As Eid and Earth Day Coincide, Young Muslim Americans Are Driving The Modern Climate Movement
New Age Islam News Bureau
20 April 2023
Saad Amer,
28, is a Pakistani American climate activist who says his family back home sees
climate change reflected in volatile temperatures, natural disasters and crop
shortages.Leila Register / NBC News; Getty Images
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• As Eid and Earth Day Coincide, Young Muslim Americans
Are Driving The Modern Climate Movement
• Stop Making Atiq Ahmed A Muslim Hero; The
Gangster-Turned-Politician Had An Endless List Of Offences To His Name
• Protest Is People's Right, Iranian Sunni Imam Says in
Eid al-Fitr Sermon
• South Asian Muslims Herald Eid al-Fitr With a Night of
Communal Revelry
• Jakarta Archdiocese with all Catholics wishes Eid
Mubarak 1444 H to Muslims in Indonesia
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North
America
• Muslim students lead protest for adequate prayer space
at New York’s Baruch College
• Islamic Centre of Wheaton hosts large prayer service
to mark Eid
• Monroe-Woodbury Islamic Centre holds Eid al-Fitr
service
• Muslims Celebrate Eid In Essex County; Gov. Murphy
Visits Newark
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India
• Gyanvapi Mosque Case: Arrange Tubs With Water For
Ablution, SC Tells Authorities
• UP STF Reaches Bargarh In Search Of Atiq Ahmad’s Aide Guddu
Muslim
• 5 Army soldiers killed in terrorist attack in Poonch
• Dalai Lama Attends Global Buddhist Summit, Speaks Of
Compassion, Wisdom
• "Ended Special Favour Meant For Scoring Political
Points," Amit Shah On Scrapping Muslim Quota In Karnataka
--------
Mideast
• Muslim Ambulance Driver, Beautician, Male Nurse and
Doctors In The UAE, It's Work As Usual This Eid Al Fitr
• Little let-up in Khartoum fighting despite Sudan truce
declaration
• Fak Kurba initiative results in release of over 800
prisoners during Ramadan
• Top Iranian Diplomat Urges Muslim Solidarity in Eid
Message
• Islamic banks' asset in UAE surges 5pc to $169bn in
January
• Iraqi cleric who fled jail dies escaping recapture
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South Asia
• US ‘Forcefully’ Rejects Talks On Taliban’s Recognition
• Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Calls for Inclusive
Govt in Afghanistan
• 2 Killed, 10 Hurt in Madrid Restaurant Fire
• Afghanistan Meeting Not About Recognizing Taliban
Leadership, Says UN
• PM Modi greets Bangladesh on eve of Eid-ul-Fitr;
wishes for peace, harmony worldwide
• Bangladesh tells its citizens to avoid travelling to
Sudan
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Southeast
Asia
• Repeatedly Painted An Enemy Of Islam, Kit Siang Wishes
Hadi and PAS ‘Eid ul Fitr’
• Indonesian, Malaysian Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr as
COVID fears recede
• Muslims in Malaysia celebrate livelier Aidilfitri,
first in three years without special SOP
• Cabinet members extend Aidilfitri wishes to Malaysian
Muslims
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistan Govt Cites Possibility Of War With India,
Urges Supreme Court To Postpone Elections
• PM felicitates nation, Muslim Ummah on Eidul Fitr
• Nawaz, Saudi crown prince discuss issues faced by
Pakistan
• Pakistan celebrates Eidul Fitr as economic woes dampen
festive cheer
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Europe
• Moscow Mosque Plan Pits Putin Allies Against Each
Other
• Faizal completes gruelling daily 10km run challenge
for Ramadan
• Muslim burial site: Council extends consultation
period after concerns
• London Marathon 2023: Training during Ramadan fasting
is 'challenging'
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Africa
• Eid-el-Fitr: Enugu Chief Imam Sues For Peace Among Nigerians
• Don’t Abandon RamadanVirtues, Lessons, Adeleke Urges
Muslims
• Lalong, others felicitate Muslims in Plateau
• CAN Urges Peace, Tolerance Among Christians,
Muslims
• APC Chair, Adamu, Opeyemi Bamidele, Niger Senator Facilitate
Muslims
--------
Arab World
• Saudi Arabia Arranges To Evacuate Citizens From Sudan
• Saudi and UK foreign ministers discuss violence in
Sudan
• Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Development of
Historical Mosques to Renovate Kheif Al-Huzami Mosque in Madinah
• Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Performs Eid Al-Fitr
Prayer at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah
• Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief distributes food aid in 4
countries
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/eid-earth-muslim-americans-climate-/d/129623
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As Eid and Earth Day Coincide, Young Muslim AmericansAre Driving The Modern Climate Movement
Saad Amer,
28, is a Pakistani American climate activist who says his family back home sees
climate change reflected in volatile temperatures, natural disasters and crop
shortages.Leila Register / NBC News; Getty Images
-----
April 22, 2023
By Sakshi
Venkatraman
As climate
disasters ravage much of the Muslim world — from record-breaking heat in the
Middle East to devastating floods in Pakistan — Earth Day and Eid al-Fitr
falling on the same weekend feels kismet to some Muslim Americans.
“My faith is
the biggest reason I have for climate optimism,” said Zahra Biabani, 24, an
American organizer and author who is of Pakistani and Indian descent.
"When we look at how much of our text is about nature and valuing it and
caring for it, that can be a really powerful tool. Protecting people and things
that can’t speak for themselves is the most pure thing you can do.”
Eid al-Fitr
marks the end of the month of Ramadan and is determined by the sighting of a
new moon. It’s a joyous time, and Biabani hopes it can also be a powerful
moment of reflection.
The new, young
faces fighting climate change want their peers to know that while their mission
is urgent, it doesn’t have to be depressing. They are working to rebrand their
message through social media, celebrity and festivity — and doing so online has
helped a new generation get involved from home.
Saad Amer, 28,
is a Pakistani American climate activist who has led this effort and even taken
it to the White House and United Nations. With tens of thousands of followers
on Instagram and Twitter, he meets Gen Z and Alpha where they are.
Over the last
few years, he’s become something of an influencer himself, regularly going
viral for his work. He poses on red carpets with movie stars and YouTubers, but
he also doesn’t shy away from taking to the streets with a bullhorn and
rallying voters during election seasons.
“The key is authenticity,” said Amer, also the
founder of the social impact group Justice Environment. “I will never
compromise who I am to do the work that I do.”
Most Gen Zers
have grown up with climate change being discussed as a pressing reality in
their lives, he said. But for young people of color, it cuts deeper.
Muslim
activists with family members in hard-hit areas say they are intimately connected
to climate justice.
“Communities
across the Muslim world are disproportionately impacted by the climate,” Amer
said. “People who have never gone through a proper education or heard the term
climate change described from their first person accounts to me of how things
have changed exactly in line with what science had predicted.”
Watching
relatives back home suffer the consequences of more volatile temperatures,
natural disasters and crop shortages, these activists say they bring a
perspective many others can’t understand. Climate language back home often
looks a lot different than it does in the U.S., they say, and the diaspora can
help bridge the gap.
“My family back
in Pakistan, they’re not thinking about switching from plastic to reusable
materials. They’re more so thinking about, like, why their house keeps
flooding,” said Biabani, who has also amassed thousands of followers for her
writing and activism.
Coming from
South Asia, taking care of the Earth and their communities is something that
comes naturally, Amer said.
He cited
locally sourced food and clothing, both of which are much more commonly found
walking the streets of cities on the subcontinent.
“Even if you
open up my mom’s spice cabinet, all of the spices are contained in old jars that
are reused,” he said.
But while the
brunt of climate change’s impacts might be felt in the global south, Amer wants
people to know that the U.S. isn’t so far removed.
“This isn’t
just a developing world issue,” he said. “This isn’t just something inherent to
Pakistan. This is something that is true for America as well. We just do a much
better job of hiding it. … We’re using our atmosphere as a sewer, the same way
that we use our land as literal dumps.”
With more
awareness and more diaspora youth ready to fight, activists say they can see a
renewed sense of purpose and joy in the movement. There is always a win
happening somewhere, they said, and social media makes those stories a lot more
visible.
Eid falling at
roughly the same time as Earth Day offers this growing coalition the chance to
do exactly that, Amer said — to reflect on its wins, be in community with one
another and to come into the next phase renewed.
“Eid is really
a time of joy and celebration, and it’s marked by this celestial event, the
sighting of a new moon,” Amer said. “To form community in this way is so
powerful and joyous. There are so many ways that we can come together.”
Source: nbcnews.com
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the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/eid-earth-day-coincide-young-muslims-are-driving-modern-climate-moveme-rcna80485
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Stop Making Atiq Ahmed A Muslim Hero; The Gangster-Turned-Politician Had An Endless List Of Offences To His Name
Atiq Ahmed (Centre)
-----
Amana Begam
21 April, 2023
Atiq Ahmed’s
life was one fraught with crime. From kidnapping, extortion, to murder, the
gangster-turned-politician had an endless list of offences to his name.
However, his political connections and muscle power ensured no one could touch
him.
Atiq and
gangsters like him, driven solely by their thirst for blood, are a blight on
their communities. Atiq’s first murder involved a rival from his own faith.
This was a betrayal of his religion, which teaches that killing one innocent
person is akin to killing all of humanity.
Atiq was no
hero
It is crucial
to note that certain ideologues in the English mainstream media attempted to
depict Ahmed as modern-day Robin Hood, exacerbating the harm he had already
caused. These dishonest intellectuals are pursuing a narrative-building agenda that
seeks to portray Muslims as victims. In doing so, they overlook the damage
caused by such figures to the community.
The greatest
irony does not stem from Atiq’s ability to wield power in Uttar Pradesh despite
committing crimes against humanity; it comes from a specific group of
intellectuals who sought to portray the state’s action against him as an attack
on Muslims. This is especially disheartening since Pasmanda Muslims are often
victims of such atrocities. All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)
chief Asaduddin Owaisi compared Ehsan Jafri’s 2002 murder with Atiq’s in a
recent tweet, stating that he was the second Muslim ex-MP after Jafri to be
killed brutally. In fact, he had even given a ticket to Atiq and his wife,
Shaista Parveen, in 2021.
By manipulating
their perceptions and making them believe that they are victims because a
Muslim don-turned-politician was killed, these leaders demonstrate a lack of
genuine concern for the welfare of ordinary Indian Muslims, and the intent to
use them as pawns and vote banks. Muslims, thus, have been the biggest victims
of Atiq’s actions.
Media,
intellectuals victimising Muslims
Media outlets
and politicians like Owaisi are attempting to downplay Atiq’s criminal record
and highlight his religious identity as a Muslim. They paint him as a community
idol, a Muslim power symbol, snatching agency from Muslims and falsely
representing them as victims of fascism.
As per UP
police records, Atiq’s brother Ashraf was allegedly involved in the abduction
of two minor Muslim girls from a madrasa. The girls were reportedly raped
repeatedly at gunpoint and thrown in front of the madrasa gate the following
morning. “Out of the top 20 criminal cases against the duo, the Ahmed brothers
targeted members of the minority community in 13,” said a police official as
per an ANI report. Therefore, considering them idols and protectors of the
Muslim community is a highly misplaced idea.
The truth is
that evil victimises not only its enemy but also its immediate family, the
community to which it belongs, as well as the country and humanity as a whole.
It is evident that Atiq taught his own children wrong morals; they became
victims of his cruelty and were unable to live normal and healthy lives,
eventually meeting the same fate as their father. Those who have the best
interests of Indian Muslims at heart should caution them about the evils that
exist within their own community instead of filling their minds with a sense of
victimhood.
Atiq’s fall
from grace was swift and dramatic. From a feared don to a jailed ex-politician,
he saw his empire crash and burn in a matter of months. His story is also a
reminder of the deep-rooted nexus between organised crime and politics in India
and the challenges that law enforcement agencies face in tackling this menace.
Some may argue that State justice is insufficient for such monsters and that
poetic justice is more fitting, but I am sure such acts of revenge can’t bring
about real societal reform. The only permanent solution is a strong State and a
legal system capable of delivering justice.
Amana Begam
Ansari is a columnist and TV news panelist. She runs a weekly YouTube show
called ‘India This Week by Amana and Khalid’. She tweets @Amana_Ansari. Views
are personal.
(Edited by Zoya
Bhatti)
Source: theprint.in
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://theprint.in/opinion/stop-making-atiq-ahmed-a-muslim-hero-he-was-no-robin-hood-for-us/1532030/
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Protest Is People's Right, Iranian Sunni Imam Says in Eid al-Fitr Sermon
Sunni Imam
Molavi Abdul Hamid is pictured during the Eid al-Fitr prayer in Zahedan, Iran,
April 21, 2023.
-----
April 21, 2023
A Sunni imam
said Friday during an Eid al-Fitr sermon in Zahedan, Iran, that people have a
right to protest and the government should listen to their demands.
In an audio
file published on his Telegram channel, Maulvi Abdul Hamid was quoted as saying
the people's desire is "the release of political prisoners" and the
government should consider the wishes of most of the Iranian nation.
Referring to
the deadly suppression of protesters last September, he said: "The people
of Zahedan want justice and punishment for the perpetrators and those who
ordered people shooting. … We will not ignore the people's rights."
On September
30, after the Sunni Friday prayer in Zahedan city, a fierce clash broke out
between military forces and protesters. About 100 people were killed and about
300 injured, according to media reports. At the time, state media said Sunnis
gathered after Friday prayers to throw stones and attack the No. 16 Zahedan
police station, causing conflict with security forces.
In his Eid al-
Fitr sermon, Hamid addressed the economic hardships of Iranians.
"Everyone
is in debt and under lots of pressure," he said, adding that authorities
should pay attention to the widespread dissatisfaction.
“Our
compassionate advice is to get along with people,” he said. “They should give
in to the rightful demands of the Iranian people. As long as the people do not
cooperate and are dissatisfied, problems will only increase in the
country."
He also said
that “silence of people does not mean that the nation is satisfied,"
urging the government to address the issue. "We should sit and talk with
the people ... and problems and issues should be solved in any way that these
people are satisfied with."
In the end,
Hamid emphasized the need to make significant changes in the country and said
the people's satisfaction would not be achieved with minor modifications.
"Improving
relations with neighbors is good, but it cannot solve the country's problems,
and we must have good relations with the whole world,” he said. “The people's
problems will not be solved until significant changes occur within the
country."
Last fall,
Hamid had asked the Qom seminary — Iran's largest — along with the country's
authorities to listen to the voices of protesters, ultimately calling on rulers
to respond to their demands via a series of public referenda.
While officials
in Tehran did not respond at that time, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
this week rejected renewed calls by former President Hassan Rouhani for public
referenda on domestic and foreign policies.
Khamenei said
he was against the idea because "not all people have the power to analyze
the issue which is put to the referendum."
Under Iran's
constitution, a referendum is possible only if two-thirds of parliament votes
for it and a 12-member constitutional body approves.
Source: voanews.com
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https://www.voanews.com/a/protest-is-people-s-right-iranian-imam-says-in-eid-fitr-sermon-/7061256.html
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South Asian Muslims Herald Eid al-Fitr With a Night of Communal Revelry
Last-minute shopping
for Eid outfits and accessories. Credit...Amir Hamja for The New York Times
------
By Sadiba Hasan
April 21, 2023
Eliyah Haque,
6, was getting her hands painted with henna in the Jackson Heights
neighbourhood of Queens. Asked what her favourite part of Eid celebrations was,
she said: “We come together.”
South Asian
Muslims both local to the area and from other boroughs and states flocked to
Jackson Heights on Thursday evening to celebrate Chand Raat, a festival on the
night before Eid al-Fitr to herald the holiday.
Chand Raat, a
South Asian Muslim celebration that encapsulates the intersection of religion
and culture, translates to “night of the moon” in Urdu and Hindi. It’s observed
on the last night of Ramadan, when the new moon is sighted, indicating the end
of the month of fasting.
The night’s
action was centred in Diversity Plaza, the town square that honours the global
mash-up of Jackson Heights. With some 180,000 people and 167 languages, it may
be the most diverse neighbourhood in the world. And it’s home to a prominent
South Asian community.
“Eid Mubarak!”
signs swung over the streets. Punjabi, Bollywood and Bangla anthems blasted
from car speakers. Vendors set up tables selling salwar kameez of all colours
and elaborate gold jewellery. (Some joke that Eid is the “Muslim Met Gala.”)
Fireworks lit up the sky.
Rummana Amrin,
a 24-year-old substitute teacher at P.S. 11 and a student at Teachers College
at Columbia University, set up her henna table in front of Patel Brothers, an
Indian supermarket, at 4 p.m. She has been a henna artist since 2017.
Ms. Amrin sat
at her table, taking client after client until 3 a.m. “I would have people
waiting for me for almost three hours because they would love the designs that
I do,” she said.
But she doesn’t
mind the taxing hours. “I genuinely love it because I see the way people react
after their hands are adorned,” she said.
Anik Khan, a
musical artist and an influential member of the community, was spotted in the
crowds. “That’s Anik Khan!” some shouted as he headed to Ready Penny Inn, a
dive bar in the thick of the action. (The bar was nearly empty — a sharp
contrast to the chaos outside. Mr. Khan called it “the upside down in Jackson
Heights.”)
When he was
growing up, Mr. Khan, who lived in the Astoria section of Queens, came to
Jackson Heights for Chand Raat every year with his cousins and sisters.
“My favorite
part is actually having a place where people feel like it’s Eid,” he said.
During Christmas and other holidays, he noted, there are decorations in the
streets that make people feel the holiday spirit. “That’s what Jackson Heights
has provided for Eid,” he said.
“That’s why I
come — because you feel seen,” he added.
At about 9:30
p.m., Bangladeshi singers took the stage to perform classic, lively Bangla folk
songs with the crowds singing along. The set ended with a performers’ rendition
of Momtaz Begum’s “Morar Kokile.”
Close to the
stage, a group of mostly young men who recently immigrated to the city were
jumping up and down with their hands raised in the air to the beat of the fiery
dholaks (drums).
Usama
Siddiquee, a 32-year-old comedian, said onlookers would comment on how wild the
scene was. “But that’s just us saying hi. You know? That’s just
‘Assalamualaikum,’” he said.
There are few
planners of the Jackson Heights festival. According to neighborhood lore,
people started gathering in the area to celebrate Chand Raat in the early
1980s, when waves of South Asians began immigrating to the city and Jackson
Heights became a hub for their culture.
“You see so
much joy, but in an unfiltered, organic way,” said Shekar Krishnan, a
councilman who represents the Jackson Heights and Elmhurst neighbourhoods.
Mr. Krishnan
said he treasures running into friends on every street corner on Chand Raat.
It’s a large community, but a close-knit one.
For Nusrat
Hossain, a 26-year-old medical assistant, the gathering is grounding and
refreshing. She grew up in Elmhurst and always visited Jackson Heights for
Chand Raat. She still runs into former schoolmates she hasn’t seen in years.
“It’s a
reflection of the vibrancy, power and presence of our South Asian Muslim
community — in Jackson Heights, our Bangladeshi community in particular,” Mr.
Krishnan said.
On March 26,
73rd Street on 37th avenue was renamed Bangladesh Street, an initiative that
Mr. Krishnan helped lead. “This is recognition long overdue,” he said. That
intersection is the heart of the Bangladeshi community in New York City,
according to Mr. Krishnan.
On Chand Raat,
Mr. Krishnan seeks out Fuska House, a food truck. Fuchka, a Bangladeshi street
snack of fried semolina dough filled with spicy chickpeas, potatoes and
toppings, is a favorite among revellers.
There is also a
celebration in the Jamaica section of Queens, another South Asian hub. In a
phone interview, Nabiha Khan, 22, a henna artist, said she always sets up there
somewhere between 167th Street and 173rd Street on Hillside Avenue. She has
been doing this since 2016, painting as many as 100 hands in a night, she said.
“If you stay
out there, they’ll keep coming,” she said. “It’s backbreaking work.”
Ms. Khan taught
herself henna when she was 12, after being inspired by a cousin who would
decorate the family’s hands every Chand Raat.
For Ms. Khan,
Chand Raat is a night of reflection. “Fasting every day for 30 days is not
easy,” she said. “And the purpose of this month is so much bigger than just
starving yourself. It’s supposed to be for reflection, for having gratitude,
for learning that you can be more disciplined.”
When she was
not at a henna stall during the night, she spent time with her mother. They
will also cook together for Eid al-Fitr gatherings today. Since house hopping
is traditional on the holiday, dozens of families stop by her home every year.
“Even though
it’s hectic, even though it’s crazy, it’s a part of the ride,” Mr. Khan, the
artist, said. He briefly lived in Virginia while he was in high school, where
there was little South Asian diversity, and returned to Queens with a
heightened sense of cultural pride. “I’ll give up square footage any day for
the culture,” he said.
Source: nytimes.com
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Jakarta Archdiocese with all Catholics wishes Eid Mubarak 1444 H to Muslims in Indonesia
The Jakarta
Archdiocese (KAJ) Bishop Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo delivers his Eid Mubarak
message in Jakarta, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (ANTARA/HO-KAJ/rst)
------
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - The Jakarta Archdiocese (KAJ) along with all Catholics wished Eid
Mubarak 1444 Hijrah to all Muslims in the country.
"Together
with Catholics in the Jakarta Archdiocese, I, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo,
sincerely wish a happy 1 Shawwal 1444 Hijrah to our Muslim friends," KAJ
Bishop Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo stated in Jakarta, Saturday.
Cardinal
Suharyo is optimistic that the rewards and blessings during Ramadan and Eid
al-Fitr would reach the entire nation and universe.
Meanwhile, Vice
President Ma'ruf Amin urged the public to celebrate Eid al-Fitr 1 Shawwal 1444
Hijriah while maintaining order, solidarity, and unity.
"On this
special occasion, I would like to convey a number of messages. First, in
welcoming Eid Al-Fitr, it should be carried out solemnly while maintaining
order, solidarity, and unity," he remarked at the National Takbir Akbar
event at the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Friday.
On Thursday
(April 20), the Ministry of Religious Affairs decided 1 Shawwal 1444 Hijri or
Eid al-Fitr 2023 AD to fall on Saturday.
The decision
was taken following an isbat (confirmation) meeting on Thursday, April 20.
"Based on
a hisab (astronomical observation), the position of the crescent moon in
Indonesia is above the horizon and does not meet the new MABIMS (the
Association of the Ministries of the Religious Affairs from Brunei Darussalam,
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore) criteria, as well as the absence of seeing
the crescent moon. The isbat meeting determined that 1 Shawwal 1444 H falls on
Saturday, April 22, 2023," Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas
confirmed.
In addition,
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy,
appealed to all Muslims to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in simplicity.
"All
Muslims do not need to show who is the most victorious. Let us celebrate Eid
al-Fitr in simplicity and welcome it with joy," Effendy stated after the
Eid prayer at the Muhammadiyah Central Executive (PP) Building in Jakarta,
Friday.
Source: en.antaranews.com
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North America
Muslim students lead protest for adequate prayer space at New York’s Baruch College
April 21, 2023
By Heerea Kaur
Rikhraj
NEW YORK (RNS)
— Loud chants carried through the main plaza at Baruch College in the early
afternoon on Thursday (April 20) as a group of around 40 students protested
near the Office of Student Life. The students, a majority of them Muslim, were
calling on the administration to offer better, more accessible interfaith
spaces.
The campus,
located a few blocks east of Manhattan’s Madison Square Park, currently offers
an interfaith space (room 3-225 in the William and Anita Newman Vertical
Campus) that fits around 15 students, and for a college with more than 500
Muslim students, students say the room is not big enough to meet their needs.
“It’s so hard
to pray. The room is so small, people end up stepping over each other and it’s
a hazard,” said Ayub Tursonzadah, a Muslim student at Baruch College and one of
the protest organizers.
Thursday’s
protest, coming on the final day of Ramadan, was one of the larger weekly
protests students have organized over the past two months. The prayer room was
extra crowded during the holy month of fasting and prayer, Muslim students
said.
Muslims pray
five times a day, and men and women are required to pray separately. With the
size limitations of the current interfaith space, the women have had to find
other spaces to pray.
“Because of
modesty reasons, the women need a private space to pray. We now use the club
space allocated to the Women in Islam club. But it’s the size of a closet,”
said Zoya Cheema, the president of the Muslim students’ association and one of
the student organizers for the protest.
Uswa Anwar, a
Muslim student at Baruch, said it has not been easy. She has had to miss parts
of classes because she had to wait for her turn to pray. She believes being
part of the protest is the only way forward at this point.
“None of us
want to be here protesting for this. But we aren’t being heard. We are being
brushed aside,” she said.
The effort for
better interfaith space began at Baruch last spring when Muslim students first
tried to approach administrators at the Office of Student Life to ask for a
better prayer space. Students were given a larger interfaith space during the
2021-22 school year while Baruch College was operating remotely. However,
toward the end of the spring semester, administrators reassigned the interfaith
space back to room 3-225, which, in addition to being small, has ventilation
issues, said protesters.
After receiving
no responses from the administrative team, a group of Muslim students started
praying inside the lobby of student life to silently protest and gather
attention during the 2022 fall semester. The students were able to obtain a
meeting with Dean Art King, but said they were disappointed with the results.
“We weren’t
offered any solutions. We were told this is a Muslim student club issue, but
it’s an issue for everyone,” said Tursonzadah.
Though the
protests are for interfaith spaces — and have included students of other faiths
and no faiths — Muslim students have been at the forefront, largely due to the
size of the Muslim population at the college. But being so visible has been
nerve-wracking for some.
“We already
have such a reputation being Muslim in this country, so we were afraid of how
people would perceive us. But we want to stand up for what is right,” said
Cheema.
Student
organizers have been working with the Council of American Islamic Relations New
York, who have worked with students at other City University of New York
schools to secure a better interfaith space.
“Baruch College
must adhere to the First Amendment right to not discriminate against students
of faith. If they provide adequate space for non-religious students, they are
obligated to provide the same for religious ones,” said Ahmed Mohamed, the
legal director at CAIR New York.
The Baruch
protest comes at a time when university administrators across the country have
been grappling with how to best accommodate the growing religious diversity on
their campuses — from serving halal and kosher food to allowing athletes to
wear head coverings. Last year, students at City College, another CUNY school,
faced the same issue those at Baruch are currently dealing with and were able
to work with administration to secure an interfaith space that works for
students.
Elsewhere, the
tensions have escalated to lawsuits. California State University has been sued
over a new caste discrimination policy with allegations that it singles out
Hindu students and staff. Hamline University is being sued over its decision
not to renew the contract of an adjunct professor who showed a 14th-century
painting of the Prophet Muhammad in her online class last semester.
Kayla Aaron, a
Jewish student at Baruch, said she and other Jewish students have faced similar
issues as Muslim students when accessing the interfaith space.
“We could not
find a place to pray. The room was not big enough. We ended up praying in a
public space where people eat their lunches,” said Aaron, describing a time
last semester when she and other Jewish students were trying to pray.
Students from
non-religious backgrounds have also come out to show their support.
“It’s an
important issue and I want to show my support. Having a space for people to congregate
creates community, and I am in support of that,” said Matthew Taberas, a
student at Baruch.
The
administration at Baruch College did not directly respond to yesterday’s
protest, but issued a press statement at yesterday’s protest, where they expressed
support for the new referendum proposal brought forward by the Undergraduate
Student Government executive board last week. The referendum proposes renting
an off-campus space for interfaith use that would be funded by a $25 increase
in activity fees for full-time students. For the referendum to be considered,
the USG board has asked students to sign a proposal for its consideration by
end of day Friday.
While some see
this as a solution, students at the protest do not.
“Tuition is
already an expense for these students, they should not be charging more for
students to have a space to pray,” said Rosa Gomez, a Christian student at
Baruch College who spoke at the protest yesterday.
Students say
they will continue to protest until their needs are met.
“We are going
to keep going until we have a space to pray,” said Anwar.
Source: religionnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://religionnews.com/2023/04/21/muslim-students-lead-protest-for-adequate-prayer-space-at-new-yorks-baruch-college/
--------
Islamic Center
of Wheaton hosts large prayer service to mark Eid
APRIL 21, 2023
CHICAGO (CBS) –
Around the world on Friday, Muslims celebrated Eid, the end of the holy month
of Ramadan.
There was a
large prayer service at the Islamic Center of Wheaton in the afternoon.
All month long,
Muslims have fasted from dawn to dusk and challenged themselves to be better
while helping others.
Source: cbsnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/wheaton-islamic-center-eid/
--------
Monroe-Woodbury
Islamic Center holds Eid al-Fitr service
Apr 22, 2023
Worshippers
filled the Monroe-Woodbury Islamic Center for their annual Eid al-Fitr service
Friday.
As the center’s
members end their month of daylight fasting meant to test their religious
devotion, officials are also doing some outreach.
Imam Abdul
Wahid says he wants local non-Muslims to know that their core message is as
peaceful as any other religion.
"We're in
the community. So, we welcome everybody,” he said. "They have their own
way of belief. We have our own beliefs. But still, we live together in harmony,
peace and tranquility.”
Officials say
community outreach is especially important as the center’s leaders just applied
for a permit to build a new mosque that would hold 500 worshippers.
The center
welcomed the mayors of Monroe and Harriman, along with many other non-Muslims,
to discuss their plans for expansion.
Film student
Thasnia Akhter hopes to document the forward-thinking nature of worshippers at
the center, which she says fights against the marginalization of women in less
progressive communities.
"I also
want to make a film to honor them, because I think they endure a lot more than
what a traditional woman would have to,” she said.
Source: westchester.news12.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://westchester.news12.com/monroe-woodbury-islamic-center-holds-eid-al-fitr-service
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Muslims Celebrate
Eid In Essex County; Gov. Murphy Visits Newark
Fri, Apr 21,
2023
ESSEX COUNTY,
NJ — Essex County echoed with wishes of “Eid Mubarak” on Friday as Ramadan
fasting came to an end for 2023.
The monthlong
observance of Ramadan, one of Islam’s most important holidays, is based on
lunar cycles, so the exact dates change every year. Read More: When Is Ramadan
2023 (5 Things To Know About Islam Holy Month)
During Ramadan,
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day. The fasting comes to an end with
Eid al-Fitr, or Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. During this time, Muslims
take part in special prayers, greet one another with formal embraces and
greetings such as “Eid Mubarak,” or “have a blessed Eid.” The occasion is also
celebrated by exchanging gifts with family and friends over special meals
featuring traditional dishes.
Eid al-Fitr
arrived on Friday this year, with New Jersey Muslim leaders announcing the news
earlier this week.
New Jersey has
the highest percentage of Muslim residents in the United States, with many of
them living in the state’s largest city, Newark.
The city got a
visit from Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday, who made a trip to Essex County Branch
Brook Park to mark the occasion.
“Happy Eid
al-Fitr, from my family to yours,” the governor tweeted.
Meanwhile,
Newark police detectives from the community affairs/clergy unit took part in an
Eid Al-Fitr gathering at the park (see above photo). The event was sponsored by
Masjid Nia of Newark.
Other Newark
elected officials wished the city a happy Eid al-Fitr, including board of
education member A’Dorian Murray-Thomas.
To my Muslim
family and friends who are celebrating today, may Allah fill your lives with
blessings, peace, joy and love. Eid Mubarak #EidMubarak #EidUlFitr
#Eid2023#EidAlFitr #EidMubarak2023 #TeacherTwitter pic.twitter.com/Bs0jj1uGTJ
— A’Dorian
Murray-Thomas Newark Public School Board (@ADorian4Newark) April 21, 2023
The celebration
also took place at Rutgers-Newark, administrators reported.
Rutgers
University-Newark and RU-N Muslim Student Association (MSA) would like to wish
our Muslim community a Eid Mubarak as we celebrate the end of the Holy Month of
Ramadan. Courtesy of MSA#EidMubarak #RUNMSA #UntilNextRamadanInshaaAllah
#RutgersNewark pic.twitter.com/CBiFtkRpjj
— Rutgers
University-Newark (@Rutgers_Newark) April 21, 2023
Newark wasn't
the only place in Essex County that echoed with calls of “Eid Mubarak.”
East Orange
Mayor Ted Green had this to say on Friday:
"As the
holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, I’d like to extend Eid Mubarak to my
Muslim brothers and sisters celebrating #EidAlFitr2023, right here in the City
of East Orange and all around the globe. May our prayers and all our good deeds
be accepted by Allah and may we be granted perfect guidance today and always."
Several elected
officials in Congress, the State House and other government bodies who
represent Essex County offered their own best wishes for the holiday. They
included U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, state senators Richard Codey and Teresa
Ruiz, and Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill.
A chorus of
Essex County nonprofits, groups and organizations also gave a cheer on Friday's
Eid.
Source: patch.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://patch.com/new-jersey/newarknj/gov-murphy-visits-newark-muslims-celebrate-eid-essex-county
--------
India
Gyanvapi mosque
case: Arrange tubs with water for ablution, SC tells authorities
April 22nd 2023
The Supreme
Court on Friday directed the authorities to provide worshippers at the Gyanvapi
mosque in Varanasi with sufficient number of tubs to store water for wuzu, or
ablution, reported The Hindu.
The wuzu khana,
or ablution tank, and adjacent washrooms of the mosque had been sealed off last
year after a video survey of the building, allowed by a Varanasi civil court in
May, had found an oval object present on the premises.
The Hindu
litigants claim that the object was a shivling, a representation of the Hindu
deity Shiva. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, the caretaker of the
mosque, however, claims that the object is a fountainhead in the ablution tank.
The Supreme
Court had then directed the local authorities to ensure that the Muslims were
not hindered in their observance of namaaz. On April 6, the Anjuman Intezamia
Masjid Committee approached the Supreme ourt against the continued sealing of
the ablution tank during the month of Ramzan.
On Friday, a
division bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS
Narasimha suggested that long tubs be put to use at the mosque, reported The
Indian Express. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Uttar
Pradesh government, said that the district magistrate would ensure the water is
available at the mosque complex.
Mehta also told
the court that the authorities have provided mobile toilets 70 metres away from
the mosque. The toilets inside the mosque were also sealed since its entry was
through the disputed area where the alleged Shivling was said to have been
discovered.
The Gyanvapi
mosque case pertains to a plea filed by five women petitioners who claim that
an image of the Hindu deity Shringar Gauri exists at the back of the western
wall of the mosque. They are demanding that they be allowed to offer daily
prayers and observe other Hindu rituals at the site.
Source: scroll.in
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://scroll.in/latest/1047816/gyanvapi-mosque-case-arrange-tubs-with-water-for-ablution-sc-tells-authorities
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UP STF reaches
Bargarh in search of Atiq Ahmad’s aide Guddu Muslim
22nd April 2023
BHUBANESWAR: On
the trail of gang members of mobster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, Uttar
Pradesh’s Special Task Force (STF) reached Bargarh district where it questioned
a person for his alleged links with Guddu Muslim, an aide of the gangster who
was shot dead along with his brother at Prayagraj recently.
Sources said a
team of officers of UP’s STF reached Bargarh district where it interrogated
Raza Khan at his house for five to six hours. The UP police team left on
Thursday. Sources said the STF officers questioned Raza after his mobile phone
number popped up on call records of some persons linked to murder of Umesh Pal.
It is yet to be
ascertained if Raza has any links with Guddu or has connections with his
accomplices. “The STF’s team from UP did not arrest the man and left after
questioning him,” said DGP Sunil Kumar Bansal.
Bargarh police
said Raza was arrested in 2020 in connection with a case registered under
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Guddu is one of
10 people named in the FIR pertaining to murder of Umesh Pal. Six of them have
been killed and Guddu is one of the four accused who are absconding. He is
reportedly a bomb specialist with a long history of association with criminal
gangs.
Guddu is
believed to be an old aide of Atiq. The focus shifted to Guddu after Atiq and
his brother Ashraf were shot dead by three assailants in Prayagraj on April 15
night. UP Police have launched a massive manhunt for Guddu, also known as
‘bambaaz’, and announced a reward of `5 lakh for anyone providing information
leading to his arrest.
Earlier in
2008, a mafia don wanted in several criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh was
arrested from Bhubaneswar. Delhi Police had arrested notorious gangster Brijesh
Singh when he was driving to a mall in the city’s Satya Nagar area.
The UP STF
apprised Sohela police station in Bargarh it before it quizzed Raza.
Interestingly, Odisha Police had denied having any knowledge of the STF’s
action in the state on Thursday.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2023/apr/22/up-stf-reaches-bargarh-in-search-of-atiq-ahmads-aide-guddu-muslim-2568328.html
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5 Army soldiers
killed in terrorist attack in Poonch
Friday, 21
April 2023
Five Army personnel were killed and another
was seriously injured on Thursday after their vehicle caught fire following a
terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, the Army said.
The deceased
Army soldiers were from a Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counterterror
operations, it said in a statement.
Army Chief Gen
Manoj Pande has briefed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the incident.
"Anguished
by the tragedy in Poonch District (J&K), where the Indian Army has lost its
brave soldiers after a truck caught fire. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are
with the bereaved families," the defence minister tweeted.
The Army said
the vehicle the soldiers were travelling in came under fire from unidentified
terrorists and it caught fire because of likely use of grenades.
"Today, at
approximately 1500 hours, one Army vehicle, moving between Bhimber Gali and
Poonch in the Rajauri sector was fired on by unidentified terrorists, taking
advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area," the Army said.
"The
vehicle caught fire, due to likely use of grenades by terrorists," it
said.
The five
personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles Unit deployed for counterterrorist operations
in this area have unfortunately lost their lives in the incident, it said. The
Army said another soldier was seriously injured and he was evacuated
immediately to the Army hospital at Rajouri.
The Army's 16
Corps, based in Nagrota, said the deceased soldiers are: Havildar Mandeep
Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkrishan
Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh. "The Whitenight corps stand in solidarity
with the bereaved families," it said in a tweet.
Four of the
five soldiers are from Punjab -- Mandeep Singh (Chankoian Kacan village),
Harkrishan Singh (Talwandi Barth village), Kulwant Singh (Charik), Sewak Singh
(Bagha) -- while Debashish Baswal is from Odisha's Algum Samil Khandayat.
Sources said
officials saw bullet marks on the vehicle and also recovered fragments of
grenades confirming it was a terror attack.
Jammu and
Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he was anguished at the loss of
lives of the brave soldiers. "Their rich service to the nation will never
be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families," he said in a
tweet.
The Army said
operations are underway to catch the perpetrators.
In an initial
statement, the Army said the five personnel were killed after their vehicle
caught fire, adding further details are being ascertained.
Later in the
evening, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest on
the Tawi bridge in the Jammu city and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
Officials said
traffic on the Bhimber Gali-Poonch Road was stopped following the incident and
the entire area was cordoned off. People travelling to Poonch were advised to
take the Mendhar route.
Political
parties condemned the attack.
In a tweet,
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Strongly condemn the terror
attack on an Army vehicle in Poonch District, Jammu & Kashmir. Our deepest
condolences to the families of 5 Rashtriya Rifle bravehearts."
"Our
prayers for the injured personnel. We are united against terrorism," he
said.
Former Congress
president Rahul Gandhi said the news of the martyrdom of five soldiers in the
terrorist attack in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir is very saddening.
"I pay my
humble tributes to those heroes and express my deepest condolences to their
bereaved families," Gandhi said.
Jammu and
Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina condemned the "cowardly attack by
Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and said the killing of soldiers will be avenged.
National
Conference vice president Omar Abdullah tweeted, "Terrible news of a
terror attack in Poonch that claimed the lives of 5 army jawans in the line of
duty. I unequivocally condemn this heinous attack & send my condolences to
the loved ones of those killed today. May the souls of the departed rest in
peace."
Apni Party
president Altaf Bukhari said he was deeply saddened by the cowardly terrorist
attack.
"My
heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave hearts who made the ultimate
sacrifice for the nation. We stand with our armed forces and their families in
this difficult time," Bukhari said in a tweet.
People's
Conference chairman Sajad Lone described the attack dastardly.
"Terrible
and tragic news of the attack on an army vehicle and five fatalities. Strongly
condemn this dastardly act of terror by cowards. The scourge of violence and
terror tragically perseveres and refuses to go," Lone said on Twitter.
Source: dailypioneer.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2023/top-stories/5-army-soldiers-killed-in-terrorist-attack-in-poonch.html
--------
Dalai Lama
attends Global Buddhist Summit, speaks of compassion, wisdom
Friday, 21
April 2023
Tibetan
Spiritual Leader the Dalai Lama on Friday participated in the Global Buddhist
Summit and addressed a group of monks and other delegates who have gathered
here for the two-day event, sources said.
He spoke for
about half an hour and emphasised on Buddhist philosophy and values.
The
first-of-its-kind summit began on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
addressing the inaugural session.
Modi in his
address said the world is passing through challenges such as war, economic
instability, terrorism, religious extremism and climate change and asserted
that Lord Buddha's ideas offer a solution to these problems.
The summit is
divided into two segments, academic and Sangha sessions.
Media was
allowed only for the inaugural session, the rest of the sessions are not open
to the press, an official source said.
The source,
however, confirmed that the Dalai Lama attended the summit on Friday morning
and addressed gathered monks and other delegates.
"In his nearly
half-an-hour address, the Tibetan spiritual leader spoke of compassion, wisdom
and meditation," he told PTI.
The three
values are integral to the teachings of Lord Buddha and the philosophy he
espoused.
On Monday, at a
press conference here, organisers had said that invite was sent to the Dalai
Lama, but till that time it wasn't confirmed whether he would attend the event.
An official
source in the Dharamshala-based Central Tibetan Administration or CTA
(government in exile) had early on Friday morning told PTI that "His
Holiness will attend the event".
The conference
is being hosted at The Ashok Hotel from April 20 to 21 by the Union Ministry of
Culture along with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
The 87-year-old
Tibetan spiritual leader has been in the news recently over a viral video
linked with him and a boy.
The Dalai Lama
on April 10 apologised to the boy, his family and friends for the "hurt
his words may have caused" after the video clip purportedly showing the
Tibetan spiritual head asking him to "suck" his tongue sparked a row.
Source: dailypioneer.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2023/top-stories/dalai-lama-attends-global-buddhist-summit--speaks-of-compassion--wisdom.html
-------
"Ended
special favour meant for scoring political points," Amit Shah on scrapping
Muslim quota in Karnataka
New Delhi
[India], April 22 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday alleged that
Congress provided 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in Karnataka in an
"unconstitutional manner" and that Bharatiya Janata Party government
in the State had put an end to the practice.
Speaking at a
media conclave organised by India Today, Shah said that the BJP ended the
"special favour" meant for "scoring political points" and
gave the rights to persons deserving the reservation, the OBCs.
The Home
Minister said that the Constitution does not allow reservation on the basis of
religion and slammed the Congress party for doing so.
Speaking at the
conclave, Shah said, "As far as justice is concerned with the social point
of view, the Congress government had given 4 per cent Muslim reservation in an
unconstitutional manner in Karnataka. It was unconstitutional because our
Constitution does not approve reservation
based on
religion but it was prevailing in Karnataka."
"The state
government scrapped the 4 per cent reservations for Muslims and increased the
reservation for SC, ST, Vokkaliga and Lingayat. We have ended the special
favour meant for scoring political points. We brought the Constitution to order
and gave the rights to those
deserving,"
Shah said.
Earlier this
March, the Karnataka government decided to scrap the four per cent quota for
minorities and add it to the existing quota of two dominant communities of the
poll-bound state.
The 4 per cent
reservation given to Muslims under the 2B classification of the OBC category
will now be divided into two equal parts and added to the existing quota of
Vokkaligas and Lingayats for whom two new reservation categories of 2C and 2D
were created during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year.
The state
government's move was slammed by the opposition and Congress vowed to cancel
the move if it comes to power in the upcoming Assembly elections slated on May
10
"As soon
as our government comes, we will cancel the reservation issue and will protect
the minority interest," state Congress president DK
Shivakumar had
said.
On April 14,
former Karnataka Chief Minister Veerappa Moily who introduced the 4 per cent
reservation said that it given to the Muslims in his regime was on a scientific
basis and it was not on the basis of religion.
While speaking
to ANI, Veerappa Moily said, "This reservation was given by me when I was
CM in 1993 and it was done on basis of scientific data and not on the basis of
religion. Muslims as a class were included in the backward category and it was
absolutely legal. When we took the
decision data
was there. BJP has scrapped this reservation without any report".
Veerappa Moily
further stated that Congress will restore the 4 per cent reservation quota
after coming back to power in Karnataka.
"We will
restore it once we come back to power. This decision was unjustified and
unscientific," he said. (ANI)
Source: aninews.in
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/politics/ended-special-favour-meant-for-scoring-political-points-amit-shah-on-scrapping-muslim-quota-in-karnataka20230422123730/
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Mideast
Muslim Ambulance
Driver, Beautician, Male Nurse and Doctors In The UAE, It's Work As Usual This
Eid Al Fitr
April 22, 2023
Dubai:
Eid-Al-Fitr is a time of celebration for Muslims. All over the world, families
spend time in festivities and bond with their loved ones and close friends.
For some
professionals, however, it is business as usual. Unwavering in their commitment
to duty and work, they continue to serve with a smile.
Best Eid gift
Filipino
beautician Jhoan Aviguetero working at Lux Ladies Salon is spending her Eid
doing what she loves most – beautifying people. Jhoan is a staunch Muslim who
kept her Ramadan fast while working. Come Eid, she says she knows no better
place than at her workplace. “I love making people look beautiful through make
up, hair-style and treatments. Eid-Al-Fitr is always a super busy time in the
salon. I have been working through last day of Ramadan and will be doing so
through Eid as we have many customers coming at this time for treatment.”
Jhoan said
women come to the salon to apply Henna on hand, get their hair styles done.
“They come to get a makeover and we are here to give them what they want. When
I see my customer walk away looking so beautiful, it is the best Eid gift to
me.”
A privilege to
work
Ambulance
driver Ataullah Khan Gulsher Khan, who works with Zulekha Hospital, is another
Muslim on duty during Eid. “I have been working in Zulekha Hospital for 29
years now and this is my second home. Being away from the family during Eid is
not easy. Since I don’t have anything else to do, I am happy to be at work
today. I have been given the privilege by Allah to serve my colleagues and
patients at Zulekha Hospital. Any emergency with patients will need my
presence, so I am happy to be serving and doing my job to the best ability I
can on this special day.”
First Eid in
Dubai
Egyptian male
nurse Mohammad Hamdi is also spending his first Eid in Dubai serving patients
inside an Emergency Room (ER) of Prime Hospital, Dubai. Hamdi worked on eight
to 12-hour shifts through the holy month of Ramadan. He now spent Eid-Al-Fitr
with his patients in the ER.
Hamdi, 30, who
moved to Dubai in February from the town of Ismailia, Egypt, is spending the
first two days of Eid on duty.
“In the ER, it
is about saving precious lives and all days are alike, be it a festival or
otherwise. This year, I am away from my wife and child. I am living here alone
in the UAE. Therefore, I am spending my Eid weekend with patients who need me,”
said Hamdi. “For those in the medical profession, the hospital is like an extended
home, and we are always looking to bring empathy and relief to patients who are
like family members.”
Hamdi said:
“Back home, the entire community comes together to celebrate Eid. The women of
the community work hard to prepare a lavish spread. There is a lot of love,
laughter and bonhomie during Eid. I am going to miss that. But I think my
dedication to work and serving my patients brings about a greater sense of
satisfaction.”
Great
satisfaction
Another
paramedic nurse Mohamad T H Hussein working for NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah
said: “Healthcare is a profession where commitment to ease the pain of the
patient is the most important duty. Eid is a special day to celebrate after a
month of fasting and nursing and nurturing someone back to health provides me
great satisfaction. Working on Eid when most of my family is on holiday makes
me miss them but they are proud of me and the work I do.”
Two days in a
row
Lebanese expat
doctor Dr Osman El Labban, a Family Medicine consultant at Saudi German
Hospital in Dubai, could not agree more. The long-term Lebanese expatriate in
the UAE is spending 12 to 14 hours on duty for two consecutive days during the
Eid Al Fitr holidays this time.
He is working
on the second and third days of Eid and attending to his patients.
“Eid is one of
the biggest festivals, but nothing is bigger than duty. I am looking forward to
serving my patients,” said Dr El Labban, who hails from Beirut but has lived
for 28 years in the UAE.
The father of
three said: “The UAE has been my home for nearly three decades now. I feel it
is not my second home, but my first one. I am happy to be able to serve
patients here even on Eid days.”
Happy feeding
the community
A restaurant
supervisor at Food Circles, Mirza Muktar is also working on the second and third
day of Eid.
Mirza Muktar
“My family is
away from me. I could not think of a better way to spend my Eid than working
and serving people.
"Being in
the restaurant business, you get to feed many people. During Eid-Al-Fitr, I
feel happy to be doing this for the community.”
Source: gulfnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://gulfnews.com/uae/for-these-muslims-in-the-uae-its-work-as-usual-this-eid-al-fitr-1.95267488
--------
Little let-up
in Khartoum fighting despite Sudan truce declaration
April 22, 2023
KHARTOUM:
Sporadic shelling rang out late on Friday in Sudan’s capital even though
warring factions announced a truce, while one force said it was willing to
allow airports to reopen for the evacuation of foreign nationals.
The United
Nations, US, UK, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Sweden and Spain have said
they were making preparations or attempting to remove their personnel after
almost a week of violence.
Forces
commanded by two previously allied leaders of Sudan’s ruling council began a
violent power struggle last weekend. Hundreds have died, and a nation reliant
on food aid has been tipped into what the United Nations calls a humanitarian
catastrophe.
Artillery fire
continued in Khartoum late on Friday, a Reuters witness said, though less
intense than earlier in the day. The fighting dealt the latest blow to
international attempts to end the fighting.
The army and
its adversary, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), said separately
they agreed to a three-day truce to enable people to celebrate the Muslim
holiday of Eid Al-Fitr.
“The armed
forces hope that the rebels will abide by all the requirements of the truce and
stop any military moves that would obstruct it,” an army statement said.
US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken urged the combatants to honor the truce, and said Sudan’s
military and civilian leadership must urgently start negotiations on a
sustainable cease-fire to prevent further damage to the country.
RSF chief
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, said early on Saturday that he
had received a phone call from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The two
“emphasised the necessity of adhering to a complete cease-fire and providing
protection for humanitarian and medical workers, especially UN staff as well as
regional and international organizations,” Hemedti said in a post on his
official Facebook account.
The RSF said
late on Friday it was ready to partially open all of Sudan’s airports so
foreign governments could evacuate their nationals.
The group said
in a statement it would “cooperate, coordinate and provide all facilities that
enable expatriates and missions to leave the country safely.”
It was unclear
to what extent the RSF controls Sudan’s airports. The Khartoum airport has been
caught in the fighting with aircraft burning on the tarmac, and commercial
airlines halted flights several days ago.
Soldiers and
gunmen from the RSF shot at each other all day in neighborhoods across the
city, including during the call for special early morning Eid prayers, with
gunfire punctuated by the thud of artillery and air strikes.
Drone footage
showed smoke across Khartoum and its Nile sister cities, together one of
Africa’s biggest urban areas.
The World
Health Organization on Friday reported 413 people had been killed and 3,551
injured since fighting broke out six days ago. The death toll includes at least
five aid workers.
EVACUATIONS
STYMIED
In Washington,
the State Department said without elaborating that one US citizen had been
killed in Sudan.
US citizens in
Sudan should not expect a US-government coordinated evacuation, deputy State
Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said, adding that citizens there should
make their own arrangements to stay safe.
US Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin said no decision had been made on airlifting US
government staff out of the country, but US forces were positioned near Sudan
to assist. Reuters reported on Thursday troops were sent to a US base in
Djibouti.
“We’ve deployed
some forces into theater to ensure that we provide as many options as possible
if we are called on to do something. And we haven’t been called on to do
anything yet,” Austin told a news conference at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
RUNNING OUT OF
FOOD AND WATER
The fighting
has made it difficult for Sudanese people to leave their homes to obtain
supplies or join the droves departing Khartoum. “An increasing number of people
are running out of food, water, and power, including in Khartoum,” the UN
humanitarian office said.
Khartoum
resident Mohamed Saber Turaby, 27, had wanted to visit his parents 80 km (50
miles) from the city for the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr holiday.
“Every time I
try to leave the house, there are clashes,” he said. “There was shelling last
night and now there is presence of army forces on the ground.”
Army troops
brandishing semi-automatic weapons were greeted by cheers on one street, a
video released by the military on Friday showed. Reuters verified the location
of the video, in the north of the city, but could not verify when it was
filmed.
Fighting
extended down Medani Street, the main highway leading from Khartoum to Al
Gezira state being used by those fleeing, as the RSF appeared to withdraw
toward rural villages on the outskirts of Khartoum, witnesses told Reuters.
Sudan borders
seven countries and sits between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Africa’s
volatile Sahel region. The hostilities risk fanning regional tensions.
The violence
was triggered by disagreement over an internationally backed plan to form a new
civilian government four years after the fall of autocrat Omar Al-Bashir and
two years after a military coup.
Both sides
accuse the other of thwarting the transition.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291116/middle-east
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Top Iranian
Diplomat Urges Muslim Solidarity in Eid Message
April, 22, 2023
TEHRAN (Tasnim)
– In a congratulatory message for his Muslim counterparts on Eid al-Fitr,
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stressed the need for
synchronized steps to strengthen unity among the Islamic countries.
In separate
messages on Friday, Amirabdollahian congratulated his counterparts in the
Muslim countries on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
The top Iranian
diplomat described Eid al-Fitr as a feast of thanking God for one month of
worshiping and servitude as well as camaraderie, brotherhood and unity of
Muslims in order to achieve the great goals of the Islamic Ummah, the Foreign
Ministry’s website reported.
The foreign
minister also stressed the need for the leaders of the Muslim nations to join
in efforts to strengthen solidarity among Muslims and help with the progress of
Islamic countries.
Eid al-Fitr,
also called Feast of Breaking the Fast, is an important religious holiday
celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
The religious
Eid is a day that Muslims are not permitted to fast that day.
The holiday
celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during
the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day
of the month of Shawwal.
Muslims believe
that they are commanded by God, as mentioned in Quran to continue their fast
until the last day of Ramadan and pay the Zakat al-Fitr before offering the Eid
prayers.
Source: tasnimnews.com
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the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/04/22/2883625/top-iranian-diplomat-urges-muslim-solidarity-in-eid-message
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Islamic banks'
asset in UAE surges 5pc to $169bn in January
ABU DHABI
Gross assets of
the Islamic banks operating in the UAE increased to AED621 billion ($169
billion) in January, thus posting an annual increase of 5.6% (equivalent to
nearly AED31.2 billion) as against AED589.7 billion ($160 billion) for the same
period last year, according to figures by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE).
The central
bank statistics reflect an increase in credit for Islamic banks to AED396.9
billion at the end of January 2023, an annual increase of 3.5% compared to
nearly AED383.36 billion in January 2022, and an increase of nearly AED13.3
billion in 12 months.
The Islamic
banks’ deposits increased to AED434 billion in January 2023, an annual increase
of 3.1% compared to nearly AED421 billion in January 2022.
As per the
CBUAE statistics, the total investments of Islamic banks amounted to AED106
billion by the end of January 2022, an annual increase of 20.1%, equivalent to
AED171 billion, compared to investments of about AED88.3 billion in January
2022.-TradeArabia News Service
Source: tradearabia.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.tradearabia.com/news/BANK_408667.html
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Iraqi cleric
who fled jail dies escaping recapture
April 22, 2023
BAGHDAD: An
Iraqi cleric who escaped from prison and went on the run for two days died on
Thursday as security forces closed in on him, authorities said.
Saad Qambash,
once head of Iraq’s Sunni Waqf, was jailed for four years earlier this month
for fraud.
His escape
triggered a decision by Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani to sack a
security chief in Baghdad and close the detention facility in the capital’s
Green Zone from which the senior cleric had fled on Tuesday night.
The Interior
Ministry said Qambash had been found in Mosul in northern Iraq, some 350 km
north of Baghdad.
In a later
statement, the interior and health ministries said the cleric had tried to
escape recapture.
“During his
arrest he tried to flee — the forces pursued him but he fainted,” the statement
said, adding that he had died before making it to hospital.
“The body of
the deceased, who suffered from chronic illnesses, does not show signs of
bruises,” it added.
An Interior
Ministry official said that Qambash died of a “heart attack,” and said an
autopsy was expected.
On April 11, a
court sentenced Qambash to a four-year term for using $36 million of Waqf funds
to buy a hotel that anti-corruption investigators said was not “economically
viable.”
Because of
Tuesday’s escape, Al-Sudani had decided “to dismiss Lt. Gen. Hamid Al-Zuhairi,
commander of the Special Division” who oversaw security in the Green Zone, a
statement from the premier’s office said on Thursday.
The Green Zone
is a heavily guarded area housing government offices, embassies and
politicians’ homes.
The statement
said the general was fired “due to insufficient action taken in response to the
incident,” and “all those responsible” would be held accountable “and legally
punished.”
Al-Sudani also
ordered the closure of the unit in the Karrada Maryam police station and the
transfer of prisoners held there to other facilities.
On Wednesday,
an Interior Ministry official said that eight officers and 18 rank and file
police had been arrested, suspected of helping Qambash to escape.
Corruption is
endemic in Iraq, where public funds are often spirited away from state coffers.
Al-Sudani has
repeatedly vowed to combat “the pandemic of corruption” since taking office
last year.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291011/middle-east
-------
South Asia
US ‘forcefully’
rejects talks on Taliban’s recognition
WASHINGTON: The
US administration and lawmakers have both forcefully rejected the suggestion
that a UN-hosted meeting in Doha next week would explore the possibilities of
recognising Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.
“The intent and
the purpose of this meeting was never to discuss recognition of the Taliban,
and any discussion at this meeting about recognition would be unacceptable to
us,” US State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at
a Thursday afternoon news briefing.
Senator Jim
Risch, a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, not only
rejected the suggestion but also criticised the United Nations. “The UN needs a
wake-up call. Any talk of recognition of the Taliban is absolutely absurd,” he
tweeted. “This murderous regime continues to deny women the ability to work or
go to school while millions of Afghans are in dire humanitarian need.”
A member of the
US mission at the United Nations also ruled out any discussion on the Taliban’s
recognition while talking to reporters in New York.
The rebuttals
followed UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed’s statement that at the
UN-sponsored Doha meeting on May 1-2, the world body hopes to find those baby
steps that “put us back on the pathway to recognition … of the Taliban. In
other words, there are conditions”.
Asked at a
seminar at Princeton University on Monday if the Taliban regime was seeking
recognition, Ms Mohammed said: “Yes. The Taliban clearly want recognition. And
that’s the leverage we have” for persuading them to change their attitude
towards women and on other issues.
The UN chief’s
office confirmed part of Ms Mohammed’s statement that Secretary General Antonio
Guterres would host the two-day meeting in Doha, Qatar, of envoys from
countries around the world, but the deliberations would not focus on
recognition of the Taliban.
Talking to
reporters in New York, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said: “The point of the
discussion, which will be held in a closed, private setting, is to build a more
unified consensus on the challenges at hand.”
The priority of
the Doha meeting, he said, was to “advance an approach-based pragmatism and
principles to have a constructive engagement on the issue.”
Ms Mohammed’s
suggestion, however, encouraged Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid to
demand that the UN “fulfil its responsibility” towards the people of
Afghanistan by recognising their regime.
“The
recognition will build mutual trust with world countries and help resolve all
issues that can benefit regional security and stability,” Mr Mujahid told VOA
broadcasting service.
Source: dawn.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1748922/us-forcefully-rejects-talks-on-talibans-recognition
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Iranian
President Ebrahim Raisi Calls for Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan
By
Fidel Rahmati
April 22, 2023
“Solving the
problems of the oppressed people of Afghanistan by forming an inclusive
government representing all ethnic groups, religions and people of Afghanistan
are emphasized and supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” In a statement
by the Iranian Foreign Ministry cited Raisi.
Last week, Afghanistan’s
neighbouring countries, including Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan, in
Samarkand 4th ministers meeting, also urged an inclusive government in
Afghanistan to represent all ethnic and religious groups.
The statement
called on the Taliban authorities to form an inclusive government with the
participation of all ethnic and political institutions.
Meanwhile, the
group called upon the Taliban to reverse all restrictions against women’s
education and employment.
In addition,
the groups expressed concerns about the growing terrorism in the country and
reiterated that terrorist groups emanating from Afghanistan seriously threaten
regional and global peace and security.
However,
security has been a significant challenge for the de facto administration. It
seems that amid a dire humanitarian crisis and a ban on women’s aid workers,
the country’s economic prospect seems dim and inadequate.
Source: khaama.com
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the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/iranian-president-ebrahim-raisi-calls-for-inclusive-govt-in-afghanistan/
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2 Killed, 10
Hurt in Madrid Restaurant Fire
By
Fidel Rahmati
April 22, 2023
Emergency
services reported on Saturday that two individuals were killed and ten others
were hurt in a restaurant fire in Madrid, the capital of Spain.
The fire broke
out late Friday night at the Italian restaurant Burro Canaglia Bar & Resto
in Salamanca’s centre quarter.
According to a
witness who spoke to El Pais newspaper, the incident began when a server lit a
dish on fire, which caused the flames to spread to the walls and roof.
According to
rescue officials, diners tried to escape as the fire broke out close to the
main exit.
Police in Spain
are looking into what started the fire.
Source: khaama.com
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the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/2-killed-10-hurt-in-madrid-restaurant-fire/
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PM Modi greets
Bangladesh on eve of Eid-ul-Fitr; wishes for peace, harmony worldwide
21st April 2023
Dhaka: Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on Friday greeted his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh
Hasina on the eve of the Eid-ul-Fitr, wishing peace, harmony, good health and
happiness for the people across the world, a statement from the premier’s
office here said.
Modi also
praised Hasina, saying that as a result of her personal initiative the
multilateral partnership-based relationship between India and Bangladesh
transformed into a “role model of neighbourly relations” in the world.
“On behalf of
the people of India, I convey my Eid greetings to you and the people of
Bangladesh,” Modi said in his message to Prime Minister Hasina.
Extending his
greetings on behalf of India, Modi wished for peace, harmony, good health and
happiness for the people of the two countries and across the world.
The Indian
prime minister said that he looked forward to continuing work with Hasina to
take the bilateral relations to “new heights.”
Bangladesh is
set to hold general elections in late December 2023 or early January 2024,
months ahead of the elections in India.
Prime Minister
Modi noted that during the holy month of Ramzan, Muslims around the world
performed fasting and prayers and “on this auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr,
the people of the world along with the Muslim Ummah are realising the values of
unity and brotherhood”, the statement said.
Bangladesh
authorities said the country would celebrate the festival on Saturday in line
with the Arabic lunar calendar since the moon, marking the start of the Shawwal
month, was sighted this evening.
Source: siasat.com
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the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.siasat.com/pm-modi-greets-bangladesh-on-eve-of-eid-ul-fitr-wishes-for-peace-harmony-worldwide-2573677/
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Bangladesh
tells its citizens to avoid travelling to Sudan
April 22, 2023
The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has advised citizens to avoid any travel to Sudan as fighting
between the army and paramilitary forces led by rival generals rage on in the
African country.
Severe armed
conflict has recently erupted in Sudan, causing casualties and disrupting the
supply of food and basic necessities. This conflict is going on in Khartoum
city and different parts of the country including Khartoum airport.
A notification
issued by the ministry said it is not safe for Bangladeshis to travel to Sudan
now. All Bangladeshi nationals are therefore advised not to travel there until
further notice. This suggestion has been communicated to the relevant
ministries and agencies of Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh
mission in Sudan is also advising Bangladeshis living there in this regard.
The Sudanese
armed forces, under the leadership of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the
powerful Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo
have exchanged accusations of provoking the conflict.
Source: dhakatribune.com
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the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dhakatribune.com/africa/2023/04/21/sudans-rsf-agrees-to-ceasefire-for-eid-residents-report-gunfire
--------
Southeast
Asia
Repeatedly
Painted An Enemy Of Islam, Kit Siang Wishes Hadi and PAS ‘Eid ul Fitr’
By R. Loheswar
Saturday, 22
Apr 2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
April 22 — DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang today said he has no harsh words for PAS
president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang as Muslims worldwide celebrate Aidilfitri
despite being repeatedly accused of being a communist and an Islamophobe.
The former
federal lawmaker said Hadi has not once been able to furnish proof to back his
accusations and therefore has no credibility, relying instead of lies to draw
support from Malaysians.
He added that
Hadi also showed poor character in attacking DAP during this festive season.
“Hadi is not a
profound fake as it is easy to expose his dependence on lies, falsehoods and
fake news for his arguments,” Lim said in a statement.
He said Hadi
had repeatedly accused the DAP of spreading Islamophobia after Perikatan
Nasional lost the general elections last year.
Lim said that
before that, Hadi and the Islamist party had blamed the DAP for pushing the
government then led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for ratifying the Covenant of
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 2018, which it claimed would
undermine Malaysian sovereignty and the powers of the Malay Rulers.
Lim claimed
Hadi’s unproven allegations hid the latter’s desire to see Malaysia turn into a
kleptocratic, failed and divided state.
The senior DAP
member also held up China as a communist country that had good relations with
Muslim nations.
He reminded
Hadi that China’s president Xi Jinping had been acclaimed for brokering peace
between Iran and Saudi Arabia last month, when the two Arab nations agreed to
re-establish diplomatic relations, ending seven years of estrangement and
jolting the geopolitics of the Middle East.
“What
credibility has Hadi left for speaking truthfully and honestly, based on facts
and truth and not on lies, falsehoods and fake news?
“Hadi has
repeated the allegation that I am a communist, for which he could not furnish
any evidence.
“On the
auspicious occasion of one of the most important religions in the world,
despite all the wrong and false conceptions of DAP and me, I have no harsh
words for Hadi, and I wish Hadi and PAS Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf
Zahir dan batin,” Lim said.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/22/repeatedly-painted-an-enemy-of-islam-kit-siang-wishes-hadi-and-pas-selamat-hari-raya-maaf-zahir-dan-batin/65932
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Indonesian,
Malaysian Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr as COVID fears recede
By Zahra
Matarani and Hasnoor Hussain
JAKARTA, April
22 (Reuters) - Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia gathered in large groups to
usher in the Eid al-Fitr festival on Saturday, relieved to be able to celebrate
freely after the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions.
In Indonesia,
the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, hundreds of worshippers
turned up for morning prayers at the historic port of Sunda Kelapa in North
Jakarta to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
"I'm very
happy that we're free (of COVID curbs) now," said Laila, 35, who goes by
one name like many Indonesians.
Another
worshipper, 30-year old Adit Chandra, said: "I hope it gets better from
here on, and that we can gather together with our families after the last three
years of not being able to go back to our hometown".
Chandra is
among the more than 120 million Indonesians - nearly half the country's
population - who plan to travel from major urban centres to their hometowns for
Eid al-Fitr.
That is about
44% more than the number of people who made the exodus last year, the
government said.
In neighbouring
Muslim-majority Malaysia, devotees also celebrated with families.
"We can
visit the extended family, and do so without suspicious feelings ... during the
pandemic we were cautious," said Khairul Soryati, a 39-year-old resident
of Kuala Lumpur.
Muhd Nur Afham,
31, who works in Singapore said he could finally celebrate with the family in
Malaysia this year after not being able to travel during the pandemic.
"I'm
grateful I can meet with my families ... last time we only met through video
call," he said.
Authorities in
both countries have, however, urged the public to remain cautious amid reports
of rising COVID cases.
Source: reuters.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesian-malaysian-muslims-celebrate-eid-al-fitr-covid-fears-recede-2023-04-22/?rpc=401&
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Muslims in
Malaysia celebrate livelier Aidilfitri, first in three years without special
SOP
Saturday, 22
Apr 2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
April 22 — Muslims celebrated a livelier 1 Syawal today with mosques and surau
nationwide filled with congregants performing Aidilfitri prayers which also marks
the first time in three years it is being celebrated without special standard
operating procedures (SOP) being enforced.
In Kuala
Lumpur, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah
Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah
performed Aidilfitri prayers at the Masjid Negara.
The royal
couple arrived at the mosque at 8.15am accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim.
Last year,
Aidilfitri was celebrated in the transition to the endemic phase which saw the
SOP being relaxed.
In Selangor,
the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah joined thousands of
congregants in performing the Aidilfitri prayers at 8.13 am at the Tengku
Ampuan Jemaah Mosque Bukit Jelutong.
A majority of
congregants who attended the prayers wore face masks and brought their own mats
as recommended by the Ministry of Health.
In Kelantan,
the Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V, accompanied by the Crown Prince of
Kelantan, Dr Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra, joined thousands of congregants to
perform the Aidilfitri prayers at 9.10am at Al-Ismaili Mosque in Bandar Baru
Pasir Pekan, Tumpat.
Also
participating in the prayers was Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob.
In Perlis, the
Regent of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail performed Aidilfitri
prayers at Dataran Istiadat Istana Arau. He was accompanied by Menteri Besar
Mohd Shukri Ramli to perform the prayers led by Perlis Grand Imam Ahmad
Sirajuddin Abdul Satar.
In Terengganu,
the Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, and Sultanah of Terengganu
Sultanah Nur Zahirah joined congregants performed Aidilfitri prayers at
Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Mosque in Ladang, Kuala Terengganu.
Menteri Besar
Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, state leaders, and more than 3,000
congregants also joined the prayers, led by Terengganu Mufti Dr Mohamad Sabri
Haron.
In Kedah, the
Sultan of Kedah Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah and
Sultanah of Kedah Sultanah Maliha Tengku Ariff performed Aidilfitri prayers at
Zahir Mosque, Alor Setar. The royal couple was accompanied by Menteri Besar
Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
More than 2,000
congregants performed the Aidilfitri prayers which started at 9am and was led
by the Grand Imam of Zahir Mosque Sheikh Mohd Naim Ahmad.
In Sabah, Chief
Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor performed Aidilfitri prayers with more than 500
others at the Hajiji Noor Mosque, Serusup Tuaran at 7.15am.
Speaking to
reporters after performing the prayer, Hajiji called on Muslims in Sabah to celebrate
Aidilfitri in the spirit of simplicity.
Meanwhile, Yang
Dipertua Negeri of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife Toh Puan Norlidah RM
Jasni are scheduled to hold an open house at Istana Sri Kinabalu tomorrow,
while the Sabah government will hold an open house on April 30 at the Sabah
International Convention Centre (SICC).
In Sarawak,
Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and Sarawak Premier Tan
Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg performed Aidilfitri prayers at Jamek Mosque, Petra
Jaya.
Abdul Taib is
holding an Aidilfitri 2023 open house today in Astana Negeri Sarawak from 10.30
am to 4.30 pm.
Abang Johari is
also hosting an open house at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) from
10.30am to 4pm today.
In Putrajaya,
thousands of Muslims started gathering at the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque
from 8 am to perform the Aidilfitri prayers led by Mohd Radhi Abdul Ghani.
In his
Aidilfitri sermon, Mohd Radhi, among other things, reminded Muslims to continue
to give devotion and respect to their parents who sacrificed a lot.
In Negeri
Sembilan, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, accompanied by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin
Harun, arrived at about 8.30 am at Tuanku Munawir Royal Mosque, Kuala Pilah to
perform Aidilfitri prayers with 1,500 congregants.
After
performing the prayers, led by Abdul Rahman Ibrahim, Tuanku Muhriz met with the
congregants before leaving for Istana Besar Seri Menanti to attend the People's
Banquet.
Aminuddin, when
met by reporters, urged the public to be extra careful during the festive
season and also invited them to the state government open house scheduled to
take place at the Seremban City Council Hall on May 7.
In Labuan,
Labuan Member of Parliament Datuk Suhaili Abd Rahman performed Aidilfitri
prayers with more than 500 congregants including local community leaders at the
Kampung Patau-Patau II Mosque at 7.30 am.
In Pahang, the
Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin
Al-Mustafa Billah Shah performed Aidilfitri prayers, led by Mohd Faizal Abdul
Manaf, at Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque, Pekan.
After the
prayers, Tengku Hassanal attended a brief tahlil ceremony at the Pekan Royal
Mausoleum, which is located next to the mosque, accompanied by Pahang
administration led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
Tengku Hassanal
is also scheduled to go to the Menteri Besar's open house at the Kuantan City
Complex (MBK), this afternoon.
In Perak, the
Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah performed Aidilfitri prayers at the Ubudiah
Mosque, Kuala Kangsar at 8.45am, accompanied by the Raja Muda of Perak Raja
Jaafar Raja Muda Musa and Raja Dihilir of Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain
Sultan Idris Shah.
In Melaka, the
Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam along with nearly 10,000
residents around the Al Azim Mosque in Bukit Palah performed the Aidilfitri
prayers at the mosque at 8.30 am, led by Grand Imam of Al-Azim Mosque, Datuk
Mohammad Hashim Al-Hafiz.
In Penang, more
than 5,000 Muslims performed Aidilfitri prayers together with the Yang Dipertua
Negeri of Penang, Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak at the Penang State Mosque at
8.30am.
Tun Ahmad Fuzi
is also hosting an open house at his official residence, which will be attended
by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, and other state leaders.
In Johor, Tunku
Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim performed Aidilfitri prayers at
the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque, Johor Bahru with more than 1,000 congregants.
Also present
were Tunku Temenggong of Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar, Tunku Panglima of Johor
Tunku Abdul Rahman, and Tunku Putera of Johor Tunku Abu Bakar.
Menteri Besar
Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi along with members of the Johor administration and senior
government officials also performed the prayers at the mosque.
Onn Hafiz also
holding an open house at his official residence in Saujana, Johor Bahru
starting at 9 this morning. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/22/muslims-in-malaysia-celebrate-livelier-aidilfitri-first-in-three-years-without-special-sop/65939
--------
Cabinet members
extend Aidilfitri wishes to Malaysian Muslims
Friday, 21 Apr
2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
April 21 — Several Cabinet ministers today took the opportunity to extend
Aidilfitri wishes to all Malaysian Muslims.
Tourism, Arts
and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said Malaysians, regardless of
race, religion or background tend to celebrate all festivals together which has
become an attraction for tourists to experience what harmony is all about in
this country.
“This is the
uniqueness of our people which can’t be found elsewhere,” Tiong said, while
also advising all those travelling back to their hometowns to be safe on the
road.
In the spirit
of Aidilfitri, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the
ministry workforce is committed to working harder for the country and the
people.
“Celebrate
Aidilfitri with gratitude and happiness with your loved ones. The lessons
obtained throughout Ramadan teach us patience, love, compassion, willpower and
many more,” he said in a Twitter post.
Works Minister
Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said Aidilfitri strengthens harmony and unity
among Malaysians.
“This is the
time to seek forgiveness and strengthen relationships. Put behind your
disagreements and strengthen harmony and unity,” he said in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile,
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa asked Malaysians to be grateful and reflect
on the blessings received from Allah SWT.
“Endless
blessings, such as health, family, happiness and many more. May we continue to
be grateful and receive blessings from Allah SWT. Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri,
Maaf Zahir dan Batin,” she said in a video uploaded on Facebook.
Muslims in
Malaysia celebrate Aidilfitri tomorrow.
Transport
Minister Anthony Loke in a Facebook post extended his gratitude to all
frontline workers on duty during Aidilfitri for ensuring travellers got home
safely and for maintaining peace and security.
They include
Road Transport Department (JPJ) enforcement personnel, aviation agencies, taxi
drivers, e-hailing and p-hailing drivers as well as rail and port workers, he
said.
Amidst the joy
of returning home, Loke also reminded motorists to drive courteously as their
presence would be eagerly awaited by loved ones.
Domestic Trade
and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub expressed his gratitude
for being able to share Ramadan with various Rahman initiatives to lessen the
people’s burden, especially for those really in need.
“On this note,
I would like to thank all parties involved in making the ministry’s programmes
and initiatives thus far a success. May our good deeds be rewarded multifold,”
he said on Facebook.
Women, Family
and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, in a video uploaded
on Facebook, hoped that the arrival of Syawal would bring happiness to everyone
and urged the public, amidst the joyous celebration, to also not forget the
underprivileged.
Also extending
his Aidilfitri wishes was Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
“I would like
to take this opportunity to seek forgiveness if there had been misdeeds or
shortcomings on my part, intentional or otherwise. Maaf zahir dan batin,” he
said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/21/cabinet-members-extend-aidilfitri-wishes-to-malaysian-muslims/65854
--------
Pakistan
Pakistan govt
cites possibility of war with India, urges Supreme Court to postpone elections
April 21, 2023
Islamabad: The
defence ministry of Pakistan has mentioned a host of reasons including threats
from India and insurgent attacks in its appeal to the country’s Supreme Court
urging the postponement of elections.
In its report
to Pakistan’s Supreme Court, the defence ministry cited the possibility of an
all-out war with India. The ministry also feared a rise in the activities of
the Indian spy agency R&AW and an increase in attacks by the Pakistani
Taliban and Baloch groups if elections are held in the Punjab and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan.
Islamic State
(ISIS) fighters returning to Pakistan from other countries is also a cause for
concern, the report added.
The report was
submitted to Pakistan’s Supreme Court along with an application calling for the
withdraw of its election-date order.
According to
Pakistani publication ‘The Dawn’, the report claimed that elections in Punjab
province may exacerbate the fuel fault lines over ethnic conflict, water
disputes, and other issues in Pakistan which could play into the hands of
India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).
According to
the report, Punjab may become unstable due to the tense atmosphere there. It
also said that top leaders of various political parties have been the target of
multiple threat alerts, particularly in Punjab.
The defence
ministry went on to claim that if terrorist attacks do take place, it might
produce unrest and further polarise the political landscape, which could result
in instability and collapse similar to what occurred following the killing of
former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The possibility
of clashes between political workers of different political parties had
increased exponentially, and could complicate law and order situations and
possibly be conducive for terrorists, it said. This was due to the highly
charged political climate in Punjab and other parts of the country generally, as
well as the element of violence recently introduced in politics.
According to
the research, the country’s security situation over the past few years has
required the simultaneous deployment of numerous armed forces personnel on both
its eastern and western borders.
In addition,
despite an agreement on a cease-fire, India continued to put Pakistan’s ability
to respond in jeopardy by routinely violating the Line of Control (LOC) and
international borders.
In addition,
the report noted that elements like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had
carried out numerous attacks against the security forces along the border
between Pakistan and Afghanistan with alleged support of the Taliban government
in Afghanistan.
According to
the report, the Punjab province of Pakistan had experienced a new wave of
terrorism, with 150 danger alerts being received between January 2022 and April
2023. It claimed that 78 of these threats had been avoided by counterterrorism
or intelligence-based activities, but eight had come to pass.
It said sleeper
cells of terrorist elements were active in Punjab, especially south Punjab, and
even in Islamabad, as evident from the high-profile attacks
Besides,
several militants belonging to the self-styled Islamic State (IS) group and
other outfits were also returning to Pakistan from Syria, Yemen and the Middle
East, it said.
According to
the assessment, India’s dominance in the “global great game” would continue to
harm Pakistan.
It added that
both internal instability and external aggression posed threats to Pakistan,
noting that both were connected “since the internal chaos invites external
aggression.”
Source: firstpost.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.firstpost.com/world/pakistan-govt-cites-possibility-of-war-with-india-urges-supreme-court-to-postpone-elections-12487282.html
--------
PM felicitates
nation, Muslim Ummah on Eidul Fitr
April 22, 2023
ISLAMABAD
-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif felicitated people of Pakistan and the Muslim
Ummah on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Fitr.
In a message on
the occasion of Eidul Fitr, he prayed that the blessed moment may bring for
every Muslim immense happiness and joy of life.
He said the
fasting month of Ramazan ul Mubarak and worship of Allah evoked feelings of
patience, contentment and empathy and Eidul Fitr was also an occasion to
practically demonstrate these qualities.
He advised
people to take care of the needy, poor, destitute and orphans around them.
These were
difficult times and the sacrifice and love of the well to do and rich was
needed more than in ordinary circumstances, he said adding, “Those who are
facing difficulties due to adverse circumstances should be made part of the
celebrations of Eid.”
Shehbaz Sharif
said it was persistent effort of the coalition government to put on the
people minimum burden of the difficult economic conditions. “We are striving
to the maximum to provide relief to the people. I believe that Allah Almighty
will bring us out of these trying circumstances and comforts of life will
return.”
The prime
minister emphasized that everybody would have to contribute to take Pakistan
to its destination and to restore its lost status, to achieve that purpose constructive
thinking, focus and constant hard work was needed
“As the
sweetness of Eid follows the fasting month, God willing, our effort and hard
work will bring economic prosperity in the life of the nation and the
country.”
He appealed to
his countrymen to not forget the flood affectees on the occasion of Eid and
include them in their happiness.
“On this
occasion, we salute the martyrs of the nation who embraced martyrdom while
courageously fighting against terrorism and offer our heartfelt condolences
to their families. May Allah elevate the ranks of these martyrs and give
patience to their loved ones. Ameen,” he added.
While
expressing solidarity with our Palestinian and Kashmiri brothers and sisters
he said, “We pray that Allah Almighty may bless them with freedom. Ameen.”
He also
expressed solidarity with the earthquake affectees of Turkiye and Syria and
sympathized with the bereaved families, prayed for the peace of departed souls
and patience for the heirs.
Source: nation.com.pk
Please click the
following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nation.com.pk/22-Apr-2023/pm-felicitates-nation-muslim-ummah-on-eidul-fitr
--------
Nawaz, Saudi
crown prince discuss issues faced by Pakistan
April 22, 2023
Pakistan Muslim
League-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Friday discussed the matters related to crises
being suffered by Pakistan with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Confirming the
development, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb revealed on Twitter that
the crises being suffered by Pakistan and the solutions to them came under
discussion during the meeting in detail.
“The leaders
discussed further improving Saudi-Pak brotherly relations and solutions to the
issues Pakistan is facing. Nawaz Sharif expressed his good wishes for the Saudi
leadership,” she added.
There was no
official mention from the Saudi side about the meeting and the PML-N did not
share any photographs of it.
However, the
party’s official Twitter account shared the same statement as posted by
Aurangzeb.
PML-N Senior
Vice President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz was also present during the
meeting.
According to
sources, the meeting between the former prime minister and the crown prince was
“positive”.
The Information
Minister said the leaders discussed further promotion of Saudi-Pak fraternal
relations and solutions to the problems faced by Pakistan.
She said that
Nawaz Sharif, on the occasion, expressed good wishes for the Saudi leadership.
The three-time
prime minister and PML-N’s chief organiser are currently in Saudi Arabia as
they performed Umrah along with their other family members.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/nawaz-saudi-crown-prince-discuss-issues-faced-by-pakistan/
--------
Pakistan
celebrates Eidul Fitr as economic woes dampen festive cheer
April 22, 2023
Pakistan is
celebrating Eidul Fitr with religious zeal and fervour today, although the
festivities have been lukewarm due to multiple crises facing the nation and a
worsening economic turmoil.
According to
traders’ bodies, a massive slowdown was witnessed in sales prior to Eid due to
skyrocketing inflation. Traders said that genuine buyers were, on average, 50
per cent less than last year due to eroding buying power of consumers caused by
unprecedented increases in food, electricity and petroleum prices.
However, retail
brands have reported robust demand for their products.
Eid
congregations
The first day
of Eid began with congregations being held in mosques and Eidgahs in all major
cities and towns, Radio Pakistan reported, adding that the main congregation in
capital Islamabad was held at Faisal Mosque where top government officials and
envoys of Muslim countries offered Eid prayers.
Special prayers
were offered for the progress and prosperity of the country and the welfare of
the Muslim ummah, the state broadcaster said.
President Arif
Alvi also joined the congregation at Faisal Mosque and prayed for the peace,
progress and prosperity of the country, state media reported. He also prayed
for the salvation of the people of occupied Kashmir from Indian suppression and
atrocities.
Meanwhile,
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered Eid prayers in Lahore.
He, too, prayed
for the country’s prosperity and peace, as well as the people of occupied
Kashmir and Palestine and the victims of a deadly earthquake that hit Turkey
and Syria in February, the state media said.
PM, president’s
message
In their Eid
messages, President Alvi and PM Shehbaz urged people not to forget the needy
and destitute on the festive occasion.
President Alvi
urged the countrymen not to allow their sectarian, religious and political
differences become a source of strife and hatred during the Eid holidays.
He said that in
order to get out of the current situation facing the country, people needed to
inculcate the habit of forgiving and follow the teachings of Allah and the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
The president
asked the countryfolk to play their role in moving the country towards political
and economic stability.
In a separate
message, PM Shehbaz expressed the hope that his government would rid the people
of prevailing problems, including unprecedented inflation.
“The coalition
government is trying its best to pass the minimum burden of prevailing economic
meltdown to people. We are striving hard to provide relief to the masses,” he
said, adding, “I have a firm belief in Allah Almighty that we will come out of
the crisis and good days will return to you.”
The PM extended
his greetings to overseas Pakistanis and Muslims all over the world. He urged
the people to remember those fellow citizens who had been suffering from teh
consequences of last year’s floods.
The premier
also paid tribute to those martyred in the war against terrorism and expressed
condolence and sympathies with the bereaved families.
PM extends
greetings to Turkish President Erdogan
The prime
minister held a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan and conveyed warm Eid felicitations to the government, leadership and
people of Turkiye, state media reported.
He also offered
prayers for the victims of the February 6 earthquakes in southeastern Turkiye
and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to stand by Ankara during the
rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
President
Erdogan warmly reciprocated the prime minister’s greetings and conveyed his
“special fraternal feelings and affection for the people of Pakistan”.
The Turkish
president also thanked the Pakistani people and government for standing with
them in their hour of need and conveyed that they “will never forget Pakistan’s
support and assistance”.
The Turkish
president also appreciated the prime minister’s visit to Turkiye in the
aftermath of the quake and said they would always remember the leadership
Pakistan demonstrated.
The leaders
expressed satisfaction at the “excellent bilateral relations between the two
brotherly countries and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to further advance
these fraternal ties in all areas of mutual interest particularly; trade,
economy, food security and green energy”.
They also
reaffirmed their resolve to remain in close contact with each other on all
important regional and global issues, the report added. The prime minister also
invited President Erdogan to visit Pakistan, which was accepted.
Source: dawn.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1748984/pakistan-celebrates-eidul-fitr-as-economic-woes-dampen-festive-cheer
--------
Europe
Moscow Mosque
Plan Pits Putin Allies Against Each Other
4/22/23
Far from the
front line of the war in Ukraine, battle lines of a different kind were drawn
when residents of a Moscow district opposed a rumored proposal for a mosque for
60,000 worshippers by a lake cherished by Russian Orthodox believers.
In February,
people in Kosino-Ukhtomsky started to voice anger at the complex, which would
include a Muslim center and educational facilities. President of the
predominantly Muslim Russian republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, fiercely
loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, called on anti-mosque demonstrators
to "show your patriotism" by going to the trenches in Ukraine.
Prominent MMA
fighters also weighed in opposing the mosque, while a video message by Chechens
from the battlefield in Ukraine warned they could also wage war on the Orthodox
protesters in Moscow.
After weeks of
demonstrations, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced on April 5 the mosque
would be shifted to a much smaller site elsewhere. The decision got the backing
of Patriarch Kirill, who as head of the Russian Orthodox Church and another
close Putin ally, has given a canonical justification for the war in Ukraine.
The spat over
the mosque, "is a part of an ongoing surge in religious tensions, including
those among Russian servicemen and mercenaries fighting in Ukraine," Denys
Brylov, head of the Kyiv-based European Centre for Strategic Analytics, told
Newsweek. "This tension is largely caused by the influx of Muslim soldiers
into the Russian army."
Along with
Putin's arguments about about NATO encroachment on Russia and
"de-Nazification" as reasons for the war, Kremlin propaganda has also
portrayed the full-scale invasion as a fight for what Putin has dubbed the
"unity" of Orthodox Christian Russians and Ukrainians.
Muslims make up
roughly a tenth of Russia's population and adherents of the faith fighting in
Ukraine for Putin are dying in large numbers. Kadyrov's forces, which are part
of Russia's National Guard, Rosgvardia, but directed by the strongman ruler,
have a prominent profile thanks to their videos from the battlefield.
Olga Lautman,
senior investigative researcher at the Institute for European Integrity, said
there have been clashes between Kadyrov fighters and Russian soldiers.
"We've
seen the tensions already over the past year escalate," she said.
Cannon fodder
Brylov said
that as well as Russian Muslims, a growing number of army personnel are
migrants from former Soviet states in Central Asia. This follows a decree by
Putin last September making it easier for foreign citizens who sign up for the
military to get Russian citizenship.
"These
amendments aim to make up for the attrition in the Russian army at the expense
of migrant workers," he said, adding that many migrants are tricked into
signing military service contracts or sent to a war zone instead of being
deported.
Two men of
Tajik origin reportedly got into an argument with a lieutenant colonel on a
military training ground in Russia's Belgorod region in October 2022.
Unconfirmed reports said they responded to an Islamophobic insult by opening
fire and killing up to 22 people.
"Non-Slavic
and non-Orthodox citizens of the Russian Federation are only second-rank
citizens and just cannon fodder for Putin's war on Ukraine," Willy Fautré,
director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, told Newsweek.
"The
question is how long the ethnic political leaders of the non-Orthodox and
non-Slavic populations of the Russian Federation will go on tolerating the
instrumentalization of their peoples in the never-ending carnage of the
'special military operation,'" Fautré added, referring to the Kremlin's
term for its invasion of Ukraine.
Muslims joining
the Wagner Group of mercenaries headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin are on the
increase, Brylov said.
"Discrimination
against Muslims is not uncommon," he said. "Although the number of
Muslim servicemen grows, the Russian army does not provide Muslim servicemen
with the necessary conditions for religious observance."
However, there
have always been tensions within the Russian armed forces.
"A lengthy
history of the brutal hazing of new recruits is one issue, retaliation against
superiors is another," Robert Crews, history professor at Stanford
University told Newsweek. "In the context of the Russian invasion of
Ukraine, who gets sent where, and with what resources has been a major fault
line."
Initially, the
Russian military turned to poorer regions with less political influence, which
made it more difficult to avoid service.
"Non-Russian
recruits, including those of Muslim background, have played a prominent
role," he said. "But it's not clear that the Kremlin has treated them
as cannon fodder because of their non-Russian ethnicity, though many observers
have made this claim," Crews said.
Islamophobia
"Racism
and Islamophobia are potentially unsettling elements in the Russian army, as in
others in Europe and elsewhere," he said, although the Kremlin's position
is that Islam is a "traditional" Russian religion, and that Muslims
are essential to the war effort.
"Orthodox
Christian symbols and imagery are dominant, but they do not exclude attention
to Islam as a component part of a military that has been multi-confessional
since at least the 16th century," Crews said.
Muslim leaders
in Russia have backed Putin's invasion, repeating Orthodox Christian arguments
about the "satanic" nature of the Western enemy. But troops of
different faiths both being sold the idea of a "Holy War" could
create a gap in logic that is tricky to bridge. Meanwhile, tensions can spill
over between Muslim and non-Muslim personnel fighting for Moscow.
Brylov said
that the idea that serving in the Russian armed forces is unacceptable,
especially under contract, is spreading among some Russian Muslims, who may
question the religious validation for the war.
"In the
case of prolonged hostilities, lack of changes in the war zone, and,
consequently, a growing number of dead Muslims, we can expect increasing
dissatisfaction among Muslim servicemen," Brylov said.
After the war,
a growing number of Muslim combat veterans will become more influential both in
the Russian armed forces and among military and law enforcement agencies, he
added.
There are
Muslims fighting on both sides in the war, with adherents from Crimea and
Azerbaijan among those who have joined the fight on the side of Ukraine.
Anti-Russian Chechens received support from the Ukrainian authorities, which
have recognized the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria—the name of the de facto
independent Chechen state that existed in the 1990s—as being temporarily occupied
by Russia.
Kadyrov,
Prigozhin and military bloggers have all been critical of the Russian defense
ministry, pointing to different views on how Moscow should fight the Ukraine
war as Putin's efforts falter. Meanwhile, the dispute over the mosque in Moscow
could be a prelude to tensions in Russian society after the war ends.
"Putin has
been able to hold the different factions together through fear but over the
past year, the Russian military continues to suffer these losses and
humiliation on the front lines, and you are seeing more and more factions
fighting," Lautman told Newsweek. "And the fighting is spilling over
publicly."
Source: newsweek.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newsweek.com/moscow-mosque-russia-muslim-ukraine-putin-rivals-1795762?piano_t=1
--------
Faizal
completes gruelling daily 10km run challenge for Ramadan
By Shuiab Khan
Reporter and
columnist
A Blackburn
fundraiser has run 10km every single day during the month of Ramadan, whilst fasting
to support the Turkey and Syria earthquake appeal.
Faizal
Momoniat, 41, raised £3,000 in 2022 for charity by completing 5km runs every
day during Ramadan.
This year he
decided to go one better and double his daily run challenge.
Faizal said:
"The first 10 days of running were very good, I was averaging 48 minutes.
"The
middle 10 days I struggled as I got ill and also picked up an injury, I was
averaging 55 minutes.
"This was
very hard physically and mentally. I haven't had an injury for a long time, I
had to dig deep and get through it.
"I got
better and the injury has improved dramatically, I was averaging 50 minutes
during the last 10 days."
Faizal was
raising money to assist those affected by Turkey-Syria earthquake with funds
being donated to Benefit Mankind, a Blackburn based charity.
He has received
donations of more than £2,900 so far and was hoping to add to this in the
coming week.
He added:
"I want to thank all the people who have donated so far, I really
appreciate it. Please keep spreading the link below to your family and friends.
"I also
would like to thank Chaaye Paani in Blackburn for donating on my JustGiving
page, they have helped me on this remarkable running journey."
Faizal took up
running 16 years ago and has completed many 5k and 10k runs, around 15 half
marathons, three full marathons, and two ultra marathons (35 and 50 miles).
Source: lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23468920.faizal-completes-gruelling-daily-10km-run-challenge-ramadan/
--------
Muslim burial
site: Council extends consultation period after concerns
21st April
By Shuiab Khan
Reporter and
columnist
Mosques have
raised concerns over new proposed guidelines and rulings for the new burial
section at Blackburn cemetery.
A document was
shared during Ramadan which details some of the changes which were being
proposed.
This included a
number of updates to the existing terms and condition and relates only to the
new section in Pleasington cemetery.
This week, 16
mosque representatives wrote to Blackburn with Darwen Council asking for any
consultation to be extended and separately a petition was also launched calling
for further clarifications on the rulings.
Although not
listed in any correspondence it is believed there were particular concerns over
the placings of flowers and plants on graves which is a common tradition
amongst many Muslims. This is also a tradition for non-Muslims who visit
graves.
An update from
the council said this would still be permitted but these ‘would be removed
after two weeks’.
The proposals
also asked for family members of the deceased to list an estimated number who
may attend the funeral and rulings would also limit the height of a mound to
six inches.
Earlier,
Blackburn with Darwen Council had said the consultation period was ongoing and
said this would run until Friday, April 21. This date coincided with the end of
Ramadan.
In response to
a letter from some mosque representatives the Council have now clarified the
proposals and said the period of consultation will be extended by three weeks
to May 12.
The council
said it would ‘also arrange a meeting with a nominated group of up to 12
representatives from the Mosques along with the members of the Blackburn Muslim
Burial Society as soon as possible after the consultation has ended’.
A source close
to the Blackburn Muslim Burial Society (BMBS) had earlier said it had already
raised objections to specific sections of the document already and it had not
been given suitable time to study the proposals.
The new Muslim
section of the cemetery includes a prayer facility, with Muslim funeral prayers
themselves tending to last less than 20 minutes, and many people leaving the
cemetery once prayers have concluded.
The proposals
relate to a number of issues including traffic management, parking and the use
of registered stonemasons for grave-stones and kerb sets.
However, it is
the issues relating to the placing of flowers and ornaments on the graves which
has caused some people to speak out.
The document
said owners must also ensure their grave is ‘kept as a lawned cemetery and
nothing should be placed on to the grave, mound or mid-feather at any time.
This includes concrete, flowers, plants, ornaments, fencing, trees, bricks etc.
If any items are placed they will be removed immediately.’
The council has
now clarified concerns raised by people.
Martin Eden,
Strategic Director of Environment and Operations, said: “We are currently
consulting with members of Blackburn Muslim Burial Society and the Mosques on
burial arrangements in the new extension at Pleasington Cemetery, and these
discussions include issues around the height of the grave mound, the use of
kerb-sets or fencing, the planting of flowers and trees and memorial displays
around the graves.
“Mourners of
all faiths are welcome to continue bringing flowers to a funeral, the flowers
can be left on the grave, where they will remain for up to two weeks after the
funeral, and flowers can be brought and left at the grave from visitors.
“We have been
made aware many mosques, masjids and religious centres have not yet had the
chance to reply to the consultation so we are now extending the consultation
deadline until Friday, May 12, to give people more time to do this.
“We have also
offered to meet with a nominated group of up to 12 representatives from the
mosques, masjids and religious centres along with members of Blackburn Muslim
Burial Society after the consultation has ended to discuss the feedback from
the consultation further to agreement is reached on the new burial site.”
Speaking this
week, Abdul Rehman Adam from the Masjid E Raza Altom Street and Noorani
Education Centre on Hartley Street said: “We only became aware of the proposals
and deadline date when we read it in the Lancashire Telegraph.
“A lot of
concerns have been raised by the members of the community. We have requested an
immediate hold on the proposals and have asked the council for a 30-day
extension.
"We are
also asking for a consultation meeting as vast majority of the community are
against the proposals.”
Maulana Siddiq,
from Masjid-e-Ghousiya based on Leamington Road, added: “We have been contacted
by numerous people who are concerned over the guideline changes.
"One of
those issues was the placing of flowers on the graves. This is part of many
people’s beliefs and cultures.
“We also
believe it was important for such changes to be thoroughly discussed with all
local mosque representatives before being implemented.”
A petition
which calls for further consultation had already received more than a thousand
signatures within a day.
Mohamed
Ugradar, who posted the petition on behalf of Mohaddis-e-Azam Mission Mosque,
said: “Although I agree that rules should be in place to allow for some order
and to help to ensure fairness and safety, I strongly believe that there should
be a thorough consultation with the Muslim community so that the rules being
imposed do not impact the community and their customs and traditions in a
negative way.”
In details
released to mosques in a letter the proposals under consultation:
A family member
of the deceased will be asked to estimate the attendance at the funeral (Up to
60 people, 60 - 150 people, 150 - 220 people or above 220 people).
rave spaces
should not be made larger or deeper after the excavation of the grave by the
Council. Graves to be kept as a lawned cemetery and nothing should be placed
onto the grave, mound or mid-feather.
This includes,
kerb-sets, concrete, ornaments, fencing, stones, or the planting of flowers,
plants and trees. (Please note, mourners bringing flowers to a funeral can
continue to leave the flowers on the grave, where they will remain for up to
two weeks).
All grave
mounds should be the same height and adhere to the mound template, which will
be available on the new extension and will help you to shape your grave mound.
Source: lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23469688.muslim-burial-site-council-extends-consultation-period-concerns/
--------
London Marathon
2023: Training during Ramadan fasting is 'challenging'
For Haroon
Mota, training for the London Marathon has been different this year.
He has been
making himself eat a big meal at 4am for the past month because it has been
Ramadan, the holy month of fasting in Islam which involves abstaining from
eating or drinking during daylight hours.
By the time
Mota lines up on Sunday to run 26.2 miles, Ramadan will have finished but the
37-year-old will have spent a quarter of his 16-week training programme
training at a reduced intensity while fasting.
"Fuelling
and hydrating during the month of Ramadan if you are training isn't easy, I'll
be honest," he told BBC Sport.
"Trying to
put food and drink down your mouth at 4am, you probably don't feel hungry but
you know that you have to eat. I have to give great priority to my hydration
the moment that the sun goes down, so while it's tempting to jump straight to
the sweet treats and the fried samosas, I have to take that in moderation.
"Your
stomach constricts during Ramadan, meaning that you can take the smallest
amount of food and feel full, and you don't want to get full with the types of
food that aren't going to give you the right type of energy - so prioritising
carbohydrates and then trying to drink plenty of water and electrolytes is
really important for me."
Mota's typical
day during Ramadan would start around 4am for Suhoor, the meal eaten pre-dawn,
before heading to the mosque for the first of five daily prayers.
He would then
head back home for some rest before getting up for the midday prayer. There was
another prayer in the afternoon before he would go on his training runs, which
he would do in the late afternoon as he would be able to break his fast soon
afterwards.
His runs would
range from four to 13 miles, so eating the correct food during Suhoor and Iftar
(the meal eaten to break the fast at sundown) was important. His meals would
consist of high-carb foods such as rice, pasta or potatoes and protein such as
chicken. The final two prayers take place after Iftar, just after sunset, and
then between sunset and midnight.
"Typically
for a marathon training programme, the last few weeks is usually a taper period
where you reduce your volume of training and things get easier," said
Mota, who has completed 22 marathons, including the Boston Marathon earlier
this week.
"Nevertheless,
you are still marathon training so trying to get through that without food or
drink is challenging, but I feel really strong."
How do you
train safely while fasting?
Exercising in a
'fasted state' is when you train after a fast of eight or more hours.
"You can
ensure to exercise safely by making sure that you have sufficient stores of
carbohydrates and fat for your exercise," Dr Adora Yau, a senior lecturer
in nutritional physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University, told BBC
Sport.
"So during
your eating periods, you can make sure to have a high-carb meal to replenish
the glycogen stores and carbohydrate stores in your liver and muscles. And you
can also make sure to ingest enough fluids."
On a normal
day, fluid intake for women is about two litres and for men about 2.5 litres -
but when someone is training for a marathon, they would have to increase their
fluid intake to account for sweating.
During
exercise, if the body's stores of glycogen and carbohydrate are depleted, an
athlete will 'hit the wall', so taking in enough carbohydrates during non-fast
times is vital.
"You'd
need to be aware of the intensity of your exercise because you want to prolong
your running period; you don't want to be training at a high intensity and then
use up all of your glycogen stores and then find that the last part of the
race, or your training, incredibly hard," Dr Yau said.
"A
marathon is hard enough already. You also want to maintain a lower intensity so
that your sweat rate is also lower. You want to avoid sweating too much to
avoid getting severely dehydrated, which can potentially be more
dangerous."
Not all Muslims
will fast during Ramadan. Before the London 2012 Olympics, when Ramadan was
much later in the year, long-distance runner Mo Farah instead fasted after his
running season was over. Others will choose to give to charity instead.
Ramadan may now
have finished but another thing Mota has to think about is Eid ul-Fitr, the
festival marking the end of the month of fasting.
Traditionally,
Muslims will come together to celebrate with plenty of food and sweet treats,
but this year Haroon will still be preparing for a marathon, so does not want
to indulge too much.
"I'm going
to try and be sensible and prioritise carb intake amongst any other sweet
treats that I might have," he said.
"With the
London Marathon falling just after Ramadan, I've totally changed my
expectations from a normal marathon.
"I want to
run happy, I want to run positive. My friends and family are coming down to
support me so I just want to have a positive race. Of course if I feel fresh on
the day, I'll push myself, but I worry about that when I get to it."
Source: bbc.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/65335074
--------
Africa
Eid-el-Fitr:
Enugu chief imam sues for peace among Nigerians
APRIL 22, 2023
The Chief Imam
of Enugu State, Saeed Zulqarnaini, has called on Nigerians to eschew bitterness
but strive to improve existing unity and peace in the country.
Mr Zulqarnaini
made the call while addressing reporters after the Eid-el-Fitr prayers at the
Islamic Centre Prayer Ground in Uwani, Enugu on Friday.
He said that
the country and the people were closely related by both common humanity and
historical ties.
“There is a need to build on those things that
unite us rather than those that divide us,” he said.
According to
him, the central message of Ramadan is that of love. Almighty Allah has
continued to share His abundant love to mankind.
“As Ramadan has
taught us, we must love as commanded by Almighty Allah. Again, we must do all
to be at peace with others, as Islam is a religion and way of life of peace.
“As Nigerians
we must respect and obey constituted authorities and ensure we show patriotism
to work for the growth and progress of the country,” he said.
The chief imam
also urged Muslim faithful to continue with all the teachings and positive way
of life they imbibed during the Ramadan.
After the Eid
prayers, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Ahmed Ammani, called on
Nigerians to exhibit the spirit of fairness and accommodation towards one
another.
Mr Ammani said,
“There is little we can do where there is no spirit of tolerance and
forgiveness among us.
“We are bound
by one humanity and the Holy Books teach that we must be our brothers’ keepers
and display love and charity in our daily dealings with one another.”
In a message to
the Muslim Ummah, the Sarkin Hausawa of Enugu State, Yusuf Sambo, called on
Nigerians to work for a peaceful and rancour-free transition from one civilian
administration to another.
Mr Sambo noted
that individuals, groups or the entire society would achieve little “if there
is no peace and oneness in the country”.
He said, “As we
have learnt during the Ramadan, love and good neighbourliness is the key for a
progressive and successful society.
“As leaders,
which most of us are in one sphere of life or the other, we must exhibit good
examples. Learn to carry others along and exercise restraint in all we do in
order to tolerate and accommodate others.”
The sarkin
hausawa commended Muslim Ummah for the feat of completion of the Ramadan fast
as well as their prayers made for the peace, progress and oneness of the
country.
Source: gazettengr.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
The Eid-el-Fitr
prayer was attended by thousands of Muslim faithful living within Enugu
metropolis.
https://gazettengr.com/eid-el-fitr-enugu-chief-imam-sues-for-peace-among-nigerians/
--------
Don’t abandon
Ramdan virtues, lessons, Adeleke urges muslims
By Timothy
Agbor, Osogbo
22 April 2023
Osun State
Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged Muslim faithful in the state not to
jettison the virtue of love and sacrifice, which the holy month of Ramadan
teaches.
The Governor
while felicitating Muslims on the celebration of the 2023 Eid-ul-fitri charged
them to continue to live with love, sacrifice and piety as they did throughout
the holy month of Ramadan.
Adeleke, in a
statement issued yesterday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said, “I
rejoice with fellow Muslims across Osun State on the occasion of this year’s
Eid-el-Fitr celebration. While we throng the Eid ground for prayers and mark
the end of the month of Ramadan, you should not forget the lessons the month
teaches us.
“The act of
love, sacrifice, and sharing with our brothers and sisters must not end with
the month. You should extend those virtues beyond the holy month.
“I also urge
you to, in line with the teachings of the Qur’an and holy prophet Muhammad,
live with tolerance with our neighbours both Muslims and non Muslims.
“As you head to
prayer ground, pray for peace in Osun, pray for its development and cooperate
with the present administration in the state to deliver developmental projects
for the benefit of the teeming populace.”
Source: guardian.ng
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://guardian.ng/news/dont-abandon-ramdan-virtues-lessons-adeleke-urges-muslims/
--------
Lalong, others
felicitate muslims in Plateau
By Isa
Abdulsalmi Ahovi, Jos
22 April 2023
Plateau State
Governor, Simon Lalong; his successor, governor-elect, Caleb Mutfwang; Senator
representing Plateau Southern Zone, Prof. Nora Daduut and the All Progressives
Congress (APC) Senator-elect for Plateau Central, Mr. Diket Plang, all
felicitated Muslim Umma on the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
Their goodwill
messages came yesterday immediately after the peaceful Eid-el-Prayers where
Muslims thronged to the prayer grounds to observe the optional two Rakat
prayers.
Lalong, who is
the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, was happy for their successful
completion of the Ramadan fast and for being alive to witness another
Eid-el-Fitr.
The governor,
in a message through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut
Macham, said the period provided the Muslims an opportunity to carry out
spiritual rejuvenation and acts of charity that are in tandem with the message
of Prophet Muhammad.
He said the
celebration is not only significant to Muslims alone but provides an
opportunity for people of other faiths to share in the joy and essence of the
moment.
Lalong added
that the event should help Nigerians to reflect on love, tolerance, peace and
good neighbourliness, which are virtues that are enshrined in the teachings of
the two major religions in the country.
He urged
Nigerians to celebrate with vigilance and report any suspicious activity to the
security agencies, which have been fully mobilised to respond to any threat to
peace and security.
The
governor-elect, Mutfwang, congratulated the Muslims on the unique festival of
breaking the fast particularly their perseverance, self-discipline and piety
all through the Ramadan.
“The 2023
Ramadan and Eid el-Fitr are particularly of great significance because they
have come within our nation’s political transition period. In just about a
month away, a new President, state governors, national assembly as well as
state legislators will be sworn into office in Nigeria’s 24 years of unbroken
democratic journey.
“We, therefore,
make this passionate plea to you: heighten your prayers for our country and
Plateau State so that all may go well across the entire nation on May 29, 2023
and hereafter,” he stressed.
Mutfwang
pleaded with all citizens to re-commit themselves to peaceful neighbourliness
as Nigerian communities need peace and secure environments to concentrate on
their farming and business activities.
He reasoned
that without peace and security, the communities might be driven into poverty
and every form of deprivation. He said, “As the incoming administration, we
commit ourselves to offering quality leadership that would unite the people and
work hand in hand with them, security agencies as well as people and
institutions of goodwill to secure Plateau.”
On her part,
Daduut urged the Muslims to ensure that the great virtues of peace, love,
forgiveness, sacrifice and patriotism imbibed during the Ramadan fast are felt
in every aspect of the national life beyond the holy month.
The senator
added that what the leaders need from Nigerians is their prayers so that they
would continue to provide the much-needed dividends of the democracy for them.
The first
female Senator from Plateau State also enjoined Nigerians to embrace religious
tolerance, which would promote peace across the country and enhance national
development.
An APC Senator,
she averred that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu-led administration would transform the
country to where there would be economic prosperity, social harmony and
political tolerance where everyone will be willing to live.
Diket Plang,
the Senator-elect said Nigerians should continue to pray for leaders rather
than cursing them in the interest of development and growth of the country.
Source: guardian.ng
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://guardian.ng/news/lalong-others-felicitate-muslims-in-plateau/
--------
CAN Urges
Peace, Tolerance Among Christians, Muslims
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The Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) has enjoined Christians and Muslims in the country
to work towards building a more tolerant and egalitarian society.
In a message
issued by CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN enjoined Muslims in
Nigeria and around the world to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitri festival with a
commitment to living a life of piety and peace.
“We extend our
warmest greetings and felicitations to the President General of the Supreme
Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar
III, and the entire Muslim Ummah in Nigeria. We rejoice with them and pray that
the blessings of God will be with them now and always.
“Ramadan is a
time of self-reflection and a renewed commitment to living a life of piety and
peace. It teaches us the importance of sacrifice, compassion, and generosity
towards others, especially the less privileged in our society.
“As we mark
this important occasion, we must take the opportunity to reflect on the lessons
of Ramadan and the values that it teaches us, which is love for one another and
mutual understanding for a peaceful society,” he said.
Okoh said that
Islam and Christianity share a lot of good virtues in common adding, “we must
use our understanding of the Holy books to promote inclusivity, and work
towards building a more tolerant and egalitarian society for us all.
“As we
celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitri festival, we call on all Nigerians to use this
occasion to pray for our beloved country, for peace, and for the prosperity of
all our people.”
Source: thisdaylive.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/04/22/can-urges-peace-tolerance-among-christians-muslims/
--------
APC Chair,
Adamu, Opeyemi Bamidele, Niger Senator Fecilitate Muslims
The National
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, after
observing his Eid-el-Fitr prayer in Keffi, Nasarawa State yesterday, urged
Nigerians to embrace peace.
He urged
Nigerians to learn a great lesson from the unfortunate civil war going on in
Sudan and toe the line of peaceful coexistence.
According to
him, “Muslims should continue to inculcate in ourselves, in our youths, the
attributes of peace. We should work for peace. Let our pronouncements always
aim at having peace.
“Only peace can
guarantee social economic growth and development. We can achieve nothing
without peace.
“The
development in Sudan is not only disturbing and worrisome. Only those who are
experiencing the situation would appreciate the need to have peace in our land.
“We thank God
almighty for being merciful to us as
Nigerians because in spite of everything, we enjoy relative peace.”
Similarly, the
Chairman, Southern Senators Forum, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, congratulated
Muslim Ummah in the country for the successful completion of Ramadan fasting.
He urged them
to pray and work for the success of the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu.
Bamidele noted
that making the incoming government
successful, prosperous and peaceful is dear to all Nigerians, bearing in
mind the President-elect’s incurable commitment to making the nation great.
Bamidele said
Tinubu needed the contributions of all citizens to succeed in this tasking
assignment.
The federal
lawmaker, urged Nigerians to hope for the best as the incoming administration
is determined to renew their hope through the implementation of time-tested
socio-economic policies capable of transforming their living conditions.
“I celebrate
with my Muslim brothers and sisters the successful completion of Ramadan
fasting and the celebration of Eid-el-Fitr.
“I call on Muslims in Nigeria to continue to practice and
promote the act of taking care of the vulnerable and less-privileged people in
the our society even as I urge them to continue to live in peace and unity with
others in their respective communities
“I also urge us
to pray for the successful handing over of power by President Muhammadu Buhari
to President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023.”
The APC
chieftain, saluted the Muslim faithful for their resilience and selfless
efforts during the holy month, urging them to replicate the piety imbibed
during the period in governance and personal lives for the nation to be
redirected to the path of sanity.
“This makes it
imperative for all of us to bury our political, religious and tribal
differences and support President Muhammadu Buhari to seamlessly transfer power
to the winner of the 2023 Presidential poll, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We have
nothing to gain in calling for anarchy or suspension of our democratic culture
for any alternative. Atmosphere of insurrection, bloodshed and upheaval will
never abate our depressed situation.
“The failure of
our government connotes that common Nigerians will continue to be the ultimate
losers, not necessarily the leaders.”
On his part,
the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District in the National
Assembly, Sani Musa, urged Nigerians to be vigilant and celebrate the ongoing
Eid-el-Fitr in moderation.
Sani stated
this in a goodwill message to Muslim faithful in the country and all over the
world on the occasion of the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
He noted that
the current situation in the country and globally has made it imperative for
Muslims and adherents of other religions to live in love, peace and harmony
with one another.
He also urged
them to seek the face of God in prayer for divine intervention.
The Senator, a
top contender for the position of the Senate Presidency in the forthcoming 10th
National Assembly, congratulated Muslims on the successful completion of the
Ramadan fast.
He stressed
that witnessing another Eid-el-Fitr was a special privilege from the Almighty
Allah who has control over the destiny of man.
Musa said, “The
30-day spiritual exercise, no doubt, has drawn the faithful closer to Allah.
“I urge
everyone to keep on practising the lessons learnt from the holy month in their
relationship with their maker and fellow human beings.”
Source: thisdaylive.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/04/22/apc-chair-adamu-opeyemi-bamidele-niger-senator-fecilitate-muslims/
--------
Arab World
Saudi Arabia
arranges to evacuate citizens from Sudan
April 22, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia will start arranging the evacuation of its citizens and several
nationals from other “brotherly and friendly” countries from Sudan as clashes
intensify despite an Eid truce.
In a statement,
the Saudi foreign ministry said the evacuated people will be flown to Saudi
Arabia.
The decision
comes “in the implementation of the directives” of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman
and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “to oversee the care and wellbeing of
citizens of the Kingdom in the Republic of Sudan,” the foreign ministry said.
The fighting
between the army and paramilitaries broke out a week ago in Sudan, killing at
least 413 people and injured 3,551, according to the World Health Organisation.
Clashes
continued into Saturday despite an Eid truce that was earlier announced.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291151/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi and UK
foreign ministers discuss violence in Sudan
April 21, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Friday
received a phone call from UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, the Kingdom’s
ministry said.
During the
call, the two sides discussed the course of events in Sudan, with an emphasis
on the importance of stopping the military escalation between the conflicting
parties, ending the violence, and providing the necessary protection for
Sudanese civilians and residents, in a way that guarantees the security,
stability and well-being of Sudan and its people, the ministry added.
The two sides
also reviewed the strong relations between the two countries, and ways to enhance
and develop them in various fields, in addition to discussing aspects of
intensifying joint coordination on many issues of common concern.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2290961/saudi-arabia
-------
Prince Mohammed
bin Salman Project for Development of Historical Mosques to Renovate Kheif
Al-Huzami Mosque in Madinah
21 Apr, 2023
Kheif Al-Huzami
Mosque at Wadi Al-Safra, affiliated with Badr governorate of Madinah region,
will be one of the oldest historic mosques across the Kingdom to be developed
and renovated under the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development
of Historical Mosques in its second phase.
Constructed in
the middle of the 11th century Hijri, the Kheif Al-Huzami mosque is situated in
an area that was a famous gathering point for pilgrims and merchants' caravans.
Prince Mohammed
bin Salman Project for Development of Historical Mosques will renovate Kheif
Al-Huzami Mosque per the traditional style of Madinah.
The mosque's
area will increase from 527.94 square meters to 603.35 square meters, while its
capacity will reach 180 worshipers as it used to accommodate 150 worshipers
only.
The project
will rebuild the mosque of Kheif Al-Huzami using natural materials of clay,
stones, and wood from local trees.
The second
phase of the project covered 30 historic mosques across the Kingdom's 13
regions, including six mosques in Riyadh, five mosques in Makkah, four mosques
in Madinah, three in Asir, two in each of the Eastern Region, Al-Jauf, and
Jazan, and one mosque in each of the Northern Borders Region, Tabuk, Al-Baha,
Najran, Hail, and Al-Qassim. This comes upon the completion of the first phase,
which included the rehabilitation and restoration of 30 historical mosques in
10 regions.
Prince Mohammed
bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques serves four
strategic objectives: restoration of historical mosques for worship and prayer,
restoration of the urban authenticity of historical mosques, highlighting the
cultural dimension of Saudi Arabia, and enhancing the religious and cultural
status of historical mosques.
The project
also contributes to highlighting the cultural and civilizational extent of the
Kingdom as one of the pillars of the Saudi Vision 2030 by preserving authentic
urban characteristics and utilizing them to contribute to the development of
modern mosque designs.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/2469c1166cc7413b8a12ba921ae1224c
--------
Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques Performs Eid Al-Fitr Prayer at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah
Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud performed the Eid
Al-Fitr prayer at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah this morning.
The prayer was
also performed by Prince Khalid bin Fahd bin Khalid, Prince Mansour bin Saud
bin Abdulaziz, Prince Khalid bin Saad bin Fahd, Prince Sattam bin Saud bin
Abdulaziz, Prince Faisal bin Saud bin Mohammed, Advisor to the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques Prince Dr. Abdulaziz bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor
of Makkah Region Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Jeddah
Governorate Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Prince Saud bin Salman bin
Abdulaziz, Prince Faisal bin Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prince Abdulaziz
bin Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, and a number of ministers and senior
officials.
The prayer was
led by Advisor at the Royal Court Dr. Abdulaziz bin Ali bin Nouh.
Following the
prayer, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques received congratulations from
princes, ministers and senior officials on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/71d26ef3f9ae479c98a2e4b17253dd92
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Saudi Arabia’s
KSrelief distributes food aid in 4 countries
April 22, 2023
RIYADH: King
Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed food aid in
Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Albania, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
About 246,000
beneficiaries in Syria’s Aleppo and Idlib received 41,000 bags of flour, while
16,632 people in Yemen’s Hajjah received more than 127 tons of food aid.
Saudi Arabia’s
aid agency secured 253 tons of food to Syrian and Palestinian refugees living
across Lebanon.
In Albania,
four tons of food aid were handed to 420 people.
“This comes as
part of the humanitarian and relief aid that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
provides through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to countries and people in
need in various countries worldwide,” the SPA statement read.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291111/saudi-arabia
--------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/eid-earth-muslim-americans-climate-/d/129623