (Tirmizi; Huccetü’l İslam, İmam Gazali, İhya’u Ulum’id-din, 2. Cilt)
Sanırım konunun ehemmiyetini anlatmak ve kavramak için yeterli.
Peki, Güzel Ahlak nedir? Nasıl kazanılır? Nerede kazanılır?
Peygamber Efendimizin “İlmin Kapısı” dediği Ali (r.a.) diyor ki; güzel ahlak üçtür,
1. Mesuliyeti gerektirecek işlerden uzak durmak, 2. Helalinden kazanıp yemek, 3. Çoluk çocuğunun geçimini temin etmek.
Her konuda olduğu gibi bu konuda da önderimiz Efendimiz. Rabbimiz Kur’an-ı Kerim’de Peygamber Efendimiz için; “Gerçekten sen, büyük bir ahlâk üzeresin” (Kalem Suresi 4. Ayet) buyurmaktadır.
“Ben, ancak güzel ahlâkı tamamlamak için gönderildim” diyor Efendimiz. (Mâlik, el-Muvatta, 2/904) Eksik olan şey tamamlanır, değil mi? Dolu bardağı dolduramazsınız. Hiç varlığından söz edilmeyen bir şeyin tamamlanması da söz konusu olmaz. O halde, ortada güzel ahlâkın bazı esasları mevcut, ama noksan demektir.
“Güzel ahlâkı tamamlamak” üzere gönderilen Peygamberimizin terbiyesi altına girmeliyiz.
Müminlerin annesi Hz. Ayşe’ye (r.a.) sorarlar: Resulullah’ın (sav.) ahlâkı nasıldı? Cevap;
Evet, önderimiz belli. Rabbimiz ise önderimizin ahlakını övmüş. Önderimizin ahlakının ne olduğu da ortada. Öyleyse nedir güzel ahlak?
Şöyle diyebilir miyiz? Güzel ahlak = Kur’an ahlakı.
Kur’an elimiz ayağımız olmalı, çıkmalı artık kılıflardan, inmeli raflardan.
Kur’an ve Sünnet ışığında, taklit olan yani dedemizden atamızdan konu komşumuzdan, twitterdan facebookdan gördüğümüz dini bir kenara bırakıp, en baştan başlayarak gerçek bir imana sahip olalım, yaşadığımız gibi inanmayı bir kenara bırakıp, inandığımız gibi, olması gereken gibi, Efendimiz gibi yaşayalım. Unutmadan;
“(Ben) cinleri ve insanları, ancak bana ibâdet etsinler diye yarattım!” (Zariyat Suresi 56. Ayet)
“Herhangi bir Müslüman çıplak bir Müslüman’ı giyindirirse, Allah da ona Cennetin meyvelerini ikram eder. Herhangi bir Müslüman susuz bir Müslüman’ı suya kandırırsa, Allah da ona ağzı mühürlü (el değmemiş) Cennet meşrubatından ikramda bulunur”. [Ebu Davud; Tirmizi]
Dünya imtihan dünyası. Yaşadığımız yeri, kişileri, şartlarımızı kendimiz seçmiyoruz. Bunlar bize veriliyor ve biz bir sınava tabi tutuluyoruz. İmtihanın bir diğer yanı da herkes aynı veya benzer şartlara sahip olmuyor, kimi fakir kimi zengin, kimi yetenekli, kimi değil, kimi zeki, kimi sıradan. Dünyaya gönderilişimizin ise amacı tek:
“(Ben) cinleri ve insanları, ancak bana ibadet etsinler diye yarattım!” (Zariyat Suresi 56. Ayet)
Fakat var olan her şeyin tek bir sahibi var; Allah.
İnsanlara verilen imkân ve özelliklerin farklılığı nedeniyle insanlar birbirlerine ihtiyaç duyarlar, imtihanın bir diğer yönü de bu. Hiç bir zengin, “Benim kimseye ihtiyacım yoktur.” diyemez. Çünkü servetini çalıştırdığı insanların gücü ile kazanır; “Benim param var, kimi istersem çalıştırırım.” demesi bu gerçeği değiştirmez. Zira kimi çalıştırıyorsa ona muhtaç oluyor demektir. Ne tarafa bakarsak bakalım bütün sosyal ilişkilerde böyle durumlarda karşılaşırız.
Bu birbirine ihtiyaç hali doğal olarak yardımlaşmayı ortaya çıkarıyor. Rabbimiz Kur’an-ı Kerim’de, “İyilik ve takva üzerinde yardımlaşın. Günah işlemek ve aşırı gitmek üzerinde yardımlaşmayın. Allah’tan sakının, muhakkak ki Allah’ın cezası şiddetlidir” (Maide Suresi 2. Ayet) buyuruyor.
Madem dünya imtihan dünyası, bize düşen bu imtihanı kazanıp, cennete ulaşıp, Rabbimize kavuşmaktır. Bu ise oldukça basit ama sıkıntı şu ki, basit olanı yapmak zor.
Rabbimiz Kur’an’da: “(Ey ehl-i kitap!) Yüzlerinizi (ibadet maksadıyla) doğu ve batı tarafına çevirmeniz iyilik (için yeterli) değildir; fakat iyilik o kimsenin (iyiliği)dir ki, (o kişi) Allah’a, ahiret gününe, meleklere, kitap(lar)a ve peygamberlere îmân eder; ona (o elindeki mala) olan sevgisine rağmen malı akrabalara, yetimlere, yoksullara, yolda kalmışa, dilenenlere ve köleler uğrunda verir; namazı hakkıyla eda eder ve zekâtı verir. Çünkü (onlar) söz verdikleri zaman sözlerini yerine getirenler ve sıkıntı (fakirlik), hastalık ve savaşın şiddetli anında sabredenlerdir. İşte onlar, doğru olan kimselerdir. Takva sahibi olanlar da işte ancak onlardır”. (Bakara Suresi 177. Ayet)
Peygamber Efendimiz ise “Bir hurmanın yarısı ile bunu da bulamazsanız güzel sözle ateşten korununuz.” (Müslim, Zekât, 95), “Herhangi bir Müslümanın diktiği ağaçtan yenen, çalınan ve eksilen şey, o ağacı diken için sadakadır.” (Riyazü’s-Salihîn, I, 168).
Biri, Abdullah bin Abbas’a gelerek bir şeyler istemiş. Abdullah (ra.) ona:
“–Allah’tan başka ilâh olmadığına, Hazret-i Muhammed’in Allah’ın Resulü olduğuna şahitlik ediyor musun?” diye sormuş;
“–Evet!”
“–Peki, Ramazan orucunu tutuyor musun?”
“–Evet!”
Bunun üzerine Abdullah (ra.):
“–Sen bir şey istedin, isteyenin hakkı vardır. Sana yardım etmek de bizim boynumuza borçtur.” diyerek adama bir elbise vermiş ve Daha sonra da şu hadis-i şerifi rivayet etmiş:
“Herhangi bir Müslüman diğer bir Müslüman’a bir elbise giydirirse, kardeşinin sırtında o elbiseden bir parça bulunduğu müddetçe veren kimse Allah’ın himayesinde olur.” (Tirmizî, Kıyamet, 41/2484)
Efendimiz güzel sözle de olsa ateşten korununuz diyor, yani bu bile bir şey. Bu kadar kolaylıktan sonra kimsenin mazereti olmamalı, buraya neden geldiğimiz de belli iken başka şeylerle meşgul olup asli görevimizi unutmak neden? Neden mi? Dünya imtihan için de ondan. İyi ile kötünün ayrılması için bu gerekli de ondan. Rabbimiz bizi yarattığında bizi biliyordu, ne yapacağımızı ne yapmayacağımızı, şu an bize kendimizi gösteriyor, aslında burada kendimizi tanıyor ve kendimizle yüzleşiyoruz ama çoğumuz bunun farkında değil ve her nefeste yine Rabbimize geri dönüyoruz.
A Concise introduction and account of the Playbook can be presented as a function towards establishing certain rules and regulations, in relation to the mysterious and the stealthy Drone Attacks conducted by the CIA around the globe. It also functions to set rules that would legalize the actions of the drones mentioned herewith and to mitigate the rate at which these attacks are conducted.
This is something that the US Government needs to consider on a profound and intense note, in light of the heavy criticism and ridicule that it is facing and receiving from its many supporters and people, as well. This criticism is mainly directed towards the government’s uncontrolled and unhindered dependence on technological warfare. This outrage from different nations and people across the world towards drone attacks has culminated in the form of an immensely strong opposition by the world against drone attacks.
Perhaps this is an approach towards capturing the essence of what the nations of the world want in the future, in response to the unbiased and misdirected show of the US in terms of its might and military strength against defenseless and feeble third world nations.
These are countries where the war being fought is not even of conventional or traditionally recognizable tendencies. However, the most appalling and fascinatingly curious aspect of this Playbook by Brennan is that the Laws it entails are not applicable to Pakistan and Yemen in relation to Drone Strikes.
Why is it so, you asking?
You cannot inquire at all.
The leak of the Document by the Justice Department has led to much uproar and outrage from the public over the unjust killing of US citizens by the state itself. The case of “Al-Aulaqi” has been the recipient of much attention and coverage. As a side effect of the leak in question, the state has become the object of inquisition by the public regarding the definition that the former uses in relation to recognizing and branding terrorists.
All of this combined won’t put an end to Drone Strikes. In fact, the US is packing up its military operations in Afghanistan. But their absence is likely to be substituted with more of a technological offensive, meaning aerial strikes that are devoid of a mortal manning quality.
Ever since this year’s threshold has been crossed, there has been a sharp incline in the rate of these attacks. Bill Roggio from the Long War Journal reported the demise of 11 civilians in the four attacks committed in the first two weeks of January.
The incident involving the death of about 38 civilians in a single precision strike during March 2011 is also much appalling. It is impossible to ascertain the true toll of death and destruction as the areas decimated by the CIA are closed to journalists, government related functionaries and other such peers.
War of a conventional sort brings about much in the way of collateral damage, that is what the drone supports present forth as an argument.
But is this truly a War that is being fought?
Are we privy to the true identity of our enemy?
Is the demise of Osama actually hastening the march towards world tranquility and peace?
Will the decimation of further militants of the sort eradicate terrorism?
The truth is that terrorism is something that cannot be annihilated or destroyed through the means of military might alone.
Ever since the terrorist incident orchestrated by the Al-Qaeda, there has not been one single US Citizen death from terrorism. In contrast, about 150 children have perished in school shootings initiated since 2003.
Perhaps it is time for the US to quit is countering terrorism worldwide and pay a bit more mind and attention to its laws and regulations, regarding guns and weaponry.
Here is a research analysis done on the political scenario in Pakistan; Article “Pakistan’s leadership vacuum” By Abid Mustafa (2008) The Nation, claims that Pakistan despite having a newly elected government still has a vacuum in the leadership sphere, military coup has shaken all the departments of the country, and the situation looks blurry and vague.
Politicians are the slave of US and Britian and follow up their orders frequently; this is creating heinous scenario inside the premises of Pakistan. The article also indirectly accuses current government of not doing anything different to change the system.
In the article “An insider analysis of Pakistans ‘memogate” by Mansoor Ijaz (2011) The Nation, throws the light on the accused Haqqani, the then Pakistan’s ambassador to US, one of the representatives of the PPP regime. He uplifted all the veils from the mindset of the PPP and blamed it for its sycophancy to the United States. PPP asked the US to save it from the military exertion in Pakistan and vice versa. A poor picture of the PPP has been narrated by Mansoor Ijaz.
In the article, “The best example of bad governance”, Nation (2011) describes how Pakistan People’s Party failed to win in all departments; ever since it has come into the power its nothing more than a stigma on the fate of Pakistan. No man is made comfortable, and his comforts are taken miles away from him by the evils of the leadership responsible for the fate of the people. Government is incapable of handling crucial matters such as electricity shortage, mishandling of the assets of Pakistan which includes institutions and our industries. It’s the total fault of the government for mishandling basic problems, incapable of foreseeing the issues and agendas. National GDP and per capita income have reduced miserably which is a clear evidence of how poor and bad the governance is of the current government. They are responsible for all the problems in the country.
Article, “Moot takes another crack at outages”, Sajid Zia, The Nation (2012) throws the light on the poor performance of the government in the energy sector where PPP is utilizing tried and beaten ideas and failing to overcome the energy crises. One after the other energy crises prevails, and meetings never bring fruitful ideas, therefore the government is pushing the country into the murky phase. Government fails to reach a decision at the first energy conference held in 2010 and analyzed energy requirements. Despite its alarming alert, the government didn’t take any measures to overcome the issue.
In this article “PPP failed people, we’ll change their fate”, Nazir Siyal, the Nation (2012) media again takes a toll on PPP by blaming it for poor working by all its workers. PPP has doomed the nation to disaster and has completely failed the people and turned into a rowdy- war. They made fake promises but delivered nothing but disappointment. People’s Party displayed a series of failures bringing poverty, energy crises and poor living standards. Corruption has boosted up since its power came into functioning. During crises such as floods of 2010, the government did not provide equipment and needs to the people who suffered from the atrocity.
As a direct response to the September 11 attacks, NATO acted upon Article 5 of the NATO Articles for the first time in its history. An assault that would pan out for longer than a decade was started in Afghanistan, the basic aim of the initiative being the removal Taliban from power, finding Osama Bin Laden & destroying Al-Qaeda completely.
Troops from 42 countries were sent as NATO took charge of a mission outside north Atlantic area for the first time in history. After the initial attacks, prominently Torra Borra & Operation Anaconda, NATO was given control of ISAF (international Security Assistance Force), and by 2006 NATO forces had expanded the mission throughout Afghanistan.
In May 2011, after the US-NATO led undercover operation in Abbotabad, the death of Osama Bin Laden was confirmed. One major milestone was achieved, though at the cost of numerous lives. There on, a plan to evacuate NATO forces from Afghanistan was endorsed during the 2012 Chicago Summit, it was agreed that all the troops will be removed from the Afghan Region by the end of 2014.
The initial step towards removal of forces from the region was taken by US when President Barrack Obama announced to call back 10,000 troops by the end of 2011, shortly followed by Canada’s withdrawal of all their armed forces from Afghanistan. Following them, France, Belgium and other countries who have also announced the removal of their army. Though the United Kingdom has voiced to follow suit, they have not yet specified the figures or timing. The long term plan is to evacuate completely the region when the timing and situation allow and hand over control to Afghan National Army.
Though according to an article in Washington Post, NATO is seriously considering the retention of some 350,000 troops in Afghanistan till the end of 2018, the ultimate and complete withdrawal is eminent. The topic is being thought upon in lieu of the current unstable situation which the Alliance wishes to resolve before they leave.
The total strength of roughly 450,000 (as of October 2012) army men fighting against the Taliban has a fair share of ISAF and other Alliance forces, and it is being viewed that the removal of forces may leave the country in a state of mayhem. The expected general atmosphere is being viewed as dangerous, and some of the analysts are of the opinion that US & NATO together have failed to deliver.
For starters, Afghanistan has no air force and so forth they have been relying heavily on the external military aid for containing the insurgencies. Afghanistan on their own is hardly up to the mark in matters of wealth or expertise, shown evidently by the fact that out of the latest 68000 new Afghan recruits, 48000 have quit.
According to Pentagon, out of Afghanistan’s 23 Brigades only one is capable to work on its own. The situation is being taken as highly volatile as the country’s looming economic distress. Military slackness coupled with the looming fear of “re-talibanization” will hardly amount to a desired outcome.
Sectarian violence threats the security of the religious groups in Pakistan. Lahore, being the capital of Pakistan’s largest province faces such problems every now and then. Around 6 months of research has been conducted on the believers of two distinct sections of Islam. Although Pakistan is an Islamic state but it now engulfs number of sections or sub-religious groups.
We must look into this matter since the spark between the religious groups is creating turbulence in Lahore for quite some time now. The religious segregation has turned out to be very violent in Lahore other than many parts of Pakistan. Pakistan is dealing with the resurgence in sectarian violence, every now and then; violence is experienced between two prominent sections of Islam namely — Sunni and Shia. Lately, Lahore is also experiencing violent incidents between the Barelvi and Deobandi sub-sects of Sunni Islam, which are also on the rise.
Pakistan is the second largest in Shia population after Iran. Sunni are in the majority while Shia are regarded as the minority section of Islam. Sunni- Shia clashes are very brutal in Lahore.
Sectarian violence began to wide spread in Pakistan when the dictator Zia-ul-Haq when policies and legislation aimed at ‘Islamising’. He tried to transform Pakistani into a Sunni state and imposed certain laws that mobilized Shia Muslims such as in 1980 Zia imposed a zakat (wealth tax) and ushr (farming tax) ordinance that contradicted Shia ideologies. This incited mobs as for the first time in the history of Pakistan 100,000 Shia Muslims marched on the federal secretariat in Islamabad, forcing the general to alter the ordinance which are hurting Shia Muslims sentiments.
When Shia were not obliged they refused to pay taxes in the same manner, this prompted Deobandi Sunni groups to target certain Shia persons on the basis of religion. Since then, Pakistan has become a hub of violence between various religious groups. Religion is also being used as a tool to satisfy personal vendetta. Religious sections are growing every single day and creating problems for peace and security of the nation. The rate of fights is increasing among Muslims, and foreign forces are taking greater advantages of it. Pakistan is now being divided which is benefiting the enemies of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s inclusion in US war against terrorist has left it with a series of sectarian problems. Taliban are on the rise since the mid-2000s and their close links with militant sectarian organizations such as Lashkar-eJhangvi is helping the sectarian violence to grow. Sectarian violence has spread across the country, and major areas targeted by it are Baluchistan’s Hazaras (an ethnic minority) and worshippers at Sufi shrines.
Today, sectarian violence has wide spread its tentacles by challenging its internal security. The country has been divided into many religious groups who can’t stand each other; level of tolerance is going down. Taliban are also a greater threat to the sovereignty of Pakistan which are now inclining towards the sectarian problems, the spark is gaining more attention since the government has failed once again to overcome the issues.
The relationship between the Islamic world and science is going through recent shifts. The stagnation that had long been prevailing in the field of science and Islam is now returning to the Islamic world. Before that, there had been ages in which Islamic world’s focused its attention on scientific development more than other Western countries.
During just one year 2005, Harvard University managed to publish more scientific papers than did 17 Arabic countries together. Fifty-seven Muslim countries included in OIC (Organization of the Islamic Countries) spend an insignificant amount of their GDP on scientific research and growth; it is alomst 0.81 percent whereas America has kept the greatest science budget in the world with total spending of 2.9 percent in this field.
A lot of critiques say that theses clashes are due to the aggression of Muslims towards science. This is the reason they tend to spend more attention to other fields than science. 1.6 billion Muslims of the world have managed to produce only two laureates in Physics and Chemistry, and both of them moved to the West. The one still-alive is a chemist at the California Institute of Technology. It has been claimed that this is because most of the Muslim countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and India are concerned more with false concept of learning; they tend to focus on book study rather than practical and critical thinking and analysis of the subjects.
It might be because of the traditional Islamic view that there are certain natural facts that cannot be explored and answered by science. On the other hand, the Western world attempted to reject all the superstitions and explore the natural facts on the basis of scientific developments.
However, this reason given by the critiques to explain the gap between Islamic world and scientific discoveries is not true necessarily because the situation seems to be improving. The gap that prevailed previously is narrowing down, and Muslims are increasingly contributing to the scientific world.
According to research from 2000 to 2009, the publication of scientific papers in Turkey had increased from 5000 to 22,000 while in Iran; the figure went up from 1300 to almost 15000. This increase in quantity did not lead to a small decline in quality; because the journals and scientific articles published in the Islamic world were still widely read and cited for academic purposes.
A research in 2011 conducted by Thomson Reuters, an information firm, displays that in the early 1990s other producers cited scientific documents from Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (the most productive Muslim countries) four times fewer than the universal average. This number had increased significantly by 2009. Today, the Islamic world is flourishing tremendously in the field of mathematics papers where Iran has a good score and in other scientific fields, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are performing much better.
In a nutshell, the distance between the Islamic world and scientific publications has narrowed down greatly with the Muslims rising again and contributing in science.
Daniel Pipes has written an article claiming that his home town of Philadelphia has "become the capital of the Western world as regards female Islamic garb as an accessory to crime".
According to Pipes, "the Philadelphia region has witnessed 14 robberies (or attempted robberies) of financial institutions in the past six years in which the thieves relied on an Islamic full-body cover". His solution? "Ban the niqab and burqa in public places, as the national governments in France and Belgium have recently done."
Joel Mathis points out some flaws in this argument:
It's important to understand, though, that Pipes' "crisis" looks a little less disturbing when looked at closely. He justifies a ban because, by his count, at least 14 robberies have been committed in Philadelphia using Muslim garb … since 2007. That's less than three a year. If you need more perspective, consider this: The 14 robberies that Pipes counts adds up to maybe one really busy shift for the police department. In the 28-day period ending Feb. 17, there were 507 robbery reports to city police – if 14 of those robberies had been committed by burqa-wearing assailants, that wouldn't even be 3 percent of the total. Trying to calculate what those 14 cases look like compared to six or more years of robberies? You couldn't even see a number that small with the naked eye.
So one doesn't have to be politically correct to respond to Pipes by saying we don't have a "burqa crisis." All one needs, really, is math.
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Pakistan is bestowed with many opportunities to combat the hard times. All it requires is good governance to take the citizens through the difficulties of murky phase. It’s hard to invest the trust into the current government. It demands seriousness by the government to avail the opportunities and face the challenges in a strong manner.
Series of major problems such as security, law, order, militancy, extremism and terrorism situations have been lined up; kidnapping and fighting between our people and foreigners on Pakistani territory needs some settlement and government must resolve these issues. In order to meet the solutions of various problems, government introduced reconciliation policy to overcome solidarity issues in the country
Reconciliation policy proved to be of paramount importance as it was the need of the hour. We have been attacked several times by foreign forces. The country, being a vast cultural territory, has already been divided by the differences in language, appearance, living styles and thus affecting their thoughts. Since Pakistan has gone through turbulent phases time and again, several parts of the country remained deprived of basic facilities. Political instability has been a core reason for not having unity and harmony in the country.
Keeping in mind several grave problems the government came up with an absolute idea to cement the diffused mind-sets in the country. If there would be unity among the country, no foreign force will weaken the spirits. Sovereignty shall be protected, and the country will move on the road to success.
Pakistan’s political scenario has dynamically evolved in past many decades, due to improper governmental system the people have been distracted and failed to develop firm belief towards each other’s performances. Keeping an eagle eye on diffused and scattered opinion, Pakistan People’s Party came up with a solution to bind them all. Movements which were not only envisaged to bring peace and progress among the masses but also were envisioned to provide the opportunity to several political parties. Those parties provide their services for the greater good of the country, a healthy working environment, enlivening the enthusiasm, spirit and courage which were to be directly proportional to bringing unity and coordination.
The policy of reconciliation was thought to up lift mutual understanding for the progress of Pakistan. PPP continues to emboss the democratic values in the county. To date, it has let people and masses enjoy raising their voices and implementing welfare policies for the betterment of people’s lives. It was due to reconciliation policy that PML-N could form a government in Punjab.
MQM could be part of the governmental body in Sindh. Similarly, efforts were made - by the PPP - to lessen the claims of Baluchistan of being deprived of governmental heed towards its core problems. As a result, Baluchistan has always been given special attention by the PPP Government. Ever since independence the province of Baluchistan has been the victim of negligence, which in turn has provoked its people to develop a feeling of grief.
Meanwhile, foreign invaders started to play their cards to create agitation among the people. People’s Party with its “Baluchistan package” embedded a breeze to cement them with the rest of the provinces of Pakistan. The name given to the package is Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan (AHB) package; which was aimed bringing down the sense of alienation, grief and deprivation and to provide privilege to the people of Baluchistan with political, cultural and economic rights.
The package has 61 policy actions, and it has been implementing rapidly. Every individual, especially the youth, would be benefited, it would up lift the living standards and this encouragement will help people to grow out of the shells of ignorance and despondence. Mainly, the package would demolish trust deficit with the most wanted families Barhamdagh Bugti, Nawab of Kalat Suleman Dawood and Hairbiyar Marri with peace talks, and they can return to their families.
Increasing Baluchistan share in national resources is a true prove of functionality of reconciliation policy; which is bringing the mind gaps and building nation strong and united closer against all odds. This would eradicate the sense of deprivation and grief, sustain the integrity, and solidarity of the country.
President Zardari considers the policy of reconciliation in the “greater interest of the nation”, it should never be taken as the weakness of the party rather it should be seen with a broader vision to bind all together where all can help the drowning nation to touch new heights.
As the media role so far, it has not left any stone to pinch and needle PPP for any of its policy in past 3 years. It has been in the greater interest of media to pull the legs of PPP leaders, involve them in every possible deviant act. Although leaders aren’t perfect, but unfortunately, they have been gazed for everything they do or did. Media hasn’t been encouraging in wide spreading the policy of PPP. Rather it considered it to be PPP’s another manifesto.
All moves for the benefit of the country, bringing prosperity, creating sufficient consensus was portrayed in a negative manner. It not only shows that PPP isn’t in the good books of media but also shows that it might never even make it. Government who played a vital role in several key issues including freedom of media still remains foe to it. Several talk shows present the PPP’s agendas in not so happening manner.
On the other hand, print media has been criticizing it at greater length. It’s the responsibility of the media to take forward the policies and dialogues that can bring solutions to abundant problems. It’s undeniable how efforts are being done to cement all culturally distinct groups in Pakistan together.
Moreover, President’s visit to India will tighten the oars. Such cordial and brotherly relations will eventually help us focus more on education, health and freedom. We can fight against all odds inside the premises such as terrorism, load shedding, poverty corruption etc. But media’s watchdog spread its tentacles to grab all possible loop holes of the present government.
Marriage is just like a parcel or a gift; you open it and continue to live happily with it for the rest of your live.
As all brides come closer towards their wedding day, they start to fantasize about their prince charming and how magical their lives would be when they step into the new world with him. That thought comes crashing down when her expectations are not met and we find girls filing for divorce. This issue has increased as we observe the rising rate of split-up. No society prefers to see divorces taking place, and we need to find out ways to stop them because both parties need to understand the union and think rationally before taking such a step.
Every person who participates in the event of marriage should play their role wisely, be it the bride, the groom, the mother-in-laws, the sister-in-laws or the father-in-laws. They all should come forward and help in joining the newly born relation rather than chipping in their favor or separating it. They all should act rationally and bear in mind that the other person holds value too.
Even though there should be a guideline for all the relations present in the bond of marriage, but we will concentrate on the bride, in this article. A bride, is a strong party in this relationship, she is the person who can keep the entire connection intact or can even shatter it. If given the correct instructions she can conquer all hurdles in her way; here are a few heads-up for the bride:
1. Being Judgmental won’t Help:
When a bride steps into a new household, she should not be eager to pass judgement on people around, rather than she should try to observe her given situations and act accordingly. she should think that she is hiking a mountain and the more the need to move forward, the more stable her footings should be. She should have an open mind and a steady mind set.
2. Give Respect and Get Respect:
One should always remember that the person they married embrace respect, the same way you would do. A husband is not a toy made out of rubber that one can easily twist and turn him and make him of any shape that you desire. Do not enter into marriage thinking you’re the boss and everyone else should bow before you. If you need to make yourself heard, do it with respect.
3. Learn to Value the Family:
If you think your husband is an apple that you plucked from a tree, and now you can easily benefit from it, you should remember that until you don’t honor the tree the apple would not taste as good as it is. The relation that you have just started holds a minor position because he also is a major part of that clan and he needs to be sincere to them too. You need to realize his relations with his family and learn to value them too because they are important. He cannot cut himself loose from them as they are his family, the quicker you understand this bond the easier it will be for you to live within the given circumstances.
4. Do Not Complain:
Once you have entered the new household you will find yourself being scrutinized more than you can expect, this is because they are also observing and judging you just like you are doing to them. If in the middle of all this you find yourself caught in an argument do not run to tattle it all to your husband. He will most likely be found on their side rather than on yours. This will not only create a rift between you two but will also make you standings weakest in the family and you will lose vital position. Try to find rational ways to conquer situations calmly on your own rather than crying and complaining about them.
5. Be Calm and Give them Time to Realize your Importance:
It is up to you to understand them, you cannot expect them to give you the charge of everything the next day. They have been living in a pattern for their whole life in its you who has to keep calm and give them space to let you in their circle of life. You cannot take the lead rather than humbly ask for a place. This way, once you get the hang of their system in time, you can work accordingly with a little adjustment of your own. Also you will strengthen your bond with your husband and his family.
6. Give Importance to your New House:
Yes, your mother’s place is the one place you miss the most, but it can wait. You don’t need to rush there all the time. This will give an impression that you are not happy with the new family and will raise eyebrows towards your sincerity. Try to be obliged to the new environment, the people and slowly things will turn out your way.
7. Do not Show off your Background:
This is one point where you really need to think wisely if you show off your background in front of your in-laws, they will definitely get triggered by it. They will start to think of you as a proud person who purposely talks about such things to insult them. This will not get you any good. It will bring about jealousy, rude behavior and disadvantages to you.
8. Slow and Steady Wins the Race:
Be friendly, but do not be very friendly. You may think that you are being best friends with them, but they might be getting the feeling that you are invading their privacy. Having a new person in their territory is already the piece of cake they wanted and now seeing that person stride about in the whole household might be more than they can digest. Relax, keep your behavior and yourself calm also be cautioned at all times, let them open up to you rather than enter by force with a smile.
9. The Relation is Not a Competition:
Try to win hearts with your attitude. Don’t think you are playing a game or are enrolled in a competition that you have opponents. They are all your family now, and you have to abide by them and love them.
10. Divorce is Not an Alternative:
Why get married when a card of divorce is in your deck. One can never win if they have thought of giving up in their heads. If divorce is stirring up in the back of your mind you will never take extreme measures to save your relationship. Rather than that, you will try to bail out whenever possible. This is not the solution, apart from when there are severe measures.
Lastly, always remember that men are from mars and women are from Venus. They are all in all very different from each other, but they can produce best results when put as one. One just needs to understand and calmly create a path to walk in together. This is the best solution to live happily ever after.
Muslim is a person who believes in Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and that there is only one ALLAH. A person cannot be a Muslim if he does not believe in other Prophets of ALLAH. Prophets who were sent for the guidance of people at different times and in different places. So this way Muslims do believe in the Prophet Hood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Book Bible because this is part of their belief. This way Muslims view Christians as the “people of the book”.
Muslims only believe in Jesus Christ as Prophet of ALLAH. He is a messenger to people and not as a “Begotten” son. Muslims also believe that on the day of Judgment everything rest with Almighty ALLAH, the most merciful and All- Knowing. It is mentioned in Quran that all people who have done good deeds will see them, and all sinful deed will also be shown. So those who do the good deeds shall stand full of success, and those who don`t have ever-lasting punishment.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked the Christians to worship only one ALLAH without any associate like son, partner or any companion. In Quran the Holy book of Muslims, it is mentioned to deal kindly with the Christians and cooperate with them, unless they do any harm to you or attack your religion or expel Muslims from their religion or homes.
In Muslim countries, Christians are allowed to carry on their activities in a peaceful manner. They were not being disturbed or forced to abandon their any religious activities. It is also prohibited, in Muslim countries, to force someone to convert to Islam, as Islam does not allow this.
ALLAH says in the Holy Quran about the people of the book:
“Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of Allah all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for Allah knows well those that do right.”[Qur'an 03:113]
“Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve .”[Qur'an 2:62]
Islam is a religion of peace and brotherhood. Islam asks its followers to act upon the guidelines of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Quran in the living and relations with fellow Muslims and Non Muslims. In Islam, the rules of everything are clearly mentioned. You as a Muslim have to follow them to be successful in this life and the life hereafter.
Even in wars Muslims are not allowed to kill anyone who do not fight against them, you cannot kill women, children, old citizens and people who are working in their fields and do not fight you. You cannot destroy any school or cut any tree. So how Muslims can think of violence against any other religion and its followers?
It has been revealed that despite nearing bankruptcy, the Egyptian government last month spent £1.7 million GB Pounds on 140,000 U.S. sourced tear-gas canisters; amid a wave of police brutality that 21 human rights groups this week labelled a return to Mubarak-era state repression.
The emergency order was made at the end of January by Egypt’s interior ministry, according to records retrieved by Egyptian newspaper al-Masry al-Youm. It came at the start of a week of civil unrest sparked by protests against President Morsi, his Muslim Brotherhood party, and severe police malpractice.
At a time when Egypt’s foreign reserves have halved since 2011, with the government now unable to pay for fuel subsidies and much feet dragging about a much delayed $4.8 billion IMF loan, opposition activists in Egypt are questioning whether this is the best use for the money.
The opposition also see it as another example of the government’s unwillingness to rein in the police force, whose brutality was a major cause of the 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak, and whose behaviour has come under renewed scrutiny this year.
Hussein Abdel Ghany, a spokesman for the National Salvation Front, a disparate collection of non-Islamist opposition parties told the media “It’s the same tactics the Mubarak regime used – spending taxpayers’ money to kill the sons of taxpayers and at the same time they’re cutting gas subsidies and raising taxes on cigarettes, which the only way some people get any joy.”
Tear-gas has been repeatedly used during protests this year, at times so much has been used that it has made parts of Cairo unsafe to travel through. At one point in January, Tahrir Doctors – a group of volunteer medics who treat protesters hurt in clashes – warned that teargas in Tahrir Square had reached dangerous levels.
But the teargas is just one part of a wave of violence that led 21 Egyptian rights groups to claim on Thursday that police brutality is as serious – or in some cases worse – than it was the dictatorship of Mubarak. Since the start of the current unrest, sparked by the two-year anniversary of Mubarak’s toppling on 25 January, activists say at least 70 protesters have been tortured, with hundreds more detained without trial. In some cases, protesters have been murdered and raped.
The number of male activists raped in custody is higher than it has been for at least a decade according to the director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Hossam Bahgat..
Mohamed el-Guindy, a left-wing activist, was abducted for four days before being found at a hospital in a coma. Authorities claimed he had died in a car crash, but rights activists said they found torture marks on his tongue, as well as signs of strangulation and electrocution. Lawyers said he was abducted by police after a protest in late January before being held in a police camp outside Cairo. “You couldn’t recognise his face from a photograph, it was so swollen,” said Islam Khalifa, a human rights lawyer investigating Guindy’s death, who had visited him in hospital before he died.
Despicably, hundreds of children are also being targeted. At least 200 have been arrested, and many beaten, according to Amr Imam, a lawyer at the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre. “The government thinks these children hold the torch of the revolution,”. The government views many of them as potential revolutionaries that must be destroyed. In one particularly abhorrent report, a 13-year-old cancer patient from Alexandria, Mahmoud Adel, was detained in an adult penal facility for more than a week without access to his cancer treatment.
Allies of Morsi argue that it is unreasonable to blame the president for police malpractice, arguing that it will take 15 years to reform institutions so powerful and self-serving as the interior ministry and the police. ”If it took them 60 years to build a system that corrupt, imagine how long it will take to reform it,” said the Muslim Brotherhood’s Gehad al-Haddad last month.
But Heba Morayef, head of the Egypt branch of Human Rights Watch, said Morsi has shown little inclination for police reform so far. “It’s not just that he hasn’t delivered on any changes, it’s that he hasn’t publicly acknowledged that there is a serious problem of police abuse,” Morayef has said.
The G20 has become the most globally accepted space in economic and financial affairs, incorporating the highest political level in their Summits and giving a firm step towards the democratization of the international economic affairs management.
Its agenda is composed of three major elements, with direct consequences for every economy in the world: The consolidation of a sustainable growth of the economy and a global re-balancing, the reform of the international financial architecture and the reform of the international financial regulatory system.
Within this institution, that brings together the world´s major economies, there are three Muslim countries. The first one is Indonesia; the state with the largest Muslim population in the world and an important member of the ASEAN. The second country is Saudi Arabia; the world oil market regulator. The third is Turkey; a hinge between the Asian and European continents.
After the international financial crisis, the inability of the financial regulatory system was evidenced and the measures that should be implemented to recover the belief that the system could work in a smooth and stable way were discussed within the group.
However, unlike the collapse of the banking giants that were considered “Too large to fall”, the Islamic banks and funds outperformed the financial crisis without big loss.
In this respect, the positive feedback of the Islamic finance from various corners of the world, during the crisis, could be interpreted as a vote for the confidence in the Islamic financial industry.
Economists believe that the current global financial crisis is set to create a “New International Economic Order” and to restructure the global economic institutions.
Given the fact that three developing Muslim-led countries are among the top 20 economies, they should encourage Islamic finance to exploit existing opportunities and demonstrate its worth by offering momentous alternatives to the international economic community.
In the last meeting of the Islamic Development Bank, that brings together the representatives from Islamic banks and invest funds, Indonesia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia expressed they will follow a joint strategy within the G20 in order to boost not just economic growth, but also the formation of a more fair society based on the Islamic values.
According to the finance minister of Indonesia, “The three countries have common values due to their Islamic population”. The minister stated that “different ways of high risk speculation, considered co-responsible of the outbreak of the crisis, are forbidden by the Sharia”, affirming that “it is a mechanism incorporated to minimize the risk”.
It sounds ironic that to rescue capitalism from its last crisis and restore the system stability, the solutions should come from the Islamic economic base. But like after the Second World War, when many of the social claims stated by socialism forced capitalism to give an answer under the form of the Welfare State, today the financial Islamism may force capitalism into a new model, more focused on people and in the real economy.
The English Defence League has vowed to return to Cambridge in bigger numbers – despite a low turnout and several arrests.
Its rally on Christ's Pieces on Saturday ended early after only about 40 members turned up. More than 400 officers were drafted in to police them and a counter-demonstration by Cambridge Unite Against Fascism which had more than 500 people in its ranks, according to police.
EDL members said they were furious, claiming they were "penned in" during attempts to protest against a planned mosque in Mill Road. Scores of police surrounded the EDL protesters who were behind fences next to Drummer Street bus station.
EDL members were heckled by passers-by and began to fight among themselves as their stewards tried to eject a man who had a "banned" Nazi banner. When counter-protesters marched past, with the two groups separated by a police "no-go zone", one EDL member broke through but was quickly stopped by police.
A spokesman for the group's East Anglia Division told the News: "We are not thugs or extremists. We are the silent majority but we have been penned in like pigs while the police allow the lefties to march through the city.
"But we will be back in bigger numbers. The leaders are planning a national protest here in Cambridge. All we want to do is have a peaceful protest against a mosque that is not in keeping and will cause no end of traffic problems as it holds 1,000 but has just 80 parking spaces. We are not against Muslims. We are anti-Islam."
Tourist Vic Synott, 50, of Ayr, Scotland, came across the EDL chanting "we are the famous EDL". He said: "They are just showing themselves up by their behaviour. They are a disgrace."
EDL speakers hit out at MEP Richard Howitt for branding them "extremists".
The Euro MP told the counter-marchers the party had sent him a note "adorned with Nazi swastikas" and accusing him of being "a traitor to civilisation and democracy". He added: "There is only one group that represents everything in our society which is uncivilised and undemocratic. The traitors to Britain's traditions of tolerance, fairness and respect – the true traitors – are the EDL themselves. They are a joke."
As you can see from the YouTube link, the so-called Nazi banner featured the word "ISLAM" with the letter "S" replaced by a swastika. The individual holding it shouted that "Islam is fascism – anti-democratic, misogynistic, anti-gay", while his drunken supporters chanted "stick your fucking Islam up your arse". However other EDL members, who were presumably too thick to understand the message behind the banner, attacked him on the basis that he had broken the EDL's ban on the public display of Nazi symbols.
Far right demonstrates outside High CourtA high court judge has banned protests by groups such as the English Defence League being held within 500 metres of the home of the radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada.
Mr Justice Silber said the injunction issued on Monday was necessary because the protests, which have been held on a weekly basis, had terrified the cleric's family, particularly his children, the youngest of whom is aged 11.
Abu Qatada, who was once described by a Spanish judge as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, is currently out on bail under a 16-hour daily curfew. The home secretary, Theresa May, is appealing against a ruling by British judges that he cannot be sent back to Jordan while there is a risk he faces a trial based on evidence obtained through torture.
The high court injunction issued on Monday will ban the English National Resistance, the English Defence League, Britain First, the South East Alliance, the English Volunteer Force and others from staging demonstrations within 500 metres of Abu Qatada's London home.
"There was powerful evidence from the claimants of weekly demonstrations with much shouting of abuse such as 'Abu Qatada off our streets', 'all Muslims are terrorists', 'murdering scumbag', 'go back to Jordan', 'just murder him' and 'forget all this just kill him', Silber said in his ruling. He said some of the chanting and shouting had lasted up to six hours.
Abu Qatada's wife and five children, who brought the case, said the protests had terrified them. The 11-year-old said: "I feel they are a threat to us and I feel scared in the house. I also feel scared when walking outside even on a normal day (when there is no demonstration)."
The cleric's second eldest child, aged 21, said: "When the demonstrations occur, usually on Saturdays, the whole family has to stay in the house. When they first arrive it is very startling and then it is frightening … the demonstrators frighten and panic me and have the effect of worsening a medical condition that I suffer from."
The groups staging the protests vowed on their websites never to stop the demonstrations, and to expose his every address. "We intend to make his life a misery," they said.
The judge said the order would extend a temporary ban issued on 1 February to prevent a demonstration taking place outside the house the next day. Silber stressed that it was perfectly legitimate to protest against Abu Qatada's presence in Britain and the provision of a taxpayer-funded house for the cleric and his family to live in. Abu Qatada himself was not involved in the case.
A second injunction granted on Monday prevents the publication of the names of the children, their pictures and the schools they attend, to prevent further harassment.
A woman who confronted an Asian man during an English Defence League demo and assaulted two police officers when she was arrested has escaped a jail term.
Karen Elizabeth Marsden, 40, joined in offensive chanting as part of the EDL protest in Dewsbury town centre last June, Kirklees magistrates heard.
The demo was a protest against alleged Muslim paedophiles and Marsden approached the Asian man with a leaflet and suddenly hit out at him. Marsden was arrested and police had to use CS spray to subdue her.
Marsden had denied threatening behaviour and assaulting two police officers but was convicted after a trial.
Marsden, of Whitwood Mere, Castleford, was warned to expect jail but magistrates imposed an 18-month community order with a supervision requirement. She was ordered to pay £260 towards costs of £620. Magistrates rejected an application for an anti-social behaviour order.
Mrs Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, told how Marsden hit out at the Asian man and there was a confrontation. Marsden was arrested but struggled and officers had to use handcuffs, leg restraints and CS spray. When an officer checked on her in the back of a police van later she spat at him.
Mr Noel Trussler, for Marsden, said his client only joined the protest because of a previous experience in her life, which he did not explain. He said she now knew she should not protest in that way.
She went to trial because she was concerned at how she had been "manhandled" by police, said Mr Trussler. She was being treated for a "borderline personality disorder" and planned to move to Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales with her fiancee.
Marsden in fact elected to go to trial because she claimed to be entirely innocent. According to her version of events, she had been subjected to an unprovoked assault by a group of Muslims while the police stood by and did nothing, only to arrest her as soon as she resisted her attackers.
This cock-and-bull story was publicised by the Hitler admirers of the British People's Party ("No doubt we will see more of this sort of treatment of the decent people of Britain as the corrupt Government and Police Force continue their plans of islamification and destruction of our once great country") and was also promoted on the far-right forums at Stormfront and the Vanguard News Network.
You might wonder why the most extreme, neo-Nazi, white supremacist elements of the far right rallied so enthusiastically to Marsden's cause. The answer can be found here, here and here.
(Marsden's arrest would appear have taken place during a demonstration on 23 June 2012 organised by the National Front and the Infidels, not the larger EDL protest a week later. So the Examiner report is misleading.)
ولد نزار توفيق القبانى فى الحادى والعشرين من مارس عام1923 فى بيت من بيوت دمشق القديمة فى مئذنة الشحم بحى الشاغور بالقرب من سوق الحميدية والمسجد الأموى. وهو مسلم سنى
ولقد وصف البيت الذى ولد فيه بقوله: هل تعرفون أن يعيش الإنسان فى قاروره عطر؛ بيتنا كان تلك القاروره إننى لا أحاول رشوتكم بتشبيه بليغ ولكن ثقوا أننى بهذا التشبيه لا أظلم قاروره العطر وإنما أظلم دارنا! من أقواله الشهيرة
لم يكن نزارأكبر إخوته ولا أصغرهم ولكنه استطاع أن يحوز على أكبر قسط من حنان أمه قائلا عنها: أمى كانت ينبوع عاطفة يعطى بغير حساب وكانت تعتبرنى ولدها المفضل وتخصنى دون سائر إخواتى بالطيبات وتلبى مطالبى الطفولية بلا شكوى ولا تذمر
ولذلك كانت فاجعه موت أمه عام1976 عظيمة على نفسه ويقول في هذا الحدث: موت الأم عند الفنان عميق الأثر يخلق فى نفسه جُرحاً طفوليا لايندمل
وأنا وأرجو أن أكون كما أنا
طفلا يخربش فوق حيطان النجوم كما يشاء
فكيف فكيف يا أمى
غدوت أبا ولم أكبر
وكان والد نزار رمزاً للقهر والتسلط ولذلك أعلن تمرده على السلطة الأبوية خصوصاً بعد إنتحار شقيقته “وصال” ويبرز ذلك فى قوله*
أفتح صندوق أبى أمزق الوصية
أسحب سيفى غاضباً
وأقطع الرؤوس والمفاصل الحزينة
وأهدم الشرق على أصحابها
تكية تكية
وأرفض ميراث أبى
:ولقد وصف نزار الشعر في قصيدته إفادة في محكمة الشعر، و معبرا عنه و رافضاً لبعض المظاهر في مهرجان الشعر ببغداد عام 1969 كالأتى
نرفض الشعر مسرحاً ملكيا
من كراسيه يحرم البسطاء
نرفض الشعر أرنباً خشبياً
لا طموح له ولا أهواء
كل شعر معاصر …ليس فيه
غضب العصر نمله عرجاء
ماهو الشعر؟إن غدا بهلواناً
يتسلى برقصه الخلفاء
ماهو الشعر؟حين يصبح فأراً
كسره الخبز همه ..والغذاء
:ولقد تزوج نزار قبانى من بلقيس الراوى عام1969 وكانت زوجته الثانيه وكان يعتبرها كأمه الثانيه وكتب عنها
أشهد أن لا امرأه أتقنت اللعبه إلا أنت
واحتملت حماقتى عشره أعوام كما احتملت
واصطبرت على جنونى مثلما صبرتى
وقلمت أضافرى ورتبت دفاترى
وأدخاتنى روضه الأطفال إلا أنت
:وفى عام 1982 قتلت زوجته بلقيس خلال تفجير السفارة العراقية فى بيروت وبعد ذلك كتب فيها
بلقيس كانت أجمل الملكات فى تاريخ بابل
بلقيس كانت أطول النخلات فى أرض العراق
بلقيس يا وجعى
يا وجع القصيدة حين تلمسها الأنامل
يلقيس أيتها الأميرة
ها أنت تحترقين فى حرب العشيرة
وبعد وفاتها غادر نزار قباني لبنان وتنقل بين باريس وجنيف وأخيراً لندن وتوفى فى 30 إبريل عام1998 عن عمر يناهز 75 عاما بسب أزمة قلبية و قد دفن فى دمشق
The Islamic world is extremely cultural diverse and this can also be reflected in Muslim wedding ceremonies. One of the most important things, that many people aren’t aware of, is that Muslim weddings differ from one place to another depending on the culture and traditions of the countries.
Islamic marriages are also referred to as ‘’Nikaah’’ and this means ‘’to unite’’ in English. Also, Islamic marriage isn’t only considered being a social agreement between both partners, but it is also an important legal contract. Even though, there are actual formalities that should be fulfilled, Muslim weddings can be very festive and fun. The marriage officers or individuals, who are responsible for overseeing the marriage contract, are referred to as the ‘’Qadi’’. They are also responsible for overseeing the unfortunate process of divorce.
Islam wedding formalities are usually divided into three parts; a proposal, providing the bride with ‘’Mahr’’ or “Dowry”, and the uniting ceremony or the ‘’Nikaah’’. The proposal involves the man asking the parents, of the women he wants to marry, for their permission. This is also considered being an act of respect and it is extremely recommended.
The ‘’Mahr’’ is completely different from what many people think. Many people have the idea that it is just like paying the bride to purchase her from her family. However, this is completely untrue most of the time as the money is usually used by the bride to purchase everything she wants such as furniture for the house, clothes, and even jewellery. On the other hand, a dowry is usually determined so that the bride can be secured if anything unfortunate takes place such as in the case of a divorce. This is very important for women especially if they have children.
The ‘’Nikaah’’ is similar to vows and the process is very straightforward. The process involves both women agreeing to marry each other and to sign a marriage contract.
After this takes place, it is completely up to the bride, and her groom to decide what they want to do after it and how they want to celebrate. Muslim married couples celebrate just like any other religion in the world where there are many festivities that take place such as parties or dinners. Muslim couples also go on honeymoons just like everyone else. You will find many Muslim married couples who have traveled to every single place around the world. This will differ from one married couple to another where some of them will finalize everything after signing the contract, whereas others will continue with the celebration.
These traditions are very important to understand because many people think that the processes of Muslim marriages are very complicated and boring. However, this is completely untrue, and they are just like marriages in any other religion. The process of Muslim Marriage is something that takes place thousands of times per day, and it is a very fun process. Divorce is also unfavorable in Islam, and this is why both couples should try to reconcile or reach a mutual compromising decision before moving to the divorce step.
“Ey iman edenler Allah’ın size helal ettiği temiz şeyleri haram kılmayın, hududu da aşmayın. Doğrusu Allah, aşırı gidenleri sevmez. Allah’ın size verdiği rızıktan temiz ve helal olarak yiyin. İnandığınız Allah’tan sakının”. (Maide Suresi 87 ve 88. Ayetler) Tirmizi, Tefsir, Maide, (3052).
İmam-ı Taberî bu ayette müminlere buyrulmak istenen manayı şöyle özetlemiştir: “Rasulullah (sav.)’ in ashabından keşiş ve ruhbanlara benzemek için kadınları, uykuyu ve eti kendilerine haram eden kimseleri, bu yaptıklarından engellemek için indirilmiştir.”
Müfessirler dediler ki: “Bir gün Rasulullah (sav.) oturup, insanlara öğüt verdi, kıyametin vasıflarından bahsetti. Onlara korkutmanın üzerinde hiçbir ilavede bulunmadı. Bunun üzerine Sahabe’den on kişi Osman b. Maz’un el-Cumahî’nin evinde toplandılar. Bunlar;
Ebû Bekr-i Sıddık,
Ali b, Ebi Talib,
Abdullah b. Mesud,
Abdulah b. Amr,
Ebû Zerr el-Ğıfarî,
Ebû Huzeyfe’nin azatlısı Salim,
Mikdad b. Esved,
Selman-ı Farisî,
Ma’kil b. Mukarrin idi.
Ev sahibi Osman b. Maz’un da onlardandır.
Bunlar, gündüz oruç tutmak, gece devamlı namaz kılmak, döşeklerde uyumamak, et ve et yağı yememek, kadınlara yaklaşmamak, güzel koku kullanmamak, kullanılmış elbiseler giymek, dünyayı terk etmek, yeryüzünde seyahate çıkmak, dünyaya itibar etmeyerek zahid olmak, ibadetlere dalmak ve cinsel organlarını kesmek hususunda ittifak ettiler.
Derken bu haber Rasulullah (s.a.v.)’a ulaştı, Bunları toplayıp:
“Sizin, şu şu hususlarda söz birliği yaptığınız bana haber verilmedi mi sanıyorsunuz?” buyurdu.
Onlar da:
“Evet, ey Allah’ın Rasulü, aynen böyle. Fakat biz, hayırdan başka birşey murad etmedik” dediler. Bunun üzerine Rasulullah (s.a.v,) onlara şöyle buyurdu:
“Ben, bu dediklerinizle emir olunmadım. Şüphesiz nefislerinizin sizin üzerinizde bir hakkı var. O halde oruç da tutun, iftar da edin, gece ister namaz kılın, ister uyuyun. Zira ben, gece namaz da kılarım, uyurum da, ister oruç tutarım, ister iftar ederim, et de yerim et yağı da. O halde kim benim sünnetimden yüz çevirirse o, benden değildir.” Sonra Rasulullah (s.a.v.) insanların yanına çıkıp, onlara bir hutbe okudu. Buyurdu ki:
“Bazı topluluklara ne oluyor ki kadınları, yemeği, güzel kokuyu, uykuyu, dünya arzularını kendilerine haram kılmışlar? Hâlbuki ben size, keşişler, rahipler topluluğu olmanızı emretmedim. Zira benim dinimde ne et yemeği terk etme vardır, ne kadınları terk etme, ne de devamlı kiliselere kapanma vardır. Ümmetimin ibadet için seyahate çıkması oruç tutmaktır. Ruhbanlıkları ise cihattır. Allah’a kulluk edin, O’na hiçbir şeyi ortak koşmayın, haccedin, umre yapın, namazı kılın, zekâtı verin, Ramazan orucunu tutun. Zira sizden öncekiler, işi zora sürüklediklerinden dolayı helak olmuşlardır. Onlar kendi nefislerine sert davrandıkları için Allah da onlara sert davranmıştır. İşte bu kimselerin hayatta kalanları kilise ve sinagoglarda uzlete çekilmiş kimselerdir.” Nihayet Allah Teala bu âyeti indirince, Sahabiler:
“Ey Allah’ın Rasulü, yapmış olduğumuz yeminlerimiz hususunda nasıl yapacağız?” diye sordular. -Çünkü onlar, ittifak edip anlaştıkları yasaklara dair yemin etmişlerdi-. Bu yüzden Allah Teâlâ: “Allah sizi rastgele yeminlerinizden dolayı değil, fakat kalplerinizin kastettiği yeminlerden dolayı sorumlu tutar. Allah bağışlayandır, Halim’dir.” Bakara Suresi 225. âyeti indirdi.” (İbn Cerir: 7/7, ed-Dürr: 2/307, Lübab: s. 112. )
Ruhbanlık ne demek ona bakalım, Peygamber bize neyi yasaklamış? Ruhbanlık; dünyadan tümüyle el çekerek, bütün ömrü inziva ve ibadet halinde geçirmek olarak tarif edilir.
Bize düşen Rabbimizin bize verdiği nimetlerden helal dairede faydalanmak, faydalandırmak ve şükretmek.
Bu gayede iki kılavuzumuz var, bunlar; İslam dininin kaynağı kitabımız Kur’an-ı Kerim ve Peygamberimiz (sav)’in hadisleridir (söz ve hareketleridir). İhtiyacımız olan tüm yardım burada mevcut. Denebilir ki, bazen günümüzde ortaya çıkmış bir konuda tereddütlerimiz var, o zaman devreye ictihad mekanizması girer.
İslam âlimleri bu iki kaynağı esas alarak ictihad yaparlar yani uğraştırıcı, ağır, zor bir işi meydana getirmek için bütün gücünü sarf ederek çaba ve gayret göstermektir. Terim anlamı ise; kesin ve açık delillerle sabit olmayan öznel yargıları şer’i delillere uygun olarak ortaya çıkarma konusunda bütün güç ve kuvvetini sarf ederek çalışmaktır.
Görüldüğü gibi, helal dairede, oyun kuralları içerisinde oynamak isteyen herkes için kolaylık söz konusu, istemeyen için ise mazeret bitmiyor maalesef.
From flowers, trees, animals to the human beings, every living organism has to die. Death is indeed the most truthful fact in the world and that no human being can claim to be in exception to this. In the Holy Quran, it has been mentioned that every soul is going to have a taste of death. In terms of beliefs about death, some people are of the view that nothing happens after death, but in terms of the Islamic principles, there is indeed a life that follows death. In comparison to this worldly existence, the life after death is of a permanent nature. Most religions haven’t been able to give a complete account about what happens after death, but that is not the case with Islam, as it offers details about what happens after. Moreover, the explanations Islam offers do come to appeal our rationality.
There are a number of ways in which the funeral of the deceased is carried out. But here I would be offering an account of the Islamic Funerals, which are known to be one of the most unique of them all. At the time of preparing and carrying out the funerals, there are some principles and regulations which the family members and relatives are bound to carry out. Firstly, before dying it is necessary for the family members to compel the dying person to say “There is no God but Allah”. After the person has died, the family members should consult a doctor or an experienced individual for the confirmation of the death. Moreover, those individuals who are close to the deceased should always close his or her eyes in case they remain open at the time of cessation or expiry.
In Islam, it is also imperative to cover the body of the deceased in a striped cloth. Now here, in lines to the Sunnah and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, the family members are allowed kiss the deceased and to cry over him or her. But here, it is important to note that you are only allowed to cry over the death for a period of 3 days only. In case the deceased was married, then his wife is allowed to mourn for a period of 4 months and 10 days, which is also known as the “Eddah” period. Muslim families do face a number of issues in this regard. and prefer to consult an Islamic Scholar or an authority figure in order to get answers to their problems. For example, in terms of crying over the death of a family member, you are not allowed to yell or weep.
In terms of making preparation for the burial process, it is advised to all the Muslims to hasten the process including the bathing of the deceased “Ghusl” that is carried out only by some trained and willing individuals. The burial can be delayed in case a family member lives some other place and will be arriving a bit late. Before the deceased is buried, a funeral prayer is also arranged in which all friends, family members and all other acquaints are gathered. Soon after the prayer has been performed, a family member of the deceased should inquire from the people who are gathered, about the debts the deceased owed to them. It is the duty of the family members to clear out all the debts of the deceased. What follows then is the burial, which marks the end of the persons physical existence.
Biryani is a popular dish that is enjoyed in most Middle Eastern countries. This rice dish is especially loved by children. Muslims all around the world try to replicate biryani that is prepared in South Asia and the Middle East. This recipe gives easy step-by-step instructions on how to prepare this delicious dish. You can’t go wrong with it!
Ingredients Needed for Marinating the Chicken:
One Kilo Chicken cut into twelve to sixteen pieces.
½ Tablespoon of turmeric powder
One Tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
Two Tablespoons of red chili powder
Two Tablespoons of coriander powder
One Tablespoon of Salt
Mix all of these ingredients with the chicken and allow it to marinate for around six to twelve hours. The more time you allow it to marinate the better the taste will be in the end.
The Herbs, spices, and condiments that are used in the Biryani recipe are mentioned below:
Eight cloves
One Cinnamon stick
Two bay leaves
Six green Cardimoms
½ Teaspoon of Caraway seeds
Some Fresh Coriander leaves
3-4 chopped tomatoes
2-3chopped green chilies
1 Teaspoon red chili powder
1 Teaspoon coriander powder
Other Ingredients
4-5 chopped/fried onions
500g of rice
Oil is needed for deep frying and for cooking
1 Tablespoon ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
Steps:
While the chicken marinates you should slice the onions very thin, if you want you can use a food processor. Heat the oil and fry the onions at a medium flame so that they do not get burnt. Stir the onions continuously so that they are a uniform brown color.
After the onions are brown then add the marinated chicken. After that add 2 cups of water and then add all the herbs and spices that are mentioned above. Mix it well and allow the chicken to cook.
Boiling the Rice
In order to boil the rice take a pot and add 3 cups of water, add some salt, a cardamom stick, a few cloves, and some caraway seeds. Cook the rice 1/4th of the way.
When you feel as if it is one fourth of the way cooked then you should add it with the chicken. After that seal it with a cover and allow it to cook on a slow flame. Cook until you feel as if the rice is fully cooked.
In order to check the rice take a clean spoon and break a couple of grains, if they are able to break then the rice is done.
After that you can add some coriander leaves and fried onions to it as toppings and enjoy the delicious Biryani!
