Of late European pressure has mounted to impose strict sanctions against Iran because of its nuclear programme, and these pressures have only intensified after the formation of the new government in Britain which has threatened military action.
Of course the British government on its own is not in such a position and so it aims to spur the US and thus raise the intensity of the Iranian issue. The British Foreign Secretary William Hague, in his first external trip visited the US just three days after assuming charge as foreign secretary where he stressed that as British foreign secretary, he chose to first visit the US to underline the special relationship with America. [Al-Sharq al-Awsat: 15.05.2010]. This was a reference to an earlier report issued by a group of members of the British House of Commons about the special relationship between them. Thus William Hague emphasised the importance of this relationship and Britain's need for it.
William Hague promised to pressurise Iran and expressed his agreement with the US position, he said: "His government will work to convince the European Union to adopt resolutions and strong measures against Iran." He added: "We are in agreement on the need for sending a strong and unified message regarding Iran's nuclear programme, and pass a UN Security Council resolution to that effect. After this the United Kingdom will play a fundamental role to ensure that the EU moves firmly to follow up on such a resolution." [Al-Sharq al-Awsat: 15.05.2010].
He demanded intensifying sanctions against Iran as a first step leading towards achieving global legitimacy for eventual military action, he said: "Though we have not ruled out military action in future, but we do not call for it." [Al-Sharq al-Awsat: 15.05.2010].
This is merely a negotiating pressure alone on Iran, rather it reflects the British position and it was evident during the riots that followed the presidential elections in Iran that Britain was trying to destabilise and eliminate the Iranian regime. Britain is now trying to build European consensus in cooperation with France and Germany and bring pressure upon Iran, and not to speak of the ‘Israeli' pressure in this regard. It so happened that America reached an agreement with Iran and dispatched the president of Brazil and the prime minister of Turkey to Iran to sign a Uranium exchange pact in order to reduce the impact of threats and sanctions card that was being raised by Europe, and especially by Britain, followed by France and ‘Israel'. Thus Iran signed the latest agreement with Brazil and Turkey which includes clauses that Iran agreed to send 1200Kgs of 5.30% low-enriched Uranium to Turkey in exchange for 120Kgs of 20% enriched Uranium which was required for a peaceful nuclear reactor located in Tehran. The essence of this agreement may have been proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a way out of the deadlock in the negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the UNSC and Germany about a year back which then failed due to the issue of guarantees and trust.
Two new major clauses have meanwhile been added to this agreement regarding the issue of guarantees and trust, these are:
1: That the enrichment process will be carried out in Turkey (as a compromised place).
2: In case the negotiations concerning the compliance of this agreement with the Vienna group consisting of the US, France and the IAEA fail, then Turkey will be bound to return the Iranian low enriched Uranium meant for enrichment back to Iran.
Examining this agreement closely, we find that it was the US that encouraged Brazil and Turkey under its patronage. The French website (france24.com) reported: "The United States, Russia and France encouraged Brazilian President Lula's official visit to Tehran and considered it as the last chance to avoid sanctions." An Egyptian newspaper reported this news on 18th May, 2010 from an undisclosed source.
The story of this agreement began with the dinner invitation by the Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki to all the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council including the five big powers along with Turkey and Brazil who are non-permanent members of the UNSC. This dinner was on the sidelines of the follow up conference on nuclear non-proliferation.
This dinner was attended by America's deputy ambassador to the UN Alejandro Wolff and ambassadors and lower ranks representatives of all the 15 member nations.
News agencies quoted a US official saying before the dinner began: "The United States considers this dinner as a new opportunity for Iran to convince the Security Council that it is capable of compliying with its requirements."
The passing of this resolution means saving Iran at the last minute from sanctions that were otherwise certain to come, sanctions that were drafted by Europe along with the US, China, Russia and Germany. This opportunity allows Iran a minimum period of another three months before the sanctions become effective in case of any future disagreement.
There is no doubt that the conduct of Brazil and Turkey was at the US's behest because Brazil, which is the eighth largest economic power in the world, needs America to continue its economic growth, and it was just one month back that it signed a military pact with the US.
As for Turkey, its Prime Minister Erdogan clearly stated that on the issue of implementing the clauses of the agreement, he will coordinate with America directly. He later stated that whatever was achieved was through coordination with Washington, a similar statement also came from Brazil!
United States reliance upon Brazil and Turkey in its time of need will help it to evade sanctions against Iran which are being imposed at the behest of Europe and the Jewish state. On the other hand, this means that America is taking advantage of the non-permanent members of the UNSC at the cost of the permanent members.
In conclusion it can be said that the entry of Turkey and Brazil as new parties in the Iranian nuclear issue helps America to prevent any damage from the proposed severe sanctions against Iran, because the entry of Brazil and Turkey in signing the agreement means a clear cracking of the so-called global community's effort against Iran on this issue.
Further, this agreement forges a general demand for negotiations on its implementation, and this gives Iran breathing space from the pressures being mounted by the international community, especially Europe. Irrespective of whether this is implemented immediately or is delayed, the intensity of pressures on Iran is certainly weakened gradually. Similarly the US's embarrassment at the hands of Europe and the Jewish state who have been making attempts to make America take military action or at least place effective sanctions has subsided.
Reference by:
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
U.S.-Muslim relations one year after Obama’s Cairo speech
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
From the moment President Barrack Obama, a powerful orator, took office, he seemed eager to change the tenor of America’s relationship with Muslims worldwide. With his very positive rhetorical outreach in the early months of his presidency he raised a lot of expectations. On June 4, 2009 President Barack Obama delivered a speech in Cairo that elicited a near euphoric response from most officials and editorial writers across the Muslim World.
Not surprisingly, during 2009, the first year of his presidency, the approval-rating of American leadership increased by a significant margin in most Arab and Muslim countries when compared to 2008, George W Bush’s last year in office.
The numbers rose (according to Gallup June 1, 2009 polling) most impressively in Tunisia (from 14% to 37%); Algeria (25% to 47%); Egypt (6% to 25%); Saudi Arabia (12% to 29%); and Syria (4% to 15%). However, in Lebanon (25% to 22%) and Palestine (13% to 7%) they continued to fall.
During the last 17 months, Obama administration has taken a number of measures to woo the Muslim world.
1. The Obama administration is revising national security guidelines that strip references to “Islamic radicalism” and other terms deemed inflammatory to Muslims. President Obama and other administration officials stopped using terms like “Islamic extremism” shortly after taking office and are now purging “Islamic radicalism” from the National Security Strategy policy document.
The current National Security Strategy document, prepared by the Bush administration, states that “the struggle against militant Islamic radicalism is the great ideological conflict of the early years of the 21st century.” President Bush had gone further and used such meaningless terms as “Islamo-fascism” to justify his now doctrine of the war on terror and pre-emptive strike.
2. In April, Obama administration reversed guidelines that singled-out passengers on flights arriving from 13 Muslim countries, and Cuba, for mandatory screening. The guidelines were implemented in January 2010 after the attempted bombing of an airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day.
3. Swiss-Muslim scholar Dr. Tariq Ramadan entered the US for the first time in six years after being barred by the Bush administration. Dr. Ramadan, who has been critical of US foreign policy, told the New York Magazine he believes Obama has shown he knows how to communicate with Muslims, but not much else. “Obama has the vision and the words, but does he have the power? This is problematic,” Ramadan said. “It seems he is limited.”
4. The Obama administration has dispatched American Nobel Prize winners to advise Muslims scientists, economists and other professionals on how to improve their research and better manage their institutions.
5. At the end of April, the US government hosted a Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Doha, Qatar, with some 500 mainly Muslim entrepreneurs attending.
6. Obama's outreach has included appointing Deputy Associate White House Counsel Rashad Hussain as special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. "As a hafiz [memorization student] of the Quran, he is a respected member of the American Muslim community," Obama said in the announcement. President George W. Bush first named a representative to the OIC in 2008 under similar objectives of outreach to the Muslim world.
However, one year after Obama’s widely-publicized speech in Cairo, Muslims remained skeptical about his administrations’ core policies towards the Muslim world, particularly the Arab-Israeli dispute. To borrow Radwan Masmoudi, President of the Center of the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID), the “hope and excitement in the Islamic world” that greeted Obama’s speech “began to turn into disappointment as people realized that turning promises into reality is not always easy or possible.”
Obama’s policy towards the Muslim world hinges on a number of major factors: the issue of Palestine; American presence in Afghanistan and Iraq; US drone attacks in Pakistan with heavy civilian casualties and the U.S. policies towards Iran.
Reference by:http://islamonline.com
From the moment President Barrack Obama, a powerful orator, took office, he seemed eager to change the tenor of America’s relationship with Muslims worldwide. With his very positive rhetorical outreach in the early months of his presidency he raised a lot of expectations. On June 4, 2009 President Barack Obama delivered a speech in Cairo that elicited a near euphoric response from most officials and editorial writers across the Muslim World.
Not surprisingly, during 2009, the first year of his presidency, the approval-rating of American leadership increased by a significant margin in most Arab and Muslim countries when compared to 2008, George W Bush’s last year in office.
The numbers rose (according to Gallup June 1, 2009 polling) most impressively in Tunisia (from 14% to 37%); Algeria (25% to 47%); Egypt (6% to 25%); Saudi Arabia (12% to 29%); and Syria (4% to 15%). However, in Lebanon (25% to 22%) and Palestine (13% to 7%) they continued to fall.
During the last 17 months, Obama administration has taken a number of measures to woo the Muslim world.
1. The Obama administration is revising national security guidelines that strip references to “Islamic radicalism” and other terms deemed inflammatory to Muslims. President Obama and other administration officials stopped using terms like “Islamic extremism” shortly after taking office and are now purging “Islamic radicalism” from the National Security Strategy policy document.
The current National Security Strategy document, prepared by the Bush administration, states that “the struggle against militant Islamic radicalism is the great ideological conflict of the early years of the 21st century.” President Bush had gone further and used such meaningless terms as “Islamo-fascism” to justify his now doctrine of the war on terror and pre-emptive strike.
2. In April, Obama administration reversed guidelines that singled-out passengers on flights arriving from 13 Muslim countries, and Cuba, for mandatory screening. The guidelines were implemented in January 2010 after the attempted bombing of an airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day.
3. Swiss-Muslim scholar Dr. Tariq Ramadan entered the US for the first time in six years after being barred by the Bush administration. Dr. Ramadan, who has been critical of US foreign policy, told the New York Magazine he believes Obama has shown he knows how to communicate with Muslims, but not much else. “Obama has the vision and the words, but does he have the power? This is problematic,” Ramadan said. “It seems he is limited.”
4. The Obama administration has dispatched American Nobel Prize winners to advise Muslims scientists, economists and other professionals on how to improve their research and better manage their institutions.
5. At the end of April, the US government hosted a Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Doha, Qatar, with some 500 mainly Muslim entrepreneurs attending.
6. Obama's outreach has included appointing Deputy Associate White House Counsel Rashad Hussain as special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. "As a hafiz [memorization student] of the Quran, he is a respected member of the American Muslim community," Obama said in the announcement. President George W. Bush first named a representative to the OIC in 2008 under similar objectives of outreach to the Muslim world.
However, one year after Obama’s widely-publicized speech in Cairo, Muslims remained skeptical about his administrations’ core policies towards the Muslim world, particularly the Arab-Israeli dispute. To borrow Radwan Masmoudi, President of the Center of the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID), the “hope and excitement in the Islamic world” that greeted Obama’s speech “began to turn into disappointment as people realized that turning promises into reality is not always easy or possible.”
Obama’s policy towards the Muslim world hinges on a number of major factors: the issue of Palestine; American presence in Afghanistan and Iraq; US drone attacks in Pakistan with heavy civilian casualties and the U.S. policies towards Iran.
Reference by:http://islamonline.com
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
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
In Search of Muslims in Bengal
By Nigar Ataulla
During the heydays of the DD, Satyajit's Ray's films were a treat to watch. Kolkata appeared totally serene. But today real life Kolkata seems to be eons away from that reel life portrayal.
Negotiating streets of Kolkata and West Bengal on my voyage of discovery of Bengali Muslims was no mean task. So there I was (my husband in tow), groping through crowded roads, traffic snarls, overflowing drains, heavily dented trams and honking taxis. We wriggled our way into the Indo-Arab Cultural Association. Even before I could catch my breath, I was unleashing my advice for Sabir Ghaffar, the enthusiastic youngster and general secretary of the Association: 'Why don't you compile a directory of Muslims in West Bengal just like our Millat Directory from Bangalore'. The Association helps Bengali Muslims 'to connect to their Arab roots'. But I wished the youth could have made much prudent use of their resources and energy by probing the reasons for mass poverty that is so omnipresent in West Bengal. It has brought out an Islamic colouring book so far.
Our next stop was Madrasa Aliah, founded in 1781 in Calcutta by Warren Hastings. He ran the institution out of his own pocket for 18 months till he was reimbursed by the Bengal Government. It was founded in Baithak Khana near Sealdah. But is currently located to the north of Wellesley Square renamed Haji Md. Mohsin Square in the Taltala area. Its first head was Mulla Majduddin who was succeeded by Muhammad Ismail in 1791. The school taught Persian, Arabic and Muslim Law (Fiqh) and its graduates were hired as interpreters for the British Raj. After facing financial crises, Captain Ayron a retired British army officer was appointed in 1819 to be on the Madrasa management committee for helping the Board of Revenue. Upon further financial and administrative deterioration, another European head, Aloys Sprenger, was brought in 1850.
The Madrasa has now been turned into Aliah University by an Act in 2007 and through section 3(3) has been conferred status of a minority educational institution under the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education, Government of West Bengal. Aliah has set up Centre for Vocational Studies and taken up several programme for the skill development among minorities.
No one seems to be more ardent believers in biodiversity on roads than Kolkattans. Roads just outside the Aliah University were lined up with huts with plastic roofs and spaces were shared with all kinds of cattle by humans.
When queried about the way to West Bengal Urdu Academy, a passerby had the following to say: Seedha jayen, ek kachre ke dheir ke pas wali imarat hi Urdu Academy hai!. (Go straight, the building near the heap of garbage is the one you are trying to locate! Grime infested books on the Victorian era shelves with garbage piles underneath the creaking staircase presented the tell-tale picture of the state of language in West Bengal. The West Bengal Madrasah Board has though huge space at its disposal, vies with the Urdu Academy for the dubious distinction for the most unkempt places. A grogy-eyed officials looked totally non-plussed at our request for any publication from the Board and promised to send them by post. We are still expecting the knock of the postman!
Murshidabad, on the southern bank of river Bhagirathi is four hours away from Kolkata by rail. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Later Bengal nawabs retained this as capital. Royal buildings bear the glory of those halcyon days. The administrative headquarters of the district is at Berhampur. It was in 1704 that Nawab Murshid Quli Khan shifted the seat of government from Dhaka to Maksudabad, which was rechristened Murshidabad after him. The family of Jagat Seth maintained its position as state bankers at Murshidabad from generation to generation. Even after the conquest of Bengal by the British, Murshidabad remained for some time the seat of administration. Hastings removed the supreme civil and criminal courts to Calcutta in 1772 only to be brought back in 1775. In 1790, under Lord Cornwallis, the entire revenue and judicial staffs were fixed at Calcutta. Of historic interest are Nizamat Kila (the Fortress of the Nawabs), also known as the Hazaarduari Palace (Palace of a Thousand Doors), built by Duncan McLeod of the Bengal Engineers in 1837, in the Italian style, the Moti Jhil (Pearl Lake) just to the south of the palace, the Muradbagh Palace and the Khushbagh Cemetery, where the remains of Ali Vardi Khan and Siraj Ud Daulah are interred. Though Hazaarduari palace is in fine shape, Wasif Mahal, the palace of the last nawab is rotting in filth! Worse still is the fate of rich treasure of manuscripts that are decaying in the palace. According to a descendant of the nawab, a store-keeper here, the palace is under the state Government administration. Paid guides dole out all kinds of spurious and dubious versions of history. But the truth that may be lying buried in the manuscripts, needs to be unearthed. But who will unravel the truth?
Malda or formerly English Bazaar, is still five-hours away towards north of Murshidabad. An English factory was set up here in 1771. Malda is the base for visiting Gaur and Pandua. Gaur, capital to three dynasties of ancient Bengal—the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs—has seen three distinct eras of glory. Pandua, once the alternate seat of power to Gaur, has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Historical monuments include the Jami' Masjid (1566) and the landmark Nimasari tower across the river. During the 18th century, it was the seat of prosperous cotton and silk industries.
Gaur, 12 km south of Malda, right on the Indo-Bangladesh border, offers rich feast of history and archaeology. Monuments on the must-see list are Bara Sona Mosque, Dakhil Darwajah (built in 1425), Qadam Rasul Mosque, Lattan Mosque and the ruins of the extensive fortification. Pandua, 18 kms north of Malda, another important site of archeological importance has some impressive Muslim architecture including the vast Adina Mosque built by Sikander Shah in 1369. It is one of the largest mosques in India.
But present day Muslims of West Bengal, wallowing in poverty and illiteracy, seem to be the unworthy inheritors of the glorious past. No aspect of Muslim life in Bengal today offers anything positive that could provide room for hope.
Reference by: http://islamicvoice.com
During the heydays of the DD, Satyajit's Ray's films were a treat to watch. Kolkata appeared totally serene. But today real life Kolkata seems to be eons away from that reel life portrayal.
Negotiating streets of Kolkata and West Bengal on my voyage of discovery of Bengali Muslims was no mean task. So there I was (my husband in tow), groping through crowded roads, traffic snarls, overflowing drains, heavily dented trams and honking taxis. We wriggled our way into the Indo-Arab Cultural Association. Even before I could catch my breath, I was unleashing my advice for Sabir Ghaffar, the enthusiastic youngster and general secretary of the Association: 'Why don't you compile a directory of Muslims in West Bengal just like our Millat Directory from Bangalore'. The Association helps Bengali Muslims 'to connect to their Arab roots'. But I wished the youth could have made much prudent use of their resources and energy by probing the reasons for mass poverty that is so omnipresent in West Bengal. It has brought out an Islamic colouring book so far.
Our next stop was Madrasa Aliah, founded in 1781 in Calcutta by Warren Hastings. He ran the institution out of his own pocket for 18 months till he was reimbursed by the Bengal Government. It was founded in Baithak Khana near Sealdah. But is currently located to the north of Wellesley Square renamed Haji Md. Mohsin Square in the Taltala area. Its first head was Mulla Majduddin who was succeeded by Muhammad Ismail in 1791. The school taught Persian, Arabic and Muslim Law (Fiqh) and its graduates were hired as interpreters for the British Raj. After facing financial crises, Captain Ayron a retired British army officer was appointed in 1819 to be on the Madrasa management committee for helping the Board of Revenue. Upon further financial and administrative deterioration, another European head, Aloys Sprenger, was brought in 1850.
The Madrasa has now been turned into Aliah University by an Act in 2007 and through section 3(3) has been conferred status of a minority educational institution under the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education, Government of West Bengal. Aliah has set up Centre for Vocational Studies and taken up several programme for the skill development among minorities.
No one seems to be more ardent believers in biodiversity on roads than Kolkattans. Roads just outside the Aliah University were lined up with huts with plastic roofs and spaces were shared with all kinds of cattle by humans.
When queried about the way to West Bengal Urdu Academy, a passerby had the following to say: Seedha jayen, ek kachre ke dheir ke pas wali imarat hi Urdu Academy hai!. (Go straight, the building near the heap of garbage is the one you are trying to locate! Grime infested books on the Victorian era shelves with garbage piles underneath the creaking staircase presented the tell-tale picture of the state of language in West Bengal. The West Bengal Madrasah Board has though huge space at its disposal, vies with the Urdu Academy for the dubious distinction for the most unkempt places. A grogy-eyed officials looked totally non-plussed at our request for any publication from the Board and promised to send them by post. We are still expecting the knock of the postman!
Murshidabad, on the southern bank of river Bhagirathi is four hours away from Kolkata by rail. It was the capital of undivided Bengal during the Mughal rule. Later Bengal nawabs retained this as capital. Royal buildings bear the glory of those halcyon days. The administrative headquarters of the district is at Berhampur. It was in 1704 that Nawab Murshid Quli Khan shifted the seat of government from Dhaka to Maksudabad, which was rechristened Murshidabad after him. The family of Jagat Seth maintained its position as state bankers at Murshidabad from generation to generation. Even after the conquest of Bengal by the British, Murshidabad remained for some time the seat of administration. Hastings removed the supreme civil and criminal courts to Calcutta in 1772 only to be brought back in 1775. In 1790, under Lord Cornwallis, the entire revenue and judicial staffs were fixed at Calcutta. Of historic interest are Nizamat Kila (the Fortress of the Nawabs), also known as the Hazaarduari Palace (Palace of a Thousand Doors), built by Duncan McLeod of the Bengal Engineers in 1837, in the Italian style, the Moti Jhil (Pearl Lake) just to the south of the palace, the Muradbagh Palace and the Khushbagh Cemetery, where the remains of Ali Vardi Khan and Siraj Ud Daulah are interred. Though Hazaarduari palace is in fine shape, Wasif Mahal, the palace of the last nawab is rotting in filth! Worse still is the fate of rich treasure of manuscripts that are decaying in the palace. According to a descendant of the nawab, a store-keeper here, the palace is under the state Government administration. Paid guides dole out all kinds of spurious and dubious versions of history. But the truth that may be lying buried in the manuscripts, needs to be unearthed. But who will unravel the truth?
Malda or formerly English Bazaar, is still five-hours away towards north of Murshidabad. An English factory was set up here in 1771. Malda is the base for visiting Gaur and Pandua. Gaur, capital to three dynasties of ancient Bengal—the Buddhist Palas, the Hindu Senas and the Muslim Nawabs—has seen three distinct eras of glory. Pandua, once the alternate seat of power to Gaur, has the third largest concentration of Muslim monuments in Bengal. Historical monuments include the Jami' Masjid (1566) and the landmark Nimasari tower across the river. During the 18th century, it was the seat of prosperous cotton and silk industries.
Gaur, 12 km south of Malda, right on the Indo-Bangladesh border, offers rich feast of history and archaeology. Monuments on the must-see list are Bara Sona Mosque, Dakhil Darwajah (built in 1425), Qadam Rasul Mosque, Lattan Mosque and the ruins of the extensive fortification. Pandua, 18 kms north of Malda, another important site of archeological importance has some impressive Muslim architecture including the vast Adina Mosque built by Sikander Shah in 1369. It is one of the largest mosques in India.
But present day Muslims of West Bengal, wallowing in poverty and illiteracy, seem to be the unworthy inheritors of the glorious past. No aspect of Muslim life in Bengal today offers anything positive that could provide room for hope.
Reference by: http://islamicvoice.com
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Over 32,000 widows, 97,000 orphans in Kashmir
There are over 32,000 widows and 97,000 orphaned children in violence-battered Jammu and Kashmir, a new study has found, suggesting that the unending conflict in the border state has only made things worse for the vulnerable sections of society.
"There were 32,400 widows and 97,200 orphans in 2008 in Kashmir and the number is growing. With the continuity and intensification of armed conflict, their life conditions have deteriorated to miserable sub-human levels," says the study conducted by valley-based known sociologist Bashir Ahmed Dabla.
The study says that widows and orphans in the state, which has been battling a separatist war since 1989, have not received adequate help from the government or NGOs.
"Neither the state nor NGOs have been able to help them in an organised and systematic manner. The tragic aspect of the situation is that the state has not adopted any specific social policy and programme in this regard. Their problems accumulate and intensify day by day," it says.
"Individuals, society, community and the state must share responsibilities in terms of coordination, organisation and effective implementation of relevant programmes," the study asserts. (IANS)
reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
"There were 32,400 widows and 97,200 orphans in 2008 in Kashmir and the number is growing. With the continuity and intensification of armed conflict, their life conditions have deteriorated to miserable sub-human levels," says the study conducted by valley-based known sociologist Bashir Ahmed Dabla.
The study says that widows and orphans in the state, which has been battling a separatist war since 1989, have not received adequate help from the government or NGOs.
"Neither the state nor NGOs have been able to help them in an organised and systematic manner. The tragic aspect of the situation is that the state has not adopted any specific social policy and programme in this regard. Their problems accumulate and intensify day by day," it says.
"Individuals, society, community and the state must share responsibilities in terms of coordination, organisation and effective implementation of relevant programmes," the study asserts. (IANS)
reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Muslims should avoid Namaz on road
By Andalib Akhter
New Delhi:
A section of Muslims under a banner of Zakat Foundation of India have appealed the community not to offer Namaz on roads. They said that offering Namaz at places where it could cause disturbance to the members of the society is against the basic principles of Islam.
The appeal came following a row over a mosque of Aravali Apartment in Alaknanda in south Delhi where residents objected to people offering namaz beyond Mosque premises claiming it blocked traffic in the area.
Lately the residents had filed a contempt petition against Delhi Police after the Delhi High Court passed an order in January last year asking the cops to ensure that the prayers were offered within the walls of the mosque. However, the HC dismissed the contempt petition after getting an assurance from the police that the area beyond the mosque boundary will be kept free of the namazis.
A senior police officer told this correspondent that the problem of namazis going beyond their premises is found in all part of the country. The mosques do not have the capacity to accommodate so many people due to which they are forced to offer prayers on the road. Police have to take extra care when people offer namaz on the road and big manpower is used to prevent any untoward incident.
In a statement after meeting with scholars, the president of Zakat Foundation of India, Dr. Zafar Mahmood said the community should outline a mechanism that devout could offer prayers without disturbing the traffic and the society. He asked Muslims to be sensitive to the needs and difficulties of the other members of the society. 'The namaz on roads or footpaths disturbs not only non-Muslim but Muslims too. The children, elders and the sick are more affected if traffic is blocked on roads. He appealed to the Muslims, particularly the Imam and Mutawallis of mosques to send a list of mosques where people offer nemaz beyond the premises of the mosques, in order that alternative arrangements could be thought of.
Reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
New Delhi:
A section of Muslims under a banner of Zakat Foundation of India have appealed the community not to offer Namaz on roads. They said that offering Namaz at places where it could cause disturbance to the members of the society is against the basic principles of Islam.
The appeal came following a row over a mosque of Aravali Apartment in Alaknanda in south Delhi where residents objected to people offering namaz beyond Mosque premises claiming it blocked traffic in the area.
Lately the residents had filed a contempt petition against Delhi Police after the Delhi High Court passed an order in January last year asking the cops to ensure that the prayers were offered within the walls of the mosque. However, the HC dismissed the contempt petition after getting an assurance from the police that the area beyond the mosque boundary will be kept free of the namazis.
A senior police officer told this correspondent that the problem of namazis going beyond their premises is found in all part of the country. The mosques do not have the capacity to accommodate so many people due to which they are forced to offer prayers on the road. Police have to take extra care when people offer namaz on the road and big manpower is used to prevent any untoward incident.
In a statement after meeting with scholars, the president of Zakat Foundation of India, Dr. Zafar Mahmood said the community should outline a mechanism that devout could offer prayers without disturbing the traffic and the society. He asked Muslims to be sensitive to the needs and difficulties of the other members of the society. 'The namaz on roads or footpaths disturbs not only non-Muslim but Muslims too. The children, elders and the sick are more affected if traffic is blocked on roads. He appealed to the Muslims, particularly the Imam and Mutawallis of mosques to send a list of mosques where people offer nemaz beyond the premises of the mosques, in order that alternative arrangements could be thought of.
Reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
Workshop on Rights of Women in Quran
By Nigar Ataulla
Mumbai:
The Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) and Institute of Islamic Studies, Mumbai organized a three-day workshop on “Rights of Women in Quran- Theory and Practice” at the Bio-Medical Ethics Centre, St Pius College in Mumbai. Representatives from the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan from across India formed the majority of participants. But NGOs working in the field of women's rights too participated. The first session of the programme was taken by Dr Zeenath Shaukat Ali, professor of Islamic Studies at St Xaviers College, Mumbai who elaborated on the Quranic verses that explain the status accorded to women by Islam. She also spoke on “Concept of Evidence in Law.” Maulana Shoiab Koti handled the subject on “Concept of Women in Quran” and “Gender Parity in Islam”. Shazia of CSSS spoke on “ Fatwa: its origin, history and present reality.” Advocate Flavia Agnes spelt out the “Legal Rights of Muslim Women.” Nausheen, an advocate and working with the NGO Majlis presented case studies. Nilofer Akhter, also an advocate interacted with the participants stressing on the importance of knowledge of the laws for women. Dr. Malika Mistry referred to many case studies on “Responsible Parenthood.” Qutub Jahan Kidwai threw light on the need for Reforms in Muslim Law. Dr Asghar Ali Engineer, due to ill health could not be present for the sessions, however presented his remarks on the “Quranic Rights for Women”, over phone from the hospital.
Reference by: http://islamicvoice.com
Mumbai:
The Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) and Institute of Islamic Studies, Mumbai organized a three-day workshop on “Rights of Women in Quran- Theory and Practice” at the Bio-Medical Ethics Centre, St Pius College in Mumbai. Representatives from the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan from across India formed the majority of participants. But NGOs working in the field of women's rights too participated. The first session of the programme was taken by Dr Zeenath Shaukat Ali, professor of Islamic Studies at St Xaviers College, Mumbai who elaborated on the Quranic verses that explain the status accorded to women by Islam. She also spoke on “Concept of Evidence in Law.” Maulana Shoiab Koti handled the subject on “Concept of Women in Quran” and “Gender Parity in Islam”. Shazia of CSSS spoke on “ Fatwa: its origin, history and present reality.” Advocate Flavia Agnes spelt out the “Legal Rights of Muslim Women.” Nausheen, an advocate and working with the NGO Majlis presented case studies. Nilofer Akhter, also an advocate interacted with the participants stressing on the importance of knowledge of the laws for women. Dr. Malika Mistry referred to many case studies on “Responsible Parenthood.” Qutub Jahan Kidwai threw light on the need for Reforms in Muslim Law. Dr Asghar Ali Engineer, due to ill health could not be present for the sessions, however presented his remarks on the “Quranic Rights for Women”, over phone from the hospital.
Reference by: http://islamicvoice.com
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
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Muslim Heritage Film wins International Movie Award
London:
A short film about the scientific heritage of Muslim civilisation has won a series of international awards. 1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets, starring Oscar-winning screen legend Sir Ben Kingsley, won four awards at the International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) ceremony held in London on 26th March.
Judges commended the short film saying it was “in a league of its own” awarding it four prestigious awards:Gold Award for Best Education Film, Gold Award for Best Photography, Silver Award for Best Drama, Silver Award for Best Original Music.
The movie was produced by the Foundation for Science Technology and Civilisation (FSTC) and The Edge Picture Company as an introductory film for the 1001 Inventions exhibition that was launched at London's Science Museum in January 2010.
In the movie a group of young school children take a field trip to a dusty old library after their teacher challenges them to research the era known as the “Dark Ages” civilisation, a chore they resent until they meet a mysterious librarian (Kinglsey) who takes them on a journey to the past to uncover the thousand years of scientific and cultural excellence that took place outside Western Europe between the 7th and 17th century.
The film 1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets can be seen as part of the 1001 Inventions exhibition at London's Science Museum, and can be viewed online at www.1001inventions.com. The exhibition is free to the public, seven days a week, and runs from the 21st January to 30th June 2010.
For further press information please contact: Junaid Bhatti on junaid@1001inventions.com
Reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
A short film about the scientific heritage of Muslim civilisation has won a series of international awards. 1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets, starring Oscar-winning screen legend Sir Ben Kingsley, won four awards at the International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) ceremony held in London on 26th March.
Judges commended the short film saying it was “in a league of its own” awarding it four prestigious awards:Gold Award for Best Education Film, Gold Award for Best Photography, Silver Award for Best Drama, Silver Award for Best Original Music.
The movie was produced by the Foundation for Science Technology and Civilisation (FSTC) and The Edge Picture Company as an introductory film for the 1001 Inventions exhibition that was launched at London's Science Museum in January 2010.
In the movie a group of young school children take a field trip to a dusty old library after their teacher challenges them to research the era known as the “Dark Ages” civilisation, a chore they resent until they meet a mysterious librarian (Kinglsey) who takes them on a journey to the past to uncover the thousand years of scientific and cultural excellence that took place outside Western Europe between the 7th and 17th century.
The film 1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets can be seen as part of the 1001 Inventions exhibition at London's Science Museum, and can be viewed online at www.1001inventions.com. The exhibition is free to the public, seven days a week, and runs from the 21st January to 30th June 2010.
For further press information please contact: Junaid Bhatti on junaid@1001inventions.com
Reference by:http://islamicvoice.com
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