What the Qur'an Teaches-2

What the Qur'an Teaches: What punishment for turning away

We adorned the sky nearest to the earth with lights, and made them secure. Such is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. If they turn away, say: 'I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the Aad and Thamud.' There came to them, from all directions, messengers saying: 'Worship none but God.' They answered: 'If our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We will never believe in your message.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 12-14)

What the Qur'an teaches: Universal willing submission

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Then, He applied His design to the sky, which was but smoke; and said to it and to the earth: 'Come, both of you, willingly or unwillingly.' They both said: 'We do come willingly.' So He decreed that they become seven heavens in two days, and assigned to each heaven its task. We adorned the sky nearest to the earth with lights, and made them secure. Such is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

What the Qur'an teaches

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Say: Do you indeed disbelieve in Him who has created the earth in two days? And do you claim others to be His equals? It is He who is the Lord of all the worlds. He it is who placed on the earth firm mountains towering above it, and bestowed His blessings on it, and measured out its varied provisions in four days, ensuring equity for all who seek (such provisions). Then, He applied His design to the sky, which was but smoke; and said to it and to the earth: 'Come, both of you, willingly or unwillingly.' They both said: 'We do come willingly.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 9-11)

What the Qur'an teaches

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
A book, the verses of which have been clearly spelled out as a discourse in Arabic for people of knowledge. It gives good news as well as a warning. Yet, most of them turn away, so that they do not hear. They say: "Our hearts are veiled from whatever you call us to, and in our ears is deafness, and there is a barrier between us and you. So do you what you will, and so shall we." Say: "I am but a human being like yourselves. It has been revealed to me that your God is the One and only God. Therefore, take the straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness. Woe to those who associate partners with Him and who do not pay the obligatory charity, and who refuse to believe in the life to come. Those who believe and do good deeds shall have an unfailing reward. Say: "Do you indeed disbelieve in Him who has created the earth in two days? And do you claim others to be His equals? It is He who is the Lord of all the worlds." (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 3-9)

What the Qur'an teaches: Moses' secret exposed

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Next morning, he was in the city, fearful, vigilant, when he saw the man who sought his help the day before again crying out to him for help. Moses said to him: 'Indeed, you are clearly a quarrelsome fellow.' But then, when he was about to strike the one who was their enemy, the latter exclaimed: 'Moses! Do you want to kill me as you killed another man yesterday? You want only to become a tyrant in the land, and you do not want to be one who sets things right.'  (The Story, Al-Qasas: 28: 18-19)

What the Qur'an says: Source of divine revelations

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Ha. Mim. A revelation from the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful: a book, the verses of which have been clearly spelled out as a discourse in Arabic for people of knowledge. It gives good news as well as a warning. Yet, most of them turn away, so that they do not hear. They say: "Our hearts are veiled from whatever you call us to, and in our ears is deafness, and there is a barrier between us and you. So do you what you will, and so shall we." Say: "I am but a human being like yourselves. It has been revealed to me that your God is the One and only God. Therefore, take the straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness. Woe to those who associate partners with Him."(Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 1-6)

The blessed month: Training children to fast

The blessed month: Training children to fast

By ADIL SALAHI- Arab News

Fasting becomes required as a duty when a boy or a girl attains puberty. Prior to that, it is not obligatory. This applies to all Islamic duties of worship. This is considered the age when a person can fulfill regular duties, such as prayers and fasting, because his or her sense of responsibility is deemed to have reached a sufficient stage of maturity.

It is well known that we are recommended to train our children to pray when they become seven years old. A hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) directs us to tell our children to pray when they are seven and to use light corporal punishment for not praying when they are 10.

The question arises whether the same applies in the case of fasting. The question, then, is: Are children to be encouraged, or indeed ordered to fast before they attain the age of puberty when it becomes obligatory to them?

Generally speaking, the best answer to a question like this is that which is provided by an authentic hadith. In this respect, we have a hadith related by Al-Bukhari on the authority of one of the youngest lady companions of the Prophet, Al-Rubayie bint Mu'awwith.

She reports: "The Prophet sent messengers to the villages of the Ansar on the morning of Ashoura (i.e. 10 Muharram) with the message: 'He who has started the day not fasting, let him finish his day, and he who has started the day fasting, let him continue his fast.' We used to fast that day afterwards, and make our children fast as well. We would make them woolen toys. If a child cried of hunger, we gave it a toy to play with until it was time for ending the fast."

It should be noted that prior to making fasting obligatory during the month of Ramadan, it was a duty for Muslims to fast on the 10th of Muharram. When the Prophet emigrated to Madinah, he found out that the Jews fasted on that day. On questioning, they told him that they celebrated the anniversary of the event when Moses was saved by God from his enemies. The Prophet said that he and the Muslims have more in common with Moses and they were better entitled to celebrate that occasion. He ordered his companions to fast on that day. Although fasting on the tenth of Muharram is no longer obligatory since the obligation was transferred to fasting the month of Ramadan, it is still recommended as a sunnah of the Prophet.

The above quoted hadith makes clear that the Prophet's companions used to make their children fast. It is important to understand that fasting is not obligatory to children until they have attained the age of puberty. Most scholars agree, however, that children may be encouraged to fast, if they can bear the hardship of fasting. However, there are differences among scholars with regard to when to start the training of children to fast. Some of them suggest the age of seven or ten, as in the case of prayers.

Others, like Ahmad bin Hanbal, suggest beginning at ten, while other scholars mention the age of 12 as the starting point.

The Maliki scholars generally have a different view which suggests that children need not be encouraged to fast. However, that is a view which cannot be supported by valid evidence. I have already mentioned in the past that the Maliki school of thought considers "the practice of the people of Madinah" as a valid indicator of what is acceptable in Islam. Al-Bukhari  points out that the practice of the people of Madinah in this particular respect was to encourage children to fast. He relates that Umar, the second Caliph, saw a man who was drunk during one day in Ramadan. He rebuked him saying: "Confound you, how do you do this when our children are fasting?" He ordered him to be flogged.

This report suggests that it was common practice among the people of Madinah at the time of Umar, when Islamic practice was still perhaps at its purest, to encourage children to fast as a means of training. Umar's words to the drunken person suggest that it was common for young children to fast. He was certainly infuriated by seeing a drunken man during the day of Ramadan. To drink on any day is, from the Islamic point of view, to commit a grave sin which is punishable by flogging and exile.

To do so during the day, in the month of Ramadan, is to be doubly sinful, since the negligence of the duty of fasting is a grave sin as well. However, we note that Umar did not allow his outrage to get the better of him by increasing the punishment of that man. He only punished him for drinking, the punishment of which consists of flogging (80 lashes) and a year in exile. Umar sent the man to Syria.

We have thus established that encouragement of young children to fast is the weightier opinion to which most scholars subscribe. According to the hadith which we have quoted, the children who were encouraged to fast at the time of the Prophet must have been very young, probably less than ten years of age. This we can understand from the statement given by the Prophet's companion who reports this hadith, when she says that mothers used to make soft toys in order to use them as a distraction to their children who might cry from hunger. Such a toy does not provide much distraction for an 11 or 12 year old. Those children who cried must have been younger than that.

Needless to say that encouraging a child to fast does not mean forcing him or her to fast throughout the month. That is neither wise nor necessary. Parents should approach the training of their children to fast in an easy, relaxed way which makes fasting desirable to the child. Perhaps the encouragement to fast should be coupled with a reward which may be given at the end of the day and encouraging words by other members of the family which give the child a sense of joining the adults in the family.

That is bound to make the hardship of fasting much easier to bear. Moreover, a child may be encouraged to fast one or two days the first time around, perhaps when he is nine or 10. The number of days which he fasts may then be increased gradually so that when he attains the age of puberty, he finds that fasting the whole month, from dawn to dusk, presents no great difficulty. It is such an easy way which is characteristic of the Islamic approach to religious duties.

Mogadishu toll hits 83 as fighting continues

Mogadishu toll hits 83 as fighting continues

Somali militants take positions during clashes with government soldiers and African Union peacekeepers in southern Mogadishu's Hodon neighborhood on Wednesday. Fighting in Somalia's capital flared for a third straight day Wednesday, killing eight people and pushing the week's death toll past 80 as insurgents tried to force government troops back toward the presidential palace. (AP)

By ABDI SHEIKH | REUTERS

Published: Aug 25, 2010 22:47 Updated: Aug 25, 2010 23:48

MOGADISHU: Somali insurgents pushed toward the presidential palace late on Tuesday but were repelled by heavy shelling by government troops, an army officer said on Wednesday.

More than 80 people have been killed in the latest escalation of violence in the capital Mogadishu, which began on Monday when the Al-Shabab group vowed to intensify its holy war against the fragile government.

The Al-Qaeda-linked militants said they were behind a shooting rampage in a hotel on Tuesday that killed at least 33 people including members of parliament.

One military officer said the insurgents attacked government troops based near Villa Somalia, the presidential palace, in large numbers but were outgunned by the African Union's (AU) AMISOM peacekeeping force.

"They came close tonight but behind us are AMISOM tanks and at last we drove them away," army officer Issa Ali, who had been fighting in the frontline overnight, told Reuters.

Residents said bursts of automatic gunfire and the thuds of mortars could still be heard early on Wednesday morning.

"At least 83 people have died in the last three days, including the hotel blast, and 163 others were wounded," Ali Muse, the coordinator of ambulance service told Reuters.

Tuesday night's fighting was centered on the government-controlled neighborhoods of Hodan and Wardhiglry. Al-Shabab and a second militant group, Hizbul Islam, control much of the capital, hemming President Sheikh Sharif's beleaguered government into just a few blocks.

The AU's peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi concentrate their efforts on shielding the president and guarding the port and airport.

Gunmen Kill 31 in Somalia Hotel Attack

Gunmen Kill 31 in Somalia Hotel Attack

Somali ministry of information blamed the attack on al-Shabab, one of the Islamist militant groups trying to topple the governmen

Former Ambassador Calls Al Shabab Attack in Mogadishu Abhorrent

David Shinn says militant group successful in recruiting youth to carry out suicide missions

Al-Shabab vows 'massive' Somali war

Al-Shabab vows 'massive' Somali war

The fighters were disguised as security forces when they attacked the hotel [AFP] Al-Shabab fighters have attacked a hotel in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, killing at least 35 people, a day after declaring a massive war. Members of al-Shabab, disguised as government security forces, launched the attack on Tuesday at the Muna Hotel, which is known to host many Somali government officials and politicians. Eight parliamentarians were killed in the attack. "It happened when two suicide bombers detonated themselves," Abdirahman Yariisow, Somalia's information minister, who was at the hotel, told Al Jazeera. "The security was there, but for some reason, they managed their way in and started shooting. No one was expecting this kind of atrocity. "This shows how al-Shabab is brutal; they never respected our call [to stop the fighting] for the holy month of Ramadan." 'Final war' The attack came after al-Shabab fighters declared a "massive, final" war against what they called "invaders" and attacked army barracks in several districts of Mogadishu on Monday. IN DEPTH  Restoring Somalia  A long road to stability  Somali fighters undeterred  Profile: Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed  Somali Islamists: A potential ally? Sheikh Ali Mohamoud Rage, al-Shabab's spokesman, then said fighters were starting a new war against "invaders", an apparent reference to the 6,000 African Union troops deployed in the country to support government forces. At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the violence that followed, medics and witnesses said. There was an overnight lull before the fighting resumed on Tuesday morning. The fighting came days after hundreds of Ugandan troops began arriving in the Somali capital to strengthen the current AU peacekeeping force. "As long as these [AU] forces are in Mogadishu, I think it will be unlikely for al-Shabab to take over [the city]. But they can inflict huge damage," Dr Afyare Abdi Elmi, a professor of International Affairs at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera. Ugandan reinforcements Uganda said last month that it was willing to send 1,200 troops to Somalia, in addition to the 6,000 strong AMISOM mission sent by African Union countries. "The additional troops began arriving last Friday. They were airlifted to different areas and of course they will continue to arrive," Wafula Wamunyinyi, the AU deputy special representative for Somalia, said on Monday. Al-Shabab, which has been fighting Somalia's UN-backed government since the start of 2007, recently claimed responsibility for a twin bombing attack in Uganda, which killed more than 70 people who were watching the World Cup.   The group has said that it will continue to undertake strikes in Uganda and Burundi, in east-central Africa, as long as those countries provide troops for the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia. Somalia has not had an effective central government for nearly 20 years and al-Shabab controls significant portions of the country. The US and other countries say al-Shabab is linked to al-Qaeda and consider the group a terrorist organisation.   More than 21,000 Somalis have been killed in fighting since the start of the uprising, 1.5 million have been uprooted from their homes and nearly half a million are sheltering in other countries in the region. "Civil wars end either through military victory or through a negotiated settlement," Dr Abdi Elmi said. "In Somalia, at least for the short term, neither is likely to happen ... the goals of the opposing forces cannot be reconciled now," he said. "In the long run, building effective Somali security forces and functioning state is the answer."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/08/201082464449278785.html  Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

The Wisdom of the Prophet Muhammed SAWS

    A youngster said to our master the Prophet, "I cannot quit these three sins." These three sins were lying, committing fornication, and drinking. Our master the Messenger of Allah stated, "Of these three sins, quit lying for me." That youngster accepted it and left. Then when he wanted to commit the other two sins, he thought to himself, "When I come before the Messenger of Allah after committing these sins, if I say that I did not commit them, I will be telling a lie. If I say that I committed them, he will punish me." Thus, he quit the other two sins as well. (Shir'a)

What the Qur'an teaches..1

Hope at the Ground Zero

By AIJAZ ZAKA SYED | ARAB NEWS

As if there were not enough issues already to drive America and Muslims apart, we had to invent this one. Look at the case of the proposed mosque in New York.

What the Qur'an teaches: Clear universal signs

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
Among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate yourselves before the sun or the moon; but prostrate yourselves before God, who has created them, if it is Him you really worship. If the unbelievers are too arrogant, those who are with your Lord glorify Him night and day and never grow weary of that. (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 37-38)

Health Solutions: The date — the superfruit from the Arabian desert

By MARIAM ALIREZA, MARIAM.ALIREZA@GMAIL.COM

Here comes Holy Ramadan, the month of fasting, prayers, charity, abstinence, spirituality, tolerance, family and social bonding, and other rewarding deeds.

UK Muslim youths in summer camp against extremism

By PAISLEY DODDS AND SYLVIA HUI | AP

LONDON: Britain's first "anti-terror" summer camp opened Saturday, with the goal of teaching Muslim youth how to rebuff extremists who try to recruit them at schools and in online chat rooms.

What the Qur'an teaches: Advocate of the divine faith

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Who speaks better than he who calls people to God, does what is right, and says, 'I am one of those who have surrendered themselves to God'? Good and evil cannot be equal. Repel evil with what is better, and he who is your enemy will become as close to you as a true friend. Yet none will attain this except those who are patient in adversity; none will attain it except those endowed with truly great fortune. If a prompting from Satan should stir you up, seek refuge with God. He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 33-36)

Saudi mother says Indian cult brainwashed son

By ARJUWAN LAKKDAWALA | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: Umm Ali talks about her son's experience when he almost became a cult follower without knowing himself.

What the Qur'an teaches: Control over human souls

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
We have assigned to the unbelievers companions who made their past and present seem goodly to them, but the sentence has fallen due upon them together with bygone generations of jinn and humans. They will indeed be lost. The unbelievers say: 'Do not listen to this Qur'an, but drown it in frivolous talk, so that you may gain the upper hand.' We shall most certainly give the unbelievers a taste of severe suffering; and We shall most certainly requite them according to the worst of their deeds. Such is the requital of the enemies of God: the fire will be their lasting home: a fit requital for their having knowingly rejected Our revelations. The unbelievers say: 'Our Lord! Show us those jinn and men who have led us astray. We shall trample them under our feet so that they shall be among the lowest of the low. As for those who say: 'Our Lord is God,' and then steadfastly pursue the right way, the angels will descend on them, saying: 'Have no fear, and do not grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise which you have been promised. We are your guardians in the life of this world and in the life to come. There you shall have all that your souls desire, and all that you ask for, as a ready welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, ever-merciful.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 25-32)

The issue of breastfeeding

By LISA KAAKI, LISAKAAKI@ARABNEWS.COM

Islam champions the need for children to be breastfed, yet despite its support, breastfeeding rates in Saudi Arabia are not what they should be. In fact, according to a 2005 UNICEF report, Islamic states have the world's highest child mortality rates. Sixty percent of Muslim children die from disease and malnutrition before their first birthday. Over 4.3 million Muslim children worldwide under the age of five also die every year and over one-third suffer from permanent malnutrition.

What the Qur'an teaches: Unusual Witnesses

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful. On the day when God's enemies will be gathered together before the fire, they will be driven onwards until, when they reach it, their ears, their eyes and their very skins will bear witness against them, speaking of what they used to do [on earth].

What the Qur'an Teaches: The warning and its effect

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful. If they turn away, say: "I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the Aad and Thamud." There came to them, from all directions, messengers saying: "Worship none but God." They answered: "If our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We will never believe in your message." As for the Aad, they behaved arrogantly through the land, against all right, and said: "Who is mightier than us?" Did they not realize that God, who created them, was mightier than them? They continued to reject Our revelations. Therefore, We let loose upon them a howling gale raging through several days of misfortune, so as to give them, in the life of this world, a foretaste of humiliating suffering. Yet the suffering in the life to come will be even more humiliating, and they will have none to help them. As for the Thamud, We offered them guidance, but they chose blindness in preference to guidance. Therefore, the thunderbolt of humiliating suffering struck them in consequence of what they had wrought. And We saved those who believed and were God-fearing.  (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 13-18)

What the Qur'an teaches: Control over human souls

What the Qur'an teaches: Control over human souls

By ADIL SALAHI Arab News


In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
We have assigned to the unbelievers companions who made their past and present seem goodly to them, but the sentence has fallen due upon them together with bygone generations of jinn and humans. They will indeed be lost. The unbelievers say: 'Do not listen to this Qur'an, but drown it in frivolous talk, so that you may gain the upper hand.' We shall most certainly give the unbelievers a taste of severe suffering; and We shall most certainly requite them according to the worst of their deeds. Such is the requital of the enemies of God: the fire will be their lasting home: a fit requital for their having knowingly rejected Our revelations. The unbelievers say: 'Our Lord! Show us those jinn and men who have led us astray. We shall trample them under our feet so that they shall be among the lowest of the low. As for those who say: 'Our Lord is God,' and then steadfastly pursue the right way, the angels will descend on them, saying: 'Have no fear, and do not grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise which you have been promised. We are your guardians in the life of this world and in the life to come. There you shall have all that your souls desire, and all that you ask for, as a ready welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, ever-merciful.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 25-32)

The surah shows the unbelievers how God's power extends over their hearts and minds, even when they are still on earth refusing to believe in Him. Since He is fully aware that their hearts have become corrupt, He lets some evil entities, from among both humans and jinn, befriend them and make what is evil seem fair and goodly. Thus, they lead them astray until they join those who ruin themselves and become liable to punishment: "We have assigned to the unbelievers companions who made their past and present seem goodly to them, but the sentence has fallen due upon them together with bygone generations of jinn and humans. They will indeed be lost."

They are too proud to worship God when they are subject to His power. Their own hearts lead them to ruin and ultimately to God's punishment. God allocates them wicked companions who whisper in their ears, assuring them that all the evil they see around them is good, and who present their own bad deeds to them in a fair appearance so that they do not see how foul these are.

Perhaps the worst thing that can happen to man is that he loses his balanced judgement and can no longer see how foul or deviant his actions are. In this way, he perceives everything he does as good and fair. Inevitably, though, this leads him to ruin. When the unbelievers reach this stage, they find themselves among the lost herd of past communities that suffered God's punishment: "They will indeed be lost."

One aspect of what such wicked companions persuaded them to do was to fight the Qur'an when they realized how powerful was its argument: "The unbelievers say: Do not listen to this Qur'an, but drown it in frivolous talk, so that you may gain the upper hand."

The elders of the Quraysh in Makkah used to counsel each other to do just this, and they also persuaded the masses to do the same. They realized that they were no match for the Qur'an, its beauty, power and eloquence: "Do not listen to this Qur'an." (Verse 26). They claimed that it cast a magical spell over their minds and ruined their lives, causing division between a man and his children or a man and his wife. It is true that the Qur'an causes such division, but only through God's criterion that separates faith from unfaith, and guidance from going astray. The Qur'an wins people's hearts so that they no longer value any other bond as they do their bond of faith. Thus, it was known as Al-Furqan, meaning 'The Criterion'.

"Do not listen to this Qur'an, but drown it in frivolous talk, so that you may gain the upper hand."

Such frivolity is totally unbecoming, yet it was the result of their knowing that they could not combat the Qur'an with logic or consistent argument. Those who persist in such disbelief can basically do nothing other than drown out the voice of the Qur'an with their own frivolities. They used to do this in a variety of ways: Malik ibn Al-Nadr, for example, used to sit and relate accounts of Rustum and other Persian kings in order to impress people so that they would not listen to the Qur'an, while others used to shout and make noises or recited poetry and rhymes. All this, however, came to nothing while the Qur'an retained its power because it is the word of the truth, and the truth is overpowering.

In response to their singular remark they are given a stern warning: "We shall most certainly give the unbelievers a taste of severe suffering; and We shall most certainly requite them according to the worst of their deeds. Such is the requital of the enemies of God: the fire will be their lasting home: a fit requital for their having knowingly rejected Our revelations." We soon see them suffering in hell and see how the deluded are so angry with the ones who led them astray. They realize now that it was they who led them to their fate when they persuaded them that their foul deeds were fair and goodly. "The unbelievers say: Our Lord! Show us those jinn and men who have led us astray. We shall trample them under our feet so that they shall be among the lowest of the low." They are not merely angry with them; they want to exact revenge: "We shall trample them under our feet." What a contrast with their close friendly ties in this present world.

A different type of bond is that which the believers have. These are the ones who take the right path of endeavour to do only what is good. God assigns to them angels to give them reassurance, bring them the good news of their prospects in heaven and to be their guardians, both in the life of this world and the world to come: "As for those who say: 'Our Lord is God,' and then steadfastly pursue the right way, the angels will descend on them, saying: Have no fear, and do not grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise which you have been promised. We are your guardians in the life of this world and in the life to come. There you shall have all that your souls desire, and all that you ask for, as a ready welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, ever-merciful."

To remain steadfast in pursuing what is entailed by the declaration, 'Our Lord is God,' means to keep it alive in one's conscience, to give proof to it in one's life and to discharge the responsibilities it imposes. This is serious, important and hard work. Therefore, it deserves the abundant grace God grants them: a friendly relation with angels who, as God tells us, reassure the believers with sweet words: "Have no fear, and do not grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise which you have been promised. We are your guardians in the life of this world and in the life to come." They also describe heaven to them, knowing that they will have there all that they desire and is pleasing to them. They make it even more inviting and pleasing by saying that it is "a ready welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, ever-merciful." It is a gift from God and a place assigned to them through His forgiveness and endless mercy.

Prophet Muhammad — 21: Implementing general orders

Prophet Muhammad — 21: Implementing general orders

Since Islam is a complete way of life, it wants the government of the Muslim community to implement its principles and carry out its orders. There is no rigidity in the Islamic system of government.

Islam simply lays down broad lines, which must be observed. Within these broad lines, any system that is acceptable to the Muslim community is appropriate. One of the principles that Islam lays down is consultative decision making in all spheres of life. Therefore, any system of government that is essentially consultative is acceptable from the Islamic point of view.

When orders are made and decisions taken, the question is: Who implements them? Let us take the case of an order that pertains to the social life of the community. If the order is clear and does not admit divergent interpretations, should individuals take it upon themselves to ensure its implementation? For example, Islam requires women to dress modestly and to cover all their bodies, with the exception of their faces and hands, when they go out. Suppose a woman goes out wearing clothes that clearly violate Islamic rules, can her neighbors force her to observe the Islamic dress code? The answer is that they may only give her advice in a way that does not alienate her from Islam. They can use no force or undue pressure. It is the government that has the authority to ensure that Islamic rules are observed. It may enact regulations that deal with such a contravention of Islamic law.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) made this very clear, and gave us a practical example. Abdullah ibn Umar reports that the Prophet asked him to bring him a knife. When he did, the Prophet made sure that it was sharpened. He gave the knife to Ibn Umar and told him to bring it with him the following morning. "On the morrow he went out with a group of his companions and walked through the streets of Madinah, where wine had just been imported from Syria. He took out the knife and cut off every wine container he saw. He then gave me the knife, and ordered those with us to go along with me and to help me. He commanded me to go through all markets and to cut off every wine container I find. I did so, leaving no single container."

This apparently happened shortly after the drinking of intoxicant drinks was finally made strictly forbidden. The Prophet could have issued a general order that anyone who saw a container of wine should cut it off or break it. That would have led to much chaos. To prevent this, he started the action himself, in the presence of a group of his companions. He then ordered a certain person to complete the task, appointing helpers for him so that no one could question his authority.

Unfortunately, some Muslims who are keen to see Islam implemented try to take the Islamic law into their own hands. This is not acceptable from the Islamic point of view, as it will lead to much chaos and will leave the community divided. No individual or group can appoint themselves overseers to ensure the implementation of Islamic law. Its implementation is left to the Muslim government. If the government of a Muslim country does not implement Islam, it will be answerable to God for this omission. This does not give individuals the right to act on their own.

Atomically Charged Sheikh Atom and Faroole’s Violation of Refugee Protocol

Atomically Charged Sheikh Atom and Faroole's Violation of Refugee Protocol By Adan Makina August 15, 2010

Somalia's Puntland regional state under Abdirahman Faroole is in flagrant violation of the international refugee protocol for forcefully repatriating refugees from central and southern Somalia to the city of Galkayo. To avenge the escalation of violence and assassination of political figures perpetuated by unknown factions in towns and cities across the autonomous state of Puntland, President Faroole's administration has embarked on a sweeping security swoop that target innocent refugees from southern and central Somalia. 

According to a UNHCR report carried by AFP news service, approximately 900 refugees have been forcefully repatriated to the city of Galkayo so far and the figure could be rising. After being uprooted from their homes in Puntland and after being subjected to brutal punishment and harsh treatment by the police in Puntland, these poor displaced persons have been left abandoned in a city where conditions remain unforgiving. A clear explanation of the area of conflict and the politics behind is best explained by Ali H. Abdulla in his article in WardheerNews The Galgala conflict and its misleading Association with Islamic Extremism. 

Having been a refugee himself in Australia-in fact a PhD Candidate at La Trobe University, Australia-Faroole should have known better how to preserve the sanctity of human life. Anyone with an iota of mercy should be perturbed at how a man who has been a refugee himself in the past in a foreign country living-off on taxpayers money, becomes an enemy unto his fellow needy countrymen and countrywomen who have settled in his canton in search of peace and prosperity and the pursuit of justice.

In a recent interview with a Somali news service, a spokesman for GalMudug confided that those who were evicted from Puntland have been law-abiding citizens. These mass deportations have not escaped international media scrutiny and human rights organizations. Some television stations continuously rebroadcast the same event for days. Faroole's inhuman actions are in par with the harsh conditions subjected to poor Somali refugees living in Saudi Arabia who often become victims of repatriations by the dreaded cane-wielding Saudi police.

President Faroole

Faroole's administration is in violation of international journalism and freedom of press. The arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of Abdifatah Jama Mire, Director of Horseed Media, has been strongly condemned by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).  "Today press freedom was buried in broad day light in Puntland and indeed it is a black day for independent journalism in Puntland and all across Somalia," said a statement from NUSOJ. The statement by Omar Faruk Osman titled NUSOJ Condemns 6-year jail sentence against media Director in Puntland, states that Abdifatah was caged for six years simply for interviewing Sheikh Atom.

Undoubtedly, Puntland under Faroole has had its share 
of regional instability and more violence is expected to follow soon. The sighting of heavy military hardware destined for Sheikh Mohamed Said Atom's forces in the northern Galgala Mountains must be a source of concern for Faroole's poor state. Reports that the Sheikh's tribesmen are pouring into Galgala must not be taken lightly in any way and that's why the area is constantly becoming atomically charged day after day. Having incited international maritime piracy in his region and having abetted human trafficking across the Gulf of Aden, the administration in Puntland feels it has no other alternative left in the eyes of the international community other than opening a new political inferno. 

In the Galgala Mountains, Sheikh Atom is mobilizing a die-hard army of religiously motivated youth whose goal is to unite with the Islamist forces in the south. In Mogadishu and in the south and central Somalia, the forces of Hizb al-Islam and al-Shabab are more than determined to overthrow Puntland State as soon as they are done with the current bitter struggles they are engaged in with the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Ahlu Sunna wal-Jama'a and AMISOM forces respectively.

The expulsion of southern and central Somali refugees from Puntland has put Abdirahman Faroole in a political dilemma. For now, his administration remains besieged from all sides by remorseless forces. Meanwhile, al-Shabab's black flag is flying high in the mountains of Galgala despite Puntland forces claiming to have routed Sheikh Atom's forces. Even if Atom's were to be dispersed and defeated, one thing is clear: they will regroup and resort to guerilla warfare-the same tactics employed by the Union of Islamic Courts when Ethiopia's occupation forces poured into Somalia.

During the Vietnam War, the "men in black pajamas" caused great havoc for the world's strongest army and for today in Somalia, it will be a headache for any force to defeat the "men in green pajamas". Consequently, Faroole's recent inhuman expulsions will further incite violence and endanger the lives of millions of Puntlanders. Perhaps, instead of repatriating these displaced people, it was best they were left in peace to assimilate for the good of Puntland's economy.

Adan Makina
Email: adan.makina@gmail.com
WardheerNews Contributor 
______________________

Related Articles

- The Galgala conflict and its misleading association with Islamic Extremism By Ali H. Abdulla 
- PUNTLAND: The Galgala Conflict and its Long-term security Implication on the Region By Elmi
- President Faroole is throwing Puntland Away for the Wolves By Abdikarim Buh 
- President Faroole of Puntland: Swimming against Powerful Tides By WDN

source: WardheerNews

Hypocrisy over Manhattan mosque

By LINDA HEARD | ARAB NEWS

Hypocrisy over Manhattan mosque

President Barack Obama is wise to support the placement of the Cordoba initiative's new community center housing a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero.

"Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country" and "that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan in accordance with laws and ordinances," he told dinner guests celebrating the holy month of Ramadan.

His views are seconded by New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg but they are most definitely in the minority. According to a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll, almost 70 percent of Americans oppose the plan.  Such bigoted attitudes are a sad indictment of America's so-called values. The US is a secular country built on the separation of religion and state, while the First Amendment to its Constitution and the first section of the Bill of Rights guarantee religious freedoms. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment also prohibits the preference of one religion over another. In this case, Obama could not have condemned the mosque's placement but he was at liberty to remain silent on the issue. The fact that he has chosen to speak out so forcefully is to his credit especially when his approval ratings are low and midterm elections are on the horizon.

Unfortunately, his courageous stance has won him few friends at a time when he needs support more than ever. On Saturday, a group calling itself "9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America" issued a statement saying Obama "has abandoned America at a place where America's heart was broken nine years ago...Now this president declares that the victims of 9/11 and their families must bear another burden. We must stand silent at the last place in America where 9/11 is still remembered with reverence or risk being called religious bigots."

Naturally, the rabidly right-wing, such as Sarah Palin, Pamela Geller, Bill Kristol, Dennis Miller and Charles Krauthammer are lining up to air their venom on their favorite mouthpiece, Fox News. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich used Fox as a platform to say, "The idea of a 13-story building set up by a group many of whom, frankly, are very hostile to our civilization..." Obviously, he hasn't visited the Cordoba initiative's website. Its mission is to strengthen the bridge between Islam and the West with programs designed to cultivate multicultural and multifaith understanding across minds and borders.

Fox's anti-mosque tirades are unrelenting. One of the hosts of "Fox and Friends" Brian Kilmeade supports a website's "Hard Hat Pledge" whereby construction workers potentially involved in the community center's construction agree to down tools or withdraw services. "Fox and Friends" has also hosted Republican George Demos who was given a free hand to disseminate the lie that the mosque is funded by "terrorist groups."

Former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is milking the controversy for all its worth on Twitter in hopes of accruing political capital. She has appealed to peace-loving Muslims to reject the mosque in "the interests of healing", saying it "stabs hearts". Yet others are obfuscating the issue with false comparisons.

A Republican TV ad that has been rejected by most local networks conflates the 9/11 attackers with the Cordoba initiative. "On Sept.11 they declared war against us," it reads. "And to celebrate that murder of 3,000 Americans, they want to build a monstrous 13-story mosque at Ground Zero." Besides being highly inflammatory it's packed with errors. Not all the 3,000 were American; hundreds held other nationalities; some 50 were Muslims. Secondly, the center is projected to be 13-storys, not the mosque. And, lastly, the people building the mosque did not declare war on Americans; they are dedicated to bridging the gap between Muslims and the West.

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer says the placement of the center is akin to the construction of a German heritage center in Auschwitz ignoring the fact that the death camp was built by a state while the perpetrators of 9-11 were 22 fanatics harboring a skewed interpretation of Islam. Almost every Muslim leader condemned their crimes and the fact that Muslims would like a place of worship near to where the World Trade Center twin towers once stood should be considered as a mark of respect. Furthermore, the Cordoba Initiative says it plans to include a memorial to 9/11 victims as part of the proposed project.

Palin and Krauthammer have dismissed the deaths of over 50 Muslims on that terrible day in their calculations as though their loved ones count for nothing. If anything, Muslims have been the greatest victims of 9-11, for without it the US would not have invaded Afghanistan and Iraq — wars that have robbed up to a million Muslims of their lives.

If Ground Zero is hallowed ground, their hallowed ground is being trampled by tanks and armored personnel carriers or stained red with the blood of innocent civilians that are dying as a result of those ongoing occupations almost daily.

However, the award for the nastiest critic has to go to Terry Jones, the deranged senior pastor of a church at the Dove World Outreach Center in Florida, who is probably the most hate-filled "Man of God" on the planet. In retaliation for the mosque project, he is planning to incinerate Qur'ans on the anniversary of the attacks and is calling for affiliated religious groups to join his "International Burn a Qur'an Day".

Clearly this bigoted person has no idea that the "Peoples of the Book" — Christians, Muslims and Jews — worship the same one God and revere His prophets Adam, Abraham and Moses. He may also be interested to know that Islam considers Jesus as a respected prophet. Perhaps he should read Surah Mariam (Mary) before he ignites his matches and illuminates his ignorance.

Nevertheless, it might be sensible for the Cordoba Initiative to rethink the location of the center, which risks becoming a target for lunatics and haters — the sort of people who in earlier days would have had a Klu Klux Klan hood in their closet along with a hangman's rope. Let them stew in their own loathsome juices rather than incite Islamophobia to be unleashed on Muslim Americans, who have already suffered enough.

origin: Arabnews.com

(Sierra12th@yahoo.co.uk)

UN PANEL OF INQUIRY INTO GAZA FLOTILLA INCIDENT MAPS OUT PLANS FOR CONDUCTING ITS WORK

UN PANEL OF INQUIRY INTO GAZA FLOTILLA INCIDENT MAPS OUT PLANS FOR CONDUCTING ITS WORK

Members of the Secretary-General's panel of inquiry into the Gaza flotilla incident on 31 May will meet again early next month after starting discussions this week on how they will carry out their work.

The four-member panel convened in New York for two days this week, meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as United Nations Secretariat bodies, according to a statement released by the UN chief's spokesperson.

Mr. Ban "outlined the nature of the task he envisaged for them," the statement noted, adding that the panellists then began their substantive discussions on how they will conduct their work.

The panel is not designed to determine individual criminal responsibility, but to examine and identify the facts, circumstances and the context of the incident involving the flotilla, which had departed Turkey and was bound for the Gaza Strip.
As part of that, the panel will receive and review the reports of national investigations into the incident and request clarifications and information as it needs from national authorities.
Today's statement noted that the discussions this week "were conducted with good cooperation and in a positive atmosphere," while administrative arrangements to support the panel's work are either established or will be in place soon.
The former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer chairs the panel, while the ex-president of Colombia Alvaro Uribe serves as vice-chair. Joseph Ciechanover is the Israeli representative and Özdem Sanberk is the Turkish representative.
The panel is next scheduled to meet early next month and it is expected to deliver an interim report for Mr. Ban on 15 September.

Birmingham Annual Conference 2010

Birmingham Annual Conference 2010 
 
CD Audio Release

Ramadhaan & Excellence of the Quraan 
By Shaykh Ubayd al Jaabiree 

The Strangeness of the Sunnah 
By Shaykh Muhammad bin Haadee al Madkhali 

Being Patient Upon Seeking Knowledge (2 CDs) 
By Shaykh Ahmad as-Subayee 

Spreading the Truth & Refuting Falsehood (2 CDs) 
By Shaykh Ahmad as-Subayee 

Examples on the Life of the Strangers 
By Falaah bin Ismeaal al Mundikaar 

Times of Strangeness -Ghurbah- 
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ramzaan 

Issues Related to Manners & Character Within Islaam 
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ramzaan 

Know Your Enemy 
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ramzaan 

More to Follow insha Allaah.... 



Salafi Bookstore 
Birmingham, UK 
+44 121 7730003 
CD@Spubs.com 

GLOBAL: Pakistan floods already the second worst ever

GLOBAL: Pakistan floods already the second worst ever

JOHANNESBURG, 12 August 2010 (IRIN) -

 The floods in Pakistan, which have killed at least 1,200 people so far, are already the world's second worst in the decade from 2001 to August 2010, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).

 "The numbers of people killed are very high for a natural event [like a flood], which is among the easier disasters to predict and plan for," said CRED director Debarati Guha-Sapir. CRED looks at how disasters affect human health and collaborates with World Health Organization (WHO).

 The world's worst floods in terms of fatalities occurred in 2004 in Haiti, a Caribbean island country prone to natural hazards, where two weeks of heavy rains swelled rivers in the southeast along the border with the Dominican Republic, generating floods that killed more than 2,500 people.

 Monsoon rains in India in 2005 caused 1,200 flood deaths, placing this disaster in second place beside the current floods in Pakistan. The monsoon rains in the region continue into September and aid workers fear the number of lives lost to floodwater could rise. One-third of Pakistan - an area the size of England - is under water.

 Seven  of the 11 worst floods in CRED's list for the decade 2000-2009 have taken place in India. Guha-Sapir said countries like India, Pakistan and  Bangladesh would feature high on a list with numbers of people affected by floods because of the high concentration of poor rural people living along river banks.

 "Asian countries need to devote more attention to improve the lives of their rural populations. Putting together an early warning flood warning system is not rocket science; it is very easy," she told IRIN.

 "Poor communities in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and even Mozambique have put together simple radio-based early warning systems, which help people to be evacuated in time."

 Mozambique - which lost 800 lives in 2000 - set up a community-based early warning system that has become a model for other similar systems, and has dramatically reduced the number of casualties in the annual flood season of this southern African country.

 Guha-Sapir said aid workers in Pakistan should plan and prepare for respiratory illnesses, particularly among children, and watch for a rise in malnutrition four or five months after the floods had subsided.

 "Chances of waterborne diseases such as cholera being an immediate threat are low when there is fast-moving water involved, while dampness and humid conditions could lead to severe respiratory illnesses, particularly among malnourished children."

 She has focused on analyzing how disasters affect health, particularly in children. "Often, when emergency food aid ceases in such conditions, malnutrition sets in four or five months after the event," she said, and suggested that aid agencies keep track of a group of children affected by the floods to get a sense of nutrition levels.

You can access CRED's list of the world's worst floods in the past decade here: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=90142

[END]

The Plight of Somali Refugees in the Arabian Peninsula

The Plight of Somali Refugees in the Arabian Peninsula

UN has to go an extra mile to address the appalling situations there! by Mohamed O. Eyow Saturday, August 07, 2010 Unfortunate Somalis destined from bad to worse, it's over two decades now when an armed violence erupted in the home country. The world gets bewildered to mend the unabated political morass. Entire multiple bids by regional and international actors to defuse the prevalent hybrid quandary are yet to deliver. The most recent endeavor from the latest Djibouti upshot appears fragile and ineffective. The incumbent UN-supported government in Mogadishu seems battered to grave by creeping insurgents. The whole world is now watching helplessly to the bubble of intractable disarray in the country, with exhausting all strategic plans to bring about peace and sanity. With this desolate scenario, and the lack of an eminent solution in sight again coerced million more Somalis to flee dispersedly to wherever karma can take to, searching safer sanctuary away from scary, war-ravaged Mogadishu. According to Agency's estimate 1.4 million Somalis have been displaced internally and more than half million are now refugees in neighboring and other countries. Kenya hosted the largest number of displaced refugees. Though rights groups blasted Kenyan security personnel for committing abuses and human rights violations against refugees crossing the border into Kenya, However UNHCR head; Antonio Guterrs praised Kenyans for their humane generosity they showed to African refugees in their country. Kenya has one of world's oldest, largest and most congested refugee camps. A ratio of 21000 crossed over the border during early months of this year alone. Thousands of refugees who live in urban areas have so far integrated into Kenyan public, building their future and making business in metropolis vicinities. They are refugees but today they own retail chain outlets, real state companies, business holdings, and investing in various commercial industries, which is, in turn, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars into country's economy.  Not only in Kenya, also Somali Refugee entrepreneurs use Mombasa port as a transit hub for goods heading to Southern Sudan, Uganda, and of course southern Somalia while monsoon winds hampering Indian Ocean commercial routes. Kenya also represents a centerpiece for massive aid coordination activities to Somalia. With the help of Kenyan government, huge numbers of Somali refugees had been flown for resettlement to Europe, North America and Australia which helped UN refugee Agency evade further shrinking resource.  The agency faced growing difficult to cope with unusual influx of refugees from Somalia. As UN Deputy High commissioner Alexander Aleinikoff reported to press at UN this year (2010) alone 200,000 Somalis were driven from their homes by violence in Mogadishu who became stuck in the country. This compelled the Agency to make appeals of supplementary donations totaling 60 million US dollar which makes the overall budget of the Agency for 2010 up to 425 million US Dollar for Somalia and all Somali refugees in neighboring countries.   For Arabian Peninsula, Yemen rescued thousands of Somali boat people whom their wooden boats wrecked or capsized during adventurous voyage to Yemeni coasts, those who washed ashore alive, were given refugee status in camps administered by UNHCR, However most of Somali refugees in Yemen are now living in urban places, seeking for jobs and better life. Some continued their journey to reach to the Paradise of oil-rich Saudi Arabia.  Yemen is truly commendable for its humane and generous reception for Somali asylum seekers. It has conferred unrestricted liberty of movement tantamount to the one enjoyed by ordinary Yemeni citizens. However, unfortunately, Yemen is largely one of poorest countries in the world. Its strained economy depends on scant and rapidly depleting petroleum resource, which represents 80% of the revenue source that the government relies on. The country also challenges one of fastest quantifying population in the world, this, along with huge domestic rivalry in the north and secessionist violent campaigns from the south made the country lagged behind the pace of development. In combination of these factors added to unbridled corruption and notorious social behavior of chewing stimulant narcotics called "khat". Yemen had been put under the spotlight of international concern. With these alarming conditions, Somali refugees there are living in grievous situation; they became derelict and unobserved melting in an ocean of despair among people who suffer an abject poverty.  Somali refugees used to beg on streets, little number of them get chances for domestic works like house maids or carwash jobs but majority of them lay on streets as a disposal waste.  With this looming crisis in Yemen, United Nations Refugee Agency lost its temper this week attacking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its long adhered inhumane conduct to Somali refugee migrants there. The Agency urged Saudis to refrain from any extra (refoulement) deportation of Somali people to Mogadishu. As Agency's chief spokesperson Melissa Fleming reported to press in Geneva, indicated more than 2000 Somalis were deported in the months of June and July alone. All are flown back to Mogadishu amid new surges of fierce conflicts.  Saudis did not sign 1951 Geneva Convention in which global nations committed to protecting of refugees and asylum seekers, thus the country does not have national refugee policy which mandates the kingdom to accommodate asylum seekers.  However UN is now urging to all countries be it a signatory of the international treaty or not should extend some form of protection to Somalis by considering to humanity grounds and generalized violence at home. We know Saudi Arabia is much different from Yemen; it possesses 25% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum which classified the country into the fore front of the global economic hierarchy. Despite such abundant wealth, since Somalis fled to all over the world, Saudi Arabia remained one of worst places Somalis ever set on foot since the wars engulfed in their country. Somali refugee migrants there are dealt in equal or in some cases more cruelty than other migrant workers, Somalis (men and women) are chased on streets like animal hordes, dragged, flogged, detained and forcibly deported back to Mogadishu at a time violence is on the peak. We call for UNHCR to increase efforts and adopt new strategy to cope the terrible conditions of refugee in the Arabian Peninsula. We need UN to go an extra mile to address the appalling situations in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. I would envision to finding out a resettlement plan which is the only viable option for refugees and for the Agency as well. The current situation in Yemen and the Kingdom's unsympathetic and intolerable approach cannot be continued any longer. Action must be coordinated to find out a complete cessation to sadistic refoulement by Saudis and seeking a new humane country(s) which can offer an opportunity for resettlement. UN must explore new strategy to contain the suffering of Somalis in this part of the Arab world. I see no hope for a voluntary return by those living there. And their plight has been lost between sheer negligence from the Agency and legal excuses by those countries. As George Bernard Shaw warned: "the worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them" Mohamed O. Eyow Somali Socio-Political Analyst  based in UAE email: eyow70@yahoo.com