1/08/2010

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 116, Feb 2, 2010

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
Editorial:



Editorial:

Islam is a religion that stands the test of time. While most of the other major religions are gradually losing followers, Islam is gaining followers and is the fastest growing religion in the world. One of the indicators to measure whether a religion is growing or declining is by observing the member's lifestyle and the extent to which they are implementing their religious beliefs and values into practice in their day to day life.

There are other indicators too, such as attendance of members in their local and revered places of worship. From most of the indicators it appears that Islam is the only religion that is making a dramatic come back. This includes Muslims from Turkey and other Russian republics who now in increasing numbers are voluntarily practicing Islam in their personal lives that was never before seen in the past decades.

Fortunately for Islam, the advancement of Science is in favor of Islam. The more complex research studies that have been done in various fields including astronomy, physics, embryology, gender differences, the more such studies confirm the truth mentioned in the Holy Quran. Below is an excellent article confirming the congruence between Science and Islam.

"ON SCIENCE AND ISLAM"

Special thanks to Br. Sameer Qureishi from Los Angeles, California, who forwarded below e-mail.

"Assalamu Alaykum

For those who have not seen the attached file, please read it first before reading the rest of this e-mail…

It’s truly wonderful… A must read!


This is indeed wonderful collection of the awe-inspiring Creation of Allah.
And for those who have already read the attached file, there is more than what has been described in the wonderful attachment… The Qur’an states in several places that Allah is the “Lord of the Universes” (Al-Hamdulillahi Rabb-il ‘Aalameen). So the Qur’an is telling us that there are multiple worlds, multiple universes.

Indeed, scientists, specifically modern-day particle physicists have recently reached that same conclusion, based on their research and scientific discoveries. There is an inevitable indication of the existence of multiple real parallel universes, existing simultaneously, with some of these universes being as close to us as a few atoms away from our skin.

The field of science that’s been exploring the existence of these multiple universes is called “Quantum physics”. If you are interested, google it or YOUTUBE it and learn all about it.
But there is even more, the Qur’an tells us that there are Seven Skies (Samawat-il Sab’a). In some verses it specifically states that there are above you “Sab’aa Tara’iqa” (Qur’an Surat Al-Mu’minoon 23 verse 17) which literally translates into “Seven dimensions” or “Seven Directions” Allah created above us. The verse states: “And We have created above you seven dimensions...”

Modern quantum physics, led by a Harvard Professor Lisa Randall who is currently the most frequently cited scientist in scientific literature, had reached a theoretical conviction within the last few years that the physical material world is made up of 11 dimensions in total. Three of these dimensions we humans can sense and measure (up-down, left-right, forward-backward, or usually referred to as X-Y-Z axes). The fourth axis is the progression of time. That leaves exactly seven dimensions that we humans are not able to sense or “feel” with our normal senses. These are exactly the seven dimensions that the Qur’an in Verse 23:17 tells us are “above” you, meaning above what you can sense, or higher dimensions….

Absolutely beautiful and accurate beyond doubt.
So all the stars and planets and galaxies and black holes discussed in the attached file exist only within the four dimensions we humans can sense. But there are 7 other dimensions that exist, and that contain all the parallel universes, perhaps numbering in the billions or even trillions of parallel universes, just like ours!!!

Truly, ALLAHU AKBAR! God is greater than we can ever imagine.
Until recently, all the previous respected commentators and “mufassiroon” of the Qur’an did not have enough scientific knowledge to explain the above verses properly. But Al-Hamdulillah, we know more today than they did and we can see how the Qur’an is a never-ending source of accurate knowledge and scientific miracles. So we can add to their lore of knowledge with what modern science has proved of the authenticity of the Qur’an.

I don’t know who the original author of the attached file is. May Allah reward him/her for the effort. Perhaps the original author of the attachment could add the facts from my e-mail to his/her wonderful collection and pass it around to even more people. Jazakallah Khairan. May Allah reward you. Hany"


WHEN WILL THE GLOBAL UMMAH WAKE UP AND COLLECTIVELY FIGHT AGAINST THE INTERNAL ENEMIES OF ISLAM -
"THE DEVIATED EXTREMISTS"?



ED NOTE
It is really sad that when addressing the wrongful anti-islamic actions of extremists specially when they kill innocent men, women and children some of us become defensive of the extremists ("after all they are our brothers"). It behooves us as to why some of us are so complacent and passive in our response to such extremists.

The basic truth is that if anyone involves in killing innocent human beings, they should be viewed first as CRIMINALS and appropriate actions taken against them to the fullest extent of the law in their local/State/National jurisdiction.


We personally have nothing against Jews. However the fact remains that as long as uprooted Palestinians do not have a homeland of their own to proudly anchor to, sadly INJUSTICE has prevailed over JUSTICE in that part of the world. The Israel-Palestinian conflict is currently the longest running conflict in the world and it is really a shame that the conflict still remain unresolved. Both the terrorist actions of the Palestinians that leads to killing of innocents as well as the brutal and excessive force used by Israelis are WRONG.

What is the problem here ? Science and technology has advanced tremendously in various fields but somehow in the field of CONFLICT RESOLUTION, mankind is still continuing to take baby steps. Unfortunately FIGHTS BETWEEN TWO GROUPS OF HUMAN BEINGS that has continued for thousands of years, still continue unabated in this 21st century. Look at the scene of a suicide bomber's wrath or air strike by Israeli planes and then decide for yourself whether we indeed are CIVILIZED in this 21st century.

The Palestinians are the most helpless national group in the world. One and half billion Muslims in 57 plus Muslim countries by their passive indifference still do not realize why our loving Prophet Mohammed (SAW) emphasized so much on the concept of ONE UMMAH. If majority of the Global Ummah really implemented the concept of the UNITY AMONG THE UMMAH, we bet Palestine would be an independent country today.

In name we do have WORLD MUSLIM LEAGUE which paradoxically was created even before UNITED NATIONS was created, but in terms of ACTIONS, there is still room for improvement. Due to lack of proper global Ummah's leadership, the extremists have literally taken over the driver's seat of Ummah and not surprisingly you see negative headlines about Islam almost everyday in the news specifically because of their anti-islamic actions of violence leading to destruction and loss of lives.


It is high time that the global ummah wake up, unite as ONE SINGLE ENTITY as our loving Prophet truly wanted and work towards fighting injustice. If Islam is truly a religion of peace, the Muslims must no longer be passive and instead be assertive to renounce the anti-islamic acts of violence committed by the extremists be it Al-Qaida or Taliban and treat their actions as criminal actions.

One can safely assume that if Islam is really a religion of PEACE, then it must have by default various PEACEFUL tools to deal with conflict and difference of opinions. Although there is wealth of information representing above peaceful tools in the gems of Holy Quran and Hadith, unfortunately what is really practiced in real life by the extremist Muslims is nothing but violence, gore and terror. In other words, they are not truly representing what Islam really is - A RELIGION OF PEACE, LOVE AND UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD.

It is high time that the UMMAH wake up and go after them aggressively and neutralize them. If one truly believes in Allah, one need not get insecure to visualize a life without the extremists. Although in their speeches to the world, they portray themselves as GUARDIANS OF ISLAM, please don't get fooled by them. They inadvertently are destroying the image of Islam, by continuing such terrorist acts.

Unless the global Ummah does rise up aggressively against them, they will continue to be in their own delusion that they have the full support of the global Ummah. So dear brothers and sisters, you have seen enough of bloodshed and mayhem they have caused to humanity, please do your two cents worth, in whatever way you can to detach such cancerous elements from the landscape of GLOBAL UMMAH.


We hope a day comes, when MAN judges the extent of his being civilized by linking it to PEACE around him.

ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE AND WE ALL MUST WORK TOGETHER FOR PEACE.

As Muslims we profoundly thank all non-Muslims who have voluntarily taken up the cause to work for JUSTICE for Palestinians.



JEWS & CHRISTIANS FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS:



(FREE PALESTINE = FREE ISRAEL)
(All photos below from yahoonews.photos.com)

Palestinian, foreign and Israeli left-wing activists hold up placards during a protest in the mostly Arab east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Hundreds of people, mostly left-wing Israeli activists, demonstrated against settlements in east Jerusalem in defiance of police efforts to crack down on the weekly protests. (AFP/Gali Tibbon)



Israeli police officers detain a left-wing activist during a demonstration in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, Friday, Jan. 22, 2010. The protest was organized by groups supporting Palestinians evicted from their homes in east Jerusalem by Israeli authorities. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)



An Israeli border police officer detains a left-wing activist during a demonstration in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, Friday, Jan. 22, 2010. The protest was organized by groups supporting Palestinians evicted from their homes in east Jerusalem by Israeli authorities.
(AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)



In this Dec. 18, 2009 file photo, showing Israeli police as they detain a
left-wing activist during a demonstration in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Israel is arresting a growing number of prominent opponents of its policies toward the Palestinians, spurring accusations that it is trying to crush legitimate dissent. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Sebastian Scheiner, File)

PHOTOS OF OUR PALESTINIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS:



Palestinian men who were prevented from crossing from the West Bank into Jerusalem to attend the first Friday prayers of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, pray at the Kalandia checkpoint, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. ONLY PALESTINIAN MEN OVER 50 AND WOMEN OVER 45 WERE ALLOWED TO ENTER JERUSALEM FROM THE WEST BANK, AS WELL AS PALESTINIANS WITH SPECIAL PERMITS, a police statement said. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)




A Palestinian woman walks past an Israeli soldier as she passes security checks at the Kalandia checkpoint outside the West Bank city of Ramallah on her way to attend the first Friday prayers of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)



An Israeli security officer stands guard as Palestinian women wait to cross Qalandiya checkpoint outside the West Bank city of Ramallah August 28, 2009. Hundreds of Palestinians lined up as they tried to reach the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis




Palestinian women cross a checkpoint on their way to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)




Palestinians wait to cross a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem August 28, 2009, as they try to reach the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun




Palestinian women wait to cross a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem August 28, 2009, as they try to reach the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun



There were long queues at the Qalandia checkpoint as Palestinians try to make their way into Jerusalem to attend the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Tens of thousands of faithful thronged the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan, with Israeli police reporting no significant incident.
(AFP/Marco Longari)



Palestinian women have their documents checked by an Israeli Israeli security officer at a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem August 28, 2009, as they try to reach the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside




Palestinian women have their documents checked by Israeli Israeli security officers at a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem August 28, 2009, as they try to reach the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside




Palestinian women speak to an Israeli border police officer as they wait to cross a checkpoint on their way to pray for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)




A Palestinian woman stands next to a section of Israel's separation barrier at the Israeli Kalandia checkpoint, on her way to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque for the holy fasting month of Ramadan, between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)




Palestinian women wait to cross a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem August 28, 2009, as they try to reach the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun



A Palestinian woman shows her identification card to Israeli border police officers as she tries to cross the Kalandia checkpoint on her way to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque for the holy fasting month of Ramadan, between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)




A Palestinian woman reacts next to cut olive trees in the northern West Bank village of Burin, Thursday, Jan., 7, 2010. According to Burin's mayor, Jewish settlers cut more than 20 olive trees in the village in protest against the Israeli army's recent evacuation of an unauthorized settlement outpost in the area. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)




A Palestinian woman walks behind a partly cut olive tree in the northern West Bank village of Burin, Thursday, Jan., 7, 2010. According to Burin's mayor, Jewish settlers cut more than 20 olive trees in the village in protest against the Israeli army's recent evacuation of an unauthorized settlement outpost in the area. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)



A Palestinian Hamas policeman controlling the traffic in Gaza City reads the Koran, Islam's holy book, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. (AFP/Mohammed Abed)




Palestinian Muslim girls walk to a mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the West Bank city of Nablus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009.
(AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)



Israeli border police and an army officer, centre, set down Palestinian children who they had lifted through a narrow point at a checkpoint, on the first Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan on the way from the West Bank town of Bethlehem to the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. Only older people and those with special permits were being allowed to cross. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)



A Palestinian Muslim walks past Israeli police officers in the Old City of Jerusalem, on his way to attend the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)



A Palestinian Muslim woman, reads verses of the Quran, Islam's holy book, while waiting to break her daily fast during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in a mosque in the West Bank city of Nablus, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009.
(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)



Palestinian girls read the Koran in a mosque on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Nablus August 22, 2009. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini




Palestinian Muslim girls and women, pray in a yard outside a mosque, after breaking the fast on the third day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)




With the Dome of the Rock Mosque seen in the background, a Palestinian Muslim worshipper reads verses of the Quran, Islam's holy book, during the first Friday prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009.(AP Photo/Mahfouz Abu Turk)



Palestinians take part in a protest calling for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails in the West Bank city of Betunya. The chances of a new Palestinian uprising erupting in 2010 are low, barring a dramatic event like an attack on Muslim holy places, the head of Israel's Shin Bet security agency was quoted as saying. (AFP/Abbas Momani)

Justify Full

Islamic Group Seeks Israeli Minister's Prosecution

Taiwan News
Associated Press Jan 15, 2010

An Islamic human rights group (in Turkey) has petitioned a prosecutor to start legal proceedings against the Israeli defense minister for alleged crimes committed against Palestinians during the Gaza war. The Turkish authorities did not act on the Friday's petition by the Istanbul-based Mazlum-Der group.


EXTREM
ISTS IN ANTI-ISLAMIC ACTION:
ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE, LOVE AND UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD, ARE THEIR ACTIONS AND INTENTION INDICATIVE OF WHAT ISLAM STANDS FOR ?



This image obtained on December 30, 2009 from the SITE Intelligence Group was issued on jihadist forums in a communique by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) announcing its capture of an Italian couple. The two Italians were kidnapped in Mauritania earlier this month.
(AFP/SITE)



(Rayhana-Muslima Playwright Rayhana)
radiofranceinternationalie www.rfi.fr
Jan 15, 2010

The Algerian playwright Rayhana said Tuesday night's attack was the first she had suffered in France. The 45-year-old was attacked on Tuesday night outside the theatre in Paris where her play is showing. Two men insulted her in Arabic and poured petrol over her. They then threw a cigarette at her, which failed to ignite.

The prefecture of police confirmed what it called an attempted homicide. A judicial source said the preliminary investigation is being launched under the anti-terrorist section of the brigadecriminelle, or crime unit. Covered in petrol, Rayhana performed her play regardless. Politicians and Muslim associations have expressed horror at the attack. The Muslim association Foi et Pratique also joined in the condemnation of the assault, saying "nothing can prepare us for such acts and nothing can explain them".


MISLED AND DEVIATED MUSLIMS

(A) UMAR FAROUK


(Umar Farouk)
(img.timieinc.net)




Graph explaining the failed attack on a passenger jet. President Barack Obama has ordered a review of US no-fly lists and passengers faced sweeping new restrictions after a failed bid to blow up a transatlantic airliner. (AFP/Graphic)


"Nigerian-American Muslims Held Convention During Attack Attempt,"
Niraj Warikoo (condensed version)
Detroit Free Press, December 27

Hundreds of Nigerian-American Muslims from across the U.S. -- including some from metro Detroit -- had gathered this weekend in Boston, Massachusetts for their annual gathering. It's considered the biggest meeting of Nigerian Muslims in the U.S.

But in the middle of five-day convention came breaking news -- a Nigerian Muslim man attempted a terrorist attack on a Northwest plane descending into Detroit.
The participants were horrified and scrambled to put out a press release strongly condemning the incident, said leaders of the 9th annual national convention of the National Council of Nigerian Muslim Organizations, which ended today.

Muyideen Ibiyemi, of Providence, Rhode Island, said the incident has only made him and other Nigerian-American Muslims more committed to spreading the true message of Islam, which he said was about peace and harmony. The focus of the convention this year was about maintaining Islamic traditions among Nigerian Muslims. "There is no room in the Quran for this type of thing," Ibiyemi said of the attempted terrorist attack by a 23-year-old Nigerian man who is Muslim. "There is no room in Islam for killing innocent people."...

Meanwhile, Ibiyemi said that he and others in his community will continue to preach the correct message of Islam. "There is no extremism in this religion," he said. "The Prophet, peace be upon him," was not an extremist.

"The tenets of Islam are to respect the laws of the country," Ibiyemi added. "We want to let the world know we won't associate" with terrorism. Imam Kazeem Agboola, a Nigerian-American Muslim who heads the Muslim Community Center-Detroit, said that "some will call us names, but there's nothing we can do about it." His congregation is predominantly Nigerian.



(B) Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi



This undated image provided Thursday, Jan. 7, 2009 by al-Jazeera purports to
show Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, the suspected Jordanian double agent who killed seven CIA officers in Afghanistan on Dec. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/english.aljazeera.net)

(C) Zakaria Amara

(Judge hands down stiffest punishment imposed to date under Canada's antiterrorism laws against Zakaria Amara for plot to bomb Toronto)

(theglobeandmail.com)
Colin Freeze Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Jan. 18, 2010

A Canadian terrorist was sentenced to life in prison Monday in a precedent-setting judgment in the case of young al-Qaeda-inspired extremists who plotted to blow up their fellow citizens.

Calling the conspiracy "spine chilling," Mr. Justice Bruce Durno imposed the stiffest sentence since the federal government put anti-terrorism laws on the books in 2001. "The potential for loss of life existed on a scale never before seen in Canada," Judge Durno said as he read aloud his 48-page decision. Nearly all of the plan was hatched, he said, by the young man standing in front of him, whom he called the "directing mind of a plot that would have resulted in the most horrific crime Canada has ever seen."


(D) Naveed Haq


January 14, 2010
seattletimes.nwsource.com

Naveed Haq was sentenced to life in prison this morning for barging into the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle 3 ½ years ago, killing one woman and wounding five others amid an anti-Israel tirade.


(E) Mohamed Ibrahim

Memphis Man Arrested:
Accused of Making Bomb Threats & Threatening to Start “Holy War”
Dec 25, 2009

myeyewitnessnews.com




Memphis, Tennessee: (Dec 25, 2009)

Tonight, Mohamed Ibrahim is out after posting $100 bond. Earlier in the day, he was arrested after police say he walked into several Memphis businesses and threatened to blow them up.


Court records show Ibrahim was also telling people he was Muslim, and wanted to start a jihad, or holy war, in Memphis.

Police say when they arrested him, he had a butcher knife hidden in one of his jacket sleeves.


(ED NOTE: May Allah guide the World Ummah towards peace and harmony).
THE END



























VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 115, January 26, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficial and the Most Merciful

CONTENTS:


(1) A Sample From Comments Of Readers of VOGU

(2) Interfaith Issues

(3) The Most Powerful Position in the World: President of the US - Barack Hussein Obama

(4) Aminatou Haidar:
"Human Rights Campaigner and Representative of the Sahrawi people"

(5) India: (a) Supreme Court Observation on Muslim Women's Photos Valid, says Community (b) Yvonne Ridley denied India Visa To Attend Meeting in Kerala.

(6) Islam: Holy Quran- The Book that shaped the world

(7) Islam and Abortion: All Human Life is Sacred in Islam

(8)
Alleviating the Social Ill of Dowry

(9)
Key Demographics of Muslim-Americans.



(1) A SAMPLE FROM COMMENTS OF READERS OF VOGU:

Thanks for the feedback of VOGU Volume 112, January 8, 2010 from our reader Mrs. Najmunisa Yusuf from Chennai, India:


"Referring to above, the issue I wish to lay bare my views before the eyes of the discerning readers and exhort them to give me their valuable feedback. To begin with I totally agree with the Editor Br Ziauddin on his punctuated punches of the facts and quotes related to the topic and the heart rending visuals displays of Muharam mourning by self inflicting wounds. The most deplorable aspect of this violent mourning is the preying on the Right and Dignity and vulnerability of children. Against this backdrop I wish to share and remind the readers of some basic facts, based on the essence relevant to the issues on hand, from the Holy Quran the ultimate book of guidance to mankind.

The first point is that Allah Has vouchsafed to us our bodies as 'amanath' which have to be protected and taken care of. Are we keeping this fact in mind while wounding our bodies in memory of the martyrdom of the beloved grandchildren of Our Holy Prophet? Did our beloved Prophet mourn the death of his near and dear ones in this way during his lifetime? Then why are we doing all this violent displays of reverence and grief to the departed venerable ones?

We are reminded so many times in the Holy Quran that we all belong to Allah and to Him we shall return then why this sort of displays of mourning ? We are not to mourn the death of our dear departed ones for more than three days and that too silently without much displays of grief. Are we following Sunnah by devoting days together to mourning by inflicting injuries on our bodies entrusted to us by our Creator.?

Are we not bringing innovations which were never practised during the lifetime of our beloved Prophet. Is this not a deviation from what our Prophet Muhamed (pbuh) preached and practised?

The last but not the least, it was on the day which is mourned as Ashura that many earlier Prophets were graced with Allah's mercy. It was on this day way back in the past the struggles of our Prophets like Adam, Hawwa, Moosa and Yunus culminated in victory and forgiveness. The Red sea opened and made way for Prophet Moosa and his followers to walk towards freedom away from the tyranny of the pharoah's rule. Prophet Yunus was saved from the stomach of a fish and went on with his mission and Prophet Adam and Hawwa were forgiven by Allah for their disobedience and were redeemed. Let us all remember that Prophet Muhamed (pbuh) was the last Prophet and our religion was perfected during his lifetime. Where is the room for such innovations and digressions?

I entreat the readers to clarify or discuss more on this issue by mailing Sr. Amina at this email id aminaomer 56 @hotmail .com She is a noted dawah preacher and well versed in Arabic and doing research work in the same.

I conclude by encouraging the readers to enlighten me and others on such topics which will foster brotherhood and unity among the Ummah as a whole I consider this blog as a monolith in the landscape of understanding Islam better and striving to be better human beings and better Muslims which would please Allah subhanatalah.
Allah Hafiz.
Najmunisa Yusuf



(2) INTERFAITH ISSUES:


Almighty Allah declares in the Holy Quran:


(a) "O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware" 49:13


(b) "Those who believe (in the Qur’an and call themselves Muslims), and those who are Jews, and Christians and the Sabians; whoever truly believes in God and the Last Day and does works that benefit humanity, their reward is with their Lord. For them shall be no fear from without, nor shall grief touch them from within" - 2:62


(c) "Mankind is but one community" (2 : 213)


(d) "Those who benefit humanity get rewarded manifold. No dust of sadness and no trace of humiliation will overshadow their faces. Such are the rightful dwellers of the Garden; they will abide therein" 10:26


(e) “But if you desire Allah and His Messenger, and the Home of the Hereafter, then certainly, Allah has prepared for those among you who benefit humanity, an immense reward.” 33:29


(f) "Those who benefit mankind will be rewarded better than the recompense for their good deeds. And they will be secure from horror that Day" 27:89.


The Exalted Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated:



(a) The essence of religion is wishing well for all humanity. (Ma’arifil Quran)

(b) There is reward for you in kind treatment of any living being. (Bukhari)

(c) Allah is Kind to those that are kind to His creations. (Bukhari)

(d) Be kind to the dwellers of the earth and the Creator of the Universe will be Kind to you. (Abu Daud, Haakim)


(ED NOTE:
If one is in sync with the realities of the world, it becomes obvious that for the peace of humanity, it is better to be respectful of each others differences and work together for the good of humanity.


Amidst the sixty plus years of Arab-Israeli conflict, relations between the Jews and Muslims in the United States are gradually improving despite having had a slow and rocky start. In particular we would like to thank the Jews of Reston, Virginia for having allowed the Muslims to use their synagogue for Muslim services during the month of Ramadan last year)
.



In this Sept. 14, 2009 photo, Aishah Bates, left, sits with other women during Ramadan prayers held at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, Va. The prayers are organized by the All Dulles Area Muslim Center, who rent the space in the synagogue for the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)




In this Sept. 14, 2009 photo, a group listens to a speech during Ramadan prayers held at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, Va. The prayers are organized by the All Dulles Area Muslim Center, who rent the space in the synagogue for the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)



In this Sept. 14, 2009 photo, two men talk after Ramadan prayers held at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, Va. The prayers are organized by the All Dulles Area Muslim Center, who rent the space in the synagogue for the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)





In this Sept. 14, 2009 photo, people participate in Ramadan prayers held at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston, Va. The prayers are organized by the All Dulles Area Muslim Center, who rent the space in the synagogue for the month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)



Rabbis of an ultra-orthodox movement are pictured in this file photo. Leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis on Friday told their flock to shun the Internet, claiming that even sites meant for the arch-conservative religious community contained "lies and terrible impurity. "(AFP/Getty Images/File/Mario Tama)



(ED NOTE: Like the silent moderate majority of Muslims, we know there are thousands of moderate Jews in Israel. We respectfully call upon them to assertively speak out against the wrongful actions of extremist Jewish settlers)

ABOVE PICTURE: Jewish settlers have started rebuilding an outpost in the occupied West Bank in an act of defiance against Israel's partial moratorium on settlement construction. (AFP/Jack Guez)





Hardline Jewish settlers on Wednesday started rebuilding an outpost in the occupied West Bank in an act of defiance against Israel's partial moratorium on settlement construction. About 50 settlers, among them children, started building a brick house on a hill close to the Alon Shvut settlement near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem. "This is our response to the construction freeze decided by the government," hardline settler leader Yehudit Katzover told AFP.

"If authorities stop us, we will come back as many times as possible to restart construction," she said, pointing out that on several occasions police had previously demolished outposts built on the hilltop.

The international community considers all settlement in the West Bank illegal.

Under US pressure, the Israeli government last month announced a 10-month moratorium on new building permits in settlements. The settlement issue is one of the thorniest in Middle East peace efforts and the Palestinians have said they would not resume negotiations, which came to a halt almost one year ago, unless there is a total settlement freeze.....
(AFP)


WE CALL FOR IMMEDIATE HALT ON ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS
IN IRAQ
AND MALAYSIA

ED: (We hope and pray that the Iraqis will protect our Christian Brothers and Sisters in Humanity against any extremist elements trying to harm them)


(Iraqi Christians at Church) yahoo.news.photos

Attack Against One Faith is Attack Against All Faiths
(Attacks Against Churches in Malaysia)

23 January 2010
www.aliran.com


A string of civil society groups in Malaysia have come out to strongly condemn the arson attempts on two suraus in Muar, Johor on 21 January.

We, the undersigned Malaysian civil society groups from different spiritual, cultural and ideological backgrounds, condemn unreservedly in the strongest possible terms the latest arson attacks against two suraus in Muar in the early morning of 21 January.

Any attack on any faith in Malaysia is an attack on all faiths in Malaysia. We express our solidarity with the Sirratulrahim Surau in Kampung Sabak Awor and Parit Beting surau, and to the Malaysian Muslim community at large.

The attacks on the suraus seem to be a deliberate and desperate move to provoke Malaysians into sectarian conflicts. The earlier attacks on nine churches, a mosque, a surau, a gurdwara and a convent school, have failed to trigger even distrust as Malaysians of all faiths and creeds stand united in the wake of violence.

While the Police must act swiftly in investigation and defeat any act of violence and terrorism, we call upon all Malaysians to have faith in peace, freedom and reason.

After all, these attacks are at most a crisis of law and order caused by a failure of the Malaysian state, not a crisis of religious harmony indicating a failure of the Malaysian society.

Let us stay calm and support each other. Let our spirit of fraternity defeat any unscrupulous conspiracy to tear Malaysian society apart, to censor media, to compromise on rule of law or to justify draconian measures like ISA.

As Malaysians stand united, terrorism and authoritarianism shall have no place in this blessed country.

Endorsing civil society groups:

Aliran Kesederan Negara (ALIRAN)
All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
Bar Council of Malaysia
Civil Right Committee, Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
(CRC-KLSCAH)
Civil Society Committee of LLG Cultural Development Centre Bhd
(LLGCSC)\
Civil Society Initiative for Parliamentary Reform (CSI@Parliament)
Friends in Conversation (FIC)
Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF)
Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism Christianity Hinduism
Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST)
Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF)
Penang Du Zhong Education Society
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower)
Sarawak Central Region Friendship Association
Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia
Sisters in Islam (SIS)
The Coalition of Malaysian Indian NGOs
The Micah Mandate (TMM)
Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)

Endorsing Political Parties

Democratic Action Party (DAP)


(3) THE MOST POWERFUL POSITION IN THE WORLD: President of the US: Barack Hussein Obama


US President Barack Obama (C) stands with Ms. Bilquis Abdul-Qaadir, a basketball player at University of Memphis, as he hosts a dinner celebrating Ramadan and highlighting the contributions of American Muslims at the White House in Washington, DC, September 1. (AFP/Jim Watson)



US President Barack Obama (C) as he hosts a dinner celebrating Ramadan and highlighting the contributions of American Muslims at the White House in Washington, DC, September 1. (AFP/File/Jim Watson)



President Barack Obama introduces Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, a University of Memphis student, who, as a high school student in Massachusetts, broke the high school career points record in women's basketball for her state, as he makes remarks during a dinner celebrating Ramadan in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)



President Barack Obama speaks during a dinner celebrating Ramadan in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A MUSLIM WAS ONE AMONG SIXTEEN TO WIN THE AWARD OF PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM - HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR
(Aug 12, 2009)


WASHINGTON – "President Barack Obama will recognize the accomplishments of actors, activists and athletes on Wednesday when he awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 16 people.

The recipients have diverse backgrounds and achievements in fields ranging from sports and art to science and medicine to politics and public policy. The White House has said the individuals were selected for their work as "agents of change."

President Harry S. Truman established the Medal of Freedom in 1945 to recognize civilians for their efforts during World War II. President John F. Kennedy reinstated the medal in 1963 to honor distinguished service".

Muhammad Yunus, was one of the sixteen people who won above award. Muhammad was previously the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his global, pioneering work extending "micro loans" to poor people who don't have collateral.


(4) Aminatou Haidar:"Human Rights campaigner and representative of the Sahrawi people"



Western Sahara activist Aminatou Haidar sits on a wheelchair at the airport in Arrecife, on the Spanish Canary Island of Lanzarote. Amnesty International on Wednesday called for Haidar, who is on a three-week-old hunger strike at a Spanish airport, to be allowed to go home.(AFP/Andres Gutierrez)

Awards and Nominations

Haidar was awarded:
(a) The 2006 Juan Maria Bandres Human Rights Award (from Spain)
(b) The 2007 Silver Rose Award (from Austria)
(c) Nominated for the Sakharov Prize and the Ginetta Sagan Fund Award
(d) In February 2008, the American Friends Service Committee announced it had proposed Haidar to be a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, though she was not awarded the Peace Prize.
(e) Haidar won the 2008 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. In addition to the prize (which includes money), the RFK Memorial Center offers to partner with recipients in their work
(f)
Haidar was awarded the 2009 Civil Courage Prize on 20 October 2009 at an award ceremony in New York City. (en.wikipedia.org)




On Friday, December 18, 2009, following 32 days on hunger strike and a brief admission to the intensive care unit of Lanzarote hospital, the BBC reported Haidar had returned home following interventions by the U.S. and France. Upon her return, Haidar was placed under house arrest by Moroccan police.



(5) INDIA:

Supreme Court Observation on Muslim Women's Photos Valid, says community (condensed version)
Calcutta News.Net
Saturday 23rd January, 2010

The Supreme Court's observation that Muslim women will have to lift their veils to be photographed for the electoral rolls is valid, members of the community say.

A Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Deepak Verma had made the observation while deliberating on a plea to prohibit display of photographs of burqa-clad Muslim women in the voters' list.

The petitioner, Ajmal Khan had said that the photos in electoral rolls are seen by male polling booth officials, which was against Islamic religious tenets.

Naeem Kashani, a government teacher working in Kashmir, felt the apex court's remarks were justified. 'In Islam, the veil does not mean hiding your face. It signifies modesty,' she said.

Kashani noted that identity verification was essential for ensuring free and fair voting. 'This is a safety issue and should not be mixed with religion... If one is going to vote, it is important to prove one's identity,' Kashani told IANS.

Zishan Haider Naqvi, a doctorate student in Islamic Studies, asserted that Islam never suggests that the whole face should be covered. 'A girl is free to keep her face open and just needs to cover the hair and not the face. You can see how Iraqi, Lebanese, Turkish, Iranian other Central Asian women are dressed. They don't wear a burqa, which means to cover the whole face,' Naqvi told IANS.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has already come out in support of the apex court's observation, terming it 'progressive'.

'Muslims are going for passports and making I-cards for the Haj, then why is there a problem with voter cards?' Abdur Raheem Qureshi, an AIMPLB official, asked while speaking to a television channel.

According to Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind president, Maulana Qari Syed Mohammad Usman, there should be provision for maintaining the modesty of women by deploying women officers at polling booths.

'At airports, there are special women officers to check passports and for screening, so the government could do the same for polling booths,' Usman told IANS.


YVONNE RIDLEY DENIED INDIAN VISA TO ATTEND MEETING IN INDIA:
(condensed version)

By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram
Gulf Times. Jan 25, 2010

British journalist and former Taliban captive Yvonne Ridley has alleged she was denied visa by India to address a Muslim women’s conference in Kerala.



Ridley, who converted to Islam after her release, was to inaugurate the conference themed “Women Power for Social Revolution” organised by the women’s wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami in Kerala’s Muslim-dominated Malappuram district on Sunday evening.

“I have great respect for Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and we have been practising this in Gaza protests. But I don’t know why I have been denied a visa to visit Gandhi’s land,” Ridley told the meeting through videoconferencing.

The journalist who currently works for Iran’s Press TV network is a vocal critic of India’s Kashmir policy. She was in the country in 2008 addressing a series of public gatherings and press conferences.

Ridley said Muslim women were expressing themselves both on spiritual and worldly matters and nobody can stop them or ignore them. Their fight is against the new world order created by imperialism and Zionism which has become a global threat.

“We can make critical interventions in social and political spheres without shirking our responsibility to our families,” said K K Fatima Zahra, president of the Jamaat-e-Islami women’s wing. “The new generation is ready to become the flag carriers of truth and make a difference.”

Tens of thousands of women attended the conference.

“In the three-tier panchayati raj (local self-government) system, 50% of the seats are reserved for women. The next elections are a great opportunity as well as a heavy responsibility,” said Zuhra.



(6) Islam: (HOLY QURAN)
The Book that shaped the world

1/22/2010
Source ::: The Peninsula
By Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari

This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah. (2:2)

Has anybody ever come across a book that contains a preface where its author mentions its infallibility from any single error? Has anyone ever heard of any author who talks with such confidence and authority? This is the Quran; it was revealed to one human being named Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and its Author is Allah, the Lord and Sustainer of the Universe.

At a time when the world sank to its lowest, oppression and tyranny exceeded all limits, human beings were enslaved by arrogant kings and emperors, and women lost their human dignity on earth, a night in the month of Ramadan was destined to determine the course of human history from then on.

Fourteen hundred years ago, Allah, the Lord, decided to bring back humanity from the disgrace of slavery into the position of Allah’s emissary on earth. That was Laylat Al Qadr (the Night of Power); the night when Angel Gabriel, on the command of Allah, made an eternal link between the heaven and the earth. That was a night that shaped the destiny of humanity.

This is the Quran that:

• transformed a nation that stooped in chaos

• revolutionised them and elevated them to the peak of human perfection

• changed people’s hearts

• molded their characters

• uprooted their ignorance

• reconstructed their societies in a noble and divine fashion

Within 10 years, the tiny oasis of Yathrib, just named Madinah, became the blessed land where a comprehensive code of life evolved from nothing. Madinah became the center of a divine civilisation, the center of inspiration for humanity. Those were the Arabs who were on the verge of self-destruction because of their lawlessness, vulgarity, stupidity, and, to use the Quranic terminology, jahiliyyah (ignorance). They were the people despised by the two super powers of the time, the Persians in the east and the Romans in the west, to the extent that neither of these two powers was even interested in taking over these barbaric and lawless territories.

Yet, the Quran was revealed to them, which is a proof that Allah can easily change the fate of a nation if He wishes. But Allah’s sunnah (typical way or principle) is not simply to guide people without any reason; they have to acquire guidance with their own action and endeavor. Only then, Allah may confer his favor and help on them, as He, the Almighty, says in the Quran,

“Say, “O Allah, the Lord of Power (And Rule)! You give power to whomever You will, and You strip off power from whomever You will, and You endue with honor whomever You will, and You bring low whomever You will. In Your hand is all good. Verily, over all things You have power.” (3:26)

The heavenly revelation has been termed as:

• huda (guidance)

• bayyinah (clear sign of guidance)

• furqan (criterion to discern the true from the false)

• bayan (clear explanation)

• maw`idhah (admonition)

Revealing some of these terms about the Quran, Allah, the Exalted, says,

“Ramadan is the month in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment between right and wrong.” (2:185)

He also says,

“This is a declaration for mankind, a guidance, and an admonition unto those who ward off evil.” (3:138)

Connecting the Heaven With the Earth

The hearts of the Arabs expanded to such an extent that those barbaric people grasped the true meaning of the message and learnt how to live as the best nation on earth.

It is dhikr (a reminder) and the kalam (word) of Allah. Allah showered His mercy on humanity in the form of a direct communication with His Messenger for 23 years in the barren Arab land. Within 10 years, the tiny oasis of Yathrib, just named Madinah, became the blessed land where a comprehensive code of life evolved from nothing. Madinah became the center of a divine civilisation, the center of inspiration for humanity.

This is because of the Quran’s miracle and the unique person that received and memorised it by heart, namely, the last Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH); the heart that received the full weight of divine love for humanity, leading it with the Quranic message.

It was the weight that no other creation would ever have dared to bear, as it was revealed in the Quran itself:

“Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of the fear of Allah.” (59:21)

The Quran’s Impact on Arabs

The Quran elevated the Arabs, who produced a miracle within only one generation. The hearts of the Arabs expanded to such an extent that those barbaric people grasped the true meaning of the message and learnt how to live as the best nation on earth. The fountain of love and universal brotherhood created the “best people” on earth. Praising the Muslim Ummah in the Quran, Allah, the Almighty, says,

“You are the best of the nations raised up for the benefit of men; you enjoin the right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah.” (3:110)

This (best of the nations) was reformed by the Quran, as the Quran:

• Created a world where a young woman could travel alone between two distant places of Arabia without any fear for her safety

• Created minds that willingly surrendered to Allah to such an extent that a sinner would rush to the Prophet to be punished in this world rather than suffering from the Hellfire in the hereafter

• Created compassionate hearts that cared for other living beings and the natural world

• Promised prosperity and victory for those who abide by it

• Created generations that grew up with the Quran kept in their hearts, that they could override mountains and oceans in their fight to establish a just world

• Created a Quran-oriented generation that left behind a legacy prevalent for more than one thousand years

The shining Quran is still alive and waiting for people who would adhere to it and change the fate of the whole world. It is rekindling the hearts of millions and demanding action from them.

What a marvel! While other heavenly books are either lost or corrupted, the Quran is still preserved in its pristine form, either as a mushaf (a book) or as a code of beliefs in Muslims’ hearts. That is because Allah promised to protect it; He, the Exalted, says,

“Surely We have revealed the Reminder and We will most surely be its guardian.” (15:9)

Whenever a Muslim recites the Quran, Allah is speaking to him. Allah reminds us to think, to reflect on and look for His signs around us and even inside ourselves, to learn from the past, to follow His guidance, to serve humanity, and to look after His creation. Do we understand Him, His call, and His message? And if we understand, do we respond? And if we respond, do we act wholeheartedly?

Are we prepared to take the challenge? “Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition.” (13:11)

(Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari was born in Bangladesh in 1953, and he studied at Chittagong University. Later, he moved to the United Kingdom. He is currently the chair of the East London Mosque and the London Muslim Center.) www.islamonline.net



(7) Islam and Abortion
All human life is sacred in Islam
Dr A. Majid Katme (MBBCh, DPM)

From conception through to natural death only Allah (God), the Creator of all, can create life or ordain that it be taken away. The moment of death has been fixed in advance by God Almighty.

Abortion is forbidden in Islam.

There is not a single statement in the Holy Book Al Qur'an or in the sayings (ahadith/sunnah) of the final Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which allows abortion!

On the contrary, there are verses in the Holy Book Al Qur'an which are clearly against the killing of any unborn child or child, male or female, by any means, for any reason and at any stage of the pregnancy (Chapter 6, verse 151, Chapter 17, verse 31,Chapter 5, verse 31, Chapter 60,verse 12). Muslim women are described in the Al Qur'an as (amongst other things) those who "do not kill their children." (Chapter 60, verse 12)

In Islam we are asked to marry, conceive and maintain pregnancy till its natural end as fixed by GOD, and to produce many children. Every conception is legitimate and every pregnancy is desired and wanted. In Islam there is no such thing as an "unwanted pregnancy." Every child is regarded as a great gift from God.

Many verses in Al Qur'an describe beautifully and scientifically all the different stages of development and growth of the unborn baby, producing great admiration for The Creator, the best of Designers! (Chapter 23, verses 12,13,14)

Islam also has stated clearly the rights of the foetus; the right to life and protection from any harm, the right to lineage, the right to support from family, the right to legal status and inheritance.

Ibn Taymiyah, one of Islam's great scholars, said: "It is the consensus of all fuqaha (renowned Muslim scholars) that abortion is prohibited."

Al Ghazzali, a great scholar of Islam, indicated that it is a crime to disturb the fertilised egg of a human being.

The fertilised egg (the foundation of every human being), which is called NUTFA AMSHAJJ in the Qur'an, is to be fully protected and respected!. All destructive embryo research is against the teachings of Islam!

Every fertilised egg contains the genes, the inheritance from both parents with clear gender either boy or girl!

Imam Malik (a well-known Muslim scholar) states, abortion is not allowed at any stage of the pregnancy from conception. Not only that, but Islamic law prescribes punishment for anyone performing or assisting in abortion:

Al-Gurrah (blood money) is payable if the baby is aborted dead. (At current rates this would be about £1000) Full Diyyah (blood money, about £20,000) is payable if the baby is aborted alive.

ISLAM IS STRONGLY PRO-LIFE.

Muslims should work closely with Pro-Life organisations, Christians and others in order to stop the daily killing of innocent unborn babies (this is a Muslim duty)!

Please join with me in the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), which campaigns to protect all lives from conception until natural death. SPUC Muslims is a division of the Society reaching out to the Muslim community - please help us peacefully oppose the culture of death in this country.

Dr A. Majid Katme (MBBCh, DPM)
Muslim Coordinator, SPUC
Pro-life, pro-family Muslim Campaigner (UK/UN)
T: 07944 240 622 E-mail address: muslims@spuc.org.uk

Dr. A. Majid Katme is available to give talks on Islam and Abortion, Islam and euthanasia, Islam and human cloning and other issues affecting the sanctity of human life.


(ED NOTE: Below is an excellent article on abortion)

Let us fight for life
www.arabnews.com
(Letters to Editors)
Paul Kokoski
Jan 25, 2009

I commend the hundreds of thousands of people including pro-life leaders from Canada, Africa, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania who attended the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. on Friday. America's March for Life has become the world's pro-life protest against the aggressive promotion of abortion and population control that is sweeping the world and which is now the official policy of the United States, thanks to the administration of President Barack Obama.

If an (human) embryo is human, it is a person - this is the golden rule for bioethics.

It is a scientific fact that human life begins in its entirety at the moment of conception. From the first moment the embryo has a full anthropological qualification; there is continuity; there are no leaps that have in them substantial mutations; the embryonic body develops. Every manual of human embryology states that the zygote is already an unrepeatable human being, unique in its species, a different being from the mother and the father.

Ultimately, free will cannot be cited as justification for society to allow moral choices that strike at the most fundamental rights of others. Such a choice is abortion, which constitutes the taking of innocent human life.

The so-called "right" to abortion championed by feminists and abortion supporters ends up enslaving women because they are turned into instruments of sexual gratification. If the woman can abort without restrictions, the man is free of any responsibility as father, leaving the woman as his tool of sexual gratification in a position of "nonequality".

Let us fight for life. Life is the future of man, never death.


(8) ALLEVIATING THE THE SOCIAL ILL OF DOWRY

(ED NOTE: How many Potential Muslim Bridegrooms Are Willing to Promise Not to Take Any Dowry ? We hope and pray that in the coming future, Muslim Men will move in the direction of NOT taking any dowry and thereby avoid additional multiple problems to the bride, dowry related abuses and tragic dowry related deaths).

Dowry-Free Mass Wedding Performed in Bangladesh

People's Daily Online (China)
January 25, 2010

A mass dowry-free wedding of 108 couples, rare thing in Bangladesh, was held at the venue of three- day congregation of Muslim, which ended on Sunday on the bank of the Turag river at Tongi, 25 km north of the capital Dhaka.

Organizers of the congregation told reporters that all the new couples are from very poor families of different parts of the country. The wedding was held in presence of their guardians. A similar mass wedding was also arranged last year by the organizers of the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj.

Demanding dowry from the bride's family is still very common in Bangladesh.

A campaign is on against the dowry system as the dowry kills scores of women in Bangladesh which is the world's third largest Muslim country. Though Islam prohibits dowry, the system is present in the South Asian country in all sections of the people.

There is anti-dowry law in force in the country with punishment of imprisonment for demanding dowry, but it lacks proper implementation.

Many young people do not demand dowry before marriage, but they do it after marriage and very often torture the wife for failing to bring dowry. In many cases, the brides were killed by their husbands.

According to Home Ministry statistics, at least 250 housewives die annually, most of them are dowry-related deaths.


(9) KEY DEMOGRAPHICS OF MUSLIM-AMERICANS
(usatoday.com. Oct 7, 2009)

Gallup Organization interviews with a random sample of 946 Muslim Americans in 2008 shed light on the demographics of this rarely studied group:

RACE:
Muslims are the nation's most racially diverse religious group. At least a third of Muslim-Americans are black mostly converts or children of converts to Islam. "The significant proportion of native-born converts to Islam is a characteristic unique to the United States," Gallup said. More than a quarter call themselves white, while nearly one in five identified as Asian and about as many classified themselves as "other."

RELIGIOSITY:

Muslim-Americans are more religious than other Americans, but less likely than those in predominantly Muslim countries to say religion plays an important part in their lives 80% of Muslim-Americans compared to virtually all in Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Morocco, for example.

IDEOLOGY:
Muslim-Americans are the U.S. religious group most evenly spread out along the political spectrum 29% liberal, 38% moderate, 25% conservative.

PARTISANSHIP:
49% of Muslim-Americans called themselves Democrats, 8% Republican and 37% independent. Gallup found that among all Americans in 2008 34% identified as Democratic, 26% Republican and 33% independent. But voter registration was relatively low among Muslim-Americans.

OTHER DEMOGRAPHICS:
Muslim-Americans skew young, with 36% age 18-29, double the rate for the general population. They're more likely than other Americans to be single. Forty percent have at least a college degree, compared to 29% of Americans overall. Muslims may be slightly more likely than other Americans to report low household income.

Results were subject to sampling error of +/- 4 percentage points for Muslim-Americans, 0.2 points for all Americans.

THE END