VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 124, March 28, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
WHAT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA WILL NOT TELL YOU ABOUT ISLAM AND TERRORISM:
(What does Islam say about Terrorism? www.whyislam.org)
One of the distinctive characteristics of the times we live in is the overwhelming presence of violence in our societies. Whether it is a bomb going off in a market place, or the hijacking of an aircraft where innocent people are held at ransom to achieve political ends, we live in an age, where the manipulation and loss of innocent lives has become commonplace.
Such is the all-pervasive nature of indiscriminate violence, that “terrorism” is considered as one of the prime threats to peace and security in our societies.
The word terrorism came into wide usage only a few decades ago. One of the unfortunate results of this new terminology is that it limits the definition of terrorism to that perpetrated by small groups or individuals. Terrorism, in fact, spans the entire world, and manifests itself in various forms. Its perpetrators do not fit any stereotype. Those who hold human lives cheap, and have the power to expend human lives, appear at different levels in our societies. The frustrated employee who kills his colleagues in cold-blood or the oppressed citizen of an occupied land who vents his anger by blowing up a school bus are terrorists who provoke our anger and revulsion.
Ironically however, the politician who uses age-old ethnic animosities between peoples to consolidate his position, the head of state who orders “carpet bombing” of entire cities, the exalted councils that choke millions of civilians to death by wielding the insidious weapon of sanctions, are rarely punished for their crimes against humanity.
It is this narrow definition of terrorism that implicates only individuals and groups, that has caused Muslims to be associated with acts of destruction and terror, and as a result, to become victims of hate violence and terror themselves. Sometimes the religion of Islam is held responsible for the acts of a handful of Muslims, and often for the acts of non-Muslims!
Could it be possible that Islam, whose light ended the Dark Ages in Europe, now propound the advent of an age of terror? Could a faith that has over 1.2 billion followers the world over, and over 7 million in America, actually advocate the killing and maiming of innocent people? Could Islam, whose name itself stands for “peace” and “submission to God”, encourage its adherents to work for death and destruction?
For too long, have we relied on popular images in the media and in Hollywood films, for answers to these pertinent questions. It is now time to look at the sources of Islam, and its history to determine whether Islam does indeed advocate violence.
The Glorious Qur’an says:
“…take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.”
[Al-Qur’an 6:151]
Islam considers all life forms as sacred. However, the sanctity of human life is accorded a special place. The first and the foremost basic right of a human being is the right to live. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“…if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.”
[Al-Qur’an 5:32]
Such is the value of a single human life, that the Qur’an equates the taking of even one human life unjustly, with killing all of humanity. Thus, the Qur’an prohibits homicide in clear terms. The taking of a criminal’s life by the state in order to administer justice is required to uphold the rule of law, and the peace and security of the society. Only a proper and competent court can decide whether an individual has forfeited his right to life by disregarding the right to life and peace of other human beings.
Even in a state of war, Islam enjoins that one deals with the enemy nobly on the battlefield. Islam has drawn a clear line of distinction between the combatants and the non-combatants of the enemy country. As far as the non-combatant population is concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm, etc., the instructions of the Prophet are as follows:
"Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman"[1].
"Do not kill the monks in monasteries" or
"Do not kill the people who are sitting in places of worship."[2]
During a war, the Prophet saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed: "She was not fighting. How then she came to be killed?"
Thus non-combatants are guaranteed security of life even if their state is at war with an Islamic state.
While Islam in general is misunderstood in the western world, perhaps no other Islamic term evokes such strong reactions as the word ‘jihad’. The term ‘jihad’ has been much abused, to conjure up bizarre images of violent Muslims, forcing people to submit at the point of the sword. This myth was perpetuated throughout the centuries of mistrust during and after the Crusades. Unfortunately, it survives to this day.
The word Jihad comes from the root word jahada, which means to struggle. So jihad is literally an act of struggling. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that the greatest jihad is to struggle with the insidious suggestions of one’s own soul. Thus jihad primarily refers to the inner struggle of being a person of virtue and submission to God in all aspects of life.
Secondarily, jihad refers to struggle against injustice. Islam, like many other religions, allows for armed self-defense, or retribution against tyranny, exploitation, and oppression. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“And why should ye not fight in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? - Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!"
[Al-Qur’an 4:75]
Thus Islam enjoins upon its believers to strive utmost, in purifying themselves, as well as in establishing peace and justice in the society. A Muslim can never be at rest when she sees injustice and oppression around her. As Martin Luther King Jr. said:
“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”
Islam enjoins upon all Muslims to work actively to maintain the balance in which God created everything. However, regardless of how legitimate the cause may be, the Glorious Qur’an never condones the killing of innocent people. Terrorizing the civilian population can never be termed as jihad and can never be reconciled with the teachings of Islam.
Even Western scholars have repudiated the myth of Muslims coercing others to convert. The great historian De Lacy O'Leary wrote:
"History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."[3]
Muslims ruled Spain for roughly 800 years. During this time, and up until they were finally forced out, the non-Muslims there were alive and flourishing. Additionally, Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan all have significant Christian and/or Jewish populations.
This is not surprising to a Muslim, for his faith prohibits him from forcing others to see his point of view. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.”
[Al-Qur’an 2:256]
Far from being a militant dogma, Islam is a way of life that transcends race and ethnicity. The Glorious Qur’an repeatedly reminds us of our common origin:
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
[Al-Qur’an 49:13]
Thus, it is the universality of its teachings that makes Islam the fastest growing religion in the world. In a world full of conflicts and deep schisms between human beings, a world that is threatened with terrorism, perpetrated by individuals and states, Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope for the future.
Such is the all-pervasive nature of indiscriminate violence, that “terrorism” is considered as one of the prime threats to peace and security in our societies.
The word terrorism came into wide usage only a few decades ago. One of the unfortunate results of this new terminology is that it limits the definition of terrorism to that perpetrated by small groups or individuals. Terrorism, in fact, spans the entire world, and manifests itself in various forms. Its perpetrators do not fit any stereotype. Those who hold human lives cheap, and have the power to expend human lives, appear at different levels in our societies. The frustrated employee who kills his colleagues in cold-blood or the oppressed citizen of an occupied land who vents his anger by blowing up a school bus are terrorists who provoke our anger and revulsion.
Ironically however, the politician who uses age-old ethnic animosities between peoples to consolidate his position, the head of state who orders “carpet bombing” of entire cities, the exalted councils that choke millions of civilians to death by wielding the insidious weapon of sanctions, are rarely punished for their crimes against humanity.
It is this narrow definition of terrorism that implicates only individuals and groups, that has caused Muslims to be associated with acts of destruction and terror, and as a result, to become victims of hate violence and terror themselves. Sometimes the religion of Islam is held responsible for the acts of a handful of Muslims, and often for the acts of non-Muslims!
Could it be possible that Islam, whose light ended the Dark Ages in Europe, now propound the advent of an age of terror? Could a faith that has over 1.2 billion followers the world over, and over 7 million in America, actually advocate the killing and maiming of innocent people? Could Islam, whose name itself stands for “peace” and “submission to God”, encourage its adherents to work for death and destruction?
For too long, have we relied on popular images in the media and in Hollywood films, for answers to these pertinent questions. It is now time to look at the sources of Islam, and its history to determine whether Islam does indeed advocate violence.
Sanctity of Human Life
The Glorious Qur’an says:
“…take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.”
[Al-Qur’an 6:151]
Islam considers all life forms as sacred. However, the sanctity of human life is accorded a special place. The first and the foremost basic right of a human being is the right to live. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“…if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.”
[Al-Qur’an 5:32]
Such is the value of a single human life, that the Qur’an equates the taking of even one human life unjustly, with killing all of humanity. Thus, the Qur’an prohibits homicide in clear terms. The taking of a criminal’s life by the state in order to administer justice is required to uphold the rule of law, and the peace and security of the society. Only a proper and competent court can decide whether an individual has forfeited his right to life by disregarding the right to life and peace of other human beings.
Ethics of War
Even in a state of war, Islam enjoins that one deals with the enemy nobly on the battlefield. Islam has drawn a clear line of distinction between the combatants and the non-combatants of the enemy country. As far as the non-combatant population is concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm, etc., the instructions of the Prophet are as follows:
"Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman"[1].
"Do not kill the monks in monasteries" or
"Do not kill the people who are sitting in places of worship."[2]
During a war, the Prophet saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed: "She was not fighting. How then she came to be killed?"
Thus non-combatants are guaranteed security of life even if their state is at war with an Islamic state.
Jihad
While Islam in general is misunderstood in the western world, perhaps no other Islamic term evokes such strong reactions as the word ‘jihad’. The term ‘jihad’ has been much abused, to conjure up bizarre images of violent Muslims, forcing people to submit at the point of the sword. This myth was perpetuated throughout the centuries of mistrust during and after the Crusades. Unfortunately, it survives to this day.
The word Jihad comes from the root word jahada, which means to struggle. So jihad is literally an act of struggling. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that the greatest jihad is to struggle with the insidious suggestions of one’s own soul. Thus jihad primarily refers to the inner struggle of being a person of virtue and submission to God in all aspects of life.
Secondarily, jihad refers to struggle against injustice. Islam, like many other religions, allows for armed self-defense, or retribution against tyranny, exploitation, and oppression. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“And why should ye not fight in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? - Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!"
[Al-Qur’an 4:75]
Thus Islam enjoins upon its believers to strive utmost, in purifying themselves, as well as in establishing peace and justice in the society. A Muslim can never be at rest when she sees injustice and oppression around her. As Martin Luther King Jr. said:
“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”
Islam enjoins upon all Muslims to work actively to maintain the balance in which God created everything. However, regardless of how legitimate the cause may be, the Glorious Qur’an never condones the killing of innocent people. Terrorizing the civilian population can never be termed as jihad and can never be reconciled with the teachings of Islam.
History of Tolerance
Even Western scholars have repudiated the myth of Muslims coercing others to convert. The great historian De Lacy O'Leary wrote:
"History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."[3]
Muslims ruled Spain for roughly 800 years. During this time, and up until they were finally forced out, the non-Muslims there were alive and flourishing. Additionally, Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan all have significant Christian and/or Jewish populations.
This is not surprising to a Muslim, for his faith prohibits him from forcing others to see his point of view. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.”
[Al-Qur’an 2:256]
Islam - The Great Unifier
Far from being a militant dogma, Islam is a way of life that transcends race and ethnicity. The Glorious Qur’an repeatedly reminds us of our common origin:
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
[Al-Qur’an 49:13]
Thus, it is the universality of its teachings that makes Islam the fastest growing religion in the world. In a world full of conflicts and deep schisms between human beings, a world that is threatened with terrorism, perpetrated by individuals and states, Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope for the future.
[1] Narrated in the collection of traditions of Abu Dawud [2] Narrated in the Musnad of Imam Ibn Hanbal [3] Islam At Crossroads, London, 1923, page 8
UN Rights Body Passes Islamophobia Resolution
Middle East Online, March 25, 2010
(condensed version)
(condensed version)
Islamophobia is in contradiction to human rights, freedoms of religionsResolution condemns laws specifically designed to control, monitor Muslim minorities.
GENEVA - The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday passed a resolution condemning Islamaphobic behaviour, including Switzerland's minaret building ban, despite some states' major reservations. The resolution "strongly condemns... the ban on the construction of minarets of mosques and other recent discriminatory measures." In a November referendum Swiss citizens voted to ban the construction of new minarets, a move that drew criticisms worldwide.
These measures "are manifestations of Islamophobia that stand in sharp contradiction to international human rights obligations concerning freedoms of religions," said the resolution. Such acts would "fuel discrimination, extremism and misperception leading to polarization and fragmentation with dangerous unintended and unforeseen consequences," it said. The resolution also "expresses deep concern ... that Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism."
It "regrets the laws or administrative measures specifically designed to control and monitor Muslim minorities, thereby stigmatising them and legitimising the discrimination they experience." Putting forward the resolution on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Pakistan's ambassador Zamir Akram said that the specific references to Islam, the only religion mentioned in the text, "reflect the existing regrettable situation in some parts of the world where Muslims are being targeted." Babacar Ba, who represents the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, also told reporters that the resolution was a "way to reaffirm once again our condemnation of the decision to ban construction of minarets in Switzerland."
"This initiative that breaches religious freedom and rights of Muslims to build their places of worship as they wish to," he added.
EXTREMISM RAISES ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN
Muslim Graves Damaged in Leeds Cemetery
(Loonwatch, March 22, 2010)
Nineteen gravestones have been vandalised in a section of a Leeds cemetery used by Muslims.
One headstone was broken and a number of name plaques on wooden stands were damaged at Harehills Cemetery. Police said they were “keeping an open mind” on whether the graves were deliberately targeted because they were linked to Muslim families.
The damage is believed to have happened overnight last Thursday. Witnesses are being asked to contact police. Insp Nik Adams said: “This incident has caused a great deal of upset and distress to a number of people in the local community.
One headstone was broken and a number of name plaques on wooden stands were damaged at Harehills Cemetery. Police said they were “keeping an open mind” on whether the graves were deliberately targeted because they were linked to Muslim families.
The damage is believed to have happened overnight last Thursday. Witnesses are being asked to contact police. Insp Nik Adams said: “This incident has caused a great deal of upset and distress to a number of people in the local community.
“Over the weekend we have worked alongside community and religious leaders to identify and contact the next of kin of those whose graves have been affected by this mindless vandalism. “At this stage in the investigation we are keeping an open mind on whether the graves were deliberately targeted because they were linked to Muslim families or whether they were vandalised because of their proximity to a nearby path and two thoroughfares that run through the cemetery.”
NETHERLANDS
Groningen Mosque Smeared with Blood
Groningen Mosque Smeared with Blood
In the Netherlands, that bastion of tolerance and liberty where polls have shown an increase in popularity for neo-fascist Muslim hater Geert Wilders we have the story of a pig head left by a Mosque which was also smeared with blood and animal intestines.
A mosque in the Selward neighborhood of Groningen was smeared with blood Tuesday night, police reports. In addition to the blood, animal innards and the head of a wild boar were found by the mosque. The Groningen city council responded in shock to the attack Thursday. “We are deeply affected, because Groningen hadn’t known such outrages till now. Only expressions of indignation and disgust are proper here,” according to deputy mayor Frank de Vries. “This doesn’t belong in our city. We immediately promised the mosque board our support.”
The police opened an investigation and will keep extra watch for the mosque and the area.
CANADA:
Ontario Mosque Vandalized
(Mach 20, 2010)
Our final story comes from Canada, where someone obviously wants to intimidate the “Mooslims.” (via: Islamophobia-Watch)
CANADA:
Ontario Mosque Vandalized
(Mach 20, 2010)
Our final story comes from Canada, where someone obviously wants to intimidate the “Mooslims.” (via: Islamophobia-Watch)
Regional police are investigating a possible hate crime after the mosque of the Muslim Society of Waterloo & Wellington Counties was vandalized this week.
Two windows were broken and offensive graffiti painted around the Erb Street building, leaving many members to question why someone would do such a thing to a place of worship. Offensive pentagonal symbols and the numbers 666 were painted around the building. The windows that were broken were in the women’s prayer area. “It’s a hate crime,” said Faheem Uddin, president of the mosque. “It’s pretty bad. It’s upsetting.” Yesterday, a large crowd attended a funeral at the mosque, with the graffiti and broken windows in plain view. “We just pray for the person who did this,” said Abdul Mannan. “May God guide him. We’re peace-living people. We love everyone and we want everyone to love us.” A news release sent out by Waterloo Masjid public relations states that similar incidents have occurred at mosques in Hamilton and Montreal.
(Los Angeles) Sheriff Lee Baca: A Man of Principle
(Loonwatch, March 24, 2010)
The loons love to cast themselves as the defenders of freedom and the vanguards of enlightenment against the dark forces of Islam. A self-image we have shattered over and over by hurling facts and exposing their ignorance and hateful hypocrisy.
A lot of these right wingers’ invective revolves around castigating the largest Muslim civil rights organization in America, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) because it is a strong and influential voice against bigotry and discrimination against Muslims and that just irks the Islamophobes. They have come up with all sorts of conspiracies revolving around CAIR including one that made Newsweek’s ‘Top Conspiracies of 2009.”
However it seems like they didn’t bargain for an encounter with Sheriff Lee Baca. L.A. County Sheriff Defends Himself, Muslims after Attack by Indiana Governor If L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca was feisty last week when he tangled with a Republican congressman in Washington, D.C., he was even more impassioned Tuesday while discussing it. A week ago, Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) impugned Baca during a House Homeland Security subcommittee meeting, saying the sheriff had allied himself with a Muslim American group that engaged in “radical” speech by going to its fundraisers. Baca not only attacked that description of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, but he also told Souder he would be fine with going to more fundraisers for the group.
“If he thinks I’m afraid of what he said, I will go to 10 fundraisers because he said it,” Baca declared Tuesday afternoon, just a few hours before a town hall meeting with the Muslim American community. Actually, Baca said, he’s been to only two fundraisers for the organization in four years, but that, he added, is not the point. What rankled Baca — aside from what he took as Souder personally challenging the sheriff’s patriotism — was what he saw as the congressman’s inaccurate assessment of the group. “In other words, he’s an amateur intelligence officer,” Baca said.
Several times a year, the Muslim American Homeland Security Congress — an independent group set up to advise Baca and forge a partnership between the department and Muslim Americans — and the Sheriff’s Department’s Muslim Community Affairs Unit hold forums to discuss issues. The one Tuesday night was scheduled before the dust-up in Washington offered a charged topic for discussion. When Baca spoke at the Tuesday event, he was given a standing ovation by the 75 or so people at the Omar ibn Al-Khattab Foundation near USC. Baca called Souder’s comments “scary” and said they were an affront to all Muslim Americans. “When you attack CAIR,” he said, “you attack virtually every Muslim in America.”
Baca’s response to Souder was a statement in defense of democracy, said Maher Hathout, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Southern California. “And they will not vanish,” he said. “They are on the record and they are a landmark on the road of our democracy.” Salam Al-Marayati, Executive Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles, hailed Baca as a hero. “Sheriff Baca is our champion and is our hero in defending us against McCarthyism in this era,” Al-Marayati said. Although CAIR, a national Muslim civil liberties group, has its critics, Baca said the local offices represent average Muslim Americans “very committed to the safety of the U.S. It is not an organization that supports or promotes terrorism.” He added that the group supported a proposed half-cent sales tax hike for law enforcement. “I think CAIR’s support for public safety is unequivocal,” he said.
Baca said he believes strongly in a connection between public safety and religious understanding. The Sheriff’s Department’s interfaith council, he said, has been working for a decade on projects such as passing out food baskets to the homeless and counseling drug addicts. “We have all faiths represented — Jewish, Muslim, Scientology is even involved.” The Muslim American Homeland Security Congress was set up in the wake of “this constant uninformed chatter about religion being a factor in terrorism,” he said. “I’m saying — because I’ve read the Koran and been involved with Muslim Americans for years — this is not correct. God has nothing to do with mentally ill people committing terrorist acts. If a mentally ill person is using Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Scientology to say ‘This is part of why I’m doing this,’ I say, ‘Well, guess what, don’t act like you’re God, you don’t have God’s authority.’
Baca is Catholic. “I’m a weak Catholic; I’m not suggesting I’m doing my best at it,” he said. “I respect Catholicism and I respect all faiths.” Without them, he said, “our crime would be outrageous. We would not be a civilized world.”
Book Series on Islam Aimed at Young Students Heavily Biased
(Loonwatch, March 18, 2010)
The Foreign Policy Research Institute and Mason Crest Publishers have come out with a 10 volume series of textbooks titled “World of Islam” which is littered with fearmongering, anti-Muslim sentiment, inaccuracy and bias.
MUSLIM GROUP CONDEMS ISLAM BOOK SERIES
The Pennsylvania chapter of a Muslim-rights group accused a Philadelphia think tank and its Broomall publisher yesterday of “fearmongering,” inaccuracy, and bias in a 10-volume series of textbooks titled World of Islam.
The 64-page volumes, produced and edited by the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Mason Crest Publishers, are aimed at middle and high school students.
At a news conference at its Center City office, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) cited passages it deemed inflammatory. Among them: “Muslims began immigrating to the United States in order to transform American society, sometimes through the use of terrorism.”
The group contended that such language obscured the reality that most people, Muslims included, come to America simply for better lives.
“When you finish reading these books you walk away with the impression that Muslims are inherently violent, that Islam is a second-rate religion, and that one should be wary of Muslims in any society,” said Moein Khawaja, civil rights director of CAIR-PA.
Alan Luxenberg, vice president of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said that the allegations were “without basis” and that CAIR had “misconstrued the intended meaning of the books.” Founded in 1955, the nonprofit institute conducts research and education on international affairs.
No one from the publishing house was immediately available for comment, although the company has offered to send complimentary copies for review “to any journalist on request.”
Khawaja said he did not know which, if any, school districts had bought the series. But he said complaints from other CAIR chapters suggested the books were in public and academic libraries in more than 20 states.
“The Free Library of Philadelphia” has a set, he said, “and we thought it better to speak out now” before the series gets wider distribution.
Khawaja urged schools and libraries that have the books to replace them with another 10-part series, Introducing Islam, which is also published by Mason Crest. That series, he said, “does what a schoolbook is supposed to do: educate.”
Khawaja said he would donate a set of that series to the Free Library. Library administrators were not immediately available for comment.
(Ed Note: Al-Qaida - One of the sickest of all terrorist groups)
Al-Qaida Hiding Bombs In Breast Implants, Says MI5
ANI, Mar 24, 2010, Times of India
LONDON: Al-Qaida is laying deadly “booby traps” by equipping its female suicide bombers with explosive breast implants that are impossible to be detected at airport security checkpoints, British intelligence agency MI5 has claimed.
“Women suicide bombers recruited by al-Qaida are known to have had the explosives inserted in their breasts under techniques similar to breast enhancing surgery,” the British newspaper Sun quoted terrorist expert Joseph Farah, as saying.
The lethal explosives called PETN are inserted inside plastic shapes during the operation, before the breast is then sewn up, he added.
According to the MI5, al-Qaida doctors have been trained at some of Britain’s leading teaching hospitals before returning to their own countries to perform the surgical procedures. The intelligence agency has also discovered that extremists are inserting the explosives into the buttocks of some male suicide bombers. Top surgeons have confirmed the feasibility of the explosive implants. “Properly inserted, the implant would be virtually impossible to detect by the usual airport scanning machines,” one surgeon said.
“You would need to subject a suspect to a sophisticated X-ray. Given that the explosive would be inserted in a sealed plastic sachet, and would be a small amount, would make it all the more impossible to spot it with the usual body scanner,” he added. A sachet containing as little as five ounces of PETN could blow “a considerable hole” in an airline’s skin, causing it to crash, experts said.
A SAUDI BLOGGER'S INTELLECTUAL FIGHT AGAINST THE EXTREMISTS
A Saudi women in an "abaya" cloak. A Saudi housewife's bold poems which blast "evil" extremist fatwas by Muslim clerics have earned her death threats but could yet win her a 1.3-million-dollar poetry contest on Emirati television. (AFP/File/Hassan Ammar)
GENDER IMBALANCE IN INDIA:
(Ed Note: It is stated in the Holy Quran that daughters are a GIFT from Allah. Let's not forget that during the early period of Prophet's life, females were considered a big liability and new born females were frequently buried alive. Prophet Mohamed (SAW) condemned above practice was was solely responsible for stopping above infanticide, thereby in the process saved the lives of thousands of females)
A lone Indian woman waits for a bus in New Delhi. Gender imbalances have worsened across much of Asia where the traditional preference for male births has combined with modern technology such as ultrasound scans that make it easy to know the gender of an unborn child. (AFP/Prakash Singh
An Indian woman talks on a phone while waiting for a bus in New Delhi. Medical experts say the natural gender ratio should be 103-107 males born for every 100 females - a tilt that apparently compensates for higher infant mortality rates in males. (AFP/Prakash Singh)
An Indian woman (right) waits for a bus in New Delhi on March 17. While having a scan, a pregnant woman in India is not allowed to learn the gender of her unborn child. But her bill might be presented in a file coloured blue or pink -- and the meaning is clear. (AFP/Prakash Singh)
What About Grooms For Muslim Girls In Orphanages?
by Adnan Alavi on September 15, 2007 in Featured, India
(Thanks to Sister Jabeen Mubashishira from Los Angeles for forwarding below article)
(ED Note: Although below article may seem old, the problem continues to this day. Islam is a way of life and this implies that different aspects of life need to be addressed. Unfortunately, many Muslims neglect many of the social aspects and overly emphasize on spiritual and ritualistic aspects, which are no doubt very important but do not represent all facets that constitutes Islam. Further in a materialistic world, where DOWRY translates to FREE cash and other materials of value, the ability of an orphan girl and her sponsors to offer any dowry is none or at best extremely limited. We strongly encourage Muslim men to consider orphan Muslim girls as potential brides and would have deep respect for such men who could not only marry an Muslim orphan but also enrich her life by giving her lifelong companionship, peace and happiness, inshallah)
It’s an old problem. Muslim girls in the Homes for Destitutes and Orphanages who don’t get proposals from Muslim youths in the society. They don’t have much choices. Either they remain unmarried. Or get married to non-Muslims but in this situation there is a great hue and cry from the Muslim society.
In the State Government’s Nari Niketan at Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), the girls reportedly agreed that when no Muslim boys were ready to marry them, they could accept non-Muslim grooms who liked them. That’s basically a social problem where the clergy and Muslim society must act. Poor girls whose parents die in mishaps or due to other causes end up at Nari Niketans and then it’s the job of the Muslim society (social workers) to find suitable matches for them. There are not many Muslim orphanages (the Waqf Boards are always facing funds crunch to ever think of opening such institutes) and private Muslim destitute homes are rare.
Muslim society hardly cares for their orphans and homeless kids in India. So when they go to state-run homes or orphanages run by other communities and the girls don’t get marital proposals, it is the fault of Muslim society.
In a secular country if a Muslim girl in a state-run orphanage, says that she is willing to marry a Hindu boy then one can’t really object. The responsibility to raise her was shunned by the same society when the girl was a destitute kid and needed protection. In the past when girls in Meerut Nari Niketan were married off to Hindu boys, it led to a major controversy.
On my blog I had written about how Muslim girls were married off to Bahai and other communities. Saharanpur and Meerut districts have huge Muslim population, especially Saharanpur that is also home to Deoband seminary. There is anger amongst Muslims in Saharanpur and people are frustrated with the role of Muslim organisations including Jamiat Ulama, Jamat Ahl-e-Hadis, Milli Council et al for failing to ever inquire about the condition of Muslim girls in orphanages. The Jamat-e-Islami has reportedly taken the initiative and the Ameer-e-Jamat of the district visited the Nari Niketan. They have told authorities that they will find suitable grooms for the Muslim girls.
NEW YEAR CELEBRATION IN KASHMIR
Kashmiri villagers celebrate Nowruz festival at Sumbal village, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Srinagar, India, Monday, March 22, 2010. Nowruz is the start of spring and is celebrated as new year in many countries of Central Asia. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)
Folk dancers in national costumes perform during the festivities marking the holiday of Navruz in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Navruz, central Asia's spring 'New Year' holiday, falls on March 21. (AP Photo/Anvar Ilyasov)
THANKS TO THE US ARMY FOR ITS POLICY REFLECTING INCREASED TOLERANCE TO MINORITIES
U.S. Army Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan speaks to journalists a U.S. Army officer basic training graduation ceremony at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on Monday, March 22, 2010. Capt. Rattan is the first Sikh allowed to complete officer basic training while wearing the traditional turban and full beard since the Army altered the dress code, which had made exceptions for Sikh soldiers, in 1984. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
U.S. Army Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan, center wearing turban, stands with other graduates as they sing 'The Army Goes Rolling Along' during a U.S. Army officer basic training graduation ceremony at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on Monday, March 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
U.S. Army Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan, center wearing turban, stands with other graduates during a U.S. Army officer basic training graduation ceremony at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on Monday, March 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
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