Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday administered common pastors and concerned authorities to guarantee the achievement of the dengue-aversion fight as the opposition to dengue day drew closer, Dawnnews reported.
Identifying with the clergymen and authorities by means
Showing posts with label Muslim News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muslim News. Show all posts
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Shahbaz directs ministers to ensure anti-dengue drive's success
Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday administered common pastors and concerned authorities to guarantee the achievement of the dengue-aversion fight as the opposition to dengue day drew closer, Dawnnews reported.
Identifying with the clergymen and authorities by means
Sunday, March 13, 2011
America’s Anti-Muslim Jihadists on the March Again
Remember the mad mullah who tried to build a terror mosque atop Ground Zero using the ashes of September 11th victims?
Neither do I.
But that campaign - the slandering of an imam sponsored by the State Department and the smearing of a proposed cultural center no closer to Ground Zero than pubs and porn shops - is worth recalling because America's jihadists are at it again.
First there is the spectacle of Congressmen Peter King, an IRA terrorist sympathizer who penned a novel in which he saves America from Muslim terrorist sympathizers. Since no one cared to read it, King is intent on realizing his fictional fantasy by presiding over a show trial held on the equally fictional pretext that "the Muslim community" poses "a real threat to the country" and protects terrorists.
Then there is Pamela Geller, who exemplifies the grotesque neurosis that now afflicts many American Jewish conservatives. Geller admires fascist parties in South Africa and Europe (deemed kosher because they now want to exterminate Muslims instead of Jews) and denounces Jewish moderates (read: those who don't advocate Palestinian genocide) as modern-day Nazi collaborators. Alongside her comrade David Yerushalmi, another Jewish figure who advocates white supremacy, Geller works to criminalize Islam under the pretext of banning "Sharia law" in state after state.
And finally there is "Brigitte Gabriel," the alias of Islamophobia's Oprah Winfrey. She rivets churches and synagogues by turning the complex history of the Lebanese civil war into a tale of bloodthirsty Muslims exterminating Christians - even though the war's largest massacre was committed by a Christian group backed by Israel.
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These recent assaults by Christian and Jewish conservatives have outdone last year's in anger and ugliness. But perhaps the finest example is this video of Tea Party "patriots" shouting religious slurs at a Muslim charity event attended by women and children in Orange County, California. A rabbi, two conservative congressmen, and a city official named Deborah Pauly blessed the proceedings. Pauly darkly noted to her audience that she "knew some Marines" who would be "happy to help these terrorists to an early meeting in paradise."
Shameful? Hardly - "Bravely Confronting Radicals," chirps a right-wing outlet. Pauly later claimed that her vicarious death threat was actually directed at radicals in the Middle East, not anyone at the rally. Brilliant: she and her mob may soon beat up a few American Muslims and claim it as an even better way to "direct" their anger at shadowy enemies thousands of miles away.
The ugliness is bound to get uglier, because conservatives now face a serious challenge: reality. While the exponents of hate spew venom about Islam and the menace of its adherents, millions of ordinary Muslims in the Middle East are rising up in unison, showing immense courage, ingenuity, and resourcefulness as they vie for freedom against despots - most of whom rely on the United States for support.
So much for "they hate us for our freedom."
And so much for Israel-first policy. That country's American cheerleaders insist that whatever Israel's atrocities, it should be excused because Muslims are animals who must be controlled. Now, it turns out that Muslims, too, might be human beings. And when the Palestinians inevitably apply the lessons of their Arab brethren, who will be left to defend Israel when a hundred thousand human beings march against the occupation?
This is what haunts and animates America's fifth column: the lies they have so carefully cultivated to sink America in two wars and financial ruin may blow up in their face if their Two Minutes Hate cannot be extended ad infinitum.
Councilwoman Pauly, the elected official who called for the murder of her fellow Americans, shrieked at one point, "I don't even care, I don't even care if you think I'm crazy anymore."
She's right: America's jihadists don't care if you think they're crazy - they just don't want you to think the Enemy is human.
Resource: http://www.islamicity.com/
Egypt: Arabs to urge UN to impose no-fly zone on Libya
CAIRO, (Xinhua): The Arab League (AL) on Saturday decided in an emergency meeting to urge the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone on Libya to protect the citizens.
The AL held the emergency meeting in its Cairo headquarters at the ministerial level on Saturday to discuss the serious situation in Libya with a no-fly zone proposal on the agenda.
In a statement released after the closed-door meeting, Arab foreign ministers called on the UN Security Council to take its responsibility toward imposing a no-fly zone over Libya and provide safe area to protect the Libyan people.
This decision came as a regional endorsement of a no-fly zone, which was demanded by Libyan rebel forces amid continuing fighting against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year old rule.
The decision was welcomed by all Arab countries except Algeria and Syria, according to an Arab diplomatic source.
The statement said ministers decided in the session to open communication channels with Libya's rebel Transitional National Council based in Benghazi.
The ministers appealed to the international community to provide urgent humanitarian aid to the Libyan people.
AL general secretary Amr Moussa said in a press conference after the meeting that the decision was a precautionary and humanitarian measure to protect the Libyan people, adding it was not to give a license to any foreign military intervention.
"If the Libyan regime accepts the no-fly zone decision, there won't be any kind of deterioration of the conflict, and we don't expect that Libya will refuse the UN resolution," said Youssef bin Alawi, the Omani foreign minister who chaired the meeting.
Security Council's action will be protective and will end when the Libyan crisis is resolved, bin Alawi added.
The six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which are also members of the AL, were in favor of imposing the no-fly zone. They described Gaddafi's leadership as "illegitimate" on Thursday and called for dialogue with the Transitional National Council.
"The communication and cooperation with the Libyan transitional council is regarded as an acknowledgement of legitimacy," Moussa said.
In his opening speech, bin Alawi urged Arab nations to interfere before the situation aggravates to the worst, saying rapid action from the Arab states is required to avoid more bloodshed in Libya in accordance with the international legitimacy.
Catherine Ashton, EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Saturday she will meet AL Moussa on Sunday to discuss the situation in Libya and the wider north African region.
Ashton emphasized the importance of a "collaborative approach" with the AL.
On Feb. 22, the AL suspended Libya's participation in its future meeting and affiliated bodies after the bloody clashes swept the country since Feb. 16, until Libya authorities respond to people's demands.
The UN Security Council on Feb. 26 unanimously adopted a resolution to impose sanctions on Libya, including an arms embargo against the Libyan authorities and travel ban and asset freeze directed at Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his key family members.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
US Muslims Go Cyberspace for Soul Mates
y Dina Rabie, IOL Staff
Matrimonial websites provide a platform for young Muslims to meet and learn about what they expect in a marriage.
WASHINGTON – In America, a growing number of single Muslims resort to matrimonial websites in their pursuit for life partners, seeing the cyberspace as a more accessible way to find Mr/Ms Right.
"We have people accessing our website from all across the US. We have people from Colorado, Missouri, Nevada," Vaseem Ansari, executive director of the Companionships matrimonial website, told IslamOnline.net.
The website was established in 2004 under the direction of Mohamed Majid, the imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, to help Muslims looking for marriage partners.
"I got so many requests from young people to help them find the right spouses," recalls Majid.
"When it became so many requests, I reached out to young couples and established Companionships with me and my wife putting the program together."
The goal in Companionships program is to provide a platform for young Muslims to meet and be introduced to Islamic matrimonial education.
"We work professionally," said Ansari, adding that they get many professional, educated and articulate people who just need help finding the right spouse.
"Some of them just do not want to go for traditional marriage and want to try a different thing."
She explained that interested people register online and provide background about them, where they are from and what they are looking for in a spouse.
The matrimonial website then arranges for retreat events where soul-mate seekers get together in a kind of a workshop.
"They meet other participants, do activities together, we ask them provoking questions about social skills, religion and politics so that all participants know each other’s background and priorities in life," explains Imam Majid.
They follow up with those who approach them on proposing to other participants and provide them counseling as well.
"Even if participants do not find spouses, they get to learn abut marriage and what it is about."
Needed, Accessible
"We are creating a virtual community that is more accessible for them," imam Majid told IOL.
Imam Majid says that like Companionships, there are many other matrimonial websites that attract US Muslims.
"There are many Muslim matrimonial websites nowadays and Muslims, especially young people, use them a lot," he asserted.
"They even go to non-Muslim matchmaking websites and participate in it."
Some Muslim organizations like the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has realized that and created its own matrimonial website too.
Imam Majid believes that such websites help meet a need in the American Muslim community, estimated at nearly seven millions.
"They are very diverse, so scattered across the United States," he noted.
"We are creating a virtual community that is more accessible for them."
Ansari agrees that matrimonial websites respond to the community’s needs.
"A lot of people are immigrants from different countries. They do not have big communities as back home and their families are not together," she explained.
"They need this social connection."
She added that they get in their program many professional, educated and articulate people who just need help finding the right spouse.
"Some of them just do not want to go for traditional marriage and want to try a different thing.
Reference by: http://www.islamonline.net
Matrimonial websites provide a platform for young Muslims to meet and learn about what they expect in a marriage.
WASHINGTON – In America, a growing number of single Muslims resort to matrimonial websites in their pursuit for life partners, seeing the cyberspace as a more accessible way to find Mr/Ms Right.
"We have people accessing our website from all across the US. We have people from Colorado, Missouri, Nevada," Vaseem Ansari, executive director of the Companionships matrimonial website, told IslamOnline.net.
The website was established in 2004 under the direction of Mohamed Majid, the imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, to help Muslims looking for marriage partners.
"I got so many requests from young people to help them find the right spouses," recalls Majid.
"When it became so many requests, I reached out to young couples and established Companionships with me and my wife putting the program together."
The goal in Companionships program is to provide a platform for young Muslims to meet and be introduced to Islamic matrimonial education.
"We work professionally," said Ansari, adding that they get many professional, educated and articulate people who just need help finding the right spouse.
"Some of them just do not want to go for traditional marriage and want to try a different thing."
She explained that interested people register online and provide background about them, where they are from and what they are looking for in a spouse.
The matrimonial website then arranges for retreat events where soul-mate seekers get together in a kind of a workshop.
"They meet other participants, do activities together, we ask them provoking questions about social skills, religion and politics so that all participants know each other’s background and priorities in life," explains Imam Majid.
They follow up with those who approach them on proposing to other participants and provide them counseling as well.
"Even if participants do not find spouses, they get to learn abut marriage and what it is about."
Needed, Accessible
"We are creating a virtual community that is more accessible for them," imam Majid told IOL.
Imam Majid says that like Companionships, there are many other matrimonial websites that attract US Muslims.
"There are many Muslim matrimonial websites nowadays and Muslims, especially young people, use them a lot," he asserted.
"They even go to non-Muslim matchmaking websites and participate in it."
Some Muslim organizations like the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has realized that and created its own matrimonial website too.
Imam Majid believes that such websites help meet a need in the American Muslim community, estimated at nearly seven millions.
"They are very diverse, so scattered across the United States," he noted.
"We are creating a virtual community that is more accessible for them."
Ansari agrees that matrimonial websites respond to the community’s needs.
"A lot of people are immigrants from different countries. They do not have big communities as back home and their families are not together," she explained.
"They need this social connection."
She added that they get in their program many professional, educated and articulate people who just need help finding the right spouse.
"Some of them just do not want to go for traditional marriage and want to try a different thing.
Reference by: http://www.islamonline.net
Monday, May 24, 2010
Historic Mosque restored in Zanzibar
Three historic mosques in Tanzania including the one near Kizimkazi on the island of Zanzibar has been restored by the support received from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. Kizimkazi mosque is considered one of the oldest Islamic buildings on the coast of east Africa. The 2008 grant allowed for repairs and restoration of the mosque's roof, ceiling, doors and windows as well as the mihrab, the ornate alcove that indicates the direction of Mecca.
The Kizimkazi mosque is old enough to show the roots of Islam in the region. Most of the mosque dates to a reconstruction in the 18th century — as proclaimed in an Arabic inscription from that time — but inscriptions near the mihrab that are in Kufic, an older form of Arabic script, put the date of construction in the 12th century, and some design elements of the mosque reflect the influence of Persia. Islam arrived in southeastern Africa with traders from Arabia and Persia, 3,500 miles (5,633 kilometers) to the north.
Zanzibar attracts a lot of tourists who also visit the town as the launching point for dolphin tours. The mosque bearing Persian and Swahili architecture had fallen into disrepair due to the harsh climate.
A U.S. official who visited Pemba to discuss plans for the project “heard many complaints about the hardships of life in these villages, including the problem of having no access to fresh water,” the proposal said. “But when asked which was a higher priority for the community — access to fresh water or restoration of their historic mosque — the village elders unanimously stated that restoring the mosques was more important,”
reported news portal afrik.com\
The Kizimkazi mosque is old enough to show the roots of Islam in the region. Most of the mosque dates to a reconstruction in the 18th century — as proclaimed in an Arabic inscription from that time — but inscriptions near the mihrab that are in Kufic, an older form of Arabic script, put the date of construction in the 12th century, and some design elements of the mosque reflect the influence of Persia. Islam arrived in southeastern Africa with traders from Arabia and Persia, 3,500 miles (5,633 kilometers) to the north.
Zanzibar attracts a lot of tourists who also visit the town as the launching point for dolphin tours. The mosque bearing Persian and Swahili architecture had fallen into disrepair due to the harsh climate.
A U.S. official who visited Pemba to discuss plans for the project “heard many complaints about the hardships of life in these villages, including the problem of having no access to fresh water,” the proposal said. “But when asked which was a higher priority for the community — access to fresh water or restoration of their historic mosque — the village elders unanimously stated that restoring the mosques was more important,”
reported news portal afrik.com\
US jettisons linking terrorism with Islam
The US President Barack Obama has ordered a revision of America's National Security Strategy with the aim to remove terms that link Islam to terrorism, administration officials said.
The officials said the change would remove terms like “Islamic radicalism” from the National Security Strategy, a document that was created by the previous administration to outline the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war.
The US National Security Strategy outlines major national security concerns and the methods to deal with them. Such documents are prepared periodically by the executive branch of the government for Congress. US media outlets often refer to this document for borrowing terms to use in a report.
The Bush-era document describes the war against terrorists as “the struggle against militant Islamic radicalism … the great ideological conflict of the early years of the 21st century.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the announcement on April 8, saying it was a step in the right direction.
“We welcome this change in language as another step towards respectful and effective outreach to Muslims at home and abroad,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. He recommended that media professionals and commentators adopt similarly neutral and objective language and avoid “loaded” terminology.
In 2008, the US National Counter-Terrorism Centre produced a document, called “Words that Work and Words that Don't: A Guide for Counter-Terrorism Communication,” which encouraged government agencies and officials to avoid characterizing Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups as “Islamic” or “Muslim,” as that could “unintentionally legitimise” their tactics.
US Counterterrorism officials said the move to rewrite the security strategy is part of an effort to assure the Muslims that the United States does not link them with terrorism. Since taking office, President Obama has attempted o seek reconciliation with the Muslim world. During his landmark speech at Cairo University in Egypt in June 2009, Mr. Obama said that the US did not have any enmity with the Muslim world.
The document that the Obama administration is consulting for drafting the new strategy — “A Guide for Counter-Terrorism Communication” — urges US officials to “avoid labelling everything 'Muslim.' It reinforces the 'US vs. Islam' framework that Al Qaeda promotes.” It reminds US officials that “a large percentage of the world's population subscribes to this religion” and “unintentionally alienating them is not a judicious move.”
Urging officials not to use the word Islam in conjunction with terrorism, the guide notes that, “Although the Al Qaeda network exploits religious sentiments and tries to use religion to justify its actions, we should treat it as an illegitimate political organisation, both terrorist and criminal.”
Instead of calling terror groups Muslim or Islamic, the guide suggests using words like totalitarian, terrorist or violent extremist — “widely understood terms that define our enemies appropriately and simultaneously deny them any level of legitimacy.”
By employing the language the extremists use about themselves, the guide warns, officials can inadvertently help legitimise them in the eyes of Muslims. “Never use the terms 'jihadist' or 'mujahideen' … to describe the terrorists,” instructs the guide. “A mujahid, a holy warrior, is a positive characterisation in the context of a just war. In Arabic, jihad means 'striving in the path of God' and is used in many contexts beyond warfare. Calling our enemies Jihadis and their movement a global Jihad unintentionally legitimises their actions.” The guide also bans the use of the word caliphate to describe Al Qaeda's goal. The term “has positive connotations for Muslims,” says the guide, adding, “The best description of what (Al Qaeda) really want to create is a 'global totalitarian state.'”
A longer document — “Terminology to Define the Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslims” — says officials should use “terms such as 'death cult,' 'cult-like,' 'sectarian cult,' and 'violent cultists' to describe the ideology and methodology of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.” It recommends eschewing the terms Islamist or Islamism — the advocacy of a political system based on Islam – while referring to terrorist groups.
The document urges officials to consider describing Al Qaeda's ideology as “Takfirism” — the practice of declaring Muslims who disagree with extremism apostates who can be killed.
Reference by: http://islamicvoice.com
The officials said the change would remove terms like “Islamic radicalism” from the National Security Strategy, a document that was created by the previous administration to outline the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war.
The US National Security Strategy outlines major national security concerns and the methods to deal with them. Such documents are prepared periodically by the executive branch of the government for Congress. US media outlets often refer to this document for borrowing terms to use in a report.
The Bush-era document describes the war against terrorists as “the struggle against militant Islamic radicalism … the great ideological conflict of the early years of the 21st century.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the announcement on April 8, saying it was a step in the right direction.
“We welcome this change in language as another step towards respectful and effective outreach to Muslims at home and abroad,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. He recommended that media professionals and commentators adopt similarly neutral and objective language and avoid “loaded” terminology.
In 2008, the US National Counter-Terrorism Centre produced a document, called “Words that Work and Words that Don't: A Guide for Counter-Terrorism Communication,” which encouraged government agencies and officials to avoid characterizing Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups as “Islamic” or “Muslim,” as that could “unintentionally legitimise” their tactics.
US Counterterrorism officials said the move to rewrite the security strategy is part of an effort to assure the Muslims that the United States does not link them with terrorism. Since taking office, President Obama has attempted o seek reconciliation with the Muslim world. During his landmark speech at Cairo University in Egypt in June 2009, Mr. Obama said that the US did not have any enmity with the Muslim world.
The document that the Obama administration is consulting for drafting the new strategy — “A Guide for Counter-Terrorism Communication” — urges US officials to “avoid labelling everything 'Muslim.' It reinforces the 'US vs. Islam' framework that Al Qaeda promotes.” It reminds US officials that “a large percentage of the world's population subscribes to this religion” and “unintentionally alienating them is not a judicious move.”
Urging officials not to use the word Islam in conjunction with terrorism, the guide notes that, “Although the Al Qaeda network exploits religious sentiments and tries to use religion to justify its actions, we should treat it as an illegitimate political organisation, both terrorist and criminal.”
Instead of calling terror groups Muslim or Islamic, the guide suggests using words like totalitarian, terrorist or violent extremist — “widely understood terms that define our enemies appropriately and simultaneously deny them any level of legitimacy.”
By employing the language the extremists use about themselves, the guide warns, officials can inadvertently help legitimise them in the eyes of Muslims. “Never use the terms 'jihadist' or 'mujahideen' … to describe the terrorists,” instructs the guide. “A mujahid, a holy warrior, is a positive characterisation in the context of a just war. In Arabic, jihad means 'striving in the path of God' and is used in many contexts beyond warfare. Calling our enemies Jihadis and their movement a global Jihad unintentionally legitimises their actions.” The guide also bans the use of the word caliphate to describe Al Qaeda's goal. The term “has positive connotations for Muslims,” says the guide, adding, “The best description of what (Al Qaeda) really want to create is a 'global totalitarian state.'”
A longer document — “Terminology to Define the Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslims” — says officials should use “terms such as 'death cult,' 'cult-like,' 'sectarian cult,' and 'violent cultists' to describe the ideology and methodology of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.” It recommends eschewing the terms Islamist or Islamism — the advocacy of a political system based on Islam – while referring to terrorist groups.
The document urges officials to consider describing Al Qaeda's ideology as “Takfirism” — the practice of declaring Muslims who disagree with extremism apostates who can be killed.
Reference by: http://islamicvoice.com
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Faisal Award Presented - Turkish PM Erdogan leads the honour list this year
Saudi King Abdullah presented awards to this year's winners of the King Faisal International Prize. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was presented the King Faisal International prize for Service to Islam for the year 2010. In his citation, Abdullah Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the King Faisal International Prize, said Erdogan was nominated for the prize by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth. Erdogan, he said, has been given this prestigious award for his role in advancing a series of economic, social and cultural reforms in Turkey besides being a leading Muslim exponent, who "builds rapport between civilizations."
The Prize for Islamic Studies was withheld this year as none of the entries qualified for the award. Each winner of the award received Saudi Riyal 750,000 ($200,000) in cash, a certificate outlining the laureate's work and a commemorative 22-carat gold medallion.
In his acceptance speech, Erdogan said that it was “a distinct pleasure for me to receive the King Faisal Award on behalf of my country and my people." He called for the restoration of peace and security in the Middle East, saying that it disturbs his conscience that "the Middle East is known as a geography of blood and cries."
King Abdullah presented the prize for Arabic language and literature to professor Abdulrahman El-Houari Hadj-Saleh of Algeria and professor Ramzi Mounir Baalbaki of Lebanon. "Professor Hadj-Saleh is recognized for his insightful analysis of Al-Khalil's linguistic theory and its relation to contemporary grammatical thought," said Othaimeen, while reading out the citation. He said that professor Baalbaki's publications in Arabic and English have enhanced Arabic grammar education both in Arab and Western universities and familiarized Western scholars with the fundamental manuscript of Si-Bawaihi, an ancient scholar and founder of Arabic grammar.
The prize for medicine was shared by Prof. Reinhold Ganz of Germany, Prof. Jean-Pierre Pelletier of Canada and Prof. Johanne Martel-Pelletier of Canada. They were honoured for their pioneering works on non-arthroplasty management of degenerative joint disease.
In the science category, Prof. Enrico Bombieri of the United States and Terence Chi-Shen Tao of Australia shared the prize for their distinguished contributions in their respective fields. Bombieri work addresses fundamental and difficult problems in mathematics, said Othaimeen, while Tao is known for his "technical brilliance in the use of the necessary mathematical machinery."
The topics for 2011 King Faisal International Prize were also announced on this occasion. In Islamic studies category, the topic is "socioeconomic aspects in the Islamic world through 16th to 19the century", while in Arabic language category the topic is "renovation trends in Arabic poetry up to the end of the 7th Century Hijri".
In the science category, the Faisal award will be given for outstanding achievements in chemistry, while stem cell therapy is the topic under medicine category. The deadline for nomination is May 1, 2010.
As usual, the ceremony held in Prince Sultan hall in the Al-Faisaliah complex was attended by several Saudi ministers, diplomats and dignitaries.
Reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
The Prize for Islamic Studies was withheld this year as none of the entries qualified for the award. Each winner of the award received Saudi Riyal 750,000 ($200,000) in cash, a certificate outlining the laureate's work and a commemorative 22-carat gold medallion.
In his acceptance speech, Erdogan said that it was “a distinct pleasure for me to receive the King Faisal Award on behalf of my country and my people." He called for the restoration of peace and security in the Middle East, saying that it disturbs his conscience that "the Middle East is known as a geography of blood and cries."
King Abdullah presented the prize for Arabic language and literature to professor Abdulrahman El-Houari Hadj-Saleh of Algeria and professor Ramzi Mounir Baalbaki of Lebanon. "Professor Hadj-Saleh is recognized for his insightful analysis of Al-Khalil's linguistic theory and its relation to contemporary grammatical thought," said Othaimeen, while reading out the citation. He said that professor Baalbaki's publications in Arabic and English have enhanced Arabic grammar education both in Arab and Western universities and familiarized Western scholars with the fundamental manuscript of Si-Bawaihi, an ancient scholar and founder of Arabic grammar.
The prize for medicine was shared by Prof. Reinhold Ganz of Germany, Prof. Jean-Pierre Pelletier of Canada and Prof. Johanne Martel-Pelletier of Canada. They were honoured for their pioneering works on non-arthroplasty management of degenerative joint disease.
In the science category, Prof. Enrico Bombieri of the United States and Terence Chi-Shen Tao of Australia shared the prize for their distinguished contributions in their respective fields. Bombieri work addresses fundamental and difficult problems in mathematics, said Othaimeen, while Tao is known for his "technical brilliance in the use of the necessary mathematical machinery."
The topics for 2011 King Faisal International Prize were also announced on this occasion. In Islamic studies category, the topic is "socioeconomic aspects in the Islamic world through 16th to 19the century", while in Arabic language category the topic is "renovation trends in Arabic poetry up to the end of the 7th Century Hijri".
In the science category, the Faisal award will be given for outstanding achievements in chemistry, while stem cell therapy is the topic under medicine category. The deadline for nomination is May 1, 2010.
As usual, the ceremony held in Prince Sultan hall in the Al-Faisaliah complex was attended by several Saudi ministers, diplomats and dignitaries.
Reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
Monday, May 3, 2010
An Islamic perspective on Interfaith dialogue
These fears, however, are largely unfounded. All religions, including Islam, emphasise common values such as interfaith harmony and cooperation. For example, the Prophet Muhammad advocated reconciliation with other religions, as evidenced by his peace treaty with Jewish tribes in Medina. He also believed in mutual trust between different faith communities, evidenced by the fact that in 615 CE he sent Muslims fleeing persecution from the Meccans to find refuge with the Christian king of Abyssinia, current-day Ethiopia.
Dialogue is not about trying to defeat others, but about understanding and learning about them. The Qur’an insists that the world’s beauty lies in its racial and religious pluralism, otherwise God would not have created it so (10:99 and 5:48). The Qur’an states: “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another” (49:13).
The process of dialogue forces people to examine and reconfirm their own religious identity and to strengthen their own beliefs while respecting those of others with patience and dignity.
In this sense, interfaith dialogue can provide a platform to understand and cooperate with each other. For this dialogue to move forward successfully, representatives of different faiths engaged in active dialogue should agree on the following three principles: forced conversions are not condoned; followers of all religions are free to lead lives in accordance with their own beliefs; and the values inherent in all religions — especially patience and tolerance – that allow their followers to coexist with one another peacefully are respected.
In Islam, these principles are clearly laid out. First, the often quoted Qur’anic verse: “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256) rejects forced conversions to Islam and provides a fundamental parameter for Muslims to meet peacefully with people of other religions, accepting who and what they are.
Second, the Qur’an acknowledges freedom of religion and religious worship: “Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion” (109:6). This verse clearly forbids Muslims to interfere in other peoples religious affairs and affirms the freedom to live according to one’s faith.
Third, when it comes to exercising patience and tolerance, the Qur’an advises Muslims to interact with non-Muslims for the sake of the common good: "God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them" (8:9).
These teachings of no compulsion, freedom of belief, and worship and forgiveness have unfortunately been disregarded or overlooked by people keen on creating division.
Those perpetrating violence in the name of religion for their own vested interests will not succeed in creating divisions if others come forward as connectors rather than dividers. Every religion has developed a message around human values of peace, love, tolerance and mutual respect. Interfaith dialogue can build on these commonalities to strengthen the world community of believers and can save religion from being maligned by those bent on destroying it.
Refference By:http://islamonline.com
Dialogue is not about trying to defeat others, but about understanding and learning about them. The Qur’an insists that the world’s beauty lies in its racial and religious pluralism, otherwise God would not have created it so (10:99 and 5:48). The Qur’an states: “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another” (49:13).
The process of dialogue forces people to examine and reconfirm their own religious identity and to strengthen their own beliefs while respecting those of others with patience and dignity.
In this sense, interfaith dialogue can provide a platform to understand and cooperate with each other. For this dialogue to move forward successfully, representatives of different faiths engaged in active dialogue should agree on the following three principles: forced conversions are not condoned; followers of all religions are free to lead lives in accordance with their own beliefs; and the values inherent in all religions — especially patience and tolerance – that allow their followers to coexist with one another peacefully are respected.
In Islam, these principles are clearly laid out. First, the often quoted Qur’anic verse: “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256) rejects forced conversions to Islam and provides a fundamental parameter for Muslims to meet peacefully with people of other religions, accepting who and what they are.
Second, the Qur’an acknowledges freedom of religion and religious worship: “Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion” (109:6). This verse clearly forbids Muslims to interfere in other peoples religious affairs and affirms the freedom to live according to one’s faith.
Third, when it comes to exercising patience and tolerance, the Qur’an advises Muslims to interact with non-Muslims for the sake of the common good: "God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them" (8:9).
These teachings of no compulsion, freedom of belief, and worship and forgiveness have unfortunately been disregarded or overlooked by people keen on creating division.
Those perpetrating violence in the name of religion for their own vested interests will not succeed in creating divisions if others come forward as connectors rather than dividers. Every religion has developed a message around human values of peace, love, tolerance and mutual respect. Interfaith dialogue can build on these commonalities to strengthen the world community of believers and can save religion from being maligned by those bent on destroying it.
Refference By:http://islamonline.com
Comprehensive analysis of chances and challenges facing aspiring Muslim MPs
By Elham Asaad Buaras
The prospects of having more Muslim candidates elected at the General Election are much brighter than in 2005. Although there are around the same number standing (80 compared to 79 in 2005), more will be elected than in 2005, including several women, from various parties. As has become customary, The Muslim News presents the most comprehensive analysis of the various chances and challenges faced by the aspiring MPs.
Reffered by: http://www.muslimnews.co.uk
The prospects of having more Muslim candidates elected at the General Election are much brighter than in 2005. Although there are around the same number standing (80 compared to 79 in 2005), more will be elected than in 2005, including several women, from various parties. As has become customary, The Muslim News presents the most comprehensive analysis of the various chances and challenges faced by the aspiring MPs.
Reffered by: http://www.muslimnews.co.uk
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