Why Bangladeshi Muslims have so much aversion to India

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 24 November, 2023 “Bangladesh’s young Muslims are happy because India lost the World Cup. Why are they so much anti-India when India liberated their country and they depend on India for almost everything, healthcare, entertainment, clothing, beef, onion etc.? Govts encourage them to practise Islam, they do & so automatically become anti-Hindu,” Taslima Nasrin said in a post on social media platform X. Rebel writer Taslima Nasreen is spot-on. The Bangladeshis, who're euphoric over India's loss in the WC Final are the most ungrateful people. They're happy when India loses and feel elated and exuberant whenever Pakistan wins. The only reason that brings them together is Religion: Islam. These ungrateful morons must ask their parents and grandparents, what Pakistan did to the Bengali Muslims of the then East Pakistan? General Yahya Khan and Tikka Khan of Pakistan engineered the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. The latter was the commander of the Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army. He was known as the 'Butcher of Bangladesh' for carrying out a ruthless and vicious military crackdown in Dhaka in 1971 to suppress the liberation movement in Bangladesh. India saved the country and lobotomised East Pakistan from Pakistan and formed a new country called Bangladesh for which these people must remain thankful to Mrs Gandhi and General Sam Manekshaw, who led the Indian Army to victory in the Bangladesh Liberation War. Alas, this didn't happen. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was indeed grateful to Mrs Gandhi and the Indian Army but after him, Bangladesh turned hostile. Now just like Pakistan, it survives and subsists on hatred for Hindus and India. These Bangladeshi Muslims look at India as the country of Kafirs or idolaters. Visit Bangladesh and see for yourself how Bengali Hindus live there. There has been a series of attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh. An octogenarian Hindu poet was beaten up in a series of similar attacks in Bangladesh last month. In August 2023, a human rights watch report issued by the NGO 'Shrishti o Chetona' stated that "attacks on temples and other community properties" or general anti-minority slurs, threats of "expulsion from the country and abuse" were among the occurrences reported. Readers remember how Avijit Roy was hacked to death by machete-wielding assailants in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 26 February 2015. He was a Bangladeshi-American engineer, activist and atheist. His atheist wife, Bonya, was also slashed on her shoulders, and the fingers of her left hand were severed. But she survived. This is the vicious hold of religion (read Islam) that transforms humans. Bangladesh is full of converts and converts have this ingrained tendency to assert their over-loyalty to the faith they convert to. Look at the converted Christians in India. They're more Christian in outward behaviour than the born Christians! A Bangladeshi Muslim professor Dr Enayat Talukdar (Mind you, Talukdar is a Hindu-Bengali surname) told me that almost all Bangla-speaking Muslims of Bangladesh had Bangla-speaking Hindu ancestors who were converted to Islam not long ago. Don't they say, Naya Musalman zyada pyaaz khaata hai (A neo-Muslim consumes onions a lot)? … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. --- URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/bangladeshi-muslims-aversion-india/d/131170 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

From Village to Supreme Court: Illustrious Life of Justice Fatima Beevi

By Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam 23 November, 2023 Fatima Beevi also holds the distinction of being the first to hold the highest judicial position in India. She has also had the distinction of first woman appointed to the apex court across Asia. ------- Prior to the popularization of the term 'glass ceiling,' there was a trailblazing moment in the Supreme Court where a female judge shattered the barrier. With a discreet effectiveness that characterized her entire career, M. Fathima Beevi made history on October 6, 1989, becoming the inaugural woman to serve as a judge in the Supreme Court. She occupied this esteemed position until her retirement on April 29, 1992. Despite her numerous accomplishments, she remains a mysterious figure, actively avoiding the limelight and opting for a serene life in her hometown following her retirement. In her photographs, she exudes determination, her head confidently covered with the Pallu of her saree, spectacles perched on the bridge of her nose, and a matter-of-fact demeanour. Justice M. Fathima Beevi embarked on her journey to the Supreme Court from a modest village in Kerala. Born on April 30, 1927, in Pathanamthitta town within the former princely state of Travancore in pre-Independence India, she was the eldest among eight siblings to Annaveetil Meera Sahib and Khadeeja Beevi. Displaying a keen dedication to her studies from a young age, Fathima's father, a government servant, advocated for equal educational opportunities for his sons and daughters. As an earnest student, Fathima attended Catholicate High School in Pathanamthitta and successfully completed her matriculation in 1943. Subsequently, she pursued six years of studies in Science in Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram), graduating from there. Opting to live independently in the city for her education was a bold decision for a young girl at the time, supported wholeheartedly by her father. While Fathima initially aspired to pursue an MSc in Chemistry, her father, foreseeing her potential impact, steered her towards a different path. He dissuaded her from the sciences, believing that an MSc might lead her to become a college teacher or professor in Trivandrum. With ambition for her legal career, he influenced her to join the Government Law College, Trivandrum. Notably, during this period, Anna Chandy served as the first woman judicial officer near Travancore, leaving a profound impression on Fathima's father. Chandy's achievements possibly inspired him to envision his own daughter making significant contributions to the judiciary. A dedicated and industrious student, Fathima Beevi was among the five female students in her class. Following this, she completed a year-long internship under a senior lawyer. In 1950, she achieved the first of many milestones in her illustrious career. Fathima became the first woman to lead the Bar Council of India's exams, earning the prestigious Bar Council gold medal for the 1949–50 term. Her formal legal career commenced on November 14, 1950, when she was enrolled as an advocate in the lower judiciary in Kollam, Kerala. As a trailblazer in a predominantly male legal environment, she faced numerous challenges, with men dominating the courts and women holding minimal positions of authority. Despite raised eyebrows and questioning glances, Fathima, clad in a headscarf, practiced law for nearly eight years in Kollam. Reflecting on that time, she noted, "Judicial service was more attractive than the practice at that time. Women were not very much encouraged by the general public; very few succeeded as lawyers." In 1958, she assumed the role of a Munsiff in the Kerala Subordinate Judicial Services, rising to the position of a subordinate judge in 1968. Swiftly climbing the judicial hierarchy, she became the chief judicial magistrate in 1972 and the district and sessions judge in 1974. In January 1980, she was appointed as a judicial member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, and by August 4, 1983, she became a judge in the Kerala High Court—a ground-breaking achievement as the first Muslim woman appointed to the higher judiciary. A year later, she was appointed as a permanent judge of the Kerala High Court, retiring in April 1989. However, shortly thereafter, in October 1989, she made history by becoming the first female judge of the Supreme Court of India. While some speculated that her appointment over senior judges was a political decision by then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, particularly in the context of the controversy surrounding the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act of 1986, it remained a momentous occasion. Her elevation marked a watershed moment in the history of the Indian judiciary, breaking a nearly four-decade-long tradition of not appointing women to the Supreme Court. Even today, gender parity in the judiciary remains elusive. With this designation, she achieved the distinction of being the inaugural woman judge in a Supreme Court in Asia. Furthermore, she secured the title of the first female Muslim judge of a Supreme Court in both India and Asia. Renowned for her consistent courtesy and impartiality in the courtroom, she maintained a reputation for thorough case preparation, ensuring familiarity with the case history for every hearing. Reportedly, she advocated for gender reservations to enhance the representation of women in higher judiciary roles. In her own words, "However, there should not be any discrimination between candidates on [a gender basis]. A woman should get equal treatment and equal consideration." Following her retirement from the Supreme Court in 1992, she assumed the role of the governor of Tamil Nadu on January 25, 1997, following the recommendation of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M. Karunanidhi. Upon her appointment, then-President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma, lauded her "experience of and insights into the working of the Constitution and the laws" as valuable assets. Known for her unassuming nature, she refrained from the pomp and grandeur associated with the governor's office, living a simple and reclusive life in Raj Bhavan. During her tenure as the governor, a significant controversy arose over the appointment of Jayalalithaa as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Despite Jayalalithaa's conviction on corruption charges, Fathima Beevi, invoking Article 164 of the Constitution, accepted Jayalalithaa's claim of majority after the assembly elections. Fathima Beevi defended her decision, stating that Jayalalithaa was acquitted and had no corruption charges at the time of her appointment. She consulted Supreme Court judges, including Fali Nariman and Chief Justice Ahmadi, who supported her decision. However, faced with conflicting views and controversies, she resigned in July 2001, concluding a once illustrious career on a somewhat ignominious note. In a later interview, she reflected on her decision, stating, "I had legal opinion also for doing these things; I did not do anything spontaneously or randomly. I thought about it, I have worked on it, and then only I have taken the decision. But views differ. I didn’t want to continue there when some conflict arose, so I just resigned and came back." This marked an unfortunate end to a distinguished career that had broken barriers, making her the first female judge and the first Muslim woman at the Supreme Court. Her stature towers over the legal profession in India as the inspiration of resolve. She has left behind a rich compendium of legal reformation and gender sensitivity. She also represents majestic paths for Muslim women increasingly trapped within patriarch and anachronism. … A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist. ---- URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/supreme-court-justice-fatima-beevi/d/131165 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Parveen Shakir: Her Poetry & Persona

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 23 November, 2023 Husn ke samajhne ko umr chahiye jaanaan Do ghadi ki chahat mein ladkiyan nahin khulteen -Parveen Shakir (My love, it takes ages to understand the beauty or the mystique of a woman / Girls don't open up in a few moments of desire and longing) Main sach kahoongi aur phir bhi haar jaaoongi Voh jhoot bolega aur la-jawaab kar dega -Parveen Shakir (I'll speak the truth, yet will fail/ He'll lie, yet will render speechless) The abovementioned couplets of Parveen Shakir bespeaks the feminine sensitivity of a very high-class poetess, whose birth anniversary falls on November 24. Though the sphere of poetry in all languages has been 'hijacked' by men, whenever women wrote poetry, they excelled in it. Whether it was the Greek poetess Sappho, English greats Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson, Mahadevi Verma in Hindi, Amrita Pritam in Punjabi or Aurangzeb's exceptionally talented daughter Zeb-un-Nissa 'Makhfi' who wrote in Persian, the kind of native sensitivity they all evinced through their verses cannot be found in poetry written by scores of men. Women have a kind of an embedded sensitivity and rare sensibility; men are often bereft of. Sensitivity comes to women naturally, whereas men have to acquire it. And what's acquired is never intrinsically yours. There's a sweet-sounding word in Turkish for feminine sensitivity and poetic sensibility. The word is, ' Ohan.' Parveen Shakir had this Ohan in her poetry. That's why she could give a poetic touch to her angst. See this couplet, " Kuchh toh hava bhi sard thi, kuchh tha tera khayaal bhi/ Dil ko khushi ke saath-saath hota raha malaal bhi " (The breeze was cool and your thought was snug/ Heart was full of joy, yet there was a tinge of sadness as well). Or this one, " Kaise kah doon ki mujhe chhod diya hai uss ne/ Baat toh sach hai magar baat hai rusvaai ki " (How can I say that he left me/ Though it's a fact, but it's a matter of humiliation). Extremely sensitive Parveen was highly educated as well. Education adds to poetic perceptions. " Taaleem agar dhang ki ho/ Sukhanvari mein bhi aati hai jaan " (If education is sound/ Poetry also has substance). Jaun Elia's couplet applies to Parveen's profound poetry. She herself accepted the fact and said, " Ilm ne tasavvur ko ek shakl-o-simt se navaza " (Knowledge gave a direction and shape to my thoughts). By the way, She received two undergraduate degrees, one in English literature and the other in linguistics (from Sir Syed Government Girls College), and obtained MA degrees in the same subjects from the University of Karachi. She also held a PhD, and another MA degree in Bank Administration. Not only that, Parveen obtained an MA degree in public administration from Harvard University. She didn't roll in the muck of self-pity. Her poetry was cathartic but not extremely private or personal. "Gham-e-jahan bhi hai mere asha'ar mein/ Sirf apne aansuon se bhigoyee nahin shayari apni " (My couplets express the tears and sufferings of the world / My poetry is not lachrymose with my tears). Alas, such a talented person shuffled off this mortal coil at the age of 42 on December 26, 1994 when her car collided with a bus while she was on her way to work in Islamabad. The accident resulted in her death along with her driver, a great loss to the world of Urdu poetry. The road on which the accident took place is named after her as Parveen Shakir Road in sector F-7 Islamabad. Lastly, her forefathers migrated to Pakistan from Darbhanga in North Bihar. My Pakistani professor friend Dhirendra Jain from Faislabad (erstwhile Layalpur) told me that Parveen could speak a smattering of Maithili! … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. -- URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/parveen-shakir-poetry-persona/d/131164 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Why Aren’t the US and UK Governments Taking a Pro-Humanitarian Stance on Gaza?

By Fariha Sikondari, New Age Islam Israel should cease hindering humanitarian aid to Gaza, as starving a population is a crime against humanity. The international community must stop the inhumane treatment of civilians and demand an immediate end to the genocide, aiming to eradicate Palestine and annex Gaza and the West Bank. Main Points · Hamas' October 7th atrocities in Israel were horrific, but Israel's retaliation was disproportionate, inhumane, and cruel, but one · Despite the Daily Occurrence of War Crimes, No One Is Able to Voice Their Concerns. · The US and UK governments should urge a humanitarian ceasefire and actively participate in conflict resolution, while not condoning Israel's aggression and escalation of violence. · The pro-Palestinian stance is not synonymous with terrorism or antisemitism; it is a pro-humanitarian stance advocating for human rights, democracy, and justice. … The unfolding events over the last few weeks in Gaza and the West Bank have shown the world that Palestinian lives hold little value in the eyes of the international community. The atrocities committed on Oct 7th by Hamas in Israel were abhorrent. Taking innocent Israeli lives and hostages is a crime. However, the retaliation taken by Israel has no doubt been disproportionate, inhumane and cruel. For a nation, which is illegally occupying Gaza, to be allowed to cut off water, food, aid, fuel, electricity and communications is beyond barbaric in this day and age. This is a grave violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people, forcing civilians to live in unsanitary conditions and condemning them to death. There has been little mention of what has been happening in the West Bank since Oct 7th. Palestinians are being treated like prisoners in their own homes by Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. They have been denied their rights, unable to leave their homes to access food or medical care. They have been forced to close their businesses and thereby denied the ability to earn their livelihoods, forced to live on savings that are fast running out. Palestinians are having to endure constant intimidation, violence and forced displacement by Israeli settlers and the Israeli army. Over two hundred Palestinians have been unlawfully killed in the West Bank since Oct 7th. These human rights abuses and crimes are not being addressed. It is a clear violation of international law to collectively punish civilians and intentionally target civilians. To date over 13,000 Palestinians have been killed, nearly half of which are children, in this “War between Israel and Hamas”. Since Israeli politicians have referred to Palestinians as, “human animals” and claimed that civilians are “legitimate targets,” the IDF have been deliberately targeting UN-protected buildings and civilian infrastructure including, hospitals, ambulances, refugee camps, schools and places of worship. It is obvious to the entire world that it is a “War between Israel and civilians.” The question to ask is why is Israel allowed to operate outside of international law? The reasons given by our politicians that Israel has a “right to defend itself” and is targeting Hamas who use “human shields” and hide under civilian infrastructure, are extremely weak arguments. Civilians are not criminals. Bargaining the exchange of Israeli hostages for a temporary ceasefire and allowing little aid into Gaza is unacceptable. Civilians have a right to aid and a right to be protected from conflict, regardless of the rhetoric. There is no justification for the war crimes that are being committed on a daily basis, yet no one is able to speak up. Politicians and government employees are silenced or risk losing their jobs. The silence from world leaders is deafening, chilling in fact. What is actually even worse than the atrocities taking place in Gaza is the inability of anyone to stand up to the oppression of Palestinians, even at this colossal scale of merciless killing of innocent people and ethnic cleansing. How can there be democracy without freedom of speech, when politicians, journalists and writers are being censored for criticising the actions of governments? This clearly shows there are no true democratic societies in the Western world. The US and UK governments should be urging for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to end this unprecedented bloodbath in Gaza. They should be actively involved in conflict resolution and establishing a peace process; not simultaneously condoning the actions of Israel and assisting Israel in its aggression and escalation of violence. Why aren’t the US and UK politicians taking a pro-humanitarian stance on Gaza? Israeli lives are not superior to Palestinian lives. Yet this notion of superiority seems to be the prevailing view in the international community and the fundamental reason why Israel is allowed to operate outside international law. This damaging, racist view perpetuates the Israeli apartheid regime. By continuing to support “Israel’s right to defend itself,” Palestinians have become subhuman to the international community, with their rights being continuously denied. There is no justice in this policy. This biased stance has prevented any meaningful peace resolutions from being successful in the past. The UK government should now have the moral courage to challenge this racist perspective and change its stance. The UK should take the lead in finding a lasting unbiased peace solution, as it has precedent for successfully negotiating peace talks in the past, during the Troubles in Ireland. A two-state solution is a possible solution, if it does not involve Israel’s “security control” over Palestinian territory, and ensures that Israeli and Palestinian rights are given equal protection. Israel should not be allowed to be a continuing occupying power over Palestine in any way. There should be an end to the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian territories: Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem, which has involved the forced displacement of Palestinians since 1967. The UN has consistently recognised that Israel’s settlements in Palestinian territories are illegal and a violation of international law. The current indiscriminate bombing campaign and ground invasion of Israel have resulted in further displacement of more than 1.6 million Palestinians from Gaza. The international community should be imposing sanctions on Israel to condemn this action, which constitutes a crime against humanity. The indiscriminate military action not only does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it also fails to distinguish between Israeli hostages further endangering their lives. Israel and its supporters should stop hindering humanitarian aid entering Gaza; starving a population is a crime against humanity. Humanitarian aid should be given unconditionally. Israel has targeted and destroyed bakeries reducing the supply of bread to the population. It is clear that the ultimate goal of Israel in this conflict is to eradicate Palestine altogether and annex Gaza and the West Bank to Israel. However, this should not be allowed to happen, and the international community must urge an end to the inhumane treatment of civilians and give dignity to the Palestinian people. This genocide must stop immediately. Taking a pro-Palestinian stance does not equal siding with terrorism or being antisemitic; it is a pro-humanitarian stance which stands up for human rights, democracy and justice. … URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/us-governments-humanitarian-stance-gaza/d/131159 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Israel Has A Long History of Crimes Against Humanity in Palestine

Even Israelis say the Israeli government has been committing genocide in Gaza Main Points 1. Israel used white phosphorous bombs on Gazans. 2. Israel conducted carpet bombing on Gaza. 3. Israeli forces targeted children. 4. Netanyahu likens Palestinians to Amaleks mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. 5. Israeli ministers have called for the genocide of Palestinians. By New Age Islam Staff Writer 22 November, 2023 Since its birth in 1948, Israel has treated Palestinians as outsiders and occupiers and has persecuted Palestinians in every way. It has fought so-called wars in Gaza more than 14 times including the ongoing one. All through its occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, Israeli governments have treated Palestinians like animals and have dehumanised them. Israel launched its military offensive after Hamas' surprise attacks on October 7 but the way it has targeted civilians and civilian buildings, hospitals, schools, refugee camps and water stations, it appears that the Netanyahu government is doing all this with a certain mindset. In a recent statement, he likened the Palestinians to Amaleks mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. The passage exhorts Israelites to exterminate every living being without discrimination of women, children, the elderly or even livestock and the destruction of cities in their war against Amalekites. As the bombardment of Gaza continues and the world has been condemning Israel's genocidal offensive, the leaders and ministers of Netanyahu's coalition government have been making provocative statements against the people of Gaza and the West Bank. Heritage Minister Amihai Ilyahu who had spoken of a nuclear attack on Gaza earlier said that the Gazans can go to Ireland or to the deserts. Another minister of the Netanyahu government said that Gaza should be completely destroyed. Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian said that the Gazans will be punished with a lack of electricity and water. Another minister of Netanyahu's coalition government Bezalel Smortich said that Gazans should voluntarily evacuate Gaza for their own welfare because they live in densely populated areas and lack opportunities for development. It should be noted that Bezalel Smortich is a far-right politician with a terrorist mindset. Journalist Jake Tapper says about him: "With the world focussed on Gaza, key members of Netanyahu's cabinet, the coalition that he formed are throwing fire on the flames, in the West Bank. In the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Monday of this week, columnist Odeb Bisharat called out two members of the Netanyahu cabinet for taking advantage of the Hamas attacks, taking advantage and using the attacks to advance a racist anti-Arab agenda. Let's start in the West Bank. Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is a hateful anti-Arab bigot. He is a far-right politician in the Netanyahu coalition and has broad powers in civilian issues in the West Bank. Haaretz reports that since October 7, more than 170 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israelis across the West Bank. Now way back in 2005, when Israel was withdrawing from Gaza, Smotrich was arrested by the Israeli security forces, Shin Bet. Smotrich was arrested under suspicion of planning terrorist attacks. He was held by Shin Bet for three weeks. He was suspected of planning to block public roads and damaging infrastructure. That's according to Yiddiot Acronot, a major Israeli newspaper. In 2015, the former deputy head of Shin Bet called Smotrich a 'Jewish terrorist' according to Israel's Channel 13." Smotrich had opposed the government's decision to withdraw from Gaza and so he allegedly planned terrorist attacks in West Bank to force the government to postpone its withdrawal. During the ongoing conflict, he has provoked the Israelis to use the opportunity to 'plunder' the West Bank. No wonder that persecution, harassment and killing of Palestinians in the West Bank has witnessed a rise since October 7. The settlers have killed, harassed and driven Palestinians from their homes with impunity. The IDF has also launched aerial attacks in the West Bank though no Hamas fighters are there. This strengthens the 'conspiracy theory' that the Hamas attack was pre-planned to give the Netanyahu government the premise to launch an attack on Gaza and destroy it completely so that it may go ahead with its gas exploration and construction of the Ben Gurion canal through Gaza. Recently, the Israeli security establishment has come up with its report that the Israeli military shot the participants of the music festival on October 7. The festival was scheduled for October 5 and 6 but the organisers changed the date to October 7 and Hamas did not have formation of the festival. An Israeli lady who survived the attacks testified that Israeli soldiers opened fire on the festivalgoers. It should be recalled that the Egyptian Intelligence Minister had claimed that he had personally called Netanyahu and informed him of 'something big' by Hamas but Netanyahu had pretended to ignore the warning. Hamas was originally known as Majama al Islamiyah and was allowed to flourish in Gaza as a rival group of Yasser Arafat's Fateh in the West Bank. It established schools, hospitals and social welfare organisations in Gaza and was allowed to strengthen its base in Gaza. In 1985-87, the organisation changed its name to Hamas. As Israel left Gaza in 2005, Hamas won the elections in Gaza and formed the government. During these years, Hamas apparently hardened its stance against Israel and vowed to free Palestine from Israel's occupation. It did not even support a two-state solution. After Hamas came to power in Gaza, it had many wars with Israel. But Netanyahu called Hamas its secret ally in a secret cabinet meeting. In an interview with CNN, the former IDF soldier Benzie Sanders said that the Netanyahu government facilitated the transfer of funds to Hamas to keep Palestinians divided between Gaza and the West Bank. It is to be noted that Hamas fired 5000 missiles in 20 minutes on October 7 but the number of missiles fired came down in successive days though Israel's Iron Dome had failed to intercept them. Israel started the land offensive after a week. Still, Hamas did not fire missiles in large numbers. What did stop it from firing missiles at the same speed? The total destruction of Gaza as envisaged by the ministers of the Netanyahu government is going on. The Israeli government has also distributed sophisticated weapons among the settlers of West Bank. A genocide is going in Gaza. The Israeli forces have targeted children and women not only in this war but also in previous wars. Miko Peled, the son of an Israeli general said: "And you got the Israeli army which I like to refer to as one of the best trained, best equipped and best fed terrorist organisation in the world. And yes, they have generals and they have nice uniforms but their entire purpose is terrorism. I’ll give you one example. Almost exactly four years ago, as Israel began its attack on Gaza, Sept 27, 2008, at 11:25 in the morning what I refer to as the most shameful day in the Jewish history, the most shameful day in the history of the Jewish people. Israel began carpet bombing Gaza and on the first day of what was going to be a 21-day attack, they dropped 100 tonnes of bombs. Okay, the one-tonne bomb will decimate an entire city block. Gaza is one of the most densely populated places in the world. 8,00,000 children live in Gaza. At 11:25 exactly is the time when the morning school shift and the afternoon school shift change. So, all the kids were on the streets. That was the moment decided by the decision-makers of Israel to begin the attack. This was the first day of the 21-day slaughter that had absolutely no justification. If that's not terrorism, I don't know what is." A PhD scholar of Israel, Katty, who has studied in the US says that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Ibrahim Awad, a Muslim youth from Georgia whose mother had left Gaza says that Israel restricts the life of the Palestinians making them live like prisoners. The military law of Israel says the Palestinians cannot even extract water from water wells. They cannot even store rainwater in cisterns. They control electricity and restrict medicine. During the ongoing war also, Israel has targeted children and women with an eye on ethnic cleansing. Out of 12 thousand dead, almost 5500 are children and 3500 are women. Among the 30,000 injured, 75 per cent are women. This means the IDF attacks the places where women with their children are found taking shelter or moving in a group. Obviously, every woman is accompanied by one or two children. This should be taken note of by the world community. The focus of the IDF is not on Hamas militants but on children and women, not on Hamas' bunkers and tunnels but on hospitals and schools. This speaks of the real objective of Israel. Netanyahu's weak coalition government is playing to the tunes of his far-right coalition leaders who want to destroy Gaza completely and push the Gazans out of Gaza. Therefore, Netanyahu is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Demands have been raised for Netanyahu's trial in ICC. South Africa has filed a referral to the International Criminal Court for an investigation into war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. “South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday during a state visit to Qatar. Ramaphosa said that he believed Israel was committing war crimes and genocide in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians had been killed and hospitals and public infrastructure had been destroyed. The South African government has also called on the International Crime Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by mid-December. South Africa, along with Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti, submitted a referral to the ICC to investigate whether war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Gaza. Netanyahu's crimes against humanity not only in this war but also in the 2008 and 2014 wars should also be investigated. He has been attacking children, women and the elderly with impunity. But this time he has crossed all red lines. … URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-west/israel-crimes-history-humanity-palestine/d/131158 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Laws of Cricket Are Based Upon Contexts and Qualms

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 21 November, 2023 When this law was drafted, the cricket community as a whole either contributed to its creation or supported it. If this law was harsh and immoral, then why was it created by everyone together? Either all people lack morality, or you are endorsing Mathews as the only one who is correct and Shakib is incorrect. By GG 13/11/2023 17:25:39 I'm afraid this comment smacks of mild community affinity as the person who has commented, happens to be a Muslim. So, it's obvious that he's trying to justify Shakib's act of villainy. Please understand one thing. There're at least six rules in cricket which very much exist but are often debated when implemented. Implementation of a rule depends upon the contexts and are often influenced by circumstances, player or captain's qualms and scruples. Even one of the greatest sportsmen like late Bishan Singh Bedi, who would clap when a batsman would hit him for a boundary or an over boundary, didn't allow limping Viv Richards to have a runner which annoyed the West Indian captain Clive Lloyd and of course, the great Viv Richards. Bedi was within the rules and had the right to say no to a runner for Richards because you need the permission of the captain of another team for having a runner. Since Lloyd resorted to unlawful and intimidating tactics to demoralise the Indian batsmen by unleashing his deadly pacers, Bedi taught him a lesson when the ball was in his court. Moreover, Richards could still run. It was tit for tat. The same sporting Sardar allowed all batsmen including Lloyd to have a runner when they were genuinely injured. In nearly 150 years of cricket being played in all formats, only twice the captains of opposite teams refused the batsmen of another team to have a runner. Before Bedi, the legendary Wally Hammond didn't allow Bill Ponsford of Australia to have a runner as the latter pretended to have an injury. Here, Shakib had no such provocation or foul play from the opposition. Angelo Mathews was just adjusting his helmet. Shakib simply wanted to win by resorting to a very unusual law. Mankeding is still in cricket (named after Vinoo Mankad for lawfully running out Australia's Bill Brown in this style in 1947 in a Sydney Test). It was done by Australia's Greg Chappell for the first time in ODIs when he ran out England's Brian Luckhurst in 1974-75. In T20 cricket, the dismissal took place in the Asia Cup Qualifier when Amir Kaleem ran out Mark Chapman. In all these instances, the players in question were right. But West Indies' Courtney Walsh refused to run out Saleem Jaffar in this 'uncricketing' way in a crucial World Cup match in Lahore, Pakistan, way back on October 16, 1987. West Indies lost the match and also missed the Cup. So, all these rules and their implementation depend upon contexts and circumstances. 'Timed out' law has a sub-class very few are aware of. It's hardly implemented on the ground and can be implemented if a batsman is taking inordinate time in coming out of the pavilion. But if he informs, he's not timed out. Australian southpaw Neil Harvey had an upset tummy in the Dacca Test in 1959. He needed to go to the washroom and had cramps. But no Pakistani cricketer shouted for a time out dismissal. Nor was Fazal Mahmood insensitive like Shakib to dismiss Harvey by resorting to the rare law in spite of being aware of it. So, please don't try to defend Shakib. Even the Bangladesh bowling coach, Allan Donald, has roundly criticised him (Shakib). Too much community consciousness is an unhealthy trait and trend. Rise above it. Don't labour under the delusion that the whole world is forever against a Muslim individual and every 'innocent' Muslim is projected as a victim. … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. -- URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/laws-cricket-contexts-qualms/d/131157 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

A Prudent Decision to Ban the Sale of Halal-Certified Products

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 21 November, 2023 The Uttar Pradesh government has banned the sale of halal-certified products with immediate effect in the state. The government has also prohibited the manufacturing, storage, distribution of halal-certified products. ----- Muslims may take it as an infringement upon their (religious) rights but any sane and secular person will agree with the UP-government’s decision to ban the sale of halal-certified products. There's nothing communal about it. Agreed, the current political dispensation, esp. the UP government, is openly against Muslims, there are certain secular decisions that must be accepted and appreciated. This halal-charade, I call it a nautanki, began just a few years ago when Muslims became all the more hardcore. Now everything comes with a halal-tag; halal-tea, halal-sugar and what not! What's going on? Didn't Muslims, until, a decade ago, eat and consume things sans this halal-tag? If they want to eat halal-meat, they're free to approach a Muslim butcher or a restaurant where halal-meat is served. Who stops them? This has been going on for centuries. Earlier, even Hindus would make no bones and eat halal-meat and go to a meat shop where halal-meat was available. It's because of the extreme rigidity of a majority of Muslims in all activities, Hindus and Sikhs also became too adamant and religiously assertive. Now Sikhs as well as Hindus and Jains will insist on having Jhatka meat (though Jains ostensibly don't consume meat as ahimsa is the leitmotif of Jainism) and products with non-halal tags. Shouldn't this nonsense come to an end? Moreover, halal-tags suggest that the products have been made according to Islamic ways of consumption. Why should others follow those Islamic dietary idiosyncrasies? A green dot is enough to declare that the product is completely veg. Can't a Muslim have such products that have a green dot or tag? What else do you want? If a Muslim thinks that a specific cosmetic product has pork-fat, he or she should read the label. Nowadays, all products have to mention the ingredients and elements that have gone into the making of the products. You cannot hide anything and any information. No one is short-changing Muslims. They've a problem with everything. In a secular democracy, there's no place for religio-communal specifications like halal-tea, halal-biscuits or halal-cake. Veg or non-veg labels are enough. Live peacefully and let others also live peacefully. When there're so many pressing issues, Muslims shouldn't make a hue and cry of halal or no-halal. Moreover, your Allah is unlike you to snigger at your food habits and dietary preferences on earth, though this applies to the imaginary gods of all faiths. So, grow up and smell the coffee. … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. -- URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/prudent-ban-halal-certified-products/d/131151 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

NRC Assam Updating Process Under Scrutiny

By Nava Thakuria, New Age Islam 21 November, 2023 NRC Issue Engulfs Court Proceeding in Assam Main Points · Court proceedings against Prateek Hajela for financial scams exceeding 155 crores are underway, with a hearing scheduled for February 2024 in Guwahati. · Wipro and ISS are under scrutiny for allegedly tampering with software to permit thousands of Bangladeshi nationals to apply for Indian citizenship. · Three Guwahati-based television scribes are suspected of being involved in the NRC scam, supplying DEOs to ISS and benefiting from illegal means. · Bharat Raksha Manch (BRM) urges Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to approve FIRs against Hajela and request re-verification of NRC draft with 1951 base year. ----- After years of allegations over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updating process in Assam, the court proceedings begin against the former State coordinator Prateek Hajela (for his involvement with a financial scam to the tune of over 155 crores), the system integrator (Wipro limited) and a subcontractor Integrated System and Services (ISS). Hajela, who had already voluntarily retired from the service under the Assam government, was recently summoned by the Kamrup (metro) additional district & sessions court to appear on 17 November, but he failed to do so. The district court in Guwahati has now fixed 6 February 2024 for the next hearing and even allowed the petitioner Luit Kumar Barman to bring the matter to the retired IAS officer’s notice through newspaper-advertisements. Barman, an Assamese entrepreneur turned award-winning film producer, is now preparing for the advertisement to be published in two national dailies (one in English and another in Hindi) and two widely circulated newspapers of Hajela's home State (Madhya Pradesh) and also Assam. Wipro, the Indian IT company of international repute, submitted an affidavit through its representatives. However, the ISS (represented by proprietor Utpal Hazarika) was not served the summon duly and the court directed the petitioner Barman to take the necessary steps. Both Wipro and ISS face serious allegations of tempering software in the process of allowing thousands of illegal Bangladeshi nationals to apply for Indian citizenship. The complainant filed the petition on the basis of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on social, economic and general sectors for the year ending on 31 March 2020, where it pointed out irregularities on the NRC Assam updating process (May 2014 to October 2019). The highest audit body also recommended penal actions against Hajela and Wipro. Barman lodged a complaint at Paltan Bazar police station on 19 October 2022 against Hajela, Wipro and ISS for their suspected roles in money laundering. But he was not entertained and then approached the court of Kamrup (metro) chief judicial magistrate. Barman introduced three individuals as witnesses namely Hitesh Devsarma, IAS (retired), who was the immediate successor of Hajela as NRC State coordinator, Aabhijeet Sarma, president of Assam Public Works (the original petitioner in Supreme Court for updating of 1951 Assam NRC) and himself. Both Devsarma and Sarma had already lodged three FIRs against Hajela alleging financial mismanagements, intentional inclusion of illegal migrant’s names in the NRC draft and lowly paying of over 6000 contractual data entry operators (DEOs). Needless to mention that the DEOs, some of whom were paid as low as Rs 5,500 (per person), are still deprived of their due outstanding. However, the concerned police officer-in-charge did not register the case, following which the complainant sent an electronic mail (on 17 March 2023) to the city police commissioner, but that too went in vain. Later when the Kamrup (metro) CJM court too refused to entertain his appeal for justice over the sensitive issue associating millions of genuine residents of Assam, Barman went to the Kamrup (metro) sessions court. Months back, the fifth FIR was lodged against Hajela at Dispur police station highlighting the exploitation of DEOs. The complaint argued that DEOs are yet to get their cumulative outstanding amount (nearly Rs 100 crore) from the concerned agencies. Amidst the debate about the NRC scam, social media users named and shamed three Guwahati-based television scribes as beneficiaries of it. Those scribes are suspected of being involved in supplying the DEOs to ISS and subsequently benefited themselves from the illegal means. People of Assam still remember how they lavishly praised Hajela as an outstanding officer and pronounced the NRC draft as the final one, even though it’s yet to be endorsed by the Registrar General of India. Every social media user argued that the DEOs must be financially compensated under the laws. Expressing concern over the development, the Journalists’ Forum Assam urged the local news channel management to clarify that no journalist of their organisations was involved with the scam so that the audience does not perceive the entire media fraternity as corrupt. Days back, the nationalist body Bharat Raksha Manch (BRM) urged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to approve all FIRs against Hajela to be registered against the NRC scam stars. It also appealed to the State government to file an affidavit before the SC seeking for a complete re-verification of the NRC draft with the base year of 1951 (instead of 1971). The State unit of BRM under the leadership of Dwijendra N Barthakur even organised a protest demonstration in the city on 2 October demanding due legal actions against Hajela and other individuals, who are involved with the NRC updating scam. Barman, while talking to this writer, asserted that he pursues no personal enmity towards Hajela, but he has taken it as a cause for the nation. Regarding the next date of hearing, the young engineer turned entrepreneur revealed that he plans to publish the said advertisements as early as possible. He informed me that thousands of his friends & social media users extended monetary contributions to the initiative. The total money collected from the crowd will be used for the advertisements, stated Barman, adding that the overwhelming response indicates that it’s a matter of serious national concern. ------ The writer is a northeast Bharat-based senior media columnist … URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-politics/nrc-assam-process-under-scrutiny/d/131150 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

A Cricket-Intoxicated, Superstitious Country

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 20 November, 2023 “Call me a traitor, but I am happy that India lost. Had it won; the entire India would have been singing paeans to over-hyped Indian cricketers until the next World Cup!” -------- Finally, a 45-day jamboree came to a tame end with India's drubbing in the Final of World Cup at a narcissist and megalomaniac's stadium in his own fiefdom. The Aussies put India in its place by outsmarting and outclassing all departments. The bubble of fervid and most embarrassing euphoria has burst. This World Cup has yet again confirmed that the Indians are morbidly cricket-crazy and their obsession with the game can go to any extent from fasting to offering blood and tongues to their deities. Sickeningly religious Indians did everything to appease and bribe their bagful of gods to win this World Cup. Alas, all Hom, Yagya, Havan, Aarti failed to help India win. A group of unemployed youth decided to stay hungry and thirsty until India won. They also vowed never to watch cricket if India lost. I hope they adhere to their vow! Ten girls in MP sat at one place without eating, drinking, moving and even answering the call of nature from dawn to dusk reciting Sundar Kaand and Hanuman Chalisa. But Hanuman was reluctant to bestow his grace upon Rohit Sharma and his mates on Sunday. He chose Oz for his divine grace. Jai Sri Ram. Jay Hanuman! A mere cricket match became a national obsession as if there's nothing else in the world. Workers are trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand for more than 170 hours. Nearly fifty percent of people are jobless. But who cares? The government is flying jets before the Final, and people are praying to the gods of their choice but no one seems to be concerned about the fate of the trapped workers in a tunnel as if their lives have no value. This is India. A very large chunk of its population is still insensitive. Over-patriotism and pathological religiosity have devastated the country. Most of the Indians are indolent lotus eaters with nothing worthwhile to do. For them, such carnivals and jamborees are much sought-after pastimes. Call me a traitor, but I'm happy that India lost. Had it won; the entire India would have been singing paeans to over-hyped Indian cricketers until the next World Cup! … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ------------- URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/cricket-intoxicated-superstitious-country/d/131145 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Limits of Self-Defence #Islam #Muslims https://t.ly/hpcly New Age Islam

By Aftab Alam, New Age Islam 20 November,2023 The Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza has raised questions about the limits of force in self-defence under international law. This article seeks to answer these questions, including whether international law grants unbridled rights to the victim state, what qualifies as a legitimate armed response, the duration of Israel’s ability to act in self-defence, and whether indiscriminate force is appropriate. -------- Main Points · Most states and scholars support Israel's right to defend itself from armed attacks but are sceptical about the legality of Israel's Gaza bombardment in the name of self-defence. · Self-defence measures can only be used to "repel" or diminish an attack and must end once the attacked state has successfully resisted the assault. · The Israeli attacks on Gaza violate the principle of lawful self-defence, resulting in civilian casualties, as per the International Court of Justice's Nicaragua case. · Israeli forces are targeting hospitals, ambulances, and their personnel in Gaza, despite IHL's prohibition. · The Israel-Hamas conflict underscores the inability of international law to hold powerful nations accountable for force violations and IHL breaches, indicating a collapse in legal order for lasting peace. ------ Ever since Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched attacks on Israel on October 7, firing a barrage of rockets followed by armed groups entering Israeli territory by land, air, and sea, which killed more than 1,400 people, including civilians and soldiers, and took around 240 hostages, Gaza is being bombarded by Israeli forces round the clock, killing more than 10,000 Palestinians and reducing a large part of it to rubble. Israel’s counter-offensive in Gaza has raised multiple legal questions concerning the conditions and limits of the use of force in self-defence under international law. Does international law grant unbridled rights to the victim state, or is there any limit to it? What could be the objective of a legitimate armed response in self-defence? How long can Israeli action in self-defence last? Does international law of self-defence permit Israel to use indiscriminate force to obliterate Hamas completely? I seek to answer some of these questions in this article. Israel’s right to defend itself as a victim of armed attack has been unequivocally acknowledged by most states and scholars, as it is well established under international law. However, they are equally sceptical about the legality of Israel’s brutal bombardment of Gaza in the name of self-defence. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, for example, recently said that he has “condemned Hamas’ attack and supported Israel’s right to defend itself, but what we see in Gaza is no longer proportional”. It must be noted that the exercise of the right of self-defence by a victim state against the aggressor state does not represent a situation of anarchy, and in order to be lawful, it must meet certain conditions based on both treaty and customary law. Firstly, the force used in self-defence must only be directed to ‘repel’ the attack or to remove its consequences. All the measures undertaken in self-defence must be terminated once the aggrieved state has successfully repelled the armed attack. The right of self-defence cannot be used as a measure of retribution to ‘punish’ an aggressor. In light of the St. Petersburg Declaration, the only legitimate object the state fighting in self-defence should endeavour to accomplish during war is to weaken the military potential of the aggressor sufficiently to preserve its independence. Accordingly, the only objective that Israel can legitimately pursue against Hamas is to halt and repel an ongoing or imminent attack. But contrary to this, Israel has declared the total destruction of Hamas as its war objective. Secondly, the lawful use of force in self-defence requires compliance with the universally recognised elements of necessity and proportionality. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Nicaragua (1986) case asserted that the use of force in self-defence must be “proportional to the armed attack and necessary to respond to it.” The scale and effects of defensive force must not be excessive or greater than what is necessary to repel the attack or remove the imminent threat. The defensive action resulting in large numbers of civilian casualties is considered disproportionate. The ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza are a clear violation of this basic principle of the law on self-defence. Additionally, under international humanitarian law (IHL) fundamental principle of proportionality, an attack is prohibited that may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated (Article 57 of (AP I)). Israel is thus obliged to take all precautionary measures to ensure that the collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects in its aerial bombing is not excessive. But the alarming civilian death toll and destruction of civilian properties in Gaza tell us an entirely different story. The disproportionate attacks are also treated as particular forms of indiscriminate attacks, which are prohibited under the IHL, in addition to the prohibition on direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects. According to Article 51 of AP I it is prohibited to attack by bombardment or by any methods or means of warfare that treat as a single military objective a number of clearly separated and distinct military objectives located in a city, town, village, or other area containing a similar concentration of civilians or civilian objects. Israeli air strikes causing mass civilian casualties indicate that it has failed to take feasible precautions to spare civilians as required under IHL. Thirdly, the war of self-defence must be conducted in strict compliance with the fundamental principles and rules of IHL. In its Legality of Nuclear Weapons Advisory Opinion (1996), the ICJ observed that the use of force in self-defence, in order to be lawful, must also be conducted in strict compliance with the requirements of the law applicable in armed conflict. IHL seeks to mitigate the effect of war by limiting the use of violence in armed conflicts necessary to achieve the war objective, which can only be limited to weakening the military potential of the enemy. It protects those who do not or no longer directly participate in hostilities and limits the selection of methods and means of warfare. Under IHL, attacks on hospitals, ambulances, and their personnel, including humanitarian and relief personnel, are specifically prohibited. But the Israeli forces are relentlessly targeting them with impunity. In Israeli attacks, a total of 22 of the 35 hospitals and more than 50 out of the 75-primary health centres in Gaza have been forced out of operation, and more than 135 medical personnel have been killed. The attacks on hospitals have not only endangered the lives of thousands of patients but also an estimated 122,000 displaced Palestinians sheltering in those facilities during the unrelenting bombing by Israel. More than 100 United Nations humanitarian workers have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war began in Gaza, which is, according to the U.N. secretary general, António Guterres, more “than in any comparable period in the history of our organisation”. The order issued by the Israeli authorities for the evacuation of more than one million Palestinians to leave northern Gaza within 24 hours, coupled with the complete siege, explicitly denying them food, water, electricity, and other goods essential for their survival, is incompatible with IHL, which prohibits the employment of the starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare under Article 54(1) of AP I. The forced relocation of civilian populations by Israel amounts to a crime against humanity and a war crime of collective punishment under the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The protection of civilians and civilian objects from the harmful effects of hostilities is one of the fundamental rules of IHL. It even provides greater protection for vulnerable groups among civilians, such as women, children, refugees, and displaced persons, because of the additional risks that they may face during armed conflict. However, they are disproportionately bearing the brunt of the ongoing armed conflict in Gaza. Among the more than 10,000 civilians killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks are 4,800 children and 3,100 women. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), on average, one child is killed and two are injured every 10 minutes in Gaza. The number of injuries has reached 28,200, with 70% being children and women. There are also more than 2,260 people missing, with a majority “presumed to be trapped under rubble. Israel is brazenly violating all conditions of lawful use of defensive force and the basic principles and rules of IHL applicable in this conflict with complete impunity. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has exposed, once again, the weakness of international law to hold powerful countries accountable for brazenly violating international law on the use of force and grave breaches of IHL and marks the complete collapse of the international legal order, which is necessary to achieve a durable peace in the region. … * The author teaches international law at Aligarh Muslim University and heads its Strategic and Security Studies Programme. ----- URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-west/limits-self-defence/d/131144 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

UP Government Bans the Sale of Halal-Certified Products with an Eye on the 2024 General Elections

By Syed Ali Mujtaba, New Age Islam 20 November, 2023 The Uttar Pradesh government bans halal products to bring the Muslim factor into politics, aiming to consolidate Hindu votes ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The UP government has deemed Halal certification confusing and unenforceable under Section 89 of the Food Law. A police case accuses a company and organizations of exploiting religious sentiments with forged certificates, while the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust denies the allegations. ------- Main Points · The UP-government order deems Halal certification as a parallel system that confuses food quality and is not tenable under Section 89 of the Food Law Food Safety and Standards Act. · A police case has been filed against a company and some organizations for allegedly exploiting religious sentiments by providing forged halal certificates to boost sales. · Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust denies allegations, stating they will take legal action to counter misinformation. · Halal foods are those produced, processed, and stored using clean machinery and utensils in accordance with Islamic law, free from prohibited components that Muslims are forbidden to consume. ----------- In an attempt to bring the Muslim factor back into political circulation, the Uttar Pradesh government has banned products with a halal tag, with immediate effect. The move is seen as another dice-throw by the BJP in India’s highly populated state to consolidate the Hindu vote bank ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The UP-government order says, “Halal certification of food products is a parallel system which creates confusion regarding the quality of food items and is not tenable under Section 89 of the Food Law Food Safety and Standards Act.” "The right to decide the quality of food items lies only with the authorities and institutions given in Section 29 of the said Act, who check the relevant standards as per the provisions of the Act", the government order added. The move comes after a police case was filed against a company and a few other organizations for allegedly "exploiting people's religious sentiments" to boost sales by providing "forged" halal certificates. The complainant raised concerns over a large-scale conspiracy, indicating attempts to allegedly decrease the sale of products from companies lacking the halal certificate, which is illegal, the UP government said. The case has been registered against Halal India Private Limited Chennai, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust Delhi, Halal Council of India Mumbai, Jamiat Ulama Maharashtra, and others. “These companies allegedly issued forged halal certificates to various companies for financial gains, fostering not only social animosity but also violating public trust,” the G.O. said. Responding to the UP government to ban Halal-Certified Products, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, in a statement, termed the allegations as "baseless" and said it will take "necessary legal measures to counter such misinformation". What is Halal certification - Halal is an Arabic word that means permissible -- as opposed to 'haram'. Halal-certified products are those that have apparently met the requirements of Islamic law and are suitable for the consumption of Muslims. Halal certification is a guarantee that the food is prepared in accordance with Islamic law and is unadulterated. If a product contains animals or animal by-products that are considered prohibited under Islamic law, then it cannot receive a halal certification. Specifically, halal foods are those that are made, produced, manufactured, processed, and stored using machinery, equipment, and/or utensils that have been cleaned according to Islamic law and are free from any component that Muslims are prohibited from eating. Halal meat meant the meat which has been procured through the process permitted in Islam. The animal has to be slaughtered through the throat, oesophagus, and jugular veins but not the spinal cord -- as opposed to the Jhatka method of slaughtering an animal where the neck gets the blow. Halal certification is not limited to meat, even some cosmetics have halal certification to denote that they don't contain any 'haram' products like alcohol, pig fat, etc. India’s commerce ministry issued a draft guideline early this year on halal certification. The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), and the Quality Council of India have given approval for Halal certificates. The UP-government’s move has come with an eye on the 2024 general election to consolidate the Hindu vote bank. The Hindutva elements have been making the noise about the halal certification ban for a long time. It was part of their agenda along with checking love jihad and anti-conversion activities. This move by the UP government can also be seen as a ploy to control the dietary habits of the Muslims which is anti-constitution. Certainly, this order will be contested in the courts but by the time, any relief comes through, much water may have flown under the bridge of river Gomti. -------- Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com --------- URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/up-government-bans-halal-products/d/131140 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Israel has exposed the Hypocrisy of Western Powers over Human Rights

The West, Europe, and the Arab world struggle with conflicting humanitarian and selfish interests and have completely failed to prevent Israel from committing acts of violence over civilians including babies, new-borns, women and children. Instead of acting as silent spectators, the global powers must demonstrate genuine humanitarian concern to prevent Israeli violence against Palestinians, as even hospitals in Gaza have become slaughterhouses. By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 18 November 2023 Main Points · Israel is committing horrific acts of violence against civilians, including women, children, and babies while justifying these acts in the name of eliminating Hamas. · The most oppressed people worldwide are currently facing the greatest oppression in Gaza, with global powers in the West, Europe, and the Arab world remaining silent. · The self-centred nature of the global powers has resulted in a lack of desire to combat the Nafs, leading them to remain silent spectators. … Can you imagine how painful it must be to read of the continued violence committed against mothers, sisters, new-borns, infants, children, women, and other civilians of Gaza, Palestine? Is it not the case that the most oppressed people on the planet are currently experiencing the greatest oppression in Gaza, after the global powers in the West, Europe, and the Arab world have become silent spectators? The global powers appear to be having two conflicting feelings. One feeling is humanitarian, even though it is not sincere in its approach. Their tone is languid, as they express the opinion in the limelight that Israel should refrain from killing civilians. However, Israel is not influenced by this low tone to cease violent deeds. Another feeling compels the global powers to support Israel under the pretence that it is battling Hamas; however, the truth is that Israel is deftly adopting the monster role, murdering women, children, and babies among civilians while morally repugnantly justifying its most extreme and brutal acts of violence in the name of eliminating Hamas. As seen by the 1948 Great Nakba in Palestine, it is crucial to keep in mind that Israel started occupying Palestinian territory in a very unfair manner even before Hamas was founded. However, the global powers feel that they should act as silent spectators and selfishly focus on their own economies, riches, and energies. As a result, they have lost all moral, spiritual, and humane strength to support humanitarian causes, keep Israel under control, and put an end to the merciless violence. They understand the feeling of human cries because they are also human, but they have lost their internal, spiritual or moral strength to fully support the humanitarian cause by immediately stopping Israel from using violence and finding a solution to the protracted Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Their Nafs [Self] have spiritually defeated their moral power and have transformed them into quiet onlookers rather than a force for supporting good and just humanitarian causes. As a result, their attempts are frustrated and they are powerless to stop human fatalities and other serious consequences in Gaza, Palestine. The world powers no longer have the desire to combat the Nafs due to their self-centred character and political ambitions, which drives them to continue acting as mute observers. The following is an English rendition of an Urdu essay that was posted on newageislam.com and may evoke human feelings to understand the pain of human cries. Hospitals in Gaza Have Become Slaughterhouses By Masoom Muradabadi Translated from Urdu 16 November 2023 The Gaza parliament has allegedly been taken over by Israeli forces on the 40th day of their violence and aggression against Gaza. In addition, reports have surfaced indicating that 179 individuals, many of whom were new-borns, were buried beneath the debris of the Al-Shifa hospital due to Israel's barbaric attack. Their mass grave was constructed inside the hospital due to a lack of resources. This may be the biggest mass burial ever discovered worldwide. But it is also the grave of those who want to establish peace in the world with dangerous weapons and have stood on the back of Israel with all their strength. The World Medical Organization's chief claims that Gaza's hospitals have turned into slaughterhouses and that the international community must speak out against this. A man working as a gravedigger in Gaza says that he has lost sleep and is unable to eat or drink. He had never thought in his life that graves would have to be dug for so many people at once. For several days, the doctors and nurses of Al-Shifa Hospital were saying that if they do not get electricity, the new-borns in the hospital will die. Their apprehension proved correct. Not only did many patients and injured die due to lack of electricity and fuel, but also many premature babies died. The hospital had run out of water, electricity, food and fuel. That is, the Israeli beasts had completely destroyed the hospital before they captured it. The bombing by the Israeli army murdered the sick and injured who were receiving medical attention at the hospital. Officer Munir al-Barsh of the Gaza Ministry of Health broke down in tears in front of an Al Jazeera reporter, stating that "stray dogs are scratching the dead bodies of civilians in the hospital yard because no one can touch them after the heavy bombardment." The equipment is unfit for burial at this time. As these lines are being written, the Israeli army has entered al-Shifa Hospital with its tanks. They are looking for the underground hiding places of Hamas there. The main target of the Israeli operation in Gaza is hospitals that have been turned into mortuaries. There are corpses everywhere, and they are decomposing since they aren't being buried. Yes, this is Gaza, where Israel has been letting fire rain for the past forty days with the assistance of its allies. In this most recent round of brutality and violence, 14,000 innocent Palestinians have been slain thus far. The Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi, Adnan, has provided this number. According to him, 3,000 people are buried beneath the debris of the buildings, while the official death toll is 1,000. Many thousands have lost their homes, and over 28,000 people are hurt. Gaza today resembles the largest cemetery on earth, with tales of carnage and ruin resounding everywhere. The nations of the world supporting Israel in this atrocity and bloodshed do not listen to the cries of the little children in Gaza, nor are they overpowered by the rags covering their bodies. In them, humanity has perished. The leaders of the West have wrapped themselves in a mask of apathy and conceit. The Arab and Islamic nations took their seats, but they lacked the bravery and strength to preserve the lives of their future generations. A wild beast's hand was too big for either of them to hold. Although the oil is produced in Arab nations, America and Israel also regulate the supply, as evidenced by the hospital in Gaza where children were dying from a lack of fuel and Israel was monitoring the supply. Alas, the Arab countries do not have control over the oil produced on their land. During the conference of Arab-Islamic countries last week in Riyadh to review the Gaza situation, Algeria or Lebanon suggested that the Muslim countries that have diplomatic ties with Israel cut off their current oil supply. However, this proposal was rejected because it was the least that the Arab countries could do in protest. Among those opposed to the proposal was the United Arab Emirates. Because of this, the meeting ended in empty words with no resolution, and the Muslim nations were unable to intervene to put out the fire in Gaza. The vulnerability of the Arab countries has demonstrated that a small country has grown into a major military force in the Middle East, putting a tumour in the Arabs' chest. During the ongoing aggression on Gaza, Israel has broken all the records of brutality. No place is safe from bombing. Hospitals in Gaza have been the most severely affected. The attack has totally destroyed 35 hospitals in Gaza. When there is a conflict, hospitals, refugee camps, relief organisations, and shelters are among the places where extra caution is needed. However, in Gaza, Israeli forces have targeted these safe havens the most. Israel claimed that Hamas built its camps under these hospitals and refugee camps. The main hospital in Gaza was completely destroyed on the basis of the same charge, although there was no indication of Hamas there. This reminded the US and its allies of their accusations against Saddam Hussein during the military campaign in Iraq that he had hidden WMD, even if they eventually turned up empty-handed. But in the interim, Iraq was demolished piece by piece in a manner similar to how Israel demolished Gaza. What's amazing is that the nations that supported America in the past are now supporting Israel. Al-Shifa Hospital is now fully under Israeli control as these words are being written. There are Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles inside. Muhammad Shtayyeh, the Palestinian prime minister, claims that Israel has established Al-Shifa Hospital as the symbol of Israeli authority over Gaza. According to him, the collapse of Al-Shifa Hospital would signal the collapse of Gaza. This is just a bogus justification for killing the wounded, sick, doctors and medical staff. According to international law, he claimed, that bombing hospitals, turning off their lights, and preventing ammunition from getting to them constitute war crimes. Arms suppliers to Israel bear equal responsibility for crimes against women and children. --------- Urdu Article: Hospitals in Gaza Have Become Slaughterhouses غزہ کے ہسپتال مقتل بن گئے URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-west/israel-hypocrisy-western-human-rights/d/131135 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Surme Ka Til Bana Ke Rukh-E-Laa-Jawaab Mein...

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 18 November 2023 "A Kanpur woman had filed a police complaint claiming that her husband pronounced triple talaq over the phone from Saudi Arabia upon learning that she had her eyebrows shaped." Courtesy, NAI … This reminds me of an Urdu poet Qamar Jalalwi's famous couplet: Surme ka til bana ke rukh-e-laa-jawaab mein Nuqta badha rahe ho Khuda ki kitaab mein (By adding a mole of collyrium on an already beauteous face/ You're adding a dot to the Book of Allah) 'Nuqta Badhana' (adding a dot) is a theological phrase in Urdu which means committing an act of blasphemy as humans have no right to alter even a dot in the 'holy' Book. Such a primitive mindset! What is wrong if a woman gets her eyebrows shaped or goes to a beauty parlour? Will clerics and Muslim men decide whether or not women should visit parlours? Looking beautiful or more presentable is not just a human, particularly a feminine, tendency, it's an individual's inalienable right. "Khud Ke Liye Bhi Toh Sajti Hai Aurat / Zaroori Nahin Ke Saje Faqat Mard Ke Liye Hi " (A woman grooms for herself as well / It's not necessary for her to look pretty for a man). Morbidly patriarchal Islam treats women as chattel and at times, like doormats. A woman's beauty and body aren't properties of a man. She's not a commodity or a personal fiefdom of her husband. She has her entity and personality. "Shabistaan Mein Sajoon Main Shauhar Ke Liye / Baahar Kaajal Lagaoon Toh Kufra Kahlaye Ye " (I embellish myself to look prettier in the bedroom/ But when I apply collyrium outside the four walls, it becomes sacrilegious). A very young Parveen Shakir wrote this couplet when she was in her early twenties. This " Sajna Hai Sajna Ke Liye/ Murjhana Hai Duniya Ke Liye " (To make up only for my husband/ To wither for the world) should come to an end. Enhancement of beauty must never be questioned or condemned. " Haseen Ko Aur Haseentar Bana/ Apni Aankhon Mein Zara Kaajal Laga " (Look even more pretty/ Apply kohl to your eyes). Moreover, who are these uneducated muftis to issue such bovine edicts? Is India an Islamic country? Muslim women mustn't care for these decrees even if issued by Deobandis or Nadwis. ۔۔۔ A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ---- URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/surme-til-bana-ke-rukh/d/131134 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

How Celibacy Came Into Being

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 17 November 2023 “Daily meditation and constant Japa is the essential foundation of brahmacharya. Japa and meditation cause the subtle forces known as prana to rise upward. Those who become adept in these spiritual practices will become “Urdhvareta Yogis”–those in whom the sexual energies flow upward and become transmuted into spiritual energies." ------ Mr Anburaj's recipe for an asexual existence has amused me no end. In olden times, kings and monarchs used to have jesters (Vidooshak/Maskhara) in their courts who'd say and do all funny things to keep the courtiers in good humour. Mr Anburaj is a modern jester. That said, the futile emphasis on Brahmacharya (celibacy or sexual abstinence) is not just ridiculous, it's against nature. Celibacy is self-deception and practised by all deluded humans whose sense of spirituality is not only muddled but morbidly pathological. We must understand our sexual behaviour from a socio-religious perspective. Anthropologists believe that religion (quasi-religions or prototypes of 'modern' faiths) and god emerged simultaneously with human civilization that started fifteen to eighteen thousand or max. twenty thousand years ago. Homo sapiens emerged nearly 60, 000 years ago. Right from the beginning, humans understood that sex was the most pleasurable activity- it's and there cannot be two views about it. So pleasurable that the early humans even depicted crude coital postures on the walls of the caves. Not only that, early humans even associated their gods and deities with unbridled sexual capers and peccadilloes. Religion and god birthed priesthood. Mind you, prostitution and priesthood are the oldest professions in the world. With that, a misconception started to take root. It was believed that if humans remained neck-deep exploring 'depths' (pun intended), they'd not be focused on gods, deities and spiritual matters. This misconception turned into a false (spiritual) narrative that sex was a morally unedifying act and a serious impediment to realising god or godhood. Readers will be amazed to know that Zoroastrianism, in its formative centuries, advised its priests and followers to practise celibacy to understand the nature of god (called Viasta in Avesta). Zoroastrianism, the world's first monotheistic faith, is approximately 4,000 years old. In its first seven or eight centuries, it (Zoroastrianism) vehemently advocated against sex and spread a canard that Ahura Mazda (Avestan: Wise Lord) hated sex and ejaculation (Vaar in ancient Iranian; equivalent to Veerya or Semen in Sanskrit). The same thinking was prevalent in this part of the world during the Vedic or pre-Vedic era (there was no Hinduism at that time). By the way, Avesta and Sanskrit are pretty similar languages with a plethora of common words and derivatives. You have the example of Bhishma's supposed celibacy and how he was revered for not having sex till he breathed his last. According to Mahabharata, he died at the age of 159! What a waste! When you go deeper into these phenomena related to sexual abstinence in early human societies, cults, groups and ancient faiths, you observe a very interesting thing. It was not sex per se that was condemned. It was the ejaculation that was called the defilement of body and mind (Veeryam Varjyate Apvitram Sarvatre) and a serious stumbling block to the attainment of godhood. In short, semen was considered to be impure and intolerable to god. That's the reason, old texts of Hindu mythology used Skhalan as a euphemism or substitute for Veerya. Jayadeva vividly described Radha-Krishna's mating in his Geet Govinda (written, circa 12th century), yet calling it non-ejaculative! Isn't it tantamount to drinking non-alcoholic beer or smoking an e-cigarette without tobacco? All man-made moronic faiths have termed semen as something terribly dirty despite being generative fluid. Buddhism and Jainism have gone to the extent of calling it 'Niga' and 'Gosera' respectively. Both the words mean poison and are extremely reprehensible. Since sex generally results in ejaculation, which is supposed to be an impure act and extremely detestable to god, the whole shebang of sex was prohibited by all idiotic religions. Most of the sexually frustrated Jain Munis and Buddhist monks waste their lives in controlling the physical urge and they call it an achievement! My foot! These religious fools even try to thwart their involuntary nocturnal emissions. Catholic priests, who're not supposed to marry, indulge in all sorts of perversions. No wonder, Aurobindo, Vivekanand, Shivanand, this Nand and that Nand remained deluded and thought that having sex would keep them away from their 'lofty' enlightenment. Alas, Na Khuda Hi Mila, Na Visaal-E-Sanam/ Na Idhar Ke Rahe, Na Udhar Ke Hum. What a pity! Sex, nature's greatest gift to mankind, became something so sinful owing to all silly religious beliefs and brainless practitioners of celibacy. … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ------- URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/celibacy-came-being/d/131128 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Palestine And the Peace Settlement?

By Dr Abd El-Moneim Saeed, Tr. New Age Islam Translated from Arabic by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam The article discusses the Gaza crisis, a contentious issue in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians. It highlights the need for a strong Arab stance to resolve the issue, ensuring only one Palestinian national authority can legitimately represent the Palestinian people. The article suggests reforms for the Israeli government, including removing radical right-wing parties, promoting international aid, a two-state solution, maintaining institutional resilience, and maintaining a demographic balance between Israelis and Palestinians. Main Points -------- · Israel is launching its largest-ever siege operation against Gaza, aiming to eliminate the Hamas movement, causing tension in the current situation. · The Nakba scenes were repeated in Gaza and the West Bank, prompting questions about improving conditions and preventing war from escalating into a regional conflict. · The Palestinian crisis requires a strong Arab stance to ensure only one Palestinian national authority can legitimately represent the Palestinians and "privatize" the national decision-making process regarding war and peace. · The United States and Western powers are key in resolving the crisis. ----------- I am writing this article from Riyadh, where I arrived before the emergency Arab summit at the gracious invitation of the Saudi Ministry of Information and the Al-Arabiya News Channel. I was brought in to discuss the Gaza crisis and how it affects the Palestinian cause. There have never been more turbulent times than these we are living in, as Israel is carrying out its largest-ever siege operation against the entire Gaza population, with the primary objective being the elimination of the Hamas movement, which has dealt Israel, its soldiers, and civilians the greatest blows in the recent history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, resulting in 1,400 casualties and 240 prisoners. The issue that has dominated discussions of the Fifth Gaza War originated with the Israeli ground invasion of the Strip, which followed an air invasion that drove over a million people from northern Gaza to its southern region, killing over 10,000 and injuring many more, as well as damaging thousands of buildings and other infrastructure, including medical facilities. Nevertheless, settlers in the West Bank seized the chance to kill close to 500 Palestinians and drive them out of thirteen West Bank villages. The scenes of the Nakba were practically repeated in both Gaza and the West Bank. Secondly, whether it is possible to improve conditions by allowing moments of calm to carry out relief and humanitarian support work. Equally crucial is preventing the war from evolving into a comprehensive regional war involving armed groups that are sufficiently hostile to wage a protracted war. Thirdly, consider the much-discussed “next day” that follows the ceasefire and the release of the prisoners. Additionally, consider how the Gaza Strip can be administered under the presumption that “Hamas” will become unfit to exercise authority over the Strip. The three dimensions of the Palestinian issue emerged starting with the Arab Summit session, which assembled foreign ministers, ministers dealing with information and warfare, and others for consultation between Arab parties—each based on their disagreements with the perennial Palestinian issue among Arabs—as well as between these parties, the United States, and the various Western powers in Europe. Nevertheless, it is clear that Washington was the flagbearer of the West in this crisis, which US President Joe Biden addressed, as well as the pillars of his administration, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defence, National Security, and the Central Intelligence Agency. The Arab summit process began amid the cacophony of diplomatic and political demands and was followed by an Arab-Islamic summit. There is little question that the Palestinian cause will garner substantial backing, both material and moral, at the level of these two summits. More challenging is figuring out a way to end the conflict and crisis in a way that stops additional conflicts and crises from starting. Here, a number of factors must be met in order for the problem to be resolved; otherwise, the harmful liquidity scenario that currently exists will persist and become more combustible. The first requirement is that there must be an immediate and strong Arab stance that, so long as the Arabs are obliged to support their brothers in Palestine, only one Palestinian national authority can legitimately represent the Palestinian people, and that authority alone can "privatise" the national decision-making process regarding matters of war and peace. However, in order to establish a condition of demographic balance between Palestinians and Israelis, the Israeli government must be changed to remove the right-wing parties, some of which have grown so extreme as to openly declare their intention to bring about another Nakba [a great tragedy] for the Palestinian people. Although it may appear unfeasible, the Israeli and Palestinian parties will view it as meddling in their domestic matters. However, this is the fundamental purpose of political and diplomatic efforts, as agreements can be made to move the matter in the direction of resolving the conflict and eventually arrive at a two-state solution that is supported by all significant international actors. Summit decisions might reflect a rejection of extremism on all sides, as the declaration of the nine countries following the peace conference in Cairo earlier stated. A complete settlement can also be accepted by highlighting the readiness to cope with institutional forces. Confirming that the world is no longer prepared to tolerate any forms of extremism that endanger both regional and global security can also be accomplished through working with international parties. The second prerequisite is that, regardless of what happens during the impending time of political and diplomatic disagreements, the significance of advancing the reform initiatives already underway in various Arab countries must be highlighted. The opportunity to witness the depth of the reform process that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is undergoing was provided by the attendance in the Kingdom. This was demonstrated not only by the enormous projects that are being carried out but also by the calibre of individuals and youth, particularly men and women. Before then, I had left Cairo, and not a single national project had been shelved in spite of the economic crisis. Attending the event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided an opportunity to witness the depth of the reform process that is currently underway in the Kingdom. This was demonstrated not only by the enormous projects that are being carried out but also by the calibre of individuals and youth, particularly men and women. This is the situation in several Arab nations that ratified the Cairo Declaration, which forbade the slaughter of civilians and called for a two-state solution-based peaceful resolution. Presumably, it serves as the primary safeguard against radical elements, be they Israeli or Palestinian, and has the ability to establish elevated degrees of regional collaboration that offer substitutes for tacit collaboration among extremist factions inside the region. It is important to remember that the catastrophe that the Arab summits are dealing with was caused by a coalition of regional powers that started a war to block the way for development and rehabilitation. If previous Arab generations fell for the lofty words and ideas of extremist movements, losing decades of advancement and wealth in the process, then history will hold the current generations responsible if they miss this chance. … Arabic Article: فلسطين والتسوية السلمية؟ … Dr Abd El-Moneim Saeed is a prominent Egyptian academic, journalist, and author. He serves as a member of the Egyptian Senate, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Masry Al-Youm Journalism Foundation, and a member of the Egyptian Shura Council. Saeed has written for various Arab newspapers and has been an academic at Egyptian universities and institutes. He has also served as a visiting fellow at Brandeis University in the United States. ---- URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/palestine-peace-settlement/d/131127 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Inzamam-ul-Haq's Evangelization

Inzamam-ul-Haq and some of his teammates brought Islam to the cricket team, pavilion and pitches, leading to player segregation and encouraging Namaaz. He invited controversial clerics to team meetings, resulting in an overzealous Muslim Pakistani cricket team. ---------- By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 16 November, 2023 Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday slammed former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for the latter's claims that Singh was influenced by the teachings of the controversial Maulana Tariq Jameel and wanted to convert to Islam. Singh rubbished these claims and asserted that he is a proud Indian and Sikh. A few years ago, a British cricket scribe wrote that Inzamam-ul-Haq could have been a far greater batsman had he been less devout. So very true. It was Inzamam-ul-Haq, who along with Saeed Anwar, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Afridi, brought Islam to the cricket team, pavilion and pitches. Inzamam and Anwar's unbridled evangelization vitiated the vibes and segregated players like Danish Kaneria and Yusuf Youhana on the basis of their faiths. Youhana finally embraced Islam to survive and became Mohammad Yousuf. Danish didn't leave Hinduism and was ill-treated by his teammates, esp. by Shahid Afridi who openly suggested that Danish should convert to Islam. Haq encouraged Pakistani cricketers to offer Namaaz on the ground. He began to invite controversial clerics to team meetings and started nudging foreign players like Harbhajan and even the West Indian legend Brian Lara to convert to Islam. Mufti Tariq Jameel, Tariq Masud and others would preach and motivate players. These fanatic preachers are very popular among the sub-continental Muslims and lakhs and crores of Muslims in India and Bangladesh watch their YouTube channels. They should be behind the bars for their volatile sermons and asinine claims. Tariq Jameel would have you believe that Houries are 130 ft. in height and if they spit in the ocean, it'll turn into nectar. These Houries don't defecate and fart. They don't menstruate and all that garbage. They're all rank uncouth and completely deranged village clerics whose sole objective is to condemn non-Muslims all the time. When such preachers, nay yokels, are invited to 'motivate' cricketers, you can imagine the level of religious indoctrination and brainwashing. Inzamam started this trend and now the entire Pakistani cricket team is a group of overzealous Muslims. You may have seen Inzamam in his 'modern' avatar. He sports a beehive-like beard sans moustache! So does Saeed Anwar. These religiously-opiated cricketers must understand that religion is a private issue. It must never be flaunted outside. But then, a number of Muslims, even 'educated' ones, believe that converting a Kafir to Islam will directly take them to heaven where they'll meet Allah, Muhammad and a gaggle of gorgeous gals, whom they call Houries. Alhamdulillah! I intend to convert to Islam, but only for those Houries with an hour-glass figure. I've no desire to meet Allah and his Rasool. ---------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ------ URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/inzamam-ul-haqs-evangelization/d/131121 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Are You Listening, Mr Rahul Gandhi? Is this how your shop of love will function for Muslims?

By Wadood Sajid, Tr. New Age Islam 15 November 2023 On November 8, an important news was broken but went largely unnoticed. The news was ignored by the national media except one newspaper. The TV channels did not report it. That the Supreme Court had lashed out at the Rajasthan government was also not reported. It is surprising that the Supreme Court had given the Satanic TV channels an important opportunity against the Rajasthan Congress government but they did not exploit it. The print media and the TV channels did not do so for the love of Congress. They spared the Gehlot government of the Congress party for the hate of the Muslims. I am, therefore, putting some questions directly to Mr Rahul Gandhi. On May 13, 2008, serial bomb blasts had occured in Jaipur. Many Muslims had been arrested as the accused. The local court had convicted four of them and awarded death sentence to them, (as is usual at this level of judiciary). The Rajasthan High Court had not only acquitted all of them but also ordered legal action against the erring police officers. The Rajasthan government appealed against the High Court judgment in the Supreme Court. On November 8, the Rajasthan government had to face embarassment and humiliation in the Supreme Court. It would be appropriate to quote what I had written to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot in my column Nawae Imroz on March 31. "Mr Gehlot! You might be aware of the stoy of the four innocent youth whom the Rajasthan High Court had released from.the death noose,and had given them a new lease of life. They wasted the precious 15 years of their life. When they had been arrested on May 13, 2008 for Jaipur serial blasts, they had pleaded desperately that they were innocent but the Rajasthan police had not listened to them. The special court of Jaipur had given them death sentence in 2019. Finally, the Rajasthan High Court had listened to their pleas and adjudged after 15 years that they were innocent. "On the one hand, the High Court had acquitted the youth and on the other, it had placed the police and the investigating officers in the dock. The High Court has protected the honour and credibility of the judiciary. The honourable exposed the shameful act of the investigating officers and ordered the DGP to initiate action against the guilty police officers. The court has also ordered the Chief Secretary to personally look into the matter in the larger interests of the people. It means that the Court has indirectly indicted your government as well. "Mr Chief Minister! You cannot return the acquitted youth the precious years of their life that was ruined due to the false accusation of terrorism against them, nor can you return them their reputation and dignity which was damaged by the false propaganda run by the terrorist media at the time of their arrest. The media had declared them perpetrators of the blasts even before the investigations were completed by the police and the investigating officers.You can also not return them their peace of mind that was taken away by these mischief mongers. The High Court judgment requires that you should dismiss all the police officers, get them arrested and initiate legal action against them immediately as per the High Court order. If you have the slightest feeling of the pain and loss suffered by the youth, you should pay them appropriate compensation and give the government jobs. "Mr Gehlot! The additional counsel of your government Rekha Madnani has made it clear that the High Court judgment will be challenged in thr Supreme Court. If your government is going to the Supreme Court against this clear and judicious verdict, it will mean that you want to hang these youth at any cost. It would also mean that you do not have the intention to take legal action against the investigating officers who ruined the lives of the youth." (Excerpts from my column Nawai Imroz March 31) The Chief Minister of Rajasthan government did not take any notice of the above quoted column. The government knocked at the door of the Supreme Court despite a clear and realistic verdict of the High Court and appealed for stay on it. On March 17, 2023, the SC refused to stay the verdict. The Rajasthan government was in a great hurry to get a stay. The three judge bench comprising Justice B. S. Gawai, Justice B. S. Narasimha and Justice Arvind Kumar said that they cannot take a decision in such an important judgment in a mechanical way without listening to those whom the court had acquitted. When the High Court had acquitted the youth and ordered action against the guilty officers on March 29, 2023, the additional counsel of Rajasthan government Rekha Madnani had said in the court complex that they would challenge the judgment in the SC. We had thought then that she had made the statement due to the embarassment caused to the government by the High Court order. That's why I had made an appeal to the CM directly. Now, after the judgment of the SC, it has become clear that the decision to challenge the HC judgment in the SC was not taken at the lower level but the highest level of the leadership of the state government was also involved. Had it not been so, the seniormost law officer of the country, the Attorney General would not have represented the state government in the SC. When the case was brought before the bench, the court said to AG R. Venkataraman: "Your appeal against the acquittal of the accused is unique and unprecedented. To consider your extraordinary appeal, it is necessary to study whether the HC order is flawed or has some discrepancy. The court also observed that after a judgment acquitting the accused comes the view about their innocence gets more strength. The Attorney General is the senior most officer. In principle, he represents the central government in the Supreme Court.The next comes the Solicitor General. Then there are his deputies. In the state, the most senior law officer is the Advocate General who represents the state government in the HC. There are deputies in the state as well. If the state has to make an appeal in the SC the additional Advocate General represents the state government. The state does not request the representative of the central government, that too, the Attorney General, to represent it. This proves that the state government was hell bent on hanging the innocent youth. For that, it acquired the services of the AG. It appears that the SC also felt the gravity of the matter and observed that such an appeal was unique and unprecedented.It should be noted here that on the first hearing, the SC had demanded the entire record of the case from the trial court of Jaipur. But it was not submitted till the second hearing on November 8. It is surprising that the Jaipur trial court could not submit the record before the SC even after six months.On November 8, the SC again ordered the registry to make the record available. The counsel of the acquitted youth, Rebecca John told the court that despite their acquittal, the youth had been ordered to register their presence at the anti-terrorism police station from 10 am to 12 pm every day. The Court told the AG that this condition limited the freedom of the youth. The AG argued that though the HC had acquitted them, they could not be permitted to move about freely. Therefore, they appealed for a stay. Mr Rahul Gandhi! All this has been done with the four innocent youth by your Rajasthan government. I am addressing you because CM Gehlot has exposed fully the 'real man' inside him but we do not expect that degree of nakedness from you though it is also a fact that a large number of youth have been framed in terror charges under the Congress and the UPA governments. Still we hope that you will not allow this to continue. The case of the four youth is a litmus test for you. Your Gehlot government presents the youth in the SC as a threat and wants to limit their freedom despite a clear verdict in their favour. As a journalist, I can only address you in decent words but if you want to know my views as a common Indian, I have no decent words for your Gehlot government except the words of condemnation. This veteran politician and ruler terms the youth as a threat and wants to put them in shackles even after they have already wasted 15 years of their lives for an uncommitted crime though the HC has not only acquitted them but also put the police and the entire judicial machinery in the dock. All this is happening at a time, Mr Gandhi, when your party is in the poll fray to form the government in two states and is trying to wrest power from the BJP in one state. In these circumstances, we repose our trust only in you. Will you do something in this matter? We await your response. (Inquilab 14 November) ------- Urdu Article: Where are you Mr Gandhi! آپ کہاں ہیں مسٹر گاندھی URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-politics/rahul-gandhi-strange-shop-of-love-for-muslims/d/131117 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism