US Bribing Pakistani Media

The Obama administration plans to spend nearly $50 million on Pakistani media this year to reverse anti-American sentiments and raise awareness of projects aimed at improving quality of life, confirms a Washington insider.

Voice of America, a radio and TV platform that speaks for the government of the US already has a tie-up with Geo TV and now they have aligned with Express TV as well.

But the Obama administration must understand that media can never undo the damage, physically and mentally to those innocent people whose lives are affected. What would really help turn Pakistani public opinion around would be the immediate cessation of US drone attacks, which kill scores of innocent people; women, children, the elderly, and the medically infirm, repatriate Dr Aafia Siddiqui and other innocents, who are falsely accused and stop doing covert operations inside Pakistan.

Fore investigative stories, documentaries, research reports and analysis on international politics, please visit our website www.xtribune.com

Islamophobia on rise since Osama's Execution

Islamophobic tendencies have risen since the US decided to kill off the myth of Osama Bin Laden. BBC news reporter, Mishal Husain’s, children being racially abused in a supermarket is just another of the latest “acceptable forms of bigotry” left.

In America, the “USA, USA” chants have led to a rise in hate crimes against Muslims.

From having graffiti sprayed across Masajids, to having a teacher telling her student in front of a packed classroom that “You must be sad that they killed your uncle,” racist tendencies are beginning to peak yet again.

It’s not just the public who seem to have this problem, as evidenced when two Muslim religious leaders, on their way to a Charlotte conference on “Islamophobia,” were removed from a commercial flight because the pilot refused to fly with them on board.

You can see the irony, two people on their way to a conference to discuss Islamophobia, get stopped on their way, because of….Islamophobia.

It’s not exclusively America’s problem either.

Here, in the UK, Zonist smut peddler Richard Desmond’s Express got the ball rolling with crazed accusations that the police had seized a small container of “suspicious material” at one of the suspects’ homes.

Which of course turned out to be left over chicken curry in the fridge. True to form, there was no proportional coverage by the media of the men being released without charge.

Buried at the bottom of page 7 in a later issue of the Express we find a single paragraph which read:

“The five students who sparked an Al Qaeda terror alert near the Sellafield nuclear power station were there because of a satnav error. Rather than being terrorists avenging the death of Osama Bin Laden, the Bangladeshis from London were enjoying a picnic on Monday after putting CA20 in the satnav instead of CA12 for a hike on Scafell Pike, Cumbria, England’s highest peak. They were freed without charge.”

Right wing media and commentators alike must be responsible for their reporting, when you state:

“One down….1.8 billion to go”

Effectively calling for the wholesale slaughter of a fifth of the world’s population, then the wider community needs to do more to shut their extremists up, or is that a false charge that can only be attributed to Muslims?

When you have such irresponsible bile, it only leads to one conclusion, the neo-con inspired “Clash of Civilisations”, as can be described by last Friday’s events in London, with Anjem Choudry and his followers protest in front of the US Embassy.

But this is what we have come to expect from the right wing, Zionist owned, tabloid press.

They repeatedly boost the importance and significance of Anjem Choudary and his tiny group, suggesting to their readers that he represents substantial forces within Britain’s Muslim communities, when in reality he represents next to nothing.

This in turn feeds the paranoid far-right fantasies of the English Defence League, who organised a counter-protest against MAC yesterday. EDL leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon recently predicted, with an entirely straight face, that “there’s going to be a hundred thousand Anjem Choudarys”.

We’re constantly told that now that Osama Bin Laden is dead, it’s a great victory for the “moderate” Muslims, it doesn’t seem to me that memo reached the racists out there.

After 9/11 & 7/7 there were huge attacks against Muslims, which one, if hard pressed can understand the retarded logic in.

But if you’ve succeeded in your mission to kill your #1 enemy, then why is it that Muslims are still being targeted?

Read more: http://www.mpacuk.org/story/090511/islamophobia-rise-osamas-execution.html#ixzz1Lus2FFNL

As protests and defiance spread in Muslim countries, questions are being asked as to whether such conduct is halal.

As revolutions and uprisings sweep the Middle East and North Africa, most Muslims everywhere are energised by a wave of hopeful change in a region that has suffered far too long under the stultifying rule of “presidents for life.” However, some Muslims are more hesitant, and view the protests as unsanctioned rebellions against legitimate rulers.

To begin to analyse the current situation, each of the movements in the various affected countries would have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Conditions in each country are unique, and therefore any blanket statement would be inaccurate and irresponsible. What follows are some considerations that would have to be part of any meaningful discussion of the Islamic legitimacy of the various movements that can potentially reshape the political map of the Middle East.

Firstly, we have to bear in mind that classical treatises and writings dealing with Muslim political theory will not give us the entire answer to the question of the Islamic legitimacy of the ongoing uprisings in the Muslim world. This is because those writings occurred in a socio-political environment that differs from the current one. Especially significant is the advent of the modern nation-state, and its associated concepts of state sovereignty, legitimacy, allegiance, citizenship, the social contract and the national interest. Each of these concepts, in the modern setting, differs from its pre-modern conceptual counterpart, or was unknown at the time. Hence, the writings of pre-modern Muslim scholars, no matter how brilliant, cannot give us full insight into the social, political and cultural issues that Muslims are currently dealing with.

Secondly, the nature of the neo-colonial arrangements that prevail in many Muslim nation-states, where a “comprador bourgeoisie” “manages” the indigenous masses on behalf of a foreign power renders the entire question of the legitimacy of the state a controversial point. In other words, if the state is merely a front for foreign control, and the policies it pursues are oriented to serve the interests of a foreign elite first and foremost, it is meaningless to discuss the allegiance people owe to the state without asking a deeper question. Namely, if in reality allegiance to the state is a sort of de facto allegiance to a foreign non-Muslim power, how can questions of allegiance to the state have any definitive meaning or relevance from an Islamic perspective?

A third issue of significance is the hegemonic nature of the modern state and its ability to exert control over the lives of its citizens in ways that were inconceivable at the time medieval Muslim political theorists were writing. Generally speaking, the modern state controls the economic life chances of its citizens; it defines the parameters of political participation; it controls the scope and nature of education; it can intrude almost at will into the private lives of its citizens; it can determine the conditions of mass incarceration (ie. the Japanese Internment Act, or the current Drug War in the USA) and, if it chooses, it can tyrannise the citizenry with impunity as, by definition, the state monopolises the legitimate use of force in the society it presides over.

The upshot of the preceding passage is that the expanded reach of the modern Muslim state demands an expanded basis for defining allegiance and legitimacy. In earlier times, when the lack of information and security technology limited the scope of state power, it was natural to limit the scope of state legitimacy to questions revolving around primarily religious issues. However, the deepened reach of the state demands that examination of legitimacy and allegiance begin considering questions such as economic security, political participation, and basic human dignity along with related matters. If these issues are motivating Muslims who are challenging the legitimacy and efficacy of their states, they have to be considered by the religious scholars and authorities who are assessing the appropriateness of those challenges.

When we do consider existing Muslim writing on these issues, there are caveats that normally escape discussion. Let us consider, for example, the issue of the legitimacy of revolt against an established “Muslim” ruler. There are those who claim that any rebellion against a Muslim ruler is unsanctioned. However, we do not find this opinion in the writings of the traditional scholars. This opinion is close to the conservative Sunni view. However, even the Sunni view is conditional, and rebellion is sanctioned in the case of the ruler openly rejecting Islam or sanctioning laws or practices that violate accepted Islamic laws or principles, and it is not feared that a greater tribulation will befall the believers should they rise up.

This Sunni position, which gives priority to stability over justice, evolved over time and is informed by well-known historical realities. However, it is not universally accepted among the Muslims. The Shi’a and the Mu’tazila both hold that a rebellion in the pursuit of justice is lawful, and even encouraged in some instances. This is particularly the case when the injustices being challenged are clearly unsanctioned by the laws or principles of Islam. Hence, the scholarly consensus needed to declare the current protests as absolutely forbidden is lacking.

Similarly, a simplistic application of the verse, “If two parties of the believers fight each other make peace between them...” (49:9), to challenge the protests would be difficult in places like Egypt, because two parties amongst the believers were not fighting each other. The protesters were non-violent in their actions and intent. Any violence was initiated by the supporters of the government, or the state security forces, while during the periods the protesters resorted to violence it was clearly in self-defence. As soon as the violence against them abated, they returned to their non-violent ways. Their peaceful protest was guaranteed by Article 54 of the Egyptian constitution, while Article 57 clearly condemned as unconstitutional the violence the pro-Mubarak goons were employing against them. Hence, to declare their movement as illegitimate would be difficult from either an Islamic or a constitutional basis.

This brings up a related point. In that the protesters were speaking out against the excesses of tyrannical, authoritarian powers, they are engaging in the best Jihad. The blessed Prophet mentioned, “The best Jihad is a just word in the face of a tyrannical ruler.” In light of this hadith, what Islamic argument can validly be made to deny the people their right to speak out against the tyranny of their rulers?

Others argue that these rebellions are sowing the seeds of instability in the region. It should be borne in mind that the seeds of instability are sown by the governments themselves and the rapacious elites and foreign powers that benefit from their rule. The political repression of the people and their economic exploitation is the source of any instability, not the action of those protesting against the abuses. The protesters are themselves the fruit of the seeds sown by the ruling elites. Hence, any efforts to identify the source of any instability must go to the source of that instability and not focus on its effects.

Finally, we can add that as Muslims we should not see ourselves as being eternally trapped in a world where we are the helpless objects of the actions of others who have constructed institutions that are antithetical to our values and interests. The nation-state system in the Muslim world is less than one hundred years old. As an institution, it has debatable legitimacy and authenticity according to Muslim political thought. The way its socio-political role in Muslim societies has evolved has been shaped by un-Islamic realities such as colonisation and the Cold War, and by un-Islamic institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and now the World Trade Organisation. To declare this arrangement beyond question, criticism or challenge is not only unjust, it is a betrayal of Muslim history.

This is an issue that requires an analysis beyond the limited space available here. We pray that God blesses the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere to fulfil their aspirations to enjoy a dignified existence in lands where the nobility and honour conferred upon them by God is celebrated and cherished.

http://www.emel.com/article?id=84&a_id=2330

Aid groups fear Gaza food situation after crossing closed

Israel’s official permanent closure of the Karni crossing on the Israel-Gaza border, announced March 2, will make the delivery of food aid to Gaza more difficult, according to U.N. agencies assisting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

More than half the population in the Gaza Strip is estimated to be “food insecure,” a term used by aid and development agencies to refer to households that often experience undernourishment and lack access to regular food supplies.

The closure of Karni will also add 20 percent to the cost of aid delivery, said Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, in Jerusalem. The UNRWA is currently facing a budget deficit of more than $50 million, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA’s, news service IRIN reported.

Some 750,000 Palestinians receive UNRWA food assistance in Gaza, out of about 1 million refugees living in the territory.

Karni, controlled by Israel, is the only commercial crossing with the facilities to allow large numbers of trucks to enter Gaza. Closed to truck traffic since June 2007, the conveyor belt had been operating to transfer grain until Israeli authorities announced its complete closure March 2.

Kerem Shalom, a smaller commercial crossing at the southernmost point on the Gaza-Israel border, lacks the facilities to allow large numbers of trucks to enter Gaza, according to OCHA. It is now the only point where humanitarian and commercial supplies can enter Gaza.

“Kerem Shalom crossing does not have the capacity to meet Gaza’s needs, and there must be more than one operational crossing to import humanitarian and commercial supplies for Gaza’s 1.5 million people,” UNRWA spokesman Gunness told IRIN. “Forcing humanitarian organizations through the bottleneck of Kerem Shalom will do little to relieve the humanitarian suffering of the people of Gaza.”

Source http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=aid-groups-fear-gaza-food-situation-after-crossing-closed-2011-03-09

4.5 Million Orphans in Iraq: Protests Over Food and Shelter

Orphans join Iraq protests over food, shelter. Orphans join protests in Iraq to call for a better standard of living. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.

BAGHDAD — Fadel Mohammad Ra'ad, 10, is one of thousands of children who have lost their parents to the endless violence that has been gripping Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion.

"My parents were killed in an explosion at the center of Baghdad last year, leaving me and my sister to no one," the child told IslamOnline.net in a Baghdad orphanage. "I have relatives but all of them have refused to take us in," he added choking at the memory. "We were forced to work to survive."

Children, like many other civilians, are the silent victims of violence in war-torn Iraq. "Violence in Iraq has vast characteristics. Sectarian violence, resistance against US troops, traditional behaviors and the fight against the hungry," explains Haydar Hassan Kareem, a sociologist.

Sources - http://brutalconvictions.blogspot.com/2011/03/45-million-orphans-in-iraq-protests.html

The Secular Systems of The Dajjal

This New series will attempt to uncover and explain the world of GOG AND MAGOG like no series has done before. It is a very well researched series, that will explain the Big Picture to the viewer, in order to reach a clearer understanding of the world we live in today.

Many have attempted to shed light on the subject of GOG AND MAGOG in the past, whether from the historical, the Christian, Jewish or Muslim perspective, but always failed to fill in the gaps. This series will do this subject justice once and for all.

Edited and Produced by Bushwack
Bushwack Productions presents Gog and Magog

Australia fears Israeli military strike on Iran: cables

SYDNEY — Australian intelligence agencies fear Israel may launch a military strike on Iran to knock out its nuclear facilities, which they said could lead to nuclear war, leaked US diplomatic cables showed on Monday.

Secret cables from the US embassy in Canberra, provided exclusively to The Sydney Morning Herald by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, reveal that Australian officials raised the issue with their allies on several occasions.

“The AIC’s (Australian intelligence community’s) leading concerns with respect to Iran’s nuclear ambitions centre on understanding the timeframe of a possible weapons capability, and working with the United States to prevent Israel from independently launching uncoordinated military strikes against Iran,” an embassy official wrote to Washington in March 2009.

“They are immediately concerned that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities would lead to a conventional war — or even nuclear exchange — in the Middle East involving the United States that would draw Australia into a conflict.”

Another cable sent four months earlier reported on Australian concerns about a unilateral Israeli military strike against Iran and “the likelihood of an Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear facilities”.

The leaked letters also reveal that Australian intelligence agencies see Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a strategy to deter foreign attacks and argue it would be wrong to view Iran as a “rogue state”, the newspaper said.

The cables were prompted by a US initiative to solicit responses to Washington possibly engaging Tehran in a security dialogue, and concluded that Australia would likely not object to the United States if it chose to do so.

The correspondence shows that the Australian government, under both former prime minister Kevin Rudd and his successor Julia Gillard, is generally supportive of Israel.

Source : http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/December/international_December490.xml§ion=international&col=

In our modern societies, preemptive war acts cannot be accepted and any attacks done by Israel should be condemned by the world. Israel cannot bully it's neighbors over allegations and illegitimate factual evidence. It's clear Iran is following what they are asked in regards to the inspections, yet they still get accused of ill doing.

Israel must not take such a bold step, the world can change and peace can be achieved through other means then war.

War is never the answer unless in defense, defending against occupiers.

From Darkness into Light. Why we choose Islam

Many people explain why they chose islam as the only right Path to the Truth...

Concerns white phosphorus used in Afghan battle

By JASON STRAZIUSO and RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press Writers Jason Straziuso And Rahim Faiez, Associated Press Writers – 57 mins ago

KABUL – Doctors voiced concern over "unusual" burns on Afghan villagers wounded in an already controversial U.S.-Taliban battle, and the country's top human rights groups said Sunday it is investigating the possibility white phosphorus was used. Full article





Unleash your Brain Power!

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

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






Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you

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Islam helps shape coming Indonesian elections

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Islamic parties in Indonesia will not get enough votes in the coming election to nominate a presidential candidate, according to polls, analysts and an Islamic party official.
Supporters of Indonesia's Democratic Party of Struggle take part in a campaign event in Jakarta on March 24.

Nevertheless, the influence of Islam on politics in Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim country -- has many nationalist parties changing their strategy.

The April 9 national elections will determine the makeup of Indonesia's 550-seat parliament, as well as its regional representation council, provincial, county and city assemblies. More than 38 parties are vying for these seats, but very few are expected to get the 20 percent of parliamentary seats needed to nominate a presidential candidate in the July election.

In fact, the only party expected to meet the 20 percent threshold is President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono's Democratic Party. Other parties will have to join alliances to nominate a president.

Yudyohono's "charming" personality, and his government's ability to weather the current worldwide financial downturn, have kept him on top of the polls, according to James Castle, who analyzes Indonesian politics and economy.

Castle said despite the influence of Islam on Indonesian politics, voters are more concerned about economic issues. "Like everywhere in the world, economics is the key factor," he said. "It's quite clear from all these surveys, when inflation was high, the president's popularity is low. Now that inflation has come down, the president's popularity is high, and he and his party are doing very well in the polls coming into the election."

So far, Indonesia has not felt the impact of the global recession, partly because its economy is more isolated than other countries'. But the government has taken steps to protect the currency and the economy from the downturn, Castle said.

"This will probably just be a speed bump for Indonesia," he said.

Although financial issues are the main concern for voters in Indonesia -- where poverty is rampant -- Yudyohono's Democratic Party has recently had to bow to pressure from Islamic groups.

Andi Mallarangang, a spokesman for the president, acknowledged that the party's support for an anti-pornography bill -- which was passed in October -- was a "symbolic gesture" to the Islamic groups that had called for the measure.

"During the process of legislation, (the government) made sure we do not support pornography," Mallarangang said. "But there should be no limitation on freedom of arts and expression"

He noted that the final law was not as strong as the initially proposed bill.

Another issue that has made headlines in the Indonesian media is the government's position on Ahmadiyah, a Muslim sect that does not believe Mohammad is the last prophet. The government recently restricted the freedoms of the group, but has so far refused to ban the group.

"In Indonesia, one group of Islamic radicals would like the government to ban Ahmadiyah ... so the government's using the middle approach in which we will not ban Ahmadiyah because they have a right," Mallarangang said. "But there are certain things that are sensitive to (their) operation that are regulated by government."

One of those groups that has been outspoken in its rejection of Ahmadiyah is Indonesia's Ulama Council. The chairman of the council, Amidhan, disputed media reports that the council has given Yudyohono's government a deadline to ban the sect or it will issue an edict against voting for Yudyohono.

Amidhan -- who goes by one name -- said the council's fatwa against Ahmadiyah was first issued in 1980, but it had to reissue the edict last year because of complaints that the sect was trying to convert other Muslims.

"We agree Ahmadiyah must be a new religion, not part of Islam," Amidhan said.

The council is an independent organization, but remains very influential. In January, it issued several new fatwas -- including bans on smoking for children and pregnant women, and chanting during yoga. A fatwa is a legal pronouncement for Muslims, but the council said it has no authority to enforce them.

Indonesia's Islamic parties are also adopting more moderate positions to attract more voters, which has caused internal divisions -- particularly for PKS, translated as the Prosperous Justice Party.

PKS legislator Zulkieflimansyah, known as Bang Zul, said the party "is between a rock and a hard place."

"We have to behave like a political party and also an Islamic movement," he said. That has led to a split between the hard-liners and the moderates in the PKS.

"We are using the elections as a test," Bang Zul said. "Hopefully, if we are able to convince the public, PKS will continue to be a significant player in politics."

Another Islamic party, the National Awakening Party, or PKB, said it intends to use the 2009 election to position itself for the next election in five years.

"All parties want to reach the 20 percent threshold (to nominate a presidential candidate), PKB included," said the party's vice secretary-general, Helmy Faishal Zaini. "But realistically almost no party will be able to nominate on its own."

That does not mean that a small party like PKB cannot succeed, he said.

Zaini said PKB hopes it can put forward a vice presidential candidate who could possibly run for the top spot in the 2014 election.

"We need to build a foundation now," he said. "So one way to do this is to join one of the senior people (politicians) with a junior person this time. ...

"2009 could be the beginning of the new generation" of politicians



Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you

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World to end 2012? Answered by Imam Mustafa ‘Umar

The Question:

The life and death of planet Earth byastrophysicist Donald Brownlee and paleontologist Peter Ward. Now these two men are saying is that the world will end on some time in 2012. Allah says in the Quran that only he knows when the world will end these men are saying that there calculations are based on the mayacalendar, the calendar has been used to predict the future before also and so far it has only been 43 seconds off. Is there anything in the quran that agrees with this matter? i need some reassurance because i want to get it of my head its bothering me a lot.

The Answer by Imam Mustafa ‘Umar, Imam of Masjid Fahd, L.A, California

In the name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful

You have made a very wise decision in asking this question on two counts. First, because many young people nowadays have several questions and/or misgivings about their religion but keep them inside. As time goes by, these ideas pile up and then might trigger some day and lead to numerous doubts about their religion without anyone understanding what happened. Therefore, it is beneficial to express what you feel and to ask questions.

Second, you have asked the right people who grew up in an environment similar to yours and have knowledge of Islam. Many people end up asking the wrong people who either can’t relate to them or have no knowledge. This would only end up causing more problems.

The stance of the Qur’an on this issue is clear from the following verse: “They ask you [Prophet] about the end of the world, saying, ‘When will it be?’ How can you tell them that? Its time is known only to your Lord. You are only sent to warn those who fear it.” (Qur’an 79:42-45)

The point is that when Allah says that something is “known only to your Lord”, it means that it is something that cannot be discovered by man, such as a person’s lifespan. Many people try to predict a number of things and we assume that, because of the advances in science and technology, we can also have knowledge similar to what Allah has. However, think about how many times the weather report has been wrong despite all the satellites and advanced equipment, how many people were supposed to die but lived, and how many people were supposed to have lived but died. All of these things remind us of how far we really are from Allah’s knowledge. As for using the Maya calendar, we need to stop and think about a number of things. First, how many predictions did they make? Second, what were their predictions about? Third, what was the rate of accuracy in all of their predictions and why they aren’t being used as mainstream evidence? Fourth, where did they get this knowledge from?

We must be very critical of people who claim to know the future. Most people who make such a claim are frauds while the others are merely guessing. It’s like horoscopes which are written in such a general way that people think they can actually tell the future when, in reality, they don’t. We shouldn’t be fooled by such things,even if they are packaged and presented in the name of science. Science is a very useful tool, but it is often misused and twisted to fit a certain agenda or just to sell a book. When all is said and done, remember that just because the sun has risen from the east for millions of years doesn’t mean that Allah can’t change it tomorrow and make it rise from the west. We must remember that just as our own lives are in the hands of Allah, so is the life of the world, and He can end it whenever He likes. May Allah allow us to utilize our limited lives with what pleases Him before our time is up.

Mustafa



Sallam Alaykum / Peace be unto you

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Women in Islam

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

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I agree with this brother very much, women played a large role in the begining of Islams rise, the first revert to Islam was indeed a woman, the mother of humanity was indeed a muslim, all men must do everything is their power and ability to empower women who will take care of our young.

Many women did great things in Islam, Men have no right to oppress women, Islam strictly forbids any wrong doing to women.


Sallam alaykum all
Please share with your friends, May Allah bless you and add to your hasanat

Spanish Muslims

Never has history "chosen" to eliminate a race of people as in the Spanish Inquisition. One wonders why the silence has remained so steadfast for a people, who brought glory and art to Europe for over nine centuries. When the students of the West open their history books and read the title given to the "Moors", few are ever taught that what they are reading has relevance to "Islam". Today, on architecture frames found in Spain, one can still see the secretive inscriptions in Arabic, written during the days of the Inquisition: "La ghalab illa'illah", "There is no conqueror except Allah."

Long after the Inquisition, the resurgence of the Islamic community in Spain occurred in 1976 in the city of Cordoba. Five young men became Muslims through the da'wah of Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi. They were the first Spaniards to enter Islam since the time of al-Andalus. The Shaykh instructed them to spread Islam among their people. Their efforts drew large numbers of new Muslims and the establishment of a Muslim community in the city of Granada. Through the initiative of Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi, the community bought land in the very heart of the old Islamic city, Albaycin, with the intention to build a mosque, the first mosque built by Muslims since the Inquisition.

Although their efforts to build the mosque were hindered by public and governmental opposition for 18 years, their project has recently pulled through, and are now a respected community on the brink of establishing a whole Islamic institution. The project consists of not only the establishment of a mosque but an attached school, Islamic college, and da'wah and training center.

Regardless of the fact that the Inquisition wiped out almost the entire Muslim community in Spain, a resurgence of Islamic identity traveled from this torn land to the land of another conquest under the same name to Latin America in the 15th century. Slaves, brought by the conquerors from the north and west of Africa, were those who first introduced Islam, newly residing in the countries of Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia and some islands of the Caribbean. These Muslim slaves were obligated to abandon their beliefs under fear of execution, and as a result, Islam disappeared without a trace in Latin America. This trend was reversed at the end of the 16th century, as slaves were liberated. More recently, the community has a new revival with the wave of immigrants from India and Pakistan. source

Islam in Latin world.

This article appeared in the L.A. Times Monday, March 15, 1999

New Islamic Movement Seeks Latino Converts;
Religion: Leaders estimate there are more than 15,000 Spanish-speaking Muslims in the U.S. Many say they were confused by Catholicism.;

By: MARGARET RAMIREZ
TIMES RELIGION WRITER

Slipped inside a strip mall across from Exposition Park where the smell of incense mingles with Arabic swirls on the wall, Muhammad Gomez absorbs the message of Allah. Sitting beside him in this storefront Islamic center, Domy Garcia raises her hand and asks why she and other Muslim women are obliged to cover their heads with the hijab. Mariam Montalvo takes diligent notes at the Sunday afternoon Islamic lesson with the holy Koran by her side.

Here at the ILM Foundation, a new Islamic movement is being born. Yet it lies far from Mecca, where the faith was founded more than 1,400 years ago. And the language of choice for this group of Islamic followers is not Arabic. These Muslims worship Allah in Spanish.

Montalvo, who immigrated to Los Angeles from Mexico in 1996, left the Catholic faith three months ago, frustrated by what she called contradictions within church teachings and preoccupation with the saints. After research and contemplation, she took the shahada, the simple declaration of faith by which one becomes a Muslim.

I had a lot of problems with the church. One Bible says one thing, and another Bible says something different. Then there are people who call themselves Catholics and drink and smoke, said Montalvo, 21. With Islam, it was so pure. I found there were no intermediaries. Everything goes straight to God.

If you were inclined to believe that most Muslims are Arabs, you would be wrong. Over the past 10 years, Islam has become one of the fastest-growing religions, with an estimated 1 billion adherents worldwide and 6 million followers in this nation. About half of the Muslims in the United States are African American converts. But, in recent years, Islamic teaching has begun gaining acceptance among members of the Latino community. Though precise statistics do not yet exist, Islamic leaders estimate that there are at least 15,000 Latino Muslims across the nation.

Last month, about 30 Southern California converts founded the Latino-Muslim Movement with the intent of educating Spanish-speaking Muslims and spreading Islam to other Latinos. After meeting informally for the past seven years, the group appointed officers and elected to meet at the ILM Foundation once a week.

Scores of Latinos throughout the country--specifically in New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Miami--have fled the church of their birth and embraced Islam as their newfound faith.

In New York, a group of Puerto Rican Muslims opened an Islamic center in the heart of East Harlem called Alianza Islamica, where hundreds of Latinos have converted since 1992. The center, the first of its kind, includes a small mosque where the Friday sermon is heard in Arabic, English and Spanish. Islam has adherents throughout Latin America and the Caribbean as well, with especially strong followings in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Panama.

Reymundo Nur, a Panamanian who became Muslim at the age of 12 and studied Islam in Saudi Arabia, helped organize the Los Angeles group. Two years ago, Nur co-founded a national nonprofit organization called Asociacion Latina de Musulmanes en las Americas, which focuses on translating Islamic books and literature into Spanish.

He said one of his group's main projects is translating the Koran into contemporary, conversational Spanish. At least two Spanish translations of the Koran exist, but Nur said they use a more formal, Castilian Spanish.

There have always been Latino Muslims. It's only now that they're coming to the forefront, said Nur, vice president of the Latino-Muslim Movement in Los Angeles. We have a strong Islamic legacy, and people are rediscovering that part of their heritage. Many learn about it and say, 'Hey, I have more of this in me than I ever realized.'

Islamic ties to Hispanic culture date back to 711, when the Muslim general Tariq ibn Zayid conquered Spain, and the Christian Visigothic domination of Roderick came to an end. Under Moorish rule, Christians, Jews and Muslims coexisted in Spain. Conversion was encouraged but never forced. Because the Arabs did not bring women with them, they took Spanish wives, and within a few generations the Muslim population was more Spanish than Arab.

For the next 700 years, Al-Andalus, as the Muslims refer to Spain, enjoyed an era of political and cultural splendor, becoming one of the most intellectually advanced countries in medieval Europe. Islamic influence penetrated almost every facet of Spanish life, especially music, architecture and literature.

But, gradually, Christian armies advanced. After the fall of the last Moorish stronghold in Granada in 1492, the cross replaced the crescent on Spain's minarets and Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity or be exiled. Many Latino Muslims in Los Angeles see their conversion as a return to their Moorish roots.

Today, Southern California has the third-largest concentration of Muslims in the country, including 58 mosques and Islamic centers in Los Angeles County.

Like Christians and Jews, Muslims are monotheists believing in one God known as Allah. They revere biblical prophets including Noah, Isaac, Abraham and Moses. Jesus is also considered a prophet, but unlike Christians, Muslims do not accept him as the son of God. Muhammad is believed to be the last prophet to whom Allah revealed the Koran.

For former Catholics like Guadalupe Martinez, 26, it is this comprehensive set of beliefs that makes Islam appealing.

In Islam, there is no separation. You accept the Torah and the Bible, said Martinez, who converted in 1997. We love Jesus, we dress like Mary. It's like we're putting all the faiths together. It really touched me.

In Catholicism, there are just so many ways to go. Why am I going to pray to the saints? she added. When we find Islam, we don't have to waste energy. It's like if I call the operator to get a number, I waste energy. But with Islam, I have the number. I get connected directly to God.

Along with the formation of more Latino Muslim organizations, conversion stories have begun burning up the Internet.

Ali Al-Mexicano, a 25-year-old Pomona computer technician, created his own World Wide Web page account of how he became Muslim that includes the first time he read the Koran.

It was so clear and written in a simple, understanding way, he said. "It just hit me. This has to be the truth."

Though Al-Mexicano family accepted his conversion, several other young Latinos who have begun searching outside the traditional confines of Catholicism have found conversion to be a heart-wrenching affair, often tearing families apart.

A 1998 Georgetown University study of people ages 20 to 39 found that 8% of the Latinos had joined another denomination or religion. Of those, at least 65% left for evangelical Protestant groups, Pentecostal churches or Mormonism. A smaller percentage accepted other religions, including Islam and Buddhism.

Some relatives see conversion to other faiths as rejecting family and tradition.

Domy Garcia said her family in Mexico was confused and upset by her decision to leave the church. The Buena Park mother converted to Islam two years ago after rejecting the religion she said was forced on her Mexican ancestors. Undeterred by her family's reaction, Garcia said her main concern now is raising her children as Muslims and introducing more Latinos to Islam.

My family just would not accept it. They said, 'What happened? You've changed so much,' " she recalled. But it's all right, because on Judgment Day, my family won't be able to help. It will be God.

The Latino-Muslim Movement meets every Sunday afternoon for discussions at the ILM Foundation, a community center managed by Saadiq Saafir, a prominent African American prayer leader, or imam.

About 2 p.m., Elizabeth Chawki, a Native American who is fluent in Spanish, usually begins the sessions, which have focused on women, preparation of food, marriage and Islamic divorce. Despite the perception that all Muslims are Arab, Chawki said, converts see the distinction between religion and ethnicity.

This is about pure religion, not culture. We still eat our tamales and frijoles," said Chawki, referring to some Latino dishes served after the discussions.

Gomez, a native of Nicaragua with no prior religious affiliations, said it was after reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X that he began to explore Islam. Like several other converts, Gomez spoke with resentment about the Catholic Church's involvement in Latin America.

Viewing Jesus as a prophet and a political leader, and not a God, made more sense to me, he said.

The Latino-Muslim Movement also aims to bring together Muslims regardless of race. At a recent meeting, Saafir reflected on the emerging phenomenon of Latino conversions as similar to the time when African Americans began accepting Islam 50 years ago. In allowing the group to use the Islamic center, Saafir hopes to tear down the barriers that divide blacks and Latinos.

We all realize that we're Muslim first, Saafir said. This religion is going to bring us together.

Nur nodded.

"Inshallah, he whispered. God willing

Saudi Arabia most generous

21 Nov 2008 13:40:25 GMT

Source: IRIN

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

NAIROBI, 21 November 2008 (IRIN) - Saudi Arabia tops the list of 20 major humanitarian donors in relation to GDP in 2008, according to a Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) document published on 21 November. It spent 0.1622 percent of its GDP on humanitarian aid. Norway was second on the list, followed by Monaco, Luxembourg, Sweden and Ireland. The 2008 appeal for US$7 billion ended up being 67 percent funded.

cb© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org
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Charity as well is considered Jihad, matter fact all acts of Good are Jihad

Saudi Arabia: Women driving Is not in conflict with religion

By Samir Al-Saadi

JEDDAH, (Arab News): A well-regarded Saudi religious scholar said that there is nothing in Islamic law that bans women from driving and that the fatwas issued in this regard are based on individual judgments.

“In principle women driving is permitted in Islam,” said Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, a member of the Kingdom’s Council of Senior Islamic Scholars.

The ban, he said, has to do with the social complications rather than the act itself. As an example, the sheikh referred to a fatwa from former Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin-Baz that said it is permitted for women in rural areas to drive cars, but that they should be forbidden from driving in the cities where, as Al-Obaikan said, “youths (even) harass women accompanied by parents and drivers.

He said if certain issues are resolved, such as the problem of men’s behavior and traffic safety, then he sees no religiously motivated conflict with women driving.

Sheikh Mehsin Al-Awaji, another prominent religious scholar in the Kingdom, agreed. “No religious scholar is going to tell you differently,” he said. “But (the issue of) women driving comes as a ‘package’ and we need to fix the ‘package’ before making the decision (to allow women to drive).”

Expanding on the idea that allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia comes with a “package” of issues, Al-Awaji said there needs to be Saudi women working as police officers, mechanics and other positions. The sheikh diminished the significance of women driving, saying that myriad social reforms have higher priority, even in the realm of empowering women or encouraging public participation in important social challenges.

Fawzeyah Al-Oyouni, a woman’s rights and human rights activist, said that most people agree that Islam doesn’t forbid women from driving. The problem, she says, is that the government isn’t moving fast enough to implement the necessary actions to open the way for a smooth transition toward allowing women to drive.

The Saudi government has pointed out that there is no law that states women cannot drive. “The Interior Ministry’s stand is clear on this,” said ministry spokesman Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.

But in reality women are occasionally arrested when found driving. Arab News reported several instances in recent years of situations where women have been stopped by authorities and detained for the infraction of driving a vehicle.

In a previous statement, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said that Saudi women would be permitted to drive someday.

Arab News asked 125 men what they thought of the issue. Ten men categorically opposed the idea; 36 men were fully in support of an unqualified lift on the social ban; and the rest would be OK with women driving with a few ground rules.

Most of the men who expressed reservations to an unqualified lift on the social ban — 80 of them — said they were concerned about safety due to the hazardous conditions on Saudi roads and lack of sufficient enforcement of traffic laws. Sixteen men expressed religious reservations; 21 men expressed financial reasons while eight expressed social concerns.

Four hundred Saudi and non-Saudi women were asked by Arab News about the subject. Out of this survey, Arab News found that 282 of these women would drive cars on their own, without a male guardian. Forty-four women said they would continue to use drivers. Thirty women said they would only drive with their male guardian in the car. Thirty-two women said they would drive with a relative in the vehicle. A dozen women said they opposed the idea of women driving.

Out of these women, 122 said they wouldn’t drive on Saudi roads due to safety concerns while 296 said they would have to see better enforcement of rules before they would feel safe driving. Seventy-two women said they’d rise to the challenge of driving in Saudi Arabia’s traffic.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=106995&d=21&m=2&y=2008