Now, Islamic Terror Strikes Pakistan’s Top University, Islamic World News, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic World News

Now, Islamic Terror Strikes Pakistan’s Top University

LAHORE: The professor was working in his office here on the campus of Pakistan’s largest university this month when members of an Islamic student group battered open the door, beat him with metal rods and bashed him over the head with a giant flower pot.

Iftikhar Baloch, an environmental science professor, had expelled members of the group for violent behavior. The retribution left him nearly unconscious, and it united his fellow professors, who protested with a nearly three-week strike that ended on Monday.

The attack and the anger it provoked have drawn attention to the student group, Islami Jamiat Talaba, whose morals police have for years terrorized this graceful, century-old institution by brandishing a chauvinistic form of Islam, teachers here say.

But the group has help from a surprising source — national political leaders who have given it free rein, because they sometimes make political alliances with its parent organization, Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s oldest and most powerful religious party, they say.

The university’s plight encapsulates Pakistan’s predicament: an intolerant, aggressive minority terrorizes a more open-minded, peaceful majority, while an opportunistic political class dithers, benefiting from alliances with the aggressors.

This is the University of the Punjab, Pakistan’s premier institution of higher learning, with about 30,000 students, and a principal avenue of advancement for the swelling ranks of Pakistan’s lower and middle classes.

The battle here concerns the future direction of the country, and whether those pushing an intolerant vision of Islam will prevail against this nation’s outward-looking, educated class.

That is why the problem of Islami Jamiat Talaba is so urgent, teachers say. The rhetoric of the group is strongly anti-West, chauvinistic and intolerant of Pakistan’s religious minorities. It was a vocal Taliban supporter, until doing so became unpopular last year. Its members block music classes, ban soft drinks and beat male students for sitting near girls on the university lawn.

http://newageislam.com/now,-islamic-terror-strikes-pakistans-top-university/islamic-world-news/d/2742

Aligarh Muslim University: Medical College on the verge collapse, Letter to the Editor, NewAgeIslam.com

Letter to the Editor

Aligarh Muslim University: Medical College on the verge collapse

Rise and Fall of JN Medical College, AMU: MCI threatens de-recognition

It is virtually unknown to the present generation and a fading memory for those old enough to know that JN Medical College came into existence not through huge grants but through the perseverance and enthusiasm of a few dedicated persons (Momineen). It was the brain child of Dr. Sir Ziauddin Saheb who visualized the need of a medical college for our poor community at Aligarh even before India’s independence. As a result he summoned some of his distinguished colleagues and students to work for the establishment of prestigious medical college at the Aligarh Muslim University. They traversed the length and breadth of the country to raise the funds for this medical college under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Hadi Hasan Saheb who was really a leading force in this fund raising campaign and nearly eight million rupees were collected from all corners of the nation for this noble cause. Finally the medical college was declared open on 2nd Oct, 1962 by the mercy of God .Colonel S. Bashir Hasan Zaidi (VC), Major SMH Naqvi (Principal) and Mr. M M Siddiqui (Registrar) must be given due credit/ regards/respects for overcoming all difficulties and hurdles in the process of starting this esteemed medical college.

http://newageislam.com/aligarh-muslim-university--medical-college-on-the-verge-collapse/letter-to-the-editor/d/2479

'Racist' school bus drivers 'refusing to stop for young Muslim girls who are wearing the hijab', Islam, Women and Feminism, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam, Women and Feminism

'Racist' school bus drivers 'refusing to stop for young Muslim girls who are wearing the hijab'

School bus drivers have been accused of racism after failing to stop for pupils wearing Muslim hijabs.

Young girls have claimed they are being bullied on board for dressing in the traditional veil which covers the head.

To avoid trouble, ‘cowardly’ drivers are allegedly ignoring pupils who wait at bus stops wearing the headscarf.

Following a police investigation, officers will now be drafted on to board the buses to protect the students from ‘racist’ taunts of other passengers.

The problems centre on Merseytravel and pupils attending West Derby's Holly Lodge Girls' College in Merseyside, where 10 per cent of the 11,274 11 to 18-year-old students are from ethnic minorities.

Members of the Muslim community said the issue was a long-running one.

Amina Ismail, who works at Liverpool John Moores University, was approached by the victims.

She said: ‘They said people driving past were being abusive because they were wearing the hijab.’

Ms Ismail said bus drivers refusing to stop were ‘cowardly’ and that ‘they should not push their own personal prejudices on young people’.

She urged people to ‘see past the scarf or skin colour and look beyond this’.

Holly Lodge has previously won praise from Ofsted for its ‘promotion of equality and diversity’.

Headteacher Julia Tinsley said: ‘There have been a small number of cases where ignorant people have directed racist comments at our pupils while they are on buses.

‘It is completely unacceptable and very upsetting for those involved and we have provided support to those affected.

http://newageislam.com/-racist--school-bus-drivers--refusing-to-stop-for-young-muslim-girls-who-are-wearing-the-hijab-/islam,-women-and-feminism/d/2512

Toronto Imam Preaching 'Hate Instead Of Harmony', Islam and Tolerance, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Tolerance

Toronto Imam Preaching 'Hate Instead Of Harmony'

By Charles Lewis, National Post

October 22, 2009

Professor Amir Hussain, who teaches theology at Loyola Marymount College in Los Angeles, but grew up in Toronto, said he does not read the word “destroy” in a literal way.
“For me, I don’t see the remarks ‘destroy them from within themselves’ as hoping for violence. Rather, I see it as him asking that the group implode from within. Granted, implode and destroy are of course violent metaphors, but I liken it to him asking for the organization to disintegrate.”

Earlier this month, the Canadian Muslim Congress called on Ottawa to ban the wearing of the burka or niqab in public. They said the right should not be protected by the Charter’s guarantee of religious freedom because nowhere in the Koran is there a requirement for women to cover their faces in public. They argue that the burka “marginalizes women.” The Koran does call for modesty.

Much of Mr. Rageah’s address questions why the liberty of certain Muslims should be infringed upon. He even berates fellow Muslims for being far too passive in the face of attacks on their freedom.

“I’m appealing to the congregation not [to] allow such foolish people to be in charge of the affairs of the umma [family of all Muslims] to the point they would make such serious decisions for us. Our wives have the right to wear it. We should not allow them to dictate how we live. What we should do. Where we should eat. Enough is enough.”
Walid Saleh, professor at the centre for the study of religion at the University of Toronto, said much of what Mr. Rageah said must be taken in the context of how Muslims may use terms in the midst of a religious service.

http://newageislam.com/toronto-imam-preaching--hate-instead-of-harmony-/islam-and-tolerance/d/2108