SIMI terror trail: Don’t let a faith be hijacked, Islam,Terrorism and Jihad, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam,Terrorism and Jihad

SIMI terror trail: Don’t let a faith be hijacked

Firoz Bakht Ahmed

August 18, 2008

I wonder if this fringe group knows that, in the words of theological expert Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the Quran states that “treason against the State, combined with treason against Allah is a crime with punishments like execution, crucifixion, maiming or exile as per the situation”?

Jehad is highly misunderstood not only by non-Muslims but also by Muslims. Islam sanctions war, but under very strict rules. The true concept of jihad is the waging of war against one’s own selfish nature, vices and shortcomings. It is also the war to be waged within Muslim society to fight evil, injustice, inequity, illiteracy and ignorance.

The terrorists’ aims were clear in Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bangalore and Gujarat — to drive a wedge between Hindus and Muslims and create a riot-like situation. Further, in such tragic situations, irresponsible statements and mud-slinging by political parties have only helped terrorist outfits that were, until now, marginalised.

http://newageislam.com/simi-terror-trail--don%E2%80%99t-let-a-faith-be-hijacked/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/593

Ziauddin Sardar On Social Change And Islamic Reform: Can A Minority Of Muslims In Europe Shape New Interpretations Of Islam?,

Ijtihad, Rethinking Islam

Ziauddin Sardar On Social Change And Islamic Reform: Can A Minority Of Muslims In Europe Shape New Interpretations Of Islam?

by Interview by New Age Islam

In an interview to New Age Islam, Ziauddin Sardar talks at length on various aspects of social change and Islamic reforms.

He says, “I see change is normal; indeed, a natural part of life. And social change follows the patterns of overall change. It is normal and an integral part of life. However, the term social change is itself part of the western jargon of sociology and as such it reflects the values of the West. Whatever the value of Comte, Durkheim and Mannheim, it is Marx who has, more than anyone else, shaped western sociology. Indeed, Weber can be considered to be nothing more than a gloss on Marx. As such, I believe, western sociology assumes the Marxian dimension to a very large degree. The basic assumptions can be identified as: stratification of society (in classes), and the influence of economics on all spheres of society. Other cultures do not (necessarily) subscribe to these notions of society and hence sociology. In Islam, for example, society is structured not on the basis of class but piety (so the ideal theory goes). Furthermore, in western sociology change is itself a positive value. Again, other cultures do not see change itself as good. In Islam, change is not a value in itself. It can be blameworthy or praiseworthy and the society is supposed to exert and work towards positive change in Islamic terms. The value of change as perpetual and permanent is equated with the idea of progress; which is by definition good. All progress is progress and innately good. The binary opposite of progress is stagnation. Thus nothing should be allowed to impede change; and all obstacles to change are necessarily bad leading to reaction, decadence and death.”

Pakistan's Urdu media and the bigotry and fanaticism in the society, Urdu Section, NewAgeIslam.com

Urdu Section

20 Aug 2011, NewAgeIslam.Com

Pakistan's Urdu media and the bigotry and fanaticism in the society

By Dr.Ghazala Afaque Quazi 14 Aug. 2011 Who is responsible for the bias and narrow-mindedness in the society? If they talk of beheading their opponents on petty issues, who has given them the training? The limitation of the media that they can raise only a few issues can be understood but at least they can refrain from making provocative statements for cheap popularity and adopt a soft stand. They should set a standard of their newspapers that instead of provoking the sentiments of anger and grief, they express their opinions with seriousness. Source: Urdu Daily, Hamara Akhbar, Karachi URL: http://www.newageislam.com/urdu-section/پاکستان-کا-اُردو-میڈیا-/d/5289