Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Views on the news - 24/07/08

Butcher of Bosnia is finally caught but what about those who kept silent

This week, Radovan Karadzic was finally apprehended and will be put on trail for the slaughter of 20,000 Muslims. But even if the infamous butcher of Bosnia is successfully prosecuted the question will always remain what about those who were in a position to stop the genocide, but chose not to. The biggest culprits were the Europeans who encouraged the genocide in their own back yard because they feared that Bosnia would turn into an Islamic state. And as long as the Muslim countries remain divided and weak the western powers will do nothing to protect the honour and blood of Muslims in Bosnia , Kosovo or elsewhere. Only the Khilafah can return honour and glory to the Muslims of Bosnia and punish those colonialist powers that spurred Karadzic to commit genocide in the first place.

Russia seeks to consolidate its foothold in the Americas

Reacting to reports that Russia is seeking bases in Cuba to host Tu-160 supersonic bombers, US General Norton Schwartz said,” I think we should stand strong and indicate that that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line, for the United States of America .” Cuba ’s main ally in the region is also testing America ’s resolve by seeking closer co-operation with Russia . Amid talks about a billion-dollar arms purchase from Russia , Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said on 22/7/2008 that he wanted the two nations to become strategic partners to ensure “ Venezuela 's sovereignty, which is currently being threatened by the United States .” Tension between the erstwhile cold war foes have increased in recent months and especially after the Czech Republic agreed to deploy military equipment to facilitate the deployment of a US missile shield in Europe . Therefore, Russian ventures into the Americas through Cuba and Venezuela are viewed to be part of a Russian strategy to offset American gains in Europe .

Pakistan-America: Who is planning an attack on whom?

On 23/7/2008 the US Democratic candidate Barack Obama said that a conspiracy is being planned in tribal areas for attacking the United States . He said, ”That is where the 9/11 attacks were planned, and today in Afghanistan and the border region of Pakistan, al Qaeda and the Taliban are mounting a growing offensive against the security of the Afghan people and, increasingly, the Pakistani people while plotting new attacks against the United States.” However, the stark reality is that it is more likely for America to attack Pakistan than the other way round. The re-positioning of USS Abraham Lincoln from the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, the dispatching of extra US troops to Afghanistan and sabotaging of peace talks between the Pakistani government and the pushtun militants speaks volumes about US intentions. Moreover, the increasingly belligerent remarks by NATO and US officials, and their stooge Karzai against Pakistan have intensified pressure on Pakistan to cooperate with the US or else face severe consequences.

BJP helps Congress rescue its nuclear deal with America

After a protracted conflict with the communists and heated debates in parliament—
often punctuated by charges of bribery and corruption—Singh's United Progressive Alliance (UPA) of 12 parties survived, a sustained onslaught by the opposition, winning by 275 votes to 256. Oddly enough, Singh was helped by ministers from the pro-American BJP, which hitherto had vehemently opposed the deal—first signed by Singh and Bush in 2005. The Indian media has relentlessly portrayed the deal as necessary to meet India ’s growing energy requirements. They cite that India ’s 17 nuclear power plants that are capable of producing 4000 megawatts are running at 55% capacity and need US support to improve performance as well as build new power stations. The communists who are part of Singh’s coalition regard the deal a threat to national sovereignty. The reality of India ’s energy needs and aspects of the deal support their stance. The deal will only double India’s nuclear power contribution to 5 to 7 % of its total power supply over the next 25 years—a mere drop in the ocean. The deal also provides America with the ability to monitor India’s nuclear programmes. Both of these factors suggest that the underlying reason for the deal is for the US to strategically and militarily bind India with its security interest in the region to counterbalance China.

July 24 2008

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Geo-political revamp

Today, much of the world problems, are a direct result of capitalism, which principally allows unbridled accumulation of capital and freedom of ownership. These principals translates into third world being forced to liberalise its economies, hoarding and manipulation of food supply, genetic seeds, monopolising markets in the name of free trade, and taking control of natural mineral resources around the world. When all else fails, a direct military intervention by the imperial powers, is the adopted way to extend their control, as seen in Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The governance and economic system of Islam embodied in the Caliphate, presents detail injunctions, to deal with the plethora of problems the world faces today. Islamic revenue generating mechanism, unlike capitalist taxes, such as GST, Income Tax, etc (which disproportionately burden the masses), are based on Ushr, Kharaj, Jizya, Thoghoor, Rikaz, etc. It ensures that natural mineral resources are effectively utilised by the Caliphate state, for the betterment of the people, by making their privatisation illegal. Also, it ensures, a significant net amount is generated by taxing savings of rich people via Zakat, a sum which is then only to be spend on the restricted category of people who are poor, needy, etc. Moreover, essential resources such as oil, gas, electricity, are considered public property, which the state manages for use by the public, and can neither earn profits from nor sold it to multinationals or private firms. The centralised ruling system, a decentralised administration, coupled with the unique courts structure in the Caliphate ensure a transparent governance and use of funds, along with timely accountability.

SHARIQUE NAEEM, LAHORE

Source

Pakistan's leadership vacuum

After almost eight years of military rule, Pakistan faces a myriad of challenges that threaten its very existence. American threats of unilateral action in the tribal area, Indian backed insurrection in Balochistan, a dramatic increase in suicide blasts, and the economy in tatters are some of Pakistan’s woes. But perhaps, the most significant issue is the leadership vacuum that pervades all segments of society. A manifestation of this void is the antics of the current coalition government, which over the past six months has struggled to define its purpose and chalk out a concrete programme to confront these challenge. Politicians are not the only culprits. Military top brass, bureaucratic big-wigs, industrialists and civic leaders are just as guilty. Put it another way, all have either abdicated responsibility or simply buried their heads in the sand. The only thing common amongst the nation’s leaders is the beseechment of foreign powers.

Politicians unashamed of courting American and British officials frequently plan and execute trips to Dubai, London and Washington for even the smallest of issues. A large proportion of them, openly desire servitude to Western powers and shamelessly promote their interests. Then there are the psuedo-Islamist politicians, whose contributions to date include none other than adding corruption to the political landscape, legitimising the abhorrent actions of the rulers and destroying the confidence of the public in political Islam.

The behaviour of the military top brass is equally callous. Both Musharraf and Kiyani like their fraudulent predecessors have moved heaven and earth to secure American interests in Pakistan. The incarceration of Abdul Qadeer Khan, the abandonment of the Kashmiri people, the massacre at Lal Masjid and the slaughter of Muslims in Waziristan, Bajaur and Hangu are some of their noteworthy accomplishments.

The business community and industrialists are not immune from this critique. History bears testimony that they are content to be bedfellows with any government--civilian or military--long as the tax bill is kept to a minimum and they are granted immunity from loan defaults. When the achievements of the business community is measured in terms of transfer of technology and contribution to the nation’s self-sufficiency they score naught. In sum-- Pakistan’s leadership since its inception in 1947, has repeatedly failed to emancipate Pakistan from the intellectual, political and economic subjugation of colonialist powers.

The root cause of Pakistan’s leadership predicament can be attributed to a single factor--namely the economic and political system left behind by the British--later modified by the US. This system has meticulously cultivated a plethora of civilian and military leaders who were defeated, corrupt and infatuated with the West. In their eagerness to serve western powers—western solutions were relentlessly borrowed and applied to all walks of Pakistani life. The cut and paste mentality was bound to fail, as the adopted solutions were disconnected from the problems of Pakistan and opposed to the beliefs and cultural values coveted by the people. Subsequently, Pakistan witnessed years of turmoil and polarization which has reached a tumultuous climax today.

The only salvation for Pakistan is for a new dynamic Islamic leadership to take the reigns of power and reverse Pakistan’s decline. This leadership must be radically different from the past and cannot be an existing player in the nation’s corrupt systems and institutions. It must possess an acute sensation of the problems of Pakistan and an ideological vision that reflects the beliefs and values of the people. It must eschew violence, but be bold enough to lead the masses to a comprehensive revolt against the present secular order and raze all vestiges of western domination. The West has already described this political trend as the movement to re-establish the Caliphate.

The end to the leadership crisis is dependent upon how quickly the people of Pakistan wake up from their slumber and embrace this phenomenon.

Abid Mustafa
22 July 2008

Source

Monday, July 21, 2008

Views on the news - 17/07/08

Mediterranean Union: Struggle between EU & America

On 13/7/2008 France , which holds the current EU presidency, officially declared the launch of the Union for Mediterranean . At the Summit, leaders from 43 countries came together and agreed on a joint declaration. It stated that the main aim was to transform the Mediterranean region into an area of peace, democracy and cooperation and prosperity. The European initiative led by France is aimed at competing with the US over long-term control of Eastern European and Muslim countries. However, the most disappointing aspect is that the rulers of the Muslim world have again placed the ummah at the centre of a bitter struggle between Europe and America . The messenger (saw) of Allah said, “The Muslim should be sharp so that he is not stung from the same hole twice.” The rulers rather than heeding from this hadith, rush at every opportunity to act as agents for the kafir colonialist powers. For instance Turkey initially opposed to Mediterranean Union reversed its decision and decided to attend the summit. The time has come for the ummah to rid the present leaders and the colonial systems they protect by re-establishing the Khilafah. Only under the Khilafah will the ummah be intellectually, politically and economically independent from the West.

US-Ukraine military increases tensions in the black sea

On 14/7/2008 US-Ukrainian military exercises began on the Black Sea and involved 15 other countries, including Nato members. The exercises will involve warships, planes, helicopters, armoured vehicles and various kinds of troops. Ukrainian leaders who favour joining Nato also hope the drills will help bring their country closer to Nato and Western military standards. “We are moving toward the European Union, we are moving toward Western standards,” said navy chief Vice Adm Ihor Tenyukh. Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko asked Nato in January to grant the nation a roadmap to joining the alliance. Nato declined to grant the request due to Russian concerns, which vehemently opposes Ukrainian membership of NATO. Nonetheless, the recent overtures by Russia to threaten Czech Republic and Poland over America ’s missile shield programme, and Russia ’s overt support for separatists in Georgia has increased pressure on the US to demonstrate its primacy in the region. Even this appears to be a risky strategy, as Ukriane is country that is divided into two camps— a pro-American camp and a pro-Russian camp. This is confirmed by a recent poll conducted by the Razumkov Centre, which found that 60 per cent of Ukrainians are opposed joining Nato, up from 53 per cent in February 2008. The exercises have already met huge protests and it is likely that Russia will again fire salvos aimed at thwarting American hegemony in the black sea.

Iran and US: War or reconciliation?

This week the US announced that it will be involved in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme. The White House has already approved a package of incentives to Iran that included a pledge to refrain from the use of force, supported a European gambit to begin preliminary talks with Iran and sent clear signals to Israel not to consider acting against Iran on its own. The about turn has angered neoconservatives. ”This is a complete capitulation on the whole idea of suspending enrichment. Just when the administration has no more U-turns to pull, it does another”, said former U.N. ambassador John R. Bolton. These developments confirm that the Bush administration is gradually implementing the recommendations set out by the Baker-Hamilton report which calls for dialogue with Iran. In this context Obama’s remarks about engaging Iran are quite revealing, and suggest that whether the next administration is democrat or republican reconciliation with Iran will be on the agenda.

Taliban’s strength an ominous sign for the crusaders

For too long now, the West has dismissed the Taliban as a rag tag army. But the daring raid on a NATO base on 15/7/2008 which left 10 US soldiers dead and many coalition troops wounded has irked the US and her allies. Immediately after, the US withdrew from the village and is in the process of bolstering its troops.The damage could have been much greater had it not been for the blatant assistance of Iran and Pakistan in American efforts to curb the Pushtun resistance. Both countries have approximately 1 million soldiers under arms, and, if used against under a sincere Islamic leadership the crusader forces would be vanquished from the region for good.

West berates Pakistan over its Tribal areas

On 15/7/2008 a Pentagon news agency — the American Armed Forces Press Service — quoted US and Nato officials as describing the situation in Pakistan as “dysfunctional”. A day earlier, spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing in Washington: “There is a deep concern about cross-border infiltration from Pakistan into Afghanistan and then back over the border.” Added to this both Obama and McCain—the current US presidential candidates—have indicated that Pakistan will feature heavily in US foreign policy matters in 2009. The root of the apparent problem between US and Pakistan appears to be two factors. First, the there is an intense debate in the Pakistani army about the conducting operations against their own citizens. Previously, such operation has resulted in high causalities, mutiny in the ranks and poor results. Second, fissures have opened up between the new government and US over holding talks with militants. The US still believes that through Musharraf and Kiyani’s leadership it can resolve the first issue—this can be measured through the various military aid packages the US has approved for the Pakistani army. However, doubts have grown about the ability of Zardari and Gillani to implement US instructions, despite heavy American pressure. The coming months will be crucial for Pakistan, as US contemplates a combination of military strikes and ground operations, as well as the establishment of a new coalition government to act under its auspices.

17 July 2008

Friday, July 18, 2008

In Remembrance of the Destruction of the Islamic Khilafah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

From the time Islam was revealed, the kuffar have waged an unrelenting struggle against Islam and the Muslims.

Despite this struggle, Muslims reined victorious for thirteen centuries with the exception of a few battles during the Crusade and Tatar invasions. The ideological might of the Khilafah and unyielding spirit of Iman, coupled with the sacrifice of the Muslims continuously proved overwhelming for the kuffar. However on the 28th of Rajab 1342 AH, corresponding to the 3rd of March 1924, the Western world lead by England at the time - finally achieved what they had long desired and for which they had exerted enormous effort: the abolition of the Islamic Khilafah and the separation of Deen from state, and Islam from politics. Consequently, the West spread their control over the Muslims and their lands. This calamity was made successful through the ardent support of Western agents from both the Arabs and Turks where the traitor Mustafa Kamal was at their head.

Despite the absence of the Khilafah for more than 80 years, the West have been forced to acknowledge that their victory over the Muslims would be short lived yet again, as the call for the return of the Khilafah resonates around the world loud and clear. The hearts of the Muslims yearn for it, their tongues speak of it day and night, and they anxiously await the birth of a new dawn.

As the struggle between Islam and Kufr reaches its final stages, the disbelieving West and its allies seek to lead the Muslims astray from the reality of the Islamic Khilafah, from the disasters the Muslims face due to its absence, and from what good fortune its return will bring to the Muslims in this world and the hereafter.

For the purpose of understanding the reality of the struggle today, we put forth the following questions:

• Why did the disbelieving West destroy the Khilafah?
• Why does the disbelieving West work to prevent the return of the Khilafah?
• Why is it obligatory for the Muslims to re-establish the Khilafah?

The answers to these vital questions can be comprehensively understood by defining the true essence and reality of the Khilafah;

• The Khilafah is the general leadership of all the Muslims in the world, which implements the Islamic Shari’ah and carries the Islamic Da’wah to the world.
• The Khilafah represents the unification of the Muslims under one Imam (Leader) and under the flag of tawheed.
• The Khilafah will ensure that Muslims are bound by a single brotherhood and their lands are one.
• The Khilafah means that the absolute sovereignty is for the Shari’ah of Allah which ensures the implementation of Islam comprehensively in our lives, whereby all the rulings of kufr and taghout (evil) are abolished.
• The Khilafah entails that the authority of the Muslims rest solely within their hands, thus enabling the Muslims to control their political destiny and liberate themselves from the shackles of Western colonialism which chains and enslaves the will of the Ummah.
• The Khilafah means that the Muslim Ummah takes her rightful role in the world, rescuing the Muslims her the evil of global capitalism and shading them under the light and justice of Islam thereby leading and guiding humanity with it.
• The Khilafah represents the liberation and expulsion of all disbelieving forces from every inch of occupied Muslim land, and the prevention of any colonialist presence, be it military, political, cultural, economical or otherwise.
• The Khilafah means that the natural resources will be entrusted to its rightful owners (Muslim citizens) and will expel the Western capitalist companies who pillage those resources leaving the Muslims dying of hunger and begging the West for their daily survival.
• The Khilafah represents the return of the Ummah to its rightful place in areas of knowledge, science and research, inventions, discovery and investment in advanced infrastructure development with free will to serve the interest of the Muslims.
• The Khilafah means that the Ummah will plough her own land, fulfil her needs, secure her food resources, such that no individual is left impoverished and threatened by starvation as the Ummah will no longer be subjected to the will of her enemy.
• The Khilafah means the removal of tribalism and nationalism in which Islam has prohibited, and the return of the Islamic bond of brotherhood between all Muslims – “The Muslim is the brother of a Muslim”.
• The Khilafah represents the return of peace to chaotic societies, thus the hearts will be tranquil in the dhikr of Allah, and the people will be tranquil about their deen, honour and wealth.
• The Khilafah means the protection of the Aqeedah, of worship, morals, values, and all the rules set by Allah.
• The Khilafah means that the Ummah will possess its own manufacturing and military industries free to direct its own policies in these areas.
• The Khilafah stands for the pleasure of Allah through the implementation of His Shari’ah; stands for the honour of the believers who testify to the Oneness of Allah; stands as the real shield of the Ummah and the armour of the believing women; stands as the true place of worship for the worshippers and mujahideen; and stands as the protection of the rights of Allah and the rights of the people.

Given that these are just some of the realities of what the Khilafah embodies, it is little wonder why the West exerted considerable effort in bringing about its demise, and it is no surprise that the West works even harder to prevent its return. So it is a great wonder and surprise to witness the complacency of a Muslim who is not engaged in the noble work of its return despite the sincerity displayed to Allah, his Deen and his Ummah. Even more surprising than this is that some Muslims, including some who wear the garbs of the Ulema, support the treacherous rulers in the Muslim world who are agents to the disbelieving West - rulers who have openly and unashamedly betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers.

O Muslims,
The devils from amongst the jinn and mankind, of the disbelievers, their allies and agents, whisper to you that the return of the Khilafah is impossible, and that the West with its great material power will challenge it if it is established, and that the Muslims have no chance against the West and its power, and that the state of ‘Israel’ and the ‘statelets’ breaking up the Muslim World will fight it from the inside, and that an economic boycott will be placed on it, and, and, and...

If these are the whisperings of some of the devils amongst the jinn and man, then Allah the Exalted, King of kings, and His Messenger (sws), our role model and example, promised us something else. Allah (swt) says,

]وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ[
“Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them in the land succession (to power) on earth, as He granted it to those before them; and that He will establish in authority their religion - that which He has chosen for them (Islam). And that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: They will worship Me and will not associate anything in worship with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the transgressors.” [al-Nur: 55]; and the Messenger said,

(إن الله زوى لي الأرض فرأيت مشرقها ومغربها وإن أمتي سيبلغ ملكها ما زوى لي منها) رواه مسلم وأبو داود وابن ماجة والترمذي
“Allah showed me the earth and I looked at its East and its West. Indeed, the dominion of my Ummah will reach everywhere I was shown.” (Muslim, Abu Dawud); and he also said,

“The Prophethood will last among you for as long as Allah wills, then Allah would take it away. Then it will be (followed by) a rightly-guided Khilafah upon the way of the Prophethood. It will remain for as long as Allah wills, then Allah would take it away. Then there will be a biting rule which will remain for as long as Allah wills, then He will lift it if He wishes. Afterwards, there will be oppressive rule, and it will last for as long as Allah wishes, then He will lift it if He wishes. Then there will be a rightly-guided Khilafah upon the ways of the Prophethood, then he kept silent” (Musnad Ahmad)

Therefore, O Muslims, seek the Help of Allah the Exalted, work sincerely for Him, and know that your Ummah is strong and powerful by Allah, and that your enemies are weaker than the web of a spider. As for all those who sincerely ask, “When will the support of Allah come?” we say to them what our Lord said,

]أَلآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ[

“Yes! Certainly, the support of Allah is near!” (al-Baqarah: 214)

] وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ [
"And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not." (al-Nur: 63)

Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia

08 Rajab 1429 AH
11 July 2008 CE

Source

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Adam Smith's praise of the Caliphate

Adam Smith, the 18th Century founder of modern economics whose picture is printed on the current UK £20 note, was exceedingly inspired by the Islamic method of governing. He proclaimed that:

"...the empire of the Caliphs seems to have been the first state under which the world enjoyed that degree of tranquility which the cultivation of the sciences requires. It was under the protection of those generous and magnificent princes, that the ancient philosophy and astronomy of the Greeks were restored and established in the East; that tranquility, which their mild, just and religious government diffused over their vast empire, revived the curiosity of mankind, to inquire into the connecting principles of nature." *

* Adam Smith, ‘History of Astronomy’, The Essays of Adam Smith (London, 1869), p. 353

Source

Views on the news - 9/7/08

Anglican Church declares women Bishops acceptable

On 8/7/2008 The Church of England's legislative body voted in support of ordaining women bishops. Women have been ordained priests since 1994 in the Church of England. Today, one in six of England's parish priests are women, but they have been restricted from serving as bishops. There are also voices from within the Church to accept homosexual priests. Clearly, this demonstrates that the gravest danger facing any religion under secularism is that secular fundamentalists will not rest until religious dogma is revised and agrees with their viewpoint on life. Muslims living in the West should seize this opportunity and explain to disgruntled Christians about the virtues of Khilafah and how Christian beliefs and teaching were protected by Islam in Spain, Sicily and Palestine.

Russia threatens military force against US plans for Czech Republic

The United States and Czech Republic on 08/07/2008 signed an accord, which US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described as a significant step toward global security. The agreement is part of US attempts to neutralize Russia’s huge nuclear arsenal. Unsurprisingly, Russia reacted strongly towards the accord. “If the agreement with the United States liable for ratification by the Czech parliament eventually becomes a law, and the deployment of US missile defense elements really starts in direct proximity to our borders, we will have to use military-technical rather than diplomatic methods,” the Russian ministry statement said. All along the US has used the pretext of threats from Iran and North Korea to justify the placement of military equipment in Eastern Europe, as part of its missile shield programme. On 09/07/2008, the US got a boost to its arguments as the Iranians test fired. But the Russians do not believe in such assertions and insist that Washington wants to use Eastern Europe and former soviet states to offset Russia’s nuclear arsenal and compromise its border security.

American and British agents convene D-8 summit

On 8/7/2008 agents of eight Muslim nations agreed to embark on joint ventures to boost food production and endorsed a 10-year blueprint to expand trade cooperation. The countries met as part of D-8 which was formed in 1997—the group brings together Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh , Pakistan , Iran , Turkey , Egypt and Nigeria , a market of nearly one billion people. However, since its inception it has remained an ineffective instrument to change the plight of the ummah. This is because all of its leaders are competing with each other to safeguard the interests of their colonial masters and pay scant regard to the issues of the ummah. The 10 year blue print pledged by the participant will bring nothing more than more misery and humiliation for the ummah. The time has come for the Muslims in these countries to stand shoulder to shoulder and work for the resumption of the Khilafah Rashida. Only then will they be free from the tyranny and the oppression of the agents of colonialism

US attacks on Pakistan’s tribal belt maybe imminent

On 9/7/2008 the US announced that it was sending air power to Afghanistan amid reports that American commandos are poised to stage hot pursuit raids into Fata. US military officials told reporters in Washington that the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and its escort vessels were moved out of the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, shortening the time that the carrier’s strike planes must take to support operations in Afghanistan. The declaration comes soon after Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher’s visit to Pakistan. During his visit Boucher openly spoke about America’s desire to have more of a free hand in slaughtering Muslims of the tribal region. Furthermore, he was pleased at Gilani’s government’s U turn in sending Pakistani forces to kill fellow Pakistanis.

However, the most disappointing aspect of this situation is the reluctance of military and civic leaders to oppose the US. If countries like Venezuela and North Korea, can stand up to the US, then what is preventing Pakistan. Pakistan with its huge professional army and nuclear weapons is in a much better position to withstand US threats.

9th July 2008

Monday, July 7, 2008

Views on the news - 3/7/08

France punishes Muslims for no crimes committed

On 1/7/2008 Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report that criticized France for violating human rights in the way it handles terrorism-related cases. HRW says France uses a catch-all offence to charge suspects even when they have only a vague link to an alleged terrorist organization. Suspects can face long periods of detention before trial, and some have suffered physical violence during interrogation. They cannot see a lawyer for three days, and then for only 30 minutes. It is clear that these draconian measures are aimed at instilling fear in France’s Muslim community. Any alleged association with terror is enough for authorities to incarcerate Muslims for having committed no crime at all. France like other European countries has adopted laws that by their very nature are designed to persecute Muslims and curb their right to practice Islam. Muslims living in the Europe must take it upon themselves to expose the fallacy of freedom and human rights to their fellow citizens, and present Islam as the only alternative ideology to western liberalism.

Turkey plunges into a constitutional crisis

Turkey took a lurch towards turmoil on 1/7/2008 as the chief prosecutor outlined his case for banning the governing party— AKP. “The secular Republic is facing an unprecedented danger because the counter-revolutionary forces are no longer in the margins, but in government,” said Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, the chief prosecutor. A 162-page petition submitted to the court claimed the “risk” to the secular republic was “increasing every day” and said: “The danger is clear and concrete. There is no other way to protect society than to close the party down.” Ever since Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister, and his government were elected six years ago, Turkey ’s pro-British army has been uneasy. Over the past couple of years, the army has repeatedly intervened under the pre-text of protecting secularism to thwart AKP’s pro-American policies. Previous attempts by the army to bring down AKP, like forays into Iraq , tensions with the US and public demonstration against the government failed to displace AKP from power. However, the constitutional challenge to AKP inspired by the army presents a real threat to Erdogan and his US masters. Whilst Anglo-American agents embroil themselves over the reigns of power, Turkey’s Muslims have once again been let down by their leaders for their lack of support for Islam. The time has come for the Muslims of Turkey to remove the agents of the kafir powers and re-establish the Khilafah on the ruins of the Turkish republic. Only then will the Muslims of Turkey be able to enjoy Islam in their lives.

Israel’s water supply policy to Gaza is inhumane

On 1/7/2008 Israeli human rights group B'Tselem reported that West Bank faced grave water shortages because of Israel 's discriminatory policies. West Bank per capita water use is about 66 litres a day - just two-thirds of the recommended international minimum. On the other hand per capita water consumption by Israeli settlers in the West Bank is 3.5 times that of Palestinians. Furthermore, the B'Tselem added that the accumulated effects of a series of dry years would make matters worse in the months to come. A similar situation—if not worse— exists in Gaza . This news should not come as a surprise, as Zionist state has turned Palestine into a huge concentration camp, where crimes against humanity are perpetrated on a daily basis. Reducing water supplies in their eyes is no big deal. Instead, the biggest disappointment lies with the Arab rulers who do not lift a finger to lessen the plight of the Palestinians. For them, the reduction in water supplies, the erection of a wall, military operations, the torture and the slaughter of Palestinians no longer matters—as if Palestinian lives have no value. The messenger (saw) of Allah said, the blood of a Muslim is worth more than the Kaba and all of its surroundings.

Abu Dhabi plans to feed its population by starving Sudan

It was recently announced that Abu Dhabi is to develop nearly 30,000 hectares of farmland in Sudan in the first step towards ensuring food security in the emirate. Watered by the Nile, Sudan has great agricultural potential, and it is reported to have offered Abu Dhabi free use of the land, hoping to benefit from the business links and technical know-how. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have also expressed interest in developing projects in Sudan . Up to 80% of arable farmland is not used The move follows similar projects by Middle Eastern countries locking up land from Brazil to Pakistan and Thailand to guarantee supplies of cereals, meat and vegetables at a reasonable cost.. Pakistan 's government is reported to have offered the Saudis hundreds of thousands of hectares in return for £3bn in oil and financial aid. Once again such projects are going to deprive the vast majority of the ummah in Sudan and Pakistan to feed a small minority in the Gulf. The best way to eschew such a scenario is to develop a project where all of the ummah’s energy, food, medical, security, and educational needs are met fairly. This can only happen through the re-establishment of the Khilafah, which will control the resources of the Muslim world and ensure that its citizens are treated equitably in terms of benefiting from its resources.

Kashmir Muslims left to fight the Indians on their own

On 2/7/2008 the Indian government finally relented to the demands of the Kashmiri Muslims not to give land to pilgrim Hindus. The decision brought an abrupt end to 10 days of violence between Kashmiri Muslims and the Indian police authority. The trouble started when the Indian government decided to give 39.88 hectares of forest land to the Amarnath shrine board. The Muslims of Kashmir feared that the Hindu government was taking advantage of a lull in relations between Pakistan and India to cede more land to Hindus, and as a result launched violent protests. However, the truth of the matter is that Pakistan has officially abandoned the Kashmiri people in favour of normalizing relations with India . This explains why the Pakistan government is next to silent on the every day oppression of the Kashmiri people. The rulers of Pakistan have abdicated their responsibility towards the Kashmiris and only indulge in those activities that bolster the enemies of Islam. The Muslims of Pakistan are obliged to help their brethren in Kashmir in the face of this oppression. The quickest and the most practical way to accomplish this feat, is to establish the Khilafah. The Khilafah will unite the 40 million or so soldiers of the Muslim world under the banner of la ilaha illahu mohamedur rasoollah and liberate their brothers in Kashmir .

Mullen says he has full authority to strike Pakistan.

Despite vigorous denials by Pakistani officials the stark reality of America’s scope of operations has finally emerged. On 2/7/2008 America’s top military official, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “I’m comfortable, as the military leader, that I have all the authorities I need,” said, when asked if he had the authority to target key terrorist leaders hiding in Fata. Pakistan under Musharraf’s leadership has surrendered its political, economic and military sovereignty to the Americans—who at will can slaughter both Pakistani civilians and soldiers. The current leadership of Zardari, Gallani and Sharif is no different. They have not only offered friendship to the US but are supporting the killing of Muslims in FATA under US auspices. Allah Says, “O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for friends . Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you…” (60:1).

3rd July 2008

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Islamic Civilisation and Science

For the last two centuries, the world has witnessed unprecedented leaps in Science and technology, the development of railways, Aeroplanes, Nuclear technology, the Internet, IVF, Genetically modified food, the Penicillin, Cloning and the development of Nanotechnology. Such developments have taken place in parallel to the development of the West, reaching levels unheralded in history. The West today has monopolised technological and scientific inventions and consider the adoption of liberal values a pre-requisite for development.

Most thinkers, scientists and philosophers claim Islam has no place in the world today, a view which itself is built upon the premise that none of the Muslim countries have produced anything in terms of scientific research or technological invention. The West claims that progress in science and technology occurred when the West rid itself of the authority of the Church and separated religion from life. For them the church stifled the development of science and reason as religion is inherently built upon faith and superstition, only with its removal from the public sphere did the West manage to launch an industrial revolution and then flourish in Science. Today for liberals it is they who invented Science as we know it; they claim they laid its foundations and have created its numerous branches.

Such a narrative omits a number of historical developments that are not Western and shows how the West continued to view its history as the history of the world. Such a narrative also conveniently omits what the West took from previous civilisations and especially the Islamic civilisation. Historically all civilisations have been characterised with some form of technological and scientific development, the West has documented the contributions the Romans made to the discipline whilst the Islamic world in the 8th – 10th century translated the works of the Greeks in the area.

Science in essence is the study, research, and experimentation into the observable parts of the universe. The development of automobiles was due primarily to the development of the combustion engine; this is where the burning of fuel in an engine acts on the pistons causing the movement of the solid parts, eventually moving the automobile. This was possible due to the British Empire who originally used steam and then coal to drive pistons and then eventually to generate rotary (motion) to move machines. Such developments where based upon Al-Jazari’s work in the 12th century where he invented the crankshaft, and created rotary motion through the use of rods and cylinders. He was the first to incorporate it into a machine.

The above example and a number of other examples show that no civilisation can lay claim to science belonging inherently to them but rather they made a contribution to this universal area. The fact atoms and molecules are subjected to the rules of the universe which can be manipulated will not change if one is a Muslim, Christen or a liberal; this is something that is universal and not affected by ones belief. The real debate is therefore which civilisation made significant contributions to science and what exactly drove them to excel in the field.

The Islamic golden age is considered the period from the 8th century to the 13th century, during this period, engineers, scholars and traders in the Islamic world contributed to the arts, agriculture, economics, industry, law, literature, navigation, philosophy, sciences, and technology, both by preserving and building upon earlier traditions and by adding to them. Howard Turner expert on medieval history mentioned in his book ‘Science in Medieval Islam,’ “Muslim artists and scientists, princes and laborers together created a unique culture that has directly and indirectly influenced societies on every continent.” There were a number of specific elements within Islam that were the driving engine which motivated Muslims to excel in this field.

The worship of Allah (swt) was one such factor that lead to a number of inventions, the times of the five daily prayers, the direction for qiblah (the direction Muslim face when praying) and the beginning and ending of Ramadan required accurate readings of the positions of the stars and the moon. It was due to this Muslims begun to invent observational and navigational instruments, this is why most navigational stars today have Arabic names such as Acamar, Aldebaran, Altair, Baham, Baten Kaitos, Caph, Dabih, Edasich, Furud, Gienah, Hadar, Izar, Jabbah, Keid, Lesath, Mirak, Nashira, Okda, Phad, Rigel, Sadr, Tarf, and Vega. Muslims made a number of contributions to Astronomy and eventually to the development of the astronomical clock. A Mechanical lunisolar calendar with gear train and gear-wheels was invented by Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī in the 10th century. Based on such designs Taqi al-din invented the mechanical clock in the 15th century. The need to ascertain the Qibla lead to the development of the compass, which itself as was based upon the findings Muslims astronomers had collated. Muslims developed the compass rose which displayed the orientation of the cardinal directions, north, south, east and west on a map and nautical chart. Allah (swt) said in the Quran ‘and it is He who ordained the stars for you that you may be guided thereby in the darkness of the land and the sea," (6:97) this motivated Muslim to begin to find better observational and navigational instruments, thus most navigational stars today have Arabic names. Such instruments were used to explore the world, which many Muslim geographers collated into manuals, they were driven by the ayah in the Qur’an where Allah (swt) said ‘and we have placed in the earth firm hills lest it quake with them and we have placed therein ravines as roads that happily they may find their way.’ (21:31)

Early Muslims understood that Islam views all the material matters which include the sciences, technology and industry, as merely the study of the reality and a study of how matter can be manipulated to improve the condition and living standards of humanity. As many lands came under the fold of the Islamic civilisation, urbanisation led a number of developments. The Arabian Desert had scant water springs making most of the region inhabitable; this was overcome by Muslim engineers developing canals from the Euphrates and Tigris, the swamps around Baghdad were drained, freeing the city of Malaria. Muslim engineers perfected the waterwheel and constructed elaborate underground water channels called qanats. This led to the development of advanced domestic water systems with sewers, public baths, drinking fountains, piped drinking water supplies and widespread private and public toilet and bathing facilities.

Muslims thinker, scientists, engineers and experts made significant contributions to science as well as many other disciplines. Many of these contributions were later used by the West who made further contributions to the field. The nature of Science as a universal subject means no single civilisation can lay claim to inventing it but rather most civilisations have documented their contributions throughout history which acted as previous information when experimentation was carried out by latter civilisations. Prior to the emergence of Islam in the Middle East the host population made no contribution to Science, when the very same people accepted Islam they made contributions which latter generations utilised to invent new items which today still remain with us. Islam rather then being an obstacle to science, it was the trajectory that drove Muslim contribution to science.

Jared Diamond, a physiologist who won the Pulitzer Prize for his book: “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” said: "Medieval Islam was technologically advanced and open to innovation. It achieved far higher literacy rates than in contemporary Europe; it assimilated the legacy of classical Greek civilization to such a degree that many classical books are now known to us only through Arabic copies. It invented windmills, trigonometry, lateen sails and made major advances in metallurgy, mechanical and chemical engineering and irrigation methods. In the middle-ages the flow of technology was overwhelmingly from Islam to Europe rather from Europe to Islam. Only after the 1500's did the net direction of flow begin to reverse."

Source

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Chief Justice of India praises Islamic penal code as deterrent against crime

From Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net

Hyderabad: The Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan has hailed the Islamic penal code saying they were effective in deterrence against the criminal offenders. Addressing a workshop on "Growing Crimes – deterrent punishment : search for appropriate theory of punishment", organized by the organization of Retired Judges and NALSAR University at the Andhra Pradesh High Court Balakrishnan gave the example of Gulf countries. "People say the laws in those countries were harsh but it is a fact that because of the harsh punishments, the crime rate in those countries is very low". Women can move around even at midnight with out any fear, he said. Even traffic rules were so strict that there were very few traffic accidents in those countries.

He recalled that till 1857, Islamic penal system was in force in India and the law and order situation in the country was very good. "The introduction of Indian Penal Code was a good move but the law and order situation in the country did not remain the same", Chief Justice said.

Pointing out that in contrast to the Gulf countries, India was a democratic country. "But in our country neither the women can move around with out fear nor there is any respect for the traffic rules", he said.

Pointing out that there were 8000 judges in the country to deal with the criminal offences, the Chief Justice expressed his concern over the huge disparity in sentences awarded by different judges for the similar crimes. The disparity is so huge that they range from six months to life imprisonment for the crimes of the similar nature, he said.

He was also unhappy that the system of granting bails was not working properly and some bail petitions were pending in the courts for fifteen years. "As a results jail in the country were full of under trial prisoners".

Justice AR Lakshmanan, chairman, Law Commission of India said that 56 lakh criminal cases were pending in the courts in the country.

Source