Quit smoking.jpg While fasting, we’re not allowed to smoke. Considering our fasts this year last up to 17hours, it’s a great opportunity, to hold on a little more, and quit smoking altogether! No better time than the present. You’ll feel physically better after a few days.
Why not add a new dimension to your motivation, as well as benefit spiritually, by announcing on this site (by making your own sponsorship page) that you’re quitting smoking, from Ramadhan 2010 onward.
The benefits are many: 1) it will inspire others to quit smoking too! 2) you will have increased motivation to quite, since you’ll be telling your friends as well as your community 3) the people your telling will (hopefully) help you 4) you can raise funds through sponsorship, and also the money your saving from buying smokes, all toward lasting change.
It’s all part of our efforts to heal individuals, our community and our world.
Islamic Studies Expert: U.S. Should Apologize to Muslims, Build Mega-Mosque AT Ground Zero…at Taxpayer Expense!
Lone Rock, WI – 8/9/2010 - Author and Islamic Studies expert Dr. Kevin Barrett is no stranger to controversy. He has been pilloried as a “nut†by Sean Hannity, drawn a death fatwa from Bill O’Reilly, and taken on sixty Republican state legislators who wanted him fired from his job at the University of Wisconsin. His latest proposal–that the US government should build the world’s tallest mosque at Ground Zero as an apology to Muslims for falsely blaming them for 9/11–is unlikely to quiet his detractors.
In an open letter to President Obama, copied to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other New York officials, Dr. Barrett argues that the U.S. government is guilty of “genocide†against the Muslims of Iraq, Palestine, and (arguably) Afghanistan. Additionally, Dr. Barrett argues that U.S. officials are also “guilty of unconstitutionally waging war against the religion of Islam.†These crimes, Dr. Barrett asserts, were triggered by what he calls “the 9/11 false-flag attacks (which were) designed and carried out by enemies of Islam and falsely blamed on Muslims.â€
The U.S. should offer repentance and reparations for its crimes against Muslims, Dr. Barrett asserts, by covering the entire World Trade Center site with what would, if built, become the world’s tallest mosque. “The new mosque should cover the entire World Trade Center property, and should feature twin minarets at least 700 feet tall,†Barrett says. (Currently the world’s tallest minaret is the 689 feet tower at the Grand Mosque of Casablanca, Morocco.) Barrett adds that the Ground Zero mega-mosque should be built at taxpayer expense. “This would not violate the Constitutional prohibition on showing favoritism to any particular religion,†he explains, “because the U.S. government and the bankers who own it have already spent trillions attacking Islam. Giving back a few billion in the form of a great mosque at Ground Zero would be a minimal symbolic gesture towards setting things right.†Dr. Barrett claims that since countries that did not perpetrate the Holocaust still pay Holocaust reparations to the Jewish state of Israel, any nation that has murdered millions of Muslims and waged a worldwide war against the religion of Islam obviously owes far greater reparations to Muslims.
Dr. Barrett says the gigantic new mosque at Ground Zero should include a “9/11 truth museum†documenting the evidence that 9/11 was carried out by American and Israeli insiders, not Muslims. The museum could include such artifacts as the laughably bogus “last will and testament of Mohammed Atta,†pieces of airplane wreckage from earlier crashes that were planted at the alleged 9/11 crash sites, WTC structural steel samples showing melting and evaporation caused by explosives, videos and other objects seized from the Israeli Mossad team that filmed and celebrated their colleagues’ destruction of the World Trade Center, unflattering wax figures of such 9/11 villains as Dick Cheney, Larry Silverstein, and Benjamin Netanyahu, and samples of nanothermite-laden World Trade Center dust. Dr. Barrett adds that the “truth museum†should also include displays honoring “the patriots of the 9/11 truth movement, who have selflessly sacrificed so much in the path of truth, justice, and the Constitution.â€
Neither President Obama nor Mayor Bloomberg has yet rejected Dr. Barrett’s proposal.
* * *
Kevin Barrett, a PhD Arabist-Islamologist, is one of America’s best-known critics of the War on Terror. His new book Questioning the War on Terror: A Primer for Obama Voters sold out its first print run in six months and is currently available in a new, revised edition.
Dr. Barrett is a co-editor of the book 9/11 and American Empire (Volume II) and author of Truth Jihad: My Epic Struggle Against the 9/11 Big Lie (2007).
Dr. Barrett has appeared many times on Fox, CNN, PBS and other broadcast outlets, and has inspired feature stories and op-eds in the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, the Chicago Tribune, and other leading publications. Dr. Barrett has taught at colleges and universities in San Francisco, Paris, and Wisconsin, where he ran for Congress in 2008. He currently works as a nonprofit organizer, author, and talk radio host. His website is http://www.truthjihad.com.
Contact:
Dr. Kevin Barrett, (608) 583-2132 / (217) 722-6583 ; email kbarrett@merr.com Website: http://www.truthjihad.com
The not-for-profit TMO Foundation began its foray into onto the national stage this past weekend with a fundraiser and awards ceremony whose keynote speaker was Chris Hedges, the Pulitzer prize winning journalist and author who was the Middle East Bureau Chief for the New York Times.
Awards for the Foundation’s recent essay contest were presented by Mr. Hedges and TMO Founder Dr. AS Nakadar to the top essay writers from the TMO Foundation’s 2010 essay contest.
In attendance were approximately 350 – 400 guests, many of them the prominent leaders of Michigan mosques, such as Imam Musa of the Bloomfield Muslim Unity Center, Imam Ali of the MCWS mosque, and Imam Dawud Walid, Executive Director of CAIR Michigan. Many of the TMO Foundation’s prominent supporters were also present, among them directors Mr. Shafi Lokhandwala and Muhammad Saleem; another supporter in attendance was Shahid Tahir, who has also been involved with the Muslim and Pakistani communities, as well as maintaining very close ties with Michigan’s Democratic party scene since well before the 2008 presidential elections, and through today.
The TMO Foundation is a journalism-related not-for-profit corporation. The Foundation is intended to provide funds to support research projects, and will also foster the development of Muslim students of journalism and communications, owing to the vision of the founder of both TMO and the TMO Foundation Dr. AS Nakadar, that media wields tremendous influence in society.
The TMO Foundation Awards banquet began with recitation of Qur`an, Surat Ya Sin (s).
The MC for the event was TMO Editor-in-chief Dr. Aslam Abdullah, who spoke glowingly of the achievements of TMO and of the importance of Muslim media.
Dr. Nakadar then gave an introduction that covered recent accomplishments of The Muslim Observer in influencing the national debate in key areas, for example the Facebook controversy, and the Kurt Haskell eyewitness account of the Christmas day bomber. He also spoke about the killing of Imam Luqman in Detroit. In some of these examples and others, reporting by The Muslim Observer appears to have influenced and moved events on the ground in important areas.
Dr. Nakadar emphasized that the not-for-profit TMO Foundation would foster investigative journalism, would study political involvement of Muslims, and would seek to increase the involvement of students.
To date, the TMO Foundation has provided several thousand dollars in scholarship funds to Muslim American journalism and communications students, and has encouraged them by printing their articles and essays in The Muslim Observer. The Foundation has also begun sponsoring research projects. So far it has conducted research into several areas, including politics and into halal laws in American states.
The research into politics, by Nargis Rahman, considered the disproportionate legislative influence of one Muslim community (in Hamtamck, Michigan), as compared with other Muslim communities with comparable or even greater percentage of the local population.
The research into laws relating to halal products was done by Ayub Khan, and found that although several states have laws relating to halal products (namely New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, California, New York, Texas, and Maryland), those laws are not enforced.
Mazen Asbahi then spoke at the event. Mr. Asbahi is an attorney from the Asbahi Law Group which is based in DC, Detroit, and Chicago.
Mr. Asbahi focused his speech on the recent defense of Muslims’ Cordoba Mosque in close proximity to Ground Zero by New York’s Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who Asbahi emphasized was as a Jewish Republican (and mayor of the very city attacked on 9/11) someone that perhaps very few Muslims would have expected to defend Muslims.
Asbahi repeated Bloomberg’s arguments defending the Cordoba Mosque, that Muslims were among those callously murdered on 9/11, and that America was founded on a principle of mutual cohabitation unfettered by religious or ethnic bias and that to counter this principle in relation to the Cordoba Mosque would be “untrue to who we are.â€
Asbahi also argued against Muslims isolating themselves. “If all your social time is spent with Muslims,†argued Mr. Asbahi, then your isolation puts you in a virtual ghetto despite whatever wealth or comforts you live in.
“The most important determinant in opinions of people†regarding Muslims is “whether they know a Muslim,†he explained. Asbahi quoted Hamza Yusuf who argued at an ISNA convention in years past that he converted to Islam not to join a tribe but to be with the truth.
Asbahi finished with a beautiful quotation of a Langston Hughes poem called Let America Be America Again, the theme of which was that the promise of America (then as now) was unfulfilled in relation to the person speaking the poem, a voice which intended to speak for African Americans and many other peoples who had then and appear to still be, to varying degrees, excluded from the American Dream.
Mr. Hedges then began his keynote speech, and described his interesting history in relation to religion and journalism; starting from his father’s deep personal commitment to social justice and building to his own choices of conscience that caused him to be fired by the New York Times for saying things in relation to the Iraq war which, though in hindsight appear to be absolutely true, were unutterable at that dark post-9/11 time period as Bush and others set the stage for the Iraq war.
One of Chris Hedges most telling points was his quoting an exasperated journalistic colleague who at one point years ago exclaimed, “You’re not a journalist, you’re a minister pretending to be a journalist.â€
Hedges explained that he had “deep-sixed†his career repeatedly, “standing fast to moral principles.†Hedges argued that people are not rewarded in this life for their virtue. In fact, Hedges even argued that the definition of whether a moral imperative was involved in an issue was that “there must be a cost for a stance†on that issue.
Hedges’ loyalty to the principles taught him by his father is admirable–and a theme of his speech was that, in fact, what he gained from his father’s teachings on personal action in relation to social justice is that “He gave me the freedom to stand for the principles that he stood for.â€
Thus, when almost anyone else would remain quiet in order to hold onto a career or a job, Hedges has repeatedly spoken in favor of his beliefs, to his own detriment.
Following Mr. Hedges speech there was an awards ceremony at which awards were presented to the essay contest winners and others, including Zuleka Hussain, who won the essay contest, Ayesha Jamal, Deanna Suleiman, Dianna Elbasha, Hamdan Azhar,, Musa Odeh, Nidah Chatriwala, Sahrish Salem, and Sulaiman Salem.
There was also a fundraising effort led by Dr. Aslam Abdullah, who encouraged all to donate and enlisted the help of Mr. Chris Hedges and other speakers to encourage the audience to donate generously.
The Holy Month of Ramadan is upon us, as Muslims from all over the world commence the month of fasting, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. For many countries in the Middle East, this Ramadan will be one of the hottest on record with the fasting day lasting in upwards of fifteen hours. Yet despite the perceived hardship, the Muslim heart in Ramadan weathers all storms in the hopes of achieving salvation from Allah Almighty.
For this reason alone, wealthy Muslims who have been traveling abroad in Europe and North America make haste to reach their Muslim homelands well before the first day of fasting. Ramadan without friends and family is simply unthinkable for many Muslim denizens of the region. The power grid and city infrastructures in most Middle Eastern countries have already seen a notable spike in power usage and traffic jams signifying the rush back home. For this reason, countries like Kuwait and the UAE have pleaded with their residents to conserve water and electricity so as not to put a strain on governmental reserves, which could lead to shortages. Fears are rife in Kuwait especially that this Ramadan will not pass without at least a couple of power shortages, which have been the hallmarks of past Ramadans. The demand for electricity in the tiny Gulf State clearly outweighs the government’s ability to produce enough power.
Other countries, like Egypt and Dubai, have been trying to lure their rich Gulf neighbors across the border to spend Ramadan with them in a blatant attempt to boost up their economies. Both countries have launched a tourism blitz trying to woo Muslims across the region to spend Ramadan away from home. In Egypt, for example, Muslim visitors are promised cooler temperatures, fireworks displays and elaborate programs featuring whirling dervishes. In the run up to Ramadan, the Egyptian government took a preemptive strike to close bars and clubs around the region for the duration of the Holy Month. Similarly, Dubai has locked the doors of dance clubs during Ramadan and reiterated to its public that alcohol served in bars and hotels is reserved exclusively for non-Muslims. Any Muslim partaking in alcoholic beverages within the Sheikhdom faces prison and other legal penalties.
The cloak of Ramadan shields Muslims in the Middle East from the rigors of the fasting day and brings an air of quiet comfort to anyone blessed enough to behold it. It also covers up some of the human vices that are all too often acceptable by many Islamic nations during the rest of the year, but conveniently shrouded for the most auspicious months.
I am very fond of reading the editorial page of “Jang†on line, the daily Urdu newspaper of Pakistan. The articles are no less articulate than those of the Op-Ed page in the New York Times: perhaps even more so. “Jang†can justifiably boast that it was and still is at the pinnacle of Urdu journalism. I remember reading the columns of Shaukat Thanwi, Rais Amrohi, Ibraheem Jalees and Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi yers ago. Now, when I read “Jang†my nostalgia kicks up and I am tempted to summon my own talent in writing Urdu prose and poetry, which has been in slumber for many decades. However, a number of things prevent me from doing so. Firstly, regaining fluency in Urdu will be time consuming; secondly, I would have no means of publishing my Urdu writings and the most important reason being that if the passion and the devotion of such literary geniuses as Irfan Siddiqui, Ata-ul-Haque Qasmi and Haroon Rashid have so far failed to move their nation, what difference would my mediocre political critique make, as I don’t even live there?
The ahl-e-qalam (literarily the people of the pen) are pouring out their lamentations day and night, about what they see in and what they think will happen to Pakistan, in the manner of the prophets of Israel: Amos, Micah and Isaiah but will anyone listen? I say to myself: didn’t the states of Judea and Samaria eventually perish?
The area of Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, already hit by many man-made disasters is under water, drowning people’s hopes and aspirations and the “elected†president is on an official self-serving tour of the enemy country; the prime minister goes to inspect a fake hospital for the victims of the flood! Can anything remotely as shameful be found in the annals of history?
In Pakistan, the word government means different things to different people. To some it is a God-given chance for the unlimited enhancement of personal wealth, to others, an opportunity to extend the power of life and death over other people. To the common man, words like democracy (jamhuriat, its Urdu equivalent) mean as much as a Latin botanical name for a family of wild flowers, devoid of any practical meaning. Elections are periodical episodes for pleasing the landlords and the bosses or to form gangs and bargain away the votes.
Pakistan was an idea, not a nation. Its morphosis never even began. Since the demise of its founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, ideals have evaporated and the light has gone out of nationhood. Starting from bureaucrats like Ghulam Mohammad, imperialist political agents like Iskander Mirza and self-declared field marshals like Ayub Khan, a long winter of oligarchical rule began, wherein some genuine politicians were assassinated like Liaqat Ali Khan and some like Khawaja Nazimuddin and Fazlul Haque trampled under the boots of dominant ethnic cultures, resulting in the eventual dismemberment of the country. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a populist charismatic leader. His eloquence, his rhetoric about “Islamic Socialismâ€, his quest for nuclear deterrent and his anti-imperialist stance did not sit well in Washington and London — a parallel may be drawn with Patrice Lumumba of the Congo and Salvador Allende of Chile. So he was promptly dispatched. None like him had preceded him in Pakistan and none has followed. His progeny has taken up his mantle, like in many other South Asian countries where wives and daughters follow famous fathers and husbands but the mantle never fits; the hidden faces of incompetence and unworthiness assume enormous proportions under the veils of lineage. The ancestral genius seldom propagates; often it degenerates. In Pakistan, Bhutto had tried to abolish feudalism but after him it came back with a vengeance and took hold of the party he left behind. His daughter was wooed by the very countries and cultures he had denounced and was married into a family of business people with unsavory business practices, quite distant from the educational standards of the Bhuttos. In the end, following his execution, his idealism was also put to death.
We have four secular political parties in Pakistan today. Each is a family mafia, more like the Columbian drug cartels than like the All India Muslim League of Jinnah. Elections in Pakistan are incapable of returning any government but of thieves and dacoits. The mother nation will deliver what it is impregnated with, its womb being vile and defiled. As the elite live in ivory towers, intermittent military dictatorships toll the bells of doom in the corridors of power. Alternating between the cabals of political parties, when a general is not at the helm, has increased the surge of fatalism and corruption. Some religious leaders are so devoid of religious ethics that when they cast their shadows on society, many contemplate relinquishing religion. Masjids are now slaughter houses for vile sectarian fanatics, who seek hellfire under the minaret rather than in whorehouses and taverns.
To a historian these conditions are not unfamiliar. They existed in many countries prior to revolutions. The French revolution, the Bolshevik revolution and the Islamic Revolution of Iran were carried on the shoulders of people fed up with less severe socio-political conditions. Pakistan is now ripe for a revolution but the nature of the revolution is unpredictable. Revolutions happen in urban centers, not in the agrarian hinterlands. In Pakistan, the demography of cities like Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan will be a determining factor. Karachi is in the grip of a mafia exploiting people’s ethnic divisions and grievances. Spontaneous uprisings such as in Paris and Tehran may or may not happen in Karachi and Lahore. However, if the young ones: the students, the workers and the unemployed come out, they will have a tryst with success. There is no time to waste; they should rise and march towards destiny.
Through My Lens: Observations from a Midwestern Muslimah
By Nadirah Angail
I was interviewed yesterday by a Christian playwright whose interfaith plays focus on the life experiences of people from different religions. She asked a bunch of questions about my childhood, my school years, my book, my personal life, and my beliefs and worldview. We talked for a little over an hour and not once did she go “there.†You know where “there†is: the hijab question. To my delight and surprise, she didn’t ask why I wear it, what it means to me, how others respond to it, or any of the other common hijab questions Muslim women usually get hit with.
It’s not that I dislike hijab or have a problem discussing it. I just don’t see the need to continually (and sometimes exclusively) talk about that one subject when there are so many other pressing topics that need attention. Muslim women are quite interesting. We get advanced degrees, work important jobs, open our own businesses, play sports, make decisions, have influences, make contributions, raise families, and much more. But all too often, conversations with and about us seem doomed to go no further than topics of hijab and modesty.
We are not our covering. We have fully functioning minds that are able to generate brilliant ideas and opinions about every topic imaginable. Do not limit us to the obvious areas that only concern the way we look. The whole point of hijab is to remove the focus from the physical and force others to judge us based on our words and behavior. Yet and still, the issue of hijab stays on the lips of more than a few. It would seem strange if an intelligent non-Muslim woman was being interviewed and majority of the conversation revolved around her hair style. Most would see it as irrelevant and a waste of time. Muslim women, however, are constantly questioned about the choices we make when it comes to our hair.
I can’t speak for everyone, but, in my opinion, it is insulting when a person can’t seem to get beyond the piece of fabric on my head. “Is that really all you want to talk about? Do you honestly think I have nothing more intelligent to say than to explain why I wear what I do?†These are the thoughts that run through my head as I give the same educational answers I’ve given so many others who have inquired. Hijab is a part of us, but it isn’t the whole of us. Remove the barriers and allow us to prove that.
Read more articles from Nadirah or buy her book On All the Things That Make Me Beautiful on her website, www.nadirahangail.com
Our Raab is so magnanimous and merciful that He can give us a fast to deny ourselves to make us stronger; and at the same time make it easy for us to achieve. As the glorious month of Ramadan ascends on us, many thoughts of gratitude enter our minds – through our hearts.
First of all, how many realize that ALLAH has favored you by just allowing you to be Muslim? It is no secret that Islam and being Muslim is the highest level of existence for a human being. Do you ever notice how even non-Muslims recognize this? I often hear (and undoubtedly you have too) non-Muslims extol on the virtues of not eating pork (and even going further and eating only Islamicly-slaughtered halal meats), not imbibing intoxicants, fasting in Ramadan, dressing modestly, praying at least five times a day, and many more “Islamic†qualities. Even those of us who were born in Islamic countries to Muslim parents are fortunate that ALLAH allowed them to keep their Islam. You could have gone astray and become something else.
It is also beautiful for those of us who reverted to Islam (our original nature); and, maybe even more so because we have seen both sides of the fence. ALLAH says we are all born Muslim (submitters) and through our environment, we become something else. So it is especially gratifying to return to that nature that allows us to progress by being submissive to the Greater Power (ALLAH swt). Progress comes in many forms and I believe the best blessing is peace of mind. I’m talking about the satisfaction of knowing ALLAH is pleased with you because of your attempts to do His Will.
If a Muslim is downhearted and feeling dejected, He or she need only to sincerely give that negative feeling to ALLAH, ask for His guidance, seek His guidance in the Holy Qur’an, and then DO IT, and you will be successful.
ALLAH reminds us Muslims of our superiority when He states that a single Muslim can vanquish ten non-Muslims. This is not merely talking about physical fighting. It is also “arguing in the best wayâ€- with the Qur’an and exemplifying the character of the Prophet (s). In my life, since becoming Muslim, I have seen this played out many times.
Because of the lack of a priest class, many Muslims are not as well-read or prepared scholastically as say, Jews or Catholics. These guys are trained almost from the cradle to be leaders in their faith and the society. Nevertheless, a plain person like me can hold his own with anybody (even a room full) by utilizing the Words of ALLAH and having a cool, smooth disposition, like the Prophet (s).
Finally, with all ALLAH gives us and puts at our disposal, He says if we are grateful “I will give you more.†This really shows His generosity and His mercy. ALLAH is so abundantly rich in everything that there is no limit to what He can give us. All we have to do is sincerely be appreciative of His gifts while we strive to please Him.
So as we experience this Ramadan month of fasting, let us strive to focus on the greatness and generosity of ALLAH. Look upon your fast as a blessing from Him; not as a burden. Remember, He says He does not wish for you to be in difficulty. He only wants you to complete the prescribed period so that you will be stronger.
During this month let us enhance our relationships with our brothers and sisters and our spouses. Remember, being a good husband or wife is being submissive to ALLAH. Be nice, not mean. Give, don’t take. Smile, don’t frown. Forgive, don’t remain angry…and pray.
WHEN Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest-ranking American officer, was asked recently on NBC’s Meet The Press whether the US has a military plan for an attack on Iran, he replied simply: “We do.â€
General staffs are supposed to plan for even the most unlikely future contingencies. Right down to the 1930s, for example, the US maintained and annually updated plans for the invasion of Canada — and the Canadian military made plans to preempt the invasion. But what the planning process will have revealed, in this case, is that there is no way for the United States to win a non-nuclear war with Iran.
The US could “win†by dropping hundreds of nuclear weapons on Iran’s military bases, nuclear facilities and industrial centres (i.e. cities) and killing five to ten million people, but short of that, nothing works. On this we have the word of Richard Clarke, counter-terrorism adviser in the White House under three administrations.
In the early 1990s, Clarke revealed in an interview with the New York Times four years ago, the Clinton administration had seriously considered a bombing campaign against Iran, but the military professionals told them not to do it.
“After a long debate, the highest levels of the military could not forecast a way in which things would end favourably for the US,†he said. The Pentagon’s planners have war-gamed an attack on Iran several times in the past 15 years, and they just can’t make it come out as a US victory.
The problem is that there is nothing the US can do to Iran, short of nuking the place, that would really force Tehran to kneel and beg for mercy. It can bomb Iran’s nuclear sites and military installations to its heart’s content, but everything it destroys can be rebuilt in a few years. And there is no way that the US could actually invade Iran.
There are some 80 million people in Iran, and although many of them don’t like the present regime they are almost all fervent patriots who would resist a foreign invasion. Iran is a mountainous country, and very big: four times the size of Iraq. The Iranian army currently numbers about 450,000 men, slightly smaller than the US Army – but it does not have its troops scattered across dozens of countries.
If the White House were to propose anything larger than minor military incursions along Iran’s south coast, senior American generals would resign in protest. Without the option of a land war, the only lever the United States would have on Iranian policy is the threat of yet more bombs – but if they are not nuclear, then they are not very persuasive. Whereas Iran would have lots of options for bringing pressure on the US.
Just stopping Iran’s own oil exports would drive the oil price sky-high in a tight market: Iran accounts for around 7% of internationally traded oil. But it could also block another 40% of global oil exports just by sinking tankers coming from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab Gulf states with its lethal Noor anti-ship missiles.
Iran’s mountainous coastline extends along the whole northern side of the Gulf, and these missiles have easily concealed mobile launchers. They would sink tankers with ease, and in a few days insurance rates for tankers planning to enter the Gulf would become prohibitive, effectively shutting down the region’s oil exports completely.
Meanwhile, Iran would start supplying modern surface-to-air missiles to the Taliban in Afghanistan, and that would soon shut down the US effort there. (It was the arrival of US-supplied Stinger missiles in Afghanistan that drove Russian helicopters from the sky and ultimately doomed the whole Soviet intervention there.) Iranian ballistic missiles would strike US bases on the southern (Arab) side of the Gulf, and Iran’s Hizbollah allies in Beirut would start dropping missiles on Israel. The US would have no options for escalation other than the nuclear one, and pressure on it to stop the war would mount by the day as the world’s industries and transport ground to a halt.
The end would be an embarrassing retreat by the US, and the definitive establishment of Iran as the dominant power of the Gulf region.
That was the outcome of every war-game the Pentagon played, and Mike Mullen knows it. So there is a plan for an attack on Iran, but he would probably rather resign than put it into action. It is all bluff. It always was.
BEIJING, Aug 4 (Reuters) – Iran’s oil minister will meet officials from state-run Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp, the world’s top lifter of Iranian crude by company, during this week’s visit to China, which imported a third less oil from the OPEC producer in the first half, Chinese sources said on Wednesday.
The high-level economic team, which could include senior finance officials to seek investment in refineries and discuss trade, comes shortly after the EU agreed tougher sanctions on Iran, including action to block oil and gas investment as well as squeezing its ability to import gasoline.
Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi will be accompanied by the head of the National Iranian Oil Company, the oil ministry’s website SHANA reported on Tuesday.
Zhuhai Zhenrong has been notified of a meeting with Iranian oil officials, said one Zhenrong official, who did not have further details.
Another industry executive said Mirkazemi may be travelling with officials from other government agencies such as the railway sector and accompanied by a deputy finance minister.
“Iranians used to visit here minister-by-minister with very little coordination among themselves and couldn’t get anything done,†said the official with a Middle East investment firm that deals with Iranian businesses in Beijing.
“Now they’ve decided to let a deputy finance minister lead and bring people here in one go,†said the executive, who was approached this week to find Chinese investors to build a $7 billion electric rail system in Iran.
China signed up for the latest round of UN sanctions on Iran in June, but has condemned subsequent unilateral U.S. and EU restrictions that specifically target Iran’s energy sector. The sanctions are designed to further isolate Iran from the global financial system and hinder investments in a wide range of sectors including its dilapidated refining industry.
Though China bought 30 percent less crude oil in the first half of this year versus a year earlier, Iran remained the country’s No. 3 supplier of crude, Chinese customs figures showed.
China has also been one of the major gasoline suppliers into Iran this year, replacing other fuel suppliers such as Western trading houses Trafigura, Vitol and Russian firm LUKOIL, as they stopped sales for fear of U.S. retribution.
The two nations are also exploring the idea of using the Chinese yuan to settle oil trade and as payment for infrastructure projects. China is wary however that the shift could carry significant political risk.
China’s state oil giants CNPC and Sinopec Group are both drilling oil and gas wells in Iran under billion-dollar pacts. Sinopec’s engineering arm, Sinopec Engineering Group, has in the past few years also helped to build Iran’s refineries, said a company official. (Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Ramthan Hussain)
IRVINE,CA–The Memon Organization of North America (MONA) is seeking to develop positive relationship with the larger community in Irvine. They have posted banners about Ramadan on the city’s Roosevelt Ave highlighting peace, charity, and community.
“We are not the people you see on television, we are your neighbors and care for the community we live in,†explained Chairman Razzak Bangloria. “Irvine is a great community and it is our hope to help keep it that way.â€
The group’s mission is to act as the local chapter to promote, develop and support non-profit and charitable organizations in order to foster better community relations between all religious, social, ethnic and national groups for the good of society as a whole. MONA is also opening a medical Clinic in Orange County for the poor and needy under the supervision of its President Mohammad Ashraf Kamdar.
Chicago mosque in court custody
CHICAGO,IL –The Al-Hira Community Center, known as the Wood Dale mosque, was turned over to a custodian on Tuesday at the orders of a DuPage County judge who ruled that its current board mismanaged finances and wasted assets.
Al Hira has been facing an internal tussle among members ever since it was shifted from its original location in Bensenville. The previous location was purchased by Chicago as part of the O’Hare International Airport expansion for $200,000.
Its previous board was contentiously removed in November and a lawsuit followed. The former board claimed that the $200,000 was earmarked for use by the Wood Dale mosque but instead was used earlier this year to purchase a vacant church in Plainfield for a mosque.
Judge Bonnie Wheaton has appointed Samim Munshi, a former DuPage County assistant state’s attorney now in private practice, as the custodian. She noted that Mushi is a practicing Muslim and will have the authority to appoint a new board of directors, create a new set of bylaws and assist in operating the mosque “as long as necessary.â€
South Brunswick schools close for ‘Eid
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ–In a decision that sent ripples of hope across the Muslim community well beyond New Jersey, the South Brunswick Board of Education has approved school closings in the 2010-11 school year for two Islamic holy days.
South Brunswick school board president Matthew Speesler, said it was time the district needed “to recognize†the two Muslim holy days and the Hindu new year, Diwali.
About 10 of the nearly 600 school districts in New Jersey acknowledge Muslim holy days as official school holidays, according to the New Jersey School Board’s Association. Paterson’s school calendar recognizes them. Passaic’s calendar includes Diwali, but not the Islamic holidays. Atlantic City lists Ed al-Fitr but not Eid al-Adha. Other districts that have closed for the holidays include Irvington, Prospect Park, Cliffside Park and Plainfield.
Manitoba beef producers should consider halal: minister
WINNIPEG, CANADA– Manitoba beef producers should be taking advantage of the growing specialized halal markets, says Manitoba Agriculture Minister Stan Struthers.
“A recent study by Interpoc Inc. clearly demonstrates there is a growing market for specialized beef products in Manitoba, Canada and internationally, driven by people who follow Jewish and Muslim religious food practices,†Struthers said Monday in a release.
Halal meat is slaughtered or prepared in the manner prescribed by Islamic law; its market in Canada is estimated at $214 million, according to the study. The nationwide market for kosher beef – beef that adheres to the dietary laws of Judaism — is calculated to be about $130 million.
The study indicates that only a limited number of companies are currently servicing the specialized halal and kosher demands in Canada. These specialized products are expensive and are often only available frozen instead of fresh because of limited production and availability.
While the study focuses on the opportunity for beef, similar substantial opportunities exist for lamb, goats and poultry, Struthers noted.
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 11, 2010
Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan
On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I want to extend our best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world. Ramadan Kareem.
Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world reflect upon the wisdom and guidance that comes with faith, and the responsibility that human beings have to one another, and to God. This is a time when families gather, friends host iftars, and meals are shared. But Ramadan is also a time of intense devotion and reflection – a time when Muslims fast during the day and pray during the night; when Muslims provide support to others to advance opportunity and prosperity for people everywhere. For all of us must remember that the world we want to build – and the changes that we want to make – must begin in our own hearts, and our own communities.
These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings.
Ramadan is a celebration of a faith known for great diversity and racial equality. And here in the United States, Ramadan is a reminder that Islam has always been part of America and that American Muslims have made extraordinary contributions to our country. And today, I want to extend my best wishes to the 1.5 billion Muslims around the world – and your families and friends – as you welcome the beginning of Ramadan.
I look forward to hosting an Iftar dinner celebrating Ramadan here at the White House later this week, and wish you a blessed month.
This year Madrassah Islamiah Women/Girls section held a special Islamic Studies summer Program for the kids. It was a unique program which was named as Tarbiyat ul Banat Wal Atfal Islamic Studies Program. During the tenure of this program kids were imparted with the basic Islamic Knowledge in a systematic way with special focus on promoting their intellectual capabilities & Islamic Educational needs. Since last three years, people of Houston are more eagerly been enrolling their kids than before for this program which is an open evidence of its amazing success. MashAllah.
This year a beautiful prize distribution ceremony was held in Shahnai Reception Hall on August/5th/2010. Besides the student and their mothers, a huge number of guests attended the ceremony including Lady Doctors, Engineers, Professionals and Housewives. The participation of such a big number of Ladies and mothers shows that the city of Houston is deeply in need of such hard working institutes with vision and diligent workers.
The kid’s ceremony started with beautiful recitation of Quran by young Qaria Tooba Fatima. it was followed by Kids’ performances in Nasheeds, Quizes and their exclusive informative presentations. Guests were also presented with the highlights of the entire summer sessions. The hall was decorated soberly with kids’ Islamic arts and crafts projects, that each one was conveying Islamic message to the audience. One interesting aspect of the ceremony was the special kids’ journal issued by Madrassah Islamiah girls section for the first time in Houston. This journal named as Biyaz Ul Iman. It was all embellished with kids’ own pieces of Islamic poetry , articles and creative writings. The renowned scholar Moulana Muhammad Yousaf Islahi of India has forwarded a special acknowledgement letter for this unique Journal which is presented in the first few pages of the journal. It was a surprise for mothers and they were proud to see their kids’ talents preserved in such a way. Moms expressed their views about the program in quite an emotional way and appreciated the care and hard work of teachers in glowing words.
The prize winning students were awarded with their prizes in different educational activities. The first prize in the category of academics for class 3 went to Hunain Malik, for class 2 Iqra Rafi and for class 1 prize was given to Abdullah Haq. The ceremony was culminated with Dua and all the guests were presented with gifts of Tasbeeh and booklets of Duas & Darood. A very delicious lunch was served afterwards which was enjoyed by all.
The majority of the graduates of this program come from the refugee families of Somalia, Nigeria, Iraq & Afghanistan etc. the educational standard of the program is excellent in all aspects, however its monthly fee is only 50 dollars and that also for the ones who can afford. The purpose of holding this ceremony in Shehnai Reception hall had been to show to the Muslim brothers and sisters from such poor countries that all Muslims are equal and are far and above the linguistic, geographical and monitory differences. Another main purpose was to instill the love of Allah & His beloved Rasool Sallal Laho Allieh Wasalam in the hearts and minds of young innocent Muslims in such a way that it can not be eradicated by any foreign influences.
Management of Shahnai Restaurant and all the other well wishers who contributed to make this kids event a success deserve much congratulations & acknowledgement. May Allah reward them amply.
Madrassah Islamiah girls section offers courses for ladies & girls. That include Quranic Tajweed & Tarteel Class in Urdu and in English, Tafseer, Hadith, fiqh & Dars for Sisters. Anyone interested can contact Ladies section for further details and enrollment.
Richardson, Texas—July 31, 2010. It was a thriving evening for the families who attended the Inaugural Fundraiser for the Furqaan Academy Collin County (FACC) on July 31st.
The Inaugural Fundraiser was launched to showcase the new Furqaan Academy Collin County and its leadership. It was attended by nearly 200 people and raised close to $60,000.
“We wanted to host a public event to introduce this newest and promising Islamic School to the DFW [Dallas Fort Worth] community. Though a good number of our parents and community leaders were traveling in the summer, we were happy to see an attendance of almost 200 peopleâ€, said Wajahat Sayeed, the President and Founder of Al Furqaan Foundation, a non-profit that spreads the message of the Qur’an everywhere, the parent of the Furqaan Academy franchise.
At the Inaugural Fundraiser a few of the notable guests included Imam Dr. Zafar Anjum of Frisco, Imam Yaseen Shaikh of Plano and keynote speaker Dr. Abidullah Ghazi, the founder of the Chicago based IQRA INTL.
Hussain Kedwaii, Chair of the FACC Steering Committee, welcomed the guests and shared the vision, mission and goals of the Academy. Shaheen Madni, Noor Anwer, and Wadud Hassan, members of the management team of Furqaan Academy spoke at the event to capture the vision and introduce the programs of their respective schools: the daycare, elementary and secondary schools.
“We want them to be curious and involved, to express their feelings and ideas freely and constructively, to practice self-control and to learn how to compete with others. To meet these goals and beliefs with respect to the child’s intellectual development, our approach encourages the problem-solving ability. Reading, Writing, Math, Arabic, Islamic Studies, Science and Social Studies are important parts of the program and are always based on the level and interests of the individual child,†said Shaheen Madni, the Director of the Furqaan Academy Daycare.
Hassan, the Secondary School and Special Programs Manager, is charged to plan for the Middle and High School grades. “The Middle and High School Age is a delicate time – maintaining the highest quality instruction and resources to keep the students engaged while also training them to develop their character and faith to fully appreciate and respect the education they are receiving is the key to their success,†mentioned Hassan during his speech at the event.
The Inaugural Fundraiser on July 31st marked an important milestone for Furqaan Academy Collin County, as this opportunity was used to showcase the school leadership, share the school’s vision with the DFW leadership, allow community members to support the project and to share in the reward of starting the first full time Islamic school in the area.
The Furqaan Academy Collin County grew out of a need to have an Islamic school in Collin County. When the Islamic Association of Collin County (Plano Masjid) chose to discontinue the elementary school in the 2010-2011 school year, Collin County families were looking for a full-time Islamic school for their children. Alhamdulillah, Al-Furqaan Foundation was able to start Furqaan Academy to offer the needed service of full-time Islamic education to the under served Collin County community.
The Academy is building a unique full-time Hifz (Qur’anic memorization) and Islamic school offering quality instruction for the core subjects of Math, Science, English and Social Studies while integrating Hifz and Arabic to embed the understanding and real appreciation of the Qu’ran in the minds of the young students.
The Furqaan Academy is the first full-time Islamic school to offer a full range of educational services including a daycare, which starts next week for infants and children up to 5 years, and an elementary school in the upcoming school year. The elementary school currently offers Kindergarten through 5th grade and is scheduled to open its doors to students on August 23rd.
InshAllah, the Furqaan Academy is committed to add one grade every year to complete its 12th grade class by the 2017-2018 school year. Furqaan Academy is currently located at 1227 West McDermott Dr. at the intersection of Alma and McDermott at the border of Allen, Plano and Frisco.
The members of the Collin County community were blessed to have the opportunity to become a pioneer in establishing prestigious Islamic Institutions such as the Islamic Association of Collin County, Islamic Association of Allen, East Plano Islamic Center and Islamic Center of Frisco; now it is an opportunity to become a pioneer in establishing the first full time Islamic school in Collin County and reap the rewards for all its offerings in the future.
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For further information, please contact Wajahat Sayeed at (630) 620-0801.
Recent St. Mary’s University graduate Omar Samhan has been spending the month of July impressing onlookers as a member of the Dallas Mavericks’ summer league team in Las Vegas. However, he seems to have done a self-assessment and determined that he needs additional time to prepare for any possible National Basketball Association career. So it was announced that the Egyptian-Irish-American had signed a two year contract with Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania. Mavericks General Manager Donnie Nelson has spent a lot of time overseas and has many ties, and he was reportedly responsible for finding this spot for Samhan in the surprisingly competitive Lithuanian basketball league. Samhan took part in the Las Vegas summer league and was impressive to most scouts. And he certainly made a big splash in this past April’s NCAA tournament when he led St. Mary’s to the Sweet 16. Most evaluators have indicated that while Samhan has impressive footwork, post-moves, and work ethic, he will have to improve his agility. Perhaps a two year stint in Europe will allow him more time to reach an NBA-appropriate fitness level, especially if Lithuanian food is less than appetizing. The contract is for two years with a team option for the 2012-2013 season.
Pakistan’s Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi continues his meteoric rise up the Association of Tennis Professionals World Men’s Doubles rankings. Last week he and his partner, Rohan Bopanna of India, advanced to the semifinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington D.C. And, along the way, they defeated the second seeded team of Mike and Bob Bryan of the United States. The score was 7-6 (8-6), 7-5, and amazingly, Qureshi and Bopanna did not face a single break point of their serve in the entire match. Only a week earlier, in Los Angeles, the Bryan brothers had defeated Qureshi and Bopanna handily 6-2, 6-4. The semifinals in Washington D.C. did end in defeat for Qureshi and his partner, as they fell to Mardy Fish and Mark Knowles 7-5, 7-5. Their serve let them down in the semifinals, with only two aces as opposed to 17 in the quarterfinal victory. Nonetheless, each successive tournament this summer has shown a progression for the Indo-Pak pair. And in the process, Qureshi has now moved up another 4 ranking spots, to move to number 35 in the ATP World Men’s Doubles rankings. His goal of entering the top 20 by the end of the year would appear to be very much in sight.
Husain Ibn Muhammed Abdullah is a strong safety for the National Football League’s Minnesota Vikings. So, the punishing game of football is his livelihood. And between the two-a-day practices in August, and the games beginning in September, it is a physically rigorous routine. But that does not make him exempt from fasting in the month of Ramadan, and Abdullah knows it and embraces it.
Ramadan begins the second week of August this year, and that hits just a handful of days before the first set of exhibition games. And the regular season will begin for most teams on September 9th, which will most likely still be two days before Eid-Ul-Fitr. But Abdullah clearly has his priorities straight.
“I’m putting nothing before God, nothing before my religion,†Abdullah told Yahoo Sports. “This is something I choose to do, not something I have to do. So I’m always going to fast.†There was some concern amongst Vikings brass last year not only about Abdullah’s wellbeing but also his performance.
“Last year it occurred in early September, and we saw a dip in his performance,†coach Brad Childress told Yahoo Sports. “We said, ‘What’s wrong with Husain Abdullah? It doesn’t seem like he has enough spunk.
“I think we have our arms around it now and know when he is going to wake up and when he is going to eat and what we can pack on him before the sun comes up.â€
“I’m in awe of his commitment, and I’m glad he is doing what feels right. That said, I ask him to please, please be as careful as he goes through this. We’ve seen way too many times that heat-related illnesses are real, extreme and unforgiving dangers.â€
This year Abdullah and the team have a plan in place. He has set up a regimen with the team nutritionist to have him wake up at 2 a.m. each night to quickly drink a protein shake, followed by a big breakfast for suhoor. The day culminates of course in an iftaar meal at maghrib time.
Abdullah’s older brother, Hamza, also plays safety in the NFL, for the Arizona Cardinals. And he has a similar plan in place. The Abdullah brothers grew up in Los Angeles, and Hussain played college football at Washington State University. He went undrafted in 2008 and subsequently signed with the Vikings. Hussain and Hamza are 2 of 12 children, and they also grew up watching Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon refrain from drinking water when he had day games that fell during Ramadan.
“They talked about it during games, and we would get so excited,†Abdullah told AOL Fanhouse. “My mom would be like, ‘If he can do it while he’s playing, you guys can do it.’ We’ll be excited to do it.â€â€I’ve been doing it since I was 7,†Abdullah told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “To a Muslim, Ramadan is what we wait for every year. The holy month of Ramadan, we love it.†Mashallah!
A boy uses cream on his face as he sits in rain water on the street of Karachi July 27, 2010. Monsoon rains continued in different parts of the country on Tuesday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s website.
REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
Saturday July 31st, 2010 at least eight people, including an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and two Awami National Party workers. They were gunned down in separate incidents of targeted killings. In response to the episode of target killings an arson attack on an MQM office followed on the same day spreading to other parts of the city’s East and West districts.
According to the police MQM worker Jamil Khanzada, who was also a former councilor of UC-5 of Shah Faisal Town, was leaving a graveyard after his visit when two men on motorbikes open fired at him. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A couple of hours later two ANP workers, 40-year-old Wazeer Khan Alias Wazeerzada and 20-year-old Tahir Punjabi, were gunned downed by unknown motorcyclist outside a snooker club in Karachi. Both victims died in the hospital.
A 13 year old boy was wounded when heavy gunfire erupted in areas such as Malir and Shah Faisal Colony. People were forced to stay in their homes due to the heavy firing.
Among the 40 people who were killed were Abdul Munim, Farhan, Israr and Javed. They were wounded in the crossfire between two rival groups near Kati Pahari. The victims were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where 40-year-old Abdul Munim passed away.
On Monday August 2, 2010, MQM Sindh Assembly MPA Raza Haider was assassinated by unidentified gunmen on motorbikes. It was a drive by shooting but police are sure that it was an incident of target killing. His bodyguard was also killed in the shooting. Mr. Haider had arrived at a Mosque for a funeral in Nazimabad 2 where he was shot. He was rushed to a hospital but passed away in the ambulance.
Mr. Haider had been associated with MQM for the past 26 years. He was an elected MPA. Mr. Haider was a member of the Sindh Assembly and was associated with the MQM for the past 26 years.
After the incident Aerial firings were heard across the city of Karachi including areas such as, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Federal B Area, Orangi Town, and Nazimabad. A passenger bus was also burned on Abu Hassan Isphani road. Roads are blocked and traffic is jammed everywhere.
Haider Abbas Rizvi, MQM’s MNA, has condemned the killing and appealed for calm in the city.
While talking to reporters outside the parliament house Interior Minister Rehman Malik Condemned the killings and blamed the act on Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan who are banned in the country. “We also report that Sipah-i-Sahaba had issued him [Haider] threats†Mr. Malik Added. He also said that Sipah-i-Sahaba was targeting Shias all over the country and wants to create unrest in the country. The Interior Minister said that he has spoken to ANP leader Asfandyar Wali who also condemns the attacks. â€We shall definitely apprehend the killers,†he continued.
Police official Waqar Mallan told AFP, “He had gone to attend a relative’s funeral. Drive-by shooters attacked him near a mosque, injuring him and his guard seriously.â€
He died on his way to hospital. It is a targeted killing.â€
Spokesman for the Sindh provincial government Jameel Soomro said that this killing was a part of a broader conspiracy. While he did not name any person or organization that could be behind this incident he did say that this is a way of increasing ethnic tensions and further weaken a country which is dealing with natural disasters and terrorists at the same time.†The country is in the grip of natural calamities and we are fighting against terrorists. At this moment, conspirators want to destabilize Karachi, which is the financial engine of Pakistan,†he said.
On Tuesday August 3, 2010, The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Rabta Committee said, during a press conference, that the Federal and Provincial interior ministries knew about the threats against MPA Raza Haider prior to his death but no major steps were taken to avoid the killings.
Mr. Anees Qaimkhani stated that the provincial government was told about the Talibanization of the area but the government did not take any measures to control the situation. He also said that the MQM was being punished because they raised their voice against religious extremism, and different mafias. He blamed ANP for the killings and said that now is the time for a major operation from to control the problem.
NEW DELHI: Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi assumed charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India on July 30, taking over from Navin Chawla who held the post for one and a half years. Quraishi (63), a 1971 Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, will hold the post as 17th CEC for a little over two years. He is the first Muslim to take charge as CEC. With 35 years experience in civil service, Quraishi has served as Election Commissioner for more than four years. “I feel deeply honored on being entrusted with this assignment. Election Commission of India is an institution in which the nation places a great trust. It would be my utmost endeavor to prove myself worthy of this trust,†Quraishi said.
The new CEC’s priorities include achieving a “perfect electoral roll.†“Enhancing voters’ participation and restricting role of money power in elections are among the emerging challenges†before the Election Commission, Quraishi said. “We are already working systematically to achieve a perfect electoral roll at the earliest,†he said. The Commission is considering areas on which it could focus to strengthen checks and controls to prevent misuse of money power, Quraishi said. The Commission had held discussions among expenditure observers on this, he pointed out. “We will come out with detailed guidelines. They are being fine tuned. By the end of August, they would have been in place. We hope we will be able to tighten our control on the use of money power,†he said. Quraishi favors setting up an expenditure monitoring division that will be manned by Indian Revenue Service officers. “We will staff it properly and give it more teeth,†he said. Describing paid news, used extensively for campaigns, as detrimental to democracy, he said: “The phenomenon is not limited to elections. But we would like to appeal to media houses to be more vigilant.â€
Quraishi is also in favor of constitutional reforms in the Election Commission, particularly regarding Chief Election Commissioner’s power to remove an officer on the basis of complaints. Expressing his stand on this, he said: “One equal cannot ask for the removal of another equal.†As this is “not very healthy for institutions,†the government should bring about a constitutional reform on this, he said.
While working as EC, Quraishi favored a separate division working for larger participation of people as voters. Now, as the CEC, he plans a national consultation on voter participation. “The health of the electoral roll shows the health of democracy. If feasible, I would like to see the day when a citizen’s charter is prepared which says that if any citizen is missing from the electoral roll we should fine ourselves Rs 100 a day for not putting someone on it,†he said. The issuing of photo-ID cards should be expedited, he said.
In addition to increasing voters’ turnout in urban areas, the EC plans to make voting rights “practical†for non-resident Indians (NRIs), Quraishi said. “We have had some discussions with the ministry of overseas Indian affairs and other departments. We are trying to find a way out,†he said. With the government in favor of voting rights for NRIs, the commission is sorting out several issues, whether there would be postal-voting or the voter has to be present at the voting counter, Quraishi said. The commission is trying to make it practical, he said.
With Quraishi as CEC, assembly elections would be held in Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry. Polls in Bihar are due this October, while other states will face the ballot next year. Describing Bihar elections as “very important,†he said: “Special efforts will be made to ensure that every single eligible voter is on the rolls. The commission will consider factors like examination, monsoon, festivals, law and order and force requirement before finalizing the poll schedule.â€
On prospects of holding elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu earlier than scheduled, Quraishi said: “The commission comes into the picture only six months before the polls are due. That stage has not come in these states.â€
Quraishi has written a number of books and articles, including two major papers on “Islam, Muslims & Family Planning in India†and “Islam & AIDS.†A product of Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College, later in his career, Quraishi received a Ph.D. for his thesis on “Role of Communication and Social Marketing in Development of Women and Children.†Before joining the civil services, he earned distinction for his study of modern Persian, Arabic and German languages.
Having held several key positions in the government, Quraishi has made special contribution in the areas of social sector reforms covering health, education, population, drug abuse and civil society action. Besides, as an expert on gender and HIV/AIDS, with extensive work to his credit on issues related to population, women and child development, youth and adolescent, various international organizations- including United Nations have benefited from his experience in these fields. He joined the Election Commission in 2006, prior to which he held the post of Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs in the Center.
