The Boston attack has brought a big suspense among the people. This attack was first planned for the US Independence Day by the two brothers Tamerlan and Tsarnaev. These two brothers were very young. Tsarnaev was only 19 while his brother was just 26. This news was announced by the officials who found some evidence of the attack, but instead of attacking the US, they attacked the Boston Marathon last month.

The reports announced that the attack was planned by the brothers on the 4th of July, but the date was changed. The two brothers were very young, but they built a bomb very soon. The brothers have built the two bombs with the help of pressure cookers, and this bomb was used for the attack in the Boston Marathon. Many people were wounded in this attack, and 3 people were killed. The attack took place on the 15th of April. The officials had some information about the attack on the 4th of July, but they were not aware about the attack of the 15th of April.

The elder brother Tamerlan was killed by the police on the 19th of April soon after 4 days of the attack. His brother was wounded, and was caught by the police. The younger brother after investigations was found guilty and was charged for a death penalty by the Government. The family claimed the body of the elder brother, which was kept at the Boston facility for a week, to carry out a funeral.

His wife Katherine was against the claim of the body as she was not supporting her husband for the attack. The family was wishing to get the dead body for the final ceremony. The wife was also under the eye of the investigators about how the bomb was planned and whether she helped them to build the bomb. The parents of the two brothers lived in the US before the attack, but they went to Russia after this great disaster, that was committed by their sons.

There were three other people who were caught by the investigators in connection to the attack. The other three were also students and friends of Tsarnaev. Among the three students, one was without a valid US visa and so the Republican Senator asked Obama about the security of the nation. These three were brought to Essex after they were caught in Boston. Among the three boys, one was named Tazhayakov whose visa was dismissed by the government as he was thrown out by the university. He was allowed to enter without a valid US visa. The three students were taken under investigations by the federal government and their lawyers are trying hard to prove them correct, and show that they were not connected with the attack.

About the author

I am a nice, understanding, caring, sincere, honest, trustworthy, friendly single male from Delhi, India. I'm an experienced writer. I have written many articles in different niches, a fiction book, and some poems.

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My new home was a room in a small hotel just by the main road, but from my room I had a wonderful view over the coast and the sea. At the time of our arrival to the hotel, there was no traffic. Of course, it was too late and in a weekday.

We were supposed to have a pre-arranged room in this hotel, and my colleague had the money to pay for it. However, as it turned out the receptionist had no idea of what we were talking about, and he also couldn’t speak any language but Turkish. Luckily my colleague spoke some Turkish, and they agreed on something, of which she wasn’t actually quite sure about (this may sound funny, but later it happened to me as well, and not only once). What she did understand was that the receptionist, working during daytime, speaks at least one language – meaning German or English – and that he should know the details; they agreed I will spend the night, and she will come back in the morning, to arrange everything with the other receptionist, and of course to pick me up.

This is only a very brief description; I got into my room about midnight – so you have a general view over time and how it was passing. This is an important aspect because the biggest difference that you need to overcome is the slow-motion of the Turkish people. I bet they don’t know what high blood pressure is, or for that matter, a heart attack. They don’t know stress-related diseases. They have this relaxed way of doing everything slowly.

The hotel was nice; the ground floor had half of the walls made of glass, so you could see the dining room from the road and the reception too. It was probably the smallest of all hotels that I saw in Turkey. It was cozy, with wooden stairs and carpets everywhere. I forgot to tell you about the incredible vegetation. There are palm trees, there are bushes and flowers everywhere. The road is usually divided by green patch of grass and palm trees, or maybe some flowering bushes.

The hotel didn’t have much of garden due to the road, but there were many bushes and palm trees planted around, on green grass – I was astound. In Slovenia, the summer temperatures sometimes get as high as about 40 ̊C, but the grass is all burnt and dry, far from fresh green. So, while my colleague and the receptionist were discussing who is who and what we want from him, I wondered around a bit.

There was a system of irrigation installed that started spraying just as I wanted to step outside. You couldn’t notice it, because it was cleverly hidden beneath the plants, but later on while working I noticed they have developed quite a set of different techniques that they use to keep the gardens, and almost whole coastal region always green despite the burning heat. Well, here is the only way to keep your greens in such heat.

Turkey has good water sources and so everything is always green, especially around the hotels and the city – as far as any city has green patches here and there. Turkey is an amazing country but the lessons you should learn from my story, that when you go to Turkey,  you should take a learn Turkish language book to be able to communicate, double confirm your hotel reservation before arrival, enjoy the green grass but take care fo the irrigation systems.

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Since June 16, 2002, the Israeli Government has been constructing a West Bank Barrier in Jerusalem. The concrete wall is 750 kilometers in length and eight meters high. Thick concrete walls are equipped with trenches, barbed wire, electrified wire, watch towers, electronic sensors, video cameras, unmanned aircraft, sniper towers, and roads for patrol vehicles. The point is: there is no possibility to penetrate the wall.

The barrier wall was built in a zig zag shape through ten of 11 districts; across all cities in the West Bank. Construction of the first phase started from the west to north of Jerusalem along 145 kilometers and was completed in July, 2003. The second phase is underway, ranging from eastern West Bank to southern Jerusalem. This wall needed a lot of funding, but the total cost of construction was never made public. For the barrier wall maintenance alone, Israel has to spend U.S $4.7 million/mile. So the total funds needed for the maintenance of the West Bank Barrier along the 750 kilometers is U.S. $ 3.4 billion.

Construction of the barrier wall was not without argument. In 2004, the International Court in The Hague issued a resolution stating that the barrier wall was illegal and should be dismantled. But Israel did not heed the resolution and kept continuing the construction. The argument was that the West Bank Barrier limits the mobilization of the Palestinian people. Not everyone can get out of the barrier wall. If they can, they must go through a lot of inspection procedures in layers which are strictly guarded. The residents inside the wall were blocked.

Moreover, the results of the Palestinian elections in 2007 were won by Hamas, which upset Israel greatly. Because of this, Israel closed across the borders of sea, air, and land between the Gaza Strip with the surrounding area since mid June, 2007. This included the Erez crossing and Sovia (Gaza-Israel), Rafah (Gaza-Egypt), and Karen Shalom (Gaza-Egypt-Israel). Passenger traffic, goods, and services are very limited. The supply of food, water, electricity, medicine, and other materials were depleted. The same thing also happened in West Bank.

It not only blockades daily needs, the barrier wall separates lovers from their partners. It also separates fathers from their families. It separates people from their work to earn a living. It blockades the water way that causes the water crisis in the West Bank. Most importantly, Israel is basically building a ‘prison’ for the innocent residents of Palestine.

The construction of the West Bank Barrier is not without protest. The first argument came from the territory surrounded by the Barrier Wall. Residents do not want to be blocked. The second challenge comes from the international community. Of course, Israel’s isolation is irritating humanity.

The Berlin Wall, which separated Germany into West and East Germany, closed long ago. The fall of the Berlin Wall was considered as the start of a new democratic world. But actually it wasn’t. Israel commits the same behavior as the NAZI’s with repression, dictators, tyranny, and cruelty by building a blockade wall that divides Palestinian territory.

Bibliography:
Assegaf, Faisal. Ironi Palestina. Jakarta: Hamas Lovers. 2010.
http://www.atjehcyber.net/2012/04/tahukah-anda-tembok-pemisah-palestina.html diakses pada tanggal 20 Desember 2012

About the author

Writer is a free-writer and free-reader. Avoids imported foods and capitalist products. Works at radiobuku.com.

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It’s not because I hate to be a Muslim.

It’s not because I don’t respect or don’t want to protect my body.

It’s not because I don’t believe that hijab is for women’s good, or particularly for my own good.

I am sure a lot of people would against my thought. Well, maybe I am wrong, but let me tell you my story.

So I started to wear the hijab when I went to college. This decision came after my deep and long thought about all the consequences I should take for committing myself to wear hijab. I wasn’t really sure about what I was going to do, but I did it anyway because I wanted to be a better person ( I still do), particularly in terms of religion. So the hijab was the starter.

At first, it felt strange and uncomfortable as I had to cover my head and my entire body while in public.  Then I got used to it as I wore it every day.  But after two or three years, I began to question myself “what kind of changes do you think you have achieved so far?” I honestly couldn’t answer that question because I myself didn’t even see any changes nor had the motivation to change. I tried to convince myself that hijab is a good thing so I should keep wearing it, but I couldn’t help questioning many things about it.

There are some different interpretations between sheikhs about hijab. Some take the verse “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms”(24:31 partly) as just modest dress, some take it as full niqab (so face veil too and even gloves), some women cover everything, but most take it as covering the hair. So which one is actually true?

I lived in a Muslim-majority society where wearing or not wearing hijab is normal. Wearing a t-shirt and short is normal and modest enough for most people (of course it also depends on the situation). If wearing hijab is meant to be modest, and not wearing hijab is actually “modest” according to the society I live in, then why should I wear the hijab?

Hijab in Islam is also meant to protect the women. Women are supposed to cover their body so that they become less attractive to men. So what I ever heard is that in Arabic culture, hair is considered as one of the most attractive part of woman’s body. Therefore women should cover their head in order to avoid bad things that could happen if men cannot control their desire. If I live in a society where hair isn’t one of the main attractions, why should I wear the hijab? I think the main attraction is still the face, and in Islam covering face is not compulsory. I also think it’s not fair for the women. Instead of asking women to cover their entire body, why don’t we ask the men to control their selves?

Every place has different condition. It makes sense that in Arab, the weather is so hot and dry that people need to protect their body. But what if you live in a wet tropic? It just makes you feel uncomfortable because the humidity is so high. Dessert and tropical rain forest are like two different worlds. People adapt to the nature.

So I come to the conclusion that if Islam is universal, then it is compatible with any culture and any condition. I am not an Arab and I don’t live in Arab, should I follow what people in Arab culture do? I know it’s not that simple. I am not anti-Arab nor anti-Islam. This is my logic and so far it makes sense for me.  So yes, now I am no longer wear the hijab.

About the author

Linda Wihasmono

I am a Javanese living in Bali. Javanese? Yeah, people from Java, the most populous island in the world. Why do i get involved with Muslim Academy? I am living in a country with the biggest Muslim population in the world so i guess i have a lot of things to share.

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Susi Meret shows how a housing association's decision not to buy a Christmas tree this year was exploited by the far-right Danish People's Party with the assistance of the mainstream media. Conservative and liberal figures helped to reinforce the narrative that Danish culture is under attack from Muslims.

"The most worrying aspect of this controversy was the total lack of response from the other side...", Meret writes. "Those who violently oppose non-western immigration could make their point – extensively. And the voices that should have contradicted them were nowhere to be heard."

Open Democracy, 3 November 2012

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Speaking for your right is crime, if yes than i am a criminal. This was said by a little girl Mulala Yousuf zai.  Does Islam teach us not to speak against cruel and keep on bearing the injustice quietly? What can we say after this depressing incident with a fourteen year old girl Mulala Yousaf Zai. Who is responsible for this? Is Taliban doing this or any external forces responsible for this incident??

Mulala Yousaf Zai on 9^th Oct, 2012 on her way back to home from school was shot in head in Swat a city of Pakistan. She is still in critical condition. Who is she and why she was a target of so called taliban? Who is responsible for this incident? What are the reason of attack?  We must look into background and can clearly know about the reasons of this incident.

Mulala was a student in the Mingora town in Swat situated in the northwestern area of Pakistan. Mulala has a prominent name in the women’s rights activism in which she had been involved because her father wanted her to. Mulala loved her school and she didn’t want to quit her studies. When she was eleven years old she mentioned in the blog about the critical situation of area and education facility for women in Swat. She was really depress on quiting the education because these so called talibans were not in favour of women education in tribal areas.

She realized that she has to raise her voice against the act of Taliban and start writing on BBC about the acitivites and life in Swat. Talibans who are trying with their best efforts to take in charge the whole valley. They are controlling the people of that area. They are trying to deprive them from everything that is important in their eyes. Mulala hated when all of her friends and her class fellows had to leave their school just because Taibans were threatening them not to attend the schools and not to get basic education. Not only for education, they have banned girls not to come out of their homes. But Mulala was not among those who got scared of their threats. Talibans were targeting the schools in valley and not only the women and girls schools but also schools for boys. She wants to raise her voice against this brutual act and start writing dairy.

Taliban made every effort to ruin her family. They took control over the school where the father of Mulala was a teacher. Though after her blog, she got much support from people of Pakistan and get fame from all over the world. Most of the organization and social activist favour her agenda and supporting her. This was the main reason which makes Taliban think to kill the little girl.

This is one side of the picture why mulala was shot on head but there are some other reasons as well behind this incident. We will get to know other side of the story as well.

About the author

Jawad Ahmad

I am 24 years old and i have done Masters in Business Administration (Finance) from a recognized university.
Right now i am doing freelancing and writing articles on different projects.

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A tragedy, an incident and an event this world cannot forget is 9/11. People are talking about 9/11 as the anniversary has arrived again. The destruction, the collateral damage, the atrocities and the violence associated with this event are things well known by people all around the globe. Let’s talk about things that are not discussed at any platform. Let’s make it more general rather than specific. Let’s discuss the after affects of this disparaging event and what a layman thinks about it.

9/11 and the year 2001 was not a good day for the mankind. When I say mankind, it makes it more general, rather that restricting it to a few people or countries. The twin towers were hit by the high jacked planes and a dark era was begun. It was regarded as a massive terrorist attack by the Talibans and things drastically changed after that attack. A lot of people got killed, twin towers were completely destroyed and it was a colossal incident for all the Americans. Now let’s move on and talk about two different school of thoughts. Taliban are extremists, terrorists and deadly people and they were involved directly in this 9/11 attack. America being the most developed country cannot deduct two planes coming near the twin towers. Isn’t it strange? Is it a security lapse? Or all the things were pre planned? Different people have different viewpoints. As a layman, who is unaware of any politics going around can ask all these questions. After 11 years it is still difficult to answer all these questions. Now let’s move on to another viewpoint. Well, not only Americans but all other people all across the world were melancholic on this incident and they felt bad at this calamity. It is a wrong perception that Muslims or another people felt happy at this. How can anyone felt happy when people got killed like this? Secondly America after this attack got active against the Talibans and the war on terror started.

America along with other countries is currently fighting a war with Taliban in order to remove terrorism from the world. We extol all these efforts, but at the same time the countries involved in this war have to pay a hefty price for this. A lot of innocent people got killed every day in shape of drone attacks. This is a reaction for 9/11. I am not saying it is wrong, but killing innocent people is wrong. I as a Muslim do want peace in my homeland as well as all across the world, but things should be more properly planned and we should try and keep innocent people out of this war. A dialogue with Taliban can be helpful. We all are with Americans on the fact that we felt hurt at this bizarre incident and today at the anniversary of 9/11 we shouldn’t forget that we have to fight against terrorism, we should root out terrorism, but at the same time we should also make this world serene and safe.             

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shoaibali

My name is Shoaib Ali and I am a professional article and content writer. I am currently doing my engineering and working on freelance as well. Writing is my passion and exploring new horizons in the field of writing is my aim.

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In a disgusting attempt at recruiting assorted racists and fascists to attend their forthcoming Dewsbury protest, it seems the English Defence League have stooped to an all time low when it comes to making up a story.

The EDL's Dewsbury division started a rumour about Muslim men attempting to abduct two young girls from the local area of Kirklees. The EDL said that they had "clear evidence" regarding the attempted abductions and claimed that they would have street patrols due to police inactivity. The EDL also claimed that local residents had been forced to keep quiet regarding the abductions.

The truth, however, is somewhat different.

DCI Paul Jeffrey of West Yorkshire Police denied the abduction attempts and said that a 10 year old girl had contacted the police after a van driver had tried to talk to her. The girl could not describe the driver and did not say he was of Asian appearance.

The EDL also claimed a similar incident occured in the Heckmondwike area, however the police said they have no record of the event, so it either did not happen or was not reported to police.

DCI Jeffrey said "We can categorically state no such series of crimes along the lines of what has be alleged have been brought tothe police's attention".

Hope Not Hate, 14 June 2012

Here are some excerpts from the discussion that the false report provoked on the Yorkshire EDL Dewsbury Division's Facebook page.

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Sheila Musaji examines the concocted controversy over the supposed plan to restrict the sale of alcohol at London Metropolitan University, which has been taken up in the US by the likes of Pamela Geller ("Imposing Islam: London University mulls alcohol ban") and Bonni Benstock-Intall of Bare Naked Islam ("DON'T BAN BOOZE, BAN MUSLIMS!").

The American Muslim, 14 April 2012

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