Another One Bites The Dust
uploaded 23 Oct 2001
``I`m asked to give up my religion for my kids,`` says Angela Davis, ``but I won`t do it.`` Ms. Davis discovered Islam this spring in an Internet chat room. Her estranged husband did not return the children after a visit.
ALLWIN, Mo., Oct. 20 — Since she became a Muslim six months ago, Angela Davis has given up many things. She stopped listening to music, started sleeping on the floor, put away her 100 Disney videos and traded her porcelain doll collection for velvet posters with verses from the Koran.
Now, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ms. Davis may have to give up her children.
After her photograph, in full veil, appeared in the local newspaper on Sept. 30, Ms. Davis`s soon-to-be-ex- husband refused to return their children, 5 and 2, from a weekend visit. She has not seen them since.
``It`s a test that is given to me from Allah to see if my faith is strong enough,`` said Ms. Davis, 27, who discovered Islam in an Internet chat room this spring and now teaches pre-kindergarten at the Al-Salam Day School in this St. Louis suburb. ``I`m asked to give up my religion for my kids, but I won`t do it. On Judgment Day, as much as I love my kids, they won`t be there with me.``
Though her situation is extreme, Ms. Davis is one of thousands of new Muslim converts struggling with their identities amid anti-Muslim fervor and declarations of an Islamic holy war being broadcast on television. Already estranged from relatives and friends, some of whom accuse them of joining a cult, these new Muslims face catcalls and fresh challenges to their faith
Tim Parker for The New York Times -``Giving up the pork and the alcohol was the easy part,`` says Jim Hacking, a St. Louis lawyer who studied to be a Jesuit priest before choosing Islam.
Many say the events of Sept. 11 only confirmed their commitment. Shannon Staloch is not sure why, but upon hearing of the hijackings, she immediately grabbed a book from her backpack and recited the Arabic declaration of belief; she made the conversion official 12 days later.
``You know how the world changed when that happened and everyone was shaky?`` Ms. Staloch said. ``I wanted something steady.``
With some 6 million adherents in the United States, Islam is said to be the nation`s fastest-growing religion, fueled by immigration, high birth rates and widespread conversion. One expert estimates that 25,000 people a year become Muslims in this country; some clerics say they have seen conversion rates quadruple since Sept. 11.
Experts say Islam is attractive because of its universal message — the faithful believe that everyone is born Muslim and thus call the transformation reversion, not conversion — and because its teachings incorporate other traditions, honoring Jesus Christ, the Jewish patriarch Abraham and other Biblical figures as prophets. Though missionary work is rare in Islam, spreading the message is demanded by the Koran. Conversion is as simple as reciting one sentence — ``I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger`` — in front of witnesses, a ceremony known as Shahadah.
``There`s no class,`` said Khalid Yahya Blankinship, chairman of the religion department at Temple University. ``There isn`t really a formalized requirement, you don`t have to be tested.`` Mr. Blankinship, who converted to Islam in 1973 and has since witnessed 100 Shahadahs, added: ``It`s very important that Islam should spread. The idea is that one should want other souls to be saved.``
The vast majority of converts are African-Americans, who make up about a third of Muslims in the United States. Thousands find Allah while in jail or in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. Less familiar are the lapsed Catholics and lost Jews, often highly educated professionals, who come to the mosque.
Many convert because they want to marry a Muslim who demands it, a common reason for conversions in any religion.
``I would never have changed if it wasn`t for Rania,`` David Nerviani, a St. Louis police officer, said of his Egyptian-born wife, a bartender he met on patrol. ``It`s probably not that deep for me.``
Others find Islam through friendships on college campuses, research papers on world religions or trolling the Internet.
Some just feel called. Abdullah Reda of Reston, Va., said the news of Susan Smith, the South Carolina woman who drowned her two sons, brought him to Islam. A 13-year-old California girl had an epiphany during a sunset drive through the red rocks of Arizona. Katie Mathews, a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, who plans to make her Shahadah on her 23rd birthday in November, prayed for a sign and soon saw a license plate, ``4 ALLAH.``
Nine years ago, Jim Hacking was in training to be a Jesuit priest. Now, he is an admiralty lawyer in St. Louis who has spent much of the last month explaining Islam at interfaith gatherings. Mr. Hacking`s search began in the 12-step program Overeaters Anonymous and intensified when he befriended an Egyptian-born woman, Amany Ragab, at the law review at St. Louis University. He made the Shahadah on June 6, 1998, and proposed marriage to her the next day. This summer, the couple traveled to Mecca.
``The thing I`ve always latched to is that there`s one God, he doesn`t have equals, he doesn`t need a son to come do his work,`` Mr. Hacking, 31, said. ``Giving up the pork and the alcohol was the easy part — I never drank much, but I did like bacon. The hard part, and the part I still struggle with every day, is being a good person, and living a good clean life.``
To help with the social transition, the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Va., pairs converts with mentors. Other mosques offer seminars in the basics of Arabic prayer. Web sites like jews-for-allah.org and understandingislam.tripod.com provide glossaries to common Muslim expressions, step-by-step guides to ritual washing, interactive games to teach Arabic, and profiles of fellow converts, organized alphabetically, by county of origin and by former religion.
Perhaps the greatest challenge is maintaining family relationships, as parents often view conversion as a betrayal. One Web site offers a how- to guide for telling relatives. ``Do not allow them to drag you into a conflict regarding religion at all,`` it lectures.
Ms. Stolach, who teaches middle- school literacy, said her mother had helped her shop for hijab, the traditional Muslim head covering, but Ms. Mathews says the main reason she has delayed her Shahadah is that she is living with her parents.
``My mom, she`s Christian and she`s very upset,`` Ms Mathews said. ``I told her about my signs. She said, how do I know it`s not the Devil?``
``The Koran says you have to obey your parents, heaven is at the foot of your mother,`` she added. ``I have to obey God before I obey my mother.``
On Sept. 11, Ms. Davis`s mother exhorted her to remove the hijab, saying it would endanger her grandchildren. (Ms. Davis`s divorce lawyer, and her husband, did not return telephone calls.) Ms. Davis, who wears a shoulder-to-ankle robe over her clothes, also faces resistance from her older two daughters, from a previous marriage, whom she enrolled in an Islamic school this fall, but who have lately said they would prefer to live with their father.
As the afternoon call to prayer sounded from the mosque above Ms. Davis`s classroom, the girls, white scarves around their heads, scrambled up to the women`s balcony, where they bowed and knelt like old pros. They murmured ``bismillah`` (``in the name of Allah``) before starting a game, ``astaghfirullah`` (``I beg Allah for forgiveness``) after a misstep. But they say their father says their mother worships Satan.
``I got one person saying they want me to be Muslim and then I got my dad saying no Muslim,`` said Krashanna Agers, 9. ``I don`t know, I`m not grown up yet.``
Source: NY Times
Posted by
musalmaan
May 2, 2002 03:08 am
Islam Attracts Converts by the Thousands, Drawn Before and After Attacks uploaded 23 Oct 2001
``I`m asked to give up my religion for my kids,`` says Angela Davis, ``but I won`t do it.`` Ms. Davis discovered Islam this spring in an Internet chat room. Her estranged husband did not return the children after a visit.
ALLWIN, Mo., Oct. 20 — Since she became a Muslim six months ago, Angela Davis has given up many things. She stopped listening to music, started sleeping on the floor, put away her 100 Disney videos and traded her porcelain doll collection for velvet posters with verses from the Koran.
Now, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ms. Davis may have to give up her children.
After her photograph, in full veil, appeared in the local newspaper on Sept. 30, Ms. Davis`s soon-to-be-ex- husband refused to return their children, 5 and 2, from a weekend visit. She has not seen them since.
``It`s a test that is given to me from Allah to see if my faith is strong enough,`` said Ms. Davis, 27, who discovered Islam in an Internet chat room this spring and now teaches pre-kindergarten at the Al-Salam Day School in this St. Louis suburb. ``I`m asked to give up my religion for my kids, but I won`t do it. On Judgment Day, as much as I love my kids, they won`t be there with me.``
Though her situation is extreme, Ms. Davis is one of thousands of new Muslim converts struggling with their identities amid anti-Muslim fervor and declarations of an Islamic holy war being broadcast on television. Already estranged from relatives and friends, some of whom accuse them of joining a cult, these new Muslims face catcalls and fresh challenges to their faith
Tim Parker for The New York Times -``Giving up the pork and the alcohol was the easy part,`` says Jim Hacking, a St. Louis lawyer who studied to be a Jesuit priest before choosing Islam.
Many say the events of Sept. 11 only confirmed their commitment. Shannon Staloch is not sure why, but upon hearing of the hijackings, she immediately grabbed a book from her backpack and recited the Arabic declaration of belief; she made the conversion official 12 days later.
``You know how the world changed when that happened and everyone was shaky?`` Ms. Staloch said. ``I wanted something steady.``
With some 6 million adherents in the United States, Islam is said to be the nation`s fastest-growing religion, fueled by immigration, high birth rates and widespread conversion. One expert estimates that 25,000 people a year become Muslims in this country; some clerics say they have seen conversion rates quadruple since Sept. 11.
Experts say Islam is attractive because of its universal message — the faithful believe that everyone is born Muslim and thus call the transformation reversion, not conversion — and because its teachings incorporate other traditions, honoring Jesus Christ, the Jewish patriarch Abraham and other Biblical figures as prophets. Though missionary work is rare in Islam, spreading the message is demanded by the Koran. Conversion is as simple as reciting one sentence — ``I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger`` — in front of witnesses, a ceremony known as Shahadah.
``There`s no class,`` said Khalid Yahya Blankinship, chairman of the religion department at Temple University. ``There isn`t really a formalized requirement, you don`t have to be tested.`` Mr. Blankinship, who converted to Islam in 1973 and has since witnessed 100 Shahadahs, added: ``It`s very important that Islam should spread. The idea is that one should want other souls to be saved.``
The vast majority of converts are African-Americans, who make up about a third of Muslims in the United States. Thousands find Allah while in jail or in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. Less familiar are the lapsed Catholics and lost Jews, often highly educated professionals, who come to the mosque.
Many convert because they want to marry a Muslim who demands it, a common reason for conversions in any religion.
``I would never have changed if it wasn`t for Rania,`` David Nerviani, a St. Louis police officer, said of his Egyptian-born wife, a bartender he met on patrol. ``It`s probably not that deep for me.``
Others find Islam through friendships on college campuses, research papers on world religions or trolling the Internet.
Some just feel called. Abdullah Reda of Reston, Va., said the news of Susan Smith, the South Carolina woman who drowned her two sons, brought him to Islam. A 13-year-old California girl had an epiphany during a sunset drive through the red rocks of Arizona. Katie Mathews, a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, who plans to make her Shahadah on her 23rd birthday in November, prayed for a sign and soon saw a license plate, ``4 ALLAH.``
Nine years ago, Jim Hacking was in training to be a Jesuit priest. Now, he is an admiralty lawyer in St. Louis who has spent much of the last month explaining Islam at interfaith gatherings. Mr. Hacking`s search began in the 12-step program Overeaters Anonymous and intensified when he befriended an Egyptian-born woman, Amany Ragab, at the law review at St. Louis University. He made the Shahadah on June 6, 1998, and proposed marriage to her the next day. This summer, the couple traveled to Mecca.
``The thing I`ve always latched to is that there`s one God, he doesn`t have equals, he doesn`t need a son to come do his work,`` Mr. Hacking, 31, said. ``Giving up the pork and the alcohol was the easy part — I never drank much, but I did like bacon. The hard part, and the part I still struggle with every day, is being a good person, and living a good clean life.``
To help with the social transition, the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Va., pairs converts with mentors. Other mosques offer seminars in the basics of Arabic prayer. Web sites like jews-for-allah.org and understandingislam.tripod.com provide glossaries to common Muslim expressions, step-by-step guides to ritual washing, interactive games to teach Arabic, and profiles of fellow converts, organized alphabetically, by county of origin and by former religion.
Perhaps the greatest challenge is maintaining family relationships, as parents often view conversion as a betrayal. One Web site offers a how- to guide for telling relatives. ``Do not allow them to drag you into a conflict regarding religion at all,`` it lectures.
Ms. Stolach, who teaches middle- school literacy, said her mother had helped her shop for hijab, the traditional Muslim head covering, but Ms. Mathews says the main reason she has delayed her Shahadah is that she is living with her parents.
``My mom, she`s Christian and she`s very upset,`` Ms Mathews said. ``I told her about my signs. She said, how do I know it`s not the Devil?``
``The Koran says you have to obey your parents, heaven is at the foot of your mother,`` she added. ``I have to obey God before I obey my mother.``
On Sept. 11, Ms. Davis`s mother exhorted her to remove the hijab, saying it would endanger her grandchildren. (Ms. Davis`s divorce lawyer, and her husband, did not return telephone calls.) Ms. Davis, who wears a shoulder-to-ankle robe over her clothes, also faces resistance from her older two daughters, from a previous marriage, whom she enrolled in an Islamic school this fall, but who have lately said they would prefer to live with their father.
As the afternoon call to prayer sounded from the mosque above Ms. Davis`s classroom, the girls, white scarves around their heads, scrambled up to the women`s balcony, where they bowed and knelt like old pros. They murmured ``bismillah`` (``in the name of Allah``) before starting a game, ``astaghfirullah`` (``I beg Allah for forgiveness``) after a misstep. But they say their father says their mother worships Satan.
``I got one person saying they want me to be Muslim and then I got my dad saying no Muslim,`` said Krashanna Agers, 9. ``I don`t know, I`m not grown up yet.``
Source: NY Times
Another One Bites The Dust
WORTH REPRINTING
WORTH PROMOTING.
The potential for Islamic Revolution in Pakistan
by Zafar Bangash
[Crescent International, May 16-31, 2000.]
Pakistan`s tragedy is not merely that its ruling elites are corrupt and incompetent, for this is the case with elites throughout much of the Muslim world: the tragedy is the sterile thinking that continues to prescribe the same failed policies that have brought Pakistan to its sorry state in the first place. That the country is on the verge of political and economic collapse is now admitted even by the practitioners of statecraft; it has even earned the dubious distinction of a ‘failed State.’ Seldom discussed, however, are the reasons for its failure. During military rule, there is clamour for a civilian government; when the civilians are in power–whether feudal lords or industrial barons–there are calls for the military to take over and restore ‘law and order,’ as if simply changing faces would solve problems.
Pakistan’s fundamental dilemma lies in the unresolved dichotomy between the wishes of the masses, who want an Islamic State and had so desired at the time of its creation, and the country’s ruling elites, who could only produce a secular nation-state in the image of their masters’ vision. This crisis of identity is at the root of all the problems in Pakistan. The late Dr Kalim Siddiqui (1931-1996) was perhaps the only scholar who clearly understood this, and repeatedly pointed out this dichotomy. He also underlined the failure of the Islamic political parties and placed them squarely in the corner of the western-created and western-imposed political institutions. The Islamic parties’ repeated failures to secure any support in elections held under the secular system have confirmed Dr Kalim`s analysis.
Dr Kalim Siddiqui asserted that the country’s only chance of survival was in an Iran-style Islamic Revolution. This can only come about, he emphasized, if a number of prerequisites are first realized. Foremost among these is the emergence of a muttaqi leadership. He disqualified all those, whether feudal lords, industrial barons or shortsighted financiers, the military officer-class or the civilian bureaucracy, who had brought Pakistan to its present state, from having any further role in its future set-up. The muttaqi leadership can only emerge from the roots of Islam, i.e., from among the ulama. While there may not be any identifiable personality at present to lead such a movement, given Pakistan’s peculiar experience with the ulama it would be unwise to dismiss them altogether from a future role, he argued.
It may sound ironic to talk about the potential for an Islamic Revolution in Pakistan when it should have been a model for the Ummah. It is the only country in the world to have been created in the name of Islam. In 1947 when Pakistan came into existence, Muslims throughout the world rejoiced and looked to it as a ``fortress of Islam.`` That its own rulers have been busy demolishing its walls and foundations since is one of the saddest parts of Pakistan’s tortuous history.
Pakistan’s destiny was subverted at its very creation. The western-educated and western-created elites in the Muslim League who led the Pakistan movement knew little or nothing about Islam. They had been weaned on western thought and ideas in which subservience to the British raj was considered to be of paramount importance. But they also realized that the Muslim masses would only respond to the call of Islam. So they mixed nationalism with Islamic rhetoric in their demand for the creation of a state separate from Hindu-dominated India. For the Muslim masses Pakistan meant the revival of the period of the Khulafa ar-Rashidoon. In fact, the masses’ enthusiasm for an Islamic State in Pakistan was not entirely misplaced; it was barely 23 years earlier that the Khilafah had been abolished in Turkey, much to the distress and anger of Muslims worldwide, especially in India. The demand for Pakistan was viewed by the Muslim masses as the first step in the re-establishment of a fundamental institution of Islam: the Islamic State. The elites, however, had other ideas.
Two points need to made before proceeding further. Pakistan is important because it represented the wishes of the indigenous Muslim population in British-ruled India for a homeland of their own. Some people have compared it with the zionist state of Israel, which was also created in the name of a religion. Such comparisons are not only perverse, they are also wrong because the zionist entity was planted in the heartland of Islam as a colonial-settler enterprise. It has been nurtured by western handouts and has helped keep the heartland of Islam divided and in turmoil. Pakistan, on the other hand, reflected the deepest aspirations of Muslim peoples who had lived there for nearly a thousand years.
Second, Pakistan, like any other Muslim country, must not be viewed merely as a geographic entity. Its survival is the concern of all Muslims throughout the world because Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala describes the Muslims as one Ummah (21:92) and the Prophet, upon whom be peace, has repeatedly emphasized Muslim unity and concern for each other’s well-being. Any geographical or physical barriers dividing Muslims are artificial and unacceptable. Pakistan’s future and well-being cannot be separated from the well-being of the Ummah itself. Every Muslim, no matter where he lives in the world, is duty-bound to participate in the well-being of Pakistan as of any other part of the Ummah, be it Palestine, Kashmir or Bosnia. This was the position consistently articulated with great eloquence by Dr Kalim Siddiqui in all his writings and speeches. It was also this understanding that led him to become such a staunch defender and supporter of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Pakistan’s current plight reflects another irony. Three of the five regions bordering Pakistan have either undergone an Islamic revolution (Iran), have had jihad movements (Afghanistan) or are in the throes of jihad at present (Kashmir). Almost all sectors of the population in Pakistan, including the ruling elites, admit that Iran has taken control of its own destiny since the Islamic revolution, that the Red Army was defeated in Afghanistan as a result of jihad, and that jihad is the only way to liberate Kashmir from the clutches of a tyrannical India. Yet the same elites are averse to any mention of jihad or Islamic revolution in Pakistan. This is further compounded by the role the Islamic political parties have played by participating in the western-imposed system and confusing the masses about its true nature.
Before we consider the potential for an Islamic revolution in Pakistan, there is need to admit some harsh realities in order to wipe the slate clean. Without such cleansing, it would be difficult to move forward. Pakistan`s independence from Britain in 1947 was fraudulent; it emerged with a ``Dominion`` status, complete with a governor general and a bureaucracy, but soon fell into the deathly embrace of the US. Throughout its existence, successive governments have invested enormous energies to secure the non-existent goodwill of the US. The US was allowed to use Pakistan`s territory to advance the American agenda in the cold war, to the great detriment of its own people. After the end of the cold war, Pakistan was left out in the cold. At partition, Pakistan had no external debt; today it has an external debt of US$42 billion. More than 80 percent of all its revenues are consumed by debt-servicing and defence expenditure. Not only has its financial and political future been mortgaged to western lending institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, but the complete subservience of the ruling elites to the west amounts to shirk.
It is the hallmark of all ruling elites that the more they are alienated from their own people, the greater is their need for external support and subservience. So they become extremely oppressive and tyrannical at home because they have to take the masses in a direction in which they do not wish to go. The alienation of the ruling elites from the masses in Pakistan is total. The gap between the rich and poor is widening; while the elites live a life of rapacious extravagance, the masses suffer great hardships and poverty. This is compounded by corruption, which has reached dizzying heights. Every ruler in Pakistan for the last 10 to 12 years has publicly admitted that corruption is rampant but then proceeded to indulge in even greater excesses.
One last point about the behaviour of the Pakistani elites is in order. Throughout its 53-year existence, the country`s elites have made a great show of their enmity to India because of its illegal occupation of Kashmir and the brutal campaign of terror currently under way there. They have vowed not to rest until they have liberated Kashmir. Like their commitment to Islam, their enmity to India is also a fraud. There is far more common ground between the Muslim and Hindu ruling elites than there is between either elite and its poverty-stricken masses. The elites in both countries have similar tastes in food, entertainment, lifestyle, recreation, and so forth. Their children go to similar schools in their own countries and end up in the same institutions in the US and Britain in Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge, London and so on. The only difference seems to be that the Hindu elites are a little less corrupt and a lot more sincere in their pronouncements than their Pakistani counterparts.
Enough has been said about what is wrong with the system and the ruling elites in Pakistan. We now need to turn our attention to the potential for an Islamic revolution. Despite decades of forced secularization and westernization, the overwhelming majority of the people have remained deeply attached to Islam. Only this can explain the elites’ systematic attempts to hide behind the veil of ‘Islamicity’ while they are committed to secularism and to subservience of the west. Beyond symbolic gestures, however, there is a need for the emergence of what Dr Kalim Siddiqui called muttaqi leadership to lead the Islamic movement to turn Pakistan into a genuine Islamic State (its official name at the moment is the ``Islamic Republic of Pakistan``!). This muttaqi leadership must emerge from the ulama who are uncontaminated by western thought and influence and who have no class or personal interests. Although he himself was educated in the west, Dr Kalim emphasized that western-educated elites have no role to play in leadership positions in the Islamic State. He said that the western-educated elites can only operate a western-imposed system, which is at the root of all the problems of Pakistan and indeed of all other Muslim countries (with the exception of Iran since the Islamic revolution).
Dr Kalim Siddiqui also stressed that there was an urgent need to eliminate all traces of nationalism from the mentality of Muslims. In Pakistan, nationalism has led to the emergence of such tendencies as provincialism and parochialism as well as sectarianism. Aware that his call for the ulama to lead the masses would raise questions about their absence from the political scene for more than 50 years, Dr Kalim pointed to the great role played by the ulama in Iran, who had also abstained from direct participation in politics for their entire history. Further, in India there has been a long and rich tradition of the ulama`s struggle, starting with Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi (d.1624 CE) in the seventeenth century, who was succeeded by such great figures as Shah Waliullah of Delhi (d.1763), and Syed Ahmed and Shah Ismail, both of whom were martyred at Balakot while fighting the Sikhs in 1831. The last two actually led a jihad movement and performed hijrah (migration) in following the Sunnah of the noble Messenger of Allah. This is a great legacy for the Islamic movement in Pakistan to build on.
The potential for an Islamic revolution in Pakistan has never been greater because the secular elites have failed so completely. This they have themselves openly admitted. Similarly, there is great awakening among the masses, who have rejected the existing system. This has been repeatedly demonstrated by their lack of participation in the electoral fraud enacted for the last 12 years. The electorates’ turnout, even according to official figures, was never more than 25 percent. The true figures are certainly much lower. Another indication of the masses’ desire for an Islamic revolution is the wish, heard frequently, for an ``Imam Khomeini-style leader`` in Pakistan.
While excluding the existing civilian and military elites from any further role in Pakistan, Dr Kalim Siddiqui had identified a number of institutions that could serve as assets for a future Islamic revolution.
1: Masajid
There are thousands of masajid throughout Pakistan. Most of their khateebs and imams are involved in peripheral issues. Some even promote sectarianism. This is of course deliberately encouraged and financed in order to undermine the influence in Pakistan of Iran`s Islamic revolution. It is not difficult to see who would benefit from such divisions in Pakistan: the Saudi regime, Iraq, the US and their agents in Pakistan. But the number of imams promoting sectarianism is relatively small. In fact, once the higher goal and purpose of the Islamic revolution is articulated, they will rise above such petty differences. Those who continue to indulge in sectarianism will find themselves isolated and marginalised in an environment that aims to promote the pristine principles and goals of Islam.
2: Deeni madaris and ulama
According to the most conservative estimates, there are at least 2,000 (and perhaps as many as 6,000) madaris in Pakistan. The fact that these institutions have been targeted by the Pakistani secularists on behalf of their US masters reflects their potential role in an Islamic revolution in Pakistan.
Despite a vicious propaganda campaign, neither all the madaris nor all ulama promote sectarianism. The vast majority are for Muslim unity. Such madaris and ulama must not only be identified but also encouraged to play their rightful role in society. After all, if students from such madaris can be motivated to participate in jihad in Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechenya and Bosnia, why can they not be motivated to participate in the jihad against tyranny and oppression at home?
3: Secular, western-style institutions
While the secular western-style institutions were established to undermine the deeni madaris, Islamic awareness is spreading even among students there. One of the great blessings of a Muslim society is that secularisation and westernisation affect severely only a thin veneer at the top; the vast majority remain attached to Islam. An inspiring glimpse of this was seen during the revolution against the Shah`s regime in Iran, when jeans-clad girls hurled stones at the army. Young people educated in the secular institutions of Pakistan will play a similar role and will be a great asset for the Islamic revolution.
4: The rural population
The rural population, comprising the overwhelming majority in Pakistan, is largely uncontaminated by secular western ideas. They may be poor but they have pride and dignity; they may not be highly educated but they are highly motivated. Moreover, their attachment to Islam is beyond question. Another important factor is that they make the bulk of the rank and file of the army. When the Islamic revolution occurs in Pakistan, the military and civilian elites will try to crush it, but the rank and file of the army, unlike the Shah`s army in Iran, will disobey orders to shoot their own kith and kin. There is far too much Islamic awareness and common decency in the Pakistan army for them to indulge in any such carnage. The officer class will soon be isolated, signalling the end of the game for the imposed order.
5: Workers and the urban poor
This is another group which is greatly exploited. Comprising most of the population in major urban centres, they have always offered great sacrifices,–for Pakistan as well as for every movement against tyrannical rulers. This was seen during the movements to overthrow Ayub Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, for instance. The two most successful movements in Pakistan’s history were those for the creation of Pakistan and against Bhutto’s regime in 1977. In both, it will be noted, the elites used the name of Islam to mobilise the masses. The movement against Bhutto was projected as a struggle to establish Nizam-e Mustafa (the system established by the Prophet, upon whom be peace). The military struck when it realised that the movement was getting out of control and could bring down the entire system. The leadership of the movement against Bhutto was also exposed as being opportunistic and insincere to Islam; their sole purpose was to use the masses to get rid of Bhutto, not to enforce Islam. The urban poor will make even greater sacrifices for the Islamic revolution which will free society from the injustices and exploitation that currently pervade it. The workers and urban poor know about such suffering from firsthand experience, and have the will and the ability to bring about change.
6: Conflict between kufr & Islam
The west, which represents the power of kufr, has declared open war on Islam and every manifestation of it. The west and its media call it ``Islamic fundamentalism,`` or even ``terrorism.`` If there are any Muslims who still have doubts about the west’s total animosity to Islam, they should consider this: the west and its mouthpieces have labelled the Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine ``terrorist`` organisations although they are fighting to liberate their land from the clutches of zionism. The Islamic movements in Algeria and Egypt are similarly branded; even the mujahideen in Chechenya and Kashmir are being given negative appellations, as if fighting to free one’s homeland and protect the honour of one`s mothers, daughters and sisters were a crime.
The Islamic movement in Pakistan should harbour no illusions about the west’s role and its animosity to Islam. Similarly, the Islamic movement must clearly identify the west’s agents in Pakistan who promote its agenda against the wishes and interests of its people.
7: Muttaqi leadership
Muttaqi leadership is present but has not made its presence felt in Pakistan. The fundamental reason, according to Dr Kalim Siddiqui, is that Islamic political parties have absorbed many of the muttaqi and committed Muslims. One of the debilitating influences of the ‘Islamic’ political parties has been that they force even muttaqi people into compromises. Only the Islamic movement can provide the framework in which such compromises will not be forced upon Muslims. When it is made clear that all traces of western influence must be eliminated, then the leadership will develop self-confidence, the will and taqwa to face such challenges and not be cowed by the secularist onslaught.
The leadership’s reference point will then become the Qur`an, the Sunnah and Seerah of the noble Mesenger of Allah (saw), not the UN charter or so-called international law, which is a euphemism for western interests above all. It will seek the pleasure of Allah, not of Uncle Sam. This will automatically bring the leadership closer to the masses. When muttaqi leadership and humble masses come together, they will become a force that no weapons or force can defeat.
Today all the ingredients for an Islamic revolution in Pakistan are present. Again, the blessings of an Islamic society are evident everywhere. Despite all the evils of corruption, graft, nepotism and fraud, the inherent decency of the people and their deep love for Islam come through clearly. Westernization has managed to affect only the surface of Pakistani society.
The Islamic revolution, however, will not come about of its own volition. It will require clarity of thought and vision and a great deal of hard work. The first step is to have much clearer lines of communication with the masses. The thousands of masajid and madaris are extremely important avenues for this. The Islamic movement will have to develop close links with them in order to realise their true potential. Other vehicles, such as newspapers and magazines of the Islamic movement, must also be developed to get the ideas across, although the dismal literacy rate in the country will be a handicap. But Islamic ideas will find a ready and receptive audience. It is much easier to get the Islamic message across by bypassing the din currently created by the secular media.
Two groups must emerge immediately to act as the support arm of the Islamic movement in Pakistan. Let us call them the Fidayan-e Islam and Jihad for Reconstruction. The first must provide protection in neighbourhoods, because the police force is not only thoroughly corrupt but completely despised and distrusted. The Fidayan can also act as dispute-resolution committees, freeing people from the cumbersome court system, where people can find no justice. The Fidayan will give the masses an opportunity to see the Islamic movement in operation, thereby earning their trust, as well as build their self-confidence for the much greater struggle ahead.
The Jihad for Reconstruction will help develop the spirit of self-help among the people. Today there is complete breakdown of almost all services in Pakistan. There is no clean drinking water, almost everything is polluted -- from the environment to medicines, leading to unnecessary early deaths of children as well as adults. Following the pattern of work undertaken in Iran, the Jihad for Reconstruction in Pakistan can help the rural population with agriculture, protection of crops and fruits, and building houses and roads. This will help to bring parts of the Islamic movement in Pakistan closer to each other and to the rural majority. This is a large undertaking and will not be realised in a short time, but a beginning must be made as soon as possible. The Islamic movement will have to deliver services instead of rhetoric, as has been the habit of elite-dominated political parties, in order to win the confidence of the people.
The ruling elites have completely run out of ideas and have failed so miserably that there is no room for them to play any further role in governing society. Pakistan can ill afford to run between the fascism of the feudals and the boot of the military. As Malek Bennabi, the Algerian writer, observed after the June 1967 debacle, the Arab regimes need a fresh stock of ideas, not a fresh stock of the weapons that brought about their defeat in the first place. The same goes for Pakistan. Everything else has been tried and has failed. The people cannot remain mired in the past; there is a need to move towards Islamic revolution.
This will not, however, come about through American aid; it will only come through Islamic struggle and sacrifices. This is what we learn from the Seerah of the Prophet, upon whom be peace. Through his uswatan hasana (noble character), the Prophet showed a practical example of how a society steeped in jahiliyya can be transformed into a muttaqi and God-fearing society. The Qur’an refers to two groups of people: the Hizbullah and the Hizbu-Shaytan; there is no room for any other group or party. In Pakistan, as indeed everywhere else in the Muslim world, those who are not for the Islamic State are automatically part of the Hizbu-Shaytan.
The struggle to turn Pakistan into the Islamic State will not be easy, but the alternative is annihilation. This is the stark choice facing the people of Pakistan as well as Muslims worldwide. The destruction of Pakistan, God forbid, will be a great blow to the Ummah of Islam. Every effort must be made to prevent it, but time is running out. No civilization, much less an Islamic civilization, has ever emerged on borrowed money or borrowed ideas. The Islamic civilization in Pakistan must be based on the values of Islam, or it cannot be Islamic.
Zafar Bangash is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought. This paper was presented at the Kalim Siddiqui Memorial Seminar convened by the ICIT and Crescent International in London on May 7.
Posted by
musalmaan
May 2, 2002 03:08 am
WORTH READINGWORTH REPRINTING
WORTH PROMOTING.
The potential for Islamic Revolution in Pakistan
by Zafar Bangash
[Crescent International, May 16-31, 2000.]
Pakistan`s tragedy is not merely that its ruling elites are corrupt and incompetent, for this is the case with elites throughout much of the Muslim world: the tragedy is the sterile thinking that continues to prescribe the same failed policies that have brought Pakistan to its sorry state in the first place. That the country is on the verge of political and economic collapse is now admitted even by the practitioners of statecraft; it has even earned the dubious distinction of a ‘failed State.’ Seldom discussed, however, are the reasons for its failure. During military rule, there is clamour for a civilian government; when the civilians are in power–whether feudal lords or industrial barons–there are calls for the military to take over and restore ‘law and order,’ as if simply changing faces would solve problems.
Pakistan’s fundamental dilemma lies in the unresolved dichotomy between the wishes of the masses, who want an Islamic State and had so desired at the time of its creation, and the country’s ruling elites, who could only produce a secular nation-state in the image of their masters’ vision. This crisis of identity is at the root of all the problems in Pakistan. The late Dr Kalim Siddiqui (1931-1996) was perhaps the only scholar who clearly understood this, and repeatedly pointed out this dichotomy. He also underlined the failure of the Islamic political parties and placed them squarely in the corner of the western-created and western-imposed political institutions. The Islamic parties’ repeated failures to secure any support in elections held under the secular system have confirmed Dr Kalim`s analysis.
Dr Kalim Siddiqui asserted that the country’s only chance of survival was in an Iran-style Islamic Revolution. This can only come about, he emphasized, if a number of prerequisites are first realized. Foremost among these is the emergence of a muttaqi leadership. He disqualified all those, whether feudal lords, industrial barons or shortsighted financiers, the military officer-class or the civilian bureaucracy, who had brought Pakistan to its present state, from having any further role in its future set-up. The muttaqi leadership can only emerge from the roots of Islam, i.e., from among the ulama. While there may not be any identifiable personality at present to lead such a movement, given Pakistan’s peculiar experience with the ulama it would be unwise to dismiss them altogether from a future role, he argued.
It may sound ironic to talk about the potential for an Islamic Revolution in Pakistan when it should have been a model for the Ummah. It is the only country in the world to have been created in the name of Islam. In 1947 when Pakistan came into existence, Muslims throughout the world rejoiced and looked to it as a ``fortress of Islam.`` That its own rulers have been busy demolishing its walls and foundations since is one of the saddest parts of Pakistan’s tortuous history.
Pakistan’s destiny was subverted at its very creation. The western-educated and western-created elites in the Muslim League who led the Pakistan movement knew little or nothing about Islam. They had been weaned on western thought and ideas in which subservience to the British raj was considered to be of paramount importance. But they also realized that the Muslim masses would only respond to the call of Islam. So they mixed nationalism with Islamic rhetoric in their demand for the creation of a state separate from Hindu-dominated India. For the Muslim masses Pakistan meant the revival of the period of the Khulafa ar-Rashidoon. In fact, the masses’ enthusiasm for an Islamic State in Pakistan was not entirely misplaced; it was barely 23 years earlier that the Khilafah had been abolished in Turkey, much to the distress and anger of Muslims worldwide, especially in India. The demand for Pakistan was viewed by the Muslim masses as the first step in the re-establishment of a fundamental institution of Islam: the Islamic State. The elites, however, had other ideas.
Two points need to made before proceeding further. Pakistan is important because it represented the wishes of the indigenous Muslim population in British-ruled India for a homeland of their own. Some people have compared it with the zionist state of Israel, which was also created in the name of a religion. Such comparisons are not only perverse, they are also wrong because the zionist entity was planted in the heartland of Islam as a colonial-settler enterprise. It has been nurtured by western handouts and has helped keep the heartland of Islam divided and in turmoil. Pakistan, on the other hand, reflected the deepest aspirations of Muslim peoples who had lived there for nearly a thousand years.
Second, Pakistan, like any other Muslim country, must not be viewed merely as a geographic entity. Its survival is the concern of all Muslims throughout the world because Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala describes the Muslims as one Ummah (21:92) and the Prophet, upon whom be peace, has repeatedly emphasized Muslim unity and concern for each other’s well-being. Any geographical or physical barriers dividing Muslims are artificial and unacceptable. Pakistan’s future and well-being cannot be separated from the well-being of the Ummah itself. Every Muslim, no matter where he lives in the world, is duty-bound to participate in the well-being of Pakistan as of any other part of the Ummah, be it Palestine, Kashmir or Bosnia. This was the position consistently articulated with great eloquence by Dr Kalim Siddiqui in all his writings and speeches. It was also this understanding that led him to become such a staunch defender and supporter of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Pakistan’s current plight reflects another irony. Three of the five regions bordering Pakistan have either undergone an Islamic revolution (Iran), have had jihad movements (Afghanistan) or are in the throes of jihad at present (Kashmir). Almost all sectors of the population in Pakistan, including the ruling elites, admit that Iran has taken control of its own destiny since the Islamic revolution, that the Red Army was defeated in Afghanistan as a result of jihad, and that jihad is the only way to liberate Kashmir from the clutches of a tyrannical India. Yet the same elites are averse to any mention of jihad or Islamic revolution in Pakistan. This is further compounded by the role the Islamic political parties have played by participating in the western-imposed system and confusing the masses about its true nature.
Before we consider the potential for an Islamic revolution in Pakistan, there is need to admit some harsh realities in order to wipe the slate clean. Without such cleansing, it would be difficult to move forward. Pakistan`s independence from Britain in 1947 was fraudulent; it emerged with a ``Dominion`` status, complete with a governor general and a bureaucracy, but soon fell into the deathly embrace of the US. Throughout its existence, successive governments have invested enormous energies to secure the non-existent goodwill of the US. The US was allowed to use Pakistan`s territory to advance the American agenda in the cold war, to the great detriment of its own people. After the end of the cold war, Pakistan was left out in the cold. At partition, Pakistan had no external debt; today it has an external debt of US$42 billion. More than 80 percent of all its revenues are consumed by debt-servicing and defence expenditure. Not only has its financial and political future been mortgaged to western lending institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, but the complete subservience of the ruling elites to the west amounts to shirk.
It is the hallmark of all ruling elites that the more they are alienated from their own people, the greater is their need for external support and subservience. So they become extremely oppressive and tyrannical at home because they have to take the masses in a direction in which they do not wish to go. The alienation of the ruling elites from the masses in Pakistan is total. The gap between the rich and poor is widening; while the elites live a life of rapacious extravagance, the masses suffer great hardships and poverty. This is compounded by corruption, which has reached dizzying heights. Every ruler in Pakistan for the last 10 to 12 years has publicly admitted that corruption is rampant but then proceeded to indulge in even greater excesses.
One last point about the behaviour of the Pakistani elites is in order. Throughout its 53-year existence, the country`s elites have made a great show of their enmity to India because of its illegal occupation of Kashmir and the brutal campaign of terror currently under way there. They have vowed not to rest until they have liberated Kashmir. Like their commitment to Islam, their enmity to India is also a fraud. There is far more common ground between the Muslim and Hindu ruling elites than there is between either elite and its poverty-stricken masses. The elites in both countries have similar tastes in food, entertainment, lifestyle, recreation, and so forth. Their children go to similar schools in their own countries and end up in the same institutions in the US and Britain in Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge, London and so on. The only difference seems to be that the Hindu elites are a little less corrupt and a lot more sincere in their pronouncements than their Pakistani counterparts.
Enough has been said about what is wrong with the system and the ruling elites in Pakistan. We now need to turn our attention to the potential for an Islamic revolution. Despite decades of forced secularization and westernization, the overwhelming majority of the people have remained deeply attached to Islam. Only this can explain the elites’ systematic attempts to hide behind the veil of ‘Islamicity’ while they are committed to secularism and to subservience of the west. Beyond symbolic gestures, however, there is a need for the emergence of what Dr Kalim Siddiqui called muttaqi leadership to lead the Islamic movement to turn Pakistan into a genuine Islamic State (its official name at the moment is the ``Islamic Republic of Pakistan``!). This muttaqi leadership must emerge from the ulama who are uncontaminated by western thought and influence and who have no class or personal interests. Although he himself was educated in the west, Dr Kalim emphasized that western-educated elites have no role to play in leadership positions in the Islamic State. He said that the western-educated elites can only operate a western-imposed system, which is at the root of all the problems of Pakistan and indeed of all other Muslim countries (with the exception of Iran since the Islamic revolution).
Dr Kalim Siddiqui also stressed that there was an urgent need to eliminate all traces of nationalism from the mentality of Muslims. In Pakistan, nationalism has led to the emergence of such tendencies as provincialism and parochialism as well as sectarianism. Aware that his call for the ulama to lead the masses would raise questions about their absence from the political scene for more than 50 years, Dr Kalim pointed to the great role played by the ulama in Iran, who had also abstained from direct participation in politics for their entire history. Further, in India there has been a long and rich tradition of the ulama`s struggle, starting with Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi (d.1624 CE) in the seventeenth century, who was succeeded by such great figures as Shah Waliullah of Delhi (d.1763), and Syed Ahmed and Shah Ismail, both of whom were martyred at Balakot while fighting the Sikhs in 1831. The last two actually led a jihad movement and performed hijrah (migration) in following the Sunnah of the noble Messenger of Allah. This is a great legacy for the Islamic movement in Pakistan to build on.
The potential for an Islamic revolution in Pakistan has never been greater because the secular elites have failed so completely. This they have themselves openly admitted. Similarly, there is great awakening among the masses, who have rejected the existing system. This has been repeatedly demonstrated by their lack of participation in the electoral fraud enacted for the last 12 years. The electorates’ turnout, even according to official figures, was never more than 25 percent. The true figures are certainly much lower. Another indication of the masses’ desire for an Islamic revolution is the wish, heard frequently, for an ``Imam Khomeini-style leader`` in Pakistan.
While excluding the existing civilian and military elites from any further role in Pakistan, Dr Kalim Siddiqui had identified a number of institutions that could serve as assets for a future Islamic revolution.
1: Masajid
There are thousands of masajid throughout Pakistan. Most of their khateebs and imams are involved in peripheral issues. Some even promote sectarianism. This is of course deliberately encouraged and financed in order to undermine the influence in Pakistan of Iran`s Islamic revolution. It is not difficult to see who would benefit from such divisions in Pakistan: the Saudi regime, Iraq, the US and their agents in Pakistan. But the number of imams promoting sectarianism is relatively small. In fact, once the higher goal and purpose of the Islamic revolution is articulated, they will rise above such petty differences. Those who continue to indulge in sectarianism will find themselves isolated and marginalised in an environment that aims to promote the pristine principles and goals of Islam.
2: Deeni madaris and ulama
According to the most conservative estimates, there are at least 2,000 (and perhaps as many as 6,000) madaris in Pakistan. The fact that these institutions have been targeted by the Pakistani secularists on behalf of their US masters reflects their potential role in an Islamic revolution in Pakistan.
Despite a vicious propaganda campaign, neither all the madaris nor all ulama promote sectarianism. The vast majority are for Muslim unity. Such madaris and ulama must not only be identified but also encouraged to play their rightful role in society. After all, if students from such madaris can be motivated to participate in jihad in Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechenya and Bosnia, why can they not be motivated to participate in the jihad against tyranny and oppression at home?
3: Secular, western-style institutions
While the secular western-style institutions were established to undermine the deeni madaris, Islamic awareness is spreading even among students there. One of the great blessings of a Muslim society is that secularisation and westernisation affect severely only a thin veneer at the top; the vast majority remain attached to Islam. An inspiring glimpse of this was seen during the revolution against the Shah`s regime in Iran, when jeans-clad girls hurled stones at the army. Young people educated in the secular institutions of Pakistan will play a similar role and will be a great asset for the Islamic revolution.
4: The rural population
The rural population, comprising the overwhelming majority in Pakistan, is largely uncontaminated by secular western ideas. They may be poor but they have pride and dignity; they may not be highly educated but they are highly motivated. Moreover, their attachment to Islam is beyond question. Another important factor is that they make the bulk of the rank and file of the army. When the Islamic revolution occurs in Pakistan, the military and civilian elites will try to crush it, but the rank and file of the army, unlike the Shah`s army in Iran, will disobey orders to shoot their own kith and kin. There is far too much Islamic awareness and common decency in the Pakistan army for them to indulge in any such carnage. The officer class will soon be isolated, signalling the end of the game for the imposed order.
5: Workers and the urban poor
This is another group which is greatly exploited. Comprising most of the population in major urban centres, they have always offered great sacrifices,–for Pakistan as well as for every movement against tyrannical rulers. This was seen during the movements to overthrow Ayub Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, for instance. The two most successful movements in Pakistan’s history were those for the creation of Pakistan and against Bhutto’s regime in 1977. In both, it will be noted, the elites used the name of Islam to mobilise the masses. The movement against Bhutto was projected as a struggle to establish Nizam-e Mustafa (the system established by the Prophet, upon whom be peace). The military struck when it realised that the movement was getting out of control and could bring down the entire system. The leadership of the movement against Bhutto was also exposed as being opportunistic and insincere to Islam; their sole purpose was to use the masses to get rid of Bhutto, not to enforce Islam. The urban poor will make even greater sacrifices for the Islamic revolution which will free society from the injustices and exploitation that currently pervade it. The workers and urban poor know about such suffering from firsthand experience, and have the will and the ability to bring about change.
6: Conflict between kufr & Islam
The west, which represents the power of kufr, has declared open war on Islam and every manifestation of it. The west and its media call it ``Islamic fundamentalism,`` or even ``terrorism.`` If there are any Muslims who still have doubts about the west’s total animosity to Islam, they should consider this: the west and its mouthpieces have labelled the Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine ``terrorist`` organisations although they are fighting to liberate their land from the clutches of zionism. The Islamic movements in Algeria and Egypt are similarly branded; even the mujahideen in Chechenya and Kashmir are being given negative appellations, as if fighting to free one’s homeland and protect the honour of one`s mothers, daughters and sisters were a crime.
The Islamic movement in Pakistan should harbour no illusions about the west’s role and its animosity to Islam. Similarly, the Islamic movement must clearly identify the west’s agents in Pakistan who promote its agenda against the wishes and interests of its people.
7: Muttaqi leadership
Muttaqi leadership is present but has not made its presence felt in Pakistan. The fundamental reason, according to Dr Kalim Siddiqui, is that Islamic political parties have absorbed many of the muttaqi and committed Muslims. One of the debilitating influences of the ‘Islamic’ political parties has been that they force even muttaqi people into compromises. Only the Islamic movement can provide the framework in which such compromises will not be forced upon Muslims. When it is made clear that all traces of western influence must be eliminated, then the leadership will develop self-confidence, the will and taqwa to face such challenges and not be cowed by the secularist onslaught.
The leadership’s reference point will then become the Qur`an, the Sunnah and Seerah of the noble Mesenger of Allah (saw), not the UN charter or so-called international law, which is a euphemism for western interests above all. It will seek the pleasure of Allah, not of Uncle Sam. This will automatically bring the leadership closer to the masses. When muttaqi leadership and humble masses come together, they will become a force that no weapons or force can defeat.
Today all the ingredients for an Islamic revolution in Pakistan are present. Again, the blessings of an Islamic society are evident everywhere. Despite all the evils of corruption, graft, nepotism and fraud, the inherent decency of the people and their deep love for Islam come through clearly. Westernization has managed to affect only the surface of Pakistani society.
The Islamic revolution, however, will not come about of its own volition. It will require clarity of thought and vision and a great deal of hard work. The first step is to have much clearer lines of communication with the masses. The thousands of masajid and madaris are extremely important avenues for this. The Islamic movement will have to develop close links with them in order to realise their true potential. Other vehicles, such as newspapers and magazines of the Islamic movement, must also be developed to get the ideas across, although the dismal literacy rate in the country will be a handicap. But Islamic ideas will find a ready and receptive audience. It is much easier to get the Islamic message across by bypassing the din currently created by the secular media.
Two groups must emerge immediately to act as the support arm of the Islamic movement in Pakistan. Let us call them the Fidayan-e Islam and Jihad for Reconstruction. The first must provide protection in neighbourhoods, because the police force is not only thoroughly corrupt but completely despised and distrusted. The Fidayan can also act as dispute-resolution committees, freeing people from the cumbersome court system, where people can find no justice. The Fidayan will give the masses an opportunity to see the Islamic movement in operation, thereby earning their trust, as well as build their self-confidence for the much greater struggle ahead.
The Jihad for Reconstruction will help develop the spirit of self-help among the people. Today there is complete breakdown of almost all services in Pakistan. There is no clean drinking water, almost everything is polluted -- from the environment to medicines, leading to unnecessary early deaths of children as well as adults. Following the pattern of work undertaken in Iran, the Jihad for Reconstruction in Pakistan can help the rural population with agriculture, protection of crops and fruits, and building houses and roads. This will help to bring parts of the Islamic movement in Pakistan closer to each other and to the rural majority. This is a large undertaking and will not be realised in a short time, but a beginning must be made as soon as possible. The Islamic movement will have to deliver services instead of rhetoric, as has been the habit of elite-dominated political parties, in order to win the confidence of the people.
The ruling elites have completely run out of ideas and have failed so miserably that there is no room for them to play any further role in governing society. Pakistan can ill afford to run between the fascism of the feudals and the boot of the military. As Malek Bennabi, the Algerian writer, observed after the June 1967 debacle, the Arab regimes need a fresh stock of ideas, not a fresh stock of the weapons that brought about their defeat in the first place. The same goes for Pakistan. Everything else has been tried and has failed. The people cannot remain mired in the past; there is a need to move towards Islamic revolution.
This will not, however, come about through American aid; it will only come through Islamic struggle and sacrifices. This is what we learn from the Seerah of the Prophet, upon whom be peace. Through his uswatan hasana (noble character), the Prophet showed a practical example of how a society steeped in jahiliyya can be transformed into a muttaqi and God-fearing society. The Qur’an refers to two groups of people: the Hizbullah and the Hizbu-Shaytan; there is no room for any other group or party. In Pakistan, as indeed everywhere else in the Muslim world, those who are not for the Islamic State are automatically part of the Hizbu-Shaytan.
The struggle to turn Pakistan into the Islamic State will not be easy, but the alternative is annihilation. This is the stark choice facing the people of Pakistan as well as Muslims worldwide. The destruction of Pakistan, God forbid, will be a great blow to the Ummah of Islam. Every effort must be made to prevent it, but time is running out. No civilization, much less an Islamic civilization, has ever emerged on borrowed money or borrowed ideas. The Islamic civilization in Pakistan must be based on the values of Islam, or it cannot be Islamic.
Zafar Bangash is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought. This paper was presented at the Kalim Siddiqui Memorial Seminar convened by the ICIT and Crescent International in London on May 7.
The Aga Khani
China`s Muslim Hui Community: Migration, Settlement and Sects by Michael Dillon. Pub: Curzon Press, Richmond, UK, 1999. Pp: 208. Hbk: UK40.00.
By Leila Juma
Twenty years ago, few Muslims realised that they were huge Muslim communities in what was then Russia. On western-drawn maps, the Muslim areas of Central Asia - which have gained `independence` by default after the collapse of the Soviet Union - were all shown as part of communist Russia and effectively divorced from the `Muslim world`. A few better-read Muslims knew that Russia had a `Muslim minority`, but that was about the extent of our understanding.
Far greater awareness of Muslim populations around the world has been one of the benefits of `Islamic revival` since the Islamic Revolution in Iran. There remains, however, a general ignorance about the Muslim community in China which is similar to that of the Muslims under Russian rule 20 years ago. People have become aware that the Muslims of north-western China are in fact Central Asian Muslim peoples living under Chinese occupation - as Muslims of other parts of Central Asia lived under Russian occupation for most of this century - and that there is a growing jihad against Chinese rule in these areas.
What is not generally realised is that there is also a far larger community of indigenous Chinese Muslims living in China proper, the descendants of both Central Asian settlers in China, and of Chinese people who converted to Islam centuries ago, under the influence of Muslim settlers, traders, ulama, teachers and others who travelled through the country or settled there during the period when Muslim countries represented the leading edge of world civilization. It is these Muslims, ethnically indistinguishable from the rest of the Chinese but with a very distinct cultural and religious tradition that has developed over centuries, which has been studiously maintained despite the aggressive atheism of the communist period, that are known as the Hui, while the non-Muslim Chinese are known as the Han.
Michael Dillon, a lecturer at Durham University in Britain, is an established student of the Hui Muslims. His 1996 book China`s Muslims, part of the Oxford University Press `Images of Asia` series, is an excellent short book on the subject. (The pictures with this review are taken from it.) His new book China`s Muslim Hui Community, pulls together much of what other writer`s have discovered about the Hui, with his own research.
The main section of the book traces the history of the Hui from the earliest days of Islam in China, to the present day. Unlike some writers on the subject, Dillon emphasises the importance of settlement in the origins of the Hui ahead of the conversion. He links the migration of early Muslims from Persia and Central Asia to earlier migrations by pre-Islamic peoples, which seems tenuous. He emphasises also the importance of the Ming period (1368-1644) for the emergence of the Hui as a permanent community rather than an immigrant one, and traces the stories of key early Muslim leaders, many of them warriors who helped the rise of Ming rule.
Dillon also continues his survey through Manchu rule and into the present century, tracing the changing role of the Hui in society and, in particular, the emergence of Sufism. He has a detailed chapter on the Hui `insurrections` in the nineteenth century, through which Muslims tried to establish Islamic rule in key areas. These jihad movements, which lasted for decades and established functioning states in parts of China, were brutally suppressed, with the Muslims virtually exterminated in many areas. However, Dillon does not elaborate on the impact this had on the Hui, focusing instead on individual experiences and episodes rather than the larger picture. The same is true of his discussion of the present century.
The second main section focuses on Sufi orders in China, and is informative and detailed; however, Dillon`s knowledge of China is not matched by his knowledge of Islam; hence errors such the statement that the word `Salafiyya` derives from the Arabic `sharif`. Despite the obvious breadth of Dillon`s research, such errors raise doubts.
This book is a useful survey on a subject which few people know very much about. This compensates for its shortcomings. Muslim readers will find much of it informative and fascinating, but it should not be taken as authoritative. However, t he sad and unavoidable fact is that Muslims have no place else to go for such knowledge at this time.
Muslimedia: February 1-15, 2000
Posted by
musalmaan
May 2, 2002 03:08 am
History and other information about China`s little-known Muslim populationChina`s Muslim Hui Community: Migration, Settlement and Sects by Michael Dillon. Pub: Curzon Press, Richmond, UK, 1999. Pp: 208. Hbk: UK40.00.
By Leila Juma
Twenty years ago, few Muslims realised that they were huge Muslim communities in what was then Russia. On western-drawn maps, the Muslim areas of Central Asia - which have gained `independence` by default after the collapse of the Soviet Union - were all shown as part of communist Russia and effectively divorced from the `Muslim world`. A few better-read Muslims knew that Russia had a `Muslim minority`, but that was about the extent of our understanding.
Far greater awareness of Muslim populations around the world has been one of the benefits of `Islamic revival` since the Islamic Revolution in Iran. There remains, however, a general ignorance about the Muslim community in China which is similar to that of the Muslims under Russian rule 20 years ago. People have become aware that the Muslims of north-western China are in fact Central Asian Muslim peoples living under Chinese occupation - as Muslims of other parts of Central Asia lived under Russian occupation for most of this century - and that there is a growing jihad against Chinese rule in these areas.
What is not generally realised is that there is also a far larger community of indigenous Chinese Muslims living in China proper, the descendants of both Central Asian settlers in China, and of Chinese people who converted to Islam centuries ago, under the influence of Muslim settlers, traders, ulama, teachers and others who travelled through the country or settled there during the period when Muslim countries represented the leading edge of world civilization. It is these Muslims, ethnically indistinguishable from the rest of the Chinese but with a very distinct cultural and religious tradition that has developed over centuries, which has been studiously maintained despite the aggressive atheism of the communist period, that are known as the Hui, while the non-Muslim Chinese are known as the Han.
Michael Dillon, a lecturer at Durham University in Britain, is an established student of the Hui Muslims. His 1996 book China`s Muslims, part of the Oxford University Press `Images of Asia` series, is an excellent short book on the subject. (The pictures with this review are taken from it.) His new book China`s Muslim Hui Community, pulls together much of what other writer`s have discovered about the Hui, with his own research.
The main section of the book traces the history of the Hui from the earliest days of Islam in China, to the present day. Unlike some writers on the subject, Dillon emphasises the importance of settlement in the origins of the Hui ahead of the conversion. He links the migration of early Muslims from Persia and Central Asia to earlier migrations by pre-Islamic peoples, which seems tenuous. He emphasises also the importance of the Ming period (1368-1644) for the emergence of the Hui as a permanent community rather than an immigrant one, and traces the stories of key early Muslim leaders, many of them warriors who helped the rise of Ming rule.
Dillon also continues his survey through Manchu rule and into the present century, tracing the changing role of the Hui in society and, in particular, the emergence of Sufism. He has a detailed chapter on the Hui `insurrections` in the nineteenth century, through which Muslims tried to establish Islamic rule in key areas. These jihad movements, which lasted for decades and established functioning states in parts of China, were brutally suppressed, with the Muslims virtually exterminated in many areas. However, Dillon does not elaborate on the impact this had on the Hui, focusing instead on individual experiences and episodes rather than the larger picture. The same is true of his discussion of the present century.
The second main section focuses on Sufi orders in China, and is informative and detailed; however, Dillon`s knowledge of China is not matched by his knowledge of Islam; hence errors such the statement that the word `Salafiyya` derives from the Arabic `sharif`. Despite the obvious breadth of Dillon`s research, such errors raise doubts.
This book is a useful survey on a subject which few people know very much about. This compensates for its shortcomings. Muslim readers will find much of it informative and fascinating, but it should not be taken as authoritative. However, t he sad and unavoidable fact is that Muslims have no place else to go for such knowledge at this time.
Muslimedia: February 1-15, 2000
The Evolution of The Burqa
Khadijah
umm_fatima@yahoo.com
Assalamu Alaikum everyone,
Well, I`m a UAE resident, but not a citizen. I`ve lived 21 years Alhamdulillah in the UAE. And, it`s pretty much my home, although the government unfortunately doesn`t seem to think so :) they prefer giving their land to the Kuffar, like the Americans who are ill treating them so much. My fault being I`ve dedicated myself to defending UAE and other muslim countries (although I`m not holding their passports). Currently, I live in the United States, and I`m studying here. I wear the Abaya and the niqaab Alhamdulillah. Infact, I`m the only one dressed like this in my university. We are just three women in our city who Alhamdulillah wear the niqaab. So what, should we leave it for the fear of people, or run because of the fear of people. Who will save us from Allah? No one can harm us if Allah is on our side.
I was too pressurized by my family to leave my hijaab, but Alhamdulillah I didn`t.
I think we go out of our way to be nice to the kuffar and there is nothing wrong in that, Islam is all about hospitality. But, what I want to know is at what cost. We are willing to change ourselves to become like them for them to accept us. Please go back and read the Quran. They cannot be our allies. I only wish that we realize that the Gulf states MashAllah have the money to buy the manpower and the technology and we don`t have to bend our ways to please the kafir to get them. Who is going to buy their stuff, but the muslims who have the money? If we had dignity in our religion and our culture, the FBI and the American government would have thought ten times before doing such things. I have been shouted at on the street. I know many girls who just wear the scarf were harassed terribly. Some who looked like Arabs (like mexicans in my city) were bitten up. SubhanAllah! And we still don`t know what we should be doing. Ofcourse, we shouldn`t leave this place now like cowards. Wallahu A`alam, I feel we should today take the opportunity and teach these people what we are and what we have. If you respect yourself, people will respect you. My sincere request to my muslim brothers and sisters who are in the west and back in the Gulf is not to leave your originality to please the kafir. The reason all this is happening because they don`t know anything about your culture and our religion. How come I understand the Gulf people although I`m not one of them? Because I know them. They don`t, why, because we have changed ourselves to be like them, how would they know what is Islam and who are Arabs and what kind of people they are originally. SubhanAllah, in bosnia, muslim brothers and sisters were killed and raped because they had muslim names, they were not even practicing there. Doesn`t this make you guys think a little? They will never accept us as one of them. We have to make them understand our religion and culture and the importance of it. So that for weird/freek things that happen they shouldn`t blame our religion and shouldn`t generalize across nation of arabs and muslims.
Muslims return back to Islam and preach it to others. Feel dignity in your religion. You don`t have to be ashamed of your dishdasha or your abaya because they don`t wear it. So what? They are wrong, you aren`t. Alhamdulillah, things have cooled down in our city now, we have been doing a lot of conferences and explaining Islam and the muslim culture and the Arab culture to these people. We have been explaining to them the liberation of women in Islam and about equality and that we don`t need feminism and why. SubhanAllah, not all but there are people who understand and we are progressing. It is our fault if we don`t explain ourselves to them and because of that they misunderstand us. Everything can`t be all their fault. SubhanAllah, these people think all muslims are Arabs, they were shocked in a conferences when we told them that only around 19% of the muslims are Arabs.
I`m either mistaken to be an Arab or an Afghani on the road, why, partially their fault of not learning about us and looking beyond the west and partially ours because when we go to west we become like them. So they never got the chance to find out that my dressing style is muslim not Arab or Afghani.
We should come out and explain that our women wear hijaab to please Allah not because they are oppressed or forced to. SubhanAllah, we are also confusing muslims now. Who, Astaghfirullah think Islam is unfair to women. I find myself always explaining my religion and my independence to people. I don`t mind, and I think other brothers and sisters should do the same. And, inshAllah we will make the difference. And, Allah knows best.
Wassalam
Khadijah
-Friday, November 09, 2001 at 09:14:17 (PST)
Khadijah
umm_fatimah@yahoo.com
Sorry, I`m back again. I didn`t read your comments, the firt time. I just wanted to remind our muslim brothers and sisters, that we are one ummah and one body. No, this war will not finish here, but things are cooling down with time. People will get used to the idea. This is what happens when we think that it`s their problem or their country. No, we are muslims it`s our problem. If we took the palestinian, bosnian, kashmiri and chechnyan problems seriously, we citizens of different muslim countries would be more ready for this day. But, we thought things like this would never happen to us. Well, this is time for us to think again, and think united. It is unfair what`s happening in Afghanistan and in Palestine and it`s every muslims business. We can make the difference by educating the people in the States about our religion and muslims so that they at least side us if not their government and one day InshAllah, if we have our imaan strong, victory will come to only Islam and the truth. And, people will understand us better.
And, one more thing, it`s absolutely wrong to run back to our countries, because this is not only going to hurt our education, but also show them that we are scared and had something to hide and so we ran. We are innocent of any crime and we will stay back to prove our innocence. They are doing their duty investigating and InshAllah we will do ours by educating them that Islam is free of all their suspicion and muslims are not fundamentalists and terrorists.
Wassalam
Khadijah
-Friday, November 09, 2001 at 09:56:18 (PST)
Posted by
musalmaan
May 2, 2002 03:08 am
While we have educated,cultured,and clean women like Khadija,those wallowing in the sewers of english `CULTture`(whatever that is) must be immensely savouring the flavours & armas.Stay there please.Do not bring your impurities close to muslim families. __________________________________________________Khadijah
umm_fatima@yahoo.com
Assalamu Alaikum everyone,
Well, I`m a UAE resident, but not a citizen. I`ve lived 21 years Alhamdulillah in the UAE. And, it`s pretty much my home, although the government unfortunately doesn`t seem to think so :) they prefer giving their land to the Kuffar, like the Americans who are ill treating them so much. My fault being I`ve dedicated myself to defending UAE and other muslim countries (although I`m not holding their passports). Currently, I live in the United States, and I`m studying here. I wear the Abaya and the niqaab Alhamdulillah. Infact, I`m the only one dressed like this in my university. We are just three women in our city who Alhamdulillah wear the niqaab. So what, should we leave it for the fear of people, or run because of the fear of people. Who will save us from Allah? No one can harm us if Allah is on our side.
I was too pressurized by my family to leave my hijaab, but Alhamdulillah I didn`t.
I think we go out of our way to be nice to the kuffar and there is nothing wrong in that, Islam is all about hospitality. But, what I want to know is at what cost. We are willing to change ourselves to become like them for them to accept us. Please go back and read the Quran. They cannot be our allies. I only wish that we realize that the Gulf states MashAllah have the money to buy the manpower and the technology and we don`t have to bend our ways to please the kafir to get them. Who is going to buy their stuff, but the muslims who have the money? If we had dignity in our religion and our culture, the FBI and the American government would have thought ten times before doing such things. I have been shouted at on the street. I know many girls who just wear the scarf were harassed terribly. Some who looked like Arabs (like mexicans in my city) were bitten up. SubhanAllah! And we still don`t know what we should be doing. Ofcourse, we shouldn`t leave this place now like cowards. Wallahu A`alam, I feel we should today take the opportunity and teach these people what we are and what we have. If you respect yourself, people will respect you. My sincere request to my muslim brothers and sisters who are in the west and back in the Gulf is not to leave your originality to please the kafir. The reason all this is happening because they don`t know anything about your culture and our religion. How come I understand the Gulf people although I`m not one of them? Because I know them. They don`t, why, because we have changed ourselves to be like them, how would they know what is Islam and who are Arabs and what kind of people they are originally. SubhanAllah, in bosnia, muslim brothers and sisters were killed and raped because they had muslim names, they were not even practicing there. Doesn`t this make you guys think a little? They will never accept us as one of them. We have to make them understand our religion and culture and the importance of it. So that for weird/freek things that happen they shouldn`t blame our religion and shouldn`t generalize across nation of arabs and muslims.
Muslims return back to Islam and preach it to others. Feel dignity in your religion. You don`t have to be ashamed of your dishdasha or your abaya because they don`t wear it. So what? They are wrong, you aren`t. Alhamdulillah, things have cooled down in our city now, we have been doing a lot of conferences and explaining Islam and the muslim culture and the Arab culture to these people. We have been explaining to them the liberation of women in Islam and about equality and that we don`t need feminism and why. SubhanAllah, not all but there are people who understand and we are progressing. It is our fault if we don`t explain ourselves to them and because of that they misunderstand us. Everything can`t be all their fault. SubhanAllah, these people think all muslims are Arabs, they were shocked in a conferences when we told them that only around 19% of the muslims are Arabs.
I`m either mistaken to be an Arab or an Afghani on the road, why, partially their fault of not learning about us and looking beyond the west and partially ours because when we go to west we become like them. So they never got the chance to find out that my dressing style is muslim not Arab or Afghani.
We should come out and explain that our women wear hijaab to please Allah not because they are oppressed or forced to. SubhanAllah, we are also confusing muslims now. Who, Astaghfirullah think Islam is unfair to women. I find myself always explaining my religion and my independence to people. I don`t mind, and I think other brothers and sisters should do the same. And, inshAllah we will make the difference. And, Allah knows best.
Wassalam
Khadijah
-Friday, November 09, 2001 at 09:14:17 (PST)
Khadijah
umm_fatimah@yahoo.com
Sorry, I`m back again. I didn`t read your comments, the firt time. I just wanted to remind our muslim brothers and sisters, that we are one ummah and one body. No, this war will not finish here, but things are cooling down with time. People will get used to the idea. This is what happens when we think that it`s their problem or their country. No, we are muslims it`s our problem. If we took the palestinian, bosnian, kashmiri and chechnyan problems seriously, we citizens of different muslim countries would be more ready for this day. But, we thought things like this would never happen to us. Well, this is time for us to think again, and think united. It is unfair what`s happening in Afghanistan and in Palestine and it`s every muslims business. We can make the difference by educating the people in the States about our religion and muslims so that they at least side us if not their government and one day InshAllah, if we have our imaan strong, victory will come to only Islam and the truth. And, people will understand us better.
And, one more thing, it`s absolutely wrong to run back to our countries, because this is not only going to hurt our education, but also show them that we are scared and had something to hide and so we ran. We are innocent of any crime and we will stay back to prove our innocence. They are doing their duty investigating and InshAllah we will do ours by educating them that Islam is free of all their suspicion and muslims are not fundamentalists and terrorists.
Wassalam
Khadijah
-Friday, November 09, 2001 at 09:56:18 (PST)
Another One Bites The Dust
LOS ANGELES : Bilingual Urdu-English font devised by Umair A. Khan, a Silicon-Valley based computer engineer, facilitates mixing of Urdu text with English on E-mail and internet. According to an e-mailed press release by Khan, a set of text creation tools allows any one to put Urdu words in E-mails side by side with English words. The font branded as “Urduweb” is available free at the website http://urduweb.com. With tools available free of cost, anyone can speak their mind in Urdu. “Now for example, students all over the world can E-mail letters in Urdu to their parents in the subcontinent. This obviates the need to create and attach separate documents. For instance, now one need not ‘romanize’ the Iqbal or Faiz’s couplets in Urdu on the internet.
Umair Khan said so far Internet was predominantly English medium even while it was supposed to be a language-free medium. But absence of trans-lingual facilities hampered the use of Internet and the E-mail for simultaneous bilingual purposes.
Top
US allows Hijab, Turkey moots Ban
WASHINGTON D.C: Even as the US Equal Employment Opportunities Commission recently reinstated a Muslim worker wearing Hijab to her job, the Turkey’s military-backed government is introducing restriction on wearing headscarves in several Universities.
According to Council on American-Islamic Council (CAIR) a Muslim receptionist was refused permission to wear Hijab (headscarves) by a firm. The Commission held it a discriminatory act based on one’s religion and ordered her restitution.
According to IINA, Dean of Istanbul University Bulund Barkada announced that all the faculties in his University will refuse admission to all females who cover their hair with a scarf in accordance with Islamic dress stipulations. He stressed that Turkish Constitution forbids women wearing hijab from entering University premises. The decision is likely to be forced on several faculty heads who wear hijab. They will risk losing their jobs in case they do not comply.
The reaction against the bans is growing intense. The military wing of the National Security Council is likely to force the civil wing of the Council to accept these decisions in the first scheduled meeting of the Council. Meanwhile, the right wing parties which constitute more than 80 per cent of the parliamentary deputies are expected to oppose the proposed legislation. Motherland Party leader Mohammad Kagaliyar said no member of his party would support such legislation. True Path Party leader Ewaz Koddmeer described the proposed rules as madness.
Top
BBC D. G’s Son Embraces Islam
LONDON : Son of John Bert, Director General of British Broadcasting Corporation, embraced Islam and married a Muslim girl, according to a report published by British newspapers.
The IINA however did not mention the name of the new convert. It said, the young Muslim was recently awarded an honours degree for his distinguished academic results in Comparative Religion from the School of Oriental and African Studies and from Warwich University. He is currently employed by Al-Azhar Books Academy in London, the agency said.
Top
ART to Launch Islamic Channel
JEDDAH : Arab Radio and Television (ART) is planning to launch an Islamic channel named “Iqra” to take the message of Islam to different parts of the world. Saleh Kamil, President of ART, said efforts are now underway to transmit Iqra channel programmes. “It will be an open channel, benefiting a large number of viewers”, he said.
Kamil was addressing a press conference in Jeddah to announce the launching of a number of specialized ART channels. “The nature of the Iqra channel will be Islamic and its programmes in different languages will be aimed at propagating the message of Islam.”
Kamil said ART was negotiating with Saudi Arabia’s Radio Qur’an to telecast its programmes helping Muslims in America, Australia, Africa and Europe learn the Qur’an. He said about 25 per cent of ART programmes are Islamic.
ART follows a coding system in transmitting most of its channels. But its Islamic programs will be transmitted without codes to benefit a large sector of viewers around the world.
Top
Indonesia Opts for “Expected Visibility” Lunar Calendar
KUALA LUMPUR : Indonesia has agreed to implement the expected visibility imkan-e-ruyah system for its national calendar which has proved to be accurate over the last one decade. Known as International Islamic Calendar Programme (IICP) and formulated by Indian astronomer and physicist Dr. Mohammad Ilyas during the 80s at the Malaysian Science University in Penang, it has already been implemented by the Malaysian government in order to fix the exact date of moon’s visibility and provide for holidays for Islamic festivals. Dr. Ilyas had first discovered a lunar dateline and through extensive calculations devised a mechanism to predict the visibility of the crescent in a particular region. He claimed that the IICP had reached 100 per cent accuracy.
The IICP secretariat in Penang is now awaiting a similar action from Saudi Arabia. The scientists at IICP were engaged in extensive discussions with concerned officials and Ulema of Saudi Arabia.
Top
Anti-Iranian Movie Telecast Cancelled
LONDON : Reflecting a distinct change in attitude, the Independent Television here cancelled the telecast of anit-Iranian movie Not Without My Daughter on August 18. The US movie, which claimed to be based on a “true story”, traced the exploits of an American wife of a US-educated Iranian doctor and her escape from Iran shortly after the 1997 Islamic Revolution. It was condemned by Iranians of all persuasions for its blatant distortion of the country’s cultural religious and family ethos. The Muslim News, London commenting on the cancellation of the telecast, said Iranians agree that the desired effect of the film, is to alienate Western audiences and further distort their perceptions of the country being full of “backward Muslims”.
The Muslim News said the ban may have had more to do with the British government’s diplomatic signals following the surprise election of a more liberal Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.
Top
Qur’an contest in Iran
TEHRAN : Two hundred and forty-seven Iranians entered the 17th Qur’an memorisation and tajwid competition in Teheran recently. The competition is designed for mature participants divided into four sections ranging from those who can recite the entire Qur’an from memory, those who can manage 20 chapters and those who have memorised 10 chapters.
The competition was organised by the Tehran Governorate’s religious affairs and endowment department.
Top
Hospital from Zakat Funds
TRIPOLI : The Zakat house in Lebanon here has built Tripoli Al-Hanan Relief Hospital out of Zakat funds to provide complete medical care to the people of the area. It can accommodate 60 patients and requires another 660,000 US dollars to complete.
This is in contrast to the Indian situation where Zakat funds are not allowed to be used for construction of schools and hospitals by the Hanafi Ulema.
Top
Islamic schools open in Rome, Sweden
ROME : A new Islamic school was opened in the newly built Islamic Centre here by the Saudi Deputy Prime Minister Sultan bin Abdul Aziz to impart Islamic teachings to children of Islamic communities in Italy.
A new Islamic school was opened in the city of Orboro in North central Sweden on September 22 by the Somali Islamic Union. Meanwhile the Swedish authorities closed an Islamic school for violating the Swedish educational guidance law in Malmo municipal area. Another school is facing risk of closure due to strict municipal regulations.
Top
Shariah course in Azerbaijan
BAKU : Islamic history and Shariah will be introduced in the school curriculum as part of the Islamic studies in Caucasian republic of Azerbaijan from this year. Announcement to this effect was made by Dr. Farmaz Maqsudof, the President of the Academy of Sciences. The Islamic textbooks will be published by The Islamic Research Centre known as Irshad. (IINA)
Top
Architecture, Calligraphy Contest
ISTANBUL : The International Committee for the preservation of Islamic Heritage and Civilisation is due to organise an International Competition on Arabic calligraphy in 14 various styles. It will also organise the contest for the second King Fahd Prize for Isalmic Architecture.
Anti-Iranian Movie Telecast Cancelled
Top
Islamic Attire defended in US Senate
WASHINGTON D.C.: In what may be a first-of-its-kind event, a Muslim woman in Islamic attire joined representatives of other faiths in testifying before a Senate Committee in defence of a Workplace Religious Freedom Act. Beginning with Bismillah, Anjum Smith told the Senate Labour and Human Resource Committee about her struggle to wear a religiously-minded headscarf as a US Airways ground crew worker. The Virginia native thanked the Committee for inviting her.
Smith said her family encouraged her to fight for her rights. At first US Airways denied her request for religious accommodation. Later, according to Smith, the company said she could wear the scarf only when she is not interacting with the public. “They wanted to hide me in the closet”, she remarked.
Smith, while acknowledging the company’s willingness to change, said the struggle for religious accommodation was not yet over in that the US Airways’ policy allowing Islamic dress did not cover all employees or positions.
Executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations Nihad Awad described the company’s decision as one that would lead to a better understanding of Islam in general and accommodation of Islamic practices in the workplace. (IINA)
Top
Israel grabbed 70% Arab territory by force: Study
JERUSALEM : A study paper prepared by the Palestine National Council (PNC) regarding the Israeli settlement in the West Bank and Gaza reveals that Israel had forcibly seized 73 per cent of these territories between the defeat of 1967 and 1996. It said the policy of Israeli ascendancy in terms of numbers has led to increase in the number of Israelis to 170,000 compared to 155,000 Palestinians in 10 districts. It said Israel followed ethnic cleansing by grabbing over 42000 acres of lands from Palestinians and Jordanians and refused housing permits for Arabs. It seized the lands of absentee landlords, built ring roads and imposed heavy fines and crippling taxes on Arab landowners, the study quoted through statistics. The policy was pursued by each of the Israeli government irrespective of its party affiliations. (IINA)
Top
Hungarians build first Islamic centre
BUDAPEST : About 3,000 Hungarian converts to Islam and around 10,000 Arab Muslims who have settled in Hungary are building the country’s first Islamic centre which from next year will have eastern Europe’s first Islamic nursery school.
The centre is located in the northern suburbs of Budapest in a run-down building ceded to the Hungarian Islamic Community (MIK) by the Budapest Municipality. Work has already begun at the site with funds being supplied by Arab countries, notably Saudi Arabia, Arab businessmen based in Hungary and a Turkish foundation based in Germany.
Islam was strengthened in Hungary when Bosnia was occupied in 1878 and incorporated into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1961, the Hungarian Parliament voted to legalize the Muslim faith. ``People don’t know Islam in Hungary and what they do see is politics.... We just want to live like good Muslims in Hungary,`` Bolek said (AFP)
Posted by
musalmaan
May 1, 2002 11:43 am
English-Urdu Intermix on Internet LOS ANGELES : Bilingual Urdu-English font devised by Umair A. Khan, a Silicon-Valley based computer engineer, facilitates mixing of Urdu text with English on E-mail and internet. According to an e-mailed press release by Khan, a set of text creation tools allows any one to put Urdu words in E-mails side by side with English words. The font branded as “Urduweb” is available free at the website http://urduweb.com. With tools available free of cost, anyone can speak their mind in Urdu. “Now for example, students all over the world can E-mail letters in Urdu to their parents in the subcontinent. This obviates the need to create and attach separate documents. For instance, now one need not ‘romanize’ the Iqbal or Faiz’s couplets in Urdu on the internet.
Umair Khan said so far Internet was predominantly English medium even while it was supposed to be a language-free medium. But absence of trans-lingual facilities hampered the use of Internet and the E-mail for simultaneous bilingual purposes.
Top
US allows Hijab, Turkey moots Ban
WASHINGTON D.C: Even as the US Equal Employment Opportunities Commission recently reinstated a Muslim worker wearing Hijab to her job, the Turkey’s military-backed government is introducing restriction on wearing headscarves in several Universities.
According to Council on American-Islamic Council (CAIR) a Muslim receptionist was refused permission to wear Hijab (headscarves) by a firm. The Commission held it a discriminatory act based on one’s religion and ordered her restitution.
According to IINA, Dean of Istanbul University Bulund Barkada announced that all the faculties in his University will refuse admission to all females who cover their hair with a scarf in accordance with Islamic dress stipulations. He stressed that Turkish Constitution forbids women wearing hijab from entering University premises. The decision is likely to be forced on several faculty heads who wear hijab. They will risk losing their jobs in case they do not comply.
The reaction against the bans is growing intense. The military wing of the National Security Council is likely to force the civil wing of the Council to accept these decisions in the first scheduled meeting of the Council. Meanwhile, the right wing parties which constitute more than 80 per cent of the parliamentary deputies are expected to oppose the proposed legislation. Motherland Party leader Mohammad Kagaliyar said no member of his party would support such legislation. True Path Party leader Ewaz Koddmeer described the proposed rules as madness.
Top
BBC D. G’s Son Embraces Islam
LONDON : Son of John Bert, Director General of British Broadcasting Corporation, embraced Islam and married a Muslim girl, according to a report published by British newspapers.
The IINA however did not mention the name of the new convert. It said, the young Muslim was recently awarded an honours degree for his distinguished academic results in Comparative Religion from the School of Oriental and African Studies and from Warwich University. He is currently employed by Al-Azhar Books Academy in London, the agency said.
Top
ART to Launch Islamic Channel
JEDDAH : Arab Radio and Television (ART) is planning to launch an Islamic channel named “Iqra” to take the message of Islam to different parts of the world. Saleh Kamil, President of ART, said efforts are now underway to transmit Iqra channel programmes. “It will be an open channel, benefiting a large number of viewers”, he said.
Kamil was addressing a press conference in Jeddah to announce the launching of a number of specialized ART channels. “The nature of the Iqra channel will be Islamic and its programmes in different languages will be aimed at propagating the message of Islam.”
Kamil said ART was negotiating with Saudi Arabia’s Radio Qur’an to telecast its programmes helping Muslims in America, Australia, Africa and Europe learn the Qur’an. He said about 25 per cent of ART programmes are Islamic.
ART follows a coding system in transmitting most of its channels. But its Islamic programs will be transmitted without codes to benefit a large sector of viewers around the world.
Top
Indonesia Opts for “Expected Visibility” Lunar Calendar
KUALA LUMPUR : Indonesia has agreed to implement the expected visibility imkan-e-ruyah system for its national calendar which has proved to be accurate over the last one decade. Known as International Islamic Calendar Programme (IICP) and formulated by Indian astronomer and physicist Dr. Mohammad Ilyas during the 80s at the Malaysian Science University in Penang, it has already been implemented by the Malaysian government in order to fix the exact date of moon’s visibility and provide for holidays for Islamic festivals. Dr. Ilyas had first discovered a lunar dateline and through extensive calculations devised a mechanism to predict the visibility of the crescent in a particular region. He claimed that the IICP had reached 100 per cent accuracy.
The IICP secretariat in Penang is now awaiting a similar action from Saudi Arabia. The scientists at IICP were engaged in extensive discussions with concerned officials and Ulema of Saudi Arabia.
Top
Anti-Iranian Movie Telecast Cancelled
LONDON : Reflecting a distinct change in attitude, the Independent Television here cancelled the telecast of anit-Iranian movie Not Without My Daughter on August 18. The US movie, which claimed to be based on a “true story”, traced the exploits of an American wife of a US-educated Iranian doctor and her escape from Iran shortly after the 1997 Islamic Revolution. It was condemned by Iranians of all persuasions for its blatant distortion of the country’s cultural religious and family ethos. The Muslim News, London commenting on the cancellation of the telecast, said Iranians agree that the desired effect of the film, is to alienate Western audiences and further distort their perceptions of the country being full of “backward Muslims”.
The Muslim News said the ban may have had more to do with the British government’s diplomatic signals following the surprise election of a more liberal Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.
Top
Qur’an contest in Iran
TEHRAN : Two hundred and forty-seven Iranians entered the 17th Qur’an memorisation and tajwid competition in Teheran recently. The competition is designed for mature participants divided into four sections ranging from those who can recite the entire Qur’an from memory, those who can manage 20 chapters and those who have memorised 10 chapters.
The competition was organised by the Tehran Governorate’s religious affairs and endowment department.
Top
Hospital from Zakat Funds
TRIPOLI : The Zakat house in Lebanon here has built Tripoli Al-Hanan Relief Hospital out of Zakat funds to provide complete medical care to the people of the area. It can accommodate 60 patients and requires another 660,000 US dollars to complete.
This is in contrast to the Indian situation where Zakat funds are not allowed to be used for construction of schools and hospitals by the Hanafi Ulema.
Top
Islamic schools open in Rome, Sweden
ROME : A new Islamic school was opened in the newly built Islamic Centre here by the Saudi Deputy Prime Minister Sultan bin Abdul Aziz to impart Islamic teachings to children of Islamic communities in Italy.
A new Islamic school was opened in the city of Orboro in North central Sweden on September 22 by the Somali Islamic Union. Meanwhile the Swedish authorities closed an Islamic school for violating the Swedish educational guidance law in Malmo municipal area. Another school is facing risk of closure due to strict municipal regulations.
Top
Shariah course in Azerbaijan
BAKU : Islamic history and Shariah will be introduced in the school curriculum as part of the Islamic studies in Caucasian republic of Azerbaijan from this year. Announcement to this effect was made by Dr. Farmaz Maqsudof, the President of the Academy of Sciences. The Islamic textbooks will be published by The Islamic Research Centre known as Irshad. (IINA)
Top
Architecture, Calligraphy Contest
ISTANBUL : The International Committee for the preservation of Islamic Heritage and Civilisation is due to organise an International Competition on Arabic calligraphy in 14 various styles. It will also organise the contest for the second King Fahd Prize for Isalmic Architecture.
Anti-Iranian Movie Telecast Cancelled
Top
Islamic Attire defended in US Senate
WASHINGTON D.C.: In what may be a first-of-its-kind event, a Muslim woman in Islamic attire joined representatives of other faiths in testifying before a Senate Committee in defence of a Workplace Religious Freedom Act. Beginning with Bismillah, Anjum Smith told the Senate Labour and Human Resource Committee about her struggle to wear a religiously-minded headscarf as a US Airways ground crew worker. The Virginia native thanked the Committee for inviting her.
Smith said her family encouraged her to fight for her rights. At first US Airways denied her request for religious accommodation. Later, according to Smith, the company said she could wear the scarf only when she is not interacting with the public. “They wanted to hide me in the closet”, she remarked.
Smith, while acknowledging the company’s willingness to change, said the struggle for religious accommodation was not yet over in that the US Airways’ policy allowing Islamic dress did not cover all employees or positions.
Executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations Nihad Awad described the company’s decision as one that would lead to a better understanding of Islam in general and accommodation of Islamic practices in the workplace. (IINA)
Top
Israel grabbed 70% Arab territory by force: Study
JERUSALEM : A study paper prepared by the Palestine National Council (PNC) regarding the Israeli settlement in the West Bank and Gaza reveals that Israel had forcibly seized 73 per cent of these territories between the defeat of 1967 and 1996. It said the policy of Israeli ascendancy in terms of numbers has led to increase in the number of Israelis to 170,000 compared to 155,000 Palestinians in 10 districts. It said Israel followed ethnic cleansing by grabbing over 42000 acres of lands from Palestinians and Jordanians and refused housing permits for Arabs. It seized the lands of absentee landlords, built ring roads and imposed heavy fines and crippling taxes on Arab landowners, the study quoted through statistics. The policy was pursued by each of the Israeli government irrespective of its party affiliations. (IINA)
Top
Hungarians build first Islamic centre
BUDAPEST : About 3,000 Hungarian converts to Islam and around 10,000 Arab Muslims who have settled in Hungary are building the country’s first Islamic centre which from next year will have eastern Europe’s first Islamic nursery school.
The centre is located in the northern suburbs of Budapest in a run-down building ceded to the Hungarian Islamic Community (MIK) by the Budapest Municipality. Work has already begun at the site with funds being supplied by Arab countries, notably Saudi Arabia, Arab businessmen based in Hungary and a Turkish foundation based in Germany.
Islam was strengthened in Hungary when Bosnia was occupied in 1878 and incorporated into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1961, the Hungarian Parliament voted to legalize the Muslim faith. ``People don’t know Islam in Hungary and what they do see is politics.... We just want to live like good Muslims in Hungary,`` Bolek said (AFP)
Another One Bites The Dust
LONDON: The Bank Committee of Switzerland, the international watchdog for the world’s banks, reported that the operations of Islamic Banks are increasing at the rate of 15 per cent every year and their deposits have reached US $ 70 billion, with the possibility that they would reach the $ 100 billion mark by the years 2000.
Presently, Islamic Banks are functioning in 48 countries of the world and their branches are functioning in Western countries. Some Western Banks have special sections which offer Islamic Banking services to Muslims in compliance with the Islamic Shariah. (IINA)
Posted by
musalmaan
May 1, 2002 11:43 am
Islamic Banks Progressing LONDON: The Bank Committee of Switzerland, the international watchdog for the world’s banks, reported that the operations of Islamic Banks are increasing at the rate of 15 per cent every year and their deposits have reached US $ 70 billion, with the possibility that they would reach the $ 100 billion mark by the years 2000.
Presently, Islamic Banks are functioning in 48 countries of the world and their branches are functioning in Western countries. Some Western Banks have special sections which offer Islamic Banking services to Muslims in compliance with the Islamic Shariah. (IINA)
Another One Bites The Dust
THE HON DATO SERI DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
AT THE 30TH ANNUAL WILLIAMSBURG CONFERENCE
AT SUNWAY LAGOON RESORT HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR
ON THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2002
AT 8.00 P.M.
---------
``MALAYSIA & ASIA : SEEKING A BALANCE
BETWEEN PEACE AND PROSPERITY``
I am honoured to be here today to speak at this distinguished gathering of American and Asian leaders from the business, Government and other sectors. I have been asked to speak on the subject `Malaysia and Asia: Seeking a Balance Between Peace and Prosperity`.
2. The tourist people are fond of promoting Malaysia as being truly Asia. The reason is that in Malaysia you find the three major races of the Asian continent - the Malays who are ethnically the same as the Indonesians and the Filipinos and also the Thais, Myanmarese, the Cambodians and the Laotians, secondly the peoples of Chinese origin, and the peoples from the Indian sub-continent.
3. One can even say that Malaysia represents Asia. And of course it has all the potential for instability which seem to plague a substantial portion of Asia. But it has not been quite stable despite the incompatible mix of people who inhabit this country.
4. The incompatibility is due not just to ethnic origins but the different races profess very different religions, cultures and languages. The Malays are Muslims, the Chinese Buddhists or Taoists, and the Indians largely Hindus. The followers of these religions have never really got on together in other parts of the world, but in Malaysia they live, work and play together.
5. Another factor which is believed to threaten peace and stability in Malaysia is the fact that the majority Malays are Muslims and they dominate the politics and the Government of the country. Muslims are believed to be incapable of living at peace with non-Muslims, of governing and developing their countries. But the 60% Muslims in Malaysia have been able to get along with the 40% non-Muslims, to work with them, to govern and develop the country together with them and to maintain peace and comparative harmony.
6. Malaysia is obviously very Asian. It finds it more easy to relate to Asia than to other continents. But it is with East Asia that Malaysia is more closely associated with.
7. About 20 years ago the international community was startled and shocked when Malaysia loudly announced that it would look East. Hitherto countries wishing to develop had always looked West; looked at Europe or North America. But Malaysia apparently believed that the Eastern model was worth emulating. It was a time of vigorous growth for Japan and Korea and even Taiwan. They were industrialising i.e. progressing towards the European model. It would have been logical for Malaysia to just follow the European model but Malaysia chose the indirect route, to develop by following the route taken by East Asian countries.
8. Japan and Korea which were devastated by war had applied certain techniques in order to develop fast. Since they had clearly succeeded there must be something they did which was right.
9. There were other Asian models of course. Some Asian countries decided to be socialistic, to close their markets and their economies to foreign participation. But these countries had not achieved the kind of progress that Japan and Korea achieved. So Malaysia avoided socialism although it was not averse to using socialist methods such as long term planning and selected national enterprises that were expected to help the administrative and development process.
10. All the while Malaysia had continued to watch the West and to use western methods where applicable.
11. It was altogether a pragmatic approach bereft of the constrains of ideologies which we believe have been the downfall of many countries.
12. Perhaps Malaysia`s greatest achievement is the management of race relations. Here I would like to say that racial harmony is achieved in Malaysia because of Islam and because the majority of the people here are Muslims. This statement is perhaps a little bit hard to swallow. Islam and the Muslims are commonly associated with an inability to get along with peoples of other religions or races or even with Muslim peoples of different sects. They are said to be irrational, recalcitrant, and unable to govern and develop their countries and last but not least are given to violence and terrorism. Can the Muslims of Malaysia contribute to peace and harmony among peoples who are so racially and religiously incompatible?
13. The answer is that they can if they follow the fundamentals of Islam, the true teachings of Islam. It was Islam as preached by Prophet Mohammad which brought peace to the warring Arab tribes and moulded them into a single ummah or community of followers, later joined by other races, who eventually built the great Muslim civilisation which lasted 1300 years, longer than the Roman civilisation.
14. If today Islam and the Muslims seem incapable of living at peace with others and to achieve progress, it is not because of the teachings of Islam but because many have deviated from the teachings and have made use of the devotion of the Muslims to their religion to promote their own agenda.
15. The situation among Muslims today (the 15th century of the Hijrah) is not unlike that of Christendom in the 15th and 16th Century A.D. Christians then were very intolerant, carrying out pogroms against the Jews and inquisitions against suspected deviationist from accepted teachings. In Spain converts to Christianity from among the Jews and Muslims were often condemned for secretly adhering to their previous religions and were tortured and burnt at the stakes. Intolerance of each other on the part of Catholics and Protestants resulted in the migration and eventual founding of the United States in America.
16. All these, the pogroms and the inquisitions, were not Christian. When people become too pious, there will be people who will abuse religious piety by bringing in their own politics to take advantage of the deep faith of the people, their gullibility.
17. The behaviour of some Muslims of today, the 15th century of the Hijrah differs little from that of the Christian of the 15th century A D. Just as the behaviour of the Christian was not due to Christian teachings, the behaviour of these Muslims is not due to Islamic teachings, the true and fundamental teachings of Islam.
18. In Malaysia the majority of the Malay Muslims try to adhere to the true fundamentals of Islam. Fundamentalism is not about being extreme. The fundamental teachings of Islam emphasise the brotherhood of all Muslims, the acceptance that in the human community there will be those who reject Islam, who will worship in their own way, for whom there will be their religions which differ from Islam. Islam does not advocate enmity towards non-Muslims except when they attack the Muslims. Even then if they sue for peace, Muslims must be willing to entertain their overtures.
19. The ignorant desert Arabs, upon embracing Islam, were able to provide good Governments and to develop their lands, frequently working together or using the services of non-Muslims. In fact Jews frequently worked as senior members of Muslim Governments of Al-Andalus as the Arabs called Spain. Such was the tolerance of Muslims for peoples of other faith that many Jews elected to migrate to Muslim North Africa after the reconquest of Spain by the Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella. Similarly in Eastern Europe, the Slavic people gladly cooperated with the invading Turkish Muslims.
20. The majority Malay / Muslims in Malaysia prefer to adhere to the true and fundamental teachings of Islam rather than the interpretations made by Muslims with political agendas both in the past and presently. That is why we can claim that Islam is the reason for peace and harmony in Malaysia. Islam is also the reason for Malaysia`s rapid development.
21. I have mentioned that Malaysia has looked at Asian countries for inspiration in its development. Asia is not homogeneous. Asia is a very big continent peopled by numerous ethnic groups. There is a great deal of difference between these ethnic groups so much so that it is quite wrong to lump them together as Asians. They are divided not just by ethnicity but by culture, religion and language. It is unrealistic to expect them to unite and do things together. They are most likely to be at odds with each other, to be actually at war with each other.
22. By contrast the Europeans are more homogeneous even if they are Germanic, Latin or Slavic people. Their culture, and this includes their value systems, and the languages even have a common origin and are linked to each other. For them to be grouped together, to be united and take common stands is easy. With the coming into being of the European Union, for practical purposes the Europeans have become one people belonging to one nation. Not so the heterogeneous, deeply divided Asians.
23. However the Southeast Asians, consisting mainly of brown people, seem to set some store by the close proximity to each other in the Southeast Peninsular of Asia. Initially however they were less than friendly towards each other. Upon their liberation from the colonial yoke they confronted each other. But the need to resolve their early quarrels lead to their forming an association comprising Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines at first. The failure of Maphilindo did not discourage them. Eventually their association evolved into ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This expanded until all the countries of Southeast Asia, ten in all, belong to the ASEAN group.
24. This is an association of largely weak countries with little clout, helpless to influence the affairs of the region, much less the world. They found themselves being forced to accept international policies formulated elsewhere, many of which are actually detrimental to their interest.
25. About a decade ago Malaysia proposed a link-up with other Asian countries, namely the vigorous economies of Northeast Asia. It was not an economic community or union like the European Economic Community. It was merely going to be a consultative forum, to identify and discuss common problems and to formulate common stands.
26. Although Europe was evolving into the European Union and the countries of North America had already formed NAFTA, the North America Free Trade Area, the East Asia countries, north and south were told in no uncertain terms that they may not talk to each other except in the presence of countries from outside the region.
27. Of course this condition was not spelt out in so many words. But potential members from the Northeast were verbally informed that they may not join the East Asian Economic Group (EAEG). Some members of the Southeast Asian Association were also influenced and obstacles were placed by them to prevent the formation of the EAEG. Even calling it East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC) did not help.
28. However when Australia proposed the Asia Pacific Economic Conference, the initial reluctance of the Southeast Asian Countries, in particular Malaysia to back the formation disappeared when the President of the United States called for a meeting of the Heads of Government in Seattle. It was obviously going to be a historic event. And so APEC came into being and completely eclipsed the proposed EAEC.
29. Malaysia cannot understand the suspicions towards Asian countries. When Asian countries can only talk to each other in the presence of representatives from non-Asian groups with whom Asians have to compete, particularly when the representative is powerful, it is obvious that open discussion would be impossible. Anything that is discussed which is not in the interest of the non-Asian groups would be subjected to opposition or would be watered down so as to be less meaningful.
30. But proposals for inclusion of members from competing groups inside any Asian grouping continues to be made and to be pushed. If Europeans can be exclusive and so can the Americans, why cannot Asians have their very own group? The objection that Asians are anti-West or anti-European cannot be valid as the Europeans and Americans never consider the non-admission of Asians into their groupings as being anti-Asians.
31. Malaysia is not anti-West or anti-Europeans. Almost immediately after independence Malaysia had opened up the country to European investment. We never had any hang-ups about Europeans and their colonialist past. Even if there is nothing common for Asians to justify an all Asian organisation, it is wrong in principle to object to their having their own organisation when others have. It smacks of double standards.
32. It is shameful that the countries of East Asia have to hide behind other names, like ASEAN plus three in order for them to get together. As I said Asians are heterogeneous and deeply divided. There is no way they can conspire to confront the Europeans or the West. Asians know they need the rich countries of Europe and America in order to grow and prosper.
33. Asians want to be democratic, to be equal and to be fair. But they do not see good examples of these among the democrats who preach to them. It is undemocratic to use force including economic pressures in order to gain acceptance of a system or policy. But force is being used every time to gain Asian compliance. And many of the things that they have to accept are actually detrimental to their interest. It is because of this that Asians are leery of the good intentions expressed by the West over globalisation. Their experience in the past does not help to convince them.
34. Malaysia is a democratic country, not liberal like western countries, but democratic nevertheless. We have had ten general elections in our 44 years of independence, elections in which opposition parties won not only numerous parliamentary seats but were able to form state Governments in four Malaysian states. Today two of the states are ruled by the opposition after free and fair elections.
35. We are not seeking a balance between peace and prosperity, as the title of this talk I am asked to give seems to suggest. We believe that only peace can bring about prosperity. So ever since independence we have tried, and we have largely succeeded in creating racial harmony among the races who make up the people of Malaysia. We have largely been able to maintain peace and stability in this multiracial country despite our differences and the extreme disparities in our stages of development.
36. Malaysia believes in human rights for all. We respect the rights of individuals but in the exercise of individual rights the rights of the majority must not be denied. We regard it as wrong for individuals and minorities to exercise their rights in a disruptive way. The exercise of human rights must be accompanied by responsibility towards the community, towards maintaining stability and peace. If anyone shows a lack of responsibility, then he must forfeit his rights.
37. Malaysia does not apologise for our views, our attitudes towards a foreign value system which cares only for forms but not at all for substance. We have seen too many ideologies invented in the West, failing and being discarded after millions of lives have been lost and much wealth destroyed.
38. Peace is a prerequisite for prosperity. In the maintenance of peace sacrifices must be made. We are prepared to make the sacrifices because we do not believe in being beholden to ideology to the point of destroying ourselves.
39. Malaysia picks and chooses with pragmatism. That is why we accept national planning for the future. Apart from 5-year plans we have a 30-year plan to become a developed country by 2020. That is because we have already demonstrated that our plans are not only implementable but have been implemented. Since independence 44 years ago we have been implementing a series of 5-year plans within a number of longer term outline perspective plans. I believe we have acquired quite good experience in planning and implementing. So we feel we can achieve our ambitious 2020 vision.
40. Of course unexpected crisis can derail our planned progress. The attack on our currency and the events of 11th September are examples of these. But we have also acquired some skills at crisis management. Our methods may be unconventional but we have been able to stabilise our multiracial country and our economy as well. Our unorthodox way of dealing with the currency crisis is not unusual for us.
41. If today Malaysia appears to be against globalisation, it is not due to recalcitrance or just wanting to be difficult. We do believe we know the problems resulting from the current interpretation of globalisation and we think we have some ideas about how to make globalisation less damaging to the poor countries while still benefiting the rich countries. All we say is that we should not rush into borderlessness, deregulations and free capital flows without examining the many consequences of these vigorously promoted concepts of the rich and the famous.
42. It does not take a clever observer to note that the world today is richer as never before and that most of the wealth is concentrated in Europe and America and some in Japan. The rest of the world, and that includes a huge chunk of Asia is very, very poor. There is no equity in the distribution of wealth.
43. Yet while force is being used to ensure human rights are upheld, very, very little is done to help reduce poverty which we should note accompanies most social ills including human rights abuses. It is not unreasonable to assume that the reduction of poverty would contribute towards reducing human rights abuses for example.
44. In the immediate post World War II years, a commitment was made by the developed countries to give 0.7% of their GDP as aid to the poor countries. True much of the money had been misused. But that does not excuse the almost total stoppage of aid. If the recipient countries are unable to handle cash aid, other forms of aid can be given.
45. At one time the United States was the most popular country in the world because of the Peace Corp. Now there is no Peace Corp and no aid except when tied to the fulfillment of the policies of the donor. And the slightest breach of the tenets of the donors would result in painful sanctions and other punitive measures, which all contribute to more impoverishment. America has become ugly and American embassies everywhere must be built behind high walls.
46. In the pursuit of ideological concepts, the original reasons and intentions of the ideology are always forgotten. Thus socialism and communism were intended to create an absolutely equitable society - socially, economically and politically. But these ideologies were forced upon society through the deprivation of the rights of most members of society, through expropriation, by dictatorial Governments, which never hesitated to incarcerate, torture and kill in order to ensure that alternative ideologies were destroyed. The egalitarian society that Socialism and Communism were supposed to create was forgotten in the interest of upholding the ideologies at all cost.
47. Now we are seeing the same thing happening with liberal democracy and human rights. Be democratic and uphold human rights or else you will lose your rights. Is it democratic to go about promoting democracy this way? It would seem that democracy is more important than human rights and the well being of the people. It does not seem democratic.
48. Malaysia is an Asian country. We do not reject all western values but where we think Asian values are better we should be allowed to retain our values i.e. if the proponents of democracy believes in democracy and human rights.
49. Malaysia wants peace and prosperity and our people freely support our way of achieving these. Why should there be objections by others who are not really affected by our ways?
50. Asia and Malaysia have a right to do things our own way as long as the majority of our people approve of our way. We will follow what is good from Europe and America but we must have the freedom to decide what we should copy. Those who believe in freedom, in human rights and in democracy must allow us to manage the balance between peace and prosperity that we have achieved on our own.
* * * *
Prime Minister`s Office
PUTRAJAYA
Posted by
musalmaan
May 1, 2002 11:43 am
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTERTHE HON DATO SERI DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
AT THE 30TH ANNUAL WILLIAMSBURG CONFERENCE
AT SUNWAY LAGOON RESORT HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR
ON THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2002
AT 8.00 P.M.
---------
``MALAYSIA & ASIA : SEEKING A BALANCE
BETWEEN PEACE AND PROSPERITY``
I am honoured to be here today to speak at this distinguished gathering of American and Asian leaders from the business, Government and other sectors. I have been asked to speak on the subject `Malaysia and Asia: Seeking a Balance Between Peace and Prosperity`.
2. The tourist people are fond of promoting Malaysia as being truly Asia. The reason is that in Malaysia you find the three major races of the Asian continent - the Malays who are ethnically the same as the Indonesians and the Filipinos and also the Thais, Myanmarese, the Cambodians and the Laotians, secondly the peoples of Chinese origin, and the peoples from the Indian sub-continent.
3. One can even say that Malaysia represents Asia. And of course it has all the potential for instability which seem to plague a substantial portion of Asia. But it has not been quite stable despite the incompatible mix of people who inhabit this country.
4. The incompatibility is due not just to ethnic origins but the different races profess very different religions, cultures and languages. The Malays are Muslims, the Chinese Buddhists or Taoists, and the Indians largely Hindus. The followers of these religions have never really got on together in other parts of the world, but in Malaysia they live, work and play together.
5. Another factor which is believed to threaten peace and stability in Malaysia is the fact that the majority Malays are Muslims and they dominate the politics and the Government of the country. Muslims are believed to be incapable of living at peace with non-Muslims, of governing and developing their countries. But the 60% Muslims in Malaysia have been able to get along with the 40% non-Muslims, to work with them, to govern and develop the country together with them and to maintain peace and comparative harmony.
6. Malaysia is obviously very Asian. It finds it more easy to relate to Asia than to other continents. But it is with East Asia that Malaysia is more closely associated with.
7. About 20 years ago the international community was startled and shocked when Malaysia loudly announced that it would look East. Hitherto countries wishing to develop had always looked West; looked at Europe or North America. But Malaysia apparently believed that the Eastern model was worth emulating. It was a time of vigorous growth for Japan and Korea and even Taiwan. They were industrialising i.e. progressing towards the European model. It would have been logical for Malaysia to just follow the European model but Malaysia chose the indirect route, to develop by following the route taken by East Asian countries.
8. Japan and Korea which were devastated by war had applied certain techniques in order to develop fast. Since they had clearly succeeded there must be something they did which was right.
9. There were other Asian models of course. Some Asian countries decided to be socialistic, to close their markets and their economies to foreign participation. But these countries had not achieved the kind of progress that Japan and Korea achieved. So Malaysia avoided socialism although it was not averse to using socialist methods such as long term planning and selected national enterprises that were expected to help the administrative and development process.
10. All the while Malaysia had continued to watch the West and to use western methods where applicable.
11. It was altogether a pragmatic approach bereft of the constrains of ideologies which we believe have been the downfall of many countries.
12. Perhaps Malaysia`s greatest achievement is the management of race relations. Here I would like to say that racial harmony is achieved in Malaysia because of Islam and because the majority of the people here are Muslims. This statement is perhaps a little bit hard to swallow. Islam and the Muslims are commonly associated with an inability to get along with peoples of other religions or races or even with Muslim peoples of different sects. They are said to be irrational, recalcitrant, and unable to govern and develop their countries and last but not least are given to violence and terrorism. Can the Muslims of Malaysia contribute to peace and harmony among peoples who are so racially and religiously incompatible?
13. The answer is that they can if they follow the fundamentals of Islam, the true teachings of Islam. It was Islam as preached by Prophet Mohammad which brought peace to the warring Arab tribes and moulded them into a single ummah or community of followers, later joined by other races, who eventually built the great Muslim civilisation which lasted 1300 years, longer than the Roman civilisation.
14. If today Islam and the Muslims seem incapable of living at peace with others and to achieve progress, it is not because of the teachings of Islam but because many have deviated from the teachings and have made use of the devotion of the Muslims to their religion to promote their own agenda.
15. The situation among Muslims today (the 15th century of the Hijrah) is not unlike that of Christendom in the 15th and 16th Century A.D. Christians then were very intolerant, carrying out pogroms against the Jews and inquisitions against suspected deviationist from accepted teachings. In Spain converts to Christianity from among the Jews and Muslims were often condemned for secretly adhering to their previous religions and were tortured and burnt at the stakes. Intolerance of each other on the part of Catholics and Protestants resulted in the migration and eventual founding of the United States in America.
16. All these, the pogroms and the inquisitions, were not Christian. When people become too pious, there will be people who will abuse religious piety by bringing in their own politics to take advantage of the deep faith of the people, their gullibility.
17. The behaviour of some Muslims of today, the 15th century of the Hijrah differs little from that of the Christian of the 15th century A D. Just as the behaviour of the Christian was not due to Christian teachings, the behaviour of these Muslims is not due to Islamic teachings, the true and fundamental teachings of Islam.
18. In Malaysia the majority of the Malay Muslims try to adhere to the true fundamentals of Islam. Fundamentalism is not about being extreme. The fundamental teachings of Islam emphasise the brotherhood of all Muslims, the acceptance that in the human community there will be those who reject Islam, who will worship in their own way, for whom there will be their religions which differ from Islam. Islam does not advocate enmity towards non-Muslims except when they attack the Muslims. Even then if they sue for peace, Muslims must be willing to entertain their overtures.
19. The ignorant desert Arabs, upon embracing Islam, were able to provide good Governments and to develop their lands, frequently working together or using the services of non-Muslims. In fact Jews frequently worked as senior members of Muslim Governments of Al-Andalus as the Arabs called Spain. Such was the tolerance of Muslims for peoples of other faith that many Jews elected to migrate to Muslim North Africa after the reconquest of Spain by the Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella. Similarly in Eastern Europe, the Slavic people gladly cooperated with the invading Turkish Muslims.
20. The majority Malay / Muslims in Malaysia prefer to adhere to the true and fundamental teachings of Islam rather than the interpretations made by Muslims with political agendas both in the past and presently. That is why we can claim that Islam is the reason for peace and harmony in Malaysia. Islam is also the reason for Malaysia`s rapid development.
21. I have mentioned that Malaysia has looked at Asian countries for inspiration in its development. Asia is not homogeneous. Asia is a very big continent peopled by numerous ethnic groups. There is a great deal of difference between these ethnic groups so much so that it is quite wrong to lump them together as Asians. They are divided not just by ethnicity but by culture, religion and language. It is unrealistic to expect them to unite and do things together. They are most likely to be at odds with each other, to be actually at war with each other.
22. By contrast the Europeans are more homogeneous even if they are Germanic, Latin or Slavic people. Their culture, and this includes their value systems, and the languages even have a common origin and are linked to each other. For them to be grouped together, to be united and take common stands is easy. With the coming into being of the European Union, for practical purposes the Europeans have become one people belonging to one nation. Not so the heterogeneous, deeply divided Asians.
23. However the Southeast Asians, consisting mainly of brown people, seem to set some store by the close proximity to each other in the Southeast Peninsular of Asia. Initially however they were less than friendly towards each other. Upon their liberation from the colonial yoke they confronted each other. But the need to resolve their early quarrels lead to their forming an association comprising Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines at first. The failure of Maphilindo did not discourage them. Eventually their association evolved into ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This expanded until all the countries of Southeast Asia, ten in all, belong to the ASEAN group.
24. This is an association of largely weak countries with little clout, helpless to influence the affairs of the region, much less the world. They found themselves being forced to accept international policies formulated elsewhere, many of which are actually detrimental to their interest.
25. About a decade ago Malaysia proposed a link-up with other Asian countries, namely the vigorous economies of Northeast Asia. It was not an economic community or union like the European Economic Community. It was merely going to be a consultative forum, to identify and discuss common problems and to formulate common stands.
26. Although Europe was evolving into the European Union and the countries of North America had already formed NAFTA, the North America Free Trade Area, the East Asia countries, north and south were told in no uncertain terms that they may not talk to each other except in the presence of countries from outside the region.
27. Of course this condition was not spelt out in so many words. But potential members from the Northeast were verbally informed that they may not join the East Asian Economic Group (EAEG). Some members of the Southeast Asian Association were also influenced and obstacles were placed by them to prevent the formation of the EAEG. Even calling it East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC) did not help.
28. However when Australia proposed the Asia Pacific Economic Conference, the initial reluctance of the Southeast Asian Countries, in particular Malaysia to back the formation disappeared when the President of the United States called for a meeting of the Heads of Government in Seattle. It was obviously going to be a historic event. And so APEC came into being and completely eclipsed the proposed EAEC.
29. Malaysia cannot understand the suspicions towards Asian countries. When Asian countries can only talk to each other in the presence of representatives from non-Asian groups with whom Asians have to compete, particularly when the representative is powerful, it is obvious that open discussion would be impossible. Anything that is discussed which is not in the interest of the non-Asian groups would be subjected to opposition or would be watered down so as to be less meaningful.
30. But proposals for inclusion of members from competing groups inside any Asian grouping continues to be made and to be pushed. If Europeans can be exclusive and so can the Americans, why cannot Asians have their very own group? The objection that Asians are anti-West or anti-European cannot be valid as the Europeans and Americans never consider the non-admission of Asians into their groupings as being anti-Asians.
31. Malaysia is not anti-West or anti-Europeans. Almost immediately after independence Malaysia had opened up the country to European investment. We never had any hang-ups about Europeans and their colonialist past. Even if there is nothing common for Asians to justify an all Asian organisation, it is wrong in principle to object to their having their own organisation when others have. It smacks of double standards.
32. It is shameful that the countries of East Asia have to hide behind other names, like ASEAN plus three in order for them to get together. As I said Asians are heterogeneous and deeply divided. There is no way they can conspire to confront the Europeans or the West. Asians know they need the rich countries of Europe and America in order to grow and prosper.
33. Asians want to be democratic, to be equal and to be fair. But they do not see good examples of these among the democrats who preach to them. It is undemocratic to use force including economic pressures in order to gain acceptance of a system or policy. But force is being used every time to gain Asian compliance. And many of the things that they have to accept are actually detrimental to their interest. It is because of this that Asians are leery of the good intentions expressed by the West over globalisation. Their experience in the past does not help to convince them.
34. Malaysia is a democratic country, not liberal like western countries, but democratic nevertheless. We have had ten general elections in our 44 years of independence, elections in which opposition parties won not only numerous parliamentary seats but were able to form state Governments in four Malaysian states. Today two of the states are ruled by the opposition after free and fair elections.
35. We are not seeking a balance between peace and prosperity, as the title of this talk I am asked to give seems to suggest. We believe that only peace can bring about prosperity. So ever since independence we have tried, and we have largely succeeded in creating racial harmony among the races who make up the people of Malaysia. We have largely been able to maintain peace and stability in this multiracial country despite our differences and the extreme disparities in our stages of development.
36. Malaysia believes in human rights for all. We respect the rights of individuals but in the exercise of individual rights the rights of the majority must not be denied. We regard it as wrong for individuals and minorities to exercise their rights in a disruptive way. The exercise of human rights must be accompanied by responsibility towards the community, towards maintaining stability and peace. If anyone shows a lack of responsibility, then he must forfeit his rights.
37. Malaysia does not apologise for our views, our attitudes towards a foreign value system which cares only for forms but not at all for substance. We have seen too many ideologies invented in the West, failing and being discarded after millions of lives have been lost and much wealth destroyed.
38. Peace is a prerequisite for prosperity. In the maintenance of peace sacrifices must be made. We are prepared to make the sacrifices because we do not believe in being beholden to ideology to the point of destroying ourselves.
39. Malaysia picks and chooses with pragmatism. That is why we accept national planning for the future. Apart from 5-year plans we have a 30-year plan to become a developed country by 2020. That is because we have already demonstrated that our plans are not only implementable but have been implemented. Since independence 44 years ago we have been implementing a series of 5-year plans within a number of longer term outline perspective plans. I believe we have acquired quite good experience in planning and implementing. So we feel we can achieve our ambitious 2020 vision.
40. Of course unexpected crisis can derail our planned progress. The attack on our currency and the events of 11th September are examples of these. But we have also acquired some skills at crisis management. Our methods may be unconventional but we have been able to stabilise our multiracial country and our economy as well. Our unorthodox way of dealing with the currency crisis is not unusual for us.
41. If today Malaysia appears to be against globalisation, it is not due to recalcitrance or just wanting to be difficult. We do believe we know the problems resulting from the current interpretation of globalisation and we think we have some ideas about how to make globalisation less damaging to the poor countries while still benefiting the rich countries. All we say is that we should not rush into borderlessness, deregulations and free capital flows without examining the many consequences of these vigorously promoted concepts of the rich and the famous.
42. It does not take a clever observer to note that the world today is richer as never before and that most of the wealth is concentrated in Europe and America and some in Japan. The rest of the world, and that includes a huge chunk of Asia is very, very poor. There is no equity in the distribution of wealth.
43. Yet while force is being used to ensure human rights are upheld, very, very little is done to help reduce poverty which we should note accompanies most social ills including human rights abuses. It is not unreasonable to assume that the reduction of poverty would contribute towards reducing human rights abuses for example.
44. In the immediate post World War II years, a commitment was made by the developed countries to give 0.7% of their GDP as aid to the poor countries. True much of the money had been misused. But that does not excuse the almost total stoppage of aid. If the recipient countries are unable to handle cash aid, other forms of aid can be given.
45. At one time the United States was the most popular country in the world because of the Peace Corp. Now there is no Peace Corp and no aid except when tied to the fulfillment of the policies of the donor. And the slightest breach of the tenets of the donors would result in painful sanctions and other punitive measures, which all contribute to more impoverishment. America has become ugly and American embassies everywhere must be built behind high walls.
46. In the pursuit of ideological concepts, the original reasons and intentions of the ideology are always forgotten. Thus socialism and communism were intended to create an absolutely equitable society - socially, economically and politically. But these ideologies were forced upon society through the deprivation of the rights of most members of society, through expropriation, by dictatorial Governments, which never hesitated to incarcerate, torture and kill in order to ensure that alternative ideologies were destroyed. The egalitarian society that Socialism and Communism were supposed to create was forgotten in the interest of upholding the ideologies at all cost.
47. Now we are seeing the same thing happening with liberal democracy and human rights. Be democratic and uphold human rights or else you will lose your rights. Is it democratic to go about promoting democracy this way? It would seem that democracy is more important than human rights and the well being of the people. It does not seem democratic.
48. Malaysia is an Asian country. We do not reject all western values but where we think Asian values are better we should be allowed to retain our values i.e. if the proponents of democracy believes in democracy and human rights.
49. Malaysia wants peace and prosperity and our people freely support our way of achieving these. Why should there be objections by others who are not really affected by our ways?
50. Asia and Malaysia have a right to do things our own way as long as the majority of our people approve of our way. We will follow what is good from Europe and America but we must have the freedom to decide what we should copy. Those who believe in freedom, in human rights and in democracy must allow us to manage the balance between peace and prosperity that we have achieved on our own.
* * * *
Prime Minister`s Office
PUTRAJAYA
Why Anti-American Sentiments Exist in The Muslim World
The Bosnian Carnage and Osama`s Persecution
Osama [bin Laden] sent 1000 Arab mujahedeen to Bosnia at the request of the
Bosnian President Izet Begovic, when the U.N forces failed to stop the Serbs
from massacreing Muslim civilians in the U.N`s so called `Safe Enclaves`. The
Arab force along with a Bosnian Muslim army of some 3000 soldiers, gave a
crushing defeat to the well-trained and well-armed 40,000 Serb force. The force
took MAGLAJ, TUZLA, and SARAJEVO in a matter of three months. When they were
about to push into Serbian territory, it was at that moment that the west
panicked, and the U.S came to their rescue and forced the G7 countries, the
shattered Serbian President Melosavic and the Bosnian President to sign the so
called historic peace treaty at Dayton.
The Mujahedeen leadership had warned the Bosnian president, against the
signing of the Dayton treaty, as they believed that peace should be settled
with the Serbs only on the battle field, after their (Serbia`s) total defeat
and with the capture of Serbian territory. They also warned Izet Begovic
(Bosnian President) not to trust the western powers, as the treety was a
`temporary arangement` to save the Serbs from a total humiliating defeat.
The Mujahedeen were right, as we all have witnessed the latest repeat of the
massacre of Muslims, this time in Kosovo, and Albania. According to
statistics, over 250,000 Muslims including old men, women, and children were
massacred in bosnia alone. 4000 Mosques were literaly blasted with
explosives, at times they were packed with women and children who had no
place to go. More than 20,000 Muslim children are missing till today, mostly
smuggled to various Europian countries and converted to Christianity by force,
calling it humanetarian adoption by West`s media. Over 25,000 Muslim women were
raped by Christian Serbs, most were kept and made slaves....thousands are still
missing. It was all in all this centuries, worst human attrosity! one which
history will never forget.
The Jihadic movement, initiated in the sub-continent by Shah Ismael Shaheed
and his companions, guaranteed success for the movement for Pakistan. This
movement later became a platform for the Jihadic movements in the years to
come. Consequently, during the Afghan Jihad the youth of a rather battered
Muslim Ummah took part to please Allah (SWT). In 1986 Markaz-al-Dawa-Wal-Irshad
was established to organise the Pakistanis participating in Afghan Jihad, on one
Platform.
In 1987, a training centre was established at Jaji in the Paktia province of
Afghanistan to train the members of this organization. Soon, another training
center, namely, ``Mo’askar Taiba`` or ``Taiba training center`` was established in
the Kunnar province. The Mujahideen trained at these centres performed
outstanding operations. As the activities of the Markaz expanded,its educational
and Jihadic sections were separated.
Consequently in 1993, Jihadic and warfare wing of Markaz-al-Dawa-Wal Irshad
was established with the name of ``Lashkar-e-Taiba``. Later this organization
emerged as a powerful force in the occupied J&K. Thousands of Mujahideen
were trained to fight in Afghan, Kashmir, Bosnia, Chachenya, Kosovo, The
Philippines and in areas where Muslims are fighting for freedom. More than
500 Mujahideen including Ameer Ibrar, Abu Hafs Ameer Shams-ur-Rahman Afghan,
Ameer Abu-Zar and Ameer Khalid Waleed, belonging to this organization have
sacrified their lives in the occupied J&K while many others are still
fighting against the brutal Indian Army with the aim to free Kashmir from
Indian occupation.
Lashkar-e-Taiba has 4 training centres: Mo’aska r Taiba,Aqsa,Um-al-Qur`a, and
Abdullah bin Masud- where thousands of mujahideen from all over the world are
being trained.
May Allah (SWT) give success to mujahideen worldwide and give freedom to all
the occupied Muslim lands.
Sudan was threatened to hand `Osama Bin Ladin` over, but the Sudanese requested
him to leave as Sudan bing a small country could not take the pressure of the
West. Osama then moved to his old home Afghanistan, a country he had bravely
fought for and liberated from the Soviet Army. There he thought he would be
safe from the,` viscious persecution` of the Western powers and their
`Allies` ( Govts of moslem countries, mentioned above ). That was not quite
so, as now certain western powers were ready once again to carry out the
next part of their Muslim cleansing from the former Yougaslavian region (
Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, etc ) but this time they wanted to make sure
that no ` Saviour ` would arrive at the sceen of murder, to save the Muslims
and become an obstical for them.
They found it convenient to blame the bombing of their embassies in Tanzania
and Kenya on Osama and his men, declaring him a ruthless terrorest a `Public
Enemy Noumber One`, for the misguided and brain washed citizens of western
countries and the rest of the World. Firstly the media in the west was
unleashed on Osama and his Mujahedeen, and then later the missile attack on
Sudan and Afghanistan, to keep them at bay while simultaneously they carried
out their work in Montenegro and Kosovo.
It is becoming quite clear now that Israeli `Mossad` was behind the bombing
in Kenya and Tanzania, to divert all the attention of the American public
and media from the Clinton/Monica case and save clintons presidency and to
get Clinton Govt`s total support for Israel, this they have achieved.
Using their famous Pelestinian double agents to carry out the actual bombing,
obviously no one would suspect the `Mossad` and after `Al Kobar` bombing
every one was bound to point fingers at Osama. As Israeli bomb explosive
teem was the first to arrieve on the sceen, Mossad conveniently removed all
traces from the site, while their agents who carried out the act were
running to places like Pakistan to obviously be cought and lay the blame on
Osama and his men.
Osama openly denied his involvement in Kenyan bombing, even the Taliban
Government whose guest he is, clearly asked the U.S.A for proof of his
involvement and declared, that if there was any evidence they would under
the law of their country hand Osama over to the U.S authorities. As the U.S
Government had no proof nor did they bother to provide one, instead they
blatently carried out a missile attack on two sovereign countries,Afghanistan
and Sudan (who had nothing to do with the embassy bombings) killing more than
100 innocent civilians in the process. It is amazing, that when a U.S navel ship
in the persian Gulf shot down an Iranian civilian passenger jet, killing more
than 300 innocent passengers no one in the world blamed or called the U.S a
terrorist country. Now only recently, the U.S seems to have all of a sudden
obtained some vital evidence of the Iranian Government`s involvement in the `Al
Kobar` bombing case, in order to justify an attack on Iran. Will this not be
International terrorism? obviously the poor clinton government has gone mad .
Till today the European Terrorist Milosevic ( Serbian Leader ) and his
terrorist warlords of Serbian army such as, Ratko have not been brought to
justice, why would they be, they are but a Christian army carrying out the
dirty work of the Western Powers, ``Cleaning Europe of any future Muslim
State.``
The Indian army, has on record killed 70,000 innocent Muslims in Kashmir,
not to mention the rapes and kidnaping of 8000 Muslim women and the
distroying of 15,000 homes by, the Indian forces to punish the poor
kashmires, but that is not terrorism is it? One is amazed to see over 1.2
million Hindus employed in the Arab countries, earning more than eight
billion dollars from our so concerned Arab brothers, who did not even mind
the distruction of `Babri Mosque` in India, as it was being telecasted
throughout the world by Indian T.V channels, as if it was a Hindu festival.
In over 50 years, the UN did not move an inch for the Plebesite in Kashmir,
whereas in East Timor, the so-called international community, Western media,
church groups all joined their hands to hasten the solution of East Timor
problem. The UN conducted referendum post-haste, something which is
unprecedented in the history of the UN. Had Kashmiris been Christion
Catholics like East Timorese, the situation would have been different. It is
strange that the West gave Nobel Peace Award to Christion Millitant hard
liners; Ramos Horta and a Catholic Bishop, both of these Christion leaders
have jointly helped Xanana Gumzau, in establishing Chrition millitant camps
in East Timor, to train a christian force, to fight for the independence of
East Timor. This Christion force, set fires and burnt the forests of
Indonesia to distroy its ecconomy, and was involved in dozens of bomb blasts
in Indonesion Mosques, and in carrying out random killings and burning of
innocent Muslim and their villages to drive them out of East Timore. On the
other hand Muslim freedom fighters, who are fighting for the liberation of
their occupied homes like Kashmir, Bosnia, Palistine, Chichnia, and
Dagistan, are immediately declaired Terrorist by the West, and its media.
It is very unfortunate for the Islamic World as the Media in most Muslim
countries is a slave minded, pessamist, and a materialistic media, which can
neither speak nor present the truth to its own people. It only copies and
represents one sided views of the West. Hippocracy has become their trade
mark and Western Secularism their Deen ( Religion ) and culture.
P.S: A documentry (in Arabic, and English) was made by the Arab Mujahedeen
force live in action, in the Bosnian Jehad 1995-96, it is 4 hours recording
time, two Mujahedeen camera men were martyred while recording the battle
events in war zone, the film clearly speaks of the whole truth. It was baned
by European countries, U.S., and most Arab Countries, but fortunately it is
available in Pakistan, with most Jehadi organisations. this documentry film
is heighly recommended to the reader of this artical.
Note; Please send copies to other Muslim brothers and sisters and Islamic
socities, media and media groups, to make them aware of the intrigues and
treachery against Muslims. The persecution of our freedom fighters and heros
of Islam, by the sworn enemies of Islam and their protages. May Allah SWT
bless you and reward you.
I remain, Your friend, guide, motivator and brother, Juhayman-Al Utaybi
(Saudi Arabian Teacher) ``Religion does not protect it`s followers, the followers
have to protect their religion!`` ``Brave is the one who is afraid of the CREATOR
and not the creations; Coward is the one who is afraid of the creations, and
not the CREATOR !`` The Prophet said: “There are seven whom Allaah will shade in
His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a
youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man
whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for
Allaah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; Mujahideen will continue
Jihad to wipe out oppression and terrorism
Annual Congregation 1999 of Laskher-e-Taiba
Religious and political gatherings are quite common but the annual
congregation of Markaz Ad-da’awah Wal Irshad has something special about it.
Every year it is held in the city of Muridke and draws large participation.
Held from November to November, this was the 12th congregation in which
leaders of religious and political parties, commanders of Jihadic movements,
delegates from abroad, Mujahideen, families of Shuhada and other faithfuls
participated.
Mujahideen present an overview of their activities and their future plans
and goals, and they also make a pledge to fight to relieve Muslims from
distress, wherever they are.
Apart from common large gathering, small group sittings are also arranged in
which lectures are delivered to acquaint the participants with the genuine
teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah concerning all aspects of life.
Given the massive participation in the congregation each year special
arrangements are made for food and overnight stay of the participants. This
year security arrangements were immaculate as all participants were frisked
before entering the 200-acre wide area where the congregation was held.
This congregation has another special significance and that is the
participation of the families of the Shuhada. So far around 700 Mujahideen
of Lashker-e-Taiba have sacrificed their lives in the way of Allah.
Translations of lectures and speech’s in English and Arabic were done for
the benefit of foreign delegates. Below is the translation of the speeches
delivered by some of the speakers:
Qazi Hussain Ahmad
Addressing the families of Shuhada of Lashker-e-Taiba Qazi Hussain Ahmad,
Amir Jama’at-e-Islami, said, ``The only way to eliminate oppression and
establish a system based on justice is Jihad. Not only Pakistan but the
entire Muslim Ummah is proud of the Mujahideen who are laying down their
lives for Kashmir cause.`` He paid glowing tribute to the families of Shuhada
and congratulated the commanders of Lashker-e-Taiba and said that they were
rendering great service to Ummah by organising Jihad.
Sheikh Saleem Alhilali of Syria
After glorifying Allah Almighty he said, ``The only path for the salvation of
mankind is Sirat-e-Mustaqim (The Straight Path). This is the path that the
Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho alaihi Wasallam) and his companions followed
and embraced eternal success and bliss. In fact this is the way of Da`awah
and Jihad and the Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho alaihi Wasallam) said: In my
Ummah one group will follow this path and the last member of this group will
fight Dajjal. And this is also the way out of all evils and mischief and
hence the bringer of peace and harmony.
Concluding his address, he called upon the Mujahideen to spread the Manhaj
(way) of the Qur’an and the Sunnah all over the world and relieve the
Muslims of Palestine, Bosnia, Kosova, Kashmir, Philippine and Chechnya from
oppression. Sheikh Saleem Alhilali is a disciple of the renowned scholar
late Allama Nasir-ud-Din Albani.
Amir Hamza
Amir Hamza, editor of Ad-Da’awah and leader of Markaz Ad-Da’awah Wal Irshad
said, ``Nawaz Sharif’s downfall is the nemesis of his Kargil policy. New
administration will also have smooth ride as long as it does not abandon
Jihad.`` He also said, ``We reject the UN charter outright because it is based
on evil norms and values. Today the UN is so concerned about the future of
East Timor whereas it has always turned a blind eye to the atrocities of
Indian occupation forces in Kashmir. He also condemned the propaganda
against the Mujahideen of Chechnya who have valiantly withstood the
onslaught of the Russian forces.
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Amir Markaz Ad-da’awah Wal Irshad
Amir Markaz Ad-Da’awah Wal Irshad Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said, ``From Jammu and
Laddakh to Doda the entire area is under the control of Mujahideen and
non-India has thrown its newly raised mountain division in the Kashmir
battlefield. Now Indian army presence in the valley has risen to 700,000 but
notwithstanding this Mujahideen are continuing their activities and creating
Kargil one after the other. Recently Mujahideen carried out a successful
attack at the Corps commander’s office in Badami Bagh. According to
authentic reports, 43 Indian soldiers died and 50 were injured in the
attack, which was carried out by merely 4 Mujahideen. Two of them managed to
escape unscathed. There are reports of more successful activities in other
areas such as Jammu, Bandipura, Sopur and Doda. Keeping in view this
situation we are very hopeful that soon Indian army will be forced to vacate
Kashmir.``
He further said, ``Indian media has tried to put covers on India’s defeat in
Kargil but Mujahideen are carrying out successful activities to unveil the
falsehood of Indian media’s propaganda. India also wages propaganda to
dishearten Kashmiri Muslims but since this propaganda has feet of clay,
Kashmiri Muslims are not beguiled. Recently the whole world saw how
overwhelmingly the Kashmiris boycotted the general elections.``
To a question about the US policy he said, ``The US has done a complete about
turn on its policy and it is detrimental to its own future for this change
has hurt the Muslims the world over. Previously America stood for plebiscite
in Kashmir but now it is bolstering India’s pro-active policy in Kashmir and
the Mujahideen who are fighting to end atrocities in the held Kashmir are
being branded as terrorists.
In 1971 India captured Kargil heights but the US winked at it and now when
Mujahideen regained the area it called for immediate withdrawal from the
area.`` To a question he said, ``No civil or military government could take
such a decision as is against Jihad and Mujahideen. Unfortunately whenever
Mujahideen, after having made great sacrifices, came close to success,
international interference picked up and the efforts of Mujahideen were
squandered through the so-called negotiations.``
He said very much the way the US helped the Christians of East Timor solely
for religious reasons we also consider it our bounden duty to help the
Muslims wherever they are in distress.`` He further said, ``We do not deem it
correct to fight against any Muslim government, we prefer to rectify them
through Da’awah. Any conflict between ourselves will only benefit our
enemies. This is the time when Pakistani nation and government should stand
united.``
About Kargil operation he said, ``It was completely justified and we achieved
our goals. The operation has encouraged and strengthened Mujahideen``.
Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi
Amir Lashker-e-Taiba Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi said, ``It is a norm with the
believers that whenever they face hardships they turn to Allah and never
show impatience. And those who wail over their hardships have a disease in
their hearts and are deficient in faith. And it is a fact that if we bear up
in trouble, there will be a great reward from Allah.``
Later Amir Lashker-e-Taiba explained the recent activities of the Mujahideen
to the congregation with the help of maps. He said, ``In Kashmir Muslim are
96 per cent of the total population, in Kargil they make up 69 per cent of
the population. It follows that if a plebiscite is held the result will be
dictated by Muslims and they want to join Pakistan. India is maintaining its
occupation of Kashmir through blatant use of force. Indian occupation
forces, spread all over the held Jammu and Kashmir, are now arming civilian
Hindu population to fight against Muslims. But Mujahideen always get the
better of them. As a result of this situation Hindus are no longer willing
to take up arms against Mujahideen. Indian army itself launches regular
crackdowns during which whole of the Muslim families are shot to death and
their houses are torched. But despite all these atrocities this movement
which was confined to the valley as late as 1995, has now spread all over
the occupied Jammu and Kashmir and this is a blessing of Jihad.``
About Jan Fidai missions he said, ``So far 9 such missions have been launched
and they have been extremely successful as they have wreaked havoc in the
camps of Indian army. In all, this year, Mujahideen killed 10 Majors, 10
Captains, 22 Black Cat Commandoes and several thousand soldiers, while 675
Mujahideen embraced Shahadat.
Posted by
musalmaan
May 1, 2002 11:43 am
From: Shaikh Juhayman Al-Utaybi haikhjuhayman_alutaybialnajedi@hotmail.comThe Bosnian Carnage and Osama`s Persecution
Osama [bin Laden] sent 1000 Arab mujahedeen to Bosnia at the request of the
Bosnian President Izet Begovic, when the U.N forces failed to stop the Serbs
from massacreing Muslim civilians in the U.N`s so called `Safe Enclaves`. The
Arab force along with a Bosnian Muslim army of some 3000 soldiers, gave a
crushing defeat to the well-trained and well-armed 40,000 Serb force. The force
took MAGLAJ, TUZLA, and SARAJEVO in a matter of three months. When they were
about to push into Serbian territory, it was at that moment that the west
panicked, and the U.S came to their rescue and forced the G7 countries, the
shattered Serbian President Melosavic and the Bosnian President to sign the so
called historic peace treaty at Dayton.
The Mujahedeen leadership had warned the Bosnian president, against the
signing of the Dayton treaty, as they believed that peace should be settled
with the Serbs only on the battle field, after their (Serbia`s) total defeat
and with the capture of Serbian territory. They also warned Izet Begovic
(Bosnian President) not to trust the western powers, as the treety was a
`temporary arangement` to save the Serbs from a total humiliating defeat.
The Mujahedeen were right, as we all have witnessed the latest repeat of the
massacre of Muslims, this time in Kosovo, and Albania. According to
statistics, over 250,000 Muslims including old men, women, and children were
massacred in bosnia alone. 4000 Mosques were literaly blasted with
explosives, at times they were packed with women and children who had no
place to go. More than 20,000 Muslim children are missing till today, mostly
smuggled to various Europian countries and converted to Christianity by force,
calling it humanetarian adoption by West`s media. Over 25,000 Muslim women were
raped by Christian Serbs, most were kept and made slaves....thousands are still
missing. It was all in all this centuries, worst human attrosity! one which
history will never forget.
The Jihadic movement, initiated in the sub-continent by Shah Ismael Shaheed
and his companions, guaranteed success for the movement for Pakistan. This
movement later became a platform for the Jihadic movements in the years to
come. Consequently, during the Afghan Jihad the youth of a rather battered
Muslim Ummah took part to please Allah (SWT). In 1986 Markaz-al-Dawa-Wal-Irshad
was established to organise the Pakistanis participating in Afghan Jihad, on one
Platform.
In 1987, a training centre was established at Jaji in the Paktia province of
Afghanistan to train the members of this organization. Soon, another training
center, namely, ``Mo’askar Taiba`` or ``Taiba training center`` was established in
the Kunnar province. The Mujahideen trained at these centres performed
outstanding operations. As the activities of the Markaz expanded,its educational
and Jihadic sections were separated.
Consequently in 1993, Jihadic and warfare wing of Markaz-al-Dawa-Wal Irshad
was established with the name of ``Lashkar-e-Taiba``. Later this organization
emerged as a powerful force in the occupied J&K. Thousands of Mujahideen
were trained to fight in Afghan, Kashmir, Bosnia, Chachenya, Kosovo, The
Philippines and in areas where Muslims are fighting for freedom. More than
500 Mujahideen including Ameer Ibrar, Abu Hafs Ameer Shams-ur-Rahman Afghan,
Ameer Abu-Zar and Ameer Khalid Waleed, belonging to this organization have
sacrified their lives in the occupied J&K while many others are still
fighting against the brutal Indian Army with the aim to free Kashmir from
Indian occupation.
Lashkar-e-Taiba has 4 training centres: Mo’aska r Taiba,Aqsa,Um-al-Qur`a, and
Abdullah bin Masud- where thousands of mujahideen from all over the world are
being trained.
May Allah (SWT) give success to mujahideen worldwide and give freedom to all
the occupied Muslim lands.
Sudan was threatened to hand `Osama Bin Ladin` over, but the Sudanese requested
him to leave as Sudan bing a small country could not take the pressure of the
West. Osama then moved to his old home Afghanistan, a country he had bravely
fought for and liberated from the Soviet Army. There he thought he would be
safe from the,` viscious persecution` of the Western powers and their
`Allies` ( Govts of moslem countries, mentioned above ). That was not quite
so, as now certain western powers were ready once again to carry out the
next part of their Muslim cleansing from the former Yougaslavian region (
Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, etc ) but this time they wanted to make sure
that no ` Saviour ` would arrive at the sceen of murder, to save the Muslims
and become an obstical for them.
They found it convenient to blame the bombing of their embassies in Tanzania
and Kenya on Osama and his men, declaring him a ruthless terrorest a `Public
Enemy Noumber One`, for the misguided and brain washed citizens of western
countries and the rest of the World. Firstly the media in the west was
unleashed on Osama and his Mujahedeen, and then later the missile attack on
Sudan and Afghanistan, to keep them at bay while simultaneously they carried
out their work in Montenegro and Kosovo.
It is becoming quite clear now that Israeli `Mossad` was behind the bombing
in Kenya and Tanzania, to divert all the attention of the American public
and media from the Clinton/Monica case and save clintons presidency and to
get Clinton Govt`s total support for Israel, this they have achieved.
Using their famous Pelestinian double agents to carry out the actual bombing,
obviously no one would suspect the `Mossad` and after `Al Kobar` bombing
every one was bound to point fingers at Osama. As Israeli bomb explosive
teem was the first to arrieve on the sceen, Mossad conveniently removed all
traces from the site, while their agents who carried out the act were
running to places like Pakistan to obviously be cought and lay the blame on
Osama and his men.
Osama openly denied his involvement in Kenyan bombing, even the Taliban
Government whose guest he is, clearly asked the U.S.A for proof of his
involvement and declared, that if there was any evidence they would under
the law of their country hand Osama over to the U.S authorities. As the U.S
Government had no proof nor did they bother to provide one, instead they
blatently carried out a missile attack on two sovereign countries,Afghanistan
and Sudan (who had nothing to do with the embassy bombings) killing more than
100 innocent civilians in the process. It is amazing, that when a U.S navel ship
in the persian Gulf shot down an Iranian civilian passenger jet, killing more
than 300 innocent passengers no one in the world blamed or called the U.S a
terrorist country. Now only recently, the U.S seems to have all of a sudden
obtained some vital evidence of the Iranian Government`s involvement in the `Al
Kobar` bombing case, in order to justify an attack on Iran. Will this not be
International terrorism? obviously the poor clinton government has gone mad .
Till today the European Terrorist Milosevic ( Serbian Leader ) and his
terrorist warlords of Serbian army such as, Ratko have not been brought to
justice, why would they be, they are but a Christian army carrying out the
dirty work of the Western Powers, ``Cleaning Europe of any future Muslim
State.``
The Indian army, has on record killed 70,000 innocent Muslims in Kashmir,
not to mention the rapes and kidnaping of 8000 Muslim women and the
distroying of 15,000 homes by, the Indian forces to punish the poor
kashmires, but that is not terrorism is it? One is amazed to see over 1.2
million Hindus employed in the Arab countries, earning more than eight
billion dollars from our so concerned Arab brothers, who did not even mind
the distruction of `Babri Mosque` in India, as it was being telecasted
throughout the world by Indian T.V channels, as if it was a Hindu festival.
In over 50 years, the UN did not move an inch for the Plebesite in Kashmir,
whereas in East Timor, the so-called international community, Western media,
church groups all joined their hands to hasten the solution of East Timor
problem. The UN conducted referendum post-haste, something which is
unprecedented in the history of the UN. Had Kashmiris been Christion
Catholics like East Timorese, the situation would have been different. It is
strange that the West gave Nobel Peace Award to Christion Millitant hard
liners; Ramos Horta and a Catholic Bishop, both of these Christion leaders
have jointly helped Xanana Gumzau, in establishing Chrition millitant camps
in East Timor, to train a christian force, to fight for the independence of
East Timor. This Christion force, set fires and burnt the forests of
Indonesia to distroy its ecconomy, and was involved in dozens of bomb blasts
in Indonesion Mosques, and in carrying out random killings and burning of
innocent Muslim and their villages to drive them out of East Timore. On the
other hand Muslim freedom fighters, who are fighting for the liberation of
their occupied homes like Kashmir, Bosnia, Palistine, Chichnia, and
Dagistan, are immediately declaired Terrorist by the West, and its media.
It is very unfortunate for the Islamic World as the Media in most Muslim
countries is a slave minded, pessamist, and a materialistic media, which can
neither speak nor present the truth to its own people. It only copies and
represents one sided views of the West. Hippocracy has become their trade
mark and Western Secularism their Deen ( Religion ) and culture.
P.S: A documentry (in Arabic, and English) was made by the Arab Mujahedeen
force live in action, in the Bosnian Jehad 1995-96, it is 4 hours recording
time, two Mujahedeen camera men were martyred while recording the battle
events in war zone, the film clearly speaks of the whole truth. It was baned
by European countries, U.S., and most Arab Countries, but fortunately it is
available in Pakistan, with most Jehadi organisations. this documentry film
is heighly recommended to the reader of this artical.
Note; Please send copies to other Muslim brothers and sisters and Islamic
socities, media and media groups, to make them aware of the intrigues and
treachery against Muslims. The persecution of our freedom fighters and heros
of Islam, by the sworn enemies of Islam and their protages. May Allah SWT
bless you and reward you.
I remain, Your friend, guide, motivator and brother, Juhayman-Al Utaybi
(Saudi Arabian Teacher) ``Religion does not protect it`s followers, the followers
have to protect their religion!`` ``Brave is the one who is afraid of the CREATOR
and not the creations; Coward is the one who is afraid of the creations, and
not the CREATOR !`` The Prophet said: “There are seven whom Allaah will shade in
His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a
youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man
whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for
Allaah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; Mujahideen will continue
Jihad to wipe out oppression and terrorism
Annual Congregation 1999 of Laskher-e-Taiba
Religious and political gatherings are quite common but the annual
congregation of Markaz Ad-da’awah Wal Irshad has something special about it.
Every year it is held in the city of Muridke and draws large participation.
Held from November to November, this was the 12th congregation in which
leaders of religious and political parties, commanders of Jihadic movements,
delegates from abroad, Mujahideen, families of Shuhada and other faithfuls
participated.
Mujahideen present an overview of their activities and their future plans
and goals, and they also make a pledge to fight to relieve Muslims from
distress, wherever they are.
Apart from common large gathering, small group sittings are also arranged in
which lectures are delivered to acquaint the participants with the genuine
teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah concerning all aspects of life.
Given the massive participation in the congregation each year special
arrangements are made for food and overnight stay of the participants. This
year security arrangements were immaculate as all participants were frisked
before entering the 200-acre wide area where the congregation was held.
This congregation has another special significance and that is the
participation of the families of the Shuhada. So far around 700 Mujahideen
of Lashker-e-Taiba have sacrificed their lives in the way of Allah.
Translations of lectures and speech’s in English and Arabic were done for
the benefit of foreign delegates. Below is the translation of the speeches
delivered by some of the speakers:
Qazi Hussain Ahmad
Addressing the families of Shuhada of Lashker-e-Taiba Qazi Hussain Ahmad,
Amir Jama’at-e-Islami, said, ``The only way to eliminate oppression and
establish a system based on justice is Jihad. Not only Pakistan but the
entire Muslim Ummah is proud of the Mujahideen who are laying down their
lives for Kashmir cause.`` He paid glowing tribute to the families of Shuhada
and congratulated the commanders of Lashker-e-Taiba and said that they were
rendering great service to Ummah by organising Jihad.
Sheikh Saleem Alhilali of Syria
After glorifying Allah Almighty he said, ``The only path for the salvation of
mankind is Sirat-e-Mustaqim (The Straight Path). This is the path that the
Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho alaihi Wasallam) and his companions followed
and embraced eternal success and bliss. In fact this is the way of Da`awah
and Jihad and the Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho alaihi Wasallam) said: In my
Ummah one group will follow this path and the last member of this group will
fight Dajjal. And this is also the way out of all evils and mischief and
hence the bringer of peace and harmony.
Concluding his address, he called upon the Mujahideen to spread the Manhaj
(way) of the Qur’an and the Sunnah all over the world and relieve the
Muslims of Palestine, Bosnia, Kosova, Kashmir, Philippine and Chechnya from
oppression. Sheikh Saleem Alhilali is a disciple of the renowned scholar
late Allama Nasir-ud-Din Albani.
Amir Hamza
Amir Hamza, editor of Ad-Da’awah and leader of Markaz Ad-Da’awah Wal Irshad
said, ``Nawaz Sharif’s downfall is the nemesis of his Kargil policy. New
administration will also have smooth ride as long as it does not abandon
Jihad.`` He also said, ``We reject the UN charter outright because it is based
on evil norms and values. Today the UN is so concerned about the future of
East Timor whereas it has always turned a blind eye to the atrocities of
Indian occupation forces in Kashmir. He also condemned the propaganda
against the Mujahideen of Chechnya who have valiantly withstood the
onslaught of the Russian forces.
Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Amir Markaz Ad-da’awah Wal Irshad
Amir Markaz Ad-Da’awah Wal Irshad Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said, ``From Jammu and
Laddakh to Doda the entire area is under the control of Mujahideen and
non-India has thrown its newly raised mountain division in the Kashmir
battlefield. Now Indian army presence in the valley has risen to 700,000 but
notwithstanding this Mujahideen are continuing their activities and creating
Kargil one after the other. Recently Mujahideen carried out a successful
attack at the Corps commander’s office in Badami Bagh. According to
authentic reports, 43 Indian soldiers died and 50 were injured in the
attack, which was carried out by merely 4 Mujahideen. Two of them managed to
escape unscathed. There are reports of more successful activities in other
areas such as Jammu, Bandipura, Sopur and Doda. Keeping in view this
situation we are very hopeful that soon Indian army will be forced to vacate
Kashmir.``
He further said, ``Indian media has tried to put covers on India’s defeat in
Kargil but Mujahideen are carrying out successful activities to unveil the
falsehood of Indian media’s propaganda. India also wages propaganda to
dishearten Kashmiri Muslims but since this propaganda has feet of clay,
Kashmiri Muslims are not beguiled. Recently the whole world saw how
overwhelmingly the Kashmiris boycotted the general elections.``
To a question about the US policy he said, ``The US has done a complete about
turn on its policy and it is detrimental to its own future for this change
has hurt the Muslims the world over. Previously America stood for plebiscite
in Kashmir but now it is bolstering India’s pro-active policy in Kashmir and
the Mujahideen who are fighting to end atrocities in the held Kashmir are
being branded as terrorists.
In 1971 India captured Kargil heights but the US winked at it and now when
Mujahideen regained the area it called for immediate withdrawal from the
area.`` To a question he said, ``No civil or military government could take
such a decision as is against Jihad and Mujahideen. Unfortunately whenever
Mujahideen, after having made great sacrifices, came close to success,
international interference picked up and the efforts of Mujahideen were
squandered through the so-called negotiations.``
He said very much the way the US helped the Christians of East Timor solely
for religious reasons we also consider it our bounden duty to help the
Muslims wherever they are in distress.`` He further said, ``We do not deem it
correct to fight against any Muslim government, we prefer to rectify them
through Da’awah. Any conflict between ourselves will only benefit our
enemies. This is the time when Pakistani nation and government should stand
united.``
About Kargil operation he said, ``It was completely justified and we achieved
our goals. The operation has encouraged and strengthened Mujahideen``.
Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi
Amir Lashker-e-Taiba Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi said, ``It is a norm with the
believers that whenever they face hardships they turn to Allah and never
show impatience. And those who wail over their hardships have a disease in
their hearts and are deficient in faith. And it is a fact that if we bear up
in trouble, there will be a great reward from Allah.``
Later Amir Lashker-e-Taiba explained the recent activities of the Mujahideen
to the congregation with the help of maps. He said, ``In Kashmir Muslim are
96 per cent of the total population, in Kargil they make up 69 per cent of
the population. It follows that if a plebiscite is held the result will be
dictated by Muslims and they want to join Pakistan. India is maintaining its
occupation of Kashmir through blatant use of force. Indian occupation
forces, spread all over the held Jammu and Kashmir, are now arming civilian
Hindu population to fight against Muslims. But Mujahideen always get the
better of them. As a result of this situation Hindus are no longer willing
to take up arms against Mujahideen. Indian army itself launches regular
crackdowns during which whole of the Muslim families are shot to death and
their houses are torched. But despite all these atrocities this movement
which was confined to the valley as late as 1995, has now spread all over
the occupied Jammu and Kashmir and this is a blessing of Jihad.``
About Jan Fidai missions he said, ``So far 9 such missions have been launched
and they have been extremely successful as they have wreaked havoc in the
camps of Indian army. In all, this year, Mujahideen killed 10 Majors, 10
Captains, 22 Black Cat Commandoes and several thousand soldiers, while 675
Mujahideen embraced Shahadat.
Timestoppers
The Muslim mind has always been attracted to the mathematical sciences in accordance with the ``abstract`` character of the doctrine of Oneness which lies at the heart of Islam. The mathematical sciences have traditionally included astronomy, mathematics itself and much of what is called physics today. In astronomy the Muslims integrated the astronomical traditions of the Indians, Persians, the ancient Near East and especially the Greeks into a synthesis which began to chart a new chapter in the history of astronomy from the 8th century onward. The Almagest of Ptolemy, whose very name in English reveals the Arabic origin of its Latin translation, was thoroughly studied and its planetary theory criticized by several astronomers of both the eastern and western lands of Islam leading to the major critique of the theory by Nasir al-Din Al-Tusi and his students, especially Qutb al-Din Al-Shirazi, in the 13th century.
The Muslims also observed the heavens carefully and discovered many new stars. The book on stars of `Abd Al-Rahman al-Sufi was in fact translated into Spanish by Alfonso X. El Sabio had a deep influence upon stellar toponymy in European languages. Many star names in English, such as Aldabran, still recall their Arabic origin. The Muslims carried out many fresh observations which were contained in astronomical tables called Zij. One of the most acute of these observers was al-Battani whose work was followed by numerous others. The Zij of al-Ma`mun observed in Baghdad, the Hakimite Zij of Cairo, the Toledan Tables of al-Zarqali and his associated, the II-Khanid Zij of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi observed in Maraghah, and the Zij of Ulugh-Beg from Samarqand are among the most famous Islamic astronomical tables. They wielded a great deal of influence upon Western astronomy up to the time of Tycho Brahe. The Muslims were in fact the first to create an astronomical observatory as a scientific institution, this being the observatory of Maraghah in Persia established by al-Tusi. This was indirectly the model for the later European observatories. Many astronomical instruments were developed by Muslims to carry out observation, the most famous being the astrolabe. There existed even mechanical astrolabes perfected by Ibn Samh which must be considered as the ancestor of the mechanical clock.
Astronomical observations also had practical applications including not only finding the direction of Makkah for prayers, but also devising almanacs (the word itself being of Arabic origin). The Muslims also applied their astronomical knowledge to questions of time-keeping and the calendar. The most exact solar calendar existing to this day is the Jalali calendar devised under the direction of `Umar Khayyam in the 12th century and still in use in Persia and Afghanistan.
As for mathematics proper, like astronomy, it received its direct impetus from the Qur`an not only because of the mathematical structure related to the text of the Sacred Book, but also because the laws of inheritance delineated in the Qur`an require rather complicated mathematical solutions. Here again Muslims began by integrating Greek and Indian mathematics. The first great Muslim mathematician, al-Khwarazmi, who lived in the 9th century, wrote a treatise on arithmetic whose Latin translation brought what is known as Arabic numerals to the West. To this day guarismo, derived from his name, means figure or digit in Spanish while algorithm is still used in English. Al-Khwarizmi was also the author of the first book on algebra. This science was developed by Muslims on the basis of earlier Greek and Indian works of a rudimentary nature. The very name algebra comes from the first part of the name of the book of al-Khwarazmi, entitled Kitab al-jabr wa`l-muqabalah. Abu Kamil al-Shuja` discussed algebraic equations with five unknowns. The science was further developed by such figures as al-Karaji until it reached its peak with Khayyam who classified by kind and class algebraic equations up to the third degree.
The Muslims also excelled in geometry as reflected in their art. The brothers Banu Musa who lived in the 9th century may be said to be the first outstanding Muslim geometers while their contemporary Thabit ibn Qurrah used the method of exhaustion, giving a glimpse of what was to become integral calculus. Many Muslim mathematicians such as Khayyam and al-Tusi also dealt with the fifth postulate of Euclid and the problems which follow if one tries to prove this postulate within the confines of Euclidian geometry.
Another branch of mathematics developed by Muslims is trigonometry, which was established as a distinct branch of mathematics by al-Biruni. The Muslim mathematicians, especially al-Battani, Abu`l-Wafa`, Ibn Yunus and Ibn al-Haytham, also developed spherical astronomy and applied it to the solution of astronomy and applied it to the solutions of astronomical problems.
Love for the study of magic squares and amicable numbers led Muslims to develop a theory of numbers. Al-Khujandi discovered a particular case of Fermat`s theorem that ``the sum of two cubes cannot be another cube,`` while al-Karaji analyzed arithmetic and geometric progressions such as: 13+23+33+...+n3=(1+2+3+...+n)2. Al-Biruni also dealt with progressions, while Ghiyath al-Din Jamshid al-Kashani brought the study of number theory among Muslims to its peak.
In the field of physics the Muslims made contributions especially in three domains. The first was the measurement of specific weights of objects and the study of the balance following upon the work of Archimedes. In this domain the writings of al-Biruni and al-Khazini stand out. Secondly they criticized the Aristotelian theory of projectile motion and tried to quantify this type of motion. The critique of Ibn Sina, Abu`l-Barakat
al-Baghdadi, Ibn Bajjah and others led to the development of the idea of impetus and momentum and played an important role in the criticism of Aristotelian physics in the West up to the early writings of Galileo. Thirdly there is the field of optics in which the Islamic sciences produced in Ibn al-Haytham (the Latin Alhazen) who lived in the 11th century, the greatest student of optics between Ptolemy and Witelo. Ibn al-Haytham`s main work on optics, the Kitab al-manazir, was also well known in the West as Thesaurus opticus. Ibn al-Haytham solved many optical problems, one of which is named after him, studied the property of lenses, discovered the Camera Obscura, explained correctly the process of vision, studied the structure of the eye, and explained for the first time why the sun and the moon appear larger on the horizon. His interest in optics was carried out two centuries later by Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi and Kamal al-Din al-Farisi. It was Qutb al-Din who gave the first correct explanation of the formation of the rainbow.
It is important to recall that in physics as in many other fields of science the Muslims observed, measured and carried out experiments. They must be credited with having developed what came to be known later as the scientific, or empirical method.
Posted by
musalmaan
Apr 20, 2002 09:36 pm
THE MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES AND PHYSICS The Muslim mind has always been attracted to the mathematical sciences in accordance with the ``abstract`` character of the doctrine of Oneness which lies at the heart of Islam. The mathematical sciences have traditionally included astronomy, mathematics itself and much of what is called physics today. In astronomy the Muslims integrated the astronomical traditions of the Indians, Persians, the ancient Near East and especially the Greeks into a synthesis which began to chart a new chapter in the history of astronomy from the 8th century onward. The Almagest of Ptolemy, whose very name in English reveals the Arabic origin of its Latin translation, was thoroughly studied and its planetary theory criticized by several astronomers of both the eastern and western lands of Islam leading to the major critique of the theory by Nasir al-Din Al-Tusi and his students, especially Qutb al-Din Al-Shirazi, in the 13th century.
The Muslims also observed the heavens carefully and discovered many new stars. The book on stars of `Abd Al-Rahman al-Sufi was in fact translated into Spanish by Alfonso X. El Sabio had a deep influence upon stellar toponymy in European languages. Many star names in English, such as Aldabran, still recall their Arabic origin. The Muslims carried out many fresh observations which were contained in astronomical tables called Zij. One of the most acute of these observers was al-Battani whose work was followed by numerous others. The Zij of al-Ma`mun observed in Baghdad, the Hakimite Zij of Cairo, the Toledan Tables of al-Zarqali and his associated, the II-Khanid Zij of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi observed in Maraghah, and the Zij of Ulugh-Beg from Samarqand are among the most famous Islamic astronomical tables. They wielded a great deal of influence upon Western astronomy up to the time of Tycho Brahe. The Muslims were in fact the first to create an astronomical observatory as a scientific institution, this being the observatory of Maraghah in Persia established by al-Tusi. This was indirectly the model for the later European observatories. Many astronomical instruments were developed by Muslims to carry out observation, the most famous being the astrolabe. There existed even mechanical astrolabes perfected by Ibn Samh which must be considered as the ancestor of the mechanical clock.
Astronomical observations also had practical applications including not only finding the direction of Makkah for prayers, but also devising almanacs (the word itself being of Arabic origin). The Muslims also applied their astronomical knowledge to questions of time-keeping and the calendar. The most exact solar calendar existing to this day is the Jalali calendar devised under the direction of `Umar Khayyam in the 12th century and still in use in Persia and Afghanistan.
As for mathematics proper, like astronomy, it received its direct impetus from the Qur`an not only because of the mathematical structure related to the text of the Sacred Book, but also because the laws of inheritance delineated in the Qur`an require rather complicated mathematical solutions. Here again Muslims began by integrating Greek and Indian mathematics. The first great Muslim mathematician, al-Khwarazmi, who lived in the 9th century, wrote a treatise on arithmetic whose Latin translation brought what is known as Arabic numerals to the West. To this day guarismo, derived from his name, means figure or digit in Spanish while algorithm is still used in English. Al-Khwarizmi was also the author of the first book on algebra. This science was developed by Muslims on the basis of earlier Greek and Indian works of a rudimentary nature. The very name algebra comes from the first part of the name of the book of al-Khwarazmi, entitled Kitab al-jabr wa`l-muqabalah. Abu Kamil al-Shuja` discussed algebraic equations with five unknowns. The science was further developed by such figures as al-Karaji until it reached its peak with Khayyam who classified by kind and class algebraic equations up to the third degree.
The Muslims also excelled in geometry as reflected in their art. The brothers Banu Musa who lived in the 9th century may be said to be the first outstanding Muslim geometers while their contemporary Thabit ibn Qurrah used the method of exhaustion, giving a glimpse of what was to become integral calculus. Many Muslim mathematicians such as Khayyam and al-Tusi also dealt with the fifth postulate of Euclid and the problems which follow if one tries to prove this postulate within the confines of Euclidian geometry.
Another branch of mathematics developed by Muslims is trigonometry, which was established as a distinct branch of mathematics by al-Biruni. The Muslim mathematicians, especially al-Battani, Abu`l-Wafa`, Ibn Yunus and Ibn al-Haytham, also developed spherical astronomy and applied it to the solution of astronomy and applied it to the solutions of astronomical problems.
Love for the study of magic squares and amicable numbers led Muslims to develop a theory of numbers. Al-Khujandi discovered a particular case of Fermat`s theorem that ``the sum of two cubes cannot be another cube,`` while al-Karaji analyzed arithmetic and geometric progressions such as: 13+23+33+...+n3=(1+2+3+...+n)2. Al-Biruni also dealt with progressions, while Ghiyath al-Din Jamshid al-Kashani brought the study of number theory among Muslims to its peak.
In the field of physics the Muslims made contributions especially in three domains. The first was the measurement of specific weights of objects and the study of the balance following upon the work of Archimedes. In this domain the writings of al-Biruni and al-Khazini stand out. Secondly they criticized the Aristotelian theory of projectile motion and tried to quantify this type of motion. The critique of Ibn Sina, Abu`l-Barakat
al-Baghdadi, Ibn Bajjah and others led to the development of the idea of impetus and momentum and played an important role in the criticism of Aristotelian physics in the West up to the early writings of Galileo. Thirdly there is the field of optics in which the Islamic sciences produced in Ibn al-Haytham (the Latin Alhazen) who lived in the 11th century, the greatest student of optics between Ptolemy and Witelo. Ibn al-Haytham`s main work on optics, the Kitab al-manazir, was also well known in the West as Thesaurus opticus. Ibn al-Haytham solved many optical problems, one of which is named after him, studied the property of lenses, discovered the Camera Obscura, explained correctly the process of vision, studied the structure of the eye, and explained for the first time why the sun and the moon appear larger on the horizon. His interest in optics was carried out two centuries later by Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi and Kamal al-Din al-Farisi. It was Qutb al-Din who gave the first correct explanation of the formation of the rainbow.
It is important to recall that in physics as in many other fields of science the Muslims observed, measured and carried out experiments. They must be credited with having developed what came to be known later as the scientific, or empirical method.
Timestoppers
The Bureaucrat,Brigadier,and the Bania enjoys to take any menial job in the west for the sole advantage that he might one day,perhaps,get mistaken for a white or even black westerner.
Such kind are supposed to get reincarnated as /your-obedient-servants-in-english in perpetuity.
__________________________________________________
The Apparently Odd Behaviour of Sunrise/set times near the Winter Solstice
The winter solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its southmost distance from the celestial equator and hence, in northern latitudes is the day when the Sun is lowest in the sky at noon. This is, naturally, the shortest day of the year in northern latitudes. To many people it seems odd, therefore, that the time of sunrise continues to get later in the day after the solstice.
The reason for this is that the Sun does not cross the meridian (when it is highest in the sky) at precisely noon each day. The difference between clock-defined noon and the time when the Sun is on the meridian is called the Equation of Time and represents the correction which must be applied to the time given by a sundial to make it agree with clock time.
There are two reasons why the Sun is not on the meridian at noon each day. The first is that the path of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipse, and not a circle. The second is that the Earth`s equatorial plane and its orbital plane are inclined to one another. The two effects add together to yield the Equation of Time which can amount to some 16 minutes difference between solar and mean time.
The period when the Equation of Time is changing fastest in the whole year is very close to the Winter Solstice. It changes by 10 minutes from December 16 to January 5. This means that the time at which the Sun crosses the meridian changes by 10 minutes in this interval and also that the times of sunrise and sunset will change by the same amount.
Near the Solstice the Sun`s height in the sky changes very slowly and the length of the day also changes slowly. The rapid change due to the Equation of Time dominates the very slow change in day length and leads to the observed sunrise times.
Posted by
musalmaan
Apr 18, 2002 09:06 pm
Brahmanism is not the exclusive domain of the hindus.Those spawned from the colonies & cantonements and are awfully proud to dwell there have no compunction to distance themselves from the ``masses``(read shudar,dalits).The Bureaucrat,Brigadier,and the Bania enjoys to take any menial job in the west for the sole advantage that he might one day,perhaps,get mistaken for a white or even black westerner.
Such kind are supposed to get reincarnated as /your-obedient-servants-in-english in perpetuity.
__________________________________________________
The Apparently Odd Behaviour of Sunrise/set times near the Winter Solstice
The winter solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its southmost distance from the celestial equator and hence, in northern latitudes is the day when the Sun is lowest in the sky at noon. This is, naturally, the shortest day of the year in northern latitudes. To many people it seems odd, therefore, that the time of sunrise continues to get later in the day after the solstice.
The reason for this is that the Sun does not cross the meridian (when it is highest in the sky) at precisely noon each day. The difference between clock-defined noon and the time when the Sun is on the meridian is called the Equation of Time and represents the correction which must be applied to the time given by a sundial to make it agree with clock time.
There are two reasons why the Sun is not on the meridian at noon each day. The first is that the path of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipse, and not a circle. The second is that the Earth`s equatorial plane and its orbital plane are inclined to one another. The two effects add together to yield the Equation of Time which can amount to some 16 minutes difference between solar and mean time.
The period when the Equation of Time is changing fastest in the whole year is very close to the Winter Solstice. It changes by 10 minutes from December 16 to January 5. This means that the time at which the Sun crosses the meridian changes by 10 minutes in this interval and also that the times of sunrise and sunset will change by the same amount.
Near the Solstice the Sun`s height in the sky changes very slowly and the length of the day also changes slowly. The rapid change due to the Equation of Time dominates the very slow change in day length and leads to the observed sunrise times.
The Evolution of The Burqa
Assalam laykum
I live in saudi arabia where women wear the black cloaks and veils about which you said:
``Now, when I see a woman walking down the street on a 49 degree day wearing a heavy black robe, her face almost completely covered, while her lavish husband slips on a comfortable T-shirt and gets ready to head to the beach with his friends - I am sorry, but that is sick and insane.``
I`m sorry to tell you that doesn`t bother me one bit,you know why???because i am answering to Allah only and He ordered me to wear full hijab.
THEN you said: ``Women and Men differ only in the very small physical ways, the rest is shaped by society - views, opinions, beliefs. I come from a Muslim Country - Bosnia - where YOU HAVE A CHOICE as a woman, and noone has the right to tell you otherwise.``
I only have a choice when it does not interfere with Allah`s direct commands.
THE you said: ``WE do NOT wear veils all the time, we work and do all jobs you can think of, and we do NOT just sit at home with the kids, but participate in life.``
I say here in Saudi Arabia we wear veils all the time ,we have women doctors ,nurses,medical technologists(my daughter is one),teachers,adminstrators,Deans of girls faculties,(women)professors in almost all subjects(they teach our girls in the university), business-women,secretaries,dress-makers,hairdressers,accountants(I`m one),interior designers,computer experts,writers,journalists.........etc.
Posted by
musalmaan
Apr 18, 2002 02:30 am
To Queen Lolita Assalam laykum
I live in saudi arabia where women wear the black cloaks and veils about which you said:
``Now, when I see a woman walking down the street on a 49 degree day wearing a heavy black robe, her face almost completely covered, while her lavish husband slips on a comfortable T-shirt and gets ready to head to the beach with his friends - I am sorry, but that is sick and insane.``
I`m sorry to tell you that doesn`t bother me one bit,you know why???because i am answering to Allah only and He ordered me to wear full hijab.
THEN you said: ``Women and Men differ only in the very small physical ways, the rest is shaped by society - views, opinions, beliefs. I come from a Muslim Country - Bosnia - where YOU HAVE A CHOICE as a woman, and noone has the right to tell you otherwise.``
I only have a choice when it does not interfere with Allah`s direct commands.
THE you said: ``WE do NOT wear veils all the time, we work and do all jobs you can think of, and we do NOT just sit at home with the kids, but participate in life.``
I say here in Saudi Arabia we wear veils all the time ,we have women doctors ,nurses,medical technologists(my daughter is one),teachers,adminstrators,Deans of girls faculties,(women)professors in almost all subjects(they teach our girls in the university), business-women,secretaries,dress-makers,hairdressers,accountants(I`m one),interior designers,computer experts,writers,journalists.........etc.
The Evolution of The Burqa
These quotes are taken from the highly recommended book which can be ordered by clicking on the link:
“WHAT PAUL REALLY SAID ABOUT WOMEN”
An Apostle`s Liberating Views on Equality in Marriage, Leadership, and Love: With Questions by John Temple Bristow.
Paul faced a problem. He envisioned a unity between Jews and Gentiles through a common faith in Christ. In the Church, Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, slaves and masters, women and men, would all be equal. But in his grand attempt to make this dream come true, Paul found an obstacle that had to be removed: the different meanings given to head coverings and hair lengths and styles.
For Jews, worshiping’ without one`s head covered was regarded with stern disapproval. Jewish men recited each morning the prayer ``Blessed be Thou, 0 God, Who crowns Israel with beauty.`` They believed that the Shekhinah, the glory and radiance of the Almighty, surrounds the worshiper and rests upon the man and woman who please God. Therefore, it was regarded as an act of reverence and humility for a person to wear a head covering during worship, just as Moses wore a veil after descending Mount Sinai to hide the radiance of his face after being near God (Exod. 34:29-35). Some people wore something on their heads at all times, whether awake or asleep.
Jewish women were required to wear their hair bound up whenever they left their homes. Unbound, flowing hair was regarded as sensual and almost a form of nudity. If a woman let her hair down in public she was seen as tempting men to sin. Therefore, the Mishnah declared that a husband might divorce his wife and not have to return her dowry in the event that she ``goes out with her hair unbound ... or speaks to any man.``` Men might let their hair grow long, but they were under no such compulsion to tie up their locks. ``How does a man differ from a woman?`` the Mishnah asks. ``He may go with hair unbound and with garments rent, but she may not go with hair unbound and with garments rent.
Some Jewish women would refrain from letting their hair down even in the privacy of their own homes, choosing instead to wear a head covering at all times. The Jewish Talmud tells of a high priest who was accidentally defiled on the Day of Atonement and therefore was prevented from officiating. When his brother officiated in his stead, their mother bragged that she saw two high priests in one day. When wise men asked her what she had done to merit such, she answered, ``Throughout the days of my life the beams of my house have not seen the plaits of my hair.113 (The wise men observed, however, that many other women did likewise without receiving such an honor.)
Modern Christians sometimes suppose that Jewish women of the Bible days were required to wear veils across their faces. Although this practice may have appeared from time to time, a veil was not required as a sign of modesty or humility. In fact,, in the Old Testament a face veil may have been a sign of a, prostitute, as indicated by the following story.
In the age, of the Hebrew patriarchs, it was a law that if a woman were widowed without children, her deceased husband`s brother would be obligated to take her into his house and provide her with a son, who would maintain the fancily line and inherit the deceased man`s property. This arrangement was known as the law of levirate marriage. Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, himself had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er married a woman named Tamar, and he died without issue. Judah therefore provided Onan to Tamar, but he too died without issue. Judah feared giving his last son, Shelah, to Tamar, thinking that he too might perish. So Judah put her off, year after year. At last, after Judah himself was widowed, Tamar decided to bear an heir by tricking Judah himself into fathering her son. When Judah traveled to a nearby city, Tamar put off her mourning clothes and wore normal garments, and also she wore a veil across her face. Then she sat at the city gate and waited for Judah. When he saw her, ``he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face`` (Gen. 38:15). So he propositioned her, and through this ruse Tamar became pregnant with twin sons of the lineage of Judah. This story indicates that veils at the time of Judah were symbols of prostitution among the Hebrews.
The words used in the Old Testament to describe women`s clothing are not well understood, especially regarding head coverings. The Assyrian artist`s portrayal of the destruction of the Judean city of Lachish shows Jewish women wearing long strips of cloth over their heads, like shawls that hung down behind them to the length of their hemlines. None of these women were pictured wearing veils.
What we know about Gentile styles is the following. During the classical period in Greece, wives wore scarves similar to those of the women of Lachish, long enough so that the Greek matrons could wrap one end of the cloth around their faces, hiding all but their eyes and foreheads when appearing in public places. By the time of Paul, men of Hellenized culture wore their hair relatively short. As Ovid(43B.C.-A.D. 17), a roman poet, advised young men in The Art of Love, ``Don`t let your hair grow long, and when you visit a barber, patronize only the best. Don`t let him mangle your beard.114 Greek girls wore long hair, and matrons wore their hair bound up on their heads in braids or with hairpins. Prostitutes, however (other than the sophisticated hetairai who served as courtesans of the wealthy), wore their hair quite short, often clipped closer than that of their male customers. Greek men would have found the Jewish insistence upon wearing head coverings during worship strange if not distasteful.
Paul`s Instructions Regarding Hair and Head Coverings
In attempting to unify both Gentile and Jewish believers into one church, Paul felt the need to address the question of head coverings and hairstyles. In 1 Corinthians, he wrote specific instructions in an attempt to uphold one central principle: ``Be without offense both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God, as I also in all things please all, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, in order that they may be saved`` (1 Cor. 10:32). Paul wanted his readers to accommodate themselves to practices that would not offend either Jewish or Gentile believers.
Paul then immediately entered into the matter of head coverings and hairstyles. A literal translation of this passage into English discloses how confusing Paul`s words are:
But I praise you because you have remembered all things of me and you hold fast to you the traditions as I delivered to you. But I wish you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and head of a wife, the husband, and head of Christ, God. Every man praying or prophesying (while) having (anything) down over (his) head shames t
Posted by
musalmaan
Apr 18, 2002 02:30 am
The Question of Dress and HairstylesThese quotes are taken from the highly recommended book which can be ordered by clicking on the link:
“WHAT PAUL REALLY SAID ABOUT WOMEN”
An Apostle`s Liberating Views on Equality in Marriage, Leadership, and Love: With Questions by John Temple Bristow.
Paul faced a problem. He envisioned a unity between Jews and Gentiles through a common faith in Christ. In the Church, Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, slaves and masters, women and men, would all be equal. But in his grand attempt to make this dream come true, Paul found an obstacle that had to be removed: the different meanings given to head coverings and hair lengths and styles.
For Jews, worshiping’ without one`s head covered was regarded with stern disapproval. Jewish men recited each morning the prayer ``Blessed be Thou, 0 God, Who crowns Israel with beauty.`` They believed that the Shekhinah, the glory and radiance of the Almighty, surrounds the worshiper and rests upon the man and woman who please God. Therefore, it was regarded as an act of reverence and humility for a person to wear a head covering during worship, just as Moses wore a veil after descending Mount Sinai to hide the radiance of his face after being near God (Exod. 34:29-35). Some people wore something on their heads at all times, whether awake or asleep.
Jewish women were required to wear their hair bound up whenever they left their homes. Unbound, flowing hair was regarded as sensual and almost a form of nudity. If a woman let her hair down in public she was seen as tempting men to sin. Therefore, the Mishnah declared that a husband might divorce his wife and not have to return her dowry in the event that she ``goes out with her hair unbound ... or speaks to any man.``` Men might let their hair grow long, but they were under no such compulsion to tie up their locks. ``How does a man differ from a woman?`` the Mishnah asks. ``He may go with hair unbound and with garments rent, but she may not go with hair unbound and with garments rent.
Some Jewish women would refrain from letting their hair down even in the privacy of their own homes, choosing instead to wear a head covering at all times. The Jewish Talmud tells of a high priest who was accidentally defiled on the Day of Atonement and therefore was prevented from officiating. When his brother officiated in his stead, their mother bragged that she saw two high priests in one day. When wise men asked her what she had done to merit such, she answered, ``Throughout the days of my life the beams of my house have not seen the plaits of my hair.113 (The wise men observed, however, that many other women did likewise without receiving such an honor.)
Modern Christians sometimes suppose that Jewish women of the Bible days were required to wear veils across their faces. Although this practice may have appeared from time to time, a veil was not required as a sign of modesty or humility. In fact,, in the Old Testament a face veil may have been a sign of a, prostitute, as indicated by the following story.
In the age, of the Hebrew patriarchs, it was a law that if a woman were widowed without children, her deceased husband`s brother would be obligated to take her into his house and provide her with a son, who would maintain the fancily line and inherit the deceased man`s property. This arrangement was known as the law of levirate marriage. Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, himself had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er married a woman named Tamar, and he died without issue. Judah therefore provided Onan to Tamar, but he too died without issue. Judah feared giving his last son, Shelah, to Tamar, thinking that he too might perish. So Judah put her off, year after year. At last, after Judah himself was widowed, Tamar decided to bear an heir by tricking Judah himself into fathering her son. When Judah traveled to a nearby city, Tamar put off her mourning clothes and wore normal garments, and also she wore a veil across her face. Then she sat at the city gate and waited for Judah. When he saw her, ``he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face`` (Gen. 38:15). So he propositioned her, and through this ruse Tamar became pregnant with twin sons of the lineage of Judah. This story indicates that veils at the time of Judah were symbols of prostitution among the Hebrews.
The words used in the Old Testament to describe women`s clothing are not well understood, especially regarding head coverings. The Assyrian artist`s portrayal of the destruction of the Judean city of Lachish shows Jewish women wearing long strips of cloth over their heads, like shawls that hung down behind them to the length of their hemlines. None of these women were pictured wearing veils.
What we know about Gentile styles is the following. During the classical period in Greece, wives wore scarves similar to those of the women of Lachish, long enough so that the Greek matrons could wrap one end of the cloth around their faces, hiding all but their eyes and foreheads when appearing in public places. By the time of Paul, men of Hellenized culture wore their hair relatively short. As Ovid(43B.C.-A.D. 17), a roman poet, advised young men in The Art of Love, ``Don`t let your hair grow long, and when you visit a barber, patronize only the best. Don`t let him mangle your beard.114 Greek girls wore long hair, and matrons wore their hair bound up on their heads in braids or with hairpins. Prostitutes, however (other than the sophisticated hetairai who served as courtesans of the wealthy), wore their hair quite short, often clipped closer than that of their male customers. Greek men would have found the Jewish insistence upon wearing head coverings during worship strange if not distasteful.
Paul`s Instructions Regarding Hair and Head Coverings
In attempting to unify both Gentile and Jewish believers into one church, Paul felt the need to address the question of head coverings and hairstyles. In 1 Corinthians, he wrote specific instructions in an attempt to uphold one central principle: ``Be without offense both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God, as I also in all things please all, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, in order that they may be saved`` (1 Cor. 10:32). Paul wanted his readers to accommodate themselves to practices that would not offend either Jewish or Gentile believers.
Paul then immediately entered into the matter of head coverings and hairstyles. A literal translation of this passage into English discloses how confusing Paul`s words are:
But I praise you because you have remembered all things of me and you hold fast to you the traditions as I delivered to you. But I wish you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and head of a wife, the husband, and head of Christ, God. Every man praying or prophesying (while) having (anything) down over (his) head shames t