NEW DELHI: Challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict over the controversial Ayodhya-issue, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH), a leading Muslim organization of India approached the Supreme Court this week (15 November). In a petition filed by JUH Joint Secretary Hafiz Mohammad Siddiq through advocate Anis Suhrawardy, the High Court verdict delivered on 30 September has been questioned. The petition has drawn the apex court’s attention to several historical facts which dispute the High Court’s verdict.
Questioning the High Court’s verdict which called for a partition of the disputed land into three between Hindus, Muslims and Nirmohi Akhara, the petition asks that as neither of the parties had pleaded for partition, what led the High Court decide this? Taking note that it had ignored historical evidence, the petition asks whether the High Court “could have re-written a history while delivering the judgment substituting its role from an adjudicatory body on law as that of a role of historians.†The petition asks: “Whether the myth, belief or faith could be substituted by history for purposes of application of law for the time being in force?†In addition to other questions, the petition asks whether the High Court looked into whether there was any structure prior to its demolition. If there was any structure, what was its nature and who had brought it up?
The petition also deliberates on whether the High Court “on basis of belief and faith could have competently decided the issue in wake of the fact†that “all supportive evidence were available with effect from year 1528 till 6.12.1992†regarding the structure. The religious texts and scriptures considered by the High Court, by its own admission, “were not definite and conclusive,†the petition points out.
The “recorded historical facts and evidences†ignored by the High Court, listed in the petition, include the first Mughal Emperor Babar’s will, which has been quoted in the book, India Divided written by Rajendra Prasad, the first president of India. The will, addressed to his successor Humayun states: “It is incumbent on thee to wipe all religious prejudices off the tablet of thy heart, administer justice according to the ways of every religion. Avoid especially the sacrifice of the cow by which thou canst capture the hearts of the people of India… Do not ruin the temples and shrines of any community which is obeying the laws of government.â€
The petition draws attention to Ram Charita Manas written by Tulsidas in 1575, which does not refer to birth place of Rama at Ayodhya, demolition of temple and/or construction of mosque in place of temple of Rama. “Demolition of temple,†followed by “construction of mosque†is referred to as an “imaginary†by the petition.
The “specific nature and character of ruins†at the site are not linked with either a temple or Ram Janam Bhoomi (Rama’s birth-place), according to a report prepared by Archaeological Survey of India, the petition states.
While rendering its decision, the petition asks, whether the High Court “departed from the rule of law, which it was required to adhere to?†The petition wonders whether the decision was “governed or influenced†by emotions, sentiments or the belief.†Did the High Court take into consideration that as the structure (Babri Masjid) had been standing for more than 453 years, “irrespective of its nature,†it had “come under the conspectus of Archaeological Survey of India.†With the structure being under the umbrella of Archaeological Survey of India, the petition points out, “it was incumbent for all citizens and authorities to protect the same irrespective of any religion, race, caste, creed or sex within the framework of the Protected Monuments Act read with the Indian Constitution.â€
In the petition, the appellant points out that the High Court’s judgment is “based on professed belief of Hindus and not on evidence.†Among other points, the petition states that the High Court “failed to appreciate that admittedly there was Babri Masjid constructed in 1528,†where Muslims offered prayers “regularly till idols were brought from the courtyard and installed there at the dead of night on 22-23 December, 1949 and worship started thereafter.†Against this backdrop, the petition points out that the “status quo ante prior to 22 December, 1949†should have been restored, but it was not.
The petition argues that slogan of Ram Janmabhoomi was raised as a “political agenda†because of which a particular party won elections and also assumed power. The party could not remain in power as it “could not manage to muster support for all times to come†as “secular ethos and traditions†of India are strong. The High Court should not have treated “a fractured belief†as an “inherent belief†for taking decision on matter of a “very sensitive nature†which “would have far reaching and wide ranging consequences.†It also puts to test the country’s secular democracy and impartiality of its Justice Delivery System.
The JUH is the first to file an appeal against the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Ayodhya-issue.
Farmington—November 21—It is always a pleasure to review technology that is uniquely interesting to Muslims, and the TV2Moro box was no exception. I received this box last week but was unfortunately unable to test it immediately. However this weekend I was able to run the box through some tests and here are my results.
Bottom line: The TV2Moro box is an improvement over its competitor, the Talfazat box which we reviewed last year, reflecting the improvement in the field of IPTV. Again, TV2Moro is a good way to get quality Arabic programming if for example you live in the middle of a large apartment complex and cannot hang out a dish or if for example you are unwilling to pay Dish Network’s very high fees. However, TV2Moro is mainly for people who speak Arabic as a first language, because it only has one channel in English (Al Jazeera English). TV2Moro appears to have done a better job of negotiating agreements with Middle Eastern channels, so has longer term potential (Talfazat has labored under rumors that it takes channels without permission or license, and also has received complaints of bad customer service). But TV2Moro does have a few hiccups, and I would argue that it is an improvement in IPTV niche TV, but not yet the last word in the field.
The IPTV brand has matured somewhat since last year. U-Verse is in more homes and the idea of IPTV is one that will likely grow exponentially with Google TV. However IPTV looks now as though it will never attain the universal appeal for television that VOIP has for telephones, where in fact people who do not have VOIP are paying too much and behind the times, where major businesses perhaps universally have switched to VOIP as a means for routing calls internally. IPTV lacks the price appeal of VOIP. U-verse for example is just as expensive as cable or satellite. However, in niche markets, such as relatively small population foreign languages, IPTV is perfect, especially when the price is right.
The box itself. The box is black, about nine inches square, and about two inches tall. It has a blue power button (blue is on, red is off). It has two USB ports—do not plug hard drives into these ports, they are only for firmware upgrades. You may fry the box if you plug the wrong thing into the USB ports. The box has HDMI out, component out, and composite out. Surprisingly, this box lacks an S-Video out (unlike Talfazat). The high-grade video outputs may be unnecessary since on most channels the video quality is not HD. There is an SPDIF audio out. Of course there is also a LAN/Ethernet jack.
The box is light and in fact feels a little bit chintzy, as a light plastic box. However the functionality does seem to work fine.
Setup is slightly harder than Talfazat—it may require your calling TV2Moro during their California office hours (8AM to 8PM California time) to set up the box. The setup guide indicates that you must activate your MAC address with TV2Moro. The technicians you will talk to are bilingual English and Arabic. In my case the box was pre-activated but I had some internal home network issues I had to resolve before I could watch TV. The technical support was patient and tried to help—although in fact the issues with the box were my own fault and I was able to remedy them myself.
The technical features on the TV2Moro box appear much more second generation than the Talfazat box, although still not fully competitive with satellite or cable—for example the EPG program guide is not yet capable of giving previews of all channels as you surf, and is incapable of giving information about the programming on each channel, although TV2Moro personnel told me improvements are in the works right now. Still, the EPG is functional and somewhat useful as-is.
Pictures (slideshow)
Note that the black lines across the screen in the pictures below are from my photography and are not visible when you are watching TV.
Channels
The “Arabic Choice†package is MUCH more limited than the Arabic Premium package. See screenshots below of available channel offerings:
Arabic Choice:
Arabic Premium:
Muslim Family Package:
Channel Quality
TV2Moro does not emphasize bandwidth as a selling point but it does emphasize channel quality—I surfed several channels including the “Dream†Channel billed as one of the highest quality channels and I found that the video quality was acceptable and decent but not HD, and not as good as video from satellite or cable. I felt the quality was better than Talfazat however.
Packages
TV2Moro has two Arabic packages, the standard (Arabic Choice) costs $25.99, and the Arabic Premium costs $44.99. Stark difference in channel lineups—the standard comprises 13 channels, while the Premium comprises 53 channels. There is also a “Coptic Bouquet†package, and a “Muslim Family†package. The Muslim family package ($22.99 by itself and $12.99 as an addition to another package) includes six channels, 3 Majd channels (Majd, Majd Qur`an, and Majd Hadeeth). The Muslim Family Package also includes the official channel of Al-Azhar (Azhari), and two other channels, Al Nas and Al Hafez. Unfortunately all of these six channels are available in Arabic only.
Bandwidth
A major selling point with Talfazat was the limited necessary bandwidth. TV2Moro does not use limited bandwidth as a selling point—but truthfully the box does not appear to manage bandwidth much worse than Talfazat—and the improvement in video quality more than justifies the slight uptick in bandwidth usage. According to my testing TV2Moro consistently used about 1.2 Mbits of bandwidth. However there was some stutter and occasional video pauses, some occasional “artifacting†where the screen showed pixelated images. I noticed that the colors sometimes seemed a little bit off. However I found the video completely acceptable and last night I watched Al Jazeera English for about an hour, completely absorbed in the content and not distracted by video quality.
Navigation
Navigation on TV2Moro is pretty straightforward, when you first turn on the box (if it connects properly to the internet) you are brought to a splashscreen.
From here you have to navigate to the “Watch TV†button and push it, then you are brought to your last viewed channel (it would be better if turning on the box brought you to that channel directly). If you click on “TV Guide†instead of “Watch TV†you are simply brought to the rudimentary EPG.
If you watch TV it looks like this.
There are settings pages in the slideshow above, but you are unlikely to use those on a daily basis so I will not focus on them.
The Remote
Surprisingly, the remote is attractive and has enough heft to feel like a quality instrument, however ergonomically it seems slightly like a crude weapon, about 1 foot long and about one pound, with metal extruding somewhat. It appears to be a metal slab about 1/8 of an inch thick, mated to a nice feeling soft plastic base. Not all of the remote’s buttons work correctly (perhaps they are designed to pre-date improvements to the TV2Moro functionality). There are fairly typical buttons and some advanced features which don’t work, like VOD, Web, Email, and Subtitles. My remote started to come apart at the seams after a few days of use—a little disappointing. There is an annoying separation which clicks, at the point on the right side where the metal joins the plastic. Not really a big deal, although with so many remote control manufacturers making plastic remotes that work fine this flaw is a little bit annoying. There are buttons which work fine, among them Menu, EPG, Info, and Back buttons. The Menu button just brings you to the opening splashscreen, a choice between Watch TV and TV Guide. Probably this button should go to a settings page instead. The Info button shows no information about current programming unfortunately—it only shows the overlay at the bottom of the screen with the channel name and number. The back button is important when navigating through the settings and also brings you back and forth between the most recently used two channels, when you are watching television. The mute button works, as do the volume and channel up-down buttons.
One nice feature which I liked was the “Aspect†feature which enables you to toggle between the available aspect ratios with one button, going from 16:9 to Zoom to Zoom1 to 4:3.
Customer service
My customer service was pretty good. I was surprised that nobody picked up the phone when I called during the California business hours. But after I left a message I got a call back within a few minutes, and the person helped me set up the box. I also got a call from technical support, and they stayed on the line with me patiently. I cannot really judge how well they troubleshoot because what was preventing me from watching TV was really my own fault and I was able to remedy the solution myself.
Performance Testing
My internet connection has improved since last year when I did the Talfazat review. I now have a cable internet connection that I tested before doing a bench test of TV2Moro at an average speed of 8.9 Mbits per second downstream. One fact I noticed about my cable internet connection (sold as 12 Mbit) is that each test was slower than the previous test, starting at my first test of 14.85 Mbits per second and reducing to 3.3 Mbits per second in the last test. Therefore Comcast appears to intentionally limit bandwidth, giving burst bandwidth when you first begin downloading, and then constraining downloads over time. This potentially means limited ability to receive video over internet, which requires steady and heavy internet use. As with my Talfazat test last year, I came to these speed measures by using Firefox’s Broadband Speed Test and Diagnostics add-on, running the download speed check five times and averaging the results.
As before I monitored my WRT-54G router running Tomato and watched the bandwidth usage as I tested (this time) the TV2Moro box and other computers on the network accessing Youtube, Boxee, and Veoh.
To establish a baseline, I began (with the TV2Moro box unplugged) as before with the Talfazat box, by watching the District 9 original movie on Youtube (at about 7:08PM), when my bandwidth jumped to nearly 800 kbits per second then declined to about 380 kbits per second.
Then at about 7:20PM I turned on Pandora and let music play for a while. The bandwidth settled to about 270 kbits per second before I turned it off.
Then again I turned on CSI Miami on Boxee, at about 7:54PM—there was less choppiness than a year ago with my slower connection of the time. Bandwidth predictably jumped up to 2.7 Mbits per second.
At about 8PM I turned on Al Jazeera English on TV2Moro. Traffic went up to 3.5 Mbits per second with both Boxee and TV2Moro on at the same time. However there was no choppiness on Al Jazeera English. Traffic settled at around 3.3 Mbits per second. At about 8:05PM I turned on 60 Minutes on Veoh, on a third computer. Therefore Boxee CSI Miami, Al Jazeera English, and 60 Minutes on Veoh, were all running at the same time. There was no choppiness on Al Jazeera. Traffic settled at about 4.2 Mbits per second, then declined to about 4.0 Mbits per second.
I let all three video sources play until 8:22PM and then turned off Boxee and Veoh, leaving only TV2Moro. Until that time there were no noticeable slow-downs on Al-Jazeera. There was some minor artifacting which affected the screen, but it was minimal and short-lived. Bandwidth diminished after I turned off the two video sources–to just over 1.2 Mbits per second—surprisingly small. I let Al Jazeera run for about 60 minutes. Bandwidth was very steady at just under 1.2 Mbits per second. Video quality was very acceptable, with occasional jolts of time so that words would be lost—â€good afternoon and welcome … Al Jazeera… begin our broadcast this evening with …†but such jolts were limited in extent and the video was absolutely watchable.
When my network turned off at 10PM, the TV2Moro box unfortunately did not handle it well. There should be some algorithm that checks two or three normally available channels and then indicates “please check network—no access to internet.†Like the Talfazat box, the TV2Moro box just faded to black without explanation when it lost its network connection.
The downside
TV2Moro hiccupped several times during my use. First, occasionally audio and video get enough out of sync so that the viewer can see there is a delay—it is only a slight delay however. Second, when left on for a long time, it can freeze. I left Al Jazeera on for hours while I watched cable, and when I turned back to the TV2Moro box the channel had frozen. In my case this was easily remedied by switching the offending channel off and then back on again. Third, there is a visible stutter to the video—it appears that the frame rate is much less than the standard with satellite or cable—so the video quality is noticeably less than what you are used to. Nevertheless the video is absolutely watchable. In fact the video quality is superior to Talfazat, although appears slightly inferior to standard cable or satellite video quality.
Conclusion
For native speakers of Arabic, living in the US and homesick for the television stations from their home countries, TV2Moro is the clear industry leader, making enough Arabic channels available for $45 per month to feed the addiction of a homesick television-holic, and providing them with some competence as well. For most people I would think that TV2Moro is an alternative to traditional satellite and cable, rather than a supplement to satellite or cable.
TV2Moro’s broadcast highlights the need and opportunity for broadcast of English-language Islamic stations. Since France’s TV24 is so interested in broadcasting, perhaps TV2Moro should attempt to broadcast its French language broadcast. There are other Muslim communities in the United States and Canada. Niche providers would do well to get licenses to broadcast Bosnian TV, Somali TV, French-language TV, and more. Many Muslims from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia would likely welcome French language broadcast, even of French programming but also the programming from their home countries.
I will be returning my box to TV2Moro impressed by their product but with some regret that unfortunately the IPTV industry has not yet fully recognized the potential of the niche market of Muslims who do not speak Arabic—two thirds of American Muslims have limited knowledge of Arabic. English language channels relating to Qur`an, Fiqh and Hadith are sorely needed. However TV2Moro’s box is useful in that it provides Al Jazeera English, which provides news unsullied by the anti-Muslim bias that pervades most American news.
For more information about TV2Moro please visit tv2moro.com.
Oklahoma City University has appointed Mahmood Shandiz as the university’s associate vice president for international admissions. Shandiz formerly served as senior associate dean and professor of management in the Meinders School of Business.
Shandiz teaches primarily in the areas of statistics and quantitative management. He has taught extensively overseas and served as senior consultant in the Meinders School of Business Research and Consulting Center. Shandiz also has served as interim dean of the Meinders School of Business. Before coming to OCU, he was regional sales director for General Nutrition Corp.
Shandiz is widely published and has conducted sales/motivational seminars for middle managers for General Nutrition Corporation. His business and industry experience includes six years as regional sales director at General Nutrition Corporation.
The prospect of a negotiated peace is dismissed almost outright. . . . “There are no al-Qa’eda fighters in Afghanistan any more.â€
By James Fergusson
Afghan men wait to perform Eid al-Adha prayers in Kabul November 16, 2010.
REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
The sound of a propeller engine is audible the moment my fixer and I climb out of the car, causing us new arrivals from Kabul to glance sharply upwards. I have never heard a military drone in action before, and it is entirely invisible in the cold night sky, yet there is no doubt what it is. My first visit to the Taliban since 2007 has only just begun and I am already regretting it. What if the drone is the Hellfire-missile-carrying kind?
Three years ago, the Taliban’s control over this district, Chak, and the 112,000 Pashtun farmers who live here, was restricted to the hours of darkness although the local commander, Abdullah, vowed to me that he would soon be in full control. As I am quickly to discover, this was no idle boast. In Chak, the Karzai government has in effect given up and handed over to the Taliban. Abdullah, still in charge, even collects taxes. His men issue receipts using stolen government stationery that is headed “Islamic Republic of Afghanistanâ€; with commendable parsimony they simply cross out the word “Republic†and insert “Emirateâ€, the emir in question being the Taliban’s spiritual leader, Mullah Omar.
The most astonishing thing about this rebel district and for Nato leaders meeting in Lisbon this week, a deeply troubling one is that Chak is not in war-torn Helmand or Kandahar but in Wardak province, a scant 40 miles south-west of Kabul. Nato commanders have repeatedly claimed that the Taliban are on the back foot following this year’s US troop surge. Mid-level insurgency commanders, they say, have been removed from the battlefield in “industrial†quantities since the 2010 campaign began. And yet Abdullah, operating within Katyusha rocket range of the capital and with a $500,000 bounty on his head has managed to evade coalition forces for almost four years. If Chak is in any way typical of developments in other rural districts and Afghanistan has hundreds of isolated valley communities just like this one then Nato’s military strategy could be in serious difficulty.
At the roadside, Abdullah himself materialises from the darkness. He seems hugely amused to see me again. The drone, thankfully, turns out to be a ringay the local, onomatopoeic nickname for a small camera drone. Abdullah says it’s the armed versions, the larger-engined Predators and Reapers, known as buzbuzak, that we need to worry about and this definitely isn’t one of those. I imagine some CIA analyst in Langley, Virginia, freeze-framing a close-up of my face and filing it under “Insurgentâ€. In this valley, no one but the Taliban moves about in vehicles after dark.
In the middle of the night, after supper on the floor of a village farmhouse, I am taken by half a dozen Talibs to inspect the local district centre, a mud-brick compound garrisoned by 80 soldiers of the Afghan National Army who, Abdullah says, are too scared ever to come out. “We attack them whenever we like,†he says, producing Russian-made night vision glasses and examining the ANA’s forward trench positions. “In fact, we can attack them now if you want. Would you like that?†I politely decline the offer.
Kabul, Abdullah insists, controls just one square kilometre around the district centre; the rest of Chak belongs to the Taliban. “Last year, 30 ANP [Afghan National Police] came over to our side with two trucks full of heavy weapons… They could see how popular we were here, and that they were following the wrong path. They were all from the north. We sent them home to their villages.†During this September’s parliamentary elections, he adds with pride, 86 of the province’s 87 polling stations remained closed. A local candidate, Wahedullah Kalimzai, has since been accused of bribing election officials to stuff the ballot boxes in the one polling station that did open. “And Kabul has the temerity to call these elections a success!â€
A former engineering student at a Kabul polytechnic, Abdullah has also become a champion military truck burner since 2007. The eastern edge of Chak is delineated by the Kabul-to-Kandahar highway, a key supply route for the Nato war machine in the south. Repaved by the US just seven years ago at a cost of $190m, the road today is pockmarked with craters left by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Over the years, he says, his men have destroyed “hundreds†of Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) vehicles on this stretch. His personal record is a convoy of 81 fuel trucks ambushed in a single, memorable night.
“We were scared of the Americans at first,†says Abdullah’s deputy, Mullah Naim. “We heard they had technology so powerful that they could see a mouse blink from space. But none of that turned out to be true.†This is not to say that the Taliban are not cautious. The Americans, Abdullah admits, have come close to catching or killing him more times than he can count. He issues his orders over a field radio and several mobile phones, on none of which he speaks for more than about a minute. He and his men seldom stop anywhere for long: in the 24 hours I spent with them we changed location six times, sometimes on foot, sometimes by car and, once, on a pair of Chinese motorbikes. Taking photographs of them is out of the question.
Their greatest concern is the risk of betrayal by “spiesâ€. That night, indeed, three strangers are arrested further up the valley after they were allegedly spotted taking pictures on their mobile phones. At 6am, after consulting by phone with Taliban headquarters in Pakistan, Abdullah announces that they will be tried by the local sharia judge an official appointed, like him, by HQ and that the three can expect to be hanged if found guilty. I ask if he has identified any enemies in Chak using data from Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks website, which he knows all about. “Not yet, because there are no computers here,†he replies, “but headquarters is still analysing the material… We have already learned a great deal, in general, about the way Isaf operates.â€
The atmosphere in Chak, perhaps unsurprisingly, feels oppressive and a little paranoid. No Western journalist has been to see these Taliban since my last visit, and they are careful not to advertise my presence unnecessarily now, insisting that I swathe my face in a woollen patou when we go outside. The community, self-contained even in normal times, has been cut off from the rest of the country for three years. The confusing maze of dirt tracks at the valley’s entrance is frequently seeded with IEDs which travellers must deactivate and reactivate by punching a code into a mobile phone. The only way in for invaders is by helicopter, therefore and since the summer, US special forces have launched airborne kill or capture raids in the district “almost every nightâ€. Sentries posted on mountaintops all around remain on permanent lookout for unusual helicopter activity: often the first sign of another night raid, and a signal for the Taliban to take to the hills themselves.
The effect of these night raids on Abdullah’s command structure has been negligible, but the same cannot be said for the effect on public opinion. Dozens of blameless locals have allegedly been killed by “the Americansâ€. Abdullah reels off a list of fatal incidents in the last two months alone a taxi-driver here, a farmer asleep in his orchard there, three students trying to get home to their families over there and it is clear that these attacks have done nothing but bolster support for the insurgents. “Thousands of people turn out at the funerals of our martyrs and chant ‘Death to America’,†one Talib tells me. This may be an exaggeration, but there is no arguing with what has happened at the bomb-shattered farmer’s house that I am later taken to see. The apple tree outside is freshly festooned with strips of green cloth the mark of a spontaneous local shrine.
Abdullah and his men seem to thrive under the threat of sudden death, as though infected by a kind of joie de guerre. He says it is the ambition of all of them to die as ghazi that is, as martyrs, in battle against the infidel. “It is our religious duty to resist you foreigners,†he tells me just as he did in 2007. “You must understand that we will never stop fighting you never.â€
The prospect of a negotiated peace is dismissed almost outright. “All this talk of a political settlement with Karzai… it is all tricks and propaganda,†he says. “The Taliban will not negotiate with anyone until all foreign troops have left.†His men are genuinely perplexed by General Petraeus’s assertion that Nato’s purpose in Afghanistan is to prevent the re-establishment of al-Qa’ida. “There were some foreign fighters in Chak for a while last year,†Mullah Naim recalls, “Arabs, Chechens, Pakistanis. But they were fighting under the Taliban, obeying our orders. They were nothing to do with al-Qa’ida. There are no al-Qa’ida fighters in Afghanistan any more. I have fought in the south and in the east as well as here. In seven years of operations I have not seen a single al-Qa’ida fighter. Not one.â€
TMO Editor’s note: This is printed because Prophet (s) delivered this sermon during Hajj and our Hajj 1431 just ended. It is beautiful and good for us to remember as Muslims.
Date delivered: 632 A.C., 9th day of Dhul al Hijjah, 10 A.H. in the ‘Uranah valley of Mount Arafat.
After praising, and thanking God, he said: “O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital , however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God has judged that there shall be no riba and that all the riba due to `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib. O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of them are sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste…
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, NO PROPHET OR MESSENGER WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the QUR’AN*) and my SUNNAH (the example and traditions of the Prophet (s)), if you follow them you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.
*The Qur’an: Revealed to Prophet Muhammad during the period from 610-632 AC. The first five verses revealed are: (1) Read in the name of your Lord, Who created. (2) Created man out of a clot that clings (in the womb). (3) Read and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. (4) Who taught by the pen. (5) Taught man that which he knew not.
The US offered this week to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror as early as the middle of next year if Sudan agrees to let South Sudan secede in a referendum in January.
By Alan Boswell
Juba, South Sudan–Fearing a new surge of violence in Sudan, Sen. John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts played diplomat once again this week by flying out to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, for the second time in just two weeks.
Senator Kerry brought with him a message from President Obama: If President Omar al-Bashir lets Sudan’s oil-rich southern region secede peacefully in an upcoming referendum in January, the US will remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror as early as the middle of next year. The State Department designation is shared by only 3 other countries: Cuba, Iran, and Syria. But will the offer work?
Independence mania
Semiautonomous South Sudan heads to the polls in Jan. 9 for a referendum on secession, and independence mania here is in full swing. A digital clock counting down to the date has been erected in main roundabout of the capital, Juba. The edifice shows a picture of two fists breaking out of shackles.
Sudan 101: Could the war over South Sudan spark up again?
Yet southerners – and the international community – remain unconvinced Bashir is ready to let the south go, despite the fact he agreed to the plebiscite under a 2005 US-brokered peace deal. South Sudan is home to 80 percent of the nation’s oil production, vast tracts of arable land, and most of Sudan’s above-ground water.
Obama’s carrot
The US is hoping to use its diplomatic weight to try to persuade Sudan to abide by its own rules. But Obama’s options are limited. Short of military action, the US has little to threaten Sudan with, so heavily was the nation put under sanctions during Bill Clinton and George W. Bush’s presidencies.
So instead of “sticks,†the Obama administration is trying a different track: incentives, or “carrots.†Kerry’s new proposal sweetens a previous offer from the Obama administration by speeding up the timeframe the administration can expect the terror label to be lifted, and by making it independent of developments in Darfur, where conflict continues.
Publicly, Bashir’s National Congress Party claims it is fully committed to implementing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement and will accept the result of the southern referendum, so it is difficult to judge how the offer has been received.
“This proposal from [Kerry] does not matter,†NCP communication officer Rabi Abdel-Atti told the Monitor. “The two sides are already engaged in continuous discussions, and the negotiations are proceeding. We don’t understand what outside proposals have to do with anything.â€
Will it strengthen pragmatists?
The Obama administration’s hope is that this offer will strengthen pragmatists around Bashir who believe the regime can not afford another war and should instead strike a deal with a seceding Southern Sudan to share oil revenues.
The US offer did, though, leave much off the table. US officials have so far made clear to the regime that full US sanctions will not be lifted as long as the ongoing conflict in Darfur remains unresolved. Because of this, the new proposal offers little economic benefit to Khartoum, especially in relation to the vast southern resources it is being pressured to surrender, according to Bayless Parsley, an Africa analyst for Austin-based global intelligence company STRATFOR.
“In the Sudanese government’s eyes, what Kerry brought to Khartoum asks far too much for far too little in return,†says Mr. Parsley.
Bashir has plenty of internal disincentives toward allowing the peace deal to crumble, including a de-moralized army, rising discontent in other regions of Sudan, and the need to keep oil revenues safely pumping.
Those pushing for an increased US role in trying to prevent more conflict here say that while America’s involvement might not make all the difference, the extra muscle certainly cannot hurt.
Dr Husain Nagamia has been unanimously nominated by Hillsborough County Medical Association Board (HCMA) to receive the prestigious Dr Fredrick Reddy Award for the year 2010.
This award was established in 2006 by the HCMA and is given on a yearly basis to a physician who exemplifies the ideals set by Dr Fredrick Reddy, a past president of the Association in 1994-95
Dr Fredrick Reddy (Jan 21,1951 to July 27, 2005) an Afro American Surgeon of exemplary qualities, set the standards of compassion, generosity, philanthropy, and care given as an addition to his professional medical practice, one of excellence and dedication. He was known for his bold new innovations and is remembered as the one that led the integration of the all white “Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla†in 1992. “He could not only heal the body but could heal the soul.†recalls Dr Sylvia Campbell one of the previous award recipients. Dr Dennis Penzell adds that Dr Reddy took care of the poor, “before it was fashionable to do so.â€
He came from humble beginnings spending his early childhood in Ybor City in Tampa. His father was in the military, which was to take him to France. On his return Fredrick enrolled at the Meharry Medical College to get his MD. He became a brilliant student and a surgeon with training under the famous surgeon Dr Mathew Walker. He was to serve at the St Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa as Chief of Trauma Service. He made several trips to Haiti in the 1980s, to operate on the poor and needy. He certainly set an example, which all our young physicians can emulate. Unfortunately he died prematurely at the young age of 54, of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Dr Husain Nagamia is a life member of the HCMA. He has been practicing as a Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgeon for the last 34 years in Hillsborough County. He served as the Chief of that department at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) in 2000-2002 and during his term, offered his services selflessly to all private and indigent patients admitted to his care.
He is a compassionate and caring physician, who has served Hillsborough County residents for 34 years. He has demonstrated a great spirit of giving and caring for the Hillsborough community residents, by not only providing medical service but by also being a generous philanthropist and an exemplary citizen. He was born in India, but migrated to USA in 1970, to become a Cardio Vascular Surgeon, doing his training at the prestigious Boston University and Harvard School of Medicine. He became a US Citizen in 1975.
He pioneered the Annual Charity Festival in Tampa for the last 13 years. The Charity Festival is a way of helping poor and indigent and homeless residents of the Hillsborough County. About 3000-5000 indigent persons are fed annually at the Festival. About 2000 toys and bicycles are given away annually and distributed to deserving kids. Over 200 medical tests are performed for free. Unlimited free clothing and new shoes are distributed. This act of philanthropy has been recognized by the local media, by his own community, and multiple physician organizations, locally and nationally. He has also received commendations and plaques of recognition, from the United States Department of State, Tampa Police Department and by the Office of Mayor of Tampa.
He also served as the President of the Florida Association of American Physicians from India (FAAPI), the largest Indian Physician organization in the Tampa Bay Area and during his term of office helped raise funding ( in excess of $150,000) for a Scholarship at USF, for deserving medical students. He was an active participant in their “Feed the Hungry Program†conducted during Thanksgiving holidays. He has volunteered at the Metropolitan Ministries’ Feed the homeless program. In the past he has been President of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), the largest organization of Muslim Physicians in North America, and presently serves as the Chairman of the International Institute of Islamic Medicine (IIIM) an organization devoted to the History of Medicine.
Finally, he has been an exemplary physician, a commendable citizen, who has brought care and compassion to medical practice, besides professional excellence. He is well deserving of the award for which he has been nominated. The award will be officially presented by the President of HCMA, at their annual Banquet to be held Nov 16th 2010.
By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS Middle East Correspondent
One of the traditional hallmarks of the Eid al Fitr & al Adha festivities in the Middle East is young children and adolescents lighting off firecrackers and bottle rockets much to the chagrin of anyone within earshot. The first cracks and ear-shattering pops can be heard within moments of the ending of the Eid prayers. During the holiday, which lasts from between 3-10 days in the wealthy Gulf region, the scent of burnt sulfur wafts in the air as many adults wrestle with allowing their children to make some noise or having some peace and quiet.
The downside to parents allowing their kids, some who are still in elementary school, to welcome the Eid holidays with firecrackers is the inevitable injuries that often ensue. In Kuwait for example, every Eid holiday is followed by reports in the local media of children being scarred, maimed or even blinded by firecrackers. Other countries in the region, like the UAE, often struggle with a spate of firecracker-related injuries both during and after the Eid holidays.
Most countries in the Middle East have banned the import of fireworks and igniting a firecracker is a crime. Nevertheless, smugglers still manage to bring scores of fireworks and related paraphernalia into the region. With little enforcement of the law, most kids can get away with lighting fireworks with reckless abandon. However, at least one country is putting its’ foot down.
Oman has taken a hard line against fireworks this Eid promising to punish lighter-toting and firework-combusting transgressors straight to the slammer. The Royal Oman Police are on alert for anyone distributing or using fireworks. The penalty for ignoring the ban may result in a three-year jail stint and a fine in upwards of 3,000 Omani riyals. Repeat offenders face a double penalty and will be tried in an Omani court of law without the possibility of parole.
Oman is not the only country grappling with firework-related crime. This past week, three Indian expatriates were arrested in Kuwait for possessing fireworks. Apparently the trio had been lighting the fireworks at their residence in celebration of the recent Diwali, or Hindu “Festival of Lightsâ€, festivities.
In April of 1964, the man famous for forceful resolutions to the race problems in America made Hajj. Below is his letter from Malcolm X, following his trip to Mecca.
Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this Ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.
I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Mecca. I have made my seven circuits around the Ka’ba, led by a young Mutawaf named Muhammad. I drank water from the well of the Zam Zam. I ran seven times back and forth between the hills of Mt. Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. I have prayed in the ancient city of Mina, and I have prayed on Mt. Arafat.
There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.
America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered ‘white’–but the ‘white’ attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.
You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to re-arrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.
During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug)–while praying to the same God–with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions in the deeds of the ‘white’ Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana.
We were truly all the same (brothers)–because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behavior, and the white from their attitude.
I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man–and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their ‘differences’ in color.
With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called ‘Christian’ white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster–the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.
Each hour here in the Holy Land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white. The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities–he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the walls and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth–the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.
Never have I been so highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and unworthy. Who would believe the blessings that have been heaped upon an American Negro? A few nights ago, a man who would be called in America a ‘white’ man, a United Nations diplomat, an ambassador, a companion of kings, gave me his hotel suite, his bed. … Never would I have even thought of dreaming that I would ever be a recipient of such honors–honors that in America would be bestowed upon a King–not a Negro.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.
MINA: One of two young South African cyclists who rode all the way from Cape Town to Makkah has spoken of his happiness at finally being able to perform Haj.
Nathim Cairncross, 28, and Imtiyaz Haron, 25, arrived in the holy city on Nov. 2, understandably exhausted after covering an estimated 11,000 kilometers in the space of nine months.
They had told Arab News previously that they cycled to Makkah to physically prepare for the rigors associated with performing their first pilgrimage. “However, [Haj] was not as difficult as we thought it would be,†Cairncross told Arab News from his base in Aziziyah on Tuesday. “Alhamdullillah it’s gone very well. I think it was important not to get caught up in the crowds of people.â€
He added that while they undertook the journey for many personal reasons, they also wanted to improve their spiritual wellbeing. “It was a very tough journey, and you definitely have to be open-minded and flexible,†he said.
Their trek took them from South Africa through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Palestine before finally arriving in the Kingdom.
“It wasn’t just a religious journey,†said Cairncross. “It was also about seeing Africa and the sights in other countries too.â€
He added that in Zimbabwe they did some voluntary work, teaching local children how to count, read and write.
The cyclists did not encounter any serious problems on their journey, and were often very well looked after by the locals in the cities they traveled through. Both pedaled 80 to 100 kilometers a day and would rest from dusk till dawn.
“There was ample food in Africa. We managed to get really good connections in the big cities. They offered us food, water and accommodation,†added Cairncross.
Although language was a barrier, they picked up Arabic as they traveled through Syria and Jordan. This served them in good stead when they reached the Saudi border, where they were greeted and welcomed by border guards.
For the cyclists, who had seen so many famous landmarks on their arduous journey, by far the best sight they encountered was when they entered the Grand Mosque. “Seeing the Kaaba was incredible,†said Cairncross. “That feeling you get, it was like the cherry on the cake. The wildlife, the nature throughout Africa, nothing compares.â€
He added that once they reached Makkah, linking up with South African tour group Khidmatul Awaam, the cyclists decided to temporarily go their separate ways. “Me and Imtiyaz never spent time together when we went to the Grand Mosque or while we did our Haj. We thought it was important to be alone and surrounded by strangers,†he said.
Cairncross also commended the organization of the pilgrimage, adding that a lot of credit must go to the Saudi authorities. He said from what he has seen, the Kingdom has constantly been improving its management of Haj every year. “We’re still hoping to meet some of the Saudi Royal family,†he added laughingly.
While he politely declined to say what he prayed for at Arafat, Cairncross did add that it was important to be as well prepared as possible when performing the pilgrimage.
He also said he and Haron planned to sell their bicycles in a bid to fund a plane ticket back to Cape Town. If that fails, he added, they hope a sponsor would step in to help them get home.
Both Cairncross and Haron are students of Islamic law and have studied Shariah teachings and law. “I joined a university and completed a course in town planning and am working in the field of construction,†Cairncross said.
Both of them are single and love sports. While Cairncross is interested in wind surfing along beaches and seas, Haron, an economics graduate, excels in kickboxing and mountain climbing. Arab News
Michelle and I extend our greetings for a happy Eid-ul-Adha to Muslims worldwide and wish safe travels to those performing Hajj. This year, nearly three million pilgrims from more than 160 countries – including the United States – have gathered in Mecca and neighboring sites to perform the Hajj rituals and stand together in prayer.
On Eid, Muslims around the world will commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, and distribute food to those less fortunate – a reminder of the shared values and the common roots of three of the world’s major religions.
On behalf of the American people, we extend our best wishes during this Hajj season – Eid Mubarak and Hajj Mabrour.
Planning to fly this holiday season? You’ve probably already braced yourself for long lines, delays and extra fees just to check your luggage.
Unfortunately, you can also expect another hassle at the airport this year. 70 airports around the country are now using controversial body scanners—also known as “naked scanners.†These machines use low-dose radiation to produce strikingly graphic images of passengers’ bodies, essentially taking a naked picture as passengers pass through security checkpoints.
Yes, authorities at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) say you can opt out of the naked scan. But doing so will subject you to new and highly invasive manual searches of your body, including your breasts, buttocks and inner thighs.
All of us have a right to travel without such crude invasions of our privacy. Tell DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to put in place security measures that respect passengers’ privacy rights.
The government is also violating travelers’ privacy in another way: by searching and seizing the laptops and other electronic devices of international travelers. Never before in history have customs officers been able to routinely pour through a lifetime’s worth of letters, photographs, purchase records and other data. This enormous invasion of privacy peers into people’s lives in a way that has never been done before.
There’s already an outcry building over all of these new searches. In fact, travelers and the ACLU have pushed back before against invasive screening, and the TSA quietly retreated back to a lighter touch. But if we want to stop these invasive practices, we’ve got to put our voices together.
Tell DHS to rein in these invasive, out-of-control searches and to implement security measures that ensure passenger privacy.
The ACLU has prepared a useful guide to help you navigate your options at the airport. It details ways to protect your privacy during air travel. It also describes how to file official complaints about any TSA trouble you encounter. View it here.
If you think your rights have been violated while you’re traveling, please let us know about it. Just fill out this form online to share your story.
You shouldn’t have to check your rights when you check your luggage. With the holiday travel season fast approaching, we need to make sure that security measures are in place that actually make us more secure without compromising passenger privacy.
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Three men defrauded 300 Muslim investors and three banks out of $44 million in a real estate Ponzi scheme that promised profits, not interest, to adhere with sharia law, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Salman Ibrahim, 37, and Mohammad Akbar Zahid, 59, claimed that Sunrise Equities Inc earned monthly profits on real estate investments, not interest, in the alleged scheme that took in a total of $69 million from 2003 to 2008, according to a federal indictment unveiled by the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago.
But Sunrise was not generating any profits, and existing investors were being paid off with contributions from newer investors, according to the indictment.
Sunrise’s owners lured hundreds of Pakistani-American Muslim investors in Chicago and around the United States with promises of annual returns of 15 percent to 30 percent that they claimed were compliant with sharia, or Islamic law, according to the indictment.
“This is the first time in Chicago that an alleged fraud scheme has been uncovered that used a pillar of Islam to induce potential victims to invest their funds,†Robert Grant, the FBI’s top agent in Chicago, said in a statement.
Some investors were persuaded to refinance their homes and sink the proceeds into Sunrise, according to the indictment.
The accused made allegedly false statements about their net worth and about planned real estate projects to secure $29 million in bank loans from Mutual Bank, Cole Taylor Bank and Devon Bank that were not repaid, according to the indictment.
Some of the funds were used to operate a motorcycle parts manufacturing company in Pakistan, a gas station in a Chicago suburb, and a medical equipment sales company in Chicago, the indictment said. Other funds went to build a home and an Islamic school, pay for leases on personal cars, make home renovations, and to pay off a defendant’s mortgage.
Ibrahim and Zahid were each charged with seven counts of fraud and one count of bank fraud. They are believed to be living abroad and are being sought, authorities said.
Each count of fraud or bank fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on conviction..
A third owner of Sunrise, Amjed Mahmood, 47, whose title was senior vice president of construction, was arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years and a $250,000 fine.
(Reporting by Andrew Stern, Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
A jaunt to now-Muslim-majority Bethlehem, in the Palestinian Authority, reveals a thriving city: renovated, bustling, affluent. When I remark on the profusion of late-model European SUVs, my Palestinian host shrugs: “Like in the West — they live beyond their means.â€
This was echoed by a report in the Israeli press, which stated that “Palestinian and Arab banks in the West Bank are offering… incentives to draw the average Palestinian into purchasing a car… by paying 10% of the new car’s value and slowly paying off the rest to the bank, with interest…†(my translation, Haaretz, July 16, 2010).
With interest?
Strictly speaking, Muslims are forbidden to charge or pay interest — by the Qur’an, the hadith (sayings of the Prophet and his followers), and contemporary rulings based on these. Islamic banking does not in fact permit the charging of interest, but Islamic banking is relatively new. The first Islamic bank appeared in Egypt in 1963, and the sector only began to gather steam in the 1990s.
Unlike conventional banks, Islamic banks use a complex mix of banking and investment vehicles to comply with religious dictates. Examples include home financing through declining rent schedules and offering investments in real estate and other sectors that offer non-interest income.
Several factors have strengthened the Islamic banking sector. Foremost among them is the rapid growth of the world’s Muslim population — by over 235 percent in the past 50 years. Second, this population is increasingly demanding Shariah-compliant banking services. Last but hardly least, Islamic financial institutions have weathered the recent credit crisis with relative success.
The result? By 2010, more than 500 institutions worldwide were providing Islamic banking and financial services, solely or alongside conventional ones, managing an estimated $1 trillion in assets.
One might reasonably expect these institutions to have a sizeable presence on the Internet. Yet this is not the case. Those Arab banks that offer online services, such as Arab Bank Palestine, often do so solely for their conventional services. Exceptions are Habib Bank Ltd. and Dubai Islamic Bank, which launched e-banking in 2002.
More notable in a global context is HSBC Amanah’s premier online service, launched this August and aimed at “internationally mobile, affluent consumers.†HSBC Amanah also offers its regular customers Islamic e-banking services.
Yet until quite recently, these banks were the exception, not the rule. One study found that, of 24 institutions offering both Islamic and conventional services, only eight offered Islamic e-banking, while 17 offered conventional e-banking. Among the reasons cited for this, the most plausible is also the most interesting: that e-banking’s advantages — speed, efficacy, convenience — are less valued in a region where “a visit to the bank… might be… an opportunity to socialize.â€
However, as Internet access increases in the Middle East and the Muslim middle class expands, so will the presence of Islamic online banking. One sign of this is the online Dow Jones Islamic Market Indexes. Another is Failaka, a research and advisory fund in Islamic financial investment established over a decade ago.
That Failaka’s Website lists more members on its shariah advisory board than it does professional staff may obliquely highlight why there’s a lag in Islamic banking’s online parity with its conventional peers. The imperative that an Islamic financial institution have an advisory board of shariah experts may slow decision-making and, hence, transactions, making them no match for Internet speed. Moreover, until recently, there has been a shortage of professionals who are experts in both Islamic law and economics.
Yet this, too, is bound to change, as institutions and programs such as The Global University of Islamic Finance — which, saliently, offers study online — proliferate. It is their graduates who will provide the innovative products on which the future of Islamic banking depends.
For now, no doubt, some of Bethlehem’s stylish, hijab-clad soccer moms are relying on iPhone4 access to the impressive, successful Palestine Exchange as they squire their children to practice in SUVs. — Marsha Weinstein is a writer, editor, translator, photographer, and social worker who divides her time between Connecticut and Israel.
Berkeley–November 1st–About three weeks ago my colleague in Abu Dhabi and former supervisor at the Karachi-base monthly, South Asia, wrote a perspective article about the Kashmir imbroglio (on these pages) as a Pakistani national. Also, Gulam Fai recently of the Kashmiri-American Council, published a piece herein.
Today this stringer is composing a study upon the same geopolitical calamity from the viewpoint of the Pacific shores of the Metropole (i.e. the peripheral center of a world empire – America).
Your author does believe that after Palestine, Kashmir is the most perilous places upon this earth for a tragic third world war to break forth. The nuclear question is quite the opposite between these two regions. In the Middle East, only Israel has the bomb. Therefore, none of their potential Arab opponents — the Islamic nations in the region — can defend themselves. Thus, there is no MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction), the stratagem that, if one nation uses a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD), the other(s) will respond in kind. That is probably why the Iranians are building a creditable defense of their own – to counter the Israeli regional threat — at this moment.
Yet, in the South Asian Theater both the State powers contending for Kashmir are nuclear states, and their ability to decimate the other is horrifying. If full (nuclear) War had broken out during the 2001-2002 crisis, hundreds of millions would have died. When the (former) U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. waged their “Mexican Stand-off†during the “Cold†War, the Window of Opportunity to decide and, hopefully, call their weapons back was twenty minutes whereas in the Indo-Pak arena, it is a mere five minutes. On top of that are the non-State actors – many left over from the Russo-Afghan War of the 1980s. These mujahedeen came down into the Vale after 1989 at about the same time the indigenous Kashmiris rose against New Delhi themselves. These mercenaries from the Hindu Kush also descended into other parts of the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir as well as (Pakistani) Azad Kashmir. These Violent Jihadists were more fundamentalist than the overwhelming native Sufi Kashmiris. This created a three-way struggle — after the fall of the†Mighty†Russian Army (of World War Two) and the resident Kashmir revolt — between the largely Arab Salafis and their troublesome sub-sect the Takiri foreign combatants — the Indian border guards and the Kashmiris themselves — who are too often forgotten in the equation – battled for freedom from India.
On the above date the Association for India’s Development (which shows the Indian bias of the Panel) here at U.C. Berkeley, three scholars took part in a Panel discussing the current crisis in Kashmir. The three Panelists were Bikram Jeet Batra who is a lawyer, and spoke for Amnesty international in India; Huma Dar, a Kashmiri woman whose study was human rights in relation to gender there and Darren Zook, a Political Science Professor, also, specializing in human rights in Asia. It is easy to see that this evening event was constructed within the perspective of within Indian Kashmir from a political perspective, but not necessarily Kashmiris or even an Islamic one.
Your author disagreed with much that was stated, and in future sections of this sequential article, your researcher hopes to write a series of analytic pieces on this evening event.
Judge: Cost no reason to end religious meals in prison
INDIANAPOLIS, IA– In a landmark judgment an Indiana judge has ruled that high cost is no reason to end religious meals for prisoners. The case involved a Jewish prisoner and his request for kosher meals which were denied to him by the prison authorities. Legal experts claim that the implications of this ruling are applicable for all prisoners including Muslims.
In the past, the Indiana Department of Correction had provided kosher and halal meals that were prepared and prepackaged by outside sources. However, the practice was dropped because of the cost. But after inmate Matson Willis sued, federal Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ruled in his favor, finding that the prison’s handling of the issue violated his religious rights.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, more than 90 prisoners were affected by the menu change.
Prison officials are now reviewing the ruling ahead of a second hearing on November 30.
Buffalo mosque receives approval for occupancy
BUFFALO,NY–A Muslim congregation in Amherst has received the go-ahead to move into its new mosque on Transit Road, the Buffalo News reports.
The Town of Amherst Building Department on Friday issued a temporary certificate of occupancy for the Jaffarya Islamic Center of the Niagara Frontier at 10300 Transit Road — just in time for Eid al Adha, or Festival of the Sacrifice, a Muslim holiday celebrated this week.
The Jaffyra group will be able to use its new 11,600-square-foot facility Wednesday to mark the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage of millions of Muslims from around the world to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The $2.4 million building — a mile north of the hamlet of Swormville — has been finished for some time. Planned since 2007, the mosque received few complaints from the neighborhood, but congregation leaders had become concerned that an ongoing dispute with a neighbor was holding up town approval for use of the facility.
MIT’s new dining plan to offer halal meals
BOSTON, MA–The Massachusets Institute of Technology’ administration has offered a new dining plan which offers halal meals for its Muslim students.
Chancellor Philip L. Clay in an email response to the student newspaper said that the new dining plan is aimed at meeting the diverse needs of all students. “We want to offer options that include all-you-care-to-eat (which athletes and others want), better hours (which many students desire), Kosher food in every dining hall (which the Hillel community is thrilled about), entrees and other meals that meet halal standards in all five dining halls (which Arab and Muslim students will enjoy), and breakfast (which many students want),†he wrote.
At present only two dining halls provide limited halal menus. There is no official count of Muslim students at MIT but going by the number of people who attend the Friday prayers it is certainly in the hundreds.
The last six months have seen an increase in the number of campuses exploring the option of offering halal menus. Stanford recently began offering halal foods. The Wesleyan, with a population of 30 Muslim students, is also experimenting.
Saudi Ambassador to US hosts Eid Al Adha prayers
WASHINGTON D.C.–Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir hosted Eid Al-Adha prayer at the embassy Tuesday morning to mark the end of the annual Hajj. After the prayer, the Ambassador hosted a breakfast for members of the Saudi and Muslim community in Washington and embassy staff. An estimated 350 people attended the prayer and breakfast.
Ambassador Al-Jubeir extended his greetings, stating “On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, I would like to wish you, your families and the Muslim community around the world a blessed Eid. May God unite us to bring peace and prosperity to all people around the world.â€
Remember People of Pakistan & Haiti: Shahid Hayat of HHRD from Haiti
Leogane, Haiti: “This Eid-AL-Adha, as you perform sacrifice and celebrate the auspicious occasion, remember the downtrodden humanity in various parts of the world. I am here in Haiti and feel totally depressed that people are still reeling from the aftermath of the earthquake of January 10, 2010. Cholera outbreak is totally devastating. If the world will not respond, lives of 220,000 are in danger. We at HHRD appeal to all to come forward and help the people of Haiti. Similarly if world does not take it seriously, God Forbidding, similar outbreak of diseases can badly affect people in Pakistan. We appeal for your contributions at www.HHRD.Org.â€
These were the words of Shahid Hayat, Executive Director of Helping Hand For Relief & Development (www.HHRD.Org) on reaching Port-Au-Prince this last Friday, to look at the relief work after the recent floods and cholera outbreak. He will also extend Eid Greetings to Haitians and assist in HHRD’s distribution of food items, meat, and other things on behalf of the Muslim Community worldwide, especially of North America.
The death toll from an outbreak of cholera in Haiti has reached 544; according to Haiti’s Health Ministry. About 8,000 cholera patients are also in hospitals, with growing concerns that the disease has spread to the capital Port-au-Prince.
The death toll from Hurricane Tomas Floods has reached 20, with 36 injured and 11 missing, officials said. The number of those killed by the cholera epidemic on Monday rose to 544 from 501 on Sunday and 442 on Wednesday.
Health officials were examining at least 120 suspected cases of cholera in Port-au-Price on Monday, the executive director of the Haitian health ministry, Gabriel Timothee, told the news agencies. If confirmed, the epidemic could threaten an estimated 2.5 to 3 million people in Port-au-Prince.
Cholera itself causes diarrhea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration. It can kill quickly but is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics. On Friday, Haiti’s government and the United Nations appealed to donors for nearly $19m to cover urgent humanitarian needs.
Houston Red Light Cameras Turned Off
Rejected by voters in a referendum on November 02nd, 2010, Houston’s red light cameras will be deactivated at 10 a.m. Monday, November 15th, 2010, according to several local media sources.
“On Wednesday afternoon we received a letter from the city attorney asking that the cameras go dark on Monday at 10 a.m., and ATS has agreed to abide by that request,†George Hittner, vice president and general counsel of American Traffic Solutions, told the station. ATS is owner of the cameras, which capture clear images of red light runners and their license plates.
Still unclear is what will happen to the city’s contract with ATS, which required four months’ notice to cancel. Under those terms, Houston could still owe at least $677,000.
Mayor Annise Parker indicated that once the votes from the election are canvassed Monday, she will announce the next step. Hittner said his company is working with Houston.
“There are a lot of issues that we still have to work out with the city, but as a starter we have agreed to turn those cameras off,†Hittner explained. “All of the contractual and other obligations of both parties will have to be flushed out at a later date.â€
Muslim sportswomen were presented with a taste of conservative chic sportswear at the ‘Aspire4Sport’ conference last weekend, where renowned UAE-based fashion designer, Rabia Z presented her latest collection of sports and couture items.
Rabia’s ‘Ruby4Aspire’ collection is aimed at providing sports gear for Muslim women who wish to participate in sport but remain wearing the hijab.
The designer explained that she has been researching the collection for some time, and has been working hard to create a collection that Arab women will feel comfortable to exercise wearing it.
She said that she had been inspired to create the collection after giving up rock climbing despite her passion for it, simply because she felt she did not have adequate sportswear to continue after deciding to wear the hijab.
“Most Muslims I know wear abayas for walking, gym jagging or sportswear,†she said, adding “this is because they cannot find conventional active gym wear that fits their niche needs -– and I wanted to ensure this.â€
Following her fashion show, Rabia told Gulf Times about her desire to encourage Muslim women all over the world to take part in sport.
“If you feel that you have a talent for sport, or a passion for it, or you’re good at it, or you’re contemplating taking up a sport but feel you have limitations, I want you to feel free to take part in sport,†she said.
“I want to encourage women to be all they can be and not to think that they have limitations because they are wearing an abaya,†she said, adding “I would like to encourage them to feel freedom.â€
She explained that she also used hints of Qatari culture to inspire the collection, and stated that her muse for her creations was HH Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad. “I see her personal style as extremely feminine; it compliments her inherent confidence and adds to her charisma.â€
“I want to salute her through my collection,†she said, adding
“‘Ruby4Aspire’ represents her vibrant vision of our culture, filled with colour, creativity, embodying the spirit of competition without limitations in dress-code, or religious beliefs.†“Freedom of expression, freedom of performance, so they can live to their full potential, this is the mantra,†added Rabia.
She explained that the material used to create her designs include a number of features to heighten performance, reduce odours, and to help sportswomen in a variety of ways.
The collection, for Spring/Summer 2011 will be available from March 2011, and Rabia explained that the best place to acquire the items is by visiting her group on Facebook or by emailing info@rabiaz.com.
She added that some of the items may be available from Aspire in the future, as Aspire had served as the inspiration for the collection.
KABUL — Afghanistan is to get its first national women’s cricket team, the sport’s governing body in the country said on Thursday, announcing plans for it to compete in an international tournament next year.
“This development is so exciting for our young women cricketers and their families and supporters,†said Diana, women’s cricket development officer at the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), in a statement.
“We love our country and hope to support it through our sport. Seeing a women’s cricket team in the Asian Cup will do so much to raise the hopes of many women here,†added Diana, who like many Afghans uses only one name.
Women’s participation in sport in Afghanistan has increased since the 2001 fall of the hardline Islamist Taliban, who banned education for girls and forced women to retreat behind the all-enveloping burqa.
Sprinter-turned-lawmaker Robina Jalali made it to the Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008, competing in a hijab or traditional Muslim headscarf.
Football and basketball teams have sprung up in some urban areas, but women’s full involvement in sports is still lacking — as in other areas of society — and in many rural areas women rarely leave their homes.
The ACB said the team’s participation in next February’s short-format Twenty20 tournament in Kuwait would be the first time Afghan women will have taken part in cricket matches abroad.
More than 100 young women currently play the game in the capital Kabul and three have recently attended umpire training courses. The ACB has also set up coaching sessions to attract more girls and young women to the sport.
Coaching takes place in four girls’ schools, a “women only†park and an orphanage in Kabul, the organisation said.
A women’s tournament will be held to select the national side for the competition in the Gulf state, which is organised by the Asian Cricket Council.
The ACB said it has plans to build a cricket academy for women in Kabul that would provide the “culturally appropriate situation for women cricketersâ€.
The women’s cricket uniform will include a headscarf or hijab and is modelled on the one worn by the United Arab Emirates’ women’s side, it added.
“Women?s cricket provides an opportunity for Afghan young women to be fit and have healthier and more active lives,†said ACB chief executive Hamid Shinwari.
“The ACB has a strong commitment to developing the game for women in a way that is good for them and, at the same time, respects our Islamic and Afghan values.
“Women?s cricket will build self-esteem, leadership and positive values for young women in our country, just as it is doing for young men.â€
Cricket in Afghanistan is taking off after the men’s national side qualified for the Twenty20 World Cup held in the West Indies earlier this year.
The team is currently preparing to play in the Asian Games from Saturday.
Cricket for the disabled is also thriving, with a number of teams made up of players who lost limbs to the landmines and other explosive materiel left behind from nearly three decades of bitter conflict and civil war.
Many Afghan cricketers learned the sport in neighbouring Pakistan after fleeing the violence as refugees.
Afghan cricket is developing but playing facilities are lacking: Kabul is home to 22 cricket clubs but only one cricket ground while the men’s national side plays its matches in Sharjah in the UAE for security reasons.
