Guantanamo prisoners to be transferred to Baku An Azerbaijani newspaper reported

The Newspaper Musavat Novin, printed in Baku, reported that an agreement was made between the Azerbaijani government and the American government regarding the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Azerbaijan at the same time that the country is on the verge of voting for a referendum regarding its constitution.

This newspaper wrote the following about how Azerbaijan is a strategic position for American forces: “American airplanes enter the Azerbaijan Republic every day and then fly to Afghanistan and other countries. But, the information regarding what these planes are carrying remains secret. It is not clear whether they are carrying prisoners or military equipment. This issue creates the conditions necessary to transfer prisoners.”

This report was published when the Obama administration issued a statement saying that they are closing Guantanamo Bay. Source

Converts from: Australia, China, Greece, Peru, Israel, Indonesia, Lebanon, South Africa, USA.

Converts from: Australia, China, Greece, Peru, Israel, Indonesia, Lebanon, South Africa, USA.

Part One



Part Two

The following table shows the 50 countries with the highest percentage of Muslims.

Country -- %of Muslims -- Muslim Population
Mauritania - 99.9% - 3,083,772
Maldives - 99.9% - 348,756
Western Sahara - 99.8% - 272,461
Somalia - 99.5% - 8,548,670
Turkey - 99% - 68,963,953
Iran - 99% - 67,337,681
Algeria - 99% - 32,206,534
Afghanistan- 99% - 29,629,697
Yemen - 99% - 20,519,792
Tunisia - 99% - 9,974,201
Oman - 99% - 2,971,567
Comoros - 99% - 664,534
Djibouti - 99% - 471,935
Morocco - 98.7% - 32,300,410
Iraq - 97% - 25,292,658
Libya - 97% - 5,592,596
Pakistan - 96.35% - 156,491,617
Saudi Arabia - 95.7% - 25,281,642
Tajikistan - 95% - 6,805,330
Jordan - 95% - 5,471,745
Qatar - 95% - 819,898
Senegal - 94% - 10,459,222
Azerbaijan - 93.4% - 7,389,783
Egypt - 91% - 70,530,237
Mali - 90% - 11,062,376
Niger - 90% - 10,499,343
Gambia - 90% - 1,433,930
Uzbekistan - 89% - 23,897,563
Turkmenistan - 89% - 4,407,352
Indonesia - 88.22% - 213,469,356
Bangladesh 88% - 127,001,272
Syria - 88% - 16,234,901
Guinea - 85% - 8,047,686
Kuwait - 85% - 1,985,300
Bahrain - 85% - 585,093
Palestine - 84% - 3,159,999
Kyrgyzstan - 80% - 4,117,024
UAE - 76% - 1,948,041
Lebanon - 70% - 2,678,212
Albania - 70% - 2,494,178
Brunei - 67% - 249,481
Sudan - 65% - 26,121,865
Malaysia - 60.4% - 14,467,694
Sierra Leone - 60% - 3,610,585
Burkina Faso - 55% - 7,658,922
Chad - 54% - 5,306,266
Nigeria - 50% - 64,385,994
Eritrea - 50% - 2,280,799
Ethiopia - 47.5% - 34,700,310
Kazakhstan - 47% - 7,137,346

Grand Total is.....My calculator is not handy anyone is welcome to add it :D

References

* US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004
* CIA Factbook
* adherents.com
* Religious Freedom page
* census.gov

This List was compiled by the Works of Religious facts

islamic and arabic art Calligraphy

Who are the Righteous ? What is Righteousness ?

In the name of God, the most compassionate, most merciful.

Who are the Righteous ? What is Righteousness ?
"Righteousness is NOT turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in God, the Last Day, the Angels, the Scripture, and the Prophets, and the GIVE THEIR MONEY cheerfully, to the relative, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to FREE THE SLAVES, and they observe the contact prayer and give the obligatory Charity, and they KEEP THEIR WORD whenever they make a PROMISE, and they steadfastly persevere IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION, HARDSHIP AND WAR. These are the truthful, these are the righteous" 2:177

First I don't know where to begin in regards to the principals taught about giving back to your community and outside that as to help travelers and freeing slaves.
I don't think anyone would DISAGREE with the principals taught here.

The Quran explains what a Righteous person is, also not the Righteous are mentioned alot in the Quran, and among them are all believers in the One true God over all creation.

There is no dispute in that matter whatsoever, The Quran explain and teaches its lessons to mankind as a whole, all readers realize that its a book written to interact with you personally.
This book is not the work of man. Read it for yourself and see.

Are you among the Righteous ?

Islam Forbids the Killing of Innocent People

According to Islam it is a great sin to kill an innocent person, and anyone who does so will suffer great torment in the hereafter:

...So We decreed for the tribe of Israel that if someone kills another person - unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth - it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind. Our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs but even after that many of them committed outrages in the earth. (Surat al-Maida: 32)

As we can see from the above verse, killing one innocent person is regarded as equivalent to killing all of mankind. In another verse, the importance that the faithful attach to life is expressed in these terms:

"Those who do not call on any other god together with Allah and do not kill anyone Allah has made inviolate, except with the right to do so, and do not fornicate; anyone who does that will receive an evil punishment" (Surat al-Furqan: 68 )

In yet another verse, Allah issues the following commandment:More

Jesus-pbuh his mission will be fullfilled upon his return.

Islam teaches and explains the birth of Jesus(pbuh), His family line, His blessed virgin mother Mary(pbuh). Islam teaches that Jesus(pbuh) will return and therefor explaining why God lifted him as though saying his mission is not complete yet. God has a far greater plan at hand.

To say Jesus mission is full filled is inaccurate according to Islam. Jesus(pbuh) did bring down the gospel, which was inscribed in him. According to the Quran, The miracle child spoke at birth to protect HIS mother Mary(pbuh) from their people, who were outraged that she would have a child with out being married and coming from a righteous family as well.

The Verse goes as stated

“O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!”

But she pointed to the babe. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”

He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet;

“And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;

“(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;

“So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)”!] (Maryam 19:26-33)
Note - The word die here is ment only in the physical relm, but spiritually well that unkillable.

JESUS(PBUH) SPOKE AT BIRTH, The Second miracle sent with Jesus( pbuh) after his birth. As I explained the Quran says, the Gospel was inscribed in him, further clarifying that he only spoke the Gospel, further authenticating and affirming the other descriptions about Jesus (pbuh) in the Quran, as the word of God, the spirit of God, the Son of Mary.

The Quran clarifies all miss conceptions about Jesus, his birth, his mission, his peoples rejection,The Jewish leadership plot against him, his message and his return. Jesus(pbuh) will return, because according to the bible the comforter would speak pure of inspiration and that he is an unlearned man. Mohammad(pbuh) spoke out of pure inspiration. Source

What some great intellectuals have said about Islam, the Bible, and the Holy Quran

Our civilization is standing at dangerous crossroads. The Bible cannot provide workable foundations for the survival of mankind. (Lord Snell, The New World.

For the redemption of humanity we will have to look toward the owner [Mohammad] of the Qur'an not toward Chrisitianity. (Lewis Mumford, Faith for Living.

The Bible cannot lead us to an international religion, nor can it unify all mankind. (Ehrich Fromm, The Sane Society.

The teachings of Islam can fail under no circumstances. No human mind can go beyond the Qur'an. (Johann Goethe - Letters to Eckermann, Sir Henry Elliott’s Collection) 2.

The code of permanent values can only come through Revelation to chosen personalities (messengers) of God.
(Albert Einstein 1879-1955 - Out of My Later Days)

The word of Mohammad is a voice, direct from nature's own heart . . . all else is wind in comparison.
(Thomas Carlyle - On Heroes and Hero Worship)

If the society is not conducive to the growth of human personality, people would remain slaves even if such a society were perceived to be free.
(Nicholes Berdyeau - Destiny of Man)

For the development of SELF I need a society where others' benefit feels like my own.
(Hastings Rashdall - Theory of Good and Evil)

The development of the human personality [NAFS] can take place only collectively with other members of the society.
(Robert Briffault - The Making of Humanity)

The purpose of life is the development of humanity in a collective social order. (Prof A.N.
Whitehead, British author teaching at Harvard in 1920s - Adventure of Ideas)

Development of the self [self-actualization] can take place only in an equitable social system.
(Robert Briffault, The Making of Humanity)


International order for all mankind is the time's foremost demand.
(John Reves - Politics in Future)

The world needs not only for its development but also for its very survival a universal "way of life" in which economic, social, and moral values are uniform for all.
(Frederick Hertz - Nationality, History and Politics)

The purpose of life is development of the person and thereby, of all humanity en mass. (Prof A. N.
Whitehead - Adventure of Ideas)

The real progress entails development of an international social order in which every individual can grow to one’s full potential.
(Hastings Rashdall - The Theory of Good and Evil)

Islam offers a beautiful collective system which says Yes to Life.
(Nicholes Berdyeau - The Divine and the Human)

A complete way of life which would be universal is neither present in human instinct nor can we devise it through intellect. It can only come through Revelation.
(Prof Alfred Cobban - The Crisis of Civilization)

We need a religion that can transcend nationalism and make the world one Nation.
(Robert Murray - The Individual and the State)

Only Islam can transcend the boundaries of nationalism.
(Arnold Toynbee, The World and the West)

In order to make true progress, man must exercise his free will in accordance with the Divine guidance. Man must do this, not to put God under any obligation, but for the evolution of his own SELF. (British astronomer, Sir Arthur S.
Eddington 1882-1944 - Science and the Unseen World)

The time for nations has already passed. The era of mankind as one community is about to dawn. (W. Chardin - Building of the Earth) 19. The solution to humanity's problems lies not in internationalism. It rests in the Qur'anic teaching of universal brotherhood of all men.
(Neveres Emery - The Anatomy of Peace)

The world will shortly see a single government without borders in which the affairs of human beings will be a matter of counsel.
(Gummer Murdael - Beyond the Welfare State)

No tangible forces, no intangible powers, can stop Islam from becoming the universal faith. This is because only Islam can march along with the evolution of human civilization.
(German born, American psychoanalyst, 1900-1980, Erich Fromm - The Sane Society)

It is the sacred duty of our civilization that we revive the true human brotherhood which existed at the beginning of life and after which people divided.
(Professor Hugh Miller - Country and State)

The ideal society will be one where the wellness of others will feel like my own wellness.
(German philosopher, Immanuel Kant 1724-1804 - Critique of Practical Reason)

The teachings of Islam can fail under no circumstances. With all our systems of culture and civilization, we cannot go beyond Islam and, as a matter of fact, no human mind can go beyond the Qur'an. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the celebrated German poet and thinker, in his letters to J. Eckermann and Sir Henry Elliot)) In fact, Islam is so scientific that the noted Russian thinker, P.D. Ouspensky, stated that any science that collides with the Qur'an will turn out to be false.
(Tertium organum)

Sometimes people wonder if Islam has run its course. The bullet has been fired. What remains is just the empty barrel. This is a dangerously false assumption. Dangerous because it deprives humanity of the only hope it has. An examination of history bears out the fact that Islam has not failed, Muslims have. And Muslims have failed because they abandoned the Qur'an in favor of manmade books written centuries later! The moment they return to the Book, the Muslims will attain their lost glory. Or, whichever nation for that matter, embraces the Qur'an will establish the ideal state on the planet. Let us recall what George Bernard Shaw had said, "Mohammad, the wonderful man - in my opinion he must be called the Savior of humanity." -- "I predict that tomorrow's Europe will embrace Islam." Thus, the exalted Messenger will prove to be the Savior of humanity as he did 14 centuries ago. His sublime Message is perfectly alive and well.

Yvonne Ridley New 2006 Interview Talks about Islam

Yvonne Ridley New 2006 Interview Talks about Islam This is amazing, she talks about how as a feminist she became Muslim. She left Church of England and Christianity to become a Muslim. She loves Islam a lot and she finds it gives her many rights and freedom that nothing else can give. Yvonne Ridley Convert to Islam

Children of Abraham three part Video series

Part One series


Part Two


Part Three

Islam and Modernity

KATE SEELYE: Here at al Azhar, one of the Muslim world’s oldest and most respected centers of learning and worship, Muslims come to study and pray and to ask how to live a devout life in the modern world. They come for fatwas — religious rulings that are nonbinding. Clerics give advice on how to be good Muslims in matters of religion, family and even finance.
This vendor says fatwas are indispensable.

MOHAMMED (through translator): You feel very reassured after getting a fatwa, and you know you can build your future plans on it.

SEELYE: But recently, some of Azhar’s fatwas have come under criticism. Last year a cleric ruled that an unmarried man and woman could work together alone, which is normally forbidden in Islam, but only if the woman established a maternal relationship with her colleague by breastfeeding him five times. The cleric was suspended for his fatwa, which raised questions about Islam’s relationship with modernity.

In Egypt, the modern and the traditional live side by side. Like other developing countries, Egypt has been flooded in the last decade with new technologies like satellite TV and the Internet, and that’s exposed this conservative society to a confusing mix of Western values and culture.

Dr. Ragab Abu Malih

Islam Online is trying to help Muslims navigate this fast-changing environment. It’s one of the Muslim world’s most popular Internet sites and provides religious advice as well as counseling and information about health, science, and culture in both Arabic and English.

Clerics like Ragab Abu Malih take questions during live fatwa sessions four times a day. He says he receives more than 700 queries daily but can only answer a fraction of them.

Dr. RAGAB ABU MALIH (Managing Editor, Shari’ah Section, Islam Online, through translator): I think if we answered the 700 questions, then more would come. People are asking questions they never had before because of new technologies and influences.

SEELYE: Questions include whether it’s permissible to find a spouse through the Internet. Can a man divorce his wife in a text message? And what about Internet chatting? Flirting between men and women is forbidden in Islam, but can they chat online? According to clerics here, it’s best if a third party monitors the chat.

ABU MALIH (through translator): The Qur’an did not mention these details in their entirety, but it guides us in our advice.

SEELYE: But critics question the advice being given. Islam Online may be using modern technology, but it’s spreading a very traditional message. The cleric who founded the site, Yousef Qaradawi, is considered a moderate in the region. But his fatwas have opposed women traveling alone without a male guardian, and he’s ruled against women being heads of state. Source

For secular Muslims like Dalia Ziade, such views are decidedly anti-modern. Ziade is a human rights activist. The 26-year-old accuses religious institutions in Egypt of spreading fundamentalist beliefs, like the veiling of women.

Report: Prejudice against Muslims on rise

WASHINGTON — Discrimination and hate crimes against Arab-Americans have dropped in recent years after a spike following the 9/11 attacks, but such prejudice is still more common than in the 1980s and 1990s, according to a report by an advocacy group.

The study gives Hollywood some credit for presenting a more balanced view of Arabs and Muslims in recent films. But it said prejudice is worse than ever in popular culture. It particularly faulted the news media for allowing political commentators to inflame fears that Muslims are terrorists.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee released the study Thursday, calling it the most comprehensive look at prejudice and racially motivated violence that Arab-Americans and Muslims faced in the United States between 2003 and 2007.
Full Story

Are reverts to Islam more eager to discover Islam then born Muslims ?

It seems to me that (most) Muslim converts are more religious and eager to know about Islam than a good amount of those who are born Muslims?

Its a very good question to think about

Its easy to think that it can be what your born into, for example if someone is born rich, they tend to not appreciate wealth and spend at will for personal pleasure and not even consider how much they are spending. Money is nothing

People born into Islam in many occasions understand it from whats around them and might not be taking full advantage of what they have in the Quran. Many reverts dig deeper in my opinion to show the more sensible, reasonable, modest, among so many other attribute. for example many great former Christians have inspired many new converted Muslims like yusuf estes. Yet again many Muslims have as well done so, I think its all well balanced and Allah knows best.Full Post

What have Muslims done in since 9-11 to denounce Terrorism

In Iran, they observed a minute's silence for the victims of 9/11. Ayatollah Imami Kashani said this act of terrorism could only be condemned by all Muslims, adding that the whole world should mobilise against terrorism. On September 18th, Iranians held a vigil on the streets of Tehran. They lit candles, prayed for the victims, and condemned terrorism.

In Bangladesh and Indonesia they held rallies condemning terrorism.

Palestinian organizations strongly condemned the terrorist attack. Palestinians held candle light vigils on September 12th and 14th to express their grief and solidarity with Americans. Close to a million Palestinian students stood for five minutes in silence, to express their solidarity for American children who were struck by the tragedy. Palestinian university students in East Jerusalem began a blood drive to donate blood to the victims of 9/11.

In Kuwait, they sent so many flowers in sympathy to the American Embassy, it formed a ring around the embassy.

Every leader, from every Muslim country, except Iraq, condemned the terrorist attack and denounced terrorism, along with thousands of Muslim organizations and scholars around the world.

American Muslims held a rally in Washington attended by thousands to condemn terrorism.

Here in the United States, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), American Muslim Alliance, American Muslim Council, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim American Society, Islamic Society of North America, Islamic Circle of North America, Muslim Alliance in North America, and American Muslims for Jerusalem all condemned the attacks and denounced terrorism. These groups represent most of the seven million Muslims in the United States. None of it made national headlines, just local headlines.

Thanks to Isabella-37

Allahu Akbar

You might have seen plenty of Muslims in so many parts of the world, in a protest or in a video or in a articles, even in comments saying Allah'u Akbar, over and over again.

Why so much emphasis on these words. whats so great about saying Allah'u Akbar for Muslims.

Lets look at the Islamic Call to prayer ( translated )-Also see Video

God is Greater , God is Greater
God is Greater , God is Greater

I testify that there is no God except God.
I testify that there is no God except God.

I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.

Come to prayer! Come to prayer!

Come to success! Come to success!

God is Greater , God is Greater

There is none worthy of worship except God.

The Words Allah'u Akbar - translated would be God is greater.

You may ask yourself, greater then what ?? why does the chant stop there ?? whats the meaning of saying God is greater if your not gonna say whats its greater of ??

Which should lead to the only answer to it and that is anything. Thats the reasoning why its left the way it is and its direct and to the point. God is greater.

As they pray, as they celebrate, as they remorse, as they achieve, as they fall ( illness), as they protest, as the chant in agreement that God is greater, God is greater, God is greater.

Its easy to see that the words Allah'u Akbar is something that is not just simply associated to Muslims and Islam, It actually makes a Very Valid Point for ALL BELIEVERS, not only Muslims.

Who among the believers would dare to say that Muslims are wrong to say God is Greater ?? or greatest depending on the translator. either way the statment is pure, simple and straight forward. God is Greater.

The arrival of Islam in Africa

One common mistake about neo-conservative/right-wing thought and the general trend that followed in the wake of Huntington’s Clash of Civilisations, is that Islam “colonised” Africa. This suggestion that Islam “colonised Africa” was reflected in Lyndall Beddy’s comment of 23 July. While I hold no brief for Muslims or Islam, it should be made clear that one historical account of the “arrival” of the religion on the continent explains that it preceded the colonial period in Africa. So, any persistent attempts to link Islam with the colonial period is delusional; by which I mean a person holding onto a belief even when facts to the contrary are presented.

I also do not want this to slide into a debate in which commentators and contributors speak at cross purposes, mix levels of analysis or launch personal attacks such as the one which suggests that I am a typical academic who has no on-the-ground experience. Again, such comments are unproductive and, well, may be delusional. Regardless of what the facts of my background may say the personal comments will continue.

So, here’s a brief reply to Lyndall Beddy’s comment which, like her first (and another, which I shall deal with in a later post) is without factual basis. Read full post

Chinese Interest in Islamic Banking

By Lahem al Nasser

Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- We will not be able to say that Islamic banking has become a strong competitor to conventional banking unless it is able to surmount the Great Wall of China and settle upon the Chinese mainland and take advantage of what is considered to be one of the world's fastest growing economies. According to the World Bank, the Chinese economy is expected to experience a growth of 6.5 percent –during the [global] financial crisis – while during the same period of time the World Bank expects world growth not to exceed 1.5 percent. China is considered to be the US's largest creditor, and its investment in US bonds exceed one trillion dollars, while its own monetary reserve stands at nearly two trillion dollars, according to the CNN Arabic website. A Price Waterhouse report predicted that by 2050 the Chinese economy would surpass the [combined] economy of the G7 countries. The report based its prediction on Chinese purchasing power, which is founded upon the savings culture that is prevalent among the Chinese population, and their aversion to debt. China is also considered to be one of the more attractive countries for foreign investment which helps to finance this rapid growth. By the end of 2007 foreign investment in China reached approximately $74 billion.

According to Western estimates, China has a Muslim minority in the Xinjiang province with a population between 70 and 90 million. Yet until today, Islamic banking has confined itself to standing on the Chinese borders [and looking in]. Islamic Banking has a presence in Singapore – a country which borders China – as well as Hong Kong – the island under Chinese control – but has not crossed onto mainland China. To be honest I cannot find any justification to the long delay of Islamic Banking in making this crossing, especially since the Chinese government has been making overtures to this industry. This can be seen with regards to the People's Bank of China gaining membership to the Islamic Financial Services Board [IFSB]. The IFSB – whose premises are in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur - is an international body concerned with promoting, strengthening, and developing standards of Islamic financial services.

China – from time to time- has sent positive messages to the Islamic banking industry; this includes monetary authorities in Hong Kong attempting to provide a sound environment for Islamic banking operations by amending their laws to the specifications of Islamic banking, especially with regards to Islamic Sukuk [bonds], as well as the establishment of Islamic indexes on the Hong Kong stock exchange. More



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Turkey's Top Science Magazine pulled Darwin's picture of cover last second

TURKEY is the Islamic world's leading secular democracy. It spends a large proportion of its income on scientific research and aims to match that of the European Union by 2013. Turks like science: one of the country's top-selling magazines is the popular science monthly Bilim ve Teknik ("Science and Technology"), published by the country's scientific funding agency TÜBITAK. The best-seller is a science monthly for kids.

But Turkey is also a hotbed of creationism. So when a cover feature on Darwin planned for the March issue of Bilim ve Teknik was pulled at the last minute, it caused an uproar. Turkish scientists suspected that pressure from religious politicians had led to censorship. Is Turkey changing course? Does this bode ill for science in the Muslim world?
Turkish scientists suspected that pressure from religious politicians led to censorship
Full Story



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Message to the Muslim world from President Obama

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- President Obama has given the Muslim community around the world the message we have been waiting for.

He reassured Muslims in America that "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers." For those like me who were critical of his standoffish attitude toward Islam during his campaign, this signaled a welcome change.

Even more important was his subsequent statement: "To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

In traveling throughout Western Europe in the past two years, I heard several anti-American comments; these Europeans were challenging me, a Muslim, about American foreign policy in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Muslim countries, I've heard admiring comments about how great it must be to live in a rich country like America, followed by accusations that, "your President Bush doesn't like us Muslims."

As a Muslim-American, I have found myself in a difficult position. In America, I've had to explain Islam to other Americans, and abroad, I've had to explain America to those in the Muslim world. Full Article






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The Entire Quran/ Listen and Read translation.

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Dutch TV show exonerates bin Laden

A Dutch TV jury has found Osama bin Laden not guilty of the September 11 attacks.

In the conclusion Wednesday night to the show Devil's Advocate on Dutch public broadcaster Nederland 2, the jury of two men and three women, along with the studio audience, ruled that there was no proof bin Laden was the mastermind behind the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in 2001.

The Netherlands, home to Big Brother creator Endemol, is known for being on the cutting edge of format-based television.

But even for Dutch standards, Devil's Advocate, from Amsterdam production house AVRO, pushes the envelope.

The show features star defence attorney Gerard Spong standing up for some of the world's worst criminals.

In the latest show, Spong was able to convince the jury that bin Laden's connection to September 11 was a product of "Western propaganda".

The jury also ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove bin Laden was the real head of terrorist network Al Qaeda.

The jury did rule, however, that bin Laden is a "terrorist who has misused Islam".

The show is certain to provide further ammunition in the already heated Dutch debate over immigration and the country's large Muslim minority.

The Netherlands saw a sharp rise in anti-immigration and anti-Islamic sentiment after the 2004 murder of Dutch director Theo Van Gogh by a Muslim extremist.

Spong has been at the centre of the debate, supporting legal action against anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders.



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Former Christian Minister how I came to Islam

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Benazir killer responsible for Lahore attack: Pakistan

Director General of Pakistani Rangers General Yaqoob Khan said that Hizratullah, the terrorist captured alive during Monday's attack at the academy, said that he was sent by Baitullah Masood. Pakistani initiated UN investigations are it appears are a political swindle - The killer is known it is not 'foreign' it is within...will the government now take measures to stop the investigation and get the 5m US $ of a very poor nation back. The killer is known to everyone from the day one.

Baitullah Mehsud- is the enemy within!!

The killers are hunting the nation. What a dishonor, the killer who was obvious caught on tape from day one was left to operate and given an advantage of uncertainty for opinionated gains which were minimalistic. Politics cannot be played on dead bodies, that callous display of opportunism overlooked by nearly all and sundry in Pakistan is today consuming the public like a cancer. Heartless assassins removed an icon of democracy and pluralism in Pakistan, however, political expediency took over the better of our conscious, in a sorrowful display of politics over her dead body the nation imploded within. Her killers remain at large in the wilderness.

Mehsud has claimed responsibility for Monday's attack at the police training academy on the outskirts of Lahore. The opportunity to grab them was lost by the present leadership, when she was assassinated the leadership instead of condemning Mehsud politicised the carnage and pointed fingers at government in supremacy. Now in a peculiar turn of events this outrageous politicisation has come to a full turn.

The real culprits who want to subvert Pakistan and make it a 'religious caliphate' were given a clean slate by a bunch of very 'secular imprudent people.' The real murderers can now cherry pick their leaders to eliminate and still get away with all this carnage. We and our 'dillydallying' as a nation are paying a price for ineptitude and power lusty gamesmanship post-BB murder. The political leadership of our country remains inept, futile and totally power hungry with no idea of penalties emerging from dreadful results of political expediency.

I wrote at the time that for sake of record one should note that politicising an ideologically stimulated slaughter will bring great damage to Pakistan. Baitullah today has been accused by the Pakistanis as the brain behind the Lahore incident and now pointed as BB killer. The nation lost a great change to channel the combined hatred of nation to eliminate Al-Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban, the message of Qatil league - Mush nexus divided a conspiracy prone nation in 90/10% divide where 90% believed that it was government agencies, it created a rift with the Army and golden opportunity to unleash full force of government behind the killers of BB was lost to political gamesmanship and point scoring. Political Islam pre-occupation with global enforcement of the Shariah law and establishment of a global capihate on a papal style has been a wish that has never died amngst the faithful. From 'Wahabbi elements to Ayatolahs and to the secular Turks' in one form or the other the dream is alive. Taliban has driven this dream relentlessly with blood, horror and killings.

I owe this article to the soul of BB; the shameless accusation of her death through a nonexistent bullet that was never the case (Scotland Yard report), and the crime scene being washed by overeager foolish police diluted the emphasis on the main culprit and effectively put Pakistanis on a collision course with their own selves. Scandalous politicising of her remembrance is the ultimate human and moral low with which some of these present leaders who played with her demise will have to live with. If not their own conscience that should prick them daily, I am sure history will not forgive them. Read More here



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U.S. "war on terror" seriously damages human rights

GENEVA, (Xinhua): The so-called "war on terror" launched by the United States following the 9/11 terror attacks has resulted in serious damage to the world's respect for human rights, according to a report released on Monday.

The United States "has adopted measures to counter terrorism that are inconsistent with established principles of international humanitarian law and human rights law," said the report, which was released by an independent panel of eminent jurists.

The report illustrated the consequences of notorious counter-terrorism practices such as torture, disappearances, arbitrary and secret detention as well as unfair trials.

It warned that excessive or abusive counter-terrorism measures adopted by the United States were having influence on other countries and causing them to follow suit.

"It was particularly disturbing to learn in many hearings that governments in other parts of the world are relativizing or justifying their own wrongdoing by comparisons with the United States," the report said.

The panel of jurists has based its report "Assessing Damage, Urging Action" on three years of investigations, which included 16hearings covering more than 40 countries in all regions of the world.

"In the course of this inquiry, we have been shocked by the extent of the damage done over the past seven years by excessive or abusive counter-terrorism measures ..." said Arthur Chaskalson, chair of the panel and former chief justice of South Africa.

"The result is a serious threat to the integrity of the international human rights legal framework," Chasklalson said.

The eight-member panel, which was established by the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), called for a concerted international effort to take remedial measures and restore long-standing international norms for human rights.

It particularly urged the new U.S. administration of President Barack Obama to take a leading role in restoring respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

"Seven years after 9/11 it is time to take stock and to repeal abusive laws and policies enacted in recent years," said Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who now leads the ICJ.

"If we fail to act now, the damage to international law risks becoming permanent," she added.

The report called for the rejection of the "war on terror" paradigm and for a full repudiation of the policies grounded in it.

It emphasized that criminal justice systems, not secret intelligence, should be at the heart of the legal response to terrorism.





Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you

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Interpal vindicated for third time-Muslim Charity cleared from ties to terrorism

Interpal vindicated for third time

By Hamed Chapman

Britain’s top Muslim charity has been cleared for the third time by the Charity Commission of any alleged links with so-called terrorist organisations.
“Interpal has been vindicated,” said the Charity’s Chairman, Ibrahim Hewitt, following the publication of the Commission’s 52-page report on February 27 over claims made by BBC’s Panorama over two-and-a-half year ago that Interpal funded partner organisation that promoted terrorist ideology.
“This is the third Charity Commission inquiry into Interpal in 13 years. In each case allegations and accusations made against the charity have been unproven,” Hewitt said. Previous inquiries in 1996 and 2003 also found insufficient evidence to support allegations that have been blamed on the Zionist lobby.
“The inquiry found that given the seriousness of the allegations being made, the material did not reach the standard of proof required under UK civil law,” the Commission said in its latest report. It concluded there was “not enough evidence to support the allegations.”
Hewitt criticised as “totally irresponsible” the BBC Panorama program that triggered the latest year inquiry. “Given the obvious collaboration between the Israelis and Panorama, it is hard not to conclude that we are the target of an ongoing and concerted political campaign designed to bring a halt to our humanitarian work in the region,” he said.
Interpal suggested that the smear campaign grew after the US Government, at the request of the Israeli Government, declared Interpal to be a “special designated global terrorist entity” in August 2003, for allegedly supporting Hamas.
Prior being cleared, Lloyds TSB proceeded in November last year to go as far as to stop clearing cheques for the charity that was seen as an attempt to force it to cease its operations entirely. But the investigation found that Interpal kept clear financial audit trails in its delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and in its dealings with its partner organisations.
The Commission acknowledged that charities providing humanitarian aid in high-risk situations make a “vital contribution to the communities affected and support people in desperate need.” It cleared Managing Trustee, Essam Mustafa, of any links with terrorism, that were alleged in the Panorama report, but ordered him to resign as the General Secretary of the Union for Good group of organisations working in the occupied territories.
Interpal was also asked to end its membership of the Union, saying that its reputation could be damaged because the Union’s President supported violent Palestinian resistance. “Even in these difficult areas, trustees must discharge their duty of care to ensure the charity’s work is protected from abuse, and must avoid activities that might put charities’ assets or reputations at risk,” said the Commission’s Chief Executive, Andrew Hind.
The BBC program, entitled Faith, Hate and Charity, claimed that many Islamic charities linked with Interpal are an integral part of Hamas, and are crucial to its support amongst the Palestinian people. It further alleged that the Charity’s funds are sent to local partners which promote what it called a ‘Jihadi ethos.’ Material from the Israeli Defence Force was used to claim key figures in the management of certain local partners were members of Hamas.

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Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you

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