'Saffron Entrap For Muslim Women': Pamphlets In Indore Claim Hindu Outfits Trying To Convert Muslim Women Into Kafirs
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 May 2023
Image for representational purposes only. (File Photo)
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India
• Hindu Son, Muslim Daughter Argue Over Mother’s Funeral
In Hyderabad, Police Settle Matter
• Karnataka Congress Govt May Withdraw Circular Banning
Hijab, Warns Of RSS Ban
• Aurangzeb Wasn't Cruel, Didn't Order Demolition Of
Temple: Muslim Side's Plea In Gyanvapi Dispute
• Emirates Red Crescent: Mosque And Well To Be Built In
India In Memory Of Six Killed In Abu Dhabi Fire
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Europe
• Paris To Mecca: A Cyclist Raising Awareness On Climate
Crisis Among Muslims
• Dozens of mosques attacked in Germany in 2022
• Watershed Muslim political moment in Birmingham
commuter town
• We want to kill Putin – Ukrainian deputy intelligence
chief
• Russia’s top spy tells US and UK to ‘go to hell’
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Pakistan
• PFF and MCB Islamic Bank collaborate to simplify club
account opening process
• Nation Pays Rich Tribute To Martyrs On ‘Youm-e-Takreem
Shuhada-e-Pakistan’
• Imran and key aides ‘planned’ May 9 riots, geo-fencing
reveals
• No mercy for May 9 rioters, PM tells martyrs’ families
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North
America
• St. Paul mosque arsonist also burglarized Lowertown
restaurant, new charges say
• Said Murekezi, accused in St. Paul mosque fire,
charged with breaking windows at restaurant
• Rambling call about ‘9/11’ was threat to Charlotte
mosque, Islamic Centre leader says
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Mideast
• Al-Azhar condemns ‘irresponsible and ignorant’
statements by French official against Sunni Islam
• Permanent Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue
holds first meeting in Bahrain
• Al-Sunni discusses political developments in Libya with
his British counterpart
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Arab World
• Saudi Astronauts, Rayyanah And Ali Al-Qarni, Share
With Students Their Experience Staying At The International Space Station
• Saudi Arabia to host antimicrobial resistance meeting
in 2024, says health minister
• AlUla’s Jabal Ikmah receives world recognition, listed
on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register
• Saudi Arabia restores diplomatic relations with Canada
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Southeast
Asia
• Japan Home To A Growing Muslim Presence As It Embraces
Change
• At Conference Of Ulama, PM Anwar Says Putrajaya's
'Allah' Resolution Based On Consensus
• DAP’s Aziz Bari slams Takiyuddin for making him a
scapegoat in Jill Ireland’s case
• Sultan Ibrahim: Assess carefully implications of
decision relating to ‘Allah’ issue
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South Aisa
• No Discrimination Allowed in the Islamic System:
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
• Bangladesh PMSheikh Hasina Says Next National Polls
Will Be Free, Fair Under Her Govt
• ‘Taliban Have to Earn Legitimacy’ for Intl
Recognition: Miller
• President, PM pay tributes to poet Nazrul on birth
anniversary
• EU Delivers 100 Tons Of Medical Supplies To
Afghanistan
• Afghanistan document shows Biden ‘didn’t heed’
warnings ahead of withdrawal, Rep. McCaul says
--------
Africa
• “I Have Forgiven President Muhammadu Buhari” – Ortom
Declares, Urges Others to Do the Same
• Presidential inauguration: No cows will ”loiter” streets of Abuja – Miyetti Allah
pledges
• Muslim-Muslim Ticket: APC asked to pick Christian
Senate president from South
• Buhari appointing me, others as minister of state
unconstitutional: Keyamo
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saffron-muslim-women-hindu-kafirs/d/129851
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'Saffron Entrap For Muslim Women': Pamphlets In Indore Claim Hindu Outfits Trying To Convert Muslim Women Into Kafirs
Image for representational purposes only. (File Photo)
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24th May 2023
BHOPAL: A
pamphlet titled Khula Khat (open letter) for Muslim women and girls cautioning
them about the 'saffron love trap' conspiracy in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh's
Indore has kept the cops on their toes.
The pamphlet
mentions the RSS and other right-wing outfits like the Bajrang Dal plotting a
conspiracy to convert Muslim women. It further mentions that they have
attempted to convert around 10 lakh Muslim women into Kafirs (non-believers of
God and tenets of Islam).
It also
mentions about conversion of 800 Muslim girls, having been already done in
Amravati, a city in Maharashtra.
It further
alerts Muslim girls about the social media platforms like Facebook and
Instagram being used to lure Muslim girls into friendship traps in schools and
colleges.
A copy of the
concerned pamphlet was reportedly shared by a Hindu woman with the Indore
police on Tuesday night.
“An FIR has
subsequently been lodged u/s 153-A IPC (promoting enmity between different
groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc)
at the Rawji Bazar police station against unidentified persons and
investigations are underway,” Indore’s police commissioner Makarand Deouskar
told to this newspaper on Wednesday.
According to
key Indore police sources, the city police had already been working on specific
inputs of such pamphlets being distributed by some youngsters in
Muslim-dominated areas of the city.
The pamphlets
were circulated mainly at sensitive localities including Khajrana, Chandan
Nagar, Rawji Bazar and Bombay Bazar areas.
Inputs of such
pamphlets being distributed in Muslim-dominated areas have been emanating for
the past few weeks.
Investigators
strongly believe that it’s a concerted effort by some organized group to
establish the counter-narrative against the right-wing Hindu group’s rising
narrative of ‘Love Jihad,’ as the saffron outfits’ narrative has particularly
gained momentum following the box office success of the controversial movie,
'The Kerala Story'.
The Adah
Sharma-starrer movie, which focuses on the alleged forced religious conversion
of women in Kerala before inducting them into the terror outfit ISIS, has been
declared tax-free by the BJP government in MP.
Recently, a
Hindu woman lodged a complaint at Indore’s Kharjana police station, against her
live-in partner Faizan, alleging that she was assaulted brutally by him, after
watching 'The Kerala Story' movie.
She also
accused her live-in partner of sexually and physically assaulting her and
forcing her to convert to Islam.
A case was
lodged by Indore police and the accused was subsequently arrested.
Importantly,
being the nucleus of the communally sensitive Malwa region of MP, Indore and
adjoining areas, have also been vulnerable to activities of banned outfits,
including Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Popular Front of
India (PFI).
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/may/24/saffron-entrap-pamphlets-in-indore-claim-hindu-outfits-trying-to-convert-muslim-women-into-kafirs-2578238.html
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Tariq Ramadan Cleared
Of Rape And Sexual Coercion By Swiss Court
Swiss
academic and Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan. File | Photo Credit: Reuters
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24th May 2023
The Muslim
academic Tariq Ramadan has been cleared of rape and sexual coercion by a Swiss
court.
The case
against Mr Ramadan, who is a Swiss citizen, was brought by a Swiss woman who
said she had been raped by him in a Geneva hotel in 2008.
A convert to
Islam, and a fan of Mr Ramadan’s, the woman told the court that she had been
subjected to a brutal sexual assault, beatings and insults.
She said it
happened after she was invited by the Oxford academic for a coffee after a
conference.
Mr Ramadan, 60,
denied all the charges, but admitted inviting her to his hotel room. He said
all the accusations against him have been politically-motivated and designed to
discredit him because of his effective Islamic advocacy and criticisms of the
French state.
His French and
Swiss lawyers also questioned the accusers’ truthfulness, citing
inconsistencies around the dates of the alleged attacks.
Mr Ramadan’s
defence lawyer described the charges against him as “crazy.” In his own remarks
to the court, Mr Ramadan asked not to be tried on his “real or supposed
ideology.”
The Swiss judges
said that it wasn’t up to the court to judge the sexual practises of Mr Ramadan
or his morals or ideology but to simply judge the merits of the case.
They found that
the accuser’s testimony had contradictions and wasn’t corroborated by any
material evidence such as sperm, blood or video. They also considered the
considerable “mediatisation” of the case and exchanges between the accuser and
people implicated in other French cases which could have influenced her story
and witness statements.
They also considered
messages she sent to Mr Ramadan after the alleged rape which were messages of
love and not messages from someone who felt she had been wronged.
But while he
has been cleared in Switzerland, this could be just the first of several
trials. In France, prosecutors are still assessing whether further rape charges
brought against Mr Ramadan should go to court.
In 2018 Ramadan
spent 10 months in a Paris jail without charge. He was subsequently freed but
only under strict bail conditions.
In 2020 around 150
international scholars, politicians, social activists and journalists said what
was happening to him was a “masquerade of justice” with biased judges ignoring
crucial evidence and a judicial process which assumes he is guilty.
Tariq Ramadan
is a world renowned academic, writer and public speaker known for his
contributions to Islamic studies and contemporary Islamic thought. He is the
grandson of Hasan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Ramadan has
held academic positions at various prestigious institutions, including the
University of Geneva, the University of Fribourg and the University of Oxford.
His research and teaching have focused on topics such as Islamic law, ethics,
the integration of Muslims in Western societies, and the challenges facing
contemporary Muslims.
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/05/24/tariq-ramadan-cleared-of-rape-and-sexual-coercion-by-swiss-court/
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Federal Shariat
Court On Transgender Persons: Key Provisions Of The Transgender
Persons(Protection Of Rights) Act, 2018, Are Repugnant To Islam
An
illustration depicts queer people in Malaysia, who face widespread societal
pressure to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. © 2020 Row Yow
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Sara Malkani
May 25, 2023
ON May 19, the
Federal Shariat Court declared that key provisions of the landmark Transgender
Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, are repugnant to Islam. The FSC has
called for invalidating a law that serves to protect some of the most
marginalised persons in our society. Unless the FSC decision is appealed before
the Supreme Court, its ruling will become effective in six months.
The FSC finds
that the definition of “transgender persons” in the law conflates a range of
identities, each of which has distinct physical characteristics and also a
distinct status in Islam. Crucially, the FSC has held that Section 3 of the
2018 Act which recognises the right of transgender persons to their
self-perceived gender identity is contrary to Islam. The ‘voluntary change of
sex’ on the basis of self-perceived gender identity is also against Islam.
The FSC states
that the definition of “transgender persons” under the 2018 Act includes
intersex, eunuchs and khwaja siras, transgender men and transgender women.
Intersex persons are “special” and “deprived”. Eunuchs and khwaja siras,
according to the FSC, refer to the same category of persons “with serious and
permanent sexual infirmity in their male sexual organs”.
Transgender men
and women on the other hand are persons whose self-perceived gender identity
differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. The FSC considers the latter
un-Islamic because Islam does not recognise any distinction between sex and
gender identity.
It is
far-fetched to extrapolate that transgender persons as a whole and in all
contexts are repugnant to Islam.
At the outset,
the FSC’s understanding of these sexual and gender identities is flawed.
Contrary to what it says, khwaja siras are persons with distinct gender
identities and it must not be assumed that they suffer from infirmities or
disabilities. The identification of a person as khwaja sira is based on the
self-perceived identity of the individual. There is no physical or medical
assessment undertaken by the khwaja sira community when admitting new members.
Indeed, there are no set physical or biological characteristics that make a
person khwaja sira; rather it is a combination of psychological, physical and
cultural factors that shape the identity.
Further, the
FSC’s reasoning that any distinction between sex and gender identity is
contrary to Islam is based on flawed reasoning. The FSC acknowledges that in
“some cultures and societies a person or a human being is defined and
identified by his or her ‘gender’ and not by his or her ‘sex’”, but then goes
on to assert that “in Islam the defining factor for a human being in this
context is ‘sex’ not ‘gender’”.
This conclusion
is based on an obvious error of logic. The FSC relies on verses of the Holy
Quran which declare that God created men and women. Since no other sex is
specified, the FSC concludes that Islam does not recognise any other sex or
gender. However, it does not logically follow from the verses acknowledging the
creation of men and women that any other sex is repugnant to Islam, and that
sex alone is the basis of gender identity. Indeed, none of the Quranic verses
or hadith referred to by FSC support its conclusion that recognition of any
distinction between sex and gender is contrary to Islamic injunctions.
The error of
logic is obvious when we break down the argument as follows: a) The Quran
recognises two sexes; b) the Quran does not explicitly recognise any
distinction between sex and gender identity; c) Therefore, Islam forbids
recognition of any distinction between sex and gender identity.
It is obvious
why ‘a’ and ‘b’ does not entail ‘c’. If the Quran is silent on a matter, it
does not entail that it finds that matter repugnant.
The FSC also
relies on hadith that the Prophet (PBUH) disapproved of “effeminate men”.
However, the ahadith cited involve only two incidents — one where the Prophet
turned an “effeminate man” away from his house and the other where he banished
a man who applied henna. Historians of the early Islamic period conclude that
the “effeminate” men or “mukhannath” were common in society and played visible
roles. However, there is no evidence to suggest that there was a blanket ban on
these persons and these two incidents could well be isolated and
context-dependent. It is far-fetched to extrapolate from these ahadith that
transgender persons as a whole and in all contexts are repugnant to Islam.
It is similarly
far-fetched to extrapolate from these ahadith, as the FSC does, that “in Islam
males as well as females are not allowed to act and behave as an opposite sex”
to the one assigned to them at birth. The FSC does not consider whether the
categories of “effeminate” men or “mukhannath” as used in early Islamic society
almost 15 centuries ago are identical to transgender identities as we
understand and perceive them today. Today, there is a growing global consensus
that gender identity falls on a spectrum, and is based on a range of
biological, social and cultural traits.
The range of
acceptable gender expression changes significantly over time. Is there any item
of clothing, or hairstyle or even gait that can be deemed exclusively for ‘men’
or ‘women’? Who will make this determination? For example, are women with short
hair and men with long hair expressing a gender identity contrary to their sex?
Under the FSC’s reasoning the range of behaviour deemed repugnant to Islam is
not only extremely broad but also impossible to identify.
What is
particularly disappointing is that the FSC has ignored the distinct cultural
status of the khwaja sira community in the subcontinent prevailing for several
centuries. The fact that the FSC deems khwaja sira persons to have a disorder
amounts to the stigmatisation and erasure of this community.
It is striking
that the FSC has not considered fundamental rights provisions in Pakistan’s
Constitution that guarantee life, dignity and equal protection under the laws
to all persons. Its ruling could possibly vitiate the hard-won rights of
transgender persons who face persecution and marginalisation on a daily basis.
Surely the protection of their right to exist as equal citizens cannot be
deemed contrary to Islam.
The writer is a
lawyer.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755630
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More than 130 North
American Scholars Defend Normative Islamic Position On LGBTQ
A baby in a
crib at the Child Houses centre in rebel-held Idlib which shelters
unaccompanied Syrian children and those of unknown parentage. [Omar Haj
Kadour/AFP]
------
24th May 2023
More than 130
prominent Muslim scholars from North America have issued a statement defending
the Muslim community’s right to maintain the normative Islamic position on
LGBTQ without being accused of bigotry or hatred.
The scholars,
who include Imam Siraj Wahaj, Imam Suhaib Webb, Shaykh Shadee Elmasry, Shaykh
Yasir Qadhi, Imam Omar Suleiman and the Canadian Council of Imams, say that
Islamic sexual and gender ethics are at odds with general society’s views,
which has caused tension for Muslims between their religious beliefs and
societal expectations.
But they say
the normative Islamic position on LGBTQ, which is derived from the Quran, is
fixed and cannot be changed. “As a religious minority that frequently
experiences bigotry and exclusion, we reject the notion that moral disagreement
amounts to intolerance or incitement of violence,” their statement reads. “We
affirm our right to express our beliefs while simultaneously recognizing our
constitutional obligation to exist peacefully with those whose beliefs differ
from ours.”
The scholars
also reject any attempts to reinterpret or revise religious doctrine to be
inclusive of LGBTQ ideology. “The Muslim community is not immune to such
pressures,” they say. “Indeed, some have attempted to reinterpret Islamic texts
in favor of LGBTQ affirmation. We categorically reject such efforts as
theologically indefensible because these aspects of sexual ethics fit within
the category of immutable tenets and are therefore not subject to revision.”
But they
conclude that they are committed to peaceful co-existence with those who differ
in North America.
“Peaceful
coexistence does not necessitate agreement, acceptance, affirmation, promotion,
or celebration. We refuse the false choice between succumbing to social
pressures to adopt views contrary to our beliefs or facing unfounded charges of
bigotry. Such coercive ultimatums undermine prospects for harmonious
coexistence.”
Public
discourse on sexuality over the past few decades has presented challenges to
faith communities. Today, Islamic sexual and gender ethics are at odds with
certain recently popular societal views, causing tension for Muslims between
their religious beliefs and societal expectations. At the same time, public
disapproval of LGBTQ practices, beliefs, and advocacy is increasingly met with
charges of intolerance and unwarranted accusations of bigotry. More troubling
still, there is an increasing push to promote LGBTQ-centric values among
children through legislation and regulations, disregarding parental consent and
denying both parents and children the opportunity to express conscientious
objection. Such policies subvert the agency of Muslim parents to teach their
children their religiously grounded sexual ethics, violate their constitutional
right to freely practice their religion, and contribute to an atmosphere of
intolerance toward faith communities.
We are Muslim
scholars and preachers representing a diverse range of theological schools.
Below is our collective, non-partisan articulation of Islam’s position on
sexual and gender ethics. As a religious minority that frequently experiences
bigotry and exclusion, we reject the notion that moral disagreement amounts to
intolerance or incitement of violence. We affirm our right to express our
beliefs while simultaneously recognizing our constitutional obligation to exist
peacefully with those whose beliefs differ from ours.
The Source of
Morality for Muslims
The most
essential requirement for accepting Islam is to submit to God completely,
voluntarily, and lovingly. God says, “It is not for a believing man or
woman—when God and His Messenger decree a matter—to have any other choice in
that matter” (Quran, al-Aḥzāb:36).
By submitting to God, we declare that only He possesses absolute knowledge and
wisdom. Therefore, it follows from this submission that the ultimate source and
basis of morality is Divine guidance, not just reason or societal trends.
Islam enjoys a
rich tradition of jurisprudence that allows for diverse perspectives and
accommodates various cultural norms. However, particular principles that are explicitly
stated in revelation, known to be necessary elements of Islam, and unanimously
agreed upon by qualified scholars are deemed immutable and not open to revision
by any person or entity, including the highest religious authorities. As God
asserts, “And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice.
None can alter His words, and He is the All-Hearing, the All- Knowing” (Quran,
al-An‘ām: 115).
Islam’s
Position on Sexuality and Gender
By a decree
from God, sexual relations are permitted within the bounds of marriage, and
marriage can only occur between a man and a woman. In the Quran, God explicitly
condemns sexual relations with the same sex (see, e.g., Quran, al-Nisā’: 16,
al-A‘rāf: 80–83, and al-Naml: 55–58). Moreover, premarital and extramarital
sexual acts are prohibited in Islam. As God explains, “Do not go near
fornication. It is truly an immoral deed and a terrible way [to behave]”
(Quran, al-Isrā’: 32). These aspects of Islam are unambiguously established in
the Quran, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and a chain
of scholarly tradition spanning fourteen centuries. As a result, they have
gained the status of religious consensus (ijmā‘) and are recognized as integral
components of the faith known to the general body of Muslims.
God defined
humanity as consisting of males and females and declared that He “… created
[humans] from a male and a female and made [them] into peoples and tribes so
that you may come to know one another” (Quran, al-Ḥujurāt: 13; see also al-Najm: 45). Islam
affirms that men and women are spiritually equal before God, even though each
has different characteristics and roles. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) referred to women as equivalent counterparts of men. Yet, he (peace be
upon him) explicitly condemned imitating the appearance of the opposite gender.
Further, God calls on humanity to respect His wisdom in creation (see, e.g.,
Quran, al-Nisā’: 119). As such, as a general rule, Islam strictly prohibits
medical procedures intended to change the sex of healthy individuals,
regardless of whether such procedures are termed gender “affirming” or
“confirming.” For individuals born with biological ambiguities, such as
disorders of sexual development, Islam permits them to seek medical care for
corrective reasons.
Islam
distinguishes between feelings, actions, and identity. God holds individuals
accountable for their words and actions, not for their involuntary thoughts and
feelings. As our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “God has pardoned Muslims
for what they think, as long as they do not speak of or act on it” (Bukhari,
2528). In Islam, the sinful actions of an individual do not and should not
dictate his or her identity. As such, it is impermissible for Muslims to take
pride in identifying with labels that categorize them by their sins. It is
important to note that the stance of Islam on illicit sexual relations goes
hand in hand with its protection and promotion of the individual’s right to
privacy. Islam prohibits prying into others’ private lives and discourages
public disclosure of sexual behavior (see, e.g., Quran, al-Ḥujurāt: 12 and al-Nūr: 19).
We recognize
that some religious groups have reinterpreted or revised religious doctrine to
be inclusive of LGBTQ ideology. The Muslim community is not immune to such
pressures. Indeed, some have attempted to reinterpret Islamic texts in favor of
LGBTQ affirmation. We categorically reject such efforts as theologically
indefensible because these aspects of sexual ethics fit within the category of
immutable tenets and are therefore not subject to revision.
Our
Constitutional Right to Hold Our Views
We recognize
that our moral code conflicts with the goals of LGBTQ proponents. We also
acknowledge their constitutional right to live in peace and free from abuse.
Nevertheless, we emphasize our God-given and constitutional rights to hold,
live by, and promote our religious beliefs in the best manner (Quran, al-Naḥl: 125) without fear of legal reprisal or
systematic marginalization. Peaceful coexistence does not necessitate
agreement, acceptance, affirmation, promotion, or celebration. We refuse the
false choice between succumbing to social pressures to adopt views contrary to
our beliefs or facing unfounded charges of bigotry. Such coercive ultimatums
undermine prospects for harmonious coexistence.
We call on
policymakers to protect our constitutional right to practice our religious
beliefs freely, without fear of harassment, and to oppose any legislation
seeking to stifle the religious freedoms of faith communities. Consistent with
our claim of non-partisanship, we are committed to working with individuals of
all religious and political affiliations to protect the constitutional right of
faith communities to live according to their religious convictions and to
uphold justice for all.
To Our Muslim
Community
We urge Muslim
public figures to uphold the sanctity of our faith and refrain from making
erroneous pronouncements on behalf of Islam. We reject any attempt to attribute
positions to Islam concerning sexual and gender ethics that contravene
well-established Islamic teachings. To be clear, we cannot overstate the
detrimental spiritual consequences for those who intentionally reject, advocate
the rejection of, or misrepresent the will of God, as in doing so they endanger
their status as believers (Quran, al-An‘ām: 21).
To those among
us who struggle with desires that fall outside the boundaries set by God: know
that even the most righteous can commit sins and that every Muslim, no matter
how sinful, has the potential to be forgiven. Practicing self-restraint in
devotion to God is considered heroic. Its spiritual reward increases
proportionally with the level of struggle involved. Our ultimate purpose is to
prioritize devotion to God over our desires and not sacrifice our faith. We
pray to God to grant us the necessary strength and unwavering commitment to
live up to our ideals. May we find inner peace and satisfaction through loving
submission, and may God deem us worthy of being counted among the believers,
the most honorable of titles.
Shaykh Tameem
Ahmadi
Nur Institute
Shaykh Hatem
al-Hajj, PhD
Assembly of
Muslim Jurists of America
Shaykh Salah
al-Sawy, PhD
Assembly of
Muslim Jurists of America
Shaykh Ammar
Alshukry
AlMaghrib
Institute
Professor
Ovamir Anjum, PhD
Ummatics
Institute
Ustadha Zaynab
Ansari
Tayseer
Institute
Imam Navaid
Aziz
Islamic
Information Society of Calgary
Shaykh Jamal
Badawi, PhD
Fiqh Council of
North America
Professor Ihsan
Bagby, PhD
Fiqh Council of
North America
Shaykh Nomaan
Baig
Institute of
Knowledge
Shaykh Waleed
Basyouni, PhD
AlMaghrib
Institute
Shaykh Ahmed
Billoo
Institute of
Knowledge
Imam Yaser
Birjas
Valley Ranch
Islamic Center
Professor
Jonathan Brown, PhD
Georgetown
University
Canadian
Council of Imams
Representing 80
Canadian Imams
Professor
Sharif El-Tobgui, PhD
Boston Islamic
Seminary
Shaykh Alauddin
Elbakri
Tawasaw
Shaykh Shadee
Elmasry, PhD
NBIC Safina
Society
Shaykh Mohammad
Elshinawy
Mishkah
University
Imam Tom
Facchine
Yaqeen
Institute for Islamic Research
Shaykh Yasir
Fahmy
Prophetic
Living
Shaykh Mohammed
Faqih
Memphis Islamic
Center
Shaykh Yassir
Fazzaga
Memphis Islamic
Center
Shaykha Hanaa
Gamal
Fiqh Council of
the Islamic Society of Greater Houston
Professor
Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali, PhD
Zaytuna College
Shaykh Suleiman
Hani
AlMaghrib
Institute
Shaykh Asif
Hirani, PhD
Islamic Circle
of North America
Shaykh Omar
Husain, PhD
haykh
AbdulNasir Jangda
Qalam Institute
Shaykh Abdur
Rahman Khan
The Shariah
Council of Islamic Circle of North America
Shaykh Ahmad
Kutty
Ustadha Fatima
Lette
Qalam Institute
Shaykh Mohammed
Amin Kholwadia
Darul Qasim
College
Shaykh Hamzah
Maqbul
Ribat Institute
Ustadh
AbdelRahman Murphy
Roots Community
Shaykha Ieasha
Prime
Barakah Inc.
Leadership Institute
Shaykh Yasir
Qadhi, PhD
Islamic Seminary
of America
Shaykh Yahya
Rhodus, PhD
Al-Maqasid
Islamic Seminary
Imam Jihad
Saafir
Islah LA
Ustadha Aatifa
Shareef, LPC
Qalam Institute
Shaykh Muzzamil
Siddiqi, PhD
Fiqh Council of
North America
Imam Syed
Soharwardy
Islamic Supreme
Council of Canada
Shaykh Zulfiqar
Ali Shah, PhD
Fiqh Council of
North America
Shaykh Omar
Suleiman, PhD
Yaqeen
Institute for Islamic Research
Ustadh Amjad
Tarsin
Al-Maqasid
Islamic Seminary
Shaykh Saad
Tasleem
AlMaghrib
Institute
Shaykh Mustafa
Umar
California
Islamic University
Ustadh Mobeen
Vaid
Shaykh Abdullah
Waheed
Miftaah
Institute
Mufti Abdul
Rahman Waheed
Miftaah
Institute
Imam Siraj
Wahhaj
Al-Taqwa Mosque
(Brooklyn, NY)
Shaykh Dawud
Walid
Shaykha Aysha
Wazwaz, PhD
Gems of Light
Institute
Imam Suhaib
Webb
Institute of
Sacred Sciences
Shaykh Tahir
Wyatt, PhD
United Muslim
Masjid
Shaykha Haifaa
Younis, MD
Jannah
Institute
Shaykh Jamaal
Zarabozo
Shaykh Abu
Zayd, PhD
Quran Literacy
Institute
Shaykh Furhan
Zubairi
Institute of
Knowledge
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://5pillarsuk.com/2023/05/24/north-american-scholars-defend-normative-islamic-position-on-lgbtq/
--------
Syrians Abandon
Babies At Mosques, Under Trees As More Than 12 Years Of Grinding Conflict Fuel
Poverty And Desperation
25/05/2023
"I took
her home and told my wife, 'I brought you a gift'," said the 59-year-old
resident of Hazano, in rebel-held northwest Syria.
He named the
baby Hibatullah, meaning "gift of God", and decided to raise her as one
of the family.
Officials say
babies are being left outside mosques, hospitals and even under olive trees in
war-torn Syria as more than 12 years of grinding conflict fuel poverty and
desperation.
"Only a
few cases of child abandonment" were officially documented before the war
broke out in 2011, according to the Washington-based group Syrians for Truth
and Justice, which records human rights abuses in the country.
But between
early 2021 and late 2022, more than 100 children -- 62 of them girls -- were found
abandoned across the country, it said in a March report, estimating the real
figure to be much higher.
"The
numbers have increased dramatically" since the start of the conflict along
with "the social and economic repercussions of the war" affecting both
government-controlled and rebel-held areas, the group said.
It pointed to
factors including poverty, instability, insecurity and child marriage, along
with sexual abuse and pregnancy out of wedlock.
While adoption
is forbidden across Syria, Othman has asked the local authorities for
permission to raise Hibatullah.
"I told my
children that if I die, she should have part of my inheritance," even
though she can never officially be part of the family, he said, breaking into
tears.
The
three-year-old, her hair pulled back loosely into pigtails and tottering around
in shiny pink sandals, now calls him "grandpa".
"She is
just an innocent child," Othman said.
'Victims'
Syria's war has
killed more than 500,000 people, displaced millions and ravaged the country's
infrastructure.
Health
department official Zaher Hajjo told AFP that 53 abandoned newborn babies had
been registered in government-controlled areas in the first 10 months of last
year -- 28 boys and 25 girls.
Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad this year issued a decree creating dedicated
facilities for the children, who would be automatically registered as Arab,
Syrian and Muslim, with the place of birth as the location they were found.
In rebel-held
Idlib province, social workers at the main centre for abandoned children tended
to tiny babies wrapped tightly in blankets in basic cradles, some spruced up
with purple paint or ribbons.
In the
bare-walled room with a brown-and-beige carpet, one woman rocked a baby to
sleep with one hand while feeding another milk with the other.
Faisal
al-Hammoud, head of programmes at the centre, said one baby girl they took in
was found under an olive tree after being mauled by a cat.
"Blood was
dripping down her face," he said, adding that the orphanage had since
entrusted her to a family.
Workers follow
up to make sure such babies are well treated and "that there is no child
trafficking", Hammoud added.
The centre has
taken in 26 babies -- 14 girls and 12 boys -- since it opened in 2019, and nine
this year alone, said Abdullah Abdullah, a civil affairs official with Idlib's
rebel authorities.
More than four
million people live in areas controlled by jihadists and Turkish-backed groups
in Syria's north and northwest, 90 percent of whom depend on aid to survive.
"The war
is to blame and families too" for child abandonments, Abdullah said.
"These
children are victims," he added.
Source: france24.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230525-syrians-abandon-babies-at-mosques-under-trees-as-war-grinds-on
--------
India
Hindu Son, Muslim Daughter Argue Over Mother’s Funeral In Hyderabad, Police Settle Matter
Written by
Rahul V Pisharody
May 24, 2023
An argument
between two siblings and their families who practice different religions over
the funeral of their mother late Tuesday night evoked mildly tense moments in
Hyderabad’s Madannapet.
Sensing tension
as people gathered at street corners, the local police swung into action and
reached a congenial agreement after hours of verification of facts and
documents, and consultation.
The incident
occurred at the Darab Jung colony after the 95-year-old woman’s son and
grandchildren, who lived in nearby Chaderghat, claimed rights over her funeral
as per his Hindu religious tradition. The daughter, who converted to Islam two
decades ago, objected to this, claiming that she had been caring for the ailing
mother in the last 12 years and that her mother had also converted to Islam.
The daughter, aged in her 60s, told reporters that the mother had accepted
Islam and that it was her last wish to be buried as per their tradition.
“My mother was
living with me for the last 12 years, and I have been taking good care of her
even though no one else cared for her. I got her surgery done recently for Rs 5
lakh, and no one came to help. My mother said that no one would come asking for
her after her death and that she be given final prayers and buried as per our
tradition,” the woman said. After the crowding up of people from both
communities on the streets over the death and last rites of the elderly woman,
the police deployed forces there in the night.
Deputy
Commissioner of Police (South East) Ch Rupesh denied any tension and said it
was a family dispute that the police had amicably sorted out. As per the
daughter’s preferences, final prayers were conducted at her home and the body
was handed over to the son’s family for cremation as per their wish. “There is
no tension. It is all within the family. The brother and sister have
compromised,” the DCP told indianexpress.com.
The police held
discussions with both sides of the family between 11.45 pm and 1.30 am and
settled the matter by 2.30 am. According to the Madannapet police, the woman
died of an age-related illness Tuesday evening. While one of her two sons is no
more, she had been living with her daughter at Madannapet. “The daughter
produced videos and documents to show that her mother had converted to Islam in
January 2023. We verified all details, and following consultation with elders,
the body was handed over to the son’s family for cremation after the daughter’s
family conducted final prayers as per their traditions,” said B Janaiah,
station house officer of Madannapet police station.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/hyderabad/hindu-son-muslim-daughter-mothers-funeral-hyderabad-police-settle-matter-8626381/
--------
Karnataka
Congress Govt May Withdraw Circular Banning Hijab, Warns Of RSS Ban
May 25, 2023
BENGALURU: The
Congress government in Karnataka is seriously considering withdrawing the
primary and secondary education department’s circular prohibiting hijabs in
schools and pre-university colleges in the state.
Senior state
minister Priyank Kharge also said that his government would ban outfits like
the Bajrang Dal if peace in the state was disturbed. “We have promised in our
manifesto to turn Karnataka into a paradise. If peace is disturbed, we won’t
consider if it is Bajrang Dal or any other Sangh Parivar outfit,” he said.
Asked
specifically about the RSS, he said, “If anyone breaks the law, they will be
treated as per the law of the land, even if it means a ban.” Some elements have
been roaming freely in society without fear of the law or police for the past
four years, he said. “If the BJP leadership finds it unacceptable, they can go
to Pakistan,” Priyank added. “We will review the hijab order and the revision
of textbooks, besides all legislation, including the anti-cow slaughter and
anti-conversion laws, passed by the previous BJP government. If we find any of
these laws contentious, communal or going against the social fabric or image of
the state, we will consider repealing them,’’ said Priyank.
The hijab row
had erupted after six students at the Government Pre-University College for
Girls, Udupi, who were not allowed to enter their classrooms wearing the hijab,
began a protest in December 2021. The protests spread across the state,
vitiating educational campuses in coastal and Malnad districts.
The previous
BJP government had issued a circular prohibiting hijabs in schools and
pre-university colleges in the state. The matter reached the Karnataka HC, which
upheld the decision of the state government. The issue was later taken up in
the Supreme Court where a two-judge bench pronounced a split verdict. The
Supreme Court then said it would consider setting up a three-judge bench to
adjudicate the matter.
“Our government
stands firm on reviewing legislation that is unconstitutional, violates the
rights of an individual, and affects the image of the state, investment and
employment. We want to build an economically and socially equal Karnataka. As
many as 18,000 minority students have been out of school since the hijab
circular came into effect. We want to ensure they return to the mainstream and
continue their education,’’ said Priyank, son of AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
The previous
BJP government had passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and
Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, which laid out stringent punishments for
violations and provided for powers to search and seize premises; and the
Anti-Conversion Act, 2022, which said: “No person shall convert or attempt to
convert either directly or otherwise any other person from one religion to
another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion,
allurement, or by any fraudulent means or by marriage, nor shall any person
abet or conspire for conversions.”
Congress
insiders claimed the party was planning to withdraw the circular on the hijab
and repeal the anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws brought by the
previous BJP government.
While
campaigning for the assembly polls, Congress had stated that the ban on the
hijab and all laws made on a communal basis by the previous BJP government
would be withdrawn once the party forms government in the state.
While some
senior party functionaries are in favour of a ban on Bajrang Dal, as promised in
the manifesto, several have taken objection in view of the fact that Lok Sabha
polls are not far off and the party does not want to play into the hands of
BJP.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/karnataka-govt-may-withdraw-circular-banning-hijab-warns-of-rss-ban/articleshow/100484319.cms
--------
Aurangzeb
wasn't cruel, didn't order demolition of temple: Muslim side's plea in Gyanvapi
dispute
Roshan Jaiswal
Pankaj
Srivastava
May 24, 2023
By Roshan
Jaiswal, Pankaj Srivastava: Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee, a party in cases
related to the Gyanvapi Masjid dispute, submitted a petition before a Varanasi
court on Wednesday in response to a plea filed by the Hindu side demanding an
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) inspection of the disputed mosque site. In
its application, the Muslim side has claimed that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was
not cruel nor did he demolish any Adi Vishveshwara temple in Varanasi in 1669.
"Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb was not cruel, and it was not by his decree that the Lord
Vishveshwara Temple in Varanasi was demolished in the year 1669. Furthermore,
there has never been a notion or concept of having two Kashi Vishwanath temples
(old and new) in Varanasi, neither in the past nor at present," the
application read.
The application
also claimed that the Gyanvapi moque structure has been there for thousands of
years, contending that it was a masjid and is still a masjid.
"The
mosque known as Alamgiri and Gyanvapi masjid, which stands at the site, has
been in existence for thousands of years. It was a mosque yesterday and it is a
mosque today. Muslims from Varanasi and nearby districts continue to pray here
without any hindrance," the plea stated.
The Muslim side
raised an objection before the Varanasi district court to a petition seeking
direction to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to survey the entire Gyanvapi
mosque complex.
VHP RESPONDS TO
MUSLIM SIDE'S CLAIMS
Responding to
the claims, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said that except for a handful of
individuals, no one in the world will digest this. "If they have so much
faith in their messiah named Aurangzeb, why are they afraid of the
survey?" VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said.
NEXT HEARING ON
MAY 26
Meanwhile, the
Allahabad High Court will hear the matter of conducting an ASI survey at the
Gyanvapi mosque site on May 26 (Friday).
In August 2021,
five women filed a petition in the local court seeking the right to perform
regular worship at the Shringar Gauri site located in the Gyanvapi mosque
premises.
In April 2022,
a senior division court ordered a survey on the mosque premises. The survey was
completed in May 2022. During that time, a Shivling was allegedly found in the
mosque which the Muslim side claimed was a fountain.
Last week, the
Supreme Court told the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to not conduct
carbon dating of a 'Shivling' inside the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath
corridor, till the next hearing on the matter.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/gyanvapi-dispute-muslim-side-aurangzeb-not-cruel-vhp-asi-survey-court-hearing-2383802-2023-05-24
---------
Emirates Red
Crescent:Mosque And Well To Be Built In India In Memory Of Six Killed In Abu
Dhabi Fire
May 24, 2023
A charity
worker who died in a fire in Abu Dhabi will have a mosque named after her.
Fatima Mohammed
Al Hosani and five others were killed when the blaze tore through their villa
in Bani Yas.
Emirates Red
Crescent said the dedicated volunteer would have a place of worship built in
her name in India, where the charity carries out vital work.
"The
Emirates Red Crescent Authority extends its deepest condolences and sympathy to
the family of the volunteer Fatima Mohammed Al Hosani," the authority
tweeted on the night of the fire. "May Allah inspired her family with solace
and patience."
The charity has
launched a Dh110,000 project to build a mosque and well in India to honour
those killed in the fire. They will be constructed in the name of Sadaqah
Jariyah, the Arabic word for charity that benefits those even after death.On
Wednesday, the authority urged the public to donate money to help build a
kindergarten in Kyrgyzstan at a cost of Dh261,000, also in memory of the six
killed.
ERC plays a
role in many building projects in various countries as part of its continuing
humanitarian commitment to help disadvantaged people around the world.
It focuses
mainly on Africa and Asia to help communities regardless of ethnic, cultural,
geographical or religious status. The locations chosen have no direct link
those killed but are in areas where ERC has a presence.
Meanwhile,
tributes have poured in on social media from members of the UAE community,
friends and relatives since the fire took place.
Abdulaziz Al
Hammadi posted a picture of a child – who also died in Monday's fire – with his
father alongside an image of the house damaged by fire, offering condolences to
the family.
"May God
grant you patience and solace. We belong to Allah and to Allah we shall
return," he wrote in a tweet.
Dr Mugheer
Khamis Al Khali, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, attended
the funeral on Monday night and sent condolences to Mr Mohammed Al Hosani for
the death of his family members.
"The
department offers deepest condolences to the family and wishes a speedy
recovery to the injured," the department tweeted.
Source: thenationalnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2023/05/24/mosque-and-well-to-be-built-in-india-in-memory-of-six-killed-in-abu-dhabi-fire/
--------
Europe
Paris to Mecca:
A cyclist raising awareness on climate crisis among Muslims
In recent
years, Nabil Ennasri says, research on the climate crisis has evidenced the
perils the planet faces, as scientists agree that “we must slow down our
development model if we want to keep a habitable planet”.
The 41-year-old
analyst, writer and activist, however, feels that the global Muslim community
has largely “neglected” what he describes as the “most crucial issue for
humanity”.
As such,
Ennasri is taking action, raising awareness to safeguard the health of the
planet and combining it with one of the holiest journeys that Muslims have
undertaken for thousands of years.
On April 22,
the French citizen of Moroccan ancestry began an epic cycle odyssey that will
take him over 5900 km across 13 countries. Cycling 100 km a day, he intends to
complete the journey from Paris to Mecca (Saudi Arabia) in time for the start
of the hajj on June 26.
“As a Muslim,
there is no place more sacred, more symbolic and more beautiful than the Kaaba,
and no journey more important than the pilgrimage to Mecca,” he tells TRT World
after reaching Istanbul on Tuesday.
“It is the
direction to which we turn at least five times daily. It is the place of
change, of improvement, and par excellence. It is the place of renewal. All
this symbolism is essential to this journey,” he says.
Among Muslims,
the hajj is widely considered a duty to be completed at least once in a
lifetime, and Ennasri wishes to revive how it is carried out among the
community.
“We must review
the meaning of travel because even when it comes to pilgrimage, we tend to make
it an object of consumption when it should be a walk (path) towards the sacred
which must lead us to change ourselves deeply,” says Ennasri.
In the lead-up
to his journey, he took to social media to promote his odyssey - under the
hashtag HadjByCycle.
He has also
released several vlogs on YouTube, allowing viewers to observe his challenges
and his ‘fierce desire’ to complete his journey amid different terrains and
adverse weather conditions.
Ennasri
announced his odyssey a month ago, insisting he has been in training for the
challenge for the last few years. In the YouTube videos, he said his voyage was
also to honour his father and immigrants to France, who he said had sacrificed
for his generation’s prosperity.
In keeping with
this sentiment, Ennasri chose the first location where his father first set
foot in France in August 1969 after leaving his village in Morocco alone in
search of a better life.
Ennasri began
his cycling odyssey at the Gare Montparnasse, retracing his father’s footsteps
at one of the six large railways in France’s capital, Paris, while jubilant
well-wishers applauded him.
After crossing
10 countries with a small team supporting him, on Tuesday, Ennasri reached
Istanbul in Türkiye - the gateway between Europe and Asia, where young and old
gathered to applaud him beside Fatih Mosque.
For the
self-described “history buff” since childhood, his arrival in the historical
city was something special.
“As a Muslim, I
was naturally interested in our history, and it is impossible to study Islamic
history without being fascinated by the period of the Ottoman state. Whether it
is scientific production, architectural influence, or key dates in human
history, this era is at the heart of the issues,” says Ennasri.
“In Türkiye,
history speaks to us at the turn of every street, and it is both a visual and
intellectual pleasure,” he adds.
Ennasri says
there are two main reasons driving him forward on his journey, crossing the
different landscapes of Germany, Austria and Italy, among others.
He says the
first is “to propose a new way of practising our religion and thus revive the
deep meaning of the journey: the one that transforms you, the one from which
you return a better version of yourself, and not the one that consists simply
of an additional act of consumption.”
The second
reason is “to pay homage to our elders who accomplished the pilgrimage on foot
or on horseback, braving all the risks in order to get to Mecca.”
So far, he has
traversed different landscapes, coming into contact with different peoples and
cultures in several countries, including Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania,
and Bulgaria.
After Türkiye,
he is set to cross into Jordan before eventually reaching Saudi Arabia.
He insists the
aim of his trip is to focus on the issue of climate change, helping to make it
a “priority” among followers of Islam.
“I humbly wish
to bring the Muslims of the world to participate in this common effort to
preserve the creation that Allah has given us as a deposit (Amâna),” he says.
Source: trtworld.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.trtworld.com/climate/paris-to-mecca-a-cyclist-raising-awareness-on-climate-crisis-among-muslims-13360091
--------
Dozens of
mosques attacked in Germany in 2022
25 May 2023
At least 35
mosques were attacked in Germany last year, with the majority of these attacks
motivated by Islamophobia and right-wing extremism in the country, according to
a new report released by Turkish-Muslim group DITIB, Azernews reports, citing
foreign media outlets.
The DITIB's
anti-discrimination office recently released a 32-page report analyzing hate
crimes, threats, and attacks targeting mosques and Islamic organizations in
Germany in 2022.
According to
DITIB experts, anti-Muslim violence was closely related to social and political
developments in the country, as well as public debates about immigrants,
Muslims, and Islam.
“Polarizing and
unobjective debates, an increase in stigmatizing (especially demonization of
Muslims), are leading to an increase in attacks targeting mosques,” the experts
wrote in their report.
In 2022, at
least 35 mosques were targeted in attacks, with 19 of them motivated by
Islamophobia, and eight other attacks carried out by right-wing extremists.
In seven cases,
anti-Turkish sentiment was the main motivation of the suspects, according to
the report.
Left-wing
extremists and followers of the PKK terror group were behind several attacks
targeting mosques.
In recent
years, Germany has witnessed an increase in racism and Islamophobia, fueled by
the propaganda of far-right groups and parties that have exploited the refugee
crisis and attempted to instill immigrants fear.
Germany, with a
population of over 84 million people, has the second-largest Muslim population
in Western Europe after France. It is home to nearly five million Muslims,
according to official figures.
Source: azernews.az
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.azernews.az/region/210225.html
--------
Watershed
Muslim political moment in Birmingham commuter town
24 MAY 2023
A Muslim
councillor in a Birmingham commuter town has acknowledged a breakthrough
political moment for the Worcestershire town. Cllr Salman Akbar has become
Redditch's first British Pakistani Muslim Mayor.
Conservative
Cllr Akbar was elected Mayor of Redditch at the annual meeting of Redditch
Borough Council on Monday, May 22. The new Mayor is reflective of Redditch's
more diverse make-up over the past decade.
Census results
for 2021 showed that more than one in every 17 people in Redditch, or 5.7%, now
identify as "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh".
Christians make
up the majority of residents in the commuter town, at around 49%, but the
second largest religious group is Muslims at 4.2%. Although 40% of Redditch
residents said they had no religion.
Representing
Crabbs Cross ward, Cllr Akbar works and lives in the town at the end of the
Cross City Line from Birmingham New Street Station. He is a director of
Redditch-based specialist engineering and IT agency, Hamiltons Consulting,
where his wife works.
He was also a
director of former Redditch Muslim Community Association before it folded in
2020.
Cllr Akbar
said: “I am humbled to have been elected the Mayor of Redditch. It is a great
privilege to be the first ever British Pakistani Muslim Mayor of Redditch.
“I look forward
to working with different communities and groups within Redditch and promoting
community integration.
"I would
like to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their continued support. I
would also like to thank former Mayor of Redditch, Ann Isherwood, for her
service to Redditch, and congratulate Cllr Karen Ashley on her election as
Deputy Mayor."
Redditch
Conservatives Group commented: "We know you will be a fantastic
representative of our wonderful town."
The Office for
National Statistics(ONS) found that Redditch's population had grown by 3.4%
since 2011 - from 84,200 to 87,000 people. Over the same time, the proportion
of Muslim residents also rose slightly from 3.4% to 4.2%.
Cllr Akbar is
yet to choose which civic charities he will support in the coming year.
Outgoing Mayor, Ann Isherwood, raised £13,375 during her term of office for her
chosen charity, Touchstones.
Source: birminghammail.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watershed-muslim-political-moment-birmingham-26982795
--------
We want to kill
Putin – Ukrainian deputy intelligence chief
24 May, 2023
Russian
President Vladimir Putin is on Ukraine’s kill list, the deputy chief of the
country’s intelligence agency has revealed. Vadim Skibitsky added that his
subordinates are also hunting down top Russian military commanders.
Speaking to
Germany’s Die Welt media outlet on Wednesday, Skibitsky was asked whether his
service is trying to assassinate the Russian head of state. The Ukrainian
official replied by saying that President Putin “notices that we’re getting
ever closer to him.”
According to
Skibitsky, the Ukrainian intelligence service has failed to kill Putin because
he “stays holed up,” but added that the Russian commander-in-chief “is now
beginning to stick his head out.”
When he does
appear publicly, however, the intelligence agency is “not sure whether it’s
really him,” Skibitsky insisted.
He added that
his subordinates were “trying to kill” Yevgeny Prighozhin, the head of the
Wagner private military company.
Russian Defense
Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov have
also been marked for elimination by the Ukrainian intelligence service, its
deputy chief claimed.
When asked
whether Kiev was behind the assassinations of journalist and activist Darya
Dugina last August and military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in late April, as well
as the attempt on the life of writer Zakhar Prilepin earlier this month,
Skibitsky claimed that these had been ‘inside jobs’.
The Ukrainian
official also alleged that various groups within the Russian elite were
fighting each other for power.
Skibitsky added
that Russian “propagandists” are not the top priority targets for his service
as opposed to Russian military unit commanders. He claimed that Kiev had
managed to assassinate some of this top brass but refused to give any names or
numbers.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/russia/576842-ukraine-putin-kill-list/
--------
Russia’s top
spy tells US and UK to ‘go to hell’
24 May, 2023
The US and UK
should leave Iran alone, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service
(SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, has said. The official also suggested that the two
nations are dismayed by the success of China’s efforts to reconcile Iran and
Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on
Wednesday at the International Meeting of High Representatives for Security
Issues, Naryshkin said he would advise the “Anglo-Saxons to take care of their
own internal civil conflicts. Or better yet, go to their old pal – the devil.”
According to
the official, Washington and London view the recent normalization of relations
between Iran and Saudi Arabia in a strictly negative light. He claimed that the
two allies are wary that Beijing’s diplomatic activities in the region could
undermine their long-term strategy to weaken the Islamic Republic.
Naryshkin went
on to allege that American and British government agencies have been tasked
with derailing China’s diplomatic efforts and discrediting its role as a
mediator. He cited narratives to this effect in the media, adding, however,
that the US and UK are unlikely to succeed with their supposed smear campaign
“in the new geopolitical reality.”
Russia’s top
spy argued that Western powers could play a role in ensuring global security
and prosperity, but only as one of numerous centers of a multipolar world.
However, the “insane vanity” of these nations precludes them from acting on an
equal footing with other players, Naryshkin claimed.
Quoting from
the Bible, the Russian official added that “their end will correspond to their
deeds,” and predicted that America and Britain’s fate “will be sad.”
Several Iranian
media outlets reported on Tuesday that Tehran had appointed a new ambassador to
Saudi Arabia.
The two nations
agreed in March to restore diplomatic ties, having severed them in 2016. Soon
thereafter they announced plans to reopen their respective embassies.
The talks
between Riyadh and Tehran were described as a major diplomatic win for China,
with President Xi Jinping personally persuading the two nations to patch things
up, China’s People’s Daily newspaper reported in late April.
The
negotiations were also marked by the conspicuous absence of the US.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/russia/576836-top-spy-us-uk-go-devil/
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Pakistan
PFF and MCB
Islamic Bank collaborate to simplify club account opening process
May 24, 2023
The Pakistan
Football Federation (PFF) and MCB Islamic Bank have forged a strategic partnership,
marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the FIFA House
in Lahore on Wednesday. The purpose of MoU is to simplify and speed up the
process of opening bank accounts for clubs, a key statuary requirement for the
club to become a voting right holder.
The MoU
ceremony was attended by Zargham Khan Durrani, President MCB Islamic Bank,
Muhammad Hamid Yasin, Group Head CF, Usman Ali Alvi, Business Head, Ashar
Iqbal, Head RBG North, Agha Muhammad Ali, National Sales Manager CF, Amer Baig,
Head CFI, Azhar Iqbal, Head Institutional Sales, PFF NC Chairman Haroon Malik,
NC members Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar and Haris Azmat.
The MoU
ceremony was attended by Zargham Khan Durrani, President MCB Islamic Bank,
Muhammad Hamid Yasin, Group Head CF, Usman Ali Alvi, Business Head CF, Ashar
Iqbal, Head RBG North, Agha Muhammad Ali, National Sales Manager CF, Amer Baig,
Head CFI and Azhar Iqbal, Head Institutional Sales, PFF NC Chairman Haroon
Malik, NC members Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar and Haris Azmat.
President of
MCB Islamic Bank, Zargham Khan Durrani, was overwhelmed with the partnership
and stated: "We are pleased to announce our partnership with the PFF. This
MoU reflects our dedication to supporting and assisting local communities with
the aim of making the registration process easier, faster, and more accessible
for all the stakeholders, particularly football clubs, under the umbrella of
Pakistan Football Connect."
The PFF also
expressed the same fervor for the partnership. On the historical occasion, PFF
NC Chairman Haroon Malik emphasized its significance, saying, "The opening
of the account for any club is one of the key requirements of the PFF Statutes,
which needs to be fulfilled in order to get the club registered and become a voting
right holder. To make this process more convenient for the clubs, we have made
the decision to collaborate with MCB Islamic Bank, while signing a MoU in this
regard to facilitate the football clubs and effectively overcome the obstacles
faced during the account opening process for clubs. With this assistance and
support of MCB Islamic Bank, we are committed to ensuring that all clubs can
now successfully open their accounts with comprehensive guidance and
support," the NC Chief asserted.
Haroon Malik
emphasized that the primary objective of these collective efforts is to speed
up the transparent election process, ensuring that all legitimate stakeholders
are provided with essential requirements to actively participate in the
elections and select the most suitable administration to govern the PFF. This
will not only strengthen Pakistan football but also put it on the path of
progress and prosperity.
NC member
Shahid Khokhar said NC is focused to support the clubs by all means to bring
them to a stage from where they can kick start their journey of professional
football development and to focus on the club's sustainable business models.
Source: nation.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nation.com.pk/24-May-2023/pff-and-mcb-islamic-bank-collaborate-to-simplify-club-account-opening-process
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Nation pays
rich tribute to martyrs on ‘Youm-e-Takreem Shuhada-e-Pakistan’
May 25, 2023
The nation is
observing ‘Youm-e-Takreem Shuhada-e-Pakistan’ on Thursday, to pay rich tribute
to the martyrs who laid their lives while protecting the motherland and its
people.
The main
ceremony of the day was held at the Pakistan Military’s General Headquarters
(GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The ceremony was
attended by Chief of Army, General Asim Munir, former army chief General (retd)
Qamar Javed Bajwa, former chairman joint chiefs of staff committee General
(retd) Nadeem Raza, families of the martyrs, Pakistan cricket team captain
Babar Azam, Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman, law enforcement personnel, students,
teachers and other members of the society. Floral wreaths were also laid at the
martyrs’ monument.
Separate
ceremonies were also held at the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Naval
Headquarters.
Meanwhile,
numerous events featuring Quran khwani and prayers are being organized
throughout the country.
These
gatherings will serve as a platform for the nation to honour the indomitable
spirit and unwavering dedication of the martyrs, hailing from the Pakistan
Army, Rangers, Frontier Corps, Frontier Constabulary, Police, and other law
enforcement agencies.
Several
commemorative ceremonies are being held at the martyrs’ memorials to pay
tribute to them.
Earlier,
military leadership paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the nation, who
sacrificed their lives while defending Pakistan.
“The sacrifices
of Shuhada are eternal, will continue to inspire future generations of
countrymen and will never be forgotten, irrespective of vicious propaganda by
the enemies of Pakistan,” a press statement of the Inter-Services Public
Relations (ISPR) read.
Source: nation.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nation.com.pk/25-May-2023/nation-pays-rich-tribute-to-martyrs-on-youm-e-takreem-shuhada-e-pakistan
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Imran and key
aides ‘planned’ May 9 riots, geo-fencing reveals
Asif Chaudhry
May 25, 2023
LAHORE: Former
prime minister Imran Khan and his close aides allegedly coordinated efforts to
storm the residence of the Lahore corps commander and other buildings, Punjab
police claimed citing a geo-fencing report.
Police detected
over 400 calls made by the PTI chairman and other senior leaders to allegedly
incite party workers to move towards the military officer’s residence in Lahore
Cantt, and other sensitive public buildings. It was observed that all the
rioters were in contact with the PTI top leadership, based in Zaman Park.
Inspector
General of Police Punjab Dr Usman Anwar, when contacted by Dawn, confirmed the
geo-fencing record and the alleged use of Imran Khan’s residence for planning
the attack on the corps commander’s residence.
A senior
officer, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that many important revelations had
come from the analysis of the geo-fencing record: it was detected that 154
calls were allegedly made by Imran Khan to party leaders and rioters to provoke
them to attack. He said the PTI chairman was the “prime suspect” who allegedly
planned the attack on the house of the corps commander.
The officer
said call records showed all phone calls were made on May 8 and May 9 — the day
of Mr Khan’s arrest — to prepare workers to attack the building. He said as
many as a total of 225 callers were reportedly in contact with six PTI leaders;
Hammad Azhar, Yasmin Rashid, Mahmoodur Rasheed, Ejaz Chaudhary, Aslam Iqbal,
and Murad Ras. They were issuing “particular instructions to the rioters”, he
claimed, adding that Dr Yasmin Rashid received 41 calls from various activists
of the party.
Similarly,
Hammad Azhar made 10 calls to the suspects, while Mahmoodur Rasheed got 75
calls from the alleged attackers. According to the record, Ejaz Chaudhary,
Aslam Iqbal, and Murad Ras received 50, 16, and 23 calls each, respectively.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755602/imran-and-key-aides-planned-may-9-riots-geo-fencing-reveals
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No mercy for
May 9 rioters, PM tells martyrs’ families
Syed Irfan Raza
May 25, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said there would be no mercy for
those behind the May 9 riots and “they will have to face justice”.
Meanwhile, the
federal cabinet was informed that 95 per cent of the suspected arsonists had
been traced, whereas 60pc had been arrested.
Speaking at an
event held in Islamabad to pay tribute to the country’s martyrs, the prime
minister vowed to bring the elements behind the arson and vandalism attacks to
justice and reiterated that the nation would not let such “barbaric incidents”
happen in future.
He was
referring to the countrywide violent protests that erupted earlier this month
after PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested on corruption charges. Party workers
and supporters ransacked public and private property, torched vehicles, and set
the Lahore corps commander’s residence on fire.
The premier
said that as the country’s chief executive, it was his responsibility to ensure
that legal proceedings were conducted under the law and Constitution against
all those who had planned, abetted and executed attacks on different civilian
and military installations across the country.
The convention
was attended by several families of martyrs, governors, lawmakers, federal and
provincial ministers, ambassadors, legislators, civil society members, ulema
and senior officials.
Mr Sharif said
the May 9 violence was intolerable and unpardonable, as the monuments and
statues of martyrs of armed forces and law enforcement agencies were
vandalised.
“We will not
let it happen again and will keep the national flag high. We will not allow
anyone to malign our armed forces,” he said, adding that all perpetrators would
be brought to justice.
He said the law
would take its course and the rioters would not be given any concession because
they “crossed the red line”.
Cabinet meeting
Earlier, the
federal cabinet was given a briefing on May 9 violent protests and video
footage was also shown on the occasion.
According to
the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting was informed that those who destroyed
public and private properties and vandalised martyrs’ statues and monuments
would be penalised under the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.
However, those
who attacked military installations would be tried under the Army Act, though
they would have a right of appeal in a higher court.
The cabinet
also vowed to implement the decision made in a recent National Security
Committee meeting.
The prime
minister directed authorities to speed up the arrests of May 9 rioters while
ensuring that no action would be taken against innocent citizens.
The cabinet
also discussed the Road to Makkah project, which was signed between Islamabad
and Riyadh earlier this month to facilitate Pakistani Haj and Umrah pilgrims.
The cabinet
also approved the appointment of Hafeezur Rehman, a retired major general, as
the member (administration) of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1755619/no-mercy-for-may-9-rioters-pm-tells-martyrs-families
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North
America
St. Paul mosque
arsonist also burglarized Lowertown restaurant, new charges say
By NICK FERRARO
May 24, 2023
The man who
admitted to setting a St. Paul mosque on fire last week also told investigators
he was behind a recent burglary of a downtown restaurant, criminal charges say.
Said Murekezi,
42, now faces a third-degree burglary charge for breaking into Lost Fox in the
early morning hours of April 28, causing about $5,000 in damage and stealing
money and liquor.
According to
Tuesday’s criminal complaint, officers were sent to the restaurant at 213 E.
Fourth St. in Lowertown on a burglary alarm around 4:40 a.m. They found a
storefront window and a front door window shattered. A large brick was on the
ground. Glass at the Urban Wok next door also was broken.
The owner of
Lost Fox Kitchen arrived at the business. She told police that change from all
three cash register drawers had been stolen, as well as a bottle of top-shelf
whiskey. It would cost $3,000 to repair the window and another $2,000 to repair
the front door, she said.
Murekezi was
arrested May 17 in connection with the arson at Tawhid Islamic Center of
Minnesota at Dale Street and University Avenue. In an interview with
investigators, Murekezi said he broke into and “burned the building as a form
of protest, because of other Muslims in the community having to sleep outside
in the cold,” according to the criminal complaint.
Murekezi then admitted
to a burglary in downtown St. Paul, Tuesday’s criminal complaint says. Police
reviewed video surveillance footage from Lost Fox Kitchen and saw he was
wearing the same clothes as when he was arrested for the mosque arson.
At the time of
both alleged offenses, Murekezi was on probation for setting fire to a pile of
clothes in his room at St. Paul at Mary Hall, a shelter for homeless people, in
August 2020.
In both cases,
judges have ordered that Murekezi undergo a mental health evaluation to
determine whether he is capable of communicating with defense attorneys and
competent to participate in criminal proceedings.
The arson was
the sixth attack on a mosque in the state this year, according to the Council
on American-Islamic Relations’ Minnesota chapter. Repair and restoration costs
at the Midway mosque were estimated to exceed $250,000.
Murekezi also
faces a misdemeanor criminal damage to property charge for breaking into
Carondelet Catholic School in South Minneapolis last month. Police found him
sleeping in the school’s elevator.
Source: twincities.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.twincities.com/2023/05/24/st-paul-mosque-arsonist-charged-burglarizing-lost-fox/
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Said Murekezi,
accused in St. Paul mosque fire, charged with breaking windows at restaurant
MAY 24, 2023
MINNEAPOLIS --
A man accused of setting fire to a mosque in St. Paul last week now faces an
additional set of charges for allegedly breaking into a restaurant a few weeks
prior to the fire.
Said Murekezi
was arrested and charged in connection to an attack on the Tawhid Islamic
Center of Minnesota. Charging documents say he broke into the mosque on May 16
and stayed there overnight as he looked for things to burn.
The next
morning, surveillance video shows him near the building as smoke is visible,
documents say.
Murekezi was
arrested last week, and during his interview, admitted to burglarizing a
downtown St. Paul business.
According to
the charges, police arrived at the Lost Fox restaurant in the early morning of
April 28 to find a window broken, as well as the glass on the front door. The
owner said it would cost a total of $5,000 to repair. Liquor bottles behind the
counter had also been broken, and change from cash register drawers had also
been stolen, documents said.
The glass at
the restaurant next door, the Urban Wok, had also been broken, documents say.
Video footage allegedly shows Murekezi wearing the same outfit during the
burglary and mosque fire.
It was The Lost
Fox's fourth break-in since the restaurant opened a year ago.
Murekezi had
been in custody at the Hennepin County Jail from April 28 to May 15. He is
currently in custody in Ramsey County.
In addition to
the second-degree arson and second-degree burglary charges he faces in
connection to the mosque fire, he now also faces third-degree burglary charges.
Source: cbsnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/said-murekezi-accused-in-st-paul-mosque-fire-charged-with-breaking-windows-at-restaurant/
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Rambling call
about ‘9/11’ was threat to Charlotte mosque, Islamic Center leader says
MAY 24, 2023
A caller made a
reference to 9/11 and “terrorists” in what the Islamic Center of Charlotte this
week called a direct threat to the mosque. Tuesday’s call was similar to
threats the center has received on its voicemail “from time to time,” but the
center’s manager answered the call and told the person he was recording the
conversation, center spokesman Jibril Hough told The Charlotte Observer. The
caller rambled on incoherently despite being told of the recording, but he was
clear and direct in his threat against the center, Hough said. Hough released
an audio recording of the call to the Observer and other media outlets, along
with two South Carolina phone numbers that were apparently in on the call.
According to a short audio recording of part of the call, the person or people
on the end of the line make what sounds like sexual remarks or jokes. The audio
shared with the Observer is garbled, due to the sound quality of the call and
recording. At one point, the caller is heard saying “I’ll blow you harder than
9/11.” Hough says his staff was told by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police
Department officer taking a report this week that the call was “untraceable.”
The Observer, however, used public records available online to find the phone
numbers Hough recorded are associated with residents of Anderson and Inman —
both in the Greenville-Spartanburg area of Upstate South Carolina. And we were
able to speak to one of them — who ultimately apologized. MAN APOLOGIZES A man
who answered one of the numbers Wednesday told the Observer he was at work at
the time of the call and the number must be wrong. A man who answered the other
number said a 14-year-old family friend in his office “did something stupid” by
calling the Islamic Center. The man, who identified himself only by a first
name of “Dave,” said the call to the center “was inappropriate” but that he didn’t
believe the 14-year-old “made any type of threat.” The man soon texted the
Observer an apology related to what happened. “I do issue a sincere apology for
what was said,” the man texted. “I would like the center to know it was very
inappropriate and that it will be made known to any parties involved it
absolutely will never happen again.” Told of the man’s apology, Hough said: “If
he’s sincere, it’s well received.” WILL LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPOND? Still, Hough
said, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department needs to follow up by at
least visiting the caller’s address to show, just by an officer’s presence, how
seriously the department treats such calls. And the department should help
ensure the caller receives counseling, he said. “But our community doesn’t
think (such threats) are taken as seriously as they should be” by law
enforcement agencies, Hough said. “We deserve better than what we’re getting,”
Hough said about the response of law enforcement agencies to such calls. CMPD’s
public information office didn’t reply to a request for comment from the
Observer Wednesday. Hough said he will also notify the FBI of the call. “The
FBI takes reports of violence very seriously,” Shelley Lynch, spokeswoman for
the FBI Charlotte office said in an email. “We work closely with our law
enforcement partners to assess and respond to threats to keep our community
safe.” The FBI encourages the public to report crimes to tips.fbi.gov;
800-225-5324; or your local law enforcement agency, Lynch said.
Source: newsobserver.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article275739056.html
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Mideast
Al-Azhar
condemns ‘irresponsible and ignorant’ statements by French official against
Sunni Islam
24 May 2023
In a statement
on Wednesday, the world’s leading Sunni Islamic institution noted: “The
repetition of such irresponsible statements and similar ones by Western
officials, despite their clear negative impact on Muslim citizens in Western societies
as recognized by wise individuals in both the East and the West, reflects a
huge ignorance of Islam and a denial of its civilization in old and
contemporary history."
“It is also an
unjustified and deliberate provocation for the sensitivities of Muslims around
the world,” added Al-Azhar.
On Friday,
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin charged during an interview that
"Sunni terrorism is the most significant risk to France and Europe.”
Al-Azhar warned
that such statements “are part of a Western terrorism practiced by some Western
officials against the civilization of the East and the Civilization of Islam
which awakened Europe from the era of darkness and brutality.”
“Al-Azhar also cautions Muslims around the
world that these irresponsible statements fuel sectarian conflicts, sow discord
among followers of various Islamic schools of thought, and deepen division,
strife, and conflict in our Arab and Islamic world,” concluded the statement.
Source: english.ahram.org.eg
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/501601.aspx
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Permanent
Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue holds first meeting in Bahrain
Wed 24-05-2023
MANAMA, 24th
May, 2023 (WAM) -- The Permanent Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue
between the Vatican's Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Muslim
Council of Elders held its first meeting in the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss
ways of unifying joint efforts based on the role of religious leaders in facing
contemporary global challenges and promoting Islamic-Christian dialogue and
cooperation.
The statement
affirmed that the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi represents a civilised
model that preserves the uniqueness of each religion and promotes human
acquaintance based on the Quranic principle "To you, your religion; to me,
mine." It also emphasised that the Abrahamic Family House embodies a
practical application of the 2019 Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity which
was co-signed by Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of
the Muslim Council of Elders, and Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church
under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan. The Abrahamic Family House serves as a foundation for humanitarian
dialogue among people of different religions and a humanitarian basis for
coexistence and human fraternity.
The committee
also emphasised the importance of enhancing citizenship and abandoning the
exclusionary use of the terms “minority” and “majority”. It also commended the
Al-Azhar Declaration on Citizenship issued during the ‘Freedom and Citizenship:
Diversity and Integration’ conference held in Egypt between Al-Azhar and the Muslim
Council of Elders, as well as the principles stated in the Document on Human
Fraternity and the Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration for Peacful Coexistence.
The statement
also noted the importance of efforts by religious leaders in addressing the
negative impacts of climate change and the dangers it poses to the future of
humanity. It highlighted the role that interreligious and intercultural
dialogue can play in enhancing the involvement of religious leaders and
institutions in confronting climate change during the upcoming COP28
conference. It also expressed its support for the United Nations and the United
Arab Emirates in organising the COP28 conference to achieve effective solutions
to address the negative climate impacts that threaten the future and well-being
of humanity.
The statement
pointed to the need to prepare a future project that includes various
initiatives to enhance dialogue among people of different religions, with a
special focus on Islamic-Christian dialogue. Such peace initiatives can be
discussed and agreed upon at a later stage.
The Permanent
Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue expressed its utmost gratitude to His
Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, and His Royal
Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain for
hosting the committee's inaugural meeting and supporting its findings of
strengthening bridges of communication, promoting values of tolerance, mutual
respect, and coexistence. The committee also acknowledged the Kingdom of
Bahrain's role in promoting dialogue, human fraternity and coexistence.
The meeting was
attended by Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso, President of the Vatican’s Dicastery
for Interreligious Dialogue, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the
Muslim Council of Elders, Professor Dr. Abbas Shouman, former Deputy of
Al-Azhar, Al Sayyid Ali Al-Amine, member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Datuk
Senator Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, member of the Muslim Council of Elders,
member of the Malaysian Senate and Malaysia’s former Minister of Islamic
Affairs, Dr. Shaykh Abdulrahman Derar Al Shaer, member of the Supreme Council
for Islamic Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain representing Sheikh Abdulrahman
bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in
the Kingdom of Bahrain and member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Dr. Mohammad
Al-Sammak, Secretary-General of the National Committee for Christian-Muslim
Dialogue in Lebanon, Monsignor Khaled Akasheh, Secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery
for Interreligious Dialogue and Monsignor Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar of
Northern Arabia.
The Permanent
Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue was established under a joint
memorandum of understanding between the Abu Dhabi-based Muslim Council of Elders
and the Vatican's Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.
Source: wam.ae
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395303161774
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Al-Sunni
discusses political developments in Libya with his British counterpart
24/05/2023
Libya's
representative to the United Nations, Taher Al-Sunni, met Tuesday in New York
with his British counterpart, Barbara Woodward to discuss political
developments in Libya.
“We discussed
issues of mutual interest, especially the latest political developments in
Libya, and the UN efforts in facilitating discussions to reach consensus on the
legal frame work for national elections, in addition to the recent events in
Sudan and it’s impact on the region”, Al-Sunni tweeted.
Source: libyaobserver.ly
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/al-sunni-discusses-political-developments-libya-his-british-counterpart
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Arab World
Saudi
Astronauts, Rayyanah And Ali Al-Qarni, Share With Students Their Experience
Staying At The International Space Station
May 25, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni contacted a group of students in
Riyadh using amateur radio frequencies from the International Space Station.
The initiative
was coordinated with the Saudi Space Commission, the Ministry of Education and
the Communications, and the Communications, Space and Technology Commission. It
aims to engage students in science and inspire curiosity about space
technologies.
The students
interacted with Barnawi and Al-Qarni, with the two answering questions about
living in space and the daily routine at the International Space Station, and
sharing their feelings about their journey.
During their
stay in space, the astronauts aim to conduct 20 research projects. Among them
are 14 projects developed by Saudi scientists, covering areas such as human
physiology, cell biology and technology.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2309891/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia to
host antimicrobial resistance meeting in 2024, says health minister
May 24, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia is to host the fourth international ministerial conference on
antimicrobial resistance in November 2024.
The
announcement was made by Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel who said the
Kingdom would also be taking part in an event next year to promote awareness
about the issue as part of the UN Declaration on antimicrobial resistance.
Al-Jalajel
noted that the events would help contribute toward finding efficient and
sustainable solutions while increasing preparedness for threats to public
health at regional and international levels.
A Saudi
delegation headed by the minister is currently participating in the 76th
session of the World Health Assembly being held at the UN headquarters in
Geneva, Switzerland.
The conference,
titled “WHO at 75: Saving Lives, Driving Health for All,” runs until May 30.
Al-Jalajel
pointed out that the Kingdom was committed to working toward achieving the
principles included in the leaders’ statement delivered during the 2020 G20
Summit, which was chaired by Saudi Arabia and coincided with the start of the
coronavirus pandemic.
He added that
the principles included the need to find long-term solutions to address gaps in
global pandemic preparedness and response, as well as the subsequent
establishment of the Pandemic Fund and the Kingdom’s contribution to it.
“Today we
celebrate the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization and we reaffirm
our noble goals, our constant endeavors and our ongoing efforts to protect and
save lives, and our continued work to promote health for all,” he said.
Al-Jalajel
praised the efforts of the organization and its member states to amend
international health regulations, and the ongoing negotiations to draft a
pandemic treaty that would create additional legal tools to deal with future
pandemics and overcome some of the obstacles and challenges the world has faced
in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2309781/saudi-arabia
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AlUla’s Jabal
Ikmah receives world recognition, listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World
Register
May 24, 2023
ALULA, Saudi
Arabia: The efforts of the Royal Commission for AlUla to conserve the region’s
heritage have been acknowledged with the listing of Jabal Ikmah on UNESCO’s
Memory of the World Register.
The RCU has
been heavily investing in the study and conservation of sites such as Jabal
Ikmah — which has been described as an “open-air library” situated in the
world’s largest living museum — said a media statement on Wednesday.
Efforts to
enhance the world’s understanding of the site, while improving visitors’ access
in a sustainable way, have contributed to the public affirmation by UNESCO of
the magnitude and international significance of AlUla’s documentary heritage.
Jose Ignacio
Gallego Revilla, the commission’s archaeology and heritage research executive
director, said the significance of the site’s inscriptions transcended regional
boundaries to reach the level of global relevance, in particular as part of the
evolution of Old Arabic languages and dialects.
He said: “Their
authenticity and integrity, both for the information preserved about ancient
societies as well as the conservation of the site, bring together the
essentials that make this place unique for the Memory of the World as the
chronicle of a lost time through the largest number of inscriptions in an
ancient North Arabian script.”
The spectacular
mountain and its sandstone canyons feature 450 historically significant carved
inscriptions, most of which date from the second half of the first millennium
B.C.
The site
features the largest collection of inscriptions recording the ancient Dadanite
Kingdom’s religious rituals, daily activities, and relations with neighboring
peoples.
As a crossroads
on the incense and pilgrimage routes, the AlUla oasis was a hub of commercial
and cultural exchange. It hosted merchants of myrrh, frankincense, and other
precious commodities. This cultural richness propelled the growth of
settlements, including Dadan.
The Dadanite
Kingdom flourished and developed its own alphabet form of the South Semitic
writing system. The Dadanites then recorded their history through petroglyphs
carved into the sloping red and yellow sandstone rocks of AlUla.
The greatest
concentration of inscriptions is sheltered in the gorge of Jabal Ikmah, which
is characteristic of AlUla’s jagged landscape formed by tectonic movements that
date to the opening of the Red Sea 30 million years ago.
Many of Jabal
Ikmah’s inscriptions reflect a variety of subjects such as rituals, kings,
animals, and agriculture, key to the story of AlUla’s past.
Conservation of
such landmarks is central to RCU’s vision for the future of AlUla, which
emphasizes the region’s cultural heritage as both a beacon for tourism and a
springboard for innovation and economic benefits that raise the quality of life
for the community.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2309716/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia
restores diplomatic relations with Canada
May 24, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia’s foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that it is restoring
diplomatic relations with Canada.
The decision
comes after a discussion between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum in Bangkok in November last year.
The desire of
both sides to restore relations was based on mutual respect and common
interests, the ministry said.
The move seeks
to restore relations to how they were before a diplomatic rift, in which Riyadh
felt that Ottawa was interfering in the Kingdom’s internal affairs, damaged
ties between the nations in 2018.
The Canadian
foreign ministry said that Jean-Philippe Linteau would be the new ambassador to
the Kingdom. Linteau was most recently the consul general of Canada in Dubai.
The Saudi
foreign ministry statement did not mention who the Kingdom’s ambassador to
Ottawa would be.
The spat led to
Riyadh recalling its ambassador and expelling Ottawa’s envoy to the Kingdom.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia froze new investment in Canada, halted a scholarship
program to the North American country, and ended all flights to Canada by
national carrier Saudia.
Former Canadian
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that he was pleased to see the countries
restore diplomatic relations and congratulated Linteau on his appointment.
“The Kingdom is
a longtime regional partner, one with whom we share many interests,” Harper
tweeted.
Dennis Horak,
who was the Canadian ambassador expelled from Riyadh in 2018, said that the
Kingdom was an important regional player.
“I think having
full diplomatic relations with them allows us to have our voices heard at senior
levels, which in Saudi Arabia is what matters,” he told the CBC.
Horak also said
that the language of the Global Affairs Canada tweet that sparked the
diplomatic fallout was “harsher than I would have liked.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2309676/saudi-arabia
--------
Southeast
Asia
Japan home to a
growing Muslim presence as it embraces change
May 25, 2023
Japan is not
only a land of temples and shrines ... but also mosques. The latter is due to a
sharp rise in marriages between Muslims and Japanese citizens and Japanese
converts over two decades that has seen a seven-fold increase in the number of
mosques.
Hirofumi
Tanada, professor emeritus of sociology at Waseda University in Tokyo, reckons
that Japan is now home to more than 200,000 Muslims.
A study by
Tanada and his colleagues showed there were 113 mosques across Japan in March
2021, up from only 15 in 1999.
The figure is
based on government statistics, percentages of Muslims in the population by
country and membership figures of the Association for Islamic Studies in Japan.
Their study
showed that around 230,000 Muslims called Japan home as of the end of 2020.
Of that number,
Japanese nationals and those who had obtained permanent resident status through
marriage and other circumstances accounted for about 47,000, more than double
the estimate of 10,000 to 20,000 a decade earlier.
“Many of them
became Muslims through marriage,” Tanada said. “A growing number are also
likely joining the faith of their own volition.”
Mosques were
once a rare sight in Japan, but no longer.
The latest,
Masjid Istiqlal Osaka, opened in Osaka’s Nishinari Ward last year. It is housed
in a former factory building. The expenses for the renovation work were covered
mostly by donations from Indonesians. Indonesia boasts the world’s biggest
Muslim population.
Plenty of
Japanese use the mosque to pray, officials said.
“We hope to
make this mosque a place that all Muslims feel free to visit,” said Herizal
Adhardi, a 46-year-old Indonesian who heads the entity that operates Masjid
Istiqlal Osaka.
“We Japanese
were previously unfamiliar with Muslims,” said Hirofumi Okai, an associate
professor of sociology at Kyoto Sangyo University who studies Islamic culture.
“Now that they are our neighbors, we need to think about how to live with them
in this diversifying society.”
(This article
was written by Tetsuaki Otaki and Rikako Takai.)
Source: asahi.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14903765
--------
At Conference
Of Ulama, PM Anwar Says Putrajaya's 'Allah' Resolution Based On Consensus
By Syed Jaymal
Zahiid
Thursday, 25
May 2023
SHAH ALAM, May
25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today his government's
resolution to allow some flexibility for Borneon Christians to use the term
“Allah” in certain publications was based on a consensus reached by all
religious authorities, including state muftis.
Anwar was
responding to concerns about the politically-charged debacle at an
international conference attended by some of the world's prominent ulamas here,
where the prime minister took a few minutes to explain the government's
decision to withdraw the appeal against the court ruling that declared the Home
Ministry's ban for Christians in the eastern states to be illegal.
He suggested
the flexibility afforded to the Christians in the Eastern Malaysian states is
meant to foster peace, citing the decision by the Conference of Rulers and
Muftis made in 1986.
“I understand
the debate around the issue has dragged on but I must stress that (our
decision) had been referred to (several) muftis and they have decided, the
Conference of Malay Rulers had decided, so we decided we should follow so we
can have peace and avoid strife,” he said.
Each of the
country's 14 states has autonomy over Islamic affairs with its respective
Rulers as the supreme authority.
Over the
weekend, Anwar said insisting to appeal in the “Allah” court dispute with a
Sarawakian Christian would have been futile after a 1986 Cabinet and the
Conference of Rulers had decided that non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak could
use the word under certain conditions.
The Anwar-led
unity government has been on the defensive since the withdrawal was announced
last month, as the ultra-Malay Opposition coalition, led by PAS, has used the
issue to ramp up its attacks in an attempt to portray the current
administration as liberalists who are “anti-Islam” ahead of a crucial local
election in six states.
Three of the
states — Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan — are governed by Pakatan
Harapan, the political coalition Anwar leads.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/05/25/at-conference-of-ulamas-pm-anwar-says-putrajayas-allah-resolution-based-on-consensus/70912
---------
DAP’s Aziz Bari
slams Takiyuddin for making him a scapegoat in Jill Ireland’s case
By John Bunyan
Thursday, 25
May 2023
IPOH, May 25 ―
DAP’s Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Abdul Aziz Bari said that he did not represent
the Muslim or the Malay community when submitting the affidavit in the Jill
Ireland Lawrence Bill’s case as accused by Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
Abdul Aziz said
that he prepared and submitted the affidavit based on the Constitution’s
content after it was requested by Jill Ireland’s lawyer for his constitutional
view on the case.
“I want to
respond to a video of a press conference which has made me and a few friends of
mine as a black sheep in the Jill Ireland’s case.
“The decision
in the Jill Ireland’s case was made by the High Court, so I don’t know why I’m
being targeted by the PAS secretary-general (Takiyuddin),” he told a press
conference at the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here.
He also asked
why Takiyuddin did not criticise the High Court Judge’s decision in the Jill
Ireland’s case instead of targeting DAP, which he said is irrelevant in the
case.
“I gave the
affidavit based on my personal view and did not involve DAP,” he said.
Abdul Aziz, who
is known as a constitutional expert, said that his view in the Jill Ireland’s
case was in the context of right for the freedom of religion.
“I was made to
understand that the Bible possessed by Jill Ireland, which has the word “Allah”
was for her personal use and for the Christians in Sarawak and was not to
propagate Christianity.
“According to
the Constitution, we can’t refrain someone from practicing their religion. It
is their wish on how they want to address their God, who are we to tell them
how to call their God. That is the issue here,” he said.
Recently,
Takiyuddin accused Abdul Aziz of filing an affidavit, supposedly representing
the whole Malay community in Malaysia, to support the Jill Ireland Lawrence
Bill’s application.
Takiyuddin said
DAP Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan and Election Commission deputy director Azmi
Sharom also filed similar affidavits to support the Jill Ireland case.
“Many things
can be questioned in this affidavits, are all three individuals who filed this
affidavit supporting the Jill Ireland application superseded the State Islamic
Religious Council authorities?
“It was also
said that the application was submitted after considering the decree by Sultan
of Johor and Sultan of Selangor. Was this matter referred? These are things we
question on this case,” he was heard talking in an one minute video that went
viral in social media.
On May 15,
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government confirmed it had withdrawn
its appeal against the 2021 High Court ruling in favour of the Sarawakian
native, Jill Ireland.
The move put an
end to the 15-year-long legal saga that began when the government seized the
Sarawak Bumiputera’s eight educational CDs containing the word “Allah”, the Arabic
word for God, which were for her own use.
On May 18, Home
Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said that Putrajaya withdrawal of an
appeal in Jill Ireland’s case was meant to give the government time to “study”
a 1986 directive that banned Christians from using the term “Allah” alongside
three other words.
Saifuddin said
that the entire legal dispute was never about who gets the exclusive right to
use the word “Allah”, an Arabic term for “God” used widely by Christians in
other countries including the Middle East.
Instead, the
legal battle was centred on what he described as the contradictory directive
issued by the Cabinet and Home Ministry respectively in May and December 1986.
On May 23,
Anwar pledged that the government will amend and revoke all laws that are in
conflict with a Rulers Council's decision that the word “Allah” can only be
used by Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia, and with restrictions for non-Muslims
in Sabah and Sarawak.
Anwar said this
was to ensure that the issue may no longer be contested in any courts, after
the 2021 landmark decision in the Jill Ireland case where Kuala Lumpur High
Court judge Nor Bee Ariffin ruled the government had erred in issuing the 1986
ban on the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims.
Anwar also
announced that the government will present a proposal to the Conference of
Rulers in July on the usage of “Allah” for non-Muslims in the country.
Previously,
Anwar said that persisting with the appeal in the “Allah” court dispute with a
Sarawakian Christian would have been futile after a 1986 Cabinet and the
Conference of Rulers had decided that non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak could
use the word under certain conditions.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/05/25/daps-aziz-bari-slams-takiyuddin-for-making-him-a-scapegoat-in-jill-irelands-case/70884
---------
Sultan Ibrahim:
Assess carefully implications of decision relating to ‘Allah’ issue
24-05- 2023
JOHOR BAHRU: Sultan
of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar today said that the federal
government should carefully assess the implications of its recent decision to
withdraw the appeal in the court case relating to the use of the word ‘Allah’.
In a statement
posted on His Majesty’s Facebook page today, Sultan Ibrahim said this is
because the decision was closely related to issues within the boundaries of
Islam and the sentiments of Muslims in the country.
“The
regulation, control, enforcement and standardisation relating to the word of
‘Allah’ needs to be detailed without jeopardising the fatwa (edict) and state
enactments so that harmony and unity in our multi-racial society are
maintained.
“I remain of
the opinion that the publication, printing, broadcasting and distribution of
any material that misleads the people, especially Muslims, will not be allowed
in Johor in line with the position of Islam in the Johor State Constitution
1895.
“In Johor, the
fatwa gazetted on June 4, 2009, clearly stated that the use of the word ‘Allah’
by non-Muslims is not required, not permitted but prohibited and forbidden,”
His Majesty said.
Apart from
that, Sultan Ibrahim said Johor also has the Control and Restriction of the
Propagation of Non-Islamic Religious Enactment 1991 which prohibits the use of
words that are reserved exclusively for Muslims and cannot be used by
non-Muslims except in circumstances permitted by law, such as in the Johor
state anthem. – Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/sultan-ibrahim-assess-carefully-implications-of-decision-relating-to-allah-issue-KB11019560
---------
South Aisa
No
Discrimination Allowed in the Islamic System: Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
2023-05-24
KABUL (BNA) The
Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan, Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi, met with several Shia elders,
influential figures, and scholars, his office said in a statement Wednesday.
In the meeting,
Deputy PM Hanafi said that there is no ethnic and zonal discrimination in the
Islamic system and unity and sympathy between the followers of the religions
and sects of the Afghan nation is unique in our homeland and the enemies of the
Afghan nation are striving to create gaps among the Afghan nation through
fueling insecurity, but the officials of the Islamic Emirate with the help of
Allah Almighty and the cooperation of the nation will not allow anyone to do
such things in the future, according to the statement.
Meanwhile,
Mohammad Akbari spoke on behalf of others and said that the elders, influential
figures, and scholars of Shia we a gd partners with the previous government,
and now, they are ready with complete determination and honesty to cooperate
with the IEA on any ground, the statement added.
“The Shiite
people have been treated well and provided with trade facilities and complete
security in the country,” the statement quoted Akbari as saying, adding that he
has shared the IEA’s achievements and good interaction with Afghans, in a
conference which had been held outside the country.
In the end,
Deputy PM Hanafi said that Afghanistan is a joint home for every Afghan and the
IEA is making efforts to identify and address all challenges facing Afghans, as
well as asked Shia scholars and elders to cooperate with Islamic Emirate
officials to provide better security and play their positive role in the
development of the country.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://bakhtarnews.af/en/no-discrimination-allowed-in-the-islamic-system-hanafi/
--------
Bangladesh
PMSheikh HasinaSays Next National Polls Will Be Free, Fair Under Her Govt
25 May 2023
DOHA, (QATAR),
May 24, 2023 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the next general
election in Bangladesh will be held in a free and fair manner upholding
democracy and voting rights of the people.
"So, under
our government, definitely election will be free and fair," she told a
session titled "In conversation with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina" at
the Qatar Economic Forum (QEF) at the Raffles Hotel here.
Haslinda Amin,
host and Editor at-large of QEF anchored the session in a jam-packed audience
hall room at the venue.
Sheikh Hasina
said, "So, I'm here to ensure our people's voting right?"
"People
should decide who will run the country. It is people's power. So, I want to
ensure people's power," she said.
She continued:
"I'm here for not grabbing power, rather I want to empower the people to
have their right so they can choose their government."
Mentioning
about some parties' unwillingness to participate in polls, the premier said:
"How they can participate because during their time, the country suffered
a lot... "Our people suffered and at that time (during the regime of BNP)
the terror activities increased, everywhere there was corruption, nepotism,
exploitation. They never bother for people."
"It was
very difficult for our people to get one meal in a day. That was their
situation," she added.
Sheikh Hasina,
also the President of Awami League, said that when her party came back to
power, they ensured everything for people. "So, now election, it is
people's right. . . ."
"Now,
people understand. If they vote for us, I will be here...," she said.
The premier
said "Just think about the US president election, Mr. Trump still didn't
accept the result. What they can say now?"
She said that
they've already asked everybody, whoever wants to send (observers) - "If
they want to send observer, they can do it."
"So, I can
tell you that I am here to ensure my people's democratic rights, voting rights.
And it is our struggle," she added.
Without
mentioning the name of BNP, the Prime Minister told Haslinda Amin, in replying
to her query, that the party was constituted by a military ruler.
"That
party or the war criminal party or the killers of our parents may not feel
comfortable. . . but, other people, many other parties are there and they will
participate in the election?"
"So I
don't understand why there is this question time and again," she added.
In 1975, when
her father was assassinated, the military dictator took all power, she said,
adding that they jeopardized all electronic process.
Sheikh Hasina
said in 1981 her party - Bangladesh Awami League - elected her as the president
of the party in her absence and "since then we started struggling for
democracy, for people's voting right, that means where they should have right
to exercise their adult franchise."
Replying to
another query regarding IMF loan, the Prime Minister said that Bangladesh's
economy is growing smoothly.
"It's not
that our economy is suffering. . . it is only because we want that just to give
a cushion to our economy," she said.
Sheikh Hasina
said IMF only gives loan to the country which can repay their bill.
"They
(IMF) first think that whom they're giving loan, whether they can pay it back
or not. . ," she said, adding that Bangladesh is in a position that it has
the ability to repay the loan.
Regarding the
price hike of energy and power, the premier said that the price hike is
affecting every country, not only Bangladesh. "We are looking for
alternatives like renewable energy, solar panel and others to continue our
progress."
Haslinda Amin said
countries like India have been seeking oil from Russia at a much cheaper price.
She questioned if Russia is a possible supplier for them.
Replying to
her, Sheikh Hasina said, "From Russia, we never bought oil. . . wherever
it is available and definitely, we will avail that, why not?"
In this regard,
she said, "Our foreign policy is very clear. I just want to tell the
audience that Bangladesh follows - friendship to all, malice to none."
"Another
thing I should mention that country to country may have conflict, but we never
poke our nose to that. We'll never play a partisan role," she said.
"We need
to develop our country. We need to fulfill our people's demand. We need to
develop the country so that our people get a better life, a developed
life," she added.
Source: bssnews.net
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.bssnews.net/news/pm/127175
--------
‘Taliban Have
to Earn Legitimacy’ for Intl Recognition: Miller
25-05-23
The US
Department of State’s spokesman Matthew Miller said that Washington understands
that the “Taliban continues to seek international recognition, but to get
international recognition they have to earn legitimacy.”
Miller made the
remarks at a press conference in Washington D.C.
“So I will say
with respect to tensions between Iran and Afghanistan, I don’t have any
specific comment other than that, obviously, we would be concerned about any
increased tensions in the region. With respect to the Taliban, I will just
reiterate what we have said for some time and that we encourage the Taliban to
stop its crackdown on human rights, to stop its repression of women,” he said.
“We understand that the Taliban continues to seek international recognition,
but to get international recognition they have to earn legitimacy. And that is
very difficult to achieve as long as they continue to suppress their own
people, and especially as they continue these horrific attacks on women inside
the country.”
But the Islamic
Emirate downplayed the US’s concerns about the human rights situation in
Afghanistan, saying that human rights are preserved even better than
before.
“The Islamic
Emirate wants good relations with all of the countries and wants official
relations with the countries but on condition that our national interests are
not violated for these relations,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the
Islamic Emirate.
To consider the
recognition of the Islamic Emirate, the international community, including the
US, made the formation of an inclusive government and upholding human rights as
preconditions.
“The formation
of an inclusive government, ensuring of freedom of speech and the rights of
minorities and rights of women are part of the international norms that need to
acknowledged,” said Sayed Noorullah Raghi, an international relations
analyst.
“The people of
Afghanistan at least see themselves in the government and the women should not
be eliminated completely from the full presence of women,” said Sayed Jawad
Sijadi, a university instructor.
The Islamic
Emirate came to power nearly two years ago, but its government has yet to be
recognized by world country.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183502
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President, PM
pay tributes to poet Nazrul on birth anniversary
24 May 2023
DHAKA, May 24,
2023 (BSS) - President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
today paid rich tributes to the memories of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on
his 124th birth anniversary to be observed tomorrow.
In separate
messages, they prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of the poet.
In his message,
President Mohammed Shahabuddin said: "On the occasion of the 124th birth
anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, I remember this short-lived
poet with utmost respect."
The head of the
state said the poet's fiery writings speak out for the rights of the exploited
and deprived people and teach them to protest against injustice.
The songs and
poems of the poet had greatly inspired the freedom-loving people during the War
of Liberation, Shahabuddin said.
From his
writings, people have been inspired in every democratic movement including
anti-British movement, language movement, mass upsurge of 1969 and the Liberation
War, he added.
The president
hoped that the new generation will be able to enrich themselves by following
the lifestyle of Nazrul and devote themselves to build a happy-prosperous
Bangladesh with patriotism, honesty and devotion.
"I pray
for the eternal peace of the departed soul of this poet," he continued.
Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Poet Nazrul has enriched the literature,
music and culture of the country through his writings.
She said Nazrul
was the first Bengali poet who demanded complete independence of India from
British rule.
In his literary
works, the message of struggle against subjugation, communalism and imperialism
has been uttered, the premier said, adding that possessing an extraordinary and
versatile talent, Nazrul was a symbol of secularism and nationalism.
The greatest
Bangalee of all time, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman was devoted to poet Nazrul, she said.
In the
post-independence period, the poet was brought from Kolkata to Bangladesh with
the honor of National Poet as per the desire of Bangabandhu, she added.
"Poet
Nazrul dreamt of establishing a non-communal, discrimination-free,
exploitation-free and peaceful society and we find that reflection in the
struggle and actions of the father of the nation," the premier said.
She believed
Nazrul's work will play a role in building a non-communal, non-discrimination,
peaceful, happy-prosperous and modern Bangladesh by removing all evil obstacles
from the people's mindset.
She thought poet
Nazrul's struggling life and his immortal works will be a source of endless
inspiration for the Bangalee nation.
The president
and the premier wished the overall success of all the programmes taken on the
occasion of the birth anniversary of the national poet.
Source: bssnews.net
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.bssnews.net/news/127192
--------
EU Delivers 100
Tons Of Medical Supplies To Afghanistan
May 24, 2023
Raffaella
Lodice, the deputy political representative of the European Union for
Afghanistan, tweeted on Wednesday that nearly 100 tons of medicine and medical
supplies were delivered to Kabul, Afghanistan.
“Close to 100
tons of medicines and medical items safely arrived in Afghanistan via the EU’s
humanitarian Air Bride,” Lodice tweeted.
She also
emphasized that the EU is committed to stand by the people of Afghanistan.
“These cargo
flights are a truly visible example of our humanitarian assistance to the
country. The EU continued to stand by the people of Afghanistan,” she added.
This is the
28th air bridge humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan since the
Taliban took control of Power in August 2021.
Meanwhile, the
European Union said, “With this 28th air bridge operation from Afghanistan
since 2021, we reconfirm our commitment to helping Afghans in need.”
These medical
supplies come at a critical time when most people need life-saving medicine and
medical equipment amid a dire humanitarian crisis in the country.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/eu-delivers-100-tons-of-medical-supplies-to-afghanistan/
-------
Afghanistan
document shows Biden ‘didn’t heed’ warnings ahead of withdrawal, Rep. McCaul
says
May 24, 2023
President
Biden's administration failed to heed certain warnings from U.S. officials on
the ground in Afghanistan prior to the president's withdrawal operation in
2021, a top House Republican says.
House Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, viewed a State Department
document detailing the concerns diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had at
the time of the withdrawal. McCaul worked for months to access the document,
known as a dissent cable, through subpoenas and a threat of contempt charges
before viewing the document himself on Tuesday.
"The
dissenters were absolutely right about everything they said, and it was a
warning to the administration about what was going to happen and what they
needed to do," McCaul told Punchbowl News in an interview, adding that the
dissenters "deserve a medal."
"Unfortunately,
the administration didn’t heed all their warnings and we got what we got,"
he added.
McCaul viewed a
version of the document that had the names of the dissenters redacted. Only he
and Rep. Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., the ranking member of the committee, were
permitted to view the document.
Meeks argued
the document revealed no new information, however, it "puts to rest this
whole thing about having a subpoena and the president is hiding something or
whatever it is."
Secretary of
State Antony Blinken had for months stonewalled McCaul's attempts to access the
document, ignoring multiple subpoena deadlines and offering half measures such
as a briefing on the document's content rather than a look at the document
itself.
McCaul did not
make any progress until earlier in May when he threatened to hold Blinken in
contempt of Congress for blocking access. Even so, only he and Meeks were
allowed to view the document Tuesday, despite McCaul's wish for every member of
the Foreign Affairs Committee to gain access.
It is unclear
whether McCaul will continue to push for other members' access after viewing
the document itself. McCaul had initially threatened to go into the criminal
contempt process on Wednesday. His office clarified that next steps have yet to
be set in stone.
"I am
thankful to Secretary Blinken for allowing myself and Ranking Member Meeks to
view the dissent channel cable – an unprecedented occurrence. However, every
member on our committee should be granted this same access," he said in a
Wednesday statement. "Although I cannot discuss the classified information
in the cable, I can say the dissenters were right – and the administration
should have listened. I am going to speak with Ranking Member Meeks and my
Republican and Democrat colleagues on the committee to discuss our next course
of action if the State Department continues to block all committee members from
seeing this cable as the subpoena requested."
Source: foxnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/afghanistan-document-shows-biden-didnt-heed-warnings-withdrawal-rep-mccaul-says
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Africa
“I Have
Forgiven President Muhammadu Buhari” – Ortom Declares, Urges Others to Do the
Same
May 24, 2023
Governor Samuel
Ortom of Benue State has announced that he has forgiven President Muhammadu
Buhari for the criticisms directed at his administration.
POLITICS
NIGERIA reports that the governor made this declaration during an interview on
Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’.
Ortom expressed
his displeasure with the presidency’s attempts to blame his government for the
ongoing violence in the state. He dismissed these efforts as futile attempts to
distort the truth and manipulate history.
It is worth
noting that President Buhari had earlier apologised to Nigerians who were
dissatisfied with his administration and called for their forgiveness.
Governor Ortom,
citing the teachings of the Christian Holy Book, stated that he has chosen to
forgive President Buhari.
He emphasised
the importance of forgiveness, as failing to forgive would mean that God would
not forgive as well. The governor, a devout Christian, affirmed his decision to
extend forgiveness to the President.
He said, “When
you don’t forgive, it means God too will not forgive. Me, as a student of the
Bible and as a born-again Christian, I have forgiven President Muhammadu
Buhari.”
Furthermore,
Governor Ortom expressed optimism regarding the incoming administration led by
President-elect Bola Tinubu.
He expressed
hope for improved performance, urging the new administration to prioritise the
well-being of the people and provide support, security, economic development,
and peace.
While sharing
his thoughts, Governor Ortom advised President Buhari not to leave Nigeria but
instead remain in the country to collaborate with the Tinubu administration.
He believed
that by working together, they could uplift both the state and the nation from
their current challenges to greater heights.
“He doesn’t
need to go to the Niger Republic. He should stay here (in Nigeria) with us. All
of us should work with the incoming administration, and by the grace of God, we
shall go from bottom to top,” Governor Ortom emphasised.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
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Presidential
inauguration: No cows will ”loiter”
streets of Abuja – Miyetti Allah pledges
May 24, 2023
By Abigael
Joshua
The Miyetti
Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the FCT has promised
that no cow will be seen loitering the streets of Abuja, during the
Presidential inauguration on May 29.
This is
contained in a statement issued by Mrs Janet Peni, the Abuja Environmental
Protection Board (AEPB) Deputy Director information on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Chairman of
MACBAN, FCT chapter, Alhaji Usman Muhammad said “we will help to ensure that no
cow is seen loitering the citycentre before the big day.
“It is our
culture to receive a visitor in a very clean and tidy environment and in this
case, the in-coming Government is the visitor.
“We promise to clear
and clean the city for a government that we elected,”.
Muhammad said
the meeting is not only timely but it is strategic because it provided the
opportunity for their concerns to be brought to the attention of the FCT
Minister Malam Muhammad Bello.
He recalled
that they held a meeting with the FCT Minister and some investors from Dubai,
that showed interest on investing in improved cattle rearing in the FCT for
greater profit.
According to
him, this portends potential for generating revenues for both the FCT
Administration and the local cattle rearers and also to introduce herders to
modern methods of cattle rearing.
He expressed
optimism to get a feedback from the FCT Administration on the way forward.
The chairman
appealed to the incoming government to come to their aid, as cattle rustling
remains a big threat, stating that over 300 cows were stolen from his blood
brother recently.
Also speaking,
Alhaji Adamu Rabo, chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) branch
of the association promised to immediately take the message to every herder in
his domain on the need to cooperate with the Government to ensure that the
inauguration is peacefully and successfully done, in a tidy and neat
environment.
He assured that
a message would be convened to herders not to allow their cows graze on the
streets of FCT.
Rabo appealed
to the FCT minister to urgently provide grazing areas to herders in the FCT
where they can immediately relocate their cows to, for a lasting solution.
In his opening
remarks, Director AEPB, Mr Osi Braimah, stated that the meeting was meant to
rob minds with leaders of Miyetti Allah cattle breeders association, FCT
Chapter on finding a lasting solution to the intractable problem of cattle
grazing in the FCT.
“As we all know
that cattle grazing in the FCT is against the law, and in a bid to resolve the
problem, quarterly meetings are held to address the matter.
“It is more
pressing now, because soonest the entire world will be focused on not just
Nigeria, but on Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, the venue of the inauguration of
Nigeria’s President-elect.
“The
inauguration which will host over 47 Presidents and heads of states and other
important dignitaries across the globe, hence the need to keep the city very
clean and to ensure that no cow is seen grazing in the FCT and its environs,”
Braimah noted.
He said that
they have all arrived at a resolution and gotten the assurances of both the
chairman of the FCT chapter and the chairman of AMAC branch of the association
not to loiter the FCT with cows.
He also warned
that any herder seen flouting the law would be arrested with their cattle by a
combined team of AEPB enforcement officers and law enforcement agencies like
the Police and the rest, already on ground.
The AEPB
director revealed that AEPB is doing its best to keep the city very clean in
preparation for the inauguration and beyond, keeping to the very high standards
it has set for itself and justifying the tremendous support given to it by the
FCT Minister. (NAN)
Source: newsdiaryonline.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://newsdiaryonline.com/presidential-inauguration-no-cows-will-loiter-streets-of-abuja-miyetti-allah-pledges/
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Muslim-Muslim
Ticket: APC asked to pick Christian Senate president from South
MAY 24, 2023
The
senator-elect for Lagos Central, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, has advised the APC
leadership to balance the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the executive arm of the
incoming administration with a Christian as Senate president from the
South-South or South-East.
Mr
Eshinlokun-Sanni, currently the deputy speaker of the Lagos assembly, made the
call during an award presentation ceremony held in his office at the assembly
complex, Lagos.
Mr
Eshinlokun-Sanni said the APC leadership should also consider the three Senate
presidential aspirants based on their contributions to the party’s electoral
success in the last election.
“For the 10th
Assembly, I believe the party should play a prominent role. There are so many
factors that must be considered,” said the senator-elect. “He or she (running
for the Senate president) must come from the South and be a Christian so that
the noise about Muslim-Muslim tickets must be nipped in the bud.”
According to
him, senators Godswill Akpabio, Orji Uzor Kalu and Osita Izunazo are most
qualified for the position.
“So we have to
consider the aspirants based on the contributions of each region to the
electoral success of the party in the last election,” Mr Eshinlokun-Sanni
explained.
Source: gazettengr.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://gazettengr.com/muslim-muslim-ticket-apc-asked-to-pick-christian-senate-president-from-south/
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Buhari
appointing me, others as minister of state unconstitutional: Keyamo
MAY 24, 2023
A HEART FULL OF
UNQUANTIFIABLE GRATITUDE TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR, AND
RECOMMENDATION TO ADDRESS THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONUNDRUM OF “MINISTER OF STATE”
BEING
VALEDICTORY SPEECH BY FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN AS MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND
EMPLOYMENT AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, PRESIDENTIAL VILLA, ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 24,
2023.
Mr. President,
you first appointed me as Minister of State in the Ministry Niger Delta Affairs
in August, 2019 and you later redeployed me as Minister of State in the
Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Today, I cannot
find the words to express the depth of my gratitude to you for finding me
worthy, out of over two hundred million Nigerians, to be nominated and
subsequently appointed to serve as a Minister of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. My curriculum vitae has been greatly enhanced – forever.
From my very
humble beginnings in a small dusty town in Delta State where I was born and
raised by my struggling parents, all the way to the Council Chambers at the
Presidential Villa where I had the honour and privilege to participate weekly
in decision-making for my country in the last four years, it has been like a
fairy tale. I give God all the glory.
What I am about
to say, therefore, is not and should not be construed as an indication of
ingratitude. Far from it. What I am about to say is just my own little
contribution to our constitutional development as a relatively young democracy
and to aid future governments to optimize the performance of those they appoint
as Ministers.
Mr. President,
the concept or designation of “Minister of State” is a constitutional
aberration and is practically not working for many so appointed. Successive
governments have come and gone and many who were appointed as Ministers of
State have not spoken out at a forum such as this because of the risk of
sounding ungrateful to the Presidents who appointed them. However, like I said
earlier, this is not ingratitude.
As a private
citizen, I am on record to have gone to court a number of times to challenge
unconstitutional acts of governments for the sake of advancing our
constitutional democracy, so it will be out of character for me to have gone
through government and be carried away by the pomp of public office and forget
my role as a member of the Inner Bar and my self-imposed role over the years as
a crusader for democracy and constitutionalism.
Mr. President,
I crave your indulgence to explain this constitutional conundrum of “Minister
of State”. Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria (as amended), deal with the appointments and
responsibilities of Ministers of the Federation. The said sections state as
follows:
Section 147
“(1) There shall
be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be
established by the President.
(2) Any
appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation
shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the
Senate, be made by the President.
(3) Any
appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in
conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:- provided
that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint
at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.”
Section 148
“(1) The
President may, in his discretion, assign to the Vice-President or any Minister
of the Government of the Federation responsibility for any business of the
Government of the Federation, including the administration of any department of
government.”
Furthermore,
the 7th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution provides for the Oath of Office to
which each Minister must subscribe. There are no different Oaths for “Minister”
and “Ministers of State”. They all take the same Oath of Office.
In addition to
the above, the Ministers-designate appear before the Senate and are grilled and
cleared AS MINISTERS, not as Ministers in some instances and Ministers of State
in some other instances. It is at the point of assignment of portfolios that
successive Presidents then reclassified some as “Ministers of State”.
Some may want
to justify this by saying the President is given the discretion by the Constitution
to assign whatever responsibility(ies) he likes to Ministers. Yes, I concede
Mr. President can do that, but not by a designation different from that
prescribed by the Constitution. Simply put, it is akin to the President
assigning responsibilities to the office of the Vice-President and
re-designating that office as “Deputy President” under our present
Constitution. That is clearly impossible. Why then should that of the Ministers
be different?
What is more,
Ministers are appointed pursuant to Section 147(3) of the 1999 Constitution to
represent each State of the Federation. Therefore, Ministers sit in Cabinet as
the eye of Mr. President in each State of the Federation. It is therefore
against the intendment of the drafters of our Constitution for a representative
of a State to be reclassified as against another representative of another
State.
The Schedules
of Duties of Ministers and Ministers of State that intend to cure some of these
anomalies hardly help the issues. Firstly, the Schedules of Duties are observed
more in breach by the Permanent Secretaries and Directors who really cannot be
expected to serve two masters. And in any case, many of the roles of both
Ministers are so ambiguous that the bureaucrats would always interpret them to
satisfy the ones they see as the “Senior Ministers” or “main Ministers” for
fear of being persecuted by them.
Secondly, parts
of the Schedules of Duties seem to suggest that the Ministers can delegate
functions to the Ministers of State. This is a constitutional impossibility. It
is only Mr. President that can delegate Presidential powers as one cannot
delegate what he does not have (delegatus non potest delegare). In any case,
how can someone who took the same Oath of Office with another delegate
functions to that other?
Thirdly, the
Schedules of Duties leave so many gaping holes that bring conflicts between the
Ministers and Ministers of State. In addition, the provision that “Ministers of
State” cannot present Memos in Council, except with the permission of the
Minister, is another anomaly. It means the discretion of the Minister of State
is subsumed in the discretion of the Minister, yet both of them represent
different States in Cabinet.
It also follows
that it would be difficult to assess the individual performances of the
Ministers of State since their discretion is shackled under the discretion of
the Ministers. Original ideas developed by a Minister of State are subject to
clearance by another colleague in Cabinet before they can sail through for
consideration by Council. The drafters of our Constitution obviously did not
intend this.
As a result,
many Ministers of State are largely redundant, with many going to the office
for symbolic purpose and just to while away the time. Files are passed to them
to treat only at the discretion of the other Minister and the Permanent
Secretary. Yet, the Ministers of State will receive either praise or
condemnation for the successes or failures of such Ministries.
I understand
that when this practice first surfaced in the First Republic, it was used as a
contraption to give a semblance of “Government of National Unity”, when in
actual fact no “real power” was ceded to the opposition members co-opted into
government who were mostly designated as the Ministers of State, so as to keep
them in check under the leadership of the ruling Party’s Ministers. But, over
time the custom has come to stay and now it has been established as a norm,
even regarding Ministers from the same ruling Party. In fact, one political
absurdity that has emerged from this is that some Ministers of State won more
votes from their States for the party in power than the “main Minister”.
THE WAY FORWARD
Many
Ministerial Retreats have been held to try and resolve the issues between
Ministers and Ministers of State. President Obasanjo held four of such
Retreats, with the last one holding at the National Institute for Policy and
Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, from 23rd to 25th February, 2001. Yet,
the problems persisted.
Mr. President,
unknown to many successive Presidents and the general public, these conflicts
gravely affect the optimal performance of Governments. What is the way forward?
Obviously, the
argument that two Ministers are cramped into some Ministries in order not to
unnecessarily proliferate Ministries and therefore save Government’s money is
no longer tenable. This is because Government does not need any extra
infrastructure or more money to maintain all Senior 36 Ministers or even a bit
more appointed as is now the custom. This is because the present Ministers and
Ministers of State have their separate offices, cars, security personnel and
personal aides. So, what is the point?
There are
enough Permanent Secretaries within the system to be assigned to each Minister,
or in the least, one Permanent Secretary can serve two Ministers. Since the
Schedules of Duties of both Ministers already reflect the broad Mandates of the
Ministries, the Ministers can be named in line with those Schedules of Duties,
instead of continuing with this unconstitutional arrangement. For instance,
there is no reason why we cannot have a Minister of Labour and another Minister
of Employment.
In my case,
whilst the Schedule of my colleague had to do more with Labour and
Productivity, mine had to do more with Employment. The Directorates in my
Ministry that were under my office would then be fully under the Minister of
Employment, without any double loyalty to the Minister of Labour and
Productivity.
We can also
have a Minister of Trade and another Minister of Investment. We can have a
Minister of Education (Tertiary) and another Minister of Education (Primary and
Secondary); we can have a Minister of Mines and another Minister of Steel; we
can have a Minister of Works and another Minister of Housing and so on and so
forth.
In all of
these, no extra infrastructure is needed to sustain this suggested arrangement.
The present infrastructure and present personnel in the Ministries can very
well sustain it. It will be at no extra cost to government. This is preferable
than successive governments continuing with this present unconstitutional
arrangement.
Finally, I want
to place it on record again that Mr. Present gave me maximum support as his
Minister to function optimally. So, this treatise is not a personal complaint.
This is just a respectful recommendation for record purposes and for the sake
of posterity. It is also intended to correct an anomaly that has existed for
ages.
Source: gazettengr.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://gazettengr.com/buhari-appointing-me-others-as-minister-of-state-unconstitutional-keyamo/
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/saffron-muslim-women-hindu-kafirs/d/129851