Why Quranic Principles Advocate Secular Democracy Over Theocracy? Part 1

By V.A. Mohamad Ashrof, New Age Islam 18 March 2025 The question of governance in Muslim-majority societies has been a subject of intense debate. While some argue that Islamic values inherently support theocratic rule, a closer examination of Quranic principles reveals a preference for secular democracy. The Quran's emphasis on justice, consultation (shura), human dignity, religious freedom, and individual self-determination aligns more closely with secular democracy than authoritarian theocracy. This essay explores the Quranic framework for governance, demonstrating why secular democracy is the most suitable model for ensuring justice, equality, and social harmony. 1. The Quranic Concept of Justice (ʿAdl) The Quran repeatedly emphasizes the importance of justice (ʿadl) as a fundamental...

Upgrading The Scope Of Hadith To Help Recapture Their Role In The Early Centuries Of Islam Through Its Golden Age

By Muhammad Yunus, New Age Islam (Co-author (Jointly with Ashfaque Ullah Syed), Essential Message of Islam, Amana Publications, USA, 2009) 18 March 2025 This is further to my enlightening review with the global IA resource – Chat.gpt with regard to my views on updating the scope of Hadith Corpus – a task that remains outstanding since the closing of the compilation of the Hadith around the 4th century of Islam. With this I embark on this very challenging exercise: Chat.gpt made the following observations on my detailed submission as noted in NAI article dated March 15, 2025. Also Read: Yunus Asked ChatGPT: Can You Give Objective And Critical Comment To My Submission To The Muslims Appearing In The Afterword, 1.3 Of My Publication ‘Essential Message Of Islam’ “Your Argument: Acknowledges...

The Politics behind the Deification of Shivaji

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 18 March 2025 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Temple at Maradepada in Thane's Bhiwandi on Monday, March 17. The inauguration was held on the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti, according to the Hindu calendar. The deification process of Shivaji is complete with his temple. The pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses was already chock-a-block with countless deities and sub-deities. So, the addition of one more deity is welcome. To quote Mirza Ghalib, "Kyon na firdaus ko dozakh se mila dein ya Rab/ Sair ke vaaste thodi-si fiza aur sahi” (Why shouldn't the paradise be added to the hell? There'll be further space and scope for the entertainment and enjoyment). But on a serious note, Shivaji's elevation...

Pir Muhammad Munis: The Pen That Fought for India’s Freedom

By Syed Amjad Hussain, New Age Islam 15 March 2025 Pir Muhammad Munis, a journalist and activist, exposed British atrocities in Champaran, brought Gandhiji to the struggle, and championed Hindi journalism, farmers' rights, and social justice, leaving a lasting impact on India's freedom movement. Main points: 1. Munis, a journalist and teacher, wrote in Hindi to expose British oppression in Champaran. His writings in Pratap highlighted farmers' struggles, leading to his dismissal from teaching. 2. British planters forced farmers into the tinkathia system, growing indigo under harsh conditions. Munis documented their suffering and mobilised support against this exploitation. 3. Munis and Raj Kumar Shukla convinced Gandhiji to visit Champaran in 1917, initiating the Satyagraha that led...

Islamic Scholars Should Discard The Traditional Theology Of War And Conflict, And Evolve A New Theology Of Peace, Pluralism And Gender Justice: Editor Sultan Shahin Tells UNHRC’s 58th Session In Geneva

By Sultan Shahin, Founder-Editor, New Age Islam 17 March 2025 Text of the Oral Statement by Sultan Shahin (Full name as in Passport Syed Sultan Ahmad Jilani) at 58th session of the Human Rights Council, 24 February2025 to April 4, 2025 Agenda Item 3: Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Including the Right to Development (General Debate) NGO: Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum (AEHRF) Mr. President, It’s a matter of great concern that even after almost two and a half decades of 9/11, the UN agencies and its experts have to still debate the threat posed by violent Islamist extremism leading to terrorism. In the discussion focused on the 20th biannual report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL or Da’esh, Sierra Leone’s delegate pointed out 14,000 fatalities...

Al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, Omniscience, and Free Will in A Pan-psychic Universe

By T.O. Shanavas, New Age Islam 17 March 2025 Traditional exegesis of al-Lawh al-Mahfuz (the Preserved Tablet) often implies absolute determinism, which appears to negate human free will. It also seems to conflict with Qur’anic verses that affirm human responsibility and moral choice. To highlight the point the Qur‘an states: And say [Muhammad], ‘The truth is from your Lord; so whoever wills, let him believe; and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.’ (Qur’an 18:29) These verses suggest that belief is a personal choice, free from coercion. Similarly, Qur’an 13:11 reinforces the idea that individuals and societies have a role in shaping their own circumstances: …Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves… (Qur’an 13:11) On the other...

Struggle of Indian Muslims in a Majoritarian Democracy

By Syed Ali Mujtaba, New Age Islam 17 March 2025 Whenever the secular forces become weak, the communal forces take over the society, making use of religion to capture political power. The majority group uses its religious index to create ‘us’ vs ‘they’ elixir and make the minority the enemy of the majority to consolidate its vote bank. This design ensures such forces remain in power for eternity. India has witnessed all this since the BJP came to power in 2014. Since the beginning the BJP started attacking the word ‘Secularism,’ to the level, that people started believing it as ‘sickularism,’ meaning anti-Hindu. A file photo of Indian Muslim women. Photo/religionnews ----- The BJP openly and blatantly started attacking secularism to promote majority communalism in democratic...

Chhava Is A Story, Expanded Into A Novel

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 17 March 2025 "This Film Is Not A Historical Film. It Is Based On The Novel Chhava By Shivaji Samant. Already The Filmmakers Had To Apologise For Inaccuracies In The Film." Ram Puniyani Mr Ram Puniyani is spot-on. Now let me tell you the background story of this 'story' called 'Chhava'. Since Mr Puniyani is based in Bombay, correct me if I'm wrong. More than 35 years ago, one premier English daily of Central India, Hitavada, carried a write up. By the way, Hitavada is headquartered in Nagpur and now published from Bhopal and Raipur as well. The newspaper is owned by a turncoat whose name is Banwari Lal Purohit. Yes, the same man who was the Governor of Punjab until a couple of years ago. He was a diehard Congressman but now a hardcore BJP choirboy....

Columbia University Student 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗦𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻 Mocked As A "Fleeing Urban Naxal" By Right-Wing Social Media In India

By Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Hamed Aleaziz March 15, 2025 Srinivasan Is No Urban Naxalite, Whatever That Might Mean. Her Student Visa Was Revoked Suddenly By The Trump Administration, Apparently For Participating In Protests At Columbia Last Year Against The Carnage In Gaza And US Support For Israel. Ranjani Srinivasan’s Student Visa Was Revoked By U.S. Immigration Authorities. That Was Just The Start Of Her Odyssey. ----- The first knock at the door came eight days ago, on a Friday morning. Three federal immigration agents showed up at a Columbia University apartment searching for Ranjani Srinivasan, who had recently learned her student visa had been revoked. Ms. Srinivasan, an international student from India, did not open the door. ----- Ranjani Srinivasan was pursuing a Ph.D....

Trailblazing Faith: Women’s Forgotten Contributions to Kashmir’s Rishi Movement and Sufi Heritage

By Sahil Razvi, New Age Islam. 17 March 2025 Women Shaped Kashmir’s Rishi Movement By Expanding Its Reach, Mentoring Disciples, And Inspiring Inclusive Sufi Practices. Figures Like Sanga Bibi And Ganga Bibi Redefined Spiritual Leadership, Yet Their Stories And Those Of Unnamed Female Adherents Demand Deeper Research To Honour Their Legacy Main Points: 1. Women like Sanga Bibi and Ganga Bibi drove the Rishi movement’s spread to North Kashmir, challenging medieval gender norms by serving as spiritual guides and custodians. 2. Mentored both men and women, established a thriving spiritual hub in Boath, and inspired disciples like Baba Neki Rishi to sustain her teachings. 3. Ganga Bibi’s piety led her husband, Langar Mal, to abandon wealth for asceticism,...

After Destruction On The Scale Of Dresden, Hamas Remains

By Gideon Levy 17 March 2025 In the end, only Hamas remains. After 17 months of bloodshed, Hamas remains. After the deaths of hundreds of Israeli soldiers and tens of thousands of Gazans, Hamas remains. After destruction on the scale of Dresden, Hamas remains. After innumerable Israeli promises, Hamas remains. In fact, only Hamas remains in Gaza. We must acknowledge this and draw the conclusions. What was not achieved in 17 months will not be achieved in another 17. What was not achieved with the use of the most barbaric force in Israel's history will not be achieved with even more barbaric force. Hamas is here to stay. It has been critically injured militarily, and it will recover. Politically and ideologically it grew stronger during the war, after it resurrected the Palestinian issue,...