Oslo: Taxi drivers continue Muhammed-cartoon protest

via Islam in Europe by Esther 

Follow up to: Oslo: 1000 taxi drivers protest Muhammed cartoon. The protests are in response to this Dagbladet report.

Muslim taxi drivers in Oslo parked their cars Monday morning in protest against the publication of a Muhammed cartoon by Norwegian media.

A long line stretched out outside the Oslo Central Station, a stone's throw from Dagbladet's offices, when Muslim taxi drivers parked their cars in protest against the newspaper, which printed a Muhammad cartoon as illustration to an article.

"We are law-abiding citizens who respect Norway's law, and we demand respect back. Why to provoke so unnecessarily in this way? What is the real purpose," taxi driver Butt told VG Nett outside the airport terminal at Oslo Station.

Many of the taxi drivers were very upset about the printing, but few wanted to speak under their own names. Common to all is that they feel insulted by the printing of the current cartoon, which depicts the prophet Muhammed as a pig, in addition to the printing of other Muhammed cartoons in the Norwegian media.

"The passengers show us more respect than the media in Norway," claims another taxi driver who calls himself Siver.

"We live in 2010 and we ought to expect that people had learned to show more respect. why provoke such reactions when you know what happened after the caricatures in Denmark," continues another very upset driver.

The protest Monday morning is another in a series after the printing of the caricature Wednesday. Friday night close to 1,000 Muslim taxi drivers parked their cars.

"We will show that wihout us Norway stops," Rashad Munir told VG Nett.

He hopes that more politicians will come out and give their point of view on the printing, which he claims is an abuse of freedom of speech.

"People should understand that the prophet means a lot for Muslims, and that printing such pictures is very insulting. People should respect all religions. It's OK to criticize, but not to insult," taxi-driver Younis Shehzad told VG Nett.

Many passengers felt the protest personally. Brit Elin Fauske stood 30 minutes in the biting cold before he got a taxi. She had little understanding for the protest.

"I think it's becoming too stupid. I take a taxi once a year, and now I won't get to the course I need to," Fauske told VG Nett.

Mark Freeman from Canada was among the many taxi passengers who had to wait extra long to get a taxi this morning. He supports the driver's protest.

"If they protest against the portrayal of the prophet Muhammed, it doesn't hurt me to stand here and freeze a little," Mark Freeman told VG Nett.

In today's editorial, Dagbladet wrote that publishing the cartoon wasn't an expression of disrespect for Muslims or Islam, and not a demonstration or attempt at provocation.

"The drawing was used in a news report to illustrate that the Facebook profile of the PST (Police Security Service) contains links to Mohamed cartoons. Therefore it's meaningless to claim - as the protesters do - that this is a provocation against Muslims in Norway and all over the world," says the Dagbladet editorial.

Source: VG (Norwegian)
 
 

Wales: Five arrested for anti-Muslim Facebook comments

Wales: Five arrested for anti-Muslim Facebook comments

via Islam in Europe by Esther 

FIVE men have been arrested after a Facebook site was set up declaring "all Muslims should be thrown out of Wales".

Around 150 people joined the group on the social networking site claiming they would march through the Rhondda Valleys to make their feelings known.
The proposed march has been described as "mindless bigotry" by racial equality groups.

But South Wales Police have now stepped in and arrested five men for religiously aggravated public order offences.


It is one of the first occasions people have been arrested over comments posted on Facebook.
The group has also been removed from the site.
Police now believe the march will not go ahead, but they will be on standby in case anyone turns up.

Members of the group, which was entitled Rhondda March, said they would walk from Treherbert down to Pontypridd on February 28.
And the organisers declared: "We Dont Want Musslims in our country move them out they are takeing over."

(...)

Ian Titherington, secretary for anti- racist group Searchlight Cymru, said: "All this will do is cause trouble and give a bad name to the people of the Rhondda.

"The people in the group are just mindless bigots and it's something the Rhondda could do without.

"Most of these people probably haven't even met a Muslim.
"There aren't many Muslims in the Rhondda but those who live there are very popular and work very hard doing hours that others won't.


"And they are as Welsh as anybody else.

"You'll probably find these people who have signed up going into a shop run by a Muslim and buying a pint of milk tomorrow.

"At the end of the day, these people are attacking their own community.

"It's sad, pathetic and pointless. If this march goes ahead it will be very disappointing, the police have to make sure it doesn't."

(...)

A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said: "The public order offences relate to comments posted on the internet.

"An investigation is ongoing; however it appears that the views expressed on a social networking site at the centre of this enquiry have been made by a very small number of people and do not reflect the true community spirit and cohesion in the Rhondda Valley."

(more)
Source: Wales Online

  

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UN CRIME WATCHDOG HELPS IRAN SET UP UNIT TO COMBAT MONEY-LAUNDERING FROM DRUGS TRADE

UN CRIME WATCHDOG HELPS IRAN SET UP UNIT TO COMBAT MONEY-LAUNDERING FROM DRUGS TRADE

Iran has teamed with the United Nations anti-crime agency to set up a financial intelligence unit tasked with tackling the spread of money-laundering in the country, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced today.

The move is a major step forward towards fighting the use of illicit earnings in Iran – mostly connected to opium trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan – to finance serious criminal activity, undermining peace and security in the country.

In a 2009 report, UNODC estimated that trafficking in opiates has created an illegal market worth some $65 billion annually, more than the gross domestic product (GDP) of at least 120 countries and 65 times the value of the market for firearms trafficking.

"The time has come to celebrate progress on anti-money-laundering by the Islamic Republic of Iran," UNODC's country representative Antonino De Leo said at the inauguration of the new unit.

"UNODC is proud of having contributed to these national achievements through its technical assistance programme," added Mr. De Leo.

The new unit, initially consisting of 15 officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, will analyse suspicious domestic and international financial transactions, and help the judiciary investigate and prosecute those involved in money-laundering.

UNODC has also assisted Iran in establishing a computer-based training centre in its capital, Tehran, which is "a centre of excellence to train officials on international best practices in tackling money-laundering and financing of terrorism," said Mr. De Leo.
Feb  9 2010  2:10PM
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Oslo: 1000 taxi drivers protest Muhammed cartoon

Oslo: 1000 taxi drivers protest Muhammed cartoon

via Islam in Europe by Esther 

This has been a developing story this past week. It seems, though, that despite Abid Q. Raja's 'concerns', it's not the link itself that bothered Muslims.

-------------

Earlier this week Abid Q. Raja (Liberal Party) voiced his concern about a link on the PST (Police Security Service) Facebook page to a cartoon portraying Muhammad as a pig writing in the Koran. He said he received phone-calls from Muslims who were deeply and intensely insulted and sad about it. He said he himself, as a very liberal Muslim, feels the cartoon in his heart, spine and soul. He said he thinks it's a scandal the PST did not realize the explosiveness in this cartoon and was afraid that it could cause violence in both Norway and Pakistan.

Abid Q. Raja called on the PST heads and justice minister Knut Storberget to take complete responsibility for it and to apologize that the cartoon was available through the PST site. He said he was afraid of the consequences if they don't, but that he and other liberal Muslims would do everything they could to calm down the community. But, he said, Norwegians shouldn't be naive. "Think when this reaches the closed communities. Think when the mullahs see this. They'll tear out their beards."

He's skeptical about the fact that the PST is active on the site, and yet didn't remove the link. In response, PST said they remove all inappropriate content and whatever breaks their rules.

-------------

A thousand Muslim taxi drivers parked their cars in the center of Oslo Friday night, in protest of Dagbladet's printing of the Muhammad cartoon. An ambulance was obstructed as a result of the protest.

A warning was given of the spontaneous demonstration on Friday evening, and the initiators called on taxi drivers to stop their cars from 2AM to 4AM.

At 3AM, close to a thousand taxi drivers followed the request, reported NRK from the center of Oslo.

Rashad Munir, one of the taxi drivers who demonstrated Saturday night, told NTB that taxi drivers with an Islamic affiliation from both Oslo and Akershus participated in the protest, and also drivers who weren't working.

The protested proceeded peacefully and the police were content to call the drivers to ensure free passage for emergency vehicles.

On Wednesday Dagbladet published a caricature of the prophet Muhammad on its front page, as an illustration to a story about the PST linking to the controversial cartoons on its website.

Muslim taxi drivers in the capital responded harshly to the newspaper's reprinting of the cartoon.

"We're reacting to the abuse of freedom of speech. What we're doing isn't any violent planning, but we want to show that we're against our values being abused," says one of the drivers, Rashad Munir to VG Nett.

An ambulance was obstructed by the protest.

Ola Borstad of the ambulance department at the emergency center in Oslo and Akershus said that cars stood in the way and the ambulance couldn't drive as it should have. Instead the ambulance personnel had to drive on a different route. It took a few minutes longer than it otherwise would have, but there was never any danger for the patient's life.

Borstad says that ambulance personnel are familiar with obstructions on the road. Cars parked incorrectly and snow often cause problems, but it's more unusual that such a demonstration would do so.

Sources: VG, Dagbladet (Norwegian)
 
 

What is the relationship of a woman to the man who has divorced her?

Fiqh of the family » Divorce
Etiquette, Morals and Heart-Softeners » Manners » Relationships between the two genders



What is the relationship of a woman to the man who has divorced her?
Is it permissible for me to go out with my ex-husband in the company of our children on occasion, so that they can be together with both parents like other children. That is done is public places. Also, he does not pray – is the money that he spends on them haraam?.

Praise be to Allaah.  

If a man has issued the last of three talaaqs (divorces), or he has divorced her once or twice and her 'iddah has ended, then she becomes a stranger (non-mahram) to him, and it is not permissible for her to be alone with him or to touch her or to look at her. 

The relationship of an ex-husband with his ex-wife is like his relationship with any other non-mahram woman. The fact that they have children does not justify his looking at her, being alone with her or travelling with her. He can go out with his children without her being there, or she can be present with one of her mahrams, without doing any of the haraam things that we have mentioned. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

A thrice-divorced woman is a stranger (non-mahram) to the man like any other non-mahram woman, so the man does not have the right to be alone with her, just as he does not have the right to be alone with any non-mahram woman. And he cannot see of her what he cannot see of any non-mahram woman, and there are no special rulings concerning the relationship between them (other than the rulings governing all interactions between non-mahrams). 

Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 3/349. 

With regard to accepting what the divorced husband spends on his children, there is no reason not to do so, even if he does not pray. She should remind her children of the importance of advising their father to pray, and may Allaah guide him through this advice. 

If the mother fears that her children may be adversely affected by their kaafir father or that he may lead them to do something that Allaah has forbidden, it is not permissible for her to allow them to go out with him, because their going out with him is causing them harm. 

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Arab News Editorial: Piracy on high seas

Editorial: Piracy on high seas

The battle against Somali pirates continues in the Indian Ocean. International naval forces, most recently the Danes, score the odd success, but nothing yet has deterred these Somali fishermen from continuing the substantially more lucrative business of seizing cargo ships and ransoming them and their luckless crew for millions of dollars. It stands to reason that as more sophisticated technology is deployed, now including pilotless spy planes, the international patrols in this vast area of ocean are going to improve their ability to interdict attacking pirates. Equally, as owners sign up to improved convoy systems, vessels moving through the danger area will be harder to seize. In the long-term this may be the answer, leaving the pirates only the slim pickings of vessels that foolishly choose not to cooperate with the international forces sent there to protect them. Also truth be told, though financially strapped governments may be muttering about the cost of the anti-piracy patrols, their naval forces find the experience highly valuable. Not only do they have a real operation on which to work but they are also operating with other navies and learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses. Some naval commanders would prefer to be tougher on the pirates and would like to move close to the Somali coast and effectively blockade it, stopping and searching vessels traveling to and from the country's ports. This is an option. However, the problem is that the pirates always hold a stock of hostages. The clear danger is that if the confrontation is escalated in this way, the lives of these prisoners will be threatened. Thus far this has been a relatively gentlemanly confrontation. Though some pirates have been slain, none of the hostages has yet been killed deliberately by their Somali captors. Some have perished during rescues. The day the Somalis actually murder any of their captives in cold blood, the game plan may change. In line with their standard policy, publicly anyway, the British are refusing to countenance any payment for the release of a couple seized with their yacht. This poses a dilemma for the pirates. The inherent murderous threat to hostages only survives if examples are made, if it is demonstrated that the threats are real. However, the moment such a terrible crime is committed, an appalled world will countenance far harsher measures against the pirates. The gloves will be off. At the heart of this continuing confrontation lies the far greater tragedy of the collapsed Somali state. Driven by outside forces, including Al-Qaeda, the country has degenerated into chaos in which people understandably turn to the only things of which they think they can be sure, which are family and tribal allegiances. Unfortunately these militate against the re-establishment of national order and cohesion. In the end, lasting peace will not return to the seas off Somalia because the world's navies discover a way to combat the pirates. The only enduring solution will come from a lasting political settlement. It is toward fostering and funding this that the international community should be bending its efforts.

Somaliland elections: Observers welcome progress towards setting date for poll

Somaliland elections: Observers welcome progress towards setting date for poll  As part of the UK-based team coordinating election observers for the much-delayed presidential elections in the internationally unrecognised Republic of Somaliland, Progressio today welcomes recent progress made to resolve the Somaliland voter registration process – a key sticking point – and calls on all parties to push ahead and set a date for the poll. Progressio, the Development Planning Unit at University College London (UCL) and Somaliland Focus UK say in a joint statement: "Since September 2009 we have seen a marked improvement in the situation, when all three of Somaliland's political parties signed a six-point agreement by which the government guaranteed that a further extension of office would not be sought and that the disputed and delayed process of agreeing a voter register would be recommenced. The agreement was subsequently approved by Somaliland's upper house, the Guurti (House of Elders)." The statement continues: "This development was quickly followed by improvements in the relationship and renewed understanding between the country's National Electoral Commission (NEC) and the donors who are providing funding and technology for the voter registration process and the election itself. We are heartened by this progress, and look forward to completion of necessary processes (namely, agreement on a voter register) to allow an actual date to be announced. Indeed, as election observers, it is impossible for us to proceed with making plans for our mission until a date is set." It concludes: "Despite lack of international recognition of its claim to official statehood, Somaliland – "Africa's best-kept secret" – has been characterised by many as a beacon of democratisation in Africa in contrast to the chaos in neighbouring Somalia. However, the delaying of the presidential poll is causing severe damage to Somaliland's reputation. We therefore urge all stakeholders to do their utmost to maintain the positive momentum to ensure the poll is carried out, with as little delay as possible. This must include genuine commitment from all players and a realistic approach to the time needed to ensure a smooth and proper political process." The UK-based team, along with FOPAG (Forum for Peace and Governance) in Somaliland, was invited to lead the election observation mission by the Somaliland National Electoral Commission in January 2009. The team has been tasked with coordinating international election observers from four continents and preparing a report on the conduct of the campaign and poll following the vote. Support for the mission is being provided by the UK government. Somaliland Focus (UK) Chair, Michael Walls, said: "While Somaliland's progress since 1991 has been remarkable, the next election marks a significant new step in establishing a legitimate system of national government. We applaud recent successes and look forward keenly to agreement on a voter register and the announcement of a viable election date with genuine cross-party support in the near future. Without those steps, the genuine achievements of the past 19 years will be dealt a profound blow".  To read the full text of the statement, see: http://bit.ly/b6u92C

Notes to Editors   1.  For further information or to arrange an interview with a member of the coordination team, contact Progressio's Media Officer, Jo Barrett, on +44 (0)7940 703911 or email jo@progressio.org.uk    2.  Somaliland's Presidential elections have been repeatedly delayed. The poll has previously been scheduled for March/April 2008, December 2008, March 2009 and September 2009. 3.  Somaliland is situated in Somalia's northwest. It declared unilateral independence from the failed Somali state in 1991 and has since been a haven of relative peace whilst violence and instability has characterised Somalia, its capital Mogadishu and more recently the Gulf of Aden. 4.  Progressio's involvement in the mission follows its leadership of the international monitoring team for Somaliland's inaugural parliamentary elections in 2005, judged by observers as "basically free and fair". 5.  Progressio has been working with local communities in Somaliland since 1995 by placing skilled workers with local organisations specialising in advocating for the rights of women, youth and people with disabilities as well as supporting basic health service provision and people living with HIV and AIDS. Progressio also actively supports progress towards democratisation and stabilising the country. 6.  The Development Planning Unit (DPU) is an international centre specialising in academic teaching, practical training, research and consultancy in the field of urban and regional development, planning, and management. DPU is part of University College London (UCL). 7.  Somaliland Focus (UK) was established in London in 2005 with the aim of helping to raise awareness amongst decision-makers in the UK and elsewhere about the territory of Somaliland and to support Somaliland's progress towards state-building and social and economic development.

 

Yemeni scholar backs 'jet bomber'

Yemeni scholar backs 'jet bomber'

Awlaki has been linked to numerous attacks including the November US military base shootings [EPA]   Sheikh Anwar Awlaki, a Yemeni religious scholar, has told Al Jazeera that the suspect accused of attempting to blow up a US passenger jet on Christmas Day, was one of his students. Awlaki said that he did not order the attempted suicide attack on the airliner, but that US civilians were legitimate targets since they bore responsibility for their "government's crimes". "Omar Farouq, may Allah free him, is one of my students ... But I did not issue a fatwa [religious edict] allowing him to carry out this operation," the US-born Awlaki said in an exclusive interview. Farouq, a young British-educated Nigerian, currently in US custody for allegedly trying to detonate explosives stitched to his underwear as the plane carrying about 300 people made its descent to Detroit airport, has reportedly told US investigators that Awlaki had directed him to explode the bomb. "I support what he did after I have been seeing my brothers being killed in Palestine for more than 60 years, and others being killed in Iraq and in Afghanistan," Awlaki said. "And in my tribe too, US missiles have killed 17 women and 23 children, so do not ask me if al-Qaeda has killed or blown up a US civil jet after all this," he said. 'Legitimate targets' Awlaki said it "would have been better" if the plane targeted in the attempted attack was a military one or a "US military target", but that the American people were "responsible for their policies" and therefore legitimate targets. IN DEPTH   Read the full interview with Anwar Awlaki "The American people are the ones who have voted twice for [President George] Bush the criminal, and elected [President Barack] Obama who is not different from Bush. "The American people take part in all its government's crimes ... They pay the taxes which are spent on the army and they send their sons to the military, and that is why they bear responsibility," he told Al Jazeera. Awlaki has been linked to a number of attacks in the US and Europe, including the November shootings at the US Fort Hood military base in Texas, in which Nidal Hasan, a US army psychiatrist, was charged with killing 13 people. A US security official told the Wall Street Journal on Saturday: "Anwar Awlaki is a member of the al-Qaeda leadership in Yemen ... We believe that he should be captured, tried and convicted." 'US occupation' Awlaki  also said that he considered Yemen to be occupied by US forces. "US drones continuously fly over Yemen. What state is that which allows its enemy to spy on its people and then considers it as "accepted co-operation?". Omar Farouq is accused of attempting to blow up a US airliner flying into Detroit [AFP]   "Yemeni officials tell the Americans to strike whatever they want and ask them not to announce responsibility for the attacks to avoid people's rage," he said. Yemen's national security agency has said Awlaki is based in Yemen's remote Shabwa province, protected by a family tribe that controls the region. "Some people and governments are distinguished by certain qualities; as you may say this person is tall, and that is stubborn, the Yemeni government's special quality is lying. "It lies to its people, to its neighbours and to America ... It lies to everyone," he said. A former imam in Denver, Colorado, and San Diego, California, Awlaki said the US was a "tyrant", and that "tyrants across history have all had terrible ends". "I believe the West does not want to realise this universal fact," he said. "Muslims in Europe and America are watching what is happening to Muslims in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, and they will take revenge for all Muslims across the globe."

Source: Al Jazeera

Divorce on the rise in the Kingdom

Divorce on the rise in the Kingdom Laura Bashraheel | Arab News

JEDDAH: Nowadays divorce is seen the only solution to marital problems among couples who never understood the responsibilities of marriage in the first place. With the alarming rise in divorce rates, it is time for a better understanding of the sacredness and meaning of marriage. According to a report published last week in a local daily, a wedding hall in Madinah wanted to have a party to celebrate the weddings that had taken place in the hall over the previous two years. What they discovered was that half of the weddings had already ended in divorce. The report also said that some of the divorces had taken place during the first year which apparently means the marriage lasted only a few months. A poll taken in 2008 showed that in the past 20 years, the divorce rate in Saudi Arabia rose from 25 to 60 percent. While courts and marriage officials register around 70,000 marriage contracts annually, they also process more than 13,000 official divorce papers, said the Ministry of Economy and Planning. The number of divorced young people is definitely increasing. Some are getting divorced after one or two years of marriage and the wedding hall story is just one of the few stories people hear about. Hassan H. went to court to validate his marriage and he found himself standing in line with another man; the divorce section, on the other hand, had about 35 men waiting to have their documents processed. The Ministry of Social Affairs has considered a proposal to invite couples to attend training courses for young men and women about how to achieve and maintain family stability and continuity, in an effort to reduce the number of divorces. The proposal, which was made in 2008, followed the Ministry of Justice report on divorce rates, the dissolution of marriage contracts and "Khula'a" cases — divorces initiated by women — which amounted at that time to about 28,560 with an average of 78 per day. Although two years have now passed since the proposal, nothing has been done to solve the problem. Also, no other statistics have been issued regarding divorce and marriage rates in the Kingdom in the past two years. Dr. Samir Arar, a counseling psychologist at Maharat Center and a professor of psychology at King Abdulaziz University, attributed the high divorce rates, especially among newlyweds, to several social, psychological and economic reasons. He believes, however, that one of the main problems could be people rushing into marriage with the belief that it is a social tradition in Saudi Arabia. "Families think just because their son or daughter is 20 or 22, they are ready for marriage," said Arar. He also said that unfortunately marriage has lost its sanctity in much of Saudi society. "People nowadays have different views of marriage. Some think of marriage as a mutual interest relationship rather than as settling down with a partner for life. When one of the partners doesn't get what he or she wants from the other, then they look at divorce as the perfect solution," he added. Families also play a vital role in their children's decisions, especially when they marry them off at a young age. Raising children to be family dependent and not being responsible for their actions are some of the formulas for a failed marriage. Arar believes more counseling centers should guide those who want to get married. "Saudi Arabia having one of the highest divorce rates in the world is alarming. Whether it's marrying at an early age or through arranged marriage, those who wish to get married should be responsible and independent. Also, they should take marriage more seriously as a life commitment and not as an experience that might work out," he said. Ibrahim Al-Jadaani, a Jeddah-based marriage official, believes one of the reasons for divorce is women being forced into marriages and sons and daughters in general not being able to choose their partners. "Getting a divorce after only few months of marriage is mainly attributed to misunderstandings between the couple," he said, explaining that those who want to get married should adopt the views of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) on marriage and how it should be both affectionate and intimate. At the same time, Fawzi Al-Subhi, another Jeddah-based marriage official, said that most of the problems and issues of newlyweds occurred in the first year or two of marriage. "People should fear God when it comes to the sacredness of marriage and they should be patient," he said. He also called for more counseling centers and social workers to advise the couple and work hand in hand to solve the problems occurring the first year of marriage.

Seychelles will try Somali pirates

Seychelles will try Somali pirates Agencies

VICTORIA: Seychelles will try suspected Somali pirates after European guarantees they would be sent home to serve their sentences, a minister announced Saturday. Environment, Natural Resources and Transport Minister Joel Morgan said his government had told the European Union it would accept suspects for trial after receiving guarantees of their transfer home to serve their terms. "Seychelles had said very early last year that we wanted to help in the fight against piracy. But we wanted a transfer agreement because it would be difficult for us to accommodate pirates for a long time," he told reporters. The new deal means suspected pirates caught by the European Union's naval mission in the region can be brought to justice in Seychelles. The 85,000-strong Indian Ocean archipelago's new role should not kick in for another six months though as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revamps the only prison in the island nation. The UN agency is also working on the rehabilitation of two prisons in northern Somalia. The Seychelles judiciary is also in the process of adapting laws to create a charge of "conspiracy to commit an act of piracy." The new provisions are to be examined by Parliament later this month. One of the main shortcomings in the legal battle against Somali piracy has been the difficulty to charge suspects not caught red handed despite being in possession of piracy equipment. Seychelles currently holds 11 suspected pirates detained in December 2009 by the country's coastguard. Since mid-2009, Somalia's army of pirates have drifted from the now heavily patrolled waters of the Gulf of Aden to launch the bulk of their attacks much further out in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles, whose economy is highly dependent on tourism and tuna-fishing, has asked for international cooperation to curb the threat of Somalia's ever more brazen ransom-hunting sea bandits.

Prophet Muhammad - 10: A choice for the Prophet’s wives

Prophet Muhammad - 10: A choice for the Prophet's wives Adil Salahi

At one point the Prophet's wives made a joint request asking him to provide them with a better standard of living. It was not an unreasonable request, since it came after the Muslim state had enjoyed victories over its enemies and its fortunes were getting much better. It was the sort of request any woman who had lived through years of poverty with her husband would make when they enjoyed better times. Yet the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not care for any material comfort. He wanted his household to remain an example for all Muslims, in all generations. Therefore, he did not look favourably at this request. His closest companions, Abu Bakr and Umar, were allowed into his home after they had heard of the problem. They were the fathers of two of the Prophet's wives. They found the Prophet silent, looking distressed. Abu Bakr sought to relax the somber atmosphere. He said: "Messenger of God! If you could only see my wife when she asked me for more money to spend. I pierced my finger into her neck." The Prophet smiled and said: "You see them all around me asking for more money." Abu Bakr went up to his daughter, Ayesha, and Umar went up to his daughter, Hafsah, piercing them in the neck. They said to them: "How come you ask the Prophet to give you what he does not have?" Both of them said: "We will never again ask the Prophet for what he does not have." The Prophet was upset by the whole episode. He wanted his household to be totally free of the material concerns of worldly life. He wanted his own family to aspire only for what is with God. He, therefore, decided to stay away from all his wives for a whole month. He then received revelations requiring him to give his wife a choice. When the month was over, he mentioned the choice to everyone of his wives, starting with Ayesha. The choice is outlined in the following Qur'anic verses: "Prophet! Say to your wives: 'If you desire the life of this world and its charms, I shall provide for you and release you in a becoming manner; but if you desire God and His Messenger and the life of the hereafter, know that God has readied great rewards for those of you who do good.'" (33: 28-29) Before he read them the two Qur'anic verses, the Prophet told each one that she needed not make her choice straightaway. She should consult her parents or her guardian. Every single one of them said to him: "I need not consult anyone concerning my status with you. I certainly choose God and His messenger, hoping for success in the life to come." They assured him that they desired nothing in preference to life with him. It should be mentioned that as Ayesha made her choice, being the first asked, she requested the Prophet not to make her choice known to any of his other wives, should they ask him about her choice. She felt that if any of them was unsure, she should not be helped by learning of Ayesha's choice. The Prophet, however, declined her request, telling her that his mission was to teach people every good thing for them. Therefore, if any would ask him about her choice, he was certain to inform them of it. They could then follow her example, if they so wished. However, in the event, none needed that sort of help. They all recognized that their status as wives of the Prophet and mothers of all believers was so precious that they would not change it for anything in this world.

MAN MEANS NEEDY

MAN MEANS NEEDY
    Hadrat [1] Imam-i Rabbani says in the 62nd letter of the second
volume of his Maktubat:

    Man has been created so as to be civilized. In order to be
civilized and live, he needs others. Allahu ta'ala declares in the
sixty-fourth ayat [2] of Anfal Sura [3], "O my Prophet! Allahu ta'ala
and the Believers who are with you are sufficient for you!" Thus, He
informs that the Believers are sufficient for helping the Best of
Mankind. Hence, it is understood that it is necessary to help others.
Rich people of our time think that being a dervish is not to need
anybody else. It is a wrong understanding. Man means needy. Not only
men but also all creatures are needy. In fact, man's goodness, beauty,
arises from his being needy. Also, man's being a slave, his broken
heart are the results of his being needy.

    If man were not needy, he would be disobedient, excessive,
unbridled. Allahu ta'ala declares in the sura of Iqra', "When man is
without any needs, for certain he will become excessive!" Those faqirs
who have freed their hearts from being attached to creatures, when
they need to cling to causes express their needs to the Owner and
Creator of the needs. When they get the causes, they know them to be
from Him. They say that it is always He who sends or who does not
send.

    For many orders and benefits, Allahu ta'ala creates everything
through causes. He states that those who cause goodness are good and
those who cause evil are evil. Outwardly, they have been deeming
goodness and evil to be from the causes. If Allahu ta'ala had created
everything directly without any causes there would not be any order in
the universe, everything would be all mixed up. O our Allah! Thou
never create anything corrupt or out of order!
________________________________
GLOSSARY
[1] Hadrat: title of respect used before the names of great people
like and Islamic scholars.
[2] ayat: a verse of al-Qur'an al-kerim; al-ayat al-karima.
[3] sura(t): a Qur'anic chapter [a chapter of the Qur'an].

Among you, the ones with a perfect morality are the ones with an elevated faith.
Hadith-i-sharif

'One should carefully choose whom to love, and share the love accordingly'

'What is important is whom you are with, not who you are.'

UN CLOSES PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP STRADDLING IRAQI-SYRIAN BORDER

UN CLOSES PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMP STRADDLING IRAQI-SYRIAN BORDER
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The United Nations refugee agency has closed a makeshift camp located between the borders of Iraq and Syria and relocated the last of the Palestinians who had been stranded there for nearly four years.

The last 60 residents of the Al Tanf camp were transferred yesterday morning by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/4b67064c6.html">UNHCR), working in cooperation with Syrian authorities, and they will be housed temporarily at another refugee camp, Al Hol, inside Syria.

"I am very happy that this is finally over," said Abu Mohanned, one of the relocated refugees. "We have been waiting for this for such a long time and yet we are anxious about what's next."

Al Tanf, a makeshift camp located on a narrow strip of the so-called "no man's land" between the Syrian and Iraqi borders, was set up in May 2006 for Palestinian refugees who fled Iraq since 2003 because of threats, torture, detention, or after friends and family members were killed.

While the camp was meant to be a temporary solution, the refugees ended up spending almost four years there, noted UNHCR. During this time, they faced harsh desert conditions such as extreme temperatures, sandstorms and floods, all with difficult access to medical services.

UNHCR has been appealing to States to resettle the Palestinian refugees that have been stranded in such makeshift camps to give them a chance to start a new life.

Out of the 1,300 Palestinian refugees who had lived at different times in the camp, more than 1,000 were relocated to third countries, including Belgium, Chile, Finland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

"Today we were able to close this camp and this is a very important step and achievement in responding on a humanitarian basis to the situation of people who were stranded there as a result of fleeing persecution," said Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR's deputy representative in Syria.

"However, there are still hundreds of Palestinian refugees from Iraq who are in Al Hol camp in the north-eastern province of Hassake and they also need the same compassion and understanding," he said.

Al Tanf is one of three camps that received Palestinian refugees from Iraq. Currently, there are around 2,000 in Al Hol and in Al Waleed camp, which is on the Iraqi side of the border.

Arab News Editorial: War crimes in Gaza

Editorial: War crimes in Gaza Arab News

The Feb. 5 deadline for the Palestine Authority and Israel to respond to allegations in the Goldstone Report that Israel committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during last year's Gaza war will most likely come and pass. Israel roundly rejected the Goldstone Report; Gaza's authorities accepted its findings in full. So it would be better that the PA go all the way and hold an independent probe to avoid being referred to the International Criminal Court prosecutor in The Hague, as was recommended by the Goldstone Report, should the two sides fail to carry out credible investigations. The Palestinians have nothing to fear. The Goldstone Report unearthed damning evidence of Israeli war crimes. The Palestinians were at the end of what the Goldstone Report described as an Israeli aim in Gaza not just to kill Hamas fighters but to collectively "punish, humiliate and terrorize" an unarmed and captive civilian population. They were the victims of man's inhumanity against man. Not surprisingly then, the Israeli investigations were conducted by their military, which naturally exonerated itself of any systematic wrongdoing. It is a mockery of justice to entrust the task of investigating Israeli war crimes in Gaza to the Israeli government or an Israeli commission of inquiry. You don't ask the Gestapo to investigate Nazi crimes. Israel is a law unto itself and most Israeli leaders and government operatives are themselves war criminals. Thus, it is totally unacceptable that Israel be allowed to investigate itself. What is needed is a credible third party to establish the truth about what Israel did in Gaza, and what better neutral party than the Goldstone Report which documented allegations of international crimes with meticulously collected evidence and careful analysis? It is a report of the highest standard of professionalism, commensurate with what one would expect from a group of leading legal experts. Israel claims that the rules and regulations governing Israeli Army operations in the occupied territories are sufficiently transparent and fair. That is not true. They do not obey their own rules and when murderous crimes are perpetrated, the killers are always given the benefit of the doubt. This explains the fact that thousands of innocent Palestinians have been deliberately killed by the Israeli Army without any serious investigation into these crimes being carried out. Despite the impeccable credentials of the commission members, and the worldwide reputation of Richard Goldstone as a person of integrity and political balance, as well as of being an eminent jurist, Israel refused cooperation from the outset. However much Israel may attack the commission's report as one-sided and unfair, the only plausible explanation for refusing to cooperate with the UN fact-finding mission at the time, and rejecting today to order a credible investigation into its army's performance, is that it has nothing to tell that could hope to overcome the overwhelming evidence of its crimes against humanity. No credible international commission could reach any set of conclusions other than those drawn by the Goldstone Report on the central charges in question. Goldstone's is actually one of the most balanced reports on the Arab-Israeli conflict ever to come out of the UN.

African glory for Egypt

African glory for Egypt

By Paul Rhys in Luanda

Egypt take home a record seventh Africa Cup of Nations title [AFP]  Mohamed Gedo took his tournament goal tally to five as he fired Egypt into the record books with an unprecendented third Africa Cup of Nations win in a row. Gedo came on as a second-half substitute with the Pharaohs deadlocked 0-0 with Ghana, who were looking the more likely to secure their first continental trophy for 28 years. But with five minutes left Gedo - who made his Egyptian debut in December - played a one-two with Mohamed Zidan before curling an exquisite finish past Richard Kingson in the Ghana goal. Egypt have now won their last 19 matches in a devastating run of domination at Africa's top competition. And having thumped fierce rivals Algeria 4-0 in the semi-final, Egypt's stars rubbed in their victory by climbing on top of the goalposts to celebrate in front of 50,000 fans at Luanda's November 11 stadium - mimicking the scenes when Algeria dumped them out of the World Cup qualifiers in Khartoum last November. Their record seventh Africa Cup of Nations trophy is vindication of their claim to be the best team in Africa, despite having failed to reach the World Cup finals since 1990. 'A hundred times better' "We're not thinking about Algeria - we're a hundred times better than them," striker Zidan told Al Jazeera after climbing down from the goalposts with keeper Essam El Hadary. "We're not sending a message to them. We're sending a message to everybody that we're trying to play the best football in Africa - and we're doing that." "We're not thinking about Algeria - we're 100 times better than them" Mohamed Zidan, Egypt striker Ghana fell at the final hurdle after their team packed with youngsters from last year's Under-20 World Cup final failed to find a way past El Hadary despite a second-half bombardment. Striker Asamoah Gyan went close several times as the tactics which saw the Black Stars reach the final with a record of four goals scored and three conceded looked to be working. Egypt, who had scored 14 times and conceded just twice coming into this match, carved out few chances in the 85 minutes before Gedo's goal as Ghana hit them again and again on the counter-attack after a drab first half. Eight minutes of the second half had gone when Gyan got his first chance to add to his goals against Angola and Nigeria, blasting just over with a free kick from outside the left hand side of the box. Fired over And on 63 minutes he fired just over again as the Black Stars drew fouls around the area from the frustrated Pharoahs. As darkness fell with 20 minutes to go, the turning on of the floodlights seemed to inject a new electricity into the match as Gyan sparked another curling effort just wide of the top right of El Hadary's goal. The poor pitch which has blighted many of the games in Angola was again causing problems, with Egypt's Abdrabou Hosni hurling a fistful of dirt in frustration after stubbing his foot as he tried to play a ball over the top. But as the match looked to be sliding towards extra time, Gedo surged forward from the right to combine with Zidan, finishing the tournament as top-scorer and sending the Africa Cup of Nations back to Cairo once more. "Everybody in Cairo will be celebrating in the streets and we can't wait to get back to celebrate with our people," said Zidan. Goalkeeper El Hadary said that Egypt coach Hassan Shehata had forged a bond among his palyers. 'Family' "It is not like a coach and his players - we in the Egypt team are like a family," he said. Veteran Ghana captain Kingson meanwhile said there was nothing he could do to console his young team ahead of their appearance in the World Cup this summer. "There's nothing much I can say, but I've told them to forget about it because this game is in the past," he said. "They just have to think about their future."

Source: Al Jazeera