Iran is the model for the promotion of Islamic arts: Pakistani calligrapher, Islamic Culture, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic Culture

Iran is the model for the promotion of Islamic arts: Pakistani calligrapher

By Gul Jammas Hussain

September 29, 2009

Q: How and when did you begin creating calligraphy?

A: I started doing calligraphy at the age of seven. I had three classmates in my school whose brothers were artists, and we would compete with each other in creating calligraphy. My handwriting was better than that of my better-off friends and I was very passionate about it, so I would do the calligraphy homework for all my classmates. This had been going on for a year or so when I won my first prize at the age of eight in a competition in which different schools in our city participated. The prize money seemed enormous to me and I felt so good about winning that my head was in the clouds. Our teachers, who used to chide me for doing my classmates’ homework, were suddenly very happy, and so were my parents.

After three months, I again finished in first place, but this time it was in a competition with calligraphers from the entire province of Punjab. From then on, I never looked back; I kept on finishing in first place -- one time after another. At eleven, not only did I win most of the calligraphy competitions in my country but I was also declared the champion calligrapher of the year.

When Pakistani President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar presented a trophy to me, I seized the opportunity and asked him to send in my name for the 6th International Calligraphy Competition of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) that was scheduled to be held in Istanbul in 2003. These IRCICA competitions are arranged by the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The president told me that it would be almost impossible to win, since all previous winners have been over 45 years old. I pressed him, pointing out that I had won 25 calligraphy competitions out of the last 26 and he finally agreed. I sent my work to IRCICA and started preparing for the competition. I selected the Kufic script category, and by the grace of Almighty Allah, I won first prize in the incentive category. Even the most senior calligraphers of the country were in disbelief. They were especially amazed that I finished in first place in the category of Kufic script, which is considered a monopoly of the Arabs. This was my first international prize, so at age 12, I became Pakistan’s first and the world’s youngest calligrapher to win the IRCICA Incentive Prize.

http://newageislam.com/iran-is-the-model-for-the-promotion-of-islamic-arts--pakistani-calligrapher/islamic-culture/d/1841

Are JEWS an accursed or a blessed community?, Islam and Pluralism, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Pluralism

Are JEWS an accursed or a blessed community?

Jews are an accursed community and Muslims have to fight them till the end

An essay by A’bdullah U’smani

The Holy Qur’an-e-Kareem has presented a vivid picture of the divine sin and worldly faults as well as the deviation from the reality by this community. The believers of Islam have been made aware that this community had refused the Deen-e-Islam of their Prophets, inflicted great humiliation and atrocities upon them and even killed the Holy Prophets as a punishment for spreading Islam. The brutal killings and the shedding of the Holy blood inside the precinct of the Holy Mosque Aqsa is unparallel in the history of mankind.

The Holy Qur’an-e-Kareem says, “Bani Israel had denounced a large number of prophets and halted the spreading of Islam by putting all sort of barriers in their way”. Through the verses of Qur’an, we come to know the community of Bani Israel was superior to their contemporaries in all respect. The Almighty Allah-e-Kareem had nourished this community with great love and affection, bestowed upon them many rewards and blessings, provisions without measure for their comfort, even fulfilling their undue demands. In this regard, the predictions of the Holy Qur’an-e-Kareem disclose the very ugly nature and the character of this community. This not only establishes the honesty and exactness of the Holy Qur’an-e-Kareem, but also exposes the meanness, vulgarity, senselessness and the conspiracy of the Jews.

http://newageislam.com/are-jews-an-accursed-or-a-blessed-community?--/islam-and-pluralism/d/1198

Does Islam Allow Wife-Beating?, Islam, Women and Feminism , NewAgeIslam.com

Islam, Women and Feminism

Does Islam Allow Wife-Beating?

by Aiman Reyaz, New Age Islam

Aiman Reyaz, columnist New Age Islam

The reason behind the revelation is detailed by various Muslim scholars. The quote below comes from Razi's commentary, "At-Tafsir al-Kabir," on 4:34

"A woman complained to Muhammad that her husband slapped her on the face, (which was still marked by the slap). At first the prophet said to her: "Get even with him", but then added: "Wait until I think about it". Later on, Allah revealed 4:34 to Muhammad, after which the prophet said: "We wanted one thing but Allah wanted another, and what Allah wanted is best."

According to some, the historical background is a bit different: When Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him ruled in Medina after migrating to it from Mecca, the social life issues and concerns began to be discussed by the Muslim community, and the Muslims started to approach our Prophet 9peace be upon him0 more often with questions and problems to be solved by either him or by a revelation from Allah Almighty (GOD).

Once, our Prophet (peace be upon him) was approached with questions "What if the wife intentionally disobeys her husband in what Allah Almighty has permitted for him upon her? And what if the wife flirts with other men, or can't be trusted to honour her husband's dignity? How should it be dealt with?" The answer to those two questions was the Noble Verses 4:34-35.

http://www.newageislam.com/islam,-women-and-feminism/aiman-reyaz,-new-age-islam/does-islam-allow-wife-beating?/d/7244