Ahmadiyyas Are Not Muslims: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Backs Andhra Waqf Board
New Age
Islam News Bureau
26 July 20123
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana
Syed Arshad Madani. Image Source: Deccan Herald
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India
• Lockdown Love Story On Facebook Ends
In Triple Murder In Assam, CM Calls It 'Love Jihad'
• 'Hang You in Front of Temples &
Burn You'; Slogans by Muslim League at Kerala Protest on Manipur Violence
• SC revives Gyanvapi panel plea
disposed of while staying ASI survey on mosque premises
• "Implement 5 Pc Quotas For
Backward Muslims": Congress To Maharashtra CM Shinde
• Muslim community heads advise youth on
Muharram
--------
Pakistan
• Relocating Relics Punjab Government
Considers Moving Sacred Artefacts from Badshahi Mosque
• Christian, Muslim leaders slam
recurring Quran desecration incidents
• Imam Hussain inspires generations on
the path of emancipation
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Mideast
• Visual Arts Exhibition In Iran In
Reaction To Qur'an Burning
• Israel arrests 32 in West Bank raid,
including six Islamic Jihad members
• OIC meeting on Qur'an desecration to
be held on July 31st
• Zionist regime has a hand in Qur'an
desecration in Europe
• Asylum applications by young, Muslim
men soar in Germany, surpassing last year by 78%
--------
South Asia
• FM Muttaqi Seeks Agha Khan
Foundation’s Cooperation in Restoration, Protection of Historical Monuments
• Mutual Respect is the Basis for IEA’s
Positive Relations with All Countries: Mawlav Kabir
• Blinken Discusses Afghanistan With
Qatari, Pakistani Counterparts
• Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Hold
Protest at UNHCR Office
--------
Europe
• Ex Muslim Who Attacked Canada Mosque
With Axe Jailed For 8 Years
• Islamic Human Rights Commission
Launches Campaign To Protect Mosques From Charity Commission Harassment
• Hundreds of Teesside Muslims gather in
Middlesbrough to protest Quran burnings
• Six bombers convicted for murder for
part in Brussels 2016 terrorist attacks which killed 36 people at airport
• Danish diplomatic mission leaves Iraq
after Quran desecration
--------
North America
• New Survey Reveals Widespread
Antisemitism Among German Muslims Compared With Overall Population
• Muslim group say sentencing of man who
attacked Mississauga worshippers not enough
• Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour inscribes
Chicago as the mecca of house music
• Nigel Farage: UK Muslim charities
criticise lack of interest in their bank account closures
--------
Africa
• We Didn’t Arrest, Detain Soldier For
Converting From Islam To Christianity – Nigerian Army
• Angry Muslim Youths Set Davido’s
Picture Ablaze, Demand Apology Over Video
• We thank Almighty Allah – Lamido
reacts over Court of Appeal’s judgement
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Arab World
• Saudi Arts And Culture In The
Spotlight At Jerash Festival Of Culture And Arts In Jordan
• Saudi Cabinet Renews Condemnation Of
Qur’an Burnings In Sweden, Denmark
• Saudi Arabia condemns suicide bombing
in Mogadishu
• How museum partnerships are enriching Saudi
Arabia’s art and culture scene, boosting its creative economy
• US ambassador to Saudi Arabia reflects
on his visit to Dhahran
• Prophet’s Mosque provides services to
more than 52,000 visitors post-Hajj season
• Saudi vice foreign affairs minister meets
with Comoros ambassador
• Saudi envoy to Arab League presents
credentials to secretary-general
--------
Southeast Asia
• PM Anwar To Launch 2024 Budget Theme
‘Madani Economy: Empowering The People’ Tomorrow
• Aug 30 decision on suit challenging
Saifuddin's exemption of no-contest for top two Umno posts
• Ministry of Finance: Minimum RM800
‘Madani Allowance’ is Fake News
• Agong hopes Malaysia-Philippines warm
relationship continues to blossom
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/ahmadiyyas-jamiat-ulama-hind-waqf/d/130305
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Ahmadiyyas Are Not Muslims: Jamiat
Ulama-i-Hind Backs Andhra Waqf Board
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana
Syed Arshad Madani. Image Source: Deccan Herald
-----
Written by Esha Roy
July 26, 2023
The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, one of India’s
leading Muslim organisations, on Tuesday came out in support of the Andhra
Pradesh Waqf Board regarding the Qadianis, or Ahmadiyya Muslims, by passing a
resolution that the community was non-Muslim. The Jamiat has issued a statement
saying that the AP Waqf Board’s stance “reflects the unanimous position of the
entire Muslims’’ and has taken a position in direct opposition to the Union
Ministry of Minority Affairs that had recently intervened on the matter on
behalf of the Ahmadiyyas.
On July 21st, the ministry had sent a
strongly worded letter to the Andhra Pradesh government, calling the Waqf
Board’s resolution a hate campaign which “could have ramifications across the
country’’.
“A representation dated 20.7.2023 has
been received from the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, vide which it has been
stated that certain Waqf Boards have been opposing the Ahmadiyya community and
passing illegal resolutions declaring the community to be outside the fold of
Islam.
This constitutes hate campaign against
the Ahmadiyya community at large and that the Waqf Board neither has the
jurisdiction nor authority to determine religious identity of any community,
including Ahmadiyyas,’’ the Ministry’s letter to Chief Secretary Andhra Pradesh
K S Jawahar Reddy said, asking him to intervene on the matter.
In 2012, the Andhra Pradesh State Waqf
Board passed a resolution declaring the entire Ahmadiyya community as
non-Muslims. This resolution was challenged in the Andhra Pradesh High Court
that issued an order for interim suspension of operation of the resolution.
Despite the HC’s orders, the Waqf Board
issued a second proclamation in February this year stating that “In consequent
to the Fatwa of Jamaitul Ulema, Andhra Pradesh dated May 26th, 2009, the
‘Quadiani community’ is proclaimed as ‘kafir’ and not a Muslim. Accordingly, it
has been acclaimed all over the globe inconsonance with the fatwa issued by many
authoritative worldwide organisations and Islamic Universities.’’
A sub-sect of Sunni Muslims and one of
the most persecuted sects among Muslims, the Ahmadiyyas, are often referred to
as Quadianis as a slur, particularly in Pakistan where they have been declared
non-Muslims.
“Union Minister Smriti Irani’s
insistence on a different view is deemed unwarranted and illogical since the
Waqf Board’s primary purpose is to safeguard the endowments and interests of
Muslims, as defined in the Waqf Act. Therefore, properties and places of
worship belonging to a community that is not recognised as Muslim do not fall
under the jurisdiction of the Waqf Board…The religion of Islam rests on two
fundamental beliefs: Tawheed, affirming the oneness of Allah and the belief that
Prophet Muhammad is the final Messenger of Allah. Both of these beliefs are
integral components of the five basic pillars of Islam. Contrary to these
essential Islamic beliefs, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani took a position that
challenges the concept of the finality of Prophethood. In light of this
principled and factual difference, there is no basis to consider Qadianism as
an Islamic sect, and all Islamic schools of thought agree that this group is
non-Muslim,’ the Jamiat said in its statement on Tuesday.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ahamadiyyas-are-not-muslims-jamiat-backs-andhra-waqf-board-8860211/
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'Suicide Attack' In A Mosque In Pakistan's
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Claims One Life
"They
entered the mosque during the chase where Additional SHO Adnan Afridi was
martyred," said Peshawas Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ashfaq Anwar,
adding that the "mosque was not the target of attack and an investigation
was under way to determine the target." Photograph:(WION Web Team)
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Jul 25, 2023,
In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a
police official has been killed in what is being described as a "suicide
blast". The blast, as per Dawn.com, happened in a mosque in the Jamrud
area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Khyber. An associate of the suicide bomber has
been detained by the police.
Talking to the Pakistan-based
publication, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ashfaq Anwar
identified Additional Station House Officer (SHO) Adnan Afridi as the officer
killed.
How it all went down
Anwar revealed that Afridi was part of
the police party that was chasing the alleged suicide bomber and said that the
officer was 'martyred' in the blast.
Talking to Dawn.com, Anwar stated that
the police party had reached the location of the blast after receiving
information about suspicious people being present in the area. Upon
encountering the police, the "suspicious" people attempted to run and
subsequently entered a mosque where they set off the bomb.
"They entered the mosque during the
chase where Additional SHO Adnan Afridi was martyred," he said, adding
that the "mosque was not the target of attack and an investigation was
underway to determine the target."
"One of the associates of the
suicide bomber has been arrested," he said.
Strict action against miscreants
Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel,
the caretaker provincial minister for information, condemned the blast and
expressed deep regret over the police official's loss.
He offered condolences to the martyr's
family and assured them that the government stood with them during their time
of grief.
Kakakhel emphasised that the sacrifices
made by the police force would not be in vain and said that "the
miscreants and enemies of peace will be dealt with strictly".
Rise of terrorist activities in Pakistan
This unfortunate incident comes in the
wake of increased terrorist activities in KP and Balochistan, particularly
after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the
government in November of the previous year.
As per a tweet by Pakistan Strategic
Forum's STRATCOM Bureau, "Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has in
the last 12 months experienced 665 terrorist attacks, a massive 500 per cent
increase as compared to the previous year’s figures."
A recent report by the Pakistan
Institute for Conflict and Security Studies has also revealed a steady and
alarming rise in terror and suicide attacks, leading to the loss of 389 lives
across the country during the first half of the current year.
Source: wionews.com
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https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/suicide-attack-in-a-mosque-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-claims-one-life-619321
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"Labbaik O Qur'an" Campaign To
Be Held Across Iran
Photo: Mehr News.com
----
Jul 25, 2023
TEHRAN, Jul. 25 (MNA) – Iranians from
all walks of life will convene mourning gatherings on Thursday evening to
express their hatred and disgust against the recent sacrilege of the Holy
Qur'an in Europe.
Dubbed "Labbaik O Qur'an", the
campaign will be held in Tasu'a (9th of Muharram) evening in reaction to the
recent act of sacrilege against the book of Muslims, the Qur'an in Sweden and
Denmark.
Recitation of Surah Al-Masad, the 111th
chapter (sūrah) of the Quran, will be one of the most important programs of the
religious gatherings.
This Surah talks about Abu Lahab, the
uncle of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who was an enemy of Islam and his
nephew.
Last week, protesters in Iraq set the
Swedish embassy in Baghdad ablaze, while many other Muslim nations summoned the
Danish and Sweden ambassadors in their capitals to convey their strong
condemnations.
Iraq repelled the Swedish ambassador
while it also recalled its envoy from Stockholm.
The cases of desecration of the holy
Qu'ran take place under police protection in those European countries while
their governments have claimed they oppose and condemn those moves.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/203768/Labaik-O-Qur-an-campaign-to-be-held-across-Iran
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Acting Interior Minister Haqqani:
Efforts Underway to Find Solution for Girls' Schooling
The acting Interior Minister,
Sirajuddin Haqqani
-----
26 July 2023
The acting Interior Minister, Sirajuddin
Haqqani, said that efforts are underway to find a proper solution for the
reopening of schools and universities for the girls
Haqqani made the remarks at a gathering
of religious scholars, private sector representatives and tribal elders in
Herat, where he arrived on Monday alongside a senior delegation of the Islamic
Emirate, led by Abdul Hakim Haqqani, head of the Supreme Court.
Haqqani said that the issue of girls'
schools and universities takes some time.
“Efforts are underway for a logical
solution on these issues. The problem we see is that when an issue becomes
controversial, it needs some time in order to not cause dispute,” he said.
Haqqani said that despite the Afghan
private sector having faced various challenges over the past two years, it has
played an important role in the improvement of the situation.
Some private sector representatives who
participated in the gathering also mentioned the need to reopen girls’ schools.
“The conditions that the government is
deciding, the schools and universities will be reopened based on those
conditions, so the investment is not directed outside of the country,” said
Torialai Ghawsi, deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industry and Mines
of Herat.
“The mental pressure should not be
imposed on us, and our youth should not be slapped in the face in the corners
of the cities, the women or girls should not come under pressure of the
governmental authorities,” said Abdullah Dashti, deputy head of Chamber of
Commerce and Investment of Herat.
The participants also called for
security and the Islamic Emirate’s engagement with the international community,
saying that Afghanistan should be dragged out of political isolation.
“We have heard your problems. Those
issues belong to me, I will certainly pay attention to them,” Haqqani said.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184360
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Sweden Opposition Demands Urgent Meeting
On Quran Burnings
Photo: aa.com
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July 25, 2023
Sweden's left-wing opposition party
demanded an emergency parliamentary meeting Tuesday about the ongoing Quran
burnings, Anadolu Agency reports.
"We are calling for the foreign
policy committee to be called to an extra meeting as soon as possible as a
result of what is now happening," Social Democrats' Foreign Policy
spokesperson, Morgan Johansson, said in a statement.
Johansson urged the government to take
measures "to protect Swedish lives and the Swedish interests."
He said Sweden has found itself in
"an extremely serious situation which has been getting steadily
worse."
The Social Democrats demanded the
right-wing government inform the Riksdag about the diplomatic crisis that
Sweden is facing and inform other parties about how it intends to manage the
turmoil caused by Quran burnings – domestically and internationally.
Johansson suggested the government has
kept a low profile during the crisis and "in practice, has said
nothing."
"I can have some understanding of
that but, at the same time, they have an obligation to show leadership and
answer the public's questions," he added.
There has been an international backlash
concerning the Quran desecration, which led to Sweden's ambassadors being
summoned across the Muslim world.
Muslim nations have strongly condemned
the Quran burnings and have demanded that Sweden impose bans and review laws
which allow the burnings to take place.
Hundreds of Iraqis stormed the Swedish
Embassy in Baghdad last week and set it ablaze to protest the burnings of the
Muslim Holy Book.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230725-sweden-opposition-demands-urgent-meeting-on-quran-burnings/
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India
Lockdown Love Story On Facebook Ends In
Triple Murder In Assam, CM Calls It 'Love Jihad'
JUL 26 2023
A love story which began on Facebook
during the Covid-19 lockdown ended in a grisly triple murder case in Easteen
Assam's Golaghat district.
A 25-year-old mechanical engineer,
Nazibur Rahman Bora, who allegedly identified himself as Hindu boy on Facebook
and befriended Sanghamitra Ghosh in 2020 and later got married, murdered his
wife and her parents in Golaghat on Monday.
Nazibur was arrested in March this year
and was send to judicial custody after Sanghamitra lodged an FIR alleging
harassment by her husband and his family. She returned to her parents' house in
Golaghat. The accused was released on bail after 28 days...
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who
visited the victims' family in Golaghat on Tuesday morning, called it a case of
"love jihad" as the boy identified himself as a Hindu on Facebook,
befriended her and later forced her to convert. The boy identif...
CM said the state government would pitch
for investigation in a fast track court for early punishment to the murderer.
Giving details of the incident, director
general of police, GP Singh said a CID inquiry has been ordered.
Source: deccanherald.com
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https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/lockdown-love-story-on-facebook-ends-in-triple-murder-in-assam-cm-himanta-biswa-sarma-calls-it-love-jihad-1240836.html
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'Hang You in Front of Temples & Burn
You'; Slogans by Muslim League at Kerala Protest on Manipur Violence
JULY 26, 2023
Members of Muslim League, part of
Congress-led UPA alliance, raised ‘death slogans’ during a protest in Kanhangad
in Kerala’s Kasaragod district. The leaders reportedly held a protest against
the Manipur violence when slogans of ‘will hang you in front of temples and
burn you’ were raised.
The man who raised the slogan has been
suspended by the party. The protest was against the ethnic violence that broke
out in Manipur nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and
injuring hundreds.
The violence erupted on May 3 after a
‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest
against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of
Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which
include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill
districts
Source: news18.com
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https://www.news18.com/india/hang-you-in-front-of-temples-burn-you-muslim-league-kerala-protest-manipur-violence-8427727.html
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SC revives Gyanvapi panel plea disposed
of while staying ASI survey on mosque premises
26.07.23
The Supreme Court on Wednesday revived a
Gyanvapi panel plea it inadvertently disposed of on July 24 while staying an
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey on the mosque premises to determine
if it was built upon a temple.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y
Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the
submissions of senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Committee of
Management Anjuman Intezamia of the Gyanvapi mosque. He said the main plea was
disposed of by the court on the last date of hearing instead of the interim
plea seeking halting of the ASI work.
On July 24, the top court halted till 5
pm Wednesday a "detailed scientific survey" by the ASI to determine
if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi was built
upon a temple.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing
for the Uttar Pradesh government and the ASI, said he has no objection to the
revival of the special leave petition of the mosque committee.
In the main plea, the mosque committee
has sought dismissal of the lawsuit of the Hindu party in the Varanasi district
court under Order 7 Rule 11(c) of the Civil Procedure Code for filing it on a
paper which has not been duly "stamped and authorised".
An interim plea in the pending petition
was filed by the mosque committee seeking to halt ASI work on the ground of
“tearing hurry” shown by the authorities in going ahead with the survey without
granting it sufficient time to appeal.
“The appeal against Order 7 Rule 11 has
been disposed of though not argued. We have only pressed the ASI survey point
and the matter is before the Allahabad HC and it can be argued there that our
appeal has been dismissed,” Ahmadi said.
While granting the relief on the interim
plea in form of stay of work, the top court had disposed of the main case on
July 24.
“Solicitor General Tushar Mehta...
states that what has been disposed of is the SLP (special leave petition)
instead of the interim application. The inadvertent error has been rectified.
The paragraph 10 (of July 24 order) shall be deleted,” the bench ordered and
revived the plea.
Taking up the plea moved by the
Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia of the Gyanvapi mosque for an urgent
hearing, the top court directed the Allahabad High Court to hear the appeal
before its "status quo" order expires on Wednesday evening.
On July 21, a Varanasi court directed
the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct the survey, including
excavations, wherever necessary, to determine if the mosque was built at a
place where a temple existed earlier.
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday also
resumed hearing a plea against a district court order directing the ASI to
conduct the survey. It had begun the hearing on Tuesday, when the Anjuman
Intezamia Masjid, which manages the mosque, moved the high court.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/supreme-court-revives-gyanvapi-panel-plea-disposed-of-while-staying-asi-survey-on-mosque-premises/cid/1954611
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"Implement 5 pc quotas for backward
Muslims": Congress to Maharashtra CM Shinde
Jul 25, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI):
Maharashtra Congress (/topic/maharashtra-congress) working president Naseem
Khan (/topic/naseem-khan) met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (/topic/eknath-
shinde) to demand five per cent reservation to the Muslim community in
educational institutions and government jobs based on their backwardness.
“In 2014, the then Congress-NCP regime
had granted the 5 per cent reservations to Muslims based on their backwardness.
But later governments did not maintain this reservation. It is not based on
religion but only for academics and government jobs,” said Naseem Khan
(/topic/naseem-khan).
Notably, in 2014, the Congress-NCP
alliance government awarded five per cent reservation to the Muslim community
for educational institutions and government jobs on the basis of their
backwardness. However, this reservation was not executed by the subsequent
governments.
Maharashtra is presently ruled by the
BJP in partnership with the Eknath Shinde (/topic/eknath-shinde) faction of the
Shiv Sena as well as the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP.
Earlier on Saturday, Union Home Minister
Amit Shah said that the BJP is of the belief that the Constitution does not
provide for reservation on the grounds of religion.
Addressing a public meeting organised in
Nanded, Maharashtra, to mark the completion of nine years of the BJP-led
government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
the Union Home Minister said, "The BJP believes that there should be no
reservation on the grounds of religion as it is
unconstitutional. (Former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena UBT
chief) Uddhav Thackeray should make his stand clear on this."
Earlier, while campaigning for the
Karnataka Assembly elections, Shah lashed out at the Congress while defending
the move of the then BJP government to roll back the four per cent reservation
for the Muslims,
saying that his party only rectified the
wrong done by the grand old party by doing away with reservation for the
Muslims in the state.
Addressing a meeting in Byndoor on April
29, said, "The BJP has rectified the wrong of the Congress by doing away
with Muslim reservation
(/topic/muslim-reservation) in
Karnataka. The Congress wants to restore it. We will ensure that they are not
able to do so as it is unconstitutional and also compromises with the rights of
the Vokkaligas, Lingayats, SCs, STs and Dalits in the state."
"BJP scrapped the four per cent
Muslim reservation (/topic/muslim- reservation) as the Constitution does not
guarantee reservation on grounds of religion. The Congress has said once their
reverse-gear government comes, they will restore the Muslim reservation
(/topic/muslim-reservation). Do you want
that?" Shah said at the rally. (ANI)
Source: aninews.in
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https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/implement-5-pc-quotas-for-backward-muslims-congress-to-maharashtra-cm-shinde20230725210514/
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Muslim community heads advise youth on
Muharram
26th July 2023
By Mohammed Yacoob
BENGALURU: With Muharram to be observed
on July 29, religious heads from the Muslim community have sent out a strong
appeal to community members not to indulge in any acts that disturb or hurt
other citizens. The community heads said that blocking of roads, using DJ sets
and holding rallies and celebrations should be avoided.
Moulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi, chief
priest (Sunni sect), Jamia Masjid, City Market, said a communication has been sent
out to all masjids in Bengaluru to inform community members not to take out
rallies and use replicas of the Kaaba in Mecca and Madina Masjid in Saudi
Arabia.
“The use of DJ sets, beating of drums,
rallies, dancing and slogans are not permitted under Islamic law, and also
causes inconvenience to the public. I appeal to the youth and community members
not to indulge in any unlawful activities,” said Rashadi.
Shia community leaders have already
taken permission for the traditional rally between Johnson Market near Richmond
Road up to the Shia graveyard on Hosur Road.
“We take out a traditional rally to
mourn the martyrdom of Hazrath Hussain in Karbala grounds. Our message to the
youth is to focus on education, healthcare and peace,” said Bakhar Abbas Abid,
member, Anjuman-E-Imamia (Shia representative body). The procession would
commence at 1pm and conclude by 5pm on July 29.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2023/jul/26/muslim-communityheads-advise-youth-on-muharram-2598636.html
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Pakistan
Relocating Relics Punjab Government
Considers Moving Sacred Artefacts from Badshahi Mosque
JULY 25, 2023
Potential Relocation of Religious Relics
Discussed
The Punjab government is in discussions
about the potential relocation of religious artefacts that are currently housed
in the Badshahi Mosque. A committee, responsible for the maintenance of these
holy relics, recently convened to discuss the various options available. The
meeting was led by Barrister Azfar Ali, the Minister of Auqaf and Religious
Affairs, and Amir Mir, the Interim Minister of Information.
Joining them were officials from the
Lahore Commissioner’s office, the Auqaf Secretary, the Walled City Authority
and other related departments. The main point of discussion was whether to keep
the religious relics in their current location or to move them to a potentially
more suitable location.
Ensuring the Best Care for Sacred Items
Barrister Azfar Ali Nasir stated that
the best arrangements for sacred religious blessings are made worldwide,
indicating a commitment to ensuring the proper care and preservation of these
holy relics. He suggested that modern scientific principles could be used to
help secure these items, ensuring their long-term preservation and safety.
Religious Sentiments at the Forefront of
Decision Making
Punjab Information Minister, Aamir Mir,
emphasized that religious sentiments would play a crucial role in deciding on
the relocation of the religious relics. He stressed the importance of
considering the feelings and beliefs of the religious community throughout this
process.
The Significance of the Badshahi
Mosque’s Artefacts
The Badshahi Mosque currently houses 27
artefacts in its gallery, according to media reports. These items hold great
historical and religious significance, making their potential relocation a
matter of both cultural and religious importance. The decision made by the
Punjab government will likely take into account the best way to preserve these
artefacts, while also respecting the sentiments and beliefs of the religious
community.
Commitment to Secure the Holy Relics
Barrister Azfar Ali Nasir expressed his
commitment towards securing these holy relics with the help of modern
scientific principles. He stated that the best arrangements for sacred
religious blessings are made globally, indicating a commitment towards the
preservation and proper care of these holy relics.
Final Decision Pending
The final decision on the relocation of
these religious relics is still pending, with the Punjab government considering
all options to ensure the best outcome both in terms of the preservation of
these important artefacts and the sentiments of the religious community. The
ongoing deliberation demonstrates the government’s commitment to handling this
sensitive issue with the utmost care and respect.
Source: bnn.network
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https://bnn.network/politics/relocating-relics-punjab-government-considers-moving-sacred-artefacts-from-badshahi-mosque/
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Christian, Muslim leaders slam recurring
Quran desecration incidents
JULY 26, 2023
Muslim and Christian religious leaders
on Tuesday condemned the recent incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran by
individuals in Sweden and Denmark and demanded the European countries to stop
allowing such provocative actions carried out in the name of freedom of
expression.
Addressing a joint press conference with
Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Allama Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi at the Diocese of
Raiwind, Church of Pakistan’s President Bishop Azad Marshall said that
Pakistani Christians denounce the latest incident of burning of the Holy Quran
in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“Last month an Iraqi refugee desecrated
the Quran in Sweden and now the Danish government has allowed two others to do
the same in front of the Iraqi embassy. These actions cannot be condoned by
followers of any faith. We urge the European governments to reconsider their policies
in the larger interest of peace and interfaith harmony across the world,” he
said.
“Freedom of speech and expression should
never be used as a means to despise others and spread hatred. Such actions are
committed by individuals who have no association with any religion and they do
this to sow discord and unrest in communities,” he added.
The senior church leader said that the
leaderships of both the global Catholic and Protestant churches have also
condemned acts of Quran desecration.
“Head of the Catholic church, Pope
Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Anglican Consultative
Council’s Secretary General Bishop Anthony Poggo have categorically said that
the church does not endorse such spiteful actions.
“We always have and will continue to
raise our voices against religiously provocative actions,” he said.
The bishop also expressed concern over
the desecration of the cross during protests organised by religious parties
against the incidents in Europe.
“We understand the anguish and pain of
our Muslim countrymen and stand with them in solidarity but the manner in which
our holy symbol was insulted during demonstrations has hurt us deeply. Such
reactions are uncalled for and should be condemned by Muslim leaders,” he said.
Marshall also highlighted the situation
in Sargodha city where some elements were targeting Christians after
blasphemous posters were pasted on the walls of a mosque by unknown persons.
“Christians in Sargodha are living in
fear as police is randomly raiding homes in Maryam Town and picking up men for
questioning. No Christian can even think of committing blasphemy against
Islam’s prophet and we believe that some individuals or groups are stoking
religious tensions there with some vested interest. We urge the Punjab government
and police to conduct a transparent investigation and ensure protection of the
Christian community,” he said.
Addressing the media, Allama Ashrafi
demanded that the European Union and United Nations take immediate notice of
incidents of Quran desecration and enact laws to respect the sanctities of all
divine religions at the global level.
“Islam and all divine religions promote
peace, security, moderation, and tolerance. The teachings of any religion do
not endorse violence or extremism, and those who spread violence and extremism
do not represent any religion,” he said.
Catholic Archbishop of Lahore Sebastian
Shaw, Church of Pakistan Faisalabad Diocese Bishop Aleem Anwar and Bishop of
Sialkot Alvin Samuel were also present at the press conference.
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
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https://dailytimes.com.pk/1117267/christian-muslim-leaders-slam-recurring-quran-desecration-incidents/
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Imam Hussain inspires generations on the
path of emancipation
July 26, 2023
Ishtiaq Ali Mehkri
Imam Hussain ibn Ali is the truest
manifest of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and his message transcends
religions, ages and civilisations, as of the Oracle of Almighty. What Hussain
stood for in the Battle of Karbala in 61 Hijra, and for what he sacrificed his
kith and kin, along with his companions who were 72 in numerical strength, and
fought the barbaric mercenaries to the tune of nine lakh soldiers, is in need
of being understood!
It is all the more important to eulogise
and disseminate the Holy Imam’s character, power of decision-making in
incredible adversity and the faith in Allah, which has bestowed him the status
of a divine legend unparalleled to none in living history. His commitment to
the cause of genuine Islamic teachings, as preached by his maternal
grandfather, the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the devotion to stand against
tyranny and an unjust illicit order is a marvelous piece of human treatise.
In an age of information, as mankind strides
to erect a fair socio-economic order, on the ruins of disparity, discrimination
and destruction, it is Hussain who can come to guide by virtue of his
principles demonstrated on the barren sand dunes of Karbala, without water and
food for many days, but never bowed to the demand of allegiance of the bigot,
ignoble and the wicked. Isn’t this enough of a gist to dissect the message of
Hussain from Karbala, and introduce it in all walks of life, irrespective of
one’s sect, religion and belief?
Indeed, if the goal is to attain
emancipation of humankind, Hussain is the torch-bearer of values that excel in
dire straits against repression and cruelty. Hussain’s defiance against
subjugation will keep on guiding humanity till the attainment of salvation.
To seek inspiration from Hussain, it is
not necessary to be a Shia, or even a Muslim. Hussain guides the entire
humanity, and motivates every generic and righteous soul to stand fast for
egalitarianism and freedom, and that too on the premise of a sound footing of
self-integrity and honesty.
Perhaps, this is why Josh Malihabadi,
the famous poet of the subcontinent, said: “Insaan koBaidaarTouHoLene Do; Har
Qaum PukarayGi Hamare Hain Hussain” i.e. let humans rise from slumber; every
nation will cry, Hussain is ours. Surely, it is so because the sacrifice of
Karbala by the progeny of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and companions, is a
glorious episode of valour, fearlessness and bravery; and last but not least
the love for the divinity driven from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Hussain’s stance was rooted in his
upbringing in the lap of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who repeatedly
pronounced, “Hussain-o-MinniWa Ana Minal Hussain,” (Ref: Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol:
1,144) i.e. “Hussain is from me, and I’m from Hussain.” This piece of Hadith is
a testimony of oneness of souls between the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his
grandson, who surely lived up to the cause of upholding the virtue of his
grandfather by rendering every sacrifice without even having a second thought.
Thus, on Rajab 24, 60 Hijra, when
Hussain proudly uttered before the demon of evil in Medina that, “Mujh Jaisa
TujhJaise Ki Bayyat Nahi Kar Sakta” i.e. the one like me can never owe
allegiance to a character like you, Hussain was marveling the grace,
temperament, philosophy, psychology and constitution of the ultimate law-giver,
the Prophet (peace be upon him), by making an undeniable reference to his high
moral standing. This is in need of being prophesied even today to differentiate
righteousness from evil, and surely Hussain is the name that rallies the
suppressed with his mindset that lives on to-date.
No surprise, on the day of Ashura (10th
of Muharram), Hussain beseeched the consciousness of humanity till the Day of
Judgment by calling, “By God, I will never surrender to my enemies like a
humiliated person and never pledge allegiance to them like slaves.” (Bihar
Al-Anwar, Vol: 45, P. 7).
And then on the banks of Euphrates where
his 32-year-old brother Abbas was amputated; his 18-year-old son Ali Akbar, who
resembled the Prophet (peace be upon him), was pierced in chest, after
collecting the stampede body of his nephew, Qasim ibn Hassan, having his
six-month-old infant Ali Asghar’s neck riddled by an arrow, and having picked
up maimed and bruised 71 bodies within a span of 10 hours, Hussain ibn Ali had
the spirit and determination to challenge and cry, “Hal Min NasirinYansorona?”
(Is there any helper to help us?”). This clarion call will keep on echoing for
all times to come, and call upon mankind to rally with Hussain.
As Hussain went down fighting, he
mesmerised the freedom-lovers of every generation with his glorious utterance,
“…Let any calamity befall me and my dear ones, the Will of the Lord shall be
done. Hussain will cheerfully meet any catastrophe but never surrender Truth to
Falsehood.” This is what makes Karbala and Hussain, the scion of Ali and
Fatima, an institution to recollect and take a stance against adultery,
repression and falsehood.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2427827/imam-hussain-inspires-generations-on-the-path-of-emancipation
--------
Mideast
Visual arts exhibition in Iran in
reaction to Qur'an burning
TEHRAN, Jul. 25 (MNA) – A group of
Iranian artists has created visual artworks in a bid to slam the desecration of
the Qur'an. The event was held today with the Minister of Culture and Islamic
Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili in attendance.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.mehrnews.com/photo/203779/Visual-arts-exhibition-in-Iran-in-reaction-to-Qur-an-burning
--------
Israel arrests 32 in West Bank raid,
including six Islamic Jihad members
JULY 26, 2023
Israeli security forces arrested 32
Palestinian terror suspects in a massive overnight raid across the West Bank,
the IDF said on Tuesday morning.
Six of the 32 were arrested for
connection to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in the village of
Tammun.
Shots were fired at the forces,
consisting of IDF troops Shin Bet and Border Police officers, at the village of
Burqin. The forces returned fire at the gunmen.
Source: jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-752507
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OIC meeting on Qur'an desecration to be
held on July 31st
Jul 25, 2023
TEHRAN, Jul. 26 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign
Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kan'ani said that the Islamic Cooperation
Organization (OIC) will hold its extraordinary meeting on the recent Qur'an
desecration in Europe on July 31st.
Nasser Kan'ani said on Tuesday night
that, "Following the joint proposal of the foreign ministers of the
Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq and after Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's calls to
his counterparts in Islamic countries and sending messages to them and a
conversation with the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) and a letter sent to the secretary general of the
organization, it agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers
on Monday, July 31st, 2023."
Kan'ani added, "In this virtual
meeting, the issue of insulting the Holy Qur'an in Sweden and Denmark will be
discussed."
The Iranian spokesman once again
condemned recent cases of Qur'an desecration in Sweden and Denmark in a tweet
on Tuesday, saying that the Zionist regime seems to be playing a part in those
insults to Islamic sanctities.
Also on Tuesday, media reported a new
case of Qur'an sacrilege in the Danish capital of Copenhagen on Tuesday amid
Muslims' strong condemnation of growing insulting the Islamic sanctities in
European countries.
Last week, protesters in Iraq set the
Swedish embassy in Baghdad ablaze, while many other Muslim nations summoned the
Danish and Sweden ambassadors in their capitals to convey their strong
condemnations.
Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador
while it also recalled its envoy from Stockholm.
The cases of desecration of the holy
Qu'ran take place under police protection in those European countries while
their governments have claimed they oppose and condemn those moves.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/203783/OIC-meeting-on-Qur-an-desecration-to-be-held-on-July-31st
---------
Zionist regime has a hand in Qur'an
desecration in Europe
Jul 25, 2023
TEHRAN, Jul. 25 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign
Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kan'ani has said that the Zionist Israeli regime
has a hand in the recent cases of desecration of the holy Qur'an in Sweden and
Denmark.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Nasser Kan'ani once again condemned recent cases of Qur'an desecration in
Sweden and Denmark, saying that the Zionist regime seems to be playing a part
in those insults to Islamic sanctities.
In a post on his Twitter account,
Kan'ani blamed the Zionist regime for having a hand in cases of the holy Qur'an
sacrilege in Denmark and Sweden.
Meanwhile, the spokesman said that the
fact that the Zionist Israeli regime has played a role in the shameful actions
does not necessarily mean that those European states should not be blamed for
what has happened in their countries.
He stressed that rather, those European
governments have to be held to account for facilitating those insults against
Islamic sanctities.
"Those governments should not
sacrifice their interests, reputation and dignity for the sake of the Zionist
regime's interests," he further went on to advise Denmark and Sweden
governments.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/203781/Zionist-regime-has-a-hand-in-Qur-an-desecration-in-Europe
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Asylum applications by young, Muslim men
soar in Germany, surpassing last year by 78%
July 25, 2023
Germany experienced a dramatic rise in
asylum applications in the first six months of the year, with a significant
increase over the figure recorded for the same period last year.
According to the biannual report from
the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), a total of 162,271
migrants applied for asylum in Germany from January to June, up 77.5 percent
from the 84,583 applications made in the first six months of 2022.
Germany recorded 244,132 asylum
applications in all of 2022, and 190,816 in 2021, suggesting this year’s figure
will far exceed the figures the country has experienced in the post-pandemic
years.
The figures related solely to asylum
applications and do not factor in legal or illegal immigrants who have failed
to declare themselves to authorities.
The report stated that the vast majority
of asylum seekers originate from Islamic nations, with 71.1 percent arriving in
Germany from Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Somalia or Eritrea.
Similarly, three-quarters of all asylum
seekers are both male and under the age of 30.
Asylum applications from Turkey have
tripled within a year, with 19,208 individuals making a claim so far in 2023,
up 209 percent. Claims from Afghanistan and Syria have also skyrocketed, up 80
percent and 77 percent, respectively.
At its current trajectory, asylum
applications will be in the region of 325,000 for the year, a figure only
surpassed three times in Germany’s history — during the migrant crisis of 2015
and 2016, and back in 1992.
The federal government, which has
overseen the high rate of immigration into Germany, has been the subject of
criticism from the chairman of the German Federal Police Union, HeikoTeggatz,
as a result of the figures released this week.
“With an increase in the number of asylum
seekers of 77.5 percent, it is beyond a doubt that the measures agreed at the
refugee summits have failed miserably,” he told the Bild newspaper.
He called on Interior Minister Nancy
Faeser to “finally wake up from her slumber and assume her responsibility for
the people in this country.”
“That’s almost two big cities that
immigrated in a few months,” said CDU MP Alexander Throm about the figures.
“I don’t see that the traffic light
government understands the seriousness of the situation. For illegal migration,
all lights are still green at this traffic light. Nancy Faeser should have made
protecting the German borders a priority long ago, which she is reluctant to
do,” he added.
Even FDP politicians, a party within the
federal traffic light coalition, are sensing the turning tide in public opinion
on the issue of immigration. Stephan Thomae, the party’s parliamentary
director, said in response to the figures that if the number of refugees
arriving in Germany through “countries like Poland or the Czech Republic
continues to rise sharply, we will have to think about temporarily tighter
internal border controls.”
Source: rmx.news
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://rmx.news/germany/young-muslim-men-see-asylum-applications-soar-in-germany-surpassing-last-year-by-78/
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South Asia
FM Muttaqi Seeks Agha Khan Foundation’s
Cooperation in Restoration, Protection of Historical Monuments
2023-07-25
KABUL (BNA): The Acting Minister of
Foreign Affairs Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi in a meeting with the new Chief
Executive Officer of Aga Khan Foundation, asked for further cooperation of the
organization for the restoration and preservation of historical monuments, a
statement from the office of the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Acting
Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi met with the new CEO of the Aga Khan
Foundation for Afghanistan NajmuddinNajm, and his accompanying delegation.
In the meeting, Najm shared information
about the organization’s new mission in Afghanistan and its activities in the
health, educational, agricultural, and cultural sectors as well as the projects
in the economic development, response to natural disasters, and reconstruction
of 140 cultural heritage-historical sites in Afghanistan.
Mr. Muttaqi appreciated the services of
the Aga Khan Foundation as crucial for the development of Afghanistan and
stated the foundation can do more in the restoration and preservation of
historical monuments of the country.
The CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation
previously expressed gratitude to the Islamic Emirate for its collaboration
with the foundation and expressed hope that they would be able to provide
additional services to the people of Afghanistan.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://bakhtarnews.af/en/fm-muttaqi-seeks-agha-khan-foundations-cooperation-in-restoration-protection-of-historical-monuments/
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Mutual Respect is the Basis for IEA’s
Positive Relations with All Countries: Mawlav Kabir
2023-07-25
KABUL (BNA): Deputy Prime Minister of
the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, in a meeting with the
Afghan ambassador to China, said that the Islamic Emirate wants good
interaction with all countries including China, in an atmosphere of mutual
respect.
According to a statement from the office
of Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, the Afghan ambassador to China, Sayed Mohiuddin Sadat
has shared information about the activities and achievements of the Afghan
embassy in the neighboring country with the Deputy Prime Minister during the
meeting on Monday.
Businessmen, students, and Afghans
living in China are pleased with the services offered by the Afghan embassy, he
said, adding that the diplomatic mission has always attempted to respond to any
challenges Afghan people have in the country in a timely manner.
“Our efforts continue to strengthen
relations between the two countries and attract Chinese investors to
Afghanistan…”, he concluded.
Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, for his part,
praised the performance of the Afghan embassy in China and stated that the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants positive interactions with all countries,
including China, in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
To strengthen the power supply system, a
procurement package worth 1.7 billion Afghanis has been drafted said Da Afghan
BreshnaSherkat officials.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://bakhtarnews.af/en/mutual-respect-is-the-basis-for-ieas-positive-relations-with-all-countries-mawlav-kabir/
--------
Blinken Discusses Afghanistan With
Qatari, Pakistani Counterparts
In a phone conversation with Pakistani
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday they discussed "the
destabilizing effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine as well as the United
States and Pakistan’s shared interest in a peaceful and stable
Afghanistan," the US State Dept said.
In Blinken's phone call with Qatari
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani,
they discussed “bilateral relations as well as "development in Afghanistan
and ways to support the Afghan people," said the US State Department.
"Democrats are under pressure from
the Congress and the government to ensure that the Doha Agreement in the area
of counterterrorism is correctly implemented. The second concern is that
America does not want the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan to worsen,” said
Tariq Farhadi, a political analyst.
Meanwhile, US House Foreign Affairs
Committee Chairman Michael McCaul in a letter to Secretary of State Antony
Blinken expressed "strong opposition" to US government officials
traveling to Afghanistan, saying “since taking power, the Taliban have only
worsened their behavior despite US engagement.”
McCaul claimed: “Today, the Taliban
continues to take Americans hostage, disrupt humanitarian assistance efforts,
appoint al Qaeda officials to government positions, and enforce increasingly
draconian rules on women and girls, such as barring them from receiving an
education above the sixth grade.”
McCaul called on the US to “lead the
international community in demanding reforms, not normalizing the Taliban’s
regime.”
The Islamic Emirate's spokesperson,
Zabihullah Mujahid, expressed thanks for the US support for Afghanistan but
asked that the US not hinder interaction and recognition of Afghanistan.
Mujahid asked the US to take the path of
dialogue and diplomatic contact with the current government instead of creating
obstacles.
"It is crucial that economic,
commercial, and diplomatic support be given, and if support isn't provided by
any country, at least it should not harm Afghanistan, do not create obstacles,
so Afghanistan can reach a certain place," Mujahid said.
"Instead of interacting and
accepting the current policy, you should take action to alter it and review
your relationship with the Taliban. This opinion is held by one of the
prominent political figures in the US, which also reflects the opinion of the
majority of the Americans,” said WaisNaseri, a political analyst.
The US and the international community
previously said that the establishment of an inclusive government, upholding
the rights of women and girls, fighting terrorism, and preventing the use of
Afghanistan's territory against other countries are requirements for the
recognition of the Islamic Emirate.
But the acting Minister of Defense,
Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, said recently that the US is an obstacle to the
recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184358
--------
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Hold Protest
at UNHCR Office
Dozens of Afghan refugees held a protest
in front of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Islamabad,
saying that despite many promises by the organizations, there has been no
practical action to address their problems.
The protestors expressed concern over
their uncertain future.
“There is no quick case processing. The
Afghans have been waiting for review of their cases for the past two to three
years, for their cases to proceed. There are also pressures if someone does not
have a visa,” said Faizullah Turk, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
These Afghan refugees also sent a letter
to the UN and called for their problems to be addressed.
“The main problem of the Afghans is
unemployment. The Afghans who are coming from Afghanistan to Pakistan are
without work,” said HedayatullahAhadi, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
The Islamic Emirate called for the
Afghan refugees to return to the country.
“The Afghan refugees should return to
their country and the Afghans who have recently gone and lack documents, they
should return to their country,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the
Islamic Emirate.
Based on official statistics, more than
1.6 million Afghans have migrated to neighboring countries within the past
nearly two years.
Source: tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184359
--------
Europe
Ex Muslim who attacked Canada mosque
with axe jailed for 8 years
26th July 2023
An ex Muslim atheist who attacked a
mosque in the Toronto area last year with an axe and planned mass casualties
has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Armed with bear spray and an axe,
Mohammad Moiz Omar, who hated Islam and Muslims, entered the Dar Al-Tawheed
Islamic Centre in Mississauga, where about 30 worshippers were performing fajr
prayers, on March 19, 2022.
He was stopped by brave worshippers
before he was able to inflict serious harm on congregants.
According to a court agreed statement of
facts, Omar “intended to perpetrate a mass casualty event,” and he was inflamed
with an intense hatred and desire to intimidate Muslims. He believed Islam is
“an intolerant and violent religion.”
On July 19, Omar pleaded guilty to three
charges: administrating a noxious substance (bear spray) with the intent to
cause bodily harm, assault with a weapon, and mischief to religious property.
He also agreed that the attack constituted terrorist activity. He was 24 years
old at the time of the attack.
During the July 19 hearing, the mosque’s
imam, Ibrahim Hindy, said the attack was horrific.
“This was not someone having a bad day
or having a mental health episode,” Hindy told the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation. “This was someone who planned out clearly what he wanted to do and
how he wanted to kill Muslims,” Hindy said. “I’m only grateful that our
congregation was able to stop him before he was able to ultimately harm
someone.”
Congregants were able to wrestle Omar to
the floor. No one was seriously injured, although one person was kicked in the
stomach and several were affected by the bear spray.
Damage to the mosque was estimated at
$12,140. Omar told police he was a Muslim but was now an atheist.
Omar’s lawyer and the Crown prosecution
agreed on an eight-year sentence at the July 19 hearing, and yesterday the
judge agreed. With credit for time already served in custody, Omar will be
imprisoned for slightly more than five years. He will be eligible for parole in
half that time.
Islamophobic attacks in Canada have been
a growing concern in recent years. According to a 2019 report by the National
Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), there has been a 151% increase in
anti-Muslim hate crimes in Canada since 2015.
Some notable incidents of Islamophobic
attacks in Canada include:
In April this year a 28 year old man,
SharanKarunakaran, was charged with uttering threats, assault with a weapon and
dangerous driving after a suspected hate-motivated incident at a mosque in the
City of Markham, Canada.
The Quebec City mosque shooting in
January 2017, where six Muslim men were killed and 19 others were injured by a
gunman.
A 2017 incident when a Muslim woman was
physically assaulted and had her hijab pulled off by two men in Toronto.
A 2019 attack on a Muslim family in
London, Ontario, where a man intentionally drove his truck into them, killing
four members and leaving a nine-year-old boy as the sole survivor.
A 2021 incident where a man was arrested
for threatening to kill Muslim women and children outside a mosque in Edmonton.
These incidents, among many others, have
sparked outrage and calls for action to address Islamophobia in Canada.
In response, the Canadian government has
taken steps such as introducing an anti-racism strategy and allocating funds to
combat hate crimes.
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/07/26/ex-muslim-who-attacked-canada-mosque-with-axe-jailed-for-8-years/
---------
Islamic Human Rights Commission Launches
Campaign To Protect Mosques From Charity Commission Harassment
July 25, 2023
The Islamic Human Rights Commission
(IHRC) has launched a campaign to help protect mosques from being bullied by
the charities' regulator in England and Wales into adopting policies that limit
their ability to speak and preach aspects of Islam to their congregations.
The move follows a rise in the number of
mosques and Islamic institutions reporting being harassed by the Charity
Commission after being reported for so-called extremism.
The standard modus operandi is for the
Commission to intervene after malicious complaints are levelled by secularists,
Zionists or far right activists accusing mosques of extremism for promoting or
sanctioning views that challenge the liberal secular orthodoxy.
Many mosques operate under charitable
status making them vulnerable to any abuse of power. Complaints are often based
on the flimsiest of contexts but are used as an justify wide-ranging and
intrusive investigations, going well beyond the original complaint against the
charity and pressurising them to make reforms that go beyond what is required
by the law such as adopting a speakers' policy and/or drawing a list of
approved speakers.
In many cases, the complaints are part
of a concerted campaign by Islamophobes or pro-Israel advocates seeking to
silence Muslims.
In May this year, the Commission
appointed a non-Muslim interim manager to run the Islamic Centre of England in
Maida Vale, London, which serves as a mosque and a hub for religious
activities. The move followed a concerted campaign of complaints by
secularists, neoliberals and Zionists who see the Centre as a source of criticism
of their views and activities.
In 2021 the Commission also imposed an
interim manager at the Birmingham-based Dar Ul Uloom Islamia Rizwia after a
trustee shared a post on Facebook praising a recitation of the Quran by the
Taliban. The same trustee has also criticised Israel for killing children and
the power wielded by the Zionist lobby group, AIPAC, in the United States.
In 2019 three mosques in the north of
England were investigated after they attracted complaints from the National
Secular Society for "promoting extremism" in posting links to
articles articulating the condemnatory stance of Islam towards homosexuality
and its conservative positions on marriage.
It is not the business of the state to
attempt to dictate to Muslims the content of their religion or to tell them
what parts of it they can publicly express or discuss. Islam has a
fourteen-century old tradition of scholarship that has defined the religion for
its adherents and it does not need outsiders, let alone an Islamophobic state, to
interfere in that role.
It is part of an unashamed attempt to
reset the parameters of the Islamic faith by using public policy to reshape the
way that Muslims think and behave. The British state does not do this for other
religions and it should not be allowed to try and do it for Islam either.
We believe these cases only scratch the
surface of a growing problem and are appealing to all mosques and Islamic
institutions who have been approached, bullied or investigated by the Charity
Commission to get in touch with our advocacy department.
IHRC chair Massoud Shadjareh said:
"We are overwhelmed by the number of mosques and community leaders coming
forward to support this campaign and we ask all Islamic institutions who have
been put under undue pressure to contact us so we can support them and gather
evidence in order to expose the extent of this unwarranted and unjustified
behaviour."
For further information please visit our
dedicated campaign page, Protect Your Mosque, Protect Your Deen.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230725-ihrc-launches-campaign-to-protect-mosques-from-charity-omission-harassment/
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Hundreds of Teesside Muslims gather in
Middlesbrough to protest Quran burnings
25 JUL 2023
Hundreds of Teesside Muslims gathered in
Middlesbrough to protest Quran burnings overseas.
The protesters turned out to the Jamia
Masjid Al-Madina mosque, on Waterloo Road, on Monday evening, in peaceful
solidarity following the Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark.
During the meeting in Middlesbrough
speakers raised their concerns.
The BBC reports how Iraq and other
Muslim-majority countries have condemned the burning of a Quran on Monday by a
group called "Danish Patriots" outside the Iraqi embassy in
Copenhagen. Nearly 1,000 demonstrators in Baghdad are said to have tried to
reach the Danish embassy after that incident.
Last week, crowds set fire to Sweden's
embassy in Baghdad after the planned burning of a Quran in Stockholm.
The Teesside event also saw support from
local politicians including, Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald in attendance with
Labour colleagues, Mayor of Middlesbrough Chris Cooke and prospective
Parliamentary candidate for Stockton North Chris McDonald.
Mr McDonald said: "Last night I
attended a packed meeting in Middlesbrough, of several hundred Muslim
worshippers from across the Tees Valley, their friends and supporters, who
gathered in peaceful solidarity.
"Their grave concerns, so passionately
expressed by a number of speakers, were over the burnings and desecrations of
the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark. Their much respected Imam made clear the
importance of all holy books and how that reverence was not restricted to the
Quran but included the Torah and the Bible.
"It was made very clear how
fundamentally offensive it was to desecrate any such holy work."
Source: gazettelive.co.uk
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https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/hundreds-teesside-muslims-gather-middlesbrough-27394330
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Six bombers convicted for murder for
part in Brussels 2016 terrorist attacks which killed 36 people at airport
25 July 2023
Six terrorists have been convicted of
murder and attempted murder for their part in the 2016 Brussels bombings.
32 people were killed in the deadly
attacks at Brussels Airport in March 2016 - which were followed by attacks on
the Brussels metro train which killed 15 men and 17 women.
The attacks were the deadliest in
Belgium since the Second World War - and now six people have been found guilty
of murder in the European hub.
One of the group is presumed dead
fighting in Syria - but was tried and found guilty in their absence during the
proceeding which took place over seven months in NATO's former headquarters and
cost at least £30.2million to conduct.
Salah Abdeslam, a member of the group
also convicted for his role in attacks on Paris which killed 130 people in
2015, was considered to be the ringleader of the Brussels attacks and was duly
convicted for his role in Belgium too.
Abdeslam was allowed to be transported
from his life-without-parole sentence in France to answer for his horrific
crimes in Belgium.
The attacks led to a Europe-wide manhunt
which culminated in a police raid and shoot-out in March 2016 which saw
Abdeslam arrested alive.
The other men convicted in Belgium
included Mohamed Abrini, a childhood friend of Abdeslam who was supposed to
have been killed in a suicide attack but had a change of heart when he saw
women and children in Brussels Airport.
The morning rush hour attacks on March
22, 2016 at Zavantem Airport and on the Brussels subway's central commuter line
deeply shook the city, home to the headquarters of the European Union and Nato,
and put the country on edge. In addition to the 32 people killed, nearly 900
others were wounded or suffered serious mental trauma.
Jamila Adda, president of the
Life4Bruxelles victims' association, gathered a group of survivors at the
special courthouse to hear Tuesday's verdict. Among them was a man named
Frederic, who said the '"atrocious crimes" of March 22 still haunt
him.
"We have been waiting for this for
seven years, seven years that weighed heavily on the victims ... We are waiting
with impatience, and with some anguish" for the verdict, he told The
Associated Press.
Frederic, among the commuters who
survived the attack at the Maelbeek metro station, spoke on condition that his
last name not be published to protect his identity.
Survivors have supported each other
through the proceedings, some coming every day.
"It is important to be together, to
hear the decision of justice," Frederic said. And then, they hope "to
be able to turn the page".
The 12 jurors have been deliberating
since early July over some 300 questions the court asked them to consider
before reaching a verdict.
Source: lbc.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/six-islamists-convicted-murder-brussels-attacks/
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Danish diplomatic mission leaves Iraq
after Quran desecration
July 25, 2023
The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs
announced yesterday that the Danish diplomatic mission in Baghdad left the
country on Saturday, following the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by a
group of Danish right-wing extremists in Copenhagen. The announcement was made
by ministry spokesman Ahmed Al-Sahhaf without giving further details.
A Danish far-right anti-Islam group
calling itself "Danske Patrioter" (Danish Patriots) burned a copy of
the Holy Quran in front of the Iraqi Embassy in the Danish capital on Friday.
The incident prompted demonstrations in Baghdad; hundreds of Iraqis tried to
enter the fortified Green Zone in the capital to protest at the Danish Embassy.
Earlier on Monday, the same group burned
another copy of the Quran in Copenhagen. Again, this was in front of the Iraqi
Embassy. The same far-right extremists have previously desecrated the Holy Book
and the Turkish flag in front of the Embassy of Turkiye in Copenhagen.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230725-danish-diplomatic-mission-leaves-iraq-after-quran-desecration/
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North America
New Survey Reveals Widespread
Antisemitism Among German Muslims Compared With Overall Population
July 25, 2023
More than one quarter of Muslims
residing in Germany believe that “wealthy Jews are the real rulers of the
world,” far higher than the national average, according to a new survey
published on Tuesday by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
While 26 percent of Muslim respondents
endorsed one of the deadliest antisemitic tropes, nationally, only six percent
of respondents did the same. Other questions similarly showed that Muslims were
three or four more times likelier to embrace antisemitic ideology than the
wider population.
For example, seven percent of Muslim
respondents said that they believed that violence against Jews was justified,
compared with two percent overall. Similarly, while only four percent of
respondents of overall respondents agreed with the claim that Jews are
“sneaky,” the figure among Muslims was 12 percent.
The Adenauer Foundation interviewed
5,500 people for its survey, which was conducted during the closing months of
2021 stretching into early 2022. It
emphasized that it had deliberately used harsh phrasing in its questions —
asking whether “Jews shouldn’t be surprised if they get one” in relation to
violence — in order to measure the “extremist core” of the population.
Commenting on the study, the Foundation
— which is affiliated with the center-right CDU Party — said it showed that “a
large majority of the German population firmly rejects antisemitic statements.”
It noted as well that “people with left-wing
and right-wing extremist attitudes have significantly more antisemitic
attitudes. However, the effect is stronger with a tendency towards right-wing
extremist attitudes.”
Alongside Germany’s Muslim communities,
the survey showed that respondents with lower incomes as well as supporters of
the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party were more vulnerable to
antisemitic messaging. Around 20 percent of AfD supporters agreed with the
statement that “wealthy Jews are the real rulers of the world.”
It observed that “previous evaluations
have already shown the AfD electorate’s increased right-wing populist or
xenophobic attitudes and [its] proximity to conspiracy theories.”
Dominik Hirndorf, who coordinated the
study, said that the answers to the question on the violence demonstrated that
potential threats should not be underestimated. “Every percentage point is one
too many,” Hirndorf stated.
Germany registered a record number of
violent antisemitic assaults in 2022, a year in which there were nearly seven
antisemitic incidents each day.
In an interview with The Algemeiner last
month, Felix Klein, the federal government’s top official combating
antisemitism, suggested that the true number of incidents annually was far
higher, due to the reluctance of many victims to report their ordeals to the
authorities.
“Only 20 percent of the antisemitic
crimes are reported, so the real number should be five times what we have — 25
incidents per day,” Klein said.
Source: algemeiner.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/07/25/new-survey-reveals-widespread-antisemitism-among-german-muslims-compared-with-overall-population/
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Muslim group say sentencing of man who
attacked Mississauga worshippers not enough
July 25, 2023
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Advocates say
Canada’s Muslim community is disappointed and concerned that a man who
assaulted worshippers at a Mississauga, Ont., mosque last year with the
intention to commit a mass casualty with bear spray and a hatchet will only
serve five years in prison.
Imam Ibrahim Hindy said the attack at
the Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre has left the community with long-lasting
psychological pain that no jail time can fix and the sentencing delivered at
the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Brampton on Tuesday does little to
deter future violence against Muslims.
“So many of our community members have
struggled over the past year and a half … and there’s no sentence that’s going
to bring us back to the time before these feelings of fear, hurt and loss
existed,” Hindy said in a phone interview Tuesday evening.
“This person was planning to kill people
for no reason other than their faith. Someone planning a mass casualty event
against innocent Canadians, who are peaceful, who are vulnerable, their backs
are turned to him, they’re in prayer … deserves more than eight years.”
Police have said Mohammad Moiz Omar
entered the Islamic centre on the morning of March 2022. A video of the
attacked posted by the National Council of Canadian Muslims shows worshippers
had their backs turned in prayer when Omar entered the room and began spraying
bear spray, but the victims turned around and fought him as he brandished a
hatchet.
“The people who were there at the time,
they jumped into action when the attack happened and they’re heroes,” Hindy
said.
“They were willing to sacrifice
themselves and that helped there be no loss of life or serious injury.”
The 24-year-old man was charged with
multiple offences including assault with a weapon, and police have said the
charges constitute terrorist activity under the Criminal Code. Hindy said Omar
was sentenced to eight years in prison on Tuesday but will serve only five
years because he has credit from being in custody.
Hindy said the trial this month also
heard the 24-year-old man consumed Islamophobic content online and testified
that he developed an intense hatred for Muslims and Islam.
Hindy said Omar testified his attack was
premeditated as he had a list of mosques he wanted to target before he chose
the Islamic centre because it was closest to him. A psychological assessment
also showed he had no remorse, Hindy added.
Steven Zhou, a spokesman for the
National Council of Canadian Muslims, said a justice also revealed during
Tuesday’s sentencing hearing that Omar is eligible for parole in four years.
Zhou and Hindy say that eligibility is
too soon and Muslims fear he might return for an attack.
“This deal (has left) a very, very, very
deep stain on people’s sort of psychological outlook and communal outlook
because (mosques) are supposed to be a place of safety and having that violated
is going to be a really hard thing to overcome psychologically,” Zhou said.
Zhou said the attack has left some
victims with lingering breathing problems due to the bear spray and a mother
told Omar’s trial her young son who was present during the attack “needs all
kinds of counselling in order to stop being afraid of coming to the mosque and
he can’t stop sort of talking about what happened.”
“It’s almost a debilitating impediment
for moving forward with his life,” Zhou said about the boy.
Hindy added some worshippers haven’t
returned to the mosque since the attack.
Both say community members will be
keeping a close eye on Omar as he nears his parole eligibility.
In the meantime, they want Ottawa to
create a fund for counselling for victims.
The advocates also say community members
want the federal government to make changes to online harm legislation so
others won’t be radicalized similar to Omar.
“There were dozens of people here that
morning on March 19 of last year, and for all those people, it’s going to take
a lot of healing,” Zhou said.
Source: globalnews.ca
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://globalnews.ca/news/9856303/mississauga-mosque-attack-sentencing-reaction-muslim-group-2/
--------
Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour inscribes
Chicago as the mecca of house music
JUL 25 2023
At Soldier Field on a misty Saturday
night, with nearly 50,000 fans filling the arena, Beyoncé and her dancers walk
off the stage for what seems to be an intermission as the screen goes black.
“In the beginning, there was Jack, and
Jack had a groove,” Chicago house pioneer Chuck Robert’s voice omnisciently
proclaims while the lyrics lit up the stage.
The crowd roars, because this is
Chicago, the mecca of house music. In the show, Roberts’s voice booms with the
gravity of God in the Old Testament, embodying the blurred line between the
Black church and house music.
“And from this groove came the groove of
all grooves. And while one day, viciously throwing down on his box, Jack boldly
declared, “Let there be house!” And house music was born. I am the creator, and
this is my house!” Roberts voice trails off into the Motherboard, a segment
which takes audiences on an otherworldly ride from womb to birth.
After witnessing the Renaissance World
Tour in Chicago this past weekend, one thing is undeniably true: Beyoncé has
forever inscribed Chicago’s rightful place in global music history as the
foundation of house music. The global superstar flawlessly melded Afrofuturism
and Black ballroom with iconic house tracks that not only pay homage to the
vanguards of each, but exalts their influence on the very fabric of her Grammy
Award-winning album, Renaissance.
One of those commanding voices is Chuck
Roberts, nicknamed “the voice of house music.” His electrifying sermon from the
1987 Rhythm Controll track, “My House,” serves as a visual interlude in the
show.
“I’m in awe of the situation. I’m
humbled by it,” Roberts said. “Just like with that speech, nobody had any idea
that it would take on legs and walk through the places that it’s gone. Same
thing with this situation with Beyoncé. Nobody saw this coming, but it’s a
blessing. And I think it’s a big win for the house community.”
Jack, or jackin’, is an endearing house
term to describe the style of dancing associated with house music in the 1980s.
The dance is a bend of the knee and thrusting motion that moves up into the
torso with free-flowing arm movements.
“You want to know who is Jack, and what
is it that Jack does?” Robert tells The TRiiBE. “Jack is the one that gives you
the power to do the snake. Jack is the one who gives you the key to the wiggly
worm. Jack is the one that can bring nations and nations and nations of all
Jackers together under one house. That’s who Jack is, and that’s what Jack
does.”
Back in the spring, Beyoncé’s team
reached out to Robert’s music publisher and asked how they’d feel about her
using “My House” in the show. He was shocked, but not surprised, that she
reached out to use the track.
“Beyoncé has given us a platform that we
wouldn’t have had without her or somebody like her. I’ll reiterate, we are
eternally grateful to her because she’s given us that exposure to15-year-olds
who don’t really know anything about house music, [don’t] understand the
origins or really what house music is,” Roberts said. “It’s a blessing. People
who wouldn’t normally even think about dabbling in house music are like, ‘wow.
We heard that at the concert. Let me see what this thing is.’ They see Jack up
on the screen and [they’re] going home to Google ‘Jack.’”
Roberts grew up in Holy City, off 16th
Street, on Chicago’s West Side. He reminisced about the 1980s and a club called
The Factory, on Madison Street in West Garfield Park. There was a studio inside
the building, where he produced music.
“I’m from the church,” Roberts said.
“The lyrics from the song came from what I saw the effect that [house music]
had on people. It brought people together who normally wouldn’t have any kind
of affiliation at all. Different people from different walks of life.”
At the time, Roberts recalled, teens and
young adults from all over Chicago and its surrounding suburbs were coming to
The Factory for its house parties. Regardless of race or socio-economic status,
house music created a welcoming space for everyone, and The Factory was
representative of that.
“House music lets you be you,” Roberts
said. “People who didn’t have anything in common ended up being friends and meeting
at this place. The house music was that infectious.”
He even recalled seeing rival gang
members put their issues aside to party together at The Factory.
“The same guys who were gang rivals
[and] couldn’t be in the club at the same time, when the house music hit, these
same guys [are] on the floor jacking. I’m talking about gang leaders, the drug
pushers, the regular school kids, the Catholic school kids, everybody,” Roberts
said. “On the West Side, people normally say well, you can’t come over here on
Saturday night. It wasn’t none of that. People look forward to getting together
to get into that music and get into that Jack. That Jack is something else,
baby.”
Over time, Roberts’ “My House” sermon
started to reach the masses. DJs across the country were playing it. In 1988,
foundational house producer Larry Heard — a.k.a. Mr. Fingers — sampled the
speech on his remix, “Can You Feel It.” The latter track has been featured on
Rolling Stone’s “200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time,” and Pitchfork’s “200 Best Songs of the 1980s.”
He later signed a deal with ZYX Records
in Germany, and placed his sermon on the 1990 Ecstasy track, “This Is My
House.”
“The record went double platinum. A lot
of people don’t know that,” Roberts said. “That’s when we kind of figured out
there’s something going on with this thing.”
Today, his “My House” speech is one of
the most sampled in house music history. Real househeads already know the
global impact of house music, which makes Beyoncé’s acknowledgement even more
sweet.
“Hopefully more people will see the
value in this and we’ll be able to bring other genres and people into this as
well,” Roberts said about “My House” being included in the Renaissance World
Tour. “Because house music, it’s a feeling. It’s not just a genre of music.
It’s a way of being. It’s a way of life. House music is completely different
from any other music.”
Source: thetriibe.com
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https://thetriibe.com/2023/07/beyonces-renaissance-tour-inscribes-chicago-as-the-mecca-of-house-music-chuck-roberts/
--------
Nigel Farage: UK Muslim charities
criticise lack of interest in their bank account closures
25 July 2023
Muslim faith-based charities in the UK
are calling out the double standard when it comes to their bank accounts being
closed, in the wake of the ongoing media furore over the closure of Nigel
Farage's Coutts bank account.
Earlier this month, the closure of the
former UK Independence Party leader's bank account was widely covered in the media,
with the high net-worth private bank Coutts apologising to the Brexit
campaigner for closing his account over his views that the bank said did not
"align" with its values.
On Monday the BBC and its business
correspondent Simon Jack also apologised to Farage after reporting that his
account was closed for financial, not political, reasons, and correcting those
reports.
However, key figures in Muslim
faith-based charities say that they have long faced bank closures, with no
explanation, which in turn hinders their efforts to help impoverished
communities, especially those in remote regions.
Due to bank account closures, a number
of international and smaller charities based in the UK have faced challenges in
fundraising and delivering aid to destitute regions and areas where natural
disasters have struck.
Delays and denials
Alun McDonald, head of media at Islamic
Relief Worldwide, said that it was common to hear of charities facing delays
and denials when using the international banking system to send funds.
“Some banks are reluctant to deal with
humanitarian charities working in the world’s most fragile and complex states
because it’s simpler to just say no. This often disproportionately affects
Muslim faith-based organisations or smaller, local organisations,” he told
Middle East Eye.
While Farage received a 40-page report
regarding the closure of his Coutts account, many Muslim charities and public
figures say they have not received the same explanation for their account
closures.
McDonald says that while charities
welcome the efforts promised by the UK government to try and improve the
situation, there is still a lot of work to be done.
“Rather than closing accounts and
‘de-risking’, working more closely with charities allows banks to mitigate
their risks and meet their compliance standards while ensuring that humanitarian
aid reaches people who urgently need it,” he says.
He also called on more banks to try to
understand the due diligence protocols that charities have in place, so that
communities are not left without essential aid.
Deprived of life-saving aid
FadiItani, the CEO of the UK-based
Muslim Charities Forum, says that charities have been facing bank closures for
over two decades and are often "over-policed" by banks and their
policies.
“This typically happens with
organisations working in more sensitive regions where there is a higher
security risk, but we've found this to be extended to a much wider definition,
creating an unfair burden for charitable organisations to work with,” he told
MEE.
The closure of bank accounts can often
hinder a charity’s efforts in providing life-saving aid, which can be
particularly disadvantageous to people in regions affected by conflict.
“On one level those that are most in
need, such as in regions of Syria, Gaza and Somalia and other parts of the
world, would not get immediate aid at all, depriving them of life-saving
assistance,” explained Itani.
“It is really only Muslim organisations
that are able to provide life-saving aid in these remote regions where there
also arises security risks, and unfortunately, those carrying out anti-money
laundering checks become overly prudent, not being able to really understand
the context of the aid that these organisations provide on the ground."
Pro-Palestine groups targeted
The widespread media coverage of
Farage’s bank account closure compared to the minimal coverage of Muslim
organisations that have suffered closures has also sparked criticism.
“Muslim organisations do not get as much
coverage in the press in which there are the same underlying issues…it seems
the public attitude and sympathy to the Muslim cause was just scarce, with no
real ongoing mainstream interest or support campaigns, as we see now with
Farage,” said Itani.
Pro-Palestine campaigners and activists
have also highlighted that they have been subjected to bank closures for years
as a result of their political views without a major backlash from politicians
or the press.
In 2015, the Palestine Solidarity
Campaign - the UK's most prominent pro-Palestinian organisation - had its bank
account with the Co-operative Bank closed, with no further explanation cited
other than “the bank’s risk appetite".
In 2016, the Friends of Al-Aqsa, another
pro-Palestinian organisation, saw its bank account closed by the Co-operative
Bank "without explanation".
A number of similar organisations have
also faced sudden account closures with little or no notice or explanation.
Source: middleeasteye.net
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https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/nigel-farage-british-muslim-charities-criticise-lack-interest-bank-closures
--------
Africa
We Didn’t Arrest, Detain Soldier For
Converting From Islam To Christianity – Nigerian Army
July 25, 2023
By: Kingsley Omonobi – Abuja
Authorities of the Nigerian Army on
Tuesday clarified that one of its soldier, Lance Corporal Musa Adamu currently
in detention was not arrested because he converted from the religion of Islam
to Christianity and started preaching the gospel.
Rather, the Army said the soldier is in
detention for violating certain provisions of the armed forces act
Director of Army Public
Relations,Brigadier General OnyemaNwachukwu made this known in a statement
titled, ‘Nigerian Army Soldier Not Detained For Religious Affiliation’.
It reads, “”Contrary to reports being
circulated in the Social Media that a personnel of the Nigerian Army (NA),
Lance Corporal Musa Adamu is in detention for converting from Islam to
Christianity and preaching the gospel, the reality is that the soldier is in
custody for violation of some provisions of the Armed Forces Act.
The awful report is not only a
misrepresentation of the true situation but an outrageous falsehood tainted
with religious bigotry, being peddled against the Nigerian Army; a professional
institution guided by well established ethics and tradition in all its
activities and administration of personnel.
“This is aside the unbiased premium of
place accorded the spiritual concern and growth of personnel as well as the
sensitivity it attaches to religious practices amongst personnel.
“To set the records straight, Lance
Corporal Musa Adamu, a personnel of the Amphibious Training School was attached
to 63 Brigade to partcipate in an ongoing operation, during which he was found
preaching in uniform on a social media platform in violation of extant Social
Media policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“This prompted his invitation for
interrogation by relevant authorities.
“Rather than present himself for the
investigation, he absconded for about six and a half months, resulting in the
declaration of the soldier on Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL).
“The action of the personnel violates
Section 58 (a) (b) Obstruction of Provost Officers and Section 59 (a) (b)
Absence Without Leave.
“It must be clarified, that once a
personnel is absent from his unit for 7 days without any justification, he will
be declared on AWOL.
“This automatically triggers the
freezing of his salary account, until the personnel returns to unit and is
arraigned and sanctioned.
“It is equally important to state that
contrary to the erroneous impression that the soldier is being victimized for
converting from Islam to Christianity and for preaching the gospel, the soldier
was rather taken into custody for investigation and in pursuant of statutory
provisions enshrined in the Armed Forces Act CAP 20: The Laws of the Federation
of Nigeria 2004, which the soldier contravened.
“His detention is therefore not
unlawful.
“It is expedient to point out, that each
and every personnel of the NA functions under a Corps or Department with
stipulated statutory responsibilities manned by qualified personnel trained to
effectively execute those duties.
“Hence, religious affairs of the NA are
handled by designated clergies in the Directorates of Chaplain Services
(Protestant), (Roman Catholic) and Islamic Affairs.
“Personnel of these Directorates are the
ones mandated to conduct all religious activities to cater for the spiritual
needs of all personnel of the NA, both in the theatres of operations and within
the barracks.
“The question begging for answer is, if
the NA allowed the soldier to change his religion, why then would the NA
victimize him?
“It is ironical therefore, that an
institution that promotes the spiritual wellbeing of its personnel is alleged
to have detained the soldier for the expression of his faith, even when it is
abundantly clear that he has the opportunity to also change his Corps to any of
the Army’s Chaplaincy.
“The NA will not be hesitant to state
that it is guided by ethics, traditions and military laws, which direct
personnel on their conducts.
“Violation of these ideals and statutory
stipulations evoke sanctions, irrespective of the faith of the offender.
“Consequently, the NA denounces the
libelous publication capable of causing disaffection amongst personnel as well
as bringing disrepute and distractions to the NA from its trajectory of
discharging its constitutional mandate to protect the territorial integrity of
Nigeria, particularly at this crucial time that it is turning the tide against
insurgents and other criminal elements across the country.
“The general public are therefore
enjoined to ignore the baseless report, aimed at scoring cheap goal by
denigrating an institution totally committed to the restoration of peace and
stability in Nigeria.
“The support of the good citizens of
this country is paramount to the success of the NA at this crucial time and not
unfounded and unconstructive narrations.”
Source: vanguardngr.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/07/we-didnt-arrest-detain-soldier-for-converting-from-islam-to-christianity-army/
---------
Angry Muslim Youths Set Davido’s Picture
Ablaze, Demand Apology Over Video
July 25, 2023
Aggrieved Muslim youths in Maiduguri
recently protested to demonstrate their displeasure with the famous singer,
David Adeleke, popularly called Davido, who posted a video clip they termed
offensive to Islam on his Twitter page.
Many prominent Nigerian Muslims,
including a former aide to ex-president Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, Senator
Shehu Sani, and actor Ali Nuhi, asked Davido to take down the video and
apologise to Muslims for “disrespecting” their religion.
Recall that Davido came under heavy
criticism after sharing a music video clip of his signee, Logos Olori’s new
single ‘Jaye Lo’, which captured people praying and dancing in front of a
mosque.
The singer eventually bowed to pressure
after 48 hours and deleted the controversial video but refused to apologise.
Some Muslim youths in Maiduguri took to
the street setting a large banner of the singer on fire.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
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We thank Almighty Allah – Lamido reacts
over Court of Appeal’s judgement
July 25, 2023
By Khaleel Muhammad
The 2023 general election gubernatorial
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State, Mustapha
SuleLamido, has reacted to Tuesday’s Court of Appeal judgement that discharged
him of money laundering charges.
DAILY POST reports that the Court of
Appeal in Abuja has discharged and acquitted a former governor of Jigawa State,
SuleLamido, his son, Mustapha SuleLamido, and others over alleged money
laundering.
In delivering his judgement on Tuesday,
Justice Adamu Waziri held that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked the
requisite jurisdiction to try the case as most of the issues emanated from
outside.
Responding to the judgement on his
Facebook page, Dr Mustapha SuleLamido expressed delight over the judgement.
According to him: “After over eight
years of legal battles, today, the Court of Appeal has discharged us of all
wrongdoing allegations against us by the EFCC. We thank Almighty Allah, the
Giver of Justice, for this vindication.
“We express our gratitude to the
Nigerian judiciary for upholding justice and giving ordinary Nigerians more
reasons to believe in them. We thank and commend our lawyers, Joe Agi, SAN, OffiongOffiong,
SAN, and their team for their tireless efforts.
“We express our gratitude to all
friends, family, associates, and well-wishers for standing by us with prayers
and solidarity.”
DAILY POST recalls that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the former governor of Jigawa
State, SuleLamido, his son Mustapha, and others before the Federal Higher
Court, Maitama, Abuja, on a 43-count charge bordering on abuse of office and
money laundering.
Source: dailypost.ng
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Arab World
Saudi arts and culture in the spotlight
at Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts in Jordan
July 26, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi actors, musicians,
photographers and heritage experts will be among the Kingdom’s representatives
showcasing their country’s arts and culture traditions at the 2023 Jerash
Festival of Culture and Arts in Jordan, which begins on July 26 and continues
until Aug. 5.
Three groups of women from the Saudi
Theater and Performing Arts Authority will perform from July 27 to 30,
reflecting the diverse nature of performing arts in the Kingdom, the Saudi
Press Agency reported on Tuesday. They will be accompanied by an orchestra and
national choir.
As part of the Year of Arabic Poetry
initiative, the Saudi Heritage Authority will give a presentation about
archaeological rock inscriptions relating to Arab poetry, alongside a photo
exhibition highlighting UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites in the Kingdom.
It will also showcase handicraft
traditions shared by Saudi Arabia and Jordan, including Al-Sadu weaving,
woodworking, pottery, gypsum, and the making of dressing gowns.
The Music Authority will present a
concert by Saudi singer Khalid Abdul Rahman on July 30, who will perform some
of his best-known songs.
Artists and performers from across the
Arab world flock to the ancient city of Jerash each year to take part in its
festival, which was established in 1981.
The Kingdom’s participation in the
festival reflects the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to raise the profile of
Saudi culture at the regional and international events and promote
international cultural exchanges, which is one of its strategic goals under the
Saudi Vision 2030 national development and diversification agenda.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Cabinet renews condemnation of
Qur’an burnings in Sweden, Denmark
July 25, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Council of
Ministers held its weekly session, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,
on Tuesday, renewing the Kingdom’s condemnation of attacks on Islamic
sanctities in Sweden and Denmark.
The Cabinet reiterated Saudi Arabia’s
strong condemnation of the burnings of copies of the Qur’an in Sweden and
Denmark, describing them as a flagrant violation of all laws and customs and in
direct contradiction with international efforts seeking to spread the values of
tolerance and moderation.
During the meeting, the Cabinet also
reviewed the Kingdom’s participation in Italy’s international conference on
migration held on Sunday to discuss the migration crises and Riyadh’s support
in joint UN efforts to address security challenges, calling on the
international community to stand in solidarity and cooperation.
Attending the conference on behalf of
the crown prince in Rome was Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior Prince
Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif.
The Cabinet also commended the results
of the 18th Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asian countries summit hosted
in Jeddah, which resulted in the strengthening of joint Gulf action on regional
and international security efforts facing global concern.
The Council of Ministers also commended
the Kingdom’s active international participation in combating the effects of
climate change through various efforts to reduce emissions including
diversifying the energy mix use and promoting the use of clean technologies.
Saudi Arabia recently participated in
the UN High-level Political Forum 2023 held from July 10-19 in New York in an
effort to achieve sustainable development goals.
During the meeting, the Kingdom
highlighted Vision 2030 initiatives under the framework of achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals including in areas of human development,
healthcare, and diversification of the economy.
Ministers approved a number of
memorandums of understanding during the meeting, including a tax management MoU
between the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority in the Kingdom and the Tax Office
of Australia.
The Cabinet also approved a MoU between
the Radio and Television Authority and the China Media Group for cooperation in
the fields of radio and television.
Also approved was an MoU in the field of
combating terrorism and its financing between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The ministers discussed a draft of MoUs
between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the Ministry of
Environment of Iraq. Also discussing Iraq the cabinet also highlighted a
potential for investment through the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
The Cabinet also discussed a protocol
draft of an MoU between the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the
General Authority of Customs of China regarding health requirements for
exporting products from the Kingdom to China.
Cabinet members also authorized the
Saudi Ministry of Investment to sign a draft agreement with Dijbouti on the
mutual encouragement and protection of investment.
The Cabinet authorized the Saudi
Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services to sign a draft agreement with the
government of Barbados in the area of air transport services.
The Cabinet also approved assigning the
Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics for Roads Affairs Badr bin Abdullah
Al-Dulami to carry out the work of the CEO of the Public Authority for Roads.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia condemns suicide bombing in
Mogadishu
July 25, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday
condemned and denounced a terrorist attack targeting a military training
academy in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
At least 25 soldiers were killed and
more than 40 wounded in the suicide bombing at the JalleSiyad military academy
on Monday.
The attack was claimed by Al-Qaida’s
affiliate in East Africa, the Somalia-based Al-Shabab, which controls parts of
rural Somalia and often targets high-profile areas of the capital.
The Kingdom’s foreign ministry expressed
its condolences to the families of the victims and the government and people of
Somalia. It also wished the wounded a speedy recovery.
Source: arabnews.com
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How museum partnerships are enriching
Saudi Arabia’s art and culture scene, boosting its creative economy
July 26, 2023
ROME: Saudi Arabia is expanding its
cultural horizons, and encouraging its own artistic renaissance, by opening new
exhibition spaces and establishing partnerships with some of the world’s most
prestigious galleries and museums.
The Kingdom’s upcoming Contemporary Art
Museum in AlUla, for example, has signed a deal with the Centre Pompidou in
Paris, as part of which the French museum will lend international artworks to
the Kingdom.
Designed by Paris-based Lebanese
architect Lina Ghotmeh, the new museum is assembling a permanent collection of
works that includes pieces by Saudi and international artists.
Among those artists whose works have
already been added to the collection are Yayoi Kusama, Etel Adnan, Ibrahim
El-Salahi and Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan.
The core collection at the museum will
focus on works by artists from the regions around the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea
and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The deal with the Centre Pompidou is
just one of several new partnerships between the Kingdom and international creative
institutions.
“The Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla
will develop its future programs in dialogue with several museums and
institutions around the world,” Nora Aldabal, the arts and creative planning
director at the Royal Commission of AlUla, told Arab News.
“We are delighted that the Centre
Pompidou will be one of our first partners.”
The art venue in Paris is due to close
between 2025 and 2030 for a major refurbishment. Aldabal made it clear,
however, that the new museum in AlUla “will not be a satellite of the Centre
Pompidou” but a fully independent gallery space.
In line with the Vision 2030 social
reform and economic diversification strategy, the Kingdom aims to build a
creative economy that encourages the nation’s men, women and young people to pursue
their talents in the arts.
Deals such as the one struck with the
Centre Pompidou are intended to enhance the dialogue between Saudi Arabia and
other nations through art and culture, while also developing the domestic Saudi
art scene.
“Museums in general are essential for
the development and growth of critical thinking,” Candida Pestana, the head of
the Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla, told Arab News. She was formerly chief
curator of contemporary art at Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture,
in Dhahran.
“Cultural investment is crucial for
opening interesting discussions for the new generations and is a way to mark
the history of this time.
“The art scene accompanies those changes
by creating creative production platforms and a space for innovative dialogues,
feeding into a young crowd that is eager to learn and contribute.
“Museums are vital for creating cultural
discourses and implementing advanced and original content in a country with
fast transformations.”
In May, at the opening of the Venice
Architecture Biennale, British curator IwonaBlazwick said the Contemporary Art
Museum’s partnership with Centre Pompidou would provide training opportunities
for aspiring Saudi curators.
Blazwick, a former director of the
Whitechapel Gallery in London and now chair of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s
Public Art Expert Panel, said the agreement would also include loan exchanges
between the institutions’ respective collections.
Blazwick added that the collection held
by the Contemporary Art Museum will shine the spotlight on works from the
Global South, including the frequently underrepresented regions of Africa,
Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Another cultural institution that is
coming to AlUla, which was announced in May, is the Museum of the Incense Road,
designed by London-based British architect Asif Khan. It and the Contemporary
Art Museum are the first of 15 cultural assets planned as part of AlUla’s
“Journey Through Time Masterplan.”
The expansion of the Saudi cultural
scene, both locally and internationally, and the cultural regeneration of AlUla
serve to further solidify the Kingdom’s unique sense of identity and celebrate
its heritage, said Aldabal.
At the same time, they offer
“unparalleled opportunities for local communities to experience art as a source
of education and enrichment, while also creating a platform to celebrate
established artists and rising stars from Saudi Arabia and across the region.”
She added: “AlUla aims to develop a
thriving creative economy that serves as a source of economic and physical
revitalization.”
None of this is being imposed on the
local population of AlUla against its will. The Royal Commission has engaged
with communities every step of the way, creating business and employment
opportunities while taking care not to disrupt established traditions and
practices.
“Local community participation is a key
component of delivering RCU’s mandate,” said Aldabal.
“This is achieved through several projects, including the participatory design workshops
in collaboration with MadrasatAddeera and the craft school in Al-Jadidah
cultural district, which sustains precious artisanal skills such as palm
weaving, jewelry, textiles, pottery and geometry, with
a pipeline to the retail economy.”
MadrasatAddeera, which is located in the
bustling Al-Jadidah Arts District and was AlUla’s first arts and design center,
offers weekly workshops for the local community and visitors.
While the core mission of this community
project is to teach local women a range of traditional skills and handicrafts,
it also organizes workshops so everyone can learn them. They span all types of
traditional crafts, such as jewelry making, embroidery and ceramics, including
those historically part of AlUla’s traditions.
The workshops are run by the Turquoise
Mountain Foundation, an organization founded by Britain’s King Charles III in
2006, when he was the prince of Wales, with the aim of reviving traditional
crafts around the world to help support sustainable local economies.
The goal is for AlUla to become “a place
created by and for artists,” as highlighted by the mandate of the Royal
Commission, said Aldabal.
Ongoing exhibitions and projects with
the direct involvement of artists include an annual artist’s residency program,
founded in 2021, that has already welcomed 26 multidisciplinary artists.
They include Saudi artists
MuhannadShono, Rashed Al-Shashai and Ayman Zedani, the Saudi architectural
collective Bricklab, along with works by international artists such as Monira
Al-Qadiri, a Kuwaiti citizen based in Berlin, and Ben Elliot from France, among
others.
“They pursue their artistic endeavors
through experimentation in the unique and rich setting of AlUla,” said Aldabal.
Saudi contemporary artists are already
playing an important role in cultural projects in AlUla. One example of this is
Desert X AlUla, the inaugural event of which took place in January 2020.
Another is WadiAlFann, or “Valley of the
Arts,” of which Blazwick is a curator. The project aims to become a new global
destination for contemporary art, where era-defining works by some of the most
compelling artists from around the world will be permanently installed against
the backdrop of AlUla’sbreathtaking landscape. The Saudi artists involved in
the project include Ahmed Mater and AlDowayan.
New works being created specially for
WadiAlFann include AlDowayan’s labyrinthine installation “Oasis of Stories,”
which is inspired by the mud walls of AlUla’s Old Town. The walls of her
artwork will be inscribed with personal histories and folklore she gathered
from communities in AlUla.
Mater said his new work, “Ashab Al-Lal,”
will explore the mythic space between subjective imagination and objective
reality by generating a mirage among the sand dunes.
Projects such as these, combined with
the development of new museums, aim to contribute to the emergence of AlUla as
a domestic, regional and global cultural hub, created by and for artists.
“The Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla
has been implementing vital research to understand the needs of its community,
not only in its content but also in its design and planning,” said Pestana.
“Museums are being created considering
the gaps, the interest, and the fundamental role of a cultural institution in
AlUla and the region. This museum aims to perform, advocate for its people, and
contribute and align with the Kingdom’s plans and vision.”
The architecture of the Contemporary Art
Museum and the Museum of the Incense Road will be in harmony with the natural
environment and heritage of AlUla, and wider Saudi Arabia, offering a way to
celebrate the Kingdom’s natural heritage while also providing the impetus for
international creative dialogue.
In May, Ghotmeh, the architect designing
the Contemporary Art Museum, said it will “immerse visitors in a creative
journey from the desert expanse to the lush cultural oasis of AlUla,
interweaving the natural environment, agriculture and art to reveal the heart
of contemporary culture.”
It will achieve this through a series of
garden pavilions that present a constant interplay between art and nature
designed to capture “the essence of this unique place,” she added.
AlUla is not the only part of Saudi
Arabia that is enjoying a flurry of cultural investment. The Red Sea Museum in
Jeddah, for example, is due to open soon.
“Black Gold,” a permanent exhibition in
Riyadh dedicated to artists’ interpretations of the story of oil, is scheduled
for completion by 2024. It will offer a narrative of the history of oil, from
prehistoric times to the present day, through more than 200 works of
contemporary art.
It will be inaugurated in partnership
with the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center at its
headquarters in Riyadh.
Through its development and promotion of
homegrown exhibitions such as these, and by placing artistic spaces at the
heart of its transformation plans, the Kingdom appears to be well placed in its
efforts to become a regional hub for art and the creative industries.
Source: arabnews.com
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US ambassador to Saudi Arabia reflects
on his visit to Dhahran
July 25, 2023
RIYADH: The US Ambassador to Saudi
Arabia Michael Ratney has shared a video on his embassy’s Twitter page to
highlight his first visit to Dhahran since taking office.
Ratney said in the video: “Almost 80
years ago, the United States established our first permanent diplomatic
presence on the Arabian Peninsula in Dhahran.”
The embassy shares images of the
historic opening in 1944 by Foreign Service Officer Parker T. Hart.
Ratney said that the links forged then
in the Eastern Province have been strengthened in the US-Saudi partnership.
He added: “Now our relationship is much
broader, and our economic, educational, and cultural ties in the province run
deep.”
Ratney met Prince Saud bin Nayef,
governor of the Eastern Province, during his visit. He also spoke to Amin
Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, during a tour of the company’s headquarters. The
two parties discussed bilateral relations between the countries.
The US ambassador said: “I also visited
the cultural center and museum at Ithra (King Abdulaziz Center for World
Culture). I liked its beautiful architecture. It’s also a great example of
community engagement, and a source of creativity and innovation for people of
all ages.”
Ratney concluded the video by extending
his gratitude for the generous hospitality he had experienced.
He previously used the US Embassy’s
Twitter page as a platform to create videos extending messages of support and
well wishes to the Saudi astronauts who took part in Axiom Mission 2. He has
also created videos highlighting events hosted by the embassy.
Ratney was confirmed by the US Senate as
ambassador to the Kingdom on March 14 in a voice vote. He said at the time that
he was committed to a “strong and sustainable US-Saudi partnership that
advances US interests and reflects US values.”
Ratney has held meetings with several
Saudi officials following his appointment, including the Kingdom’s Deputy
Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji.
Source: arabnews.com
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Prophet’s Mosque provides services to
more than 52,000 visitors post-Hajj season
July 25, 2023
RIYADH: The General Presidency for the
Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque has provided services to more than 52,000
visitors who came to Madinah after the Hajj season.
The General Presidency said that more
than 7.5 million worshipers witnessed the prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque during
the period from July 16 to July 23, accompanied by all field services, which
included organizing entry to the Holy Rawdah at the Prophet’s Mosque, as
496,533 visitors were honored to greet Prophet Muhammad and his companions, and
123,301 worshippers prayed in the Rawdah during the allotted time.
Other services provided by Prophet’s
Mosque included guidance and spatial services, translation services, and
wheelchairs for 20,038 elderly worshipers and people with disabilities in sites
designated for them inside the Prophet’s Mosque.
In the past seven days, 7,536,737
worshippers performed prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque, 41,660 beneficiaries
attended lessons offered in the fields of jurisprudence and awareness, 102,859
beneficiaries of various nationalities benefited from field outreach services,
9,831 beneficiaries were provided with religious guidance services, and 7,397
visitors were provided with guidance services through the unified number and
communication channels.
The exhibition of the architecture of
the Prophet’s Mosque welcomed 5,753 visitors to watch the stages of building
and expanding the two holy mosques, and the efforts being made for the
pilgrims, with 18,050 visitors welcomed into the Library of the Prophet’s
Mosque.
The General Presidency has also
distributed 72,672 packages of Zamzam water, in addition to 55,825 breakfast
meals for those fasting inside the Prophet’s Mosque, while 159,916 elderly
visitors benefited from transportation services by electric vehicles and
wheelchairs between the courtyards and the doors of the mosque, and 62,728
gifts were distributed to visitors during the past week.
After the Hajj season, more than 652,862
thousand pilgrims arrived in Madinah after performing the Hajj, of whom 494,222
pilgrims left for their countries through land and air ports after visiting the
Prophet’s Mosque, while 158,640 pilgrims remained in Madinah for now.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi vice foreign affairs minister
meets with Comoros ambassador
July 26, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Waleed El Khereiji met with the ambassador of Comoros on
Tuesday.
During the meeting, they reviewed
bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them to serve
common interests, in addition to discussing issues of common interest.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi envoy to Arab League presents
credentials to secretary-general
July 26, 2023
CAIRO: Ambassador Abdulaziz bin Abdullah
Al-Matar presented his credentials today to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed
AboulGheit as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the
pan-Arab organisation in Cairo.
In a press statement following his
meeting with AboulGheit, Al-Matar underscored the role of the Arab League in
enhancing joint Arab action and cooperation, emphasizing the Kingdom’s support
to Arab consensus on all regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Source: arabnews.com
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Southeast Asia
PM Anwar to launch 2024 Budget theme
‘Madani Economy: Empowering the People’ tomorrow
Wednesday, 26 Jul 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to launch “Madani Economy: Empowering the
People” which will steer the economy to safeguard the country’s future.
The launch will be held at the
Securities Commission’s headquarters at 9 am tomorrow.
“Wait for it, God willing (Nantikan,
Insya-Allah),” he said in a post on his social media account.
Malaysia’s economy recorded
better-than-expected growth of 5.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2023,
driven mainly by private-sector spending.
Previously, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)
Governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the central bank has maintained its
projection for the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth this year
between 4.0 per cent and 5.0 per cent.
He said that domestic demand remains
resilient, and the job market is improving, further supporting consumer
spending.
On February 24, Anwar, who is also the
finance minister, presented the Unity government’s first budget with an
allocation of RM388.1 billion; an increase from the RM372.3 billion budget
presented in October 2022.
A total of RM289.1 billion was allocated
for operating expenditure and RM99 billion for development expenditure,
including a contingency reserve of RM2 billion. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Aug 30 decision on suit challenging
Saifuddin's exemption of no-contest for top two Umno posts
July 26, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set Aug
30 for decision on a suit challenging Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin
Nasution Abdullah's directive that allowed the no-contest resolution for Umno's
top two positions at the party's 2022 general assembly.
Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh fixed the
date after hearing submissions from both parties today.
The suit was filed last month by three
plaintiffs - Satarriah Abdul Karim, Zaidi Abdul Majid and P. Vellasamy.
Satarriah and Zaidi are Kampung Bukit C2
LembahPantai Umno branch members, while Vellasamy is a LembahPantai MIC branch
member.
The trio named Saifuddin, the
government, Registrar of Societies (RoS) and Umno as the respondents.
They are seeking a certiorari order to
revoke Saifuddin's approval on March 7, which exempts Umno from complying with
Section 13(1)(c)(iv) of the Societies Act 1966, as provided for under Section
70 of the Societies Act 1966.
The plaintiffs are also seeking a
declaration that the president and deputy president posts shall be contested
within a period of 30 days from the date of judgment.
The plaintiffs said on March 2, RoS
director-general MohdNawardi Saad issued a letter to the Umno
secretary-general, saying that the no-contest resolution was irregular and
contrary to Article 9.3 of the party constitution.
"Therefore, the resolution was
deemed invalid and RoS directed the party to take corrective action.
"However, on March 7, Saifuddin
issued a media statement stating that the ministry had decided to grant an
exemption to Umno under Section 70 of the Societies Act from complying with
Section 13(1)(c)(iv) of the same Act.
"Saifuddin did not explain how the
approval is fair and based on reason and logic. So far, no reasonable
explanation has been provided by him regarding this matter," the
plaintiffs claimed.
They further claimed that Saifuddin's
approval contradicted Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution, as it allegedly
discriminated against other Umno members.
"The interests, desires and
opportunities of Umno members to contest for the positions have been denied
without any justification," they stated.
It was reported that the additional
motion was proposed by Rembau Umno division delegate MohdShukriShamsudin during
the debate on the party president's policy speech at the 2022 Umno General
Assembly.
Marang Umno division chief Datuk Nik Dir
Nik Wan Ku seconded the motion.
Source: nst.com.my
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Ministry of Finance: Minimum RM800
‘Madani Allowance’ is Fake News
26-07- 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: The poster circulating on
social media claiming that the government will introduce a ‘Madani Allowance’
of a minimum of RM800 to civil servants is fake.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF), in a
Facebook post today, confirmed that the information is not true and advised the
public not to be easily deceived by such news on social media.
“Follow the Finance Ministry’s official
channels and make sure the link is valid and correct. Not sure, don’t share,“
said the post.
Source: thesundaily.my
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Agong hopes Malaysia-Philippines warm
relationship continues to blossom
26-07- 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-PertuanAgong
Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed his hope
that the warm relationship enjoyed by Malaysia and the Philippines will
continue to blossom for the mutual benefits of their peoples and nations.
In his speech at a state banquet held in
honour of visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady
Louise Araneta-Marcos, Al-Sultan Abdullah said the Philippines is an important
partner to Malaysia, given the Philippines’ close proximity and active
involvement in ASEAN.
“Bound by our shared aspirations of
progress, peace and prosperity, our two countries share many commonalities and
strong people-to-people ties ... to this day, we have faced many common
challenges, but we have also achieved much more together.
“Mutual efforts and understanding are
vital to further elevate our close relations and good cooperation to new
heights ... I hope that Malaysia and the Philippines can expand their
collaborations and partnership in new and emerging areas such as agriculture,
digital economy and halal food industry,” said His Majesty.
Also present at the banquet hosted by
Al-Sultan Abdullah and Raja PermaisuriAgongTunkuAzizahAminahMaimunahIskandariah
at Istana Negara here were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife
Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad
Zahid Hamidi and other Cabinet members.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said regular
exchanges of high-level visits among leaders and officials of both countries
will further contribute to a positive momentum in advancing the shared
interests and addressing common challenges.
His Majesty said both countries must
continue to work closely in promoting the region’s stability, security and in
making ASEAN a dynamic regional organisation.
“Shared peace and progress can only be
achieved and maintained through stability and prosperity in the region and the
world as a whole.
“Together, we shall continue to build a
brighter future for our people and the generations to come, especially as we
seek to celebrate our 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year,” said
His Majesty.
In 2022, the Philippines was Malaysia’s
15th largest trading partner globally and the fifth largest among the ASEAN
member states, with total trade amounting to RM41.45 billion (US$9.42 billion,
an increase of 20.1 per cent compared to the recorded value in 2021. – Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
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